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DMBlackhart
2009-08-19, 07:17 AM
Conduits
"As I struggled with my bindings, the blindfold blanking my vision of the room I was imprisoned in, a man walked in, his boots making loud thuds on the stone floor. He told me he was going to beat me, and if I wanted him to stop, I had to do so with my mind."

The conduit class is a shot at making a D&D playable version of the "conduits" from "inFamous" (A PS3 Game). Conduits are psionically gifted humans, those who have latent kinetic abilities buried deep in their minds, some conduits learn, or are forced, to awaken these talents, creating electrokinetic, pyrokinetic, telekinetic, and many other breeds of gifted people. Conduits are usually strong, and exceptional of their breed, but can be anyone, anywhere.

Adventures: Conduits (electrokintic) fight in with most teams as a mixture of sniper and healer. Because of their ability to attack from afar with strong accuracy and their ability to manipulate the electricity from sources around them they can recover fallen allies, destroy encampments, or zap someone in the dead of night. They are a versitile role in any team.

Characteristics: Conduits (electrokinetic) can be anyone, anywhere, both good, and evil. Sometimes the heros are to be more feared then the tyrants, due to their innability to control these powers. Conduits who favor heroism, and good deeds, find themselves errand boys, and constantly flanked with tasks from suffering civilians. Evil conduits are much more reckless and "free." They are always opposed, or feared, but they revel in the rush that comes with the power.

Alignment: Conduits (all) have a strong tendancy to lean towards one side or the other, evil, or good, hero, or terror. Conduits do not lean towards a set facet of chaos or law, their natural instincts driving that aspect of their life

Background: Conduits are born as they are, much like sorcerers, psionic powers lay innate in their psyches from birth, however unlocking that power is a more tasking matter. Only through extremly streanous activity can a conduit unlock his latent kinetic powers.

Race: Conduits can and are indeed any creature, creatures that become conduits almost never develop any other mental abilities, and with the power they hold, rarely favor any form of real training.

GAME RULE INFORMATION

Abilities: Conduits focus on a good balance of body, mind, and spirit, but most focus on their minds, as it holds the key to their powers. Wisdom is the key ability for conduits, constitution on dexterity comming second. And strength and charisma teritary (sp?)
Alignment: Conduits fit into any alignment easily, but are never neutral morally (good/evil)
Hit Dice d8

Class Skills
The Conduits class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis* (Wis), Climb (Str), Concentration* (Con), Craft (Int), Jump (Str), Knowledge (psionics)* (Int), Profession (Wis), Balance (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), and Search (Int).
Skill Points at 1st Level
(6 + Int modifier) ×4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level
6+ Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Psychic warriors are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with light armor.

{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Volts

1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+0|
Pulse Heal 1d6, Bioleech 1d6, Arc Restraint, Lightning Bolt 1d6, Electric Drain, Immunity to Electricity, Volt Strike|
3

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+0|
Alacrity 1/day, Shockwave |
5

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+1|
Pulse Heal 2d6 |
7

4th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+1|
Pulse Heal 3d6, Lightning Bolt 2d6 |
11

5th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+1|
Damage Reduction 1/-, Overload Burst/Arc Lightning, Alacrity 2/day |
13

6th|
+4|
+2|
+5|
+2|
Pulse Heal 4d6, Static Thrusters |
15

7th|
+5|
+2|
+5|
+2|
Lightning Bolt 3d6, Thunder Drop|
19

8th|
+6/+1|
+2|
+6|
+2|
Pulse Heal 5d6 3/day, Alacrity 3/day |
23

9th|
+6/+1|
+3|
+6|
+3|
Pulse Heal 6d6, Shock Grenade |
27

10th|
+7/+2|
+3|
+7|
+3|
Lightning Bolt 4d6, Damage Reduction 2/- |
35

11th|
+8/+3|
+3|
+7|
+3|
Polarity Wall, Alacrity 4/day (+4) |
39

12th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+8|
+4|
Pulse Heal 7d6, |
45

13th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+8|
+4|
Lightning Bolt 5d6 |
51

14th|
+10/+5|
+4|
+9|
+4|
Alacrity 5/day |
59

15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+5|
+9|
+5|
Megawatt Hammer, Pulse Heal 8d6, Damage Reduction 3/- |
67

16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+5|
Pulse Heal 9d6, Lighning Bolt 6d6|
79

