Binder (Dungeons & Dragons)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Base classes from Player's Handbook |
|---|
|
Barbarian |
| Additional/Alternative base classes |
|
Archivist |
| NPC Classes |
|
Adept |
| Unearthed Arcana Generic Classes |
|
Expert |
| Prestige classes |
|
Arcane Archer |
Binder is a character class in Dungeons & Dragons, introduced in Tome of Magic. They derive their power by making "Pacts" with "Vestiges". These vestiges give them powers that are generally reusable an unlimited number of times per day. Different vestiges can be called on each day with a Binder gaining the ability to make multiple pacts simultaneously as they increase in level.
The literature in Tome of Magic is very specific regarding vestiges. They are the souls of legendary beings who have been "evicted" from the universe. They make deals with Binders so that they can experience the joys of existence once again.
Tome of Magic provides several adaptation options for the vestiges including making them totem spirits.
Binders have no alignment restrictions, although chaotic and nongood alignments are suggested because of the nature of their abilities.
Karsites, a new race published in Tome of Magic, has Binder as its favored class.
[edit] Class Features
Binders primary class feature is their binding ability. As they level up they can call on additional vestiges simultaneously as well as higher level vestiges.
In addition to the ability to bind vestiges, Binders are given the ability to customize their pacts in various ways. The most basic of which is to provide minor bonuses (called augmentations) to different aspects of the character (hit points, attack bonus, saves, etc). They also gain a few bonus feats chosen from a relatively small list.
The Vestiges are semi-existant beings that grant special abilitys, such as fire breathing or the ability to summon an earth elemental. Each one grants about four or five abilities, but some are more powerful than others. There are eight levels of vestige, each one requires a certain binder level for the binder to call that level of vestige. The first level mostly grants abilities that match first level spells, feats, or class features. Most abilities increase with level, so as that a vestige is not forgotten when the binder reaches higher level. Vestiges are created when a soul or being is not sent to where the soul is suposed to go. This is either caused by the Vestige's force of will, or circumstances that prevent it from reaching the plane it is supposed to go. A few simply are souls that have faded out of existance into the strange plane that all Vestiges live in.
Most vestiges, when bound to a Binder, cause a "manifestation" in the Binder's body. A manifestation is the physical change of having a quasi-extant being to reside in the Binder's soul. An example of this is the vestige Amon, who causes the Binder to grow curling ram's horns. Often, these features are simply cosmetic, but sometimes they are linked to the Binders added abilities. Geryon, for example, causes an extra set of eyes to grow from the back of the binder's head, allowing him to use the granted all-around vision, acidic gaze, and ability to see in the dark.
Another alteration happens to the binder when he binds with a vestige. The constant presence of the fused vestige causes the Binder's fundamental personality to change, making it more like the vestige. This is caused by the vestige's personality enclosed inside the Binder. For example, the vestige Focalor, a constantly crying being, causes the Binder to be sad and Meloncholy. However, this influence is different from the manifestation, which changes the Binder's body (see above). The binder makes a binding check to see if he'she maintains dominance in the binding. If she/he wins, then they receive the abilitys and the Vestige humbly follows the Binder's lead, not the other way around.
When not bound to a vestige, the binder is a bit like a Cleric without his spells, or a Rogue without the special skills. The binder needs to preform a ritual that calls a small illusory form of the vestige to appear.The binder then makes a binding check, based on his level, and bonuses to his binding check via prestige classes, and from their charisma bonus. the vestige will want to impose it's influence on the Binder, changing his personality while it is bound to him/her, but if the binder beats the "binding check", then the binder is free from the influence, but not from the physical change. Even if the Binder receives the influence, it still doesn't prevent the binder from using its abilities. A binder who has bound to a Vestige and lost the binding check will still have the same benefits of a Binder who won the check.
