PrC: Limbic Animist [Archive] - Wizards Community

PrC: Limbic Animist [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Istarion
03-31-07, 12:17 PM this idea came to me after reading the PHB2 shapeshift druid, and somehow I imagined a soulknife that used his mind blade to form some claws.

I would like some recommendations on what to change to keep it balanced, or what features do i have to tweak, etc.

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Limbic Animist
“Mind is not only made from thoughts and ideas. It’s also instinct, rage and hunger” – Alathaos, Limbic Animist

The mind is a powerful weapon. around the world, psions, and ardents learn to tap into it to manifest techniques that people would only conceive as miracles. Psychic warriors and monks, to varying degrees, assume that the union between their minds and their martial prowess will make them unbeatable. And soulknives train their minds to become as sharp as the mindblades they manifest.

Limbic Animists, on their part, learn that in their minds, there is a secret source, only known to them, and to wilders. Deep in the sea of their souls, it lies the Beast Within, the sum of all emotions, instincts, and desires: their animalistic side. While wilders just let the Beast Within feed their psionic powers; Limbic Animists pursue to embrace it, to become one with their inner beasts.

Becoming a Limbic Animist

The path to become a Limbic Animist ussually starts with a Egoist or an Ardent , who during their carreers discover the empowering effects of Animal Affinity, and learn about the Beast within. Sooner or later, these apprentices get to manifest a mindblade, technique required to enter the class.

The final step into this class, however, includes a period of self meditation, in which the apprentice must isolate himself in order to find and channel his Beast Within.

Other paths into the Limbic Animist include levels of Psychic Warrior, or other psion disciplines with the aid of Expanded Knowledge.

Entry Requirements:

BAB: +3
Skills: Knowledge (nature) 4 ranks, Knowledge (psionics) 8 ranks.
Special: Able to manifest a mind blade
Special: Able to manifest Animal Affinity
Special: Must have spent one week alone in the wilds, without contact with civilization.

Table 1: The Limbic Animist
Hit Die: D8
lvl BAB Fort Ref Will Special ML
1 +0 +2 +0 +2 mind claws -
2 +1 +3 +0 +3 Assume Limbic Aspect +1
3 +2 +3 +1 +3 Psychic Strike +1d8 +1
4 +3 +4 +1 +4 Animalistic Edge +1
5 +3 +4 +1 +4 Imbue natural attack +1
6 +4 +5 +2 +5 Beast Awakening -
7 +5 +5 +2 +5 Animal Mutation +1
8 +6 +6 +2 +6 Greater Animalistic Edge +1
9 +6 +6 +3 +6 Psychic Strike +2d8 +1
10 +7 +7 +3 +7 Savage Power +1
Class Skills (4+Int modifier per level): Autohypnosis, climb, concentration, Craft, Hide, Jump, Knowledge (psionics and nature), Listen, Move Silently, Profession, Spot and Survival.

Class Features

All the following are the class Features of the Limbic Animist prestige class. The main focus is in becoming more animalistic, either by their mind claws, or the Extra benefits given by animal affinity.

Manifesting: At every level, excepting 1st and 6th, you gain additional powers known, power points per day and an increase in ML as if you have gained a level in whatever manifesting class you posessed before gaining this prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefits a character of that class would have gained.
If you had more than one manifesting class before gaining each level of Limbic Animist, you must decide to which class apply this benefit each time you gain a level of this class.

mind claws: At first level, a Limbic Animist gains the ability to change the form of his mind blade into a pair of Mind Claws. As a full round action, he can change his mind blade to replicate a pair of claws (slashing damage 1d6 + Str bonus each for a Medium character). These claws are considered natural attacks, so they benefit from feats like Improved Natural attack, but you can make only one attack with each claw as part of a full attack action.
Your L.A. level stacks with your soulknife level for determining the enhancement your mind blade receive to attack bonus and damage, and for the Mind blade enhancement ability.
Your mind claws receive all benefits from being a mind blade, such as mind blade enhancement, Psychic Strike, Weapon Focus, etc.

