Nervewalker (3.5e Class)

Nervewalkers

Nervewalkers are rogues who strike so precisely that they can sever individual nerves, to devastating effect.

Making a Nervewalker

Abilities: Dexterity is important to dodge, as is intelligence to use psionics and special strikes.

Races: Naturally psionic classes usually join, but sometimes other races do too.

Alignment: Any chaotic.

Starting Gold: 4d6×10 gp (180)

Starting Age: Moderate

Table: The Nervewalker

Hit Die: d4

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Power Points/Day	Powers Known	Maximum Power Level Known
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Bonus Feat, Coup de Grace, Telepathy Discipline, Sneak attack +1d6, Hamstring, Poison Use	2	3	1st
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Cut auditory/olfactory nerve, Painful Strike, Sneak attack +2d6, Stab Eye	6	5	1st
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Sneak attack +3d6, Exotic Weapon Proficiency	11	7	2nd
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Backstab	17	9	2nd
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Bonus Feat, Sneak attack +5d6	25	11	3rd
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Sneak attack +6d6, Mind over Matter	35	13	3rd
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Sneak attack +7d6, Speed of Thought	46	15	4th
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Sneak attack +8d6	58	17	4th
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Recall memories, Sneak attack +9d6	72	19	5th
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Bonus Feat, Sneak attack +10d6	88	21	5th
11th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Sneak attack +11d6	106	22	6th
12th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	Sneak attack +12d6	126	24	6th
13th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	Sneak attack +13d6	147	25	7th
14th	+7/+2	+4	+4	+9	Sneak attack +14d6	170	27	7th
15th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+9	Bonus Feat, Cut brain stem 2/day, Sneak attack +15d6	195	28	8th
16th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	Sneak attack +16d6	221	30	8th
17th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	Sneak attack +17d6	250	31	9th
18th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Sever spine at will, Sneak attack +18d6	280	33	9th
19th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Sneak attack +19d6	311	34	9th
20th	+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Bonus Feat, Sneak attack +20d6	343	36	9th
Class Skills (8 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Appraise (Int),Autohypnosis (Wis), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha), Use Rope (Dex).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the nervewalkers.

Power Points/Day: A nervewalker’s ability to manifest powers is limited by the power points he has available. His base daily allotment of power points is given on Table: The Nervewalker. In addition, he receives bonus power points per day if he has a high Intelligence score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Power Points). His race may also provide bonus power points per day, as may certain feats and items.

Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Starting at level 3, a nervewalker gains proficiency with one exotic weapon of their choice.

Poison Use: Nervewalker are trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a blade.

Discipline: Every nervewalker receives the telepathy discipline at level 1.

Sneak Attack: If a nervewalker can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from her attack, she can strike a vital spot for extra damage.

The nervewalker’s attack deals extra damage any time her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the nervewalker flanks her target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and it increases by 1d6 every two nervewalker levels thereafter. Should the nervewalker score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied.

Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet.

With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, a nervewalker can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. She cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual –4 penalty.

A nervewalker can sneak attack only living creatures with discernible anatomies—undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to sneak attacks. The nervewalker must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A nervewalker cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.

Backstab: Starting at level 4, a nervewalker can sneak attack when they are behind an enemy, as long as that enemy is not actively attacking the nervewalker.

Stab eye: Starting at level 2, a nervewalker can blind an opponent when they make a sneak attack

Painful Strike: Beginning at level 2, a Nervewalker can choose to do nonlethal damage with a sneak attack or helpless strike, adding an extra +2d6 nonlethal damage. When sneak attacking with a whip, the normal inhibitions are ignored.

Hamstring: Beginning at level 1, a nervewalker can hamstring an opponent with a sneak attach, halving their speed. Creatures more than 1 size category larger than the nervewalker takes -2 per size category on their DC 10 Fortitude save.

Speed of thought: Starting at level 6, a nervewalker gains the feat Speed of thought, even if they do not have the prerequisites to get it normally.

Recall memories: Beginning at level 9, a nervewalker can recall any memories a victim had at the time of their death, provided the nervewalker killed them in the past week.

