Battlebrain [Base]

[Stratovarius]

Battlebrain
"Into glory ride!"
- Talkerx the Diseased, Human Battlebrain

Some manifesters care for only one thing: war. They dream of steel and mighty blasts of devastating psionics, the march of troops, and the unleashed destruction found on battlefields everywhere. Born into warfare, those known as Battlebrains drilled themselves only and utterly in the manifesting of Powers most useful for laying down destruction. The utilitarian Powers used by psions have little importance to a Battlebrain’s way of thinking. What are support manifesters for, after all? A Battlebrain cares only for success on the battlefield.

Making a Battlebrain
Battlebrains sign up for stints with adventuring companies that require straightforward, military-style blasting psionics. Battlebrains hone and develop their arts through action rather than study, so without prolonged use of their powers in combat they cannot reach the pinnacle of their profession. Good-aligned Battlebrains are concerned with rebuffing the movements of warlike groups — who better to blast into smoking ruin than those who have it coming? Evil-aligned Battlebrains feel no constraints on who might become the targets of their powers. They adventure to gain destructive power.

Abilities: Strength and Constitution.

Races: Battlebrain appear amongst all races.

Alignment: Battlebrain are any alignment.

Table 1: The Battlebrain

Level  BAB   Ref   Fort  Will  Abilities                                Powers Known  Maximum Power Level Known
-------------------------------––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
1      +1    +0    +2    +2    Bloodlust (+1, 0d6)                      1             1   
2      +2    +0    +3    +3    Warrior's Edge                           2             1   
3      +3    +1    +3    +3    Bloodlust (+1, 1d6)                      2             1   
4      +4    +1    +4    +4    Batlemanifest                            3             1   
5      +5    +1    +4    +4    Bloodlust (+2, 1d6)                      4             2   
6      +6    +2    +5    +5    Enhanced Blade                           4             2   
7      +7    +2    +5    +5    Bloodlust (+2, 2d6)                      5             2   
8      +8    +2    +6    +6    Batlemanifest, Burgeoning Power Area     6             2   
9      +9    +3    +6    +6    Bloodlust (+3, 2d6)                      6             3   
10     +10   +3    +7    +7    Improved Converter                       7             3   
11     +11   +3    +7    +7    Bloodlust (+3, 3d6)                      8             3   
12     +12   +4    +8    +8    Batlemanifest                            8             3   
13     +13   +4    +8    +8    Bloodlust (+4, 3d6)                      9             4   
14     +14   +4    +9    +9    Burgeoning Power Area                    10            4   
15     +15   +5    +9    +9    Bloodlust (+4, 4d6)                      10            4   
16     +16   +5    +10   +10   Batlemanifest                            11            4   
17     +17   +5    +10   +10   Bloodlust (+5, 4d6)                      12            5   
18     +18   +6    +11   +11   Blade Burst                              12            5   
19     +19   +6    +11   +11   Bloodlust (+5, 5d6)                      13            5   
20     +20   +6    +12   +12   Overwhelm                                14            5

Game Rule Information
Battlebrain have the following game statistics.

Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d10
Starting Gold: 5d4 x 10 (125 gp)
Starting Age: Complex (as Psion)

Class skills
Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Listen (Wis), Ride (Dex), Psicraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Warcraft (Int)
Skill Points at 1st level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier

Class Features
All the following are class features of the Battlebrain.

• Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Battlebrain are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and light, medium and heavy armour, as well as shields.
  
• Powers: A Battlebrain's manifester level is equal to his class level. He may only select Psychokinesis powers from the Psion list. He uses Strength to determine the DC of his Powers. He does not have a normal pool of Power points. See below.
  
• Conversion Pool: A Battlebrain gathers psionic energy by drawing it from foes he has struck. For every six points of physical damage he deals (physical damage dealt by powers or psionic effects does not count), he gains one Power point. The maximum number of power points he can have at any one time is equal to his constitution times his class level times 1/2. At the beginning of any encounter, add a number of Power points to the pool equal to 1/2 the Battlebrain's constitution modifier. The pool empties one minute after an encounter has concluded, and any unused points are lost.
  
• Bloodlust (Ex): Battlebrains have much more in common with fighters and barbarians than with their psionic brethren, and their tendency towards physical combat shows that. A Battlebrain deals additional damage and gains a bonus to attack rolls against any creature or object that has already been dealt damage this round. At 1st level, he gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls against creatures and objects that have been dealt damage this turn. At 3rd level this ability adds 1d6 damage to the Battlebrain's attacks. For every four levels after 1st this ability grants a further +1 bonus to his attack rolls. For every four levels after 3rd this ability adds 1d6 additional damage to the Battlebrain's attacks. This extra damage or attack roll bonus does not apply to any powers he manifests.
  
• Warrior's Edge (Ex): Any Power manifest by the Battlebrain deals extra damage to all affected targets equal to the Battlebrain's intelligence modifier.
  
• Batlemanifest (Ex): A Battlebrain gains the ability to manifest powers while making a weapon attack. He may take a full-round action to attack and manifest a Power. The Power must be a psionic power with a point cost of 1 or less. Using Batlemanifest does not provoke attacks of opportunity. At 8th level and higher, a Battlebrain can Batlemanifest a power costing 3 points or less. At 12th level, a Battlebrain can Batlemanifest a power costing 5 points or less. At 16th level, a Battlebrain can Batlemanifest a power costing 7 points or less. The Batlemanifest ability does not allow him to manifest a power whose cost he could not normally pay.
  
• Enhanced Blade (Ex): As a swift action and by paying as many power points as necessary for the desired power, the Battlebrain can apply a single power to his weapon. All subsequent attacks with that weapon until the start of his next round apply the chosen power's effect on a successful attack. If there is a save required, the DC applies as normal. This does not allow him to spend more power points on an effect than he could normally. He cannot manifest a power in the same round as he uses this ability.
  
• Improved Converter (Ex): The Battlebrain now converts physical damage into power points at a ratio of four to one, instead of six to one.
  
• Burgeoning Power Area (Ex): Battlebrains adjust how they manifest powers to better engulf large numbers of troops. At 8th level, increase the area of powers by 50%. At 14th level, by 100%.
  
• Blade Burst (Ex): When using his enhanced blade ability, if the Battlebrain successfully strikes his target, the power's effect affects the target, and everyone in a 5 ft. radius around the target. They save as normal.
  
• Overwhelm (Ex): Battlebrains who have reached the pinnacle of their power are scary things to behold indeed, able to lay waste to vast swathes of territory. The Battlebrain increases the area of powers by 200%, and doubles the damage dealt by his Warrior's Edge ability. In addition, he now converts physical damage into power points at a ratio of two to one, instead of four to one.