Does Intensify Major Ability (Occult Options #1) need to have its conditions reworked due to the changes in spirits' Major Abilities (no abilities can have a duration longer than instantaneous, only abilities that are activated as a standard or full-round action)? Also, for "duration" does this refer to the duration of the ability or its effects? Some Major Abilities have a "duration" but it's more the effects on the enemies, not the ability itself.
Is Bountiful Abilities (Occult Option #1) still balanced for the redefined spirits? Would it be possible to add this as well as Intensify Major Ability to the Grimoire? In addition, could Bountiful Abilities be reworded to also increase "time units" by 3 (abilities that are in rounds per day or minutes per day)? Also, with the number of abilities that have "once / 24 hours" could there be and additional Bountiful Ability that affects these as well? For example, something similar to Accursed Hex for the Witch so that you can use it again on the same target once more if it succeeds on its save?
At low levels, 3 + Cha is better. At high levels, binder level + Cha is better. High level binders stopped having to manage their minor granted abilities as a resource and low-level binders worried that they would "run out of juice" too quickly compared to, say, a wizard with 1st-level spell slots AND a school power. Ultimately, I chose to nerf high-level play and buff low-level play.
Besides, which tier do YOU play more? ;-)
While I agree with this in terms of the levels of play, the other issue with not having it based partially on binder level is there are binder builds that are more gish like. Making it entirely based on your charisma limits several builds that would make many of the more martial spirits useful over the caster ones.
Possibly 3 + 1/2 binder level + charisma?
It's still just as good early, and it doesn't get as crazy for the casters later in the game, but it gives non-charisma focused builds something to work with.
Q: Pain Harvester states that whenever a creature fails its Fortitude saving throw it suffers ability damage. Is this only against the Sadist's abilities? If not, what's the range on this feature?
It should say, "Whenever a creature fails a Fortitude save against one of the occult sadist's cruelties." In version 2, it'll be updated to say that A) the damage can only trigger once per turn (no multiple points per cruelty) and B) that both cruelties and channel pain can trigger the ability damage.
You give up your 1st level binder secret and give up all of your constellations except one to gain an eidolon that acts as an animal companion. In addition you can't bind spirits that don't have a vestigial companion, and you lose the granted vestigial boon abilities. Eidolons are powerful, but I feel that the Tunneled Lore is too restrictive here for a full Occultist--it should be either one constellation or only spirits that have a vestigial companion, similar to the Pactsworn Hunter.
Remember that its an eidolon that also gains all of your granted abilities. Still, I'll be listening for more feedback on this archetype in particular.
Seal-Etched Occultist
I have outstanding questions regarding this archetype. As is I would not suggest it.
What are your questions?
Pactsworn Champion
A Paladin with no spellcasting and loses out on one use of smite evil, but gains non-tunneled lore binding. Yes.
Q: Does the Pactsworn Champion still have the alignment restriction of Paladins / the same Code of Conduct?
Yes, for both the paladin and the antipaladin.
Also, its supposed to have this ability. I literally added alignments to spirits specifically for this archetype:
—"Righteous Binding: A pactsworn champion may only seal pacts with spirits with an alignment within one step of his own."
X: In Constellation Aspects it mentions "untouchable."
— Fixed
Strangely enough you can combine both the Pactsworn Assassin and Pactbane Slayer if you want to play a "do as I say, not as I do" Slayer.
"Lookie 'ere, Jebadiah, we got us one o' dem self-'atin' binders!"
X: Ergon Bloodline's Bloodline Arcana-"Whenever you cast a spell with a range of person..."
X: Ravaged Bloodline's Class Skills, the font/font size is incorrect.
Fixed.
X: Bind Spirits refers to "Soul Screamer."
Q: Tunneled Summoning doesn't explicitly state that the Spirit Caller has to choose a vestigial companion when binding a spirit. Is this supposed to be optional?
Q: How does this archetype work with Aspect, Greater Aspect, and Twin Eidolon?
Q: Can a Spirit Caller bind Loh'moi, the Mad Geometer? As written, she cannot, since the vestigial companion granted is an eidolon, not one of the specifically listed types. Is this an oversight or purposeful?
— In the next build, it will be updated to clarify that you are forced to make that trade when you seal a pact with the spirit.
— You're right, Aspect, Greater Aspect, and Twin Eidolon don't work well as listed. In the next build, Aspect and Greater Aspect will be traded for new abilities and Twin Eidolon will be altered.— Currently, no, but I've added eidolons to the list of allowable vestigial companions for the next build.
Q: Would abilities like General Hessant's Empower Longsword count for Dilettante's Finesse?
— No, because that ability is empowering an existing weapon rather than granting her a new attack.
X: Diminshed Spellcasting refers to "weird witch" and Int score for spellcasting.
Q: Occult Fervor only heals someone bound to a spirit or harms someone who threatens an ally bound to a spirit. This ability is great if you have others in the party who are bound with spirits, but otherwise is useless. Unless the Warpriest counts as an ally threatened (as written the Warpriest counts as a living creature bound to a spirit)?
— Fixed.
— Unless noted otherwise, you're always considered your own ally. So yes, this is pretty much carte blanche to blast whomever is threatening you with occult energy while you are bound to a spirit.Q: With Death Curse, "If the witch is slain...her body transforms into a nonliving, inanimate object of the same size and becomes trapped..." Does the witch's body transform into a dead body or does it transform into a random (or selected) inanimate object like a chest or sword? I'm pretty sure it's just "dead body" but just wanted to get some clarity.
Q: There is no "Starless" patron. Should there be one?
— Its supposed to literally transform her into an object. Its based off of this Japanese myth where a group of samurai chase a kitsune out of town and kill it. When the kitsune dies, it turns into a rock that kills anyone who approaches it.
— No. That's the point of Starless spirits.Q: Just to clarify, Age Shift is the 1st level ability granted and not Aging Touch? With the other arcane schools it seems like the effects are listed backwards.
Q: Does Aging Touch stack? How many years is the creature aged? Can a creature be killed via aging (not Str damage) with this ability?
— Both powers are 1st-level abilities, as they both replaces abilities that the necromancy school grants at 1st level.
— It does not stack, it doesn't actually "age" the target, so no number of years is specified. A creature cannot be killed from this ability.
Does the Faith Trait "Favored" still exist? If so, should this allow an Occultist to start with a Level 2 spirit of the Favored Trait if a 2nd level spirit is chosen? Would it also allow a non-Occultist binder to bind a Level 7 Spirit?
I think so. Ask me again when Chapter 9 is made available. My brain is too focused on spirits and classes and prestige classes right now. ;-)
Can you take a 20 on Knowledge Tasks if you have access to a library or a similar source of information (old songs, poems, etc.)?
I don't recall off of the top of my head. I'd say its up to your GM, but typically you can't take 20 on Knowledge checks, period.
Is there any way to get in on this for those of us that missed the Kickstarter?
Sadly, no. It would be an insult to our backers if I just started giving away the backer playtest document to everyone.
On the plus side, August isn't THAT far away! :D
Does Intensify Major Ability (Occult Options #1) need to have its conditions reworked due to the changes in spirits' Major Abilities (no abilities can have a duration longer than instantaneous, only abilities that are activated as a standard or full-round action)? Also, for "duration" does this refer to the duration of the ability or its effects? Some Major Abilities have a "duration" but it's more the effects on the enemies, not the ability itself.
Is Bountiful Abilities (Occult Option #1) still balanced for the redefined spirits? Would it be possible to add this as well as Intensify Major Ability to the Grimoire? In addition, could Bountiful Abilities be reworded to also increase "time units" by 3 (abilities that are in rounds per day or minutes per day)? Also, with the number of abilities that have "once / 24 hours" could there be and additional Bountiful Ability that affects these as well? For example, something similar to Accursed Hex for the Witch so that you can use it again on the same target once more if it succeeds on its save?
Ask me again when all of the Grimoire stuff has settled down. It is not good for my mental health if I'm popping around between two separate products.
General Hessant's ability Empower Longsword no longer grant's you proficiency with Longsword. Might want to look into that.
Also, Cornelius Button's Seedling Bomb doesn't list a duration for the Entangled condition, or any way to remove it. I really like (Most of) the change to the Seedling Bomb. I'm willing to take the lower damage in exchange for the entangle effect getting added on.
However, I'm not sure how I feel about the stinking cloud effect being tied to a random % chance yet, but my initial thought is "No Thanks". As someone who has used this spirit a lot in Skull and Shackles, that change may mean I rarely use it again. Dropping a Stinking cloud into a combat at the wrong time/location could be crippling... for you're own party.
I would much rather have two seedling bomb options, The Acid/Entangle bomb, and a stinking puss filled bomb.
I'll see what I can do. I think the problem was that Mr. Button granted that ability at a VERY low level compared to other characters (sans the alchemist, which I suppose is the most applicable here).
Are the spirits in any sort of order? They seem to be randomly thrown in - or more likely - in alphabetical order by short book as it was added to the grimoire. It does jump all over the place, though.
Also, are you interested in proof-reading errors within the document? Spelling errors, missing or duplicate words, things of this nature?
I'm going to try separating out the Errors / Questions to make it easier for Alex and Dario to read the feedback.
Binder Secrets
Binder secrets have gotten buffed quite a bit and we see a return of Alteration secrets and Ritual secrets from Occult Options #1.
Alteration secrets we're used to seeing (Bouncing, Empower, Quicken) are all limited to 3 times per day and they still expend the Major Ability for double the normal duration (10 or 8 rounds). While this is still great at lower levels, I think they lose power as you get to higher levels and the 3 uses per day becomes more of a crutch.
Allure of the Night
Antagonize for the masses, this affects everyone within 30 feet of the Occultist. Very nice for those Occultists who like tanking.
Analyze Pact Spirits
Very nice for occult-focused campaigns, it allows you to determine a creature's bound spirits with a touch.
Bouncing Major Ability
As good as bouncing spell.
Create Pact Poltergeist
Still a great ability and the text has been cleaned up to clarify questions about the poltergeist.
Death Ward
For those who take Iron Will, Jealous Guardian, and Unyielding Personality you gain the ability to roll twice vs. death effects / negative levels and take the better result. I like the ability but I'm not sure it's worth the feat tax.
Disguise Granted Abilities
I've always felt this secret needs some more "oomph" to make it attractive, but it's worth noting that it can now be taken by a Level 1 Occultist, thereby increasing its value.
Echoing Major Ability
As good as echoing spell.
Ectoplasmic Resonance
A very nice ability that has no prereqs--sacrifice a swift action deal full damage/effect to incorporeal targets. Limited to 3 + Cha times per day.
Empower Major Ability
One of the best alteration secrets, even though the 3 times/day limit mentioned above hurts it.
Exorcise Spirit
This ability has been reworked to duplicate new occult spells. It's limited to once a day to begin with and maxes at 4 uses at 20. In a pact magic campaign this ability can be a killer of occultists, but it has lost its ability to get rid of normal spirit possession (as exorcism) so it doesn't have much use for a non-pact magic focused campaign.
Horrid Skean
One of the new secrets that focuses on empowering a weapon with spirits, this is a BAB +10 prereq that increases your damage output dramatically. A nice secret and I think is worth the sacrifice of a spirit.
Spiritual Resonance, Improved, Greater
These are nice secrets that in a pact-magic focused campaign make it a lot harder for you and your allies spirits to be exorcised/dismissed.
Guardian Spirit
This is the same as it was before, but it now requires the Undying Aid binder secret. Undying Aid is great, so this isn't as much a tax as it seems.
Hateful Major Ability
As good as a hateful spell. Note that this secret doesn't have a limit of 3/day, but this is most likely due to it only being able to be used against favored enemies.
Immortality
As good as before, but you have to be able to bind 9th-level spirits, which translates to it being only the Occultist in most cases.
Incite Animosity
A good secret that lets you mark a target as a Favored Enemy. Limited to 3+Cha/day, but it can be useful several of the archetypes.
Inquiry
One of the new ritual secrets, this grants you the ability to get the effects of divination. As an added bonus if you quest a spirit you can get a permanent +5 insight bonus to Knowledge Tasks regarding that spirit, so anyone that wants tons of spirits should probably pick this up.
Intuit Spirit
Same as it was before, and only useful in pact-magic campaigns.
Merciful Spirit
You can deal nonlethal damage with your abilities. Useful if you're trying to take people alive or maybe if you're the new Pactsworn Champion Paladin archetype.
Mutable Bonus
Another Ritual that allows you to exchange a minor ability that grants skill bonuses for a skill bonus of the same ability modifier for a different skill. This persists through the pact (only one reassignment per ability per pact) but this can be great if you're given skills you don't use as part of a spirit.
Occult Communion
This ritual buffs the Inquiry ritual and lets it count as contact other plane instead of divination. A nice upgrade, but it unfortunately doesn't also increase your insight bonus for Knowledge Tasks.
Occult Weapon
Sacrifice having a spirit bound to increase the power of one weapon. It caps at granting a +5 bonus at 16th level, but these bonuses can also apply a limited set of abilities. I'm not sure how good this is yet--it's great for Horrid Skean, but it seems like the progression for sacrificing a whole spirit could be a little more forgiving.
