HellHound
ENnies winner and NOT Scrappy Doo
Astral Watch
The creatures with access to the powers of the mind are strange and alien, dwellers upon other planes, traveling through the astral to breach the boundary to the prime. Other extra-planar threats are also present within the astral, enough that the astral-to-prime border is seen by many to be the single largest threat to the safety of their home upon the prime. Creatures from the astral can strike through the planar boundary, killing without a trace and then slipping back to the astral without a trail or indications of the culprit (except such tell-tales as a cut open skull with no brains remaining, or the consumption of the target’s eyeballs).
The astral watchers have learned of the terrors involved in those who routinely travel across the planar boundaries. They have opened themselves up to the point where they can feel the astral boundary in their area and can determine when it is being struck through or even disturbed. They learn how to bastion the astral boundary against intrusion and the transferal of energies and bodies across the planes. The astral watch see themselves as the guardians of their plane’s inhabitants against these extra-planar horrors, and some also extend this duty to protecting against those who would use cross-planar magics and psionics. For this reason, astral watchmen are seen as useful aides for those who expect trouble with spellcasters and psions alike, as the astral bastion the watch can bring up interferes with many metacreative powers and summoning magics.
Hit Die: d6
Requirements
To qualify to become an astral watchman, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.
Concentration: 8 ranks
Knowledge (planes): 4 ranks
Feats: Alertness, Iron Will, Psychic Bastion
Base Power Points per Day: 10+
Manifesting: Ability to manifest sense psychoportation and at least two clairsentient powers.
Special: Must have crossed the planar boundary into the astral, or slain a creature from the astral.
Class Skills
The astral watchman’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Profession (Wis), Psicraft (Int) and Spot (Wis). See Core Rulebook 1 for skill descriptions.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
BAB: Rogue / Cleric
Fort Save: Weak
Ref Save: Weak
Will Save: Strong
Level Progression
1 Astral Bastion
2 Boundary Watch, +1 Manifester Level
3 +1 Manifester Level
4 Psionic Defense Mode, +1 Manifester Level
5 Instant Diversion
6 Divert Summons, +1 Manifester Level
7 +1 Manifester Level
8 +1 Manifester Level
9 Psionic Defense Mode
10 Ectoplasmic Rejection, +1 Manifester Level
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The astral watchman gains proficiency with all simple weapons and with light and medium armor, and with 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.
Effective Manifester Level: At every level indicated on the table for the prestige class, the character gains new power points per day and access to discovered powers as if he had also gained a level in the psionic class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (such as bonus feats, metapsionic or item creation feats, additional psionic combat modes, hit points beyond those he receives from the prestige class, and so on). He does gain the following benefits: an increased effective level of psionic manifestation, additional power points, effective additional levels for psicrystal powers (if he has a psicrystal), and additional free manifestations of 0-level powers. If a character had more than one psionic class before becoming a member of this prestige class, he must decide to which class he adds the new level for purposes of determining Effective Manifester Level.
Astral Bastion (Su): The first skill taught to an astral watchman is the reinforcing of the astral boundary. In this way, even before they learn how to detect disturbances along the border, the watchman can be instructed to support other watchmen to hold the boundary against incoming attacks. As a move-equivalent action, the astral watchman can reinforce the astral boundary in a radius of 20 feet per class level. This requires the expenditure of a single power point to trigger. Any spells, power or effects attempting to draw substance or creatures from across the boundary in that area are blocked unless the spellcaster, manifester, etc, makes a successful Will save with a DC of 10 plus the astral watchman’s Wisdom bonus plus his astral watchman class level. This affects all powers with the [teleportation] descriptor, all powers that draw upon ectoplasm (most damaging metacreative powers, the summon astral construct powers), and spells that summon forth extradimensional creatures (such as the summon monster spells), and any other powers that specifically cross the planar boundary to or from the astral plane (but not the ethereal or other coterminal planes). An astral bastion remains in effect as long as the astral watchman concentrates on it, and then remains in effect for one round per class level after concentration has ended.
