Silva Stormrage
2020-03-28, 10:53 PM
Conduit
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/a4/17/82/a41782ed6e60dbad7b5caf6527cec734.jpg?fbclid=IwAR1z tcWesAd5nBCFcIYIEu7DFEB7TWYyLy3ozVmeeUQO6lw7CiF-_dYwApQ
This is not a fight you wish to have, your mind is not capable of withstanding the maelstrom of my magic - Sylnesh Moonwhisper, Elven Conduit
Creator Notes: This was my entry for the last 3.5 base class challenge thread but it seems that that contest is dead now, not enough people wanting to create 3.5 base classes which is somewhat sad. Regardless I wanted to actually tidy up this class and post it, no need for the work I put in to be wasted. I took obvious inspiration from Warcraft's Void Priest archetype what with the madness and shadow aspects as well as some key abilities like Mind Flay. Still regardless of its roots it should be fairly functional on its own and add a good pool of mysteries for regular shadowcasters to use as well. In addition, if you are playing this class try to get your DM to approve the excellent Descent of Shadows Project (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?74519-Descent-of-Shadows-Project-Shadow-Returns). It also contains a boatload of interesting shadowcasting content.
Info: The plane of shadows is a plane of infinite darkness, a shadowy reflection of the material plane. Objects, people and all manner of things can be found reflected on the malleable plane. But these things are often not a 1-1 reflection of their forms on the material plane. Buildings are warped and locations and stretched and displaced when reflected on the plane of shadows. While many travelers and scholars focus on the physical objects displaced and warped due to the obviousness of their transformation they neglect other things shifted and warped in their reflection of the plane of shadows. Thoughts and emotions neatly trapped in a being’s mind on the material plane can find themselves freed and spread about on the plane of shadows, a building who houses a being drenched in despair can find it’s shadowy equivalent imbued with those emotions. Likewise a garden of a joyful child might have lingering remnants of hope imbued in the corresponding location in the plane of shadows. Even simply wandering in the plane of shadows might have a traveler's idle thoughts leak out from their mind harmlessly and seep into the surroundings. In fact these lingering emotions and thoughts can often form the undead that occasionally wander the plane.
Conduits are shadowcasters who specialize in drawing in and manipulating these emotions on the plane of shadows. They can cast mysteries as normal shadowcasters but excel at casting mysteries relating to the mind causing fear and hope to spring up. Drawing in these ephemeral echoes of emotions from the plane of shadows is actually easier to channel than raw shadowstuff but it can be exceptionally more dangerous as Conduits expose themselves to the very thoughts and emotions that they are channeling which can drive those not focused and centered to be driven insane.
Adventures: Conduits are not particularly common in the first place as shadow magic is not a well practiced school of magic in most settings. Those that uptake the calling tend to adventure to find lost pieces of lore or to journey with friends and other companions. The call to adventure depends on each Conduit and their reason for picking up the mantle of a Conduit in the first place.
Characteristics: Conduits are often thought of as stoic and introverted individuals. They have to have a powerful will and keen sense for emotions in order to survive the emotional influences they receive from their magic and keep themselves sane. This characteristic makes them good companions for those wanting a steadfast and insightful advisor. Because they channel their shadow magic via intuition they need to make a connection with the plane of shadows and form the mysteries they need for the day with force of will rather than precise arcane knowledge they are less often from schools and universities compared to regular wizards and shadowcasters.
Alignment: Conduits don't tend to follow any particular alignment. Many find themselves neutral aligned and some have a slight tendency towards law just due to their nature of being self disciplined but its not a hard fast rule.
Religion: Conduits aren't generally religious though some find solace in other powers and use that strength of faith to maintain their will when channeling their mysteries.
Background: Conduits are most often tutored by another Conduit, shadow magic is rare as it is, a particular branch of shadow magic focused on channeling raw emotions through one’s self isn’t particularly popular.
Races: Conduits often come from races with a culture of stoicism or endurance. Those from cultures which focus on enduring hardships in order to achieve your goals are more likely to accept the sometimes brutal nature of Conduit’s magic.
Other Classes: Conduits often work well with Clerics and Druids due to their shared outlook on dedication and will. Interestingly enough they can often find companions with rogues and beguilers, having a variety of stealthy options to help those companions while also understanding the social situations that might drive many rogues to fall to thievery and such.
Role: The main role a Conduit plays is that of a primary spell caster. They in particular excel in debuffs and mind affecting abilities and also have quite a knack for stealth and subterfuge as well as scouting.
GAME RULE INFORMATION
Conduits have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Wisdom is the most important ability for Conduits by far. Not only is it the ability score related to their mysteries DC and other effects, but it also increases their will save and thus their ability to cast void Mysteries and various other class features. Dexterity is important for the various stealth skills shadow magic is good at improving such as hide/move silently and sleight of hand.
Hit Die: d6
Starting Age: As Wizard.
Starting Gold: As Wizard
Class Skills
The Conduit’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Knowledge (The Planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis),
Skill Points at First Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier
Conduit
Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
Mysteries Selected
1st
+0
+0
+0
+2
Mind Flay (1d8), Fundamentals, Apprentice Mysteries, Umbral Counterpart (Minor), Talent
2
2nd
+1
+0
+0
+3
Focused Will (+1)
3
3rd
+1
+1
+1
+3
Mind Flay (2d8), Umbral Counterpart (Lesser)
4
4th
+2
+1
+1
+4
Talent
5
5th
+2
+1
+1
+4
Mind Flay (3d8), Depth of Shadows Mind Shards (1)
6
6th
+3
+2
+2
+5
Focused Will (+2)
7
7th
+3
+2
+2
+5
Mind Flay (4d8) Initiate Mysteries
8
8th
+4
+2
+2
+6
Fundamentals (At Will), Talent
9
9th
+4
+3
+3
+6
Mind Flay (5d8), Umbral Counterpart (Greater)
10
10th
+5
+3
+3
+7
Void Gathering, Focused Will (+3)
11
11th
+5
+3
+3
+7
Mind Flay (6d8), Mind Shards (2)
12
12th
+6
+4
+4
+8
Talent
13
13th
+6
+4
+4
+8
Mind Flay (7d8),Master Mysteries
14
14th
+7
+4
+4
+9
Focused Will (+4)
15
15th
+7
+5
+5
+9
Mind Flay (8d8), Umbral Counterpart (Perfect)
16
16th
+8
+5
+5
+10
Talent
17
17th
+8
+5
+5
+10
Mind Flay (9d8), Mind Shards (4)
18
18th
+8
+6
+6
+11
Focused Will (+5)
19
19th
+9
+6
+6
+11
Mind Flay (10d8)
20
20th
+10
+6
+6
+12
Thematic Weaving, Talent
21
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Conduits are proficient with all simple weapons as well as a single martial weapon as well as light armor but not shields.
Fundamentals of Shadow (Su): As a Conduit, you must master certain basic powers before proceeding to deeper secrets of shadow. These powers, known as fundamentals, function as supernatural abilities usable three times per day. You begin play with three fundamentals plus an additional fundamental for every point of intelligence modifier and gain an additional fundamental at 4th level and every four additional levels beyond 4th. At 8th level you can use your fundamentals an unlimited number of times per day as long as your Umbral Counterpart is summoned and alive. If your Umbral Counterpart is destroyed you are still limited to using each fundamental three times per day and you can't use a fundamental anymore that day if you have already used it three times that day. You can, when gaining a new level, choose a new fundamental in place of another mystery. When choosing a fundamental, you can "relearn" an already known fundamental, thus gaining another set of uses of that fundamental per day. The save DC of any fundamental is equal to 10 + your Wisdom modifier.
