Dreamscarred Press Announces Psionics Augmented: Wilder

[Slithery D]

....No. Lemme try an example here.

Elmedra is a 2nd level Empty Heart. Her Manifester Level is normally 2; she can spend 2 PP on manifesting a single power. She invokes her Hollow Surge while manifesting energy ray. Hollow Surge reduces her ML to 1 for the purposes of this manifestation, which would normally mean she cannot augment the power; however, Feed the Void lets her spend her Empty Heart level (2) instead of her (current) Manifester Level (1), since it's higher. She spends the extra power point; her energy ray deals 2d6, has a maximum range of 25 feet (her lowered ML means she doesn't get the proper 30-foot range) and it's treated as though manifested by a 1st level character for all other relevant purposes.

That didn't contradict what I said. My point was that rarely is anything but Empty Heart class level going to matter, so the "or highest ML" is mostly pointless, confusing to people like me, or only very rarely relevant if you take enough PrC +manifester levels or item boosters to raise your ML higher with Hollow Surge penalty higher than your Empty Heart levels. Given what a mistake PrCing is away from Wilder surge ability enhancements, it seems like an unecessary addition.

It's not a big deal. Maybe nobody but me will wonder about it.

[Kamai]

Don't think about it like a generalist vs. a specialist; what we have here is a case of a person (the Cross-Discipline Master in this case) specializing in a few, specific powers. A kineticist is more talented at manipulating force and energy, but our CDM has dedicated a ton of time and energy into being the Best Guy Ever at, oh, energy current. He's not showing up a specialist at his schtick; he is a specialist, in a much more narrow band.

This is the one that still feels odd. What if our Kineticist wants to be good at manipulating force and energy, but wants Energy Current to be his go to weapon? On top of this, our Psion/Student Wilder picks up another expanded knowledge, and he now has that same mastery over say Expansion. I'm not really convinced that this fits that feel as is. Finally, with something like Student Wilder, outside of not being able to pick up a 9th level, I could pick up the key school powers of a discipline that I want, and have this benefit over a chunk of the discipline that the specialist could never access.

[Mostlymad]

With the right feats (Overchannel, Biokinetic Feedback, X-Discipline Adept) and affordable equipment for the level you can manifest Astral Construct IX at level 9.

[Lord_Gareth]

So...you may have noticed that I haven't checked in for awhile.

I've had a storm of real life drama. Failed lumbar punctures, moved across the continent, searching for a job, all that manner of thing. To appease your angry wrath, I bring you 2 new powers:

Surge Augmentations: Many of the powers described in this chapter have additional or increased effects if a wild surge is invoked when they are manifested. These effects will be described under ‘Surge Augment’, beneath the ‘Augmentation’ section of the power’s description.

Biokinetic Endurance
Discipline: Psychometabolism
Level: Psion/wilder 3, psychic warrior 3
Display: Visual
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 minute/level
Power Points: 5
You alter your body’s rhythms, defending yourself against crippling attacks and turning your skin (as well as fur, feathers, or scales) a pale gray color. Whenever damage would be dealt to one of your physical ability scores by a source other than you, reduce that damage by 2 points, to a minimum of 0.

Augment: For every 2 additional power points you spend, the ability damage reduced by this power increases by 1 point.

Surge Augment: If you invoke your wild surge while manifesting this power, choose one of the following augmentations:
1. The power’s range changes to close (25 ft. plus 5 ft. per 2 class levels) and its target changes to ‘one creature’.
2. You gain DR X/-, where X is equal to your wild surge’s intensity.

Melpomene’s Psionic Howl
Discipline: Psychokinesis
Level: Psion/Wilder 2
Display: Auditory
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 30 ft.
Area: 30 ft. radius burst centered on you
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude half
Power Points: 3
You unleash a blast of charged sonic energy that manifests as a howling shriek. Creatures and objects within the area suffer 3d4 points of sonic damage, and hostile creatures that fail their saves become deafened for 1 round per manifester level as the sound persists in their minds, drowning out all others.

Augment: You may augment this power in one or both of the following ways:
1. For every additional power point you spend, this power’s damage increases by one die (d4). For each extra 2 dice of damage, this power’s save DC increases by 1.
2. If you spend an additional 4 power points, you may exclude any number of allies or objects from the power’s effects.

Surge Augment: If you invoke your wild surge while manifesting this power, double its range and area.


