Student of Rajaat

Student of Rajaat

A Student of Rajaat was specially chosen and tutored by Rajaat himself or one of his first disciples. Only master psions with some arcane skill or or master arcanists with psionic abilities came to the attention of Rajaat. Taught to understand how magic and psionics intertwine, expanding the knowledge and abilities of both, ultimately a Student of Rajaat learns that magic and psionics are two side of the same coin and is able to apply all teachings of one to the other. The Cerebremancer prestige class was eventually developed by those who had been taught by Rajaat’s student’s but who were to far removed from Rajaat to truly grasp the fundamental similarities between magic and psionics.

| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special                                              | Spells per Day/Powers Known                                                           |
|:-----:|:-----------------:|:---------:|:--------:|:---------:|------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|  1st  |         0         |     0     |     0    |     2     | Expanded Discipline, Psionic Study, Extra Spells (1) | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class/+1 level of existing manifesting class |
|  2nd  |         1         |     0     |     0    |     3     | Augmented Casting, Bonus Feat                        | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class/+1 level of existing manifesting class |
|  3rd  |         1         |     1     |     1    |     3     | Expanded Discipline, Extra Spells (2)                | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class/+1 level of existing manifesting class |
|  4th  |         2         |     1     |     1    |     4     | Bonus Feat                                           | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class/+1 level of existing manifesting class |
|  5th  |         2         |     1     |     1    |     4     | Expanded Discipline, Meta-Science                    | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class/+1 level of existing manifesting class |
|  6th  |         3         |     2     |     2    |     5     | Bonus Feat                                           | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class/+1 level of existing manifesting class |
|  7th  |         3         |     2     |     2    |     5     | Expanded Discipline, Extra Spells (3)                | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class/+1 level of existing manifesting class |
|  8th  |         4         |     2     |     2    |     6     | Bonus Feat                                           | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class/+1 level of existing manifesting class |
|  9th  |         4         |     3     |     3    |     6     | Expanded Discipline, Extra Spells (4)                | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class/+1 level of existing manifesting class |
|  10th |         5         |     3     |     3    |     7     | PsiMage, Bonus Feat                                  | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class/+1 level of existing manifesting class |
Hit Die

d4.

Requirements

To qualify to become a student of rajaat, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

Skills

Knowledge (arcana) 15 ranks, Knowledge (psionics) 15 ranks.

Special

Must have been trained by Rajaat or one of his direct students.

Able to cast 7th-level arcane spells and have a psionic discipline.
OR
Able to manifest 7th-level discipline powers and cast arcane spells.

Class Skills

The student of rajaat’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (arcana) Int, Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Profession (Wis), Psicraft (Int), and Spellcraft (Int).

Skill Points at Each Level

2 + Int modifier.

Class Features

All the following are class features of the student of rajaat prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Students gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

Spells per Day/Powers Known

When a new student of rajaat level is attained, the character gains new spells per day as if he had also attained a level in any one arcane spellcasting class he belonged to before he added the prestige class. He gains additional power points per day and access to new powers as if he had also gained a level in any one manifesting class he belonged to previously. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of either class would have gained (bonus metamagic, metapsionic, or item creation feats, psicrystal special abilities, and so on). This essentially means that he adds the level of cerebremancer to the level of whatever other arcane spellcasting class and manifesting class the character has, then determines spells per day, caster level, power points per day, powers known, and manifester level accordingly.

If a character had more than one arcane spellcasting class or more than one manifesting class before he became a student, he must decide to which class he adds each level of cerebremancer for purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, power points per day, powers known, and manifester level.

Expanded Disciple

At each level indicated a student of rajaat must choose another disciple he is not already specialized in. Choosing this disciple provides a student of rajaat with access to the powers list that disciple or psionic class. He can learn powers from that discipline and employ psionic items from that discipline.

Bonus Feat

Bonus Feat selected from the Wizard or Psion’s bonus list

Psionic Study

A student of rajaat can learn any psionic power he has encountered as long as it is on the general list or one of his known disciples. Psicraft check against a DC + power level can be attempted once per level. If the check fails the student of rajaat must wait until he gains another level and encounters the power before attempting to learn it again.

