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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Fifth Edition Binder Class IV - Final



Scarce
2016-06-01, 01:26 AM
This class is finally complete! A massive, 55 page PDF is available for free on Middle Finger of Venca (http://www.middlefingerofvecna.com/2016/06/book-of-binding.html), which includes spell cards and pact-themed subclasses. I fully expect we'll still be updating this as we find things to improve, and from here on out I'll try to maintain a changelog for active players.


5TH EDITION BINDER

http://i.imgur.com/qpzCf.jpg

BINDER
When he finally spoke, it was with the voices of several beings at once, overlapping in an unnatural harmony. But the most prominent voice was gruff and confident, which he used to lull his targets into complacency seconds before he struck with a hidden dagger. By the next morning, the gruff, independent voice was gone, instead replaced with a robotic monotone. He discarded the daggers too, in favor of a heavy mace and imposing armor. The day after that, he struck an air of profound melancholy, and he abandoned weapons altogether to throw lightning from his fingertips. Each morning, he woke up new, possessed by some new infernal spirit, dead god, or forgotten sinner.

Binders are students of Pact Magic, an ancient and secret lore that allows them to call to entities that live beyond the known planes, in the spaces between the worlds. Through a combination of forgotten magic and complex bargains, they persuade or compel these beings to serve them – though not always without a price.

Beyond Reality
Binders learn to cast their minds into the Void between planes, and to search the abyss there for beings that will answer their call. These beings – called vestiges – are remnants of powerful beings residing in the nothingness outside of reality, which is born from the last echoes of the world's creation, and from energies that leak out of the planes. Pact Magic scholars seek out these vestiges and pass down legends of their origin. They learn of their personalities, abilities, and motivations, all of which vary wildly, from the reasonable, to deeply inscrutable.

Because vestiges are devoid of all sensation in the Void, they crave any small taste of reality, and will answer the call of any binder powerful enough to draw them forth. Binders, so named for their willingness to share their spirit with these exiled spirits, can merge a portion of their soul with a vestige in exchange for some of the power the vestige commanded in life.

A Bargain Sealed
In order to obtain the services of a vestige, a binder must strike a deal with that vestige, and use their magic to make the terms of the agreement totally binding. Knowing this, the vestiges will often seek to outwit the binder, adding loopholes and ambiguity into the terms of the bargain, making every deal a grave risk for the binder.

Creating a Binder
As you make your binder character, spend some time thinking about your relationship to your vestiges, and the extent to which you allow them to influence your personality. How did you learn about the mysterious vestiges, and do you have a special relationship to any of them? What drew you to your first summoning? How do you view your own soul, given that you allow other spirits to take up residence within it?

Work with your DM to determine what role vestiges and other binders will play in your campaign.

As a binder, you can redefine your role in the adventuring party, daily, if desired. There is also the possibility that your appearance and your very personality will flex with different vestiges holding sway over your soul. How do you and your adventuring party confront this, and how do you handle the physical signs presented by your vestiges? Do you hide these signs, for fear of public retribution, or do you flaunt them, embracing the power that they offer you?

Quick Build
To make a Binder quickly, consider the following suggestions: Charisma should be your highest stat, followed by a medium balance of Constitution, and Strength and Dexterity. Because you can take any party role, you should be prepared to change your hat on a moment's notice. Physical stats will be more important for if you plan to take the Twisted or Sealed Fate. Lastly, choose the Sage Background.

The Binder



Level
Proficiency Bonus
Features
Vestiges Bound
Vestige Level


1st
+2
Soul Binding
1
1


2nd
+2
Minor Spirits, Trusted Vestige
1
1


3rd
+2
Binder’s Fate
1
2


4th
+2
Ability Score Improvement
1
2


5th
+3
Minor Spirits (2)
2
3


6th
+3
Binder’s Fate feature
2
3


7th
+3

2
4


8th
+3
Ability Score Improvement
2
4


9th
+4
Adamant Mind
2
5


10th
+4
Minor Spirits (3)
3
5


11th
+4

3
6


12th
+4
Ability Score Improvement
3
6


13th
+5
Binder’s Fate feature
3
7


14th
+5
Minor Spirits (4)
4
7


15th
+5

4
8


16th
+5
Ability Score Improvement
4
8


17th
+6
Binder’s Fate feature
4
9


18th
+6
Minor Spirits (5)
5
9


19th
+6
Ability Score Improvement
5
9


20th
+6
Everlasting Pact
5
9



Class Features
As a binder, you gain the following class features.

HIT POINTS
Hit Dice: 1d8 per binder level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per binder level after 1st

PROFICIENCIES
Armor: Light Armor
Weapons: Simple weapons
Tools: Ritual implements
Saving Throws: Charisma, Wisdom
Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Deception, History, Persuasion and Religion.

SOUL BINDING
In your studies, you have uncovered the means to pierce the very fabric of the planes and call to what lives beyond. You learn how to contact a vestige and bind it to a magical agreement. By doing so, you allow a vestige to reside in your soul, and adopt its physical sign on your body. For a list of vestiges and their abilities, see the Vestige Codex (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?471443-Scarce-s-Vestige-Codex-(5e-Binder)&p=20168938).

