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Silva Stormrage
2011-10-07, 12:54 AM
Stygian Siphonist

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/dx0403ps_spotlight_synad.jpg

This is my first attempt at a theurge class for my personal favorite homebrew creation the Soul Devourer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=211046). I wanted to merge the weakest psionic manifesting class (IMO) the wilder so I could give them strong synergy. I still want this class to be in the same power level as the Soul Devourer. That is high tier 3 and competing with warblade and dread necromancer. If this class is popular I might consider making dual progression prestige classes.

Also just a grammar question. Is it supposed to be Siphon or Siphonist for "Someone who siphons" I didn't know :smallredface:.

Becoming a Stygian Siphonist
Entry Requirements

Skills:Knowledge Psionics 5 Ranks, Psicraft 5 ranks
Class Features: Elude Touch, Plague Strike and the ability to use a wild surge


GAME RULE INFORMATION
Hit Die: d8


Class Skills
The Stygian Siphonist's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Knowledge (Psionic) (Int), Knowledge (Arcana) (int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int)

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier

Stygian Siphonist

LevelBase Attack BonusFort SaveRef SaveWill SaveSpecialManifestation and Invocation
1st
+0
+2
+0
+2 Soul Empowerment +1 Level of Existing Manifester Level
2nd
+1
+3
+0
+3 Stable Orb +1 Level of Existing Manifester Level, +1 Level of Existing Invoker Levels
3rd
+2
+3
+1
+3 Extra Power, Psionic Invocations+1 Level of Existing Manifester Level, +1 Level of Existing Invoker Levels
4th
+3
+4
+1
+4 Stygian Archon, Death Shroud +1 Level of Existing Manifester Level, +1 Level of Existing Invoker Level
5th
+3
+4
+1
+4 Stygian Maelstrom +1 Level of Existing Manifester Level, +1 Level of Existing Invoker Level
6th
+4
+5
+2
+5 Extra Power, Psionic Leech +1 Level of Existing Manifester Level, +1 Level of Existing Invoker Level
7th
+5
+5
+2
+5 Soul Reformat +1 Level of Existing Manifester Level, +1 Level of Existing Invoker Level
8th
+6
+6
+2
+6 Stygian Weapon +1 Level of Existing Manifester Level, +1 Level of Existing Invoker Level
9th
+6
+6
+3
+6 Extra Power, Unwavering Orb +1 Level of Existing Manifester Level, +1 Level of Existing Invoker Level
10th
+7
+7
+3
+7 Stygian Tempest, Simultaneous Training +1 Level of Existing Manifester Level


Class Features

Soul Empowerment: (Ex) The Soul Siphonist combines the abilities of the Soul Devourer and the Wilder to make a terrifying combination.

All levels of wilder and Stygian Siphon stack for determining plague strike damage and how much damage and what action profane life leech takes.

All levels of Stygian Siphon and Soul Devourer stack with wilder to determine the potential power of a wilding surge and the downsides of the wilder's enervation.

Stable Orb: The Stygian Siphonist can use the souls leeched off others to stabilize his Wilding Surge. The Stygian Siphonist can sacrifice one shadow orb for a 10% reduction in the chance that a wilding surge used within 1 round will enervate. Can spend multiple shadow orbs for stacking effects, this ability can stack up to 30% reduction. For example if a Stygian Siphon used a wilding surge for + 2 to manifester level and the Stygian Siphon had used calming orb than there would be no chance for enervation.

Psionic Invocations: (Su) The Stygian Siphonist merges the invocations granted through draining souls and his own latent psionic energy. The Stygian Siphonist can expend his Psionic Focus to have metapsionic feats apply to invocations that would qualify if they were psionic powers. In order to apply the metapsionic feat the Stygian Siphonist must expend power points equal to the normal amount payed * 3. The Stygian Siphonist can't exceed his manifester level with this amount.

Extra Power: (Ex) The Stygian Siphonist gains an additional power at 3rd level and every 3 levels after.

Stygian Archon: The Stygian Siphonist gains the Stygian Archon feat as a bonus feat. Also whenever he would be able to manifest it the Stygian Siphonist gains the Stygian Bolt power.

Death Shroud: (Su) The Stygian Siphonist focuses on his Soul Devourer skills as well. He gains Death Shroud as a 4th level Soul Devourer. The soul devourer gets an additional four levels for determining his Death Shroud.


