The Ark

Ark

Details

Role: The Ark is a flexible magic user, not constrained to a single specialty of spellcasting but also not a master of anything in particular. An Ark is best suited to filling in whatever blanks are left behind by the Passengers she partners with or by complementing and boosting what they are capable of.

Alignment: Any

Special Restriction: You must choose this class at character level 1, you cannot multiclass into it at higher character levels. You cannot be an Ark and also have the Passenger template.

Hit Die: d6

Starting Wealth: 3d4 x 10 (75 GP). In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

Class Skills: Craft, Knowledge (Planes), Perception, Profession, Spellcraft, Use Magic Device. The Ark may choose any 3 other skills as class skills.

Skill Ranks at each level: 4+Int Modifier

Class Table

Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special Abilities Core Points Spells Known Maximum Spell Level
1 +0 +0 +0 +2 Lesser Magic, Taking on Passengers, Conduit Theme, Eschew Materials, Potentia, Binding Gift, Core Talent 3 3 1
2 +1 +0 +0 +3 - 5 5 1
3 +1 +1 +1 +3 - 8 7 2
4 +2 +1 +1 +4 Core Talent 12 9 2
5 +2 +1 +1 +4 Binding Gift 17 11 3
6 +3 +2 +2 +5 - 24 13 3
7 +3 +2 +2 +5 Core Talent 34 15 4
8 +4 +2 +2 +6 - 45 17 4
9 +4 +3 +3 +6 - 57 19 5
10 +5 +3 +3 +7 Binding Gift, Core Talent 72 21 5
11 +5 +3 +3 +7 - 88 23 6
12 +6/+1 +4 +4 +8 - 104 25 6
13 +6/+1 +4 +4 +8 Core Talent 120 27 7
14 +7/+2 +4 +4 +9 - 136 29 7
15 +7/+2 +5 +5 +9 Binding Gift, Core Talent 152 31 8
16 +8/+3 +5 +5 +10 170 33 8
17 +8/+3 +5 +5 +10 - 186 35 9
18 +9/+4 +6 +6 +11 Core Talent 202 36 9
19 +9/+4 +6 +6 +11 - 220 37 9
20 +10/+5 +6 +6 +12 The Living Gate, Binding Gift 236 38 9

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Arks are proficient with all simple weapons and with light armor, but not with shields.

Center of Self: Select between Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma. This is now your spellcasting ability and you use its bonus where indicated.

Lesser Magics: Select 4 0-level spells from the Wizard/Sorcerer, Druid and Cleric spell lists. You can cast these spells at-will. You may change these spells when your Core Points refresh at the end of a rest.

Core Points: The Ark's ability to produce spells is limited by the amount of Core he has available to him at any time. Core is restored after an 8 hour rest period, followed by a unique, personal method of focusing and drawing out the power of the Core from his Conduit, which takes no less than 10 minutes. Arks receive bonus Core points based on their spellcasting ability as on the Bonus Spell Points table on the following page: Bonus Spell Points

Ark Spells cost the following amount of Core based on the level of the effect.

1st: 1 2nd: 3 3rd: 5 4th: 7 5th: 9 6th: 11 7th: 13 8th: 15 9th: 17

Ark Spellcasting: Ark Spellcasting is a product of drawing up energy directly from the Conduit that is seated at the center of their soul. They do not learn their spells and their magic is not a product of random happenstance or heritage. An Ark is a living gate, they draw their power from themselves and nothing else as they are a direct connection between the physical plane and the pure energy of the cosmos. Ark spellcasting is not affected by armor, the somatic components involved are often dramatic but simple and the verbal components almost always bombastic calls unique to the caster. Arks may not use the Silent Spell or Still Spell metamagic feats for casting spells gained from the Ark class. Ark Spellcasting still draws attacks of opportunity from adjacent foes.

Arks do not need to study their spells or prepare them, they always have access to all the spells they know and gain more spells each time they level up. They may learn spells only of levels they can access based on the table above. In addition to the spells they learn on level up, each level an Ark may retrain 1 of their known spells up to their maximum spell level, casting the learned magic back into the Conduit and using that power to forge more.

Arks must choose their spells from the Sorcerer/Wizard, Druid or Cleric spell lists. If a spell is present on more than one list at different spell levels they may choose the higher or lower version of the spell, but only one iteration of said spell at any time.

They may not choose any spells that run counter to their Theme. Spells that use a particular energy type are alright as they can be altered with the Energy Substitution class feature. A spell that somehow directly counteracts their theme (like a Fear conduit choosing Remove Fear, a Fire conduit choosing Quench or a Joy conduit choosing Waves of Despair) may not be selected.

