Proposed Soulmelds [Archive] - Wizards Community

Proposed Soulmelds [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
laxrulz7
07-15-06, 01:48 PM I posted this in the Magic/Spells but realized it probably belonged here better

I started an Incarnate recently in a campaign that I co-DM... I'm getting ready to propose some additional soulmelds and wanted opinions on them since it's half my call as a DM and half my call as a player... I've tried to be careful to keep them both in line with other melds and consistent with the levels at which certain abilities are attained by other classes...

I'm looking for: Balance input (both over and under), Advice on what (if any) to charge in terms of research time and cost, Any examples that have proved successful from your own campaigns. Thank you in advance.

Nature's Crown:

+2 to Knowledge (Nature) and Survival checks

Essentia:

Each point of essentia gives an additional +2 to Knowledge (Nature) and Survival

Chakra Binds
(Crown)
When bound to the Crown Chakra, the wearer receives a bonus to Heal check equal to the bonus to Knowledge (Nature) and Survival checks

(Brow)
When bound to the Brow Chakra, the wearer receives the Track feat

Cap of the Scholar

+1 to all Knowledge checks. Knowledge checks can be made untrained.

Essentia:

Each point of essentia gives an additional +1 to Knowledge checks.

Chakra Binds
(Crown)
When bound to the Crown Chakra, the wearer receives double the normal bonus to Knowledge checks if they already have ranks in the Knowledge skill being used. Furthermore, rushed Knowledge checks suffer no penalty.

Tool of the Craftsman

+1 to all Craft checks. Craft checks can be made untrained.

Essentia

Each point of essentia gives an additional +1 to Craft checks.

Chakra Binds
(Hands)
When bound to the Hands Chakra, the wearer receives double the normal bonus to Craft checks if they already have ranks in the Craft skill being used. Furthermore, the time to create any item is reduced by half if the soulmeld is used and kept bound throughout the creation process.

Vestments of the Mighty (Incarnate, Soulborn)

Immunity to affects that drain Strength. Armor is considered to be one step lower for determining movement rate and eligibility for feats and class abilities.

Essentia
Each point of essentia increases the carrying capacity of the wearer by 20lbs

Chakra Binds
(Heart)
When bound to the Heart Chakra, the wearer receives a +2 bonus to Climb, Jump and Strength checks per point of essentia invested.

(Soul)
When bound to the Soul Chakra, the wearer receives +2 enhancement bonus to Strength for each point of Essentia invested. However, the wearer also suffers a penalty to Dexterity equal to half of the amount of the Strength bonus.

Thunderboots

The wearer is granted electricity resistance 5

Essentia
Each point of essentia increases the electricity resistance by 5

Chakra Binds
(Feet)
The wearer can spend a standard action to stomp the ground. This causes a tremor that emanates against everyone within a 10’ radius of the wearer. Each being affected must make a reflex save or fall prone (DC = 10 + Essentia Invested + Wisdom Bonus). Each being takes 1d6 damage + 1d6 per point of essentia invested (Reflex save halves the damage). The damage is electricity damage.

Sonic Muzzle

The wearer is granted sonic resistance 5

Essentia
Each point of essentia increases the sonic resistance by 5

Chakra Binds
(Crown)
The wearer can choose to extend his or her sonic resistance to any creatures within a 30’ radius. This is a swift action.

(Throat)
The wearer can spend a standard action to emit a high pitched squeal. This creates a cone attack with a range of 30’. Each creature caught in the cone takes 1d6 points of sonic damage + 1d6 points per point of essentia invested.

Magician’s Wand

The wearer can make a ranged touch attack that inflicts 1d6 points of force damage with a range of 60’

Essentia
Each point of essential increases the damage by 1 and allows the affect to target another creature… All targets must be within 30’ of each other

Chakra Binds
(Hands)
The wearer can make a melee touch attack to attempt to charm a creature as if they had cast a charm spell… This functions as the charm person spell except that it can affect any humanoid. Will Save DC is 10 + Essentia invested + Wisdom bonus.

(Arms)
The wearer can make a melee touch attack to attempt to dispel a magical affect as if they cast dispel magic (Caster level = Essentia invested + Wisdom bonus)

(Soul)
The wearer can make a melee touch attack to attempt to curse the subject. Targets stricken by the affect are subject to and a -2 to attack rolls, damage rolls, AC, saves and caster level. This affect lasts a number of turns equal to the essentia invested.
FlameLover
07-15-06, 08:04 PM Nature's Crown: Balanced as-is.

