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Xuldarinar
2015-03-01, 03:53 PM
BROKEN MIND
-When a manifester is driven to the brink of madness, often it is to their end. Their abilities weakened and their insanity presents an additional challenge to overcome. Some manifesters, however, choose to delve deeper when faced with madness. The further they go, the more their mind breaks and the greater power they uncover. Before long, their minds are utterly broken and any hope to return to sanity has long been extinguished.
Role: Broken minds typically stand along psions and wilders in their abilities, yet they grow ever further from them with each step. Their powers are strengthened as they are afflicted with different forms of insanity, eventually resulting in a volatile and powerful manifester who remembers little and is drawn to, fears, and hates the world.
Alignment: Broken minds can be any alignment, though often begin as or eventually become Chaotic Evil.


REQUIREMENTS
-To qualify to become a broken mind, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Psionics: Must have a power point reserve of at least 1 power point.
Special: Must possess any one form of insanity.

CLASS SKILLS
-The broken mind's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Bluff (Cha), Perception (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
-Class Skills at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table 1-1: Broken Mind
Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special Manifesting
1st +0 +0 +0 +1 Shattered Mind +1 level of existing class
2nd +1 +1 +1 +1 Shattered Mind +1 level of existing class
3rd +1 +1 +1 +2 Shattered Mind +1 level of existing class
4th +2 +1 +1 +2 Shattered Mind +1 level of existing class
5th +2 +2 +2 +3 Shattered Mind +1 level of existing class
6th +3 +2 +2 +3 Shattered Mind +1 level of existing class
7th +3 +2 +2 +4 Paragon of Madness +1 level of existing class

Class Features
-All of the following are class features of the broken mind.
-Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Broken minds do not gain proficiency with any additional weapons or armor.
-Manifesting: When indicated, the character gains additional power points per day and access to new powers as if he had also gained a level in any one manifesting class he belonged to previously. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (bonus metapsionic or item creation feats, and so on). This essentially means that he adds that level of broken mind to whatever other manifesting class the character has, and then determines power points per day, powers known, and manifester level accordingly.
-If a character had more than one manifesting class before he became a broken mind, he must decide to which class he adds the level of broken mind for the purpose of determining power points per day, powers known, and manifester level.
-If a character did not have any levels in any manifesting classes prior to becoming a broken mind, he must select a manifesting class to advance, gaining the manifesting ability of that class. This does not mean he gains the class features of that class, but it does mean if at a later point he takes levels in that class he may add the levels together.
-If a character had a manifesting class but lost his class features due to acquiring amnesia, or if at a later point acquires amnesia, he retains all manifesting ability from that class and may select it for the purpose of advancement with this or any other psionic prestige class. This does not mean he regains the class features from said class, only the ability to manifest psionic powers, powers known, and power points.
-Shattered Mind (Su): At each level, a broken mind acquires an additional form of insanity as well as certain benefits attributed to said form of madness. This form of insanity is selected by the broken mind upon gaining a class level and may be any they have not previously selected. If they possess an insanity but have not selected it as part of this class feature, they must select it before any others. If they select an insanity they do not already possess, they gain the insanity as well as its associated benefits as described below.

