[Template] And no tear fell...

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Centered

A Centered is a being who has seperated himself from other living beings by becoming utterly divorced from emotion, wants and personality. This is done by the deepest concentration and meditation until sensation has been eradicated. A Centered shall never again cry a tear, feel an ounce of compassion, or even simple happiness. They are ultimately objective, following only a cold, inhuman logic dictated by unfeeling nothingness. This state is sometimes sought purposely, by those wishing to abolish their wants in the name of religion, personal philosophy, or even the power they feel it will bring. Others merely delve too deeply within themselves and that which makes themselves is lost to the depths.


Sample Centered

This hag appears strangely upkept with washed clothes and a lack of their normally atrocious smell. Her movements are vague and her voice without inflection. Her gaze appears far away and unfocusing, except when something attracts her attention at which point they become as points of fire that seem to look straight through you.

Centered Annis
Large Monstrous Humanoid (psionic)
Hit Dice: 7d8+14 (45 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 20 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +10 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+18
Attack: Claw +13 melee (1d6+7)
Full Attack: 2 claws +13 melee (1d6+7) and bite +8 melee (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, psi-like abilities, rake 1d6+7, rend 2d6+10, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Clarity of thought, damage reduction 2/bludgeoning, darkvision 60 ft., freed of emotion, spell resistance 19 Saves: Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +10
Abilities: Str 25, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 13, Cha 6
Skills: Autohypnosis +14, Concentration +15, Bluff +12, Diplomacy +6, Disguise +4 (+6 acting), Hide +9, Intimidate +6, Listen +14, Spot +14
Feats: Alertness, Blind-Fight, Great Fortitude
Environment: Cold marshes
Organization: Solitary or covey (3 hags of any kind plus 1–8 ogres and 1–4 evil giants)
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: True Neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: -

Combat
Centered annis' rarely attack without being provoked, but if so remain icily calm and unphased, but begin to plan thoroughly and thoughtfully a strategic retaliation to best result.

Clarity of Thought (Ex): A centered annis has perfect mental poise and may take 10 on Autohypnosis and Concentration checks (a Centered considers these as trained skills), even if rushed or threatened. As well, they recieve a +4 bonus on all skill checks and Will saving throws.

Freed of Emotion (Ex): A centered annis gains immunity to all charm, emotional (crushing despair, hideous laughter, and morale penalties), fear, and pain affects. A Centered loses all personal abilities based on excess of emotion, such a barbarian's Rage or wilder's Wild Surge. A centered also cannot benefit from spells and abilities such as bardic inspiration.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an annis must hit a Large or smaller opponent with a claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Psi-like Abilities: Manifester level 7th.
3/day Conceal Thoughts; 1/day Hypercognition.

Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +13 melee, damage 1d6+7. An annis can attack a grappled foe with both claws at no penalty.

Rend (Ex): An annis that hits with both claw attacks latches onto the opponent’s body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals an extra 2d6+10 points of damage.

Spell-Like Abilities: Caster level 8th.
3/day - disguise self, fog cloud.


-=-=-=-=-=-

Creating a Centered
"Centered" is an aquired template that can be added to any creature with an intelligence score of 10 or higher and does not have an alignment-based subtype.
Size and Type: The creature’s type does not change. It gains the psionic subtype.
Special Attacks: A Centered retains all the special attacks of the base creature and also gains the following special attacks.
Psi-like Abilities: 3/day Conceal Thoughts. 1/day Hypercognition. Manifester level = Center's HD. Save DC's are Intelligence-based.
Special Qualities: A Centered retains all the special qualities of the base creature and also gains the following special qualities.
Clarity of Thought (Ex): A Centered has perfect mental poise and may take 10 on Autohypnosis and Concentration checks (a Centered considers these as trained skills), even if rushed or threatened. As well, they recieve a +4 bonus on all skill checks and Will saving throws.
Freed of Emotion (Ex): A centered creature gains immunity to all charm, emotional (crushing despair, hideous laughter, and morale penalties), fear, and pain affects. A Centered loses all personal abilities based on excess of emotion, such a barbarian's Rage or wilder's Wild Surge. A centered also cannot benefit from spells and abilities such as bardic inspiration.
Pure Intellect (Ex): The save DC's for a Centered's supernatural affects, psi/spell-like abilities, and spells/psionics become Intelligence-based if they were before based on Charisma or Wisdom.
Abilities: Modify the base creature's ability scores as follows: -4 Charisma, +4 Intelligence.
Challenge Rating: As base creature +1.
Level Adjustment: +2
Alignment: Always neutral.

[Altair_the_Vexed]

You've not listed a Level Adjustment for the template - is that intentional? Can PCs not be Centred?
I'm not sure that +2 to CR is right. Consider a Centred goblin warrior - he's hardly more of a challenge.

I like this concept, but I have a little trouble with the terminology. Rather than "Centered" - which in many eastern philosophy / religions is a desirable beatific and joyous (an emotionally rich) state - perhaps use something like "Logistician" or "Emotionless".

[Brickwall]

Centered is a cooler name.

I like this one, VT. It really lives up to any and all expectations the name might have. I plan to use this.

Oh, you should probably change that to "Always True Neutral"

So, if their lack of emotions is psionic, what happens when they enter antimagic? Surely those parts of the brain still exist. Do they regain emotion temporarily?

