Bearer of Burdens

A Bearer of Burdens is a specialist arcanist who combines knowledge of the healing arts with the unique talents of a hex mage. These beneficent professionals absorb some of the magical - or even physical - maladies of others into themselves, where inner alchemy may be used to heal them at a greatly accelerated rate.

Career

Qualifications

Aside from the usual arcane talents inherent to hex mages, prospective Bearers must develop a grasp of human physiology and more mundane healing techniques to complement their knowledge of supernatural maladies associated with hex magic.

Career Progression

Over time, Bearers of Burdens focus more and more on the curative aspects of their craft as hex mages, losing some of the threatening nature of the hex mage's abilities in return for the ability to take the wounds and maladies of others into themselves. More advanced Bearers learn how to accelerate their own metabolisms to allow their eponymous burdens to be healed more quickly. This growth in experience typically manifests as a slowing, or even reversal, of the visible ravages of age. For this reason, Bearers of Burdens do not take one another's apparent youthfulness as a sign of inexperience. Instead, merit among the Bearers is attributed to long experience in the field, the treatment of famous personages, involvement in the remediation of famous plagues or disasters, or service among the ranks of the military. Bearers of Burdens who have demonstrated their talents are accorded respect as peers to healers, apothecaries, and clerics and sometimes establish ranking hierarchies that mirror those found in such professions.

Perception

Social Status

Even the most surly Bearers of Burdens are generally regarded with respect, especially among communities where curses like lycanthropy or other magically-infused diseases are endemic. The stain of ignominity that sometimes accompanies the talents of a hex mage is, in the Bearers of Burdens, strongly mitigated by these professionals' ability to provide balm and comfort for others. The most famous Bearers combine their talents with a beatific patience and brave countenance in the face of their own suffering when in the course of curing others of their afflictions.

Demographics

Bearers are the most diverse group of specialist hex mages by dint of the fact that their services are in universal demand and the most applicable across all species affected by hexes and curses. The immortality achieved by some advanced practitioners of the Bearer's art means that there are members of the profession even from cultures which have long since vanished from the world.

by Hero Forge

A Bearer of Burdens freshly bloodied by his absorption of an ally's injuries.

Type

Healthcare

Other Associated professions

• Hex Mage

Bearers of Burdens in New Generica

Bearers of Burdens are more common than most specialist hex mages in the New Generica Period, as these individuals are more likely than most to have survived the consecutive disasters that brought Generica to its current, debased state. Individuals with the Bearer's gifts may masqerade as more mundane healers or, rarely, as transmuters or alchemists specializing in the removal of 'illnesses' which victims might not realize are actually magical in origin. Despite the respect they earn through the beneficent application of their talents, most Bearers of Burdens nevertheless conceal their true nature for fear of scaring away the patients who need them most.

Game Statistics

Bearers of Burdens in D&D 3.5

Bearers of Burdens in D&D retain some of the offensive capabilities of hex mages, but specialize in healing in a way that makes them an excellent counterpart to a party's cleric or paladin who would otherwise have to invest more heavily in curative spells. This class is primarily a support class and may do well when kept in tandem with rogues or the more fragile members of the party, such as wizards.
Author's Note: I originally posted the following class features list on the Giant in the Playgound homebrew forums in 2014 under the Open Game License as it existed at that time. I am reposting in here for the sake of completeness and to preserve it for use in the parts of the New Generica setting that make use of D&D 3.5 rules, but have placed it in a spoiler because this article would otherwise be a rather lengthy read. I have also edited some of the formatting to better accord with WorldAnvil stylistic conventions. Enjoy! ~BCGR_Wurth
The Bearer of Burdens

In the dark places of the world, the Bearer of Burdens walks the earth to set things to right and bring healing to the sick and afflicted. The Bearer of Burdens is often a kind of ascetic, though not necessarily, and takes the pain of others into himself. Over time, continuous exposure to adversity causes him to become incredibly hardy, eventually becoming so resilient that even death itself cannot shake him.
Prerequisites:
Alignment: Any non-evil
Class Features: Hex Breaker
Skills: Heal 5 ranks

Class Features: Class Skills: Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Handle Animal, Heal, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (nature), Listen, Profession, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Spot, Survival, Use Magic Device
Skill Points Per Level: 4 + int mod per level
Hit Dice: d12

