A linker creates and attaches a magical tether to allies to heal, buff, and control damage dealt to them.
The linker is an archetype of the white mage class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The linker mainly focuses on DEX for combat and WIS for their class features and spellcasting.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Spell Proficiency, White Magery. 2nd – Mage Talent. 3rd – Divine Caress, Focused Caster. 4th – Mage Talent. 5th – Metamagic Enhancement, White Magery. 6th – Mage Talent, Arcane Defense. 7th – Auto–Regen. 8th – Mage Talent. 9th – White Magery. 10th – Doublecast, Mage Talent. 12th – Advanced Mage Talent. 13th – White Magery. 14th – Advanced Mage Talent. 16th – Advanced Mage Talent. 17th – White Magery. 18th – Advanced Mage Talent. 20th – Advanced Mage Talent.
Tether (Su)
A linker creates a magical tether that attaches to his allies which allows him to heal and protect them. As a standard action, a linker can attach a number of tethers onto a number of allies equal to his Wisdom modifier or half his white mage level, whichever is higher. The linker must have line of sight to each target, each target must have a Wisdom score of at least 1, and all targets must be within Medium range (100 ft. + 10 ft. per white mage level). The linker is always considered tethered, and does not count against this limit.
The linker can choose to remove a tether from an ally as a free action on his turn, and any tethered ally can voluntarily remove the tether as a free action on their turn. Any tethered ally whose Wisdom drops to zero or who moves out of range is automatically removed. A linker is aware of the status of his tethered allies and can, roughly, sense the presence of each ally, although beyond telling if such a creature is still tethered, this has no mechanical benefit until higher levels (see telepathy and health sense, below).
If a tethered ally dies, the tether is removed and the linker must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or lose 1 MP for every Hit Die of the fallen ally and be sickened for an equal number of rounds.
- At 15th level, a linker’s tether no longer needs line of sight and its range is limitless on the same plane as the linker.
- At 19th level, a linker’s tether reaches even across to other planes and dimensions.
This ability replaces white magery.
Redirected Healing (Su)
Whenever a willing tethered ally could regain lost hit points or ability damage, the linker may choose to redirect any or all of that healing to one or more other willing tethered allies as a free action to a maximum of 5 hit points per level. This can transfer instantaneous healing, healing from ongoing healing effects, such as fast healing, and even hit points gained from rest (in which case, a tethered ally would rest for a period of time as normal, and the amount of hit points and ability damage healed would go to another).
In any case, the original recipient of the healing effect chooses whether to allow the diverted healing, and does not gain the benefits of any healing he grants to another. The type of healing (holy energy, shadow energy, construct repair, etc.) is unchanged from the original source for determining who or what can be healed.
A linker may even heal wounds through redirected healing if at full health. This may only be used with healing effects such as potions, spells, or other such effects.
This ability replaces spell proficiency.
Health Sense (Su)
Beginning at 3rd level, a linker may take a swift action to gauge the relative health level of tethered allies, determining the amount of damage, in hit points, that an ally has taken. In addition, the linker may make a Heal check as a standard action, with a DC of 15, to determine if any tethered allies are afflicted by a disease or poison.
Starting at 7th level, the linker can make a Heal check over his tethered allies to stabilize a dying target or treat a wound from a caltrop, spike growth, spike stones, or similar. This ability improves at 12th level, and the linker may make a Heal check over his tethered allies to treat a poisoned creature.
At 17th level, the linker is able to treat diseases in the same fashion, making a Heal check over his tethered allies.
When treating a target over a tethered ally, the DC of the Heal check is the same as if the linker was treating the target normally.
This ability replaces focused caster.
Linked Buffs (Su)
A linker of 3rd level gains special abilities when casting spells at personal range. He can cast these spells on any tethered ally.
This ability replaces divine caress.
Lifelink (Su)
At 4th level, at the start of the linker’s turn, he can choose an ally who is tethered within 30 feet who has taken Hit Point damage and transfer their wounds to himself, dealing an amount of damage up to his white mage level to his Hit Points (bypassing any Temporary Hit Points he may have) and healing the ally’s Hit Points an equal amount. This doesn’t require any action on his part. He can’t prevent or reduce the damage he takes from lifelink.
This ability replaces divine seal.
Mage Talents (Su)
In addition to gaining mage talents, below are a couple of mage talents the linker can select.
Enlarged Tether (Su): The range of the linker’s tether is now long range (400 ft. + 40 ft. per class level). Additionally the range of his tether becomes unlimited at 12th level and planar at 16th level. At 19th level, if a tethered ally would be removed from being tethered due to dying or their Wisdom being reduced to 0, they remain tethered for 24 hours, although they are still dead or have a 0 Wisdom and remain unconscious, as appropriate. However, the linker does not suffer any penalties while they remain tethered.
Expanded Tether (Su): The linker may add two additional creatures with his tether. This talent can be selected multiple times and it stacks.
Request Aid (Su)
Starting at 5th level, tethered allies are able to request aid from the linker, should he not realize such aid is needed. As a standard action, any member of the collective can request healing from the linker. The linker can grant this request by spending up to his level in MP as a free action, even if it is not his turn. Each MP spent in this fashion heals 3 hit points to the target. A linker can do this a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Wisdom modifier.
This ability replaces metamagic enhancement.
Telepathy (Su)
When a linker reaches 6th level, all willing tethered allies (including the linker himself) can communicate with each other telepathically, even if they do not share a common language. A linker may temporarily deactivate, and reactivate, this ability as a swift action.
This ability replaces arcane defense.
Linker’s Pulse (Su)
As a free action, by spending 1 MP, a linker of 7th level may project a pulse that grants to all tethered allies one of the following effects below. The effect lasts for one round.
- Guardian: The linker grants DR 2/- to all tethered allies (including himself) for one round. Every three white mage levels thereafter, this DR increases by 1.
- Healing: The linker grants fast healing 1 to all tethered allies (including himself) for one round. Every three white mage levels after 7th, this fast healing increases by 1. This healing is not eligible to be redirected using redirected healing.
- Inspire Courage: The linker inspires courage in his tethered allies (including himself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be tethered. An affected ally receives a +2 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +2 competence bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. At 12th level and 18th level, this bonus increases by +1, to a maximum of +4 at 18th level. Inspire courage is a mind-affecting ability.
- Inspire Competence: All tethered allies (including the linker) get a +2 competence bonus on skill checks with a particular skill as long as they stay tethered. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels the linker has attained beyond 7th (+3 at 11th, +4 at 15th, and +5 at 19th). Unlike the bardic performance of the same name, skills such as Stealth can be used.
- Sanctuary: All tethered allies (including the linker) are treated as if under the effects of the sanctuary spell for one round. If a tethered ally performs an action that would break the effect, it breaks the effect only for that tethered ally.
This ability replaces auto-regen.
Damage Control (Su)
At 10th level, as an immediate action, a linker can redirect damage being taken by one tethered ally to another tethered ally. Calculate the damage as if the original target would have taken it. The damage transferred is empathic in nature, so damage reduction or other means to block the damage to the final target are not effective. A linker can do this a number of times per day equal to his Wisdom modifier.
This ability replaces doublecast.
