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Vaynor
2010-05-01, 05:14 PM
PSYCHIC SLAYER

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/Vaynor/__Women_of_X_Men____Psylocke___b-1.jpg

”You can run, but you will never be able to hide from me! I can sense your fear!”
— Rein, half-elf psychic slayer

A psychic slayer is a psionic assassin incarnate, the ultimate melding of both mental and physical dexterity. Psychic slayers utilize their training as cerebral stalkers (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=139817) and their psionic powers in order to breach the most secure locations and gain unrestricted access to the mind. By accessing the mind from beyond the inhibitions of sight, a psychic slayer can charm, trick, and attack his opponents through the links of the mind. And when combat is necessary, the psychic slayer can manifest blades of pure psychic energy, linking his mind to those he attacks with brutal effect. Psychic slayers tend to be hired assassins or spies that use their mental powers to gain an advantage over their unenlightened foes.

Becoming a Psychic Slayer
A psychic slayer usually results from the combination of the mental prowess of a psionic and the training of a killer. By honing mental might and perfecting it for use as an assassin, a psychic slayer is born. Psychic slayers tend to spark their psionic skills by training as a cerebral stalker first.

Entry Requirements
Base Attack Bonus: +3
Feats: Psionic Weapon, Mindsight
Psionics: Ability to manifest 1st level powers
Special: Mental acuity class feature

Class Skills
The psychic slayer’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (psionics), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Profession (Wis), Psicraft (Int), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Psionic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex).
Skills Points at Each Level: 6 + Int

Hit Dice: d6



Level
BAB
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
Powers Known


1st

+0

+0

+2

+2
Mind strike +1d6, psychic blade
+1 level of existing manifesting class


2nd

+1

+0

+3

+3
Improved psionic weapon
+1 level of existing manifesting class


3rd

+2

+1

+3

+3
Mind strike +2d6
+1 level of existing manifesting class


4th

+3

+1

+4

+4
Psychic barrage
+1 level of existing manifesting class


5th

+3

+1

+4

+4
Mind strike +3d6
+1 level of existing manifesting class


6th

+4

+2

+5

+5
Mental acuity (powers)



7th

+5

+2

+5

+5
Mind strike +4d6
+1 level of existing manifesting class


8th

+6

+2

+6

+6
Sight of the stalker



9th

+6

+3

+6

+6
Mind strike +5d6
+1 level of existing manifesting class


10th

+7

+3

+7

+7
Mental execution
+1 level of existing manifesting class



Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A psychic slayer does not gain proficiency with any weapons or armor.

Cerebral Stalker Abilities: A psychic slayer continues to advance as a cerebral stalker. A psychic slayer may add his psychic slayer level to his cerebral stalker level when determining his effective cerebral stalker level for his telepathy, AC bonus, and mental acuity (the psychic slayer does not gain new mental acuity powers and his initiative bonus does not increase, but he does continue to gain additional uses of mental acuity per day as if he had gained levels of the cerebral stalker class) abilities.

Powers Known: At every level indicated on the table, the character gains additional power points per day and powers known as if he had gained a level in whatever manifesting class he had before becoming a psychic slayer. He does not gain any other benefit of gaining a level in that class. Essentially, the character adds his psychic slayer level to that of his previous manifesting class when determining power points per day, powers known, and manifester level.

Mind Strike: As the cerebral stalker ability of the same name. When determining the DC of mind strike, a psychic slayer adds his psychic slayer levels to his cerebral stalker levels.

Psychic Blade (Su): A psychic slayer can alter his weapon to one of pure psychic energy. By expending a full round concentrating on a weapon, a psychic slayer may permanently transform it into a psychic blade. Only melee weapons (although they need not be blades) may be made into psychic blades (any thrown weapon dissipates before impact). A psychic slayer can have multiple psychic blades at once, but each requires a full round to convert. All normal penalties for wielding more than one weapon are incurred, but psychic blades are always considered light. Psychic blades have no weight, and cannot be sundered or destroyed in any manner. If a psychic blade is out of the possession of its owner, it disappears (but is not lost to the psychic slayer) and the psychic slayer must expend a free action to retrieve the blade(s). A psychic slayer can willingly disable his psychic blade(s) as a free action.

Psychic blades’ form differs for every psychic slayer; the psychic slayer may choose how exact of a copy his psychic blade is, as well as the color of it. However, a psychic blade must always at least somewhat resemble the weapon it originated as. A psychic blade can also be fashioned to glow, as if a torch. All attributes of a psychic blade (color, rigidity, brightness) may be altered as a standard action.

