AstralFire
2007-10-27, 03:45 PM
Hello. This is the first custom PrC I've made in years (literally), and I'm a bit rusty, though I think the intent of what I'm trying to make is quite apparent. Criticism is very welcome, though on the balance note, realize that this class is best reached by the Wilder and Psychic Warrior classes - the former is not very strong, the latter doesn't benefit as much, and the delayed rate of powers known will strongly discourage Psions. It has high saves and attack bonus and HD, but it's only 5 levels long.
EXTERNALIST
Power not just of the body, but the mind - that is a virtue espoused by people from many walks of life. The monk, the soulknife, the psychic warrior, the swordsage; they all follow this path, internalizing the two forces and creating an inner balance. But there are those who see their bodies as part of the cycle of opposites, rather than the battleground.
These people bare their souls to the world, and a metaphysical reaction occurs as light and dark meet, always taking a different form; perhaps fire, perhaps ice, perhaps something else.
Requirements
To qualify to become an externalist, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Alignment: Any but True Neutral. Externalists must have some philosophy which espouses change in the world.
Base Attack Bonus: 4+
Feats: Psionic Weapon or Psionic Fist, Quicken Power
Skills: Concentration 8 ranks, Autohypnosis 8 ranks.
Psionics: Must know and be able to manifest one of the following powers: Energy Ray, Energy Push, Energy Stun, Energy Missile, Energy Bolt, Energy Burst, Energy Wall, Energy Wave, Energy Adaptation, Energy Adaptation (Specified), Energy Conversion, Energy Cone, Energy Current. These powers are henceforth referred to as 'Energy Powers'.
Special: Wild Surge class ability.
Hit Dice: d8
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Psionics
1st|
+1|
+0|
+2|
+2|Surging Strength, Energy of Choice, Energy Channeling (+4)|+1 level of existing manifesting class
2nd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+3|External Surge|+1 level of existing manifesting class
3rd|
+3|
+1|
+3|
+3|External Alignment, Energy Channeling (+3)|+1 level of existing manifesting class
4th|
+4|
+2|
+4|
+4|Graceful Euphoria|+1 level of existing manifesting class
5th|
+5|
+2|
+4|
+4|Energy of Power, Energy Channeling (+2)|+1 level of existing manifesting class[/table]
Class Skills:
The externalist's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Externalists gain proficiency with all martial weapons, but no armor.
Manifesting: At every level, the Externalist gains access to power points per day as if she had also gained a level in whatever manifesting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (bonus feats, metapsionic or item creation feats, psicrystal special abilities, and so on). This essentially means that she adds the level of externalist to the level of whatever manifesting class the character has, then determines power points per day, and manifester level accordingly.
If a character had more than one manifesting class before she became an externalist, she must decide to which class she adds the new level of externalist for the purpose of determining power points per day, and manifester level.
Surging Strength: The Externalist adds her class level to her levels in whatever class granted her the Wild Surge ability to determine the strengths and effectiveness of her Psychic Enervation, Wild Surge, and Surging Euphoria class abilities.
Energy of Choice: At first level, the Externalist chooses a type of Energy: Fire, Cold, Sonic, or Electric. When manifesting one of the aforementioned Energy Powers, she gains a bonus to the strength of the power depending on the type of energy chosen.
Fire: The burning heat you generate disrupts the internal equilibrium of foes. Targets who fail their save against your Fire Powers are Sickened for the next round. If the attack used does not normally require a save, then this effect does not occur.
Cold: Your attacks freeze foes' limbs, slowing movement. Targets who fail their save against your Cold Powers are Entangled for the next round. If the attack used does not normally require a save, then this effect does not occur.
Electricity: Your brilliant lightning attacks arc over the battlefield with swift precision; you have 50% more range with these attacks than normal.
Sonic: Your attacks resonate and linger in the foe, heightening their vulnerability. Targets who fail their saves against your sonic powers take a -2 penalty to their AC for confirming a critical hit; this penalty remains for the rest of the encounter and stacks over time, to a maximum penalty of -2 for every level of Externalist. If the attack used does not normally require a save, then this effect does not occur.
Energy Channeling (Su): At first level, the Externalist begins to master the art of combining body and soul. As part of her Psionic Weapon, Psionic Fist, Deep Impact or Unavoidable Strike attack, she can immediately manifest a Quickened Power. This quickened power must be one of her energy powers and it must be of the element she chose at first level. This power can be augmented, Wild Surge affects this power as normal, but no metapsionic feats apply. Quickening a power in this way only requires 4 additional power points, rather than 6. At third level, this reduces to 3 additional power points, and at fifth it lowers again to 2.
