Originally posted by kalthandrix:
Final Version
[quote]Janissary
“Rest easy. You will not die on my watch.”
-Vykor Temmer, Janissary guard
Utilizing the Way and physical prowess, the janissary are some of the most skilled, and expensive, bodyguards that can be had. They allow nothing to distract or deter them from protecting those who pay for their services, going so far as to sacrifice themselves to allow their charges to escape harm.
Most often, a janissary will be found serving as the bodyguard to men or women of wealth and position such as nobles and successful merchants. Lone, unassigned janissaries can sometimes be found within the city-states and may take employment with those they deem worth the risk. It is rare, but some janissary will sometimes accept very low paying contracts if the janissary wishes to attach himself to a particular cause or person he greatly respects or admires.
Psychic warriors or psions usually take up the path of the janissary due to the psionic requirements of the class. Dwarfs find this class particularly well suited to their nature and usually make those under their care their focus. Thri-kreen and muls also make for great candidates for this class as their physical abilities make them formidable opponents when matched with the abilities of this class. Elves and halflings almost never take up this class because they find the lack of personal freedoms too much a sacrifice.
Hit Die: d8
Requirements
To qualify to become a janissary, a character must fulfill the following criteria.
Alignment: Lawful good or lawful neutral
Base Attack Bonus: +3
Feats: Iron Will, Weapon Focus
Psionics: Must be able to manifest mindlink and 2nd-level powers.
Special: A prospective janissary must be accepted into the Order of the Janissary and complete an initiation process.
Table: Janissary<br /><br />Base<br />Class Attack Fort Ref Will<br />Level Bonus Save Save Save Special Powers <br />1st +0 +0 +2 +2 Alertness, forge bond, battle insight +1 -<br />2nd +1 +0 +3 +3 Guard’s focus +1 +1 level of existing manifesting class <br />3rd +2 +1 +3 +3 Lore of the janissary +1 level of existing manifesting class<br />4th +3 +1 +4 +4 Battle insight +2 +1 level of existing manifesting class<br />5th +3 +1 +4 +4 Guard’s focus +2 +1 level of existing manifesting class<br />6th +4 +2 +5 +5 Protect the mind +1 level of existing manifesting class <br />7th +5 +2 +5 +5 Battle insight +3, lore of the janissary +1 level of existing manifesting class<br />8th +6 +2 +6 +6 Guard’s Focus +3 +1 level of existing manifesting class<br />9th +6 +3 +6 +6 Ever vigilant +1 level of existing manifesting class<br />10th +7 +3 +7 +7 Battle insight +4, lore of the janissary -
Class Skills
The janissary’s class skills (and key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Listen (Wis), Psicraft (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Use Rope (Dex).
Skill points at each level: 4+ Int modifier.
Class features
All of the following are class features of the janissary prestige class.
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: The janissary gains proficiency with all simple and melee martial weapons. They are also proficient with light and medium armor and all shields (except heavy and tower).
Powers Known: A janissary gains a the additional power points and powers known as if he had gained a level in what ever manifester class that he belonged to before he gained the prestige class. If he has more than one manifester class then he must choose only one to which to apply the increase. He does not gain any other benefit that a character of that class would normally gained, such as bonus feats or metapsionic feats.
Alertness: At 1st level the janissary gains the fear Alertness due to his extensive training in observation.
Forge Bond (Ps): This ability allows the janissary to forge a special modified mindlink with one other person, usually a client or someone they have a particular interest in protecting. This link not only allows the janissary to have constant telepathic communication with the other included in the bond, but it also created a pathway that allows several other of the janissary’s powers to function. To forge the bond, the janissary enters a deep meditation while resting his hands upon the head of the other participant.
During this time, he uses the token as a focus for his psionic energy by manifesting mindlink and burning 100 experience points, a process that takes at least two hours. When completed, the bond has been forged. From this point onward, as long as the janissary has the item on their person, he has a constant mindlink with the original owner of the token. The link can be psionically dispelled, but the janissary can reestablish the link as a full round action by manifesting mindlink again as long as he has the bond recipient’s personal item. The bond is severed if the item is out of the janissary’s possession for longer then one hour per class level.
