GRAVEWALKER

Having much in common with necromancers, the gravewalker is obsessed with the occult manipulations of the dead, particularly mindless undead such as zombies. Unlike the creations of standard necromancers, a gravewalker’s creations remain forever tied to her will, and she can produce vile apparitions of tremendous power.

Spell Poppet:

Each gravewalker carries around a gristly, inanimate poppet stitched from human skin and stuffed with shards of bone, fingernails, and grave dirt. A gravewalker’s magic comes from the will of evil spirits residing in the poppet, and this ability functions in a manner identical to the way a witch’s magic is granted by her familiar. The gravewalker must commune with her poppet each day to replenish her spell points. This ability replaces familiar.

Deliver Touch Spells (Su):

At 3rd level or higher, a gravewalker can use her poppet to deliver touch spells. After casting a touch spell, as a full-round action, the witch can designate a target and stab a pin into her poppet, delivering the spell as a ranged touch attack. The target must be within range of her aura of desecration ability.

Aura of Desecration (Su):

At first level, a gravewalker can create a 20-foot-radius aura of evil power. This aura increases the DC of channeled negative energy by +1 and the turn resistance of undead by +1. At 3rd level and every 2 levels thereafter, the radius of the aura increases by 5 feet, to a maximum of 70 feet at 20th level.

Bonethrall (Su):

At 2nd level, a gravewalker can take control of an undead creature within her aura of desecration by forcing her will upon it (Will negates, using her hex DC). If it fails the save, the creature falls under her control as if she had used command undead (once control is established, the undead remain controlled even if outside the witch’s aura). Intelligent undead receive a new saving throw each day to resist her command. The witch can control up to 1 HD of undead creatures per caster level. If an undead creature is under the control of another creature, the witch must make an opposed Charisma check whenever her orders conflict with that creature’s. This replaces the witch’s hexes gained at 2nd and 4th level.

Possess Undead (Sp):

A gravewalker may take direct control of one of her undead minions within her aura of desecration, as if using magic jar; the witch’s poppet acts as the soul receptacle for this ability. The minion gets no saving throw against this ability. This replaces the witch’s hex gained at 8th level.