D&D Homebrew Classes - The Spiritualist Warlock

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     A variant for the Warlock class from Dungeons & Dragons 3e/3.5 Edition; created by Aboleth Eye!
    As always, though this homebrew was made with D&D 3.5 edition in mind, with a few tweaks you can absolutely use this material with Pathfinder 1st edition! -- Aboleth Eye

    One comes to briefly cross the threshold of life and death only through unusual means…  Perhaps one is haunted by a loving family member’s spirit…  A terrible brush with mortal injury…  A resurrection gone awry…  Or, perhaps, one may simply possess the natural talent to compel the energies of the Ethereal Plane…
    Many individuals are called upon to see the unseen, empathize with the remains of the dead and channel spiritual energy often call it a curse instead.  Spiritualists are both made, as well as born…

    How one becomes a spiritualist, or any other medium, occultist or shaman, varies quite a bit.  No two stories are the same.
    Many spiritualists inherited their connection to the dead--their lineage having stood side by side with the spiritual world to prevent tragedy or end grievances.  Others were successfully rescued victims of ghosts or other incorporeal entity possession while they were young.  These types of origins lead to spiritualists of more lawful and orderly attitudes--protecting the living and the dead from influencing each other too greatly.
    A few come about from mental breakdowns or near-death experiences, suddenly aware that the lines between the dead and living are not so solid.  And, like other invokers, a spiritualist may have pacted with a spirit or other ghost-like entity seeking only power, rather than a purpose.  These spiritualists are usually more self-serving, seeing their new talents as a commodity to be profited from.

    Regardless of their origin, the spiritualist is an outsider among the living.  Even those without spiritual sight can tell there is something distant or inhuman about their spirits.  Their shadows waver.  They murmur and gesture at invisible figures when no one is looking.  They reveal stories of the departed that their closest friends and family would never tell another soul… 
    Spiritualists are invokers like warlocks, but unlike those pledged to Outer Planes fiends or celestials they can reach into the closer Ethereal Plane that infuses all realities.  They can see the souls of mortals haunting houses and artifacts, and can even bind them to their service with great effort.
    These invokers typically keep away from places where their gifts would ostracize them.  Spiritualists must have steady nerves and iron wills to ignore the pull of mortal concerns, for the peaceful dead are beyond the laws and wars of the living. And those that are not at peace are unable to disperse into the Ethereal Plane and their eternal rest by holding on to those petty connections and oaths.  
    A spiritualist cannot give in to extreme ideologies or campaigns, or else the Ethereal Plane and all their powers will abandon them.  And to be stripped of one’s greatest power for a promise or single terrible action would destroy them.  



Class Details

Abilities:  A spiritualist benefits from a high Charisma, as it is used for invocation DCs and their Chastise Spirits ability.  Dexterity is also important to avoid danger but also aim their eldritch blast ability.  Intelligence and Constitution are next in priority, as those ability scores get the most out of their class skills and hit dice--especially if they are facing undead with Fortitude saving throw abilities.  Most spiritualists rely on their spell-like abilities to deal damage rather than weapons, so Strength is not a typical priority.  They also rely on their better Will saves rather than bolster it with Wisdom--which helps them avoid temptation into extreme aligned decisions.

Alignment: cannot be any extreme alignment (e.g. Lawful Good, Lawful Evil, Chaotic Good or Chaotic Evil)

Hit Die: d6.

Class Skills:    Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (any) (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Points: 2 + Intelligence modifier per level; quadruple at 1st level


Table: The Spiritualist 

Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special Invoc Known
1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Eldritch blast 1d6, invocation (least) 1
2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 Detect spirits, Chastise spirits 2
3rd +2 +1 +1 +3 DR 1/silver, eldritch blast 2d6 2
4th +3 +1 +1 +4 Bind spirit 3
5th +3 +1 +1 +4 Eldritch blast 3d6 3
6th +4 +2 +2 +5 New invocation (least or lesser) 4
7th +5 +2 +2 +5 DR 2/silver, eldritch blast 4d6 4
8th +6/+1 +2 +2 +6 Ghost warrior 5
9th +6/+1 +3 +3 +6 Eldritch blast 5d6 5
10th +7/+2 +3 +3 +7 Energy resistance 5 6
11th +8/+3 +3 +3 +7 DR 3/silver, eldritch blast 6d6,
invocation (least, lesser or greater)		 7
12th +9/+4 +4 +4 +8   7
13th +9/+4 +4 +4 +8 Death-bound 8
14th +10/+5 +4 +4 +9 Eldritch blast 7d6 8
15th +11/+6/+1 +5 +5 +9 DR 4/cold iron  9
16th +12/+7/+2 +5 +5 +10 New Invocation (least, lesser, greater, undying);
Weaken spirits		 10
17th +12/+7/+2 +5 +5 +10 Eldritch blast 8d6 10
18th +13/+8/+3 +6 +6 +11 Death-lover 11
19th +14/+9/+4 +6 +6 +11 DR 5/cold iron 11
20th +15/+10/+5 +6 +6 +12 Eldritch blast 9d6, energy resistance 10 12


Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:     Spiritualists are proficient with all simple weapons. They are proficient with light armor but not with shields.
    Because the somatic components required for spiritualist invocations are relatively simple, a spiritualist can use any of their invocations while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like arcane spellcasters, a spiritualist wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure (all invocations, including eldritch blast, have a somatic component).
    A multiclass spiritualist still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from levels in other classes.

 

Invocations:    A spiritualist does not prepare or cast spells as other wielders of arcane magic do.  Instead, a spiritualist possesses a repertoire of attacks, defenses and abilities known as Invocations that require them to focus the ethereal resonance of their soul.  A spiritualist warlock can use any invocation known at-will, with the following qualifications:

  • A spiritualist's invocations are spell-like abilities; using an invocation is therefore a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity.  
  • An invocation can be disrupted, just as a spell can be ruined during casting.  
  • A spiritualist is entitled to a Concentration check to successfully use an invocation if hit by an attack while invoking, just as a spellcaster would be.  
  • A spiritualist can choose to use an invocation defensively, by making a successful Concentration check, to avoid provoking attacks of opportunity.  
  • A spiritualist invocations are subject to spell resistance unless an invocation's description specifically states otherwise. 
  •  A spiritualist's invoker/caster level with invocations is equal to their class level.

