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View Full Version : Magic Totem Barbarian [3.5, GTB, PEACH!]



Admiral Squish
2011-08-09, 03:52 AM
This variant arose out of my Greater Totem Barbarian (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=157302) project. However, since this totem requires so much more material than any of the other totems I've created, I felt it deserved it's own thread for more detialed review and critique. In particular, I'm looking for commentary on my modified/expanded invocations list. I still need to write up the long forms for all those invocations, and it would be a great help if people were to give me their commentary before I settled in and began to elaborate. i don't want to put all the effort into writing up the specific details if the concept itself is broken.

Anyways, with no further ado, the Magic totem Barbarian:

Magic Totem Barbarian
http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2011/125/7/9/sword_mistress_by_josh_finney-d3flxdo.jpg
I don't need your training. My magic is a part of me, it flows in my blood in a way you will never understand. Using it is as easy as swinging my sword, and twice as deadly. -Heidrun, Magic Totem Barbarian, to a particularly uppity wizard.

New Class Skills: Concentration (Con), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (The Planes) (Int), Knowledge (Religion), Spellcraft (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha)
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|Invocations
1|+1|+2|+0|+2| Eldritch Fury 1/day, Invocations (Least)|1
2|+2|+3|+0|+3| Eldritch Blade 1d6|1
3|+3|+3|+1|+3| Invocations (Least)|2
4|+4|+4|+1|+4| Eldritch Fury 2/day, Eldritch Blade +2d6|2
5|+5|+4|+1|+4| Untouched by Magic|2
6|+6|+5|+2|+5| Eldritch Blade +3d6, Invocations (Lesser)|3
7|+7|+5|+2|+5| DR 2/Cold Iron|3
8|+8|+6|+2|+6| Eldritch Fury 3/day Eldritch Blade +4d6|3
9|+9|+6|+3|+6| Invocations (lesser)|4
10|+10|+7|+3|+7| DR 4/Cold Iron, Eldritch Blade +5d6|4
11|+11|+7|+3|+7| Greater Rage|4
12|+12|+8|+4|+8|Eldritch Fury 4/Day, Eldritch Blade +6d6, Invocations (Greater)|5
13|+13|+8|+4|+8|DR 6/Cold Iron|5
14|+14|+9|+4|+9|Eldritch Blade +7d6|5
15|+15|+9|+5|+9|Invocations (Greater)|6
16|+16|+10|+5|+10|Eldritch Fury 5/day, DR 8/Cold Iron, Eldritch Blade +8d6|6
17|+17|+10|+5|+10|Tireless Rage|6
18|+18|+11|+6|+11|Eldritch Blade +9d6, Invocations (Mighty)|7
19|+19|+11|+6|+11|DR 10/Cold Iron|7
20|+20|+12|+6|+12|Mighty Rage, Eldritch Fury 6/Day, Eldritch Blade +10d6, Invocations (Mighty)|8
[/table]

Eldritch Fury (Ex): A magic totem barbarian can fly into a state of eldritch fury a certain number of times per day. In an eldritch fury, a magic totem barbarian temporarily gains a +4 bonus to Strength and Charisma. While in eldritch fury, a magic totem barbarian cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except for Balance, Escape Artist, Intimidate, and Ride), the Concentration skill, or any abilities that require patience or concentration, nor can he cast spells or activate magic items that require a command word, a spell trigger (such as a wand), or spell completion (such as a scroll) to function (Note that, as invocations are spell-like abilities, they may still be cast). He can use any feat he has except Combat Expertise, item creation feats, and metamagic feats. A fit of eldritch fury lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the character’s Constitution modifier. A magic totem barbarian may prematurely end his eldritch fury. At the end of the eldritch fury, the barbarian loses their eldritch fury modifiers and restrictions and becomes fatigued (-2 penalty to Strength, -2 penalty to Dexterity, can’t charge or run) for the duration of the current encounter (unless he is a 17th-level magic totem barbarian, at which point this limitation no longer applies).

A magic totem barbarian can fly into an eldritch fury only once per encounter. At 1st level he can use his rage ability once per day. At 4th level and every four levels thereafter, he can use it one additional time per day (to a maximum of six times per day at 20th level). Entering a rage takes no time itself, but a barbarian can do it only during his action, not in response to someone else’s action.

Invocations (Sp): A magic totem barbarian does not prepare or cast spells as other wielders of arcane magic do. Instead, he possesses a repertoire of attacks, defenses, and abilities known as invocations that require him to focus the wild energy that suffuses his soul. A magic totem barbarian can use any invocation he knows at will, with the following qualifications:
A magic totem barbarian’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 magic totem barbarian is entitled to a Concentration check to successfully use an invocation if he is hit by an attack while invoking, just as a spellcaster would be. A magic totem barbarian can choose to use an invocation defensively, by making a successful Concentration check, to avoid provoking attacks of opportunity. A magic totem barbarian’s invocations are subject to spell resistance unless an invocation’s description specifically states otherwise. A magic totem barbarian’s caster level with his invocations is equal to his magic totem barbarian level.
A magic totem barbarian has access to a specific kind of invocation known as battle essences. This invocations are specifically use to augment the magic totem barbarian's combat abilities directly. These invocations are usually cast as swift or immediate actions, making them ideal for mid-combat use.
Because the somatic components required for magic totem barbarian invocations are relatively simple, a magic totem barbarian can use any of his invocations while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like arcane spellcasters, a magic totem barbarian 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 magic totem barbarian still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from levels in other classes.
The save DC for an invocation (if it allows a save) is 10 + equivalent spell level + the magic totem barbarian’s Charisma modifier. Since spell-like abilities are not actually spells, a magic totem barbarian cannot benefit from the Spell Focus feat. He 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 invocations, in order of their relative power, are least, lesser, greater, and mighty. A magic totem barbarian begins with knowledge of one invocation, which must be of the lowest grade (least), and gains additional invocations as indicated on the table above. A list of available invocations can be found in the post following this class description, and a complete description of each invocation can be found in the post after that.
At any level when a magic totem barbarian learns a new invocation, he can also replace an invocation he already knows with another invocation of the same or a lower grade. At 6th level, a magic totem barbarian can replace a least invocation he knows with a different least invocation (in addition to learning a new invocation, which could be either least or lesser). At 12th level, a magic totem barbarian can replace a least or lesser invocation he knows with another invocation of the same or a lower grade (in addition to learning a new invocation, which could be least, lesser, or greater). At 18th level, a magic totem barbarian can replace a least, lesser, or greater invocation he knows with another invocation of the same or a lower grade (in addition to learning a new invocation, which could be least, lesser, greater, or mighty).
Finally, unlike other spell-like abilities, invocations are subject to arcane spell failure chance as described above. Magic totem barbarians can qualify for some prestige classes usually intended for spellcasters.

Eldritch Blade (Su):At 2nd level and above, a magic totem barbarian can charge his weapon with devastating eldritch energy as a free action once per round, making his next melee attack into an eldritch blade attack. If the attack hits, it deals an additional 1d6 + Cha mod damage. If the attack misses, the eldritch blade charge is wasted. At 4th level and every even-numbered level thereafter, this damage increases by 1d6. You can apply an eldritch essence you know to any eldritch blade attack you make. You can only apply a single eldritch essence each time you use your eldritch blade.

Untouched by Magic (Ex): At 5th level and higher, if a magic totem barbarian is the target of a spell or spell-like ability that has a lesser effect on a successful save, and he succeeds on his save, the magic totem barbarian negates the effect entirely.

Damage Reduction (Su): Fortified by the supernatural power flowing in his body, a warlock becomes resistant to physical attacks. At 7th level and above, the magic totem barbarian gains damage reduction 2/cold iron. Every three levels thereafter, this damage reduction increases by 2 points.

Greater Fury (Ex): At 11th level, a magic totem’s bonuses to Strength and Charisma during his eldritch fury each increase to +6.

Deceive Item (Ex): At 14th level and higher, a magic totem barbarian has the ability to more easily commandeer magic items made for the use of other characters. When making a Use Magic Device check, a magic totem barbarian can take 10 even if distracted or threatened.

Tireless Fury (Ex): At 17th level and higher, a magic totem barbarian no longer becomes fatigued at the end of his eldritch fury.

Mighty Fury (Ex): At 20th level, a barbarian’s bonuses to Strength and Charisma during his eldritch fury each increase to +8.

Admiral Squish
2011-08-09, 03:56 AM
LEAST INVOCATIONS
Eldritch Essence:
Destructive Touch: You can deliver eldritch blade damage by making a melee touch attack.

Eldritch Arrow: Eldritch blade forms into an arcane projectile

Frightful Blow: Target must make Will save or become shaken

Shatterstrike: Eldritch blade attack ignores hardness, but eldritch damage is halved.

Invocations:
All-around Vision: You cannot be flanked, and gain a +6 bonus on search and spot checks.

Ancestor’s Knowledge: Gain a bonus on knowledge checks equal to your charisma modifier and you can make knowledge checks untrained.

Breeze Guard: Incoming ranged attacks take a -2 penalty, and ranged attacks made by you gain a +2 bonus. You leave no trail, and cannot be tracked by scent.

Commune with Nature: You gain wild empathy, as the ranger ability, and can speak with animals.

Darksight: See normally in darkness and magical darkness.

Deathbringer: Deal one damage to all creatures at 0 or fewer HP within 30 feet. If a creature dies from this, you gain temporary HP equal to the creatures HD that last for one round/level.

Earthen Grasp: Use Earthen Grasp as the spell

Fireblood: Any creature that strikes you in melee takes 1d6+class level fire damage

Glory mantle: You glow with a inner light, shedding bright light out to 30 feet and shadowy illumination out to 60 feet.

Leaps and Bounds: Gain a +6 bonus on Balance, Jump, and Tumble checks.

See the Unseen: Gain see invisibility as the spell and darkvision out to 60 feet.

Spiderwalk: Gain spider climb as the spell.

Summon Elemental Guardian: You summon a small elemental that serves you. For every five levels of barbarian you have, the summoned elemental’s size increases by one.

Unstoppable: Gain a bonus to fort, ref, or will saves equal to you charisma modifier.

Waterborn: You gain a swim speed equal to your base land speed and can breathe water and air equally well.

Battle Essence:

Ghostly Guard: You gain a shield bonus to AC equal to your charisma modifier.

Giant’s Form: You and all your equipment increase by one size category.

Quick Step: Gain a 10 foot bonus to land speed, ignore difficult terrain.

Serpent’s Grasp: A successful grapple check deals 1d6 damage.

Shade Cloak: You obscure yourself with a wreath of magical shadows, gaining concealment.

Stonefoot: You gain a bonus equal to your class level against any attempts to move you.

Wild Claws: Gain two claw attacks that deal 1d6 damage.


LESSER INVOCATIONS
Eldritch Essence:

Bane Strike: Your eldritch blade deals 1.5x damage against a specific creature type. Choose a type from the ranger’s favored enemy options.

Cleaving Blade: If the target of Eldritch Blade falls from the attack, you may make another eldritch blade attack as a free action against another target within reach

Elemental Strike: Your eldritch blade damage becomes acid, cold, electricity, or fire damage.

Shadow Strike: You coat your blade in darkness. Target must make a fortitude save or suffer a 50% miss chance on attacks for 1 round.

