Mindscourge (Psionic Warlock, 3.5, PEACH) Edit 12/08

[TabletopNuke]

Here's the mindscourge so far. I'm eager to hear any ideas for better class feature names, different class features, and anomalies.

I'm working on new anomalies for this class (meaning ones that aren't psionic versions of invocations).

Edit 03/21: I added some new anomalies: energy conversion, extradimensional lash, fortify self, and telepathic rapport. Here are some new anomalies that still need to be EACHed before I add them to this page.

Edit 01/11: I've added some changes to the class, for both flavor purposes and to fix some "flaws" in the warlock class. I increased the psychokinetic lash to +1d6/2 levels. I replaced the DR X/Cold Iron with a +X deflection bonus to Armor Class. In addition, the energy resistance has been replaced with the ability to act as if hasted.

Mindscourge Prestige Classes:
Ultrascourge: A powerful mindscourge who can create more powerful effects by burning away their own life energy.

Mindscourge
As the wilder is to the psion, the mindsourge is to the wilder. Rather than develop her abilities through study and training, a mindscourge manifests her incredible powers by instinct and sheer willpower. A mindscourge’s psionic power is nearly as much a part of her as her flesh and blood, and the ease at which she can call it forth exceeds that of any other manifester.
Adventures:

Spoiler

An intensely varied lot, mindscourges only have a few traits in common. All mindscourges have two common goals: a greater understanding of the self and the further development of their psychic ability. Adventuring is an excellent way to accomplish both of these. As a general rule, mindscourges are incredibly self-confident, not many people can create blasts of raw psychic energy with a thought, after all. As a result, mindscourges often come off as arrogant, headstrong, foolhardy, or all three. Most mindscourges also have a great deal of zest for life and a desire for new experiences. In some mindscourges, these traits manifest in a degree of impulsiveness that can get them into trouble. In others, this takes the form of a scholarly curiosity and desire to explore the far reaches of the world.

Characteristics:

Spoiler

Mindscourges have seemingly endless reserves of psychic energy. The instinctive nature of their connection to this power enables them harness it with less difficulty that other manifesters, allowing them to fortify their bodies and strike with deadly lashes of psychic energy. Mindscourges do not manifest powers as other psychics do, instead using specific forms of raw, unfocused psychic energy, called anomalies. With even less training than wilders, midscourges have even fewer psionic abilities, but their pools of psychic energy are immeasurably vast.

Alignment:

Spoiler

Mindscourges are untrained and unpolished in technique, harnessing the power of their minds in a less focused form than that of true “powers”. A lawful soul would have difficulty allowing themselves let their psychic energy to surge forth in such an uncontrolled manner. As such, almost all mindscourges are nonlawful, leaning heavily towards chaos. More concerned with self-discovery and experiencing life than morality, mindscourges favor neutrality over evil, and favor evil slightly over good.

Religion:

Spoiler

Like most psychic characters, mindscourges are typically too focused on self to devote themselves to a higher power. Typically loners at heart, mindscourges regard self-reliance as high-priority, and usually feel uncomfortable placing themselves at the mercy of the deities.

Background:

Spoiler

The ability to channel raw psionic power is not something that can be taught. It requires an immense amount of psychic energy and strength of mind few creatures possess. Mindscourges often begin life as eccentric children with a tendency to think outside of the box. Any attempts to instruct such children in “refined” psionics are almost guaranteed to fail, due to their headstrong nature and determination to do things their own way. The first time a future mindscourge manifests an anomaly or psychokinetic lash is usually in a time of great emotional turmoil, and unleashing such power is certain to make the situation either much better or much, much worse. Once word gets out about what the newly realized psychic did, they are most likely to be shunned or run out of town. The consequences of the mindscourge’s “outbursts” usually lead to life as a lone wanderer, until the psychic meets an adventuring party.

Races:

Spoiler

Maenads who have given up all discipline take to the powers of the mindscourge well, as do dromites and humans. Dwarves typically look down on the uninhibited nature of the mindscourge class, as do some elves. While fully capable of losing all self-control, half-orcs rarely have the strength of mind or self-confidence to become mindscourges.

Other Classes:

Spoiler

Mindscourges have a great deal in common with wilders, and the two often get along well. Other classes fear mindscourges to some degree. With so much variety among the class, guessing any unfamiliar mindscourge’s capabilities and behavior is practically impossible. Some monks, paladins, and lawful clerics disdain the uncontrolled nature of the mindscourges, and those who serve the cause of good disapprove of certain anomalies.

Role:

Spoiler

A mindscourge does not fit well into any one of the four basic roles. Her capabilities depend heavily on her selection of anomalies, skills, and feats. With a bit of creativity (which mindscourges are rarely short on) they can serve a variety of uses, in addition to the standard role of a psion/spellcaster. She can be the face of a party, by selecting skills such as Bluff and Intimidate, and anomalies such as charm. Mindscourges make excellent battlefield controllers, through the use of anomalies such as corrosive quagmire and chilling tentacles, especially when aided by ectoplasmic wings. A mindscourge can also serve as the party’s primary damage-dealer by focusing on improving her psychokinetic lash. Due to both her limited repertoire and her lack of party-boosting abilities, a mindscourge often fits best into a party that already has another psion/spellcaster or two.

Game Rule Information:
Abilities:
High Charisma makes a mindscourge’s anomalies harder to resist. High Dexterity allows a mindscourge to employ her psychokinetic lash with greater accuracy. A good Constitution score increases a mindscourge’s durability, which is otherwise substandard.
Alignment: Any
Hit Dice: D6

Class Skills:
Autohypnosis (Wis), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Psionics) (Int), Profession (Wis), Psicraft (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Tumble (Dex), Use Psionic Device (Cha)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) X 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier

Mindscourge

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Anomalies Known
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Anomaly (least), psychokinetic lash 1d6], Wild Talent	1
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Detect psionics	2
3rd	+2	+1	+1	+3	Deflection bonus +1, psychokinetic lash 2d6	2
4th	+3	+1	+1	+4	Subjugate item	3
5th	+3	+1	+1	+4	Psychokinetic lash 3d6	3
6th	+4	+2	+2	+5	New anomaly (least or lesser)	4
7th	+5	+2	+2	+5	Deflection bonus +2, psychokinetic lash 4d6	4
8th	+6/+1	+2	+2	+6	Metabolic overdrive 1	5
9th	+6/+1	+3	+3	+6	Psychokinetic lash 5d6	5
10th	+7/+2	+3	+3	+7	Psychic acceleration 5	6
11th	+8/+3	+3	+3	+7	Deflection bonus +3, psychokinetic lash 6d6, new anomaly (least, lesser, or greater)	7
12th	+9/+4	+4	+4	+8	Instill power	7
13th	+9/+4	+4	+4	+8	Metabolic overdrive 2, psychokinetic lash 7d6	8
14th	+10/+5	+4	+4	+9	-	8
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+5	+9	Deflection bonus +4, psychokinetic lash 8d6	9
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+5	+9	New anomaly (least, lesser, greater, or phenomenal)	10
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+5	+10	Psychokinetic lash 9d6	10
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+6	+11	Metabolic overdrive 5	11
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Deflection bonus +5, psychokinetic lash 10d6	11
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Psychic acceleration 10	12

Class Features:

Spoiler

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Mindscourges are proficient with all simple weapons. They are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.

Anomalies (Sp): A mindscourge does not manifest powers as other psychics do. Instead, she possesses a repertoire of attacks, defenses, and abilities known as anomalies that require her to focus the unnatural power that suffuses her being. A mindscourge can use any anomaly she knows at will, with the following qualifications:

A mindscourge’s anomalies are psi-like abilities; using an anomaly is therefore a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity. An anomaly can be disrupted, just as a power can be ruined during manifesting. A mindscourge is entitled to a Concentration check to successfully use an anomaly if she is hit by an attack while manifesting, just as any other manifester would be. A mindscourge’s anomalies are subject to power resistance unless an anomaly’s description says otherwise. A mindscourge’s manifester level with all her anomalies is equal to her class level.

The save DC for an anomaly (if it allows a save) is 10 + equivalent power level + the mindscourge’s Charisma modifier. Since psi-like abilities are not actually powers, a mindscourge cannot benefit from metapsionic feats. She can, however, benefit from the Ability Focus feat, as well as from feats that emulate metapsionic effects for psi-like abilities, such as Quicken Psi-Like Ability and Empower Psi-Like Ability.

The four grades of anomalies, in the order of their relative power, are least, lesser, greater, and phenomenal. A mindscourge begins play with knowledge of one anomaly, which must be of the lowest grade (least), As a mindscourge gains levels, she learns new anomalies, as summarized on the table above.

At any level when a mindscourge learns a new anomaly, she can also replace an anomaly she already knows with one of the same or lower grade. At 6th level, a mindscourge can replace a least anomaly she knows with a different least anomaly (in addition to learning a new anomaly, which could be least or lesser). At 11th level, a mindscourge can replace a least or lesser anomaly with another anomaly of the same or lower grade (in addition to learning a new anomaly, which could be least, lesser, or greater). At 16th level, mindscourge can replace a least, lesser, or greater anomaly with another anomaly of the same or lower grade (in addition to learning a new anomaly, which could be least, lesser, greater, or phenomenal).

