Xaotiq1
2013-05-08, 11:35 AM
In the interest of not committing thread necromancy, I'm resubmitting my Esper Mage for critique. I fell that sufficient changes and additions have been made to the class to warrant a new thread. That, and it's on page 5 at the time of this post. :smalltongue:
Again, this is based on the Esper Knight written by Zeigander. You can peruse it here: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169532
I'm looking for inout on just about everything from the hit die to the Esper Powers. I humbly request that this be raked o'er the coals a couple times. I'm looking at placing this baby at a solid Tier3, if you subscribe to that particular school of thought. Without further ado:
ESPER MAGE
Abilities: Intelligence determines how strong their Esper powers are and how hard those powers are to resist (see Esper Powers, below). A high Dexterity score is helpful for a wizard, who typically wears little or no armor, because it provides her with a bonus to Armor Class. Constitution determines how many powers the Esper Mage can invest essentia into as well as determine hit points.
Races: Any of the common races regularly become esper mages. Azurins, Rilkan and Skarn sometimes become espermages. Most other races aren't familiar enough with essentia to make a go of it.
Alignment: Any.
Starting Gold: 4d4x10(average gp)
Starting Age: As Wizard.
CLASS SKILLS
The Espermage's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language, and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + int)x4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + int
Hit Dice: d6
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Powers|Essentia|Chakra Binds
1st|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+2|Bonus feat, esper powers, soul conduit|
2|
2|
0
2nd|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+3|Soulspark familiar (least)|
3|
3|
0
3rd|
+1|
+3|
+1|
+3|Expanded power capacity +1|
3|
4|
0
4th|
+2|
+4|
+1|
+4|Meldshaping|
4|
5|
0
5th|
+2|
+4|
+1|
+4|Bonus feat, rapid power 1/day|
4|
6|
0
6th|
+3|
+5|
+2|
+5|Soulspark familiar (lesser)|
5|
7|
0
7th|
+3|
+5|
+2|
+5||
5|
8|
0
8th|
+4|
+6|
+2|
+6|Chakra binds (crown, feet, hands)|
6|
9|
1
9th|
+4|
+6|
+3|
+6||
6|
10|
1
10th|
+5|
+7|
+3|
+7|Bonus feat|
7|
11|
1
11th|
+5|
+7|
+3|
+7|Rapid power 2/day|
7|
12|
1
12th|
+6/+1|
+8|
+4|
+8|Soulspark familiar (standard)|
8|
13|
1
13th|
+6/+1|
+8|
+4|
+8||
8|
14|
1
14th|
+7/+2|
+9|
+4|
+9|Chakra binds (arms, brow, shoulders)|
9|
16|
2
15th|
+7/+2|
+9|
+5|
+9|Bonus feat, expanded power capacity +2|
9|
18|
2
16th|
+8/+3|
+10|
+5|
+10|Soulspark familiar (greater)|
10|
20|
2
17th|
+8/+3|
+10|
+5|
+10|Rapid power 3/day|
10|
22|
2
18th|
+9/+4|
+11|
+6|
+11|Chakra binds (throat, waist)|
11|
24|
3
19th|
+9/+4|
+11|
+6|
+11|Timeless body|
11|
26|
3
20th|
+10/+5|
+12|
+6|
+12|Bonus feat|
12|
28|
3[/table]
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Esper Mages are is proficient with all simple weapons, plus the longsword, rapier, flail (light), short sword, shortbow, and whip. Esper Mages are proficient with light armor and shields (except tower shields). An Esper Mage can use their powers while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like an arcane spellcaster, an Esper Mage wearing medium or heavy armor incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the power in question has a somatic component (most do).
Esper Powers (Su): An Esper Mages primary ability is shaping incarnum powers, which are drawn from the Esper Mage power list (see below). You know and can shape any power from this list.
The Difficulty Class for a saving throws against an Esper Mage power is 10 + ½ your HD (minimum 1) + number of points of essentia invested in the power + your Int modifier.
An Esper Mage can shape only a certain number of powers per day. Your base daily allotment is given on Table: Esper Mage. The maximum number of powers that you can have shaped simultaneously is equal to your Constitution score minus 10 or the number of powers allowed for your level, whichever is lower. At 1st level, you can shape two powers at a time (assuming you have a Constitution score of at least 12). As you advance in level, you can shape an increasing number of powers.
At 1st level, you also gain access to your personal pool of essentia, which must be invested into your powers before you can use them. Your essentia pools size is shown on Table: Esper Mage. Your character level, as noted on Table 21: Essentia Capacity (MoI; 19), determines the maximum quantity of essentia that you can invest in any single power.
An Esper Mage does not study or prepare powers in advance, but must have a good nights rest and must meditate for 1 hour to shape his powers for the day.
Soul Conduit (Su): Esper Mages are able to reallocate their essentia into Incarnum Feats more than once each day. However, they do not have the amount of fluidity with their essentia as meldshapers. After reallocating essentia, Esper Mages must wait at least one round before they may reallocate it again. Further, by exploiting their connection with soul energy, Esper Mages are able to sense living creatures within 60ft as the Sense Life spell at will as a full-round action.
Soulspark Familiar (Su): At 2nd level, an Esper Mage's use of essentia attracts a Soulspark, Lesser (MoI; 197). As te Esper Mage gains power, so does the soulspark. At 6th, 12th, and 16th level, the soulspark goes up a category (least to lesser, lesser to standard, etc.); and gains the stats (including skills and feats) listed (MoI; 197-8). If a Esper Mage releases her familiar from service, she may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of meditation. This ceremony can also replace a familiar that has perished.
