The Dream Walker Prestige Class

[Gaiden]

One of my players has a character who will become a dreamwalker and I wanted to post my PrC here (based off the 2.0 Dreamer from Dorday Elbereth's Online Book of Ages).

I want to know if it is balanced and if not, what I should do to modfiy it.

Requirements: Base will save = +4, lucid dreaming (8 ranks), Concentration (5 ranks), the character must have entered the realm of dreams (either via extraplanar travel or through his lucid dreaming)

HD = d4
Skills: concentration, autohypnosis, intimidate, bluff, diplomacy, sense motive
Attack bonus = +1/2 levels
Poor Saves = Fort, Ref
Good Saves = Will
Special:

Lvl1 - lucid dreaming (gain 1 rank/lvl for free), detect mind (functions like detect evil but detects creatures with int, wis, and chr scores 3+ only), sleep control 1 (can sleep for any predefined amount of time and will wake at precise time, can choose to auto fail listen checks to heal at 2x normal rate (HP, ability points, etc.), can choose to to not get any natural healing to take no penalty to listen checks and wake as a free action).

Lvl2 - Augury 3x/day

Lvl 3 - Uncanny Dodge, Sleep Control 2 (feign death at will and can choose to fail listen checks automatically to record all sensory input or to record all empathic projections in 60' either of which that is then processed upon waking)

Lvl 4 - gain +10 sense motive to oppose bluff check when someone is lying, gain +10 to spot check to oppose disguise check when someone is acting in character, phantasmal killer (as the spell) 1x/day

Lvl 5 - gain use of Aura Sight as the power at will, sleep control 3 (can use either dream or nightmare (as the spells) 1x/day)

Lvl 6 - Divination 1x/day

Lvl 7 - Improved Uncanny Dodge, Sleep Control 4 (you can now heal at 4x the normal rate and regerate if you choose to fail listen checks automatically, you may switch between all the various forms of sleep, if you are doing the recording sleep you now process the information in real time and can wake as a free action (and take no penalties to listen checks), you may choose to use suggestion as the spell as part of your dream spell like power).

Lvl 8 - Telepathy (at will, range = 100')

Lvl 9 - Project Image (as the spell 1x/day), Sleep Control 5 (you can use the power dream travel 1x/day)

Lvl 10 - Prophecy (gain use of permanent foresight as the spell and gain the use of DM controlled vision)

The latter DM controlled vision spell is more a crutch than a power as it allows the DM significant control of the information to the player and can steer the player in directions the player would otherwise ignore or avoid.

 

[Gaiden]

To explain the reasoning behind the abilities, there are three elements to this PrC: prophecy, the subconscious mind, and the realm of dreams.

The prophecy part is covered by the augury, divinination, foresight/vision, uncanny dodge and improved uncanny dodge abilities.

The subconscious mind is covered by detect mind, the bonuses to sense motive, and spot, aura sight, telepathy, and project image.

The Realm of dreams is covered by the lucid dreaming and the sleep control powers.

If you have suggestions for any one of these three categories of abilities, I am open to suggestions. The 2.0 class included suggestion, mass suggestion, and major image (spectral force) as powers, I switched phantasmal killer for major image to account for the singularity of the power (and how it would be related to reading the persons subconscious mind). This class has a lot of spell like abilities. I was contemplating eliminating them as abilities and instead giving the dreamer a spell list with these as options and having a limited number of spells/day for each level.

Suggestions welcome.

 

[Nifft]

It's an interesting concept. Let's see what we can do with both existing rules and some 1/day mechanics. (For example, I've never heard of the Lucid Dreaming skill, and thus I don't really want to use it for a pre-req.) I'm going to base it off of the Pyrokineticist PrC rather than a full-manifester PrC, since it's not really a manifester progression PrC.


Prereqs:
Ability to sleep (elves and warforged need not apply)
Psionic (must have the Psionic subtype, either naturally, from class levels, or from a feat like Wild Talent)
Concentration 8 ranks
Feats: either Psionic Body or Iron Will
Feats: either Mind Over Body or Rapid Metabolism

Benefits:
HD: d8
BAB: 3/4
Good save: Will
Skills: 6 + Int -- Autohypnosis (Wis), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Perform (any) (Cha), and Sense Motive (Wis).

Special Abilities by Level:
1/ Safe Sleep, Lucid Dreams
2/ Prophetic Glimpses
3/ Nightmare Reflex
4/ (improved Lucid Dreams)
5/ Prophetic Insight
6/ (more improved Lucid Dreams)

Safe Sleep (Ex): You are never in danger of suffering from any dream-based effect (such as the spell nightmare) or any effect that can only occur while you are sleeping (such as a Night Hag's Dream Haunting ability).

Lucid Dreams (Su): Once per 24 hours, when you sleep for 8 hours, you can use one of the following effects: dream, identify, or sending -- caster level equal to Lucid Dreamer level, save DC (if any) equal to 10 + 2x Lucid Dreamer level + Charisma modifier. Alternately, you can make a Lore check (identical to a Bardic Lore check), adding your Lucid Dreamer levels to any other class that gives you a Lore ability.

Starting at 4th level, you gain the ability to use nightmare, aura alteration or commune.

Starting at 6th level, you gain the ability to use dream travel or divination, or the heal psychic damage function of psychic chirurgery.

Prophetic Glimpses (Su): Once per day per class level, you gain a Prophetic Glimpse, which you can use as an Immediate action. You can use this abiltiy to gain one of the following effects:
- augury;
- +2 to Reflex saves and Evasion for 1 minute;
- +2 to Sense Motive checks and Uncanny Dodge for 1 minute; or
- +2 to Will saves and Mettle for 1 minute.

