War Animator (Summoner/Warpriest)

It takes a witty and wise practitioner of magic to find use for the mundane. By enchanting items with animate power, the war animator is a master of that very art. The war animator uses his magic to infuse a semblance of life into the inanimate, allowing him to assemble an improvised and perfectly obedient army from the unattended objects around him. He then uses this control to force these animated objects to fight on his behalf, using them as an extension of his own armaments and magic. (Original Concept by Tryannical)

Primary Class: Summoner.

Secondary Class: Warpriest.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Dice: d8.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The war animator may select three warpriest skills to add to his class skills in addition to the normal summoner class skills. The war animator gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 2 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The war animator is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with light and medium armor, and with shields (except tower shields). A war animator can cast summoner spells while wearing light and medium armor, or using a shield without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Like any other arcane spellcaster, a war animator wearing heavy armor incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component. A multiclass war animator still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.

Spellcasting: A war animator casts arcane spells drawn from the summoner spells list, and adds the following spells to that list: 1st–forbid action, refine improvise weapon, sun metal; 2nd–alchemical tinkering, align weapon, effortless armor, instant armor, make whole, returning weapon; 3rd–align weapon (communal), disable construct, locate object, returning weapon (communal); 4th–apparent master, soothe construct; 5th–animate objects, forbid action (greater), rapid repair, sabotage construct, unbreakable construct; 6th–control construct. A war animator otherwise learns and casts spells as a summoner of equal level. He also gains bonus spells if he has a high Charisma score.

Animate Object (Sp): Starting at 1st level, a summoner can cast animate object as a spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier. Drawing upon this ability uses up the same power as the war animator uses to enhance his arcane arms. As a result, he can only use this ability when his weapons or shield are not enhanced. He can cast this spell as a standard action and the animated objects remain for 1 minute per level (instead of 1 round per level).

At 1st level, a war animator can animate one Tiny or smaller non-magical objects. Such objects must be constructed from wood, or a similar material, but not stone, metal, or any other special material. At 3rd level, and every 2 levels thereafter, the power of this ability increases, allowing him to animate a corresponding number of larger objects, or objects made of special materials.

At 3rd level, a war animator can animate a one Small object or two Tiny or smaller objects. At 5th level, he can animate one Medium or two Small objects. At 9th level, he can animate one Large (equal to four Small objects) or two Medium objects. At 11th level, he can animate one Huge (equal to eight Small objects) or two Large objects. At 15th level, he can animate one Gargantuan (equal to 16 Small objects) or two Huge objects. At 19th level, he can animate one Colossal (equal to 32 Small objects) or two Gargantuan objects.

A war animator can also animate any combination of smaller objects as long as the total number does not exceed his maximum number of Small or smaller objects. For example, an 11th level war animator could animate one Large object, two Medium objects, one Medium and two Small objects, four Small objects, or even eight Tiny or Smaller objects. (For the statistic of individual animated objects, see each Animated Object description in the Bestiary, according to its size).

The war animator can change the designated target or targets as a move action, as if directing an active spell. A war animator cannot have more than one animate object spell active in this way at one time. If this ability is used again, any existing animate object immediately ends. Objects carried or worn by a creature cannot be affected by this ability. The animate object spell is considered to be part of his spell list for the purposes of spell trigger and spell completion items. In addition, he can expend uses of this ability to fulfill the construction requirements of any magic item he creates, so long as he can use this ability to cast the required spell.

This ability and construction pool replace summon monster and gate.

Arcane Arms (Su): At 1st level, a war animator gains the warpriest’s sacred weapon ability, except that the weapons wielded by a war animator are charged with the power of his magic.

At 4th level, the war animator gains the ability to enhance one of his arcane weapons or his shield with arcane power as a swift action. This power grants the weapon or shield a +1 enhancement bonus. For every 4 levels beyond 4th, this bonus increases by 1 (to a maximum of +5 at 20th level). If the war animator has more than one arcane weapon, he can enhance another on the following round by using another swift action. The war animator can use this ability for a number of minutes per day equal to his war animator level. These minutes need not be consecutive, but must be spent in 1-round increments.

These bonuses stack with any existing bonuses the weapon or shield might have, to a maximum of +5. The war animator can enhance a melee or ranged weapon with any of the following weapon special abilities: anchoring, bane, cunning, dancing, heartseeker, impact, returning, seeking, throwing. These replace those listed in the warpriest’s sacred weapon ability.

Alternatively, the war animator can enhance a shield with any of the armor special abilities listed in the warpriest’s sacred armor ability, but removes the glamered special ability and adds the following to the list: animated, impervious.

Adding any of these special abilities replaces an amount of bonus equal to the special ability's base cost (or the amounts listed in the sacred weapon or sacred armor class features). Duplicate abilities do not stack. The weapon or shield must have at least a +1 enhancement bonus before any other special abilities can be added.

