Mystic Defender (Paladin/Sorcerer)

Suffused with the ethers of arcane energy, mystic defenders are divinely called by their god as protectors of arcane magic. Through his unusual amalgamation of divine and arcane magic, the mystic defender enters battle at forefront, calling upon his god-granted power to defend wizards, sorcerers, and other potentially vulnerable spellcasters from the enemy. With their enhanced spellcasting and unique mercies, they can augment arcane spellcasters and other allies alike to ensuring their victory in battle.

Primary Class: Paladin.

Secondary Class: Sorcerer.

Alignment: Any good.

Hit Die: d8.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The mystic defender may select three sorcerer skills to add to her class skills in addition to the normal paladin class skills. The mystic defender gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 2 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Mystic defenders are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).

Spellcasting: A mystic defender prepares and casts divine spells in the same manner as a paladin, but adds his bloodline spells to his spells list (see Bloodline). The mystic defender gains bonus spells for a high Wisdom score. Through 3rd level, a mystic defender has no caster level. However, at 4th level and higher, his caster level is equal to his mystic defender level, instead of equal to her level – 3, as a paladin. This ability otherwise functions as and replaces the paladin’s spellcasting ability.

Bloodline: A mystic defender’s innate magical bloodline acts as a conduit for her god’s divine energy, enhancing her divine spellcasting abilities. The mystic defender may choose from any of the following sorcerer bloodlines: arcane, celestial, destined, djinni, draconic (metallic subtypes only), efreeti, elemental, fey or stormborn. She gains her bloodline powers at 2nd level and every six levels thereafter, up to her 15th level power at 20th level, but does not gain the associated bloodline arcana. In addition, the mystic defender adds bloodline spells to her spell list at 4th level and every three levels thereafter, up to her 4th–level bloodline spell. This ability replaces aura of good, aura of courage, aura of resolve, and aura of faith.

Mercy (Su): At 3rd level, whenever a mystic defender can choose a mercy, she may select one of the following new mercies, using her innate arcane abilities to enhance her allies’ prowess in combat. The caster level for a new mercy is equal to the mystic defender’s level.

At 3rd level, a mystic defender can select from the following new initial mercies.

· Armor: The target gains a +4 armor bonus as the mage armor spell, but for 1 minute per mystic defender level.

· Righteous Fang: The target gains a +1 enhancement bonus to a natural attack or unarmed strike for 1 round per mystic defender level.

· Throwing: The target can increase the range of any thrown weapon by 10 feet. In addition, the target receives a +1 insight bonus on attack rolls made with thrown weapons. This effect lasts for 1 round per mystic defender level.

At 6th level, a mystic defender adds the following new mercies to the list of those that can be selected.

· Darkvision: The target gains darkvision 60 ft. for 1 minute per mystic defender level.

· Divine Perception: The target is affected by the acute senses spell.

· Weapon Align: The target’s weapons (including a natural attacks or unarmed strikes) are treated as either good–, lawful–, or chaotic–aligned (mystic defender’s choice) for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction for 1 round per mystic defender level.

At 9th level, a mystic defender adds the following new mercies to the list of those that can be selected.

· Elemental Absorption: The target gains the effects of the draconic reservoir spell for 1 minute per mystic defender level.

· Speed: The target’s land speed increases by +20 feet (+10 feet if the target is wearing medium or heavy armor), and does not provoke attacks of opportunity. This bonus stacks with any other bonuses to the target’s land speed, and lasts for 1d4 rounds.

· Spell Power: The target’s spellcasting is enhanced through the mystic defender’s channeled magical power. The next spell the target casts that is of 3rd–level or less does not expend a spell slot. The spell must be cast before the target’s next turn, and cannot have a casting time longer than 1 full round. The mystic defender’s alignment and other restrictions to her spellcasting do not affect the target, nor does the mystic defender suffer any backlash from the target’s choice of spell.

At 12th level, a mystic defender adds the following new mercies to the list of those that can be selected.

· Arcane Defense: The target gains a +4 bonus to all saves against spells and spell-like effects for 1 minute per defender level.

· Clairsentient Ward: The target gains the effects of the nondetection spell, but for 1 minute per mystic defender level.

· Guarded Caster: The target gains the effects of the warding weapon spell for 1 round per mystic defender level.

Mystic Smite (Su): At 11th level, a mystic defender can channel her innate arcane power into her smiting attacks. As a standard action, the mystic defender may expend one extra use of her smite evil to cast a spell with a range of “touch”. She can then make a single attack with her weapon to deliver it upon the current target of her smite evil. This ability functions much like the magus spellstrike ability, and provokes an attack of opportunity if she does not cast defensively. The chosen spell uses the critical range of the mystic defender’s weapon. If the attack misses, the spell is wasted. This ability replaces aura of justice.

Mystic Champion (Su): At 20th level, a mystic defender becomes a conduit for both her arcane energies and the power of her god. Her DR increases to 10/evil. In addition, the mystic defender can use one of the following two effects when using her smite evil ability.
Whenever the mystic defender uses smite evil and successfully strikes an evil outsider, the outsider is subject to banishment, as described in the paladin’s holy champion ability. Alternately, she can expend one use of her smite evil to unleash a magical burst of energy that cause all evil creatures in the affected area to be subject to an expend* spell. This effect only functions against evil creatures. (*Advanced Player’s Guide)
In addition, the mystic defender gains his 5th–level bloodline spell. He can cast this spell as a spell-like ability twice per day at a caster level equal to his mystic defender level.

Table: Mystic Defender

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