Mysteries and Paths: Conduits do not cast spells as other classes do, but instead invoke mystical secrets called mysteries. You know four mysteries at 1st level and gain two additional mysteries at every class level but can learn additional mysteries beyond this (See Umbral Counterpart Below). You can learn a mystery of a level equal to your class level+1 / 2 (Thus 2nd level mysteries at 3rd class level, 3rd level mysteries at 5th class level, etc). You can choose your new mystery from any category you have access to (including fundamentals). For instance, at 8th level, you could select either a fundamental, an apprentice mystery, or an initiate mystery. You can learn any mysteries available to the Shadowcaster (See Tome of Magic and the Void Mystery section below for Additional Mysteries).
Shadow magic progresses in very specific paths, the ephemeral mysteries of the plane of shadows need to be grouped together with other similar mysteries to be given proper form. You do not need to select all previous mysteries in a given path to select a mystery but you do gain a bonus for having access to all mysteries in a given path (See the Depths of Shadow class feature below).
Mysteries represent thought patterns and formulae so alien that other spells seem simple in comparison. As you progress, however, your connection to the Plane of Shadow grows stronger, and your mysteries become more ingrained in your essence. Your highest level grade of mystery available to you (Apprentice, Initiate, Master) are cast as though they were arcane spells. They all have somatic components, armor-based spell failure chance, and are subject to interruption (but they do not require verbal components). Whenever you cast a mystery as an arcane spell, observers can make a DC 15 Spot Check to note that your shadow is making different gestures from the ones you make when you cast the mystery.
Your second highest grade of mysteries that you know functions as spell-like abilities, and they no longer require somatic components. While your third highest grade of mysteries function as supernatural abilities and their saving throw DC becomes 10 + ½ Conduit Level + your Wisdom modifier. Both mysteries cast as spell-like abilities and supernatural abilities still require material and experience point components if the mystery requires them.
You can use each mystery you know a certain number of times per day depending on whether it is cast as a spell(once), a spell-like ability(two times), or a supernatural ability(four times). You must rest for 8 hours and meditate for 15 minutes each day to regain use of mysteries just as a sorcerer or bard must rest and meditate to regain use of spell slots.
However, you can not cast each mystery that you know. Each day you select a number of mysteries listed on the class table from either your known mysteries or those stored on your Umbral Counterpart (See Below) which functions as a pseudo spellbook. Those are the only mysteries you can cast for that day until your rest and select new ones. In order to select a higher level mystery you must have selected at least 1 mystery of a lower level and you can only select at most 3 mysteries of your highest level you can cast.
In order to cast a mystery, you must have an Intelligence score of at least 10 + the mystery's level. The save DC for your mysteries equals 10 + mystery level + your Wis modifier. Even though as a Conduit you do not "cast spells" in the traditional sense, your levels in this class count for the purposes of determining your overall caster level.
Mind Flay: (Sp) The fundamental offensive tool for any Conduit. As a standard action they channel the raw essence of the shadow plane and use it to inflict horrific mental pain upon a target within medium range (100ft +10ft/CL). The Conduit produces a continuous purple beam that shoots out to the target's head inflicting the indicated amount of damage to the target plus the Conduit's wisdom modifier. This damage repeats at the start of the Conduit's turn as long as he maintains concentration on this beam. This attack is highly disorientating to the target and halves the targets move speed and inflicts a -2 penalty to attack rolls, armor class, spot and listen checks and will saves for as long as mind flay is channeled on the target and one round after. These penalties increase by 1 for every 5 caster levels of the Conduit. A successful will saving throw halves the damage and prevents the application of the penalties but does not remove them if the target has already failed a saving throw. The saving throw for this ability is 10 + 1/2 the Conduit's Class Level + their Wisdom Modifier. If the conduit wishes this damage can be nonlethal.
The Conduit can maintain this effect with concentration as a move action until the target dies, she loses concentration or she loses line of sight or line of effect to the target. Casting and maintaining this ability requires the use of one free hand and she may only concentrate on one mind flay at a time. Unlike most other spells and spell like abilities that require concentration she may cast mysteries or other similar abilities while channeling mind flay. This is a mind affecting spell like ability which can be used at will and is treated as a spell of the enchantment school with a spell level of 1/2 the Conduit's Class Level for purposes of items, feats and similar effects.
Umbral Counterpart: (Su): At 1st level the Conduit constructs a duplicate of themselves made via raw shadowstuff similar to a familiar. This Umbral Counterpart can be summoned at will with an eight hour ritual that must be conducted entirely in a region of at least shadowy concealment. Once summoned this construct lasts until destroyed. The Conduit must select one of three tracks for their Umbral Counterpart. Hope, Discipline or Despair, and this choice determines the abilities and appearance of their Umbral Counterpart. Once selected this choice can’t be changed or retrained.
Counterparts have half the amount of hit points as the Conduit and have the incorporeal subtype and are mindless. They can not attack, use mysteries or other spell like, supernatural or extraordinary abilities beyond the ones they gain for their track (See below). Otherwise they share the same statistics as the Conduit, AC, Saves, Ability Scores, etc. The Conduit shares senses with the counterpart and controls it perfectly. The counterpart can't go beyond 100ft from the Conduit however, and if it does for some reason it dissipates and reforms next to the Conduit in the next round. If the Conduit wishes they can have their counterpart fuse into their shadow as a standard action via touch, this prevents the Counterpart from taking any actions but also prevents them from being detected or targeted in any way. Effects that require being near the Counterpart don't function while it is fused with your shadow.
Counterparts have another critical function beyond their use as a scout and their track abilities however, and that's for the Conduit to bolster their shadowcasting and especially their ability to cast [Void] mysteries. Void Mysteries are a subset of mysteries that revolve around channeling and enduring a torrential onslaught of emotions from the plane of shadows. Even the most steadfast of Conduits can't reliably manage the emotional backlash of channeling their power easily. Thus they create their counterparts and let their counterparts suffer most of the backlash from channeling the raw shadowstuff of the planes. Void mysteries require the caster to make a will save to avoid mental backlash from channeling these emotions and otherworldly thoughts through their own mind (See below for Void Mysteries and more details on this type of mystery). While their counterpart is alive and active they can add their 2 plus their intelligence modifier to this will save, suffer two less points of ability damage from failing and don't automatically fail the saving throw on roll of a natural 1.
These counterparts also act as a makeshift spellbook for the Conduit. Whenever the Conduit encounters a mystery she does not know, either from observing it and successfully making a spellcraft check to identify it or from a scroll or similar item. She may within 24 hours of observing the mystery have her counterpart meditate in one place within at least shadowy concealment for an hour per spell level of the mystery to store that mystery within itself. If the mystery was in a scroll or similar item this destroys the item, if it was simply observed then the Conduit needs to provide 50gp per spell level for material components for the ritual. Since the Counterpart is tied to the Conduit she must remain within range of the Counterpart for the entirety of this ritual or it is disrupted.
If destroyed the counterpart can simply be summoned via the ritual used to call it in the first place with no cost to the Umbral Counterpart. While it is destroyed the Conduit can't cast any mysteries stored in the Counterpart and any such mysteries she had selected for the day that were stored in the counterpart immediately lose their uses for that day. A resummoned counterpart still retains any mysteries stored within it but does not refresh the uses for mysteries for that day which were lost.
Description: Hope Umbral Counterparts look like a more regal version of the Conduit. Their clothes turn white and gold trimmed and their face often shows a calm and joyful expression. Wings and various appendages tend to take on a more celestial and angelic appearance than normal. Hope Counterparts can transfer and dispel fear and other harmful emotions from allies.
Minor Abilities: While the counterpart is active the Conduit gains fast healing 1 as long as they are below half their maximum HP, their conduit simply gains fast healing 1 and can heal to their maximum.
Lesser Abilities: While the counterpart is active the Conduit and all allies within 10ft of the counterpart are immune to fear, pain or effects relying on negative emotions such as the spell Crushing Despair. If they move near the counterpart while already having such an effect it is suppressed while they remain within range of the counterpart. Allies within the radius can still feel pain but it is simply not debilitating for them.
Greater Abilities: The counterpart now removes ongoing fear effects from allies instead of merely suppressing them. In addition, allies are inspired and motivated while within 10ft of the counterpart and now the conduit and any ally within 10ft of the counterpart gains a +3 morale bonus on saving throws, skill checks and attack rolls while they stay within range.