    The save DC for an invocation (if it allows a save) is 10 + equivalent spell level + the spiritualist’s Charisma modifier.  Since spell-like abilities are not actually spells, a spiritualist cannot benefit from the Spell Focus feat.  They can, however, benefit from the Ability Focus feat, as well as from feats that emulate metamagic effects for spell-like abilities, such as Quicken Spell-Like Ability and Empower Spell-Like Ability.
    The four grades of spiritualist  invocations, in order of their relative power, are least, lesser, greater, and undying.   A spiritualist begins with knowledge of one invocation, which must be of the lowest grade (least).  As a spiritualist gains levels, they learn new invocations, as summarized on Table: The Spiritualist and described below.  A list of available invocations can be found on the Spiritualist Invocations (see below).
    At any level when a spiritualist learns a new invocation, they can also replace an invocation already known with another invocation of the same or a lower grade.  At 6th level, a spiritualist can replace a least invocation known with a different least invocation (in addition to learning a new invocation, which could be either least or lesser).
    At 11th level, a spiritualist can replace a least or lesser invocation known with another invocation of the same or a lower grade (in addition to learning a new invocation, which could be least, lesser, or greater levels). 
    At 16th level, a spiritualist can replace a least, lesser, or greater invocation known with another invocation of the same or a lower grade (in addition to learning a new invocation, which could be least, lesser, greater, or undying).
    Finally, unlike other spell-like abilities, invocations are subject to arcane spell failure chance as described under Weapon and Armor Proficiency above.  Warlocks can qualify for some prestige classes usually intended for spellcasters.


Eldritch Blast (Sp):     The first ability a spiritualist learns is eldritch blast.  A spiritualist attacks their foes with eldritch power, using magical energy pulled from the Ethereal Plane to deal damage and sometimes impart other debilitating effects.
    An eldritch blast is a ray with a range of 60 feet.  It is a ranged touch attack that affects a single target, allowing no saving throw.  An eldritch blast deals 1d6 points of damage at 1st level and increases in power as the spiritualist rises in level.  An eldritch blast is the equivalent of a 1st-level spell.
    If you apply a blast shape or eldritch essence invocation to your eldritch blast, your eldritch blast uses the level equivalent of the shape or essence.  An eldritch blast can only have up to one eldritch essence and up to one eldritch shape applied at a single time.
    An eldritch blast is subject to spell resistance, although the Spell Penetration feat and other effects that improve caster level checks to overcome spell resistance also apply to eldritch blast.  An eldritch blast deals half damage to objects.  Metamagic feats cannot improve a warlock's eldritch blast (because it is a spell-like ability, not a spell).  However, the feat Ability Focus (eldritch blast) increases the DC for all saving throws (if any) associated with a spiritualist’s eldritch blast by +2.
    A spiritualist can use eldritch blast at-will as a standard action.


Detect Spirits (Sp):     The spiritualist’s spirit guide perceives nearby spirits.  At-will starting at 2nd level, the spiritualist can use detect spirits as a spell-like ability.  It functions just like detect undead, except it detects creatures that are considered spirits for their chastise spirits ability.


Chastise Spirits (Su):     Beginning at 2nd level, a spiritualist can use spiritual energy granted by their connection to the Ethereal Plane to damage hostile entities.  These “spirit” entities include: incorporeal undead, all fey, all elementals and creatures in astral form or with astral bodies (but not a creature physically present on the Astral Plane).
    Chastising spirits is a standard action that deals 1d6 damage per 2 spiritualist levels to all spirits within 30 feet of the shaman.  The affected spirits get a Will save (DC 10 + spiritualist level + Cha modifier) for half damage.
    When using this ability against incorporeal creatures, a spiritualist does not have to roll the normal 50% miss chance - the effect hits the spirits automatically. 
    A spiritualist can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + their Charisma modifier.


Damage Reduction (Su): Fortified by the supernatural power flowing into their body, a spiritualist becomes resistant to physical attacks at 3rd level and above, gaining damage reduction 1/silver.
    At 7th level and every four levels thereafter, a spiritualist’s damage reduction improves as shown on Table: The Spiritualist.


Bind Spirit (Su): At 4th level, the spiritualist may attempt to capture the spirit of a dying creature in a gem or crystal worth at least 500 gp.  This ritual requires a standard action, and the spiritualist must ready their action to use it at the moment their targeted victim reaches -10 hit points or is destroyed.  The victim may attempt a Will save (DC 15 + the spiritualist Charisma modifier) to resist the binding. 
    On a failed save, the victim's spirit is trapped in the gem, where it must remain for 1 day per class level the spiritualist possesses, or until the gem is broken or destroyed.  As long as the soul is in the gem, the victim cannot be restored to life in any manner.  The victim's soul cannot be communicated with or contacted in any way, with the exception of the spiritualist abilities described below (by the trapping spiritualist or another).
    Whether or not the spiritualist actually uses one of these options, the soul is automatically released at the end of the ability's duration. 
    If the gem or crystal is destroyed, the soul is freed immediately.
    The spiritualist in possession of a bound spirit’s gem can choose to use any one of the following benefits once per day while the soul is trapped within the gem:

  • Compel the bound soul to answer one yes or no question truthfully.
  • Speak any one language the bound soul knows for 1 hour.
  • Choose any one skill the bound soul possesses and use its ranks in that skill in place of the possessing spiritualist’s own for 1 minute.  The spiritualist is considered trained in the use of the skill.

Ghost Warrior (Su): Beginning at 8th level, a spiritualist confers the ghost touch special ability to any weapon they hold for as long as they hold it.   They also become resistant to the touch attacks of incorporeal creatures, and may use their normal Armor Class (not touch AC) against any touch attack delivered by an incorporeal creature.


Energy Resistance (Su):     At 10th level and higher, a spiritualist has resistance 5 against any two of the following energy types: acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic.  Once the types are chosen, this energy resistance cannot be changed.
    At 20th level, a spiritualist's resistance increases to 10 against the original two selected types of energy.