Psychokinetic Lash (Sp): The first ability a mindscourge learns is psychokinetic lash. A mindscourge attacks her foes with destructive blasts of psychic energy to deal damage and sometimes impart other debilitating effects.

A psychokinetic lash is a ray with a range of 60 feet. It is a ranged touch attack that affects a single target, allowing no saving throw. A psychokinetic lash deals 1d6 points of damage at 1st level and increases by 1d6 at every odd-numbered mindscourge level thereafter. A psychokinetic lash is the equivlent of a power whose level is equal to one-half the mindscourge ‘s class level (round down), with a minimum power level of 1st and a maximum of 9th when a mindscourge reaches 18th level and higher.

A psychokinetic lash is subject to power resistance, although the Power Penetration feat and other effects that improve manifester level checks to overcome power resistance also apply to psychokinetic lash. A psychokinetic lash deals half damage to objects. Metapsionic feats cannot improve a mindscourge ‘s psychokinetic lash (since it is a psi-like ability, not an actual power). However, the Ability Focus (psychokinetic lash) feat increases the DCs for all saving throws (it any) associated with a mindscourge ‘s psychokinetic lash by 2.
Wild Talent: A mindscourge gains Wild Talent as a bonus feat. (This class feature grants the character the spark of psionic power she needs to manifest her anomalies and psychokinetic lash.
Detect Psionics (Sp): Beginning at 2nd level, a mindscourge can use detect psionics as the power at will. Her manifester level equals her class level.

Deflection Bonus (Su): As a mindscourge grows in power, she develops the ability to unconsciously project a psychic shield around her body, providing a degree of protection against physical assault. At 3rd level and above, a mindscourge gains a +1 deflection bonus to Armor Class. At 7th level and every four levels thereafter, a mindscourge’s deflection bonus to Armor Class improves as shown on the table above.

Subjugate Item (Ex): At 4th level and higher, a mindscourge gains the ability to more easily control psionic items made for other classes. When making a Use Psionic Device check, a mindscourge can take 10 even if rushed or threatened.

Metabolic Overdrive (Su): Beginning at 8th level, a mindscouge’s psychic control over her body enables her to enter brief periods of metabolic overdrive. Once per day, as a free action, she can enter a state that lasts for 2 minutes. While in this state, the mindscourge gains fast healing 1.

At 13th level, the mindscourge’s metabolic overdrive improves. While in this state, she gains fast healing 2 instead. At 18th level, a mindscourge’s metabolic overdrive improves to fast healing 5.

Psychic Acceleration (Su): At 10th level, a mindscourge learns to use her psychic power to trigger short bursts of astounding speed. She can act as if hasted for 5 rounds a day. The duration of this ability need not be consecutive rounds. Activating this power is a free action. At 20th level, a mindscourge can act as if hasted for 10 rounds each day.

Instill Power (Su): A mindscourge of 12th level or higher can use her psychic power to create psionic items, even if she does not know the powers required to make an item (although she must know the appropriate item creation feat). She can substitute a Use Psionic Device check (DC 15 + power level) in place of a required power she doesn’t know or can’t manifest.
If the check succeeds, the mindscourge can create the item as if she had manifested the required power. If it fails, she cannot complete the item. She does not expend the XP or gp costs for making the item, her progress is simply arrested. She cannot retry the Use Psionic Device check for that power until she gains a new level.

Variant Mindscourge:
If a dungeon master wants to play up the enigmatic flavor of the mindscourge class, they can remove the Wild Talent class feature and make a power point reserve a prerequisite for the class. As a result, the mindscourge is restricted (at 1st level anyway) to naturally psionic races, and members of nonpsionic races who have taken Wild Talent as their 1st feat. This variation emphasizes the flavor concept of the mindscourge, a mutant among psychics with a near-limitless power supply and little control.

Mindscourge Anomalies

Epic Mindscourge

[Stycotl]

real quick thoughts:

yes, give it wild talent.

yes, give it access to psionic feats; they are not inherently overpowered. people are going to optimize and rule-bend every class, no matter what it is. don't nerf this guy because of potential abuse (that is not to say that you should leave glaring loopholes for them to abuse though...).

it is psionics. no material, somatic, or verbal components. give it the psionic display and call it a day. yes, components are more of a hindrance, but it doesn't unbalance it in the end.

as far as invocations that have no psi counterpart, either make a new counterpart, or come up with new invocations.

i suggest more of the latter. you are going to want to make new and unique invocations for this guy anyway. so instead of undead, this guy creates psi constructs.

[Violet Octopus]

Cool. I was working on something similar a while back, but never finished.

The theme for mine was a manifester who'd become broken in some way. Either they tried to manifest too much power during training, or came into contact with powerful psionic energy, e.g. an artifact or a powerful gem dragon. In 95% of cases this would just burn someone out, but the rest get burnt out in just the right way to be able to access unlimited power, but in a way they cannot control. This meant that if they were in a null psionics field, they would slowly take damage as their power has no outlet.

Skills:
Autohypnosis sounds good. Heal depends on the flavour. Mine was to have Diplomacy rather than Intimidate, befitting a slightly more telepathic charm rather than intimidation through demonic power. Though you can certainly use telepathy to intimidate as well. The only other thing is Use Psionic Device.

I think you need a nonempty PP reserve to be psionically focused, so yeah, Wild Talent.

Invocations:
The other feature of my half-done attempt was that whenever it gained access to a new tier of invocations, its preexisting ones were permanently augmented. As a result I gave it fewer known, but was kinda unhappy with the result. So, you can run with that idea if you want, or go with something different.
The invocations I finished are posted under the spoiler. Some of them were pretty obvious, like the astral construct one. Note: I called them manifestations, which got confusing. Anomaly is much nicer.

Spoiler

Astral Construct
Metacreativity, 1st
This functions like the astral construct power, except as noted. You may create one 1st-level astral construct. If you use this manifestation again before the first one's duration expires, the previous astral construct(s) disappear immediately.
Augmentation
Lesser (3rd): You may create one 3rd-level astral construct, or any combination of astral constructs whole levels add up to 3 or less.
Greater (5th): You may create one 5th-level astral construct, or any combination of astral constructs whole levels add up to 5 or less.
Prime (7th): You may create one 7th-level astral construct, or any combination of astral constructs whole levels add up to 7 or less.

Autokinesis
Psychoportation, 2nd
As levitate, except as noted here.
Augmentation:
Lesser (3rd): You gain a fly speed equal to your land speed, with good maneuverability.
Greater (5th): You exert finer control and greater power. fly speed increases to 1.5 x your land speed, maneuverability improves to perfect.
Prime (7th): Effortless. You can hustle over long distances.

Energy Blast
Psychokinesis, 1st
When you learn this manifestation, select an energy type: cold, electricity, fire, or sonic. Once made, this choice cannot be changed.
When you use this manifestation, your PK blast damage becomes the selected type, and there is an additional effect:
Cold: A blast of this energy type deals +1 point of damage per die. If there is a saving throw to reduce damage, it is a Fortitude save instead of a Will save.
Electricity: A blast of this energy type provides a +2 bonus to the save DC, if any, and a +2 bonus on manifester level checks for the purpose of overcoming power resistance.
Fire: A blast of this energy type deals +1 point of damage per die.
Sonic: A blast of this energy type deals -1 point of damage per die, and ignores an object's hardness.
Augmentation
Whenever you gain access to a new grade of manifestations, select another energy type. If you already have access to more than one grade when you first learn this manifestation, select a number of energy types equal to the number of grades you have access to.
When you use this manifestation, you can choose to apply one of the energy types you have access to.

huh. I thought I had more...

[TabletopNuke]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm going to start posting what I have written up. However, I don't know how to post tables on GITP. Would someone be so kind as to teach me?

Originally Posted by Stycotl

yes, give it wild talent.

That means mindscourges get a bonus feat at 1st level, which puts them slightly ahead of warlocks. Do I need to include a drawback to counterbalance it, or does the fact that mindscourges need to be psionically focused to use their anomalies balance it out?

Originally Posted by Violet Octopus

The theme for mine was a manifester who'd become broken in some way. Either they tried to manifest too much power during training, or came into contact with powerful psionic energy, e.g. an artifact or a powerful gem dragon. In 95% of cases this would just burn someone out, but the rest get burnt out in just the right way to be able to access unlimited power, but in a way they cannot control. This meant that if they were in a null psionics field, they would slowly take damage as their power has no outlet.

Ooh. I like that idea a lot, especially the part about taking damage if they have no outlet for their power. I'm about to post the fluff for mindscourges, so you can see my theme.

Originally Posted by Violet Octopus

Invocations:
The other feature of my half-done attempt was that whenever it gained access to a new tier of invocations, its preexisting ones were permanently augmented. As a result I gave it fewer known, but was kinda unhappy with the result. So, you can run with that idea if you want, or go with something different.

Anomalies are psi-like abilities. The standard rule for psi-like abilities is that they are augmented to the maximum for their manifester level. It's pretty much the same as how invocations are improved based on caster level.

[Arbitrarious]

Cool concept and the base looks good. I agree about new invocations versus trying to make old ones fit. Short range teleports, Sense links, PP syphoning; there are some options. I will watch this eagerly.

