Monster Channeler (Apath)

	Unofficial rules compendium
	Contents 1 Class Information; 2 Class Abilities 2.1 Channel Monster (Su); 2.2 Possession Spellcasting (Su); 2.3 Condition Selection (Ex); 2.4 Possession Trap (Su); 2.5 Rapid Eidolon; 2.6 Separate Forms (Su); ; 3 Table: The Monster Channeler; 4 Summary of Changed Class Abilities;
	Contents 1 Class Information; 2 Class Abilities 2.1 Channel Monster (Su); 2.2 Possession Spellcasting (Su); 2.3 Condition Selection (Ex); 2.4 Possession Trap (Su); 2.5 Rapid Eidolon; 2.6 Separate Forms (Su); ; 3 Table: The Monster Channeler; 4 Summary of Changed Class Abilities;

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

Class Information

This is a summoner archetype

Hit Die: d8.

Class Abilities

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

Channel Monster (Su)

The monster channeler acts as a portal for a creature to enter the physical world, then traps the creature in his own body and controls it.

Whenever the monster channeler summons or calls a creature, including his eidolon, that creature manifests inside his body. Both the monster channeler's and the creature's life force occupies the monster channeler's body, which assumes all the characteristics of the creature, including skill bonuses and ability scores. The monster channeler controls the creature, and it acts on the monster channeler's turn. In effect, the monster channeler's player now plays the creature instead of the normal character. The monster channeler 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 monster channeler can order the creature to speak, but only in a language it knows.

A monster channeler can only control one summoned creature at a time, further summons merely replace the current one. This limitation applies to the eidolon as well as to summoned creatures. Protection from evil and similar effects cannot prevent this voluntary possession. If the possession ends for some reason, such as if the creature is killed, dismissed, or cast out of the body, the monster channeler's body returns to normal. The possessing creature is immediately returned to its home plane. Any damage (including ability damage and ability drain) the creature took disappears with it. When possession begins or ends, any conditions (except those related to hit points, ability damage, or ability drain), spells, and effects stay with whoever now inhabits the body. 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 monster channeler's own spells to stay in effect when his eidolon possesses him.

The monster channeler's gear normally merges with the body when possessed and has no effect; the creature appears with whatever gear is in its description. The eidolon is an exception to this rule. When possessed by his eidolon, armor merges with his form, but other items can remain and continue to function.

While possessed, the monster channeler can take no actions other than to use the life link ability and to communicate with and control the creature possessing his body.

Possession Spellcasting (Su)

At 2nd level, a posessed monster channeler can cast spells and use spell-like and supernatural effects on himself and on the creature possessing his body. He is considered a separate creature touching the possessed body for this purpose. He can access and use any gear merged with his form. He can summon or call a different creature; doing so replaces the creature currently possessing him with a new one. This ability replaces bond senses. He cannot affect or be affected by anything except the creature possessing him.

Condition Selection (Ex)

At 4th level, when beginning or ending a possession, the monster channeler can select to not transfer certain spells or conditions from himself to the possessing creature and vice verso. This allows him to get rid of unwanted effects while keeping beneficial ones. 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-like ability or currently using a spell to possess another creature, but not a creature able to cast a possession spell but not currently doing so. 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 possession trap does not actually activate or spend a use of the creature's possession effect.

The monster channeler can force the creature to possess his body as a standard action.

The target creature is allowed a Will saving trow (DC 10 + ½ the monster channeler's level + his Charisma modifier). If the saving throw fails the creature possesses the monster channeler as outlined in controlled possession, he assumes its form and can control its actions. He can cause the creature to attack itself, but cannot force it to become helpless or reduce it's defenses in any way. If the saving throw succeeds, nothing happens.

Each round at the beginning of the monster channeler's turn while possessing him, a hostile creature must make the above Will saving trow. If it fails, the monster channeler is in control for this round and can control the creature's actions, which happens on his turn. If the saving throw succeeds, the creature is in control and can chose to end the possession or act normally on its own turn later in the round. The monster channeler can always use this ability on a creature possessing him, even in situations where he'd normally be incapable of taking any action.

The monster channeler can use this ability on a creature called with a planar binding spell. Such a creature always fails its initial saving throw and possesses the monster channeler, the monster channeler and the creature then fight for control as above. The monster channeler can bargain with the creature while this battle for control takes place, in rounds when the monster channeler has control, he gains a +4 bonus on Charisma rolls to establish a deal. Once a deal has been reached, the creature can appear as a separate being in the normal fashion.

Possession trap replaces maker's call.

Rapid Eidolon

At 8th level the monster channeler 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, 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 monster channeler learns to separate from his eidolon, allowing both of them to coexist. As a swift action the monster channeler can exit his eidolon while it is possessing him. He can then summon a second creature to possess him, 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 replaces merge forms.

Table: The Monster Channeler

Class Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells per Day
Class Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	1	2	3	4	5	6
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Cantrips, channel monster, eidolon, life link, summon monster I	1	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Possession spellcasting	2	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	+2	+1	+1	+3	Summon monster II	3	—	—	—	—	—
4th	+3	+1	+1	+4	Condition selection	3	1	—	—	—	—
5th	+3	+1	+1	+4	Summon monster III	4	2	—	—	—	—
6th	+4	+2	+2	+5	Possession trap	4	3	—	—	—	—
7th	+5	+2	+2	+5	Summon monster IV	4	3	1	—	—	—
8th	+6/+1	+2	+2	+6	Rapid eidolon (full-round)	4	4	2	—	—	—
9th	+6/+1	+3	+3	+6	Rapid eidolon (standard), summon monster V	5	4	3	—	—	—
10th	+7/+2	+3	+3	+7	Aspect, rapid eidolon (standard)	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, rapid eidolon (swift)	5	5	4	3	—	—
13th	+9/+4	+4	+4	+8	Summon monster VII	5	5	4	3	1	—
14th	+10/+5	+4	+4	+9	Monster channeler's life bond, rapid eidolon (immediate)	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
Shield Ally
Maker's Call
Transposition
Life Bond
Merge Forms

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