Perfect Abilities: The counterpart can now as a standard action touch a creature and grant them a surge of hope. For an hour the creature is always treated as if within 10ft of the counterpart and gains a +30ft bonus to movement speed and +4 enchantment bonus to all ability scores. And they heal 10 damage each round. The Counterpart can only do this a number of times per day equal to the Conduit's wisdom modifier.
Description: Discipline Umbral Counterparts look identical to the Conduit themselves except their face is featureless. Discipline Counterparts allow the Conduit to more safely cast Void Mysteries as well as giving protection and endurance to themselves and the Conduit.
Minor Abilities: While the counterpart is active the Conduit gains the ability to rebuke and command shadows, and extraplanar creatures from the plane of shadows as an evil cleric could undead. They use their wisdom modifier instead of charisma but otherwise this functions as the Cleric Ability rebuke undead. Items and abilities that boost rebuke undead function on this ability but it can't be used to fuel feats or items that require turn or rebuke undead.
Lesser Abilities: While the counterpart is active the Conduit's gains a +5 bonus on their will saving throw for the purpose of Void mysteries, in addition every round the conduit or an ally starts their turn within 10ft of the counterpart they gain 5 temporary hit points that last a single round. The counterpart and the conduit gain double this amount of temporary hit points each round and the temporary hit points are represented as a faint white transparent shield surrounding the target which shatters when the hit points are expended.
Greater Abilities: The amount of temporary hit points improves to 20 hit points and they last for one minute before being expended. While the Counterpart is active the Conduit gains the ability Mettle.
Perfect Abilities: The temporary hit points granted by the counterpart improves to 40. The Conduit can now automatically redirect any mind affecting effect targeting her and make it target her counterpart instead. Since the counterpart is immune to mind affecting abilities this effectively renders the conduit immune to mind affecting abilities. Finally their Mettle improves to Improved Mettle for will saving throws only, against fortitude saves it is still treated as regular mettle.
Description: Despair Umbral Counterparts look like the Conduit except their clothes take on a more dark and drab appearance and a veil of shadows covers the counterpart’s face and orbs of darkness float around their head. Despair counterparts draw hope and joy from enemies.
Minor Abilities: While the counterpart is active the Conduit's mind flay ability deals 1 point of wisdom damage anytime a creature fails a saving throw against it.
Lesser Abilities: No enemies within 10ft of the Counterpart can benefit from any morale bonuses as their hope and effects of those abilities are leached into the umbral counterpart and those abilities are effectively suppressed while within the radius. The counterpart also gains an incorporeal melee touch attack with a bonus to hit equal to your wisdom modifier, those hit by this attack gain a -2 penalty to AC, attack rolls, skill checks and saving throws for one minute. This touch is a mind affecting ability. Your Mind Flay ability also adds your intelligence modifier to its damage roll.
Greater Abilities: The counterpart's melee touch attack also embeds one mind shard into the target's psyche and the penalties of their touch attack are increased by 2. While enemies are within 10ft of the counterpart they lose any immunity to fear they have unless the CL of the effect (Or HD of the creature if the effect has no caster level) is at least 3 higher than the conduit's caster level
Perfect Abilities: The counterpart automatically inflicts the effects of their touch attack on any enemy who starts their turn within 10ft of the counterpart as those enemies' minds are assaulted with intense feelings of horror and dread. The touch attack now also inflicts two mind shards. In addition, the suppression of morale bonuses and immunity to fear lasts for one minute after leaving the counterpart's radius.
Talents: At 1st level, 4th level and every 4th level after that the Conduit gains a talent, a small modification or improved to an ability of theirs to represent personal training and study. The Conduit must meet all prerequisites of the talents she takes and if you lose a prerequisite for any reason any talent that requires it becomes inactive until you gain it back again. A list of talents is below.
Umbral Stealth: You and your Counterpart gain the Darkstalker feat as a bonus feat.
Darkened Form: When hiding your body can turn dark like a shadow making stealth much easier and you gain a +6 racial bonus to sleight of hand, hide and move silently
Shadow Step: You gain the Shadow Dancer's Shadow Jump class feature except you can jump a total of 10ft per caster per day.
Inner Darkness: You gain the Shadowdancer's Hide In Plain Sight ability while you have at least 3 Shadow Ranks.
Prerequisites: Shadow Step
Shadow Familiar: You gain the Shadow Familiar feat as a bonus feat regardless of not meeting the prerequisites.
Command Shadows: You gain the ability to rebuke and command creatures native to the plane of shadows. If you already have this ability from the Discipline Umbral Counterpart than you command two times your HD in creatures now.
Extended Mind Flay: Mind Flay's range is now increased to Long Range (400ft + 40ft/CL)
Supernatural Mind Flay: Mind Flay is now a supernatural ability, not provoking attacks of opportunity when cast, not being able to be disrupted via concentration and no longer being able to be resisted by spell resistance. The Conduit still needs to spend a move action each round to maintain the effect.
Dual Mind Flay: You can now maintain two Mind Flays at a single time, spending a move action to maintain each one. You must target two separate creatures with these Mind Flays and you must still activate each Mind Flay with its own standard action.
Improved Dual Mind Flay: You can now maintain your two Mind Flays with a single move action.
Prerequisites: Dual Mind Flay Talent
Overpower the Weak Willed: Mind Flay now deals an extra 2 points of damage per dice against targets with a lower wisdom score than you.
Heightened Mind Flay: Up to three times per day you can boost your Mind Flay's saving throw DC by 3.
Quickened Mind Flay: Mind Flay can now be cast as a move action.
Prerequisites: Heightened Mind Flay, Ability to cast 6th level mysteries
Blackout: If a target has 5 mind shards detonated at once than they are stunned for one round.
Prerequisites: Mind Shard Class Ability
Empowered Mind Shards: If the target fails a saving throw against Mind Flay they gain an additional mind shards.
Prerequisites: Mind Shard Class Ability
Shattered Mind: If the target fails a saving throw against Mind Flay they gain a second additional mind shard.
Prerequisites: Empowered Mind Shards:
Hidden Mind Flay: Mind Flay no longer has a visible component to it and can be used while in stealth with only taking a -10 penalty to hide instead of the normal -20. Detect magic, Arcane sight and similar abilities can still detect the beam of void magic, it just no longer visible to regular vision.
Void Mind Flay: Whenever a creature fails a saving throw against Mind Flay their penalty from Void Gathering increases by 1 to a maximum of the normal maximum for the ability.
Prerequisite: Void Gathering ability
Shadow Plunge: You are always treated as if having one more Shadow Rank than you normally would.
Shadow Flexibility: For up to two different paths if you have not selected a single mystery from that path you may treat another selected mystery of the same level as the missing mystery for the purpose of completing the path and getting another Shadow Rank. This selected mystery can not be from another path which is giving you a shadow rank.
Void Focus: If you have 4 ranks of shadow and you select a path of Void Mysteries via your 4th Shadow Rank ability the mysteries in that path gain a +1 CL bonus and +1 saving throw DC.
Shadow Channeling: You get a bonus on your will saving throw equal to your Shadow Ranks.
Hiding Within the Depths: You get a circumstance bonus to your hide and move silently checks equal to double your Shadow Ranks.
Clarity of the Void: While you have at least 3 Shadow Ranks you gain a +10 insight bonus to spot checks while observing things within at least shadowy concealment and can see invisible creatures in such conditions.
Discerning Clarity: You can ignore any illusionary based miss chance on creatures in Shadowy Concealment and can automatically get a will save to disbelieve such illusions even without interacting with them.
Prerequisites: Clarity of the Void
Enduring Counterpart: Your Umbral Counterpart gains DR 10/- and Energy Resistance 15 to all energy types. At level 14 this improves to DR 15/- and Energy Resistance 30.
