4e Soulknife - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 azdraugnor Jun 27, 2008 16:21:17	I liked the Soulknife class (in concept, anyway, the 3.5 version was fairly weak), and since the Search function hasn't turned up any other efforts, I suppose I'll start putting together a 4th edition version. The following are my initial thoughts and concept for the class, I'd love some discussion on the overarching ideas as well as the specific mechanics. First, the basics. Role: Striker, no question. Theme/Concept: I want to make the Soulknife feel distinct and unique, instead of just being a rogue who can’t be disarmed. I see the Soulknife as a mental counterpart to the rogue. Instead of striking vital organs, he disrupts neural pathways. Instead of using stealth and acrobatics to reach an advantageous position, he uses his mastery of mind and body to create an advantage. The mind blade rests somewhere between physical and mental, and so he uses it to attack both the body and the mind. Key Abilities: Strength, Wisdom, Dexterity. Unlike the rogue, the Soulknife is not particularly a finesse class, so the melee attacks should key off Strength. As a psi class, the Soulknife has some mental abilities, and Wisdom seems like the best choice. A Soulknife may not be especially well-educated or commanding, but they definitely have inner strength and insight. Dexterity of course boosts defenses and several key skills, but it will also affect throwing powers. Proficiencies: Leather armor, light shield, dagger, short sword, longsword. Implement: The soulknife uses a focusing crystal to summon and enhance his mind blade. A soulknife wearing or holding a magic focusing crystal can add its enhancement bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls of Soulknife powers, as well as Soulknife paragon path powers, that have the Mind Blade keyword, as well as to powers that have the Weapon keyword when using a mind blade to make the attack. Class Features: Mind Blade: As a free action, you can summon a mind blade. The blade's shape is determined by your focusing crystal (if you are not using a focusing crystal, the default shape is a short sword). As a standard action, you can reshape your mind blade to any weapon with which you are proficient. The mind blade uses the weapon statistics of its shape. It is considered to be that weapon for the purposes of feats and abilities. You can dismiss your mind blade as a minor action. When you next summon it from the same focusing crystal (or no focusing crystal), it retains its last shape. A soulknife's mind blade can be disarmed or taken away, but it immediately dissipates, and the Soulknife can summon it again as a free action on his next turn. When a feat allows you to choose a weapon group, you can choose Mind Blade. The feat then affects your mind blade, regardless of its shape, but does not affect any other weapon. This is obviously the defining class feature. The mind blade can take the form of any weapon with which you are proficient - the small list of class proficiencies means the 'default' is still a normal sword, but any other form is just a Weapon Proficiency feat away. Some magic focusing crystals can only be reshaped to certain weapon groups (like how some magic weapon properties can only be given to certain weapon groups). If the Soulknife wants to reshape his mind blade to a shape not allowed by his focusing crystal, he cannot use the crystal's enhancement bonus or properties. Psychic Strike: A soulknife can channel psychic energy through his attacks to deal additional damage. You can use the Psychic Strike power to create a psychic charge which is expended on your next damaging hit. This is the analog to Quarry, Curse, and Sneak Attack. Psychic Strike You focus your thoughts into disruptive psychic energy which seethes in your mind, waiting to be released. At-Will * Psi Move Action Personal Effect: Your next damaging attack deals 2d6 additional damage. If the attack hits more than one target, only one target of your choice takes the extra damage. If the attack misses, this ability is not expended. Increase damage to 3d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 21st level.
#2 holy_beholder Jun 28, 2008 18:37:19	Tone it down, a lot. The powers are ridiculous at points. If attacking will, at least don't apply wisdom to damage. As for sapping a healing surge, 2W would probably be better. Psychic synergy looks nice. And the multiclass might not give you a mind blade, it might just allow you to reinforce your weapon with your mind for one round. As for the mindblade, just create a weapon from scratch, call it a mindblade. Then allow it to count as any one weapon for stuff that needs a weapon group. That way, you at least have to take weapon proficiency mindblade to reap any benifits.
#3 aluman Jun 29, 2008 1:59:55	Class Features Mind Blade: Ritual consumes equilvanet GP as 1/5 the cost (as the player can't sell his blade), this allows the player of the soul knife to basically take a diffrent blade and melt it down to make his blade. If you use a ritual, though, give them ritual casting and this ritual. Psychic Strike 1d6 minor action. 2d6 is for every other round type stuff theortically (A rogue should be able to get/maintain CA about 50% of the time in practice its closer to 80%) A move action for 2d6 extra damage means that multi'ing into warlock to pick up any of their teleport as minor actions powers is Superpowerful. Psychic Synergy Tieing into Powers: Change it to a +2 to hit them after any power hits, limit it to the soulknife. This brings it on par with the bonus that Fighters/Rangers/Warlocks get, while making it unique. Powers Either turn the Wis V Will to AC or the STR v AC to will, if you switch to Will for both, do not give the knives proficeny bonus. My solution make it all Wis v AC and X[W]+Str damage.
#4 calronmoonflower Jun 29, 2008 3:13:16	I've given some thought to this before. You could use an augmenting crystal as an implement. That way you could give the mind blade the implement keyword and add powers to it based on the crystal. Utility powers could include converted psionic feats like Speed of Thought and Up the Walls.
#5 azdraugnor Jun 29, 2008 17:51:43	If attacking will, at least don't apply wisdom to damage. As for sapping a healing surge, 2W would probably be better. Both good points. It somehow slipped my mind that getting a proficiency bonus against Will is a bonus. You could use an augmenting crystal as an implement. That way you could give the mind blade the implement keyword and add powers to it based on the crystal. I like this idea a lot! Focusing crystals would be found as treasure just like other implements. I think a Soulknife should be able to summon his blade without the crystal, but a multiclass */soulknife could also summon a mind blade using a focusing crystal (like the other multiclass feats allow use of implements). Each crystal could have a default weapon shape, which would keep reshaping the mind blade a Soulknife-specific ability. Psychic Strike 1d6 minor action. 2d6 is for every other round type stuff theortically (A rogue should be able to get/maintain CA about 50% of the time in practice its closer to 80%) A move action for 2d6 extra damage means that multi'ing into warlock to pick up any of their teleport as minor actions powers is Superpowerful. In the 4e sessions I've played and run, players have to move around a lot, especially if anyone uses forced movement. Using a move action to charge Psychic Strike definitely isn't something the Soulknife would be able to do every turn. Multiclassing to teleport as a minor action so you can charge Psychic Strike with your move doesn't seem overpowered to me; a rogue can use those same teleport powers to get into position for Sneak Attack. Psychic Synergy Tieing into Powers: Change it to a +2 to hit them after any power hits, limit it to the soulknife. This brings it on par with the bonus that Fighters/Rangers/Warlocks get, while making it unique. You're right, the party synergy would be much stronger than Prime Shot/Rogue Weapon Talent. Applying it only to the Soulknife works better.
#6 pyromancer999 Jun 30, 2008 15:08:44	Pretty good stuff here for the 4e soulknife. But also, what one could do is add some rogue or wizard powers (re-flavored). Then you have the awesome, new 4e soulknife .

