Binder

 

 

While wizards are masters of arcane energy, binders are the masters of soul energy. They discover and trace the true names and symbols of beings long dead or not yet born in order to contact them and make pacts with them.

                Binding is generally frowned upon by the imperial populace, a result of the first binder, a ruthless icon in a previous age who bound the power of all other icons to satisfy his own selfish ends. Because of this many people believe binders are selfish people, who steal powers from the dead. Most of the time this is not true, as the binder is a pact maker, and vestiges are not normally obliged to make pacts with those they do not like. Many of them give a portion of their power in order to experience the living world once again.

                Despite the tales of the first binder, binding is a practice that has existed in tribal communities long before him. Typically considered shamans, these binders view icons as a mix between ancestor and deity. In these societies binding is considered an honourable position. It is likely the first binder learned their techniques and manipulated them to his own ends.

                Adventuring binders come from many different backgrounds, but all possess the ability to wield the powers of icons both past and future.

(Version 1.2.1, 26/04/2014)

Overview

Play style: The binder is a class to choose once everyone else has mostly chosen their own. Why? Because the binder can pretty much reconfigure his whole set of abilities every full heal up to meet any role the party requires. As you increase in level, you gain the ability to mix and match Icon Vestiges to tailor your abilities as you wish.

                While the Binder can gain the abilities of many other classes, it cannot do everything another class can either. It lacks many of their talents, can often only get a spattering of their abilities, and usually doesn’t get the benefit of their feats. The upside is it can combine them with the abilities of other classes in ways their base classes normally couldn’t.

                The binder is not a simple class, but it can be simplified simply by keeping the same bunch of vestiges bound to you all the time.

Ability Scores: A binder needs Charisma to make pacts and cast their abilities, but still requires strength or speed of arm in order to wield their more physical powers. You gain a +2 bonus to Strength, Dexterity, or Charisma, as long as it’s not the same as your racial bonus

Backgrounds: In tribal communities, binders are often spiritual warriors or guides. Amongst the imperial populace they are often more the result of a desperate arcanist seeking power beyond his capabilities. There are rumours of orders of binders who seek to maintain the balance of power between icons as to extend the length of an age.

Icons: Despite the mixture of public opinion on binders, Icons are all generally curious or intrigued about them. Many like them as a way to get glimpses of the past or future. Some claim the Orc Lord himself is actually a normal orc that the original Orc Lord was bound to. The Great Gold Wyrm however has no time for them, and his servants, as well as the Crusader and his servants, tend to view binders as warlocks and occultists.

 

Icon Vestiges and Your Game

The Binder class is an adaptation of the 3.5 class of the same name, though given a 13^th Age spin to it, with the vestiges being the spirits of past Icons. Icon Vestiges are also icons of both the past AND the future, so a player choosing this class is not necessarily dictating the past of the campaign world. Still, if you find the flavour of this class too constricting to your world, you can return it to the default flavour of beings trapped outside of reality with minimal changes.

 

Gear

Binders are not typically warriors, and wear simple things when not channeling their vestige. Most binders start with a simple weapon and light armor, though your talents may encourage you pick larger weapons or strap on a shield.

You can choose to start with either 25 gp, or if you want to gamble, 1d6 x 10 gp.

 

Armor

A bind tends to prefer simple, leather armor that lets him keep a low profile when not channeling vestiges.

 

Type	Base AC	Attack Penalty
None	11	-
Light	12
Heavy	15	-2
Shield	+1	-2

 

Weapons

A Binder on his own lacks martial training, and tends to prefer small, normal looking weapons that do not attract attention to this class. You can take talents and bind vestiges to improve this of course, but the below table covers your default proficiencies.

Melee Weapons

Size	One Handed	Two-Handed
Small	1d4	1d6
Simple or Light	1d6	1d8
Heavy or Martial	1d8 (-2) *	1d10 (-2) *

Ranged Weapons

Size	Thrown	Crossbow	Bow
Small	1d4	-	-
Simple or Light	1d6	1d6	1d6
Heavy or Martial	-	1d8 (-2) *	1d8 (-2) *

* Like a wizard or sorcerer, you take a penalty to attack rolls with spells as well while wielding weapons you are not familiar with. This penalty is removed if a talent or vestiges removes this penalty.

 

Binder Level Progression

Level	Total   HP	Total   Feats	Vestiges   Known	Pool   Available	Simultaneous   Vestiges	Lvl   up Ability Scores	Damage   Bonus from Ability Score
1	(7+con)*3	1 adv	3	1st Level	1		Ability modifier
2	(7+con)*4	2 adv	3	1st Level	2		Ability modifier
3	(7+con)*5	3 adv	4	3rd Level	2		Ability modifier
4	(7+con)*6	4 adv	4	3rd Level	2	+1 to 3 abilities	Ability modifier
5	(7+con)*8	4 adv, 1 champ	5	5th Level	3		2 x Ability modifier
6	(7+con)*10	4 adv, 2 champ	5	5th Level	3		2 x Ability modifier
7	(7+con)*12	4 adv, 3 champ	6	7th Level	3	+1 to 3 abilities	2 x Ability modifier
8	(7+con)*16	4 adv, 3 champ, 1 epic	6	7th Level	4		3 x Ability modifier
9	(7+con)*20	4 adv, 3 champ, 2 epic	7	9th Level	4		3 x Ability modifier
10	(7+con)*24	4 adv, 3 champ, 3 epic	7	9th Level	4	+1 to 3 abilities	3 x Ability modifier

