# Forum > Gaming > Homebrew Design > Pathfinder Sha'ir Occultist Redux [PEACH]

## GentlemanVoodoo

Posting this here as reference for a potential game. Still this is an attempt at Pathfinder homebrew and far from perfect. Any constructive feedback is appreciated. Thanks.
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*Shair*

Shairs delve into the occult not through power over objects but instead via their connection with minor servitor spirits from the elemental planes. Such spirits are bound via rituals granting them a corporal and living form. While the practice is first noted as being done with genies where the name comes from, several cultures in the world have held similar practices with spirits of many types. However a shairs spirit is both a precious ally and a living implement for its master. Though one with its own personality.


*Class Skills*: A Shair adds Knowledge (nature) to his list of class skills instead of Knowledge (engineering). This alters class skills.

*Mental Focus*: The Shairs mental focus is equal to occultist level + Intelligence modifier + Charisma modifier. Further, a Shair may not save generic mental focus. Any focus points they possess must be invested in their spirits. This alters Mental Focus.

*Spirits* (Su): At 1st level, a shair learns how to contact a spirit from the elemental planes and binds it into an elemental form. A spirit mechanically is treated as a familiar using the occultist levels in place of wizard levels to determine its base abilities. A spirit is connected to one of the eight schools an occultist could connect for there implements but is also to one of the eight elemental schools of a wizard. The spirit also has a particular personality represented by the Emotional Focus of the spiritualist Phantom.

At this level, the occultist selects one based familiar options that grants a bonus. This represents the physical form the spirit has taken. Once chosen, the form cannot be changed despite what sources may allow additional familiar options like the Improve Familiar feat. The occultist then selects one implement school, elemental school and emotional focus. The implement school selected grants the Resonant, Base Focus, and Focus Powers as normal. The elemental school selected grants the occultist all level one and eight features and one spell for each caster level from the spell list associated with the element chosen. If the schools as a sub-school option, the occultist may select this instead but must specify which parent school it falls under. These features are used as normal though the shair uses their occultist levels instead of wizard levels for the determination of uses or other effects. Additionally, the spirit also gains the benefits of the shamans Spirit Animal feature that matches to the chosen elemental school as noted below. Spells gained from the elemental school list count as part of the occultist spell list and are cast as psychic spells. 

An occultist gains additional spirits at levels 6, 12, and 18 where a different implement school, elemental school, and emotional focus must be selected. When multiple spirits are gain, the occultist may have one only active at a time. Inactive spirits are dismissed back to their home elemental plane, where all benefits of that spirit are inaccessible to the shair, though an occultist may use a standard action to dismiss their current active spirit for one that is inactive. If a spirit is killed, it disappears providing no ill effect to the occultist but cannot be re-summoned until the next day when the occultist would normally allocate their mental focus. In such events, the mental focus allocated to the spirit is lost and the spells/abilities gained from the spirit are inaccessible. If dismissed and re-summoned later, what expended mental focus used prior is not restored.

The spirit, as a familiar, follows all normal rules mechanically though its Speak With Animals of Its Kind ability is modified to allow the spirit to speak with other beings that match to its element. Also for every 3 points of mental focus invested in the elemental school, the bonus provided by the familiar option is increased by +1 for every 2 occultist levels (max +10 at level 20). 

Elemental School
Shaman Spirit Specialization

Aether
Heavens

Air
Wind

Earth
Stone

Fire
Flame

Metal
Battle

Void]
Bone

Water
Waves

Wood
Wood



This ability replaces implements.

*Spiritual Endowments* (Sp, Su): A shairs spirit grants additional abilities they may use.

At level 1, the spirit grants the occultist access to additional spells based on the Spirit Specialization and Emotional Focus. The spells granted from the Emotional Focus are chosen from the list as shown in the feat Emotional Conduit. However, the spirit only provides partial access for these spells. An occultist cannot use spell slots to cast these. Instead they must spend mental focus that was invested into the elemental school, paying a cost equal to the spell level. The spells accessible are also determined by which of the spirits the shair has active.

At second level, the spirit grants the shair an elemental defense wild talent of the Kineticist based on their chosen elemental school. Instead of accepting burn for increased effects, the shair spends mental focus. The defense option gained is noted below. Occultist levels are used in place of Kineticist levels for the purpose of determining increases.

Elemental School
Kineticist Elemental Defense

Aether
Force Ward

Air
Enveloping Winds

Earth
Flesh of Stone

Fire
Searing Flesh

*Metal
*Metallic Counter-Measures

Void
Emptiness

Water
Shroud of Water

Wood
Flesh of Wood



_*For Metal, use the following:

Metallic Counter-Measures  Your body becomes encased in jagged bits of metal. Whenever you are struck by a melee attack, the attacker takes 1 point of bleeding damage as jagged bits of metal break off from your body. This also occurs if you are struck by a ranged attack with a weapon such as a bow if the attacker is within 30 feet of you. If you accept 1 burn point, you increase the damage by 1 per every 4 levels of kineticist levels you possess. You can increase this damage up to seven times. When you accept burn, you change the composition of metal you wield for attacks. For one round, if a creature has a particular weakness to certain metallic types your attacks are considered to have a weapon made of the type it is weak to. For example, if you were attacking a fey creature, your weapon would be considered as being made of cold iron in addition to any other types. You can dismiss or restore this effect as an immediate action._ 

At fourth level, the spirit grants the spell Spirit-Bound Blade as a spell-like ability. This may be used a number of times per day equal to 3 + Intelligence modifier and is used at a caster level appropriate for the shairs current level.

