Nivel Syrris – Healer, Hunter, Scholar, Spy

[VennDygrem]

Nivel Syrris, Who Flows Like Water   “Life and death, two sides of the same coin. One is merely the eye of the storm that is the other.”   Investigator (Acupuncturist) Symbiat (Mistwalker, Champion)   PRIMARY ROLE Debuffer/Scout   SECONDARY ROLE Utility/Healing   RACE: Mistfolk AGE: 46 GENDER: Male   Antimagic Zone sheet

 

"Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.  Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend."

 

Appearance At first glance, Nivel is rather unassuming. Besides his pale blue-green skin and swirls of lighter blue, tattoo-like patterns, Nivel appears very much like a human man of slightly above-average height and build. He looks healthy and athletic, though not strongly-muscled; rather, his form is lean and wiry. Nivel prefers light clothing in shades of blue and black, over which is donned a deceptively simple leather tunic the color of dark ocean depths. His calm, steady eyes of limpid blue hue wash over his surroundings, absorbing details and piercing through veils of deception. Below the surface, one finds Nivel is concealing many hidden truths, as well as hidden weapons. Nivel's connection to beings of elemental water isn't terribly surprising given the coloration of his skin and his abilities, but his concealed needle launcher, other weapons, and alchemical tinctures and poisons feel at odds with the seemingly gentle, patient man he presents in public.

Personality Nivel is extraordinarily patient, and among his friends and allies is warm, friendly, and nurturing. One might say his bedside manner is impeccable. However, he does have some quirks which those unfamiliar with him may find peculiar or off-putting. His concept of personal space is practically non-existent, and his boundless curiosity leads him to poke and prod for answers to questions when some people would rather keep things to themselves.   Furthermore, he is capable of turning off his emotional response as though extinguishing a flame, which has been an incalculably useful boon to him in both medicine and its opposite venture – namely, the work as an assassin and hunter of monsters Nivel takes on.

Background

In his earliest years, Nivel was a mere curiosity. Although he appeared completely human, his skin had a slight greenish tinge, leading his parents Irvan and Nerissa to believe he was ill or had a minor birth defect. As he grew older, however, his affinity for water deepened and his bright blue eyes sparkled like sapphires as his skin took on the hue of sea water. It became abundantly clear that Nivel had a latent hereditary link to beings of elemental water, a bloodline no other of his family had manifested. This caused a rift between Nivel's parents, with Irvan accusing Nerissa of infidelity. In truth, the ancestry was merely remote; neither of Nivel's parents ever questioned why they were such strong swimmers, or why the family fishing business was so successful. The splintering of his family was the first lesson Nivel encountered that emotions are fickle, that they must be handled with great care or otherwise sequestered away.

 

Nivel and his mother were forced from their home, and the two traveled extensively during the boy's youth. Nerissa was a skilled healer and alchemist, and she taught Nivel everything she knew as they brought their medical skills from town to town. Nivel took to the trade easily, his curiosity leading him to surpass his mother's talents as he began incorporating skills learned from other local physicians and apothecaries.

 

Meanwhile, Irvan grew ever more bitter at the perceived betrayal; He spent many restless nights hurt and confused, coming to blame Nerissa and Nivel for his insomnia. Eventually, his mind twisted to dark machinations, arriving at the conclusion that the only way he will know peace is if his former lover and only son were dead. He spent nearly all of his money to seek out and hire a world-class assassin of the Phantom Syndicate to track them down and end their lives. It was the only way, he reasoned. The night after his hired killer left with his money was the first time he slept soundly in a decade.

 

The Assassin's Apprentice

Rennan Flick had been hired by nobles and dregs alike to ply his dark trade. Occasionally the client wanted a spectacle to be made of their target's death, but most commonly the opposite was true, and little-to-no evidence of an assassination was always the better case for business. Irvan Syrris paid for the latter, and paid well enough. He was no king or lord, but this fisherman's coin was worth the same regardless. So Rennan tracked down the estranged lover and child of the man, making short work of finding the boat in which they traveled to distant shores. They hadn't made an effort to conceal their whereabouts; after all, why should they? Who would have thought the gentle healers traveling from coast to coast would be in an assassin's sights?

 

The master killer climbed aboard the boat late one night while it was docked in a sleepy seaside village. Nerissa was asleep, and as it happened, never woke up once Rennan left her side. The assassin slinked from the berth to the makeshift apothecary workshop where Nivel was distracted, working on some tincture or another. What the assassin didn't count on as he approached the young man was Nivel's highly-tuned awareness, just barely capable of separating the intruder's footfalls from the rocking of the boat. However, 'just barely' was still enough, and with quickened reflexes he turned and threw a tiny needle at Rennan. The assassin barked out a laugh, knowing that he had built a heightened tolerance for poisons and drugs and could withstand some of the deadliest known to man. Yet, he soon found himself falling drowsy and sluggish, dropping to a knee. 'How can this be?' he thought, as the young man hurriedly grabbed a satchel and ran to find his mother. Nivel was heartbroken to find his mother lifeless, unable to be awoken from eternal slumber.

