Tactician

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Joining allies into a single cohesive unit, the tactician uses his psionic power to unlock the potential of others, as well as himself. This master of strategy tends to focus his abilities on the insight of clairsentience and the improved communication of telepathy to know where and when to act and ensure his companions are best situated to react.

Role: A tactician is at his strongest when his companions cooperate with his instructions. He is a strategist and a battle leader, issuing orders and expecting them to be followed. He has decent combat ability, but relies primary upon his manifesting ability.

Alignment:Any.

Hit Die:d8

Starting Wealth: 4d6 x 10 (140 gp.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

Class skills

The tactician’s class skills are Autohypnosis (Wis), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (engineering) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks at each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: Tactician
Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special Power Points/Day Powers Known Maximum Power Level Known
1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Collective, coordinated strike +1, lesser strategies 2 1 1st
2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 Spirit of many 6 2 1st
3rd +2 +1 +1 +3 Telepathy 11 3 2nd
4th +3 +1 +1 +4 Strategy 17 4 2nd
5th +3 +1 +1 +4 Coordinated strike +2, improved share 1 25 5 3rd
6th +4 +2 +2 +5 Coordinate, Teamwork feat 35 6 3rd
7th +5 +2 +2 +5 Strategy 46 7 4th
8th +6/+1 +2 +2 +6 Echo effect 58 8 4th
9th +6/+1 +3 +3 +6 Coordinated strike +3 72 9 5th
10th +7/+2 +3 +3 +7 Strategy 88 10 5th
11th +8/+3 +3 +3 +7 Improved share 2 106 11 6th
12th +9/+4 +4 +4 +8 Teamwork feat 126 12 6th
13th +9/+4 +4 +4 +8 Coordinated strike +4, strategy 147 13 7th
14th +10/+5 +4 +4 +9 Pooled knowledge 170 14 7th
15th +11/+6/+1 +5 +5 +9 Collective range (unlimited) 195 15 8th
16th +12/+7/+2 +5 +5 +10 Strategy 221 16 8th
17th +12/+7/+2 +5 +5 +10 Coordinated strike +5, improved share 3 250 17 9th
18th +13/+8/+3 +6 +6 +11 Teamwork feat 280 18 9th
19th +14/+9/+4 +6 +6 +11 Collective range (planar), strategy 311 19 9th
20th +15/+10/+5 +6 +6 +12 Master strategist 343 20 9th

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the tactician.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies

Tacticians are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of light and medium armor, and with shields (except tower shields).

Powers Points/Day

A tactician’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 Tactician. 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.

Powers Known

A tactician begins play knowing one tactician power of your choice. Each time he achieves a new level, he unlocks knowledge of a new power.

Choose the powers known from the tactician power list. (Exception: The feat Expanded Knowledge does allow a tactician to learn powers from the lists of other classes.) A tactician can manifest any power that has a power point cost equal to or lower than his manifester level.

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

A tactician 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 powers.

The Difficulty Class for saving throws against the tacticians powers is 10 + the power’s level + the tactician’s Intelligence modifier.

Maximum Power Level Known

A tactician begins play with the ability to learn 1st-level powers. As he attains higher levels, he may gain the ability to master more complex powers.

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

Collective (Su)

A tactician learns to use psionic power to connect willing minds through an internal network that strengthens their psychic bonds. As a standard action, a tactician can join any number of willing targets into his collective (up to his limit, see below). The tactician must have line of sight to each target, each target must have a Wisdom score of at least 1, and all targets must be within Medium range (100 ft. + 10 ft. per class level). The collective can contain up to his key ability modifier or half his tactician level, whichever is higher. The tactician is always considered a member of his own collective, and does not count against this limit.

The tactician can choose to remove a member as a free action on his turn, and any member can voluntarily leave the collective as a free action on their turn. Any member whose Wisdom drops to zero or who moves out of range of the collective is automatically removed. If a member enters a null psionics field, the connection to the collective is suppressed until the member leaves the field. A member who leaves the collective for any reason immediately loses any and all benefits they may have gained from being a member. A tactician is aware of the status of his collective and can, roughly, sense the presence of each member, although beyond telling if such a creature is still a member, this has no mechanical benefit until higher levels (see telepathy below).

