Overmind (3.5e Prestige Class)

Overmind
""My mind IS your mind... My thoughts ARE your thoughts...''"

Using foul secrets wrested from the god of Death itself, Overminds are evil arcane casters who can create and control Hollowed creatures. Developed by Vainiri diabolists in league with a powerful demon lord, these casters learned to twist the souls of living creatures and change them into powerful warriors to be controlled via mindlink. The secrets of the technique have spread in the dark places of the world, and those who dare defy the gods may create deathless spies, servants, and armies for themselves. Dwelling either alone or in small cabals, these

Becoming an Overmind
Evil Wizards and Sorcerers are the most common forms of entry into this class, though others are not unheard of. Any and all forms of Divine casting the character has are lost permanently upon taking this class. Drawing divine attention to oneself is the LAST thing an Overmind desires. The primary ability score for casting, whether Intelligence or Charisma, is the most important ability for Overminds. Intelligence also grants the Overmind additional skill points to expand his knowledge of dark secrets. Constitution is very important, as Concentration checks are a pivotal aspect of creating Hollowed, and more hit points help offset the Overmind's low d4 hit die. Charisma is important for more social Overminds who operate in greater view of the public eye. Wisdom is also important as it boosts the Overmind's Will saves. Dexterity is important in combat to help the Overmind avoid blows and increases his accuracy with ranged attacks.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Overmind.

Weapon & Armor Proficiencies: An Overmind gains no additional weapon and armor proficiencies.

You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one spellcasting class before becoming an Overmind, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.

' :''' Overminds can create a Hollowed version of a creature at first level. The hollowing is a horrifying ritual that mutilates a creature's soul and reshapes the creature's body and mind. The resulting creature is completely under the control of an Overmind. The target must be living and must have a soul: constructs, elementals, oozes, outsiders without the native subtype and most aberrations cannot be hollowed. The subject need not be willing (and usually isn't), but must be restrained somehow for the duration of the ritual. For details on the ritual itself see "Creating a Hollowed Creature" in the Hollowed template.

A single Overmind can only create Hollowed whose HD are equal to or less than the Overmind's caster levels. However, two or more Overminds can join the same ritual, and each Overmind after the first adds half his caster levels (rounded down) to the group for the purposes of determining the maximum HD of a creature to be Hollowed. At epic levels, the Overmind can warp even Outsiders and Elementals into Hollowed creatures. Once a creature has become Hollowed the process cannot be reversed, even by a Wish or Miracle spell. A permanently slain Hollowed creature cannot be resurrected or raised by any means.

' :''' Even at 1st level an Overmind can create any number of Hollowed creatures, but can only actively control 4 HD worth of Hollowed creatures per caster level at one time. If there are more Hollowed present than the Overmind can control, he may freely choose which Hollowed to control. Changing which creatures he controls is a swift action, otherwise any Hollowed creature entering the Overmind's area of influence is automatically controlled.

An Overmind can issue basic commands to all Hollowed creatures within his range as a move action (such as an order to patrol, move to a specific location, or fight an enemy). The range is 250 feet + 50 feet per level of Overmind. A hollowed creature that moves out of the Overmind's control attempts as best it can to fulfill its last instructions. More complicated instructions involving a series of tasks (such as "Travel around the city, keeping to the shadows and avoiding detection, overhear as many guards as you can, then return to this place at sunset") can be given as a standard action. Most Overminds are careful to always end with a command to return to the Overmind or a specific location when the task is finished.

Additionally, an Overmind can assume direct control of a Hollowed creature within range as a move action. The Overmind can speak directly through the Hollowed creature, and also can access all of its memories (in cases of Hollowed creatures returning from an extended assignment). While controlling Hollowed creatures, the Overmind is distracted and vulnerable. To attempt anything more than a move or move-equivalent action while directly controlling creatures requires a Concentration check (DC = 12 + 1/2 the HD of creature currently controlled, rounded up) in order to not break the mental connection. Breaking a mental connection suddenly is undesirable, as it stuns the controlled Hollowed for 1d3 rounds. The Overmind is also considered flat-footed while actively controlling Hollowed creatures. Releasing the creature from direct control is another move action.

' :''' If the Overmind has a familiar from a previous spellcasting class, the Overmind may elect to apply the Hollowed Template to his familiar. This is a slightly different ritual, requiring no XP cost and only 500 gp worth of materials. Your familiar can only be directly controlled or scryed through (see below) by you. Your familiar does not count towards the maximum number of HD of Hollowed creatures you can control at once. Your familiar continues to advance in abilities normally, and does not suffer from the "Slow to Learn" penalty suffered by other Hollowed creatures.

