Homebrew alternatives to the animal companion paladin bond

[Knight Magenta]

Everyone knows that animal companions are very powerful. However, many people don't like managing the extra complexity of a companion. Unfortunately, getting +1 to your weapon for 5 minutes hardly seems to compare. So without further ado, have some alternative paladin bonds.

Weapon Bond

This type of bond allows the paladin to bond with a minor celestial spirit that acts as a guide and can augment the paladin's weapon. At level 5, the spirit grants the paladin a +2 sacred bonus to a skill of his choice. At level 8 and every 3 levels beyond, the bonus increase by 1 and the paladin may choose another skill to apply the spirit's sacred bonus to.

As a standard action the paladin may command the spirit to empower his weapon. The spirit causes the weapon to shed light as a torch. At 5th level, this spirit grants the weapon a +1 enhancement bonus. For every three levels beyond 5th, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +6 at 20th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon bonuses to a maximum of +5, or they can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: axiomatic, brilliant energy, defending, disruption, flaming, flaming burst, holy, keen, merciful, and speed. Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property's cost (see Table: Melee Weapon Special Abilities). These bonuses are added to any properties the weapon already has, but duplicate abilities do not stack. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. The bonus and properties granted by the spirit are determined when the spirit is commanded to empower the weapon and can be changed as a standard action. The celestial spirit imparts no bonuses if the weapon is held by anyone other than the paladin but resumes giving bonuses if returned to the paladin. These bonuses apply to only one end of a double weapon.

reasoning:

The paladin's normal 5+ minute weapon buff lasts about long enough to cover the entire part of a dungeon that matters. The action economy cost mostly means it's not available in ambushes or when you have numerous scattered encounters in a day. My version partially preserves that since in an ambush the pally likely has a perception bonus up or something.

Archon Bond

This type of bond allows the paladin to gain the service of a lantern archon. The lantern archon functions as a wizard's familiar using the paladin's level as his wizard level with the following differences:
- The archon does not gain alertness, speak with master, or speak with animals of their kind.
- The archon can cast continual flame, but the paladin must provide the material component.
- The archon can only cast Aid once per day plus once for every 3 paladin levels after 5th. The paladin may expend a use of lay on hands to recharge the archon's spell like abilities.
- At level 9 when the archon uses the full attack action it may make another ray attack. (For a total of 3.)
- The Paladin may replace the Improved Initiative feat a regular archon has with a feat it qualifies for.
- For every 3 paladin levels beyond 5th the archon gains a bonus feat it qualifies for.
- This ability does not qualify the paladin for the Improved Familiar feat
- Remember, saving throw DC of the archon's aura of menace scales with the paladin's level, as all familiar abilities do.
The archon may use the Paladin's level in place of the caster level of its spell like abilities.
- The archon gains Point-Blank Shot as a bonus feat

reasoning:

The Lantern Archon does reasonably piddly damage and has a short range, which makes full attacks difficult. Still the archon gives the paladin access to true speech and a teleporting minion. Also the ability to exchange lay-on-hands for temporary hit points is strong. This is supposed to be a sort of middle ground between utility and damage, since there are not a lot of ways to boost the archon's damage.

Celestial Transcendence

This type of bond allows the paladin slowly take on aspects of a celestial. Eventually becoming a true archon.
At level 5, the paladin becomes an outsider with the native subtype and is treated as an aasimar as well as his previous subtype. The paladin gains Angelic Blood as a bonus feat. Further, he can choose to either gain resistance 5 to a single energy type, or to gain Angelic Flesh. In either case, he counts as having Angelic Flesh for the purposes of meeting feat prerequisites.

At level 8, the paladin gains the Aura of Menace special ability. He also gains the Archon subtype.

At level 11, he gains Angel Wings. Except the fly speed it grants is equal to double his land speed. This is reduced normally by medium and heavier armor.

At level 14, the paladin gains Metallic Wings. If he already has this feat, he may select another feat he qualifies for.

At level 17, the paladin gains the ability to use greater teleport at will, but it can only target himself and 50 lbs of objects. (Keep in mind, this may limit the paladin from teleporting while wearing all of his equipment.)

At level 20, the paladin loses the native subtype and ceases to age. He also gains the truespeech ability. If the paladin is slain on a plane other than Heaven, he will reform in Heaven within 24 hours and gain a negative level.

While in Heaven, the paladin can use Plane Shift once per day, but only to travel to the material plane or the plane he died on last. If he desires, the paladin and any creatures that travel with him can arrive unerringly at the location of the paladin's latest corpse. If his corpse was completely destroyed (such as by Disintegrate) he arrives in the location where he last died.

reasoning:

The transcendence abilities are almost completely defensive in nature. I think it is lame that there is no good way in pathfinder to become a celestial, but tons of ways of becoming a fiend. So have some balance!

Updates will be at this google doc.