The Externalist can fire the stored energy from Energy Conversion as part of Energy Channeling instead of manifesting a power, but only when the stored energy matches her Energy of Choice.
External Surge: At second level, the Externalist learns to relieve herself of the backlash from Psychic Enervation. If Psychic Enervation is triggered during Energy Channeling, she can enter a battle of wills with the target she attacked; the two roll opposed Will saves. If the Externalist wins, the target suffers the negative effects of Psychic Enervation rather than the Externalist.
External Alignment: At third level, the Externalist gains the [Good], [Evil], [Law] or [Chaos] subtype as appropriate to her alignment. If she qualifies for two of these subtypes, she chooses which aspect to champion more broadly. If this component of her alignment ever changes, she may alter her subtype appropriately, unless she has become True Neutral; see "Former Externalists" below.
Graceful Euphoria: At fourth level, the Externalist learns to use her surge of emotions to move intuitively; henceforth, she applies her Surging Euphoria bonus to her armor class.
Energy of Power: At fifth level, the Externalist gains more skill in using her Energy of Choice. This benefit replaces that of the original Energy of Choice.
Fire: The burning heat you generate disrupts the internal equilibrium of foes. Targets who fail their save against your Fire Powers are Nauseated for the next round, and Sickened until they take a standard action to regain equilibrium. If the attack used does not normally require a save, then this effect does not occur.
Cold: Your attacks freeze foes' limbs, slowing movement. Targets who fail their save against your Cold Powers are Slowed (as the spell) for the next round, and Entangled until they take a standard action to break off the ice. If the attack used does not normally require a save, then this effect does not occur.
Electricity: Your brilliant lightning attacks arc over the battlefield with swift precision; you have 50% more range with these attacks than normal, and you may reroll any miss due to concealment.
Sonic: Your attacks resonate and linger in the foe, heightening their vulnerability. As before, targets who fail their saves against your sonic powers take a -2 penalty to their AC for confirming a critical hit; this penalty remains for the rest of the encounter and stacks over time, to a maximum penalty of -2 for every level of Externalist.
In addition, if the target normally has immunity or protection from critical hits, some of this protection fades; total immunity becomes a 75% chance of failure (as medium fortification), medium fortification becomes a 25% chance of failure (as light fortification), and light fortification is nullified. This effect lasts until the target takes a standard action to steady themselves.
If the attack used does not normally require a save, then these effects do not occur.
Former Externalists: An externalist who becomes True Neutral loses access to all class features (except enhanced manifesting) until they adopt another alignment in pursuit of changing the world.
EXTERNALIST
Power not just of the body, but the mind - that is a virtue espoused by people from many walks of life. The monk, the soulknife, the psychic warrior, the swordsage; they all follow this path, internalizing the two forces and creating an inner balance. But there are those who see their bodies as part of the cycle of opposites, rather than the battleground.
These people bare their souls to the world, and a metaphysical reaction occurs as light and dark meet, always taking a different form; perhaps fire, perhaps ice, perhaps something else.
Requirements
To qualify to become an externalist, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Alignment: Any but True Neutral. Externalists must have some philosophy which espouses change in the world.
Base Attack Bonus: 4+
Feats: Psionic Weapon or Psionic Fist, Quicken Power
Skills: Concentration 8 ranks, Autohypnosis 8 ranks.
Psionics: Must know and be able to manifest one of the following powers: Energy Ray, Energy Push, Energy Stun, Energy Missile, Energy Bolt, Energy Burst, Energy Wall, Energy Wave, Energy Adaptation, Energy Adaptation (Specified), Energy Conversion, Energy Cone, Energy Current. These powers are henceforth referred to as 'Energy Powers'.
Special: Wild Surge class ability.
Hit Dice: d8
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Psionics
1st|
+1|
+0|
+2|
+2|Surging Strength, Energy of Choice, Energy Channeling (+4)|+1 level of existing manifesting class
2nd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+3|External Surge|+1 level of existing manifesting class
3rd|
+3|
+1|
+3|
+3|External Alignment, Energy Channeling (+3)|+1 level of existing manifesting class
4th|
+4|
+2|
+4|
+4|Graceful Euphoria|+1 level of existing manifesting class
5th|
+5|
+2|
+4|
+4|Energy of Power, Energy Channeling (+2)|+1 level of existing manifesting class[/table]
Class Skills:
The externalist's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Externalists gain proficiency with all martial weapons, but no armor.
Manifesting: At every level, the Externalist gains access to power points per day as if she had also gained a level in whatever manifesting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (bonus feats, metapsionic or item creation feats, psicrystal special abilities, and so on). This essentially means that she adds the level of externalist to the level of whatever manifesting class the character has, then determines power points per day, and manifester level accordingly.
