Well, since everyone else seems to be on a binder kick, I thought I would throw my hat in the ring. Here is my conversion of the 3.5 Tome of Magic Binder-class to Pathfinder. I will post the class and the 1st level vestiges, additional vestiges to follow in the coming days ahead. I hope you enjoy my take.
MA
Between mortality and godhood, beyond life and undeath, souls exist in a place both forgotten and inaccessible. Mortals too strong-willed to pass into the afterlife, dead (and dread) outsiders too powerful to be absorb into their planes, the dreams of slain deities put to rest eons before the current age—these are the beings called vestiges. Beings that should not exist, but do . . . the vestiges cause unease among those who govern the Planes, for they represent tangible evidence that not even the Gods know all.
The Binder is a mortal who has learned the key of calling such spirits from wherever they rest, giving them—through his own flesh and blood—a chance to experience life again. By drawing their seals and speaking forbidden words of power, he summons these strange entities, bargains with them, and binds them to his service.
Role: Binders are very different from most character classes. Through making pacts with vestiges, they can alter their abilities on a daily basis beyond even the most versatile wizard. However, they are limited in the number of effects upon which they can call upon and a bad decision on which vestige to bind can hamper a binder far more than an ill-thought spell selection hampers a caster. However, the flexibility and versatility of the binder makes him a valued member of any adventuring party when he chooses well.
Alignment: Any
BAB: Medium
Hit Die: d8
Good Saves: Fort and Will
Skills: Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Knowledge (History) (Int), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Knowledge (The Planes) (Int), Profession (Wis), Linguistics (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points: 2 + Intelligence modifier.
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: Binders are proficient with all simple weapons, with light armor, but not with medium or heavy armor, or with any type of shield.
Soul Binding (Su): Binders are able to make contact with certain unique spirits known as vestiges. Through entering a pact with these spirits, the binder gains access to some of the powers and knowledge the vestige formerly possessed in life.
In order to form a pact, a binder must be of high enough level to bind a particular vestige. A 1st level binder can only form pacts with 1st level vestiges (see vestiges below for details). He gains access to more powerful and elusive vestiges as he increases in experience. At 3rd level, a binder is able to form a pact with a 2nd level vestige. At 5th level, he may bind a 3rd level vestige. At 7th level, he can do so with a 4th level vestige. At 10th level, he can make a pact with a 5th level vestige. At 12th level, he may bind a 6th level vestige. At 15th level, he may do so with a 7th level vestige. Finally, at 17th level, a binder is able to form a pact with an 8th level vestige.
To contact and bind a vestige, a binder must draw its unique seal on a solid surface (generally the ground). The seal must be at least five feet across. Drawing the seal requires the ability to mark a surface (most binders carry chalk for this purpose) and 1 minute of concentration which provokes attacks of opportunity. A seal loses its potency after 1 minute if not used to bind a vestige and a new one must be drawn in this case. Some vestiges have unique special requirements that must also be met in order to be called by the binder.
Once the seal is drawn, the binder must perform a short ritual which requires one minute of chanting and calling upon the vestige to manifest. During the time, the binder must remain within five feet of the seal. The ritual automatically fails if you cannot give voice to your words (in the area of a silence spell, for example).
If the ritual is completed without interruption, an image of the vestige appears within the seal. The vestige ignores everyone except the binder who called it forth, speaking in a language known to the binder. The binder, having called the vestige, must now make a pact with the vestige. To do so, he must make a binding check (1d20 + the binder’s class level + the binder’s Charisma modifier), taking 1 minute of time. This action cannot be rushed. The binder must make this check alone and unaided.
Whether the binding check succeeds or fails, the binder gains the powers granted by the vestige for the next 24 hours. A successful binding check (called a good pact) results in the vestige having no control over your actions and the spirit does not influence your actions. If you fail the binding check (a poor pact), the vestige influences your personality and actions, forcing you to abide by strict rules which vary from vestige to vestige.
In the case of a poor pact, you may attempt to not comply with the influence of the vestige; but if you do so, you take a -1 penalty on all attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks until the vestige leaves you. This penalty is cumulative for every prohibited action you take or for every required action you fail to perform.
