Disciplined Mind [PrC, Psionic]

[AmberVael]

Disciplined Mind

"The mind is the most important tool for a psychic. To devote time to giving it structure, to develop its functions and understand its workings is not only practical, but wise."
-Guru Radha

Psychics learn how to take the strength of their mind and turn it outward to manipulate the world. A Disciplined Mind learns to focus their strength back inward to gain control and precision with their own cognition. As a warrior learns to care for their sword and keep it sharp, a Disciplined Mind hones their psyche and learns to fully command their consciousness.

Hit Die: d4

Requirements:
Base Save Bonus: Will +4
Skills: Autohypnosis 4 ranks, Concentration 8 ranks, Psicraft 8 ranks
Manifesting: Must be able to manifest 3rd level powers

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Manifesting
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Structured Consciousness, Mental Discipline	+1 level of existing manifesting class
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Mental Discipline	+1 level of existing manifesting class
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Mental Discipline	+1 level of existing manifesting class
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Mental Discipline	+1 level of existing manifesting class
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Mental Discipline	+1 level of existing manifesting class

Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level): Autohypnosis, Concentration, Craft, Knowledge (all skills, taken individually), Profession, Psicraft


Powers Known
At each level a Disciplined Mind gains additional power points per day and access to new powers as if she had also gained a level in whatever manifesting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (bonus feats, metapsionic or item creation feats, and so on). This essentially means that she adds the level of Disciplined Mind to the level of whatever manifesting class the character has, then determines power points per day, powers known, and manifester level accordingly. If a character had more than one manifesting class before she became a Disciplined Mind, she must decide to which class she adds the new level of Disciplined Mind for the purpose of determining power points per day, powers known, and manifester level.

Unlike most other prestige classes, the Disciplined Mind does gain effective additional levels for her psicrystal's powers.

Structured Consciousness (Ex)
The first step a Disciplined Mind takes is to gain mastery of the mind's most basic functions and its control over their own body. Autohypnosis is always a class skill for you, and you always have ranks in it equal to your level +3. If you had spent skill points on Autohypnosis prior to entering Disciplined Mind, you are refunded those skill points and may spend them on other skills.

Mental Discipline (Ex)
As you investigate the structure and capabilities of your mind, you learn to use it and improve it in new ways. At each level you gain an ability chosen from the list below. You may not select the same ability twice.

Cypher Breaker
You add Decipher Script to your list of class skills. Thereafter it is always a class skill, regardless of which class you are advancing in. You may use Decipher Script untrained, and never draw a false conclusion about the text. Additionally, you may retry a failed check with an hour’s work. Lastly, you may substitute Decipher Script for Sense Motive to discern secret messages.

Eidetic Memory
You may make an Autohypnosis check to recall in perfect detail something you have seen but did not actively memorize. You may not retry this check if you fail. Your memory may not be altered by spells, powers, or other effects.

Empty Mind
By expending your psionic focus as a full-round action, you can end any single emotion based influence on you. This can allow you to overcome a rage spell or feature, or end a fear condition. In addition, for one round per class level you have no surface thoughts to detect via detect thoughts.

Flash Comprehension
You can take in information with incredible speeds. You can read at a rate of 1000 words per round, and analyze art and designs with similar rapidity. This ability is not limited to sight, but only applies to information made for study or presentation (such as books, songs, or diagrams).

Internal Regulation
You automatically stabilize at negative hit points, and do not die until you reach negative hit points equal to 10 + your manifester level. In addition, you may substitute an Autohypnosis check for any Heal check you would perform on yourself, and automatically know when any such check is a failure.

Lucid Dreaming
You are entirely in control of your dreaming state. While asleep you may take purely mental actions without disturbing your rest. By expending your psionic focus as a standard action, you may wake yourself up so long as your sleep is natural or if an aid another action could rouse you.

Mind Over Matter
You may keep acting even at negative hit points, though you are treated as disabled. Additionally, you may always take 10 on Swim checks made to resist nonlethal damage, Constitution checks made to continue running, Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from a forced march, Constitution checks made to hold your breath, Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from starvation or thirst, Fortitude saves made to avoid nonlethal damage from hot or cold environments, and Fortitude saves made to resist damage from suffocation. If you fail on any of these checks or saves, you may expend your psionic focus to reroll them.

Multithreaded Awareness
You are never considered distracted for the purposes of spot and listen checks. In addition, you are immune to the Fascinated condition.

Patterns of Language
You add Speak Language to your list of class skills. Thereafter it is always a class skill, regardless of which class you are advancing in. You learn a number of languages equal to your half current Hit Dice, rounded down. At each even HD you gain, you learn an additional language.

Spatial Awareness
You are always aware of your spatial orientation. You always know which way is up and what direction is north, and can accurately measure the distance between any two points that you see. You automatically succeed on wisdom checks to alter the direction of subjective gravity.

[Stratovarius]

I like the class and the flavour, but flavour is kind of all it's got going for it - from a mechanical point of view it's more or less a Psion with a few bits and pieces of minor RP abilities tacked on. One that gives up a feat and some psicrystal abilities to get them. Now, given it's a Psion and one of the most powerful classes in the game, that's not much of a loss, but it might dissuade people from picking this class instead of more mechanically versatile options.

[AmberVael]

Hmm. The lower power was mostly intentional- I was trying for a Paragnostic Apostle equivalent, easy and painless to enter, but not worldshaking abilities- but I suppose there might be a little more for the standard psion to give up than some of the characters who might want to take Paragnostic Apostle. Maybe if I just dropped in one extra ability or a capstone or something...

I definitely would feel justified in giving it an ability that continued psicrystal progression at least. That wasn't something I considered (mainly because I never use psicrystals myself- they're just not my thing), and it would basically just be equivalent to Holy Texts.
Edit: Added that. I just copied how it was done for crystal master and dropped it under the Powers Known area.