Full BAB Psionic Base Class: Attuned Warrior

[Machiavelli]

As the title describes, this class was inspired by Tectorman's idea for creating a full-BAB psionic class. His creation, found on the WotC boards, was based on the ranger, but I got the idea for a rage-like psionic ability, around which I created a full barbarian-inspired base class. Balanced against the barbarian, I believe attunement < rage, bonus feats supplement attunement, powers list = fast movement/Uncanny Dodge/DR/etc, d8 and skills < d12 and better skills, proficiencies > armor restrictions.

What do you all think about the intuitiveness of the class features, the balance of the class, the flavor of the class, the attunement mechanics, and the specific Power Styles I created?
[sblock=The Attuned Warrior]Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d8

Class Skills:
The attuned warrior's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Int), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).

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

      Base                                                                 Power
      Attack          Fort Ref  Will                                       Points   Manifester
Level Bonus           Save Save Save  Special                              Per Day  Level
1st    +1              +2   +0   +0    New Power[1], Attunement 1/day      1        1
2nd    +2              +3   +0   +0    Bonus Feat                          2        2
3rd    +3              +3   +1   +1    New Power[1]                        3        2
4th    +4              +4   +1   +1    Attunement 2/day                    5        3
5th    +5              +4   +1   +1    Bonus Feat                          7        3
6th    +6/+1           +5   +2   +2    New Power[2]                        9        4
7th    +7/+2           +5   +2   +2    Quick attunement                    12       4
8th    +8/+3           +6   +2   +2    Attunement 3/day                    15       5
9th    +9/+4           +6   +3   +3    New Power[2]                        18       5
10th   +10/+5          +7   +3   +3    Bonus Feat                          22       6
11th   +11/+6/+1       +7   +3   +3    New Power[3]                        26       6
12th   +12/+7/+2       +8   +4   +4    Attunement 4/day                    30       7
13th   +13/+8/+3       +8   +4   +4    New Power[3]                        35       7
14th   +14/+9/+4       +9   +4   +4    Bonus Feat                          40       8
15th   +15/+10/+5      +9   +5   +5    New Power[4]                        45       8
16th   +16/+11/+6/+1   +10  +5   +5    Attunement 5/day                    51       9
17th   +17/+12/+7/+2   +10  +5   +5    New Power[4]                        57       9
18th   +18/+13/+8/+3   +11  +6   +6    Tireless attunement                 63       10
19th   +19/+14/+9/+4   +11  +6   +6    New Power[5]                        70       10
20th   +20/+15/+10/+5  +12  +6   +6    New Power[6], Attunement 6/day      77       11

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:
An attuned warrior is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with all shields (except tower shields).

Powers Known:
The attuned warrior can spend power points to manifest powers. At first level he must choose from one of four Power Styles, shown below, which lists the powers he learns, with the powers' levels marked in brackets. As he gains levels, he learns the powers in his chosen Power Style in the order they are listed. These powers are manifested the same way as those same powers from the psychic warrior's power list (see Expanded Psionics Handbook), including manifesting time, power point cost, duration, range, etc. The exception is Temporal Acceleration, which is drawn from the Psion's power list. An attuned warrior simply knows his powers; they are ingrained in his mind. He does not need to prepare them (in the way that some spellcasters prepare their spells), though he must get a good night’s sleep each day to regain all his spent power points.

The Difficulty Class for saving throws against attuned warrior powers is 10 + the power’s level + the attuned warrior’s Wisdom modifier. As shown on the above table, an attuned warrior's manifester level is half his class level, rounded down, plus one.

Power Points Per Day:
An attuned warrior’s ability to manifest powers is limited by the power points he has available. His base daily allotment of power points is given on the table above. In addition, he receives bonus power points per day if he has a high Wisdom score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Power Points, Expanded Psionics Handbook). His race may also provide bonus power points per day, as may certain feats and items.