-Amnesia: Not only have they forgotten their past, they become inclined to forget even recent events, even their own afflictions fade away. The greater an effect upon them, the longer it takes for both mind and body to forget it. Any effect used upon the broken mind has its duration decreased by one magnitude (years to months, months to weeks, weeks to days, days to hours, hours to minutes, minutes to rounds). If the effect is normally measured in rounds, its duration is reduced by a number of rounds equal to the broken mind's class level, to a minimum of 1. Furthermore, a broken mind who acquires this insanity and its boon do not and cannot lose access to their class features as a broken mind. A broken mind who acquires this insanity redistribute their skill points among skills that do not require one to be trained to use instead of outright losing the skill points, regaining any skill points lost if they acquired amnesia prior to acquiring the shattered mind for amnesia.
-Mania/Phobia: In the face of his obsessions and fears, a broken mind acquires differing abilities based upon what they love or fear most. They gain a single phobia from the panphobic class (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?329762-How-to-be-afraid-of-everything-(3-5-base)). This phobia must be associated with their phobia or mania, and functions as at 0 dread so long as they are shaken or frightened by their phobia, or sickened or fascinated by their mania. By expending a number of power points equal to twice the tier of the desired ability, they gain enhanced benefits associated with the chosen phobia for a number of rounds equal to their broken mind level. If the broken mind is frightened or fascinated, they spend a number of power points equal to the tier rather than twice as much.
-Multiple Personality Disorder: With multiple personalities, a broken mind is capable of preforming multiple mental tasks, such as manifesting psionic powers, simultaneously. This is limited to the number of personalities they possess and their broken mind level, which ever is less, to a minimum of 2. When manifesting psionic powers using this ability, they cannot manifest a combined level of powers greater than the highest level power they possess, plus one for every personality more than the number of mental actions they are taking, to a maximum of their class level.
-Paranoia: Constantly convinced the world is out to get him, a broken mind grows ever more aware of their surroundings no matter how deluded they may be. The broken mind gains a bonus on all perception checks equal to twice their class level, and may increase all vision effects by 5 feet per class level they possess. Furthermore, the broken mind cannot be surprised. However, for the purpose of interacting with others, everyone's starting attitude with the broken mind starts at one step closer to hostile and broken mind's starting attitude towards anyone else starts at one step closer to hostile.
-Psychosis: Seething with hatred for the world fueled by delusion, a broken mind's abilities grow more volatile. Any power the broken mind manifests gains the evil descriptor, and the broken mind's manifester level increases by half their class level, but when ever they manifest a psionic power they take a number of points of damage equal to this bonus.
-Schizophrenia: Losing grip on reality, a broken mind's own perception starts to effect the perceptions of others. While a creature is under the effects of a power manifested by the broken mind, if the broken mind is affected by confusion the effected creature is also affected by the same kind of confusion so long as the broken mind is effected or until the effect that links them ends.

-In addition, a broken mind's insanity grows more resilient as they delve deeper into their abilities. A broken mind adds twice their class level to the DC of any save made to remove a form of insanity they possess. Restoration has no effect on the broken mind for the purpose or reducing the DC needed to be overcome to remove a form of insanity they possess, and effects that normally would immediately cure him of all forms of insanity must overcome the save DC of each form of insanity individually to remove them. If a form of insanity is removed, the shattered mind loses the benefit associated with the form of insanity until they regain said insanity.
-Furthermore, with each step they take a broken mind's psionic powers grow ever more distant from that of sane manifesters. For each class level a broken mind possesses, the DC to identify, dispel, or counter the broken mind's powers or for a broken mind to do the same to another manifester's powers increases by 1.

-Paragon of Madness (Su): With their minds shattered in every way, the broken mind has reached the height of their power, not only having irrevocably delved into madness but they have acquired the ability to afflict it upon others. Whenever a broken mind manifests a power on someone, he may expend his psionic focus to attempt to induce insanity in their target. The type of insanity is rolled at random and a Will save must be made to resist the effect. If the power effects a group of people, only one target may be selected to be driven insane. Whether the target succeeds or fails, the broken mind may not attempt this on a given target for the next 24 hours.


At present, some balancing is needed and maybe more added to it here and there. For rules regarding insanity, please click on this link (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/mastery/sanityAndMadness.html).




For another approach to pathfinder psionics, check out Ultimate Subpsionics (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?366199-Ultimate-Subpsionics).

qazzquimby
2015-03-01, 04:07 PM
Hello again :smallsmile:

I'll give more ideas later, but for now, look at this. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?329762-How-to-be-afraid-of-everything-(3-5-base))

Also the class that interacted with the world as if they were dreaming is relevant.

It might be hard making things like amnesia a benefit, and gaining abilities randomly may be frustrating if some are more fun than others, or fit their desired character better.

Xuldarinar
2015-03-01, 04:26 PM
Hello again :smallsmile:

I'll give more ideas later, but for now, look at this. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?329762-How-to-be-afraid-of-everything-(3-5-base))

Also the class that interacted with the world as if they were dreaming is relevant.

It might be hard making things like amnesia a benefit, and gaining abilities randomly may be frustrating if some are more fun than others, or fit their desired character better.


Thanks for being quick to post, and for both the link and the promise of more contributions later. I'll certainly look over those and see what I feel works.



I agree it may be tough to give amnesia a benefit. At first a thought came to me, being that as their mind is prone to forget things, and indeed has forgotten quite a bit, they become able to 'forget' damage and negative effects placed upon them aside from their insanities. I don't know how it would work and aside from mind over matter I know not how to justify it really.

