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warbacon
2007-10-04, 03:01 AM
I had been making a charsheet for an evil undead campaign and was interested in using Spectral Savant as a template, but was frustrated by the fact that they can't regain PP through rest. Well, they can't sleep anyway, but you know what I mean. Seeing as other incorporeal undead such as Ghosts and Spectres can do so, I cooked up a variant.

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Ego Uncarnate
Gorn shot his partner an extremely puzzled look. "What do you mean there's something psionic here? This room is empty and I already checked for invisible creatures!" The two psions had been doing the local constabulary a favor by looking for a prominent merchant in this dungeon, and everything had gone according to plan until just now. "I don't know! But it's coming from ... over there ... just one creature ... it's ... right next to you? Inside the wall? AHH!" Ian fell backwards, dazed from what his detect psionics power had shown him. As Gorn shouted, "What? What?!", an ethereal hand reached out of the wall and into his brain. "GHNNNN!" was all that Gorn could manage for the moment as sea-green arc shot from his head through the wall. He recovered quickly, only to be stunned that he didn't have any power points left to manifest a power. He looked up and saw a ghostly head and torso emerge, effusing a pale green energy from its eyes and grinning viciously. "That, my friend, is an Ego Uncarnate. Run."

An ego uncarnate is a psion or erudite who has discovered a means to expand his psionic power at the expense of his living body, or had its mind and body separated through traumatic events. It retains all the psionic abilities it had in life, and adds a frightening array of abilities which draw upon its nature as a creature of pure thought; however, the transformation has also made it totally dependent on its power pool to survive. Ego uncarnate generally travel the world seeking new ways to enhance their own power, and care little about the fate of the creatures they encounter.

Strategies and Tactics: Just like the psions they were in life, ego uncarnate have wildly varying tactics depending on the powers available to them, which are usually vast. Those with strong leaning toward telepathy tend to induce compulsions in their opponents and suck their mind away through their Brain Drain and Power Leech abilities, whereas as Kineticists might take advantage of their incorporeality and blast opponents from hard-to-reach areas, only coming closer to recover their energies after their foes are disabled. Those with the astral construct power can be particularly effective at sending others to do their dirty work.

Creating an Ego Ucarnate: "Ego Uncarnate" is an acquired template that can be applied to any living creature with an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma of at least 10 which has a power point reserve, hereafter referred to as the "base creature."

Size: Unchanged.

Type: Changes to undead, and gains the incorporeal subtype.

Hit Dice: All current and future hit dice, including class hit dice, change to d12s.

Speed: Speed is unchanged, but an ego uncarnate flies with perfect maneuverability.

Armor Class: Loses natural armor bonus, but gains a deflection bonus to AC equal to its Charisma modifier. Unlike other incorporeal undead, the equipment worn at the time of creation does not get subsumed into an ego uncarnate's form -- it is born naked. See MMIII (p. 214) for rules about incorporeal creatures and equipment.

Attacks: An ego uncarnate keeps all special and natural attacks of the base creature except those requiring biological processes (e.g. poison), but any attacks that require physical contact only work against other ethereal creatures. All attacks use the ego uncarnate's Dexterity modifier for attack rolls, and its Charisma modifier as a damage bonus against ethereal foes only. It also gains a melee touch attack that deals 1d8 of untyped damage usable in lieu of a normal melee attack (if more than one is available), and the special attacks listed below.

Special Attacks:

Brain Drain (Su): Any living creature hit by an ego uncarnate's natural attack or melee touch attack deals 2 Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma damage, chosen at the time of the attack. It gains power points equal to the ability damage dealt. This ability is usable once per round. The ability damage heals after 8 hours rest or 4 hours meditation.

Power Leech (Su): By spending a full round action, an ego uncarnate can make a special attack to creatures with psionic powers or psi-like abilities with HD less than or equal to its own HD + its Charisma bonus. If it succeeds on a melee touch attack, it siphons some of the target creature's psionic ability, taking away one use of the highest level psi-like ability available (and gaining power points equal to the cost plus augmentations of the related power at the target's manifester level), or drains power points outright. An ego uncarnate cannot drain more than its hit dice in power points with a single attack; the excess are lost to the ego uncarnate.