Extra Spells

A student of rajaat can prepare and cast an additional spell of each spell level per day.

Meta-Science

If a student of rajaat’s has a metamagic feat, then you are also considered to have its metapsionic counterpart, and vice versa. For example, if you have empower spell, then you receive empower power as a bonus feat. If a metapsionic or metamagic feat does not have a counterpart like burrowing power, no additional benefit is gained. A metamagic or metapsionic feat can not have both versions applied to the same spell or power. Only one counts.

Augmented Casting (Su)

You can choose to sacrifice a spell or power points from one of your classes to apply the effect of a metamagic or metapsionic feat that you know to cast a spell spontaneously. (For instance, you could sacrifice a power points equal to a spell slot to apply a metamagic effect to a wizard spell.) This sacrificed spell or slot is lost (just as if you had cast the spell) in addition to the spell you are actually casting.

The level of the spell to be augmented can’t exceed your student’s level Epic spells are considered 10th level spells. For example, when you first gain this ability, you can only apply a metamagic effect to 1st-level spells. A 10th-level student can affect spells of 10th level or lower.

The level of the spell slot or the number of power points sacrificed must equal or exceed the spell level adjustment of the metamagic feat. To empower a spell, for example, you would have to spend a 2nd-level or higher spell or spend 3 power points. You can’t use this ability to augment a spell already affected by a metamagic feat.

You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + 1/2 your class level.

PsiMage

At any level after gaining this ability in which his arcane or manifesting class’s spells or powers are progressed, he may also progress his other class in the same way.

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This is very a powerful PrC. I guess you had to create a PrC like this to correct the weakness in the Sorcerer Kings as they would appear under Legends of Athas rules. I attempted something similar, before giving up and coming up with my Advanced Beings framework instead.

In my homebrew I’m pretty strict about access to prestige classes. Only NPCs ever had access to this, the Champions and a few select others(basically failed champions) so I wasn’t as worried about the power creep. My PCs learned a long time ago there’s a reason the SMs have been around so long.

It did answer the question of even with all their levels, how did SMs routinely use such a wide range of abilities. I have a few different tiers of Athas.org’s Champion template as well. I differentiate between Knights, Warlords, Hands, Champions, and Chosen, all meant for NPCs so a little overpowered and break normal rules somewhere.

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Are they all advanced beings?

Most of the Students did not become advanced beings and not all the Champions became advanced beings. All of the original Champions were Students (with the exception of Abalache-Re). There’s some failed Champions still hanging around outside of the Tablelands that were Students, most of the known ones in the Deadlands.

Exceptions from the Student and Champion and Advanced Being:

Name Student Champion Advanced Being Vortex Notes
Irikos Yes Hand No Yes Unable to grant spells due to current ash elemental form
Sacha Yes Champion No Yes Accidently Linked to Vortex after Rebellion
Arenek Yes Champion No No Released from Air Sphere during Dregoth’s godhood spell
Kalak No Warlord Yes No Researched/Stole process from Kalid-ma
Dregoth Yes Champion Yes Yes Creator of Dragon Transformation
Myron Yes Hand No Yes Dead (Replaced by Manu)
Manu (Hamanu) Yes Chosen Yes Yes Forced Dragon Transformation from Rajaat
Uyness of Waveryly (Abalach-Re) No Champion Yes Yes Stage 1 as a reward for Rebellion + Linked to Vortex
Gallard (Nibeney) Yes Champion Yes Yes Stage 1 as a reward for Rebellion + Linked to Vortex
Sielba Yes Champion Yes Yes Stage 1 as a reward for Rebellion + Linked to Vortex
Albeorn of Dunswich (Andropinis) Yes Champion Yes Yes Stage 1 as a reward for Rebellion + Linked to Vortex
Tecktuktitlay Yes Champion Yes Yes Stage 1 as a reward for Rebellion + Linked to Vortex
Keltis (Oronis) Yes Champion Yes Yes Stage 1 as a reward for Rebellion + Linked to Vortex, Created Avangion Process
Inenek (Lalali-Puy) Yes Champion Yes Yes Stage 1 as a reward for Rebellion + Linked to Vortex
Wyan Yes Champion Yes Yes Dead - Accidently Linked to Vortex after Rebellion
Egendo (Neksos) Yes Champion No No Released from Earth Sphere during Dregoth’s godhood spell
Borys No Champion Yes Yes Forced Dragon Transformation from Rajaat (Testing the process)
Daskinor Yes Champion Yes Yes Stage 1 as a reward for Rebellion + Linked to Vortex
Kalid-ma Yes Champion Yes Yes Stage 1 as a reward for Rebellion + Linked to Vortex
Cielbia Yes Champion No Yes Stage 1 after she was freed from the Water Sphere
Pennarin Yes Champion No No Dead
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How do you define Knights, Warlords, Hands, Champions, and Chosen?