 

Binder Stats

Initiative, AC, PD, MD, Hit Points, Recovery Dice, Feats, and some Talents are level dependent.
Ability Bonus: +2 to either strength, dexterity, or charisma
Initiative: Dex mod + level
Armor Class: 12 + the middle of Con/Dex/Wis + Level
Physical Defense: 11 + the middle of Str/Con/Dex + Level
Mental Defense: 11 + the middle of Int/Wis/Cha + Level
Hit Points: (7 + con mod) * Level modifier (see progression chart)
Recoveries: (probably) 8
Recovery Dice: (1d8 + con mod) * level
Backgrounds: 8 Points, max 5 in any one background
Icon Relationships: 3 points
Talents: 3
Feats: 1 per level

 

Basic Attacks

Melee Attack
At-Will
Attack: Strength + Level vs. AC
Hit: WEAPON + Strength damage
Miss: damage equal to your level

 

Ranged Attack
At-Will
Attack: Dexterity + Level vs. AC
Hit: WEAPON + Dexterity damage
Miss: --

 

Binder Features

Soul Binding

During a full heal up you can make pacts to bind Icon Vestiges of your level or lower. The maximum number of vestiges you can have bound at once is determined by your class chart. When you do this you must make a binding check, typically a Charisma roll with no background, against the Icon Vestige’s DC. If you fail vestige can influence your personality and actions like having too many magic items, and you are said to have made a bad pact. If you succeed the vestige has no influence over you and you are said to have made a good pact.

While influenced by a vestige and you perform an action which displeases it, you take a -1 penalty to defences, attacks, and saves until that vestige leaves you.

Whether you succeed or fail your check, you gain all the Boons of the Icon Vestige until your next full heal up. You can select one vestige you have bound to be your primary pact, which grants you its Primary Boon. Making a vestige that you made a bad pact with to be your primary pact is likely to have interesting results.

Each Icon Vestige has a background associated with them. When you have a vestige as your primary pact, you also have a 3 point background of this type.

Whenever a Vestige grants you a feature from another class, you cannot take its feats to improve it. Many Vestiges, however, have their own feats to improve it.

Whenever a Vestige grants a spell its level is equal to yours. If it is borrowed from another class, it uses Charisma instead of the original ability score associated with it. You cannot take the feats of a spell borrowed from another class.

Some Vestiges grant magical items. Their tier is equal to your own. These count against your magic item cap, and exceeding the cap forces them to influence your personality regardless of check. While these magical items are summoned, any items you have in that Charka already are shunted into places unknown where you cannot access their abilities. If you unsummon your granted item, your old ones appear back where you had them. Granted items have their quirks replaced with the vestiges’ personality. Shunted magic items do not count towards your cap, thankfully.

Adventurer Feat: You do not have to remake your pacts with Icon Vestiges from the previous full-heal up that you made a good pact with.

Champion Feat:Once per full heal up, you can force a vestige into a good pact. However increase its DC by 10 the next time you try to bind it and you cannot use this feat to force it to be a good pact.

Epic Feat: You can gain a second vestige’s primary boon at the same time, but you cannot have two that grant direct bonuses to damage (such as Smite Evil and Flames of Avarice, though Smite Evil and Skilled Intercept would be fine).

 

Special Considerations

Archetype

Archetype talents help you define who you are amongst all the shifting personalities that flow through you. You can only pick one Archetype talent. These talents help give you guaranteed abilities regardless of who inhabits you.

Over-channel

Some vestiges grant you at-will abilities, often spells or flexible attacks. Where such ability has a section labeled as over-channel, it means you can expend your reserve of invested energy to cast an enhanced version of that ability, but at the cost of being unable to use that ability at all for the rest of the battle. You declare you are using this before using it.

 

Binder Talents

Choose three of the following class talents.

 

Binder’s Familiar

You have a familiar much like a wizard’s familiar (page 149 of 13^th Age), but more variable. Unlike the wizard, you don’t choose two abilities for your familiar. Instead you choose one permanent ability that suits your familiar’s nature; the only limitation is that you can’t choose tough as the permanent ability. When you decide which pact is your primary vestige for the ‘day’ your familiar gains the Familiar Boon associated with it. From a descriptive point of view, your familiar should also morph to reflect either your primary vestige or all of them.

Adventurer Feat: Your familiar also gains a boon based on one other pact you have of your choice.

Champion Feat: Once per level, if your familiar is close to you, it can cast one of your spells as a free action on your initiative count, even if you have already expended the spell. The spell functions as if you had cast it.

Epic Feat: Your familiar also gains another boon based on one other pact you have of your choice.

