Some Psionic Prestige Classes

[Yesminde]

I'm working on some new psionic prestige classes for my game. Here's the first one so I can get some feedback.

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Metallurge

Metal is one of the primary instruments of war, and this fact is felt most keenly by the metallurge, who strives to achieve greater efficiency and power in combat through oneness with the nature of metal. He consumes it, absorbs it into his body and laces his brains with it in order to gain greater strength and understanding. Metallurges eschew the crude tools produced by others in favor of their own metallic metabolisms.
Hit die: d8

Requirements
To become a metallurge, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Skills: Autohypnosis 8 ranks, Craft(Metalworking) 3 ranks, Knowledge(psionics) 3 ranks
Base Attack +6
Powers: ability to manifest Graft Weapon

BAB: Medium
Saving throws: Fort, Will
Skills per level: 4+int
Class skills: Autohypnosis, Appraise, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Disable Device, Jump, Knowledge(Psionics), Profession, Search, Swim

1st level: Iron Stomach, Shape Metal, +1 manifestor level
2nd level: Vanadium Nails, Tin Eyes
3rd level: Steel Skin, Eschew Tools, +1 manifestor level
4th level: Copper Nerves
5th level: Quicksilver Blood, +1 manifestor level
6th level: Magnetic Mind, +1 manifestor level
7th level: Silver Tongue
8th level: Gold Aura, +1 manifestor level
9th level: Platinum Soul, +1 manifestor level
10th level: Titanium Bones

Iron Stomach (Ex): due to the metallurge’s disciplined ingestion of metals, he becomes immune to all poisons.

Shape Metal (Su): A metallurge can alter the shape of metal objects with his bare hands, giving him a +10 to the Craft: Metalworking skill and enabling him to dispose of a forge and metalworking tools.

Vanadium Nails (Ex): The metallurge’s fingernails and teeth grow thick and hard and take on a metallic cast, granting him two claws and a bite appropriate for his size (claws are the primary attack). If he already has natural weapons, the damage die increases by one step.

Tin Eyes (Ex): The metallurge's sense of contrivances grows more acute, allowing him to search for traps as a rogue.

Steel Skin (Ex): The metallurge’s skin becomes imbued with metal and hardens, granting him a +2 natural armor bonus that increases to +3 at 6th level, and +4 at 9th level.

Eschew Tools: The metallurge can no longer tolerate the crudeness of ordinary tools. He loses all weapon, armor and shield proficiencies and cannot acquire new ones. He also loses the ability to manifest Graft Weapon and it is removed from his list of powers known.

Copper Nerves (Ex): Metal suffuses the metallurge’s nervous system, granting quicker reflexes and a grounding effect. He gains the Evasion ability and electrical resistance 10.

Quicksilver Blood (Su): The metallurge’s blood takes on a silvery cast and flows with greater speed. The metallurge has hustle added to his list of powers known (as a 2nd-level power) and can manifest it once per day without paying the power point cost.

Magnetic Mind (Su): The metallurge has telekinetic force (as a 3rd), telekinetic thrust (as a 3rd), and telekinetic maneuver (as a 4th) added to his list of powers known.

Silver Tongue (Ex): The metallurge adds psionic tongues to his list of powers known (as a 2nd-level power).

Gold Aura (Ex): The metallurge becomes immune to all fear effects.

Platinum Soul (Ex): The metallurge gains a +2 to will saving throws against mind-affecting effects.

Titanium Bones (Ex): the metallurge becomes immune to sneak attacks and critical hits.
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The others I am working on are: Dissonant (which is based around sound/tones and crystals and may be a bit like a psionic bard), Cognomenati (which is themed around learning and using True Names), Eyeless Mind (in which a psion blinds himself to gain gaze-like attacks), The Majestic (in which you give up 5 levels of useful abilities to max out your base stats and hit points, granted this isn't exactly psionic in nature), and Vitalist (manipulating life energy).

I will post those others in this thread as I get them finished.

