Soulknife Alternate Class features [Archive] - Wizards Community

Soulknife Alternate Class features [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
WebJiCi
01-02-08, 04:02 PM Here are a few alternative class features I've cook up to finally bring hope to the soulknife.

Attack Mastery
Your skills with the mind blade rival those of a fighter.
Level: 1st, and see below
Replaces: You do not gain Weapon Focus (mindblade) and Speed of Thought at their respective levels.
Benefits: Your base attack becomes equal to your class level.

Psychic Destruction
You forfeit your mind blade enhancements to deliver destructive psychic strikes.
Level: 2nd, and see below
Replaces: You do not gain the ability to enhance your mind blade.
Benefits: You gain Psychic Strike at 2nd level instead of at 3rd level and you deals an extra 1d8 points of damage per 2 soulknife levels you possess, starting at 2nd level.

Foreign Enhancements
You can enhance your mind blade with different abilities.
Level: 6th, 10th, 14th, 18th
Benefits: Select a weapon special ability depending on the allowed enhancement bonus: you permanently trade one enhancement on the same level for the one you have chosen. At 18th level, if you choose a +4 weapon special ability, you must trade a number of enhancements so their cumulative bonus value equal 4. For instance, you can trade 4 +1 abilities, 2 +2 abilities or 1 +1 and 1 +3 ability to make place for your new +4 ability.

So what do you think ? Feel free to post your comments and your own features ! I believe this is the right way to help the soulknife.

EDIT: corrected some stuff
Eldritch_Lord
01-02-08, 04:47 PM Attack Mastery
Your skills with the mind blade rival those of a fighter.
Level: 1st, and see below
Replaces: You do not gain Weapon Focus (mindblade), Speed of Thought, Bladewind and Greater Weapon Focus (mindblade) at their respective levels.

Benefits: Your base attack becomes equal to your class level.

I think the soulknife is giving up too much for this one; many folks have said that it would be fine to give it full BAB without giving up anything. I'd say replace the WF and Speed of Thought feats and that should be sufficient; Bladewind is a signature ability, and GWF is a good bonus even without having WF.

Psychic Destruction
You forfeit your mind blade enhancements to deliver destructive psychic strikes.
Level: 2nd, and see below
Replaces: You do not gain the ability to enhance your mind blade.

Benefits: Your psychic strike deals an extra 1d8 points of damage per 2 soulknife levels you possess, starting at 2nd level. At 10th level, your mind blade becomes treated as a magic weapon for purposes of bypassing damage reduction as long as you are psionically focused.

So you deal 15d8 psychic strike in exchange for comparatively-useless abilities? I like it.

Foreign Enhancements
You can enhance your mind blade with different abilities.
Level: 6th, 10th, 14th, 18th
Benefits: Select a weapon special ability depending on the allowed enhancement bonus: you permanently trade one enhancement on the same level for the one you have chosen. At 18th level, if you choose a +4 weapon special ability, you must trade a number of enhancements so their cumulative bonus value equal 4. For instance, you can trade 4 +1 abilities, 2 +2 abilities or 1 +1 and 1 +3 ability to make place for your new +4 ability.

This is what the soulknife should have had as a default option; why shouldn't a soulknife be able to have a certain enhancement just because when it's put on a normal weapon it's magic?

So what do you think ? Feel free to post your comments and your own features ! I believe this is the right way to help the soulknife.

I don't know if this is the best way to help the much-maligned soulknife, but it's a step in the right direction.
WebJiCi
01-02-08, 05:05 PM I think the soulknife is giving up too much for this one; many folks have said that it would be fine to give it full BAB without giving up anything. I'd say replace the WF and Speed of Thought feats and that should be sufficient; Bladewind is a signature ability, and GWF is a good bonus even without having WF.Hmmm hmmm, how about replacing Speed of Thought and Greater Weapon Focus instead ?

So you deal 15d8 psychic strike in exchange for comparatively-useless abilities? I like it.I was aiming for an extra 10d8 points of damage at 20th level... Guess I'll have to rework this one.

This is what the soulknife should have had as a default option; why shouldn't a soulknife be able to have a certain enhancement just because when it's put on a normal weapon it's magic?Beats me...

I don't know if this is the best way to help the much-maligned soulknife, but it's a step in the right direction.Thanks!
Eldritch_Lord
01-02-08, 05:19 PM Hmmm hmmm, how about replacing Speed of Thought and Greater Weapon Focus instead ?

Because if you remove WF the soulknife can take it with one of his regular feats, but the reverse is not true.

I was aiming for an extra 10d8 points of damage at 20th level... Guess I'll have to rework this one.