Battle Insight (Ex): At 1st level, the janissary chooses a single weapon which he is proficient with and when he uses that type of weapon, the janissary receives the special insight into the ebb and flow of battle, knowing from observing their opponents when the moment is right to strike and how best to apply his chosen weapon. The janissary receives a +1 insight bonus that may be assigned to either his attack roll or damage when using his selected weapon (the weapon chosen is not a specific sword or mace, but instead all swords or maces of that type, like longswords for example). Once selected, the weapon cannot be changed at a later date. The player must state how the bonus will be applied before the roll is made. This ability increases to +2 at 4th level, +3 at 7th, and +4 at 10th. At higher levels, the insight bonus may be split or added to one roll. This ability is usable a number of times per day equal to the janissary’s Wisdom modifier and only applies to one attack. So a 10th level janissary wielding a greatsword (his chosen weapon) with a Wisdom modifier of +3 and two attacks could add a +1 insight bonus to their first attack roll and a +3 insight bonus to that attacks damage roll, and on his second attack could change it so he adds a +2 to his attack roll and +2 to that attacks damage roll. Doing so would use two of the janissary’s use of this ability for the day.
Guard’s Focus (Ex): Upon gaining second level, the janissary adds a +1 bonus to all Autohypnosis, Concentration, Listen, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks. This bonus increases to +2 at 5th level and again to +3 at 8th level.
Lore of the Janissary: The Order of the Janissary has developed specific powers and techniques over the years that enable those become a janissary to be better able to protect their clients. At 3rd, 7th, and 10th level, the janissary adds one of the powers listed below to his power known, provided they meet the listed requirement. These powers are in addition to any powers that the janissary may get for increasing their manifester level. Some of these powers also have special augment capabilities that are learned by those within the Janissary Order.
• Antidote Simulation: Augment – If the janissary spends 6 additional power points, he can manifest this power to affect a creature he has forged a bond with as an immediate action, quickly enough to negate initial poison damage. The janissary cannot be flat-footed when using this augment. Requirement – class level 7.
• Dimension Swap: Augment – For 4 additional power points you can manifest this power as an immediate action to switch places with the individual you have forged a bond with. Requirement – class level 3
• Evade Burst: Augment – If the janissary spends 4 additional power points, he can manifest this power upon a willing person he has forged a bond with. Requirement – class level 7
• Hustle: Augment – If the janissary spends 2 additional power points, he can manifest this power upon a willing person he has forged a bond with. Requirement – class level 7.
• Power Resistance: Augment - If the janissary spends 6 additional power points, he can manifest this power upon a willing person he has forged a bond with. Requirement – class level 10.
• Psionic Freedom of Movement: If the janissary spends 4 additional power points, he can manifest this power upon a willing person he has forged a bond with. Requirement – class level 10.
• Psionic True Sight: Requirement – class level 10
• Sustenance: Augment – If the janissary spends 2 additional power points, he can manifest this power upon a willing person he has forged a bond with. Requirement – class level 3
• Watcher’s Ward: Requirement – class level 3
Protect the Mind (Ps): The janissary not only protects the bodies of their clients, but also the sanctity of their minds as well. Whenever the recipient of the janissary’s bond is required to make a Will save, the bond recipient may use the janissary’s Will save modifier in place of his or her own.
Ever Vigilant (Ex): At 9th level, a janissary’s ability to perceive and react to is almost unmatched. When sleeping, the janissary is able to keep a small portion of their mind aware, allowing them to ignore the –10 penalty to Listen checks while sleeping. Also, the janissary’s hyper-vigilance also grants them an almost sixth sense, allowing them to react to danger almost before it occurs. He now has the uncanny dodge class feature (see the Player’s Handbook pg.50). If the janissary already has uncanny dodge from another class, he instead gains improved uncanny dodge. The janissary’s class levels stack with all other class levels that grant uncanny dodge for determining the minimum rogue levels required to flank him if he has improved uncanny dodge.
