Build a Better Human!

[Lord Xaedien]

I am looking to make a Psionic game set in a post apocolyptic world using 3.5 edition. However, I want to start the players at level 2, and I want to encourage Githyanki and GIthzerai (spelled from memory, my apologies). In order to do this, I am trying to make up three different sub races of humans that have a +2 LA, the idea being that all races will have a +2 LA (except thri-keen), so characters wont feel pressure to pick a human over another psionic race.

Can anyone offer me some possible builds for +2LA humans? Psionic themes are not required, but are always a plus! having a spread of options for different style characters is good too.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Psionic themes may not be required, but here's one anyway...

Dragon #319 featured a 3rd edition update to the Dark Sun campaign setting. In 2e Dark Sun, to represent how the harsh world had affected the races of the world, all ability scores were generated using a method that resulted in much higher scores. Instead of doing this in 3rd edition, they chose to represent this by keeping the usual ability score generating method(s) and simply tweak all the races so they had LA >= +1.

So, as a starting point, you can take the Dark Sun Human. In addtion to the bonus skill points and feat, the Human now recieves +2 to any two (different) ability scores of his or her choice, and a free psionic power (as well as the power points to use them) at first, fifth, tenth, and fifteenth levels. The power is chosen from the Psion/Wilder list. And this all rated a +1 LA.

Let's see, other things to add to put this up to LA +2...

• More bonus feats, perhaps at a similar rate to which one gains new powers.
• More powers and power points.
• Greater ability score adjustments.
• Some sort of nifty skill bonus. Like "+5 bonus to any two skills of the player's choice."

Of course, that list is just possibilities. I wouldn't recommend trying to implement them all. That'd probably net LA > +2.

[Thomas]

Do you want to offer some, I don't know, guidelines or details about the humans of this world? There's an infinite potential LA +2 races, and having some idea what abilities they should possess might help.

[Captain van der Decken]

What about a subrace affected by psionics in a bad way? Psion-scarred or something, maybe unable to use pisonics. No idea about mechanics for that though.

[MrNexx]

How about humans simply start with class levels in NPC classes? That's usually worth LAs. Throw some bonus PPs on 'em, and you've got a good way to go.

[Ikkitosen]

Githyanki and githzerai are both powerful, with good stat adjustments and other powers. I would decide what you want your humans to be able to do and write a list of themed powers/spells that they get - maybe choose telepathy and start with Mindlink and work your way up. Look to the githyanki for levels/uses etc. Add in a few stat bonuses and you're good to go.

Edit: So, maybe you could go for:

L1: Mindlink 3/day, augmented to PP = Level/2, min 1.
L3: Read Thoughts 1/day
L6: False Sensory Input...
etc.

Int +2, Wis +2, Str -2 (learned reliance on mental powers).

[Captain van der Decken]

Shouldn't this be in homebrew?

[Jack Mann]

Yes, it should probably be in homebrew.

Bearing in mind I don't know much about Athas beyond the basics...

Humans are generally about flexibility. Instead of +2 to two set scores, how about +2 to scores of the player's choice? As well, since it's a psionics-heavy world, perhaps extra power points, as Kalashtar get? Beyond that, perhaps some saves bonuses, a spell-or-psi-like ability or two? What are humans like on Athas, aside from tougher than the run-of-the-mill?

[Dicemaster]

You could boost every single race to LA +2 and then shift down all LAs and CRs by 2, for simplicity's sake.

Or make LA 0 Giths.

[Jack_Simth]

Phenric Creature Template. Add to any PHB race. It's even the LA +2 you requested already.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Here's an idea:

Psiscorched Human

Some humans can unlock reality-warping powers which lurk deep in their minds. Others, however, when faced with the same stimulii have... different reactions.

The Psiscorched Humans are scarred by psionics so badly that they have built up a near-immunity to it. Furthermore, they are capable of negating any use of psionic powers in a significant area around them. These are inborn abilities unlocked by being exposed to too much psionic emanations as a self-defense mechanism.