[Frog Dragon]

Where are BaB and Saves?

[Draz74]

Originally Posted by TabletopNuke

Thanks for the feedback. I'm going to start posting what I have written up. However, I don't know how to post tables on GITP. Would someone be so kind as to teach me?

In here (a formerly stickied thread) are directions.

[ErrantX]

This is pretty neat, I look forward to seeing it completed. A friend of mine really loves Warlocks, so he'll totally dig this.

-X

[TabletopNuke]

I just posted the progression table (thank you, Draz ), along with a few more anomalies. Also, I've discovered within my heart a smoldering hatred for coding tables. It was a painful experience that will leave lifelong scars on my psyche. You're welcome, GITP.

Now, onto the question of Wild Talent. At the moment, I’m omitting it as a 1st-level bonus feat. But before you rage, hear me out. I don’t think there’s a rule requiring one to have a power point supply in order to use psi-like abilities. Psionic monsters can use their psi-like abilities without a power point supply, after all. I also think it could be an important component in the mindscourge’s flavor.

The mindscourge is designed to be a psychic who has a unique connection to her power, unlike any other psionic character. It’s somewhat unrefined and unfocused, hence the smaller amount of damage dealt by the psychokinetic lash compared to something along the lines of an energy ray. However, a mindscourge’s power is virtually limitless in its supply, and operates almost instinctively. Perhaps this could be represented by the fact that mindscourges can manifest their power without a power point supply.

If you guys still think Wild Talent is something the mindscourge needs, let me know.

[ErrantX]

Originally Posted by TabletopNuke

I just posted the progression table (thank you, Draz ), along with a few more anomalies. Also, I've discovered within my heart a smoldering hatred for coding tables. It was a painful experience that will leave lifelong scars on my psyche. You're welcome, GITP.

Now, onto the question of Wild Talent. At the moment, I’m omitting it as a 1st-level bonus feat. But before you rage, hear me out. I don’t think there’s a rule requiring one to have a power point supply in order to use psi-like abilities. Psionic monsters can use their psi-like abilities without a power point supply, after all. I also think it could be an important component in the mindscourge’s flavor.

The mindscourge is designed to be a psychic who has a unique connection to her power, unlike any other psionic character. It’s somewhat unrefined and unfocused, hence the smaller amount of damage dealt by the psychokinetic lash compared to something along the lines of an energy ray. However, a mindscourge’s power is virtually limitless in its supply, and operates almost instinctively. Perhaps this could be represented by the fact that mindscourges can manifest their power without a power point supply.

If you guys still think Wild Talent is something the mindscourge needs, let me know.

The character doesn't need Wild Talent; he gains the distinction of being a psionic character (thus allowing him to have psionic feats/focus, etc) by virtue of having psi-like abilities. Wild Talent is unnecessary. So yeah, while fun, it doesn't really give the Mindscourge anything more or or anything less by adding it or removing it.

-X

[hiryuu]

Well, you need a power point reserve to have a psionic focus, so Wild Talent makes some sense. That's why Soulknives get it.

This is pretty cool. Yoink.

[TabletopNuke]

Originally Posted by hiryuu

Well, you need a power point reserve to have a psionic focus, so Wild Talent makes some sense. That's why Soulknives get it.

This is pretty cool. Yoink.

What about monsters with psi-like abilities? They don't have a power-point reserve, do they?

[hiryuu]

Originally Posted by TabletopNuke

What about monsters with psi-like abilities? They don't have a power-point reserve, do they?

I don't think so. Some do, like psionic mind flayers, and those that do can hold a psionic focus.

You could look at it this way: if it doesn't have wild talent, this means that anyone who doesn't start as a psionic race starts out at a disadvantage and with one feat less, because it will be the first feat they take.

[TabletopNuke]

Originally Posted by hiryuu

I don't think so. Some do, like psionic mind flayers, and those that do can hold a psionic focus.

You could look at it this way: if it doesn't have wild talent, this means that anyone who doesn't start as a psionic race starts out at a disadvantage and with one feat less, because it will be the first feat they take.

I just checked the EPH. You were right, you do need a power point reserve to hold a psionic focus. Thanks! That was a close one.

This means I gotta go add Wild Talent as a bonus feat, or restrict the class to characters with with a power point reserve. I suppose it fits the flavor nicely, a mutant among psychics with a near-limitless power supply. But on the other hand, I'm not a fan of restricting classes to particular races. Plus, I'd need to take something away at 1st level, since it grants a bonus feat. Wild Talent is useless unless you have some way of using power points, though. So it doesn't need to be a big drawback. What about 2 less skills on the class skill list (Jump and Tumble?).

What about making to variants of the mindscourge, and allowing DMs to pick which one they use in their campaign? The standard mindscourge would come with Wild Talent, allowing anyone to take it. The variant would have Wild Talent as a prerequisite.

[Mulletmanalive]

My instant question is why do they have DR/Cold Iron? This is mostly a question related to the reason Fey are affected by the stuff, it being nothing more than cheap iron with a great many impurities. The weakness was symbolic, a play on the idea that it's not refined but not natural.

With psionics, i would have assumed it was something different, though i've never understood the whole crystal thing. Maybe copper or something alike, things that could disrupt mental electical impulses? That and i'd be tempted to increase the resistance and cause it to briefly suppress the powers of the class when they get wounded by it, though that's just a gut reaction to a rough scan of the fluff...

[TabletopNuke]

Originally Posted by Mulletmanalive

My instant question is why do they have DR/Cold Iron? This is mostly a question related to the reason Fey are affected by the stuff, it being nothing more than cheap iron with a great many impurities. The weakness was symbolic, a play on the idea that it's not refined but not natural.

With psionics, i would have assumed it was something different, though i've never understood the whole crystal thing. Maybe copper or something alike, things that could disrupt mental electical impulses?

The cold iron is kind of a placeholder. I need a good name for the antipsionic equivalent. I was thinking "disruptor alloy", which would be a composite made of special minerals which disrupt psionic energy. You got a better name.

Originally Posted by Mulletmanalive

That and i'd be tempted to increase the resistance and cause it to briefly suppress the powers of the class when they get wounded by it, though that's just a gut reaction to a rough scan of the fluff...

I'm open to suggestions. What kind of mechanics do you have in mind? I'm also eager to hear ideas for replacing the energy resistance.

Off Topic: I feel the need to compliment you on the epic win that is your icon. My mullet gets ruthlessly mocked. It's great to see a beholder sporting the look, I'm sure you don't have the same problem.

[erikun]

The Mindscourge cannot gain Psionic Focus and cannot take Psionic feats without a PP pool. One of the benefits of a Psionic class is playing around with the Psionic feats - it isn't much of a Psionic class if it cannot. Even the Soulknife gets the Wild Talent feat for free.

Wild Talent gives the Mindscourge a total of 2 PP, and nothing that they can spend it on. It is not overpowered.


The save DCs and power levels looked kind of unusual at first. Then I realized - Psionics don't rely on power levels for DC, and generally don't care what level a power is originally. Spending 1 PP has a DC of 11 + modifier while 17 PP has a DC of 19 + modifier (unusally). You can even spend 19 PP for a DC of 20 + modifier, equal to a 10th level spell slot. In that vein, I don't think it would be unusual for the Psychokinetic Lash to keep scaling at the rate of 1/2 level.

The Anomalies are better off at a fixed DC... maybe. Having them scale would be more "Psionically" appropriate and fit with the Psionics system better, but would possibly end up overpowered, as the Mindscourge doesn't need to spend PP to augment. Ultimately, I think the Anomalies would need to be playtested to see if a fixed DC or level-based DC is more appropriate.

[EDIT]
Make a second post wherever you need to, then link to it from the first post.

[Mulletmanalive]

I'm going to do something that might be offensive to you and/or inappropriate to the setting: Watch the Hayden Christensen film, Jumper. Therein, the mutant jumpers lose their powers briefly when subjected to electricity.

Electrified attacks will logically be a practical option in a sci-fi setting a little like the traditional vibro-weapons of sci-fi fantasy. You could lump the resistances together into one value, to represent the swift healing within limits that you've thus far used as an explanation, and have it negated by electrical damage for 1d3 rounds, along with the majoirty of their powers...

The mullet is a side effect of wearing bandanas: whenever i pull them off, i have a mild mullet going on. Still gets mocked, mostly because of the past connected with it, but i've been doing the same since i worked in the wilds of Indianna before college.

