Gnomish Binder
Gnome class — see Classes for the full list.
| Prime Requisite: | INT, WIL |
|---|---|
| Requirements: | Con 9 |
| Hit Dice: | 1d4 |
| Maximum Level: | 11 |
Before the Year of Trembling, the gnomes of Zilargo were famous for their ability to bind elementals in the creation of magical wonders, the most famous of which were said to be airships capable of sailing the skies! Sadly, such wonders have been lost to the current age, but some fraction of that knowledge remains, passed down by a guild of gnomish binders that make their home in Sair.
Gnomish Binder Level Progression / Binder Spell Progression
| Experience | Title | Level | Hit Dice | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Gnomish Arcanist | 1 | 1d4 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 3,100 | Gnomish Seer | 2 | 2d4 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 6,200 | Gnomish Theurgist | 3 | 3d4 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 12,400 | Gnomish Binder | 4 | 4d4 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
| 24,800 | Gnomish Thaumaturge | 5 | 5d4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 49,600 | Gnomish Enchanter | 6 | 6d4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - |
| 100,000 | Gnomish Sorcerer | 7 | 7d4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | - |
| 200,000 | Gnomish Mage | 8 | 8d4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | - | - |
| 385,000 | Gnomish Wizard | 9 | 9d4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - |
| 570,000 | Gnomish Wizard, 10th Level | 10 | 9d4+1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - |
| 755,000 | Gnomish Wizard, 11th Level | 11 | 9d4+2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Gnomish Binder Saving Throws
| Level | Paralysis | Death | Blast | Implement | Spells | Attack Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | 13+ | 13+ | 15+ | 11+ | 12+ | +0 |
| 4-6 | 12+ | 12+ | 14+ | 10+ | 11+ | +1 |
| 7-9 | 11+ | 11+ | 13+ | 9+ | 10+ | +2 |
| 10-11 | 10+ | 10+ | 12+ | 8+ | 9+ | +3 |
Combat Characteristics
Because of their devotion to arcane study, binders receive limited combat training. They are quite vulnerable to physical danger, and in an adventuring group they should be protected.
Combat Proficiencies: Like mages, binders have weapon proficiency with clubs, daggers, darts, and staffs. They have no armor proficiency. They have fighting style proficiency with the two-handed weapon style (allowing them to use a staff with both hands), but not with the dual weapon or weapon and shield styles.
Combat Progression: Binders advance in attack throws and saving throws as mages. They cannot cleave, regardless of their level.
Starting Class Powers
Arcane Magic: Binders can learn and cast powerful arcane spells. The number and levels of spells the binder can cast in a single day are listed on the Binder Spell Progression table. A binder’s spell selection is limited to the spells in his repertoire. A binder’s repertoire can include a number of spells up to the number and level of spells listed for his level, increased by his Intellect bonus.
Collegiate Wizardry: The binder has received arcane instruction as an apprentice to a mage, pupil at a magical academy, or member of an arcane organization. He can begin play as a member of a wizard’s guild or similar order (Judge’s discretion). He can automatically identify arcane symbols, spell signatures, trappings, and grimoires of his own order or tradition, and can recognize those of other orders or traditions with a proficiency throw of 11+. Rare or esoteric traditions might be harder to recognize. (This class power is the equivalent of one rank of Collegiate Wizardry proficiency).
Fey Magic: Gnomish binders may draw on their innate fey magic to cast Illusory figment and auditory illusion each once per hour without needing the spells to be in their repertoire or expending a spell slot.
Planar Knowledge: The binder gains knowledge of the inhabitants and forces that rule over Eberron’s planes, gaining one rank of Knowledge (the planes).
Additional Class Powers
Initiate of Binding (3rd): When the binder casts summoning spells (such as conjure petty elemental or summon invisible stalker), the spell effects are calculated as if he were two caster levels higher than his actual level of experience. (This makes them harder to dispel.) If the character loses his concentration due to taking damage while controlling a conjured creature, he must make a Spells saving throw. If the save succeeds, he maintains his concentration. His eligibility to conduct research on summoning magic is determined as if he were two caster levels higher than actual. He gains a +2 bonus on magic research throws and increases his research rate by 10% when researching summoning magic. Conjure Planar Forces can partially stack with the Mastery of Conjuration and Summoning proficiency, such that the character’s summoning spells and research are calculated as if he were three (rather than two) caster levels higher and he gains a +2 bonus on his Spells saving throw to maintain concentration.
