Phaser (3.5e Class)

Phaser

Phasers are warriors, or warrior/spellcaster hybrids that utilize teleportation and touch attacks to help mitigate the gap between them and higher-leveled monsters. There is no denying that the gap between spellcasters and martial classes is a very wide one, and this class is focused on two principles. The first is to greatly reduce the impact of the iterative attack penalty, the second is to allow for far greater flexibility in positioning. At the same time, it's not meant to be a "dipping" class, and the capstone reflects this.

This class is known as Rifter on another wiki. They are identical classes. I elected to ignore more minor details and rules regarding teleportation but I feel that should be left to the person running the game. Including if their powers are considered Arcane, Divine, Psionic, or some other form of power.

Making a Phaser

Phasers on their own have no exceptional combat abilities. Their effectiveness is based almost entirely on how well it can synergize with the rest of its levels. Due to this being intended as an auxiliary class, it does not count against the player when considering multiclass penalties. Note that this is a base class, and can be taken at any time.

Abilities: The Phaser is not dependent on any abilities whatsoever. It's meant as a class that anyone can utilize provided they have an actual need to use it.

Races: The class may be more common among magical or psionic races. Such races are often among those with flight, great speed, or teleportation. A humanoid who lives in the Abyss for example may take this class to help keep up with his demonic allies.

Alignment: Any.

Starting Gold: 5d4x10. (125 gp)

Starting Age: As Wizard

Saving Throws: A Phaser has Reflex and one other saving throw of his choice as Good saving throws, the remaining is a Poor saving throw.

Table: The Phaser

Hit Die: d8

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws		Special
		Good Save	Poor Save
1st	+1	+2	+0	Teleport
2nd	+2	+3	+0	Immaterial Weapon
3rd	+3	+3	+1	Mastery
Class Skills: 4 + Int modifier per level, (×4 at 1st level) The Phaser may choose any five skills to be class skills, plus Knowledge (The Planes) (int), Craft (int), and Profession (wis).

Class Features

Phasers utilize manipulation of their own physical matter, practicing with inanimate objects and then extending it to themselves once they have properly mastered it. All of the following are class features of the Phaser.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Phaser is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and is proficient with medium armor and shields.

Teleport (Su): As a move action, the Phaser may teleport himself and equipment up to his max load up to five feet per class level plus an additional ten feet (15 feet at level 1). He is considered to be 'leaving' his starting square for purposes of attacks of opportunity. If a willing or unconscious target is within half of his teleportation range, the Phaser may switch places with him provided the total carried weight of the two does not exceed his max load; this does not provoke an attack of opportunity for the target. Effects that prevent teleportation such as dimensional anchor also prevent use of this ability. The Phaser must have a line of sight to his destination.

Immaterial Weapon (Su): For a number of rounds per to twice his class level per day, a 2nd level Phaser may rewrite the physical properties of his wielded weapons, unarmed attacks, and natural attacks as a swift action. These rounds need not be spent consecutively. When any part of the weapon is faced with significant resistance, it turns immaterial, allowing it to bypass solid matter. When an attack is made with the weapon, it is resolved as a touch attack that ignores cover, but it cannot affect anything with no constitution score such as objects, undead, and constructs (it can however strike against incorporeal beings, including incorporeal undead). Ranged weapons bestow the property onto ammunition, and the effect ends when the Rifter wills it so or lets go of the object. Rifters cannot use this power on anything they cannot make an attack roll with.

Mastery (Su): At third level, the Phaser has mastered his abilities. He may now use Teleport as a swift action, and its range is now based on his Character Level rather than his Class Level. If the Rifter chooses to switch places with someone during teleportation, he may perform any action on the target during transit provided he has the remaining actions to do so. Immaterial Weapon also benefits from this class ability, the number of rounds per day now based on his character level.

Epic Phasers

Phasers have no need to take any levels beyond the third level. Their abilities continue to progress beyond 20th level however.

Human Starting Package

Weapons: Rapier, Shortbow, 40 arrows.

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Skill	Ranks	Ability	Armor Check Penalty
Craft (Weaponsmithing)	4	Int	—
Hide	4	Dex	Yes
Knowledge (The Planes)	4	Int	—
Listen	4	Wis	—
Survival	4	Wis	—
Tumble	4	Int	Yes

Feat: Combat Reflexes.

Bonus Feats: Weapon Finesse.

Gear: None.

Gold: 73gp.

Campaign Information

Playing a Phaser

Religion: Phasers have the same religious tendencies of their race and other classes. They may lean towards Gods with the Travel or War domain.

Other Classes: Phasers tend to work well with classes who are capable of getting into tactical positions with ease, by agility, trickery, or teleportation. Their views on how easy it is to move around a battlefield often causes them to lose patience with allies who are unable to get into a proper position.

Combat: Depending on classes taken, a Phaser may do anything from instantly close the distance between the enemy commander to quickly end the battle, or stand between a wounded ally and his attacker.

Advancement: Phasers work best when combined with physical combat, or close-range magic. An assassin with levels in Phaser can easily perform a death attack and vanish in mere seconds, and a fighter can instantly close the gap between himself an an archer on a roof. Clerics with levels in this class are very capable of reaching an ally who has fallen in battle, even if he himself is surrounded.

Phasers in the World

“	"The wizard we were hunting was gloating from the top of the clock tower about his master plan. He got through two sentences before Adrian gave him a nice shove from behind."	”
—Fz Dynelight, Fey Taskshaper

Daily Life: Assassins, spies, secretive messengers, delivery men, or explorers. The ability to teleport opens up many possibilities for someone's life.

Organizations: There is generally no organization of phasers, but members of the class may be found among spellcasters, thieves, and psions.

NPC Reactions: Reactions are often similar to how people react to other wielders of the supernatural.

Phaser Lore

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (The Planes, Psionics, or Arcana) can research Phasers to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Knowledge (The Planes, Psionics, or Arcana)

DC	Result
5	Phasers are (usually) normal people who invested time in learning how to manipulate the physics of themselves and their weapons.
10	A heavily armored knight will quickly find himself caught off-guard by a Phaser who allows his blade to pass through his shining armor.
15	There have been a few instances where a Phaser was able to kill the leader of a sizable group in the first few seconds of a battle.
20	A Phaser who has mastered his power continues to grow naturally without further training. Despite the greatness of this power, it's still no match for even the weakest forms of teleportation magic.

Phasers in the Game

Adaptation: If your world uses psionics, teleporting wizards, or makes extensive use of the planes, Phasers will fit right in. Many of them are normal citizens of planes who developed their techniques to fight on equal terms with Outsiders

Sample Encounter: A single archer who can teleport a few dozen yards can make for a very difficult encounter, or a very useful ally.

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