Bonus Feats (Ex): At 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level, the Esper Mage gains a bonus feat that can be taken from the General or Incarnum feat lists. They must meet all prerequisites for feats they obtain.
Expanded Power Capacity (Ex): At 3rd level and again at 15th level, the essentia capacity of your powers increases by 1, superseding the number on Table 21 (MoI; 19). This only applies to powers, not to feats, class features, or other abilities that allow essentia investment.
Meldshaping: Esper Mages of 4th level and higher can, instead of shaping a power, shape soulmelds from the Incarnate soulmeld list, excluding those with an alignment descriptor as Esper Mages channel incarnum differently; and cannot shape those soulmelds. An Esper Mage can shape one soulmeld per four Esper Mage levels. Their meldshaper level is their class level -3 when determining the amount of essentia they can invest in those melds.
Rapid Power (Su): As your ability to channel incarnum into powers increases, you learn to shape a small number of powers instantly. Starting at 5th level, once per day you can unshape one of your existing powers and immediately shape another power. This process requires a full-round action and provokes attacks of opportunity.
You can use this ability twice per day at 11th level and three times per day at 17th.
Chakra Binds: Esper Mages can bind soulmelds to open chakras; and gain access to chakra binds as a soulborn (MoI; 25) of their Esper Mage level.
Timeless Body (Ex): Upon attaining 19th level, the presence of incarnum within your body becomes so prevalent that your aging process changes dramatically. You no longer take penalties to your ability scores and cannot be magically aged. Any such penalties that you have already taken, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, penalties continue to apply, and you still die of old age when your time is up.
ESPER POWERS
Apothegm Eidolon This power molds essentia into a creature identical to an Astral Construct, XPH . Treat each point of invested essentia after the first as 2 power points for the purposes of augmenting the summoned beast. An Esper Mage may have one Eidolon per 3 essentia invested active at a time. They can give the construct new instructions as a move action that does not provoke AoOs. An eidolon lasts until brought to 0hp or one round per Esper Mage level elapses.
Awaken Animus This power allows the Esper Mage to draw insight from wizened souls contained in essentia to allow them to succeed at a task. You gain access to a floating "pool" of insight, which manifests as bonus points you can use as desired to improve your odds of success at various tasks. This bonus pool consists of 4 points per invested essentia, which you can spend as you like to improve attack rolls, skill checks, and ability checks, although no single check can receive a bonus greater than one-half your Esper Mage level. You must declare any bonus point usage before the appropriate roll is made. Used points disappear from the pool, and the power unshapes when they are exhausted. These points count as insight bonuses for the purpose of stacking.
For example, a 14th-level Esper Mage pauses while chasing a pickpocket to activate Awaken Animus. He could use the points to provide himself a +4 insight bonus on a Spot check, a +4 insight bonus on a Climb check, and a +4 insight bonus on two of his attacks.
Battle Acumen Fighting is not normally under the purview of the Esper Mage; this power grants an edge in combat. Activated as a swift action, Battle Acumen grants a +1 bonus to AC and saving throws versus effects that originate from a designated target; as well as on attack rolls versus that target per invested essentia. In addition, each time you score a hit against that target with an attack of opportunity, you deal additional damage equal to 5x the invested essentia. The Esper Mage can change targets as a move action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The effects of this power last for one round per Esper Mage level.
Celerity If you invest one point of essentia into this power, you may take an additional swift action on your turn; but cannot take an immediate action or use a swift action until the end of your next turn. Investing 3 points of essentia allows you to use an immediate action to take a move action, after which, you are affected as if dazed, even if you are normally immune to dazing effects, until your next turn. A 5 point essentia investment allows you to use an immediate action to take a standard action, after which, you are affected as if dazed, even if you are normally immune to dazing effects, until your next turn.
Censure Manipulating essentia affords the Esper Mage with myriad forms of protection. Censure can redirect spells or their effects away from them. As long as this power has one point of essentia invested in it, the Esper mage can attempt, as an immediate action, to cancel or redirect a spell, SLA, SNA, or PLA away from them or back the effect's originator. The originator must make a will save versus the Esper Mage's save DC. Failing the save means the Esper Mage is not affected. Failing the save by 5 or more allows the Esper Mage to direct the effect back at the originator.
Cloaking Essence Many Esper Mages have learned well how not to be seen, or at least, how to be hard to see. For every point of essentia invested in this power, creatures attempting to spot the Esper Mage take a -2 penalty to Spot checks to detect their presence. Also, with one point of essentia invested in this power, the Esper Mage gains a 20% miss chance versus ranged attacks from 30ft or farther away. If three points of essentia are invested, the Esper mage may use Invisibility once per encounter with a caster level equal to their class level. If 5 points are invested, The miss chance applies to all attacks except area attacks and the penalty applies to Move Silent checks as well.
