[Perhaps the longest and most time consuming single post on the Codex, and that is saying something. It's my attempt at a base class! Inspired by the blue mage from Final Fantasy, transforming hero characters from media like Dial H for Hero, The Guyver and Ben10, and an attempt to make a version of the synthesist summoner archetype that isn't completely broken. Thanks to @abominationimperatrix, @soylent-crocodile and @monstersdownthepath for being my proofreaders and sounding boards on this one. This time I did not link every single non-core spell, because there's a lot of them. Use Archives of Nethys for sources on all these spells.]
Mimeticist
The mimeticist is a student of the monstrous who alters their own body the way other classes may change armor or weapons. Using strange arcane techniques, a mimeticist can assume the forms of the creatures they study. Some mimeticists retain their natural features, only gaining slight hints of the forms whose abilities they mimic. Others become specific types of monsters when they use particular abilities, and still others become strange chimeras whose appearance shifts according to their tactics and whims. There are mimeticists, called henshin by some, who have a specific alter ego whose appearance remains relatively stable, even as they grow more powerful and gain more abilities.
Role: Mimeticists are to transmutation what summoners are to conjuration—they sacrifice their mastery of other schools of magic to access the powers of biological diversity and magical creativity. Some of them go so far as to maintain a secret identity, seeming as a mild-mannered scholar until they transform themselves into a beast.
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills
The mimeticist’s class skills are Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Fly (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis) and Use Magic Device (Cha)
Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier
The class features and spell list for the mimeticist are below the cut:
Class Features
The following are class features of the mimeticist.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Mimeticists are proficient with all simple weapons. Mimeticists are also proficient with light armor. A mimeticist can cast mimeticist spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Like any other arcane spellcaster, a mimeticist wearing medium or heavy armor, or using a shield, incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component. A multiclass mimeticist still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.
Mimicry (Su): A mimeticist can transform their body to mimic animals and monsters. The mimeticist can use this ability as a standard action a number of times a day equal to 3 plus ½ her mimeticist level (minimum 3), and each time she uses mimicry, she can remain in that form for a number of minutes equal to her mimeticist level (minimum 1 minute), unless she reverts as a standard action. When she uses mimicry, her body changes, granting her access to eidolon evolutions. She may access evolutions with a point cost equal to that shown on the table above; unused evolution points are not saved or rolled over to a later use of mimicry. A mimeticist is assumed to be bipedal for the purposes of what evolutions she can access. A mimeticist can choose to use different evolutions different times she uses mimicry, but cannot change her evolutions during a use of mimicry without using the ability another time (or through spells like evolution surge). A mimeticist is limited in the number of natural weapons she can grant herself, as shown on the table above.
A mimeticist begins play with three evolutions known, and learns how to mimic additional evolutions as she levels, as shown on the table above. A mimeticist can learn evolutions that can be taken multiple times, but requires additional evolutions known to alter them from the choice initially picked. For example, a mimeticist taking the skilled evolution would have to pick a single skill to gain the bonus in when she learned the evolution, but could learn it a second time for a bonus to a second skill. A mimeticist must be of the listed level in mimeticist to select evolutions with a summoner level requirement (such as level 7th for webs or level 11th for fast healing). At 4th level, and every four levels thereafter, a mimeticist can choose to replace one of her evolutions known for another evolution of equal or lesser point cost.
Monster Lore (Ex): A mimeticist gains a bonus on all Knowledge checks to identify monsters and their abilities equal to ½ her class level (minimum +1). In addition, she may make any Knowledge check to identify monsters and their abilities untrained. This does not apply to other applications of the same Knowledge skill.
Spells: A mimeticist casts arcane spells drawn from the mimeticist spell list. A mimeticist must choose and prepare her spells ahead of time. To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, the mimeticist must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a mimeticist’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the wizard's Intelligence modifier.
A mimeticist can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on the table above. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Intelligence score
A mimeticist may know any number of spells. She must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time by getting 8 hours of sleep and spending 1 hour studying her spellbook. While studying, the mimeticist decides which spells to prepare.
Cantrips: Mimeticists can prepare a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, each day, as noted on the table under "Spells per Day." These spells are cast like any other spell, but they are not expended when cast and may be used again.
Spellbooks: A mimeticist must study her spellbook each day to prepare his spells. She cannot prepare any spell not recorded in his spellbook, except for read magic, which all mimeticists can prepare from memory. A mimeticist can take the Spell Mastery feat as if she were a wizard.
