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Xuldarinar
2015-10-17, 10:03 AM
FIEND MEDIUM (MEDIUM)
Some mediums channel the power of different types of fiend rather than spirits of legend.
-Fiend Channeling (Su): A fiend medium channels fiends in a manner more simular to that of conjurers calling such outsiders rather than more orthodox among mediums. The fiend medium's version of a seance requires that they draw an elaborate magic circle, similar to those used in planar binding, and remain at the circle's center for the entirety of the seance. If either their concentration is disrupted, or the circle is broken, the seance is interrupted. Because of the nature of channeling fiends in this manner, a fiend medium can channel any sort of fiend at any location, except for locations that restrict the summoning of evil outsiders. The fiend medium can channel asura (which act as marshal or trickster), daemon (which act as champion or trickster), demodand (which act as guardian or hierophant), demon (which act as archmage or champion), devil (which at as hierophant or trickster), div (which act as archmage or hierophant), kyton (which act as guardian or marshal), oni (which act as champion or guardian), qlippoth (which act as archmage or champion), and rakshasa (which act as archmage or trickster). When channeling a fiend, the fiend medium must choose from which legend associated with the fiend to draw from. While channeling a fiend, the fiend medium takes on some minor physical characteristics associated with the fiend being channeled. While this has no direct mechanical impact, it may change how some individuals perceive the fiend medium. When channeling a fiend, the fiend medium does not always start with 1 point of influence. For every step beyond 1 away from the alignment of the fiend the fiend medium's alignment is, their starting points of influence increases by 1. For instance, a chaotic good character channeling a demon would start with 2 points of influence, but channeling a devil their influence would start at 4. This ability alters spirit.
-Vile Taboo (Ex) A fiend medium gains the taboo ability at 1st level. Associated with each type of fiend is a differing taboo, appropriate to the type of fiend, as listed below. The fiend medium gains two free uses of spirit surge from accepting this taboo, as normal. This ability alters taboo.
-Fiendish Servant (Sp): At 3rd level, a fiend medium acquires, similarly to an antipaladin, the service of a fiendish servant. The fiend medium can summon any animal possessing the fiendish creature template or the subtype associated with the type of fiend they are channeling, so long as the summoned creature has a CR equal to the fiend medium's level -4, to a minimum of 1. Once per day, as a full-round action, a fiend medium may magically call his servant to his side, lasting until dismissed, slain, or his channeling ends. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the fiend medium’s level. The servant immediately appears adjacent to the fiend medium. A fiend medium can use this ability once per day at 3rd level, and one additional time per day at 9th level and every four levels thereafter, for a total of four times per day at 17th level.
-At 11th level, the servant gains the advanced template. At 15th level, a fiend medium’s servant gains spell resistance equal to the fiend medium’s level + 11.
-Should the fiend medium’s fiendish servant die or be banished, the fiend medium may not summon another servant for 30 days or until he gains a fiend medium level, whichever comes first. During this 30-day period, the fiend medium takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls. This replaces haunt channeler, location channel, and connection channel.
-Fiendish Inquiry (Sp): At 13th level, fiendish medium utilizes their channeled fiend and their connection the the lower planes to glean information, as if using contact other plane to contact a demigod of an Outer Plane. This can be used any number times per day and automatically succeeds at the Intelligence check to avoid the possible decrease in his Intelligence and Charisma. The power contacted never tells you they do not know, but will lie instead. This replaces Ask the spirits.
-Unhallow (Sp): At 14th level, the fiendish medium becomes able to cast Unhallow as a spell-like ability. In order to perform this, the fiendish medium practices a variation upon their typical ritual to channel fiends, imbuing the land with the essence of a fiend rather than themselves. The fiendish medium must be capable of using fiend channeling at the start of the 24 hour period normally required to cast unhallow. This replaces Astral Journey.
-Channel Other Aspect: Every fiend has associated with them two legends, chosen between at the time the fiend is channeled. When a fiend medium uses Trance of three, they must select the legend associated with their currently channeled fiend that they did not select. This alters Trance of Three.


VILE TABOOS
The following are the taboos associated with each type of fiend accessible by the fiend medium archetype.
(These are very vague for now. Just general snippets I will gladly elaborate on more later.

-Asura: You cannot show reverence to any faith and you must take every opportunity to deface and corrupt holy places and torment the pious.
-Daemon: You cannot ignore the chance to end a mortal life, be it in the short term or the long term.
-Demodand: You cannot show reverence to any faith, except that in the thanatotic titans, and you must take every opportunity to slay divine spellcasters and deface religious relics and sites.
-Demon: You cannot ignore the opportunity to sin.
-Devil: You must follow the laws of the land you are in, as well as keep any promise you make. You are, however, bound only to the letter of these and not the spirit in which they are made.
-Div: You must not ignore the opportunity to destroy creations of mortal-kind.
-Kyton: You cannot ignore the opportunity to inflict or experience pain.
-Oni:
-Qlippoth: You cannot tolerate evil acts done in your presence and must act to prevent them, and preferably kill the one responsible.
-Rakshasa: You cannot answer to any creature you see as beneath you and you must respect those above you. This holds to both the rakshasa caste system and the standards you hold yourself to, should they differ.



I had the idea for something to tweak flavor and after getting some input I decided to dive into a home-brew. Im thinking of also making an ability to replace the 20th level one, but for the moment, I think this is presentable.

Ethereal Gears
2015-10-18, 08:18 AM
I really like the flavor of this. Turning "demonic possession" to your advantage is a very cool character concept, and one not easily replicable with existing base classes and archetypes.

