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.

When the medium replaces one possessing creature with another, he dismisses the current creature, transform back to his normal shape, summon the new creature, and transforms int the new creature's shape, all as a part of the action to summon the new creature. He can be attacked during this interval in his own form, but only with a readied or immediate action and such an attack happens after the summoning spell or ability finishes and cannot interrupt the summoning, calling, or possession. If the medium uses a spell with a one-round casting time, this happens at the beginning of his next turn when the spellcasting finishes.

Possession Spellcasting (Su)

At 2nd level, the medium can cast spells and use spell-like effects on himself and on a creature possessing his body. He can also use abilities to summon or call different creatures; doing so replaces the creature currently possessing him with the one summoned. This ability replaces bond senses.

Condition Selection (Ex)

At 4th level, when being possessed or returning from being possessed, the medium can select to not transfer between certain spells or conditions between himself and the possessing creature or vice verso. This allows him to get rid of unwanted effects while keeping enhancements. Condition selection replaces shield ally.

Possession Trap (Su)

At 6th level, when within 30 ft. of a creature with the ability to possess others, including a creature with such a spell prepared or using a spell to possess another creature. Trying to use this ability on a creature incapable of possession automatically fails. Having a possession power makes a creature vulnerable to this effect, but this does not actually activate the creature's possession effect.

The medium can force the creature to possess his body as a standard action. He can use this ability on a creature possessing him, even in situations where he'd normally be incapable of taking any action.

The target creature is allowed a Will saving trow (DC 10 + ½ the medium's level + his Charisma modifier). If the saving throw fails the creature possesses the medium as outlined in controlled possession, he assumes its form and can control its actions. If the saving throw succeeds, the power fails. He can cause the creature to attack itself, but cannot force it to become helpless or reduce it's defenses in any way.

Each round on the medium's turn while possessing him, a hostile creature must make the above Will saving trow. If it fails, the medium is in control for this round. If the saving throw succeeds, the creature is in control and can chose to end the possession. In this case, the creature appears adjacent to the medium, or in the closest legal space available per controlled possession.

The medium can also use this on a creature called with a planar binding spell. Such a creature always possesses the medium, the medium and the creature fight for control as above. He can bargain with the creature while this battle for control lasts, and in rounds when the medium has control, he gains a +4 bonus on Charisma rolls to establish a deal.

Possession trap replaces maker's call.

Rapid Eidolon

At 8th level the medium can summon his eidolon as a full-round action. At 10th level, he can summon the eidolon as a standard action. At 12th level, he can summon it as a swift action, and at 14th level, he can summon the eidolon as an immediate action.

This ability replaces transposition and life bond.

Separate Forms (Su)

At 16th level a medium learns to separate forms. As a full-round action the medium exit his eidolon while it is possessing him, this is not an action for the eidolon which can act normally in the same round. Both the medium and eidolon 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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