PDA

View Full Version : Pathfinder Ultimate Subpsionics



Xuldarinar
2014-08-10, 11:24 AM
ULTIMATE SUBPSIONICS

http://archive.wizards.com/dnd/images/psi_shadow1_med.jpghttp://archive.wizards.com/dnd/images/astral_cons_black_med.jpg

"The psionic activity of the subconscious mind lies just below the level of awareness. In this level, a darker, more insidious side of the psyche resides. While most psionic characters never venture into the subconscious mind, some have embraced it. The subconscious mind provides a psionic character with an alternate conduit for manifesting powers.

"Those who utilize their subconscious mind suffer some disadvantages. First, the thoughts and secrets of the subconscious mind are disquieting and injurious to the mortal mind. Second, while the conscious mind serves equally well for any kind of power, the subconscious mind is best for the disciplines of Metacreativity, Clairsentience, and Telepathy, and it is unsuited to the Psychometabolism, Psychoportation, and Psychokinesis disciplines. Third, powers with a visible display that involve the creation of light no longer create any visible light; creatures with darkvision can, however, see these powers.

"Finally, the more familiar a mortal becomes with the secrets of the subconscious mind, the more divorced they become from the conscious mind. An accomplished subpsionic character can manifest powers that normal psionic creatures find difficult to detect, counter, or nullify, but the subpsionic character becomes similarly unable to affect powers manifested by the conscious mind."

CLASS OPTIONS
While the use of subpsionics is far from limited to or from a given psionic class, the following psionic classes have unique options and interactions with the use of subpsionics.

AEGIS
Subpsionic Astral Suit Customizations
An aegis that forms their astral suit using their subconscious mind, otherwise referred to as an umbral aegis and dawning astral suits appearing black and purple in color, have access to the following customization options in addition to those available normally to an aegis (or your archetype if you possess a different list). To use these customization options, and be considered an umbral aegis, an aegis must possess the Subpsionic Astral Suit feat.

2-Point Customizations

Withering, Lesser: Each time a target is struck by the aegis, it must make a Fortitude save or take 1 point of temporary ability damage to the ability score chosen by the aegis at the time the suit is created. This ability does not stack with withering or greater withering. The aegis must have the psionic attacks customization and at least 5th level to select this customization.

3-Point Customizations

Withering: Each time a target is struck by the aegis, it must make a Fortitude save or take 1d3 points of temporary ability damage to the ability score chosen by the aegis at the time the astral suit is created. This ability does not stack with lesser withering or greater withering. The aegis must have the psionic attacks customization and be at least 8th level to select this customization.

4-Point Customizations

Withering, Greater: Each time a target is struck by the aegis, it must make a Fortitude save or take 1d3 points of temporary ability damage and 1 point of permanent ability drain to the ability score chosen by the aegis at the time the astral suit is created. This ability does not stack with withering or lesser withering. The aegis must have the psionic attacks customization and at least 13th level to select this customization.

Putrescence (Su): Any creature struck by the aegis must make a Fortitude save or contract astral rot (supernatural disease; incubation period 1d6 days; damage 1d3 temporary Constitution). Unlike normal diseases, astral rot continues until the victim reaches Constitution 0 (and dies) or until it is magically removed (such as by means of a Remove disease spell). An aegis must be at least 15th level before selecting this customization.

CRYPTIC
Cryptics that draw their powers from the subconscious mind are divided into two groups. Those that begun with subpsionics (Intuitive Cryptics) and those that later delved into subpsionics (Subpsionic Cryptics).

To become an intuitive cryptic, a cryptic must take the Conjunctive Mind feat at 1st level. An intuitive cryptic functions in all ways as a standard cryptic with the Conjunctive Mind feat, except an intuitive cryptic uses Wisdom instead of Intelligence for the purposes of their cryptic class features and for manifesting cryptic powers.

DREAD
Dreads, given the nature of fear and their powers, are the most common users of subpsionics. Already close it takes little for one to cross over into the discipline. A dread that possesses the Conjunctive Mind feat adds +1 to the DCs of saving throws made against dread class features. Furthermore, a dread with the nightmare constructer archetype and the tainted construction feat may add the abilities from that feat to their horror, treating Menu A abilities as 2-point evolutions that require 5th level to access, Menu B abilities as 3-point evolutions that require 9th level to access, and Menu C abilities as 4-point evolutions that require 15th level to access.

GAEAN
Gaeans (Druids of the Gaean archetype) sometimes choose to delve into the subconscious, exploring the depths of the minds of those of nature more than nature itself. A gaean who takes the Conjunctive Mind feat at 1st level may select from the following domains for their Nature bond, instead of those normally available to them: Charm (Lust subdomain only), Darkness, Destruction (Rage subdomain only), Evil (Fear Subdomain only), Madness, or Shadow Magic (Peacenlove's Complete Shadow Homebrew (https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7pX5JzphJ4ya3YxNl91anlmLTQ/edit)).

PSION
Subpsionics Discipline
A psion who chooses subpsionics is known as a subpsion. Subpsions can learn an assortment of powers, drawn from the subconscious mind rather than the conscious.

Discipline Talents (Ps): Choose two powers from the following list: conceal thoughts, entangling ectoplasm, offensive precocntion, and telepathic lash.
As long as you maintain psionic focus, you may manifest either of your chosen powers without paying a power point cost, but the power may not be augmented or affected by metapsionic feats. The duration of entangling ectoplasm is one round per two psion levels (minimum 1 round), and the duration of offensive precocnition is 1 round per psion level. You may only use conceal thoughts on yourself if used as one of your discipline talents.

Subpsionic Power (Ex): At 2nd level, and every four levels thereafter, you gain a point of subsonic power. Add the subsonic power value to the DC of saving throws and manifester level checks to overcome power resistance for powers you manifest from the Metacreataivity, Clairsentience, and Telepathy disciplines. This stacks with other spell/power effects that affect the specified powers.

Subpsionic Shield (Ps): At 8th level, you can create a mobile disk of purple-black force as a standard action. The subsonic shield intercepts attacks, providing a cover bonus to Armor Class equal to half your manifester level and grants three-quaters concealment against attacks form the other side of the shield. The disk protects you only from attacks from one direction. You designate half the battlefield (with yourself on the dividing line) as being blocked by the shield. The other half is not. You can change the defensive direction of the shield once as a free action on each of your turns. You can see and can reach through the shield and it moves out of the way when you attack, so it does not provide cover or concealment to opponents.

Shadow Twin (Su): At 14th level, you gain the Shadow Twin class feature as the dread class feature of the same name, except as follows. The shadow twin is only usable once per day, and the range the distance the shadow twin my stay within increases to 100 ft. at 18th level.

Delve into Shadow (Ps): At 20th level, each day when you meditate to regain power points, you may choose one spell of the darkness or shadow descriptor and treat it as one of your powers known for the day. This spell costs as many power points to cast as a power of the same level would, and benefits from Conjunctive Mind and feats that require Conjunctive Mind as if it were of the clairsentience, metacreativity or telepathy discipline. This spell does not count against your powers known.

PSYCHIC MAGE
Subpsionic mages are psychic mages (Wizards of the psychic mage archetype) that possess the conjunctive mind feat.
A subpsionic mage may treat Enchantment, Illusion and Necromancy as Telepathy, Clairsentience, and Metacreativity for the purpose of Conjunctive Mind and any feat with it as a prerequisite. In doing so they must have any combination of Transmutation, Conjuration and Evocation as their opposed schools, and count these schools as being the same as psionic powers of the Psychometabolism, Psychoportation and Psychokinesis for the purpose of Conjunctive Mind and any feat with it as a prerequisite. Furthermore, they may add all feats that have Conjunctive Mind as a prerequisite to their list of potential bonus feats.

A psychic mage that takes the Conjunctive Mind feat but does not have evocation and transmutation as their opposed schools cannot take the option listed above.

SOULKNIFE
Subpsionic Knife Enhancements
A soulknife who forms their weapon from psionic energy drawn from the subconscious mind is called a shadowknife and gains access to the Shadow Striking enchantment, a +3 enchantment with the following effect: 'Shadow striking weapons draw on the reflective nature of shadow to alter their nature and overcome damage reduction. A shadow strking weapon can adjust to emulate any alignment or substance required to overcome damage reduction.
A shadow striking weapon's attunement is to a particular sort of damage reduction fades 1d4 minutes after the last time it made contact with the appropriate creature.'

Shadowknives of certain archetypes focus on things other than their weapons and thus have the following enhancements and benefits in place of the normal benefits of the feat (+1 to attack and damage rolls):

Armored Blade: Enchantments: Greater Shadow, Improved Shadow, and Shadow. Benefit: +1 armor bonus to armor class.

Shielded Blade: Enchantment: Gloomy (Armor and shields with the gloomy special ability absorb light when worn. This can be suppressed or resumed on command. Designs usually feature dark colors when not active. Once per day, the wearer can command the armor or shield to darken to the strength of a darkness spell for 1 hour or until commanded to dim. This costs the same as a radiant enchant) [+3]. Benefit: +1 shield bonus to armor class.

FEATS
Below is a set of feats that facilitate and enhance one's abilities in the use of subpsionics.
Subpsionic Feats
You may notice some references to subpsionic feats, mostly to determine the effects of a feat. A subpsionic feat is any feat that makes you a subpsionic character, such as conjunctive mind or subpsionic mind blade, or any feat that has such a feat as a prerequisite, such as insidious mind or dreadful blow.

