Guru Philosophies

Akasin

The akasin believes in becoming one with the forces of righteousness, harnessing the radiance of the universe to gain powers of light and healing.
Proficiencies: bardiche, bec de corbin, falchion, glaive, greatsword, lance, longbow, ranseur, shortbow, and two-bladed sword

Absorb Radiance (Su)

At 1st level, the akasin can spend time meditating in an area of bright light to gain a pool of temporary essence points equal to 1/2 his class level (minimum 1). The akasin must meditate for 1 minute per point of essence gained in this way. These temporary essence points are always burned first when the akasin activates his philosophy abilities, and cannot be recovered through normal meditation, nor can he ever gain more than 1/2 his class level in temporary essence points at any time via this ability. Whenever the akasin takes essence burn to activate an ability, he gains temporary hit points equal to 5 times the amount of essence burn taken. These temporary hit points last for 1 minute per level. In addition, the Akasin can take 1 point of essence Burn to cast veil of positive energy as a spelllike ability with a caster level equal to his character level

Luminosity (Su)

At 4th level the Akasin can restore light to those who have lost it. By taking 1 point of essence burn, the Akasin can cast remove blindness/deafness as a spell-like ability with a caster level equal to his class level, but can only remove the blind condition (this has no effect on deafness). Alternatively, the Akasin can take 1 point of essence burn to fire a single potent ray of blinding energy at an enemy within 60 feet. This ray deals 1d4 damage per class level (1d6 vs. undead) and blinds the target for 1d6 rounds. A DC 10 +1/2 class level + Wisdom modifier Reflex save halves the damage and negates the blindness effect.

Lambent Blades (Su)

At 7th level the akasin can burn 1 point of essence as a swift action, transforming a wielded Philosophy weapon into a weapon of pure light. This allows it to bypass shield bonuses to armor class and ignore the first two points of any armor bonus to armor class an opponent may have as it leaks through the cracks and seams of their protective gear. This ability lasts for 2 rounds, but can be sustained as a free action taken when it would expire by taking an additional point of essence burn. This effect does not bypass bonuses granted by armor or shields with the mirrored property. When this ability is active the Akasin can spend 1 use of his Stunning Fist ability to grant the weapon the brilliant energy property for one round

Lucent Revivification (Su)

At 10th level the akasin can restore life to the dead by inundating their body in pure, holy light. 1/day the akasin can take 5 points of essence burn to cast raise dead as a spell-like ability with a caster level equal to his level. The akasin must still provide the material component for raise dead or choose to accept 1 temporary negative level; this level automatically goes away after 24 hours, never becomes a permanent negative level, and cannot be overcome in any way except by waiting for the duration to expire.

Scintillant Form (Su)

At 13th level the akasin’s body has begun its transformation into a vessel of pure light. The akasin is now immune to the blinded and dazzled conditions. In addition, his body radiates a constant daylight effect (caster level equal to the akasin’s class level). This effect can be suppressed or resumed as a standard action.

Incandescent Light (Su)

At 16th level, the akasin may make a single attack against an opponent with any weapon he wields as a standard action. When the akasin declares this attack he may take an amount of essence burn up to his class level, or however much essence he has available, whichever is less, and add 5 times that amount of damage to his attack. This damage is dealt as untyped radiant energy and is not subject to damage reduction or energy resistance.

Travel the Paths of Light (Su)

At 19th level the akasin can transport himself instantly by becoming one with the light around him. As a move action, the akasin gains the ability to travel between light sources as if by means of a teleport spell with a caster level equal to his class level. The magical transport must begin and end in an area with at least normal light.

