[WKSHP] The Psychic Samurai

[BSF]

Revisiting this a bit over a month later.

Please note I changed the name of the thread. All threads dealing with Workshopping a class should use the [WKSHP] prefix so we can quickly sort through stuff we are working on.

Sage, looking over this again, let's see if we can get this to the point where it is mostly relying on OGC. I would like to genericize the requirements a little bit so they don't scream Samurai from Complete Warrior. Will this be possible while keeping the flavor and intent of the class intact? I think this will be good practice to follow so we can freely distribute anything we come up with.

I would like the PrC to be most easily entered by a Samurai, a Psychic, or a Fighter. Most likely, it will be a multi-class PC that uses Psychic as one of the base classes. Secondary classes would Monk, Martial Artist, and Paladin. All other classes would probably be quite rare.

Base Requirements should be attainable with a minimum low-end level, generally 5th. If we bump up the requirements to a higher entry point, you can usually expect the abilities granted by the PrC to be a little more focused, and a little more powerful. Is there any reason we should shoot for a higher entry point?

Special/roleplay requirements should be important, but not the sole balancing factor. Let's look at the following:
- Must be in service to a Lord as a Samurai
- Must have Daisho

Is there any reason for us to worry about the ex-Psychic Samurai issues? Or should it just be that you cannot advance in the class any longer?

I will give the class some thoughts and try to post something up somewhat soon.

 

[Macbeth]

Daisho Requirement: Depends how you define Daisho. If you go with the traditional Katana/Wakizashi, then Li wouldn't even qualify. If the Daisho is just a weapon given to the samurai by his lord, then sure, sounds good. (Assuming Li can track down those damn gnolls)

I would say Ex-Psychic Samurais just can't continue in the class.

How bout we drop the Kiai Smite requirement, drop the Intimidate Focus ability, and add the Daisho requirement (with the more general definition)?

 

[BSF]

Yeah, I don't mean a classic Daisho with Katana/Wakizashi pairing. Just a symbolic honor element. In my mind, that is what I have been qualifying as a Daisho, but perhaps I should look it up to see if there is a specific definition.

EDIT: I looked it up and daisho means the big and short. It is a clear reference to katana and wakizashi. Maybe we ought to call it an honor weapon?

Maybe we ought to add a requirement for any one Psychometabolism skill with x ranks? The applicant for the PrC has to have some sort of proficiency right?

 

[Macbeth]

Maybe we ought to add a requirement for any one Psychometabolism skill with x ranks? The applicant for the PrC has to have some sort of proficiency right?

Enhance Ability is a Psychometablism skill, and it currently requires 5 ranks. We could bump that up, or require another skill.

 

[BSF]

Hit Die: d8

Requirements:
Feats: Psychic Ability and Psychometabolism
BAB: +5
Intimidate: 6 ranks
Enhance Ability: 5 ranks
Concentration: 3 ranks
Alignment: Any Lawful
Special: Must be in service of a Lord with a Samurai's oath of service. Must possess a Daisho of some sort


Skill Points: 4 + Int Mod

Class Skills:
Balance (Dex), Concentration (Con), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Psychic) (Int), Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) (Int), Listen (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Wis), Tumble (Wis), and any two skills with the Psychometabolism feat as a prerequisite of the Psychic Samurai's choice.

Level   BAB   Fort Save   Ref Save   Will Save   Special
1       +1    +0          +2         +2      Psychic Stamina, Battlemind,
                                             Intimidation Focus [color=red]Let's see if we can adjust this.[/color]
2       +2    +0          +3         +3      Imbue Weapon
3       +3    +1          +3         +3      Show of Skill, Body Equilibrium
4       +4    +1          +4         +4      Up the Walls [color=red]<= Let's revisit this one, see below[/color]
5       +5    +1          +4         +4      Psychic Leap
6       +6    +2          +5         +5      Psychic Speed
7       +7    +2          +5         +5      Improved Psychic Healing
8       +8    +2          +6         +5      Improved Ability Enhancement
9       +9    +3          +6         +6      Honored Master
10      +10   +3          +7         +7      Body Mastery

Special Abilities:
Intimidation Focus: Psychic Samurai levels stack with Samurai levels for the purposes of gaining the Staredown, Mass Staredown, Improved Staredwn and Firghtful Presence class abilites. So a Samurai 4/Psychic Samurai 10 would have the Staredown, Mass Staredown, And Improved Staredown abilites as if he was a 14th level Samurai. Let's see if we can come up with something that works in a similar fashion. Maybe create some OGC that mirrors one or more of these abilities? Maybe a different idea entirely?

