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View Full Version : (3.5) A Few New Soulmelds, Giving Incarnate and Soulborn Some New Tricks!



wayfare
2011-05-23, 11:02 PM
Hey all:

I'm finally running the incarnum game I've always dreamed about, and adding a few options for soulborn and the incarnate while im at it. This is all very Work in Progress, so feel free to critique!

MONK’S WRAPPINGS
Descriptor: None
Class: Soulborn
Chakra: Hands, Arms
Saving Throw: None
You wrap gauzy strands of incarnum about your arms, channeling the strength and skill of martial artists past and future in your own maneuvers.

While this meld is shaped, you count as 1 size category larger when resolving grapple checks and inflicting damage with your unarmed strike.

Essentia: Every point of essentia invested in this meld grants you a +2 bonus to grapple checks.

CHAKRA BIND (HANDS)
Bands of incarnum form about your hands, cerulean tinged bandages that mirror the wrappings of elite unarmed combatants. Your unarmed blows strike with unusual power and superlative precision, becoming deadly weapons.

While this meld is bound to your hands chakra, you gain the benefits of the improved unarmed strike feat. Additionally, every point of essentia invested in this meld grants your unarmed strikes a +1 enhancement bonus.

CHAKRA BIND (ARMS)
Azure bandages wrap about your arms, imbuing mortal muscle with supernatural power. A meldshaper so empowered can crush stone with his bear hands and shatter spines with the greatest of ease.

While Monk’s Wrappings is bound to your arms chakra, you can choose to inflict lethal damage in a grapple equal to your unarmed strike damage + your meldshaper level.

KINETICIST’S CROWN
Descriptor: Force
Class: Incarnate
Chakra: Brow, Crown
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
An ethereal crown floats over your head, a slowly spinning circlet crafted from the souls of mentalists past and future.

Once per round, as a swift action, you can manifest an effect identical to the Mage Hand spell.

Essentia: For every point of essentia invested in this meld, you increase the maximum load the Mage Hand can lift by 5lbs.

CHAKRA BIND (CROWN)
Your Kineticist’s Crown fuses to your skull, a riot of purplish crystals painlessly growing from your head. Drawing upon the power of incarnum, you can focus your will into a potent blast of dazing energy.

One per round, as a standard action, you may force an opponent within 50 feet to make a Fortitude save or be Dazed for 1 round.

CHAKRA BIND (Brow)
An azure crystal sprouts from your forehead, glowing with a baleful light.

Once per round, as a standard action, you can make a ranged touch attack against any opponent within 50 feet. On a successful attack you inflict 1d4+1 force damage. Each point of essentia invested in this meld increases the damage by 1d4+1.


MOLTEN LANCE
Descriptor: Fire, Piercing
Class: Soulborn
Chakra: Hands
Saving Throw: None
Drawing upon the souls of the fiery salamanders that guard the fabled City of Brass, the meldshaper crafts a weapon of molten metal and ethereal flame.

The meldshaper crafts a masterwork longspear that can be used normally. The meldshaper is considered proficient with this weapon, even if he does not have the requisite skill.

Essentia: Every point of essentia invested adds 2 points of fire damage to the damage inflicted by the Molten Lance.

CHAKRA BIND (HANDS)
The Molten Lance boils away in a conflagration, replaced with a spear crafted from red-blue incarnum laced flame.

Attacks made with the Molten Lance are resolved as touch attacks, 1d8 fire damage. The characters strength modifier is not added to the damage inflicted, though any damage granted by invested essentia is applied normally.


HEALER’S HANDS
Descriptors: None
Classes: Incarnate
Chakra: Hands
Saving Throw: None
You shape a ghostly set of hands from the collected souls of physicians and healers, an experienced assistant that mirrors and perfects your every motion. Though useless in combat, these ghostly hands grant the skill to save the casualties of war.

While this meld is shaped, you gain a +4 bonus to Heal rolls.

Essentia: Each point of essentia invested in this meld increases the Heal bonus by +2.

CHAKRA BIND (HANDS)
Your healers hands merge with your flesh, appearing to be nothing more than simple cotton surgeons gloves. Despite their simple appearance, the bearer of these glover can work true miracles.

