D&D 3e/3.5e/d20The forum for conversations specifically related to the rules and procedures of Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition, 3.5 Edition, or any fantasy game using the d20 system or a variant thereof (commercially published or not).
Base Effect: +2 Will vs Charm/Compulsion Essentia: Deflection Bonus to AC per essentia invested
Bound Effect: Melee attacks gain Force descriptor, ignoring miss chance of incorporeal targets
Diadem of Purelight - Good if you are worried about concealment
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Base Effect: 20' bright illumination, 40' shadowy illumination Essentia: Increase radius of bright illumination by 10' per essentia invested, shadowy illumination is twice bright illumination.
Bound Effect: Negates concealment less than total within bright illumination. Does not affect invisibility or total concealment, but DOES affect all other forms of concealment, including fog and blur
Enigma Helm - Good if you are worried about divination or charms
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Base Effect: Nondetection, DC 11+ Meldshaper level to penetrate with any divination effect. Essentia: +1 Will/Essentia
Bound Effect: Immunity to Enchantment (Charm) spells.
Necrocarnum Circlet - Good if you are going Necrocarnate
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Base Effect: Detect Undead 30. Functions as Blindsight for undead, so it does allow specific targeting, and bypasses invisibility and other sight-based effects, but for undead only. Essentia:Undead within 30' gain Turn Resistance equal to essentia
Bound Effect:Animate Necrocarnum Zombie, HD cap = Meldshaper level. You take damage equal to zombie's HD, which may not be healed as long as zombie is animated. Zombie can act immediately on your turn, you have complete control as long as you have Line of Effect. If this is broken, it acts on last instructions. Automatically regain control when you regain LoE. Only one at a time. Zombie returns to inert corpse if soulmeld is unshaped. No creature can be affected more than once. Bound Essentia Effect: Necrocarnum Zombie's essentia pool is increased by the amount of essentia invested in this soulmeld.
Soulspark Familiar - Good if you want a familiar
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Base Effect: Summon Least Soulspark, grants Alertness. EssentiaGives the soulspark various abilities, all essentia must be invested in the same ability. Choose between: Aligned Attack, Attack/Damage Bonus, Deflection Bonus to AC, Fast Healing, or Saving Throw Bonus. Note: this only affects the soulspark, not the meldshaper.
Bound Effect: Summon a Lesser soulspark rather than least
Feet Chakra
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Acrobat Boots - Good if you want bonus to Balance, Escape Artist, Jump, and Tumble
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Base Effect +2 Insight bonus to Balance, Escape Artist, Jump, and Tumble (does NOT let you make Tumble checks untrained) Essentia: Increase bonus by +2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Reduce falling damage by 1d6/essentia invested
Airstep Sandals - Good if you want to fly
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Basic Effect: Fly up to 10' with Good maneuverability as move action Essentia: +10' of flight/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Maneuverability becomes Perfect.
Cerulean Sandals - Various movement-based abilities
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Basic Effect: Walk on Water Essentia: +5' to base land speed/essentia invested
Bound Effect: DimDoor up to 10'/meldshaper level per day. May be split up into 10' increments, but soulmeld unshapes when you hit your daily allotment. Requires Standard action to activate.
Impulse Boots - Good if you are worried about Sneak Attack/Sudden Strike or Blastomancy
Bloodwar gauntlets - Limited combat bonuses, it's a trap
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Basic Effect: +1 morale bonus on melee attack rolls Essentia: Increase bonus by +1/essentia invested
Bound Effect: +4 bonus on rolls made to confirm critical threats
Lightning Gauntlets - Limited lightning damage, it's a trap
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Basic Effect: 1d6 Lightning damage as a touch attack Essentia: Increase lightning damage by +1d6/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Add this electricity damage to ONE melee attack, which must be declared prior to attack roll.
