PId6
2009-05-21, 12:36 AM
Update: Massive update, redid the class. Now it's actually a psionic class.
Also redesigned the two soulknife prestige classes from Complete Psionic:
Illumine Soul (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6676576&postcount=27)
Soulbow (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6676583&postcount=28)
And here's some new multiclassing soulknife feats (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6682064&postcount=29).
Introduction:
I find the soulknife class to be very interesting with a lot of potential. However, like many, I found the core soulknife far too weak compared to most other base classes, mostly due to his relatively weak weapon, medium BAB, and lack of versatility. The prestige classes from Complete Psionics helped make the class a lot more usable but I still find that they don't give him much versatility (soulbow just makes him a decent archer while illumine soul simply makes him better against undead).
That's why I changed the class a bit to focus more on a sneakier type of gameplay (closer to rogue, hence still medium BAB) as well as give him more options/features so that he is able to fight well as either ranged or melee, whichever the situation warrants. I also tapped into some possibilities of having a blade made out of thought, hence the ability to turn it into any material and even improving its base weapon attributes. Finally, I added a lot more options to improve versatility, such as allowing for different weapon types for his mind blade and giving a lot more options in enchantments.
Comments are, of course, greatly appreciated. I'd really love some feedback about whether this is overpowered, underpowered, mushroompowered, flowerpowered, or whatever. :smallwink:
Soulknife
http://www.freewebs.com/4gate/artwork_dark_templar_image_full.jpg
... What?
Soulknives have the following game statistics:
Abilities: Dexterity is the ideal attribute for most soulknives, granting them improved defenses, better stealth skills, powerful ranged attacks, and improved precision and damage with lighter mind blades. Strength is necessary for those soulknives that prefer the less subtle approach of powerful, heavy mind blades. Intelligence is necessary for better manifesting and improving skills while Constitution is always important for boosting toughness and fortitude.
Alignment: Any.
Starting Gold: 5d4 x 10 (125 gp)
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills:
The soulknife’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are as follows: Autohypnosis (Wis), Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Psionics) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Psicraft (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier
Class Progression
{table=head]Level|
Bab|
Fort|
Ref|
Will|
Mind Blade|
Special|
PP per Day|
Powers Known|
Power Level
1st |
+0|
0|
2|
2|
Mind Blade|
Weapon Focus, Mind Finesse|
0|
-|
-
2nd |
+1|
0|
3|
3|
+1 Mind Blade|
Psychic Strike|
1|
-|
-
3rd |
+2|
1|
3|
3|
Blade Shaping|
Throw Weapon|
3|
-|
-
4th |
+3|
1|
4|
4|
+1 Special Abilities||
5|
1|
1
5th |
+3|
1|
4|
4|
Blade Essence|
Free Draw|
7|
2|
1
6th |
+4|
2|
5|
5|
+2 Mind Blade||
11|
2|
1
7th |
+5|
2|
5|
5||
Speed of Thought|
15|
3|
2
8th |
+6|
2|
6|
6|
+2 Special Abilities|
Fast Enchanting|
19|
3|
2
9th |
+6|
3|
6|
6|
Greater Blade Shaping||
23|
4|
2
10th |
+7|
3|
7|
7|
+3 Mind Blade|
Bladewind|
27|
4|
2
11th |
+8|
3|
7|
7|
Greater Blade Essence||
35|
5|
3
12th |
+9|
4|
8|
8|
+3 Special Abilities|
Knife to the Soul|
43|
5|
3
13th |
+9|
4|
8|
8||
Combat Enchanting|
51|
6|
3
14th |
+10|
4|
9|
9|
+4 Mind Blade|
Greater Weapon Focus|
59|
6|
3
15th |
+11|
5|
9|
9|
Perfect Blade Shaping||
67|
7|
4
16th |
+12|
5|
10|
10|
+4 Special Abilities|
Mind Crack|
79|
7|
4
17th |
+12|
5|
10|
10|
Perfect Blade Essence||
91|
8|
4
18th |
+13|
6|
11|
11|
+5 Mind Blade|
Bladestorm|
103|
8|
4
19th |
+14|
6|
11|
11||
Brittle Mind|
115|
9|
4
20th|
+15|
6|
12|
12|
+5 Special Abilities, Essence Duality||
127|
9|
4
[/table]
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Soulknives are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light and medium armor, and shields (except tower shields).
Power Points/Day: A soulknife’s ability to make Psychic Strikes and manifest powers is limited by the power points he has available. His base daily allotment of power points is given on the class progression table. In addition, he receives bonus power points per day if he has a high Intelligence score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Power Points). His race may also provide bonus power points per day, as may certain feats and items. A 1st-level soulknife gains no power points for his class level, but he gains bonus power points (if he is entitled to any).
Powers Known: A soulknife initially learns no powers. At 4th level, he gains a single power known, and every even level after that he unlocks the knowledge of a new power.
Choose the powers known from the psychic warrior power list. (Exception: The feats Expanded Knowledge and Epic Expanded Knowledge do allow a soulknife to learn powers from the lists of other classes.) A soulknife can manifest any power that has a power point cost equal to or lower than his manifester level.
The total number of powers a soulknife can manifest in a day is limited only by his daily power points. A soulknife simply knows his powers; they are ingrained in his mind. He does not need to prepare them (in the way that some spellcasters prepare their spells), though he must get a good night’s sleep each day to regain all his spent power points.