Is the creature capable of sexual reproduction any more (if, for some reason, they thought it logical to do such a thing)?

Is this emotionless state breakable (such as a Vulcan's emotional rampage that happens once every 7 years, or something)?

All in all, it's very good. My questions are frivolous and will probably never come up, but I'd like them answered nonetheless.

[Altair_the_Vexed]

Yes, "centred" is a cool name, but I find it just a little bit belittling of a state of being that is aspired to by a great many religious people (including me) - given that it includes the absence of positive emotions.

Just my opinion. It'll not be called "centered" if it gets transcribed into my game.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

You've not listed a Level Adjustment for the template - is that intentional? Can PCs not be Centred?

Added.

I'm not sure that +2 to CR is right.

Was meant to be a +1.

Consider a Centred goblin warrior - he's hardly more of a challenge.

Because a goblin warrior would not benefit from hardly any of it. A blue goblin however would gain quite a bit from it.

I like this concept, but I have a little trouble with the terminology. Rather than "Centered" - which in many eastern philosophy / religions is a desirable beatific and joyous (an emotionally rich) state - perhaps use something like "Logistician" or "Emotionless".

Well, it has multiple meanings. The only 'centered' I know of is meaning basically 'in control'.

So, if their lack of emotions is psionic, what happens when they enter antimagic? Surely those parts of the brain still exist. Do they regain emotion temporarily?

Their lack of emotions is not psionic (hence how all their special qualities are Extraordinary instead of Supernatural), but those in this particular state can tap their psionic potential somewhat.

Is this emotionless state breakable (such as a Vulcan's emotional rampage that happens once every 7 years, or something)?

No, this isn't mere self control. It'd probably be closer to brain damage than anything. For a better idea of what I'm getting at take a look at That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis. I was inspired by the villians of the story who purposefully and methodically kill all sensation in themselves, both mental and physical, one by one, until they feel neither emotion nor pain, 'transcending' their animal minds they call it.

[Brickwall]

Can a wish or miracle or even lesser wish eliminate this? Restoration or greater restoration?

So if they damaged the part of the brain that commands certain hormones to be produced (such as adrenaline and other such emotion hormones), does this prevent sexual reproduction? Does this template make them sterile?

[Fax Celestis]

You've not listed a Level Adjustment for the template - is that intentional? Can PCs not be Centred?
I'm not sure that +2 to CR is right. Consider a Centred goblin warrior - he's hardly more of a challenge.

Yes, but think about six Centered Treants (or somesuch). Autohypnosis to resist death, too.

And a question: are they immune to the symbols: symbol of pain, symbol of insanity, etc?

Finally, you qualify it being immune to morale penalties...but what about morale bonuses?

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Can a wish or miracle or even lesser wish eliminate this? Restoration or greater restoration?

Oh, I'm sure Wish or Miracle could be rid of it... though that could probably apply to any template practically.

So if they damaged the part of the brain that commands certain hormones to be produced (such as adrenaline and other such emotion hormones), does this prevent sexual reproduction? Does this template make them sterile?

Mentally sterile most likely. And its not actual damage but an unnatural change to the functioning of the mind itself.

And a question: are they immune to the symbols: symbol of pain, symbol of insanity, etc?

Symbol of pain yes (hence the immunity to pain), but not insanity as it doesn't really have anything to do with emotions.

Finally, you qualify it being immune to morale penalties...but what about morale bonuses?

They aren't affected by either.

"A centered also cannot benefit from spells and abilities such as bardic inspiration."

Inspire Courage for example gives morale bonuses.

[Abd al-Azrad]

This may be one of those templates that could benefit from some spell/ritual printed to allow PCs to achieve the state of Centered. Then again, it could be massively unfulfilling to roleplay a Centered character.

[Fax Celestis]

They aren't affected by either.

"A centered also cannot benefit from spells and abilities such as bardic inspiration."

Inspire Courage for example gives morale bonuses.

I can't brain today. I have The Dumb.

[Fax Celestis]

This may be one of those templates that could benefit from some spell/ritual printed to allow PCs to achieve the state of Centered. Then again, it could be massively unfulfilling to roleplay a Centered character.

Why? It's just 2e True Neutral with some psionics. ;)

[The Demented One]

Hypercognition 1/day for +1 LA? Hmm, not quite overpowered, but definantly not right. Maybe put an HD requirement on it? 13 or so HD before you can get it?

[Abd al-Azrad]

I can't brain today. I have The Dumb.

Ahh! Get away! Don't you know how contagious The Dumb is?

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Hypercognition 1/day for +1 LA? Hmm, not quite overpowered, but definantly not right. Maybe put an HD requirement on it? 13 or so HD before you can get it?

Except all Hypercognition does is get an answer to a question. Thats it. A +20 to a skill check basically. For PC's it'd probably be overpowered, letting them in on the DM's secrets, but the creature is unlikely to be able to use it much against the PC's.

[Artisan]

For everyone who ever wanted to play a Vulcan...

Kidding :D

It's a cool idea, although if I were to play one I might lose the Psionics (more out of ignorance of them than actual malice)

Hmmm...this gives me an idea; a group of Centred Monks who follow some 'higher power' and assassinate peoplw ith not a care? Hmmm...

[martyboy74]

Yes! This thing looks awesome! Finally, a way to play psions well! ;D