Psionic Avatar [Archive] - Wizards Community

Psionic Avatar [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Tectorman
01-24-08, 09:22 AM (Can also be found in the Classes and Prestige Classes forum.)

A little birdie told me that the Ardent and the Divine Mind were originally conceived of as the same class. So here's my idea for what that would've been like (i.e., this is a Divine Mind fix).

Flavor: Most psionically gifted individuals either are born with the power or attain it after many years of hard pursuit. For the psionic avatar, the gift is granted when the god he worships decides he needs a presence in the psionic community at large. (I don't really go for broke on the flavor descriptions, as flavor is so mutable and so campaign-dependent.)

PSIONIC AVATAR

Alignment: A psionic avatar’s alignment must not be opposed to any of her deity’s alignment factors. For instance, a neutral good psionic avatar can choose a lawful good deity, but a chaotic good psionic avatar could not.
Hit Die: d6

Class Skills
The psionic avatar’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), and Psicraft (Int).

Skill Points at 1st level: (2 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Base Power Maximum
Attack Fort Ref Will Points/ Powers Power Level
Level Bonus Save Save Save Special Day Known Known
1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Assume psionic mantle, psychic aura 5 ft. 1 1 1st
2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 Assume psionic mantle 3 2 1st
3rd +2 +1 +1 +3 Psychic aura 10 ft. 6 2 1st
4th +3 +1 +1 +4 Divine grace 10 3 2nd
5th +3 +1 +1 +4 Psychic aura 15 ft. 15 3 2nd
6th +4 +2 +2 +5 Assume psionic mantle 21 4 3rd
7th +5 +2 +2 +5 Divine inspiration, psychic aura 20 ft. 28 4 3rd
8th +6/+1 +2 +2 +6 Change aura (standard action) 36 5 4th
9th +6/+1 +3 +3 +6 Psychic aura 25 ft. 45 5 4th
10th +7/+2 +3 +3 +7 Psychic aura (second aura) 55 6 5th
11th +8/+3 +3 +3 +7 Divine inspiration, psychic aura 30 ft. 66 6 5th
12th +9/+4 +4 +4 +8 Assume psionic mantle 78 7 6th
13th +9/+4 +4 +4 +8 Psychic aura 35 ft. 91 7 6th
14th +10/+5 +4 +4 +9 Change aura (move action) 105 8 7th
15th +11/+6/+1 +5 +5 +9 Divine inspiration, psychic aura 40 ft. 120 8 7th
16th +12/+7/+2 +5 +5 +10 136 9 8th
17th +12/+7/+2 +5 +5 +10 Psychic aura 45 ft. 157 9 8th
18th +13/+8/+3 +6 +6 +11 Change aura (swift action) 175 10 9th
19th +14/+9/+4 +6 +6 +11 Divine inspiration, psychic aura 50 ft. 194 10 9th
20th +15/+10/+5 +6 +6 +12 Psychic aura (third aura) 214 11 9th

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Psionic avatars are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).

Power Points/Day: A psionic avatar’s ability to manifest powers is limited by the power points she has available. Her base daily allotment of power points is given on the above table. In addition, she receives bonus power points per day if she has a high Wisdom score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Power Points in the Expanded Psionics Handbook, page 18). Her race may also provide bonus power points per day, as may certain feats and items.

Powers Known: A psionic avatar begins play knowing one of the powers available to her based on her choice of mantle. At every even-numbered class level thereafter, she unlocks the knowledge of new powers.

Choose the powers known from the mantle(s) the psionic avatar has available to her. (Exception: The feats Expanded Knowledge and Epic Expanded Knowledge do allow a psionic avatar to learn powers from the lists of other classes.) A psionic avatar can manifest any power that has a power point cost equal to or lower than his manifester level.

The total number of powers a psionic avatar can manifest in a day is limited only by her daily power points.

A psionic avatar simply knows her powers; they are ingrained in her mind. She does not need to prepare them (in the way that some spellcasters prepare their spells), though she must get a good night’s sleep each day to regain all her spent power points.

The Difficulty Class for saving throws against psionic avatar powers is 10 + the power’s level + the psionic avatar’s Wisdom modifier.

Maximum Power Level Known: A psionic avatar begins play with the ability to learn 1st-level powers. As she attains higher levels, he may gain the ability to master more complex powers.

To learn or manifest a power, a psionic avatar must have a Wisdom score or at least 10 + the power’s level.