Thunderous Blow: Your target must make a fortitude save or be blinded and deafened for one round.

Vampiric Blow: You gain temporary HP equal to the damage dealt with your eldritch blade attack. These temporary HP last for one round/level.

Invocations:

Bestial Instinct: Gain blindsense 30 feet.

Boiling Blood: You can stir yourself or an ally into a frenzy, much like a barbarian’s rage (you cannot be in eldritch fury AND rage)

Dimensional Charge: Teleport 50 feet. You may attack as though you had charged an opponent if they are within melee range of the destination. The target is considered flat-footed against this attack.

Hinder: One creature within 30 feet must make a will save or take a penalty to attack rolls, ability checks, and skill checks equal to your charisma modifier for one minute.

March of the Ancestors: You can call the spirits of your ancestors to temporarily inhabit the bodies of your dead enemies. In effect, you create undead as with the Animate Dead spell.

Rebellious Magic: Use dispel magic as the spell. If a spell effect is dispelled, the target takes damage equal to the spell’s level.

Resistance: You gain resistance 20 to acid, cold, electricity, or fire.
Strike Unseen: Use invisibility (self only) as the spell.

Stony Grasp: Use stony grasp as the spell.

Strike Unseen: Use Invisibility (self only) as the spell

Wind‘s Embrace: you gain a fly speed with good maneuverability.

Wildhome: You and all allies within 30 feet are protected as though by the endure elements spell.

Battle Essence:

Arcane Equipment: Your weapon or armor gains a +1 enhancement bonus/4 class levels

Beastheart: You gain a +4 enhancement bonus to any one ability score.

Call to Arms: Use Warning Shout as the spell (SpC p. 236) but grant a bonus until ally’s next turn.

Frost Blade: You can create weapons or tools from magical ice.

Guided Shot Use Guided Shot as the spell (SpC p. 108).

Hungry Fang: Gain bite attack that deals 1d8 damage and grants a grapple bonus.

Lion’s Fury: Gain Pounce.

Mighty Rush: Deal double damage on a charge


GREATER INVOCATIONS
Eldritch Essences:

Buffeting Strike: The target must make a reflex save or be thrown back 5 feet for every two levels of barbarian you have and fall prone. If the target is thrown into an object, they stop early, taking 1d6 damage for every ten feet hurled, and fall prone against it.

Eldritch whirlwind: You swing your eldritch blade in a circle, making a single ranged touch attack roll to deal eldritch blade damage to all targets within 10 feet.

Magic-feeding Cut: A creature struck by your eldritch blade is subject to a targeted greater dispel magic effect, and if you successfully dispel a spell, you gain temporary HP equal to 5 x the dispelled effect’s spell level. These temporary HP last for one round/level.

Paralyzing Blow: A creature struck by your eldritch blade must make a will save or be held in place as though by a hold person spell, except it applies to all creature types. This hold lasts for one round for every three levels of barbarian you have.

Relentless Agony: The target struck by your eldritch blade automatically takes 3d6 each round after a successful hit. This extra damage persists for one round for every five levels of barbarian you have.

Invocations:

Caustic Mire: Acidic sludge slows progress and deals damage

Chilling Tentacles: Use Evard’s black tentacles as the spell, and deal extra cold damage to creatures in the area.

Glaring Brilliance: Your body sheds light as a daylight spell, particularly from the eyes and mouth. Blind creatures that meet your gaze.

Greenblood: Use Plant Body (SpC p. 159) as the spell. While this spell is in effect, you are treated as being under the effects of a Speak With Plants spell.

Tenacious Plague: Use insect plague as the spell, but the summoned locust swarm deals damage as a magic weapon.

Wall of Perilous Flame: Create a wall of fire as the spell, but half the damage from the wall results from supernatural power.

Zephyr Chariot: You call forth a spirit of the wind to ferry you and your allies through the skies

Battle Essence:

Armored Hide: Gain heavy bonus to natural armor

Burst of Speed Act as though Hasted for the remainder of the round

Champion‘s Form: You gain a +4 enhancement bonus to strength and constitution as you and all your equipment grow one size category.

Elemental Grip: Any creature you hold in a grapple for one full round takes 1d6 fire, cold, electricity or acid damage for each level of barbarian you have.

Form of the Forest Lord: You take the shape of a Horrid Bear for 1 round/2 levels.

Ghostly Blade: Your next attack is resolved as a touch attack.

Terrible Horns: Gain gore attack that deals 1d8 damage and gives you a bonus on charge attacks.


MIGHTY INVOCATIONS
Eldritch Essences:

Bonecrushing Blow: Eldritch blade attack deals 1d6 con damage.

Disabling Blow: Target must make a will save or be stunned for one round.

Magic-Binding Strike: Target must make a will save or be treated as though they were in a personal antimagic field, rendering them unable to use spells, spell-like abilities, or supernatural abilities. This lasts for one round/level.

Prismatic Strike: You engulf your blade in shimmering, prismatic energy to deliver devastating effects. Roll a d8 to determine the effects of the blow.

Utterdark Strike: Eldritch blade deals negative energy damage. Target must make Fortitude save or gain two negative levels.

Invocations:

Ancestor’s Guidance: Your ancestors guide you and your allies through even the most dangerous situations. Use foresight as the spell, but your allies are guided by the spirits.

Caster's Lament: Your touch can break enchantment, and you can counterspell.

Dark Discorporation: Become a swarm of batlike shadows, gaining many benefits of the swarm subtype.

Freezing Fog: Use Freezing Fog (SpC p.99) as the spell, but deal additional cold damage.

Ghostly Warrior: Call the spirit of an ancestor to wield a metaphysical sword against your foes.

Steal Summoning: Take control of another caster's summoned monster.

Word of Changing: Use baleful polymorph as the spell, but effect could become permanent.

Battle Essence:

Devastating Blows: Deal eldritch blade damage on all attacks this turn.

Form of the Wave Terror: Take the form of a Horrid shark for 1 round/ 2 levels

Form of the War Machine: Take the form of a Warforged Titan for 1 round/2 levels

Perfect Form: Gain +6 enhancement bonus to all ability scores, Natural Armor, and a bonus equal to charisma on all saves.

Admiral Squish
2011-08-09, 03:57 AM
Invocation Details:

ALL-SEEING EYES
Least; 2nd
You gain a supernaturally precise vision of the world around you. You gain the benefits of comprehend languages, albeit for written words only. Additionally, you gain a +6 bonus on Search and Spot checks. All-seeing eyes lasts for 24 hours.

ANCESTOR'S GUIDANCE
Mighty; 9th
You call on the spirits of your ancestors to guide you, taking advantage of their somewhat less-linear view of time. You can use Foresight, as the spell. the spirits whisper warnings and tug you out of the way of danger. When using it on an ally, the spirits follow them, but they can only whisper warnings. The spirits will not follow the subject out beyond 100 feet from you, as it is your magical aura that allows them to linger on this plane.

ANCESTOR'S KNOWLEDGE
Least; 2nd
Your ancestors speak to you from beyond, sharing the accumulated knowledge of untold generations. You gain a +6 bonus on Knowledge checks for 24 hours, and you can make knowledge checks untrained.

ARCANE EQUIPMENT
Lesser; 3rd; Battle Essence (Swift)
You imbue your weapons and armor with a crude, temporary sort of enchantment. You can grant a single weapon, suit of armor, shield, or natural weapon in your possession an enhancement bonus that lasts for 1 round/level or until you use this ability again. This enhancement bonus is equal to +1/four class levels (Max +5).

ARMORED HIDE
Greater; 5th; Battle Essence (Swift)
You call upon the beast within to protect you. Your skin might become thick, leathery hide, or perhaps you gain a black and shiny exoskeleton, or layers of overlapping scales, or even hard plates of bony shell. You gain a bonus to natural armor equal to 1/2 your class level, which lasts for 1 round/level.

BANE STRIKE
Lesser; 3rd; Eldritch Essence
You transform your eldritch blade attack into a bane strike. This attack deals extra damage against creatures of a specific type. When you roll your eldritch blade bonus damage on a creature of this type, multiply the result by 1.5. You must select the creature type when you first gain this invocation, and you can't later change your mind (though you can take this invocation more than once, choosing a new creature type each time). You choose your creature type from the categories offered for a ranger's favored enemy (PH 47), including a subtype if you choose humanoid or outsider.

BEASTHEART
Lesser; 3rd; Battle Essence (Swift)
By calling up the animal essences deep within you, you gain the strengths of the animal kingdom for a short time. You gain a +4 enhancement bonus to any one ability score. This bonus lasts for one round/level, or until you use this ability again.

BESTIAL INSTINCT
Lesser; 4th
You can sharpen your hearing and instincts when you use this invocation, gaining blindsense out to 30 feet for 24 hours.

BOILING BLOOD
Lesser; 3rd
By touching yourself or a willing ally, you can stir the target's blood to a boil, sending them into a rage. The target gains a +2 morale bonus to Strength and Constitution, a +1 morale bonus on Will saves, and a -2 penalty to AC. The effect is otherwise identical with a barbarian’s rage. The rage lasts for 1 round/level. If using this ability on yourself, you cannot use invocations while it in effect. You cannot be in eldritch fury and under the effects of this spell at the same time.

BONECRUSHING BLOW
Mighty; 9th; Eldritch Essence
You turn your eldritch blade attack into a bonecrushing blow. You tune your eldritch blade to deal massive internal damage to your foe. The target takes 1d6 points of constitution damage in addition to the normal bonus damage of your eldritch blade.

BREEZE GUARD
Least; 2
You call forth a number of wind spirits to protect you and stabilize your attacks. Any projectile or thrown attacks made against you take a -2 penalty as the wind spirits push them off-course, and any projectile or thrown attacks you make get a +2 bonus as the spirits guide and propel your attacks. The spirits also help you by wiping away your tracks, making it so you leave no trail and can't even be tracked by scent.

BUFFETING STRIKE
Greater; 6th; Eldritch Essence
This invocation turns your eldritch blade attack into a buffeting strike. You swing in hard and deep from below, propelling your opponent airborne and soaring away from you. The target must make a fortitude save or be thrown backwards, directly away from you. The target is thrown back 1d4 x5 feet, or 1d4 squares, and knocked prone. Add one square or five feet to the distance hurled for every four class levels you possess. (i.e. at twelfth level, the target would be thrown back 1d4+3 squares or 1d4+3 x5 feet.) If the target strikes a solid surface or object, it stops prematurely, taking 1d6 damage for every 10 feet hurled, and is still knocked prone. Movement from this attack does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

BURST OF SPEED
Greater; 5th; Battle Essence (swift)
In an instant, the world seems to slow down around you, letting you move freely while everyone else moves through molasses. You gain the effects of Haste, as the spell, until the start of your next turn.

CALL TO ARMS
Lesser; 3rd; Battle Essence (Immediate)
As an immediate action, you let out a warning shout imbued with arcane energy. This shout actually is nothing but sound as it leaves your mouth, but each ally within 30 feet hears a warning that helps them somehow in the coming moments. Any ally that hears this shout is automatically not considered to be flat-footed, even if they haven't acted yet in this encounter, and any allies that are sleeping automatically wake. Until the character's next turn, they gain a +1 dodge bonus to AC, a +1 bonus to reflex saves, and a +1 bonus to attacks of opportunity.