If multiple weapons or shields are enhanced, each one consumes minutes of use individually. The enhancement bonus and special abilities are determined the first time the ability is used each day, and cannot be changed until the next day. These bonuses do not apply if another creature is wielding the weapon, but they continue to be in effect if the weapon otherwise leaves the war animator's possession (such as if the weapon is thrown). The bonuses applied to his shield only function while the war animator is wielding the shield, and ends immediately if it is removed or leaves the war animator’s possession. This ability can be ended as a free action at the start of the war animator's turn (that round does not count against the total duration, unless the ability is resumed during the same round). If the war animator uses this ability on a double weapon, the effects apply to only one end of the weapon.

This ability, focus weapon, and bonus feats replace eidolon and merge forms.

Construction Pool (Su): At 1st level, the war animator gains a reservoir of mystical arcane energy that he can draw upon to enhance his animated objects with upgrades. This construction pool has a number of points equal to his war animator level (minimum 1) + his Charisma modifier. The pool refreshes once per day when the war animator rests to regain his spells.

At 1st level, a war animator can expend 1 point from his construction pool as a swift action to grant any object he has animated through his animate object ability the selected upgrades for 1 minute per war animator level (or the duration of the animate object ability). Multiple uses of this ability do not stack with themselves.

Only a certain number of construction points can be spent on each size of animated object (see Table: Animated Object Statistics). The war animator can also gain additional construction points by giving construction flaws to his animated objects. Each flaw grants the war animator one additional construction point, which must be spent at the time the flaw is bestowed. The maximum number of construction points and flaws that the war animator can spend on or add to an individual animated object is also shown on Table: Animated Object Statistics.

At 3rd level, a war animator’s animated objects are treated as magic for the purpose of bypassing damage reduction. At 7th level, his animated objects are treated as cold iron and silver for the purpose of bypassing damage reduction. At 13th level, his animated objects are treated as mithral for the purpose of bypassing damage reduction. At 17th level, his animated objects are treated as adamantine for the purpose of bypassing damage reduction.

This ability replaces life link.

Focus Weapon: At 1st level, a war animator gains the warpriest’s focus weapon ability. This ability applies to any weapon, including improvised weapons.

Improvised Arms (Ex): At 2nd level, the war animator is adept at finding not only objects to animate, but at improvising weapons. He gains Catch Off-Guard and Improved Weapon Mastery as bonus feats, and may use any improvised weapon or shield as a focus for his arcane arms ability. This ability replaces bond senses.

Shield Ally (Ex): This is exactly like the summoner ability of the same name, except that it applies to his animated objects. The war animator or an ally can only gain the bonuses from these abilities once, regardless of how many animated objects are within reach.

Bonus Feats: At 5th level and every six levels thereafter, a war animator gains a bonus feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement. These bonus feats must be selected from those listed as combat feats or crafting feats. The war animator must meet the prerequisites for these feats, but he treats his war animator level as his base attack bonus for combat feats.

Maker's Call (Su): This is exactly like the summoner ability of the same name, except that it applies to his animated objects. The war animator can only call one animated object to his side with each use of this ability.

Transposition (Su): This is exactly like the summoner ability of the same name, except that it applies to his animated objects. The war animator swaps his location with that of one animated object with each use of this ability.

Animate Form (Su): At 10th level, a war animator may project his own essence into a nearby object, similar to the possess object spell, except that it only functions while he is in this form and the war animator does not suffer the restrictions to casting spells or speaking. The war animator may inhabit and animate any size object that he can animate with his animate object ability, but he may only possess a single object. While in this form, he cannot use his animate objects ability. This ability replaces aspect.

Greater Shield Ally (Ex): This is exactly like the summoner ability of the same name, except that it applies to his animated objects.

Greater Animate Form (Su): At 14th level, a war animator gains a separate pool of construct points equal to half his normal construction pool to use on his animate form. The object loses these points as soon as this ability ends. This pool replenishes when she rests to regain her spells. The war animator can continue to use any weapons or shields he possesses as long as they are under the effects of the dancing or animated properties. This ability replaces life bond.

Master Animate Form (Su): At 18th level, a war animator's construct pool for his animate form ability is equal to his normal construction pool. The war animator can now use his animate objects ability while in this form without penalty. This ability replaces greater aspect.

Machine of War (Su): At 20th level, a war animator can channel his arcane energy into one of his animated objects to transform it into a machine of war. After activating this ability, for 1 minute the designated object treats the war animator’s level as its base attack bonus, gains DR10/—, and can move its full normal speed regardless of any spells or effects that affect its movement. In addition, the war animator can use his arcane arms ability to grant his machine of war the weapon or shield special abilities of his choice. The animated shield ability and dancing weapon ability have no effect on the object. The animated object is treated as the designated weapon or shield for the purpose of these special abilities, and is considered non-magical for the purpose enhancing the object. While his war machine is enhanced in this way, he cannot then enhance one of his weapons or shields. If he use arcane arms again, this use ends. This ability replaces twin eidolon.

Table: War Animator