How many new soulmelds does a homebrew class need?

[Zaydos]

The title almost sums up the point of the thread completely. I'm working on two different new incarnum using classes and besides huge :confused: on balancing soulmelds I've started wondering: How many soulmelds does a class need? How many of these should be new soulmelds and not drawn from the incarnate/totemist lists? How many does it need when it's first posted so that a feel can be gotten for the class?

Just wanted to see the community's opinions on these questions.
At the moment my own answers would be ~35 (a little less than totemist, I think)/~15 (enough to play the class, but really it ought to have more options)/I have no idea.

[Amechra]

The closest approximation for how to balance soulmelds is:

1. Look at Incarnate table (they are the "pure-caster" Incarnum user.)
2. The power level for a given bind should be at about the strength of the highest level spell that a bard could cast at that level.

At least, that is my estimate.

[Xaotiq1]

Well, what are these classes going to do with their soulmelds? What will be the focus of each class. MoI gives us a generalist, to a point in the Incarnate. The totemist and soulborn are focused more toward melee, well, combat in general.

If you subscribe to the particular line of thought, what tier are you looking to have the classes occupy?

[eftexar]

I think that depends. You don't need any new ones if you do something unique with the class or the class abilities make the class. But if you intend for fewer class abilities they need more.

As far as how many you should post... I can't really say, but I do think if you don't plan on posting more than four or five you should probably list their names and a short blurb, even if you don't have the mechanics, so people can get an idea of where you are going.

Also, do you plan on keeping the same level of power as incarnum usually has or upping it? Because it uses up all of your item slots the classes really, in my opinion, end up in tier 4.

So if you plan to improve it I would say a good balance point, to compare to, would be to take the incarnate and give them the soulborn's skills and bonus feats, plus a medium progression BaB.