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Temotei
2010-09-07, 11:27 PM
Psychic Guardian

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/ca_gallery/85430.jpg
Stay back.

-- Liranya Usalm, ever-calm psychic guardian forcing an enemy to do what she says.

Ever vigilant, the psychic guardians protect their allies and stop their foes with psionic powers and supernatural will extensions. Beyond this, psychic guardians are fairly capable of offensive abilities, whether with psionic powers or with weapons. Using all of their repertoire, a psychic guardian is surely a force to be reckoned with.

Adventures: Psychic guardians adventure for many reasons. Some become bodyguards, protecting one or more people in a party. Others go out to test themselves, or go in search of riches, like many other adventurers of every class.

Characteristics: Much like psychic warriors, psychic guardians manifest psionic powers to give them an edge over others. Using the power of the mind, a psychic guardian can speed up or slow down creatures, move them at will, or even protect allies with their own mental guards and powers.

Alignment: Psychic guardians can be of any alignment, and run the whole gamut of them. Good psychic guardians may seek out those who would cause harm to the destitute and helpless, hoping to end such acts of evil. Lawful psychic guardians might walk city streets, ready to put down injustice through the use of protection on those oppressed or with their movement abilities, pushing criminals into the waiting saps of guards. Chaotic psychic guardians would perhaps do the opposite, performing crimes, protecting themselves from traps and other dangers while doing so. Evil psychic guardians might stop the barrage of arrows coming from a minor city as their legion of followers breaks the gate down, invading.

Religion: Psychic guardians often worship Syreth (goddess of guardians), Gaerdal Ironhand (god of protection), or Arvoreen (goddess of vigilance), though they sometimes worship the gods other warriors do, such as Heironeous (god of valor) or Hextor (god of tyranny).

Background: A psychic guardian could have started anywhere. As a young one of their race, they perhaps figured out their abilities naturally, not unlike how sorcerers usually learn to use their spells. Others may have come under the tutelage of a master of psionics. Many others, however, may not have been so lucky, having to learn themselves, but with no particular talent in that department.
Individuals can have many reasons for becoming psychic guardians. They may previously have been adept in the art of psionics, but they felt a lacking defense opened them and their allies up to attack all too easily, encouraging them to become part of this class. Others may have simply been warriors with a knack for open-mindedness, unlocking the secrets of psionics on accident, becoming psychic guardians to follow their namesake--guard.

Races: Any race can become a psychic guardian, but the races most likely to join their ranks are those that have psionic abilities born with them, such as the dromites, elans, and half-giants. A few illithids become part of the ranks, as well, supplementing their already formidable power with a bit of this class's own.

Other Classes: Psychic guardians usually get along with any individual, regardless of class. They're helpful in any party with their psionic powers and battlefield control, so it's hard not to like them. Particularly, they get along with psychic warriors, the most similar class to themselves.

Role: The psychic guardian is a defensive manifester who uses battlefield control and protection to end encounters, rather than with simple brute force, though they're not too bad at that, either, with the ability to frustrate enemy attempts at hitting anyone.

GAME RULE INFORMATION
Psychic guardians have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Wisdom is the primary manifesting statistic of the psychic guardian, making it extremely important. Constitution and Dexterity are also important, as they help in the psychic guardian's role as a defender, wherever they might be on the field of combat.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills
The psychic guardian's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Jump (Str), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Psicraft (Int), and Spot (Wis).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier

PSYCHIC GUARDIAN


Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
Powers Points/Day
Powers Known
Maximum Power Level Known


