The Ascendant (a Wealth-Free Base Class)

[Realms of Chaos]

THE ASCENDANT

This is my attempt at making a completely self-sufficient class, an odd combination of the monk class and VoP that puts more stress upon the “transcending mortal limits” aspect of the class than on the “kung-fu” aspect (indeed, this class can’t even use monk weaponry, limited entirely to unarmed combat).
Aside from some possible vorpal madness at level 20, I was wondering if there was anything in particular that seemed particularly wrong with the class. It’s been awhile since I posted up a class so please forgive any coding/formatting errors.


Hit Die: d8
Alignment: Any Lawful
Starting Gold: None

The Ascendant
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Flurry of Blows Attack Bonus|Unarmed Damage|AC Bonus|Mystic Ascension

1st|

+1

|

+2

|

+2

|

+2

| Perfection of Form, Flurry of Blows (-2), Unarmed Strike|

-1/-1

|

1d6

|

+1

|

-

2nd|

+2

|

+3

|

+3

|

+3

|Mastery of Self I, Mystic Ascension|

+0/+0

|

1d6

|

+1

|

1st

3rd|

+3

|

+3

|

+3

|

+3

|Bonus Feat, Transcend Mortality I|

+1/+1

|

1d6

|

+2

|

1st

4th|

+4

|

+4

|

+4

|

+4

|Mastery of Self II, Mystic Ascension|

+2/+2

|

1d6

|

+2

|

1st

5th|

+5

|

+4

|

+4

|

+4

|Bonus Feat, Flurry of Blows (-1)|

+4/+4

|

1d8

|

+3

|

1st

6th|

+6/+1

|

+5

|

+5

|

+5

|Mastery of Self III, Mystic Ascension|

+5/+5/+0

|

1d8

|

+3

|

2nd

7th|

+7/+2

|

+5

|

+5

|

+5

|Bonus Feat, Transcend Mortality II|

+6/+6/+1

|

1d8

|

+4

|

2nd

8th|

+8/+3

|

+6

|

+6

|

+6

|Mastery of Self IV, Mystic Ascension|

+7/+7/+2

|

1d8

|

+4

|

3rd

9th|

+9/+4

|

+6

|

+6

|

+6

|Bonus Feat, Flurry of Blows (no penalty)|

+9/+9/+4

|

2d6

|

+5

|

3rd

10th|

+10/+5

|

+7

|

+7

|

+7

|Mastery of Self V, Mystic Ascension|

+10/+10/+5

|

2d6

|

+5

|

4th

11th|

+11/+6/+1

|

+7

|

+7

|

+7

|Bonus Feat, Transcend Mortality III|

+11/+11/+6/+1

|

2d6

|

+6

|

4th

12th|

+12/+7/+2

|

+8

|

+8

|

+8

|Mastery of Self VI, Mystic Ascension|

+12/+12/+7/+2

|

2d6

|

+6

|

5th

13th|

+13/+8/+3

|

+8

|

+8

|

+8

|Bonus Feat, Flurry of Blows (extra attack)|

+13/+13/+13/+8/+3

|

2d8

|

+7

|

5th

14th|

+14/+9/+4

|

+9

|

+9

|

+9

|Mastery of Self VII, Mystic Ascension|

+14/+14/+14/+9/+4

|

2d8

|

+7

|

6th

15th|

+15/+10/+5

|

+9

|

+9

|

+9

|Bonus Feat, Transcend Mortality IV|

+15/+15/+15/+10/+5

|

2d8

|

+8

|

6th

16th|

+16/+11/+6/+1

|

+10

|

+10

|

+10

|Mastery of Self VIII, Mystic Ascension|

+16/+16/+16/+11/+6/+1

|

2d8

|

+8

|

7th

17th|

+17/+12/+7/+2

|

+10

|

+10

|

+10

|Bonus Feat, Flurry of Blows (full attack)|

+17/+17/+17/+12/+7/+2

|

2d10

|

+9

|

7th

18th|

+18/+13/+8/+3

|

+11

|

+11

|

+11

|Mastery of Self IX, Mystic Ascension|

+18/+18/+18/+13/+8/+3

|

2d10

|

+9

|

8th

19th|

+19/+14/+9/+4

|

+11

|

+11

|

+11

|Bonus Feat, Transcend Mortality V|

+19/+19/+19/+14/+9/+4

|

2d10

|

+10

|

8th

20th|

+20/+15/+10/+5

|

+12

|

+12

|

+12

|Final Ascension, Mastery of Self X|

+20/+20/+20/+15/+10/+5

|

2d10

|

+10

|

9th

[/table]
Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level, x4 at 1st level): Balance, Climb, Concentration, Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (any two skills, chosen at 1st level), Listen, Move Silently, Sense Motive, Speak Language, Spellcraft, Spot, Survival, Swim, Tumble

AC Bonus (Ex): An Ascendant, through endless training, has gained insight into the flow of battle and can dodge even unanticipated blows. You add your Wisdom bonus (if any) +1 to your AC. In addition, this bonus increases by +1 at each odd level afterwards. These bonuses apply to AC even against touch attacks or when flat-footed. You lose these bonuses when immobilized or helpless..