At level 8, the spirit provides the aura ability of the spiritualists Phantom based on the emotional focus selected. The aura costs one point of mental focus to activate and last for one minute. It has a radius of 10 feet centered on the shair. One additional point may be spent to increase the range of the aura by 10 feet or to have the aura centered on the spirit.

At 12th level, the spirit provides the shair more insights of spell-casting with elemental magic. When casting spells limited to the spirit (see first level ability) the shair gains access to the Familiar Spell feat and may apply this effect to the cast spell. Though instead of using spell slots, the shair pays the increased cost with mental focus. 
At level 16, the spirit grants further insights with an additional metamagic feat in alignment with its element even if the shair does not normally meet the requirements. The metamagic feat gain in this manner may be used for spells cast from the spirit where the increased spell slot cost is paid with mental focus. Likewise, the shair may use the gained metamagic feat with spells granted from the elemental school list though cannot use mental focus to pay for the increased spell slot costs.

Elemental School
Metamagic Feat

Aether
Tumultuous Spell

Air
Thundering Spell

Earth
Toppling Spell

Fire
Burning Spell

Metal
Piercing Spell

Void
Ectoplasmic Spell

Water
Aquatic Spell

Wood
Verdant Spell



At level 18, the shairs connection to the planes via his spirits is greatly increased that portions of the spirits home plane are able to be manifested in their present location. While the spirit is active, the shair is considered under the effect of an associated conduit feat of the elemental school as if they have taken the feat. However, instead of the limited uses for the associated feat, the shair may spend one mental focus to gain access to the benefits for 1 minute. Associated feats are noted below.

Alternatively, the shair may imbue himself with the planes power at the cost of the elemental connection of the spirit. As a standard action, the shair partially suspends the elemental school features and associated spirit animal and spirit spells. While suspended the shair is unable to access any of the elemental school features or spells and spells limited to the spirit. In exchange, the shair is considered under the effects of the Planar Infusion feat line as if they took those feats. The shair gains the benefits of the basic, increased and greater effect. If the improved and greater effects note a limited number of uses these are ignored. If the effects mention as spell the shair cast it at their current caster level. This alternative feature can be used a number of times per day equal to 3 + intelligence modifier in one minute increments as the shair desires. 

If there are conditions noting instances where a benefit would not function these are ignored because the shairs spirit serves as the conduit to connect the associated plane.

Elemental School
Conduit Feat
Plane

Aether
Flickering Step
Ethereal Plane

Air
Wind Leaper
Plane of Air

Earth
Stony Rampart
Plane of Earth

Fire
Blazing Aura
Plane of Fire

Metal
Axiomatic Discourse
Axis

Void
Shadow Shroud
Shadow Plane

Water
Tidal Swiftness
Plane of Water

Wood
Primal Bloom
First World



This ability replaces magic item skill, spellcasting and object reading. 

*Spirit Spy* (Su): At 8th level, when a shair gains the outside contact ability, instead of learning the true names of outsiders, they can ask one or more of their inactive spirits to perform a task. The tasks are chosen from the same tasks listed under outside contact (as appropriate per occultist level). This doesnt require negotiation or gifts, but the spirit is not available to the shair during the time it spends performing these tasks. This ability alters outside contact. 				

*Masterful Living Implement* (Su): At level 20, the shair has perfected the combination of his spirit as a being and also an implement. They select one of their spirits which gains an additional 6 points of mental focus that can only be allocated to each of the implement and elemental schools associated with the spirit. The cost of any spells provided through the selected spirit is reduced by 2 (minimum 1 still).

Additionally, the spirit receives the benefits of two templates. Firstly, the spirit gains the familiar template School Familiar though gains only the School Cantrip, Lesser School Power, and Greater School Power. The cantrip and associated powers are based on the occultist implement school. The other template is based on the elemental school of the spirit and is noted below. These templates do not replace any of the familiar abilities the spirit possesses. All other rules and needed requirements are followed as applicable for the templates.

Elemental School
Template

Aether
Psychoplasmic

Air
Aerial

Earth
Chthonic

Fire
Fiery

Metal
*Resolute

Void
Shadow Creature

Water
Aqueous

Wood
First World Creature




_*DR is changed to bludgeon, slashing and piercing damage
*Include in resist electric damage.
*Smite ability is against all foes that are not constructs or clockwork types._

This replaces implement mastery.

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