The Code: The Janissary Code is the core of their order, providing assurance to those the janissary protects. The Code is as follows:
• A janissary never betrays an employer. The janissary does not abandon their employer or those they are charged to protect, even against the worst odds, nor can he be convinced or bribed to leave or act against his employer. This leads the janissary to be cautious about whom they serve.
• A janissary always keeps his word. If a janissary promises to do something, he strives to the death to accomplish it. This included contracts agreed to by the janissary, so he is always reviews offers of employment very carefully.
• The janissary never acts in any way that would reflect negatively on their employer or on their order. He considers himself a representative of all janissaries and thus goes to great lengths to be well groomed, neat, and polite. He avoids public displays of dRunkenness or anger and shows respect to his employer, peers, and superiors.
There is no recorded instance of a janissary violating the first two edicts of the Code, but all janissaries know that to do so would mean being hunted by all other members of the order until the one who broke the Code was dead.
Violators of the third edict first receive warnings, and if the behavior continues, they are captured and modified combination of psychic chirurgery and mindwipe is Performed on the violator to remove all Janissary levels, special psionic powers, and the memory of the Janissary Order. They are then dumped in some remote location and left there.
A janissary is also required to tithe thirty percent of their pay earned on assignments given to them through the Order of the Janissary. Only a ten percent tithe is required on jobs the janissary gets on their own.
Ex-Janissaries
As noted above, if a janissary is found to have severely violated the Code, they are hunted down, usually by a team of no less then 4 other janissary, all at least equal in level to the violator. The transgressing janissary will then be put on trial by the highest ranking members of the Janissary Order and if found guilty all memory of the Janissary Order, class levels, and janissary class features are removed.
If the Code has been broken, the chance of a hunter team finding the offending janissary equals 15% + 2% per class level + a cumulative 4% per week. If the hunted janissary is protected against scrying, the cumulative percent is only a +1 per week due to the hunters having to resort to non-psionic Tracking methods.
The Order of the Janissary
The headquarters of the Janissary Order is secretly located in the southern portion of the Ringing Mountains. They maintain a net work of individuals though out the Tablelands whom have the ability to contact the Order for a potential client.[/quote]
[quote]Janissary Old Version
“Rest easy. You will not die on my watch.”
-Vykor Temmer, Janissary guard
Utilizing the Way and physical prowess, the Janissary are some of the greatest, and most expensive, bodyguards that can be had. They allow nothing to distract or deter them from protecting those who pay for their services, going so far as to sacrifice themselves to allow their charges to escape harm.
Most often, psychic warriors or psions take up the Janissary path. Dwarfs find the Janissary path very well suited to their nature, usually making those under their care their focus.
The Janissary Order is secretly located in the southern portion of the Ringing Mountains. They maintain a net work of individuals though out the Tablelands whom have the ability to contact the Order for a potential client. Lone, unassigned Janissaries can sometimes be found within the city-states and may take employment with those they deem worth the risk.
Hit Dice: d8
RequirementsTo qualify to become a Janissary, a character must fulfill the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +3
Feats: Iron Will.
Psionics: Must be able to manifest the power mindlink and 2nd level powers.
Special: Due to the level of vigilance and protective nature of the Janissary’s work, they must have a Lawful/Good or Lawful/Neutral alignment. Also, a prospective Janissary must be accepted into the Janissary Order and complete an initiation process (details of which are left up to individual DM’s).
Class SkillsThe Janissary’s class skills (and key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Listen (Wis), Psicraft (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Search (Int), Spot (Wis). Skill points at each level: 4+ Int modifier
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Janissary prestige class.
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: The Janissary gains proficiency with all simple and melee martial weapons. They are also proficient with light and medium armor and all shields (except heavy and tower). Janissary must select a weapon they are proficient with to be their focus weapon that they will apply their Battle Insight ability to.