If I'm being perfectly honest, these are the first two powers I've ever designed. Feedback much appreciated.

[Slithery D]

1. I'm not opposed in principle to the concept of surge augmentations, but I don't like that it would only to apply to new powers. If you're going there, you might as well add it to most of the existing powers (and republish them all!) or not bother.

2. Compare the free surge augment DR on Biokinetic Endurance to what you get from Biofeedback. It's too much free cheese.

3. Get rid of the surge augments and I think Biokinetic Endurance is a very good concept for a power. I'm not sure about the balance as a level 3 power, however. It makes you mostly immune to a lot of poisons plus good resistance against others. Maybe it needs to be a higher level or start at 1 point of defense before augmentations.

4. Psionic Howl is completely inconsistent with all existing energy powers. They all either (1) do acid damage or (2) do the type of your active energy type (fire, cold, electricity, or sonic) gained with psionic focus. What's the fluff reason for this to break the mold?

It's also inconsistent in damage dice. Crystal attacks do 1d4, all other energy do 1d6 plus/minus modifier, if any.

If you standardized Psionic Howl you'd have something like Energy Burst plus a debuff effect similar to Energy Stun, and there's just not a need for that.

[weckar]

Some of the feats that key off Wild Surge seem to be missing it as a prerequisite. Other than that, I can't wait to use some of these; Telepathic Feedback and Enduring Mind in particular (although for the latter the self-harm clause might be extended to spells).

[Lord_Gareth]

1. I'm not opposed in principle to the concept of surge augmentations, but I don't like that it would only to apply to new powers. If you're going there, you might as well add it to most of the existing powers (and republish them all!) or not bother.

We'll potentially be looking into this, actually.

2. Compare the free surge augment DR on Biokinetic Endurance to what you get from Biofeedback. It's too much free cheese.

Eh...'free'. Surging is risky. Enervation hurts, even with mitigating feats. Plus, honestly...Biofeedback is kinda...why would you use it? Intensity scales slowly enough that I'm not particularly worried.

3. Get rid of the surge augments and I think Biokinetic Endurance is a very good concept for a power. I'm not sure about the balance as a level 3 power, however. It makes you mostly immune to a lot of poisons plus good resistance against others. Maybe it needs to be a higher level or start at 1 point of defense before augmentations.

This will be taken into consideration.

4. Psionic Howl is completely inconsistent with all existing energy powers. They all either (1) do acid damage or (2) do the type of your active energy type (fire, cold, electricity, or sonic) gained with psionic focus. What's the fluff reason for this to break the mold?

You'll note the 'howl' part? Melomene's Psionic Howl is a furious scream of energized sound, not just amplified but infused with hostile intent. Note the text on the deafened, with the scream ringing in your victims' ears, blocking out all other sound?

It's also inconsistent in damage dice. Crystal attacks do 1d4, all other energy do 1d6 plus/minus modifier, if any.

Bossman's informed me that this isn't a sacred cow, which is something I suspected. D6 is a popular die for damage-based magic & powers but it's far from a requirement. I used d4 specifically because of the inevitable comparisons to energy burst, upon which the power is indeed based. The area is also somewhat smaller, but thanks to how nasty Deafened can be as a condition I feel that it scales competitively and forms a viable alternative to energy burst - lower damage, but more crowd-safe.

If you standardized Psionic Howl you'd have something like Energy Burst plus a debuff effect similar to Energy Stun, and there's just not a need for that.

Indeed - which is why it's not 'standard'. You can expect to see more powers that break the mold in one way or another in the future, from me and from other releases, as we explore the possibilities and identity of psionics.

[Lord_Gareth]

This one's just because I'm excited about it:

Kyria’s Crystalline Aura
Discipline: Metacreativity
Level: Psion/wilder 4, psychic warrior 5
Display: Material
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level
Power Points: Psion/wilder 7, psychic warrior 9
You create a cloud of whirling, razor-sharp crystals around yourself. When you manifest this power, choose defensive or offensive (you may alter this choice as a swift action). While this power is in defensive mode, the shards lock together to protect you from attacks; you benefit from cover (this does not impede your own attacks) and gain a +3 shield bonus to AC, as well as a +3 circumstance bonus to Reflex saves. While this power is in offensive mode, creatures within a 10 ft. radius of you suffer 5d6 slashing damage at the beginning of each round (and whenever they voluntarily enter a space within 10 ft. of you) and must succeed at a Reflex save or be forced into the nearest unoccupied space within 15 ft. of you.