Boundary Watch (Ex): When manifesting sense psychoportation the astral watchman can change the power so that it also detects any other powers, spells and effects that will breach or have breached the astral boundary (as defined in the Astral Bastion ability, above). This reduces the duration of the sense psychoportation power to 30 minutes per manifester level.
Psionic Defense Mode (Ex): At the indicated levels, the astral watchman gains an additional psionic defense mode, if he does not already know all five psionic defense modes.
Instant Diversion (Ex): At level 5, the astral watchman learns the divert teleport power if he does not already know it. If he already knows this power, he may select another psychoportive or clairsentient power of up to level 7 instead. When manifesting divert teleport, it is still a free action, but no longer counts against the limit of one quickened power per round. Thus a single astral watchman, if he has sufficient power points, can divert multiple teleports on the same round using this ability.
Divert Summons (Ex): At level 6, the astral watchman has learned to use his divert teleport power to also affect summoned and gated creatures. If a summoning or a gate manages to work through the astral watchman’s astral bastion, then the watchman can manifest divert teleport as above, but affecting the summoned or gated creature’s arrival location. If the watchman does not currently have an astral bastion in effect in the area of the incoming creature, then this ability cannot be used.
Ectoplasmic Rejection (Sp): At level 10, the astral watchman gains the ability to encapsulate a creature in a plane adjoining the astral in an envelope of astral energy which then pulls the creature through into the astral and also prevents the creature from then leaving the astral. This is treated as the dismissal power (including power point cost, power level and so on) except it can target any creature, not only extraplanar creatures. Native (non-extraplanar) creatures pushed back into the astral in this manner instead of being dismissed back to their home plane. Regardless, a creature that has been successfully affected by this psionic ability finds it incredibly difficult to cross the planar boundaries for 10 minutes per manifester level of the astral watchman. During this time, any attempts to cross a planar boundary are treated as if the astral watchman had manifested the Astral Bastion ability on that planar boundary (as per the ability above). Native creatures find themselves pulled back into their home plane at the end of this time.
The creatures with access to the powers of the mind are strange and alien, dwellers upon other planes, traveling through the astral to breach the boundary to the prime. Other extra-planar threats are also present within the astral, enough that the astral-to-prime border is seen by many to be the single largest threat to the safety of their home upon the prime. Creatures from the astral can strike through the planar boundary, killing without a trace and then slipping back to the astral without a trail or indications of the culprit (except such tell-tales as a cut open skull with no brains remaining, or the consumption of the target’s eyeballs).
The astral watchers have learned of the terrors involved in those who routinely travel across the planar boundaries. They have opened themselves up to the point where they can feel the astral boundary in their area and can determine when it is being struck through or even disturbed. They learn how to bastion the astral boundary against intrusion and the transferal of energies and bodies across the planes. The astral watch see themselves as the guardians of their plane’s inhabitants against these extra-planar horrors, and some also extend this duty to protecting against those who would use cross-planar magics and psionics. For this reason, astral watchmen are seen as useful aides for those who expect trouble with spellcasters and psions alike, as the astral bastion the watch can bring up interferes with many metacreative powers and summoning magics.
Hit Die: d6
Requirements
To qualify to become an astral watchman, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.
Concentration: 8 ranks
Knowledge (planes): 4 ranks
Feats: Alertness, Iron Will, Psychic Bastion
Base Power Points per Day: 10+
Manifesting: Ability to manifest sense psychoportation and at least two clairsentient powers.
Special: Must have crossed the planar boundary into the astral, or slain a creature from the astral.
Class Skills
The astral watchman’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Profession (Wis), Psicraft (Int) and Spot (Wis). See Core Rulebook 1 for skill descriptions.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
BAB: Rogue / Cleric
Fort Save: Weak
Ref Save: Weak
Will Save: Strong
Level Progression
1 Astral Bastion
2 Boundary Watch, +1 Manifester Level
3 +1 Manifester Level
4 Psionic Defense Mode, +1 Manifester Level
5 Instant Diversion
6 Divert Summons, +1 Manifester Level
7 +1 Manifester Level
8 +1 Manifester Level
9 Psionic Defense Mode
10 Ectoplasmic Rejection, +1 Manifester Level
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The astral watchman gains proficiency with all simple weapons and with light and medium armor, and with 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.
