Monster Channeler (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

Instead of summoning creatures physically into his presence, the medium summons creatures to possess his own body.

Class Information

This is a summoner archetype

Hit Die: d8.

Class Abilities

A medium has all class abilities of the normal summoner, except as follows.

Channel Monster (Su)

The medium acts as a portal for the creature to enter, and then traps the creature in his body, which changes to the creature's form and gains all the creature's abilities, effectively becoming the summoned creature. A medium can only control one summoned/called creature at a time, and further summons merely replace the current one. He can never control more than one creature at a time, and this applies to the eidolon as well as to called/summoned creatures (but see Separate Forms below).

Whenever the medium summons or calls a creature, that creature manifests inside his body in a way similar to a reversed greater possession. This applies to creatures summoned or called trough spells or spell-like abilities as well as to the eidolon. Both the medium's and the creature's life force occupies the medium's body, which assumes all the characteristics of the summoned creature, including mental attributes, effectively becoming that creature. Protection from evil and similar effects cannot prevent this voluntary possession. The medium has the normal degree of control over the creature, depending on how it was controlled or called. In effect, the medium's player now plays the creature instead of the normal character. The medium can perceive what the possessing creature perceives and can communicate telepathically with it. This telepathy transcends language barriers, but does not confer language skills. The medium can order the creature to speak, but only in languages it knows.

When the effect ends or the creature is reduced to zero or fewer hit points, the creature disappears and the medium returns to his own form in the same space the creature occupied. Any damage the creature took disappears with it.

The "nearest legal space of the GMs choice" generally means the medium ends up next to his comrades. For example, if possessing an earth elemental and inside a wall when the effect ends, the closest legal space might be on the other side of a wall from the rest of the party, but the GM is encouraged to position the medium in a space he knows about and together with his companions. This is a recommendation, not a rule; GMs are free to ignore this recommendation as the case demands.

The medium and the creature may not have the same space, and sometimes may have different movement modes that would prevent them from occupying the same space as the other when changing shape. In every case, the medium is moved as little as possible, squeezing or being displaced to a nearby legal space of the GMs choice.

When the medium becomes possessed or returns to control, any spells or effects stay with the body. This means that any beneficial and debilitating effects affect whoever is the active part, the medium or the possessing creature. If an effect that could not affect its new target is transferred in this way, it ends instead. The share spells ability allows all the medium's own spells to stay in effect when his eidolon possesses him.

The medium's gear normally merges with the body when possessed and has no effect; the creature appears with whatever gear is in its description instead. When possessed by his eidolon, any armor merges, as does gear that the eidolon cannot use, but other items can remain in physical space and continue to function or merge, at the medium's option.

While possessed, the medium can take no actions other than to cast spells on himself (he is considered a separate creature for this purpose, and can satisfy any components the spell has using any gear melded into his form), use the Life Link ability, and communicate with and control the creature possessing his body. If he have some way to communicate that does not involve the body, such as telepathy, he can use that means to communicate with others. No action he take while possessed triggers an attack of opportunity.

If the possession ends for some reason, such as if the creature is dismissed or cast out of the body, this power immediately ends and the mediums body returns to its normal shape. The possessing creature is immediately returned to its home plane.

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This ability replaces Bond Senses.

Possession Spellcasting (Su)

At 4th level, you can cast spells and use spell-like effects on yourself and on the creature possessing you while possessed. You can also use abilities to summon or call different creatures; doing so replaces the creature currently possessing you with the one you summon. This ability replaces Shield Ally.

When you replace one possessing creature with another, you dismiss your current creature, transform back to your normal shape, summon the new creature, and transfer back to extra-dimensional space, all as a part of the action to summon the new creature. You can be attacked during this interval in material space, but only with a readied or immediate action. If you use a spell with a one-round casting time, this happens at the beginning of your next turn when the spellcasting is finished.

Condition Selection (Ex)

At 6th level, when being possessed or returning from being possessed, you can select which effects to transfer between yourself and the possessing creature. This allows you to get rid of unwanted effects while keeping enhancements. This ability replaces Maker's Call.

