Aotrs Commander
2019-11-06, 08:08 PM
Allow me to present for your consideration the Lurk, upgraded to (what I hope is) Pathfinder-standard. I would greatly appreciate any thoughts and feedback!
(This is pass two; I made my first pass just over a month ago. Rather than doublepost, I figured it would be better to start a fresh thread now that I have a fair bit of concrete stuff to show this time! For my sanity and time, I have copy-pasted some of what I said previously, so forgive me anyone who read this previously! The biggest thing I did today was actually properly sort the old augments into something decent - I hope!)
My philosophy for the lurk upgrade has been to try and more emphasise the "psionic assassin", rather than just "psionic rogue" (since y'know, psychic rogue is a thing, and I don't want ALL the class fixes to be just "add rogue talents...!")
On that basis, I'm trying to nudge the lurk more into a role of "one shot" rather than "many attacks" as you tend to get for the rogue-types, because ridiculous SA damage. It's not a particularly covered niche, certainly in the hybrid 3.Aotrs rules. Therefore, I have prodded and tweaked things such that in theory, most of the lurk's damage is going to come mostly or entirely from their first shot. Without putting hard caps on what you can or can't do, because I don't like to do that.
I have also generally tried to present this as Pathfinder-compatible and extracted my house-rules (though there will be some 3.5 feats in there I think! It's all in my feats documents now from both editions...!)
Lurk
http://archive.wizards.com/dnd/images/dnd_cwc_20061003_lurk.jpg
Hoping I've done a better job by you, 3.5 Iconic That Doesn't Even Apparently Have A Name I Could Find, Let Alone A Decent Image Lady.
Hit Die: D8
3.Aotrs actually uses D6, but we use maximum hit points anyway, which is better on average.
Class Skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Autohypnosis (Wis), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Swim (Str), Use Magic Device (Cha)
Skill Points per level: 6+Int mod
Pretty much the same as it was, with obvious disable device added, and more skill points. Even as an assassin, the lurk will want a fair few skills, but this lurk is supposed to be aimed more at "kill the dude" more than "skill monkey."
3.Aotrs also has Concentration, Jump and Search, because those are still separate skills under my purview!
\n\n\t
LevelBase Attack
BonusFort
SaveRef
SaveWill
SavePP/ DayPowers
KnownMax Power
Level knownSpecial
1st+0+0+2+2111stAspect, Aspect Technique, Initiative Boost, Maledictions (1st)
2nd+1+0+3+3221stSneak Attack +D6
3rd+2+1+3+3431stAlways Ready, Maledictions (3rd)
4th+3+1+4+4642ndAspect Ability, Evasion
5th+3+1+4+4852ndMaladictions (5th), Sneak Attack +2D6
6th+4+2+5+51262ndMaladiction (Double Charge)
7th+5+2+5+51673rdMaladictions (7th)
8th+6/+1+2+6+62083rdAspect Ability, Sneak Attack +3D6
9th+6/+1+3+6+62493rdMaladictions (9th)
10th+7/+2+3+7+728104thImproved Evasion
11th+8/+3+3+7+736114thMaladictions (11th), Sneak Attack +4D6
12th+9/+4+4+8+844124thAspect Ability, Malediction (Triple Charge)
13th+9/+4+4+8+852135thMaladictions (13th)
14th+10/+5+4+9+960145thSneak Attack +5D6
15th+11/+6/+1+5+9+968155thMaladictions (15th)
16th+12/+7/+2+5+10+1080166thAspect Ability
17th+12/+7/+2+5+10+1092176thMaladictions (17th), Sneak Attack +6D6
18th+13/+8/+3+6+11+11104186thMaladiction (Quadruple Charge)
19th+14/+9/+4+6+11+11116196thMaladictions (19th)
20th+15/+10/+5+6+12+12128206thAspect Ability, Maleficent Master
[/TR] \n[/TR]\n
BAB you might make an argument for making full, but I'm keeping it at 3/4 for the moment and giving the lurk a little compensation, as well as a nudge towards the one shot.
Saves are fine as they were.
Powers, I just went and did what the (Dreamscarred) PF rules did and just added +1 PP like on the PsiWar, because it hardly makes any difference in the long run and means words get taken away (since you'd have to go all on about at first level, a lurk only get PP from Int). Number and levels unchanged, but I have yet to thoroughly go through the powers list and see if I think it needs tweaking or anything and any effect on the powers thereof.)
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Lurks are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with light armour, and with shields (except tower shields).
I'm divided on this one. On the one hand, I don't want to shoehorn the lurk too hard into one goal, but the idea that has firmly implanted itself in my head is the lurk whipping about and taking a shot with her (of all things) crossbow. I'm trying to keep in my head the lurk could be whacking great dude with a greatsword as well, but it's hard! There is a temptation to drop the lurk's base weapons to essentially the rogue's selection.
Powers: A lurk’s ability to manifest powers is limited by the power points she has available. Her base daily allotment of power points is given on the table. In addition, she receives bonus power points per day if she has a high Intelligence score.
A lurk begins play knowing one lurk power of your choice. Each time she achieves a new level, she unlocks the knowledge of a new power, the maximum level of which is indicated in the table.
Choose the powers known from the lurk power list (The feats Expanded Knowledge and Epic Expanded Knowledge allow a lurk to learn powers from the lists of other disciplines or even other classes.) A lurk can manifest any power that has a power point cost equal to or lower than her manifester level.
The number of times a lurk can manifest powers in a day is limited only by her daily power points.
A lurk simply knows her powers; they are ingrained in his mind. She does not need to prepare them (in the way that some spellcasters prepare their spells), though she must get a good night’s sleep each day to regain all his spent power points.
The Difficulty Class for saving throws against lurk powers is 10 + the power’s level + the lurk’s Intelligence modifier.
To learn or manifest a power, a lurk must have an Intelligence score of at least 10 + the power’s level.
Blah blah, no changes.
Aspect: At 1st level, a Lurk chooses an aspect to follow.
Aspect Technique: Studied Aim
Studied Aim (Ex): By observing a foe, the lurk can calculate the exact moment to strike. As a Move action, the lurk can select a single target to observe. The lurk gains a +1 bonus on their next attack roll to hit that target if it is made before the end of their next turn. This bonus increases by +1 for every 3 levels to a maximum of +7 at 18th level. (It does not increase at Epic levels.)
Aspect Feats: Crossbow Mastery, Eyes in the Back of Your Head, Mental Dampening, Poison Expert, Poison Master, Psionic Poison
Aspect Powers:
Just a Face in the Crowd (Su): The assassin lurk gains a bonus equal to half her class level on Disguise and Perception checks when 10 or more creatures of her size are within 30 feet of her.
Poison Use (Ex): The assassin lurk never risks accidentally poisoning herself when applying poison to a weapon.
Swift Poison (Ex): The assassin lurk can apply poison to a weapon as a Move action, instead of a Standard action.
Aspect Technique: Stalker’s Hunt
Stalker’s Hunt: The lurk gains Psionic Trailspotter, Track as a bonus feat and Survival is added to her class skills and she adds half her level (minimum 1) to Survival skill checks made to follow tracks. (This does not stack with the ranger ability Track.)
Psionic Trail Spotter (Su): As long as the lurk has psionic focus, whenever she comes within 10 feet of a trail or tracks, she receives an immediate Perception skill check to notice the trail of tracks. This check should be made in secret by the GM.
Aspect Feats: Dodge, Duck and Weave, Inquisitor, Speed of Thought, Step Up, Urban Tracking
Aspect Powers:
Favoured Terrain: The stalker lurk gains a favoured terrain (as the ranger class feature).
Follow Clues (Ex): The stalker lurk can use Perception to follow detected tracks instead of using Survival. (The lurk must first find the tracks first using Perception if they have Track or Trail Spotter.)
Long Step (Su): The stalker lurk can move 10 feet when taking a 5-foot step. At 10th level, the lurk can move 15 feet when taking a 5-foot step. Each use of this ability uses 3 power points.
Aspect Technique: Psionic Trap Spotter, Trapfinding
Trapfinding (Ex): The lurk adds 1/2 her level to Perception skill checks made to locate traps and to Disable Device skill checks (minimum +1). The lurk can use Disable Device to disarm magic traps.
Psionic Trap Spotter (Su): As long as the lurk has psionic focus, whenever she comes within 10 feet of an undetected trap, she receives an immediate Perception skill check to notice the trap. This check should be made in secret by the GM.
Aspect Feats: Dodge, Flick of the Wrist, Mental Dampening, Mental Leap , Signature Skill, Skill Finesse
Aspect Powers:
Fast Stealth (Ex): This ability allows the thief lurk to move at full speed using the Stealth skill without penalty.
Quick Disappearance (Ex): As a Full-Round action, the thief lurk can move up to her speed. If she successfully reaches a location that offers her cover or concealment, any creature observing her must attempt a Perception check opposed by the lurk’s Stealth check. On a failed check, the observer loses track of the lurk and fails to note where she moved to. The lurk does not take a penalty on this Stealth check for moving up to her speed.