 

Blood Binding

Unlike normal binders, you carve or tattoo the words of binding Icon Vestiges into your flesh. You can use Constitution in place of Charisma for all aspects of the Binder class (except for MD). In addition your recovery dice use d10’s.

 

Pact Guardian

You no longer suffer the penalty to attack rolls from using a shield. If an Icon Vestige would remove these penalties as well, it instead grants you a +1 bonus to PD.

 

Pact Mage (Archetype)

You gain the Channel Power spell.

Channel Power

Close-quarters spell

At-Will

Special: You can only use this spell while in battle.

Effect: Your next spell granted by a vestige before the end of the battle deals double damage (if it deals ongoing damage, the ongoing damage is only doubled the first time). In addition, roll a 1d6 to get an immediate benefit.

Chaotic Benefit, Adventurer Tier (levels 1–4)

1–2: You gain a +1 bonus to AC until the start of your next turn.

3–4: Deal psychic damage equal to your level to all nearby staggered enemies.

5–6: Deal psychic damage equal to your level to one nearby enemy.

Chaotic Benefit, Champion Tier (levels 5–7)

1–2: You gain a +1 bonus to AC and Physical Defense until the start of your next turn.

3–4: Deal psychic damage equal to your level + your Charisma modifier to all nearby staggered enemies.

5–6: Deal psychic damage equal to your level + your Charisma modifier to one nearby enemy.

Chaotic Benefit, Epic Tier (levels 8–10)

1–2: You gain a +1 bonus to all defenses until the start of your next turn.

3–4: Deal psychic damage equal to your level + twice your Charisma modifier to all nearby staggered enemies.

5–6: Deal psychic damage equal to your level + twice your Charisma modifier to one nearby enemy.

Adventurer Feat: Gain an at-will spell from an arcane spell casting class (such as wizard, bard, sorcerer). You can use Charisma in place of its normal ability modifier and you can take its feats to improve it.

Champion Feat: Gain a use of the Wizard’s utility spell.

 

Pact Scoundrel (Archetype)

You can use Dexterity in place of strength for melee weapon attacks. In addition your attacks with daggers deal a d8 instead of a d4.

Adventurer Feat: Gain a rogue manoeuvre attack of your level or lower you can take its feats to improve it.

 

Pact Warrior (Archetype)

You do not take the penalty to attack rolls with weapons. If an Icon Vestige would remove these penalties as well, it instead increases your critical range with these weapons by 1.

Adventurer Feat: Gain a fighter flexible attack of your level or lower you can take its feats to improve it.

 

Rapid Pact Maker

Once per day between battles you can expel a single vestige you have a good pact with to you bind a new one. Due to the haste in this pact making, it is automatically considered a bad pact. If you have the Vestigial Icon talent, you cannot expel that vestige.

Adventurer Feat: You can roll a normal binding check for this new vestige.

Champion Feat: You do not need a good pact with the vestige to expel it.

Epic Feat: You can do this as a move action in battle, but you may not make the normal binding check, it’s always a bad pact.

 

Spirit Talker

You gain a +2 bonus to the backgrounds provided by vestiges (bringing you to 5), a +2 bonus to all binding checks, and a +2 bonus to skill checks involving dealing with supernatural entities.

Adventurer Feat: You gain a +1 bonus to Mental Defense.

Champion Feat: Once per battle, reroll a save against an effect from an attack that originally hit your Mental Defense.

Epic Feat: Your once-per-battle save reroll is now once per save.

 

Still Pact

All spells granted by your good pacts are now close spells.

 

Vestigial Icon

You can spend relationship points on one Icon Vestige, rolling 5’s an 6’s should lead to interesting otherworldly effects. You do not need to roll a binding check for this vestige, as you are always considered to have made a good pact.

Adventurer Feat: You can choose an Icon Vestige of any level for this talent, you can bind that vestige regardless of your level however if its level is greater than you can normally bind, you must still make the likely difficult binding check. Higher level vestiges are marked with lower level versions for this feat.

Champion Feat:If the Vestige is your level or lower, you can roll a binding check against its DC to change a result of a 5 into a 6.

Epic Feat: If you got a 6 on a relationship check with that icon, and have it bound, you gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls with its abilities or attacks with its granted weapon until your next full heal up.

 

Icon Vestiges and Balance

Vestiges largely consist of a Primary Boon and a pair of Lesser Boons.

Primary Boons are meant to be either major damage increasing features, or potent talent-like abilities. The Binder’s talents themselves mostly provide minor benefits lacking major oomph in order to balance with this. You can also only have 1 Primary Boon at once without Soul Binding’s epic feat, and even that has restrictions.

Lesser Boons consist of the other features marked below the Primary Boon. You gain all of these while the vestige is bound to you. These primarily consist of spells or abilities, though a few provide proficiencies. If approximated like spells, this means at level 1 you have a pair of spells, and at level 10 you can have a total of 8 spells, relatively close to the progression of other spell casting classes, and the ability progression of flexible attacks and rogue maneuvers. You can gain more than these using feats from the Archetype talents however, though they limit you to simply more at-will abilities instead of a major nova-like oomph.

