Empath V.2

[Vanity]

After a year of testing and concept redesign, I've decided to repost this class with my findings. This class specializes in healing.

Role: Healer
Hit Die: d6
Base Attack Bonus: As Cleric
Saves: High Fort and Will

Class Skills:

The empath's class skills are Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Perception, Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), and Survival (Wis).

Skill Ranks per Level:

4 + Int modifier.

Class Features
The following are class features of the Empath.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:

Empaths are proficient with all simple weapons, (but see Empathic Link). They are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.

An empath is free to use any form of armor or weaponry without interfering with their abilities, save that an empath cannot use a gauntlet, or cover their hand in anyway, and still forge an empathic link with his touch.

Empathic Link:

An empath is so in tune with the life forces of living creatures around him, that he is able to heal wounds using this link. In return, an empath must be mindful of causing harm to creatures or else risk hurting this delicate balance. Any empath who either deals hit point damage, ability damage, ability drain, causes negative levels to, or kills another creature, suffers empathic shock and loses access to Channel Energy, Empathic Touch, Life Link, Waves of Empathy, and Empathic Transfer class features for 1 minute per two class levels (minimum 1 minute) that he possesses. Nonlethal damage may be used freely without incurring this penalty.

Channel Energy (Su):

An empath can channel positive energy like a cleric, using her empath level as her effective cleric level when determining the amount of damage healed. She can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1 + her Charisma modifier. Unlike a cleric, an empath may not use this ability to harm the undead.

Healing Hands (Ex):

Empaths began their training by studying medical charts and other facets of mundane healing. As a result they gain a bonus on Heal checks equal to half class level. In addition, an empath may provide first aid to two people or treat two people for poison as a standard action (make a separate Heal check for each creature). When using the Heal skill to treat wounds from caltrops (and so on), treat deadly wounds, treat poison, treat disease, or provide long-term care, he may treat double the normal number of people at the same time. He may also provide long term care for himself.

Expert Healer (Ex):

All empaths coming out of their training have a solid understanding of how to heal wounds. While they are blessed with supernatural abilities that allow them to save lives on the battlefield, these are tiresome and cannot be done endlessly. In order to supplement these incredible abilities, empaths also study in mundane healing practices and, when coupled with their empathic link to the living, possess abilities far beyond even the most schooled mundane doctor.

An empath may treat recent injuries received by living corporeal creatures by expending one use of a healer’s kit and taking 1 minute (10 rounds) to treat the creature, healing 1d4 damage (DC 20). She may heal an additional 1d4 for each 5 points by which she exceeds the DC on her skill check. An empath cannot heal more damage than the target has taken in the previous 10 minutes. A given target may only receive healing once per 10 minutes.

Bonus Feat:

At levels one, three, and every three levels thereafter, an empath gains a bonus feat. This feat must be an empathic feat. You must meet the qualifications for the selected feet.

Empathic Touch (Su):

Beginning at 2nd level, an empath can heal wounds (her own or those of others) by touch. Each day she can use this ability a number of times equal to 3 + her empath level plus her Constitution modifier. With one use of this ability, an empath can heal 1d6 hit points of damage for every two empath levels she possesses. Using this ability is a standard action, unless the empath targets herself, in which case it is a swift action. An empath needs one free hand to use this ability.

Alternatively, an empath can use this healing power to deal damage to undead creatures, dealing 1d6 points of damage for every two levels the empath possesses. Using Empathic Touch in this way requires a successful melee touch attack and doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity. Undead do not receive a saving throw against this damage.

Beginning at 4th level, whenever an empath uses this ability on himself he may choose to remove a condition drawn from the same list as Empathic Transfer. He may only choose to remove one such condition at a time with a use of this ability.

Life Link (Su):

When creatures within 20 ft. of you suffer hit point or attribute damage, you can choose to transfer some or all of that damage to yourself as an immediate action. If there is an additional effect associated with that damage, you suffer that effect in lieu of the target if all of the damage is transferred; otherwise, the creature suffers the effect normally. An empath instinctively knows how much damage, in hit points, all creatures within 20 feet take upon being damaged.

