Neurasthenic Heteroclite"A taint runs through my mind, and I welcome it."
- Chovar, Elan Neurasthenic Heteroclite
Afflicted by a mental disease that has unleashed the controls upon the metamorphic sections of his mind, the neurasthenic heteroclite involuntarily alters his shape whenever he manifests a power, the release of energy setting off the unstable portions of his mind. The constant stress and degradation caused by the lack of control leads to states of fatigue and exhaustion, states that for a long time come to haunt the neurasthenic heteroclite, but eventually become tools in his arsenal, states that he can afflict upon others and welcomes them upon himself, along with the changes that were the original cause of that exhaustion.
Becoming a Neurasthenic HeterocliteAnyone with an inherent knowledge of psionics can end up walking down the path that leads to the state of being that resolves into the neurasthenic heteroclite, but for those who have had large amounts of mental contact with others, contact that wears on the mind and leaves fragments of the touched minds lying around, waiting to resurface and cause some of the grinding friction that leads to the fatigued restlessness. Couple that with a slow loss of control on the part of the mind, and there results the perfect brew to start the alterations of form that come with manifesting, as aberrant thoughts and twisted images invade the mind, rooting themselves more deeply with each creation of a power.
Table 1: Neurasthenic HeterocliteHit Die: d6
Level BAB Ref Fort Will Special Abilities Manifesting
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1 +0 +0 +0 +2 Heteroclite Manifesting ---
Internal Decay
2 +1 +0 +0 +3 +1 manifesting class
3 +2 +1 +1 +3 Neurasthenic Assault +1 manifesting class
4 +3 +1 +1 +4 Transitive Body +1 manifesting class
5 +3 +1 +1 +4 Morphic Strike +1 manifesting class
6 +4 +2 +2 +5 +1 manifesting class
7 +5 +2 +2 +5 Transitive Body +1 manifesting class
8 +6 +2 +2 +6 Afferent +1 manifesting class
9 +6 +3 +3 +6 +1 manifesting class
10 +7 +3 +3 +7 Heteroclitic Neurasthenia ---Class skills (4 + Int modifier per level):Autohypnosis, Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Disguise, Knowledge (dungeoneeing), Knowledge (psionics), Psicraft, and Sense Motive.
Requirements:
Skills: Knowledge (dungeoneering) 9, Psicraft 9.
Feat: Mind of Unknowable Thought
Psionics: Able to manifest 4th-level powers.
Special: Must know three powers from the telepathy discipline.
Class FeaturesCreated out of a deep desire for mental peace that manifests itself in the creation of appearance altering shifts, the mental damage that occurs slowly begins to transform into a style of weapon that can be used against those around them, and fatigue and exhaustion from a ruined mental state become so familiar as to be welcomed as close kith and kin.
- Powers Known: At every level indicated on the table, the character gains additional power points per day and access to new powers as if she had also gained a level in whatever manifesting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (bonus feats, metapsionic or item creation feats, psicrystal special abilities, and so on). This means that she adds the level of Neurasthenic Heteroclite to the level of whatever manifesting class the character has, then determines power points per day, powers known, and manifester level accordingly. If a character had more than one manifesting class before she became an Neurasthenic Heteroclite, she must decide to which class she adds the new level of Neurasthenic Heteroclite for the purpose of determining power points per day, powers known, and manifester level.
- Heteroclite Manifesting (Ex): Your ability to manifest has taken a strange and unusual turn of late, becoming infected with a taint of something else, something that does not belong. Powers that should have no affect are altering your body, if briefly, causing appearances that upset those around you, and you yourself, although you have begun to see the promise inherent in the changes, for if they can be controlled and manipulated, they can be a weapon for your use against all those around you. Whenever you manifest a power, your body changes to take on the form of an aberration body part, perhaps granting you the head of a chuul or the tentacles of an otyugh. Roll a d20 on the chart to the right, with a bonus equal to your manifester level. You may choose any effect with a total equal to or less than your result, including no effect. This grants you the natural attack listed, but not the special quantity. The effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to one half of the manifested power level, rounded up. You may only have one effect of this type active at a given time.
- Internal Decay (Ex): While the powers granted by this new form of manifesting that you have acquired are legion, and apparently limitless, they come at a cost to your mental acuity and your physical strength. Every round that you are under the effect of Heteroclite Manifesting, you have a cumulative 5% chance of becoming affected by Internal Decay. This chance does not reset until you are unaffected by Heteroclite Manifesting for one minute. The first time you are affected, you become fatigued. If you are already fatigued, you become shaken, and if you are shaken, you become exhausted. This state lasts for a number of rounds equal to your class level.