CASTER'S LAMENT
Dark; 8th
You can produce a break enchantment effect (as the spell) with your touch. You can only attempt to affect any single magical effect—an ongoing spell, a permanent transformation, a magic item, or the like—once per 24-hour period. In addition, you can use casters lament to counterspell another caster's spell (of 7th level or lower) as if casting greater dispel magic.

CAUSTIC MIRE
Greater; 4th
You can use caustic mire as the spell (C.Mage p. 98). If you use this invocation a second time while a previous caustic mire is still present, the previous effect ends.

CHAMPION'S FORM
Greater; 5th; Battle Essence (Swift)
You call forth your inner strength, and with the help of a little magic, you take on a much more powerful form. You gain a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength, Constitution, and natural armor, and you and all of your equipment grow one size category larger, doubling your height and multiplying your weight by 8. You take a -1 size penalty to AC and attack rolls. If you increase to large size, you have a space of 10 feet and a natural reach of 10 feet. If insufficient room is available for the desired growth, you attain the maximum possible size and may make a Strength check to burst any enclosures in the process. If it fails, you are constrained without harm by the materials enclosing you. All equipment you're wearing or carrying is similarly enlarged by the spell. Melee and projectile weapons affected by this spell deal more damage. Other magical properties are not affected by this spell. An enlarged item that leaves your possession (including a projectile or thrown weapon) instantly returns to its normal size. This means that thrown weapons deal their normal damage, and projectiles deal damage based on the size of the weapon that fired them. Magical properties of enlarged items are not increased by this spell. Multiple magical effects that increase size do not stack.

CHILLING TENTACLES
Greater; 5th
This invocation allows you to conjure forth a field of black tentacles that ooze from the ground, groping for victims. This invocation functions identically to the Evard’s black tentacles spell, except that each creature within the area of the invocation takes 2d6 points of cold damage each round. Creatures in the area take this cold damage whether or not they are grappled by the tentacles.

CLEAVING BLADE
Lesser; 4th; Eldritch Essence
You make it so your eldritch blade energy lingers on your weapon of choice, allowing you to use it more than once. If you make an eldritch blade attack and your target is dropped to -1 HP or below, you can immediately make an additional eldritch blade attack against another target within reach. This extra attack takes no action on your part, and is made with the same weapon and at the same attack bonus as the attack that killed the first target. If that target is in turn dropped to -1 HP or below, you may make another attack against another target in reach, and so on until a target either survives your attack, you no longer have any targets in reach, or you choose to stop.

COMMUNE WITH NATURE
Least; 2nd
You gain a rapport with the beasts of the world. You gain the wild empathy ability as a druid of your magic totem barbarian level and can communicate with animals as if under the effect of speak with animals. This invocation lasts for 24 hours.

DARK DISCORPORATION
Dark; 8th
One with the powers of darkness, you learn to abandon your body. When you use this ability, you becomes a swarm of Diminutive, batlike shadows that fills two 10-foot squares (or eight contiguous 5-foot squares, shapeable as you desire). The duration of this ability is 24 hours.
In this swarmlike form, you gain the following characteristics and traits.
—Abilities: Your Strength score drops to 1, but your Dexterity score increases by 6.
—Armor Class: You lose any natural armor or armor bonuses to Armor Class. You gain a +4 size bonus to AC, and a deflection bonus to AC equal to your Charisma modifier.
—Movement: You gain a fly speed of 40 feet with perfect maneuverability. You can pass through openings a Diminutive creature could pass through.
—Swarm Traits: You are not subject to critical hits or flanking, and you are immune to weapon damage. You cannot be tripped, grappled, or bull rushed, and you cannot grapple an opponent. You are immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures, except for mind-affecting spells and abilities. You take half again as much damage (+50%) from spells or effects that affect an area. Unlike other swarms of Diminutive creatures, you are not vulnerable to wind effects. If reduced to 0 hit points or less, or rendered unconscious by nonlethal damage, you instantly return to your normal form in a square of your choice that was formerly covered by the swarm.
—Swarm Attack: You gain a swarm attack that deals 4d6 points of damage to any creature whose space you occupy at the end of your turn. Your swarm attack strikes as a magic weapon of your alignment.
—Distraction: Any living creature vulnerable to your swarm attack that begins its turn in a square occupied by your swarm must make a Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. Spellcasting or concentrating on spells within the area of your swarm requires a Concentration check (DC 20 + spell level).
—Possessions: All of your worn or carried equipment and items become nonfunctional, absorbed into your new form.
You can take only move actions (so you cannot use other invocations) while under the effect of dark discorporation.

DARKSIGHT
Least; 2nd
By forming a weak connection to the plane of shadows, you can see normally in darkness and magical darkness out to 30 feet for 24 hours.

DEATHBRINGER
Least; 2nd
You can use reaving aura as the spell (C.Mage p.114). In addition to the normal effect, if any creature within 10 feet of you dies, you gain temporary hit points equal to its HD (maximum 10) for 1 round.

DESTRUCTIVE TOUCH
Least; 1st; Eldritch Essence
You can gather your eldritch energy in your palm, delivering it with a gentle tap. You can make a melee touch attack that deals damage equal to the bonus damage you would normally apply to an eldritch blade attack.

DEVASTATING BLOWS
Mighty; 9th; Battle Essence (Swift)
You can build up your eldritch blade energy almost instantly after using this invocation. Each attack you make until the end of your turn deals eldritch blade damage. You may not use an eldritch essence in a round in which you use this invocation.

DIMENSIONAL CHARGE
Lesser; 3rd
You can warp through space over short distances, appearing and striking in an instant. By using this invocation, you can teleport up to 60 feet. You must be able to see your destination. In addition, if you teleport to a square within reach of an opponent you were aware of before you teleported, you may make a single attack against that opponent as though you were making an attack at the end of a charge. The target is flat-footed against this attack.

DISABLING BLOW
Mighty; 8th; Eldritch Essence
You change an eldritch blade attack into a disabling blow. By infusing enchanting magic into the eldritch blade, you can make the target's mind momentarily shut down. The target of the attack must make a will save or be stunned for one round.

EARTHEN GRASP
Least; 2nd
You can use earthen grasp as the spell (C.Arc 104).

ELDRITCH ARROW
Least; 2nd; Eldritch Essence
By loosely binding the eldritch sheathe around your weapon then striking, you may attack foes even at a range. Instead of making a normal eldritch blade attack, you may make a ranged attack with a range increment of 50 feet. If the attack hits, the target takes damage equal to the bonus damage normally applied to an eldritch blade attack.

ELDRITCH WHIRLWIND
Greater; 5th; Eldritch Essence
You extend the sheathe of eldritch energy on your weapon and whirl it around in a quick circle as a standard action, letting the energy wash over them. You make a single ranged touch attack and compare it to the touch AC of all creatures within 10 feet. If you beat their touch AC, they take damage equal to your eldritch blade bonus damage. You may exclude any number of targets within the area of this attack.

ELEMENTAL GRIP
Greater; 6th; Battle Essence (Swift)
You can call forth the power of the elements to engulf your body in devastating energy. You may choose Acid, Cold, Electricity, or Fire when you activate this invocation. You deal 1d6 points of damage of the chosen energy type per class level to a creature you have in a grapple. This energy engulfs you for 10 minutes.

ELEMENTAL STRIKE
Lesser; 4th; Eldritch Essence
By calling forth the elements, you can change the nature of your eldritch blade, sheathing the weapon in elemental energy. Your eldritch blade bonus damage becomes acid, cold, electricity, or fire. You may choose a different element with each use of this invocation.

FIREBLOOD
Least; 2nd
By channeling the essence of fire inward, you turn your own blood into a scalding spray that damages those who dare engage you in melee. When an opponent makes a sucessful melee attack against you, they must make a reflex save to avoid the spray of superheated blood that follows. If they fail the save, they take 1d6+class level fire damage. Weapons with exceptional reach do not expose their wielder to this damage. Your blood burns for 24 hours before this invocation wears off.

FORM OF THE FOREST LORD
Greater; 6th; Battle Essence (Swift)
Suddenly, your enemies find themselves facing down a truly tremendous bear, covered in thick, bony plates and matted fur, massive claws dripping sizzling liquids. You take on the form and statistics of a Horrid Bear (Dire Bear +Horrid Template, ECS p.289) for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your class level. This is a Polymorph effect. If reduced to 0 or fewer HP while in Horrid Bear form, you cannot use this ability again for 1 hour.

FORM OF THE WAR MACHINE
Mighty; 8th; Battle Essence (Swift)
Your foes find themselves suddenly at the foot of a towering iron machine, belching steam and bringing a titanic blade and a humongous maul to bear. You take on the form and statistics of a Warforged Titan (ECS) for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your class level. This is a Polymorph effect. If reduced to 0 or fewer HP while in Horrid Shark form, you cannot use this ability again for 1 hour.

FORM OF THE WAVE TERROR
Mighty; 8th; Battle Essence (Swift)
Your foes find themselves suddenly at the business end of a 30-foot monster of a shark, covered with spiny bone plates, and dripping caustic fluid from it's thousands of fangs. You take on the form and statistics of a Horrid Shark (Dire Shark +Horrid Template, ECS p.289) for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your class level. This is a Polymorph effect. If reduced to 0 or fewer HP while in Horrid Shark form, you cannot use this ability again for 1 hour. Creatures that have been swallowed whole when this invocation ends appear adjacent to you.

FREEZING FOG
You may use Freezing Fog as the spell (SpC p. 99). However, the fog only remains for 1 round/level, and it deals 3d6 cold damage.

FRIGHTFUL BLOW
Least; 2nd; Eldritch Essence
This eldritch essence invocation allows you to change your eldritch blade attack into a frightful blow. Any creature struck by a frightful blow must succeed on a Will save or become shaken for 1 minute. A shaken creature struck by a frightful blow is not affected by the shaken aspect of the blow but takes damage normally. Creatures with immunity to mind-affecting spells and abilities or fear effects cannot be shaken by a frightful blow.

FROST BLADE
Lesser; 4th; Battle Essence (Swift)
By gathering moisture in the air to your purposes, you can freeze it into shapes to create weapons and tools. You can create any weapon or shield you are proficient with, though the ice must be rigid, and cannot create flexible weapons or weapons with moving parts. Weapons created in this way are treated as masterwork weapons. In addition to their base damage, frost blade weapons deal 1d4 points of cold damage when they strike a creature. While you feel only a gentle chill from wielding a frost blade weapon of your creation, other creatures attempting to wield frost blade weapons or shields take 1 point of cold damage each round. In addition, you can use this power to create other small objects out of ice. These items must be smaller than 1 cubic foot/level. You can create a simple tool for any skill, or a masterwork tool for any skill you have ranks in. However, no matter what you create with this invocation, the ice loses it's magical coherence after ten minutes, causing the items to become brittle and useless, and starting to melt in warm areas.

GHOSTLY BLADE
Greater; 5th; Battle Essence (Swift)
Your blade suddenly becomes translucent, phasing effortlessly through shield and armor, seeking the vulnerable flesh beneath. You resolve your next melee attack roll as a touch attack. This effect only lasts for one attack, and fades away at the start of your next turn.