 

[Yesminde]

Okay, here's another:

Vitalist

Some psions become fascinated with the processes and energies of life; in the course of time these psions often become Vitalists. They give up some of the focused intensity of a true psion to gain a greater connection with nature and senses which allow them to become great healers or destroyers.

Hit die: d6

Requirements:
Skills: Knowledge (Nature): 8 ranks, Knowledge (Psionics) 8 ranks
Powers: Ability to manifest Animal Affinity and Body Adjustment

Skills: 4+int
BAB: low
Saves: Fort, Will
Class Skills: Autohypnosis, Concentration, Craft, Heal, Knowledge (Nature), Knowledge (Psionics), Profession, Psicraft, Survival

1st level: Animal Companion, Sense life, lay on hands
2nd level: Imbue Life, +1 manifestor level
3rd level: Healer’s Hands, +1 manifestor level
4th level: Join Life
5th level: +1 manifestor level
6th level: Restore Life, +1 manifestor level
7th level: +1 manifestor level
8th level: Snuff Life
9th level: +1 manifestor level
10th level: Awaken Life

Animal Companion: This is identical to the 1st-level druid ability of the same name. The Vitalist’s equivalent druid level for determining the abilities of the animal companion is equal to his level in the Vitalist class.

Sense Life (Su): the Vitalist is constantly aware of the life force of all creatures and need only look at them to determine their status: unharmed, wounded, disabled, staggered, unconscious, poisoned, diseased, confused, etc.

lay on hands (Su): this is identical to the 2nd-level paladin ability of the same name, but the vitalist can heal a number of hit points daily equal to Wis Modifier x Vitalist level.

Imbue Life (Ps): once per day per vitalist level, the vitalist can imbue an object temporarily with a semblance of life. This is identical to the transmutation spell animate objects, but it is a psionic effect and the effective caster level is equal to the vitalist’s class level.

Healer’s Hands (Ex): the vitalist gains a +5 on heal checks.

Join Life (Ps): Once per day the vitalist can link the life forces of one creature per vitalist level together, effectively making them all part of the same hit point “pool”. Damage done to individual creatures is instead deducted from the total pool, likewise with all healing effects.

When the effect ends, all hit points in the pool are divided equally between the joined creatures, although no creature can exceed its normal hit point maximum: the extra points are instead divided between other pool members that have not exceeded their maximum. The effect lasts for ten minutes per vitalist level, although the vitalist can dismiss it at any time. Should the number of hit points in the pool drop below one per creature, the effect ends instantly and any damage that could not be applied to the pool is instead applied to its normal recipient.

Restore Life (Ps): Once per week as a full-round action, the vitalist can take 1d6 points of constitution drain to touch a creature and return it to life, provided it has been dead for no more than one year. The affected creature is returned to 1 hit point.

Snuff Life (Ps): Once per day as a full-round action the vitalist can deliver a touch attack to a creature currently possessing no more than vitalist level x 10 hit points and kill it instantly. No saving throw or spell resistance applies. The vitalist can take another full-round action at any time within the next week to touch this creature and reverse this effect. This has no effect on non-living creatures such as constructs and undead.

Awaken Life (Ps): This is identical to the effect of the druid spell Awaken, except that the effect is psionic in origin. The vitalist can use this ability once per week and must make the will saving throw and pay the experience cost as with the spell.

 

[Yesminde]

Oh, and here's the short one:
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The Majestic

The Majestic is an individual that has decided to forgo training in skills and special abilities to realize their maximum racial potential. After a character begins this prestige class, if they take a level in another class they can never again take another level of Majestic.

Hit Die: d6
BAB: Low
Good Saving Throws: none
Skills: Balance, Climb, Craft, Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Jump, Knowledge (all skills taken separately), Listen, Profession, Ride, Spot, Swim
Skill Points: 2+Int
Requirements:
Feats: Agile, Athletic, Alertness, Educated

1st level: Majestic Intellect, Majestic Charisma
2nd level: Majestic Wisdom
3rd level: Majestic Dexterity
4th level: Majestic Constitution
5th level: Majestic Strength, Majestic Health

Majestic (Stat): the character is now treated as though they rolled an 18 for this statistic during character creation. Any additional statistic points or racial bonuses modify this new roll instead of the preexisting roll.