Arks may apply metamagic feats to their spells as normal. To use a metamagic feat you must have a maximum spell level allowed equal to or greater than the adjusted spell level of the spell you wish to cast. You spend a number of core points equal to the adjusted spell level of the spell in order to cast it. Applying metamagic to Ark spells is a full-round action.

Your spell DC is equal to 10 + the level of the spell + your spellcasting ability bonus.

Maximum spell level: Arks may not learn or cast spells with a level higher than their maximum spell level. They may also not cast metamagic enhanced spells if the altered spell level would be higher than their maximum allowed spell level.

Divine Domain: The Ark gains access to two full divine domains, as long as they can justify them being in line with their theme. They receive the powers of that domain and at each level they gain access to a new spell level they also automatically learn that level of domain spell. Replace any mentions of Wisdom modifier in domain descriptions with the ability modifier of your spellcasting ability.

Eschew Materials: Arks gain Eschew Materials as a bonus feat at 1st level.

Taking On Passengers (Su): Through a ritual that is completely unique to the Ark in style and unique to the one being bonded within that style, an Ark may form powerful supernatural links, connecting his soul to the soul of another. Arks and Passengers share a unique symbol that flares on the forehead whenever any Potentia-using powers are being used, called an Ark Seal. The link between an Ark and a Passenger is powerful and requires a great amount of trust. A Passenger is equal parts guardian, companion and sponsored. The Ark always knows where their Passengers are by the direction and can communicate with them telepathically as long as they are within one mile. NPC Arks may never have more than 3 passengers. PC Arks should try not to have more than 3 but allowances can be made. (And a PC Ark may never have Passengers that are NPCs and vice versa.)

Conduit Theme (Su): Energy from the Conduit to the Core of the Universe is what grants the Ark their vaunted magic as well as the powers their Passengers can inherit by connecting to the Ark. Each Ark's Conduit has a particular theme, a particular aspect (broader than a divine domain) that their powers are colored by. Whether something is in theme should be decided when it comes up between the GM and the player. Conduit Theme has the following effects.

Energy Substitution: The Ark must choose up to 2 energy types that fit the theme they have selected. Any effect or spell that has an energy type instead may use one of these energy types, selected upon gaining the spell or effect.

Theme Focus: Several Ark and Potentia abilities are constrained by the theme the Ark has chosen. You can't use these abilities when it would be counter to your theme! For instance, a Fire Conduit cannot use Cold energy but they could otherwise have a spell that lets them extinguish flame, as long as it is done through control of flame and not through water or cold. This focus extends to their spellcasting choices. A Love conduit could never learn any spells dealing with hate or fear. When using abilities in line with your theme you may treat your caster level for the ability as one higher than normal.

Theme Sense: You can sense events, places and sources important to your theme as long as they are no further than a mile away from you.

Themes, in general are either Ephemeral, Physical or Intellectual.

Ephemeral themes are cosmic ideals or systems of morality. Examples are Good, Evil, Light, Dark, Life, Death, Law, Chaos and Balance.

Physical themes come from something in the universe that has an actual presence. Examples are metal, fire, earth, water, wind, the moon, the sun, wood and flesh.

Intellectual themes are products of the mind, emotions and ideas. Examples include love, fear, lore, hate, deception, art and magic.

Potentia Pool (Su): An Ark has a pool of Potentia Points equal to 1/2 their level + their spellcasting ability bonus. The Ark may not use these Potentia points themselves, instead they donate them to their bound Passengers so that they can use both their personal Binding Gifts and the Ark's general Binding Gifts that all their Passengers can access. They can donate as many points as they like in a turn as a standard action to any number of their Passengers. The Ark's potentia pool refills at the same time as their Core points do.

Binding Gifts (Su): Binding Gifts are the powers granted to an Ark's Passengers when the sacred binding rite is performed. Passengers have their own personal gifts, but an Ark has some of their own that all of their Passengers can use as if they knew them. Arks know 1 binding gift at first level and an additional gift at levels 5, 10 and 15.

They may choose from the full Passenger gift list as on the Passenger page, as well as the following gifts available only to Arks.

-Enforce Ephemeral Theme: If your theme is a concept rather than anything mental or physical then you can select this gift. Your Passengers may pay 1 potentia to invoke an effect that is in line with your concept as long as it emulates no greater than a 2nd level spell to do so. At level 10 you may choose up to a 4th level spell effect and at level 15 up to 6th level.