To link a new post of anomalies, simply scribe another post, click the number in the top corner and copy the number behind "p=" then insert it into this code, editing the name as you wish:

[post=something]Link to Anomaly List[/post]

[TabletopNuke]

Mindscourge Anomalies: (Very WIP)
Anomaly List:
Lash Composition Anomalies:

Spoiler

Least Lash Composition Anomalies:
Bane Lash
Demolishing Lash
Dizzying Lash
Extradimensional Lash
Startling Lash:
Lesser Lash Composition Anomalies:
Blinding Lash
Electrokinetic Lash
Frigid Lash
Greater Lash Composition Anomalies:
Befuddling Lash
Bewildering Lash
Impact Lash
Incinerating Lash
Phenomenal Lash Composition Anomalies:
Stupefying Lash
Stygian Lash

Lash Shape Anomalies:

Spoiler

Least Lash Shape Anomalies:
Distant Lash
Psychokinetic Strike
Lesser Lash Shape Anomalies:
Leaping Lash
Greater Lash Shape Anomalies:
Psychokinetic Blast
Psychokinetic Wave
Phenomenal Lash Shape Anomalies:
Psychokinetic Maelstrom

Other Anomalies:

Spoiler

Least Anomalies:
Aquatic Adaptation
Bioluminescent Eyes
Clairvoyant Sight
Empathic Allure
Obstruction Field
Stygian Aura
Telepathy Field
Utrasonic Shriek
Lesser Anomalies:
Climate Control Field
Deceptive Teleportation
Energy Conversion
Neural Disruption
Rend Psionics
Telekinetic Propulsion
Telepathic Rapport
Greater Anomalies:
Corrosive Morass
Fortify Self
Mental Intrusion
Telekinetic Marionette
Phenomenal Anomalies:
Concealment Field
Metaperception
Nightmarish Metamorphosis
Telekinetic Manipulation
Warp Flesh

Anomaly Descriptions
Least Anomalies:

Spoiler

Aquatic Adaptation
Least, Psychometabolism; 2nd
Display: Visual
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 24 Hours
You use your psychic control of your body to develop features to aid you in the water. Your hands and feet become slightly webbed, granting you a swim speed equal to your base land speed (and all other benefits derived from a swim speed, including a +8 racial bonus on Swim checks, see MM 311). You gain the ability to breathe water as well as air.

Bioluminescent Eyes
Least, Psychometabolism; 2nd
Display: Visual
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 24 Hours
You channel your psychic power to alter the internal anatomy of your eyes, making them bioluminescent. This enables you to see normally in darkness and magical darkness out to 30 feet.

Clairvoyant Sight
Least, Clairsentience; 2nd
Display: Visual
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 24 Hours
You gain a supernaturally precise vision of the world around you. You can understand otherwise incomprehensible written messages. You must touch the words for this ability to function. The ability to read does not necessarily impart insight into the material, merely its literal meaning. The anomaly enables you to understand or read an unknown language, not speak or write it.

Written material can be read at the rate of one page (250 words) per minute. Magical writing cannot be read, though the anomaly reveals that it is magical, but clairvoyant sight is often useful when deciphering treasure maps. The anomaly can be foiled by certain warding magic (such as the secret page and illusory script spells). It does not decipher codes or reveal messages concealed in otherwise normal text.
Additionally, you gain a +6 bonus on all Search and Spot checks.

Demolishing Lash
Least, Psychokinesis; 2nd, Lash Composition
Display: Visual
Range: As psychokinetic lash
Effect: As psychokinetic lash
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: Yes (part of using psychokinetic lash)
You transform your psychokinetic lash into a demolishing lash. The lash deals normal damage to objects, rather than half.

Distant Lash
Least, Psychokinesis; 2nd, Lash Shape
Display: Visual
Range: 250 ft.
Effect: Ray
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: Yes (part of using psychokinetic lash)
This lash shape anomaly extends your psychokinetic lash attacks to great distances. Distant lash increases the range of a psychokinetic lash attack to 250 feet with no range increment.

Dizzying Lash
Least, Psychometabolism; 2nd; Lash Composition
Display: Visual
Range: As psychokinetic lash
Effect: As psychokinetic lash
Duration: Instantaneous and 1 Minute
Saving Throw: None and Fort Negates
Power Resistance: Yes
This lash composition anomaly allows you to change your psychokinetic lash into a dizzying lash. A dizzying lash disrupts the target’s sense of balance, making them feel disoriented and ill. Any living creature struck by a dizzying lash must succeed on a Fortitude save or become sickened for 1 minute. A sickened creature struck by a dizzying lash is not affected by the sickening aspect of the lash, but takes damage normally.

Empathic Allure
Least, Telepathy, 2nd
Display: Mental
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 24 Hours
You can manifest this ability to telepathically project a subtle sense of importance and magnetism, making you seem more charismatic to others. You gain a +6 bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks for a period of 24 hours.

Extradimensional Lash
Least, Psychoportation; 2nd; Lash Composition
Display: Visual
Range: As psychokinetic lash
Effect: As psychokinetic lash
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: Yes
This lash composition anomaly allows you to turn your psychokinetic lash into an extradimensional lash. An extradimensional lash deals damage normally against incorporeal creatures. (An incorporeal creature's 50% miss chance to avoid damage does not apply to an attack with an extradimensional lash.) An incorporeal mindscourge can attack a corporeal foe with an extradimensional lash. Essentially, an extradimensional lash couts as wither corporeal or incorporeal at any given time, whichever is more beneficial to the wielder.

Obstruction Field
Least, Psychokinesis; 2rd
Display: Visual
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 Hour/Level
When this anomaly is activated, you encase yourself in a bubble of telekinetic force, deflecting incoming ranged attacks. Each ranged attack directed at you for which the attacker must make an attack roll (including arrows, magic arrows, Energy Ray, Ray of Enfeeblement, and so forth) has a 20% miss chance (similar to concealment). Other attacks that simply work at simply work at a distance, such as a dragon’s breath weapon, are not affected.

In addition, you leave no footprints or scent trail (You can still be detected normally by scent, just not tracked), and cannot be tracked by any nonmagical means.

Psychokinetic Strike
Least, Psychokinesis; 2nd, Lash Shape
Display: Visual
Range: Touch
Target: Creature Touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: Yes (part of using psychokinetic lash)
As standard action, you can make a single melee attack. If you hit, the target is affected as if struck by your psychokinetic lash (including any lash composition applied to the lash). This damage is in addition to any weapon damage you deal with your attack, although you need not deal damage with this attack to trigger the psychokinetic lash effect.

Startling Lash
Least, Telepathy [Mind-Affecting]; 2nd; Lash Composition
Display: Mental
Range: As psychokinetic lash
Effect: As psychokinetic lash
Duration: Instantaneous and 1 Minute
Saving Throw: None and Will Negates
Power Resistance: Yes (part of using psychokinetic lash)
This lash composition anomaly allows you to change your psychokinetic lash into a frightful lash. Any creature struck by a starling lash must succeed on a Will save or be shaken for 1 minute. A shaken creature struck by a startling lash is not affected by the shaken aspect of the lash, but takes damage normally. Creatures with immunity to mind-affecting powers and abilities or fear effects cannot be shaken by a startling lash.

Stygian Aura
Least, Psychometabolism; 2nd
Display: Visual
Range: 10 ft.
Area: 10-ft. radius emanation, centered on you
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: Yes
This anomaly deals 1 point of damage to every creature in the area that has 0 of fewer hit points. Stable creatures that were at -1 to -8 hit points become dying, while creatures at -9 hit points die immediately.

In addition, if any creature within 10 feet of you dies, you gain temporary hit points equal to the its HD (maximum 10) for 1 round.

This anomaly has no effects on creatures with 0 or more hit points.

Telepathy Field
Least, Telepathy [Mind-Affecting]; 2nd
Display: Mental
Range: 5 ft/level-radius emanation centered on you
Duration: 24 Hours (D)
When you manifest telepathy field, you gain the ability can communicate telepathically with any other creature that has a language and is within range of the anomaly. It is possible to address multiple creatures at once telepathically, although maintaining a telepathic conversation with more than one creature at a time is just as difficult as simultaneously speaking and listening to multiple people at the same time.

Ultrasonic Shriek
Least, Psychokinesis (Sonic); 2nd
Display: Visual
Range: Close (25 ft. +5ft./2 levels)
Target: Once solid object or one 5-ft. radius spread
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude Negates (object) and Fortitude Negates
Power Resistance: Yes (object)
You unleash an extremely high-pitch screech that results in a destructive shockwave, potentially shattering objects and deafening those in the area. Used as an area attack, ultrasonic shriek destroys nonmagical objects of crystal, glass, ceramic, of porcelain, such as vials, bottles, flasks, jugs, windows, mirrors, and so forth. All such objects within a 5-foot radius of the point of origin are smashed into dozens of pieces by the anomaly. Objects weighing more than 1 pound per your manifester level are not affected, but all other objects of the appropriate composition are shattered.

Alternatively, you can target ultrasonic shriek against a single solid object, regardless of composition, weighing up to 10 pounds per manifester level.

If a creature is holding or wearing the target of an ultrasonic shriek attack and the target is destroyed, the creature must make a Fortitude save or be dazed for 1 round and deafened for 1 minute by the scream. This is a sonic effect.

Lesser Anomalies:

Spoiler

Bane Lash
Lesser, Psychokinesis; 3th; Lash Composition
Display: Visual (part of using psychokinetic lash)
Range: As psychokinetic lash
Effect: As psychokinetic lash
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: Yes (part of using psychokinetic lash)
This lash composition anomaly allows you to change your psychokinetic lash into a bane lash. A bane lash deals an extra 2d6 points of damage against creatures of a specific type. You must select the creature type when you first gain the anomaly, and you can’t later change your mind (though you can take this anomaly more than once, choosing a new creature type each time). You choose your creature type from the categories offered for a ranger’s favored enemy (PH 47), including a subtype if you choose humanoid or outsider.

