A new Psionic Base Class! Help me making it awesome

[WhiteBread]

Hey guys,
Lately I have fallen in love with psionics. So I tried my hand on a new psionic base class. Its current name is Mind Raider (maybe someone has a better idea) and is basically a psionic class dabbling in dreams and nightmares to harness its power. Making illusions real and terrifying or changing reality for benefits. Well you can read all below. I hope you also have some suggestions for dreams/nightmares to add. And of course improvements, a tier rating and constructive critism.

Spoiler: Mind Raider

Show

Mind Raider

“ One, two,
the terror comes for you!
Three, four
creeping on the floor.
Five, Six...
”
—Ema, Human, insane

Mind Raiders are manifesters that dip deeply into the unknown of their subconscious mind. This advance into the subconscious involves great danger of mental illness or worse for anyone without proper techniques. The ones that manage to reach a certain point unlock knowledge about a realm that is normally only accessed via the dreams. This realm which stores all creations of dreams and nightmares ever produced by any creatures' subconscious, harbors great wonders as well as the most fearsome terrors. By dreaming in this way they power their own sub mind until it awakens and starts to form a personality very close to theirs. This awakened subconscious mind begins to form a will of its own but is still fully loyal to the main mind as well as works only for his well being. Through the help of their second self a Mind Raider is capable of traveling to the realm of dreams and bind creations and terrors to utilize their power for himself. Through binding them to his subconscious he awakens his other self even further which increases its power and ability to travel deeper into the realm. Mind Raiders keep this ability as well as their identity a secret from others and only rarely they deem someone talented enough to be introduced to this world.

Making a Mind Raider

Abilities: A Mind Raider is great at supporting his allies passively while manifesting for offense. A Mind Raider however is bad at tanking and should stay away from the frontlines. The main attribute of a Mind Raider is Charisma. He also profits from a high Dex and Int score.

Races: Mind Raiders are chosen for their affinity towards the subconscious realm of dreams. Therefore any race fitting the description can become a Mind Raider. However naturally psionic races find themselves more often in the position of a Mind Raider while less intelligent races have a harder time understanding the underlying rules of the mind.

Alignment: Mind Raiders more often than not find themselves chaotic than lawful.

Starting Gold: 6d4x10

Starting Age: Simple.


Table: The Mind Raider

Hit Die: d8

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Power Points/Day	Maximum Power Emulated
1	0	2	0	2	Emulating Power, Subconscious Mind	1	1
2	1	3	0	3	Dream Aura, Bind Creation and Nightmares	2	1
3	2	3	1	3		3	1
4	3	4	1	4		5	2
5	3	4	1	4	Awaken	14	2
6	4	5	2	5		22	3
7	5	5	2	5		30	3
8	6	6	2	6		38	4
9	6	6	3	6		46	4
10	7	7	3	7	Improved Dream Aura, Full Awakening	54	5
11	8	7	3	7		70	5
12	9	8	4	8		86	6
13	9	8	4	8		102	6
14	10	9	4	9	Supercharging Power	118	7
15	11	9	5	9		134	7
16	12	10	5	20		158	8
17	12	10	5	10		182	8
18	13	11	6	11		206	9
19	14	11	6	11		230	9
20	15	12	6	12	Cloud Mind	254	9

Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level)
Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Psicraft (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Listen (Wis), Spot (Wis), Bluff (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Use Psionic Device (Cha). Disable Device (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Autohypnosis (Wis), Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Sense Motive (Wis).


Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Mind Raider:

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Mind Raiders are proficient with all simple and martial weapons. They are proficient with any type of armor but no shields. Armor does not interfere with the manifestion of powers.

Power Points/Day: A Mind Raider’s ability to manifest powers is limited by the power points he has available. His base daily allotment of power points is given on Table: Mind Raider. In addition, he receives bonus power points per day if he has a high Cha score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Power Points). His race may also provide bonus power points per day, as may certain feats and items. Upon awakening his subconscious he also gains bonus power points per day if he has a high Int score additionally to his other gained Power Points.

Powers Known: A Mind Raider begins play with 0 powers known. He either learns new powers by taking the feats Expanded Knowledge and Epic Expanded Knowledge or by emulating a power (see Emulating Power).
The number of times a Mind Raider can manifest powers in a day is limited only by his daily power points.
A Mind Raider doesn't know powers; the knowledge is taken from the realm of dreams which his subconscious can tap into. He does not need to prepare them (in the way that some spellcasters prepare their spells), though he must get a good night’s sleep each day to regain all his spent power points.
The Difficulty Class for saving throws against Mind Raider powers is 10 + the power’s level + the Mind Raiders’s Charisma modifier.