Pact Negotiation. Following a long rest, you can perform a binding ritual. This process, which takes 1 minute for each vestige you are attempting to bind, requires calling the vestige by name and title, rendering the intended vestige's seal, and potentially other more esoteric acts. During this ritual, the vestige you contact appears as a hazy phantom, hovering over the seal, and slowly becomes more tangible as the ritual continues.

At the completion of each ritual, you make a Charisma check against the Vestige's Pact DC. On a success, you make a Good Pact and the vestige inhabits your body and soul. It leaves you with a physical Sign of its presence, and grants you its associated powers and abilities. If you fail this check, you forge a Poor Pact. You still gain the powers and abilities granted by the vestige, but it fully imposes its will on your psyche, influencing you to act in a fashion that the vestige finds appropriate.

At 1st level you can bind one vestige, and can bind more vestiges at higher levels, as shown in the Vestiges Bound column of the Binder table. Unless otherwise specified, you can only bind vestiges whose combined level is no greater than your binder level.

Renegotiation. Once per day when you finish a short rest, you can choose to perform the ritual of binding again to renegotiate any of the bargains you have made earlier in the day. This allows you to expel a bound vestige early and bind another in its place. When you choose to renegotiate your pacts, you can expel as many vestiges as you wish, and bind a number of vestiges whose combined level is no more than half your binder level (rounded up).

Spellcasting Ability. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for all spells and powers granted to you by your vestiges, since you command the power of your vestiges though your force of personality. Use your Charisma score whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a spell or ability granted to you by one of your vestiges.


Vestige save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Suppress Sign. When you make a good pact with a vestige, you can use a bonus action to suppress or display the physical sign of that vestige.

MINOR SPIRITS
Binding a vestige is the culmination of years of study and practice in both summoning magic and possession. As such, a binder can use the runoff magical energy from his Pact Magic to bind weaker spirits and beings into his service with little to no risk. These spirits serve many uses for the binder, acting as familiars, bodyguards, weapons, and armor.

At 2nd level, you perform a ritual which binds a minor spirit to your service, selected from the Minor Spirits list. The spirit manifests itself, hovering around you (though never impeding you). Though it has a visible form, it is not a creature and cannot be targeted or damaged in any way. While that spirit is active, you gain use of any powers or abilities it grants. You can use a bonus action to dismiss or summon your minor spirit, causing its visible from to vanish, but you can only access its powers while it is manifested.

You can bind one additional minor spirit your service at 5th level, 10th level, 14th level, and 18th level. You can have one active spirit at a time, and you can use your bonus action to switch between them. At 10th level, you can have two spirits active at once. When you gain a level in this class, you can choose to replace a minor spirit you can bind with another.

TRUSTED VESTIGE
Starting at 2nd level, you begin to form a stronger relationship with a particular vestige. This vestige will respond more readily to your summons, and is more likely to obey without attempting to subvert the bargain. Choose one vestige that you have previously summoned and remained bound to for a continuous period of no less than 24 hours. You always make a good pact with this vestige.

When you gain a level in this class, you can choose to replace a trusted vestige with another vestige that you can bind at that level.

BINDER'S FATE
Starting at 3rd level, your soul begins to show the marks of constant possession by the forces from outside reality. You must choose a destiny to embrace as part of your practice. Select a Binder Fate from the options available.

Your choice grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 6th level, 13th level, and 17th level.

ABILITY SCORE IMPROVEMENT
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

ADAMANT MIND
At 9th level, your experience in sharing your mind with otherworldly entities has taught you how to guard your thoughts, and punish those that dare to influence them. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened, and on saving throws against any effect that would sense your emotions or read your thoughts.

Additionally, when you succeed on a save against such an effect, the creature that used that ability on you takes psychic damage equal to your binder level + your Charisma modifier.

EVERLASTING PACT
When you reach 20th level, you can form an everlasting pact with a vestige. When you bind a vestige of 2nd level or lower or a trusted vestige, it remains bound to you until you choose to expel it, and it does not count against your total levels of vestiges bound. You can only have 1 vestige bound in this fashion at a time.

Scarce
2016-06-01, 01:27 AM
Minor Spirits
These minor spirits are presented in alphabetical order. If a minor spirit calls for an attack roll, it uses your spell attack bonus.


Blade Spirit
Commonly found protecting tombs and temples alongside guardian spirits, blade spirits are beings of spite and malice, shaped into the form of a floating, glowing dagger or sword. While active, you gain the following abilities:

When you use the Attack action to make a melee weapon attack and you hit, you can use a bonus action to deal an additional 1d6 psychic damage to your target.
You can cast the spell spiritual weapon without using a spell slot. Once you use this ability, you must take a short or long rest before you can do so again.
As a bonus action on your turn, you can transform your blade spirit into any type of melee weapon you are proficient with. This weapon is magical and you can use it to make melee weapon attacks.

