"Souls come unto me" The anointed heritor [base class 3.5 PEACH]

[God Imperror]

This class was created for the Base Class Challenge XIII On a Whim (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=13682096) there are truly great entries there so don't doubt to read them if you have time. In addition if you want to vote here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=13882077) is the voting thread. Through this thread you will find several illustrations, all of them were created by Raymond Swanland a great artist whose art really inspires me, you can find more of his creations here (http://www.raymondswanland.com/).

Changelog

Version 0 Gestalted binder soulborn
Version 0.5 binder + soulborn remixed
Version 0.9 proto anointed heritor, vestiges and incarnum changed names
Version 1 anointed heritor (more or less)
Version 1.1 Contest version, functional anointed heritor with almost all the feats and all the ancestral heroes.
11/IX Uploaded version 1.1 to this post
15/IX Spotted a couple mistakes on the table, addressed those. Modified the heroic master to make it more attractive. Added a feat to select an extra anointment.
After a playtest it seemed to need more powah (customization were good though) notes of the changes here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13921443&postcount=13). Version 1.2



Anointed Heritor

http://www.raymondswanland.com/Images/Illustration%20Gallery/Ardneh.jpg

I learned the way of the sword by listening to stories. I practice the way of the sword by being part of stories.

The anointed heritors follow a path of tradition and oral history that stretches back to ancestral heroes from the dawn of time, shrouded in mystery. Little of what knowledge remains is true; most has become twisted in rumor and myth, and everything that is left is subject to interpretation by the anointed heritors.

No one knows what kind of entities the heroes actually are. They might be lesser deities from times past, who are attracted to heritors as a means to hold on to some of their former power even after most of their followers have passed into memory. They might be myths that have gained power due to generations of hopeful believers, or perhaps they are just stories which inspire the anointed heritors, who release their latent talents by tapping into a collective, primal unconscious. Whatever they are, it is impossible to tell, as the few existing written documents date from several hundred years after the theoretical time of the heroes, and oral tradition focuses in their practices rather than their origin.

Adventures: Anointed heritors spend most of their time adventuring in order to come closer to their patron hero. By adventuring, they also expand the area of influence of the ancestral heroes in the world. Some truly dedicated heritors acquire such a reputation for glory that, when they die, they ascend to join the ranks of the ancestral heroes themselves.

Characteristics: The most important aspect of anointed heritors are the heroes that they channel. Through these spirit-resonances, the heritors gain access to a wide variety skills and abilities, as well as the guidance of the ancestral heroes, helping the anointed heritor in moments of need.

Alignment: Characters of any alignment can become anointed heritors, as there are heroes of several alignments and mentalities.

Religion: Religion is not normally an important part of anointed heritor's life, though the devout sometimes see the ancestral heroes as ancient quasi-deities and pay them some reverence. Those who choose to follow the path of a deity normally revere warrior deities, especially those with portfolios that include fate or strategy.

Background: Most anointed heritors begin their career studying the deeds of the heroes of yore, attempting to unravel the mysteries of their chosen hero's life. Soon they begin training to emulate their hero's fighting style, and in short order become experts, learning to draw upon the true essence of the ancestral hero (and becoming indistinguishable to a certain degree from their patron hero). By continuing the legend of their chosen hero, they empower both themselves and the hero's memory. Once an anointed heritor has mastered the ability to channel the essence of their patron hero, they begin to learn new paths by following in the steps of other heroes. Eventually, the heritor learns to combine the styles of multiple ancestral heroes to form their own unique legend.

Races: Every race has heroes; therefore, characters of any race can become anointed heritors. Races with a strong oral history tradition tend to have more anointed heritors, as their ancestral heroes are better known.

Other Classes: Anointed heritors work well with companions of other classes and races. One might be awed at the stealth of rogues and their ability to finish enemies with a single strike, or perhaps drawn to the heroic ideals of a paladin; another might admire the ability of spellcasters to alter reality.

Role: Anointed heritors are generalists, able to assume different party roles dependent on their ancestral heroes. Their abilities are mostly mundane; they can fall in the middle ground between skillfull characters such as rogues or rangers and more martial characters such as fighters or paladins. Choosing one hero over another might make the anointed heritor strive for a particular role; as he progresses in his career as an anointed heritor, he is able to fill more roles. Regardless of their particular strengths and weaknesses, anointed heritors as a whole tend to have strong personalities and be good spokesmen.

Adaptation: By design, the ancestral heroes have been left relatively undefined. Every anointed heritor can have a different view of the ancestral heroes, one that fits their backstory and personality. Some anointed heritors may start following an ancestral hero because it was a great figure in the history of their nation, or perhaps due to some resonance of personality. Depending on the campaign, the heroes might be renamed, or new heroes might be added with the collaboration of the DM.

In certain campaign settings, the ancestral heroes might not be as benevolent or as distant as the anointed heritor might believe. Instead, they could be mysterious entities, remnants of once living beings trapped beyond life and death. In those cases the "heroes" actively seek to be channeled by the anointed heritor, for they receive sustenance through the offerings and can once more experience a reasonable facsimile of life.

In other cases, perhaps the anointed heritors are literal descendants of the heroes, rather than descendants in spirit. Just as sorcerers might draw their power from the blood of dragons in their veins, the anointed heritor inherits the heroic bloodlines of his past. Or, in a more malicious setting, an anointed heritor might trap the souls of heroes of the past and use them to channel his nefarious powers.

GAME RULE INFORMATION
Anointed Heritor's have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Charisma determines most of their abilities potency and uses. Most anointed heritors are martial characters, strength, dexterity and constitution become important depending on their fighting style.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8
Starting Age: As bard
Starting Gold: As sorcerer

Class Skills
The Anointed Heritor's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are...
Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Gather information (Cha), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (Local) (Int), Knowledge (Nobility and royalty) (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (oratory) (Cha), Search (Int), Spot (Wis) plus any skill that the anointed heritor receives from its known heroes, if you purchased ranks in the associated skills of a hero that you still don't know how to channel as cross-class skill, you immediately gain additional ranks in that skill as if it had always been a class skill for you once you learn to channel the hero.
Skill Points at First Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier

Anointed Heritor
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save*|Ref Save*|Will Save|Special|Heroes|Offerings|boons

1st|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+2|Patron Hero, Anointed Guidance|0|0|0

2nd|
+2|
+0|
+0|
+3|Anointment|0|0|0

3rd|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+3|Ancestral Channeling (one hero)|1|0|0

4th|
+4|
+1|
+1|
+4|Favor of the patron, Offerings|2|2|0

5th|
+5|
+1|
+1|
+4|Ancestral Skills|3|2|0

6th|
+6/+1|
+2|
+2|
+5|Anointment, Boons (one)|4|3|1

7th|
+7/+2|
+2|
+2|
+5|Anointed recovery (move action)|5|3|1

8th|
+8/+3|
+2|
+2|
+6|Ancestral feat (one)|6|4|1

9th|
+9/+4|
+3|
+3|
+6|Ancestral tactics 1/day|7|5|1

10th|
+10/+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Ancestral channeling (two heroes), Anointment|8|5|1

11th|
+11/+6/+1|
+3|
+3|
+7|Anointed guidance (Initiative)|9|6|1

12th|
+12/+7/+2|
+4|
+4|
+8|Boon mastery, boons (two)|10|7|2

13th|
+13/+8/+3|
+4|
+4|
+8|Anointed recovery (swift action)|11|8|2

14th|
+14/+9/+4|
+4|
+4|
+9|Anointment|12|9|2

15th|
+15/+10/+5|
+5|
+5|
+9|Ancestral channeling (three heroes), Anointed recovery (full round)|13|10|2

16th|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+5|
+5|
+10|Ancestral feat (two)|14|11|2

17th|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+10|Anointed Guidance (3 skills)|15|12|2

18th|
+18/+13/+8/+3|
+6|
+6|
+11|Ancestral tactics 2/day, Anointment, boons (three) |16|13|3

19th|
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11|Anointed recovery (superior)|17|14|3

20th|
+20/+15/+10/+5|
+6|
+6|
+12|Ancestral channeling (four heroes), Ancestral exaltment|18|16|3
[/table]
*See the patron hero ability below.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Anointed Heritor.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: An annointed heritor is proficient with all simple weapons and martial weapons plus the associated weapon of its patron hero. Anointed heritors are proficient with light armor and shields (except tower shields).

Patron Hero (Ex): Through study and dedication you learn a bit of the ancestral heroes. Your study focus on one hero, perhaps it was the most interesting as a child or you have a blood connection to the chosen hero. You learn to emulate the general of its basic fighting stile and skills. At 1st level choose an ancestral hero from the lists of ancestral heroes available to the Anointed Heritor, even if you cannot fully channel it you gain its associated skill as class skill, its associated weapon proficiency and the associated good save progression (fortitude or reflex), regardless of any hero that you might channel you keep the weapon proficiency and the save progression. In addition if you are not channeling any hero you gain the first ability of your patron hero. If somehow your ancestral channeling gets suppressed you gain the benefit of this class ability.

Anointed Guidance (Ex): You have learned several facts of the lives of heroes before you, you know where they succeed and where they failed, it is harder for you to miss something for you count with the experience of heroes of ages past. Starting at 1st level at the beginning of every encounter you gain one guidance point per class level to a maximum equal to your Charisma bonus or half your anointed heritor level whichever is higher. While you have guidance points you gain a +2 bonus to Listen, Search and Spot checks. At 11th level you gain a +2 bonus to initiative checks. At 17th level while you have guidance points you gain a +2 bonus to three skills of your choosing, in which you have to have at least one rank, you can take 10 with those skills, even under conditions where taking 10 would normally be impossible (some skills, like use magic device, specifically disallow you to take 10, you cannot use this ability to take 10 with those skills). In addition if those skills are selected through your ancestral skill class feature you can take 10 with them, unless it would normally be impossible.

Anointment (Ex): Some heroes focused on precise strikes of the sword, some others were able to parry hits that would have severed their heads. Maybe they had a special technique or perhaps they were just gifted, regardless you have a special knack for following those heroic movements and using them at he right time. At second level you gain two anointed abilities selected from the list below every four levels thereafter you can choose an additional ability.



Anointed Attack (Ex): Before making an attack roll you can spend 1 guidance point to gain an insight bonus on the roll equal to your Charisma modifier. Anointed Attack does not require an action, and you can use it as often as you wish during your turn or others' turns (provided that you have guidance points to spend). Because this ability provides an insight bonus, it does not stack with itself.


Anointed might (Ex): Before making a damage roll you can spend 1 guidance point to gain an insight bonus on the roll equal to your Charisma modifier. Anointed might does not require an action, and you can use it as often as you wish during your turn or others' turns (provided that you have guidance points to spend). Because this ability provides an insight bonus, it does not stack with itself.


Anointed Protection (Ex): Before determining the result of an enemy's attack roll you can spend 1 guidance point to gain an insight bonus to AC to your Charisma modifier. Anointed Protection does not require an action, and you can use it as often as you wish during your turn or others' turns (provided that you have guidance points to spend). Because this ability provides a insight bonus, it does not stack with itself.


Anointed inspiration (Ex): Before making an skill check you can spend 1 guidance point to gain an insight bonus on the roll equal to your Charisma modifier. Anointed inspiration does not require an action, and you can use it as often as you wish during your turn or others' turns (provided that you have guidance points to spend). Because this ability provides an insight bonus, it does not stack with itself.