As a standard action, by expending a use of mental acuity, the psychic slayer may perform a single attack with a psychic blade. This attack bypasses any physical barrier (armor, natural armor, etc.). If the attack is successful, the target is also affected with a telepathy power of the psychic slayer’s choice (the psychic slayer must know the power, be currently able to manifest it, and it must have a manifesting time of one standard action or less). If the power requires an attack roll, it automatically succeeds. The psychic slayer must pay all power point costs as normal. The target is still allowed any saves dictated by the power, but receives a -3 penalty on his saving throw(s).

For one full round after utilizing the preceding option, the psychic slayer gains access to all surface thoughts of the target, including any telepathic communication.

When channeling a power through his psychic blade(s), if a psychic slayer performs a critical hit, the target is also dazed for 1 round (as the power psionic daze).

Improved Psionic Weapon: A psychic slayer’s ability to channel his psionic energy into his weapon increases when using a psychic blade. As a free action a psychic slayer may invest his power points into his weapon, increasing its damage to a deadly degree. For every power point invested into his weapon, its damage is increased by 2. You cannot invest a number of power points greater than half your manifester level.

Psychic Barrage (Su): The psychic warriors grasp over the power of his psychic blade increases, allowing it to leave his grasp for extended periods of time. This allows the psychic blade to convert ranged weapons into psychic blades, and thrown weapons do not dissipate when thrown, and will return to the psychic slayer at the beginning of the next round. The psychic slayer can still channel powers through his psychic blade at a range, and all powers are considered manifested by the psychic blade. All ranged weapons have a range equal to the distance of a psychic slayer’s telepathy (past this range, the weapon dissipates). As long as the psychic slayer can psychically “see” his target, he can attack them. All concealment penalties are negated, and the psychic slayer suffers no penalties for any line of sight issues (walls, fog, or any other obstructions). Additionally, the psychic slayer can “shoot” a melee weapon that has been converted into a psychic blade up to half of his normal telepathy range. As normal, the weapon returns to the psychic slayer at the beginning of the following round.

Mental Acuity (Ex): A psychic slayer’s use of his mental acuity increases at level 6. By expending a use of mental acuity, the psychic slayer can increase the DC of any power he manifests by +2. The maximum amount a psychic slayer may increase the DC is equal to his Intelligence modifier.

Sight of the Stalker: The psychic slayer’s mindsight allows him to utilize his powers regardless of his target’s location. By expending a use of mental acuity, a psychic slayer may manifest a single power against anything he can “see” with mindsight. If the power requires an attack roll, any concealment penalties are negated as psychic barrage.

Mental Execution (Su): A psychic slayer can destroy those whose minds he infiltrates. Whenever a psychic slayer inhabits the mind of a target through use of his mental leap, mind vision, or psychic blade attack, he may expend two uses of mental acuity and destroy the creatures mind (in the case of mental leap, the psychic slayer is unharmed and is deposited into the nearest free location. The target must succeed on DC 10 + 1/2 effective cerebral stalker level (psychic slayer levels + cerebral stalker levels) + Intelligence modifier Will save or have his mind destroyed, killing him. If the target is resurrected, he returns to life with only the remnants of his mind, suffering -4 Intelligence drain.


Note: This class is meant as a progression of the cerebral stalker (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=139817) base class.

Comments/criticism? And yes, that's Psylocke.

Mulletmanalive
2010-05-01, 06:10 PM
Well, at least it's not a full progression manifester.

I like this version of Psionic weapon; i was considering something similar up to the point where I had a better idea [for my game at least]

I've got two real questions, i suppose: one, why a Theuge? It seems like a nice and different enough set of abilities that it could have just been one of those PrCs that is designed to be an alternate x+ level progression for a base class without the manifesting.

Two, given that it has requirements alien to the Cerebral Stalker, was it really necessary to make it accessible only via that class? I dunno, in several cases, especially Betsy Braddock's, i could as easily see it being accessible via ninja [blame Mark Millar, not me].

Also, I knew there was a reason i didn't like Mangaverse...

Vaynor
2010-05-01, 06:21 PM
Well, at least it's not a full progression manifester.

I like this version of Psionic weapon; i was considering something similar up to the point where I had a better idea [for my game at least]

I've got two real questions, i suppose: one, why a Theuge? It seems like a nice and different enough set of abilities that it could have just been one of those PrCs that is designed to be an alternate x+ level progression for a base class without the manifesting.

Two, given that it has requirements alien to the Cerebral Stalker, was it really necessary to make it accessible only via that class? I dunno, in several cases, especially Betsy Braddock's, i could as easily see it being accessible via ninja [blame Mark Millar, not me].

Also, I knew there was a reason i didn't like Mangaverse...