Quick Healer (Ex):

An empath’s ability to treat mundane wounds and ailments improves. She may now provide first aid, treat wounds, or treat poison as a move action.

Life Sense (Ex):

As a swift action, an empath can gauge the relative health of any living creature he can currently see, determining, in hit points, how much damage a creature has taken and its total hit points value.

Unbreakable Empathy (Ex):

At 3rd level, an empath applies his Constitution modifier one and a half times when calculating bonus hit points. These bonus hit points are added retroactively for each level the empath gained prior to receiving Unbreakable Empathy, but only to hit die gained via the empath class. Should the empath multiclass out of empath later, he begins adding his normal Constitution modifier as normal until such a time as he returns. This does not add extra uses to Empathic Touch, improve fortitude saves, or add to anything else other than extra hit points gained at each level.

In addition, the empath receives a +4 bonus on the following checks and saves:
Swim checks made to resist nonlethal damage from exhaustion;
Constitution checks made to continue running;
Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from a forced march;
Constitution checks made to hold your breath
Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from starvation or thirst;
Fortitude saves made to avoid nonlethal damage from hot or cold environments; and Fortitude saves made to resist damage from suffocation.

The empath may also now sleep in light or medium armor without becoming fatigued.

This ability counts as having the Endurance feat for anything that requires it as a prerequisite. The empath need not have Endurance to qualify for any such ability, class, etc.
An empath may still choose to take the Endurance feat. These effects stack.

Waves of Empathy (Su):

Empaths understand that war is often unavoidable. It is through this grim realization that the empath learns how to wage war on her own terms.

At 4th level, an empath learns to use the power of her empathic link to bolster her defenses and aid her allies. The empath gains one additional use of her Channel Energy ability per day. She gains one additional use of Channel Energy per day for every four levels she attains beyond 4th.

She can spend a use of Channel Energy ability to call upon the power of her empathic link as a standard action. This causes waves of golden ribbons to emanate from the empath in a 30-foot radius. All allies in this area (including the empath) receive a +1 morale bonus to AC and on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws against necromancy as long as they remain in the area of light. This power lasts for 1 minute.

At 8th level, the waves of empathy heal the empath and her allies, curing of them of 1d4 points of ability damage, as per the spell lesser restoration. A creature can only be healed in this way once per usage.

At 12th level, the waves of empathy now grant an additional +1 morale bonus to AC and on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws against necromancy. In addition, the waves grant allies in the area resistance 10 to one type of energy, selected by the empath when this power is activated.

At 16th level, the waves of empathy grant the empath and her allies protection from critical hits. There is a 25% chance that critical hits made against the empath and her allies in the area are instead treated as normal hits. This does not stack with other abilities that grant similar protection (such as light fortification).

At 20th level, the waves of empathy increases in size out to a range of 60 feet. In addition, all of its bonuses increase. The morale bonus to AC and on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws against necromancy increases to +4. The amount of ability damage healed increases to 2d4. The energy resistance increases to 20 against one energy type. Finally, protection against critical hits increases to 50%.

Empathic Transfer (Ex):

At 4th level, an empath adds an effect to his Empathic Touch ability. Whenever the empath uses Empathic Touch to heal damage to one target the empath may choose to transfer a condition the target is currently suffering from onto himself. A condition so transferred effectively ends for the target and begins for the empath using what remained of its duration. An empath may choose a condition to transfer from the following list.
• Fatigued
• Shaken
• Sickened

Braced (Ex):

Beginning at 5th level, an empath now begins to know what to expect when she uses her Empathic Transfer ability, and can now steel herself for the impending explosion of pain. Whenever an empath transfers a condition onto herself, the condition does not begin to affect her until the end of her next round.

Improved Empathic Transfer (Ex):

At 7th level, an empath adds the following conditions to the list of those that can be selected with Empathic Transfer:
• Dazed
• Diseased
• Staggered (unless target is at exactly 0 hit points)

Resuscitate (Ex):

Starting at level 9 an empath is able to bring the departed back to life by succeeding on a DC 30 heal check. Regardless of whether the check is successful or not, a number of uses from her healer's kit are expended.

