[3.5] The Holie Man Armipōtent - Paladin, Hexblade, Sohei, Soulborn, Divine Mind, etc

[Jeriah]

The Holie Man Armipōtent
A treatise on the holy warrior

Within this tome lies the secrets of holy war, locked away after the great crusades of our fathers. All paths, into both light and darkness, are herein contained. The path of holy warriors is demanding upon body and soul and not a path to be considered lightly. Heed my warning and turn back to your simple life of study now, lest the words on further pages stir your spirit and draw you inexorably to the path of sacrificial devotion to the gods.


This is my attempt at reworking the half-caster warrior classes of 3.5 to be slightly stronger and balance them against one another without losing the core of what they originally were or adding in completely new systems, such as maneuvers. If you are aware of the tier system, these classes are intended to be a 3 or high 4. I would like to give credit to Rizban for helping me determine where I wanted to go with this project and helping with some ideas when I got stuck.


Table of Contents

• Base Classes
  • Paladin - Lawful Good divine prepared caster
  • Hexblade - Any Evil arcane spontaneous caster
  • Sohei - Any Lawful divine spontaneous caster
  • Soulborn - LG, LE, CG, or CE meldshaper
  • Divine Mind - Any psionic aura master
  • Ranger - Not appearing in this thread
• Prestige Classes
  • Blackguard - Fallen paladin
  • Incarnum Blade - Incarnum weapon specialist
  • Plague Knight - Evil carrier of disease and pestilence
• Feats
• Spell Lists

[Jeriah]

The Paladin
"I am the light come to purge your darkness from the world and burn
away all evil. Shine the light!" - Kolokay, the Prismatic Paladin

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Game Rule Information

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Design Notes: The paladin was designed to be a tough melee fighter who will always be in the thick of battle. His magic is the most versatile overall and has the largest spell list, having the most support in the various books, especially once you consider all the possible domain choices. The limitation is that he has to prepare spells beforehand. This means he's mostly a warrior occasionally backed up with his magic and usually focuses on outright beating down evil.

Abilities: Charisma enhances a paladin’s healing, self-protective capabilities, and undead turning ability, and a Charisma schore of 14 or higher is required to get access to the most powerful paladin spells, and a score of 11 or higher is required to cast any paladin spells at all.

The Paladin____Hit Die: d10____Alignment: Only Lawful Good

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
1st	+1	+2	+0	+2	Aura of good, detect evil, smite 1/encounter, domain, mercy	d	-	-	-	0
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+3	Divine grace, lay on hands	1	-	-	-	0
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+3	Aura of courage, mettle	1	d	-	-	0
4th	+4	+4	+1	+4	Turn undead	2	1	-	-	0
5th	+5	+4	+1	+4	Smite 2/encounter, blessed mount	2	1	-	-	0
6th	+6/+1	+5	+2	+5	Bonus Feat	2	2	d	-	0
7th	+7/+2	+5	+2	+5	Greater smite	3	2	1	-	0
8th	+8/+3	+6	+2	+6	Aura of blessing 1/day	3	2	1	-	0
9th	+9/+4	+6	+3	+6	Smite evil 3/encounter	3	3	2	d	0
10th	+10/+5	+7	+3	+7	Bonus Feat	3	3	2	1	0
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+3	+7	Improved Mettle	4	3	2	1	0
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+4	+8	Aura of blessing 2/day	4	3	3	2	d
13th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+4	+8	Dire smite, smite 4/encounter	4	4	3	2	1
14th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+4	+9	Bonus Feat	4	4	3	2	1
15th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+5	+9	-	4	4	3	3	2
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+10	+5	+10	Aura of blessing 3/day	4	4	4	3	2
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+10	Smite 5/encounter	4	4	4	3	2
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+6	+11	Bonus Feat	4	4	4	3	3
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+6	+11	Divine smite	4	4	4	4	3
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+6	+12	Aura of blessing 4/day	4	4	4	4	3

Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level): Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge (nobility and royalty), Knowledge (religion), Profession, Ride, and Sense Motive.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the paladin.

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Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Paladins are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (including tower shields).

Spells: A paladin has the ability to cast a small number of divine spells, which are drawn from the paladin spell list. A paladin must choose and prepare his spells in advance.

To prepare or cast a spell, a paladin must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a paladin’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the paladin’s Charisma modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a paladin can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Paladin. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score. When Table: The Paladin indicates that the paladin gets "d" spells per day of a given spell level, he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Charisma score for that spell level and may only cast spells from his selected domain (see below).

A paladin prepares and casts spells the way a cleric does, though he cannot lose a prepared spell to spontaneously cast a cure spell in its place. A paladin may prepare and cast any spell on the paladin spell list, provided that he can cast spells of that level, but he must choose which spells to prepare during his daily meditation.

A paladin's caster level is equal to his class level.

Domain
At 1st level, a paladin selects one domain from among those belonging to his deity. A paladin can also select the Good or Law alignment domains. The spells on this list are added to the paladin's spell list for all purposes. A paladin does not gain the granted powers of the domain.

Aura of Good (Ex): The power of a paladin’s aura of good (see the detect good spell) is equal to her paladin level.

Detect Evil (Sp): At will, a paladin can use detect evil, as the spell.

Smite (Su): Once per combat encounter, a paladin may attempt to smite an evil or chaotic opponent with one normal melee attack. He adds his Charisma bonus (if any) to his attack roll and deals his Charisma bonus (if any) + 1 extra point of damage per paladin level. If the paladin accidentally smites a creature that is Good, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that encounter.

At 5th level, and at every four levels thereafter, the paladin may make a smite attack one additional time per encounter, as indicated on Table: The Paladin, to a maximum of five times per encounter at 17th level.

Mercy (Ex): A paladin can use a melee weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage instead, without taking the –4 penalty on his attack roll.

Divine Grace (Su): At 2nd level, a paladin gains a bonus equal to his Charisma bonus (if positive) on all saving throws.

Lay On Hands (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, a paladin with a Charisma score of 12 or higher can heal wounds (his own or those of others) by touch. Each day he can heal a total number of hit points of damage equal to 2 × his paladin level × his Charisma bonus. A paladin may choose to divide his healing among multiple recipients, and he doesn’t have to use it all at once. Using lay on hands is a standard action.

A paladin may use this healing ability to cure poison and disease. By expending a number of points to cure a poison or disease, the recipient immediately makes a new saving throw to resist the disease adding the number of points expended as a divine bonus to the save.

Alternatively, a paladin can use any or all of this healing power to deal damage to undead creatures. Using lay on hands in this way requires a successful melee touch attack and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. The paladin decides how many of his daily allotment of points to use as damage after successfully touching an undead creature.

Aura of Courage (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a paladin is immune to fear (magical or otherwise). Each ally within 10 feet of him gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects. This ability functions while the paladin is conscious, but not if he is unconscious or dead.

Mettle (Ex): At 3rd level and higher, a paladin can resist even magical and unusual attacks with his force of will. If he makes a successful Fortitude of Will saving throw against an attack that normally has a lesser effect on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. An unconscious or sleeping paladin does not gain the benefit of mettle.

Turn Undead (Su): When a paladin reaches 4th level, he gains the supernatural ability to turn undead. He may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier. He turns undead as a cleric of three levels lower would.

Blessed Mount (Su): Upon reaching 5th level, a paladin is able to bless his mount to become unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal. A paladin may bless any animal or non-Evil magical beast he can ride after spending 24 hours in prayer and meditation with the animal. The mount receives all the benefits on the Table: Blessed Mount according to the paladin's level.

Should the paladin’s mount die, the paladin may bless another mount he can ride after repeating the 24 hour ritual.

Bonus Feat: At 6th level and every four levels thereafter, the paladin gains a bonus feat. The feat can be any one of the following for which the paladin meets the prerequisites: any Divine feat, any Fighter feat, Extra Smiting, Extra Turning, Improved Smiting, Skill Focus (Ride), and Toughness.

Greater Smite (Su): As a paladin's convictions grow in strength, his smite attack becomes stronger. At 7th level, a paladin adds 2 × his Charisma bonus + his paladin level in damage with a successful smite.

Aura of Blessing (Su): Once per day, a paladin of 8th level or higher can create an aura of blessing around himself. Any melee or ranged attack made by the paladin or his allies within 30ft while this aura of blessing is active ignores one 20% miss chance, such as that from concealment. If the miss chance is greater than 20%, it is reduced by 20%, such at 50% reduced to 30%. If there is no miss chance in effect, the paladin and his allies gain a +4 bonus on rolls to confirm critical hits. Activating the aura is a free action, and the aura lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the paladin’s Charisma bonus (if any).

At 12th level and every four levels thereafter, a paladin gains one additional use his aura of this power.

Improved Mettle (Ex): This ability works like mettle, except that while the paladin still takes no damage on a successful Fortitude or Will saving throw, he henceforth takes only half damage on a failed save. An unconscious paladin does not gain the benefit of improved mettle.

Dire Smite (Su): At 13th level, a paladin adds 3 × his Charisma bonus + his paladin level in damage with a successful smite.

Divine Smite (Su): At 19th level, a paladin adds 4 × his Charisma bonus + his paladin level in damage with a successful smite.

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2

The Hexblade
"What was that? I thought you were going to kill me. Missed again...
Wow, you're terrible. My turn..." - Shamgar, the Hexblade

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Game Rule Information

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Design Notes: The hexblade, unlike the paladin, is designed to be more of a tricky fighter. He penalizes and debuffs his enemies and has a number of strong, spontaneous abilities. However, he doesn't have as high of a raw damage output as the paladin and lacks the huge spell list, and his high spell levels come one level slower. His focus is on weakening opponents until he can defeat them.

Abilities: Charisma controls many of the hexblade’s special powers, including his spellcasting. Strength is important for him because of its role in combat. Dexterity and Constitution both contribute to the hexblade’s long-term survival.

The Hexblade____Hit Die: d10____Alignment: Any Evil

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
1st	+1	+2	+0	+2	Aura of evil, detect good, hexblade's curse 1/encounter, armored mage	0	-	-	-	-
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+3	Arcane resistance, baleful touch	1	-	-	-	-
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+3	Aura of fear, mettle	1	-	-	-	-
4th	+4	+4	+1	+4	Sudden counterspell	2	0	-	-	-
5th	+5	+4	+1	+4	Hexblade's curse 2/encounter, summon familiar	2	1	-	-	-
6th	+6/+1	+5	+2	+5	Bonus Feat	2	1	-	-	-
7th	+7/+2	+5	+2	+5	Greater hexblade's curse	3	2	0	-	-
8th	+8/+3	+6	+2	+6	Aura of unluck 1/day	3	2	1	-	-
9th	+9/+4	+6	+3	+6	Hexblade's curse 3/encounter	3	2	1	-	-
10th	+10/+5	+7	+3	+7	Bonus Feat	3	3	2	0	-
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+3	+7	Improved Mettle	4	3	2	1	-
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+4	+8	Aura of unluck 2/day	4	3	2	1	-
13th	+13/+8/+3	+9	+4	+9	Dire hexblade's curse, hexblade's curse 4/encounter	4	3	3	2	0
14th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+4	+9	Bonus Feat	4	4	3	2	1
15th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+5	+9	-	4	4	3	2	1
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+10	+5	+10	Aura of unluck 3/day	4	4	3	3	2
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+10	Hexblade's curse 5/encounter	4	4	4	3	2
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+6	+11	Bonus Feat	4	4	4	3	2
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+6	+11	Infernal curse	4	4	4	3	3
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+6	+12	Aura of unluck 4/day	4	4	4	4	3

Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level): Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (arcana), Profession, Ride, Sense Motive, and Spellcraft.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the hexblade.

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Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Hexblade are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with light and medium armor, and with shields (but not tower shields).

Spells A hexblade has the ability to cast a small number of arcane spells, which are drawn from the hexblade spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time, just as a sorcerer can. When a hexblade gains access to a new level of spells, he automatically knows all the spells for that level given on the hexblade's spell list.