A tactician can manifest certain powers through his collective. If a tactician power specifies one or more willing targets (or is harmless) and has a range greater than personal, he can manifest this power on a member of his collective regardless of the range of the actual power. All other non-range restrictions still apply. He may manifest any power with the Network Descriptor this way, regardless of their actual ranges or targets. If he is capable of manifesting powers or casting spells from a different class (as is the case for a multiclass tactician), any compatible spell or power with a range greater than touch can also be used through the collective.

If a member of the collective dies, the member is removed from the collective and the tactician must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or lose 1 power point for every Hit Die of the fallen member or be sickened for an equal number of rounds.

At 15th level, a tactician’s collective range is limitless on the same plane as the tactician

At 19th level, a tactician’s range reaches even across other planes and dimensions.

Coordinated Strike (Su)

The tacician is able to direct his allies to coordinating their attacks upon a single target to devastating effect. As a swift action, the tactician can declare one target within his line of sight as the primary foe. All members of the tactician’s collective, including the tactician himself gain a +1 insight bonus to attacks against the primary foe until the beginning of the tactician’s next turn. At 5th level and every four levels thereafter, this bonus increases by 1.

This ability may be used a number of times per day equal to 3 + the tacticians Intelligence modifier.

Lesser Strategies

Tacticians learn minor powers they can use at will to aid them in coordination and tactics. The tactician gains 3 talents from the tactician talent list.

Spirit of Many (Su)

A tactician of 2nd level gains special abilities when manifesting powers with the Network descriptor. He can manifest these powers on any member of his collective, even if they are out of the power’s range or would normally be immune to the power. Whenever a tactician manifests a power with the Network descriptor targeting only members of his collective, the power loses the mind-affecting descriptor (if it had it) and is treated as a supernatural ability (bypassing Power Resistance and becoming immune to dispel attempts), although it still provokes an attacks of opportunity to manifest as normal. Network powers manifest only on members of the collective never allow saving throws – their saving throw entry becomes “None,” although if the power specifies a subsequent saving throw, subjects attempt those saves normally. The tactician also adds the following augment to all powers with the network descriptor:

Augment: For every additional power point you spent, you can choose an additional target, so long as the target is a member of your collective.

Telepathy (Su)

When a tactician reaches 3rd level, all willing members of his collective (including the tactician himself) can communicate with each other telepathically, even if they do not share a common language. Psionic creatures who are willing members in a tactician’s collective (including the tactician himself) may manifest unknown powers known by another willing psionic creature in the collective as if they were making physical contact.

Strategy (Su)

At 4th level, and every three tactician levels thereafter, a tactician learns a new tactical strategy, granting him special abilities in combat. Unless specified otherwise, using a strategy is a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Strategies are often orders or suggestions that the tactician issues to members of his collective. A tactician may not direct a strategy at himself unless a strategy specifies otherwise.

Strategies may be used a number of times per day equal to 3 + the tactician’s Charisma modifier.

The tactician chooses his strategy from the list below.

Collective Defenses:The tactician is able to harness the sensory information available through his collective to bolster the defenses of members of his collective. For a number of rounds equal to the tactician’s Charisma modifier (minimum 1), the tactician and all members of his collective within line of sight of the tactician gain an insight bonus to Armor Class equal to the tactician’s Intelligence modifier (minimum 1).

Coordinated Distraction: The tactician can direct a member of his collective to attack a single enemy, granting the directed member a +1 competence bonus on the attack roll for a number of rounds equal to the tactician’s Charisma modifier (minimum 1). If the directed member performs the attack, regardless of where the directed member is in relation to the tactician, the tactician treats the enemy as being flanked and the tactician may make a single melee attack against the targeted enemy as an Immediate action. The tactician may only make one such attack per use of this strategy. Alternatively, the tactician may make the initial attack against the targeted enemy, gaining the +1 flanked, but but using the strategy in this fashion makes it a full-round action instead of a swift action. At 8th level and every four tactician levels thereafter, the competence bonus on the attack roll increases by 1.