Efficient Storage: When your Umbral Counterpart meditates to learn a new mystery you reduce GP cost and time spent needed to meditate by half. This doesn't reduce the GP cost when using a scroll or similar item.
Dark Counterpart: Your Counterpart now gains the dark template and can use your sleight of hand, hide and move silently skill ranks when it is making the relevant skill checks.
Magical Connection: Any mystery you cast on yourself can also be cast on your Counterpart for free with the same duration, effects, etc.
Distant Counterpart: Your counterpart can now go within medium range (100ft + 10ft/Caster Level) of your position before fading.
Scapegoat: Once per day as an immediate action when affected by a spell, spell like or supernatural ability you can transfer the effects of the ability to your Umbral Counterpart if it is summoned. You are no longer affected by the effect and instead your counterpart takes the full effect, failing any relevant saving throws automatically. This does not help protect any other creatures caught in the effect if it affected multiple creatures. At 10th level you can use this talent twice per day. At 20th you can use it three times per day.
Umbral Familiar: Your Umbral Counterpart and your familiar merge into one entity. Your familiar now gains the effects of the counterparts track abilities, any relevant talents boosting or affecting the counterpart as well as becoming incorporeal. Your familiar can now store mysteries just as your Umbral Counterpart could and retains any mysteries already stored in your counterpart. Upon dying your familiar no longer costs you experience points and can be resummoned as normal for an Umbral Counterpart. However, your familiar can now no longer go further than 100ft from your person without fading away. Finally you become unable to summon a regular Umbral Counterpart after taking this talent. If you spend 1000 GP and undergo a 24 hour ritual you can change your familiar to a different valid familiar you can select, you become unable to replace your familiar in any other manner.
Prerequisites: Shadow Familiar Talent
Fundamental Mastery: You select a single extra fundamental to learn and an additional one for every 4 CL you have. In addition, your fundamentals now have a saving throw DC equal to 10 + 1/2 your caster level + your wisdom modifier
Sudden Mysteries: Whenever you target a flatfooted creature with a mystery it's caster level and saving throw DC are both increased by 2 and you gain a +2 bonus on any relevant attack rolls related to the mystery.
Improved Mysteries: Whenever you select this talent select two mysteries that you have access to. Whenever you cast either mystery it is treated as one step higher than it normally would. For example, if it would normally be a spell it would be cast as a spell like ability, if it was normally a spell like ability it would be cast as a supernatural ability. This does not modify the actual number of times you can cast these mysteries per day. You can select this talent multiple times, its effects stack on the same mystery but you can not select the same mystery twice with one talent.
Flexible Talent: Now each day when you regain your uses of your mysteries for the day you can change which mysteries your Improved Mysteries talent affects. If you have improved Mysteries selected multiple times you can change all of the mysteries selected from all the talents.
Prerequisites: Improved Mysteries Talent
Improved Empathic Channeling: You gain a +3 bonus on your will save for casting Void Mysteries. In addition if you fail you reduce the ability damage taken by 1 per ability score (Minimum of 0).
Metashadow Focused Mystery: When you select this talent choose one mystery that you know. Now you can apply each metashadow feat you know to that mystery once per day without expending your use of the metashadow feat. You can only apply one metashadow feat to a particular casting of the mystery in this way. You can select this talent multiple times, each time selecting a new mystery.
Focused Will: (Ex): At 2nd level the Conduit’s meditation and iron will hardens, allowing them to weather all sorts of mental assaults. They gain the indicated number as a bonus to will saves. This bonus increases by 1 every 4 levels after 2nd, (+2 at 6th, +3 at 10th, etc).
Mind Shards: At 5th level the Conduit gains the ability to inflict raw portions of thoughts and emotions leached from the plane of shadows to disrupt and drive people insane. Whenever a target takes damage from Mind Flay they gain a number of "Mind Shards" embedded into their psyche equal to the number on the above table. The next time the creature fails a saving throw against a Void Mystery (See Above and Below) or a Mind Affecting Mystery the Conduit can cause these shards to detonate causing severe pain and mental damage to those afflicted. They take one point of ability damage in each mental ability score (Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma) for each mind shard detonated in this manner. If the caster is someone other than the Conduit they detonate automatically. Mind Shards are a mind affecting ability and immunity to mind affecting abilities prevents them from forming or dealing damage upon detonation. A creature can have a maximum number of Mind Shards embedded in them equal to the Conduit's Wisdom Modifier.
While dangerous and lasting until detonated a creature just feels a constant sense of pressure when his psyche is embedded with Mind Shards and perhaps a faint headache if they have a plethora of them. Mind Shards can't be removed by dispel magic or similar effects though they can be detected as a faint enchantment via detect magic and similar effects. It takes a break enchantment or restoration cast by a caster level 5 higher than the Conduit's or a miracle or wish to remove the shards.
Depths of Shadow: Shadow Magic is stronger when the caster has similar mysteries available to give it structure. Whenever a Conduit selects all mysteries of a given path in a given day they gain 1 Shadow Rank for that day representing their strengthening connection to the plane of shadows. The Conduit gains bonuses depending on how many Shadow Rank, even if they expend the mysteries for a given path they still count as having that path for Shadow Rank purposes. You keep your current ranks of shadow until you rest and reselect mysteries.
You can see through magical darkness and your mysteries gain +1 CL and +1 Saving throw DC against targets in at least shadowy concealment.
All Void Mysteries selected gain an extra use per day (Even for those you don’t have all mysteries in the path selected).
You gain the Dark Template, in addition you can see glimpses of the thoughts and emotions of creatures via those thoughts and emotions escaping to the plane of shadows. This allows you to see the general emotional state of creatures granting you a +10 insight bonus to sense motive against them and allowing you to pinpoint an invisible or hiding creature’s square via this sense (Though they would still have total concealment from you). Creature’s immune to mind affecting abilities are immune to this sense.
Select 4 paths. Each mystery in those paths can be used an additional time, you can select a single path up to two times to give it 2 additional uses per mystery.
You can select 3 metashadow feats (Or Shadow Essence Feats if you are using the Descent of Shadows Homebrew). You retain these feats as bonus feats until you rest.
If a creature has immunity to mind affecting spells from a spell or item your void mysteries have a 50% chance of bypassing the immunity.
All metashadow feats can be used an additional time per day. You gain +4 bonus to all ability scores and caster level while within shadowy concealment.
Void Gathering: The Conduit's ability to utilize Void Mysteries improves further. Now a creature targeted by a Void Mystery cast by the conduit suffers a -1 penalty on any saving throw per equal void mystery they have been subject to since the start of the encounter. This penalty has a maximum equal to the Conduit's intelligence modifier.
Thematic Weaving: At the peak of their power a conduit develops a deep connection to the Plane of Shadows which manifests as an aura that can manipulate emotions and thoughts of those nearby. The effect of the aura depends on what type of Counterpart the Conduit has selected. Regardless of the choice the aura is a 30ft radius centered on the Conduit whose effects can be activated or deactivated with a swift action.
Hope: Allies within the radius find themselves inspired and optimistic. Every ally can reroll one d20 roll they make each round, this reroll must be spent after they roll but before they know whether it was a success or failure. They can take the better of the two rolls.
Discipline: All allies within the radius find themselves becoming more steadfast and determined, unwilling to let hardships and sorrow control them. Any creature attempting to use a void mystery in this aura automatically passes the will save in order to cast the mystery. In addition, every ally within the radius reduces all damage they take by 10 from all sources, this stacks with energy resistance and damage reduction but is not negated by effects that bypass those.
Despair: Enemies within the radius find their actions pointless and reality to be simply soul crushing. Enemies must make a will save each round (DC of 20 + the Conduit's Wisdom Modifier) or find themselves increasingly apathetic and have a 50% chance of simply standing around not acting on their next turn.
Extra Talent
You have studied extra hard and found an extra way to modify your abilities
Prerequisite: Conduit level 4
Benefit: You learn one additional talent that you qualify for.