To cast a spell, a hexblade must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a hexblades's spell is 10 + the spell level + the Hexblades's Charisma modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a hexblade can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Hexblade. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score. When Table: The Hexblade indicates that the hexblade gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Charisma score for that spell level.

A hexblade's caster level is equal to his class level.

Aura of Evil (Ex): The power of a hexblade’s aura of evil (see the detect evil spell) is equal to his hexblade level.

Detect Good (Sp): At will, a hexblade can use detect good, as the spell.

Hexblade's Curse (Su): Once per combat encounter, as a swift action, a hexblade may curse an opponent. The target must be visible to the hexblade and within 60 feet. The target of a hexblade’s curse takes a –2 penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls for 1 hour thereafter. A successful Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 hexblade’s class level + hexblade’s Cha modifier) reduces the penalty to half.

At every four levels beyond 1st (5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th) a hexblade gains the ability to use his curse one additional time per encounter, as indicated on the table. Multiple hexblade’s curses don’t stack, and any foe that successfully resists the effect receives a +2 circumstance bonus to resist the effect for the next 24 hours.

Any effect that removes or dispels a curse eliminates the effect of a hexblade’s curse.

Armored Mage (Ex): Normally, armor of any type interferes with an arcane spellcaster's gestures, which can cause spells to fail if those spells have a somatic component. A hexblade’s limited focus and specialized training, however, allows him to avoid arcane spell failure so long as he sticks
to light or medium armor and light shields. This training does not extend to heavy armors, nor to heavy shields. This ability does not apply to spells gained from a different spellcasting class.

Arcane Resistance (Su): At 2nd level, a hexblade gains a bonus equal to his Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws.

Baleful Touch (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, a hexblade can cause wounds with a successful touch attack. Each day he can deal a total number of hit points of damage equal to 2 × his hexblade level × his Charisma bonus. A hexblade may choose to divide his damage among multiple recipients, and he doesn’t have to use it all at once. Using baleful touch is a standard action. An opponent subjected to this attack can make a Will save (DC 10 + hexblade level + hexblade’s Cha modifier) to halve the damage dealt.

A hexblade may use this ability to enhance the effects of poison and disease by weakening the target's immune system. By expending a number of points, the next time the recipient makes a saving throw to resist the poison or disease, subtract the number of points expended as a profane penalty to the save.

Alternatively, a hexblade can use any or all of this power to cure damage to undead creatures, just as an inflict wounds spell does. This power otherwise functions identically to the paladin’s lay on hands ability.

Aura of Fear (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a hexblade is immune to fear (magical or otherwise). Enemies within 10 feet of him suffer a -4 morale penalty on saving throws against fear effects. This ability functions while the hexblade is conscious, but not if he is unconscious or dead.

Mettle (Ex): At 3rd level and higher, a hexblade can resist even magical and unusual attacks with his force of will. If he makes a successful Fortitude of Will saving throw against an attack that normally has a lesser effect on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. An unconscious or sleeping hexblade does not gain the benefit of mettle.

Sudden Counterspell (Su): When a hexblade reaches 4th level, he gains the supernatural ability to counter another spellcaster's magic through force of will. This ability functions as if he were using dispel magic to counter the spell, except that it may be used as an immediate action. The hexblade doesn't need to identify the spell to the opposing spellcaster is casting to make the attempt. The hexblade's caster level for this ability is equal to his class level -3.

He may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier.

If he has 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (arcana), the hexblade receives a +2 bonus on counterspelling attempts with this ability.

Summon Familiar: Beginning at 4th level, a hexblade can obtain a familiar. This ability functions exactly as the sorcerer's ability of the same name.

A character with more than one class that grants a familiar may have only one familiar at a time

Bonus Feat: At 6th level and every four levels thereafter, the hexblade gains a bonus feat. The feat can be any one of the following for which the hexblade meets the prerequisites: any Fighter feat, any Hex feat, Combat Casting, Skill Focus (Ride), and Toughness.

Greater Curse (Su): As a hexblade's power grows, his curse becomes stronger. At 7th level, the penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls incurred by a target of the hexblade’s curse becomes –4 instead of –2.

Aura of Unluck (Su): Once per day, a hexblade of 12th level or higher can create a baleful aura of misfortune. Any melee or ranged attack made against the hexblade or his allies within 30ft while this aura of unluck is active has a 20% miss chance (similar to the effect of concealment). Activating the aura is a free action, and the aura lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the hexblade’s Charisma bonus (if any).

At 12th level and every four levels thereafter, a hexblade gains one additional use his aura of this power.

Improved Mettle (Ex): This ability works like mettle, except that while the hexblade still takes no damage on a successful Fortitude or Will saving throw, he henceforth takes only half damage on a failed save. An unconscious hexblade does not gain the benefit of improved mettle.

Dire Curse (Su): At 13th level, the penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls incurred by a target of the hexblade’s curse becomes –6 instead of –4.

Infernal Curse (Su): At 19th level, the penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls incurred by a target of the hexblade’s curse becomes –10 instead of –6.

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2

The Sohei
"..." - A Sohei in battle

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Design Notes: The sohei, is a different beast altogether. The Sohei was originally published in Oriental Adventures and are described as militant warrior monks who primarily defend monasteries and occasionally go on quests for the priests and more religious monks. Like monks, they live by strict dicipline and obedience to their orders.

The sohei is designed to be a melee fighter that focuses on speed, some minor battlefield control, self buffing, and making extra attacks. His magic is spontaneous like the hexblade's, but his spell list is far more limited, making him rely on his martial abilities far more. The vast majority of his spells are self buffs and other personal effects with a few effects that affect allies, but he has no directly offensive magic.

Abilities: A Wisdom score of 14 or higher is required to get access to the most powerful sohei spells, and a score of 11 or higher is required to cast any sohei spells at all. Most of the Sohei's abilities are based off of Wisdom. A high Constitution improves a sohei’s hit points, and a high Strength makes him more effective in melee combat, where he typically excels.

The Sohei____Hit Die: d10____Alignment: Any Lawful

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
1st	+1	+2	+0	+2	Ki frenzy 1/day, Weapon Focus, mercy	0	-	-	-	-
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+3	Sage's defense, Diehard	1	-	-	-	-
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+3	Strength of focus, mettle	1	0	-	-	-
4th	+4	+4	+1	+4	Focused strike	2	1	-	-	-
5th	+5	+4	+1	+4	Ki Frenzy 2/day, spirit guide	2	1	-	-	-
6th	+6/+1	+5	+2	+5	Bonus Feat	2	2	0	-	-
7th	+7/+2	+5	+2	+5	Greater Ki Frenzy	3	2	1	-	-
8th	+8/+3	+6	+2	+6	Focused defense 1/day	3	2	1	-	-
9th	+9/+4	+6	+3	+6	Ki Frenzy 3/day	3	3	2	0	-
10th	+10/+5	+7	+3	+7	Bonus Feat	3	3	2	1	-
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+3	+7	Improved Mettle	4	3	2	1	-
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+4	+8	Focused defense 2/day	4	3	3	2	0
13th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+4	+8	Dire frenzy, Ki Frenzy 4/day	4	4	3	2	1
14th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+4	+9	Bonus Feat	4	4	3	2	1
15th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+5	+9	-	4	4	3	3	2
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+10	+5	+10	Focused defense 3/day	4	4	4	3	2
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+10	Ki Frenzy 5/day	4	4	4	3	2
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+6	+11	Bonus Feat	4	4	4	3	3
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+6	+11	Whirlwind Frenzy	4	4	4	4	3
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+6	+12	Focused defense 4/day	4	4	4	4	3

Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level): Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Heal, Iaijutsu Focus, Intimidate, Knowledge (religion), Listen, Profession, Sense Motive, and Spot.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the sohei.

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Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Sohei are proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with all armor (but no shields).

Spells: A sohei has the ability to cast a small number of divine spells, which are drawn from the sohei spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time, just as a sorcerer can. When a sohei gains access to a new level of spells, he automatically knows all the spells for that level given on the sohei's spell list.

To cast a spell, a sohei must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a sohei’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the sohei’s Wisdom modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a sohei can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Sohei. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Wisdom score. When Table: The Sohei indicates that the sohei gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Wisdom score for that spell level.

A sohei's caster level is equal to his class level.

Ki Frenzy (Su): Once per day, as a swift or immediate action, a sohei may focus his ki energy into a frenzy of berserk energy. In this frenzied state, he temporarily gains +2 Strength and +2 Dexterity, as well as a +10 bonus to speed. While in a ki frenzy, a sohei may make one additional melee attack per round when he makes a melee full attack or charge or when using the Spring Attack or Ride By Attack feats. When making an extra attack, all attacks in that round suffer a -2 penalty, and he must be using a weapon with which he has the Weapon Focus feat.

While in a ki frenzy, a sohei cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except for Balance, Escape Artist, Intimidate, and Ride), the Concentration skill, or any abilities that require patience or concentration, nor can he cast spells or activate magic items that require a command word, a spell trigger (such as a wand), or spell completion (such as a scroll) to function. He can use any feat he has except Combat Expertise, item creation feats, and metamagic feats, and he is able to make a focused strike (see below) if he has that ability.

A ki frenzy lasts for a number of rounds equal to three + the sohei’s Constitution modifier. The sohei may prematurely end the frenzy voluntarily. At the end of the frenzy, the sohei is fatigued (–2 to Strength, –2 to Dexterity, can’t charge or run) for the duration of that encounter. The sohei can only enter a frenzy once per encounter, and only a certain number of times per day (determined by level).

At every four levels beyond 1st (5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th) a sohei gains the ability to enter a ki frenzy one additional time per day, as indicated on Table: The Sohei.

Weapon Focus: A sohei gains Weapon Focus with a weapon of his choice as a bonus feat. Many sohei choose the naginata, the traditional weapon of the sohei.

Mercy (Ex): A sohei can use a melee weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage instead, without taking the –4 penalty on his attack roll.

Sage's Defense (Su): At 2nd level, a sohei gains a bonus equal to his Wisdom bonus (if any) on all saving throws.

Diehard: At 2nd level, a sohei gains Diehard as a bonus feat, even if he doesn't meet the prerequisites.

Strength of Focus (Ex): A sohei of at least 3rd level is immune to stunning and sleep spells and effects.

Mettle (Ex): At 3rd level and higher, a sohei can resist magical and unusual attacks with his force of will. If he makes a successful Fortitude or Will saving throw against an attack that normally has a lesser effect on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. An unconscious or sleeping sohei does not gain the benefit of mettle.

Focused Strike (Su): When a sohei reaches 4th level, he gains the supernatural ability to focus his ki into a single powerful blow. As a standard action, the sohei may make a melee attack against an opponent. If he successfully hits a corporeal opponent the same size or smaller than himself with an focused strike, his opponent must succeed on a Reflex save (DC = damage dealt) or be knocked flying 10 feet in a direction of the sohei’s choice and fall prone. The sohei can only push the opponent in a straight line, and the opponent can’t move closer to the sohei than the square it started in. If an obstacle prevents the completion of the opponent’s move, the opponent and the obstacle each take 1d6 points of damage, and the opponent stops in the space adjacent to the obstacle.

A sohei may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Wisdom modifier.

If he has the Improved Bull Rush feat, the sohei may push his opponent back an additional 5 feet.

Spirit Guide (Su): Upon reaching 5th level, a sohei can call upon the spirits of his ancestors for aid in the form of a spirit guide. Using this ability is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. See below for detailed spirit descriptions and rules.

Your sohei level determines which kinds of spirit guides answer your summons. You can summon the spirit available at your current level as well as any that became available at lower levels.

{table=head]Sohei Level|Spirit Summoned
5th–10th|Spirit of healing
11th–15th|Spirit of combat
16th–19th|Spirit of heroism
20th+|Spirit of the fallen[/table]

The following entries describe how each of the different spirits function. Unless otherwise specified, all spirits share some characteristics, as set out below.