Assume Limbic Aspect: At 2 level, you continue awakening your inner beast. The boni to physical stats (Str, Dex, Con) given by Animal Affinity become untyped instead of enhancement bonus. Several manifestations of Animal Affinity become cumulative if they affect different abilities, but multiple manifestations enhancing the same score do not stack. Also, your animal Affinity power is considered an Ex ability.

The subtle physical appearance changes given by Animal affinity become more radical: when affected by this power, your appearance becomes a hybrid between animal and humanoid. You gain a +4 bonus to disguise checks to pose as a lycanthrope when affected by Animal Affinity.

Psychic Strike: As the Soulknife ability.

Animalistic Edge: While you are under the effects of your Animal Affinity Power, you may expend extra pp to gain boni depending on which Attribute your Animal Affinity affects:

Strength: Rending Strike: Whenever you hit an opponent with both of your claws, you may expend 1pp as a free action. If you do, your attack deals an extra 1d6+STR bonus Slashing damage. At 8th level, you may expend pp up to your class level. For each 2 pp apart from the first, your rend damage increases by +1d6.
Dexterity: Swift Retreat: Whenever you use an action to move, you may expend 1 pp. If you do, your land speed is increased by +10 feet until your next turn. At 8th level, you may expend pp up to your class level. Your land speed increases by 10ft for each pp spent until your next turn.
Constitution: Thick Hide: You may expend 1 pp as a free action. If you do, you gain a +2 AC enhancement bonus to your Natural Armor against the next attack made against you. At 8th level, you may spend pp up to your class level. For each 2 pp spent apart from the first, the enhancement bonus to Natural Armor given by this ability increases by +1.

Beast awakening: At sixth level, your inner beast becomes evident. If you spend your psionic focus as a move action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, you may activate any of the following traits, provided you meet their requisites. These traits last for an amount of rounds equal to your class level, or until dismissed as a free action:

Bite of the Jaguar: Your teeth grow into ferocious fangs. You gain a secondary bite attack appropriate for a creature of your size (1d8 piercing damage for Medium creatures). This attack is considered a mind blade, but when you activate this trait, your mind blade’s enhancement to attack and damage is reduced by 1. You may activate this trait only if your Strength is enhanced by your Animal Affinity Power.

Limbic Wings: You grow wings and gain a fly speed equal to your land speed (good maneurability). You may activate this trait only if your animal affinity power enhances your Dexterity.

Turtle’s Carapace: You grow a scaly shell that protects you from harm .You gain DR X/adamantine, where X is equal to the enhancement bonus on attacks and damage on your mindblade. You can activate this trait only if your Animal Affinity power enhances your Constitution score.

Animal Mutation: Once per round, as a free action, you may change the attribute(s) affected by your Animal affinity power. If you have active Beast Awakening traits, you may change them as you change attributes. You can’t have a Beast Awakening trait active if it’s corresponding attribute is no enhanced by Animal affinity.

Savage Power: On any round you use a full attack action to attack using only natural weapons, you may manifest a power with a manifesting time of 1 standard action or less as a swift action.

-------------------------------------

Sample Builds: (In Construction)

Alathaos Darmen
Male Human Soulknife 1/Egoist 4/Limbic Animalist 3
CG Medium Humanoid (psionic)
InitSenses
Languages: Common, Sylvan, Terran, Dwarf
---------------------
AC
hp
FortRefWill
---------------------
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Melee +1 mind blade or
+1 mind claws (x2)
Base Atk +4 Grp

--------------------
Abilities
Ocom
03-31-07, 02:02 PM Well, when I read the title I got a entirely different idea of what it is.

I'd suggest giving it good saves for only Fort and give it less skill points. Also, improving the ML seems a little strange.

Oh, and it is not mentioned, what type of damage the claws make.
Istarion
03-31-07, 02:15 PM That's what happens when one's not good at naming (Imagin what'll happen when I become a father... :S)

The ML improvement stems from the fact that most features stem from Animal Affinity, so an ML improvement woul increase the power's duration, and would open the ability to augmentation (taking less actions to buff you up), but I was considering limiting it to 5-7/10 manifesting, to focus it less appealing for otherwise full manifester, that take only a 3 level hit on ML (1 from SK and 2 from the class), and still get 9th level powers; but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

On the saves and skill points, I'm not settled on it yet, but at first it seemed natural for a nature oriented class to have Fort and Will as good saves. Maybe 2 + Int skill points would be more adequate, though.

