I like Kamis.
Wardkeeper
Kami are the ancient spirits of nature, created by the gods as guardians for those parts of nature that could not protect themselves. Immortal and powerful, kami rarely give thought to the tiny, short-lived mortal races. Once in a great while, though, a mortal catches the attention of a powerful kami and gains its favour through providing a service to or otherwise honoring the kami.
The kami, usually a jinushigami, bestows upon the mortal a gift disguised as a further service to the kami. He is charged with the lifelong protection of a shikigami and its ward.
The newly-made wardkeeper is granted amazing power by his jinushigami patron and their shikigami ward; power enough to protect his ward and empower any allies who may aid him.
Role: While no pushovers on their own, Wardkeepers truly shine as part of a team. With abilities that strengthen both themselves and their allies, a group of adventurers with a wardkeeper among them is a force to be reckoned with.
Alignment: Any non-evil
Religion: Wardkeepers must be followers of Kami-do
Hit die: d8
Starting Wealth: 3d6 × 10 gp (average 105gp.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.
Class Skills: The wardkeeper’s class skills are Craft (all), diplomacy, heal, knowledge (geography), knowledge (nature), knowledge (religion), perception, profession (all), sense motive, stealth, survival and use magic device.
Skill ranks per level: 4+int modifier
½ Base Attack Bonus
Good Fortitude and WIll saves
6th level prepared caster
1: Orisons, Ward Sight, Kami Ward, Ward Bonus
2: Ward Bonus, Ward Feat
3: Kami Speech (Animals)
4: Ward Bonus, Weapon Ward, Magic Ward
5: Split Ward 1
6: Ward Bonus, Ward Feat
7: Kami Familiar, Kami speech (Plants)
8: Ward Bonus, Returning Ward
9: Merge With Ward
10: Ward Bonus, Ward Feat
11: Split Ward 2
12: Ward Bonus, Kami speech (Stones)
13: Merge With Split Wards
14: Ward Bonus, Ward Feat
15: Animate Ward
16: Ward Bonus, Kami Speech (Constant)
17: Split Ward 3
18: Ward Bonus, Ward Feat
19: Animate Split Wards
20: Blessing of the Kami[/table]
Weapon and armor proficiencies: Wardkeepers are proficient with all simple weapons. Wardkeepers are proficient with light armor, medium armor and shields (except tower shields).
Spells: A wardkeeper casts divine spells, which are drawn from the druid spell list. A wardkeeper must choose and prepare his spells in advance.
To prepare or cast a spell, the wardkeeper must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a wardkeeper's spell is 10 + the spell level + the wardkeeper's Wisdom modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a wardkeeper can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Wardkeeper. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Wisdom score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells).
A wardkeeper must spend 1 hour each day in a trance-like meditation with at least one of his wards to regain his daily allotment of spells. A wardkeeper may prepare and cast any spell on the druid spell list, provided that he can cast spells of that level, but he must choose which spells to prepare during his daily meditation.
Orisons(Su) Wardkeepers can prepare a number of orisons, or 0-level spells, each day, as noted on Table: Wardkeeper under “Spells per Day.” These spells are cast like any other spell, but they are not expended when cast and may be used again.
Ward Sight(Su) A wardkeeper can inherently tell if a something is a kami’s ward and if a kami or wardkeeper is merged with the ward by looking at it. A wardkeeper can determine the direction of all wards within ten miles by concentrating for one minute.
Kami Ward(Ex) At 1st level, a wardkeeper is charged with protecting a shikigami’s ward. The ward must be a decorative object made of wood or stone that is one or two size categories smaller than the wardkeeper. As long as the ward is in the wardkeeper’s or the wardkeeper’s shikigami familiar’s possession, it only weighs 1/2lbs if two size categories smaller than the wardkeeper or 2lbs if one size category smaller than the wardkeeper. When in anyone else’s possession a diminutive wooden ward weighs 1lbs and diminutive stone ward weighs 5lbs. For every size category above diminutive, multiply the ward's weight by 4. Wooden wards have a hardness of 5. Stone wards have a hardness of 8. Diminutive wards have 5 hitpoints plus one per class level. Tiny wards have 10 hitpoints plus one per class level. Small wards have 15 hitpoints plus one per class level.
Until the Wardkeeper reaches 7th level the shikigami within the ward will only emerge to aid the wardkeeper if its ward is in direct danger and will fight to the death to protect its ward.