Cherub
A spirit of grace and divine favor, a cherub manifests as a small, feather-winged humanoid with delicate features. While active, a cherub grants the following abilities:

You can cast the sacred flame cantrip at will.
You can cast the spell healing word without using a spell slot. Once you use this ability, you must take a short or long rest before you can do so again.
As a bonus action on your turn, you can have your cherub fire an arrow from its golden bow as a ranged spell attack at a creature you can see within 60 feet. On a hit, this arrow deals 1d8 magical piercing damage.

Frostling
This minor elemental spirit manifests as a mass of spinning, fractal ice shards. While it is active, you gain access to the following abilities:

You can cast the ray of frost cantrip at will.
You gain resistance to cold damage.
As a bonus action on your turn, you can have your frostling fling a shard of ice at a creature you can see within 60 feet as a ranged spell attack. If the shard hits, it deals the target 1d6 cold damage, and it explodes, dealing 1d4 cold damage to all creatures within 5 feet of the target.

Ghost
A ghost is a spirit of regret or woe which haunts a place following its death; the binder gives it a way to escape the confines of its place of death. A ghost manifests as a hazy, translucent floating torso of a humanoid of some sort. While active, a ghost grants you the following abilities:

You can cast the chill touch cantrip at will.
You gain advantage on saving throws against fear effects.
As a bonus action on your turn, you can send your ghost to shock a creature you can see within 30 feet as a ranged spell attack. On a hit, the target takes 1d6 necrotic damage and must make a Wisdom saving throw; failure causes the target to be frightened of you until the start of your next turn. Regardless of success or failure, a given creature cannot be affected by this ability more than once every 24 hours.

Guardian Spirit
A guardian spirit is a commonly found minor spirit, usually charged with protecting a tomb or temple from intruders; it manifests as a floating, plate-sized glowing ring surrounding a protective sigil. Once bound to a binder and active, it grants the following abilities:

You can cast the blade ward cantrip at will.
Your AC increases by 1.
You can cast the spell shield without using a spell slot. Once you use this ability, you must take a short or long rest before you can do so again.

Gustling
This minor elemental spirit manifests as a ball of swirling, opaque air. While active, you gain the following abilities:

You can use your reaction to cause a ranged spell attack made against you to be made with disadvantage.
You can cast the spell fog cloud without using a spell slot. Once you use this ability, you must take a short or long rest before you can do so again.
As a bonus action on your turn, you can fling a ball of swirling air at a creature you can see within 60 feet as a ranged spell attack. On a hit, that creature takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage, and must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be shoved 10 feet away or knocked prone, your choice.

Hell Hound
Hell hounds are minor hunting spirits, used by devils and demons to track down those who attempt to escape from a deal with such beings. They manifest as 4 legged, dog-like creatures that seem to breathe flames. While active, you gain the following abilities:

You can cast the guidance cantrip at will.
You can cast the spell burning hands with your hell hound as the point of origin. Once you use this ability, you must take a short or long rest before you can do so again.
As a bonus action on your turn, you can move your hound up to 30 feet and have it attempt to bite a creature within 5 feet of it. The bite is a melee spell attack, and deals 1d4 piercing damage and 1d4 fire damage. Your hell hound cannot move further than 60 feet from you at any time.

Imp
This minor demonic spirit is a manifestation of evil thought and malevolence. It manifests as a small, winged, horned humanoid, hence its name. While your imp is active, you gain the following abilities:

You gain darkvision with a range of 60 feet.
You can cast the spell hex without using a spell slot. Once you use this ability, you must complete a short or long rest before doing so again.
On your turn, as a bonus action, you can move your imp up to 30 feet away from you towards a creature you can see and have it make a melee spell attack, dealing 1d8 magical slashing damage. The imp immediately returns to your side afterwards.

Lantern
This minor divine spirit is a being of pure goodness and divine judgement. It manifests as a fist-sized ball of light, which sheds light as a torch. While your lantern is active, you gain the following abilities:

You have resistance to radiant damage.
You can cast the spell bless without a spell slot. Once you use this ability, you must take a short or long rest before you can do so again.
On your turn, you can use your bonus action to have your lantern fire a beam of light as a ranged spell attack at a creature you can see within 60 feet. This beam deals 1d8 radiant damage, or 2d8 radiant damage if the target is a demon, devil, or undead.

Pixie
This tiny, capricious spirit is just as flighty as its namesake. Born from the magic of nature and the woods, a pixie manifests as a tiny, butterfly-winged humanoid. While active, you gain the following abilities:

You can cast the minor illusion cantrip at will.
You can cast disguise self without using a spell slot.
As a bonus action on your turn, you can have your pixie fire a poisonous dart as a ranged spell attack at a creature you can see within 60 feet. A creature hit by this dart take 1d10 poison damage.

Poltergeist
A spirit of warning and mischief, a poltergeist is different from other minor spirits in that it does not manifest in a visible form. Instead, it manifests as constant phenomenon around you: flickering candles, frigid temperature drops, object mysteriously floating, etc. While active, a poltergeist grants the following abilities:

You can cast the mage hand cantrip at will.
You can cast the spell unseen servant without using a spell slot.
As a bonus action on your turn, you can have your poltergeist fling a small object as a ranged spell attack against a creature you can see within 60 feet. This attack deals 1d10 piercing, bludgeoning, or slashing damage, as appropriate to the object.

