Well, I was thinking... ( Run, dont walk, to the hills! Hide your children!)
Theres arcane magic, theres divine magic, theres psionics...
and yet very little in the way of time manipulation.
So, in order to kick off the new age of chronomancy, I give you a class you can really sink your teeth (beak, fangs, mandibles) into:
Timestrider
Chronomancy, the manipulation of time, is one of the more subtle (and more powerful) arts. While the legendary chronomancers take control of powerful time energies through magic, the less known Timestriders take a different path. Timestriders focus less on the results, and more on the means. By subtle changes in the nature of Psionics, a Timestrider can command the mysterious chronoplasm that permeates every plane (excluding the astral plane) in much the same way that most psions control ectoplasm.
Adventures: Timestriders spend their time adventuring for the same reasons that most do: for riches, glory, and power. However, any Timestrider worth his salt is doing two things at once. Yes, he is performing actions and deeds of great worth, but he is also scouting, and remembering certain locations and tales. Most Timestrider’s plan to, when they amass the power to travel into the past, to the times of old, use the tales and knowledge of the future to find riches of the past.
Characteristics: Timestriders choose to walk the fine line between combat prowess and Chronomantic powers. Sometimes, the time stream effects its user in ways they don’t expect. More then one Timestrider has found that their lives were saved only by items or equipment that they felt oddly compelled to buy.
Some Timestriders get itchy feelings about a place, until they are forced to leave to make it stop, only to have the building collapse from shoddy workmanship or burn down in the night.
As such, many Timestriders find the ideals of the Transcendent Order to be somewhat to their liking. Specifically the Cadence, although most Timestriders think that this is actually tapping into the timestream on an unconscious level.
Alignment: Any. The time stream is indifferent to the ethics and morals of those who it effects. Although, for some reason the selection process for choosing Timestrider apprentices almost always leads to those of neutral alignments. Perhaps this is the time stream insuring its users maintain a form of balance, who knows. Although, it should be noted that those Timestriders that do commit atrocities with their power and attempt to bend the time stream to their whims are quickly ‘removed’ by other Timestriders who can easily sense such imbalances in the time stream.
Religion: There is no overall deity that all Timestriders worship. However, those that do pick either gods of time or travel.
Background: Becoming a Timestrider is a difficult path, one that is not handled lightly. The secrets of manipulating time, on any level, is something to be respected and feared. When a Timestrider feels the time has come, they find an apprentice that they feel has the potential, the power, and the moral character required to become a Timestrider.
Races: While any race that has the ability to become Psionic can become a Timestrider, very few exemplars are chosen, if only because their nature causes them to become a bit of an unbalance. Also, there are almost no Githyanki Timestriders, considering that there is no time on the astral plane.
Other Classes: Timestriders get along well with druids and rangers, who perform similar function, if for different ideals and causes. They like chronomancers, although they have been known to become annoyingly persistent in trying to ‘enlighten’ them to better means of time control. They have no quarrels with any class of fighter, mage, psion, or combination. Although, they are just as annoyed by paladins as anyone else.
Game Rule information:
Abilities: For combat, Timestriders focus mainly on strength for dealing damage, and constitution so they can take it. But for their time powers, they require wisdom above all else.
Alignment: any
Hit die: d8
Class Skills: Autohypnosis (wis), climb (Str), Concentration (con), Craft (int), Gather Information (cha), Hide (dex), Knowledge (Psionics)(int), Listen (wis), Move Silently (dex), Profession (wis), Ride (dex), Search (int), Spot (wis), Swim (Str)
Skill points at first level: (4 + int modifier) x 4
Skill points at each additional Level: 4 + int modifier
Class Features:
Weapons and armor proficiencies: all simple weapons, longswords, battleaxes, scimitars, glaives, and composite longbows.
And all Light armor.
