WEAVER OF THE THREADS THAT BIND
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“Do not wish to pursue this foolishness. I have seen all of its outcomes even before you thought about it. In none of them does the ending seem too good for you. Or perhaps you are curious to see the infinite ways in which you shall die?" – Julian Locke, a Weaver of the Thread that Binds
Time. An event, a measurement, an entity so mysterious, its true nature lost even to the gods, its truth the ageless immortals can only hope to comprehend. Some say it flows, like a river, originating from the spring of the distant past, making its way through the fleeting present, and ending into the sea of the ever obscured future. Others say it is nothing; not an event, or even a thing. It does not flow. It is only a concept, a form of rationalization for the seemingly ordered events we see as the passing of Time. For some, it has definite beginning and a definite end; an alpha and an omega. To others, Time is cyclic; it is an endless cycle of destruction and rebirth. But there are a few who have been given the knowledge of the Threads that Bind, by Time itself. It is them who understand Time is all of this, at the same time it is not. They walk among mortals and immortals alike, not too different from you or me. The only difference is the power they possess.
They call themselves the Weavers of the Threads that Bind.
BECOMING A WEAVER OF THE THREADS THAT BIND
One cannot just become an Weaver. Rather, one is chosen to become a Weaver. Weavers themselves do not know why they are chosen, why they have become who they are, or how they become so. And Time does not seem to have any preference; known Weavers have come from a vast variety of class, race, and power. But they all do share one common experience: at some point in their life, their threads had been cut short.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Skills: Knowledge (history) 7 ranks, any one class skill 13 ranks
Feats: Improved Initiative, Iron Will
Special: Must have died in the process of doing something to fulfill one’s desire, and a strong will to live to carry on their task, at the point when the other requirements are all met. The body will disappear for a week and return to the spot where she died, given life anew and more.
Class Skills
The Class Name's class skills are as follows: Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Concentration (Con), Decipher Script (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Knowledge (history) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis)
Skills Points at Each Level: 4 + Int mod
Hit Dice: d8
Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special 1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Duality of Existence, Knowledge of All Things Bound 2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 Favored by the Threads that Bind, Combat Weaving (Entangling Threads) 3rd +2 +1 +1 +3 Sense the Tremors 4th +3 +1 +1 +4 Combat Weaving (Strangling Threads) 5th +3 +1 +1 +4 Severing the Threads that Bind 6th +4 +2 +2 +5 Combat Weaving (Existence Overlap) 7th +5 +2 +2 +5 Dance of the Threads 8th +6 +2 +2 +6 Combat Weaving (Isolate Thread) 9th +6 +3 +3 +6 Blind Weaver 10th +7 +3 +3 +7 Platonia: World of Forms, Combat Weaving (Symphony of the Threads)
Weapon Proficiencies: The Weaver of the Threads that Bind does not gain any proficiency in any weapon, armor, or shield.
Duality of Existence: As the warrior or the magus is called to become a Weaver, she is imbued with the knowledge possessed by Time, and she learns of the truth of her new existence: that she exists as neither a Weaver nor her old self, she exists as both. As the Weaver gains levels, she advances one of the following (chooses one at her discretion if she is eligible for more than one) progressions:
SpoilerSpellcasting: At each level except at 1st, 5th, and 9th, the Weaver gains new spells per day, spells known, and an increase in caster level as if she gained a level in another spellcasting class to which the Weaver belonged before choosing this prestige class. The Weaver does not, however, gain any other increase in benefits from her old class. If the Weaver has multiple applicable spellcasting classes before becoming a Weaver, she must choose which one gains the extra casting.
Maneuvers/Stances: At each odd-numbered level, the Weaver gain a new maneuver known from Devoted Spirit, Iron Heart, Riven Hourglass, plus 2 other disciplines that she has at least one maneuver. The Weaver must meet the prerequisite for the maneuver to learn it. The Weaver adds the Weaver full Weaver levels to her initiator level to determine her total initiator level and her highest-level maneuvers known. At 3rd level, 6th level, and 9th level, the Weaver gains an additional maneuver readied per day.
At 5th level, the Weaver gains a new martial stance known from the Devoted Spirit, Diamond Mind or Riven Hourglass, Tiger Claw, and White Raven disciplines. The Weaver must meet a stance's prerequisite to learn it.
