[PoC] Prestige Class - Master of Observation

[Garryl]

Master of Observation prestige class
A dual progression activating/observing PrC all about the Observer Relay module. Designed for use with Sirpercival's astronomer.

   Feats: Alertness.
   Skills: Computer Use 8 ranks, Spot 8 ranks.
   Activating: Ability to activate the Observer Relay module. Access to a Least socket.
   Observing: Ability to observe a phenomenon. Ability to have at least 2 inferior conjunctions active simultaneously.
   Special: Ability to focus on a constellation.

Hit Die: d6

Table: The Master of Observation

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Observer Cloud	Activating	Spellcasting
1	+0	+0	+0	+2	Integrated Relay, Remote Observation	2	+1 of existing activating class	+1 of existing observing class
2	+1	+0	+0	+3	Least Socket Access, Reinforced Drones	3	+1 of existing activating class	+1 of existing observing class
3	+1	+1	+1	+3	Observer Evasion	4	+1 of existing activating class	+1 of existing observing class
4	+2	+1	+1	+4	Remote Observation (30 feet)	5	+1 of existing activating class	+1 of existing observing class
5	+2	+1	+1	+4	Lesser Socket Access, Observer Sentience	6	+1 of existing activating class	+1 of existing observing class
6	+3	+2	+2	+5	Remote Observation (100 feet)	7	+1 of existing activating class	+1 of existing observing class
7	+3	+2	+2	+5	Observer Shielding	8	+1 of existing activating class	+1 of existing observing class
8	+4	+2	+2	+6	Remote Observation (communication range)	9	+1 of existing activating class	+1 of existing observing class
9	+4	+3	+3	+6	Greater Socket Access	10	+1 of existing activating class	+1 of existing observing class
10	+5	+3	+3	+7	Autonomous Observation, Remote Observation (no line of sight)	10	+1 of existing activating class	+1 of existing observing class

Class skills (4 + Int modifier per level): Computer Use, Concentration, Craft, Disable Device, Gather Information, Knowledge (all skills, taken individually), Profession, Search, Spot, and Use Magic Device.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: As a master of observation, you gain no new weapon or armor proficiencies.

Activating: At each master of observation level, you increase your energy pool and gain additional modules known and activated and concurrent socket attachments as if you had also gained a level in whatever activating class you belonged to before you added the master of observation level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (bonus feats, access to new sockets, and so on). This essentially means that you add the level of master of observation to the level of whatever activating class you already have, then determine your energy pool, modules, and number of socket attachments accordingly.

If you had more than one activating class before gaining a new master of observation level, you must decide to which class you add the new level of master of observation for the purpose of determining your activating abilities.

Observing: At each master of observation level, you increase your observer level and maximum Inferior Conjunctions and gain additional phenomena known and tiers of Constellation benefits and Inferior Conjunctions as if you had also gained a level in whatever observing class you belonged to before you added the master of observation level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (bonus feats, additional astrolabe techniques, and so on). This essentially means that you add the level of master of observation to the level of whatever observing class you already have, then determine phenomena, Inferior Conjunctions, Constellations, and observer level accordingly.

If you had more than one observing class before gaining a new master of observation level, you must decide to which class you add the new level of master of observation for the purpose of determining your observing abilities.

Integrated Relay (IM): A master of observation can never truly be separated from his precious spy drones. You can activate Observer Relay as an integrated module using your existing activator level. As an integrated module, Observer Relay does not count against your limited number of active modules and it cannot be suppressed or deactivated by abilities and effects that target individual modules.

Remote Observation (Su): By applying spyglass technology to your observers, their observational abilities can extend across new paradigms. Your observers add your Intelligence modifier (if positive) as a bonus on all Spot checks, and the penalty they suffer on Spot checks due to distance is halved (as though using a spyglass). They can also use the aid another action to assist you or each other on Spot checks. Additionally, they can observe astronomical phenomena that inferior technologies routinely miss, at least while you are present to oversee their data recording.

