Two Fixes wth One Class

[Tavar]

Agreed. The soulmelds do help, but they aren't enough on their own.

[Xallace]

Well in that case, let's not boost up the +X's any more. I think +6 is fine and dandy, +7 if you take the Enhanced Capacity feat. Brainstorming:

1. Don't use "normal" weapon enhancements; no flaming, shocking etc. Soulblade gets his own list of enhancements that no one else gets.
2. As the soulblade levels, other chakra binds stop taking up slots.
3. As the soulblade levels, he can bind his weapon to other chakra points (much like the Incarnum Blade several other Playgrounders mentioned), eventually gaining the ability to bind to multiple slots at once.
4. Add other "soul equipment"; soul armor, soul shields, etc.

I like 1 and 3, personally.

[Tavar]

Number three is definitely good. Number 1 would be a bit trickier to implement, but I think it could work well if done right.

[appending_doom]

Binding the sword to chakras ought to scale (which the incarnum blade does not do), as well, I think.

[DaTedinator]

Number one is obviously spiffy, and three is dandy. I actually *really* like four, too. Like, an inordinate amount. Wouldn't have to be *too* complicated either, just give him a couple unique soulmelds?

[Mulletmanalive]

I vote other equipment too.

I think part of the problem with the Soulknife from EPH was that it SEEMED to be a class of having a magic sword, which never seemed the point of the class in the flavour.

I'd prefer wall running, backflipping and chameleonic blending to vorpal weapons any day. My core request would be a dispelling strike, simply because that seems like the kind of thing that weapons made of soul would do...

[DragoonWraith]

This is awesome, and your intro makes me incredibly happy.

That said, I'm somewhat saddened by the lack of a Knife to the Soul ability. From a flavor perspective, that is the defining feature of the Soulknife.

[Lapak]

I agree with the need for more abilities revolving around the main weapon, and I like the idea of defensive abilities. Maybe use this as a capstone?

Interpose the Blade
When the Soulblade has his weapon bound to a Chakra, he can redirect a harmful effect so that it damages his soulblade rather than his body or mind. He might physically place the blade between himself and harm, or he might channel a magical effect out through the chakra bind to avoid its influence. Either way, he is protected but left temporarily defenseless.

If the Soulblade currently has his soul blade bound to a chakra, he can choose to negate any one attack, spell or effect that targets him directly. Doing so automatically unbinds and dematerializes the soul blade. The Soulblade may wait until any attack rolls or saving throws normally allowed are resolved before choosing to use this ability. The Soulblade cannot avoid area effects with this technique, and he cannot Interpose the Blade if flatfooted.

(Rebinding the blade would, of course, require a use of the class' Rebind the Blade ability.)

[Xallace]

Dragoon and MulletMan: Ask and ye shall receive.

Now, currently I'm working on improved effects based on other chakras. Rough ideas currently. How do these sound, folks?

• Crown: While bound to your crown, the soul blade can be used to make trip and disarm attempts, with a bonus the attempt increasing with each essentia invested.
• Feet: While bound to your feet, you can set your soul blade against a charge, with a damage bonus increasing with each point of essentia invested.
• Brow: While bound to your brow, your soul blade can make critical hits on a roll of 18-20, and has a critical modifier of x3.
• Shoulders: While bound to your shoulders, the soul blade becomes a reach weapon. Unlike most reach weapons, you can attack adjacent creatures with your soul blade.
• Throat: I honestly have no idea.
• Waist: While bound to your Waist chakra, you can form a shield from your essentia. When you invest essentia in to your blade, the shield provides an equivalent enhancement bonus to your AC.
• Heart: While bound to your Heart chakra, you can make attacks with your soul blade as melee touch attacks.

And around level 17, you could choose to bind your soul blade to 2 chakra points at once. It would count as two chakra binds for the purpose of your limit, but would not close off the slots.

EDIT: Also, once this is finished, would anyone be opposed to me updating the soulbow to fit with the class, and perhaps an additional PrC or two?

[Raiki]

EDIT: Also, once this is finished, would anyone be opposed to me updating the soulbow to fit with the class, and perhaps an additional PrC or two?

I really don't think you need to worry that people would ever oppose new material. Especially for a class this cool.

Anyway, I say go for it. This class needs as much love as possible.

~R~

[Tavar]

I'd say that you could lower the second bind, and add a third in as well. Of course, if you do that you should probably increase the number of binds the class gets as a whole. I'm playing it in a game right now, and the limited number of soulborne melds, binds, and essentia is one of my least favorite things about it.