Cap of the Scholar's: This is a little too good. Make the shaped benefit just "you can make knowledge checks untrained", and only have invested essentia give a bonus on knolwedge checks. It's fine otherwise, although the name doesn't make sense grammatically. It's either Scholar's Cap, or Cap of the Scholar.

Tool of the Craftsman: Same changes as above.

Vestments of the Mighty: Make base effect the Heart chakra ability, and make the Heart chakra ability the base effect (make it a +1 bonus on an strength or strength-based skill check). This seems to have too-many disjointed abilities though, i'd split it into two: one about strength, and one about encumbrance.

Thunderboots, Sonic Muzzle: Both fine.

Magician's Wand: This has so many problems IMHO, here is how i'd change it:

Magician’s Wand
The wearer can make a ranged touch attack as a standard action that inflicts 1d4+1 points of force damage. This attack has a range of 60’.
Essentia: Each point of essentia invested allows you to deal an additional 1d4+1 to the same or different target, which must be within 30' of all other targets.

Chakra Binds
[B]Hands: The wearer can make a melee touch attack to attempt to dispel a magical affect as if they cast dispel magic (Caster level = Meldshaper level)

Arms: The wearer can make a melee touch attack to attempt to charm a creature as if they had cast a charm spell… This functions as the charm person spell. Will Save DC is 10 + Essentia invested + Wisdom bonus.

Soul: The wearer can make a melee touch attack to attempt to curse the subject. Targets stricken by the affect are subject to a -2 penalty to attack rolls, damage rolls, AC, and saving throws. This affect lasts a number of rounds equal to the essentia invested.

Ah, hope that helps. I'm not great at balance, but I think that's OK. The only one i'm not sure about is the Magician's Wand still, although i've worked out you'll never get more from it than a Wizard of equal level.
laxrulz7
07-21-06, 03:07 PM I made a couple tweaks on the items... I don't think that providing a +1 to all craft/knowledge checks is particularly game breaking... Most of the other items give +2 to skills and I balanced that down because of the untrained bonus as well as the more broad area of "all knowledge check"...

The magician's wand:
I switched the hand and arm binds... hand is 4th lvl for incarnate so granting charm at 4th lvl and dispel at 8th lvl seems fine... The damage ability should be good early but will quickly get outpaced at higher levels... I may have to think about that... I like that it isn't flexible in that it can't be used to throw all the damage at one character... hitting hordes is the most effective use...
Vadin
08-07-06, 07:00 PM Feat:

AZURE BUMP
Normal:This thread is old and forgotten.
Bonus:This thread might see several new soulmelds.
Fuzzy_Logic
08-11-06, 11:12 PM Well, the nature crown is veyr similar to a soulmeld that already exists, the hunter's circlet.

the craftman tool and scholar cap seem fine.

I don't like the sonic muzzle--sonic is already too easy to foil, and sonic damage is too valuable. The thunderboots are less fo a problem, although teh mrome elemtnets you add, the mroe powerful incarnates become. The Heart-bound ability of the vestments is pathetically weak. As for magicians wand... please explain to me why this isn't 10 times better than dissolving spittle.
laxrulz7
08-13-06, 01:04 PM I intentionally built the nature crown similar to Hunter's Circlet... note that it doesn't have a crown bind for Track... I think that's the only reason that it wasn't given to incarnates in the first place... It seemed out of place that the skill monkey like Incarnate didn't have access to survival so this is an attempt to fix this...

The heart feature of the vestments should say "per point of essentia invested" I've made that edit...

The sonic damage isn't exactly overpowering (being able to do unlimited 3d6 cones at 2nd level is pretty awesome but it scales poorly, like most soulmelds, so that doing 8d6 at 20th just isn't that big a deal)... Conversely, as much as doing sonic damage is useful, the sonic resistance just isn't that useful...

I agree that access to additional elements makes incarnates stronger but that really doesn't come into play until higher levels and the rapid reshaping class feature comes into play... by then, incarnates are already starting to feel pressure from other classes... also, totemists get a wide assortment of elements to choose from...