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies (Ex):
A Bearer of Burdens gains no weapon or armor proficiencies
Spellcasting Progression (Ex):
A Bearer of Burdens 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.
Hex Breaker (Su or Sp):
Bearer of Burdens class levels stack with those of hex mage for all purposes with regard to the advancement of the Hex Breaker class feature.
Transfer Wounds (Su):
The defining trait of a Bearer of Burdens is his ability to take on the injuries of others on their behalf. At first level, this ability allows the Bearer of Burdens to expend hex points on an allied creature to absorb hit point damage from them. When he does so, he rolls a d8 per hex points expended and heals the creature by that amount, but also takes damage equal to half that amount himself (minimum 1). This healing is not considered a positive or negative energy effect.
The Transfer Wounds ability improves further as the Bearer of Burdens gains more levels in the class. At 4th level, he can also use this ability to transfer ability damage or drain from his ally to himself on a one hex point per point of damage basis. Ability drain transferred in this fashion is converted into ability damage, allowing it to heal normally over time, and the Bearer of Burdens takes half the damage or drain he absorbs (minimum 1)
At 7th level, the Bearer of Burdens can expend a hex point to transfer a status effect (such as exhausted or nauseated) from the target to himself. If the effect has levels to it (such as panicked/frightened/shaken), then he suffers the effect as if it were reduced one step.
At 10th level, the Bearer of Burdens’ abilities reach their peak. He may transfer negative levels from the target to himself on a one hex point per negative level basis, though he again takes only half the negative levels himself (minimum 1).
If any of these injuries have a duration to them that will cause them to disperse after a certain time has elapsed (such as an ongoing fear effect), then the Bearer of Burdens experiences the remaining duration of this effect. Be sure to note which damage, ability damage, ability drain, status effects, and negative levels have been transferred with this ability separately from those sustained from other sources.
Continuous Magic Circle Against Alignment (Sp):
At 2nd level, a Bearer of Burdens begins to emanate a continuous Magic Circle effect, as a caster equal to his class level, against any one alignment to which the Bearer of Burdens is diametrically opposed. If the character is true neutral, then he can choose any alignment and may not thereafter change it unless his alignment changes.
Regeneration (Ex):
Bearers of Burdens are remarkably tough individuals, both mentally and physically, and their long exposure to curse energies causes mutations that make them even more durable in nature. Beginning at 3rd level, he gains a special form of regeneration (see the Monster Manual for details). Damage caused by physical weapons and natural attacks against his body are treated normally; all other hit point damage (including damage caused by his transfer wounds class feature, spells, psionic powers, etc.) is considered to be subdual, and regenerates at a rate of one hit point per round. The Bearer of Burdens also regrows lost body parts over the course of 24 hours, and may reattach them sooner by holding them against the stump. The Bearer of Burdens can choose whether damage taken from transfer wounds or other sources are healed first by this ability each round, but cannot choose to suppress this regeneration (i.e. to gain the ongoing benefits listed below).
This regeneration rate increases by 2 for every 3 levels thereafter (regeneration 3 at 6th, regeneration 5 at 9th, and so forth).
Hostile Transfer (Su):
To defend himself, the Bearer of Burdens may imbue a touch or melee attack with magical energy that afflicts a single opponent with any amount of, or all of, the injuries the Bearer of Burdens has absorbed through his transfer wounds ability. Any remaining hit point damage, ability damage, ability drain, status effects, and negative levels taken by the Bearer of burdens through his transfer wounds ability are placed on the creature touched and removed from the Bearer of Burdens. The target of this attack may make a will save (DC 10+1/2 effective hex mage caster level+charisma modifier) for half effect (if numerical) or to negate the effect (if a status effect)
Bloodied Resolve (Ex):
At 8th level, the Bearer of Burdens merely becomes more resolute in the face of adversity. Whether this is due to a sense of righteousness, indignation to an enemy, or a burgeoning masochism is a question best left to the player of the character. For every 10 points of hit point damage sustained by the Bearer of Burdens which has not yet been regenerated, he gains a +1 cumulative morale bonus to saves, attacks, and checks. This bonus lasts for as long as the damage persists.
Ageless (Ex):
At 10th level, the magical mutations that granted the Bearer of Burdens his regeneration also render him immune to the ravages of time. The Bearer of Burdens becomes immune to the negative effects of aging and is effectively immortal. Bonuses from aging still accrue to the maximum shown on the age table in the Player’s Handbook.