A mimeticist begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level mimeticist spells plus three 1st-level spells of her choice. The mimeticist also selects a number of additional 1st-level spells equal to her Intelligence modifier to add to the spellbook. At each new mimeticist level, she gains two new spells of any spell level or levels that she can cast (based on her new mimeticist level) for her spellbook. At any time, a mimeticist can also add spells found in other spellbooks to her own.
Track (Ex): At 2nd level, a mimeticist adds half her level (minimum 1) to Survival skill checks made to follow tracks.
Know Thy Enemy (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, when the mimeticist succeeds at a Knowledge check to identify a creature’s abilities and weaknesses, she can also use a standard action to grant herself a +2 insight bonus on all attack and weapon damage rolls made against that enemy. This bonus lasts for a number of rounds equal to half her class level (minimum 2 rounds), or until the mimeticist uses this ability against a different creature. At 11th level, she also gains a +2 bonus to her AC against the creature when using this ability. At 19th level, the insight bonus increases to +3.
Warp-proof (Ex): At 4th level, a mimeticist gains a +4 bonus to saving throws against petrifaction and polymorph effects.
Mimetic Attacks (Su): Starting at 5th level, whenever a mimeticist uses her mimicry ability to simulate natural weapons, those natural weapons take on the properties of different types of weapons. At 5th level, her natural weapons created through mimicry are treated as being magic weapons for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. At 9th level, they are treated as being cold iron and silver for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. At 13th level, they are treated as weapons with the alignment of the mimeticist for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. At 17th level, they are considered to be adamantine for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.
Unlock Flesh (Su): Starting at 6th level, whenever a mimeticist uses its mimicry ability, she grants herself a +2 enhancement bonus to one physical ability score (Strength, Dexterity or Constitution), which lasts for the duration of her mimicry. She must choose what ability score to enhance at 6th level, and cannot change it. At 11th level and 16th level, she gains another +2 enhancement bonus to an ability score whenever she uses mimicry, which can be used to enhance the same ability score, or a different one of her choice.
Rapid Mimicry (Su): Starting at 7th level, a mimeticist can use mimicry, or revert to her original form, as a move action. Starting at 14th level, a mimeticist can use mimicry or revert to her original form as a swift action.
Multiattack (Ex): At 8h level, a mimeticist gains Multiattack as a bonus feat.
Rapid Assessment (Ex): Starting at 10th level, a mimeticist can use her know thy enemy ability as a move action. Starting at 19th level, she can do so as a swift action.
A Thousand Faces (Su): At 15th level, a mimeticist gains the ability to change her appearance at will, as if using the alter self spell, but only while in her normal form.
Enhance Natural Weapons (Ex): At 18th level, a mimeticist’s natural weapons granted from her mimicry ability all deal damage at one die higher, as if she had the Improved Natural Weapon feat for all of her natural weapons.
Transcend Flesh (Su): At 20th level, a mimeticist gains the shapeshifter subtype. She can use her mimicry ability and a thousand faces as immediate actions. She gains a 50% chance to ignore critical hits and sneak attacks, and if she succumbs to a hostile petrifaction or polymorph effect, she can resume her natural form and end the condition as a standard action on her turn.
Mimeticist Spells
Mimeticists gain access to the following spells.