Flurry of Blows (Ex): An Ascendant knows how to strike with a flurry o blows at the expense of accuracy. When taking an attack or full attack action, you may make an extra attack at your highest base attack bonus, but this attack takes a –2 penalty, as does each other attack made that round. The resulting modified base attack bonuses are shown in the table above. This penalty applies for 1 round, so it also affects attacks of opportunity you may make before your next action.
At 5th level, the penalty lessens to –1. At 9th level, the penalty disappears. At 13th level, in addition to the standard single extra attack you get from flurry of blows, you get a second extra attack at your full base attack bonus. At 17th level, whenever you make a full attack as a flurry of blows, it only requires a standard action (instead of a full-round action).

Perfection of Form (Ex): An Ascendant, through strict discipline and spiritual enlightenment, slowly becomes an idealized version of themselves. At each class level, you may add a +1 bonus to any of your ability scores.

Unarmed Strike (Ex): Ascendants, having vowed to rely on their own bodies, become quite adept at fighting unarmed. You gain Imporved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. Your attacks may be with either fist interchangeably or even from elbows, knees, and feet. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack when you strike unarmed. You may thus apply your full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all your unarmed strikes.
Your unarmed strikes usually deal lethal damage but you can choose to deal nonlethal damage instead with no penalty on your attack roll. You have the same choice to deal lethal or nonlethal damage when grappling.
Your unarmed strike is treated both as a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve weapons or natural weapons.
You deal more damage with your unarmed strikes than a normal person would, as shown on the table above. You deal more damage if large and less damage if small, as shown on the table below.

                         Level
Size   1st-4th  5th-8th  9th-12th  13th-16th  17th-20th
Small     1d4      1d6      1d8        2d6        2d8
Large     1d8      2d6      3d8        4d6        4d8

Vow of Self-Sufficiency (Ex): All Ascendants have taken a vow to rely on nothing but their own bodies. As such, an ascendant may possess no items or equipment (including symbionts and grafts) on their person at any time other than a single nonmagical outfit and/or a single meal (Ioun stones and similar items count as being on your person for this purpose).
Having projectiles lodged in your body never breaks your vows and you may lift up items for the purposes of keeping them lifted (such as a portcullis) or to move them aside (such as rubble or boulders) but intentionally possessing other items or equipment upon your person for even a single round (other than your outfit, meal, and mundane filth/debris) results in breaking your vows.
If items or equipment are placed upon your person against your will, you must remove (or start the process of removing, in the case of sticky items, armor, etc) it from your person within 1 round or else your vow is broken. Time spent sleeping, unconscious, or otherwise unable to move does not count towards this duration). If an item takes multiple rounds to remove and you cease the removal process for even 1 round, your vow is broken. Using such an item to dispose of it or before disposing of it instantly breaks your vows.
If you break your vow intentionally, you lose all class features other than perfection of form and unarmed strike for 24 hours (even bonus feats and the benefits of your Mystic Ascension class feature). If you break your vow unintentionally, you instead lose them for a mere hour.
Ascendants who possess or obtain the vow of poverty feat lose its benefits immediately and cannot regain them through any means.