GHOSTLY GUARD
Least; 1st; Battle Essence (swift)
You can call forth one of your ancestors to protect you in battle. This spirit takes the form of a faintly visible shield with a face on the surface. It floats between you and your enemies, briefly flashing into existence proper just long enough to spoil an attack. You gain a shield bonus to AC equal to your charisma. This bonus cannot exceed twice your class level. The spirit lingers for a number of rounds equal to your class level.

GHOSTLY WARRIOR
Mighty; 8th
You can call a spirit warrior from the other side, granting him a moment. The spirit takes the form of a massive sword of spiritual force. In effect, you may use Mordenkainen's Sword as the spell. You use your charisma modifier to determine the sword's attack bonus, and add your charisma modifier to the sword's damage.

GIANT'S FORM
Least; 1st; Battle Essence (swift)
You call forth your inner strength, and with the help of a little magic, you take on a more powerful form. You and all of your equipment grow one size category larger, doubling your height and multiplying your weight by 8. You take a -1 size penalty to AC and attack rolls. If you increase to large size, you have a space of 10 feet and a natural reach of 10 feet. If insufficient room is available for the desired growth, you attains the maximum possible size and may make a Strength check to burst any enclosures in the process. If it fails, you are constrained without harm by the materials enclosing you. All equipment you're wearing or carrying is similarly enlarged by the spell. Melee and projectile weapons affected by this spell deal more damage. Other magical properties are not affected by this spell. An enlarged item that leaves your possession (including a projectile or thrown weapon) instantly returns to its normal size. This means that thrown weapons deal their normal damage, and projectiles deal damage based on the size of the weapon that fired them. Magical properties of enlarged items are not increased by this spell. Multiple magical effects that increase size do not stack. This growth lasts for one round/level.

GLARING BRILLIANCE
Greater; 5th
You fill yourself with blinding light, which pours out of your body through every inch of your skin, as well as producing beams from your mouth and eyes. You illuminate a 60-foot radius around you, and provide shadowy illumination out 60 feet beyond that, as though you were the center of a daylight spell. In addition, the beams of light pouring from your mouth and eyes are harsh and can even blind those within the area of your brilliance. You gain a gaze attack with a range of 60 feet. All creatures within that range must make a fortitude save or be blinded for one round. See Gaze Attacks (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#gazeAttacks) for more details.

GLORY MANTLE
Least; 1st
As you forge a connection to the plane of light, you begin to glow from within. your entire body sheds bright light, brightly illuminating a 30-foot radius around you and casting shadowy illumination out to 60 feet. This glow can be suppressed or resumed as a move action. While glowing, creatures at close range find you too bright to look at directly. Creatures that attempt to make a melee attack against you must make a fortitude save or be dazzled for one round. A creature that makes it's save is immune to this effect for 24 hours. Whether suppressed or not, the glow lasts for 24 hours.

GREENBLOOD
Greater; 5th
You become one with nature, taking on the traits of a plant creature. Your skin, hair, and eyes usually turns green, though woody brown or autumn foliage colors are not uncommon. You may use Plant Body as the spell (Spc p.159) but with a duration of 24 hours. You also gain the effects of a Speak With Plants spell for the duration of this effect.

GUIDED SHOT
Lesser; 3rd; Battle Essence (Swift)
You can use Guided Shot as the spell (SpC p.108).

HINDER
Lesser; 4th
You turn your rage into cold hate, striking out with a mental lash, cursing your foe with weakness. Choose a single enemy within 30 feet. That enemy must make a will save or take a penalty equal to your charisma modifier to attack rolls, saves, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls. The penalty cannot exceed half your class level. This penalty lasts for one minute, or until you use this ability again.

HUNGRY FANG
Lesser; 4th; Battle Essence (Swift)
You call forth the animal essence within you. Your mouth grows out into a terrible set of jaws, lined with sharp fangs. You gain a bite attack that deals 1d8 points of damage. You are considered armed while this invocation is in effect. You can use this bite attack as a primary attack or a secondary attack with a -5 penalty in sequence with weapons or other natural weapons. You add 1.5x your Strength modifier to your bite damage roll if you use it as a primary attack, and 1/2 your strength modifier if you use it as a secondary attack. Your bite works just like the natural weapons of many monsters. If your base attack bonus is +6 or higher, you do not gain any additional attacks—you simply have a bite attack at your normal attack bonus. If you successfully make a bite attack, you can make a grapple check against the target as a free action, without provoking an attack of opportunity. If this grapple check succeeds, you establish a hold. This bite remains for 1 round/level.

LEAPS AND BOUNDS
Least; 2nd
You invoke this ability to gain amazing agility. You gain a +6 bonus on Balance, Jump, and Tumble checks for 24 hours.

LION'S FURY
Lesser; 3rd; Battle Essence (Swift)
You gain the pounce ability until the end of the round, allowing you to make a full attack at the end of a charge.

MAGIC-BINDING STRIKE
Mighty; 8th; Eldritch Essence
You can turn an eldritch blade attack into a magic-binding strike. The target of your attack must make a will save or be engulfed by a personal antimagic field. The target functions as though they were within an antimagic field for one round/level. This means the target cannot cast spells, use spell-like abilities, or use supernatural abilities. However, they cannot be affected by any abilities of these types. Any magical items worn, carried, or wielded by the target have their magical abilities suppressed until they leave his possession.

MAGIC-FEEDING CUT
Greater; 6th; Eldritch Essence
You turn an Eldritch Blade attack into a Magic-Feeding Cut. You charge your weapon with magical frequencies designed to disrupt and absorb magical energy. The target of your attack is subject to a targeted greater dispel magic effect. You gain temporary HP equal to 5x the spell level dispelled by this attack. These temporary hit points last for 1 round/level, or until you next use this ability. You cannot use this ability on spell effects of your own creation.

MARCH OF THE ANCESTORS
Lesser; 4th
By calling on the spirits of your ancestors to inhabit the bodies of the dead, you can turn the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead skeletons or zombies (as the animate dead spell). Unless you include the normal material component for the spell (an onyx gem worth 25 gp per Hit Die of the undead) as part of the process, undead created by this ability crumble into dust after 1 minute per caster level.

MIGHTY RUSH
Lesser; 3rd; Battle Essence (Swift)
Until the end of the round, if you make a charge attack, you can make a single attack at the end of the charge that deals double damage.

PARALYZING CUT
Greater; 5th; Eldritch Essence
You turn your eldritch blade attack into a paralyzing cut. The target of this attack must make a will save or be held in place, as though by a Hold Monster spell. The target feels their limbs stiffen in place until they are unable to move at all, frozen like a statue. This effect lasts for 1 round/3 levels.

PERFECT FORM
Mighty; 9th; Battle Essence (Swift)
You call upon your magic to reshape you, remaking yourself into your idealized form. While this invocation is in effect, you are better at everything you do. You gain a +6 enhancement bonus to all ability scores and to natural armor. You gain a resistance bonus to all your saves equal to your charisma modifier, and spell resistance equal to 10+your class level. This effect lasts for 1 round/level

PRISMATIC STRIKE
Mighty; 8th; Eldritch Essence
You can turn your eldritch blade attack into a prismatic strike. You can sheathe your weapon in scintillating, devastating energies of all colors of the rainbow. When you make a sucessful attack with a prismatic strike, roll 1d8.
{table=head]1d8|Color|Effects
1|Red|Eldritch blade deals fire damage
2|Orange|Eldritch blade deals acid damage
3|Yellow|Eldritch blade deals electricity damage
4|Green|Target must make a fortitude save or die. (successful save means 1d6 con damage)
5|Blue|Target must make fortitude save or be turned to stone
6|Indigo|Target must make will save or go insane
7|Violet|Target must make or be sent to another plane
8|-|Two effects: Roll twice, ignoring '8' results. Both effect apply[/table]

QUICK STEP
Least; 1st; Battle Essence (swift)
You suddenly feel lighter, and your legs stronger. You gain an enhancement bonus of 10 feet to your base land speed. In addition, you step light and quick, almost floating over the ground as you walk, easily picking out where to find stable footing even in the most uneven landscapes. You ignore the effects of difficult terrain. This effect lasts for ten minutes.

REBELLIOUS MAGIC
Lesser; 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).

RELENTLESS AGONY
Greater; 6th; Eldritch Essence
You imbue your eldritch blade attack with lingering magic that festers in the wound, dealing continuous damage to the target. In the rounds following the initial attack, the target takes 50% of your eldritch blade's bonus damage each round at the start of your turn. This damage lingers for 1 round/5 class levels, or until you use this ability again. (For example, a 15th level magic totem barbarian would deal this additional damage for three rounds after the initial attack.)

RESISTANCE
Lesser; 4th
You feel a momentary sting before the energy fades to a gentle buzz, leaving you all but immune to the chosen energy type. You choose Acid, Cold, Electricity, Fire, or Sonic. You gain resistance 20 to the chosen energy type.

SEE THE UNSEEN
Least; 2nd
When you use this invocation, you can activate great powers of vision, allowing you to see invisible creatures and objects (as see invisibility). You also gain darkvision out to 60 feet for a period of 24 hours.

SERPENT'S COILS
Least; 2nd; Battle Essence (Swift)
Upon activating this invotation, your arms take on a slightly scaly appearance, sometimes even bearing patterns like a constrictor. You gain the ability to constrict your foes in a grapple, dealing 1d6+1.5x strength mod damage with a successful grapple check. You gain a +4 bonus to grapple checks while this invocation is active. This effect lasts for one round/level.

SHADE CLOAK
Least; 1st; Battle Essence (Swift)
You warp your shadow into an engulfing cloak, making it more difficult for foes to aim for you. Until the start of your next turn, you gain concealment. All attacks aimed at you must roll a 20% miss chance. You cannot use this concealment to hide, as your shadow still clearly marks your location, though it obscures your exact position. To hide, you must use some other terrain feature which would allow you to hide.

SHADOW STRIKE
Lesser; 4th; Eldritch Essence
This eldritch essence invocation allows you to change your eldritch blade into a shadow strike. Any living creature struck by a shadow strike must succeed on a Fortitude save or have their eyes obscured by dancing shadows. All attacks the target makes are subject to a 50% miss chance for one round/level.

SHATTERSTRIKE
Least; 2nd; Eldritch Essence
You transform your eldritch blade attack into a shatterstrike attack. This attack ignores the hardness of objects. However, the bonus damage from your eldritch blade attack is halved.

SPIDERWALK
Least; 2nd
You can grant yourself the ability to spider climb (as the spell) with a duration of 24 hours. While this invocation is in effect, you are unaffected by webs (either mundane or magical).

STEAL SUMMONING
Dark; 6th
You can use steal summoning as the spell (C.Mage p.118).

STONEFOOT
Least; 2; Battle Essence (Swift)
When using this invocation, you suddenly feel yourself rooted in place, as though the earth was suddenly sticky where your feet were planted. Until the start of your next turn, you gain a bonus equal to your class level against any attempt to Bull rush, overrun, trip, lift, push, grapple, or in any way move you against your will by either magical or physical means. If you are somehow moved or you choose to move, you immediately lose this benefit.

STONY GRASP
Lesser; 3rd
You can use stony grasp (C.Arc p.124) as the spell.

STRIKE UNSEEN
Lesser; 3rd
You gain the ability to fade from view. You can use invisibility (self only), except the duration is 24 hours.

