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I took a look through the archives and this question was not answered that I could see.
Channel Energy (Su)
The vindicator’s class level stacks with levels in any other class that grants the channel energy ability.
Normally Channel Energy does not stack, and you keep track of the number of uses and dice separately. Does this ability allow them to stack? Or does it simply mean that Holy Vindicator levels count as both cleric and paladin levels and you continue to keep track of them separately as they both advance simultaneously?
Examples
Cleric 2/Paladin 4 with 16 cha would have 6 uses of Channel Energy for 1d6 from cleric and have 5 uses of lay on hands making it 2 uses of Channel Energy for 2d6 if he was then to take a level of Holy Vindicator would it be A) or B)
A) Cleric 2/Paladin 4/Holy Vindicator 1: with 16 cha would have 6 uses of Channel Energy for 4d6 (Cleric 2/Paladin/4 Holy Vindicator 1) and have 5 uses of lay on hands that he can expend to gain more Channel uses.
Why A makes sense: holy vindicator stacks with either cleric or paladin and one would assume that it would stack with itself.
B) Cleric 2/Paladin 4/Holy Vindicator 1: with 16 cha would have 6 uses of Channel Energy for 2d6 (2 cleric +1 Holy Vindicator) from the cleric side and have 5 uses of lay on hands making it 2 uses of Channel Energy for 3d6 (4 Paladin + 1 Holy Vindicator).
Why B does not make sense, If I have 3 classes with Channel energy and I keep track of each separately let’s say 4 paladin, 3 Cleric and 3 oracle of life and 10 Holy Vindicator my effective character level would be 40
why B makes sense
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It's B, unless there's some errata I'm not aware of, but A is entirely appropriate for a house rule (and quite reasonable, if you ask me).
That was what I figured and how I was going to run it.
But it bugs me; it makes no sense how Channel Energy is more unbalancing then Spells or Paladin auras
The plan was to go a 5/5/10 split Cleric/Paladin/Holy Vindicator
if built from the Paladin (Cha 18) Perspective you will give up 2 BaB and lose access 4th level spells and have fewer spells in general, and lose access to the Paladin special abilities; 5 uses of Smite Evil, 5 Mercies, the Auras of Justice, Resolve, Righteousness and Faith as well as the Holy champion on top of sacrificing 2 dice on your channel energy and losing 7 uses of lay on hands (3 channel energy) leaving you with a mere 6 uses of lay on hands. You gain 7 uses of channel energy but they are also 2 dice smaller. Giving you 10 Channel energy in total
if built from the Cleric (Cha 18) Perspective you will gain 3 BaB and lose access to 7th 8th and 9th level spells as well as drastically fewer spells in general sacrificing 2 dice on your channel energy. You gain 6 lay on hands (3 Channel Energy) but they are also 2 dice smaller. (10 channel energy total)
I can understand the concerns about level dipping just to gain several uses of Channel Energy, but when you have a class that is built around a core mechanic you should not punish the player for trying to get more uses of it
A simple addition to the entry would solve that and make the prestige class more attractive
Channel Energy (Su)
The vindicator’s class level stacks with levels in any other class that grants the channel energy ability. If she has more than one class that grants this ability she must choose the class that has the fewest dice. At 5th level the holy vindicator may combine her class levels to determine the total dice pool for Channel Energy.
I have a build which I've yet to use of a character who is a Cleric of Pharasma who channels negative and Oracle of Life who takes channel positive and uses HV to pump them both simultaneously, so his main ability is channelling, he can do it offensively and defensively, and eventually in a cone, burst, or line. After getting death's embrace his channel negative is even ore impressive.