Genie Binder
(Spiritualist)
It’s Genie Week here at Necromancers of the Northwest, and that means we are bringing you new genie-themed fun all week. When I set out to write today's article, I wanted to provide players with the choice to play as a genie, and while it would have been possible to create a genie class from scratch, it would have been kind of a weird choice. It would have been hard to cover four different types of genies, and as a player character, it would be nigh impossible to capture the flavor of cool genie stuff like being trapped in a vessel, or granting wishes. I didn’t want to sacrifice all that fun flavor, so instead I decided to do an archetype for a class that gets a powerful outsider companion, and allow it to come with a genie. Enter the spiritualist, whose phantom mechanic already does a lot of what I wanted to do with the genie already, and requires only a little bit of overhaul to make it exactly what I wanted. I hope you enjoy the genie binder.
New Spiritualist Archetype
Genie Binder
Genie binders are spiritualists who use their gifts to commune with the spirits of the elemental planes, commonly referred to as genies, rather than with the spirits of the dead. Though sharing their consciousness with these entities is beyond even the greatest of genie binders, they have mastered the art of binding these creatures to a material object and enlisting their aid and expertise in whatever challenges they encounter. More than a mere caster of planar binding, a genie binder learns how to gain the services of her genie ally, and in return uses her own psychic energies and experiences to make the genie more and more powerful, allowing the minor genies bound by novice genie binders to eventually outstrip even nobles of their own kind. The genies who enter into these pacts can look forward to a triumphant return to their home plane upon the death of the genie binder.
Genie Servant: A genie binder binds a single genie into her service. This genie is normally confined to a small vessel (such as a bottle or oil lamp), but she can summon it forth by performing a special ritual. In many ways, a genie servant functions identically to the phantom of a typical spiritualist, but it has several distinct differences that set it apart. Notably, a genie servant manifests as a purely physical entity and does not have an emotional focus. A genie servant has base statistics identical to a phantom, and uses Table: Manifested Phantom's Base Statistics to determine its base statistics. A genie servant also obeys all the same rules as a phantom regarding summoning, healing, and spells that affect it, except that a genie servant affected by dismissal or a similar spell is sent to its native elemental plane for 24 hours, after which time it returns to the vessel (see the vessel bound class feature).
The following spiritualist class features apply to the genie binder’s genie servant instead of a phantom: bonded senses, fused consciousness, and spiritual bond.
As genie servants do not have emotional focuses, their good saves and the skill bonuses they provide to the genie binder, as well as their special abilities, are determined by the type of genie they are, as described below.
This ability modifies the phantom class feature.
Vessel Bound: At 1st level, a genie binder gains the ability to bind one genie to a special vessel, typically a bottle, lamp, ring, or some other container. She chooses what kind of genie to bind at 1st level, and the choice cannot later be changed. A genie servant cannot travel more than 120 feet from the vessel. While within the vessel, the genie is safe from external harm and effectively does not exist, though a character in possession of the vessel can feel the genie's presence. A character in possession of the vessel gains the ability to speak with and understand characters with the elemental subtype or from the elemental plane from which the genie hails. Additionally, the genie binder gains a bonus on two skills associated with the genie equal to 1/2 her class level. A genie binder can summon her genie by spending 3 standard actions in consecutive rounds rubbing the vessel. A genie binder can return her genie to the vessel as a standard action. Additionally, if the genie servant is reduced below 0 hit points, it is automatically returned to the vessel. Finally, if the vessel is destroyed, the genie returns to its home plane until a new vessel can be procured. Procuring a new vessel requires a ritual which takes 1 hour and requires the expenditure of 100 gp.
This ability replaces the etheric tether and shared consciousness class features.
Weapons of the Genie: At 3nd level, the genie binder learns to train her genie companion in the use of weapons. The genie gains proficiency with simple and martial weapons, and when making attacks with such weapons, it may use the weapon’s actual base damage dice instead of the slam damage indicated in the slam damage entry on Table: Manifested Phantom's Base Statistics. Additionally, for a number of rounds equal to her genie binder level, the genie binder can infuse the genie’s weapons with psychic magic, increasing its enhancement bonus by +1, or, if the item already has an enhancement bonus of +1 or higher, imbuing it with a +1-equivalent weapon special ability.