Special Qualities: A ego uncarnate retains all special qualities except those requiring biological processes, and gains those listed below.

Undead Traits (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#undeadType)

Incorporeal Traits (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#incorporealSubtype)

Turn Resistance (Ex): An ego uncarnate has turn resistance equal to its remaning power points / 10, rounded down, max +4.

Undead Mind (Su): Unlike normal undead, an ego uncarnate is affected by mind-affecting powers and spells, although it gains a +4 bonus to save against hostile effects and does not automatically fail on a natural 1.

Psionic Dependency (Su): Psionic energies create and sustain an ego uncarnate, and therefore make it susceptible to anti-psionic powers or magic. Dispel psionics (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/dispelPsionics.htm) burns 1d6 power points from an ego uncarnate's power pool; treat the dispel DC as 11 + the ego uncarnate's hit dice. Catapsi (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/catapsi.htm) fields disrupt the normal functioning of an ego uncarnate and drains 1d4 power points per round from it if it does not succeed on a Will Save. Being within a null psionics field (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/nullPsionicsField.htm) makes it wink out of existence, but it reappears in the same spot when the field moves away or ends. If it should ever run out of power points (through manifesting powers or being drained), it enters a weakened state. It loses many of its racial abilities as listed below, cannot use any psi-like abilities of the base creature, and cannot regain PP normally; it can still gain PP through its Brain Drain or Power Leech special attacks. Spending an hour in uninterrupted meditation and succeeding on a DC 20 Autohypnosis check allows it to regain 1 PP, at which point it can function normally. If it fails this check, the ego uncarnate takes 1d6 mind burn damage, but can continue meditating. Another Autohypnosis check is made every hour until it succeeds or it is destroyed through mind burn.

Psicrystal Incompatibility (Ex): An ego uncarnate cannot create a psicrystal, even if it the base creature had the Psicrystal Affinity (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#psicrystalAffinity) feat, and any psicrystal which it had before the ritual is lost. This is a side-effect of the ritual itself and being incorporeal.

Naturally Psionic (Su): Ego uncarnate have surpassed their need for a body; the parts of their mind which had to maintain bodily functions are used to enhance their psionic power. They gain 1 bonus power point per HD, and a permanent +1 bonus to their manifester level. This overrides any racial power point bonuses of the base creature, and stacks with the Overchannel (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#overchannel) feat and the Wild Surge (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/classes/wilder.htm#wildSurge) class ability. The increased manifester level does not grant them more powers known or power points from class levels, but applies to any and all psionic classes it has, if applicable. For example, a Wilder 6 / Psion 8 could spend up to 7 PP when manifesting a Wilder power, and 9 PP when manifesting a Psion power. This ability only functions for the primary mind of the ego uncarnate, if it has gained more than one through the schism power or another ability.

Telekinetic Force (Su): An ego uncarnate can use telekinetic force (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/telekineticForce.htm) as a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, at a manifester level equal to its HD (including the +1 bonus listed above). This power can be augmented up to the normal limit of its emulated manifester level. The save DC is Charisma-based. An ego uncarnate with 0 PP cannot use this ability.

Fast Healing (Su): The psionic energies that maintain an ego uncarnate constantly revitalizes its form, giving it Fast Healing equal to its remaining PP / 10 (rounded down), up to a maximum of Fast Healing 5.

Power Resistance (Su): An ego uncarnate has power resistance equal to its HD + its remaining PP / 10 rounded down, maximum +5, as long as it has at least 1 PP.

Abilities: Int +4, Wis +2, Cha +4. Incorporeal undead have no Strength or Constitution scores.
Skills: Ego uncarnate have a +8 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, Search, and Spot checks. Autohypnosis is added to its class skills.
Feats: Add Psionic Body (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#psionicBody) as a bonus feat.
Environment: As base creature.
Organization: Solitary or pair.
Challenge Rating: Base creature +3.
Treasure: Standard.
Alignment: Any, but usually evil if the ritual was performed on the base creature.
Advancement: By character class.
Level Adjustment: +5