Stormling
This minor elemental spirit manifests as a small, crackling ball of electricity, which sheds light as a torch. While active, you gain the following abilities:

You can cast the shocking grasp cantrip at will.
You gain resistance to lightning damage.
As a bonus action on your turn, you can have your stormling launch a bolt of electricity as a ranged spell attack at a creature you can see within 60 feet. This attack deals 1d6 lightning damage, and you gain advantage on the attack roll if the target is wearing metal armor.

Torchling
This minor elemental spirit manifests as a small, burning ball of fire or magma, which sheds light as a torch. While active, you gain the following abilities:

You can cast the fire bolt cantrip at will.
You gain resistance to fire damage.
As a bonus action on your turn, you can have your torchling fire a bolt of flame as a ranged spell attack at a creature you can see within 60 feet. This attack deals 1d8 fire damage.

Will-o’-the-Wisp
A spirit composed of fearful and spiteful energy, the will-o'-the-Wisp manifests as a hazy ball of blue flame, which sheds light as a torch. While active, you gain the following abilities:

You can cast the dancing lights cantrip at will.
You can cast the spell faerie fire without using a spell slot. Once you use this ability, you cannot do so again until you take a short or long rest.
As a bonus action on your turn, you can have your wisp fling a bolt of ghostly flame at a creature you can see within 60 feet as a ranged spell attack. This bolt deals 1d6 psychic damage on a hit, and the creature is outlined in blue light. The next attack made against this creature adds 1d4 to the attack roll.


Binder Fates
All binders are ordained to a fate, even if it is not one of their choosing. Their fate is an irresistible lure that predetermines a binder’s powers before they have even developed, and is imprinted through countless vestige pacts. Though the origin of a fate is unknown, even to Pact Magic scholars, they appear to guide most binders to greatness, and others to defeat.

ELDRITCH FATE
Though Binding is not spellcasting in the usual sense, it is not altogether different. Binders who follow the Eldritch Fate learn to take that skill and apply it to magic of the proper sort. As well, they learn to exploit their connection to the vestiges they bind, which they refer to as Anima, taking the power they give and channeling it directly into magical might.



Binder Level
Cantrips Known
Spells Known
Spell Slots
Slot Level


3rd
2
3
1
1st


4th
2
4
1
1st


5th
2
4
1
1st


6th
2
4
1
1st


7th
2
5
1
2nd


8th
2
6
1
2nd


9th
2
6
1
2nd


10th
3
7
2
2nd


11th
3
8
2
2nd


12th
3
8
2
2nd


13th
3
9
2
3rd


14th
3
10
2
3rd


15th
3
10
2
3rd


16th
3
11
2
3rd


17th
3
11
2
3rd


18th
3
11
3
3rd


19th
3
12
3
4th


20th
3
13
3
4th



Pact Magic
When you reach 3rd level, you have learned to channel the power of your pacts to cast spells.
Cantrips. You learn two cantrips of your choice from the warlock spell list. You learn an additional warlock cantrip of your choice at 10th level.
Spell Slots. The Eldritch Fate Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have. The table also shows what the level those of those spell slots; all of your spell slots are the same level. To cast one of your Eldritch Fate spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a spell slot. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a short or long rest.
Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher. You know three 1st-level warlock spells of your choice. The Spells Known column of the Eldritch Fate Spellcasting table shows when you learn more warlock spells of 1st level or higher.
Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the warlock spells you know with another spell of your choice from the warlock spell list. A spell you choose must be of a level no higher than what’s shown in the table's Slot Level column for your level.
Spellcasting Ability. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your Eldritch Fate spells, so you use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for an Eldritch Fate spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Anima Casting
At 3rd level, you learn to exploit your bound vestiges for magical power. As a bonus action, you can convert a vestige you currently have bound into a single spell slot. The spell slot level is equal to the level of the vestige used, but can be no higher than what’s shown in the table's Slot Level column for your level. Once you have done so, you lose access to that vestige's powers until you finish a long rest, and you cannot renegotiate your pact with it.

Anima Shield
At 6th level, you force a bound vestige into being your personal watchdog. While you are bound to a vestige, you add your proficiency bonus to your initiative rolls.

Anima Mark
At 13th level, you learn to mix your arcane power with your skills at vestige seal-crafting. During a one minute-long ritual, you inscribe a personal mark on a willing creature you can touch. The mark lasts until dismissed, after which it fades away; it cannot be erased or dispelled by magic short of a wish spell. The mark disappears if you die, or if the creature bearing it dies. Once you mark a creature in this fashion, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest, and you cannot have more than one marked creature at a time.