Knights are normal folks with limited to no magic. They were the elite soldiers of the cleansing war armies.

Warlords are basically mini champions, they were hand picked by the champions to lead in their absence. All were wizards, many were psionic. They were inbued with lesser versions of the Champion abilites for stats, damage reduction, immunities, regen, and gained a signature spells abilities for spell levels of 1-5. Signature spells were “always memorized” and allowed them to channel spell power into those spells.

Champions are the Athas.org released version. Signature spells operated the same as Warlords but were for spell levels 1-9. In addition they gain Tower Bound and Two as One.

Hands were a step up from Champions, individually created by Rajaat. Their creation didn’t change the sun since they were handled one at a time, it was just doing it all at once that caused that change. Each of them got the full Champion treatment with slightly more powerful stats, damage reduction and regen as well as a second Genocidal Focus, Fire Eyes, Tower Sorcery, Rajaat’s Shield and Rajaat’s Touch. Only Irikos and Myron were made Hands.

Chosen were the top of the foot chain. Everything a Hand got at another step increase, plus a Forced Draconic Transformation.

NOTE: Borys was Rajaat’s test subject for a Forced Draconic Transformation before Hamanu.


Genocidal Focus: Per Athas.org with the addition that the death of a focused race adding a spell point. (I use the spell point alternate system).

Tower Sorcery: Learn and cast spells as a Sorcerer of the the same character level. Do not gain epic spells in this fashion. Spell points provided by a connection to the Pristine Tower. Considered to have Eschew Materials for these spells.

Signature Spells: Can “lose”any prepared spell in order to cast one of these signature spells that is of the same spell level as the prepared spell or lower (just like a cleric can lose prepared spells in order to cast cure spells of the same level or lower.) He can also use each spell as a spell like ability a number of times per day equal to his Int modifier without using spell points.

Touch of Rajaat: Bypass all immunities and resistances granted by Rajaat (including Warlords)

Shield of Rajaat: Can not be harmed by any attack, spell, or special ability from a Hand of Rajaat, a Champion of Rajaat, or any weapon that specifically harms a Champion of Rajaat. Immunities can voluntarily be lowered.

Fire Eyes: Incinerate those around him. Cone damage, if focused on a single target bypass all spell resistance and immunities, burning his target draining his life force. This attack deals 1 negative level per round transferring class levels, skills, and feats only drain a being this way if it has more HD than the Hand/Chosen.

Forced Draconic Transformation: When a member of his genocidal focus is killed using arcane magic he gains 1 transformation point. These points fuel the draconic transformation at a rate of 1 point per HD needed for transformation. A BLANK of Rajaat requires no research, focus structures, additional casters or time to cast metamorphosis spells and does not suffer from backlash. The trauma of the transformation does affect the mind however and animalistic rage still occurs.

Second Genocidal Focus: Secondary genocidal focus comes into effect once they have completed their first focus. This must be activated by Rajaat himself.

Two as One: Adds his psionic manifester level and spell casting levels together to determine his manifestor and spell casting levels up to his character level.