Powers Known: A Janissary gains a the additional power points and powers known as if he had gained a level in what ever manifester class that he belonged to before he gained the prestige class. If he has more than one manifester class then he must choose only one to which to apply the increase. He does not gain any other benefit that a character of that class would normally gained, such as bonus feats or metapsionic feats.
Special Class Features:
All of the following are special class features of the Janissary prestige class.
Alertness: At 1st level the Janissary gains the fear Alertness due to their heightened training in observation.
The Code: The Janissary Code is the core of their order, providing assurance to those the Janissary protects. The Code is as follows:
- A Janissary never betrays an employer. The Janissary does not abandon their employer or those they are charged to protect, even against the worst odds, nor can he be convinced or bribed to leave or act against his employer. This leads the Janissary to be cautious about whom they serve.
- A Janissary always keeps his word. If a Janissary promises to do something, he strives to the death to accomplish it. This included contracts agreed to by the Janissary, so he is always reviews offers of employment very carefully.
- The Janissary never acts in any way that would reflect negatively on their employer or on their order. He considers himself a representative of all Janissaries and thus goes to great lengths to be well groomed, neat, and polite. He avoids public displays of drunkenness or anger and shows respect to his employer, peers, and superiors.
There is no recorded instance of a Janissary violating the first two edicts of the Code, but all Janissaries know that to do so would mean being hunted by all other members of the order until the one who broke the Code was dead.
Violators of the third edict first receive warnings, and if the behavior continues, they are captured and psychic chirurgery is performed on the violator to remove all Janissary levels, powers, and the memory of the Janissary Order. They are then dumped in some remote location and left there.
A Janissary is also required to tithe thirty percent of their pay earned on assignments given to them through the Janissary Order. Only a ten percent tithe is required on jobs the Janissary gets on their own.
Forge Bond: This ability allows the Janissary to forge a special modified mindlink with one other person, usually their client or the one under their protection. This link not only allows the Janissary to have constant telepathic communication with the other included in the bond, but it also created a pathway that allows several other of the Janissary’s powers to function. To forge the bond, the Janissary enters a deep meditation while resting their hands upon the head of the other to be included in the bond. During this time, the Janissary is also holding a small personal item of the others against their palms and the head of the bond recipient. This ceremony lasts for two hours, after which time the bond is forged. As long as the Janissary has the item on their person, the mindlink is always active. The link can be psionically dispelled, but the Janissary can reestablish the link as a swift action as long as they have the bond recipient’s personal item. The bond is severed if the item is out of the Janissary’s possession for longer then one hour per Janissary level.
Battle Insight: At 1st level, the Janissary chooses one weapon with which to master and in doing so, receives the special insight into the ebb and flow of battle, knowing from observing their opponents when the moment is right to strike and how best to apply their chosen weapon. The Janissary receives a +1 insight bonus that may be assigned to either their attack roll or damage when using their selected weapon (the weapon chosen is not a specific sword or mace, but instead all swords or maces of that type, like longswords for example). Once selected, the weapon cannot be changed at a later date. The player must state how the bonus will be applied before the roll is made. This ability increases to +2 at 4th level, +3 at 7th, and +4 at 10th. At higher levels, the insight bonus may be split or added to one roll. This ability is useable up to the Janissary’s Wisdom modifier and only applies to one attack. So a 10th level Janissary wielding a greatsword (his chosen weapon) with a Wisdom modifier of +3 and two attacks could add a +1 insight bonus to their first attack roll and a +3 insight bonus to that attacks damage roll, and on his second attack could change it so he adds a +2 to his attack roll and +2 to that attacks damage roll. Doing so would use two of the Janissary’s use of this ability for the day.
Guard’s Focus: Upon gaining second level, the Janissary adds a +1 bonus to all autohypnosis, concentration, listen, search, sense motive, and spot checks. This bonus increases to +2 at 5th level and again to +3 at 8th level.