Anointed Reach (Ex): Before making an attack roll you can spend 1 guidance point to increase your reach by 5 feet. Anointed Reach does not require an action, and you can use it as often as you wish during your turn or others' turns (provided that you have guidance points to spend). This ability doesn't stack with itself.
Special:You must have 6 levels in the anointed heritor class before selecting this anointment.


Anointed Ardor (Ex): Before making a roll to confirm a critical hit you can spend 1 guidance point to gain an insight bonus on the roll equal to your Charisma modifier. Anointed Ardor does not require an action, and you can use it as often as you wish during your turn or others' turns (provided that you have guidance points to spend). Because this ability provides an insight bonus, it does not stack with itself.
Special:You must have 6 levels in the anointed heritor class before selecting this anointment.


Anointed Technique (Ex): Before making an opposed bull rush, disarm, feint, grapple, overrun, sunder or trip check you can spend 1 guidance point to gain an insight bonus on the roll equal to your Charisma modifier. Anointed Technique does not require an action, and you can use it as often as you wish during your turn or others' turns (provided that you have guidance points to spend). Because this ability provides an insight bonus, it does not stack with itself.
Special:You must have 6 levels in the anointed heritor class before selecting this anointment.


Anointed Grace (Ex): Before making a save roll you can spend 1 guidance point to gain an insight bonus on the roll equal to your Charisma modifier. Anointed Grace does not require an action, and you can use it as often as you wish during your turn or others' turns (provided that you have guidance points to spend). Because this ability provides an insight bonus, it does not stack with itself. This ability doesn't stack with divine grace nor with any similar ability that doesn't stack with divine grace.
Special:You must have 6 levels in the anointed heritor class before selecting this anointment.


Anointed Opportunist (Ex): Before making an attack of opportunity you can spend 1 guidance point to gain an insight bonus on the attack roll and damage roll equal to your Charisma modifier. Anointed Opportunist does not require an action, and you can use it as often as you wish during your turn or others' turns (provided that you have guidance points to spend). Because this ability provides an insight bonus, it does not stack with itself.
Special:You must have anointed attack and anointed might before selecting this anointment.


Anointed Reduction (Ex): Before determining the damage caused by an enemy's damage roll you can spend 1 guidance point to gain an insight bonus to Damage Reduction equal to your Charisma modifier. Anointed Reduction does not require an action, and you can use it as often as you wish during your turn or others' turns (provided that you have guidance points to spend). Because this ability provides a insight bonus, it does not stack with itself.
Special:You must have anointed defense before selecting this anointment.


Anointed initiative (Ex): Before making an initiative roll you can spend 1 guidance point to gain an insight bonus on the roll equal to your Charisma modifier. Anointed initiative does not require an action, and you can use it as often as you wish during your turn or others' turns (provided that you have guidance points to spend). Because this ability provides an insight bonus, it does not stack with itself. You can use this ability while being flat footed.
Special:You must have 10 levels in the anointed heritor class before selecting this anointment.


Anointed Channeling (Ex): You can spend 1 guidance point to make your channeled heroes' abilities count as extraordinary rather than supernatural, thus they cannot be dispelled and they work even in an antimagic field, until the end of the current round. Anointed channeling does not require an action, but you can only use it once per round (provided that you have guidance points to spend). You can use this ability while being flat footed.
Special:You must have 10 levels in the anointed heritor class before selecting this anointment.


Anointed Resistance (Ex): Before making a save roll you can spend 1 guidance point to on a successful save not take damage from spells or effects that normally do half damage on a successful save. Anointed Resistance does not require an action, and you can use it as often as you wish during your turn or others' turns (provided that you have guidance points to spend). This ability doesn't stack with evasion nor mettle.
Special:You must have anointed grace before selecting this anointment.


Anointed Intervention (Su): Before using an ability granted by an ancestral hero you can spend 1 guidance point to to use it without incurring its normal waiting time. Anointed hero does not require an action, and you can use it as often as you wish during your turn or others' turns (provided that you have guidance points to spend), but most ancestral's heroes abilities do require actions.
Special:You must have 18 levels in the anointed heritor class before selecting this anointment.


Anointed hero (Su): Before using an ability granted by an ancestral hero you can spend 1 guidance point to gain an offering point. Anointed hero does not require an action, and you can use it as often as you wish during your turn or others' turns (provided that you have guidance points to spend). Offering points acquired in this manner lasts until the start of your next turn. Investing offering points can be done as part of an action (if the action takes an immediate or swift action) or as a swift action otherwise.
Special:You must have 18 levels in the anointed heritor class before selecting this anointment.


Anointed heritage: You might gain any [heritor] feat as a bonus feat. An anointed heritor must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including ability score and base attack bonus minimums.
Special:If you select this anointment at level 2 you can select 1st level only [heritor] feats. You cannot select this anointment more than three times.


Ancestral Channeling (Su): Anointed heritors strive to achieve perfection, soon they can not only do some simple heroic deeds but in the same manner of the ancestral heroes did before them they can realize feats of true power. This draw them closer to the heroes, and most anointed heritors believe that they are in fact channeling their souls into reality. At third level you can only channel your patron hero, but you can learn new heroes at every subsequent level. Once you learn to channel a hero you gain its associated skill as class skill. While you are channeling a hero you have access to its abilities, that can be enhanced using offering points or boons. You can make offerings and boons with the heroes that you channel as described below. At 10th level you can channel two heroes at once, at level 15th you can channel three heroes at once and at level 20th you can channel four heroes at once. Ancestral heroes are bound to your soul and they cannot be targeted or expelled by any means except by using the ancestral repentance class ability, described below, nor can they be suppressed except by an antimagic field or similar effect.
To channel a hero you must perform a private ritual every morning, this is similar to a wizard preparing spells and you can do so only once per day after a good night's rest. You must anoint yourself with clean water and oils while meditating for an hour to be able to channel heroes.


All powers granted by heroes are supernatural in origin, even if they replicate spells, powers or abilities that are not normally considered magical.
Supernatural abilities are magical and thus suppressed in an antimagic field.
Supernatural abilities cannot be dispelled.
Unless they deal damage supernatural abilities affect incorporeal creatures normally. A supernatural ability has a 50% chance not to affect an incorporeal target if the source of the ability is corporeal.
Using a supernatural ability does not provoke attacks of opportunity unless otherwise noted.
Using a supernatural ability is a standard action unless otherwise noted.
Some of the supernatural abilities granted by heroes provide constant benefits once activated. If the duration of a particular effect is not stated or implied by the ability description assume it constant. In case those abilities get suppressed they can be resumed as a free action.
Supernatural abilities don't have somatic or verbal components, but certain requirements might apply to the use of individual granted abilities.
Supernatural abilities are neither arcane nor divine. Thus no spell failure applies to the use of hero-granted abilities by an armored anointed heritor, even when those abilities mimic spells.
An anointed heritor shows no outward sign when using a granted ability, unless the ability description specifies that he must concentrate, or the use of the ability would be obvious based on its description (such as becoming a werewolf)
When subjected to a supernatural ability that requires a saving throw but has no obvious effect, the target feels a hostile force or tingle but does not necessarily know the source or the nature of the attack.
Effects created by the anointed heritor's supernatural abilities end when the anointed heritor uses again the ability that caused them (there cannot be two identical effects at once being caused by a single anointed heritor), if the anointed heritor switches his offering points from (or to) the ability that caused the effect, the anointed heritor stops channeling the hero that granted them, or if the anointed heritor dies while channeling.
The difficulty class for a saving throw against a hero's granted abilities is 10 + 1/2 anointed heritor level + anointed heritor's Cha modifier.
Abilities that duplicate feats grant the benefit of the feat even if the anointed heritor doesn't qualify for the feat. Abilities granted by heroes that duplicate feats cannot be used for meeting prerequisites.


Offerings (Su): At some points annointed heroes receive a whisper of inspiration from their heroes, in those moments they are able to do feats as if they had been doing those for they whole life, through offerings from the ancestral heroes anointed heritors can reach their true potential. You gain access to a small reserve of offerings, which can be invested into individual abilities granted by your channeled ancestral heroes to increase their power. Your offerings reserve's size is shown on the table above, your offering capacity is shown on the table below. As a swift action, you can reallocate your offerings investments in any ability granted by the ancestral heroes that you are channeling every round.

Favor of the patron (Su): Even if the anointed heritor will gain knowledge of other heroes its patron will always have a bigger hold on its soul. While channeling the patron hero, you can invest one more offering point in your patron's heroes abilities.

Ancestral Skills (Ex): As distinctive as heroes combat capabilities their heroic deeds of skill are not far behind, soon the anointed heritors learn to tap into the memories and deeds of their forebearers to emulate them. Whenever you start channeling a hero, or more, you can designate a number of class skills (gained from levels in the anointed heritor class) or the associated skills from any hero that you are channeling equal to your charisma bonus (if any). For the duration of the channeling you can make skill checks using your anointed heritor level in place of the number of ranks you have in that skill (even if the number is 0). You can make "trained only" checks but you can't take 10 using ancestral skills (you need to use your actual ranks to take 10).

Boons (Su): Some of the abilities available to the ancestral heroes are not something that most people could dream off but the anointed heritor can reach to the heroes and access to some of their knowledge. You can get a boon from any hero that you are channeling. Unlike offerings boons are almost permanent and last for as long as you channel the ancestral hero. At 12th level and again at 18th level you gain an additional boon.

Anointed recovery (Su): As the ancestral heroes inhabit your body you become harder to stop and prone to realize heroic deeds more often. You can expend a move action to recover one guidance point. You can expend as many move actions as you have, earning an equal number of guidance points. At 13th level you can choose to expend a swift action to recover one guidance point. At 15th level you can expend a full round action to recover half your guidance points (rounded up). At 19th level you recover two guidance points per expended move action (or swift action).

Ancestral feat (Ex): Your soul infused with the essence of heroes before you is able to emulate abilities not normally accessible through the ancestral heroes abilities. You gain a bonus feat. The ancestral heroes are known for their heroic deeds, you cannot choose a feat with the following descriptors [divine], , [metamagic], [metapsionic], [psionic item creation feats] or [wild]. You must meet the prerequisites for this feat. Additionally if you choose any [heritor] feat you can use the effective ranks granted by your ancestral skills ability as if they were true ranks (only for the purpose of meeting prerequisites). Whenever you start channeling a new hero you can choose to change your bonus feat to any other feat for which you meet the prerequisites. At 16th level you gain a second bonus feat that you can also choose to change whenever you change your channeled heroes.

Ancestral tactics (Su): [i]Your mastery of the ancestral heroes allows you to switch and channel different heroes if it would fit the situation. You can change your ancestral heroes, ancestral skills and ancestral feats picking new choices. Using ancestral repentance takes 1 minute and provokes attacks of opportunity. You can use this ability 1/day at 9th level and 2/day at 18th level.

Boon Mastery (Su): The knowledge of yours heroes abilities, allows you to forsake some skills to excel on others. As a full round action you can stop benefiting from one of your channeled hero's abilities, if you do so you gain a Boon that you have to invest immediately in another of that hero's abilities. This ability lasts until you choose to stop it, expending a swift action.

