Psionic Claw (3.5e Class)
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Psionic Claw[edit]
The psionic claw is a psion that has mastered the art of traveling through the Ethereal Realm. Because of this, they have developed a natural resistance to it's effects, granting them bonus Spell Resistance. Other than that, they have learned to channel the energy from the Ethereal Realm and shape two deadly claws with them, allowing for deadly natural attacks.
Making a Psionic Claw[edit]
A psionic claw's role in combat is to get to the position where the other members of the party wouldn't be able to get. Using the Ethereal Realm, they can easily position themselves behind the enemy lines. This makes it incredibly easy for them to attack the mages and other casters who usually stick at the back. Because of this, they can do very well in most parties. In addition, this class performs very well when they have someone keeping their health up, allowing for a huge flurry of claw attacks behind the enemy lines. Because of their chaotic nature, they don't get along with some lawful characters.
Abilities: The most important attributes of a psionic claw are Strength and Charisma. The psionic claws deal damage based on the character's Strength, while Charisma allows you to make better use of your unique abilities. Dexterity and Constitution are also important to last longer in combat and have a higher AC. Wisdom in only useful for casting powers, and Intelligence can be seen as the main 'dump attribute'.
Races: Any race that is naturally psionic can become a psionic claw.
Alignment: Any non-lawful. Psionic Claws are almost always of chaotic nature, due to their time spent in the Ethereal Realm.
Starting Gold: 5d4 ×10 gp (125 gp).
Starting Age: Simple.
| Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Saving Throws | Special | Power Points/Day |
Powers Known |
Maximum Power Level Known | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort | Ref | Will | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Enhanced Climbing, Psionic Claws, Uncarnate Armor | 0 | 1 | 1st | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Shed Body - 2min | 1 | 2 | 1st | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Bonus Feat | 3 | 3 | 1st | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +1 | +4 | 5 | 4 | 2nd | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Enhanced Claw +1, Uncarnate Spell Resistance +5 | 7 | 5 | 2nd | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6th | +6/+1 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Bonus Feat, Psionic Claws +1 size category | 11 | 6 | 2nd | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7th | +7/+2 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Enhanced Claw +2 | 15 | 7 | 3th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8th | +8/+3 | +6 | +2 | +6 | Shed Body - 3min | 19 | 8 | 3th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9th | +9/+4 | +6 | +3 | +6 | Enhanced Claw +3 | 23 | 9 | 3th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | +10/+5 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Uncarnate Spell Resistance +10 | 27 | 10 | 4th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11th | +11/+6/+1 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Enhanced Claw +4 | 35 | 11 | 4th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12th | +12/+7/+2 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Psionic Claws +1 size category | 43 | 12 | 4th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13th | +13/+8/+3 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Enhanced Claw +5 | 51 | 13 | 5th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14th | +14/+9/+4 | +9 | +4 | +9 | 59 | 14 | 5th | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15th | +15/+10/+5 | +9 | +5 | +9 | Uncarnate Spell Resistance +15 | 67 | 15 | 5th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16th | +16/+11/+6/+1 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Shed Body - 5min | 79 | 16 | 6th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17th | +17/+12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Bonus Feat | 91 | 17 | 6th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18th | +18/+13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +11 | 103 | 18 | 6th | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19th | +19/+14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Bonus Feat | 115 | 19 | 6th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20th | +20/+15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +12 | Uncarnate Spell Resistance +20 | 127 | 20 | 6th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class Features[edit]
All of the following are class features of the psionic claw.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The psionic claw is proficient with light armor (no shields) and no weapons other than her manifested claws.
When using a shield, or wearing armor or weapons heavier than light, a psionic claw loses his AC bonus, as well as his Shed Body ability.
Power Points/Day: A psionic claw’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 Psionic Claw. In addition, he receives bonus power points per day if he has a high charisma 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.
Powers Known: Psionic Claws choose their powers from the following list:
1st— Biofeedback, Bite of the Wolf, Elfsight, Expansion, Grip of Iron, Metaphysical Claw, Prevenom, Vigor
2nd— Animal Affinity, Body Adjustment, Dimension Swap, Dissolving Touch, Empathic Transfer, Psionic Scent
3rd— Claws of the Vampire, Dimension Slide, Duodimensional Claw, Empathic Feedback, Hustle, Ubiquitous Vision
4th— Claw of Energy, Dimension Door, Psionic, Inertial Barrier, Truevenom
5th— Adapt Body, Oak Body, Psychofeedback, Restore Extremity
6th— Breath of the Black Dragon, Form of Doom, Restoration, Psionic, Suspend Life
Maximum Power Level Known: To learn or manifest a power, a psionic claw must have an wisdom score of at least 10 + the power’s level.