While healers hands are shaped, you can take a full action and make a Heal check to cure your allies of status ailments. The DC of the heal check depends on the ailment cured:

Ability Damage -- DC 15 + 5 per point of ability damage. A successful check restores 1 point of ability damage.

Ability Drain -- DC 20 + 5 per point of ability drain. A successful check restores 1 point of ability drain.

Blindness/Deafness -- DC 20

Poison -- DC = to Poisons Save DC.

Disease -- DC = to Diseases Save DC

Confusion -- DC = to Spell Save DC

Stun/Daze/Paralyze: DC 20

Sickened: DC 15

MIRACULOUS TOUCH
Descriptors: None
Classes: Incarnate, Soulborn
Chakra: Heart
Saving Throw: None
You shape incarnum into a cloud of cerulean motes that dance about (and sometimes through) your hands. Infused with the soul energy of Paladin’s and Clerics, your touch restores health to even the most grievously wounded.

With a touch, you can restore (Level x Constitution Modifier) hp to an ally. An ally can benefit from this healing once per day.

Essentia: Every point of essentia invested in this meld increases your Constitution Modifier by 1 for the purpose of activating Miraculous Touch.

CHAKRA BIND (HEART)
The blue motes that once comprised your Miraculous Touch coalesce into a shining blue gem set into the palm of your hand. The healing light radiating from the gem can restore even mortal wounds, if the bearer arrives in time.

While this meld is bound to your heart, you may restore an ally to life if you heal them within 1 round of death. If the meld shaper can touch the target within this time limit and expend his Miraculous Touch, the target is restored to life without level loss, but only possessing HP equal to its Constitution score.

Each point of essentia invested into this meld increases the time limit by 1 round.


HEROES AEGIS
Descriptor: None
Class: Soulborn
Chakra: Shoulders, Heart
Save: None
You craft an azure cloak from the souls of peerless warriors, spirits eager to taste battle once more. Guided by their experienced hand, the Heroes Aegis guards your flank, deflecting even the most accurate blows.

While this meld is shaped, you gain a +2 shield bonus to AC.

Essentia: Every point of essentia committed to this meld increases the shield bonus by 1.

CHAKRA BIND (SHOULDERS)
The Heroes Aegis forms into a silk banner embroidered with the names of heroes who have fallen in battle. While wrapped in its protective expanse, you are granted a measure of the durability once possessed by these mythic heroes.

While this bind is shaped you gain 5 temporary hit points, +5 per point of esentia invested in this meld.

CHAKRA BIND (HEART)
Your Heroes Aegis is outlined with veins of purest scarlet. When you body or mind suffer attack, these veins pulse with the will of heroes long lost, defending you from attack.

While this bind is shaped, you gain the Mettle ability.

FAITH’S VISAGE
Descriptors: Fear
Class: Soulborn
Chakra: Crown, Brow
Save: Will
An azure mask of incarnum energy forms in front of your face, roiling with spirits emblematic of your cause.

Once per round you may attempt to Demoralize an opponent as a swift action.

Essentia: Every point of essentia invested in this meld grants the meld shaper a +2 insight bonus to Intimidate rolls.

CHAKRA BIND (CROWN)
A brilliant mask obscures your features, its eyes glowing with a fearful light.

While this meld is bound, you gain the Frightful Presence ability.

CHAKRA BIND (BROW)
Faith’s Visage melds with your face, imbuing you with an authority that cannot be contested.

Once per round, as a standard action you can issue a Command (as the cleric spell).

Thanks for the help! I intend to add more as the days go on.

OmNomNid
2011-05-23, 11:07 PM
I like. I really do. Got any new totemist ideas?

wayfare
2011-05-23, 11:16 PM
I have never played one, so I might have to wait a bit before making the attempt. I'm trying to fill the gaps in the classes I've tried out, first.

Is there anything that Totemists are lacking. Maybe i can get some ideas rolling...

OmNomNid
2011-05-24, 12:05 AM
I have never played one, so I might have to wait a bit before making the attempt. I'm trying to fill the gaps in the classes I've tried out, first.