Feats Prerequisites Benefit
Conjunctive Mind Mental ability score 15+ +1 to metacreativity, clairsentience and telepathy powers, -1 to psychometabolism, psychoportation, and psychokinesis
-Collective Strength Conjunctive Mind Draw power from other subpsionics users.
-Gouge Psyche Conjunctive Mind Take ability damage to increase your manifester level
-Insidious Mind Conjunctive Mind Powers become harder to detect
-Nocturnal Manifester Conjunctive Mind Powers become more powerful at night
-Shadow Draining Conjunctive Mind Gain the ability to drain power from manifesters
-Subconcious Power Conjunctive Mind Gain additional power points based on Conjunctive feats
-Subpsionic Immersion Conjunctive Mind Recover expended power points from failed Telepathy powers used against you
-Tainted Construction Conjunctive Mind Astral constructs gain the evil subtype and access to a larger list of abilities
-Tenacious Mind Conjunctive Mind Powers become harder to nullify
--Mysterious Mind Conjunctive Mind, Tenecious Mind Shape psionic powers into a form more divorced from normal powers
Subpsionic Astral Suit Form Astral Suit Shape astral suit from subconscious, granting access to additional customization options
Subpsionic Mind Blade Shape Mindblade Shape mind blade from the subconscious.
-Dreadful Blow Subpsionic Mindblade, Psychic Strike Trade 1d8 Psychic strike damage to render foe shaken for 1 round
Embrace Id - -
-Anger Three subpsionic feats and rage class feature Use subpsionic abilities while raging by expending psionic focus.
-Fear Three subpsionic feats and fearsome insight class feature Enhance subpsionic abilities while under the effects of fear.
Terrifying Soulknife Enhanced mind blade +2, terrors class feature Your dread and soulknife training provide complementary benefits
Dark Tactician Coordinated Strike (+1), Fundamentals of Shadow Your shadowcaster and tactician training provide complementary benefits
Dreadful Shadow Devastating Touch, Fundamentals of Shadow Your dread and shadowcaster training provide complementary benefits
Ebon Vitalist Fundamentals of Shadow, Transfer Wounds (1d6) Your shadowcaster and vitalist training provide complementary benefits
Midnight Aegis Form Astral Suit, Fundamentals of Shadow Your aegis and shadowcaster training provide complementary benefits
Penumbral Cryptic Discreet Casting, Disrupt Pattern Your cryptic and shadowcaster training provide complementary benefits
Shadow Marksman Arrow of Dusk Fundamental, Favored Weapon class feature Your marksman and shadowcaster training provide complementary benefits
Shadow Smith Enhanced Mindblade +2, Fundamentals of Shadow Your shadowcaster and soulknife training provide complementary benefits
Warrior of Thought and Shadow Fundamentals of Shadow, Warrior's Path class feature Your psychic warrior and shadowcaster training provide complementary benefits
Wild Dread Terrors class feature, wild surge +1 Your dread and wilder training provide complementary benefits
Wild Shadow Fundamentals of Shadow, wild surge +1 Your shadowcaster and wilder training provide complementary benefits


Collective Strength (Psionic)
You have learned to reenforce your mind using the subconscious minds of others who have learned how to tap into its power.

Prerequisites:Conjunctive Mind

Benefit: You can draw on the power of the collective unconsciousness of those around you to strengthen your mind. You gain a +1 competence bonus to will saves for every being (including yourself) that has the Conjunctive Mind feat within 100 feet of you. Thus for example, if 2 other creatures had the Conjunctive Mind feat, your total bonus would be +3. Your bonus cannot exceed the total number of subpsionic feats you have. Thus, in the earlier example, if you only had Conjunctive Mind and Collective Strength, your bonus would only be +2 rather than +3.

Conjunctive Mind (Psionic)
You have discovered the dark and dangerous side of the mind that is buried deep within the subconscious.

Prerequisite: Mental ability score of at least 15.

Benefit: From now on, your powers have become integrated with your subconscious mind. You can also activate subpsionic items without taking damage.

Add a +1 to all saving throws of powers you manifest from Metacreativity, Clairsentience, and Telepathy disciplines. You get a +1 bonus on manifester level checks to overcome power resistance for powers from these disciplines.

The subconscious mind proves less than optimal for powers from the Psychometabolism, Psychoportation, and Psychokinesis disciplines. Your effective manifester level for powers you manifest from these disciplines is lessened by -1. (Subpsionic characters cannot manifest powers from these disciplines if they are 1st-level characters.) The reduced manifester level affects the power's range, duration, damage, and any other level-dependant variables the power might have, including nullify checks against you.

From now on any psionic item you create is a subpsionic item. Furthermore you may no longer use any powers of the light descriptor. Powers used to create or control shadow or entities made of shadow, such as shadow body or shadow eft, gain a +1 bonus on manifester level checks regardless of their discipline as well as benefit from feats and class features that require this feat as a prerequisite.

Special: Knowledge of the subconscious mind has a price. When you acquire this feat, or any other feat for the first time that makes you become a subpsionic character, you must reduce one of your ability scores by 2 points. Restorative powers (such as true rejuvenation) can not reverse the stat loss.

Dark Tactician

Prerequisite: Coordinated Strike (+1), Fundamentals of Shadow

Benefit: Your tactician manifester level gains a +2 bonus as long as this bonus doesn't raise your manifester level above your current Hit Dice. Your shadowcaster level gains a +2 bonus as long as this bonus doesn't raise your caster level above your current Hit Dice. In addition, you may add your shadowcaster level to your tactician level for the purposes of advancing coordinated strike. Furthermore, you may expend a daily coordinated strike use as a free action once per round to regain a daily use of a mystery of one grade lower than the highest you can cast.

Dreadful Blow (Psionic)
Drawing from your subconscious, you can relinquish damage to assault one's mind with visions of terror.

Prerequisite: Subpsionic Mind Blade, Psychic Strike +2d8

Benefit: The target of your psychic strike is shaken for 1 round. The effect doesn't stack with any other fear effects, including itself. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.
Using this feat reduces your psychic strike damage by 1d8.

Dreadful Shadow

Prerequisite: Devastating Touch, Fundamentals of Shadow

Benefit: Your dread manifester level gains a +2 bonus as long as this bonus doesn't raise your manifester level above your current Hit Dice. Your shadowcaster caster level gains a +2 bonus as long as this bonus doesn't raise your caster level above your current Hit Dice. In addition, you may add your shadowcaster level to your dread level for the purpose of meeting level prerequisites for terrors. Furthermore when you cast a mystery, you can make a free intimidate check against the target.

Embrace Id: Anger (Psionic)
As you've delved deeper into your subconscious, you've learned to embrace an aspect of the Id, your capacity for rage.

Prerequisite:Three subpsionic feats and Rage Class Feature

Benefit: While raging, you may expend psionic focus to manifest a single psionic power that benefits from Conjunctive Mind that you know. This power does not require a concentration check. Furthermore, when manifesting a power of one of the disciplines previously mentioned while in rage, you may increase the manifester level of the power equal to half the number of subpsionic feats you possess. This number increases by 1 if you have Greater Rage and by 2 if you have Mighty Rage.

Normal: While under the effects of rage you may not manifest psionic powers.

Embrace Id: Fear (Psionic)
As you've delved deeper into your subconscious, you've learned to embrace an aspect of the Id, your capacity for fear.

Prerequisite: Three subpsionic feats and Fearsome Insight Class Feature

Benefit: While under the effects of fear, powers that benefit from Conjunctive Mind are enchanted. While shaken, psionic powers of the appropriate disciplines have their effective manifester levels increased by 1. While Frightened these are increased by 2, and while Panicked these are increased by 3. These bonuses last for the duration of the effect or for a number of rounds equal to half the number of subpsionic feats you possess, which ever is less. If you possess the Immersed in Fear class feature, you may temporarily lower your immunities to fear to benefit from this feat, in which case shaken functions normally although you do not take penalties to checks made to manifest powers of the metacreativity, clairsentience or telepathy disciplines. Frightened functions as shaken except the penalties are increased to -4, and panicked functions as shaken except that penalties are increased to -6. You may not count as suffering from shaken, frightened or panicked for the purposes of Twin Fear.

Ebon Vitalitist

Prerequisite: Fundamentals of Shadow, Transfer Wounds (1d6)

Benefit: Your vitalist manifester level gains a +2 bonus as long as this bonus doesn't raise your manifester level above your current Hit Dice. Your shadowcaster caster level gains a +2 bonus as long as this bonus doesn't raise your caster level above your current Hit Dice. Furthermore, you may add your shadowcaster level to your vitalist level for the purpose of advancing transfer wounds. In addition, you may expend a daily transfer wounds use as a free action to regain a daily use of a mystery one grade lower than the highest you can cast.


Gouge Psyche (Psionic)
You've learned how to force yourself plunge deeper into your subconscious, tapping more into the well of power that lies within its depths. Doing so however comes at a cost.

Prerequisite: Conjunctive Mind

Benefit: When manifesting a power, you can increase your effective manifester level but in so doing you take 1 point of damage to one of your mental ability scores (Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma) per level increased. You cannot increase your manifester level using this feat more than half the number of subpsionic feats you possess. The effective increase in manifester level increases the number of power points you can expend on a single power manifestation, as well as increasing all manifester level-dependent effects, such as range, duration, and overcoming power resistance.

Normal: Your manifester level is equal to your total levels in classes that manifest powers

Special: Benefits that cannot be used with Overchannel, such as wild surge, may not be used with gouge psyche.

Insidious Mind (Psionic)
You can use your subconscious mind to make your powers harder for normal psionic creatures to detect.

Prerequisite: Conjunctive Mind.

Benefit: When a normal psionic creature employs a psi-like ability, psionic item, or power (such as detect psionics) that can detect the psionic aura of one of your powers, the normal psionic creature must make a level check (DC 12 + your manifester level) to successful detect your powers. Similarly, a normal psionic creature attempting to use a power to reveal the effects of one of your powers, such as sense psychoportation, must make a level check to reveal your power's effects. The normal psionic creature can check only once for each power used, no matter how many of your powers effects are operating in an area. This benefit does not extend to powers you manifest from the Psychometabolism, Psychoportation, or Psychokinesis disciplines.

From now on, your ability to detect normal psionic powers is impaired. Any power you use to detect a normal psionic power is successful only if you make a level check against a DC of 8 + the manifester level. This penalty does not extend to powers from the Metacreativity, Clairsentience, and Telepathy disciplines. (You detect them normally.)

Special: For the purposes of this feat, any creature that has the psionic subtype but does not have the Conjunctive Mind feat is considered to be a normal psionic creature.

Midnight Aegis

Prerequisite: Form Astral Suit, Fundamentals of Shadow

Benefit: Your shadowcaster caster level gains a +2 bonus as long as this bonus doesn't raise your caster level above your current Hit Dice. Furthermore, you may add your shadowcaster level to your aegis level for the purpose of level requirements for astral suit customizations. In addition, you no longer suffer from Arcane Spell Failure when attempting to cast mysteries but only when you are wearing an astral suit.

