“ All that you do, I command you to do.”
CLASS TRAITS
Role: Controller. You control the battlefield by using your enemy’s own allies against them.
Power Source: Shadow. You use dark shadow magic to alter the will of others
Key Abilities: Charisma, Intelligence, Wisdom
Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, leather
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple light blades, simple heavy blades, military light blades, military heavy blades
Implement: Shadow Blade
Bonus to Defense: +1 Reflex, +1 Will
Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + Constitution score
Hit Points per Level Gained: 5
Healing Surges per Day: 6 + Constitution modifier
Trained Skills: Diplomacy and Bluff or Intimidate. From the class skills list below, choose four more trained skills at 1st level.
Class Skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Arcana (Int), Athletics (Str), Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Insight (Wis), Intimidate (Cha,) Perception (Wis), Stealth (Dex), Streetwise (Cha)
Build Options: Motion manipulator, battle manipulator
Class Features: Manipulator Training, Manipulator Style, Shadow Blade Mastery, Voice
Creating a Master Manipulator
The master manipulator has two basic builds to start: the motion manipulator and the battle manipulator. Master Manipulators rely on Charisma for most of their powers. Intelligence and Wisdom also aids their abilities.
Motion Manipulator
You have mastered the motion style. You control the movement of battle with ease. To show this prowess make Charisma you main score. To supplement your powers make Wisdom your secondary score. Also have a good intelligence to increase your AC. Make sure to concentrate on powers that move your enemies a lot, since they play to your key ability scores.
Suggested Feat:
Suggested Skills: Acrobatics, Bluff, Diplomacy, Perception, Insight, Stealth
Suggested At-Will Powers: crowd control, whispers of betrayal
Suggested Encounter Power: mass movement
Suggested Daily Power: wounding retreat
Battle Manipulator
You have mastered the battle style. You control other people’s attacks with ease. To show this prowess make Charisma your main score. To supplement your powers and to boost your AC, make Intelligence your secondary score. Also have a good Wisdom score to have good perception. Make sure you concentrate on powers that make enemies attack each other since they play to your key abilities.
Suggested Feat:
Suggested Skills: Athletics, Diplomacy, Insight, Intimidate, Perception, Streetwise
Suggested At-Will Powers: shadow strike, shadow bolts
Suggested Encounter Power: painful betrayal
Suggested Daily Power: charge the enemy
Master Manipulator Class Features
All master manipulators have the class features described below.
Manipulator Training
All master manipulators know the Turncoat and Forced March at-will powers. If you use both of these powers on the same target, you can combine the two attacks together. Combining the attacks means you make two attack rolls and use either of them, and the hit is both powers. You gain these powers as well as two more at-will powers, one of which is determined by your Manipulator Style.
Manipulator Styles
You have learned a style of manipulation that grants you your powers. Choose one of the following styles: mental style, motion style, or battle style. The style you choose determines the following master manipulators abilities:
At-Will Manipulation: Your style determines one of the at-will manipulations you know.
Style Benefit: Each style includes a benefit. The benefit is a granted power you can use to further control your enemies.
The style you take also provides bonuses to certain master manipulator powers. Individual powers detail the effects (if any) your Manipulator Style selection has on them.
Mental Style
At-Will Manipulation: You know the doubtful thoughts at-will manipulation.
Style Benefit: When you hit someone with a power with the control keyword, the target takes a penalty to Will equal to you Intelligence modifier until the end of your next turn. This drop does not stack with any other power effects.
Motion Style
At-Will Manipulation: You know the crowd control at-will manipulation.
Style Benefit: When you hit someone with a power that grants a move action, increase the targets speed equal to your Wisdom modifier until the start of the their next turn. If the target is slowed, their speed is equal to 2 + your wisdom modifier until the start of their next turn.
Battle Style
At-Will Manipulation: You know the shadow strike at-will manipulation.
Style Benefit: When you hit someone with a power that grants an attack, add your Intelligence modifier to damage the attack deals.
Shadow Blade Mastery
Master Manipulators make use of shadow inscribed weapons to help channel and direct their shadow powers. A master manipulator wielding a magic shadow inscribed weapon can add its enhancement bonus to the attack rolls and the damage rolls of master manipulator powers, as well as master manipulator paragon path powers, that have the implement keyword. Without a shadow inscribed weapon, a master manipulator can still use these powers, but he or she doesn’t gain the bonus provided by the magic implement. You can inscribe shadow runes into a single weapon, of the light blade or heavy blade group, of your choice during an extended rest. The chosen weapon can be used as an implement while inscribed with shadow runes. The chosen weapon can be changed after an extended rest.
Voice
Once per encounter, you can use a Voice power. You start with two Voice powers: beguiling and intimidation. You can gain additional Voice powers by taking vocal feats.
Manipulator Training
All master manipulators know the Turncoat and Forced March at-will powers. If you use both of these powers on the same target, you can combine the two attacks together. Combining the attacks means you make two attack rolls and use either of them, and the hit is both powers. You gain these powers as well as two more at-will powers, one of which is determined by your Manipulator Style.
Manipulator Styles
You have learned a style of manipulation that grants you your powers. Choose one of the following styles: mental style, motion style, or battle style. The style you choose determines the following master manipulators abilities:
At-Will Manipulation: Your style determines one of the at-will manipulations you know.
Style Benefit: Each style includes a benefit. The benefit is a granted power you can use to further control your enemies.
The style you take also provides bonuses to certain master manipulator powers. Individual powers detail the effects (if any) your Manipulator Style selection has on them.
Mental Style
At-Will Manipulation: You know the doubtful thoughts at-will manipulation.
Style Benefit: When you hit someone with a power with the control keyword, the target takes a penalty to Will equal to you Intelligence modifier until the end of your next turn. This drop does not stack with any other power effects.
Motion Style
At-Will Manipulation: You know the crowd control at-will manipulation.
Style Benefit: When you hit someone with a power that grants a move action, increase the targets speed equal to your Wisdom modifier until the start of the their next turn. If the target is slowed, their speed is equal to 2 + your wisdom modifier until the start of their next turn.
Battle Style
At-Will Manipulation: You know the shadow strike at-will manipulation.
Style Benefit: When you hit someone with a power that grants an attack, add your Intelligence modifier to damage the attack deals.
Shadow Blade Mastery
Master Manipulators make use of shadow inscribed weapons to help channel and direct their shadow powers. A master manipulator wielding a magic shadow inscribed weapon can add its enhancement bonus to the attack rolls and the damage rolls of master manipulator powers, as well as master manipulator paragon path powers, that have the implement keyword. Without a shadow inscribed weapon, a master manipulator can still use these powers, but he or she doesn’t gain the bonus provided by the magic implement. You can inscribe shadow runes into a single weapon, of the light blade or heavy blade group, of your choice during an extended rest. The chosen weapon can be used as an implement while inscribed with shadow runes. The chosen weapon can be changed after an extended rest.
Voice
Once per encounter, you can use a Voice power. You start with two Voice powers: beguiling and intimidation. You can gain additional Voice powers by taking vocal feats.