It's not meant to be based off of Psylocke, it was made as a PrC for a gish cerebral stalker. The pic of Ms. Braddock just happened to work perfectly for the class. :smallbiggrin:

The only thing it requires that's not from the cerebral stalker class is the ability to manifest powers and the psionic weapon feat. I don't think that seems to extraneous, especially for a prestige class specifically made for a base class (which as far as I'm concerned is exactly what prestige classes are for, being very specific progressions for a class).

Also, I'm not sure what a theuge is, could you elaborate?

Mulletmanalive
2010-05-01, 06:30 PM
Strictly, a Theuge is a spellcaster who traffics with deities and Angels via evocation in order to advance to a higher state of existence.

In the parlance of this board, it's a term for a class that advances two classes at a high rate, generally two supernal effect classes, while Gish is used to refer to a martial/Supernal hybrid.

Vaynor
2010-05-01, 06:36 PM
Strictly, a Theuge is a spellcaster who traffics with deities and Angels via evocation in order to advance to a higher state of existence.

In the parlance of this board, it's a term for a class that advances two classes at a high rate, generally two supernal effect classes, while Gish is used to refer to a martial/Supernal hybrid.

Do you, perhaps, mean Theurge? Anyways, the cerebral stalker is a martial class, making this a gish (it is meant as a cerebral stalker/psion combination).

Mulletmanalive
2010-05-01, 06:50 PM
Well, anyway, I think the class is interesting enough and the manifesting feels a little tacked on. Just my opinion.

I'd probably ignore the manifesting, take this as soon as possible and cap off my 20 level progression with a nice spot of Mindspy [assuming that's the one with the mind reading making you better in combat].

Beyond that, I really like the idea of exploding out of your victim's mind with the Mindleap/Mental Execution combo. Pity there aren't any abilities on either the Stalker or this that could be used with Sight of the Stalker.

Vaynor
2010-05-01, 07:00 PM
Well, anyway, I think the class is interesting enough and the manifesting feels a little tacked on. Just my opinion.

I'd probably ignore the manifesting, take this as soon as possible and cap off my 20 level progression with a nice spot of Mindspy [assuming that's the one with the mind reading making you better in combat].

Beyond that, I really like the idea of exploding out of your victim's mind with the Mindleap/Mental Execution combo. Pity there aren't any abilities on either the Stalker or this that could be used with Sight of the Stalker.

Sight of the stalker is meant to be used with the psion part of the character, not the cerebral stalker's abilities. I think the ability to manifest powers on foes you can't even see is pretty useful, personally. Anyways, it's meant to be an option, not a necessity.

ErrantX
2010-05-01, 10:15 PM
The psychic blade: Does it appear and disappear like a soulknife's mindblade? I.e. if I have a +3 longsword that I make my psychic weapon, it just disappears until I call for it (a swift action)?

Otherwise, not unlike the base class this feeds into, I like this. Good stuff, and I like it's psi-gishiness because those are fun.

-X

Vaynor
2010-05-01, 10:20 PM
The psychic blade: Does it appear and disappear like a soulknife's mindblade? I.e. if I have a +3 longsword that I make my psychic weapon, it just disappears until I call for it (a swift action)?

Otherwise, not unlike the base class this feeds into, I like this. Good stuff, and I like it's psi-gishiness because those are fun.

-X

It can disappear if you dismiss it, but you can always have it out if you want and treat it as a normal sword (you just have to keep it close). But yes, fairly similar to a soulknife.

Thanks!

Lix Lorn
2010-05-02, 01:51 PM
Ooh, like it.

Vaynor
2010-05-03, 03:04 PM
Thanks. :smallsmile:

Anything else to add before I let this thread die?

Glimbur
2010-05-03, 03:13 PM
Did you want the left over effects from dying to the capstone to only be Int damage? Damage is easy to fix, it heals naturally at a point a day and lesser restoration restores 1d4 points. By the time you can raise people from the dead ability damage is an inconvenience, nothing more.

You might consider making it ability drain, which is a little harder to fix; or ability burn which can't be healed magically. I wouldn't make it a permanent reduction in Int because that seems too powerful. You could also drop the side effect entirely.

Vaynor
2010-05-03, 03:31 PM
Did you want the left over effects from dying to the capstone to only be Int damage? Damage is easy to fix, it heals naturally at a point a day and lesser restoration restores 1d4 points. By the time you can raise people from the dead ability damage is an inconvenience, nothing more.

You might consider making it ability drain, which is a little harder to fix; or ability burn which can't be healed magically. I wouldn't make it a permanent reduction in Int because that seems too powerful. You could also drop the side effect entirely.

Oh, yes, it wasn't supposed to be able to heal naturally. So yeah, ability drain I guess.