If a hex mage blends elements of the monk and warlock, then a hexbound enforcer blends elements of the knight and warlock. Hexbound enforcers work well as front-line combatants, but are often better served wielding reach weapons and sticking close to more vunerable characters like spellcasters.
Hexbound enforcers are hex mages as paladins are to clerics. The hexbound enforcer forgoes a degree of utility in the realm of removing hostile magical effects and dedicates himself to the protection of higher-ranking members of their cause, whether serving as the personal bodyguard to a ruler or acting as muscle for hex mage agents in the field. In exchange, the hexbound enforcer becomes hardened to physical attack and finds their ability to bring pain to their enemies drastically improved.
Prerequisites:
Alignment: Any Lawful
Class Features: Hexed Weaponry
Feats: Craft Hex Mage Contract
Special: Must take a special oath to serve a single individual (hereafter known as the client) in the capacity of a personal retainer or bodyguard. This oath must be officiated through the signing of a hex mage contract (see feat list for details), though either the client or the hexbound bodyguard himself may be the author of said contract.
Class Features:
Class Skills: Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (nobility and royalty), Profession Ride, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Use Magic Device
Skill Points Per Level: 4 + int mod per level
Hit Dice: d12
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies (Ex):
A hexbound enforcer gains proficiency with all martial weapons, light, medium, and heavy armor, and shields (including tower shields)
Spellcasting Progression (Ex):
A hexbound enforcer continues to advance in the potency of his hex mage abilities. See the note on prestige classes under the hex mage class features for details.
Contractual Bond (Sp):
The hexbound enforcer is treated at all times as though he has cast shield other on his client (caster level equal to his effective hex mage level). The hexbound enforcer may also opt to redirect any ability he could counter with his hex breaker ability so that it targets him instead of the client. This is an exception to the rule that only hit point damage can be shared through a shield other effect. Furthermore, the hexbound enforcer may apply hex points to his client at any range within the limits of the shield other effect (25ft + 5ft/2 caster levels), as if delivering them via touch attacks (see the hexing strike class feature). The hexbound enforcer loses the ability to expend hex points on his client for any hostile purpose for as long as the hex mage’s contract remains in effect; he may still attempt to use his hex breaker ability as normal.
If dispelled, the contractual bond will automatically re-establish itself within 1d4 rounds. Similarly, if the client and hexbound enforcer become separated by a distance too far for the shield other spell effect to reach the contractual bond re-establishes itself as soon as the client and hexbound enforcer again are within the range of the spell effect. This ability is always active and does not require activation. It cannot be willfully deactivated so long as the hex mage contract that established the client-enforcer relationship remains active.
Duty Calls (Su):
A hexbound enforcer may use word of recall as a spell-like ability once per day (CL equals effective hex mage caster level), placing him in any space adjacent to the client.
Saves vs. Dishonor (Ex):
If any effect that offers a save would cause a hexbound enforcer to violate a clause in a hex mage’s contract to which he is a willing signatory (for example, as the result of a charm person spell that would allow an enemy to get too close to his client), he gains a +1 untyped bonus on the relevant save. This bonus increases to +2 at 3rd level and +3 at 5th level.
Cursed Smite (Su):
Starting at second level, the hexbound enforcer may chose to infuse an attack with the power of the cursed energy that thrums in his veins. Once per day, the hexbound enforcer can declare an attack to be a cursed smite attack. The hexbound enforcer adds his charisma modifier to the attack roll. If the attack misses, then the attempt is wasted. If the attack hits, however, the hexbound enforcer fills the creature struck with as many hex points to the maximum capacity allowed by his hex mage class features (typically a number of points equal to his hex mage level plus his hexbound enforcer level. At 5th level , the hex mage gains one additional use of this ability. Cursed smite is considered a smite attack for the purposes of feats such as Extra Smiting (CW).
Magethorn (Su):
By the time a hexbound enforcer reaches third level, merely touching him or his client is fraught with danger, as cursed energies swirl around them to corrupt the bodies of attackers. Whenever an opponent touches or makes a melee attack the hexbound enforcer or his client while under the effect of the contractual bond, the creature gains hex points as if struck by the hexbound enforcer’s hexing strike ability. If the hexbound enforcer is wearing armor spikes made of hexchrome (see special materials), then the hex points applied by the attack is increased by one. Attacks made with reach weapons do not protect the attacker from this effect; the hex points are conducted through the weapon.
Detect Hostile Intent (Sp):
At fourth level, the hexbound enforcer has developed a sixth sense when it comes to creatures that mean himself or his client ill. This ability functions as the detect hostile intent psionic power, as the power manifested by a psion of his effective hex mage caster level, with the exception that it is considered a spell-like ability and it only detects hostility that would be directed at the hexbound enforcer and his client. The hexbound enforcer may use this ability at will.
Fallen Hexbound Enforcers
If a hexbound enforcer ever willfully violates a clause in a hex mage’s contract to which he is a willing signatory or his client dies due to negligence on the part of the hexbound enforcer, he immediately loses all class features other than base attack, saves, skills, proficiencies, and hit points and may not progress further into the class until he receives atonement from a lawful cleric. He must also deal with the fact that the contract will also trigger it’s secondary effect, possibly damaging him or cursing him, with no save allowed.
A hexbound enforcer who becomes non-lawful retains his class features, but also must atone to progress further in the class.
Completing a Contract
If a hexbound enforcer completes the contract with the client satisfactorily, whether due to clauses embedded in the contract or the death by natural causes of the client, then the hexbound enforcer retains all class features. He may take another client by swearing an oath and signing a new hex mage contract with the new client as laid out in the class prerequisites. The new client becomes the target of all class features that require a client to function (such as contractual bond).
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