PRESTIGE CLASSES

What are prestige classes? Prestige classes are specialists within psion community, each one dealing with a certain niche. There are four different prestige classes: the Metamind, the Pyrokineticist, the Slayer and the Soulknife.



1: METAMIND;

The Metamind knows that accumulating the most power in hte shortest time is the key to psionic superiority. "Power to burn" is something all metaminds strive for-they are unconcerned with glamor or flashy ways, but single-mindedly determined to amass as much psychic power as possible. Someone who takes one or more levels of metamind is sometimes colloquially referred to as a "head" by other psionic characters.

In game terms, a metamind is all about power points. Any character with some psionic ability can become a metamind to beef up mental strength-at the expense of discovering higher-level powers. Psychic warriors in particular may wish to increase their otherwise medicore mental power so as to have adequate reserves for comabt-orientated psionic feats. Psions who need an extra edge for prolonged use of specific powers may take several levels of metamind.

SPECIAL ABILITIES;

A: INNER STRENGTH; A metamind gains Inner Strength as a bonus feat at 1st, 2nd, and then every other level after that. This grants the metamind additional power points every time the feat is gained.

B: POWER PSICRYSTAL; At 2nd level, the metamind mastes the trick of storing excess power points in a psicrystal. Once done the psicrystal is then treated as a crystal capacitor capable of storing 15 power points, in addition to it's psicrystal capabilities. A metamind's psicrystal advances in ability (psicrystal abilities).

C: TRIGGER POWER; Beginning at level 3 and again at levels 5, 7, and 9, the metamind gains a bonus trigger power feat. Each time this feat is gained he chooses a power that he can then manifest for free.

D: PSYCHIC VAMPIRE; At 8th level, the metamind becomes proficient at draining power from others. He can manifest psychic vampire as though using the TRIGGER POWER feat, even though no other psion can do this, it is a unique ability.

E: APOTHEOSIS; At 10th level, the metamind gains the spell like ability to manifest 1st-3rd level powers as though using the Trigger Power feat instead of selecting specific powers.



2: PYROKINETICIST;

A pyrokineticist is a char. who has discovered that a little psionic power goes a long way-if you are interested only in fire. A 'pryo' finds both beauty and utility in the chaotic shape of flame, its spectrum of fuel-dependent colors, it's warming heat and its never-ending hunger. Someone who takes one or more levels of pyrokineticist is sometimes colloquially referred to as a "pryo".

Those who becomes 'pyro's' like fire. A lot. Any char with some psionic ability is a possible candidate for this prestige class. Psions consider it acceptable to give up power acquistion in other areas if they have a passion for flame. Some psychic warriors also enjoy the 'pyro's' powers.

NPC 'pyro's' are fairly rare, becaus society frowns upon those whose pursuit in life is to "burn it all". Thus pyro's are rarely found in large communities (unless employed as a secret enforcer). Instead, the are more likely to be found on hte fringes of society, as hermits in barren lands where the temptations to burn are reduced.

SPECIAL ABILITIES;

A: TOUCH AFLAME; The pyro's mere touch sets objects or foes on fire. The fire will last 1 round/post/action, unless of course something else fuels it once set. ie..clothes, torches, wood, liquid fuels.

B: FIRE LASH; The pyro fashions a 15-foot-long whip of fire from the unstable ectoplasm as a move-equivalent action. This is a spell like ability. The pyro takes no damage from this, yet everything the whip touches is set on fire and will burn for 3 posts/rounds/actions unless something feeds it fuel.

C: FIRE ADAPTATION; At 2nd level the pyro becomes to resistant to all forms of fire, gaining a +10 bonus on all saving throws against fire and heat damage. This extraordinary ability constantly protects the pryo.

D: HAND AFIRE; At 2nd level the pyro can activate this spell like ability as a move equivalent action. One of the pyro's hands is licked by flames that do him/her no damage, causing all of the pyro's unarmed attacks to be treated as armed, this attack deals 2d10 damage in addition to any other damage the unarmed attack might deliver.

E: BOLT OF FIRE; At 3rd level, the pryo can laungh a bolt of psionically manifested fire up to 60 feet away at any target in line of sight. It is treated as a ranged touch attack and deals 4d6 worth of damage, and costs only 3PSP's per use.

F: WEAPON AFIRE; At 4th level the pyro can activate this ability. One weapon the pyro holds (including stone, bullet, arrow, or bolt) is licked by flames that harm neither the pyro or the weapon. It deals an additional 2d6 points of damage, and stops flaming the round after it starts unless of course something else fuels the fire.

G: BREATH OF THE DRAGON; On reaching the 5th level the pyro discovers the ability breath of the dragon. A pyro can manifest this power even if he/she would normally be too low in level to do so, but must pay the full PSP cost. Otherwise it only costs 3 PSP's per use.

H: NIMBUS; At 6th level, the pyro can activate this ability. The pyro's whole body is licked by flames that harm neither the pyro or equipment he/she carries. It deals 2d10+5 damage when the pyro makes physical contact with someone or something.

I: FIREWALK; Beginning at 7th level, the pyro can use this ability to literally walk on air. The pyro moves as normal speed in all directions including vertically, but cannot move at more then double her/his speed in a round. A firewalker leaves footprints of flame in the air that disperse in 2 rounds.

J: FEAR NO FIRE; At 8th level the pyro becomes even more resistant to all forms of fire, gaining a +15 bonus on all saving throws against fire and heat damage. This protects the pyro at all times.

K: HEAT DEATH; A pyro who reaches 9th level can use this ability to raise the internal temperature of one creature within 30 feet to lethal levels. The target if it doesn't counter this will will die a horrible death, as it's blood (or other internal fluid) boils along with all the other innards of the creature, it's skin will also heat up and catch on fire. Even if the target counters or makes a saving throw against this action it will still take 4d8 points in heat damage.

