Proteus (3.5e Class)
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Proteus
Masters of flexibility, versatility and adaptability, the proteus is a psion who has tapped into the collective unconscious of the world. From this endless subtle pool of knowledge, the proteus pulls all manner of skills and class abilities to their minds, backed up by psionic talent of their own to augment their ability to adapt to any situation.
Making a Proteus
The proteus is a skillmonkey, very similar to the factotumDungeonscape or bard. In combat, the proteus can adapt to any roll, master of none but capable in all respects. Very intelligent, a proteus always finds something he can help with.
Abilities: Intelligence is the most important ability for the proteus, controlling both the DC of their psionics, number of power points gained, and skill points. Their other ability scores largely depend on their general focus... constitution being useful for all classes, dexterity to improve their armor class, reflex, and initiative, and perhaps even strength if they want to employ more martial aspects. A high charisma helps with their social abilities, and wisdom buffs important sensory skills.
Races: Any race which appreciates high intelligence or versatility is capable of becoming a proteus, and for that reason humans dominate their ranks more than any.
Alignment: Any.
Starting Gold: 5d4×10 gp (125 gp).
Starting Age: As wizard.
| Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Saving Throws | Special | Power Points/Day |
Powers Known |
Maximum Power Level Known | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort | Ref | Will | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Mutable Power (1st), Subconscious Lore | 2 | 1 | 1st | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | Least Class Mnemonic (1) | 6 | 2 | 1st | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd | +2 | +1 | +1 | +3 | Combat Memory | 10 | 3 | 1st | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th | +3 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Least Class Mnemonic (2), Mutable Power (2nd) | 16 | 4 | 2nd | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5th | +3 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Subconscious Support | 22 | 5 | 2nd | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6th | +4 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Least Class Mnemonic (3) | 28 | 6 | 2nd | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7th | +5 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Mutable Power (3rd) | 38 | 7 | 3rd | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8th | +6/+1 | +2 | +2 | +6 | Lesser Class Mnemonic (4) | 48 | 8 | 3rd | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9th | +6/+1 | +3 | +3 | +6 | Skill Mastery, Subconscious Telepathy | 58 | 9 | 3rd | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | +7/+2 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Lesser Class Mnemonic (5), Mutable Class, Mutable Power (4th) | 72 | 10 | 4th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11th | +8/+3 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Psimmortality | 86 | 11 | 4th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12th | +9/+4 | +4 | +4 | +8 | Lesser Class Mnemonic (6) | 100 | 12 | 4th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13th | +9/+4 | +4 | +4 | +8 | Mutable Power (5th), Skill Mastery | 118 | 13 | 5th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14th | +10/+5 | +4 | +4 | +9 | Greater Class Mnemonic (7), Subconscious Mindreader | 136 | 14 | 5th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +5 | +9 | Improved Subconscious Support | 154 | 15 | 5th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +10 | Greater Class Mnemonic (8), Mutable Power (6th) | 176 | 16 | 6th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +10 | Skill Mastery | 198 | 17 | 6th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +6 | +11 | Greater Class Mnemonic (9) | 220 | 18 | 6th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 | Improved Psimmortality | 242 | 19 | 6th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +6 | +6 | +12 | Greater Class Mnemonic (10), Protean Mastery | 268 | 20 | 6th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the proteus.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A proteus is proficient with all simple weapons, plus a single martial weapon. They are proficient with light armor and shields (except tower shields).
Power Points/Day: A proteus’ ability to manifest powers is limited by the power points he has available. His base daily allotment of power points is given on Table: Proteus. In addition, he receives bonus power points per day if he has a high intelligence score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Power Points). His race may also provide bonus power points per day, as may certain feats and items.
Powers Known: The Difficulty Class for saving throws against proteus powers is 10 + the power’s level + the proteus' Intelligence modifier. A proteus begins play with the ability to learn 1st-level powers. As he attains higher levels, a proteus may gain the ability to master more complex powers. To learn or manifest a power, a proteus must have an Intelligence score of at least 10 + the power’s level. Proteuses choose their powers from the psion/wilder list, with the following additions:
1st—Call Weaponry, Mindlink, Precognition
2nd—Brain Lock, Object Reading, Sensitivity to Psychic Impressions
3rd—Empathic Feedback, Fate Link, Hostile Empathic Transfer
4th—Psychic Vampire, Remote Viewing, Thieving Mindlink
5th—Metaconcert, Mind Probe, Psionic Revivify
6th—Dream Travel, Greater Precognition, Personal Mind Blank
Maximum Power Level Known: This column determines the highest level power he can learn at this level.
To learn or manifest a power, a proteus must have an intelligence score of at least 10 + the power’s level.
Mutable Power: A proteus is not limited to simply his base power list. At 1st level and every level he gains a new degree of powers known, the proteus gains a mutable power. Each day after resting to regain power points, the proteus may meditate for 15 minutes, connecting to the collective subconscious and drawing powers known from the minds of other psychics. The proteus gains an extra power known from any list, as long as they are capable of manifesting powers from that level (maximum 6th level). He may refresh and change his selection whenever he rests for 8 hours.
