Meta Mage
Meta mages are arcane spellcasters that use mental energies to power their spells. They are the bane of all users of the Way due to their psionic draining practices. Many consider meta mages to be no better than defilers. It is due to this, a great majority of the Sundered Regions fear and distrust them. Even the enigmatic Order are weary of the meta mages and have recently started to take precautions to deal with these perceived “psi-leeches”.
Meta mages hail from the city of Marendol in the Sundered Regions. They have adapted to using psionic strength to aid them in their battle against a mysterious enemy that resides in the Lands of Eternal Dusk. It is unknown why they have chosen to use this unorthodox practice over traditional methods to combat this foe. Humans and half-elves are the only races known to practice the art of the meta mage. This can be contributed to the xenophobic society of Marendol and their distrustful natures of the people outside of their city.
Meta mages are rarely found outside the Sundered Regions. They tend to work alone, but will travel with other individuals that share their goals and that have proven to be trustworthy. NPC meta mages are usually in pursuit thwarting the forces of the Dark Cupola in order to protect Marendol.
Hit Die: d4.
Requirements
To qualify to become a meta mage, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.
Race: Human or Half Elf.
Alignment: Any non-good.
Skills: Craft (Obsidian Orb) 2 ranks, Knowledge (Arcana) 8 ranks, Knowledge (Psionics) 8 ranks, Spellcraft 5 ranks.
Feats: Wild Talent
Spells: Ability to cast arcane spells of 3rd level or higher.
Special: Character must craft an obsidian focus prior to taking a level in meta mage. Additionally, the character must not have any levels in a manifester class.
Crafting an obsidian orb requires raw materials worth 80 ceramic pieces. The Craft (Obsidian Orb) DC is 20. The orb has 5 hit points and a hardness of 1. It uses the meta mage’s save values.
Class Skills
The meta mage’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Psicraft (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int)
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
[HTML]Lvl BAB For Re Wil Special Spells per Day
1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Meta Casting -
2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 Meta Boost +1 +1 level existing arcane spellcasting class
3rd +1 +1 +1 +3 Bonus Feat +1 level existing arcane spellcasting class
4th +2 +1 +1 +4 - +1 level existing arcane spellcasting class
5th +2 +1 +1 +4 Synoptic Disruption +1 level existing arcane spellcasting class
6th +3 +2 +2 +5 Meta Boost +2 +1 level existing arcane spellcasting class
7th +3 +2 +2 +5 - +1 level existing arcane spellcasting class
8th +4 +2 +2 +6 Meta Battery +1 level existing arcane spellcasting class
9th +4 +3 +3 +6 - +1 level existing arcane spellcasting class
10th +5 +3 +3 +7 Meta Boost +3 +1 level existing arcane spellcasting class[/HTML]
Class Features
All of the following are Class Features of the meta mage prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The meta mage gains no proficiency with any weapon or armor.
Spells per Day: When a new meta mage level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained, except for an increased effective level of arcane spellcasting. If a character had more than one arcane spellcasting class before becoming a meta mage, he must decide to which class he adds the new level for purposes of determining spells per day.
Meta Casting: Meta mages have discovered how to draw energy from their own and others mental energies. So long as the meta mage is wielding their obsidian focus, and there are creatures with a power point reserve within his Psi-Draining Radius (see below) he can choose either to utilize plant energy or mental energy when casting spells. Mental energy has no impact on the environment. Alternatively, the meta mage may choose to spend 1 power point from his own reserve in order suppress his Psi-Draining Radius or to cast spells without his obsidian focus. In doing so he can cast a spell without harming those caught in the radius’ effect. Note, a meta mage can not effectively gather spell energy without his obsidian focus. The wizard would have to resort to defiling in order to cast any of his spells when depleted of power points and when not in possession of his focus.
Psi-Draining Radius (Su): Beings with a power point reserve that are caught in the meta mage’s defiling radius are drained 1 power point per level of the spell being cast (i.e. a 5th level spell would drain 5 power points to all creatures in the radius). Living creatures with out or a depleted power reserve suffer the normal defiling penalties. A meta mage must be wielding his obsidian focus in order to use this ability.
Defiler Taint: For all extensive purposes, a meta mage is considered a defiler.
Meta Boost (Su): Starting at 2nd level, the meta mage may tap into his own mental reserves in order to strengthen his spells. While casting a spell, the character may spend 1 power point to increase his effective caster level by 1. At 6th they may choose spend 2 power points and increase his effective caster level by 2. At 10th the character may spend 3 power points and increase his effective caster level by 3. The meta mage must be wielding his obsidian focus in order to use this ability.
Bonus Feat: At 3rd level, a meta mage may select either Antipsionic Mind, Closed Mind, Hostile Mind, or Mental Resistance as a bonus feat. A meta mage need not have any of the prerequisites or meet the special requirements normally needed for these feats in order to select them.
Synaptic Disruption (Su): Starting at 5th level, the meta mage’s touch can disrupt the mental energies of a psionic being. As a standard action, the character can deliver a touch attack with their obsidian focus that drains 2 power points (if the victim fails its Fortitude save vs. 10 + ½ meta mage level + Int modifer) from his foe for every class level he has attained. The drained points simply dissipate and are not absorbed by the meta mage. The meta mage can use this ability a number times per day for every 2 class levels the character has.
Meta Battery (Su): Beginning at 7th level, the meta mage drains the energy from powers that he successfully saves against. When the meta mage succeeds on a saving throw to negate the effect of a foe’s power they in turn gain 1 power point for every 2 power points a foe spent to manifest the power the character just saved against. The meta mage cannot gain power points that would cause them to exceed their normal daily total (2 in most cases). This ability is effective against powers that target a single creature and allows a saving throw to negate. The meta mage must be wielding his obsidian focus in order to use this ability.