Denying Essence Tendrils of essentia wrap around your chosen foe, sapping its will to move or defend itself. Versus one target within 60 that you have line of sight to, you may, as a swift action, force that target to make a Will save. If the save fails, the target suffers a -1/point if invested essentia penalty to AC & saving throws until the end of your next turn. Additionally, the target is limited in what actions they may take during their turn, if it precedes your next turn:
1 point: One standard action
2 points: One move action
3 points: One swift action
4 points: No actions
Enhance/Diminish Soul This power allows you to increase or lower a targets ability score. If you are using this offensively, you must succeed on a touch attack. Unwilling targets must make a Fort (Physical scores) or Will (Mental scores) save to resist the effect of this power. Investing 1 essentia allows you to give a + /-2 to any one ability score. This adjustment increases by 2 for every 2 essentia after the first that are invested in this power. The effects of this power last 1rd/ meldshaper level.
Esper Barrier As a standard action, as long as 1 or more points of Essentia are invested in this power you may use Shield and Wall of Gloom at will, as the spells. If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested you may use Shield, Wall of Gloom, Wall of Air, or Wall of Incarnum at will, as the spells. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested you use Shield, Wall of Gloom, Wall of Air, Wall of Incarnum, Wall of Force, or Wall of Greater Dispel Magic at will, as the spells. Your caster level for this power is equal to your Esper Mage level.
Esper Flames As a standard action, target creature within 30ft/point of invested Essentia takes 2d6 fire damage/point of invested Essentia (Reflex half). If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested you may also target any creatures you wish within 5ft/point of invested Essentia of you and the target at the time. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested, Esper Flames ignores Fire Resistance and deals half damage to creatures with Fire Immunity.
Esper Frost As a standard action, target creature within 30ft/point of invested Essentia takes 2d6 cold damage/point of invested Essentia (Reflex half). If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested you may target all creatures in a 30ft x 5ft/point of invested Essentia line-effect area, and if you do the area is treated as difficult terrain for 1 round. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested, targets that fail their Reflex saves are frozen solid, either covered in 1 inch of ice/point of invested Essentia, or, if you use the line-effect area option, captured within a Wall of Ice enclosing that area, as the spell.
Esper Grip As a standard action, make a ranged touch attack against target creature within a 15ft/point of invested Essentia to deal 1d6 force damage/point of invested Essentia and must make a Fortitude save to avoid additional effects. On a failed save, if 1 or more points of Essentia are invested into this power the target is Sickened for 1 round. If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested the target is Sickened and Immobilized for 1 round. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested the target is Sickened, Paralyzed, and must hold its breath as if Drowning for 1 round, and as long as you maintain this effect (standard action to target the same creature each round).
Esper Lightning As a standard action, target creature within 30ft/point of invested Essentia takes 2d6 electricity damage/point of invested Essentia (Reflex half). If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested you may instead target any creatures you wish within a 30ft/point of invested Essentia cone-effect area. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested, targets that fail their Reflex saves are Stunned for 1 round.
Esper Push As a swift action, all creatures within 5ft/point of invested Essentia are pushed away from you in any direction up to 5ft/point of invested Essentia (Fortitude negates). If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested, creatures who failed their saves are knocked prone. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested, creatures that succeeded on their saves are still pushed half the distance (rounded down to the nearest 5ft).
Esper Sacrifice As a swift action, you lose 1d6hp/point of invested Essentia but any ally within 15ft/point of invested Essentia regains 6hp/point of invested Essentia. If 3 or more points of Essentia is invested you may remove any of the following conditions from the healed ally: Dazzled, Fatigued, Blinded, Deafened, Shaken, Dazed, Frightened, or Sickened. If 5 or more points of Essentia is invested you may remove 1 ability damage/point of invested Essentia and remove any of the following conditions: Dazzled, Fatigued, Blinded, Deafened, Shaken, Dazed, Frightened, Sickened, Poisoned, Confused, Exhausted, Stunned, Nauseated, Panicked, or Paralyzed.
Esper Scream As a standard action, target creature within 30ft/point of invested Essentia takes 2d4 sonic damage/point of invested Essentia (Fortitude half). If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested you may target all creatures in a 15ft /point of invested Essentia cone-effect area, and if you do targets failing a Fortitude save are deafened for 1 round. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested, targets that fail their Fortitude saves are both deafened and stunned for 1round per invested essentia. Subjects succeeding on their saves are only deafened.
Esper Slam As a standard action, make a ranged touch attack against target creature within 15ft/point of invested Essentia to deal 1d6 force damage/point of invested Essentia +1.5 times your Strength modifier and is pushed away from you in any direction up to 10ft/point of invested Essentia (Fortitude negates). If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested, creatures you failed their saves are knocked prone and are Staggered for 1 round. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested, you add 2x your Strength modifier to the damage and creatures who succeeded on their saves are still pushed up to half the distance (rounded down to the nearest 5ft).
Esper Smite As a standard action, you can add the amount of invested essentia to your attack roll. If 3 or more points of essentia are invested in this power, you increase your damage total by the number of invested essentia times your Esper Mage level. If you invest 5 or more essentia invested in this power, You can activate this power as a swift action, and it applies to all attacks you make until the end of your next turn.
Esper Surge As a swift action, you gain a +20ft/point of Essentia invested bonus to your land speed for 1 round. If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested you add this bonus to all of your speeds and may make an extra attack when making a full attack at your highest attack bonus. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested, you may make a full attack as a standard action rather than a full-round action.