It looked like you added 10d8 on top of the existing 5d8 because you said "Your psychic strike deals an extra 1d8 points of damage per 2 soulknife levels you possess" which implies that you add this to your psychic strike. Just put in a clause that says something along the lines of "This overrides the soulknife's normal psychic strike progression" and it's fine.

Beats me...

My point precisely. :cool:
CrimsonDeath
01-02-08, 05:42 PM Psychic Destruction
You forfeit your mind blade enhancements to deliver destructive psychic strikes.
Level: 2nd, and see below
Replaces: You do not gain the ability to enhance your mind blade.

Benefits: Your psychic strike deals an extra 1d8 points of damage per 2 soulknife levels you possess, starting at 2nd level. At 10th level, your mind blade becomes treated as a magic weapon for purposes of bypassing damage reduction as long as you are psionically focused.

The base Soulknife already gets the underlined bit at first level, even when he's not focused.
WebJiCi
01-02-08, 05:59 PM Oh, woops...
WebJiCi
01-03-08, 10:06 AM Corrected a few things, what do you think of it now ?
BlaineTog
01-03-08, 10:28 AM Attack Mastery
Your skills with the mind blade rival those of a fighter.
Level: 1st, and see below
Replaces: You do not gain Weapon Focus (mindblade) and Speed of Thought at their respective levels.
Benefits: Your base attack becomes equal to your class level. Uh. Full BaB for 2 feats, when one of the two feats is basically like an inferior way to boost BaB? Way, WAY too good. The soulknife is underpowered, but you fix it by fixing it, not giving it one-sized replacement options.

Psychic Destruction
You forfeit your mind blade enhancements to deliver destructive psychic strikes.
Level: 2nd, and see below
Replaces: You do not gain the ability to enhance your mind blade.
Benefits: You gain Psychic Strike at 2nd level instead of at 3rd level and you deals an extra 1d8 points of damage per 2 soulknife levels you possess, starting at 2nd level.Er. My gut feeling is that this is another nontrade. Those enhancements are basically to boost damage, and this is basically the same thing.