Ancestral exaltment (Su): At the end of the journey the hero cannot only inspire itself but inspire those around himself to become heroes. With a enormous effort of will you can briefly enlighten one creature with one of the heroes that you are currently channeling so the target benefits from its effects. At 20th level as a full round action you can choose one of your ancestral heroes, you are still considered to be channeling said hero, and the effects of its abilities on you don't end when you use ancestral exaltment but you cannot use them until the end of this ability. One target, that you designate and is not further than 30 feet away, gets the benefits of channeling the hero. The target gets a WILL safe if unwilling (DC 10+1/2 anointed heritor level + CHA bonus) but otherwise can use the heroes abilities as normal during its next turn. The effects of this class ability last until the start of your next turn, and no abilities initiated by a hero while being channeled during the ancestral exaltment can last further, for example, if the hero shared is Nightthirster the creature that receives its abilities can use black candle but the darkness effect would last until the start of your next turn.

----

Offering points capacity: Every character who is able to channel heroes can invest offerings in their abilities, provided they have offering points. The offering point capacity of the heroes is based on HD.

Offerings capacity
{table=head]HD|Offerings capacity
1-5|1
6-11|2
12-17|3
18-20|4[/table]

[God Imperror]

http://www.raymondswanland.com/Images/MagicTheGathering%20Gallery/Banefire.jpg
Hear my desire. Fear my fire.

Ancestral Heroes

Night Thirster
Background: Every community fears death, the end, the abyss, the final embrace. The stories of the Night Thirster are grit and dark, for his tales are tales of fear and death. Shrouded in darkness with silent steps the Night Thirster is never clearly depicted, and might be one of the most alien of the ancestral heroes. Not all the stories of the Night Thirster are sad though, death comes to all, and many celebrate the deaths of tyrants, conquerors or other unlikable characters.
Associated skill: Hide
Associated save: Reflex
Abilities:
Night's caress: This is exactly like the rogue sneak attack ability. You deal 1d6 extra damage, plus another 1d6 per offering point invested.
Shadow shroud: You don't leave a trail and you cannot be tracked by scent. Any offering point invested grants you a cumulative 10% chance of deflecting ranged attacks.
Black candle: You can use darkness as a supernatural ability once every five rounds with a CL equal to your Anointed Heritor level. Each offering point invested increases the effective spell level by one to determine the light spells that it can counter.
Boons
Night's caress: You become more precise with your sneak attacks, you can reroll any result of 1 on the dice. Any offering point invested increases the range at which you can use your night's caress sneak attack by 10'.
Shadow shroud: You gain a bonus on saves towards divination spells equal to your CHA bonus additionally if you make a save against a divination spell you are automatically aware of it. Any offering point invested allows you to snatch any projectile weapon that gets deflected by your shadow shroud to a maximum of one per offering point invested, thrown weapons can immediately be thrown back at the original attacker (even though it isn’t your turn) or kept for later use.
Black candle: As long as you are at least 10' away from shadows you can attempt Hide checks while being observed, just as if you had cover or concealment for the purpose of this determination. Any offering point invested grants you a +1 on Hide checks and Move silently checks while you are at least 10' from shadows.

Storm Cloak
Background: Storms have always been a constant through recorded history and it is understandable that the tribes of old revered them as holy symbols. The Storm Cloak might be a lightning god of ages past or just a common trait of the gods of tempest. In stories he always appear cloaked in stormy clouds and releasing lightning bolts over its enemies.
Associated skill: Move Silently
Associated save: Fortitude
Abilities:
Storm breath: You can breath water as well as air. For every offering point invested you can hold your breath for an additional round.
Steam mist: You can use obscuring mist as a supernatural ability but it covers an area with 10' feet radius it lasts for only a minute and once it gets dispelled or dispersed you have to wait five rounds before using it again. You can expand the cloud 5' per offering point invested.
Lightning bolt: You can infuse ammunition with electricity. Any ranged weapon you fire deals an extra 1d6 of lightning damage plus 1d6 extra damage per offering point invested.
Boons
Storm breath: You don't need to breath for a minute, before using this ability again you need to wait five rounds with one less round per offering point invested.
Steam mist: Any enemy inside your mist must attempt a WILL safe or become shaken, this effect doesn't stack with itself, for as long as they remain inside the area of the steam mist plus one round any point of offering invested in this ability increases the duration of the shaken condition for an extra round per offering point. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.
Lightning bolt: As a standard action you can make your bolt ricochet to an adjacent target after striking. If you invest offering points it can ricochet to a creature farther away, 5' per offering point invested.

Dancing Fire
Background: Most stories were told around campfires. Not only stories but homes and communities were built around the access to fire. Fire could be revered in itself or as a symbol. Dancing Fire stories always start and end with fire for it is a symbol of ineffable perfection, of personal progress and healing.
Associated skill: Iaijutsu focus
Associated save: Fortitude
Abilities:
Phoenixian embrace: Whenever you attack an enemy character you recover 2 HP. For every offering point invested in this ability you recover two additional HP.
Rising ember: You gain the benefit of the quick draw feat, additionally investing offering points in this ability grants you a +1 bonus to initiative.
Inspiring dance: You can inspire courage in your allies (including yourself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be within 30 feet and able to see you. The effect lasts for as long as you dance (you expend a move action every round), and you must wait five rounds before using it again. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. Investing offering points in this ability increases the bonuses and the duration by 1.
Boons:
Phoenixian embrace: You and an ally (no further than 30 feet away from you) receive the healing of phoenixian embrace. You gain fire resistance 5 for every offering point invested in this ability.
Rising ember: You can seath any one weapon that you have drawn with a swift action. You gain a +2 bonus to iaijutsu focus per offering point invested.
Inspiring dance: The extra damage of your inspiring dance becomes half fire and half divine power (in case of an odd number round it up for fire damage, and down for divine damage), that is not subject to reduction. For every offering point invested the affected allies gain an extra 1d6 of damage (half fire, half divine).

Wind Rider
Background: When the first communities started animals contributed to the labor. One of the most revered through history was the horse. Wind Rider's stories are tales of speed, courage and loneliness. He rides a horse faster than the wind itself, a horse that might ride through ages and time.
Associated skill: Ride
Associated save: Reflex
Abilities:
Bloodhound: You gain track as a bonus feat. For every offering point invested you gain a +2 bonus to survival checks.
Rider: You gain mounted combat as a bonus feat. Investing offering points in this ability grants extra uses of the feat, one per point.
Palemare: You can summon a light war horse (see MM I pg. 274) or a war pony (see MM I pg. 277) if you are small. For every offering point invested you gain a +2 to ride checks.
Boons:
Bloodhound: You gain scent as an extraordinary ability within 15 feet. If you invest offering points in this ability it range is extended by 5 feet per point.
Rider: While mounted you gain the benefit of trample feat. Investing points in this ability confers your mount a +1 to hit when using its trample attack per offering point invested.
Palemare: Your mount gains the benefit of a paladin's special mount of your effective anointed hero level. If you invest offering points the speed of your mount increases by 5 feet per point invested.

Moon Wolf
Background: The inner beast has haunted stories since ages of old. The vile needs inside each living being can turn a creature mad. The Moon Wolf is a hunter in tune with its feral self, it can turn into a wolf and call for nature's aid. Stories of the Moon Wolf sometimes tingle with nostalgia, missing the wild hunt.
Associated skill: Handle animal
Associated save: Fortitude
Abilities:
Savage: You gan Wild empathy as a Druid or Ranger of your Anointed Heritor level. Investing offering points in this ability grants you a +2 bonus to Handle animal checks per point invested.
Wolfskin: You can use Aspect of the wolf (spell compendium) as an spell-like ability with a caster level equal to your anointed heritor level. You must wait five rounds before using this ability again. While you use your wolfskin ability you gain a +2 bonus to survival checks per offering point invested.
Wolf spirit: You can summon a wolf (see MM I pg. 283). For every point invested your wolf spirit gains +1 bonus to hit.
Boons:
Savage: You are permanently under the effect of a speak with animals spell effective caster level equal to your Anointed Heritor level. If it gets dispelled you can resume it as a swift action. While adjacent to your wolf spirit you gain a +2 dodge to AC per offering point invested.
Wolfskin: You can use Bite of the werewolf (spell compendium) as an spell-like ability with a caster level equal to your anointed heritor level. You must wait five rounds before using this ability again. While you use your wolfskin ability you gain DR 1/Silver for every offering point invested.
Wolf spirit: Your wolf gains the benefit of a ranger's animal companion of your effective anointed hero level. If you invest offering points your wolf spirit gains a +1 bonus to trip checks per point invested.

Sword Master
Background: Sword Master is the archetypal hero. Sword Master is simple, easy to grasp, he confronts the dark overlord, he leads, and he triumphs. There is always hope in the path of the Sword Master even when fighting the hulking giant he does so with confidence and courage.
Associated skill: Martial lore
Associated save: Reflex
Abilities:
Sublime sword: You may designate any one weapon at the time of channeling, you can treat that weapon as your sublime sword, it might be treated as a discipline weapon for any martial discipline that you have access to. In addition you gain any single first level maneuver. You gain +1 bonus to hit per offering point invested as long as you are using your sublime sword.
Commanding aura: You and your allies within 20 feet gain +2 to attack while flanking. This bonus increases by one per offering point invested.
Fast pace: You or one of your allies within your commanding aura can move up to your respective maximum speeds as move action, you can only use this ability once every five rounds. If you invest offering points in this ability your target ignores one square of difficult terrain per offering point invested.
Boons:
Sublime sword: You gain any single maneuver, you must meet the initiator level requirement though you don't need to meet any other prerequisites, selected from the discipline from which you choose the first level maneuver through Sublime sword ability, you can make a Martial lore check instead of any skill check requested by the maneuver, you can use this maneuver once every five rounds. In addition you gain +1 bonus to damage per offering point invested as long as you are using the sublime sword.
Commanding aura: None of your allies, yourself included, within your aura is considered flanked unless you all are flanked. Similarly none of you are considered flat footed unless you all are flat footed. Investing offering points increases the range of your aura by 5 feet.
Fast pace: The targets of your fast pace ability also gain freedom of movement while they move. For every offering point invested you can select an extra target.

Laughing Fool
Background: Oh, the Laughing Fool. If there is a weird hero it is the Laughing Fool, never invited to parties and banquets but always there. Tales of the Laughing Fool are as many as his pranks. His motives are always hard to tell, but he seems to defeat his opponents with wits, disguise and surprise. And whatever he is trying to achieve he is on his way.
Associated skill: Bluff
Associated save: Reflex
Abilities:
Changing visage: You can use disguise self as the spell as a full round action, the effects of this ability last until you choose to dismiss it (free action). For every offering point invested in this ability creatures need to interact with you an extra round before being entitled to a Will save to recognize the illusion.
Mask of unknown: You are constantly under the effect of undetectable alignment if anyhow this effect gets dispelled you can renew it as a free action, this last for as long as you channel the laughing fool. You ignore any alignment prerequisites when choosing feats (not prestige classes). For every offering point invested you gain a +2 to bluff checks.
Surprise attack: You gain improved feint as a bonus feat even if you don't meet the prerequisites. Once every five rounds you can feint as a swift action. For every offering point invested you gain a +2 to hit after the feint.
Boons:
Changing visage: You can alter the magical aura of yourself and any item that you carry as if using magic aura. If the item leaves your possession it loses this property in five rounds. For every offering point invested in this abilty you can gain a +1 bonus to any single ability related to your current disguise. For example if you disguise as a tough bouncer you can gain a bonus to intimidate, while disguising as a witty investigator could grant you a bonus to gather information.
Mask of unknown: You chan choose to change your effective alignment as a free action, in addition you aren't harmed by spells or abilities that harm those with opposed alignment or that rely in alignment for doing damage. You gain 2hp per offering point invested in this ability every time that you are targeted by any spell or ability that relies on alignment.
Surprise attack: Whenever you feint that target becomes flat footed until the start of its next turn. Opponents that can't be caught flat-footed, such as characters who have uncanny dodge, cannot be affected by this ability. For every offering point invested when you attack flat footed targets you gain a +1 bonus to confirm critical hits.