Sineater

Gurus of this philosophy believe that there is a finite amount of sin in the world and use their abilities to draw it out of others. Some sineaters do this out of an inherent desire to bring peace to those they free from sin; others believe that sins contain a dark and volatile power that they can wield to their own ends, blending the wickedness of others with their own inner energy.
Proficiencies: The sineater gains additional proficiency with the bo staff, dan bong, heavy flail, mancatcher, net, sibat, snag net, spiked chain, and tonfa. The sineater also gains the Improved Unarmed Strike feat as a bonus feat and treats his unarmed strike as a philosophy weapon for all abilities

Devour Sin (Su)

At 1st level, whenever the sineater deals nonlethal damage with his gentle touch ability or a weapon granted by this philosophy to a creature with an Intelligence score of 3 or greater, he restores 1 point of essence burn. If damage reduction or hardness reduces the damage dealt to 0, or if the target is immune to nonlethal, the sineater fails to restore any burned essence. In addition, whenever the sineater is affected by an attack that would reduce him below 0 hit points, he may, as an immediate action, take a number of points of essence burn up to his class level to negate an amount of damage from the attack equal to 5 times the amount of essence burn taken. This cannot reduce the damage below 0, and cannot be used to prevent damage dealt as ability damage or drain.

Veil of Sins (Su)

At 4th level the sineater gains increased control over his ability to sustain himself by devouring sin. As a swift action, the sineater can take 1 point of essence burn to gain DR 1/– for 1 round. This damage reduction improves by 1 for every 5 levels the sineater possesses, to a maximum of DR 5/– at 20th level.
At 8th level, the sineater can instead take 2 points of essence burn to gain Fast Healing 2, improving by 1 for every 4 class levels the sineater possesses past 8th (to a maximum of Fast Healing 5 at 20th).
At 12th level the sineater can take 3 points of essence burn to gain regeneration 3, improving by 1 for every 4 levels the sineater possesses past 12th (to a maximum of regeneration 5 at 20th level). This regeneration is suppressed for 1 round if the sineater takes damage from a weapon that shares an alignment component with him (for example, a Lawful Good sineater damaged by a lawful or good weapon would have his regeneration suppressed for 1 round).
These abilities can be sustained as a free action taken when they would expire by taking the listed amount of essence burn again, even if the sineater is unconscious. The sineater can maintain more than one use of this ability by paying the total cost for each type of use; for example, a 16th level sineater could sustain the benefits of both DR/– and Fast Healing by taking 3 points of essence burn. He still needs to spend separate swift actions to activate these abilities.

Purify the Unclean (Su)

At 7th level the sineater gains the ability to punish beings that embody sin or sinful ideas. BBefore making an attack roll with a weapon currently modified by his gentle touch ability against an Aberration, Undead, or an Outsider whose alignment is at least one step different from his own, the sineater can choose to take up to 1 point of essence burn per class level as a free action to deal an additional 5 hit points of damage per point of essence burned. The sineater cannot take more essence burn than he has essence currently available when activating this ability.

Reforge the Soul (Su)

At 10th level, the sineater gains the ability to cast atonement as a spell-like ability useable 1/day. After successfully using this spell-like ability, the sineater gains a pool of temporary hit points equal to the total hit die of the creature targeted by the atonement. These hit points last for 1 hour per level.

Inescapable (Ex)

At 13th level the sineater becomes impossibly difficult to dislodge once he has begun to draw out an enemy’s sins. Whenever he hits an enemy with an unarmed strike, he is treated as having the Grab special attack. For every 2 points of essence invested in his Gentle Touch ability the maximum size category of creatures he can grapple is increased by 1 and the bonus granted by the Grab ability to start or maintain a grapple increases by +2.

Maelstrom of Sin (Su)

At 16th level the sineater can violently absorb a mass of sin from all nearby sources in a whirlwind of tainted energy. As a full round action the sineater can make a single unarmed strike against all enemies within 10 feet. The sineater must have at least 1 point of essence invested in his gentle touch to use this ability.

Wages of Sin (Su)

At 19th level the sineater can draw all sin out of his opponent in a single intense burst. As a full-round action the sineater can make a single unarmed strike attack against a targeted opponent and spend a use of his Stunning Fist ability. If the targeted opponent fails a Will save against this attack (DC of 10 + essence invested in Gentle Touch + the sineater’s Wisdom Modifier) the flow of life energy through his body is torn apart as the sineater absorbs all the sin in his soul, paralyzing the target and restoring 1 point of essence burn per hit die of the target to the sineater. A successful save prevents the target from being paralyzed and the sineater from regaining burned essence, though the target still takes normal damage from the attack. This ability cannot affect the same target more than once every 24 hours.