When Rennan regained control of his body a minute later, he rushed back to the berth where one target lay slain and the other must surely still be hiding. Nivel hadn't backtracked and the only exit lay on the other side of the boat; the berth was both small and had only a small porthole window, too small for even the boy to squeeze through. For once, Rennan hadn't done enough research, clearly underestimating his prey, and allowed the boy to escape. But how had he done so? Was it magic, or something else? Furthermore, how had the boy overcome his resistance to poisons with such a strong response? One thing was sure, this target was intriguing.

 

Rennan once again tracked down Nivel, but this time approached openly, yet cautiously.

 

"Hello Nivel. Yes, I know who you are. Yes, I... well, I killed your mother. I would say I'm sorry, but truly it was business. Besides, would an apology really matter?"

 

Nivel narrowed his eyes, and though it was clear he was angry and afraid, he maintained his composure. His hand slipped into the satchel, reaching his fingers for specific items, but he refrained from acting just yet.

 

"What I am sorry for is to see such potential go to waste. You have talents I haven't seen before, and I believe they could be very valuable to you... if they are developed properly. I want to propose a truce. We won't kill each other, and in return I will introduce you to a whole new world of possibilities. Sure, you could go back to being a traveling apothecary, accepting pittance for your wares and treatments. Of course, I or someone from my organization would still be tracking you down, and you'd have to deal with threats on your life and anyone you ever get close to. Or, and I believe this is your better deal, you allow me to take you under my wing, train you, introduce you to connections who can help you truly unlock your full capabilities, and if at the end you still want to kill me... well, at least you'll be better prepared for it. So, what have you got to lose?"

 

Nivel didn't take his hand out of the satchel, leaving it there while he absorbed the man's words, considering the offer. It was the better deal, regardless of his craving for revenge. This had been Nivel's second lesson in compartmentalizing emotions. The world was much larger than he could have known, and there were so many secrets left to uncover. Could this assassin actually be the key to uncovering the hidden mysteries, including who he was and where his abilities came from? This may be his best chance.

 

"I... don't trust you, but you could just as easily have attacked me without the sales pitch, and one of us would be dead or running. So, as you said, 'what have I got to lose?'"

 

Nivel spent several years under the tutelage of Rennan Flick, learning how to use his expertise in alchemy in concert with his own latent magical capabilities. Through Rennan, Nivel was introduced to a wide variety of associates with differing talents and backgrounds, including several undine - humanoids with a hereditary link to aquatic beings of great power, like himself. Yet, most of these undine had physical features more akin to aquatic creatures, like webbed hands and feet, or fin-like ears and ridges on their appendages. It wasn't for years later that he discovered a mistwalker, a vapor undine who like him had softer features and a closer connection to the mists and fog. This woman, Kasumi, taught Nivel to connect with the mistsoul, the collective intellectus or spirit of knowledge which flows through mistwalkers and binds them to the memories of their kin. Through the mistsoul, mistwalkers become more attuned to the living element of water, becoming able to transform into mist and back at will. It also grants a sort of near-prescience, as the memories of countless ancestors help to inform the mistwalker of threats and share knowledge that can be invaluable. However, to tap into this spirit would require a mind of water, capable of flowing from calm to chaotic and weathering any metaphorical storm through steady discipline. Training with Kasumi proved to be Nivel's third lesson in controlling his emotions and finally unlocking the secrets of his heritage. Fortunate for him, learning to control this ability also granted him a power to become a master spy and assassin, rivaling some of the greatest in the Phantom Syndicate.

 

As with many organizations dependent on secrecy and deception, the Phantom Syndicate was no stranger to in-fighting and rivalries. After Nivel had spent nearly 20 years working for the Syndicate, the organization dissolved after an attempted power-grab resulted in a bloody coup that decimated the groups ranks. Some died fighting to keep the status quo, while others joined the upstart faction, and others yet left before they could get swept up in the disruptive politics. In the end, there wasn't enough organization to keep the Syndicate together. Nivel, as was his way, disappeared into the winds. After a year trying to work as a freelancer, he joined up with the Monster Hunter's Lodge, putting his skill in slaying to use against more exotic prey, without the messy politics of a league of assassins. Hunters' work was somewhat less glamorous, but it was certainly plentiful, and the Lodge had an incredible reach the world-over. Unlike bog-standard mercenaries, however, their focus was on monstrous threats, and it was solid work with little worry about one's conscience keeping them up at night. Nivel settled in with little trouble at all, and actually began finding that he enjoyed the work more than assassination and spycraft, as he could leverage his expertise in the healing arts just as well as the deathly arts.

Then came word of a troubling coalition of Beholders, working in congress with one another. Aberrations had become something of a specialty for Nivel, but this seemed different. The mistsoul told him to be wary, and Nivel was, for the first time since he was a boy, worried about what lay ahead. For once, he couldn't see the path, the mists of uncertainty clouding his vision. Even more reason to forge ahead and uncover the mystery before him.