Special: This feat may be selected multiple times, each time selecting a new talent each time. This feat can only be selected once for every 4 HD the character has.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/a4/17/82/a41782ed6e60dbad7b5caf6527cec734.jpg?fbclid=IwAR1z tcWesAd5nBCFcIYIEu7DFEB7TWYyLy3ozVmeeUQO6lw7CiF-_dYwApQ
This is not a fight you wish to have, your mind is not capable of withstanding the maelstrom of my magic - Sylnesh Moonwhisper, Elven Conduit
Creator Notes: This was my entry for the last 3.5 base class challenge thread but it seems that that contest is dead now, not enough people wanting to create 3.5 base classes which is somewhat sad. Regardless I wanted to actually tidy up this class and post it, no need for the work I put in to be wasted. I took obvious inspiration from Warcraft's Void Priest archetype what with the madness and shadow aspects as well as some key abilities like Mind Flay. Still regardless of its roots it should be fairly functional on its own and add a good pool of mysteries for regular shadowcasters to use as well. In addition, if you are playing this class try to get your DM to approve the excellent Descent of Shadows Project (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?74519-Descent-of-Shadows-Project-Shadow-Returns). It also contains a boatload of interesting shadowcasting content.
Info: The plane of shadows is a plane of infinite darkness, a shadowy reflection of the material plane. Objects, people and all manner of things can be found reflected on the malleable plane. But these things are often not a 1-1 reflection of their forms on the material plane. Buildings are warped and locations and stretched and displaced when reflected on the plane of shadows. While many travelers and scholars focus on the physical objects displaced and warped due to the obviousness of their transformation they neglect other things shifted and warped in their reflection of the plane of shadows. Thoughts and emotions neatly trapped in a being’s mind on the material plane can find themselves freed and spread about on the plane of shadows, a building who houses a being drenched in despair can find it’s shadowy equivalent imbued with those emotions. Likewise a garden of a joyful child might have lingering remnants of hope imbued in the corresponding location in the plane of shadows. Even simply wandering in the plane of shadows might have a traveler's idle thoughts leak out from their mind harmlessly and seep into the surroundings. In fact these lingering emotions and thoughts can often form the undead that occasionally wander the plane.
Conduits are shadowcasters who specialize in drawing in and manipulating these emotions on the plane of shadows. They can cast mysteries as normal shadowcasters but excel at casting mysteries relating to the mind causing fear and hope to spring up. Drawing in these ephemeral echoes of emotions from the plane of shadows is actually easier to channel than raw shadowstuff but it can be exceptionally more dangerous as Conduits expose themselves to the very thoughts and emotions that they are channeling which can drive those not focused and centered to be driven insane.
Adventures: Conduits are not particularly common in the first place as shadow magic is not a well practiced school of magic in most settings. Those that uptake the calling tend to adventure to find lost pieces of lore or to journey with friends and other companions. The call to adventure depends on each Conduit and their reason for picking up the mantle of a Conduit in the first place.
Characteristics: Conduits are often thought of as stoic and introverted individuals. They have to have a powerful will and keen sense for emotions in order to survive the emotional influences they receive from their magic and keep themselves sane. This characteristic makes them good companions for those wanting a steadfast and insightful advisor. Because they channel their shadow magic via intuition they need to make a connection with the plane of shadows and form the mysteries they need for the day with force of will rather than precise arcane knowledge they are less often from schools and universities compared to regular wizards and shadowcasters.
Alignment: Conduits don't tend to follow any particular alignment. Many find themselves neutral aligned and some have a slight tendency towards law just due to their nature of being self disciplined but its not a hard fast rule.
Religion: Conduits aren't generally religious though some find solace in other powers and use that strength of faith to maintain their will when channeling their mysteries.
Background: Conduits are most often tutored by another Conduit, shadow magic is rare as it is, a particular branch of shadow magic focused on channeling raw emotions through one’s self isn’t particularly popular.
Races: Conduits often come from races with a culture of stoicism or endurance. Those from cultures which focus on enduring hardships in order to achieve your goals are more likely to accept the sometimes brutal nature of Conduit’s magic.
Other Classes: Conduits often work well with Clerics and Druids due to their shared outlook on dedication and will. Interestingly enough they can often find companions with rogues and beguilers, having a variety of stealthy options to help those companions while also understanding the social situations that might drive many rogues to fall to thievery and such.
Role: The main role a Conduit plays is that of a primary spell caster. They in particular excel in debuffs and mind affecting abilities and also have quite a knack for stealth and subterfuge as well as scouting.
GAME RULE INFORMATION
Conduits have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Wisdom is the most important ability for Conduits by far. Not only is it the ability score related to their mysteries DC and other effects, but it also increases their will save and thus their ability to cast void Mysteries and various other class features. Dexterity is important for the various stealth skills shadow magic is good at improving such as hide/move silently and sleight of hand.
Hit Die: d6
Starting Age: As Wizard.
Starting Gold: As Wizard
Class Skills
The Conduit’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Knowledge (The Planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis),
Skill Points at First Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier
Conduit
Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
Mysteries Selected
1st
+0
+0
+0
+2
Mind Flay (1d8), Fundamentals, Apprentice Mysteries, Umbral Counterpart (Minor), Talent
2
2nd
+1
+0
+0
+3
Focused Will (+1)
3
3rd
+1
+1
+1
+3
Mind Flay (2d8), Umbral Counterpart (Lesser)
4
4th
+2
+1
+1
+4
Talent
5
5th
+2
+1
+1
+4
Mind Flay (3d8), Depth of Shadows Mind Shards (1)
6
6th
+3
+2
+2
+5
Focused Will (+2)
7
7th
+3
+2
+2
+5
Mind Flay (4d8) Initiate Mysteries
8
8th
+4
+2
+2
+6
Fundamentals (At Will), Talent
9
9th
+4
+3
+3
+6
Mind Flay (5d8), Umbral Counterpart (Greater)
10
10th
+5
+3
+3
+7
Void Gathering, Focused Will (+3)
11
11th
+5
+3
+3
+7
Mind Flay (6d8), Mind Shards (2)
12
12th
+6
+4
+4
+8
Talent
13
13th
+6
+4
+4
+8
Mind Flay (7d8),Master Mysteries
14
14th
+7
+4
+4
+9
Focused Will (+4)
15
15th
+7
+5
+5
+9
Mind Flay (8d8), Umbral Counterpart (Perfect)
16
16th
+8
+5
+5
+10
Talent
17
17th
+8
+5
+5
+10
Mind Flay (9d8), Mind Shards (4)
18
18th
+8
+6
+6
+11
Focused Will (+5)
19
19th
+9
+6
+6
+11
Mind Flay (10d8)
20
20th
+10
+6
+6
+12
Thematic Weaving, Talent
21
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Conduits are proficient with all simple weapons as well as a single martial weapon as well as light armor but not shields.
Fundamentals of Shadow (Su): As a Conduit, you must master certain basic powers before proceeding to deeper secrets of shadow. These powers, known as fundamentals, function as supernatural abilities usable three times per day. You begin play with three fundamentals plus an additional fundamental for every point of intelligence modifier and gain an additional fundamental at 4th level and every four additional levels beyond 4th. At 8th level you can use your fundamentals an unlimited number of times per day as long as your Umbral Counterpart is summoned and alive. If your Umbral Counterpart is destroyed you are still limited to using each fundamental three times per day and you can't use a fundamental anymore that day if you have already used it three times that day. You can, when gaining a new level, choose a new fundamental in place of another mystery. When choosing a fundamental, you can "relearn" an already known fundamental, thus gaining another set of uses of that fundamental per day. The save DC of any fundamental is equal to 10 + your Wisdom modifier.
Mysteries and Paths: Conduits do not cast spells as other classes do, but instead invoke mystical secrets called mysteries. You know four mysteries at 1st level and gain two additional mysteries at every class level but can learn additional mysteries beyond this (See Umbral Counterpart Below). You can learn a mystery of a level equal to your class level+1 / 2 (Thus 2nd level mysteries at 3rd class level, 3rd level mysteries at 5th class level, etc). You can choose your new mystery from any category you have access to (including fundamentals). For instance, at 8th level, you could select either a fundamental, an apprentice mystery, or an initiate mystery. You can learn any mysteries available to the Shadowcaster (See Tome of Magic and the Void Mystery section below for Additional Mysteries).