Blinding Lash
Lesser, Psychokinesis (Light); 4th; Lash Composition
Display: Visual
Range: As psychokinetic lash
Target: As psychokinetic lash
Duration: Instantaneous and 1 Round
Saving Throw: None and Fortitude Negates
Power Resistance: Yes (part of using psychokinetic lash)
This lash composition anomaly allows you to change your psychokinetic lash into a blinding lash. A blinding lash manifests with a brilliant flash of light. Any living creature struck by a blinding lash must make a Fortitude save or be blinded for 1 round.

Climate Control Field
Least, Psychokinesis, 2nd
Display: Visual
Range: Personal and 30-ft. Radius
Target: You
Duration: 24 Hours
Save: Will Negates (Harmless)
Power Resistance: Yes (Harmless)
You can manifest a protective psychokinetic field that controls the ambient temperature within it, enabling you and allies within 30 feet to endure temperature extremes. You and affected allies can exist comfortably in conditions between -50 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit without having to make Fortitude saves (DMD 302, 303).

Climate Control Field doesn’t provide protection from fire or cold damage, nor does it protect against other environmental hazards, such as smoke, lack of air, and so forth. This anomaly lasts for 24 hours.

Deceptive Teleportation
Lesser, Psychoportation; 4th
Display: Visual (teleportation) and Auditory, Material, Olfactory, and Visual (after-image)
Range: Close (25 ft. +5 ft./2 levels) and Long (400 ft. +40 ft./level) (after-image)
Target: You (teleportation) and None (after-image)
Duration: Instantaneous (teleportation) and 1 Round (after-image)
Saving Throw: None (teleportation) and Will Disbelief (if interacted with) (after-image)
Power Resistance: No
You instantly transfer yourself via the Astral Plane from your current location to any other spot within range. You always arrive exactly the spot desired-whether by simply visualizing the area of by mentally specifying the direction, such as “60 feet straight downward” or up-ward to the northwest, 45-degree angle, 55 feet.” After manifesting this anomaly, you can’t take any other actions until your next turn. You can bring along objects as long as their weight doesn’t exceed your maximum load.

If you arrive in a place that is already occupied by a solid body, you take 1d6 points of damage and are shunted to a random open space on a suitable surface within 100 feet of the intended location. If there is no free space within 100 feet, you take an additional 2d6 points of damage and are shunted to a free space within 1,000 feet. If there is no free space within 1,000 feet, you take an additional 4d6 points of damage and the anomaly simply fails.

When you use this ability, you leave behind a psychic after-image of yourself in your place that lasts for 1 round. This after image duplicates sound, smell, visual, and thermal effects. The image can move within range and reacts appropriately when attacked.

Electrokinetic Lash
Lesser, Psychokinesis (Electricity); 4th; Lash Composition
Display: Visual
Range: As psychokinetic lash
Effect: As psychokinetic lash
Duration: Instantaneous and 10 Minutes
Saving Throw: None and Fort Negates
Power Resistance: Yes
This lash composition anomaly allows you to change your psychokinetic lash into an electrokinetic lash. An electrokinetic lash deals electricity damage. Any creature struck by the attack must succeed on a Fortitude save or take a -4 penalty to Strength for 10 minutes, their muscles impaired by the electric shock. The Strength penalties from multiple electrokinetic lashes do not stack.

Energy Conversion
Lesser, Psychometabolism; 4th
Display: Visual
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 24 Hours
Your body becomes capable of harmlessly absorbing a particular type of energy attack. You gain resistance equal to your manifester level against one energy type (chosen from acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic). If you use this anomaly a second time while a previous manifestation of it is still active, the new resistance and duration replace the old one.

Frigid Lash
Lesser, Psychokinesis (Cold); 4th; Lash Composition
Display: Visual
Range: As psychokinetic lash
Effect: As psychokinetic lash
Duration: Instantaneous and 10 Minutes
Saving Throw: None and Fort Negates
Power Resistance: Yes
This lash composition anomaly allows you to change your frigid lash into a frigid lash. A frigid lash deals cold damage. Any creature struck by the attack must succeed on a Fortitude save or take a -4 penalty to Dexterity for 10 minutes, from to the numbing chill of the lash. The Dexterity penalties from multiple frigid lashes do not stack.

Leaping Lash
Lesser, Psychokinesis; 2nd, Lash Shape
Display: Visual (part of using psychokinetic lash)
Range: 60 ft.
Target: 1 additional creature/five levels
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: Yes
This lash shape anomaly allows you to improve your psychokinetic lash by turning it into an arc of energy that “jumps” from the first target to others. A leaping lash can jump to one of more secondary targets within 30 feet of the first target, allowing you to make additional ranged touch attacks and deal damage to the secondary targets if you hit.

You can “jump” the lash to one secondary target per five manifester levels, so you can strike two additional targets at 10th level, three additional targets at 15th level, and four additional targets at 20th level. Each new target must be within 30 feet of the previous one, and you can’t target the same creature more than once with the leaping lash. If you miss any target in the chain, the psychokinetic chain ends there.

Each target struck after the first takes half the damage dealt to the first target. This reduction in damage to secondary targets applies to any effect that increases the damage of your psychokinetic lash (such as [i]incinerating lash[i]). You must make a separate power penetration check for each target.

Neural Disruption
Lesser, Psychometabolism; 4th
Display: Mental
Range: Touch
Target Creature Touched
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: Will Negates
Power Resistance: Yes
With a touch, you can cause a debilitating disruption in a creature’s neural connections. You can choose to inflict any one of the following effects.
• -6 decrease to an ability score (minimum 1).
• -4 penalty on attack rolls, saves, ability checks, and skill checks.
• Each turn, the target has a 50% chance to act normally, otherwise, it takes no action.
• Target is rendered sterile.
• Target is struck blind and deaf.
• Each round in combat, there is a 25% chance that the target will strike the nearest creature rather than choosing an opponent normally.
• Every time the victim makes a d20 roll, a roll of 20 counts as a 1.
• The victim effectively ages, moving him or her into the beginning of the next age category. See Chapter 6 of the Player’s Handbook for the effects of aging.

Even if the save against this ability succeeds, the creature takes a -1 penalty on attack rolls for 1 minute.

Remove curse or a similar effect counters neural disruption.

Rend Psionics
Lesser, Psychokinesis; 4th
Display: Visual
Range: Medium (100 ft + 10 ft/level)
Target: One manifester, creature, or object; or 20 ft -radius burst
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: No
You can use rend psionics to end ongoing powers that have been cast on a creature or object, to temporarily suppress the psionic abilities of a psionic item, to end ongoing powers (or at least their effects) within an area, or to counter another manifester's power. A dispelled power ends as if its duration had expired. Some powers, as detailed in their descriptions, can’t be defeated by dispelling. rend psionics can dispel (but not counter)psi-like effects just as it does powers.

Any creature with an active power dispelled by this anomaly takes 1 point of damage per level of the power (no save).

Note: The effect of a power with an instantaneous duration can’t be dispelled, because the psionic effect is already over before the dispelling can take effect.

You choose to use rend psionics in one of three ways: a targeted dispel, an area dispel, or a counterspell:

Targeted Dispel
One object, creature, or spell is the target of the rend psionics anomaly. You make a dispel check (1d20 + your manifester level, maximum +10) against the power or against each ongoing psionic effect currently in effect on the object or creature. The DC for this dispel check is 11 + the power's caster level. If you succeed on a particular check, that power is dispelled; if you fail, that power remains in effect.

If you target an object or creature that is the effect of an ongoing power (such as an astral construct), you make a dispel check to end the power that conjured the object or creature.

If the object that you target is a psionic item, you make a dispel check against the item’s manifester level. If you succeed, all the item’s psionic properties are suppressed for 1d4 rounds, after which the item recovers on its own. A suppressed item becomes nonpsionic for the duration of the effect. An interdimensional interface is temporarily closed. A psionic item’s physical properties are unchanged: A suppressed psionic sword is still a sword (a masterwork sword, in fact). Artifacts and deities are unaffected by mortal psionics such as this.

You automatically succeed on your dispel check against any power or anomaly that you manifested yourself.

Area Dispel
When rend psionics is used in this way, the anomaly affects everything within a 20-foot radius.

For each creature within the area that is the subject of one or more powers, you make a dispel check against the power with the highest manifester level. If that check fails, you make dispel checks against progressively weaker powers until you dispel one power (which discharges the rend psionics anomaly so far as that target is concerned) or until you fail all your checks. The creature’s psionic items are not affected.

For each object within the area that is the target of one or more powers, you make dispel checks as with creatures. Psionic items are not affected by an area dispel.

For each ongoing area or effect power whose point of origin is within the area of the rend psionics anomaly, you can make a dispel check to dispel the power.

For each ongoing power whose area overlaps that of the rend psionics anomaly, you can make a dispel check to end the effect, but only within the overlapping area.

If an object or creature that is the effect of an ongoing power (such as an astral construct) is in the area, you can make a dispel check to end the power that conjured that object or creature (returning it whence it came) in addition to attempting to dispel powers targeting the creature or object.

You may choose to automatically succeed on dispel checks against any power that you have manifested.