Kip Up (Ex): As long as the thief lurk has psionic focus, she does not provoke an attack of opportunity when standing from prone.
I started out with basically trying to make the base lurk and the Mind's Eye into, like, separate tracks (which you may remember from last time.) This pass, though, I abandoned that idea, and instead changed maledictions so they are just picked up individually (more on that below). Aspects thus mostly just give a couple of support abilities - or one of the major ones for the assassin which is the "primary" class and a slightly different set of bonus feats.
Yes, the powers are more or less just a handful of selected rogue talents and ninja tricks - I'm open to suggestions! (I burned most of my creative though for the day on the maledictions and I really didn't want to over-tune the Lurk...!)
My nominal theme for each aspect is Assassin kills people (duh), Stalker is more movement orientated (pursuit) and thief is, well, Stealth.
Maledictions (Su or Ex): Beginning at 1st level, a lurk can augment her weapon attacks by selecting an ability from her available maledictions. A lurk starts with two maledictions from the 1st level list and gains an additional 2 maledictions every odd level until 19th level. Whenever she learns a new malediction, the lurk can select a malediction from any level of her Lurk level or less.
At 1st level, a lurk can use 4 + her Intelligence modifier maledictions per day. At each level after 1st, she gains an additional 2 maledictions per day. If she can apply more than malediction at once, each malediction counts towards her daily limit. Her malediction pool is replenished each morning after 8 hours of rest or meditation; these hours do not need to be consecutive.
Charging one or more maledictions is a Swift action. The maledictions are expended on her next attack. If that attack misses, their use is wasted. The lurk can hold charged maledictions for a number of rounds equal to her Intelligence bonus before they dissipate. If she attempts to charge more maledictions while still holding a charge, the previous charge is dispersed and wasted. A lurk can use a Move action to re-absorb her charged maledictions without expending them; the re-absorbed maledictions are added back to her pool.
If the malediction allows a saving throw, it has a DC of ½ the Lurk’s class level plus her Intelligence modifier.
In some cases, she can use power points to increase the power of her maledictions. When powering a malediction with power points, a lurk cannot spend more total power points than her lurk level, even if she can apply more than one malediction at once. For example, an 6th-level lurk could choose to include a Mental Assault and a Solid Strike in her attack, and spend a total of 6 power points between the two abilities.
At 1st level, she can only charge a single malediction. At 6th level, a lurk can choose two maledictions from her list to charge in the same Swift action. At 12th level, a lurk can choose three maledictions from her list to charge in the same Swift action. At 18th level, she can choose four maledictions from her list to charge in the same Swift action.
Most maledictions are supernatural abilities, but some are extraordinary abilities as noted in their descriptions; extraordinary maledictions can still be augmented by Power Points in an anti-magic field or similar effects.
Maledictions are Class Affinities.
Okay! First thing, as you'll see (if you didn't see the prior attempt!), is that the name has changed. About the point I had a sentence which read "the lurk's Lurk Augments can be augmented by..." I decided that "lurk augment" was actually a pretty crappy name, and moreover, didn't really sound much like a thing the lurk would refer to in-character (to abilities with kinda are discrete enough to warrant a name!) So, after a little thought and googled thesaurus, they are currently being called maledictions, which sounds so very much cooler. But if anyone has any even better ideas, I'm all ears!
Mechanically, then, I've mostly just codified them a bit better. The lurk can charge 'em up like before, but they can hold the charge like a touch spell for a little bit (maybe stack some power-buffs on), and even, if they charged it up last round and some fracker killed the guy before they could take a shot, re-absorb it back without wasting it, which I thought was a neat idea that is, I think, unique.
Biggest change is that Ranged Lurk Augment feat is entirely irrelevant, since maledictions aren't melee only anymore.
Kept them at "one attack" because of the aforementioned nudge towards "one hit." They are, however, going to be allowed to make that hit a dozy. After careful consideration, I decided that at 20th, four maledictions gave them lots of fun choices and combinations, and as only one of them is going to be maxed, not horribly broken; it also gives some of the lesser options a better chance if they're being picked as 2nd/3rd/4th options.
New this time is that rather than use the Complete Psionics method of having a set list of slightly oddly levelled augments, this time, I've gone and made it such that the lurk picks two every odd level.
("Class Affinity" incidentally, is just parlance for "it's one of those rogue talents/rage powers/ninja trick/hex class features" meaning I only have to have, like one "Extra [guff]" feat, not umpteen...)
Initiative Boost (Ex): At 1st level, a lurk can add her Intelligence bonus on her initiative checks.
There are two reasons for this being moved to first. 1) it makes sense for the assassin-y type to want to take the first shot, and it's not really a powerful ability (I mean, it's effectively just Improved Initiative if you don't take that feat.) Secondly, and in my opinion, more importantly, the entire selfish reason that as DM for a weekly campaign, I roll all the initiatives for encounters long before hand on a spreadsheet (when you have combats with seven characters frequently, that's five-odd minutes less not doing anything interesting out of our two hours). And no, I can't be arsed to go back and faff with it once it's done and printed, so putting it in the bottom means the lurk will at least get most of the benefits consistently...
Sneak Attack: If a Lurk can catch an opponent when she cannot defend herself effectively from her attack, she can strike a vital spot for extra damage.
The Lurk’s attack deals extra damage any time her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the Lurk flanks her target. This extra damage is +D6 at 2nd level, and it increases by +D6 every three Lurk levels thereafter. Should the Lurk score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied. Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet. The extra damage from Sneak attack is a precision damage effect.
With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, a Lurk can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. She cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual -4 penalty, because he must make optimal use of her weapon to execute a sneak attack.
The Lurk must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A Lurk cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or total concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.
PF was absolutely right; psionic sneak attack, sudden strike and skirmish were crap, and just straight SA is the way to do it if it's the primary class feature. Lurks get a reduced progression because they can augment their damage with maledictions, and I felt full would be overdoing it on top of all their other stuff. Still better than they had, though, and it doesn't require them to be psionically focussed.
Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level and higher, a lurk can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the rogue is wearing light armour or no armour. A helpless lurk does not gain the benefit of evasion.
I saw no real reason to have this at 9th level, so it may as well go back to where rogue get it.
Always Ready (Ex): The lurk is always ready to spring into action as soon as an opening to strike presents itself. At 3rd level, the lurk gains Quick Draw and Rapid Reload as bonus feat.
Yeah, mostly this is because that idea of having lurk-with-crossbow, but hey, paired with quickdraw, it's a nice little extra even for melee or bow lurks or something.
Aspect Ability: At 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter, the lurk gains an aspect power from her Aspect power list or a feat from for which she meets the pre-requisites. She may selects the feat from the list below or from the list of her Aspect Feats.
Lurks bonus Feats
Deadly Throw, Deep Impact, Fell Shot, Greater Psionic Fist, Greater Psionic Shot, Greater Psionic Weapon, Improved Vital Strike, Mentally Inconspicuous, Mixed Combat, Out of Sight Out of Mind, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Psionic Fist, Psionic Meditation, Psionic Shot, Psionic Weapon, Vital Strike, Unavoidable Strike
The aspects at this point are more or less filling out the dead levels left behind everything else and giving a little differentiation to the Lurk as well as some potentially needed psionic feats. I'm very open to suggestions to make the aspects better - if indeed that is even needed with the maledictions being what they are now
Improved Evasion (Ex): At 10th level, a lurk’s evasion ability improves. She still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, but henceforth she takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless lurk does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.
It has Evasion and this was pointless sitting on the thief lurk's augment list.
Maleficent Master (Ex): (Capstone) At 20th level, when charging her maledictions, the lurk may spent one extra malediction from her pool to gain a bonus of twice her lurk level to damage on her next attack.
In addition, she gains an additional 5 maledictions per day.
Better name than my previous one, slight tweak to number of extra stuff!
Okay, that brings to the bulk of the new stuff for today - the Maledictions themselves! These have now been split into levels. This is really where I need the feedback. One, to have a rational check on what levels I've got stuff at, add any better ideas anyone has and tweak as necessary. As this is the bit if wrong would make the lurk a bit... Much...!
I have managed to fill out at least four maledictions of each level, though how successful I've been in grading them is hopefully for you to decide!
Maladictions
1st level Maledictions
Long Strike: Your next melee attack has a reach of +5 feet or your next ranged attack increases its first range increment by 10 feet (it does not affect the second or subsequent range increments). Unlike other maledictions, Long Strike activates when you make your attack, instead of on a successful hit.
This is what the never-defined Psionic Reach augment could have been, though it really didn't need to be, like, level 8.
Psionic Sneak Attack: Your next attack deals an extra D6 points of damage from a sneak attack. For every 1 power point you spend, this damage increases by D6 points. The attack must be one to which sneak attack damage applies.
This will be the work horse damage dealer. I've explicitly not added any new damage-dealing maledictions than the lurk already has, because what would be the point?
Psionic Tag: Your next attack will “tag” a creature or object with a psionic signature.
