Paladin with a drinking problem's page

So this is one of my favorite character concepts of all time http://community.wizards.com/content/forum-topic/3458061, and my groups wants to run a evil campaign. No 3.5, 3rd party or gestalt unfortunately but i would like to capture the spirit of this build. Most likely oracle but a channeling cleric would probably do it well. Just need some help with suggestions and possible builds. Right now im leaning on a LE cleric of urgothoa with the shatter resolve feat as the early game and transistion into a full caster latter on. I talked to my gm and he will allow graveknight or lich.

To elaborate on a point I made earlier about adding a 2nd ability use without trance at early levels imagine something like this for bear:

Spirit bonus: Str
Seance Boon
Spells NEW: (2/level, up to 6th)
Compulsion

NEW: Bestial Roar (Innate, Su)- (Standard action)Channeling the bears rage, your Medium emits a terrifying bestial roar. Enemys within 30 ft must pass a Will save (Cha scaling) or be shaken for 2 rounds (1 if they save). At level 8 this causes frightened, at level 14 the enemy is panicked. Mediums can use this ability every 3+Charisma times per day. Enemy's affected by this ability are immune to it for 24 hours.

Paws (lesser, Su)
Massive (Intermediate, Su)
enormous (Greater, Su)
Awesome blow (Supreme, Su)

I'm not saying this is the ability that should be used, but I think that spirits should give you two abilitys without having to trance from level one. This combined with upping the spell casting to 6th level, adding more spells (atleast 2/level for each spirit), and possibly changing extra spirit progression (dual vessal at 4, 3rd at 10, 4th at 16 possibly) would be interesting ways to bump up mediums early game ability and keep players from being bored with them for the 1st 5 levels.

I think the mechanic should just be capped at 4 and have the player role play it out. Its kind of lame to loose a character for an adventuring day even if its your choice. Just dont let players cheat out of the compulsion.

When I first read this class, Ill admit I was angry. However after looking it over a couple times I think it actually has potential. It needs a couple of major buffs/revisions and we need more interesting spirits to play with (the forge spirit is actually exciting!). I have some ideas that I believe would be some good changes to bring the medium up:

1. DM control should not be a thing. I think instead of loosing your character, the spirit should force to act certain ways. Just like a bad pact with the old binder, for example one spirit called Naberius from that class made you take center stage whenever there was one and you had to insult the crap out of anyone that interrupts you. more flavor, less frustration.

2. Do not make him bab +1/d10 hp. He/She should be more flexible like the bard or magus or inquisitor. Give him 6 level spells, make each spirit give 2 spells per level base and casting spirits 3-4. He/She should be able to melee, cast, sneak, buff, support etc. but only depending on what spirits he has. this also helps his 1-5 slog as a medium will get 2 spells at level one.

3. Trance should be a move or standard action from the beginning. I understand not wanting to front load but it would really help. Make it a swift at 5th level and an immediate at 10th.

5. Spirits should get one more low level ability. Again front loading, but when all you can do is claw with bab 3/4 and 8 hp for 3 levels I think he needs it. Make it a per combat or per 5 rounds abilities to give mediums something cool to do. with the previous spell change this means binders get a cool ability they can use every fight, spells to play with level 1-3, and a better trance ability. I understand the want to avoid dipping but if it really seems to be a problem don't hurt a class just because of it. Impose special restrictions or something, don't make it hell for those who actually want to play the medium.

That being said, binder was my favorite class from 3.5 and I hope some changes are made in this direction as I think it would make a great adaption. keep the 54 spirits, give good visual aids to help new players learn them, and make a class that will get us binder enthusiasts excited. Radiance houses occultist is amazing, but its third party and I have faith we can make the medium into a truly fresh and fun take on the binder.

Man this class is just disappointing right now, I dont understand why I cant just be the 3.5 binder remake, sure radiance house has made it, hell just make radiance house occultist available in PFS its better than this class. It seems right now it has no power or options. Ill still be running it this weekend to see, but just from reading it over a few times I see no reason for why the medium is so weak. Spirits need to scale up in level, have abilities that actually matter and give you real choices. Again something the radiance house binder actually does well. The mediums spirits should be way more powerful than they are. Having one spirit is the only thing the class is doing for 6 levels so it should be good. The level one spirits from binder are stronger than all of these at even high levels tbh.

I think the best direction to go with this class is to make spirits more powerful, and keeping the 3/4 bab and 8 hd. Spirits should be the main feature of this class and they are just so lackluster right now.

This class makes me sad. Its just a weaker shapeshifter ranger archtype (not very strong to begin with), I feel like the class would be so much cooler if it was closer to a true shapeshifter, like a druid who swaps his Spell casting ability to focus more on his shifting. The animal focus ability feels really weak and not fun. Teamwork feats for the companion seem cool but the problem is they should not be the main focus of the class. I feel like the class would be a lot cooler if it was more focused on the beastial aspects. Animal focus could be made the Main focus of the class, granting aspects with real benefits that aren't replaced by items (enhancment stat bonus). Ex: Lupine Focus: the hunter embraces the aspect of the wolf. he gains a bonus to strength and dex, nat armor, gains scent and a bite attack equal to hit size and can attempt a trip combat maneuver as a swift action after he full attacks. Or make his animal focus wild shaping he can do from level 1, except with set forms he upgrades over time that eventually become lycan-like. Give the class some real abilities! Hunter is out shined in every aspect by ranger and druid. I feel that beefing up his shifting could really create a cool class.

Now im not the most experienced player and I have yet to try the class, but from just looking at it I already don't want to play it. It has no class features aside from watered down druid/ranger. Thats not something that should happen with any class