Soulknight (Soulknife variant) PEACH [Archive] - Wizards Community

Soulknight (Soulknife variant) PEACH [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
The_One_Who_Walks
02-20-07, 06:16 PM ok, first let me state that I love Soulknives. But they've always struck me as more a blade bravo than a sword-and-sheild warrior. which suits some concepts very well, and others not at all. So by changing the basics (BAB, saves, proficencies, ect.) a bit, and altering six levels of class features, I present the Soulknight, a slightly more robust, less sneaky and/or nimble version of the class. Let me know what you think of it. Soem part of me thinks it's a little overpowered, but I'm just not sure, and don't know what I would change to fix it, if it is... but anyway, here it is:

Soulknight
Alignment: Any
Hit Dice: d10

Class skills: Autohypnosis (Wis), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Psionics) (Int), Profession (Wis)
Skill points: 2+Int modifier (x4 at 1st level)
BAB: as fighter (full)
Saves: Good Fortitude and Will

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Soulknights are proficient with all simple weapons, plus their own mindblade. They are proficient with light, medieum, and heavey armor, and sheilds (but not tower sheilds)

Special: All class features as per the Soulknife class, exept where noted below

1st level: Mindblade: The mindblade functions in all ways as though it were a long sword (not a short sword) of the correct size for the weilder)

2nd level: NO Throw Mindblade

5th level: Shape Mindblade: Instead of a shortsword, longsword, bastard sword, or pair of shortswords, the Soulknight can shape his mindblade into a longsword, bastard sword, or greatsword.

6th level: NO Speed of Thought, gain Sheild of Thought* as a bonus feat

9th level: NO Bladewind, gain Blade Reach: Soulknight of atleast 9th level can casue his mindblade to lengthen momentarily as part of an attack, allowing him to reach opponents further away than normal. by expending his psionic focus, he adds +5 feet to the reach of his mindblade for a number of rounds eaqual to half his class level (round down). Due to the nature of ths ability, the Soulknight does not apear to have a reach beyond his normal untill this ability is used.

17th level: NO Multiple Throw, Gain Unseen Inertia (name pending a better sugjestion): While benefiting from your Pyschic Reach class feature you can have the extension lash out at the last minute allowing the strike to hit an unexpecting opponent, when you do so you strike the creature as if they were flat-footed (Any modifiers that would normally apply to an attack against a flatfooted oponent, such as sneak attack damage, apply normally to this attack), and deals extra damage eaqual to your CON modifier (minimum +1)

*New Feat (adapted from Races of Eberron):
Sheild of Thought
Prerequisites: ability to generate a mindblade, Shape Mindblade class feature.
Benefit: as a move action, you can create a semi-solid sheild composed of psychic energy distilled from your mind. Functionally, this is identical to a light sheild of a size apropriate to you (+1 sheild bonus to AC, -1 Armor check Penalty) with a hardness of 10 and 10 hit points. Like a mindblade, it disipates as soon as it levases your hand. You can weild both a mindblade and a sheild of thought simultaniously, though you must manifest each as a seperate action.
If you have the Mindblade Enhancement class feature, your sheild of thought has an enhancement bonus eaqual to your normal mindblade enhancements bonus divided by 2 (round down, minimum +0). If the shield of thought gains an enhancement bonus, the armor check penalty is reduced to +0.
You are always considered proficent with your own sheild of thought.

so there it is, please let me know what you think.
Magrus
02-20-07, 06:24 PM I don't think it seems terribly unbalanced, but I'm nothing more than mediocre at balancing things I have to admit. The only thing is the reach ability that bugs me. I would make it so you have to lose your focus when using it. No limit on uses, but that would make it so you cannot use it every round, and have to spend an action to regain your focus before using it again and all.
Nightshade
02-20-07, 06:37 PM It is certainly balanced but it does not provide anything that a Soulknife doesn't either already get or could possibly get with the right race and prestige class. The Kalashtar Atavist prestige class can provide the Mindblade 5 foot reach and any old Soulknife can get Shield of Thought as a feat. Shape Mindblade comes at 5th and a regular Soulknife need not sacrifice the throw Mindblade.

So, so, I'd say.
WinterPsionic
02-20-07, 06:41 PM First let me start by saying prefer the sneak version as it's more Assassin based(can never be disarmed and proving who done it isn't easy either).

I like your idea though, I feel it needs some work as it seems a little short on flavor(it's a cookie cutter psionic fighter....)

As for Magrus's post, I agree and disagree, perhaps something like:
Pyschic Reach
Benefit: By expending your psionic focus you enable your blade to strike creatures 5ft further away then you normally can, you acheieve this by endowing your blade with a psionic extension for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your class level + your Con modifier.
Normal

Then for a later class ability:
Unseen Inertia(Needs a better name)
Benefit:While benefiting from your Pyschic Reach class feature you can have the extension lash out at the last minute allowing the strike to hit an unexpecting opponent, when you do so you strike the creature as if they were flat-footed(additional damage or modifiers that could be applied because of this are allowed). This ability also grants you additional untyped damage equal to your Con mod and threatening a crit while using this ability is automtically verifed. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1/3 your character level + your Con mod.
Normal: While not exactly visible the target is aware of your weapon's extension.