1st-Level Mimeticist Spells: alarm, ant haul, anticipate peril, aspect of the falcon, aspect of the nightingale, borrow skill, bouncy body, bristle, burst of adrenaline, burst of insight, coin shot, comprehend languages, corrosive touch, deadeye’s lore, decompose corpse, disguise self, endure elements, enlarge person, erase, expeditious retreat, false face, faerie fire, feather fall, feather step, heightened awareness, hobble, identify, jump, keen senses, long arm, mage armor, magic fang, monkey fish, pass without trace, reduce person, restore corpse, shield, stone fist, tireless pursuit, touch of gracelessness, touch of the sea, true strike, unerring weapon, unseen servant, vocal alteration, wizened appearance, wrath, youthful appearance
2nd-Level Mimeticist Spells: acute senses, air step, alter self, animal aspect, ant haul (communal), aspect of the bear, barkskin, bear’s endurance, blood armor, blood biography, bloodhound, blur, boiling blood, bull’s strength, buoyancy, cat’s grace, certain grip, darkness, darkvision, detect magic (greater), discovery torch, eagle’s splendor, effortless armor, endure elements (communal), evolution surge (lesser), false life, fox’s cunning, ghostbane dirge, glide, hunter’s lore, invisibility, levitate, locate object, lockjaw, masterwork transformation, natural rhythm, open book, owl’s wisdom, perceive cues, pouncing fury, protection from arrows, pyrotechnics, quick change, rage, resist energy, see invisibility, spider climb, stone throwing, tactical acumen, tree shape, twisted innards, vine strike, warding weapon, warp wood, whispering wind, wood shape
3rd-Level Mimeticist Spells: adjustable disguise, air breathing, animal aspect (greater), arcane sight, assume appearance, beast shape I, blessing of the mole, blink, burrow, burst of speed, campfire wall, cast out, clairaudience/clairvoyance, cloak of air, coordinated effort, countless eyes, darkvision (communal), daylight, deadly juggernaut, deeper darkness, devolution, dispel magic, displacement, evolution surge, feather step (mass), fly, fungal infestation, gaseous form, haste, heroism, hunter’s eye, infuse self, keen edge, lily pad stride, locate weakness, magic fang (greater), monstrous physique I, pack empathy, pierce disguise, protection from energy, pup shape, resinous skin, resist energy (communal), shifting sand, slow, snare, spider climb (communal), spike growth, spit venom, tongues, undead anatomy I, vampiric touch, vermin shape I, versatile weapon, water breathing, wind wall, witness
4th-Level Mimeticist Spells: absorb toxicity, adjustable polymorph, aerial tracks, age resistance (lesser), air walk, arcana theft, aspect of the stag, assume appearance (greater), atavism, beast shape II, bloody claws, caustic blood, control water, darkvision (greater), death ward, decollate, detect scrying, dimension door, dimensional anchor, dismissal, echolocation, elemental body I, enchantment foil, enlarge person (mass), ethereal fists, evolution surge (greater), eyes of the void, false life (greater), fey form I, find quarry, fire shield, fluid form, forceful strike, freedom of movement, giant vermin, ghostbane dirge (mass), invisibility (greater), kiss of the first world, monstrous physique II, neutralize poison, obsidian flow, persistent vigor, planeslayer’s call, protection from energy (communal), reduce person (mass), replay tracks, ride the waves, rigor mortis, rubberskin, rusting grasp, scrying, spike stones, strong jaw, stoneskin, tailwind, temporary graft, tireless pursuers, tongues (communal), touch of slime, unbearable brightness, vermin shape II, vitriolic mist, wall of fire, wall of ice
5th-Level Mimeticist Spells: air walk (communal), animal growth, aspect of the wolf, baleful polymorph, beast shape III, blessing of the salamander, control winds, dispel magic (greater), divine pursuit, dust form, elemental body II, fey form II, fickle winds, heroism (greater), hunter’s blessing, monstrous physique II, ooze form I, overland flight, planar adaptation, planetary adaptation, plant shape I, polymorph, resounding blow, sending, shapechanger’s gift, snake staff, spell resistance, stoneskin (communual), telekinesis, teleport, threefold aspect, undead anatomy II, unerring tracker, unshakable zeal, vampiric shadow shield, vengeful stinger, wall of force, wreath of blades
6th-Level Mimeticist Spells: age resistance, analyze dweomer, banishment, bear’s endurance (mass), beast shape IV, bull’s strength (mass), cat’s grace (mass), disintegrate, eagle’s splendor (mass), elemental body III, ethereal jaunt, fey form III, find the path, flesh to stone, form of the alien dragon I, form of the dragon I, fox’s cunning (mass), frightful aspect, giant form I, green caress, heart of the mammoth, iron body, ironwood, legend lore, mislead, monstrous physique IV, ooze form II, owl’s wisdom (mass), planar adaptation (mass), planetary adaptation (mass), plant shape II, plundered power, primal regression, scrying (greater), sonic form, spell turning, statue, stone to flesh, swarm skin, tar pool, teleport (greater), transformation, true seeing, undead anatomy III, verminous transformation, walk through space, wind walk, wither limb
Finally, the Martyr base class has been released on the blog! The martry is a holy warrior who is fated to die for their cause - but not one moment before!