The only thing I'm a bit concerned about, balance-wise, is I feel like fiendish summoning is a lot more powerful than the medium class features it replaces. I mean, it's as good as the summoner's notoriously powerful SM SLA, except with more limited creature options. I would probably make it something closer to the antipaladin's fiendish boon ability. You get a single summoned fiendish servant, but it can stick around a lot longer. That'd be my advice anyway.

I also think forcing people to take on the vile taboo seems like a somewhat unwieldy way of balancing the archetype. I mean, it forces you to be chaotic evil (even if channeling a devil), and it just seems restrictive. I think a far cooler thing would be to create, like, separate taboos for each fiend type, to reflect their different takes on maleficence. I would personally prefer it if the archetype didn't force you to be evil at all, but that may go against your intended flavor.

Otherwise, awesome archetype!

Cheers,
- Gears

Xuldarinar
2015-10-18, 09:37 AM
I really like the flavor of this. Turning "demonic possession" to your advantage is a very cool character concept, and one not easily replicable with existing base classes and archetypes.

The only thing I'm a bit concerned about, balance-wise, is I feel like fiendish summoning is a lot more powerful than the medium class features it replaces. I mean, it's as good as the summoner's notoriously powerful SM SLA, except with more limited creature options. I would probably make it something closer to the antipaladin's fiendish boon ability. You get a single summoned fiendish servant, but it can stick around a lot longer. That'd be my advice anyway.

I also think forcing people to take on the vile taboo seems like a somewhat unwieldy way of balancing the archetype. I mean, it forces you to be chaotic evil (even if channeling a devil), and it just seems restrictive. I think a far cooler thing would be to create, like, separate taboos for each fiend type, to reflect their different takes on maleficence. I would personally prefer it if the archetype didn't force you to be evil at all, but that may go against your intended flavor.

Otherwise, awesome archetype!

Cheers,
- Gears

As per your advice I have replaced fiendish summoning, converting it to something much more in line with an antipaladin's fiendish boon. I may tweak it, such as making it so the penalty is increased influence for 30 days or something along those lines. We'll see what exactly. I already made it so the choice isn't set, but the idea would be each time you are channeling a fiend, it may very well be a different fiend of the type. Yesterday's demon may or may not be today's demon, and it almost certainly won't be next week's.

Additionally, vile taboo has been make to refer to a set of taboos, each associated with the types of fiend. Im contemplating what they should be, but some are certainly more obvious than others. I won't make it so you explicitly are required to be evil, but in line with the antipaladin I may go for something along the lines of that there may be problems for him "if he willingly and altruistically commits good acts." At least for a few. Maybe set up something for an appropriate code of conduct, no requirement to be of the alignment, but maybe starting influence is increased by +1 per step away greater than 1. A Lawful Good character could then channel a demon, but starting at 4 influence would be playing a dangerous game. I want something that doesn't explicitly block good players, but might be discouraging while channeling fiends. Fiends would want you to be evil, so they might work more to influence you, take control, the more distant you are from their alignment.

Ethereal Gears
2015-10-18, 09:45 AM
I think the change to fiendish summoning looks good. At least it restricts versatility, even if you get a permanent companion. Possinly you could just restrict it to appropriate-subtype fiends/fiendish animals and just set a CR limit, so you can never summon a creature with a CR exceeding your class level -4 (minimum CR 1) or something like that. I'm only suggesting this because I'm not sure if all kinds of fiends are readily available via summon monster? If I'm wrong about that, though, the ability is fine as is.

I totally get your intent with the vile taboo ability. As I said, I would probably prefer a less alignment-restricted flavor myself, but since you're not going for that, I think this solution sounds good. I would still probably advocate focusing the codes more on the idiosyncratic natures of each kind of fiend, rather than zooming in on evil acts and such. For instance, the devil taboo could have a very Asmodean flavor, being more focused on control and domination, with evil being a consequence of that rather than an end unto itself. Qlippoth could just be madness- and "blind idiot god"-randomness-themed, and demodands could be all about not accepting divine buffs and such. This is just brainstorming, of course; I'm sure you'll come up with cool taboos! :)

Cheers,
- Gears

Xuldarinar
2015-10-18, 10:31 AM
I think the change to fiendish summoning looks good. At least it restricts versatility, even if you get a permanent companion. Possinly you could just restrict it to appropriate-subtype fiends/fiendish animals and just set a CR limit, so you can never summon a creature with a CR exceeding your class level -4 (minimum CR 1) or something like that. I'm only suggesting this because I'm not sure if all kinds of fiends are readily available via summon monster? If I'm wrong about that, though, the ability is fine as is.

I totally get your intent with the vile taboo ability. As I said, I would probably prefer a less alignment-restricted flavor myself, but since you're not going for that, I think this solution sounds good. I would still probably advocate focusing the codes more on the idiosyncratic natures of each kind of fiend, rather than zooming in on evil acts and such. For instance, the devil taboo could have a very Asmodean flavor, being more focused on control and domination, with evil being a consequence of that rather than an end unto itself. Qlippoth could just be madness- and "blind idiot god"-randomness-themed, and demodands could be all about not accepting divine buffs and such. This is just brainstorming, of course; I'm sure you'll come up with cool taboos! :)

Cheers,
- Gears


Thats not a bad point. I've changed it as appropriate.

I've altered channel fiend to include the adjustment. The codes, i'll come up with, each propreate the the type.

Devils will certainly make a considerable deal about law. Qlippoth about sin. Demons about corruption. Divs about destruction. Demodands about religions, I think.. we'll see.

Edit: Im amazed, looking over things, just how... generic demons come off being. There is such diversity there is little to zero in on, hence their bit being "sin" in general rather than a specific aspect.