GARDENER OF ERETHOR

[The Hive Mind]

The elves of Erethor have long put sorcery to use for home-making and the cultivation of civilization. The gar- deners of Erethor are masters of the art, tasked with cre- ating and maintaining retreats throughout the woodlands of the elves. The highest honor a gardener of Erethor can receive is an invitation to oversee a grove, park, or garden in Caradul; in centuries past, gardeners of Erethor created flowering retreats and meditation gardens for Aradil her- self. Since so few of these magical homebodies fought in the battles against the Shadow in the past, they naturally became reliable keepers of elven history, customs, and magical traditions. Since so many survived the invasion of Erenland, they are now frequently called upon to use their magical abilities on dangerous quests. Gardeners of Erethor are now sent on roving assignments to create safe havens for warriors and refugees among the free races of Eredane, as well as to carry news and nurse hope.

Hit Die: d6



Requirements

Alignment: Lawful good, lawful neutral, neutral good, or true neutral.
Race: Must be an elf.
Skills: Profession (gardener, herbalist, or farmer) 8 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 8 ranks.
Feats: Magecraft, Spellcasting (abjuration).

Class Level / Base Attack Bonus /Fort Save / Ref Save /Will Save /Special
1st ----------------+0 ------------+2 --------+0 -------+2 ------Homemaker, improved spellcasting
2nd ----------------+1 -----------+3 ---------+0 -------+3 ------Bonus spells, spiritual link
3rd ----------------+1 ------------+3 --------+1 -------+3 ------Bonus feat
4th ----------------+2 -----------+4 ---------+1 -------+4 ------Bonus spell
5th ----------------+2 -----------+4 ---------+1 -------+4 ------Bonus feat
6th ----------------+3 -----------+5 ---------+2 -------+5 ------Bonus spell, woodsman
7th ----------------+3 -----------+5 ---------+2 -------+5 ------Bonus feat
8th ----------------+4 -----------+6 ---------+2 -------+6 ------Bonus spell
9th ----------------+4 -----------+6 ---------+3 -------+6 ------Chosen ground
10th ---------------+5 -----------+7 ---------+3 -------+7 ------Bonus spell

Class Skills: Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomancy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (architecture and engineering) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Speak Language (n/a), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Gardeners od Erethor gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

Homemaker (Ex): A gardener of Erethor is a master of his profession, never at a loss for ideas, never behind on his skills. Once a gardener of Erethor has purchased the max ranks in skills key to his trade, he never has to purchase other ranks again. Beginning at 1st level, a gardener of Erethor automatically gains one free rank each level in Knowledge (nature) and one Profession skill of his choice, from the follwoing list: Profession (gardener), Profession (farmer), or Profession (herbalist).

Improved Spellcasting (Ex): The gardener of Erethor gains spell energy equal to his class level each day. This bonus spell energy stacks with that gained from the Magecraft feat and channeler levels.

Additionally, each time the character archieves a new gardener of Erethor level, he gains one new spell of any school and level he can cast (according to his new level). A gardener of Erethor can learn additional spells according to the normal rules for learning spells.

Finally, the gardener of Erethor's effective caster level increases by one. This affects level-related spell effects, caster level checks, and the level of spells that the character can learn.

Gardener of Erethor levels stack with channeler levels for the purpose of determining the highest-level spells the character can cast. A character with more channeler and gardener of Erethor levels than levels in other classes adds +1 to his character levelto determine the highest-level spells he can cast.

Bonus Spells (Ex): At 2nd level, and every two levels thereafter, a gardener of Erethor is able to learn and cast one new spell from the following list, even if they are not of a school he knows. These spells are learned in addition to the spells gained each level from the improved spellcasting ability. A gardener of Erethor may learn one of these spells even if he is not currently of a sufficient level to cast it; the spell becomes available as soon as he achieves the necessary caster level.

0 Level--Create water, know direction, purify food and drink.
1st Level--Detect animals or plants, endure elements, entangle, hide from animals, speak with animals.
2nd Level--Fire trap, gust of wind, soften earth and stone, wood shape.
3rd Level--Diminish plants, plant growth, snare, speak with plants, stone shape.
4th Level--Blight, command plants, control water.
5th Level--Awaken, commune with nature, hallow, transmute rock to mud, tree stride, wall of thorns.
6th Level--Ironwood, liveoak, move earth, stone tell, wall of stone.
7th Level--Animate plants.
8th Level--Control plants, sympathy.
9th Level--Antipathy, shambler.

Spiritual Link (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, the gardener of Erethor is able to form unique spiritual links with specific gardens, groves, and dales that are favorites of his. He can a form a total number of spiritual links equal to half his gardener of Erethor levels; once forged, these links cannot be changed or broken. The area specified must be a specific plot of land less than half a mile in diameter. No part of the area may contain a temple dedicated to an evil deity, such as Izrador. The spiritual link has three effects.

First, the gardener of Erethor is linked to every one of his specified sites by a permanent alarm spell that mentally informs him when evil-aligned creatures have entered the linked area. This ability functions over any distance and never expires.

Second, the gardener of Erethor is considered to be one caster level higher for all purposes when he is in one of his favored areas. This may allow him to cast one of his bonus spells before he would otherwise be able to do so.

Third, the linked area acts as a greater spell talisman for the gardener of Erethor. When he links himself to an area, he also decides what spell will have its cost reduced in that area.

Bonus Feats (Ex): At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 10th levels, the gardener of Erethor gains the use of one bonus feat from the following list, even if he does not meet the prequesites: Craft Rune of Power, Empower Spell, Skill Focus, Widen Spell.

Woodsman (Ex): Beginning at 6th level, the gardener of Erethor gains a +2 bonus on all Handle Animal and Survival skill checks.

Chosen Ground (Ex): At 9th level, the gardener of Erethor is able to surpass his normal fighting ability when defending a patch of ground he chooses. Once per day, the gardener of Erethor may specify a 20-foot-by-20-foot area to be chosen ground for one hour per caster level. While within that area, he gains a +2 morale bonus to attack and damage rolls, a +2 bonus to AC, and use of the Improved Bull Rush feat for free. If he leaves the area, he loses the benefits of chosen ground until he returns.