Coordinated Maneuvers:The tactician can sense when opponents have become vulnerable to different kinds of attack and direct his allies to capitalize on these weaknesses, granting members of his collective a +1 insight bonus on one type of combat maneuver attempt, such as bull rushes or repositions, for a number of rounds equaling his Charisma modifier (minimum 1). The tactician chooses the kind of maneuver this benefit applies to when he activates this strategy. At 8th level and every four levels thereafter, the insight bonus increases by 1.

Directed Assault:The tactician directs a member of his collective to attack a particular target, granting this ally a +1 competence bonus on the attack roll for a number of rounds equal to the tactician’s Charisma modifier (minimum 1). If the attack is made, the tactician may immediately make a single attack at any target within range as an immediate action. This attack does not count as an attack action, so does not qualify for special abilities that can be used with an attack action, such as Vital Strike. At 8th level and every four tactical levels thereafter, the competence bonus increases by 1.

Disruptive Terrain:The tactician charges the terrain around him with psychokinetic energy. Any creature not in the tactician’s collective treats the terrain as difficult terrain for a number of rounds equal to the tactician’s Charisma modifier (minimum 1). The area of terrain affected is a burst effect centered on the tactician with a range of 5 feet per three tactician levels. The affected area does not change if the tactician moves after using this strategy. Selecting this strategy requires the tactician to be at least 10th level.

Distracting Gaze:The tactician can target one enemy within 30 feet and make a ranged touch attack against that enemy. If the attack is successful, that enemy is treated as if the tactician was adjacent to him for the purposes of determining if he is flanked for a number of rounds equal to the tactician’s Charisma modifier (minimum 1). Treat the direction for flanking as the direction of the tactician. Selecting this strategy requires the tactician to be at least 7th level.

Focus Attack:The tactician can direct a member of his collective to attack a single enemy. If the directed member performs the attack, all subsequent attacks on that target for the next round by anyone in the collective deal an additional 1d6 points of damage. An individual gains this additional damage on only one successful attack per round, even if they make multiple successful attacks on the targeted enemy. At 8th level and every four tactician levels thereafter, this damage increases by 1d6.

Guard Target:The tactician directs a member of his collective to guard a specific target (which may be the tactician, but not the directed member), granting the directed member a +1 competence bonus to attack rolls. In addition, the directed member can spend an attack of opportunity to redirect an attack made at the target as if it was made at him, even if the attack itself would not normally have provoked an attack of opportunity. Anytime the directed member redirects an attack in this fashion, the tactician gains a cumulative +1 bonus to his next attack against the source of the redirected attack. This effect lasts a number of rounds equal to the tactician’s Charisma modifier (minimum 1). If the directed member would not normally be able to make an attack of opportunity, for example, if they already made one and do not possess the Combat Reflexes feat, they may not redirect attacks. At 8th level and every four tactician levels thereafter, the competence bonus on attack rolls increases by 1.

Hold Position:The tactician can direct a member of his collective to hold their ground, granting the directed member a +1 dodge bonus to AC and a +1 competence bonus to attack rolls for a number of rounds equal to the tactician’s Charisma modifier (minimum 1). For each round the directed member does not move from the spot, the tactician may immediately take a free move action on the same round, but must move toward the directed member in as direct a manner as possible. The tactician gains a +1 dodge bonus to his AC during this move. At 8th level and every four tactician levels thereafter, the dodge bonuses and the competence bonus to attack rolls increase by 1.

Into the Fray:The tactician directs a member of his collective to charge a particular enemy, granting the ally a +1 competence bonus on the damage roll. If the charge is performed, the tactician may charge the same enemy as an immediate action, gaining a +1 competence bonus on the damage roll. At 8th level and every four tactician levels thereafter, the competence bonus increases by 1

Reposition: The tactician direct each ally in collective to take a 5-foot step as a free action immediately. The tactician may also immediately take a 5-foot step. This does not count against the number of 5-foot steps allowed in the tactician’s or each ally’s turns. If all directed allies takes their 5-foot step, the tactician may immediately make a full attack against any target within range and gain a +1 competence bonus on the attack and damage rolls. Selecting this strategy to be at least a 13th level tactician. At 16th level and every four tactician levels thereafter, the competence bonus increases by 1.