Effective Manifester Level: At every level indicated on the table for the prestige class, the character gains new power points per day and access to discovered powers as if he had also gained a level in the psionic class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (such as bonus feats, metapsionic or item creation feats, additional psionic combat modes, hit points beyond those he receives from the prestige class, and so on). He does gain the following benefits: an increased effective level of psionic manifestation, additional power points, effective additional levels for psicrystal powers (if he has a psicrystal), and additional free manifestations of 0-level powers. If a character had more than one psionic class before becoming a member of this prestige class, he must decide to which class he adds the new level for purposes of determining Effective Manifester Level.
Astral Bastion (Su): The first skill taught to an astral watchman is the reinforcing of the astral boundary. In this way, even before they learn how to detect disturbances along the border, the watchman can be instructed to support other watchmen to hold the boundary against incoming attacks. As a move-equivalent action, the astral watchman can reinforce the astral boundary in a radius of 20 feet per class level. This requires the expenditure of a single power point to trigger. Any spells, power or effects attempting to draw substance or creatures from across the boundary in that area are blocked unless the spellcaster, manifester, etc, makes a successful Will save with a DC of 10 plus the astral watchman’s Wisdom bonus plus his astral watchman class level. This affects all powers with the [teleportation] descriptor, all powers that draw upon ectoplasm (most damaging metacreative powers, the summon astral construct powers), and spells that summon forth extradimensional creatures (such as the summon monster spells), and any other powers that specifically cross the planar boundary to or from the astral plane (but not the ethereal or other coterminal planes). An astral bastion remains in effect as long as the astral watchman concentrates on it, and then remains in effect for one round per class level after concentration has ended.
Boundary Watch (Ex): When manifesting sense psychoportation the astral watchman can change the power so that it also detects any other powers, spells and effects that will breach or have breached the astral boundary (as defined in the Astral Bastion ability, above). This reduces the duration of the sense psychoportation power to 30 minutes per manifester level.
Psionic Defense Mode (Ex): At the indicated levels, the astral watchman gains an additional psionic defense mode, if he does not already know all five psionic defense modes.
Instant Diversion (Ex): At level 5, the astral watchman learns the divert teleport power if he does not already know it. If he already knows this power, he may select another psychoportive or clairsentient power of up to level 7 instead. When manifesting divert teleport, it is still a free action, but no longer counts against the limit of one quickened power per round. Thus a single astral watchman, if he has sufficient power points, can divert multiple teleports on the same round using this ability.
Divert Summons (Ex): At level 6, the astral watchman has learned to use his divert teleport power to also affect summoned and gated creatures. If a summoning or a gate manages to work through the astral watchman’s astral bastion, then the watchman can manifest divert teleport as above, but affecting the summoned or gated creature’s arrival location. If the watchman does not currently have an astral bastion in effect in the area of the incoming creature, then this ability cannot be used.
Ectoplasmic Rejection (Sp): At level 10, the astral watchman gains the ability to encapsulate a creature in a plane adjoining the astral in an envelope of astral energy which then pulls the creature through into the astral and also prevents the creature from then leaving the astral. This is treated as the dismissal power (including power point cost, power level and so on) except it can target any creature, not only extraplanar creatures. Native (non-extraplanar) creatures pushed back into the astral in this manner instead of being dismissed back to their home plane. Regardless, a creature that has been successfully affected by this psionic ability finds it incredibly difficult to cross the planar boundaries for 10 minutes per manifester level of the astral watchman. During this time, any attempts to cross a planar boundary are treated as if the astral watchman had manifested the Astral Bastion ability on that planar boundary (as per the ability above). Native creatures find themselves pulled back into their home plane at the end of this time.