Power Styles:
Skirmisher: Vigor[1], Burst[1], Hustle[2], Psionic Lion's Charge[2], Mental Barrier[3], Dimension Slide[3], Psionic Freedom of Movement[4], Psionic Dimension Door[4], Psychofeedback[5], Temporal Acceleration[6]

Tank: Vigor[1], Biofeedback[1], Body Adjustment[2], Empathic Transfer[2], Vampiric Blade[3], Hostile Empathic Transfer[3], Energy Adaptation[4], Inertial Barrier[4], Oak Body[5], Personal Mind Blank[6]

Strongman: Grip of Iron[1], Expansion[1], Animal Affinity[2], Strength of My Enemy[2], Telekinetic Force[3], Telekinetic Thrust[3], Immovability[4], Freedom of Movement[4], Psychofeedback[5], Form Of Doom[6]

Beastman: Bite of the Wolf[1], Claws of the Beast[1], Psionic Lion's Charge[2], Painful Strike[2], Claws of the Vampire[3], Duodimensional Claw[3], Truevenom[4], Claw of Energy[4], Adapt Body[5], Dispelling Buffer[6]

Attunement:
A certain number of times per day an attuned warrior can achieve a state of near-perfect focus upon his extraordinary combat maneuvers. In this state an attuned warrior regains psionic focus for free once at the beginning of each round and is treated as constantly psionically focused for gaining the benefits of psionic feats that only function while maintaining focus. If the attuned warrior is not psionically focused at the beginning of his round, but he achieves attunement during that round, he does not become psionically focused; he automatically regains focus only at the beginning of his next turn. While in attunement an attuned warrior cannot use any Intelligence- or Charisma-based skills, nor can he activate psionic or magical items, manifest powers, or cast spells if doing so requires more than a swift, immediate, or free action.

Attunement lasts for a number of rounds up to 3 + the character’s Wisdom modifier. To maintain attunement, every round the attuned warrior must make at least a single successful melee attack (possibly as a standard action or part of a charge or full attack action) that deals damage to an opponent. If he is not able to do so, he must make a Will save DC 15 + his character level to avoid ending his attunement. The attuned warrior may choose to end his attunement prematurely. At the end of the attunement, the attuned warrior loses the attunement benefits and restrictions and becomes fatigued (-2 penalty to Strength, -2 penalty to Dexterity, can’t charge or run) for the duration of the current encounter (unless he is an 18th-level attuned warrior, at which point this fatigue no longer applies).

An attuned warrior can achieve attunement only once per encounter. At 1st level he can use his attunement ability once per day. At 4th level and every four levels thereafter, he can use it one additional time per day (to a maximum of six times per day at 20th level). Achieving attunement takes a move action (until 7th level, when it becomes a swift action).

Bonus Feats:
At 2nd, 5th, 10th, and 14th level the attuned warrior gains bonus feats. These bonus feats must be drawn from the feats noted as fighter bonus feats or psionic feats. The attuned warrior must still meet all prerequisites for the bonus feat, including ability score and base attack bonus minimums as well as class requirements. An attuned warrior cannot choose feats that specifically require levels in the fighter class unless he is a multiclass character with the requisite levels in the fighter class. These bonus feats are in addition to the feats that a character of any class gains every three levels. An attuned warrior is not limited to fighter bonus feats and psionic feats when choosing these other feats.

Quick Attunement: At 7th level a focused warrior may achieve attunement as a swift action, instead of a move action.

Tireless Attunement: At 18th level a focused warrior no longer becomes fatigued after attunement ends.[/sblock]

Thanks to Tectorman for the inspiration, and thanks in advance to anyone who offers advice or criticism. New Power Styles would also be welcomed!

 

[Nifft]

To model Rage, Attunement should last 5 + Wis rounds, and longer at higher levels.

Attunement's maintenance is bad. You shouldn't base a class's major ability on the success of an action every round. Barbarians don't rage against foes that are easy to hit; you don't know how every DM is going to handle AC vs. HP of higher-end foes; and finally, he's UTTERLY screwed by popular spells like mirror image or displacement.

