[3.5] Yet another new Daggerspell Guardian: Daggerspell Psychic [PrC]
Daggerspell Psychic
The Daggerspell Guardians, well known for the more populous mages and shapers, have in recent times begun the training of new types of guardians to assist them in their missions and goals. A cabal of psions have come together to share their arts and were offered membership within the Daggerspell Guardians to bring their strange powers of the mind to bear against the forces of evil. They accepted. A few years later, the cabal and the guardians taught each other much and a new school of psychic battle techniques were formed as the daggerspell psychics took to the shadows.
Most daggerspell psychics begin their careers as rogues, before branching out into psion (usually egoists or nomads with the occasional telepath) or wilder. Some are psychic warriors or lurks as well.
Hit Die: d6
Requirements:
Alignment: Any non-evil
Skills: Concentration 8 ranks
Feats: Weapon Focus (dagger), Two-Weapon Fighting, Psionic Meditation
Special: Sneak attack +1d6, manifester level 5th
Daggerspell Psychic
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
|Powers
1st|+0
|+0
|+2
|+2
|Daggerspell Refocus|-
2nd|+1
|+1
|+3
|+3
|Manifestation of the Knife|+1 level of existing manifesting class
3rd|+2
|+1
|+3
|+3
|Sneak Attack +1d6|+1 level of existing manifesting class
4th|+3
|+1
|+4
|+4
|Precision Focus|+1 level of existing manifesting class
5th|+3
|+2
|+4
|+4
|Psionic Channel|+1 level of existing manifesting class
6th|+4
|+2
|+5
|+5
|Sneak Attack +2d6|+1 level of existing manifesting class
7th|+5
|+2
|+5
|+5
|Psychokinetic Knife|+1 level of existing manifesting class
8th|+6
|+3
|+6
|+6
|Psychic Throw|+1 level of existing manifesting class
9th|+6
|+3
|+6
|+6
|Sneak Attack +3d6|+1 level of existing manifesting class
10th|+7
|+3
|+7
|+7
|Daggerspell Flurry|+1 level of existing manifesting class [/table]
Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Psicraft (Int), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), and Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points per Level: 6 + Intelligence modifier.
Class Features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: The daggerspell psychic receives no new weapon or armor proficiencies.
Daggerspell Refocus (Ex): When making a full attack action with a dagger in each hand, the daggerspell psychic may attempt to gain psionic focus as a free action.
Powers Known: Beginning at 2nd level, a daggerspell psychic gains additional power points per day and access to new powers 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 daggerspell psychic to the level of whatever manifesting class the character has, then determines power points per day, powers known, and manifester level accordingly.
If a character had more than one manifesting class before she became a daggerspell psychic, she must decide to which class she adds the new level of daggerspell psychic for the purpose of determining power points per day, powers known, and manifester level.
Manifestation of the Knife (Su): The daggerspell psychic learns the ability to store touch powers within his daggers. The character may store one power per dagger for a number of rounds equal to his Charisma modifier. If the character makes a successful melee attack with one of his daggers, he may discharge the power into the target, inflicting whatever effect the power would normally cause from the melee touch attack in addition to his dagger damage.
Sneak Attack (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level, a daggerspell psychic deals an extra 1d6 points of damage when flanking an opponent or at any time when the target would be denied its Dexterity bonus. This extra damage applies to ranged attacks only if the target is within 30 feet. It increases to 2d6 points at 6th level and 3d6 points at 9th level. If a daggerspell psychic gets a sneak attack bonus from another source (such as levels of rogue or lurk), the bonuses on damage stack.
Precision Focus (Ex): The daggerspell psychic uses the power of his mind to slow down his view of reality, allowing him to strike at an opponent's vital weak points. As a swift action, the character expends his psionic focus and makes an opposed Concentration check to his opponent's Sense Motive + Base Attack Bonus check. If the daggerspell psychic succeeds, his target is considered flat-footed against him for the round and is denied its Dexterity modifier to its AC (if any).