Post/Author/DateTime

Post

azdraugnor

Jun 27, 2008 16:21:17

I liked the Soulknife class (in concept, anyway, the 3.5 version was fairly weak), and since the Search function hasn't turned up any other efforts, I suppose I'll start putting together a 4th edition version. The following are my initial thoughts and concept for the class, I'd love some discussion on the overarching ideas as well as the specific mechanics.

First, the basics.
Role: Striker, no question.
Theme/Concept: I want to make the Soulknife feel distinct and unique, instead of just being a rogue who can’t be disarmed. I see the Soulknife as a mental counterpart to the rogue. Instead of striking vital organs, he disrupts neural pathways. Instead of using stealth and acrobatics to reach an advantageous position, he uses his mastery of mind and body to create an advantage. The mind blade rests somewhere between physical and mental, and so he uses it to attack both the body and the mind.
Key Abilities: Strength, Wisdom, Dexterity. Unlike the rogue, the Soulknife is not particularly a finesse class, so the melee attacks should key off Strength. As a psi class, the Soulknife has some mental abilities, and Wisdom seems like the best choice. A Soulknife may not be especially well-educated or commanding, but they definitely have inner strength and insight. Dexterity of course boosts defenses and several key skills, but it will also affect throwing powers.
Proficiencies: Leather armor, light shield, dagger, short sword, longsword.
Implement: The soulknife uses a focusing crystal to summon and enhance his mind blade. A soulknife wearing or holding a magic focusing crystal can add its enhancement bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls of Soulknife powers, as well as Soulknife paragon path powers, that have the Mind Blade keyword, as well as to powers that have the Weapon keyword when using a mind blade to make the attack.
Class Features:
Mind Blade: As a free action, you can summon a mind blade. The blade's shape is determined by your focusing crystal (if you are not using a focusing crystal, the default shape is a short sword). As a standard action, you can reshape your mind blade to any weapon with which you are proficient. The mind blade uses the weapon statistics of its shape. It is considered to be that weapon for the purposes of feats and abilities.
You can dismiss your mind blade as a minor action. When you next summon it from the same focusing crystal (or no focusing crystal), it retains its last shape. A soulknife's mind blade can be disarmed or taken away, but it immediately dissipates, and the Soulknife can summon it again as a free action on his next turn.
When a feat allows you to choose a weapon group, you can choose Mind Blade. The feat then affects your mind blade, regardless of its shape, but does not affect any other weapon.