If a character had more than one manifesting class before she became an externalist, she must decide to which class she adds the new level of externalist for the purpose of determining power points per day, and manifester level.
Surging Strength: The Externalist adds her class level to her levels in whatever class granted her the Wild Surge ability to determine the strengths and effectiveness of her Psychic Enervation, Wild Surge, and Surging Euphoria class abilities.
Energy of Choice: At first level, the Externalist chooses a type of Energy: Fire, Cold, Sonic, or Electric. When manifesting one of the aforementioned Energy Powers, she gains a bonus to the strength of the power depending on the type of energy chosen.
Fire: The burning heat you generate disrupts the internal equilibrium of foes. Targets who fail their save against your Fire Powers are Sickened for the next round. If the attack used does not normally require a save, then this effect does not occur.
Cold: Your attacks freeze foes' limbs, slowing movement. Targets who fail their save against your Cold Powers are Entangled for the next round. If the attack used does not normally require a save, then this effect does not occur.
Electricity: Your brilliant lightning attacks arc over the battlefield with swift precision; you have 50% more range with these attacks than normal.
Sonic: Your attacks resonate and linger in the foe, heightening their vulnerability. Targets who fail their saves against your sonic powers take a -2 penalty to their AC for confirming a critical hit; this penalty remains for the rest of the encounter and stacks over time, to a maximum penalty of -2 for every level of Externalist. If the attack used does not normally require a save, then this effect does not occur.
Energy Channeling (Su): At first level, the Externalist begins to master the art of combining body and soul. As part of her Psionic Weapon, Psionic Fist, Deep Impact or Unavoidable Strike attack, she can immediately manifest a Quickened Power. This quickened power must be one of her energy powers and it must be of the element she chose at first level. This power can be augmented, Wild Surge affects this power as normal, but no metapsionic feats apply. Quickening a power in this way only requires 4 additional power points, rather than 6. At third level, this reduces to 3 additional power points, and at fifth it lowers again to 2.
The Externalist can fire the stored energy from Energy Conversion as part of Energy Channeling instead of manifesting a power, but only when the stored energy matches her Energy of Choice.
External Surge: At second level, the Externalist learns to relieve herself of the backlash from Psychic Enervation. If Psychic Enervation is triggered during Energy Channeling, she can enter a battle of wills with the target she attacked; the two roll opposed Will saves. If the Externalist wins, the target suffers the negative effects of Psychic Enervation rather than the Externalist.
External Alignment: At third level, the Externalist gains the [Good], [Evil], [Law] or [Chaos] subtype as appropriate to her alignment. If she qualifies for two of these subtypes, she chooses which aspect to champion more broadly. If this component of her alignment ever changes, she may alter her subtype appropriately, unless she has become True Neutral; see "Former Externalists" below.
Graceful Euphoria: At fourth level, the Externalist learns to use her surge of emotions to move intuitively; henceforth, she applies her Surging Euphoria bonus to her armor class.
Energy of Power: At fifth level, the Externalist gains more skill in using her Energy of Choice. This benefit replaces that of the original Energy of Choice.
Fire: The burning heat you generate disrupts the internal equilibrium of foes. Targets who fail their save against your Fire Powers are Nauseated for the next round, and Sickened until they take a standard action to regain equilibrium. If the attack used does not normally require a save, then this effect does not occur.
Cold: Your attacks freeze foes' limbs, slowing movement. Targets who fail their save against your Cold Powers are Slowed (as the spell) for the next round, and Entangled until they take a standard action to break off the ice. If the attack used does not normally require a save, then this effect does not occur.
Electricity: Your brilliant lightning attacks arc over the battlefield with swift precision; you have 50% more range with these attacks than normal, and you may reroll any miss due to concealment.
Sonic: Your attacks resonate and linger in the foe, heightening their vulnerability. As before, targets who fail their saves against your sonic powers take a -2 penalty to their AC for confirming a critical hit; this penalty remains for the rest of the encounter and stacks over time, to a maximum penalty of -2 for every level of Externalist.
In addition, if the target normally has immunity or protection from critical hits, some of this protection fades; total immunity becomes a 75% chance of failure (as medium fortification), medium fortification becomes a 25% chance of failure (as light fortification), and light fortification is nullified. This effect lasts until the target takes a standard action to steady themselves.
If the attack used does not normally require a save, then these effects do not occur.
Former Externalists: An externalist who becomes True Neutral loses access to all class features (except enhanced manifesting) until they adopt another alignment in pursuit of changing the world.