There are an endless number of paths when one delves into the esoteric arts. Whether they study arcane tomes or possess inborn power, pray for magic from divine powers or sell their soul for infernal might, weave raw magic into constructs or unleash the power of the mind, all seek to harness the power of magic.
There are some, however, who sense magic when it is used by others and are able to reach out and grab that power for themselves. These spellbinders control the very flows of magic around them, stealing the power unleashed by others and harnessing it for themselves.
Role
Spellbinders have unlimited magical potential and flexibility, but they rely heavily on harnessing the magic of others. They are limited only by what magics they encounter. They are also superb at countering spells cast by other spellcasters. Without other spellcasters from whom to steal power, their options are rather limited.
Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | Spellcasting | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | ||||||
1st | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Knacks, echoes, spellbinding, spellbound token | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
2nd | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | Spellbound dweomer (wands) | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
3rd | +1 | +1 | +1 | +3 | Aura of spellbinding (10 ft.) | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
4th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Spellbound dweomer (scrolls) | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
5th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Aura of spellbinding (15 ft.) | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
6th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Drain esoteric items | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
7th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Spellbound dweomer (staves) | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
8th | +4 | +2 | +2 | +6 | Aura of spellbinding (20 ft.) | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
9th | +4 | +3 | +3 | +6 | — | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
10th | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | — | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
11th | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Aura of spellbinding (25 ft.) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
12th | +6/+1 | +4 | +4 | +8 | — | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — |
13th | +6/+1 | +4 | +4 | +8 | — | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
14th | +7/+2 | +4 | +4 | +9 | Aura of spellbinding (30 ft.) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — |
15th | +7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +9 | — | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — |
16th | +8/+3 | +5 | +5 | +10 | — | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — |
17th | +8/+3 | +5 | +5 | +10 | Aura of spellbinding (35 ft.) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — |
18th | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 | — | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
19th | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 | — | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
20th | +10/+5 | +6 | +6 | +12 | Aura of spellbinding (40 ft.) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level): Academics, Arcane Lore, Insight, Linguistics, Perception, Profession, and Theology
Starting Wealth: Average (2d6 × 10 gp, Average 70 gp)
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A Spellbinder is proficient with Basic weapons. They do not gain proficiency with any type of armor or shield.
If not using weapon groups, a Spellbinder is proficient with simple weapons.
Level | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
2nd | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
3rd | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
4th | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
5th | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
6th | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
7th | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
8th | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
9th | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
10th | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
11th | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
12th | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
13th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
14th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — |
15th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — |
16th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — |
17th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — |
18th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
19th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
20th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Spellcasting
A spellbinder casts spells which are drawn primarily from the spells cast by others as well as from the list of Spellbinder Spells. As a spellbinder, you have three distinct sources for spells you can cast: Spells Known, Bound Spells, and Echoes.
To learn or cast a spellbinder spell, you must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against your spellbinder spells is 10 + the spell level + your Charisma modifier. This applies to all your spellbinder spells, regardless of source.
You can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Your base daily spell allotment is given on the table. In addition, you receive bonus spells per day if you have a high Charisma score.
A spellbinder casts both arcane and divine spells, depending on the source, and follow all rules for that type of spell (arcane spell failure chance, need for a divine focus, and so forth).
Spells Known
You need not prepare your spells known in advance. You can cast any spell you know at any time, assuming you have not yet used up your spells per day for that spell level. You do not have to decide ahead of time which spells known you’ll cast.
Your selection of spells known is extremely limited. You begin play knowing one 1st-level spell of your choice. At each new spellbinder level, you may gain additional spells known, as indicated on the Table: Spellbinder Spells Known.
Spells known are always cast as arcane spells.
Upon reaching 4th level, and at every even-numbered spellbinder level after that (6th, 8th, and so on), you can choose to learn a new spell in place of one you already know. In effect, you “lose” the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least one level lower than the highest-level spellbinder spell you can cast. You may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that you gain new spells known for the level.
Bound Spells
When you use your Spellbinding ability (see below), the bound spell is prepared in an unused spell slot, much as a wizard or cleric prepares a spell. This spell can be cast later, just as any other prepared spell can be. The slot with the prepared spell can no longer be used to spontaneously cast from your list of spells known.
If you possess any metamagic feats, you may apply them to the bound spell when you prepare it, adjusting the spell slot used as normal. However, you are still treated as a spontaneous spellcaster, so casting the metamagicked spell is a full-round action.