Foreign Enhancements
You can enhance your mind blade with different abilities.
Level: 6th, 10th, 14th, 18th
Benefits: Select a weapon special ability depending on the allowed enhancement bonus: you permanently trade one enhancement on the same level for the one you have chosen. At 18th level, if you choose a +4 weapon special ability, you must trade a number of enhancements so their cumulative bonus value equal 4. For instance, you can trade 4 +1 abilities, 2 +2 abilities or 1 +1 and 1 +3 ability to make place for your new +4 ability.Seems fair enough, though I'd do it on a strictly one-for-one basis.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
WebJiCi 01-02-08, 04:02 PM	Here are a few alternative class features I've cook up to finally bring hope to the soulknife. Attack Mastery Your skills with the mind blade rival those of a fighter. Level: 1st, and see below Replaces: You do not gain Weapon Focus (mindblade) and Speed of Thought at their respective levels. Benefits: Your base attack becomes equal to your class level. Psychic Destruction You forfeit your mind blade enhancements to deliver destructive psychic strikes. Level: 2nd, and see below Replaces: You do not gain the ability to enhance your mind blade. Benefits: You gain Psychic Strike at 2nd level instead of at 3rd level and you deals an extra 1d8 points of damage per 2 soulknife levels you possess, starting at 2nd level. Foreign Enhancements You can enhance your mind blade with different abilities. Level: 6th, 10th, 14th, 18th Benefits: Select a weapon special ability depending on the allowed enhancement bonus: you permanently trade one enhancement on the same level for the one you have chosen. At 18th level, if you choose a +4 weapon special ability, you must trade a number of enhancements so their cumulative bonus value equal 4. For instance, you can trade 4 +1 abilities, 2 +2 abilities or 1 +1 and 1 +3 ability to make place for your new +4 ability. So what do you think ? Feel free to post your comments and your own features ! I believe this is the right way to help the soulknife. EDIT: corrected some stuff
Eldritch_Lord 01-02-08, 04:47 PM	Attack Mastery Your skills with the mind blade rival those of a fighter. Level: 1st, and see below Replaces: You do not gain Weapon Focus (mindblade), Speed of Thought, Bladewind and Greater Weapon Focus (mindblade) at their respective levels. Benefits: Your base attack becomes equal to your class level. I think the soulknife is giving up too much for this one; many folks have said that it would be fine to give it full BAB without giving up anything. I'd say replace the WF and Speed of Thought feats and that should be sufficient; Bladewind is a signature ability, and GWF is a good bonus even without having WF. Psychic Destruction You forfeit your mind blade enhancements to deliver destructive psychic strikes. Level: 2nd, and see below Replaces: You do not gain the ability to enhance your mind blade. Benefits: Your psychic strike deals an extra 1d8 points of damage per 2 soulknife levels you possess, starting at 2nd level. At 10th level, your mind blade becomes treated as a magic weapon for purposes of bypassing damage reduction as long as you are psionically focused. So you deal 15d8 psychic strike in exchange for comparatively-useless abilities? I like it. Foreign Enhancements You can enhance your mind blade with different abilities. Level: 6th, 10th, 14th, 18th Benefits: Select a weapon special ability depending on the allowed enhancement bonus: you permanently trade one enhancement on the same level for the one you have chosen. At 18th level, if you choose a +4 weapon special ability, you must trade a number of enhancements so their cumulative bonus value equal 4. For instance, you can trade 4 +1 abilities, 2 +2 abilities or 1 +1 and 1 +3 ability to make place for your new +4 ability. This is what the soulknife should have had as a default option; why shouldn't a soulknife be able to have a certain enhancement just because when it's put on a normal weapon it's magic? So what do you think ? Feel free to post your comments and your own features ! I believe this is the right way to help the soulknife. I don't know if this is the best way to help the much-maligned soulknife, but it's a step in the right direction.
WebJiCi 01-02-08, 05:05 PM	I think the soulknife is giving up too much for this one; many folks have said that it would be fine to give it full BAB without giving up anything. I'd say replace the WF and Speed of Thought feats and that should be sufficient; Bladewind is a signature ability, and GWF is a good bonus even without having WF.Hmmm hmmm, how about replacing Speed of Thought and Greater Weapon Focus instead ? So you deal 15d8 psychic strike in exchange for comparatively-useless abilities? I like it.I was aiming for an extra 10d8 points of damage at 20th level... Guess I'll have to rework this one. This is what the soulknife should have had as a default option; why shouldn't a soulknife be able to have a certain enhancement just because when it's put on a normal weapon it's magic?Beats me... I don't know if this is the best way to help the much-maligned soulknife, but it's a step in the right direction.Thanks!
Eldritch_Lord 01-02-08, 05:19 PM	Hmmm hmmm, how about replacing Speed of Thought and Greater Weapon Focus instead ? Because if you remove WF the soulknife can take it with one of his regular feats, but the reverse is not true. I was aiming for an extra 10d8 points of damage at 20th level... Guess I'll have to rework this one. It looked like you added 10d8 on top of the existing 5d8 because you said "Your psychic strike deals an extra 1d8 points of damage per 2 soulknife levels you possess" which implies that you add this to your psychic strike. Just put in a clause that says something along the lines of "This overrides the soulknife's normal psychic strike progression" and it's fine. Beats me... My point precisely. :cool:
CrimsonDeath 01-02-08, 05:42 PM	Psychic Destruction You forfeit your mind blade enhancements to deliver destructive psychic strikes. Level: 2nd, and see below Replaces: You do not gain the ability to enhance your mind blade. Benefits: Your psychic strike deals an extra 1d8 points of damage per 2 soulknife levels you possess, starting at 2nd level. At 10th level, your mind blade becomes treated as a magic weapon for purposes of bypassing damage reduction as long as you are psionically focused. The base Soulknife already gets the underlined bit at first level, even when he's not focused.
WebJiCi 01-02-08, 05:59 PM	Oh, woops...
WebJiCi 01-03-08, 10:06 AM	Corrected a few things, what do you think of it now ?
BlaineTog 01-03-08, 10:28 AM	Attack Mastery Your skills with the mind blade rival those of a fighter. Level: 1st, and see below Replaces: You do not gain Weapon Focus (mindblade) and Speed of Thought at their respective levels. Benefits: Your base attack becomes equal to your class level. Uh. Full BaB for 2 feats, when one of the two feats is basically like an inferior way to boost BaB? Way, WAY too good. The soulknife is underpowered, but you fix it by fixing it, not giving it one-sized replacement options. Psychic Destruction You forfeit your mind blade enhancements to deliver destructive psychic strikes. Level: 2nd, and see below Replaces: You do not gain the ability to enhance your mind blade. Benefits: You gain Psychic Strike at 2nd level instead of at 3rd level and you deals an extra 1d8 points of damage per 2 soulknife levels you possess, starting at 2nd level.Er. My gut feeling is that this is another nontrade. Those enhancements are basically to boost damage, and this is basically the same thing. Foreign Enhancements You can enhance your mind blade with different abilities. Level: 6th, 10th, 14th, 18th Benefits: Select a weapon special ability depending on the allowed enhancement bonus: you permanently trade one enhancement on the same level for the one you have chosen. At 18th level, if you choose a +4 weapon special ability, you must trade a number of enhancements so their cumulative bonus value equal 4. For instance, you can trade 4 +1 abilities, 2 +2 abilities or 1 +1 and 1 +3 ability to make place for your new +4 ability.Seems fair enough, though I'd do it on a strictly one-for-one basis.