Class Ability: The Weaver can choose to progress a class abilities such as Sneak Attack, Favored Enemies, Rage, and others. Abilities that gain higher versions, like the Ranger's Combat Style, can also be selected for the purpose of this ability. The Weaver adds the her full Weaver levels to the class level having the ability she wishes to progress for determining at what levels she acquires them. For classes with more than one ability progression, the Weaver chooses one.
PP per Day/Powers Known/Maximum Power Level Known: The Weaver gains additional Power Points per day as written in the table Psionics. The Weaver gains additional powers know at a rate as written in the table. The values written per level stack for Power Points per day and Powers Known (A level 3 Weaver will have PP/ day equal to her PP/day from her base class +8 + 10 + 11 = PP/day from base class + 29 and powers known equal to Powers known from her base class +1 +1 +1 = Powers known from her base class + 3). Also, at 1st, 4th, 6th, and 9th levels, the Weaver gains one level on her Maximum Power Level Known.
{table=head]Level|Power Points Per Day|Powers Known|Maximum Power Level Known
1st|+8|+1|+1 to Maximum Power Level
2nd|+10|+1|-
3rd|+11|+1|-
4th|+12|+1|+1 to Maximum Power Level
5th|+14|+1|-
6th|+16|+1|+1 to Maximum Power Level
7th|+18|+1|-
8th|+20|+1|-
9th|+21|+1|+1 to Maximum Power Level
10th|+22|+1|-[/table]
Knowledge of All Things Bound (Ex): With death comes the calling. With the calling comes acceptance. With acceptance comes rebirth. And with rebirth comes knowledge unbound. By accepting the call of Time, the Weaver is bestowed with the knowledge of everything that transpired, is transpiring, or will transpire, for they are all one and encompassed by the Threads that Bind. At 1st level, the Weaver uses her highest mental ability as the key ability for her Knowledge (history). She also gains a bonus to her Knowledge (history) equal to her class level. The Weaver can replace any Knowledge check with her Knowledge (history) check.
In addition, for 3 + the Weaver’s highest mental ability modifier number of times each day, the Weaver can use her Knowledge (history) check to replace any skill check with a mental ability as its key ability or give an insight bonus equal to her half her Weaver class level for skills that have a physical ability as its key ability. This ability does not affect any skill check used against another Weaver of the Threads that Bind that has the Severing the Threads that Bind ability.
Favored by the Threads that Bind (Ex/Su): As a being chosen by Time, the Weaver is unlike any other, receiving protection directly from the Threads that Bind itself. At 2nd level, the Weaver gains fast healing equal to her class level.
As an immediate action, the Weaver can choose to use up her fast healing to recover hit points instantaneously. The Weaver can restore hit points equal to her highest mental ability modifier multiplied by her fast healing value.
Alternatively, the Weaver can choose to use up her fast healing to remove any harmful effects on her. The Weaver can remove any harmful effects that can be removed by a limited wish spell. The number of harmful effects removed is equal to the fast healing value divided by 2 (minimum 1).
The Weaver can also target others with these abilities, requiring her to touch her target. The Weaver's fast healing and can only be recovered after 8 hours of rest. Healing and removing harmful effects are supernatural abilities.
Combat Weaving (Su): As the Weaver begins to understand more of her powers, she begins to see how to manipulate the Threads to aid her in combat. Beginning at 2nd level and every even level thereafter, the Weaver gains new abilities, reflecting her growing knowledge of how Time works.
Entangling Threads: At 2nd level, as a swift action, the Weaver can inflict slow on any creature or object he can see that lasts for 1d4 rounds, with a save DC equal to 10 + class level + the Weaver’s highest mental ability modifier.
Strangling Threads: At 4th level, the Weaver gains an insight bonus equal to 1/2 her class level to all types of damage against any target affected by any time altering effects that the Weaver herself cast. Furthermore, whenever a target is hit by this bonus damage, the target suffers a -1 penalty on all saves for 1d4 rounds. This penalty stacks up to a maximum of -5. The duration is reset to the latest instance that this ability is triggered.
Existence Overlap: At 6th level, as a standard action, the Weaver can create copies of herself. The Weaver can create a number of copies up to a number equal to the number of attacks granted by her BAB for each instance that this ability is used, and this ability can be used up to a number of times per day equal to her highest mental ability modifier.
