Words. Words represent thoughts. Thoughts. To a psion, thoughts are power. Some trully knowledgeable psions have learned how to empower constructs, and some undead psions other undead, with psionic powers focused on tattoos. Much like the spellstitched servants of some necromancers, psi-etched creatures are covered with tattoos or carvings that allow the creature or construct to use psionic powers as spell-like abilities a number of times per day. This process benefits intelligent undead or constructs far more than those that are mindless, as they ca plan, but even those without intelligence can be trully dangerous.
Psi-etched creatures can only be created by a psion, most often a shaper, of sufficient level to manifest the powers to be imbued in the undead or construct's body. The process for creating a psi-etched creature requires the expenditure of 1,000 gp for carving or tattooing materials as well as 500 XP for every point of Wisdom that the undead or construct possesses. Undead psions may psi-etch themselves.
CREATING A PSI-ETCHED CREATURE
"Psi-etched" is a template that can be added to any construct or corporeal undead (referred to hereafter as the base creature). The template uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Special Attacks: A psi-etched creature retains all of its base creaure special attacks, and also gains the following one.
Psionics (Sp): A psi-etched creature with a Wisdom score of 10 or higher can be imbued with psionic powers that it manifests as spell-like abilities.
| Wisdom | Example Undead | Powers Known | Times/Day | ||||
| 10 | Skeleton, psi-guardian, zombie | 2 1st-level | 4 | ||||
| 11-12 | Bodak, runic guardian | plus 2 2nd-level | 4/4 | ||||
| 13-14 | Bronze serpent, ghoul, wight | plus 2 3rd-level | 4/4/2 | ||||
| 15-16 | Devourer, juggernaut | plus 2 4th-level | 4/4/2/2 | ||||
| 17-18 | Lich, dragonflesh golem, nimblewright | plus 2 5th-level | 4/4/2/2/2 | ||||
| 19+ | Nightshade | plus 1 6th-level | 4/4/2/2/2/1 |
Powers Known is the number of different powers the creature has access to as spell-like abilities. A creature with a Wisdom score higher than 10 gains the powers from the row on the table corresponding to its Wisdom score, and the powers from all the rows above that row.
Times/Day is the number of times per day that the creature can use powers of a given level. The creator of the creature must decide how to allocate the powers known. Once this determination has been made for a particular ability, it cannot be changed. For instance, the sample psi-etched creature has. The creator cannot later change either the powers or the times per day each can be used.
Special Qualities: Psi-etched creatures retain all of their special qualities from before the transformation, and also receives the following special qualities.
Damage Reduction: None (1-3 HD); DR 5/+1 (4-7 HD); DR 5/+2 (8-11 HD); DR 10/+3 (12+ HD).
Power Resistance: A psi-etched creature has power resistance equal to 15 + base creature's Charisma bonus.
Turn Resistance (Ex): Undead who become psi-etched gain +2 turn resistance. This bonus is added to any other turn resistance the base creature has. Psi-etched constructs obviously do not gain turn resistance.
If the base creature already has one or more of these special qualities, use the better value.
Saves: Same as base creature +2.
Abilities: Same as base creature.
Skills: Same as base creature.
Feats: Same as base creature.
Climate/Terrain: Same as base creature.
Organization: Same as base creature.
Challenge Rating Same as base creature +1.
Treasure: Same as base creature.
Alignment: Same as base creature.
Advancement: Same as base creature.
SAMPLE PSI-ETCHED CREATURE
Psi-etched Psi-guardian
Large Construct
Hit Dice: 15d10 (82 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 26 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +15 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 24
Attacks: Slam +16/+11/+6 melee, or weapon +16/+11/+6
Damage: Slam 1d8+9, by weapon (damage bonus +9 for two-handed use or +6 for one-handed use)
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Psionics
Special Qualities: Call weaponry, construct traits, displacement, fast healing 5, find master, forced empathic bond, guard, power storing
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +5
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 14, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 1
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 16-24 HD (Large); 25-45 HD (Huge)
Created by psions to be bodyguards, like their arcane counterparts (shield guardians), psi-guardians are constructs that protect their masters with powers and stamina.
A psi-guardian is an imposing humanoid figure of metal, stone, and crystal that, when fashioned, is keyed to a particular amulet. Henceforth it regards the wearer of that amulet to be its master, protecting and following that person everywhere (unless specifically commanded not to do so).
A psi-guardian obeys its master’s verbal commands to the best of its ability, although it is not good for much beyond combat and possibly simple manual labor. It can also be keyed to perform specific tasks at specific times or when certain conditions are met. The wearer of the amulet can call the psi-guardian from any distance, and it will come as long as it is on the same plane.
COMBAT
Psionics (Sp):
Call Weaponry (Su): The psi-guardian can manifest the call weaponry power up to 3 times per day. The guardian calls forth a weapon when it enters combat or when instructed by its master. The quality of the weapon is based on the level of the creator: If the level of the creator is unknown, it defaults to 16th level. See Table 1-1 for the weapon type and quality.
| Level | Weapon | Typical | |||
| 12 | +1 enchantment | scimitar | |||
| 13-15 | +2 enchantment | longsword | |||
| 16-18 | +3 enchantment | falchion | |||
| 19-20 | +4 enchantment | greatsword |
Construct Traits: A psi-guardian is immune to mind-affecting effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, necromantic effects, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects. The creature is not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, ability drain, energy drain, or death from massive damage. It cannot heal itself but can be healed through repair. It cannot be raised or resurrected. A psi-guardian has darkvision (60-foot range).
Displacement (Su): Melee and ranged attacks made against the psi-guardian miss 50% of the time unless the attacker can locate the construct by some means other than sight. True seeing or a similar effect negates this ability. Displacement can be manifested at will.
Fast Healing (Ex): A psi-guardian regains lost hit points at the rate of 5 per round. Fast healing does not restore hit points lost from starvation, thirst, or suffocation, and it does not allow the psi-guardian to regrow or reattach lost body parts.
Find Master (Su): No matter the distance, as long as they are on the same plane, the psi-guardian can find the amulet wearer (or just the amulet if it is removed after the guardian is called).
Forced Empathic Bond (Sp): The wearer of the keyed amulet can activate this defensive ability if within 100 feet of the psi-guardian. Similar to the power of the same name, this transfers to the guardian half the damage that would be dealt to the amulet wearer. This ability functions even though the psi-guardian has no metabolism. (See the forced empathic bond power in the "Master More Powers of the Mind" article for more information.)
Guard (Ex): The psi-guardian moves swiftly to defend the amulet wearer by its side. It blocks blows and disrupts foes. All attacks against the amulet wearer suffer a -2 deflection penalty.
Power Storing (Sp): The psi-guardian can store one power of 4th-level or lower that is placed into it by another creature. It "manifests" this power when commanded or when a predetermined situation arises. Once this is used, it can store another power (or the same power).
CONSTRUCTION
Along with the other requirements for building a standard psi-guardian, which one can find here, the creator must spend an additional 1,000 gp for carving or tattooing materials as well as 500 XP for every point of Wisdom that the construct possesses. Obviously, this can be done at any later date that the construct still exists.
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