Hyperion Template

Rules

Characters can choose to start with a Hyperion origin. This means that they grew up on a planet that’s a part of the Hyperion Federation. This inherited template can be applied to any suitable creature (see the restrictions below) with a Constitution score and a base Intelligence of 3 or more. This template (and determining validity for the template) must be applied after all other inherited templates. Level Adjustment: +0. Hyperion is an unrestricted +0 template for those that qualify, just like the Manikin and Dragonborn templates.

Creatures who take the Hyperion template gain the Hyperion subtype. Constructs which take the Hyperion template also gain the Hypertech subtype.

Hyperion Subtype

The subtype doesn’t do anything on its own, although certain effects refer to the Hyperion subtype.

Character Choice Restrictions

Hyperions have certain genetic traits that prohibit them from accessing certain character options.

Base Class Restrictions

Creatures with the Hyperion subtype are restricted in what base classes they can have.

Hyperions are forbidden from taking any base class that grants spell access. Granting spell-like abilities does not count as granting spell access for these purposes. This also prohibits shadowcasters (even though they eventually convert their spells to spell-like abilities) and magic-based artificers.

It’s recommended (but not required) that Hyperions take psionic base classes (especially if the Hyperion is an NPC) as this is more socially acceptable in Hyperion culture. Many psionic classes are essentially equivalents of a number of more traditional base classes (at least where the general feel of the class is concerned):

Generalist Wizard	~= Erudite (variant Psion; Complete Psionic)
Specialist Wizard	~= Psion (SRD)
Sorcerer	~= Wilder (SRD)
Cleric	~= Psychic Warrior (SRD)
Druid	~= Ardent (Complete Psionic)
Paladin	~= Divine Mind (Complete Psionic plus improved)
Ranger	~= Tracker Lurk (variant Lurk; Complete Psionic plus Web)
Monk	~= Soulknife (SRD plus improved)
Rogue	~= True Thief Lurk (variant Lurk; Complete Psionic plus Web) or Psychic Rogue (Web)
Assassin	~= Lurk (as-is; Complete Psionic)
Artificer	~= Psionic Artificer (Eberron Campaign Setting plus Magic of Eberron)
Spellthief	~= Psithief
Adept	~= Psychic Adept

Prestige Class Restrictions

Creatures with the Hyperion subtype are restricted in what prestige classes they can take. If a prestige class gives access to spells or has “spell” components in its requirements (requiring ranks in spellcraft doesn’t count, but requiring access to spells, spell levels, or certain spells does), that prestige class is forbidden.

Exception: If a prestige class is forbidden solely because of its tenuous connection to magic and the magic component can easily be replaced with a psionic equivalent (ex. Master of the Unseen Hand, Mindspy, etc.), that prestige class is adapted to psionics in all the reasonable ways and is thus not forbidden.

It’s recommended (but not required) that Hyperions (especially NPCs) take psionic prestige classes, so here is a list of psionic prestige classes not included in the SRD:

Anarchic Initiate (Complete Psionic)
Ebon Saint (Complete Psionic)
Ectopic Adept (Complete Psionic)
Flayerspawn Psychic (Complete Psionic)
Illumine Soul (Complete Psionic)
Soulbow (Complete Psionic)
Storm Disciple (Complete Psionic)
Zerth Cenobite (Complete Psionic)
Psionic Assassin (SRD plus Secrets of Sarlona)
Diamond Dragon (Dragon Magic)
Body Leech (Web)
Constructor (Web)
Crystal Master (Web)
Meditant (Web)
Psychic Weapon Master (Web)
Variant Pyrokineticist (cold/sonic/electricity/acid) (SRD plus Web)
Sangehirn (Web)
Subverted Psion (Web)

Race Restrictions

Creatures with the hyperion subtype are restricted in what race they can be. Any corporeal no-RHD (Racial Hit Dice) LA+0 (Level Adjustment) race is allowed, as well as any corporeal creature with both a (non-cohort) level adjustment and the psionic subtype, such as…

Blue (Goblinoid; XPH p190)
Dromite (Ant-like; XPH p6)
Duergar (Dark Dwarves; XPH p8; Racial Class available in CP p144)
Githyanki (Caustic Gith; XPH p10; Racial Class available in CP p146)
Githzerai (Ascetic Gith; XPH p11; Racial Class available in CP p147)
Half-Giant (XPH p12; Racial Class available in CP p148)
Thri-kreen (Mantis-like; XPH p14; Racial Class available in CP p149)
corporeal Phrenic creatures (SRD)

Additionally, any humanoid-shaped living construct with a level adjustment, such a humanoid-shaped soulfused construct animated object or exiled modron , is allowed to have this template (PCs apply changes to ability scores per the Monsters as Races rules).