17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+5|
Alacrity 6/day|
91

18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+6|
+11|
+6|
Pulse Heal 10d6 |
103,

19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+6|
+11|
+6|
Lightning Bolt 7d6 |
115

20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+6|
+12|
+6|
Lightning Bolt 8d6, Damage Reduction 4/-, Lightning Storm, Alacrity (+6) |
127|[/table]

Lightning Bolt: Conduits are walking batteries; they use their minds to absorb, expand, and manipulate electricity around them. The Lightning Bolt is the most basic ability conduits can use. This ability channels small amounts of electricity from the conduits body, and fires a single bolt aimed where the conduit chooses. The Lightning Bolt is a ranged touch attack and can be thwarted through anti-psionic means. Lightning Bolt is considered to have a manifester level equal to the character's level in the Conduit class. Lightning Bolt has a range of 120 feet, and allows no save. Due to the low power of the bolt, it requires only a minimal sustaining charge; It expends none of the Conduit's personal energy, but may not be used if the conduit has 0 volts.

Volt Strike: With the conduit's ability to mentally harness and physically store electricity comes the ability to channel that power through their bodies. Conduits may enable Volt Strike when they use an unarmed strike, spending 1 volt to activate the ability and dealing an additional 1d6 electric damage.

Shockwave: Conduits can create a pulse of electromagnetic energy to repel oncomming projectiles or to move things from a distance. Shockwave is treated as a bull rush attempt from a range of 60ft or closer. Use your Wisdom modifier instead of strength for the bullrush check. Shockwave uses 1/4(conduit level) in volts (minimum 1). Shockwave is a standered action that provokes attacks of opprotunity.

Electric Drain: Conduits have a "core" of electricity where they store their reserves, and which allows them to safely hold so much electricity in their bodies. This core naturally recharges, allowing conduits to recover their characer level in volts twice per day. Conduits can also drain any electrical source (living or not) as a full round action to restore their conduit level in Volts, but the subject must be inanimate or prone (see bioleech).
The core disperses when the conduit's body comes in contact with water, causing bodies of water with 1/5 the volume of the conduit to become electrified. Any larger body of water will drain the conduit of his energy too quickly. While so immersed, the conduit is unable to heal though electric means, and is vulnerable to damage from the electrified water.

Arc Restraint: The conduits have a fairly large repertoire of abilities and unique ways to channel their powers. Arc Restraint creates electric bindings that hold objects stuck to stones, metals, and the like. They can be used as an attempt to restrain any creature, but can only be used on conscious subjects if they are already prone. Treat the restraints as masterwork manacles. The restraints take a standard action to create, and cost 1 volt(s) to use

Pulse Heal: Some conduits follow the path of good, helping other when they can, and gain the Pulse Heal ability. The pulse heal ability works much like a roaming defibrillator, using 1+( conduit level) volts per use. It can only be used on a willing or prone living object. An electrical surge charges through the "victim" causing a speed up in cellular mitosis and metabolism, greatly aggravating their natural healing rate. Pulse Heal takes a full round to manifest and heals the target 1d6 hp at first level, increasing in subsequent levels as marked on Table 1-1, The Conduit.

Bioleech: the inversion of pulse heal, is the power available to evil conduits. Appropriately named, it leeches the "core" from any living, non-plant creature. This power recovers double the conduit's level in volts, but also completely drains the victim's core, killing them. Treat bioleech as an equivalent to the coup-de-grace, requiring the same circumstances to work and manifested in the same amount of time (a full-round action).

Alacrity: At some point in a conduits life, they learn to channel their abilities to focus their body and mind. With a surge of electricty the conduit can slow down the world around him/her, giving them unnatural perception, reflexes, and stamina. Alacrity is an immediate action that lasts (conduits level) rounds and boosts the conduits dexterity, wis, and con by +2 (This increases to +4 at 11th level and +6 at 20th level).

Damage Reduction: Conduits (all) have some form or another of ability that makes them stronger then normal. Electrokinetic conduits heal faster then usual, thanks to the increadibly high metabolism of the conduit, and so they shrug off damage with little effort.

