Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Cala, Legend Reborn 05-02-07, 06:35 AM	Okay, so here's my crack at raising the soulknife's power levels. And no, don't ask Vegeta about it. (If you don't know what that means, look up "over 9000" on YouTube.) As opposed to rewriting the entire class, I've decided to go for the customisation route, allowing a player to mix-and-match a few different options to create a soulknife character that's unique, functional, and hopefully fun. Balanced would be a nice bonus, for the sake of my designer's ego. While all of the following was created with the SRD soulknife in mind, almost everything is compatible with BlaineTog's soulknife (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=310984), which I personally consider a gold standard in fixes. Heck, I even play one. There will be added notes where some options will differ when modifying the SRD soulknife and BlaineTog's (hereafter abbreviated as BT; my apologies). On a final note, I'd like to thank you in advance for taking the time to read and/or comment.Character Roles These additional features represent different degrees of awakened potential within a soulknife character, and defines their subsequent role in an adventuring party. Unless specified, they can be selected at any soulknife level provided that the prerequisites are met, by forfeiting the next feat that you would naturally gain by level progression. Essentially, they can be gained as though they were feats, with a 'deferred payment' option. Only one add-on can be selected per level, but you can forfeit more than one feat in advance. Example One: A 1st-level human soulknife selects Martial Training as an additional character option. He then would not gain his normal feat for being a 1st-level character, though he still gains his human bonus feat and the bonus fighter/mind blade feat from Martial Training. Example Two: A 1st-level human swordsage decides to multiclass into soulknife at 2nd-level and selects Martial Training as an additional character option, gaining his bonus fighter/mind blade feat for selecting it. He would then not gain his normal feat when he becomes a 3rd-level character. Notes: "Character roles" may be somewhat of a misnomer, but don't hang me over that. These add-ons go for a semi-gestalt sort of feel, which I'm sure will evoke strange knee-jerk reactions ("He said gestalt! Burn the heretic!") in many people, but I thought it was fairly workable. The funny system is because I'd originally designed these as feats. Psionic feats even, until I came across the (seemingly overlooked) rule that psionic feats grant supernatural abilities, which antimagic or null psionics shut down. I tried adding extra clauses to work around that, but it just didn't sound right. In the end, the idea of pseudo-feats that you could put on "layby" felt like an interesting/wacky way to do things. And in defense of my mechanics, if you follow just one path, it'll only cost you that one feat at level one (effectively zero for Martial Training).Martial Training Prerequisites: Str 13. Benefit: Your base attack progression is now +1 per soulknife level, and your Fortitude and Will save progressions are now that of a fighter's. You also gain proficiency with medium and heavy armor, but lose Hide, Move Silently, and Tumble from your class skill list. Your soulknife levels are treated as fighter levels for the purposes of meeting prerequisites of fighter-only feats (such as Weapon Specialization). In addition, when you select this ability, you gain a bonus feat for which you meet the requirements (calculating base attack bonus and base saves from your newly-adjusted values). This bonus feat must be selected from the fighter bonus feat list, or have the mind blade class feature as a prerequisite. Special: You may only select this option when taking the first level of soulknife. A BT soulknife also enjoys a hit die per level of d10 once more.Martial Expert Prerequisites: Martial Training, shape mind blade class feature. Benefit: You gain proficiency in all martial weapons, and the ability to shape your mind blade as a move action, into any melee weapon you are proficient in. If you dual-wield your mind blade, you can shape them into any combination of one-handed or light weapons appropriate for your size. You also no longer suffer the enhancement penalty for splitting your mind blade into two. Special: A soulknife may select this option instead of Speed of Thought at 6th level. A BT soulknife may select this option instead of the bonus psionic feat at 6th level.Attuned Mind Prerequisites: Mind blade +2, mind blade enhancement class feature. Benefit: Whenever you could reassign the abilities on your mind blade, you may also attune it to a type of special material (of which you must possess a sample) to emulate for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. In addition, once every 24 hours, you can reassign the abilities on your mind blade by spending only 10 minutes in concentration instead of 8 hours. Special: A soulknife with Martial Training and Martial Expert gains