You gain an insight bonus equal to +1 insight bonus to attack rolls against the tagged creature or object and on checks made to track or locate it. This bonus increases by 1 for every 4 lurk levels. In addition, a psionic tag on a target enables other maledictions.
You can have only one tag active for every five lurk levels you have and you must release one to create another. The tag is undetectable without magic unless you choose to make it obvious. A concealed tag requires a Psicraft check (DC 10 + ½ your lurk level plus your intelligence modifier) to detect with Detect Magic. The tag’s duration is a number of days equal to your lurk level. Nondetection and similar spells and psionics will conceal a tag, and Dispel Psionics or entering an Antimagic Field or any effect that removes curses will remove this tag.
Hey look, psionic tag is actually DOES something worthwhile now!
Sickening Strike: A creature hit by your next attack must make a Fortitude saving throw or be Sickened for D3 rounds.
Unnoticed Strike: You pass a localised perceptional concealment to your next attack.
A target struck by your next attack take a penalty takes a penalty equal to your lurk level on Perception checks to locate your position for 1 round. Unaware creatures observing the target also suffer this penalty. An unaware target takes a penalty equal to your lurk level.
You may optionally choose to reduce your damage weapon damage rolls by equal to your lurk level and forgo any sneak attack to a minimum of 0. On a hit, the target is affected by any other maledictions applied to the attack, but will be unaware of why or where the attack came from unless they make a successful Will save. You must still deal enough damage to equal any damage reduction the target has to have any effect, but the attack is effective is you equal the damage reduction (an exception to the normal rules).
The DC of this save is decreased by 1 for each point of damage or 2 for each points of ability damage the target took (after damage reduction has been applied). If the effects of the attack are not obvious (such as a concealed Psionic Tag), the creature will not be aware it has been attacked at all if it fails the save. Other creatures observing the target must make a Will save (DC 10 + ½ your lurk level plus your Intelligence modifier) to notice your attack in flight.
This is a mind-affecting ability.
This is an ability that potentially opens up some fun, especially as you can use the fact it can do no damage so you can use some of your maledictions on allies...
Unfocusing Strike: A creature hit by the lurk's attack must make a Will saving throw or lose its psionic focus in addition to taking the damage from the attack.
1st level Utility Maledictions
Psionic Tracker: As long as you have psionic focus, you gain a bonus on all tracking attempts equal to half your lurk level.
Psionic Stride: As long as you have psionic focus, you gain a bonus of 10 feet to your speed. If you expend your psionic focus and 1 malediction as a Swift action, you can ignore difficult terrain for 1 round.
Again, this is inspired by the never-defined augment for Mind's Eye. Yes, it DOESN'T care if you have heavy armour and it IS typed, because there are far too many of the speed boosts that don't...! Maybe too much for a 1st level malediction as it stands though, but I wanted it to be y'know, appreciably better than Speed of Thought!)
3rd level Maledictions
Bleeding Strike (Ex): Your next attack causes the target to Bleed for 2 points of damage per round. This damage does not stack with itself. For every 2 power points you spend, this damage increases by 1.
Dazing Strike: A creature hit by your next attack must make a Will saving throw or be Dazed for 1 round. This is a mind-affecting attack.
Given that Stun is basically one of the best conditions to inflict anyway, there wasn't much point loading out loads of these. I figured Daze would fit a niche of being Will, not Fort save to resist.
Energy Strike: Your next attack deals an extra D6 points of energy of your active energy type. In addition, by expending 2 power points, you can convert one or more of your Sneak Attack or Psionic Sneak Attack dice into energy damage dice on a one-for-one basis. You decided what to convert when you charge the malediction. You must still be eligible for to deal Sneak Attack to convert your Sneak Attack and Psionic Sneak Attack dice.
Using this malediction with Unnoticed Strike decreases the target’s DC to notice the attack by 1 for each dice of energy damage.
Obvious addition, but I didn't just want to do another damage thing; this way you can sacrifice some SA damage, but make it elemental.
Silencing Strike: Your next attack causes the target to be psionically Silenced for 1 round unless it succeeds at a Will save.
Solid Strike (Ex): Your next attack deals an extra 4 points of damage. For every power point spent, the damage increases by 2.
This is the unaltered "I can't Sneak Attack" damage booster.
Stunning Attack: A creature hit by your next attack must make a Fortitude saving throw or be Stunned for 1 round.
3rd level Utility Maledictions
Locate Trail: By expending one malediction as a Swift action, you can attempt to search for tracks with a +10 bonus to your Search or Perception check, or to your Survival check if you are re-trying a Survival check to follow tracks. If there is not an actual trail there, you will discover that, but still expend the malediction.
Psionic Uncanny Dodge: As long as you have your psionic focus, you retains your Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if you are caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, you still lose your Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.
It was on the thief lurk's augment list...
5th level Maledictions
Binding Attack: Your next attack Entangles the target for 1 round. If the target fails a Reflex save, they are entangled for an additional round per four lurk levels.
Clinging Strike: Your next attack that deals at least one dice of energy damage causes the target to take Ongoing Damage equal to 1 point per dice of energy damage. If you have multiple energy types, the target takes Ongoing Damage for each energy type, but one save ends all the Ongoing Damage effects caused by this ability at once. This damage does not stack with itself.
You must have Energy Strike malediction before selecting this malediction.
Ongoing Damage is one of the few ideas I cribbed from 4E. Basically, it just works such that you take the damage at the start of your turn (like bleed damage) and then at the end of your turn you make a save to remove it (save DC is 5 lower than the effect that inflicted it).
Impacting Strike: Your next attack deals normal damage and you can make a free Bull rush on the target. You use your intelligence modifier instead of your Strength bonus on your CMB with a ranged attack and have the option of so doing with a melee attack. You can push the target more than 5 feet if you beat their check result by 5 or more points; you do not have to follow up to push them to this distance if you do not wish to (nor can you If your attack was a ranged attack). You can attempt to bull rush creatures that are more than one size larger than you.
Veil Piercing Strike: Your next attack ignores the miss chance provided by Concealment or Total Concealment. You must still attack the correct square when attacking an invisible creature.
Re-named "ignore concealment" augment which like augment itself, is a boring name.
Mental Assault: Your next attack deals 2 points of either Intelligence or Wisdom damage in addition to its normal damage. You chooses which type of ability damage to deal when activating the power. For every 3 power points spent, the ability damage increases by 1.
Yeah, I nerfed this. Mostly because I looked at the list and went "yeah, +20D6 damage or +12 Int or Wis damage, which is better?" Frankly, I couldn't, and even post-nerf, cannot see an option that is really better than this in terms of damage, even if at level 20 you can only deal out +8 Int damage per turn (and have 2 PP left for another malediction buff). Actually, now I've expended the list and there's lots of maledictions that Do Stuff, this might not be such an obvious pick. Thoughts?
Unbalancing Strike: Your next attack allows you to make a free Trip attempt. You use your intelligence modifier instead of your Strength bonus on your CMB with a ranged attack and have the option of doing so with a melee attack.
7th level Maledictions
Confusing Strike: Your next attack Confuses the target for 1 round unless it makes a successful Wil save. This is a mind-affecting effect.
Crippling Attack: Your next attack deals 2 points of Strength damage.
Less words to write it out than in the article to say "as the crippling strike rogue special ability..."
Deceptive Strike (Ex): The target of your next attack is denied his Dexterity bonus to AC for that attack. This ability works against a target with Uncanny Dodge, but only if your class level is at least four levels higher than the target's effective rogue level.
Hampering Strike: Your next attack reduces all the target’s movement speeds by 5 feet (to a minimum of 5 feet). For every power point you spend, the target’s speeds are reduced by an additional 5 feet.
Reeling Strike: Your next attack trails behind a psionic tether which drags the target towards you. You may make a free grapple check against the target, and if you win, you pull the target back a number of 5 spaces equal to your Intelligence bonus. You use your intelligence modifier instead of your Strength bonus on your CMB with a ranged attack and have the option of doing so with a melee attack. (Note that unless you have reach, you can only use this malediction on ranged attacks.)
If you win the check, you may additionally expend your psionic focus to spend 1 or more power points to pull the target a number of spaces closer equal to the number of power points you expend.
Shouting "get over here!" in a deep voice is optional.
This may be my favourite idea conceptually. Also really useful... Remember what I said about Unnoticed Strike and using it on allies? Yank the tank back from being pulverised...?
Sneak Attack Undead: Your precision damage can affect undead creatures, if Sneak Attack damage would otherwise apply on your attack (for instance, if the undead is flanked or flat-footed).
3.Aotrs allows you to crit undead but not deal precision damage to them, so this has use here - ditto for the later SA Constructs, though in a pure PF game, this would have to go...
(I probably ought to rename both of these abilities to something better like Grave Strike and... Something else...!)
Stalling Strike: You may also use this malediction to attack a flying target, forcing them to make a Fly check (verses your malediction DC) or lose 10 feet of altitude per point of your Intelligence bonus.
