Ley lines are lines of power that criss-cross the earth. They are postulated by some to be fonts of power from Gaia (nature/the planet), while others contend that they are merely a different form of magic like the Weave (just more nature-oriented); yet others say that the ley lines are powered by the presence of life on a planet and that when a creature dies, its spiritual energy goes back into the lines to continue the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. In any case, these lines are invisible to the naked eye, but if one knows where to look, they can be found quite easily. Druids, among others, have been known to build rings or groves on the site of ley line nexuses – places where two or more ley lines cross, and where the ley power is greatly magnified. These druids have also learned over time to tap into the lines and use the power thus gained to cast spells and other magical effects. They keep this a closely-guarded secret, of course – mages and sorcerers already have a source of magical power, and if they were to gain access to another, it would upset the balance.
Ley Line Channelers can cast spells normally, but they also gain certain effects from ley line energy, as noted above. These effects are "stored," in a sense – a Channeler can only "recharge" her number of uses of an ability each day by drawing the power from a line. Such contact does not have to be very long - a full round will do – but once the channeler's abilities are used up, she can only regain them by contact with a line.
The vast majority of Ley Line Channelers are druids, though there are also a fair number of clerics of nature gods, as well as a few rangers and Gaia's Wardens.
Hit Die: d6.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Ley Line Channeler (LLC), a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Skills: Knowledge (nature) 7 ranks
Spells: Ability to cast 3rd level divine spells.
Special: Must seek out someone who knows the art of tapping into ley lines and learn from him or her.
Class Skills
The Ley Line Channeler's class skills are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points Per Level: 4 + Int modifier
Table 1: The Ley Line Channeler
Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Fort Save |
Ref Save |
Will Save |
Special | Spells Per Day |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Sense ley line, tap ley line | |
2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Levin bolt | +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class |
3rd | +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Enter ley line | |
4th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Energy exchange | +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class |
5th | +3 | +4 | +2 | +4 | Read ley line | |
6th | +4 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Energy shield | +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class |
7th | +5 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Ride ley line | |
8th | +6 | +6 | +3 | +6 | Channel energy | +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class |
9th | +6 | +6 | +3 | +6 | Speak through line | |
10th | +7 | +7 | +4 | +7 | Energy bolt | +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class |
11th | +8 | +7 | +4 | +7 | Ley line teleport | |
12th | +9 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Channel spell | +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class |
13th | +9 | +8 | +5 | +8 | Block ley line | |
14th | +10 | +9 | +5 | +9 | Power surge | +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class |
15th | +11 | +9 | +6 | +9 | Open gate |
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Ley Line Channeler.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Ley Line Channelers gain no additional weapon or armor proficiencies.
Sense Ley Line (Su): A Ley Line Channeler can sense the presence of ley lines within 100 feet, or nexuses within 150 feet. This ability is usable at will as a full-round action.
Tap Ley Line (Su): A Ley Line Channeler can forge a connection with a ley line. This ability is a requirement for many others gained at higher levels (reading or blocking a line, e.g.); it is also the only way to recharge ley abilities, as noted below.
Once per day, the Channeler can tap into the reserves of energy flowing through a line in order to recharge her abilities. For each round the Channeler is connected to the line, she regains the use of one power. (For example, Delana is a 10th-level Channeler. She used up her alloted number of levin bolts the previous day, as well as her ability to enter a ley line. The first round after tapping into the line, she can recharge either her levin bolts or her Enter Ley Line ability; the second round, she can recharge the other ability.)
Maintaining a connection with a ley line does not require any concentration unless the Channeler takes damage or someone tries to force her off the line (see Block Ley Line, below), in which case she must make a Concentration check as normal. A failed check means the Channeler loses her connection and takes 1d4 points of energy damage from backlash. She must reestablish her connection to regain any more abilities, but those she has regained up to that point remain. Tapping into a ley line requires contact with that line, though the Channeler does not have to enter it – she merely has to stand where it runs. At 5th level, though, she can be up to 10 feet away from a line and still tap into it; this increases to 20 feet at 10th level and 30 feet at 15th level. All ranges are doubled for tapping into ley line nexuses.