Is there anything that Totemists are lacking. Maybe i can get some ideas rolling...

Well, the totemist is actually really solidly built and doesn't really need a whole lot. The only thing actually I can really point out is this: While a lot of cool soulmelds exsist for the totemist to give them plenty of cool abilities of magical creatures few exsist that grant the abilities of dragons and none exsist that take the foms of aberrations. Always been a nit-pick for me.

Tvtyrant
2011-05-24, 12:09 AM
Well, the totemist is actually really solidly built and doesn't really need a whole lot. The only thing actually I can really point out is this: While a lot of cool soulmelds exsist for the totemist to give them plenty of cool abilities of magical creatures few exsist that grant the abilities of dragons and none exsist that take the foms of aberrations. Always been a nit-pick for me.

A mask of the Mindflayer? A Circlet of the Beholder? An Aboleth Slime Glove?

These things are good.

OmNomNid
2011-05-24, 12:18 AM
A mask of the Mindflayer? A Circlet of the Beholder? An Aboleth Slime Glove?

These things are good.

I see someone's got the right idea!

Some more: A Neolithid Cuirass. Chuul Claw Gauntlets. Gas Mask of the Rust Monster.(I Suck with naming things)

wayfare
2011-05-25, 01:29 AM
Updates coming soon!

A few ideas:

1) Soulborn meld taking the form of a floating shield, boosting AC by 2, +1/essentia. Bind to heart to gain invested essentia as bonus to all saves. Bind to soul to gain SR 10 + 5/invested essentia.

2) Soulborn/Incarnate meld taking the form demonic/angelic helm. Grants a +2 bonus to intimidate and bluff, +2/essentia. Bind to Crown to gain Frightful Presence. Bind to Brow to attempt a Command once each round.

3) Soulborn/Incarnate meld taking the form of gloves. Allows the character to heal an ally for (Level x1) hp each day. Essentia increases the multiplier by 1.
Bind to Hands for the ability to sacrifice HP healing to restore ability damage. Bind to Heart to allow for limited res (must heal ally within 1 round of death/invested essentia.)

Glimbur
2011-05-25, 01:52 PM
The Molten Lance needs some language on what happens if you drop the spear. You could loot the rules from the Incarnate Weapon.

Binding to the Arms to make touch attacks is pretty powerful. A soulborn can't do that until 14th level, but an Incarnate could take Molten Lance via Shape Soulmeld and get that ability at 9th level. It is probably balanced, if one considers Persisted Ice Axe and Wraith Strike and such; but if the balance point is lower that might be too strong. It also isn't super thematic for the lance... it might be interesting instead to apply some sort of fire AoE effect on a hit.

Veyr
2011-05-25, 02:07 PM
I'd love to see more support/debuff/battlefield control on the Incarnate; any thoughts along those lines?

Jude_H
2011-05-25, 02:50 PM
I like the Monk wrappings' base effect. It's strong, but wouldn't stack with some of the other easy large bonuses.

Does the Unarmed Damage in the wrappings's grapple effect include modifiers like enhancement bonuses or strength bonuses, or is it only weapon damage+ML?

I like the lance's touch attack. Can you power attack with it? If so, it looks like a pretty slick way to soup up the Soulborn a bit without giving the other classes overwhelming options (the incarnate doesn't have the BA to power attack efficiently and melee totemists' strength is in generating lots of attacks, which wouldn't work well with a reach weapon).

The most substantial gap in Incarnum is active soulmelds for the Incarnate: there are very few melds that give the class something to do, most are supplementary to skills or basic attacks. I like that the kineticist crown adds some options. If you're looking for an interesting direction to take, that's where the system needs support.

On the later set of ideas, the Soulborn shield might be interesting, but the bindings are probably going to need to be tweaked: the SR would be pretty high for an Incarnate with the feat (40-50 at ECL 18) and neither will be accessible for a Soulborn until Epic.

I'm not sure I get the concept of the outsider mask, but that's about normal for Incarnum and it sounds reasonable. The bonus would be Insight, right?