Once bound, a vestige cannot be removed until the 24 pact has expired, except if the binder has the Expel Vestige feat (see Tome of Magic for details). However, the vestige is suppressed in an area of anti-magic.
All vestiges have a sign, which physically alters the binder’s appearance, voice, or some other aspect of the binder’s self. Signs always manifest as the result of a poor pact. However, on a good pact, a binder might choose to suppress the sign of his vestige (s). If the binder has made pacts with multiple vestiges (see below), he shows the sign of each of them.
The difficulty class (if any) for a saving throw against any supernatural abilities granted by the vestige is 10 + one-half the binders class level + the binder’s Charisma modifier.
Starting at 1st level, a binder is able to form a pact with a single vestige. At 7th level, the binder can form and maintain pacts with two vestiges simultaneously. This increases to three at 14th level and four at 20th level. Each vestige must be bound separately, and the binder bears all of their signs and influences as normal.
Suppress Sign (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a binder that makes a good pack can choose not to exhibit the physical sign that normally accompanies a vestige. The binder may suppress the sign or exhibit it as a swift action, but can only do so once per round. A binder who makes a poor pact cannot suppress the sign of any bound vestige.
Pact Augmentation (Su): Starting at 2nd level, the binder can draw additional powers from the vestiges that he forms a pact with. As long as he is bound to at least one vestige, he may choose any of the following abilities: +5 hit points; energy resistance 5 to acid, cold, electricity, or fire; a +1 insight bonus on all saving throws; DR 1/-; a +1 insight bonus to AC; a +1 insight bonus on all attack rolls; a +1 insight bonus on all damage rolls; or a +2 insight bonus on all Initiative checks.
At 5th level, and every five levels gained as a binder thereafter, the binder may choose one additional ability, to a maximum of five abilities at 20th level. The binder may select different abilities, or he may select the same ability; in the latter case, the ability stacks with itself. For example, a 15th level binder might choose bonus hit points twice (for +10 hit points) and damage reduction twice (for DR 2/-). These abilities last for the duration of the pact that you form.
Flesh Guardian (Su): Starting at 3rd level, the binder gains a +2 morale bonus on all saves versus poison and disease as long as he has bound himself to a vestige. This bonus increases to +4 at 11th level and to +6 at 19th level.
Bonus Feat: A binder may choose a bonus feat from the following list at 4th level, and every four levels gained as a binder thereafter. The binder must meet all prerequisites for the feat that he selects. He may choose from Alertness, Armor Proficiency (Heavy), Armor Proficiency (Medium), Athletic, Deceitful, Diehard, Endurance, Fleet, Martial Weapon Proficiency, Persuasive, Run, Self-Sufficient, Shield Proficiency, Stealthy, Toughness, and the binder-specific feats described below.
Soul Guardian (Su): Beginning at 6th level, the binder has immunity to fear effects as long as he has bound himself to a vestige. As the binder increases in level, he gains additional protections as the vestige (s) guard their time with you more jealously and try to keep you from suffering harm.
At 9th level, the binder gains the slippery mind rogue talent. At 13th level, the binder becomes immune to energy drain and negative levels. At 18th level, the binder becomes immune to all mind-affecting spells and abilities.
Enforced Pact: At 17th level, a binder has delved deep enough into the forbidden knowledge and secrets held by his vestiges that he can sometimes assume control over creatures summoned or called by other spellcasters.
As a full-round action, the binder can attempt to gain control over any single creature summoned or called by a summon monster, summon nature’s ally, planar ally, planar binding, or gate spell. The creature must make a Will saving throw (DC is equal to 10 + one-half the binder’s level + the binder’s Charisma modifier). If the saving throw is successful, the attempt has failed. If the creature fails the saving throw, it comes under the control of the binder for one round per binder class level or the duration of the spell used to summon or call the creature, whichever is less. The original spellcaster loses all control and protection from the creature, which obeys the binder’s commands as if he were the original spellcaster for the duration of the combat.
The binder may attempt to use this ability once per day.
New Binder Feats
Expel Vestige
Prerequisite: Soul binding as a class feature.