Counterspell
When rend psionics is used in this way, the anomaly targets a manifester and is manifested as a counterspell. Unlike a true counterspell, however, [i]rend psionics[i] may not work; you must make a dispel check to counter the other manifester's power.

Telekinetic Propulsion
Lesser, Psychokinesis; 3rd
Display: Visual
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 24 Hours
When you use this anomaly, you surround yourself with a telekinetic field. You can fly at a speed equal to your land speed with good maneuverability for 24 hours.

Telepathic Rapport
Lesser, Telepathy (Charm) [Mind-Affecting]; 4th
Display: Mental
Range: 60 ft
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: Will negates
Power Resistance: Yes
This anomaly makes a creature into regard you as its trusted friend and ally (treat the target’s attitude as friendly). However, if the creature is currently being threatened or attacked by you or your allies it receives a +5 bonus on its saving throw. This is a language-dependent ability, but also functions if you can communicate telepathically with the creature.

The anomaly does not enable you to control the charmed creature as if it were an automaton, but it perceives your words and actions in the most favorable way. You can try to give the subject orders, but you must win an opposed Charisma check to convince it to do anything it wouldn’t ordinarily do. (Retries are not allowed.) An affected creature never obeys suicidal or obviously harmful orders, but it might be convinced that something very dangerous is worth doing. Any act by you or your apparent allies that threatens the charmed creature dispels the anomaly.

You can never have more than one target charmed at a time with this ability. If a second creature is charmed, you lose your hold on the first creature.

Greater Anomalies:

Spoiler

Befuddling Lash
Greater, Telepathy (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]; 4th; Lash Composition
Display: Mental
Range: As psychokinetic lash
Target: As psychokinetic lash
Duration: Instantaneous and 1 Round
Saving Throw: None and Will Negates
Power Resistance: Yes
This lash composition anomaly allows you to change your psychokinetic lash into a befuddling lash. This lash temporarily confuses the target’s thought process, slowing their reactions. Any living creature struck by a befuddling lash must succeed on a Will save or be slowed for 1 round in addition to the normal damage from the lash.

A slowed creature can take only a single move action or standard action each turn, but not both (nor may it take full-round actions). Additionally, it takes a -1 penalty on attack rolls, AC, and Reflex saves. A slowed creature moves at hail its normal speed (round down to the next 5-foot increment), which affects the creature’s jumping distances as normal for decreased speed.

Multiple slow effects don’t stack. Slow counters and dispels haste.

Bewildering Lash
Greater, Telepathy (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]; 4th; Lash Composition
Display: Mental
Range: As psychokinetic lash
Target: As psychokinetic lash
Duration: Instantaneous and 1 Round
Saving Throw: None and Will Negates
Power Resistance: Yes
This lash composition anomaly allows you to change your psychokinetic lash into a bewildering lash. Any creature struck by a bewildering lash must succeed on a Will save or be confused for 1 round in addition to the normal damage from the lash.

A confused creature is unable to independently determine what they will do. Roll on the following table at the beginning of the subject’s turn to determine what they will do in that round.

d%	Behavior
01-10	Attack manifester with melee or ranged weapon (or close with manifester if attack is not possible).
11-20	Act normally.
21-50	Do nothing but babble incoherently.
51-70	Flee away from manifester at top possible speed.
71-100	Attack nearest creature (for this purpose, a familiar counts as part of the subject’s self).

Corrosive Morass
Greater, Metacreativity (Creation); 4th
Display: Olfactory and Visual
Range:Medium (100 ft. +10 ft./level)
Area:20-ft. radius spread
Duration:1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: No
You cover the ground in viscous, caustic ectoplasm, roughly the consistency of thick mud. The ectoplasm is sticky; entering any square affected by the corrosive morass costs 2 squares of movement. In addition, each square entered deals 1d6 points of acid damage to the creature moving. A creature who stands still in the area without moving from its space takes 1d6 points of damage per round at the end of its turn.

The fumes produced by a corrosive morass are highly flammable. Any effect that deals fire damage within an area of corrosive morass deals an extra 1 point of damage per die (minimum +1 damage).
If you use this anomaly a second time while a previous corrosive morass is still present, the previous effect ends.

Fortify Self
Greater, Psychometabolism; 5th
Display: Visual
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 24 Hours
You use your psychic power to energize your body, gaining temporary hit points equal to your manifester level. These hit points last for 24 hours of until you manifest this anomaly again. Multiple manifestations don't stack, they are replaced by the new value and duration.

Impact Lash
Greater, Psychokinesis; 6th; Lash Composition
Display: Visual
Range: As psychokinetic lash
Effect: As psychokinetic lash
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None and Ref Negates
Power Resistance: Yes
This lash composition anomaly allows you to change your psychokinetic lash into an impact lash. Any medium or smaller creature struck by an impact lash must succeed on a Reflex save or be hurled 1d6x5 feet (1d6 squares) directly away from you and knocked prone by the energy of the attack. If the creature strikes a solid object, it stops prematurely, taking 1d6 points of damage per 10 feet hurled, and it is still knocked prone. Movement from this blast does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Incinerating Lash
Greater, Metacreativity (Fire); 6th; Lash Composition
Display: Visual
Range: As psychokinetic lash
Effect: As psychokinetic lash
Duration: Instantaneous (initial damage) and 1 additional round/5 levels (additional damage)
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: None
This lash composition anomaly allows you to change your psychokinetic lash into an incinerating lash. An incinerating lash deals fire damage, and it is formed from burning ectoplasm drawn from the Astral Plane, making it different from other lash compositions because it ignores power resistance.

Creatures struck by an incinerating lash automatically catch on fire, which deals an extra 2d6 points of damage for each additional round. This fire damage persists for 1 round per 5 manifester levels. For example, a 15th level mindscourge deals 2d6 points of fire damage per round for 3 rounds after the initial incinerating lash attack.

Psychokinetic Blast
Greater, Psychokinesis; 5th; Lash Shape
Display: Visual
Range: As psychokinetic lash
Effect: As psychokinetic lash
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Power Resistance: Yes
This lash shape anomaly allows you to manifest your psychokinetic lash as a 60-foot line. Unlike a normal psychokinetic lash, this is not a ray attack and does not require a ranged touch attack. All targets within the area take damage as if hit by the psychokinetic lash, and can attempt a Reflex save for half damage.

Psychokinetic Wave
Greater; Psychokinesis; 5th, Lash Shape
Display: Visual
Range: 30 ft.
Effect: Cone-shaped spread
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex Half
Power Resistance: Yes
This lash shape anomaly allows you to manifest your psychokinetic lash in a 30-foot cone. The psychokinetic wave deals psychokinetic lash damage to all targets within the area. This is not a ray attack, so it requires no ranged touch attack. Any creature in the area of the cone can attempt a reflex save for half damage.

Mental Intrusion
Greater, Telepathy (Charm) [Mind-Affecting]; 5th
Display: Auditory
Range: Close (25 ft + 5 ft/2 levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: Will partial (see text)
Power Resistance: Yes
All the subject’s memories and knowledge are accessible to you, from memories deep below the surface to those still easily called to mind. You can learn the answer to one question per round, to the best of the subject’s knowledge. If the subject succeeds on a Will save, it is not required to answer the question; however, making a save does not end the anomaly. You can ask the subject a new question (or the same question) in subsequent rounds for as long as the anomaly’s duration persists.

You can question a sleeping subject and automatically get an answer to your inquiry. If the subject then succeeds on a Will save, it wakes after providing the answer and thereafter can resist answering by making Will saves as described above.

Subjects that do not wish to be probed can attempt to move beyond the anomaly’s range, unless they are somehow hindered. You pose the questions telepathically, and the answers to those questions are imparted directly to your mind. You and the subject do not need to speak the same language, though less intelligent creatures may yield up only appropriate visual images in answer to your questions.

Telekinetic Marionette
Greater, Psychokinesis; 5th
Display: Material
Range: Close (25 ft + 10 ft/2 levels)
Target: One creature of the appropriate size and shape (see text)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 min./level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Power Resistance: Yes
You can psychokinetically control the body of any creature with a discernible anatomy that is within range and to which you have line of sight. The creature can be no more than one size category above Medium size per 5 manifester levels. For example, a 12th level mindscourge could manipulate a Huge creature, but not a Gargantuan one.

Phenomenal Anomalies:

Spoiler

Concealment Field
Phenomenal, Psychokinesis (light, sonic); 6th
Display: Auditory
Range: Personal
Target: You and 20 ft.
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: None and Fort partial
Power Resistance:Yes (Harmless) and Yes
Concealment field bends the light surrounding your body, rendering you invisible, even from darkvision. If you are carrying gear, that vanishes, too. Items you drop or put down become visible, items picked up disappear if tucked into you clothing or pouches. Light, however, never becomes invisible, although a source of light can become so (thus, the effect is that of a light with no visible source). Any part of an item that you, but that extends more than 10 feet from you, becomes visible. Of course, you are not psionically silenced, and certain other conditions can render you detectable (such as stepping in a puddle).

If concealment field is dispelled, the sudden release of psychic energy creates a shock wave. This shock wave releases from your body in a 20-foot radius burst. This shock wave deals 4d6 points of damage to all creatures in the area and stuns them for 1 round (a Fortitude save halves the damage and negates the stunning effects).