This ability replaces the bonded manifestation class feature.
Elemental Interference (Su): At 4th level, while the genie binder’s genie is manifested, the genie binder gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC and a +1 bonus on saving throws against mind-affecting spells.
This ability replaces the spiritual interference class feature.
Elemental Domain (Su): At 5th level, the genie binder gains access to a domain based on the kind of genie she can summon. If she bound a djinni, she gains the air domain; if she bound an efreeti, she gains the fire domain; if she bound a marid, she gains the water domain; and if she bound a shaitan, she gains the earth domain. She is considered a cleric of her level for the purposes of determining what domain powers she gets and how powerful they are, and treats the domain spells up to 6th level as though they were on her list of spells known, and casts them as psychic spells.
This ability replaces the detect undead, calm spirt, see invisibility, and call spiritclass features.
Genie Recall (Su): At 6th level, the genie binder gains the phantom recall feature, which functions on her genie as though it was a manifested phantom, but only so long as the genie binder is within 120 feet of the genie servant’s vessel.
This ability modifies the phantom recall class feature.
Genie Combat Training: At 8th level, the genie binder can train her genie servant in combat, granting it a bonus combat feat.
Genie Magic (Sp): At 13th level, the genie binder can teach her genie to use psychic magic. At the start of each day, the genie binder chooses 3 spells she can cast. Her genie gains the ability to cast each of these spells once that day as a spell-like ability.
Greater Elemental Interference (Su): At 12th level, whenever the genie binder’s genie is summoned and within 30 feet, the AC and saving throw bonus from elemental interference increases to +2.
This ability replaces the greater spiritual interference class feature.
Quick Summons (Sp): At 17th level, the genie binder can summon her genie as a single swift action.
This ability replaces the dual bond class feature.
Wish Granter (Sp): At 20th level, the genie binder learns how to coax her genie companion to grant her wishes. The genie binder’s genie gains the ability to cast wish as a spell-like ability 3 times. Once these 3 wishes are used up, the genie can grant an additional wish once each month.
This ability replaces the empowered consciousness class feature.
Djinni
Djinn hail from the Plane of Air and are the most common type of genie bound by genie binders. Djinn tend to appear as idealized humans and are relatively easy to get along with, despite an arrogant temperament.
Skills: The djinni gains a number of ranks in Fly and Knowledge (planes) equal to its number Hit Dice. While confined in its vessel, the djinni grants the genie binder a bonus on those skills.
Good Saves: Reflex and Will.
Fly: A djinni has a 30-foot fly speed, with perfect maneuverability. At 5th level, and every 5 levels thereafter, its fly speed increases by a further 10 feet.
Air Mastery (Ex): Airborne creatures suffer a -1 penalty to attack rolls and AC against the djinni, and the djinni gains Flyby Attack as a bonus feat.
Create Wine (Ex): At 7th level, the djinni can create magical wine at will. The djinn can create 1 gallon of wine as a standard action. Any creature that drinks the wine gains a +1 morale bonus to attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks, but suffers a -4 penalty on saving throws against mind-affecting effects. These effects last for 10 minutes.
Invisibility (Sp): At 12th level, the djinni gains the ability to cast invisibility as a spell-like ability at will. It can only use this ability to cast invisibility on itself, and cannot affect other creatures with this ability.
Nobility (Sp): At 17th level, the djinn becomes a vizier, gaining a +2 bonus to each of its ability scores and the ability to cast heroes’ feast and major creation each once per day as spell-like abilities.
Efreeti
Efreet are evil and powerful genies that hail from the Plane of Fire. Though generally uncooperative, cruel, and miserly, they make powerful servants for those who can control them.
Skills: The efreeti gains a number of ranks in Appraise and Intimidate equal to its number of Hit Dice. While confined in its vessel, the efreeti grants the genie binder a bonus on those skills.
Good Saves: Reflex and Will.
Fire Subtype: The efreeti has the fire subtype, gaining immunity to fire damage and vulnerability to cold damage. At 10th level, such is the fire of the efreeti that it is able to dull the effects of the cold, losing cold vulnerability. At 20th level, the efreet becomes so hot as to cause cold energy to warm to worthlessness, gaining immunity to cold damage.
