Particulant base class

[Zom B]

Yes, I have made a class that microwaves people and walks through walls.

Mind over matter. A particulant carries this maxim to its extreme, exercising their mental control over the base particles that constitute matter, both their own and that of other creatures and objects.

Background
A particulant is a rare thing to hear of, even among those knowledgeable about psionics. Usually, a particulant either received some training in psionics but decided to mold their talents in their own fashion, or they discovered their psionic talent themselves and honed it in a different way than other psions. Becoming a particulant requires for one being to have both a knowledge of the workings of matter and psionic talent, something that rarely coincides. As a result, particulants usually rise from the 'upper crust' of society, where they are given an early and thorough education and tutelage.

Alignment
A particulant can be of any alignment, but due to the impartiality of their tutelage, most tend to be neutral in alignment.

Hit Die
d6.

Class Skills
The particulant’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Autohypnosis (Wis), Concentration (Con), Escape Artist (Dex), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (Any, chosen seperately) (Int), Open Lock (Dex), Psicraft (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha), Use Psionic Device (Cha)
A note on the skills selected: Some of these represent minor aspects of the particulant's mastery over matter. Appraise, Heal, Open Lock, and Use Magic Device are tied to the particulant's abilities to sense the physical states and properties of objects and people. Escape Artist represents a minor use of their ability to manipulate their own matter.

Skill Points at 1st Level
(4 + Int modifier) ×4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level
4 + Int modifier.

Table 1-1: The Particulant
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special
1st|+0|+0|+0|+2|Accelerated Field
2nd|+1|+0|+0|+3|Perfect Self
3rd|+1|+1|+1|+3|Decelerated Field
4th|+2|+1|+1|+4|
5th|+2|+1|+1|+4|Slow Field
6th|+3|+2|+2|+5|Purity of Body
7th|+3|+2|+2|+5|Phase Walk, Perfect Self
8th|+4|+2|+2|+6|Wholeness of Body
9th|+4|+3|+3|+6|
10th|+5|+3|+3|+7|Hyperacceleration
11th|+5|+3|+3|+7|Zero Field
12th|+6/+1|+4|+4|+8|Diamond Body, Perfect Self
13th|+6/+1|+4|+4|+8|
14th|+7/+2|+4|+4|+9|
15th|+7/+2|+5|+5|+9|Radiant Field
16th|+8/+3|+5|+5|+10|Resist Disruption
17th|+8/+3|+5|+5|+10|Perfect Self
18th|+9/+4|+6|+6|+11|Timeless Body
19th|+9/+4|+6|+6|+11|
20th|+10/+5|+6|+6|+12|Flawless Body[/table]

Class Features
All the following are class features of the particulant.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Particulants are proficient with the club, dagger, heavy crossbow, light crossbow, quarterstaff, and shortspear. They are not proficient with any type of armor or shield. Armor does not, however, interfere with their class abilities.

Accelerated Field (Su)
As a standard action, a particulant can establish areas in which the particles of creatures and objects are assailed by energies that excite these particles, creating heat inside targets caught in these invisible fields. Metallic objects in the field emit sparks, but otherwise there is no visible way for a creature to discern where a field begins or ends.
A particulant can place one field per particulant class level into any squares up to 30 feet away, and creatures and objects in these fields take 1d4 fire damage per round, but are allowed a Fortitude save to negate the damage. The save DC is 10 + 1/2 class level + Intelligence modifier.
The particulant must place these fields in squares adjacent to one another, but may also stack fields in the same square. Multiple fields in one square add their damage together, but creatures and objects only make one Fortitude save against all of the fields in one square. If a creature occupies multiple squares, they make Fortitude saves seperately against each stack of fields in squares they occupy.
An accelerated field remains so long as the particulant can maintain concentration on it (a move action), but a particulant can concentrate on multiple fields at the same time.
If a particulant wants to place new fields beyond their class level, established fields are removed in the order in which they were placed.

Perfect Self
A particulant works towards perfecting oneself by shoring up their weaknesses. At 2nd level and every five levels thereafter, the particulant selects a bonus feat from the following list: Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Toughness.

Decelerated Field
The particulant of 3rd level or higher can change any of their accelerated fields, either as they are placed or those already in existence, to decelerated fields instead. In a decelerated field, metallic objects do not emit sparks and the damage dealt is cold damage instead. Otherwise, a decelerated field behaves identically to an accelerated field. Decelerated fields count as accelerated fields for the purpose of determining the maximum amount of fields a particulant can place. A decelerated field is not affected by the Hyperacceleration or Radiant Field abilitites.