Augment: You may augment this power in one or both of the following ways:
1. For every 2 additional power points you spend, the shield bonus and Reflex save bonus granted by the defensive mode increases by 1, and the damage of the offensive mode increases by 1 die (d6).
2. For every 2 additional power points you spend, the area of the offensive mode, as well as the distance it pushes creatures, increases by 5 ft.

Surge Augment: If you invoke your wild surge while manifesting this power, you may choose to manifest it in both defensive and offensive mode at the same time. If you do so, you may not switch its mode for this manifestation, and its duration is cut in half (rounded down).

[Ssalarn]

Cross-posted from the Paizo forums:

Biokinetic Endurance-
This is huge leaps and bounds beyond the equivalent lesser restoration, and even beyond the higher level restoration as well. Amongst other things, this 3rd level power is capable of completely shutting down abilities like the Advanced Rogue Talent Crippling Strike, a Ninja or Alchemist's Poison Use, the Ninja's Pressure Points Trick, it completely negates the Strength damage from weird (a 9th level spell), makes a Rod of Withering useless, .... The list goes on for a really long time. There are whole swaths of abilities that this just says "**** you" to, and monsters it completely negates. This needs an "or until discharged" added to the duration and a line that says something to the effect of "Once this ability has negated 1 point of ability damage per manifester level, it is discharged".


Melpomene's Psionic Howl-
The first thing that jumps out is how powerful the Surge Augment is. That is really, really strong. Your flavor text also indicates a mental component to the ability, which is weird. I feel like you through all the stuff about how it affects objects in their specifically so it would affect constructs and undead, but that's inconsistent with the ability having a lingering mental effect like the deafness is described as being. This either needs a mind-affecting descriptor added, or you need to accept that all of the affects can't and shouldn't be applicable to every single challenge. The standard augments are basically fine.

Kyria's Crystalline Aura-
I'm assuming this provides partial cover? This is way too strong. You're granting a +5 bonus to AC and a +4 bonus to Reflex saves at 7th level that scales up to +11 AC, +10 Reflex and stacks with most other bonuses (In addition to being able to be converted into an offensive power with nearly as much defensive potential). If you intended that to be cover and not partial cover, it's actually +7/+5 scaling to +13/+11. It's worth noting as well cicumstance bonuses aren't actually intended to apply to saves so the +10 you'll be able to get will probably be pure gravy on top of any normal save boosters. You need to change the "and whenever they voluntarily enter a space within 10 ft. of you". It creates 5 foot step shenanigans and reinforces the fact that this a "**** you" ability aimed at melee combatants. Another problem here is that your offensive ability is probably at least as defensively powerful against any opponent who doesn't use ranged attacks as the actual defensive power, so it's either "nyah nyah, no one can hit me" or "nyah nyah, melee can't hit me and they'll get the equivalent of a 6th level cleric spell to the face for trying, probably more than once.

[Lord_Gareth]

And the powers document is up and ready to rock!

As always, feedback appreciated. Feels good to be back in the swing.

[deuxhero]

Biokinetic Rhythms should say bonus, not modifier. Negative fast healing should be avoided,

Biokinetic rhythms as currently written will stack with vulnerabilities. This is fine but it should be clear if this is +50% then another +50% or +100% (double)

[Lord_Gareth]

Biokinetic Rhythms should say bonus, not modifier. Negative fast healing should be avoided,

This will be fix'd.

Biokinetic rhythms as currently written will stack with vulnerabilities. This is fine but it should be clear if this is +50% then another +50% or +100% (double)

I...think you meant Fracture Pattern here? Can you confirm/deny so I can address the concern/edit the ability properly?

[stack]

I'm sure this has been commented on heavily, but I'm not sure about the mental equilibrium feat. For wilder's with dazing surges it is a feat tax, but even with the feat I don't see ever going free wilder over student or one of the other surge types. I suppose it makes chaotic surge more palatable. I would rather see it opened up to any enervation induced status effect, then the milder enervation can still use the feat if they wish.

Again, repeating what others said, but stacking overchannel with wild surge using biokinetic feedback seems problematically powerful, especially with astral construct and other strongly scaling powers.