Occultinogen
You can bind a spirit by drinking from a mutagen-like concoction. It's always a poor pact and only lasts an hour, and suppresses your highest-level spirit if you can't bind additional spirits. You also take Charisma damage at the end. Useful since you can have both this and a Reserve Spirit at the same time and it allows greater flexibility. As written it doesn't suppress your highest-level spirit if you can bind multiple spirits.
Pact Effigy
As useful as it was before, but this now requires you to be 5th level. A fair tradeoff with the amount of secrets an Occultist gets now--I can see a lot of Occultists getting Pact Effigy/Craft Wondrous Item at 5th level.
Quicken Major Ability
As useful as quicken spell, limited to 3/day.
Remove Pact Malady
You gain the ability of the occult spell remove pact malady once a day, maxed out at twice a day.
Revelation of Brilliance
For Occult Scholars this allows you to add you Charisma bonus to Knowledge checks in addition to Intelligence--this is a great secret. You also get to select the share knowledge shaman hex as a secret later if you want.
Rush Ritual
If you have rituals this is a great secret. It inflicts a penalty to your binding checks, but none of the ritual secrets require binding checks, so there's no reason not to take this.
Scribe Binding Tattoo
This secret isn't as good as it used to be. It takes 10 hours to scribe the tattoo and its only purpose it to avoid drawing the spirit's seal during the binding ritual, which takes 1 minute. Your ritual now takes 9 minutes vs. the previous version's 1 minute. You also can no longer rush a pact with a bound spirit to a full-round action. A lot of the versatility of this secret has been lost, I feel.
Seal of Living Darkness
Another Occult Weapon secret, this lets you Demoralize as a move action with that weapon. Nice addition.
Shade Step
And another Occult Weapon secret, this lets you move X feet as a move action without provoking attacks of opportunity 3+Cha/day. If you're going Occult Weapon then this secret is useful.
Shroud of Shadows
Another Occult Weapon feat, this lets you surround yourself in shadow as a move action, granting concealment. It doesn't let you make Stealth checks nor does it work against ranged attacked. I think having it work against ranged attacks would make sense, especially since by using this you can't make a full attack.
Stalwart
This is Evasion for Fortitude / Will. It requires 11th level, but I see this as being a must-have secret.
Steal Pact Spirits
Wow. In a pact magic campaign, even with the feat tax, this is a great secret. It allows you to steal major/minor abilities and it doesn't have a limited number of uses per day. Very nice.
Sustenance
As good as it's always been.
Tendrils of Darkness
Another Occult Weapon feat, this one is excellent for locking down opponents, and the fluff is nice, too. You pin a creature's shadow as a combat maneuver within 30 ft. and that creature's movement is reduced to 5 ft. and it can't take 5 ft. steps. In addition it has to eat standard actions to attempt to escape.
Unbarred
If you have Tunneled Lore (or anything that counts as Tunneled Lore), you can unbar a constellation. This is a great secret and gives some more versatility to non-Occultist binders. Alex has clarified how it works with Tunneled Lore features that have different requirements (Soul Muse, for example).
Undying Aid
Heal binder level hp by expending a major ability 3+Cha/day. A great ability.
Undying Salvation
This requires the Expel Spirits feat, Undying Aid, and the ability to bind level 6 spirits, but it can save you from death. A great ability even though the penalty for using it is that you get Maximum Spirits Bound - 1. For an Occultist, though, this can result in you being very difficult to kill.
P12-P14: The Binder Secret section is out of order--it goes from Intuit Spirit to Revelation of Brilliance and then Stalwart to Merciful Spirit.
P11: Disguise Granted Abilities-"...hiding the touch of occult from..."
P13: Remove Pact Malady-Refers to "remove pact malady," but in the spell section the name is "remove malady." In addition, the extra uses (once every 5 levels after 11th) means you only get an extra use at 16. Is this intended to be two uses only or scale further past that? It also requires Occultist 11, whereas the spell is a 3rd/4th level spell so this secret seems a bit weak for what it offers.
P15: Undying Aid: Flavor text is not italicized.
P15: Undying Salvation: Prereq is "maximum spirit level 6th" instead of "ability to bind level 6 spirits."
Q: With Secrets that require "Ability to bind Xth-Level spirits", does Favored Spirit allow these to be taken earlier if the Favored Spirit is of the required level? I hope so, as I see it as how SLAs can qualify you for for requirements that have level-based casting.
Q: With Alteration Secrets, would it be possible to get a feat or binder secret that increases the times per day you can use these secrets?
Q: Exorcise Spirit doesn't actually exorcise non-pact spirits. Is this intended?
Q: With Occult Communion, since it's an 11th level secret and functions as contact other plane, should it allow another permanent bonus to the Knowledge Tasks for a spirit?
Q: With Occult Weapon, the maximum bonus granted seems a bit low for giving up all the abilities of a spirit, especially considering some spirits grant weapons (General Hessant's Empower Longsword). I think if it had a progression similar to Dreamscarred's Soulknife (maybe not as fast progression, but more than +5 max) it would become something even Occultists would want to use. If you lose the weapon you've lost your spirit that you've bound for 24 hours and I don't think the bonuses outweigh the cost.
Q: Occultinogen: "If you are already bound to a spirit...and could not normally seal pacts with another spirit, the highest-level spirit that you are bound to becomes suppressed..." I understand the intent that this doesn't give you an "extra" spirit, but the wording makes it sound like it does. I think wording that mentions "maximum number of bound spirits" instead would help clarify the ability.
Q: Occultinogen: How long does it take to create an occultinogen? Does it take an hour like a mutagen, or does it take 10 minutes like other Ritual Secrets? Would Rush Ritual only reduce this by 9 minutes or 59 minutes?
Q: Rush Ritual: I don't see any binding checks listed in any of the Ritual Secrets, so I'm guessing this penalty only applies if you rush the Inquiry ritual with a spirit and then bind it? As written I don't see this having any penalties for the ritual secrets. This ability also doesn't mention a duration for the penalty.
Q: Scribe Binding Tattoo: The Special section doesn't mention a duration for the penalty.
Q: Tendrils of Darkness: Is the CMB check a standard action or move action?
Q: Undying Aid: What is the action required to activate this ability? Is it its own action or is it the action required to active the major ability?
What are your questions?Seal-Etched Occultist
I have outstanding questions regarding this archetype. As is I would not suggest it.
I mentioned this earlier as you give up your first-level binder secret to be able to get Scribe Binding Tattoo earlier, but you give up one constellation (which would require another secret to unbar) and you limit your Pact Augmentations to only be able to gain them while bound to a spirit that you have the tattoo for. Also, Scribe Binding Tattoo has lost a lot of its power (see my post above) and only results in you not having to draw the seal, which only takes 1 minute anyway.
An Occultist could just wait 'til 5th level and take Scribe Binding Tattoo with no drawbacks whatsoever. The previous version of this archetype had great pact augmentations which made the penalties make sense.
If this class had unique pact augmentations (or at the option to change pact augmentations when binding a spirit you have the tattoo for) I think it'd be better to take it, but there's really no benefit to take the archetype.
The spirits are listed alphabetically by their spirit levels.
Levels! How did I miss that?
Does Intensify Major Ability (Occult Options #1) need to have its conditions reworked due to the changes in spirits' Major Abilities (no abilities can have a duration longer than instantaneous, only abilities that are activated as a standard or full-round action)? Also, for "duration" does this refer to the duration of the ability or its effects? Some Major Abilities have a "duration" but it's more the effects on the enemies, not the ability itself.Ask me again when all of the Grimoire stuff has settled down. It is not good for my mental health if I'm popping around between two separate products.Is Bountiful Abilities (Occult Option #1) still balanced for the redefined spirits? Would it be possible to add this as well as Intensify Major Ability to the Grimoire? In addition, could Bountiful Abilities be reworded to also increase "time units" by 3 (abilities that are in rounds per day or minutes per day)? Also, with the number of abilities that have "once / 24 hours" could there be and additional Bountiful Ability that affects these as well? For example, something similar to Accursed Hex for the Witch so that you can use it again on the same target once more if it succeeds on its save?
I wanted to bring up these few secrets from Occult Options #1 since they seem like they would fit well in the new Grimoire. Intensify Major Ability is a great balance of power vs. cast time and fits with the other Alteration Secrets and allows for some nice combos with various spirits.
Having Bountiful Abilities in the Grimoire could help address Fallenreality's point about non-Cha binders as they would have a minimum 6 uses per day.
While I agree that the secrets have gotten quite a bump in power, I will say that I didn't find many quite interesting. Not sure if that's the right way to say it. More for what I'm doing. If the campaign involves "rare" pact magic, as in you and maybe a few enemies have pact magic capabilities, then a good chunk of the secrets become very circumstantial to not useful at all. If you're also starting at a low level, say 5th then the choices are cut even more.
Under the above circumstances, the following are what I see as useable, and I've given my thoughts on them.
- Allure of the Night (I like this one. It's not situational, and if for some reason you're not in a spot to attack but can still see the enemy, it can be helpful.)
- Bouncing Major Ability (More situational, I'm having a tough time remembering spirits that target a single enemy. Perhaps the ones with ray attacks.)
- Disguise Granted Ability (I'll have to look into the difference between hiding signs and using the move action to "hide" them.)
- Ectoplasmic Resonance (Very useful when you need it, but potentially very situational as well.)
- Empower Major Ability (Solid.)
- Guardian Spirit (So-so. I feel like you'll still end up prone against whatever's infiltrated your camp, or your DM will wake you to tell you a rabbit has entered the area.)
- Hateful Major Ability (Nifty, if you can manage to find your favored enemies. Some are easy, some are hard.)
- Incite Animosity (Hard to find a use for this with a normal binder outside of using it with Hateful Major Ability)
- Inquiry (Interesting. At low levels it'd probably only be used to accelerate gaining spirits, but even still that's a strong boon considering the normal time it takes now.)
- Merciful Spirit (While I don't see myself ever using this, to those who want to deal non-lethal it could be quite useful. Just be careful using it with spirits not of your alignment.)
- Mutable Bonus (This one is interesting. I'm not sure how useful it actually is since it only switches it with other skills of the same attribute. I guess I could change lady Jarah's perform bonus to that of a diplomacy bonus and take ten on it.. that actually sounds fun.)
- Pact Effigy (Solid. It may be a feat tax, it's a tax I'd pay if that means being able to make things I want for my character.)
- Occult Weapon (Not sure about this one honestly. A large part of me feels like I wouldn't use it, simply because I'm giving up the use of 5 total abilities, for a +X weapon. Might be useful to some I suppose and the abilities you can put on it are changeable each time you use it, but I feel like I'd still just personally buy a +1 whatever weapon and keep the spirit that took a month and a half to get.)
- Rush Ritual (Does the binding of spirits count as a ritual? If so it could be a touch better. Don't see myself using this personally, but for those that use ritual secrets a lot it could be nice.)
- Scribe Binding Tattoo (As is I wouldn't use ever. It was decent before, now it's basically having you pay 500 gold so you don't have to draw a seal when you want to bind Arthu. 500 gold for 1 minute less and no seal doesn't seem like a good trade to me.)
- Sustenance (Can be good. Saves you money on magic items. There are a couple spirits that do it too, but if you don't want to use those spirits it can be nice.)
- Undying Aid (While the healing went down from what it was I think, it has become a really nice out of battle heal and extreme emergency heal in really really bad times.)
I will say I am pretty disappointed with how much Tyrant Cromwell was watered down. I understand pushing back getting vital strike, but his strength ability doesn't seem like a major ability any more. Especially when you look at Barbarians and Alchemists. Rage and Mutagen last for relatively long periods of time and give a bit of other bonuses along with +4 to STR, where Cromwell now might have +2 for maybe 1 round if you're under lv. 10 and get unlucky with the roll. I noticed the armor part changed, but I'm not as worried about that, since I know it stacked with other armors. But, where Cromwell was a good choice for those who wanted to take the niche of a two-handed melee attacker, I'm not sure he's in the running at all anymore. Any chance at getting back his old major ability?
Tyrant needed an adjustment (He was better than most 3rd and 4th level spirits), but it may have went a little too far in the other direction now.
I'll be playing my level 9 Occultist next Sunday with the new rules, so it will be interesting to see how the changes work out. I Use Tyrant a lot.
Phantom Armor's changes look okay to me.
On a related note (Related being Spirits I use a lot)
One area of concern I'm currently looking at is the new Amateur Occultist feat (which I like), combined with Marat (which is where the real issue lies).
Marat is, in my opinion, one of the best 1st level Spirits. His abilities are very front loaded, making him ideal for Amateur Occultist. For one feat, you are getting:
The Bodyguard Feat
Masterwork Full Plate, that you're automatically proficient with, that doesn't effect you're movement, and you get a reduced ACP. (It's also summoned as a Full round action)
A Tactical Teleport that lets you switch spots with an ally within 30 feet as a move action.
A Shield spell effect that's always active, granting an additional +4 AC and making you immune to magic missile.
That's.. a bit much... I know defensive ability's are generally "valued" less than offensive abilities, but granting an effective AC of 23-24, and a teleport effect, to a level 1 character for the cost of 1 feat is going to cause issues for some people.