Warp the Soul: At the Overmind learns to warp and destroy the souls of others, he can subtly modify his own soul, making himself more powerful, durable and resilient. At 1st level the Overmind chooses one ability from the list of Least modifications. At 3rd level he may choose one modification from the Lesser list, or a second modification from the Least list. At 6th level he may choose one modification from the Greater, Lesser or Least lists. At 9th level (and every 4 levels beyond) he may choose one modification from the Ultimate list or any of the other lists. These modifications to the Overmind's soul are permanent and cannot be changed later. All modifications are abilities unless otherwise indicated.


 * Soulvision: gain Darkvision out to 60 feet. This vision functions even in magical darkness.
 * Flexible Soul: gain a permanent Spectral Hand. This functions exactly as the spell but with the following exceptions: It can be dismissed or conjured as a free action, it does not incur a loss of HP, and if destroyed it reappears in an adjacent square to you at the beginning of your next turn.
 * Resilient Soul: Whenever you would take HP damage from negative energy such as from an Inflict spell, you instead heal damage equal to half the damage you would normally have taken. This cannot give you more than your maximum HP. Positive energy still heals you normally.
 * Restoring Soul: 3/day you can cast Lesser Restoration as a Spell-Like ability on yourself only. Especially useful for the Charisma damage taken while making Hollowed creatures.
 * Dread Soul Gaze: At will as a standard action, you can make a gaze attack dealing 1d4/2 CL nonlethal damage to any creature within 60 feet. The target must make a Will save with the DC of 12 + your casting ability modifier or be shaken for 1 round. A successful save negates the shaken status and deals only half damage.
 * Resistant Soul: You gain SR equal to your HD +5. At 15 HD your SR increases to your HD +10.
 * Soulcaster: 3/day you may cast any spell at +4 CL.
 * Dread Soul: You gain a permanent Desecrate Aura centered on you, as the spell. This is a  ability, and may be suppressed or resumed as a free action.
 * Soul Sustenance: You no longer need to eat, sleep or breathe, though you must consume one soul per month to keep this ability active.
 * Youthful Soul: Your body no longer ages, and any age penalties to your physical ability scores are removed. Your lifespan increases by a factor of four.
 * Adaptive Soul: Your body is protected from most damaging Planar environmental effects, as the spell "Attune Form."
 * Unchanging Soul: You gain immunity to all shapechanging effects and conditions including petrification and Lycanthropy.
 * Sudden Soul: Choose a Metamagic Feat you already possess. You gain Sudden Metamagic 2/day for the chosen metamagic effect. Alternatively you may gain Sudden Metamagic 1/day for any two metamagic feats you already possess.
 * Regenerating Soul: You gain Regeneration 3/Acid & Electric.
 * Deathless Soul: You gain immunity all Death Attacks and effects, as well as immunity to level drain.
 * Magesoul: Your soul acts as a Ring of Spell Storing. You may store a number of spell levels in your soul equal to your Overmind levels.
 * Mindful Soul: You gain immunity to all mind-affecting magical effects.

' :''' Beginning at 2nd level, an Overmind can use the senses of any Hollowed creature within range, seeing through its eyes, hearing what it hears, etc.

' :''' A strong soul dwells within a strong body. Beginning at 2nd level, an Overmind gains a +2 to his Natural Armor as the changes in his soul begin to physically manifest. The bonus increases by +1 at every even level, to a maximum of +5 at 8th level.

  : The Overmind's presence bolsters the already formidable Hollowed under his control. He chooses one of the following effects to apply to all Hollowed within range of his influence:
 * +10 hit points
 * Energy resistance 5 (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic)
 * +2 insight bonus to AC and saving throws
 * +2 insight bonus to attack and damage rolls
 * +4 insight bonus on initiative checks

Additionally, the Overmind may now assume direct control of a Hollowed creature within range as a swift action instead of a move action. Releasing the creature is also a swift action.

By 5th level, the Overmind has warped enough souls that he begins to draw unwanted attention from deities and their agents. At the DM's discretion, but no less than once a year, agents of an appropriate deity will actively seek out the Overmind and attempt to destroy him or her. This is one reason Overminds tend to be very secretive.

 : At 5th level, the Overmind may now use his relevant casting ability modifier on touch attacks and ranged touch attacks, rather than his Strength and Dexterity score modifiers. This does not stack with any other feat or class ability that replaces one ability modifier with another.

 : Upon reaching 7th level, the Overmind's soul has been sufficiently warped that it becomes immune to any spell or effect that would directly target his soul, such as Magic Jar, Possession, and Trap The Soul.

  : The Overmind may now apply two bolstering effects to all Hollowed under his control. He may select the same bonus twice, and the effects stack.