Boons that grant items are sort of considered powers in and of themselves, since they do grant you ‘free’ abilities. Their downsides are they don’t stack with any magic items you already have in those slots and count against your magic item cap.

 

Icon Vestiges

Level 1

The Bitter Angel

Binding DC: 15

Background: Servant of Heaven

Familiar Boon: Counter-bite, but the damage is cold damage and looks like a small frosty angel.

A powerful angel once that was given the impossible task of eliminating all Icons from the world. A binder under her influence distrusts paladins and clerics, and must spit on the floor of any temple or shrine they encounter. She has no personal quarrel with Icons.

Primary Boon: Bitter Frost

Expand your critical range with all cold spells and attacks by 2. When you score a critical with a cold attack, the enemy is Vulnerable (Save ends).

 

Icy Glare

Ranged spell

At-Will

Target: One nearby enemy

Attack: Charisma + Level vs. MD

Hit: 1d8+Charisma modifier cold damage. If you rolled a natural even hit, the target is stuck until the end of your next turn.

Miss: cold damage equal to your level.

3^rd level binder 2d8 damage.

5^th level binder 4d8 damage.

7^th level binder 6d8 damage.

9^th level binder 8d8 damage.

Over-channel: You instead target 2 nearby enemies. They are stuck regardless of roll as long as they are hit.

 

Rime Strike

Ranged spell

Once per battle

Target: One nearby enemy

Attack: Charisma + Level vs. PD

Hit: 4d6+Charisma modifier cold damage and one ally engaged with the target gains a +4 bonus to AC until the end of your next turn.

Miss: You gain a +2 bonus to your next cold attack roll before the end of the battle.

3^rd level binder 7d6 damage.

5^th level binder 7d10 damage.

7^th level binder 10d12 damage.

9^th level binder 2d8 x 10 damage.

 

Adventurer Feat: While you have her bound, your weapon attacks deal cold damage.

Champion Feat:Enemies you critical with cold attacks cause the target to be stuck (Save ends).

Epic Feat: Scoring a critical with a cold attack while she is bound refunds your usage of Rime Strike.

 

The Queen of Avarice

Binding DC: 10

Background: Dwarven Monarch

Familiar Boon: Once per day, you can use the dwarven racial power (your familiar also likely grows a beard).

A Dwarven Icon that brought ruin to her people and who’s greed ended an age. A Binder under her influence cannot spend gold on other people, though you must give a coin (regardless of value) to every dwarf who you learn the name of.

 

Primary Boon: Flames of Avarice

Your melee weapon attacks deal additional 1d4 fire damage per level on a hit once per round.

 

Molten Gold

Ranged spell

Daily

Target: 1d3 nearby enemies in a group.

Attack: Charisma + Level vs. PD

Hit: 2d10 fire damage and 5 ongoing fire damage.

Miss: 5 ongoing fire damage.

3^rd level binder 3d10 fire damage and 10 ongoing fire damage, 10 ongoing on a miss.

5^th level binder 4d10 fire damage and 15 ongoing fire damage, 15 ongoing on a miss.

7th level binder 3d4 x 5 fire damage and 25 ongoing fire damage, 25 ongoing on a miss.

9th level s binder 5d4 x 5 fire damage and 40 ongoing fire damage, 40 ongoing on a miss.

 

Flame Aura

When an enemy starts its turn engaged with you it takes fire damage equal to your level (adventurer tier), double your level (champion tier), or triple your level (epic tier). You also gain Resist Fire 12+.

 

Adventurer Feat: Molten Gold is now recharge 16+

Champion Feat:You gain the dwarven racial power. If you already have this power, this is an additional use of it.

Epic Feat: You can cast Molten Gold recklessly to target 1d3 additional enemies, but then your allies engaged with any of the targets take ¼ of the hit damage on a miss.

 

The Grey Knight

Binding DC: 10

Background: Knight

Familiar Boon: Alert, Maybe Even Insightful

A supposed paragon of good that was known to perform acts so heinous to his foes that some people wondered if they were on the right side. He is still remembered more favorably than the Crusader. A Binder under his influence may not attack an enemy that has not attacked yet in battle but must mutilate the bodies of all they slay.

 

Primary Boon: Smite Evil

You gain the Paladin’s Smite Evil class feature. At level 5 you gain the champion feat, and at level 8 you gain the epic feat. You do not get the adventurer feat for free though.

 

Brutal Finish

Whenever you kill an enemy, all other enemies engaged with you are Feared until the end of your next turn. Yes, even if you slaughter mooks, what you did is just that scary.

 

Knight’s Defence

Flexible melee attack

At-Will

Triggering Roll: Any natural even hit or miss

Effect: You gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier.

5^th level binder temporary hit points equal to 2x Charisma modifier.

8^th level binder temporary hit points equal to 3x Charisma modifier.

Over-channel: When a nearby ally is hit by an attack, you can use an interrupt to lose hit points equal to half of that damage, and have your ally take only half of the damage instead. The damage you lose can come from temporary hit points, but isn’t affected by damage resistance and other tricks to avoid the damage.