A few suggestions.
I think the easiest "fix" here (Short of making Marat a level 2 spirit), is to adjust Marat's Shield. Granting the full +4 AC bonus right away is too much. Instead, maybe have it behave as a Shield Spell, but provide something like +1 Shield Bonus to Ac, with an additional +1 at 3rd, 6th and 9th.
Another option would be to make Marat's shield a spell like ability 3+Chr modifier per day with the standard spell duration.
I have to say though, that following this thread and other people contributing actually helps me see more potential in secrets and spirits sometimes, by giving me other ways to look at them.
Since it wasn't quite addressed before I think, is General Hessant not supposed to give Longsword proficiency?
Edit: For Tyrant's Vestigal Might, I wouldn't say that his old version was insanely powerful perse. After all, now at lv. 2 (same lv. as cromwell) I could instead pick up Lady Jarah and for a standard action at lv. 6 use rewrite self to gain +2 to STR and a +2 Nat Armor, essentially giving me what Cromwell has at that point, plus if the creature I chose gets Darkvision, Low Light Vision, Scent and such... so do I. So really it's more than Cromwell at that point. Granted that's a Standard action vs Cromwell's swift, but Rewrite also lasts minutes per binder lv. where Cromwell's at 4 rounds max. Not that I think rewrite self should be changed, but that Cromwell should be bumped up a bit. Just me though.
As for Marat, I would agree that changing the shield ability might make it more balanced. I like the idea of the "as shield spell 3+CHA times per day" that Daxion suggested. Although, since they're getting awesome armor anyways, I wouldn't be against a different ability replacing it. Whether it be temp hit points, or something else, maybe a debuff to the enemy attack or defense, if the enemy misses? Or maybe even the ability to quick draw weapons.
2nd-Level Spirits
Al'kra, The Operated
This spirit has gotten a lot of updates and is now usable.
Paranoid Chill: This ability can now also remove a target's immunity to fear which is nice, and the capstone makes your target suffer spell failure. It still only deals nonlethal damage, but the other problems it had have been fixed.
Inspire Terror: You can cause a creature to be frightened--works well with the major ability.
Murder Master: Just like the old ability, but it also adds extra damage (insight bonus) on all damage rolls, ability and otherwise. Very nice.
Spatial Bleeding: You get blur for minutes/day. Also very nice, as this is an all around buff.
Spatial Leap: You can teleport when you have concealment and when you teleport next to an opponent they're flat-footed. 3+Cha/day. This replaces the old Infectious Despair and I think is worthwhile.
Vestigial Bond: You can cast rage 3+Cha/day. Worth it.
Influence: You plan how to kill everyone you meet and act aggressively. Not a terrible influence, just don't let anyone read your thoughts.
Hollow Eyes, The Living Scarecrow
A new spirit and one with great lore.
Melody of Madness: You can cause confusion and the capstone lets you make it language-dependent for an increase the DC.
Gargoyle Form: You can turn into a gargoyle for minutes/day. You gain fly and Flyby as well as grab, so it's a good ability.
Oversized Grapple: You count as one size larger for grappling. Snatch your targets up and drop them from on high!
Steal Skin: Disguise self, unlimited duration. If you happen to "find" a corpse somewhere you can turn into that specific individual. Great for infiltrators.
Vile Regeneration: Fast healing 3+Cha/day. Damage mitigation/healing is always nice.
Vestigial Bond: You get multiple gourd leshies. I could see this being useful.
Influence: Definitely don't want this one, even though it's amusing. "You greet new people by sniffing and licking them while commenting on their unique flavor and the texture of their skin." Don't form a poor pact before meeting the king/queen.
Humble Ohbai, Servant of the Elements
Humble Ohbai returns with some updated abilities.
Genie Jaunt: The capstone remains the same, but the number of creatures teleported is now equal to your binder level and the distance teleported is easier to calculate. It also doesn't mention a bonus to the saving throw if you teleport someone into a dangerous square, so teleport them off cliffs as much as you want.
Elemental Ascension: Elemental resistance, immunity to falling, and not needing to breathe are all still nice. 1 round/level per day.
Elemental Tongue: The ability to speak with elementals has been clarified to be any creature of the elemental subtype.
Genie Steeds: This has been reduced from binder level times/day to 3+Cha/day. You can do this for your party once a day reliably now. Also note that the plane shift is once per day per horse, so you get stuck wherever you shift to unless you have more uses left. Great to drop off some unwanted hangers-on, though.
Sustenance: Always good not needing to eat or drink. Nothing too major, but it can come in handy.
Influence: Same as before.
Vestigial Bond: Same as before.
Imitreyes, The Dreamkeeper
A new spirit that's all about dreams.
Dream Fog: You create a fog cloud that causes those within to fall asleep. They get a save each round to wake up, but this is still a nice ability. The capstone makes the fog not impair you nor your vestigial companion's vision.
Aberrant Lash: You get a prehensile tongue that inflicts Dex damage. It's a standard action to use, but it's not limited in uses per day which makes it even better.
Aberrant Physiology: You get fortification of 5%/level. This means immunity to crits/sneak attacks at Level 20.
Compelling Voice: Suggestion once per day per target.
Mind Scan: Detect Thoughts with no limited uses which makes it really nice for certain builds.
Vestigial Bond: You get a tumor familiar (as the alchemist discovery). This ends up replacing your major ability with one that increases your save DC's for Imitreyes's abilities for one turn. It helps your suggestion stick and your detect thoughts not be resisted, but I don't know if it's worth it.
Influence: You try to squeeze people for all sorts of personal information.
Lady Jarah
Lady Jarah is back with changes.
Aura of Distracting Beauty: This ability now only lasts 1 round, with no way to increase it. I would think the capstone should increase the duration of the fascination effect.
Across All Cultures: You now get a number of languages equal to your binder level, not your Cha. Nice buff.
Beauty Without Peer: Another change that is both good and bad. You now cast sanctuary 3+Cha/day instead of the other ability. I think this change was needed as the other one caused some mechanical questions to come into play.
Rewrite Self: No more permanent alter self with extra bonuses. This is limited to 3+level times/day. It will last the duration of alter self, however, and as your binder level increases you get access to monstrous physique and giant form spells. I think this is an overall buff.
Story Weaving: Same as before, and still useful depending on your build.
Vestigial Bond: Same as before.
Influence: Same as before, with the addition of you being vain and constantly wanting compliments. Not crippling, but it also won't make you many friends.
Lord Foxglove IV, Exchequer of the Stolen Purse
More changes for old spirits that needed it.
Curse Rivals: This no longer curses like a witch's Evil Eye hex and instead causes the target to gain a spellblight. It is now ranged and the capstone makes it permanent. While the random nature hurts, there are some painful spellblights. I do like how it makes it different than Evil Eye.
Foxglove's Finesse: Same as before, but instead of getting the keen effect binder level times/day it's now 3+Cha/day.
Paralyze: This has gotten toned down and now functions as hold person (eventually hold monster) 3+Cha/day. I think this can be more useful even though it's more limited.
Mark of Seduction: Also now limited to 3+Cha/day. I guess this is useful if you have lots of charm/compulsion effects, but it being limited times per day makes it less attractive.
Pockets of Holding: This has been cleaned up to better indicate at which levels you get which bags of holding. Unfortunately I don't see this as being a huge deal at higher levels, but it does allow you to give someone else the vest and you can come up with some creative traps since all items are automatically ejected from the vest once your pact ends.
Vestigial Bond: Same as before.
Influence: Same as before.
Moy
A new spirit who is all about one's charisma and bending others to your will.
Crushing Presence: You deal 1d4 Charisma damage (3d4 at 15th level) with this major and its capstone lets you deal minimum damage on a successful save. Great for things with low charisma, but it's a mind-affecting enchantment affect, so that hurts it a little. Charisma also doesn't reduce Will saves--if this was Wis it would synergize better the minor abilities.
Commanding Doctrine: Suggestion (and eventually lesser geas and geas) that allows a saving throw to avoid the affect. The effect ends when your pact with Moy ends, so if you want long-lasting suggestions/geas then you'll need to bind her longer using Flexible Pactmaking. On the bright side it's once per target per day.
Enthralling Gaze: You can enthrall with your gaze and also issue a command(as the spell) with an increased DC. Nice ability.
Ritualistic Knowledge: Bonuses to Knowledge(History), Spellcraft, and Use Magic Device.
Stunning Perfection: You gain a deflection bonus to AC equal to your Cha. While this is terrible for non-Cha binders it is great for anyone that uses Cha.
Vestigial Bond: You gain a simulacrum that looks like a human and has classes in an NPC class (not adept), but it has an Int of 1 or 2 and can select feats as an animal companion. The lore surrounding this is nice, though, and I can see where it could be useful.
Mute Sylvus, Sole Survivor
Mute Sylvus has several modified abilities from his old version and is overall a much stronger spirit.
Strike True: No more true strike, but you do get +1 to hit and damage on all attack rolls and damage rolls for 3 rounds. The capstone empowerment increases your critical multiplier by 1 on a crit. I think this is a better ability in the long run and has more use.
Fast Reflexes: You now get faster movement that's not capped AND a bonus to Reflex saves. Much better than the old ability.
Improvise Weapons: Also a buffed ability, it now grants you Catch-Off Guard and Throw Anything, with eventually Improved Weapon Mastery.
Keen Senses: Bonus on Perception, Survival, and low-light vision. Getting Perception is a nice bonus here.
Peerless Archer: Same as the old ability.
Vestigial Bond: Similar to the old ability, but it has been reworded for clarification. In addition, it specifically states that the creature acts as your vestigial companion. It also replaces Fast Reflexes instead of Peerless Archer so you can use this to turn you and a friend into ranged attackers.
Influence: As the old ability with the added effect that you protect children above yourself. Makes more of an impact and works with the lore.
Prince Oszen, Heir to the Empty Well
Another new spirit whose background involves being cast into a well.
Ray of Regret: You fire a ray that causes a target to lose its actions during its next turn and the capstone affects it even of a successful save, instead having it not be able to take actions that would end invisibility--this translates to not being able to directly attack you, but indirectly attacking you is fine. This ability can have lots of tactical uses.
Architectural Knowledge: Bonuses to Knowledge(Engineering) and Perception and you can make free action Perception checks to notice traps/hazards.
Blood of the Moon Werebadger form for binder level minutes/day.
Falsified Life: Once per target per day you can grant the target 1d10 + binder level temporary hit points with no duration. This is a nice ability.
Summon Inheritance: You summon your spirit's inheritence--which is a well. A well that the spirit kept getting tossed in, actually, which is quite amusing. 3+Cha/day you can create a pit as create pit. It upgrades to spiked pit and then hungry pit.
Vestigial Bond: You gain a Youth companion of your race that claims to be your child. Her level is your binder level - 2 and she has all levels in one NPC class of your choice. Really nice ability since you can choose adept.
Influence: You are depressed and can't strike enemies in combat first.
Saelendrios
Ah, the new spirit that's the namesake for anti-pact magic. He is actually quite strong and has some very good abilities.
Spell Reflection: You can reflect spells that require an attack roll, similar to Deflect Arrows (your attack roll vs. their attack roll). The capstone treats your binder level as your BAB which makes it easier to use and hopefully roll high enough to rebound the ability. Quite nice.
Domains of Saelendrios: You gain God Binder with one of a given list of domains. This can give you some nice options.
Eye of Destruction: You gain a ranged touch attack that has a range of 100 feet, deals 1d10 damage, is untyped, and ignores damage reduction. This is a very nice ability, and even better since you can make multiple attacks with a full-round action as if it were a longbow.
Reveal Faith: You can detect an opponent's religion as reveal heretic (a new spell). Great for revealing that kind old beggar that wants to give you something nice.
Weapon of Penance: You gain proficiency with the Sawtooth Saber and Weapon Focus (and eventually Greater Weapon Focus).
Vestigial Bond: You gain a tumor familiar (as the alchemist discovery). Unfortunately, to gain this companion you give up Eye of Destruction, which isn't worth it.
Influence: You hate religion and will only accept aid from a cleric who worships a neutral deity.
Shelassik, The Sea Devil's Grin
Another new spirit, this one is of the sea, and only really shines while in the sea.
Blood Frenzy: You gain a frenzy ability for 1d4+1 rounds. It becomes expended for it's duration and for 5 rounds after it ends. The capstone increases the bonuses from the frenzy.
Adjust Locomotion: This ability lets you adapt your form with 1 minute, basically exchanging land speed for swim speed. If you have the amphibious subtype this ability gives you a +5 ft. bonus to both speeds and that's it.
Aquatic Weapon Proficiency: You can use longspears, shortspears, nets, and tridents, and suffer no penalty underwater when using them. Good for underwater combat.
Shark Speaker: You get a bonus to Ride and Handle Animal, but you can't actually speak with sharks.
Sea Devil's Grin: You get a 30-foot cone gaze attack that causes creatures to become frightened, and is limited to once per creature per day.
Vestigial Bond: You gain a shark. If you're on land, you've just killed your vestigial companion. Great if you want seafood, though.