Battle Lord
Background: Stories are written by the victors. Warriors of old expanded tales of conquest and plunder. The Battle Lord is the epitome of the conqueror. He never accepts a defeat, he never stops, his strikes tear the ground and make the heavens cry. Not all stories agree if he is a hero or a villain but they all conclude that he is strong.
Associated skill: Perform (Weapon drill)
Associated save: Fortitude
Abilities:
Battle power: You gain power attack as a bonus feat. In addition you might treat your anointed heritor levels as fighter levels in order to qualify for [fighter] feats. You might treat [fighter] feats as [heritor] feats. For every offering point invested in this ability you gain 2 temporary HP (up to a maximum of twice the penalty taken) when using battle power. This temporary HP last until the beginning of your next turn.
Spell cutter: Once every five rounds as an immediate you can replace a reflex save against a spell with a perform (weapon drill) check, as this is a skill check you don't automatically fail on a one. The DC for the check is the same that the original effect would have. Investing offering points in this ability grants you a bonus on perform (weapon drill) equal to the number of points invested.
Combat resolve: You can fight without penalty while disabled or dying, you still die if you reach -10 HP. If you are below 0HP you gain a +1 insight bonus to STR per offering point invested in this ability.
Boons:
Battle power: When using your battle power ability you gain +1 to damage per every 5 points of penalty that you take to your base attack bonus. For every offering point invested in this ability you might apply one point of the penalty to AC instead of to BAB (up to a maximum of the penalty taken) when using battle power. This penalty last until the beginning of your next turn.
Spell cutter: You can use your spell cutter ability against abilities that grant a save but are not spells or spell like abilities (such as a dragon's breath attack). Investing offering points in this abilities grant allies (but not yourself) a +1 per offering point invested to saves against the effects that you successfully "cut" with spell cutter.
Combat resolve: If you are killed by hit point damage (you end below -10 HP) you don't die for a round (If at the end of your next turn you are still below -10 HP you die). You gain fast healing 2 while below 0 hp per offering point invested in this ability.

God Speaker
Background: Stories of the God Speaker are more recent than those of most Ancestral Heroes. Several anointed heritors believe that it was one of their own who became the hero known as the God Speaker through faith and dedication to the ancestral heroes. Stories of the God Speaker focus on the power of words and knowledge.
Associated skill: Truespeak
Associated save: Fortitude
Abilities:
Lore: You have a wide range of stray knowledge. This ability is identical to the bard's bardic knowledge class feature, using the anointed heritor's class level in place of the bard level. For every offering point invested in this ability you gain a +1 to any knowledge check made for identifying creatures.
Voice of the gods: Choose a 1st level utterance from the lexicon of the evolving mind, you can make truespeak checks to use that utterance as normal. For every offering point invested in this ability you gain a +2 to truespeak checks.
Forbidden knowledge: You can use omen of peril as the spell with a chance of receiving an accurate answer of 70%. You cannot use this ability again until the event of the omen has taken place. Investing offering points in this ability increases the chances of a good answer by 4% per offering point invested.
Boons:
Lore: You gain knowledge devotion as a bonus feat. For every offering point invested when making a knowledge check to identify a creature you learn some of the strengths and vulnerabilities of the creature as per the know opponent spell, you learn a strength or a vulnerability (your choosing) per point invested.
Voice of the gods: Choose an additional 1st or 2nd level utterance from the lexicon of the evolving mind, you can make truespeak checks to use that utterance as normal. For every offering point invested in this ability you gain an additional +1 (total of +3) to truespeak checks.
Forbidden knowledge: Once every five rounds, as an immediate action you can gain +5 competence bonus to any skill check. You gain +1 to knowledge (religion) per offering point invested in this ability.

Swift Talon
Background: The wind carries stories on raven wings. An ancestral culture believed that birds were responsible for the knowledge on the world. Stories of bird-like gods probably inspired the legend of Swift Talon for its stories are filled with inventive discoveries.
Associated skill: Knowledge (nature)
Associated save: Reflex
Abilities:
Talons: You are constantly under the effect of a claws of the beast power, in effect you gain two claw attacks, those claw attacks deal damage appropriate for your size (1d4 for medium creatures, 1d3 for small creatures). Investing offering points in this ability increases the damage die of your claws as if you had invested more power points when manifesting this power, increasing the damage one step in the table of page 84 from the expanded psionic handbook.
Hatchling: You can summon a bird to aid you, this can be an eagle (see MM I pg. 274), a hawk (see MM I pg. 273), an owl (see MM pg. 277), or a raven (see MM I pg. 278). The bird can communicate with you through sensations (as if you shared an empathic link, see familiar sidebar PHB pg. 53). The Hatchling doesn't gain HD but it is considered to have as many HD as your anointed heritor's level for the purpose of effects related to the number of Hit Dice. You and your Hatchling gain +1 to spot and listen checks while adjacent.
Eagle's eye: You can use bend perspective as the mystery with a range of 25 feet. Once the effect ends, before using this ability again you have to wait for five rounds. For every offering point that you invest in this ability you can use it to see 5 feet further.
Boon:
Talons: You can make iterative attacks with one of your claws. For every offering point invested you gain a +1 to attack rolls when using the claws.
Hatchling: You can communicate with your hatchling as if you shared a language. Other creatures cannot understand the communication without magical help. For every offering point invested in this ability you increase the intelligence of your hatchling by 1.
Eagle's eye: You can use share husk as the spell (spell compendium) but only with your hatchling, once the effect ends you have to wait for five rounds before using it again. For every offering point invested in this ability you can start this ability from 5 feet further (instead of touch).

Wrath
Background: Wrath is simply and blind, drenched in red few things stop the primal ancestral hero. Believed to be one of the oldest, if not the oldest, Wrath doesn't care much for himself or for those who stand on his way. Tales of Wrath are simple and always leave bloodshed.
Associated skill: Intimidate
Associated save: Fortitude
Abilities:
Primal speed: You gain +10 feet to your land speed. Every offering point invested in this ability increases your land speed by 5 extra feet.
Wild charge: You gain pounce, becoming able to make a full attack at the end of a charge. If you invest offering points in this ability you gain +1 bonus to AC against attacks of opportunity that you provoke while you charge.
Wrath: This ability functions as the barbarian's rage class feature, but the rage only lasts for 5 rounds and you have to wait five rounds after ending it before using it again. Every offering point invested in this ability grants you a +1 bonus to WILL saves while your Wrath ability is in effect.
Boons:
Primal speed: You ignore the first 10 feet of difficult terrain as if you had the scout's flawless stride class feature. For every offering point in this ability you ignore 10 extra feet of difficult terrain.
Wild charge: You are constantly under the effect of a crab walk spell. For every offering point invested in this ability you can make an extra attack at the end of the charge (from those normally available to you) using the bonuses provided by crab walk.
Wrath:You do not become fatigued after using your wrath ability. Investing offering points in this ability increases the duration of your wrath, one round per offering point invested.

Truth Seeker
Background: Wherever there is evil the Truth Seeker brings good. Wherever there is evil the Truth Seeker brings evil. Wherever there is chaos the Truth Seeker brings law. Wherever there is law the Truth Seeker brings chaos. Stories of the Truth Seeker are always convuloted he seems to always be in the loosing side. His ulterior motives are hard to tell for he has appeared only a few times through history but some anointed heroes believe that he ultimately is a champion of balance.
Associated skill: Sense Motive
Associated save: Fortitude
Abilities:
Know foe: You can detect opposition, if you are evil, you can detect good as the spell at will, if you are good, you can detect evil as the spell at will, if you are lawful neutral, you can detect chaos as the spell at will, if you are chaotic neutral, you can detect law as the spell at will. If you are neutral you can choose one alignment to detect. Investing offering points in this ability grants you a +2 bonus to sense motive check.
Smite opposition: You add your Charisma bonus (if any) to your attack rolls against creatures with an alignment opposed to yours. Additionally Once every five rounds you can make a smite attack as a standard action, dealing 1 extra point of damage per two anointed heritor level. These bonuses apply only against creatures whose alignment opposes at least one component of yours—a lawful good anointed smites chaotic and evil foes (any creature whose alignment includes either chaos or evil), while a chaotic good anointed heritor smites lawful and evil foes. If you are neutral, you can choose to oppose law, chaos, good or evil, this alignment must be the same that you can detect with know foe. If you accidentally smite a creature of the wrong alignment, the smite has no effect. Investing points in this ability increases the damage that you deal by 2 points per offering points invested.
Turn undeath: You can turn undead as a cleric, your effective cleric level is your anointed heritor level -3. You can use this ability once every ive rounds, you might not use to power [divine] nor [devotion] feats. Investing offering points in his ability grants you a +2 to knowledge (religion) checks per offering point invested.
Boons:
Know foe: You are surrounded by a zone of truth aura that extends 10 feet from you. For every offering point invested your zone of truth aura extends 5 feet further.
Smite opposition: Your smite attack counts as good if you are smiting evil, lawful if you are smiting chaos, evil if you are smiting good, and chaotic if you are smiting law. For every offering point invested in this ability your smite ignores 1 point of DR (except of DR/- or DR/Epic) that your target might have.
Turn undeath: Your turn attempts are considered greater turnings as if you had the sun domain. For every offering point in this ability you gain a +1 bonus to turning checks.

Meteor Angel
Background:
Associated skill: Tumble
Associated save: Reflex
Abilities:
Sting: This is exactly like the scout skirmish ability. You deal 1d6 extra damage, plus another 1d6 per offering point invested.
Light steps: You can fly up to 10 feet (good maneuverability) as a move action once per round. You must end the flight solidly supported or you fall. For every offering point you can move 10 feet further when using light steps.
Comet strike: You gain the benefits of flyby attack feat. You gain +1 to attack while flying per offering point invested in this ability.
Boons:
Sting: After moving you may use your charisma modifier instead of your Strength or Dexterity modifier on attack rolls. For every offering point invested in this ability you gain +1 to AC when moving.
Light steps: When using your light steps ability you fly with perfect maneuverability. For every offering point invested in this ability you gain a +2 bonus to tumble checks.
Comet strike: . You gain the benefits of the improved flyby attack feat, in addition if you can normally make more than one attack, due to multiple natural weapons or a high enough base attack bonus you can make two attacks (of those available to you) as a standard action when using comet strike. In addition you gain +1 to damage while flying per offering point invested.

Roaring Dragon
Background:
Associated skill: Knowledge (arcana)
Associated save: Reflex
Abilities:
Dragon Hold: You gain the benefits of the improved grapple feat. For every offering point invested in your dragon hold you gain a +1 to your bite attacks.
Roaring Maw: You gain a bite attack. This bite attack deals 1d6 (if you are medium). Investing offering points in this ability increases the damage by 1d6 per offering point.
Multifaceted skin: Once every five rounds, as an immediate action, you can cover your skin with the colors of true dragons, gaining energy resistance (you can choose to resist, fire, cold, electricity or acid) 5, plus an extra 5 points of energy resistance by offering point invested in this ability.
Boons:
Dragon Hold: You gain the benefits of improved grab when making attacks with your bite attack, in addition if you grapple an enemy with your bite attack you can, as a standard action, deal bite damage every round. For every offering point you can grab a creature one size bigger using dragon hold.
Dragon Maw: You gain a breath weapon attack. This breath weapon deals 2d6 fire damage in 15ft cone or 30ft line (choose each time you use this ability). Investing offering points in this ability increases the damage by 1d6 per offering point.
Multifaceted skin: After using multifaceted skin you deal +1 point of damage (the damage type is the one that you resisted with multifaceted skin) for every 5 points of damage resisted. In addition you can make your dragon maw breath weapon do the same damage as the damage resisted. This effect lasts for a round, plus one extra round per offering point invested, multiple uses of this ability do not stack.