The healing one sounds neat. At first I thought it was limited by the healing an individual recipient gets per day, which seemed like an awful lot of group HP recovery, but that seems fair.

wayfare
2011-05-25, 03:32 PM
I'd love to see more support/debuff/battlefield control on the Incarnate; any thoughts along those lines?

For support, I have an idea for a Cloak-type soulmeld that grants allies +2 initiative, +1/invested incarnum. Bind to shoulders to grant allies +1 damage, +1 per invested essentia. Bind to Heart to grant allies temporary HP equal to (invested essentia x Your Constitution Modifier).

Debuff is tricky. I'm thining about an incarnate debuff that changes effect depending on your alignment:

Evil creates fear on touch
Good blinds on touch
Chaos confuses on touch
Law stuns on touch

Duration would be 1 round + 1/invested essentia on a failed save. Bind to hands to increase the save DC by 5.

I am also considering a pair of gloves that allows you to dispel magic on touch. Unshape the meld to cast an AoE Greater Dispel Magic.

Benly
2011-05-25, 04:58 PM
The Monk's Wrappings seem more or less fine. So, here are some thoughts on the others. :smallsmile:

The basic and brow effects of the Kineticist's Crown are fine. The basic effect is minor but useful, the brow effect is basically trading Dissolving Spittle's acid damage for the much superior force type at the cost of a bind. The crown effect... not so much. The best-case scenario is that you're trading your action each round for one enemy's action each round in an even-trade deadlock - except that, since there's a saving throw, you're not even managing that, and you'll always come out of it the loser in the long run.

I see where you're coming from with the Molten Lance, and the soulborn surely could use something like that. The problem is that soulmelds aren't, by default, exclusive - in a game which has this, a warblade or swordsage can take Shape Soulmeld: Molten Lance and Open Least Chakra: Hands at level 6, have the soulmeld bound before the Soulborn does, and make all his maneuvers touch attacks without giving up any of his class benefits. This is sort of an inherent problem with the soulborn, though.

wayfare
2011-05-25, 05:39 PM
The Monk's Wrappings seem more or less fine. So, here are some thoughts on the others. :smallsmile:

The basic and brow effects of the Kineticist's Crown are fine. The basic effect is minor but useful, the brow effect is basically trading Dissolving Spittle's acid damage for the much superior force type at the cost of a bind. The crown effect... not so much. The best-case scenario is that you're trading your action each round for one enemy's action each round in an even-trade deadlock - except that, since there's a saving throw, you're not even managing that, and you'll always come out of it the loser in the long run.

I see where you're coming from with the Molten Lance, and the soulborn surely could use something like that. The problem is that soulmelds aren't, by default, exclusive - in a game which has this, a warblade or swordsage can take Shape Soulmeld: Molten Lance and Open Least Chakra: Hands at level 6, have the soulmeld bound before the Soulborn does, and make all his maneuvers touch attacks without giving up any of his class benefits. This is sort of an inherent problem with the soulborn, though.

I plan a soulborn fix to get rid of the "half-caster" logic they smashed on the class, but that might take a while.

Benly
2011-05-25, 05:56 PM
I plan a soulborn fix to get rid of the "half-caster" logic they smashed on the class, but that might take a while.

That doesn't change that the Molten Lance is way too powerful when a class with useful melee class features gets hold of it. The thing is, with the way incarnum is designed, if you want to give soulborn a boost without imbalancing things, you'll need to make a variety of useful and strong soulborn melds rather than a few very strong ones - with a few very strong ones like this, it's too easy for someone else to just pick them up with a few feats, and then why were we bothering with a soulborn again?

The soulborn's strength should be that he has access to all those delicious melds. The problem, of course, is that this requires a full menu of delicious melds to pick from, which the soulborn conspicuously lacks.

Veyr
2011-05-25, 08:07 PM
I plan a soulborn fix to get rid of the "half-caster" logic they smashed on the class, but that might take a while.
I'm sort of... I mean, what is the Soulborn supposed to be? The Incarnate is already a very-religious, very-devout class (it is its alignment incarnate), and it's quite capable in melee, so it basically already is a Paladin. What exactly is the Soulborn supposed to get instead?

wayfare
2011-05-25, 09:07 PM
I'm sort of... I mean, what is the Soulborn supposed to be? The Incarnate is already a very-religious, very-devout class (it is its alignment incarnate), and it's quite capable in melee, so it basically already is a Paladin. What exactly is the Soulborn supposed to get instead?