• A spirit occupies a 5-foot square.
• When summoned, a spirit appears within 30 feet of the sohei. The sohei can use a free action to have it move once per round. The spirit has a land speed of 30 feet.
• All spirits are insubstantial and transparent. Any creature can move through them normally, and they do not block line of sight or line of effect.
• A spirit cannot attack or be attacked. It is not undead and cannot be turned. It is subject to dispel magic, dismissal, or banishment as if it were a summoned creature, using your sohei level as the caster level.
• If you lose line of sight to a spirit, it disappears immediately.
• Each spirit available to you can be summoned once per day.
• A spirit remains for a number of rounds equal to your sohei level, until it is dismissed, or until special conditions in the spirit’s description are met.
  
  Spirit of Healing: This spirit increases your ability to heal damage dealt to you or your allies. When summoned, it can heal an amount of damage equal to 2 × his sohei level × his Charisma bonus. To use its healing ability, you or an ally must begin or end your turn in the same square as the spirit. That character can then use a standard action to transfer some or all of the hit points from the spirit to herself. Once the spirit has used all its healing ability, it dissipates.
  
  Spirit of Combat: This spirit enhances combat ability. Whenever an ally (including yourself) is adjacent to the spirit of combat or occupying its space, that character gains holy fervor. Holy fervor grants a +1 sacred bonus on attacks and damage rolls for every four sohei levels you possess (up to a maximum of +5 at 20th level). In addition, affected characters’ weapons are treated as lawful aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
  
  Spirit of Heroism: This spirit automatically occupies the sohei space and does not leave until dismissed or dispelled, or the duration of the summoning ends. The sohei gains DR 10/—. In addition, the benefits of the Diehard feat increase, allowing the sohei to continue fighting without dying until his hit points reach -20, at which point he dies immediately.
  
  Spirit of the Fallen: While the sohei or any of his allies are adjacent to this spirit, it grants fast healing 10 to those characters. If an affected character’s hit points drop to 0 or fewer while within 30 feet of this spirit, it revives that character at the start of his next turn, allowing him to take his action as normal. The character heals an amount of damage equal to twice your sohei level, though if his hit points are still at –10 or below, he still dies. The spirit can use its revive ability once per round.
  A spirit of the fallen cannot revive creatures whose bodies have been destroyed (such as by a disintegrate spell), nor can it reverse the effects of bodily changes, such as from flesh to stone or baleful polymorph, or other effects that slay a character without dealing damage.

Bonus Feat: At 6th level and every four levels thereafter, the sohei gains a bonus feat. The feat can be any one of the following for which the sohei meets the prerequisites: any Fighter, Combat Casting, Extend Rage, Extra Rage, Eyes in the Back of Your Head, Hold the Line, Karmic Strike, Kiai Shout, Greater Kiai Shout, and Toughness.

Greater Ki Frenzy (Su): As a sohei's power grows, his flow of ki becomes stronger. At 7th level, the bonuses to Strength and Dexterity increase to +4, and the penalty when making a flurry of blows is reduced to -1. His speed is increased by 20 feet instead of 10.

Focused Defense (Su): Once per day, a sohei of 12th level or higher can focus his ki into perfecting his defensive abilities. While focused on defense, opponents treat any squares the sohei threatens as difficult terrain, and the Tumble DC to avoid attacks of opportunity from the Sohei is increased by an amount equal to the sohei's class level. Activating focused defense is a swift action, and the focus lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the sohei’s Wisdom bonus (if any).

At 12th level and every four levels thereafter, a sohei gains one additional use his aura of this power.

Improved Mettle (Ex): This ability works like mettle, except that while the sohei still takes no damage on a successful Fortitude or Will saving throw, he henceforth takes only half damage on a failed save. An unconscious paladin does not gain the benefit of improved mettle.

Dire Frenzy (Su): At 13th level, the bonuses from the sohei's ki frenzy to Strength and Dexterity increase to +6, and he no longer suffers a penalty when making a flurry of blows. His speed is increased by 30 feet instead of 20.

Whirlwind Frenzy (Su): At 19th level, the bonuses from the sohei's ki frenzy to Strength and Dexterity increase to +8. His speed is increased by 40 feet instead of 30.

[Jeriah]

---

2

The Soulborn

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Game Rule Information

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Design Notes: With the soulborn, I pretty much just left it as it was rather than adding new abilities, instead simply increasing its meldshaping, rate of chakra binds, and general strength in some of its other abilities. I always thought that it was a solid class concept, just that it was created too weak when compared to just about anything else. I'm working on expanding its soulmeld list as well, as certain alignments are significantly superior to others in both the length of the list and the power of the melds. The soulborn's role, as always, is determined by his melds, but he's definitely focused on pumping up his melee combat.

Abilities: Soulborns rely heavily on Strength and Constitution because of their usefulness in combat. Constitution is also crucial for the soulborn’s meldshaping ability. Charisma contributes to the soulborn’s smite, channel incarnum, incarnum defense, and aura of blessing class features.

The Soulborn____Hit Die: d10____Alignment: Only LG, CG, LE, or CE

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Soulmelds	Essentia	Chakra Binds
1st	+1	+2	+0	+2	Aura, detect opposition, smite 1/encounter	1	0	0
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+3	Incarnum defense, sapphire grace	1	1	0
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+3	Soulfused vigor, mettle, chakra binds (Feet, Hands)	1	1	1
4th	+4	+4	+1	+4	Channel incarnum	2	1	1
5th	+5	+4	+1	+4	Smite 2/encounter, incarnum blessing	2	2	1
6th	+6/+1	+5	+2	+5	Bonus Feat, chakra bind (Crown)	2	2	1
7th	+7/+2	+5	+2	+5	Greater smite	3	2	2
8th	+8/+3	+6	+2	+6	Share incarnum defense 1/day	3	3	2
9th	+9/+4	+6	+3	+6	Smite 3/encounter	3	3	2
10th	+10/+5	+7	+3	+7	Bonus Feat, chakra binds (arms, brow, shoulders)	4	4	2
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+3	+7	Improved Mettle	4	4	3
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+4	+8	Share incarnum defense 2/day	4	5	3
13th	+13/+8/+3	+9	+4	+9	Dire smite, smite 4/encounter	5	5	3
14th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+4	+9	Bonus Feat	5	6	3
15th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+5	+9	Chakra binds (throat, waist)	5	7	3
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+10	+5	+10	Share incarnum defense 3/day	6	8	4
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+10	Smite 5/encounter	6	9	4
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+6	+11	Bonus Feat	6	10	4
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+6	+11	Soul smite, chakra bind (heart)	6	11	4
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+6	+12	Share incarnum defense 4/day	7	12	4

Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level): Climb, Concentration, Craft, Heal, Jump, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (the planes), Profession, Ride, Spellcraft, and Swim.
A Lawful Good soulborn gains Diplomacy as a class skill. A Chaotic Good soulborn gains Gather Information.
A Lawful Evil soulborn gains Bluff. A Chaotic Evil soulborn gains Intimidate.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the soulborn.

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Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Soulborn are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (including tower shields).

Meldshaping: A soulborn gains a limited ability to shape soulmelds, which are drawn from the soulborn soulmeld list. He knows and can shape any soulmeld from this list (but see Aligned Soulmelds, below).

The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a soulborn soulmeld is 10 + number of points of essentia invested in the soulmeld + his Constitution modifier. A soulborn's meldshaper level is equal to his class level. A soulborn can shape only a certain number of soulmelds per day. His base daily allotment is given on Table: The Soulborn. The maximum number of soulmelds that he can
have shaped simultaneously is equal to his Constitution score minus 10 or the number of soulmelds on the table, whichever is lower. At 1st level, he can shape one soulmeld at a time (assuming he has a Constitution score of at least 11). As a soulborn advances in level, he can shape an increasing number of soulmelds.

At 2nd level, he gains access to his personal pool of essentia, which can be invested into his soulmelds to increase their power. A soulborn's essentia pool’s size is shown on Table: The Soulborn. His character level, as noted on Table 2–1: Essentia Capacity (see Magic of Incarnum), determines the maximum quantity of essentia that he can invest in any single soulmeld. As a swift action, he can reallocate his essentia investments in his soulmelds every round.

A soulborn does not study or prepare soulmelds in advance, but must have a good night’s rest and must meditate for 1 hour to shape his soulmelds for the day.

Aligned Soulmelds: A soulborn cannot shape soulmelds with an alignment descriptor that does not match his own. For example, if his is a chaotic good soulborn, he cannot shape soulmelds with the lawful or evil descriptors.

Aura (Ex): A soulborn has a particularly powerful aura corresponding to his alignment (see the detect evil spell for details). A Lawful Good soulborn, for example, has an aura of both Law and Good.

Detect Opposition (Sp): At will, a soulborn can use the appropriate detect ability as the spell. He can detect either alignment in opposition to his own.

Smite (Su): Once per combat encounter, a soulborn can channel the power of his incarnum-fueled convictions to attempt to smite a foe with a melee attack. He adds his Charisma bonus (if any) to his attack roll and deals his Charisma bonus (if any) + 1 extra point of damage per soulborn level. These bonuses apply only against creatures whose alignment opposes at least one component of the soulborn's — a lawful good soulborn smites chaotic and evil foes (any creature whose alignment includes either chaos or evil), while a chaotic good soulborn smites lawful and evil foes. If a soulborn accidentally smites a creature of the wrong alignment, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that encounter.

At 5th level and every four levels thereafter, soulborn can smite one additional time per day to a maximum of five times per day at 17th level.

Incarnum defense (Su): A soulborn's incarnum-fused soul dramatically affects his body and mind. At 2nd level, this manifests as a visible change in his appearance, as well as a particular immunity. The appearance and effects of this fusion depend on his alignment:

• Lawful Good: His eyes become orbs of solid gold in color, with no visible pupil or iris. He gains immunity to fear.
• Chaotic Good: His irises turn emerald green. He gains immunity to paralysis.
• Lawful Evil: His pupils display an unholy red hue. He gains immunity to exhaustion (effects that would cause exhaustion render him fatigued instead).
• Chaotic Evil: His eyes become solid orbs of shadowy blackness, with no visible pupil or iris. He gains immunity to any penalty, damage, or drain to his Strength.

Sapphire Grace (Su): At 2nd level, a soulborn gains a bonus equal to his Charisma bonus (if positive) on all saving throws.

Soulfused Vigor (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, the soul energy infusing a soulborn protects him from the effects of negative levels. However, he must still make saving throws to remove them later and can still suffer permanent level loss. He can still die if his number of negative levels equals his Hit Dice. A soulborn gains a +4 bonus on saves to resist gaining and to remove negative levels.

Mettle (Ex): At 3rd level and higher, a soulborn can resist even magical and unusual attacks with his force of will. If he makes a successful Fortitude of Will saving throw against an attack that normally has a lesser effect on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. An unconscious or sleeping soulborn does not gain the benefit of mettle.

Chakra Binds: Beginning at 3rd level, a soulborn can bind his soulmelds to his chakras, granting him new powers based on the soulmeld and the chakra chosen. Binding a soulmeld to a chakra closes the body slot associated with that chakra, so that he cannot also benefit from a magic item worn on the body slot associated with that chakra.

The number of chakra binds that he can have active at any one time depends on his level (see the Chakra Binds column on Table: The Soulborn). At 3rd level, he can bind soulmelds to his feet or hands chakras. At 6th level, he can bind soulmelds to his crown chakra. At 10th level, he can bind soulmelds to his arms, brow, and shoulders chakras. At 15th level, he can bind soulmelds to
his throat or waist chakras. At 19th level, he can bind soulmelds to his heart chakra. A soulborn never gains the ability to bind a soulmeld to his soul chakra.

Channel Incarnum (Su): When a soulborn reaches 4th level, he gains the supernatural ability to channel incarnum rather than mere positive or negative energy. Once per round as a free action, a soulborn can grant himself bonus essentia equal to his Charisma bonus or one-half his soulborn level (whichever is lower), minimum 1. This essentia lasts for 1 round.

A soulborn can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier.

A soulborn can use this ability in place of turn or rebuke undead to qualify for any divine feat, and can spend daily uses of this feat to power divine feats as if they were daily uses of turn or rebuke undead (though doing so requires a standard action rather than a free action unless the feat states otherwise). He may also take the Extra Turning feat to gain additional uses of this ability.