Mysterious Mind (Psionic)
Delving further into your subconscious, you have found a way to make your powers can take on a new form.

Prerequisites:Conjunctive Mind, Tenacious Mind

Benefit: When meditating to regain your power points, you may choose to give up a number of power points to take a power of yours known and that benefits from the conjunctive mind feat, and convert it into a psi-like ability for the rest of the day. This psi-like ability requires a minimum of two uses having been put into it, each use costing the amount of power points you would normally spend on it upon manifesting it. All uses of a given power converted this way must have the same amount of power points expended. For example, if a 5th level psion wanted to have Psionic Blast as a psi-like ability, after they finished regaining their power points they would have 10 less power points, be unable to normally manifest Psionic Blast, but be able to use Psionic Blast 2/day as a psi-like ability.

You may do this with any number of psionic powers known to you but in doing so keeps them from being manifested normally until the next time you regain your power points, at which point you lose them as psi-like abilities and gain the full total of your power points back, unless of course you choose to store another psionic power as a psi-like ability.

Special: You may take this feat a second time. You may choose to instead convert a power into a supernatural ability, following all the rules listed above, except the minimum number of uses is three.

Nocturnal Manifester (Psionic)
As you reach deeper into your subconscious mind, you find your abilities become harder to resist in the night.

Prerequisites:Conjunctive Mind

Benefit: Choose between metacreativity, clairsentience and telepathy. At night, the save DC of all powers you manifest of your chosen discipline increases by +1.
The ambient light is irrelevant, nor does it matter if you can see the sky. Only the actual time of day matters.

Special: You may gain this feat multiple times, but its effects do not stack. Each time you take this feat, it applies to a new discipline.

Penumbral Cryptic

Prerequisite: Discreet Casting, Disrupt pattern

Benefit: Your cryptic manifester level gains a +2 bonus as long as this bonus doesn't raise your manifester level above your current Hit Dice. Your shadowcaster caster level gains a +2 bonus as long as this bonus doesn't raise your caster level above your current Hit Dice. Furthermore, you may add your shadowcaster level to your cryptic level for the purpose of advancing disrupt pattern. In addition, you may attempt to hide the visual pattern usually displayed when manifesting cryptic powers. A perception check becomes require to notice this pattern, equal to the check required to notice your shadow is making different gestures than you when utilizing the discreet casting class feature.

Shadow Draining (Psionic)
You have learned to sap the power of wielders of the conscious mind when they use their powers against you and meet failure.

Prerequisites:Conjunctive Mind

Benefit: You can drain the psionic power of others into your subconscious. Whenever you succeed on a save against a psionic power manifested by a normal psionic creature, you may choose to drain some of their psionic power. If you do, they must make a will save. The DC of this save is 10 + 1/2 your character level + your ability modifier of your primary manifesting stat (if you have more than one from multiple manifesting classes, choose the highest). If they fail this save, they lose 1d6 power points from their pool of power points, and you gain half that many power points (rounded down) in your own pool. This is a [mind-affecting] supernatural effect.

Special: For the purposes of this feat, any creature that has a manifester level but does not have the Conjunctive Mind feat is considered to be a normal psionic creature.

Shadow Marksman

Prerequisite: Arrow of Dusk fundamental, Favored Weapon class feature

Benefit: Your marksman manifester level gains a +2 bonus as long as this bonus doesn't raise your manifester level above your current Hit Dice. Your shadowcaster caster level gains a +2 bonus as long as this bonus doesn't raise your caster level above your current Hit Dice. In addition, you may treat Arrow of Dusk as if you selected it for your favored weapon class feature, and may choose to do lethal damage with it, but doing so reduces its damage to 1d6. Any and all class features of the marksman class that can be used with ranged weapons can be used with the arrow of dusk mystery.

Shadow Smith

Prerequisite: Enhanced Mindblade +2, Fundamentals of Shadow

Benefit: Your soul knife level gains a +2 bonus up to a maximum of your hit dice, for the purpose of your mind blade enhancement class feature. Your shadowcaster caster level gains a +2 bonus as long as this bonus doesn't raise your caster level above your current Hit Dice. In addition, you may expend a use of one of your touch mysteries as a free action to channel the mystery through your mind blade.

Subconscious Power (Psionic)
As you delve deeper into the power stored within the depths of your subconscious, you find more power to fuel both abilities you possess and those that you have yet to uncover.

Prerequisites:Conjunctive Mind

Benefit: You have access to wells of hidden power deep within your psyche. You gain 1 additional power point for every subpsionic feat you have. If you gain additional feats, you gain further points.

Subpsionic Immersion (Psionic)
You've learned how to draw out additional power from your subconscious when others fail their attempts to pierce even your conscious mind.

Prerequisites:Conjunctive Mind

Benefit: You can absorb residual energy resulting from failed attempts to psionically affect your mind. Whenever a psionic creature attempts to affect you with a power from the Telepathy discipline and fails, you can dip into your subconscious to recover 1d3 power points or the amount that was spent on the failed power, whichever is lower. You can only use this feat if the power failed for one of the following reasons :
* You succeeded on your save.
* Your psionic resistance (if any) protected you from the power.
* The psionic creature failed a Concentration check and lost the power points as a result.
* You were immune to the power and/or all of its effects.

Subpsionic Astral Suit (Psionic)
You learn to shape your astral suit from the subconscious mind.

Prerequisite: Form Astral Suit

Benefit: From this point forward, you are treated as a subpsionic character. While in areas of shadowy illumination or darkness, you gain a +1 armor bonus to armor class while manifesting your astral suit. Furthermore, add Greater Withering, Lesser Withering, Putrescence, and Withering to your list of customization options.

Special: Knowledge of the subconscious mind has a price. When you acquire this feat, or any other feat for the first time that makes you become a subpsionic character, you must reduce one of your ability scores by 2 points. Restorative powers (such as true rejuvenation) can not reverse the stat loss.

Subpsionic Mind Blade (Psionic)
You learn to shape your mind blade from the subconscious mind.

Prerequisite: Shape Mind Blade

Benefit: From this point forward, you are treated as a subpsionic character. While in areas of shadowy illumination or darkness, you gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls using your mind blade. Furthermore, you add shadow striking (+3 enhancement bonus, Tome of Magic) to the list of weapon special abilities you may apply to your mind blade. Your mind blade's surface becomes a shimmering black bathed in a deep purple glow.

Special: Knowledge of the subconscious mind has a price. When you acquire this feat, or any other feat for the first time that makes you become a subpsionic character, you must reduce one of your ability scores by 2 points. Restorative powers (such as true rejuvenation) can not reverse the stat loss.

Terrifying Soulknife
Through the merging of disciplines, your mind blade spreads terror as you make your way across the battlefield.

Prerequisite: Enhanced mind blade +2, terrors class feature

Benefit: Your manifester level which granted you the terrors class feature gains a +2 bonus as long as this bonus doesn't raise your manifester level above your current Hit Dice. Your soul knife level gains a +2 bonus, up to a maximum of your hit dice, for the purpose of your mind blade enhancement class feature. In addition, you may add your soul knife level to your dread level for the purpose of terrors level requirements. Furthermore, you may channel terrors normally channeled through devastating touch through blows delivered with your mind blade.

Tainted Construction (Psionic)
As a subpsionic character, you can tap into the subconscious mind when shaping astral constructs.

Prerequisite: Conjunctive Mind.

Benefit: You may select astral construct abilities from an extended menu. Each special ability can come from your normal menu or from the following table. Astral constructs you create are formed from a darker, tainted ectoplasm and now have the [Evil] subtype. Their surface is a shimmering black bathed in a deep purple glow.

Menu A

Lesser Aura of Fear: Creatures within 10 feet of the construct must make a Will save (DC 5 + 1/2 the construct's HD) or become shaken and suffer a -2 morale penalty on attack rolls, saves, and checks. Anyone whose HD exceed those of the construct are not affected. This ability cannot be chosen more than once.

Lesser Withering: Each time a target is struck by the construct, it must make a Fortitude save (DC 5 + 1/2 the construct's HD) or take 1 point of temporary ability damage to the ability score chosen by the manifester at the time the construct is created. This ability cannot be chosen more than once. This ability does not stack with withering or greater withering.

Menu B

Aura of Fear: Creatures within 10 feet of the construct must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the construct's HD) or become shaken and suffer a -2 morale penalty on attack rolls, saves, and checks and flee from the construct as quickly as they can. Anyone whose HD exceed those of the construct are not affected. This ability cannot be chosen more than once.

Withering: Each time a target is struck by the construct, it must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 the construct's HD) or take 1d3 points of temporary ability damage to the ability score chosen by the manifester at the time the construct is created. This ability cannot be chosen more than once. This ability does not stack with lesser withering or greater withering.

Menu C

Greater Aura of Fear: Creatures within 30 feet of the construct must make a Will save (DC 15 + 1/2 the construct's HD) or become shaken and suffer a -2 morale penalty on attack rolls, saves, and checks, flee from the construct as quickly as they can and have a 50% chance to drop what they're holding. Anyone whose HD exceed those of the construct are not affected. This ability cannot be chosen more than once.

Greater Withering: Each time a target is struck by the construct, it must make a Fortitude save (DC 15 + 1/2 the construct's HD) or take 1d3 points of temporary ability damage and 1 point of permanent ability drain to the ability score chosen by the manifester at the time the construct is created. This ability cannot be chosen more than once. This ability does not stack with withering or lesser withering.

Putrescence (Su): Any creature struck by the construct must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 construct's HD) or contract astral rot (supernatural disease; incubation period 1d6 days; damage 1d3 temporary Constitution). Unlike normal diseases, astral rot continues until the victim reaches Constitution 0 (and dies) or until it is magically removed (such as by means of a Remove disease spell).

Tenacious Mind (Psionic)
You can use your subconscious mind to make your powers harder for normal psionic creatures to nullify.

Prerequisite: Conjunctive Mind.

Benefit: Your powers resist dispel attempts by normal psionic creatures. When a normal psionic creature makes a check to dispel one of your powers, the DC is 14 + your manifester level. This benefit does not extend to powers from the Psychometabolism, Psychoportation, or Psychokinesis disciplines.

