Before I begin, I should state this is a work in progress. I'm posting what I've done so far in the hopes I can get some critique, and potentially point out any problems I am setting myself up for. I'm also using this as an opportunity to clean up some of the vestiges, buffing crappy ones and clarifying some rule issues for a more stable Pathfinder-ized version.
One more thing: This version assumes only core content from the book is allowed. No 3rd party or online vestiges. The reason for this is that some of those singlehandedly moved the Binder up by somewhere around a tier to a tier and a half, due to exploitable mechanics and generally poor design. So, core books only.
You will need to have access to the original Tome of Magic to compare some of these changes as well, until I get around to the finished version. Levels at which vestiges are gained are unchanged.
So without furthur ado:
THE UPDATED BINDER
Class Skills: 4 + Int
Hit Die: D8
BAB: 3/4
Good Saves: Fort, Will
Quote:
Class Features
1.Soul Binding 1
2.Pact Aug 1, suppress sign
3.
4.Dark Knowledge 1
5.Pact Aug 2
6.Soul Binding 2, Soul Guardian(Fear)
7.
8.Dark Knowledge 2
9.Soul Guardian(slippery mind), Pact Aug 3
10.
11.Soul Binding 3
12.
13.Soul Guardian(Energy drain, negative levels), Pact Aug 4
14.Dark Knowledge 3
15.
16. Soul Binding 4
17.
18. Pact Aug 5
19. Soul Guardian(Mind Blank)
20. Soul Binding 5
New Ability: Dark Knowledge
Replaces and upgrades the bonus feats of the original binder. A binder may, upon binding to a vestige, take a bonus feat of any feat that they are able to learn. This feat lasts for as long as the vestige is bound to the binder, and only 1 feat may be taken for any particular vestige. Bonus feats gained this way may be used to qualify for additional bonus feats gained by Dark Knowledge. For example, a level 10 binder chooses to bind Amon, and takes Dodge as a bonus feat. He then binds Paimon, and chooses to take Mobility as a bonus feat.
Updated Vestiges:
Agares: Fear Immunity replaced by immunity to critical hits. Earth and Air Mastary Scales by +1/-1 for every 4 levels above 7.
Binders get Fear Immunity by default before they even get access to this vestige, and Agares is relatively lackluster, so hopefully these changes make him viable.
Andras: Change Smite Good/Evil to new Pathfinder Paladin Smite.
This is more of a consistency change, but I'm uncertain on it, as that increases Binder power levels by a huge margin.
Aym: Halo of Fire applies to weapon attacks. deals 1d6 bonus damage per 5 binder levels, minimum 1d6.
Aym is a very weak vestige. Adding some bonus fire damage should hopefully increase viability.
Buer: Healing Gift changed to 1d8+1/level as standard action. Increases by 1d8 per 3 binder levels above 7. 2d8+10 at level 10. 3d8+13 at level 13. 4d8+16 at level 16. 5d8+19 at level 19
Buer is very strong, but the original designers wanted to keep the in combat healing low because of the massive amount of out of combat healing. This seems like poor design, since you can get massive amounts of out of combat healing cheaply anyways.
Eligor:Chromatic Strike applies to all attacks now, passively. Element type may be changed as a free action.
Just a consistency change. An extra 1d6 of damage each round is not particularly noticeable by the time you can access Eligor.
Eurynome: DR increases by 1 per 3 binder levels above 7. 3 at 10. 4 at 13. 5 at 16. etc.
Poison Blood changed: Essentially 1d6 damage per 3 levels of binder to any enemy that bites you, and again 1 minute later. Fort negates. The poison is also applied on any natural attacks you possess, but cannot damage more than once per round. i.e. if you hit with any natural attacks, they must make a fort save or take damage, but they don't take damage more than once per round, and do not need to make multiple saves if hit by multiple attacks.
By far one of the weakest vestiges, these changes make Eurynome a good "support" vestige to one of the ones that gives natural attacks, without causing her damage to spiral out of control.
Focalor: Lightning Strike scaling changed to extra 1d6 for every 2 levels above 6. i.e. 5d6 at level 10.
Focalor's Breath duration increases to 1 round per 4 binder levels, minimum 1.
Focalor is strong at low levels, but falls off sharply at mid and high levels. An attempt to rectify this.
Leraje: Definitely needs to be reworked. Uncertain how to approach.
Ronove: Godawful, needs overhaul. Uncertain how to fix.
Tenebrous: When you unbind or do not renew your pact with Tenebrous, Undead commanded with Rebuke stay loyal for a number of extra hours equal to twice your binder level, then turn hostile.
This is to prevent binders from using Tenebrous once to acquire undead followers, then never binding Tenebrous again. If a binder wants undead minions, they need to bind him every day. Seems fair.
Updated Feats:
Rapid Pact Making: Does not require you to draw a seal. Instead the binder merely visualizes the seal of the vestige to be bound, preventing the need for the normal 10 rounds of preparation.
I realize the formatting is a bit clunky, but as I said, this is a work in progress. I will be cleaning this up and attempting reworks of Ronove and Leraje in the next few days.
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