Subconscious Lore (Su): The subtle connection to all sentient minds grants the proteus access to a vast repository of knowledge. A proteus may make a special subconscious lore check with a bonus equal to his proteus level + his intelligence modifier to see whether he knows some relevant information about local notable people, legendary items, or noteworthy places. (If the proteus has 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (history), he gains a +2 bonus on this check.)
A successful subconscious lore check will not reveal the powers of a magic item but may give a hint as to its general function. A proteus may not take 10 or take 20 on this check; this sort of knowledge is essentially random. It functions identically to a bard's bardic knowledge ability.
Least Class Mnemonic (Su): A proteus gains a host of useful class features he draws from the minds of others, but can only learn so many at the same time. He has 1 slot for am class feature at 1st level and gains an additional slot every odd level. Class features are prepared with 15 minutes of meditation, and can be refreshed after 8 hours of rest (often done in tandem with gaining their mutable powers for the day). The least class features gained are selected from the following list.
- Detect Evil (as paladin), Detect Magic (as warlockCArc), Evasion, Nature Sense, Trapfinding, Trap Sense (as a barbarian of your level), Uncanny Dodge, Wild Empathy (as druid of your level), Woodland Stride
Combat Memory (Su): At 3rd level, a proteus can dip into the collective subconscious on the fly to improve his fighting abilities. As a free action, a proteus burns at least 1 power point, gaining a +1 insight bonus to attack, and their intelligence modifier to damage. This ability may be augmented, for every 3 power points you gain an additional +1 bonus to attack, to a maximum of your manifester level.
Alternatively you can use this power defensively, burning a power point as a free action to gain your intelligence modifier to armor class against a single attack. Both can transform the proteus into a competent fighter, but burns through power points at a rapid rate.
Subconscious Support (Su): At 5th level, a proteus can link his mind to others to assist them in subtle ways, taking care of subconscious processes and refining them. As an aid another, the proteus may grant an ally a +4 bonus on any skill in which the proteus has ranks, or a +2 bonus if they have no ranks in the skill.
Lesser Class Mnemonic (Su): A proteus improves the selection of class features which he may draw upon at 8th level. The class feature list now has the following options.
- Battle Fortitude (as scoutCAdv), Fast Movement (as barbarian), Grace (as swashbucklerCWar), Improved Uncanny Dodge, Lay on Hands (as paladin of your level), Poison Use (as assassin), Slow Fall (as monk of your level), Still Mind (as monk), Turn Undead (as cleric of your level)
Skill Mastery (Ex): At 9th level, a proteus may select any skill in which he has 10 or more ranks. The proteus gains skill mastery with this skill, allowing them to take 10 even in situations in which they are rushed or it is otherwise impossible to take 10. The proteus may select an additional skill to gain skill mastery every four levels after 9th.
Subconscious Telepathy (Su): At 9th level, the subconscious link a proteus has with the world becomes more potent in close range, to the point of allowing active thought transmission and speech. The proteus gains telepathy out to 10 ft per +1 bonus to their intelligence modifier (minimum 10 ft).
Mutable Class (Su): At 10th level, the proteus draw an entire class feature not granted by the class feature ability, and employ it as if they were a member of that class. At the start of each day, choose three extraordinary class abilities. Each ability must be available to a standard base character class of your proteus class level -2, and must appear on the advancement table or in the text description of the class. Spellcasting can never be gained from this ability. By spending power points equal to your proteus class level as a free action, you gain the abilities and drawbacks of the chosen ability for 1 minute.
For example, if you use a monk's unarmed strike ability, you gain all the benefits and drawbacks described under unarmed strike. You do not gain the ability of flurry of blows, because that is a separate ability in the monk's class description.
Psimmortality (Ex): At 11th level, the proteus is so entrenched within the collective subconscious, that even if the proteus is slain, their mind can escape into the subconscious world. It makes restoring the body to life easier, as the mind is intact and waiting within the memories of her allies. So long as at least one creature in the world has a memory of the proteus, the proteus does not have any level loss when revived from the dead.
Greater Class Mnemonic (Su): A proteus improves the selection of class features which he may draw upon at 14th level. The class feature list now has the following options.
- A Thousand Faces (as druid), Aura of Courage (as paladin), Death Attack (as assassin, but DC 10 + 1/2 HD + int), Diamond Body (as monk), Divine Grace (as paladin), Hide in Plain Sight, Improved Evasion, Mettle, Wholeness of Body (as monk of your level)
Subconscious Mindreader (Ps): At 14th level, a proteus can breach into other minds through the collective subconscious. The proteus gains Read Thoughts as a psi-like ability at will.
Improved Subconscious Support (Su): At 15th level, the bonuses granted by subconscious support improve. The proteus may grant an ally a +6 bonus on any skill in which the proteus has ranks, or a +4 bonus if they have no ranks in the skill. In addition, allies may grant the proteus a +4 bonus if they have ranks, as if they had the subconscious support class feature.