The magician's wand is completely inferior to dissolving spittle in terms of damage... At level 2, dissolving spittle can do 3d6 to a single target... magician's wand can do 1d6+3 to 3 different targets if they're all within 30' of eachother... Once dissolving spittle starts doing 2nd round damage the gap opens even wider... I don't even think those two should be compared...
DIESCUMDIE
08-14-06, 10:40 AM I think they're all fine balance wise
But flavour wise I think they tend to emulate the wiz to much. Incarnum should head in a different direction imo.
Although it is possible to get rather gigantic knowledge checks, knowledge is not an unbalancing or dangerous skill.
But still not in any way dangerous to balance. The dispel is much needed.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
laxrulz7 07-15-06, 01:48 PM	I posted this in the Magic/Spells but realized it probably belonged here better I started an Incarnate recently in a campaign that I co-DM... I'm getting ready to propose some additional soulmelds and wanted opinions on them since it's half my call as a DM and half my call as a player... I've tried to be careful to keep them both in line with other melds and consistent with the levels at which certain abilities are attained by other classes... I'm looking for: Balance input (both over and under), Advice on what (if any) to charge in terms of research time and cost, Any examples that have proved successful from your own campaigns. Thank you in advance. Nature's Crown: +2 to Knowledge (Nature) and Survival checks Essentia: Each point of essentia gives an additional +2 to Knowledge (Nature) and Survival Chakra Binds (Crown) When bound to the Crown Chakra, the wearer receives a bonus to Heal check equal to the bonus to Knowledge (Nature) and Survival checks (Brow) When bound to the Brow Chakra, the wearer receives the Track feat Cap of the Scholar +1 to all Knowledge checks. Knowledge checks can be made untrained. Essentia: Each point of essentia gives an additional +1 to Knowledge checks. Chakra Binds (Crown) When bound to the Crown Chakra, the wearer receives double the normal bonus to Knowledge checks if they already have ranks in the Knowledge skill being used. Furthermore, rushed Knowledge checks suffer no penalty. Tool of the Craftsman +1 to all Craft checks. Craft checks can be made untrained. Essentia Each point of essentia gives an additional +1 to Craft checks. Chakra Binds (Hands) When bound to the Hands Chakra, the wearer receives double the normal bonus to Craft checks if they already have ranks in the Craft skill being used. Furthermore, the time to create any item is reduced by half if the soulmeld is used and kept bound throughout the creation process. Vestments of the Mighty (Incarnate, Soulborn) Immunity to affects that drain Strength. Armor is considered to be one step lower for determining movement rate and eligibility for feats and class abilities. Essentia Each point of essentia increases the carrying capacity of the wearer by 20lbs Chakra Binds (Heart) When bound to the Heart Chakra, the wearer receives a +2 bonus to Climb, Jump and Strength checks per point of essentia invested. (Soul) When bound to the Soul Chakra, the wearer receives +2 enhancement bonus to Strength for each point of Essentia invested. However, the wearer also suffers a penalty to Dexterity equal to half of the amount of the Strength bonus. Thunderboots The wearer is granted electricity resistance 5 Essentia Each point of essentia increases the electricity resistance by 5 Chakra Binds (Feet) The wearer can spend a standard action to stomp the ground. This causes a tremor that emanates against everyone within a 10’ radius of the wearer. Each being affected must make a reflex save or fall prone (DC = 10 + Essentia Invested + Wisdom Bonus). Each being takes 1d6 damage + 1d6 per point of essentia invested (Reflex save halves the damage). The damage is electricity damage. Sonic Muzzle The wearer is granted sonic resistance 5 Essentia Each point of essentia increases the sonic resistance by 5 Chakra Binds (Crown) The wearer can choose to extend his or her sonic resistance to any creatures within a 30’ radius. This is a swift action. (Throat) The wearer can spend a standard action to emit a high pitched squeal. This creates a cone attack with a range of 30’. Each creature caught in the cone takes 1d6 points of sonic damage + 1d6 points per point of essentia invested. Magician’s Wand The wearer can make a ranged touch attack that inflicts 1d6 points of force damage with a range of 60’ Essentia Each point of essential increases the damage by 1 and allows the affect to target another creature… All targets must be within 30’ of each other Chakra Binds (Hands) The wearer can make a melee touch attack to attempt to charm a creature as if they had cast a charm spell… This functions as the charm person spell except that it can affect any humanoid. Will Save DC is 10 + Essentia invested + Wisdom bonus. (Arms) The wearer can make a melee touch attack to attempt to dispel a magical affect as if they cast dispel magic (Caster level = Essentia invested + Wisdom bonus) (Soul) The wearer can make a melee touch attack to attempt to curse the subject. Targets stricken by the affect are subject to and a -2 to attack rolls, damage rolls, AC, saves and caster level. This affect lasts a number of turns equal to the essentia invested.