At 9th level, by expending six uses from her healer's kit, she can bring one dead creature back to life that has been dead for no longer than 20 rounds.

At 14th level, by expending ten uses from her healer's kit, she can bring one dead creature back to life that has been dead for no longer than 20 minutes.

At 19th level, by expending twenty uses from her healer's kit, she can bring one dead creature back to life that has been dead for no longer than 20 hours.

The revived creature is treated as if it wasn't fully dead, just teetering on the brink of it for the purpose of not suffering from negative level loss or Constitution drain when returned to life. Revived creatures are restored to one hit point, are unconscious, and are placed under long term care of the empath and not released from her care until they have recovered at least three-quarters their maximum hit points. Should the patient be removed from the empath's care at any point during this period before recovery, the patient reverts to his previous dead status. Spellcasters revived in the manner lose all their prepared spells. A revived creature gains the Beyond Healing condition until it recovers. Such a creature cannot receive the benefit of an empath's Expert Healer class feature or any supernatural or magical healing.

Greater Empathic Transfer (Ex):

At 10th level, an empath adds the following conditions to the list of those that can be selected with Empathic Transfer.
• Cursed (any effect that remove curse can target)
• Exhausted
• Frightened
• Nauseated
• Poisoned (any effect that neutralize poison can target)
In addition, an empath may now transfer two such conditions at the same time.

Mend the Body (Ex):

Starting at level 10, an empath may operate on a creature for 10 rounds (1 minute) to make a Heal check. This check is DC 5 + twice the total amount of combined ability damage suffered to Strength, Dexterity and Constitution. With success, he may immediately heal 1 point of ability damage that the target has suffered to their Strength, Dexterity or Constitution. If the target's ability damage is drain, the DC is increased by +10. Using this ability consumes 10 uses from his healer's kit. For every 5 points above the DC the empath meets, he may restore 1 additional point of damage or drain.

Note: Performing surgery successfully requires the patient to be helpless, unconscious or otherwise sedated. Any effect that makes a creature immune to pain is sufficient. If the patient is not properly prepared, the DC to operate doubles.

Restore the Mind (Ex):

Starting at 11th level, an empath may operate on a creature for 10 rounds (1 minute) to make a Heal check. This check is DC 5 + twice the total amount of combined ability damage suffered to Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma. With success, she may immediately heal 1 point of ability damage that the target has suffered to their Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma. If the target's ability damage is drain, the DC is increased by +10. Using this abilty consumes 10 uses from her healer's kit. For every 5 points above the DC the empath meets, he may restore 1 additional point of damage or drain.

Note: Performing surgery successfully requires the patient to be helpless, unconscious or otherwise sedated. Any effect that makes a creature immune to pain is sufficient. If the patient is not properly prepared, the DC to operate doubles.

Superior Empathic Transfer (Ex):

At 13th level, an empath adds the following conditions to the list of those that can be selected with Empathic Transfer.
• Blinded (this will cause the sensory organs to regrow if necessary)
• Deafened (this will cause the sensory organs to regrow if necessary)
• Paralyzed
• Stunned
In addition, for each condition transferred in this way, the empath heals the target an additional amount of hit points equal to his Charisma modifier per condition successfully treated. This is in excess of the normal amount for Empathic Transfer.

Grand Empathic Transfer (Ex):

At 16th level, an empath may now transfer 3 conditions at the same time.

Perfect Empathic Transfer (Ex):

At 19th level, an empath now transfers all applicable conditions with a single Empathic Touch.

Eternal Salvation:

Upon reaching 20th level, the empath becomes a perfect channel for life energy; so long as there is suffering in the world, he will be there to relieve it. He no longer ages. He becomes immune to bleed, death effects, exhaustion, fatigue, nausea effects, negative levels, and sickened effects. Ability damage and drain cannot reduce him below 1 in any ability score. He automatically makes constitution checks to stabilize. When he is below 0 hit points, he does not die until his negative total is in excess of twice his Constitution score.

An empath having achieved this level may still use his Empathic Transfer to transfer conditions he is immune to into himself. Any condition transferred in this way in which the empath is immune to is immediately negated.