Shadow magic progresses in very specific paths, the ephemeral mysteries of the plane of shadows need to be grouped together with other similar mysteries to be given proper form. You do not need to select all previous mysteries in a given path to select a mystery but you do gain a bonus for having access to all mysteries in a given path (See the Depths of Shadow class feature below).
Mysteries represent thought patterns and formulae so alien that other spells seem simple in comparison. As you progress, however, your connection to the Plane of Shadow grows stronger, and your mysteries become more ingrained in your essence. Your highest level grade of mystery available to you (Apprentice, Initiate, Master) are cast as though they were arcane spells. They all have somatic components, armor-based spell failure chance, and are subject to interruption (but they do not require verbal components). Whenever you cast a mystery as an arcane spell, observers can make a DC 15 Spot Check to note that your shadow is making different gestures from the ones you make when you cast the mystery.
Your second highest grade of mysteries that you know functions as spell-like abilities, and they no longer require somatic components. While your third highest grade of mysteries function as supernatural abilities and their saving throw DC becomes 10 + ½ Conduit Level + your Wisdom modifier. Both mysteries cast as spell-like abilities and supernatural abilities still require material and experience point components if the mystery requires them.
You can use each mystery you know a certain number of times per day depending on whether it is cast as a spell(once), a spell-like ability(two times), or a supernatural ability(four times). You must rest for 8 hours and meditate for 15 minutes each day to regain use of mysteries just as a sorcerer or bard must rest and meditate to regain use of spell slots.
However, you can not cast each mystery that you know. Each day you select a number of mysteries listed on the class table from either your known mysteries or those stored on your Umbral Counterpart (See Below) which functions as a pseudo spellbook. Those are the only mysteries you can cast for that day until your rest and select new ones. In order to select a higher level mystery you must have selected at least 1 mystery of a lower level and you can only select at most 3 mysteries of your highest level you can cast.
In order to cast a mystery, you must have an Intelligence score of at least 10 + the mystery's level. The save DC for your mysteries equals 10 + mystery level + your Wis modifier. Even though as a Conduit you do not "cast spells" in the traditional sense, your levels in this class count for the purposes of determining your overall caster level.
Mind Flay: (Sp) The fundamental offensive tool for any Conduit. As a standard action they channel the raw essence of the shadow plane and use it to inflict horrific mental pain upon a target within medium range (100ft +10ft/CL). The Conduit produces a continuous purple beam that shoots out to the target's head inflicting the indicated amount of damage to the target plus the Conduit's wisdom modifier. This damage repeats at the start of the Conduit's turn as long as he maintains concentration on this beam. This attack is highly disorientating to the target and halves the targets move speed and inflicts a -2 penalty to attack rolls, armor class, spot and listen checks and will saves for as long as mind flay is channeled on the target and one round after. These penalties increase by 1 for every 5 caster levels of the Conduit. A successful will saving throw halves the damage and prevents the application of the penalties but does not remove them if the target has already failed a saving throw. The saving throw for this ability is 10 + 1/2 the Conduit's Class Level + their Wisdom Modifier. If the conduit wishes this damage can be nonlethal.
The Conduit can maintain this effect with concentration as a move action until the target dies, she loses concentration or she loses line of sight or line of effect to the target. Casting and maintaining this ability requires the use of one free hand and she may only concentrate on one mind flay at a time. Unlike most other spells and spell like abilities that require concentration she may cast mysteries or other similar abilities while channeling mind flay. This is a mind affecting spell like ability which can be used at will and is treated as a spell of the enchantment school with a spell level of 1/2 the Conduit's Class Level for purposes of items, feats and similar effects.
Umbral Counterpart: (Su): At 1st level the Conduit constructs a duplicate of themselves made via raw shadowstuff similar to a familiar. This Umbral Counterpart can be summoned at will with an eight hour ritual that must be conducted entirely in a region of at least shadowy concealment. Once summoned this construct lasts until destroyed. The Conduit must select one of three tracks for their Umbral Counterpart. Hope, Discipline or Despair, and this choice determines the abilities and appearance of their Umbral Counterpart. Once selected this choice can’t be changed or retrained.
Counterparts have half the amount of hit points as the Conduit and have the incorporeal subtype and are mindless. They can not attack, use mysteries or other spell like, supernatural or extraordinary abilities beyond the ones they gain for their track (See below). Otherwise they share the same statistics as the Conduit, AC, Saves, Ability Scores, etc. The Conduit shares senses with the counterpart and controls it perfectly. The counterpart can't go beyond 100ft from the Conduit however, and if it does for some reason it dissipates and reforms next to the Conduit in the next round. If the Conduit wishes they can have their counterpart fuse into their shadow as a standard action via touch, this prevents the Counterpart from taking any actions but also prevents them from being detected or targeted in any way. Effects that require being near the Counterpart don't function while it is fused with your shadow.
Counterparts have another critical function beyond their use as a scout and their track abilities however, and that's for the Conduit to bolster their shadowcasting and especially their ability to cast [Void] mysteries. Void Mysteries are a subset of mysteries that revolve around channeling and enduring a torrential onslaught of emotions from the plane of shadows. Even the most steadfast of Conduits can't reliably manage the emotional backlash of channeling their power easily. Thus they create their counterparts and let their counterparts suffer most of the backlash from channeling the raw shadowstuff of the planes. Void mysteries require the caster to make a will save to avoid mental backlash from channeling these emotions and otherworldly thoughts through their own mind (See below for Void Mysteries and more details on this type of mystery). While their counterpart is alive and active they can add their 2 plus their intelligence modifier to this will save, suffer two less points of ability damage from failing and don't automatically fail the saving throw on roll of a natural 1.
These counterparts also act as a makeshift spellbook for the Conduit. Whenever the Conduit encounters a mystery she does not know, either from observing it and successfully making a spellcraft check to identify it or from a scroll or similar item. She may within 24 hours of observing the mystery have her counterpart meditate in one place within at least shadowy concealment for an hour per spell level of the mystery to store that mystery within itself. If the mystery was in a scroll or similar item this destroys the item, if it was simply observed then the Conduit needs to provide 50gp per spell level for material components for the ritual. Since the Counterpart is tied to the Conduit she must remain within range of the Counterpart for the entirety of this ritual or it is disrupted.
If destroyed the counterpart can simply be summoned via the ritual used to call it in the first place with no cost to the Umbral Counterpart. While it is destroyed the Conduit can't cast any mysteries stored in the Counterpart and any such mysteries she had selected for the day that were stored in the counterpart immediately lose their uses for that day. A resummoned counterpart still retains any mysteries stored within it but does not refresh the uses for mysteries for that day which were lost.
Description: Hope Umbral Counterparts look like a more regal version of the Conduit. Their clothes turn white and gold trimmed and their face often shows a calm and joyful expression. Wings and various appendages tend to take on a more celestial and angelic appearance than normal. Hope Counterparts can transfer and dispel fear and other harmful emotions from allies.
Minor Abilities: While the counterpart is active the Conduit gains fast healing 1 as long as they are below half their maximum HP, their conduit simply gains fast healing 1 and can heal to their maximum.
Lesser Abilities: While the counterpart is active the Conduit and all allies within 10ft of the counterpart are immune to fear, pain or effects relying on negative emotions such as the spell Crushing Despair. If they move near the counterpart while already having such an effect it is suppressed while they remain within range of the counterpart. Allies within the radius can still feel pain but it is simply not debilitating for them.
Greater Abilities: The counterpart now removes ongoing fear effects from allies instead of merely suppressing them. In addition, allies are inspired and motivated while within 10ft of the counterpart and now the conduit and any ally within 10ft of the counterpart gains a +3 morale bonus on saving throws, skill checks and attack rolls while they stay within range.