Influence: You don't like arcane magic nor its casters and you won't enter a body of fresh water.
Taios, The Wyrm Kin
This new spirit gets additional abilities for those with mythic power. Also he's in eternal agony and binding him only causes him more pain.
Taios Surge: This major ability is similar to a mythic surge. It's a good ability. The capstone allows you to regain mythic power by expending this power for 5 hours. This is a nice capstone for anyone who plays mythic tier.
Adaptation of Taois: You don't need to eat or drink, you are constantly affected by endure elements, you're immune to the dazzled and blind conditions, and you gain fire resistance 5. This has a great suite of bonuses.
Arm of Taios: You gain proficiency with the falchion and shortbow, gain Precise Shot with the shortbow, and can use Dex instead of Str for attack and damage with the falchion. Very nice for Dex-based Occultists.
Frehmin Wisdom: Bonuses to Perception and Survival. Fits well with the lore.
Terrain Mastery: You get favored terrain with one terrain and it eventually becomes terrain mastery. If you campaign in one type of terrain this ability becomes even more useful.
Vestigial Bond: You lose your major ability to gain your companion, but as a standard action you gain a profane bonus to AC equal to your binder level and any weapons you wield gain anarchic and unholy weapon abilities.
Influence: You can't speak and you have to avoid action that could inflict immediate pain on you. This influence hurts.
Favored Enemy: I wanted to note this. His Favored Enemies are ALL. As in, everything. If you need a spirit to work with abilities that work on Favored Enemies, you could choose a worse one than Taios.
Tyrant Cromwell, The Black Knight
Tyrant Cromwell is back, and he's. . . not as good as before.
Vestigial Might: This major now lasts for 1 round without the capstone (1d4 rounds with the capstone) and it's only a +2 profane bonus to Strength (+4 at 10 and +6 at 15). Yes, it stacks, but it's not worth being a major ability.
Indiscernible Alignment: Great for those who like to play evil characters in good campaigns.
Phantom Armor: You gain less of a total bonus overall (caps at +5 deflection bonus at 20) and it's deflection instead of insight, so it won't stack with certain magic items. This is a bit disappointing.
Savage Attacks: You get Power Attack still, but Vital Strike is delayed until 10th level. I can understand the delay of Vital Strike, but this makes Tyrant even less desirable.
Weapon Familiarity: Same as before.
Vestigial Bond: Same as before, but giving up savage attacks is even more painful with this incarnation of Tyrant Cromwell.
Influence: Still harsh--make sure no one asks you for mercy.
Ubro
Kind and caring Ubro returns with some changes.
Healing Surge: You still gain channel energy as a cleric, but an individual can benefit less than before. The old version was 3+Cha/day, this version is 1/2 max spirit level / day.
Check Up: This ability is now at least useful if it counts as casting status. Otherwise it's still disappointing.
Heal Aches: Same as before, but it's now a standard action to use instead of a move action, and you cannot target yourself. Your vestigial companion can target you, however.
Healer's Hands: Same as before.
Sand Skin: Pretty much the same as before, but it no longer becomes DR/evil and piercing. The progression for this is same as the old ability as well. It'd be better if at 10th level it became DR/magic instead of DR/magic and piercing. At 10th level most things overcome DR/magic anyway, so maybe it's not a huge deal. It's also the ability you give up for your vestigial bond, so it being less interesting isn't a huge deal.
Vestigial Bond: You gain paladin mercies to use with your Healing Surge ability, but unlike the old version, you can no longer heal ability damage. I can understand this tradeoff since Ubro was so good before and paladin mercies are still nice to have.
Influence: Same as before.
P115: Hollow Eyes, Legend: "...Before the Audience's..."
P116: Humble Ohbai, Elemental Ascension: "...you do not need to breathe and all falling damage that you are immune to falling damage."
P120: Lord Foxglove, Legend: "...whose mother was and gave birth to a silver half-dragon..." I don't see that the old legend mentions his mother was also a silver half-dragon, only that she was nobility.
P122: Moy, Manifestation: "...you hear the most beautiful voice whispering you..."
P123: Mute Sylvus, Legend: "As they grew, Sylvus's older sons plead for him..."
P124: Prince Oszen, Blood of the Moon: "...darkvision out 60 feet..."
P125: Saelendrios, Legend: "...who banned together three other religions together with his own..."; "...in order to stamp out the heretic practices of pact magic..."
P125: Saelendrios, Domains of Saelendrios: Refers to "Godbinder" but the feat is named "God Binder."
P126: Shelassik, Manifestation: "Your your skin rips apart..."
P128: Tyrant Cromwell, Personality Influence: "...making others believe you are made."
P129: Ubro, Personality Influence: "You dot on others."
Q: Hollow Eyes, Vestigial Bond: Are these gourd leshies treated as familiars or companions? Or normal gourd leshies?
Q: Humble Ohbai, Elemental Ascension: In the old version you gain resistance equal to your binder level for acid, cold, electricity, fire, AND sonic. The new version states OR sonic, which makes it sound like it's only one at a time.
Q: Humble Ohbai, Vestigial Bond: You can only select air, earth, fire or water as an elemental but the legend states that there were seven elemental lords. Should there be options for the other three lords?
Q: Lady Jarah, Story Weaving: Does Mutable Bonus still allow you to take 10 on the skill you select?
Q: Imitreyes, Aberrant Physiology: Does this stack with other fortification effects? For example, if you're Level 5 and have light fortification armor and this ability, do you roll 25% twice to see if you negate the crit/sneak attack?
Q: Prince Oszen, Ray of Regret: Is this treated as an emotion effect?
Q: Saelendrios, Eye of Destruction: Since this is treated as a longbow during a full-attack action, would feats/abilities that modify longbows modify this as well? For example, Mute Sylvus's Peerless Archer minor ability for Precise Shot?
Q: Saelendrios, Personality Influence: What happens if a cleric doesn't tell you his god? Does this allow you to get around the restriction? What about a cleric who doesn't worship a god but a generic concept instead? Does "clergyman" refer to any caster of divine spells, including Oracles?
Q: Shelassik, Blood Frenzy: The 1d4+1 rounds seems low considering how long the ability is expended for--maybe the capstone could be modified to increase this (or maybe maximize the rounds to 5)?
Q: Shelassik, Adjust Locomotion: This ability feels a bit light in the benefit it gives--could it increase the speed with binder levels as well or change your subtype to aquatic when you're in water after 1 minute as well?
Q: Taios, Capstone Empowerment: This ability mentions that it becomes expended for "5 hours and for 5 rounds afterwards." Is this supposed to only be 5 hours?
Q: Taios, Vestigial Bond: This doesn't mention a duration. Should it abide by the rules of a major ability or is it just a standard action to turn it on/off?
Q: Taios, Physical Sign: When you activate a granted ability you are afflicted by "spasms of overwhelming pain." Is there a mechanical penalty to this? Would this work for abilities that require a creature to be in pain?
Q: Tyrant Cromwell, Vestigial Might: I have to agree with Third Mind here. Even in the old version I never bound Tyrant Cromwell for his major. This is worse than any other 2nd-level spirit I've seen. Mute Sylvus is better at combat due to the +1 to hit / damage with all attacks (and is equivalent to +2 strength without counting two-handed damage). I would rather just have a copy of Mute Sylvus's major for Tyrant Cromwell.
Q: Ubro, Healing Surge: The times per day a creature can benefit from this hurts a lot compared to the old version. I know the old version was powerful, but now it seems too little. Perhaps if it was just Cha mod times a day or just 3 times a day? The vestigial bond changes also make healing surge less powerful than before, so having a higher number of uses per day seems good to me.
Q: Ubro, Check Up: Does this ability have a duration equal to the status spell?
Marat is, in my opinion, one of the best 1st level Spirits. His abilities are very front loaded, making him ideal for Amateur Occultist. For one feat, you are getting:
** spoiler omitted **
That's.. a bit much... I know defensive ability's are generally "valued" less than offensive abilities, but granting an effective AC of 23-24, and a teleport effect, to a level 1 character for the cost of 1 feat is going to cause issues for some people.
I play an Occultist who binds Marat and I have to say that it's not been overpowered. Even at Level 2 I was getting hit by enemies and dealt damage--it prevents hits from weaker enemies but doesn't do too much against higher-level enemies. And any attacks against touch AC are going to be easy with you in Marat's Body.
I do love Defend the Ward, but you have to keep in mind that you switch places with an ally. I have to have an ally in a place I want to move to use it for non-combat situations. It is great in combat, though, and can help protect your weaker allies, but at the same moment unless the stars align the enemy can just take an attack of opportunity from you and go after your friend. And that's not including enemies with special movement types.
A Level 1 character with the right trait can also start with half-plate and a tower shield for only 1 less AC than Marat, and still have their level 1 feat to play with. They wouldn't negate magic missiles fired at them, but I haven't really been targeted with those anyway. And after a mage sees you absorb one missile you won't get targeted again, the weaker members of the party will.
Not sure that's a fair comparison Orich. After all, a character with Half Plate and a Tower Shield can't wield a two handed weapon, is suffering a -2 to attacks, and moving at 20ft speed.
I use Marat too, but lets be honest, his abilities really are THAT good. Can you see any reason that a Lore Warden Fighter (or any other fighter that gives up heavy armor and armor training) wouldn't take AO: Marat?
I think it's important that we look at these sorts of things objectively. I really like Pact Magic, lets make sure it's great.
Not sure that's a fair comparison Orich. After all, a character with Half Plate and a Tower Shield can't wield a two handed weapon, is suffering a -2 to attacks, and moving at 20ft speed.
I use Marat too, but lets be honest, his abilities really are THAT good. Can you see any reason that a Lore Warden Fighter (or any other fighter that gives up heavy armor and armor training) wouldn't take AO: Marat?
I think it's important that we look at these sorts of things objectively. I really like Pact Magic, lets make sure it's great.
I can see your point here, but by that logic Marat should be a Level 2 Spirit to avoid anything like this happening with 1 feat. I haven't found him overpowered in normal Occultist play, so I'm wary of modifying him too much for fear of others min/maxing.
Actually, since Tyrant Cromwell is also a Hero spirit, why not switch their Levels? Tyrant Cromwell's changes have made him less than the other 2nd-level spirits in my opinion, and this way you can avoid free heavy armor and shield for 1 feat.
"Stunning Perfection: You gain a deflection bonus to AC equal to your Cha. While this is terrible for non-Cha binders it is great for anyone that uses Cha."
While true, I thought I had read in it that you have to be unarmored to use it, thus it is definitely more risky. (which is understandable). Moy is interesting. She seems somewhat strong, but oddly not enough to make me consider her yet.
I agree that Cromwell's abilities are closer to lv. 1 spirit at this point, but I'd prefer his abilities be upped enough to make it worth a lv. 2 again. Not sure I'd even use him as a lv. 1 at this point. He's decent, don't get me wrong, but not enough to compare to other spirits for me.
"Stunning Perfection: You gain a deflection bonus to AC equal to your Cha. While this is terrible for non-Cha binders it is great for anyone that uses Cha."While true, I thought I had read in it that you have to be unarmored to use it, thus it is definitely more risky. (which is understandable). Moy is interesting. She seems somewhat strong, but oddly not enough to make me consider her yet.
I agree that Cromwell's abilities are closer to lv. 1 spirit at this point, but I'd prefer his abilities be upped enough to make it worth a lv. 2 again. Not sure I'd even use him as a lv. 1 at this point. He's decent, don't get me wrong, but not enough to compare to other spirits for me.
You're right--I missed mentioning the "unarmored" part in my description.
I also think Tyrant Cromwell still needs to be updated, but to alleviate issues with Amateur Occultist and Marat he could be updated to be a Level 1 Spirit (still an upgrade from where he is currently) with Marat rightfully gaining Cromwell's previous place.
You know what? As they are currently writen, I would agree that switching the two (Tyrant and Marat) might make sense.
Are the spirits in any sort of order? They seem to be randomly thrown in - or more likely - in alphabetical order by short book as it was added to the grimoire. It does jump all over the place, though.
Also, are you interested in proof-reading errors within the document? Spelling errors, missing or duplicate words, things of this nature?
What eric said.
We're using some of the money from the Kickstarter to hire an editor, but if you see something extremely obvious, you can note it if you want. In terms of what I'm going to be putting my energy fixing, I'm personally focusing more on mechanics and gameplay errors since I don't know how much gameplay experience our editor is going to have. :-P
Question. With the Godbinder feat, do you still use the Wisdom for the amount of ability uses? Or do you use Charisma instead?
(Sorry if this was already answered)
Question: Any chance of getting the Practiced Binder and Spirit Focus feats opened up to work with Amateur Occultist like Godbinder does? Seems like it would make for some interesting options.
P12-P14: The Binder Secret section is out of order--it goes from Intuit Spirit to Revelation of Brilliance and then Stalwart to Merciful Spirit.
Fixed.
P11: Disguise Granted Abilities-"...hiding the touch of occult from..."
Fixed.
P13: Remove Pact Malady-Refers to "remove pact malady," but in the spell section the name is "remove malady." In addition, the extra uses (once every 5 levels after 11th) means you only get an extra use at 16. Is this intended to be two uses only or scale further past that? It also requires Occultist 11, whereas the spell is a 3rd/4th level spell so this secret seems a bit weak for what it offers.