I don’t usually have a lot of personal input into our base classes, but I did help playtest this one, and I can confirm it is a lot of fun. Having to manage your hit points as a resource that can be actively spent, and having abilities that proc when you get hit gives the class a really dynamic, strategic feel, and encourages a very aggressive play style. The RP potential is also extremely rich!
Witch patrons as a whole can represent any manner of otherworldly, power-granting entity, everything from powerful outsiders, fey, bodiless spirits, and even psychic entities formed by or attracted to the subconscious desires of the would-be witch.
Their morality and goals can also vary a lot. Some are goodly, most are high-minded and desire to spread knowledge, while wicked ones may be petty tyrants that threaten to remove their influence or torment the witch in other ways if they are not obeyed. Regardless of alignment, however, most patrons likely have an agenda of some kind, which likely is related to the theme they are associated with.
Beyond that, however, the witch patrons… don’t really have that much going for them mechanics-wise, just a list of bonus spells. According to former Paizo employee and editor in chief F. Wesley Schneider (In his brief stint of doing youtube videos, I believe), the witch patrons were originally going to be more in depth with greater mechanics tied to the true nature of the patron, but those were scrapped.
Today, however, we’ll take a look at a subsystem from Blood of the Coven which promises to provide a way for witch characters to be influenced by the exact nature of their patron (and also throwing a bone to GMs who wish they had more to work with when trying to tie the patron into the plot or subplot of a campaign.)
These so-called “unique patrons” are a bit stronger and more influential than the standard patron. Picking one of them means you must pick a certain hex at first level, you have a list of only four themes to pick from, and some of your theme spells are swapped out by those associated with that type of unique patron. What’s more, taking a unique patron means abiding by their rules, which can include a restriction, or a penalty of some kind.
In this way, unique patrons offer access to certain spells that are harder for most witches to get in return for some restrictions or difficulties in terms of build and roleplay. This makes sense from a fluff level as well, as these patrons would naturally not possess themes that run counter to their goals (no celestial patrons of rot and death, naturally)
The unique patron types are as follows:
First is the Celestial Agenda, meaning the patron is some manner of good outsider that seeks to guide the witch to some goodly act or destiny. As such, such witches must be good and find it difficult to deceive others, but they gain the ward hex, are associated with themes of endurance, healing, light, and portents, and grant access to spells that punish the wicked and call upon celestial allies.
Next is the Empath, suggesting your patron is a collective unconscious or other entity associated with emotion and social connection. Such witches are sensitive to strong emotions, making them very vulnerable to magic that imposes them on others. Still, they learn the tongues hex to speak all languages, are associated with ancestors, mind, spirits, and wisdom, and are granted spells that bolster their awareness of events and energies both present and past.
Fey Gifts suggests that your patron is a powerful fey, perhaps even one of the Eldest. Such patrons have few restrictions, but they also view the witch as a source of entertainment, and might remotely jinx them at random for their amusement. Still, the fey does grant the witch the charm hex, access to the agility, enchantment, trickery, or winter themes, and access to magic to deceive and enchant their foes with fairy madness.
Green Whispers is what you want if you want you patron to be a nature spirit of some description, or perhaps a powerful natural being such as a treant. Such beings forbid the touch of iron or steel, which are associated with civilization, and actually cause harm and inhibit the magic of the witch. In exchange, they can speak to animals with the feral speech hex, access animals, endurance, moon, or transformation as patron themes, and access various plant-related spells.
When a hag gets involved, usually with their changeling child, they sometimes act as a patron, providing the Hag’s Calling, perhaps to tempt them, or reward them. Regardless of their relationship, the hag seeks to isolate the witch, preventing them from helping others or accepting the help of others. In return, these witches gain the coven hex, can choose from moon, plague, shadow, and vengeance for themes, and spells to disguise themselves or contact the hag from afar.
The classic witch patron, at least when viewed through the perspective of fearful religious folk, the Infernal Contract suggests a patron that is fiendish in nature, though not necessarily diabolic. Regardless of what fiend is holding the leash, such witches can only rarely be resurrected, their souls bound to their master, and they must provide regular sacrifices of blood to maintain their power. Those that dare this bond are promised the misfortune hex, access to enchantment, strength, trickery, and vengeance as options, and spells to call on fiendish allies for aid.