Possession Trap (Su)

At 8th level, when you are within 30 ft. of a creature with the to possess others, including a creature with such a spell prepared or using a spell to possess another creature. Whether it is currently possessing another creature or not, you can force that creature to possess your body as a standard action. You cannot use this ability when you are currently being possessed. You can use this ability on a creature possessing you, even in situations where you'd normally be incapable of any action. Trying to use this ability on a creature incapable of possession automatically fails.

The creature is allowed a Will saving trow (DC 10 + ½ your medium level + your Charisma modifier). If the saving throw fails the creature possesses you as outlined in controlled possession, and you can control its actions. If the saving throw succeeds, the creature has the option to ignore you or to possess you normally, with the creature in control for one round.

Each round while possessing you, a creature with possession powers must make the above Will saving trow. If it fails, you are in control for this round and can assume the creature's shape and abilities if you are not already. If the saving throw succeeds, the creature is in control. If you have assumed the creature's shape the creature can act normally or even choose to end the possession. If you are physically present to be possessed, the creature controls your body in the usual manner.

You can also use this on a creature called with a planar binding spell. Such a creature always possesses you, and you and the creature can fight for control just like you and a creature capable of possession would. You can bargain with the creature while this battle for control lasts, and in rounds when you have control, you also have a +4 bonus on Charisma rolls to establish a deal.

Possession trap replaces Transposition.

Medium's Life Bond (Su)

At 14th level, a medium’s life becomes linked to his eidolon’s. When you take damage while not being possessed, you can transfer that would kill or incapacitate you to your eidolon, even tough your eidolon is not physically present. Damage in excess of that which would reduce you to fewer than 0 hit points is instead transferred to the eidolon. As long as the eidolon has 1 or more hit points, you are protected from harm. Damage is transferred 1 point at a time, meaning that as soon as the eidolon is reduced to a zero hit points, or has any attribute reduced t zero, all excess damage remains with the summoner.

Effects that cause death or conditions but not damage are unaffected by this ability. This ability does not affect spells like baleful polymorph, flesh to stone, or imprisonment, or other spells that do not cause actual damage. It can transfer ability damage and drain.

This ability replaces Life Bond.

Separate Forms (Su)

As a full-round action the medium exit his eidolon while it is possessing him, and both can be physically present at the same time. This allows the medium to have his eidolon present along with another summoned or called creature that is possessing his body. When using this ability, he can have his eidolon and his summon monster class ability going at the same time. He can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to his summoner level. He can end this effect at any time, ending the effect is not an action.

When he gains the Twin Eidolon ability, he can choose to activate that ability as a part of the same action in which he activates Separate Forms. This ability replaces Merge Forms.

Table: The Medium

Class Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells per Day
						1	2	3	4	5	6
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Cantrips, controlled possession, eidolon, life link, summon monster I	1	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3		2	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	+2	+1	+1	+3	Summon monster II	3	—	—	—	—	—
4th	+3	+1	+1	+4	Possession spellcasting	3	1	—	—	—	—
5th	+3	+1	+1	+4	Summon monster III	4	2	—	—	—	—
6th	+4	+2	+2	+5	Condition selection	4	3	—	—	—	—
7th	+5	+2	+2	+5	Summon monster IV	4	3	1	—	—	—
8th	+6/+1	+2	+2	+6	Possession trap	4	4	2	—	—	—
9th	+6/+1	+3	+3	+6	Summon monster V	5	4	3	—	—	—
10th	+7/+2	+3	+3	+7	Aspect	5	4	3	1	—	—
11th	+8/+3	+3	+3	+7	Summon monster VI	5	4	4	2	—	—
12th	+9/+4	+4	+4	+8	Greater shield ally	5	5	4	3	—	—
13th	+9/+4	+4	+4	+8	Summon monster VII	5	5	4	3	1	—
14th	+10/+5	+4	+4	+9	Medium's life bond	5	5	4	4	2	—
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+5	+9	Summon monster VIII	5	5	5	4	3	—
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+5	+10	Separate forms	5	5	5	4	3	1
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+5	+10	Summon monster IX	5	5	5	4	4	2
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+6	+11	Greater aspect	5	5	5	5	4	3
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Gate	5	5	5	5	5	4
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Twin eidolon	5	5	5	5	5	5

Summary of Changed Class Abilities

These abilities of the original class are lost or modified in this archetype:

• Bond Senses
• Spell List
• Shield Ally
• Transposition
• Life Bond
• Merge Forms

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