Death-Bound (Ex): At 13th level and higher, the spiritualist’s connection to the afterlife makes them more resilient against accidental and unnatural deaths, at the cost of weakening their connection to life.
    Starting at 13th level, a spiritualist gains immunity to stunning and sleep effects, 25% light fortification against critical attacks, and lastly a +4 magic bonus on saves against undead creatures.  
    At this stage spiritualists no longer need to sleep, but must still breath and eat as normal.


Weaken Spirits (Su):     At 16th level and higher, a spirit shaman can choose to strip spirits of their defenses instead of damaging them with their chastise spirits ability. 
    When a spirit is weakened, it loses its spell resistance and any damage reduction overcome by magic weapons, silver or cold iron weapons, and aligned weapons (but not damage reduction overcome by adamantine weapons or not overcome by anything).  In addition, an incorporeal spirit loses its immunity to non-magical attack, its 50% chance to ignore damage from corporeal sources, and its ability to move into or through objects.
    To weaken spirits, a spiritualist uses their chastise spirits ability but chooses to do less damage in exchange for weakening the spirits for a short time. 
    For each 3d6 of chastise spirit damage the spiritualist reduces their effect, the affected spirits are weakened for 1 round.  For example, a 16th-level spiritualist chastising two dread wraiths normally deals 16d6 points of damage to each dread wraith, but could choose instead to deal 7d6 points of damage to each wraith and weaken them for 3 rounds. 
    Spirits that make their Will save against the chastise spirits damage are unaffected by the weakening effect (but still take half the damage).


Death-Lover (Ex):    The spiritualist is forgetting what it feels like to be alive, finding a new sustaining power and awareness in the Ethereal Plane all around them.  They have an alertness and abundance of energy that contradicts the obvious haggard and haunted look about them now.
    Starting at 18th level, the spiritualist becomes immune to poison and disease, and their 25% fortification increases to 50% fortification.  Spiritualists at this level no longer need to eat or drink.


Ex-Spiritualists

    A spiritualist who becomes an extreme alignment (lawful good/lawful evil/chaotic good/chaotic evil) cannot gain new levels in this base class, but they retain all their abilities.


Warlocks and Prestige Classes

    Warlocks (and their base class variants) benefit in a specific way from prestige classes that have "+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class" or "+1 level of existing spellcasting class" as a level advancement benefit.  A warlock taking levels in such a prestige class does not gain any spellcasting capabilities, but they do gain an increased caster level when using invocations and increased damage with their eldritch blast. 
    Levels of prestige classes that provide +1 level of spellcasting effectively stack with the warlock's level to determine their eldritch blast damage (treat their combined caster level as the warlock class level when looking at Table: The Spiritualist to determine eldritch blast damage), and their eldritch blast caster level (half total caster level from celestial warlock levels and levels in the applicable prestige class). 
    A warlock also gains new invocations known at these prestige class levels as though they gained a level in the warlock class.
    A warlock cannot qualify for prestige classes with spellcasting level requirements, as they never actually learn to cast spells. 
    However, prestige classes with caster level requirements, such as the acolyte of the skin, are well suited to the warlock.  A warlock's caster level for invocations fulfills this requirement.



Spiritualist Warlock  Invocations

    There are four Levels of Invocations, with four Categories in each.  A Spiritualist's known Invocations are based on the standard Warlock class’s invocation list, with the added Category of Undying.  Some Invocations have been removed to better fit the connection of a Spiritualist class.  
    For the purpose of detailing the mechanics of the Invocation Overview and Invocations Types below, Warlock and Spiritualist are interchangeable.

Least
  • Eldritch Essence
    • Frightful Blast: (2nd) Any creature struck must make Will save or become shaken.  
    • Sickening Blast: (2nd) Any creature struck by the invoker’s Eldritch Blast also becomes Sickened.  
  • Blast Shape
    • Eldritch Glaive: (2nd) As full-round action blast becomes a glaive this turn, which uses touch attacks (up to BAB limit) to hit this turn.  Cannot combine with Hideous Blow.
    • Eldritch Spear: (2nd) The maximum range of the invoker’s Eldritch Blast increases to 250 feet.  
  • Other
    • All-Seeing Eyes: (2nd) You gain a +6 bonus on Spot/Search checks, and gain benefit as the spell comprehend languages (only for written material) for 24 hours.  
    • Baleful Utterance: (2nd) By speaking a word of power, the invoker destroys objects as the shatter spell. 
    • Beguiling Influence: (2nd) The invoker receives a +6 bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, & Intimidate checks for up to 6 hours. 
    • Breath of the Night: (1st) Creates a mist around the invoker in a 20-foot radius, as the spell fog cloud.  
    • Call of The Beast: (1st) You gain the ability of Wild Empathy as a druid of your level, and may communicate with animals as if under speak with animals for 1 hour per warlock level. 
    • Darkness: (2nd) Touched object radiates shadowy illumination in a 20’ radius, as the spell darkness. 
    • Devil’s Sight: (2nd) The invoker may see up to 30 feet through normal and magical darkness.
    • Earthen Grasp: (2nd) A Medium-sized arm of soil rises and attempts to Grapple any creature, as the spell earthen grasp (SpC).
    • Entropic Warding: (2nd) The invoker repels ranged attacks as entropic shield, leaves no tracks as the pass without trace spell and cannot be tracked by scent.
    • Miasmic Cloud: (1st) Creates a 10-foot radius of mist around the invoker.  The fog doesn’t block line of sight but grants concealment to everyone within it.  All creatures (except the invoker) within the mist must make a Fortitude save or become Fatigued.  This effect lasts as long as the creature remains within the cloud and for 1 round thereafter.  A moderate wind, or any fire larger than a torch, immediately disperses the fog.  The fog otherwise lasts for 1 minute.
    • Otherworldly Whispers: (2nd) You gain a +6 bonus on Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (religion), and Knowledge (the planes) checks for 24 hours.
    • See the Unseen: (2nd) The invoker gains Darkvision within 60 feet and can see Invisible creatures & objects (as see invisibility), for up to 24 hours.
    • Soulreaving Aura: (2nd) As the spell reaving aura, plus if a creature dies within 10 feet of you it grants you temporary hit points equal to its Hit Dice for 1 round.
    • Summon Swarm: (2nd) Summons either a Swarm of Bats, Rats or Spiders as the spell summon swarm.
      • They may also summon a murder of crows or other birds.
    • Swimming the Styx: (2nd) You gain a Swim Speed equal to your base land speed and a +8 racial bonus on Swim checks. You also gain the ability to breathe water as well as air. This invocation lasts for 24 hours.
    • Unseen Attendant: (1st) You gain an invisible servant to tend to your whims, as the spell unseen servant.
  • Spiritualist
    • Avoid Dead Eyes: (1st) As hide from undead, protect up to 1 creature per invoker level from being perceived entirely by mindless undead.  Sentient undead get a Will save to possibly become aware of an affected target.
    • Bear Tragic Witness: (1st)  As the spell deathwatch; while the effect is active you can end it as a full-round action to gain a magic bonus to Heal checks to stabilize a single touched target, equal to your invoker level.
    • Final Destination: (1st) As a full-round action, with 70% + 1% per invoker level accuracy (DM secretly rolls), learn if the immediate future leads to Safety, Peril or Great Danger to the invoker.  As the spell omen of peril (RoD).
    • Magical Resonance: (2nd) As the spell detect magic; while the effect is active you can end it as a full-round action to identify all the properties of a single held item (as identify, no components needed). 
    • Shared Meditation: (2nd) As the spell calm emotions, instead targeting a single creature within 100 feet, and lasting 10 rounds on a failed Will saving throw.
    • Wave of Grief: (2nd) Fill a 30 foot cone with potent feelings of despair, all creatures in the area of effect must succeed a Will save or suffer a -3 morale penalty on all attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks, and skill checks for 1 round per invoker level; as the spell wave of grief (SpC). 