1st
+0
+2
+0
+2
Mind guard, movement manipulation
01
1
1st


2nd
+1
+3
+0
+3
Mental guardian
1
2
1st


3rd
+2
+3
+1
+3
-
3
3
1st


4th
+3
+4
+1
+4
-
5
4
2nd


5th
+3
+4
+1
+4
-
7
5
2nd


6th
+4
+5
+2
+5
Greater manipulation 1/day
11
6
2nd


7th
+5
+5
+2
+5
-
15
7
3rd


8th
+6/+1
+6
+2
+6
-
19
8
3rd


9th
+6/+1
+6
+3
+6
-
23
9
3rd


10th
+7/+2
+7
+3
+7
-
27
10
4th


11th
+8/+3
+7
+3
+7
Protection extension
35
11
4th


12th
+9/+4
+8
+4
+8
Greater manipulation 2/day
43
12
4th


13th
+9/+4
+8
+4
+8
-
51
13
5th


14th
+10/+5
+9
+4
+9
-
59
14
5th


15th
+11/+6
+9
+5
+9
Protection quickening
67
15
5th


16th
+12/+7/+2
+10
+5
+10
-
79
16
6th


17th
+12/+7/+2
+10
+5
+10
-
91
17
6th


18th
+13/+8/+3
+11
+6
+11
Greater manipulation 3/day
103
18
6th


19th
+14/+9/+4
+11
+6
+11
-
115
19
6th


20th
+15/+10/+5
+12
+6
+12
Guardian manifestation
127
20
6th



Class Features
All of the following are class features of the psychic guardian.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Psychic guardians are proficient with all simple weapons, but with no armor or shields.

Power Points/Day: A psychic guardian's ability to manifest powers is limited by the power points they have available. Their base daily allotment of power points is given on the table above. In addition, they receive bonus power points per day if they have a high Wisdom score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Power Points (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/classes/index.htm#tableAbilityModifiersandBonusPowerPoints )). Their race may also provide bonus power points per day, as may certain feats and items. A 1st-level psychic guardian gains no power points for their class level, but they gain bonus power points (if they are entitled to any), and can manifest a single power they know with those power points.

Powers Known: A psychic guardian begins play knowing one psychic guardian power of your choice. Each time they achieve a new level, they unlock the knowledge of a new power. Choose the powers known from the psychic guardian power list. (Exception: The feats Expanded Knowledge and Epic Expanded Knowledge do allow a psychic guardian to learn powers from the lists of other classes.) A psychic guardian can manifest any power that has a power point cost equal to or lower than their manifester level.

The total number of powers a psychic guardian can manifest in a day is limited only by their daily power points.

A psychic guardian simply knows their powers; they are ingrained in their mind. They do not need to prepare them (in the way that some spellcasters prepare their spells), though they must get a good night's sleep each day to regain all their spent power points.

The Difficulty Class for saving throws against psychic guardian powers is 10 + the power's level + the psychic guardian's Wisdom modifier.

Maximum Power Level Known: A psychic guardian begins play with the ability to learn 1st-level powers. As they attain higher levels, they may gain the ability to master more complex powers.

To learn or manifest a power, a psychic guardian must have a Wisdom score of at least 10 + the power's level.

Mind Guard (Ex): When unarmored and unencumbered, the psychic guardian is able to protect their mind or their body extremely well, adding their Wisdom modifier to their AC or their Will saving throws, but not both at the same time. Switching between the two defenses is an immediate action.

At 7th level, the psychic guardian can switch between the defensive choices at any time, which requires no action, but again, can only be done once per round. This allows them to switch to guarding their bodies when being attacked in melee or to switch to guarding their minds when targeted by a mind-affecting effect before affected by such harm. In addition, they may also apply the bonus to Reflex saving throws instead of AC or Will saving throws.

At 14th level, the psychic guardian is able to guard both their bodies and their minds with mind guard, allowing them to choose two of adding their Wisdom modifier to their AC, their Reflex saving throws, or their Will saving throws at any time.

Should the psychic guardian's mind ever be caught helpless, they lose this bonus. Their mind is considered helpless when they are sleeping, unconscious, dead, or controlled by an outside force, such as a dominate monster spell. A charm spell will not cause the loss of this bonus, however.

Movement Manipulation (Su): A psychic guardian is a master of battlefield control. They are able perform pushing and pulling maneuvers, forcing a creature to move toward or away from them a distance up to 1/2 the psychic guardian's class levels x 5 feet (minimum 5 feet). As well, they are able to halve one creature's speed for 1 round. Finally, they can double one creature's speed for 1 round. These abilities can be used on any Medium or smaller creature within 60 feet. Using any of them requires a swift action. A creature can resist the effects of any of these manipulations by succeeding on a DC 10 + 1/2 class levels + Wis modifier Will saving throw.

At 3rd level, and at every fourth level after until 15th level (7th, 11th, 15th), these abilities can manipulate creatures of one size category larger than Medium (Large at 3rd, Huge at 7th, Gargantuan at 11th, and Colossal at 15th).

