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Message: <blockquote data-quote="HellHound" data-source="post: 1555297" data-attributes="member: 3397">Blighted Mind(A class designed to complement and help explain the Blight Bearer prestige class from the Codex Arcanis - you can substitute any other god of Death for Neroth, really)Five hundred years ago, the worshipers of Neroth learned how to use the power of diseases to cultivate and spread the corruption of Neroth to the world, thus enhancing His power. These church-cults of the death god grew like a cancer within Neroth’s flock in Canceri and across Onara. The cult grew too big, with these blighted priests turning from preachers and carriers of disease into madmen and maniacs, doing all in their power to spread plagues and pox across the face of the land and into the deepest recesses of the earth. Finally, the cult was destroyed in a five-year crusade launched by the ‘mainstream’ church of Neroth.But like many diseases, the cult was merely thrown into remission. Not all the diseases they travelled with were of the flesh, and even some of the crusaders were infected with insidious changes that were not visible to the eye. Among the crusaders were Val priests and nobles, many of the line of val’Mordane, the chosen children of Neroth. And the diseases they were struck by worked the mind, tapped the id and assailed their powers and bloodline. The disease did not strike quickly, nor fatally, but it was potent enough to infect many more Val in the service of Neroth. And from these diseased Val, the heresy of the Blight Bearers was reborn.A new cult of blight bearers has since sprouted from the deep-rooted infection of these Val, and is now growing deep within the vast countryside of Canceri. But even if this new cult should be struck down, there will most likely always be a few blighted minds to carry the infection to new homes and new Val. Hit Die: d4RequirementsTo qualify to become a blighted mind, a character must fulfill the following criteria.Alignment: Any evilManifesting: Able to manifest level 3 psionic powers.Special: Be a carrier of the mind scourge (see psionic diseases).Class SkillsThe blighted mind’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Knowledge (pionics) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), and Psicraft (Int). See Core Rulebook 1 for skill descriptions.Skill Points per Level: 2 + Int modifierBase Attack Bonus: Weak (Wizard / Psion)Fort Save: StrongRef Save: WeakWill Save: StrongProgressionLevel 1 - Cognizant Disease, Defy Scourge (10%), Madness (DC 11)    Level 2 - Madness (DC 13), Scourge Symbiote 1/day, +1 Manifester Level Level 3 - Madness (DC 15), Touch of Disease, +1 Manifester Level Level 4 - Madness (DC 17), Scourge Symbiote 2/day, +1 Manifester Level Level 5 - Madness (DC 19), Silent Apostle, +1 Manifester Level Class FeaturesAll of the following are class features of the blighted mind prestige class.Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Blighted minds 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.Cognizant Disease (Su): Learning to tap the potential of the mind scourge within him, the blighted mind can store additional power points within the mind scourge. In all respects, the mind scourge acts as a cognizance crystal with a capacity of ([blighted mind class level x 4] – 3). The disease slowly consumes the power points within it, at a rate of 1 point per day.Defy Scourge (Ex): The first benefit of becoming a blighted mind of Neroth is the ability to work with the mind scourge in a less hostile fashion. The blighted mind only suffers the side effects of the scourge when his total power points are reduced to 10% of his maximum total. In addition, the blighted mind can never be cured of the mind scourge, and will always remain a carrier for the disease.Madness (Ex): Whenever the blighted mind gains a level in this class, there is a chance that the mind scourge and other diseases that wrack his mind cause him to suffer some mental incapacitation. Each time the blighted mind gains a class level in this class, he must make a Will save at the listed DC or suffer 1d2 permanent damage to both Wisdom and Charisma.Scourge Symbiote (Ex): Beginning at level 2, the blighted mind can force the mind scourge to strike with its ego whip power at his command, against the nearest sentient creature. By expending his psionic focus as a free action, the blighted mind can create an ego whip effect that targets the nearest sentient creature within 50 feet. The target suffers 2d4 Charisma damage, half with a successful DC 18 Will save. If the target fails the save, he is also exposed to the mind scourge disease. This ability can be used once per day at level 2, increasing to twice per day beginning at level 4. Touch of Disease (Ex): The level 3 blighted mind gains the bestow disease spell as a new power. This is treated identically to the level 3 cleric spell of the same name, but has a power point cost of 5, and no displays. Silent Apostle (Ex): The level 5 blighted minds are the blessed apostles of Neroth, keeping the twisted diseases of the blight bearers a secret and transferring them to new Val even centuries after the destruction of all actual blight bearer cultists. These silent apostles gain the ability to ignore magical or supernatural immunity to diseases, such as a paladin’s immunity. Silent apostles are also always under the effects of the conceal thoughts power in order to hide their intent and mental troubles brought about by the diseases eating away at their brains.---Mind ScourgeInfection: Mental InjuryDC: 18Incubation: 2d20 daysEffect: SpecialThe mind scourge is an insidious disease that latches onto the minds of those injured by the host's psionic powers. Any time the host deals ability damage or damage directly to a target's hit points with powers such as ego whip and mind thrust, the target is also exposed to the mind scourge. As the mind scourge has few noticeable effects, few ever note its presence, and it has no known symptoms in non-psionic individuals.Once the incubation period has passed in a psionic individual, however, any time the host spends any number of power points that reduces his total power points below 20% of his normal maximum, he is immediately attacked by an augmented ego whip effect. This ego whip has a save DC of 18 and deals 2d4 Charisma damage (half damage on a successful save). If the save is failed against the damage, the manifester's alignment permanently shifts one step towards evil.The mind scourge is rare enough that it requires both a Heal check (DC 25) and a Knowledge (psionics) check (DC 25) by the same person in order to identify it. It can only be cured by psychic chirurgy or a remove disease spell from a level 15 or greater caster.</blockquote>

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