I think the idea of half-casting classes applies unnecessary restrictions to classes that get limited spell lists and inferior access to spells. I don't see why both need to apply -- warmage is Tier 4 and its a full caster, which shows he power of a selectively chosen spell list.

For me, an Incarnate is Incarnum. They get the best access to incarnum powers, and should get access to the most versatile soulmelds.

The Soulborn, as laid out mechanically, should be a class that USES incarnum. There melds should be more limited in scope, but powerful within their functionality. This is what I am attempting to accomplish with Molten Lance. Binding it to your hands basically gives you a permanent Flameblade -- a second level spell that can make a druid as dangerous as any fighter in melee. For a combat class it is a huge benefit, but one that modifies what the class is designed to do (hit thing with a big stick).The logic behind Monk's Wrappings is similar -- the character isn't getting a new power as much as he is simply becoming much better at something he should already be good at.

The fluff behind the soulborn depicts the class as more of an ideological champion rather than an exemplar of that ideology. So, instead of trying to embody an ideology, the soulborn uses incarnum as a tool to fight for that ideology.

Glimbur
2011-05-25, 10:14 PM
That's a good philosophy. WotC overvalued full BAB and made the meldshaping of the Soulborn lackluster: they aren't really an Incarnum class at all until level four and they don't have the fun mechanic (essentia) in class until level 6. I would be tempted to, as a quick fix, slide their entire Incarnum progression ahead about three levels.

The problem you are running in to is one of the strengths of Incarnum: people can cherry-pick from it. Great soulmelds which help the soulborn do their job well can be acquired by others. A preponderance of good soulmelds is a better alternative, but it is more work and it also requires making Soulborn competent at using Incarnum.

I might be a bit biased, but someone (personman, I think) has done a Soulborn remake, as have I (check the sig). They might be helpful to look at.

wayfare
2011-05-25, 11:04 PM
Just added tow new soulmelds -- Healer's Hands and Miraculous Touch. Both are attempts at creating new (but limited) ways of healing allies.

Miraculous Touch is Incarnate/Soulborn -- a powerful but simple version os burst healing.

Healers Hands is Incarnate specific, allowing for the healing of complex ailments (ability damage, diseases, etc).

Thanks for all the help so far!

T.G. Oskar
2011-05-26, 08:44 AM
Contrary to what others have said, I believe Monk's Wrappings should have something switched. That, or perhaps expand the options.

The first way to handle this would be exchanging the base option with the arms option. Essentially, the base bonus would be gaining the ability to deal lethal damage with your unarmed strikes, with each point of essentia providing a bonus to attack and damage rolls with unarmed strikes, while the hands benefit provides an effective size increase, but that benefit applies to disarm and trip checks as well (and the essentia bonus would be a +2 bonus to grapple, disarm and trip checks). This is because few people would actually take the soulmeld for its other benefits, but for having an effective size increase while grappling, whereas the exchange also benefits tripper builds and the rare disarming build.

The second way is similar to the first, but adding one new option. First, instead of shifting the base benefit of the soulmeld into the hands chakra, you could shift it into the shoulders or waist chakra (I believe it fits the waist chakra better, a sort of "monk's belt" so to speak). The hands chakra, on the other hand, would probably allow the meldshaper to stun an enemy with an unarmed strike done as a standard action, with a DC set as usual (10 + Con modifier + points of essentia). You can indicate that if you have the Stunning Fist feat, you can add the best of your Wisdom or Constitution modifiers and you gain a bonus to the stunning attempt equal to the points of essentia invested in the soulmeld.

That should make Monk's Wrappings just as attractive, but won't provide a good base bonus and weak binds, when the binds are meant to be stronger.

wayfare
2011-05-27, 11:57 AM
Contrary to what others have said, I believe Monk's Wrappings should have something switched. That, or perhaps expand the options.