Incarnum Blessing (Su): Upon reaching 5th level, a soulborn gains the two following abilities.

• Add the soulborn's sapphire grace (Charisma modifier) on the saving throws of all allies within 20 feet. He must add this bonus on the same save for each of them; thus, he could add to everyone's Reflex save, or everyone's Will save, but he could not grant some a bonus on Reflex and others a bonus on Will. He does not gain any bonus for using this ability, but neither does he lose his own sapphire grace bonus. This bonus lasts for 1 full round. This ability is activated as an immediate action and can only be used once per day. At 10th level, he may use this ability twice per day, and at 15th level he may use each ability three times per day.
• Add the soulborn's sapphire grace (Charisma modifier) on any roll he makes to resist a bull rush, disarm, grapple, sunder, or trip attack. He cannot use this ability when he is making such an attack; it is defensive only. This is a constant bonus.

Bonus Feat: At 6th level and every four levels thereafter, the soulborn gains a bonus feat. The feat can be any one of the following for which the soulborn meets the prerequisites: any Fighter feat, any Incarnum feat, Extra Smiting, Extra Turning, Improved Smiting, and Toughness.

Greater Smite (Su): As a soulborn's convictions grow in strength, his smite attack becomes stronger. At 7th level, a soulborn adds 2 × his Charisma bonus + his soulborn level in damage with a successful smite.

Aura of Blessing (Su): Starting at 8th level, once per day a soulborn can share his incarnum defense ability with allies within 30ft, providing those characters with the same immunity that the soulborn enjoys. No component of the ally’s alignment may be opposed to yours; for example, a lawful good soulborn can affect creatures of lawful good, neutral good, lawful neutral, or neutral alignment, but cannot share the incarnum defense with a chaotic or evil ally. The effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier.

At 12th level and every four levels thereafter, a soulborn gains one additional use of this power.

Improved Mettle (Ex): This ability works like mettle, except that while the soulborn still takes no damage on a successful Fortitude or Will saving throw, he henceforth takes only half damage on a failed save. An unconscious soulborn does not gain the benefit of improved mettle.

Dire Smite (Su): At 13th level, a soulborn adds 3 × his Charisma bonus + his soulborn level in damage with a successful smite.

Soul Smite (Su): At 19th level, a soulborn adds 4 × his Charisma bonus + his soulborn level in damage with a successful smite.

Ex-Soulborns
If a soulborn changes alignment, he loses most of his class abilities unless his new alignment is compatible with the soulborn class. If it is not, he loses his aura, smite opposition, incarnum defense, and meldshaping abilities. He may not progress any further in levels as a soulborn. He regains all of his abilities and advancement potential if he returns to his previous alignment or if his alignment shift still qualifies for the class — a change from lawful evil to lawful good, for example — he retains his soulborn levels, and his class features change to match his new alignment.

The Divine Mind

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Game Rule Information

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Design Notes: The divine mind seemed to be intended to be the psionic paladin, but, much like the soulborn, became the Paladin Lite™. The exact role of the divine mind is determined by which mantles he takes and the granted powers they give him. In general, however, I wanted the class to be a party buffer, which appears to have been the original intention of the designers, though they tended more towards gimpy manifester than warrior. The original divine mind gained access to 6th level powers at level 20, but I lower it to 5th and increased the rate of gain to be in line with the other reworked paladin-like classes.

The main class feature, the psychic aura, if effectively a permanent boost to nearby allies or penalty to nearby enemies. Again, like the soulborn, I think that the concept behind this class was solid but was implemented too weakly to be viable. You might notice that the divine mind has fewer actual class features on the table when compared to the other classes, such as smite and but this is due to wanting to expand upon the psychic aura.

Abilities: Wisdom is necessary for a divine mind to manifest his powers (requiring a score of 15 or higher to use the highest-level powers, and at least 11 to be able to manifest any at all) and several of his class features. He also cares about Strength, Constitution, and Dexterity because of their importance in combat.

The Divine Mind__Hit Die: d10__Alignment: Must be within one step of chosen deity

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Psychic Aura	Power Points	Max Power Level Known
1st	+1	+2	+0	+2	Mantle (1st), alignment aura, psychic aura +1, Wild Talent	5 ft.	0	1st
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+3	Serenity, body adjustment	5 ft.	1	1st
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+3	Mettle	10 ft.	2	1st
4th	+4	+4	+1	+4	Focus psyche	10 ft.	3	2nd
5th	+5	+4	+1	+4	Psychic aura +2, Psicrystal Affinity	15 ft.	4	2nd
6th	+6/+1	+5	+2	+5	Mantle (2nd), Bonus Feat	15 ft.	6	2nd
7th	+7/+2	+5	+2	+5	Second psychic aura	20 ft.	8	3rd
8th	+8/+3	+6	+2	+6	Change aura (standard action)	20 ft.	10	3rd
9th	+9/+4	+6	+3	+6	Psychic aura +3	25 ft.	12	3rd
10th	+10/+5	+7	+3	+7	Bonus Feat	25 ft.	16	4th
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+3	+7	Mantle (3rd), improved mettle	30 ft.	20	4th
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+4	+8	Third psychic aura, change aura (move action)	30 ft.	24	4th
13th	+13/+8/+3	+9	+4	+9	Psychic aura +4	35 ft.	28	5th
14th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+4	+9	Bonus Feat	35 ft.	32	5th
15th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+5	+9	-	40 ft.	40	5th
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+10	+5	+10	Change aura (swift/immediate action)	40 ft.	48	5th
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+10	Psychic aura +5	45 ft.	56	5th
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+6	+11	Bonus Feat	45 ft.	64	5th
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+6	+11	Fourth psychic aura	50 ft.	74	5th
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+6	+12	Change aura (free action)	50 ft.	88	5th

Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level): Autohypnosis, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Jump, Knowledge (psionics), Knowledge (religion), Profession, Psicraft, Ride, and Swim.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the divine mind.

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Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Divine minds are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).

Power Points/Day: A divine mind's ability to manifest powers is limited by the power points he has available. His base daily allotment of power points is given on Table: The Divine Mind. In addition, he receives bonus power points per day if he has a high Wisdom score. A 1st-level divine mind gains no power points for his class level, but he gains bonus power points (if he is entitled to any), and can manifest any powers he knows with those power points.

Powers Known: A divine mind begins play with a single mantle of his choice. He knows all the powers of his mantle up to the highest level power he can manifest. When a divine mind gains access to a new level of powers, he
automatically knows all the powers for that level given by his chosen mantles.

A divine mind's manifester level is equal to his class level.

A divine mind 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 divine mind powers is 10 + the power's level + the divine mind's Wis modifier.

Maximum Power Level Known: A divine mind begins play with 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 divine mind must have a Wisdom score of at least 10 + the power’s level. For example, a psychic warrior with a Wisdom score of 13 can manifest powers of 3rd level or lower.

Psychic Aura (Su): All divine minds know three basic auras: attack, defense, and [i]perception[/i[ (see below). In addition, your chosen mantle adds a specialized aura to your options. You chose one aura to manifest, and its benefits take effect in a radius around you as given on the table. Most auras affect either you and your allies or just your enemies. As you become more powerful, your aura spreads to encompass a wider area. If you know multiple mantles, you chose which aura to manifest when you meditate. You can spend one minute in meditation to change your aura.

The bonus or penalty from the aura is considered a morale bonus, unless a specific ability state otherwise. At first level, the strength of the aura is +1. At 5th level, and every four divine mind levels after that, this bonus increases by 1.

At 7th level, a divine mind can have two auras active at once. At 12th level, a divine mind can have three auras active at once, and at 19th level, he can have four active at once.

Attack: You and all allies within your aura gain a bonus on attack and damage rolls.

Defense: You and all allies within your aura gain a bonus to Armor Class.

Perception: You and all allies within your aura gain a bonus on Initiative, Listen, and Spot checks equal to twice the strength of your aura. +2 at 1st level, +4 at fifth, etc.

Mantle (Ex): At 1st level, a divine mind chooses a deity to follow. He then chooses from among that deity's mantles, picking one that he adopts and learns to manifest powers from. A deity's mantles will mirror his domains as closely as possible. It's up to the DM to determine which mantles are appropriate to which deities.

You begin play with access to a mantle and its mantle power. Each mantle has a specific granted ability that you can use. The powers in the mantle are considered on your list for the purpose of using dorjes and other items. When you gain a power known, select it from the mantle's list of powers. At 6th level, you gain a second mantle; at 11th, you gain a third, and final mantle. The mantles and their aura powers are given below.

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• Chaos: You and all allies within your aura gain a resistance bonus on saves against attacks made or effects created by nonchaotic creatures equal to the strength of your psychic aura.
  
  Your weapons are treated as chaotically aligned for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. A number of times per encounter equal to the strength of your psychic aura, you may expend your psionic focus to Smite Law, adding your Wisdom bonus to your attack roll and your divine mind class level to your damage. If the smite attack misses, a use of this ability is still expended, as is your psionic focus.
  
  
• Communication: You and willing allies within your aura are linked together with the [i]mindlink[i] power (EPH 120). If they leave the area of your aura, they leave the link. They can automatically rejoin, however, once they reenter the area. The radius of this power is double the normal range of your psychic aura.
  
  
• Conflict: You and allies affected by your aura gain a bonus on rolls to confirm critical hits equal to twice the strength of your aura.
  
  
• Consumption: You can leech power points expended near you. While the aura is active, you can expend your psionic focus as an immediate action when a power is manifested within your aura. Doing so steals a number of power points equal to the strength of your psychic aura from the power's manifester. This extra power point is added to your power point reserve; you cannot gain more power points than your normal maximum. This ability has no effect if used while you have a full power point reserve.
  
  If stealing 1 power point would prevent the manifester from being able to manifest the power, you do not gain a power point but the manifester is unable to manifest the power; no power points are expended.
  
  
• Corruption and Madness: Your aura disquiets and disturbs the minds of those who oppose you. All enemies within your aura must make Concentration checks (DC 10 + your Wis modifier + 1/2 your divine mind level + strength of your psychic aura) to manifest powers, cast spells, or use psi-like or spell-like abilities.
  
  
• Creation: All constructs within your aura heal a number of hit points every hour equal to the strength of your psychic aura. This rate increases to every 10 minutes at 5th level, every minute at 10th level, and 1 hit point every round at 15th level.
  
  
• Death: You and your allies know the condition of creatures near death within your aura, as the deathwatch spell.
  
  At 11th level, you gain the benefit of the death ward spell as long as this aura is active.
  
  
• Deception: You and your allies gain a bonus on Bluff checks made to feint in combat equal to twice the strength of your psychic aura. +2 at 1st level, +4 at 5th, etc. You can expend your psionic focus to feint as a move action, as if you had the Improved Feint feat.
  
  
• Destruction: You grant your allies the ability to sunder objects more easily. Any time creatures affected by your aura make sunder attempts, the hardness of objects they attempt to sunder is treated as half its normal value (the hardness of a wooden object, for example, would be 2 instead of 5).
  
  Your allies gain a bonus to all sunder damage equal to the strength of your psychic aura.
  
  
• Elements: When this aura goes into effect, you must choose to align it to one of the four elemental subtypes (air, earth, fire, water). You and all allies within your aura gain a resistance bonus on saves against attacks made or effects created by creatures with that elemental subtype equal to the strength of your psychic aura.
  
  Your weapons overcome damage reduction on creatures of that subtype. A number of times per encounter equal to the strength of your psychic aura, you may expend your psionic focus to Smite a creature of that elemental subtype, adding your Wisdom bonus to your attack roll and your divine mind class level to your damage. If the smite attack misses, a use of this ability is still expended, as is your psionic focus.
  
  • If you are using the variant with a mantle for each individual element, then the mantle ability is the same as above with the following change. The elemental subtype is automatically selected at the opposing element of your mantle and may not be changed. Fire opposes Water, and Earth opposes Air. For example, the benefits this aura for a divine mind with the Earth mantle would apply against creatures of the air subtype.
  