Psionic Claws (Su): At first level, a psionic claw gains the ability to manifest their mental powers in the form of sharp claws, which form over their existing fingers. Claw strikes are treated as natural melee attacks. The claws deal a base damage of 1d4 for small creatures, 1d6 for medium creatures, and 1d8 for large creatures. At level 6, and again at level 12, the damage die go up by one category. For example, a medium level 6 Psionic Claw would deal 1d8 damage, plus modifiers, while a medium level 12 Psionic Claw would deal 1d10 damage, plus modifiers. However, holding any weapons will prevent the Psionic Claw from being able to focus and manifest its claws. Holding items such as torches or lamps will only prevent the Psionic Claw from manifesting claws in its occupied hand. Only having one hand free to attack will not have any penalties to the Psionic Claw's ability to hit and to damage with its free hand. Manifesting the psionic claws is considered a free action while Incorporeal but counts as a Standard Action that provokes attacks of opportunity otherwise.
Enhanced Climbing: At 1st level, a psionic claw learns how to use his claws to enhance him ability to climb. When manifesting his claws, the psionic claw is granted a +8 bonus to all climb checks.
Uncarnate Armor: A psionic claw wearing armor (or using inertial armor or a similar effect) gets his armor bonus to AC even when he becomes incorporeal (see Shed Body, below). However, unlike other incorporeal creatures, a psionic claw does not gain a deflection bonus to Armor Class from his Charisma modifier.
Shed Body (Su): Starting at 2nd level, as a free action, a psionic claw can become incorporeal. The character can remain uncarnate for up to 2 minutes + 1 minute/Charisma modifier. This time increases as the character gains levels, up to 5minutes + 1/Charisma modifier. This time can be spent as the player wants, but during combat, the amount of distractions causes one round to cost 1min of Shed Body. During this time, the character’s body fades into an immaterial form that retains the character’s basic likeness. While uncarnate, the character gains the Incorporeal subtype (see below). He gains a fly speed equal to his land speed (perfect maneuverability). His material armor remains in place and continues to provide its armor bonus to AC (see Uncarnate Armor, above). His material weapons also remain corporeal. Losing his physical form allows the character to more easily access her mental abilities, granting her the ability to manifest his psionic claws as a free action.
While Uncarnate, the psionic claw can not use any powers, except for manifesting his psionic claws.
He can use equipment normally, deriving benefits from items that enhance his capabilities. This doesn’t make his equipment more susceptible to attack (the normal rules for attended objects apply), but it does make it impossible for the character to enter or pass through solid objects while wearing armor or weapons heavier than light. If he's only wearing light equipment, he can pass through solid objects at will as described below. Traveling form the Incorporeal form to his normal form is always a free action that doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity. When attacking or casting a power while Incorporeal breaks the effect, after the action is done.
Incorporeal Subtype: An incorporeal psionic claw has no physical body. He can be harmed only by other incorporeal creatures, magic weapons or creatures that strike as magic weapons, and spells, spell-like abilities, or supernatural abilities. He is immune to all nonmagical attack forms. Even when hit by spells or magic weapons, he has a 50% chance to ignore any damage from a corporeal source (except for positive energy, negative energy, force effects, or attacks made with ghost touch weapons).
An incorporeal psionic claw has no natural armor bonus—and, unlike other incorporeal creatures, does not gain a deflection bonus from his Charisma modifier. An incorporeal psionic claw can enter or pass through solid objects (subject to the restrictions described in the shed body ability), but must remain adjacent to the object’s exterior, and so cannot pass entirely through an object whose space is larger than his own. He can sense the presence of creatures or objects within a square adjacent to his current location, but enemies have total concealment (50% miss chance) from an incorporeal psion uncarnate that is inside an object. To see farther from the object he is in and attack normally, the incorporeal psion uncarnate must emerge. An incorporeal psion uncarnate inside an object has total cover, but when he attacks a creature outside the object he only has cover, so a creature outside with a readied action could strike at him as he attacks. An incorporeal psion uncarnate cannot pass through a force effect. An incorporeal psion uncarnate’s attacks pass through (ignore) natural armor, armor, and shields, although deflection bonuses and force effects work normally against him. He can pass through and operate in water as easily as he does in air. An incorporeal psion uncarnate cannot fall or take falling damage. He cannot make trip or grapple attacks, nor can he be tripped or grappled. In fact, he cannot take any physical action that would move or manipulate an opponent or its equipment, nor is he subject to such actions. Incorporeal creatures have no weight and do not set off traps that are triggered by weight. An incorporeal creature moves silently and cannot be heard with Listen checks if it doesn’t wish to be. It has no Strength score, so its Dexterity modifier applies to both its melee attack rolls and its ranged attack rolls. Nonvisual senses, such as scent and blindsight, are either ineffective or only partly effective with regard to incorporeal creatures. Incorporeal creatures have an innate sense of direction and can move at full speed even when they cannot see.
