Arcane Heirophant – Unchained Mystic Theurge Archetype

Source: Adapted from the prestige class in Races of the Wild, WotC

“There’s nothing unnatural about magic. Magic ebbs and flows through the very earth where you stand, the air that your breathe, and the water that you drink. A fire has some magic of its own, as I’m sure you’ll agree when it warms you on a cold day or cooks your food.” – Altherion Duniiloli, arcane hierophant

Arcane hierophants wield a blending of arcane magic and divine magic with a heavy emphasis on nature and the elements. Though they possess the learning and discipline commonly associated with wizards, they also have practical knowledge of the natural world commonly associated with druids. Unlike either, they can channel both their arcane and divine power through the very deinzens of nature itself.

Requirements

• Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) 3 ranks, Knowledge (Nature) 3 ranks
• Spells: Must be able to cast arcane and divine spells — 2nd-level or higher of one, and 1st-level or higher of the other.
• Special: Wild Empathy, Animal Companion.

This alters the mystic theurge’s entry requirements.

Class Skills: The Arcane Heirophant adds Knowledge (Nature) to his list of class skills, and does not gain Knowledge (Religion); this alters the Mystic Theurge’s class skills.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The arcane heirpohant gains no proficiency in any weapons or armor, however, he must abide by the same armor restrictions that druids do, and he loses his divine spellcasting ability and supernatural or spell-like class abilities if he wears prohibited armor or carries a prohibited shield. The arcane heirophant does not suffer arcane spell failure for wearing light armor or carrying a light shield, so long as these are compliant with the druid’s armor restrictions. This modifies the mystic theurge’s armor proficiencies.

Companion Familiar (Su): Upon becoming an arcane hierophant, the character must dismiss any familiar he has, and forego any other opted arcane bond he had from his arcane casting class. He may retain an animal companion he already has, or dismiss it to gain a new one, as desired. The arcane heirophant adds his class level to the class level which granted him the animal companion, to determine the statistics of his animal companion, except for the number of tricks, or the special abilities of the companion. The arcane heirophant stacks his class level with his arcane caster level and uses the familiar table to determine the companion’s Intelligence, and the companion gains the special abilities of a wizard’s familiar instead of those of a companion. The familiar companion is a magical beast (augmented), but the arcane heirophant can bestow harmless spells on the familiar companion as if it were an animal instead of a magical beast. If the familiar companion is killed or dismissed, it may be replaced one week later in an 8-hour prayer ritual that costs 200 gp per hit die of the companion. This replaces combined spells.

Natural Channel (Su): Starting at 4th level, with a touch, the arcane heirophant can establish a magical conduit between himself and a single animal (including his familiar companion). For each use of this class feature, a spell the arcane heirophant casts with a range of touch or greater can originate from the animal instead of from you, provided that the arcane heirophant has line of sight and line of effect to the animal. The spell’s line of effect then extends from the animal to the target based on the senses of the animal, not the arcane heirophant’s own. This power can also be used to channel the ability to deliver touch spells through the familiar companion, or to deliver a touch or ranged touch attack from the arcane heirophant’s arcane school. Once a spell or ability is channeled through the conduit, the animal is considered to be holding the charge for the spell; and once the spell is delivered by the target creature, the ability ends. At 6th level, the arcane heirophant can create this conduit through a natural, nonanimated plant which he touches; this functions as the earlier usage of the ability for casting a spell through the conduit, though for an unanimated plant, line of sight from the plant is based on the caster’s own senses. At 8th level, the arcane heirophant may establish this conduit between himself and a sentient creature of the Plant type, using the line of sight and effect of the creature. The arcane heirophant may use this ability a number of times per day equal to half his class level. This ability replaces multi-penetration and synthesized force.