Animist

Hit Points

At first level and every level thereafter, you increase your maximum hit points by 8 plus your constitution modifier.

Key Ability

At first level, you increase one of these ability scores by 2. Some of these options might be tied to subclasses (such as the rogue’s rackets).
Key Ability: Wisdom

Initial Proficiencies

Saves

Trained in Perception
Trained in Reflex Saves
Expert in Will Saves
Trained in Fortitude Saves

Weapons

Trained in unarmed attacks
Trained in simple weapons
Trained in Animist class DC

Armor

Trained in unarmored, light, and medium armor
Untrained in heavy armor

Skills

Trained in Religion
Trained in a number of skills equal to 2 plus your intelligence modifier

Class Features

Animist & Apparition Spellcasting Feature 1

Your role as a spiritual medium connecting the mortal Universe to the realms beyond lets you cast your magic in two distinct ways: you both learn and prepare spells from the divine tradition yourself, and you also channel the knowledge and power of your attuned apparitions, gaining spell slots and a repertoire of spells from them that you can cast spontaneously.

Regardless of which source you're drawing on, you are a spellcaster and can cast spells of the divine tradition using the Cast a Spell activity. As an animist, your incantations might take the form of reciting relevant snippets of legends—stories passed down orally—or they might see you calling nearby spirits to honor ancient vows. Your gestures could be elegant dances or full-body convulsions as generations of memories and otherworldly energies inherited from your spiritual allies surge through you.

Some of your spells require you to attempt a spell attack to see how effective they are, or have your enemies roll against your spell DC (typically by attempting a saving throw). Since your key attribute is Wisdom, your spell attack modifiers and spell DC use your Wisdom modifier.

The clearly delineated partnership between an animist and their apparitions means you can't cast your animist spells using your apparition spell slots or vice versa—your magics remain complementary and harmonious, yet as distinct as the two worlds from which they come.

Animist Spellcasting

As a keeper of knowledge, you are constantly learning new techniques and spells. Each day, you can prepare one 1st-rank spell and 2 cantrips from among the common spells on the divine spell list or from other divine spells you've gained access to and learned via Learn a Spell. Prepared spells remain available to you until you cast them or until you prepare your spells again. The number of spells you can prepare is called your spell slots. As you increase in level as an animist, the number of spells you can prepare each day increases, as does the highest rank of spell you can cast, as shown in Animist Spells Per Day.

You are a prepared spellcaster for the purposes of determining how you interact with staves and other items or effects that differentiate between prepared and spontaneous spellcasters.

Apparition Spellcasting

You can draw upon your attuned apparitions as a second source of magical knowledge and power. You gain additional spontaneous spell slots and a spell repertoire from your attuned apparitions. At first level, you can cast two apparition cantrips and one 1st-rank apparition spell per day. You must have the spell in your apparition spell repertoire to cast it; this is a collection of spells granted to you by all your attuned apparitions. You can cast any spell in your apparition spell repertoire by using an apparition spell slot of an appropriate spell rank. Any of these spells that aren't normally on the divine list are still divine spells if you cast them this way.

As you increase in level, you gain further apparition spell slots, and your apparitions grant you higher-rank apparition spells, as detailed in each apparition entry.

Heightening Spells

When you gain spell slots of 2nd rank and higher, you can fill those slots with stronger versions of lower-rank spells. This increases the spell's rank, heightening it to match the spell slot. Many spells have specific improvements when they are heightened to certain ranks. All your apparition spells are signature spells. That means that you can heighten any apparition spell freely by casting it from a higher-rank apparition spell slot, up to the maximum rank of apparition spell you can cast.

Cantrips

Some of your spells are cantrips. A cantrip is a special type of spell that doesn't use spell slots. You can cast a cantrip at will any number of times per day. A cantrip is automatically heightened to half your level rounded up—this is usually equal to the highest rank of animist spell slot you have. For example, as a 1st-level animist, your cantrips are 1st-rank spells, and as a 5th-level animist, your cantrips are 3rd-rank spells.

Vessel Spells

Your primary attuned apparition can use your body as a conduit, allowing you to cast a unique vessel spell. Vessel spells are a type of focus spell. Because vessel spells are a manifestation of a specific apparition, an animist can't cast or Sustain a specific vessel spell in the same round they have already cast or Sustained it (for example, an animist who has cast earth's bile during their turn can't then cast or Sustain another instance of earth's bile during that same turn).