Farseeing You gain a vague, momentary impression of events happening around a particular being in some distant place. As a full-round action you can target one creature you know or have met before. If that target makes a Will save, you gain no information (including whether the target is alive or dead) and cannot use this Esper power against the same target for 24 hours. If they fail the save, you can sense whether the target is alive or dead and gain a vague sense of its immediate surroundings, what it's currently doing, and any strong emotions it is presently feeling; as long as at least 1 point of essentia invested in it. . A dead target has a Will save result of 30 for purposes of this power. If you invest 3 essentia into this power, you can gain a clear mental image of the target's surroundings, as well as other creatures and objects within 30ft of it. If you invest 5 or more essentia, you determine the path taken by your target, provided you are within line of sight of the creature's trail. You can track the creature (as per the Track application of the Survival skill) without needing to make Survival checks for up to 1 hour, provided the creature you are tracking passed through the area within the last day.
Force Aura As a swift action, you gather your essentia around you and manifest a damaging aura. Until the end of your next turn, all of your unarmed melee attacks deal an additional +1d6 points of force damage per invested essentia. Opponents that strike you in melee, including attacks to initiate a grapple or other maneuver, also take force damage. Opponents that take force damage must make a reflex save or suffer an additional 1d6 points of force damage per invested essentia the following round.
Mind Trick As a standard action, as long as 1 or more points of Essentia are invested in this power you may use Command and Detect Thoughts at will, as the spells. If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested you may use Command, Detect Thoughts, Suggestion, or Modify Memory at will, as the spells. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested you use Command, Detect Thoughts, Suggestion, Modify Memory, Feeblemind, or Greater Command at will, as the spells. A creature that successfully saves against your Mind Trick cannot be affected by any of the spell effects for 24 hours. Your caster level for this power is equal to your Esper Mage level.
Move Object As a standard action, choose a creature or object within 30ft/point of invested Essentia that weighs no more than 30lbs/point of invested Essentia. A creature can negate this power's effect against itself or an object it possesses with a successful Will save. If the save fails, as long as you maintain this effect (a move action each round), you may move the chosen creature or object 10ft/point of invested Essentia in any direction per round, though the effect is immediately ended if distance between the creature or object ever exceeds this power's maximum range. You may telekinetically manipulate the creature or object as if by one hand requiring any actions necessary to complete the desired effect (turn a key as a free action, initiate a grapple as a standard action, etc). The power's Strength score for these purposes is 10+2/point of invested Essentia. If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested double the maximum weight you may affect with this power. Further your telekinetic force is honed to a precision instrument gaining a +3 bonus to dexterity skill checks, and a +4 bonus to Bull Rush, Disarm, Grapple, and Trip attempts. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested you are able to violently hurl creatures or objects. As a standard action, choose a creature or object within range. You may hurl the creature or object 15ft/point of invested Essentia. If a creature is hurled into a solid surface it is dealt 1d6 damage/10ft hurled in this way. Weapons deal damage as normal (no Strength bonus, add 2x your Wisdom modifier). Objects deal either 1point/25lbs if they are less dangerous, or 1d6/25lbs for more dangerous objects (as determined by the DM).
Negate Energy As an immediate action, as long as 1 or more points of Essentia are invested in this power when you are included as a target of a spell or ability that deals energy damage and does not include an attack roll (Fireball, Dragon's Breath, etc) you may make an opposed level check with the source of that spell or ability if the damage is Cold, Electricity, or Fire. If your check succeeds you are no longer considered a target of that spell or ability and your space is omitted from its effects. If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested you get a +5 bonus to the opposed level check and may negate Acid, Cold, Electricity, Fire and Sonic damage. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested you get a +10 bonus to the opposed level check and may negate any type of energy damage (including Positive, Negative, Force, etc). Further, you may exclude an additional number of 5ft spaces equal to the invested points of Essentia.
Reshape Soul Based on the amount of essentia invested in this power, the Esper Mage can take the shape of any normal animal; no templates, no nonsense, as the Alternate Form ability. You may stay in your chosen shape for 1 hour. The small chart below indicates the forms you can take:
1 point: Tiny animal
2 points: Small animal
3 points: Medium animal
4 points: Large animal
5 points: Huge animal.
Sever Essence Esper Mages can block opponents access to spells and other similar abilities (Sp, Su, & Ps) and make it difficult for them to use those powers. As a standard action, an Esper Mage with 1 essentia invested in this power may target one creature within 60ft. When that creature tries to use any ability covered by this power, they must make a Will save or take 1d8 points of damage +1 point of damage per the caster level/HD/manifester level of the ability. If the save fails and the power has 3 essentia invested in it, the target is also affected as if dazed for one round, even if they are normally immune to that condition. If the save fails and 5 or more essentia are invested, the target takes the damage and affected as if sickened for 3 rounds even if they are normally immune to that condition.
Shatter Objects As a standard action, as long as 1 or more points of Essentia are invested into this power, you may use the Shatter spell at will. Your caster level equals your Esper Mage level. If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested the area of the Shatter spell effect is increased to 5ft/point of invested Essentia. Further, double the maximum weight you are able to effect with the spell effect. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested the area Shatter effect is able to destroy magical items, and deals creatures, objects, and structures within the area 1d6 sonic damage/point of invested Essentia, ignoring hardness.
Warp Space Once per round/point of invested Essentia, as an attack action, as long as 1 or more points of Essentia are invested in this power you may make a melee attack against any creature within line of sight and within 15ft/point of invested Essentia. If an ally threatens the creature you are considered to be flanking. If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested, as a swift action, you may teleport up to 5ft/point of invested Essentia to any unoccupied square within line of sight. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested, you may use Swift Etherealness at will, as the spell.