The Difficulty Class for saving throws against soulknife powers is 10 + the power’s level + the soulknife’s Intelligence modifier.
Maximum Power Level Known: A 4th level soulknife gains the ability to learn 1st-level powers. As he attains higher levels, he may gain the ability to master more complex powers. To learn or manifest a power, a soulknife must have an Intelligence score of at least 10 + the power’s level.
Mind Blade (Su): As a move action, a soulknife can create a semi-solid blade composed of psychic energy distilled from his own mind. The blade is identical in all ways (except visually and weight-wise) to a short sword of a size appropriate for its wielder. For instance, a Medium soulknife materializes a Medium mind blade that he can wield as a light weapon, and the blade deals 1d6 points of damage (crit 19–20/x2). Soulknives who are smaller or larger than Medium create mind blades identical to short swords appropriate for their size, with a corresponding change to the blade’s damage. The wielder of a mind blade gains the usual benefits to his attack roll and damage roll from a high Strength bonus. All mind blades are weightless.
The blade can be broken (it has hardness 10 and 10 hit points); however, a soulknife can simply create another on his next move action. The moment he relinquishes his grip on his blade, it dissipates (unless he intends to throw it; see below). A mind blade is considered a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
A soulknife can use feats such as Power Attack or Combat Expertise in conjunction with the mind blade just as if it were a normal weapon. He can also choose “mind blade” for feats requiring a specific weapon choice, such as Improved Critical, and have that feat apply to every form of the mind blade. Powers or spells that upgrade weapons such as Magic Weapon can be used on a mind blade.
A soulknife’s mind blade improves as the character gains higher levels. At 2nd level and every four levels thereafter, the mind blade gains a cumulative +1 enhancement bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls (+2 at 6th level, +3 at 10th level, and so on). Also, at 4th level and every four levels thereafter, the mind blade gains a special +1 enhancement bonus (+2 at 8th level, +3 at 12th level, and so on) that can only be used to provide special abilities of your choice to the mind blade, as if the weapon was enchanted with the special ability.
The weapon abilities remain the same every time the soulknife materializes his mind blade (unless he decides to reassign its abilities) and they apply to any form the mind blade takes. Starting at 4th level, a soulknife can add and reassign the abilities he has added to his mind blade. To do so, he must first spend 8 hours in concentration. After that period, the mind blade materializes with the new set of special abilities selected by the soulknife.
Even in places where psionic effects do not normally function (such as within a null psionics field), a soulknife can attempt to sustain his mind blade by making a DC 20 Will save. On a successful save, the soulknife maintains his mind blade for a number of rounds equal to his class level before he needs to check again. On an unsuccessful attempt, the mind blade vanishes. As a move action on his turn, the soulknife can attempt a new Will save to rematerialize his mind blade while he remains within the psionics negating effect.
Weapon Focus (Mind Blade): As long as the soulknife is proficient with his mind blade’s current form, he gains +1 to attack rolls with the mind blade.
Mind Finesse (Ex): A soulknife may, when wielding a mind blade in the form of a light weapon, rapier, whip, or spiked chain made for a creature of his size category, use his Dexterity modifier instead of his Strength modifier on attack and damage rolls. If he carries a shield, its armor check penalty applies to his attack rolls.
Psychic Strike (Su): Upon 2nd level, the soulknife can augment his mind blade with a powerful psychic resonance that would cause mental pain to any enemy he hits. As a swift action, the soulknife spends PP up to half his manifester level to charge his mind blade with a Psychic Strike. Once per round for 10 rounds, the soulknife can release this charge on any one enemy he hits with a mind blade, dealing 1d8 psychic damage per PP spent.
This is a mind-affecting ability. If the soulknife attempts to release the charge on a creature that is mindless or immune to mind-affecting, that creature takes no damage and his mind blade does not lose the charge for that round. The soulknife also learns in the process whether the creature is mindless or immune to mind-affecting. This ability rests on all forms of the mind blade, regardless of type or shape, and even if he releases one mind blade and forms another, the Psychic Strike charge still applies.
Throw Mind Blade (Ex): At 3rd level and above, a soulknife is able to throw his mind blade as a ranged weapon with a range increment of 30 feet. Whether or not the attack hits, a thrown mind blade then dissipates.
The soulknife can make a Psychic Strike with a thrown mind blade and can use the blade in conjunction with other special abilities (such as Knife to the Soul).
A soulknife with the Two Weapon Fighting feat dual wielding two mind blades may choose to throw both instead of just one. Throwing both in the same round gives the normal dual wielding penalty to attack but choosing to throw only one (even if he is wielding two blades) gives no such penalties.
Blade Shaping (Su): At 3rd level, a soulknife gains the ability to change the form of his mind blade into a similar weapon of his choice. As a full round action, he can change his mind blade to replicate any simple weapon or any light or one-handed martial weapon (see table below). If a soulknife shapes his mind blade into a one-handed or two-handed weapon and wields it two-handed, he adds 1-½ times his Strength bonus to his damage rolls, just like when using any other two-handed weapon.
Alternatively, a soulknife can split his mind blade into two identical light simple weapons, suitable for fighting with a weapon in each hand. (The normal penalties for fighting with two weapons still apply.) If the soulknife has more than two hands, he may create as many such mind blades as he has hands. However, additional mind blades after the first two do not gain special weapon abilities, though they do keep their enhancement bonuses. In every other way, they are identical to the original mind blades.