Lucky Dice - Luck bonus to various things, can share with allies
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Basic Effect: Use as Swift action to gain +1 luck bonus to one of the following: Attack *and* Damage rolls, Saving Throws, or all Skill and Ability checks. When you activate, roll 2d6. If the result turns up a 7, you gain this bonus to ALL of the listed rolls. Essentia: Increase duration of bonuses by one round/essentia. Since luck bonuses stack with themselves, and you may activate them every round as your Swift action, you may find yourself stacking bonuses up pretty heavily.
Bound Effect: Share bonus with allies
Necrocarnum Weapon - Good if you are going Necrocarnate
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Basic Effect: Bypass DR/Evil Essentia: +1 Profane bonus on attack AND damage rolls AND critical threat confirmation checks, but ONLY against living creatures.
Bound Effect: Gain temp essentia equal to essentia invested when you confirm a critical hit on any living creature. This temp essentia lasts 10 rounds. Multiple uses of this ability does not stack, it refreshes the 10 round timer. This works with a CDG.
Sighting Gloves: - Good if you want to focus on ranged attacks
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Basic Effect: +1 Insight bonus on damage with ranged attacks Essentia: Increase bonus by +1/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Precise Shot feat
Theft Gloves - Good if your party doesn't have a Trapspringer
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Basic Effect: +2 Insight on Disable Device, Open Lock, and Slight of Hand checks. This DOES allows you to make checks untrained. Essentia: Increase bonus by +2/Essentia Invested
Bound Effect: Trapfinding
Arms Chakra
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Armguards of Disruption - Good against undead
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Basic Effect: +1d6 damage to undead with melee touch attack Essentia:Increase damage by +1d6/essentia invested
Bound Effect: +1 Insight bonus to AC and Saving Throws vs attacks made by Undead Creatures/essentia invested
Bloodwar gauntlets - Limited combat bonuses, it's a trap
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Basic Effect: +1 morale bonus on melee attack rolls Essentia: Increase bonus by +1/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Deal 3d6/essentia to all creatures in 20' radius of yourself, Fort/Half, which unshapes this soulmeld. Considering you can't reshape it until the next day, this is a trap.
Bluesteel Bracers Good combat-focused abilities
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Basic Effect: +2 Insight bonus to Initiative checks Essentia: +1 Insight bonus to weapon damage rolls/essentia invested. Does not discriminate between melee and ranged, but does specify weapon.
Bound Effect: Share bonus on Initiative with allies
Incarnate Weapon - Good if you want to look like a Jedi
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Basic Effect: Create an aligned weapon: Chaotic: Battleaxe, Evil: Flail, Good: Warhammer, Lawful: Longsword. Automatically proficient in weapon. Immune to sunder and cannot be destroyed. If it leaves your hand, it returns at the beginning of your next turn (if that is impossible, it falls to your feet, and attempts to return to your hand on the next turn). Other creatures may attempt to wield it while it is not in your hand, but does not gain any of its special benefits. Essentia: Enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls/essentia invested
Bound Effect: As a move action, charge incarnate weapon. If the next melee attack hits a target with one alignment component opposite yours, opponent makes Fort save or be Stunned until the beginning of your next turn. It is discharged on a miss. May only hold one charge at a time, but may hold the charge indefinitely as long as you hold the weapon.
Lammasu Mantle - Good against evil things
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Basic Effect: +2 Deflection bonus to AC vs attacks made by Evil creatures Essentia: +1 Resistance bonus on saving throws against spells and effects used by Evil creatures/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Share deflection bonus to AC vs evil creatures with all all allies within 10'
Lifebond Vestments - Good for limited healing
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Basic Effect: Touch living creature (standard action) to heal 1 hp/meldshaper level, take half that amount of damage round up. You may not use this more than 1/hour on any creature Since it references Lay on Hands, it is open to interpretation if it works with Caduceus Bracers (MIC). Essentia:+5 to healing cap/essentia
Bound Effect: You may heal a target up to 30' away
Necrocarnum Touch - Good if you are going Necrocarnate
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Basic Effect: +4 on Slight of Hand and Bluff Checks to Feint in combat. This DOES allow you to make checks untrained Essentia: Grants melee touch attack dealing 1d8 damage/essentia invested to living target (Fort/half). This is NOT a negative energy effect, it may NOT be used to heal targets with Tomb-Tainted.