Cross discipline X - I have nothing to add to the questions already asked about these.

Vent agony-I suppose if you combine with mental equilibrium and don't try to reduce your enervation chance it could be interesting. Sort of a chance for a free-action daze that costs PP. If it gave you the option to enervate automatically...still not sure its worth it.

Psychic Celerity - cool

Biokinetic adept and shielding are interesting. Curious to see how they work in actual play.

Cleaving Power - neat

Piercing Surge - I like it. Gives the wilder a little bonus that psions can't get.

Inspired gift - potentially a large bonus when combined with the proposed prestige classes. By the time the bonuses get large skills aren't as important anyway.

[Lord_Gareth]

I'm sure this has been commented on heavily, but I'm not sure about the mental equilibrium feat. For wilder's with dazing surges it is a feat tax, but even with the feat I don't see ever going free wilder over student or one of the other surge types. I suppose it makes chaotic surge more palatable. I would rather see it opened up to any enervation induced status effect, then the milder enervation can still use the feat if they wish.

Current version now reads:

Mental Equilibrium [Psionic]
You are skilled in coping with psychic enervation.
Prerequisites: wild surge
Benefit: You are immune to the initial effect inflicted by psychic enervation (your own or others); that is, you are immune to the effect that does not cause you to lose hit points or power points (if your psychic enervation only causes you to lose hit points or power points, this feat has no effect). You still suffer any other effects of the psychic enervation.

Lemme know if that wording needs fixing or improvement.

Again, repeating what others said, but stacking overchannel with wild surge using biokinetic feedback seems problematically powerful, especially with astral construct and other strongly scaling powers.

Can I ask for some number crunching on this one? I'm not quite convinced that it's as big a problem as is being advertised (especially since astral construct took a knife to the kidneys in the edition change...) and Overchannel does have its own scaling controls.

Cross discipline X - I have nothing to add to the questions already asked about these.

First, an alteration to Cross Discipline Master:

Cross-Discipline Master [Psionic]
Your mastery over foreign disciplines peaks.
Prerequisites: Cross-Discipline Adept, ML 11th
Benefit: Reduce the power point cost of powers you manifest, but which are not on your class list, by 2.

Aside from that, I can only say that when I get around to Psion down the line you'll see in-discipline specialization. Wilder, however, isn't really an in-disc kinda guy. Wilder's got a long and storied history of snagging powers outside of their list because they want to augment their tiny "powers known" anyway. These belong here, thematically, and it's not entirely my fault that Wilder's the first one shown.

Vent agony-I suppose if you combine with mental equilibrium and don't try to reduce your enervation chance it could be interesting. Sort of a chance for a free-action daze that costs PP. If it gave you the option to enervate automatically...still not sure its worth it.

It's also nice for psychic warriors or melee cryptics who make frequent use of Overchannel.

Psychic Celerity - cool

Danke. I'll note that this is the only forum thus far that's noted any issue with Psychic Celerity - and amusingly, it's a lot weaker/more gated than some...equivalent...content from Path of War.

Biokinetic adept and shielding are interesting. Curious to see how they work in actual play.

Cleaving Power - neat

Piercing Surge - I like it. Gives the wilder a little bonus that psions can't get.

^_^

Inspired gift - potentially a large bonus when combined with the proposed prestige classes. By the time the bonuses get large skills aren't as important anyway.

So...good? Bad?

[stack]

New wording on mental equilibrium looks sound. It specifically seems written to combine with vent agony without making that feat useless.

As for vent agony, I don't really see using it on anyone but a wilder, though a wilder using overchannel and with a bad surge penalty could get some use out of it. I don't see psi-wars or cryptics relying enough on overchannel to spend the feat rather than just mitigating the overchannel penalty with talented, especially since they won't have any CHA for the dc and talented doesn't play nice with vent agony (wording seems to mean that the damage doesn't occur, not that you are immune to it, though I guess it could be read either way). Note, make the DC based on manifester stat rather than CHA so it isn't utterly worthless to others. Obviously the feat works well with volcanic mind, but it ought to, being a pre-req. In short, I see using it in a volcanic mind-specific build, unlikely to bother on a normal wilder, and never on anything else. Niche, but useful enough in that niche.

Inspired gift is probably fine, I don't know of too many ways that giving a wilder a skill boost that starts small and scales well would actually hurt anything.