SUMMON ELEMENTAL GUARDIAN
Least; 2nd
Utilizing your connection to the natural world, you summon forth a small Air, Earth, Fire, or Water elemental to serve you. The elemental serves you loyally, but unless you speak it's language (auran, aquan, terran, or ignan) you can only communicate simple concepts, such as go there, attack, or stay. The summoned elemental remains by your side for 24 hours. If the summoned elemental dies, you must wait one hour before you can summon a replacement. Every time you use this invocation, you summon the same elemental of that type, though they may be stronger or weaker depending on what size you summon them as. For every five levels you have in magic totem barbarian, you may choose to summon an elemental of the next larger size. For example, a 5th level magic totem barbarian could choose to summon a small or medium sized elemental, whereas a 20th level magic totem barbarian could choose to summon a small, medium, large, huge, or greater elemental. You may not summon more than one elemental at a time. If you attempt to summon another elemental while the first is still there, the old elemental winks out of existence and is replaced by the new elemental.

TENACIOUS PLAGUE
Greater; 6th
You can use this invocation to summon a swarm, as the insect plague spell. You add your 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 the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

TERRIBLE HORNS
Greater; 5th; Battle Essence (Swift)
You call upon the bestial spirits, growing a pair of horns. Sometimes these horns are simple, bull-like goring implements, but they can take the three-pronged shape of a triceratops, the single goring spike of rhinoceros, or even the many-pronged antlers of a deer. You gain the ability to make a gore attack that deals 2d6 points of damage. You can make this attack as a primary attack, and add 1.5x your strength modifier to damage, or as a secondary attack in sequence with other natural weapons or weapons, adding 1/2 strength to the damage roll. When making a charge attack, you gain double the normal attack bonus from charging, and take no penalty to AC. If you make a gore attack wit the horns granted by this invocation at the end of the charge, you deal double damage. You are considered armed while this invocation is in effect. Your gore works just like the natural weapons of many monsters. If your base attack bonus is +6 or higher, you do not gain any additional attacks—you simply have a gore attack at your normal attack bonus. These horns remain for 1 round/level.

THUNDEROUS BLOW
Lesser; 4th; Eldritch Essence
This eldritch essence invocation turns your eldritch blade attack into a thunderous blow. When you hit your target, the eldritch energy on you blade discharges with a thunderous sound and brilliant flash. The target must make a fortitude save or be blinded and deafened for one round.

UNSTOPPABLE
Least; 2nd
You channel your survival instincts into a subtle magical effect to protect yourself from harm. You gain a competence bonus equal to your Charisma bonus (if any) on Fortitude saves, Reflex saves, or Will saves (your choice each time you use this ability) for a period of 24 hours. You can’t apply this ability to two different save types at the same time. This bonus can never exceed your class level.

UTTERDARK STRIKE
Mighty; 8th; Eldritch Essence
You turn your eldritch blade attack into an utterdark strike. The eldritch blade bonus damage is dealt as negative energy damage, which heals undead. In addition, the target of the attack must make a fortitude save or gain two negative levels. The negative levels fade after one hour. If a target ever has as many negative levels as hit dice, it dies.

VAMPIRIC BLOW
Lesser; 3rd; Eldritch Essence
This eldritch essence invocation turns your eldritch blade into a vampiric blow. Then you hit the target, the eldritch energy on your blade draws their life force out and back to you. You gain temporary hit points equal to the bonus damage granted by your eldritch blade.These temporary hit points last for one round/level.

WALL OF PERILOUS FLAME
Greater; 5th
You can conjure a wall of fire as the spell with this invocation. Half the wall’s fire damage results from supernatural power and is therefore not subject to being reduced by resistance to fire. If a creature is reduced to 0 hit points or lower by a wall of perilous flame, its remains are completely consumed 1 round later (as if by a destruction spell).

WATERBORN
Least; 2nd
By taking on some aspects of water itself, you become an aquatic creature. Your hands and feet become slightly webbed, granting you a swim speed equal to your base land speed (and all other benefits derived from a swim speed, including a +8 racial bonus on Swim checks; see MM 311). You gain the ability to breathe water as well as air. This invocation lasts for 24 hours.

WILD CLAWS
Least; 2nd; Battle Essence (Swift)
You take on aspect of the beasts, your fingertips sharpening into long, wicked claws capable of tearing flesh. You gain two claw attacks that deal 1d6 damage each. You are considered armed while this invocation is in effect. You add your Strength modifier to your claw damage rolls. Your claws work just like the natural weapons of many monsters. You can make an attack with one claw or a full attack with two claws at your normal attack bonus, replacing your normal attack routine. You take no penalties for two-weapon fighting, and neither attack is a secondary attack. If your base attack bonus is +6 or higher, you do not gain any additional attacks—you simply have two claw attacks at your normal attack bonus. These claws remain for 1 round/level.

WILDHOME
Lesser; 2nd
You forge a connection with the natural world that renders you partly immune to the ravages of the environment. You remain cool in hot weather and warm in cold weather, as the spell endure elements. Additionally, you radiate a small aura of warmth or cold; allies within 30 feet of you also benefit from this effect. This invocation lasts for 24 hours.

WIND'S EMBRACE
Lesser; 3rd
When you use this invocation, the air itself bears you aloft as you sprout a streaming, winglike cape of clouds. You can fly at a speed equal to your land speed with good maneuverability for 24 hours.

WORD OF CHANGING
Dark; 5th
You utter a powerful word that transforms a creature into an inoffensive form. This effect functions like the baleful polymorph spell, except that 24 hours after being transformed, the subject is entitled to a second saving throw (at its original save bonus) to spontaneously resume its normal form. If this second save fails, it remains in its new form permanently or until restored by some other means.

ZEPHYR CHARIOT
Greater; 6th
You call forth a powerful wind spirit capable of flying you and your allies great distances. You may bring as many as 1 ally/four class levels with you, along gear up to their maximum load. You must be touching these allies. The wind spirit picks you and these allies up and flies you wherever you direct it to, at a speed of 100 feet with average maneuverability. The wind spirit may hustle without penalty for as long as it remains in your service, allowing you to cover as much as 20 miles per hour. The spirit will fly for up to one hour/2 class levels. After this duration expires, this invocation cannot be used again until the next day. During the entire trip, you must both concentrate on guiding the spirit and remain in contact with your allies. Should you lose your concentration, the wind spirit will slowly lose coherence over the next minute before dropping you and all your allies. If you lose contact with an ally, the spirit no longer supports them, letting them fall.

Admiral Squish
2011-08-09, 03:58 AM
Reserved for Expansion

And now, you may post.

Fable Wright
2011-08-09, 04:46 AM
So... when do they learn invocations, aside from once at 6th level?

Admiral Squish
2011-08-09, 04:52 AM
So... when do they learn invocations, aside from once at 6th level?
It's in there in the invocations blurb. Right in the middle.

"The four grades of invocations, in order of their relative power, are least, lesser, greater, and mighty. A magic totem barbarian begins with knowledge of one invocation, which must be of the lowest grade (least), and gains an additional invocation at every even-numbered level. A list of available invocations can be found following this class description, and a complete description of each invocation can be found in the following post."

So, grand total of 11 invocations over 20 levels. 3 least, 2 lesser, 3 greater, and 3 mighty.

ocel
2011-08-09, 06:40 AM
Glad to see this totem finally finished, for the most part; although could we have more detailed descriptions for each invocation? If not I understand, since it still makes sense mechanically, Never-mind I found the "Invocation Details:" sorry for the foolish question on my part, although I still have others.. Out of curiosity, could we see something akin to advance learning but for invocations? On an somewhat related note, will we see the other totems gaining more powers, similar to the magic totem in the future?

Admiral Squish
2011-08-09, 07:52 AM
Glad to see this totem finally finished, for the most part; although could we have more detailed descriptions for each invocation? If not I understand, since it still makes sense mechanically, Never-mind I found the "Invocation Details:" sorry for the foolish question on my part, although I still have others.. Out of curiosity, could we see something akin to advance learning but for invocations? On an somewhat related note, will we see the other totems gaining more powers, similar to the magic totem in the future?

Yeah, the details aren't complete yet, I've only posted the text from the ones I kidnapped more-or-less directly from the warlock. Fleshing out the text on the rest of them was going to wait until more people weighed in on my creations.

On the advanced learning, do you mean a feature that would allow you to make a spell into an invocation, or a feature that would allow you to add other invocations to your list? I mean, there's already a lot of overlap between magic totem and warlock, and I can't think of any other invokers.

As for more magic totems: no. This is a great totem and it seems like it'd be a blast to play and all, but it's a lot of work to come up with all these invocations. This guy sat undone for months, as it is, and I doubt any further creations of the same vein would be done any faster.

jguy
2011-08-09, 02:19 PM
Wow, I really like this. It's like a Gestalt of Barbarian and Warlock. Honestly, it is much better than both. Warlock gets more class features but its damage is pitiful compared to this. 1d6 touch attack is less then 1d6+cha with an evocation or 1d12+1d6+cha+1.5str with a greataxe. If I ever play another Barbarian I'd rather play this than a pouncing tripper since pounce doesn't even come into play until level 6. Heck, Dimensional Charge alone makes it better than to pounce since you can get places no other pouncer could.

Ziegander
2011-08-09, 02:39 PM
It seems very powerful to me. It's Tier 3, obviously, but it seems like it's a lot more powerful than most Tier 3s (including a well-built Psychic Warrior or Factotum).

It's got more raw power than a Barbarian, with better and more relevant defenses, and all the utility offered by its invocations.

Many of the original invocations seem much more powerful than the Warlock's invocations, and in fact too powerful for what you're going for. In particular, all of the ones that boost your ability scores are far an above too strong. If they all gave mere enhancement bonuses and if you played with the levels they would be more appropriate, but as it stands a permanent +4 enhancement to Str at 1st level is way out of line and worse than that with Giant's Form + Champion's Form + Perfect Warrior's Form you get +12 Str, +4 Dex, +10 Con and two size categories larger (and you save 108,000gp).

In Least: Breezeguard is hugely better than the Warlock equivalent, so much so that I feel it needs toned down some (maybe lose the bonus to your own ranged attacks). Fireblood and Summon Elemental Guardian really have no business scaling with level like they do, in my opinion, and seem a bit too strong.

In Lesser: The duration of Hinder feels unnecessarily long. A flat 1 minute will do just fine. It's not like you're limited by uses per day like a Hexblade. Wildhome actually feels pretty underpowered.

In Greater: Blades of the Ancestors and Freezing Fog both seem overpowered at this level. They would be more fitting at Mighty (perhaps giving Freezing Fog an extra boon).

In Mighty: Oath to Order seems like it needs a name change but also that it's probably overpowered to have at-will. I don't know what the stats on Horrid animals are, so I can't tell if Prince of the Terrible Pride is also overpowered.

You could probably stand to give it a few less invocations. Maybe 8 total would work. As it stands you're giving them one fewer than a legit Warlock can get (and a well-built Warlock can be totally awesome), but gestalting them almost completely with a Barbarian. This Magic Totem Barbarian hits way harder than any normal Barbarian (which is almost silly really) and it's "eldritch blast" is just about head-and-shoulders better than a Warlocks and it loses almost nothing in the process. I love the idea, I've never seen the "sorcerous warrior" archetype pulled off so well, but you can't just gestalt two complementary Tier 4 classes, alter them so that they complement each other even better, then give them more stuff and expect it to fit right in with other Tier 3 classes. A Factotum would have to prepare for a fight with this guy and have some Fonts of Inspiration to stand a chance and a Psychic Warrior would have to abuse some rules in order to get way more PP than he's entitled to to stand a chance. A Warblade or Crusader would get curbstomped.

ocel
2011-08-09, 03:57 PM
Yeah, the details aren't complete yet, I've only posted the text from the ones I kidnapped more-or-less directly from the warlock. Fleshing out the text on the rest of them was going to wait until more people weighed in on my creations.