Mystic Ascension (Su): As an Ascendant grows more powerful, they gain a degree of mystical energy to support them. At each even level, you may choose a single spell to have active upon yourself at all times.
You may only select a spell that possesses a single target or with a range of personal. Furthermore, the Ascendant must be a legal target for that spell and it may not possess any XP cost, Foci, or expensive material components. Lastly, the spell must have a variable duration of at least 1 minute/level or a static duration of at least 1 hour. You may select the spell from any spell list but its spell level may not exceed the maximum spell level given on the table above.
In most cases, the spell functions continuously upon you. If the spell effect is expended or dismissed, it begins again once more 24 hours later. If the spell effect possesses a secondary duration after a specific trigger (such as “Permanent until triggered; then 1 round/level), the secondary duration is unchanged and the spell is considered expended once it ends (though the effect renews 24 hours later).
If a selected spell permits or requires a saving throw, it’s DC is 10 + spell level + your Wisdom modifier. For all purposes, your caster level equals your class level.
Whenever you gain a new ability in this way, you may switch a previous selection with another legal spell effect of the same spell level.

Mastery of Self (Ex): An Ascendant possesses the drive and prowess to complete almost any task given to them. Starting at 2nd level, you gain a pool of mastery points equal to your class level at the start of each round. You may spend any number of points to gain an equal bonus to an attack roll, saving throw, or skill check. Points left over from one round do not carry over into the next.
Starting at 4th level, you may spend a mastery point as a free action to grant yourself the benefits of a weapon special ability or armor special ability worth a +1 bonus for 1 round. The weapon special ability applies to your unarmed attacks and must be applicable with them. You may only grant yourself a single weapon special ability and a single armor special ability each round in this way.
Starting at 6th level, you can spend any number of mastery points as a free action to heal half as many hit points (rounded down).
Starting at 8th level, you may spend two mastery points as a free action to grant yourself the benefits of a weapon special ability or armor special ability worth up to a +2 bonus for 1 round. The weapon special ability applies to your unarmed attacks and must be applicable with them. You may only grant yourself a single weapon special ability and a single armor special ability each round in this way.
Starting at 10th level, you may spend any number of mastery points as a free action to grant yourself a +10 foot bonus to all movement speeds you possess per point spent and to negate one dice of damage taken from falling for each point spent. Lastly, you may move up to 5 feet per point spent without provoking attacks of opportunity.
Starting at 12th level, you may spend three mastery points as a free action to grant yourself the benefits of a weapon special ability or armor special ability worth up to a +3 bonus for 1 round. The weapon special ability applies to your unarmed attacks and must be applicable with them. You may only grant yourself a single weapon special ability and a single armor special ability each round in this way.
Starting at 14th level, you may spend four points as a free action to heal one point of ability damage or to remove the sickened, fatigued, or dazed condition from yourself. Alternately, you may spend a number of points equal to your class level as a free action to remove the heal one point of ability drain or to remove the exhausted, nauseated, or stunned condition from yourself.
Starting at 16th level, you may spend four mastery points as a free action to grant yourself the benefits of a weapon special ability or armor special ability worth up to a +4 bonus for 1 round. The weapon special ability applies to your unarmed attacks and must be applicable with them. You may only grant yourself a single weapon special ability and a single armor special ability each round in this way.
Starting at 18th level, you may spend any number of points to gain a bonus of equal size to any one roll that you make.
Starting at 20th level, you may spend five mastery points as a free action to grant yourself the benefits of a weapon special ability or armor special ability worth up to a +5 bonus for 1 round. The weapon special ability applies to your unarmed attacks and must be applicable with them. You may only grant yourself a single weapon special ability and a single armor special ability each round in this way.

