PDA

View Full Version : [3.5] Soulborn Fix



Person_Man
2009-07-22, 03:54 PM
I love Magic of Incarnum. The Totemist and Incarnate rock. But the Soulborn (basically an Incanum Paladin) is universally acknowledged as sucking. So I thought I'd take a shot at making it playable without radically changing the class. I basically just increased the essentia progression (while basically keeping the soulmeld and chakra bind progression) and added a bunch of bonus feats (limited to Smite improving and Essentia feats), party face class Skills, an improved Share Incarnum Defense, Dispel Opposition, and Obliterate Opposition. Please PEACH:


http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/moi_gallery/91026.jpg

Soulborn

Alignment: Soulborns are polarized in their alignments. As such, they can only be Lawful Good, Chaotic Good, Lawful Evil, or Chaotic Evil.

Hit Die: d10

Class Skills (4 + Int Mod per level, x4 at first level): The soulborn's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str).

Weapons and Armor: Soulborns are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with light, medium, and heavy armor, and with shields (except tower shields).

{table=head]
Level|
Base Attack Bonus|
Fort Save|
Ref Save|
Will Save|
Class Abilities|
Soul melds|
Essentia|
Chakra Binds
1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+0| Aura, Smite Opposition (1/day), Read Chakra |
0|
0|
0|
2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+0| Incarnum Defense, Sapphire Smite|
0|
1|
0|
3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+1| Meldshaping |
1|
1|
0|
4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+1| Expanded Soulmeld Capacity +1 |
1|
2|
0|
5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+1| Smite Opposition (2/day), Bonus Feat|
1|
2|
0|
6th|
+6/+1|
+5|
+2|
+2| Share Incarnum Defense |
1|
3|
0|
7th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+2|
+2| Bonus Feat|
1|
3|
0|
8th|
+8/+3|
+6|
+2|
+2| Chakra Binds (crown, feet, hands)|
2|
4|
1|
9th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+3|
+3| Bonus Feat |
2|
4|
1|
10th|
+10/+5|
+7|
+3|
+3| Smite Opposition (3/day)|
2|
5|
1|
11th|
+11/+6/+1|
+7|
+3|
+3| Bonus Feat |
2|
6|
1|
12th|
+12/+7/+2|
+8|
+4|
+4| Dispel Opposition |
3|
7|
1|
13th|
+13/+8/+3|
+8|
+4|
+4| Bonus Feat |
3|
8|
1|
14th|
+14/+9/+4|
+9|
+4|
+4| Chakra Binds (arms, brow, shoulders) |
3|
9|
2|
15th|
+15/+10/+5|
+9|
+5|
+5| Smite Opposition (4/day), Bonus Feat |
3|
10|
2|
16th|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+10|
+5|
+5| Expanded Soulmeld Capacity +2 |
4|
11|
2|
17th|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+5| Bonus Feat |
4|
12|
2|
18th|
+18/+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+6|
+6| Chakra Binds (throat, waist) |
4|
13|
3|
19th|
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+6|
+6| Timeless Body, Bonus Feat |
4|
14|
3|
20th|
+20/+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+6|
+6| Smite Opposition (5/day), Obliterate Opposition |
5|
15|
3[/table]

Class Abilities:

Aura (Ex): Same as original Soulborn class.

Smite Opposition (Su): Same as original Soulborn class. In addition, if you take levels of any other class that provides a Smite ability, the levels of the those classes stack to determine bonus damage for either ability. For example, a Soulborn 3/Paladin 2 could Smite Opposition once a day for 5 extra damage and Smite Evil once per day for 5 extra damage.

Smite Opposition may be used in place of any other Smite ability (such as Smite Evil or Smite Good) to qualify for and use any feat or prestige class that requires it. For example, a Soulborn may take the Ranged Smite Evil feat and apply it to his Smite Opposition ability, even if he is using Smite Opposition to Smite a Good or Lawfully aligned enemy. You may also count Soulborn levels in place of Paladin levels for any feat which requires a Smite Evil ability, such as Devoted Tracker, Devoted Performer, or Devoted Inquisitor.

