[3.5] A different approach... (psionics)

[Prime32]

Among the ancient psions, some were unsatisfied with the effects their mental powers could create. Calling themselves wizards, they devised a way to fragment their minds and attach a portion to each power they released, allowing these enhanced powers (or "spells" as they called them) to create potent and exotic effects without the manifester's direct input. Nowadays, wizard colleges exist across the world, to the point where they have entirely swallowed up traditional psionic methods in some areas.

Wizard

Skills: Knowledge (psionics) 4 ranks, Psicraft 6 ranks
Special: Ability to manifest 2nd-level powers

HD: d4
BAB: Poor
Saves: Fort poor, Ref poor, Will good
Class Skills (2+Int): Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Knowledge (all skills, taken individually), Profession, Psicraft

1    Cantrips, Spellbook
2    Spell Preparation (1st), +1 level of existing manifesting class
3    +1 level of existing manifesting class
4    Spell Preparation (2nd), +1 level of existing manifesting class
5    +1 level of existing manifesting class
6    Spell Preparation (3rd), +1 level of existing manifesting class
7    +1 level of existing manifesting class
8    Spell Preparation (4th), +1 level of existing manifesting class
9    +1 level of existing manifesting class
10   Spell Preparation (5th), +1 level of existing manifesting class
11   +1 level of existing manifesting class
12   Spell Preparation (6th), +1 level of existing manifesting class
13   +1 level of existing manifesting class
14   Spell Preparation (7th), +1 level of existing manifesting class
15   +1 level of existing manifesting class
16   Spell Preparation (8th), +1 level of existing manifesting class
17   +1 level of existing manifesting class
18   Spell Preparation (9th), +1 level of existing manifesting class

Spells: A wizard learns how to cast spells. Spells are similar to powers, but also have "components" (verbal, somatic or material) which must be supplied while casting. All spells have displays unless otherwise stated, which cannot be suppressed. The save DCs for a wizard's spells are Int-based, regardless of his primary manifesting modifier.

Cantrips (Ps): At 1st level, the wizard learns a number of cantrips equal to his primary manifesting ability modifier. Cantrips are minor spells which can be cast at will.

Spellbook: Every wizard has a spellbook in which he inscribes his spells. He must reference the relevant pages while preparing a spell.

Spell Preparation (Ps): At 2nd level, a wizard gains the ability to shape true spells in his mind. Preparing a spell is treated as manifesting a power of equal level, with the normal pp costs and a manifesting time of 1 minute. You may augment this power if you wish, with every +2pp increasing the save DC of the spell by 1. Until the prepared spell is cast (or dissolved as a standard action), the wizard cannot regain the power points used to prepare it.

Applying metapsionics to spells is difficult; such feats must be applied during preparation, and the cost is increased by 2 (metapsionic feats which do not normally have a cost now have a cost of 2). You may use Wild Surge while preparing a spell, but not Overchannel.

A wizard can prepare 1st-level spells at 2nd level, and spells of one level higher for every two class levels.



New Feats

Attain Familiar [Psionic]
Prerequisites: Psicrystal Affinity, wizard level 1st
Benefit: You employ your mind-partitioning techniques to evolve your psicrystal into a more independent entity - a familiar. The stats of your familiar are based on your levels in manifesting classes.

Class level	Natural armor adj.	Int adj.	Special
1st-2nd	+1	+2	Alertness, improved evasion, share powers, empathic link
3rd-4th	+2	+3	Deliver touch powers
5th-6th	+3	+4	Speak with master
7th-8th	+4	+5	Speak with animals of its kind
9th-10th	+5	+6	Telepathic speech
11th-12th	+6	+7	Power resistance
13th-14th	+7	+8	Sight link
15th-16th	+8	+9	Channel power
17th-18th	+9	+10	-
19th-20th	+10	+11	-

Your psicrystal loses all of its old traits and granted powers, except for its HD and personality benefit (which is in addition to the bonus granted by a familiar).


College Wizard [Trait]
You are so devoted to your wizardly studies that your basic skills have atrophied or been ignored
Prerequisites: Wizard level 1st
Benefit: You may prepare spells of one level higher than normal. If you cannot yet prepare spells, you gain the Spell Preparation ability of a 2nd-level wizard.
Drawback: You lose the ability to manifest powers normally, and must devote all available pp to preparing spells.
Special: Unlike most traits, you may select this trait after character creation.

Specialist Wizard [Trait]
You focus on a particular area of magic
Prerequisites: Spell Preparation
Benefit: The pp cost of preparing a spell from your chosen school is reduced by 1 (minimum 1).
Drawback: Choose two other schools. You can no longer prepare spells from those schools, and they are not considered to be on your class spell list. If your specialist school is conjuration you must instead choose three forbidden schools, and if it is evocation you choose only one forbidden school.
Special: You may select this trait twice, choosing two different specialist schools or the same school. You must choose different forbidden schools each time, and cannot forbid your other specialist school.
Special: Unlike most traits, you may select this trait after character creation.