Dimension Swap: This power can only be used on the one with whom he Janissary has a Forged Bond. In all other ways this power is the same as the one in the XPH.
Protect the Mind: The Janissary not only protects the bodies of their clients, but also the sanctity of their minds as well. Whenever the recipient of the Janissary’s bond is required to make a Will save, the bond recipient may use the Janissary’s Will save modifier in place of his or her own.
Psionic Dimension Door: At 9th level, the Janissary now has access to a means to get their client to safety when the situation is becoming too dangerous. This ability works the same as the power in the XPH.
Ever Vigilant: At 10th level, a Janissary’s ability to perceive their surroundings is unmatched. The Janissary gains the ability to activate psionic true seeing (as per the XPH) by expending their psionic focus. The true seeing lasts for a number of rounds equal to one plus their Wisdom modifier. The Janissary may not become re-focused until the duration ends or they choose to end the true seeing. Additionally, when sleeping the Janissary is able to keep a small portion of their mind aware, allowing them to ignore the –10 penalty to listen checks while sleeping. They also retain all Dex bonuses to AC when caught flat-footed.
Class<br />Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special Powers<br />1 +0 +0 +2 +2 Alertness, the Code, Forge Bond, Battle Insight +1 —<br />2 +1 +0 +3 +3 Guard’s Focus +1 +1 level of existing manifesting class<br />3 +2 +1 +3 +3 Dimension Swap 1/day —<br />4 +3 +1 +4 +4 Battle Insight +2 +1 level of existing manifesting class<br />5 +3 +1 +4 +4 Guard’s Focus +2 —<br />6 +4 +2 +5 +5 Protect the Mind +1 level of existing manifesting class<br />7 +5 +2 +5 +5 Battle Insight +3, Dimension Swap 2/day —<br />8 +6/+1 +2 +6 +6 Guard’s Focus +3 +1 level of existing manifesting class<br />9 +6/+1 +3 +6 +6 Dimension Door 1/day —<br />10 +7/+2 +3 +7 +7 Battle Insight +4, Ever Vigilant +1 level of existing manifesting class
[/quote]
Originally posted by mordin:
I like the idea of this class.
I would give them a good BAB bonus due to the fact that most there abilities can only be used with their charge than I don’t think that this would overpower the class.
IMO
hope this helps.
Originally posted by Sysane:
Very nice. I like this PrC. My only concern is the Specialization ability. Isn’t that normally the province of fighters? I don’t recall any non-fighter PrCs that grant the ability. I could be wrong though and please correct me if I am.
Other than that, good job 
Originally posted by kalthandrix:
[quote]Very nice. I like this PrC. My only concern is the Specialization ability. Isn’t that normally the province of fighters? I don’t recall any non-fighter PrCs that grant the ability. I could be wrong though and please correct me if I am.
Other than that, good job [/quote]
I went this route due to the original discription of the kit from Dragon 255. I could just call it something else, but for ease of use I kept the name the same. I thought of giving them Greater Specialization, but stopped short b/c they would not meet the other requirements (BAB). I could always replace it with something like the Inquisitor feat.
Originally posted by Pennarin:
What’s important about weapon specialization is that its a prerequisite for so many PrCs and other feats, which is the province of fighters, really.
Originally posted by lyric:
I like it, and agree that some form of weapon bonus is appropriate, I’m fine with weapon specialization, but if that’s dissagreable then something else would need to be found, that was indeed a special benefit of the Jannisary, ‘one’ weapon with which they were exceptionally good. They weren’t the most heavily armored, and they got fewer mental powers than a strait psion, but they did enhance on the weapon combat. And the code was perfect.
Originally posted by zombiegleemax:
Awesome 
I would go for a good BAB progression though, and perhaps limit their psionic trueseeing ability to one or two times per day (its kinda beefy). I’m cool with the weapon specialization route, but if you want to change it, how about something like this:
Preferred Weapon: A jannisary designates a single type of weapon as his preferred weapon (one that she has the Weapon Focus feat for) at 4th level. When using a weapon of her chosen type, the jannisary receives a “floating” +1 competence bonus that he can apply to his choice of one attack roll or one damage roll per round. A jannisary’s preferred weapon cannot be changedonce selected.