-Instill Intellectual Theme: If your theme can be expressed as an emotion then your Passengers may pay 1 potentia to invoke an effect no greater than a 2nd level spell to do so. At level 10 you may choose up to a 4th level spell effect and at level 15 up to 6th level.

-King's Castle: By spending 1 potentia and a standard action the Passenger may teleport from their current position to one adjacent to their Ark. They may only do this while within 1 mile of their Ark.

-Manipulate Physical Theme: If your theme can be expressed in a physical form then you may select this gift. Your passengers may pay a point of potentia to move up to 25 x their level in pounds of that physical matter up to 20 feet per round as long as they concentrate (but no more than 1 round per level.) They can move the matter using all of the rules available to normal Telekinesis.

-We Bleed As One: Your passenger can spend 1 potentia when you take damage in order to take all of that damage themselves.

Core Talents: At level 1 and every 3 levels after (4, 7, 10, 13, etc) the Ark may select from the following list of Core Talents, abilities that further make each Ark unique from one another. Unless otherwise stated you can only choose each core talent once.

-Ark of War: Your harmful spells with an area of effect always ignore your own Passengers (though no one else.)

-Benefactor: Healing spells you cast heal an additional amount of HP equal to the spell level and beneficial spells that target your allies last 25% longer than normal.

-Coretapping: Once per day You may take 2 points of damage to any physical ability and regain an amount of Core equal to your level. This ability damage may not be healed by any magical means.

-Core Barrier: At the beginning of each of the Ark's turns, if the Ark has less than their spellcasting ability modifier in Temporary Hit Points they gain that many.

-Combat Feat: Instead of a Core Talent you may take any Combat Feat you qualify for.

-Cosmic Channeler: You gain Channel Energy as a Cleric of your level. This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to 1 + your spellcasting ability modifier. You may choose to channel either negative or positive energy when you select this talent, regardless of your alignment.

-Energy Master: When casting spells augmented by your Energy Substitution feature, improve their DCs by +1 and add +1 damage for each die of damage you roll for it.

-Essence of (Theme): You must take Power over (Theme) before taking this talent. When casting spells or producing effects that involve, create or manipulate your theme you may cast them as if using the Empower Spell metamagic feat without increasing the level of the spell or effect.

-Hardy Ark: Replace your bad fortitude saving throw progression with good fortitude saving throw progression, as per the Fighter.

-Metamagic Feat: Instead of a Core Talent you may take any metamagic feat you qualify for.

-Mighty Ark: You are more adept in physical combat than other Arks. Replace your normal Ark Base Attack Bonus progression with the Rogue's Base Attack Bonus progression.

-Mystic Muscle: You may change your spellcasting ability to either Strength or Constitution. Increase your class hit die to a d8 and recalculate your HP.

-Power over (Theme): When casting a spell or producing an effect that involves, creates or manipulates your theme directly, you increase the DCs involved by 2 or any attack rolls made by 2.

-Swift Ark: replace your bad reflex saving throw progression with good fortitude saving throw progression, as per the Rogue.

-Touch Force: You summon up energy from your Conduit and send it pulsing through your veins into your hands or feet. Make a touch attack, you deal 1d8 damage + spellcasting ability modifier in an energy type from your Energy Substitution class feature. You can use this power 3 + your spellcasting modifier times per day.

-Throw Force: Requires Touch Force. Having summoned up the energy from your Conduit, you can now shape, channel and throw it utterly raw, without the need for a spell. You deal the same amount of damage as you do with Touch Force, but to any target within 90 feet as a ranged touch attack, using your spellcasting ability modifier as a bonus to hit instead of dexterity. You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your spellcasting ability modifier.

-Winged Ark: The Ark can cast Feather Fall on themselves at will and gains Fly as a class skill. At level 10 the Ark gains Flight at 30 ft speed and Average maneuverability. At level 15 this improves to Good maneuverability and 40 ft speed.

The Living Gate (Su): At level 20 the Ark undergoes a transformation, idealizing themselves as their link to the Core becomes perfect, their Conduit a mote of power that shines throughout the universe. They no longer age and lose any penalties they may have accrued from aging as they wind time back to the prime of their life, they may still gain the bonuses from aging as normal. Their creature type changes to Native Outsider and they become immune to critical hits, sneak attacks, poison and disease. They may also choose any one form possible through the Shapechange spell and treat that as their idealized form. They may switch between their normal form and their chosen idealized form as a full round action at-will.

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