I like it anyways, heh, but you knew that since I replied to it on multiply.
Ya, I saw that thanks
Perfection is hard to comment on I guess ;)
Ya, I saw that thanks
Perfection is hard to comment on I guess ;)
Seems like a good prestige class, but I think the real reason no one ever commented on the class is because it is for an expansion of the setting that you made and haven't released enough information on to make any real appraisal of how well the prestige class fits.
Seems like a good prestige class, but I think the real reason no one ever commented on the class is because it is for an expansion of the setting that you made and haven't released enough information on to make any real appraisal of how well the prestige class fits.
Thanks,
There's info to be gained thru the fluff of the PrC and the Out Line at the Sundered Regions web site below my signature. I'll have more info soon.
Since it seems like you wanted some feedback, here's some of mine: shoudn't the Meta Boost ability PP cost be 1 at 2nd level, 3 at 6th and 5 at the 10th level? I base my comment upon the building of the overchannel feat. As it is, perhaps the Meta Boost is too powerful for the cost paid by the Meta-Mage.
And while I'm thinking about it, how could a Meta-Mage with only the Wild Talent feat and no manifester level, pay the cost fo the highest Meta Boost ability if it has only 2 PP, not the 3 necessary? Note that none of the DS3 races have the naturally psionic racial traits. Could they gain PP only usable for the class abilities? Or something else?
Meta Boost (Su): Starting at 2nd level, the meta mage may tap into his own mental reserves in order to strengthen his spells. While casting a spell, the character may spend 1 power point to increase his effective caster level by 1. At 6th they may choose spend 2 power points and increase his effective caster level by 2. At 10th the character may spend 3 power points and increase his effective caster level by 3. The meta mage must be wielding his obsidian focus in order to use this ability.
As a side note: I find something like psi-leech more athasian like, if you will, than the more generic, IMHO, meta mage ;)
Special: Character must craft an obsidian focus prior to taking a level in meta mage. Additionally, the character must not have any levels in a manifester class.
Crafting an obsidian orb requires raw materials worth 80 ceramic pieces. The Craft (Obsidian Orb) DC is 20. The orb has 5 hit points and a hardness of 1. It uses the meta mage’s save values.
Oh, and it's a little thing, but...
Defiler Taint: For all extensive purposes, a meta mage is considered a defiler.
Don't you mean "For all intents and purposes, a meta mage is considered a defiler."
First off, this is a very cool PrC Sysane. I like it very much since it combines the use of two powers existing on Athas and that certain skilled people could have blended together to take advantage off.
Since it seems like you wanted some feedback, here's some of mine: shoudn't the Meta Boost ability PP cost be 1 at 2nd level, 3 at 6th and 5 at the 10th level? I base my comment upon the building of the overchannel feat. As it is, perhaps the Meta Boost is too powerful for the cost paid by the Meta-Mage.
And while I'm thinking about it, how could a Meta-Mage with only the Wild Talent feat and no manifester level, pay the cost fo the highest Meta Boost ability if it has only 2 PP, not the 3 necessary? Note that none of the DS3 races have the naturally psionic racial traits. Could they gain PP only usable for the class abilities? Or something else?
Hey, Thanks for your input
Let me address some of your comments:The Meta Boost ability. Its power point cost isn't as unbalanced as you first would think. Here's my reasoning:
1. The meta mage's ability to Meta Boost is derived from a PrC not a feat. PrC's abilities are usually more potent than the ones granted by feats due to characters having to meet a greater # of requirements. Additionally, A psionic character using the Over Channel feat would gain a greater range of effects from boosting their manifester level than a meta mage would from Meta Boost. A manifester can take Over Channel at 1st level, the meta mage is the equivalent of a 7th level character when he's first able to Meta Boost.
2. In order to use this ability the character needs two things. First off, they need power points, which the meta mage won't have a lot of as compared to a manifester of equal level in most cases. The character will be able to only use the ability 2 to 4 times a day at best. Second, The character needs to be wielding his obsidian focus to accesses this ability. A manifester has to utilize additional power points to Over Channel as well, but do not require an item in order to do so. Granted, they take damage, but with the Talented feat, they don't have to worry about taking damage from over channeled powers of 3rd level or less. A manifester will also be over channeling more often than a meta mage would be meta boosting.
As for the power points. The meta mage is able to take psionic feats thanks to the Wild Talent feat. If the character were to take the Psionic Talent feat once or twice they would have a reserve of 7 powers points. Furthermore, the character can use stored power points from certain psionic and magic items (i.e. pearl of power, ioun stones, etc) . Not to mention that once the character hits 8th level in this PrC, they will be able to replenish their power reserve some what thru the Meta Battery ability.
As a side note: I find something like psi-leech more athasian like, if you will, than the more generic, IMHO, meta mage ;)
I like the Meta Mage name myself. Psi-leech is to close to the leech PrC.
Looks interesting. Not overly excited about Arcane magic item crafting being used to make Obsidian Orbs, but to each their own.
It really wouldn't lable it an "arcane" item. The character is considered a psionic character due to the Wild Talent feat. I guess its all in how you want to look at it I guess.
Looks interesting. Not overly excited about Arcane magic item crafting being used to make Obsidian Orbs, but to each their own.
That looks more like a Skill Check than an Item Creation Feat...
Oh, and it's a little thing, but...
Don't you mean "For all intents and purposes, a meta mage is considered a defiler."
Ummm....yeah that.
Curse you Hooked-on-Phonics! Curse you!!!!
That looks more like a Skill Check than an Item Creation Feat...
Correct. Much like the Cerulean's.