BaB___ Fort_ Ref_ Will___ Special_______________________________
1: 0 +1 +2 +2 Chronoplasmic Weapon
2: 1 +1 +3 +3
3: 2 +2 +3 +3 Align weapon
4: 3 +2 +4 +4 Chronoplasmic Armor
5: 3 +2 +4 +4
6: 4 +3 +5 +5 Chronoplasmic weapon +1
7: 5 +3 +5 +5
8: 6/1 +4 +6 +6 Augury 1/day
9: 6/1 +4 +6 +6 Time sensation
10: 7/2 +4 +7 +7 Temporal Shock
11: 8/3 +5 +7 +7 Timeless body
12: 9/4 +5 +8 +8 Chronoplasmic weapon +2
13: 9/4 +6 +8 +8 Time Collapse
14: 10/5 +6 +9 +9
15: 11/6/1 +6 +9 +9
16: 12/7/2 +7 +10 +10 Augury 2/day
17: 12/7/2 +7 +10 +10
18: 13/8/3 +8 +11 +11 Chronoplasmic weapon +3
19: 14/9/4 +8 +11 +11
20: 15/10/5 +8 +12 +12
Align weapon: as a standard action, a Timestrider can make a chronoplasmic weapon an aligned weapon, as long as the alignment chosen is the same as that of the creator (for example, a Lawful neutral character could only make his weapon lawful aligned, being that he has no other alignments to choose from).
Augury: By probing both the present and the future, the Timestrider gains insight. The effect created is as the spell of the same name, at a rank equal to the Timestrider level. This extraordinary ability may be performed once per day, until level sixteen where it becomes twice per day.
Chronoplasmic Weapon: Timestriders are able to generate a single type of average medium- or large-sized weapon. This weapon can be any non-ranged weapon composed of a single piece (including a bashing shield, but not other types of shields). The object acts in all regards as a regular weapon of it’s type (damage dice, damage type, material strength, etc.), but appears to be made of a rough crystal of some sort. The weapon takes a Full Action to conjure, and stays material for one hour per Timestrider level.
At every 6 levels, the chronoplasmic weapon gains a +1 enhancement, for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Chronoplasmic Armor: at 4th level, the Timestrider can harden chronoplasmic energy around her/himself. The armor appears to be made of quartz crystal, complete with prism-like projections. The chronoplasmic armor provides an AC modifier equal to the Timestrider level (max +8) for a number of minutes equal to their class level. This armor weighs a mere two pounds per AC bonus, and forms on top of any armor already worn; though the character looks disproportionately bulky as a result. The character, however, does not suffer from anything but the weight. The Chronoplasmic armor lasts for one minuet for every Timestrider level, fading away when its time is up.
Temporal Shock: By charging the chronoplasmic weapon with pure time energy, the Time Knight is able to add electrical damage to an attack equal to an additional 1d6 per Timestrider level. Not all charges/levels need to be applied on one attack. A 10th-level Timestrider, for example, could strike with ten 1d6 shock attacks, two 3d6 and two 2d6 attacks, or two 5d6 shock attack.
Charging your weapon is a free action, and provokes no attacks of opportunity. A Timestrider can only summon 1d6 lighting damage per level once per day. For example, a 10th level Timestrider can summon 10d6 lighting damage throughout the day, dividing it up as he likes. However, after dealing that 10d6 damage, no more can be summoned until he rests.
When summoned, the lighting charge lasts until the weapon hits something, or until the weapon dissolves.
Time Collapse: the Chronomantic control of time extends to their spells. This extraordinary ability is treated as the Quicken feat, but without having to sacrifice a power slot of higher level. This ability may be used once per day per four levels.
Time Sensation: this extraordinary ability is the applied sensitivity to the chronoplasmic energy that pervades everything. The Timestrider can sense all corporeal objects within a 30-foot radius. This provides three main bonuses: the Timestrider receives the Blindfight feat, which allows the character to successfully encounter all opponents (within 5’) in the dark with no negative modifier; the character receives a +1 modifier to AC because of his/her acute senses and the ability to react quicker to attacks; and the character also receives a +2 modifier to Initiative rolls because of these sharper senses.
Timeless Body: Your control of the Time stream has reached a point of such control that you have gained the ability to slow your own aging, physically at least. While no feat of chronomancy can stay death's hand, this one can at least make its slow progression on the body. The character will no longer age, or suffer from such effects, but will still die of old age when their time comes.
Powers_________________________
A Timestrider’s psionic powers are wisdom based.