Didn't surge adept used to boost wild surge levels beyond normal leveling? That is something I had in mind when commenting on overchannel and wild surge stacking. At level 4 (earliest you can get expanded knowledge for a level 1 power for a wilder, if you can find the feat somehow) stacking overchannel w/ surge gets you +3 for ML 7 and a construct two levels higher than a psion (not using overchannel) or 1 lvl above psion w/overchannel. At lvl 7 you get +4 for 11 total ML, still +2 construct levels above a psion with or without overchannel. 8 makes it +5, so ML 13 and 3 lvls above psion w/o oc, 2 with. At level 11 you get +6 for ML 17, maxing AC, roughly valued as a 9th level power with all that augmentation, 3 above psion w/o OC, 2 above with. At 15 you are at +8, capping out ML on the power and not really contributing to this exercise.

Blasting would be easier to quantify, but I don't feel like making a spreadsheet at the moment. I'm less concerned about blasting power anyhow, even though I'm sure it would scare a certain, apparently common, type of DM. There are probably other powers that could generate issues, but I though AC made a good example.


Wild Mind - only against mind effecting but a decent bonus. Not likely to have room early and there are other ways of boosting that particular defense in the late-game. There's nothing wrong with it, but I wouldn't expect it to see much use. Not sure how to punch it up.

Biokinetic Rhythms - I don't have a problem with it, but there is a large group that wants to burn anything that smacks of unlimited healing so I would expect resistance. Especially with how it combines with a vitalist in the group. Still, the time limit and CON dependency keeps it more than reasonably limited so I think it should be fine even in more healing-conservative games.

Biokinetic Surge - mostly eliminates any long term danger from ability damage (and most short-term as well), especially combined with enervation mitigation. Too powerful. One feat shouldn't so nearly negate the entire threat of the mechanic, even though its a mechanic I dislike strongly. Not sure how to bring it in line without nerfing it to uselessness.

Countersurge - neat. Do you have to identify the spell/power? At first I expected that it would grant a counterspell check, but reducing the level is useful if I understand things correctly. In fact, wouldn't reducing the level below the minimum to cast the spell prevent it from being cast? If so, this becomes and auto-counterspell for a caster's highest levels spells, which would be too powerful. Otherwise it is less powerful that a counterspell, given that so many spells would not be strongly impacted by losing a few CL. In fact, mostly only blasting spells would be hurt since a few rounds off a round/level duration doesn't matter much in the mid levels if the fight only lasts a few rounds anyhow. Given the way powers scale it would be more effective against them.

Telepathic feedback - nice if it comes up a lot, pass otherwise. Its never impressive damage, so I really wouldn't bother unless facing a lot of telepaths/enchanters.

Pain bonding - wilder with a collective? interesting. Depends on the group. Probably better off mitigating the impact of enervation with other feats though, unless this builds to something else.

Enduring/armored mind - I believe others have commented heavily enough on these. I don't think this mechanic would be well received.

Surge blade - without a prestige class to synergise them, I'm not mixing soulknife and wilder.

[deuxhero]

I...think you meant Fracture Pattern here? Can you confirm/deny so I can address the concern/edit the ability properly?

Oh yes, sorry. Did mean Fracture Pattern.

[Lord_Gareth]

Okay, so - the Cross-Discipline feats have been axed. On the other hand, you might want to look at the end of the PrC Doc

[Lord_Gareth]

Oh yes, sorry. Did mean Fracture Pattern.

Awesome. At the moment, effect priority means you increase by 50%, then increase by another 50% of the new total. This was intended.

[Lord_Gareth]

As for vent agony, I don't really see using it on anyone but a wilder, though a wilder using overchannel and with a bad surge penalty could get some use out of it. I don't see psi-wars or cryptics relying enough on overchannel to spend the feat rather than just mitigating the overchannel penalty with talented, especially since they won't have any CHA for the dc and talented doesn't play nice with vent agony (wording seems to mean that the damage doesn't occur, not that you are immune to it, though I guess it could be read either way). Note, make the DC based on manifester stat rather than CHA so it isn't utterly worthless to others. Obviously the feat works well with volcanic mind, but it ought to, being a pre-req. In short, I see using it in a volcanic mind-specific build, unlikely to bother on a normal wilder, and never on anything else. Niche, but useful enough in that niche.

DC has been fixed.