Mental Guardian (Ex): At 2nd level, the psychic guardian is able to give their mind guard bonus to AC or Will saving throws (or two of AC, Reflex saving throws, and Will saving throws, if the psychic guardian is 14th level or higher) to one adjacent ally as an immediate action. This disables the psychic guardian's own mind guard bonus. If the ally moves to be farther than adjacent to the psychic guardian, they, as well as the psychic guardian, lose the mind guard bonus. At the same time in the round after this ability was used, the psychic guardian regains their mind guard, and the ally loses the bonus.

At 8th level, the psychic guardian is able to send their mind guard out to an ally within 30 feet. At 14th level, this range increases to 60 feet, and the psychic guardian may manifest a power with a "personal" range on one ally within 30 feet. At 20th level, this range increases to 60 feet.

Greater Manipulation (Su): At 6th level, the psychic guardian is able to manipulate creatures regardless of size, and all effects are improved. The psychic guardian can push or pull creatures double the distance, divide a creature's speed by 4, or quadruple a creature's speed. Speed changes last for 2 rounds when made by greater manipulation. This ability is usable once per day.

At 12th level, and at every sixth level after (18th), the psychic guardian gains another daily use of this ability.

Protection Extension (Su): At 11th level, the psychic guardian gains more insight into how defensive powers work. Any power of 3rd level or lower that grants a bonus to Armor Class can be manifest as an extended power without using up more power points. Extending powers still requires expending a psionic focus.

Protection Quickening (Su): At 15th level, the psychic guardian becomes extremely adept at manifesting protective powers with barely a thought. Any power of 4th level or lower that grants a bonus to Armor Class can be manifest as a quickened power without using up more power points. Quickening powers still requires expending a psionic focus.

Guardian Manifestation: At 20th level, the psychic guardian is able to grant their defensive powers to allies as well as to themselves. When the psychic guardian manifests a power on an ally or themselves, they are able to share the power, effectively manifesting the power twice with only one manifesting's required manifesting time and power points.

Psychic Guardian Power List:

1st -- Adrenaline boost2, biofeedback, catfall, compression, deaden blow2, deceleration, deflection field2, demoralize, dimension hop2, disable, empty mind, endure elements, psionic2, expansion, float, force screen, inertial armor, precognition, defensive, protection from chaos/evil/good/law, psionic2, slow breathing2, thicken skin, touch of health2, vigor

2nd -- Animal affinity, aversion, body adjustment, body purification, brain lock, concealing amorpha, damp power2, detect hostile intent, dimension swap3, distracting shout2, elfsight, empathic transfer, energy adaptation, specified, evade attack2, from the brink2, hustle, incite bravery2, levitate, psionic, mental disruption, moment of insight2, stygian erasure2, thought shield, zone of alertness2

3rd -- Breathless, concealing amorpha, greater, crisis of breath, danger sense, dimension slide, dispel psionics, ectoplasmic cocoon, ectoplasmic form, empathic feedback, empathic transfer, hostile, energy wall, eradicate invisibility, evade burst, glyph of warding, psionic2, mental barrier, psionic blast, psychic containment2, time hop, ubiquitous vision

4th -- Dimension door, psionic, energy adaptation, fly, psionic, freedom of movement, psionic, immovability, inertial barrier, intellect fortress, mental turmoil2, steadfast perception, stygian ward2, telekinetic maneuver, wall of ectoplasm

5th -- Adapt body, anticipatory strike2, energy nullification field2, incarnate, oak body, perfect riposte2, power resistance, protection from psionics2, psychofeedback, suppress schism2, telekinetic buffer2, tower of iron will

6th -- Dispelling buffer, ectoplasmic cocoon, mass, ethereal abduction2, ethereal jaunt, psionic, mend wounds2, mind blank, personal, mind over energy2, null psionics field, random hop, psionic (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9221466&postcount=1), restoration, psionic, temporal acceleration

1. The psychic guardian gains no power points from their class at 1st level. However, they do add any bonus power points they gain from a high Wisdom score, their race, and feats or other sources to their reserve. They can use these points (if any) to manifest their power.
2. Complete Psionic.
3. This power functions as it would for a psychic warrior.

Temotei
2010-09-07, 11:37 PM
To those reading this class, I have some concerns.


