New Class: The Channeler


Homebrew and House Rules

Sovereign Court

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New Pathfinder class: The Channeler

The goal of this class is to create a divine-powered character that is:

1. Not skilled in martial combat. While Clerics and Oracles can be built as primary spellcasters, their proficiencies, HD, and spell list implies that wading into melee should be an important part of their toolset. This class is designed to act more like a divine wizard, casting spells and channeling and relying on allies to stay protected.

2. Uses the channeling rules more. Channeling is really cool, but tends to be pretty weak, especially in the late game. This class buffs channeling a lot, so much as to be the primary class feature.

3. Feels very different depending on which domains they (and their deity) have. Most clerics feel very similar mechanically, even if they have dramatically different deities/domains. This class gets its spells known from domains only, and gets access to very different channeling powers depending on those domains.

The Channeler

Class Basics:
Hit Die: d6
BAB: Poor
Saves: Good Will, poor reflex, will
Proficiencies: Simple Weapons, Light Armor.
Class Skills: Appraise, Bluff, Craft, Diplomacy, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge (religion), Linguistics, Profession, Sense Motive, Spellcraft.
Skill ranks per level: 4 + int modifier

Class Abilities:

Channel Energy: Regardless of alignment, any channeler can release a wave of energy by channeling the power of her faith through her holy (or unholy) symbol. This energy can be used to cause or heal damage, depending on the type of energy channeled and the creatures targeted. A channeler (regardless of alignment) must choose at first level whether she channels positive or negative energy. Once this choice is made, it cannot be reversed.

Channeling energy causes a burst that affects all creatures of one type (either undead or living) in a 30-foot radius centered on the channeler. The amount of damage dealt or healed is equal to 1d6 points of damage plus 1d6 points of damage for every two cleric levels beyond 1st (2d6 at 3rd, 3d6 at 5th, and so on). Creatures that take damage from channeled energy receive a Will save to halve the damage. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the channeler's level + the channeler's Charisma modifier. Creatures healed by channel energy cannot exceed their maximum hit point total—all excess healing is lost.

A channeler may channel energy a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier. Every level after first, she may channel energy an addition 2 times. This is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. A channeler can always choose whether or not to include herself in this effect.
A channeler must be able to present her holy symbol to use this ability.

Domain: At first level, a channeler picks three cleric domains. If she worships a deity, these must be domains or subdomains that the deity provides, and in any case cannot be an alignment domain that does not match her own alignment (e.g. a NG channeler cannot pick the law, chaos, or evil domains). She gains the special abilities of all of the abilities. These domains also determine her spells known (see spells, below)

Spells: A channeler gains the ability to cast spells. Her casting is spontaneous, and she gains a number of spells per day equal to an oracle of her level. In addition, she does not get to pick her spells known. Instead, she knows only the spells that are on at least one of her three domain lists.

A channeler can take the expanded arcana feat. For the purpose of this feat, the cleric/oracle spell list is treated as her spell list. For all other purposes (including activating items), her spell list is considered to include only her domain spells (including spells that she is not yet high enough to cast), and any spells she learned via expanded arcana or similar abilities.

Enhance Channel: As a channeler levels up, she learns new power that alters her channels. At first level, she knows three powers. She learns an additional power at 2nd level, and every two levels after this. These powers can come from the “General Channel Powers” list below. She can also choose any domain channel power from any of her domains.

In general, every time she channels, she may apply any single power she knows to that channel. At 6th level, she can apply a second power to that channel. At 11th level she may apply a third power, and at 16th level a fourth power.

Some of the enhanced channels offer the ability to increase the activation time for the channeled energy to a minute, and then extend the duration of the power. You may have only one domain power with an extended duration like this active at a time. If you use another domain power with an extended duration, the effects of the previous ones immediately end.

A channeler cannot enhance a channel that is activated with less than a standard action (such as a channel modified by the quick channel feat).

Selective Channel: At third level, the channeler gains selective channel as a bonus feat. If she already had that feat, she may immediately retrain it to any feat she qualifies for.

Enhanced Channel: At 7th level, the channeled energy uses d8s instead of d6s.

Greater Enhanced Channel: At 13th level, the channeled energy uses d10s instead of d6s.

