Dimensional Rider (Summoner)
It’s Transportation Week here at Necromancers of the Northwest, a weeklong celebration of traveling from point A to point B. Getting around from place to place is an important aspect of any game, and is a useful skill for characters of any class to possess. While considering transportation with regards to classes, it should come as no surprise that the first consideration for making an interesting archetype on the subject led us to one of the several classes that come with a creature capable of riding upon. Druids, rangers, cavaliers, paladins, and hunters might be the obvious choice, as they all offer animal companions, many of which are suitable for riding. However, the summoner offers the unique chance to ride about on some imaginary monstrosity of the player’s own design. Some capability with teleportation magic allows the summoner to transform himself into the ultimate party transport engine. Enter the dimensional rider, a summoner who uses his innate magic and plane-traveling eidolon to get people where they are going.
New Summoner Archetype
Dimensional Rider
While many summoners call forth their eidolons from other realms of existence, some call forth otherworldly beings that travel among the planes, existing in a constant state of transit. Those that seek these bonds do so through the study of interdimensional travel and the nature of the planes. These masters of interdimensional lore are dimensional riders, summoners who can harness the power of eidolons with unique gifts for planar travel, and who can tap their own secret reservoir of lore in order to use the places between dimensions in order to cross between places at near instantaneous speeds.
Dimensional Mount: A dimensional rider’s eidolon is a swift mount, capable of taking him and his allies on extraplanar journeys. The dimensional rider gains the eidolon class feature as normal, except that the dimensional rider’s eidolon must be of the quadruped or serpentine base forms. It gains the mount evolution as a free evolution, and can take a single rider of its size category or up to 4 riders of 1 size category smaller than it (or up to 8 riders of a size category 2 or more sizes smaller than it). Because of the eidolon’s extradimensional nature, it receives 2 fewer points to spend on additional evolutions (minimum 1).
This ability modifies the eidolon class feature.
Dimensional Transport (Su): Beginning at 1st level, the dimensional rider can travel between dimensions, moving instantly across two points on the same plane of existence. As long as he is in physical contact with his eidolon, he can travel up to 100 feet in any direction as a standard action. This movement functions identically to the spell dimension door, except that the summoner can only take himself and his eidolon. At the conclusion of the movement, only the summoner loses any subsequent actions it would take on its turn.
At 3rd level, the range of this transportation increases by 100 feet, and the summoner can take an additional ally within arm’s reach of his eidolon along on the trip. At 5th level, and every 2 levels thereafter, the range of this ability increase by a further 100 feet, and he can take an additional ally within arm’s reach of his eidolon along with him. At 10th level, the summoner is able to take any remaining actions he would normally be allowed to take after this movement. At 17th level, after moving in this way, the summoner’s eidolon may make a single attack as a free action. The summoner can use this ability a number of times each day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier.
This ability replaces the summon monster class feature.
Dimensional Shift (Su): At 4th level, a dimensional rider can harness his eidolon’s dimensional nature to travel partly between dimensions. As a free action, as long as the dimensional rider is within arm’s reach of his eidolon, the eidolon and any creatures mounted upon it can become extradimensional for a time. While extradimensional in this way, the eidolon and all creatures affected in this way can see and interact with incorporeal creatures, as well as corporeal creatures, as though all their attack and spells were both physical and incorporeal. The dimensional rider can use this ability a number of rounds each day equal to his level + his Charisma modifier.
This ability replaces the shield ally class feature.
Ethereal Travel (Sp): At 10th level, the dimensional rider can use his knowledge of dimensional lore and his eidolon’s unique connection with other realms to travel to the Ethereal Plane. Three times per day, the dimensional rider can cause his eidolon and all characters mounted upon it to be transported to the Ethereal Plane as with the spell ethereal jaunt, with a caster level equal to the dimensional rider’s class level. The eidolon must be within arm’s reach of the dimensional rider for this ability to function.
This ability replaces the aspect class feature.
Planar Travel (Sp): At 12th level, the dimensional rider can ride his eidolon to other planes of existence. Once per week, as long as the dimensional rider remains within arm’s reach of his eidolon, he can cause himself, his eidolon, and all characters currently mounted upon his eidolon to travel to another plane of existence. This functions as the spell plane shift, except that the dimensional rider and those with him always arrive exactly at the point he wishes to on the plane of his choice.
This ability replaces the greater shield ally class feature.
Astral Travel (Su): At 18th level, the dimensional rider can use his esoteric knowledge and his eidolon’s mastery over planar travel in order to transport their consciousness through the planes. As long as he remains within arm’s reach of his eidolon, once per week the dimensional rider can cause himself, his eidolon, and all characters mounted upon his eidolon to undergo an astral journey. This functions like the spell astral projection, except while it is active, the living bodies of the summoner and other characters mounted upon his eidolon are transported to a safe extradimensional space, and the eidolon makes a physical journey during the wandering of the dimensional rider and his companions. If the dimensional rider’s eidolon is slain, the effect ends and the affected characters are returned in their physical bodies to the place they were before they began using this ability.
This ability replaces the greater aspect class feature.