Again, this is based on the Esper Knight written by Zeigander. You can peruse it here: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169532
I'm looking for inout on just about everything from the hit die to the Esper Powers. I humbly request that this be raked o'er the coals a couple times. I'm looking at placing this baby at a solid Tier3, if you subscribe to that particular school of thought. Without further ado:
ESPER MAGE
Abilities: Intelligence determines how strong their Esper powers are and how hard those powers are to resist (see Esper Powers, below). A high Dexterity score is helpful for a wizard, who typically wears little or no armor, because it provides her with a bonus to Armor Class. Constitution determines how many powers the Esper Mage can invest essentia into as well as determine hit points.
Races: Any of the common races regularly become esper mages. Azurins, Rilkan and Skarn sometimes become espermages. Most other races aren't familiar enough with essentia to make a go of it.
Alignment: Any.
Starting Gold: 4d4x10(average gp)
Starting Age: As Wizard.
CLASS SKILLS
The Espermage's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language, and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + int)x4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + int
Hit Dice: d6
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Powers|Essentia|Chakra Binds
1st|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+2|Bonus feat, esper powers, soul conduit|
2|
2|
0
2nd|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+3|Soulspark familiar (least)|
3|
3|
0
3rd|
+1|
+3|
+1|
+3|Expanded power capacity +1|
3|
4|
0
4th|
+2|
+4|
+1|
+4|Meldshaping|
4|
5|
0
5th|
+2|
+4|
+1|
+4|Bonus feat, rapid power 1/day|
4|
6|
0
6th|
+3|
+5|
+2|
+5|Soulspark familiar (lesser)|
5|
7|
0
7th|
+3|
+5|
+2|
+5||
5|
8|
0
8th|
+4|
+6|
+2|
+6|Chakra binds (crown, feet, hands)|
6|
9|
1
9th|
+4|
+6|
+3|
+6||
6|
10|
1
10th|
+5|
+7|
+3|
+7|Bonus feat|
7|
11|
1
11th|
+5|
+7|
+3|
+7|Rapid power 2/day|
7|
12|
1
12th|
+6/+1|
+8|
+4|
+8|Soulspark familiar (standard)|
8|
13|
1
13th|
+6/+1|
+8|
+4|
+8||
8|
14|
1
14th|
+7/+2|
+9|
+4|
+9|Chakra binds (arms, brow, shoulders)|
9|
16|
2
15th|
+7/+2|
+9|
+5|
+9|Bonus feat, expanded power capacity +2|
9|
18|
2
16th|
+8/+3|
+10|
+5|
+10|Soulspark familiar (greater)|
10|
20|
2
17th|
+8/+3|
+10|
+5|
+10|Rapid power 3/day|
10|
22|
2
18th|
+9/+4|
+11|
+6|
+11|Chakra binds (throat, waist)|
11|
24|
3
19th|
+9/+4|
+11|
+6|
+11|Timeless body|
11|
26|
3
20th|
+10/+5|
+12|
+6|
+12|Bonus feat|
12|
28|
3[/table]
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Esper Mages are is proficient with all simple weapons, plus the longsword, rapier, flail (light), short sword, shortbow, and whip. Esper Mages are proficient with light armor and shields (except tower shields). An Esper Mage can use their powers while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like an arcane spellcaster, an Esper Mage wearing medium or heavy armor incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the power in question has a somatic component (most do).
Esper Powers (Su): An Esper Mages primary ability is shaping incarnum powers, which are drawn from the Esper Mage power list (see below). You know and can shape any power from this list.
The Difficulty Class for a saving throws against an Esper Mage power is 10 + ½ your HD (minimum 1) + number of points of essentia invested in the power + your Int modifier.
An Esper Mage can shape only a certain number of powers per day. Your base daily allotment is given on Table: Esper Mage. The maximum number of powers that you can have shaped simultaneously is equal to your Constitution score minus 10 or the number of powers allowed for your level, whichever is lower. At 1st level, you can shape two powers at a time (assuming you have a Constitution score of at least 12). As you advance in level, you can shape an increasing number of powers.
At 1st level, you also gain access to your personal pool of essentia, which must be invested into your powers before you can use them. Your essentia pools size is shown on Table: Esper Mage. Your character level, as noted on Table 21: Essentia Capacity (MoI; 19), determines the maximum quantity of essentia that you can invest in any single power.
An Esper Mage does not study or prepare powers in advance, but must have a good nights rest and must meditate for 1 hour to shape his powers for the day.
Soul Conduit (Su): Esper Mages are able to reallocate their essentia into Incarnum Feats more than once each day. However, they do not have the amount of fluidity with their essentia as meldshapers. After reallocating essentia, Esper Mages must wait at least one round before they may reallocate it again. Further, by exploiting their connection with soul energy, Esper Mages are able to sense living creatures within 60ft as the Sense Life spell at will as a full-round action.
Soulspark Familiar (Su): At 2nd level, an Esper Mage's use of essentia attracts a Soulspark, Lesser (MoI; 197). As te Esper Mage gains power, so does the soulspark. At 6th, 12th, and 16th level, the soulspark goes up a category (least to lesser, lesser to standard, etc.); and gains the stats (including skills and feats) listed (MoI; 197-8). If a Esper Mage releases her familiar from service, she may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of meditation. This ceremony can also replace a familiar that has perished.