Damage type on claws... fixed
Sysane
03-31-07, 03:33 PM Assume Limbic Aspect: At 2 level, you continue awakening your inner beast. The boni to physical stats (Str, Dex, Con) given by Animal Affinity become untyped instead of enhancement bonus. Several manifestations of Animal Affinity to the same attribute do not stack. Also, your animal Affinity power is considered an Ex ability. The subtle physical appearance changes given by Animal affinity become more radical: when affected by this power, your appearance becomes a hybrid between animal and humanoid. You gain a +4 bonus to disguise checks to pose as a lycanthrope when affected by Animal Affinity.
While I see what you’re trying to accomplish with this ability, you’re going to need to reword it. As it is now the ability won’t work mechanically. Manifesting animal affinity more than once will not effect two different ability scores at the same time. The more recent manifestation of animal affinity will supercede the previous manifestation of the power.
Zodiaq7
03-31-07, 03:56 PM Yeah, I like this one. I've got an Egoist that screaming for this PrC. Keep this one alive.
Istarion
03-31-07, 04:02 PM The only thing I was trying to accomplish, was to make it stack with ability enhancing equipment, as gloves of ogre strength...
In order to make it affect multiple abilities, you always have the Augment option.
(I had forgotten the multiple instances of same effect supercede each other...

which would be available by character level 8 for two abilities, and 13 for all 3 physical stats. (assuming practiced manifester in the build), which would correspond to PrC levels 3 and 8.

But I personally don't think that letting different manifestations affect different stats to be too broken... (wizards could do it if they wanted), and the augment would be like a built-in quasi quicken... mmm.
Istarion
04-02-07, 07:08 PM Shameless :bump:
Istarion
04-08-07, 07:45 PM Nobody else has any suggestions/comments?? :D

