Halivar
First Post
A while back, I posted a psi-knight class for 3ed. Basically, it's a psionic paladin. I can't remember if I got any feedback; I seem to remember not too many folks were thrilled with 3ed psionics. Well, I'm much happier with 3.5 psionics, and thought I'd give the psi-knight a face-lift. I've retooled it as a prestige class and made some major stylistic changes. I based on the prestige paladin from Unearthed Arcana. Take a look and tell me what you think.
Psi-Knight
Some heroes fight for truth and justice with the power of the gods, others with power straight from the positive plane. Some, however, find that discipline, focus, and the dedication to the quest itself yields the power one needs to vanquish evil. The psi-knight, like the paladin, lives from quest to quest, fighting evil and righting wrongs. Unlike the paladin, the psi-knight draws his power from his own mind.
Many paladins, following and utterly lawful and rigorously disciplined existence, often find the transition to life as a psi-knight easy, especially considering their code of conduct doesn't have to change (indeed, the most powerful psi-knights are those who have previously led a life as a paladin).
Hit Die: d10
Requirements
To qualify to become a psi-knight, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Alignment: Lawful Good
Base Attack Bonus: +4
Skills: Knowledge (psionics) 2 points, Ride 4 ranks.
Feats: Mounted Combat, Inquisitor.
Psionics: Ability to manifest vigor as a psionic ability.
Class Skills
The psi-knight's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), and Sense Motive (Wis).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
[font=Courier, monospace]Level BAB . Fort Ref . Will . Special .............. Powers Known
[/font][font=Courier, monospace]1st .. +1 .. +2 . +0 .. +0 .. Detect hostile intent, +1 existing manifesting class
[/font][font=Courier, monospace]............................. focused strike
[/font][font=Courier, monospace]2nd .. +2 .. +3 . +0 .. +0 .. Precognitive grace, .. --
[/font][font=Courier, monospace]............................. Empathic touch,
[/font][font=Courier, monospace]............................. crystal moun[/font][font=Courier, monospace]t
3rd .. +3 .. +3 . +1 .. +1 .. Aura of Courage, ..... +1 existing manifesting class
[/font][font=Courier, monospace]............................. focused surge
[/font][font=Courier, monospace]4th .. +4 .. +4 . +1 .. +1 .. Extended surge ....... --
[/font][font=Courier, monospace]5th .. +5 .. +4 . +1 .. +1 .. -- ................... +1 existing manifesting class
[/font][font=Courier, monospace]6th .. +6 .. +5 . +2 .. +2 .. -- ................... --
[/font][font=Courier, monospace]7th .. +7 .. +5 . +2 .. +2 .. -- ................... +1 existing manifesting class
[/font][font=Courier, monospace]8th .. +8 .. +6 . +2 .. +2 .. -- ................... --
[/font][font=Courier, monospace].
[/font][font=Courier, monospace].
[/font][font=Courier, monospace].
[/font][font=Courier, monospace]ad infinitum
[/font]Class Features
All the following are class features of the psi-knight.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Psi-knights are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor, and with shields.
Powers Known: At every odd-numbered level reached, the psi-knight gains additional power-points and access to new powers as if he had also gained a level in whatever manifesting class he belonged to before he added the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (bonus feats, metapsionic or item creation feats, psicrystal special abilities, and so on). This essentially means that he adds the level of psi-knight to whatever manifesting class the character has, then determines powerpoints per day, powers known, and the manifester level accordingly.
If a character had more than one manifesting class before he became a psi-knight, he must decide to which class he adds the new level of psi-knight for the purpose of determining power points per day, powers known, and manifester level.
Detect Hostile Intent (Ps): At will, the psi-knight can use detect hostile intent, as the psionic ability, except it has no duration.
Focused Strike (Ex): A psi-knight with psionic focus may expend that focus to deal extra damage to foes. He adds his Charisma bonus (if any) to his attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per psi-knight level.