Lesser
  • Eldritch Essence
    • Beshadowed Blast: (4th) Any creature struck by the invoker’s Eldritch Blast must make a Fortitude save, failing results in them being Blinded for 1 full round.
    • Brimstone Blast: (3rd) The invoker’s Eldritch Blast inflicts Fire damage.
    • Deteriorating Blast: (4th) Any creature struck by this eldritch essence must succeed on a Fortitude save or have its Damage Reduction penalized by -5 (min 0) for 1 minute. If the target has more than one type of damage reduction, this effect applies to all of them.
    • Hellrime Blast: (4th) The invoker’s Eldritch Blast inflicts Cold damage.
    • Summon Swarm: (4th) A single creature killed by the invoker’s Eldritch Blast explodes into a swarm of spiders under their mental control, lasting a number of rounds equal to your invoker level.  Also, add your invoker level to the swarm’s hit points and the poison save DC.
  • Blast Shape
    • Eldritch Chain: (4th) If an Eldritch Blast hits its initial target, the invoker may attempt to hit a nearby enemy; “jumping” the eldritch blast chain to one secondary target per five caster levels, so you can strike two additional targets at 10th level, three at 15th, and four at 20th level. Each new target must be within 30 feet of the previous one, and you can’t target the same creature more than once with the eldritch chain. If you miss any target in the chain, the eldritch chain attack ends there.
      • Each target struck after the first takes half the damage dealt to the first target. This reduction in damage to secondary targets applies to any effect that increases the damage of your eldritch blast (such as vitriolic blast).  You must make a separate spell penetration check for each target, if applicable.
  • Other
    • Cold Comfort: (3rd) You and nearby allies are protected from inclement weather, as the endure elements spell.
    • Curse of Despair: (4th) Touched target is inflicted with a curse, as the bestow curse spell. Even if the save against this ability succeeds, the creature takes a –1 penalty on attack rolls for 1 minute. 
    • Dread Seizure: (4th) A single target creature within 60 feet must succeed a Fortitude save or have its movement speeds halved (rounded down) and a -5 penalty to all attack rolls beyond 5 feet, lasting 3 rounds.
    • Enthralling Voice: (6th) Your speech causes all enemies (HD equal or less than invoker level) that can hear you within a 40-foot radius to make a Will save.  Failing this save causes them to become fascinated as long as you speak and concentrate (max 1 round/level + 5 rounds thereafter).  You need not share a common language with affected enemies.  
    • Fell Flight: (3rd) The invoker gains a Fly speed equal to their land speed with good maneuverability for up to 24 hours.
    • Flee the Scene: (4th) You can use dimension door as a spell-like ability, although the range is limited to short (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels).  When you use this ability, you leave behind a major image of yourself in your place that lasts for 1 round.  The image reacts appropriately to attacks as if you were concentrating on it.
    • Relentless Dispelling: (4th) As targeted dispel magic, the round after you use this invocation, the target of the effect is subjected to another targeted dispel magic at the start of your turn (with no additional action required on your part).  
    • Stony Grasp: (3rd) A Medium-sized arm of soil rises from the targeted square of earth, sand, or unworked stone--as the spell stony grasp (SpC).  It attempts to Grapple any creature. 
    • The Dead Walk: (4th) Create a zombie or skeleton from remains as animate dead under your control, crumbling to dust in a number of minutes equal to your invoker level unless the normal spell’s material costs are paid upon casting.
    • Voracious Dispelling: (4th) You can use dispel magic as the spell.  Any creature with an active spell effect dispelled by this invocation takes 1 point of damage per level of the spell effect (no save).
    • Walk Unseen: (2nd) The invoker vanishes from sight, as the spell invisibility.
    • Wall of Gloom: (2nd) Creates a wall of ominous solid shadows, as the spell wall of gloom (SpC).
  • Spiritualist
    • Compel Haunting: (3rd) As the spell speak with dead, compel the spirit of a dead corpse to return and answer 1 question per 2 invoker levels.
    • Corpse Candle: (3rd) As the spell corpse candle (SpC), create a floating ghostly hand and candle that illuminates ethereal and invisible creatures.
    • Exorcism: (1st)  When invoked as a swift action before using Chastise Spirits, you can instead target a single creature or object within 30 feet you suspect of being possessed by a fiend.  If it is so possessed, the possessing fiend must make a Will save against your chastise spirits save DC; if they fail they take no damage but are immediately removed from their host creature/object and displaced into an adjacent square prone.  As the exorcism spell (FC1).
    • Forced Manifestation: (3rd) Targeting a naturally incorporeal undead within long range, the creature must make a Will save or become corporeal (losing the incorporeal subtype and its benefits) for 5 rounds.
      • Additionally, the invoker may spend a single use of their Chastise Spirits ability as a swift action to instead have this invocation affect all naturally incorporeal undead within a 30 ft radius of the invoker.
    • Protection from Spirits: (2nd) An ally’s touched armor or shield gains the ghost touch special quality for 1 minute per invoker level.  
      • In addition, while knowing this invocation you may instead as a full-round action spend one use of Chastise Spirits to grant ghost touch’s benefits to the armor and/or shields of all allies within 30 feet for 5 minutes.
    • Reveal the Unseen: (3rd) As the spell invisibility purge, revealing all invisible creatures surrounding the invoker, in a radius of 5 feet per class level. 
    • Spiritual Advisor: (4th) The invoker calls upon the knowledge of lost spirits, gaining a +4 insight bonus on all Knowledge checks for 1 minute per invoker level.  They speak with spirits only they can see and hear.
    • Wards of Ectoplasm: (3rd) The invoker becomes warded against the touch of incorporeal entities.  An incorporeal creature that hits the warded invoker with an incorporeal touch attack automatically takes 1d8 force damage plus +1 per invoker level (up to +10).  This effect lasts 5 minutes until discharged.