Emulating Powers: Different to other manifesters and spellcasters the Mind Raider doesn't know any powers from the start. He instead uses his subconscious to tap into a realm based on all dreams and nightmares ever had. This realm contains knowledge about all powers ever used by any living creature. He therefore can use a fullround action to emulate any power he is capable of manifesting and can use the power afterwards normally as if known until he emulates a new power which again takes a fullround action. E.g. the Mind Raider uses a fullround action to emulate the Astral Construct power. He now effectively is able to use the Astral Construct power as if known . If he now decides to manifest a different power he would need to spend a fullround action again. The new power is now his power known.
Mind Raiders choose their powers from all available lists.

Maximum Power Level Known: A Mind Reader begins play with the ability to manifest 1st-level powers. As he attains higher levels, a Mind Reader may gain the ability to master more complex powers.
To learn, emulate or manifest a power, a Mind Reader must have a Charisma score of at least 10 + the power’s level.

Subconscious Mind (Ex): The Mind Raider begins his career with unlocking access to his subconscious mind by using secret techniques. His subconscious mind is still sleeping, however it already grants him access to the realm of dreams which it is connected to. The current sub mind is capable of binding a medium creation/terror and 2 lesser creations and terrors. Roll a d100 to determine if the Mind Raider dips into a Dream 1-50 or into a Nightmare 51-100. You can only enter the subconscious mind once per night.

Awaken (Ex): At 5th level the Mind Raider awakens his subconscious. The sub mind now has its own free will and thinking. It is capable of talking with the main mind via telepathy (they share the same brain). While having its own thought and will, the sub mind is still fully loyal to the main mind and will always act to his benefit.
The awakening grants the Mind Raider several benefits:
- Mind affecting ability saves as well as any knowledge checks can be rolled twice. The better roll of both is taken as the save or skill check.
- The power points are effectively doubled as seen in the table. The sub mind is also capable of producing a psionic focus additionally and refocuses everytime the main mind would refocus his psionic focus. Both psionic foci are always spent at the same time even if only one would be needed.
- Through combined efforts the sub mind now can emulate a second power similar to the main mind as well as taking of the stress caused by manifesting a power which results in a +2 higher manifester level for emulated powers and powers gained by feats. The mind raider can use this second power as if known and can also use a fullround action to change it.
- The sub mind can now be bound with 3 medium and 2 lesser creations/terrors.

Full Awakening (Ex): At 10th level the sub mind evolves even further and has now a character of his own, effectively making the Mind Raider schizophrenic. The sub mind also creates a semi transparent body connected to the Mind Raider's body which can only be seen by the Mind Raider. Others may be able to detect a wierd gloom at night around the Mind Raider with a DC 20 Spot Check. The sub mind now can operate while the main mind is sleeping and warn from impeding danger as if having the alertness feat.
The full awakening grants the Mind Raider several benefits:
- The Mind Raider is a master of his own mind now and immune to all mind affecting abilities.
- He now can manifest the second emulated power in the same round he manifests his first ability as a swift action if it has a maximum manifestation time of one round. The maximum amount of spent power points of both abilities can't be more than the manifester level plus all additions to it.
- The sub mind can now be bound with 1 great, 3 medium and 4 lesser creations/nightmares.
- The sub mind grants the main mind a second set of feats. The Mind Raider can take a second feat for every feat taken or to be taken from gaining a higher level. E.g. The main mind gains feats at 1st , 3rd, 6th , 9th level etc and for every feat taken the sub mind can take a psionic or metamagic feat additionally. This doesn't allow feats that can't be taken twice to be taken again. This also doesn't grant double feats gained through classes or other methods. This ability works for the main mind as if using the feat leech power except no power points are spent or any time limit is imposed. The sub mind simply grants his feats to the main mind. Epic Mind Raider over 20 still only allow for normal psionic and metamagic feats even if the taken feat is epic.

Bind Creation and Nightmares (Su): At 2nd level a Mind Raider can bind creations and terrors from the realm of dreams and nightmares. The amount and strength of bound creations/terrors can be seen in Subconscious Mind. Creations and nightmares can be changed once every level. The list of all available creations/terrors can be found in Table 2 below.

Spoiler: Creations

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Creations

Effects

Binding	Name	Self	Aura	Extra
Lesser	Comfortable Cloud	-	+ 1 to saves	You feel well rested and comfortable. The blurry cloud surrounding you can be eaten and tastes sweet.
Medium	Dragon's Hoard	Bag of Holding IV	+5 Appraise and +5 Diplomancy Checks on Trades	You can store items inside your aura as if it were a Bag of Holding IV. The aura however can't rupture because it stores your items inside the plane of dreams.
Medium	Song of Adventure	+ 1 attack rolls	Double all positive effects of music	Music seems much loader and more thrilling for everyone inside the aura. It inspires you and your allies even more so than before and can be heard in a + 20 feet radius.
Medium	The Origin of Power	-1 PP cost on powers	Gain power points when powers are manifested	Whenever someone else manifests powers while inside your aura (affected or not) you can harness 3 power points and add them to your daily limit for this day.
Greater	Spring of Youth	You are immune to time effects.	+3 Fast Healing	You and your allies affected by this seem to get younger by a year every time it is reactivated. You don't get younger than someone catogorized as young adult in their race. This works otherwise as Timeless Body(Ex).