These copies appear within 60 feet from the Weaver and can act immediately upon creation. They have the same AC and attack bonuses as the Weaver, but they cannot do anything except perform melee attacks. The attacks are melee touch attacks, and when they hit, instead of inflicting damage, they inflict slow for 1d4 rounds on the target with no saving throws and vanish. The clones also vanish when they receive damage of any sort, but they also inflict slow for 1d4 rounds on the attacker regardless of the manner of attack. These clones dissipate after 1d4 rounds.
Isolate Thread: At 8th level, for a number of times per day equal to the Weaver’s highest mental ability mod, as an immediate action, whenever the Weaver hits an opponent by any form of attack or is hit by any form of attack, she can alter the threads around her target or attacker.
For 1d4 rounds, the target is removed from the current reality; what the target perceives from this point on is a loop in time that diverges from the actual present timeline beginning at the moment the Weaver’s attack hits or is hit by an attack by the target. All the actions the target does during the duration of this ability do not actually affect anything around him or her, but he or she believes it to be so, and he or she can still be attacked or damaged as normal.
The target can negate this effect by rolling a successful Will save with a DC equal to 10 + class level + the Weaver’s highest mental ability modifier. The target also gets to roll a Will save of the same DC each round that it is affected by the abilty to notice the effect.
Symphony of the Threads (Su): At 10th level, once per encounter, the Weaver can project an aura with a radius of 60 feet as a swift action for a number of rounds equal to half her class level rounded down. Within this aura, the Weaver claims dominion and extends her own threads, apart from the main thread, and can freely alter the time of all creatures as a free action on her turn, or as an immediate action.
The effects that the Weaver can bestow or remove are as follows: haste, slow, and temporal stasis. With this ability, inflicting temporal stasis is resolved as a ranged touch attack with a range equal to the area of the ability, and each use of the temporal stasis counts against the number of uses of temporal stasis given by the Severe the Threads that Bind ability. Saves are granted as normal, with the DC equal to 10 + class level + the Weaver’s highest mental ability modifier.
The Weaver can inflict only one time effect per creature per round, and she can only either bestow or remove a time effect on each creature per round.
The Weaver can only affect a number of creatures equal to her highest mental ability modifier at any given time. For creatures affected with time effects, the effects must either wear off or be removed by the Weaver or others before they can be affected with the same time effect. The effects last for as long as the ability is active and the target creature is within the area of the ability.
The Weaver can also forego the normal function of this ability to instead move through a different dimension of Time, making it seem that everything has ceased to move except her. This has the same effect as the time stop spell. As all time altering effects, this ability, in all its uses, does not affect another Weaver with the Severing the Threads that Bind ability.
Sense the Tremors (Ex): By being attuned to the Threads that Bind, the Weaver notices every ripple and every movement of everything that has Time. She is also drawn to any fluctuations in the Threads, such that what happens when someone tries to manipulate time. At 3rd level, the Weaver gains perception to any living being within a radius of 30 feet, as if she has blindsight, only better. The Weaver does not have to have line of sight with any creature to know its whereabouts, as long as it is within the range of this ability; she knows a creature is there just by the mere fact that it exists. This also means no effect, magical or otherwise, can block this ability from detecting a creature. At 9th level, the range extends to 60 feet.
The ability also allows the Weaver to detect any disturbances in Time, and she can sense any use of time magic within 1 mile at 3rd level; she can sense any use of Slow, Haste, Time Stop, Temporal Stasis, Celerity, Lesser Celerity, Augury, Divination, Time Hop, Temporal Acceleration, Time Regression, and Quintessence of any form, as well as spells, spell-likes, supernatural, psionic powers or any ability that has mention of time manipulation in its description. By focusing herself in one full round action, she can ascertain the relative power of these disturbances (similar to Aura Strength when using detect magic). By 9th level, the Weaver can sense any disturbance in time within 10 miles, and by focusing herself in one full round action, she can home in on one such disturbance and detect what type of disturbance it is (ie if magic, what spell it is). This feature, as well as the blindsight feature of this ability, does not work on other Weavers who have the Severing the Threads that Bind ability.