Slow Field
A 5th-level particulant gains the ability to modify their decelerated field so that creatures that are damaged by the field also risk being Slowed, as the spell, for one round after taking damage from your decelerated field.

Purity of Body (Ex)
A particulant can easily rid themselves from disease merely by purging them from their system. At 6th level, a particulant gains immunity to all diseases except for supernatural and magical diseases.

Phase Walk (Su)
A particulant of 7th level or higher can spread apart the particles composing their body, making himself less dense and substantial. In effect, he shifts particles of his body onto the Ethereal Plane for but a moment, allowing him to pass through objects and vice versa. For the length of one move action, the particulant can pass through any object whose hardness is less than his particulant class level. After each use of this ability, the particulant is Muddled (effects identical to fatigued). A particulant who was already muddled become Disrupted (effects identical to exhausted). A particulant who was already Disrupted takes 1d4 Con damage. If the particulant has no Con score, they take 1d4 Cha damage instead. As exhausted, after 1 hour of complete rest, a Disrupted character becomes Muddled. After 8 hours of complete rest, Muddled characters are no longer muddled. Note that no creatures are immune to becoming muddled or disrupted.
A particulant can likewise perform this ability as an immediate action in response to being attacked. In that case, this ability lasts until the beginning of the particulant's next turn.

Table 1-2: Object Hardness
Substance|Hardness
Paper or cloth|0
Rope|0
Glass|1
Ice|0
Leather or hide|2
Wood|5
Stone|8
Iron or steel|10
Mithral|15
Adamantine|20

Wholeness of Body (Su)
At 8th level or higher, a particulant can heal his own wounds. He can heal a number of hit points of damage equal to twice his current particulant level each day, and he can spread this healing out among several uses.

Hyperacceleration
At 10th level, the damage dice of a particulant's accelerated fields change to d6's. Creatures that succeed on a fortitude save to resist an accelerated field's damage now take half damage.

Zero Field
The particulant can power their decelerated fields to the point where a creature's particles cease to move. At 11th level, any time a creature takes damage from your decelerated field, the particulant can opt for the creature to make another fortitude save at the same difficulty or be affected as though by a Hold Monster spell. However, they are immune to almost all damage during this time, and any effect that has a duration cannot be cast upon them during this time. The creature is only subject to damage from your accelerated field, and taking damage from this source removes the Zero Field's effect.

Diamond Body (Su)
A particulant can purge poisons from their system. At 12th level, a particulant gains immunity to poisons of all kinds.

Radiant Field
At 15th level, a particulant can make his accelerated fields emit dangerous energies into the surrounding area. Creatures and objects in squares adjacent to an accelerated field take 1 fire damage per round with no saving throw to resist.

Resist Disruption (Ex)
A particulant of 16th level or higher has learned to resist the effects that phasing their body through other matter usually wreaks upon their bodies. Whenever they use their Phase Walk ability, they may attempt a Fortitude save, DC 15 + highest item hardness, to resist becoming muddled, disrupted, or further damaged. For instance, the particulant activates their Phase Walk in response to an arrow flying at them. The arrow has a wooden shaft but has a steel arrowhead, so the DC for resist disruption is 25.

Timeless Body (Ex)
Upon attaining 18th level, a particulant no longer takes penalties to his ability scores for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any such penalties that he has already taken, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and the particulant still dies of old age when her time is up.

Flawless Body (Su)
At 20th level, a particulant can repair the ravages of time on their bodies. As a result, they no longer die of old age.

[Mikka]

Seems a little. . dull. .

and. . a level twenty microwave. . 20d6 , DC 20 + INT.
but with Radiant Field you just place it next to the target and automatic 20d6 damage? That sort of ruins the whole points of saving throws and armor and such, and isn't really balanced when you compare to. . the power of force auto-hit spells. .

Probably not really that good either anyways really. .

[Zom B]

It wasn't d6's if you are in an adjacent square, it was d4's. Nevertheless, I reduced it to 1 point. Dealing 20 points of damage for your target standing in the wrong spot (especially when you can't tell where the right spot is) is still pretty nice..


That sort of ruins the whole points of saving throws and armor and such, and isn't really balanced when you compare to. . the power of force auto-hit spells. .

