Not all individuals see the abilities of society minds as beneficial. Be it due to a malicious individual, fear of the unknown, or misconceptions, there are those who seek to disrupt and even destroy worldthought networks, using the connection to lash out against its originator or its members.
Becoming an Isolated Mind:
For some psionic individuals – particularly those who are brought into a network involuntarily – the feeling of another mind touching their own is a horrible invasion. These individuals sometimes become isolated minds, learning new abilities that allow them to lash out against such contact, destroying and even perverting those bonds. A sort of anti-society mind, isolated minds hate all forms of psychic contact in general, and worldthought networks in particular.
Entry Requrements:
To qualify to become an isolated mind, a character must fulfill the following criteria.
Skills: Knowledge (psionics) 8 ranks, Psicraft 4 ranks.
Feats: Detect Network, Power by Proxy.
Psionics: Power point reserve.
Special: Must have failed a saving throw against the soulbinding gaze power.
GAME RULE INFORMATION
Hit Die: d6
Class Skills:
The isolated mind’s class skills are Concentration, Craft (any), Diplomacy, Gather Information, Intimidate, Knowledge (psionics), Psicraft, and Sense Motive. Skill Points per Level: (4 + INT)
Class Features:
The isolated mind’s goal is to hinder or halt the use of worldthought networks. All of the following are class features of the isolated mind.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Isolated minds gain no additional weapon or armor proficiencies.
Manifesting: At every level indicated, the character gains additional power points per day and access to new powers as if he had also gained a level in whatever manifesting 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 (bonus feats, metapsionic or item creation feats, and so on). This essentially means that he adds the level of isolated mind to the level of whatever manifesting class the character has, and then determines power points per day, powers known, and manifester level accordingly. If a character had more than one manifesting class before he became an isolated mind, he must decide to which class he adds the new level of isolated mind for the purpose of determining power points per day, powers known, and manifester level.
Break Connection (Su): Isolated minds are able to sever psychic links between individuals. As a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, an isolated mind may attempt to end all active psychic connections on a single individual within line of sight. The individual gets a Will save (DC 11 + the isolated mind’s class level + the isolated mind’s Wisdom modifier) to negate this effect. On a failed save, all spells, powers, and effects that temporarily
confer telepathic or empathic communication are immediately dispelled. Items that grant such effects become quiescent
for 1d4 rounds. Permanent connections (such as a wizard’s connection to his familiar), and innate abilities (such as having telepathy as a supernatural ability) are likewise suppressed for 1d4 rounds. Characters who are members of a worldthought network are immediately ejected from the network on a failed save; if a society mind fails their save against this effect, their worldthought network collapses. At 3rd level, the isolated mind may choose to use this ability in a 30 ft. burst.
Isolated Thoughts (Ex): An isolated mind knows how to better protect their thoughts against intrusive effects than most people. They gain a +3 bonus on saves against mind-affecting effects.
Force Entry (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, isolated minds are able to join a worldthought network uninvited. Anytime the isolated mind uses the Detect Network feat, he may spend an extra full-round action to attempt to forcibly join the worldthought network detected. The controller of that worldthought network may attempt a Will save (DC 12 + the isolated mind’s class level + the isolated mind’s Wisdom modifier) to negate this effect. An isolated mind who gains access to a network in this manner does not count against the total number of people the network can have.
Destabilize Network (Su): At 2nd level, an isolated mind is able to remotely hinder a worldthought network that he has joined. While the isolated mind is part of a worldthought network, the network’s creator must make an opposed manifester level check every time he attempts to use the spirit of many class feature. Further, the isolated mind may remotely use break connection against the worldthought network’s creator twice per day, regardless of distance or line of effect.
Hijack Network (Su): Once an isolated mind has achieved 3rd level, he has learned a degree of command over worldthought networks, allowing a limited form of control over them. When using break connection against a society mind, the isolated mind may take over a worldthought network if the society mind is cut off, rather than let the network collapse. If the isolated mind takes control of the network, he is treated as if he had the worldthought network class feature of the original controller, granting him all such abilities, as well as the telepathy, spirit of many class, and network sense class features. The original creator of the worldthought network is immediately expelled from it (as per the break connection ability), but may attempt to retake control of the network as a standard action each round if the isolated mind is within line of sight; doing so allows the network’s creator to make a new Will save at the same DC, with a success meaning he re-establishes control. He may instead attempt to form a new worldthought network, but all of the remaining members of the hijacked worldthought network count against the total amount of members he may have.
Insidious Powers by Proxy (Su): If an isolated mind of 3rd level has successfully hijacked a worldthought network, he is able to use psionic powers with the Power by Proxy metapsionic feat against all other members of that worldthought network. If he has Improved Power by Proxy or Web of Influence, they also work in this manner.