From now on your ability to dispel powers manifested by normal psionic creatures is impaired. When you make a check to dispel a power manifested by a normal psionic creature, the DC is 14 + the opponent's manifester level. This penalty does not extend to powers from the Metacreativity, Clairsentience, and Telepathy disciplines, which you can negate normally.

Special: For the purposes of this feat, any creature that has a manifester level but does not have the Conjunctive Mind feat is considered to be a normal psionic creature.

Warrior of Thought and Shadow

Prerequisite: Fundamentals of Shadow, Warrior's Path class feature

Benefit: Your manifester level which granted you the warrior's path class feature gains a +2 bonus as long as this bonus doesn't raise your manifester level above your current Hit Dice. Your shadowcaster caster level gains a +2 bonus as long as this bonus doesn't raise your caster level above your current Hit Dice. In addition, you may your mysteries with the martial power class feature.

Wild Dread
You are terror incarnate, channeling the emotion of fear to inflict the same upon your foes.

Prerequisite: Terrors class feature, wild surge +1

Benefit: Your manifester level which granted you the terrors class feature gains a +2 bonus as long as this bonus doesn't raise your manifester level above your current Hit Dice. Your wilder manifester level gains a +2 bonus as long as this bonus doesn't raise your manifester level above your current Hit Dice. In addition, your dread and wilder levels stack for the purpose of terrors level requirements. Furthermore, you may channel terrors normally channeled through devastating touch through your surge blast.

Wild Shadow

Prerequisite: Fundamentals of Shadow, Wild surge +1

Benefit: Your wilder manifester level gains a +2 bonus as long as this bonus doesn't raise your manifester level above your current Hit Dice. Your shadowcaster caster level gains a +2 bonus as long as this bonus doesn't raise your caster level above your current Hit Dice. In addition, you can use your wild surge on mysteries, increasing your caster level the wild surge amount.

Xuldarinar
2014-08-11, 09:20 AM
MONSTERS
Subpsionic Monsters
Though there are a few psionic creatures that exist that inherently draw from the subconscious, there exist subpsionic equivalents to all psionic creatures. Subpsionic equivalents of monsters typically are statistically identical to their standard counterparts except they possess the Conjunctive Mind feat or are created by someone who possesses the Conjunctive Mind feat by use of psionics, and physically often have darker colors. Subpsionic counterparts of creatures composed of psionic energy or ectoplasm, such as the unbodied, are black with a purple glow. Subpsionic monsters are usually evil, and often are far more given to their desires.

SHADOW EFT
An awful shape oozes from the night. It is formed half of bone and half of a black so absolute that it possesses actual substance. In silhouette it is like a faceless, wingless demon, its bony claws long and tipped with inky blackness.


https://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/cpsi_gallery/96386.jpg

SHADOW EFT------------------------------------------------------------------ CR 5
XP 1,600
NE Large outsider (evil, extraplanar, psionic)
Init + 1; Senses blindsight 60ft.; Perception +11
Defense
AC 18, touch 11, flat-footed 22 (+1 Dex, +1 dodge, +7 natural, -1 size)
hp 51 (6d10 + 18); venom of the mind
Fort +8 Ref +6 Will +7
Weakness aversion to daylight; PR 15
Offense
Speed 50 ft.; Spring Attack
Melee 2 claws +10 (2d6+4) and bite +4 (4d6+2)
Space 10 ft; Reach 10 ft.
Psi-Like Abilities (ML 6th)
3/day- duodimensional claw, psionic lion's charge, truevenom (ML 7th)
1/day- shadow body (ML 15th)
Statistics
Str 19, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 11, Wis 14 Cha 16
Base Atk +6; CMB +11 CMD 22
Feats Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack
Skills Acrobatics +10, Climb +13, Perception 11, Sense Motive 11, Stealth +10 (+18 in dark areas)
Languages (Understands but does not speak) Abyssal, Common, Celestial
SQ hide in shadow
Ecology
Enviornment any
Organization Solitary
Treasure standard
Special Abilities
Venom of the Mind (Ex) Whenever a shadow eft uses its truevenom psi-like ability, it heals 5 hit points by psychic transference for each 1 point of Constitution damage dealt to its victim, no matter the shadow eft's spatial or planar separation from the victim.
Aversion to Daylight (Ex) Shadow efts are creatures of the night and loathe light. If exposed to natural daylight (not merely a daylight spell), they take -4 penalty on all attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks.
Hide in Shadows (Su) A shadow eft can use the Stealth skill even while being observed. As long as it is within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, a shadow eft can hide itself in the open without anything to actually hide behind. It cannot, however, hide in its own shadow.

A shadow eft appears as an eight feet tall demonic humanoid, lacking features save for fused bone and solidified shadow. These mute psionic creatures reside in the plane of shadow, subsisting on psychic residue, coming through to the material plane on the darkest night of the year, drawn to the emotions caused by traumatic events. Though they can be found in any environment on the material plane when drawn through, they prefer dreary, shadowy, cold forests.

ID ELEMENTAL (Variant Shadow Elemental Template)

http://cdn.obsidianportal.com/assets/26798/shadow.jpg
Shaped from shadowstuff of the psyche instead of that of the plane of shadow, id elementals lend their existence to powerful subpsionics users. They are impulsive in nature, following the desires inherent to the psyche from which it spawned. Consistent with other subpsionic creatures, id elements are black in color and faintly glow in a violet hue.

An id elemental has all the base shadow elemental's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Size and Type: Id elementals possess the psionic subtype
Special Attacks: Id elementals lose their ability to cast dusk and dawn but they gain the ability to manifest manifest subconscious mind as a psi-like ability 3/day. It has a manifester level equal to one-half its HD.
Feats: Id elementals gain conjunctive mind as a bonus feat.
Challenge Rating: Same as base creature + 1.


DEITIES AND GODMINDS
Below are a few deities and godminds associated with the subconscious mind and the practice of subpsionics

The Golden Shadow
demigodmind
Worshippers: Good-aligned subpsionic manifesters
Nodes: Creation, Passion
Alignment: NG
State of Consciousness: Active, entity
Favored Weapon:

To most of those aware of subpsionics, to them it might be a wholly vile practice. Many of its practitioners care for little more than power and what ever desires their id conjures up. There are those, however, that see the great potential of good in its practice, something taught by the demigodmind known as the Golden Shadow. While her origins are shrouded in secret, her teachings are known to all capable and willing to listen.

Doctrine: The Golden Shadow's worshiper's believe that many individuals hide from themselves and others positive traits for what ever reasons and it is their responsibility to find the good within themselves and others and embrace it. Followers of the Golden Shadow are expected to use what is within them, subpsionic abilities and one's inherent positive traits, for the good of others.

Followers: Many of the Golden Shadow's followers are subpsionics users of one sort or another. Purifiers and psions are the most common, but that doesn't by any means limit this.

The Waking Id
Lesser godmind
Worshippers: Subpsionic manifesters
Nodes: Fear, Passion, Secrets
Alignment: CE
State of Consciousness: Dormant, consciousness
Favored Weapon: Fear

An entity of pure emotion, acting entirely as their impulses guide it, the waking id is no more malign than its impulses drive it. No one is certain how this godmind came to be, then again its more than likely it isn't even aware of that, given that is in essence an id elevated to the status of a god mind. All it knows is what it can do, and what it wants in the moment. Generally uncaring of others, the waking id's only involvement when it comes to its followers is it exists as an example, a symbol to those who are drawn to the merits of embracing one's id. Many have speculated what it would do if it decided to take an active role, and that speculation has come to be what makes up its doctrine.

Doctrine: The cultists and worshippers of the waking id believe that one must embrace their subconscious minds, some even to the exclusion of conscious thought. They believe that following in their impulses they become closer to their true nature, and that embracing the darkness that resides within is the path to enlightenment.

Followers: Many of the waking id's adherents are subpsionics users, particularly Dreads, Gaeans, Raging Beasts and Wilders being among the most common. Clerics in his service typically possess the Psionics domain and one of the following: Animal, Chaos, Darkness, Evil (most often of the Fear subdomain), Madness, Trickery, or Void. Keep in mind that since the waking id is neither a deity nor caring of its adherents, its followers do not draw power from it so much as devotion to the concepts it embodies.


POWERS
Subpsionic Powers
While most powers can be manifested by those who draw from any part of the mind, there are a few that may only come to be when drawn from the subconscious. These subpsionic powers are available to members of any manifesting class. Manifesters lacking the conjunctive mind feat take a -1 penalty to their effective manifester level for the purposes of manifesting subpsionic powers. Subpsionic powers will be listed as; "Level: Subpsionic x".
Subpsionic-Magic Transparency
While personally I oppose this rule, the default rule is there is transparency between psionics and magic. Subpsionic-magic transparency the same as psionic-magic transparency except when it comes to the equivalents of schools and disciplines. In this case, Clairsentience is equivalent to Illusion, Telepathy is equivalent to Enchantment, Metacreativity is equivalent to Necromancy, Psychokinesis is equivalent to Evocation, Psychometabolism is equivalent to Transmutation, and Psychoportation is equivalent to Conjuration.


Bury Thoughts
Telepathy
Level: Subpsionic 3
Display: Mental
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
range: Personal; see text
Target: You
Duration: 1 hour/level
Power Points: 5

By manifesting this power one gains the ability to take memories and bury them deep into one's subconscious. While this power is active, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus on any bluff check, and a +2 circumstance bonus on any will save against an effect that would read your thoughts or emotions, such as Detect Thoughts. Unlike Mind Blank, this power does not protect against abilities such as scrying, but only those which attempt to directly gain information from your mind.

Augment
For For every 2 additional power points you spend, the bonus to bluff checks and will saves increases by 1.

Id Link
Telepathy [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Subpsionic 1
Display: Mental
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets: You and one other creature within range.
Duration: 10 min./level
Saving Throw: Will negates
Power Resistance: Yes
Power Points: 1

You attempt to forge a telepathic bond with the your target through their id, succeeding and being unnoticed in your attempt provided the target fails their Will save. Through this link, while you cannot directly communicate with them nor they with you, you can use any of the following skills to influence the target of your link; bluff, diplomacy, and intimidate. You do not need to share a language with the creature to use these checks in this manner. You may add bonuses applied to the save DC of Telepathy powers to skill checks made through use of this skill. If you fail a skill check, the target of your id link power notices your influence and may make another Will save to end the effect.

