Wilder Surge Types

At first level, the wilder chooses one of the following surge types and it may not be changed thereafter. Depending on the kind of emotional surges the wilder embraces, this manifests itself in vastly different ways, connected intimately with how her wild surge is formed. Some of the options for the wild surge ability are presented below.

Artificer’s Surge

Wild Surge and Psychic Enervation: The artificer wilder learns to channel her emotions into psionic items, allowing her to increase the power of items as well as her own powers. The artificer wilder may wild surge while manifesting a power from a power completion or power trigger item and treat the power being manifested as if it was augmented by her wild surge. The wilder must be capable of activating the item normally to apply her wild surge to the item. The item surged must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + the wild surge bonus added) or lose one charge if a charged item, lose an additional daily use if an item restricted by daily uses, or its psionic power is suppressed for 24 hours if it is not restricted by charged or daily uses, and the artificer wilder suffers a 30% chance of psychic enervation. This method of wild surging functions in all other ways identically to a standard wild surge. An artificer wilder overcome by psychic enervation is dazed until the end of her next turn and loses a number of power points equal to her normal manifester level (the increase in manifester level from her wild surge does not increase the number of power points lost).
Surge Bond: You gain one Item Creation feat as a bonus feat. You must still meet the prerequisites of the feat.
Improved Surge Bond: At 5th level, the artificer wilder gain one Item Creation feat as a bonus feat at 5th level and every four levels thereafter (9th, 13th, etc). She must still meet the prerequisites of the feat.

Chaotic Surge

Wild Surge and Psychic Enervation: The chaotic wilder unlocks ways to increase her manifester level beyond the dreams of most wilders, but doing so is even more dangerous. When the chaotic wilder invokes a wild surge, she rolls a d4. If the result is a 1, the chaotic wilder’s power manifests at one manifester level lower than normal. If this would result in a manifester level too low to manifest the power, the wilder is shaken until the start of her next turn and the power fails, although the chaotic wilder does not spend any power points. If the result is a 2 or 3, the chaotic wilder’s manifester level is improved by 1. If the result is a 4, the chaotic wilder’s manifester level is improved by 2. When the chaotic wilder’s wild surge improves (3rd, 7th, 11th, 15th, and 19th levels) or when using perfect surge, treat each bonus the same way. For example, at 7th level, a result of 1 would mean the manifester level is reduced by 3, a result of 2-3 would mean the manifester level is increased by 3, while a result of 4 would mean the manifester level is increased by 6. Because the chaotic wilder has less control over her wild surge than most wilders, she has a 25% chance of triggering psychic enervation. When the chaotic wilder triggers psychic enervation, she is affected based upon her wild surge roll. On a 1, she is dazed until the start of her next turn. On a 2-3, she is dazed until the end of her next turn and loses a number of power points equal to her manifester level. On a 4, she is dazed until the end of her next turn and loses a number of power points equal to twice her manifester level. The increase in manifester level from her wild surge does not increase the number of power points lost.
Surge Bond: The chaotic wilder gains Endowed Mind as a bonus feat.
Improved Surge Bond: A chaotic wilder of 5th level or higher that is targeted by a mind-affecting power can expend her psionic focus to gain a bonus to the Will save equal to 1d3-1 (minimum 0). At 9th level and every four levels thereafter, the wilder gains an additional 1d3-1 (minimum 0) to the Will save.

Efficient Surge

Wild Surge and Psychic enervation: An efficient wilder has learned to control her emotions and use the surge of energy in a more efficient manner, rather than as a huge blast of power. When an efficient wilder invokes a wild surge, she instead reduces the cost of the power manifested by the level of the wild surge (to a minimum cost of 0) instead of increasing her manifester level and adding power points to augment the power. This reduction in cost does not stack with other similar effects, such as that by a torc of power preservation. The power is still treated as having spent the full amount of power points when determining the number of power points the wilder can spend on manifesting it. When an efficient wilder suffers psychic enervation, she loses a number of power points equal to her manifester level and is staggered until the end of her next turn.
Surge Bond: The efficient wilder gains Enervation Fortitude as a bonus feat at 1st level.
Improved Surge Bond: At 5th level, when the efficient wilder expends her psionic focus to manifest a power without having to spend any power points, the chance for enervation is reduced by 5%. In addition, the time until she can expend her psionic focus to manifest a power without having to spend any power points is reduced by 1 minute. Every 5 levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th), the time between uses is reduced by an additional minute and the chance to enervate is reduced by an additional 5%.