  
  
• Evil: You and all allies within your aura gain a resistance bonus on saves against attacks made or effects created by nonevil creatures equal to the strength of your psychic aura.
  
  Your weapons are treated as evil aligned for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. A number of times per encounter equal to the strength of your psychic aura, you may expend your psionic focus to Smite Good, adding your Wisdom bonus to your attack roll and your divine mind class level to your damage. If the smite attack misses, a use of this ability is still expended, as is your psionic focus.
  
  
• Fate: You and your allies gain insight into the battle being waged around you, allowing you to bend fate to your will. While the aura of fate is active, you and your allies gain an insight bonus on any one d20 roll equal to the strength of your psychic aura. Once a particular ally chooses to use her bonus, the aura ends for that ally, but not for any other ally who has not yet used the insight bonus. The choice to use this bonus must be declared before the roll is made.
  
  A specific ally can gain this bonus once per encounter.
  
  
• Force: As a move action, you can expend your psionic focus to grant yourself and all allies within your aura the ability to strike an incorporeal creature without suffering the normal 50% miss chance. The effect of this aura affects all attacks made by you and your allies for a number of turns equal to the strength of your psychic aura. This effect can be used once per encounter.
  
  
• Freedom: You and allies within your aura gain a bonus on Escape Artist checks and grapple checks made to resist or escape a grapple equal to the strength of your psychic aura +1 (+2 at 1st level, +3 at 5th level, etc.).
  
  A number of times per day equal to the strength of your psychic aura, you may expend your psionic focus as a swift or immediate action to act as if under a freedom of movement spell.
  
  
• Good: You and all allies within your aura gain a resistance bonus on saves against attacks made or effects created by nongood creatures equal to the strength of your psychic aura.
  
  Your weapons are treated as good aligned for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. A number of times per encounter equal to the strength of your psychic aura, you may expend your psionic focus to Smite Good, adding your Wisdom bonus to your attack roll and your divine mind class level to your damage. If the smite attack misses, a use of this ability is still expended, as is your psionic focus.
  
  
• Guardian: You can grant allies in range damage reduction X/–, where X is the strength of your psychic aura, while you are psionically focused. This damage reduction stacks with any damage reduction of the same type.
  
  Once per encounter as an immediate action, you may expend your psionic focus to double the damage reduction granted by this aura for any ally in range of your psychic aura. You may not double your own damage reduction in this manner.
  
  
• Justice: You and allies within your aura gain a bonus on attack and damage rolls equal to twice the strength of your psychic aura against a foe that has attacked you or another ally in the previous round.
  
  
• Knowledge: You and allies within your aura gain a bonus on all Knowledge checks equal to the strength of your psychic aura. Additionally, you are treated as having the bardic knowledge ability, using your divine mind level in place of bard level.
  
  
• Law: You and all allies within your aura gain a resistance bonus on saves against attacks made or effects created by nonlawful creatures equal to the strength of your psychic aura.
  
  Your weapons are treated as lawfully aligned for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. A number of times per encounter equal to the strength of your psychic aura, you may expend your psionic focus to Smite Chaos, adding your Wisdom bonus to your attack roll and your divine mind class level to your damage. If the smite attack misses, a use of this ability is still expended, as is your psionic focus.
  
  
• Life: Creatures in your presence feel rejuvenated and are more resistant to death effects. While it is active, allies affected by this aura gain a bonus equal to the strength of your psychic aura on saves against death spells and powers or death effects.
  
  
• Light and Darkness: You and allies within your aura treat spells with the light or darkness descriptors as a number of levels higher equal to the strength of your psychic aura for countering the opposing effect. Additionally, the special augment ability of control light gained from this mantle costs you only 2 additional power points instead of 4.
  
  
• Magic: Weapons that you and your allies wield within your aura gain an enchancement bonus equal to the strength of your psychic aura. Thrown and projectile weapons that leave the range of your psychic aura immediately lose the bonus, as do melee weapons on the edge of your aura attacking creatures outside of your aura. This aura functions much like greater magic weapon.
  
  
• Mental Tower: You and allies within your aura gain a bonus on saving throws against mind-affecting spells and abilities equal to the strength of your psychic aura. Once per encounter, you may expend your psionic focus as an immediate action to grant yourself or one ally within your aura the benefit of the mind blank power for one round.
  
  
• Natural World: All animals, plants, and fey within your aura heal a number of hit point equal to the strength of your psychic aura every hour. This rate increases to every 10 minutes at 5th level, every minute at 9th level, and every round at 13th level.
  
  
• Pain and Suffering: You and allies within your aura gain a bonus equal to the strength of your psychic aura on weapon damage rolls against wounded foes.
  
  
• Physical Power: You and allies within your aura gain a bonus equal to the strength of your psychic aura on opposed Strength checks, such as bull rush, trip, or disarm checks, as well as on grapple checks.
  
  At 9th level, the maximum size of an enemy on which you and your allies can use these attacks increases by one. The maximum size increases again at 17th level. For example, at 9th level, a Medium creature would be able to Bull Rush a Huge or smaller enemy instead of only a Large or smaller.
  
  
• The Planes: You can pinpoint the location of any outsider or extraplanar creature within your aura. You and allies within your aura gain a bonus equal to the strength of your psychic aura on caster level checks or manifester level checks made to overcome the spell resistance or power resistance of outsiders.
  
  
• Repose: While you are psionically focused, you and allies within your aura ignore the effects of fatigue. If an ally within your aura becomes exhausted for any reason, he is treated as fatigued instead. Your aura does not dispel fatigue, it merely suppresses the negative effects. Additionally, anything within the range of your aura is treated as though under the effects of gentle repose.
  
  
• Time: You give allies within your aura the ability to see just a moment into the future, increasing their reaction time. Anyone affected by your aura gains a bonus equal to the strength of your psychic aura on initiative checks and on Reflex saves. This bonus on initiative checks stacks with the bonus provided by the Time mantle's granted ability.
  
  

Alignment Aura (Ex): A divine mind of a chaotic, evil, good, or lawful deity has a particularly powerful aura corresponding to the deity’s alignment?

Wild Talent: At 1st level, a Divine Mind gains Wild Talent as a bonus feat.

Serenity (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, you gain a bonus equal to your Wisdom bonus (if any) on all saving throws.

Body Adjustment (Ps): A divine mind can use body adjustment as a psi-like ability a number of times per day equal to his divine mind level with a manifester level of one, meaning that this ability only ever heals 1d12 damage. A divine mind may also use this ability to heal others, but it heals only 1d8 damage when used on someone other than himself.

Mettle (Ex): At 3rd level and higher, a divine mind can resist even magical and unusual attacks with his force of will. If he makes a successful Fortitude of Will saving throw against an attack that normally has a lesser effect on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. An unconscious or sleeping divine mind does not gain the benefit of mettle.

Focus Psyche (Su): When a divine mind reaches 4th level, he gains the supernatural ability to focus his psyche through intense effort to temporarily increase the strength of his psyhic aura. Once per round as a free action, a divine mind can grant himself a bonus on his psychic aura equal to his Wisdom bonus or one-half his divine mind level (whichever is lower), minimum 1. This bonus lasts for 1 round.

A divine mind can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Wisdom modifier.

A divine mind can use this ability in place of turn or rebuke undead to qualify for any divine feat, and can spend daily uses of this feat to power divine feats as if they were daily uses of turn or rebuke undead (though doing so requires a standard action rather than a free action unless the feat states otherwise). He may also take the Extra Turning feat to gain additional uses of this ability.

Psicrystal Affinity: At 5th level, the divine mind gains Psicrystal Affinity as a bonus feat.

Bonus Feat: At 6th level and every four levels thereafter, the divine mind gains a bonus feat. The feat can be any one of the following for which the paladin meets the prerequisites: any Divine feat, any Fighter feat, any Psionic feat, Skill Focus (Ride), and Toughness.

Change Aura (Ex): At 8th level, you gain the ability to change between your mantle auras much more quickly. It takes only a standard action to change between auras. You can switch auras as a move action at 12th level, and at 16th level you can change your aura as a swift action. At 20th leve, you can change your aura as a free action once per turn.

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2

The Ranger

I was not sure I wanted to include the ranger as part of this project, and I have decided that I do not. I'm leaving the thread link here for reference purposes, but I will not be continuing that class nor including it as part of the Armipotent project.
The Ranger may be found in this thread.

[Jeriah]

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[Jeriah]

The Blackguard
"Drag him down to hell! He shall suffer just as he
has made me to suffer!" - Damian the Blackguard

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Design Notes: The blackguard is meant to be a retooling of the DMG class to fit with this reworked paladin. It is effectively the same as in the DMG but placed into the mold of this project. I removed the sneak attack progression and added in abilities analogous to the abilities on the paladin armipotent.

Requirements
To qualify to become a blackguard, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

• Alignment: Any evil
• Base Attack Bonus: +5
• Skills: Knowledge (religion) 2 ranks
• Special: Must have made peaceful contact with an evil outsider.

The Blackguard____Hit Die: d10
{table=head]Level|Base[div]Attack Bonus[/div]|Fort[div]Save[/div]|Ref[div]Save[/div]|Will[div]Save[/div]|Special|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th
1st |+1 |+2 |+0 |+2 |Aura of evil, detect good, smite 1/encounter, poison use |0 |- |- |- |-
2nd |+2 |+3 |+0 |+3 |Dark blessing, baleful touch |1 |0 |- |- |-
3rd |+3 |+3 |+1 |+3 |Rebuke undead, aura of despair, mettle |1 |1 |- |- |-
4h |+4 |+4 |+1 |+4 |Fiendish servant |2 |1 |0 |- |-
5th |+5 |+4 |+1 |+4 |Smite 2/encounter |2 |2 |1 |0 |-
6th |+6 |+5 |+2 |+5 |Bonus Feat |2 |2 |1 |1 |-
7th |+7 |+5 |+2 |+5 |Greater smite |3 |2 |2 |1 |0
8th |+8 |+6 |+2 |+6 |Debilitating aura 1/day |3 |3 |2 |2 |1
9th |+9 |+6 |+3 |+6 |Smite 3/encounter |3 |3 |2 |2 |1
10th |+10 |+7 |+3 |+7 |Improved Mettle, debilitating aura 2/day |3 |3 |3 |2 |2
[/table]
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level): Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Heal, Hide, Intimidate, Knowledge (religion), Profession, and Ride.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the blackguard.

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Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Blackguards are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor, and with shields (including tower shields).

Spells: A blackguard has the ability to cast a small number of divine spells, which are drawn from the blackguard spell list. He must choose and prepare his spells in advance.

To prepare or cast a spell, a blackguard must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a blackguard’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the blackguard’s Charisma modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a blackguard can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Blackguard. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score. When Table: The Blackguard indicates that the blackguard gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Charisma score for that spell level.

A blackguard prepares and casts spells the way a cleric does, though he cannot lose a prepared spell to spontaneously cast a cure spell in its place. A blackguard may prepare and cast any spell on the blackguard spell list, provided that he can cast spells of that level, but he must choose which spells to prepare during his daily meditation.

A blackguard's caster level is equal to his class level.

Aura of Evil (Ex): The power of a blackguard’s aura of evil (see the detect evil spell) is equal to his blackguard level.

Detect Good (Sp): At will, a blackguard can use detect good, as the spell.

Smite (Su): Once per combat encounter, a blackguard may attempt to smite an opponent with one normal melee attack. He adds his Charisma bonus (if any) to his attack roll and deals his Charisma bonus (if any) + 1 extra point of damage per blackguard level. A blackguard may smite any creature, regardless of alignment.

At 5th level and 9th level, the blackguard may make a smite attack one additional time per encounter, as indicated on Table: The Blackguard.

Poison Use: Blackguards are skilled in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a blade.

Dark Blessing (Su): At 2nd level, a blackguard gains a bonus equal to his Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws.

Baleful Touch (Su): This power functions identically to the paladin's lay on hands ability with the following exceptions. Baleful touch causes wounds with a successful touch attack and can be used to heal undead creatures.