 

Edited August 17, 2022 by VennDygrem (see edit history)

[VennDygrem]

Build Components

Ability Scores, Traits, FCB, Languages

 

Ability Scores

• Str: 14
• Dex: 26
• Con: 26
• Int: 40
• Wis: 24
• Cha: 10

 

Traits

• Bruising Intellect (Social): Use Int for Intimidate checks
• Cunning Liar (Region): Use Int for Bluff checks
• Undine Loyalty (Race - Undine): Choose one teamwork feat (Shielded Caster) that requires an adjacent ally. You benefit if you have a valid ally within 10 feet of you.
• Meticulous (Drawback): You take a –2 penalty on skill checks for skills with which you’re untrained.
• Reactionary (Combat): You gain a +2 trait bonus on initiative checks.

 

Favored Class Bonuses (Two on each side of Gestalt - Quick on the Pickup)

• Investigator: Increase the total number of points in the investigator’s inspiration pool by 1/3 (+5 points) AND +1 Skill Point per level
• Symbiat: Gain +1/6 of a bonus magic talent (+2 talents) AND +1 Hit Point per level

Origin

• Start at level 15 with 6 Potent Talents and 3 Phenomenal Potent Talents.
• 1 Phenomenal Potent Talent can be traded for 2 Phenomenal Auxiliary talents OR 2 Phenomenal Utility talents, OR one of each type.
• 1 Potent Talent can be traded for 2 Auxiliary talents AND 1 Utility talent.

Traded 3 Potent Talents for 6 Auxiliary and 3 Utility Talents; Traded 1 Phenomenal Potent Talent for 2 Phenomenal Auxiliary Talents

 

Origin Talents

Potent Talents Quick on the Pickup When you gain a level in a favored class, you gain both +1 hit point and +1 skill rank instead of choosing either one or the other benefit. You can choose other favored class bonuses in place of either of these bonuses (but not both). Spiritfoe (Su) You deal 50% weapon damage to incorporeal creatures when using nonmagical weapons (including natural and unarmed attacks), as if using magic weapons. Your magic weapons can deal critical hits and precision damage to incorporeal targets even if they do not have the ghost touch special ability. Spiritfoe (2nd) (Su) Any weapon you wield (including natural and unarmed attacks) or armor you wear is treated as having the ghost touch special ability. If you possess the Zodiac Tattoos feat, your body is considered ghost touch armor.	Auxiliary Talents Darkvision You gain darkvision with a range of 60 feet. Developed Tolerance You gain a +2 origin bonus to saving throws against two effects from the lesser effects table or one effect from the greater effect table Bleed and Pain effects, Stunning Developed Tolerance Paralysis, Petrification and Polymorph effects Disciplined Magic You gain a +2 origin bonus to concentration checks. Resist Level Drain You reduce the total penalties that you take from negative levels by 1 (minimum 0). This reduction increases by 1 for every 5 character levels you possess. This talent only negates the penalties of negative levels taken from energy drain effects, spell effects, magic items, wild magic effects, and sphere effects. You cannot use this talent to ignore penalties from negative levels you have inflicted upon yourself. Shield of Elements (Su) You gain a +2 origin bonus to AC against ranged attacks.	Utility Talents Keen Senses You gain a +2 origin bonus to Perception checks and gain lowlight vision, allowing you to see twice as far in dim light. Quick Rest You only need to sleep 2 hours per day to gain the benefit of 8 hours of sleep. This allows a character that requires rest to regain spell points or prepare spells to do so after only 2 hours, but this does not allow a character to regain spell points or prepare spells more than once per day. See 'Incredible Metabolism' Oath Boon for more info. Altitude Acclimation You are immune to altitude sickness and the effects of water pressure from being deep underwater.
Phenomenal Potent Talents Fortified Form x2 (40%) You gain a 20% chance to negate critical hits or sneak attacks and other precision damage (so damage is rolled normally instead). This does not stack with armor with the fortification special ability or any other similar effects. This talent can be selected up to 5 times, increasing the chance to negate critical hits or sneak attacks by an additional 20% for every additional time it is taken (to a maximum of 100%).	Phenomenal Auxiliary Talents Vigorous You gain immunity to paralysis effects. Shatterproof Senses You are immune to the stunned condition.

Languages

Origin Languages: Common, Aquan

Int Languages: Aboleth, Auran, Celestial, Cyclops, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Goblin, Infernal, Necril, Orc, Protean, Sylvan, Undercommon

Linguistics Languages: Aklo, Ignan, Sphinx, Terran

Feats

Feats from Levels

1. Extend Spell (metamagic)Benefit: An extended talent lasts twice as long as normal. A talent with a duration of concentration, instantaneous, or permanent is not affected by this effect, but you may choose to activate this metamagic effect when spending a spell point to make a talent you are concentrating on last without concentration, rather than when you initially cast the sphere effect.
   
   Cost: +1 spell point
2. Weapon Focus (crossbows)Choose one weapon group.
   
   Prerequisites: Proficiency with selected weapon, base attack bonus +1.
   
   Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls you make using weapons of the selected weapon group.
   
   Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new group of weapons.
3. Ranged Study (Crossbows)Prerequisites: Weapon Focus with the chosen weapon, studied combat class feature.
   
