Some psychic warriors hone their skills by mastering a single melee weapon. Through intense meditation and personal sacrifice, they unlock powerful supernatural abilities in their weapons, which allows them to form a special bond with it. To bond with the weapon of choice -- to use the weapon as naturally and without thought as any other limb -- is the goal of the psychic weapon master.
To gain the special abilities of the psychic weapon master class, a character must use her weapon of choice. Once chosen, the weapon of choice cannot be changed. This does not mean that, if her weapon of choice is the longsword, she can use only the longsword she owned when she first became a psychic weapon master. The only material requirement for the class is a crystal version of her weapon. It means that she can use any crystal longsword and gain the benefits of the psychic weapon master. If she uses any other weapon, she can use none of the special abilities of the prestige class.
All the following are class features of the psychic weapon master prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Psychic weapon masters gain no proficiency in any armor or weapons, though they retain any knowledge gained from former classes.
Power Points: With the exception of1st, 5th, and 9th levels, psychic weapon masters gain power points every level as though they gained a level of psychic warrior. Psychic weapon masters do not gain bonus power points.
Powers Discovered: With the exception of1st, 5th, and 9th levels, psychic weapon masters discover powers as though they gained a level of psychic warrior. Powers are chosen from the psychic warrior power list. Their effective manifester level is increased by one for each level of the prestige class.
Psionic Combat: Psychic weapon masters do not gain any psionic attack or defense modes. (Characters do not forget previously discovered attack and defense modes.)
0-Level Powers: Psychic weapon master levels count toward the level of psychic warrior for determining the number of free manifestations per day of 0-level powers.
Bonded Weapon: The psychic weapon master can form a special bond with a single melee weapon. The weapon must be the same type as her weapon of choice. The weapon must be a standard crystal melee weapon (without any magic or psionic enhancements). As a psychic weapon master gains experience, she can sacrifice an amount of experience points (XP) to awaken supernatural abilities within her bonded weapon. This sacrifice cannot exceed the XP that she has gained since she last gained a level. Upon initially awakening her weapon, a small portion of the psychic weapon master's personality is encoded in the weapon. This personality is chosen from Table 1-4: Psicrystals in the Psionics Handbook. The personality grants the psychic weapon master the special properties that correspond with the chosen personality. The bonded weapon also has the sighted and empathic link abilities of a psicrystal and like psicrystals it has an Intelligence of 7. Upon awakening a weapon bonus of +3 the bonded weapon gains the telepathic link psicrystal ability.
At any time, a psychic weapon master can spend time meditating to awaken the abilities in her bonded weapon. This requires a sacrifice of XP equal to the amount shown on Table 1-1: Bonded Weapons. A psychic weapon master must meet the required minimum level and must meditate 8 hours a day for a number of days in a row equal to the XP sacrificed divided by 100.
The XP values shown on Table 1-1 are the total value of the sacrifice required to bring a single weapon to the listed weapon bonus. If a psychic weapon master already has a +3longsword, she can raise it to a +4 longsword by sacrificing 700 XP and spending 7 days meditating.
A weapon can't have a bonus higher than +5. Use the weapon bonus on Table 1-1 below to determine the XP sacrifice when special abilities are added. Special abilities can be added from either Table 7-5: Melee Weapon Special Abilities in the Psionics Handbook and/or Table 8-15: Melee Weapon Special Abilities in the Dungeon Master's Guide. (Spell storing is considered the same as power storing.)Example: A psychic weapon master who has a +4longsword can transform it into a +4mind feeder with a sacrifice of 2,000 XP since mind feeder is a special ability worth a +2 bonus. The psychic weapon master may awaken the ability to store power points as a crystal capacitor in their bonded weapon. A +1 weapon bonus is equal to 5 power points, +2 adds 4 more points for a total of 9, +3 adds 4 more points for a total of 13, and +4 adds 4 more points for a final total of 17 power points.
If a bonded weapon is destroyed by accident or on purpose, the psychic weapon master must attempt a Fortitude save (DC 15). If the saving throw fails, the psychic weapon master must sacrifice an additional 500 XP upon awakening her next bonded weapon. A successful saving throw reduces the loss to 250 XP. A psychic weapon master's experience can never go below 0 as a result of a bonded weapon's destruction. A psychic weapon master can have only one bonded weapon at a time.