Bonus Feats (Ex): At 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level, the Esper Mage gains a bonus feat that can be taken from the General or Incarnum feat lists. They must meet all prerequisites for feats they obtain.
Expanded Power Capacity (Ex): At 3rd level and again at 15th level, the essentia capacity of your powers increases by 1, superseding the number on Table 21 (MoI; 19). This only applies to powers, not to feats, class features, or other abilities that allow essentia investment.
Meldshaping: Esper Mages of 4th level and higher can, instead of shaping a power, shape soulmelds from the Incarnate soulmeld list, excluding those with an alignment descriptor as Esper Mages channel incarnum differently; and cannot shape those soulmelds. An Esper Mage can shape one soulmeld per four Esper Mage levels. Their meldshaper level is their class level -3 when determining the amount of essentia they can invest in those melds.
Rapid Power (Su): As your ability to channel incarnum into powers increases, you learn to shape a small number of powers instantly. Starting at 5th level, once per day you can unshape one of your existing powers and immediately shape another power. This process requires a full-round action and provokes attacks of opportunity.
You can use this ability twice per day at 11th level and three times per day at 17th.
Chakra Binds: Esper Mages can bind soulmelds to open chakras; and gain access to chakra binds as a soulborn (MoI; 25) of their Esper Mage level.
Timeless Body (Ex): Upon attaining 19th level, the presence of incarnum within your body becomes so prevalent that your aging process changes dramatically. You no longer take penalties to your ability scores and cannot be magically aged. Any such penalties that you have already taken, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, penalties continue to apply, and you still die of old age when your time is up.
ESPER POWERS
Apothegm Eidolon This power molds essentia into a creature identical to an Astral Construct, XPH . Treat each point of invested essentia after the first as 2 power points for the purposes of augmenting the summoned beast. An Esper Mage may have one Eidolon per 3 essentia invested active at a time. They can give the construct new instructions as a move action that does not provoke AoOs. An eidolon lasts until brought to 0hp or one round per Esper Mage level elapses.
Awaken Animus This power allows the Esper Mage to draw insight from wizened souls contained in essentia to allow them to succeed at a task. You gain access to a floating "pool" of insight, which manifests as bonus points you can use as desired to improve your odds of success at various tasks. This bonus pool consists of 4 points per invested essentia, which you can spend as you like to improve attack rolls, skill checks, and ability checks, although no single check can receive a bonus greater than one-half your Esper Mage level. You must declare any bonus point usage before the appropriate roll is made. Used points disappear from the pool, and the power unshapes when they are exhausted. These points count as insight bonuses for the purpose of stacking.
For example, a 14th-level Esper Mage pauses while chasing a pickpocket to activate Awaken Animus. He could use the points to provide himself a +4 insight bonus on a Spot check, a +4 insight bonus on a Climb check, and a +4 insight bonus on two of his attacks.
Battle Acumen Fighting is not normally under the purview of the Esper Mage; this power grants an edge in combat. Activated as a swift action, Battle Acumen grants a +1 bonus to AC and saving throws versus effects that originate from a designated target; as well as on attack rolls versus that target per invested essentia. In addition, each time you score a hit against that target with an attack of opportunity, you deal additional damage equal to 5x the invested essentia. The Esper Mage can change targets as a move action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The effects of this power last for one round per Esper Mage level.
Celerity If you invest one point of essentia into this power, you may take an additional swift action on your turn; but cannot take an immediate action or use a swift action until the end of your next turn. Investing 3 points of essentia allows you to use an immediate action to take a move action, after which, you are affected as if dazed, even if you are normally immune to dazing effects, until your next turn. A 5 point essentia investment allows you to use an immediate action to take a standard action, after which, you are affected as if dazed, even if you are normally immune to dazing effects, until your next turn.
Censure Manipulating essentia affords the Esper Mage with myriad forms of protection. Censure can redirect spells or their effects away from them. As long as this power has one point of essentia invested in it, the Esper mage can attempt, as an immediate action, to cancel or redirect a spell, SLA, SNA, or PLA away from them or back the effect's originator. The originator must make a will save versus the Esper Mage's save DC. Failing the save means the Esper Mage is not affected. Failing the save by 5 or more allows the Esper Mage to direct the effect back at the originator.
Cloaking Essence Many Esper Mages have learned well how not to be seen, or at least, how to be hard to see. For every point of essentia invested in this power, creatures attempting to spot the Esper Mage take a -2 penalty to Spot checks to detect their presence. Also, with one point of essentia invested in this power, the Esper Mage gains a 20% miss chance versus ranged attacks from 30ft or farther away. If three points of essentia are invested, the Esper mage may use Invisibility once per encounter with a caster level equal to their class level. If 5 points are invested, The miss chance applies to all attacks except area attacks and the penalty applies to Move Silent checks as well.
Denying Essence Tendrils of essentia wrap around your chosen foe, sapping its will to move or defend itself. Versus one target within 60 that you have line of sight to, you may, as a swift action, force that target to make a Will save. If the save fails, the target suffers a -1/point if invested essentia penalty to AC & saving throws until the end of your next turn. Additionally, the target is limited in what actions they may take during their turn, if it precedes your next turn:
1 point: One standard action
2 points: One move action
3 points: One swift action
4 points: No actions
Enhance/Diminish Soul This power allows you to increase or lower a targets ability score. If you are using this offensively, you must succeed on a touch attack. Unwilling targets must make a Fort (Physical scores) or Will (Mental scores) save to resist the effect of this power. Investing 1 essentia allows you to give a + /-2 to any one ability score. This adjustment increases by 2 for every 2 essentia after the first that are invested in this power. The effects of this power last 1rd/ meldshaper level.