I don't like that Skirmisher gets vigor. That's a top-tier power, and it alone makes him able to act like a tank. Give him ... let's see... skate, burst (instead of 2nd), catfall, float, hell even chameleon so he can scout would be more appropriate IMHO. Even empty mind or defensive precognition would be fine.

Don't be constrained by a fixed class level -> psionic power level mindset. There are plenty of 1st level powers which make fine high-level choices -- choose powers that can scale.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Machiavelli]

To model Rage, Attunement should last 5 + Wis rounds, and longer at higher levels.

Attunement's maintenance is bad. You shouldn't base a class's major ability on the success of an action every round. Barbarians don't rage against foes that are easy to hit; you don't know how every DM is going to handle AC vs. HP of higher-end foes; and finally, he's UTTERLY screwed by popular spells like mirror image or displacement.

Perhaps I was overzealous in limiting the class feature. Dropping the maintenance may be for the best. As for the duration, I think 3 + Wis may be good if the fatigue mechanic is dropped, as there are ways to avoid fatigue, anyway.

I'm even considering dropping the Power Styles, and just leaving those slots open to any psychic warrior powers of the max level (in brackets) or lower. My reasons for fixed lists were three-fold: 1) It's easier to play, not needing to choose your own powers 2) The power level can be limited, to offset the very potent Attunement feature 3) The flavor can be more specifically tailored the idea of a Psionic Focus-centric front line warrior.

The ability to customize, however, may outweight my reasons in its importance.

 

[Arkhandus]

Well, firstly, I'd say that the class is probably too strong overall, though the few limitations make some small difference. It basically trades 4 bonus feats and a few dozen power points (at upper levels; they start out better than a PsyWar in PP) for a full Base Attack Bonus, compared to the Psychic Warrior, and then gets Attunement in place of the 10 fewer powers known compared to a Psychic Warrior (again, starting out just as good though). And gives up some manifester levels (yet again, later, past 2nd-level they get slower ML advancement).

Likely needs just a bit of toning down. I'm sure the reduced manifester level will hinder some augmentations a decent bit, but it's still rather too good at low levels compared to a Psychic Warrior (+1 BAB at 1st-level opens up some feat choices, too, especially for a human with their bonus feat). Still, this Attuned Warrior gets some rather effective powers pre-selected for their Power Styles, so the reduced versatility of the limited auto-selection isn't too much of a hindrance.

Other than that, for now I'll just say that the Will save DC goes up much too fast for Attunement, even if it's meant to be tough. It's basically impossible past something like 5th or 10th level (and extremely tough before that). The DC should be static, or based on how many rounds the Attunement has already lasted, or based on how many daily uses of Attunement they've acquired. Like, DC 15 + 1 per round they've been in Attunement, or DC 15 + 2 per daily use of Attunement acquired.

 

[DreamChaser]

Check out the Divine Mind for a way of slowing down the power advancement. This class doesn't need powers (or power points) from the get go...they can be delayed like paladin and ranger. Just give them Wild Talent to open up the psionic abilities at 1st level.

DC

 

[Tectorman]

As the title describes, this class was inspired by Tectorman's idea for creating a full-BAB psionic class. His creation, found on the WotC boards, was based on the ranger, but I got the idea for a rage-like psionic ability, around which I created a full barbarian-inspired base class.

Thanks to Tectorman for the inspiration, and thanks in advance to anyone who offers advice or criticism. New Power Styles would also be welcomed!

You're very welcome. Actually, I just used the Ranger as a template to determine whether my class was underpowered, balanced, overpowered, or a full caster. It's really more of a Psychic Duskblade.

Concerning the powers known: I think it’s too restricted. I like the idea of having multiple styles available to the Attuned Warrior, and the styles being limited to a certain theme, but once an Attuned Warrior picks a style, that’s it. He can’t change it (which is a problem if the campaign takes a turn he didn’t expect or that the style doesn’t account for). Personally, I’d change the feel of the styles to give the Attuned Warrior more freedom of choice.