Psychic Aura (Su): All psionic avatars know three basic auras: attack, defense, and perception (see below). In addition, your chosen mantle adds a specialized aura to your options. You choose one aura to manifest, and its benefits take effect in a radius around you as given on the above table. Most auras affect either you and your allies or just your enemies. As you become more powerful, your aura spreads to encompass a wider area. If you know multiple mantles, you choose which aura to manifest when you meditate. You can spend an hour in meditation to change your aura.

At 10th level, you can have two auras active at the same time; at 20th level, you can have three active auras.

Attack: You and all allies within your aura gain a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls. This bonus increases by 1 for every five levels in this class you have.

Defense: You and all allies within your aura gain a +1 morale bonus to Armor Class. This bonus increases by 1 for every five levels in this class you have.

Perception: You and all allies within your aura gain a +2 morale bonus on Initiative, Listen, and Spot checks. This bonus increases by 1 for every five levels in this class you have.

The mantles and their aura powers are given on pages 10 and 12 in Complete Psionic.

Assume Psionic Mantle: At 1st-level, a psionic avatar chooses a deity to follow. She then chooses from among that deity’s assigned mantles (see Table 1-4, Mantles by Deity in Complete Psionic, page 11), picking one that she adopts and learns to manifest powers from.

You begin play with access to a mantle and its mantle power. Each mantle has a specific granted ability that you can use. The powers in the mantle are considered on your list for the purpose of using dorjes and other items. When you gain a power known, select it from the mantle’s list of powers. At 2nd, 6th, and 12th levels, you gain additional mantles. These mantles must be selected from the list of mantles assigned to her deity.

Most of the powers provided by a mantle are psionic in nature. Some mantles feature new abilities unlike any psionic power in existence. These abilities are still treated as psionic powers in every respect, and always have a power point cost to manifest.

Again, the mantles and their aura powers are given on pages 10 and 12 in Complete Psionic.

Divine Grace (Su): Beginning at 4th level, you gain a bonus equal to your Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws.

Divine Inspiration (Ex): At 7th level, and again at every four levels thereafter, you gain Expanded Knowledge as a bonus feat.

Change Aura (Ex): At 8th level, you gain the ability to change between your mantle auras much more quickly. It takes only a standard action to change between auras. You can switch auras as a move action at 14th level, and at 18th level you can change your aura as a swift action.

Ex-Psionic Avatars
A character who grossly violates the ethics of his deity's alignment loses all psionic avatar powers and abilities (but not weapon, armor, and shield proficiencies). She cannot progress further in levels as a psionic avatar. She regains her abilities and advancement potential if she atones for her transgressions.
Tectorman
03-17-08, 01:30 PM Helllooo? What, did I get it right the first time?
Scion of Coldshard
03-17-08, 02:00 PM Why are you giving them 4 bonus expanded power feats? And why do the powers chosen from them not count as powers known for items?

The biggest problems that I have with mantles are based on their incredible variability of power level. Some are really good, some are horrible. Some have a decent selection of powers and others not so much. Some of the auras are pretty good while others are pointless.

It is really hard to judge overall balance when a character of one diety could be horribly weak while another horribly strong all because of their mantle selections ;/

Personally, I'd be really tempted to limit the class to only 6th level powers max known, cut out the extra expanded power feats, get rid of multiple simultaineous auras, let them use all powers of the appropriate level from their mantles, double the radius of the auras, and increase their skill points and skill selection. Oh, and give them one more good save. ;)

I would also make the feat that boosts their auras give an extra 10' of radius along with increase all of the aura effects by +1.

At 20th level that would easily mean that the guy was walking around with a +7 initiative, spot, and listen for himself and the rest of the party and then once combat starts popping over to increase everyones attack and damage by +6 or raising everyones AC by +6. That alone is an incredible amount of power! ;)
Tectorman
03-19-08, 12:31 PM Why are you giving them 4 bonus expanded power feats? And why do the powers chosen from them not count as powers known for items?

The biggest problems that I have with mantles are based on their incredible variability of power level. Some are really good, some are horrible. Some have a decent selection of powers and others not so much. Some of the auras are pretty good while others are pointless.

It is really hard to judge overall balance when a character of one diety could be horribly weak while another horribly strong all because of their mantle selections ;/

The four bonus powers are to give the PA more freedom of choice as far as his powers are concerned (since he's limited by the mantles). The reason I made those powers not count as their powers list is because that's how I interpret Expanded Knowledge.

Take a PsyWar. He uses one of his bonus feats to learn a power not on his class power list. Now it's on his powers known list, but it's still not a PsyWar power, right? Ergo, it wouldn't count as one for how items work.