Psychic Stamina: The Psychic Samurai gains the Psychic Stamina feat.

Battlemind: The Psychic Samurai applies his Wisdom bonus to armor Class, just as a Monk would.

Imbue Weapon: The Psychic Samurai gains the Imbue Weapon feat.

Show of Skill: At 3rd level a Psychic Samurai's can discourage others through a show of his abilites. Any time the Psychic Samurai uses a Psychic Skill or takes a full attack action, he gains a +4 bonus to Intimidate checks for the following round.

Body Equilibrium(Su): The Psychic Samurai can move across any surface (sand, snow, quicksand, water, etc.) without sinking, provided he moves at least 5 feet each round. He is invisble to tremorsense.

Up the Walls(Su): The Psychic Samurai can use his innate Psychic abilities to adjust the effect of gravity on himself. By slipping some of the pull of gravity, the Samurai can move across a vertical wall as part of his movement for a round. If he ends his movement on a vertical surface, he must make a Climb check to avoid falling. While this ability is somewhat interesting, I have informal house rules that somewhat make it redundant. 1 - I should formalize and post those house rules. 2 - Let's see if this could be used for something a little more interesting.

Psychic Leap: The Psychic Samurai can make jump checks without a 20ft. running start. He suffers no increase in DC for standing Jump checks.

Psychic Speed (Su): The Psychic Samurai can increase his speed by 10 times for 1 round as a full round action which costs 5 points of strain. This multiplies his jump distance by 5.

Improved Psychic Healing: The Psychic Samurai can make a Psychic Healing check as a move action. He can use the Psychic Healing skill twice as often as usual (Heal hit points twice per hour per subject, and ability damage twice per day per subject)

Improved Ability Enhancement: The Psychic Samurai can always take 10 on Enhance Ability checks, and may make Enhance Ability checks as a move action.

Honored Master: Followers build an Honor Dojo and request that you instruct new generations in the concpets of Honor, Obedience and the Mastery of Mind and Body.

Body Mastery: The Psychic Samurai can take 10 on any Psychometabolism skill check.

Detail:
Honored Master
You gain followers (but no cohorts) according to your leadership score in the same manner as the Leadership feat, except that they are all fighters, psychics, or novice samurai. All students will be allied, or friendly with the Psychic Samurai and her Lord. Instead of using NPC classes, subtract one level, down to a minimum of 1st level. Higher-level followers are instructors or advanced students, and you are the headmaster. You may gain new followers with this feat if your leadership score goes up, just like with the
Leadership feat.

Your followers set up a martial arts school in your name, at no charge to you, and run the day-to-day operations for you. The facility is a building of your design. Your followers provide the first 10,000gp for its construction. This is enough for a nicely built facility the size of about two large houses with a large courtyard or field. You may add to this total with your own gold to make it larger or better equipped. Construction takes at least a full month.

The Honor Dojo focuses on teaching students the precepts of Honor, Obedience, and the mastery of Body and Mind. Though instructors may not have fully mastered these precepts, they are all on the path to doing so. No matter how remote, it will attract eager students because of your reputation.

Your students expect you to occasionally give lessons (at least one day out of a month, or 12 days a year). In return, you have the prestige of being formally acknowledged as a master of the the Mind and Body, may use the school as a residence and base of operations, and the school earns you a small income (from 10gp to 100gp a month; the exact amount is up to the GM). You may call on your followers to go adventuring with you up to one week out of a month. If you call them away from the school more often, or do not give any lessons, the school will close. If your school closes, your followers sell the property and all benefits of this feat are lost until you invest at least a month of time and a minimum of 10,000gp to reopen the school.

Note that being acknowledged as a "master" may cause others to seek you out to test their skills in friendly,
or not-so-friendly, duels. Nevertheless, it is useful to have a powerful reputation. As long as your school has a good reputation, NPC attitudes toward you are one category better than normal, two categories higher if they are students or alumni. NPCs not from the local region may not have heard of you or your school.

OK, does this capture any of the "feel" that you are working toward for the Psychic Samurai? To be honest, I am still a little tempted to drop the BAB to average and look for one or two other abilities that would provide a little different feel. I am also a bit tempted to swap Show of Skill and Imbue Weapon.

 

[BSF]

Enhance Ability is a Psychometablism skill, and it currently requires 5 ranks. We could bump that up, or require another skill.

DOH! Of course it is. My bad.