Creatures that have the psionic subtype but don’t have a (non-cohort) level adjustment can still take this template if they have an intelligence score of at least 3 (the resulting creature just can’t be a PC). A creature with innate racial spellcasting ability (such as a dragon) is not prevented from taking this template so long as it meets all other requirements.

The following races are almost always going to be found with this template when in Hyperion space:

Any core race or manikin
Soulfused construct (LA+1; A machine with a soul; MoI p195)
Changeling (LA+0; Shapeshifter; ECS p12) (has egoist RSLs)
Elan (LA+0; Remade human; XPH p9)
Kalashtar (LA+0; Possessed Human; ECS p16) (has soulknife RSLs)
Maenad (LA+0; Sonic Elf-like; XPH p13)
Shifter (LA+0; Werewolf-like; ECS p18) (has wilder RSLs)
Synad (LA+0; Schizo-like; CP p139)
Warforged (LA+0; Android; ECS p20) (has psionic artificer RSLs)
Warforged Scout (LA+0; Small Android; MMIII p193)
Xeph (LA+0; Cheetah-like; XPH p15)

A Hyperion can be any subrace or have any template(s) they like (within GM discretion).

GM’s Note: Be wary about allowing a character with RHD or LA but no racial class because Effective Character Level (ECL) = RHD + LA + class levels, so as for the sake of fairness all other characters would have to gain GP/XP or class levels to balance out the group.

Variant Features

Creatures with the Hyperion subtype can opt to replace certain features as soon as they first gain the original feature from their race or a relevant class. These variant features are described in the Alternative Class Features section.

Hypertech Bracer

Creatures with the Hyperion subtype gain a magic item in the form of a hypertech bracer at character creation. A hypertech bracer is similar to the “wand sheath” warforged component (it is not a warforged component, but is affixed to the arm in much the same way as a wand sheath). It does not consume a body slot, has no appreciable weight (shunts its own weight and anything inside into an extradimensional space), and it counts as part of the arm for the purposes of regenerating limbs. It cannot be removed except via surgery (or robotic equivalent if a warforged), and is keyed to your identity regardless and so cannot be successfully attached to anyone else afterwards. At character creation they must pick what arm it’s attached to, and non-Hyperion characters cannot gain or use a Hypertech Bracer.

You can insert a wand or dorje into the sheath (a free action), whereupon it merges with your body. The sheath can hold a single wand/dorje. As a full-round-action, you can eject a currently-inserted wand or dorje safely. A character can activate a sheathed wand (assuming the character could activate the wand normally) without having to retrieve it, simply by pointing a finger and thinking about activating it. Thus, the character can activate it in an area of silence or while grappling without difficulty. If you roll a natural 3 on a Use Magic Device (UMD) or Use Psionic Device (UPD) check to use a currently-inserted wand or dorje, the bracer instead jams and automatically ejects the wand or dorje. You must have a hand free and make a DC 20 reflex save otherwise the wand falls in your square.

Hypertech Assist (Su): It grants the wearer an untyped +10 bonus on Use Magic Device checks to use Hypertech devices. For this purpose, UMD is considered trained.
Wand Assist (Su): It grants the wearer an untyped +10 bonus on Use Magic Device checks to activate a wand inserted into it. For this purpose, UMD is considered trained.
Dorje Assist (Su): It grants the wearer an untyped +10 bonus on Use Psionic Device checks to activate a dorje inserted into it. For this purpose, UPD is considered trained.
Cloak (Sp): By using a mental standard action, the wearer of a hypertech bracer can render it invisible and intangible to everyone (as the ethereal jaunt spell) 2/day for 10 hours or revealed (ending the effect) by a mental full-round action. While the cloak is in effect, all activatable functions of the hypertech bracer aside from the mental command to turn off the cloak are disabled.
Correspond (Ps): At-will by using a mental standard action, the wearer of a hypertech bracer can use correspond (as the power) targeting another Hyperion with a hypertech bracer that he has touched at some point. This communication does not cross planar boundaries, and follows all the normal restrictions for communication over extraterrestrial distances. At any time, the recipient can will someone as added to or removed from a communication blacklist. If the recipient’s hypertech bracer is currently disabled (such as by activating its cloak), the recipient does not receive the message and cannot respond. The manifester level is your ECL.
Know Direction and Location (Ps): At-will by using a mental standard action, the wearer of a hypertech bracer can use know direction and location (as the power).