Free Surge

Wild Surge and Psychic Enervation: The free wilder rides every emotion, taking them to heights unbelievable by others and finding her power in the moment of each encounter. Regardless of the emotion, embracing them to such a degree can sometimes be draining and cause her to be lost inside the experience. A free wilder overcome by psychic enervation is dazed until the end of her next turn and loses a number of power points equal to her normal manifester level (the increase in manifester level from her wild surge does not increase the number of power points lost).
Surge Bond: The free wilder gains the Psionic Talent* feat as a bonus feat.
Improved Surge Bond: At 5th level, the free wilder gains the Volatile Mind ability.
Volatile Mind (Ex): A free wilder’s temperamental mind is hard to affect with telepathy or enchantment. Beginning at 5th level, the wilder gains a +1 bonus to saving throws against telepathy powers or enchantment spells. Every four levels beyond 5th (9th, 13th, and 17th level), this bonus improves by +1.
Whenever any telepathy power is manifested or any enchantment spell is cast on a wilder of 17th level or higher, the wilder receives a Will save to negate the effect in addition to any save the effect may allow; if the spell or power already allows a Will save to negate, the wilder makes a second one, and would need to fail both to be affected.

Healing Surge

Wild Surge and Psychic enervation: A healing wilder utilizes empathy and compassion to boost her psionic power. When the healing wilder suffers psychic enervation, she is sickened for one round per point of wild surge, and if the power manifested with the wild surge healed another creature, that creature must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 wilder level + wilder’s Charisma modifier) or also be sickened for one round. She also loses power points equal to her normal manifester level (the increase in manifester level from her wild surge does not increase the number of power points lost).
Surge Bond: Any power the healing wilder manifests of the Healing subdiscipline heals any ally within 15 ft. of her for a number of hit points equal to the wild surge. In addition, she adds Natural Healing to her list of powers known. This does not count against her limit of powers known and cannot be changed with effects such as psychic reformation.
Improved Surge Bond: At 5th, 9th, 13th and 17th level the healing wilder gains her choice of either the Expanded Knowledge or Extra Power Known feat, but must choose a power of the Healing subdiscipline.

Leader’s Surge

Wild Surge and Psychic Enervation: For the leader wilder, the rush of emotions is at its highest when amongst allies and friends. From their camaraderie, she draws renewed strength and in combat, their danger drives her emotions to almost paralyzing heights, sometimes spilling over into her aura. A leader wilder overcome by psychic enervation is shaken for a number of rounds equal to the level of wild surge used and loses a number of power points equal to her normal manifester level (the increase in manifester level from her wild surge does not increase the number of power points lost), and each ally inside her aura (see Bond Benefit, below) must make a Will save (DC 10 + ½ wilder level + wilder’s Charisma modifier) or be shaken until the end of their next turn. If the leader wilder suffers psychic enervation again while still suffering from a previous psychic enervation, the penalties do not stack, but the duration resets.
Surge Bond: The leader wilder gains the Surging Aura* feat as a bonus feat.
Improved Surge Bond: A leader wilder’s ability to share her surging power with her allies reaches a new and profound level of understanding and as she surges, so do her allies. Beginning at 5th level, the wilder increases her surging aura radius by 5’ and whenever she gains the benefits of her surging euphoria, all allies within her surging aura radius also gain the benefits of surging euphoria. Every four levels beyond 5th (9th, 13th, and 17th level), the range of her surging aura radius increases by 5’ (to 20’ at 9th level, etc.).

Pain Surge

Wild Surge and Psychic Enervation: The pain wilder draws strength from pain, but can only wild surge if she is experiencing physical pain. The pain wilder must have suffered hit point damage within a number of rounds equal to the number of points in her wild surge. If the wilder is injured while manifesting a power, such as by an attack of opportunity, she may use that damage to qualify to activate the wild surge on the power being manifested, as long as she makes a successful concentration check as normal. Because a pain wilder embraces pain, it acts as a focus for her manifesting ability, not as a distraction. If the pain wilder is injured while manifesting a power, the number of points of damage are halved to determine the DC of the concentration check. If a pain wilder is taking continuous damage, she does not need to make a concentration check for the continuous damage. When a pain wilder suffers psychic enervation, she is sickened until the end of her next turn and loses a number of power points equal to her normal manifester level (the increase in manifester level from her wild surge does not increase the number of power points lost).
Surge Bond: The pain wilder gains the precise harm ability, as follows:
Precise Harm (Ex): The pain wilder can determine exactly how much damage she wishes to inflict on a willing or helpless subject. This ability cannot be used on creatures that are unwilling or not helpless. Whenever they have a minimum to maximum amount of damage to inflict – such as with a weapon – they can choose the amount of damage they deliver within those limits, including foregoing Strength or other bonuses to damage. For example, if a pain wilder with a Strength of 12 and a dagger wishes to inflict damage on a target that is willing or helpless, she could inflict any amount of damage between 1 hit point and 5 hit points. This can make the pain wilder an expert surgeon or an expert torturer. As such, Heal is added as a class skill for pain wilders, and they gain a +4 competence bonus on any use of the skill that involves surgery. Likewise, if a pain wilder makes any use of Intimidate that involves inflicting pain on the target, she also gains a +4 competence bonus on the check. The pain wilder’s ability to choose how much damage is inflicted applies in these circumstances. For example, a pain wilder attempting to remove a barbed sting that will inflict 1d6 damage on withdrawal would gain a +4 advantage to her Heal check to withdraw it, and could choose how much damage to inflict if successful or not.
Improved Surge Bond: At 5th level, the pain wilder gains the Diehard feat as a bonus feat; at 9th level, she also gains the Body Fuel feat as a bonus feat, at 13th level she gains the Fight On feat as a bonus feat and at 17th level she gains the Mind Over Body feat as a bonus feat. The pain wilder gains the benefits of these feats even if she does not meet the prerequisites.

