Battle Host

Well versed in military history, battlefield lore, and the occult, a battle host forms a supernatural bond with a chosen weapon, suit of armor, or shield, from which he can channel psychic energy to cast spells, conjure the spirit of the object’s former owner, increase his own physical might, and produce a number of other remarkable abilities.

Class Skills

A battle host adds Knowledge (local) (Int) and Knowledge (nobility) (Int) as class skills. This alters the occultist’s class skills.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

A battle host is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with all types of armor (heavy, light, and medium) and shields (including tower shields). This replaces the occultist’s weapon and armor proficiency.

Panoply Bond (Su)

At 1st level, a battle host forms a supernatural bond with a specific weapon, suit of armor, or shield. This selection is permanent and can never be changed. The bonded item is masterwork quality and the battle host begins play with it at no cost.

The bonded item is immune to the broken condition for as long as the battle host lives. If a battle host dies and is restored to life, the bonded item is also restored if it was destroyed. Any magic powers associated with a battle host’s bonded item function only for the battle host; in the hands of anyone else it is only a masterwork item. The bonded item starts as an implement for any single school of magic at 1st level, and gains access to additional schools of magic at 2nd, 10th, 14th, and 18th levels, granting the battle host access to base focus powers and resonant powers accordingly. The battle host’s bonded item serves as his implement component to cast occultist spells of all the schools that he knows.

However, he must split his mental focus among the schools he knows for the purpose of determining resonant powers and using focus powers, even though he possesses only one physical item as an implement.

This ability alters implements, mental focus, spellcasting, and implement mastery.

Battle Skill

At 2nd level, a battle host’s magic item skill ability applies only on checks with weapons, armor, and shields.

This ability alters magic item skill.

Battle Reading

At 2nd level, a battle host can use object reading on only weapons, armor, and shields.

This ability alters object reading.

Bonus Feats

At 4th, 8th, 12th, and 16th levels, a battle host gains a bonus feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement. These bonus feats must be selected from those listed as combat feats. The battle host must meet the prerequisites of these bonus feats.

This ability replaces shift focus, magic circles, binding circles, and fast circles.

Spirit Warrior (Sp)

At 5th level, a battle host can call forth the spirit of a dead warrior who once owned his bonded item. Calling the spirit is a standard action, and unlike the use of most spell-like abilities, it doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. This ability functions as spiritual ally, using the battle host’s occultist level as his caster level and his Intelligence modifier instead of his Wisdom modifier to determine the spell’s effects. The battle host can summon a spirit warrior once per day at 5th level, plus one additional time per day for every 4 occultist levels he possesses beyond 5th.

This ability replaces aura sight.

Heroic Splendor (Su)

At 6th level, a battle host can draw power from his bonded item to imbue himself with superhuman strength, agility, or resilience. As a swift action, a battle host can grant himself a +4 insight bonus to Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution for 1 minute. The battle host can use this ability once per day at 6th level, plus one additional time per day for every 4 occultist levels he possesses beyond 6th. If he activates heroic splendor again before the duration expires, the new use of heroic splendor replaces the old use.

This ability replaces outside contact.

FAQ

What exactly does it mean that the battle host’s implement is immune to the broken condition? Can it never be destroyed? Can you use it over and over again with abilities that break your weapon for a benefit?

In this particular instance, what it does is slightly different than the usual meaning of “immune.” It means that the implement suffers no penalties, even if it becomes broken. It can still gain the broken condition, and, it still counts as having the broken condition for the purpose of effects that escalate if you have the broken condition (such as effects that give the broken condition, or destroy the target if it already has the broken condition). As usual, you can’t use an effect that breaks a weapon if it already has the broken condition. An explanation will be included in the next errata.

[Source]

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Occult Adventures © 2015, Paizo Inc.; Authors: John Bennett, Logan Bonner, Robert Brookes, Jason Bulmahn, Ross Byers, John Compton, Adam Daigle, Jim Groves, Thurston Hillman, Eric Hindley, Brandon Hodge, Ben McFarland, Erik Mona, Jason Nelson, Tom Phillips, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Thomas M. Reid, Alex Riggs, Robert Schwalb, Mark Seifter, Russ Taylor, and Steve Townshend.

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