The soulknife may shape the mind blade into a throwing weapon (such as dagger) as long as it is still able to be used in melee. In that case, he would still use his mind blade’s normal 30 ft range increment for throwing regardless of that weapon’s normal throwing range.
The mind blade retains the shape given to it using this class feature every time it is formed until the soulknife reshapes it. If the soulknife loses access to this class feature due to negative levels or level loss due to death, his mind blade regresses to its original shortsword form.
{table=head]Weapon|
Required Ability
Shortsword|
None
All Simple|
Blade Shaping
Light Martial|
Blade Shaping
One-Handed Martial|
Blade Shaping
2x Light Simple|
Blade Shaping
All Martial|
Greater Blade Shaping
All Exotic|
Greater Blade Shaping
2x Light Weapons|
Greater Blade Shaping
2x One-Handed|
Perfect Blade Shaping
Shape Base Weapon|
Perfect Blade Shaping
[/table]
* Note: Weapon must be able to perform melee attacks, must not be unarmed weapons, and must not be gauntlets, shields, or armor (like spiked armor). Entries like “2x Light Simple” allow you to create two identical weapons in place of one for dual wielding purposes.
Free Draw (Su): At 5th level, a soulknife becomes able to materialize his mind blade as a free action instead of a move action. Now, when throwing his mind blade in a full attack, he may throw as many times a round as he can make melee attacks, and he may alternate between throwing and melee attacking, as long as the total number of attacks does not exceed the normal amount of melee attacks he may make per round.
Blade Essence (Su): At 5th level, a soulknife can alter the very essence of his mind blade to replicate any type of material. At the cost of a full round action, he can alter the material of his mind blade (see table below). Changing the material changes the weapon’s hardness and HP as well. Each time he alters its essence, the weapon’s HP is immediately restored to full.
The mind blade retains the material given to it using this class feature every time it is formed until the soulknife reshapes it. If the soulknife loses access to this class feature due to negative levels or level loss due to death, his mind blade regresses to its original material of regular steel.
{table=head]Special Material|
Required Ability|
Effect|
Hardness|
Hit Points
None|
None|
None (Basic material type).|
10|
10
Adamantine|
Blade Essence|
As the Adamantine (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialMaterials.htm#adamantine) weapon material.|
12|
20
Cold Iron|
Blade Essence|
As the Cold Iron (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialMaterials.htm#ironCold) weapon material.|
10|
15
Silver|
Blade Essence|
As the Alchemical Silver (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialMaterials.htm#silverAlchemical) weapon material.|
8|
10
Spectral|
Greater Blade Essence|
As the Ghost Touch (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#ghostTouchWeapon) special ability.|
10|
10
Essence of Heat|
Greater Blade Essence|
All normal weapon damage^ is converted to fire damage instead.|
–*|
–
Essence of Cold|
Greater Blade Essence|
All normal weapon damage is converted to cold damage instead.|
–|
–
Essence of Lightning|
Greater Blade Essence|
All normal weapon damage is converted to electric damage instead.|
–|
–
Mind over Matter|
Perfect Blade Essence|
Attacks using the mind blade ignore natural armor AC.|
–|
–
Brilliant Energy|
Perfect Blade Essence|
As the Brilliant Energy (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#brilliantEnergy) special ability.|
–|
–
Anarchic|
Perfect Blade Essence|
As the Anarchic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#anarchic) special ability. Does not bestow negative level on you regardless of your alignment.|
10|
10
Axiomatic|
Perfect Blade Essence|
As the Axiomatic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#axiomatic) special ability. Does not bestow negative level on you regardless of your alignment.|
10|
10
Holy|
Perfect Blade Essence|
As the Holy (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#holy) special ability. Does not bestow negative level on you regardless of your alignment.|
10|
10
Unholy|
Perfect Blade Essence|
As the Unholy (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#unholy) special ability. Does not bestow negative level on you regardless of your alignment.|
10|
10
[/table]
^ For the purposes of Essence of Heat, Essence of Cold, and Essence of Lightning, normal weapon damage include the weapon’s base damage, extra damage from attribute modifier (Strength or Dexterity), extra damage from Power Attack and the like, precision damage (such as Sneak Attack), and other mundane sources of damage. Typed damage (such as from the Flaming special ability) and damage unconnected to the weapon attack itself (such as from Psychic Strike or from poisons) are not converted.
* When hardness and HP are listed as “–”, it means the weapon cannot be sundered in this form.
Speed of Thought: At level 7, a soulknife gains Speed of Thought as a bonus feat, giving him an insight bonus of 10 feet to his speed as long as he’s psionically focused and not wearing heavy armor.
Fast Enchanting (Su): At 8th level, the soulknife has learned to enchant his mind blade quickly and efficiently to prepare for all challenges. Now, he may fully change the enchantment of his mind blade in 5 minutes of concentration rather than the original 8 hours necessary before.
Greater Blade Shaping (Su): At 9th level, the soulknife’s Blade Shaping ability is extended to include all melee martial and exotic weapons. He is also able to split his mind blade into two of any light melee weapon. Additionally, his Blade Shaping ability now requires only a swift action to activate as opposed to a full-round action.