   Benefit: Choose one kind of ranged weapon. You gain the bonuses for studied combat with your chosen weapon and can use studied strike with your chosen weapon as long as the target of your studied strike is within 30 feet of you.
   
   Normal: You gain the bonuses for studied combat and can use studied strike only with melee weapons.
4. Shadow StrikePrerequisites: Base attack bonus +1.
   
   Benefit: You can deal precision damage, such as sneak attack damage, against targets with concealment (but not total concealment).
5. Extra Investigator Talent: Anathema (See Investigator Talents)
6. Fast Focus (drawback)Prerequisites: Mental Focus.
   
   Benefits: You can take a move action to regain mental focus.
   
   Normal: A character without this feat must take a full-round action to regain mental focus.
7. Combat ReflexesBenefit: You may make a number of additional attacks of opportunity per round equal to your Dexterity bonus. With this feat, you may also make attacks of opportunity while flat-footed.
   
   Normal: A character without this feat can make only one attack of opportunity per round and can't make attacks of opportunity while flat-footed.
   
   Special: The Combat Reflexes feat does not allow a rogue to use her opportunist ability more than once per round.
8. Great FocusPrerequisites: 2 or more combat spheres, base attack bonus +6 or higher.
   
   Benefit: You may maintain a second martial focus. This martial focus is gained and expended independently from the first.
9. Solid Illusions (Dual Sphere)Prerequisites: Enhancement sphere, Illusion sphere (Illusionary Touch (sensory, touch) x2).
   
   Benefit: You may enhance any illusions you create as if they were actually the creatures and objects they appear to be. Parts of the illusion can be enhanced separately - you could use the Enhance Equipment enhancement to grant an illusionary soldier an enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls with its non-existent spear. Additional damage from enhanced illusions deal nonlethal damage of their type (nonlethal fire damage, nonlethal bleed damage, etc.) unless your illusions are dealing lethal damage because of another talent, feat or ability (such as the Shadow Infusion talent).
10. Extra Combat Talent
11. Extra Combat Talent
12. Extra Combat Talent
13. Extra Combat Talent
14. Extra Investigator Talent: Genius for Magic (See Investigator Talents)
15. Improved Precise ShotPrerequisites: Dex 19, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, base attack bonus +11.
    
    Benefit: Your ranged attacks ignore the AC bonus granted to targets by anything less than total cover, and the miss chance granted to targets by anything less than total concealment. Total cover and total concealment provide their normal benefits against your ranged attacks.
    
    Normal: See the normal rules on the effects of cover and concealment in Combat.

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Bonus Feats

• Teamwork) Shielded CasterBenefit: Whenever you are adjacent to an ally who also has this feat, you receive a +4 competence bonus on concentration checks. If your ally is wielding a buckler or a light shield, this bonus increases by +1. If your ally is wielding a heavy shield or a tower shield, this bonus increases by +2. Finally, if an enemy threatening you and your ally has the Disruptive feat, or another ability that increases the DC of concentration checks, the amount of the increase is halved.
• Teamwork) Stealth SynergyBenefit: While you can see one or more allies who also have this feat, whenever you and your allies make a Stealth check, you all take the highest roll and add all your modifiers to Stealth.
• Feint PartnerPrerequisites: Bluff 1 rank.
  
  Benefit: Whenever an ally who also has this feat successfully feints an opponent, that opponent also loses his Dexterity bonus to AC against the next attack you make against him before the end of the feinting ally’s next turn.
• Caster) Cantrips 

  Details

   

  Prerequisite: Basic Magic Training or casting class feature.

  Benefit: You can create a variety of small magical effects. These effects are not powerful and are treated as sphere effects in all ways. They require a standard action to use, usually have a range of close, and are either instantaneous or have a duration of 1 hour depending on the effect created.

   

  • You may make a ranged touch attack, dealing 1d3 acid, electricity, fire, or cold damage to a target. You may clean, soil, or color up to 1 cubic foot of material per round.
  •  

  • You can make up new effects, but they should not be more powerful than those listed above. The GM is the final arbiter of what is or is not a cantrip.

  • You may create floating lights the size of candle flames and move them up to 20 feet per round as a free action.
  • You may create a spark such as with flint and steel, which may ignite flammable, unattended Fine objects.
  • You may open or close a door or container weighing no more than 30 lbs.
  • You may chill, warm, or flavor 1 lb. of nonliving material.
  • You may create a small breeze from whichever direction you choose, strong enough to rustle clothing and flicker candles.
  • You may lift objects weighing up to 1 lb. and move them up to 10 feet per round.
  • You may create small non-speech sounds, such as that of a mouse screeching, soft simple harp music, or the hubbub of a whispered conversation.
  • You may touch a creature or object and detect whether it possesses a magical aura. You may use Spellcraft to identify its aura as if using the detect magic spell.

  
  You can make up new effects, but they should not be more powerful than those listed above. The GM is the final arbiter of what is or is not a cantrip.

• Oath) EnduranceBenefit: You gain a +4 bonus on the following checks and saves: Swim checks made to resist nonlethal damage from exhaustion; Constitution checks made to continue running; Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from a forced march; Constitution checks made to hold your breath; Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from starvation or thirst; Fortitude saves made to avoid nonlethal damage from hot or cold environments; and Fortitude saves made to resist damage from suffocation.
  
