S-Class Aegis

What are S-Class Characters?

S-class characters are built using the core summoner class as the basis against which all other classes are balanced. If you have played, or GM’d for, a summoner and felt it was fine as is, you should have no problem running with an s-class character.

Spell-Like and Psi-Like Abilities

As explained in the source material, psionics function in many ways like spells, and are able to be countered, negated, and resisted just as spells are. The distinctions drawn between the two are purely in the ways in which they are learned and how they affect the world around them.

For this reason, the content here is provided more in context of other Pathfinder options, listing spell-like abilities and referring to spells when a psionic power or talent is equivalent to one.

S-class aegii are the guardians of psionic cabals, lent out to adventuring guilds when a psionic threat makes itself known. Their advanced training in astral suits puts them on par with fighters and paladins when it comes to defensive options.

• Role: An s-class aegis fluidly transforms her astral suit to meet the current challenge, using her armor to protect allies in combat from any threat, be it physical, magical, or psionic in nature.
• Note: The s-class aegis is an alternate, superior version of the aegis class. It gains all of the same class features at the expected levels, so choosing an archetype is just as easy as for the standard class.
• Alignment: Any. Some cabals require that their aegii adhere to or avoid a particular alignment, as detailed within their descriptions.
• Hit Die: d10.
• Starting Wealth: 2d6 × 10 gp (average 70 gp.)

Class Skills

The s-class aegis’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Autohypnosis (Wis), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: S-Class Aegis

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Customization Points	PP/day
1st	+1	+2	+0	+2	Astral repair, bastion of intellect, cabal, form astral suit	3	1
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+3	Craftsman (+1), damage reduction (2/–)	4	2
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+3	Cabal benefit, invigorating suit, reconfigure (1/day)	5	3
4th	+4	+4	+1	+4	Augment suit (1)	7	5
5th	+5	+4	+1	+4	Damage reduction (3/–), master craftsman, reconfigure (2/Day)	8	7
6th	+6/+1	+5	+2	+5	Craftsman (+2)	9	9
7th	+7/+2	+5	+2	+5	Cabal benefit, reconfigure (3/day)	10	11
8th	+8/+3	+6	+2	+6	Augment suit (2), damage reduction (4/–)	11	14
9th	+9/+4	+6	+3	+6	Reconfigure (4/day)	13	17
10th	+10/+5	+7	+3	+7	Craftsman (+3)	14	20
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+3	+7	Cabal benefit, damage reduction (5/–), reconfigure (5/day)	15	24
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+4	+8	Augment suit (3), cannibalize suit (1/day)	16	28
13th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+4	+8	Reconfigure (6/day)	17	32
14th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+4	+9	Craftsman (+4), cannibalize suit (2/day), damage reduction (6/–)	19	37
15th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+5	+9	Cabal benefit, reconfigure (7/day)	20	42
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+10	+5	+10	Augment suit (4), cannibalize suit (3/day)	21	47
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+10	Damage reduction (7/–), reconfigure (8/day)	22	52
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+6	+11	Cannibalize suit (4/day), craftsman (+5)	23	58
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+6	+11	Cabal benefit, reconfigure (9/day)	25	64
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+6	+12	Augment suit (5), cannibalize suit (5/day), damage reduction (8/–), perfect merger	26	70

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the s-class aegis.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Aegii are proficient with all simple and martial weapons. Aegii are proficient with light armor and shields (but not tower shields). Armor does not interfere with the aegis’s class features.

Astral Repair (Sp)

An s-class aegis is capable of repairing mundane items, as the mending cantrip.

Bastion of Intellect (Ex)

When forming his astral suit, an s-class aegis can add his Intelligence modifier to his Armor Class in place of Dexterity, up to the maximum allowed by the armor.

Cabal

At the beginning of their career, each s-class aegis is recruited into one of several psionic cabals; powerful guilds that oversee the policing and protection of psionic individuals who may not yet realize their full potential, for good or ill.

At 1st level, choose a psionic cabal to which the aegis belongs. A sample list of cabals can be found at the end of this section.

Form Astral Suit (Su)

Every s-class aegis can form a semi-solid suit of armor composed of psychic energy distilled from his own mind. The three most common astral suits are psychoactive skin, ectoplasmic armor, and astral juggernaut.

Forming an astral suit requires a specific action listed for that armor. The aegis can dismiss any astral armor as a free action.

Astral suits completely overtake any armor the aegis is already wearing, even if that armor would grant a greater AC bonus. They do not negate armor special abilities.

