Conduit

*A Conduit is a being born with an innate connection to a plane of elemental energy. Unlike a Kineticist; these individuals are usually born with this innate power, and can often too little to refuse, or even control it. The powers of a Conduit are regarded different throughout Golarion, with some Orcish tribes recognizing the power of flame as a boon of strength from the gods. Races often born into crowded cities and strongholds, such as humans, dwarves, and forest-dwelling elves often struggle by comparison. Coming to terms with developing power is difficult, as it can manifest suddenly and intensely at any point throughout a child’s life. A great many Conduit fall into the adventuring life after fleeing the scene of a raging fire. Some take it as a lesson to exercise great caution; acting only when the risk of inaction outweighs the risk of losing control.  Other Conduits learn quickly how to best utilize their destructive power for personal benefit, regardless of good or evil intent. In either case; the powers possessed by a Conduit are both fantastic, and deadly.*

**Hit Die:** d10

**Starting Wealth:** 4d6 × 10 gp (average 140 gp.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

**Class Skills:** Craft (Int), Climb (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Knowledge (Planes) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Survival (Wis) Swim (Str)

**Skill Ranks Per Level:** 4 + Int modifier

### **Weapon and Armor Proficiencies**:

A Conduit is proficient with all simple / martial weapons; and all armor + shields (Excluding tower shields)

### **Weapon Alight(Su):**

Beginning at 1st level, as a move-equivalent action, A Conduit can cause waves of fire to engulf an equipped weapon. These normally manifest as flames, that harm neither the Conduit nor the weapon. The flames engulf one weapon they hold (which can also be a projectile weapon such as a sling, gun, bow, splash weapon, or bolt crossbow. The Conduit may also utilize weapon alight with unarmed strikes, or improvised weapons). The weapon/projectile deals an extra 1d6 points of energy damage at 1st level, and an additional 1d6 every four Conduit levels possesses, to a maximum of 6d6 at 20th level.

This energy damage is fire by default, but may be altered by the Elemental Affinity feat listed below. This Fire also stacks with magical weapon properties, such as flaming. The chosen weapon retains this effect for a number of minutes equal to their Conduit Level. The flames are extinguished if the weapon is ever dropped or sheathed. They can use this ability a number of times per day equal to their CON modifier +1. This ability cannot be multiplied by the effects of Zursvaater’s Deific Obedience

At 5th level and beyond; this ability becomes a Swift action to activate.

### **Conduit Tear:**

A Conduit gains the ability to tap into their primal connection with elemental energy through a number of unique manifestations known as Tears. These abilities are tiny rips in reality; that connect the energy of the elemental planes with the prime-material, and it’s Conduit(s). The Conduit gains a new Tear at 2nd level, and every 2nd level thereafter until level 18. A list of all Conduit tears can be found [here]

### **Nimbus(Su):**

Beginning at 2nd level, a Conduit may activate their Nimbus as a free action, sheathing their entire body in Fire that harms neither their equipment nor themselves. While they are aflame, they gain a +4 Morale bonus to their constitution score. At 8th level, this bonus increases to a +6. At 16th level, this bonus increases to a +8. This ability may be utilized for a number of rounds per day equal to 3 + CON mod, plus an additional 2 rounds for each level of Conduit the character possesses. Dismissing the nimbus is a free action

In addition to the CON bonus, while under the effects of Nimbus the Conduit gains Fire resistance equal to 5 + Conduit Level, maximizing at resist 25 at level 20th.

### **Manipulate Flames (Su)**

At 3rd level and beyond, the Conduit gains the ability to Manipulate flames within medium range of them; at will. As a standard action, they can perform any of the following actions to manipulate non-magical fire(s).

* You create a 10x10ft contained fire on ground, that you can see within range; provided there is ample fuel to burn. The fire ignites flammable objects in its area that aren’t being worn or carried.

* You instantaneously expand a flame by 10 feet per 4 Conduit level(s) in one direction, provided that wood or other fuel is present in the new location.

* You instantaneously extinguish any flames in a 10ft per 4 Conduit level(s) radius.

* You double or halve the area of bright light and dim light cast by the flame, change its color, or both. The change lasts for 1 hour.

* You cause simple shapes—such as the vague form of a creature, an inanimate object, or a location—to appear within the flames and animate as you like. These shapes last for up to 1 hour.

### **Heatwave (Su):**

Beginning at 5th level, the longer a Conduit is in combat with a foe; the brighter and hotter their energies burn.  At 5th level, whenever a Condit deals Weapon Alight damage to a foe, the enemy gains a stack of Heat on-hit; a mark from the Conduit that persists for 1 minute thereafter.  For every stack of heat an enemy possesses, they can suffer one of a number of debuff(s) at the Conduit’s discretion; chosen when the last successful heat-applying weapon attack is made each round. Immunity to Fire damage negates this effect.

* ***Melted:*** The target has their Armor bonus to AC reduced by 1 for every 2 stacks of heat they possess; as their armor slowly melts away, to a maximum reduction of -5. If the Target has no Armor Bonus, this Melting instead targets a creature's natural armor bonus.
* ***Exasperated**:* The target is partially exhausted and parched by the heat of your weapon’s flame; and take a –1 Penalty on Weapon damage rolls for every 2 heat they possess; to a maximum reduction of 5.
* ***Dazzled:*** The target is partially blinded and awe-struck at the sight of your weapon’s flame; and take a –1 Penalty on attack rolls for every 2 heat they possess; to a maximum reduction of -5.
* ***Hampered**:* All of the target’s speeds are reduced by 5ft for every stack of heat they possess, to a minimum of 0ft.
* ***Distracted**:* The target is distracted by the lingering burn of your flame. Every 2 Points of heat an enemy possesses counts as having taken 1 point of Continuous damage for the purposes of incurring concentration checks during spellcasting.
* ***Drained**:*  The target is partially fatigued by elemental power, and takes a -1 penalty on one of their saving throws of the Conduit’s choosing for every 2 heat the enemy possesses, to a maximum reduction of -5 to a single saving throw.