Augment
For every additional power point you spend, this power can affect an additional target. Any additional target cannot be more than 15 feet from another target of the power.

Manifest Subconscious Mind
Metacreativity
Level: Subpsionic 4
Display: Visual; see text
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal; see text
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level
Power Points: 7

You give physical form to your subconscious mind, albeit temporarily. When you manifest this power, a cloak of a black, semi-tangible material forms around you, and two tentacles of the same substance emanate from your head. The cloak grants you a +2 deflection bonus to Armor Class. The tentacles can be used as primary or secondary natural weapons, but they only inflict 1d4 points of damage per successful hit. Because the tentacles are only semi-real, you do not get to apply your strength modifier to the damage roll, though you can apply it to the attack roll. However, they have a reach that varies depending of your size : 5 feet for a tiny-sized or smaller character, 10 feet for a small or medium-sized character, and 5 additional feet per size category above medium. They can be used to deliver attacks with a range of touch. Using the tentacles is treated purely as a mental action and can be done even when you are paralyzed. You still must be able to take mental actions, however.

Augment
For every additional power point you spend, the duration of this power increases by 1 round. For each four extra rounds, the deflection bonus to Armor Class increases by 1.

Shadow Eft
Psychoportation [Evil]
Level: Dread 3, Psion/wilder 4
Display: Auditory and Visual
Manifesting Time: 1 round
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One summoned shadow eft
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: No
Power Points: 7

A deep tone presages the appearance of an awful shape made half of bone and half of black so concentrated it has taken on form. It looks like a faceless, wingless demon. Its bony claws are tipped with the void.

This power calls a creature known as a shadow eft. The shadow eft appears where you designate and acts immediately, on your turn. It attacks your opponents to the best of its ability. If you can communicate with the eft, you can direct it not to attack, to attack particular enemies, or to preform other actions.

Augment: You can augment this power one or both of the following ways.
1. For every 4 additional power points you spend, you summon one additional shadow eft.
2. For every 2 additional power points you spend, one shadow eft you call appears already hiding in a shadow you specify. However, foes gain an immediate Perception check to detect the hidden eft.


Shape Id Elemental
Metacreativity (Creation)
Level: Subpsionic 2
Display: Visual
Manifesting Time: 1 round
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One created Id Elemental
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: No
Power Points: 3

This power draws out a small portion of the well of power contained in your subconscious, forming it into a small Id elemental. The id elemental appears where you designate and acts immediately, on your turn. It attacks your opponents to the best of its ability. If you can communicate with the elemental, you can direct it not to attack, to attack particular enemies, or to preform other actions.

Id elementals created from this power are not summoned; they are created on the plane you inhabit. Thus, they are not subject effects that hedge out or otherwise affect extraplanar creatures.

Augment
You may increase the cost of this power to summon more powerful types of id elementals.
Spending 7 power points on this power creates a medium id elemental.
Spending 9 power points on this power creates a large id elemental.
Spending 11 power points on this power creates a huge id elemental.
Spending 13 power points on this power creates a greater id elemental.
Spending 15 power points on this power creates an elder id elemental.



SPIRITS
The following are spirits available to be bound by occultists and as well as members of archetypes that allow the binding of spirits

Umbgrian, The Shadow Aspect

Little is known as to how Umbgrian formed. It is believed that as powerful manifesters pass, while their conscious mind ascends, their subconscious minds may go elsewhere. Neither being aware nor possessing the powers they do in life, these motes of subpsionic energy and consciousness simply exist. Some believe these subpsionic motes are the vestige Umbgrian, others believed they coalesced into a full consciousness that became Umbgrian.


Summoning Rules
The following describes the requirements and rituals for binding Umbgrian.

Spirit Level: 4th
Constellation: Dark Beyond
Binding DC: 24
Totems: You gain a totem bonus on the spirit's binding check if you meet some or all of these conditions.

You are a subpsionic character.

Ceremony: After drawing the seal you make certain your shadow falls across it. You chant the name Umbgrian in thought.
Manifestation: As the words echo within your head, you hear a cascade of voices follow, some chanting with you and others saying random things in random tongues. A faintly humanoid shape rises from your shadow, made from the darkness itself. Its features grow more vivid until it appears as someone of your race and gender but as if seen in deep shadows. Inspite of the constant chatter of its thoughts within your head, you can understand as it 'speaks', its lips moving and its meaning known but no words to be heard by others follow.


Granted Abilities
Umbgrian grants the following abilities.

Major Granted Abiliites
Powers of the Shadow Self You gain the ability to manifest Bury Thoughts, Id Insinuation, and Manifest Subconcious mind as a psion with a manifester level equal to your occultist level. These powers do not use up any power points, except for augmentations, and upon use you cannot be manifest either of these powers for 5 rounds.

Minor Granted Abilities
Psionic Boon: You gain 15 power points when you bind Umbgrian. These are added to your pool of power if you already possess psionic power, or they create a pool and you become a psionic creature for the duration of this binding.
See in Darkness: You can see perfectly through darkness of any kind, even that created by a deeper darknessspell.
Subpsionics: For the duration of the bind, you are treated as having the Conjunctive Mind feat for the purposes of manifesting.


Signs and Influence
The spirit affects you in the following ways:
Physical Sign: Your eyes become solid orbs of black, broken only by the faintly glowing dark violet ring of your iris.
Personality: You become incredibly impulsive. Every desire, every whim you find yourself acting upon even if only for an instant.
Favored Ally: Any (creatures that count as being subpsionic)
Favored Enemy: Any (creatures that count as being psionic but not subpsionic)


Vestigal Companion
You gain the service of a psicrystal for the duration of the pact. Treat your binder level as your manifester level to determine your psicrystal's abilities. This psicrystal is treated as a subpsionic creature for the purposes of effects.
This ability replaces See in Darkness.

ARCHETYPES
While not inherent users of subpsionics, the following archetypes are prime candidates for delving into the practice.


PSI-SHADE (SHADOWCASTER)
This archetype is for the Shadowcaster update to pathfinder, as seen in Complete Shadows (https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7pX5JzphJ4ya3YxNl91anlmLTQ/edit).

All things of the world fall into shadow. The mind is no different. While there are those who weave shadows and let shadows into themselves, there are those who form shadows within their minds and draw them out. These are what are known as Psi-shades. Their minds are touched by the plane of shadow, allowing them to draw on a unique assortment abilities, at least in comparison to other manifesters. In essence, they accomplish the same feats as a shadowcaster, but draw from the shadows from a bond within instead of without.

Class Skills: The Psi-Shades class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Autohypnosis (Wis), Craft (any) (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (any) (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha). These replace the shadowcaster's standard list of class skills.

Mental Fundamentals: At 1st level, a psi-shade acquires 2 fundamentals and a psionic talent of their choice, and gains an additional fundamental or talent at 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter. These fundamentals and talents may be augmented by metapsionic feats but not metashadow feats.
This augments the shadowcaster's fundamentals of shadow class feature.

Mysteries of the Mind: As the standard shadowcaster, a psi-shade still acquires mysteries. They are augmented, however, as follows: All references to spells and magic (such as detect magic) are replaced with applicable references to powers. Instead of normally being cast similar to arcane spells, they are treated as psionic powers. Instead of advancing to spell-like abilities, a psi-shade's mysteries become psi-like abilities. A psi-shade may apply metapsionic feats to his mysteries, but metashadow feats no longer apply to them.
Furthermore, a psi-shade gains a power point pool. While he does not gain any power points in it inherently, he does gain bonus power points based on their charisma score and shadowcaster level.
This augments the shadowcaster's Mysteries and Paths class feature.

Bonus Feats: This functions in all ways as the shadowcaster class feature, except as follows: Add psionic and metapsionic feats to his list of potential bonus feats, but remove metashadow feats.
This augments the shadowcaster's bonus feats class feature.

Mind over Body: A psi-shade may gain either 2 bonus power points or a +2 bonus to autohypnosis and perception for every Metapsionic feat he has selected or will select in the future. These bonuses stack and they choose which bonus he gains individually for each feat. Once selected these bonuses cannot change.
This replaces the shadowcaster's shadow over body class feature.


REVILED PURIFIER (ANTI-PALADIN)
Be it by a purifier's fall or by the command of their master, there are anti-paladins who wield psionic abilities to wipe out those unnatural forces that stand against them, both good and aberrant alike. Reviled purifiers they are called, and suffering awaits all that they seek to 'cleanse'.

Smite the Unclean (Su): Once per day, a reviled purifier can call out to the powers of purity to aid him in his struggle against abominations. This ability functions as smite good, but instead works on creatures of the aberration type or creatures with the psionic subtype. This ability replaces smite good.

Detect Good: The reviled purifier can manifest detect psionics as a psi-like ability in place of detect good, although he can still use detect good as normal.

Aura of Purification: At 2nd level, the reviled purifier and all allies within 10 ft. of the reviled purifier gain a +1 deflection bonus to AC against attacks made by aberrations or psionic creatures and a +1 insight bonus to their Will-saves against attacks from these sources. At 6th level and every four levels thereafter, this bonus increases by 1, to a maximum of +5 at 18th level. This ability replaces touch of corruption and channel negative energy.

Purifying Flame (Su): At 3rd level, the reviled purifier’s weapon can be wreathed in a purifying flame that deals 1d6 points of fire damage for one round. Activating this ability is a swift action. When used against the target of his smite, this fire damage ignores fire resistance and fire immunity. At 6th level and every three levels thereafter, the damage increases by 1d6 points of fire damage, to a maximum of 6d6 at 18th level. The reviled purifier can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1/2 his anti-paladin level plus his Charisma modifier. This ability replaces cruelty.

Manifesting: At 4th level, the reviled purifier gains manifesting as a gifted blade of one level lower. This ability replaces spells.

Fiendish Boon: The reviled purifier must choose a weapon for his fiendish boon.


SHADOWMIND KNIGHT (FORLORN TEMPLAR)
This archetype is for the Forlorn Templar alternative class, as shown here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?348279-Forlorn-Templar-(Alternate-Class)-PEACH).

With psyche touched by the plane of shadow, shadowmind knights wield psionic abilities to aid in their crusade to balance the scales.