Rock Shield
Background:
Associated skill: Balance
Associated save: Fortitude
Abilities:
Shieldbearer: You may make an off-hand attack with your shield while retaining the shield’s AC bonus for that round. For every offering point invested in this ability you gain +1 to attack and +1 to shield AC.
Wall of rock: Once every five rounds as an immediate action, you can grant an AC bonus to an adjacent ally equal to your shield’s AC bonus + 4. You apply this bonus in response to a single melee or ranged attack that targets your ally. For every offering point invested in this ability adjacent allies gain +1 to AC.
Fast shield: While fighting defensively, or using combat expertise, you do not take the standard penalties to Attacks of opportunity. In addition you apply your shield bonus to your touch AC. For every offering point invested in this ability you gain +1 on checks or rolls to resist bull rush, disarm, grapple, overrun or trip attempts against you.
Boons:
Shieldbearer: If you hit with your shieldbearer ability, you momentarily distract your opponent, who cannot make attacks of opportunity until the start of your next turn. For every offering point invested the target of your shieldbearer ability takes a -1 on attack rolls, until the start of your next turn, unless he targets you with those attacks.
Wall of rock: Once every five rounds you can protect, yourself or an ally, from the next attack. All variable numeric effects of the next power, psi-like ability, spell or spell-like ability that affects you (or your ally) before the end of your next turn is decreased to its minimum possible. Investing offering points in this ability grants you and your adjacent allies a +1 on reflex saves.
Fast shield: Enemies that hit you in melee provoke attacks of opportunity, you cannot make more attacks of opportunity that you are normally allowed and you take a -5 on the attack roll. For every offering point invested in this ability you lessen the penalty on the attack roll by 1.

Magic Soul
Background:
Associated skill: Autohypnosis
Associated save: Fortitude
Abilities:
Power of spirit: Choose any 1st level psionic power you can use it with a manifester level equal to half your anointed heritor level (minimum 1), in addition you gain 2 power points. For every offering point invested in this ability you gain 1 additional temporary power point.
Magic attack: Once every five rounds you can use magic missile as the spell, with a caster level equal to your anointed heritor level. For every offering point invested in this ability you gain +1 on checks to beat the SR with your Magic attack.
Focus: You can recover your psionic focus as a move action instead of a standard action. For every offering point invested in this ability you gain +2 to Autohypnosis checks.
Boons:
Power of spirit: Choose any 1st or 2nd level psionic power you can use it with a manifester level equal to half your anointed heritor level. For every offering point invested in this ability your manifester level when manifesting powers granted by power of spirit increases by 2.
Magic attack: Once every five rounds you can use battle ram as the spell, with a caster level equal to your anointed heritor level. For every offering point invested in this ability you gain +1 to damage with magic attack.
Focus: You can expend your psionic focus to recover one guidance point. For every offering point invested in this ability you recover an additional guidance point when using this ability.

Legend Craft
Background:
Associated skill: Disable device
Associated save: Reflex
Abilities:
Crafter eyes: You gain trapfinding as a rogue, in addition you can make disable device and open lock checks untrained. Investing offering points in this ability grants you a +2 bonus on disable device checks and open lock checks per offering point invested.
Sense magic: You can use a detect magic effect as the spell, at will with a range of 10 feet. For every offering point invested in this ability the range of your sense magic ability increases by 10 feet.
Artisan's touch: You can use master's touch once every five rounds, it lasts for a minute or when you drop the item. For every offering point invested in this ability the hardness of your selected item increases by 2.
Boons:
Crafter eyes: You can make disable device checks or open lock checks as a swift action. Investing offering points in this ability increases your reflex save by 1 and your AC by 1 to resist attacks made by traps.
Sense magic: As a standard action you can make a touch attack that deals no damage but has a chance to temporarily suppress a magic item that the target might have. Unless you choose a specific item held or worn by the target (such as “the sword he holds” or “his bracers”), you affect magic items in the following order: shield, armor, helmet, item in hand, cloak, stowed or sheathed weapon, bracers, clothing, jewelry (including rings), and anything remaining.
To suppress the item, you must succeed on an anointed heritor level check (1d20 + your anointed heritor level) against a DC of 11 + the magic item's caster level. Success means that the item's magical properties are suppressed for 1 minute. For every offering point invested in this ability the item is suppressed for another minute.
Artisan's touch: When you use your Artisan's touch ability if you use it on a weapon you can apply Weapon Augmentation, Personal as the infusion, it lasts for a minute or for as long as you hold the weapon. If you use it on a shield you can apply Armor Augmentation, Lesser as the infusion, it lasts for a minute or for as long as you hold the shield. Investing offering points in this ability expands its duration by 1 minute per offering point.

Ill Father
Background:
Associated skill: Heal
Associated save: Fortitude
Abilities:
Poisoner:You never risk poisoning yourself when applying a poison. For every offering point invested in this ability the DC for resisting the effects of any poison you apply increases by one.
Resistant: You are immune to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases (such as mummy rot and lycanthropy). Investing offering points in this ability grants you a +2 bonus to heal skill checks.
Final caress: Once every five rounds as a standard action you can force any poisoned creature adjacent to you that has not yet attempted its saving throw against the poison's secondary effect must do so immediately. (This takes the place of the saving throw at the end of the normal poison duration.) Investing offering points in this ability allows you to use it further, extending its range 5' per offering point invested.
Boons:
Rotting blood:You can exude a poisonous blood as an immediate action, this works as an injury poison that deals 1 point of attribute damage, selected when you start channeling Illfather, as primary damage and 1d4 of that attribute as secondary damage 10 rounds later. You can coat any one weapon you are holding as part of the action to exude it. You are immune to your own poison, other creatures must make a fortitude save DC (10 + 1/2 your anointed heritor level + your charisma modifier). For every offering point invested in this ability increase by 1 the primary damage of your Rotting blood and 1d4 its secondary damage.
Resistant Once every five rounds when you succeed on a fortitude save against a poison you heal a number of hit points of damage equal to your Charisma bonus. Investing offering points in this ability grants you a +1 bonus to saves against poisons.
Final caress: When using your Final caress ability if the secondary effect of the poison deals damage it deals an extra point of damage per die of damage it normally would deal (i.e. if it would normally deal 3d6 it now deals 3d6+3). Investing offering points in this ability allows you to use it 1 more target, as long as they are in range, per offering point invested.

[God Imperror]

http://www.raymondswanland.com/Images/Illustration%20Gallery/Tyranny.jpg
I am all those before me.

Feats for the Anointed heritor*
*some feats have associated hero skills as prerequisites, for selecting those feats a character has to have that certain number of skill ranks in the particular associated ability of the hero (for example if a character wants to get heroic master (Night Thirster) he needs to have 4 ranks in Hide)

Heritor feats
All Heritor feats have the patron hero ability as a prerequisite. Thus they are limited to characters with levels in the Anointed heritor class. Additionally high level Anointed heritors may benefit easily from [heritor] feats using its ancestral feat class ability.

Heroic Master [Heroic]
Prerequisite: ability to channel a hero, knowledge (history) 9, hero's associated skill 4
Benefit: You permanently bond yourself to a hero. You cannot stop channeling said hero, it still counts as a channeled hero. The number of offering points that you can invest on your heroic master abilities increases by one.
Special: You may take this feat a second time, you still need to meet the associated skill requirement. This feat may not be selected with the ancestral feat class feature, nor with similar abilities that grant temporary feats.

[B]Dual patronage [Heritor]
Prerequisite: Patron hero class feature, knowledge (history) 4
Benefit: You can select another ancestral hero as a secondary patron hero, you gain its associated class skill, its associated weapon proficiency and a +2 bonus to its associated save. In addition you consider your secondary patron hero as your patron hero when qualifying for feats.
Special: You may select this feat only as a 1st level character. You can only select this feat once.

Anointment [Heritor]
Prerequisite: Patron hero class feature, anointment, knowledge (history) 6
Benefit: You gain an extra anointment, for which you meet the prerequisites.
Special: You can take this feat up to three times.


Level 1 feats

Shadow Forged [Heritor]
Prerequisite: Patron hero class feature, must have selected Night Thirster as a patron hero, hide 4
Benefit: You gain the ability to see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even that created by a deeper darkness spell.
Special: You may select this feat only as a 1st level character.

Storm Born [Heritor]
Prerequisite: Patron hero class feature, must have selected Storm Cloak as a patron hero, move silently 4
Benefit: Even in a storm, the winds whipping around you seem to leave you unaffected. You ignore the penalties associated with ranged attack rolls and Listen checks due to high winds (see page 95 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide). Actions that are impossible in high winds (such as using ranged attacks in winds above 50 mph) are still impossible.
Special: You may select this feat only as a 1st level character.

Heart Fire [Heritor]
Prerequisite: Patron hero class feature, must have selected Dancing Fire as a patron hero, Iaijutsu focus 4
Benefit: You can project a radiant aura. Your radiance sheds light as a common lamp: bright light to a radius of 5 feet and shadowy illumination to 10 feet. You can extinguish this radiance at will and reactivate it again as a free action. In addition whenever you make a Iajitsu focus check the enemy may become dazzled, for a round, unless it makes a WILL save (10 + 1/2 char level + cha modifier)
Special: You may select this feat only as a 1st level character.

Saddle Bound [Heritor]
Prerequisite: Patron hero class feature, must have selected Wind Rider as a patron hero, Ride 4
Benefit: You can take 10 on ride checks, even if you are rushed or threatened. If either you or your mount fails a Reflex save while mounted, you can attempt a Ride check to succeed on the saving throw anyway. The save is successful if your Ride check result is equal to or greater than the spell’s save DC. (Essentially, you can substitute your Ride check result for your Refl ex save if the former is higher.) You can attempt this substitution once per round for either yourself or your mount. If both you and your mount fail a Reflex save against the same effect (for example, a fi reball spell or dragon breath that catches you and your mount in its area), your Ride check result applies to both your save and your mount’s save.
Special: You may select this feat only as a 1st level character.

Feral charm [Heritor]
Prerequisite: Patron hero class feature, must have selected Moonwolf as a patron hero, Handle animal 4
Benefit: Using your Savage ability you can befriend two wolfs. This wolfs function as followers (see Leadership feat description on DMG 106) and have a friendly actitude towards you. If given proper training, the wolf followers will willingly serve as your mount, guardian, and companion. (See the description of the Handle Animal skill on page 74 of the Player's Handbook for more details on training animals.)

You can use the Handle Animal skill on your wolf followers as a move action rather than as a standard action, and you gain a +2 bonus on all Handle Animal checks made to direct or influence your wolf followers.

Use your effective leadership score to determine the highest level of followers your wolf followers gain HD up to that number, for example an anointed heritor with an effective leadership score of 15 would have two wolf followers with 3 HD each.

If a wolf dies you can attract another one by expending two hours in any region where wolfs are found.
Special: You may select this feat only as a 1st level character.