Perfect Channel: At 20th level, instead of rolling, channeled energy uses maximum damage.


General Channel Powers:

Shaped Channel: Instead of a 30 foot radius, she may express her channel as a 60 ft line, or a 15 ft cone.

Targeted Channel: Rather than affect an area, she may concentrate the divine energy on a single target. She must make a ranged or melee touch attack (her choice) to hit. On a hit, the target is effected by the channel as normal, except she rolls a number of dice equal to her level, rather than her typical amount of dice, and the save DC is increased by 2.
The area of the channel is considered to be all squares occupied by the creature for the purpose of effects that depend on area (such as some channel powers).

Extended Channel: The range of her channel is doubled.

Improved Extended Channel: You must already have Extended Channel to take this power. The range of the channel is doubled. This does stack with Extended Channel, producing a total of 4x the regular range if both powers are selected (this does not follow the standard multiplying rules).

Distance Channel: The channeler can choose a point of origin within 30 feet of her (or within 60 feet if the channel is also an extended channel), rather than being the point of origin. The channeler must have line of sight and line of effect to the chosen point of origin.

Lingering Channel: The channeled energy persists until the start of the channelers next turn. Any creature that enters the area affected by the channel, or ends its turn in the area is affected a second time by that energy. It can make a save as normal. No matter how the creature moves, it can only be affected one additional time by lingering channel (once if it is originally in the area of the channel when it was activated, and at most one other time).

Versatile Channel: You can channel either positive or negative energy, regardless of what choice you made at first level. Each time you channel, choose one.

Channel Casting: As a full round action, you can both cast a spell and channel energy. The spell must be one that targets multiple creatures or an area, and it must be a spell on your domain list. If an area spell, the area becomes that of your channel, and if it is a targeted spell, all creatures that would be affected by the channel are targeted (so if you channel positive energy to heal, undead creatures would not be effected by the spell). If the spell allows a save, the save is replaced by the channel energy will save, with the usual spell effects for passing or failing the save, as well as the standard effects of the channel energy.
You must be at least 5th level to take this power, and can take it again at 10th, 15th, and 19th level. The first time you take it, you can combine channel energy with a first level spell, and each additional time increases the level of spell you can combine, to a maximum of a fourth level spell.
Using this power expends both a use of channel energy and the appropriate spell slot. You cannot use this ability if you are out of either channels or spell slots.

Combined Channel: As a full round action, you can channel to both heal and harm at the same time.

Domain Powers

Fire:

Channel Fire: When channeling to harm, you deal fire damage instead of the typical energy. This means that you will deal damage to both living and non-living creatures, regardless of whether you usually channel positive or negative energy.

Lingering Flames: When you channel to harm, any creature that fails its save catches on fire, taking damage each round at the start of your turn equal to half of your regular channel energy damage. The flames can be put out by dropping prone and rolling (a full round action), being submerged in water, or taking at least 1 point of cold damage equal to your level. Otherwise, they go out after a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus (minimum 1).

Elemental Channel: When you channel to heal, you can heal creatures with the fire subtype. When you channel to harm, you can harm creatures with the water or ice subtypes. Alternatively, you can command creatures with the fire subtype (as command undead) or turn creatures with the water or ice subtypes (as turn undead)

Protective Flames: When you channel to heal, all creatures healed also gain fire resistance equal to twice your level (or immunity to fire at level 20). This lasts for a number of rounds equal to your charisma modifier. Subsequent channels don't stack, but do extend the duration. This lasts a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus (minimum 1). Alternatively, you can take a full minute to channel energy. In this case, the Protective Flames last for 10 minutes times your charisma bonus.

Fiery Weapons: Whenever you channel, all manufactured weapons in the area, and the natural weapons of all creatures affected by the channeled energy gain the flaming quality. If they are already flaming weapons, they become flaming burst weapons. This lasts a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus (minimum 1).
Alternatively, you can take a full minute to channel energy. In this case, the Fiery weapons last for 10 minutes times your charisma bonus.

Water:

Channel Cold: When channeling to harm, you deal cold damage instead of the typical energy. This means that you will deal damage to both living and non-living creatures, regardless of whether you usually channel positive or negative energy.