Detect Extremist: The shadowmind knight can manifest detect psionics as a psi-like ability in place of detect extremist, although he can still use detect extremist as normal.

Resonant Blackflame (Su): At 3rd level, the shadowmind knight’s weapon can be wreathed in an ebon flame that deals 1d6 points of cold damage for one round. Activating this ability is a swift action. When used against the target of his smite, this cold damage ignores cold resistance and cold immunity. At 6th level and every three levels thereafter, the damage increases by 1d6 points of cold damage, to a maximum of 6d6 at 18th level. The shadow mind knight can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1/2 his forlorn templar level plus his Charisma modifier. This ability replaces entropy.

Mysteries of the Mind: At 4th level, a shadowmind knight gains mysteries as a forlorn templar, though in a differing form, augmented as follows; All references to spells and magic (such as detect magic) are replaced with applicable references to powers. Instead of normally being cast similar to divine spells, they are treated as psionic powers. Instead of advancing to spell-like abilities, your mysteries become psi-like abilities. The shadowmind knight may apply metapsionic feats to his mysteries, but metashadow feats no longer apply to them.
Furthermore, the shadowmind knight gains a power point pool. While he does not gain any power points in it inherently, he does gain bonus power points based on your charisma score and level.
This augments the forlorn templar's mysteries class feature.

Umbral Boon: A shadowmind knight must choose a weapon for his umbral boon.


PRESTIGE CLASSES
Below is two prestige classes that compliment the concept of subpsionics.

Grim Psion

For some psions, it's all about the preservation of life: their life. For these individuals, the thought of their existence ending is completely unbearable, and they go to any lengths to avoid the bleakness of death. It is ironic then to learn of how these psions solve this dilemma. They follow the dark arts and turn to the realm of the undead to escape the end. Though they pay a heavy cost for this new existence, for them, it is worth it, for they can exist forever.

The grim psion undergoes a physical change in becoming one of the undead. Her body desiccates and her skin stretches tight, showing her skeleton clearly. Her hair hangs in tatters until it either falls out or she removes it, and her eyes wither to nothing, leaving a pair of glowing red sockets. Eventually, her entire body rots away, leaving just a skeleton.

Hit Die: d6

Requirements
Alignment: Any nongood.
Skills: Knowledge (psionics) 5, Knowledge (religion) 5.
Feats: Scribe Scroll.
Manifesting: Able to manifest 4th-level powers.
Special: Must have defeated an undead creature that has an intelligence score.

Class Skills
The grim psion's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually)(Int), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Listen (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Spot (Wis).

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

The Grim Psion
Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special Powers Known
1st +0 +2 +0 +2 Undeath -
2nd +1 +3 +0 +3 Cha +2, Damage Reduction 2/- +1 level of existing manifesting class
3rd +1 +3 +1 +3 Natural Armor +2, Fear Cone -
4th +2 +4 +1 +4 DR 3/- +1 level of existing manifesting class
5th +2 +4 +1 +4 Int +2, Tainted Construction +1 level of existing manifesting class
6th +3 +5 +2 +5 Wis +2, DR 4/-, Turn Immunity +1 level of existing manifesting class
7th +3 +5 +2 +5 Cold Immunity -
8th +4 +6 +2 +6 Natural Armor +4, Damage Reduction 5/- +1 level of existing manifesting class
9th +4 +6 +3 +6 Paralytic Touch -
10th +5 +7 +3 +7 Hit Dice Promotion (d8), Mind Construct +1 level of existing manifesting class

Class Features
All the following are class features of the grim psion prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A grim psion gains no proficiency in any armor or weapons, though they retain any knowledge gained from former classes.

Powers Known: At each level, except at 1st, 3rd, 7th and 9th, a grim psion gains additional power points per day and access to new powers as if she had also gained a level in whatever manifesting class she belonged to before he added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (bonus feats, metapsionic or item creation feats, and so on). This essentially means that she adds to the level of whatever manifesting class the character has, then determines power points per day, powers known, and manifester level accordingly.
If a character had more than one manifesting class before she became a grim psion, she must decide to which class she adds the new level of grim psion for the purpose of determining power points per day, powers known, and manifester level.

Undeath (Ex): By embracing this path, the grim psion becomes an undead creature. She gains all traits associated with the undead type except for an increase of Hit Die to d8s.

Ability Gains (Ex): As the grim psion gains levels in this prestige class, her ability scores increases as noted in the class table. These increases stack and are gained as if through level advancement.

Damage Reduction (Su): At 2nd level, the grim psion's body toughens, giving her damage reduction of 2/-, this power improves to 3/- at 4th level, 4/- at 6th level, and to 5/- at 8th level.

Natural Armor (Ex): Due to the increasing toughening of her body, the grim psion gains natural armor. At 3rd level, her natural armor increases to +2. At 8th level, her natural armor increases to +4.

Fear Cone (Su): As a standard action, beginning at 3rd level, the grim psion can create a cone of fear 30 feet long. Creatures in the cone must make a Will save of DC 10 + the grim psion's class level + grim psion's Charisma modifier. Those who fail are panicked for 2d6 rounds. (See the Dungeon Master's Guide for more information on the panicked condition.)

Tainted Construction (Ex): At 5th level, the grim psion gains this feat even if she does not meet the prerequisites for it. Any construct she manifests will now be of tainted ectoplasm.

Turn Immunity (Ex): At 6th level, the grim psion becomes immune to turning effects. She cannot be turned, rebuked, or commanded, but she is still subject to spells and powers that affect undead, such as sever the tie.

Cold Immunity (Ex): At 7th level, the grim psion becomes immune to cold damage.

Paralytic Touch (Su): At 9th level, the grim psion completes her connection to the Negative Energy Plane. She gains a touch attack that deals 1d8 points of negative energy damage; a Will save with a DC 10 + grim psion's class level + grim psion's Charisma modifier reduces the damage by half. If the target fails this save, it is also paralyzed for 1d3 rounds. She cannot heal herself through use of this.

Hit Dice Promotion (Ex): At 10th level, each previous Hit Die gained promotes to a d8 if it was less than a d8. Any levels gained after becoming a grim psion use the current grim psion Hit Dice type to determine hit points gained.

Mind Construct (Su): At 10th level, the grim psion can prepare a storage gem to capture her mind's essence if her physical form is destroyed. This gem must have a minimum value of 1,000 gp and takes a full day to prepare. The transfer from the destroyed physical form to the storage gem works over any distance, physical or extradimensional, unless some sort of special planar geometry supercedes the transfer. Upon transfer to storage crystal, the grim psion's psicrystal is lost, incurring the normal penalties. Once in the crystal, raw, tainted ectoplasm is drawn forth to surround the crystal with a Diminutive astral construct form. The grim psion now has the listed stats of this construct, but she still has full command of her psionic abilities. She has ten days to secure a new body, otherwise her essence will pass on. The new body must be humanoid and dead, and it must have been slain in the past 9 days. Upon making contact with the corpse, the grim psion wills the transfer and the storage gem shatters into dust. She is now helpless for 24 hours, as the body decays to match her skeletal state

Mind Construct
Size: Diminutive.
HD: As the grim psion.
Speed: 30 feet.
AC: 20 (+4 size, +6 natural).
Attack: None.
Special Attacks: The grim psion loses all special attacks except psionic powers.
Special Qualities: The grim psion loses all special qualities except psionic powers.
Base Saves: As the grim psion.
Ability Scores: Str 4, Dex 10, Con --, Mental ability scores as the grim psion.
Alignment: As the grim psion.

The mind construct is a Diminutive tainted astral construct. It is humanoid in shape, and it is made of swirling black and purple ectoplasm with a pair of glowing red eyes.


Night Manifester
Wielders of both the shadows of magic and mind, night manifesters work tirelessly to not only master their disciplines but also to lower the boundaries between them.

Hit Die: d6

Requirements
Skills: Knowledge (psionics) 3, Knowledge (the planes) 3
Feats: Conjunctive Mind
Shadowcasting: Able to cast 2nd-level mysteries
Manifesting: Able to manifest 2nd-level powers

Class Skills
The night manifester's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

The Night Manifester
Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special Powers Known
1st +0 +2 +0 +2 Manifesting Shadows (1st) +1 level of existing mystery-using class/+1 level of existing manifesting class
2nd +1 +3 +0 +3 - +1 level of existing mystery-using class/+1 level of existing manifesting class
3rd +1 +3 +1 +3 Manifesting Shadows (2nd) +1 level of existing mystery-using class/+1 level of existing manifesting class
4th +2 +4 +1 +4 - +1 level of existing mystery-using class/+1 level of existing manifesting class
5th +2 +4 +1 +4 Manifesting Shadows (3rd) +1 level of existing mystery-using class/+1 level of existing manifesting class
6th +3 +5 +2 +5 - +1 level of existing mystery-using class/+1 level of existing manifesting class
7th +3 +5 +2 +5 Manifesting Shadows (4th) +1 level of existing mystery-using class/+1 level of existing manifesting class
8th +4 +6 +2 +6 - +1 level of existing mystery-using class/+1 level of existing manifesting class
9th +4 +6 +3 +6 Manifesting Shadows (5th) +1 level of existing mystery-using class/+1 level of existing manifesting class
10th +5 +7 +3 +7 Shadow Synthesis +1 level of existing mystery-using class/+1 level of existing manifesting class
11th +5 +7 +3 +7 Manifesting Shadows (6th) +1 level of existing mystery-using class/+1 level of existing manifesting class
12th +6 +8 +4 +8 - +1 level of existing mystery-using class/+1 level of existing manifesting class
13th +6 +8 +4 +8 Manifesting Shadows (7th) +1 level of existing mystery-using class/+1 level of existing manifesting class
14th +7 +9 +4 +9 - +1 level of existing mystery-using class/+1 level of existing manifesting class
15th +7 +9 +5 +9 Manifesting Shadows (8th) +1 level of existing mystery-using class/+1 level of existing manifesting class

Class Features
All the following are class features of the night manifester prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A night manifester gains no proficiency in any armor or weapons, though they retain any knowledge gained from former classes.

