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View Full Version : D&D 3.x Class (PEACH) Mentalist (PrC)



Valwyn
2014-12-30, 10:41 AM
This is a small class I thought up to help everyone who wants to play an enchanter/manipulator/pacifist. I'm pretty sure there are others out there that are better written and with cooler abilities, but hopefully someone will like it. :smallsmile: Let me know if it's unbalanced or too powerful. Please note that I'm still fairly new to the game, so I might have made some mistakes.


Mentalist


I put a spell on you
And now you're mine!

Through dedication and study, the Mentalist can achieve that which had so far been imposible: alter the mind of creatures protected against mental manipulation. Slowly but surely, the Mentalist's skill with mind-affecting spells increases, eventually permiting her to bypass even powerful magics such as Mind Blank.

Both those who wish to dominate others and those who wish to restrain their targets without harming them feel drawn to the Mentalist class. However, people tend to view Mentalists in general with suspicion at best and hostility at worse. After all, how can you be *sure* they haven't been tampering with *your* mind?

The idea of the class is that where there's a will, there's a way to manipulate it. The class could affect vampires but not zombies because the former has an intelligence score and the latter does not. Of course, that doesn't mean you have to be Evil. Exalted characters with a Vow of Peace/Non Violence could make good use of this class.

Requirements
Feats: Spell Focus (Enchantment), Spell Penetration
Skills: spellcraft 8, concentration 8
Spellcasting: able to cast 3rd level Enchantment spells

Admittedly, the requirements are easy. That's partly because I don't want this class to be limited to Wizards. Bards, Sorcerers, Clerics, and even Druids can enter the class (a witch-like Druid, maybe?). While many casters can enter, not all of them benefit equally from the class.

Also, it might be possible to replace Spell Focus (Enchantment) with SF (Illusion) and 3rd level Enchantment spells for 3rd level Illusions if you want to edit this class to benefit Illusionists rather than Enchanters. The way it is written, the class features benefit only Enchantments.

HD: d4
Skills (2+Int): Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language, and Spellcraft (Int).

The skill list was lifted straight from the Mindbender, with the addition of Speak Language. It seemed appropiate.



LevelBABFortRefWillClass Features


1st+0+0+0+2Captivate Mind


2nd+1+0+0+3Pierce Mind (-2), +1 caster level


3rd+1+1+1+3Captivate Mind, +1 caster level


4th+2+1+1+4Pierce Mind (-4), +1 caster level



5th+2+1+1+4Captivate Mind, +1 caster level



6th+3+2+2+5Pierce Mind (-6), +1 caster level



7th+3+2+2+5Captivate Mind, +1 caster level



8th+4+2+2+6Pierce Mind (-8), +1 caster level



9th+4+3+3+6Captivate Mind, +1 caster level



10th+5+3+3+7Mind Probe, Pierce Mind (-10)



Proficencies: The Mentalist does not gain any weapon or armor proficencies.

Captivate Mind: The Mentalist may now affect a list of creatures normally immune to mind-affecting effects with her Enchantment spells as long as the creatures have an Intelligence score. The creatures still receive a +10 bonus on their saving throws. The Mentalist must choose one kind of creature at level 1 and another at levels 3, 5, 7, and 9. To be able to choose a creature type, the Mentalist must have at least 8 ranks in the appropiate Knowledge skill. The list of creatures the Mentalist can affect is as follows:

- Dragons (Knowledge (Arcana) 8)
- Elementals (Knowledge (the Planes) 8)
- Deathless (Knowledge (Religion) 8)
- Outsiders (Knowledge (the planes) 8)
- Plants (Knowledge (Nature) 8)
- Undead (Knowledge (Religion) 8)

The main class ability. Basically, if your target has an Intelligence score, you can bypass its immunity to mind-affecting effects, which are the bread and butter of Enchanters, Beguilers, and such. A one level dip in the class might be enough for your needs, but staying longer gives greater rewards.

If you rule that certain creature types, such as oozes, vermin, or constructs, have an Intelligence score and retain their immunity to mind-affecting effects, please add them to the list of creatures Captivate Mind may affect. And really, maybe you should rule they have and Int score. I get that bugs aren't all that smart, but they can build whole colonies. I'd say that takes at least one point of Int. Constructs need to be smart enough to understand their masters, otherwise they'd just stand there, or maybe go into a rampage. (Unless the magic that builds them works more like puppet strings. Would that make it Transmutation or Enchantment?) Not sure about oozes, though, but if they are alive and smart enough to seek food, maybe that counts as intelligence. Up to you and your DM.

Spellcasting: At each level except 1st and 10th, the Mentalist gains a caster level in whatever class grants her access to 3rd level enchantment spells. If she had more than one spellcasting class, she may only advance one. The Mentalist only advances spellcasting, other class features, such as familiars and bardic music, are not advanced.

I think the Mentalist has some very potent class abilities, so she has to sacrifice two caster levels. I know this affects Probe Mind, but there's plenty of ways to get your CL up. The Mentalist still has it better than the Mindbender, though.

Pierce Mind: The Mentalist's abilities to affect the minds of other creatures improves. The bonus creatures get against the Captivate Mind ability is reduced by 2 at level 2. The bonus decreases by 2 on every odd even, until it becomes 0 at level 10.

I'm debating whether I should reduce the bonus by -2 (leaving it a +0 at level 10) or by -1 (leaving it at +5 at level 10). What do you think?

Probe Mind: The Mentalist may try to bypass the effects of Protection from Alignment, Blank Mind, and similar effects with an opposed caster level check. If the check succeeds, the spell works normally, though the target might still benefit from a saving throw and/or spell resistance.

I dislike blanket immunities, they are boring. Especially when a level 1 spell can block a level 9 spell. Instead, let's make it fair and make it a contest of skill caster level. Whoever is the better caster gets her/his way. Of course, the Mentalist still has to deal with saves and SR, but at least now she has a chance.

Eno Remnant
2014-12-31, 12:06 AM
You've written Blank Mind in your capstone. That should be Mind Blank.

Also, the spellcasting section has been phrased awkwardly. There really should be a period where one of those commas is.

All I have to add.