Inspired gift is probably fine, I don't know of too many ways that giving a wilder a skill boost that starts small and scales well would actually hurt anything.

Excellent.

Didn't surge adept used to boost wild surge levels beyond normal leveling? That is something I had in mind when commenting on overchannel and wild surge stacking. At level 4 (earliest you can get expanded knowledge for a level 1 power for a wilder, if you can find the feat somehow) stacking overchannel w/ surge gets you +3 for ML 7 and a construct two levels higher than a psion (not using overchannel) or 1 lvl above psion w/overchannel. At lvl 7 you get +4 for 11 total ML, still +2 construct levels above a psion with or without overchannel. 8 makes it +5, so ML 13 and 3 lvls above psion w/o oc, 2 with. At level 11 you get +6 for ML 17, maxing AC, roughly valued as a 9th level power with all that augmentation, 3 above psion w/o OC, 2 above with. At 15 you are at +8, capping out ML on the power and not really contributing to this exercise.

Emphasis mine. Yes, but that was never intended and has since been fixed hardcore.

Wild Mind - only against mind effecting but a decent bonus. Not likely to have room early and there are other ways of boosting that particular defense in the late-game. There's nothing wrong with it, but I wouldn't expect it to see much use. Not sure how to punch it up.

Eh, I'm fine with it where it is.

Biokinetic Rhythms - I don't have a problem with it, but there is a large group that wants to burn anything that smacks of unlimited healing so I would expect resistance. Especially with how it combines with a vitalist in the group. Still, the time limit and CON dependency keeps it more than reasonably limited so I think it should be fine even in more healing-conservative games.

Also good. I am not worried about "unlimited" healing. Healing is cheap.

Biokinetic Surge - mostly eliminates any long term danger from ability damage (and most short-term as well), especially combined with enervation mitigation. Too powerful. One feat shouldn't so nearly negate the entire threat of the mechanic, even though its a mechanic I dislike strongly. Not sure how to bring it in line without nerfing it to uselessness.

Some ability damage gets quite nasty. Biokinetic surge is an option to help negate it in combat but it won't stave it off for long unless you kill the source - and every action spent on it is an action where you're not doing that.

As far as out of combat, eh, healing is cheap.

Countersurge - neat. Do you have to identify the spell/power? At first I expected that it would grant a counterspell check, but reducing the level is useful if I understand things correctly. In fact, wouldn't reducing the level below the minimum to cast the spell prevent it from being cast? If so, this becomes and auto-counterspell for a caster's highest levels spells, which would be too powerful. Otherwise it is less powerful that a counterspell, given that so many spells would not be strongly impacted by losing a few CL. In fact, mostly only blasting spells would be hurt since a few rounds off a round/level duration doesn't matter much in the mid levels if the fight only lasts a few rounds anyhow. Given the way powers scale it would be more effective against them.

Wording changed subtly to not negate spells if the CL/ML is reduced below minimum. You do not need to identify the power or spell, as you are instead attacking the gathering energy used to shape it directly.

Telepathic feedback - nice if it comes up a lot, pass otherwise. Its never impressive damage, so I really wouldn't bother unless facing a lot of telepaths/enchanters.

Pretty much what I expected here.

Pain bonding - wilder with a collective? interesting. Depends on the group. Probably better off mitigating the impact of enervation with other feats though, unless this builds to something else.

It can, in theory. Wording changed subtly to count as having a collective class feature for pre-reqs.

Enduring/armored mind - I believe others have commented heavily enough on these. I don't think this mechanic would be well received.

It both has and has not been. Reactions are mixed enough that I'm making the call to keep it. It looks scarier than it is, and the math bears out in my favor.

Surge blade - without a prestige class to synergise them, I'm not mixing soulknife and wilder.

Soulknife!book will have some love for this.

[stack]

I'll try to take another look at the classes when I get a chance. Really, I meant to do all the feats when they were first posted, but time and memory get in the way.

[Slithery D]

Cross-Discipline Efficiency (Su): At 5th level, the cross-discipline master becomes more efficient when using powers from many disciplines; she reduces the base power point cost of her powers by 1.

I would add a "cannot be reduced below 1" (i.e., no free level 1 powers) clause. Also, I wouldn't let it stack with similar effects, like a Torc of Power Preservation.

I do like this PrC concept, give the Wilder more powers know an incentive to do something other than make big Astral Constructs and blasts.