Majestic Health: The character receives maximum hit points per hit die. This is applied retroactively and to all future hit dice gained.

 

[Tetsubo]

OK, I've been thinking about the Metallurge PrC.

Why lose the Graft Weapon ability if it is required to take the PrC? Why not *enhance* it, rather than lose it? Example: The cost of using the power could drop by one point every even level until it was free at 10th level.

Broaden the utility of the power by allowing the Metallurge to absorb the abilities of magic weapons completely into their bodies and apply those powers to the claw and bite attacks. Example: Each level would allow the Metallurge to absorb one +1 enhancement or magical ability. So a 12nd level Metallurge could absorb a +1 Flaming longsword into their body and apply the bonus and magical ability to the claw and bite attacks. At 10th level they could absorb a +5 weapon with a +5 magical ability. Only one weapon at a time can be absorbed.

Tin Eyes: A bonus to Appraise for all metal objects. No bonus to Listen or Spot. The later doesn't make sense to me. I'd make the bonus +1 per even level.

Magnetic Mind: Applies to metal (any type) only.

Silver Tongue: Applies to Earth Elementals, natives to the Earth Elemental Plane and metal constructs (obviously sentient ones...) only.

These are just suggestions mind you. Other than that I think this is a very cool PrC concept.

 

[Yesminde]

OK, I've been thinking about the Metallurge PrC.

Why lose the Graft Weapon ability if it is required to take the PrC? Why not *enhance* it, rather than lose it? Example: The cost of using the power could drop by one point every even level until it was free at 10th level.

I would do this if I intended to completely drop all the manifestor levels, but there are SO many psionic powers that add to claw and bite attacks that I think this is not appropriate. I could have done something wonky where the Metallurge can absorb weapons and armor and take on their bonuses, but I think this could VERY easily be abused to heck and back. Bonus natural armor and claw/bite attacks are much more straightforward and thus better, I think. Plus, they get several powers to compensate for the loss of Graft Weapon.

Tin Eyes: A bonus to Appraise for all metal objects. No bonus to Listen or Spot. The later doesn't make sense to me. I'd make the bonus +1 per even level.

This is more themey than my idea. Actually, what I ended up deciding on was letting the Metallurge search for traps as a rogue. No bonus, but I did add Appraise as a class skill.

Magnetic Mind: Applies to metal (any type) only.

Definitely more themey, but I wanted to keep it simple, stupid, by sticking with existing powers rather than inventing extravagantly complicated new stuff.

Silver Tongue: Applies to Earth Elementals, natives to the Earth Elemental Plane and metal constructs (obviously sentient ones...) only.

I changed this to be that they gain Psionic Tongues as a known power.

These are just suggestions mind you. Other than that I think this is a very cool PrC concept.

Thanks!

 

[Tetsubo]

One other thing I thought of, if the claws and bite are considered natural weapons the PrC is eligible for the feat Improve Natural Attack (MM).

 

[Yesminde]

This is true, but is that a good thing or a bad thing? Or just a thing thing?

I'm working on Dissonant now, I think I've struck a good theme for it. It's all about being able to do two conflicting things at once, as a dissonance is two conflicting notes played at the same time. I think I'm going to ditch Cognomenati and (possibly) Eyeless Mind because they involve inventing too many abilities for the class and I don't have a really clear idea in my head of what I want Cognomenati to look like. Makes it hard to design the class.

I came up with ideas for a few more classes though, so hold tight!

 

[Tetsubo]

This is true, but is that a good thing or a bad thing? Or just a thing thing?

I'm working on Dissonant now, I think I've struck a good theme for it. It's all about being able to do two conflicting things at once, as a dissonance is two conflicting notes played at the same time. I think I'm going to ditch Cognomenati and (possibly) Eyeless Mind because they involve inventing too many abilities for the class and I don't have a really clear idea in my head of what I want Cognomenati to look like. Makes it hard to design the class.