Bound Effect: Allows the Essentia granted ability to be used as a Ray with a range of 30'.
Riding Bracers: - Good bonus on Handle Animal and Ride checks
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Basic Effect: +4 Insight bonus on Handle Animal and Ride checks Essentia: Increase bonus by +2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: +2 Insight bonus to melee damage and +2 Dodge bonus to AC while mounted
Sailor's Bracers - Good only in a sea-heavy campaign
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Basic Effect: +4 Insight bonus on Swim, Profession (Sailor), and Use Rope checks Essentia: Increase bonus by +2/essentia invested
Bound Effect Swim up to your speed as full-round action, or up to half speed as move action. You take no penalties on attack rolls made underwater (as if you had Freedom of Movement, for this effect ONLY)
Brow Chakra
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Illusion Veil - Good if you are also an illusionist
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Basic Effect: +1 DC on illusion spells and SLA's you cast Essentia: Increase duration of non-instantaneous illusion spell or SLA by 1 round/essentia invested
Bound Effect: See Invisibility and +1 Insight bonus on Spot checks AND save vs Illusion spells/essentia invested
Keeneye Lenses - Good for scouting
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Basic Effect: +4 Insight bonus on Spot checks Essentia: Increase bonus by +2/essentia
Bound Effect: See Invisibility
Mage's Spectacles: - Good if you are also an arcane caster
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Basic Effect: +4 Insight bonus on Decipher Script, Spellcraft, and UMD checks. DOES allow you to make these checks untrained Essentia: Increase bonus by +2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Continuous Read Magic effect
Planar Chasuble - Good for Incarnates wanting situational energy resistance or to increase their Incarnum Radiance class feature
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Basic Effect: Gain Alignment subtype, immunity to planar effects of that type, resistance to energy 10 as follows: Chaotic: Electricity, Evil: Acid, Good: Cold, Lawful: Fire Essentia: Increase energy resistance to specified type by 5/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Increase Incarnum Radiance class feature by 1
Silvertongue Mask - Good for 'Party Face' roll
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Basic Effect: +2 Insight bonus on Bluff and Diplomacy checks Essentia:Increase bonus by +2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Also gain insight bonus on Sense Motive checks equal to bonus on Bluff and Diplomacy granted by this meldshape
Soulspark Familiar - Good if you want a familiar
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Base Effect: Summon Least Soulspark, grants Alertness. EssentiaGives the soulspark various abilities, all essentia must be invested in the same ability. Choose between: Aligned Attack, Attack/Damage Bonus, Deflection Bonus to AC, Fast Healing, or Saving Throw Bonus. Note: this only affects the soulspark, not the meldshaper.
Bound Effect: Summon a standard Soulspark rather than least
Truthseeker Goggles - Good for gather information
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Basic Effect: +2 Insight bonus on Gather Information, Search, and Sense Motive checks Essentia: Increase bonus by +2/essentia
Bound Effect: Darkvision 60'
Shoulders Chakra
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Adamant Pauldrons - Good if you are worried about precision-based damage
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Basic Effect: Light Fortification (25% chance of negating precision-based damage/critical hits) Essentia:DR/opposite alignment equal to essentia invested
Bound Effect: Increase chance of negating critical hits and sneak attacks to 50%
Lammasu Mantle - Good against evil things
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Basic Effect: +2 Deflection bonus to AC vs attacks made by Evil creatures Essentia: +1 Resistance bonus on saving throws against spells and effects used by Evil creatures/essentia invested
Bound Effect: No summoned creatures except those of Good alignment may approach within 10' of you (see Magic Circle against Evil)
Mantle of Flame - Almost worthless retributive strike
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Basic effect: Creatures attacking you take 1d6 Fire damage. Creatures wielding weapons with reach are not subject to this damage. Essentia:Increase damage by 1d6/essentia invested
Bound Effect: As a standard action, all creatures adjacent takes damage as though they had struck you (ref/half)
Pauldrons of Health - Good if you are worried about certain status effects
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Basic Effect: Immunity to Disease, Sickened, and Nauseated Essentia:+1 Enhancement bonus to Fort saves/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Immunity to energy drain
Therapeutic Mantle - Almost worthless unless you plan on being healed a lot
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Basic Effect: Any spell or effect that heals hit point damage which targets YOU heals additional damage equal to the spell level Essentia: Increase additional healing by 2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Insight bonus to effective caster level for any spell you cast in the Healing subschool equal to essentia invested. Considering the caps these spells have, this is a trap.