[Lord_Gareth]

I would add a "cannot be reduced below 1" (i.e., no free level 1 powers) clause. Also, I wouldn't let it stack with similar effects, like a Torc of Power Preservation.

I do like this PrC concept, give the Wilder more powers know an incentive to do something other than make big Astral Constructs and blasts.

Added the minimum, not sure if the lack of stacking actually needs to be a thing.

[stack]

Spoiler: Surge Adept

Show

Surge DIsciple - reducing enervation to 1%? Neat, especially for risky enervation or higher percentage enervations (like artificers surge)

Bonus feat - filler. Nothing wrong with that, but still filler.

Share surge - would this stack with warping surge? Warping specifically says it does not stack with wild surge so no. Too bad, would have been a neat combo. Nice that its the wilder that checks enervation, makes it much more appealing for the party.

master surge - don't like 1/day abilities, but it is a nice compensation for not getting the wilder capstone (plus it comes so much sooner and doesn't cause ability burn, so its more useful).

Spoiler: Volcanic Mind

Show

The central concept is excellent, making a wilder that really puts enervation to use instead of just avoiding it as hard as possible.Vent agony is fairly obvious as a prereq, cleaving power less so but hardly onerous. Denying the mental equilibrium feat hurts the most obvious optimization route. Does anything stop you from taking it after or retraining it in though?

Eruption - Su Aoe sickened for a long duration (ML rounds) is powerful, bit of rider damage is something, overall fine.

Cleave Mastery - makes the prereq worthwhile and fits the theme nicely.

Aftershocks - deafened is a pretty dependent on the target, spellcasters are really hurt by the failure chance, bard songs get disrupted is using audible performance, but melee and especially psionics are almost untouched, especially if there is telepathy going on. Still, unevenly targeting enemy spellcasters isn't a bad thing, they have good will saves and plenty of options for defenses and such. The range increase is interesting as well, does this make range: touch powers into range: infinite for the duration? Does this still function if the target has removed the deafened and sickened conditions (or is immune)? Limited to planar boundaries? Do rays ignore cover and the need for line of sight? Might need some language clearing up exactly what this means.

Improved vent agony - makes dazing yourself less unappealing since you can hit everyone with it. Cool.

Cataclysmic Eruption - staggered for a minimum of 9 rounds is strong. Quite strong, making this a will save or lose for any baddies dependent on multiple attacks, no SR. I wonder if the staggered shouldn't require an additional fort save or else give the option to make additional saves on subsequent rounds to end it. Or just shorten the duration.

Overall, I would absolutely use this class with a dazing surge type if starting at around level 11 and grabbing mental equilibrium then. Before then, dazing yourself for a chance to daze and debuff a single enemy is risky if fighting a group, though you can really hurt single bosses (which is poor encounter design so the DM deserves it and will be getting hosed from all over anyway). Student surge and the stacking dazzle would be manageable in the shorter term, since medium bab an touch attacks suffer less than enemies that target full AC. If taking all the levels (and why would you not? Seriously, not a class I would dip) you would stay away from staggering surges, since it wouldn't stack. If starting at level 1, I might shy away since the greatest benefits don't come till the mid-levels. Certainly playable, but probably not worth it if you don't get all 5.

Spoiler: Cross-discipline Master

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Cross Discipline Learning - pick a discipline and your don't suffer from the lost ML. Or, more likely, you have that lost ML covered by a trait anyhow so you get a nice boost since it isn't capped by level like other prestige classes that grant compensatory boosts.

Adaptive surge - makes the class worthwhile. Awesome.

Cross discipline efficiency - its nice, especially with the learning boost from above

Cross discipline master - 6 levels? Broke the pattern! Free metapsionics is nice. Combine with volcanic mind for free cleaving power, which is cool since you've forgone your base class benefits for 11 levels and delayed your power progression by two levels off an already slow progression to get it. You can really rock a cross-discipline power that you can cleave though.

[Lord_Gareth]

Surge DIsciple - reducing enervation to 1%? Neat, especially for risky enervation or higher percentage enervations (like artificers surge)

Note that the enervation is reduced by 5%, to a minimum of 1%.

Bonus feat - filler. Nothing wrong with that, but still filler.

Share surge - would this stack with warping surge? Warping specifically says it does not stack with wild surge so no. Too bad, would have been a neat combo. Nice that its the wilder that checks enervation, makes it much more appealing for the party.