Coup de Grace: As a full-round action, you can use a melee weapon to deliver a coup de grace to a helpless opponent. You can also use a bow or crossbow, provided you are adjacent to the target.

You automatically hit and score a critical hit. If the defender survives the damage, he must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + damage dealt) or die. A rogue also gets her extra sneak attack damage against a helpless opponent when delivering a coup de grace.

Sever Auditory/Olfactory nerve: Beginning at level one, a nervewalker can sever the targets hearing and smell nerves with a sneak attack, rendering them deaf, and without the scent ability a number of times per day equal to their nervewalker level +2. The save is Fortitude 15+(the nervewalker’s intelligence bonus.)

Stab eye: Beginning at level 2, a nervewalker can cut an opponent’s visual nerve with a sneak attack, blinding them. The save is Fortitude 20+(the nervewalker’s intelligence bonus.)

Cut brain stem: Beginning at level 15, a nervewalker can cut an opponent’s brain stem out. This immediately kills the target. The save is reflex 20+(the nervewalker’s intelligence bonus.)

Mind over Matter: Starting at 6th level, a nervewalker uses their intelligence bonus instead of wisdom on anything that would normally require wisdom (Will saving throws, listen check, etc)

Powers Known: A nervewalker begins play knowing three psion powers of your choice. Each time he achieves a new level, he unlocks the knowledge of new powers.

Choose the powers known from the Psion power list, or from the list of powers of your chosen discipline. You cannot choose powers from disciplines restricted discipline lists other than your chosen discipline lists. You can choose powers from disciplines other than your own if they are not on a restricted discipline list. (Exception: The feats Expanded Knowledge and Epic Expanded Knowledge do allow a nervewalker to learn powers from the lists of other disciplines or even other classes.) A nervewalker can manifest any power that has a power point cost equal to or lower than his manifester level.

The number of times a nervewalker can manifest powers in a day is limited only by his daily power points.

A nervewalker simply knows his powers; they are ingrained in his mind. He does not need to prepare them (in the way that some spellcasters prepare their spells), though he must get a good night’s sleep each day to regain all his spent power points.

The Difficulty Class for saving throws against nervewalker powers is 1d20 + the power’s level + the nervewalker’s Intelligence modifier.

Maximum Power Level Known: A nervewalker begins play with the ability to learn 1st-level powers. As he attains higher levels, a nervewalker may gain the ability to master more complex powers.

To learn or manifest a power, a nervewalker must have an Intelligence score of at least 10 + the power’s level.

Bonus Feats: A nervewalker gains a bonus feat at 1st level, 5th level, 10th level, 15th level, and 20th level.

These bonus feats are in addition to the feats that a character of any class gains every three levels.

Nervewalkers who take the Psicrystal Affinity feat may create psicrystals.

Telepathy: A nervewalker is sometimes mistaken with telepaths. He is the master of powers that allow mental contact and control of other sentient creatures. A nervewalker can deceive or destroy the minds of his enemies with ease.

Epic Nervewalker

Table: The Epic Nervewalker

Hit Die: d4

Level	Special
21st
22nd
23rd	Bonus Feat
24th
25th
26th	Bonus Feat
27th
28th
29th	Bonus Feat
30th
2 + Int modifier skill points per level.

Powers: The nervewalker’s manifester level is equal to his class level. The nervewalker’s base power points do not increase after 20th level. Each time the nervewalker attains a new level, he learns two new powers of any level or levels that he can manifest.

Psicrystal: The epic nervewalker’s psicrystal, if he has one, continues to increase in power. At every odd-numbered level higher than 20th (21st, 23rd, and so on) the psicrystal’s natural armor bonus and Intelligence each increase by 1. The psicrystal’s power resistance is equal to the master’s level + 5. At 21st level and again every ten levels higher than 21st, the psicrystal gains the benefit of the Psicrystal Power epic feat for a power of its master’s choice.

Bonus Feats: The epic nervewalker gains a bonus feat every three levels higher than 20th (23rd, 26th, and so on).

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