• Psychoactive Skin: Forming this astral suit is a swift action. It grants no armor bonus, but does grant the following free customizations: nimble, speed x2. At 2nd level, the armor grants evasion, and at 10th level, it grants improved evasion.
• Ectoplasmic Armor: Forming this astral suit is a move action. It functions as masterwork chainmail and grants the following free customizations: brawn, improved damage. At 2nd level, the armor grants flexible suit, and at 6th level, it functions as masterwork breastplate instead.
• Astral Juggernaut: Forming this astral suit is a full-round action. It functions as masterwork half-plate and grants the following free customizations: fortification, hardy. At 2nd level, it grants stalwart, and at 5th level, it functions as masterwork full plate instead.

Craftsman (Ex)

Beginning at 2nd level, an aegis gains a +1 bonus to any one Craft skill of his choice. At 6th level and every four levels thereafter, this bonus increases by 1.

Damage Reduction (Ex)

At 2nd level, an s-class aegis gains DR when wearing his astral suit. Subtract 2 from the damage the aegis takes each time he is dealt damage from a weapon or a natural attack. At 5th level, and every three aegis levels thereafter (8th, 11th, and so on), this damage reduction rises by 1 point. Damage reduction can reduce damage to 0 but not below 0.

Invigorating Suit (Su)

At 3rd level, an s-class aegis gains Endurance as a bonus feat when wearing his astral suit. If he already has Endurance, the benefits stack.

Reconfigure (Ex)

A 3rd-level or higher s-class aegis can reallocate the customizations on his astral suit as a standard action once per day plus one time per day for every 2 aegis levels he has beyond 3rd.

Augment Suit (Su)

Starting at 4th level, an s-class aegis can convert 1 power point per 4 aegis levels into a customization point as a standard action. These points, and the customizations they are spent on, last for a number of rounds equal to the aegis’s Intelligence modifier.

Activating this ability again while already using it ends the prior use immediately.

Master Craftsman (Ex)

At 5th level, an aegis gains the Master Craftsman feat as a bonus feat. He must still meet the prerequisites of the feat in order to gain its benefits.

Cannibalize Suit (Su)

A 12th-level or higher s-class aegis can dismiss his astral suit and heal a number of hit points equal to his total customization points (not including points gained with augment suit) as a standard action. He can do this once per day at 12th level, plus one additional time per day for every 2 aegis levels he has beyond 12th.

The aegis cannot form his astral suit for one minute after using this ability.

Perfect Merger (Su)

At 20th level, an s-class aegis’s astral suit cannot be dispelled or removed against his will by any means, though it still doesn’t function in an antimagic field.

The aegis can spend two daily uses of his reconfigure ability to alter all of the customizations on his astral suit.

Finally, once per day, the aegis can boost his cannibalize suit ability, healing all of his hit point damage, although he cannot reform his suit for ten minutes after using this ability, rather than the standard one minute.

Aegis Cabals

The following cabals are available to all s-class aegii who meet their alignment restrictions, if any. An s-class aegis who does not join a cabal is considered a traditionalist and gains those benefits instead.

The Blades Less Drawn

To maintain their status as a safe space for new psionic talent, the Blades enlist strong aegii who can protect their younger proteges in a pinch.

Alignment: Any Good.

Skills: You add Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis) and Sense Motive (Wis) to your list of class skills.

1st Level: You gain Toughness as a bonus feat.

3rd Level: While wearing your astral suit, you can spend 1 power point for every 2 aegis levels you possess and touch a willing ally as a standard action. That ally is healed for 1d6 hit points per point spent in this way. You can target yourself with this ability as a swift action instead. In addition, choose one mercy as a paladin of your aegis level. You can apply that mercy when using this ability. You can select additional mercies at 6th level, and every 3 levels thereafter. All relevant mercies are applied with each use of this ability.

Free-Thinkers

Free-thinker aegii are thuggish mercenaries who sell their services to the highest bidder and pay tithes to their cabal when it suits their needs to get caught up.

Alignment: Any nonlawful.

Skills: You add Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), and Sleight of Hand (Dex) to your list of class skills.

1st Level: You gain Quick Draw as a bonus feat.

3rd Level: While wearing your astral suit, you can spend up to 1 power point per 2 aegis levels you possess and enter a rage, as the barbarian class feature, for up to 3 rounds, after which you are fatigued for twice the duration of your rage. In addition, choose one rage power as a barbarian of your aegis level. You gain that rage power when using this ability. You can select additional rage powers at 6th level, and every 3 levels thereafter.

11th Level: You are no longer fatigued at the end of your rage.

17th Level: Your rage is a greater rage instead.

The Minded Eyes

An s-class aegis who joins the Minded Eyes does so to keep other psionic users in check. Fortunately, magic and psionics have enough in common that he can be of aid in those situations as well.

Alignment: Any lawful.

Skills: You add Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Survival (Wis) to your list of class skills.

