Psionic Enchantment - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Psionic Enchantment

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Dec 17, 2003 16:09:23 I was clearing out my hard drive (okay so I was supposed to Archipelago-ing but writer's block looks like it is set in for Christmas) and came across the following. It's the start of my take on psionic enchantment. Anyway, here it is...

Psionic Defiling
Psychokinesis (Con)
Level: Psion 6 / PsyWar 6
Display: Au, Ol, Vi
Manifestation Time: 1 round
Range: Long (400 ft + 40 ft/level)
Target: All creatures in range
Duration: 1 minute/level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Power Resistance: Yes
Power Points: 11

A defiler can learn to use psychokinesis to rip life energy from animals as well as plants. This so-called 'dragon magic' is more powerful and more dangerous than conventional defiling, both for those around the defiler and the defiler himself.

A defiler with this power can memorise spells one level higher than the spell slot would normally allow. He must still have a high enough Intelligence to be able to memorise the spell. So a defiler could memorise a 7th-level spell using a 6th-level spell slot. In order to cast these spells, however, the defiler must use psionic defiling.

When this power is manifested the defiler begins drawing energy from every living creature in range (apart from himself). To draw energy the defiler must concentrate as a full round action and make concentration checks as necessary. Otherwise, the power ends.

At the end of each of the defiler's rounds all living creatures within range must make a Fortitude save or suffer 1 point of Constitution damage. Creatures with 4 Hit Dice or less suffer damage automatically every round thereafter. Creatures with more than 4 Hit Dice get a further save every round to avoid the damage for that round. Creatures that move beyond the range of the spell stop taking damage.

The defiler can use the Constitution that he gathers in this way to 'charge' his spells. Once a spell has been charged then it can be cast as normal. Charging wears off after 1 hour. The cost to charge spells is as follows...

1st-level to 5th level - 10 points per level
6th level - 9th level - 100 points per level over 5
10th level - 800 points

Casting such spells is not without risk however. Whenever a defiler casts a psionically charged spell he must make a Fortitude save vs DC 10 + level of the spell. If it fails he loses the spell and suffers the effects described below. Even if he succeeds he still suffers the effects described for a spell of one level lower. Partially transformed dragons count spells as one level lower for the purpose of working out the effect of failure. Fully transformed dragons count spells as two levels lower. The wizard suffers all lower level effects as well. So a defiler suffering Defiance will also suffer Fury and two levels of Agitation.

Spell level
1-5 - No effect
6-7 - Agitation
8 - Fury
9 - Defiance
10 - Vengeance

Agitation The defiler takes 1d4 points temporary Wisdom damage (for spells of 7th-level and higher this is 2d4 as the effect is suffered twice).

Fury The defiler suffers the effect of the rage spell. The effects last 2d6 hours. In the case of a dragon the effects last 2d6 days.

Defiance The defiler is instantly reduced to 0 hit points although he is stable.

Vengeance The sorceries he is attempting to channel blast the defiler to ash. He is dead and can be restored only by a wish or miracle.
#2
zombiegleemax
Dec 17, 2003 17:05:22 Anything for avangions?

ciaran
#3
zombiegleemax
Dec 17, 2003 17:15:45
Anything for avangions?

Only a few scribbled notes.

It's the price for dredging months old stuff from your hard drive and saying, "Ooh, look what I found!" You have to follow your train of thought back.

Anyway, so far as I can make out from my jottings - which probably belong in a Lovecraft story, most of them - is this:

Psionic Preserving is a 7th-level Clairsentient power.
It will follow a rather similar mechanic.
The rate at which points are gathered will depend on how green the surrounding area is. (vegetation helps channel the life energy of the planet.)
The side effects won't be quite as bad - getting lost in time sort of thing - and will be resisted with a Will save.

Once I've got the Silt Archipelago done and dusted it might be a project to undertake but til then...
#4
zombiegleemax
Dec 18, 2003 13:09:32 I was thinking these mechanics should be somehow linked to epic spell casting, which brings up another point. What to do with epic spellcasting in DS 3.5e?

I hope no one seriously entertains the idea of abondoning this mechanic, like some other tough ones have been.

But how to stay true to the original setting, were only the advanced beings had access to these spells?

If you yank epic casting from single classed casters, balance issues arise. So it might be the case that we have to adopt this mechanic to a world in which Adv. Beg. are not the only ones weilding magic of this power.

I considered the following: All casters can use epic spells. Add an epic spell seed Psionic Enchantment. Only advanced beings can make use of this seed. It lowers the spellcraft DC of a spell by 20%.

