I have taken a little break from blogging to set up the Ravens Purge campaign for Forbidden Lands for my friends on Discord for a bit of a change of pace. But the game with my family for ACKS/BCK is still running strong. Late last year in exploring the Warrens of Mystery in my Worldship setting they recruited a cloned visitor under the control of her psi-vampire mother who they killed, long story... As a now loyal follower of the group I needed a class build for her which follows.
This is intended as an NPC class, as my earlier racial build template mentioned. It has access to some powerful "at will" abilities, if played this class it would likely be a very odd experience. When most of the party is level 3 it would still be first level. That said it could be fun for a cautious player willing to invest in some long-term power. I'm also trying a slightly easier format for giving key information up front, not sure if it works, have fun with this one.
Visitor Royal Telepath
Raised within the safety of one of the empire's ruling houses, the royal telepathy has received nothing but the best training. They have advanced technological knowledge and have been mentored to develop their innate mental abilities to its maximum potential. Being of noble birth they often expect or recruit others to take risks for them, though a rare few often strike out to test their superior abilities and hone their mastery to prove the value of their skills.
Prime Requisite: INT and WIS
Requirements: DEX & INT 11, STR & CON less than 16
Hit Dice: 1d4
Maximum Level: 12
Attack Throws: as mage
Saving Throws: as mage
Bonus Saving Throw: Staff and Wands
Weapons: baton (club), dagger, dart gun, plasma pistol
Armor: None
Fighting styles: None
Magic Items: All arcane types.
Class proficiencies at: 1st, 6th,12th.
General proficiencies at: 1st, 5th, 9th.
House rules used: unified saving throws, replace with mage table for normal play.
Visitors are intimately familiar with technological concepts and possess innate alien intuition of typical technological artifacts. Uniquely, royal telepaths are fully educated in technological knowledge and begin play with all six specialties of alien lore. This allows them to achieve On the Spot Understanding with all alien tech on a roll of 7+ (with mishaps only on a 1). Their knowledge in all lore also grants them a +6 bonus on all research throws related to alien technology.
Visitors possess alien senses that are enhanced by their psionic abilities. The character gains a +4 bonus on any proficiency throws to hear noises and detect secret doors. With a proficiency throw of 18+ they can notice secret doors with just casual observation. They also gain a +1 bonus to avoid surprise.
Being from scavenger stock, visitors are physically weak and are not the sturdiest of beings. They suffer from -4 to and dungeon bashing test reflecting their weaker stature. Being of short stature they weigh 65 pounds on average, less than half a human. They can only carry 4 stone without becoming encumbered. When carrying 5-6 stone, their encounter movement rate is reduced to 90’. When carrying 7-8 stone, their encounter movement rate is reduced to 60’. When carrying 9 stone or more, their encounter movement rate is reduced to 30’. A Visitor can carry a maximum of 16 stone, modified by its Strength bonus or penalty.
All Visitors are telepaths and may communicate telepathically at will with each other or any sentient being up to a range of 120’. This is treated as having the spell Telepathic Link permanently active. Additionally, as innately telepathic beings, all visitors may sense thoughts and read surface thoughts. They are treated as having the spell ESP as permanently active (or sense thoughts if using my alternate spell).
All visitors develop an extra mental power through familial training. These powers are effectively a spell from first to third level. The durations between castings are generally 1/hour for first level, 1/8 hours for second level, and 1/day for third level, though the judge should adjust based on power as done with charm below. Use the following list as an example, with most just possessing mind meld by default: charm person (1/day), transfer health (1/hour), detect invisible (1/8 hours), invisibility (1/8 hours), vitalise (1/day) or mind meld (1/day).
As they advance their mental abilities they are able to learn and cast arcane spells. The number and levels of spells they can use in a single day are listed on the Royal Telepath Spell Progression table. A telepath's spell selection is limited to the spells in their repertoire. A telepath's repertoire can include a number of spells up to the number and level of spells listed for his level, increased by their Intelligence bonus. They can use any magic items usable by arcane spellcasters.
Unlike other arcane spellcasters they are able to use their mental abilities to assist in drawing on the powerful energies of the universe. The psionic caster ability allows them to cast spells with minimal words and gestures as the quiet magic proficiency. They also use minor psionic fortification and telekinesis to ward themselves from harm, this grants them a bonus of +2 to all saving throws (as divine blessing, factored into base save below).
When a royal telepath reaches 5th level (Countess), they may begin to research spells, scribe magical scrolls, and brew potions.
When a royal telepath reaches 9th level (Empress), they are able to create more powerful magic items such as weapons, rings, and staffs.
When a royal telepath reaches 9th level (Empress), they are expected to found a citadel to protect their cities and towns. Visitors usually live in familial clans, so visitors of the character’s familial clan will be the first to live under his roof, but visitors from other family units will also come and live nearby to be ruled by the character. A total of 3d6x10 1st level Visitor NPCs will move in to help maintain and defend the citadel at no cost to the character. A royal telepath may freely hire members of other races for defence and military staff, though many of the communities non-military roles are reserved only for familial members. A royal telepaths citadel broadly follows the rules for dwarven vaults detailed in the Chapter 7 of ACKS, though it need not be underground.
At 11th level, a royal telepath may learn and cast ritual arcane spells of great power (7th, 8th, and 9th level), craft magical constructs, and create magical cross-breeds. These rules are in the Campaign chapter of ACKs.
Instead of the standard allotment of gold, Visitors begin play with a selection of advanced equipment constructed by their people. The Terran Starman’s list of advanced technological tools in BCK is an example.
Royal Telepath Proficiency List (30): Alchemy, Arcane Mechanist, Battle Magic, Beast Friendship, Collegiate Wizardry, Command, Craft, Diplomacy, Elementalism, Engineering, Familiar, Healing, Illusion Resistance, Knowledge, Language, Leadership, Loremastery, Magical Engineering, Mapping, Martial Training (the judge may allow this to be used to gain technological weapons), Mystic Aura, Naturalism, Performance, Precise Shooting, Prestidigitation, Profession, Sensing Power, Transmogrification, Soothsaying, Unflappable Casting.
Build Notes
Arcane 2, Visitor 4 (1250+3,350= 4,600)
Total arcane rating of 6.Tradeoff a single weapons style.
Using simple visitor weapons inside the simple items list.
Power: divine blessing, out of sympathy for their very slow leveling.
Added Wisdom as a prime to reflect their heavily telepathic nature (similar to the Psion having a wisdom prime).
Psionic mastery racial ability raises their maximum level to 12.
Post 8th level advancement: 65,000+150,000= 215,000