The wardkeeper has an empathic link with the ward and can always tell how far away and in what direction it lies, no matter the distance. This link also allows the wardkeeper to tell if the ward is in another creature’s possession and the alignment of any creature possessing the ward. This link ceases to function if the ward is taken to a different plane than the wardkeeper but resumes functioning once the two are on the same plane again.
If the ward becomes broken or destroyed it can be replaced by crafting a new one. (DC10, 50sp value) If the shikigami within the ward is killed the wardkeeper’s kami ward is considered broken until the shikigami is replaced. The wardkeeper can attract a new shikigami to the ward with a ritual that lasts 12 hours and requires 100gp worth of rare herbs and oils. The wardkeeper gets a +10 ward bonus to the required craft skills when using it to repair or create a ward.
Ward Bonus(Ex) A kami ward grants a number of bonuses to whoever has it in their possession. At first level the kami ward grants a +1 ward bonus to attack and a a +1 ward bonus to AC. Every even level thereafter the wardkeeper adds a new ward bonus of his choice from the list below. If the wardkeeper has more than one ward he chooses which one grants the new bonus when it is gained. Ward bonuses on the same ward stack. Ward bonuses do not stack with ward bonuses from other wards. The wardkeeper can suppress or activate all bonuses a ward grants as a free action from any distance. This ability suppresses or activates every bonus a ward grants and cannot be used to only suppress or activate individual bonuses. Ward bonuses to AC apply to touch AC.
Ward bonuses: The following ward bonuses can be taken a total of three times each: +2 any skill (can be taken three times for each skill), +2 initiative, +2 concentration, +2 CMB
The following ward bonuses can be taken a total of twice each: +1 AC, +1 attack, +1 will save, +1 reflex save, +1 fortitude save
Starting at level 10 the wardkeeper adds the following additional choices:
Three times each: +2 melee damage, +2 ranged damage, +5 hitpoints
Twice each: +1 melee attack, +1 ranged attack
Only once: +2 any ability score, +5’ land speed, +1 all saves
Ward Feats(Ex) At 2nd level and every four levels thereafter, a wardkeeper chooses a teamwork feat as a bonus feat. He must meet all prerequisites for these feats. He only has access to these feats as long as his kami ward is within 30’ of him. Any creature benefitting from any of the wardkeeper’s ward bonuses are granted all of his ward feats for as long as they are benefitting from the ward bonuses, even if they do not meet the prerequisites.
Kami SpeechSp At 3rd level the wardkeeper can cast speak with animals as a spell-like ability useable a number of times per day equal to his wisdom modifier. At 7th level he can cast speak with plants and at 12th level he can cast stone tell. At 16th level these effects become constant.
Weapon Ward(Ex) At 4th level the wardkeeper’s kami ward can be used as an effective weapon. Any creature who is benefitting from any of the wardkeeper’s ward bonuses gains the benefits of the Throw Anything and Catch Off Guard feats when attacking with a kami ward. A diminutive wooden ward deals 1d3 damage. A tiny wooden ward deals 1d4 damage. A small wooden ward deals 1d6 damage. Stone wards deal damage one die step higher than wooden wards. Kami wards are improvised weapons unless they are wielded by their wardkeeper.
When wielded by the wardkeeper, his kami ward is considered a simple weapon that he is proficient with. The ward’s damage die increases by one step. Wards two size categories smaller than the wardkeeper are one-handed and can be thrown with a range increment of 20 feet. Wards one size category smaller than the wardkeeper are two-handed and can be thrown with a range increment of 10 feet. Wooden wards have a critical range of 19-20 x2. Stone wards have a critical range of 20 x3. All wards deal bludgeoning damage.
Magic Ward(Ex)At 4th level the wardkeeper may add enhancement bonuses or magic weapon special abilities to his kami ward using the magic item creation rules as though he had the Craft Magical Arms and Armor feat. The wardkeeper can use craft(sculpting) or craft(carving) in place of any spellcraft checks required to enchant his wards.
Split Ward(Ex) At 5th level a wardkeeper’s shikigami familiar takes a second object as its ward. Like the first ward, the second ward must be a decorative object made of wood or stone one or two size categories smaller than the wardkeeper.
The second ward is treated as the same as the first in regards to all of the wardkeeper’s ward-based abilities.