A marked creature is bonded to you, much the same way you are bonded to your vestiges. This grants a number of benefits to the bonded creature:

While you are within 1 mile of your bonded creature, you can communicate telepathically with it, even if you do not share a language.
As long as the creature bearing your mark is on the same plane as you, you know which direction the creature is in. If the creature dies, you are instantly aware of it.
You can choose to cause any spells you cast with a range of Self to affect your bonded creature as well, and you can cast spells with a range of Touch on your bonded creature as long as it is within 60 feet.
As a reaction, you can cause your mark to surge with power. Doing so allows your bonded creature to re-roll a failed attack roll, saving throw, or skill check. You cannot do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Anima Mastery
At 17th level, you can use your vestige's bonds as a conduit to the Far Realm, gaining powerful insights at a possibly deadly cost. You can expel a vestige you have bound to cast any warlock or sorcerer spell of the same level as the vestige you sacrificed. After expelling a vestige in this way, you cannot renegotiate its pact until you finish a long rest.

You can use this ability to cast spells of a higher level than your pact magic would allow. When using this ability to cast a spell of 5th level or higher, you must make a concentration check with a DC equal to 11 + the spell level: failure causes you to take 1d10 points of unavoidable and irreducible psychic damage for each level of the spell.

Once you use this ability, you must finish a long rest before you can do so again.
OCCULT FATE
Vestiges are deeply enigmatic things, and binding them is a volatile practice. Binders that are ordained in the Occult Fate seek to unravel the deepest mysteries of Pact Magic through ritual and study, focusing their skill on the art and skill of binding above all else.

Trusted Vestiges
When you select this fate at 3rd level, you can select 2 additional trusted vestiges, which must be of a level less than your highest vestige level.

You can select two additional trusted vestiges at 7th, 13th, and 17th level.

Extra Vestige
At 3rd level, as an action, you can bind one of your trusted vestiges with a poor pact without it counting against your daily limit of vestige levels, or number of vestiges bound. You can expel this vestige normally, but you cannot renegotiate a new vestige in its place. At 13th level, you always bind this vestige with a good pact.

This vestige is expelled after 1 minute. At 7th level, this duration increases: the vestige is expelled after 10 minutes. At 13th level the vestige is expelled when you take a short or long rest, and at 17th level only when you take a long rest. Once you use this ability, you must finish a long rest to do so again.

Share Vestige
Starting at 6th level, as an action, you can expend the use of your Extra Vestige feature and bind it to another willing host (that is not a binder) which you can see within 30 feet. This host uses your binder level, spell attack bonus, and vestige save DC for any abilities granted by this vestige. A host that is not a binder always forges a poor pact with a vestige. If you are already bound to your Extra Vestige, you can transfer the vestige to a willing host or back to yourself as an action.

Empty Vessel
Starting at 13th level,you can expend the use of your Extra Vestige feature by binding it to a corpse or skeleton as a 10 minute ritual, animating the body as per the spell animate dead, but with the following differences:
The undead gains all the features as it would being bound to the chosen vestige.
The undead can ignore your mental commands if doing so would prevent it from acting in accordance with both influences of its bound vestige.

Medium
At 13th level, you learn to channel vestiges with much greater efficiency and fluidity. When renegotiating your pacts during a short rest, you can expel any or all of your current vestiges, and make new pacts as if it was following a long rest. You still cannot exceed your maximum number of vestiges bound at one time.

Master Summoner
By 17th level, you learn to expedite the binding process to the point that you can swap vestiges in the blink of an eye. As an action, you can expel a bound vestige and bind a new vestige, following the standard rules for renegotiation. You cannot use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
SEALED FATE
A binder of the Sealed Fate forms a true partnership with a specific vestige. You become that vestige's champion, taking its seal as your symbol and actively advancing your patron's desires and goals. In return, your patron grants her powers beyond that of other binders, enhancing your ability to fight on its behalf.

Patron Vestige
Starting when you choose this fate at 3rd level, you venerate your trusted vestige as your patron, your bulwark against those that might harm you. While bound to your trusted vestige, you gain a fighting style from among: Dueling, Great Weapon Fighting, Protection, and Two-Weapon Fighting, and, while not wearing armor, your AC is equal to 13 + your Dexterity modifier.

When you change your trusted vestige, this new vestige becomes you patron vestige.

Bonus Proficiencies
At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in martial weapons and shields.

Extra Attack
At 6th level, while bound to your trusted vestige, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Patron Strike
At 13th level, your melee and ranged weapon attacks deal additional psychic damage equal to your Charisma modifier.

Patron’s Aegis
At 17th level, your patron shields your form from harm, turning lethal blows and denying your death. When you bind to your trusted vestige, you gain a pool of temporary HP equal to 5 + your binder level. Once per turn, when you strike a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can add a number of temporary HP to this pool equal to half the damage dealt. This pool has a maximum size of twice your Charisma score.

These temporary HP are lost upon breaking your bond with your trusted vestige, and the pool size resets to 5 + your Charisma score when you finish a long rest.
TWISTED FATE
Binders are usually feared and hunted as heretics, or as monsters. As a result of whispered rumors of corruption and heresy, most binders take great pains to keep their craft hidden. Through great practice and great courage do those who take upon themselves the Twisted Fate claim unnatural powers of their own. They embrace the monster that grows in their souls with each pact they form.

Bonus Proficiency
Starting at 3rd Level, you gain proficiency in your choice of Intimidation or Perception.