The first way to handle this would be exchanging the base option with the arms option. Essentially, the base bonus would be gaining the ability to deal lethal damage with your unarmed strikes, with each point of essentia providing a bonus to attack and damage rolls with unarmed strikes, while the hands benefit provides an effective size increase, but that benefit applies to disarm and trip checks as well (and the essentia bonus would be a +2 bonus to grapple, disarm and trip checks). This is because few people would actually take the soulmeld for its other benefits, but for having an effective size increase while grappling, whereas the exchange also benefits tripper builds and the rare disarming build.

The second way is similar to the first, but adding one new option. First, instead of shifting the base benefit of the soulmeld into the hands chakra, you could shift it into the shoulders or waist chakra (I believe it fits the waist chakra better, a sort of "monk's belt" so to speak). The hands chakra, on the other hand, would probably allow the meldshaper to stun an enemy with an unarmed strike done as a standard action, with a DC set as usual (10 + Con modifier + points of essentia). You can indicate that if you have the Stunning Fist feat, you can add the best of your Wisdom or Constitution modifiers and you gain a bonus to the stunning attempt equal to the points of essentia invested in the soulmeld.

That should make Monk's Wrappings just as attractive, but won't provide a good base bonus and weak binds, when the binds are meant to be stronger.

I am currently brewing something up that might take care of that issue.

wayfare
2011-05-30, 01:26 PM
Added two new Soulmelds:

Faiths Visage is a way for the Soulborn to make himself more terrifying on the battlefield, hampering or even driving his foes off completely.

Heroes Banner protects a Soulborn from incoming attacks, and is particularly useful for those who enter combat without shields.

Tacitus
2011-05-30, 09:13 PM
Hmm... the temporary HP on the Hero's Aegis, would these only appear at the beginning of the day? If you invest essentia, lose the Temporary HP to damage, uninvest the essentia, and then invest it again do you replenish the temporary HP?
I would suggest the ability to maybe spend a Swift or Move action to gain temporary HP for a set amount of time, as granting temporary HP through a soulmeld gets wonky.

NeoSeraphi
2011-05-31, 02:01 AM
Ah, it's always good to see some fresh soulmelds being made.

While I agree whole-heartedly that aberration-based soulmelds should be made immediately and would also like to suggest Fangs of the Drider (Gives a bite attack with poison maybe?), I should remind everyone that the flavor of the totemist is that it's supposed to be for the magical beast what druids are for animals.

That said, I don't see why an Alternate Class feature or adaption couldn't be made because aberrations get the absolute BEST special attack forms and any soulmeld worthy of being called Mask of the Mindflayer would earn an immediate and permanent spot on all my soulmeld lists for all my incarnum builds in the future.

Draken
2011-05-31, 10:04 AM
Heroes' aegis is indeed quite wonky.

Firstly, the Chakra entry says "Shoulders, Heart" binds entries lists Hands and Heart.

As for the temporary HP, it is indeed confusing. My suggestion would be to change it so that the Soulborn can take a Swift Action to gain 5 temporary HP per point of invested essentia. For s soulborn that is up to 20 temporary hp (25 with the expanded capacity feat) at the cost of not being able to shift your essentia on that round. A defensive measure about on par with the Minor Shapeshift reserve feat. Remembering that this "up to" only kicks in at level 18. For the majority of his career it will be 15~ temp HP.

Veyr
2011-05-31, 10:57 AM
That's not enough HP to be worth shaping, though.

Draken
2011-05-31, 12:18 PM
Then add extra temporary HP as a baseline value as needed. I wouldn't go with more than 10 + 5 * Invested Essentia, however. 20-35 temporary hp that can be renewed every round is quite a powerful survivability tool.

wayfare
2011-05-31, 12:39 PM
Well, you can shift around essentia each round, so your temporary HP can fluctuate pretty easily. Once you lose all your Temp hp, couldn't you just invest the essentia in another meld and then reassign it?

Draken
2011-05-31, 11:00 PM
The problem is that, as is, it doesn't indicate a duration, means of refreshing, nothing. It is too vague.

Matter of fact, as is I would have it refresh the temporary hit points at the beggining of each round, would be around on par with a Crusader's delayed damage pool + Stone Power, I think.