This is obviously the defining class feature. The mind blade can take the form of any weapon with which you are proficient - the small list of class proficiencies means the 'default' is still a normal sword, but any other form is just a Weapon Proficiency feat away.
Some magic focusing crystals can only be reshaped to certain weapon groups (like how some magic weapon properties can only be given to certain weapon groups). If the Soulknife wants to reshape his mind blade to a shape not allowed by his focusing crystal, he cannot use the crystal's enhancement bonus or properties.

Psychic Strike: A soulknife can channel psychic energy through his attacks to deal additional damage. You can use the Psychic Strike power to create a psychic charge which is expended on your next damaging hit.
This is the analog to Quarry, Curse, and Sneak Attack.

Psychic Strike
You focus your thoughts into disruptive psychic energy which seethes in your mind, waiting to be released.
At-Will * Psi
Move Action Personal
Effect: Your next damaging attack deals 2d6 additional damage. If the attack hits more than one target, only one target of your choice takes the extra damage. If the attack misses, this ability is not expended.
Increase damage to 3d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 21st level.

holy_beholder

Jun 28, 2008 18:37:19

Tone it down, a lot. The powers are ridiculous at points. If attacking will, at least don't apply wisdom to damage. As for sapping a healing surge, 2W would probably be better.

Psychic synergy looks nice. And the multiclass might not give you a mind blade, it might just allow you to reinforce your weapon with your mind for one round. As for the mindblade, just create a weapon from scratch, call it a mindblade. Then allow it to count as any one weapon for stuff that needs a weapon group. That way, you at least have to take weapon proficiency mindblade to reap any benifits.

aluman

Jun 29, 2008 1:59:55

Class Features
Mind Blade:
Ritual consumes equilvanet GP as 1/5 the cost (as the player can't sell his blade), this allows the player of the soul knife to basically take a diffrent blade and melt it down to make his blade.

If you use a ritual, though, give them ritual casting and this ritual.

Psychic Strike
1d6 minor action.
2d6 is for every other round type stuff theortically (A rogue should be able to get/maintain CA about 50% of the time in practice its closer to 80%)

A move action for 2d6 extra damage means that multi'ing into warlock to pick up any of their teleport as minor actions powers is Superpowerful.

Psychic Synergy
Tieing into Powers: Change it to a +2 to hit them after any power hits, limit it to the soulknife. This brings it on par with the bonus that Fighters/Rangers/Warlocks get, while making it unique.
Powers
Either turn the Wis V Will to AC or the STR v AC to will, if you switch to Will for both, do not give the knives proficeny bonus.

My solution make it all Wis v AC and X[W]+Str damage.

calronmoonflower

Jun 29, 2008 3:13:16

I've given some thought to this before.

You could use an augmenting crystal as an implement. That way you could give the mind blade the implement keyword and add powers to it based on the crystal.

Utility powers could include converted psionic feats like Speed of Thought and Up the Walls.

azdraugnor

Jun 29, 2008 17:51:43

If attacking will, at least don't apply wisdom to damage. As for sapping a healing surge, 2W would probably be better.

Both good points. It somehow slipped my mind that getting a proficiency bonus against Will is a bonus.

You could use an augmenting crystal as an implement. That way you could give the mind blade the implement keyword and add powers to it based on the crystal.

I like this idea a lot! Focusing crystals would be found as treasure just like other implements. I think a Soulknife should be able to summon his blade without the crystal, but a multiclass */soulknife could also summon a mind blade using a focusing crystal (like the other multiclass feats allow use of implements). Each crystal could have a default weapon shape, which would keep reshaping the mind blade a Soulknife-specific ability.

Psychic Strike
1d6 minor action.
2d6 is for every other round type stuff theortically (A rogue should be able to get/maintain CA about 50% of the time in practice its closer to 80%)

A move action for 2d6 extra damage means that multi'ing into warlock to pick up any of their teleport as minor actions powers is Superpowerful.

In the 4e sessions I've played and run, players have to move around a lot, especially if anyone uses forced movement. Using a move action to charge Psychic Strike definitely isn't something the Soulknife would be able to do every turn.
Multiclassing to teleport as a minor action so you can charge Psychic Strike with your move doesn't seem overpowered to me; a rogue can use those same teleport powers to get into position for Sneak Attack.

Psychic Synergy
Tieing into Powers: Change it to a +2 to hit them after any power hits, limit it to the soulknife. This brings it on par with the bonus that Fighters/Rangers/Warlocks get, while making it unique.

You're right, the party synergy would be much stronger than Prime Shot/Rogue Weapon Talent. Applying it only to the Soulknife works better.

pyromancer999

Jun 30, 2008 15:08:44

Pretty good stuff here for the 4e soulknife. But also, what one could do is add some rogue or wizard powers (re-flavored). Then you have the awesome, new 4e soulknife .