A bound spell retains its original type, whether arcane or divine, and is cast as that type of spell. A bound spell is considered to be a spell on your spell list as long as you have it prepared.
When you gain new spell slots for the day, any bound spells you have not cast are lost, gaining those spell slots back as normal.
Echoes
When you use your Echoes ability (see below), you gain a pseudo spell known which can be used as a prepared spell or as a spontaneous spell.
When you regain your spell slots after a Long Rest, you may prepare any of your echoes in your spell slots with one hour of focused meditation, much as a wizard prepares spells. The slot with the prepared spell can no longer be used to spontaneously cast from your list of spells known. You retain the echo for future use.
Alternatively, you may cast an echo spontaneously as if it were a spell known. You must have an available spell slot of the appropriate level (and it may not have a spell prepared in it). However, hastily using an echo in this manner disrupts the binding, causing the echo to be lost.
If you possess any metamagic feats, you may apply them to an echoed spell when you prepare it or when you cast it spontaneously, adjusting the spell slot used as normal. However, you are still treated as a spontaneous spellcaster, even if the spell has been prepared, so casting the metamagicked spell is a full-round action.
An echoed spell retains its original type, whether arcane or divine, and is cast as that type of spell. An echoed spell is considered to be a spell on your spell list as long as you possess it as an echo.
When you gain new spell slots for the day, any prepared echoes you have not cast are lost, gaining those spell slots back as normal. You do not lose the echo itself and may prepare it again if you choose.
Knacks
At 1st level, you learn a number of simple spell-like abilities called knacks. You know a number of knacks equal to your Charisma bonus. If your Charisma bonus increases, you learn additional knacks. If it decreases, you lose access to knacks that you know.
Knacks mimic 0-level spells and may be used at will. You may select your knacks known from the following list: Acid Splash, Bleed, Create Water, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Light, Mage Hand, Mending, Message, Prestidigitation, Purify Food and Drink, Ray of Frost, Resistance, Stabilize, Virtue
Spellbound Token
All spellbinders bind magic into a special token, giving them a focus that helps them to use their abilities. As long as you actively wield your token in hand, you gain the benefits of the Eschew Materials feat, and the token acts as the divine focus for any divine spell you cast. You may use the hand wielding the token to perform somatic spell components without penalty. The token has a faint magical aura with no associated school, but it is otherwise treated as a nonmagical object.
If your token is lost or destroyed, you may attune a new token to yourself with a one hour ritual. You may only have one spellbound token attuned to you at a time.
While you wield your spellbound token, you may use read magic at will.
Spellbinding
You gain the ability to bind the magic of others to yourself, robbing their spells of power and storing their energy for your own use. Spellbinding functions as if you were countering a spell, with a few small differences.
You ready an action to counterspell and select a target for your counter as normal. If the target tries to cast a spell, make the appropriate skill check as normal (Arcane Lore for arcane spells or Theology for divine spells). If you successfully identify the spell being cast, you make a dispel check (1d20 + your caster level) to counter the spell, similar to casting dispel magic when countering.
If you successfully counter the spell, it has no effect, but you gain the option to bind it in one of two ways. You may immediately prepare it in an unused spell slot as a Bound Spell (as described above), or you may use an immediate action to bind it as an Echo (see below); however, you can’t do both. You may also choose to simply allow the spell to be countered with no further benefits. Whether you bind the spell to a spell slot or as an echo, you only gain the normal version of the spell, ignoring any metamagic that may have been applied.
You may use spellbinding a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. Failing to counter a spell due to a failed check does not consume a daily use of this ability.
Echoes
Level | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
2nd | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
3rd | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
4th | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
5th | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
6th | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
7th | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
8th | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
9th | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
10th | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
11th | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
12th | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — |
13th | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
14th | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
15th | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — |
16th | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — |
17th | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — |
18th | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
19th | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
20th | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
When you bind a spell, you have the option of storing that spell energy as an echo, allowing you to call on that energy to later repeat the spell. Storing a spell as an echo is done as part of the spellbinding ability.
You can possess a maximum number of echoes of each spell level based on your spellbinder level, as shown on Table: Spellbinder Echoes. When binding a spell as an echo, you must have an available echo of that spell’s level or higher. However, you may choose to overwrite an existing echo with a new one at any time, effectively losing the old echo in favor of the new one.
You may use your echoes when you prepare spells or cast them spontaneously, as described above.