I came up with ideas for a few more classes though, so hold tight!

I think it is a good thing...

 

[Yesminde]

Here is Dissonant now:

Dissonant

Most musicians strive for perfect, harmonious tones, but the dissonant embraces duality and conflict in music and in life. Drawing on psionic power and bardic lore, the dissonant creates a powerful, albeit unharmonious, whole.

Hit die: d6

Requirements:
Skills: Perform (song or poetics): 8 Ranks, Autohypnosis: 8 ranks
Other: Bardic Music ability, Ability to manifest 1st level powers

Saving throws: Reflex, Will
BAB: Medium
Skills per level: 4+int
Class Skills: Appraise, Autohypnosis, Balance, Bluff, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Jump, Knowledge (all), Listen, Perform, Psicraft, Speak Language, Spellcraft, Swim, Tumble, Use Magic Device

1st Level: Dissonant Lore, Dissonant Music, +1 manifestor level
2nd Level: create sound, +1 arcane caster level
3rd Level: One Voice, Two Notes, +1 manifestor level
4th Level: energy ray (sonic), +1 arcane caster level
5th level: One Singer, Two Songs, +1 manifestor caster level
6thth level: shatter, +1 arcane caster level
7th level: One Weapon, Two Blows, +1 manifestor level
8th level: Dissonant Weapon, +1 arcane caster level
9th level: Dissonant Scream, +1 manifestor level
10th level: One Mind, Two Thoughts, +1 arcane caster level

Dissonant Lore (Ex): levels in the dissonant prestige class count as bard levels for the purpose of determining bardic lore ability.

Dissonant Music (Su): half of the dissonant’s class levels count as bard levels for the purpose of determining what bardic music effects the character has available.

Create sound: this power is added to the dissonant’s list of powers known.

One Voice, Two Notes (Su): The dissonant draws on psionic power to make other vocalizations while singing. Once per day per class level the dissonant can cast a spell that requires a verbal component while maintaining a bardic music ability.

Energy ray (sonic): the sonic version of this power is added to the dissonant’s list of powers known.

One Singer, Two Songs (Su): the dissonant becomes more skilled at multiple vocalization and can maintain two bardic song abilities at the same time for class level+cha modifier rounds per day. This duration need not be used all at once, and the bardic abilities end at their normal rate after the dissonant ceases maintaining them.

Shatter: this spell is added to the dissonant’s list of spells known. The save DC of a dissonant’s shatter is always 3 higher than normal.

One Weapon, Two Blows (Ex): as part of a full-round action, the dissonant may make an additional attack at her highest base attack, but she suffers a –2 penalty to all attack rolls for the round.

Dissonant Weapon (Su): any weapon wielded by the dissonant does an additional +1d6 sonic damage.

Dissonant Scream (Sp): Once per day the dissonant can issue a powerful scream. This is identical to the 9th-level spell wail of the banshee except that the save DC is 15+Cha. The dissonant’s effective caster level for this ability is equal to her class level.

One Mind, Two Thoughts (Psi): The dissonant can act as though under the effects of the schism power for up to one round per class level per day.

 

[Yesminde]

Here's another. I realize that most of these are kind of similar in essence, but I think that just means they go well together.

Prismatic

The prismatic is drawn to the power of light and is fascinated by the effects of light on a prism. Their study enables them to create special tools from glass and crystal, and to gain tremendous control over the effects of light. Their psicrystal, also, benefits from this study and grows in size and power. This devotion makes the Prismatic seem a little odd to others, engrossed in the play of light and color to the exception of all else.
Hit Die: d4

Requirements:
Skills: Craft (glass): 8 ranks
Feats: Psicrystal Affinity, Psicrystal Containment
Powers: Ability to manifest Crystal Shard and Control Light

BAB: Low
Good Saves: Will
Hit Die: d4
Skills Per level: 2+int
Class Skills: Autohypnosis, Appraise, Craft, Concentration, Knowledgesionics, Profession, Psicraft, Ride

