The Arlock

[Prime32]

Random concept - ardent + warlock


Hit Die: d6

Class Skills: The arlock’s class skills are Autohypnosis, Bluff, Concentration, Disguise, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (psionics), Knowledge (the planes), Knowledge (religion), Profession, Sense Motive, Psicraft and Use Psionic Device.
Skill Points per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

BAB: Average
Saves: Fort poor, Ref poor, Will good.


1   Psychic blast, First mantle (ability), Talented
2   Detect psionics, First mantle (powers)
3   Deceive item
4   Second mantle (powers)
5   Damage reduction 2/cold iron
6   Second mantle (ability)
7   Psychic resilience 2
8   Augmentation pool
9   Third mantle (powers)
10   Damage reduction 4/cold iron
11   Third mantle (ability)
12   Psychic resilience 4
13   Imbue item
14   Fourth mantle (powers)
15   Damage reduction 6/cold iron
16   Fourth mantle (ability)
17   Psychic resilience 6
18   Improved Augmentation pool
19   Fifth mantle (powers and ability)
20   Damage reduction 8/cold iron


Psychic Invocations (Ps): An arlock manifests powers, but in an unusual fashion. Each of his powers is a psi-like ability with a manifester level equal to half his class level (minimum 1), usable at will. He cannot use a power if its ML is too low to manifest it normally. If the power has an XP or GP cost, it retains that cost. If an arlock takes levels in a PrC which improves manifester level, his effective class level for determining the ML of his powers is increased instead. Likewise, the Practiced Manifester feat improves his effective class level by up to 4. An arlock may treat his invocations as spell-like abilities for the purposes of feats such as Maximise Spell-like Ability.

Psychic Blast (Ps): At 1st level an arlock can use energy ray as a psychic invocation.

Talented: An arlock gains power points equal to his class level.

Mantles (Ps): An arlock gains access to mantles (adding their powers to his invocations known) at the levels shown in the table above.

Augmentation Pool: At 8th level, an arlock may expend power points while using an invocation to increase its manifester level by +1 per point. Alternatively he may apply a metapsionic feat with a cost equal to the expended pp, though this requires him to expend his psionic focus. He may split pp between multiple effects (eg. an arlock expending 6pp could increase an invocation's ML by 2 and Maximise it), but cannot expend more pp on this ability in a single use than half his class level. In other words, you cannot raise an invocation's manifester level above your class level in this manner.

At 18th level he does not need to expend his psionic focus when applying metapsionic feats in this manner.

[Bozwevial]

Hmm. I like it--any possibility of ever augmenting one of your mantle powers? Perhaps as a separate pool of power points or a x/day ability?

[archangel.arcanis]

Hmm. I like it--any possibility of ever augmenting one of your mantle powers? Perhaps as a separate pool of power points or a x/day ability?

I thought all psi-like were always fully augmented, but that may just be racial ones.

[Bozwevial]

Hmm. I like it--any possibility of ever augmenting one of your mantle powers? Perhaps as a separate pool of power points or a x/day ability?

I thought all psi-like were always fully augmented, but that may just be racial ones.

Nah, it's augmented up to the given ML. You might be thinking of the phrenic template.

[VennDygrem]

From my understanding, all Psi-like abilities are automatically augmented up to the max allowed by your HD/level.

[Bozwevial]

From my understanding, all Psi-like abilities are automatically augmented up to the max allowed by your HD/level.

All creatures with psi-like abilities are assigned a manifester level, which indicates how difficult it is to dispel their psi-like effects and determines all level-dependent variables (such as range or duration) the abilities might have. When a creature uses a psi-like ability, the power is manifested as if the creature had spent a number of power points equal to its manifester level, which may augment the power to improve its damage or save DC.

[archangel.arcanis]

From my understanding, all Psi-like abilities are automatically augmented up to the max allowed by your HD/level.

All creatures with psi-like abilities are assigned a manifester level, which indicates how difficult it is to dispel their psi-like effects and determines all level-dependent variables (such as range or duration) the abilities might have. When a creature uses a psi-like ability, the power is manifested as if the creature had spent a number of power points equal to its manifester level, which may augment the power to improve its damage or save DC.

Given the wording of the class ability then they should be fully augmented, since the ML will equal your class level.

[Agita]

From my understanding, all Psi-like abilities are automatically augmented up to the max allowed by your HD/level.

All creatures with psi-like abilities are assigned a manifester level, which indicates how difficult it is to dispel their psi-like effects and determines all level-dependent variables (such as range or duration) the abilities might have. When a creature uses a psi-like ability, the power is manifested as if the creature had spent a number of power points equal to its manifester level, which may augment the power to improve its damage or save DC.

Given the wording of the class ability then they should be fully augmented, since the ML will equal your class level.

ML level equals half class level.
Now, I understand the decision to limit the mantle powers to 1/2 ML, but how about pushing the Energy Ray up to full?

[bkdubs123]

Eh... considering you can manifest Energy Ray as cold, electricity, fire, or sonic damage you're going to attacking a vulnerability a lot of the time. Plus each element has their own unique coolness to it. I think the half manifester level on all the psi-like powers is fine.

What I might do is allow the pool of power points to be used to augment his psi-like powers up to his class level. The wording might be really tricky though, I'm not sure what to suggest.

[Prime32]

Edited for clarity.

What I might do is allow the pool of power points to be used to augment his psi-like powers up to his class level. The wording might be really tricky though, I'm not sure what to suggest.

What about "You may expend power points while using an invocation to increase its manifester level by +1 per point. You cannot raise an invocation's manifester level above your class level in this manner."?