Mysteries/Manifesting: When a new night manifester level is attained, the character gains new mysteries known as if he had also attained a level in any one mystery-using class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He gains additional power poitns per day and access to new powers a level in any one manifesting class he belonged to previously. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of either class would have gained. This essentially means that he adds the level of night manifester to the level of what ever other mystery-using class and manifesting class the character has, then determines mysteries known, uses per mystery per day, caster level, power points per day, powers known, and manifester level accordingly.
If a character had more than one mystery-using class or more than one manifesting class before he became a night manifester, he must decide to which class he adds each level of night manifester for the purpose of determining mysteries known, caster level, power points per day, powers known, and manifester level.

Shadows of Magic, Shadows of the Mind: Night manifesters may treat all mysteries they use as if they were powers of the Psychometabolism, Psychoportation, or Psychokinesis disciplines for the purposes of Conjunctive Mind. They do not, however, benefit from, nor are penalized by, feats that Conjunctive Mind is a prerequisite for.

Manifesting Shadows (Su): Night manifesters, upon entering this class, acquire the ability to use mysteries they know by expending power points appropriate for the level of the mystery, and manifesting powers they know by expending uses of mysteries. They may not do this with any power or mystery that costs, or would cost, more to manifest than they have levels in night manifester.

Shadow Synthesis (Su): At 10th level, a night manifester can cast a mystery and manifest a psionic power using one action. The psionic power must have a manifesting time of a standard action. The night manifester can make any decisions concerning them independently. Any target affected by both the mystery and the power takes a -2 penalty on saves made against each. The night manifester receives a +2 bonus on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance and manifester level checks to overcome power resistance with the mystery and power. A night manifester can use this ability once per day.


SUBPSIONIC ITEMS
Psionic items created by those who use the subconscious mind are rare and dangerous. These items are nearly identical to items created by the conscious mind, but the differences that exist are profound.

Powers and psi-like abilities manifested from subpsionic items have the same benefits and limitations that a subpsionic manifester has: Effects from the Metacreativity, Clairsentience, and Telepathy disciplines gain a +1 bonus to their save DCs and +1 bonus on manifester level checks to overcome power resistance. Effects from the Psychometabolism, Psychoportation, and Psychokinesis disciplines have their manifester levels reduced by -1 (though their costs are based on the original manifester level). The reduced manifester level affects the power's range, duration, damage, and any other level-dependant variables the effect might have. The effect's save DC is lessened by -1 and manifester level checks to overcome power resistance suffer a -1 penalty. The DC to nullify psychometabolic, psychoportation, or psychokinetic effects from a subpsionic item is 10 + the reduced manifester level.

Subpsionic items can pose a serious danger to users that are not familiar with the subconscious mind. Activating a subpsionic item through power trigger, command thought, or use-activation deals 1d4 points of temporary ability damage to the user unless the user has the Conjunctive Mind feat. The temporary ability damage is applied to the manifesting ability of the manifester. Non-psionic creatures take the loss from their Intelligence. If the item functions continuously, the temporary ability damage occurs at dusk each day or when the user takes off or puts aside the item, whichever comes first.


INHERENTLY SUBPSIONIC?
Although subpsionics do not come up when discussing these character options, at least in their source material, their themes all revolve around dealing with the subconscious in one form or another. Those who use these, while they are adept at wielding their abilities and how they relate to the subconscious mind, they do not inherently know how to tap into the wellspring of power that lies beneath the surface as subpsionic characters can. The following are options that relate to the subconscious. For some, additional rules may apply when dealing with subpsionics.

Classes
Dread
Dreads possessing the Conjunctive Mind feat benefit not only in their psionic powers but in their class features as well. (See Class Options: Dread for details)

Dark Tempest (PrC)
All powers granted by this prestige class benefit from Conjunctive Mind and related feats, even if they normally would not. These powers only become treated as such upon acquiring 2nd level in the Dark Tempest prestige class if they would not normally benefit.

Gaean (Druid Archetype)
Gaeans possessing the Conjunctive Mind feat at 1st level can select from a different list of domains for their nature's bond (See Class Options: Gaean for details)

Pack Leader (Ranger Archetype)

Feats
Deep Focus
Treat this feat as a subpsionic feat.

____________________________________
I hope you enjoy the content above. In any case, I could use some help refining what I got and adding on more. I want to just keep going but that requires ideas and I need help making sure its all good. So please, consider this a PEACH but also an on going work in progress. Im not stopping this till it dies, which I hope isn't any time soon. If you got anything, be it the faintest of ideas to a fully fleshed out thing that I could tack on, please feel free to contribute it.

Craft (Cheese)
2014-08-12, 05:26 PM
Shadow weave magic but for psionics, fluffed as tapping into dark, violent parts of the mind that most people keep suppressed? Love the concept, not so sure about the execution.

The first is a fluff issue: I'm not so sure if the "subconscious" should be conflated with "evil/darkness".

The second is that none of the mechanics I'm seeing here really... fit the flavor all that much. The "Bury Thoughts" power, maybe, but the rest just feels like generic "Like normal psionics but darker and edgier!!" Then again shadow weave magic has the same problem.

Finally, that 20th-level capstone for subpsions: I'm pretty sure there's some feat in PF that lets you give any spell the Darkness descriptor (making it more powerful in dark areas but less powerful in brightly lit places). You can probably use that along with psychic chirurgery to create essentially Spell-to-Power all over again. Just thought it was something worth pointing out.

Xuldarinar
2014-08-12, 08:50 PM
Shadow weave magic but for psionics, fluffed as tapping into dark, violent parts of the mind that most people keep suppressed? Love the concept, not so sure about the execution.

Let me start off by saying I greatly appreciate the feedback. Im glad you like concept, and I will address the execution to the best of my ability



The first is a fluff issue: I'm not so sure if the "subconscious" should be conflated with "evil/darkness".


While not the best thing to be compared to, the darkness aspect and it being something that isn't good is a hold over from 3e as a web enhancement. It also likely draws from Jungian psychology, in reference to the shadow or the shadow aspect, which contains the least desirable aspects of one's personality which are largely negative. It also can be the entirety of everything of the mind that is not fully conscious. I don't agree necessarily that the subconscious is malign, but negative aspects of one's personality as well as the id being one's instinctual drives that while are not necessarily always malign are more likely to be obtained by harmful means without a sense of morality than being something beneficial to others.



The second is that none of the mechanics I'm seeing here really... fit the flavor all that much. The "Bury Thoughts" power, maybe, but the rest just feels like generic "Like normal psionics but darker and edgier!!" Then again shadow weave magic has the same problem.


It is a hold over, but yes it is something that should be fixed and I'd love help doing so. I see them as being in the ball park but not quite where they need to be, one of my reasons for posting here.



Finally, that 20th-level capstone for subpsions: I'm pretty sure there's some feat in PF that lets you give any spell the Darkness descriptor (making it more powerful in dark areas but less powerful in brightly lit places). You can probably use that along with psychic chirurgery to create essentially Spell-to-Power all over again. Just thought it was something worth pointing out.

Im glad you addressed that. I recall something about it.

Umbral Spell (a metamagic feat from inner sea magic) places the darkness descriptor on spells when used, and Tenebrous spell (also a metamagic feat from the same book) increases the power of spells in darkness/dim light and decreases the power of spells in bright light.

I don't believe either of these would permit such an exploit, without DM permission, but I understand the concern.

vasharanpaladin
2014-08-13, 11:29 PM
Conjuration should correspond to Psychoportation for the psychic mage archetype.

Where you refer to someone else's homebrew, please embed a link to it.

Xuldarinar
2014-08-14, 09:07 AM
Conjuration should correspond to Psychoportation for the psychic mage archetype.

Where you refer to someone else's homebrew, please embed a link to it.



Thank you for reminding me to put in the link. It just completely slipped my mind.


As for the correlation to schools and disciplines: I originally set it up that Conjuration connected to Metacreativity, which normally when there is magic/psionic transparency those are equivalent in 3.5 and under the PFSRD that still holds true when transparency exists, I looked back at the article that discussed subpsionics however and I found this.



Psionics-Magic Transparency

For the purposes of power-to-spell interaction with these feats, Enchantment, Illusion and Necromancy are treated the same as the Metacreativity, Clairsentience, and Telepathy disciplines. Evocation and Transmutation are treated the same as the Psychometabolism, Psychoportation, or Psychokinesis disciplines.

The reason for the current lack of mention of conjuration is a holdover. I suppose however, that there is no reason not to put that in. So, I'll take it. Thank you for the suggestion.

Realms of Chaos
2014-08-14, 12:21 PM
Well, how are you approaching the issue of subconscious thought, here?

I can see above that you are using the shadow archetype to justify the "Psionics-but-darker" approach that was used for Shadow Magic in 3rd edition. With that said, I do believe that Jung had something like 12 archetypes. The shadow was the big one for the unconscious, true, but shouldn't the trickster, the hero, and so forth be somewhere around here as well?

Further, I can't really help but notice that subpsionics doesn't really seem to have a solid identity from psionics, a problem that existed with shadow magic as well. While you can certainly restrict yourself to a narrow array of "subconscious" powers (I for one would support charms, compulsions, phantasms, and divination effects through intuition/collective unconsciousness) and make everything "darker", it seems like a shame that subpsionics isn't... distinct.

A couple of ideas on how subpsionics could be different (not that I'm recommending them):
-Just as the shadow subschool is more morphic than most magic (shadow evocation, shadow conjuration, etc), perhaps use subpsionics to reshape existing powers with slight alterations or risks of failure.
-If you're going with the wild and untamed id, perhaps have subpsionics start out as a raw weapon (throwing your trauma and repressed thoughts at people) that you have to mentally reshape into other magical effects (making subpsionics the less-subtle twin of normal psionics)
-Maybe the instability of the unconscious allows for greater allowances of power at the risk of mental stability. Subpsionic powers might be slightly more powerful than normal powers at the price of causing "power point burn" (burnt power points return at a rate of manifester level/day) or at risk of wisdom damage or more severe mental damage.
-Perhaps subpsionics operate on a level that no one (not even the subpsion) is conscious of. Not only do the powers not give off any display but those who witness them can't figure out that psionics even occurred (a psionically disintegrated door is forgotten while people retroactively "remember" seeing a psionically summoned creature approach). Maybe manifesting powers is experienced as momentary migraines or light-headedness?