Sword Knack [Heritor]
Prerequisite: Patron hero class feature, must have selected Sword Master as a patron hero, Martial lore 4
Benefit: You gain any first level maneuver from any discipline of your choosing. You can use this maneuver once every five rounds. In addition you gain any fist level stance of your selected discipline.
Special: You may select this feat only as a 1st level character.

Insidious smile [Heritor]
Prerequisite: Patron hero class feature, must have selected Laughing Fool as a patron hero, bluff 4
Benefit: You can fascinate a single creature with your stories and lies. You make a Bluff check, and the target can negate the effect with a Will saving throw equal to or greater than your check result. If the saving throw succeeds, you cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If the saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and listens to your words for up to 1 round per level you possess. While fascinated, the target’s Spot and Listen checks suffer a –4 penalty. Any potential threat allows the fascinated creature a second saving throw against a new Bluff check result. Any obvious threat automatically breaks the effect. You must concentrate, as if casting or maintaining a spell. This is a spell-like, mind-affecting charm ability.
Special: You may select this feat only as a 1st level character.

Battle Raised [Heritor]
Prerequisite: Patron hero class feature, must have selected Battle Lord as a patron hero, Perform (weapon drill) 4
Benefit: You gain proficiency with an exotic weapon and weapon focus with that weapon.
Special: You may select this feat only as a 1st level character.

God Blessed [Heritor]
Prerequisite: Patron hero class feature, must have selected God Speaker as a patron hero, Truespeak 4
Benefit: You can name the Ancestral Heroes your patron deities. In addition you can use scrolls, wands, and other devices with spell completion or spell trigger activation as a cleric of one-half your anointed heritor level (at least 1st level). For the purpose of using a scroll or other magic device, if you are also a cleric, actual cleric levels and these effective cleric levels stack.
Special: You may select this feat only as a 1st level character.

Bird Listener [Heritor]
Prerequisite: Patron hero class feature, must have selected Swift Wing as a patron hero, 4
Benefit: You can make one Spot check and one Listen check each round as a free action. Listen and Spot are always class skills for you. You also gain a +2 bonus on initiative checks.
Special: You may select this feat only as a 1st level character.

Inner Fury [Heritor]
Prerequisite: Patron hero class feature, must have selected Wrath as a patron hero, Intimidate 4
Benefit: When you charge, make a full attack, or cast a spell that either targets an enemy or includes an enemy in its area, you gain the frightful presence ability for that round. Each enemy within a 20-foot radius of you must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Cha modifier) or be shaken for 1 minute. Regardless of its success or failure on the saving throw, any creature exposed to this effect is immune to your frightful presence for the next 24 hours. This is an extraordinary morale effect.
Special: You may select this feat only as a 1st level character.

Dauntless [Heritor]
Prerequisite: Patron hero class feature, must have selected Truth Seeker as a patron hero, Sense Motive 4
Benefit: You cannot be intimidated. (Attempts to use the Intimidate skill against you always fail.) In addition you are immune to fear effects, magical or otherwise.
Special: You may select this feat only as a 1st level character.

Fallingstar [Heritor]
Prerequisite: Patron hero class feature, must have selected Meteor Angel as a patron hero, Tumble 4
Benefit: You can execute a charge by simply dropping from a height of at least 5 feet above your opponent. For example, a ledge 10 feet above the floor of a cavern would suffice for jumping on a Medium-sized creature, while a ledge 15 feet high is required for a jumping on a Large creature. You can't jump from more than 30 feet above your opponent, nor can you effectively use fallingstar while under the influence of a fly or levitate spell or effect, as you have to hurl yourself down on your foe. If you hit, you can choose either to deal double damage with a melee weapon or natural attack or to attempt a trip attack. You are treated as one size category larger than normal if you try to trip your opponent with the fallingstar. After you attack, you take falling damage as normal for the distance you jumped. You are entitled to a Tumble check (DC 15) to take less damage, as if you had fallen 10 feet less than you actually did. If you fail this Tumble check, you fall prone 5 feet from your opponent.
Special: You may select this feat only as a 1st level character.

Dragon's Blood [Heritor]
Prerequisite: Patron hero class feature, must have selected Roaring Dragon as a patron hero, Knowledge (arcana) 4
Benefit: You gain the benefits of draconic heritage as described in races of the dragon, you add the dragon's associated skill to your anointed heritor class skills. Additionally you can treat your anointed heritor level as sorcerer level for selecting [draconic] feats, and you may choose [draconic] feats as [heritor] feats.
Special: You may select this feat only as a 1st level character.

Stone Foundation [Heritor]
Prerequisite: Patron hero class feature, must have selected Rock Shield as a patron hero, Balance 4
Benefit: As long as you stand on earth you gain a +4 bonus on checks to resist being moved from your square (such as bullrushing checks, this bonus doesn't apply to effects that comply you to move, such as a command spell).
Special: You may select this feat only as a 1st level character.

Double hero feats

Darkest Storm [Heritor]
Prerequisite: Patron hero class feature, ability to channel two heroes at once, ability to channel Night Thirster and Storm Cloak, hide 9, move silently 9
Benefit: If you channel Night Thirster and Storm Cloak at the same time you gain an offering point that you can invest in either heroes' abilities. In addition any creature damage by your lightning bolt ability is considered flanked by you until the start of your next turn.

Wolf Steed [Heritor]
Prerequisite: Patron hero class feature, ability to channel two heroes at once, ability to channel Wind Rider and Moon Wolf, ride 9, handle animal 9
Benefit: If you channel Wind Rider and Moon Wolf at the same time you gain an offering point that you can invest in either heroes' abilities. In addition your Palemare ability and your Wolf spirit ability combine. You can now summon a Wolf (it becomes Large if you are medium, it gains a +2 bonus to STR but gets a penalty of -2 to DEX and the normal penalties associated to being large) that gains the benefits of both your Palemare and your Wolf spirit abilities. The resulting Wolf cannot have more HD than your anointed heritor level.

True Bearer [Heritor]
Prerequisite: Patron hero class feature, ability to channel two heroes at once, ability to channel God Speaker and Truth Seeker, truespeak 9, sense motive 9
Benefit: If you channel God Speaker and Truth Seeker at the same time you gain an offering point that you can invest in either heroes' abilities. In addition if you use utterance on any enemy that opposes your alignment, and if you beat the truespeak DC by 10 you can use the utterance as a swift action instead than a standard action.

Burning Glee [Heritor]
Prerequisite: Patron hero class feature, ability to channel two heroes at once, ability to channel Dancing Fire and Laughing Fool, Iaijutsu focus 9, Bluff 9
Benefit: If you channel Dancing Fire and Laughing Fool at the same time you gain an offering point that you can invest in either heroes' abilities. In addition once per turn, when you draw a weapon you can make a feint as a free action.

[God Imperror]

http://www.raymondswanland.com/Images/Illustration%20Gallery/BookoftheSouth.jpg
I'm going to need this post.

PEACH ahead, any critics are welcome, thanks in advance :smallsmile:

[God Imperror]

Bumpity bump :smallredface:

Any feedback? This is my first homebrew so I would like to know if I am doing something wrong or how to improve it. Please Examine And Comment Honestly.

[sirpercival]

I'll be back to do a thorough PEACH soon.

[God Imperror]

I'll be back to do a thorough PEACH soon.

Thanks! *waits with glee*

[WhatsWithCanada]

First of all, the mechanics and fluff of this system are both awesome. I love it. Thank you so much for the effort that you put into this. I'm definitely considering opening this up to my players.

Now for the criticism. All in all, I feel like this class is less powerful than the binder on many fronts. A binder gets 3 vestiges much like your heroes but *all* of their powers level up automatically without being forced to spend a limited resource to do so. And I hear you now, "But that's what offerings are for!" Yes, offerings do allow the ability to boost a given power, but even boosted, yes, even then, they often fall short of what the binder would get at an equivalent level. The sneak attack doesn't go nearly as high and you have to gimp your other powers to do so.

If you are going to weaken all the powers to grant the power to supercharge a given ability when necessary, you should actually make it more powerful than the 'always-on' powers of the binder, of which this class is clearly the closest match to. Everyone agrees that binder is tier 3, and most people agree that tier 3 is what one should be aiming for. So nerfing vestige powers and then boosting one to just shy of binder abilities makes me feel like this class is unfairly hobbled when it absolutely deserves to shine.

That's my 2c.

Again, thank you so much for your effort. This has been a really enjoyable class to read.

[God Imperror]

Thanks for your feedback! And please do playtest it if your players are willing and send me back their opinions.

I can understand your concern with their abilities power although you took a bad example (andromalius is the vestige that grants sneak attack and he gets 5d6 at level 20 in opposition to the nightthirster who grants 6D6 with maximum offerings invested into it). It is still a valid concern, and I will try to address it now, first let me explain what I was aiming when I started designing this class.

At the start of the design I wanted to mix incarnum and pact magic to create something new. The first iteration of the class had in fact essentia, and although the vestiges were new and renamed saints (there was still a typo on the table from when they were saints) they worked as a group of soulmelds that fitted thematically and were granted by an entity. The problem I found with that was that it was essentially a meldshaper (though a weird one) and if all the soulmelds it offered were new it would be great for dipping into it. So I reworked the heroes system (they were still saints at that time) to close it more to pact magic. Pact magic grants some few abilities per vestige, most of which are useful and scale somehow, but vestiges were leveled. I didn't like that I felt that if I leveled heroes I would really limit the options, I mean there are a lot of homebrewed vestiges and I wasn't going to make nearly enough heroes to make it attractive. Another thing that I seriously dislike about pact magic is that there are no resources invested, once you make your pact you are set for the day and you don't have ways to improve it or change it. So in the end there were things from both the meldshaping system and the pact magic system that I liked and that I disliked.

So I just went deeper. Heroes grant 3 abilities each, why? Vestiges ability numbers are weird ranging from 3 to 6 though I would say than most of them grant 3 or 4 useful, a level 20 binder has 12 - 16 useful abilities (probably less since he specialized and some abilities stop being as useful). A level 20 totemist or incarnate has 9 soulmelds (9 abilities cherrypicked abilities). A level 20 anointed heritor has 3 heroes at level 20, with 9 abilities, they are not as cherrypicked abilities as the soulmelds (thus I wanted to make them stronger) and more consistent/useful than those of the binder (because he had less). I felt that having them have 12 abilities at level 20 wouldn't be bad, although it would limit more other class features (and I could have a hard time coming with 18 more good abilities with good boons and offerings).

Abilities scale via offering points, and that limits power, indeed it does. I wanted the anointed heritor to think in combat, switching their offerings from one ability to another, depending on what they needed on a round by round basis. Basic abilities (without offering points) remain useful most of the time, but damage wise it is expected to switch offering points around. Not because I wanted to give them a hard time, or make them lesser than the binder in terms of power, but because I wanted them to play with their resources every round of combat. It is fun to have things to do.

Overall even if it is less powerful than the binder, I feel that it has more options (and stronger ones) not only through heroes, but also through its other class features. Binder gets immunities (which are nice), bonus feats (which are ok to pay feat tax) and always on bonuses (which are ok but kinda meh). The anointed heritor instead, gets anointments, that allow him to add cha to a big number of rolls, ancestral feats (2 bonus feats, chameleon style), ancestral skills (lessening the dependence from intelligence, and making the heroes abilities that rely on skill checks powerful), and ancestral tactics (which are great to change the heroes channeled, and is an option that the binder doesn't have). Finally it has a capstone, which the binder lacks.