Unnatural Weapon
Starting at 3rd level, you learn to tap into the form-altering abilities of your vestiges and use them to shape your body to your whim. You can grow or shape varying natural weapons from your body, such as horns, fangs, claws, tentacles, etc. Your unarmed strikes deal 1d4 bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage (your choice), which is considered magical for the purposes of bypassing damage resistance and immunity. Also, when you use the Attack action on your turn to make an unarmed strike, you can use a bonus action to make an additional unarmed strike.

At 7th level, your unarmed strike damage increases to 1d6, and at 13th level, it increases to 1d8.

If you are bound to a vestige which augments your unarmed strike in some way, you can use the vestige's unarmed damage (if it is higher than your own) and your unarmed strikes gain a magical +1 bonus to attack and damage.

Alter Skin
At 6th level, you can change the hue and structure of your skin, providing an abnormal benefit. You gain one of the following features of your choice. You can activate and suppress this feature as an action.
Adaptive. You have advantage on all Constitution saving throws against environmental conditions that would cause fatigue (i.e. extreme heat or cold, high air pressure).
Amphibious. You grow gills and fins. You can breathe normally water as well as in normal air, and you gain a swim speed equal to your land speed.
Camouflage. You can shift the color of your skin. You can attempt to hide whenever you are adjacent to a solid surface larger than you with a uniform color or simple pattern (i.e. tall trees, stone walls, a noble house corridor, etc.)

Enhanced Unnatural Attack
At 13th level, you enhance your unarmed strikes with a strange deformity, chosen from the following list:
Corded Muscle. The muscles on your limbs tighten into thick, taut fibers. When you hit a creature with your unarmed strike, you can use your bonus action to automatically make a successful shove attempt against the creature you hit.
Elasticity. Your limbs are stretchy and swing somewhat loose. Your unarmed strikes gain Reach.
Poison Gland. You grow a poisonous gland inside your chest, and a number of stingers about your body. On a critical hit with your unarmed strike, you deal an additional 1d12 poison damage.

Otherworldly Form
Beginning at 17th Level, you can, as an action, manifest the eldritch beast within you and can take its image. For up to 1 minute, you become an aberration. During this time, you are Large sized if you were smaller, gain advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws, and deal an additional 1d4 damage on melee weapon attacks. You also gain one of the following benefits of your choice. Once you have chosen, this benefit cannot be changed. After using this ability to become an aberration, you cannot use it again until you complete a long rest.
Dire. The damage of your unarmed strike increases to 1d10.
Impervious. When you first gain this feature, choose 3 types of damage. This selection cannot be changed. You have resistance against these types of damage. The damage you selected do not apply to damage from magical weapons.
Wings. You sprout pronounced, membranous wings and gain a fly speed equal to your movement speed.

Scarce
2016-06-01, 01:30 AM
Feats
A feat represents a talent or an area of expertise that gives a character special capabilities. It embodies training, experience, and abilities beyond what a class provides.
At certain levels, your class gives you the Ability Score Improvement feature. Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking that feature to take a feat of your choice instead. You can take each feat only once, unless the feat’s description says otherwise.

You have been taught secret techniques for the removal of possessing spirits.

Increase your Wisdom score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
When you make a melee attack against a fey, fiend, or undead, you ignore that creature’s damage resistances.
You can use your action to touch a creature within your reach and determine if the creature is possessed or under the effects of an enchantment spell. If so, you learn the type of spirit possessing the creature or the spell enchanting it.
By presenting a holy symbol to a creature within 10 feet as an action, you can attempt an exorcism ritual. If the creature is possessed by a spirit, the possessing spirit must make a Wisdom saving throw, with a DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier. On a failure, the spirit is expelled, and it cannot enter that creature again for 24 hours. On a success, the creature is immune to exorcism attempts for 24 hours.

If the target of your exorcism is a creature with the Soul Binding feature, it becomes unable to use any power or ability provided by its vestiges, except for Bonus Proficiencies, and the vestige's Physical Sign and Influence, for 1 minute.

You have learned the hidden ways of pactmaking, and can summon a few minor spirits to your aid.
You gain the Soul Binding feature.
You bind one Minor Spirit to your service, and can use its abilities. No matter how many minor spirits you have bound to you, you can only have one active at a time.
You learn to summon a first level vestige, with difficulty. As an action, you can bind this vestige and use its powers and abilities, while you maintain concentration on the binding as you would a spell. If you lose concentration, or after 1 minute, the vestige is expelled. You always make a poor pact with this vestige, unless you have levels in a class that grants you vestige binding.
After summoning this vestige, you must take a long rest before you can summon it again.

You have experience in the detection and elimination of warlocks, occultists, and creatures possessed by foul spirits.
You gain resistance to acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage (your choice when you gain this feat.)
You can instantly identify a creature that has cast a spell within the last 24 hours.
When you hit a creature with a melee attack, you can use a bonus action to disrupt its magic. This creature must make a Constitution saving throw or have disadvantage on spell attack rolls it makes until the beginning of your next turn. The DC equals 10 or half the damage dealt, whichever is higher.

Magic Items
Magic items are gleaned from the hoards of conquered monsters or discovered in long-lost vaults. Such items grant capabilities a character could rarely have otherwise, or they complement their owner’s capabilities in wondrous ways.

Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement by a creature with the Soul Binding feature)
You can ring this bell as a bonus action to disrupt one vestige bound to yourself. For 1 minute, that vestige is suppressed: you do not gain any of the vestige's features, not do you show the vestige's Physical Sign or Influence.

Weapon (any sword or dagger), rare
This wicked-looking blade is cut from black, volcanic glass, and is covered in small, precisely-carved vestige seals. A creature bound to a vestige gains a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. Additionally, the athame can be used to augment a vestige binding ritual, and you have advantage on the Charisma check made to bind a vestige while you hold it.


Wondrous item, rare (+1), very rare (+2), or legendary (+3)
This deceptively simple looking sapphire and gold monocle is an invaluable asset to any pact-maker, augmenting and enhancing a bound vestige's abilities. While worn, you gain a +1 bonus to all attack rolls and saving throw DCs for your vestige powers and abilities.

Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement by a creature with the Soul Binding feature)
This ornately carved, fist-sized tetrahedron seems to be made of a precious stone, but it is impossible to tell of which variety. By performing a ritual during a short rest, you can bind one of your Minor Spirits into the Spirit Stone; once done, the stone floats nearby, and the spirit manifests itself around it. While bound to the stone, that spirit does not count against your number of active spirits. You can expel and bind a new spirit into the stone by performing the ritual again.

Wondrous item, rare, (requires attunement)
These teeth are mysterious in origin, and are inextricably linked to the vestige Dahlver-Nar. To attune to one, you must remove your own tooth, and put a tooth of Dahlver-Nar in its place, which deals you 1 point of damage. You can then cast the spell associated with that tooth at will. You can choose your spellcasting ability for these spells, but once made, you cannot change this selection.
There are a number of known teeth, each associated with a particular vestige:
Acererak: false life
Amon: burning hands
Andromalius: hideous laughter
Eligor: chromatic orb
Kas: inflict wounds
Leraje: hunter's mark
Otiax: fog cloud
Primus: command
Ronove: feather fall
Savnok: mage armor
Tenebrous: darkness

Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement by a creature with the Soul Binding feature)
This seal is sewn into silks and painted with magical paints. Functionally, it is an amalgamation of many seals, reusing the most common geometries to all vestige seals. When you negotiate your pacts following a long rest, you can use the universal seal to summon all your vestiges at once (requiring only 1 minute, no matter how many vestiges you intend to bind,) and make a single Charisma check against the highest Pact DC. On a success, you make a good pact with all of your vestiges. On a failure, you make a poor pact with all your vestiges.

Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement by a creature with the Soul Binding feature)
This ornately carved cube houses a vestige. When you negotiate your pacts following a long rest, you can bind a single vestige to this phylactery. In a ritual requiring 1 round of concentration, you can expel one vestige you are bound to and exchange it with the vestige held in the phylactery. After binding this vestige, you cannot use any of its powers or abilities for 1d4 rounds. A vestige bound in this way always forms a poor pact.

Scarce
2016-06-01, 01:35 AM
Binders interact with their vestiges through the Weave, but bind to them by sharing their very soul. Therefore, only some powers and abilities offered by binding a vestige are subject to interaction with effects like antimagic field and dispel magic.

In an area of an antimagic field, all features of your minor spirits and vestiges, except for Bonus Proficiencies, your Physical Signs, and Influence, are suppressed. The spells offered to you by vestiges can be dispelled and counterspelled as normal, but the vestiges themselves are too powerful to be dispelled in this manner.



6/3/16: Sealed Fate: Patron Vestige: Clarification added
Gustling: Ranged spell attack required
Otiax: Fog Hammer: Opp attacks are against targets within 5 feet
Acererak: Undead Healing: Any source other than cantirips
Geryon: Acidic Gaze: Action to use
Kas: Black Blade: Clarification on adding Charisma modifier twice
Tenebrous: Grave Darkness: Effects only affect creatures you choose. Your summoned undead can see in darkness.
Exorcist: Only disables binders for 1 minute
Teeth of Dahlver-Nar: Savnok: mage armor instead of shield
6/4/16: Ronove: Ronove's Fists: Reworded to state that you use your binder level as a monk level for unarmed strikes, and that, if you multiclass, your effective level is binder + monk'
Karsus: Null Magic: Rephrased
Otiax: Obscuring Mist: Bonus action to cast
Feat: Exorcism: Target is immune to exorcism attempts for 24 hours on a success
Magical Interaction Sidebar: Added
6/26/16: Suppress Sign: Moved to subpoint under Pact Magic, no longer in table
Minor Spirits: Now uses consistent wording for cantrips
Patron's Aegis: 5 + binder level, not Charisma score
Amon: Amon's Horns: Typo fixed
Dahlver-Nar: Share Harm: Reworded
Ronove: Far Hand: 'You' make a Charisma check, not the hand
Aym: Golden Halo: Duration fixed
8/21/16: Quick Build: Edited to better represent a successful Binder stat array
Minor Spirit: Ghost: Specifies ranged spell attack roll
Naberius: Noble Bloodhound: Feature added; was missing in the PDF
Aym: Golden Halo: Reworded
Tenebrous Domain: Spells: Typo on 'destructive wave'
Cards: Changes made to Savnok, Tenebrous, and Halphax

ImSAMazing
2016-06-01, 05:45 AM
I have been following this project from the sideline, and I must say: kudo's to each and every one of you. Great job!!!

