What if the soulknife had a full BAB progression? [Archive] - Wizards Community

What if the soulknife had a full BAB progression? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Joseph_Silver
03-02-07, 10:12 PM Would it make this underpowered class balanced? Or would it make it overpowered?

I don't have a lot of experience with the soulknife, but I do know that it is underpowered. I prefer simple fixes to complicated ones, so what do you think about increasing their BAB to full?
Tempest Stormwind
03-02-07, 10:16 PM This is so common it's easy to find with GOOGLE.

It's a stopgap measure at best. The soulknife still has weak abilities and limited options.

That's why I support the BlaineTog fix, by the way.
Tetsubo
03-03-07, 12:51 AM I think a full BAB is a must have for the Soulknife...
JulesCARV
03-03-07, 01:04 AM I would guestimate that with full BAB, a soulknife is... hmm... maybe at about the power level of a ranger? Not sure. Seems about right to me, although I'm not the greatest balance-estimator type in the world.
runestar
03-03-07, 01:19 AM The web enhancement allows a soulknife to swap out psychic strike for bonus feats. I think this tweak certainly goes a long way towards making it a viable build.:)
Suldarr'essalar
03-03-07, 11:45 AM You can find some interesting ideas on how to fix the soulknife on this boards (some have full BAB, some have different abilities).
Most are in the index (link in my sig).
Emeramber
03-03-07, 12:36 PM Our group gives them full BAB and it doesn't seem overpowered. Then again, it also hasn't encouraged much play of them. People put one together, then play something else because a vital spot (like healer) is vacant. Between the Web Enhancements and full BAB, though, I think it should be viable.
InkBlot
03-03-07, 12:37 PM When I run a game, I usually give anyone playing a soulknife the option of playing around with the BAB, skills, HD, and saves. Basically, they can increase any of them by decreasing another. So for example, if they want to play a soulknife with full-BAB and a d12 HD, then I'll let them if they remove the good will save and reduce the skills to 2 per level. D&D rewards specialization, and this "fix" allows a soulknife to focus on one role.

So far only two people have ever played a soulknife in any of my games, and they didn't take me up on the offer.
LuciferNietzsche
03-04-07, 01:34 PM Here we go again. Soulknives are fine. Leave them alone and learn to play them well. A full BAB would not make them overpowered, because casting classes are already broken, but it's hardly necessary or really all that beneficial.

Please don't attack Stormwind's Fallacy. I personally don't agree with it either, but attacking something like that whether in threads or sigs merely provokes such people into who-knows-what kind of silly defensiveness.
JulesCARV
03-04-07, 01:40 PM BTW, by "about as powerful as a ranger," I think I mean less powerful out of combat (no spellcasting, no tracking, no wild empathy), and more powerful in combat, and having about the same net utility. I'm not really sure, though, so if anyone is better with balance stuff than I am, correct me.
UCsimplyme
03-04-07, 11:28 PM As for a Soulknife "fix", personally, .......

I would go for the Dark Sun 3.5 fix and turn the soulknife into a 10 level PrC.

While the Soulknife makes a mediocre 20 level class, it makes a wonderful 10 level prc.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Joseph_Silver 03-02-07, 10:12 PM	Would it make this underpowered class balanced? Or would it make it overpowered? I don't have a lot of experience with the soulknife, but I do know that it is underpowered. I prefer simple fixes to complicated ones, so what do you think about increasing their BAB to full?
Tempest Stormwind 03-02-07, 10:16 PM	This is so common it's easy to find with GOOGLE. It's a stopgap measure at best. The soulknife still has weak abilities and limited options. That's why I support the BlaineTog fix, by the way.
Tetsubo 03-03-07, 12:51 AM	I think a full BAB is a must have for the Soulknife...
JulesCARV 03-03-07, 01:04 AM	I would guestimate that with full BAB, a soulknife is... hmm... maybe at about the power level of a ranger? Not sure. Seems about right to me, although I'm not the greatest balance-estimator type in the world.
runestar 03-03-07, 01:19 AM	The web enhancement allows a soulknife to swap out psychic strike for bonus feats. I think this tweak certainly goes a long way towards making it a viable build.:)
Suldarr'essalar 03-03-07, 11:45 AM	You can find some interesting ideas on how to fix the soulknife on this boards (some have full BAB, some have different abilities). Most are in the index (link in my sig).
Emeramber 03-03-07, 12:36 PM	Our group gives them full BAB and it doesn't seem overpowered. Then again, it also hasn't encouraged much play of them. People put one together, then play something else because a vital spot (like healer) is vacant. Between the Web Enhancements and full BAB, though, I think it should be viable.
InkBlot 03-03-07, 12:37 PM	When I run a game, I usually give anyone playing a soulknife the option of playing around with the BAB, skills, HD, and saves. Basically, they can increase any of them by decreasing another. So for example, if they want to play a soulknife with full-BAB and a d12 HD, then I'll let them if they remove the good will save and reduce the skills to 2 per level. D&D rewards specialization, and this "fix" allows a soulknife to focus on one role. So far only two people have ever played a soulknife in any of my games, and they didn't take me up on the offer.
LuciferNietzsche 03-04-07, 01:34 PM	Here we go again. Soulknives are fine. Leave them alone and learn to play them well. A full BAB would not make them overpowered, because casting classes are already broken, but it's hardly necessary or really all that beneficial. Please don't attack Stormwind's Fallacy. I personally don't agree with it either, but attacking something like that whether in threads or sigs merely provokes such people into who-knows-what kind of silly defensiveness.
JulesCARV 03-04-07, 01:40 PM	BTW, by "about as powerful as a ranger," I think I mean less powerful out of combat (no spellcasting, no tracking, no wild empathy), and more powerful in combat, and having about the same net utility. I'm not really sure, though, so if anyone is better with balance stuff than I am, correct me.
UCsimplyme 03-04-07, 11:28 PM	As for a Soulknife "fix", personally, ....... I would go for the Dark Sun 3.5 fix and turn the soulknife into a 10 level PrC. While the Soulknife makes a mediocre 20 level class, it makes a wonderful 10 level prc.