Not sure what you are saying here. It is less powerful than the Orb of X spells? Or do you mean Magic Missile? That's the only force auto-hit spell I know of.

Compare that the Orbs have no saving throw against their damage and cap out at 15d6 (and reliably hit, being touch attacks), vs the "level twenty microwave" dealing 20d6 with Fort for half...yeah, they're not going to rival a wizard in damage any time soon. They will, however, outshine your regular warlock though in that these attacks can be spread out amongh multiple targets and create little 5' radius areas of invisible damage.


Seems a little. . dull. .

Its abilities are a little sparse, yes. I wanted to add more, but I kept thinking about how well the two first-level abilities scale with level. I probably will go back in and add something interesting and flavorful.
Either way, I feel it's not a class you invest five or so levels in and then switch out.

[jiriku]

Overall, it doesn't do very much. It feels very narrow, more like a focused prestige class than a base class. It's got a ranged damage capability somewhat like a warlock, and some defensive benefits somewhat like a monk, but lacks the flexibility of either. I'd say this is a Tier 5 or low Tier 4 class. It really needs more stuff to do, and more class features.

For phase walk, I'd recommend making it less powerful at 1st level and even more powerful than presently written once it reaches higher levels. In particular, the penalty for using it should be removed at some point in the mid to upper teens, as its effectiveness no longer justifies the high opportunity cost at those levels.

[Zom B]

Overall, it doesn't do very much. It feels very narrow, more like a focused prestige class than a base class.

One thing I hate is prestige classes that change the character's focus in some radical new direction. But unless this gets fleshed out more, then yeah it needs to turn into a PrC.


It really needs more stuff to do, and more class features.

Completely agree. EDIT: Added a splash of crowd control in the form of Slow Field and Zero Field and added the bonus feats I had meant to add the first time around.


For phase walk, I'd recommend making it less powerful at 1st level

Yeah, it does kind of bug me that at 1st level, they can slip out of ropes, go through windows without breaking them, travel through a wall of ice, etc. I don't want to go with HD - something, because then they'll never resist adamantine. I guess the only logical choice then is to give them Phase Walk at a higher level. EDIT: Done.


and even more powerful than presently written once it reaches higher levels.

How do you mean? At higher levels, the class can walk through a stone wall, ignore a wooden weapon and eventually a metal weapon for one attack, and many more uses. It's like an ethereal jaunt combined with an ironguard spell with limitations.


In particular, the penalty for using it should be removed at some point in the mid to upper teens, as its effectiveness no longer justifies the high opportunity cost at those levels.

I hesitate to remove the penalty completely. The fatigued/exhausted/con damage system was a convenient way to have it function a limited number of times per day without actually saying "times per day". Then again, an undead is immune to fatigue and such, so an undead particulant would be terrifying. EDIT: Fixed that problem. I still don't want to go with times per day, though. EDIT: Fixed that problem as well. They can resist being "fatigued", "exhausted", or suffering Con damage with each use of the ability.

[Zom B]

I'd say this is a Tier 5 or low Tier 4 class. It really needs more stuff to do, and more class features.

All right, that was then. With the new changes, what about now?

[Zom B]

Feats

Voltaic Field
You can force particles in the field to collide violently, releasing energy in the form of arcing lightning.
Requirements: Accelerated field class ability.
Benefit: You gain the ability to change any of your accelerated fields, either as they are placed or those already in existence, to voltaic fields instead. In a voltaic field the damage dealt is electricity damage instead. Otherwise, a voltaic field behaves identically to an accelerated field. Voltaic fields count as accelerated fields for the purpose of determining the maximum amount of fields a character can place. A volaic field is not affected by the Hyperacceleration or Radiant Field abilitites.

Storm Field
Your voltaic fields are particularly violent, especially to those wearing and wielding metal.
Requirements: Accelerated field and Wholeness of Body class features, Voltaic Field.
Benefit: Your voltaic fields each deal 1 additional damage per round. Creatures wielding metal weapons take an additional 1 damage per round from your voltaic fields. Creatures wearing metal armor also take an additional 1 damage per round from your voltaic fields. All of these additions to damage stack.

Charged Field
Creatures affected by your voltaic fields are affected even after leaving the area.
Requirements: Accelerated field and Diamond Body class features, Voltaic Field.
Benefit: If a creature moves from an area occupied by a voltaic field to a square that is not, they must make a Fortitude save at the original DC or take half damage (no damage on a successful save). A creature cannot be affected by Charged Field more than once a round.