Bonus Skills

All Hyperion characters start with an extra skill point which is spent on one rank in Knowledge (Hypertechnology) representing the fact that they grew up interacting with hypertechnology on a regular basis. This counts against the normal limit of skill ranks per level (Maximum Ranks = HD).

Personal AI

Creatures with the hyperion subtype have a Personal AI, a psionic item familiar gained at character creation. They do not need the Item Familiar feat for this item. Personal AIs are considered constantly wielded, are physically the size of a pea, and are typically embedded at the base of the character’s skull where it’s attached to the creature’s spine.

Characters without the hyperion subtype cannot gain a Personal AI, and creatures with the hyperion subtype can only utilize one Personal AI at a time (they may have multiple Personal AIs in their possession, but only one of them is currently embedded in the character’s central nervous system). There are two types of Personal AI: “neural implant” and “cyberghost”. If this character has the hypertech subtype, the Personal AI is a “cyberghost”. Otherwise, it’s a “neural implant”. See the relevant sections on neural implants and cyberghosts for more information.

Personal AIs cannot invest at all and also cannot use any of the following Item Familiar options:

Armor, Shield, or Weapon Special Ability (it’s none of those things)
Cantrips/Orisons (because a Personal AI is a psionic item familiar)
Psionic Containment (because you can’t invest Power Points)
Spell Use (because you can’t invest Spell Points)

Replacement

To have your Personal AI (that’s currently embedded in you) repaired or changed out for another one, you must first gain a new character level. Then, you must make peaceful contact with a suitable hypertech device (such as a Hyperion shipboard medical bay) and request a new one. If the request is granted (the device’s attitude must be helpful at the very least, in addition to other factors), you must then undergo replacement surgery that takes 24 uninterrupted hours. Interruption results in your current item familiar (if any) being deactivated and the surgery must be restarted again later (treat this event as if you lost the familiar but it wasn’t destroyed). The Personal AI must be changed out with one of the same kind (neural implant or cyberghost). If ever you gain or lose the hypertech subtype, your current Personal AI is disabled and must be changed out for one of the other kind.

At the time of replacement, you may choose to use a personal AI physically in your possession of the same kind or request a brand new one of the same kind. If you choose to use one that’s physically in your possession, its memories, personality, and enhancements remain unchanged. If you choose to get a brand new personal AI, you gain a new item familiar with a different personality (controlled by the GM), and its memories are blank (except for the essentials for operating). You may then choose item familiar enhancements and abilities as if you were retraining them on your previous item familiar. After the process is complete, you are usually physically given your formerly-embedded personal AI for storage.

Personal AI Subtype

All Personal AIs share the following traits.

Gain Master (Ex): With the aid of a suitable hypertech device (such as a Hyperion shipboard medical bay), a Personal AI can be embedded in the central nervous system of a suitable creature that has the hyperion subtype. When a Personal AI gains a master, the process removes from the Personal AI all lethal and nonlethal damage as well as similar detriments, as these “viruses” are removed in the process of gaining a new master. Upon gaining a new master, it retains its personality, memories, and item familiar ability loadout (including enhancements made to it as a magic item) within the limits of its new master’s character level (and regains abilities as the new master gains character levels). If the master has 0 HP, the Personal AI is treated as if it doesn’t have a master and thus is helpless.

Distress Signal (Ex): A Personal AI that doesn’t have a master is always aware of and can speak telepathically with Personal AIs of the same type that do have a master within 100ft and vice versa. Such communication is limited by the effective intelligence scores of each item familiar. Normally treat this intelligence score as 3 for the purposes of this ability, but if at any point in that item familiar’s memory it gained the sapience ability, instead treat its intelligence score as if it still had sapience as well as any instances it ever had of increased sapience.