Fixed.
P15: Undying Aid: Flavor text is not italicized.
Fixed.
P15: Undying Salvation: Prereq is "maximum spirit level 6th" instead of "ability to bind level 6 spirits."
Fixed.
Q: With Secrets that require "Ability to bind Xth-Level spirits", does Favored Spirit allow these to be taken earlier if the Favored Spirit is of the required level? I hope so, as I see it as how SLAs can qualify you for for requirements that have level-based casting.
What's favored spirit?
Q: With Alteration Secrets, would it be possible to get a feat or binder secret that increases the times per day you can use these secrets?
I'll make a note of that. Maybe down the road; depends on how much space Dario and I have left after the art.
Q: Exorcise Spirit doesn't actually exorcise non-pact spirits. Is this intended?
Its supposed to be pact spirits only. I've updated the binder secret's name to be "exorcise pact spirits" to avoid confusion.
Q: With Occult Communion, since it's an 11th level secret and functions as contact other plane, should it allow another permanent bonus to the Knowledge Tasks for a spirit?
No? I don't understand the question.
Q: With Occult Weapon, the maximum bonus granted seems a bit low for giving up all the abilities of a spirit, especially considering some spirits grant weapons (General Hessant's Empower Longsword). I think if it had a progression similar to Dreamscarred's Soulknife (maybe not as fast progression, but more than +5 max) it would become something even Occultists would want to use. If you lose the weapon you've lost your spirit that you've bound for 24 hours and I don't think the bonuses outweigh the cost.
Its not designed to be something that a low-level occultist necessarily wants. Its designed more for players who want the flavor of the old warshade archetype from Volume 1, and between it and all of the other options that build on it, its pretty darn good if swinging around weapons is your thing.
Q: Occultinogen: "If you are already bound to a spirit...and could not normally seal pacts with another spirit, the highest-level spirit that you are bound to becomes suppressed..." I understand the intent that this doesn't give you an "extra" spirit, but the wording makes it sound like it does. I think wording that mentions "maximum number of bound spirits" instead would help clarify the ability.
Does this read any better to you?
"A spirit bound to an occultist via an occultinogen counts against the total number of spirits that she can seal pacts with; if the spirit granted by the occultinogen would cause the occultist to exceed her maximum number of spirits, then the granted abilities of the highest-level spirit that she is bound to become suppressed until the effects of the occultinogen end."
[quote[Q: Occultinogen: How long does it take to create an occultinogen? Does it take an hour like a mutagen, or does it take 10 minutes like other Ritual Secrets? Would Rush Ritual only reduce this by 9 minutes or 59 minutes?
1 hour, like a mutagen. This is now noted in the secret's description.
Q: Rush Ritual: I don't see any binding checks listed in any of the Ritual Secrets, so I'm guessing this penalty only applies if you rush the Inquiry ritual with a spirit and then bind it? As written I don't see this having any penalties for the ritual secrets. This ability also doesn't mention a duration for the penalty.
This is the base rules for rituals, as stated in the binder secret section:
Rituals: A ritual secret allows a binder to perform a special ceremony to produce a desired effect. All rituals involve one or more occult spirits and in order to perform a ritual, the binder must complete the Knowledge Tasks of any spirit to be involved and be able to seal pacts with that spirit. Otherwise, performing a ritual secret is identical to performing a pact ritual, as outlined in Chapter 3, except ritual secrets take 10 minutes to perform and cannot be rushed without the rush ritual binder secret.
Almost every ritual notes that you need to perform it with a certain spirit, and every ritual requires you to perform a pact ritual as outlined in Chapter 3. This includes Step 4, which requires you to make a binding check. So essentially, all pact rituals require a binding check. Does the addition of this line at the end help out in this regard?
"If you fail your binding check when performing a ritual secret, the ritual fails and you cannot attempt that ritual agian for 24 hours."
Q: Scribe Binding Tattoo: The Special section doesn't mention a duration for the penalty.
See above; its just on that one binding check.
Q: Tendrils of Darkness: Is the CMB check a standard action or move action?
Standard action. Fixed.
Q: Undying Aid: What is the action required to activate this ability? Is it its own action or is it the action required to active the major ability?
Standard action. Fixed.
I mentioned this earlier as you give up your first-level binder secret to be able to get Scribe Binding Tattoo earlier, but you give up one constellation (which would require another secret to unbar) and you limit your Pact Augmentations to only be able to gain them while bound to a spirit that you have the tattoo for. Also, Scribe Binding Tattoo has lost a lot of its power (see my post above) and only results in you not having to draw the seal, which only takes 1 minute anyway.
An Occultist could just wait 'til 5th level and take Scribe Binding Tattoo with no drawbacks whatsoever. The previous version of this archetype had great pact augmentations which made the penalties make sense.
If this class had unique pact augmentations (or at the option to change pact augmentations when binding a spirit you have the tattoo for) I think it'd be better to take it, but there's really no benefit to take the archetype.
Those aren't questions, they're statements. :-P
To answer your question, you're right. The restriction is unnecessary. In the next build, tunneled lore and the restrictions on pact augmentation are gone, and this new ability will replace them:
"Sealed Augmentation (Su): Beginning at 5th level, when a seal-etched occultist makes a good pact with a spirit that she possesses a binding tattoo of, she can select one of her pact augmentations and increase the bonus that it provides by +1. At 11th level, she can either increase the bonus one pact augmentation provided by +2 or increase the bonus that two pact augmentations provide by +1. At 17th level, she can either increase the bonus one pact augmentation provides by +3, increase the bonus that three pact augmentations provides by +1, or increase the bonus that one pact augmentation provides by +2 and another by +1. This ability replaces the occultist’s 5th-level binder secret."
Does Intensify Major Ability (Occult Options #1) need to have its conditions reworked due to the changes in spirits' Major Abilities (no abilities can have a duration longer than instantaneous, only abilities that are activated as a standard or full-round action)? Also, for "duration" does this refer to the duration of the ability or its effects? Some Major Abilities have a "duration" but it's more the effects on the enemies, not the ability itself.Ask me again when all of the Grimoire stuff has settled down. It is not good for my mental health if I'm popping around between two separate products.Is Bountiful Abilities (Occult Option #1) still balanced for the redefined spirits? Would it be possible to add this as well as Intensify Major Ability to the Grimoire? In addition, could Bountiful Abilities be reworded to also increase "time units" by 3 (abilities that are in rounds per day or minutes per day)? Also, with the number of abilities that have "once / 24 hours" could there be and additional Bountiful Ability that affects these as well? For example, something similar to Accursed Hex for the Witch so that you can use it again on the same target once more if it succeeds on its save?
I wanted to bring up these few secrets from Occult Options #1 since they seem like they would fit well in the new Grimoire. Intensify Major Ability is a great balance of power vs. cast time and fits with the other Alteration Secrets and allows for some nice combos with various spirits.
Having Bountiful Abilities in the Grimoire could help address Fallenreality's point about non-Cha binders as they would have a minimum 6 uses per day.
Occult Options 1 was created as a sort of "testing the waters" for the new ritual and alteration mechanics that I developed for the Grimoire of Lost Souls. All of them are pretty well-balanced, with the exception of the occult resolve ability and its secret chain. I'll probably have to eventually go back and fix those.
Ultimately, I kept most of those secrets out of Grimoire because I didn't want to devalue Occult Options 1 for the people who purchased it. A few of the secrets made the transition over (particularly if I needed them for other options/abilities), but I tried to keep the two pools separate.
Q: With Secrets that require "Ability to bind Xth-Level spirits", does Favored Spirit allow these to be taken earlier if the Favored Spirit is of the required level? I hope so, as I see it as how SLAs can qualify you for for requirements that have level-based casting.What's favored spirit?
Sorry, I mistyped--I mean the Faith Trait "Favored," which allows you to bind a specific spirit of one level higher than your current maximum level of spirits.
Q: With Occult Communion, since it's an 11th level secret and functions as contact other plane, should it allow another permanent bonus to the Knowledge Tasks for a spirit?No? I don't understand the question.
It seemed to me that since Occult Communion is a more powerful divination that it would allow you to have a higher bonus to complete the Knowledge Tasks for the spirit. Probably not necessary at 11th, but just seemed like another minor bonus. Also, does the Int/Cha decrease still apply to occultists and does it make them unable to bind spirits (contact other planes can negate your ability to cast arcane spells)?
Its not designed to be something that a low-level occultist necessarily wants. Its designed more for players who want the flavor of the old warshade archetype from Volume 1, and between it and all of the other options that build on it, its pretty darn good if swinging around weapons is your thing.
I agree that if you take all the Occult Weapon secrets that you can get some really nice abilities. I'm looking at rebuilding my Occultist to be able to take Tendrils of Darkness to be better at locking down enemies.
Does this read any better to you?
"A spirit bound to an occultist via an occultinogen counts against the total number of spirits that she can seal pacts with; if the spirit granted by the occultinogen would cause the occultist to exceed her maximum number of spirits, then the granted abilities of the highest-level spirit that she is bound to become suppressed until the effects of the occultinogen end."
Sounds great--I think that clears up any potential for confusion.
And I don't know how I missed the part for Ritual Secrets--sorry about that.
"Sealed Augmentation (Su): Beginning at 5th level, when a seal-etched occultist makes a good pact with a spirit that she possesses a binding tattoo of, she can select one of her pact augmentations and increase the bonus that it provides by +1. At 11th level, she can either increase the bonus one pact augmentation provided by +2 or increase the bonus that two pact augmentations provide by +1. At 17th level, she can either increase the bonus one pact augmentation provides by +3, increase the bonus that three pact augmentations provides by +1, or increase the bonus that one pact augmentation provides by +2 and another by +1. This ability replaces the occultist’s 5th-level binder secret."
I guess I should have made sure my questions were in the form of questions. :)
Yes, this sounds great! It makes the limitation of only binding spirits you have the seals for worth it.
Ultimately, I kept most of those secrets out of Grimoire because I didn't want to devalue Occult Options 1 for the people who purchased it. A few of the secrets made the transition over (particularly if I needed them for other options/abilities), but I tried to keep the two pools separate.
As a proud new owner of Occult Options #1 I understand your viewpoint. Sometimes my excitement for this product gets the best of me.
On Marat, after reading the conversation here I have to agree: he's way too specialized in his niche.
I've made some changes to the spirit that will hopefully accomplish two things: 1) rebalance Marat's power level to be more in-line with a 1st-level spirit without making him an unattractive choice at higher levels and 2) tweaked his ability roster a little bit to make him better aligned with Dario's original version of the spirit.
This is what his minors will look like now:
Alarm: While you are bound to Marat, you gain the ability to cast alarm as a spell-like ability at will. You cannot have more than one alarm spell active at one time. If this ability is used again, any existing alarm immediately ends.Bodyguard: While you are bound to Marat, you gain the benefits of Bodyguardapg.
Marat’s Body: While you are bound to Marat, you can summon Marat’s spiritual armor to enhance your defenses, granting you the ability to cast mage armor as a spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. At 7th level and every three levels thereafter, the armor bonus granted by your mage armor spell-like ability increases by +1, to a maximum of +9.
Marat’s Shield: While you are bound to Marat, you gain the ability to cast shield of fortificationacg as a spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. At 7th level, this ability grants you the ability to cast greater shield of fortificationacg instead. At 10th level, the duration of your greater shield of fortification spell-like ability increases to 1 hour/level.
— Alarm is something he had in Secrets of Pact Magic that I never brought over.
— The new Marat's shield lets him keep the critical hit protection, but makes it more appropriate for 1st-level characters. By 10th level, 1 hour/level greater shield of fortification is basically the same as having greater fortification on your armor.
— The new Marat's armor is better balanced for low-levels (and solves some of those pesky "can I use this while shapeshifted" questions), but it improves to a point where it is still worthwhile.
Question. With the Godbinder feat, do you still use the Wisdom for the amount of ability uses? Or do you use Charisma instead?
(Sorry if this was already answered)
Yes.
Question: Any chance of getting the Practiced Binder and Spirit Focus feats opened up to work with Amateur Occultist like Godbinder does? Seems like it would make for some interesting options.
No. Its already a very good feat as-is, perhaps too good.
Sorry, I mistyped--I mean the Faith Trait "Favored," which allows you to bind a specific spirit of one level higher than your current maximum level of spirits.Q: With Secrets that require "Ability to bind Xth-Level spirits", does Favored Spirit allow these to be taken earlier if the Favored Spirit is of the required level? I hope so, as I see it as how SLAs can qualify you for for requirements that have level-based casting.What's favored spirit?
I would say no. We'll revisit that when Chapter 9 is available.
It seemed to me that since Occult Communion is a more powerful divination that it would allow you to have a higher bonus to complete the Knowledge Tasks for the spirit. Probably not necessary at 11th, but just seemed like another minor bonus. Also, does the Int/Cha decrease still apply to occultists and does it make them unable to bind spirits (contact other planes can negate your ability to cast arcane spells)?Q: With Occult Communion, since it's an 11th level secret and functions as contact other plane, should it allow another permanent bonus to the Knowledge Tasks for a spirit?No? I don't understand the question.