Stygian Maelstrom: (Su) The Stygian Siphonist gains further insight on how to merge his invocations and psionic powers together. By expending Psionic Focus and a shadow orb the Stygian Siphonist can manifest a psionic power and use an invocation in one full round action. This ability can be used a number of times a day equal to the Stygian Siphonist's Charisma modifier and no more than twice an encounter.

Psionic leech: Whenever using profane life leech the Stygian Siphon can instead of gathering HP from the damage he gains 1/2 his HD as psionic power points. If a target has psionic powers and power points the Stygian Siphon gains his full hd in power points and any target with power points loses an amount equal to 1/2 the Stygian Siphon's hd.

Soul Reformat (Su): By expending three shadow orbs the Stygian Siphonist can take in the essence of the souls he stole and change his own soul. He can change any of his psionic power's known for any other psionic power. These changes last for one hour.

Stygian Weapon The Stygian Siphonist gains a new lesser invocation only available to a Stygian Siphonist.

Stygian Weapon (5th) As a swift action the Stygian Siphonist
infuses his weapon with psionic energy. All attacks in this round affect the
target as if it was hit with the stygian ray power. This invocation has a 2
round cooldown.

Unwavering Orb: (Su) Using the souls of others the Stygian Siphonist can mostly ignore the effects of his wilding surge. If he ever suffers enervation from using a wilding surge while he has a shadow orb active then he can transfer the enervation to the essence of soul in the shadow orb, destroying the orb and avoiding any effects of enervation. The power still functions just without the benefit of the wilding surge.

Stygian Tempest: (Sp) The ultimate technique a Stygian Siphonist can learn. By sacrificing his psionic focus and 3 shadows orbs the Stygian Siphonist can as a one round action have an outburst of psionic energy pulse out in a 100ft burst from him. Anyone in this area is targeted by a profane life leech that does not take a rebuke undead attempt and deals double damage. Also all enemies in the area take 2d6 negative levels. If any creature dies from this effect than an explosion of stygian psionic energy is trigged on their corpse. This is identical to the stygian conflagration power and a creature can only be hit by one explosion in a round. Finally the Stygian Siphonist can gather all the arcane and psionic energy lost that he stole from the targets of this ability. The Stygian Siphonist gains a number of power points equal to the number that was lost from all psionic creatures hit by this ability. The Stygian Siphonist also turns arcane and divine spells into psionic energy, (1st level spell = 1pp, 2nd level = 3pp etc).

Simultaneous Training: (Ex) Any level in Soul Devourer after the 10th level of the Stygian Siphonist also progresses the manifesting of the Stygian Siphonist as if he took a level in wilder.

Silva Stormrage
2011-10-07, 07:40 PM
Anyone have any comments?

Silva Stormrage
2011-10-23, 09:38 PM
Wow no comments at all. Does anyone have any feedback for this class?

Nihilarian
2011-10-24, 02:02 AM
I'm proceeding with the assumption that Soul Devourer is about as powerful or more powerful than warlock. I've looked it over and it gains the warlocks most useful feature - invocations - and the other abilities seem more useful.

BAB: You have full psionics and some interesting abilities throughout the class. Not to mention invocations and full wild surge. You should cut this back to 3/4th; You don't need more than 2 levels of wilder so you'll still get that 4th attack.

Prerequisites: Sort of easy, beyond having to take 2 classes. Perhaps make it a bit tougher?

Soul Empowerment: If you gain full Wild Surge you should probably gain full Enervation as well (You lose PP equal to Wilder Level + Soul Devourer Level + Stygian Siphonist). You get ways of negating it anyway.

Stable Orb: Manifester level, not Caster.

Psionic Invocations: How many Power Points are spent? 3*the amount the metapsionic feat increases the base PP cost? Or do you calculate the invocations effective Power Level (and therefor Power Point cost) and then add the increase from the metapsionic feat, multiply by 3 and pay that?

Extra Power: These should go. No real point to them and you get so much already. Let the character spend a feat to take other powers.

Death Shroud: What if the character already has Death Shroud (Lesser)? Do they gain no benefit? Perhaps add +4 to your Soul Devourer level for the purpose of gaining Death Shrouds? You would then be able to qualify for the Improved Version

Unwavering Orb: Pretty neat trick. No more dazing yourself, and you still have to give something up.