Rime Channel: When you channel to harm, any creature that fails its save becomes entangled for a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus (minimum 1).

Elemental Channel: When you channel to heal, you can heal creatures with the cold or water subtype. When you channel to harm, you can harm creatures with the fire subtypes. Alternatively, you can command creatures with the cold or water subtypes (as command undead) or turn creatures with the fire subtypes (as turn undead)

Protective Cold: When you channel to heal, all creatures healed also gain cold resistance equal to twice your level (or immunity to cold at level 20). This lasts for a number of rounds equal to your charisma modifier. Subsequent channels don't stack, but do extend the duration. This lasts a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus (minimum 1).
Alternatively, you can take a full minute to channel energy. In this case, the Protective Cold last for 10 minutes times your charisma bonus.

Freezing Weapons: Whenever you channel, all manufactured weapons in the area, and the natural weapons of all creatures affected by the channeled energy gain the frost quality. If they are already flaming weapons, they become frost burst weapons. This lasts a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus (minimum 1).
Alternatively, you can take a full minute to channel energy. In this case, the freezing weapons last for 10 minutes times your charisma bonus.

Air:

Channel Lightning: When channeling to harm, you deal electricity damage instead of the typical energy. This means that you will deal damage to both living and non-living creatures, regardless of whether you usually channel positive or negative energy.

Lesser Flying Channel: When you channel to heal, any creature affected gains the ability to levitate for a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus (minimum 1).

Flying Channel: You must have lesser flying channel to select this power. When you channel to heal, any creature affected gains the ability to fly (speed 60 feet, average maneuverability) for 1 round.

Elemental Channel: When you channel to heal, you can heal creatures with the Air subtype. When you channel to harm, you can harm creatures with the Earth subtypes. Alternatively, you can command creatures with the Air subtypes (as command undead) or turn creatures with the Earth subtypes (as turn undead)

Protective Lightning: When you channel to heal, all creatures healed also gain electricity resistance equal to twice your level (or immunity to cold at level 20). This lasts for a number of rounds equal to your charisma modifier. Subsequent channels don't stack, but do extend the duration. This lasts a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus (minimum 1).
Alternatively, you can take a full minute to channel energy. In this case, the Protective Lightning last for 10 minutes times your charisma bonus.

Shocking Weapons: Whenever you channel, all manufactured weapons in the area, and the natural weapons of all creatures affected by the channeled energy gain the shock quality. If they are already flaming weapons, they become shocking burst weapons. This lasts a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus (minimum 1).
Alternatively, you can take a full minute to channel energy. In this case, the shocking weapons last for 10 minutes times your charisma bonus.

Earth:

Channel Earth: When channeling to harm, you deal fling rocks around damage instead of the typical energy, dealing bludgeoning damage. This means that you will deal damage to both living and non-living creatures, regardless of whether you usually channel positive or negative energy.

Stone Cunning Channel: When you channel to heal, all creatures affected gain the dwarf stone cunning ability. If they already have stone cunning, the bonuses are doubled and they gain tremorsense (30 feet) as long as they are touching the ground. This lasts a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus (minimum 1).
Alternatively, you can take a full minute to channel energy. In this case, the Stone Cunning Channel last for 10 minutes times your charisma bonus.

Elemental Channel: When you channel to heal, you can heal creatures with the Earth subtype. When you channel to harm, you can harm creatures with the Air subtypes. Alternatively, you can command creatures with the Earth subtypes (as command undead) or turn creatures with the Air subtypes (as turn undead)

Protective Earth: When you channel to heal, all creatures healed also gain DR/adamantine equal to half your level. This lasts for a number of rounds equal to your charisma modifier. Subsequent channels don't stack, but do extend the duration. This lasts a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus (minimum 1).
Alternatively, you can take a full minute to channel energy. In this case, the Protective Earth last for 10 minutes times your charisma bonus.

Corrosive Weapons: Whenever you channel, all manufactured weapons in the area, and the natural weapons of all creatures affected by the channeled energy gain the corrosive quality. If they are already flaming weapons, they become corrsive burst weapons. This lasts a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus (minimum 1).
Alternatively, you can take a full minute to channel energy. In this case, the corrosive weapons last for 10 minutes times your charisma bonus.

