Optimize a Soulborn 20

[Particle_Man]

Soulborn - the poster child for the weak PC class in 3.5. Yet imagine that you are playing this tier 5 wonder and are not going to multi-class out, or use racial hd, or use bloodlines, or any other way of weaseling out of soulborn 1 to 20 (assume the campaign ends at 20 so no epic stuff).

Given that very low ceiling, and given that you are playing it anyhow (maybe based on a bar bet or something), how would you optimize the soulborn? What feats, skills, soulmelds and magic items, etc. would you go for?

[Lans]

Be lawful evil, use lucky dice, necrocarnum circlet and take the shape soulmeld for incarnum avatar for +1/2 to hit and damage

[Kelb_Panthera]

Just went over it again for the first time in a while... I had forgotten just how -bad- soulborn actually is. Woof, that's a stinker.

It's got its rare use before prestiging out but straight soulborn 20 is painful. It can play the raw numbers game pretty well and it does have access to some neat tricks but it's all so late and half-hearted and most of it can be done better by one of the other meldshapers.

'Bout the only solid tip I've got is to play something psionic and nab psycarnum infusion for the incarnum feats instead of wasting real essentia on them. Kalashtar are my go-to but that's mostly a flavor thing.

[Troacctid]

Easy. Ubercharger. Put that full BAB and Thunderstep Boots to work.

[Ursus Spelaeus]

Chaotic evil Soulborn are immune to all Strength penalites, damage, and drain.
Does that apply to racial penalties? Could be nice for gnomes or for venerable dragonwrought desert kobolds.

Try optimizing Smite Opposition?
Take Smite to Song (Champions of Valor) to burn smite attempts for Inspire Courage. Then take Dragonfire Inspiration (Dragon Magic) if you're a kobold a dragonborn or something, plus Words of Creation (Book of Exalted Deeds) so your allies are dealing +8d6 fire damage on their attacks by 20th level.
Meh.
On the bright side, I just realized Crusaders from Tome of Battle can use the same trick, and easily put it together with Song of the White Raven from the same book. That's pretty cool.

That's all I can think of for now. It really is a poopy class.

[MisterKaws]

Chaotic evil Soulborn are immune to all Strength penalites, damage, and drain.
Does that apply to racial penalties? Could be nice for gnomes or for venerable dragonwrought desert kobolds.

Try optimizing Smite Opposition?
Take Smite to Song (Champions of Valor) to burn smite attempts for Inspire Courage. Then take Dragonfire Inspiration (Dragon Magic) if you're a kobold a dragonborn or something, plus Words of Creation (Book of Exalted Deeds) so your allies are dealing +8d6 fire damage on their attacks by 20th level.
Meh.
On the bright side, I just realized Crusaders from Tome of Battle can use the same trick, and easily put it together with Song of the White Raven from the same book. That's pretty cool.

That's all I can think of for now. It really is a poopy class.

As far as I know, there's only one case of the immunity to penalties helping in a racial modifier: Tibbit's cat form. It's already been discussed, because it's really wonky. You get a CE Tibbit Soulborn 2/Stoneblessed(Goliath) 3/Goliath Barbarian 1 raging in cat form is a Large-sized character who occupies a tiny-sized square and has the strength of a humanoid-form raging Tibbit, which is still a bit low, but you're a Large two-feet tall super-strong housecat, so who cares about -2 str?

[Ursus Spelaeus]

I have a question about the Soulborn's skill list. Lawful good Soulborn add Diplomacy to their skill list, chaotic goods add Gather Information, lawful evils add Bluff, and chaotic evils add Intimidate. What happens to the Soulborn's skills if they change alignment?

As far as I know, there's only one case of the immunity to penalties helping in a racial modifier: Tibbit's cat form. It's already been discussed, because it's really wonky. You get a CE Tibbit Soulborn 2/Stoneblessed(Goliath) 3/Goliath Barbarian 1 raging in cat form is a Large-sized character who occupies a tiny-sized square and has the strength of a humanoid-form raging Tibbit, which is still a bit low, but you're a Large two-feet tall super-strong housecat, so who cares about -2 str?

Any chance you can link to that thread? :)

[Troacctid]

Does that apply to racial penalties?

I mean, it seems more efficient to just pay for a Cleric to cast ray of resurgence on you.

[Ursus Spelaeus]

I mean, it seems more efficient to just pay for a Cleric to cast ray of resurgence on you.

I guess it would have to be one hell of a penalty to make it worth it. Perhaps we should ask how to to get the greatest possible racial penalty on a character with the minimum number of templates. That sounds like another topic though.

[daremetoidareyo]

Be a willing sacrifice as part of someone's knowledge religion check, granting them a +6 bonus towards getting a wish, which they use to reincarnate you into a cryohydra

[Bonzai]

Ugh. I played a straight LG Dwarf Soulborn all the way to 15th, and it was the most boring and tedious character I have ever played. The problem I found with them isn't their lack of essentia, but their inability to swap out melds pre epic. What it does is further limit their limited meld selection even further to the 3-4 melds you use every day. Your utility melds will never see the light of day unless you have 24 hour notice, or hold up the party until your ready. This was always frustrating to me, as it would have been nice to have a small amount of flexibility.

My build tried to combine basic charge and smite builds combined with Awesome Smite to knock things down and get a free hit with Improved trip. Pretty cut and dry.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Ugh. I played a straight LG Dwarf Soulborn all the way to 15th, and it was the most boring and tedious character I have ever played. The problem I found with them isn't their lack of essentia, but their inability to swap out melds pre epic. What it does is further limit their limited meld selection even further to the 3-4 melds you use every day. Your utility melds will never see the light of day unless you have 24 hour notice, or hold up the party until your ready. This was always frustrating to me, as it would have been nice to have a small amount of flexibility.

My build tried to combine basic charge and smite builds combined with Awesome Smite to knock things down and get a free hit with Improved trip. Pretty cut and dry.

What are the melds you felt like you needed every day?

[MisterKaws]

Any chance you can link to that thread? :)

Here you go.

[Bonzai]

What are the melds you felt like you needed every day?

It's been so long I honestly don't remember. You only have 3 at that point, so you pick the best ones for your particular build as specialized utility melds are a waste unless you know what's coming.

That being said I always liked Mauling Guantlets in Trip builds. 2+ to strength checks +2 per essentia invested, plus cobalt expertise makes for some solid trip bonuses.

I seem to recal mauling guauntlets, crystal helm, and strong heart vest during a period where we were fighting hordes of incorporeal undead being my go too for a while.