Post/Author/DateTime	Post
The_One_Who_Walks 03-06-07, 03:22 PM	I had this up in the Classes and Prestige Class --> Prestige Classes forum a couple weeks ago because well, for whatever reason it never occured to me to scroll down on the Fundementals page, so I didn't notice the dedicated Psionic forum untill yesterday. Anyway, I thought this would be a more appropriet place for it, and I mgiht find more people who were interested and maybe focused on this forum like I did on the above ones for a while. Anyway, without further rambeling on my part (other than what's already in this) I copy and paste my post from it's previous thread. Enjoy, and please leave any and all constructive comments you have. thanks! :D ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ 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 five 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), Ride (Dex) 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 heavy 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, gain Stand Still as a bonus feat 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 light lance. At 17th level, the Soulknight can also shape his mindbalde into a greatsword or heavy lance. 6th level: NO Speed of Thought, gain Blade Reach: Soulknight of atleast 6th 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 Sheild Wall: As a move action that prevokes an attack of opertunity, a Soulknight can bestow the Animated (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicArmor.htm#animated) special property on any sheild he carries. The sheild retains this property untill the Soulknight next takes hold of it. so there it is, please let me know what you think.
SlanderPanic 03-06-07, 03:48 PM	You asked for PEACHes. Let's make cobbler. Overall, I think it's a cool idea. Some of the changes made are just plain neato. Here are some nitpicks and suggestions. Long sword mind blade's okay. Losing the ability to throw a mind blade is a drag and there's no immediate benefit to doing so. Generally, if you're going to remove a class feature, you need to give one in its place. Since this seems to be focusing on toe-to-toe combat, let's replace it with, say, a free Power Attack feat or Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword.) Stand Still is another good option, especially when combined with Blade Reach. Shape Mind Blade shouldn't be changed from its original version. You're trading a little damage potential for the convenience of never being disarmed. Psychic strike more than makes up for it anyway. Shield of Thought kind of sucks. I'd replace it with Focused Shield User (Complete Psionic) or Hidden Talent (force screen.) Alternately, I'd grant Blade Reach at 6th level and possibly make your attacks unable to hit adjacent foes while using the ability. If you're going to a toe-to-toe melee-type, Bladewind is essential. You shouldn't get rid of it. Unseen Inertia seems kind of eh, but I can't think of anything sufficiently cool to replace it at the moment.
The_One_Who_Walks 03-06-07, 05:27 PM	Losing the ability to throw a mind blade is a drag and there's no immediate benefit to doing so. Generally, if you're going to remove a class feature, you need to give one in its place. Since this seems to be focusing on toe-to-toe combat, let's replace it with, say, a free Power Attack feat or Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword.) Stand Still is another good option, especially when combined with Blade Reach. my reason for removing Throw Mindblade was that it didn't fit the feel I was going for, but I couldn't think of anything good to replace it with. Stand Still never occured to me, I like that... Shape Mind Blade shouldn't be changed from its original version. You're trading a little damage potential for the convenience of never being disarmed. Psychic strike more than makes up for it anyway. I'm not sure I understand. My reasoning there was there's no point in being able to downgrade to a shortsword, and two-weapon fighting didn't really "fit" as well, though I dunno, I might change that back to normal. Shield of Thought kind of sucks. I'd replace it with Focused Shield User (Complete Psionic) or Hidden Talent (force screen.) Alternately, I'd grant Blade Reach at 6th level and possibly make your attacks unable to hit adjacent foes while using the ability. What does Focused Sheild User do? I currently lack Complete Psionic, so I have no idea what that does. It soundes interesting, though. I think, though, your idea about Blade Reach might be better... If you're going to a toe-to-toe melee-type, Bladewind is essential. You shouldn't get rid of it. yeah, at first I removed it for flavor reasons, and as a handy place for Blade Reach, but upon further thought, it fits better than I thought it did. I'd actully ment to fix that when I moved it to this forum, but I forgot to. thanks for pointing it out :) Unseen Inertia seems kind of eh, but I can't think of anything sufficiently cool to replace it at the moment. hmm...... I agree about Unseen Inertia, I've had simmilar misgivings, but I added it when I took out Multiple Throw, to balance the loss. Was actually a sugestion from someone on another board, I ran with it... (originally they got no compensation for that lost ability either...) but am open to ideas :D Thanks for the comments Slander, it's most appreciated. I think I'm gonna go make a change or two...