  You may sleep in light or medium armor without becoming fatigued.
  
  Normal: A character without this feat who sleeps in medium or heavier armor is fatigued the next day.
• Oath-2) Extra Combat Talent
• Acupuncturist-2) Stunning FistPrerequisites: Dex 13, Wis 13, Improved Unarmed Strike, base attack bonus +8.
  
  Benefit: You must declare that you are using this feat before you make your attack roll (thus, a failed attack roll ruins the attempt). Stunning Fist forces a foe damaged by your unarmed attack to make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Wis modifier), in addition to dealing damage normally. A defender who fails this saving throw is stunned for 1 round (until just before your next turn). A stunned character drops everything held, can't take actions, loses any Dexterity bonus to AC, and takes a –2 penalty to AC. You may attempt a stunning attack once per day for every four levels you have attained (but see Special), and no more than once per round. Constructs, oozes, plants, undead, incorporeal creatures, and creatures immune to critical hits cannot be stunned.
  
  Special: An acupuncturist receives Stunning Fist as a bonus feat at 2nd level, even if he does not meet the prerequisites. An acupuncturist uses his Intelligence modifier in place of Wisdom, and treats his class level as his monk level, and may attempt a stunning attack a number of times per day equal to his effective monk level, plus one more time per day for every four levels he has in classes other than monk.
• Acupuncturist-4) Studied ScoutPrerequisites: Scout sphere, studied target or studied combat class feature.
  
  Benefit: When you use your studied target or studied combat class feature, you may use your scout ability on the same target as a free action.
• Oath-5) Extra Combat Talent
• Oath-7) Extra Combat Talent
• Oath-10) Improved Feint Partner (teamwork)Prerequisites: Bluff 1 rank, Combat Reflexes, Feint Partner, base attack bonus +6.
  
  Benefit: Whenever an ally who also has this feat successfully feints against an opponent, that opponent provokes an attack of opportunity from you.
• Oath-12) Extra Combat Talent
• Oath-15) Extra Combat Talent

Investigator (Acupuncturist) Class Features

• Combat Training: Expert martial practitioner; Practitioner Ability Modifier (PAM): Intelligence
• Hands-on Experience: Gain the Scout sphere as a bonus sphere. Additionally, the acupuncturist may use their Heal skill instead of their Perception skill when using the scout ability and uses their Intelligence modifier instead of their Wisdom modifier when using the Heal skill.

• Pressure Points (Ex) At 1st level, whenever an acupuncturist successfully performs an attack action, attack of opportunity, or additional attack granted by a talent or class feature with an acupuncture needle or needle gun against a creature they have successfully scouted, the creature suffers nonlethal damage equal to 1d8 + the acupuncturist’s Intelligence modifier. 

  • Additionally, the acupuncturist may treat melee attacks made with acupuncture needles as unarmed strikes for the purposes of feats, talents, or class features. If a creature struck by an acupuncture needle takes nonlethal damage from this ability, treat the attack as if it successfully dealt that much damage for the purposes of feats, talents, or class features.

  • At 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter, the damage die of the pressure points ability increases by 1 step (1d8 to 1d10, 2d6, 2d8, etc.).

• Inspiration (Ex): 27 points

  • An investigator is beyond knowledgeable and skilled—he also possesses keen powers of observation and deduction that far surpass the abilities of others. An investigator typically uses these powers to aid in their investigations, but can also use these flashes of inspiration in other situations.
  • An investigator has the ability to augment skill checks and ability checks through his brilliant inspiration. The investigator has an inspiration pool equal to 1/2 his investigator level + his Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). An investigator’s inspiration pool refreshes each day, typically after he gets a restful night’s sleep. As a free action, he can expend one use of inspiration from his pool to add 1d6 to the result of that check, including any on which he takes 10 or 20. This choice is made after the check is rolled and before the results are revealed. An investigator can only use inspiration once per check or roll. The investigator can use inspiration on any Knowledge, Linguistics, or Spellcraft skill checks without expending a use of inspiration, provided he’s trained in the skill.
  • Inspiration can also be used on attack rolls and saving throws, at the cost of expending two uses of inspiration each time from the investigator’s pool. In the case of saving throws, using inspiration is an immediate action rather than a free action. (But see Combat Inspiration talent)
  • An acupuncturist can use inspiration on Heal rolls instead of Linguistics rolls without expending a use of inspiration. If the acupuncturist gains the expanded inspiration investigator talent, they may use inspiration on Linguistics rolls without expending a use of inspiration.