Calling upon a patron from the plane of shadow, Shadowbound refers to those patrons that dwell in darkness, such as kytons, owbs, shae, nightshades, and more. Such a patron makes the light inimical to the witch, though, making their eyes sensitive to light. In exchange, they gain the disguise hex, the death, deception, ethereal, and shadow patron themes, and spells that bend shadow to the will of the witch for attacking and transport.
The Condition of All is an interesting unique patron, as such witches are guided by the mysterious and contradictory aeons. As servants of the balance, each witch has a role to play, and so their morality cannot waver from the role they are meant to fulfil, lest they lose their powers until their part in the balance is restored. In exchange, they gain the scar hex, access to the elements, time, transformation, and wisdom themes, and magic for compelling actions and banishing unwanted outsiders.
Finally, those who are Touched by the Outer Gods are exactly what you’d expect, witches whose patrons are none other than an Outer God or Great Old One, leaving their minds scarred, making them vulnerable to various mental effects. Those who follow such beings, if that word can even be used, gain the unnerve beasts hex, a theme from the list of insanity, occult, stars, or transformation, and spells that spread fear and madness.
With such an array of unique patrons, you certainly have plenty of interesting choices for making a witch character where the exact nature of their patron matters. However, you may have noticed that the list of various themes that go with these unique patrons is a bit… limited, with many themes not having any representation at all, so if you really want a particular theme and a unique patron, you may be forced to turn to homebrew or GM fiat in order to make it work.
The Pathfinder 2nd edition version of the witch features much more involved patrons from the get-go, which we’ll cover sometime in the future, but it’s interesting to see how this optional subsystem might have inspired it.
In any case, that does it for today! We’ll wrap up the witch class tomorrow with some final thoughts!
My Pathfinder/DnD base class inspired dicebag collection is definitely coming along. Just 6 more to go and they're ready for etsy. (From left to right - Druid, Bard, Monk, Ranger, Cleric)
A recent post by the one and only Owen KC Stephens reminded me of a project I had several years ago, making a base class based on Celtic mystical paths. In researching the historical link between “bards” and “druids,” I found several references to mystical figures known as “vates” or seers. Many of these sources treated bards, vates, and druids as different initiates of the same rites, serving their people as sages, historians, judges, and seers. I decided to put a fantasy spin on the concept of the vate as seer and sage, diviner and protector. The base class that emerged from this found a home in my Reconsula campaign setting, where vates join with druids and bards to form primal circles that enhance their abilities. Powered by ogham magic, a Celtic-inspired system reminiscent of runes, these vates seek to unravel the mysteries of the world around them. The following base class is offered freely for your enjoyment; any feedback is always appreciated.
An image of what a primal circle might look like with a vate, a druid, and a bard. Original art by Jacob Blackmon, who has given me permission to use his work in this blog. If you like his work, consider joining me in backing his Patreon.
THE VATE — GAME RULE INFORMATION
Vates have the following game statistics:
Abilities: Intelligence controls many of a vate’s skills and several of his class abilities, including spellcasting. Since vates are limited to light armor, a high Dexterity adds to their defense, while constitution adds fortitude and resilience that the vate might otherwise be short on.
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills
The vate’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Acrobatics (Dex), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points per Level: 6 + Int modifier
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A vate is proficient with all simple weapons, plus the bolas, light hammer, longbow, shortbow, short sword, and throwing axe. Vates are proficient with light armor, but not with shields. A vate can cast vate spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, a vate wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component (most do). A multiclass vate still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.
Spells: A vate casts arcane spells, the same kind as sorcerers, wizards, and bards, which are drawn from the vate spell list (see below). Although a vate can cast any spell he knows without preparing it per se, he must have the appropriate ogham in his ogham pouch (see below). To learn or cast a spell, a vate must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a vate’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the vate’s Intelligence modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a vate can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Vate. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Intelligence score. A vate is treated as a spontaneous spellcaster for any effect related to whether a caster prepares or spontaneously casts spells, including the addition of metamagic feats to spells.
Ogham: Vates are the holders of a secret arcane writing known as Ogham. This writing allows a vate to inscribe the details of a single spell on a piece of stone, wood, or other natural object. An object carrying an Ogham spell inscription is known as an ogham. A vate uses a sack containing his oghams as a focus for completing his spells in place of inexpensive material components (just as if he had the Eschew Material Components feat). Any arcane spell that normally has an inexpensive material component instead has an ogham focus when cast by a vate. Verbal and somatic components apply normally, and a vate must provide any material component or arcane focus worth more than 1gp. A vate may have any number of oghams in his possession, but he does not have access to all of them at any given time.