Telempathic Resistance: The tactician shares not only thoughts, but also resilience to members of his collective. For a number of rounds equal to the tactician’s Charisma modifier (minimum 1), all members of the tactician’s collective gain a +1 insight bonus to saving throws At 8th level and every four tactician levels thereafter, the insight bonus increases by 1.

Improved Share (Su)

A tactician learns special techniques when manifesting powers with the Shared descriptor. Beginning at 5th level, the tactician may maintain two powers with the Shared descriptor at any time instead of only one. Should he manifest a third power with the Shared descriptor, the tactician can choose which of the maintained Shared powers ends immediately.

Every six tactician levels thereafter (11th, 17th), the tactician may maintain an additional power with the Shared descriptor before a maintained power with the Shared descriptor expires.

Coordinate (Su)

At 6th level, as long as the tactician maintains psionic focus, he may share any one teamwork feat he has with one member of his collective within line of sight and line of effect. Declaring which member of the collective gains the teamwork feat is a free action that can only be done once per round. The ally’s positioning and actions must still meet the prerequisites listed in the teamwork feat to receive the listed bonus, but the ally need not meet the feat prerequisites to gain the benefit.

Teamwork Feat

At 6th level, and every six levels thereafter, the tactician gains a bonus feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement. These bonus feats must be selected from those listed as teamwork feats. The tactician must meet the prerequisites of the selected bonus feat.

By spending one hour in meditation, the tactician can change anyone teamwork feat he has already learned for another teamwork feat whose prerequisites he meets. In effect, the tactician loses the bonus feat in exchange for a new one.

Echo Effect (Su)

At 8th level, the tactician gains the ability to copy non-permanent magical and psionic effects within his collective. If a member of the collective is affected by a magical or psionic effect with a duration greater than 1 round, the tactician can echo it onto another member of his collective. To do so the tactician must first identify the power properly (see the Spellcraft skill description).

Echoing a magical or psionic effect is a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity and costs the tactician a number of power points equal to the original effect’s caster or manifester level (whichever applies). As a supernatural ability, a tactician is permitted to spend more power points than his manifest level on this effect. The new target must be legal for the effect in question (for instance, if you attempt to echo an unaugmented Empathic Connection on a dog, the echo will fail). If the effect allows a saving throw, the new target is entitled to a saving throw when the effect is echoed (same DC as the original power).

Only the basic effect and augmentation are echoed: metamagic and metapsionic feats do not echo. The echo has all the same decisions made as the original. For example, Specified Energy Adaption echoes would guard against the same energy type, while a 5pp Empathic Connection (extended duration) could not be echoed as a 5pp Empathic Connection (affects aberrations). The echo takes effect at the same caster or manifester level as the originator. When the original ends or leaves the collective, all echoes of it also end. An echo can be dispelled as normal without terminating the original.

A tactician can spend power points to augment this supernatural ability. For every 4 additional power points spent, the echo may reach an additional target. If the augment would raise the cost of the echo above the tactician’s manifester level, the echo attempt fail (although he may still attempt to echo it onto a single target). The tactician knows if an effect is beyond his ability to echo this way when he identifies it.

Pooled Knowledge (Su)

Once a tactician has reached 14th level, he has learned to share not only strategic knowledge over the collective, but even knowledge of manifesting. By expending psionic focus, the tactician may attempt to manifest any power known by a member of his collective. If the power is not on the tactician power list, the tactician must make a successful Spellcraft check (DC 20 + the power’s level) to see if he understands the power. If the Spellcraft check fails, the attempt fails and psionic focus is still expended, but no power points are spent. If the check is successful, the tactician may immediately manifest the power. Using this ability uses an action equal to the manifesting time of the power to be manifested. This ability may not be used to manifest powers with a manifesting time longer than one round.