Bonus Feat: At 3rd level and every odd level afterwards, you gain a bonus feat. You may select any feat you meet the prerequisites for to be one of your bonus feats

Transcend Mortality (Ex): An Ascendant slowly begins to become far more than a mere mortal. Starting at 3rd level, you no longer need to eat or drink to survive. Furthermore, your unarmed attacks are treated as magical for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.
Starting at 7th level, you no longer need to sleep in order to function properly. Furthermore, you gain DR 5/magic.
Starting at 11th level, you gain immunity to all forms of poison and to all diseases, including supernatural diseases. Furthermore, your unarmed attacks are treated as lawful for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.
Starting at 15th level, you no longer need to breath in order to function properly. Furthermore, your damage reduction increases to 10/magic.
Starting at 19th level, you cease to age and do not die when your time is up. You still gain mental ability score increases but gain no further physical ability score decreases. Furthermore, your unarmed attacks are treated as adamantine weapons.

Final Ascension (Su): At 20th level, an Ascendant achieves the pinnacle of their power. Your type changes to outsider (do not recalculate skill points). Unlike other outsiders, you can be brought back from the dead as if a member of your previous creature type. Furthermore, you gain a final ability, much like your mystic ascension class feature with one exception. The selected spell may possess a variable duration as short as 1 round/level or a static duration as short as one minute.

Ex-Ascendants:
An Ascendant who becomes nonlawful cannot gain new levels in Ascendant but retains all class features.
Ascendants who gains a new class or raises another class by a level may never again raise their Ascendant level, though they retain all class features.

Ascendants and Wealth by Level
Like a character with vow of poverty, an ascendant is intended to be played without any amount of wealth. Unlike vow of poverty, however, this class does not designate what happens to extra wealth when loot is being split up. Unless the DM takes care, this could lead to characters with too much wealth. How this is solved depends on the number of characters in the campaign, as follows.
Solo campaign: Just don’t give the Ascendant wealth. Pretty much a no-brainer.
2-3 character campaign: If you’re playing with such a small party, you are either already putting characters over WBL or you’re customizing what they get to make sure everyone is okay. Either way, keep doing what you’re doing.
4 character campaign: This is the hard one. To get proper WBL for all involved, alter the treasure per encounter as listed below.

Spoiler

Show

ECL   Treasure
 1     225 gp
 2     450 gp
 3     675 gp
 4     900 gp
 5     1,200 gp
 6     1,500 gp
 7     1,950 gp
 8     2,550 gp
 9     3,375 gp
 10    4,350 gp
 11    5,625 gp
 12    7,350 gp
 13    9,750 gp
 14    12,750 gp
 15    16,500 gp
 16    21,000 gp
 17    27,000 gp
 18    35,250 gp
 19    45,750 gp
 20    60,000 gp

5 character campaign: as the tables in the DMG are intended for a four-person party, just keep them unchanged.

Edit: Forgot to put in table for large and small Ascendants. Shall be added later when I have time.

[Sir Sanguine]

This is a really great and really well-executed idea. Pat yourself on the back! A nice, big pat. I would love to play one of these, especially at high levels or in an Arena match.

Flavor/conceptual things:

1) I never liked the fact that you can't use the monk class to play a chaotic dude that beats people up with his hands. If you want to beat people up with your hands effectively, you must be lawful, and that sucks, so I would remove the alignment restrictions and references to lawful in abilities. Alignment restrictions just stop people from playing fun characters.

2) It would be fun if they had proficiency with improvised weapons. "The man sits down next to you and pulls out a knife." "I breathe deeply, center myself, and then I pull out the chair from underneath him and hit him over the head with it."

(I was going to have a separate section for mechanical problems, but then I couldn't find any.)

[Realms of Chaos]

Okay. I just put in the table for large/small ascendants and...

wait a moment... a positive response?