The wardkeeper can choose to split his ward bonuses between his two wards. As part of his meditation to regain daily spells, as long as he has both wards in his possession, the wardkeeper can rearrange which ward grants which bonuses. For example; if he has ward bonuses that grant +2 AC +1 attack +1 all saves and +2 perception, he can choose to make his first ward grant +1 AC and +1 attack and his second ward grant +1 AC, +1 all saves and +2 perception. The second ward does not grant any bonuses until the wardkeeper rearranges his bonuses like this.
At 11th level the wardkeeper’s shikigami familiar takes a third object as its ward. At 17th level it takes a fourth. The third and fourth wards have all the same properties as above.
Kami Familiar(Ex) At 7rd level the shikigami within the wardkeeper’s kami ward grows to respect and trust the kami speaker enough to become his familiar. This ability is identical to the wizard's arcane bond with a familiar and the Improved Familiar feat, using the wardkeeper’s class level in place of the wizard level.
The wardkeeper’s kami ward is the shikigami’s ward. It always emerges holding its ward. The wardkeeper’s kami familiar benefits from the ward bonuses of a ward it is holding even if they are suppressed. At 5th level when the wardkeeper gains the split ward ability his kami familiar gains the merge with split wards ability. This is identical to the merge with split wards ability the wardkeeper gains at 13th level
Merge with Ward(Su) At 9th level as a standard action, a wardkeeper can merge his body and mind with his kami ward. When merged, the wardkeeper can observe the surrounding region with his senses as if he were using his own body. He has no control over his ward, nor can he communicate or otherwise take any action other than to emerge from his ward as a standard action. The wardkeeper benefits from all of the kami ward’s ward bonuses when merged with it, even if they are suppressed. A wardkeeper must be holding his kami ward to merge with it. The wardkeeper emerges holding his kami ward. If the wardkeeper has more than one kami ward he can only merge with one of them at a time. Only true seeing or ward sight can detect a wardkeeper once he is merged. If the wardkeeper’s kami ward becomes broken while he is merged with it, the wardkeeper is expelled from the ward and takes 4d6 damage. If the kami ward is destroyed while he is merged with it the wardkeeper is expelled from the ward and takes 10d6 damage.
Returning Ward(Su) At 8th level as a swift action a ward keeper can summon his kami ward into his hands from any distance as long as it is on the same plane as the wardkeeper and not in the possession of another creature. In addition, if the wardkeeper or his shikigami familiar use his kami ward as a thrown weapon it is treated as having the returning special ability.
Merge With Split Wards(Su) At 13th level the wardkeeper can choose to merge with all of his kami wards at once. When he merges with his wards this way he is considered merged with all of them and can choose to emerge from any one of them. He can shift the focus of his senses allowing him to observe the surrounding region from one ward to another as a free action. If a ward is taken to another plane while the wardkeeper is merged with it he loses his connection with it until it is back on the same plane as him. This otherwise functions as the merge with ward ability.
Animate Ward(Su) At 15th level the wardkeeper can choose to animate one of his kami wards whenever he merges with it. He can only animate one of his wards at a time. While a ward is animated he cannot shift his senses to or emerge from any other ward. He chooses which ward is animated when he merges with his wards.
Animating a ward functions like a Possess Object spell with no time limit and the following further differences.
Save for hitpoints, hardness (which are equal to the base object’s) movement speed and changes to size bonuses the animated ward has all the statistics and abilities of the wardkeeper. Small wards have a base land speed of 20ft. Tiny wards have a base land speed of 15ft. Diminutive wards have a base land speed of 5ft and a fly speed of 15ft (average) The animate ward benefits from any ongoing effects granted by equipment the wardkeeper was wearing when he merged but cannot use any activated effects of or access any items in the wardkeeper’s possession. The animated ward has a slam attack that deals damage equal to the damage the ward would deal as a weapon wielded by the wardkeeper.
If the kami ward has any enhancement bonuses or special abilities it adds those bonuses to its animated form’s slam attack. The animated ward benefits from all ward bonuses it would grant but does not benefit from the bonuses of any wards it carries.
Animate Split Wards(Su) At 19th level the wardkeeper can choose to animate two of his kami wards at once whenever he merges with them. The wardkeeper controls them simultaneously.
Blessing of the Kami(Ex) At 20th level the wardkeeper is filled with the power of kamis. All of his wards grant all of his ward bonuses simultaneously though they still cannot stack with each other.