Additionally, the Overmind may now cast spells through any Hollowed he is in direct control of. The Hollowed creature must be able to cast the spell (e.g., have a hand free for somatic components, be capable of speech for vocal components, etc.), and the Overmind suffers arcane spell failure chance if the Hollowed is wearing armor.

  : At 10th level the Overmind's soul is a nearly impenetrable bulwark of twisted evil. His soul projects a field of energy that protects him from attacks, giving him a deflection bonus to his AC equal to 1/2 his Overmind levels. An unconscious Overmind does not gain the benefit of this ability.

  : The Overmind has so warped his soul that it can now absorb the souls of others. The Overmind can use Trap The Soul (spell completion only) as a spell-like ability a number of times a day equal to his Charisma modifier using his own soul in place of the normal gem. The Overmind's soul is unharmed if the target makes his save to resist this effect. The Overmind can hold a number of souls equal to 1/2 his caster level. For every soul the overmind contains, he gains a +1 profane bonus to his attacks, damage and saves, to a maximum of +5. In an antimagic field or similar effect, any souls already trapped are not released, but the Overmind gains no bonuses.

At 10th level his type changes to [Outsider] with the Evil subtype.

Ex-Overminds
Overminds that lose their evil alignment cannot advance as Overminds. They cannot benefit from atonement spells, however. They must either use magic to change their alignments back to evil, or willfully perform an evil act, preferably the murder of a helpless or innocent person.

For every day the Overmind has an alignment other than evil, he must make a DC 22 Will save. If he fails by 5 or less, he must deliver himself up to the nearest lawful authority, confess his crimes and demand punishment. If he fails the save by more than 5, he is so overcome with grief for his misdeeds that he must take his own life in the most expedient way possible.

Campaign Information
Overminds utterly and irredeemably evil. They are most often behind-the-scenes villains, secretly amassing their hordes of Hollowed warriors. Sometimes they are wizards in the employ of a powerful evil tyrant, and the hollowed are used as incorruptible and conscienceless soldiers. Or one could be a lone caster in a remote and well-defended tower full of his deathless Hollowed servants. Overminds are extremely secretive, and few know of their existence. Even seasoned adventurers will most likely take a Hollowed creature for something else.

Playing a Overmind
Wow, your DM let you use this PrC. Okay, get ready to enjoy the ride, because you are one complete bad mofo. Your goal is to find the most powerful creatures you can turn into Hollowed. Try to have one or two around you as bodyguards at all times. You'll probably want to disguise them somehow, people will likely think they're suffering from some kind of plague. You should also consider having a small or tiny creature you can use for scouting/spying/ stealing purposes.

If you must take work to keep the money rolling in, let your hollowed do the dirty work while you focus on your arcane studies. In combat, you stay behind your meat shield and hammer everything with high-damage spells until they die from it.

You're obviously superior to everyone else in the party, because it's probably only a matter of time before you make them your slaves too. But until such time, you smile, play nice and get along with the best of them thanks to your decent skill ranks and social class skills.

Overminds in the World
Overminds are intended to be NPC villains, and are extremely crafty, only engaging in battle when it is most advantageous to do so, or when directly ordered to do so by their masters. Combat: It is rare that an Overmind will go into combat without a few Hollowed Protectors. He will remain safely behind the front lines, if possible completely hidden from view of his enemies, using the eyes and ears of his Hollowed to see how combat is going. If he must be exposed, he will stay mobile or use spells such as Fly to remain out of harm's way. Overminds prefer to open with an AoE attack to soften their enemies up before the Hollowed attack. They then focus on taking out the enemy casters followed by whoever seems to be the biggest threat, or more than the Hollowed can handle. If a fight is going badly, an Overmind will instruct his Hollowed to cover his retreat and attempt to escape.

Resources: Some Overminds may sell their services to evil rulers in return for a supply of subjects or captured enemies to convert. For lone Overminds, they often have their hollowed servants steal, rob and loot to take the gold and valuables they require.

Overmind Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge Arcana can research Overminds to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Overminds in the Game
""When you gaze into the abyss, it isn't supposed to wave back.""

Overminds make good progressive villains. A group of adventurers may investigate a string of thefts or disappearances and run into a fight with a group of hollowed creatures, then later discover that there was a dark mind behind the hollowed creatures, and have to work their way through the Overmind's forces and defenses before finally facing the Overminds in direct combat.

Alternatively, a good-aligned Deity or patron of a deity may have discovered an Overmind and hire the PCs to eliminate him. In this manner the PCs would learn more quickly of the Overminds and their gray-skinned minions.

Adaptation: In an evil campaign, an Overmind might cooperate with other evil PCs if there was much to gain by it. An Overmind PC might relish the opportunity to travel on adventures as it keeps him mobile and makes it more difficult for the forces of good deities to track him down.