 

Martial Prowess

You do not suffer the penalty for attacking with heavy melee weapons.

 

Adventurer Feat: You gain Smite Evil’s adventurer feat.

Champion Feat:You can apply Smite Evil to a single target spell.

Epic Feat: Once per day you can apply Smite Evil to a multi-target spell, but do not benefit from the adventurer feat.

 

The Saintly Child

Binding DC: 10

Background: Farmer

Familiar Boon: Scout

A child that helped prevent the end of an age due to zombie plague (that was apparently reserved for the end of the 12^th age). While under her influence you ask embarrassing questions you might already know the answer too.

 

Primary Boon: Hand of Innocence

You can spend a standard action to give an ally you are next to temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier plus your level.

 

Bestow Courage

Close Quarter Spell

Once per battle

Target: 1 nearby ally

Quick Action to Cast

Effect: You fill an ally’s soul with divine power. If the target becomes staggered, the divine power expends itself to allow the target to heal using a recovery, and the effect ends. If this does not trigger before the end of the battle, this boon is wasted.

 

Cure Wounds

You gain the Cleric’s Cure Wounds spell (p. 98 of 13^th Age).

 

Adventurer Feat: You can cast Bestow Courage on an ally who is already staggered to let them heal using a recovery immediately instead of later.

Champion Feat:Hand of Innocence also gives you the temporary hit points.

Epic Feat: Bestow Courages that fail to heal their end of the battle persist until the next full heal up. However you cannot have the target be subject to more than Bestow Courage at once.

 

Level 3

The Dancer

Binding DC: 15

Background: Noble Swordsman

Familiar Boon: Agile

A swordsman of impeccable grace who spent all his time perfecting his craft to take down an Icon that killed his love. A binder under his influence is friendly with the Dragon Emperor, but hates barbarians, and is rude to poor people. He also doesn’t like the Crusader as he reminds him of his rival.

 

Primary Boon: Riposte

When an enemy you are engaged with hits you with an attack, it takes 1d6 damage.

2^nd level binder 1d8 damage.

4^th level binder 2d6 damage.

6^th level binder 3d6 damage.

8^th level binder 5d6 damage.

10^th level binder 7d6 damage.

 

Momentum

You gain the Rogue’s Momentum class feature, plus the rogue’s Deflection power (p. 130 of 13^th Age).

 

Dueling Blade

You can summon a Flurry Rapier (heavy 1d8 one handed) as a free action. If you do not wield a shield and have a free hand, you also gain a +1 bonus to AC while wielding this weapon. You do not suffer the attack penalty for using one-handed heavy weapons.

 

Adventurer Feat: You can reroll ripostes damage dice that result in a 1. You must accept the reroll.

Champion Feat:Riposte now deals d10’s.

Epic Feat: Once per battle, you can deal Riposte damage to a nearby enemy that hits you instead of an engaged enemy.

 

The Instigator

Binding DC: 15

Background: Servant of the War God

Familiar Boon: Counter-bite

A divine servant gifted with impervious armor, who then used said armor to try and conquer the world. If under his influence, you do not back down from challenges, and must wear his bloody white plate armor at all times.

 

Primary Boon: Skilled Intercept

You gain the Fighter’s Skilled Intercept Talent.

 

Always Ready

Each battle you can roll an additional time for initiative, and take the best result.

 

Plate of the Gods

You do not suffer the penalty to attack rolls for wearing heavy armor. You can conjure this heavy armor as a free action. This armor grants an additional +1 bonus to AC. Once per battle you can turn a critical hit against you into a normal hit, but you lose the +1 bonus to AC for the rest of the battle.

 

Adventurer Feat: While bound to him, and you have the highest initiative, during your first round of combat all enemies are vulnerable to you.

Champion Feat:You gain a +3 bonus to disengage checks at all times.

Epic Feat: When you use the armor to negate a critical, the attacking enemy takes damage equal to the damage you take.

 

The Lord of Flowers

Binding DC: 15

Background: Druid

Familiar Boon: Scout

A High Druid-like icon from a forgotten age where plant people ruled. A Binder under his influence must respect nature, and does not respect elves or human wizards.

 

Primary Boon: Malduke and Celesdue

You gain the ability to conjure a pair of heavy 1d6 war glaives as a free action. When you make a natural even roll with a melee attack with your main hand attack, you can make a second attack with your offhand. The mainhand is a Haughty Weapon, while the offhand is an Abandon Weapon. This counts as 2 weapons against you item cap.

 

Lifebloom

You gain the Druid’s Regeneration spell (p. XX of 13 True Ways) once per battle and once per day.

 

Nature Warrior

You do not suffer the penalty to attack rolls with heavy one-handed melee weapons.

 

Adventurer Feat: Your offhand attack gains a +2 bonus to its attack roll if you target a different enemy.

Champion Feat:You can use Regeneration an extra time once per day.

Epic Feat: You gain a +2 bonus to all defences each battle until you are hit by an attack.