• 1st Level: You gain Improved Initiative as a bonus feat.
• 3rd Level: While wearing your astral suit, you gain Spell Resistance equal to 11 + your aegis level. If you also select the power resistance customization for your astral suit, you increase this value by 3 each time (instead of gaining PR 13).
• 6th Level: While wearing your astral suit, you can use the same action required to form it and choose an ally within 20 feet of you. That ally gains the benefits of your astral suit for up to 1 round per aegis level while it remains within 20 feet of you. It gains only the free customizations granted by the suit, not those for which you paid. You or the ally can end this benefit as a free action. If either of you leave the area, the effect ends prematurely. When you activate this ability, you can choose to spend power points equal to the intended duration of the effect. If you do not, you lose the benefit of your own astral suit until the effect ends on your ally and you reform it on the following turn. You do not regain power points spent this way if the effect ends prematurely.
• 10th Level: Your ally can be anywhere within your line of sight, and you can activate this ability either as part of the same action as forming your astral suit or instead of forming your astral suit on yourself. Your ally also gains up to 1 point’s worth of customizations you have applied to the suit for every 5 aegis levels you possess.
• 14th Level: Your ally can be anywhere on the same plane as you, so long as you can communicate with them in some way. Any arcane spell failure caused by the astral suit is halved for both you and your ally.
• 18th Level: Your ally can be anywhere, so long as you can communicate with them in some way. The astral suit has no chance of arcane spell failure.

The Strong Survive

Aegii who devote themselves to the Strongs can be overtly boastful and potentially cruel at times. Their armor is a greater hindrance to their enemies than others, causing deadly feedback loops and trapping the unprepared.

• Alignment: Any nongood.
• 1st Level: You gain Power Attack as a bonus feat.
• 3rd Level: While wearing your astral suit, you can charge it with psionic energy as a swift action by spending up to 1 power point per aegis level you possess. When you are hit by a melee weapon, natural attack, or unarmed strike while wearing your astral suit, you can unleash the stored energy, dealing 1d6 damage to the attacking creature as a free action per point spent in this way, to a maximum of 5d6.
• 6th Level: You deal 2d6 damage per point spent instead, to a maximum of 10d6. The damage increases to 3d6 per point spent to a maximum of 15d6 at 10th level, and 4d6 per point spent to a maximum of 20d6 at 14th level. Instead of dealing damage, you can spend points equal to the spell level to cast one of the following spells on the attacking creature as a wizard of your aegis level. Those spells are considered psionic powers and mind-affecting in addition to any other effects, using your aegis level as the caster level to determine their effects.
• Sleep (1st), hold person (2nd), deep slumber (3rd), confusion (4th), hold monster (5th), eyebite (6th)
• The remaining damage is still dealt to the attacker as normal, regardless of any saves it makes against the spells above.
• 12th Level: As a standard action, you can make a single attack with a melee weapon, natural attack, or unarmed strike. On a hit, you unleash your charged energy into the target, and on a critical hit, you also regain your psionic focus if it was expended. If you miss, the charge remains until you succeed or choose to unleash it against an attacking creature.
• 18th Level: You regain your psionic focus on a hit instead.

Traditionalists

Traditionalists are s-class aegii who seek to help others without the support of a cabal. Their focus on defensive options is straight forward, with better training in both shields and armor as a whole.

Alignment: Any.

• 1st Level: You gain proficiency with tower shields.
• 3rd Level: You gain armor training, as the fighter class feature.
• You gain additional armor training (or advanced armor training) at 7th, 11th, 15th, and 19th level.

Astral Suit Customizations

The customizations presented here are intentionally summarized for use with the s-class aegis. For more details, see the individual resources. New customizations are presented with an asterisk (*) in their name.

Unless otherwise noted in its description, each customization can only be selected once.

1-Point Customizations

Allocate Customizations*

In a pinch, you can grant an ally a fraction of your power.

Benefit(s): As an aegis of the Minded Eyes, you can expend your psionic focus as a swift action to grant an ally within range of your 6th-level ability up to 1 point’s worth of customizations you have applied to your astral suit for every 5 aegis levels you possess without also granting it your astral suit. This lasts for up to 1 round per aegis level while the ally remains within range.

This stacks with your 10th-level ability, allowing you to either grant two separate allies the customizations, or one ally granted your astral suit up to 8 points’ worth of customizations.

Evasion

Benefit(s): At 2nd level, you gain evasion while wearing your astral suit.

Flexible Suit

Benefit(s): Reduce your astral suit’s armor check penalty by 1, to a minimum of 0. You can sleep in your astral suit without becoming fatigued.

Precise Charge

Benefit(s): As an aegis of the Strong, you can expend your psionic focus to use your 12th-level ability, even if you are not yet 12th level. If you have that ability, you can instead expend your psionic focus to use it when attacking a creature within 30 feet of you using any weapon.

Speed

Benefit(s): Increase your base land speed by 5 feet each time you select this customization.