• Stunning Fist: 15 uses/day

  • Gain Stunning Fist as a bonus feat. Additionally, the acupuncturist treats their acupuncturist level as their monk level for determining the number of uses per day of Stunning Fist and uses their Intelligence modifier instead of their Wisdom modifier to calculate the save DC.
  • At 4th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, the acupuncturist gains the ability to apply a new condition to the target of their Stunning Fist. This condition replaces stunning the target for 1 round, and a successful saving throw still negates the effect.
    • At 4th level, the acupuncturist can choose to make the target fatigued.
    • At 8th level, they can make the target sickened for 1 minute.
    • At 12th level, they can make the target staggered for 1d6+1 rounds.
• Studied Combat (Ex): An investigator can use a move action to study a single enemy that he can see. Upon doing so, he adds 1/2 his investigator level as an insight bonus on melee attack rolls and as a bonus on damage rolls against the creature. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to his Intelligence modifier (minimum 1) or until he deals damage with a studied strike, whichever comes first. The bonus on damage rolls is precision damage, and is not multiplied on a critical hit. 
  • An investigator can only have one target of studied combat at a time, and once a creature has become the target of an investigator’s studied combat, he cannot become the target of the same investigator’s studied combat again for 24 hours unless the investigator expends one use of inspiration when taking the move action to use this ability.
• Studied Strike (Ex): On successful attack against studied combat target, deal +6d6 precision damage.
• Medical Studies (Ex): At 3rd level, an acupuncturist gains the medical training scholar class feature. At 9th level, they gain the advanced medical training scholar class feature. At 15th level, they gain the expert medical training scholar class feature.
• Practiced Analysis (Ex): At 4th level, gain Studied Scout as a bonus feat. If they already possess the Studied Scout feat, they instead gain any talent they qualify for from the Scout sphere. Additionally, the acupuncturist no longer takes a -5 penalty to their Heal check when using the scout ability.

• Ki Power (Su)

  Starting at 5th level, an acupuncturist may take ki powers from the unchained monk’s list of ki powers instead of investigator talents, treating their acupuncturist level as their unchained monk level and using their Intelligence modifier in place of their Wisdom modifier when determining the effects of ki powers the acupuncturist gains. Instead of spending one or more ki points on a ki power, the acupuncturist may instead spend one point of inspiration per ki point required. As long as the acupuncturist has one or more inspiration points in their inspiration pool, they are treated as having at least one ki point in their ki pool for the purposes of ki powers.

   

Investigator Talents

• 3) Expanded Inspiration

  Use inspiration on trained Diplomacy, Linguistics, Perception, Profession, and Sense Motive without expending inspiration.

• 5) Quick Study

  Use studied combat ability as a swift action instead of a move action.

• Feat) Anathema

  When an investigator creates or prepares a poison, including poisons derived from racial or class abilities, he can spend one use of inspiration to create an anathema instead. Anathemas count as poisons, but they can affect creatures that are normally immune to poison, as they exploit vulnerabilities in their very nature rather than their biology. When an anathema is created, select a creature type (and subtype, if applicable) from the ranger favored enemy list; the anathema functions only against this chosen type. The investigator also chooses one of the following special abilities for the anathema to affect: damage reduction (except DR/—), energy resistance (one type chosen by the investigator), fast healing, movement speed, or spell resistance.
  
  The method of delivery (contact, ingested, inhaled, or injury) and the DC of the anathema’s save are identical to those of the poison used to make the anathema. If the target fails its save against the anathema (even if the enemy is normally immune to effects that require a specific save, such as undead’s immunity to effects that require a Fortitude save), the value of the chosen ability is lowered by 5 (minimum 0) for 1 round per investigator level.

   

• 7) Ki Power: Empty Body

  An Acupuncturist with this ki power gains the ability to assume an ethereal state for 1 minute as though using the spell etherealness, using his acupuncturist level as his caster level. Using this ability is a move action that consumes 3 points of inspiration. This ability affects only the acupuncturist and cannot be used to make other creatures ethereal.

• 9) Combat Inspiration

  When an investigator uses inspiration on an attack roll or saving throw, he expends one use of inspiration instead of two. An investigator must be at least 9th level to select this talent.

• 11) Sapping Offensive

  When the investigator damages a studied target, that creature cannot make attacks of opportunity for 1 round. An investigator must be at least 5th level to select this talent.

• 13) Self Preparation

  When the investigator uses an Enhancement sphere ability that targets himself or his equipment exclusively, he may use his investigator class level as his caster level. This stacks normally with caster levels gained from other sources. In addition, he may spend a point of inspiration to use the ability as a swift action.

• Feat) Genius For Magic

  Whenever the investigator uses a magic talent, he may spend 1 point of inspiration to ignore any drawbacks associated with his casting tradition. When he does so, he does not benefit from any drawback feats tied to that drawback.

• 15) Greater Anathema

   

  The ability reduction of the investigator’s anathemas increases to 10, and he adds DR/— and regeneration to the list of abilities he can lower with an anathema. In addition, when an investigator creates an anathema, he can designate a specific kind of creature (such as vampires) in addition to the creature type. When used against this specific foe, the DC of the save against the anathema is 2 higher than the component poison. An investigator must have the anathema investigator talent to select this talent.

