Shugenja are divine spellcasters already known for their affinity to the elements. Sometimes, however, specific divine spellcasters display an instinctive harmony with the elements far beyond that of normal shugenja. These Tensai, as they are called, typically take on the role of guardians of the natural world. Rather than paying attention to the state of forests, animals, and concrete physical entities, as druids do, these guardians safeguard the ephemeral balance of the elements. Their abnormal connection to the elements typically makes them weaker physically (with the notable exception of earth tensai,) but tougher spiritually.
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Hit Die: d6.
To qualify to become a tensai, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Skills: Knowledge (religion) 10 ranks, Knowledge (the planes) 10 ranks.
Feats: Augment summoning and any one metamagic feat.
Spells: Must be a spontaneous divine spellcaster capable of casting spells with elemental descriptors.
Special: The character must have personally visited each of the major elemental planes.
The tensai’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (alchemy) (Int), Knowledge (arcana/religion/the planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), and Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Table: The Tensai
| Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Fort Save |
Ref Save |
Will Save |
Special | Spells per Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Spirited Defense | +1 level to existing class |
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | +1 level to existing class | |
| 3rd | +1 | +1 | +1 | +3 | Elemental Boon | +1 level to existing class |
| 4th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Mettle | +1 level to existing class |
| 5th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | +1 level to existing class | |
| 6th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Evasion | +1 level to existing class |
| 7th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Spiritual Awe | +1 level to existing class |
| 8th | +4 | +2 | +2 | +6 | +1 level to existing class | |
| 9th | +4 | +3 | +3 | +6 | Blessed of the Elements | +1 level to existing class |
| 10th | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Attendant | +1 level to existing class |
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Tensais gain no weapon or armor proficiency.
Spells per Day: When a new tensai level is gained, the character gains new spells per day and effective caster level as if he had also gained a level in any one spellcasting class he belonged to before he added the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained, except as noted here.
If a character had more than one spellcasting class before he became an tensai, he must decide to which class he adds each level of tensai for the purpose of determining spells per day.
Spirited Defense (Ex): When not wearing armor or using a shield, a tensai adds 1 point of Charisma bonus per class level to his Dexterity bonus to modify Armor Class. If a tensai is caught flat-footed or otherwise denied his Dexterity bonus, he also loses this bonus.
Elemental Boon (Ex): At 3rd level, a tensai gains one of the following boons: Fast Movement, Dampening, DR 3/-, or Beyond Flame.
Fast Movement (Ex): When wearing no armor and not using a shield, an air tensai of at least 3rd level gains +10 feet to his base land speed. This bonus increases to +20 feet at tensai level 10.
Dampening Aura (Su): The area surrounding the water tensai refracts light as though filled with water. This creates an interesting visual effect, as well as making targeting difficult. All allies within 10' of the tensai gain a +2 sacred bonus to touch AC and saves. The tensai can suppress or reactivate this ability as a free action.
Damage Reduction (Ex): A 3rd level earth tensai gains three typeless damage reduction.
Beyond Flame (Su): Fire tensai of at least third level deal half of their fire spell damage as divine damage, which is unaffected by fire resistance or immunity.
Mettle (Ex): A tensai of at least 4th level is unaffected by any spell he makes his Will or Fortitude saving throw on, if that spell would normally have reduced effect. Only spells with Will or Fortitude partial or half saving throws are negated by this feature.
Weather the Elements (Ex): Tensai of at least 5th level gain universal energy resistance (as per the ring) equal to their tensai level.
Evasion (Ex): At 6th level and higher, a tensai can avoid magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the tensai is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless tensai does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Spiritual Awe (Ex): At 7th level and above, the tensai gains a bonus equal to his tensai levels to any bluff, intimidate, sense motive, or diplomacy checks attempted against anyone who has seen him cast a spell.
Blessed of the Elements: At 9th level, a tensai gains a further blessing, dependent on his elemental focus.
Fly (Sp): Air tensai gain the ability to cast fly at will (self only,) with a flight speed equal to their base land speed and Average maneuverability. This ability is otherwise identical to the fly spell.
Precipitate (Sp): Water tensai gain the ability to use sleet storm at will.
Regeneration (Ex): Earth tensai gain Regeneration 2. Fire, cold, and lightning deal normal damage.
Fire Control (Sp): Fire tensai gain the ability to use pyrokinetics at will.
Attendant (Ex): The tensai gains the services of a friendly elemental who is likewise devoted to preserving harmony among the elements. This elemental is an intelligent Small elemental advanced by class level rather than hit dice, with the same alignment as the tensai himself. The elemental may not gain levels in prestige classes, and must be of the element that the tensai's focus is in. Unlike others of its kind, it does not hate and wish to destroy the opposing element, though it continues to view its own element as superior to all others. The elemental can have total hit dice up to two less than the tensai's level, and has maximum hit points per hit die. Although it advances as a cohort and is subject to the same limitations, the attendant is not counted towards the followers or cohort gained through the Leadership feat, if any. Attendant elementals refuse to carry any items that would interfere with their natural elemental form (armor or weapons, for example).
A tensai can release its elemental attendant to seek another, but such a process always takes at least one year and a day.
Sample Attendant Elemental for a 20th level tensai:
Small Elemental (Water, Extraplanar) with 16 levels of fighter
HD: 2d8 + 16d10 + 2*18 (212 hp)
Str 16, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 11 (+4 stat points included)
Saves: Fort 17, Ref 7, Will 8
BAB/Grapple: +17/+12
Attack: Slam +24 melee (1d6+7)
Feats: 9 Fighter Bonus + 6 Any:
Power Attack, Cleave, Improved Sunder, Improved Initiative, Improved Critical (slam), Weapon
Focus (slam), Weapon Specialization (slam), Greater Weapon Focus (slam), Greater
Weapon Specialization (slam).
Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Blind-fight, Skill Focus (Intimidate), Run
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