Mental Fist Prestige Class

Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition Prestige Class (v. 23-Aug-2002)

[Warning! This prestige class is overpowered. The combination of unarmed combat progression, bonus feats, and nearly full psion powers has proved a bit too powerful in play. Use at your own risk.]

When physical and spiritual discipline is wedded to innate mental talent, the results can be surprising. The Golden Alliance fosters such studies in its most advanced members, and the Mental Fist is the result. The Mental Fist is an elite monk-psion class combining advancing abilities in unarmed combat with psionic abilities. It is a flexible prestige class, with several bonus feat opportunities, rather than a list of specific prescribed powers. This allows each Mental Fist character to follow his or her own path to perfection. It is sponsored by the training centers and gymnasiums of the Golden Alliance, and is open only to the Alliance’s Kraanicher members.

The Golden Alliance

The Golden Alliance is a benevolent group dedicated to enlightenment and perfection. Monastic and psionic training for self-improvement is at the center of its philosophy. The Golden Alliance is restricted to Kraanicher membership, and was originally founded by the Mietrsohn family in LY 2064 by Mietr and Alexandre Johannesohn with help from the Pine Bluff Abbott, Father Ulrich. The order includes training in psionics, martial arts, athletics, philosophy, and business principles. Psions and monks are common among the membership, while the more martial path of the psychic warrior and mindwalker knight (at higher levels) is also supported.

Schools are informal, and operate as private gymnasiums, often attached to members’ homes or estates. While the gymnasiums are open to anyone with refined manners and a bit of money to pay the upkeep fees, the true membership is restricted to Kraanichers who are not members of the Brotherhood of Thought.

In fact, the Golden Alliance was formed as a counter to both the Church of Pure Flame and the Brotherhood of Thought. While fervently upholding the idea of the superiority of the Kraanicher race, and agreeing with the need to continually strive for perfection, the Golden Alliance rejects the spiritually dead foundations of both "mainstream" Kraanicher organizations. The discovery of devils in the shadows of the Brotherhood strengthened the resolve of the Alliance members and increased their credibility with other Kraanichers.

The members of the Golden Alliance follow a traditional Kraanicher philosophy that seeks the accumulation of perfections. In light of the low value placed on material wealth, it may appear strange that nearly all members of the Golden Alliance are wealthy merchants and landowners. The order believes that perfect efficiency in amassing wealth is necessary to leave as much time as possible for more enlightening pursuits. Many members appoint highly skilled and very well paid experts to manage their enterprises in routine matters, according to their instructions.

Members of the Alliance have had their share of successes, but prefer to keep them quiet and respectable. For example, Lizelle Kagaard, the Lebensbrüke Minister of Finance, is the daughter of Orvis Kagaard, a very respected leader of the Alliance. Orvis is not only a very wealthy merchant on the Council in Voyreem, but is also an accomplished telepath and monk. Lizelle's general lack of discipline led her on a different path than her siblings, but no less successful, due to luck and her acquaintance with Lady DuKott.

Excess wealth is disposable. Donations from the Golden Alliance support a number of charities and schools around Northeastern Lebensbrüke. The order also supports self-defense training, disciplined training of regular troops, and a fund of low-interest loans for businesses. Race is not an issue for any of these activities. The Golden Alliance has also supported the cause of half-elves by providing training, employment, and funding for racially integrated schools.

Mental Fists

The mental fist is an elite character, already having mastered some very difficult techniques before treading the path of the class. The mental fist excels in unarmed combat and infiltration using a combination of martial skills, extraordinary physical abilities, and psychic powers. Monks are most likely to follow the path of the mental fist, but high level rogues may also gain the knowledge needed to qualify for this class.

Requirements

Mental fist candidates must be members in good standing of the Golden Alliance and have demonstrated a dedication to its goals. In addition, they must choose the path of the mental fist and have acquired these abilities:

• Improved Evasion class ability
• Base Attack bonus: +6
• Diplomacy Ranks: 10
• Gather Information Ranks: 10
• Hide Ranks: 10
• Move Silently Ranks: 10
• Heroic Feats: Improved Unarmed Strike

Class Features

• Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Mental fists gain no additional proficiency with weapons, armor, or shields beyond that already learned from previous classes.
• Psionic Ability: A mental fist manifests psionic powers. At each level, the character discovers powers as indicated on the table (this matches the first ten levels of the psychic warrior progression). The character may choose powers from the psychic warrior list. The mental fist must have an ability score of 10 + the power’s level to discover a power in the discipline that matches the ability.
• Power Points: The mental fist gains power points as shown on the table. Like a psychic warrior, the character has no primary discipline and gains no bonus points for high ability scores. The character can manifest a number of powers based upon available power points. Power points gained as a mental fist are combined with power points from other psionic classes (if any), but class levels are tracked separately for manifester level.
• 0-level Powers: The mental fist can manifest a number of 0-level talents without psionic point cost equal to his mental fist level + 2.
• Psionic Combat Modes: At 1st level, the mental fist learns two of the ten psionic combat modes. At succeeding levels, she learns additional combat modes at the rate shown on the table (this matches the progression from the first ten levels of the psychic warrior class).
• Student of Perfection: Continuing study into the nature of movement, nature, and the unity of mind, body, and spirit allow the mental fist to progress in the monk’s physical disciplines. The character gains the unarmed attack bonus, unarmed damage, AC bonus, and unarmored speed as if he was a monk whose level equaled his mental fist level + his monk level. If he had no previous monk levels, then he functions as a monk equal only to his level as a mental fist. The mental fist may use the flurry of blows maneuver freely, but gains no additional stunning attacks beyond what he previously possessed. This is an extraordinary ability.
• Bonus Feat: Instead of a set list of class abilities, mental fists gain bonus feats from the general and psionic lists at each level. This allows each person following the path to choose a different individual path. In addition, the mental fist may gain weapon specialization in unarmed combat, as a fighter. She must meet the prerequisite of having the Weapon Focus (unarmed combat) feat, first.

Class Skills

Skill Points at each level: 4 + Int modifier.

Skill list: Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Psicraft (Int), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex).

Last updated 30-Jul-2001
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