Spellbound Dweomer
Starting at 2nd level, your ability to manipulate magic expands to wands and similar spell trigger items. When using a skill check to activate a wand, you add half your spellbinder level to the skill check as a competence bonus.
At 4th level, you can apply this ability to scrolls and similar spell completion items, and at 7th level, you can apply this ability to magic staves.
Because you treat bound and echoed spells as being on your spell list, you may activate a wand or scroll containing one of those spells as normal without the need for a skill check.
Aura of Spellbinding
Your control of magic gives you nearly absolute dominion over magic cast in a small area around you. At 3rd level, you gain a 10-foot aura of spellbinding. You treat any square within your aura as threatened, but only against spellcasters attempting to cast a spell. This applies whether or not you are armed.
If a spellcaster provokes an attack of opportunity by casting a spell within your aura of spellbinding, you can use an attack of opportunity to activate your spellbinding ability as if you had readied an action to counterspell and selected that spellcaster as the target. This expends a daily use of spellbinding as normal.
The aura of spellbinding increases by 5 feet at 5th level and every 3 levels thereafter to a maximum of 40 feet at 20th level.
This aura is always active but may be suppressed or reactivated as a move action.
Drain Esoteric Items
Upon reaching 6th level, you learn how to directly access the magic stored within items and take it for yourself. After successfully identifying the spell stored in a wand, scroll, staff, potion, or oil (or other spell trigger, spell completion, or potion-like magic items), you can bind the magic within, binding the spell as either a bound spell or an echo.
You must drink the potion, apply the oil, or successfully activate the wand, staff, or scroll to use this ability. Using this ability expends a daily use of spellbinding and consumes the magic item or one of its charges as normal for using the item.
Spellbinders and Casting Arcane and Divine Spells
When a spellbinder casts a spell, that spell is typically arcane in nature. However, if the spellbinder has a bound or echoed divine spell, the spellbinder casts that spell as a divine spell. Spells the spellbinder casts are never both types of spell.
This means that abilities and feats that affect or are affected by arcane spells, such as the Dragon Claws feat, only function when the spellbinder casts an arcane spell. Likewise, abilities and feats that only function with divine spells, such as the Divine Spell Power feat, are only considered when the spellbinder casts a divine spell. This functions in the same way as a multiclassed Wizard/Cleric casting either an arcane or a divine spell.
When casting an arcane spell, a spellbinder must observe all the requirements and limitations of that spell, such as needing to supply proper components and suffering from arcane spell failure. Likewise, when casting a divine spell, the spellbinder must observe any requirements and limitations of the divine spell. Regardless of the type of spell cast or the original source of the spell, a spellbinder uses Charisma for determining save DCs and other such considerations when casting spellbinder spells.
For most game purposes, a spellbinder counts as both an arcane spellcaster and as a divine spellcaster. A spellbinder can qualify for feats and use class features that require or use either arcane or divine spellcasting.
Spellbinders and Prestige Classes
Despite the way that a spellbinder casts spells, the class does not qualify for or benefit from divine prestige classes or certain arcane prestige classes. For purposes of meeting class prerequisites, a spellbinder counts as a spontaneous arcane spellcaster. Despite its abilities to prepare spells and to cast some divine spells, it does not qualify as either a prepared spellcaster or as a divine spellcaster. It cannot benefit from class features that advance prepared arcane spellcasting or any type of divine spellcasting.
For example, a 4th-level spellbinder can qualify for the arcane side of Mystic Theurge but not the divine side.
When a spellbinder takes a prestige class that advances spellcasting, the spellbinder progresses their Echoes class feature, potentially gaining the ability to store additional echoes. This is in addition to the normal benefits of progressing spellcasting.
Friendly Spellcasters and Spellbinding
It is possible to bind a spell from a friendly spellcaster who is willing to allow the spellbinder to bind the spell. The spellcaster must still cast the spell, expending the spell or spell slot for the day. The spellbinder must still attempt to counter the spell; however, the spell does not need to be identified (assuming the spellbinder has been told what spell is being shared), and the spellbinder gains a +10 circumstance bonus on the dispel check.
On a successful check, the spellbinder may bind the spell as either a bound spell or an echo, as normal for spellbinding.
If the spellbinder fails the dispel check, the spell dissipates harmlessly, though the spell or spell slot is still lost. This is a safer means of acquiring additional spells, but the spellbinder must still work to bind a spell successfully.