Maybe keep the number of powers you can learn the same, the levels at which you can learn them the same, the levels of the powers the same, but change the actual choices. Maybe a couple of powers to choose from of each power level (6 possible for his 1st-level powers of which he’ll choose 2, same with every other level, and so on).

On the other hand, core Barbarians have no choice about their class abilities, so this might be the same feel. I’ll probably post back later after I’ve thought of some styles.

Concerning the Attunement ability: Barbarians are allowed to Intimidate in a Rage even though it’s Cha-based, so even if Attuned Warriors aren’t allowed to do so, I’d put in a clause along the lines of “Unlike other similar abilities (such as a Barbarian’s Rage), Attuned Warriors are not allowed to use Intimidate while Attuned”. On the other hand, if they are, say so. Same thing if Combat Expertise is an issue.

I agree with Nifft about the success of the Attunement being dependent on external factors. One DM is not the same as another DM and the obstacles associated with the maintaining of Attunement can vary wildly. Look at my Seriousness ability. It is a roll-dependent ability, but the only things that factor into the class are things that do not depend on the campaign (just the level you’re at at the time). You could change it to reflect a Warblade’s ability to regain his maneuvers (melee attack or a nondescript standard action, the melee attack not required to be successful) and that would pretty much leave everything alone and take out the DM variable. And yeah, poor Will saves + class ability strongly dependent on good Will saves = bad.

Also, are you sure about the end of ability penalty. A Barbarian’s Rage ends in fatigue because a.) fatigue is a condition in core and b.) because it’s a mental process (getting really, really ticked off) that results in a physical augmentation (which can strain the physical body). Attunement seems to me to be a more mental process that results in a mental augmentation. That’s the reason why Seriousness ends in you losing PP (and if you don’t have any to lose, nonlethal damage). I wanted a more mental feel to it; less PP certainly qualifies, and if you take enough nonlethal damage, you become staggered and then unconscious (equal parts mental and physical, IMO). Personally, I’d change the fatigue condition to ability burn (don’t know which though). Maybe you power up your mental processes initially as a trade for taking mental ability damage later.

 

[Machiavelli]

Alright, I've been thinking this concept over, from the fundamental level. The reason I believe there should be a class like this is because currently there is no middle ground between a non-psionic warrior and a Psychic Warrior. A Psychic Warrior has quite a decent bit of manifesting available, but he needs to apply his powers to make up for his deficient BAB, making him a sort of "gish" instead of a full warrior. If a warrior were able to take feats to manifest powers, then I would be pleased. To fill this gap, I've decided to simply create a new class. I've always thought that one of the greatest boons psionics offers to warriors is the psionic focus and those related feats, but the continuous-use feats conflict with the focus-expelling feats. To end this conflict, I created attunement: offering a solid reason to combine both types of feats without decreasing the effects of either.

I really wouldn't even mind making the Attuned Warrior a prestige class, just so long as a warrior can begin his adventuring career as a psionic character, then be rewarded throughout his career for this decision. In fact, if there were a way to morph a warrior into a "gish" through maybe 17 levels of prestige class, keeping it on-par with the power of manifesters at higher levels, I would be all for it.

 

[Nifft]

I've always thought that one of the greatest boons psionics offers to warriors is the psionic focus and those related feats, but the continuous-use feats conflict with the focus-expelling feats.

Agree, and yes!

To end this conflict, I created attunement: offering a solid reason to combine both types of feats without decreasing the effects of either.

Noooo! The conflict is awesome! Forcing people to choose how & when to use a scarce resource is cool!

- - -

Anyway, I'd prefer to make the Focus retainment / expenditure more of a conflict rather than less. Also, let's not give him bonus feats. Barbarians don't get those, and they're just dandy.

Attuned Dude
HD: d10
Good Save: Fortitude
BAB: Full
Skills: 4 + Int -- Autohypnosis (Wis), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft, Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession, Psicraft (Int), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), and Swim (Str).