Each day when a vate recovers his spells for the day, he must spend one hour meditating on his oghams. He selects the spells that he wants to have access to that day and places their respective oghams in his pouch. The number of spells of each level that a vate can access and keep in his pouch at any given time is given in Table: Vate Spells Accessible by Level. Once a vate has established the spells he has access to for the day, he may later change one of them by spending ten minutes sorting through his pouch, replacing one ogham with another of the same level, and briefly meditating on the change. There is no limit to the number of times a vate may exchange one spell for another, but each exchange takes ten minutes.
A vate uses the pouch containing his oghams as an arcane focus, and must be in physical contact with the pouch or the specific ogham of the spell he wishes to cast. The pouch or ogham need not be presented directly, or even be visible (indeed, many vates keep their pouches tucked inside their clothes or armor for protection from light-fingered rivals), but it must be in contact with the vate and not in an extradimensional space. The vate channels his spell-casting power through his ogham, but the ogham is not consumed in the process, meaning that he is free to cast the same spell again, provided that he has a spell slot of the appropriate level available. An ogham is about the size and weight of a coin, with 50 oghams weighing one pound.
A vate begins play with four oghams containing cantrips of his choice and one ogham containing a 1st-level spell of his choice. He also gains a number of bonus oghams (containing cantrips and/or 1st-level spells) equal to his Intelligence modifier at 1st level. At each subsequent level, he gains one new ogham of a spell of the highest level he can cast and one new ogham of a spell at least one level lower than the highest level he can cast. The vate receives these oghams for free as part of his adventures and does not have to pay to craft them.
A vate may also create oghams from scrolls that he finds in his travels or from the oghams of other vates. He crafts his oghams in much the same way that a wizard scribes pages into his spellbook. The magical inks or dyes needed to complete the ritual and infuse the spell information into the ogham costs the same amount as scribing a spell of the same level into a wizard’s spellbook. With the exception of pages in a spell book (all oghams take up the same size item regardless of spell level), the same rules apply to adding spells to a vate’s ogham collection and adding spells to a wizard’s spell book, as well as writing new spells on an ogham and writing new spells into a spell book. See the chapter on Magic in the associated Core Rulebook for more information on wizards’ spell books.
Vate Spell List: Vates are arcane casters with a preternatural sixth sense that reveals things unseen and protects them and their allies from harm. The vate spell list includes all divination spells, regardless of whether they are normally arcane or divine, up to 6th level; the vate may learn these spells at the lowest level they are available to any spellcaster. Additionally, vates have access to all abjuration spells up to 6th level found on the sorcerer/wizard, bard, or druid spell lists. Finally, vates have access to any spell that appears on both the druid and bard spell lists at the lowest level at which it is available to either class.
Cantrips (Sp): Vates learn a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, and may include these in their daily spell selection. See Table: Vate Spells Accessible by Level for the number of cantrips a vate has access to at any given time. Unlike other spells or spell slots, a vate’s cantrips are not used up when cast and may be used again.
Detect Magic (Sp): A vate has the ability to detect magical auras at will. This functions as the detect magic spell (caster level equal to the vate’s class level). The vate may suppress or resume this ability at will as a free action.
Trapfinding: Vates, like rogues, can find and use the disable device skill to disarm both magical and non-magical traps. This ability functions as the rogue’s trapfinding ability; add a vate’s level to his effective rogue level (regardless of whether or not the vate has actual levels in rogue) to determine any level-dependent benefits to finding and disarming traps.
Vatic Vision: A vate can extend and attune his senses through the fabric of reality to view locations and discern information beyond the scope of mortal vision. He can use this ability for a number of minutes per day equal to 4 + his Intelligence modifier. At each level after 1st a vate can use vatic vision for 2 additional minutes per day. Vatic vision is measured in one-minute increments, and using a vatic vision ability consumes at least one minute of this ability, even if the actual duration of the effect is less.
Beginning a vatic vision is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, but it can be maintained each round as a free action. A vatic vision cannot be disrupted, but it ends immediately if the vate is killed, paralyzed, stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise prevented from taking a free action to maintain it each round.
At 7th level, a vate can begin a vatic vision as a move action instead of a standard action. At 13th level, he can begin a vatic vision as a swift action.