Rebuke Undead (Su): When a blackguard reaches 3rd level, he gains the supernatural ability to command and rebuke undead. He commands undead as would a cleric of his class level.

Aura of Despair (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, the blackguard radiates a malign aura that causes enemies within 10 feet of him to take a –2 penalty on all saving throws.

Mettle (Ex): At 3rd level and higher, a blackguard can resist magical and unusual attacks with his force of will. If he makes a successful Fortitude or Will saving throw against an attack that normally has a lesser effect on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. An unconscious or sleeping blackguard does not gain the benefit of mettle.

Fiendish Servant (Su): Upon reaching 5th level, a blackguard is able to bless a mount or familiar to become unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal. A blackguard may bless any animal or magical beast he controls after spending 24 hours in prayer and meditation with the creature. The creature receives all the benefits on the Table: Fiendish Servant according to the blackguard's level.

Should the blackguard’s servant die, the blackguard may bless another servant after repeating the 24 hour ritual.

Bonus Feat: At 6th level and every four levels thereafter, the blackguard gains a bonus feat. The feat can be any one of the following for which the blackguard meets the prerequisites: any Divine feat, any Fighter feat, Extra Smiting, Extra Turning, Improved Smiting, Skill Focus (Ride), and Toughness.

Greater Smite (Su): At 7th level, a blackguard adds 2 × his Charisma bonus + his blackguard level in damage with a successful smite.

Debilitating Aura (Su): Beginning at 8th level, a blackguard radiates a malign aura that causes enemies within 10 feet of her to take a –2 penalty to Armor Class. Activating the aura is a free action, and the aura lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the blackguard’s Charisma bonus (if any).

Improved Mettle (Ex): This ability works like mettle, except that while the blackguard still takes no damage on a successful Fortitude or Will saving throw, he henceforth takes only half damage on a failed save. An unconscious blackguard does not gain the benefit of improved mettle.

Fallen Paladins
Blackguards who have levels in the paladin class (that is to say, are now ex-paladins) gain extra abilities the more levels of paladin they have.

A fallen paladin who becomes a blackguard gains all of the following abilities that apply, according to the number of paladin levels the character has.

• 1-2 - Smite +1/encounter.
• 3-4 - Lay on hands. Once per day, the blackguard can use this supernatural ability to cure himself or his fiendish servant of damage equal to 2 × his Charisma bonus × his level.
  
• 5-6 - Smite +1/encounter. Add paladin class levels to blackguard levels to determine smite damage.
  
• 7-8 - Fiendish summoning. Once per day, the blackguard can use a summon monster spell cast at the highest level blackguard spell he can cast to call forth an evil creature. For this spell, the caster level is double the blackguard’s class level.
  
• 9-10 - Undead companion. In addition to the fiendish servant, the blackguard gains (at 5th level) a Medium-size skeleton or zombie as a companion. This companion cannot be turned or rebuked and gains all special bonuses as a fiendish servant when the blackguard gains levels. Smite +3/encounter. Debilitating aura +1/day
  
• 11 or more - A fallen paladin of this stature immediately gains a blackguard level for each level of paladin he willingly trades in.
  
  The character level of the character does not change. With the loss of paladin levels, the character no longer gains as many extra abilities for being a fallen paladin.

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1

The Incarnum Blade

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Design Notes: The incarnum blade is another class that I really liked but found was just far too weak. Five levels to gain a weak soulmeld with weak abilities seemed like a complete waste. I gave it an essentia progression and strengthened its general bind abilities and added essentia investment bonuses to them. I also changed its Rebind Blademeld ability to a swift action rather a standard action so that it doesn't force you to sit out a round in combat.

Requirements
To qualify to become an incarnum blade, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

• Alignment: Any except true neutral
• Base Attack Bonus: +5
• Skills: Concentration 2 ranks

The Incarnum Blade____Hit Die: d10__________________________________________________
{table=head]Level|Base[div]Attack Bonus[/div]|Fort[div]Save[/div]|Ref[div]Save[/div]|Will[div]Save[/div]|Special|Essentia
1st |+1 |+2 |+0 |+2 |Shape blademeld, blademeld chakra binds (crown, feet, hands) |1
2nd |+2 |+3 |+0 |+3 |Expanded blademeld capacity +1, Blademeld chakra binds (arms, brow, shoulders) |1
3rd |+3 |+3 |+1 |+3 |Rebind blademeld, blademeld chakra binds (throat, waist) |2
4h |+4 |+4 |+1 |+4 |Expanded blademeld capacity +2, Blademeld chakra bind (heart) |2
5th |+5 |+4 |+1 |+4 |Dual chakra binding, blademeld chakra bind (soul) |3
[/table]
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level): Climb, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy,Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (arcana), and Swim.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the incarnum blade.

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Weapon and Armor Proficiency: An incarnum blade gains no new proficiencies with weapons, armors, or shields.

Shape Blademeld (Su): At 1st level, an incarnum blade gain the ability to create a special soulmeld called a blademeld by wrapping incarnum into a melee weapon of his choice. Doing so ties the chosen weapon more closely to his mind and soul and grants it special powers. A weapon with a blademeld shaped on it appears to have a blue glow and is treated as a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Its hardness improves by 5, and its hit points increase by 5 per class level. The weapon also gains a bonus on saving throws equal to class level.

Essentia can be invested into the blademeld just as with any other soulmeld. The effects of the invested essentia are detailed below.

Shaping the blademeld requires 8 hours of rest followed by 1 hour of meditation, just like shaping any other soulmeld. The blademeld remains shaped until the incarnum blade unshapes it, though it unshapes automatically if the weapon to which it is attached is sundered or otherwise destroyed. Simply losing possession of the weapon does not unshape the blademeld, and it still retains its enhanced hardness, hit points, and save bonuses even if the incarnum blade is not holding it. The wielder benefits granted by the blademeld do not apply to anyone else who might pick it up.

Blademeld Chakra Bind (Su): When an incarnum blade shapes his blademeld, he can bind it to one of his body’s chakras. Doing so grants him a special ability that lasts as long as the blademeld is shaped and the weapon is held. Unlike most soulmelds, the blademeld's appearance does not change while it is bound to a chakra, and the affected chakra is not apparent in any way to an onlooker. Furthermore, the weapon to which the blademeld is attached is still wielded normally, even if it is bound to a chakra other than the hands. It can be disarmed normally, and it can still be sundered in the usual way. If an incarnum blade loses or puts down the weapon while it is bound, it remains bound and retains the special characteristics it gains from the blademeld; he also retains the special ability gained from the bind. No one else can benefit from the weapon’s incarnum-based powers.

Unlike a typical chakra bind, this one does not close the corresponding body slot. For example, a blademeld bound to the hands chakra does not prevent the incarnum blade from wearing a pair of magic gloves. Blademeld chakra bind does not grant the incarnum blade the ability to bind soulmelds or other magic items to his chakras.

At 1st level, the incarnum blade can bind his blademeld to any of his least chakras (crown, feet, or hands); at 2nd level, he can bind it to any least or lesser chakra; and at 3rd level, he can bind it to any least, lesser, or greater chakra. At 4th level, he can bind his blademeld to his heart chakra, and at 5th level, he can bind it to his soul chakra. Binding a blademeld to a chakra grants the incarnum blade a special ability according to the chakra chosen, as detailed below.

• Crown Chakra: As long as this chakra bind is in effect, the incarnum blade gains uncanny battlefield insight. He is unable to be flanked. He also gains a +4 insight bonus on opposed attack rolls made to avoid being disarmed of the weapon with the blademeld or to avoid having it sundered. In addition, he gains a +4 insight bonus on Sense Motive checks made when someone attempts a feint against him in combat.
  Essentia: Every point of invested essentia increases the insight bonus to avoid being disarmed, to avoid having the weapon sundered, and to Sense Motive checks against feints by two.
  
  
• Feet Chakra: The incarnum blade reacts more quickly than usual to danger, gaining a +4 insight bonus on initiative checks while this chakra bind is in effect. In addition, he is treated as having the Combat Reflexes feat.
  Essentia: Every point of invested essentia increases the insight bonus on initiative checks by 1. Every two points of invested essentia grants one additional attack of opportunity as if the incarnum blade's Dexterity score was two points higher.
  
  
• Hands Chakra: The incarnum blade can deal precise blows in combat. While the blademeld is bound to this chakra, he gains a +1 insight bonus on damage rolls made with the blademeld weapon.
  Essentia: The insight bonus to damage increases by 2 for every point of essentia invested in the blademeld.
  
  
• Arms Chakra: The incarnum blade can deal devastating strikes in combat. While this bind is in effect, he is treated as having the Improved Critical feat for the weapon to which the blademeld is shaped. If he already has Improved Critical or the weapon has the Keen weapon enhancement, the weapon's threat range instead increases by 1. For example, a keen longsword's threat range would increase from 17-20 to 16-20.
  Essentia: The incarnum blade gains an insight bonus on attack rolls made to confirm critical threats equal to twice the number of essentia invested in the blademeld.
  
  
• Brow Chakra: The incarnum blade can more effectively battle foes that he can’t see clearly while this chakra bind is in effect. Any time he misses an attack with the blademeld weapon because of an opponent’s miss chance, he can reroll his miss chance once to see if he actually hits. This ability functions much like the Blind-Fight feat. If he already has Blind-Fight, he gains no additional benefit — that is, he is still entitled to only one reroll. This ability applies to all miss chances, not just concealment, but he can only make one reroll per attack, regardless of the number of miss chances his opponent has.
  Essentia: If at least one point of essentia is invested in the blademeld, the incarnum blade ignores concealment less than total concealment. If at least three points of essentia are invested in the blademeld, the blademeld weapon functions as if it had the ghost touch property.
  
  
• Shoulders Chakra: The incarnum blade gains the ability to avoid certain particularly deadly strikes. The incarnum blade is treated as having the light fortification ability, giving him a 25% chance to resist sneak attacks and critical hits. He need not be aware of the attack for the ability to function, but it grants no benefit if he is unconscious or otherwise helpless.
  Essentia: If at least two points of essentia are invested in the blademeld, the incarnum blade is treated as having moderate fortification. If at least four points of essentia are invested in the blademeld, he is treated as having heavy fortification.
  
  
• Throat Chakra: At will, the incarnum blade can brandish the weapon bearing the blademeld and utter a hearty battle shout that demoralizes foes. Each enemy within 60 feet who can hear him must save or become shaken for 1d6 rounds (Will DC 10 + incarnum blade level + Con modifier). He can use this ability at will as a move action as long as the chakra bind is in effect.
  Essentia: Each point of invested essentia increases the save DC by 2.
  
  
• Waist Chakra: As long as this chakra bind is in effect, the incarnum blade is incredibly stable and well balanced when wielding his blademeld weapon. He gains a +10 insight bonus on checks made to avoid being bull rushed, grappled, tripped, or overrun. He also retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even while flat-footed.
  Essentia: For every point of invested essentia, the incarnum blade gains a +2 insight bonus when making bull rush, grapple, trip, or overrun attacks.
  
  
• Heart Chakra: The weapon bearing the blademeld grants the incarnum blade improved health and well-being in combat as long as this chakra bind is in effect. He gains bonus hit points equal to twice his character level (maximum +40). These extra hit points are not lost first the way temporary hit points are; if he changes the chakra bind of his blademeld, he loses them immediately.
  Essentia: The incarnum blade gains 2 additional hit points for every point of invested essentia. If the essentia is uninvested, these hit points are immediately lost.
  
  
• Soul Chakra: The blademeld weapon gains an alignment for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. When the incarnum blade activates the chakra bind, he can choose any single alignment component (chaos, evil, good, or law) that matches one of his own. Thereafter, the choice cannot be changed until a new blademeld is shaped. Against creatures with an alignment subtype (not just an alignment) opposed to the selected component, the weapon deals an extra 2d6 points of damage. If the blademeld weapon would ordinarily deal extra damage to the opponent because of the bane special quality or any of the alignment weapon qualities, the extra damage dice stack.
  For example, a lawful good incarnum blade who chooses this chakra bind could grant either the lawful or the good alignment to his blademeld weapon. If he chose good, his weapon would deal an extra 2d6 points of damage to all creatures with the evil subtype (such as demons and devils), but not to an evil necromancer who does not have the evil subtype.
  Essentia:For every point of invested essentia, this bonus damage increases by 1d6.