Master Strategist (Su)

Upon achieving 20th level, a tactician has learned how to turn his collective into a truly cohesive battle unit. The tactician may use two daily uses of his strategy ability and grant all of his allies an insight bonus on attack and damage rolls, armor class, and saving throws equal to his intelligence for two minutes. This ability may not be used if the tactician is not engaged in combat.

Favored Class Bonuses

Instead of receiving an additional skill rank or hit point whenever they gain a level in a Favored Class, some races have the option of choosing from a number of other bonuses, depending upon their Favored Classes. The following options are available to the listed race who have tactician as their Favored Class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the listed Favored Class reward.

Race Bonus Source
Dreamscarred Press
Blue Add +1/3 to the tactician’s saving throws versus mind-affecting effects. PE:APG
Dromite Add +1/2 to the maximum number of creatures allowed in the tactician’s collective PE:APG
Duergar Add a +1/2 bonus on concentration checks when manifesting tactician powers. PE:APG
Dwarf Add a +1/2 bonus on concentration checks when manifesting tactician powers. PE:APG
Gnome The tactician gains 1 psionic talent. PE:APG
Half-Elf Add +1/2 to the maximum number of creatures allowed in the tactician’s collective. PE:APG
Human Add +1/4 to the tactician’s strategy daily uses. PE:APG
Maenad Add +1/2 to the Maenad’s manifester level when manifesting powers that grant a bonus to AC PE:APG
Ophiduan The tactician’s level is treated as 1 higher for the purpose of his strategy’s benefits when using strategies against flat-footed opponents. PE:APG
Xeph Add +1/3 to the tactician’s saving throws versus mind-affecting effects. PE:APG

Archetypes & Alternate Class Features

When a character selects a class, he must choose to use the standard class features found or those listed in one of the archetypes presented here. Each alternate class feature replaces a specific class feature from its parent class. For example, the elemental fist class feature of the monk of the four winds replaces the stunning fist class feature of the monk. When an archetype includes multiple class features, a character must take all of them—often blocking the character from ever gaining certain familiar class features, but replacing them with equally powerful options. All of the other class features found in the core class and not mentioned among the alternate class features remain unchanged and are acquired normally when the character reaches the appropriate level (unless noted otherwise). A character who takes an alternate class feature does not count as having the class feature that was replaced when meeting any requirements or prerequisites.

A character can take more than one archetype and garner additional alternate class features, but none of the alternate class features can replace or alter the same class feature from the core class as another alternate class feature. For example, a paladin could not be both a hospitaler and an undead scourge since they both modify the smite evil class feature and both replace the aura of justice class feature. A paladin could, however, be both an undead scourge and a warrior of the holy light, since none of their new class features replace the same core class feature.

Archetypes are a quick and easy way to specialize characters of a given class, adding fun and flavorful new abilities to already established adventurers. Characters may take more than one archetype if they meet the requirements.

Table:Tactician Archetypes / Alternate Class Features

Archetype / Alternate Class Feature Class Features Changed or Replaced
Class Skills Skill Points per Level Weapon & Armor Powers Known Collective Coordinated Strike Lesser Strategies Spirit of Many Telepathy Strategy Improved Share Coordinate Teamwork Feat Echo Effect Pooled Knowledge Master Strategist
1 5 9 13 17 4 7 10 13 16 19 5 11 17 6 12 18
Dreamscarred Press
Amplifier X X X X X X X X X X X X
Battle Medic C X X X X X X X X X X
Commander X X X X X C X
Fear Projector X X X X
Metanexus C X X X
Swarmer (Dromite) X X X X X X X X
Unifier (Forgeborn) C X X X X X X
X=replaced, (X)=optional replacement, C=changed
Section 15: Copyright Notice

Psionics Expanded: Advanced Psionics Guide. Copyright 2011, Dreamscarred Press; Authors: Jeremy Smith and Andreas Rönnqvist.

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