S-Class Tactician

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.

Strategy is an important factor in any psionic altercation. The tide of battle can shift at any moment, and without a tactician on hand to keep it working in a party’s favor, things can quickly go from bad to worse. Better than most, s-class tacticians know this to be true, and they are welcomed by all psionic cabals who seek an edge when it comes to combat.

Note: The s-class tactician is an alternate, superior version of the tactician class. They retain all of the standard tactician progressions and options, and as such should qualify to select tactician archetypes without specific adjustments.

Hit Die: d8.

Starting Wealth: 4d6 × 10 gp (average 140 gp.)

Class Skills

The s-class 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 per Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: S-Class Tactician

Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	PP/day	Powers Known	Max Power Level
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Collective, coordinated strike +1, lesser strategies	2	1	1st
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Coordinate, spirit of many, teamwork feat	6	2	1st
3rd	+2	+1	+1	+3	Strategy, telepathy	11	3	2nd
4th	+3	+1	+1	+4	Coordinated strike +2, dual coordination, teamwork feat	17	4	2nd
5th	+3	+1	+1	+4	Improved share 1, strategy	25	5	3rd
6th	+4	+2	+2	+5	Teamwork feat	35	6	3rd
7th	+5	+2	+2	+5	Coordinated strike +3, strategy	46	7	4th
8th	+6/+1	+2	+2	+6	Echo effect, improved share 2, teamwork feat	58	8	4th
9th	+6/+1	+3	+3	+6	Strategy	72	9	5th
10th	+7/+2	+3	+3	+7	Coordinated strike +4, teamwork feat	88	10	5th
11th	+8/+3	+3	+3	+7	Improved share 3, strategy	106	11	6th
12th	+9/+4	+4	+4	+8	Teamwork feat	126	12	6th
13th	+9/+4	+4	+4	+8	Coordinated strike +5, strategy	147	13	7th
14th	+10/+5	+4	+4	+9	Pooled knowledge, improved share 4, teamwork feat	170	14	7th
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+5	+9	Collective range (unlimited), strategy	195	15	8th
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+5	+10	Coordinated strike +6, teamwork feat	221	16	8th
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+5	+10	Improved share 5, strategy	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), coordinated strike +7, strategy	311	19	9th
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Improved share 6, master strategist, teamwork feat	343	20	9th

Class Features

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

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

S-class 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

An s-class tactician’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 Tactician. 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 tactician begins play knowing one tactician power of your choice. Each time she achieves a new level, she unlocks knowledge of a new power.

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

The total number of powers an s-class tactician can manifest in a day is limited only by her daily power points.

An s-class tactician simply knows her powers; they are ingrained in her mind. She does not need to prepare them (in the way that some spellcasters prepare their spells), though she must get a good night’s sleep each day to regain all her spent powers.

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

Lesser Strategies (Sp)

S-class tacticians learn minor powers they can use at will to aid them in coordination and tactics. The tactician gains three talents from the tactician talent list.

Maximum Power Level Known: An s-class tactician begins play with the ability to learn 1st-level powers. As she attains higher levels, she may gain the ability to master more complex powers.

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

Collective (Su)

As a standard action, an s-class tactician can join a number willing targets into her collective equal to her key ability modifier or half her tactician level, whichever is higher. 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 tactician is always considered a member of her own collective, and does not count against this limit.

The tactician can choose to remove a member as a free action on her turn, and any member can voluntarily leave the collective as a free action on its 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 that 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. An s-class tactician is aware of the status of her 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).

An s-class tactician can manifest certain powers through her collective. If an s-class tactician power specifies one or more willing targets (or is harmless) and has a range greater than personal, she can manifest this power on a member of her collective regardless of the range of the actual power. All other non-range restrictions still apply. The tactician may also manifest any power with the Network descriptor this way, regardless of the power’s actual ranges or targets. If she 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 her 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 and be sickened for an equal number of rounds.

At 15th level, an s-class tactician’s collective range is limitless on the same plane as the tactician.

At 19th level, an s-class tactician’s collective reaches even across to other planes and dimensions.