Greater
  • Eldritch Essence
    • Bewitching Blast: (4th) Any creature struck by the invoker’s Eldritch Blast must succeed on a Will saving throw or become confused for 1 round.
    • Hindering Blast: (4th) Any creature struck by the invoker’s Eldritch Blast must succeed on a Will save or be slowed for 1 round.
    • Noxious Blast: (6th) Any creature struck by the invoker’s Eldritch Blast must succeed on a Fortitude save or become nauseated for 1 minute.  
    • Penetrating Blast: (6th) Blast has +4 bonus on caster level checks to overcome spell resistance, and target has spell resistance lowered.
  • Blast Shape
    • Eldritch Cone: (5th) The invoker’s Eldritch Blast becomes a 30-foot cone, affecting all targets within.  This is an area of effect and does not require a ranged touch attack.  Any creature in the area of the cone can attempt a Reflex save for half damage.
    • Eldritch Line: (5th) The invoker’s Eldritch Blast becomes a 60-foot line, affecting all targets within.  This is an area of effect and does not require a ranged touch attack.  Any creature in the area of the cone can attempt a Reflex save for half damage.
  • Other
    • Baleful Geas: (6th) The invoker forces a single living creature to carry out a service or to refrain from an action or course of activity, as they desire.  This invocation requires a Will save to negate the effect, otherwise it functions as the geas/quest spell with the following changes:  The creature’s Hit Dice must be no more than the invoker’s class level.  Twenty-four hours after the target becomes affected by this invocation, it takes 1d4 points of Strength damage; this damage repeats every 24 hours thereafter.  If the target’s Strength is reduced to 0, the invocation immediately ends. 
      • Creatures immune to Strength damage instead take 2d4 points of damage every 24 hours.
      • A creature that successfully saves against this cannot be affected by the same invoker’s baleful geas invocation for 24 hours.
    • Chilling Fog: (6th) The invoker creates a cold magical fog, as the solid fog spell.  Each creature within the area takes 2d6 points of cold damage at the start of its turn.  You can have only one chilling fog in place at a time; creating a second chilling fog automatically dismisses any chilling fog you previously created.
    • Chilling Tentacles: (5th) Create a field of shadowy tentacles that grasp all within the area, as the black tentacles spell.  All creatures within the area of effect (grappled or not) take 2d6 cold damage per round.
    • Devour Magic: (6th) The invoker delivers a targeted greater dispel magic effect with your touch.  The invoker gains 5 temporary hit points for each spell level dispelled by this touch invocation, the temporary hit points fade after 1 minute and do not stack with other temporary hit points.
      • If you devour a new spell, you can replace the old temporary hit points with the ones gained from the more recent spell, thus resetting the duration.  The invoker cannot devour their own invocations. 
    • Devil’s Whispers: (5th) As suggestion, but upon the effect ending the affected target makes an additional Will save with a -5 penalty (forgetting the compulsion entirely on a failed save).  Can only have a number of affected creatures equal to Charisma modifier at a time.
    • Enervating Shadow: (6th) The invoker is shrouded by shadows, granting them  total concealment in any area that isn’t brightly lit (e.g. daylight or in the radius of a spell with the light descriptor).  In addition, any living creature adjacent to the invoker with this ability active must make a Fortitude save at the beginning of its turn or take a –4 penalty to Strength for 5 rounds. Once a creature is affected by an enervating shadow, it cannot be affected again by the same invoker’s enervating shadow for 24 hours.
      • The duration of this ability is 5 rounds, and it can be countered or dispelled by any light descriptor spell or effect of equal or higher spell level.
    • Nightmares Made Real: (5th) The invoker turns the surrounding area into something out of a nightmare, as the spell nightmare terrain (CM).  In addition to the normal effect, all creatures within the area at the start of the invoker’s turn take 1d6 points of damage if they do not succeed on Will saves to disbelieve the effect.  If this invocation is used a second time while a previous one is still present, the previous nightmares made real duration immediately ends.
    • Painful Slumber of Ages: (6th) The invoker puts a single target to sleep, as the spell endless slumber (CM).  Any creature awakened from this effect by anything other than a successful save takes damage equal to the invoker’s class level (no save).
    • Tenacious Plague: (6th) The invoker calls a locust swarm as the spell insect plague, conjuring up to one swarm per 3 invoker levels (max 6).  The invoker adds their Charisma modifier to the Fortitude save DC to resist the swarm’s distraction ability. The attacks of any locust swarm summoned by this ability are treated as magic weapons for damage reduction purposes.  
    • Warlocks Call: (5th) The invoker sends a mental message across a great distance, as the sending spell.  However, a creature unwilling to reply can attempt a Will save to turn the sending back on the invoker, inflicting 1d10 points of damage to them. 
  • Spiritualist
    • Armaments Against the Spirits: (4th) An ally’s touched weapon gains the ghost touch special quality for 1 minute per invoker level.  In addition, while knowing this invocation you may instead as a full-round action spend one use of Chastise Spirits to grant ghost touch’s benefits to a single held weapon among all allies within 30 feet of you, lasting for 5 minutes.
    • Eldritch Death Throes [Shape]: (5th) As a standard action, until the start of your next turn you compress your eldritch blast within you to erupt if you are killed or brought near death.  If you are dropped to 0 or below hit points while affected by Eldritch Death Throes, your eldritch blast automatically erupts outwards–damaging and affecting all creatures in a 20 foot radius.  This effect is lost at the start of your next turn.
      • Alternatively, if you have the Spiritual Vassal alternative class feature (as seen below), you may have this effect apply to your Vassal until the start of your next turn.  If applied so, the Spiritual Vassal cannot be reduced below 1 hit point by the triggering damage effect.  
    • Denounce: (2nd) You awaken guilt and shame within an outsider as the spell denounce (FCodex II).
    • Ghost Trap: (6th) As the spell ghost trap (SpC), the invoker creates a radius of 5 feet per invoker level that forces all incorporeal creatures in the area into corporeal state; creatures cannot turn ethereal within the area and and ethereal creatures cannot affect or enter the plane of the invoker inside of this area.
    • Ghoulish Blast [Essence]: (3rd) The target of your eldritch blast must succeed a Fortitude save or be paralyzed for for 1 round per level.  If they succeed the save, they instead are sickened for the duration.  Neutralize poison removes the sickened effects, and creatures immune to poison are immune to the sickened effect.
    • Grasp the Heart: (3rd) The invoker chooses a single humanoid within 100 feet, requiring them to make a Fortitude save.  On a failed save, the target is paralyzed as their heart is grasped from within, taking 1d3 dmg per round for as long as the invoker Concentrates on maintaining the effect.  The target gets an additional Fortitude save every round to negate the effect.  If the target dies to this effect, the invoker is granted the target’s blackened, smoking heart in their hand.
    • Languishing Blast [Essence]: (4th)  By sacrificing the damage of the invoker’s eldritch blast, the blast weakens a struck living target by slowing them (as the spell) and inflicting 1d6-1 temporary Strength damage per 2 invoker levels (minimum 0/maximum -10 per round; a successful Will save negates).  This slow effect is countered by haste; and the Strength damage is cumulative.  The duration of the effects is 1 round per invoker level (resetting after the latest blast effect).  A target brought to less than 1 Strength falls helpless.
    • The Dead Answer: (4th) When used upon the touched corpse of a sentient creature, you temporarily raise them as a ghost for 1 minute per invoker level (while allowing them to retain their original alignment).  The invoker can compel the ghost to answer a number of questions, as the spell speak with dead.
      • A ghost whose alignment directly opposes one or more aspects of the invoker’s own can make a Will save to fight back (and automatically inflict force dmg on the invoker equal to the ghost’s Hit Dice).  
      • Casting this invocation requires 1 full minute and spending a black onyx gemstone of 100gp or more; and a ghost that successfully saves against this cannot be called by anyone for 48 hours.
    • Wall of Moonlight: (4th) Create a wall of pale cleaving light that harms undead, as the spell wall of moonlight (PGtF)