On the advanced learning, do you mean a feature that would allow you to make a spell into an invocation, or a feature that would allow you to add other invocations to your list? I mean, there's already a lot of overlap between magic totem and warlock, and I can't think of any other invokers.

As for more magic totems: no. This is a great totem and it seems like it'd be a blast to play and all, but it's a lot of work to come up with all these invocations. This guy sat undone for months, as it is, and I doubt any further creations of the same vein would be done any faster.

Something like that, I was, thinking something like other invocations,but I'm intrigued by your suggestion; having them turn spells into invocations, as a pseudo-Advance Learning ability, might work...I Also agree that the number of invocations could be lowered to 8, although there is the ebon initiate.

Admiral Squish
2011-08-09, 04:08 PM
Wow, I really like this. It's like a Gestalt of Barbarian and Warlock. Honestly, it is much better than both. Warlock gets more class features but its damage is pitiful compared to this. 1d6 touch attack is less then 1d6+cha with an evocation or 1d12+1d6+cha+1.5str with a greataxe. If I ever play another Barbarian I'd rather play this than a pouncing tripper since pounce doesn't even come into play until level 6. Heck, Dimensional Charge alone makes it better than to pounce since you can get places no other pouncer could.

I'm glad you like it!

I was hoping that the combination of requiring melee range and requiring a normal attack roll would offset the increased damage of the eldritch blade.

Pounce is still a pretty important ability, I think. And considering recent comments, I'm going to ditch the pounce invocation I had on schedule.


It seems very powerful to me. It's Tier 3, obviously, but it seems like it's a lot more powerful than most Tier 3s (including a well-built Psychic Warrior or Factotum).

Wow! I'd suspected it was powerful, but I was thinking it'd maybe be even with ToB, but nothing quite that impressive.


It's got more raw power than a Barbarian, with better and more relevant defenses, and all the utility offered by its invocations.

...I thought I was just letting melee have nice things. I seem to have underestimated my creation.


Many of the original invocations seem much more powerful than the Warlock's invocations, and in fact too powerful for what you're going for. In particular, all of the ones that boost your ability scores are far an above too strong. If they all gave mere enhancement bonuses and if you played with the levels they would be more appropriate, but as it stands a permanent +4 enhancement to Str at 1st level is way out of line and worse than that with Giant's Form + Champion's Form + Perfect Warrior's Form you get +12 Str, +4 Dex, +10 Con and two size categories larger (and you save 108,000gp).

Which is exactly why I was asking for help. I'm not too experienced with magic. I tend to stick with martial characters and homebrew.

I liked the idea of a warrior who could actually self-buff... But very well, I am a tool of the people. How exactly would you recommend fixing the problems? You mentioned making them all enhancement bonuses, that's easy enough to do. But I suspect that may not be enough.


In Least: Breezeguard is hugely better than the Warlock equivalent, so much so that I feel it needs toned down some (maybe lose the bonus to your own ranged attacks). Fireblood and Summon Elemental Guardian really have no business scaling with level like they do, in my opinion, and seem a bit too strong.

But wait, if I remove the bonus from breeze guard, then it's not even as strong as entropic warding. Entropic warding is a 20% miss chance on all ranged attacks, including magic, while breeze guard is just a -2 that only applies to physical attacks. Percentage-wise, that's only a 10% chance, and even then, a high enough bonus negates that, while entropic warding's miss chance always applies.

Fireblood is based vaguely off fire shield, but with a reflex save added and the cold protection removed. As for Summon Elemental Guardian, at level 20, you can still only summon a single CR 9 creature. And at level 1, it's no worse than a druid's companion. I actually used the elemental companion ACF as a starting point for the level. Plus I threw in a lot of limiters to make it so you can't just kill and re-summon your minion over and over to check for traps and such, like you can with reserve feats.


In Lesser: The duration of Hinder feels unnecessarily long. A flat 1 minute will do just fine. It's not like you're limited by uses per day like a Hexblade. Wildhome actually feels pretty underpowered.

I could see a flat one minute. The penalty will actually be limited by level, as well, so it's not a full cha mod penalty right off the bat.

Wildhome is pretty much strictly utility.


In Greater: Blades of the Ancestors and Freezing Fog both seem overpowered at this level. They would be more fitting at Mighty (perhaps giving Freezing Fog an extra boon).

I could see upgrading them to mighty.


In Mighty: Oath to Order seems like it needs a name change but also that it's probably overpowered to have at-will. I don't know what the stats on Horrid animals are, so I can't tell if Prince of the Terrible Pride is also overpowered.

the thing about Oath to Order is that I'm probably going to slap some heavy restrictions on it's use, like only once/day. Plus, the spell has a duration of concentration up to rounds/level, and you can't concentrate in rage, so you have to pretty much stand there defenseless while your elemental does his thing. Also Oath to Order was a vague reference to Majora's Mask, what with the four giants and so on. But yeah, I should probably change the name.

Horrid animals are like Dire+ they get +4 NA, +4 to con, immunity to acid, and some acid damage on their primary attacks. They're only CR +1 from the dire, so that'd be four CR 6 monsters. It's based off an 8th level spell which gets you 2d4 celestial lions, then 1d4 celestial dire lions


You could probably stand to give it a few less invocations. Maybe 8 total would work. As it stands you're giving them one fewer than a legit Warlock can get (and a well-built Warlock can be totally awesome), but gestalting them almost completely with a Barbarian. This Magic Totem Barbarian hits way harder than any normal Barbarian (which is almost silly really) and it's "eldritch blast" is just about head-and-shoulders better than a Warlocks and it loses almost nothing in the process. I love the idea, I've never seen the "sorcerous warrior" archetype pulled off so well, but you can't just gestalt two complementary Tier 4 classes, alter them so that they complement each other even better, then give them more stuff and expect it to fit right in with other Tier 3 classes. A Factotum would have to prepare for a fight with this guy and have some Fonts of Inspiration to stand a chance and a Psychic Warrior would have to abuse some rules in order to get way more PP than he's entitled to to stand a chance. A Warblade or Crusader would get curbstomped.

Hmm... I could probably pitch the arcane resistance and just make them get a new invocation every 3 levels. Add a cherry at level 20 and they'd end up with 2 invocations of each grade, a grand total of 8.

I don't see what the big deal is about hitting harder. He gets +10d6 damage. More in some rare circumstances. But any martial class can pick up ancient mountain hammer a good 7 levels earlier and ignore DR and hardness at the same time, or rabid bear strike a good 9 levels earlier, and get a bonus to attack too. And we're still talking in terms of HP damage. At high levels, that should barely matter.

As I mentioned above, I had hoped that the lack of the touch attack, combined with the need for melee range, would be enough to counterbalance the improved damage of my 'eldritch blast'.

But honestly, I'm not that experienced in the actual play of the game, so I yield. I'll see what I can do to implement the changes you mentioned.

Fable Wright
2011-08-09, 06:47 PM
Hm... while I'm not exactly sure why you gave them summoning spells in the first place, an interesting idea might be the Mage Totem transforming itself into the creature they would otherwise summon, or perhaps turn into an alternate form rather than summon an elemental, or shift into an alternate form, similar to the druid ACF, for the buff spells. This way, you reduce the threat of making this CoDzilla with self-buffs, but they can still get some use out of them. Invocations should also probably be once every three levels or so, to make it less strictly better than warlock. While you still get a huge bonus, you only get 7 invocations, overall. Finally, consider replacing Magic Resistance with Invocations. You are not as gifted with magic as other, more focused spellcasters; your first spell is your Eldritch blade, and you need to train to learn even the simplest cantrip after that. Plus, it makes it more symmetric with your other totems, which gain one bonus at first to replace fast movement, and one at third that increases every three levels. I'm not exactly why they got the saving throw bonus in the first place, but having the Invocations as an actual class feature, rather than a set progression, seems more flavorful and balanced to me.

Also, consider limiting the spells they have access to to evocation, self-buff, and non-reanimation necromancy spells.

Finally, regarding eldritch blade damage progression: Consider making it 1d6 damage + cha modifier + 1d6 for each spell or spell-like ability effecting them. I think it's flavorful, anyways. The more magical buffs and deterrents there are on them, the more powerfully they hit. Plus, it slows the progress of it, they don't necessarily always start with the full bonus of it, and each offensive spell you choose that makes you closer to a blaster or controller makes you less powerful in melee.

Ziegander
2011-08-09, 09:50 PM
Maybe... an invocation at 1st level, then another at 3rd and every three levels thereafter, with a final invocation at 20th, resulting in 8 total? Move Eldritch Blade to 3rd level, then (since 1st level is pretty stacked right now)?

The trouble with Eldritch Blade isn't so much the damage it adds, it's just that it's on top of the awesome new rage, the huge boosts to ability scores from invocations, and your normal full attack routine. Using Elder Mountain Hammer is a standard action and if it misses you don't get that damage. But Eldritch Blade is adding something like 7d6+6 to an attack (roughly equivalent to 9d6) as a free action. So whichever one of your teleporting pounce attacks hits you get to add extra damage to it. It's just one more great addition to the Magic Totem Barbarian's incredibly potent arsenal, and it definitely is an arsenal.

Your points about the invocations I brought up are duly noted and seem to curb most of the abuse there. The problem with the big buffs in the invocation list is mostly their ability to stack. If I were you I'd eliminate both Beastheart and Giant's Form entirely and leave Champion's Form as the only way to increase your size. I'd then consider dropping the enhancement bonus granted from Perfect Warrior's Form to +4 but applying it to all six ability scores. That will still allow Champion's Form + Perfect Warrior's Form to stack enabling one size increase and +8 to Str and Con (among other things), but is much, much more reasonable than it was before. Because getting bonuses equivalent to or better than your Rage before you even Rage is a pretty out of hand.

Admiral Squish
2011-08-10, 10:20 AM
Hm... while I'm not exactly sure why you gave them summoning spells in the first place, an interesting idea might be the Mage Totem transforming itself into the creature they would otherwise summon, or perhaps turn into an alternate form rather than summon an elemental, or shift into an alternate form, similar to the druid ACF, for the buff spells. This way, you reduce the threat of making this CoDzilla with self-buffs, but they can still get some use out of them. Invocations should also probably be once every three levels or so, to make it less strictly better than warlock. While you still get a huge bonus, you only get 7 invocations, overall. Finally, consider replacing Magic Resistance with Invocations. You are not as gifted with magic as other, more focused spellcasters; your first spell is your Eldritch blade, and you need to train to learn even the simplest cantrip after that. Plus, it makes it more symmetric with your other totems, which gain one bonus at first to replace fast movement, and one at third that increases every three levels. I'm not exactly why they got the saving throw bonus in the first place, but having the Invocations as an actual class feature, rather than a set progression, seems more flavorful and balanced to me.