Psionic Channel (Su): Daggerspell psychics are adept at finding ways around evil's defenses, and some of the most evil creatures in existence often have strong resistance to powers that effect the mind. By storing a mind affecting power within one of his daggers through use of his Manifestation of the Knife ability, he may expend his psionic focus when he delivers a melee attack to cause creatures that are normally immune to mind effecting powers (such as undead and constructs) to become fully effected by the power stored within his dagger, as long as they have an Intelligence score.
Psychokinetic Knife (Su): The arts of the Daggerspell Guardian have been adapted by the psychics to infuse their blades with their psychokinetic abilities. As a swift action, the daggerspell psychic may infuse his daggers with his destructive psychic powers. The character spends two power points per round he wishes to infuse his weapons with the psychokinetic burst weapon enhancement.
Psychic Throw (Ex): The daggerspell psychic learns the ability to use thrown daggers to deliver the deadly effects of his powers to his foes. The psychic can deliver a touch power with a thrown dagger just as if he were making a melee attack. If the dagger hits, the touch power is discharged against the creature or object struck. If the dagger misses its intended target, the dagger returns to the psychic just before his next turn (as if it had the returning special ability; see page 225 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide) and retains the power just as if the psychic had missed with a melee attack.
Daggerspell Flurry (Ex): A 10th-level daggerspell psychic can blend manifesting with a flurry of mindblade attacks. When using this ability, a daggerspell psychic may expend his psionic focus to quicken one power as part of a full attack with his daggers. Doing this has no effect on the power's effective level. A daggerspell psychic must make at least one melee attack in any round in which he uses this ability, and he cannot make an attack with anything other than his daggers (although if a power manifester in conjunction with this ability requires an attack roll, he can still make the power's attack). A daggerspell psychic can use this ability a number of times per day equal to his Dexterity modifier (minimum 1).
Re: [3.5] Yet another new Daggerspell Guardian: Daggerspell Psychic [PrC]
First impression: A soulknife/psion gish? :smallconfused:
Prereqs: I see why you put Weapon Focus (mind blade) and Psicraft ranks, but they deviate from the Daggerspell standard, as does the lack of Sneak Attack. Narrow Mind is unnecessary.
Psiknives: Dagger-shaped mind blades are good, double psiknife is good, but each of a pair of mind blade weapons should have a max enhancement bonus of 1 less than a single mind blade would have; see the Shape Mind Blade class feature. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/classes/soulknife.htm)
Mind blade advancement: Fine for a soulknife PrC.
Manifesting progression: Good.
Manifestation of the Knife: I'm pretty sure a touch spell/power charge can be held indefinitely until you discharge it or cast/manifest something else. I could be wrong, but I don't think the time limit is necessary.
Mental Leap: I don't see what this has to do with the class. Filler?
Psionic Channel: Good.
Evasion: This also seems like filler, and ECL 13-14 seems kind of late to be getting it.
Daggerspell Flurry: Good.
Overall: Honestly, this doesn't look like a Daggerspell Guardian. The psiknife idea is interesting, but it should have its own class; it doesn't fit the concept of the Daggerspell classes (rogue/caster). Take a look at the adaptation section of the Daggerspell mage, it has some good suggestions for a psionic Daggerspell.
Sorry, but I think it's back to the drawing board for this one. :smallfrown:
Re: [3.5] Yet another new Daggerspell Guardian: Daggerspell Psychic [PrC]
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Nate the Snake
First impression: A soulknife/psion gish? :smallconfused:
Prereqs: I see why you put Weapon Focus (mind blade) and Psicraft ranks, but they deviate from the Daggerspell standard, as does the lack of Sneak Attack. Narrow Mind is unnecessary.
Well, soulknives get weapon focus mind blade at 1st level, so it struck me as a nonsensical requirement. I left it in there. Narrow Mind is unnecessary, you're right. The other daggerspell classes are arguably gishes as well, but I was sitting down thinking about a psionic daggerspell guardian and I had three options on the table: rogue, lurk, or soulknife. As I have a great distaste for lurks, I thought well, the closest thing to a psychic rogue is the soulknife. It has many of the same skills and has an acrobatic flair to it (imho). Which leads into the next topic.