Overload Burst" As conduits become more powerful, new abilities unlock within them. The overload burst, is a powerful ability "good" aligned conduits can manifest. The conduit charges up a ball of energy, unleashing a power lightning bolt in whatever direction he chooses. Overload burst takes a full round action to manifest, and takes effect the turn after begining (like summoning). Overload burst is a AoE line attack that hits all (HUGE or larger creatures stop the lines range short) in a 60ft line for (2xConduits level)d6 damage. The attack is a line effect that allows a DC 15+conduits Wis Mod reflex save for half damage. Overload burst uses up twice the level in volts to preform.

Arc Lightning: The darker side of the conduits powers begin to manifest, the Arc Lightning ability becomes promanent. The arc lightning ability is a fullround action, AoE line attack, and deals ( conduits level )d6 in damage on a successful D15+(Wis Mod) reflex save for half damage. A bolt of red electricity escapes the conduits palms, causing a bolt of lightning to strike into anything within a 60ft line, and arcs off to anyone within 5 feet of an affected target ( out to 20ft). Arc Lightning requires double the conduits level in bolts to preform.

Immunity to Electricity: Conduits(electrokinetic) by nature, can channel and control electricity to their desires. As such any damage from electrical attacks or hazards other then those caused by another conduit is negated.

Static Thrusters A conduit has learned to create a high powered static charge from their hands that allows them to glide freely above the ground, effectivly slowing any falls, or traveling great distances. Static Thruster works as "Feather Fall" however the subject can move in any direction at half their movement speed while using this power. Manifesting Static Thrusters requires 2 volts per round of use.

Thunder Drop: Falling from above, in a shroud of cackling thunder, comes the conduit. The thunder drop is one of the more infamous conduit abilities, once awakened a conduit can survive nearly any fall while enveloped in a safety shield of electricity. Once the conduit comes into contact with a solid surface, the ability unleashes. Thunder drop allows the conduit to fall any distance (within reason). As the conduit falls, he absorbs and collects energy from around him, using momentum and his own electrical power to cause an earth shattering sonic boom, tremors, and electric wave. Thunder Drop deals 1d6 damage for every 10ft fallen from ( this replaces normal falling damage) and deals it to everything/everyone within a 20ft radius. After the fall however, the conduit takes a sort of backlash of vibrations from the fall, taking 1/2 the damage he deals in nonlethal, and then lethal damage ( lethal only if/when the conduit has gone unconscious). This power is part of a move action, and finishes once you hit the ground ( usually a standerd or full round action) and uses (conduits level) in volts.

Shock Grenade: Conduits, both good and evil, learn to manifest their powers in strange ways, a more powerful ability being the shock grenade. Shock grenades manifest differently for each alignment. "good" conduits can glue his grenades to his targets after being lobbed, a successfull hit causing a critical (if applicable). "evil" conduits manifest the grenades in a slightly more ruthless way. Evil Shockgrenades split into 4 seperate grenades after being thrown, falling within and affecting any random space within 10ft of the target. Shock grenades deal 1/2 the conduits level ( rounded down)d10 damage to wherever the grenade lands. Grenades take a standered action to manifest, and are used as a range thrown projectile. Shockgrenades use up (1/2 conduit level+1) volts.

Polarity Wall Conduits can manifest shield of pure magnetic/electric energy to block projectiles. If this shield is treated as a tower shield, the conduit cannot make more then a 5ft step per turn, if treated as a smaller shield, the conduit can still move. In either case the smaller variant of the shield grants a +2(per 4 conduit levels) reflection bonus to AC. (+4 per 4 levels for tower) This power uses 1/2 conduits level(rounded down) in volts and uses a single volt each round to maintain. (the conduit cannot have anything in the hand he manifests the shield with)

Megawatt Hammer: The conduits second strongest ability, the megawatt hammer. Conduits who manifest the megawatt hammer relate the recoil to a cannon, almost enough force to break your arm. Megawatt hammers are large missiles of electricity( 1 size category smaller then the manifester) that explode apon impact. Megawatt hammer is a ranged touch attack that deals ( conduits level)d6+ 1/2 conduit level in damage with each successful hit, a critical range of x3. The megawatt hammer has soo much kick it requires a DC10+(conduit level) reflex save or the user falls prone. The projectiles launched from this powerful blast have a large explosion on impact, causing the target and anyone adjacent to him/her to be knocked in any random direction 5ft ( even upwards). The megawatt hmmer uses (double conduit level) volts per use.

