Bushi Hospitaler (Cleric/Samurai)

Few samurai are worshippers of any greater power, though some venerate the spirits of their ancient ancestors. However, those who do seek the priestly path must sacrifice much in order to obtain forbearance and the blessing of wielding the power of the divine. Bushi hospitalers are warrior priests, trained in the battle arts and endowed from above with divine power. They enter into divine orders to increase their devotion, obtain greater power, and receive special training at the hands of their order’s superiors. While not as powerful a warrior as other samurai, bushi hospitalers can hold their own, combining blade and devotion to defeat their enemies. (Original Concept by Elghinn Lightbringer)

Primary Class: Cleric.

Secondary Class: Samurai.

Alignment: Any nonevil.

Hit Dice: d8.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The bushi hospitaler may select three cleric skills to add to her class skills in addition to the normal samurai class skills. The bushi hospitaler gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The bushi hospitaler is proficient with all simple weapons, plus the katana, naginata, and wakizashi. The bushi hospitaler is proficient with light armor, medium armor, and with shields (except tower shields).

Spellcasting: A bushi hospitaler casts divine spells which are drawn from the cleric spell list. Her alignment may restrict him from casting certain spells opposed to her moral or ethical beliefs (see Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells). A bushi hospitaler must choose and prepare her spells in advance. A bushi hospitaler can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day according to her daily allotment, as shown on the Table: Bushi Hospitaler. The bushi hospitaler gains bonus spells for a high Wisdom score.

Order: At 1st level, a bushi hospitaler gains the samurai’s order ability and may select either a divine order or normal samurai order of her choice. This ability replaces the cleric’s first domain.

Channel Energy (Su): This is exactly like the cleric ability of the same name, except that the bushi hospitaler can deal or heal 1d6 points of damage at 1st level, and an additional 1d6 points of damage every three levels thereafter, up to 7d6 at 19th level. This is a Charisma-based ability.

Restorative Touch (Su): At 3rd level, a bushi hospitaler can touch a creature, letting the healing power of her deity flow through her to relieve the creature of a minor condition. The bushi hospitaler’s touch can remove the dazed, fatigued, shaken, sickened, or staggered condition. She chooses which condition is removed. The bushi hospitaler can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Wisdom modifier. This ability, bestow valor, and gift of life replace the cleric’s second domain.

Healing Banner (Su): At 5th level, a bushi hospitaler gains the samurai’s banner ability. In addition, the bushi hospitaler can plant her banner in the ground to serve as a rally point and place of safety once per day. Each ally within 60 feet of the banner gains the benefits of a sanctuary spell with a caster level equal to the bushi hospitaler’s level. In addition, each ally recovers a number of hit points equal to their individual levels and 1 point of ability damage as if they had rested for 8 hours. Once a creature has been the target of the bushi hospitaler’s sanctuary effect, that creature cannot be affected by it again for 24 hours.

Hospitaler’s Challenge (Su): At 6th level, a bushi hospitaler can challenge a foe that is threatening one of her injured or dying allies to combat once per day. As a swift action, the bushi hospitaler chooses one target within sight to challenge. The bushi hospitaler’s melee attacks deal extra damage when made against the target of her challenge. This extra damage is equal to the bushi hospitaler’s level. The bushi hospitaler can use this ability one additional time per day for every six levels beyond 6th, to a maximum of three times per day at 18th level.

Challenging a foe requires much of the bushi hospitaler’s concentration. The bushi hospitaler takes a –2 penalty to his Armor Class, except against attacks made by the target of her challenge.

The challenge remains in effect until the target is dead or unconscious, or until the combat ends. Each bushi hospitaler’s challenge also includes another effect, which is listed in the section describing her chosen order. This ability replaces channel energy 2d6, channel energy 5d6, and channel energy 8d6.

Bestow Valor (Su): At 9th level, a bushi hospitaler can expend one use of her resolve to bless creatures with the boldness of her deity. She can bestow a number of temporary hit points equal to her bushi hospitaler level + her Wisdom modifier to all allies within 20 feet. The temporary hit points remain for 1 minute.

Healer's Blessing (Su): At 11th level, all of the bushi hospitaler’s cure spells are treated as if they were empowered, increasing the amount of damage healed by half (+50%). This does not apply to damage dealt to undead with a cure spell. This does not stack with the Empower Spell metamagic feat.

Greater Healing Banner (Su): At 14th level, a bushi hospitaler gains the samurai’s greater banner ability. In addition, whenever the bushi hospitaler uses her banner to create the sanctuary effect, each ally recovers a number of hit points equal to twice their individual levels and 2 points of ability damage.

Gift of Life (Su): At 17th level, a bushi hospitaler can spend two uses of her restorative touch ability to touch a creature that has died within the past minute to grant it a few moments of life. The dead creature returns to life for a number of rounds equal to her bushi hospitaler level. Creatures returned to life in this way have a number of hit points equal to half the bushi hospitaler’s level, and continue to be affected by any still-active spells, conditions, or afflictions present at the time of their death. At the end of this time, the creature dies again. The creature is free to act as it sees fit during this time. The bushi hospitaler is granted no control over it.

Last Rites (Su): At 20th level, a bushi hospitaler gains the samurai’s last stand ability. However, if the bushi hospitaler is slain while this ability is in effect, whether by a spell, environmental effects, supernatural abilities, or any other source of damage (other than melee and ranged weapons), she releases a burst of energy as her final act. This burst heals all allies of neutral or good alignment (but not evil) in a 40-foot radius if the bushi hospitaler channels positive energy, or heals all allies of neutral or evil alignment (including undead) if the bushi hospitaler channels negative energy. In addition, any allies within the burst that are under the effects of any conditions have them removed.

Table: Bushi Hospitaler