Psiscorched Humans have all the abilities listed in the PhB plus the following:

Psionic Disavowment A Psiscorched Human may never gain any Power Points, take classes or feats, which grant power points or require them, or in any way obtain a power point reserve. They are psionically dead, and do not have the potential to manifest psionics as the term is quantified.

Psionic Resistance A Psiscorched Human has PR 20+HD

Psionic Nullification At 9 hit dice, a Psiscorched Human may generate an anti-psi field much like the Catapsi power at will, manifester level equal to his hit dice and using his Charisma modifier as the relevant caster stat. For every extra four hit dice, the range and radius of this psi-like ability increase by 5 ft. A Psiscorched Human may have this effect continually active, even when he is unconcious or otherwise unable to normally maintain psi-like abilities.

Power Sink. Any psionic creature who attempts to manifest a power on the Psiscorched Human must make a Will save DC 15+ HD or not only fail to manifest the power but also loose an additional number of power points equal to the number he put into the power. Any psionic creature who makes a melee attack, grapples with, or is subjected to a melee attack by a Psiscorched Human must make a Will save DC 15+ HD or loose 1d6+(Cha Mod) PP. At 4 HD and every 4th HD after, the PP loss by a melee attack or grapple increases by 1d6. So at 4HD, he will cause the psionic creature to loose 2d6+(Cha Mod), at 8HD 3d6+(Cha Mod), and so forth.

Brain Poison Psiscorched Humans have different brain chemical makeup than most other races, and it is highly poisonous to Illithids. Any Illithid who attempts to eat the brain of a Psicorched Human must make a Fort save DC 15+HD or take 2d6 Con, save for half. Secondary damage is another 1d6 Con with a delay of 1 min, Fort DC 15+ HD negates, and continues until three successfull Fort saves are made.

Mental Immunity Psiscorched Humans are flat immune to any and all psionic or psi-like abilities which have the Mind-Affecting trait. This even foils Bend Reality and Alter Reality when it is being manifested to affect his mind. This only works on psionic or psi-like abilities, normal magic is not affected.

[Captain van der Decken]

Wow, that looks pretty good, seems a little powerful though.

[Lord Xaedien]

I definintly like where that is going, but it does seem much higher than a +2 LA. Maybe lowering some of the Saves and the PR a bit would put it where I want.

[Tormsskull]

Here's an idea:

Psiscorched Human

OMG! Put all these abilities into a PrC and call it the Psionic Pslayer! Bye-bye psionics.

[Captain van der Decken]

Psionic Pslayer!.

Awesome name.

You should reduce the PR to something like 15-12 +HD.

[Triaxx]

Would this ward off normal spells with a mental effect? Such as charm, confusion, and the like? Seems to me it would and would make a fantastic addition to a non-psionic game if it did.

[Jack Mann]

If he's using magic/psionics transparency, then it works on all applicable spells.

[Triaxx]

Not necessarily. If I drop a fireball next to someone, it's a technically physical attack. But if I attack his or her mind, it's a different type.

[Jack Mann]

Yes, and fireball therefore wouldn't be an applicable spell, where mental immunity is concerned. Dominate Person, on the other hand, would. Of course, since he's explicitly stated that it doesn't stop magic, the question is academic.

Mind you, the fireball would have to overcome the psiscorched human's power resistance to affect him.

Psionic Nullification wouldn't affect casters, but only because they don't use power points. Power sink would likely force the will save to avoid losing the spell, but wouldn't have any other effect.

[sphing]

Personally i like the idea of a psionics heavy world but i think you might want to include those psishorched abilitities as an aquired template. and come up with a few more appropriat +2 LA templates. Then make the humans like normal humans. i don't know exactly whot you world looks like but as far as roleplaying goes normal people probably arn't going to be +2 LA and psionic resitant. Again your world might be one where normal people do run around absrobing psionic power but it seems like if you had a few different templates that could be applied. Even better you could have a selection of +1 LA templates so that human players could mix and match a little, as humans are all about customization and adaptability. I fact i like that idea, i might try it in my world I'm building...