A Ley Line Channeler can tap into a ley line once per day as a standard action at 1st level; thereafter, the number of times per day increases by one (2/day at 3rd, 3/day at 5th, etc). At 7th level, the Channeler can tap into a line as a move action; at 15th level, it becomes a free action. Alternately, the Channeler can spend 2 power points (see the Energy Exchange ability below) to tap into the line.
Levin Bolt (Su): At 2nd level, a Ley Line Channeler can throw levin bolts, bolts of greenish ley energy. She must make a ranged touch attack to hit; the bolts do 1d4 points of energy damage, +1 per 3 class levels. These bolts do double damage to undead, shadow beings, and anything else vulnerable to positive energy. The Channeler gains another levin bolt at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels; she can throw additional levin bolts at a cost of 3 points each (see the Energy Exchange ability below).
Spells Per Day: At the indicated levels, the character gains new spells per day as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting class she belonged to before adding the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (improved chance of controlling or rebuking undead, metamagic feats, etc.), except for an increased effective level of spellcasting. If the character had more than one divine spellcasting class before becoming a Ley Line Channeler, she must decide to which class she adds the new level for purposes of determining spells per day.
Enter Ley Line (Ex): The Ley Line Channeler can physically enter a ley line as a standard action. This is different than merely standing on a line; when a Channeler enters the line, she disappears from normal view and effectively enters another plane similar to the Ethereal. She cannot affect or be affected by creatures or objects in the real world, to include those whose attack forms reach into the Astral or Ethereal planes. Other beings on the ley line can sense and interact with her, however.
A Channeler can enter a ley line once per three class levels per day, and can remain inside the line for up to 1 minute per class level each time. She can tap into the line while in this state; the base DC for the Concentration check to remain connected is only 7 instead of 10. She can even move along the line at her normal speed without suffering any of the penalties for harsh terrain (thus she could cross over a ravine or body of water, or bypass a monster's lair). If the Channeler is still in the line when her duration expires, she merely appears on the Prime Material at the same spot (or as near as possible on the line, if she is within a solid object). Each additional use of this ability costs 3 power points.
Energy Exchange (Ex): A Ley Line Channeler can exchange spell levels of prepared spells for ley energy. Channelers gain the energy for their spells from ley lines, so it is quite simple to exchange the energy of a prepared spell for raw ley energy. A Channeler can exchange one spell per round in this manner as a standard action. Each level of spell energy equals 1 ley power point, which can then be spent on additional uses of ley abilities. A Channeler cannot have more than twice her class level in power points stored at any one time, nor can she exchange power points for prepared spells.
Read Ley Line (Su): At 5th level, a Ley Line Channeler can read ley lines. She must be tapped into the line to read it; for each round of concentration, she can make a Knowledge (nature) check (DC 10) to determine one piece of information about the line: the length of the line, its endpoints, how many other lines cross it, whether any other beings are currently tapped into the line, and whether any beings are currently travelling the line (beings that do no wish to be sensed can make an opposed Stealth check against the Channeler's Perception check; if the Stealth check is successful, the Channeler does not sense the other being's presence.) She can use this ability three times per day, for as long as she wishes each time. Each additional use of this power requires 4 power points.
Energy Shield (Su): At 6th level, a Ley Line Channeler can create a shield of ley energy around herself. The shield is greenish in color and gives off light equal to a faerie fire spell (and can in fact easily be mistaken for such). In actuality, the shield grants moderate SR against spells and ley abilities (this increases to major SR at 11th level, and full SR at 14th). The Channeler can create a shield three times per day, for a duration of 1 round per class level each time. Each additional use of this power costs 10 power points.
