Classes
Will-Shaper - by T.A. Saunders ©2013
Revised by B. Kellestine, v. 1.3 2021
Will-Shapers are a unique class in that one cannot train to be a Will-Shaper, since they are born with an affinity to a particular branch of Will-Shaping and can control it with the force of their mind. So while a Will-Shaper may be dual-class, the individual must be a Will-Shaper first and another Class as a secondary. Because they are born into their gifts, Will-Shapers can be found in all walks of life and be of any ethos.
Will-Shapers generally prefer medium or light armor, are not restricted to what sort of weapon they can carry and follow one of three paths: Channeler, Metamorph or Clairvoyant. For more information on the history and background of Will-Shapers, read this article.
NOTE: Will-Shapers are not allowed to dual-class into a second path of will-shaping, but may progress in any other class path.
Force of Will
The core of all Will-Shaping powers, Force of Will dictates if a feat is successful and how much drain the use of the skill had. When using Force of Will in an offensive combat situation the attack is made at a base 75% to hit (counted as spell hit). Each round a Force of Will talent is used to extend beyond their person, or in the case of the Metamorph, transform into a non-humanoid being, a 5% cumulative Exhaustion Penalty is incurred.
All Force of Will-based attacks have a range of 50 feet, this range can be extended by 50 feet per 5% exhaustion penalty, so a Will-Shaper wanting to effect a target from 100 feet away would incur a 10% total exhaustion penalty that turn. Reaching the exhaustion penalty means no more will-shaping can be safely done until at least one hour of rest has been taken. Once this rest is taken, the penalty is taken away entirely.
Will-Shaping while exhausted incurs a 20% Mind Snap cumulative penalty. Once the Mind Snap penalty has been reached, the Will-Shaper will fall into a coma and cannot be brought out of it for 1d4 days. It's important to note that somebody must care for the Will-Shaper during this time, so they don't die from external elements or exposure. To remove the Mind Snap penalty, one full day of rest is required. (Base 75% to hit with Will-Shaping powers, 5% cumulative exhaustion penalty, 20% Mind Snap penalty if Will-Shaping while exhausted).
Mental Shield
The Will-Shaper can generate an invisible barrier about their person that follows them when they move. This barrier makes the Will-Shaper immune to mental attack, domination, fear and insanity-based attacks, save those from Pantheon NPCs, for 1d4 rounds. The barrier cannot be dispelled, damaged or negated, but can be shattered if the Will-Shaper's concentration is broken by a stunning strike. No exhaustion penalty is incurred for using the Mental Shield but may only be used three times per day. (Near immunity to mental/fear/insanity-based attacks for 1d4 rounds, Usable 3 times per day).
Clarity of Thought
Once per day, the Will-Shaper can put themselves in a sort of trance that makes the next Force of Will power not incur exhaustion. This trance also makes those attacks +15% more likely to strike their intended targets, if used in a combat scenario. If Clarity of Thought is used defensively or in a non-combative/trivial manner, it will increase the effectiveness of the feat by 15%. (The next Force of Will talents do not incur exhaustion. +15% stacking bonus to hit/effectiveness. Usable 1 time per day).
Paragon of Skill
Because an individual spends a great deal of focused effort and time to become a Paragon they learn things of their profession that those who are dual-class would not otherwise discover. This skill translates into a bonus +15% to hit for their appropriate combat focus (+15% to melee hit for melee types, +15% to ranged for ranged attackers and +15% to spell hit for spell casters). Additionally, the Paragon gains an extra -20% to their overall armor rating and mystic defense versus all forms of attack.
Mental Acumen
The most skilled Will-Shapers gain a +15% to their Will-Shaping checks and gain two more Will-Shaping uses (for a total of 6) before exhaustion penalties are counted. In addition to other bonuses they gain a further degree of mental fortitude. Barring GM discretion, should they fail the check to become exhausted they may delay the effects by 1d4 rounds without penalty. Those Will-Shapers who achieve a state of Mental Acumen are 75% resistant to fear, insanity and mental domination (NOTE: This bonus can be applied to either a straight resistance or Mystic Defense, at GM discretion). This does not however, apply to illusions. (+15% to will-shaping talents, exhaustion penalty may be delayed for 1d4 rounds, and 85% resistant to fear, insanity and mental domination).
Psychic Overload
Once per week, the Will-Shaper can gather all their mental energy for a single feat. This feat will triple the normal range (150 feet) and gain a +40% to hit, but will immediately put the Will-Shaper in a state of exhaustion. This feat will also be unusually difficult to defend/resist with a -15% to evade or utilize other defensive skills that might otherwise block/negate aforementioned feat. The feat in question can be a mental, elemental or physical attack, depending on the will-shaper in question. (Triple normal range, +40% to hit, -15% to resist/block/negate. Usable once per week).
Class Trees
Born with an affinity to Xirorya, a Channeler is a Will-Shaper whose expertise is bending one or two of the four elements to their will; due to the tremendous mental integrity possessed by Elementals, compelling them simply through the force of their will is all but impossible. A Channeler can be attuned to to one of the following: Fire, Earth, Wind, or Water.
Class Skills »
Born with an affinity for the rearrangement of self, a Metamorph can alter the shape of their body composition and overall mass to suit their needs. A Metamorph can change their form to any (playable) humanoid species without restriction, so long as they have had physical contact with the sort of person the Metamorph is attempting to change into.
Class Skills »
The Will-Shaper with powers to directly affect their environment/perception with their mind, is considered a Clairvoyant. They are able to use precognition, aura-reading, ESP, telepathy, suggestion and can see into the future or the past of a person or object.
Class Skills »