Severing the Threads that Bind (Ex/Su): By being chosen, the Weaver is removed from the threads that bind all things, from Time itself. At 5th level, the Weaver becomes immune to the ravages of time. As such, she ceases to age, therefore she is not subject to penalties on physical ability scores due to age, but still gains the bonuses to mental ability scores. She does not lose the penalties she has already accrued before becoming a Weaver. The Weaver also becomes immune to all time altering effects targeted at her from any source; she cannot be affected by Slow, Haste, Time Stop, Temporal Stasis, Celerity, Lesser Celerity, Augury, Divination, Time Hop, Temporal Acceleration, Time Regression, and Quintessence of any form, as well as spells, spell-likes, supernatural, psionic powers or any ability that has mention of time manipulation in its description, though she can choose which ones can affect her or not.
The Weaver can also impart this ability to other creatures or objects for a number of times per day equal to her highest mental ability modifier. But being not chosen by Time, they react differently. Instead, when they are cut off from the Threads that Bind, their Time stops, and they remain locked in time and space, as if under the temporal stasis spell. This use of the ability is a supernatural effect. The Weaver has to touch the object or creature in order for this ability to work, and it requires a standard action. The target can make a Fort save with a DC equal to 10 + class level + the Weaver’s highest mental ability modifier to resist the effect. Objects or creatures affected by this ability cannot be damaged or moved by any means.
Using the temporal stasis effect of this ability on objects uses one instance of the ability, however using it on creatures uses up 4 instances of the ability. This is reduced to 2 uses at level 10. Releasing objects or creatures from this effect is a free action.
Dance of the Threads (Ex/Su): At 7th level, the Weaver can freely make tiny jumps between the different Threads to escape the brunt of damage from any source, and in some instances, negate them completely. She gains damage reduction DR/- equal to her class level.
As an immediate action, the Weaver can choose use up her damage reduction to negate all damage or negative effects she suffered for the whole round, as if that round never happened. This part of the ability is a supernatural effect. The Weaver recovers her damage reduction after 8 hours of rest.
Blind Weaver (Ex/Su): At 9th level, the Weaver has mastered the intricacies of the Threads such that he has no problem tracing the location of any object or creature in existence without much thought and effort. By spending a full round action in concentration, the Weaver can find any object she has seen once, or just through a description, or seeing someone who has seen the object or creature. Also, once per day, as a standard action, the Weaver can ride the Threads to the location of any object or creature. This ability functions like a greater teleport spell, except this also works even across planar boundaries. This teleport ability is a supernatural effect.
Platonia: World of Forms (Su): The Weaver becomes an embodiment of Time herself, and can exert her own existence as she sees fit. At 10th level, as an immediate action, the Weaver of the Threads that Bind can choose any reality for a given point in time, such that she suddenly appears at any other point in space within 1 mile from her current location, as she assumes another ‘Now’, for a number of times per day equal to her highest mental ability modifier.
When the Weaver uses this ability, she has an option to leave a copy of herself at her previous location, but doing so costs another 2 uses of the ability (appearing in another place and leaving a copy costs 3 uses of the ability). This copy is exactly the same as the Weaver in all aspect, and can even perform any ability she knows except this one. However, all copies and the real Weaver share the same pool of uses per day for all her abilities that have uses per day (including spells, maneuvers, class abilities from other classes, etc.), and all of them share the limitations of abilities in terms of when they are usable (ie when one copy executes a maneuver, no other copy, even the Weaver, can use that maneuver unless the copy that initiated it recovers it). Also, only one copy can use an ability that has a duration of more than one round at any given time, such as Rage or the Symphony of the Threads ability. Copies last for 1d6 rounds, after which they dissipate into nothingness. Only two copies can exist simultaneously; creating a third one dissipates one of the existing clones.
PLAYING A WEAVER OF THE THREADS THAT BIND
Being a Weaver does not necessarily give one an unique set of playing style as a class. The playing style of one particular Weaver would be largely affected by her base class/classes; a melee focused class becoming a Weaver uses the abilities of a Weaver very differently from a caster becoming one.