Bladewind (Su): At 10th level and up, a soulknife gains the ability to momentarily fragment his mind blade into numerous identical blades, each of which strikes at a nearby opponent.
As a full attack, when wielding his mind blade, a soulknife can give up his regular attacks and instead fragment his mind blade to make one melee attack at his full base attack bonus against each opponent within reach. Each fragment functions identically to the soulknife’s regular mind blade.
When using this technique, a soulknife forfeits any bonus or extra attacks granted by other feats or abilities (such as the Cleave feat or the haste spell). The mind blade immediately reverts to its previous form after the bladewind attack.
If the soulknife with Two Weapon Fighting has his mind blade split into two identical weapons, he may instead attack each opponent this way once with each weapon at the full attack bonus of that weapon (normal dual wield penalties still apply). He still must forfeit all other extra attacks.
Greater Blade Essence (Su): At 11th level, the soulknife’s Blade Essence ability is changed to take a swift action rather than a full round action. He also gains access to other material types in addition to the ones previously allowed (see table).
Knife to the Soul (Su): Beginning at 12th level, whenever the soulknife executes a Psychic Strike, he can choose to substitute Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma damage (his choice) for extra dice of damage. For each die of extra damage he gives up, he deals 1 point of damage to the ability score he chooses. A soulknife can combine extra dice of damage and ability damage in any combination.
Combat Enchanting (Su): At 13th level, the soulknife gains the ability to enchant his mind blade in combat. Now he may fully change the enchantment of his mind blade in a single swift action, allowing him to prepare for whatever challenges he face in combat.
Greater Weapon Focus (Mind Blade): At 14th level and beyond, as long as the soulknife is proficient with his mind blade’s current form, he gains an additional +1 to attack rolls with the mind blade (stacks with other attack bonuses including Weapon Focus).
Perfect Blade Shaping (Su): At 15th level, the soulknife has perfected his control over his mind blade’s shape. Now, the soulknife may manipulate a single aspect of the soul blade’s base weapon type itself as he uses Blade Shaping upon it.
When using Blade Shaping, he may raise the critical bonus of that base weapon from x2 to x3 or x3 to x4, increase the weapon damage to that of the next size category, turn the weapon into a reach weapon or nonreach weapon if it normally is reach (only for two-handed weapons), or change the damage type of the weapon to any one of slashing, bludgeoning, or piercing. Only one of these changes may be active upon the mind blade at a time and such changes still require a swift action (done through the normal Blade Shaping ability).
Additionally, he may now dual wield the mind blade as two identical one-handed melee weapons of any type.
Mind Crack (Su): A soulknife of 16th level or higher can use Psychic Strike to damage even those creatures that are immune to mind affecting effects as long as the creature fails a Will save at DC equal to 10 + ½ class level + soulknife’s Int modifier right before rolling for Psychic Strike damage (or before damage would be dealt if no damage dice need be rolled).
If the creature fails the Will save, the soulknife’s Psychic Strike is able to deal damage as normal to that creature for that round (including Knife to the Soul ability damage). If it instead makes the save, the soulknife’s Psychic Strike charge is not expended for the round but he is unable to use Psychic Strike against that creature again this round. He may attempt to use Psychic Strike on the same target again next round.
This class feature still does not allow him to use Psychic Strike against creatures that are mindless and have no intelligence score.
Perfect Blade Essence (Su): At 17th level, the soulknife gains perfect control over the essence of his mind blade, allowing him access to some of the most powerful essences his mind blade can have (see table).
Bladestorm (Su): At 18th level, a soulknife has mastered his psychic weapon to such a degree that they may act in perfect concert for a short time.
As a full-round action, the soulknife may designate up to three separate targets within reach. He may take one separate full attack action against each of these targets. When using this class feature, the soulknife does NOT give up any bonus attacks granted from Cleave, haste, dual wielding, etc. He may calculate these bonus attacks separately for each targeted creature (so, for example, if he has the Cleave feat and all three targeted enemies are killed in the attack, a bonus attack may be made for each dropped foe). This ability may be used once per encounter.
Example: a hasted 19th level souknife with two light weapons, greater two-weapon fighting and cleave uses this ability on three enemies. He may make 7 attacks (3 with his primary weapon, 3 with his off-hand weapon and one from haste) against each targeted enemy. If he drops two of his enemies, he may make two cleave attempts against any enemy within reach. In effect, he has taken 3 separate full attack actions during his turn.
Brittle Mind (Su): At 19th level, the soulknife's mind blade can make a devastating psychic attack upon an enemy’s mind that becomes more powerful the more intelligent that enemy is, using their intellect against them. Whenever the soulknife deals damage with his Psychic Strike on a target with an Int modifier above 0, he learns the target’s Intelligence score and deals additional psychic damage equal to PP spent multiplied by the target’s Int modifier. This damage is not multiplied as part of a critical hit. That target must also make a Will save DC 10 + PP spent + target’s Int modifier or be dazed for 1 round.
Essence Duality (Su): At 20th level, the soulknife learns to forge his mind blade even out of multiple, contrasting forces. Now, when using his Blade Essence ability, he may select two different essences and apply them to his mind blade at the same time. Even opposing essences such as Axiomatic and Anarchic can be chosen together. If he selects any two of Essence of Heat, Essence of Cold, and Essence of lightning, half the weapon damage dealt will be of one element and half be of the other.