A Timestrider can choose power from the following list:
1: Precognition-Defensive, Precognition-Offensive, Prescience-Offensive, Burst, Crystal Shard, Déjà vu, Destiny Dissonance, energy ray
2:Recall Agony, Sustenance, Body adjustment, Cloud mind, Concussion Blast, Dissolving weapon, Time web, channel chronoplasm
3:Time Hop, Keen Edge, Crisis of Breath, Danger sense, Dimension slide, Chronoplasmic Cocoon, Energy bolt
4:Accelerate, Decelerate, Energy Ball, Freedom of movement-psionic, inertial barrier, Steadfast perception
5: Timewalk, Time clone, Psionic rust grip, adapt body, Hail of Crystals, Second Chance
6: Suspend Life, Time Storm, Mind blank personal, Precognition Greater,
________
___________Powers known_____________Max power level______Power points/ day
1 2 1st 1
2 3 1st 3
3 4 1st 5
4 5 2nd 7
5 6 2nd 11
6 7 2nd 15
7 8 3rd 19
8 9 3rd 23
9 10 3rd 27
10 11 4th 35
11 12 4th 43
12 13 4th 51
13 14 5th 59
14 15 5th 67
15 16 5th 79
16 17 6th 91
17 18 6th 103
18 19 6th 115
19 20 6th 127
20 21 6th 139
Accelerate
Level: 4
Display: Silvery goo around the feet of the caster
Manifest: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Area:
Effect:
Target: The caster
Duration: 2 rounds/level
Save: Nil
Resist: 0
Points: 4
Some psionicists are capable of drastically altering their own metabolisms, doubling their speeds for short periods of time. A character accelerated in this fashion is under an effect similar to the haste spell, plus a few other benefits:
* On his turn, he might take an extra partial action, either before or after his regular action.
* He gains a +4 bonus to his armor class, losing it whenever he would lose a dodge bonus.
* He can jump one and a half times as far as normal. This increase counts as an enhancement bonus.
* He gains the ability to act first on every combat round.
* His movement threshold is effectively doubled (i.e. if the caster has movement 30, when accelerated he could move 60 feet in the same time).
The use of spells and Psionics is not augmented by this power, although it can be used to counter and dispel a slowing effect, such as the haste spell counters and dispels slow.
Decelerate
Level: 4
Display: Silvery goo around the feet of the caster
Manifest: 1 standard action
Range: 40ft
Area: 1 person
Effect: Slows target
Target: 1
Duration: 2 rounds/level
Save: will
Resist: 0
Points: 4
Some psionicists are capable of drastically altering the metabolisms of others, halving their speeds for short periods of time. A character decelerated in this fashion is under an effect similar to the slow spell, plus a few other effects:
* On his turn, he losses a partial action, either before or after his regular action.
* He gains a -4 bonus to his armor class, negating any dodge bonus.
* He can jump half as far as normal.
* He is forced to act last on every combat round.
* His movement threshold is effectively halved (i.e. if the target has movement 30, when decelerated he could move 15 feet in the same time).
The use of spells and Psionics is not weakened by this power, although it can be used to counter and dispel a haste effect, such as the slow spell counters and dispels haste.
Chronoplasmic cocoon- (see ectoplasmic cocoon)
Timewalk:
Level 5
Display: Caster fades away
Manifest: 1 standard action
Range: 400ft + 40ft per level
Area: 1 person
Effect: allows travel through a form of ethereal time stop
Target: self
Duration: instantaneous
Power points: 5
The Caster has the extraordinary ability to step out of time and walk through space-time, disappearing from view to all in normal time. Creatures and objects as viewed from outside of space-time appear as ethereal objects and cannot be interacted with in any manner. This ability functions similar to dimension door.
Time Web:
Level: 2
Display: material and visual
Manifest: 1 standard action
Range: 50ft +5ft per level
Area: 20ft radius spread
Effect: target is entangled by strands of sticky time
Target: area
Duration: 10min per level (D)
Power points: 2
By solidifying the criss-crossing strands of chronoplasm in an area, the Timestrider may effectively simulate a web spell. The caster level is equal to the manifester level, lasts as many minutes as manifester levels, and has a hardness/escape DC of 10+ the manifester level.