Coordinated Strike (Su)

As a swift action, an s-class tactician can declare one target within her line of sight as her collective’s primary foe. All members of the tactician’s collective gain a +1 insight bonus to attacks against the primary foe until the beginning of the tactician’s next turn. At 4th level and every three levels thereafter, this bonus increases by +1.

This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to 3 + the tactician’s Charisma modifier.

Dual Coordination: Beginning at 4th level, an s-class tactician can declare up to two foes at a time, a primary foe and a secondary foe. She declares each as part of the same swift action, dividing her insight bonus between them. Members of the tactician’s collective cannot gain greater than a +5 insight bonus against a single foe.

Coordinate (Su)

At 2nd level, as long as the tactician maintains psionic focus, she may share any one teamwork feat she has with one member of her 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 Feats: At 2nd level, and every even level 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 one teamwork feat she has already learned for another teamwork feat whose prerequisites she meets. In effect, the tactician loses the bonus feat in exchange for a new one.

Spirit of Many (Su)

At 2nd level, an s-class tactician’s powers with the Network descriptor lose the mind-affecting descriptor and ignore any Power Resistance when manifested on members of her collective. The tactician also adds the following augment to all powers with the Network descriptor.

Augment— For every additional power point she spends, the tactician can choose an additional target for the power, so long as the target is a member of her collective.

Strategies (Su)

At 3rd level, and every odd tactician level thereafter, an s-class tactician learns a new tactical strategy, granting her 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 her collective. An s-class tactician may not direct a strategy at herself unless a strategy specifies otherwise.

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

A sample list of strategies can be found at the end of this section.

Telepathy (Su)

When an s-class tactician reaches 3rd level, all willing members of her collective can communicate with each other telepathically, even if they do not share a common language. Psionic creatures who are willing members in an s-class tactician’s collective may manifest unknown powers from powers known by another willing psionic creature in the collective as if they were making physical contact. The tactician may temporarily deactivate, and reactivate, this ability as a swift action.

Improved Share (Su)

At 5th level, an s-class tactician can maintain two powers with the Shared descriptor at any time instead of only one. Should she manifest a third power with the Shared descriptor, the tactician can choose which of the maintained Shared powers ends immediately.

Every three tactician levels thereafter (8th, 11th, and so on), the tactician can maintain an additional power with the Shared descriptor before a maintained power with the Shared descriptor expires.

Echo Effect (Su)

At 8th level, the tactician gains the ability to copy non-permanent magical and psionic effects within her 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 her 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, an s-class tactician is permitted to spend more power points than her 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.

Augment— For every 4 additional power points she spends, the tactician can choose an additional target for the echo, so long as the targets are members of her collective, and the total augmented cost would not exceed her manifester level.

Pooled Knowledge (Su)

At 14th level, an s-class tactician can expend her psionic focus and attempt to manifest any power known by a member of her 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 identify the power as part of manifesting it. If the Spellcraft check fails, the attempt fails and the tactician’s psionic focus is still expended, but no power points are spent. If the check is successful, the tactician can immediately manifest the power.

An s-class tactician cannot use pooled knowledge to manifest a power with a manifesting time greater than one round.

Master Strategist (Su)

Upon achieving 20th level, an s-class tactician can spend two uses of her strategy ability to grant each member of her collective an insight bonus on attack and damage rolls, armor class, and saving throws equal to her intelligence for two minutes.

Sample Tactician Strategies (Su)

For additional tactician strategies, please refer to the source material. Unless stated otherwise:

• Each strategy requires a swift action to use.
• Each strategy lasts for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier.
• Bonuses granted by strategies increase by +1 at 8th level and every 4 tactician levels thereafter.

Collective Defenses

You and each member of your collective you can see gain an insight bonus to AC equal to your Intelligence modifier for the duration.

Directed Assault

You direct another member of your collective to attack a creature, gaining a +1 competence bonus on their attack roll for the duration. If their attack hits, you can make a single attack against any target within range as an immediate action.

