Yogi (Class)

There is no rain, Yogi Sulubut Jung instructed his students, though the monsoon bore down with great force. There is no heat. There is only you." Yogi Jungs students stood against the elements us long as they could, but all soon sought shelter from the storm. Yet in it all sat the Yogi, quietly hum- ming under his breath. His eldest student craned against the wind to hear the Yogis words. There is no rain, the old man repeated, and though the student felt the pounding from the sky, he was forced to agree.
Description: Yogis are masters of the karmic discipline of yoga, a demanding physical and psychic regimen. Yoga is an ascetic focus for those striving for perfection of the inner self. Though members of nearly any class and social level can study yoga, only Yogis can truly harness their inner strength. Yogis are known to be able to contort their bodies into impossible positions, walk on hot coals, sleep on beds of nails, even transport themselves to other planes and change shape. In theory at least, the will is the only limit to power.
Yogis must be ascetic (Legends & Lore, p. 125), abandoning pursuit of all other goals. Pleasures of the flesh-treasure, sex, wine, even soaps and scents-must be eschewed. They use psionic arts, not mage spells as do other ascetics, but the goal is the same: at 20th level, the Yogi will achieve oneness with all and must be retired from play. This concentration does not mean complete disavowal of society; a Yogi can participate in associations with those of other classes and social levels and even go on adventures so long as meditation is not ignored. Yogis even can kill if necessary, though they are not allowed to take pleasure from combat.
Class role: Yogis are viewed as outside of and superior to the conventional class and social system. Meat, marriage, holding property, and political power-all are forbidden to the Yogi. Yogis have only one responsibility: to achieve oneness. Some teach that goal, though they can- not have reached it if still mortal.
Minimum requirements: Dexterity of 15. All yogis must be lawful, and by 5th level all must become lawful neutral. Yogis suffer no penalties for alignment shifts toward lawful neutral.
Preferred disciplines: The Yogi’s primary discipline must be psychometabolism. Thereafter he may choose any discipline.
Recommended devotions: Adrenalin control, all-round vision, astral projection, biofeedback, body control, body equilibrium, cell adjustment, dimension walk, enhanced strength, heightened senses, immovability, inertial barrier, mind over body, spirit sense, suspend animation, [all] telepathic defense modes.
Recommended sciences: Aura sight, clairvoyance, complete healing, energy containment, metamorphosis, split personality.
Weapon proficiencies: Yogis may learn only unarmed combat.
Nonweapon proficiencies: Bonus:Rejuvenation*, meditative focus*. Re- quired: Religion. 
Recommended: Agriculture, alertness*, blind-fighting, cooking, direction sense, endurance, explosive energy (see below), harness subconscious*, healing, hypnosis*, jumping, observation*, survival, tightrope walking, tumbling, weather sense. Forbidden: All craft-, technology-, and magic-related proficiencies, plus begging*, disguise, gaming and intimidation*. (Proficiencies marked with an asterisk are from The Complete Psionicists Handbook and The Complete Thiefs Handbook.)
Equipment: None. The Yogi must be free of all possessions beyond food, simple clothes and implements, and humble shelter. He may never wear armor or carry weapons. The only magic items a yogi may use are those dealing with achieving greater personal understanding or physical perfection; a tome of understanding   would be acceptable, but not gauntlets of ogre power.
Special benefits: The Yogi is capable of stretching his body in amazing ways. He can fit through passages as thin as 6” wide, and receives double Dexterity bonuses on saving throws and Armor Class. The Yogi always functions as if he is under a free action spell.
Like all ascetics, at each level a Yogi gains a point of Wisdom, Constitution, or Charisma. The Yogi may not exceed 19, in these abilities. Unlike other ascetics, yogis do not lose Strength.
Special hindrances: Yogis can use their powers only on themselves. The Yogi is unable to gain the contact devo- tion and cannot use any powers on another person. No telepathic attack modes or target-affecting devotions or sciences may ever be learned. The Yogi is allowed to use clairsentient powers such as Aura Sight and Clairvoyance to see others psychically, but not such powers as ESP. Yogis cannot teach such powers to their students.
If a Yogi violates his rules about for- going pleasures of the flesh, he must meditate for a week or lose his psionic powers.
Wealth options: Poverty is mandatory. The Yogi may never accept monetary treasure of any kind.