Vayist

Gurus of this philosophy believe that a person must be free to follow the direction of their own inner motivations. These gurus are often free-spirited creatures who travel wherever the wind takes them and often seek to emulate the wind in their fighting techniques, choosing weapons and techniques that twist and flow like the wind itself.
Proficiencies: bolas, flying blade, kyoketsu shoge, nine-section whip, nunchaku, rope dart, scimitar, starknife, shuriken, and whip

Aether Ties (Su)

By taking 1 point of essence burn as a free action, a vayist can infuse the air himself around with a rarified form of essence and send it flowing across the battlefield towards a particular target. The vayist chooses one target within 60 feet and creates a bond that lasts for a number of rounds equal to the vayist’s Wisdom modifier. As long as this bond is active the targeted enemy takes a –2 penalty to all attack rolls that do not include the vayist as a target. Whenever an affected enemy misses the vayist or makes an attack that does not include him as a target, the vayist recovers 1 point of essence burn. The vayist gains a dodge bonus to his armor class and a competence bonus on reflex saving throws equal to the number of aether ties he currently has in effect against all attacks made by enemies not currently affected by this ability. The vayist can have one aether tie active at a time, plus one additional aether tie for every 5 levels he possesses, but each tie must be activated and paid for separately.

Aether Infusion (Su)

At 4th level the vayist becomes particularly adept at using essence to become one with the air around him, manipulating it to enhance his attacks and defenses and obscure him from his enemies. By taking 1 point of essence Burn as part of a ranged attack, the Vayist can increase the range increment of any ranged weapon he wields by 10 feet, plus an additional 10 feet at 13th and 19th level (to a maximum of an additional 30 feet). This effect lasts for 2 rounds, and the Vayist gains a +2 competence bonus on all attack rolls made with weapons affected by this ability. By taking 2 points of essence burn, the vayist can surround himself with a whirlwind of air that obscures him from view, protecting him as though he were affected by a blur spell for 3 rounds. By taking 4 points of essence burn, the vayist can use mirror image as a spell-like ability with a caster level equal to his class level.

Leaf on the Wind (Ex)

At 7th level the vayist has learned to keep his composure, and his feet, whenever life, or an enemy, knocks him down. By taking 1 point of essence burn, he can stand up from prone as a free action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. He can perform this action even when it’s not his turn. Alternatively, he can use this ability to reduce the damage from any fall as though it were 10 feet less per point of essence in his essence Pool, regardless of whether that essence is assigned to other abilities. Essence currently unavailable due to essence burn is not counted when calculating this total.

Revitalizing Breath (Su)

At 10th level, gurus of this Philosophy can breathe new life and energy into their companions. They gain breath of life as spell-like ability with a caster level equal to his class level useable 1/day. Using this ability causes the vayist to take 5 points of essence burn.

Breath of the East Wind (Su)

At 13th level the vayist’s ability to disperse his essence into the air around himself grants him new and potent abilities. By taking 1 point of essence burn as a swift action, the vayist can use alter winds, centered on himself, as a spell-like ability with a caster level equal to his class level. This effect always moves with the vayist.By taking 4 points of essence burn as a swift action, the Vayist can use air walk on himself as a spell-like ability with a caster level equal to his class level. This ability cannot be used to affect anyone other than the vayist. Finally, the vayist can take 5 points of essence burn as a full round action to use river of wind as a spell-like ability with a caster level equal to his class level; when the vayist uses this ability he can choose to disperse his physical form and become one with a roaring current of air, instantly transporting himself to any square within the abilities area of effect.

Roaring Gale (Su)

At 16th level, the vayist may take 4 points of essence burn as part of a full round action to make one attack against each enemy within the first range increment of a ranged Philosophy weapon he possesses. When the vayist makes an attack with a Philosophy weapon while using this ability, the weapon teleports back to his grasp immediately after the attack is resolved.

Perfect Independence (Su)

At 19th level the vayist benefits from a continuous freedom of movement effect.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Akashic Mysteries. Copyright 2014 Dreamscarred Press; Author: Michael Sayre