Spirit Champion

A spirit champion is a mighty warrior who embraces the spirits, to assist him in his battles. He strengthens his spiritual connection until he can feel the spirits flowing within his body and thoughts, strengthening his arms and quickening his mind. Whispered fragments impart insight into battle as ancestors speak of ways to overcome all foes. The spirit champion ceases to fight for his own reasons; he battles to honor the spirits and to further their wishes. Often, these wishes coincide with his own, but occasionally the spirit champion embarks on a path for reasons that are unclear to him. He does so faithfully , trusting in the spirits to point him in the right direction. The spirit

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Spirit champions gain no new proficiencies with weapons or armor. In addition, wearing armor heavier than light inhibits some of the spirit champion's abilities, as described below. Spirit champions rely on the spirits to protect them, through insight and wisdom as well as direct intervention. To wear heavy armor is to insult them.

Spiritual Concentration (Ex): Spirit champions focus on the mind, and with their focus they can transcend physical limitations. When you make a Concentration check, you can use your Spirit modifier instead of your Stamina modifier.

Spiritual Defense (Su): The spirits protect the spirit champion, providing him with instinctual insights to avoid blows. He swings his weapon up and steps to the side, not really knowing why, and an instant later he parries a blow from an unseen source. As long as he wears light armor or no armor, he adds 1 point of Spirit bonus (if any) per spirit champion level to his AC. For example, a 2nd-level spirit champion with a Spirit of 16 (granting a +3 bonus) adds +2 to his AC; at 4th level, he has a +3 bonus (the maximum allowed by his Spirit score, even though his spirit champion levels allow another point). He retains this bonus against touch attacks and when flat-footed, though he loses it if he is helpless.

Ancestral Knowledge (Su): Ancestral spirits whisper in the spirit champion's mind. Since the spirit champion is a being of combat, many of these ancestors are mighty warriors, perhaps spirit champions in their day. They speak of maneuvers and tactics, of feints and cleaving blows, and their whispers bypass the normal means of understanding and bleed into the spirit champion's subconscious mind. At 2nd level, as a free action, the spirit champion can call upon this ancestral knowledge of combat to gain one temporary feat. He must choose a feat that is available to warriors as a bonus feat, and he must meet all prerequisites associated with that feat. However, the feats he gains with ancestral knowledge count as prerequisites for these purposes. For example, if a spirit champion wishes to gain temporary use of the Great Cleave feat, he must have a Strength score of 13. He can use ancestral knowledge to gain Power Attack, use it again to gain Cleave, then use it a third time to gain Great Cleave. The spirit champion can use this ability only during his turn. The feats remain for a number of rounds equal to half his spirit champion level + his Spirit modifier (minimum 1 round). He can use this ability twice per day at second level and two additional times per day at 4th level and every two levels thereafter, as shown on Table 3-12: The Spirit Champion. The spirit champion can use this ability only if he wears light armor or no armor.

Meditative Strength (Su): Spirit champions meditate, especially before battle. They prefer quiet places of natural beauty , such as mountaintops and forest glades, but they can meditate anywhere as long as they are undisturbed. They use this time to renew their bonds with the spirits and focus themselves on the tasks that lie ahead. At 3rd level, once per day the spirit champion may enter a meditative state. This meditation takes 1 hour , and if the spirit champion is interrupted the meditation has no effect but is still used up for that day . Most spirit champions meditate at the beginning of the day , but they do not have to do so. When the spirit champion meditates, he makes a DC 10 Concentration check. He cannot take 10 or 20 on this check, nor can he try again. The degree by which be beats the DC results in one or more benefits, as shown on the table below. The benefits last for 18 hours. Unlike other skill checks, a roll of a 1 is always a failure. Th e bonuses on the table stack with each other and with themselves. The spirit champion can gain multiple benefits by dividing his degree of success. For example, if the spirit champion gets a 19 on his Concentration check, he can gain a +1 insight bonus to AC (since he beat DC by 6-10). He can instead gain a +2 insight bonus on melee damage rolls (since he beat the DC by 1-5 twice).