Benefit: Once per day, you can attempt to expel a vestige to which you are bound. To do so, you must draw its seal and go through the entire process of summoning it again. If you succeed on the new binding check, you expel the vestige and can summon a different one to replace it if you wish; the new vestige remains only for the duration left on the expelled vestige.
Regardless of your success or failure in expelling the vestige, you take a -10 penalty on your next binding check with any vestige, and the same penalty when you next call the vestige which you expel.
Favored Vestige
Prerequisite: Soul binding as a class feature.
Benefit: The DC of each supernatural granted by your favored vestige increases by 1. In addition, you gain a +4 bonus on all binding checks to form a pact with this vestige.
Special: You can take this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new favored vestige.
Ignore Special Requirements
Prerequisites: Soul binding as a class feature.
Benefit: You can ignore the special requires of vestiges with which you make pacts. However, you still remain unable to bind Amon when you have already bound Chupoclops, Eurynome, Karsus, or Leraje, and vice-versa.
First Level Vestiges
Amon, the Void before the Altar
Vestige Level: 1st
Binding DC: 20
Special Requirement: None, but Amon despises Chupoclops, Eurynome, Karsus, and Leraje. If you have hosted one of these vestiges in the last 24 hours before you attempt to bind Amon, he will refuse to answer your call. In a similar fashion, these vestiges will not answer your call if you are already bound to Amon.
Sign: You grow a set of curling ram’s horns on the side of your temples.
Granted Abilities:
Darkvision: You gain darkvision out to 60 feet.
Fire Breath: You can breathe a line of fire as a standard action. The line extends 5 feet for every two effective binder levels (round up) to a maximum range of 50 feet at 19th level. Amon’s fiery breath deals 1d6 points of fire damage per binder level to every creature in its area. A successful Reflex save halves this damage. Once you have used this ability, you cannot do so again for 5 rounds.
Strength of the Ram: If you display Amon’s sign, you gain a natural attack with his horns that deals 1d8 points of damage plus one and one-half times your Strength bonus. When you charge a foe with this attack, you deal double damage on a successful hit (triple on a critical). In addition, you gain a +2 enhancement bonus to your Strength ability score. This bonus increases to +4 at 7th level and to +6 at 13th level. If you suppress Amon’s sign, you do not gain either the natural attack or the Strength bonus.
Aym, Queen Avarice
Vestige Level: 1st
Binding DC: 15
Special Requirement: None.
Sign: The brand of a pentacle appears in the palm of your left hand. The brand is painful and raw, but does not impose a penalty on any of your actions.
Granted Abilities:
Dwarven Step: Your speed is not modified by armor or encumbrance.
Halo of Fire: As a standard action, you can surround yourself in a wreath of flame which lasts for 5 rounds. While the halo of fire is active, any opponent who strikes you in melee takes 1d6 points of fire damage, plus one additional point of damage per effective binder level (maximum of +15), unless using a reach weapon. Any melee weapon which you wield (whether magical or not) while the halo of fire is active gains the flaming property (adding +1d6 of fire damage on all of your melee attacks). Your own flame does not harm you, nor does it harm objects unless you will it to do so. Starting at 9th level, if you wield a melee weapon while halo of fire is active, you instead gain the flaming burst property.
Once the duration of the halo of fire ends, you must wait 5 rounds before activating this power again.
Improved Sunder: You gain the Improved Sunder feat.
Armor Proficiency: While bound to Aym you gain proficiency in Medium armor; if you already are proficient in Medium armor, you instead become proficient in Heavy armor.
Resistance to Fire: While bound to Aym, you gain Fire Resistance 10. This increases to Fire Resistance 20 at 7th level and Fire Resistance 30 at 11th level.
Ruinous Attack: Your melee attacks deal double damage to objects. Starting at 10th level as a binder, you may treat any weapon that you wield as adamantine for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction (but not bypassing hardness).
Leraje, the Green Herald
Vestige Level: 1st
Binding DC: 15
Special Requirement: To summon Leraje, you must break an arrow crafted by an elf while calling out her name and title. In addition, Leraje hates Amon and will not answer your call if you are already bound to him.
Sign: You look sickly and diseased, and your skin becomes sallow and pockmarked.