Just my two bits 
Originally posted by kalthandrix:
Made some changes to the abilities and to Ever Vigiliant. Removed Weaopn Focus and the other fighter feats and replaced them with an Battle Insight ability.
Let me know how you like the changes.
Originally posted by kalthandrix:
This PrC must be pretty flawless and everyone is just waiting to make a character build just to use it. 80 hits on the thread and only a handful of comments.
WOW! DAMN I AM GOOD!!
Originally posted by zombiegleemax:
[quote]This PrC must be pretty flawless and everyone is just waiting to make a character build just to use it. 80 hits on the thread and only a handful of comments.
WOW! DAMN I AM GOOD!![/quote]
SWEET! I love the Battle Insight ability, and the way you reworked the truesight rocks! You deserve a couple 
and a 
for this one Kal. You da 
Originally posted by ruhl-than_sage:
It is quite good, I did notice a couple of minor flaws though.
This should either come in the form of a prerequisite (Weapon Focus). Or be left out entirely. It is already covered in the description of the ability.
change the last part to ‘like longswords for example’ or ‘like all longswords for example’
Originally posted by kalthandrix:
[quote]It is quite good, I did notice a couple of minor flaws though.
This should either come in the form of a prerequisite (Weapon Focus). Or be left out entirely. It is already covered in the description of the ability.
change the last part to ‘like longswords for example’ or ‘like all longswords for example’[/quote]
Made changes- thanks Sage and Khaine for the suggestions.
I think all of the bugs are out of the language and abilities. So unless some other suggestions come up I will have to say that this is the final version.
Originally posted by kalthandrix:
I was looking at the Janissary posting that flip added to the Athas.org/wiki and I noticed that he had made a link of some type for the Janissary Order. It got me thinking that maybe, if there was interest enough, I might be able to type up some background, traditions, leaders, and general fluff to give the Janissary Order some more flavor.
Any thoughts. I might be able to use some help on some of the project details and some writing if anyone is super interested.
Originally posted by kalthandrix:
Here is a new and improved version of this class. I believe that this one is much better.
Let me know what you think!
Originally posted by kalthandrix:
So - anyone have thoughts on the new version of this PrC?
I think it is better overall - giving psi-like and spell-like abilities to psionic and spellcasting classes is a form of redundancy that I have been stearing clear of for a while - I think giving them the choice of a new power with a unique augment designed specifically for this PrC gives the class more versitility and makes the options wider for characters who enter this class.
For this class the gaining of the powers they choose for the Lore ability also makes up for the loss of the power points given up via the two lost manifester levels while giving them powers that would be very useful in preforming the primary function of the janissary.
One of the things that I like about this class is the fact that it would do great in any group - if the janissary is not bound to someone else at the time, there is no reason why the janissary and another PC in the group could not form a bond - especially with a mage or psion - and thereby giving the janissary the use of all of his class features.
Anyway - those are some of my thoughs and reason for the changes I made. I would appreciate any comments from you all on the board.
Originally posted by brun01:
Some comments
- The janissary lore doesn’t really feel as “lore”, IMO, perhaps another word would define this ability better. Also, I think that it could be better worderd to work like the share spells familiar special ability, with an increased range (30 ft.?). It would save a lot of words.
- the Protect the Mind feature should only use the janissary’s save if it’s better than the client’s.
- the uncanny dodge works even while he’s asleep? I had that impression…
- I don’t think that something that is not granted (like a paladin or cleric abilities) could be removed by breaking a code.
- I don’t think there should be rules for finding the offending janissary, it think just mentioning the hunt party, perhaps saying it employs a reaver or just a bunch of cilops would do and the DM figures out the rest…
Originally posted by Sysane:
Cerebral Warden may be a better title for this ability.