Minor Magical Research (5th): The binder can research spells, scribe magical scrolls, and brew potions.
Advanced Fey Magic (5th): The gnomish binder can draw on a more advanced fey magic to cast illusory duplicates once per 8 hours, and invisibility and chimerical force once per day each, again without need to have the spells in his repertoire nor the need to expend a spell slot.
Conjure Petty Elemental (5th): Due to their focus on conjuring and binding elementals, the binder gains the ability to conjure petty elemental once per day, without spending a spell slot or needing to have the spell in his repertoire. Due to the binder’s expertise, use of this ability takes only a standard action and need not be declared before rolling initiative. It is not interrupted if he takes damage before his action.
Elementalism (7th): The binder masters an element (earth, air, fire or water), gaining the Elementalism proficiency in the chosen element. If the character has already mastered all four elements, they may instead take any class proficiency.
Gnomish Vault (9th): A gnome who achieves enough fame and fortune from his adventures may build a gnomish vault when he reaches 9th level. Gnomes usually live in clans, so gnomes of the character’s clan will be the first to live under his roof, but gnomes from other clans will also come and live nearby to be ruled by the character. A total of 3d6x10 1st level NPCs of the same race will move in to help maintain and defend the vault at no cost to the character. A gnome is expected to employ only soldiers of gnomish descent but may hire members of other races for other tasks.
Master of Binding (9th): The binder can compel his conjured and summoned creatures to obey his inexorable will. Any creatures summoned by the binder will obey him to the best of their ability rather than seek to pervert his intention. Any creatures he conjures will depart without harming him if his concentration is broken.
Major Magical Research (9th): The binder can create more powerful magic items such as weapons, rings, and staffs.
Gnomish Vault (9th): A gnome who achieves enough fame and fortune from his adventures may build a gnomish vault when he reaches 9th level (Gnomish Wizard). Gnomes usually live in clans, so gnomes of the character’s clan will be the first to live under his roof, but gnomes from other clans will also come and live nearby to be ruled by the character. A total of 3d6x10 1st level NPCs of the same race will move in to help maintain and defend the vault at no cost to the character. A gnomish elementalist is expected to employ only soldiers of gnomish descent but may hire members of other races for other tasks.
Supreme Magical Research (11th): The binder can learn and cast ritual arcane spells of great power (7th, 8th, and 9th level), craft magical constructs, and create magical crossbreeds. If chaotic, the binder can create necromantic servants and become undead.
Secrets of Sivis (11th): The gp value of the binder’s library is doubled for purposes of his magical research, and he is eligible for a bonus of up to +5 (instead of +3) from library value.
Racial Traits
Gnomish Awaregness: Gnomes gain a +1 bonus to surprise rolls in urban settlements. When using the Adventuring proficiency to search or listen, they succeed on a proficiency throw of 14+ (instead of the usual 18+). If separately proficient in Searching they gain a +2 bonus to their throw instead. If separately proficient in Listening, they gain a +4 bonus to their throw instead.
Gnose for Potions: The physiology of gnomes grants them a natural talent for identifying alchemical substances by smell. As such they are all trained from a young age to develop this talent for Alchemy, granting them one free rank of that proficiency.
Multilingual: Gnomes are raised to be multilingual, able to converse in Gnome, Goblin, Kobold, and able to speak with all normal burrowing mammals.
Short-Statured: Due to their short stature, gnomes have a speed of 90’ when unencumbered. They can never wield large-sized weapons such as arbalests, great axes, morning stars, lances, long bows, polearms, or two-handed swords, and must use two hands when wielding medium-sized weapons such as battle axes, maces, staffs, and swords.
Underfoot: Because of their small size, gnomes can more easily avoid attacks by big, clumsy creatures. Monsters of larger than man-sized suffer a -2 penalty to their attack throws against halflings.
Class Proficiencies
Proficiency Progression: At 1st level, binders gain one class proficiency from their class proficiency list and one general proficiency from the general proficiency list (as indicated by the template rolled). They select an additional class proficiency at 6th level. They select an additional general proficiency at 5th, and 9th level.