Ego Uncarnate Characters: The ritual to become an ego uncarnate is incredibly taxing on the mind of the base creature, frequently warping it into a twisted, power-hungry thing; no good-aligned creature undergoes it willingly. Sometimes psions killed in a particularly ignoble way can arise spontaneously as an ego uncarnate, although in this case the mind of the psion first completely dissolves and then through sheer force of will re-forms. Ego uncarnate created in this way coalesce over the body 1d4 days after death. They lose all class levels they had in life and have to start fresh, retaining only the vaguest memories of their corporeal existence, although they can deduce that their body (if it still exists) had once been theirs and investigate their past from there. The mind and body cannot be rejoined through resurrection; the dissolution and subsequent reformation of the mind has erased all links to the body it once possessed.

Transformation Ritual: Usually, a psion or erudite performs the ritual on herself, requiring her to obtain or create a cognizance crystal capable of storing 17 power points and a number of mundane crystals totaling no less than 15,000 gp. Additionally, she must be able to manifest at least one 6th level power. Once the ritual is started, the crystals are destroyed in the process and the cognizance crystal is subsumed into the body of the psion or erudite. Performing the ritual on oneself is very jarring; she expends 6,000 XP to complete the ritual.

However, the ritual is sometimes carried out by one or more psions (almost invariably of evil alignment) upon a subject instead, who may or may not be willing. In either case, the mind and body do not separate as peacefully as they would otherwise; in fact they might have been outright torn apart. Usually this results in an ego uncarnate on the evil side of the alignment spectrum. The same material requirements must be met, but those performing the ritual expend their full allotment of power points in the process, and at their option can the burden of the XP cost themselves.

When the ritual is complete, the subject's mind takes ethereal form and separates from the body, which remains in the material plane, but is lifeless. Attempting to rejoin the mind and body through a raise dead, resurrection, and other related spells or powers does not work; only a wish or reality revision can rejoin the split halves. Typically, the body is quickly destroyed by those involved through disintegration or similar means, at which point it becomes impossible to undo the ritual.

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So there you have it. I changed the name to "Ego Uncarnate" right after I posted initially -- I just liked it better.

It has an increased LA compared to the SS or Psionic Lich (from Hyperconscious), putting it on par with Ghosts and Spectres. I think it's pretty fair compared to those templates, which have fear auras and create spawn abilities respectively. Psionic Dependency is pretty harsh, and an undead susceptible to mind-affecting abilities is also a big nerf. I'm actually not so sure about the latter; I might remove it yet.

Questions? Comments? Criticism? Am I just totally power-mad?

EDIT: Changed Turn Resistance to PP/10 max +4, added catapsi and null psionic field effects, added schism note, replaced Psionic Senses with touchsight, changed Power Resistance to PP/10 max +5, removed Sense Motive from skill bonuses, added psionic body bonus feat.
EDIT: Added speed and fluff
EDIT: Nixed immunities, touchsight, and the Dex bonus.
EDIT: Fixed the null psionics field effect to fall in line with astral constructs who enter it, or incorporeal undead who enter an antimagic field (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/antimagicField.htm).
EDIT: Null psionics field nitpickery thanks to namo :smallwink:

namo
2007-10-04, 04:41 AM
Er... I think it's too powerful.

It gets great bonuses and abilities, and the downsides are :
- Undead Mind : this is a real downside, but it doesn't make sense thematically. Why not make it incorporeal but not undead (like the Uncarnate PrC - you've already got the name) ?

- Psionic Dependency : in a psionic-heavy campaign, that could be a real problem, especially combined with the above, but I don't see it becoming a problem at all in a normal campaign. It's a glass cannon effect : is Wildshape balanced because it doesn't work in an antimagic field ? Nooo. Same here : the character could lose everything, but it's just not going to happen.

- Psicrystal incompatibility : interesting downside, it does help with balance.

Now, the benefits you get :
- increase to ML. That's one of the most valuable thing for psionicists. Good to balance the heavy LA as are the extra PPs.
- psionic senses : that's crazy ! The psionic schtick is that manifesting is hard to detect once the displays are hidden. Drop it. (The Touchsight part can just be obtained with the power)
- Fast Healing is powerful, but I like how you made it depend on the PPs.
- Power resistance/Turn resistance : why Charisma ? To my knowledge, it's always (HD + ) a fixed number ?
- Brain Drain, Telekinetic Force, extra immunities, ability score increases, skill bonuses : all ok ; again together this is powerful.
- Power Leech : I'd need to think about this one some more.