Black Box (Ex): A Personal AI stores its memories, personality, and enhancements in an indestructible and immortal segment of its body (called a black box). This allows it to be “resurrected” by a suitable hypertech device and gain a new master. It also retains a “reflection” of the last day’s-worth of memories and the rough personality of its master if its master dies. Other creatures interacting with a refection require access to a suitable hypertech device (such as a hyperion ship’s onboard medical bay). It must erase its previous master’s reflection when it gains a new master (although it may be disinclined to do so, the severity of which may range from choosing retain a personal recollection of the reflection in his own memory all the way to refusing a new master period). The nature of a black box means the item familiar is always conscious and never destroyed even at 0 HP (although it can effectively kill itself using the Self-Destruct ability described below).

Photographic Memory (Ex): If a Personal AI’s HP is above 0 and it has a master, the master can as a swift action take a still image of everything currently in his visual perception and store it in his personal AI. To take this picture, the master must succeed on a DC 20 Autohypnosis check and he is considered trained in Autohypnosis for this purpose. The master can then closely examine the photos at any zoom level with perfect clarity (~576 megapixels) or otherwise manage them. A personal AI can only contain 5 such pictures at a time without transferring them through a hypertooth interface.

Self-Destruct (Ex): If a Personal AI does not have a master, it may choose to permanently wipe its own black box (see above), effectively committing suicide. Activating this ability takes 1 minute, can be voluntarily stopped prior to completion, and cannot be reversed once it’s completed. Afterwards, the black box can be used by a suitable hypertech device as raw materials for a Personal AI.

Shielded Immunity (Ex): If a Personal AI’s HP is above 0 and it has a master, a Personal AI gains immunity to all damage and can’t be targeted by any effect or affected by area effects. It can still be affected by effects that specifically affect Personal AIs, but its Black Box ability (see above) prevents it from being truly destroyed.

Grant Access to Hypertooth Interface (Ex): If a Personal AI’s HP is above 0 and it has a master, the master can interact with an object within 50 feet that has a “hypertooth interface” as a mental standard action. Once triggered, this effect remains active indefinitely unless the master dismisses it or moves more than 50 feet away from the object. See the section on hypertooth interfaces for more information.

Grant Bolstered Mind (Ex): If a Personal AI’s HP is above 0 and it has a master, the master gains an enhancement bonus to resist mind-affecting effects equal to +1/3 the master’s ECL.

Example Neural Implant

Neural implant personalities should have a pathos-centric flavoring to them.

CR 0
Fine Construct (Hypertech, Personal AI)
Init (as master); Senses (varies)
Languages (varies)
AC —, touch —, flat-footed —
hp 1;
Fort —, Ref —, Will (varies)
Space 1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Base Atk —; Grp —
Abilities Str —, Dex —, Con —, Int (varies, usually “—”), Wis (varies, usually “—”), Cha (varies, usually “—”)
SQ construct traits, personal AI traits

Grant Access to Neural Interface (Ex): If a neural interface’s HP is above 0 and it has a master, the master of the neural implant can interact with an object within 50 feet that has a “neural interface” as a mental standard action. This effect remains active indefinitely unless the master dismisses it or moves more than 50 feet away from the object. See the section on Neural Interfaces for more information.

Grant Precognition (Sp): If a neural implant’s HP is above 0 and has a master, the master gains omen of peril (CL 5) 3/day as a spell-like ability (75% accuracy) by tapping into the gestalt hypertech unconscious awareness of all Hyperions who have a neural implant.

Example Cyberghost

Cyberghost personalities should have a logos-centric flavoring to them.

Grant Access to Cyberspace (Ex): If a cyberghost’s HP is above 0 and it has a master, the master of the cyberghost can access a cyberspace access port within 50 feet as a standard action. This effect remains active indefinitely unless the master dismisses it (uses the avatar’s “log-off” ability) or moves more than 50 feet away from all relevant cyberspace access ports. See the rules on cyberspace for more information.

Grant Hacking (Sp): If a cyberghost’s HP is above 0 and has a master, the master gains charm hypertech (CL 5) 3/day as a spell-like ability.