Calm Mind (Ex): The spirit champion's mind is at peace and is difficult to disturb. At 5th level, he gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against mind-affecting effects. Sp irit-Favored Weapon (Su): At 7th level, the spirit champion can request certain spirits to enter his weapon and lend their fury to his strikes. Activating this ability is a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity. The spirit champion makes a DC 10 Concentration check. He cannot take 10 or 20 on this check, and a roll of a 1 is always a failure. If the check succeeds, a single weapon the spirit champion holds is considered magic for the purposes of bypassing damage reduction. It also gains one or more additional magic properties, as shown on the table below. As with meditative strength, the spirit champion's degree of success on the Concentration check determines this ability's effects. Also as with meditative strength, the bonuses on the table stack with each other and with themselves, and the spirit champion can divide his degree of success to gain Degree of Success Benefit 0 or less None 1-5 +1 insight bonus on melee damage rolls, or +1 insight bonus on ranged damage rolls, or +2 insight bonus on checks with a single skill 6-10 +1 insight bonus to AC, or +1 insight bonus on melee attack rolls, or +1 insight bonus on ranged attack rolls, or +1 insight bonus on all saving throws 11-15 +2 sacred bonus to Stamina, Intellect or Charisma 16-20 +2 sacred bonus to Strength, Agility or Spirit Meditative Strength Degree of Success Property the Weapon Gains 0 or less None, and the spirit champion is stunned for 1 round 1-5 +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls 6-10 Defending, merciful, multiattack, numbing, returning, seeking, or thundering 11-15 Flaming, frost, shock, or vicious 16-20 Fier y wrath, flaming burst, icy burst, instinct, shocking burst, or wounding 21-25 Axiomatic, holy (only if the spirit champion is good), or unholy (only if the spirit champion is evil) Spirit-Favored Weapon multiple abilities. For example, if the spirit champion gets a 22 on his Concentration check, he might grant his weapon the flaming property (since he beat the DC by 11-15). He might instead grant his weapon a +1 enhancement bonus and the defending property (since, for instance, he can divide his 12 points by which he beat the DC into 7 for the defending property, and 5 for the +1 enhancement bonus). See More Magic & Mayhem for a description of these magic weapon properties. Enhancement bonuses granted by the spirits stack with enhancement bonuses supplied by a magic weapon but not with other enhancement bonuses. The spirit champion can use this ability an unlimited number of times per day. The effects last for a number of rounds equal to his Spirit modifier (minimum 1 round). He can use this ability only if he wears light armor or no armor.

Commune With Spirits (Sp): At 9th level, the spirit champion can contact the spirits and ask a question of them. The spirits usually answer , but often do so in cryptic ways meant to improve the spirit champion or reveal to him something about himself. This ability functions as the spell divination; the spirit champion can use it once per day as a spell-like ability . His caster level is equal to his levels in this class.

Spiritual T ranscendence (Su): At 10th level, the spirit champion has such an understanding of the spirits, and has established such a strong relationship with them, that he has both the ability and the permission to join them - to a small degree. Once per day , as a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity , the spirit champion can turn himself and everything he carries (up to 250 pounds of equipment) incorporeal. He remains incorporeal until he chooses to end this effect or for a number of rounds equal to his spirit champion levels + his Spirit modifier . Table 3 -12: The Spirit Champion (Spc) Base Class Attack Fort Ref Will Level Bonus Save Save Save Special 1st +1 +2 +0 +2 Spiritual concentration, spiritual defense 2nd +2 +3 +0 +3 Ancestral knowledge 2/day 3rd +3 +3 +1 +3 Meditative strength 4th +4 +4 +1 +4 Ancestral knowledge 4/day 5th +5 +4 +1 +4 Calm mind 6th +6 +5 +2 +5 Ancestral knowledge 6/day 7th +7 +5 +2 +5 Spirit-favored weapon 8th +8 +6 +2 +6 Ancestral knowledge 8/day 9th +9 +6 +3 +6 Commune with spirits 10th +10 +7 +3 +7 Ancestral knowledge 10/day, spiritual transcendence