 

The Swordmage

Binding DC: 15

Background: Magic swordswoman

Familiar Boon: Alert, Maybe Even Insightful

The Archmage during a dark age of little arcane knowledge. While under her influence you don’t like dwarves, love roses, and have an overbearing curiosity for arcane knowledge.

 

Primary Boon: Aegis of Assault

Close-quarters spell

At-Will

Quick action to cast

Effect: You designate a nearby enemy with your aegis. If the target makes an attack that does not include you as a target, you can use an interrupt to teleport adjacent to the target and make a no-frills basic attack against it.

Over-channel: The target is also vulnerable to the attack. You choose to over-channel this spell before making the attack, not before casting it.

 

Arcane Strike

Flexible melee attack

At-Will

Triggering Roll: Any natural even roll

Effect: You gain a +2 bonus to the attack roll of your next spell before the end of your next turn.

Over-channel: Instead of the normal effect, deal force damage equal to your charisma modifier (adventurer tier), double your charisma modifier (champion tier), or triple your charisma modifier (epic tier) to each enemy engaged with you.

 

Barrier

Close-quarters spell

Daily

Free action to cast, when an attack hits your AC.

Effect: The attacker must reroll the attack. You must accept the new result.

3^rd level binder: You gain a +2 AC bonus against the rerolled attack.

5^th level binder: You can also use the spell against attacks that target your Physical Defense; replace references to AC with PD.

7^th level binder: The bonus to AC/PD on the rerolled attack increases to +4.

9^th level binder: The bonus to AC/PD on the rerolled attack increases to +6.

 

Adventurer Feat: Arcane Strike’s at-will effect also makes your next spell a close spell.

Champion Feat:You can now choose either of the attack rolls with barrier, in case the second one crits or is otherwise bad for you.

Epic Feat: Hit or miss, you take only half damage from any attack you use barrier against.

 

Level 5

The Lord of Thorns

Binding DC: 20

Background: Barbarian

Familiar Boon: Once per day, as a free action, you can gain a +2 bonus to all defences until you are hit by an attack.

A barbaric rival of the Lord of Flowers. A Binder under his influence is a bloodthirsty fiend that takes great offense any damage of nature. You cannot bind both the Lord of Thorns and the Lord of Flowers at the same time.

 

Primary Boon: Rage

You gain the Barbarian’s Rage ability. Raging does not apply benefits to spells.

 

Raging Blow

Flexible melee attack

At-Will

Triggering Roll: Any natural 11+ hit

Effect: If the target is a staggered enemy you were not engaged with at the start of your turn, deal +1d6 damage per level to that creature.

Over-channel: Instead of the normal effect, on any natural 11+, roll a second d20 and take the higher roll. If the second attack is a natural 11+, and both attack rolls hit, it is a critical hit! You cannot use this over-channel while raging.

 

The Lance of Thorns

You gain the ability to conjure a heavy 1d10 bloodthirsty spear as a free action. This spear grants you the benefit of the Reach Trick feat.

 

Nature Warrior

You do not suffer the penalty to attack rolls with heavy two-handed melee weapons.

 

Champion Feat:Once per battle, Raging Blow works on a miss.

Epic Feat: Whenever the escalation die is 3+, as a quick action, you can start raging for free (it doesn’t count against your normal usage). This rage lasts until the end of the battle, as normal.

 

The Princess of Dust

Binding DC: 15

Background: Dragon Pharaoh

Familiar Boon: Scout

A brown dragon that once ruled a far distant place in a far distant time. A binder under her influence prefers warm dry areas, and is suspicious of non-dragons.

 

Primary Boon: Skirmish

If you moved this turn (even if you just disengaged and re-engaged the same enemy) and hit with a 1-handed melee attack, you deal 1d6 extra damage.

2^nd level binder 1d8 damage.

4^th level binder 2d8 damage.

6^th level binder 3d8 damage.

8^th level binder 5d8 damage.

10^th level binder 7d8 damage.

 

Dust Storm

This ability works as the Rogue’s Shadow Walk

 

Pharaoh’s Command:

Close Quarter Spell

Daily

Target: 1 nearby ally

Quick Action to Cast

Effect: The target can make a basic attack as a free action.

5^th level binder: The ally can use an at-will spell or flexible attack.

7^th level binder: The ally can take standard action.

 

Champion Feat:If you fail your attack with Dust Storm, you do not lose the action, but cannot try again this turn.

Epic Feat: You gain Dust Storm’s epic feat.

 

The Spider Queen

Binding DC: 20

Background: Drow Monarch

Familiar Boon: Poisonous (and if you familiar isn’t turned into a spider, you’re doing it wrong)

The drow queen responsible for the old war between the elves. A binder bound to her is upset that Drow have not triumphed over the others, hates the Elf Queen, and is ready to backstab allies if need be.

 

Primary Boon: Spider’s Venom

Once per round, when you naturally even hit an enemy not taking ongoing poison damage, it takes ongoing poison damage equal to 1d4 x your level.

 

Spider Climb

You can crawl walls like a spider.