I just didn't think that the summoning spells were, overall, any stronger than, say, a druid's animal companion. In fact, not even that strong, due to you only being able to summon an elemental. No fleshraker for you. I mean, later on you can summon a monolith, but that's really late-game and you pretty much have to stand there and do nothing while it does it's business. Probably not even worth the effort, since it's such a big, appealing target.

Shapeshifting into an elemental might be fun, though. Though, seeing as we have all these other complaints, perhaps I should break it up into four invocations, and just make you take on some elemental traits?

The invocation/3 levels idea has been brought up. I was thinking invocations at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, and 20. Though, that causes logistical problems with the current arrangement of getting the new levels... This thing is probably going to have to be expanded from the ACF form into a full 20-level table.


Also, consider limiting the spells they have access to to evocation, self-buff, and non-reanimation necromancy spells.

Well, I'll consider it, but I don't particularly see why.


Finally, regarding eldritch blade damage progression: Consider making it 1d6 damage + cha modifier + 1d6 for each spell or spell-like ability effecting them. I think it's flavorful, anyways. The more magical buffs and deterrents there are on them, the more powerfully they hit. Plus, it slows the progress of it, they don't necessarily always start with the full bonus of it, and each offensive spell you choose that makes you closer to a blaster or controller makes you less powerful in melee.

I'm not really a fan of this idea. Even if they pick all their invocations as buffs and makes sure they're all active at once, they're still coming in at 9d6. Plus, unless we install a level-based limiter, then there's nothing stopping the rest of the casters in the party from layering on buffs and making them deal +5d6 or even +10d6 at first level.


Maybe... an invocation at 1st level, then another at 3rd and every three levels thereafter, with a final invocation at 20th, resulting in 8 total? Move Eldritch Blade to 3rd level, then (since 1st level is pretty stacked right now)?

Basically what I suggested, in terms of the invocations. I'm not a fan of delaying the eldritch blade until 3rd, though. How about I move it to second and make it +1d6/two levels?


The trouble with Eldritch Blade isn't so much the damage it adds, it's just that it's on top of the awesome new rage, the huge boosts to ability scores from invocations, and your normal full attack routine. Using Elder Mountain Hammer is a standard action and if it misses you don't get that damage. But Eldritch Blade is adding something like 7d6+6 to an attack (roughly equivalent to 9d6) as a free action. So whichever one of your teleporting pounce attacks hits you get to add extra damage to it. It's just one more great addition to the Magic Totem Barbarian's incredibly potent arsenal, and it definitely is an arsenal.

Actually, it was intended that you would have to declare you were making an eldritch blade attack, then if it missed, the eldritch blade for that round was wasted. I've fiddled the wording around to make it actually work like that.


Your points about the invocations I brought up are duly noted and seem to curb most of the abuse there. The problem with the big buffs in the invocation list is mostly their ability to stack. If I were you I'd eliminate both Beastheart and Giant's Form entirely and leave Champion's Form as the only way to increase your size. I'd then consider dropping the enhancement bonus granted from Perfect Warrior's Form to +4 but applying it to all six ability scores. That will still allow Champion's Form + Perfect Warrior's Form to stack enabling one size increase and +8 to Str and Con (among other things), but is much, much more reasonable than it was before. Because getting bonuses equivalent to or better than your Rage before you even Rage is a pretty out of hand.

Hmm. What if I made beastheart just a +2 enhancement, and made giant's form just a size increase? I really want the magic totem to be able to buff themself, at least a little, before 10th.

Also, in your example from the last post, you forgot to take into account that size bonuses don't stack, and neither do magical size increases.

Admiral Squish
2011-08-10, 11:55 AM
Alright, I drafted a quick rewrite of the chassis more in line with what has been discussed. I also rewrote some of the abilities to put them more in line with the intent, added in the revised entries for later-level abilities, and provided (Ex/Su/Sp) tags for his abilities.

Since I'm not SURE we'll be using this, I decided to post it here, rather than wiping the first post and replacing it.

New Class Skills: Concentration (Con), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (The Planes) (Int), Knowledge (Religion), Spellcraft (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha)
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|Invocations
1|+1|+2|+0|+2| Eldritch Fury 1/day, Invocations (Least)|1
2|+2|+3|+0|+3| Eldritch Blade 1d6|1
3|+3|+3|+1|+3| Invocations (Least)|2
4|+4|+4|+1|+4| Eldritch Fury 2/day, Eldritch Blade +2d6|2
5|+5|+4|+1|+4| Untouched by Magic|2
6|+6|+5|+2|+5| Eldritch Blade +3d6, Invocations (Lesser)|3
7|+7|+5|+2|+5| DR 2/Cold Iron|3
8|+8|+6|+2|+6| Eldritch Fury 3/day Eldritch Blade +4d6|3
9|+9|+6|+3|+6| Invocations (lesser)|4
10|+10|+7|+3|+7| DR 4/Cold Iron, Eldritch Blade +5d6|4
11|+11|+7|+3|+7| Greater Rage|4
12|+12|+8|+4|+8|Eldritch Fury 4/Day, Eldritch Blade +6d6, Invocations (Greater)|5
13|+13|+8|+4|+8|DR 6/Cold Iron|5
14|+14|+9|+4|+9|Eldritch Blade +7d6|5
15|+15|+9|+5|+9|Invocations (Greater)|6
16|+16|+10|+5|+10|Eldritch Fury 5/day, DR 8/Cold Iron, Eldritch Blade +8d6|6
17|+17|+10|+5|+10|Tireless Rage|6
18|+18|+11|+6|+11|Eldritch Blade +9d6, Invocations (Mighty)|7
19|+19|+11|+6|+11|DR 10/Cold Iron|7
20|+20|+12|+6|+12|Mighty Rage, Eldritch Fury 6/Day, Eldritch Blade +10d6, Invocations (Mighty)|8
[/table]

Eldritch Fury (Ex): A magic totem barbarian can fly into a state of eldritch fury a certain number of times per day. In an eldritch fury, a magic totem barbarian temporarily gains a +4 bonus to Strength and Charisma. While in eldritch fury, a magic totem barbarian cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except for Balance, Escape Artist, Intimidate, and Ride), the Concentration skill, or any abilities that require patience or concentration, nor can he cast spells or activate magic items that require a command word, a spell trigger (such as a wand), or spell completion (such as a scroll) to function (Note that, as invocations are spell-like abilities, they may still be cast). He can use any feat he has except Combat Expertise, item creation feats, and metamagic feats. A fit of eldritch fury lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the character’s Constitution modifier. A magic totem barbarian may prematurely end his eldritch fury. At the end of the eldritch fury, the barbarian loses their eldritch fury modifiers and restrictions and becomes fatigued (-2 penalty to Strength, -2 penalty to Dexterity, can’t charge or run) for the duration of the current encounter (unless he is a 17th-level magic totem barbarian, at which point this limitation no longer applies).

A magic totem barbarian can fly into an eldritch fury only once per encounter. At 1st level he can use his rage ability once per day. At 4th level and every four levels thereafter, he can use it one additional time per day (to a maximum of six times per day at 20th level). Entering a rage takes no time itself, but a barbarian can do it only during his action, not in response to someone else’s action.

Invocations (Sp): A magic totem barbarian does not prepare or cast spells as other wielders of arcane magic do. Instead, he possesses a repertoire of attacks, defenses, and abilities known as invocations that require him to focus the wild energy that suffuses his soul. A magic totem barbarian can use any invocation he knows at will, with the following qualifications:
A magic totem barbarian’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 magic totem barbarian is entitled to a Concentration check to successfully use an invocation if he is hit by an attack while invoking, just as a spellcaster would be. A magic totem barbarian can choose to use an invocation defensively, by making a successful Concentration check, to avoid provoking attacks of opportunity. A magic totem barbarian’s invocations are subject to spell resistance unless an invocation’s description specifically states otherwise. A magic totem barbarian’s caster level with his invocations is equal to his magic totem barbarian level.
A magic totem barbarian has access to a specific kind of invocation known as battle essences. This invocations are specifically use to augment the magic totem barbarian's combat abilities directly. These invocations are usually cast as swift or immediate actions, making them ideal for mid-combat use.
Because the somatic components required for magic totem barbarian invocations are relatively simple, a magic totem barbarian can use any of his invocations while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like arcane spellcasters, a magic totem barbarian 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 magic totem barbarian still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from levels in other classes.
The save DC for an invocation (if it allows a save) is 10 + equivalent spell level + the magic totem barbarian’s Charisma modifier. Since spell-like abilities are not actually spells, a magic totem barbarian cannot benefit from the Spell Focus feat. He 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 invocations, in order of their relative power, are least, lesser, greater, and mighty. A magic totem barbarian begins with knowledge of one invocation, which must be of the lowest grade (least), and gains additional invocations as indicated on the table above. A list of available invocations can be found in the post following this class description, and a complete description of each invocation can be found in the post after that.
At any level when a magic totem barbarian learns a new invocation, he can also replace an invocation he already knows with another invocation of the same or a lower grade. At 6th level, a magic totem barbarian can replace a least invocation he knows with a different least invocation (in addition to learning a new invocation, which could be either least or lesser). At 12th level, a magic totem barbarian can replace a least or lesser invocation he knows with another invocation of the same or a lower grade (in addition to learning a new invocation, which could be least, lesser, or greater). At 18th level, a magic totem barbarian can replace a least, lesser, or greater invocation he knows with another invocation of the same or a lower grade (in addition to learning a new invocation, which could be least, lesser, greater, or mighty).
Finally, unlike other spell-like abilities, invocations are subject to arcane spell failure chance as described above. Magic totem barbarians can qualify for some prestige classes usually intended for spellcasters.

Eldritch Blade (Su):At 2nd level and above, a magic totem barbarian can charge his weapon with devastating eldritch energy as a free action once per round, making his next melee attack into an eldritch blade attack. If the attack hits, it deals an additional 1d6 + Cha mod damage. If the attack misses, the eldritch blade charge is wasted. At 4th level and every even-numbered level thereafter, this damage increases by 1d6. You can apply an eldritch essence you know to any eldritch blade attack you make.

Untouched by Magic (Ex): At 5th level and higher, if a magic totem barbarian is the target of a spell or spell-like ability that has a lesser effect on a successful save, and he succeeds on his save, the magic totem barbarian negates the effect entirely.

Damage Reduction (Su): Fortified by the supernatural power flowing in his body, a warlock becomes resistant to physical attacks. At 7th level and above, the magic totem barbarian gains damage reduction 2/cold iron. Every three levels thereafter, this damage reduction increases by 2 points.

Greater Fury (Ex): At 11th level, a magic totem’s bonuses to Strength and Charisma during his eldritch fury each increase to +6.

Deceive Item (Ex): At 14th level and higher, a magic totem barbarian has the ability to more easily commandeer magic items made for the use of other characters. When making a Use Magic Device check, a magic totem barbarian can take 10 even if distracted or threatened.

Tireless Fury (Ex): At 17th level and higher, a magic totem barbarian no longer becomes fatigued at the end of his eldritch fury.

Mighty Fury (Ex): At 20th level, a barbarian’s bonuses to Strength and Charisma during his eldritch fury each increase to +8.

Ziegander
2011-08-10, 02:50 PM
Basically what I suggested, in terms of the invocations. I'm not a fan of delaying the eldritch blade until 3rd, though. How about I move it to second and make it +1d6/two levels?