Balance issues arise from this soultion, as well.
#5
zombiegleemax
Dec 18, 2003 16:41:50 IMHO Afghan's power is cool, but the problem is that if a wizard has min. 12 level as psion (to have access to a 6th level power) what levels are left for the wizard class?
#6
xlorepdarkhelm_dup
Dec 18, 2003 18:42:59 What do you mean? Or are you conveniently forgetting/ignoring the Epic Level Handbook, which I personally believe that when dealing with psionic enchantments, i.e. Dragon or Avangon magic, you must be talking about Epic characters anyway. There's no level limit with Epic levels.
#7
zombiegleemax
Dec 19, 2003 1:12:57 Well I think this approach is really meant as an alternative to the Epic Level Handbook which I don't actually own. Nor is it OGC which could potentially cause a problem. Dark Sun always took its own apporach to epic level play anyway and if it means that I don't have to buy another book then it's probably not a bad plan for me.

It has been a while since I jotted this lot down. The rules themselves are horribly skewed on second viewing. However, the approach is what I'm (or was) interested in. It allows dragon magic to boost lower level spells as well as giving access to higher level ones.
#8
xlorepdarkhelm_dup
Dec 19, 2003 12:39:59 The DMG 3.5 has epic level rules in it, and it is OGL.
#9
zombiegleemax
Dec 19, 2003 13:22:25 I do like the idea of Psionic enchantment being useful for lower level spells. It does say in the WJ that the Dragon draws energy from animals, and seems to intend it in a general sense.

Afghan, highly recommend the Epic Handbook. There's some really good stuff in there.
#10
zombiegleemax
Dec 19, 2003 14:48:03
Originally posted by xlorepdarkhelm
The DMG 3.5 has epic level rules in it, and it is OGL.

I don't have the Epic level Handbook but read the indicated 3.5 DMG chapter. And if I understand correctly the wizards/clerics/etc. doesn't get increase in the number of spell slots per day on epic levels... Here is the quote from the text:

"• For spellcasters, caster level continues to increase after 20th level. However, a character’s spells per day don’t increase after 20th level."

Or have I misunderstood something?
#11
zombiegleemax
Dec 19, 2003 14:54:03 That's right, Nagypapi. If a spellcaser wants additional spell slots, they have two options.

(1) Epic Spellcasting feat. Allows a number of epic spells per day equal to (spellcraft ranks) / 5

(2) Another feat (name escapes me) that gives a caster 1 slot of the next highest level (plus bonus slots for whatever). These slots are, of course, only useful for using metamagic feats. The first time a (say) 20th lvl druid takes this feat, he gets a 10th lvl slot. Next time, an 11th, etc..

These rules are insane. I created a wizard once who dealt out 1400 dmg in one round, by using metamagic rods, and 14th lvl spell slots, and a prestige class ability to cast Maximized empowered twinned energy admixed meteor swarms. No saving throw. That guy was going to rule the multi-verse some day.
#12
zombiegleemax
Dec 19, 2003 15:02:44
Originally posted by Nagypapi
I don't have the Epic level Handbook but read the indicated 3.5 DMG chapter. And if I understand correctly the wizards/clerics/etc. doesn't get increase in the number of spell slots per day on epic levels... Here is the quote from the text:

"• For spellcasters, caster level continues to increase after 20th level. However, a character’s spells per day don’t increase after 20th level."

Or have I misunderstood something?

Or is this should be understood that the spells's per day don't increase after the _given character class_ reaches 20th level? I mean: if the 12/8 psion wizard takes a level in wizard, and being a 21st level character she has the spell slots of a 9th level wizard? And if she is 12/20 psion/wizard, and takes one more level of wizard she will have as many spell slots as a 20th level wizard? (As getting level 21 from level 20 doesn't increase the number of spell slots due to epic rules.)

Help me!
#13
xlorepdarkhelm_dup
Dec 19, 2003 17:02:52 That's right - after a specific class has gotten to level 20 spells-per-day (including prestige classes that extend the spells per day based on a previous class, like a Wizard 15/Loremaster 5 would cast spells like a 20 Wizard) then the spells per day don't increase automatically. However there is the Epic Spellcasting feat as mentioned above, plus there is the Improved Spell Capacity feat that increases the spellcaster's maximum spell level (and effectively providing more spells per day) - however that only advances for the purpose of metamagic feats and such (like Enhancing a 9th level spell, for instance).
#14
zombiegleemax
Dec 22, 2003 12:08:45 So if I have let's say a 10/10 fighter/wizard, and I'm levelling up to 10/11 f/w then the character will have
-the spell slots of a 11th level wizard, or doesn't gain any spell slot until she doesn't choose the appropriate epic feat?
-gains the BAB and saves as an epic level character, or as by the PHB?