Time Clone:
Level: 5
Display: creates clones of the caster
Manifest: 1standard action
Range: 20 ft
Area: --
Effect: creates clones of the caster made from chronoplasm
Target: --
Duration: one round per level
Power points: 6
The Timestrider can form 10 HD worth of clones from chronoplasm. The resulting clones look exactly like the Timestrider that formed them, but do not possess any Timestrider abilities, save a chronoplasmic weapon similar to the original’s and chronoplasmic armor that equals the AC of the Timestrider (minus natural armor). These clones are formed one round at a time for each, taking one Full Action per clone to form. The number of hit points possessed by each equals 1d6Xtheir number of HD. They each last a number of rounds equal to their HD totals, and can be composed of as many or as few HD as the Timestrider wishes, with a minimum of 1HD (for ten Clones) and a maximum of 10HD (for one Clone). The Time Clones share the original’s Attack Bonus number and saves, but may only make a single attack per round per their chronoplasmic weapon with no Strength bonuses. This potential army is single-mindedly bent on attack, and can perform no special feats, nor use skills. They are mindless (except for a rudimentary battle prowess), only nod in agreement when given a mental command by the owner, are incapable of speech, and have a rather blank stare. When destroyed, the Time Clone shatters to the ground and the chronoplasmic shards melt away to nothing.
Augment: for every additional three power points, you can add 1 additional hit die.
Channel Chronoplasm:
Level: 2
Display: the users body seeming to be covered in a glass like coating
Manifest: 1 standard action
Range: self
Area: self
Effect: see text
Duration: 1 round per level
Power points: 2
The Timestrider has begun to learn to infuse chronoplasm into his or her nervous system for overall greater efficiency, allowing themselves to generate short-lived bursts of ability. The Manifester can increase any of his/her abilities by 1 point for a number of rounds equal to the Timestrider level. This extraordinary ability also has the side-effect of snapping the character awake for the duration, thus removing any negative effects due to grogginess or muddling spells or effects. The ability is chosen at the time of manifestation, and only one channeling can be in effect at one time.
Augment: for every addition power point, add another two rounds to the duration
Time storm
Level: 6
Display: creates a swirling storm of light
Manifest: 1 standard action
Range: self
Area: a thirty-foot radius
Effect: see text
Duration: 1 round
Power point: 8
By channeling a massive amount of ultra-dense chronoplasm from the surrounding area, a Timestrider can cause the fabric of time to disrupt around him.
All opponents within thirty feet must make a will save, or be subject to the time storms full effects.
If they make the will save, roll a 1d3.
If they fail, roll a 1d10 to determine the effects.
1: Targets body speeds up, healing 1d6 hp through regeneration. However, they age rapidly, suffer excruciating pain, and suffer a minus two on all rolls for the next round.
2: subject rejuvenates 1d10 years and is dazed for a number of rounds equal to years regained.
3: target is effected by slow
4: Target ages 3d6 years, is sickened for 1d8 rounds.
5: A random burst of energy (4d6 lightning damage)
6: Target is encased in chronoplasm, immobilized for 1d10 rounds
7: Target is effected by haste for 1d3 rounds, but becomes fatigued for 1d6 rounds afterward
8: target dissapers for 1d4 rounds, returning at the end of the duration. And must make and additional will save or be confused for one round.
9: target ages 1d10 x 100 years. Items are unaffected
10: target is sucked into the time stream, hurled into the temporal energy plane, and dies instantly from the ravages of accelerated entropy.
Augment: By adding 3 power points, you can add 1 to whatever you roll, but can go no higher then a ten. This power can only be augmented once for every person effected, with one augmentation per person.
Psionic rusting grasp:
Level 5
Display: rusts iron metal
Manifest: 1 standard action
Range: touch
Area: --
Effect: Rusts all non-magical iron in a 3-foot area around the touch point
Target: 1
Duration: see rusting grasp
Save: none
Resist: none
Power points: 6
Same as the spell of the same name.
_____________________________
I would like to say, that yes the accelerate is from PW, and the decellerate is a reversal inspired by it.
And if any of you noticed, the chronoplasmic abilities are based off of a collection of prestige classes someone posted on the web, but that was a year or so ago, so I don't know where exactly.
Have fun with the time stream!
.
Well, it definatly looks like you put work into this.
Have you tryed playing it yet? Thats usually the best way to work out if its too powerful or whatnot.
and you mention being able to go to the past at high levels? And yet there is no mention of past effecting spells, only ones that effect the future...
is this because you don't like the idea of the DM having to remember where everyone was three rounds ago whenever you jump backwards? Or is it an epic timetravel thing?