Precognitive Grace (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, a psi-knight gains an insight bonus equal to his Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws. This ability does not stack with the paladin's divine grace ability.
Empathic Touch (Ps): Beginning at 2nd level, a psi-knight may expend power points to heal wounds by touch. The subject gains one hit point for each power point expended, up to the psi-knight's level + his Charisma modifier. For example, a 7th level psi-knight with a Charisma modifier of 14 may heal up to 9 hit points per use. He may use this ability as many times as he has power points to spend. Each use of empathic touch is a standard action.
Crystal Mount (Ps): As the paldin's special mount ability, except it is a psi-like ability, and the psi-knight's effective level is treated as three higher when calculating the mount's bonus Hit Dice, powers, and so forth (see the sidebar The Paladin's Mount on page 45 of the Player's Handbook). Also, the mount is made of solid animate crystal, and has the earth and psionic subtypes.
Aura of Courage (Su): As the paladin ability of the same name. This ability supersede the paladin ability, if the psi-knight has it.
Focused Surge (Ex): A psi-knight has such control over his body that he can push it beyond its normal limitations. Beginning at 3rd level, a psi-knight can with psionic focus may expend that focus to temporarity gain a +4 bonus to Strength and a +4 bonus Constitution.
The increase in Constitution increases the psi-kinight's hit points by 2 points per level, but these hit points go away at the end of the focused surge when his Constitution drops back to normal (These extra hit points are not lost first they way temporary hit point are). Focused surge lasts only a round.
Extended Surge (Ps): As a free action, a 4th-level psi-knight affected by focused surge may maintain it for another round, up to a number of rounds equal to his psi-kight level. This extension is a psi-like ability, and requires the expenditure of 2 power points per additional round.
Code of Conduct and Associates: These restrictions are the same as those described for the paladin in the Players Handbook, except that a psi-knight who violates his code of conduct keeps all psionic abilites tied to his original manifester class while losing all extraordinary, supernatural, and psi-like abilities listed here.
Ex-Psi-Knights
These restrictions are the same as those described for the paladin in the Players Handbook, except that a psi-knight who takes levels of paladin may still continue as a psi-knight.
Psi-Knight
Some heroes fight for truth and justice with the power of the gods, others with power straight from the positive plane. Some, however, find that discipline, focus, and the dedication to the quest itself yields the power one needs to vanquish evil. The psi-knight, like the paladin, lives from quest to quest, fighting evil and righting wrongs. Unlike the paladin, the psi-knight draws his power from his own mind.
Many paladins, following and utterly lawful and rigorously disciplined existence, often find the transition to life as a psi-knight easy, especially considering their code of conduct doesn't have to change (indeed, the most powerful psi-knights are those who have previously led a life as a paladin).
Hit Die: d10
Requirements
To qualify to become a psi-knight, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Alignment: Lawful Good
Base Attack Bonus: +4
Skills: Knowledge (psionics) 2 points, Ride 4 ranks.
Feats: Mounted Combat, Inquisitor.
Psionics: Ability to manifest vigor as a psionic ability.
Class Skills
The psi-knight's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), and Sense Motive (Wis).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
[font=Courier, monospace]Level BAB . Fort Ref . Will . Special .............. Powers Known
[/font][font=Courier, monospace]1st .. +1 .. +2 . +0 .. +0 .. Detect hostile intent, +1 existing manifesting class
[/font][font=Courier, monospace]............................. focused strike
[/font][font=Courier, monospace]2nd .. +2 .. +3 . +0 .. +0 .. Precognitive grace, .. --
[/font][font=Courier, monospace]............................. Empathic touch,
[/font][font=Courier, monospace]............................. crystal moun[/font][font=Courier, monospace]t
3rd .. +3 .. +3 . +1 .. +1 .. Aura of Courage, ..... +1 existing manifesting class
[/font][font=Courier, monospace]............................. focused surge
[/font][font=Courier, monospace]4th .. +4 .. +4 . +1 .. +1 .. Extended surge ....... --
[/font][font=Courier, monospace]5th .. +5 .. +4 . +1 .. +1 .. -- ................... +1 existing manifesting class
[/font][font=Courier, monospace]6th .. +6 .. +5 . +2 .. +2 .. -- ................... --
[/font][font=Courier, monospace]7th .. +7 .. +5 . +2 .. +2 .. -- ................... +1 existing manifesting class
[/font][font=Courier, monospace]8th .. +8 .. +6 . +2 .. +2 .. -- ................... --
[/font][font=Courier, monospace].