Sorry for this offtopic, but I confused by the epic rules a bit, and I want to clear it up in my head here, where professionals can help me.
#15
zombiegleemax
Dec 22, 2003 13:47:32
So if I have let's say a 10/10 fighter/wizard, and I'm levelling up to 10/11 f/w then the character will have
-the spell slots of a 11th level wizard, or doesn't gain any spell slot until she doesn't choose the appropriate epic feat?
-gains the BAB and saves as an epic level character, or as by the PHB?

As far as I kow, and I am going on the OGC here, not the Epic Level Handbook, BABs and saves are determined by the character level and would therefore be governed by epic level rules. Spell slots are determined by class level and would therefore not be.
#16
zombiegleemax
Dec 22, 2003 17:19:44 If I'm reading Afghan right, he's right. (doesn't mean if I'm reading him wrogn he's wrong).

the 10/11 fighter wizard would have caster level 11 and spells as an eleventh level wizard. The lack of new spells doesn't come until a character has maxed a spell progression. So a 21 wizard still has spells like a 20 wizrd (unless he takes the feat).

Similarly, a 21 paladin has the same spells as a 20 paladin, and an 10 fighter/10 sorceror/11 Bladesinger has the same spells as any 10 bladesinger.
#17
zombiegleemax
Dec 23, 2003 15:42:55 Thanks for the clarification to all of you! Now I'm sleeping calmly.
#18
xlorepdarkhelm_dup
Dec 24, 2003 10:18:54
Originally posted by Nagypapi
So if I have let's say a 10/10 fighter/wizard, and I'm levelling up to 10/11 f/w then the character will have
-the spell slots of a 11th level wizard, or doesn't gain any spell slot until she doesn't choose the appropriate epic feat?
-gains the BAB and saves as an epic level character, or as by the PHB?

Sorry for this offtopic, but I confused by the epic rules a bit, and I want to clear it up in my head here, where professionals can help me.