This seems perfectly balanced, and I might suggest putting this on the DM's Guild to reach an even bigger public with this great system/class/feats/vestiges. That also opens the option that one day WoTC might publish this in a sourcebook(and I think you guys would see that as an awesome opportunity.)

Scarce
2016-06-01, 04:50 PM
I have been following this project from the sideline, and I must say: kudo's to each and every one of you. Great job!!!

This seems perfectly balanced, and I might suggest putting this on the DM's Guild to reach an even bigger public with this great system/class/feats/vestiges. That also opens the option that one day WoTC might publish this in a sourcebook(and I think you guys would see that as an awesome opportunity.)

Well, we've considered this a lot, actually. I've made the PDF in the spirit of the OGL (public domain art and original resources only), but we're restricted from publishing it under that license because many of the vestiges are Wizards characters, are 'Product Identity', or are otherwise embedded in Forgotten Realms. But if we were to publish this on the DMG, I wouldn't be able to release it myself, on my blog, or to my amazing supporters on Patreon. Plus, there's positively no way that it won't get lost in the deep swamp that is the DMG.

So, for all of those reasons, we're releasing the PDF without a license, for free. It's available early to my patrons, but it'll get a public release in a few weeks as well.

Mith
2016-06-01, 05:10 PM
Amazing work.

Will the Vestige Codex be released as a part of the PDF as well, or will that be separate?

Scarce
2016-06-01, 07:59 PM
Amazing work.

Will the Vestige Codex be released as a part of the PDF as well, or will that be separate?

It's all one massive PDF, with everything here, the vestige codex, variant rules, subclasses for other classes, and NPC statblocks. Hence, 55 pages.

Kane0
2016-06-01, 11:12 PM
Any way we can give you guys one off donations?

ImSAMazing
2016-06-03, 12:37 AM
Any way we can give you guys one off donations?

Maybe you could for example go to their patreon, pay 5$ or whatever you want to pay, and then end your subscription? Not sure if Patreon works like that though, never used it.

Scarce
2016-06-03, 01:25 AM
Maybe you could for example go to their patreon, pay 5$ or whatever you want to pay, and then end your subscription? Not sure if Patreon works like that though, never used it.

It totally does, though Kane isn't the first person to ask, so I'll look into setting something up.

Submortimer
2016-06-06, 06:09 PM
You know, the only thing I hate about the fact that it'd get lost in the muck of the DMG is that it would make a great portfolio piece for us to get picked up as designers by WotC :smallsmile:

Mith
2016-06-07, 12:58 AM
There is no other avenue to contact them with, I gather? I guess if there was, they would be swamped as the DM guild already is.

Scarce
2016-06-07, 03:33 AM
There is no other avenue to contact them with, I gather? I guess if there was, they would be swamped as the DM guild already is.
To be honest, I'm happy just making awesome content, DM Guild or not.

Mith
2016-06-07, 12:30 PM
To be honest, I'm happy just making awesome content, DM Guild or not.


Fair enough. And I am happy that you are making it. This makes me really interested in binders, since I have never actually seen them in play.

Kane0
2016-06-08, 03:11 AM
Any plans for incarnum now that this is largely wrapped up?
Cause if you did a good incarnum i'd definitely give money for that too.

Submortimer
2016-06-08, 07:32 AM
Any plans for incarnum now that this is largely wrapped up?
Cause if you did a good incarnum i'd definitely give money for that too.

At the moment, no. We have a ton on our plate as it is. That said, I f-ing LOVE Magic of Incarnum, so i'm not against doing some work to bring that back into 5e...it's just unlikely that it will be as long-term of a project as this was.

Scarce
2016-06-26, 07:55 PM
Quick update: the 55 page PDF, complete with NPC stats, vestige subclasses, and vestige cards is out! Download it for free here (http://www.middlefingerofvecna.com/2016/06/book-of-binding.html)!

Mcdjangali
2016-09-14, 06:24 AM
First and foremost, I love the work you all put the n to make this class for 5e. It is indeed a labor of love and you all have done a fine job. My question is about the minor spirits. Just want to confirm that if they grant a spell, is it cast at its lowest level. Pretty sure the answer is yes but wanted to confirm.

Thanks again,


Ps.
I will be working on bringing the Karsite race to 5e but I will open that up on another thread.

Scarce
2016-09-16, 12:57 PM
My question is about the minor spirits. Just want to confirm that if they grant a spell, is it cast at its lowest level. Pretty sure the answer is yes but wanted to confirm.


This is true of the minor spirits and all the vestiges: spells are cast at their lowest level unless otherwise specified.

Daddycool123
2023-04-23, 11:00 AM
Is there a link for viewing the class?

The given link is taking me to some kind of advertising page