In a universe where even gods can be questioned and the forces that dictate mortality can be challenged or even defeated, there exist philosophers who seek moral and ethical meaning beyond what is informed by magic. Didacts harness supernatural energies to build a cult of followers dedicated to distinct moral imperatives.

Proficiencies

Didacts are proficient with simple weapons, as well as light armor and bucklers. In addition, if this is their first level in any class, they may select a martial tradition of their choice.

This modifies weapon and armor proficiencies.

Casting

The didact may combine spheres and talents to create magical effects. The didact is considered a Mid-Caster. (Note: All casters gain 2 bonus talents and may select a casting tradition the first time they gain the casting class feature.)

This replaces talents, powers and power points

Spell Pool

A didact gains a small reservoir of energy they can call on to create truly wondrous effects, called a spell pool. This pool contains a number of spell points equal to their class level + their casting ability modifier (minimum: 1). This pool replenishes once per day after roughly 8 hours of rest.

Blended Training

A didact gains a combat or magic talent every time they gain a class level. This does not stack with caster levels gained from other sources. A didact uses their casting ability modifier as their practitioner modifier.

Flexible Rule

The DCs and effects of all of the didact’s class abilities and Unwilling Participant^UP feat are based on the didact’s casting ability modifier rather than Charisma.

Martial Command

The didact gains Sage’s Focus as a bonus feat at 1st level.

Guidance (Su)

At 1st level, the overflowing convictions of the didact spread to members of their network, allowing them to channel power through them. Whenever the didact or a member of their collective makes an attack action or creates a magical effect as a standard action, the didact may spend a spell point as a free action to apply a guidance to a member of their collective. The didact may only apply a single guidance per round in this way. Guidances are as follows.

• Awe: A target becomes flat-footed for one round.
• Cooperation: A target gains a +4 morale bonus on the next skill check they make.
• Doubt: A target takes a -2 penalty to saving throws for one round.
• Opening: A target can make an attack of opportunity against another member of your collective within their reach.
• Resolution: A target gains temporary hit points equal to twice your didact level. These temporary hit points last for 1 round.
• Unity: The attack or sphere effect may use the location of any other collective member as their effective location for the purpose of determining eligible targets. This cannot be used to change the target of personal effects.

At 3rd level, the didact may spend an additional spell point to apply a second guidance in a round and may even apply them both on the same effect. They may not apply the same guidance multiple times to the same target. This improves by an additional guidance at 6th level and every 3 levels thereafter.

This ability replaces tenet power and gift of power.

Didact’s Tribute

When using the tribute class feature, the didact can also designate magic sphere effects as well as magic talents and combat talents from among those belonging or affecting willing members of their collective as tribute.

This modifies tribute

Lifeblood Arcana (Su)

At 6th level, a didact can siphon mental energy from the members of their collective. Whenever the highlord creates a magical sphere effect, they may also designate another member of their collective to drain energy from. That member of the collective takes 2 points of damage plus an additional point of damage for every 2 levels the didact possesses and becomes staggered until the didact’s next turn. If the didact spent 2 or more spell points on the effect, they regains half the total spell points spent on the effect. The target can resist the staggering effect and deny the didact the regained power points by succeeding at a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ the didact’s caster level + the didact’s casting ability modifier). This ability can only be used once per round, even if the didact creates multiple sphere effects during that round.

This ability replaces lifeblood siphon but counts as lifeblood siphon for all purposes.

Reprieve from Eternity (Su)

At 20th level, the didact’s teachings have achieved a level of spiritual resonance so as to preserve their adherents within the didact’s collective. When a member of their collective dies, the creature’s soul merges with the collective for up to one day per didact level. During this time, it can be affected by resuscitate from the life sphere and similar abilities as if it died within 1 round, without need for the creature’s corpse. The creature does not count towards the maximum number of creatures in the collective while merged. If the didact dies, the creature’s soul departs, killing it. In addition, members of the didact’s collective become immune to fear, charm, and compulsion effects if the didact chooses them to be (they may select individual creatures to be affected or unaffected).

This ability replaces supremacy.

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Modified Decrees

Several of the didact’s decrees should be altered to accommodate their altered power source.

Devour the Weak and Die for Me

Rather than power points, the didact gains one temporary spell point plus an additional temporary spell point for every 4 hit dice the target possessed. These temporary spell points last for a number of rounds equal to the didact’s casting ability modifier.