While sleepy, I had an idea. It may be one that is not useful to a lot of people, but could be great for NPCs or for players that like to build their characters in close cooperation with each other.
Paired Classes
A paired character class is a special class that joins a character with another character of the class' corresponding counterpart. The two characters have differing powers, but their abilities depend greatly on each other and draw on each others' strengths. When separated, they lose much of their abilities so must do their utmost to work as a team.
All paired classes have the following class ability:
Paired Bond: When a character takes his or her first level in a paired class, he or she designates an ally that has just taken the first level of this class' counterpart. If both parties are conscious and willing, these characters are paired until one of them chooses to end the pairing (an hour-long ritual). A character may only be paired with one other character at a time. An unpaired character with levels in a paired class may only pair with another character upon gaining another level in that class, and then only if their chosen ally has an equal or greater number of levels in his or her class' counterpart.
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I haven't got any detailed plans for paired classes yet. At the moment I'm kinda thinking that they might work best as prestige classes. Help come up with ideas, or even write your own! If you can present a good concept I may try writing it into a pair of full classes!
Example concepts:
Leashed Berserker: The leashed berserker is a monstrous warrior of terrifying power, taking rage to inhuman levels. He is a truly devastating force and his indiscretion in battle would even threaten his allies. Thankfully, he is guided by the calm hand of his spiritual companion, the tether mage.
Tether Mage: The tether mage is a master of the spirits and forges a close bond with the intense emotions of a leashed berserker. She siphons off excess rage from his mind during combat, both to fuel her own magic and to keep his fury from destroying him and his allies.
Mechanically, I envision the leashed berserker having a 'berserk pool' that starts at zero and builds during a fight, by attacking or being hit. If it gets too high, the berserker loses the ability to distinguish targets or stop fighting.
The tether mage can spend those points to cast spells or perhaps add effects to or modify spells, and must keep up with the berserker's rate of combat to keep him from losing control and becoming a monster himself.
So what is the down side of the mage?
The Berserker can go insane but the mage only has up sides...
Like I said, working on it.
The mage would probably be unable to cast spells above a certain level, while the berserker can probably opt not to rage and thus avoid problems (and not benefit from rage+berserk bonuses). I dunno yet. It's formative ideas at the moment.
It's an idea I really like. Please update further if you work it out.