Quote:
Psiknives: Dagger-shaped mind blades are good, double psiknife is good, but each of a pair of mind blade weapons should have a max enhancement bonus of 1 less than a single mind blade would have; see the Shape Mind Blade class feature. (
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/classes/soulknife.htm)
Daggercast is pointless to psions. They can be completely surrounded by hardened concrete and still manifest their powers. So I was stumped for a moment, and this is also where soulknife edged out rogue. Instead of trying to think of a new way for daggercast to make a difference, I decided to implant soulknife into the solution. Dagger-mindblades seemed to be a good answer for no daggercast. The reason why I allow psiknives to have the same enhancement bonus as the single mindblade is that daggers aren't as good as shortswords, and with the stipulation that the DSP can't use his class features without having psiknives in both hands... and to be honest, most people taking this class are going to use the Practiced Manifester shortcut for entry to max their manifesting or their just going to take the single level of soulknife, it seemed wise to give them something to make their mindblade better and more unique. This way, it fits with the theme of the classes and gives them a different way to use their mindblade.
Quote:
Mind blade advancement: Fine for a soulknife PrC.
Of course.
Quote:
Manifesting progression: Good.
Of course.
Quote:
Manifestation of the Knife: I'm pretty sure a touch spell/power charge can be held indefinitely until you discharge it or cast/manifest something else. I could be wrong, but I don't think the time limit is necessary.
I got it from the Invocation of the Knife ability of the daggerspell mage. They have the exact same limitation. Symmetry is the culprit here.
Quote:
Mental Leap: I don't see what this has to do with the class. Filler?
Guilty. :smallredface:
Quote:
Psionic Channel: Good.
Thank you.
Quote:
Evasion: This also seems like filler, and ECL 13-14 seems kind of late to be getting it.
Hrm, yeah.. perhaps you're right. I was thinking because Rangers and Swordsages don't get it until 9 or so, it'd be okay.
Quote:
Daggerspell Flurry: Good.
*nods*
Quote:
Overall: Honestly, this doesn't look like a Daggerspell Guardian. The psiknife idea is interesting, but it should have its own class; it doesn't fit the concept of the Daggerspell classes (rogue/caster). Take a look at the adaptation section of the Daggerspell mage, it has some good suggestions for a psionic Daggerspell.
Sorry, but I think it's back to the drawing board for this one. :smallfrown:
I wanted to go with something different than just change the word spell to power and let'er rip ya know? I wanted to make it my own. Otherwise I'd basically be utterly reprinting copyrighted material with two or three words changed.
I appreciate the critique of course. Perhaps some suggestions as to what the next step from here would be? I really want to keep the soulknife portion of the class, I think it adds a certain individuality to the class, but if I can get a good argument as to why it doesn't fit, then I'd need a replacement for the core ability of the other classes, Daggercast.
Anyhow, hope to hear back!
-X
Re: [3.5] Yet another new Daggerspell Guardian: Daggerspell Psychic [PrC]
Removed the two filler items.
I'm considering replacing them with soulknife psychic strike advancement at 4th and 8th levels respectively. Thoughts?
-X
Re: [3.5] Yet another new Daggerspell Guardian: Daggerspell Psychic [PrC]
Totally rebuilt the class to remove the soulknife portions of the class, to make it a more rogue/manifester class per Nate the Snake's suggestions. Also added psionic meditation as a prereq because of the overwhelming awesome of Daggerspell Refocus.
Please let me know what you think!
-X
Re: [3.5] Yet another new Daggerspell Guardian: Daggerspell Psychic [PrC]
*bump*
Just looking to see if anyone thinks that this retooled version of the daggerspell psychic works or not. I'm mostly wondering about my Daggerspell Refocus and Precision Focus abilities.
Please let me know whatcha think.
Thanks!
-X