Esper Barrier As a standard action, as long as 1 or more points of Essentia are invested in this power you may use Shield and Wall of Gloom at will, as the spells. If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested you may use Shield, Wall of Gloom, Wall of Air, or Wall of Incarnum at will, as the spells. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested you use Shield, Wall of Gloom, Wall of Air, Wall of Incarnum, Wall of Force, or Wall of Greater Dispel Magic at will, as the spells. Your caster level for this power is equal to your Esper Mage level.
Esper Flames As a standard action, target creature within 30ft/point of invested Essentia takes 2d6 fire damage/point of invested Essentia (Reflex half). If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested you may also target any creatures you wish within 5ft/point of invested Essentia of you and the target at the time. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested, Esper Flames ignores Fire Resistance and deals half damage to creatures with Fire Immunity.
Esper Frost As a standard action, target creature within 30ft/point of invested Essentia takes 2d6 cold damage/point of invested Essentia (Reflex half). If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested you may target all creatures in a 30ft x 5ft/point of invested Essentia line-effect area, and if you do the area is treated as difficult terrain for 1 round. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested, targets that fail their Reflex saves are frozen solid, either covered in 1 inch of ice/point of invested Essentia, or, if you use the line-effect area option, captured within a Wall of Ice enclosing that area, as the spell.
Esper Grip As a standard action, make a ranged touch attack against target creature within a 15ft/point of invested Essentia to deal 1d6 force damage/point of invested Essentia and must make a Fortitude save to avoid additional effects. On a failed save, if 1 or more points of Essentia are invested into this power the target is Sickened for 1 round. If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested the target is Sickened and Immobilized for 1 round. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested the target is Sickened, Paralyzed, and must hold its breath as if Drowning for 1 round, and as long as you maintain this effect (standard action to target the same creature each round).
Esper Lightning As a standard action, target creature within 30ft/point of invested Essentia takes 2d6 electricity damage/point of invested Essentia (Reflex half). If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested you may instead target any creatures you wish within a 30ft/point of invested Essentia cone-effect area. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested, targets that fail their Reflex saves are Stunned for 1 round.
Esper Push As a swift action, all creatures within 5ft/point of invested Essentia are pushed away from you in any direction up to 5ft/point of invested Essentia (Fortitude negates). If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested, creatures who failed their saves are knocked prone. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested, creatures that succeeded on their saves are still pushed half the distance (rounded down to the nearest 5ft).
Esper Sacrifice As a swift action, you lose 1d6hp/point of invested Essentia but any ally within 15ft/point of invested Essentia regains 6hp/point of invested Essentia. If 3 or more points of Essentia is invested you may remove any of the following conditions from the healed ally: Dazzled, Fatigued, Blinded, Deafened, Shaken, Dazed, Frightened, or Sickened. If 5 or more points of Essentia is invested you may remove 1 ability damage/point of invested Essentia and remove any of the following conditions: Dazzled, Fatigued, Blinded, Deafened, Shaken, Dazed, Frightened, Sickened, Poisoned, Confused, Exhausted, Stunned, Nauseated, Panicked, or Paralyzed.
Esper Scream As a standard action, target creature within 30ft/point of invested Essentia takes 2d4 sonic damage/point of invested Essentia (Fortitude half). If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested you may target all creatures in a 15ft /point of invested Essentia cone-effect area, and if you do targets failing a Fortitude save are deafened for 1 round. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested, targets that fail their Fortitude saves are both deafened and stunned for 1round per invested essentia. Subjects succeeding on their saves are only deafened.
Esper Slam As a standard action, make a ranged touch attack against target creature within 15ft/point of invested Essentia to deal 1d6 force damage/point of invested Essentia +1.5 times your Strength modifier and is pushed away from you in any direction up to 10ft/point of invested Essentia (Fortitude negates). If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested, creatures you failed their saves are knocked prone and are Staggered for 1 round. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested, you add 2x your Strength modifier to the damage and creatures who succeeded on their saves are still pushed up to half the distance (rounded down to the nearest 5ft).
Esper Smite As a standard action, you can add the amount of invested essentia to your attack roll. If 3 or more points of essentia are invested in this power, you increase your damage total by the number of invested essentia times your Esper Mage level. If you invest 5 or more essentia invested in this power, You can activate this power as a swift action, and it applies to all attacks you make until the end of your next turn.
Esper Surge As a swift action, you gain a +20ft/point of Essentia invested bonus to your land speed for 1 round. If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested you add this bonus to all of your speeds and may make an extra attack when making a full attack at your highest attack bonus. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested, you may make a full attack as a standard action rather than a full-round action.