Stygian Tempest: Hmm. Everyone in 100 ft. takes 1d6 + 5 or 6 damage and anywhere between 2 and 12 negative levels. If a creature is killed by this, all creatures within 15 ft. take an additional 2-8 negative levels, but a creature can only take these additional negative levels once a round. You steal all the psionics and magic within the area.

This seems very strong. At the very least, everyone within 100 ft. you gains 2 negative levels and you gain 1d6+5 per creature in HP and a healthy number of PP. That's not a bad ability in and of itself, but at best you kill everything. Even if it's still moving, 12 negative levels is a death sentence. Stygian Conflagration is a 9th level power on its own, and its radius is 15 ft., compared to your 100 ft. And for it, you lose almost nothing. Psionic Focus and someone else's soul. I would scale back the power a bit and add that you are automatically enervated by using this ability.

Simultaneous Training: Hmm... Pretty nice.

Silva Stormrage
2011-10-25, 01:25 PM
I'm proceeding with the assumption that Soul Devourer is about as powerful or more powerful than warlock. I've looked it over and it gains the warlocks most useful feature - invocations - and the other abilities seem more useful.

BAB: You have full psionics and some interesting abilities throughout the class. Not to mention invocations and full wild surge. You should cut this back to 3/4th; You don't need more than 2 levels of wilder so you'll still get that 4th attack.

Prerequisites: Sort of easy, beyond having to take 2 classes. Perhaps make it a bit tougher?

Soul Empowerment: If you gain full Wild Surge you should probably gain full Enervation as well (You lose PP equal to Wilder Level + Soul Devourer Level + Stygian Siphonist). You get ways of negating it anyway.

Stable Orb: Manifester level, not Caster.

Psionic Invocations: How many Power Points are spent? 3*the amount the metapsionic feat increases the base PP cost? Or do you calculate the invocations effective Power Level (and therefor Power Point cost) and then add the increase from the metapsionic feat, multiply by 3 and pay that?

Extra Power: These should go. No real point to them and you get so much already. Let the character spend a feat to take other powers.

Death Shroud: What if the character already has Death Shroud (Lesser)? Do they gain no benefit? Perhaps add +4 to your Soul Devourer level for the purpose of gaining Death Shrouds? You would then be able to qualify for the Improved Version

Unwavering Orb: Pretty neat trick. No more dazing yourself, and you still have to give something up.

Stygian Tempest: Hmm. Everyone in 100 ft. takes 1d6 + 5 or 6 damage and anywhere between 2 and 12 negative levels. If a creature is killed by this, all creatures within 15 ft. take an additional 2-8 negative levels, but a creature can only take these additional negative levels once a round. You steal all the psionics and magic within the area.

This seems very strong. At the very least, everyone within 100 ft. you gains 2 negative levels and you gain 1d6+5 per creature in HP and a healthy number of PP. That's not a bad ability in and of itself, but at best you kill everything. Even if it's still moving, 12 negative levels is a death sentence. Stygian Conflagration is a 9th level power on its own, and its radius is 15 ft., compared to your 100 ft. And for it, you lose almost nothing. Psionic Focus and someone else's soul. I would scale back the power a bit and add that you are automatically enervated by using this ability.

Simultaneous Training: Hmm... Pretty nice.

Oh I almost missed this post. Thank you for your feedback :smallbiggrin:

Yes the soul devourer is supposed to be more powerful than warlock.

On BAB. Ya thats a good idea with full bab this class doesn't lose much and is easy to get into as well. I couldn't think of any good feat prerequisite without just resorting to filler feats like skill focus.

Soul Empowerment: Oh I thought enervation was based off manifester level. Changed

Stable Orb: Changed

Psionic Invocations: I meant it such that if the invocation was 4th level and they wanted to apply psionic quicken metapsionic the soul devourer would need to have a manifester level of 13 (7 for a 4th level power + 6 for psionic quicken). He would spend 18 power points though to use it (3 * 6 for quicken).

I think extra power should stay for this reason. It was meant to duplicate educated wilder which this wilder can't actually get (doesn't qualify for it). Wilders have a distinct lack of powers and I would rather they don't spend 3/4 of their feats on expanded knowledge.

The improved levels for death shroud seems to be a good idea your right.

One thing you might have missed about stygian tempest is that it is a one round cast time. Meaning that the opponents have their turn to interrupt the stygian siphonist. Also since it takes at least 3 rounds to activate (3 plague strikes). Most fights don't really last more than 3 rounds to finish (or the fight is at least pretty much decided)