Weather:

Channel Storm: When channeling to harm, you deal ½ lightning and ½ sonic damage instead of the typical energy. This means that you will deal damage to both living and non-living creatures, regardless of whether you usually channel positive or negative energy.

Cloudy Channel: When you channel, the area becomes cloudy (as obscuring mist). This lasts a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus (minimum 1).
Alternatively, you can take a full minute to channel energy. In this case, the freezing weapons last for 10 minutes times your charisma bonus.

Freezing Channel: When you channel, you create a slick row of ice on the ground, that causes the area to be slippery. This functions as the grease spell, except the acrobatics DC to walk through the area is equal to your channel DC, and the effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus.

Windy Channel: When you channel, you can change the wind conditions within the range of the channel. You can set them to anywhere between light and severe. This lasts a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus (minimum 1).
Alternatively, you can take a full minute to channel energy. In this case, the freezing weapons last for 10 minutes times your charisma bonus.

Channel Weather: When you channel, you can temporarily change local weather conditions. Within the range of the channel, you can stop or start rain, sleet, or snow, and change the temperature from anywhere between 0F and 100 F. This lasts a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus (minimum 1).
Alternatively, you can take a full minute to channel energy. In this case, the freezing weapons last for 10 minutes times your charisma bonus.

Healing:

Cure Disease: When you channel to heal, all creatures affected are targeted by a cure disease spell (caster level equal to your level)

Cure Poison: When you channel to heal, all creatures affected are targeted by a remove poison spell (caster level equal to your level)

Life Link: When you channel to heal, you may link pairs of willing creatures. Every such bond is treated as shield other spell.

Heal All: When you channel to heal, you may heal all creatures, even if they would not normally be healed by that type of energy (for example, undead can be healed with positive energy, and constructs can be healed as well).

Overheal: When you channel to heal, you can heal above the creatures maximum HP. For every point of healing that would increase the creatures maximum hit points above their maximum, they gain one temporary hit point (maximum equal to your level). These temporary hit points last for a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus (minimum 1). Alternatively, you can take a full minute to channel energy. In this case, the Overheal hitpoints last for 10 minutes times your charisma bonus.

Darkness:

Channel Darkness: The area affected by the channeled energy becomes darker, as the spell darkness.

Cloak of Darkness: When you channel to heal, all healed creatures gain the shadow dancer's Hide in plain sight ability, and a bonus on stealth equal to the number of dice rolled. This lasts a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus (minimum 1).
Alternatively, you can take a full minute to channel energy. In this case, the cloak of darkness abilities last for 10 minutes times your charisma bonus.

See in the Dark: When you channel to heal, all healed creatures gain darkvision. If they already had low light vision or darkvision (either naturally, through magic, or even a previous use of this power), they instead get the see in darkness special ability. This lasts for a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus.
Alternatively, you can take a full minute to channel energy. In this case, the See in the dark ability abilities last for 10 minutes times your charisma bonus.

Blinding Darkness: When you channel to harm, any creature that fails its save is blinded for 1 round. Darkvision does not negate this affect, although the See In Darkness special ability does.

Grasping Darkness: When you channel energy, the shadows of all creatures grab the creature, preventing it from moving. All creatures that shed a shadow (typically creatures in any lighting condition other than total darkness) are grappled by that shadow. The shadow has a CMB of your level + your charisma bonus), and a CMD of 10+its CMB. In daylight, it has a size equal to the creature it is grappling, in bright light it has a size one larger, and in dim light it has a size two larger. The shadow grapples, and then in subsequent rounds attempts to pin the creature. Once a creature successfully escapes the grapple (either by having the shadow fail its original grapple attempt, fail a pin/maintain grapple attempt, or by successfully escaping with escape artist or grapple), that particular shadow returns to normal.

Good:

Aligned Channel (harm): When you channel energy to harm, you can choose to deal sacred damage, instead of positive or negative energy. Sacred damage harms all evil creatures, but does nothing to good or neutral creatures.

Aligned Channel (heal): When you channel energy to heal, you can choose to use sacred healing, instead of positive or negative energy. Sacred healing heals all good creatures, but does nothing to evil or neutral creatures.