Read Chakra (Su): At will as a Swift Action you may determine the alignment of any creature within 30 feet of you by making a Spellcraft check, with a DC equal 10 + the enemy's Hit Die. As part of this action, if your modified Spellcraft check is 20 or higher you also detect any shaped soulmelds and chakra binds that an enemy is using (as per the normal use of Spellcraft to do so).

Incarnum Defense (Su): Same as original Soulborn Class. It's a minor immunity based on your alignment.

Sapphire Smite: You gain Sapphire Smite as a bonus feat. If you already possess this feat, you may choose another Incarnum feat that you qualify for in its place.

Meldshaping: As per the original Soulborn, except that your meldshaper level is equal to your Soulborn level, and you may choose Soulmelds from any class list. (In the original version, the meldshaper level is equal to 1/2 your Soulborn level. They have a very restrictive list. And I've given the Soulborn thier first Soulmeld at level 3 instead of level 4). You still may not shape soulmelds with an alignment description that does not match your own.

Expanded Soulmeld Capacity: At 4th level the amount of essentia that you can invest in any Soulborn soulmeld is increased by 1. This increases by 1 again at 16th level. This only applies to soulmelds, not to feats, class features, or other class abilities that allow essentia investment.

Bonus Feat: At 5th level and every odd level thereafter, you gain a bonus feat from the following list: Awesome Smite (Comp Champion), Devoted Inquisitor (Comp Adventurer), Devoted Performer (Comp Adventurer), Devoted Tracker (Comp Adventurer), Expanded Soulmeld Capacity (MoI), Extra Smiting (Comp Warrior), Improved Smiting (Comp Divine), Iron Will, Ranged Smite Evil (BoED), Silver Smite (Eb), Smiting Power (Champions of Valor), True Believer (Comp Divine), or any Incarnum feat. You must otherwise qualify for the feat in order to take it.

Share Incarnum Defense (Su): At 6th level all allies within 30 feet that share at least one alignment component with you also benefit from your Incarnum Defense ability.

Chakra Binds: Same as original Soulborn class.

Dispel Opposition (Su): Whenever you successfully use your Smite Opposition ability against an enemy, that enemy must make a Will Save (DC = 10 + 1/2 your Soulborn level + your Cha modifier). If the enemy fails their Save, then you may force them to unshape a single soulmeld (and it's associated Chakra bind if applicable) or dispel any single ongoing spell, spell-like ability, or magic item effect that requires activation. If you have successfully identified the enemy's use of a soulmeld, spell, spell-like ability, or magic item (using Read Chakra or Spellcraft) then you may choose which one to dispel. Otherwise, one is chosen at random.

Timeless Body: Same as original Soulborn class.

Obliterate Opposition (Su): Once per day when you successfully use your Smite Opposition ability against an enemy, that enemy must make a Will Save (DC = 10 + 1/2 your Soulborn level + your Cha modifier) or be slain. You may choose to use or not use this ability after dealing damage and resolving your Dispel Opposition ability and knowing their end effects.

Cute_Riolu
2009-07-24, 04:08 PM
I'm honestly not all that great with balance, but I do want some opinions on this... so ker-bumpity!

EdroGrimshell
2009-07-24, 05:59 PM
It's better than the original, that's for sure. It looks good in my opinion, but Read Chakra should have a DC of 10 + the creature's hit die, not the creatures hit die.

quick_comment
2009-07-25, 10:33 AM
I would give it 4+int skill points and a good will save. Maybe a fighter bonus feat or two as well.

Person_Man
2009-07-27, 03:16 PM
Fixed the Save DC for Read Chakra. Bumped up the Skill Points to 4 per level.
Given the 9 bonus feats (albeit from a limited but useful list) I don't think it needs any more.

The Soulborn slightly overshadows the Paladin at level 1, but is on par (or weaker) at ECL 2-5, and then his power curve bumps back up to Crusader/Warblade level from ECL 6-20. Or at least that's what I hope.

Any additional commentary is welcome. The basic idea is to give people a full BAB Incarnum using class that doesn't suck. The problem is that Soulmelds and Chakra binds are essentially all day buffs, which are hard to balance in 3.5, since so many other classes have limited resources.