I don't want to put down the "make it into shadow" approach to homebrew that you've perfected but I've personally come to view shadow magic as a bit of a waste. Unless the shadow version of something is meaningfully different from what it's diverging from, it strikes me as being edgy for the sake of being edgy.

Xuldarinar
2014-08-14, 01:07 PM
Well, how are you approaching the issue of subconscious thought, here?

Well, my focuses are on the id and the shadow aspect but I would like to at least touch base into other aspects of the subconscious.



I can see above that you are using the shadow archetype to justify the "Psionics-but-darker" approach that was used for Shadow Magic in 3rd edition. With that said, I do believe that Jung had something like 12 archetypes. The shadow was the big one for the unconscious, true, but shouldn't the trickster, the hero, and so forth be somewhere around here as well?


I don't disagree. I'll be honest here, the initial appeal for me to updating/developing this was the fact it was in essence shadow psionics. I've nothing against working in the other aspects of course, and I believe they should be. Shadow is however what Im most familiar with and what appeals most to me, and given the shadow is a big one its going to be the most prevalent. But thank you for bringing those up. They should be kept in mind.



Further, I can't really help but notice that subpsionics doesn't really seem to have a solid identity from psionics, a problem that existed with shadow magic as well. While you can certainly restrict yourself to a narrow array of "subconscious" powers (I for one would support charms, compulsions, phantasms, and divination effects through intuition/collective unconsciousness) and make everything "darker", it seems like a shame that subpsionics isn't... distinct.


It shouldn't have its own identity, no argument. Its a consistent problem and I hope to be find ways to set it apart without having to develop a new system or new base classes for subpsionics. Thats not to say a new class couldn't be made, like the shadowcaster was for shadow magic, but I'll wait for inspiration to come or a great deal of help.

I like the idea on the powers and I think more should be created for subpsionics that really emphasize those traits.



A couple of ideas on how subpsionics could be different (not that I'm recommending them):
-Just as the shadow subschool is more morphic than most magic (shadow evocation, shadow conjuration, etc), perhaps use subpsionics to reshape existing powers with slight alterations or risks of failure.
-If you're going with the wild and untamed id, perhaps have subpsionics start out as a raw weapon (throwing your trauma and repressed thoughts at people) that you have to mentally reshape into other magical effects (making subpsionics the less-subtle twin of normal psionics)
-Maybe the instability of the unconscious allows for greater allowances of power at the risk of mental stability. Subpsionic powers might be slightly more powerful than normal powers at the price of causing "power point burn" (burnt power points return at a rate of manifester level/day) or at risk of wisdom damage or more severe mental damage.
-Perhaps subpsionics operate on a level that no one (not even the subpsion) is conscious of. Not only do the powers not give off any display but those who witness them can't figure out that psionics even occurred (a psionically disintegrated door is forgotten while people retroactively "remember" seeing a psionically summoned creature approach). Maybe manifesting powers is experienced as momentary migraines or light-headedness?


These are some great ideas, and if I can find ways to do so I will try to incorporate them. Certainly as ideas as to how come, these may be explored.



I don't want to put down the "make it into shadow" approach to homebrew that you've perfected but I've personally come to view shadow magic as a bit of a waste. Unless the shadow version of something is meaningfully different from what it's diverging from, it strikes me as being edgy for the sake of being edgy.

Oh I agree it needs to be more meaningfully different, so your view is completely understandable. I don't want it to be edgy just for its own sake, but to take on a life of its own while still being something someone could start out without the faintest clue of and delve into it, via feats and acquisition of abilities rather than being an entirely different discipline. Psionics being the foundation required to delve into subpsionics, while giving subpsionics their own identity. Something that I recognize is more difficult than simply making its own separate thing from the start.


Do you, or anyone else, have any suggestions on how I might incorporate these things?

vasharanpaladin
2014-08-14, 03:35 PM
The Komeiji (http://en.touhouwiki.net/wiki/Satori) sisters (http://en.touhouwiki.net/wiki/Koishi_Komeiji) might be of help. Satori (the species) are naturally telepathic beings; it's basically their nature to read your thoughts and respond to them out loud. Not surprisingly, people don't really like this, and as a result, Satori (the person) is something of a recluse.

But Koishi... didn't take it so well. She basically stabbed out her third eye, and with it, her conscious mind. Koishi basically lives her life in a state of satori (mental state characterized by lack of conscious thought, or basically exactly what the Ciphers faction in Planescape aspires to); by putting out her third eye, she lost the ability to read minds, even her own. In exchange, she now influences the subconscious. Her spellcards reference Freudian psychology, people forget she was ever there when she leaves their sight. She goes where she likes, does what she wants, and nothing and no one can stop her at it.

Boiling it down, this implies that rather than calling out specific disciplines to gain subpsionic tags, you should call out powers; Koishi's obviously got some hyped-up concealing amorpha going on, plus psionic mind blank and others. The former should likely be [Subpsionic] in general, the latter just resonates particularly well, being stronger and harder for normal psions to deal with when manifested by a subpsion, but easily subverted by another subpsion (remember, subpsions are going after unconscious thoughts and desires, not the conscious ones that mind blank covers up).

Xuldarinar
2014-08-14, 04:36 PM
The Komeiji (http://en.touhouwiki.net/wiki/Satori) sisters (http://en.touhouwiki.net/wiki/Koishi_Komeiji) might be of help. Satori (the species) are naturally telepathic beings; it's basically their nature to read your thoughts and respond to them out loud. Not surprisingly, people don't really like this, and as a result, Satori (the person) is something of a recluse.

But Koishi... didn't take it so well. She basically stabbed out her third eye, and with it, her conscious mind. Koishi basically lives her life in a state of satori (mental state characterized by lack of conscious thought, or basically exactly what the Ciphers faction in Planescape aspires to); by putting out her third eye, she lost the ability to read minds, even her own. In exchange, she now influences the subconscious. Her spellcards reference Freudian psychology, people forget she was ever there when she leaves their sight. She goes where she likes, does what she wants, and nothing and no one can stop her at it.

Boiling it down, this implies that rather than calling out specific disciplines to gain subpsionic tags, you should call out powers; Koishi's obviously got some hyped-up concealing amorpha going on, plus psionic mind blank and others. The former should likely be [Subpsionic] in general, the latter just resonates particularly well, being stronger and harder for normal psions to deal with when manifested by a subpsion, but easily subverted by another subpsion (remember, subpsions are going after unconscious thoughts and desires, not the conscious ones that mind blank covers up).

This isn't a bad idea but is one I am resistant to using. My only problem with doing so is, not just the work involved but the space required for it and the fact that as new powers come out more research must be done to add things to the list. Pending upon interpretations, fluffing, and so on the list could vary widely in size. With the method, keeping with the source material, it means powers just need to be identified by school, though I tossed that an aspect of fluff that also can lend benefit to a power. I know its not a true one size fits all deal, but it is relatively simple.

Xuldarinar
2014-08-16, 11:41 PM
Im just going to post this to bump this up and outline my goals with this project. I will not comment any more except to respond to comments or when there is something I need to say.

I would like to accomplish most, if not all, of the following with this project before I move on to anything else.


Give subpsionics a distinct identity from standard psionics without devising a separate system. In keeping it distinct I still want it such that a psionic character could transition into it a
Expand upon the Embrace Id line of feats. Embrace Id (Desire) comes to mind but I've not the faintest clue how I would make it function.
Create a subpsionic power for every power level. At least I've filled the levels Gifted Blades, Marksmen, Pack Leaders, Purifiers, and Sighted Seekers use.
Add at least one more prestige class. A low priority but its something I'd like to accomplish at some point.
Have more, and better, flavor text. A dish could be the healthiest thing on the planet for you, but it means almost nothing if it doesn't have great flavor.
Run out of room for content between the two primary posts. I rather not feel like there is any wasted space here.
Most importantly, balance the content here. I want subpsionics to be powerful, but I do not want anything here to be game breaking.


At some point, if I have enough content/ideas to contribute that these posts cannot contain it, I will put links between this one and a new one, which I will likely name something to the effect of Subpsionics Augmented, but that is then.

For now, I want to complete this project and I welcome all the help I can get. Any and all contributions are welcome, from minor comments of approval/diapproval, to constructive criticism, to providing ideas or even full on powers/feats/classes/PrCs/monsters/ect.

vasharanpaladin
2014-08-17, 02:34 PM
Expand upon the Embrace Id line of feats. Embrace Id (Desire) comes to mind but I've not the faintest clue how I would make it function.



This one, at least, Koishi can help with; all her spellcards are based on Freudian psychology. The id is the base of instinct, unconscious desires. Fear (as in, the survival instinct), hunger, lust... wanton drives that the conscious mind mediates. I'll have to go dig up those feats to have a look at what they do already, to make sure future suggestions are in theme.

But yes. Willing and able to help, if a bit rusty with Pathfinder. Subpsionics were my favorite part of The Mind's Eye, and I was sad to see those articles go. :smallbiggrin:

Xuldarinar
2014-08-17, 02:49 PM
This one, at least, Koishi can help with; all her spellcards are based on Freudian psychology. The id is the base of instinct, unconscious desires. Fear (as in, the survival instinct), hunger, lust... wanton drives that the conscious mind mediates. I'll have to go dig up those feats to have a look at what they do already, to make sure future suggestions are in theme.

But yes. Willing and able to help, if a bit rusty with Pathfinder. Subpsionics were my favorite part of The Mind's Eye, and I was sad to see those articles go. :smallbiggrin:

I'll look into those for inspiration on making more Embrace Id feats. So far, I have Anger (Based in the Rage Class feature), and Fear (Requring a 1st level class feature of the Dread class and is based on a class feature from the Dread Witch PrC from HoH). Both of which are just waiting among the feats above to be used. Lust, Hunger, ect. I'll need help figuring out. I may just decide to base Lust on the workings of the Lust subdomain but.. Im weighing options.

I understand getting rusty with systems, believe me. Any errors that may come of it are easily forgiven and corrected.

Subpsionics, I have to admit were an incredible part of mind's eye. In fact, if you miss them, heres a way to find them:

3e Subpsionics (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/pse/20021025a)
Grim Psion (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20030628b) (It makes reference to a feat from subpsionics so I count it)
Shadow Mind (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20021025b)