Vatic vision refers to a vate’s ability to invoke a variety of supernatural or spell-like divinations, all of which draw on a mystic insight into reality.
Discarnate Eye (Sp): A vate’s simplest use of his vatic vision allows him to create a magical sensor that extends his vision beyond its normal range. This ability functions as the spell arcane eye, except as noted here. The sensor is created in the vate’s space and cannot move more than 60 feet from the vate until he reaches 8th level; at 8th level, the sensor can move up to 120 feet from the vate, at 14th level, the sensor can move up to 240 feet from the vate, and at 20th level, the limit on the distance between vate and sensor is removed, though they must remain on the same plane.
“Detect” Anything (Sp): A vate of 3rd level may use his vatic vision to imitate the effect of any 0th or 1st level divination spell with the word “detect” in its name.
Bonded minds (Su): A vate of 6th level has the ability to telepathically link his mind to the mind of a single willing ally. This ability allows telepathic communication between the vate and the subject of the link. Initiating a bonded mind is a standard action that requires that the vate touch the subject. The distance between the vate and the subject of this ability is limited just as a discarnate eye, and the ability ends if the subject goes out of range. While bonded, the vate and his subject can communicate silently. Additionally, the subject may use the vate’s base will save instead of his own if it is higher, as well as the vate’s ranks in any Intelligence or Wisdom based skill. The subject still uses his own ability scores, feats, and other modifiers on any uses of these abilities. This does not allow a character to make a skill check that he would not normally be able to make, such as a raging barbarian making a knowledge check.
Arcane Sight (Sp): A vate of 9th level may use his vatic vision to imitate the effect of an arcane sight spell. A vate’s detect magic ability is effectively superseded by this effect for its duration.
True Seeing (Sp): A vate of 12th level may use his vatic vision to imitate the effect of a true seeing spell (on himself only).
Greater Arcane Sight (Sp): A vate of 15th level may use his vatic vision to imitate the effect of a greater arcane sight spell. A vate’s detect magic ability is effectively superseded by this effect for its duration.
Foresight (Sp): A vate of 18th level may use his vatic vision to imitate the effect of a foresight spell (targeting either himself or an ally). If targeting himself, the effect consumes only one minute of vatic vision per hour of active effect.
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Discern Scroll (Su): Vates use their magic to understand the world around them, including forms of magic that they do not typically employ. A vate of 2nd level may activate any scroll that he has already deciphered, casting the spell on that scroll as if the associated spell were on his spell list (regardless of whether the scroll is arcane or divine). The vate must still have a caster level high enough to cast the spell, or succeed on a caster level check to activate the scroll as normal. This ability is usable a number of times per day equal to 3 + the vate’s Intelligence modifier.
Art by Brian Brinlee, used under a non-commercial license through the Purple Duck Collective Patreon program.
Bonus Feats: At 4th level and every three levels thereafter, a vate gains a bonus feat from the following list: Combat Casting, Spell Focus, Greater Spell Focus, Spell Penetration, Greater Spell Penetration, or any Item Creation feat. The vate must meet all prerequisites to take a feat.
Ritual Ogham: A vate of 5th level is able to use his understanding of magic to ritually cast a spell without consuming a spell slot. The vate must have the appropriate ogham to serve as a focus for the casting and must perform a ritual taking ten minutes per level of the spell (plus the casting time of the spell itself, if it has a casting time longer than one minute). This ability is usable a number of times per day equal to 3 + the vate’s Intelligence modifier.
Expanded Ogham: At 11th level, a vate’s ability to use oghams extends to spells he cannot normally cast. The vate may make an ogham of any spell regardless of whether or not it is on his spell list. The spell must be of a level no higher than the highest level vate spell he is able to cast. Once the vate has an ogham of the spell, he can use it as a ritual ogham and cast it as described under Ritual Ogham above. Moreover, he may treat the spell as one he knows for purposes of using an Item Creation feat, meaning that the vate can craft magical items that require spells not otherwise on his spell list. This does not allow him to cast the spell using a spell slot.
Ogham Unbound: A vate of 17th level can make an ogham using his expanded ogham ability regardless of the spell’s level or the spell list it is on. Casting a spell of a level higher than 6th using his ritual ability takes 8 hours, but during this 8 hours, he may also work on a magic item that requires the spell be cast as part of its creation.
