Psion Prestige Class : War Mind
War minds are expert fighters who claim to possess unequaled knowledge in the art of war. Through a combination of inner contemplation and external study of an ancient text called the Talariic Codex, war minds grow in their craft of arms and war. Those who study the Talariic Codex learn several tenets, collectively known as chains of war. As a war mind masters one chain, he opens himself to learn the next chain in the series, should he desire to continue to bend his mind to the intensive studies required to advance in this class.
Soulknives and psychic warriors are most likely to take up study of the Talariic Codex, though finding a copy of the ancient text may prove a task all its own. Even those who initially begin their careers as fighters or barbarians may pick up some training in a psionic class for the express purpose of eventually being able to study as a war mind.
NPC war minds can sometimes be found directing military forces, leading elite strike teams, fighting in prestigious arena events as a local favorite, or in some other important warfare-oriented capacity.
Requirements
To qualify to become a War Mind, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Alignment: Any nonchaotic
- Skills: Knowledge (history) 2 ranks, Knowledge (psionics)
- Base Attack Bonus: +3
- Psionics: Must have a power point reserve of at least 1 power point.
- Special: Must have had some instruction by another war mind, have access to Talariic texts, or belong to an organization that has access to Talariic texts.
Class Skills
The war mind's class skills are Autohypnosis, Concentration, Intimidate, Knowledge (history), Knowledge (psionics), and Psicraft.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All the following are class features of the war mind prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: War minds gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.
Power Points/Day: A war mind can manifest powers. His ability to manifest powers is limited by the power points he has available. His base daily allotment of power points is given on the table below. In addition, he receives bonus power points per day if he has a high Wisdom score. His race may also provide bonus power points per day, as may certain feats and items. If a war mind has power points from a different class, those points are pooled together and usable to manifest powers from either class. Bonus power points from having a high ability score can be gained only for the character's highest psionic class.
Powers Known: A war mind chooses his powers from the psychic warrior power list. At 1st level, a war mind knows one psychic warrior power of your choice. At every even-numbered level higher than 1st, he learns one new power. A war mind can manifest any power that has a power point cost equal to or lower than his manifester level.
The total number of powers a war mind can manifest per day is limited only by his daily power points. In other words, a 5th-level war mind (with a total of 20 power points, not counting any gained for a high Wisdom score) could manifest a power costing 1 power point twenty times in one day, a power costing 5 power points four times in one day, or any combination of power point costs that does not exceed 20 power points in total.
A war mind simply knows his powers; they are ingrained in his mind. 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 war mind powers is 10 + the power's level + the war mind's Wisdom + modifier. For example, the saving throw against a 2nd-level power has a DC of 12 + Wis modifier.
Maximum Power level Known: A war mind gains the ability to learn one 1st-level power when he takes his first level in the prestige class. As he attains each even-numbered level beyond 2nd, a war mind gains the ability to master more complex powers. A 4th-level war mind can learn powers of 2nd level or lower, a 6th-level war mind can learn powers of 3rd level or lower, and so on.
To learn or manifest a power, a war mind must have a Wisdom score of at least 10 + the power's level. For example, a war mind with a Wisdom score of 13 can manifest powers of 3rd level or lower.
Chain of Personal Superiority (Ex): At 1st level, a war mind learns the first principle of warfare for the individual combatant: the ability to both deal punishment and take it. Calling upon inner reserves of knowledge and dedication, a war mind can provide himself with a +2 insight bonus to Strength and Constitution for up to 1 minute. A war mind can use this power three times per day. Activating this power is a free action. At 7th level, the insight bonus to Strength and Constitution improves to +4.
Chain of Defensive Posture (Ex): At 2nd level, a war mind learns the second principle of warfare for the individual combatant: the ability to avoid the enemy's counterattacks if that enemy is not immediately overwhelmed. Calling upon inner reserves of knowledge and dedication, a war mind can provide himself with a +2 insight bonus to Armor Class for up to 1 minute.
A war mind can use this power three times per day. Activating this power is a free action. At 8th level, the insight bonus to Armor Class improves to +4.
Enduring Body (Ex): At 3rd level, a war mind learns the third principle of warfare for the individual combatant to unleash in oneself the spirit of the enduring body. The Talariic texts tell of the perfect warrior, a legend named Ununquam the Vanquisher, who lived many thousands of years ago but who achieved deeds that live on through the texts, the spirit of the ideal body transforms a war mind, granting him damage reduction 1/-.
At 6th level, his damage reduction improves to 2/-. At 9th level, his damage reduction improves to 3/-.
Sweeping Strike (Ex): At 5th level, a war mind gains the ability to make great, sweeping swings with a melee weapon. On each melee attack a war mind makes, he can choose squares he threatens that are adjacent to each other, and his attacks apply to creatures in those two squares equally. A war mind can use this ability on any attack, even an attack of opportunity or a cleave attempt. A war mind cannot use this ability if he has moved more than 10 feet since the end of his last turn. If a war mind drops one or both of his foes with a sweeping strike, he can attempt a cleave normally; however, he makes only one cleave attempt per sweeping strike, even if he drops more than one foe.
Chain of Overwhelming Force (Su): At 10th level, a war mind learns the fourth principle of warfare for the individual combatant: to discover the underlying violence of the world and deliver it in a perfectly executed attack. The Talariic texts describe precisely the state of mind necessary to tap into this underlying energy and apply it to a single attack, dealing an extra 10d6 points of damage. A war mind can use this power once per day. Activating this power is a free action. If the attack misses, the power is wasted.
| War Mind | Hit Die: d10 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | PP/day | Powers Known | Max Power Lvl |
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +2 | +0 | Chain of personal superiority +2 | 2 | 1 | 1st |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +3 | +0 | Chain of defensive posture +2 | 5 | 2 | 1st |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +3 | +1 | Enduring body (DR 1/-) | 9 | 2 | 1st |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +4 | +1 | - | 14 | 3 | 2nd |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Sweeping strike | 20 | 3 | 2nd |
| 6th | +6 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Enduring body (DR 2/-) | 28 | 4 | 3rd |
| 7th | +7 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Chain of personal superiority +4 | 37 | 4 | 3rd |
| 8th | +8 | +6 | +6 | +2 | Chain of defensive posture +4 | 47 | 5 | 4th |
| 9th | +9 | +6 | +6 | +3 | Enduring body (DR 3/-) | 58 | 5 | 4th |
| 10th | +10 | +7 | +7 | +3 | Chain of overwhelming force | 70 | 6 | 5th |
Source: Expanded Psionics Handbook