Lightning Storm: The pinnacle for conduits, summoning the power of zeus himself. A conduit of the highest calibur can pull energy straight from the skies, and cause a lightning bolt to rage across the landscape. Lightning Storm takes a fullround action to manifest, and continues as long as the conduit manages a DC 30+1/2 conduits level) concentration check. The lightning bolt targets a 30ft squared area, and moves at the conduits discretion, moving 30ft in a full round. Lightning storm requires double the conduits level in volts to manifest and requires 10 volts to continue each round, and cannot go longer then 10 rounds. A conduit fully drained through this ability becomes fatigued. The electric storm deals 20d6 to everything it hits.

(if im missing anything, I will imput soon)

xelliea
2009-08-19, 07:36 AM
What does Lightning Storm do?
or is it a spell I don't know about?

DMBlackhart
2009-08-19, 07:42 AM
Edited: enjoy

Strawman
2009-08-19, 09:15 AM
By the time you get megawatt hammer, you only need to roll a 2 (assuming you have no bonuses to reflex save) to avoid falling prone. The reflex save should be higher.

Other than that it looks good. Very stylish.

Violet Octopus
2009-08-19, 09:54 AM
Nice adaptation of the psychic warrior, one with an interesting mixture of roles. It needs a little fine-tuning though.

Firstly, the psychic warrior gets 20 powers by 20th level, so is a bit more versatile. The conduit perhaps deserves more skill points, either 4+Int or maybe even 6+Int.


By the time you get megawatt hammer, you only need to roll a 2 (assuming you have no bonuses to reflex save) to avoid falling prone. The reflex save should be higher.

Seconded. At level 17 the psychic warrior has 6th level powers, and gets to add its Wisdom modifier. Probably all the saves should be changed to 10+(highest level of powers the psychic warrior can manifest at that level)+conduit's Wis modifier.

I can't remember the ability's name, but the protagonist in inFamous gets to glide. Are you planning to add this to the class? Maybe let them glide for free, with the ability to augment to flight at a cost of one or 2 volts/round?

Arc Restraint shouldn't cost more as you increase in level. It also doesn't specify a save.

Volts are separate from PP, right? a psion/conduit can't spent volts to manifest powers?

A big question: In a typical quasi-medieval world, how does a conduit recharge? I have a mental image of a conduit rubbing an amber rod with some cloth for 8 hours, or keeping a blue dragon as a pet. Unless you can drain volts from a creature without killing it?

Strawman
2009-08-19, 09:59 AM
Perhaps a conduit keeps around an extendable metal rod, instead of the standard adventure's 10 pole. He uses it to attract lightning during storms.

Speaking of which, shouldn't conduits have ridiculously good resistance to electric damage?

Dragon Elite
2009-08-19, 10:04 AM
They should. Imagine a conduit standing out in the rain for 8 hours, hoping to recharge.

DMBlackhart
2009-08-19, 11:46 AM
Nice adaptation of the psychic warrior, one with an interesting mixture of roles. It needs a little fine-tuning though.

Firstly, the psychic warrior gets 20 powers by 20th level, so is a bit more versatile. The conduit perhaps deserves more skill points, either 4+Int or maybe even 6+Int.



Seconded. At level 17 the psychic warrior has 6th level powers, and gets to add its Wisdom modifier. Probably all the saves should be changed to 10+(highest level of powers the psychic warrior can manifest at that level)+conduit's Wis modifier.

I can't remember the ability's name, but the protagonist in inFamous gets to glide. Are you planning to add this to the class? Maybe let them glide for free, with the ability to augment to flight at a cost of one or 2 volts/round?

Arc Restraint shouldn't cost more as you increase in level. It also doesn't specify a save.

Volts are separate from PP, right? a psion/conduit can't spent volts to manifest powers?

A big question: In a typical quasi-medieval world, how does a conduit recharge? I have a mental image of a conduit rubbing an amber rod with some cloth for 8 hours, or keeping a blue dragon as a pet. Unless you can drain volts from a creature without killing it?

1. I will try for 6+Int for skills, seems fitting.

2.10+conduits Wis modifier sounds good, it isent really an adaption from psychic warrior, I only used the "PP" value to reflect his volts amount.

3. I totally forgot about the flying, I will edit that in, thanks.

4. Hmm, good point, I use using that to prevent it from being used TOO much, but I suppose it is a bit too high. I will edit.