Undying
  • Eldritch Essence
    • Binding Blast: (7th)  Any creature struck by a binding Eldritch Blast must succeed on a Will save or be stunned for 1 round.  This is a mind-affecting effect.
    • Utterdark Blast: (8th)  The invoker’s Eldritch Blast inflicts negative energy damage, which heals undead creatures instead of damaging them (much like inflict spells).  Any living creature struck by the attack must also make a Fortitude save or gain two negative levels, in addition to the normal blast damage.  The negative levels fade after 1 hour, and they do stack.  If a target ever has as many negative levels as Hit Dice, it dies.
  • Blast Shape
    • Eldritch Doom: (8th) The invoker’s Eldritch Blast inflicts damage to any number of targets designated by the invoker within a 20-foot radius.  This is not a ray attack, so it requires no ranged touch attack.  Each target can attempt a Reflex save for half damage.
  • Other
    • Caster's Lament: (8th) The invoker can produce a break enchantment effect (as the spell) with their touch, affecting a single target once per 24-hour period—e.g. an ongoing spell, a permanent transformation, a magic item, or the like.  In addition, the invoker can instead use this invocation to counterspell another caster’s spell (of 7th level or lower) as if casting greater dispel magic.
    • Dark Discorporation: (8th) The invoker becomes a Swarm of Diminutive-sized shadows shaped like bats that fills two 10-foot squares (or eight contiguous 5-foot squares, shapeable as they desire).  The invoker can take only move actions (so you cannot use other invocations) while under the effect of dark discorporation.  The duration of this ability is 24 hours.  In this swarmlike form, the invoker gains the following characteristics and traits:
      • Abilities: Strength score drops to 1, but Dexterity score increases by +6.  
      • Armor Class: Invoker loses any natural armor or armor bonuses to Armor Class, gaining a +4 size bonus and a deflection bonus  equal to your Charisma modifier to Armor Class.
      • Movement: Gain a fly speed of 40 feet (perfect), and the invoker can pass through openings a Diminutive creature could pass through.  
      • Swarm Traits: While in this form, the invoker is not subject to critical hits or flanking, and becomes immune to weapon damage.  They cannot be tripped, grappled, bull rushed or grapple opponents.  The invoker becomes immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures, except for mind-affecting spells and abilities.  They also take half again as much damage (+50%) from spells or effects that affect an area.  Unlike other swarms of Diminutive creatures, the invoker is not vulnerable to wind effects.  If reduced to 0 hit points or less (or rendered unconscious by nonlethal damage) they instantly return to their normal form in a square of their choice formerly covered by the swarm.
      • Swarm Attack: Gain a swarm attack that deals 4d6 points of damage to any creature whose space the swarm occupies at the end of the invoker’s turn, striking as a magic weapon of their alignment. 
      • Distraction: Any living creature vulnerable to the swarm attack that begins its turn in a square occupied by the swarm must make a Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round.  Spellcasting or concentrating on spells within the area of the invoker’s swarm requires a Concentration check (DC 20 + spell level).
      • Possessions: All of the invoker's worn or carried equipment and items become nonfunctional, absorbed into the new swarm form. 
    • Dark Foresight: (9th) Use foresight as the spell, and communicate telepathically with a close target of the effect.
    • Instill Vulnerability: (7th) A single target creature within 30 feet must succeed a Fortitude save or become vulnerable to a single energy time for 24 hours (if immune they automatically succeed).
    • Path of Shadow: (6th) This invocation allows the invoker to use shadow walk as the spell.  Each hour that spent shadow walking with this ability, the invoker regains hit points as if they had rested for a full day. 
    • Perilous Veil: (7th) As the spell veil, anyone who succeeds on a Will save to disbelieve the effect immediately takes 5d6 damage.  (Spell Resistance applies to this damage).
    • Retributive Invisibility: (6th) The invoker vanishes from sight even while in direct combat, as the spell greater invisibility (targeting only themselves).  If this invocation is dispelled, a shock wave releases from the invoker in a 20-foot radius burst--which inflicts 4d6 sonic damage to all creatures in the area and stuns them for 1 round (Fortitude save halves the damage and negates the stunning effect). 
    • Steal Summoning: (5th) The invoker uses words of power to take control of another caster's summoned creature, as the spell steal summoning (CM).
  • Spiritualist
    • Disrupting Blast [Essence]: (6th) An undead struck by your eldritch blast must succeed a DC 14 Will saving throw or be instantly destroyed.
    • Dream Voyage: (7th) After casting as a full round action, the invoker’s body falls helpless in an unconscious state while their spirit rises in an incorporeal state, as the spell dream sight (CD).  The effect lasts for 1 minute per level, during which their incorporeal spirit can travel 100 feet per round and perceive everything in the areas they visit–but it cannot speak, attack, cast spells, etc in this state.  The invoker’s incorporeal spirit is detectable, attacked and blocked by all effects that normally affect incorporeal creatures.
      • An invoker can use this invocation once per day without issue, but every additional use between long rests requires them spend a use of their daily chastise spirits ability in order to work.  An invoker using this ability would be vulnerable to another spiritualist’s chastise spirits ability while in this form, and in addition must succeed a Concentration check (equal to the Will save DC) to not be forced to dismiss this invocation.
    • Entropic Foulness: (7th) As the spell miasma of entropy, the invoker causes all nonliving organic matter in a 30 foot cone burst (such as wood, leather, etc) to be instantly destroyed, turning into a slimy pulpy mass.  
      • Non-magical items are immediately destroyed with no saving throw, while magical items can make a Fortitude saving throw to negate the effect.  A held or worn magic item can use its owner’s Fortitude save bonus for this saving throw.  A single use of this invocation can only affect items that weigh 20 pounds or less.
    • Ethereal to Material: (6th) As the spell ghost trap, in a 60 foot radius surrounding the invoker for 1 minute per invoker level, all incorporeal creatures within the area are forced to become corporeal.  Creatures cannot turn ethereal while in this area, as well as ethereal creatures cannot become non-ethereal while in this field.
    • Night’s Marking Blast [Essence]: (5th) The target of your eldritch blast must make a Fortitude or Will save depending on if they are alive or undead.  If the target is a living creature, on a failed Fortitude save they take 1d4 temporary Constitution damage (a creature cannot be reduced below 1 Constitution by this effect), lasting 1 minute per invoker level.  If the target is an undead creature, instead on a failed Will save they are immediately panicked for 1d4 rounds plus +1 round per invoker level.