You may instead charge this malediction before taking a readied action to attack a foe when they move more than 5 feet. If you hit, the target is forced to stop moving at a point you choose (after moving a minimum of 5 feet). If this target is also flying, they must make the Fly check as above to avoid losing altitude.
7th level Utility Maledictions
Locate Target: You can expend 1 malediction and your psionic focus to manifest Locate Object as a psi-like ability to find an object or creature that has previously been psionically tagged.
You must have Psionic Tag malediction before selecting this malediction.
9th level Maledictions
Abating Strike: Your next attack reduces one of your target’s Energy Resistances or Damage Reduction (you choice when you charge the malediction) by 5 points for 2 rounds. For every 2 power points you extend the duration by 1 round. For every six lurk levels, you increase the reduction to energy resistance or damage reduction by 5 points. If you target a resistance or damage reduction the target does not have, the ability has no effect. This ability does not stack with itself on the same resistance or damage reduction, but you can use it on a target and pick a different resistance or damage reduction.
Anchoring Strike: Your next attack completely blocks extradimensional travel, including teleportation as Dimensional Anchor, for 1 round per lurk level. If you expend 2 power points, this duration becomes 1 minute per lurk level. If you expend 4 power points, this duration becomes 1 hour per level. If you expend 6 power points, this duration becomes 1 day per level.
Displacing Strike: You next attack teleports the target 10 feet to an unoccupied space of your choosing of the target fails a Will save. The target space(s) cannot be ones in which the target would be in immediate harm (such as in a fire or off a cliff); creatures must be teleported a space which is legal for their current movement mode (or land is standing still). For every 2 power points you spend, you can increase this distance by 5 feet.
Another one with potential utility use with allies with Unnoticed Strike.
Ghost Touch: Your next attack can strike incorporeal creatures, as if your weapon had the ghost touch special ability.
11th level Maledictions
Aligned Strike: Your next attack is treated as either good-aligned or evil-aligned (depending on your alignment) for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. A neutral lurk can choose either good or evil when she activates this ability.
A bit meh, but this is what level it is an also the same level as the PF paladin aura, so...
Entombing Strike: Your next attack Entangles the target in psionic tendrils for 1 round per lurk level. If the target fails a Reflex save, it is instead Pinned. The target may make a Reflex save at the end of its turn to end the Entangled or Pin effect.
Power Drain: Your next attack drains a number of power points or ki points (you choice when you charge the malediction)from the target equal to half the damage dealt.
Drained power points are available for you to use in the following round, but expire at the end of your next turn. If you have a ki pool from another class, they are likewise available for you to use before the end of your next turn. If you do not have a ki pool, the ki points are wasted,
You can instead choose to drain spells, but you only drain one-quarter the damage in spell levels. You can drain memorised spells, spell slots or mana points, starting with the lowest level of spells (ignoring 0th level) for memorised spells and spell slots, determined randomly in the case of memorised spells. To drain a higher level spell, you must have sufficient points to equal to the spell level, any fractions are wasted. (E.g. to drain a 3rd level spell or spell slot, you must have at least 3 points left over after draining 1st and 2nd level spell or spell slots.)
Magical energy is wasted unless you have the Steal Spell class feature, in which case you treat the spell slots as if they were stolen by that ability.
Ruin more people's day than before! You could expand it to other forms of power that are notable, but magic psionics and ki (because I watch too much Naruto) were the most obvious ones!
Synaptic Disconnect: A creature struck by your next attack cannot cast spells, initiate manoeuvres, manifest powers, or use spell-like or psi-like abilities for 1 round unless it makes a successful Will save.
This didn't need to be the level is was, Stunning Strike exists! A few levels higher because it is Will not Fort and will actually work on Undead.
Yes, martial adepts, you don't get away without your day being ruined as well!
Yes, the fighter probably IS smirking a bit, let him have one, would you?
13th level Maledictions
Impacting Strike, Greater: Your next attack deals normal damage and you push the target back 5 feet as if you had successfully bull rushed them. For every 3 power points you expend, you push the target back an additional 5 feet.
You can only affect creatures than are larger than you by a number of size categories equal to your Intelligence bonus. (E.g. a Tiny creature with an Intelligence of 18 could only affect up to Huge creatures with this ability.)
You must have Impacting Strike malediction before selecting this malediction.
Tentatively put at this level because it's no save automatic. You could make an argument it should be higher, but I don't think automatic enforced movement should be lower.
Poisonous Strike: Your next attack delivers an ectoplasmic poison. The save DC is your malediction DC.
Ectoplasmic Poison (Ex): Injury; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds (2 Con damage); cure 1 save. For every 3 power points you spend, you increase the duration by 1 round. For every 2 rounds of duration increase, the number of cure saves also increases by 1.
Sneak Attack Constructs: Your precision damage can affect constructs creatures, if Sneak Attack damage would otherwise apply on your attack (for instance, if the construct is flanked or flat-footed).
Stygian Strike: A creature struck by your next attack gains 1D4 negative levels for 1 round. For every 4 power points spent, the duration of the negative levels is increased by 1 round. The creature still loses spells and PP as if it had gained a normal negative level, but these spells and PP return on the expiration of the duration. If the subject has at least as many negative levels as it has Hit Dice, it is Stunned for 1 round instead. On the following round, the subject regains lost levels. Usually, negative levels have a chance of permanently draining the victim's levels (or killing creatures with Hit Dice equal to or less than the number of negative levels gained), but the negative levels from stygian ray don't last long enough to do so.
An undead creature struck by the attack gains 5 temporary hit points per negative level that last for up to 1 round.
15th level Maledictions
Diminishing Strike: Your next attack reduces the target’s Spell Resistance by 5 points for 2 rounds. For every 2 power points you extend the duration by 1 round. For every six lurk levels, you increase the reduction by 5 points. This effect does not stack with itself.
Dominating Strike: Your next attack Dominates the target (as Dominate Person) for 1 round, unless they make a successful Will save.
Stalling Strike, Greater: As Stalling Strike, except you may expend your psionic focus charge this malediction as an Immediate action to interrupt a foe that is moving more than 5 feet. This does not replace any currently charged maledictions and allows you to exceed your normal limit for this attack.
15th level Utility Maledictions
Opportunist (Ex): As an Immediate action, you can expend your psionic focus to an attack of opportunity against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character.
17th level Maledictions
Baleful Displacing Strike: You next attack teleports the target 10 feet to an unoccupied space of your choosing of the target fails a Will save. You have no restrictions as to what space your target is teleported to (you can teleport a land creature straight up, for example, or into a fire or water). For every 2 power points you spend, you can increase this distance by 5 feet.
You must have Displacing Strike malediction before selecting this malediction.
Planar Attack: Your next attack deals an extra 2D6 points of damage to either Chaotic, Evil, Good or Lawful creatures (you choice when you charge the malediction). For every power point spent, the damage increases by 1D6 points.
The only other damage power on the list, which I left because it deals slightly more than Psionic Sneak Attack
17th level Utility Maledictions
B]Metafaculty Tag: [/B]You can expend 2 maledictions and your psionic focus to manifest Metafaculty as a psi-like ability, targeting a previously psionically tagged creature or object.
You must have Psionic Tag malediction before selecting this malediction.
Penetrating Malediction: When you drop a foe to 0 hit points or less and it drops, you may expend your psionic focus as a free action to make an attack on a second target that you threaten (in using a melee attack) or at least one space further away from you and in line of sight (for ranged attacks). This attack is made at the same base attack bonus and modifiers (plus any additional modifiers, e.g. increased range) at the previous attack. You apply all of the maledictions that the first attack had to the second attack.
19th level Maledictions
Crystallising Strike: Your next attack turns the target into a crystal statue, permanently Petrifying it unless if success on a Fortitude save. This effect can be reversed by any affect that can reverse Flesh to Stone.
Yes, this is basically fluff alternative because Death Attack is on the list, but hey, thought it sounded cool!
Death Attack: Your next attack kills the target if it fails a Fortitude save. At your option, you can instead knock the target unconscious or put it to sleep in both cases for D4 hours. This is a Death effect.
Based on (Unchained) Rogue Master Strike, because assassin's death attack was always laughable, especially at this level. Yes, it's a level earlier than the rogue, but rogue can do it on every hit.
Greater Power Drain: As Power Drain, but your next attack instead drains a number of power points or ki points equal to the damage dealt by the attack or magic equal to half the damage dealt.
You must have Power Drain malediction before selecting this malediction.
Mental Overload: Your next attack instigates a surge of psionic energy within the target’s head. The target takes 10 damage per lurk level, half on a successful Will save. If the target dies, the target’s head explodes, dealing splash damage to all creatures within 5 feet equal to your lurk level. This is a death and mind-affecting effect.
C'mon, there had to be a head asplodey one, right?
Lurk Powers:
As yet, I have not made any change to the Lurk powers list from 3.5 (workable enough), aside from classifying Conceal Thoughts, Detect Psionics, Distract, Far Hand, and Float as 0th level psionic talents and adding Inevitable Strike from Pathfinder. Open to suggestions!