Expanded Blademeld Capacity (Ex): At 2nd level and again at 4th level, the essentia capacity of your blademeld increases by 1, superseding the normal maximum capacity. This only applies to your blade meld, not to soulmelds, feats, class features, or other abilities that allow essentia investment.

Rebind Blademeld (Su): At 3rd level, the incarnum blade gains the ability to change the chakra to which his blademeld is bound. He can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Constitution bonus (minimum 1/day). Rebinding his blademeld is a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity and can be done at the same time that he reinvests essentia.

At 5th level, an incarnum blade can change one or both of his blademeld’s two chakra binds simultaneously as a standard action.

Dual Chakra Binding: Upon attaining 5th level, the incarnum blade can bind his blademeld to two of his chakras simultaneously. He gains the special abilities from both chakra binds as though he were using each independently. Essentia invested in the blademeld counts toward both chakra binds equally.

[Jeriah]

Feats

COBALT FRENZY [INCARNUM]
You can channel incarnum to enhance your Ki Frenzy. When you do so, your eyes turn deep blue in color.
Prerequisites: Con 13, ki frenzy class feature.
Benefit: Once per day, you can invest essentia into this feat. While using your Ki Frenzy ability, you gain an insight bonus on melee damage rolls and on Reflex saves equal to the invested essentia. Once the amount of essentia invested is chosen, it cannot be altered and remains invested for 24 hours.
You gain 1 point of essentia.


PSYCARNUM BLADE [INCARNUM, PSIONIC]
As written with the following addition:
Benefit: If you are able to shape an incarnate weapon, you may apply all the benefits of your mind blade to your incarnate weapon, including Weapon Focus (mind blade), throw mind blade, psychic strike, and mind blade enhancement.


MOUNTED MOBILITY [GENERAL, FIGHTER]
Prerequisite: Mounted Combat, Ride 4 ranks.
Benefit: While mounted, you and your mount get a +4 dodge bonus to AC against attacks of opportunity provoked when your mount moves out of a threatened square.
Special: Mounted Mobility can be used in place of the Mobility feat to qualify for a feat, prestige class, or other special ability. A fighter can select Mounted Mobility as one of his fighter bonus feats.

[Jeriah]

Spell Lists

Spells will be marked with their source book, e.g. (PHB) for Player's Handbook. Spells marked with an asterisk (*) will be detailed at the end of this post.

Paladin Spells

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As standard paladin list, add the following:
5th Level

• Atonement (PHB)
• Blistering Radiance (SpC)
• Break Enchantment (PHB)
• Commune (PHB)
• Dispel Evil (PHB)
• Disrupting Weapon (PHB)
• Divine Agility (SpC)
• Hallow (PHB)
• Incorporeal Nova (SpC)
• Mark of Justice (PHB)
• Revivify (SpC)
• Righteous Might (PHB)
• Righteous Wrath of the Faithful (SpC)
• Stalwart Pact (SpC)
• True Seeing (PHB)

Hexblade Spells

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As standard hexblade list, add the following:
4th Level

• Bestow Curse (PHB)
• Sensory Deprivation (SpC)

5th Level

• Backlash (SpC)
• Dominate Person (PHB)
• Feeblemind (PHB)
• Graymantle (SpC)
• Mind Fog (PHB)
• Reciprocal Gyre (SpC)
• Vulnerability (SpC)
• Waves of Fatigue (PHB)
• Wrack (SpC)

Sohei Spells

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1st Level

• Animal Messenger (PHB)
• Attraction *
• Bane (PHB)
• Bless (PHB)
• Conviction (Self Only) (SpC)
• Detect Chaos/Law (PHB)
• Divine Favor (PHB)
• Endure Elements (PHB)
• Lesser Vigor (Self Only) (SpC)
• Magic Weapon (PHB)
• Protection from Chaos (PHB)
• Second Wind (Self Only) (SpC)
• Shield of Faith (PHB)
• Weapon Bless *

2nd Level

• Bull's Strength (PHB)
• Bear's Endurance (PHB)
• Cat's Grace (PHB)
• Delay Poison (PHB)
• Restoration, Lesser (PHB)
• Remove Paralysis (PHB)
• Resist Energy (PHB)
• Shield Other (PHB)
• Spell Immunity, Lesser (SpC)
• Warning *

3rd-Level

• Castigate (SpC)
• Discern Lies (PHB)
• Dispel Magic (PHB)
• Ki Grace *
• Magic Circle Against Chaos (PHB)
• Magic Weapon, Greater (PHB)
• Protection From Energy (PHB)
• Vigor (Self Only) (SpC)

4th-Level

• Death Ward (PHB)
• Delay Death (Self Only) (SpC)
• True Seeing (PHB)
• Dispel Chaos (PHB)
• Divine Power (PHB)
• Freedom of Movement (PHB)
• Neutralize Poison (PHB)
• Order's Wrath (PHB)
• Restoration (PHB)
• Spell Immunity (PHB)

5th-Level

• Atonement (PHB)
• Break Enchantment (PHB)
• Divine Agility (Self Only) (SpC)
• Greater Vigor (Self Only) (SpC)
• Spell Resistance (PHB)
• Sheltered Vitality (SpC)
• Vulnerability (SpC)
• Wall of Law (SpC)

Soulmelds

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Incarnate Weapon
As written, with the following additions:
Classes: Incarnate; Soulborn

Chaotic evil soulborn create a battleaxe, lawful evil soulborn create
a flail, chaotic good soulborn create a warhammer, and lawful good
soulborn create a longsword.

Incarnate weapon is treated as a chaotic, evil, good, or lawful effect, based on your alignment. This means that, for soulborn, it treated as more than one alignment.

If you have levels in the Incarnum Blade prestige class and designate your incarnate weapon as your blademeld, the two function as a single essentia receptacle. This means that if you invest essentia in your blademeld, the incarnate weapon also counts as having the same amount of essentia invested into it.

Spell Descriptions

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Attraction
Transmutation
Level: Sohei 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: 2 rounds/level
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

When you cast this spell, a mystical aura surrounds the subject creature, drawing attacks to the creature and making successful attacks more effective. The subject takes an additional +1 point of damage per caster level (max +10) from each melee or ranged attack that deals damage to it. This spell does not increase damage from spells.


Weapon Bless
Transmutation
Level: Sohei 1
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: Touch
Target: Weapon touched
Duration: 1 day/level or until discharged
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless, object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless, object)

You prepare one weapon for combat against a specific foe. While casting the spell, you write the identity of the foe on the weapon, along with spirit invocations to give the weapon power. Although you do not need to know the exact name of the intended victim, you must still identify the creature specifically. You cannot, for example, bless a weapon for use against “an orc,” but you can bless it for use against “the orc who leads the Bloodoath Clan in the nearby mountains.”
The first time the blessed weapon is used against the target creature, its wielder gains a +10 bonus on the first attack roll and a +10 bonus on damage if the first attack is successful. After the first attack, the weapon gains a +2 on attack rolls but has no damage bonus.
This spell has no effect on any creature except the one identified when the spell is cast.
No weapon may have this spell cast on it more than once at a time. A second casting dispels the first.
Focus: A writing brush and ink.


Warning
Divination
Level: Sohei 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

This spell heightens your senses and awareness of danger. You gain a +4 insight bonus on Listen and Spot checks and retains your Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) regardless of being caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. You still lose your Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.


Ki Grace
Transmutation [Lawful]
Level: Sohei 3
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level

With a single word, you focus your ki into a powerful energy. Your body glows with silvery light and you feel quick and light on your feet. You create a silvery glow around your body that provides illumination to a radius of 60 feet. You gain a –20 circumstance penalty on Hide checks made while under the effect of this spell.
For the duration of the spell, you gain a +2 sacred bonus to Dexterity, and your base land speed increases by 10 feet. Your touch attacks and any melee weapons you wield become infused with this power as well. They are treated as lawful-aligned weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

[Jeriah]

Final filler post, feel free to critique.

[Morph Bark]

Considering your premise, I find it odd that the Ranger is not amongst these. Are you going to be doing a Ranger rework in the future?

[Jeriah]

Yes, I'm planning to work on the Ranger as well, but it's not one I've started. I was trying to get the Paladin-like ones completed first. I also plan to do the Soulborn from Magic of Incarnum and will probably include my Fighter and Samurai as well.

[Draken]

Ok. First things first.

Divine Smite is likely too much, as someone playing a campaign with a chargeadin in the party I can say, 80 bonus damage is a lot.

I recommend changing the first damage upgrade of charge to some kind of status effect (Daze, perhaps), the second damage upgrade into the only damage upgrade (to x2 class level) and Divine Smite to something else, but at 80 bonus damage it may as well be exchanged for a save or die effect.

[Jeriah]

Oh, wow... I can't believe I did that across all the smite abilities. It was supposed to multiply the Charisma bonus, not the paladin level. I'll edit that right away.

[Draken]

Oh, wow... I can't believe I did that across all the smite abilities. It was supposed to multiply the Charisma bonus, not the paladin level. I'll edit that right away.

So... The smite becomes +Cha to attack and damage rolls?

Better at low levels, but without the multiplication it loses power later, yeah, carry on.

[Jeriah]

Smite damage is + Cha mod + Pally level. It deals Cha and level as damage, with higher order smite abilities increasing the multiplier on the Cha mod to 2*, 3*, and 4*Cha + Pally level.

I now have the Blackguard up, though I still need to post the paladin's blessed mount and the blackguard's fiendish servant tables.

[Draken]

The Fiendish summoning ability probably needs some sort of scaling. SMII summoner creatures will be of questionable utility by... The level you get the ability, pretty much.

[Jeriah]

I had just taken that ability from the blackguard and increased the spell level from 1 to 2. I've now edited it to have some scaling. That was a good idea. Thanks.

[Jeriah]

Well, I'm working on the Soulborn now. I hope to get it up either tonight or tomorrow.

[Jeriah]

And the soulborn is posted...

[Draken]

Soulborn looks good, can't find any problem other than one or another grammatical issue.

[Jeriah]

Anything on the Hexblade or Sohei?

Edit: And I just posted up the Incarnum Blade to go with the Soulborn.

[Jeriah]

After a little play testing, the Incarnum Blade was still weaker than I had hoped. So, I gave it an expanded essentia capacity at 2nd and 4th levels and made the bind abilities that were still weak a little bit stronger. It's still not the best class for raw power, but it seems to work as intended now and provides some nice abilities that can be shifted around and used when needed and dropped for more favorable things otherwise.

[Jeriah]

I wasn't originally going to do the ranger, because it isn't really a paladin-type class. I've tried to rework it to match the style of these other classes that I've posted, but it seems like fitting it into the same mold actually makes the Ranger a bit weaker than these. I mean, the Ranger gains improved spellcasting and a divine grace like ability, but it's other abilities, including animal companion, get push back at least one level, if not two or three. As such, it's going to take me a bit longer to finish doing a Ranger rework to be balanced with the other classes.


On another note, I'm very happy with the way Soulborn turned out in actual play. It's still not an absolute monster, but the Channel Incarnum ability more than makes up for the slower essentia progression. It's definitely less of a "team player" than the paladin, but it's actually fun to play now. I'm rather proud of the way it turned out.


Edit: Well, I've been working on the ranger and ended up having a lot of fun with the idea I had. It ended up turning into a project all its own. I'm going to post it in its own thread until I get it finished and put the finish product here as part of this project.

[Elfstone]

Intresting concept.. To big for a quick review, so I'll ask the first thing that pops into my head. A bigger review will follow.

Anyway, why did you stick with the WotC Prc style for the blackguard and not give them a unique class like the paladin?

[Jeriah]

Because I didn't think just inverting every ability from Good to Evil warranted an entire class and liked the ability for the paladin to fall and pick up the prestige class. I do, however, have an "antipaladin" base class in the Hexblade, which is what I believe the original developers of the Hexblade intended it to be from the beginning.