Perfect Abilities: The counterpart can now as a standard action touch a creature and grant them a surge of hope. For an hour the creature is always treated as if within 10ft of the counterpart and gains a +30ft bonus to movement speed and +4 enchantment bonus to all ability scores. And they heal 10 damage each round. The Counterpart can only do this a number of times per day equal to the Conduit's wisdom modifier.
Description: Discipline Umbral Counterparts look identical to the Conduit themselves except their face is featureless. Discipline Counterparts allow the Conduit to more safely cast Void Mysteries as well as giving protection and endurance to themselves and the Conduit.
Minor Abilities: While the counterpart is active the Conduit gains the ability to rebuke and command shadows, and extraplanar creatures from the plane of shadows as an evil cleric could undead. They use their wisdom modifier instead of charisma but otherwise this functions as the Cleric Ability rebuke undead. Items and abilities that boost rebuke undead function on this ability but it can't be used to fuel feats or items that require turn or rebuke undead.
Lesser Abilities: While the counterpart is active the Conduit's gains a +5 bonus on their will saving throw for the purpose of Void mysteries, in addition every round the conduit or an ally starts their turn within 10ft of the counterpart they gain 5 temporary hit points that last a single round. The counterpart and the conduit gain double this amount of temporary hit points each round and the temporary hit points are represented as a faint white transparent shield surrounding the target which shatters when the hit points are expended.
Greater Abilities: The amount of temporary hit points improves to 20 hit points and they last for one minute before being expended. While the Counterpart is active the Conduit gains the ability Mettle.
Perfect Abilities: The temporary hit points granted by the counterpart improves to 40. The Conduit can now automatically redirect any mind affecting effect targeting her and make it target her counterpart instead. Since the counterpart is immune to mind affecting abilities this effectively renders the conduit immune to mind affecting abilities. Finally their Mettle improves to Improved Mettle for will saving throws only, against fortitude saves it is still treated as regular mettle.
Description: Despair Umbral Counterparts look like the Conduit except their clothes take on a more dark and drab appearance and a veil of shadows covers the counterpart’s face and orbs of darkness float around their head. Despair counterparts draw hope and joy from enemies.
Minor Abilities: While the counterpart is active the Conduit's mind flay ability deals 1 point of wisdom damage anytime a creature fails a saving throw against it.
Lesser Abilities: No enemies within 10ft of the Counterpart can benefit from any morale bonuses as their hope and effects of those abilities are leached into the umbral counterpart and those abilities are effectively suppressed while within the radius. The counterpart also gains an incorporeal melee touch attack with a bonus to hit equal to your wisdom modifier, those hit by this attack gain a -2 penalty to AC, attack rolls, skill checks and saving throws for one minute. This touch is a mind affecting ability. Your Mind Flay ability also adds your intelligence modifier to its damage roll.
Greater Abilities: The counterpart's melee touch attack also embeds one mind shard into the target's psyche and the penalties of their touch attack are increased by 2. While enemies are within 10ft of the counterpart they lose any immunity to fear they have unless the CL of the effect (Or HD of the creature if the effect has no caster level) is at least 3 higher than the conduit's caster level
Perfect Abilities: The counterpart automatically inflicts the effects of their touch attack on any enemy who starts their turn within 10ft of the counterpart as those enemies' minds are assaulted with intense feelings of horror and dread. The touch attack now also inflicts two mind shards. In addition, the suppression of morale bonuses and immunity to fear lasts for one minute after leaving the counterpart's radius.
Talents: At 1st level, 4th level and every 4th level after that the Conduit gains a talent, a small modification or improved to an ability of theirs to represent personal training and study. The Conduit must meet all prerequisites of the talents she takes and if you lose a prerequisite for any reason any talent that requires it becomes inactive until you gain it back again. A list of talents is below.
Umbral Stealth: You and your Counterpart gain the Darkstalker feat as a bonus feat.
Darkened Form: When hiding your body can turn dark like a shadow making stealth much easier and you gain a +6 racial bonus to sleight of hand, hide and move silently
Shadow Step: You gain the Shadow Dancer's Shadow Jump class feature except you can jump a total of 10ft per caster per day.
Inner Darkness: You gain the Shadowdancer's Hide In Plain Sight ability while you have at least 3 Shadow Ranks.
Prerequisites: Shadow Step
Shadow Familiar: You gain the Shadow Familiar feat as a bonus feat regardless of not meeting the prerequisites.
Command Shadows: You gain the ability to rebuke and command creatures native to the plane of shadows. If you already have this ability from the Discipline Umbral Counterpart than you command two times your HD in creatures now.
Extended Mind Flay: Mind Flay's range is now increased to Long Range (400ft + 40ft/CL)
Supernatural Mind Flay: Mind Flay is now a supernatural ability, not provoking attacks of opportunity when cast, not being able to be disrupted via concentration and no longer being able to be resisted by spell resistance. The Conduit still needs to spend a move action each round to maintain the effect.
Dual Mind Flay: You can now maintain two Mind Flays at a single time, spending a move action to maintain each one. You must target two separate creatures with these Mind Flays and you must still activate each Mind Flay with its own standard action.
Improved Dual Mind Flay: You can now maintain your two Mind Flays with a single move action.
Prerequisites: Dual Mind Flay Talent
Overpower the Weak Willed: Mind Flay now deals an extra 2 points of damage per dice against targets with a lower wisdom score than you.
Heightened Mind Flay: Up to three times per day you can boost your Mind Flay's saving throw DC by 3.
Quickened Mind Flay: Mind Flay can now be cast as a move action.
Prerequisites: Heightened Mind Flay, Ability to cast 6th level mysteries
Blackout: If a target has 5 mind shards detonated at once than they are stunned for one round.
Prerequisites: Mind Shard Class Ability
Empowered Mind Shards: If the target fails a saving throw against Mind Flay they gain an additional mind shards.
Prerequisites: Mind Shard Class Ability
Shattered Mind: If the target fails a saving throw against Mind Flay they gain a second additional mind shard.
Prerequisites: Empowered Mind Shards:
Hidden Mind Flay: Mind Flay no longer has a visible component to it and can be used while in stealth with only taking a -10 penalty to hide instead of the normal -20. Detect magic, Arcane sight and similar abilities can still detect the beam of void magic, it just no longer visible to regular vision.
Void Mind Flay: Whenever a creature fails a saving throw against Mind Flay their penalty from Void Gathering increases by 1 to a maximum of the normal maximum for the ability.
Prerequisite: Void Gathering ability
Shadow Plunge: You are always treated as if having one more Shadow Rank than you normally would.
Shadow Flexibility: For up to two different paths if you have not selected a single mystery from that path you may treat another selected mystery of the same level as the missing mystery for the purpose of completing the path and getting another Shadow Rank. This selected mystery can not be from another path which is giving you a shadow rank.
Void Focus: If you have 4 ranks of shadow and you select a path of Void Mysteries via your 4th Shadow Rank ability the mysteries in that path gain a +1 CL bonus and +1 saving throw DC.
Shadow Channeling: You get a bonus on your will saving throw equal to your Shadow Ranks.
Hiding Within the Depths: You get a circumstance bonus to your hide and move silently checks equal to double your Shadow Ranks.
Clarity of the Void: While you have at least 3 Shadow Ranks you gain a +10 insight bonus to spot checks while observing things within at least shadowy concealment and can see invisible creatures in such conditions.
Discerning Clarity: You can ignore any illusionary based miss chance on creatures in Shadowy Concealment and can automatically get a will save to disbelieve such illusions even without interacting with them.
Prerequisites: Clarity of the Void
Enduring Counterpart: Your Umbral Counterpart gains DR 10/- and Energy Resistance 15 to all energy types. At level 14 this improves to DR 15/- and Energy Resistance 30.
Efficient Storage: When your Umbral Counterpart meditates to learn a new mystery you reduce GP cost and time spent needed to meditate by half. This doesn't reduce the GP cost when using a scroll or similar item.