I have no clue what LA to give to this template, but I'm fairly certain it's worth more than +5. On the plus side, I would probably use it for the Nations of the Dead game if it was accepted as is. :smallsmile:

Hint: compare Ego Uncarnate Psion 10 with Psion 5/Uncarnate 10. The second one has en extra level of powers known (big plus), they both have the same ML. The Ego Uncarnate has... well, look at the list.

Jack_Simth
2007-10-04, 06:21 AM
Hint: compare Ego Uncarnate Psion 10 with Psion 5/Uncarnate 10. The second one has en extra level of powers known (big plus), they both have the same ML. The Ego Uncarnate has... well, look at the list.

Well, the Ego Uncarnate-10 has 10d12 hit points and no Con score to add anything to it. The Psion-5/Uncarnate 10 has 15d4+15*con modifier hit points. The Psion has the ability to grab and use basically any equipment, even change it out pretty much at will; the Ego Uncarnate does not. With a Con modifier of +2 or more (fairly easy to have at that level) the Psion will have more HP (15d4+30 averages 67.5; 10d12 averages 65; maximizing the first HD will bring the Psion up to 69, and the Ego up to 70.5 - a difference of 1.5 hp - and the Psion will have more feats).

There's an 18 point difference between level 10 and level 11 on the Psion's power point chart - and the Ego only gets bonus power points equal to it's hit dice - so the Psion will have more power points, as well as more powers known (and a higher level of powers known, too).

It's actually fairly reasonable at LA +5.

namo
2007-10-04, 08:17 AM
- The Ego gets more PPs due to higher Int, even if he's a level behind. In fine the Uncarnate should still be ahead, but not by much.

- HPs : sure, he's undead. It has some shortcomings. But he has immunities and Fast Healing.

- Feats : the Ego gets the Psion 10 feat, the Uncarnate gets the HD 12 and HD 15 feats but had to spend one on Psionic Body (more HPs, by the way, but it's otherwise fairly useless) so they're quits.

Another comparison : I think it's more powerful than the Ghost template.

edit: to put things in perspective... few people would take that template in a normal campaign, since LA => sucky manifester ; but this one is meant for a game where the LA is gestalted on 1 side only.

Skelengar
2007-10-04, 11:09 AM
This is exactly what I have been looking for! It's perfect for my campaign villain. He's an epic telepath, and he's already in a form like this, but not statted. would it make sense for someone to be forced into this form accidentally? Say through a terrible accident during a psionic experimet?

warbacon
2007-10-04, 12:47 PM
@Jack_Simth: Indeed ... losing equipment bonuses is a *huge* deal for a psionic class. It's probably the most debilitating part of this whole idea. I'm actually trying to find a reasonable way of re-including it so that he actually scales in power as he levels.

@namo:
List of things psion 5 / uncarnate 10 has over an Ego Uncarnate psion 10:

keeps his armor bonus to AC when incorporeal (which is probably greater than the Cha bonus the ego uncarnate gets)
can become corporeal to change equipment
can Assume Likeness
can hop through living minds
has a 3d6 touch attack instead of 1d8
can be raised
CON bonus to HP
assuming 18 INT @ level 1:

Ego Uncarnate: +2 INT from levels = 24 INT => 88 + 35 (int) + 10 (racial) = 133 PP

Psion / Uncarnate: +2 INT from level, +4 from equipment = 24 INT => 144 PP + racial bonus (which is 1/HD if you're Kalashtar, for example), and two 6th level powers


That's a pretty good list of things it has over an Ego Uncarnate Psion 10. I'll admit the template has a lot of abilities, but let's go over a few of them:


Brain Drain - weaker than the Ghost version and easy to recover from, get PP like the Psionic Lich.
Power Leech - full-round action is very limiting, otherwise very similar to the Spectral Savant attack Power Siphon.
Turn Resistance - changed. PP/10 rounded down, max +4.
Undead Mind - it's an undead powered by his own mind, and I felt it was just weird that it would become immune to spells and powers that affected its mind.
Psionic Dependency - Low PP pool should be something the ego uncarnate is always worrying about: it powers all of its abilities from it. Changed dispel psionics to 1d6 PP drain, and added a 1d4 PP/round drain in a catapsi field. Also added the null psionics field effect. This means that you can capture and destroy one fairly easily.
Naturally Psionic - Added the Schism note.
Psionic Sense - removed, replaces with unaugmented touchsight ability.
Telekinetic Force - Ghosts get get arcane telekinesis, which functions as the powers telekinetic force, telekinetic thrust, and telekinetic maneuver combined.
Fast Healing - it fits the flavor, and is less powerful below 50 PP. I'm keeping it.
Power Resistance - changed to PP / 10 rounded down, max +5.
Immunities - nothing really special for an undead here. Liches have it.
Ability Bonuses - Large, to be sure. I think it needs it.
Skills - Liches, Psionic Liches, Spectral Savants, Ghosts, and Spectres all have these +8 bonuses. I just made Ego Uncarnate fall into line with them. Autohypnosis is necessary.
Feats - added Psionic Body as a bonus feat to help make up for the lack of a CON bonus.


I think he's certainly within +5 LA at this point.

EvilElitest
2007-10-04, 05:02 PM
I had been making a charsheet for an evil undead campaign and was interested in using Spectral Savant as a template, but was frustrated by the fact that they can't regain PP through rest. Well, they can't sleep anyway, but you know what I mean. Seeing as other incorporeal undead such as Ghosts and Spectres can do so, I cooked up a variant.

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Ego Uncarnate
"Ego Uncarnate" is a template that can be applied to any psionic, living creature with an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma of at least 10 which has a power point reserve, hereafter referred to as the "base creature."

Size: Unchanged.

Type: Changes to undead, and gains the incorporeal subtype.

Hit Dice: All current and future hit dice, including class hit dice, change to d12s.

Speed: Speed is unchanged, but an ego uncarnate flies with perfect maneuverability.

Armor Class: Loses natural armor bonus, but gains a deflection bonus to AC equal to its Charisma modifier. Unlike other incorporeal undead, the equipment worn at the time of creation does not get subsumed into an ego uncarnate's form -- it is born naked. See MMIII (p. 214) for rules about incorporeal creatures and equipment.

Attacks: An ego uncarnate keeps all special and natural attacks of the base creature except those requiring biological processes (e.g. poison), but any attacks that require physical contact only work against other ethereal creatures. All attacks use the ego uncarnate's Dexterity modifier for attack rolls, and its Charisma modifier as a damage bonus against ethereal foes only. It also gains a melee touch attack that deals 1d8 of untyped damage usable in lieu of a normal melee attack (if more than one is available), and the special attacks listed below.

Special Attacks:

Brain Drain (Su): Any living creature hit by an ego uncarnate's natural attack or melee touch attack deals 2 Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma damage, chosen at the time of the attack. It gains power points equal to the ability damage dealt. This ability is usable once per round. The ability damage heals after 8 hours rest or 4 hours meditation.

Power Leech (Su): By spending a full round action, an ego uncarnate can make a special attack to creatures with psionic powers or psi-like abilities with HD less than or equal to its own HD + its Charisma bonus. If it succeeds on a melee touch attack, it siphons some of the target creature's psionic ability, taking away one use of the highest level psi-like ability available (and gaining power points equal to the cost plus augmentations of the related power at the target's manifester level), or drains power points outright. An ego uncarnate cannot drain more than its hit dice in power points with a single attack; the excess are lost to the ego uncarnate.

Special Qualities: A ego uncarnate retains all special qualities except those requiring biological processes, and gains those listed below.

Undead Traits (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#undeadType)

Incorporeal Traits (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#incorporealSubtype)

Turn Resistance (Ex): An ego uncarnate has turn resistance equal to its remaning power points / 10, rounded down, max +4.

Undead Mind (Su): Unlike normal undead, an ego uncarnate is affected by mind-affecting powers and spells, although it gains a +4 bonus to save against hostile effects and does not automatically fail on a natural 1.