Improved Psimmortality (Ex): At 19th level, the proteus not only can defy death by living in the memories of others, he can spread the benefit to others. The proteus may assign up to one person per point of intelligence modifier, and those people gain the psimmortality class feature, specifically entering the psyche of the proteus upon death. So long as the proteus himself remains alive, they benefit from the psimmortality class feature.
In addition, when the proteus perishes but allies selected by him continue to live, and he is within 60 ft of an ally upon death, the proteus remains conscious and active within their minds. He may continue to communicate through telepathy to his allies, a mental passenger, although he is otherwise utterly incapacitated from performing any activities beyond communication.
Protean Mastery (Ex): Becoming a master of the subtle psionic knowledge, the proteus gains several benefits. The Combat Memory ability now no longer consumes any power points for its use (you are still limited by your manifester level on how it is augmented, it simply does not spent the points). The proteus may also swap out the abilities of both the class mnemonic (least, lesser, or greater) and mutable powers at any time, with 15 minutes of meditation. Finally the proteus gains the dreamborn subtype, gaining the unreality trait.
Epic Proteus
| Level | Special | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21st | Skill Mastery | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22nd | Bonus Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23rd | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 24th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 25th | Skill Mastery | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 26th | Bonus Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 27th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 28th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 29th | Skill Mastery | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 30th | Bonus Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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6 + Int modifier skill points per level. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Skill Mastery: The proteus continues to gain skill mastery with new skills which have 10 or more ranks, at 21st level and every 4 levels afterward.
Bonus Feats : The epic proteus gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic proteus bonus feats) every four levels after 22th.
Epic Proteus Bonus Feat List: All epic bonus feats.
Human Proteus Starting Package
Weapons: Flail.
Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 6 + Int modifier.
| Skill | Ranks | Ability | Armor Check Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluff | 4 | Cha | — |
| Concentration | 4 | Con | — |
| Diplomacy | 4 | Cha | — |
| Disable Device | 4 | Int | — |
| Disguise | 4 | Cha | — |
| Gather Information | 4 | Cha | — |
| Knowledge Psionics | 4 | Int | — |
| Listen | 4 | Wis | — |
| Search | 4 | Int | — |
| Spot | 4 | Wis | — |
Feat: Skill Focus Diplomacy.
Bonus Feats: Psionic Body.
Gear: Chain Shirt, Backpack, Grappling Hook, Silk Rope 50 ft.
Gold: 5 gp.
Campaign Information
Playing a Proteus
Religion: Proteus have little direct interest in religion, with their psionics providing what others require divine grace to perform. That said, those which take on a religious bend often worship gods of knowledge and learning.
Other Classes: The know it all, the proteus can appreciate the bard, the psion, and the wizard for their intellect and skillful natures. The rogue, too, is respected even though many of their skills go towards more stealthy aspects rather than intellectual. Low skill point classes such as the fighter often are seen as useful, but mentally dull, and brutish barbarians and druids stereotype this belief.
Combat: The proteus can perform any roll, and is not locked within a single task. Some foresight and planning is required to make best use of this however, so effective tactical work is key, regardless if the proteus is playing the role of fighter, glass cannon, caster, or something entirely different.
Advancement: Skillful prestige classes such as the ExemplarCAdv are always good for a proteus, though possessing an actual casting advancement also opens up the possibilities of psionic classes.
Proteuses in the World
| “ | Remember me? | ” |
| —Johnny, Human Proteus | ||
Daily Life: The proteus seeks knowledge through his subtle connection to the minds around them, and much time is spent in meditation, learning new data in the quasi-sleep of a trance. When alert, the proteus is eager and happy to share their knowledge with others, and often finds uses for bits of trivia recently picked up.
Notables: The proteus only known as "Johnny" is an underground information dealer. It is said he knows some very, very dangerous and forbidden secrets, and for that reason he's difficult to find. It's said he only even exists now as memory, returning to life only to have others recall his presence.
Organizations: The proteus have a subtle network of knowledge, each proteus dimly aware of the presence of others, though no specifics are given until they actually meat. If society mindsHyperconcious are present in your game, then the proteus often intermingle in their ranks.
NPC Reactions: Proteus are often socially apt, having access to such skills, and most come off as well meaning intelligent experts at many things. Common folk see them as talented individuals with a knack for the occasional odd power.
Proteus Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge Local can research proteus to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.
| DC | Result |
|---|---|
| 10 | A proteus is a psionicist with a knack of duplicating all sorts of useful class features. |
| 15 | Some proteus can even duplicate extraordinary class features briefly, and they are master at skills. |
| 20 | High level proteuses stick around even when they perish, hiding within the minds of others and leading them on after death. |
| 30 | Those who reach this level of success can research individual proteuses, their whereabouts, lore, and abilities. |
Proteuses in the Game
Adaptation: The collective subconscious can be a more conscious thing, a subtle psionic god-like being formed from all minds. This gives the class a more divine bent, and may introduce the idea of loyalty to certain mindsets like the ardent.
Sample Encounter: The key to solving how to put down the demon lord for good lies in the mind of a single illusive proteus named Johnny. You must not only find him, when he may be but a passing memory within a friend, but convince him to help you, avoiding assassins who would like to quench the last memories of Johnny for good.
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