I made all four base classes here be effectively "paladin variants" but trying to give each its own unique flavor and abilities so that they would still remain unique classes rather than merely a minor reflavoring of the same class.


Edit: I now have the spell lists and descriptions for new spells up.

[Jeriah]

I've made a number of small tweaks across all classes and fixed several typos in all of them. Typos are what I get for originally typing it up so late at night...

[Elfstone]

Okay, this is a bit late, so I will try and be as thorough as possible.

Paladin

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Specify all shields except tower. Not just shields.

I would have a smite attempt NOT be used up on a miss... But thats just me.

Mercy should be reworded, as is, its not even grammatically correct(Use a weapon to deal nonlethal? Choose to have a weapon deal?). Change it to something like this. "A Paladin may choose to deal non lethal damage to a target with any melee weapon he wields without taking a -4 to attack

Im not a fan of the saving throw lay on hands style, but what ever. It works.

As is, Aura of Blessing is not to powerful for it to not be a per encounter ability. I like it. A passive ability boot = to Cha mod would not be out of line.

Improvement to smite is nice, but those are the last class abilities, and I would not call divine smite a capstone. If thats the only incentive to take all 19 levels of this class.. Thats not a good one. As I see it, the class ends at level 11.

Hexblade

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Same as above, except Accursed touch should be worded a bit bette than just "causes wounds"

As is, I like the hexblade more, as sudden counterspell is much cooler than turn undead. While TU attempts can power feats, thats another feat tax to pay. Also, familiars are better than mounts, because you can channel spells through them and they grant you feats.. Plus, just enlarge em, and you can ride them.

Not completely in love with arcane=bad and divine=good, but thats your choice.

I like what you have done so far, but I strongely oppose dead levels, and always like to see a full table. The more flavorful, exciting, and interesting class abilities the better. While I know others do not share my views, Im the one critiquing

Hope this helps.

[Jeriah]

Okay, this is a bit late, so I will try and be as thorough as possible.

Paladin
Specify all shields except tower. Not just shields.

I wanted them to be able to use tower shields, that's why I said "(including tower shields)."

I would have a smite attempt NOT be used up on a miss... But thats just me.

I considered that, but since the number of smites refreshes at the start of each combat, I felt like it was okay in the end.

As is, Aura of Blessing is not to powerful for it to not be a per encounter ability. I like it. A passive ability boot = to Cha mod would not be out of line.

I didn't intend for it to be too powerful. I wanted it to be an extra bonus with it being game changing. Hexblades as written had a similar ability, and I inverted it into a buffing power.

Since it lasts several rounds already, I didn't feel like it would really need to be a per encounter refresh, due mostly to the fact that you're very unlikely to burn all the way through it twice in a single encounter. Making per day means you have to use it when it's beneficial instead of just spamming it every encounter.

Improvement to smite is nice, but those are the last class abilities, and I would not call divine smite a capstone. If thats the only incentive to take all 19 levels of this class.. Thats not a good one. As I see it, the class ends at level 11.

Which is as I intended it. The class is meant to be front loaded so that you can prestige out or multiclass without a significant penalty; however, I spread out the front loading such that you still have to have a significant investment into the class to gain all the benefits, as befitting one who is dedicated to being a paladin. The higher level boosts are meant to be small perks for sticking with the class but are also small enough that you don't feel too torn about giving them up should you decide to not go for them.

Hexblade
Same as above, except Accursed touch should be worded a bit bette than just "causes wounds"

Hmm... I see what you mean. I'll look at how to reword that a bit better. Perhaps "deals damage" instead of "causes wounds" is enough of a change to get the meaning across.

As is, I like the hexblade more, as sudden counterspell is much cooler than turn undead. While TU attempts can power feats, thats another feat tax to pay. Also, familiars are better than mounts, because you can channel spells through them and they grant you feats.. Plus, just enlarge em, and you can ride them.

Yes, that's pretty much what I thought as well. Still, I tried to stay closer to the original material. The sudden counterspell is actually pretty much the Divine Counterspell alternate class feature for paladins from Complete Divine, so you can get that ability on your paladin if you want it.

Not completely in love with arcane=bad and divine=good, but thats your choice.

That dichotomy was in the original two classes that I was trying to rework. I personally never completely agreed with it either, but I didn't want to diverge that significantly from the original material. I justified it to myself as paladins being the champions of the divine ideal of Lawful Good while the hexblade is almost a kind of specialist sorcerer whose magic blood just happens to only function within the "hexblade" school of magic, and the latent power needs an evil bent to the creature's mind as a catalyst to become active.

I like what you have done so far, but I strongely oppose dead levels, and always like to see a full table. The more flavorful, exciting, and interesting class abilities the better. While I know others do not share my views, Im the one critiquing

I've been torn on whether or not to include a 15th level ability, but I can't seem to come up with one that is both flavorful and interesting while not being too heavily game changing to keep in line with my design plan, as I described above in the paladin section.

Hope this helps.

Thanks! I'm glad you took the time to review it!

I hope you'll be willing to look at the other classes in this project at some point too.

[Elfstone]

I wanted them to be able to use tower shields, that's why I said "(including tower shields)."
Oops, it was late and I missed that. You should still specify both heavy and light shields. Perhaps bucklers as well.
I considered that, but since the number of smites refreshes at the start of each combat, I felt like it was okay in the end.
If they are going to work like that,they should have a rider affect, or something to make them do more than deal damage. Inflict a status effect like spells do.
I didn't intend for it to be too powerful. I wanted it to be an extra bonus with it being game changing. Hexblades as written had a similar ability, and I inverted it into a buffing power.
I would still boost the power. Just me.
Since it lasts several rounds already, I didn't feel like it would really need to be a per encounter refresh, due mostly to the fact that you're very unlikely to burn all the way through it twice in a single encounter. Making per day means you have to use it when it's beneficial instead of just spamming it every encounter.
Spamming it? You only need to use it once per encounter.. ALthough I see your point. However I think that you should have a recharge mechanic, incase things get really desperate. PErhaps whenever an ally drops below 10 hp or 0 hp the aura is regained? Add a rider healing affect for those dieing?
Which is as I intended it. The class is meant to be front loaded so that you can prestige out or multiclass without a significant penalty; however, I spread out the front loading such that you still have to have a significant investment into the class to gain all the benefits, as befitting one who is dedicated to being a paladin. The higher level boosts are meant to be small perks for sticking with the class but are also small enough that you don't feel too torn about giving them up should you decide to not go for them.
Im... not sure I follow you. Why not make the class only 11 levels then. Or at least 10 levels, so you can get the full 10 levels of whatever PrC you want to take..
Hmm... I see what you mean. I'll look at how to reword that a bit better. Perhaps "deals damage" instead of "causes wounds" is enough of a change to get the meaning across.

Yes, that's pretty much what I thought as well. Still, I tried to stay closer to the original material. The sudden counterspell is actually pretty much the Divine Counterspell alternate class feature for paladins from Complete Divine, so you can get that ability on your paladin if you want it.
This is homebrew. Your already changing things, no need to stick to WotC stuff. If it worked, you wouldn't have to fix it.
That dichotomy was in the original two classes that I was trying to rework. I personally never completely agreed with it either, but I didn't want to diverge that significantly from the original material. I justified it to myself as paladins being the champions of the divine ideal of Lawful Good while the hexblade is almost a kind of specialist sorcerer whose magic blood just happens to only function within the "hexblade" school of magic, and the latent power needs an evil bent to the creature's mind as a catalyst to become active.

I've been torn on whether or not to include a 15th level ability, but I can't seem to come up with one that is both flavorful and interesting while not being too heavily game changing to keep in line with my design plan, as I described above in the paladin section.
You should. I would add a short term revival effect for downed allies or an "avatar" state (Visage of the Deity for x turns?) to boost combat prowess for a short amount of time.
Thanks! I'm glad you took the time to review it!

I hope you'll be willing to look at the other classes in this project at some point too.
No problem, when I have time I will get to the others. I just did the first two because they were in the first post.

Responses in your quote, in bold.

[Jeriah]

I wanted them to be able to use tower shields, that's why I said "(including tower shields)."

Oops, it was late and I missed that. You should still specify both heavy and light shields. Perhaps bucklers as well.

Proficiency with shields automatically covers everything except tower shields, which is why Fighters and others proficient with all shields say shields + tower shields. There's no need to specify every kind of shield, since they are all the same proficiency.

I considered that, but since the number of smites refreshes at the start of each combat, I felt like it was okay in the end.

If they are going to work like that,they should have a rider affect, or something to make them do more than deal damage. Inflict a status effect like spells do.

I had considered that, but I felt like that would make them too powerful. I was trying to bring it in line with low tier 3 or high tier 4, not make it compete with wizards. I wanted it to be competitive, not instant win.

I didn't intend for it to be too powerful. I wanted it to be an extra bonus with it being game changing. Hexblades as written had a similar ability, and I inverted it into a buffing power.

I would still boost the power. Just me.

Alright.

Since it lasts several rounds already, I didn't feel like it would really need to be a per encounter refresh, due mostly to the fact that you're very unlikely to burn all the way through it twice in a single encounter. Making per day means you have to use it when it's beneficial instead of just spamming it every encounter.

Spamming it? You only need to use it once per encounter.. ALthough I see your point. However I think that you should have a recharge mechanic, incase things get really desperate. PErhaps whenever an ally drops below 10 hp or 0 hp the aura is regained? Add a rider healing affect for those dieing?

Well, that's just it. You only need it once per encounter. They why you get multiple per day uses instead of multiple per encounter uses. You can use it multiple times in an encounter if you need, but I wanted it to be something you had to consider whether or not to use rather than it just being a default ability that's "always on." Therefore, I gave it uses per day with a decent number of rounds duration. You'll use it when you need it and not use it when you don't.

Which is as I intended it. The class is meant to be front loaded so that you can prestige out or multiclass without a significant penalty; however, I spread out the front loading such that you still have to have a significant investment into the class to gain all the benefits, as befitting one who is dedicated to being a paladin. The higher level boosts are meant to be small perks for sticking with the class but are also small enough that you don't feel too torn about giving them up should you decide to not go for them.

Im... not sure I follow you. Why not make the class only 11 levels then. Or at least 10 levels, so you can get the full 10 levels of whatever PrC you want to take..

Because it's a base class. Base classes have 20 levels. It doesn't force you to switch out, but it doesn't necessarily have the same strength of rewards that another class or a PrC would. I wanted it to "encourage" a player to prestige out, but I'm not going to force a player to stop taking levels in their base class. Not having the option to go Base Class 20 if you want just seems wrong.

Yes, that's pretty much what I thought as well. Still, I tried to stay closer to the original material. The sudden counterspell is actually pretty much the Divine Counterspell alternate class feature for paladins from Complete Divine, so you can get that ability on your paladin if you want it.

This is homebrew. Your already changing things, no need to stick to WotC stuff. If it worked, you wouldn't have to fix it.

You just said exactly it. I'm trying to "fix" it, not create something completely new. The purpose of this was to keep the same and improve it, not scrap it and start over. I could have made a whole new class, but then it wouldn't be the paladin anymore. I like the WotC classes; they just need a little help.

I've been torn on whether or not to include a 15th level ability, but I can't seem to come up with one that is both flavorful and interesting while not being too heavily game changing to keep in line with my design plan, as I described above in the paladin section.

You should. I would add a short term revival effect for downed allies or an "avatar" state (Visage of the Deity for x turns?) to boost combat prowess for a short amount of time.

Lesser visage of the deity is already a paladin spell. I don't think granting it or a stronger version, or any other spell, 1/day or something is really fitting. I also already added raising spells to the paladin's list, so that seems out as well. As I said, I want it to be a unique effect, not an SLA of something they can already cast.

[Jeriah]

I just posted my version of the Divine Mind as well, as it is apparently meant to be a psionic paladin. I'm still working on the mantle powers, but I like the way it's shaping up so far. I'll add my design philosophy about it to the first post later after I finish the mantle powers.