Metaperception
Phenomenal, Clarisentience; 9th
Display: Visual
Range: Personal or Touch, and 100 ft (telepathy)
Target: See text
Duration: 10 min/level
Saving Throw: None or Will negates (harmless)
Power Resistance: No or Yes (Harmless)
This anomaly grants you a semi-omnipotent awareness of yourself or another. Once metaperception is manifested, you receive instantaneous warnings of impending danger or harm to the subject of the anomaly. Thus, if you are the subject of the anomaly, you would be warned if a rogue were about to attempt a sneak attack on you, or if a creature were about to leap out from a hiding place, or if an attacker were specifically targeting you with a spell or ranged weapon. You are never surprised or flat-footed. In addition, the anomaly gives you a general idea of what action you might take to best protect yourself-duck, jump, close your eyes, and so on-and gives you a +2 insight bonus to AC and Reflex saves. This insight bonus is lost whenever you would lose your Dexterity bonus to AC.

When another creature is the subject of the anomaly, you receive warnings about that creature, and if you are within 100 feet of the creature and have line of sight to it, you can communicate telepathically with it. You must communicate what you learn to the creature for the warning to be useful, and the creature can be caught unprepared in the absence of such a warning. Shouting a warning, yanking a person back, and telepathically communicating can all be accomplished before some danger befalls the subject, provided you act on the warning without delay. The subject, however, does not gain the insight bonus to AC and Reflex saves.

Nightmarish Metamorphosis
Phenomenal, Psychometabolism; 6th
Display: Visual; see text
Range: Personal; see text
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level
You transform yourself into a nightmarish monstrosity, wreathed in flailing tentacles and terrifying to gaze upon. You effectively gain a +10 bonus on Disguise checks, though you retain your basic shape and can continue to use your equipment. This power cannot be used to impersonate someone; while monstrous and inhuman, your form is recognizably your own.

You gain the frightful presence extraordinary ability, which takes effect automatically when you charge a foe. Opponents within 30 feet of you that have fewer Hit Dice or levels than you and that witness your charge become shaken for 5d6 rounds if they fail a Will save (DC 16 + your Cha modifier). An opponent that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to your frightful presence for 24 hours. Frightful presence is a mind-affecting fear effect.

Your horrid form grants you a natural armor bonus of +5, damage reduction 5/-, and a +4 bonus to your Strength score. In addition, you gain +10 feet to your land speed as well as a +10 bonus on Climb and Jump checks.

Numerous thrashing tentacles sprout from your body. You can make up to four additional attacks with these tentacles in addition to your regular melee attacks in each round that you take a full attack action. You can make tentacle attacks within the space you normally threaten. If you make your tentacle attacks in addition to you regular melee attacks, each tentacle attacks at your highest base attack bonus with a -5 penalty. If you forgo all your other attacks, making only tentacle attacks, you make your tentacle attacks at your highest base attack bonus with no penalty. These tentacles deal 2d8 points of damage plus one-half your Strength bonus on each successful strike.

This power functions only while you inhabit your base form (for instance, you can’t be metamorphed or polymorphed into another form, though you can use claws of the beast, and bite of the wolf in conjunction with this power for your regular attacks), and while your mind resides within your own body.

If reduced to 0 or fewer hit points while in this form, you can't use this anomaly again for 1 hour.

Psychokinetic Maelstrom
Phenomenal, Psychokinesis; 8th, Lash Shape
Display: Visual
Range: 20 ft.
Target: Any number of creatures within 20 ft.
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex Half
Power Resistance: Yes
This lash shape anomaly allows you to manifest your psychokinetic lash as the devastating psychokinetic maelstrom. This causes a wave of psychokinetic power to flood the area, buffeting nearby targets. A psychokinetic maelstrom deals psychokinetic lash damage to any number of targets designated by you and within 20 feet. This is not a ray attack, so it requires no ranged touch attack. Each target can attempt a reflex save for half damage.

Stupefying Lash
Phenomenal, Telepathy (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]; 7th; Lash Composition
Display: Mental
Range: As psychokinetic lash
Target: As psychokinetic lash
Duration: Instantaneous and 1 Round
Saving Throw: None and Will Negates
Power Resistance: Yes
This lash composition anomaly allows you to change your psychokinetic lash into a stupefying lash. Any creature struck by a stupefying lash must succeed on a Will save or be stunned for 1 round in addition to the normal damage from the lash.

Stygian Lash
Phenomenal, Psychometabolism; 8th; Lash Composition
Range: As psychokinetic lash
Effect: As psychokinetic lash
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None and Fortitude Negates
Power Resistance: Yes (part of using psychokinetic lash)
This lash composition anomaly allows you to change your psychokinetic lash into a stygian lash. A stygian lash deals negative energy damage, which heals undead creatures instead of damaging them (much like inflict spells). Any creature struck by the attack must make a Fortitude save or gain two negative levels. The negative levels fade after 1 hour. If a target ever has as many negative levels at Hit Dice, it dies.

Telekinetic Manipulation
Phenomenal, Telekinesis; 6th
Display: Visual
Range: Close (25 ft. +5ft./2 levels)
Target: See text
Duration: Concentration (up to 1 round/ level) or instantaneous; see text
Saving Throw: Will negates (object) or None; see text
Power Resistance: Yes (object); see text

You move objects or creatures by concentrating on them. Depending on the version selected, the anomaly can provide a gentle, sustained force, perform a variety of combat maneuvers, or exert a single short, violent thrust.

Sustained Force: A sustained force moves an object weighing no more than 25 pounds per manifester level (maximum 375 pounds at 15th level) up to 20 feet per round. A creature can negate the effect on an object it possesses with a successful Will Save or with power resistance.

This version of the anomaly can last 1 round per manifester level, but it ends if you cease concentration. The weight can be moved vertically, horizontally, or in both directions. An object cannot be moved beyond your range. The anomaly ends if the object is forced beyond the range. If you cease concentration for any reason, the object falls or stops.

An object can be telekinetically manipulated as if with one hand. For example, a lever or rope can be pulled, a key can be turned, an object rotated, and so on, if the force required is within the weight limitation. You might even be able to untie simple knots, though delicate activities such as these require Intelligence checks set by the DM.

Combat Maneuver: Alternatively, once per round, you can use telekinesis to perform a bull rush, disarm, grapple (including pin), or trip. Resolve these attempts as normal, except that they don’t provoke attacks of opportunity, you use your manifester level in place of your base attack bonus (for disarm and grapple), you use your Charisma modifier in place of your Strength or Dexterity modifier, and a failed attempt doesn’t allow a reactive attempt by the target (such as for disarm or trip). No save is allowed against these attempts, but power resistance applies normally. This version of the anomaly can last 1 round per manifester level, but it ends if you cease concentration.

Violent Thrust: Alternatively, the psychic energy can be spent in a single round. You can hurl one object or creature per manifester level (maximum 15) that are within range and all within 10 feet of each other toward any target within 10 feet per level of all the objects. You can hurl up to a total weight of 25 pounds per manifester level (maximum 375 pounds at 15th level).

You must succeed on attack rolls (one per creature or object thrown) to hit the target with the items, using your base attack bonus + your Charisma modifier. Weapons cause standard damage (with no Strength bonus; note that arrows or bolts deal damage as daggers of their size when used in this manner). Other objects cause damage ranging from 1 point per 25 pounds (for less dangerous objects) to 1d6 points of damage per 25 pounds (for hard, dense objects).

Creatures who fall within the weight capacity of the anomaly can be hurled, but they are allowed Will Saves (and power resistance) to negate the effect, as are those whose held possessions are targeted by the anomaly. If a targeted creature is hurled against a solid surface, it takes damage as if it had fallen 10 feet (1d6 points).

Warp Flesh
Phenomenal, Psychometabolism; 6th
Display: Visual
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Fort negates and Fort partial (see text)
Power Resistance: Yes
You cause the touched subject’s flesh to warp into a nearly seamless whole. The subject is forced into a fetal position (if humanoid), with only the vaguest outline of its folded arms and legs visible below the all-encompassing wave of flesh. The subject retains the ability to breathe, eat, and excrete, but may lose the use of its senses (see below). If the sudden transformation would prove fatal to the creature (such as warping a swimming airbreathing subject, or a flying subject), the subject gets a +4 bonus on the save. Unless it loses the use of its senses (see below), the creature can still perform purely mental actions, such as manifesting powers.

If the target fails its Fortitude save to avoid the anomaly’s effect, the subject must immediately attempt a second Fortitude save. If this second save is failed, the creature’s eyes and ears fuse over, effectively blinding and deafening it. Moreover, it loses its extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like abilities, as well as its ability to manifest powers (if any), and is generally in sorry shape.

Incorporeal or gaseous creatures and creatures not composed of flesh are immune to warp flesh, and a shapechanger can revert to its natural form as a standard action.

[TabletopNuke]

Thanks for the help with the posting problem.

Originally Posted by erikun

The Mindscourge cannot gain Psionic Focus and cannot take Psionic feats without a PP pool. One of the benefits of a Psionic class is playing around with the Psionic feats - it isn't much of a Psionic class if it cannot. Even the Soulknife gets the Wild Talent feat for free.