Burn: The efreeti's slam attacks deal an additional 1d6 points of fire damage on a successful hit. At 10th level, and again at 20th level, this fire damage increases by an additional 1d6.
Change Size (Sp): At 7th level, the efreeti can alter its size twice per day, as a standard action. This functions as either enlarge person or reduce person, except that the ability can work on the efreeti. A Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 the efreeti’s Hit Dice + the efreeti’s Charisma modifier) negates the effect.
Heat Shield (Ex): At 12th level, the efreeti becomes so hot as to burn those that touch it. Whenever it is struck by an adjacent creature with a melee weapon, or whenever it begins its turn in a grapple, the creature that hit the efreeti or that is in a grapple with the efreeti suffers damage equal to the efreeti’s burn damage.
Nobility (Ex): At 17th level, the efreeti becomes a malik and grows one size category larger. It gains the giant creature simple template, as well as the ability to fly 30 feet with perfect maneuverability.
Marid
Hailing from the Plane of Water, marids are fickle and capricious, making for unpredictable partners. Though they have the potential to be useful allies, whether a marid is willing to help or happy to hinder is anyone’s guess.
Skills: The marid gains a number of ranks in Swim and Bluff equal to its number of Hit Dice. While confined in its vessel, the marid grants the genie binder a bonus on those skills.
Good Saves: Fortitude and Reflex.
Swim: The marid has a 60-foot swim speed and can take 10 on all Swim checks. At 10th level, and again at 20th level, this swim speed increases by an additional 20 feet.
Water Mastery (Ex): The marid gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls if both it and its opponent are touching water. In addition, the marid can breathe underwater.
Water’s Fury (Su): As a standard action, the marid can release a jet of water in a 60-foot line that deals 1d6 points of damage and blinds the target struck for 1d6 rounds. A Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 the marid's Hit Dice + the marid's Constitution modifier) reduces the damage by half and negates the blinding effect. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Vortex (Su):At 12th level, the marid can transform into a vortex of swirling, churning water once every 10 minutes. This ability functions identically to the whirlwind ability, save that it can only be used while the marid is underwater; a marid cannot leave a body of water while in vortex form.
Nobility (Su): At 17th level, the marid becomes a shahzada, gaining a +4 bonus to its Charisma score and gaining the ability to cast cone of cold and ice storm each 3 times per day. Its caster level for this ability is equal to its Hit Dice, and the saving throw DC for these abilities is Charisma-based.
Shaitan
Shaitans are mighty genies hailing from the Plane of Earth. Though proud and boastful, the shaitans are not evil beings, though they often see themselves above their mortal masters.
Skills: The shaitan gains a number of ranks in Climb and Perception equal to its number of Hit Dice. While confined in its vessel, the shaitan grants the genie binder a bonus on those skills.
Good Saves; Fortitude and Will.
Stone Glide (Su): The shaitan gains the earth glide ability of the earth elemental, except that the shiatan can move through stone, dirt, crystal, or metal.
Earth Mastery (Ex): The shaitan gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls if both it and its foe are touching the ground. At 10th level, and again at 15th level, this bonus to attack and damage increases by a further +1.
Stone Curse (Su): If the shaitan wins a bull rush check by 5 or more and pushes its target into a stone barrier, the target must make a Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 the shaitan’s Hit Dice + the shaitan’s Strength modifier) or be forced into the barrier as if the target had cast meld into stone until the victim makes a successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 the shaitan’s Hit Dice + the shaitan’s Strength modifier) as a full-round action to exit the stone.
Metalmorph (Su): Beginning at 12th level, once per day, the shaitan can touch a metal object and change it into another metal object of the same size and weight. It can also change the type of metal the object is made of; for example, the shaitan could touch a Medium steel shield and transform it into a Medium golden platter. Attended magical items may make a Will save to avoid this effect. This transformation lasts for an hour.
Nobility (Sp): At 17th level, a shaitan becomes a pasha and gains the ability to create an earthquake once per day. This functions as the earthquake spell, except that the saving throw DC is equal to 10 + 1/2 the shaitan’s Hit Dice + the shaitan’s Charisma modifier.