Also redesigned the two soulknife prestige classes from Complete Psionic:
Illumine Soul (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6676576&postcount=27)
Soulbow (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6676583&postcount=28)
And here's some new multiclassing soulknife feats (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6682064&postcount=29).
Introduction:
I find the soulknife class to be very interesting with a lot of potential. However, like many, I found the core soulknife far too weak compared to most other base classes, mostly due to his relatively weak weapon, medium BAB, and lack of versatility. The prestige classes from Complete Psionics helped make the class a lot more usable but I still find that they don't give him much versatility (soulbow just makes him a decent archer while illumine soul simply makes him better against undead).
That's why I changed the class a bit to focus more on a sneakier type of gameplay (closer to rogue, hence still medium BAB) as well as give him more options/features so that he is able to fight well as either ranged or melee, whichever the situation warrants. I also tapped into some possibilities of having a blade made out of thought, hence the ability to turn it into any material and even improving its base weapon attributes. Finally, I added a lot more options to improve versatility, such as allowing for different weapon types for his mind blade and giving a lot more options in enchantments.
Comments are, of course, greatly appreciated. I'd really love some feedback about whether this is overpowered, underpowered, mushroompowered, flowerpowered, or whatever. :smallwink:
Soulknife
http://www.freewebs.com/4gate/artwork_dark_templar_image_full.jpg
... What?
Soulknives have the following game statistics:
Abilities: Dexterity is the ideal attribute for most soulknives, granting them improved defenses, better stealth skills, powerful ranged attacks, and improved precision and damage with lighter mind blades. Strength is necessary for those soulknives that prefer the less subtle approach of powerful, heavy mind blades. Intelligence is necessary for better manifesting and improving skills while Constitution is always important for boosting toughness and fortitude.
Alignment: Any.
Starting Gold: 5d4 x 10 (125 gp)
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills:
The soulknife’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are as follows: Autohypnosis (Wis), Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Psionics) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Psicraft (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier
Class Progression
{table=head]Level|
Bab|
Fort|
Ref|
Will|
Mind Blade|
Special|
PP per Day|
Powers Known|
Power Level
1st |
+0|
0|
2|
2|
Mind Blade|
Weapon Focus, Mind Finesse|
0|
-|
-
2nd |
+1|
0|
3|
3|
+1 Mind Blade|
Psychic Strike|
1|
-|
-
3rd |
+2|
1|
3|
3|
Blade Shaping|
Throw Weapon|
3|
-|
-
4th |
+3|
1|
4|
4|
+1 Special Abilities||
5|
1|
1
5th |
+3|
1|
4|
4|
Blade Essence|
Free Draw|
7|
2|
1
6th |
+4|
2|
5|
5|
+2 Mind Blade||
11|
2|
1
7th |
+5|
2|
5|
5||
Speed of Thought|
15|
3|
2
8th |
+6|
2|
6|
6|
+2 Special Abilities|
Fast Enchanting|
19|
3|
2
9th |
+6|
3|
6|
6|
Greater Blade Shaping||
23|
4|
2
10th |
+7|
3|
7|
7|
+3 Mind Blade|
Bladewind|
27|
4|
2
11th |
+8|
3|
7|
7|
Greater Blade Essence||
35|
5|
3
12th |
+9|
4|
8|
8|
+3 Special Abilities|
Knife to the Soul|
43|
5|
3
13th |
+9|
4|
8|
8||
Combat Enchanting|
51|
6|
3
14th |
+10|
4|
9|
9|
+4 Mind Blade|
Greater Weapon Focus|
59|
6|
3
15th |
+11|
5|
9|
9|
Perfect Blade Shaping||
67|
7|
4
16th |
+12|
5|
10|
10|
+4 Special Abilities|
Mind Crack|
79|
7|
4
17th |
+12|
5|
10|
10|
Perfect Blade Essence||
91|
8|
4
18th |
+13|
6|
11|
11|
+5 Mind Blade|
Bladestorm|
103|
8|
4
19th |
+14|
6|
11|
11||
Brittle Mind|
115|
9|
4
20th|
+15|
6|
12|
12|
+5 Special Abilities, Essence Duality||
127|
9|
4
[/table]
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Soulknives are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light and medium armor, and shields (except tower shields).
Power Points/Day: A soulknife’s ability to make Psychic Strikes and manifest powers is limited by the power points he has available. His base daily allotment of power points is given on the class progression table. In addition, he receives bonus power points per day if he has a high Intelligence score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Power Points). His race may also provide bonus power points per day, as may certain feats and items. A 1st-level soulknife gains no power points for his class level, but he gains bonus power points (if he is entitled to any).
Powers Known: A soulknife initially learns no powers. At 4th level, he gains a single power known, and every even level after that he unlocks the knowledge of a new power.
Choose the powers known from the psychic warrior power list. (Exception: The feats Expanded Knowledge and Epic Expanded Knowledge do allow a soulknife to learn powers from the lists of other classes.) A soulknife can manifest any power that has a power point cost equal to or lower than his manifester level.
The total number of powers a soulknife can manifest in a day is limited only by his daily power points. A soulknife simply knows his powers; they are ingrained in his mind. He does not need to prepare them (in the way that some spellcasters prepare their spells), though he must get a good night’s sleep each day to regain all his spent power points.