- Neurasthenic Assault (Ex): You have learned to push the mental breakdown and physical ailments that now accompany manifesting to others, letting them suffer as you yourself do in the pursuit of your craft, as these aberrant forces creep into your once pristine mental landscape. Each time your target fails a save against a mind affecting power, he is affected by Internal Decay. The first time the target is fatigued, the second shaken, and the third exhausted. The effect lasts a number of rounds equal to your class level.
- Transitive Body (Ex): Your manifesting has become more warped and twisted, and strange things have begun appearing in the displays for your powers, while at the same time, the changes that come whenever you manifest are becoming more frequent, with more of your body altering each time. It is an aberration's taint that has infected your mind, and yet you are uncertain of how it arrived there. No matter. It has taken a hold of you, and there is little you can do to stop it. Whenever you use the Heteroclite Manifesting ability, roll a second time on the chart and gain the effects of that roll as well. Upon reaching seventh level, you now roll a third time, and gain the effects of all three rolls. You may only have one effect on a single limb at a time. Thus if you roll three effects that target your arms, reroll the third effect, while if you roll two different effects that grant you bite attacks, reroll the second. Continue to reroll until all effects are valid.
- Morphic Strike (Ex): You have bridged the distance between the visual appearance of the altered body part and the actual form as known to the aberration from which it comes, allowing you to use that change to your manifesting more effectively, as you journey further into an unknown realm of psionic power. Whenever you use the Heteroclite Manifesting ability, you now gain the special qualities listed next to chosen attack on the chart. They function exactly as the monster ability of the same name, including the number of uses per day.
- Afferent (Ex): Your ability to project your anguish and weakness that comes with manifesting has grown, and more creatures are now affected by your mental assaults. Neurasthenic Assault now occurs whenever the target fails against a telepathy discipline power.
- Heteroclitic Neurasthenia (Ex): You have finally begun to see the good that can be brought by the aberration's mental infection, and the tiredness and weakness that it brings. Your body has changed over time, and rather than reject and fight against the changes as offered by your altered manifesting, it now welcomes them, seeing them as a restful boon that can restore health to your tired bones. Whenever you are affected by Internal Decay, the penalties from being fatigued, shaken, and exhausted are reversed, becoming insight bonuses.
Table 2: Heteroclite Manifesting
Roll Monster CR Attack Special Quality
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01-04 Choker 02 Tentacle 1d3 Constrict
05-07 Folugub 02 Bite 2d4 Liquefy Crystal
08-11 Skum 02 Bite 2d6 Rake
12-14 Thought Eater 02 Tentacle 1d3 Eat Thoughts
15-18 Ethereal Filcher 03 Bite 1d4 Ethereal Jaunt
19-21 Ettercap 03 Bite 1d8 Web
22-25 Grick 03 Tentacle 1d4 Damage Reduction 10/magic
26-28 Rust Monster 03 Antennae 1d3 Rust
29-32 Temporal Filcher 03 Claw 1d6 Time Filch
33-35 Mimic 04 Slam 1d8 Crush
36-39 Otyugh 04 Bite 1d4 Disease
40-42 Cloaker 05 Bite 1d4 Engulf
43-46 Gibbering Mouther 05 Bite 1d3 Spittle
47-49 Will-O’-Wisp 06 Shock 2d8 electricity Natural Invisibility
50-53 Aboleth 07 Tentacle 1d6 Slime
54-56 Chuul 07 Claw 2d6 Constrict
57-60 Drider 07 Bite 1d4 Poison
61-63 Intellect Devourer 07 Claw 1d3 Blindsight
64-67 Naga, Water 07 Bite 2d6 Poison
68-70 Phasm 07 Slam 1d3 Amorphous
71-74 Athach 08 Bite 2d8 Poison
75-77 Destrachan 08 Claw 1d6 Destructive Harmonics
78-81 Naga, Dark 08 Sting 2d4 Detect Thoughts
82-84 Delver 09 Slam 1d6 plus 2d6 acid Corrosive Slime
85-88 Naga, Spirit 09 Bite 2d6 Charming Gaze
89-91 Naga, Guardian 10 Bite 2d6 Spit
92-95 Thought Slayer 13 Bite 3d6 Mind-Consuming Gaze
96-100 Neothelid 15 Tentacle 2d6/19-20 Breath Weapon