It costs 1 Focus Point to cast a focus spell, and you start with a focus pool of 1 Focus Point. You refill your focus pool during your daily preparations, and you can regain 1 Focus Point by spending 10 minutes using the Refocus activity to treat with nearby spirits, meditate on resolving an issue pertaining to the balance of spirits and mortals, or tell a story.

Focus spells are automatically heightened to half your level rounded up, much like cantrips. Focus spells don't require spell slots, and you can't cast them using spell slots. The maximum Focus Points your focus pool can hold is equal to the number of focus spells you have, though certain feats or abilities adjust this number, but it can never be more than 3 points.

Animistic Practice Feature 1

At 1st level, you choose an animistic practice that influences the way your power grows and develops, and you gain its first invocation. At 9th level, you gain its second invocation, and at 17th, you gain its third.

Apparition Attunement Feature 1

Animists have a gift for divine magic that allows them to serve as conduits or bridges for otherworldly spiritual entities known collectively as apparitions; through them, these entities can commune and interact with the physical world in a process called attunement. Apparitions are myriad and diverse: they may be human spirits lingering on the border between becoming phantoms or ghosts, animal spirits with particularly strong connections to the physical world but lacking the malice that would spur a transition into true undeath, manifestations of natural locations that have grown thought and purpose over time, or they may be a different variation altogether.

Some animists attune to one or more specific apparitions that accompany them in their travels, forming deep partnerships over time, while others adapt to their surroundings by befriending the local apparitions who dwell wherever the animist's journey takes them. Each day during your daily preparations, choose two apparitions from the list on page 17 to attune to. Of these, choose one to be your primary apparition. Your attuned apparitions each grant you knowledge in the form of Lore skills and a repertoire of additional spells you can cast using apparition spellcasting (see below), and your primary apparition grants you even further power in the form a unique vessel focus spell and, when you are higher level, a unique avatar form.

When you Refocus, you can change which of your currently attuned apparitions is your primary apparition, selecting from any of the apparitions you attuned to during your daily preparations. All your apparitions typically remain attuned to you until your next daily preparations, but some animist abilities can temporarily disperse them, usually in exchange for a powerful boon. If an apparition is dispersed, you lose access to its gifts—you forget its apparition skills, its spells are removed from your apparition spell repertoire, and you can't use its vessel spell or avatar form—until you attune to it again. When you disperse your primary apparition, one of your remaining apparitions becomes your primary apparition, chosen by you at the time of dispersal.

Fortitude Expertise Feature 3

Animist Spiritual energy reinforces your body, making you more resilient. Your proficiency rank for Fortitude saves increases to expert.

Bard, Commander, Investigator, Swashbuckler Your physique has grown hardy in your adventures. Your proficiency rank for Fortitude saves increases to expert.

Druid Adventures have made your physique more hardy. Your proficiency rank for Fortitude saves increases to expert.

Psychic Your mind holds your body to a subconscious mental image of yourself. Your proficiency rank for Fortitude saves increases to expert.

Third Apparition Feature 7

You've learned to shelter more spirits, gaining access to more magic. When you attune to apparitions during your daily preparations, you choose three apparitions to attune to, with one of them being your primary apparition. The number of Focus Points in your focus pool increases by 1 (maximum 3).

Expert Spellcaster Feature 7

Animist The magic of the spirits flows freely through you. Your proficiency ranks for spell attack modifier and spell DC increase to expert.

Bard Your magical techniques grow stronger. Your proficiency ranks for spell attack modifiers and spell DCs increase to expert.

Druid Your command of primal forces has deepened, empowering your spells. Your proficiency ranks for spell attack modifier and spell DC increase to expert.

Magus Your fundamental understanding of magic improves, making your spells harder to resist. Your proficiency ranks for your spell attack modifier and spell DC increase to expert.

Oracle The intricacy of your divine power has grown clearer over time. Your proficiency ranks for divine spell attack rolls and spell DCs increase to expert.

Psychic Self-reflection has brought you greater knowledge of yourself and, with it, psychic power. Your proficiency ranks for spell attack modifier and spell DC increase to expert.

Sorcerer Your inherent magic responds easily and powerfully to your command. Your proficiency ranks for spell attack modifier and spell DC for spells of your bloodline's tradition increase to expert.

Summoner As your connection to your eidolon deepens, the power of your spells increases. Your proficiency ranks for the spell attack modifier and spell DC statistics increase to expert.

Witch You've learned to better control the power your patron has granted you. Your proficiency ranks for spell attack modifier and spell DC increase to expert.