The Difficulty Class for saving throws against soulknife powers is 10 + the power’s level + the soulknife’s Intelligence modifier.
Maximum Power Level Known: A 4th level soulknife gains the ability to learn 1st-level powers. As he attains higher levels, he may gain the ability to master more complex powers. To learn or manifest a power, a soulknife must have an Intelligence score of at least 10 + the power’s level.
Mind Blade (Su): As a move action, a soulknife can create a semi-solid blade composed of psychic energy distilled from his own mind. The blade is identical in all ways (except visually and weight-wise) to a short sword of a size appropriate for its wielder. For instance, a Medium soulknife materializes a Medium mind blade that he can wield as a light weapon, and the blade deals 1d6 points of damage (crit 19–20/x2). Soulknives who are smaller or larger than Medium create mind blades identical to short swords appropriate for their size, with a corresponding change to the blade’s damage. The wielder of a mind blade gains the usual benefits to his attack roll and damage roll from a high Strength bonus. All mind blades are weightless.
The blade can be broken (it has hardness 10 and 10 hit points); however, a soulknife can simply create another on his next move action. The moment he relinquishes his grip on his blade, it dissipates (unless he intends to throw it; see below). A mind blade is considered a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
A soulknife can use feats such as Power Attack or Combat Expertise in conjunction with the mind blade just as if it were a normal weapon. He can also choose “mind blade” for feats requiring a specific weapon choice, such as Improved Critical, and have that feat apply to every form of the mind blade. Powers or spells that upgrade weapons such as Magic Weapon can be used on a mind blade.
A soulknife’s mind blade improves as the character gains higher levels. At 2nd level and every four levels thereafter, the mind blade gains a cumulative +1 enhancement bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls (+2 at 6th level, +3 at 10th level, and so on). Also, at 4th level and every four levels thereafter, the mind blade gains a special +1 enhancement bonus (+2 at 8th level, +3 at 12th level, and so on) that can only be used to provide special abilities of your choice to the mind blade, as if the weapon was enchanted with the special ability.
The weapon abilities remain the same every time the soulknife materializes his mind blade (unless he decides to reassign its abilities) and they apply to any form the mind blade takes. Starting at 4th level, a soulknife can add and reassign the abilities he has added to his mind blade. To do so, he must first spend 8 hours in concentration. After that period, the mind blade materializes with the new set of special abilities selected by the soulknife.
Even in places where psionic effects do not normally function (such as within a null psionics field), a soulknife can attempt to sustain his mind blade by making a DC 20 Will save. On a successful save, the soulknife maintains his mind blade for a number of rounds equal to his class level before he needs to check again. On an unsuccessful attempt, the mind blade vanishes. As a move action on his turn, the soulknife can attempt a new Will save to rematerialize his mind blade while he remains within the psionics negating effect.
Weapon Focus (Mind Blade): As long as the soulknife is proficient with his mind blade’s current form, he gains +1 to attack rolls with the mind blade.
Mind Finesse (Ex): A soulknife may, when wielding a mind blade in the form of a light weapon, rapier, whip, or spiked chain made for a creature of his size category, use his Dexterity modifier instead of his Strength modifier on attack and damage rolls. If he carries a shield, its armor check penalty applies to his attack rolls.
Psychic Strike (Su): Upon 2nd level, the soulknife can augment his mind blade with a powerful psychic resonance that would cause mental pain to any enemy he hits. As a swift action, the soulknife spends PP up to half his manifester level to charge his mind blade with a Psychic Strike. Once per round for 10 rounds, the soulknife can release this charge on any one enemy he hits with a mind blade, dealing 1d8 psychic damage per PP spent.
This is a mind-affecting ability. If the soulknife attempts to release the charge on a creature that is mindless or immune to mind-affecting, that creature takes no damage and his mind blade does not lose the charge for that round. The soulknife also learns in the process whether the creature is mindless or immune to mind-affecting. This ability rests on all forms of the mind blade, regardless of type or shape, and even if he releases one mind blade and forms another, the Psychic Strike charge still applies.
Throw Mind Blade (Ex): At 3rd level and above, a soulknife is able to throw his mind blade as a ranged weapon with a range increment of 30 feet. Whether or not the attack hits, a thrown mind blade then dissipates.
The soulknife can make a Psychic Strike with a thrown mind blade and can use the blade in conjunction with other special abilities (such as Knife to the Soul).
A soulknife with the Two Weapon Fighting feat dual wielding two mind blades may choose to throw both instead of just one. Throwing both in the same round gives the normal dual wielding penalty to attack but choosing to throw only one (even if he is wielding two blades) gives no such penalties.
Blade Shaping (Su): At 3rd level, a soulknife gains the ability to change the form of his mind blade into a similar weapon of his choice. As a full round action, he can change his mind blade to replicate any simple weapon or any light or one-handed martial weapon (see table below). If a soulknife shapes his mind blade into a one-handed or two-handed weapon and wields it two-handed, he adds 1-½ times his Strength bonus to his damage rolls, just like when using any other two-handed weapon.
Alternatively, a soulknife can split his mind blade into two identical light simple weapons, suitable for fighting with a weapon in each hand. (The normal penalties for fighting with two weapons still apply.) If the soulknife has more than two hands, he may create as many such mind blades as he has hands. However, additional mind blades after the first two do not gain special weapon abilities, though they do keep their enhancement bonuses. In every other way, they are identical to the original mind blades.