At 5th level, this ability instead grants you one of the following benefits (still as an Immediate action):
- Re-roll a save you just failed;
- augury;
- +4 to Reflex saves and Improved Evasion for 1 minute;
- +4 to Sense Motive checks and Improved Uncanny Dodge for 1 minute; or
- +2 to Will saves and Mettle for 1 minute.

Nightmare Reflex (Su): After you have been the target of a Divination or Enchantment effect (or Telepathy or Clairsentience effect), you may retaliate as a standard action with an effect that duplicates phantasmal killer (caster level = character level, DC = 10 + 1/2 HD + Cha bonus, and no limit on range). You may use this ability only on the round immediately after being targeted with a qualifying effect.

Prophetic Insight (Su): You gain a constant +1 Insight bonus to saves and skill checks.


So, it's basically a skill monkey / support class with some defensive abilities. It's got some flexibility, but it's also got strict limits on how many things it can do every day.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Gaiden]

Nifft,

Thanks for the thoughtful reply. I will go through and look at what you have listed in more detail and compare it to my overall concept. Incidentally, lucid dreaming is a skill that was introduced in Manual of the Planes.

 

[green slime]

Very interesting indeed. I make use of Lucid Dreaming IMC. I'll definitely have to look at this a bit closer when I gets home this evening.

Nifft, in the MoP, you need the Lucid Dreamer feat to unlock the ability to spends skill points in Lucid Dreaming. From there, you can control your own dreams, and enter the dreams of others, changing aspects of their dreams, leaving messages and the like.

 

[Gaiden]

I realized the Dream spell like ability is a bit redundant with Lucid Dreaming. Also, there should probably be a mechanic to accomplish the nightmare spell effects with the lucid dreaming skill (some sort of opposed check - maybe lucid dreaming setting the dc for a will save...?). If my original class was balanced, this allows for a few more abilities for the class.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Just wondering, any of you seen the Onemancer in Penumbra's Occult Lore?

The book provides mechanics for handling in dream adventures and a dream mage class, complete with spells and special ablities.

I am using it in my War of the Burning Sky campaign and am looking forward to seeing it in play!

 

[Gaiden]

Just wondering, any of you seen the Onemancer in Penumbra's Occult Lore?

The book provides mechanics for handling in dream adventures and a dream mage class, complete with spells and special ablities.

I am using it in my War of the Burning Sky campaign and am looking forward to seeing it in play!

I have not seen the Onemancer. Is this a WotC supplement or d20 system? If the material is open content, could you post it so I can compare to what I have. If not, could you comment on the balance of my class based on what you know from the Onemancer.

Thanks

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Penumbra is third party, but has a significant amount of OGL.. I can give you a highlight reel from the OGL blocks...

All characters have dream points based on class, level, and WIS.

A new skill, Lucid Dreaming does the grunt work. Its provides additional dream points equal to double the ranks in the skill. You cannot normally spend more dream points in a round than you have ranks in the skill.

Special actions in the dream world take a skill check and burn a number of dream points. Actions include:
Lend Dream Points, cost 2 points for each point lent, DC 10
Mimic Skill, Cost 4 points, DC 15 {+5 for cross class, +10 for prohibited}
Mimic Feat, cost 3 points, DC 15 {+10 if prereqs not met}
- side note, multiple Mimic Feats can pretend the prereqs...
Mimic Spell Effect, cost 2 points per spell level, DC 15 + spell level {+5 if not a spell you can normally cast}
- Yes, this means a Fighter can toss off a Fireball in the dream world
Modify Ability, cost 1 point per, DC 15 + point added
Modify Chance , cost 1 point per, DC 10 + points added {+5 if for someone else}
- Modifies any die roll
Modify Threat Range, cost 1 point per, DC 15 + points added
Modify Reality, Special... this is the ability to draw doors in solid walls or change the entire dreamscape.
Study Dream Host, Special... this is the ability to read the mind of the person dreaming
Wake at Will, cost 3, DC 15.. possibly save your rear!

The class is a PrC with prereqs of:
4 ranks Lucid Dreaming, WILL save +7 or more, and ablity to cast one of the special dream spells.
HD 4
Cool ability: Nocturnal Arms Master.. gains all weapon profiencies in the dream world.
Capstone ablity: Unlimited Dream Point spending... literally a world altering power!


The book also includes:
New magic enhancement of 'transient', allowing the item to be taken into, and left, in the dream realm
Magic items that let you 'travel' through dreams to another location.
New spells
Dream domain
Dieties of dreams
Monsters, templates for ego manifestations and Dream Liches


The mechanics allow for the characters to do some off the wall stuff...stuff normally not available to them. At the same time it keeps a framework of how the world works, avoiding the open storytelling problem that usually creeps in during dream sequences.

The rest of the book is okay to middling, honestly this is the only chapter I plan to use. The problem with it, however, is just like Psionics. If you use the system then a portion of the game has to end up related to the dream world. IMHO its worth the price just for the one chapter.

Your class just doesn't have the same mechanical backing to support a full-blown dream mage.

RPG.net Review here

 

[Gaiden]

So I purchased penumbra occult lore on Amazon (who says EN World facilitates violating copyrights?). Once it arrives I'll go through the class in detail and see if I want to use the mechanic or stick with a modified version of the 2.0 online class. Thanks for the head's up Primitive Screwhead.