Not that I'm not happy but I was positive that a half-dozen people were going to somehow show me that my class doesn't work or isn't worth it or something.

[Iferus]

Should Mythic Ascention instead give an additional spell at each odd level, or are you supposed to switch one of your spells to a higher level one at each odd level?

[Realms of Chaos]

Wait, what... oh, the table.

The mystic ascension portion of the table simply tells you the highest spell level of spell that you can choose, though I suppose that it's still confusing as that level increases at levels when you do not gain more such spells.

Okay, the class table has been fixed.

[Sir Sanguine]

Okay. I just put in the table for large/small ascendants and...

wait a moment... a positive response?

Not that I'm not happy but I was positive that a half-dozen people were going to somehow show me that my class doesn't work or isn't worth it or something.

Well, you neatly solved a lot of the problems of Vow of Poverty (lack of flight and similar). A super-powered optimizer starting at high level would probably not choose this class, because WBL is, alas, still more flexible, but it's fine for anybody else. Be proud!

[Cyrano]

Now, I read homebrew threads for fluff and for fun, mostly. I've only ever read a 3.0 handbook and that was years ago, so don't take me as some sort of person who's capable of balancing your class or understanding most of the rules. But out of curiosity...

"Ex-Ascendants:
An Ascendant who becomes nonlawful cannot gain new levels in Ascendant but retains all class features.
Ascendants who gains a new class or raises another class by a level may never again raise their Ascendant level, though they retain all class features."

"Vow of Self-Sufficiency (Ex):blah blah blah"

...does this mean that an individual who, by some chance, has become non-lawful, has the choice of A, playing a seriously underpowered second class or B, playing a regular powered class with a bunch of levels in another class, most of the features of which one does not receive? Just curious.

[Thamior]

can someone explain to me how, in any way this class in underpowered? I play DND all the time and I love to optimize, I play monk a lot when i really want to optimize, yet i see a lot of people saying that monk is underpowered, i'm horribly confused.

[Thamior]

Oh , and would it be OP to allow use of attack spells at-will for mystic ascension, although they would be taken a level lower or so

[Tinydwarfman]

can someone explain to me how, in any way this class in underpowered? I play DND all the time and I love to optimize, I play monk a lot when i really want to optimize, yet i see a lot of people saying that monk is underpowered, i'm horribly confused.

Oh boy, here we go.
*adds thread subscription*
*Makes popcorn*

Alright boys, let 'er rip!

In all seriousness, they are incredibly MAD (Multiple Attribute Dependent), they're class features are numerous but really bad and don't synergise with each-other, they have to shell out tons of cash for a decent weapon, and can't even get decent AC.

[Thamior]

I can see that, but i just work on it and make it work in my favor. This Ascendant class seems better though, the mastery points regenerating every round technically can give you + your level on any check every round, i dont see anything else with that much awesomeness

[Thamior]

so if monk is UP, where does this fare? http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=162365

[Tinydwarfman]

I can see that, but i just work on it and make it work in my favor. This Ascendant class seems better though, the mastery points regenerating every round technically can give you + your level on any check every round, i dont see anything else with that much awesomeness

Alright, I'll bite, how do you make glaring weaknesses work in your favor? Apart from making your opponent let his guard down because you're a monk of course. And really, if you do work with it's weaknesses and make it good regardless, that's your optimization carrying the class, not it's own merits.

so if monk is UP, where does this fare? http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=162365

I don't like it personally, too many numerical bonuses trying to overcompensate for the original monk, but it's certainly a good power increase. I'd say high tier 4 at first glance.

Also, you may not be aware, but Double Posting is Frowned Upon.

[Thamior]

ok, ill agree, I just never saw it. but this class seems overpowered, cool, but getting reasonable bonuses every round seems just plain awesome.

EDIT: oh, I'm relatively new to the whole posting idea, ill make sure to not do that in the future, thanks.

and what are Tiers?