Dark Counterpart: Your Counterpart now gains the dark template and can use your sleight of hand, hide and move silently skill ranks when it is making the relevant skill checks.
Magical Connection: Any mystery you cast on yourself can also be cast on your Counterpart for free with the same duration, effects, etc.
Distant Counterpart: Your counterpart can now go within medium range (100ft + 10ft/Caster Level) of your position before fading.
Scapegoat: Once per day as an immediate action when affected by a spell, spell like or supernatural ability you can transfer the effects of the ability to your Umbral Counterpart if it is summoned. You are no longer affected by the effect and instead your counterpart takes the full effect, failing any relevant saving throws automatically. This does not help protect any other creatures caught in the effect if it affected multiple creatures. At 10th level you can use this talent twice per day. At 20th you can use it three times per day.
Umbral Familiar: Your Umbral Counterpart and your familiar merge into one entity. Your familiar now gains the effects of the counterparts track abilities, any relevant talents boosting or affecting the counterpart as well as becoming incorporeal. Your familiar can now store mysteries just as your Umbral Counterpart could and retains any mysteries already stored in your counterpart. Upon dying your familiar no longer costs you experience points and can be resummoned as normal for an Umbral Counterpart. However, your familiar can now no longer go further than 100ft from your person without fading away. Finally you become unable to summon a regular Umbral Counterpart after taking this talent. If you spend 1000 GP and undergo a 24 hour ritual you can change your familiar to a different valid familiar you can select, you become unable to replace your familiar in any other manner.
Prerequisites: Shadow Familiar Talent
Fundamental Mastery: You select a single extra fundamental to learn and an additional one for every 4 CL you have. In addition, your fundamentals now have a saving throw DC equal to 10 + 1/2 your caster level + your wisdom modifier
Sudden Mysteries: Whenever you target a flatfooted creature with a mystery it's caster level and saving throw DC are both increased by 2 and you gain a +2 bonus on any relevant attack rolls related to the mystery.
Improved Mysteries: Whenever you select this talent select two mysteries that you have access to. Whenever you cast either mystery it is treated as one step higher than it normally would. For example, if it would normally be a spell it would be cast as a spell like ability, if it was normally a spell like ability it would be cast as a supernatural ability. This does not modify the actual number of times you can cast these mysteries per day. You can select this talent multiple times, its effects stack on the same mystery but you can not select the same mystery twice with one talent.
Flexible Talent: Now each day when you regain your uses of your mysteries for the day you can change which mysteries your Improved Mysteries talent affects. If you have improved Mysteries selected multiple times you can change all of the mysteries selected from all the talents.
Prerequisites: Improved Mysteries Talent
Improved Empathic Channeling: You gain a +3 bonus on your will save for casting Void Mysteries. In addition if you fail you reduce the ability damage taken by 1 per ability score (Minimum of 0).
Metashadow Focused Mystery: When you select this talent choose one mystery that you know. Now you can apply each metashadow feat you know to that mystery once per day without expending your use of the metashadow feat. You can only apply one metashadow feat to a particular casting of the mystery in this way. You can select this talent multiple times, each time selecting a new mystery.
Focused Will: (Ex): At 2nd level the Conduit’s meditation and iron will hardens, allowing them to weather all sorts of mental assaults. They gain the indicated number as a bonus to will saves. This bonus increases by 1 every 4 levels after 2nd, (+2 at 6th, +3 at 10th, etc).
Mind Shards: At 5th level the Conduit gains the ability to inflict raw portions of thoughts and emotions leached from the plane of shadows to disrupt and drive people insane. Whenever a target takes damage from Mind Flay they gain a number of "Mind Shards" embedded into their psyche equal to the number on the above table. The next time the creature fails a saving throw against a Void Mystery (See Above and Below) or a Mind Affecting Mystery the Conduit can cause these shards to detonate causing severe pain and mental damage to those afflicted. They take one point of ability damage in each mental ability score (Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma) for each mind shard detonated in this manner. If the caster is someone other than the Conduit they detonate automatically. Mind Shards are a mind affecting ability and immunity to mind affecting abilities prevents them from forming or dealing damage upon detonation. A creature can have a maximum number of Mind Shards embedded in them equal to the Conduit's Wisdom Modifier.
While dangerous and lasting until detonated a creature just feels a constant sense of pressure when his psyche is embedded with Mind Shards and perhaps a faint headache if they have a plethora of them. Mind Shards can't be removed by dispel magic or similar effects though they can be detected as a faint enchantment via detect magic and similar effects. It takes a break enchantment or restoration cast by a caster level 5 higher than the Conduit's or a miracle or wish to remove the shards.
Depths of Shadow: Shadow Magic is stronger when the caster has similar mysteries available to give it structure. Whenever a Conduit selects all mysteries of a given path in a given day they gain 1 Shadow Rank for that day representing their strengthening connection to the plane of shadows. The Conduit gains bonuses depending on how many Shadow Rank, even if they expend the mysteries for a given path they still count as having that path for Shadow Rank purposes. You keep your current ranks of shadow until you rest and reselect mysteries.
You can see through magical darkness and your mysteries gain +1 CL and +1 Saving throw DC against targets in at least shadowy concealment.
All Void Mysteries selected gain an extra use per day (Even for those you don’t have all mysteries in the path selected).
You gain the Dark Template, in addition you can see glimpses of the thoughts and emotions of creatures via those thoughts and emotions escaping to the plane of shadows. This allows you to see the general emotional state of creatures granting you a +10 insight bonus to sense motive against them and allowing you to pinpoint an invisible or hiding creature’s square via this sense (Though they would still have total concealment from you). Creature’s immune to mind affecting abilities are immune to this sense.
Select 4 paths. Each mystery in those paths can be used an additional time, you can select a single path up to two times to give it 2 additional uses per mystery.
You can select 3 metashadow feats (Or Shadow Essence Feats if you are using the Descent of Shadows Homebrew). You retain these feats as bonus feats until you rest.
If a creature has immunity to mind affecting spells from a spell or item your void mysteries have a 50% chance of bypassing the immunity.
All metashadow feats can be used an additional time per day. You gain +4 bonus to all ability scores and caster level while within shadowy concealment.
Void Gathering: The Conduit's ability to utilize Void Mysteries improves further. Now a creature targeted by a Void Mystery cast by the conduit suffers a -1 penalty on any saving throw per equal void mystery they have been subject to since the start of the encounter. This penalty has a maximum equal to the Conduit's intelligence modifier.
Thematic Weaving: At the peak of their power a conduit develops a deep connection to the Plane of Shadows which manifests as an aura that can manipulate emotions and thoughts of those nearby. The effect of the aura depends on what type of Counterpart the Conduit has selected. Regardless of the choice the aura is a 30ft radius centered on the Conduit whose effects can be activated or deactivated with a swift action.
Hope: Allies within the radius find themselves inspired and optimistic. Every ally can reroll one d20 roll they make each round, this reroll must be spent after they roll but before they know whether it was a success or failure. They can take the better of the two rolls.
Discipline: All allies within the radius find themselves becoming more steadfast and determined, unwilling to let hardships and sorrow control them. Any creature attempting to use a void mystery in this aura automatically passes the will save in order to cast the mystery. In addition, every ally within the radius reduces all damage they take by 10 from all sources, this stacks with energy resistance and damage reduction but is not negated by effects that bypass those.
Despair: Enemies within the radius find their actions pointless and reality to be simply soul crushing. Enemies must make a will save each round (DC of 20 + the Conduit's Wisdom Modifier) or find themselves increasingly apathetic and have a 50% chance of simply standing around not acting on their next turn.
Extra Talent
You have studied extra hard and found an extra way to modify your abilities
Prerequisite: Conduit level 4
Benefit: You learn one additional talent that you qualify for.
Special: This feat may be selected multiple times, each time selecting a new talent each time. This feat can only be selected once for every 4 HD the character has.