[u]
Level   P / L / PP   Special Abilities:[/u]
1       1   1   0*   Attunement
2       -   -   1    Skill Focus (Concentration)
3       2   -   2    Quick Refocus
4       -   -   4    Attunement
5       3   -   6    Bastion +2
6       -   -   9    Attunement
7       4   2   12   
8       -   -   15   Attunement Disciple
9       5   -   18   Bastion +3
10      -   -   22   Attunement Disciple
11      6   3   26   
12      -   -   30   Attunement Disciple
13      7   -   35   Bastion +4
14      -   -   40   Attunement Master
15      8   4   45   
16      -   -   51   Attunement Master
17      9   -   57   Bastion +5
18      -   -   63   Attunement Master
19      10  -   70   
20      11  -   77   Bastion +6, Attunement ULTRA

* Like the Psychic Warrior class, this class grants no power points at 1st level. You gain bonus power points for having a high ability score as usual.

Psionics: Columns are Powers known / max. power Level / Power Points. Choose your powers from this list:
1 - burst, call weaponry, catfall, conceal thoughts, detect psionics, elfsight, float, hammer, metaphysical weapon, my light, defensive precognition, offensive precognition, offensive prescience, synesthete, thicken skin, vigor
2 - body adjustment, body purification, psi darkvision, detect hostile intent, empathic transfer, specified energy adaptation, prowess, sustenance, thought shield
3 - danger sense, empathic feedback, escape detection, evade burst, psi keen edge, mental barrier, ubiquitous vision
4 - energy adaptation, psi freedom of movement, immovability, intellect fortress, weapon of energy

Quick Refocus (Ex): You may regain your Psionic Focus as a Move action (instead of as a full-round action). If you have (or later gain) the feat Psionic Meditation, you may additionally attempt to regain your Psionic Focus as a Swift action, but doing so requires a DC 35 Concentration check.

Bastion (Su): You may expend your Psionic Focus as an Immediate action to give yourself or an ally within 30 ft. the indicated bonus on any one saving throw.

Attunement (Ex): Choose an Attunement (see below). You gain this Attunement's Normal benefit.

Attunement Disciple: You may advance one Normal-level Attunement to Disciple level, or you may choose a new Attunement (and gain its Normal benefit).

Attunement Master: You may advance one Disciple-level Attunement to Master level, or you may advance one Normal-level Attunement to Disciple level, or you may choose a new Attunement (and gain its Normal benefit).

Attunement ULTRA: You may advance one Master-level Attunement to ULTRA level, or you may advance one Disciple-level Attunement to Master level, or you may advance one Normal-level Attunement to Disciple level, or you may choose a new Attunement (and gain its Normal benefit).


Attunements:
Each Attunement has four level of potency: normal, disciple, master and ULTRA. You gain the benefit of your Attunements while you maintain your Psionic focus. A higher Attunement level's benefit replaces (does not stack with) the benefit provided by previous levels.

Striker
Normal: Your melee attacks deal +1 point of damage.
Disciple: Your melee attacks deal +2 points of damage.
Master: Your melee attacks deal +4 points of damage.
ULTRA: Your melee attacks deal +6 points of damage.

Stoic
Normal: You gain DR 1/--.
Disciple: You gain DR 2/--.
Master: You gain DR 4/--.
ULTRA: You gain DR 6/--.

Archer
Normal: Your ranged attacks deal +1 point of damage.
Disciple: Your ranged attacks deal +2 points of damage.
Master: Your ranged attacks deal +3 points of damage.
ULTRA: Your ranged attacks deal +4 points of damage.

Skirmisher
Normal: You gain a +2 bonus to AC against AoOs.
Disciple: You gain a +4 bonus to AC against AoOs.
Master: You gain a +6 bonus to AC against AoOs.
ULTRA: You gain a +8 bonus to AC against AoOs.

Duelist
Normal: You gain a +1 Dodge bonus to AC against one opponent.
Disciple: You gain a +2 Dodge bonus to AC against one opponent.
Master: You gain a +3 Dodge bonus to AC against one opponent.
ULTRA: You gain a +4 Dodge bonus to AC against one opponent.