No. It does what it says it does.
Heads Up: Tomorrow's Easter, so don't expect to see me as active tomorrow as I have been for the past two days. Also, Spring Break at my school ends, so it'll be time to go back to work helping to educate future generations. Hence, questions might take longer for me to answer.
Should Ethanial Midnight's Instant Manacles ability have a Saving Throw? None is listed.
For the record, I like where Amateur Occultist is at... yeah its powerful, but unless CHR is already your primary stat most of the abilities you gain will be seriously limited and any save DC's are going to be low. Marat was the only spirit I found that really stood out as a potential problem when combined with the feat.
I'm still trying to learn the system, so forgive my lack of gameplay critiques.
Page 83, first paragraph of the white section reads, "This bonus stacks between multiple weeks so long as the binder continues to research the same aspect of the same spirit; if he the spirit or the aspect he is researching, he loses this bonus."
Bolded the issue. I suspect this is supposed to read, "if he changes..."
Level 3 Spirits
I'm really enjoying the new spirits and their legends--they're just as good as the older spirits' legends.
So far we're having some great discussions about the playtest document, and I'm looking forward to future discussions. We all seem to have a passion for pact magic.
Alex, I'm writing down proof-reading errors as I find them, but can stop if it's not needed.
Cornelius Button
Cornelius has some updated abilities and is less random than before.
Pollen Spray: This ability has changed a bit--Light Cornelius's Pollen Spray no longer is limited to 3 x binder level in healing, but also can't heal poison or disease. Without the capstone people can only be healed once a day + 1/5 levels (max of 5 at 20). With the capstone people can be healed your binder level times per day. This seems a bit more in line with a 3rd-level spirit and the healing amount has increased to compensate for losing curing poison/disease. Dark Cornelius's pollen spray is the same, except there is no listed duration on the capstone's sickened condition.
Aura of Calm: This now acts as calm emotions and is 3+Cha/day. A buff for this ability.
Duality of Cornelius: Another buffed ability, in all ways. You get +4 vs. mind-affecting spells and you're immune to emotion effects. In addition, you can switch which aspect you're bound to once a day by meditating for 1 hour.
Insect Tattoo: Same as before, but now 3+Cha/day instead of binder level/day.
Seedling Bomb: This is the most changed ability of Cornelius. There's now only one type of bomb that is independent of the aspect you're bound to. You always deal damage and can entangle, and there's a chance of creating a stinking cloud. As Dexion1619 pointed out the random chance of stinking cloud in the middle of battle can be problematic. You also have no other choices in what type of bomb you can create, which is slightly disappointing.
Vestigial Bond: Same as before.
Influence: Same as before.
The Crystal Lady, Truth of the Earth
A new spirit that is, strangely enough, a lady made of crystal. But replace "lady" with "earth elemental."
Second Sight: As a swift action you can increase an ability check, attack roll, skill chick, or saving throw with an insight bonus of half your binder level. With the capstone you can affect an ally as an immediate action (which also means you). This is a nice ability, and if you bind the Crystal Lady first you can use her ability to bind other spirits. Or complete Knowledge Tasks.
Curse of Crystal: You gain the clouded vision oracle's curse and are always treated as if you were constantly in a zone of truth. Learn to lie by omission.
Destiny Dissonance: You can sicken a target by touch for 1d4 rounds as a standard action. Multiple uses don't stack the condition, but I'm guessing it resets the duration. Kind of a "meh" ability. It's not limited in uses per day, so that's good, and I can see it being situationally useful.
Hypnotic Pattern: You create patterns that function as hypnotic pattern and affects a number of HD equal to your binder level. Once per creature per day, so it's useful.
Produce Light: You get the light cantrip you can turn a light you've created into daylight for binder level minutes/day. Depending upon the campaign this is marginally useful to great.
Vestigial Bond: You can transfer a minor ability of a spirit you know to an ally. The transfer lasts for the duration of your pact with the Crystal Lady and you can't use the transferred ability. Also during this time the spirit whose ability you transferred cannot be expelled. So it could be used as protection against dismissal as well.
Influence: You don't understand emotions and speak in a monotone. Nothing too terrible.
Forty-Two, The Sentient Machine
How can you not like a spirit named for a Douglas Adams joke?
Secret of Unmaking: Standard action touch attack that deals 1d10 damage per binder level to a construct or object. Half-constructs suffer half-damage and regular creatures suffer minimal damage. The capstone allows you to deal full damage to half-constructs and half-damage to everything else. This looks like it can be a good ability.
Advanced Computing: You can cast augury a number of times per day equal to your binder level. If you're good at 20 questions this can be extremely helpful.
Override Construct: Once per construct per day you can attempt to control it as control construct. It gets a save each round to shake off your control, but this can save your party even if you only delay the golem for one round (and make it punch itself in the face).
Revise Vessel: You gain the half-construct subtype. Also a nice little bonus.
Superior Intelligence: You gain a bonus to all trained Int skills equal to half your binder level. Very nice, as this can help you complete Knowledge Tasks.
Vestigial Companion: You transform the corpse of a humanoid creature into a robotic construct. This functions as animate object and you choose where the CPs go. It replaces control construct, but this is still a nice companion to have.
Influence: You correct all flawed logic you hear and don't speak unless spoken to. Don't know which one overrides the other.
Ghato'Kacha, The Gentle Fiend
This new spirit is a good rakshasa and has a neat legend.
Karmic Strike: As an immediate action when you take hit point damage you deal the same amount of hit point damage to the attacker. This requires you to hit with an attack, though, and it doesn't specify what kind of attack. The capstone lets you double the damage if the attack kills you. This could be fun, but I think the wording could be cleaned up.
Detect Fiends: This detects all outsiders with the evil subtype, so this can be useful to discover those creatures hiding beneath their veils.
Fortitude of Infinite Love: You gain Diehard and you add your binder level to your Con to determine when you die.
Gentle Kiss: When grappling you can choose to kiss your opponent, paralyzing them for 1d4 rounds. Once per creature per day. If you take anything that has grab this is a great ability.
Maul of the Titans: You gain proficiency with all weapons in the fighter's hammer group and they deal damage as a size larger. Nice for binders who use these weapons.
Vestigial Bond: You replace maul of the titans to get maul of the titans, also known as a tiger. Tigers are great companions.
Influence: You pretty much act like a paladin. And you don't eat meat.
Iona Ophid, The Rainbow Serpent
A lawful good couatl spirit joins the rest of the new spirits.
Rainbow Veil: You gain globe of invulnerability for 1 round, or for a duration of concentration with the capstone. It excludes spells whose level is equal to or less than your maximum spirit level. This is a great ability. Very useful.
Arcane Scent: You gain scent, as well as the ability to detect magic by scent. Minor abilities, but this allows you to track that pesky wizard or cultist since you can identify specific scents with the scent ability.
Iona's Gift: You gain a number of bard spells of the enchantment, evocation, or illusion schools, with a maximum spell level of half your maximum spirit level. The combined spell levels cannot exceed half your binder level. For a 10th level binder it means you could select a maximum spell level of 2nd (5/2) and you can have spells whose levels equal 5 (10/2). You can select the same ability multiple times to cast it multiple times per day. For a minor ability this is quite nice.
Reptilian Affinity: You gain a bonus to Diplomacy and Handle Animal with reptilian humanoids and animals, and you can use Diplomacy to influence them. I don't see this coming up much.
Serpent Skin: You gain +2 natural AC and a bonus vs. poison of half your binder level. I feel this would be better if it had progression.
Vestigial Bond: You gain a young couatl that functions as a constrictor snake that can fly. A useful companion, but a hard choice as it replaces Iona's Gift.
Influence: You are suspicious of chaotic or evil acts performed by others and must attack demons you come across.
Kaiya
A new angelic spirit.
Abjure Missiles: You gain Deflect Arrows until the end of the turn; the capstone makes this 1 round. What's fun about this ability is that you polymorph the projectiles into Tiny birds. The feat only works on one attack per round while the ability sounds like it would be all projectiles, so if it acts purely as the feat I think it's underpowered.
Detect Evil: You detect evil. If you can already detect evil your range is doubled.
Grace of the Martyr: You can protect an ally as shield other. The duration is 24 hours and it can be dismissed as a free action (both you and your ally can dismiss). No limit on the times per day--this is a great ability.
Graceful Pose: When you get hit with something that damages/drains/penalizes an ability score you can roll twice and take the higher result for any saving throws. Also a great ability.
Graceful Tongue: Bonus on Diplomacy and Perform as well as +2 vs. emotion effects.
Vestigial Bond: You lose your shield other ability to be able to have an eagle companion. This trade-off's worth depends on your build.
Influence: You act as a caring and merciful paladin. A good influence to have (or should be for most parties).
Muse Istago
Muse Istago has gotten some ability rewrites, which, while painful, were probably necessary.
Paint Reality: You're no longer limited to only one painting, but you lose the ability to have it be persistent/permanent image, mirage arcana, and simulacrum. Simulacrum is the part that hurts the most, but it did allow you to have an additional companion. The capstone causes your illusions to last until your pact ends, and at 13th level your illusions also include tactile elements. Overall I think this is a buffed ability due to being able to create lots of illusions.
Dreams of the Muse: Pretty much the same as before, but it explicitly states the length of time it takes to activate the ability and how long you dream for (how much of your target you see). Interesting to note is that as long as your target keeps failing its saving throw you can scry to your heart's content.
Keen Eye: Weaker than before--you no longer get Profession(painter) as well. Not a huge loss, of course, but a loss nonetheless.
Mirrored Eyes: Same as before, but points out that Muse Istago reflects the attack, not you.
Perfect Attributes: This change also has pluses and minuses. It starts off as a +4 enhancement bonus to a stat (+6 at 12th level), but it only lasts 1 minute per binder level. You can use it 3+Cha/day. Essentially this gives you all of the stat-boosting spells in one ability, but the restrictions hurt. Then again, the old ability was pretty awesome and needed to be toned down.
Vestigial Bond: Same as before.
Influence: A little better than before--instead of seeking solitude you're anxious around others and you still seek to please others, but moreso your employers.
N'alyia, The First Vampire
N'alyia has been updated and is a much better spirit now.
Vampiric Touch: YES. The old nigh-useless ability is now something to make you want to bind her. You deal damage with a melee touch attack as a standard action--it starts at 2d10, increases to 3d10 at 5th level, and then increases every 2 levels after 5th. This is untyped damage, which is great, but as an added bonus you gain temporary hit points equal to the damage dealt! These last for 1 hour (or until your pact ends with the capstone) and don't stack, but you can overwrite them as normal with temporary hp. A really great rewrite that makes me want to form builds around her.
Mesmerize: Now limited to 3+Cha/day, but you can have multiple people charmed, and at 10th level, dominated.
Monstrous Bat Form: Same as before and as useful as before.
One with the Night: Same as before.
Shadow Bite: This ability got changed a bit--you can only use Shadow Bite during a full attack and it uses a swift action, and you cannot use it in areas of bright light (because no shadows). It also only deals 1d4 Constitution damage (Fort negates), but also states that it's a melee touch attack. Limit of once per creature per day. Definitely not as useful as before, and the limit of once per creature per day is also harsh, as you're already limited by 1) No bright light, 2) Only during a full attack, 3) Uses a swift action, 4) You need to hit with a melee touch attack.
Vestigial Bond: Same as before.
Influence: Same as before, and just as fun. You get to pretend to be almost any classic movie vampire.
The Nivea Nieces
The Twins return with some updated abilities. As with the old version, you play rock-paper-scissors to see who you bind with. You select a number from 1-4 and roll a d4. If it comes up what you guessed, you bind with the one you selected. Choose the spirit you DON'T want to bind with--this gives you a 3 in 4 chance to get the one you want vs. a 1 in 4 chance at a penalty of +5 to the binding DC.
Mariath, Mind Muddling: It's the same as before, but limited to only the target's next actions as written. This is less useful as without the capstone there's a 25% chance nothing happens and 25% chance it can't move but still act normally otherwise. While this can still be bad for a melee enemy, anything with ranged attacks or spells would most likely not be bothered much by this ability.
Mariath, Sow Hallucinations: Renamed Mad Hallucination. More than one creature can now be targeted at a time, but a creature can only be affected once per day (as opposed to the old ability which could affect them as much as you wanted as long as they didn't save). I think overall it's a buff since you can have more than one target affected.
Mariath, Snakebite: Same as before with the added bonus that you can transform your arm back and forth into snake form as a standard action.
Taydie, Venomous Whispers: Same as before except the poison is cured with one save instead of two. The capstone no longer allows you to create juju zombies but it does increase the frequency of the poison from 1/4 rounds to 1/10 rounds and increases the damage by 1. This is an overall buff, I feel, as more often than not your target was killed by something other than the Wisdom damage of this abiilty.
Taydie, Bite of the Wolf Spider: Same as before mechanically, but it has been buffed from binder level rounds/day to binder level minutes/day.
Taydie, Thorn Skin: Same as before and still a good ability, even if the natural armor bonus doesn't have progression or stack with Bite of the Wolf Spider.