Psionic Dependency (Su): Psionic energies create and sustain an ego uncarnate, and therefore make it susceptible to anti-psionic powers or magic. Dispel psionics (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/dispelPsionics.htm) burns 1d6 power points from an ego uncarnate's power pool; treat the dispel DC as 11 + the ego uncarnate's hit dice. Catapsi (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/catapsi.htm) fields disrupt the normal functioning of an ego uncarnate and drains 1d4 power points per round from it if it does not succeed on a Will Save. Being within a null psionics field (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/nullPsionicsField.htm) makes the Incarnate operate as if it had 0 PP, although once it exits the field it can once again function normally and is unaffected by a field it created itself. If it should ever run out of power points (through manifesting powers or being drained), it enters a weakened state. It loses many of its racial abilities as listed below, cannot use any psi-like abilities of the base creature, and cannot regain PP normally; it can still gain PP through its Brain Drain or Power Leech special attacks. Spending an hour in uninterrupted meditation and succeeding on a DC 20 Autohypnosis check allows it to regain 1 PP, at which point it can function normally. If it fails this check, the ego uncarnate takes 1d6 mind burn damage, but can continue meditating. Another Autohypnosis check is made every hour until it succeeds or it is destroyed through mind burn.

Psicrystal Incompatibility (Ex): An ego uncarnate cannot create a psicrystal, even if it the base creature had the Psicrystal Affinity (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#psicrystalAffinity) feat, and any psicrystal which it had before the ritual is lost. This is a side-effect of the ritual itself and being incorporeal.

Naturally Psionic (Su): Ego uncarnate have surpassed their need for a body; the parts of their mind which had to maintain bodily functions are used to enhance their psionic power. They gain 1 bonus power point per HD, and a permanent +1 bonus to their manifester level. This overrides any racial power point bonuses of the base creature, and stacks with the Overchannel (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#overchannel) feat and the Wild Surge (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/classes/wilder.htm#wildSurge) class ability. The increased manifester level does not grant them more powers known or power points from class levels, but applies to any and all psionic classes it has, if applicable. For example, a Wilder 6 / Psion 8 could spend up to 7 PP when manifesting a Wilder power, and 9 PP when manifesting a Psion power. This ability only functions for the primary mind of the ego uncarnate, if it has gained more than one through the schism power or another ability.

Touchsight (Su): An ego uncarnate can sense objects with a telekinetic version of echolocation; treat it as if under the effects of the touchsight (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/touchsight.htm) power, with no augmentations. Touchsight stops functioning if the ego uncarnate reaches 0 PP.

Telekinetic Force (Su): An ego uncarnate can use telekinetic force (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/telekineticForce.htm) as a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, at a manifester level equal to its HD (including the +1 bonus listed above). This power can be augmented up to the normal limit of its emulated manifester level. The save DC is Charisma-based. An ego uncarnate with 0 PP cannot use this ability.

Fast Healing (Su): The psionic energies that maintain an ego uncarnate constantly revitalizes its form, giving it Fast Healing equal to its remaining PP / 10 (rounded down), up to a maximum of Fast Healing 5.

Power Resistance (Su): An ego uncarnate has power resistance equal to its HD + its remaining PP / 10 rounded down, maximum +5, as long as it has at least 1 PP.

Immunities (Ex): Ego uncarnate are immune to cold, electricity, and polymorph effects.

Abilities: Dex +2, Int +4, Wis +2, Cha +4. Incorporeal undead have no Strength or Constitution scores.
Skills: Ego uncarnate have a +8 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, Search, and Spot checks. Autohypnosis is added to its class skills.
Feats: Add Psionic Body (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#psionicBody) as a bonus feat.
Environment: As base creature.
Organization: Solitary or pair.
Challenge Rating: Base creature +3.
Treasure: Standard.
Alignment: Any, but usually evil if the ritual was performed on the base creature.
Advancement: By character class.
Level Adjustment: +5

Transformation Ritual: Usually, a psion or erudite performs the ritual on herself, requiring her to obtain or create a cognizance crystal capable of storing 17 power points and a number of mundane crystals totaling no less than 15,000 gp. Additionally, she must be able to manifest at least one 6th level power. Once the ritual is started, the crystals are destroyed in the process and the cognizance crystal is subsumed into the body of the psion or erudite. Performing the ritual on oneself is very jarring; she expends 6,000 XP to complete the ritual.