5. Yes, PP and volts are not the same, volts is more of the conduits "storage" of electricity, although he is a psionic, he doesnet need to strain his mind to have this level of control over his power, he needs only the power itself.

6. Not entirely sure, I was basing it heavily off the game itself, I suppose a blue dragon would work, or like in alot of high technology campaigns ( ebberon comes to mind) have electric lines throughout cities or some such (similar to those of the lightning rails). Although, I have no definate answer for you other the from naturE ( storms, electrically charged stones, etc)

Violet Octopus
2009-08-19, 01:41 PM
6. Not entirely sure, I was basing it heavily off the game itself, I suppose a blue dragon would work, or like in alot of high technology campaigns ( ebberon comes to mind) have electric lines throughout cities or some such (similar to those of the lightning rails). Although, I have no definate answer for you other the from naturE ( storms, electrically charged stones, etc)

I guess Eberron works. House Orien may get angry though. Not sure if that's better or worse than a blue dragon :P

Another idea is to let the conduit treat all melee attacks as though they were enhanced with the shocking ability.

DMBlackhart
2009-08-19, 01:43 PM
I guess Eberron works. House Orien may get angry though. Not sure if that's better or worse than a blue dragon :P

Another idea is to let the conduit treat all melee attacks as though they were enhanced with the shocking ability.

I agree, it IS a good idea, and I would apply it, but he seems OPed as is, im tried to get the class to a more balanced state.

Eldrys
2009-08-19, 02:20 PM
One thing I noticed is that even though Shockwave and Arc Restraint is a first level ability, it cannot be used until second level, due to the fact that you have no volts.

DMBlackhart
2009-08-19, 05:11 PM
One thing I noticed is that even though Shockwave and Arc Restraint is a first level ability, it cannot be used until second level, due to the fact that you have no volts.

Bonus volts for high Wis

Violet Octopus
2009-08-20, 01:14 AM
I don't think it's OP. The best comparison is probably warlock. The warlock's abilities can be used at will, so the conduit's abilities ought to be slightly stronger, depending on how easy it is to recharge.

Number of invocations/conduit abilities known by level:
{table=head]Level|Warlock|Conduit
1st|
1|
3

2nd|
2|

3rd||

4th|
3|

5th||
4

6th|
4|

7th||
5

8th|
5|

9th||
6

10th|
6|

11th|
7|
8

12th||

13th|
8|

14th||

15th|
9|

16th|
10|

17th||
9

18th|
11|

19th||

20th|
12|
10[/table]

So the first thing is that the conduit's abilities could be more evenly spaced - between 12 and 17th level they get increased damage/healing, but no new abilities. The second is that the warlock gets more abilities. This would be fine if the conduit's abilities were stronger, but they're not.
Overload Burst, Arc Lightning, Shock Grenade, Megawatt Hammer and Lightning Storm are roughly equivalent to invocations that affect eldritch blast. They should be comparable in power to invocations you get at the same level. Thunder Drop hurts you, and is situational. Polarity wall is like shield, a 1st level spell, but not as good. Static Thrusters let you glide. The warlock could fly 5 levels ago.

Other class features:
Eldritch Blast - Shockwave (less damage, electricity type but longer range)
DR/cold iron - DR/-
Detect magic
Deceive Item
Energy Resistance
Fiendish Resilience - Alacrity
Imbue Item

The conduit gets more skills (thanks for that) but the warlock gets Use Magic Device as a class skill, which is really good.

Alacrity is confusing. What exactly does the attribute bonus apply to? I'm guessing skill checks and ranged attacks, if so maybe just say that. Making it increase HP, saves, AC etc would be OK anyway.

They get electricity immunity, but they also get the drawback of water being lethal to them.

Abilities mostly cost the conduit's level in volts, even when they don't improve. This makes the conduit worse at 2nd level than at 1st.

Lastly, the conduit's attacks are entirely electricity-based, which is a major drawback.

I like this class, but if I were to make an NPC, or one of my players wanted to use it, I'd give it a big boost in power.

DMBlackhart
2009-08-20, 01:46 AM
I have been busy all day, but due to the very thourough advice you gave me I can balance it out really quick. Which I will tomorrow. Thanks for all the help, hopefully it will match in power with the warlock soon. :p

DMBlackhart
2009-08-20, 01:47 PM
Edited with all the wonderful suggestions I have gotten. Should be balanced now, I hope. :p