Oneiromancer (Occultist)
The occultist is, in many ways, an odd class. It’s easy to boil down what a barbarian, ranger, or rogue is all about in just a few words, but the occultist seems to be, perhaps appropriately, an eclectic collection of oddities: it is a class about items and objects, but also about magic circles and conjuring outsiders. Both of these are certainly occult topics, but it got me thinking: there are plenty of other occult subjects out there. What about an occultist who was all about dreams? Thus, today’s archetype, the oneiromancer.
New Occultist Archetype
Oneiromancer
Dreams have long been a domain of the occult, and as such, it’s not surprising that some occultists choose to devote themselves to the study and mastery of dreams. Known as oneiromancers, they are able to interpret dreams, and even travel through realms of dream.
Heartspeaker (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, an oneiromancer’s focus on dreams, and the insights that they provide into humanity’s desires and fears, gives him greater insight into the behavior of those around him. He gains a bonus on all Sense Motive checks equal to 1/2 his occultist level.
This ability replaces the magic item skill class feature.
Interpret Dreams (Su): At 2nd level, an oneiromancer learns to interpret the dreams of others in order to provide useful insight into the problems they are facing. By listening to a character describe their dreams for 10 minutes, an oneiromancer can attempt to analyze the character’s dreams with a successful Sense Motive check (DC = 11 + the character’s Hit Dice). Success indicates that the oneiromancer is able to glean some useful insight from the dream, and can grant the character any one of the following benefits.
- A +1 bonus on a single attack roll made in the next 24 hours. If the attack hits, any damage roll is treated as though the maximum result were rolled.
- A +2 bonus on a single saving throw made in the next 24 hours. If the save is successful, and the spell or ability would normally have a reduced effect on a successful save, it has no effect, instead.
- A +2 bonus on a single skill check made in the next 24 hours. If the check is successful, the result is treated as though it were 5 higher than it actually is when determining the result of the check.
- A +5 bonus on the next saving throw made to cure an insanity the character is suffering from. If the saving throw is successful, the insanity’s DC is reduced by twice the normal amount.
The oneiromancer can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Wisdom modifier, but any given creature cannot benefit from this ability more than once per day. The oneiromancer can use this ability on himself, but suffers a –5 penalty on the Sense Motive check to interpret his own dreams, due to a lack of objectivity. The character receiving the bonus chooses when to expend it.
This ability replaces the object reading class feature.
Detect Dreams (Sp): Beginning at 5th level, an oneiromancer can peer into the dreams of a nearby creature, even when they are awake. As a standard action, he can attempt to read either a creature’s dreams or its nightmares. In either case, this functions similarly to the spell detect desiresUI or detect anxietiesUI, except it applies only to a single individual within 60 feet. The oneiromancer can use this ability at will, but it automatically fails when used against a creature that has succeeded on a saving throw to resist either version of this ability in the last 24 hours.
This ability replaces the aura sight class feature.
Enter Dreams (Sp): Beginning at 8th level, an oneiromancer gains the ability to enter the dreams of others, either for good or for ill. The oneiromancer can cast dream and nightmare as spell-like abilities by expending 1 point of mental focus per use. Additionally, whenever the oneiromancer rests for at least 4 hours, he can expend 1 point of mental focus to duplicate the effects of one of these spells, travelling to the target’s dream while he sleeps, allowing the oneiromancer to gain the normal benefits of resting while doing so. For each 4 hours that the oneiromancer rests in this way, he can expend an additional point of mental focus to replicate one of these spells.
This ability replaces the magic circles class feature.
Dream Divination (Sp): Beginning at 8th level, an oneiromancer gains the ability to divine the future from his dreams. Each day, upon awakening, he can spend 10 minutes reviewing his dreams from the previous night. In order to do so successfully, he must succeed on a Sense Motive check (DC = 10 + his Hit Dice + his Charisma modifier).
If he succeeds on this check, he gains cryptic insights into the day’s events, allowing him to gain the benefits of an augury spell up to three times that day. He can use this ability at any time as an immediate action, and unlike a normal augury spell, the spell is able to see all the way until 24 hours after the time the oneiromancer last studied his dreams.
If he succeeds on the check by 5 or more, he may also gain the benefits of a divination spell, providing a short piece of cryptic advice regarding the events of the day (rather than on a specific question of the oneiromancer’s choosing).
The caster level for these effects is equal to the oneiromancer’s occultist level. The oneiromancer can use this ability only once per day.
This ability replaces the outside contacts class feature.
Dream Traveler (Sp): At 12th level, an oneiromancer can physically enter the world of dreams and use it to travel through the physical world. By expending 2 points of mental focus, he can cast dream travelOA as a spell-like ability. When using the spell in this way, the oneiromancer can choose to use the familiarity of one of the characters traveling with him, instead of his own familiarity with the target location, to determine the accuracy of the travel.
This ability replaces the binding circles class feature.
Dream Voyager (Sp): At 16th level, an oneiromancer’s ability to travel through the world of dreams becomes easier. By expending 3 points of mental focus, the oneiromancer can cast dream voyageOA as a spell-like ability. When using the spell in this way, if the dreamer awakens, the dream vessel can be redirected to a new dream, unlike the normal version of the spell.
This ability replaces the fast circles class feature.