And what class would be complete without a suite of feats to accompany it? Which brings us to...

EMPATH FEATS

Extra Empathic Touch (Empathic):

You can use your Empathic Touch ability more often.

Prerequisite: Empathic Touch class feature.

Benefit: You can use your empathic touch ability two additional times per day.

Special: You can gain Extra Empathic Touch multiple times. Its effects stack.

Battle Empath (Empathic):

You are more resistant to the effects of empathic shock

Prerequisite: Empathic Link class feature.

Benefit: Whenever you suffer from empathic shock, you reduce the time by 1 minute per point of constitution modifier you possess (minimum 1 minute).

Normal: When you break your empathic link you lose class features for 1 minute per empath level you possess.

Improved Battle Empath (Empathic):

Breaking your empathic link is almost a way of life now…

Benefit: Whenever you suffer empathic shock treat your class level in empath as though it were only half of what it actually is.

Apathy (Empathic):

Antipathy has overtaken you. You relish the concept of battle for more than just a chance to practice your healing skills.

Prerequisite: Improved Battle Empath

Benefit: You may now reduce the time spent without class features to 0 minutes whenever you suffer empathic shock, should you possess enough constitution to do so. These Antipathic feelings last for 1 minute from the last time you caused harm (see Empathic Link).

While taken over by feelings of Antipathy, your Channel Energy,
Empathic Touch, Life Link, Waves of Empathy, and Empathic Transfer class features function as follows:

Channel Energy: Now harms the living as a cleric channeling negative energy.

Empathic Touch: Now deals hit point damage to target touched.

Life Link: Whenever you are struck by a successful attack or spell that deals hit point damage, you may return an amount back to your attacker equal to your level + your constitution modifier. This amount cannot exceed half the total damage dealt.

Waves of Empathy: Now radiates a black aura of antipathy out to a radius of 30 feet. Within this aura, penalties are
applied to enemies in opposition to the bonuses normally gained by allies. Instead of recovering ability damage, deal damage as per the spell inflict moderate wounds. Instead of granting +10 resistance to an element, all enemies take an additional -2 penalty to saves versus spells and supernatural abilities. Instead of 25% chance to negate critical attacks, enemies take a -5 penalty to AC against critical confirmation rolls.

At level 20, inflict moderate wounds becomes inflict critical wounds, penalty to saves becomes -4, and penalty to AC against critical confirmation becomes -10.

Empathic Transfer: The empath may also transfer one condition affecting him to the target. A successful Fortitude save prevents the transfer (DC: 10 + half empath level + constitution modifier.

Tireless Healer (Empathic):

More through fervor than skill, you manage to beat the odds time and time again.

Benefit: You may add your Constitution modifier to your Heal and Craft [alchemy] checks in place of your Wisdom and Intelligence, respectively. Once per day you may choose to add a +5 bonus on any of these check after making the roll but before knowing the result.

In addition, you are able to rest while giving someone long term care. You are treated as having slept and are not
subjected to fatigue for having missed a night’s sleep.

Saving Grace (Empathic):

So great is your skill, even your miscalculations have merit.

Prerequisite: Tireless Healer

Benefit: When using Channel Energy or Empathic Touch you may add your constitution modifier as a bonus to hitpoints healed if any die rolled turns up a natural 1. You may only add this bonus once per usage of either ability, regardless of how many natural 1’s turn up.

Peacemaker (Empathic):

If you cannot encourage peace, you will enforce it.

Prerequisite: Empathic Link class feature

Benefit: You no longer take the usual penalties associated with dealing nonlethal damage.

Additionally, against foes not classified as living, you may add your charisma modifier to attack rolls, damage rolls, saves and AC.

Improved Unbreakable Empathy (Empathic):

Your empathy keeps you on your feet long after others would have fallen.

Prerequisite: Unbreakable Empathy class feature

Benefit: When you take this feat, you gain 2 hit points for each empathic feat you have (including this one).
Whenever you take a new empathic feat, you gain 2 more hit points.

Wound Bearer (Empathic):

The pain you feel watching allies come to harm is far worse than throwing yourself in the way to begin with.

