Physical Adept 3e Prestige Class

Physical Adept Prestige Class

Dungeons & Dragons Prestige Class (v.24-Dec-2004)

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 physical adept is the result. The physical adept is an elite class combining advancing abilities in unarmed combat with latent psionic abilities. It is a flexible prestige class, with several bonus feat opportunities. This allows each physical adept character to follow his or her own path to perfection. It is sponsored by the training centers and gymnasiums of the Golden Alliance. While Alliance members are the primary students of this style, the masters may train sympathetically-minded outsiders, as well.

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.

Physical Adepts

The physical adept is an elite character, already having mastered some very difficult techniques before treading the path of the class. The physical adept excels in unarmed combat and infiltration using a combination of martial skills, extraordinary physical abilities, and psychic powers. Physical adepts regard the attainment of enlightenment as a false goal. Rather than pursuing the more mystic path of the pure monk, the physical adept seeks to enhance his stealth and personal combat skills. Monks are most likely to branch off to the path of the physical adept, but high level rogues may also gain the knowledge needed to qualify for this class.

Requirements

Physical adept candidates must have demonstrated a dedication to the public and charitable goals of the Golden Alliance. They must be committed to the progressive accumulation of individual perfections. In addition, they must choose the path of the physical adept and have acquired these abilities:

Improved Evasion class ability
Base Attack bonus: +6
Hide Ranks: 10
Jump Ranks: 10
Move Silently Ranks: 10
Tumble Ranks: 10
Psionics: Must have a power point reserve of at least 1 point.
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Improved Unarmed Strike, Weapon Focus (unarmed strike)

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: physical adepts gain no additional proficiency with weapons, armor, or shields beyond that already learned from previous classes.

Monk Abilities (Ex): Continuing study into the nature of movement, nature, and the unity of mind, body, and spirit allow the physical adept to progress in the monk’s physical disciplines. The character's physical adept level stacks with her monk levels to determine unarmed attack bonuses, flurry of blows, unarmed damage, AC bonus, unarmored speed, and stunning attack ability. If he had no previous monk levels, then he functions as a monk equal only to his level as a physical adept. This is an extraordinary ability.

Inertial Armor (Sp): The physical adept gains the psionic inertial armor power as a psi-like ability. He may activate this power once per day per class level. The manifester level is equal to his physical adept class level, including augmentation. This ability expends no psionic power points and cannot be further augmented with power points.

Bonus Feat: The physical adept gains a bonus feat every three levels, starting at the second class level. The character may choose to gain a sneak attack bonus of +1d6 bonus damage, instead of a feat. Feats must be chosen from the list of fighter bonus feats, monk feats, and psionic feats. The physical adept must meet all prerequisites for the feat, as usual.
Mental Leap: The physical adept receives the Mental Leap psionic feat as a bonus feat. She must expend her psionic focus to activate this ability, as usual. If she already has this feat, she may select a bonus feat, as above.
Unavoidable Strike: The physical adept gains the Unavoidable Strike feat as a bonus feat, even if he does not otherwise meet the prerequisites. He must expend his psionic focus to use this ability, as usual. If he already has this feat, he may select a bonus feat, as above.
Ki Strike: The physical adept may use his unarmed attacks to hurt creatures with damage reduction. He strikes as if using a magic weapon at 6th level, a lawful weapon at 8th level, and an adamantine weapon at 10th level. Upon reaching 12th level in this class as an epic-level character, the physical adept's unarmed attacks strike as epic weapons. This does not give an actual enhancement bonus to hit or damage, but determines what level of damage reduction the physical adept can defeat.
Inertial Barrier: The physical adept receives the psionic inertial barrier power as a psi-like ability. She may manifest this power once per day per three physical adept class levels. The manifester level is equal to her class level. This ability expends no power points and cannot be further augmented with power points.
Shimmer in the Night: The physical adept may use his latent mental power to become undetectable to any creatures (including all types of monsters, undead, plants, oozes, and constructs, but not traps) within 10 feet per class level. This ability affects all senses, normal, extraordinary, magical, and supernatural, and can be activated as a standard action. This ability defeats even a true seeing effect. The duration of this ability can be split into multiple uses, but cannot exceed one minute per character level per day.
There, Not There: At 10th level, the physical adept can become incorporeal at will as a move equivalent action. There is no limit on number of uses or duration. While incorporeal, all the standard abilities and limitations apply to the character.

Class Skills

Skill Points at each level: 4 + Int modifier.

Skill list: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (any) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex).

Physical Adept (Hit Die: d8)
Level	Attack Bonus	Fort. Save	Ref. Save	Will Save	Special
1	+0	+2	+2	+2	Monk abilities, inertial armor
2	+1	+3	+3	+3	Bonus feat
3	+2	+3	+3	+3	Mental Leap
4	+3	+4	+4	+4	Unavoidable Strike
5	+3	+4	+4	+4	Bonus Feat
6	+4	+5	+5	+5	Ki Strike (magic)
7	+5	+5	+5	+5	Inertial Barrier
8	+6	+6	+6	+6	Bonus feat, Ki Strike (lawful)
9	+6	+6	+6	+6	Shimmer in the Night
10	+7	+7	+7	+7	There, Not There, Ki Strike (adamantine)