A creature cannot suffer from more than one penalty from this ability at a time. If a new penalty is applied, the old penalty immediately ends. Any form of healing applied to a target suffering from one of these penalties also removes the penalty.

### **Stalwart (Ex):**

Beginning at 7th level, the Conduit can use mental and physical resilience to avoid certain attacks. If she makes a Fortitude or Will saving throw against an attack that has a reduced effect on a successful save, she instead avoids the effect entirely.

### **Meltdown(Ex):**

At 9th level, a Conduit’s attacks with Weapon Alight become so potent; they ignore a fraction of an enemies elemental resistance. Their attacks gain the ability to reduce a creature’s fire resistance on hit by a number equal to 2x their number of Weapon Alight die. This penalty stacks with itself,  though this effect can only occur once per round, and only lasts up to one minute. Successive hits refresh this duration.

### **Firesight (Ex):**

At 10th level the Conduit can see through flames, ash,and smoke as if they were transparent.

### **Supernova (Su):**

Beginning at 11th level, Once per day when the Conduit falls below 0 hp, they may choose to erupt in a burst of violent elemental energy as a free action; that causes the Conduit themselves no further harm, and potentially bringing down their attacker(s) alongside them.

When the Conduit falls in combat; they release a Dazzling 10ft burst of elemental energy in all directions. This burst inflicts 2d4 Fire damage per level of Conduit the character posesses (or possessed, if triggered by death); and offers creatures within the radius a reflex save (DC 10 + ½ Conduit Lv + CON mod) for ½ damage, and to avoid being Dazzled.

### **Improved Stalwart (Ex):**

At 13th level, a Conduit’s vigor ability improves. They still take no damage on a successful Fortitude or Will saving throw against attacks, but henceforth they take only half damage on a failed save.

### **Improved Meltdown (Ex):**

At level 15 the Conduit gains the ability to treat enemy fire immunity as resist fire 20 when resolving attacks via Weapon Alight.

### **Adaptation (SLA):**

At 17th level by expending 1 round of Nimbus per Traveler (Including themselves), a Conduit can Plane Shift themselves and up to 8 Allies to the Plane of Fire as a standard action. When traveling in this manner, both the Conduit and their allies receive the effects of Planar Adaptation upon arrival, using a CL equal to their Conduit level. The Conduit may return to their point of Origin in the same manner by expending additional Nimbus rounds.

### **Fear no Flame (Su):**

At level 19th, the Conduit gains Immunity to Fire during Nimbus.
In addition; the Conduit can now be healed by Energy Damage matching their element during Nimbus. For every 2 points of Fire damage they would receive before calculating resistances and immunities, it instead heals the Conduit for 1 point of HP damage. The Conduit cannot heal via self-inflicted energy damage, and this ability cannot overheal.

### **Heat Death (Su)**

When an Enemy receives their third stack of Heat from the Conduit’s Heatwave ability; they are subject to one of the following effects from the Intense buildup of heat. A Successful fortitude saving throw (DC = 10 + 1/2lv + CON mod) negates the effects of Heat Death for 24 hours thereafter.

* Heat Exhaustion: Exhausted for 1d4 Hours

* Heat Syncope: Nauseated for 2d6 rounds.

* Heat Stroke: Slain

In addition, if Weapon Alight is used to drop an enemy below zero HP via hit point damage, they are violently and suddenly Disintegrated, being reduced to ash (per disintegrate) on hit.

## **Feats**

#### **Extra Tear**

**Prerequisite**: Conduit Tear class feature.

**Benefit**: You gain one additional Conduit Tear. You must meet all of the prerequisites for this Conduit Tear.

**Special**: You can gain Extra Tear multiple times.

#### **Elemental Affinity**

**Prerequisite: Conduit Level 1st**

**Benefit:** Choose 1 elemental damage type from the following list: Acid, Shock, Cold

Whenever the Conduit utilizes a class ability dependent upon a specific energy type (Normally Fire; by default); they instead use their chosen element. This change alters Weapon Alight, Conduit Tears, and more.

**Special:** This feat can only be taken at 1st level. Once selected, the Conduit's choice cannot be changed without retraining the feat entirely.

#### **Extra Nimbus**

**Prerequisite**: Nimbus class feature.

**Benefit**: You can utilize the Nimbus class ability for an additional 6 rounds per day.

#### **Vital Nimbus**

**Prerequisites**: Con 16, Nimbus class feature.

**Benefit**: Whenever you are using Intense Nimbus, the morale bonus to your Constitution increases by +2.

Your Nimbus does not end if you become unconscious. While unconscious you must still expend rounds of Nimbus per day each round.

## **Traits**

#### **Nimbus but More**

You can utilize the Conduit's nimbus ability for an additional 3 rounds per day.

## **Archetypes**

* Endothermic Conduit
* Siege Conduit

Credit for the original inspiration goes to the Pyrokineticist in Psionics Unleashed (2010) by Dreamscarred Press