this option for free at 11th level. Street Savvy Prerequisites: Dex 13. Benefit: You gain 16 additional skill points this level, and 4 additional skill points whenever you gain a soulknife level. You also gain the class skills of a rogue and the trapfinding ability, but your hit die per level is reduced to a d8. You may treat your psychic strike damage dice as equivalent sneak attack damage dice for the purposes of meeting prerequisites for feats, prestige classes, and special abilities. Special: You may only select this option when taking the first level of soulknife. For those who need their math simplified, this is the same as saying you gain 8+Int skill points per level. A BT soulknife instead gains only 8 additional skill points at 1st level, and 2 additional skill points for every soulknife level. This is because the class already gets 6+Int skill points, and the only class I've seen that gets an insane 10+Int is the changeling's racial substitution rogue.Combat Savvy Prerequisites: Street Savvy, psychic strike +1d8. Benefit: As long as you are psionically focused, you may designate any adjacent square as the square from which flanking against an ally is determined (including the square where you stand, as normal). You can designate the square at any time during your turn, and it remains your effective square for flanking until you are no longer adjacent to it, or you choose a different square, or lose psionic focus. You can even choose a square that is impassable or occupied. In addition, as long as your mind blade holds a psychic strike, you gain a bonus to attack and damage rolls equal to the held damage dice (but not ability damage from knife to the soul) when flanking an opponent. If you dual-wield your mind blade, this bonus only applies to a mind blade that holds a psychic strike. A BT soulknife may select this option instead of the bonus psionic feat at 6th level.Disrupting Strike Prerequisites: Psychic strike +2d8, Knowledge (psionics) 12 ranks. Benefits: As long as you are psionically focused, you may imbue your mind blade with a psychic strike that deals d6s of damage instead of d8s, even to non-living, mindless targets, and creatures that are immune to mind-affecting effects. Special: A soulknife with Street Savvy and Combat Savvy gains this option for free at 11th level. Manifesting Talent Prerequisites: Int 13 or Wis 13 or Cha 13. Benefit: Choose a psionic manifesting class. Your soulknife class levels stack with levels of the chosen class for determining manifester level. If you do not have levels in the chosen class yet, your manifester level is equal to your soulknife level, and you gain bonus power points per day for having a high key ability score. You also gain the knowledge of two 1st-level powers chosen from any list and add Use Psionic Device to your class skill list, but your Reflex save progression is now that of your chosen manifesting class. In addition, you may store power points in your mind blade as if it were a cognizance crystal. The number of points a mind blade can store is equal to quadruple its enhancement bonus minus three. If you dual-wield your mind blade, each blade can store power points individually. The rules for using stored power points (see Expanded Psionics Handbook, page 64) still apply. Special: You may only select this option when taking the first level of soulknife. I'm fairly certain I'll be hearing about this one. It was the one customisation tree that I was the most iffy about as I was making it. But hey, it makes for interesting/silly multiclassing. For instance, if you pick mindlink with a Hidden Talent (see Expanded Psionics Handbook, page 67) and take the Inquisitor feat at 3rd, you can actually advance into thrallherd. Yeah... As for the "your Reflex save progression is now that of your chosen manifesting class": yes, you can pick Lurk to keep your good Reflex saves. But that's not necessarily a good pick to make, as Innate Talent below may suggest. Again, for those who need their math simplified: a +1 mind blade stores 1PP, a +2 mind blade stores 5PP, a +3 mind blade stores 9PP, a +4 mind blade stores 13PP, and finally, a +5 mind blade stores 17PP -- the maximum that a cognizance crystal is allowed. Felt like I just needed to stick within the guidelines with that one.Innate Talent Prerequisites: Manifesting Talent, Knowledge (psionics) 7 ranks, Psicraft 3 ranks. Benefit: The two powers you gained through Manifesting Talent now become psi-like abilities (they are removed from your powers known list) usable once per day for every three character levels, with manifester level equal to half your hit dice (save DC 10 + 1/2 character level + your key ability modifier). You also gain the knowledge of three additional powers of up to 3rd-level, chosen from any list. If you advance to a prestige class that has "+1 level of existing manifesting class", and do not have levels in the chosen manifesting class, you gain powers known and power points per day as if you gained a level in that class (starting from level 1). Treat any actual levels gained afterwards in the chosen