Prerequisite: Improved Unbreakable Empathy

Benefit: When using your Life Link ability to save an ally from harm (either some or all), it is now a free action.

Normal: Activating Life Link is an immediate action.

Martyrdom (Empathic):

Your empathy has reached its peak. Everything you do is for the good of another.

Prerequisite: Wound Bearer

Benefit: When restoring hitpoints via Empathic Touch, you may choose to double the amount of dice rolled. If you choose to use this option, you take an equal amount of damage to the amount healed. If this is enough to kill you, you cause empathic feedback and the creature touched must succeed on a fortitude save (DC 10 + half your empath level + damage restored) or be overwhelmed by empathy. A creature so overwhelmed becomes nauseated for 1 minute every time it causes lethal damage to a living creature. These feelings of empathy last for one day per empathic level you possess.

Empathic Gift (Empathic, Reserve):

You are now able to use your empathic link in new ways!
Prerequisite: Empathic Link class feature

Benefit: Select one of the three following abilities
:
Innocence: An empath is able to focus his empathy and demonstrate that he is not a threat. This ability functions much like Sanctuary with the following changes:
• This ability does not affect or impede mindless (non-undead) creatures
• This ability angers mindless undead, causing them to ignore other creatures and focus on the empath
• This ability angers intelligent undead as well, though they are under no compulsion to attack. Instead their attitude is one step lower then it would be normally while Innocence lasts.
• This is a supernatural ability.

The DC to resist Innocence is equal to 10 + half empath class level + charisma modifier. This ability can be used at will, but only so long as the empath has at least 3 uses of Empathic Touch in reserve.

Manipulate: An empath can focus on a single creature and connect with it on an empathic level. While this effect is active, the creature is charmed. While an empath has a creature manipulated, the empath cannot take any hostile or aggressive (threatening, intimidation, etc) actions without breaking the link. If an empath knowingly causes harm (direct or indirect) to the manipulated creature, the empath suffers empathic shock and the link breaks. If the empath knowingly deceives or otherwise offends the manipulated creature, the link breaks and the creature is forever immune to further manipulation attempts from that empath. This ability cannot be used on a creature if its allies are present and able to interfere. This ability causes targeted mindless undead to go berserk as per the Rage spell and focus on the empath.

A creature suspicious and aware of the empath is entitled to a will save to resist this effect. The DC to resist manipulation is equal to 10 + half empath class level + charisma modifier. This ability can be used at will, but only so long as the empath has at least 8 uses of Empathic Touch in reserve. If a creature is not aware of, or has reason to be suspicious of the empath, no saving throw is granted.

Shifting: An empath with this ability can focus on a single creature and change its appearance. To use this ability the creature must be willing or otherwise helpless. This ability takes one hour to complete. Any interruption breaks the link, disfigures the creature, and causes empathic shock. The extent of the alterations is up to the empath, but the limits of this ability are the same as disguise self. Unlike the spell, however, this ability is permanent and a polymorph effect. This ability cannot affect gear (unlike disguise self).

This ability can be used at will, but only so long as the empath has at least 15 uses of Empathic Touch in reserve.

This feat can be taken multiple times. Each time it is taken, select a different Gift.

Gift of Life (Empathic):

Bruised and scarred you may be in flesh, but within you are filled with the power of life.

Prerequisite: Empathic Touch class feature

Benefit: By activating this ability, you expend all remaining uses of Empathic Touch. You may heal all allies within 30 feet a number of hitpoints equal to 10 per usage of Empathic Touch expended + your constitution modifier. Every two levels after first increase this base amount by 2.

You take your empath level in damage for each ally healed in this way. This damage cannot be reduced or prevented in any way.

Field Nurse (Empathic):

Your endless practice has paid off. You are now able to prescribe medicine much more quickly.

Benefit: You are now able to draw any restorative tonic, balm, medicine or potion as a swift action from your pack. Additionally you are able to use this medicine on yourself or another as a standard action.

Normal: Using a potion or medicine on another creature is a full round action.

[Ciaran Barnes]

Browser crashed and ate my post, which is a shame cause I was more than half done. I might get back to it this weekend.