[D&D 3.5 PrC] Keeper of the Tome (Unifying the Tome of Magic)[PEACH]

[Xuldarinar]

KEEPER OF THE TOME




Hit Die: d4


REQUIREMENTS
To qualify to become a keeper of the tome, a character must fulfill all the following criteria
Skills: Knowledge (the planes) 4, Spellcraft 8 ranks, Truespeak 4 ranks.
Mysteries: Ability to cast 2nd-level mysteries.
Special: Ability to bind a 2nd-level vestige.
Special: Ability to use 1st-level utterances.

CLASS SKILLS
The keeper of the tome's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (All skills, taken individually) (Int), Preform (oratory)(Cha), Search (Int), Spellcraft (Int), and Truespeak (Int)
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Mysteries
1st|+0|+0|+0|+2|Bestow Form, Soul Binding +1|+1 of existing mystery-using class
2nd|+1|+0|+0|+3|Word of Shadow, Soul Binding +2|+1 of existing mystery-using class
3rd|+1|+1|+1|+3|Soul Binding +3|+1 of existing mystery-using class, +1 of existing spellcasting class
4th|+2|+1|+1|+4|Soul Binding +4|+1 of existing mystery-using class
5th|+2|+1|+1|+4|Twin Vestige, Soul Binding +5|+1 of existing mystery-using class
6th|+3|+2|+2|+5|Soul Binding +6|+1 of existing mystery-using class
7th|+3|+2|+2|+5|Soul Binding +7|+1 of existing mystery-using class
8th|+4|+2|+2|+6|Soul Binding +8|+1 of existing mystery-using class
9th|+4|+3|+3|+6|Soul Binding +9|+1 of existing mystery-using class
10th|+5|+3|+3|+7|Soul Binding +10|+1 of existing mystery-using class[/table]


CLASS FEATURES
All of the following are class features of the keeper of the tome prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Keepers of the tome gain no new proficiency with any weapon or armor.

Mysteries: At each level, you gain new mysteries known and an increase in caster level (and uses per mysteries per day, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in your mystery using class.You do not, however, gain any other benefits a character of the class would have gained. If you had more than one mystery using class before becoming a keeper of the tome, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purposes of determining caster level, and mysteries known.

Soulbinding: At each level your soul binding ability improves as if you had also gained a level in the binder class. Thus, your keeper of the tome level stack with your binder levels for the purpose of determining your bonus on binding checks, the effectiveness of your vestige-granted abilities, your ability to bind higher-level vestiges, and the number of vestiges you can bind. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a binder would have gained.

Bestow Form (Su): Through the merging of shadow magic, utterances, and binding, you gain the ability to bestow a physical form to a vestige. These physical vestiges count against the maximum number of vestiges you can have bound at once. Treat the vestige's body as if being created by the shadow conjuration spell, except it is only 10% real, increasing by 10% with each additional class level. You may not have more than one vestige bestowed physical form. [Ability WiP]

Word of Shadow (Su): Beginning at 2nd level you gain the ability to expend a number of uses of a single mystery you know to gain a bonus to your true naming checks for the rest of the turn. You may use this ability at-will, but no more often than once per round. The bonus is equal to the level of the mystery expended x the number of uses expended. You may not expend more uses of a single mystery than half your class level.

Twin Vestige (Su): Upon reaching 5th level, you gain the ability to bind two vestiges to a single physical form. This vestige's physical form is 20% less real. [Ability WiP]

[Jurai]

Spoiler

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{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Spellcasting
1st|+0|+0|+0|+2|Soul Binding +1, Shadow Speech 1/d|+1 of existing prepared spellcasting class, +1 of existing mystery-using class
2nd|+1|+0|+0|+3|Soul Binding +2, Vestige's Defiance 1/d|+1 of existing prepared spellcasting class, +1 of existing spellcasting class
3rd|+1|+1|+1|+3|Name of Untruth|+1 of existing mystery-using class, +1 of existing spellcasting class
4th|+2|+1|+1|+4|Soul Binding +3, Vestige's Shadow|+1 of existing prepared spellcasting class, +1 of existing mystery-using class
5th|+2|+1|+1|+4|Soul Binding +4, Shadow of Words|+1 of existing prepared spellcasting class, +1 of existing spellcasting class
6th|+3|+2|+2|+5|Name of Binding, Vestige's Defiance 2/d|+1 of existing mystery-using class, +1 of existing spellcasting class
7th|+3|+2|+2|+5|Soul Binding +5|+1 of existing prepared spellcasting class, +1 of existing mystery-using class
8th|+4|+2|+2|+6|Soul Binding +6|+1 of existing prepared spellcasting class, +1 of existing spellcasting class
9th|+4|+3|+3|+6|Bound Name|+1 of existing mystery-using class, +1 of existing spellcasting class
10th|+5|+3|+3|+7|Soul Binding +7, Vestige's Defiance 3/d, Shadow Speech 2/d, Mastery of the Tome|+1 of existing prepared spellcasting class, +1 of existing spellcasting class, +1 of existing spellcasting class [/table]