As for random, I believe you are right. I'll shift it so its things they select, though their first certainly must be an insanity they already possess, being the one they used to enter the prestige class. (Edit: Done)

qazzquimby
2015-03-01, 11:28 PM
Is this retrograde or anterograde amnesia?

Anterograde makes more sense with what you said earlier, but might make the character very annoying to rollplay, as the party needs to remind you who you are and what you're doing every few minutes.

Retrograde doesn't really seem insane, as you're just missing your past.

As an iffy alternative, they could reimagine their past and swap out some subset of feats based on their history and professions, though that doesn't actually make any sense.

Xuldarinar
2015-03-01, 11:48 PM
Is this retrograde or anterograde amnesia?

Anterograde makes more sense with what you said earlier, but might make the character very annoying to rollplay, as the party needs to remind you who you are and what you're doing every few minutes.

Retrograde doesn't really seem insane, as you're just missing your past.

As an iffy alternative, they could reimagine their past and swap out some subset of feats based on their history and professions, though that doesn't actually make any sense.


Well, you bring up a good point there. With the insanity, it essentially just retrograde. This certainly makes it difficult to make a viable class feature relative to anterograde. As far as your suggestion, I like that. If it can be explained properly, I'll gladly put it up there in place or in part for that portion of the class feature.

qazzquimby
2015-03-02, 01:02 PM
-Mania/Phobia: The panphobic works really well. Maybe give a phobia as per the panphobic.

-Multiple Personality Disorder: Looks finished to me.

-Paranoia: Add that they can never be surprised, and maybe make everything one step more hostile towards them, though that's a pretty big downside.

-Psychosis: While the ability is very interesting, psychosis is just having delusions or hallucinations. Maybe you meant psychopathy, though that still isn't anything like your ability. Psychopathy would probably let you have no alignment, and stop alignment restrictions from effecting you. Intermittent explosive disorder is akin to raging like a barbarian, and might fit your ability. Also, at some point this is kind of like having a class that fights with their diseases, and giving them cancer which comes with all these upsides. Kind of offensive.

-Schizophrenia: Losing grip on reality, a broken mind's own perception starts to effect the perceptions of others. While a creature is under the effects of a power manifested by the broken mind, if the broken mind is affected by confusion the effected creature is also affected by the same kind of confusion so long as the broken mind is effected or until the effect that links them ends. This would be where the dreaming class would fit best, if you choose to use it.

Xuldarinar
2015-03-02, 04:18 PM
-Mania/Phobia: The panphobic works really well. Maybe give a phobia as per the panphobic.


This would work quite well for the phobia side. I'll do that, but should it be the same for the mania side of things? For the moment, i'll put it as the same but if a different idea comes along for one then i'll put it in gladly.



-Multiple Personality Disorder: Looks finished to me.


Im glad it does.



-Paranoia: Add that they can never be surprised, and maybe make everything one step more hostile towards them, though that's a pretty big downside.


I like the contribution, though I don't know about making everything more hostile to them. I'll put it in there until such time as an alternative is decided upon, and even extend it so they are more hostile starting out towards others when used for NPCs.



-Psychosis: While the ability is very interesting, psychosis is just having delusions or hallucinations. Maybe you meant psychopathy, though that still isn't anything like your ability. Psychopathy would probably let you have no alignment, and stop alignment restrictions from effecting you. Intermittent explosive disorder is akin to raging like a barbarian, and might fit your ability. Also, at some point this is kind of like having a class that fights with their diseases, and giving them cancer which comes with all these upsides. Kind of offensive.


Unfortunately I did mean psychosis, at least as described here (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/mastery/sanityAndMadness.html) for the rules of the game. I like the idea you have proposed, and I might just go with it. What I worked from was stating that this insanity fill the victim with hate for the world, and they have to fight to resist plotting the death and destruction of friend and foe alike.

As far as this being potentially offensive, the class as a whole. I am aware. Its not my attempt to offend anyone, any more than the cancer mage was intended to be offensive. Any class will offend someone. Any concept will. Any action. I know people offended by people drinking, and know of people who get offended if a man does not drink.



-Schizophrenia: Losing grip on reality, a broken mind's own perception starts to effect the perceptions of others. While a creature is under the effects of a power manifested by the broken mind, if the broken mind is affected by confusion the effected creature is also affected by the same kind of confusion so long as the broken mind is effected or until the effect that links them ends. This would be where the dreaming class would fit best, if you choose to use it.

I'll have to look into it and think on it a bit, but I might choose to make use of it.