[Lord Xaedien]

Alright, I have been doing some of the story planning for this game, so I can reveal a little more what exactly is happening.

Basically this game is set on a version of earth. Its sometime in the mid 21st century. 54 years before the game began, scientists at UCLA managed to create a rift into another plane of existence. We now know that this first portal was a rift into the Astral Plane. It was incredibly small, only 6 inches in diameter, but the energies it gave off were very potent. They were relatively cautious with this rift, and spent most of their time studying the odd energies it emmited. Soon after its discovery, people across the planet bean being manifesting psionic abilities, around 1/3 of the population. That number was almost twice as high for newborns.

Unfortunantly, others across the planet figured out how to replicate what the scientists at UCLA did, and began opening rifts on their own, and taking greater risks in experimenting with them. Unfortunantly, these numerous rifts were far more unstable, and some were to even more planes, such as the ethereal plane and the plane of shadow. Soon these rifts began to grow in size.

No one is sure exactly what caused it, but 50 years prior to the start of the game, these rifts all caused a cataclysmic event to occur, known as The Sundering. The divisions between the planes gave way, and the astral plane, the ethereal plane, the plane of shadow, and material plane of earth merged into one. (they are still "seperate" spheres of influence in the technical sense of running the game, but the creatures from each plane are now all commonly existant upon the material plane). Half the poplulation of earth was decimated, and most of the denizens of the other planes met a similar fate. Suddenly humanity was face to face with creatures beyond its wildest imagination.

Fearful for their lives, humanity decided to use its advanced technology to escape to the stars. However, they were now fearful of those humans who had developed psionic or other abilities. In their panic, they decided it would be safer to leave these "dangerous elements" behind. Thus they left, taking most of the technology with them. Thus humanity was divided into the Exalted, and the Forsaken.

In the 50 years since then things have stabilized somewhat. The astral and material plane are now formed into one, a place that looks much like the earth we know but has terrible secrets. The plane of shadow shows up in patches across the planet (much like the shadowlands from oriental adventures), and the creatures from the ethereal plane sometimes make their otherwordly presence known to those on the "prime" plane.

This game is going to start as a level 2 gestalt game, and I want all the races on a +2 for several reasons.

1.) Its annoying to do LA in a gestalt game, and if everyone is the same I wont have to mess with it, and I want to encourage gith characters.
2.) The humans who the characters can play are uniquly stronger than the average humans
3.) I like messing with game mechanics for fun, and I think people on the homebrew forum are with me in that sentiment.

One rule I have is that players can only have one type of "magic", divided into these three categories.

1.) Psionic- Psion, Wilder, Psionic Warrior, Soulknife, Lurk, Ardent, Divine Mind...
2.) Shadow- Shadowcaster, Beguiler*, Hexblade*
3.) Spirit- Binder, Ninja, Spirit Shaman.

Other classes- Fighter, Scoundrel**, Scout, Swashbuckler, Knight, Monk, Barbarian.


*This will be treated as "shadow" magic rather than arcane
**Special variation of the Star Wars class, improved to be my version of the rogue.

I will NOT be using the magic/psionic transparency rule. In fact, none of the magic castes will be cross usable (SR from spirit does not effect shadow, and vice versa)

I hope this gives a better idea of what the world is like (sorry it took me so long to get it out). I am looking for around 5 different humans, since they will be the only base D&D race to be represented. Probably break it down like this:

-One for each plane
-The Psiscorched human
- one or two general humans, effective for any of the magic or non magic choices.

I doubt I will get a huge response to this, but writing it out is a huge help for me as is. Thanks for all the effot, and I really appreciate any new ideas you guys have, and honest opinions on whether or not I am crazy would be lovely.