Xian — Spiritual Root

At first level, choose one of the following roots. You gain access to that root’s tree. You gain one Spiritual Root unlock for every three unlocks taken on the Endless Path. You may use this to take advances from within your own root, or you may use it to unlock a new root.

You may permanently increase the Heart Demon’s minimum HD by 2 and immediately increase the Heart Demon’s HD by 4 (plus an additional 2 from the effect of Heart Demons) in order to attempt to take a feature from Spiritual Root without waiting for a free unlock. See Heart Demons for more detail.

Wood:

The de of wood is to grow: the green branch bends where the dry one snaps, and what is cut down returns.

While in combat you have fast healing 1, 2 at 5th level and +1 every 5 levels after.

You gain a +2 to CMD against grapple and trip, and +2 on saves against effects that bind or stiffen you, such as paralysis, hold, petrification, slow.

At Qi Condensation, once per day the first time you would drop to 0 or fewer HP you instead stabilize at 1 and your fast healing triples for one minute as you resprout.

You count as having the Life and Shield Spheres for the purposes of prerequisites. When unlocking feats on Xian — The Endless Path: you have a +2 bonus to your rolls in a region of ambient wood qi.

Metal:

The de of metal is to cut: autumn culls the year, the edge finds the seam, and what is refined has had its impurities cut away.

Your attacks ignore an amount of damage reduction or hardness equal to your level.

Once per round when you deal damage, you may sever as a swift action — make a level check against one beneficial magical effect on that target; on a success it ends. Once per day, as a swift action, you may whet yourself: make a level check to cut away one harmful condition affecting you, and if you succeed, you apply that effect on your next attack at the original DC. You may not sever or whet permanent effects or effects with a caster level more than 3 above your HD.

At Qi Condensation, against any creature below half HP your strikes gain +half-level damage.

You count as having the Fencing and Enhancement Spheres for the purposes of prerequisites. When unlocking feats on Xian — The Endless Path: you have a +2 bonus to your rolls in a region of ambient metal qi.

Earth:

The de of earth is to bear: it neither strikes nor flees, it remains, and it is the still point the other four turn around.

So long as you have not voluntarily moved since your last turn, you are centred and gain DR 2/— (+2 per 5 levels), +4 to CMD against bull rush, trip, drag, reposition, and overrun and to saves against forced movement, and you cannot be made flat-footed.

At Qi Condensation, once per day while centred you may treat a single attack or effect targeting you as though you had total cover against it, as an immediate action.

You count as having the Protection and Guardian Spheres for the purposes of prerequisites. When unlocking feats on Xian — The Endless Path: you have a +2 bonus to your rolls in a region of ambient earth qi.

Fire:

The de of fire is to rise: it climbs, it spends its fuel all at once, and it gives every scrap of its light or none.

While in combat, negative effects expire twice as quickly. You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls and ability DC for every two negative effects on you.

As a swift action, you can kindle for a number of rounds equal to 3 + half your level. While kindled, you gain +10 ft. speed and +1 to attack and damage (+1 per 5 levels), but −2 AC. After it ends, you are fatigued for one minute you must spend one day un-kindled before lighting again.

At Qi Condensation, once per day you may flare: for one round your kindled bonuses double and you make one extra attack at your highest bonus, after which you are fatigued for one minute.

You count as having the Destruction and Athletics Spheres for the purposes of prerequisites. When unlocking feats on Xian — The Endless Path: you have a +2 bonus to your rolls in a region of ambient fire qi.

Water:

The de of water is to yield: it gives way before the fist and closes behind it, it wears the stone without striking it, and the deep water is the still one.

When an attack hits you, as an immediate action you may yield: reduce the damage by your level + your key ability modifier, and if the attack was in melee you flow 5 ft. to an adjacent open space without provoking an attack of opportunity.

In addition, you have a +2 morale bonus ( +1 per 5 levels) on saves against fear and mind-affecting effects.

At Qi Condensation, twice per day when an attack would hit you, you may cause it to miss instead, and if you do and the attack was in melee, you can move the attacker to any adjacent square.

You count as having the Duellist and Mind Spheres for the purposes of prerequisites. When unlocking feats on Xian — The Endless Path: you have a +2 bonus to your rolls in a region of ambient water qi.