Testing the waters...

[Corbin Jenkins]

So I want to throw together a Binder, and I was wondering what others thought about the class. Not just whether or not they are effective/easily optimized, but whether or not they are fun to play. After reading through, it seems awesome, but I'd like some input from those who have actually run them.

[celestialkin]

Sorry, I can't help you, but can you please tell me what a Binder is?

[kamikasei]

Binders are one of the three new types of magic-using class from Tome of Magic. The other two (Shadowcasters and Truenamers) are regarded as underpowered (very much so in the case of Truenamers), but Binders are fairly well-thought-of.

They don't cast spells exactly. They practice what's called "pact magic", where they have a list of entities called "vestiges", which are things of various sorts - dead gods, fallen angels, the spirits of destroyed worlds, etc - which were once powerful but have lost all but the faintest trace of their existence. A binder "binds" one or more vestiges each day, and each vestige grants a handful of abilities, most of which are always-on, usable at-will, or usable every 5 rounds (that's the most common recharge time). They're very flavourful and very versatile, but so far as I can gather pretty hard to break.

[CASTLEMIKE]

I like them. Nice for lower level games particularly if you can use a feat trick like Precocious Apprentice to facilitate early entry. (IMO if WOTC or the designer really didn't want to permit early entry the skill rank prerequisites would have been raised to a higher minimum requirement). Very nice with a caster and the Anima Mage PRC (Including Ur Lords and Ur Priests).

Really nice for gestalt parties who don't need to be super uber.

[Stupendous_Man]

being able to do lots of stuff is fun, yeah. bit creepy though, binders

[celestialkin]

Binders are one of the three new types of magic-using class from Tome of Magic. The other two (Shadowcasters and Truenamers) are regarded as underpowered (very much so in the case of Truenamers), but Binders are fairly well-thought-of.

They don't cast spells exactly. They practice what's called "pact magic", where they have a list of entities called "vestiges", which are things of various sorts - dead gods, fallen angels, the spirits of destroyed worlds, etc - which were once powerful but have lost all but the faintest trace of their existence. A binder "binds" one or more vestiges each day, and each vestige grants a handful of abilities, most of which are always-on, usable at-will, or usable every 5 rounds (that's the most common recharge time). They're very flavourful and very versatile, but so far as I can gather pretty hard to break.

Oh wait, are we talking 4.0 or 3.x here?

[kamikasei]

Oh wait, are we talking 4.0 or 3.x here?

3.5. Tome of Magic is commonly considered to have been a test for different ways to handle magic that influenced how 4e was designed.

[AstralFire]

Binders are 3.5.

Edit: Damn you, Ninjaed, AND by a more informative post.

[Te'Shen]

Binders are one of the three new types of magic-using class from Tome of Magic. The other two (Shadowcasters and Truenamers) are regarded as underpowered (very much so in the case of Truenamers), but Binders are fairly well-thought-of.

They don't cast spells exactly. They practice what's called "pact magic", where they have a list of entities called "vestiges", which are things of various sorts - dead gods, fallen angels, the spirits of destroyed worlds, etc - which were once powerful but have lost all but the faintest trace of their existence. A binder "binds" one or more vestiges each day, and each vestige grants a handful of abilities, most of which are always-on, usable at-will, or usable every 5 rounds (that's the most common recharge time). They're very flavourful and very versatile, but so far as I can gather pretty hard to break.

Yep. That about sums it up.

I've enjoyed the binder class quite a bit. I don't have a lot or high level experience with it under my belt, but I've used it for a one or two level dip on a few characters to represent 'communing with my ancestors' with the improved binding feat.

I recommend the binder class.

[AstralFire]

Binders, Psionics and Warlocks are my favorite magic designs out of 3.x. Easily.

[Burley]

3.5. Tome of Magic is commonly considered to have been a test for different ways to handle magic that influenced how 4e was designed.

Both of the "Tome" books were 4e testing tools. Tome of Battle actually has attack cards that look exactly like the 4e ones. I think ToB had more things that actually made the cut, however.

As for Binders, I really like them. They can stay fairly competitive with a balanced party, even if they don't really fill a particular role on their own (I could be wrong, as I've never seen one in play). I think they're flavorful and fun, and I'd love to play one, someday.
I give you props for looking at it for more than just a one level dip for the Hellfire Warlock build (which is stupid and I disapprove.)