Unless WotC has specifically said that EK would allow non-class powers known to act as class powers for the purpose of items, in which case, I'd change it.

About Mantles: Whatever mistakes (for there are many) are in CPsi, the book did at least say that powers assigned to mantles are (not sure of the quote) esoteric or arbitrary. So swapping powers out of a mantle for others that make more sense or just make for better balance is already allowed for/suggested.

And since I don't want to step on too many toes, I won't actually be listing my ideas for better mantles (just work with your DM).

Personally, I'd be really tempted to limit the class to only 6th level powers max known, cut out the extra expanded power feats, get rid of multiple simultaineous auras, let them use all powers of the appropriate level from their mantles, double the radius of the auras, and increase their skill points and skill selection. Oh, and give them one more good save. ;)

I would also make the feat that boosts their auras give an extra 10' of radius along with increase all of the aura effects by +1.

Hmm. I could be tempted to double all of the distances for the auras (begin at 10' and go up to 100' eventually). But all the rest of those I don't see.
Lycanthromancer
03-19-08, 02:36 PM Expanded Knowledge specifically adds the power in question to the character's powers known list.

Expanded Knowledge [Psionic]
You learn another power.
Prerequisites: Manifester level 3rd.
Benefit: Add to your powers known one additional power of any level up to one level lower than the highest-level power you can manifest. You can choose any power, including powers from another discipline’s list or even from another class’s list.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Each time, you learn one new power at any level up to one less than the highest-level power you can manifest.

From the SRD:

This is the activation method for dorjes and psicrowns. It requires the special knowledge of power manifestation that a character of the appropriate class would know, and the formation of the appropriate command thought. If a power is on a character’s power list, the character knows how to use a power trigger item that stores that power. The user must still determine what power is stored in the item before she can activate it. Activating a power trigger item is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Powers stored in power trigger items are not augmented. Such powers are assumed to be stored in the item at the minimum manifester level necessary to manifest the power. However, certain items may specify a higher manifester level than necessary. If such an item holds a power that deals hit point damage, the power is assumed to be augmented to the maximum allowed by the power and the manifester level. Emphasis mine.