[Zom B]

Sub-point first: Monks are good in games where you get to roll your stats and you roll lots of high numbers or your DM lets you do crazy things like 1-for-1 point buy. In most games utilizing core rules, all a monk really wants are Periapts of Wisdom (or Amulets of Mighty Fists if going for a more offense-oriented monk), Gloves of Dexterity, and either a Monk's Belt or a Belt of Giant Strength. Having the Giant Strength crafted as Bracers would not really be out of the question as the item slot fits the theme of the item and both belt and arms are one-item slots, unlike, say, rings. If your DM is tailoring magic item handouts to the players' classes, the monk's rewards will be predictable. Or maybe he'll get inventive and give you brass knuckles you can enchant like a weapon and add effects to your attacks.

As for the class, all it really needs is good fluff to justify why they are more human than human. Otherwise, I like it. I'm a bit worried about someone ending up with massive bonuses to one stat with Perfection of Form. Since you never lose that bonus and it's untyped, I can see that someone might dip this for, say, 4 or 6 levels to add +4 or +6 to one stat, say Strength, then switching to a Power-Attacking Barbarian build that is stacking a +6 Belt of Giant Strength on top of the Perfection of Form bonus.

and what are Tiers?

http://brilliantgameologists.com/boa...p?topic=1002.0

[blueblade]

I don't fully understand Mystic Ascension. Can I run all the spells at once, or just 1 at a time? If it's all, that's pretty much a class on it's own, no?

And are you seriously permitting up to 9th level personal spells on at all times? Since it's (Su) it can be dispelled and doesn't work in AMF at least, right?

What spell list are we allowed to use? If it's all of them, can I pick the lowest level for my spell?

And according to the material components rules, I would have the following perm'd abilities?
- Fly is fine at lvl 8
- Stoneskin at lvl 10 (how do i recharge it though?)
- Greater Heroism at lvl 12
- Mind Blank is fine at 18th
- Shapechange is out. Actually, 9th level isn't great for buffs in core. Probably Foresight (never got why that was 9th level)

[Tinydwarfman]

BTW, Realms, do you have a Homebrewer's signature or something? I'd really like to look at some of your other work.

[Realms of Chaos]

Tinydwarfman: I do keep a list of my works laying around but I don't have an extended signature (or at least not yet ).

Cyrano: Correct. For most purposes, becoming an ex-ascendant means losing all class features. This isn't that unusual for classes where you can fall from grace, however (though it is more punnishing than the original monk in this regard).

Zomb B: Putting on that belt of giant strength +6 means that those 6 levels you spent give you +6 strength and pretty much nothing else. It's not that unbalancing.
I have the fluff in my head but it just sounds plain corny whenever I start to write it down. If anybody could help me here, it would be most appreciated.

Blueblade: You get them all at the same time. Although it seems excessive, having access to spell effects is an integral part of (trying to) replace WBL. At least this is what I believe.
On an unrelated note, I believe that some people try to justify Foresight's spell level by saying it gives them a half-second view into the future involving absolutely everything, allowing them to avoid some mistakes entirely.

Thamior: I was tempted to make instantaneous effects usable but I'm pretty sure that only madness rests down that path (there's a reason why no affordable items grant fireballs and cones of cold at will, I'd wager). Maybe I'll make a feat, though...

[Zom B]

Even if I switch to the aforementioned Barbarian build, I still get +6 BAB, +5 to all saves, and a +6 untyped bonus to strength. I'd take that in a heartbeat.

It's even arguable that I get to keep the bonus feats and the permanent spell, as it could be interpreted that the class abilities only initiate the spell or the feat gain, not sustain it. But even if I lost either of those, I'm happy.

[Realms of Chaos]

Okay. An update on my part. I altered the vow of self-sufficiency, doing several things with it.
1. It now explicitly robs you of your bonus feats and mystic ascensions when your lose your abilities. Still good for some multiclassing but not the most ideal class for doing so.
2. You can now possess grime and other such debris on your person without breaking the vow (in case your DMs think themselves "clever")
3. I gave the ascendant one round of conscious and mobile action to remove (or at least start removing in some situations) any item placed on them against their will so shoving hats onto your head won't work and placing items on your while you sleep won't do a thing.
4. To prevent abuse with the new wording, it is specifically states that using items placed upon your person unwillingly breaks your vow.