Outsider Channel: When your channel heals outsiders with the good subtype, you increase the amount healed by 50%. When you channel harms outsiders with the evil subtype, you increase the amount of damage by 50%. Apply this extra damage amount before saving throws.

Good Weapons: Whenever you channel, all manufactured weapons in the area, and the natural weapons of all creatures affected by the channeled energy become good aligned for the purpose of penetrating DR. This lasts a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus (minimum 1).
Alternatively, you can take a full minute to channel energy. In this case, the good weapons last for 10 minutes times your charisma bonus.

Holy Weapons: You must have Good Weapons to take this ability. Whenever you channel, all manufactured weapons in the area, and the natural weapons of all creatures affected by the channeled energy gain the holy magic ability. This lasts a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus (minimum 1).

Alternatively, you can take a full minute to channel energy. In this case, the holy weapons last for 10 minutes times your charisma bonus.

Evil, Law, Chaos
As Good, except changing alignment subtypes appropriately.

Destruction:

Sundering Channel: When you channel energy to harm, you may destroy objects of a particular type as well. Pick either weapons, armor, shields, a single magic item slot (such as cloak, or ring). All items of the given type in the area of the channel (whether wielded or not) are affected by your channel energy damage. Hardness still applies, and magic items still receive saving throws, and a successful save prevents all damage, rather than just halving it.
Alternatively, you can choose to effect all non-wielded non-magic items in the area, dealing your full channel damage to all such objects.

Vicious Channel: All creatures affected by your channel treat all melee and natural weapons that they wield as having the vicious enchantment. This cannot be turned off. This lasts a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus (minimum 1).
Alternatively, you can take a full minute to channel energy. In this case, the vicious weapons last for 10 minutes times your charisma bonus.

Disintegrating Channel: Any creature killed by your channel is disintegrated (as the spell).

Shouting Channel: When you channel to harm, you deal sonic damage instead of positive or negative energy damage. This allows you to target both living, unliving, and undead.

Spell-Breaking Channel: When you channel energy, you also destroy magical effects. Treat this as the area dispel of greater dispel magic, with a caster level equal to your level, except that you disrupt only a single spell (chosen at random among possible targets).

Magic:

Protective Channel: When you channel to heal, all creatures effected by your channel gain SR equal to 10+your level. This lasts a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus (minimum 1).
Alternatively, you can take a full minute to channel energy. In this case, the SR lasts for 10 minutes times your charisma bonus.

Channel Casting: This functions as the general channel power, but you can take it every odd level. Eventually allowing ninth level spells.

Draining Channel: When you channel to harm, all creatures that fail their save against your channeled energy take a penalty to their caster level equal to the number of dice your channel energy deals. This has a duration of 1 round.

Empowering Channel: When you take this power, choose one of the following metamagic feats: Piercing Spell, Silent Spell, Still Spell, Ectoplasmic Spell, Elemental Spell, Enlarge Spell, Intensified Spell. When you channel to heal, all creatures healed by your channel may apply that feat to any spells they cast in the next round. You may take this power multiple times, each time selecting a new feat from the list.

Domains to do:

Pathfinder has a ton of domains, and I probably won't both to stat these all out. The idea would be that if a PC wants to use any of them, they can see rough power levels and work with the GM to create their own. That said, if anyone has suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

The general rule is that each domain should have 5-6 powers, with about an even breakdown between powers that effect channeling to harm and channeling to heal, although some domains (healing, destruction), will be weighed much heavier in one direction or the other for thematic reasons.

Anyways, just counting paizo core non-druid domains, the to do list is:
Animal
Artifice
Charm
Community
Death
Glory
Knowledge
Liberation
Luck
Madness
Nobility
Plant
Protection
Repose
Ruins
Scalykind
Strength
Sun
Travel
Trickery
Void
War

I'd love to hear people's suggestions, comments, or improvements. Anything look too good?


I don’t think that adding two extra uses of channel per level is necessary. It won’t take many levels before the extra uses are absolutely meaningless. This would change if there were ways to burn through additional uses of channel. For example, bumping the dice from d6 to d8 could require an extra channel. Using a channel power or domain power (such as dealing fire damage) could require an extra channel. Just examples.

