Multiclass Binders and flavor

[Xuldarinar]

A point of curiosity. In terms of flavor, rather than optimization, what classes and prestige classes go with the binder? What makes for the most interesting flavor paired up with a binder?

[shadow_archmagi]

A point of curiosity. In terms of flavor, rather than optimization, what classes and prestige classes go with the binder? What makes for the most interesting flavor paired up with a binder?

Almost any class can work well thematically with a binder. "I made a pact for just a little more power..." is something that all walks of life can understand.

That said, I'd say that Incarnum classes have a similar flavor. Psionics might be interesting too- "You must know yourself before you share..."

[Xuldarinar]

Thats an interesting point.. When I thought about it initially I thought of just a handful of classes.

Warlock (and dragonfire adept)
Sha'ir
Clerics, paladins and similar classes. (particularly on grounds of the Variant: Heterodoxy and Heresy)
Incarnum classes.

[Snowbluff]

Warlock Anima Mage is a lot of fun. :smallcool:

Put that demonic/pact binder aspect to the max!

[Xuldarinar]

Warlock Anima Mage is a lot of fun. :smallcool:

Put that demonic/pact binder aspect to the max!

I can imagine. The flavors mix very well, especially since you can bind (former) demons, and one means of becoming a vestige is going to the shattered night, accessible via the Wells of Darkness (Layer 73). Perhaps all vestiges are residences to the shattered night, reaching there one way or another, souls that are lost and can find no other place might wind up there.

[prufock]

Warlock Anima Mage is a lot of fun. :smallcool:

Put that demonic/pact binder aspect to the max!

This is what I'm playing right now in a self-insert campaign (we started as level 1 experts built to simulate ourselves, thrown into a D&D world; after level 1 we can take whatever classes we want).

Only at level 4 yet, but they seem to work pretty well. Eldritch Glaive + Aym vestige is pretty fun.

Chameleon seems like a good fit thematically, too.

[Scumbaggery]

By fluff and crunch, I always liked Binder/Swordsage

Binder/anything eligible/Acolyte of the Skin for full on 'sell every inch of yourself' kinda theme can also be pretty fun, especially if you fail your pact and act way differently

[mabriss lethe]

Binder also makes a decent path of entry into Pyrokineticist, and the two play very well with each other, despite the latter's shortcomings.

[WinWin]

Spirit Shaman and Warlock have thematic Synergy, IMO.

[IronFist]

Warlock is so similar to Binder they became the same class in 4e.

[Xuldarinar]

Warlock is so similar to Binder they became the same class in 4e.

I feel that is an over simplification.

Warlocks are "Born of a supernatural bloodline" (CA: Page 5). They are tied primarily to Demons, Fey, or the Far Realm/Xoriat, which all are inherently chaotic in nature. As said under the Enlightened Spirit "You began as an arcane magician with a fiendish heritage,…" (CM: Page 62). Really, warlocks are closer to sorcerers than binders.

Binders enter into (usually) temporary pacts of their own accord on a continuing basis to gain their power.

4e changed the flavor of the warlock to something closer to the binder, but not quite there. They later added the binder as a class variant of the warlock, but it really isn't that much different flavor wise or mechanically from that of the 4e warlock.

[Kennisiou]

Hexblade. So much Hexblade. You use dark curses, the powers of bad luck, sorry, and ancient magic granted to you with pacts from great powers. There's a lot of overlapping flavor there and if you focus mostly on pacts that let you do cool debuffing tricks then they overlap nicely on the mechanics as well.