No, spell slots are determined by the class levels, not the character levels.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Dec 17, 2003 16:09:23	I was clearing out my hard drive (okay so I was supposed to Archipelago-ing but writer's block looks like it is set in for Christmas) and came across the following. It's the start of my take on psionic enchantment. Anyway, here it is... Psionic Defiling Psychokinesis (Con) Level: Psion 6 / PsyWar 6 Display: Au, Ol, Vi Manifestation Time: 1 round Range: Long (400 ft + 40 ft/level) Target: All creatures in range Duration: 1 minute/level Saving Throw: Fortitude negates Power Resistance: Yes Power Points: 11 A defiler can learn to use psychokinesis to rip life energy from animals as well as plants. This so-called 'dragon magic' is more powerful and more dangerous than conventional defiling, both for those around the defiler and the defiler himself. A defiler with this power can memorise spells one level higher than the spell slot would normally allow. He must still have a high enough Intelligence to be able to memorise the spell. So a defiler could memorise a 7th-level spell using a 6th-level spell slot. In order to cast these spells, however, the defiler must use psionic defiling. When this power is manifested the defiler begins drawing energy from every living creature in range (apart from himself). To draw energy the defiler must concentrate as a full round action and make concentration checks as necessary. Otherwise, the power ends. At the end of each of the defiler's rounds all living creatures within range must make a Fortitude save or suffer 1 point of Constitution damage. Creatures with 4 Hit Dice or less suffer damage automatically every round thereafter. Creatures with more than 4 Hit Dice get a further save every round to avoid the damage for that round. Creatures that move beyond the range of the spell stop taking damage. The defiler can use the Constitution that he gathers in this way to 'charge' his spells. Once a spell has been charged then it can be cast as normal. Charging wears off after 1 hour. The cost to charge spells is as follows... 1st-level to 5th level - 10 points per level 6th level - 9th level - 100 points per level over 5 10th level - 800 points Casting such spells is not without risk however. Whenever a defiler casts a psionically charged spell he must make a Fortitude save vs DC 10 + level of the spell. If it fails he loses the spell and suffers the effects described below. Even if he succeeds he still suffers the effects described for a spell of one level lower. Partially transformed dragons count spells as one level lower for the purpose of working out the effect of failure. Fully transformed dragons count spells as two levels lower. The wizard suffers all lower level effects as well. So a defiler suffering Defiance will also suffer Fury and two levels of Agitation. Spell level 1-5 - No effect 6-7 - Agitation 8 - Fury 9 - Defiance 10 - Vengeance Agitation The defiler takes 1d4 points temporary Wisdom damage (for spells of 7th-level and higher this is 2d4 as the effect is suffered twice). Fury The defiler suffers the effect of the rage spell. The effects last 2d6 hours. In the case of a dragon the effects last 2d6 days. Defiance The defiler is instantly reduced to 0 hit points although he is stable. Vengeance The sorceries he is attempting to channel blast the defiler to ash. He is dead and can be restored only by a wish or miracle.
#2 zombiegleemax Dec 17, 2003 17:05:22	Anything for avangions? ciaran
#3 zombiegleemax Dec 17, 2003 17:15:45	Anything for avangions? Only a few scribbled notes. It's the price for dredging months old stuff from your hard drive and saying, "Ooh, look what I found!" You have to follow your train of thought back. Anyway, so far as I can make out from my jottings - which probably belong in a Lovecraft story, most of them - is this: Psionic Preserving is a 7th-level Clairsentient power. It will follow a rather similar mechanic. The rate at which points are gathered will depend on how green the surrounding area is. (vegetation helps channel the life energy of the planet.) The side effects won't be quite as bad - getting lost in time sort of thing - and will be resisted with a Will save. Once I've got the Silt Archipelago done and dusted it might be a project to undertake but til then...
#4 zombiegleemax Dec 18, 2003 13:09:32	I was thinking these mechanics should be somehow linked to epic spell casting, which brings up another point. What to do with epic spellcasting in DS 3.5e? I hope no one seriously entertains the idea of abondoning this mechanic, like some other tough ones have been. But how to stay true to the original setting, were only the advanced beings had access to these spells? If you yank epic casting from single classed casters, balance issues arise. So it might be the case that we have to adopt this mechanic to a world in which Adv. Beg. are not the only ones weilding magic of this power. I considered the following: All casters can use epic spells. Add an epic spell seed Psionic Enchantment. Only advanced beings can make use of this seed. It lowers the spellcraft DC of a spell by 20%. Balance issues arise from this soultion, as well.
#5 zombiegleemax Dec 18, 2003 16:41:50	IMHO Afghan's power is cool, but the problem is that if a wizard has min. 12 level as psion (to have access to a 6th level power) what levels are left for the wizard class?
#6 xlorepdarkhelm_dup Dec 18, 2003 18:42:59	What do you mean? Or are you conveniently forgetting/ignoring the Epic Level Handbook, which I personally believe that when dealing with psionic enchantments, i.e. Dragon or Avangon magic, you must be talking about Epic characters anyway. There's no level limit with Epic levels.