Raging Surge

Wild Surge and Psychic enervation: A raging wilder unleashes pure, raw rage to boost her psionic power. A raging wilder cannot invoke wild surge unless in a rage, but any time a raging wilder manifests a power and uses wild surge, that round does not count toward her number of rounds per day she may rage. When the raging wilder suffers psychic enervation, she loses hit points equal to her normal manifester level (the increase in manifester level from her wild surge does not increase the number of hit points lost).
Surge Bond: You gain the rage class feature, as the barbarian, except as follows: the number of rounds per day you may rage is equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier, +1 per level of wilder you possess. If you have levels of barbarian, you do not stack your total rounds of rage together; instead you may add your Charisma bonus and your wilder level to the total number of rounds of rage available to you through barbarian. In addition, you gain the ability to manifest while in a rage, unlike other manifesters.
Improved Surge Bond: At 5th, 9th, 13th and 17th level the raging wilder gains a rage power as if a barbarian of the same level. If you have levels of barbarian, add your wilder levels to your barbarian level to determine which rage power you can select.

Student’s Surge

Wild Surge and Psychic Enervation: A student wilder has received some formal training in psionics, but still uses raw emotions to empower her abilities. The student wilder uses any emotion much like a free wilder, but with more focus and control. A student wilder overcome by psychic enervation is dazzled for a number of rounds equal to the level of wild surge used and loses a number of power points equal to her normal manifester level (the increase in manifester level from her wild surge does not increase the number of power points lost). If the student wilder suffers psychic enervation again while still suffering from a previous psychic enervation, the penalties stack (-1 to attack rolls and sight-based Perception checks) and the duration resets.
Surge Bond: The student wilder gains the Psicrystal Affinity* feat as a bonus feat.
Improved Surge Bond: A student wilder gains the Expanded Knowledge feat as a bonus feat at 5th level and every four levels thereafter (9th, 13th, etc).

Warping Surge

Wild Surge and Psychic enervation: A warping wilder channels her emotions into an aura of energy that shifts the flow of psionics around her. When the warping wilder suffers psychic enervation, she is sickened for one round per point of wild surge. She also loses power points equal to her normal manifester level (the increase in manifester level from her wild surge does not increase the number of power points lost).
Surge Bond: After a warping wilder has invoked a wild surge, all creatures within a 5 ft. radius are affected by a warping effect. Allies of the warping wilder can choose to treat their manifester level as one higher for all powers manifested while in the warped area. This does not supply any additional power points to augment the power, but does allow the manifester to spend more power points if he so chooses. All enemies of the warping wilder treat their manifester level as one lower for all powers manifested while in the warped area. If this would reduce the manifester level lower than that required to manifest the power, the effect fails and the enemy wastes the action used, but no power points are spent. Spellcasters are affected in a similar fashion. All affected creatures, both allies who choose the manifester level boost and all enemies, suffer a 30% risk of psychic enervation when manifesting powers or casting spells and suffer the same psychic enervation effects as the warping wilder would. This warping effect lasts for one round per point of the wild surge that invoked the warping effect and does not stack with effects such as Overchannel or wild surge.
Improved Surge Bond: At 5th level, the radius of the warping effect increases by 5 ft. and the increase in manifester level for allies and the penalty to manifester level for enemies increases by 1. Every four levels thereafter (9th, 13th, and 17th), the radius extends by an additional 5 ft. and the bonus and penalty improve by 1.

Warrior’s Surge

Wild Surge and Psychic Enervation: A warrior wilder embraces the surge of adrenaline, the rush of combat and melee and thus her connection to her body is far more intense. When she rides the wave of her combat-driven emotions, rage and fear foremost, the strain can sometimes be too high for her body to bear. A warrior wilder overcome by psychic enervation is staggered until the end of her next turn and loses a number of hit points equal to her normal manifester level (the increase in manifester level from her wild surge does not increase the number of hit points lost). The warrior wilder may expend her psionic focus as a free action when she would suffer psychic enervation to convert this damage into power point loss, although she is still staggered as normal.
Surge Bond: The warrior wilder gains the Toughness feat as a bonus feat.
Improved Surge Bond: At 5th level, the warrior wilder gains the Hardened Body ability.
Hardened Body (Ex): A warrior wilder’s deep and intense connection to her body means that when her mind surges with power, her body grows more powerful. Beginning at 5th level, the wilder gains 5 temporary hit points whenever they gain the benefits of surging euphoria. These temporary hit points last for the duration of the warrior wilder’s surging euphoria. Every four levels beyond 5th (9th, 13th, and 17th level), these temporary hit points increase by 5 (to 10 at 9th level, etc.).

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Psionics Unleashed. Copyright 2010, Dreamscarred Press; Authors: Jeremy Smith and Andreas Rönnqvist.