class as if they had "+1 level of existing manifesting class" instead of their normal progression. Special: A soulknife may select this option instead of Speed of Thought at 6th level, as long as the prerequisites are met. A BT soulknife may select this option instead of the bonus psionic feat at 6th level. Another logistics nightmare, to be sure. Anyway, here's the breakdown of that second paragraph, taking our example above of the soulknife/thrallherd. Example: A soulknife 6/thrallherd 1 with both Manifesting Talent (choosing psion) and Innate Talent decides to continue advancing in thrallherd for his 8th level. The 2nd level of thrallherd has "+1 level of existing manifesting class", but obviously he does not have any levels in a manifesting class. Instead, he gains two power points per day and three 1st-level powers known, as if he had gained a level in psion, his chosen manifesting class. If then, he decides to take his 9th level as psion (to become soulknife 6/thrallherd 2/psion 1), he would gain power points per day and powers known as if he was a 2nd-level psion. Please bear in mind, that a soulknife that chose ardent as a manifesting class will not gain powers known if you progress into a prestige class that improves manifesting (though you still gain PP per day), because you have not chosen any mantles from which to pick the powers (that and the fact that ardents don't really need more multiclassing cheese). The same applies for psions and discipline lists (alternatively known as devotions), and any other similar instance.Mind Blade Containment Prerequisites: Mind blade +1, Concentration 12 ranks. Benefit: You can spend a full-round action attempting to psionically focus your mind blade, at DC 25 minus the blade's enhancement bonus. At any time when you need to expend your psionic focus, you can expend your mind blade's psionic focus instead. If you dual-wield your mind blade, only one can hold psionic focus. Special: A soulknife with Manifesting Talent and Innate Talent gains this option for free at 11th level. Sublime Soul Prerequisites: Str 13 or Wis 13. Benefit: Choose a martial adept class. Your soulknife class levels stack with levels of the chosen class for determining initiator level. If you do not have levels in the chosen class yet, your initiator level is equal to your soulknife level. You also learn two maneuvers from any list, for which you meet the prerequisites and add Martial Lore to your class skill list. You can use these maneuvers once per encounter, until you gain a level in the chosen class, when you can ready, use, and recover these maneuvers as normal for your class. You cannot trade out these maneuvers. In addition, choose one weapon (except for unarmed strike and claw) from the preferred weapons of any of the disciplines you know maneuvers in. If you have the shape mind blade class feature, you can shape your mind blade into the chosen weapon. Special: You may only select this option when taking the first level of soulknife. Sublime Fury Prerequisites: Sublime Soul, psychic strike +1d8, Martial Lore 8 ranks. Benefit: While you are in a stance from any discipline, you may forgo its normal benefit as a swift action to gain the effect of sublime fury. While you use this ability, when you hit an opponent with a successful melee strike maneuver and deal psychic strike damage (but not ability damage from knife to the soul) in the same round, they must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + maneuver level + psychic strike damage dice) or be stunned for 1 round. If your attack is a critical hit, they are stunned for a number of rounds equal to your weapon's critical multiplier. Once per round, you may also expend a readied maneuver to imbue your psychic strike as a free action. In addition, you can trade out the two maneuvers you learned through Sublime Soul for any other maneuvers of up to 3rd-level from any list, even if you don't meet the prerequisites. You can only make the trade when you select this option. You can trade out these maneuvers, whenever your class would normally allow it, but cannot gain them back if that discipline is not available to your class. Special: A soulknife may select this option instead of Speed of Thought at 6th level. A BT soulknife may select this option instead of the bonus psionic feat at 6th level. Before anyone asks, if you use this in conjunction with Wolf Fang Strike and dual mind blades, the total damage dice will stack for save DC if you hit and deal psychic strike damage with both blades.Discipline Blade Prerequisites: Mind blade +2, two martial maneuvers from any one discipline. Benefit: Your mind blade becomes permanently enhanced with the martial discipline special ability for any one discipline you know at least two maneuvers in. This weapon enhancement remains constant, though you can change your choice in keyed discipline (for which you must also know at least two maneuvers in) whenever you could reassign the abilities on your mind blade. Special: A soulknife with Sublime Soul and Sublime Fury gains this option for free at 11th level.