There's still the option of Overchanneling.

[bkdubs123]

What about "You may expend power points while using an invocation to increase its manifester level by +1 per point. You cannot raise an invocation's manifester level above your class level in this manner."?

There you go. That works just fine.

There's still the option of Overchanneling.

True, but it shouldn't be a feat tax on the class. With the ability to use its power points to increase its manifester level beyond 1/2 class level it can still also use Overchannel and Talented on top of that for even more of a boost, if the player desires it. Now you just need to decide at what level you want to give the ability to use PP as a manifester level boost. If you just build it into the 8th level Metapsionic Pool feature you probably ought to name the feature something more appropriate. Autopsionic Pool?

EDIT: Anyway, I think this is an awesome class.

[The_Mad_Linguist]

I'd like an explicit mention that spell-like ability metamagics work for the psi-like abilities, since there's more support for SLA feats than pla feats.

[Prime32]

I'd like an explicit mention that spell-like ability metamagics work for the psi-like abilities, since there's more support for SLA feats than pla feats.

Transparency already applies to those, doesn't it?

[The_Mad_Linguist]

I'd like an explicit mention that spell-like ability metamagics work for the psi-like abilities, since there's more support for SLA feats than pla feats.

Transparency already applies to those, doesn't it?

By strict reading, I'm not sure feats actually work for transparency.

[archangel.arcanis]

I think RAI they do RAW they don't. Someone made that assumption but the rules don't really say that anywhere.

Plus as the DWK circus has shown, it is better to be explicit in what you intend.

[Shadeseraph]

I think you should add a clause for ML concerning SR/PR. While there are many powers which don't allow SR/PR, having only half manifester level hurts those powers which allow it too much to be usable on the higher levels.

I like the way it balances itself, thanks to the half manifesting level. Metamorphosis at will doesn't look all that dangerous after you realize that, unless you increase your ML, you can only use forms with HD=half your level.

Anyway, Practiced Manifester looks too good not to take for this class. Also, would you be able to use the mantle feats to get access to more mantles?

[Prime32]

You know, these guys would probably make pretty interesting Tashalatoras. The replacement of eldritch blast means they can't run around with Beast Strike + Eldritch Claws though.

Anyway, Practiced Manifester looks too good not to take for this class.

Already accounted for. It increases your effective arlock level, rather than your manifester level.

Also, would you be able to use the mantle feats to get access to more mantles?

Can an ardent do that?


EDIT: Would it be too imbalanced if I added this?

If you gain an invocation which you already have access to from another source its ML is increased by 1. This bonus stacks with itself.

Or heck, make it +2. Then you could pick the same mantle 5 times and end up a 20th-level character who can manifest 8 powers at-will at ML18 (and with an ML20 psychic blast if they chose the Energy mantle).

[Shadeseraph]

You know, these guys would probably make pretty interesting Tashalatoras. The replacement of eldritch blast means they can't run around with Beast Strike + Eldritch Claws though.

Anyway, Practiced Manifester looks too good not to take for this class.

Already accounted for. It increases your effective arlock level, rather than your manifester level.

Upsss... Right. Forget about that. Anyway, I still think that you should check the power resistance problem.

Also, would you be able to use the mantle feats to get access to more mantles?

Can an ardent do that?

Well, Ardent only gets the ability to select powers from the mantle, while the arlock learns them automagically. That said, it's not like it is imbalanced nor even specially powerful. A bunch of low level powers never did anyone damage (assuming that your ML stays low).

EDIT: Would it be too imbalanced if I added this?

If you gain an invocation which you already have access to from another source its ML is increased by 1. This bonus stacks with itself.

Or heck, make it +2. Then you could pick the same mantle 5 times and end up a 20th-level character who can manifest 8 powers at-will at ML18 (and with an ML20 psychic blast if they chose the Energy mantle).

Well... the only problem that I can see in this is if you can get your ML over your class level, specially if this gives you access to the higher level powers. For example, a Human Arlock 6 who has chosen Natural World Mantle 5 times (2+3 feats) would be able to manifest Metamorphosis at will. And at low level, a Human Arlock with Energy Mantle x would be able to manifest Psychic Blast augmented to 5 pp at will (assuming +2 ML per power repeated), which, at first level, is a pretty heavy hit.
In fact, forget those examples. An Arlock 20 who picks Time Mantle 2 times would be able to manifest Temporal Accelartion at will. Just this makes it reasonably broken, in my humble opinion.

EDIT:
Ok, I just discovered that "imbalanced" and "unbalanced" have different meanings... ****ing false friends.

[Prime32]

Tap Mantle [Psionic]
You gain the ability to access the powers in a new mantle.
Prerequisite: Access to one psionic mantle.
Benefit: Whenever you gain the ability to learn another psionic power, you can choose a power you can manifest from this new mantle. You essentially gain a new menu of options from which you can select powers whenever you would normally learn a new power from advancing in a psionic class. You do not gain the mantle's granted ability or any other benefit of access to the mantle.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Each time you do, you choose a new mantle to access.

Given that arlocks don't technically learn psionic powers...

[bkdubs123]

EDIT: Would it be too imbalanced if I added this?

If you gain an invocation which you already have access to from another source its ML is increased by 1. This bonus stacks with itself.

Or heck, make it +2. Then you could pick the same mantle 5 times and end up a 20th-level character who can manifest 8 powers at-will at ML18 (and with an ML20 psychic blast if they chose the Energy mantle).

I agree that this feels very unbalanced to me.