Farseeing You gain a vague, momentary impression of events happening around a particular being in some distant place. As a full-round action you can target one creature you know or have met before. If that target makes a Will save, you gain no information (including whether the target is alive or dead) and cannot use this Esper power against the same target for 24 hours. If they fail the save, you can sense whether the target is alive or dead and gain a vague sense of its immediate surroundings, what it's currently doing, and any strong emotions it is presently feeling; as long as at least 1 point of essentia invested in it. . A dead target has a Will save result of 30 for purposes of this power. If you invest 3 essentia into this power, you can gain a clear mental image of the target's surroundings, as well as other creatures and objects within 30ft of it. If you invest 5 or more essentia, you determine the path taken by your target, provided you are within line of sight of the creature's trail. You can track the creature (as per the Track application of the Survival skill) without needing to make Survival checks for up to 1 hour, provided the creature you are tracking passed through the area within the last day.
Force Aura As a swift action, you gather your essentia around you and manifest a damaging aura. Until the end of your next turn, all of your unarmed melee attacks deal an additional +1d6 points of force damage per invested essentia. Opponents that strike you in melee, including attacks to initiate a grapple or other maneuver, also take force damage. Opponents that take force damage must make a reflex save or suffer an additional 1d6 points of force damage per invested essentia the following round.
Mind Trick As a standard action, as long as 1 or more points of Essentia are invested in this power you may use Command and Detect Thoughts at will, as the spells. If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested you may use Command, Detect Thoughts, Suggestion, or Modify Memory at will, as the spells. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested you use Command, Detect Thoughts, Suggestion, Modify Memory, Feeblemind, or Greater Command at will, as the spells. A creature that successfully saves against your Mind Trick cannot be affected by any of the spell effects for 24 hours. Your caster level for this power is equal to your Esper Mage level.
Move Object As a standard action, choose a creature or object within 30ft/point of invested Essentia that weighs no more than 30lbs/point of invested Essentia. A creature can negate this power's effect against itself or an object it possesses with a successful Will save. If the save fails, as long as you maintain this effect (a move action each round), you may move the chosen creature or object 10ft/point of invested Essentia in any direction per round, though the effect is immediately ended if distance between the creature or object ever exceeds this power's maximum range. You may telekinetically manipulate the creature or object as if by one hand requiring any actions necessary to complete the desired effect (turn a key as a free action, initiate a grapple as a standard action, etc). The power's Strength score for these purposes is 10+2/point of invested Essentia. If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested double the maximum weight you may affect with this power. Further your telekinetic force is honed to a precision instrument gaining a +3 bonus to dexterity skill checks, and a +4 bonus to Bull Rush, Disarm, Grapple, and Trip attempts. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested you are able to violently hurl creatures or objects. As a standard action, choose a creature or object within range. You may hurl the creature or object 15ft/point of invested Essentia. If a creature is hurled into a solid surface it is dealt 1d6 damage/10ft hurled in this way. Weapons deal damage as normal (no Strength bonus, add 2x your Wisdom modifier). Objects deal either 1point/25lbs if they are less dangerous, or 1d6/25lbs for more dangerous objects (as determined by the DM).
Negate Energy As an immediate action, as long as 1 or more points of Essentia are invested in this power when you are included as a target of a spell or ability that deals energy damage and does not include an attack roll (Fireball, Dragon's Breath, etc) you may make an opposed level check with the source of that spell or ability if the damage is Cold, Electricity, or Fire. If your check succeeds you are no longer considered a target of that spell or ability and your space is omitted from its effects. If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested you get a +5 bonus to the opposed level check and may negate Acid, Cold, Electricity, Fire and Sonic damage. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested you get a +10 bonus to the opposed level check and may negate any type of energy damage (including Positive, Negative, Force, etc). Further, you may exclude an additional number of 5ft spaces equal to the invested points of Essentia.
Reshape Soul Based on the amount of essentia invested in this power, the Esper Mage can take the shape of any normal animal; no templates, no nonsense, as the Alternate Form ability. You may stay in your chosen shape for 1 hour. The small chart below indicates the forms you can take:
1 point: Tiny animal
2 points: Small animal
3 points: Medium animal
4 points: Large animal
5 points: Huge animal.
Sever Essence Esper Mages can block opponents access to spells and other similar abilities (Sp, Su, & Ps) and make it difficult for them to use those powers. As a standard action, an Esper Mage with 1 essentia invested in this power may target one creature within 60ft. When that creature tries to use any ability covered by this power, they must make a Will save or take 1d8 points of damage +1 point of damage per the caster level/HD/manifester level of the ability. If the save fails and the power has 3 essentia invested in it, the target is also affected as if dazed for one round, even if they are normally immune to that condition. If the save fails and 5 or more essentia are invested, the target takes the damage and affected as if sickened for 3 rounds even if they are normally immune to that condition.
Shatter Objects As a standard action, as long as 1 or more points of Essentia are invested into this power, you may use the Shatter spell at will. Your caster level equals your Esper Mage level. If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested the area of the Shatter spell effect is increased to 5ft/point of invested Essentia. Further, double the maximum weight you are able to effect with the spell effect. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested the area Shatter effect is able to destroy magical items, and deals creatures, objects, and structures within the area 1d6 sonic damage/point of invested Essentia, ignoring hardness.
Warp Space Once per round/point of invested Essentia, as an attack action, as long as 1 or more points of Essentia are invested in this power you may make a melee attack against any creature within line of sight and within 15ft/point of invested Essentia. If an ally threatens the creature you are considered to be flanking. If 3 or more points of Essentia are invested, as a swift action, you may teleport up to 5ft/point of invested Essentia to any unoccupied square within line of sight. If 5 or more points of Essentia are invested, you may use Swift Etherealness at will, as the spell.