Spoiler: Nightmares

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Nightmares

Effects

Binding	Name	Self	Aura	Extra
Lesser	Crawling Insects	-	1 hp damage/round (1 time save only)	Enemies feel like insects are crawling all over their body and nagging at their skin. Additional -5 on Concentration Checks when failing the save.
Lesser	Shadowhands	-	- 10 feet speed	Small, dark and claw like hands seep out of the ground and grab for enemy legs and impede movement which prevents charge attempts as well as slowing down enemies
Lesser	Desert Thirst	-	Fatigued	It seems like they had their last drop of water 2 weeks ago. Fatigued characters become Exhausted instead.
Lesser	Lego Stepstone	-	1d2 damage/round (1 save/round)	The enemy feels as if he stepped on something and it hurts really bad. -2 on Concentration Checks that round on a failed save.
Medium	Gazing Abyss	Darkvision 60 feet	Magical Darkness	If you gaze into the abyss, it gazes back into you. Enemies that fail their save are surrounded by magical darkness as if under a Darkness Spell. The darkness can only be countered by a level equivalent or higher light spell/power.
Greater	Ultimate Horror	You've seen much already. Immunity against fear effects.	Panicked ( 3 saves/once )	The enemy faces his greatest fear no matter what it is. He rolls three saves while each successful save reduces the fear effect to the next lesser effect. You know your enemies' weaknesses.
Greater	The Great One	+3 on Attack and Damage Rolls against spellcaster	Spellcaster can't cast defensively inside your aura	The Great One told you many secrets about magic. For a price. One that others will pay off for you!

Dream Aura (Su): Through continues drifting in the realm of dreams part of it travels back when awakening from slumber. This dream dust manifests itself around the Mind Raider when activated and lets them recognize each other. This dust morphs the surrounding air while and gives the Mind Raider a blurred and dreamlike appearence. The enemy needs a DC Spot Check of 20 to recognize he is inside the aura of a Mind Raider. At 2nd level a Mind Raider gains the ability to create an aura around himself. This aura is powered by the bound creations and terrors seen in Table 2. The Mind Raider can use three creations(one each power level) and three terrors( also one of each power level) at once for his aura even if he has bound more to himself. He can switch them as a swift action but only once per round. Enemies that resisted an aura don't have to resist again. An aura that gets reactived but was not resisted forces a new Will Save DC. The aura effect is granted to all allies in 10 + Ml feet or/and effects all foes in 10 + Ml feet. The Will Save DC for negative effects is 10 + Ml/2 (rounded down) + Cha.
Improved Dream Aura (Ex): At 10th level the Aura doubles in size, increases save DC's by 2 and doubles benefits granted to yourself and allies.

Supercharging Power (Su): Through the help of his sub mind the Mind Raider can supercharge a power at 14th level. The supercharged power needs first to be emulated. The power than can be supercharged until reaching a new level where it resets and a different power can be supercharged. A supercharged power is saved and added to powers known. It can be used even when a new power is emulated in its place and counts as a supernatural power. The supernatural power can be manifested with +2 additional manifester levels (additionally to the +2 manifester levels granted by Awaken to a total of +4) and is only limited by the daily power point limit. However experience costs still apply.

Cloud Mind (Ex): At 20th level the Mind Raider finally unlocks all secrets to the dream realm and his subconscious. He is now capable of permanently connecting to the dream realm and leave a part of his memories there. He now can change creations and terrors with a fullround action when awake and is also capable of binding creations and terrors to his main mind now. A total of 2 great, 5 medium and 6 lesser creations and terros can be bound to the Mind Raider.

Campaign Information

Playing a Mind Raider

Religion: Mind Raiders are rarely religious. Some however like to worship deities that give pleasent dreams and comfort at night.

Other Classes: A Mind Raider is creative and dreamy. He loves free characters and prefers bards as companions for their music which often help to have pleasent dreams. He also likes companions harboring a lot of knowledge about adventure and history.

Combat: A Mind Raider takes often a position between casters and support characters like bards.
Advancement: A Mind Raider normally prefers to stay in class. Some decide to multiclass into other psionic classes and rarely they decide to take classes like fighters to stand at the front lines.

Mind Raider in the World

“ What do you mean I am schizophrenic? Yeah, what do you mean? ”
—Altor, Human Mind Raider

Mind Raiders are everywhere. Most recognize them as psionic. Psionic classes however often are confused about the way Mind Raiders fight.