Gnomish Binder Proficiency List: Alchemy, Alertness, Art, Battle Magic, Beast Friendship, Black Lore of Mabar, Caving, Collegiate Wizardry, Contortionism, Diplomacy, Eavesdropping, Elementalism, Engineering, Expanded Repertoire, Experimenting, Familiar, Knowledge, Loremastery, Magical Engineering, Mastery of Conjuration & Summoning, Mastery of Enchantments & Illusions, Mystic Aura, Naturalism, Passing Without Trace, Performance, Profession, Prospecting, Quiet Magic, Sensing Power, Siege Engineering, Unflappable Casting
Binder Templates
| 3d6 | Template | Proficiencies | Starting Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 – 4 | Arsonist | Contemplation Alchemy Survival | Musty old spellbook with fan of flames, and kindle flame*, ***gnarled oaken staff, tattered robe, low boots, backpack, quill and ink, tinderbox, 24 torches, waterskin, 1 week’s iron rations, 1gp (7 1/6 st) |
| 5 – 6 | Bone-Caller | Black Lore of Mabar Knowledge (occult) Craft (bone carving) | Iron-bound snakeskin spellbook with unliving puppet and choking grip, curved sacrificial dagger, grey robes, leather belt, leather gloves, high boots, backpack, belt pouch, quill and ink, 2 weeks’ iron rations, 19gp (enc. 2 2/6 st) |
| 7 – 8 | Flow Maester | Contortionism Knowledge (fluid mechanics) Engineering | Rolled papyrus spellbook with slickness, and ice floe, wavy-bladed dagger, black and gold robes, polished iron skullcap, embossed belt, low boots, backpack, quill and ink, waterskin, 2 weeks’ iron rations, 56gp (enc. 3 1/6 st) |
| 9 – 10 | Stonecutter | Prospecting Labor (mining) Art (gem cutting) | Wood-paneled spellbook with floating disc and sling stone, gnarled oaken quarterstaff, 5 darts, grey cassock with hood, embossed belt, low boots, backpack, quill and ink, waterskin, 1 week’s iron rations, 60gp (enc. 31/6 st) |
| 11 – 12 | Classicist | Passing Without Trace Knowledge (history) Caving | Well-kept spellbook with illumination and wall of smoke, rune-etched staff, blue mage’s cassock, embossed belt, low boots, backpack, quill and ink, waterskin, 1 week’s iron rations, 82gp (enc. 3 st) |
| 13 – 14 | Pyrotechnician | Battle Magic Siege Engineering Intimidation | Slightly scorched spellbook with weave smoke and frighten humanoid, iron-shod staff, officer’s dagger, red armiger’s tunic and pants, high boots, backpack, quill and ink, waterskin, 1 week’s iron rations, 94gp (enc. 3 1/6 st) |
| 15 – 16 | Polymath | Expanded Repertoire Naturalism Language | Enameled spellbook with infuriate humanoid, discern gist, and one spell of character’s choice; smooth-worn staff, blue robe with crescents, leather belt, low boots, backpack, ornamental crystal ball (20gp value), quill and ink, waterskin, 1 week’s iron rations, 102gp (enc. 3 1/6 st) |
| 17 – 18 | Effusive | Mystic Aura Diplomacy Leadership | Bronze-framed spellbook with counterspell, and thunderclap, quarterstaff tipped with glass gemstone (45gp value), 5 darts, white mage’s cassock, extravagant hat, leather belt, leather gloves, high boots, backpack, quill and ink, medium riding horse, riding saddle and tack, leather saddlebag, 2 weeks’ iron rations, 34gp, 5sp (enc. 2 st with rations on horse) |
Notes: Most characters of this class have above average Intellect, and the templates above reflect that. Each template assumes that the character has an INT attribute of between 13 and 15, qualifying him for one bonus proficiency and one bonus spell. The bonus proficiency and bonus spell that each template begins with are noted last. For characters with INT of less than 13, delete the third proficiency and the second spell. For characters with INT higher than 15, select the appropriate number of additional general proficiencies and ask your Judge to determine what additional spells your character knows.
Spells
Studious arcane caster: choose the repertoire from the whole arcane spell list. See Magic and Spellcasting for how repertoires work.