[/font][font=Courier, monospace].
[/font][font=Courier, monospace].
[/font][font=Courier, monospace]ad infinitum
[/font]Class Features
All the following are class features of the psi-knight.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Psi-knights are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor, and with shields.
Powers Known: At every odd-numbered level reached, the psi-knight gains additional power-points and access to new powers as if he had also gained a level in whatever manifesting class he belonged to before he added the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (bonus feats, metapsionic or item creation feats, psicrystal special abilities, and so on). This essentially means that he adds the level of psi-knight to whatever manifesting class the character has, then determines powerpoints per day, powers known, and the manifester level accordingly.
If a character had more than one manifesting class before he became a psi-knight, he must decide to which class he adds the new level of psi-knight for the purpose of determining power points per day, powers known, and manifester level.
Detect Hostile Intent (Ps): At will, the psi-knight can use detect hostile intent, as the psionic ability, except it has no duration.
Focused Strike (Ex): A psi-knight with psionic focus may expend that focus to deal extra damage to foes. He adds his Charisma bonus (if any) to his attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per psi-knight level.
Precognitive Grace (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, a psi-knight gains an insight bonus equal to his Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws. This ability does not stack with the paladin's divine grace ability.
Empathic Touch (Ps): Beginning at 2nd level, a psi-knight may expend power points to heal wounds by touch. The subject gains one hit point for each power point expended, up to the psi-knight's level + his Charisma modifier. For example, a 7th level psi-knight with a Charisma modifier of 14 may heal up to 9 hit points per use. He may use this ability as many times as he has power points to spend. Each use of empathic touch is a standard action.
Crystal Mount (Ps): As the paldin's special mount ability, except it is a psi-like ability, and the psi-knight's effective level is treated as three higher when calculating the mount's bonus Hit Dice, powers, and so forth (see the sidebar The Paladin's Mount on page 45 of the Player's Handbook). Also, the mount is made of solid animate crystal, and has the earth and psionic subtypes.
Aura of Courage (Su): As the paladin ability of the same name. This ability supersede the paladin ability, if the psi-knight has it.
Focused Surge (Ex): A psi-knight has such control over his body that he can push it beyond its normal limitations. Beginning at 3rd level, a psi-knight can with psionic focus may expend that focus to temporarity gain a +4 bonus to Strength and a +4 bonus Constitution.
The increase in Constitution increases the psi-kinight's hit points by 2 points per level, but these hit points go away at the end of the focused surge when his Constitution drops back to normal (These extra hit points are not lost first they way temporary hit point are). Focused surge lasts only a round.
Extended Surge (Ps): As a free action, a 4th-level psi-knight affected by focused surge may maintain it for another round, up to a number of rounds equal to his psi-kight level. This extension is a psi-like ability, and requires the expenditure of 2 power points per additional round.
Code of Conduct and Associates: These restrictions are the same as those described for the paladin in the Players Handbook, except that a psi-knight who violates his code of conduct keeps all psionic abilites tied to his original manifester class while losing all extraordinary, supernatural, and psi-like abilities listed here.
Ex-Psi-Knights
These restrictions are the same as those described for the paladin in the Players Handbook, except that a psi-knight who takes levels of paladin may still continue as a psi-knight.
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