I don’t like the way you are dealing with spells known. Depending on which domains are chosen, it is possible that a 1st level character knows literally one spell. I love that domains are to play a larger part in spell casting, but this is too restricting. At this moment, I don’t know of a solution that is a compromise between your spells known and standard spells known. While I’m on the subject, three domains at 1st level is probably too much too soon. I would recommend two, and then gain additional domains at higher levels until all are known.

Sovereign Court

Ciaran Barnes wrote:
I don’t think that adding two extra uses of channel per level is necessary. It won’t take many levels before the extra uses are absolutely meaningless. This would change if there were ways to burn through additional uses of channel. For example, bumping the dice from d6 to d8 could require an extra channel. Using a channel power or domain power (such as dealing fire damage) could require an extra channel. Just examples.

Hmmm. So the extra channels was to match the barbarian rage. My idea is that channeling is the primary combat technique, with spells an occasional thing, so I wanted to make sure they didn't run out, even if they used some for out of combat healing + utility. Note that they can still use quick channel to burn through channels at a fast rate, although the quick channel doesn't get the channel powers for balance reasons. Still, I like the idea of using channel powers requiring extra uses.

Ciaran Barnes wrote:
I don’t like the way you are dealing with spells known. Depending on which domains are chosen, it is possible that a 1st level character knows literally one spell. I love that domains are to play a larger part in spell casting, but this is too restricting. At this moment, I don’t know of a solution that is a compromise between your spells known and standard spells known. While I’m on the subject, three domains at 1st level is probably too much too soon. I would recommend two, and then gain additional domains at higher levels until all are known.

I don't know of any three domains that all have the same spell known, so while that's possible, it seems unlikely. Maybe say that if two of your domains have the same spell, you can take any other cleric/oracle spell? That would guarantee three spells known per spell level. And of course they can also take extra arcana. Also, the character's main role is supposed to be channeling, with spells a backup.

Ideally what I would do is create a small list, like 2-3 per level, of appropriate spells for each domain, and then allow the channeler to choose spells from all of those domains. That would be a ton of work though, so I'm going to pass. :-)

Hmmm, on domains most of the first level powers are fairly redundant, some sort of minimal standard action attack. Having three of those domains just gives more options, not much more power. Let me ask you, or the community are there three domains that having all of the powers plus the enhanced channeling would make you at first level better than a first level cleric with two of those domains, lesser channeling, but with the full spell list known and better HP and proficiencies?

The balance point I'm going for is comparing with cleric or oracle.


Three of Gozreh’s five domains have obscuring mist as their 1st level domain spell. I haven’t gone through all of the deity’s lists, but that’s an example from my personal experience.

If your intent is for channeling to be the primary feature wth spells as a secondary, I suggest switching to the bard’s spells per day progression. I don’t think it is fair to call 9-level spell casting a secondary feature. An experienced player who spends time researching and has access to sub-domains could come up with a potent selection of spells

I did a cleric rewrite last year with some of the same design goals as yours. I’ll share one piece of it. I got rid of the “+1” entries on the spells per day, and implanted a new feature for domain spells. This cleric had a pool of points (level + Cha) that were used to fuel various class features. He had access to all of the deity’s domains and could spontaneously cast a domain spell from any of those lists by spending points equal to the spell’s level. He had access to the powers of only one domain, but could switch each day. Anyway, just sharing.


Love the Idea behind this.

I'd keep the extra channels. Perhaps change the spellcasting so that they have to burn channels to cast the domain spells &/or activate the domain powers.

Instead of the extra abilities at 3,7,13 and 20 make it more in-line with other class progressions at 3,7,11,15,and 19. Then a capstone ability at 20.

I do agree with dropping it to 2 domains at 1st level, then perhaps adding extra domains as they level up (6th, 12th, and 18th?).

Additionally, look to the variant channeling rules (from Ultimate Magic)for ideas for domain specific channel powers.

I look forward to seeing the final result when you're finished with it.


As someone who is playing a channel focus character in PFS, this interests me :)

Channels per day: As it is, I agree Ciaran, you don't need 2 additional channels per day per level. That is literally a feat every single level (extra channel is 2 channels). On a practical note, I think 1 additional channel per day per level is sufficient. I agree that he shouldn't run out of channels easily.

