The Sangehirn (Prestiege Class)
By Scott Brocius and Mark A. Jindra

"It won't hurt long."

Sangehirns have learned that the best way to stay alive in a dangerous world is to know how to heal. They focus their minds on the body and learn how to keep it fit. They see the body as a simple pattern of blood flow, muscle, and bone -- easily repaired. As they advance in levels, this belief manifests itself in their own bodies, causing incredible healing capabilities.

Those that begin the path of the sangehirn have a true concern for their fellows. They usually worry more about their friends than themselves. Nonplayer character sangehirns are not too uncommon in a psionic-rich world. They are typically found in areas where their skills are needed most, but the occasional "miracle" healer charges outrageous fees for his or her services.

Hit Dice: d6.

Requirements

To qualify as a sangehirn, a character must meet the following criteria.

Manifesting: Ability to manifest a 3rd-level power.
Stabilize Self: 5 ranks.
Heal: 3 ranks.
Feats: Rapid Metabolism.

Class Skills

The sangehirn's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Balance (Dex), Concentration (Con), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Profession (any) (Wis), Psicraft (Int), Stabilize Self (Con), Swim (Str).

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Class Features

All the following are class features of the sangehirn prestige class.

Armor and Weapon Proficiency: Sangehirns gain no proficiency in any armor or weapons, though they retain any knowledge gained from former classes.

Power Points*: When they gain a level, sangehirns gain power points per day as though they gained a level of psion. These power points are added to the character's previous total. Sangehirns gain bonus power points based on the key ability score for their primary ability. If the character previously could not gain bonus power points for high ability scores (as is the case for psychic warriors), he now chooses a primary discipline and can gain bonus power points based on the related ability score.

Powers Discovered: Sangehirns discover powers per level as though they gained a level of psion. Their effective manifester level is increased by one for each level of the prestige class. Due to their focus on the healing arts, they are restricted to choosing powers from the Sangehirn Powers List below. If it isn't possible for a sangehirn to learn a power from this list, he can select an appropriate level psion power. Bonus "d" discipline powers may be selected as normal or from the sangehirn powers list.

Psionic Combat: Psionic attack and defense modes are discovered as though the character were a psychic warrior of the same level as the prestige class. (Characters do not forget previously discovered attack and defense modes.)

Psicrystals: Sangehirn levels count toward the level of psion for purposes determining psicrystal intelligence and special abilities. Psicrystals are a class ability of psions. You must take at least one level of psion if you wish to encode a psicrystal.

0-Level Powers: Sangehirn levels count toward the level of psion for purposes determining the number of free manifestations per day or your 0-level powers.

Stabilize Self: This bonus is added anytime a sangehirn needs to make a Stabilize Self check. The enhancement bonus starts at +1, and it progresses to +5.

Healing Touch: The sangehirn has mastered the healing arts to the point that he can change the range of his powers. Any power in his list with a range of "personal" can be changed to "touch"at the expenditure of 3 additional power points. This is similar to the channel power ability (which you can review in the "Master More Powers of the Mind" web article) except that a separate power and extra action are not required. Only the powers from the sangehirn powers list can be affected this way.

Fast Healing (Su): The sangehirn gains the supernatural ability of fast healing as long as he keeps 3 power points in reserve. The sangehirn regains hit points at an exceptionally fast rate -- usually 1 or more hit points per round -- as given in the entry. Except where noted here, fast healing is just like natural healing (see page 129 of the Player's Handbook). Fast healing does not restore hit points lost from starvation, thirst, or suffocation, and it does not allow a creature to regrow or reattach body parts.

Damage Reduction (Su): The sangehirn gains the supernatural ability to shrug off physical attacks as long as he keeps 3 power points in reserve. The amount shown in the chart (1, 2, or 3), is the amount subtracted from weapon damage or natural attacks. This reflects the body's ability to close wounds quickly. Damage caused by energy attacks, whether it's from spells, supernatural attacks, or even normal fire, is not subject to the damage reduction.

The Sangehirn

Sangehirn Powers List

Sangehirns can learn only the powers from the following list due to their focus on healing arts. If it isn't possible for a sangehirn to learn a power from this list, he may select the appropriate level power from whatever his previous class was. (Check out the Damage Control article for more information about the powers listed with red bullet below. Powers described in an existing web article have a link to that article. The other powers listed are in the Psionics Handbook.

-- Revised 6/17/2002