1st level: Color Spray, Shape Glass, Psicrystal Enhancement, Light Affinity, Crystal Affinity
2nd level: Glitterdust, Crystalstorm, +1 manifestor level
3rd level: Glassteel, swarm of crystals
4th level: psionic keen edge, burrowing bonds,+1 manifestor level
5th level: Rainbow Pattern, Hail of Crystals
6th level: Crystallize, +1 manifestor level
7th level: Prismatic Spray
8th level: +1 manifestor level
9th level: Prismatic Wall
10th level: Prismatic Sphere, Prismatic Immunity

Color Spray: The Prismatic adds Color Spray to her list of powers known. This is identical to the spell of the same name in effect, but it is treated as a 1st-level psionic power.

Shape Glass (Su): The Prismatic can manipulate glass and crystal with willpower alone. This grants him a +10 to all Craft(Glass) checks and allows him to dispense with tools and a glass smelter.

Psicrystal Enhancement (Su): The prismatic’s psicrystal gains the following enhancements at the following levels:

Prismatic Level Enhancement
1-2 The Prismatic is considered +5 manifestor levels for the purpose of determining what abilities his psicrystal possesses.
3-4 The psicrystal becomes size Tiny as though monster advancement and no longer requires its master’s assistance to enable its movement abilities. The prismatic may alter the shape of the psicrystal to make it appear like the tiny creature of his choice, but this change is cosmetic only.
5-6 The psicrystal becomes size Small as through monster advancement and acquires a bite attack and two claw attacks (bite primary) appropriate for its size. The prismatic may alter the shape of the psicrystal to make it appear like the small creature of his choice, but this change is cosmetic only.
7-8 As above, but the psicrystal becomes Medium.
9-10 As above, but the psicrystal becomes Large.

Light Affinity (Ex): The Prismatic can no longer tolerate anything having to do with darkness. He loses any darkvision or low-light vision he may possess, cannot use spells or abilities that create darkness or utilize negative energy, he cannot utilize Stygian powers or anything else along these lines. When blinded or in darkness, the Prismatic is dazzled in addition to any other penalties invoked.

Crystal Affinity (Ex): The prismatic can no longer use any wood, leather or metal armors or weapons, preferring to use Crystal or Deep Crystal for all accoutrements.

Glitterdust: The Prismatic adds Glitterdust to his list of powers known. This is identical to the spell of the same name in effect, but is treated as a 2nd-level psionic power.

Crystalstorm: The Prismatic adds Crystalstorm to his list of powers known.

Glassteel: The Prismatic may make masterworked glass items that have all the properties of steel, taking on the same hardness, hitpoints, etc.

Swarm of Crystals: The prismatic adds Swarm of Crystals to his list of powers known.

Psionic Keen Edge: The prismatic adds Psionic Keen Edge to his list of powers known.

Burrowing Bonds: The prismatic adds Burrowing Bonds to his list of powers known.

Rainbow Pattern: The prismatic adds Rainbow Pattern to his list of powers known. This is identical to the spell of the same name, but treated as a 4th-level psionic power.

Hail of Crystals: The prismatic adds Hail of Crystals to his list of powers known.

Crystallize: The prismatic adds Crystallize to his list of powers known.

Prismatic Spray (Ps): Once per day the prismatic may use a Prismatic Spray effect as a psi-like ability. The save DC of this power is charisma-based. Caster level equals the prismatic’s class level.

Prismatic Wall (Ps): Once per day the prismatic may manifest Prismatic Wall as a psi-like ability. The save DC is charisma based, and the manifestor level is equal to the prismatic’s class level.

Prismatic Sphere (Ps): Once per day the prismatic may manifest Prismatic Sphere as a psi-like ability. The save DC is charisma based, and the manifestor level is equal to the prismatic’s class level.

Prismatic Immunity (Su): The prismatic is immune to all prismatic spells and effects and can freely pass through them without harm.