Movement manipulation has no saving throw. I'm considering adding a DC 10 + 1/2 class levels + Wis modifier Will saving throw to it to resist either all effects or half. Thoughts?
The power point progression is nonstandard. While this isn't necessarily a bad thing, I originally had it at the same progression as the psychic warrior. I'm not sure if it was a good decision to switch it up a little.
The power list is fairly large, but it's not as big as the psion's (although it's close).
Balance point: Low tier 2/tier 3, perhaps. In that range, at least.

Lix Lorn
2010-09-08, 03:39 AM
I like it;
No psicraft on the skill list?

Also there's a formatting error for one of the 6th level powers.

No offensive powers, that I could see. Deliberate?
Not even Mind Thrust. :(

Nero24200
2010-09-08, 05:30 AM
Hmmm, a few things spring to mind (no pun intended) whilst reading...

The Mind guard ability at 14th level feels a bit much. Unless the enemy spams Mind-Affecting effects the characeter essenitally becomes immune to them. Maybe only allow the ability if the Mind Guard passes the required will save?
I'd probably allow a save for Movement Manipulation, otherwise foes next to a long drop can become just too easy to kill.


Aside from those it looks fine to me, and I'd say your close to your mark if you were hoping for it to be Tier 3ish-2ish.

Zaydos
2010-09-08, 07:04 AM
I'd definitely say give Movement Manipulation should get a save. It's an at-will swift action buff/debuff, which makes it really quite good even if it grants a safe. Without one its a spammable "no you aren't in combat" ability, that can also be used to grant melee a full attack instead, or push them off cliffs.

Person_Man
2010-09-08, 09:27 AM
My 2cp:

The Psychic Warrior is very balanced, fun, and pretty well written class (with the exception of the dead levels). This class basically just dumps a ton of new Power Points and class abilities on top of it. Did you think the Psychic Warrior is too weak?

Mind Guard: So this class allows you to add Wis to AC, or get your Wis to Will Saves twice? Also, it should use Swift and Immediate Actions, not confusingly worded Free Actions.

Temotei
2010-09-08, 07:20 PM
I like it;
No psicraft on the skill list?

Psychic warrior doesn't have it, nor does the soulknife. I figured this class didn't deserve it any more than those two.


Also there's a formatting error for one of the 6th level powers.

I'll get right on fixing that.


No offensive powers, that I could see. Deliberate?
Not even Mind Thrust. :(

They don't necessarily deal damage, but there are several powers that disable (even the power disable is in there) an enemy with save-or-sucks and such powers as brain lock and psionic blast. Hostile empathic transfer deals damage while healing you, so that's counted.


The Mind guard ability at 14th level feels a bit much. Unless the enemy spams Mind-Affecting effects the characeter essenitally becomes immune to them. Maybe only allow the ability if the Mind Guard passes the required will save?

Immunity to mind-affecting effects is really common, but I suppose I can see your concern, since that immunity can essentially be granted to all allies unless enemies (as you said) constantly use such effects (which is unlikely).

I'll figure something out about that.


I'd probably allow a save for Movement Manipulation, otherwise foes next to a long drop can become just too easy to kill.


Makes sense to me. I thought about it for a while and had decided to change it to give a save even before I read this, so...hooray, I suppose. :smallamused:


I'd definitely say give Movement Manipulation should get a save. It's an at-will swift action buff/debuff, which makes it really quite good even if it grants a safe. Without one its a spammable "no you aren't in combat" ability, that can also be used to grant melee a full attack instead, or push them off cliffs.

Right you are.


The Psychic Warrior is very balanced, fun, and pretty well written class (with the exception of the dead levels). This class basically just dumps a ton of new Power Points and class abilities on top of it. Did you think the Psychic Warrior is too weak?

The power points were one of my concern, but the psychic warrior gets bonus feats (albeit fairly weak bonus feats) on top of their ordinary powers. I was thinking of taking down the power points to the psychic warrior's level (which was what I originally had). Agreement on that?

It's been done.


Mind Guard: So this class allows you to add Wis to AC, or get your Wis to Will Saves twice? Also, it should use Swift and Immediate Actions, not confusingly worded Free Actions.

I'll make it an immediate action. Would you recommend changing the ability?