Ergo, your interpretation is wrong. Whether or not that (wrong) interpretation should still make it into your class...well, that's up to you.
Tectorman
03-19-08, 03:50 PM Oh. I thought the "Powers Known" list and the "Class Powers" list were kept separate. I'll change it.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Tectorman 01-24-08, 09:22 AM	(Can also be found in the Classes and Prestige Classes forum.) A little birdie told me that the Ardent and the Divine Mind were originally conceived of as the same class. So here's my idea for what that would've been like (i.e., this is a Divine Mind fix). Flavor: Most psionically gifted individuals either are born with the power or attain it after many years of hard pursuit. For the psionic avatar, the gift is granted when the god he worships decides he needs a presence in the psionic community at large. (I don't really go for broke on the flavor descriptions, as flavor is so mutable and so campaign-dependent.) PSIONIC AVATAR Alignment: A psionic avatar’s alignment must not be opposed to any of her deity’s alignment factors. For instance, a neutral good psionic avatar can choose a lawful good deity, but a chaotic good psionic avatar could not. Hit Die: d6 Class Skills The psionic avatar’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), and Psicraft (Int). Skill Points at 1st level: (2 + Int modifier) x 4. Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier. Base Power Maximum Attack Fort Ref Will Points/ Powers Power Level Level Bonus Save Save Save Special Day Known Known 1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Assume psionic mantle, psychic aura 5 ft. 1 1 1st 2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 Assume psionic mantle 3 2 1st 3rd +2 +1 +1 +3 Psychic aura 10 ft. 6 2 1st 4th +3 +1 +1 +4 Divine grace 10 3 2nd 5th +3 +1 +1 +4 Psychic aura 15 ft. 15 3 2nd 6th +4 +2 +2 +5 Assume psionic mantle 21 4 3rd 7th +5 +2 +2 +5 Divine inspiration, psychic aura 20 ft. 28 4 3rd 8th +6/+1 +2 +2 +6 Change aura (standard action) 36 5 4th 9th +6/+1 +3 +3 +6 Psychic aura 25 ft. 45 5 4th 10th +7/+2 +3 +3 +7 Psychic aura (second aura) 55 6 5th 11th +8/+3 +3 +3 +7 Divine inspiration, psychic aura 30 ft. 66 6 5th 12th +9/+4 +4 +4 +8 Assume psionic mantle 78 7 6th 13th +9/+4 +4 +4 +8 Psychic aura 35 ft. 91 7 6th 14th +10/+5 +4 +4 +9 Change aura (move action) 105 8 7th 15th +11/+6/+1 +5 +5 +9 Divine inspiration, psychic aura 40 ft. 120 8 7th 16th +12/+7/+2 +5 +5 +10 136 9 8th 17th +12/+7/+2 +5 +5 +10 Psychic aura 45 ft. 157 9 8th 18th +13/+8/+3 +6 +6 +11 Change aura (swift action) 175 10 9th 19th +14/+9/+4 +6 +6 +11 Divine inspiration, psychic aura 50 ft. 194 10 9th 20th +15/+10/+5 +6 +6 +12 Psychic aura (third aura) 214 11 9th Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Psionic avatars are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields). Power Points/Day: A psionic avatar’s ability to manifest powers is limited by the power points she has available. Her base daily allotment of power points is given on the above table. In addition, she receives bonus power points per day if she has a high Wisdom score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Power Points in the Expanded Psionics Handbook, page 18). Her race may also provide bonus power points per day, as may certain feats and items. Powers Known: A psionic avatar begins play knowing one of the powers available to her based on her choice of mantle. At every even-numbered class level thereafter, she unlocks the knowledge of new powers. Choose the powers known from the mantle(s) the psionic avatar has available to her. (Exception: The feats Expanded Knowledge and Epic Expanded Knowledge do allow a psionic avatar to learn powers from the lists of other classes.) A psionic avatar can manifest any power that has a power point cost equal to or lower than his manifester level. The total number of powers a psionic avatar can manifest in a day is limited only by her daily power points. A psionic avatar simply knows her powers; they are ingrained in her mind. She does not need to prepare them (in the way that some spellcasters prepare their spells), though she must get a good night’s sleep each day to regain all her spent power points. The Difficulty Class for saving throws against psionic avatar powers is 10 + the power’s level + the psionic avatar’s Wisdom modifier. Maximum Power Level Known: A psionic avatar begins play with the ability to learn 1st-level powers. As she attains higher levels, he may gain the ability to master more complex powers. To learn or manifest a power, a psionic avatar must have a Wisdom score or at least 10 + the power’s level. Psychic Aura (Su): All psionic avatars know three basic auras: attack, defense, and perception (see below). In addition, your chosen mantle adds a specialized aura to your options. You choose one aura to manifest, and its benefits take effect in a radius around you as given on the above table. Most auras affect either you and your allies or just your enemies. As you become more powerful, your aura spreads to encompass a wider area. If you know multiple mantles, you choose which aura to manifest when you meditate. You can spend an hour in meditation to change your aura. At 10th level, you can have two auras active at the same time; at 20th level, you can have three active auras. Attack: You and all allies within your aura gain a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls. This bonus increases by 1 for every five levels in this class you have. Defense: You and all allies within your aura gain a +1 morale bonus to Armor Class. This bonus increases by 1 for every five levels in this class you have. Perception: You and all allies within your aura gain a +2 morale bonus on Initiative, Listen, and Spot checks. This bonus increases by 1 for every five levels in this class you have. The mantles and their aura powers are given on pages 10 and 12 in Complete Psionic. Assume Psionic Mantle: At 1st-level, a psionic avatar chooses a deity to follow. She then chooses from among that deity’s assigned mantles (see Table 1-4, Mantles by Deity in Complete Psionic, page 11), picking one that she adopts and learns to manifest powers from. You begin play with access to a mantle and its mantle power. Each mantle has a specific granted ability that you can use. The powers in the mantle are considered on your list for the purpose of using dorjes and other items. When you gain a power known, select it from the mantle’s list of powers. At 2nd, 6th, and 12th levels, you gain additional mantles. These mantles must be selected from the list of mantles assigned to her deity. Most of the powers provided by a mantle are psionic in nature. Some mantles feature new abilities unlike