The soulknife may shape the mind blade into a throwing weapon (such as dagger) as long as it is still able to be used in melee. In that case, he would still use his mind blade’s normal 30 ft range increment for throwing regardless of that weapon’s normal throwing range.
The mind blade retains the shape given to it using this class feature every time it is formed until the soulknife reshapes it. If the soulknife loses access to this class feature due to negative levels or level loss due to death, his mind blade regresses to its original shortsword form.
{table=head]Weapon|
Required Ability
Shortsword|
None
All Simple|
Blade Shaping
Light Martial|
Blade Shaping
One-Handed Martial|
Blade Shaping
2x Light Simple|
Blade Shaping
All Martial|
Greater Blade Shaping
All Exotic|
Greater Blade Shaping
2x Light Weapons|
Greater Blade Shaping
2x One-Handed|
Perfect Blade Shaping
Shape Base Weapon|
Perfect Blade Shaping
[/table]
* Note: Weapon must be able to perform melee attacks, must not be unarmed weapons, and must not be gauntlets, shields, or armor (like spiked armor). Entries like “2x Light Simple” allow you to create two identical weapons in place of one for dual wielding purposes.
Free Draw (Su): At 5th level, a soulknife becomes able to materialize his mind blade as a free action instead of a move action. Now, when throwing his mind blade in a full attack, he may throw as many times a round as he can make melee attacks, and he may alternate between throwing and melee attacking, as long as the total number of attacks does not exceed the normal amount of melee attacks he may make per round.
Blade Essence (Su): At 5th level, a soulknife can alter the very essence of his mind blade to replicate any type of material. At the cost of a full round action, he can alter the material of his mind blade (see table below). Changing the material changes the weapon’s hardness and HP as well. Each time he alters its essence, the weapon’s HP is immediately restored to full.
The mind blade retains the material given to it using this class feature every time it is formed until the soulknife reshapes it. If the soulknife loses access to this class feature due to negative levels or level loss due to death, his mind blade regresses to its original material of regular steel.
{table=head]Special Material|
Required Ability|
Effect|
Hardness|
Hit Points
None|
None|
None (Basic material type).|
10|
10
Adamantine|
Blade Essence|
As the Adamantine (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialMaterials.htm#adamantine) weapon material.|
12|
20
Cold Iron|
Blade Essence|
As the Cold Iron (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialMaterials.htm#ironCold) weapon material.|
10|
15
Silver|
Blade Essence|
As the Alchemical Silver (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialMaterials.htm#silverAlchemical) weapon material.|
8|
10
Spectral|
Greater Blade Essence|
As the Ghost Touch (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#ghostTouchWeapon) special ability.|
10|
10
Essence of Heat|
Greater Blade Essence|
All normal weapon damage^ is converted to fire damage instead.|
–*|
–
Essence of Cold|
Greater Blade Essence|
All normal weapon damage is converted to cold damage instead.|
–|
–
Essence of Lightning|
Greater Blade Essence|
All normal weapon damage is converted to electric damage instead.|
–|
–
Mind over Matter|
Perfect Blade Essence|
Attacks using the mind blade ignore natural armor AC.|
–|
–
Brilliant Energy|
Perfect Blade Essence|
As the Brilliant Energy (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#brilliantEnergy) special ability.|
–|
–
Anarchic|
Perfect Blade Essence|
As the Anarchic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#anarchic) special ability. Does not bestow negative level on you regardless of your alignment.|
10|
10
Axiomatic|
Perfect Blade Essence|
As the Axiomatic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#axiomatic) special ability. Does not bestow negative level on you regardless of your alignment.|
10|
10
Holy|
Perfect Blade Essence|
As the Holy (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#holy) special ability. Does not bestow negative level on you regardless of your alignment.|
10|
10
Unholy|
Perfect Blade Essence|
As the Unholy (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#unholy) special ability. Does not bestow negative level on you regardless of your alignment.|
10|
10
[/table]
^ For the purposes of Essence of Heat, Essence of Cold, and Essence of Lightning, normal weapon damage include the weapon’s base damage, extra damage from attribute modifier (Strength or Dexterity), extra damage from Power Attack and the like, precision damage (such as Sneak Attack), and other mundane sources of damage. Typed damage (such as from the Flaming special ability) and damage unconnected to the weapon attack itself (such as from Psychic Strike or from poisons) are not converted.
* When hardness and HP are listed as “–”, it means the weapon cannot be sundered in this form.
Speed of Thought: At level 7, a soulknife gains Speed of Thought as a bonus feat, giving him an insight bonus of 10 feet to his speed as long as he’s psionically focused and not wearing heavy armor.
Fast Enchanting (Su): At 8th level, the soulknife has learned to enchant his mind blade quickly and efficiently to prepare for all challenges. Now, he may fully change the enchantment of his mind blade in 5 minutes of concentration rather than the original 8 hours necessary before.
Greater Blade Shaping (Su): At 9th level, the soulknife’s Blade Shaping ability is extended to include all melee martial and exotic weapons. He is also able to split his mind blade into two of any light melee weapon. Additionally, his Blade Shaping ability now requires only a swift action to activate as opposed to a full-round action.