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Istarion 03-31-07, 12:17 PM	this idea came to me after reading the PHB2 shapeshift druid, and somehow I imagined a soulknife that used his mind blade to form some claws. I would like some recommendations on what to change to keep it balanced, or what features do i have to tweak, etc. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Limbic Animist “Mind is not only made from thoughts and ideas. It’s also instinct, rage and hunger” – Alathaos, Limbic Animist The mind is a powerful weapon. around the world, psions, and ardents learn to tap into it to manifest techniques that people would only conceive as miracles. Psychic warriors and monks, to varying degrees, assume that the union between their minds and their martial prowess will make them unbeatable. And soulknives train their minds to become as sharp as the mindblades they manifest. Limbic Animists, on their part, learn that in their minds, there is a secret source, only known to them, and to wilders. Deep in the sea of their souls, it lies the Beast Within, the sum of all emotions, instincts, and desires: their animalistic side. While wilders just let the Beast Within feed their psionic powers; Limbic Animists pursue to embrace it, to become one with their inner beasts. Becoming a Limbic Animist The path to become a Limbic Animist ussually starts with a Egoist or an Ardent , who during their carreers discover the empowering effects of Animal Affinity, and learn about the Beast within. Sooner or later, these apprentices get to manifest a mindblade, technique required to enter the class. The final step into this class, however, includes a period of self meditation, in which the apprentice must isolate himself in order to find and channel his Beast Within. Other paths into the Limbic Animist include levels of Psychic Warrior, or other psion disciplines with the aid of Expanded Knowledge. Entry Requirements: BAB: +3 Skills: Knowledge (nature) 4 ranks, Knowledge (psionics) 8 ranks. Special: Able to manifest a mind blade Special: Able to manifest Animal Affinity Special: Must have spent one week alone in the wilds, without contact with civilization. Table 1: The Limbic Animist Hit Die: D8 lvl BAB Fort Ref Will Special ML 1 +0 +2 +0 +2 mind claws - 2 +1 +3 +0 +3 Assume Limbic Aspect +1 3 +2 +3 +1 +3 Psychic Strike +1d8 +1 4 +3 +4 +1 +4 Animalistic Edge +1 5 +3 +4 +1 +4 Imbue natural attack +1 6 +4 +5 +2 +5 Beast Awakening - 7 +5 +5 +2 +5 Animal Mutation +1 8 +6 +6 +2 +6 Greater Animalistic Edge +1 9 +6 +6 +3 +6 Psychic Strike +2d8 +1 10 +7 +7 +3 +7 Savage Power +1 Class Skills (4+Int modifier per level): Autohypnosis, climb, concentration, Craft, Hide, Jump, Knowledge (psionics and nature), Listen, Move Silently, Profession, Spot and Survival. Class Features All the following are the class Features of the Limbic Animist prestige class. The main focus is in becoming more animalistic, either by their mind claws, or the Extra benefits given by animal affinity. Manifesting: At every level, excepting 1st and 6th, you gain additional powers known, power points per day and an increase in ML as if you have gained a level in whatever manifesting class you posessed before gaining this prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefits a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one manifesting class before gaining each level of Limbic Animist, you must decide to which class apply this benefit each time you gain a level of this class. mind claws: At first level, a Limbic Animist gains the ability to change the form of his mind blade into a pair of Mind Claws. As a full round action, he can change his mind blade to replicate a pair of claws (slashing damage 1d6 + Str bonus each for a Medium character). These claws are considered natural attacks, so they benefit from feats like Improved Natural attack, but you can make only one attack with each claw as part of a full attack action. Your L.A. level stacks with your soulknife level for determining the enhancement your mind blade receive to attack bonus and damage, and for the Mind blade enhancement ability. Your mind claws receive all benefits from being a mind blade, such as mind blade enhancement, Psychic Strike, Weapon Focus, etc. Assume Limbic Aspect: At 2 level, you continue awakening your inner beast. The boni to physical stats (Str, Dex, Con) given by Animal Affinity become untyped instead of enhancement bonus. Several manifestations of Animal Affinity become cumulative if they affect different abilities, but multiple manifestations enhancing the same score do not stack. Also, your animal Affinity power is considered an Ex ability. The subtle physical appearance changes given by Animal affinity become more radical: when affected by this power, your appearance becomes a hybrid between animal and humanoid. You gain a +4 bonus to disguise checks to pose as a lycanthrope when affected by Animal Affinity. Psychic Strike: As the Soulknife ability. Animalistic Edge: While you are under the effects of your Animal Affinity Power, you may expend extra pp to gain boni depending on which Attribute your Animal Affinity affects: Strength: Rending Strike: Whenever you hit an opponent with both of your claws, you may expend 1pp as a free action. If you do, your attack deals an extra 1d6+STR bonus Slashing damage. At 8th level, you may expend pp up to your class level. For each 2 pp apart from the first, your rend damage increases by +1d6. Dexterity: Swift Retreat: Whenever you use an action to move, you may expend 1 pp. If you do, your land speed is increased by +10 feet until your next turn. At 8th level, you may expend