SlanderPanic 03-07-07, 10:55 AM	I'm not sure I understand. My reasoning there was there's no point in being able to downgrade to a shortsword, and two-weapon fighting didn't really "fit" as well, though I dunno, I might change that back to normal. Honestly, there isn't a whole lot of need for a short sword for a two-handed or sword-and-shield fighter. The point is to balance out the fact that the soulknight cannot be truly disarmed and the fact that they have plenty of other ways to dish out the damage. What does Focused Shield User do? It increases your shield's bonus by +1 as long as you're holding it and you're psionically focused. hmm...... I agree about Unseen Inertia, I've had simmilar misgivings, but I added it when I took out Multiple Throw, to balance the loss. I'm still drawing a blank on what to fill the gap with, too. A bonus feat seems sort of lackluster. Perhaps here's where you can expand the soulknight's options for weapon shaping, allowing him to shape it into various heavy, two-handed weapons. You could also grant an ability that allows him to animate any shield he wields.
The_One_Who_Walks 03-07-07, 01:36 PM	I'm still drawing a blank on what to fill the gap with, too. A bonus feat seems sort of lackluster. Perhaps here's where you can expand the soulknight's options for weapon shaping, allowing him to shape it into various heavy, two-handed weapons. You could also grant an ability that allows him to animate any shield he wields. hmm... maybe give them, like, greatsword, light lance (for mounted combat) and heavy flail or some such... or maybe just greatsword, and toss in the animated sheild... hmm... have to think on this a bit... Also, I think I see your point on Shape Mindblade, though I might still cut out shortsword all together... I thought about maybe giving them light lance there, and heavy lance at 17th, but that seems like it might be too much... also, I just noticed that I neglected Ride as a class skill for them, which was somehting I'd ment to include... so I think that'll get updated...
The_One_Who_Walks 03-10-07, 12:00 PM	Updated the original post with some advice from Slander in mind, my only concern now I'm wondering if lvl 17 isn't a bit heavy... thoughts?
The_One_Who_Walks 04-30-07, 02:30 PM	:bump:
SlanderPanic 04-30-07, 03:01 PM	Looks good.
Mecha_Pope 04-30-07, 03:03 PM	Why not just let them shape any melee weapon that thier proficient with? Most weapons are balanced with each other, and it allows the player to cusomize the flavor of their charicter. Your current weapon shapes dont allow energy scythes, axes, scimitars, flails, spiked chains, and all sorts of other things that would look cool as psionic energy.
The_One_Who_Walks 05-12-07, 01:16 PM	The trouble with opening it up to any weapon isn't mechanical, but thematic. I was going for a "knight" in the most clasical/tradition sence possable, with the psionic twist. to me, atleast, that means heavy metal (or in this case, possably crystal) armor, often mounted, probably weilding a stright-bladed sword of some kind. Lances make sence from a mounted perspective, but other than that I wanted to keep it to swords. I know in actualy history hammers, morningstars, and other weapons were weilded by knight-type warriors, but there's just somehting iconic about a sword, and I wanted to hang on to that. Also, I was trying to change as little as possable to get the results i was going for. If you want, you could offer Soulknights a feat like this: Greater Shape Mindblade Through extensive training with the weapons themselves, and new mental disiplins, you have gained the ability to shape your mindblde into some unusual forms. Requierments: Shape Mindblade class feature Benefit: You can shape your mindblade into any weapon that you are normally proficent with, weither your proficencey is from a class feature, feat, or other sorce. The Mindblade function in all ways as though it were a normal weapon of it's type, other than the standard exeptions having to do with mindblades. but I don't think I'm going to... atleast not as a bonus feat. I think it would be more appropriate for a Soulknife than a Soulknight, but that's just me.