Primordial Manipulator

This is an archetype for the Wizard class for the Pathfinder First Edition TTRPG. The flavor text and abilities of this class are listed below.   A Primordial Manipulator takes her obsession with the art of Enchantment to an even deeper, more fundamental level - by focusing her efforts on manipulating the very magical circuits within the bodies of her foes, she can manipulate her enemies without needing to worry about the usual restrictions of Enchantment Magicks.

 

This archetype, developed on the continent of Zheng-Kitar by one of the mages of the Umberlight Society, remains largely restricted to members of that society who have studied beneath the up-and-coming master of Enchantment who pioneered this unique variant of the Enchantment School of Magic. Consult your GM to determine how and why your character might have learned the powers of this archetype.

 

Enchantment Focus

A Primordial Manipulator must select Enchantment as her Arcane School at 1st Level.   Alters Arcane School.  

A grip most insidious

At 1st Level, when a Primordial Manipulator uses a spell that requires her to make a contested charisma check against a controlled foe to issue orders, she may substitute a Caster Level check instead. The opposing creature must use their caster level if they possess one, otherwise they use their own Charisma score to oppose her. Additionally, when casting spells of the Enchantment School that require the target to make a Will Save, she may alter the spell to require a Fortitude save instead as she controls the very vital essences within the target's bodies rather than their conscious minds, though doing so increases the action required to cast the spell by one step.   This ability replaces Arcane Bond.  

Bend the Threads

At 3rd Level, a Primordial Manipulator's profound connection to the lattice and her unique methods of wielding Enchantments cause all creatures capable of casting spells, spell-like abilities, or those that otherwise have strong ties to the Lattice to take a penalty on saves made vs her Charm and Compulsion spells equal to 1 + 1 for every 4 Class Levels she possesses. This penalty increases by 50% for Arcane Spellcasters, but these penalties are overall halved when switching her spells to fortitude saves(Minimum -1).   This ability replaces Scribe Scroll.  

Primal Control

At 5th Level, a Primordial Manipulator's Charm and Compulsion spells are no longer treated as such for bonuses to saves and immunities against them whenever she alters their Will Saves into Fortitude Saves - the Primordial Manipulator still treats them as such for her own abilities and feats, but halves any DC increases to them(Such as Spell Focus) while altering them to use Fortitude saves instead.   At 9th Level, this also applies to spells with the Mind-Affecting tag she casts. When using Fortitude Saves for Charm or Compulsion Spells, she no longer halves her DC bonuses to them.   At 11th Level, the Primordial Manipulator no longer halves her DC bonuses to Mind-Affecting spells, and no longer halves her penalties from Bend the Threads when changing her spells to use Fortitude Saves.   This ability replaces the Manipulator's 5th Level Wizard Bonus Feat.  

Bewitching Circuits

At 8th Level, by spending a full minute in contact with a creature capable of casting spells, spell-like abilities, or otherwise has ties to the lattice a Primordial Manipulator may inflict 1 + 1 per 5 Caster Levels points of ability damage to the creature's primary casting stat. If this ability damage would cause the creature to no longer be able to cast spells of a certain level, they lose access to them until the damage is healed. If a creature is under the effects of the Primordial Manipulator's Charm or Compulsion spells, this time is reduced to one full round. If you would reduce a creature to 0 in their primary casting stat via damage from this ability, the creature is slain outright(Similar to a Shadow's Strength Drain) and you gain a permanent +1 increase to the corresponding ability score. You may have a total bonus to your ability scores from this trait equal to 1/2 your Class Level - though you can take new bonuses to override old ones if you so choose. If creatures slain this way would be revived, they are branded with a Curse that prevents them from utilizing spellcasting reliant on that ability score until the curse is removed(Caster Level equal to the Manipulator's Caster Level at the creature's time of revival), they seek out and slay the Manipulator that inflicted it, or the Manipulator willingly releases it as a standard action. If this curse is removed in any way, the ability score bonus gained from them is lost.   This ability replaces the Manipulator's 10th Level Wizard Bonus Feat.  

Manipulator's Pool

At 10th Level, for every 5 Ability Damage or Drain dealt to a single creature via Bewitching Circuits, a Primordial Manipulator gains 1 point she can store indefinitely(Up to a maximum of her Intelligence Score) that allows her to convert 2 points per metamagic level to add the effects of any metamagic feat(Known or unknown) to a spell she casts dynamically at time of casting without increasing the spell's casting time. A Primordial Manipulator may use a maximum number of points on any given spell equal to 2 + 1 per Class Level she possesses above 10.   This ability replaces the Manipulator's 15th Level Wizard Bonus Feat.  

Greater Bewitching Circuits

At 12th Level, a Primordial Manipulator can instead drain a single Caster Level from the target OR deal ability drain at half the normal amount. Caster Levels drained can be recovered in largely the same way as removing the curse imprinted by Bewitching Circuits on revival(Though it is not a curse and cannot be removed as one mechanically), but can also be removed as if they were a permanent negative level. Caster Levels drained add points to her Manipulator Pool at a 1-1 ratio. If a creature would reach Caster Level 0 via this ability, they are slain similar to Bewitching Circuits and, upon revival, gain the same curse at a +10 DC to remove.  

True Severance

At 15th Level, a Primordial Manipulator's power reaches its true and terrifying zenith - whenever she would reduce a creature to 0 in their Primary Casting Stat or to Caster Level 0, she automatically gains a copy of all the creature's known spells(If they were an arcane caster) in a spellbook written in her language of choice. For non-arcane casters, she instead gains a mental list of all their prepared spells at time of death and can choose a number of spells equal to 1/2 her Intelligence Modifier to be inscribed into a small spellbook as arcane spells she can learn and copy into her spellbook as normal. The Manipulator may then choose to either convert the target into a book as per Scribe's Binding at no save, or make them a final, insidious offer - be spared and returned immediately to full hit points and transported to a safe location of their choosing(As per Interplanetary Teleport), or perish as normal. If they choose to be spared, they are severed from the lattice and barred from spellcasting virtually forever - a consequence they are made well aware of before they choose. They must agree to the severance of their own free will(And all such effects on them are broken when the offer is made), and cannot be coerced or forced into it in any way. Creatures severed from the lattice in this manner will, in all likelihood, find it impossible to relearn their old talents - though exceptionally talented or lucky individuals may relearn the gift given enough time, study, or luck.   This ability replaces the Manipulator's 20th Level Wizard Bonus Feat.