Symbiat (Champion, Mistwalker) Class Features

• Casting: Mid-caster spherecasting; Casting Ability Modifier (CAM): Intelligence
• Spell pool: 38 spell points
• Greater Training: Gain a Combat or Magic talent at every class level instead of just when gaining a caster level.
• Cunning Mists: Gain either Illusion or Mind as a bonus sphere, and treat your class level as caster level for the chosen sphere (which can be modified as normal)
• Battlefield Sense (Ex): When unarmored and unencumbered, the symbiat adds his Intelligence bonus (if any) to his AC and CMD. These bonuses apply even against touch attacks or when the symbiat is flat-footed and increase by +1 for every 4 symbiat levels possessed to a maximum of +5 at 20th level. The symbiat loses this bonus when he is immobilized or helpless, when he wears any armor, or when he carries a medium or heavy load.
• Mist Form (Su): As a move action (or a swift action, see Quick Shift below), the mistwalker may assume Mist Form as long as they are unencumbered. This functions as the Gaseous BodyGaseous Body: You grant the target the ability to shift into or out of a gas-like form (e.g. fine mist, a cloud of insects, etc.) as a move action. While in this gas-like form, the target gains a fly speed of 10 feet with maneuverability (perfect), +5 feet per 5 caster levels, replacing all other movement the target may possess. Anything the target was wearing or holding transforms with the target, and the target loses its armor and natural armor bonuses. The target cannot manipulate or interact with objects, make attacks, speak, or cast spells with verbal, somatic, or focus components (unless the target possesses an ability to do so, such as the Silent Spell metamagic feat). Any traits or supernatural abilities the target possesses which alter or require its physical body are suppressed, including Alteration sphere traits. The target can pass through small holes, narrow openings, and even cracks. The target is still subject to the effects of wind and cannot enter water or other liquid. Granting this trait costs an additional spell point. trait of the Alteration sphere Swarm Shape talent, except as noted here.
  • Unlike the normal Gaseous Body trait, the mistwalker’s mist form has a number of exceptions. The mistwalker’s physical form is not suppressed while transformed; the mistwalker may manipulate their worn and held equipment normally, does not lose their armor or natural armor bonus, and any abilities which require the mistwalker’s physical body are not suppressed. A mistwalker in mist form cannot manipulate objects not in their possession, and if an object is separated from the mistwalker (such as being set down), it returns to its normal, physical state. In addition, while in their mist form, the mistwalker may still speak and cast spells with physical components.
• Mist Form Abilities & Upgrades
  • Misty Assault  - While in their mist form, whenever the mistwalker would be able to make a weapon attack (and normally could not due to mist form’s restrictions), the mistwalker may choose to instantly exit their mist form to make that attack. This decision is made before the attack roll is made. When the mistwalker exits their mist form as part of making an attack, the mistwalker gains a circumstance bonus on their first attack roll equal to 2 + 1 per 4 symbiat levels (+5). Misty assault may only be used once per turn.
  • Fluid Movement - The mistwalker may enter water or other liquids while in their mist form. In addition, the mistwalker may use their land speed instead of their fly speed when determining their total movement while in mist form.
  • Feinting Condensation - When leaving their mist form, the mistwalker may redirect the dispersing water’s energies to briefly throw a creature off balance. Whenever the mistwalker exits mist form, the mistwalker may attempt a Bluff check to feint 1 target creature as a free action that can be taken even when it is not the mistwalker’s turn. The mistwalker may attempt this feint check against any creature he can see, even if he could not normally feint a creature at range. The mistwalker may make this feint attempt before making an attack as part of the misty assault ability.

    • In addition, the mistwalker may feint non-humanoid creatures without suffering a penalty on their Bluff check, may feint creatures with animal intelligence (1 or 2) with a -4 penalty, and mindless creatures with a -8 penalty.

    • At 10th level, the mistwalker no longer suffers a penalty on their Bluff check to feint an animal intelligence (1 or 2) or mindless target.

  • Quick Shift - At 8th level, the mistwalker may assume their mist form as a move or swift action. Whenever the mistwalker assumes their mist form as part of a move action, the mistwalker may move up to 1/2 their speed as part of assuming this form.

  • Shrouded Form - While in their mist form, the mistwalker gains concealment (20% miss chance). Creatures which can see through mist or fog negate this concealment. Concealment granted by this ability is not sufficient enough to allow a mistwalker to use the Stealth skill to hide while observed.

  • Obscured Action - While in their mist form, whenever the mistwalker would provoke an attack of opportunity from another creature, that creature must succeed at a Will saving (DC 10 + 1/2 the mistwalker’s level + their casting ability modifier) throw or be unable to take that attack of opportunity. 

• Sneak Attack (Ex): +4d6 precision damage, as the Rogue class feature.

• Mist's Insight (Ex): The mistwalker gains a bonus to Bluff and Perception checks equal to 1/2 their symbiat level (+7 bonus). In addition, the mistwalker gains mistsight, as the mistsight universal monster rule, allowing the mistwalker to see clearly through fog, mist, murky water, smoke and other similar conditions, ignoring the miss chance for these obstructions.

• Mind-Drenching Mists (Su): Whenever the mistwalker casts a spell or magic sphere effect against a creature that is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC against the mistwalker’s attacks, increase that spell or magic sphere effect’s DC by +1. This bonus increases by +1 at 7th level and every 4 levels thereafter (+4 DC).

