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Message: <blockquote data-quote="HellHound" data-source="post: 1553287" data-attributes="member: 3397">Ward CutterThrough force of will and concentration, the soulknives can manifest their mental energy into a blade of psionic force. While the properties of this mental weapon are of immense interest, one that drew the attention of the Val was the ability to manifest this blade even in a location where psionic effects do not normally function (such as a null psionics field) through a major effort of will. If, through discipline and training, soulknives can manifest these psionic weapons within such an inhospitable environment, then it became a test to see what the blades could not penetrate.The ward cutters are the masters of this path, disciplined and strong of will, and able to force their mind blades through nearly any resistance. Although any soulknife can hold a mindblade in a null psionics field, the ward cutters can penetrate their blades through most force defenses, abjurations and other protective magics and psionics. At their most potent, ward cutters can destroy such spells even as they cut through them.Most ward cutters take on the role of witch hunters – bounty hunters, assassins and enforcers unafraid to confront even the most potent cerebremancers. A majority of these are specifically trained by groups of such witch hunters, sometimes sponsored by religious orders or the state in order to hunt or slay those psions or spellcasters hostile to the group in question. Others are independent groups of slayers such as the Knives of Milander who operate along the coast of Milander hunting for minions and servants of the Sorcerer King of Ymandragore prowling their fair lands in search of sorcerous childer. In the times of the Duan’Khat, ward cutters were an invaluable commodity when a Val family took offence at another and a quiet war of assassination would travel the streets of the sacred city until the lord families of the val’Duan came to note the problems.Hit Die: d8RequirementsTo qualify to become a ward cutter, a character must fulfill the following criteria.Base Attack Bonus: +5Base Will Save: +5Concentration: 10 ranksKnowledge (psionics): 10 ranksFeats: Deep Impact, Psionic WeaponSpecial: Ability to create a psychic mind blade and the ability to reshape it into other bladed weapons (shape mind blade).Class SkillsThe ward cutter’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Hide (Dex), Knowledge (pionics) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Tumble (Dex). See Core Rulebook 1 for skill descriptions.Skill Points per Level: 2 + Int modifierBase Attack Bonus: Medium (Rogue / SoulKnife)Fort Save: WeakRef Save: WeakWill Save: StrongProgressionLevel 1 - Hold BladeLevel 2 - Track, Psychic Strike +1d8Level 3 - Power Tracking, Spell PiercerLevel 4 - Improved Mind Blade, Dispelling Blade 1/dayLevel 5 - Deflecting Blade, Spell CutterLevel 6 - Psychic Strike +2d8Level 7 - Dispelling Blade 2/dayLevel 8 - Null Psionics FieldLevel 9 - Improved Mind BladeLevel 10 - Psychic Strike +3d8, Spell BreachClass FeaturesAll of the following are class features of the ward cutter prestige class.Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Ward cutters gain no additional training in the use of weapons, armor or shields. Note that armor check penalties for armor heavier than leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket and Tumble.Hold Blade (Ex): As long as the ward cutter maintains psionic focus, no roll is required to manifest or maintain a mind blade within a null psionics field or other anti-magic or anti-psi environment that would normally necessitate a Will save to maintain the blade. In addition, the ward cutter gains a bonus on his Will saves to sustain or manifest his mind blade equal to half his ward cutter level, rounded up. Finally, ward cutter levels stack with soulknife levels when determining how many rounds a mind blade can be maintained between Will saves.Track (Ex): As the ward cutters operate as witch hunters, they gain the Track feat as a bonus feat at level 2. Psychic Strike (Su): At levels 2, 6 and 10, the ward cutter’s psychic strike ability increases by 1d8 damage. This works identically to the soulknife Psychic Strike ability.Power Tracking (Su): Beginning at level 3, the ward cutter gains a bonus on survival checks when tracking manifesters and spellcasters. If the tracked target had any spells or psionic powers active at the time when the tracks were made, then the ward cutter gains an insight bonus equal to the total spell levels or power levels of the spells or powers manifested at the time on his survival rolls to track. This bonus cannot exceed the ward cutter’s class level. Spell Piercer (Ex): Beginning at level 3, when the ward cutter using his mind blade attacks a target that receives an armor, shield or deflection bonus to Armor Class from spells or magic items (not including actual magic armor and shields), he can ignore up to his class level of these combined bonuses for the purpose of his attack rolls. If the ward cutter has psionic focus, the maximum bonus he can pierce in this way is increased by 2. For example, if Jeardall, a level 4 ward cutter was attacking Du’Mahn, a wizard with mage armor (+4 armor bonus), a +2 small wood shield (+3 shield bonus) and a ring of protection +1 (+1 deflection bonus), he would treat Du’Mahn’s armor class as being 4 points lower, effectively cutting through his mage armor. If Jeardall had psionic focus at the time of the attack, he would be able to cut through 6 points of bonus, however Du’Mahn only has 5 points that Jeardaph can pierce with this ability (the bonus from the mage armor and from the ring of protection).Improved Mind Blade (Su): At levels 4 and 9, the ward cutter’s enhancement on his mind blade increases by +1.Dispelling Blade (Su): Once per day, the level 4 ward cutter can declare a single melee attack with his mind blade to be a dispelling attack. If the attack hits, then the target is affected as if by a targeted dispel magic / dispel psionics. If the attack misses, the dispelling attempt is wasted for the day. The ward cutter make a dispel check (1d20 + 2 times class level) against the spell or against each ongoing spell currently in effect on the object or creature. The DC for this dispel check is 11 + the spell’s caster level. If the ward cutter succeeds on a particular check, that spell is dispelled; if he fails, that spell remains in effect. If this targets an object or creature that is the effect of an ongoing spell (such as a monster summoned by monster summoning), make a dispel check to end the spell that conjured the object or creature. At level 7, the ward cutter can use this ability twice per day.Deflecting Blade (Ex): At level 5, the ward cutter’s mind blade can be used to deflect ray spells and powers. Once per round when the ward cutter would normally be hit with a magical or psionic ray, he may deflect it so that the spell fails to strike home and is wasted. The ward cutter must be aware of the attack and not flatfooted. Attempting to deflect a ray doesn’t count as an action. This ability can only be used if the ward cutter has his mind blade manifested.Spell Cutter (Ex): At level 5, the ward cutter’s Spell Piercer ability is improved. Beginning at this level, any time the ward cutter successfully strikes a target protected by any abjuration spell or any spell or power that provides an armor, shield or deflection bonus to Armor Class or any form of resistance bonus or any form of Damage Reduction, the power of the mind blade may disrupt the spell. The target struck must make a Will save with a DC of (10 + ward cutter class level + Wisdom bonus) for each such spell or power or the spell or power is dispelled by the strike and is lost.Null Psionics Field (Sp): At level 8, the ward cutter can manifest a null psionics field as per the kineticist power of the same name, with a manifester level equal to the ward cutter’s level. This power can be manifested once per day as a spell-like ability that provokes an attack of opportunity and requires the expenditure of the ward cutter’s psionic focus.Spell Breach (Ex): At level 10, the ward cutter’s Spell Cutter ability is improved to its utmost. Spells severed by this ability now explode in a shower of magical or psionic energy that deals 1d4 damage per level of the spell or power to the recipient of the spell or power’s protection, and 1d4 damage to the ward cutter.---This is the most problematic PrC I've designed in some time. Comments are not only welcome, but demanded. Some of the wording can definitely be improved and even balance is kind of 'iffy' on this one. Hey, it's my first try on a SoulKnife PrC.Oh yeah, the Section 15 on this class includes "Crimson Contracts - The Assassin's Manifesto"</blockquote>

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