Granted Abilities:
Elf-sight: You gain low-light vision as if you were an elf. If you already have low-light vision, you gain superior low-light vision can see three times as far as your light source would normally illuminate. Thus, a torch that illuminates 20-foot radius would allow you to see clearly up to 60 feet and provides you with shadowy illumination to a distance of 120 feet. In addition, you gain a +2 bonus on all Perception skill checks.
Many Shot: You gain the benefit of the Many Shot feat.
Precise Shot: You gain the benefit of the Precise Shot feat.
Stealth Bonus: While bound to Leraje, you treat Stealth as a class skill, gaining the +3 bonus if you have even one rank invested. Further, you gain a +2 competence bonus on all Stealth checks that you make. When you reach 8th level as a binder, this competence bonus increases to +4, and increases again to +6 at 15th level.
Summon Bow: While bound to Leraje, you may summon a masterwork bow (long or short, normal or composite, at the binder’s choice; composite bows match the Strength of the binder exactly) into your hand as a standard action. Once summoned, the bow remains in existence for the remainder of the current round and the following round, plus an additional number of rounds equal to one-half your effective binder level (for a minimum of 1 additional round).
Starting at 3rd level, the summoned bow has an enhancement bonus of +1. This enhancement bonus increases by an additional +1 for every four levels gained thereafter (7th, 11th, 15th, and 19th), to a maximum of +5. The binder can choose to forgo an enhancement bonus to instead add one or both of the following special weapon properties to the summoned bow: distance or seeking, with each property taking the place of a +1 enhancement. Summoned bows must have a minimum enhancement of +1 in addition to a special property. A summoned bow comes with a single quiver filled with 20 normal arrows.
At 8th level, the binder can summon Leraje's bow as move action.
At 15th level, the binder can summon Leraje's bow as a swift action.
Weapon Proficiency: While bound to Leraje, you are proficient with the composite longbow, composite shortbow, longbow, and shortbow. If you are already proficient with any of these weapons, you instead gain a +1 competence bonus on attack rolls with them.
Naberius, the Grinning Hound
Vestige Level: 1st
Binding DC: 15
Special Requirement: Naberius values knowledge, industry, and the willingness to deceive others. He manifests only for a binder with at least 1 skill rank in any two of the following skills: Bluff, any one Knowledge, or Profession.
Sign: Your voice deepens and you speak in a growling tone.
Granted Abilities:
Bluff Bonus: While bound to Naberius, you treat Bluff as a class skill, gaining the +3 bonus if you have even one rank invested. Further, you gain a +2 competence bonus on all Bluff checks that you make. When you reach 8th level as a binder, this competence bonus increases to +4, and increases again to +6 at 15th level.
Disguise Self: You can alter your appearance, as per the spell disguise self, as a standard action. Starting at an effective binder level of 10, this spell functions instead as alter self.
Knowledge of Naberius: While bound to Naberius, you gain access to knowledge gathered by the vestige. Choose any two Knowledge skills in which you have no ranks; once these skills are chosen they cannot be changed as long as Naberius is bound. For these skills, treat your effective binder level as your skill ranks. You do not gain a class skill bonus for these knowledge skills.
Physical Resistance: If you suffer any effect that causes ability damage, ability drain, or temporary ability score penalties, the effect is reduced by 1 point. This reduction increases by 1 at 5th level as a binder, and every four effective binder levels gained thereafter (to a maximum of 5 at 17th level).
Persuasive Words: You can direct a verbal command at a single living target within 30 feet as if using the command spell. A successful Will save negates the effect. When your effective binder level reaches 11th your words become even more persuasive and this ability functions like greater command. Once you have used this ability, you cannot do so again for 5 rounds.
Ronove, the Iron Maiden
Vestige Level: 1st
Binding DC: 15
Special Requirement: Ronove’s seal must be drawn in the soil under the sky.
Sign: The flesh of your face settles into a frown and retains that general expression regardless of your actual feelings. This alteration to your visage does not affect our Charisma, Charisma-based skill checks, or others’ ability to make Sense Motive checks against you.