Daily Life: Mind Raiders spent their daily life either with adventure or with creativity. A creative and happy mind is one that has better control over its subconscious dreams.

Organizations: Mind Raiders never really assamble. The biggest groups are normally only consisting of a mentor and several students.

NPC Reactions: As to any other psionic class.

Mind Raider Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (psionic) (Int) can research Mind Raider to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Knowledge (psionic) (Int)

DC	Result
5	Mind Raiders seem to sleep a lot when not dancing or fighting.
10	Sometimes talking to a Mind Raider seems like talking to two persons at the same time. They often repeat things they say.
15	Seems they dababled a bit too much in their minds. They are completely schizophrenic and insane. And whenever they fight they seem like a blurry being for friends while a dark shadow for enemies.
20	The dream world they dabble into is a extremely dangerous plane. Only people with a specific affinity can stay there for long. And only Mind Raiders are capable of making the nightmares there their slaves.

Mind Raider in the Game

Mind Raiders always seem a bit inattentive. Always in thought even more so than wizards. They seem crazy but always consider things twice or more times, seemingly discussing with themselves. As Npcs they are always considered a wierd form of Psion and more often than not people just believe that a Psion messed to much with their brain.

Adaptation: This class fits perfectly into campaigns that need a crazy and mysterious being. Worlds of visionary divination and dreams make a perfect playground for Mind Raiders as they are the ones controlling these domains.

[Solauren]

PSP is way to high. You have the same BAB as a Psychic Warrior, but PSP is way high.

Lower the PSP to match the progression of a Psychic Warrior.

Otherwise, it looks pretty good. Certainly inventive.

[WhiteBread]

PSP is way to high. You have the same BAB as a Psychic Warrior, but PSP is way high.

Lower the PSP to match the progression of a Psychic Warrior.

Otherwise, it looks pretty good. Certainly inventive.

You are right the amount of PP is too high. I am going to change it below a normal psion but a bit higher than psychic warrior.

[SharkForce]

if you're just liking the idea, you could take a look at dreamscarred press. their morphean base class covers the idea fairly well. sadly, that particular class never quite made it into their SRD... so for the actual 3.5 version, you'd need to buy it (which i don't think you can do from their site, but a quick search reveals that it can be found in the paizo store still... i'm not sure if forum rules prohibit me posting a link to a store or not, but that should be enough to find what you're looking for (you want their d20/OGL products, the specific book it is from is called the mind unveiled, and you can either buy the whole book or just one specific part if you prefer. or just not buy anything at all, and use their freely available pathfinder material as inspiration)).

the pathfinder equivalent (which can be found in the pathfinder SRD) is called the dread. it changed to be rather less focused on dreams, but it is probably the more polished version (there are a few specific aspects of the morphean that are not entirely balanced... like a feat that lets you AoE crowd control enemies with a skill check. that feat did not make it into pathfinder). since it is for pathfinder, you may need to make some tweaks to fit it into 3.5, but it shouldn't be too difficult. the general link for pathfinder psionics SRD is http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed (that should be all or almost all dreamscarred press material, paizo hasn't touched pathfinder psionics to my knowledge, but there are a few more... err... 4th party companies? that have built on the dreamscarred press conversion of psionics to pathfinder), should you want some general inspiration. the specific class link is http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unl.../classes/dread

in general, their pathfinder material is probably more polished, but i find that i definitely prefer some of their 3.5 material over the pathfinder updates, including the eponymous dreamscarred: http://dsp-d20-srd.wikidot.com/dreamscarred for example.

but seriously, if psionics interests you, i cannot recommend a 3rd party option more highly than dreamscarred press. sadly, as noted earlier, their private SRD was never fully completed before they switched to pathfinder... but it was partly completed. here is the link to that: http://dsp-d20-srd.wikidot.com/home

you may also be interested in trying to track down another book called hyperconscious. it was written by bruce cordell, one of the main authors of the 3.5 psionics rules. it is the (unofficial, 3rd party company) expansion to the psionics rules in 3.5 that didn't make a lot of people angry (by process of elimination, that means that complete psionic did not pass that test for the record).

....

and now that i've just given you a positively absurd volume of material to digest and raid for ideas (or just use as-is), i'm off :)

[Hanuman]

I'd start with a pathfinder summoner (note that summoners are quite powerful already, and fairly breakable), and convert its spellcasting into psionics, flavoring outwards. Archetype would work well.

I'd also read the planar handbook, it has a full description of the dreamscape and how that all works.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planar_Handbook

If you want to focus on summoning type class, you could flavor your summon as your subconscious mind, then an ability/spell to have a summon cause a will save on foe or shaken by warping it into the visage of it's nightmares.

Gives you a chance to flavor the buffing of your summons, you could also write some feats for it if you wanted to write fluff that requires extra power.