Yeah, that works.


Actually, it was intended that you would have to declare you were making an eldritch blade attack, then if it missed, the eldritch blade for that round was wasted. I've fiddled the wording around to make it actually work like that.

Good, good.


Hmm. What if I made beastheart just a +2 enhancement, and made giant's form just a size increase? I really want the magic totem to be able to buff themself, at least a little, before 10th.

They have Eldritch Fury and Extra Rage. They can buff themselves.


Also, in your example from the last post, you forgot to take into account that size bonuses don't stack, and neither do magical size increases.

Oh, how strange. I've never noticed that both Enlarge Person and Righteous Might have reminder text that states, "Multiple magical effects that increase size do not stack." Seems like something that should be a general rule somewhere. You're right about size bonuses though. I guess I'd have stated in the "Modifier Types" section of the PHB that multiple effects that increase size do not stack. Looks like you'll need to add that reminder text to Giant's Form and Champion's Form then.

I just don't understand the need for an extra +8 or +10 to ability scores on top of a perfectly good Rage substitute. In fact, that's something I forgot to mention. The swift action casting of invocations while Eldritch Fury-ing seems overpowered to me. There's not much use for it until you get to Lesser Invocations, but it can become abusive later on (dimension pounce as a swift action, summon multiple, concurrant tenacious plagues or walls of perilous flame, etc).

Admiral Squish
2011-08-10, 03:16 PM
They have Eldritch Fury and Extra Rage. They can buff themselves.

Well, to a degree, yes. I just wanted a way to make their magical abilities directly compliment their combat ability, rather than having it just be another melee fighter, just with some magic tacked on.


Oh, how strange. I've never noticed that both Enlarge Person and Righteous Might have reminder text that states, "Multiple magical effects that increase size do not stack." Seems like something that should be a general rule somewhere. You're right about size bonuses though. I guess I'd have stated in the "Modifier Types" section of the PHB that multiple effects that increase size do not stack. Looks like you'll need to add that reminder text to Giant's Form and Champion's Form then.

Well, if I end up keeping them, I'll throw on the warning.


I just don't understand the need for an extra +8 or +10 to ability scores on top of a perfectly good Rage substitute. In fact, that's something I forgot to mention. The swift action casting of invocations while Eldritch Fury-ing seems overpowered to me. There's not much use for it until you get to Lesser Invocations, but it can become abusive later on (dimension pounce as a swift action, summon multiple, concurrant tenacious plagues or walls of perilous flame, etc).

As I said above, I really want these guys to have magic in a way that directly compliments their melee abilities. A lot of gish classes I've seen just seem to be a warrior that happens to use magic on the side. The two don't really intersect. He's either fighting with the traditional melee tactics, trying to be a wizard and failing, or he's wasting two-three rounds buffing himself and when he finally comes into the fight, it's over. I wanted the magic totem to be able to fight and use his magical abilities at the same time. So, the 'invocation as a swift action' thing was my way of trying to do that. I mean, I couldn't make ALL his invocations into swift action casts. so I figured the best solution was to make is so he could do it SOMETIMES, but not all the time.

Perhaps some kind of 'combat essence' invocation category that is devoted specifically to buffs? Make it so you can cast them as a swift action, or perhaps cast them as part of an attack action? Or even rework the entire invocations thing and give them something else more combat-friendly? But then, I'd need something interesting for them to do with their rage.

Ziegander
2011-08-10, 03:31 PM
As I said above, I really want these guys to have magic in a way that directly compliments their melee abilities. A lot of gish classes I've seen just seem to be a warrior that happens to use magic on the side. The two don't really intersect. He's either fighting with the traditional melee tactics, trying to be a wizard and failing, or he's wasting two-three rounds buffing himself and when he finally comes into the fight, it's over. I wanted the magic totem to be able to fight and use his magical abilities at the same time. So, the 'invocation as a swift action' thing was my way of trying to do that. I mean, I couldn't make ALL his invocations into swift action casts. so I figured the best solution was to make is so he could do it SOMETIMES, but not all the time.

My suggestion would be: make the ones you think it's appropriate to ever be cast as a swift action always cast as a swift action and leave the ones you think it's never appropriate to cast as a swift action alone. Then you can lose the swift action clause of Eldritch Fury because it does seem pretty abusable to me.

Another suggestion would be to build in some "arcane channeling" type invocations in the Eldritch Essenses. Both of these suggestions do a fine job of making sure the Magic Totem Barbarian is able to fight and use his magical abilities at the same time.

EDIT (in response to your edit):
Perhaps some kind of 'combat essence' invocation category that is devoted specifically to buffs? Make it so you can cast them as a swift action, or perhaps cast them as part of an attack action?

Buff invocations as swift actions work for me, but you'll have to curb their power some. They can't just be available at the same character level and effectiveness as wizard spells.


But then, I'd need something interesting for them to do with their rage.

I don't understand why you need something more interesting than getting really angry and beating/blasting the hell out of people. It's already more interesting than the Barbarian's rage because you deal moar damage with it and increase the save DCs of any invocations you use.

If you absolutely need to make Eldritch Fury more interesting create some Fury Essences that are basically aura effects which activate without needing any action spent by the player as long as you are Eldritch Fury-ing.

Admiral Squish
2011-08-10, 07:35 PM
Alright, I produced an initial shortlist draft of battle essences. These are all spells that will have a swift action cast time, and durations ranging from 1 round to 1 round/level.

Admiral Squish
2011-08-11, 07:16 PM
Alright, first post is officially updated, and I've gotten all the least battle essences fleshed out. Does anybody else have commentary?

ocel
2011-08-14, 09:15 AM
From what I can appraise:
The amount of Invocations available grant a greater degree of versatility than the average Barbarian, or perhaps Greater Totem Barbarian, could offer, but thanks to the limitations we've established, the slow progression to 8, their somewhat compatible to a third tier gish, albeit, only slightly better in some aspects than others. They function akin to lesser-Sorcerers, which is appropriate considering their design. If 8 is too much than I too would suggest 7 or 6.

Eldritch Fury's integral to the invocations, no argument there; but Eldritch Blade, can come off a tad strong, & that is adding Eldritch fury along with it. Fortunately you fixed the wording on that, so one can't utilize both actions simultaneously, although, perhaps a little extra text, might help clarify that such a combo is not permitted.

Damage reduction is thematically appropriate.

Admiral Squish
2011-08-14, 09:09 PM
From what I can appraise:
The amount of Invocations available grant a greater degree of versatility than the average Barbarian, or perhaps Greater Totem Barbarian, could offer, but thanks to the limitations we've established, the slow progression to 8, their somewhat compatible to a third tier gish, albeit, only slightly better in some aspects than others. They function akin to lesser-Sorcerers, which is appropriate considering their design. If 8 is too much than I too would suggest 7 or 6.

Eldritch Fury's integral to the invocations, no argument there; but Eldritch Blade, can come off a tad strong, & that is adding Eldritch fury along with it. Fortunately you fixed the wording on that, so one can't utilize both actions simultaneously, although, perhaps a little extra text, might help clarify that such a combo is not permitted.

Damage reduction is thematically appropriate.

A good summation of the class.

Actually, the current edit has largely divested the eldritch fury from the invocations. I mean, apart from the +4 cha, it has no effect on the invocations. I eliminated the swift action casting for invocations while in eldritch fury, and simply added a suite of buffs that can be cast as swift/immediate actions. I'm actually considering making the Eldritch Essence invocations swift actions as well.

I'm still not sure why everyone's fixated on the extra damage from eldritch blade. A rogue can drop +10d6 on every attack, though admitttedly on more limited targets. The eldritch blade can drop +10d6 on one attack per round, but the target's aren't as limited, and it's advancement is delayed. So, I'm thinking more or less even.

I'm glad you like the DR.

I'm ALMOST done with the mighty invocation descriptions, so any commentary on the new battle essences and revised invocation levels would be welcome.

Ziegander
2011-08-14, 10:14 PM
I'm actually considering making the Eldritch Essence invocations swift actions as well.

But... Eldritch Essences are simply added as part of the action used for Eldritch Blade... right? Making them swift actions would actually nerf them, considering that they take no action right now. I don't think that's necessary.


I'm still not sure why everyone's fixated on the extra damage from eldritch blade. A rogue can drop +10d6 on every attack, though admitttedly on more limited targets. The eldritch blade can drop +10d6 on one attack per round, but the target's aren't as limited, and it's advancement is delayed. So, I'm thinking more or less even.

Your answer is in your own remarks. You've added a damage dealing class feature that is roughly on par with a Rogue's sneak attack directly onto the Barbarian, a class that has never lacked for damage. Is this a problem? Not precisely, in fact I really like Eldritch Blade's existence. Eldritch Blade helps to give them a way to move and deal damage, and effect the battlefield more meaningfully than simply dealing hp damage (through a variety of other effects), in a way that rivals Tome of Battle classes, which is elegant and very helpful. What you need to stay mindful of is all of the other class features of the Magic Totem Barbarian (which in many cases are subjectively more powerful versions of the normal Barbarian's features) and all of the awesome Combat Essence invocations that continue to add more and moar damage to his attack routines.

Which is my concern with this class. You've basically augmented every numerical aspect of the standard Barbarian and then given them versatility besides, not only in out-of-combat utility, but also with in-combat action dynamics. I'm not sure all of those upgrades are necessary. I'll take another look at the various changes you've made (which at a passing glance seem great) and compare it to a Warblade later.

Admiral Squish
2011-08-14, 10:18 PM
But... Eldritch Essences are simply added as part of the action used for Eldritch Blade... right? Making them swift actions would actually nerf them, considering that they take no action right now. I don't think that's necessary.

The idea would be that you wouldn't be able to use a battle essence and an eldritch essence in the same round. You'd still be able to use your eldritch blade, but you wouldn't be able to tie on additional magical effects.

Ziegander
2011-08-14, 10:24 PM
The idea would be that you wouldn't be able to use a battle essence and an eldritch essence in the same round. You'd still be able to use your eldritch blade, but you wouldn't be able to tie on additional magical effects.

Which, yeah, that seems silly to me. The Eldritch Essences are by far the least useful of the invocations, so I think they should be incentivized some more.

Also, check my above post for additional content. :smallredface:

Admiral Squish
2011-08-16, 04:59 AM
Alright! The invocation details are finally finished!

I'll come back to your concerns later, Zeigander, with a sufficiently detailed response. I just have to marshal my writing demons to do it.

Cardea
2011-10-14, 03:18 PM
Is Power Attack usable with Invocations?

Nightraiderx
2013-10-30, 10:17 AM
FORM OF THE WAR MACHINE
Mighty; 8th; Battle Essence (Swift)
Your foes find themselves suddenly at the foot of a towering iron machine, belching steam and bringing a titanic blade and a humongous maul to bear. You take on the form and statistics of a Horrid Shark (Dire Shark +Horrid Template, ECS p.289) for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your class level. This is a Polymorph effect. If reduced to 0 or fewer HP while in Horrid Shark form, you cannot use this ability again for 1 hour. Creatures that have been swallowed whole when this invocation ends appear adjacent to you.


I think you meant to change Shark to Warforged Titan, but as is pretty awesome and I look foward to testing it in a pbp.