I would really appreciate some feedback from anyone, especially on the malediction balance. I'm overall quiet pleased with the Lurk's overhaul, at this point, but a second opinion would really be beneficial!
(This is pass two; I made my first pass just over a month ago. Rather than doublepost, I figured it would be better to start a fresh thread now that I have a fair bit of concrete stuff to show this time! For my sanity and time, I have copy-pasted some of what I said previously, so forgive me anyone who read this previously! The biggest thing I did today was actually properly sort the old augments into something decent - I hope!)
My philosophy for the lurk upgrade has been to try and more emphasise the "psionic assassin", rather than just "psionic rogue" (since y'know, psychic rogue is a thing, and I don't want ALL the class fixes to be just "add rogue talents...!")
On that basis, I'm trying to nudge the lurk more into a role of "one shot" rather than "many attacks" as you tend to get for the rogue-types, because ridiculous SA damage. It's not a particularly covered niche, certainly in the hybrid 3.Aotrs rules. Therefore, I have prodded and tweaked things such that in theory, most of the lurk's damage is going to come mostly or entirely from their first shot. Without putting hard caps on what you can or can't do, because I don't like to do that.
I have also generally tried to present this as Pathfinder-compatible and extracted my house-rules (though there will be some 3.5 feats in there I think! It's all in my feats documents now from both editions...!)
Lurk
http://archive.wizards.com/dnd/images/dnd_cwc_20061003_lurk.jpg
Hoping I've done a better job by you, 3.5 Iconic That Doesn't Even Apparently Have A Name I Could Find, Let Alone A Decent Image Lady.
Hit Die: D8
3.Aotrs actually uses D6, but we use maximum hit points anyway, which is better on average.
Class Skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Autohypnosis (Wis), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Swim (Str), Use Magic Device (Cha)
Skill Points per level: 6+Int mod
Pretty much the same as it was, with obvious disable device added, and more skill points. Even as an assassin, the lurk will want a fair few skills, but this lurk is supposed to be aimed more at "kill the dude" more than "skill monkey."
3.Aotrs also has Concentration, Jump and Search, because those are still separate skills under my purview!
\n\n\t
LevelBase Attack
BonusFort
SaveRef
SaveWill
SavePP/ DayPowers
KnownMax Power
Level knownSpecial
1st+0+0+2+2111stAspect, Aspect Technique, Initiative Boost, Maledictions (1st)
2nd+1+0+3+3221stSneak Attack +D6
3rd+2+1+3+3431stAlways Ready, Maledictions (3rd)
4th+3+1+4+4642ndAspect Ability, Evasion
5th+3+1+4+4852ndMaladictions (5th), Sneak Attack +2D6
6th+4+2+5+51262ndMaladiction (Double Charge)
7th+5+2+5+51673rdMaladictions (7th)
8th+6/+1+2+6+62083rdAspect Ability, Sneak Attack +3D6
9th+6/+1+3+6+62493rdMaladictions (9th)
10th+7/+2+3+7+728104thImproved Evasion
11th+8/+3+3+7+736114thMaladictions (11th), Sneak Attack +4D6
12th+9/+4+4+8+844124thAspect Ability, Malediction (Triple Charge)
13th+9/+4+4+8+852135thMaladictions (13th)
14th+10/+5+4+9+960145thSneak Attack +5D6
15th+11/+6/+1+5+9+968155thMaladictions (15th)
16th+12/+7/+2+5+10+1080166thAspect Ability
17th+12/+7/+2+5+10+1092176thMaladictions (17th), Sneak Attack +6D6
18th+13/+8/+3+6+11+11104186thMaladiction (Quadruple Charge)
19th+14/+9/+4+6+11+11116196thMaladictions (19th)
20th+15/+10/+5+6+12+12128206thAspect Ability, Maleficent Master
[/TR] \n[/TR]\n
BAB you might make an argument for making full, but I'm keeping it at 3/4 for the moment and giving the lurk a little compensation, as well as a nudge towards the one shot.
Saves are fine as they were.
Powers, I just went and did what the (Dreamscarred) PF rules did and just added +1 PP like on the PsiWar, because it hardly makes any difference in the long run and means words get taken away (since you'd have to go all on about at first level, a lurk only get PP from Int). Number and levels unchanged, but I have yet to thoroughly go through the powers list and see if I think it needs tweaking or anything and any effect on the powers thereof.)
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Lurks are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with light armour, and with shields (except tower shields).
I'm divided on this one. On the one hand, I don't want to shoehorn the lurk too hard into one goal, but the idea that has firmly implanted itself in my head is the lurk whipping about and taking a shot with her (of all things) crossbow. I'm trying to keep in my head the lurk could be whacking great dude with a greatsword as well, but it's hard! There is a temptation to drop the lurk's base weapons to essentially the rogue's selection.
Powers: A lurk’s ability to manifest powers is limited by the power points she has available. Her base daily allotment of power points is given on the table. In addition, she receives bonus power points per day if she has a high Intelligence score.
A lurk begins play knowing one lurk power of your choice. Each time she achieves a new level, she unlocks the knowledge of a new power, the maximum level of which is indicated in the table.
Choose the powers known from the lurk power list (The feats Expanded Knowledge and Epic Expanded Knowledge allow a lurk to learn powers from the lists of other disciplines or even other classes.) A lurk can manifest any power that has a power point cost equal to or lower than her manifester level.
The number of times a lurk can manifest powers in a day is limited only by her daily power points.
A lurk simply knows her powers; they are ingrained in his mind. She does not need to prepare them (in the way that some spellcasters prepare their spells), though she must get a good night’s sleep each day to regain all his spent power points.
The Difficulty Class for saving throws against lurk powers is 10 + the power’s level + the lurk’s Intelligence modifier.
To learn or manifest a power, a lurk must have an Intelligence score of at least 10 + the power’s level.
Blah blah, no changes.
Aspect: At 1st level, a Lurk chooses an aspect to follow.
Aspect Technique: Studied Aim
Studied Aim (Ex): By observing a foe, the lurk can calculate the exact moment to strike. As a Move action, the lurk can select a single target to observe. The lurk gains a +1 bonus on their next attack roll to hit that target if it is made before the end of their next turn. This bonus increases by +1 for every 3 levels to a maximum of +7 at 18th level. (It does not increase at Epic levels.)
Aspect Feats: Crossbow Mastery, Eyes in the Back of Your Head, Mental Dampening, Poison Expert, Poison Master, Psionic Poison
Aspect Powers:
Just a Face in the Crowd (Su): The assassin lurk gains a bonus equal to half her class level on Disguise and Perception checks when 10 or more creatures of her size are within 30 feet of her.
Poison Use (Ex): The assassin lurk never risks accidentally poisoning herself when applying poison to a weapon.
Swift Poison (Ex): The assassin lurk can apply poison to a weapon as a Move action, instead of a Standard action.
Aspect Technique: Stalker’s Hunt
Stalker’s Hunt: The lurk gains Psionic Trailspotter, Track as a bonus feat and Survival is added to her class skills and she adds half her level (minimum 1) to Survival skill checks made to follow tracks. (This does not stack with the ranger ability Track.)
Psionic Trail Spotter (Su): As long as the lurk has psionic focus, whenever she comes within 10 feet of a trail or tracks, she receives an immediate Perception skill check to notice the trail of tracks. This check should be made in secret by the GM.
Aspect Feats: Dodge, Duck and Weave, Inquisitor, Speed of Thought, Step Up, Urban Tracking
Aspect Powers:
Favoured Terrain: The stalker lurk gains a favoured terrain (as the ranger class feature).
Follow Clues (Ex): The stalker lurk can use Perception to follow detected tracks instead of using Survival. (The lurk must first find the tracks first using Perception if they have Track or Trail Spotter.)
Long Step (Su): The stalker lurk can move 10 feet when taking a 5-foot step. At 10th level, the lurk can move 15 feet when taking a 5-foot step. Each use of this ability uses 3 power points.
Aspect Technique: Psionic Trap Spotter, Trapfinding
Trapfinding (Ex): The lurk adds 1/2 her level to Perception skill checks made to locate traps and to Disable Device skill checks (minimum +1). The lurk can use Disable Device to disarm magic traps.
Psionic Trap Spotter (Su): As long as the lurk has psionic focus, whenever she comes within 10 feet of an undetected trap, she receives an immediate Perception skill check to notice the trap. This check should be made in secret by the GM.
Aspect Feats: Dodge, Flick of the Wrist, Mental Dampening, Mental Leap , Signature Skill, Skill Finesse
Aspect Powers:
Fast Stealth (Ex): This ability allows the thief lurk to move at full speed using the Stealth skill without penalty.
Quick Disappearance (Ex): As a Full-Round action, the thief lurk can move up to her speed. If she successfully reaches a location that offers her cover or concealment, any creature observing her must attempt a Perception check opposed by the lurk’s Stealth check. On a failed check, the observer loses track of the lurk and fails to note where she moved to. The lurk does not take a penalty on this Stealth check for moving up to her speed.
Kip Up (Ex): As long as the thief lurk has psionic focus, she does not provoke an attack of opportunity when standing from prone.