 

Spider’s Venom

Ranged spell

At-Will

Target: One nearby enemy

Attack: Charisma + Level vs. PD

Hit: 1d6 + Charisma poison damage, and if the natural attack roll is odd, the target also takes 1d8 ongoing poison damage.

Miss: Damage equal to your level.

3^rd level binder 3d6 damage 2d4 ongoing.

3^rd level binder 4d6 damage 2d6 ongoing.

3^rd level binder 6d6 damage 3d6 ongoing.

3^rd level binder 10d6 damage 5d6 ongoing.

Over-channel: Double the dice damage and deal half damage on a miss.

 

Spider’s Deceit

You gain the Wizard’s Charm Spell (p. 153 of 13^th Age).

 

Level 7

Oblivion

Binding DC: 25

Background: Primordial Darkness

Familiar Boon: Once per day, you can use the high elf racial power

The essence of the universe before its creation. It is weakened by the god’s meddling, but is ever present. While influencing to you, you hate the works of the gods, but cannot speak.

 

Primary Boon: Consume Magic

Close-quarters spell

Once per battle

Free action to cast

Trigger: A nearby creature you can see uses a magical ability

Target: The nearby creature

Attack: Charisma + Level vs. MD

Hit: The target’s spell is canceled, and the caster loses the action they were using for the spell. If the spell had a limited use, that use is expended if your natural attack roll is even and you gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier.

3rd level binder: Instead of temporary hit points, you can heal using a recovery.

5th level binder: No longer choose between temp and healing, you get both!

7th level binder: The recovery is now also free.

 

Denial

You gain the Wizard’s Denial spell (p. 155 of 13^th Age). It deals 2d10 damage and targets only 1d3 enemies at level 1, and 4d10 damage at level 3.

 

Rebuke

You gain the Wizard’s Rebuke spell (p. 155 of 13^th Age). At level 1 the HP requirement is 30.

Champion Feat:You gain Rebuke’s Adventurer Feat and Denial’s Champion feat.

Epic Feat: Denial targets 1d4+1 now, and Rebuke targets 1d2 nearby enemies with the HP requirement.

 

The Metallic Concord

Binding DC: 20

Background: Metallic Dragon Council

Familiar Boon: Alert, Maybe Even Insightful (and should probably look like a small dragon)

The Great Gold Wyrm’s old allies (or possibly future allies). They consist of the Mithril, Iron, Adamantine, Bronze, and Brass. While under the influence, you must act good, though you have a tendency to debate with others and yourself over what is right.

 

Primary Boon: Draconic Rage

The first time you are staggered each battle, you can use your Breath Weapon (see below) as a free action. This does not count against your normal number of uses of this power.

 

Breath Weapon

You gain the Draconic/Dragonspawn’s Breath weapon power once a battle. If you are already this race, this is an additional use, but you can only use this ability once per round. Your breath attacks deal Holy, Acid, Poison, Fire, or Thunder damage while this vestige is bound.

 

Sorcerous Breath

You gain a Breath spell from the Sorcerer of your level or lower. Pick an appropriate damage type listed in your Breath Weapon power for it and name it after one of the Metallic Concord.

 

Champion Feat:Breath Weapon (both racial and from this vestige) now target 1d3 nearby enemies in a group.

Epic Feat: While bound to them you are immune to invisibility and see through all illusions.

 

The Virtuous Exile

Binding DC: 25

Background: Alien Priest

Familiar Boon: Alert, Maybe Even Insightful

Leader of pious people claiming to be from another realm. Little is known about them, even their disappearance from history is not clear. While under his influence you must act good, but find local customs bizarre and are less than quiet about it.

 

Primary Boon: Circle of Protection

You gain the Cleric’s Circle of Protection spell (p. 100 of 13^th Age). If you are level 7 or higher, it is now recharge 16+ after battle.

 

Judgement

You gain the Cleric’s Judgement spell (p. 99 of 13^th Age). It deals 2d10+Charisma damage at level 1.

 

Astral Sigil

Ranged Spell

Once per battle

Target: 1 nearby creature

Attack: Wisdom + Level vs MD

Hit: The target is dazed until the end of your next turn. While dazed by this effect, each ally that hits the target gains temporary hit points equal to double your level.

3^rd level binder: The target is Weakened instead of Dazed.

9^th level binder: The spell now targets 2 nearby creatures in a group.

Over-channel: This spell does not grant temporary hit points, but the target is Marked (save ends). Each ally that hits the Marked target heals HP equal to double your level.

5^th level binder: Allies that attack the Marked target deal an extra 1d10 damage.

7^th level binder: Increase the bonus damage to 2d10.

 

Champion Feat:Add twice your level to all recoveries rolled within your Circle of Protection.

Epic Feat: Enemies hampered by your Circle of Protection or Marked by your Astral Sigil are now targetable by Judgement.

 

Level 9

The Archmage

Binding DC: 25

Background: Archmage

Familiar Boon: Alert, Maybe Even Insightful

The last Elven Archmage. Binders under his influence are surprised by there being a Human Archmage, are in love with the Elf Queen, and hates the Dwarf King.