Wind Cloak - Good against ranged attacks
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Basic Effect: DR 2/Magic vs ranged attacks Essentia: Increase DR/magic vs ranged attacks by 2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Deflect Arrows, but you don't need a free hand to use it. This works even if you are flat-footed. Bound Essentia: Increases number of projectiles you may deflect per round by 1/essentia invested
Throat Chakra
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Apparition Ribbon - Good if you want to be able to go Incorporeal
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Basic Effect: Reroll miss chance against incorporeal foes Essentia: +2 Insight bonus on damage vs incorporeal/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Gain incorporeal subtype for 1 round plus 1/essentia invested. You cannot voluntarily change essentia invested until duration of incorporeality ends. If it is decreased involuntarily to the point where the duration is less than the number of turns spent incorporeal, you immediately become corporeal. If you are within a solid object when you go corporeal, you are shunted to nearest open space, taking 1d6 damage per 5' of movement. You are limited to Meldshaper Level number of rounds per day of incorporeality.
Arcane Focus - Good if you plan on Blastomancy
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Basic Effect:+1 bonus on spell damage. Spells that deal damage to multiple targets apply this bonus damage to each target. Essentia: Increase damage bonus by 1/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Single Living creature damaged by your spell make Fort save or be Dazed for one round. If the spell deals damage to more than one target, or if the target takes no damage due to resistance, saving throws, or other method of negating damage, this effect does not apply.
Dissolving Spittle - Not worth it
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Basic Effect: 1d6 acid damage with ranged touch attack Essentia: Increase damage by 1d6/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Target hit by acid also takes damage on the next turn
Necrocarnum Mantle - Good if you are a Necrocarnate
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Basic Effect: Immunity to Disease Essentia: +1 Profane bonus on saving throws vs mind-affecting
Bound Effect: Immunity to Poison
Planar Ward - Good if you are worried about mind control
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Basic Effect: Suppresses mental control (as per Protection from Evil) Essentia: Morale bonus on saves made to resist (Su) or (Sp) abilities of extraplanar creatures equal to essentia invested.
Bound Effect: When you are struck by an extraplanar creature, the attacking creature must make a Will save or be banished. Creature adds its HD as a bonus on saving throw, and you add your Meldshaper level to the save DC. If the creature succeeds, he is immune to this effect for 24 hours.
Silvertongue Mask - Good for 'Party Face' roll
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Basic Effect: +2 Insight bonus on Bluff and Diplomacy checks Essentia:Increase bonus by +2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Suggestion (as per spell) as Standard action (will negates). A creature targeted by this ability may not be targeted again for 24 hours, successful or not.
Soulspark Familiar - Good if you want a familiar
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Base Effect: Summon Least Soulspark, grants Alertness. EssentiaGives the soulspark various abilities, all essentia must be invested in the same ability. Choose between: Aligned Attack, Attack/Damage Bonus, Deflection Bonus to AC, Fast Healing, or Saving Throw Bonus. Note: this only affects the soulspark, not the meldshaper.