Five percent of all bonded weapons have a special quality. Special qualities are discovered upon becoming fully awakened (Weapon Bonus +10**). Your DM should determine if your weapon has a special quality. Roll d%. A result of 1-5 indicates a special quality, while a result of 6-100 indicates a normal bonded weapon. If a special quality results, the DM should generate this special quality for you (see Special Qualities on page 126 of the Psionics Handbook). Special qualities simply become active and do not require any additional XP sacrifice or meditation. Even though a bonded weapon has an intelligence score it is not automatically assumed to be an intelligent weapon.
| Table 1-1: Bonded Weapons |
| Weapon Bonus |
Total Sacrifice
Required |
Minimum
Psychic Weapon
Master Level |
Meditation |
| +1* |
100 XP |
1 |
1 day*** |
| +2 |
400 XP |
2 |
+3 days |
| +3 |
900 XP |
3 |
+5 days |
| +4 |
1,600 XP |
4 |
+7 days |
| +5 |
2,500 XP |
5 |
+9 days |
| +6** |
3,600 XP |
6 |
+11 days |
| +7** |
4,900 XP |
7 |
+13 days |
| +8** |
6,400 XP |
8 |
+15 days |
| +9** |
8,100 XP |
9 |
+17 days |
| +10** |
10,000 XP |
10 |
+19 days |
|
* Upon awakening a bonded weapon a personality is selected from Table 1-4: Psicrystals in the Psionics Handbook.
** A weapon can't actually have a bonus higher than +5 see the above text.
*** This is the base meditation time for a +1 weapon. All numbers following it are added to this base number. For example, a +3 bonus would cost 1 + 3 + 5 = 9 days.
|
Psionic Damage: After you score a hit with your weapon of choice, you do not roll dice to determine damage. Instead, you figure the normal maximum damage (not a critical hit) you can inflict with that weapon and do that much damage to the target. Assume you use a longsword, have a base attack bonus of 6, and possess a Strength of 17. A longsword does 1d8 damage, so its maximum damage is 8 points. Your Strength modifier is +3, so add that for a total of 11. Only base damage is maximized; additional damage, such as from using the Power Attack feat (following all the rules for it normally) is determined normally and is not maximized. This ability cannot be used when you roll a successful critical hit. You can use this ability for free a number of times per day equal to your psychic weapon master level, additional uses of this ability cost 3 power points each.
Increased Multiplier: Determine the standard critical multiplier for your weapon of choice. With this ability, you can increase the multiplier by +1. For example, the longsword has a critical multiplier of x2. Using this ability, you can increase that multiplier to x3 (2 + 1 = 3) once per day at the 2nd level of the psychic weapon master prestige class. You gain an additional use per day at 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th levels of this prestige class. You must declare the use of this ability before you roll any damage dice. You must maintain a reserve of at least 6 power points to use this ability. These reserve points are not used up when the ability is used.
Superior Weapon Focus: Stacking with any existing Weapon Focus bonus, this adds an additional +1 to all attack rolls with your weapon of choice. You must maintain a reserve of at least 9 power points to use this ability. These reserve points are not used up when the ability is used.
Superior Combat Reflexes: You gain the Combat Reflexes feat for free. If you already possess this feat, add your Wisdom modifier to the number of additional attacks of oppertunity you may make in a round. You must maintain a reserve of at least 11 power points to use this ability. These reserve points are not used up when the ability is used.
Psionic Critical: You gain the Improved Critical feat for free. If you already possess this feat, add an additional +2 to your weapon of choice's threat range for critical hits. You must maintain a reserve of at least 13 power points to use this ability. These reserve points are not used up when the ability is used.
Psionic Whirlwind: You gain the Whirlwind feat for free. If you already possess this feat, you can make a whirlwind attack as a standard action rather than a full attack action. You must maintain a reserve of at least 15 power points to use this ability. These reserve points are not used up when the ability is used.
Hit Die: d8.