[Prime32]

While wizards were psions who looked within for a method of enhancing their powers, clerics were those who looked beyond. Ancient seers reaching out to the planes made contact with deific entities and formed contracts with them, that in exchange for worship they would grant them a portion of their power whenever they asked with their minds.

Cleric

Skills: Knowledge (religion) 4 ranks, Psicraft 6 ranks
Special: Ability to manifest 2nd-level powers, including at least one clairsentience power
Special: Access to one mantle

HD: d6
BAB: Average
Saves: Fort good, Ref poor, Will good
Class Skills (2+Int): Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Heal, Knowledge (psionics), Knowledge (history), Knowledge (religion), Knowledge (the planes), Profession, Psicraft

1    Domain, Orisons, Turn undead
2    Spell Preparation (1st), +1 level of existing manifesting class
3    +1 level of existing manifesting class
4    Spell Preparation (2nd), +1 level of existing manifesting class
5    +1 level of existing manifesting class
6    Spell Preparation (3rd), +1 level of existing manifesting class
7    +1 level of existing manifesting class
8    Spell Preparation (4th), +1 level of existing manifesting class
9    +1 level of existing manifesting class
10   Spell Preparation (5th), +1 level of existing manifesting class
11   +1 level of existing manifesting class
12   Spell Preparation (6th), +1 level of existing manifesting class
13   +1 level of existing manifesting class
14   Spell Preparation (7th), +1 level of existing manifesting class
15   +1 level of existing manifesting class
16   Spell Preparation (8th), +1 level of existing manifesting class
17   +1 level of existing manifesting class
18   Spell Preparation (9th), +1 level of existing manifesting class

Spells: A cleric learns how to cast spells. Spells are similar to powers, but also have "components" (verbal, somatic or material) which must be supplied while casting. All spells have displays unless otherwise stated, which cannot be suppressed. The save DCs for a cleric's spells are Wis-based, regardless of his primary manifesting modifier.

Domain: At 1st level, a cleric gains a domain, which is similar to a mantle. He gains the granted power of the domain (using his manifester level in place of his cleric level) and adds its spells to his spell list. The pp cost of requesting a domain spell is reduced by 1 (minimum 1).

Orisons (Ps): At 1st level, the cleric learns a number of cantrips equal to his primary manifesting ability modifier. Cantrips are minor spells which can be cast at will.

Turn Undead (Su): A cleric may expend his psionic focus as a standard action in order to turn undead. When using an ability which would require him to expend multiple uses of Turn Undead, he substitutes 2pp for each use after the first (eg. a Devotion feat which requires three uses of Turn Undead to use would require 4pp in addition to his psionic focus). This is subject to ML caps as normal.

Spell Preparation (Ps): At 2nd level, a cleric gains the ability to contact extraplanar entities and borrow the power of divine spells. At a specific time of day, he can expend power points as if manifesting a clairsentience power with a manifesting time of 1 minute. His patron bestows on him a divine spell of a level equal to half the power points expended, rounded up (eg. spending 9pp would grant a 5th-level spell). Until the prepared spell is cast, the cleric cannot regain the power points used to prepare it.

Applying metapsionics to spells is difficult; such feats must be applied to the request itself, and the cost is increased by 2 (metapsionic feats which do not normally have a cost now have a cost of 2). You may use Wild Surge while making a request, but not Overchannel.

A cleric can prepare 1st-level spells at 2nd level, and spells of one level higher for every two class levels.


Devoted Cleric [Trait]
You have sacrificed your innate talents for a closer bond to your patron
Prerequisites: Cleric level 1st
Benefit: You may prepare spells of one level higher than normal. If you cannot yet prepare spells, you gain the Spell Preparation ability of a 2nd-level cleric.
Drawback: You lose the ability to manifest powers normally, and must devote all available pp to preparing spells.
Special: Unlike most traits, you may select this trait after character creation.

[Prime32]

There's a trait to retcon psychic wizards in pretty seamlessly, the only differences being that they're a spell level behind PHB wizards and don't get bonus feats.

EDIT: It was unintentional, but this fits very well with the "remove the extra hp/skills you get at lv1, set skill caps to your level, make lv4 the new starting level" idea. Plenty of depictions of wizard colleges (most famously Harry Potter) have magical potential manifesting in unusual (i.e. non-spell) ways for potential wizards, which is eventually stamped out by training. In other words, psion 3/wizard 1 is the point where your training is complete and you would start adventuring.

Ooo, nice.
Basically using the regimented components to direct and focus the otherwise untamed and inefficient magical energy?
And 'high potential' types simply have more levels of Wilder before they enter Wizard.