any psionic power in existence. These abilities are still treated as psionic powers in every respect, and always have a power point cost to manifest. Again, the mantles and their aura powers are given on pages 10 and 12 in Complete Psionic. Divine Grace (Su): Beginning at 4th level, you gain a bonus equal to your Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws. Divine Inspiration (Ex): At 7th level, and again at every four levels thereafter, you gain Expanded Knowledge as a bonus feat. Change Aura (Ex): At 8th level, you gain the ability to change between your mantle auras much more quickly. It takes only a standard action to change between auras. You can switch auras as a move action at 14th level, and at 18th level you can change your aura as a swift action. Ex-Psionic Avatars A character who grossly violates the ethics of his deity's alignment loses all psionic avatar powers and abilities (but not weapon, armor, and shield proficiencies). She cannot progress further in levels as a psionic avatar. She regains her abilities and advancement potential if she atones for her transgressions.
Tectorman 03-17-08, 01:30 PM	Helllooo? What, did I get it right the first time?
Scion of Coldshard 03-17-08, 02:00 PM	Why are you giving them 4 bonus expanded power feats? And why do the powers chosen from them not count as powers known for items? The biggest problems that I have with mantles are based on their incredible variability of power level. Some are really good, some are horrible. Some have a decent selection of powers and others not so much. Some of the auras are pretty good while others are pointless. It is really hard to judge overall balance when a character of one diety could be horribly weak while another horribly strong all because of their mantle selections ;/ Personally, I'd be really tempted to limit the class to only 6th level powers max known, cut out the extra expanded power feats, get rid of multiple simultaineous auras, let them use all powers of the appropriate level from their mantles, double the radius of the auras, and increase their skill points and skill selection. Oh, and give them one more good save. ;) I would also make the feat that boosts their auras give an extra 10' of radius along with increase all of the aura effects by +1. At 20th level that would easily mean that the guy was walking around with a +7 initiative, spot, and listen for himself and the rest of the party and then once combat starts popping over to increase everyones attack and damage by +6 or raising everyones AC by +6. That alone is an incredible amount of power! ;)
Tectorman 03-19-08, 12:31 PM	Why are you giving them 4 bonus expanded power feats? And why do the powers chosen from them not count as powers known for items? The biggest problems that I have with mantles are based on their incredible variability of power level. Some are really good, some are horrible. Some have a decent selection of powers and others not so much. Some of the auras are pretty good while others are pointless. It is really hard to judge overall balance when a character of one diety could be horribly weak while another horribly strong all because of their mantle selections ;/ The four bonus powers are to give the PA more freedom of choice as far as his powers are concerned (since he's limited by the mantles). The reason I made those powers not count as their powers list is because that's how I interpret Expanded Knowledge. Take a PsyWar. He uses one of his bonus feats to learn a power not on his class power list. Now it's on his powers known list, but it's still not a PsyWar power, right? Ergo, it wouldn't count as one for how items work. Unless WotC has specifically said that EK would allow non-class powers known to act as class powers for the purpose of items, in which case, I'd change it. About Mantles: Whatever mistakes (for there are many) are in CPsi, the book did at least say that powers assigned to mantles are (not sure of the quote) esoteric or arbitrary. So swapping powers out of a mantle for others that make more sense or just make for better balance is already allowed for/suggested. And since I don't want to step on too many toes, I won't actually be listing my ideas for better mantles (just work with your DM). Personally, I'd be really tempted to limit the class to only 6th level powers max known, cut out the extra expanded power feats, get rid of multiple simultaineous auras, let them use all powers of the appropriate level from their mantles, double the radius of the auras, and increase their skill points and skill selection. Oh, and give them one more good save. ;) I would also make the feat that boosts their auras give an extra 10' of radius along with increase all of the aura effects by +1. Hmm. I could be tempted to double all of the distances for the auras (begin at 10' and go up to 100' eventually). But all the rest of those I don't see.
Lycanthromancer 03-19-08, 02:36 PM	Expanded Knowledge specifically adds the power in question to the character's powers known list. Expanded Knowledge [Psionic] You learn another power. Prerequisites: Manifester level 3rd. Benefit: Add to your powers known one additional power of any level up to one level lower than the highest-level power you can manifest. You can choose any power, including powers from another discipline’s list or even from another class’s list. Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Each time, you learn one new power at any level up to one less than the highest-level power you can manifest. From the SRD: This is the activation method for dorjes and psicrowns. It requires the special knowledge of power manifestation that a character of the appropriate class would know, and the formation of the appropriate command thought. If a power is on a character’s power list, the character knows how to use a power trigger item that stores that power. The user must still determine what power is stored in the item before she can activate it. Activating a power trigger item is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Powers stored in power trigger items are not augmented. Such powers are assumed to be stored in the item at the minimum manifester level necessary to manifest the power. However, certain items may specify a higher manifester level than necessary. If such an item holds a power that deals hit point damage, the power is assumed to be augmented to the maximum allowed by the power and the manifester level. Emphasis mine. Ergo, your interpretation is wrong. Whether or not that (wrong) interpretation should still make it into your class...well, that's up to you.
Tectorman 03-19-08, 03:50 PM	Oh. I thought the "Powers Known" list and the "Class Powers" list were kept separate. I'll change it.