Just my :twocents: use them as you wish
The_One_Who_Walks
02-20-07, 06:47 PM It is certainly balanced but it does not provide anything that a Soulknife doesn't either already get or could possibly get with the right race and prestige class. The Kalashtar Atavist prestige class can provide the Mindblade 5 foot reach and any old Soulknife can get Shield of Thought as a feat. Shape Mindblade comes at 5th and a regular Soulknife need not sacrifice the throw Mindblade.

So, so, I'd say.

The Atavist, as you mentioned, is a Kalashtar class, so any random soulknife can't take levels in it, thought the Atavist was actually where I got the reach idea. My primary intention with the class was to have the armor proficencies and BAB progression improved without needing to multiclass, and thus sacrifice advancement of the mindblade itself. The rest of the changes (sheld of thought instead of speed of thought, Reach instead of Bladestorm, lack of the ability to Throw) were done as a way to make the class feel right, or replace somehting that just doesn't make as much sense (mechanically) with the new concept in mind. Speed of thought is useless to someone who runs around in heavy armor, where as sheild of thought is not, and also fits the feel of the class better, I think. The only reason i removed Throw Mindblade was, as I mentioned, for fear of it being overpowered. Perhaps I mgiht add that back in... I dunno, it merits thought...

I also might require them to expend the psionic focus to use the reach... hvae them expendid it, get the +5 ft for all attacks that round, then have it end, or some such...
The_One_Who_Walks
02-20-07, 07:06 PM As for Magrus's post, I agree and disagree, perhaps something like:
Pyschic Reach
Benefit: By expending your psionic focus you enable your blade to strike creatures 5ft further away then you normally can, you acheieve this by endowing your blade with a psionic extension for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your class level + your Con modifier.
Normal

Then for a later class ability:
Unseen Inertia(Needs a better name)
Benefit:While benefiting from your Pyschic Reach class feature you can have the extension lash out at the last minute allowing the strike to hit an unexpecting opponent, when you do so you strike the creature as if they were flat-footed(additional damage or modifiers that could be applied because of this are allowed). This ability also grants you additional untyped damage equal to your Con mod and threatening a crit while using this ability is automtically verifed. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1/3 your character level + your Con mod.
Normal: While not exactly visible the target is aware of your weapon's extension.

Just my :twocents: use them as you wish

hmm......... interesting...... I'm gonna go make a couple changes in the original post, I think, to reflect some thigns here and above......
The_One_Who_Walks
03-04-07, 12:48 PM :bump:

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
The_One_Who_Walks 02-20-07, 06:16 PM	ok, first let me state that I love Soulknives. But they've always struck me as more a blade bravo than a sword-and-sheild warrior. which suits some concepts very well, and others not at all. So by changing the basics (BAB, saves, proficencies, ect.) a bit, and altering six levels of class features, I present the Soulknight, a slightly more robust, less sneaky and/or nimble version of the class. Let me know what you think of it. Soem part of me thinks it's a little overpowered, but I'm just not sure, and don't know what I would change to fix it, if it is... but anyway, here it is: Soulknight Alignment: Any Hit Dice: d10 Class skills: Autohypnosis (Wis), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Psionics) (Int), Profession (Wis) Skill points: 2+Int modifier (x4 at 1st level) BAB: as fighter (full) Saves: Good Fortitude and Will Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Soulknights are proficient with all simple weapons, plus their own mindblade. They are proficient with light, medieum, and heavey armor, and sheilds (but not tower sheilds) Special: All class features as per the Soulknife class, exept where noted below 1st level: Mindblade: The mindblade functions in all ways as though it were a long sword (not a short sword) of the correct size for the weilder) 2nd level: NO Throw Mindblade 5th level: Shape Mindblade: Instead of a shortsword, longsword, bastard sword, or pair of shortswords, the Soulknight can shape his mindblade into a longsword, bastard sword, or greatsword. 6th level: NO Speed of Thought, gain Sheild of Thought* as a bonus feat 9th level: NO Bladewind, gain Blade Reach: Soulknight of atleast 9th level can casue his mindblade to lengthen momentarily as part of an attack, allowing him to reach opponents further away than normal. by expending his psionic focus, he adds +5 feet to the reach of his mindblade for a number of rounds eaqual to half his class level (round down). Due to the nature of ths ability, the Soulknight does not apear to have a reach beyond his normal untill this ability is used. 17th level: NO Multiple Throw, Gain Unseen Inertia (name pending a better sugjestion): While benefiting from your Pyschic Reach class feature you can have the extension lash out at the last minute allowing the strike to hit an unexpecting opponent, when you do so you strike the creature as if they were flat-footed (Any modifiers that would normally apply to an attack against a flatfooted oponent, such as sneak attack damage, apply normally to this attack), and deals extra damage eaqual to your CON modifier (minimum +1) *New Feat (adapted from Races of Eberron): Sheild of Thought Prerequisites: ability to generate a mindblade, Shape Mindblade class feature. Benefit: as a move action, you can create a semi-solid sheild composed of psychic energy distilled from your mind. Functionally, this is identical to a light sheild of a size apropriate to you (+1 sheild bonus to AC, -1 Armor check Penalty) with a hardness of 10 and 10 hit points. Like a mindblade, it disipates as soon as it levases your hand. You can weild both a mindblade and a sheild of thought simultaniously, though you must manifest each as a seperate action. If you have the Mindblade Enhancement class feature, your sheild of thought has an enhancement bonus eaqual to your normal mindblade enhancements bonus divided by 2 (round down, minimum +0). If the shield of thought gains an enhancement bonus, the armor check penalty is reduced to +0. You are always considered proficent with your own sheild of thought. so there it is, please let me know what you think.
Magrus 02-20-07, 06:24 PM	I don't think it seems terribly unbalanced, but I'm nothing more than mediocre at balancing things I have to admit. The only thing is the reach ability that bugs me. I would make it so you have to lose your focus when using it. No limit on uses, but that would make it so you cannot use it every round, and have to spend an action to regain your focus before using it again and all.
Nightshade 02-20-07, 06:37 PM	It is certainly balanced but it does not provide anything that a Soulknife doesn't either already get or could possibly get with the right race and prestige class. The Kalashtar Atavist prestige class can provide the Mindblade 5 foot reach and any old Soulknife can get Shield of Thought as a feat. Shape Mindblade comes at 5th and a regular Soulknife need not sacrifice the throw Mindblade. So, so, I'd say.
WinterPsionic 02-20-07, 06:41 PM	First let me start by saying prefer the sneak version as it's more Assassin based(can never be disarmed and proving who done it isn't easy either). I like your idea though, I feel it needs some work as it seems a little short on flavor(it's a cookie cutter psionic fighter....) As for Magrus's post, I agree and disagree, perhaps something like: Pyschic Reach Benefit: By expending your psionic focus you enable your blade to strike creatures 5ft further away then you normally can, you acheieve this by endowing your blade with a psionic extension for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your class level + your Con modifier. Normal Then for a later class ability: Unseen Inertia(Needs a better name) Benefit:While benefiting from your Pyschic Reach class feature you can have the extension lash out at the last minute allowing the strike to hit an unexpecting opponent, when you do so you strike the creature as if they were flat-footed(additional damage or modifiers that could be applied because of this are allowed). This ability also grants you additional untyped damage equal to your Con mod and threatening a crit while using this ability is automtically verifed. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1/3 your character level + your Con mod. Normal: While not exactly visible the target is aware of your weapon's extension. Just my :twocents: use them as you wish
The_One_Who_Walks 02-20-07, 06:47 PM	It is certainly balanced but it does not provide anything that a Soulknife doesn't either already get or could possibly get with the right race and prestige class. The Kalashtar Atavist prestige class can provide the Mindblade 5 foot reach and any old Soulknife can get Shield of Thought as a feat. Shape Mindblade comes at 5th and a regular Soulknife need not sacrifice the throw Mindblade. So, so, I'd say. The Atavist, as you mentioned, is a Kalashtar class, so any random soulknife can't take levels in it, thought the Atavist was actually where I got the reach idea. My primary intention with the class was to have the armor proficencies and BAB progression improved without needing to multiclass, and thus sacrifice advancement of the mindblade itself. The rest of the changes (sheld of thought instead of speed of thought, Reach instead of Bladestorm, lack of the ability to Throw) were done as a way to make the class feel right, or replace somehting that just doesn't make as much sense (mechanically) with the new concept in mind. Speed of thought is useless to someone who runs around in heavy armor, where as sheild of thought is not, and also fits the feel of the class better, I think. The only reason i removed Throw Mindblade was, as I mentioned, for fear of it being overpowered. Perhaps I mgiht add that back in... I dunno, it merits thought... I also might require them to expend the psionic focus to use the reach... hvae them expendid it, get the +5 ft for all attacks that round, then have it end, or some such...
The_One_Who_Walks 02-20-07, 07:06 PM	As for Magrus's post, I agree and disagree, perhaps something like: Pyschic Reach Benefit: By expending your psionic focus you enable your blade to strike creatures 5ft further away then you normally can, you acheieve this by endowing your blade with a psionic extension for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your class level + your Con modifier. Normal Then for a later class ability: Unseen Inertia(Needs a better name) Benefit:While benefiting from your Pyschic Reach class feature you can have the extension lash out at the last minute allowing the strike to hit an unexpecting opponent, when you do so you strike the creature as if they were flat-footed(additional damage or modifiers that could be applied because of this are allowed). This ability also grants you additional untyped damage equal to your Con mod and threatening a crit while using this ability is automtically verifed. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1/3 your character level + your Con mod. Normal: While not exactly visible the target is aware of your weapon's extension. Just my :twocents: use them as you wish hmm......... interesting...... I'm gonna go make a couple changes in the original post, I think, to reflect some thigns here and above......
The_One_Who_Walks 03-04-07, 12:48 PM	:bump: