Prestige Classes

MASTER OF THE UNSEEN HAND

Masters of the unseen hand delight in crushing their foes with invisible force, flinging massive objects into the sky, and disarming enemies with a single thought. Their mastery of the craft of telekinesis makes masters of the unseen hand potent and versatile combatants. Originally a cabal of sorcerers who learned to push the limits of their telekinesis, the masters of the unseen hand are now a loose-knit group that includes outsiders and other creatures with the ability to use telekinesis. Sorcerers are the most likely characters to become masters of the unseen hand, and some wizards take a level or two in the class as well. A significant minority of the order are creatures with the innate ability to use telekinesis, such as githyanki, ghosts, beholders, and even the occasional demon. Because their abilities are suited to warfare, masters of the unseen hand are often found in the thick of the fighting, disarming opponents with telekinesis and using it to hurl them to the ground - or even high into the sky. Some hire themselves out as mercenaries, attaching themselves to a group of mid-level fighters who want to catch their foes by surprise.

Hit Die: d4.

Requirements

To qualify to become a master of the unseen hand, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.

Skills: Concentration 8 ranks.

Special: Able to cast the telekinesis spell, or access to telekinesis as a spell-like or supernatural ability.

Class Skills

The master of the unseen hand's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table: The Master of the Unseen Hand

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the master of the unseen hand prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Masters of the unseen hand gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

Improved Caster Level (Ex): At 1st level, a master of the unseen hand begins his relentless focus on the power of telekinesis. He adds his levels in master of the unseen hand to his caster level (whether from actual spellcasting levels or determined by the spell-like ability) when using his telekinesis ability. For example, a 10th-level sorcerer/3rd-level master of the unseen hand casts telekinesis as a 13th-level caster, and a blue slaad who is a 2nd-level master of the unseen hand would use its telekinesis spell-like ability as a 10th-level caster.

Versatile Telekinesis (Ex): A master of the unseen hand learns to combine the three versions of the telekinesis spell or ability, switching from one to another as he likes. For instance, he can use sustained force for 2 rounds, then switch to combat maneuver, then return to using sustained force. The spell or spell-like ability ends after the first use of the violent thrust version, however, or if the master of the unseen hand is unable to maintain concentration.

Telekinetic Wielder (Ex): A master of the unseen hand develops the ability to wield weapons with his telekinetic power. By maintaining concentration on the combat maneuver version of telekinesis, a master of the unseen hand of 2nd level or higher can make a single attack with an unattended weapon or one he is holding, moving the weapon up to 20 feet before the attack. Resolve the attack as normal, except that the weapon’s movement doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity. The master of the unseen hand’s base attack bonus on this attempt is equal to his caster level plus his Intelligence modifier (if a wizard) or Charisma modifier (if a sorcerer or a creature with the telekinesis supernatural or spell-like ability). Any weapon-related feats the master of the unseen hand has (such as Weapon Focus and Power Attack) do not apply when he’s telekinetically wielding a weapon.

The weapon wielded can be one the master of the unseen hand took from a foe on a successful disarm attempt.

Sustained Concentration (Ex): At 2nd level, a master of the unseen hand becomes adept at moving and fighting while maintaining his telekinesis ability. It only takes a move action, not a standard action, to use the sustained force version of telekinesis (or simply to maintain concentration so the ability doesn’t end). The master of the unseen hand can even cast another spell while maintaining concentration on telekinesis, but doing so requires a successful Concentration check as if the caster were distracted by a nondamaging spell (Concentration check DC equal to the save DC of telekinesis). It still takes a standard action to use the combat maneuver or violent thrust versions of the ability, however.

Full Attack Telekinesis (Ex): At 3rd level, a master of the unseen hand is as skilled in telekinetic combat as a fighter is with melee combat. When using the combat maneuver version of telekinesis or wielding a weapon telekinetically, the master of the unseen hand can make a full attack, potentially attacking, bull rushing, disarming, grappling, or tripping more than once per round. Just as with nontelekinetic attacks, the master of the unseen hand gains an additional attack for every 5 points of base attack bonus above +1 (using caster level for base attack bonus as described in the telekinesis spell description).

Improved Violent Thrust (Ex): At 4th level, a master of the unseen hand’s violent thrust version of telekinesis becomes more effective. He uses his caster level in place of his base attack bonus when making the attack roll, and he uses his Intelligence modifier (if a wizard) or Charisma modifier (if a sorcerer or a creature with the telekinesis supernatural or spell-like ability) as a bonus on damage rolls if he hurls weapons at the target. Finally, using a violent thrust no longer ends the telekinesis effect, but the master of the unseen hand can’t make another violent thrust for 1d4 rounds.

Telekinetic Flight (Ex): A master of the unseen hand of 4th level or higher can use the sustained force version of telekinesis to lift himself and willing creatures into the air. With a move action, the master of the unseen hand can move 20 feet with perfect maneuverability and can move willing creatures as well. The master of the unseen hand doesn’t have to move all the creatures he’s lifting in the same direction, but any lifted creatures plummet to the ground if they move more than 40 feet from the master of the unseen hand. The master of the unseen hand can lift one Medium or smaller creature (carrying up to its maximum load) per three caster levels. A Large creature counts as two Medium creatures, a Huge creature counts as two Large creatures, and so forth. Unlike the form of flight granted by the fly spell, telekinetic flight ends immediately and abruptly if disrupted by dispel magic or a lapse in the master of the unseen hand’s concentration. Without telekinesis to support them, creatures fall to the ground immediately, taking 1d6 points of damage per 10 feet fallen (maximum 20d6).

Fling Skyward (Ex): Rather than hurling a creature toward another target, a 5th-level master of the unseen hand can use the violent thrust version of telekinesis to hurl a creature straight up. A target is allowed a Will save (and spell resistance) to negate the effect. The master of the unseen hand can lift a creature into the air a maximum distance of 10 feet per caster level. At the beginning of the character’s next action, the creature falls to the ground, taking 1d6 points of damage per 10 feet fallen. Unlike other times when a master of the unseen hand uses the violent thrust version of telekinesis, flinging a foe skyward immediately ends the telekinesis effect.