However, the ritual is sometimes carried out by one or more psions (almost invariably of evil alignment) upon a subject instead, who may or may not be willing. In either case, the mind and body do not separate as peacefully as they would otherwise; in fact they might have been outright torn apart. Usually this results in an ego uncarnate on the evil side of the alignment spectrum. The same material requirements must be met, but those performing the ritual expend their full allotment of power points in the process, as well as taking the burden of the XP cost themselves.

When the ritual is complete, the subject's mind takes ethereal form and separates from the body, which remains in the material plane, but is lifeless. Attempting to rejoin the mind and body through a raise dead, resurrection, and other related spells or powers does not work; only a wish or reality revision can rejoin the split halves. Typically, the body is quickly destroyed by those involved through disintegration or similar means, at which point it becomes impossible to undo the ritual.

----------------------------------------------------

So there you have it. I changed the name to "Ego Uncarnate" right after I posted initially -- I just liked it better.

It has an increased LA compared to the SS or Psionic Lich (from Hyperconscious), putting it on par with Ghosts and Spectres. I think it's pretty fair compared to those templates, which have fear auras and create spawn abilities respectively. Psionic Dependency is pretty harsh, and an undead susceptible to mind-affecting abilities is also a big nerf. I'm actually not so sure about the latter; I might remove it yet.

Questions? Comments? Criticism? Am I just totally power-mad?

EDIT: Changed Turn Resistance to PP/10 max +4, added catapsi and null psionic field effects, added schism note, replaced Psionic Senses with touchsight, changed Power Resistance to PP/10 max +5, removed Sense Motive from skill bonuses, added psionic body bonus feat.

Fluff please
from,
EE

warbacon
2007-10-04, 06:47 PM
Fluff posted. Thanks for the reminder.

Mind putting that giant quote you just made into a spoiler tag so it doesn't take up so much space?

The_Snark
2007-10-04, 07:15 PM
As another argument in favor of its balance, I would point out that it doesn't seem to possess the regenerative abilities that ghosts, liches, and whatnot have. It has fast healing, which is certainly useful, but not near-immortality.

warbacon
2007-10-04, 07:38 PM
Ah yes! Thank you, The_Snark, for reminding me! Yes, they do not reappear 1d4 days after being destroyed -- you get one chance at this whole unlife thing like a regular undead does.

I'm considering replacing Psionic Body (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#psionicBody) with Psionic Meditation (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#psionicMeditation) as the bonus feat ... too powerful?

Anyone have any ideas for unique and interesting racial abilities it might get? Bonus feats and psi-like abilities are great and all, but I want to give this template more flavor. Please, pile on the suggestions.

The Demented One
2007-10-04, 09:03 PM
Even with the gp/xp costs of the ritual, I think the LA's a little low...as it is right now, I'd put it somewhere in the +6 to +7 range, just from the sheer number of abilities. You could probably afford to drop the touchsight and fast healing abilities, which I think would bring it more in line with a +5 LA.

warbacon
2007-10-04, 10:07 PM
Nixed the immunities (cold, electricity, and polymorph), the +2 Dex bonus (didn't really fit anyway), and touchsight (which basically makes Spot and Search checks irrelevant -- admittedly a powerful ability).

That should bring it down nicely. Below are comparisons to related incorporeal undead, just to get some context.

Compared to Spectral Savant:
Negatives:
A really nasty weakness to anti-psionic powers. Very nasty.
Loses immunity to mind-affecting powers (still immune to sleep from being undead, though)
Inability to have a psicrystal
Can drain PP, but it takes a full-round action instead
+1 LA
Gains:
Fast Healing which is power-point based; having less than 50 PP is a pretty common thing
PP-based Power Resistance; see above
Telekinetic Force
Ability to regain PP through 8 hours of calm
+2 Int, -2 Dex
A bonus feat, which I really want to change to Psionic Meditation. Justification: the same psionic power which allows it to move can instead be diverted to focus the mind.