Bladewind (Su): At 10th level and up, a soulknife gains the ability to momentarily fragment his mind blade into numerous identical blades, each of which strikes at a nearby opponent.
As a full attack, when wielding his mind blade, a soulknife can give up his regular attacks and instead fragment his mind blade to make one melee attack at his full base attack bonus against each opponent within reach. Each fragment functions identically to the soulknife’s regular mind blade.
When using this technique, a soulknife forfeits any bonus or extra attacks granted by other feats or abilities (such as the Cleave feat or the haste spell). The mind blade immediately reverts to its previous form after the bladewind attack.
If the soulknife with Two Weapon Fighting has his mind blade split into two identical weapons, he may instead attack each opponent this way once with each weapon at the full attack bonus of that weapon (normal dual wield penalties still apply). He still must forfeit all other extra attacks.
Greater Blade Essence (Su): At 11th level, the soulknife’s Blade Essence ability is changed to take a swift action rather than a full round action. He also gains access to other material types in addition to the ones previously allowed (see table).
Knife to the Soul (Su): Beginning at 12th level, whenever the soulknife executes a Psychic Strike, he can choose to substitute Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma damage (his choice) for extra dice of damage. For each die of extra damage he gives up, he deals 1 point of damage to the ability score he chooses. A soulknife can combine extra dice of damage and ability damage in any combination.
Combat Enchanting (Su): At 13th level, the soulknife gains the ability to enchant his mind blade in combat. Now he may fully change the enchantment of his mind blade in a single swift action, allowing him to prepare for whatever challenges he face in combat.
Greater Weapon Focus (Mind Blade): At 14th level and beyond, as long as the soulknife is proficient with his mind blade’s current form, he gains an additional +1 to attack rolls with the mind blade (stacks with other attack bonuses including Weapon Focus).
Perfect Blade Shaping (Su): At 15th level, the soulknife has perfected his control over his mind blade’s shape. Now, the soulknife may manipulate a single aspect of the soul blade’s base weapon type itself as he uses Blade Shaping upon it.
When using Blade Shaping, he may raise the critical bonus of that base weapon from x2 to x3 or x3 to x4, increase the weapon damage to that of the next size category, turn the weapon into a reach weapon or nonreach weapon if it normally is reach (only for two-handed weapons), or change the damage type of the weapon to any one of slashing, bludgeoning, or piercing. Only one of these changes may be active upon the mind blade at a time and such changes still require a swift action (done through the normal Blade Shaping ability).
Additionally, he may now dual wield the mind blade as two identical one-handed melee weapons of any type.
Mind Crack (Su): A soulknife of 16th level or higher can use Psychic Strike to damage even those creatures that are immune to mind affecting effects as long as the creature fails a Will save at DC equal to 10 + ½ class level + soulknife’s Int modifier right before rolling for Psychic Strike damage (or before damage would be dealt if no damage dice need be rolled).
If the creature fails the Will save, the soulknife’s Psychic Strike is able to deal damage as normal to that creature for that round (including Knife to the Soul ability damage). If it instead makes the save, the soulknife’s Psychic Strike charge is not expended for the round but he is unable to use Psychic Strike against that creature again this round. He may attempt to use Psychic Strike on the same target again next round.
This class feature still does not allow him to use Psychic Strike against creatures that are mindless and have no intelligence score.
Perfect Blade Essence (Su): At 17th level, the soulknife gains perfect control over the essence of his mind blade, allowing him access to some of the most powerful essences his mind blade can have (see table).
Bladestorm (Su): At 18th level, a soulknife has mastered his psychic weapon to such a degree that they may act in perfect concert for a short time.
As a full-round action, the soulknife may designate up to three separate targets within reach. He may take one separate full attack action against each of these targets. When using this class feature, the soulknife does NOT give up any bonus attacks granted from Cleave, haste, dual wielding, etc. He may calculate these bonus attacks separately for each targeted creature (so, for example, if he has the Cleave feat and all three targeted enemies are killed in the attack, a bonus attack may be made for each dropped foe). This ability may be used once per encounter.
Example: a hasted 19th level souknife with two light weapons, greater two-weapon fighting and cleave uses this ability on three enemies. He may make 7 attacks (3 with his primary weapon, 3 with his off-hand weapon and one from haste) against each targeted enemy. If he drops two of his enemies, he may make two cleave attempts against any enemy within reach. In effect, he has taken 3 separate full attack actions during his turn.
Brittle Mind (Su): At 19th level, the soulknife's mind blade can make a devastating psychic attack upon an enemy’s mind that becomes more powerful the more intelligent that enemy is, using their intellect against them. Whenever the soulknife deals damage with his Psychic Strike on a target with an Int modifier above 0, he learns the target’s Intelligence score and deals additional psychic damage equal to PP spent multiplied by the target’s Int modifier. This damage is not multiplied as part of a critical hit. That target must also make a Will save DC 10 + PP spent + target’s Int modifier or be dazed for 1 round.
Essence Duality (Su): At 20th level, the soulknife learns to forge his mind blade even out of multiple, contrasting forces. Now, when using his Blade Essence ability, he may select two different essences and apply them to his mind blade at the same time. Even opposing essences such as Axiomatic and Anarchic can be chosen together. If he selects any two of Essence of Heat, Essence of Cold, and Essence of lightning, half the weapon damage dealt will be of one element and half be of the other.