Cala, Legend Reborn 05-02-07, 06:35 AM	Hopefully these will need less explanation than the "character role" schmuck. Common goals for each style: 1/ make it sexy (appealing to play); 2/ replace that sub-optimal bladewind ability; 3/ do something unique and flavorful with psychic strike. If anyone is curious, the two blade styles were loosely inspired by the player classes in the .hack (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.hack) series (if only in name), and all styles are proud to be 100% compatible with BlaineTog's soulknife (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=310984).Combat Styles These substitution features represent different personal preferences that a soulknife character has, and defines their subsequent style of fighting. You may only select one style, and once chosen, it cannot be changed. Where an ability is effectively a variant of the original, it counts as the original for the purposes of meeting requirements for feats, prestige classes, and special abilities. Twin Blader A soulknife must have Dexterity 15 to select the twin blader style. Mind Shards (Su): This ability functions like the standard mind blade ability, except you create two mind blades identical to daggers appropriate to your size, and you only need to make one Will save to sustain both shards in a null psionics field or similar effect. The enhancement penalty for dual-wielding still applies. A twin blader soulknife gains this ability instead of mind blade at 1st level. Two-Weapon Fighting: A twin blader gains Two-Weapon Fighting instead of Weapon Focus (mind blade) at 1st level. Double Throw (Ex): This ability functions like the standard throw mind blade ability, except you may make one throwing attack with each mind shard as a full attack. A twin blader gains this ability instead of throw mind blade at 2nd level. Shape Mind Shards (Su): This ability functions like the standard shape mind blade ability, except you replicate two kukris or two short swords appropriate to your size. If another feat, ability, or class feature would allow you to shape your mind shards into other forms, you can only shape them into other light weapons. A twin blader gains this ability instead of shape mind blade at 5th level. Psychic Rend (Su): During any round in which both your mind shards did not begin imbued with psychic strikes, if you successfully hit an opponent with both shards in the same round, you automatically deal psychic strike damage to that opponent. You cannot rend for ability damage by using knife to the soul. A twin blader gains this ability instead of bladewind at 9th level. Improved Two-Weapon Fighting: A twin blader gains Improved Two-Weapon Fighting instead of Greater Weapon Focus (mind blade) at 9th level, even if you do not meet the requirements for it. If you already have Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, you instead gain Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, even if you do not meet the requirements for it. The high-ish Dex requirement is purely for syncing with Two-Weapon Fighting.Heavy Blader A soulknife must have Strength 13 to select the heavy blader style. Mind Blade (Su): This ability functions like the standard mind blade ability, except you create a mind blade identical to a longsword appropriate to your size. A heavy blader soulknife gains this variant ability instead of the standard mind blade at 1st level. Psionic Weapon: A heavy blader gains Psionic Weapon instead of Weapon Focus (mind blade) at 1st level. Stand Fast (Ex): As long as you are psionically focused, you gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC during any round in which you moved no more than 5 feet. A heavy blader gains this ability instead of throw mind blade at 2nd level. Shape Mind Blade (Su): This ability functions like the standard shape mind blade ability, except you replicate a bastard sword (which can be wielded one-handed without Exotic Weapon Proficiency) or a greatsword appropriate to your size. You cannot split your mind blade in two. A heavy blader gains this variant ability instead of the standard shape mind blade at 5th level. Psychic Critical (Su): As long as your mind blade holds a psychic strike, you gain a bonus on critical confirmation rolls equal to the held damage dice (but not ability damage from knife to the soul), and on a successful critical hit, your psychic strike deals d10s of damage instead of d8s. A heavy blader gains this ability instead of bladewind at 9th level. Greater Psionic Weapon: A heavy blader gains Greater Psionic Weapon instead of Greater Weapon Focus (mind blade) at 9th level. If you already have Greater Psionic Weapon, you instead gain Deep Impact. Throw Mind Blade (Ex): This ability functions like the standard throw mind blade ability. A heavy blader gains this ability instead of multiple throw at 17th level. Sharpshooter A soulknife must have Dexterity 13 or Wisdom 13 to select the sharpshooter style. Mind Arrow (Su): This ability functions like the soulbow's mind arrow ability (see Complete Psionics, page 37), except the projectile is identical in all ways (except visually) to an arrow shot from a non-composite shortbow, and