I started out with basically trying to make the base lurk and the Mind's Eye into, like, separate tracks (which you may remember from last time.) This pass, though, I abandoned that idea, and instead changed maledictions so they are just picked up individually (more on that below). Aspects thus mostly just give a couple of support abilities - or one of the major ones for the assassin which is the "primary" class and a slightly different set of bonus feats.
Yes, the powers are more or less just a handful of selected rogue talents and ninja tricks - I'm open to suggestions! (I burned most of my creative though for the day on the maledictions and I really didn't want to over-tune the Lurk...!)
My nominal theme for each aspect is Assassin kills people (duh), Stalker is more movement orientated (pursuit) and thief is, well, Stealth.
Maledictions (Su or Ex): Beginning at 1st level, a lurk can augment her weapon attacks by selecting an ability from her available maledictions. A lurk starts with two maledictions from the 1st level list and gains an additional 2 maledictions every odd level until 19th level. Whenever she learns a new malediction, the lurk can select a malediction from any level of her Lurk level or less.
At 1st level, a lurk can use 4 + her Intelligence modifier maledictions per day. At each level after 1st, she gains an additional 2 maledictions per day. If she can apply more than malediction at once, each malediction counts towards her daily limit. Her malediction pool is replenished each morning after 8 hours of rest or meditation; these hours do not need to be consecutive.
Charging one or more maledictions is a Swift action. The maledictions are expended on her next attack. If that attack misses, their use is wasted. The lurk can hold charged maledictions for a number of rounds equal to her Intelligence bonus before they dissipate. If she attempts to charge more maledictions while still holding a charge, the previous charge is dispersed and wasted. A lurk can use a Move action to re-absorb her charged maledictions without expending them; the re-absorbed maledictions are added back to her pool.
If the malediction allows a saving throw, it has a DC of ½ the Lurk’s class level plus her Intelligence modifier.
In some cases, she can use power points to increase the power of her maledictions. When powering a malediction with power points, a lurk cannot spend more total power points than her lurk level, even if she can apply more than one malediction at once. For example, an 6th-level lurk could choose to include a Mental Assault and a Solid Strike in her attack, and spend a total of 6 power points between the two abilities.
At 1st level, she can only charge a single malediction. At 6th level, a lurk can choose two maledictions from her list to charge in the same Swift action. At 12th level, a lurk can choose three maledictions from her list to charge in the same Swift action. At 18th level, she can choose four maledictions from her list to charge in the same Swift action.
Most maledictions are supernatural abilities, but some are extraordinary abilities as noted in their descriptions; extraordinary maledictions can still be augmented by Power Points in an anti-magic field or similar effects.
Maledictions are Class Affinities.
Okay! First thing, as you'll see (if you didn't see the prior attempt!), is that the name has changed. About the point I had a sentence which read "the lurk's Lurk Augments can be augmented by..." I decided that "lurk augment" was actually a pretty crappy name, and moreover, didn't really sound much like a thing the lurk would refer to in-character (to abilities with kinda are discrete enough to warrant a name!) So, after a little thought and googled thesaurus, they are currently being called maledictions, which sounds so very much cooler. But if anyone has any even better ideas, I'm all ears!
Mechanically, then, I've mostly just codified them a bit better. The lurk can charge 'em up like before, but they can hold the charge like a touch spell for a little bit (maybe stack some power-buffs on), and even, if they charged it up last round and some fracker killed the guy before they could take a shot, re-absorb it back without wasting it, which I thought was a neat idea that is, I think, unique.
Biggest change is that Ranged Lurk Augment feat is entirely irrelevant, since maledictions aren't melee only anymore.
Kept them at "one attack" because of the aforementioned nudge towards "one hit." They are, however, going to be allowed to make that hit a dozy. After careful consideration, I decided that at 20th, four maledictions gave them lots of fun choices and combinations, and as only one of them is going to be maxed, not horribly broken; it also gives some of the lesser options a better chance if they're being picked as 2nd/3rd/4th options.
New this time is that rather than use the Complete Psionics method of having a set list of slightly oddly levelled augments, this time, I've gone and made it such that the lurk picks two every odd level.
("Class Affinity" incidentally, is just parlance for "it's one of those rogue talents/rage powers/ninja trick/hex class features" meaning I only have to have, like one "Extra [guff]" feat, not umpteen...)
Initiative Boost (Ex): At 1st level, a lurk can add her Intelligence bonus on her initiative checks.
There are two reasons for this being moved to first. 1) it makes sense for the assassin-y type to want to take the first shot, and it's not really a powerful ability (I mean, it's effectively just Improved Initiative if you don't take that feat.) Secondly, and in my opinion, more importantly, the entire selfish reason that as DM for a weekly campaign, I roll all the initiatives for encounters long before hand on a spreadsheet (when you have combats with seven characters frequently, that's five-odd minutes less not doing anything interesting out of our two hours). And no, I can't be arsed to go back and faff with it once it's done and printed, so putting it in the bottom means the lurk will at least get most of the benefits consistently...
Sneak Attack: If a Lurk can catch an opponent when she cannot defend herself effectively from her attack, she can strike a vital spot for extra damage.
The Lurk’s attack deals extra damage any time her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the Lurk flanks her target. This extra damage is +D6 at 2nd level, and it increases by +D6 every three Lurk levels thereafter. Should the Lurk score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied. Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet. The extra damage from Sneak attack is a precision damage effect.
With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, a Lurk can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. She cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual -4 penalty, because he must make optimal use of her weapon to execute a sneak attack.
The Lurk must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A Lurk cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or total concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.
PF was absolutely right; psionic sneak attack, sudden strike and skirmish were crap, and just straight SA is the way to do it if it's the primary class feature. Lurks get a reduced progression because they can augment their damage with maledictions, and I felt full would be overdoing it on top of all their other stuff. Still better than they had, though, and it doesn't require them to be psionically focussed.
Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level and higher, a lurk can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the rogue is wearing light armour or no armour. A helpless lurk does not gain the benefit of evasion.
I saw no real reason to have this at 9th level, so it may as well go back to where rogue get it.
Always Ready (Ex): The lurk is always ready to spring into action as soon as an opening to strike presents itself. At 3rd level, the lurk gains Quick Draw and Rapid Reload as bonus feat.
Yeah, mostly this is because that idea of having lurk-with-crossbow, but hey, paired with quickdraw, it's a nice little extra even for melee or bow lurks or something.
Aspect Ability: At 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter, the lurk gains an aspect power from her Aspect power list or a feat from for which she meets the pre-requisites. She may selects the feat from the list below or from the list of her Aspect Feats.
Lurks bonus Feats
Deadly Throw, Deep Impact, Fell Shot, Greater Psionic Fist, Greater Psionic Shot, Greater Psionic Weapon, Improved Vital Strike, Mentally Inconspicuous, Mixed Combat, Out of Sight Out of Mind, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Psionic Fist, Psionic Meditation, Psionic Shot, Psionic Weapon, Vital Strike, Unavoidable Strike
The aspects at this point are more or less filling out the dead levels left behind everything else and giving a little differentiation to the Lurk as well as some potentially needed psionic feats. I'm very open to suggestions to make the aspects better - if indeed that is even needed with the maledictions being what they are now
Improved Evasion (Ex): At 10th level, a lurk’s evasion ability improves. She still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, but henceforth she takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless lurk does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.
It has Evasion and this was pointless sitting on the thief lurk's augment list.
Maleficent Master (Ex): (Capstone) At 20th level, when charging her maledictions, the lurk may spent one extra malediction from her pool to gain a bonus of twice her lurk level to damage on her next attack.
In addition, she gains an additional 5 maledictions per day.
Better name than my previous one, slight tweak to number of extra stuff!
Okay, that brings to the bulk of the new stuff for today - the Maledictions themselves! These have now been split into levels. This is really where I need the feedback. One, to have a rational check on what levels I've got stuff at, add any better ideas anyone has and tweak as necessary. As this is the bit if wrong would make the lurk a bit... Much...!
I have managed to fill out at least four maledictions of each level, though how successful I've been in grading them is hopefully for you to decide!
Maladictions
1st level Maledictions
Long Strike: Your next melee attack has a reach of +5 feet or your next ranged attack increases its first range increment by 10 feet (it does not affect the second or subsequent range increments). Unlike other maledictions, Long Strike activates when you make your attack, instead of on a successful hit.
This is what the never-defined Psionic Reach augment could have been, though it really didn't need to be, like, level 8.
Psionic Sneak Attack: Your next attack deals an extra D6 points of damage from a sneak attack. For every 1 power point you spend, this damage increases by D6 points. The attack must be one to which sneak attack damage applies.
This will be the work horse damage dealer. I've explicitly not added any new damage-dealing maledictions than the lurk already has, because what would be the point?
Psionic Tag: Your next attack will “tag” a creature or object with a psionic signature.
You gain an insight bonus equal to +1 insight bonus to attack rolls against the tagged creature or object and on checks made to track or locate it. This bonus increases by 1 for every 4 lurk levels. In addition, a psionic tag on a target enables other maledictions.