Both, Poison Use: As an added bonus it also increases the DCs of all poisons you use by +2.
Both, Venomous Guile: This has been simplified to a bonus to Craft(Alchemy) and Survival checks.
Obba, Ella, Atasha, The Dark Sisters Three
Another updated spirit, with some changes that won't be as welcome.
Hold Tongue: This has now become the major ability, replacing Touch of Pleasure. The duration has been reduced from binder level minutes to binder level rounds, and without the capstone requires a melee touch attack (the capstone allows you to use it again a target within 30 ft. without an attack). Will negates, and the target gets to attempt a new save each round. This is also a mind-affecting compulsion effect. This ability seems to be weak, honestly. It targets Will, which most casters (the only ones really affected by this) have a high save for. They also get to attempt to save each round, even if it does last for binder level rounds. I would not use this ability very often, and the old major, Touch of Pleasure, looks to be better.
Blinding Beauty: This ability takes Hold Tongue's old place, and gives you a gaze attack that causes all targets within 30 ft. to become blinded for 1 round per binder level. There is no save for this ability and it can be used 3+Cha/day. Honestly, this seems to be a better major ability than Hold Tongue, as it would affect casters and non-casters equally.
Love Spell: This now duplicates a new spell, love spell and can be used 3+Cha/day. Overall a buff.
Serpent's Decree: Same as before.
Temptation: This ability now functions as either suggestion or geas at 10th level and can be used 3+Cha/day. I think this is a buff as well.
Vestigial Bond: Same as before.
Influence: Same as before, but the wording has been cleaned up.
Tommy Greensprout, Immortal Rapscallion
A new spirit also known as Peter Pan, who is a pretty good spirit.
Age Swipe: You attempt a steal combat maneuver against an Adult or older humanoid. If successful, you steal the target's age, causing it to be changed to the Youth age category for 10 minutes / binder level. The capstone grants you a bonus on the steal attempt for each age category older than you your target is. Since this is a necromancy effect (as all aging effects are) it would appear that your target's gear doesn't adjust to fit his new size, which makes this ability that much better. You can also charge people money to use this ability on them so that they can experience their youth again.
Childhood Daring: As an immediate action, you can add half your binder level on any Str or Dex based skill checks. Limited to 3+Cha/day. Useful for its versatility.
Forever Young: While bound to Tommy Greensprout your age shifts to Youth, granting +2 Dex, -2 Str, -2 Con, and -2 Wis (if mental ability scores are affected).
Greensprout's Tricks: You gain uncanny dodge and you use your binder level instead of BAB for steal attempts, and your steal attempts don't provoke attacks of opportunity. Very nice synergy with the major ability.
Soaring Spirits: You gain a fly speed of 30 ft. (average) that improves as you level. This is also a great ability.
Vestigial Bond: You gain a sprite as a familiar, but you give up soaring spirits for it. Not sure I'd give up flight for a sprite.
Influence: You act like a child who doesn't want to do anything boring.
Vandrae, Drowess
Another old spirit that also has some rewrites.
Sleep Toxin: Same as before, and still useful. Works well with the Nivea Nieces since one of their minors increases the DC of poisons by 2.
Counterspelling: This replaces the previous version's Hide in Plain Sight ability. You can cast dispel magic 3+Cha/day. What makes this great, though, is that it's an immediate action to case and specifically states that you can counterspell an opponent's spellcasting. A very solid minor.
Dark Mantle: This has been reworked to act as deeper darkness 3+Cha/day. I think this makes the ability work better.
Guile of Vandrae: Same as before, but with the old Hide in Plain Sight Ability at 15th level. It's great that Hide in Plain Sight wasn't tossed away completely, but 15th level seems too high for this ability--maybe 10th would feel more useful.
Sneak Attack: This ability has gotten worse--it maxes out at 3d6 at 19th level and the first increase occurs at 12th level. It does stack with other sources of precision damage, but otherwise seems a bit weak.
Vestigial Bond: Same as before.
Xalen d'Marek, Archivist of Fell Secrets
Xalen d'Marek has gotten some buffs to his abilities.
Shrink: The wording of the ability has been cleaned up and the big change is the capstone--you can affect binder level creatures or objects instead of Cha, and the duration of the shrinkage is no longer 24 hours or the duration of your pact. A useful ability, both in combat and out.
Enhance Vessel's Mind: Same as before, but the wording has been cleaned up.
Forbidden Lore: This ability is buffed to apply to all Knowledge checks, not just checks to identify monsters.
Locate Writings: Same as before, wording has been cleaned up.
Thirst for Knowledge: The comprehend languages effect is now limited to 3+Cha/day.
Vestigial Bond: Same as before.
Influence: The influence is less confrontational than before--you no longer correct the improper use of language.
Xasa Culthic
The last of the new spirits for 3rd level, she has some interesting sound-based abilities.
Sonic Bolt: This major deals 1d6 sonic damage / level to all creatures in a 120 ft. line, Reflex for half. The capstone lets you change half its damage type to slashing. This is a solid damage dealing ability.
Control Sound: You can change any sound into any other sound or change the volume, pitch, or dynamics. On a creature you can give it a +4 bonus or -4 penalty to Stealth or alter its voice as vocal alteration. You have 10 minutes per binder level per day to play with this ability, usable in 1 minute increments. There are a lot of fun and practical uses for this ability.
Deceptive Aura: A caster has to succeed on a caster level check to determine your alignment. This isn't as good as Tyrant Cromwell's minor and so I wouldn't count on it always working.
Shield of One Thousand Mirrors: As an immediate action you gain spell resistance of 12 + binder level until the end of the turn. This is a very good ability.
Touchsight: You gain blindsense 10 ft. that slowly progresses after 10th level. Situational, but when you're fighting invisible creatures it's invaluable.
Vestigial Bond: You gain a fiendish mockery of yourself, which acts as a fiendish ape animal companion. Amusing, but it requires you to give up Shield of One Thousand Mirrors.
Influence:You try to pry secrets from your friends and you're loud and obnoxious. Nothing too terrible if you get a poor pact.
P130: Cornelius Button, Aura of Calm: "calm emotions" isn't italicized.
P134: The Crystal Lady, Legend: "...were transformed into lifeless crystal by its beautiful, so it..."
P135: Forty-Two, Manifestation: "The symbols merged into the words..."
P137: Iona Ophid, Legend: "Many are the legends of the great war between Heaven and Hell, which span throughout all races..."
P138: Kaiya, Legend: "During the war between Heaven and Hell, took arms and fought..."; "...even the devils grew wearing of trying to break..."
P139: Muse Istago, Legend: "...and his sanity collapsed into amelange of swirling colors."
P139: Muse Istago, Dreams of the Muse: It states that "If you succeed on your Will save" but this should be "If your target succeeds on its Will save."
P141: N'alyia, Legend: Refers to "vamprism."
P141: N'alyia, Vestigial Bond: Refers to "eagle."
P142: The Nivea Nieces, Legend: "...the Nivea Nieces,..., their family heralded..."; "...where they made their fortunate capturing..."; "The Nivea Nieces manages to steal pack the stolen device..."; "Thusly, the three Brimbsbis because transformed into spirits..."
P144: Obba, Ella, Atasha, Hold Tongue: "You make one target unable to speak with a touch as a standard action, causing one target to be unable to speak..." Also, it seems it could be clarified as a "melee touch attack" to match other ability descriptions of other spirits.
P145: Tommy Greensprout, Manifestation: "...swimming in a seal of your adult equipment."
P145: Tommy Greensprout, Vestigial Bond: Refers to "cat."
P146: Vandrae, Totems: "...lobbing off..."
P146: Vandrae, Granted Abilities: The text here is bold.
P148: Xalen d'Marek, Manifestation: "...writing random bits of lore in a curly scrip."
P148: Xalen d'Marek, Legend: "...no more adept with a blade as young man..."
P148: Xalen d'Marek: "Granted Abilities" is "Major Granted Abilities" and is not bold.
P148: Xalen d'Marek, Locate Writings: Minor ability is named "Located Writings."
P150: Xasa Culthic, Control Sound: "...it can either grant the target either..."
Q: Cornelius Button, Alignments: Can a Pactsworn Champion bind with Light Cornelius? What happens if an odd number occurs during binding (so that it's Dark Cornelius)?
Q: Cornelius Button, Pollen Spray: Does the Dark Cornelius's sickened condition persist as long as the target is poisoned?
Q: Cornelius Button, Duality of Cornelius: I know that expended abilities are still expended if you switch aspects, but it may be good to also explicitly state it.
Q: The Crystal Lady, Vestigial Bond: Is there a maximum number of abilities that can be transferred? A spirit whose ability is shared cannot be expelled while you're bound to The Crystal Lady--does this only apply to the Expel Spirits feat or does it also protect against any attempts to dismiss/exorcise/expel the spirit?
Q: Forty-Two, Personality Influence: You do not respond or speak unless spoken to, but you must correct all flawed logic that you overhear or encounter. Does the logic correction overwrite the inability to speak, or do you only correct flawed logic when you're spoken to?
Q: Ghato'Kacha, Karmic Strike: What type of attack do you need to make to be able to activate Karmic Strike? It mentions being hit with a spell that deals hit point damage, so can the Karmic Strike be a ranged attack? An ability? It states you deal an amount of damage equal to the damage you take, but would your attack also inflict any additional effects as normal? For example, if your weapon you hit with was poisoned, or if you hit with a flaming sword (something that has additional damage).
Q: Ghato'Kacha, Gentle Kiss: Do you have to be able to kiss to have this ability activate? For example, if I'm a tiger with the grab ability, would a lick count as a kiss or does it have to be a humanoid form with lips?
Q: Kaiya, Abjure Missiles: The Deflect Arrows feat is limited to once a round and requires a free hand. Does this ability also have that restriction or does it apply to all ranged attacks for one turn/round? Can this ability deflect large projectiles like boulders or ballista bolts? The imagery is great of a massive boulder about to hit the castle walls only to be turned into a bird at the last moment.
Q: Muse Istago, Paint Reality: Is there a maximum number of illusions you can have at a time? Can you dismiss them once they're created if you've met the capstone? What does it mean when your illusions also gain tactile elements? Does this turn them into pseudo-real creations that are more difficult to see through? Or would this allow you to paint a bridge that can actually allow people to walk across it? I like the imagery there--"As long as you believe in the bridge, it's a bridge." "I don't see how that----*Falls through the bridge*"
Q: Muse Istago, Vestigial Bond: I think this would be a great place to grant a unique companion. It could replace your major ability and perhaps act as summon monster or summon nature's ally limited to one creature, or lesser simulacrum or something similar. I wouldn't want it to be too powerful, but having it replace the major ability and count as a vestigial companion would help balance it out.
Q: N'alyia, Vampiric Touch: As written, this can be used on any creature, even those that don't have "life." Does this need to specify a living creature as the target? Should this be inflicting untyped damage? I hate to ask, as the ability is so good as written, but I want to make sure it's not too powerful.
Q: N'alyia, Mesmerize: Moy specifically states in her description that the suggestion/geas effect ends when the pact with Moy ends. Does that same restriction apply to Mesmerize? I also didn't see anywhere in the Granted Abilities section what happens if a duration for an effect is longer than the pact--based on the specifics stated for Moy this means they can continue past the pact ending?
Q: The Nivea Nieces, Mind Muddling: As written, this only affects the target's next action vs. the next 4 actions with the old ability. Could the capstone allow the duration of the confusion to be extended for more than one round since there's still a 50% chance it will act normally (minus movement)?
Q: Obba, Ella, Atasha, Blinding Beauty: Should this ability grant its targets a saving throw?
Q: Obba, Ella, Atasha, Temptation: Same question as with N'alyia's Mesmerize above--this is even closer to Moy's ability, so I'm curious as to whether it extends past the pact ending.
Q: Tommy Greensprout, Forever Young: Do you alter both physical and mental ability scores for becoming young or only physical scores?
Alarm: While you are bound to Marat, you gain the ability to cast alarm as a spell-like ability at will. You cannot have more than one alarm spell active at one time. If this ability is used again, any existing alarm immediately ends.
Bodyguard: While you are bound to Marat, you gain the benefits of Bodyguardapg.
Marat’s Body: While you are bound to Marat, you can summon Marat’s spiritual armor to enhance your defenses, granting you the ability to cast mage armor as a spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. At 7th level and every three levels thereafter, the armor bonus granted by your mage armor spell-like ability increases by +1, to a maximum of +9.
Marat’s Shield: While you are bound to Marat, you gain the ability to cast shield of fortificationacg as a spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. At 7th level, this ability grants you the ability to cast greater shield of fortificationacg instead. At 10th level, the duration of your greater shield of fortification spell-like ability increases to 1 hour/level.
.....I see. Well, not my personal cup of tea anymore, and he's probably off the list of spirits I'll use (might consider it due to major, but meh), but others will probably find uses for him.
.....I see. Well, not my personal cup of tea anymore, and he's probably off the list of spirits I'll use (might consider it due to major, but meh), but others will probably find uses for him.Alarm: While you are bound to Marat, you gain the ability to cast alarm as a spell-like ability at will. You cannot have more than one alarm spell active at one time. If this ability is used again, any existing alarm immediately ends.