2-Point Customizations

Brawn

Benefit(s): Gain a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength. You can select this again at 5th and 10th level. These benefits stack.

Fortification

Benefit(s): Your astral suit gains light fortification. You can select this again at 8th and 12th level, increasing to moderate and heavy fortification, respectively.

Glamorous*

When formed, this armor is exceptionally beautiful by the standards of any who look upon it, tailoring itself to the viewer.

Benefit(s): Gain a +2 enhancement bonus to Charisma. You can select this again at 5th and 10th level. These benefits stack.

Hardy

Benefit(s): Gain a +2 enhancement bonus to Constitution. You can select this again at 5th and 10th level. These benefits stack.

Horripilation*

When formed, this armor has tiny hairs that stand on end when something is off about a creature or situation.

Benefit(s): Gain a +2 enhancement bonus to Wisdom. You can select this again at 5th and 10th level. These benefits stack.

Improved Damage

Benefit(s): On a hit, light weapons you wield deal 1 additional damage of the same type as the weapon. One-handed weapons deal 2 additional damage instead, and two-handed weapons deal 3 additional damage instead.

Psionic Metabolism*

Benefit(s): When you form your astral suit, you can spend up to 1 power point per aegis level and gain the effects of a mutagen, as the alchemist class feature, for a number of minutes equal to the points spent. For every 2 points spent in this way, you can also select an alchemist discovery that affects you for the duration as an alchemist of your aegis level. If you spend at least 14 points, the effect lasts for 1 hour per point spent instead and you can choose for it to persist when not wearing your astral suit.

Psionic Metacognition*

Benefit(s): When you form your astral suit, you can spend up to 1 power point per aegis level and gain the effects of a cognatogen, as the alchemist mutagen, for a number of minutes equal to the points spent. For every 2 points spent in this way, you can also select an alchemist discovery that affects you for the duration as an alchemist of your aegis level. If you spend at least 14 points, the effect lasts for 1 hour per point spent instead and you can choose for it to persist when not wearing your astral suit.

Psionic Weapon Training*

Your capacity to control your weapon with your astral suit improves greatly.

Benefit(s): If you are at least 5th level and have the psionic damage customization, you gain weapon training I, as the fighter class feature while you maintain your psionic focus.

Nimble

Benefit(s): Gain a +2 enhancement bonus to Dexterity. You can select this again at 5th and 10th level. These benefits stack.

Psionic Evolution*

You have studied the practices of synthesist summoners and adapted them to your astral suit.

Benefit(s): Choose a 1-point evolution each time you select this customization. You gain that evolution as a summoner of your aegis level while wearing your astral suit.

Stalwart

Benefit(s): At 2nd level, if you make a Fortitude or Will saving throw against an attack that has a reduced effect on a successful save, you instead avoid the effect entirely. This ability can only be used if you are wearing your astral suit and are not helpless.

3-Point Customizations

Improved Psionic Evolution*

You have studied the practices of synthesist summoners and adapted them to your astral suit.

Benefit(s): Choose a 2-point evolution each time you select this customization. You gain that evolution as a summoner of your aegis level while wearing your astral suit.

Mind Bullets*

You can potentially kill a creature from 200 yards away.

Benefit(s): If you have the ranged attack customization, it can be used at long range (400 feet + 40 feet per level). You gain a bonus to the attack roll equal to your Intelligence modifier, but the target is made aware of the attack just before it strikes, which means it is not flat-footed and can attempt a Reflex saving throw to avoid the crystal (DC 10 + 1/2 your aegis level + your Intelligence modifier). You can expend your psionic focus to negate the target’s saving throw against the first attack you make in this way.

If you are also a 12th-level aegis of the Strong with the precise charge customization, this customization can be applied to your 12th-level ability, and the charge is not lost if the target succeeds at its Reflex saving throw.

4-Point Customizations

Greater Psionic Evolution*

You have studied the practices of synthesist summoners and adapted them to your astral suit.

Benefit(s): Choose a 3-point evolution each time you select this customization. You gain that evolution as a summoner of your aegis level while wearing your astral suit.

Improved Evasion

Benefit(s): At 12th level, you gain improved evasion while wearing your astral suit.

Improved Psionic Weapon Training*

Your capacity to control your weapon with your astral suit improves greatly.

Benefit(s): If you are at least 9th level and have the psionic weapon training customization, you gain weapon training II (or an advanced weapon training of your choice), as the fighter class feature while you maintain your psionic focus.

Improved Stalwart

Benefit(s): At 16th level, if you make a Fortitude or Will saving throw against an attack that has a reduced effect on a successful save, you avoid the effect entirely. On a failed save, you can expend your psionic focus and suffer the reduced effect instead. This ability can only be used if you are wearing your astral suit and are not helpless.