Tower Bound: Bound to the Pristine Tower. Upon death, soul does not travel to the Grey but instead to the Pristine Tower and is resurrected in 1d10 days per the True Resurrection spell. All equipment must be recovered normally.

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I made a Hand of Rajaat PrC. The idea was that Irikos and Myron led an order of Hands who were tasked with hunting down or turning preservers into defilers during the Preserver Jihad.

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I don’t think I’ve seen that one. Was it similar to the Chasseur or Halruaan magehound?

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Somewhat. More specialized in armored casting and fighting preservers or forcing them to defile.

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Great stuff SeruZmaj. Consider me hooked!

Anymore info on Aranek, or the Air and Water Spheres? I remember reading about Egendo in Dead Cities (ruins of Hogalay IIRC) but I thought his imprisonment by the Earth King was a one off.

Also, what’s the deal with Irikos? I thought in canon he was as dead after failing at Bodach?

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In my homebrew, Anenek was the actual Ogre Doom, in the final battle with the Ogres (who are more like Psionic versions of DragonLance’s High Ogres - very low birth rate, feel a kinship to the element of Air and lived much of their lives wandering or in mountain top monasteries) he was caught in an Air Sphere. Kalak was his second in command, a Warlord second in psionic and arcane power only to Anenek himself. When his Champion was imprisoned he finished off the weakened Ogres and declared victory. He then led the remains of the army to Tyr and took over there. Over time he appropriated the title of Ogre Doom himself.

The Elemental Spheres were created by a epic spells, first created by the dwarves who used the power of Earth to imprison Egendo. It could only be cast by dwarves but two other races were able to adapt it for themselves. The spheres slowly drain the life force of those contained within (permanent level loss every 100 years until the prisoner is no longer an epic character at which point they are freed). Any magic or psionics directed at the sphere are absorbed and those who touch it are also absorbed.

The Ogres created an Air Sphere that trapped Anenek above the Mountains of the Sun and the Sprites were able to imprison Ceilbia Sprite Claw south of the Dead Lands in the Ghost Rivers. Ceilbia is Sielba’s twin sister (which is why they were often confused). When Sielba faced Hamanu he sundered her Mind, Body, and Soul. Her mind went to her twin sister’s body due to an old failsafe they set up, so it’s been trapped as well, her body was spirited away by her cult, his soul was sucked into a bottle that’s been sitting in one of Hamanu’s treasure rooms.

Irikos was leading the invasion of Bodach when he was burned to ashes. Since each Champion was bound to the Prisine Tower and would resurrect there the only way to prevent them from just coming back was to find a way to imprison them. In Bodach they did not have access to the Elemental Sphere spell but they were able to bind his essence into those ashes. He’s currently a unique ash elemental swarm bound to the old city limits of Bodach. He’s only active at night when he and his armies replay the battle of Bodach.

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Holy shit i love that, seruzmaj. Consider several of those ideas stolen!

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Bumping this one up.

Why?
Because I wonder if anyone has a list of the first test set of Champions that Rajaat tested the Pristine Tower transformation on.
I read somewhere (Brax’s stuff or in Trembling Plains’ timeline section) that before the Champions that we have come to love (ahem) Rajaat had another set paraded into the Pristine Tower. That didn’t go so well and those all ended up as Crimsons.

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For my Sundered Regions there is a “proto-champion” that is an imperfect dragon.

He fled the Tablelands to the east to escape being destroyed by Rajaat and is how he discovered that champions needed to be masters of the Way as well as magic.

I used Crimson’s as the base for my Grey Casting advanced being… I figure Rajaat tried to make something akin to Champions before he finalized the process… Mages learn to wield the power of life itself (magic), Rajaat then tried infusing them with enormous amounts of life energy using epic spells and created the first Warlords. Realizing how limited they were he tried looking to merge magic and psionics plus energy from another source - the Black (ended up with a type of Nightcrawler variant that was living, ate magic, but ultimately failed due to needing light and having a tendency to disappear into the Black to explore deeper) and the Grey (Crimsons, with much the same issue of them wandering off) before finally figuring out how to link them with power of the Pristine Tower which draws from the ultimate source life force… the sun.

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