This system is still far from perfect but it should prevent most abuse.


Also...

The Epic Ascendant

{table=head]Level|Special|AC Bonus

21st|Bonus Feat|

+11

22nd|Epic Ascension|

+11

23rd|Bonus Feat|

+12

24th|Epic Ascension|

+12

25th|Bonus Feat|

+13

26th|Epic Ascension|

+13

27th|Bonus Feat|

+14

28th|Epic Ascension|

+14

29th|Bonus Feat|

+15

30th|Epic Ascension|

+15

[/table]

AC Bonus: Your AC bonus continues increasing at every odd level.

Perfection of Form: You continue adding a +1 bonus to one of your ability scores whenever you gain a class level.

Mystic Ascension: For all abilities you have selected, your caster level equals your class level.

Mastery of Self: You possess mastery points equal to your class level.

Bonus Feat: At each odd level, you may select a new bonus feat. You may select any feat for which you meet all prerequisites.

Epic Ascension (Su): At each even level, you may gain a new spell to be active upon your person. This acts as the Mystic Ascension class feature, selecting any non-epic spell with a variable duration as short as 1 round/level or a static duration as short as one minute. Unlike even your final ascension, however, you may select a spell with an XP cost or expensive material component (but not with a focus).


Feats for the Ascendant:

Spoiler

Show

ASCENDANT FEATS: All feats labeled with the Ascendant tag require an Ascendant's Vow of Self-Sufficiency. Furthermore, any character with such feats who breaks their vow loses the benefits of the feat for as long as they lose their class features.

Flexible Vows [Ascendant]
You can advance yourself without quite as much discipline as others.
Prerequisites: Vow of Self-Sufficiency
Benefits: Once per day, when you would otherwise violate your vow, you may reduce the amount of time that the abilities are lost.
If you broke the vow unintentionally, your powers return after 1d4+1 rounds. Otherwise, they return after 1d4+1 minutes.
Special: You may select this feat multiple times, gaining additional uses per day each time.

Focused Mastery [Ascendant]
By focusing, you can enhance the mastery that you possess over yourself.
Prerequisites:Vow of Self-Sufficiency, Mastery of Self
Benefits: As a full-round action, you may regain mastery points up to your ascendant class level.
As a standard action, you may regain mastery points up to half of your ascendant class level (rounded down).
As a move action, you may regain mastery points up to one fourth of your ascendant class level (rounded down, to a minimum of 0).
You may not exceed your normal limit of mastery points in this way.

Beyond Time [Ascendant, Epic]
You have managed to transcend the barriers of time itself.
Prerequisites: Vow of Self-Sufficiency, Mastery of Self
Benefits: As a free action, you may spend mastery points equal to half of your ascendant class level to gain an extra move action or points equal to your ascendant class level to gain an extra standard action.
Alternately, as a free action, you may spend mastery points equal to your ascendant class level to gain a free round of action (as the time stop spell) immediately following your turn. If you do so, however, you do not regain any mastery points during that round or for the next 10 rounds afterwards.

Personal Perfection [Ascendant, Epic]
You have pressed your mind and body to their absolute limits.
Prerequisites: Vow of Self-Sufficiency
Benefit:Choose one ability score. You gain a +1 bonus to this ability score for every 5 ascendant class levels that you possess.
Special: This feat may be selected multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time it is selected, you must choose a new ability score.

Higher Ascension [Ascendant, Epic]
You have reached the utmost peak of mystical might.
Prerequisites: Vow of Self-Sufficiency, Final Ascension
Benefit: You gain an additional mystic ascension, selecting any non-epic spell within normal limitations.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple times, gaining an additional mystic ascension each time.