FlameLover 07-15-06, 08:04 PM	Nature's Crown: Balanced as-is. Cap of the Scholar's: This is a little too good. Make the shaped benefit just "you can make knowledge checks untrained", and only have invested essentia give a bonus on knolwedge checks. It's fine otherwise, although the name doesn't make sense grammatically. It's either Scholar's Cap, or Cap of the Scholar. Tool of the Craftsman: Same changes as above. Vestments of the Mighty: Make base effect the Heart chakra ability, and make the Heart chakra ability the base effect (make it a +1 bonus on an strength or strength-based skill check). This seems to have too-many disjointed abilities though, i'd split it into two: one about strength, and one about encumbrance. Thunderboots, Sonic Muzzle: Both fine. Magician's Wand: This has so many problems IMHO, here is how i'd change it: Magician’s Wand The wearer can make a ranged touch attack as a standard action that inflicts 1d4+1 points of force damage. This attack has a range of 60’. Essentia: Each point of essentia invested allows you to deal an additional 1d4+1 to the same or different target, which must be within 30' of all other targets. Chakra Binds [B]Hands: The wearer can make a melee touch attack to attempt to dispel a magical affect as if they cast dispel magic (Caster level = Meldshaper level) Arms: The wearer can make a melee touch attack to attempt to charm a creature as if they had cast a charm spell… This functions as the charm person spell. Will Save DC is 10 + Essentia invested + Wisdom bonus. Soul: The wearer can make a melee touch attack to attempt to curse the subject. Targets stricken by the affect are subject to a -2 penalty to attack rolls, damage rolls, AC, and saving throws. This affect lasts a number of rounds equal to the essentia invested. Ah, hope that helps. I'm not great at balance, but I think that's OK. The only one i'm not sure about is the Magician's Wand still, although i've worked out you'll never get more from it than a Wizard of equal level.
laxrulz7 07-21-06, 03:07 PM	I made a couple tweaks on the items... I don't think that providing a +1 to all craft/knowledge checks is particularly game breaking... Most of the other items give +2 to skills and I balanced that down because of the untrained bonus as well as the more broad area of "all knowledge check"... The magician's wand: I switched the hand and arm binds... hand is 4th lvl for incarnate so granting charm at 4th lvl and dispel at 8th lvl seems fine... The damage ability should be good early but will quickly get outpaced at higher levels... I may have to think about that... I like that it isn't flexible in that it can't be used to throw all the damage at one character... hitting hordes is the most effective use...
Vadin 08-07-06, 07:00 PM	Feat: AZURE BUMP Normal:This thread is old and forgotten. Bonus:This thread might see several new soulmelds.
Fuzzy_Logic 08-11-06, 11:12 PM	Well, the nature crown is veyr similar to a soulmeld that already exists, the hunter's circlet. the craftman tool and scholar cap seem fine. I don't like the sonic muzzle--sonic is already too easy to foil, and sonic damage is too valuable. The thunderboots are less fo a problem, although teh mrome elemtnets you add, the mroe powerful incarnates become. The Heart-bound ability of the vestments is pathetically weak. As for magicians wand... please explain to me why this isn't 10 times better than dissolving spittle.
laxrulz7 08-13-06, 01:04 PM	I intentionally built the nature crown similar to Hunter's Circlet... note that it doesn't have a crown bind for Track... I think that's the only reason that it wasn't given to incarnates in the first place... It seemed out of place that the skill monkey like Incarnate didn't have access to survival so this is an attempt to fix this... The heart feature of the vestments should say "per point of essentia invested" I've made that edit... The sonic damage isn't exactly overpowering (being able to do unlimited 3d6 cones at 2nd level is pretty awesome but it scales poorly, like most soulmelds, so that doing 8d6 at 20th just isn't that big a deal)... Conversely, as much as doing sonic damage is useful, the sonic resistance just isn't that useful... I agree that access to additional elements makes incarnates stronger but that really doesn't come into play until higher levels and the rapid reshaping class feature comes into play... by then, incarnates are already starting to feel pressure from other classes... also, totemists get a wide assortment of elements to choose from... The magician's wand is completely inferior to dissolving spittle in terms of damage... At level 2, dissolving spittle can do 3d6 to a single target... magician's wand can do 1d6+3 to 3 different targets if they're all within 30' of eachother... Once dissolving spittle starts doing 2nd round damage the gap opens even wider... I don't even think those two should be compared...
DIESCUMDIE 08-14-06, 10:40 AM	I think they're all fine balance wise But flavour wise I think they tend to emulate the wiz to much. Incarnum should head in a different direction imo. Although it is possible to get rather gigantic knowledge checks, knowledge is not an unbalancing or dangerous skill. But still not in any way dangerous to balance. The dispel is much needed.