Compared to the Ghost template (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/ghost.htm):

Negatives:
No gaze attack, and a weaker melee touch attack
No Frightful Moan fear attack
No crazy ability-draining aura -- Horrific Appearance is insane
No ability to merge with corporeal creatures or manifest in any way
A weaker telekinesis: telekinesis (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/telekinesis.htm) vs. telekinetic force (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/telekineticForce.htm)
Is utterly destroyed when it hits 0 HP, compounded by the fact that it's easily destroyed when at 0 PP
Conditional turn resistance
Loses immunity to [Mind-Affecting]
Cannot have a psicrystal (which is honestly doubtful in the first place)
Weakness to anti-psionics

Gains:

+4 Int, +2 Wis
Power Resistance
Fast Healing
Can drain PP
Bonus feat

Reasonable?

namo
2007-10-04, 10:17 PM
Psionic Body sounds like a good idea, it fits the flavor. I think you can up the maximum PR to HDs + 10, and reduce the cost of the ritual (btw, how are you going to play it given the 6th level power requirement ?).

I still dislike Undead Mind, but that's personal.

I like Psionic Dependency, but it's still hardly a problem for a non-psionic campaign (I don't see catapsi being used too much). Note that all incorporeal undead wink out when the enter an antimagic field.

About your comparison :
- Undead can be revived (see Revive Undead, SC)

- Incorporeals can get new gear (so they'll have the same number of PPs (+/- 2) except if the Psion Uncarnate is a Kalashtar). See the MM3/ToB update I pointed to.

- Inertial Armor is better than mundane armor for both psions

The rest of your points stands, and Snark's point is good too.

I hope I'm not bothering you *too* much. :smallwink: I think you're almost there ; I'll try thinking of some abilities.

edit: [the above comments were made before your last post]
Note that Ghosts get 1 to 3 abilities, not all. That said, the more powerful ones (Draining Touch, Malevolence, Telekinesis - others are good but typically not party-friendly) are very good.

warbacon
2007-10-04, 10:39 PM
btw, how are you going to play it given the 6th level power requirement?As written in "Ego Uncarnate as Characters," sometimes they are spawned spontaneously through a violent death. This mirrors the text in Spectral Savant. I made it remove character levels to balance out the effect somewhat, and to fall in line with the Elan transformation.


I still dislike Undead Mind, but that's personal.You know, I do too... The thing is that most psion powers are [Mind-Affecting], so leaving them immune is a huge boon.


Note that all incorporeal undead wink out when the enter an antimagic field.Fixed to fit the pattern. Astral Constructs also follow this rule.


Undead can be revived (see Revive Undead, SC)Didn't realize that ... but doesn't mean I like it.


Note that Ghosts get 1 to 3 abilities, not all.Ah, good point. So might have to tone down the template some more before I hit +5


I hope I'm not bothering you *too* much. :smallwink: I think you're almost there ; I'll try thinking of some abilities.Quite the contrary! I welcome the criticism! I really want to get this template to a balanced state that I'm happy with.

namo
2007-10-05, 02:55 AM
Minor nit-pick : incorporeal undead don't get SR/PR vs an antimagic field (well, except if they're summoned).

[offtopic]
Also, I realized why you wanted Fast Healing : to Overchannel all day, right ? :smallcool:

warbacon
2007-10-05, 03:26 AM
Minor nit-pick : incorporeal undead don't get SR/PR vs an antimagic field (well, except if they're summoned).Fair enough. Fixed.


Also, I realized why you wanted Fast Healing : to Overchannel all day, right ? :smallcool:Well, that is part of the reason, although a number of undead templates grant the ability as well. But, I figure the fact that I don't get the full benefit without a healthy reserve of PP (>=50) somewhat offsets the Overchannel aspect of the whole thing ... since you're essentially using up your Fast Healing ability to manifest powers. I think the whole PP-for-racial ability tradeoff is a pretty good one.

warbacon
2007-10-06, 02:04 AM
So ... shameless *bump*

Am I close? Think I fit into a +5 LA even in a non-psionic campaign? Still lacking flavor?