[Xallace]

I'm playing it in a game right now

You... you are!? [/ecstatic]

Mind telling me how it's working out? Nothing like playtest for balance issues!

Alright, I had said ~17th to try and fill in a dead level. No problem on lowering it, though. 14 is also a dead level. Could be lower than that though.

EDIT: I still have no idea what a throat bind would do.

[Lapak]

I still have no idea what a throat bind would do.

Throat is roughly equivalent to amulet, yes? Protection and discernment? And it is one of the last they get, so it should be good...

Let's say discernment, since you already have a shield... perhaps it would allow the binder to ignore miss chances with the soul blade?

[Xallace]

Throat is roughly equivalent to amulet, yes? Protection and discernment? And it is one of the last they get, so it should be good...

Let's say discernment, since you already have a shield... perhaps it would allow the binder to ignore miss chances with the soul blade?

I went with it.

TOTAL UPDATES SO FAR

• Expanded Essentia capacity on the soul blade
• Ability to bind soul blade to other chakras for different effects.
• Ability to bind soul blade to multiple chakras at once.
• Smite bonus damage can be swapped out for different effects, such as dispelling and a "Knife to the Soul" effect.

[Tavar]

Well, it's a bit odd, since it's gestalt, but so far it's nice. Here is my sheet, but it's going pretty well so far. Granted, having a +11 to hit at level 4 helps quite a bit.

Are you still considering adding the ability to add special qualities to the blade?

Oh, and does the Spirit-Shattering Smite have a duration?

[Xallace]

It lasts until they succeed on the save, currently.

EDIT: I'm actually not sure, I tossed most of the non-normal weapon properties I could think to add into the Chakra Binds and alternate smite features.

[Mulletmanalive]

I'm going to point out that I'd like to keep what i consider a sane power level involved [which can usually be summarised as "So what about Wizards, they're another problem?"] but hopefully Tavar and I can agree.

My present thoughts on the secondary stuff is as follows [from a little musing and some re-reading of MoI]:

If the Totemist is a 3/4 progression and has a close in spread of melds with a 2-9 meld progression, a 1/1 progression class should probably have half that, rounded up generously: Thus, i'd probably place this around 1-6 by top level. This would mean that you'd actually have a meld at level 1. This has the standing advantage of giving you a choice of what to do with that level one Essentia too.

I'd say that the blade Chakra binds should be used to cover weapon qualities and it seems a waste to ignore the Essentia in the blade for this. Energy qualities can be added using Melds so that's less of an issue.

The downside here is that high essentia in the blade is something of a no-brainer, unfortunately, as there is nowhere else worth putting it, for the most part, or at least nowhere as worthy.

I'd suggest that certain qualities of weapon should be tied to certain chakras and the essentia placed in the blade be used to buy the functions. A simple way of doing it may be to have a +1, a +2 and a +3 to each and require 2 essentia per + to ride. In the case of a double-bind, perhaps the prices could drop to one essentia per + but the costs must be split evenly...

Edit: Woops, just realised that i'd managed to lose part of my point. I reckon that the blade, as a manifestation of soul, should have effects from its binds that aren't limited to the weapon's qualities. Bindings to the feet might enhance manoeuvring, speed and flanking, while those in the brow might grant skill in misdirection or even limited ranged ability [drawing on certain yogic traditions at least], perhaps even perception.

Melds do some of this stuff, but they may leave some very specific gaps. Perhaps if we were to compare the lineup and then think what would improve it for an enjoyable combat experience rather than universal effectiveness...?

[Tavar]

I agree with Mulletmanalive. And keep in mind that the +11 is due to Weapon focus, the weapon enhancement bonus, and the +1 due to my Incarnate Avatar Soulmeld(I have a level of Incarnate in there). The rest is simply A full BAB class plus a 16 str. So even with out pumping things into my to hit, I'd have a comfortable +8 or 9(depending on putting Essentia into my blade).

[Mulletmanalive]

Another thought that just occurred is some kind of "Piggyback bind"

Melds provide a number of functions that are enhanced by essentia and would take up a lot of the work from the blade on weapon qualities and so forth. Possibly gaining the ability to bind the blade OVER another meld to enhance its abilities is the way forward?

I had this idea while looking through a few of the Souldborn bits and thinking that simply being able to share the blade's enhanced pool with Disruption Bracers, not to mention the possibility of enhanced threat range etc, was really spiffy.

May not be perfect but i reckon it could solve some considerations and surely there's a meld/bind combo somewhere that allows you to attack the mind?