"Ectoplasm is the clay that I turn upon the potter's wheel of my mind. When I'm finished, like all art, it takes on a life of its own"

?Giles Stoneforge

Ectoplasm is the preferred medium of creation for the ectopic adept, and his mind serves as the mold, kiln, and wheel upon which his works are turned. An adept sees each new astral construct he creates as a unique work of art, an exquisite sculpture serving a specific purpose in the arsenal of this most dangerous crafter.

Other psionic characters seek to perfect mind and body in the fire of their own will. An ectopic adept is more concerned with achieving perfection by creating the ideal astral construct, regardless of the transitory nature of his creations. An adept seeks any opportunity, martial or otherwise, to demonstrate his skills in sculpting the changeable astral medium of ectoplasm.

BECOMING AN ECTOPIC ADEPT

While any psionic character with the astral construct power might be eligible for this prestige class, the truest potential adept is a shaper, who begins and ends each day considering all the uses and permutations that can be achieved with ectoplasm. Constantly looking for new ways to sculpt ectoplasm, an ectopic adept is largely unconcerned with developing his mental abilities except so far as such development advances his psionic sculpting craft.

PLAYING AN ECTOPIC ADEPT

You seek adventure to test your creations against all the dangers the world can offer. You purposely seek out conflicts that allow you to create progressively more lethal astral constructs. Other adventurers might be alarmed by the zeal with which you approach the battlefield?an adept rarely retreats from a fight. You frequently enjoy taunting your opponents as they are being pummeled into submission by your latest creation. To your mind, overkill is impossible where your constructs are concerned. You delight in using the biggest, nastiest astral construct capable of getting the job done. It's important to note, however, that you value your constructs as much for their beauty as for their ability to trounce your enemies.

Combat

If you have more than one Ectopic Form feat, you have access to a variety of specialized astral constructs to use in combat. You typically begin combat by creating an astral construct suitable for the conflict at hand. Many adepts would prefer to never personally enter a conflict, instead choosing to manifest powers that aid their constructs in melee.

Whether you act alone or as a member of an adventuring company, your tactics are the same. You create astral constructs to absorb the worst your opponents have to offer, and you offer support and help for your construct as needed during a battle. Once in a while, after you have created an astral construct, you might use your secondary powers to support your comrades (especially if that support allows your comrade to flank an enemy with one of your constructs).

Advancement

Among ectopic adepts, it's a common thought that adepts are born, not made. No one comes and asks you if you'd like to be an ectopic adept; you can seek out training, but it is your choice to do so. Training to become an ectopic adept is like training to become a master artiste. You practice your art as part of an eternal search for perfection. Apprenticeships among existing ectopic adepts are common, as young adepts work to master the skills necessary for advancement. Each ectopic adept has his own style and indeed preferred forms for astral constructs. It is the perfection of these forms that gives an ectopic adept true fulfillment.

Once you become an ectopic adept, you spend years testing and honing your skills. The search for the perfect astral construct form drives adepts to greatness (or ultimate failure). Some small groups of ectopic adepts occasionally come together to study and discuss their work together, but without forming any overarching organization to which they owe allegiance.

The path that an ectopic adept must follow to succeed at his craft is relatively straightforward?learn as much about the construction and enhancement of astral constructs as possible. Feats such as Boost Construct (EPH 43) are mainstays to an adept.

Resources

Once you leave your adept apprenticeship, you are largely on your own. A good relationship with your former master might give you some resources you can call on in a time of need, but no other adept is beholden to help you. Of course, many ectopic adepts feels a sort of kinship with one another, and one might be prevailed upon for some limited assistance in a troubled time. What resources does an ectopic adept need, however, other than his mind and skill? After all, the Astral Plane is a limitless resource, filled with all the ectoplasm an adept could ever hope to shape.

ECTOPIC ADEPTS IN THE WORLD

"As long as he keeps makin' them big green spinnin' critters, Giles is okay in my book."