When you observe a phenomenon or alter your Inferior Conjunctions, you can do so through your observers, rather than using a spyglass. You must spend the action as normal, and one of your observers must ready a standard action to perform the actual observation. You must have line of sight to your observer, and it must be within 5 feet of you.

When you alter your Inferior Conjunctions this way, you may have your observer make the Spot check to alter Inferior Conjunctions in your place, if you so choose.

When you observe a phenomenon in this way, you observe it as normal, but you determine range, line of sight, line of effect, Superior Conjunctions, and other effects related to the point of origin from the observer's space, not yours. The observation of the phenomenon otherwise functions exactly as though you had observed it yourself normally through a spyglass.

Beginning at 4th level, you optimize the data feeds and detection algorithms to require less hands-on supervision. You can observe through an observer within 30 feet of you. This improves to 100 feet at 6th level, and to anywhere within communication range (usually 1 mile) at 8th level. You must still maintain line of sight with your observer, however.

Beginning at 10th level, you no longer need line of sight to your observer. You can remotely observe through them anywhere within communication range.

Observer Cloud (Ex): As you train your observational and multitasking skills, you learn to control and use multiple observers at once. The number of observers you can deploy and have in existence at once through your Observer Relay module is increased by your class level, to a maximum of 9 additional observers at level 9 (for a total of 10 observers deployed at once).

Reinforced Drones (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, your observers gain a deflection bonus to their Armor Class and a resistance bonus on all saving throws equal to your class level. In addition, they can use your base saving throws in place of their own.

Socket Access: Beginning at 2nd level, you gain access to all of your Least sockets, allowing you to attach modules to them. At 5th level, you also gain access to your Lesser sockets. At 9th level, you also gain access to your Greater sockets.

Observer Evasion (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, all of the observers you control with your Observer Relay module gain evasion, as the rogue ability of the same name.

Observer Sentience (Su): Beginning at 5th level, your advanced observer AI grants the observers in your observer cloud a rudimentary sentience. They gain a hive mind with an Intelligence score of 5 plus your class level. Individual observers do not gain feats or skills due to this Intelligence score. This hive mind also allows them to communicate with each other even outside of their individual wireless communication ranges (usually 100 feet), as long as they are within communication range of you (usually 1 mile).

As long as one observer within the cloud is aware of a particular danger, they all are. If one in the cloud is not flat-footed, none of them are. No observer in the cloud is considered flanked unless all of them are.

Observers in your cloud are only connected to the hive mind while they are able to communicate wirelessly with you and each other. Observers outside of communication range lose the benefits of the cloud's hive mind.

Observer Shielding (Su): Starting at 7th level, your observers gain the energy shield ability with absorption equal to twice your master of observation level, and with recovery equal to the amount of energy allocated to your Observer Relay module.

Autonomous Observation (Su): Beginning at 10th level, your observers' observation AI has improved to such a degree that they can observe and record phenomena even without your direct input. In addition to allowing you to observe through them, the observers in your cloud can observe phenomena on their own.

In most ways, your entire observer cloud acts as a single, gestalt observer. They share conjunctions, phenomena per encounter, and many other factors and statistics related to observing phenomena. Any effect that would alter one observer's conjunctions, observer level, available phenomena, and so on applies to all of them, regardless of which observer observes at any given time. Likewise, among the entire cloud, only one phenomenon can be observed per round, regardless of how many observers attempt to do so, as though they were all a single observer. The other observers can still spend their actions normally, however, such as to perform Aid Another attempts or to add or remove conjunctions.

Your observer cloud can have a maximum number of active Inferior Conjunctions equal to half your maximum, and its observer level is equal to half your own. Your cloud knows all the phenomena that you do, but its observations of phenomena do not count against your own limited uses of each phenomenon per encounter. Other than the action spent to observe a phenomenon or to alter the cloud's Inferior Conjunctions, your observers observing phenomena does not interfere with your own observing abilities or your ability to observe through them.

An observer that is disconnected from the cloud's hive mind cannot make use of the cloud's observing abilities.