pp up to your class level. Your land speed increases by 10ft for each pp spent until your next turn. Constitution: Thick Hide: You may expend 1 pp as a free action. If you do, you gain a +2 AC enhancement bonus to your Natural Armor against the next attack made against you. At 8th level, you may spend pp up to your class level. For each 2 pp spent apart from the first, the enhancement bonus to Natural Armor given by this ability increases by +1. Beast awakening: At sixth level, your inner beast becomes evident. If you spend your psionic focus as a move action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, you may activate any of the following traits, provided you meet their requisites. These traits last for an amount of rounds equal to your class level, or until dismissed as a free action: Bite of the Jaguar: Your teeth grow into ferocious fangs. You gain a secondary bite attack appropriate for a creature of your size (1d8 piercing damage for Medium creatures). This attack is considered a mind blade, but when you activate this trait, your mind blade’s enhancement to attack and damage is reduced by 1. You may activate this trait only if your Strength is enhanced by your Animal Affinity Power. Limbic Wings: You grow wings and gain a fly speed equal to your land speed (good maneurability). You may activate this trait only if your animal affinity power enhances your Dexterity. Turtle’s Carapace: You grow a scaly shell that protects you from harm .You gain DR X/adamantine, where X is equal to the enhancement bonus on attacks and damage on your mindblade. You can activate this trait only if your Animal Affinity power enhances your Constitution score. Animal Mutation: Once per round, as a free action, you may change the attribute(s) affected by your Animal affinity power. If you have active Beast Awakening traits, you may change them as you change attributes. You can’t have a Beast Awakening trait active if it’s corresponding attribute is no enhanced by Animal affinity. Savage Power: On any round you use a full attack action to attack using only natural weapons, you may manifest a power with a manifesting time of 1 standard action or less as a swift action. ------------------------------------- Sample Builds: (In Construction) Alathaos Darmen Male Human Soulknife 1/Egoist 4/Limbic Animalist 3 CG Medium Humanoid (psionic) InitSenses Languages: Common, Sylvan, Terran, Dwarf --------------------- AC hp FortRefWill --------------------- Speed 30 ft. (6 squares) Melee +1 mind blade or +1 mind claws (x2) Base Atk +4 Grp -------------------- Abilities
Ocom 03-31-07, 02:02 PM	Well, when I read the title I got a entirely different idea of what it is. I'd suggest giving it good saves for only Fort and give it less skill points. Also, improving the ML seems a little strange. Oh, and it is not mentioned, what type of damage the claws make.
Istarion 03-31-07, 02:15 PM	That's what happens when one's not good at naming (Imagin what'll happen when I become a father... :S) The ML improvement stems from the fact that most features stem from Animal Affinity, so an ML improvement woul increase the power's duration, and would open the ability to augmentation (taking less actions to buff you up), but I was considering limiting it to 5-7/10 manifesting, to focus it less appealing for otherwise full manifester, that take only a 3 level hit on ML (1 from SK and 2 from the class), and still get 9th level powers; but that's not necessarily a bad thing. On the saves and skill points, I'm not settled on it yet, but at first it seemed natural for a nature oriented class to have Fort and Will as good saves. Maybe 2 + Int skill points would be more adequate, though. Damage type on claws... fixed
Sysane 03-31-07, 03:33 PM	Assume Limbic Aspect: At 2 level, you continue awakening your inner beast. The boni to physical stats (Str, Dex, Con) given by Animal Affinity become untyped instead of enhancement bonus. Several manifestations of Animal Affinity to the same attribute do not stack. Also, your animal Affinity power is considered an Ex ability. The subtle physical appearance changes given by Animal affinity become more radical: when affected by this power, your appearance becomes a hybrid between animal and humanoid. You gain a +4 bonus to disguise checks to pose as a lycanthrope when affected by Animal Affinity. While I see what you’re trying to accomplish with this ability, you’re going to need to reword it. As it is now the ability won’t work mechanically. Manifesting animal affinity more than once will not effect two different ability scores at the same time. The more recent manifestation of animal affinity will supercede the previous manifestation of the power.
Zodiaq7 03-31-07, 03:56 PM	Yeah, I like this one. I've got an Egoist that screaming for this PrC. Keep this one alive.
Istarion 03-31-07, 04:02 PM	The only thing I was trying to accomplish, was to make it stack with ability enhancing equipment, as gloves of ogre strength... In order to make it affect multiple abilities, you always have the Augment option. (I had forgotten the multiple instances of same effect supercede each other... which would be available by character level 8 for two abilities, and 13 for all 3 physical stats. (assuming practiced manifester in the build), which would correspond to PrC levels 3 and 8. But I personally don't think that letting different manifestations affect different stats to be too broken... (wizards could do it if they wanted), and the augment would be like a built-in quasi quicken... mmm.
Istarion 04-02-07, 07:08 PM	Shameless :bump:
Istarion 04-08-07, 07:45 PM	Nobody else has any suggestions/comments?? :D