Wizard Extended practice of the arcane has improved your capabilities. Your proficiency ranks for spell attack modifier and spell DC increase to expert.

Perception Expertise Feature 3

You remain alert to threats around you. Your proficiency rank for Perception increases to expert.

Expert Protections Feature 11

The spiritual entities that protect you warn you of harm before it would occur, giving you more time to react, and help bear the burden of your armor when it is necessary. Your proficiency rank for light armor, medium armor, unarmored defense, and Reflex saves increases to expert.

Simple Weapon Expertise Feature 11

Animist Training and magical assistance from your spiritual companions have improved your weapon technique. Your proficiency rank for simple weapons and unarmed attacks increases to expert.

Summoner Training and magic have improved your weapon technique. Your proficiency rank for simple weapons and unarmed attacks increases to expert.

Master of Mind and Spirit Feature 13

Your apparitions gird your mind against hostile intrusion and shield you from the effects of entities seeking to control your mind. Your proficiency rank for Will saves increases to master. When you roll a success at a Will save, you get a critical success instead.

Weapon Specialization Feature 7

You've learned how to inflict greater injuries with the weapons you know best. You deal an additional 2 damage with weapons and unarmed attacks in which you are an expert. This damage increases to 3 if you're a master, and 4 if you're legendary.

Master Spellcaster Feature 15

Animist Your affinity with the apparitions you bond to has further enhanced the potency of your magic. Your proficiency ranks for spell attack modifier and spell DC increase to master.

Bard You pluck the threads of magic like the strings of a harp. Your proficiency ranks for spell attack modifiers and spell DCs increase to master.

Druid Primal magic answers your command. Your proficiency ranks for spell attack modifier and spell DC increase to master.

Magus You fortify your spells with masterful prowess. Your proficiency ranks for your spell attack modifier and spell DC increase to master.

Oracle You truly understand the deep and complex divine power within your mystery. Your proficiency ranks for divine spell attack rolls and spell DCs increase to master.

Psychic You've gained access to the deepest corners of your own mind. Your proficiency ranks for spell attack modifier and spell DC increase to master.

Sorcerer You have achieved mastery over the magic in your blood. Your proficiency ranks for spell attack modifier and spell DC for spells of your bloodline's tradition increase to master.

Summoner Your connection to your eidolon is strong enough to grant you mastery over associated spells. Your proficiency ranks for spell attack modifiers and spell DCs increase to master.

Witch You've achieved mastery over your patron's magic. Your proficiency ranks for spell attack modifier and spell DC increase to master.

Wizard You command superlative spellcasting ability. Your proficiency ranks for spell attack modifier and spell DC increase to master.

Fourth Apparition Feature 15

You're truly loved by the spirits, with apparitions flocking to you from far and wide. When you attune to apparitions during your daily preparations, you choose four apparitions to attune to, with one of them being your primary apparition. The number of Focus Points in your focus pool increases by 1 (maximum 3).

Supreme Incarnation Feature 19

You become a nexus between the mortal and spiritual realms through which your apparition can embody its full might. You gain a 10th-rank apparition spell slot. In addition to heightened versions of your apparition spells, you can use this slot to cast Avatar. When you cast avatar in this way, you do not become an avatar of a deity; rather, your primary attuned apparition incarnates itself using your body, transforming you into the avatar described in your primary attuned apparition's entry.

Legendary Spellcaster Feature 19

Animist You are a near-perfect channel for the magical energies of the realms beyond. Your proficiency ranks for spell attack modifier and spell DC increase to legendary.

Bard Your command of magic is the stuff of legends. Your proficiency ranks for spell attack modifiers and spell DCs increase to legendary.

Druid You have developed an unparalleled rapport with the magic of nature. Your proficiency ranks for spell attack modifier and spell DC increase to legendary.

Oracle You can harness divine power at a level few others can match. Your proficiency ranks for divine spell attack rolls and spell DCs increase to legendary.

Psychic As your training reaches its peak, you understand not just your own mind, but the collective unconscious from which all psychic power stems. Your proficiency ranks for occult spell attack modifier and spell DC increase to legendary.

Sorcerer You demonstrate prodigious talent for spellcasting. Your proficiency ranks for spell attack modifier and spell DC for spells of your bloodline's tradition increase to legendary.

Witch You've perfected your command of the magic your patron provides. Your proficiency ranks for spell attack modifier and spell DC increase to legendary.

Wizard You are a consummate spellcaster, blending both arcane theory and practical spellcraft. Your proficiency ranks for spell attack modifier and spell DC increase to legendary.