Combat: At lower levels, the Weaver will rely more on her base class abilities with a hint of her Weaving abilities to inflict slow and added damage to her foes. As the Weaver increases in levels, she can begin to employ her abilities in tandem with her base class' abilities. For those with melee base classes, you can use Isolate Thread offensively, either by initiating it through melee attacks or by provoking attacks, while casters or ranged fighters can use them defensively when being picked out by stealthy enemies or casters. At higher levels, the Weaver can use Existence Overlap and Symphony of the Threads to control the battlefield, and you can effectively pick out which opponent to focus on first.
Advancement: The Weaver is independent of any class one might wish to take, as the abilities of the class serve to be supplemental or different all together, although there might be some that would complement it more than others.
Resources: The Weaver does not particularly need of any resource, except maybe magical items to boost mental ability scores, as most of her abilities work off her highest mental ability score.
WEAVERS OF THE THREADS THAT BIND IN THE WORLD
"Yes, yes! I remember now! I used to play with him when we were but wee little lads. But, how?! I am old and withered, and yet he still looks like how he looked like back then when he left this village!! ...or is that his son? - old man Frau, on a Weaver going back to his old village.
Weavers sprout from any race, of any age, and of any class. And they are a rare breed, something that is dependent on the whims of the Threads. Different Weavers cope up with the change differently; some are largely unaffected, continuing their lives like normal, others grow a sense of justice, believing their new life to be given for doing good, while others are corrupted by the sheer power, knowledge, and the prospect of eternal life.
Daily Life: A Weaver's daily life is not too different from what she used to do, or entirely different at all, depending on how they took the change. Most of them will try to find the reasons why they have become who they are.
Notables: It is hard to identify Weavers, as most of them try to hide their identity, moving from place to place when they have stayed long enough for their physical appearance to have changed. Most try live on the road and other still live a life of solitude, away from all civilization. But there are those who marked some of the darkest times in history, when they used their powers to claim dominion of their own planes, or even multiple ones. One such event happened 500 years ago, when an exiled githyanki named Kii'na was given the powers of the Threads, corrupting him and sending him into a rampage, destroying and killing everything in his plane, and he was about to bring his madness into other planes when an unknown warrior appeared, seemingly possessing the same powers of the githyanki, and vanquished the latter in single combat.
Organizations: Since Weavers are so rare, the probability of one meeting another Weaver, much less come together and form some sort of organization. However, there is an unspoken respect between individual Weavers, knowing full well the abilities that they possess, and chooses to maintain a distance between each other, unless they have similar goals, or are faced with conflict of interests.
NPC REACTION
Most people have not heard of a Weaver, and when they see the Weaver displaying her abilities, they could easily mistake her as a wizard or other class capable of time magic. Those few who have heard of one, though, would react according to the rumor they have heard of the class.
WEAVERS OF THE THREADS THAT BIND IN THE GAME
The Weaver's abilities make it a class that can supplement any base class. Duality of Existence allows the character to select which type of progression especially when multi-classed, increasing the synchronization of the class with its base class, and most of the rest of the abilities are independent of any class ability, but provide added options to what their base classes already have.
Adaptation: Since Time exists in all settings, it is very easy to integrate this class into all settings.
Encounters: If the players have committed serious transgressions to time, (ie abusing time magic for personal ends or using it over and over) this may very well attract the attention of a fanatic Weaver to come and punish them. Weavers can also be very appropriate for the main antagonist of the game, as the class and its abilities are perfect for, say, a madman hellbent on conquering the entire planes.
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Change Logs:
Spoiler
- Maneuvers learned are Devoted Spirit, Iron Heart, Riven Hourglass, plus any 2 discipline that the Weaver knows at least one maneuver.
- Entangling Threads is now a swift action slow effect.
- Added the time limit for effects of the Symphony of the Threads ability. The Temporal Stasis effect is now resolve as a ranged touch attack with a range equal to the area of the ability.
- Added definition of time effects.
- Added save to notice effect of Isolate Thread.
- Reworded Favored of the Threads that Bind and Dance of the Threads to mean you need to use up DR or fast healing to acquire the added effects.
- Changed damage bonus bestowed by Strangling Threads to half class level.
- Added additional uses for using temporal stasis on creatures.
- Made temporal stasis used in Symphony of the Threads use up the same pool of uses as Severe the Threads that Bind.
- Changed insight bonus to physical skills from Knowledge of All Things Bound to half the class level instead of highest mental ability mod.
Original Version