You can have only one tag active for every five lurk levels you have and you must release one to create another. The tag is undetectable without magic unless you choose to make it obvious. A concealed tag requires a Psicraft check (DC 10 + ½ your lurk level plus your intelligence modifier) to detect with Detect Magic. The tag’s duration is a number of days equal to your lurk level. Nondetection and similar spells and psionics will conceal a tag, and Dispel Psionics or entering an Antimagic Field or any effect that removes curses will remove this tag.
Hey look, psionic tag is actually DOES something worthwhile now!
Sickening Strike: A creature hit by your next attack must make a Fortitude saving throw or be Sickened for D3 rounds.
Unnoticed Strike: You pass a localised perceptional concealment to your next attack.
A target struck by your next attack take a penalty takes a penalty equal to your lurk level on Perception checks to locate your position for 1 round. Unaware creatures observing the target also suffer this penalty. An unaware target takes a penalty equal to your lurk level.
You may optionally choose to reduce your damage weapon damage rolls by equal to your lurk level and forgo any sneak attack to a minimum of 0. On a hit, the target is affected by any other maledictions applied to the attack, but will be unaware of why or where the attack came from unless they make a successful Will save. You must still deal enough damage to equal any damage reduction the target has to have any effect, but the attack is effective is you equal the damage reduction (an exception to the normal rules).
The DC of this save is decreased by 1 for each point of damage or 2 for each points of ability damage the target took (after damage reduction has been applied). If the effects of the attack are not obvious (such as a concealed Psionic Tag), the creature will not be aware it has been attacked at all if it fails the save. Other creatures observing the target must make a Will save (DC 10 + ½ your lurk level plus your Intelligence modifier) to notice your attack in flight.
This is a mind-affecting ability.
This is an ability that potentially opens up some fun, especially as you can use the fact it can do no damage so you can use some of your maledictions on allies...
Unfocusing Strike: A creature hit by the lurk's attack must make a Will saving throw or lose its psionic focus in addition to taking the damage from the attack.
1st level Utility Maledictions
Psionic Tracker: As long as you have psionic focus, you gain a bonus on all tracking attempts equal to half your lurk level.
Psionic Stride: As long as you have psionic focus, you gain a bonus of 10 feet to your speed. If you expend your psionic focus and 1 malediction as a Swift action, you can ignore difficult terrain for 1 round.
Again, this is inspired by the never-defined augment for Mind's Eye. Yes, it DOESN'T care if you have heavy armour and it IS typed, because there are far too many of the speed boosts that don't...! Maybe too much for a 1st level malediction as it stands though, but I wanted it to be y'know, appreciably better than Speed of Thought!)
3rd level Maledictions
Bleeding Strike (Ex): Your next attack causes the target to Bleed for 2 points of damage per round. This damage does not stack with itself. For every 2 power points you spend, this damage increases by 1.
Dazing Strike: A creature hit by your next attack must make a Will saving throw or be Dazed for 1 round. This is a mind-affecting attack.
Given that Stun is basically one of the best conditions to inflict anyway, there wasn't much point loading out loads of these. I figured Daze would fit a niche of being Will, not Fort save to resist.
Energy Strike: Your next attack deals an extra D6 points of energy of your active energy type. In addition, by expending 2 power points, you can convert one or more of your Sneak Attack or Psionic Sneak Attack dice into energy damage dice on a one-for-one basis. You decided what to convert when you charge the malediction. You must still be eligible for to deal Sneak Attack to convert your Sneak Attack and Psionic Sneak Attack dice.
Using this malediction with Unnoticed Strike decreases the target’s DC to notice the attack by 1 for each dice of energy damage.
Obvious addition, but I didn't just want to do another damage thing; this way you can sacrifice some SA damage, but make it elemental.
Silencing Strike: Your next attack causes the target to be psionically Silenced for 1 round unless it succeeds at a Will save.
Solid Strike (Ex): Your next attack deals an extra 4 points of damage. For every power point spent, the damage increases by 2.
This is the unaltered "I can't Sneak Attack" damage booster.
Stunning Attack: A creature hit by your next attack must make a Fortitude saving throw or be Stunned for 1 round.
3rd level Utility Maledictions
Locate Trail: By expending one malediction as a Swift action, you can attempt to search for tracks with a +10 bonus to your Search or Perception check, or to your Survival check if you are re-trying a Survival check to follow tracks. If there is not an actual trail there, you will discover that, but still expend the malediction.
Psionic Uncanny Dodge: As long as you have your psionic focus, you retains your Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if you are caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, you still lose your Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.
It was on the thief lurk's augment list...
5th level Maledictions
Binding Attack: Your next attack Entangles the target for 1 round. If the target fails a Reflex save, they are entangled for an additional round per four lurk levels.
Clinging Strike: Your next attack that deals at least one dice of energy damage causes the target to take Ongoing Damage equal to 1 point per dice of energy damage. If you have multiple energy types, the target takes Ongoing Damage for each energy type, but one save ends all the Ongoing Damage effects caused by this ability at once. This damage does not stack with itself.
You must have Energy Strike malediction before selecting this malediction.
Ongoing Damage is one of the few ideas I cribbed from 4E. Basically, it just works such that you take the damage at the start of your turn (like bleed damage) and then at the end of your turn you make a save to remove it (save DC is 5 lower than the effect that inflicted it).
Impacting Strike: Your next attack deals normal damage and you can make a free Bull rush on the target. You use your intelligence modifier instead of your Strength bonus on your CMB with a ranged attack and have the option of so doing with a melee attack. You can push the target more than 5 feet if you beat their check result by 5 or more points; you do not have to follow up to push them to this distance if you do not wish to (nor can you If your attack was a ranged attack). You can attempt to bull rush creatures that are more than one size larger than you.
Veil Piercing Strike: Your next attack ignores the miss chance provided by Concealment or Total Concealment. You must still attack the correct square when attacking an invisible creature.
Re-named "ignore concealment" augment which like augment itself, is a boring name.
Mental Assault: Your next attack deals 2 points of either Intelligence or Wisdom damage in addition to its normal damage. You chooses which type of ability damage to deal when activating the power. For every 3 power points spent, the ability damage increases by 1.
Yeah, I nerfed this. Mostly because I looked at the list and went "yeah, +20D6 damage or +12 Int or Wis damage, which is better?" Frankly, I couldn't, and even post-nerf, cannot see an option that is really better than this in terms of damage, even if at level 20 you can only deal out +8 Int damage per turn (and have 2 PP left for another malediction buff). Actually, now I've expended the list and there's lots of maledictions that Do Stuff, this might not be such an obvious pick. Thoughts?
Unbalancing Strike: Your next attack allows you to make a free Trip attempt. You use your intelligence modifier instead of your Strength bonus on your CMB with a ranged attack and have the option of doing so with a melee attack.
7th level Maledictions
Confusing Strike: Your next attack Confuses the target for 1 round unless it makes a successful Wil save. This is a mind-affecting effect.
Crippling Attack: Your next attack deals 2 points of Strength damage.
Less words to write it out than in the article to say "as the crippling strike rogue special ability..."
Deceptive Strike (Ex): The target of your next attack is denied his Dexterity bonus to AC for that attack. This ability works against a target with Uncanny Dodge, but only if your class level is at least four levels higher than the target's effective rogue level.
Hampering Strike: Your next attack reduces all the target’s movement speeds by 5 feet (to a minimum of 5 feet). For every power point you spend, the target’s speeds are reduced by an additional 5 feet.
Reeling Strike: Your next attack trails behind a psionic tether which drags the target towards you. You may make a free grapple check against the target, and if you win, you pull the target back a number of 5 spaces equal to your Intelligence bonus. You use your intelligence modifier instead of your Strength bonus on your CMB with a ranged attack and have the option of doing so with a melee attack. (Note that unless you have reach, you can only use this malediction on ranged attacks.)
If you win the check, you may additionally expend your psionic focus to spend 1 or more power points to pull the target a number of spaces closer equal to the number of power points you expend.
Shouting "get over here!" in a deep voice is optional.
This may be my favourite idea conceptually. Also really useful... Remember what I said about Unnoticed Strike and using it on allies? Yank the tank back from being pulverised...?
Sneak Attack Undead: Your precision damage can affect undead creatures, if Sneak Attack damage would otherwise apply on your attack (for instance, if the undead is flanked or flat-footed).
3.Aotrs allows you to crit undead but not deal precision damage to them, so this has use here - ditto for the later SA Constructs, though in a pure PF game, this would have to go...
(I probably ought to rename both of these abilities to something better like Grave Strike and... Something else...!)
Stalling Strike: You may also use this malediction to attack a flying target, forcing them to make a Fly check (verses your malediction DC) or lose 10 feet of altitude per point of your Intelligence bonus.
You may instead charge this malediction before taking a readied action to attack a foe when they move more than 5 feet. If you hit, the target is forced to stop moving at a point you choose (after moving a minimum of 5 feet). If this target is also flying, they must make the Fly check as above to avoid losing altitude.
7th level Utility Maledictions
Locate Target: You can expend 1 malediction and your psionic focus to manifest Locate Object as a psi-like ability to find an object or creature that has previously been psionically tagged.
You must have Psionic Tag malediction before selecting this malediction.
9th level Maledictions
Abating Strike: Your next attack reduces one of your target’s Energy Resistances or Damage Reduction (you choice when you charge the malediction) by 5 points for 2 rounds. For every 2 power points you extend the duration by 1 round. For every six lurk levels, you increase the reduction to energy resistance or damage reduction by 5 points. If you target a resistance or damage reduction the target does not have, the ability has no effect. This ability does not stack with itself on the same resistance or damage reduction, but you can use it on a target and pick a different resistance or damage reduction.
Anchoring Strike: Your next attack completely blocks extradimensional travel, including teleportation as Dimensional Anchor, for 1 round per lurk level. If you expend 2 power points, this duration becomes 1 minute per lurk level. If you expend 4 power points, this duration becomes 1 hour per level. If you expend 6 power points, this duration becomes 1 day per level.
Displacing Strike: You next attack teleports the target 10 feet to an unoccupied space of your choosing of the target fails a Will save. The target space(s) cannot be ones in which the target would be in immediate harm (such as in a fire or off a cliff); creatures must be teleported a space which is legal for their current movement mode (or land is standing still). For every 2 power points you spend, you can increase this distance by 5 feet.
Another one with potential utility use with allies with Unnoticed Strike.
Ghost Touch: Your next attack can strike incorporeal creatures, as if your weapon had the ghost touch special ability.
11th level Maledictions
Aligned Strike: Your next attack is treated as either good-aligned or evil-aligned (depending on your alignment) for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. A neutral lurk can choose either good or evil when she activates this ability.
A bit meh, but this is what level it is an also the same level as the PF paladin aura, so...
Entombing Strike: Your next attack Entangles the target in psionic tendrils for 1 round per lurk level. If the target fails a Reflex save, it is instead Pinned. The target may make a Reflex save at the end of its turn to end the Entangled or Pin effect.
Power Drain: Your next attack drains a number of power points or ki points (you choice when you charge the malediction)from the target equal to half the damage dealt.
Drained power points are available for you to use in the following round, but expire at the end of your next turn. If you have a ki pool from another class, they are likewise available for you to use before the end of your next turn. If you do not have a ki pool, the ki points are wasted,
You can instead choose to drain spells, but you only drain one-quarter the damage in spell levels. You can drain memorised spells, spell slots or mana points, starting with the lowest level of spells (ignoring 0th level) for memorised spells and spell slots, determined randomly in the case of memorised spells. To drain a higher level spell, you must have sufficient points to equal to the spell level, any fractions are wasted. (E.g. to drain a 3rd level spell or spell slot, you must have at least 3 points left over after draining 1st and 2nd level spell or spell slots.)
Magical energy is wasted unless you have the Steal Spell class feature, in which case you treat the spell slots as if they were stolen by that ability.
Ruin more people's day than before! You could expand it to other forms of power that are notable, but magic psionics and ki (because I watch too much Naruto) were the most obvious ones!
Synaptic Disconnect: A creature struck by your next attack cannot cast spells, initiate manoeuvres, manifest powers, or use spell-like or psi-like abilities for 1 round unless it makes a successful Will save.
This didn't need to be the level is was, Stunning Strike exists! A few levels higher because it is Will not Fort and will actually work on Undead.
Yes, martial adepts, you don't get away without your day being ruined as well!
Yes, the fighter probably IS smirking a bit, let him have one, would you?
13th level Maledictions
Impacting Strike, Greater: Your next attack deals normal damage and you push the target back 5 feet as if you had successfully bull rushed them. For every 3 power points you expend, you push the target back an additional 5 feet.
You can only affect creatures than are larger than you by a number of size categories equal to your Intelligence bonus. (E.g. a Tiny creature with an Intelligence of 18 could only affect up to Huge creatures with this ability.)
You must have Impacting Strike malediction before selecting this malediction.
Tentatively put at this level because it's no save automatic. You could make an argument it should be higher, but I don't think automatic enforced movement should be lower.
Poisonous Strike: Your next attack delivers an ectoplasmic poison. The save DC is your malediction DC.
Ectoplasmic Poison (Ex): Injury; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds (2 Con damage); cure 1 save. For every 3 power points you spend, you increase the duration by 1 round. For every 2 rounds of duration increase, the number of cure saves also increases by 1.
Sneak Attack Constructs: Your precision damage can affect constructs creatures, if Sneak Attack damage would otherwise apply on your attack (for instance, if the construct is flanked or flat-footed).
Stygian Strike: A creature struck by your next attack gains 1D4 negative levels for 1 round. For every 4 power points spent, the duration of the negative levels is increased by 1 round. The creature still loses spells and PP as if it had gained a normal negative level, but these spells and PP return on the expiration of the duration. If the subject has at least as many negative levels as it has Hit Dice, it is Stunned for 1 round instead. On the following round, the subject regains lost levels. Usually, negative levels have a chance of permanently draining the victim's levels (or killing creatures with Hit Dice equal to or less than the number of negative levels gained), but the negative levels from stygian ray don't last long enough to do so.
An undead creature struck by the attack gains 5 temporary hit points per negative level that last for up to 1 round.
15th level Maledictions
Diminishing Strike: Your next attack reduces the target’s Spell Resistance by 5 points for 2 rounds. For every 2 power points you extend the duration by 1 round. For every six lurk levels, you increase the reduction by 5 points. This effect does not stack with itself.
Dominating Strike: Your next attack Dominates the target (as Dominate Person) for 1 round, unless they make a successful Will save.
Stalling Strike, Greater: As Stalling Strike, except you may expend your psionic focus charge this malediction as an Immediate action to interrupt a foe that is moving more than 5 feet. This does not replace any currently charged maledictions and allows you to exceed your normal limit for this attack.
15th level Utility Maledictions
Opportunist (Ex): As an Immediate action, you can expend your psionic focus to an attack of opportunity against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character.
17th level Maledictions
Baleful Displacing Strike: You next attack teleports the target 10 feet to an unoccupied space of your choosing of the target fails a Will save. You have no restrictions as to what space your target is teleported to (you can teleport a land creature straight up, for example, or into a fire or water). For every 2 power points you spend, you can increase this distance by 5 feet.
You must have Displacing Strike malediction before selecting this malediction.
Planar Attack: Your next attack deals an extra 2D6 points of damage to either Chaotic, Evil, Good or Lawful creatures (you choice when you charge the malediction). For every power point spent, the damage increases by 1D6 points.
The only other damage power on the list, which I left because it deals slightly more than Psionic Sneak Attack
17th level Utility Maledictions
B]Metafaculty Tag: [/B]You can expend 2 maledictions and your psionic focus to manifest Metafaculty as a psi-like ability, targeting a previously psionically tagged creature or object.
You must have Psionic Tag malediction before selecting this malediction.
Penetrating Malediction: When you drop a foe to 0 hit points or less and it drops, you may expend your psionic focus as a free action to make an attack on a second target that you threaten (in using a melee attack) or at least one space further away from you and in line of sight (for ranged attacks). This attack is made at the same base attack bonus and modifiers (plus any additional modifiers, e.g. increased range) at the previous attack. You apply all of the maledictions that the first attack had to the second attack.
19th level Maledictions
Crystallising Strike: Your next attack turns the target into a crystal statue, permanently Petrifying it unless if success on a Fortitude save. This effect can be reversed by any affect that can reverse Flesh to Stone.
Yes, this is basically fluff alternative because Death Attack is on the list, but hey, thought it sounded cool!
Death Attack: Your next attack kills the target if it fails a Fortitude save. At your option, you can instead knock the target unconscious or put it to sleep in both cases for D4 hours. This is a Death effect.
Based on (Unchained) Rogue Master Strike, because assassin's death attack was always laughable, especially at this level. Yes, it's a level earlier than the rogue, but rogue can do it on every hit.
Greater Power Drain: As Power Drain, but your next attack instead drains a number of power points or ki points equal to the damage dealt by the attack or magic equal to half the damage dealt.
You must have Power Drain malediction before selecting this malediction.
Mental Overload: Your next attack instigates a surge of psionic energy within the target’s head. The target takes 10 damage per lurk level, half on a successful Will save. If the target dies, the target’s head explodes, dealing splash damage to all creatures within 5 feet equal to your lurk level. This is a death and mind-affecting effect.
C'mon, there had to be a head asplodey one, right?
Lurk Powers:
As yet, I have not made any change to the Lurk powers list from 3.5 (workable enough), aside from classifying Conceal Thoughts, Detect Psionics, Distract, Far Hand, and Float as 0th level psionic talents and adding Inevitable Strike from Pathfinder. Open to suggestions!
I would really appreciate some feedback from anyone, especially on the malediction balance. I'm overall quiet pleased with the Lurk's overhaul, at this point, but a second opinion would really be beneficial!