Shadow Speech (Ex): At first level, you may add your mystery-using caster level to your truespeak check once per day. At 10th level, you may do this twice per day

Vestige's Defiance (Su): At 2nd level, you can use a bound vestige to augment your truespeak by temporarily giving up access to its powers. Using this ability is a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Choose one of the vestiges to which you are bound whenever you activate this ability. You can then ignore the effects of any of the rules of truespeak that would affect you negatively. However, you lose access to all the abilities and powers granted by the chosen vestige upon activation and do not regain them for 5 rounds. You cannot use this ability if you do not have a vestige bound, or if you do not currently have access to its abilities (through the use of this ability, an antimagic field, or some other effect). Vestige's defiance is usable once per day at 2th level, twice per day at 6th level, and thrice per day at 10th level.

Name of Untruth (Su): When you have a vestige bound, you gain Spell Resistance equal to the sum of your Effective Binder Level and Truenamer Caster Level, but only with regards to Truenamer utterances, recitations, and Bereft syllables.

Shadow of Words (Su): At 5th level, you may make a truespeak check when activating a Mystery. Divide the result by two and add it to the caster level used for the mystery. You may use this ability once per day.

Name of Binding (Su): At 6th level, you may make a truespeak check. Divide the result by five, and add that to your Effective Binder Level for one hour. You may use this ability once per day.

Bound Name (Su): At 9th level, you may choose a vestige to which you are bound. Your truename is replaced by that vestige's truename for the day. Add that vestige's level to your saves vs. utterances, recitations, and syllables.

Mastery of the Tome (Su): At 10th level, you have mastered the tome. You add your class level in Master of the Tome to your Truespeak check and your Binding check. Secondly, any time oyu advance one or more of the spellcasting features herein (Mystery Using, Existing Prepared Spellcasting, and Existing Spellcasting), you instead advance all three of them.

I don't know if you have an idea for what you want done with this, but I have a few ideas myself. Send me a PM if you want some help.

[Xuldarinar]

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I don't know if you have an idea for what you want done with this, but I have a few ideas myself. Send me a PM if you want some help.

All I have to say is thank you. I'll think of what to do with this exactly, and I'd love to hear your ideas. First I must put this up and do a little work with formatting. Is this something you had up your sleeve already or did you really just make this on the fly?

[Morph Bark]

If this PrC was meant to unify the Tome of Magic, why does it also include vancian caster prerequisites and advancement? Due to that it suddenly becomes incredibly powerful, and also takes away from the other parts that do originate from the Tome of Magic.

[Arcanist]

I'm curious why you didn't just give the danged thing 2xbard progression for all three types of "casting". Would have been a lot more cleaner and you wouldn't need to add in Wizard Spellcasting if you allowed the fellow to prepare a number of Mysteries, Vestiges and Utterances per day.

I actually have an idea for something that might be considered such a thing.

[Xuldarinar]

Well, the only reason for the vancian casting requirement is it seemed like a good idea at the time. Im considering just redoing the entire thing from scratch, requirements and all.

[Amnoriath]

I think you could change the concept a little bit. While I am not a huge fan of the book in general because it tried to introduce 3 new systems in one I could see flavor of all three for a PrC. Vestiges are extradimensional shells of their former selves almost to the point of falling out of existence. Shadow magic is magic based upon the shadow plane and making existence out of what seems to be nothing. Truenaming is about finding and identifying the specific metaphysical existence of all beings. Now, maybe this would be difficult to do but what if the synergy could infact bring vestiges into existence outside of your own body? I don't think we need to make them as new creatures but maybe something to the extent of making a more diverse and powerful unseen servant like effect?

[Jurai]

Perhaps Bind a Vestige into your Shadow Familiar?

[Network]

The class should probably require the ability to speak utterances as a prerequisite. It can't criticize on the class features, but I think truenaming should be better integrated into the class.

I think Amnoriath gives a good starting point though. Truenaming could be used to give a true name to a vestige, and shadow magic could let the vestige physically interact with the outside world. As the Keeper of the Tome gains levels, the vestige would become more and more ''real''.

[JoshuaZ]

A balance note: Even with triple progression, the requirements are steep. The ToM classes are weaker than standard magic classes, so requiring 2nd level access for all three means one is going to be substantially behind in raw power, even more than hybrid classes normally are. It might make sense to pick one of the three and reduce its requirement.