Granted Abilities:
Cold Iron and Magic Attacks: Your melee attacks (unarmed or with a weapon) count as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. When you attain an effective binder level of 7th, your melee attacks (unarmed or with a weapon) also count as cold iron for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Far Hand: You can use telekinesis, as per the spell except as stated below, as a standard action once each round. You are limited to a maximum weight of 10 lbs per effective binder level, and the maximum number of objects you are able to simultaneously manipulate with the violent thrust aspect ability is equal to one-half your effective binder level, rounded down (to a maximum of 10 and a minimum of 1). When using this ability, you have a maximum range of 25 feet plus 5 feet for every two of your effective binder levels. When using far hand for sustained force, this telekinesis lasts only as long as you concentrate. Once you stop concentrating on the sustained force aspect, or if you use the violent thrust or combat maneuver aspect, you cannot use this ability again for 5 rounds.
Fast Movement: You gain a +10-foot enhancement bonus to your base land speed. This bonus increases to +20-feet at 8th level and to +30-feet at 15th level. You may use this ability only if you wearing no armor or light armor.
Feather Fall: You automatically fall as though under the influence of a feather fall spell. You can suppress or activate this ability as an immediate action. This ability can be activated if you are falling, even if you have already used an immediate action or if you have cast a Quickened spell in your turn. You may use this ability only if you wearing no armor or light armor.
Ronove’s Fists: You gain the benefits of the Improved Unarmed Strike feat. Your unarmed strikes deal 1d6 points of damage (either lethal or nonlethal at your discretion) (1d4 for a Small size binder; 1d8 for a Large binder). At 8th level, your damage with unarmed strikes increases to 2d4 (2d3 for Small, 2d6 for Large). Your damage increases to 2d6 at 15th level (2d4 for Small, 2d8 for Large). Starting at 4th level, you gain a +1 enhancement bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls with your unarmed strikes. This enhancement bonus increases by an additional +1 at 8th level and every four levels gained as a binder thereafter, to a maximum of +5 at 20th level.
Second Level Vestiges
Dahlver-Nar, the Tortured One
Vestige Level: 2nd
Binding DC: 17
Special Requirement: A tooth must be placed in the center of the seal. When Dahlver-Nar appears, the tooth vanishes.
Sign: Small teeth grow from your scalp. Though they are small enough to be hidden by a large quantity of hair or a hat, a touch reveals them immediately.
Granted Abilities:
Mad Soul: While bound to Dahlver-Nar, you are immune to Wisdom damage, Wisdom drain, as well as insanity and confusion effects.
Maddening Moan: As a standard action, you can emit a frightful moan. Every creature within a 30-foot burst of you must succeed on a Will save or be dazed for 1 round. Once you have used this ability, you cannot do so again for 5 rounds. Maddening moan is a mind-affecting sonic ability.
Natural Armor: You gain a +2 enhancement bonus to your natural armor. When you reach 6th level as a binder, and every six levels gained as a binder thereafter, this enhancement bonus increases by +1 (to a maximum bonus of +5 at 18th level).
Shield Self: As a standard action, you can designate one creature within 10 feet per binder level to share the damage you take. As long as the subject creature remains within range, you take only half damage from all effects that deal hit point damage, and the creature takes the remainder. The effect ends immediately if the subject dies or leaves range (but the creature retains any damage suffered before then). An unwilling target of this ability can attempt a Will save to negate the ability. If the creature dies or leaves the range, you must wait 5 rounds before using this ability again.
Haagenti, Mother of Minotaurs
Vestige Level: 2nd
Binding DC: 17
Special Requirement: To summon Haagenti, you must either be Large size (or greater) or speak Giant.
Sign: You become extremely hirsute, with thick hair on your body and face. In addition, your weight increases by one-half and your body appears bloated. The clothing and armor that you are wearing when you summon Haagenti accommodates the change in your bulk and returns to normal when the vestige leaves.
Granted Abilities:
Axe Mastery: When bound to Haagenti, you gain proficiency with the battleaxe, greataxe, handaxe, orc double axe, and throwing axe. In addition, you gain a +1 competence bonus on all attack and damage rolls when using any one of the axes listed above. This competence bonus increases by an additional +1 when you reach 9th level as a binder, and again every four binder levels gained thereafter, to a maximum bonus of +4 at 17th level. This bonus also applies to CMB checks made to carry out combat maneuvers with these weapons, and to CMD against attempts to disarm or sunder any of the above listed weapons.