it gains enhancement bonuses as a mind blade would. A sharpshooter soulknife gains this ability instead of mind blade at 1st level. Point Blank Shot: A sharpshooter gains Point Blank Shot instead of Weapon Focus (mind blade) at 1st level. Take Aim (Ex): As long as you are psionically focused, you may spend a move action to gain a bonus to your next ranged attack roll equal to your Wisdom modifier plus one. A sharpshooter gains this ability instead of throw mind blade at 2nd level. Reactive Shot (Su): When an opponent within 30 feet of you provokes an attack of opportunity from one of your allies, you may expend your psionic focus as an immediate action to make a ranged attack of opportunity against that opponent. A sharpshooter gains this ability instead of free draw at 5th level. Improved Mind Arrow (Su): This ability functions like the soulbow's mind arrow ability. A sharpshooter gains this ability instead of shape mind blade at 5th level. Mind Arrow Enhancement (Su): This ability functions like the soulbow's mind arrow enhancement ability. A sharpshooter gains this ability instead of mind blade enhancement at 6th level. (Fix: replace returning with keen... Stupid editing errors. :/) Close Combat Shot (Ex): You can attack with your mind arrow while in a threatened square and not provoke attacks of opportunity. A sharpshooter gains this ability instead of bladewind at 9th level. Rapid Shot: A sharpshooter gains Rapid Shot instead of Greater Weapon Focus (mind blade) at 9th level. If you already have Rapid Shot, you instead gain Improved Rapid Shot (see Complete Warrior, page 101), even if you do not meet the requirements for it. Psychic Volley (Su): As a full-round action, you may expend your psionic focus and discharge any number of psychic strike damage dice from your mind arrow to gain that many additional copies of your mind arrow. You then launch all these arrows at a single target, making one attack roll at -2 penalty for each copy. Precision damage such as critical hits only apply to the original arrow. A sharpshooter gains this ability instead of multiple throw at 17th level.
Cala, Legend Reborn 05-02-07, 06:36 AM	Questions Q: Can I take all three of Martial Training, Street Savvy, and Manifesting Talent at level one? A: Can't make up your mind much? No, you can only choose one of the three at level one (or your first level of soulknife, if you're multiclassing), even with flaws. Think of them like those warforged plating options. I'm sure somebody will look at you funny if you try to be all of mithril-bodied, darkwood-bodied, and adamantine-bodied.
CrimsonDeath 05-02-07, 03:46 PM	Does anything prevent a character from selecting Martial Training, Street Savvy, and Manifesting Talent at first level, and simply not gain any feats until level 9? Because that sounds like a pretty good character-- full BAB, simple and martial weapons, all armor, 8 skill points per level with Trapfinding and the Rogue skill list, and all three good saves if you take Manifesting Talent (Lurk).
Cala, Legend Reborn 05-02-07, 04:23 PM	Oh whoops... I knew I overlooked something during the re-write. I didn't want to complicate things by letting modifications stack. I'll tweak the wording, thanks for the heads-up. Although, if you want to try and play like that, I'm sure it'll be an interesting experiment. The combat styles will mostly provide for your vital feats, so all it takes is some patience.
Jimmeh42 05-02-07, 10:35 PM	its still not clear if you can take Martial Training, Street Savvy, and Manifesting Talentat first level and you can get 3 feats at level 1 with flaws from UA(4 if human) Martial Expert Prerequisites: Martial Training, shape mind blade class feature. Benefit: You gain proficiency in all martial weapons, and the ability to shape your mind blade as a move action, into any melee weapon you are proficient in. If you dual-wield your mind blade, you can shape them into any combination of one-handed or light weapons appropriate for your size. You also no longer suffer the enhancement penalty for splitting your mind blade into two. does this mean you can TWF bastard swords?
Cala, Legend Reborn 05-02-07, 10:59 PM	The new line that I added in bold under Character Roles disallows taking more than one 1st-level modification (though maybe it's not as clear-cut as I first thought, if the question is being asked again). Also, it was my personal understanding that feats gained from flaws were technically a "bonus" to the norm. Perhaps I'm wrong about this. In my original design, when they were actually feats, I did consider how Martial Training and Street Savvy would've stacked. This is how I would've had it: * d8 hit die. * Lose Hide, Move Silently, and Tumble, no matter what.As for twin bastard swords... I'll say yes to that. I don't want a soulknife player burning more feats than they should, especially if they're dedicating themselves to a dual-wielder. Mind you, there's the attack penalties for wielding a non-light weapon in the off-hand... which you'll still need a feat (Oversized 2WF, CAdv) to negate.
Cala, Legend Reborn 05-02-07, 11:00 PM	*snip* Gar, for double post. And another gar, for stupid-slow wireless.