Buffing from extreme distances

[heavyfuel]

I have this concept for a villain that's never present, but that still help his minions by buffing them from very far away whenever they need it.

These buffs need to be able to work from at least a few kilometers away, so they must ignore line of sight and line of effect as well as the usual range limitation for spells/powers/whatever.

I'd like to make this as RAW as possible without home-brewing something.

Any ideas? Thanks!

[Jack_Simth]

You can get a mile with a high-level Psionic character via a Psicrystal's Channel Power (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/classes/psion.htm#channelPower) ability. Psicrystal goes with minions, master manifests through psicrystal. If you want spells, there's the Spell to Power Erudite in Complete Psionic to do the job.

Alternately: Remote Viewing (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/remoteViewing.htm) gives the option of manifesting powers through the sensor. The base power costs XP, the power you want to land costs double power points, and this ends the Remote Viewing power (which has a one-hour manifesting time), but is workable at any distance.

Alternately: Ring Gates (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#ringGates). The entry explicitly includes "A spellcaster could even cast a spell through a ring gate" - and spells don't have weight. That'll give you 100 miles for cheap.

[heavyfuel]

You can get a mile with a high-level Psionic character via a Psicrystal's Channel Power (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/classes/psion.htm#channelPower) ability. Psicrystal goes with minions, master manifests through psicrystal. If you want spells, there's the Spell to Power Erudite in Complete Psionic to do the job.

Alternately: Remote Viewing (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/remoteViewing.htm) gives the option of manifesting powers through the sensor. The base power costs XP, the power you want to land costs double power points, and this ends the Remote Viewing power (which has a one-hour manifesting time), but is workable at any distance.

Both interesting suggestions. I do have some problems with them though.

Psicrystal's Channel Power requires the psycrystal present, which is a problem since it can (and likely will) be destroyed with no RAW way to get it back. Even if we treat like a familiar, it's still a year of wait to get a new one. On the same vein, a single Psicrystal doesn't really work with the idea of being able to help minions anywhere anytime.

Remote Viewing is a very nice power. The 20xp cost is negligible, but the very short duration and ridiculous casting time makes it unappealing. If there was a way to either shorten the cast time, or drastically increase duration, it would be nicer.

[Venger]

Give your henchmen acorns of far travel. Done.

[Jack_Simth]

Both interesting suggestions. I do have some problems with them though.

Psicrystal's Channel Power requires the psycrystal present, which is a problem since it can (and likely will) be destroyed with no RAW way to get it back. Even if we treat like a familiar, it's still a year of wait to get a new one. On the same vein, a single Psicrystal doesn't really work with the idea of being able to help minions anywhere anytime.

Remote Viewing is a very nice power. The 20xp cost is negligible, but the very short duration and ridiculous casting time makes it unappealing. If there was a way to either shorten the cast time, or drastically increase duration, it would be nicer.

The eventual ruling on the Psicrystal (I don't recall whether it was a FAQ or in Rules Compendium) was that you still qualify for the feat, so you still gain it's benefits, which means you wake up with a new psicrystal the next morning. AKA, they're even more disposable than animal companions. This was explicitly codified in the Pathfinder Conversion (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/feats/psicrystal-affinity-psionic/).

And you may want to see my edit, too.

[heavyfuel]

Give your henchmen acorns of far travel. Done.

A little too cheesy for my tastes, but does fit the bill pretty well. Will definitely keep it in mind.


Alternately: Ring Gates (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#ringGates). The entry explicitly includes "A spellcaster could even cast a spell through a ring gate" - and spells don't have weight. That'll give you 100 miles for cheap.

At 40'000 GP each set, I wouldn't really say "for cheap" :smallbiggrin:. It is nice though, however I fear the two way street it forms might put the villain in too much harm.


The eventual ruling on the Psicrystal (I don't recall whether it was a FAQ or in Rules Compendium) was that you still qualify for the feat, so you still gain it's benefits, which means you wake up with a new psicrystal the next morning. AKA, they're even more disposable than animal companions. This was explicitly codified in the Pathfinder Conversion (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/feats/psicrystal-affinity-psionic/).

That's an interesting take on the feat and I might just use it. Is there anyway to get more than one psicrystal at once?

[Jack_Simth]

At 40'000 GP each set, I wouldn't really say "for cheap" :smallbiggrin:. It is nice though, however I fear the two way street it forms might put the villain in too much harm.
That's easy to solve. Mount the ring gate above a hole in the ground. Inside the hole is a Forbiddance spell. Lose control of the other half of the gate? Drop the one you're using into the hole. A minion with a readied action can do it.

That's an interesting take on the feat and I might just use it. Is there anyway to get more than one psicrystal at once?Copy the Psion, copy the feat. If the minion master makes self-sims (or Ice Assassins) of high enough level, they also get psi-crystals.

[ben-zayb]

A very limited way to do it would be through the Greater Status (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/divine/spells/statusGreater.htm) spell (BoED)

[ExLibrisMortis]

Voidmind creatures are controlled by a cabal of up to three illithid, which can be very far away. Each of the illithid can manifest powers as if it was in the creature's body. Modify that template, and you have exactly what you want.

[heavyfuel]

That's easy to solve. Mount the ring gate above a hole in the ground. Inside the hole is a Forbiddance spell. Lose control of the other half of the gate? Drop the one you're using into the hole. A minion with a readied action can do it.
Copy the Psion, copy the feat. If the minion master makes self-sims (or Ice Assassins) of high enough level, they also get psi-crystals.

That's some thinking outside the box. Doesn't solve the 40k price on each set of rings, but I might end up using it in conjunction with ExLibrisMortis' suggestion.

Again, a little too cheesy for me, but would definitely work.


A very limited way to do it would be through the Greater Status (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/divine/spells/statusGreater.htm) spell (BoED)

Interesting spell, especially if we manage to get it on a character with a PrC that has spells that are usually higher level (like the Trapsmith for example)


Voidmind creatures are controlled by a cabal of up to three illithid, which can be very far away. Each of the illithid can manifest powers as if it was in the creature's body. Modify that template, and you have exactly what you want.

DING! DING! DING! DING! DING!

That's the jackpot right there! This is pretty much exactly all I wanted. Guess I'll have villains now :smallamused:

[Venger]

A little too cheesy for my tastes, but does fit the bill pretty well. Will definitely keep it in mind.

Well, assuming you're just using it for buffs, and the henchmen aren't using it for sanctum spell weirdness et al, it wouldn't be that big of a deal.

Plus, you could have the pcs harvest it as loot once you explained what it was and what cool powers it had for a kind of one ring type situation if that gels with your game.

[Nifft]

Craft Contingent Spell, maybe?

When the guard shouts "Intruders!", that triggers a nice buff on the guard.

[ben-zayb]

s[/B] now :smallamused:Also do note that a voidmind creature even on its own is a pretty good improvement compared to its base creature for just CR+1. It messes up with many common non-damage-based strategies that PCs might employ, so there might be some considerations on which creatures to apply this template too.

[Eldariel]

Alphorn [AEG] gives Bardic Music a 2 mile radius so that works to a degree. Not quite as impressive as Voidmind though. Other than that, Astral Projection kinda-sorta works as does Magic Jaring one of the minions.

[Jack_Simth]

Alphorn [AEG] gives Bardic Music a 2 mile radius so that works to a degree. Not quite as impressive as Voidmind though. Other than that, Astral Projection kinda-sorta works as does Magic Jaring one of the minions.

Magic Jar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/magicJar.htm) is risky. From the end of the spell, as listed in the SRD:

If the host body is slain, you return to the magic jar, if within range, and the life force of the host departs (it is dead). If the host body is slain beyond the range of the spell, both you and the host die. Any life force with nowhere to go is treated as slain.

If the spell ends while you are in the magic jar, you return to your body (or die if your body is out of range or destroyed). If the spell ends while you are in a host, you return to your body (or die, if it is out of range of your current position), and the soul in the magic jar returns to its body (or dies if it is out of range). Destroying the receptacle ends the spell, and the spell can be dispelled at either the magic jar or at the host’s location.

As the range is only "Medium" this is not greatly useful for "extreme distances" with disposable minions.

[heavyfuel]

Craft Contingent Spell, maybe?

When the guard shouts "Intruders!", that triggers a nice buff on the guard.

I'm afraid that's a little too expensive both gold-wise and XP-wise.


Also do note that a voidmind creature even on its own is a pretty good improvement compared to its base creature for just CR+1. It messes up with many common non-damage-based strategies that PCs might employ, so there might be some considerations on which creatures to apply this template too.

Do you mean immunity to mind-affecting? Cuz yeah, it's a very nice immunity for CR+1.


Alphorn [AEG] gives Bardic Music a 2 mile radius so that works to a degree.

While the imagery of a mastermind villain constantly blowing a gigantic horn is kind of hilarious, I was thinking more along the lines of an undetectable presence somehow helping these mooks.

[Andor13]

Any of the Psionic Collective classes (Vitalist, Tactician, Zealot) can buff someone in their collective from anywhere on the same plane at 15th level, anywhere at all at 17th. Dunno if you want Psionic villains though.

[heavyfuel]

Any of the Psionic Collective classes (Vitalist, Tactician, Zealot) can buff someone in their collective from anywhere on the same plane at 15th level, anywhere at all at 17th. Dunno if you want Psionic villains though.

I have no problems with Psionic villains, but I'm not using PF material, especially not 3rd party PF material.

[Andor13]

I have no problems with Psionic villains, but I'm not using PF material, especially not 3rd party PF material.

Ah! Sorry, I have edition blur in my head right now. Although in general I'm not a huge fan of 3rd party material Dreamscarred Press are the one who ported all my favorite systems from 3e to Pathfinder (Incarnum, Psionics, and ToB.) And they do a pretty good job of making classes with a much higher floor, but lower ceiling than the actual Paizo classes, or at least that seems to be the consensus.

Still irrelevant to a non-PF discussion however. On topic then, I got nothing, unless you want to allow something wacky like bardic music through a Sending.

[Prime32]

DSP originally wrote those classes for 3.5 as the Society Mind (http://dsp-d20-srd.wikidot.com/society-mind) and Worldthought Medic (http://dsp-d20-srd.wikidot.com/worldthought-medic).

[Thurbane]

Arcane Archer? :smalltongue:

...may need some Cragtop Archer and other shenanigans to make it from a few KM away.

[Anthrowhale]

Greater Status (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/divine/spells/statusGreater.htm) (L4) and Eye of Power (L9) are good spells for remote buffing.