Disruptive Terrain

Creatures not in your collective treat the area within 5 feet of you as difficult terrain for the duration. This area increases by 5 feet at 6th level and every 3 tactician levels thereafter.

Distracting Gaze

You make a ranged touch attack against an enemy within 30 feet of you. On a hit, members of your collective treat you as flanking that enemy with them for the duration.

Guard Target

You direct one member of your collective to guard you or another creature for the duration. While on guard, the directed member gains a +1 competence bonus to their attacks and can use their attacks of opportunity to redirect any attacks made against the creature they’re guarding to them, even if the attack wouldn’t normally draw attacks of opportunity.

Anytime the directed member redirects an attack in this fashion, you gain a cumulative +1 bonus to your next attack against the source of the redirected attack.

Hold Position

You direct one member of your collective to stand their ground, granting the directed member a +1 dodge bonus to AC and a +1 competence bonus to attack rolls. At the end of each of the directed member’s turns that they haven’t moved, you can immediately take a free move action to move toward the directed member in as direct a manner as possible. This movement draws attacks of opportunity, but you gain a +1 dodge bonus to AC during the move.

Into the Fray

You direct one member of your collective to charge an enemy you can both see that both you and the directed member can reach with a charge action. If the directed member charges, you can also charge the same enemy as an immediate action, and you both gain a +1 competence bonus on your damage rolls.

Reposition

You and each member of your collective take a 5-foot step immediately.

At 13th level, if every member of your collective moves in this way, you can take a full-attack action, gaining a +1 competence bonus on the attack and damage rolls.

At 16th level, and every four tactician levels thereafter, the competence bonus increases by +1.

Telempathic Resistance

You and each member of your collective gains a +1 insight bonus on all saving throws.

Sample Teamwork Feats

These feats are intentionally summarized for use with the s-class tactician. For additional information, please refer to the source material.

Allied Spellcaster

You and adjacent allies with this feat gain a +2 competence bonus to overcome spell resistance (+4 if you both know/prepared the same spell).

Coordinated Defense

You and adjacent allies with this feat gain a +2 competence bonus to CMD (+4 vs. larger enemies).

Coordinated Maneuvers

You and adjacent allies with this feat gain a +2 competence bonus to Combat Maneuver checks (+4 to break grapples).

Duck and Cover

You and adjacent allies with this feat can use the best of your Reflex saves. All but the one with the original save fall prone (or are staggered for 1 round if they can’t).

Lookout

If an adjacent ally with this feat can act in a surprise round, you can act on the lower of your initiative rolls –1. If you could both act anyway, you gain your full round of actions.

Outflank

You and flanking allies with this feat increase your flanking bonus to +4. If any of you critically hit the flanked target, the rest get an attack of opportunity.

Paired Opportunists

You and adjacent allies with this feat gain a +4 circumstance bonus on attacks of opportunity. If any of you can make an attack of opportunity against a specific target, you each can.

Precise Strike

You and flanking allies with this feat deal +1d6 precision damage.

Shielded Caster

You and adjacent allies with this feat gain a competence bonus on concentration checks equal to 4 + your shield bonus (if any, max +2). The Disruptive feat is half as effective against you.

Swap Places

When you move into a same-size ally’s space who has this feat, they can use an immediate action to move into your previous space without provoking attacks of opportunity.

Psionic Cabals

The s-class tactician presented above is considered a traditionalist. The cabals here are alternative options applied directly to the standard tactician.

The Blades Less Drawn

The Blades Less Drawn is the preeminent tactician cabal for those who wish to help others without undue harm being done to somebody else. Members of this cabal learn abilities that keep their allies safe from harm without stepping on the toes of the party’s tactician.

Alignment: Any good

Saving Throws Your Reflex save progression is 2 + 1/2 your tactician level.

Coordinated Defense (Su)

This functions as coordinated strike, except the insight bonus is applied to AC against attacks made by your foes instead. The bonus increases by +1 at 3rd level and every odd level thereafter. Starting at 3rd level, you can divide the bonus between a primary and secondary foe when you gain it. No foe can provide greater than a +5 insight bonus in this way.

Collective defenses becomes a competence bonus for you.