Even if it is less powerful (something that I wouldn't be sure about until it is playtested) it is more versatile (or has more options) than a vanilla binder.

[God Imperror]

Added a couple more feats :smallsmile:

[ThiagoMartell]

I'm pretty sure it's 'Annointed'.

[God Imperror]

I don't know for sure, though there is an anointed knight PRC on Book of exalted deeds and it uses anointed on the full text. Searched it on the dictionary, to be sure, anoint (http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/anoint).

Other than that any opinion on the class?

[God Imperror]

After playing a oneshot yesterday with this class and sleeping on it I am considering making the following changes.

First, it is a combat oriented class, even if it has options, they are still mostly combat options. And I don't think that first level powers or utterances get absurdly strong increasing the BAB so I will up the BAB up to full.

Secondly, shoehorning into weapons choices, even if cool and thematic, is a bit of a pain because it leaves less options open to the player. Specially if he likes to swap between two heroes strictly associated with really different weapons, for that I think that I am going to give them full martial proficiency, and maybe exotic weapons depending on the choice of heroes.

Third, after giving it a try against some optimized players as it is it might be some sort of a TRAP. I believe that the main way to ease it would be increasing the offering points, so they can invest more on their heroes abilities.

Fourth, as it is multiclassing is hard as hell, since it halts the progression of offerings and heroes known. I would like to make it dip friendly, that might be feasible since its slightly based on incarnum. On that direction the first change will be to take the cap out of the class.

Fifth, the really limited access to heroes, might be okay, but it is a pain not being able channel more of them, I might give a third hero at 15th, and a fourth at 20th.

Sixth, I really like double hero feats, I might make them a class feature, in addition to normally being feats.

Any opinion on the changes presented above will be welcomed I will probably carry on with the changes, I built the class to not be overpowered, and perhaps I overdid it.

[Merchant]

I love this class. I have liked the use of souls from Incarnum and the Binder. The idea of using Heroes is very cool.

I know you are working on Mechanics and making feats function. I was just wondering if you could find time to add Background info. I'm interested in the Laughing Fool and Illfather.

I was wondering if you would be making more heroes later and more Dual Hero feats that allow different mix ups. I think It would be cool if there was a combo for each pair. Do you think you would do more double's after you finish your planned doubles.

There is a homebrewer named Xefas who made [fusion] feats that allow you to combine two vestiges into One bound and allows you to sacrifice one ability to boost the other. Not sure if it might inspire anything but here's a link.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=172251

________________

I was wondering how you explain fluff-wise how you get more than one patron. This class shows again how awesome it is to have a bonus racial feat.
Humans could get three patron heroes. Sign me up. I love flavor.

[God Imperror]

I love this class. I have liked the use of souls from Incarnum and the Binder. The idea of using Heroes is very cool.

Thanks!


I know you are working on Mechanics and making feats function. I was just wondering if you could find time to add Background info. I'm interested in the Laughing Fool and Illfather.

More background for the Laughing Fool?

"Oh, the Laughing Fool. If there is a weird hero it is the Laughing Fool, never invited to parties and banquets but always there. Tales of the Laughing Fool are as many as his pranks. His motives are always hard to tell, but he seems to defeat his opponents with wits, disguise and surprise. And whatever he is trying to achieve he is on his way."

The laughing fool has been jumping from one end of the alignment to the other, in one incarnation he might have infiltrated a demonic cult and convinced all of its members to commit suicide, then in later years he instigated the cult to said demon as a secret society. At first I was going to combine him with thruthseeker and giving them the option to smite any alignment.

Illfather was probably a proto god of healing, or some sort of doctor. He is one of the oldest heroes, and the one that worries most of its heritors. He represents not only death and decay but also rebirth and survival. He sends diseases to those who pay homage to him, making them stronger and more resilient.


I was wondering if you would be making more heroes later and more Dual Hero feats that allow different mix ups. I think It would be cool if there was a combo for each pair. Do you think you would do more double's after you finish your planned doubles.

Yep I would like to make more feats, but I would really appreciate other people ideas or help o make more heroes / feats / etcetera so if you have any idea let me know. :smallsmile:


There is a homebrewer named Xefas who made [fusion] feats that allow you to combine two vestiges into One bound and allows you to sacrifice one ability to boost the other. Not sure if it might inspire anything but here's a link.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=172251

Those are pretty awesome indeed.




I was wondering how you explain fluff-wise how you get more than one patron. This class shows again how awesome it is to have a bonus racial feat.
Humans could get three patron heroes. Sign me up. I love flavor.

I might specify that you can only take the feat once, I don't really know if it is a good idea to have too many patron heroes. The idea, fluff wise, is that the heroes have been appearing through the ages and in some cases two heroes have been represented by the same individual. Also some heroes have feats to combine them, and I wanted to make that viable at level 1.

[kanachi]

Hiya, I just wanted to let you know that I am having another look at your class and will in time get around to another PEACH. I've been pretty snowed under with other things for a bit and your class is a BIG read so its going to take some time. If i dont get it done in a few days however you have my permission to give me a slap! So watch this space.

[God Imperror]

Thanks kanachi :smallbiggrin:

How do you see the changes that I proposed above? I am probably going to go ahead with them, but a second opinion would be great.

[God Imperror]

I made some major changes to the class to increase its power level, without going over the top.


Now for the criticism. All in all, I feel like this class is less powerful than the binder on many fronts. A binder gets 3 vestiges much like your heroes but *all* of their powers level up automatically without being forced to spend a limited resource to do so. And I hear you now, "But that's what offerings are for!" Yes, offerings do allow the ability to boost a given power, but even boosted, yes, even then, they often fall short of what the binder would get at an equivalent level. The sneak attack doesn't go nearly as high and you have to gimp your other powers to do so.

I increased greatly, almost doubled, the offering points, to address partially that, also gave a boost to the patron hero, to make it more of an important choice.

In addition boon mastery


Boon Mastery (Su): The knowledge of yours heroes abilities, allows you to forsake some skills to excel on others. As a full round action you can stop benefiting from one of your channeled hero's abilities, if you do so you gain a Boon that you have to invest immediately in another of that hero's abilities. This ability lasts until you choose to stop it, expending a swift action.

Should give more options to the player, without being necessarily overpowered at level 12.



There is a homebrewer named Xefas who made [fusion] feats that allow you to combine two vestiges into One bound and allows you to sacrifice one ability to boost the other. Not sure if it might inspire anything but here's a link.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=172251

Inspired by his idea I created boon mastery. Quoted above :smallbiggrin:

----

Are the changes that I made to the class over the top? I hope not.

[God Imperror]

I made quite a few minor tweaks to the wording of some heroes abilities. Overall I am sure that there are several mistakes that are evading me at the moment, and would really appreciate any critique on them.

I hope that I am not the only one who finds this class interesting :smallredface:

[mrcarter11]

So in starting, I'd like to say that I find the basic idea of this class rather entertaining, however I'm skeptical that the class can carve out a niche separate from the binder and still remain viable as a class.. We shall see though.

Basic chassis, you got a d8 HD and full BAB which reads like a melee class, and then you no good Fort save, but a good Will save. Seems like odd choices, but I like that it's different from the norm.

Patron Hero Right out of the gate, I'm a bit confused, as you mention if I can't fully channel it? A quick scroll down and some skimming over the heroes, I still don't see any heroes that require a certain level or any such thing to channel them, so I'm still confused about that. And then I see I got another good save.. Okay, well that's actually cool, and now I like the chassis.

Anointed Guidance Okay, so now I'm keeping track of guidance points and my patron hero. I pick up a bunch of small bonuses for having points remaining, but I want to see what I spend them on. Also you need to put a "whichever is higher" at the end of the text about how many points you get. Currently what happens at the higher levels is unknown. At level 16, I should gain 8 points, but what if my Cha mod is only +4. It says a max of my mod, but a min of half my level....

Anointment Here we go. Reading through them, they all seem pretty generic but useful. Though as with the Patron Hero class feature, I think you need to clean up your wording.

Ancestral Channeling Now the fully channel part of the text makes a bit more sense.. And the class is starting to get momentum to be good. Though as a note, your scaling is a bit weird. You have to wait ten levels to channel two, but then you learn to channel another one every five levels afterwards?

Offerings Now we have another pool of points to keep track of. Hoping that offerings remain a useful thing, but I'll have to wait until I see the heroes.

Boons Another gain from our hero. I'm hoping this scale well into the late game, but I'll have to wait again.

As a note, so far the class seems a bit confusing to play, as you have a lot going on, but I could see it being a fun class as long as the heroes are actually decent.

Anointed Recovery, Feat, and Tactics The recovery mechanic should honestly probably come online when you first get guidance points, though I'm not seeing a huge reason for the recovery since you recover them all at the start on an encounter. Bonus feats are always nice. Tactics is nice, but I doubt it'll see much use. And I'm also not sure why it's limited per day. I'd just people do it at will, once they get this class feature.

Boon Mastery I have no idea what this is supposed to do. None. I stop channeling a hero to gain a single boon? But depending what level I am, I already have all my boons, so what's the point?

Ancestral exaltment Honestly I find this to be sorta weak. I'm not sure what to say instead, but I find this weak. Can't we give them for a single full round, you gain max offerings in your patron's abilities, as well as a full set of guidance points to use this round, that only count this round? That would seem more.. Capstone-ish.

Now for the heroes I guess.

However that post will have to wait, as I need to sleep. Til next time.

[God Imperror]

So in starting, I'd like to say that I find the basic idea of this class rather entertaining, however I'm skeptical that the class can carve out a niche separate from the binder and still remain viable as a class.. We shall see though.

Basic chassis, you got a d8 HD and full BAB which reads like a melee class, and then you no good Fort save, but a good Will save. Seems like odd choices, but I like that it's different from the norm.

Thanks for the interest, in several cases it would get a good for save, depending on its patron hero.


Patron Hero Right out of the gate, I'm a bit confused, as you mention if I can't fully channel it? A quick scroll down and some skimming over the heroes, I still don't see any heroes that require a certain level or any such thing to channel them, so I'm still confused about that. And then I see I got another good save.. Okay, well that's actually cool, and now I like the chassis.

The idea behind this is that your patron hero is one to which you have close ties, be it because you have studied it or because you have blood relationship or by the grace of God.

I didn't want to make the characters worry about the whole channeling thing at first level, thus the patron hero.


Anointed Guidance Okay, so now I'm keeping track of guidance points and my patron hero. I pick up a bunch of small bonuses for having points remaining, but I want to see what I spend them on. Also you need to put a "whichever is higher" at the end of the text about how many points you get. Currently what happens at the higher levels is unknown. At level 16, I should gain 8 points, but what if my Cha mod is only +4. It says a max of my mod, but a min of half my level....

Thanks for spotting the error, and offer solution :smallsmile: I will change it right now.


Anointment Here we go. Reading through them, they all seem pretty generic but useful. Though as with the Patron Hero class feature, I think you need to clean up your wording.

Anyone in particular that strikes as hard to read? Most of them follow the same writing pattern and there might be copy pasta errors. I will check those.


Ancestral Channeling Now the fully channel part of the text makes a bit more sense.. And the class is starting to get momentum to be good. Though as a note, your scaling is a bit weird. You have to wait ten levels to channel two, but then you learn to channel another one every five levels afterwards?

Actually you have to wait 7 levels at first (you gain the channeling at level 3). And I feel that the benefits of having 3 heroes instead of 2, or 4 instead of 3, is not as big as having 2 instead of 1. Since your offering points limit the scaling of the abilities, and thus having more abilities to invest offering points is not necessary a great thing once you have a good number of abilies.