Elementalist (you may select this Attunement multiple times, each time choosing a different energy type: Acid, Cold, Electricity, Fire, Sonic)
Normal: You gain energy resistance 5 against your chosen energy type.
Disciple: You gain energy resistance 10 against your chosen energy type.
Master: You gain energy resistance 20 against your chosen energy type.
ULTRA: You gain energy resistance 50 against your chosen energy type.

Monolith
Normal: You gain a +2 bonus to resist trip, grapple, and bull rush attempts.
Disciple: You gain a +4 bonus to resist trip, grapple, and bull rush attempts.
Master: You gain a +8 bonus to resist trip, grapple, and bull rush attempts.
ULTRA: You gain a +12 bonus to resist trip, grapple, and bull rush attempts.

Tower
Normal: You gain a +1 bonus to Will saves.
Disciple: You gain a +2 bonus to Will saves.
Master: You gain a +4 bonus to Will saves.
ULTRA: You gain a +6 bonus to Will saves.

River
Normal: You gain Uncanny Dodge.
Disciple: You gain Improved Uncanny Dodge.
Master: You gain Evasion.
ULTRA: You gain Improved Evasion.

Wind
Normal: You gain a +5 ft. bonus to your land speed.
Disciple: You gain a +10 ft. bonus to your land speed.
Master: You gain a +20 ft. bonus to your land speed.
ULTRA: You gain a +30 ft. bonus to your land speed.

Inferno
Normal: Your melee attacks deal +2 points of Fire damage.
Disciple: Your melee attacks deal +1d6 Fire damage.
Master: Your melee attacks deal +2d6 Fire damage.
ULTRA: Your melee attacks deal +4d6 Fire damage.

- - -

Cheers, -- N

 

[Machiavelli]

(...)

Hm. You're emphasizing maintaining focus, while I'm emphasizing expending focus then providing a time-limited means to easily refocus. Your emphasis involves class features potentially layering multiple reasons for maintaining focus, while mine encourages defocusing by making the refocus simple. I rather like your emphasis, Nifft, but a nice mixture could be nice. Using your basic class format (making attunement an advancing, improving ability instead of a decreasingly time-limited but otherwise static ability) which seems like the smarter way to go, I'd like to add reasons to go ahead and expend that focus. I know that Psionic Shot/Weapon/Fist, Greater Psionic S/W/F, Deep Impact(et al), and Invest/Energize Armor exist. Still, non-feat means of encouraging defocusing would be nice.

Oh! Spontaneous idea:
I was just thinking that the manifester level should be cut in half or otherwise delayed, since the powers are NOT the emphasis of this class. To re-boost the manifester level of course Practiced Manifester helps nicely. Overchannel isn't bad, either, but it could be offered as a bonus feat, along with "Talented". The powers are then relegated to lower emphasis, but can be elevated artificially by temporarily sacrificing psionic focus and its attendant benefits.

 

[Nifft]

I rather like your emphasis, Nifft, but a nice mixture could be nice. Using your basic class format (making attunement an advancing, improving ability instead of a decreasingly time-limited but otherwise static ability) which seems like the smarter way to go, I'd like to add reasons to go ahead and expend that focus. I know that Psionic Shot/Weapon/Fist, Greater Psionic S/W/F, Deep Impact(et al), and Invest/Energize Armor exist. Still, non-feat means of encouraging defocusing would be nice.

First, see the Bastion ability.

Second: most Psionic feats in the SRD are already "encouragement" to defocus, and they are quite strong in that regard. Power Attack + Deep Impact (also requires Psionic Weapon) can be fantastically strong even at 6th level.

I was just thinking that the manifester level should be cut in half or otherwise delayed, since the powers are NOT the emphasis of this class.

Ugh. There's a reason Paladins and Rangers don't bother buffing themselves. Too easy to dispel.

Also: no bonus feats! That's the Psychic Warrior's shtick.

Cheers, -- N

PS: Finally, I can't decide if he should be based off of Wisdom or Charisma.