?Kressus the Gray, dwarf fighter

In regions where war is common, an ectopic adept always finds employment. Whether he joins an adventuring parry, becomes a freelance "cleaner," or slides into a virtueless career as a bounty hunter, an ectopic adept has talents that are useful in a wide variety of situations. Moreover, the sculpted astral constructs created by an adept are artistic marvels. Those being thrashed by an emerald gyre astral construct are hard pressed to find anything of beauty or subtlety in the adept's craft, but an adept finds both subtlety and beauty in bringing his deadly, short-lived sculptures into the world.

When conflict doesn't beckon, an ectopic adepts spends his day in study and practice, crafting astral constructs for the sheer joy of doing so. Perfection isn't always found in the function of the construct, but in its appearance and grace of form.

Organization

The Astral Sculptor's Academy is a private organization of psionic characters consisting primarily of psion shapers. A special place in the organization is reserved for ectopic adepts, who are the acknowledged masters of form manipulation and invention. The academy has few, if any, open adversaries. No one in his right mind is willing to directly oppose a group of astral construct?creating psions, whose worst nightmares can be sculpted into reality and sent after a transgressor.

In addition to providing training to members in the arts of metacreativity and sculpture, one arm of the academy promotes the use of its more militaristic members in the armies of rich city states, powerful adventuring companies, and other groups seeking to beef up their strength. Any contracts arranged by the academy for individual members always pays a better than average wage, though the academy extracts a percentage for its own coffers.

The academy is governed by a board of experienced shapers, including several ectopic adepts. The chairperson, Alliyon Dak'aris, sits at the head of the board through an elective process that occurs every other year, though Dak'aris (an ectopic adept herself) has served for more than a decade. The board sets syllabi for the various courses it provides, arranges finances so that the base materials required for all the sculpting classes can be obtained, keeps track of membership rolls, establishes policy, and negotiates with other organizations with whom the academy deals.

Membership in the academy is broken down into novitiate, journeyman, and elder ranks. Novitiates are those new to the academy who have yet to complete a full year of membership in good standing. They are considered to be on probationary status and can be dismissed from the academy should they refuse to apply themselves. Upon completion of their first year, novitiates become journeymen. Journeyman is the most common rank. Unless a member wishes to take up some manner of administrative task, he usually remain at that rank. Elders, all of whom have been part of the organization for at least a decade, handle the academy's administrative tasks.

NPC Reactions

Anyone who knows about psionics or has seen ectopic adepts fight is likely to know at least a little about the prestige class. The ability that ectopic adepts have to casually create beautiful, lethal pawns to send against their enemies guarantees that the class's reputation precedes it wherever it is known. NPCs who are aware of the class typically have a starting attitude of friendly toward an adept, if only to avoid angering the character. The exception to this is if the NPC is involved in a conflict and knows the opposition is using ectopic adepts, in which case his initial reaction is unfriendly at best.

ECTOPIC ADEPT LORE

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (psionics) can research ectopic adepts to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

DC 10: Ectopic adepts are some kind of psionic character.

DC 15: Ectopic adepts are psionic shapers who specialize in creating astral constructs.

DC 20: Ectopic adepts can usually be found at the Astral Sculptor's Academy, but don't cross anyone you meet there. They're touchy, and always looking for a reason to call up one of their ectoplasmic horrors.

ECTOPIC ADEPTS IN THE GAME

Whether as a valuable member of an adventuring company, or as part of an enemy mercenary group, an ectopic adept is easy to fit into any campaign where psionic rules are used. Ectopic adepts can be doughty heroes just as easily as they can be dangerous enemies.

Psionic characters who truly want to focus on astral constructs, their creation and use in combat, are likely to find this prestige class a welcome occupation. Since ectopic adepts live for battle, too much intrigue and maneuvering can spoil their fun. To them, direct conflict is the spice of life.

Adaptation

The ectopic adept is a well-contained class. In any game that allows psionic rules, ectopic adepts should work well. The organization associated with the class, the Astral Sculptor's Academy, is completely dispensable. It could be either eliminated or replaced with an organization better suited to the campaign.