S-Class Psion

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 psions are the stewards of psionic cabals, keepers of the hidden knowledge behind psionics. Most s-class psions never leave seclusion, preferring to send out tangible, psionic projections through which they can interact with the larger world.

Role: An s-class psion acts as a mastermind, controlling what they can from behind the scenes and only stepping in personally when something proves too much against their facsimile.

Note: The s-class psion is an alternate, superior version of the psion 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 psions adhere to or avoid a particular alignment in order to become a part of that group.

Hit Die: d6.

Starting Wealth: 3d6 × 10 gp (average 105 gp.)

Class Skills

The s-class psion’s class skills are Autohypnosis (Wis), Craft (Int), Knowledge (all) (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int). In addition, an s-class psion gains access to additional class skills based on her discipline.

Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: S-Class Psion

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Max Power Level	PP/day	Powers Known
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Bonus feat, cabal, detect psionics, discipline talents, facsimile	2	3	1st
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Bonus feat	6	5	1st
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	—	11	7	2nd
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Bonus feat, facsimile (swap)	17	9	2nd
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	—	25	11	3rd
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Bonus feat	35	13	3rd
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	—	46	15	4th
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Bonus feat	58	17	4th
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	—	72	19	5th
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Bonus feat, facsimile (move action)	88	21	5th
11th	+5	+3	+3	+7	—	106	22	6th
12th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	Bonus feat	126	24	6th
13th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	—	147	25	7th
14th	+7/+2	+4	+4	+9	Bonus feat, cabal benefit	170	27	7th
15th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+9	—	195	28	8th
16th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	Bonus feat	221	30	8th
17th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	—	250	31	9th
18th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Bonus feat	280	33	9th
19th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Facsimile (astral projection)	311	34	9th
20th	+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Bonus feat	343	36	9th

Class Features

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

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

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

Discipline

Every s-class psion must decide at 1st level which psionic discipline she will specialize in. Choosing a discipline provides an s-class psion with access to the class skills associated with that discipline, as well as the powers restricted to that discipline, and the special abilities associated with that discipline. However, choosing a discipline also means that the psion cannot learn powers that are restricted to the other disciplines (generalist psions cannot learn powers on any of the discipline power lists). She can’t even use such powers by employing psionic items.

An example discipline can be found at the end of this section.

Facsimile (Su)

An s-class psion is able to create a semi-real, psionic projection of herself. This facsimile functions anywhere on the same plane as the psion that isn’t a null psionics field. Non-psionic creatures cannot detect anything off about a facsimile without the use of divination magic, which detects the presence of a conjuration (creation) effect. Psionic creatures with a greater manifester level than the psion can use detect psionics to recognize the facsimile, although the psion can attempt a Bluff check as a free action versus their Sense Motive to prevent it.

While controlling her facsimile, an s-class psion can only perform simple, menial interactions and tasks such as eating, resting, making conversation, or traveling at a normal pace. Any situation or activity that would prevent a character from taking 20 on a skill check also suppresses the psion’s connection to her facsimile until she can reestablish it as a move action once she is able again. While its connection is suspended in this way, the facsimile remains in place, helpless as if paralyzed.

For all intents and purposes, a facsimile is real. It can wear armor, manifest powers, interact with creatures and objects, and die. It even eats, drinks, and sleeps as the psion who created it would. If the psion isn’t immune to a specific effect, neither is her facsimile.

Facsimile Independence

In some settings, a facsimile may not realize that it is not real, and has convinced itself that its decisions and actions are its own. It isn’t until some traumatic event occurs (often on the side of the controlling psion or psychic) that the facsimile becomes aware of its conjured nature.

As a universal heritage, a facsimile can be a member of any ancestry and background. The different abilities it gains are augments made by its creator to give it a better chance at surviving the outside world than she can otherwise.

Occasionally, the connection to a facsimile and its creator can be severed in such a way that the facsimile gains true independence. If it was unaware of the connection before, it may go on living as it assumes it should, sometimes becoming confused that a decision doesn’t come so quickly for it anymore. It begins to develop its own habits and form its own opinions, which may differ from its creator’s views and can lead to a story that pits original versus facsimile.

A facsimile that is reduced to 0 or fewer hit points is destroyed immediately. The psion who created the facsimile suffers damage equal to her total hit points and falls unconscious, but is stable. She cannot create another facsimile for one week as her mind recovers from the strain.

Beginning at 4th level, an s-class psion can swap places with her facsimile as a full-round action. The facsimile must be within 1 mile per psion level. This otherwise functions as greater teleport, and is hindered in the same ways.

Swapping places with her facsimile deals damage to the psion equal to that which has been dealt to the facsimile, which means she will need to be healed before swapping back or risk being more badly hurt than it is. This damage represents the strain on her mind as it readjusts to the new environment. It cannot be prevented or reduced in any way, but it can be healed normally.

At 10th level, the psion can swap places with her facsimile as a move action, or as a full-round action if it is within 10 miles per psion level.

At 19th level, the psion can manifest and control her facsimile across planar boundaries, as per the astral projection spell. She can also swap places with her facsimile anywhere on the same plane as a move action, or as a full-round action if the facsimile exists on another plane.

Power Points

An s-class psion’s ability to manifest powers is limited by the power points she has available. Her base daily allotment of power points is given on Table: S-class psion. In addition, she receives bonus power points per day if she has a high Intelligence score. Her race may also provide bonus power points per day, as may certain feats and items.

Powers Known

An s-class psion begins play knowing three 0- or 1st-level powers of her choice, drawn from either the psion/wilder power list or her chosen discipline. Each time she achieves a new level, the psion unlocks new powers known, as indicated on Table: S-Class Psion. Her new powers can be any with a power level no higher than half her psion level (rounded up), and she cannot choose powers from other disciplines unless she selects them using the Expanded Knowledge feat.

To learn or manifest a power, an s-class psion must have an Intelligence score of at least 10 + the power’s level. She can manifest any power that has a power point cost equal to or lower than her manifester level. The number of times an s-class psion can manifest powers in a day is limited only by her power points.

An s-class psion simply knows her powers; they are ingrained in her mind. She does not need to prepare them ahead of time, though she must get a good night’s sleep (typically 8 hours) in order to regain all power points spent on a given day.

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

Bonus Feats

An s-class psion gains bonus feats at 1st level, and every even level thereafter. These feats can be any psionic feat, metapsionic feat, or psionic item creation feat for which the psion meets the prerequisites. In addition, you can select the following arcane discoveries as if you were a wizard of your psion level. The benefits of these discoveries are applied to your psion powers as if they were spells.

Discoveries: Arcane Builder, Beyond Morality, Creative Destruction (applies to psychokinesis), Feral Speech, Golem Constructor, Idealize (applies to psychometabolism), Immortality, Ioun Bond, Knowledge is Power, Multimorph, Observant Illusion, Staff-Like Wand, Steward of the Great Beyond, Time Stutter, True Name, Detect Psionics (Sp)

All s-class psions, regardless of their discipline, gain the ability to use detect psionics at will, as long as they maintain their psionic focus. They can still spend 2 power points in order to augment this power.

Psion Talents (Sp)

Each s-class psion gains access to two psion talents from the psion/wilder power list that can be used as long as she maintains her psionic focus. These talents are treated as 0-level powers for all purposes (such as save DC). The manifesting time for a psionic talent is the same as if it was manifested normally, or a standard action if the talent does not mimic a psionic power. These powers do not count as powers known for the psion; to manifest them normally, she must select them as her powers known normally.