• Pushed Movement (Su): +10 ft bonus per 3 Symbiat levels (+50 ft bonus) to movement speed.

• Misty Escape (Su): At 5th level, whenever the mistwalker succeeds at a Reflex saving throw, the mistwalker may assume their mist form as an immediate action. At 12th level, the mistwalker may assume their mist form after succeeding at any saving throw.

• Improved Evasion (Ex): When succeeding on a Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, instead take no damage, and only half damage on a failed save.

• Projected Mist (Sp): As Arcane Eye, as below.

  At 14th level, the mistwalker gains the ability to project a portion of their power as a mist sensor, which they can see and experience stimulus through. As a fullround action, the mistwalker can create the mist sensor at any point they can see. While the mist sensor is active, the mistwalker can view the area from the sensor as though they were there. The mist sensor can travel without hindrance at a rate of 30 feet each round in any direction, and may be moved with mental instructions from the mistwalker each round as a free action or given commands (such as “follow that person” or “go to the end of the hallway”). The mist sensor can travel in any direction, but must remain within long range of the mistwalker (400 feet + 40 feet per mistwalker level). The mist sensor cannot pass through solid barriers, but may pass through any space the mistwalker could in their mist form. The mistwalker may dismiss the mist sensor as a free action, and creating a new one dismisses an active mist sensor.

  The mist sensor is difficult to perceive but may be detected as though it were a scrying sensor (Perception DC 20 + the mistwalker’s level + their casting ability modifier) and dispelled. If the mist sensor is dispelled or otherwise destroyed, the mistwalker cannot create a new mist sensor unless they spend 2 spell points as part of creating a new sensor.

•  

 

Edited October 28, 2022 by VennDygrem (see edit history)

[VennDygrem]

Combat and Magic Spheres

Combat Spheres and Talents

Martial Tradition: Master Assassin

Nivel was trained by the assassins of the Phantom Syndicate, an elite guild of spies, bounty hunters, and hired killers who taught him how to better stalk his targets and shut them down without attracting attention. 

 

Bonus Talents:

• Equipment: Fast Draw
• Alchemy sphere (poison package)
• Scout sphere
• Variable: The Field Medic gains one additional talent of their choice from either the Alchemy sphere or Scout sphere.

 

Magic Spheres and Talents

Casting Tradition: Intellectus Bound

You draw your power from an ancestral or acquired ability to connect with an Intellectus, a puissant magical being which suffuses you with knowledge and power, such as the Mistsoul. Tapping into the power requires a steady, disciplined mind and freedom from restrictive bonds such as armor.

 

Casting Ability Modifier: Intelligence
Drawbacks: Burdened Magic, Mental Focus, Somatic Casting (x2)
Boon: +1 spell point per odd level in a casting class

 

Edited October 27, 2022 by VennDygrem (see edit history)

[VennDygrem]

Proposed custom casting tradition: 

 

Casting Tradition: Intellectus Bound

You draw your power from an ancestral or acquired ability to connect with an Intellectus, a puissant magical being which suffuses you with knowledge and power, such as the Mistsoul. Tapping into the power requires a steady, disciplined mind and freedom from restrictive bonds such as armor.

 

Casting Ability Modifier: Intelligence
Drawbacks: Mental Focus, Rigorous Concentration, Somatic Casting (x2)
Boon: Alien Source, +1 spell point per odd level in a casting class

 

Proposed custom Martial Tradition:

 

Master Assassin

Whether self-taught or trained by an elite guild of contract killers, you've learned how to stalk your targets and shut them down without attracting notice.

Bonus Talents:

• Equipment: Fast Draw
• Alchemy sphere (poison package)
• Scout sphere
• Variable: The Field Medic gains one additional talent of their choice from either the Alchemy sphere or Scout sphere.

Edited July 19, 2022 by VennDygrem (see edit history)

[VennDygrem]

Background/fluff is done, and some more fiddling to do on feats/talents/skills, with some notes already in the sheet and others being transcribed from a different google sheet. 
 

Will likely also put together a custom magic tradition for review once I can finalize the mechanical details, but the idea is to tie it into the psionic mistwalker “mistsoul” mentioned in my background, largely inspired by the Psychic tradition.

 

Added the "Intellectus Bound" custom casting tradition to be reviewed for approval. I tied it to my background and other fluff as much as possible!

Edited July 9, 2022 by VennDygrem (see edit history)

[VennDygrem]

I also wanted to note that my last post was meant to convey that I was hoping to have been considered with my fluff done and most major crunch work done in my sheet or separate  notes, somewhat pending the final group composition. I didn't know if we were supposed to add the submitted tag ourselves or if you did.

 

Though I get the impression it won't make much difference at this point, given how close to selection we are.

[Arklytte]

No worries Venn.  The tag was more for convenience than anything.  :). AFA the rest, the fluff is done, which is the most important part.  Its been a trying week, so I unfortunately wasn't able to respond to everyone.

Fortunately I can still read stuff on my phone, even if posting on it is a pain.  🙂

[VennDygrem]

No worries! I understand how difficult it can be, given what you've posted recently as well! I hope everyone's doing well now.