Offerings Now we have another pool of points to keep track of. Hoping that offerings remain a useful thing, but I'll have to wait until I see the heroes.

Imho you need to keep track of your offerings and your guidance points, and you are probably not going to move offering points around so I hope it is not a big deal.


Boons Another gain from our hero. I'm hoping this scale well into the late game, but I'll have to wait again.

As a note, so far the class seems a bit confusing to play, as you have a lot going on, but I could see it being a fun class as long as the heroes are actually decent.

The class should be slightly less complicated that incarnum using classes since it has a smaller pool of abilities to invest incarnum in. On the boon things, they work similarly to chakra binds.


Anointed Recovery, Feat, and Tactics The recovery mechanic should honestly probably come online when you first get guidance points, though I'm not seeing a huge reason for the recovery since you recover them all at the start on an encounter. Bonus feats are always nice. Tactics is nice, but I doubt it'll see much use. And I'm also not sure why it's limited per day. I'd just people do it at will, once they get this class feature.

Tactics are there to be an option, I doubt it will see a lot of use too, but I wanted to leave it as an option too, just in case someone makes a mistake when selecting heroes or wants a specific feat at some point.

On the recovery, some abilities can burn quite a lot of guidance points, thus the need for a recovery mechanic. This also allows characters to work without a huge charisma score.


Boon Mastery I have no idea what this is supposed to do. None. I stop channeling a hero to gain a single boon? But depending what level I am, I already have all my boons, so what's the point?

No, each hero grants 3 abilities (and 3 boons if you invest boons in the specific abilities). By using boon mastery, you loose the benefit of one of the three abilities (anyone you choose) and gain a boon point that you can invest in any of the two remaining abilities.

Does that make more sense now?


Ancestral exaltment Honestly I find this to be sorta weak. I'm not sure what to say instead, but I find this weak. Can't we give them for a single full round, you gain max offerings in your patron's abilities, as well as a full set of guidance points to use this round, that only count this round? That would seem more.. Capstone-ish.

Problem with that is that you don't have to channel your patron hero if you don't want to. And you can do something similar at level 18, there is an anointment that allows you to expend guidance points instead of offering points for a round.

[mrcarter11]

A reply to what we were discussing about the capstone..

What you mentioned still requires me to use up my points for that encounter..

I'm talking about a capstone, that let's say once a day, or once per encounter since you are level 20 anyways, that let's say you use three rounds into combat. You started the encounter with 10 guidance points, you've spent 4 so far. Now you activate your capstone on the fourth round for whatever reason. Perhaps your one party member is going to die soon or some such. Suddenly, you pick any 1 hero that your channeling, and for this single round, all of the boons are unlocked, and you can max offerings in all three of that hero's abilities.

As an extra bonus I was saying you should give them a second pool of guidance points. So if you've spent 4, it don't matter for this round of awesomeness your about to have. You have ten full points to spend for this single round only. So you can boost your attacks, your damage, and whatever else have you.

That in my opinion would be a capstone worth having.

[God Imperror]

Yeah, and probably wouldn't be overly strong. I would need to check the wording but: we want the following.

-Full boons on said hero.
-Full offering invested in said hero.
-Extra Guidance points.

I would make it a swift action to activate, that way offering points cannot be relocated and if it is your main shtick it won't be over powering since you would probably already have maximum offering points in it.

On the guidance points I guess it depends of everyone's playstile since many people might invest in defensive anointments or anointments that won't benefit greatly for the increase of guidance points. Any idea on how to make the potential capstone (with extra guidance points) attractive to those people? Maybe making it refresh your full lot of guidance points will make it attractive to everyone.

[mrcarter11]

Honestly, by 20, they have six abilities, I figure at least half of those will be offensive. This class also has a mean full attack, so I wouldn't about what abilities people have. But a refresh for the encounter does sound good.

[Eldan]

Okay. That's a big one.

I like the fluff. A bit like the bardic version of pact magic.

Patron Hero: Nice versatility with the chosen save and skill. More when I get to the actual heroes, I guess.

Anointed Guidance: maybe I'm missing something, but it seems that you have two abilities in there that both allow you to take ten on skills. I mean, it lets you take 10 in your chosen skills, and then lets you take ten in them if you also have them as ancestral skills.

Anointed Protection: this should probably say "the result of an enemy's attack roll", not "exit"?

Anointed reach: I would change it to increasing your reach by five feet. Otherwise, it's a bit awkward if you already have reach from another source, such as size or a reach weapon.

Ancestral Channeling: this seems awkward. How does changing your class skills every day even work? What happens to your skill points if a skill you have maxed out stops being a class skill?

Favour of the Patron: this should probably be listed after offerings, because at first, I wasn't sure what it was referring to.

I'll get into feats and heroes later.

[God Imperror]

Okay. That's a big one.

I like the fluff. A bit like the bardic version of pact magic.

Yep glad you like it.


Anointed Guidance: maybe I'm missing something, but it seems that you have two abilities in there that both allow you to take ten on skills. I mean, it lets you take 10 in your chosen skills, and then lets you take ten in them if you also have them as ancestral skills.

You cannot normally take 10 if you have them as ancestral skills, although you can take them if they are affected by anointed guidance. I was just specifying that you can take 10 even in those cases, unless it is specifically disallowed to take 10.


Anointed Protection: this should probably say "the result of an enemy's attack roll", not "exit"?

Yeah that seems like a better wording.


Anointed reach: I would change it to increasing your reach by five feet. Otherwise, it's a bit awkward if you already have reach from another source, such as size or a reach weapon.

True will change


Ancestral Channeling: this seems awkward. How does changing your class skills every day even work? What happens to your skill points if a skill you have maxed out stops being a class skill?

You gain the class skill once you learn to channel the hero, if you had cross class skill points earlier you gain skill points as it always were a class skill.


Class Skills
The Anointed Heritor's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are...
Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Gather information (Cha), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (Local) (Int), Knowledge (Nobility and royalty) (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (oratory) (Cha), Search (Int), Spot (Wis) plus any skill that the anointed heritor receives from its known heroes, if you purchased ranks in the associated skills of a hero that you still don't know how to channel as cross-class skill, you immediately gain additional ranks in that skill as if it had always been a class skill for you once you learn to channel the hero.
Skill Points at First Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier

Ancestral Channeling (Su): Anointed heritors strive to achieve perfection, soon they can not only do some simple heroic deeds but in the same manner of the ancestral heroes did before them they can realize feats of true power. This draw them closer to the heroes, and most anointed heritors believe that they are in fact channeling their souls into reality. At third level you can only channel your patron hero, but you can learn new heroes at every subsequent level. Once you learn to channel a hero you gain its associated skill as class skill. While you are channeling a hero you have access to its abilities, that can be enhanced using offering points or boons. You can make offerings and boons with the heroes that you channel as described below. At 10th level you can channel two heroes at once, at level 15th you can channel three heroes at once and at level 20th you can channel four heroes at once. Ancestral heroes are bound to your soul and they cannot be targeted or expelled by any means except by using the ancestral repentance class ability, described below, nor can they be suppressed except by an antimagic field or similar effect.
To channel a hero you must perform a private ritual every morning, this is similar to a wizard preparing spells and you can do so only once per day after a good night's rest. You must anoint yourself with clean water and oils while meditating for an hour to be able to channel heroes.


Favour of the Patron: this should probably be listed after offerings, because at first, I wasn't sure what it was referring to.

Will switch them around

[Eldan]

I keep thinking. You know what would perhaps help make this system just a bit more flavourful? Small roleplaying requirements for every hero, like the binder's bad pacts. If you are emulating a certain hero, you should behave like him. Not within the rules, just a few guidelines. E.g. if the Night Thirster is your patron, you show no mercy to enemies.

Also, remember when I said that this was basically the bardic version of Vestige binding? A kind of bardic lore would actually look really good on this class. After all, you should know the stories you try to live up to.

Onto heroes. I apologize in advance when this sounds really anal about terminology, but it's important.

Night Thirster:
Shadow shroud: what exactly is deflecting a ranged attack? Is it a miss chance or concealment? If yes, you should call it that, there's many abilities keying off miss chances.
Black candle: a small thing, but: write Darkness (as the spell). Just a small, helpful thing for clarity.
Night's caress: "reroll all 1s on the bonus damage dice from sneak attack". Just so players won't try to argue that it applies to attack rolls or the base damage too. Also, "increases the maximum range at which you can apply your sneak attack damage to ranged attacks". Just to make it clear it's not actually an increased range (i.e. your shots/strikes don't go any further).
Shadow shroud: "bonus on saves against divination", is the customary wording. As far as I know, one is always aware of saves against spells, the rules say so.

Storm cloak:
Why move silently? Silence is not exactly what I think of, from thunder gods. Intimidate, maybe?
Storm Breath: I'm wondering how useful this is, really. How often do you encounter situations where you have to hold your breath, but aren't underwater?
Steam Mist: "obscuring mist (as the spell)".
Lightning bolt: "electricity damage". Also, define what ricochet does. I assume something like the following: "use the same total attack roll as for the first target against the second target. If it is higher than that target's armour class, that target is hit as well and takes the same damage. Miss chances, concealment and other effects activated by attack rolls apply as normal"

Dancing Fire:
Phoenixian (is that a word?) embrace: simply attack? Any kind of attack? That is a really wide field. As written, it includes hostile spells, as an example, and all manner of things. And it doesn't even have to be successful. If that is intended, good,otherwise, narrow it down. Also, it probably should just say "enemy", not "enemy character", as that is not a defined term in the rules.

Wind Rider:
Rider: Should probably say "for every offering point invested, you may use mounted combat to negate another attack against your mount per round".
Palemare: how long does the animal stay around? What happens if it is killed? Can you just get a new one right away?

Moon wolf:
Wolf spirit: same as with palemare. How long? What happens when it dies?

More later.

[Eldan]

Onwards:

Sword Master:
Sublime sword: +1 bonus to hit on attack rolls made with the sublime sword", I assume.

Laughing Fool:
Surprise Attack: "Whenever you feint successfully the target becomes flat-footed". Hopefully.

Battle Lord:
Seems fine.

God speaker:
Voice of the Gods: You should probably replace "as normal" with "As a truespeaker of your level" as normally, well, you can't use utterances.

Swift Talon:
Seems fine.

Wrath:
Wrath: this honestly blows the barbarian out of the water at lower levels. You get rage at will, but the barbarian gains it once or twice per day.

Truth seeker:
Smite Opposition: again, much better than the Paladin. Though that's not saying much, so this is probably fair.

[Eldan]

And the last batch:
Truth Seeker:
Background: you wrote "wherever there is evil, Truth Seeker brings evil". The first should be "good".

Meteor Angel:
Sting: you should probably specify how far you need to move for hte boon to activate. I'm assuming it's the same as with skirmish.

Roaring Dragon:
Multifaceted skin: It lets you deal damage of the same element you resisted. Damage to who? At what range? With what type of action?

Rock Shield:
Shieldbearer: this is probably meant as a shield slam. You should specify that.
Wall of Rock: how long does the AC bonus last? Just for one attack?

And done, I think.

[God Imperror]

Wow Eldan you are awesome, I've been a bit busy the last two days (trying to start a business). But tomorrow morning I will go over all your suggestions, I've skimmed over them and most of them are omissions and mistakes on my part, thank you very much for spotting those.