Alternate Spiritualist Class Features

  • Rescuer
    • Levels: 8th, 13th and 18th
    • Replaces: Ghost Warrior, Death-Bound
    • Grants:  Recall Spirit
    • Recall Spirit (Sp):     At 8th level, a spiritualist gains the ability to call back the spirit of a dead creature before the spirit of the deceased has completely left the body.  
      • Once per week, they can reconnect a spirit to its body, restoring life to a recently deceased creature.  The ability must be used within 1 round of the victim's death.  This ability functions like raise dead, except that the raised creature receives no level loss, no Constitution loss, and no loss of spells.  The creature is only restored to -1 hit points (but is stabilized).
      • At 18th level, a spiritualist can use their Recall Spirit ability within 3 rounds of the victim’s death instead of 1.
    • Death-Bound:  A spiritualist with this variant received the benefits of the Death-Bound class feature at 13th level.  They do not gain the Death-Lover class ability due to this class feature delay.
  • Spawn Legionnaire 
    • Requirements: Cannot be good-aligned
    • Level: 16th
    • Replaces: Weaken Spirits
    • Grants: Spawn Undead Servitor
    • Spawn Undead Servitor (Su): At 16th level, the spiritualist gains the dreaded ability to force a soul captured via their bind spirit ability to inhabit the body of a skeleton or zombie.  By completing a ritual that costs 500 gp per Hit Die of the skeleton or zombie, the spiritualist can permanently grant it the trapped soul's base attack bonus (if higher than its current one), skill ranks, weapon proficiencies, armor proficiencies, and feats. 
      • In addition, the undead creature gains the victim's Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores.  Other abilities, such as class abilities, special attacks, and special qualities, cannot be transferred in this manner.
      • This process creates a corrupted, twisted version of the original soul with the spiritualist’s  alignment in the undead creature.  
      • Once the ritual is complete, the trapped soul used in the ritual is freed and moves on to the afterlife normally.  The spiritualist gains no special control over undead creatures created in this way unless they already command them.  
      • For purposes of turning or rebuking undead, an undead servitor counts as 1.5 times its actual Hit Dice.  Its challenge rating equals its base CR plus 1/4 of the CR of the bound spirit used in the ritual.
  • Spirit Conqueror
    • Levels: 2nd, 4th, 8th, 13th & 16th levels
    • Replaces: Chastise Spirits, Ghost Warrior, Weaken Spirits
    • Grants: Spiritual Vassal, Ancestral Knowledge
    • Spiritual Vassal:   Starting at 2nd level, the spiritualist can compel obedience from a host of spirits that they have beckoned through a ritual ceremony and combined into a single spiritual vassal.  This ghostly apparition has little effect on the physical world, but besides acting as a familiar, it grants the spiritualist some of the knowledge the souls used to create it held in life.
      • A spiritualist calls and controls the spirits that make up the vassal through a solitary ritual that requires 100 gp worth of materials (primarily blood and bone taken from outsiders) and a humanoid creature that has recently passed within 1 day per spiritualist level.  Some evil spiritualists will commonly kidnap a still-living humanoid creature and kill them in ritual sacrifice to call forth incredibly dark spirits.
        • After obtaining the necessary ingredients, the spiritualist can open a magical link to the afterlife, compel a number of minor spirits to enter the material world, and collect them into their service. These spirits combine to form a single entity known as a spiritual vassal that obeys the spiritualist's every command.  
        • Some evil spiritualists take delight in compelling the vassal to serve them in profane rituals, and as a free action can induce wracking agony in the mob of spirits, causing it to howl in pain. The pain immobilizes the vassal (no save) until the spiritualist wills the effect to end (also a free action). This pitiable creature might moan for an end to its horrid existence even as it moves to oppose the evil spiritualist’s foes.
      • While the spiritual vassal serves the spiritualist, it is as loyal and trustworthy as a standard wizard's familiar.  If it is destroyed, the spiritualist suffers the same drawbacks as a wizard does if their familiar is slain. 
      • The spiritual vassal gains all the abilities indicated on Table: Spiritual Vassal Special Abilities, based on its master's level.  Many of these are the standard abilities of a familiar, but a few are unique to the spiritual vassal. The spiritual vassal also gains all the abilities described under "Familiar Basics" in the Familiars section.  