L: FIRE LORD; At 10th level, the pyro gains the supernatural ability to become a fire elemental of his/her size. The pyro gains the elementals special abilities when he/she does so.



3: SLAYER;

Only the naive dismiss the illithid threat. Or so say those who have dedicated their lives to the eradication of the mind flayer "infection." Psionic beings know the real dangers illithids pose better than nonpsionic individuals, but even so most are unwilling to honor the code of the slayer.

A primary slayer credo is "Do or Die" where "do" means "find and slay illithids." A faltering heart does not a slayer make (another of their credos, where if truth be told number in the hundreds). It is a poorly kept secret that while slayers are best at hunting and slaying illithids, many of their abilities make them deadly to any psionic creature.

Any character with some psionic abilit can become a slayer. All it takes is hating illithids enough.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

A: FAVORED ENEMY (ILLITHID); At 1st level, the slayer selects illithids (and illithidkin) as his/her favored enemy. Due to the slayers extensive study of his/her foes and training with the proper techniques for combating them, the slayer gains a +5 bonus for all rolls when combating an illithid.

B: ITLLITHID SENSE; The slayer sense the presence of illithids within 60 feet of him/herself. even if hidden by darkness or walls, but not their exact location. This supernatural ability is active all the time.

C: BRAIN NAUSEA; At 2nd level the slayer gains this constatn defense, a supernatural ability somewhat similar to the aversion power. Any creature that attempts to eat the slayers brain will become disinclined to do so. Illithids in particular are free to take any action except extracting the slayer's brain (but they do not realize they are being so affected).

D: BONUS FEATS; At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level, a slayer gains a bonus general , psionic, or metapsionic feat. Generaly slayers favor feats that augment their ability to dispatch illithids, although they are effective against any foe illitid or otherwise.

E: LUCID BUFFER; At 4th level, the slayer becomes especially skilled at resisting all mental attacks. Gaining a +10 bonus roll against mental attacks.

F: CERBRAL BLIND; On reaching 6th level, a slayer can "riposte" a psionic attack. Whenever the slayer is attacked with any psionic attack the attacker will experience a psionic backlash and will be dazed for 1 full round/post.

G: BREACH POWER RESISTANCE; In the hands of the a slayer who has reached 8th level, a weapon is enhanced by his/her psionic might and desire. This effectively makes it easier for all manner of strikes to score against the slayers target.

H: BLAST FEEDBACK; Beware using mind blast against a slayer. At 10th level, the slayer can turn an illithids favored attack against itself. When the slayer is attacked with mind blast, the slayer can forgo attempting a psionic defense and also forgo a saving through. The slayer automatically sets up a blast feedback attack (a supernatural ability). The attacker can not use any defense modes and has it's attack instantly turned back on itself, the attacker will be stunned for 1 full round/post



4: SOULKNIFE;

A soulknife recognizes his own mind as the most beautiful-and the most deadly- thing in all creation. With this understanding and through extended practice, a soulknife learns to forge his mental strength into a shimmering blade of semisolid psychic energy.

Each souldknife's personal blade, referred to as a "mindblade," differs in color and shape according to his personality, mental strength, and even mood. Although no two mind-blades look alike, all share the same lethal qualities. Because soulknives turn the power of their minds to such weaponry, they are notorious for their violence. Any character with some psionic ability can become a soulknife.

SPECIAL ABILITIES<

A: MIND-BLADE; The soulknife creates a semisolid blade 1 foot in length composed of psychic energy (distilled from his/her own mind). As long as he holds the blade, it is identical in every way to that of a short sword. The blade can be broken, however it will reform on the next post.

As the soulknife increases in levels so to does his mind-blade to a maxium of +5 at 10th level. it deals 1d6 damage at 1st level up to a maxium of 6d6 at 10th level. Creating a mind-blade is a supernatural ability.

B: SNEAK ATTACK; A soulknife can make sneak attacks exactly like a rogue, but only with his mind-blade.

C: IMBED POWER; At 3rd level, the soulknife can imbed any one psionic power (but no psionic attack modes) of 3rd level or lower in his mind-blade. The imbedded power automatically affects the next target that the soulknife successfully attacks with the mind-blade, with no saving ability allowed. Once used the power is flushed from the mind-blade and a new one can be imbedded.

D: THROW MIND-BLADE; At 3rd level, the soulknife can throw his mind-blade as a ranged weapon with a range increment of 30 feet per level. Wether or not the attack hits, a thrown mind-blade then dissipates. The soulknife can make a sneak attack with a thrown mind-blade, and can use the blade in conjunction with other special abilities (such as an imbedded power).

E: IMBED PSIONIC ATTACK; At 4th level, the soulknife an now imbed any one psionic attack mode that he knows in his mind-blade. There is no saving throw if the mind-blade strikes for the imbedded psionic attack, after the attack the blade is flushed yet again.

F: SEVER LIFE; When a soulknife reaches 6th level, he can use imbedded psionic attacks to strike at the target's life force. A successful attack doesn't deal normal damage it instead deals temporary constitution/stamina damage.

G: FREE DRAW; At the 6th level, a soulknife can materialize his mind-blade as a free action instead of a move-equivalent action.

H: UPGRADE; On reaching the 8th level, the soulknife achieves greater control over his mind's power. His mind-blade's base characteristics are now those of a longsword, so it now deals 1d12 damage, with the concurrent advances in damage along with levels to a maxium of 6d12.

I: KNIFE TO THE SOUL; At 10th level, the soulknife becomes expert at attacking the opponenet's life energy. The knife to the soul ability resembles the sever life ability except that this damage is permanent