Bodyguard: While you are bound to Marat, you gain the benefits of Bodyguardapg.
Marat’s Body: While you are bound to Marat, you can summon Marat’s spiritual armor to enhance your defenses, granting you the ability to cast mage armor as a spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. At 7th level and every three levels thereafter, the armor bonus granted by your mage armor spell-like ability increases by +1, to a maximum of +9.
Marat’s Shield: While you are bound to Marat, you gain the ability to cast shield of fortificationacg as a spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. At 7th level, this ability grants you the ability to cast greater shield of fortificationacg instead. At 10th level, the duration of your greater shield of fortification spell-like ability increases to 1 hour/level.
I kinda liked the "Armor Spirit" thing it had going on before.... anyway I think you actually made it a lot more powerful. Of course at lower levels, its more balanced, but at higher levels you have a straight magical tank that no longer has to deal with spell failure (in the case of multiclassing/gestalt/non-occultist class archetypes), max dex and armor check penaltys (which I guess it got rid of anyway, but only at higher levels). Also, you can use Marats body without running out of it often (how I would build my character anyway) and at higher levels you only need to use it once or twice a day to have it's effect.
Alarm: While you are bound to Marat, you gain the ability to cast alarm as a spell-like ability at will. You cannot have more than one alarm spell active at one time. If this ability is used again, any existing alarm immediately ends.
Bodyguard: While you are bound to Marat, you gain the benefits of Bodyguardapg.
Marat’s Body: While you are bound to Marat, you can summon Marat’s spiritual armor to enhance your defenses, granting you the ability to cast mage armor as a spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. At 7th level and every three levels thereafter, the armor bonus granted by your mage armor spell-like ability increases by +1, to a maximum of +9.
Marat’s Shield: While you are bound to Marat, you gain the ability to cast shield of fortificationacg as a spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. At 7th level, this ability grants you the ability to cast greater shield of fortificationacg instead. At 10th level, the duration of your greater shield of fortification spell-like ability increases to 1 hour/level.
Ouch. I agree with Third Mind here and I think this drops Marat off the lists of spirits I'd use. While it might be good for a caster, it's no longer good for a tanking character. The progression for Marat's Body is terrible for a tank. A Light Fortification Chain Shirt +1 negates two of his minor abilities outright and alarm has always been a niche spell. If you take the Guardian Spirit secret then you've negated another ability, as normally you want to set alarms while you're sleeping and not able to take watch. The major is still good, but turning him into a non-tanking Spirit removes wanting to use it as well. You also lose the imagery of a large protector golem when you're as armored as your party's mage.
I think the revised minors you listed would be good for a non-tanking spirit.
I would think the following changes would help make the old abilities balanced:
Marat's Body: You encase yourself in Marat's armored body as a full-round action, functioning as a suit of masterwork chainmail. At 4th level it functions as a suit of masterwork plate mail...The rest of the ability can be unchanged.
Marat's Shield: You gain the ability to cast shield as a spell like ability 3+Cha times a day.
Watchful Guardian: You gain the ability to cast alarm as a spell-like ability at will. You can one alarm spell active at a time. At 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter you can place an additional alarm. In addition, you can take a guardian's watch, functioning as keep watch, once per day.
This gets rid of Unimpeded, which tones down the armor. It also makes shield a non-constant ability as well and removes it as only being able to be used while in Marat's Body. Watchful Guardian seems to fit with the theme of Marat and eventually being able to place more traps is beneficial, and keep watch just seems like it's very Marat.
For Dexion1619, this helps mitigate the problems with Amateur Occultist, as an Amateur wouldn't get access to full-plate until 8th level (long after you could get it normally). Without Unimpeded it's now a normal suit of armor. With Alex's previous revision this would still let you become Battle Cat, and mesh the spirit with any of the myriad of polymorph abilities that other spirits have.
I kinda liked the "Armor Spirit" thing it had going on before.... anyway I think you actually made it a lot more powerful. Of course at lower levels, its more balanced, but at higher levels you have a straight magical tank that no longer has to deal with spell failure (in the case of multiclassing/gestalt/non-occultist class archetypes), max dex and armor check penaltys (which I guess it got rid of anyway, but only at higher levels). Also, you can use Marats body without running out of it often (how I would build my character anyway) and at higher levels you only need to use it once or twice a day to have it's effect.
As Orich had suggested, one could wear a chain shirt and be protected the entire day. Unless it changed, the abilities that come from the spirits are not effected by spell failure chance, so this is more useful for caster archetypes that can use spirits than anything. It bumps up at 7th, which should be easy enough for the normal adventurer to nab a +1 enhancement on their chain shirt. And I feel like as a full occultist, I'd rather be protected the entire day with a chain shirt than x amount of hours a day (admittedly higher at high levels, which my group never goes to.)
The fortification thing is interesting. I mean, it can be good, but do I want to use my standard action on it if I'm in the middle of battle? Not really. So it's more a pre-buff which some DMs rarely give a chance to do (at least mine doesn't.) So, less interesting for me, better for pre-buffers. And not bad in my opinion.
As a wizard that made it to lv. 6 by mostly being out in the wilderness, I never needed to use Alarm. I did however, use a lot of Keep Watch, since I could do it to party members along with myself. More protection over all since everyone was awake, yet well rested.
Bodyguard is understandable for the character. I might not use it often if at all, but there may be the rare moments it shows up. And it fits the spirit flavor.
Mixed with it's older abilities to move at normal speeds and lower the ACP, I'd be down with using Orich's suggestion. It could lose the fortification even and that'd be fine. Maybe make it sort of like Occult Weapon, in that you have to use one of your +1 enhancements to pay for its use if you want it. I'd also personally love it if Alarm was switched with a x-per day Keep Watch instead of Alarm. Seems like it'd work for a vigilant construct protector too.
I was going to rely on Marat to be one of the major spirits for me to front line in melee, but with the changes, he's immediately out of the running there. I wouldn't want to switch places with allies if I know there's a really good chance I'll get clobbered each time.
That said, if he sticks at where he's at, perhaps I'll do something like Muse Istago with Moy unarmored. Get +7 for a few minutes each time even without armor. Other abilities aren't so good on front line perhaps (save for Moy's major) but if I absolutely had to be support fighter (which I don't really want to be all the time), it could be worse. I'd be down for Orich's change with the old ACP lowering and normal movement, and maybe a further spaced out +1 enhancement growth. That has my vote if things have to change.
I'd also personally love it if Alarm was switched with a x-per day Keep Watch instead of Alarm. Seems like it'd work for a vigilant construct protector too.
Knights of the Inner Sea (where that spell is from) isn't on the list of OGL Paizo Products that we can cite. Generally speaking, NONE of the Campaign Setting / Player Companion products can be cited; that's why Jayna couldn't originally say that functioned with void wizard elemental schools, and why we had to reprint all of the celestial totem rage powers in the barbarian section.
Also, the point of the ability is that Marat keeps watch for YOU. Hence alarm.
I have to agree with Orich here, I like his version. I think it fit's Marat's Imagery better, is more useful for a "Tank" occultist, and clears up both of my concerns nicely (1st level full plate and always on Shield spell). Alternatively, I could see replacing the Shield Spell with the Shield of Fortification Spell (See my Hero Constellation entry below for the reason's for this).
Constellation Aspects: I'm in the process of converting my Occultist, so I have started going over the Constellation Aspects in greater detail. Let me say, this is one change I am 100% behind. The new Constellation Aspect format and power level makes Occultists much better at being the "Masters" of Pact Magic. Basically, these are extra rewards you get for getting a Good Pact with a spirit. Many of these count as physical signs (which is awesome). Listed below are my Thoughts on the first 6 Constellation Aspects, I'll update the rest tomorrow.
Angel : Right out of the gate, the Angel spirit sets the bar high with some great abilities. Bless (Cast Bless 3+ Chr per Day) and Sacred Touch (Stabilize with a touch, and Cast Cure Light Wounds 3+ Chr per day) give the occultist some useful support spells to fall back on. I do wish Sacred Touch scaled a bit better, maybe upgrading to cure moderate at 5th and Serious at 9th Radiant Light gives the occultist a rather nice ranged touch attack that ignores anything other than full cover, and deals decent damage (untyped damage, 3+chr per day). Lastly, Righteous Cause gives you're attacks the ability to bypass DR as if it were Good aligned. These are all really nice, I can see myself going out of my way to Bind Angle spirits to gain access to some of these, and even considering the Extra Constellation Aspect feat. They all fit with the Angel theme too.
Beast : More good options that match the theme of a Beast Spirit. Eldritch Attacks lets our natural attacks and unarmed strikes count as magic. Kinda basic, but useful. Keen Senses lets us cast the spell of the same name 3+chr per day. Natural Attacks gain a bite or 2 claw attacks. Very fitting, and if you already have natural attacks, you get a scaling bonus to attacks/damage with them. Speak with Animals Cast the spell 3+chr per day. Nothing earth shattering, but they all allow you to compliment the various beast spirits in some way. Overall I like them.
Dark Beyond : I'm 50/50 on the abilities here, Dark Vessel and Void Ray need to be looked at. Dark Vessel Immediate action to grant yourself a 10% miss chance against the next attack or spell targeting you. Unfortunately the ability doesn't scale at all, and with the number of abilities an Occultist has that require a Swift action, giving up you're swift for a 10% chance just seems like a poor trade. +5% per 2 binder levels would make this a lot more appealing. Otherwise love the mechanic. Mind Guard +2 bonus on saves vs Mind effecting abilities. A Nice option. Vanish As the Spell, 3+chr per day. A good, solid option. Void Ray 1d6 cold damage and a fort save or blinded for 1 round. I like it, but it isn't listed as a ranged touch attack, and the cold damage doesn't scale at all (blindness is such a nasty condition I'm willing to overlook that, but +1 damage per binder level would be nice).
Dragon : This Constellation is right up with Angle as one that would effect my spirit choice's. Should Draconic Breath have a save? Draconic Breath Gives a short ranged (10ft line) breath weapon, dealing you're choice of element damage (chosen when you bind the spirit) for decent damage. No Saving throw is listed? Most Line effects are Reflex Partial? Draconic Wings glide instead of fall? Yes please. Ferocious Gain the Dazzling Display feat, a solid debuff choice if you are invested in Intimidate. Scaled Scaling bonus to natural armor, fairly standard but welcome and fitting.
Fiend : Another Constellation that I think was done perfectly. A solid mix of abilities that allow you to compliment the various Fiend Spirits Fiendish Horns Gain a gore attack. I would say this is the weakest Aspect, but the imagery is so cool I refuse to complain. Fiendish Resilience Fiendish skin gives you a Resistance to one of 3 elements equal to 1/2 Binder level. Solid passive defense. Sow Destruction Spark at will and Produce Flame 3+Chr per day. Burn EVERYTHING. UnHoly Touch Inflict Light Wounds 3+chr. I like this as an option, but I wish it scaled a bit better, maybe upgrading to Inflict moderate at 5th and Serious at 9th.
Hero : I'm going to be honest, this is the first Constellation Aspect who's options I actively dislike. Diehard You gain the diehard feat, which is on my list of top 5 most hated feats. I would rather see Toughness or Great Fortitude here. I have never seen a Hero win the fight because of Diehard, but I have seen plenty stay standing at -9 and promptly get killed outright on the next attack. Heroic Aid You gain an extra +1 on aid another attempts. This just doesn't feel like it's anywhere near the same power level as the previous Constellation Aspects. It does have some synergy with Marat's Bodyguard Feat. Actually, if this Aspect gave the Bodyguard Feat and provided the additional +1, I would be on board with it. Timely Assistance You can cast the spell of the same name 3+chr per day. The problem is that this spell provides such a small bonus that its almost never worth using up you're swift action to cast it. I would much rather have the Option of casting Shield 3+chr per day, which would allow Hero spirits like Marat, Tyrant and Arthos to shine in melee. [i] Vigilance [i] Gain 1 temporary HP each round if you have no temporary Hp. Not terrible, and in fact likely the best of the Hero options, but it's a solid "Meh" to me.
Page 85: "Constellation: Each spirit belongs to a constellation, which is listed under its summoning rules. A spirit’s constellation identifies similar themes between the life, ambitions, and qualities of a spirit. See Pact Magic Theory."
Where can I find the section titled Pact Magic Theory? Has this been renamed or is it a future section?
Edit: Since this post is about referencing other sections, when the final book comes out, can these references reference a specific page number? While this book is really good at not splitting up rules explanations, sometimes it can't be avoided. When this happens, having a page reference to quickly find the rules makes it really easy to understand - and removes the potential of massive frustration for finding a rule (Shadowrun was like that - poor references with rules laid out all over the place; it made finding and understanding rules extremely frustrating).
Page 5: "An occultist may not select a constellation aspect more than once, even if she makes a good pact with more than one spirit of that aspect’s constellation."
Does this mean that I can't pick an ability from the Angel (or Dragon or whatever) constellation aspect more than once at a time, or any constellation aspect more than once at a time?