 

Primary Boon: Meteor Swarm

You gain the Wizard’s Meteor Swarm spell (p. 157 of 13^th Age). If you have a good pact, it has a recharge of 21+, reduced by the state of the escalation die at the end of the battle. (DM, if the player is notably cheesing this, the Archmage is disappointed in him, turns the pact into a bad pact, and it doesn’t recharge.)

Meteor swarm deals 4x4 times level damage (round down to the closest odd level) if you manage to acquire this spell before being level 9. You should also probably lower its amount of property damage.

 

Fireball

You gain the Wizard’s Fireball spell (p. 153 of 13^th Age). This deals 5d10 damage at level 3, and 3d10 damage at level 1.

 

Magic Missile

You gain the Wizard’s Magic Missile spell (p. 153 of 13^th Age). You can over-channel this spell to target 1d3 nearby enemies in a group.

Epic Feat: Gain Meteor swarm’s epic feat. If you also have the Pact Mage talent you can gain a feat for one of the at-will spells you know.

 

The Fallen Titan

Binding DC: 25

Background: Lord of Giants

Familiar Boon: Tough

A defeated deity from a long-gone age, the Fallen Titan was once the ruler of Giants. While under his influence, you hate the gods and like breaking things.

Primary Boon: Power Attack

You gain the Fighter’s Power Attack talent (p. 105 of 13^th Age) with the adventurer feat. If your level is 5 or greater you get the champion feat, and 8 or greater you get the epic feat.

Huge

Your base HP is 8+Con mod instead of 7+Con mod; this effectively gives you 1 hp more per level modifier. Your recovery dice now use d10’s (d12’s with Blood Binding). In addition, all weapons you wield have their dice increased by 1 step (to a maximum of 1d12). Your critical damage is doubled (well, more like x3 instead of x2, you know the deal.)

 

---

 

Change Log

1.2.1

• Now a limit to how many vestiges a binder knows
• Edited overview to reflect the restriction of number of vestiges
• Binding checks no longer use a background. All binding DCs have been lowered by 5.
• Vestigial Knowledge has been simplified, and rolled into Soul Binding.
• Binder’s Familiar no longer is a clone of the sorcerer, but gets its boon based on primary vestige.
• Added Spirit Talker talent to promote a more skill-monkey-ish role.
• Changed formatting of new abilities to be easier to read.
• The Dancer now gives the rogue’s Deflection instead of player’s choice.
• Added the Swordmage
• Photosynethesis removed from the plant lords for simplicity
• The Lord of Thorn’s Bloodthirst is now the Raging Blow flexible attack/over-channel feature.
• The Princess of Dust no longer steals an ability from the Commander
• Oblivion’s Consume Magic is now its own spell instead of referencing Counter-magic with modifications.
• Virtuous Exile lost mighty healing and gained an at-will/over-channel.
• Archmage now uses over-channel instead of older systems.
• Archmage now gets fireball instead of player’s choice
• The Fallen Titan got its page number added.

 

1.2.0

• Moved class-specific mechanics to their Special Considerations section.
• Pact Mage now has its own, very similar Channel Power instead of directly ripping off the sorcerer’s Gather Power.
• Bitter angel no longer steals Ray of Frost and a cold Force Salvo for Icy Glaze. Instead it is now its own spell with experimental variable usage.
• Bitter Angel’s frosty version of Spirits of the Righteous was now changed to a similar, though different spell.
• Grey Knight now has a Flexible Attack/Over-channel combo in place of the odd “you get the bastion talent without getting its AC” thing.
• Grey Knight no longer has cleave, but can brutally strike fears into his foes.
• Saintly Child’s Healing Word (Heal with minor changes) was changed to a more unique Bestow Courage.

 

1.1

• Tuning Pass
• Fixed numerous typos
• Added Binder’s Familiar talent
• • Pact Mage’s Gather Power now only works with spells granted by pacts, not its own feats.
  • • Vestigial Icon’s epic feat was slightly nerfed
    • • Bitter Angel’s Primary Boon now plays more nicely with enemies already vulnerable to cold.
• Oblivion’s Primary Boon scales more
• Oblivion’s Denial spell now downscales
• Archmage is now The Archmage
• Fallen Titan is now The Fallen Titan
• Adjusted DC’s on Oblivion, Metalic Concord, Virtuous Exile, Archmage, and Fallen Titan
• • Fallen Titan’s background is now a much more specific and useful sounding Lord of Giants
  • • Added page numbers to many borrowed spells to help find everything.

 

1.0

• Published to repository
• .
• 0.3
• • Tuning Pass
  • Added flavour text and overview
  • Added “Icon Vestiges and Your Game” to help DM’s and players in storytelling.
  • Added “Icon Vestiges and Balance” to try to explain how the balance of the class works
  • All rough note vestiges now have a proper write-up.
  • Added the Dancer and Oblivion

 

0.2

• Tuning Pass
• Gave many talents feats
• Created “Archetypal” talents.
• Created Blood Binding.

0.1

First draft of class