Yay!

master surge - don't like 1/day abilities, but it is a nice compensation for not getting the wilder capstone (plus it comes so much sooner and doesn't cause ability burn, so its more useful).

Also yay!

]The central concept is excellent, making a wilder that really puts enervation to use instead of just avoiding it as hard as possible.Vent agony is fairly obvious as a prereq, cleaving power less so but hardly onerous. Denying the mental equilibrium feat hurts the most obvious optimization route. Does anything stop you from taking it after or retraining it in though?

PrC qualification rules, mostly. You'd violate the pre-req, which must be maintained at all levels.

Eruption - Su Aoe sickened for a long duration (ML rounds) is powerful, bit of rider damage is something, overall fine.

Cleave Mastery - makes the prereq worthwhile and fits the theme nicely.

Success!

Aftershocks - deafened is a pretty dependent on the target, spellcasters are really hurt by the failure chance, bard songs get disrupted is using audible performance, but melee and especially psionics are almost untouched, especially if there is telepathy going on. Still, unevenly targeting enemy spellcasters isn't a bad thing, they have good will saves and plenty of options for defenses and such. The range increase is interesting as well, does this make range: touch powers into range: infinite for the duration? Does this still function if the target has removed the deafened and sickened conditions (or is immune)? Limited to planar boundaries? Do rays ignore cover and the need for line of sight? Might need some language clearing up exactly what this means.

Language cleaned up. Yes, touch powers essentially gain infinite range. It does not function vs. enemies that are immune to all of the penalties of eruption, since they can't "suffer the effects".

Improved vent agony - makes dazing yourself less unappealing since you can hit everyone with it. Cool.

That was the goal! "Ready for EVERYONE TO BE USELESS?" [bam]

Cataclysmic Eruption - staggered for a minimum of 9 rounds is strong. Quite strong, making this a will save or lose for any baddies dependent on multiple attacks, no SR. I wonder if the staggered shouldn't require an additional fort save or else give the option to make additional saves on subsequent rounds to end it. Or just shorten the duration.

Eh, considering the investment cost I'm happy to leave it as is, esp. since when compared to slow the only advantage is 'no SR'.

Overall, I would absolutely use this class with a dazing surge type if starting at around level 11 and grabbing mental equilibrium then. Before then, dazing yourself for a chance to daze and debuff a single enemy is risky if fighting a group, though you can really hurt single bosses (which is poor encounter design so the DM deserves it and will be getting hosed from all over anyway). Student surge and the stacking dazzle would be manageable in the shorter term, since medium bab an touch attacks suffer less than enemies that target full AC. If taking all the levels (and why would you not? Seriously, not a class I would dip) you would stay away from staggering surges, since it wouldn't stack. If starting at level 1, I might shy away since the greatest benefits don't come till the mid-levels. Certainly playable, but probably not worth it if you don't get all 5.

Keeping in mind that oyu can't Equilibrium it, would you still utilize this class?

Cross Discipline Learning - pick a discipline and your don't suffer from the lost ML. Or, more likely, you have that lost ML covered by a trait anyhow so you get a nice boost since it isn't capped by level like other prestige classes that grant compensatory boosts.

The class has been edited to no longer advance Wild Surge, based on feedback from DSP's website. With that in mind, yay! I'm glad someone caught that little trick.

Adaptive surge - makes the class worthwhile. Awesome.

Cross discipline efficiency - its nice, especially with the learning boost from above

Awesome.

Cross discipline master - 6 levels? Broke the pattern! Free metapsionics is nice. Combine with volcanic mind for free cleaving power, which is cool since you've forgone your base class benefits for 11 levels and delayed your power progression by two levels off an already slow progression to get it. You can really rock a cross-discipline power that you can cleave though.

Excellent! Glad to see that everything seems balanced overall. Thanks for the feedback (and the catches).

[Gemini476]

PrC qualification rules, mostly. You'd violate the pre-req, which must be maintained at all levels.

Huh. That's a thing in Pathfinder? I know that it was in 3.0, and was removed for 3.5 (and kinda-sorta-reinstated in two similar-but-different ways in Complete Warrior and Complete Arcane), but I wasn't aware that Pathfinder put it back in again.

Although I guess it kind of makes sense given the "having an effect for 24 hours lets it count for prerequisites" thing they have.