Wild Talent gives the Mindscourge a total of 2 PP, and nothing that they can spend it on. It is not overpowered

I fixed that.

Originally Posted by erikun

The save DCs and power levels looked kind of unusual at first. Then I realized - Psionics don't rely on power levels for DC, and generally don't care what level a power is originally. Spending 1 PP has a DC of 11 + modifier while 17 PP has a DC of 19 + modifier (unusally). You can even spend 19 PP for a DC of 20 + modifier, equal to a 10th level spell slot. In that vein, I don't think it would be unusual for the Psychokinetic Lash to keep scaling at the rate of 1/2 level.

The Anomalies are better off at a fixed DC... maybe. Having them scale would be more "Psionically" appropriate and fit with the Psionics system better, but would possibly end up overpowered, as the Mindscourge doesn't need to spend PP to augment. Ultimately, I think the Anomalies would need to be playtested to see if a fixed DC or level-based DC is more appropriate.

What do you mean "fixed DC"? That Charisma doesn't effect the save DC? I've never been a fan of those. They loose their usability very quickly and make the class less enjoyable.

I think balance is much more important than whether the class is "psionically appropriate". If anything, being different from the other psionic classes fits the flavor of the mindscourge quite well.

1/2 class psychokinetic lash? I always assumed WotC had a good reason that they didn't give the warlock a 1/2 class eldritch blast. I wouldn't want to make the mindscourge overpowered.

Mechanically, I had intended for the mindscourge to function in the same fashion as the warlock. I'm not intending to make new mechanics here. I just wanted to make it psionc, refluff it, and replace the more "demonic" features with more psychic ones. (If anything, I thought removing the somatic component fit the warlock flavor better too)

Originally Posted by Mulletmanalive

I'm going to do something that might be offensive to you and/or inappropriate to the setting: Watch the Hayden Christensen film, Jumper. Therein, the mutant jumpers lose their powers briefly when subjected to electricity.

Electrified attacks will logically be a practical option in a sci-fi setting a little like the traditional vibro-weapons of sci-fi fantasy. You could lump the resistances together into one value, to represent the swift healing within limits that you've thus far used as an explanation, and have it negated by electrical damage for 1d3 rounds, along with the majoirty of their powers...

I never saw Jumper. I'm very out of the loop on movies.

Make the technology vulnerable to electricity, eh?. That's a good idea. I think that machinery should be permitted a save against being shorted out, though.

Honestly, I'm a little unsure about having the resistances at all. The flavor behind the damage reduction is that the character has psioncally reinforced their body or excellerated their healing. I wasn't sure how to incorporate two specific types of energy resistance with the same flavor. What about providing resistance 2 to all energy types at 1st level, and and resistance 5 to all energy types at 20th level?

Edit: Oh, and I'm not sure about losing their power from electricity. Can you elaborate on that, both fluff-wise and mechanically? Also, I'm not to keen on taking a movie's idea.

[TabletopNuke]

I just got some ideas to differentiate the mindscourge from it's warlock ancestry!

Damage Reduction:
Should I replace each point of DR/cold iron with +1 deflection bonus to AC?

Energy Resistance:
Should I replace it with fast healing 2 at 10th level, and fast healing 5 at 20th level? If this is too powerful, I could alter the rules so it only functions when the mindscourge is psionically focused. Or lower the fast healing to 1 at 10th level, and 3 at 20th level.

Metabolic Overdrive:
It could stack with the fast healing that replaces energy resistance. Or I could replace it with the following ability:

Electrokinetic Aura:
Beginning at 8th level, you can create an electrokinetic aura. Once per day you can surround yourself with a field of electricity that causes no harm to you, but deals 1d6 points of electricity damage to any creature striking you with its body or a hand-held weapon. Creatures wielding weapons with exceptional reach, such as longspears, are not subject to this damage if the attack you.

Activating your electrokinetic aura is a free action, it lasts for 2 minutes or until you take another free action to end it. The crackling electricity also creates light equivalent to a torch.

At 13th level, your electrokinetic aura deals 2d6 points of electricity damage, At 18th level, the damage inproves to 5d6 points.


What does GITP think of these changes?

[DragoonWraith]

OK, so I definitely think it needs greater differentiation. The fluff behind them is excellent, because it really doesn't tie them to Warlocks, it gives them their own thing - that's awesome. But too many anomalies are simply invocations, and the class features are almost identical. While certainly not a bad class, it's the kind of thing that almost doesn't need to be written down.

The changes you suggest are good. That's a start. I'd also try to get some anomalies that use effects that are uniquely psionic - hard, I know, but there are some.

Other than that, there's some typos/copy in the Anomalies section. A couple of messed up tags ( stuff like [/]Anomaly Name[/i] and stuff), and a couple of spots where you use the old name instead of the name of the title of the anomaly.

[Zaydos]

Originally Posted by TabletopNuke

Energy Resistance:[/b]
Should I replace it with fast healing 2 at 10th level, and fast healing 5 at 20th level? If this is too powerful, I could alter the rules so it only functions when the mindscourge is psionically focused. Or lower the fast healing to 1 at 10th level, and 3 at 20th level.

Even so it is significantly stronger than energy resistance 5 or 10. Within 5 rounds it will heal off all that energy resistance would have protected and it makes you start every battle at full health (with no expenditure of resources). This also works on all damage instead of just 2 energy types. Although last time I ran a high level warlock he was so hard to kill he wasn't worth targeting so he generally was at full health anyway (I think his energy resistance came up 2 or 3 times). I'd still say this is a noticeably stronger ability. Perhaps half health cap, although that might be too weak.

[DragoonWraith]

Warlocks are generally weakish, at least for a caster. And this doesn't have the Summon Swarm invocation.

[TabletopNuke]

Thank you for pointing out typos and coding errors. This post has gotten so big that it's hard to find all of those.

I'm still working on more psionic-based anomalies. Any ideas? I want to make a telepathy one. Would a 60-ft. telepathy range be worth a least or lesser anomaly?

I'm a little worried about the change from DR X/cold iron to +X deflection bonus to AC. Do you guys think its a balanced change?

I still need a good replacement for the energy resistance.
How about this:
The ability to act as it hasted for 5 rounds a day at 10th level.
This increases to 10 rounds at 20th level.

[DragoonWraith]

I like the idea of acting as if hasted, that's cool. No idea if the rounds/day are appropriate numbers, though they certainly don't seem ridiculous.

[dsmiles]

Maybe instead of x/cold iron or +x deflection modifier you could just go the simple route and use x/psionic. There's psionic crafting feats for a reason, and any item made with them would be considered a 'psionic' item instead of a 'magic' item. Just a thought.

[Jane_Smith]

YUCK! The puked up eldritch blast progression! Why?! Whyyyy?! Make it 1d6 at 1st level, +1d6 every two levels thereafter like normal offensive ability progressions. It makes no -sense- why it should skip some levels when it obviously should go up around there.

It oughta cap off at 10d6 by level 19, in my opinion. Not exactly like 10-60 is a very op attack by level 20, is it?

Edit: Im Lawful. So sue me. It irks me beyond reason when abilites dont stale/progress in a mathmatical/sane/normal way.

[DaTedinator]

Originally Posted by Jane_Smith

YUCK! The puked up eldritch blast progression! Why?! Whyyyy?! Make it 1d6 at 1st level, +1d6 every two levels thereafter like normal offensive ability progressions. It makes no -sense- why it should skip some levels when it obviously should go up around there.

It oughta cap off at 10d6 by level 19, in my opinion. Not exactly like 10-60 is a very op attack by level 20, is it?

QFT, I agree 100%.

If you do go the haste route, I'd let it be a much longer duration; these guys are casters, they don't actually get a massive bonus from Haste. That said, though, I'm against haste; that seems more like something that should be an anomaly. Deflection bonus to AC seems balanced, and it'd work, but I'd try to find something else, personally.

Telepathy seems like it might be a better class ability than an anomaly. Maybe replace one (or both) of the UPD abilities to differentiate it from the Warlock?

[TabletopNuke]

So you guys think I should change the psychokinetic lash to +1d6/2 levels, then?

As for x/psionic, that is not nearly as powerful an ability as x/cold iron.

My reasoning for the amount of haste is that there is an epic feat that grants fast healing 2, and there is an epic feat that grants 10 rounds of haste/day.

DeTedinator, what was your reason for wanting to replace the deflection bonus? I thought if fit the concept really well. The mindscourge's innate psychic power creates something of a force-field around her.

I am aware that UMD is a lifesaver for the warlock, and I am hesitant to replace such a vital feature. If you have an idea to compensate for such a loss though, I'd be happy to hear it.

Also, I figured that different mindscourges might tend towards different psychic archtypes. One might wind up with a great deal of telepathic abilities, while another was more psychometabolism-oriented. This was my reasoning for making telepathy an anomaly, rather than a class feature. Not all psychics are the same, you know.

I'm not terribly concerned with differentiating the mindscourge from the warlock, as long as the class fits the concept I had in mind. As far as I'm concerned, being able to manipulate psionic items in unusual ways fits the enigmatic nature of the mindscourge just fine.