Spells known: Interesting idea. I actually like the idea that he is restricted to just the domain spells. However, the limits may be impractical. Maybe give the choice of a spell known only from the deity's domains? Can choose any domains the deity has?

Numbers of Domains: I like the idea of adding domains as you level. I would start with one domain at level 1, then add another like level 3, then maybe level 7 for the 3rd. If you give them all 3 at first level, this class becomes a GREAT 1 level dip for domain abilities.

Combined Channel: Shouldn't that have a requirement of Versatile Channel?

Extended Channel: I'd remove the Improved version. Just say "This adds 30 ft to your channel radius. This ability may be taken more than once. The effect stack."

Variant Channeling: I like the idea that Childeric mentions...variant channeling. Why not add the ability for him to take Variant Channeling as a General Channeler Power? Can take multiple times, but must take a different type.

Good - Aligned Channel (harm): Very powerful ability. Much stronger than the others. This basically says "no need to worry about selective channeling any more. Just blast everything"

I didn't read all the domains....sorry.


I really like what you've made here. I have to agree with what Shalandar suggested, otherwise this looks like a solid new class. Well done.


I really dig this class, kinda similar to an idea I've been kicking around to change clerics, druids, and oracles to 1/2 BAB and make channeling more versatile and useful. Some domain channel ability ideas (+ for the positive effect, - for the negative effect):

Animal: + allies get either a bite, claws, or natural armor.

Artifice: + allies' items on their person that becomes Masterwork for rounds/level. - enemies' items get the Broken quality.

Charm: + allies get a bonus on Cha-based rolls and Sanctuary for 1 round. - enemies get a penalty on Cha-based rolls and shaken for 1 round.

Community: + allies get a bonus on all d20 rolls when within 10 ft of each other. - enemies treat everyone as an enemy for spells/abilities.

Death: + allies get a bonus against fear and death effects. - enemies get a penalty against fear and death effects. Maybe curse effects too?

Knowledge: + allies get bonus on Knowledge checks and learn a secret about a certain target the Channeler specifies (monster weakness, person's vice, etc.). - enemies get penalty to Knowledge checks and confused for 1 round.

Luck: + allies get to re-roll a d20 roll once in the next minute and take the better result. - enemies have to re-roll their next d20 roll in the next minute and take the worse result.

Madness: + allies get a bonus against mind-effecting effects and a one-time bonus on a d20 roll. - enemies get confused for rounds per Wis modifier.

Plant: + allies get a natural armor bonus and fast healing for 1 minute equal to Wis modifier. - enemies get entangled for rounds per Wis modifier.

Protection: + allies get a deflection bonus to AC equal to Wis mod. - enemies get a penalty to AC equal to Wis mod.


Interesting idea.

I would suggest though that it be focused on doing more variety with the channels rather than just better healing / damage.

I do think the idea of quickened channel and doing 200 hp AoE if they save TWICE is quite funny though. 3 uses to end combat guaranteed. At that point you get about, what, 45 uses a day... so walk through 15 fights a day with no challenge and a single round.

What I would suggest, however, is giving free feats like bless equipment. Or variant channels. These should be the options given.

The ability to crit on channel rays, even with heals. That kinda thing. And maybe an option to shoot multiple rays out a turn.

I like the casting spell list. Quite an unusual take on it and would be interesting to see how it worked out.


I would totally be fine with the Extra Channels/Day...if they weren't also a 9th level spellcaster. Numbers like that should mean that Channeling is ALL you do. Which is fine. I personally like the idea of using Channel Energy to do EVERYTHING.

Need to heal hp? Channel Energy (Positive).
Need to deal damage? Channel Energy (Negative).
Need to exploit elemental vulnerabilities? Channel Energy (Elemental)
Need to buff the party? Channel Energy (Buff)
Need to debuff enemies? Channel Energy (Debuff)
Need a bonus on skills? Channel Energy (Skills)
Need to clear enemy debuffs? Channel Energy (Restoration)

The possibilities are endless. I suggest taking a look at some of the Channel Energy feats in Spheres of Power. They're pretty sweet for a channel focused character, IMHO.


Just wondering if you've made any progress on this?

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