Ride Ley Line (Ex): At 7th level, a Ley Line Channeler's speed while walking a line is greatly increased. For every three class levels a Channeler possesses, her speed is increased by 5 feet. She can expend an additional 2 points per 5 feet of increased speed above the maximum allowed by her level (for example, Delana the 10th level Channeler has a base speed of 30 feet normally; on a ley line, she has a base speed of 45 feet, and if she spends 2 power points, her base speed increases to 50 feet until she leaves the line).
Channel Energy (Su): A Ley Line Channeler can use stored ley energy to heal herself or another,by touch. She can heal 2 hit points per energy point spent; there is no limit to the number of power points used at one time. This is a standard action; if the recipient is unwilling, the Channeler must make a touch attack. This ability is usable against undead also, in which case it inflicts 2 points of damage per power point expended (no save, no limit). It can be used any number of times per day, as long as the Channeler has points to spend.
Speak Through Line (Su): A Ley Line Channeler can communicate with any other being on a ley line, provided she knows of the presence of the intended recipient and they share a common language. She cannot use spells or abilities to influence the other being via this power (using a suggestion, e.g.), but they can otherwise communicate for as long as they both remain in the line. This ability can be used at will, and the Channeler and the other being can freely communicate while undertaking other tasks.
Energy Bolt (Su): At 10th level, a Ley Line Channeler's levin bolts become more powerful. Instead of dealing 1d4 damage, they deal 1d6 damage, +1 per three class levels. She can still throw 1 bolt per 4 class levels; all other stats remain unchanged, except that it costs 6 points to throw each additional bolt, and the range increment increases to 40 feet. She can use levin bolts instead of energy bolts, at her option, but each still counts toward the maximum allowed per day.
Ley Line Teleport (Su): A Channeler can instantly teleport (as the spell greater teleport) to any point along the line she is riding, up to 10 miles distant. If the line intersects with another, she can change direction and move along any of the lines that access that nexus, up to her maximum distance. This ability is a standard action usable three times per day; each additional teleport costs 6 points.
Channel Spell (Su): The Channeler can cast touch or ranged touch spells through a ley line and have them affect any creature that is on or tapped into the line, provided she knows of their presence and they are within 1/2 mile per class level. Saves, if any, apply normally. The Channeler can also use ley energy effects; she gains a +2 bonus to the save DC for such effects.
Block Ley Line (Su): A Ley Line Channeler can block a ley line for 100 yards per class level in either direction from contact or incursion by other beings. This is a dangerous and exhausting ability that requires the Channeler's complete concentration; she must be physically in the line and tapped into it to perform this ability. Each round, she must make a DC 15 Concentration check to maintain the block (this check supercedes the one required to maintain contact with a line; see below). While the block is maintained, no one can tap into or enter the line unless the Channeler grants that being permission (which is a free action). If the being attempts to break into the line, it must make an opposed power level check, which is effectively the same as a caster level check; in this case, however, the Channeler and her opponent each roll 1d20 and add any spellcasting levels and Ley Line Channeler levels they have; whoever has the higher total wins. If the Channeler wins, the other person is denied access, while if the other person wins, he gains access to the line, but the Channeler knows where he is and can take action against him. If the Channeler loses her concentration for whatever reason, she is immediately expelled from the line and takes 2d10 points of energy damage (no save) as the ley energy backlashes.
This ability can be used once per day, for a duration of 1 minute per level. Additional uses cost 15 power points.
Power Surge (Su): Once per day, a Ley Line Channeler can send a massive pulse of energy surging down a ley line in the direction she wishes. All creatures in or tapped into the line who are not immune to ley energy must make a Fort save (DC 10 + Channeler's class level + Channeler's Wis modifier) or suffer 1d4 points of energy damage per class level (an energy shield provides its bonus to the Fort save normally). Those failing the first save must make a second Fort save (DC 15) or be stunned from the backlash of power for 2d4 rounds. The Channeler cannot expend extra points to use this ability more often.
Open Gate (Su): A Ley Line Channeler can draw upon the power of the ley line to open a gate (as the spell). This ability can be used only once per day, and only at a ley line nexus. The Channeler cannot expend extra points to use it more often.