    • Ancestral Knowledge (Sp):   The spiritual vassal can draw on its memories from life to provide the spiritualist with advice, skills, and abilities on a temporary basis.  
      • Starting at 4th level, the spiritualist can access their spiritual vassal's memories, gaining one of the abilities described below (spiritualist’s choice) once per day.  They gain one additional selection per day at 8th level, another at 12th level, a fourth at 16th and a fifth at 20th level. 
      • The spiritualist may mix and match the abilities as desired within their usage allotment. 
        • For example, a 17th-level spiritualist  could use the memories of past lives ability four times, or memories of past lives twice and talents of the elders twice, or any combination of the three abilities that adds up to four uses.  The spiritualist’s spiritual vassal must be able to communicate with them for this ability to function.
      • Memories of Past Lives: Drawing on the spiritual vassal's memories, the spiritualist gains a +5 competence bonus on checks made with a skill of their choice.  This bonus lasts for 1 minute.
      • Speech of the Ancients: The spiritualist gains the ability to speak and read a language of their choice for 1 minute.
      • Talents of the Elders: The spiritualist gains temporary access to a feat of their choice for which they meet the prerequisites.  They can use the feat for 1 minute.

Table: Spiritual Vassal Special Abilities
Class Level Nat
Armor		 Int Special
1st - 2nd  +1 10 Alertness, empathic link,
improved evasion, share spells
3rd - 4th +2 11 Deliver touch spells
5th - 6th +3 12 Speak with master
7th - 8th  +4 13  
9th - 10th +5 14  
11th - 12th +6 15 Spell resistance
13th - 14th +7 16 Scry on familiar
15th - 16th +8 17  
17th - 18th +9 18  
19th - 20th +10 19 

Spiritual Vassal (Unbonded) - Base Statistics
Alignment: always neutral    
Tiny Undead                HD: ½d12 (3 hp)
Initiative: +1 
Speed: 10 ft., fly 30 ft. (perfect)
AC: 14 (+2 size, +1 Dex, +1 natural armor), touch 13, flat-footed 13
BAB/Grapple: +0/-8
Attack/Full-Attack: slam +1 melee Damage: slam (1-1 [0])  
SA: none 
SQ: undead traits; 
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +3; 
Abilities: Str 8, Dex 12, Con -, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10.
Challenge Rating: –

    A spiritual vassal looks like a small sphere of pale, glowing light. Those unfamiliar with soul reapers and their servants might mistake one for a will-o'-wisp. 
    When in combat or forced to perform some other unpleasant task, spiritual vassals moan in inarticulate whispers of their pain and misery.  Up close, shadowy faces–the spirits of the unfortunate souls bound into the vassal–occasionally appear and fade on the surface of the orb.
    Spiritual vassals are rarely encountered without a master.  The statistics provided below here, for an unbonded vassal, should only actually be used if the vassal's master is slain and it manages to survive.  Unbonded vassals constantly whimper and softly moan of their despair, begging any creatures they encounter to end their miserable existence and send the souls trapped in their bodies back to the afterlife.  
    Spiritualists typically hide their spiritual vassals within empty lanterns, to not to be so obviously followed by a floating bulb of ensnared spiritual energy.




Author's Note

    Ah, the Spiritualist.  One of my later forays into homebrewing invoker classes.  By this point I really felt like I had the invoker formula down pat, and there were tons of existing ghost/spirit and necromancy effects to pick from to create this class.  I was very much inspired by Crimson Peak and Haunting of The Bly Manor, and I was coming off of the Gravedigger homebrew project.  Also, I was preparing to run a Ravenloft campaign by consuming every nugget of Ravenloft's lore I could dredge up.  (That campaign is now almost two years old and you can read the story recap here, lol)
    Regardless of what led to its creation, the Spiritualist really was me jamming to a specific vibe.  While necromancers get a lot of love in D&D as a whole, I felt there wasn't a class that worked hand in hand with them.  Not exactly.  The spiritualist was my attempt to fully realize this vibe of someone giving themselves to the dead, pacting with the vast emptiness of the Great Beyond.  Hence why they cannot get involved with extreme philosophies or alignment: working with the dead requires straddling the line between this crazy world and the next.
    I hope the Spiritualist inspires you to try out something awesome this spooky season!  Thank you for reading!


Aboleth Eye