#7 zombiegleemax Dec 19, 2003 1:12:57	Well I think this approach is really meant as an alternative to the Epic Level Handbook which I don't actually own. Nor is it OGC which could potentially cause a problem. Dark Sun always took its own apporach to epic level play anyway and if it means that I don't have to buy another book then it's probably not a bad plan for me. It has been a while since I jotted this lot down. The rules themselves are horribly skewed on second viewing. However, the approach is what I'm (or was) interested in. It allows dragon magic to boost lower level spells as well as giving access to higher level ones.
#8 xlorepdarkhelm_dup Dec 19, 2003 12:39:59	The DMG 3.5 has epic level rules in it, and it is OGL.
#9 zombiegleemax Dec 19, 2003 13:22:25	I do like the idea of Psionic enchantment being useful for lower level spells. It does say in the WJ that the Dragon draws energy from animals, and seems to intend it in a general sense. Afghan, highly recommend the Epic Handbook. There's some really good stuff in there.
#10 zombiegleemax Dec 19, 2003 14:48:03	Originally posted by xlorepdarkhelm The DMG 3.5 has epic level rules in it, and it is OGL. I don't have the Epic level Handbook but read the indicated 3.5 DMG chapter. And if I understand correctly the wizards/clerics/etc. doesn't get increase in the number of spell slots per day on epic levels... Here is the quote from the text: "• For spellcasters, caster level continues to increase after 20th level. However, a character’s spells per day don’t increase after 20th level." Or have I misunderstood something?
#11 zombiegleemax Dec 19, 2003 14:54:03	That's right, Nagypapi. If a spellcaser wants additional spell slots, they have two options. (1) Epic Spellcasting feat. Allows a number of epic spells per day equal to (spellcraft ranks) / 5 (2) Another feat (name escapes me) that gives a caster 1 slot of the next highest level (plus bonus slots for whatever). These slots are, of course, only useful for using metamagic feats. The first time a (say) 20th lvl druid takes this feat, he gets a 10th lvl slot. Next time, an 11th, etc.. These rules are insane. I created a wizard once who dealt out 1400 dmg in one round, by using metamagic rods, and 14th lvl spell slots, and a prestige class ability to cast Maximized empowered twinned energy admixed meteor swarms. No saving throw. That guy was going to rule the multi-verse some day.
#12 zombiegleemax Dec 19, 2003 15:02:44	Originally posted by Nagypapi I don't have the Epic level Handbook but read the indicated 3.5 DMG chapter. And if I understand correctly the wizards/clerics/etc. doesn't get increase in the number of spell slots per day on epic levels... Here is the quote from the text: "• For spellcasters, caster level continues to increase after 20th level. However, a character’s spells per day don’t increase after 20th level." Or have I misunderstood something? Or is this should be understood that the spells's per day don't increase after the _given character class_ reaches 20th level? I mean: if the 12/8 psion wizard takes a level in wizard, and being a 21st level character she has the spell slots of a 9th level wizard? And if she is 12/20 psion/wizard, and takes one more level of wizard she will have as many spell slots as a 20th level wizard? (As getting level 21 from level 20 doesn't increase the number of spell slots due to epic rules.) Help me!
#13 xlorepdarkhelm_dup Dec 19, 2003 17:02:52	That's right - after a specific class has gotten to level 20 spells-per-day (including prestige classes that extend the spells per day based on a previous class, like a Wizard 15/Loremaster 5 would cast spells like a 20 Wizard) then the spells per day don't increase automatically. However there is the Epic Spellcasting feat as mentioned above, plus there is the Improved Spell Capacity feat that increases the spellcaster's maximum spell level (and effectively providing more spells per day) - however that only advances for the purpose of metamagic feats and such (like Enhancing a 9th level spell, for instance).
#14 zombiegleemax Dec 22, 2003 12:08:45	So if I have let's say a 10/10 fighter/wizard, and I'm levelling up to 10/11 f/w then the character will have -the spell slots of a 11th level wizard, or doesn't gain any spell slot until she doesn't choose the appropriate epic feat? -gains the BAB and saves as an epic level character, or as by the PHB? Sorry for this offtopic, but I confused by the epic rules a bit, and I want to clear it up in my head here, where professionals can help me.
#15 zombiegleemax Dec 22, 2003 13:47:32	So if I have let's say a 10/10 fighter/wizard, and I'm levelling up to 10/11 f/w then the character will have -the spell slots of a 11th level wizard, or doesn't gain any spell slot until she doesn't choose the appropriate epic feat? -gains the BAB and saves as an epic level character, or as by the PHB? As far as I kow, and I am going on the OGC here, not the Epic Level Handbook, BABs and saves are determined by the character level and would therefore be governed by epic level rules. Spell slots are determined by class level and would therefore not be.
#16 zombiegleemax Dec 22, 2003 17:19:44	If I'm reading Afghan right, he's right. (doesn't mean if I'm reading him wrogn he's wrong). the 10/11 fighter wizard would have caster level 11 and spells as an eleventh level wizard. The lack of new spells doesn't come until a character has maxed a spell progression. So a 21 wizard still has spells like a 20 wizrd (unless he takes the feat). Similarly, a 21 paladin has the same spells as a 20 paladin, and an 10 fighter/10 sorceror/11 Bladesinger has the same spells as any 10 bladesinger.
#17 zombiegleemax Dec 23, 2003 15:42:55	Thanks for the clarification to all of you! Now I'm sleeping calmly.
#18 xlorepdarkhelm_dup Dec 24, 2003 10:18:54	Originally posted by Nagypapi So if I have let's say a 10/10 fighter/wizard, and I'm levelling up to 10/11 f/w then the character will have -the spell slots of a 11th level wizard, or doesn't gain any spell slot until she doesn't choose the appropriate epic feat? -gains the BAB and saves as an epic level character, or as by the PHB? Sorry for this offtopic, but I confused by the epic rules a bit, and I want to clear it up in my head here, where professionals can help me. No, spell slots are determined by the class levels, not the character levels.