Confusing Touch: By touching another creature, you can cause them to become confused for one round, plus one additional round for every three binder levels you possess (round down). The target must succeed on a Will save; if successful the ability is negated. Once you have used this ability, you cannot do so again for 5 rounds. When you become a 17th level binder, you can either confuse your target as stated above, or instead use maze, as per the spell, at your option.
Immunity to Transformation: No mortal magic can transform your physical form while you are bound to Haagenti. If you are targeted by a polymorph or petrification effect it automatically fails against you (as if you had infinite spell resistance).
Malphas, The Turnfeather
Vestige Level: 2nd
Binding DC: 15
Special Requirement: None.
Sign: Your teeth and tongue turn black.
Granted Abilities:
Bird’s Eye Viewing: As a standard action, you can summon a raven that appears perched on your shoulder. You have complete control over the raven’s actions, and (as a full-round action), you can see and hear through its eyes and ears. The raven must stay within one mile of you, or it returns from whence it came. When viewing the world through the raven’s eyes, you use either the Raven’s Perception skill (but your own Wisdom bonus) or your own skill ranks, whichever is higher. The raven cannot speak. You can only have one raven summoned at a time; it remains until it dies, you dismiss it, or it is at a distance from you of greater than one mile.
Invisibility: As a standard action, you can become invisible, as per the spell, for a number of rounds equal to your binder level. At 10th level, you can use activate this ability as a move-action; at 17th level, you may activate this ability as a swift action. Once the invisibility ends (either through attacking or the ending of the duration) you cannot use this ability again until 5 rounds have passed.
Poison Use: You are not at risk of poisoning yourself when handling poison or applying it to a weapon.
Sneak Attack: You gain +1d6 of sneak attack dice, just as if you were a 1st-level Rogue. At 7th level, and every four levels gained as a binder thereafter, you gain an additional +1d6 of sneak attack dice, to a maximum of +5d6 at 19th level.
Savnok, The Instigator
Vestige Level: 2nd
Binding DC: 20
Special Requirement: In order to summon Savnok, you must place a stolen item on his seal. The item vanishes when Savnok manifests.
Sign: You have a bloody wound on your shoulder that appears to have been caused by an arrow. Although the wound does not reduce your hit points, it constantly oozes blood and causes you discomfort. If healed, it vanishes and reappears on the opposite shoulder. Any blood-stains caused by the wound in your clothing remain when the vestige leaves you.
Granted Abilities:
Call Armor: As a standard action, you can summon a suit of masterwork full plate armor, which appears on your body properly fitted to you. If you are wearing armor when you use this ability, the armor you are wearing is removed and appears on the ground at your feet. As you attain higher levels as a binder, you can summon more powerful versions of this armor. At 5th level, you summon +1 full plate. At 7th level, the armor is +2 full plate. At 9th level, the armor that appears is +2 light fortification full plate. At 11th level, the armor is +3 light fortification full plate. At 14th level, the armor becomes +3 moderate fortification full plate. At 17th level, the armor improves to +4 moderate fortification full plate. Finally, at 20th level, you gain +4 heavy fortification full plate.
While you are equipped with Savnok’s armor you gain DR 1/piercing. The value of this DR improves by +1 when you reach 7th level as a binder, and again at every four levels gained as a binder thereafter (to a maximum of 5 at 19th level). When you reach 11th level as a binder, the DR improves to magic and piercing.
You can dismiss this armor as a swift action. If you removed Savnok’s Armor from your body, it is automatically dismissed. Once dismissed, you may not summon Savnok’s armor again for 5 rounds.
Heavy Armor Proficiency: While bound to Savnok, you are proficient in Medium Armor and Heavy Armor.
Move Ally: You can instantly swap positions with any visible and willing ally within 5 feet per two binder levels of your current position. Objects carried by you and your ally (up to the maximum load of each) go along, but creatures do not. The movement is instantaneous and does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Using this ability is a standard action. Once you have used this ability, you cannot do so again for 5 rounds. At 9th level, you can use this ability as a move-action. At 15th level, you can use this ability as a swift action.