Hero of the Hour (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

A hero of the hour is the hero who just happens to have the right ability to fit the situation at hand. Every time. The hero of the hour channels the expectations of the moment.

Class Information

This is a medium channeling the needs of the moment.

Hit Die: d8.

Class Features

The hero of the hour has all the standard medium’s class features, except as noted below.

Spirit of the Moment (Su)

The hero of the hour does not channel spirits of the past, relying instead on the expectations of those around him and using his psychic power to fulfill their wishes, becoming the hero most needed at the time. Except as noted here, this works as the medium's spirit ability.

A hero of the hour does not hold seances. He can channel any spirit regardless of location. He does not need to make any decisions regarding the abilities granted by his spirits until he actually uses each ability, at which time it is a free action to select the abilities.

Example: Quacken is a hero of the hour. At the beginning of the day, he has no abilities from spirit of the moment. As his team enters a tomb, it seems likely they will encounter traps, so he chooses the trickster spirit and uses trickster's edge to advance in the Perception skill. He also chooses to take all the other trickster spirit abilities he can access (as these do not offer any options), but saves the last skill from trickster's edge for later. Later he picks up Linguistics to be able to read some strange glyphs on a wall.

The spirit of the moment stays with the hero of the hour for one hour or until dismissed (a full-round action) and gains the spirit's seance boon as long as he is channeling that spirit. A spirit of the moment gains influence over the hero of the hour in the same way a spirit gains influence over a medium, but rather than taking over the medium's body at five points of influence, the spirit of the moment passes, leaving the hero of the hour without a spirit until he next prepares spells and resets influence.

The extra spell slots gained when channeling the archmage and hierophant are spent first, before the spell slots the hero of the hour gains from Table: Medium.

When not channeling a spirit, the hero of the hour can channel the same or a new spirit in the same way. When channeling a spirit he has previously channeled today, he can choose new abilities and need not make the same choices he did last time. The new spirit retains any influence the old spirit had and gains an additional point of influence. if this would leave the spirit with 5 points of influence or more, no spirit can be channeled. Effects that mitigate influence can change this limit, and a hero of the hour that has the propitiation ability can use it even when she is not channeling a spirit of the moment.

A hero of the hour cannot channel a spirit of less than maximum power. This modifies the spirit ability.

Team Spirit (Su)

At 2nd level, the hero of the hour can bestow the seance bonus of any spirit upon a touched ally as a standard action. This effect lasts for 10 minutes and can be used once per day per ally, recharging when the hero of the hour recovers spell slots. This replaces shared seance.

Taboo (Ex)

At 2nd level and higher, the hero of the hour must always select a taboo appropriate to the spirit he is channeling. This modifies taboo.

Heroic Identity (Su)

At 3rd level, the hero of the hour gains an additional ability, depending in the spirit he is channeling. He uses his medium level as his effective level in the class that gives the ability.

Archmage Gain the use of Eschew Materials as a bonus feat.

Champion Gain the barbarian's fast movement ability.

Guardian Gain the fighter's armor training ability.

Hierophant Gain the use of Eschew Materials as a bonus feat and the cleric's aura ability.

Marshal Gain the bard's well-versed ability.

Trickster Gain the rogue's trapfinding ability.

This replaces haunt channeler.

Just The Thing (Sp)

At 5th level, the hero of the hour can spend a standard action to take items out of his pack or a hidden stash once per day. If specifically asked by another character if he has certain equipment he can find that equipment without counting as his daily use of the ability, but only once per day per ally. He must give equipment created for an ally away before he can use the ability again for himself or another ally. This functions as major creation (sp), except that no Craft skill check is required. This replaces location channel.

Heroic Intuition (Sp)

At 7th level the hero of the hour can call upon his intuition to use divination (sp) once per day by having a one-minute brainstorming session. Just the thing replaces connection channel.

Heroic Moment (Sp)

At 13th level the hero of the hour can use greater heroism (sp) once per day as a swift action. This replaces ask the spirits.

Heroic Freedom (Sp)

At 14th level, as long as she has a spirit of the moment active, the hero of the hour gains constant freedom of movement (sp). If dispelled, she can re-establish the effect as a swift action. This replaces astral journey

Take Up The Mantle (Su)

At 18th level, when an ally with Hit Dice at least equal to half your level is rendered helpless or dies, you can spend a full-round action touching that ally to take up their mantle. (This usually involves a short character exposition dialogue.) The GM selects a spirit relevant to that character's role. You channel that spirit, as trance of three but with no increase in influence. Take up the mantle lasts until the ally is again capable of action or until the next time you prepare spell slots. You can use this ability at will, but you cannot voluntarily end it and can only channel one spirit at a time this way. This replaces spacious soul.

Summary of Changed Class Abilities

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

• Spirit
• Shared Seance
• Haunt Channeler
• Location Channel
• Connection Channel
• Ask The Spirits
• Astral Journey
• Spacious Soul

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