Bonus Feat: At 2nd level, a psionic claw gets a bonus feat. The psionic claw gains an additional bonus feat. The psychic claw must still meet all prerequisites for the bonus feat, including ability score and base attack bonus minimums as well as class requirements. A psionic claw cannot choose feats that specifically require levels in the fighter class unless he is a multiclass character with the requisite levels in the fighter class. These bonus feats are in addition to the feats that a character of any class gains every three levels. A psionic claw is not limited to fighter bonus feats and psionic feats when choosing these other feats.
Uncarnate Spell Resistance: At 5th level, a psionic claw has been granted a Spell Resistance equal to 5 + the characters' Charisma modifier. This bonus is increased every 5 levels thereafter, so a level 10 psionic claw has a Spell Resistance equal to 10 + Charisma modifier and so on.
Enhanced Claw: The psionic claws improve as the character gains higher levels. At 5th level and every odd level thereafter, the psionic claw gains a cumulative +1 enhancement bonus that he may spend on an actual enhancement bonus or on weapon special abilities. A psionic claw’s level determines his maximum enhancement bonus (see Table Above). The psionic claw may apply any special ability from the table below, as long as he meets the level requirements. A Psionic Claw can choose any combination of weapon special abilities and/or enhancement bonus that does not exceed the total allowed by the soulknife’s level.
| Weapon Special Ability | Enhancement Bonus Value | Minimum Character Level |
|---|---|---|
| Defending | +1 | 5 |
| Distance | +1 | 5 |
| Flaming | +1 | 5 |
| Frost | +1 | 5 |
| Ghost Touch | +1 | 5 |
| Keen | +1 | 5 |
| Lucky | +1 | 5 |
| Merciful | +1 | 5 |
| Mighty Cleaving | +1 | 5 |
| Psychokinetic | +1 | 5 |
| Shock | +1 | 5 |
| Sundering | +1 | 5 |
| Vicious | +1 | 5 |
| Anarchic | +2 | 7 |
| Axiomatic | +2 | 7 |
| Collision | +2 | 7 |
| Flaming Burst | +2 | 7 |
| Holy | +2 | 7 |
| Icy Burst | +2 | 7 |
| Mindcrusher | +2 | 7 |
| Psychokinetic Burst | +2 | 7 |
| Shocking Burst | +2 | 7 |
| Suppression | +2 | 7 |
| Unholy | +2 | 7 |
| Wounding | +2 | 7 |
| Bodyfeeder | +3 | 9 |
| Mindfeeder | +3 | 9 |
| Soulbreaker | +3 | 9 |
| Brilliant Energy | +4 | 11 |
| Coup de Grace | +5 | 13 |
Ex-Psionic Claw[edit]
A Psionic Claw who becomes lawful, is no longer able to become Incorporeal. He can however, still cast his psionic powers and manifest his psionic claws.
Campaign Information[edit]
Playing a Psionic Claw[edit]
Religion: Depends on the character's alignment, but usually tend to follow Chaotic Good, or Chaotic Neutral deities.
Other Classes: Psionic claws perform well in parties that have no other way of taking down mages. They're also useful in parties that still require a mobility based class.
Combat: Psionic claws usually act like fighter, with the difference that they use their mobility to take down casters in the enemies backlines. From there they usually act as normal Natural Weapon based fighters.
Advancement: When desired, the psionic claw can multiclass. Usually this is either a stealth based class, or another psionic class.
Psionic Claws in the World[edit]
| “ | You think Psions always hide behind their comrades? You haven't looked behind you then... | ” |
| —Rumak, Xeph Psionic Claw | ||
Daily Life: During the everyday life, psionic claws usually spend a lot of time studying or hunting. This depends, of course, on the traits of the character.
NPC Reactions: Psionic claws are usually treated like regular people, as they don't look different from a normal person. When their powers are displayed however, people tend to get creeped out by the fact that the character suddenly becomes see-through.
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