Path of the Pactmaker

• Requirements: CL 1

You seal a pact with a powerful otherworldly entity from which you receive power - you gain the Eldritch Blast Talent (see below). This pact not only dictates what powers you gain access to, but also what type of entity you serve. Upon selecting this Talent, you are permanently under the influence of a Geas towards your Patron to do their bidding. The instruction laid out by this geas changes based upon the whims of your patron - their desires and ambitions. You only receive the penalties of Geas if you rebel against such wishes dictated by your patron, though other punishments are not out of the question, particularly depending upon who you serve. Needless to say, you cannot defend against the effects of this Geas in any way, shape, or form, though skilled magicians may be capable of noticing the distinct signature of a higher power upon your person, subtle as it may be.

Your Patron may occasionally force you to perform tasks and favours, or act as their agent in the mortal realm. The nature of these tasks are left to GM discretion, but typically are either complications for your adventure, or an adventure in of itself. The patron never attempts to task the Pactmaker with obviously suicidal objectives, but many patrons do not have qualms about giving them tasks that are against character’s moral or ethical views. A particularly rebellious warlock that gains the ire of their patron, or one that successfully breaks the effects of this geas, is stripped of their powers and becomes an ex-witch or warlock. Only by making a new pact with a different patron, or by atonement with the original patron, can you regain your Talents from this Path.

For more information on Patrons, and the unique abilities they offer, see the Patrons page.

• Requirements: Patron's Allegiance, 0 EXP

You may conjure a ray of magical force known as an Eldritch Blast. This Talent channels the power of your patron to create pure destructive force. The blast has a range increment of Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 CL), and is resolved as a ranged touch attack against your chosen target at a distance, or against the target's normal AC if used in melee combat. The Blast deals Force damage. The Blast is treated as a wielded light weapon in melee and a ranged weapon when used at a distance, meaning you may use it multiple times in one Full Attack Action and even use Two Weapon Fighting or Sneak Attack with it, provided that you possess the ability to do so with other weapons. However, this also means you must have a free hand (or hands, if two weapon fighting) to use Eldritch Blast.

As you gain Caster Levels, the damage of the Blast increases, as shown on the table below. All attacks with an Eldritch Blast inflict additional damage equal to your Primary Casting Attribute modifier.

Table: Eldritch Blast

• Requirements: Patron's Allegiance, 10 EXP

You gain the ability to conduct a special 24 hour ritual to gain a Familiar. A familiar is an animal chosen by a spellcaster to aid him in his study of magic. It retains the appearance, Hit Dice, base attack bonus, base save bonuses, skills, and feats of the normal animal it once was, but is now a magical beast for the purpose of effects that depend on its type. Only a normal, unmodified animal may become a Familiar. An Animal Companion cannot also function as a familiar. The Familiar functions as a guide and consultant in regards to the wishes of your Patron, and they will do their best to answer any questions or to propose solutions to problems within the purview and alignment of your Patron.

Additionally, you may store spells within your Familiar rather than commit them to memory. To record spells with your Familiar, you must expend 2 times the Tier of the spell you wish to record in TU of Magic Components (for example, recording Fireball would cost 6 TU in Magic Components). You may add as many spells to your Familiar as you wish, but if the Familiar is killed, the spells are also lost. To cast any spell from the Familiar, you must have the Familiar on your person, or they must be within a square adjacent to you. You must still expend MP to cast spells stored with your Familiar as if you knew the spell.