Bound Effect: Summon a Greater soulspark rather than least
Waist Chakra
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Flame Cincture - Good against fire
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Basic Effect:Fire Resistance 10 Essentia:+5 Fire Resistance/Essentia invested
Bound Effect: When your Flame Cincture prevents fire damage, on your next turn, as a swift action, deal fire damage equal to the amount prevented by the flame cincture on the previous round (Ref/half) to a single target within 60'
Necrocarnum Shroud - Good if you are a Necrocarnate
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Basic Effect:+1 Profane bonus on attack and damage rolls any time a living creature takes damage while adjacent to you. This bonus lasts one round. If a living creature dies while adjacent to you, bonus lasts for number of rounds equal to creature's HD Essentia:Increase area of effect to 5'+5'/essentia invested
Bound Effect: At the beginning of your turn, any creature within the area of effect becomes Shaken for one round (Will negates)
Necrocarnum Vestments - Good if you are a Necrocarnate
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Basic Effect:Resistance to Cold 5 Essentia:3 bonus hit points/essentia invested. These are not temporary hit points, and are not depleted first. This can reduce your hit point total below 0 if you reduce the essentia invested in this while low on hp.
Bound Effect: Any living creature adjacent to you at the end of your turn takes 1d6 Cold damage (Fort/negate)
Strongheart Vest - Good if you are worried about ability damage
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Basic Effect:Any time you would take ability damage, the amount of the damage is reduced by 1 point, to a minimum of 0 Essentia:Increases the amount of ability damage that is reduced by 1/essentia invested
* NOTE: There is a long-standing debate about how this interacts with Hellfire Warlock. Some say that by reducing the damage to 0, you don't take the damage, an thus the HFW's abilities are negated. Others say that you are taking damage, it's just being reduced to 0, so because you aren't immune to it, the abilities stay put. Check with your GM before using this in conjunction with HFW to make sure you are both in agreement about the interpretation being used in your game.
Bound Effect: Also reduce Ability Drain by the same amount you reduce ability damage.
Heart Chakra
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Lifebond Vestments - Good for limited healing
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Basic Effect: Touch living creature (standard action) to heal 1 hp/meldshaper level, take half that amount of damage round up. You may not use this more than 1/hour on any creature Since it references Lay on Hands, it is open to interpretation if it works with Caduceus Bracers (MIC). Essentia:+5 to healing cap/essentia
Bound Effect: Remove the 1/hour limitation on healing
Necrocarnum Vestments - Good if you are a Necrocarnate
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Basic Effect:Resistance to Cold 5 Essentia:3 bonus hit points/essentia invested. These are not temporary hit points, and are not depleted first. This can reduce your hit point total below 0 if you reduce the essentia invested in this while low on hp.
Bound Effect: Immunity to stunning and death effects
Spellward Shirt - Good for being immune to specific spells
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Basic Effect:Spell Resistance 5 Essentia:Increase spell resistance by 4/essentia invested
Bound Effect: When you shape this soulmeld, choose 4 spells of 6th level or less. You gain complete immunity to the effects of these spells as if you were under the effect of a spell immunity spell.
Strongheart Vest - Good if you are worried about ability damage
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Basic Effect:Any time you would take ability damage, the amount of the damage is reduced by 1 point, to a minimum of 0 Essentia:Increases the amount of ability damage that is reduced by 1/essentia invested
* NOTE: There is a long-standing debate about how this interacts with Hellfire Warlock. Some say that by reducing the damage to 0, you don't take the damage, an thus the HFW's abilities are negated. Others say that you are taking damage, it's just being reduced to 0, so because you aren't immune to it, the abilities stay put. Check with your GM before using this in conjunction with HFW to make sure you are both in agreement about the interpretation being used in your game.
Bound Effect: Immunity to energy drain and death effects
Soul Chakra
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Fellmist Robe - Good for concealment
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Basic Effect:10% concealment miss chance vs any attack coming from more than 5' away. Your attacks are unaffected. A strong wind (21mph or greater) suppresses this effect, although it comes back one round after the wind stops Essentia: +5% concealment miss chance/essentia invested (max 50%)
Bound Effect: Concealment miss chance works against adjacent attackers, resists winds up to 50mph.
Incarnate Avatar - Good for turning into an Outsider
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Basic Effect:No basic effect without essentia investment Essentia:Depends on alignment: Chaos: +1 insight on ranged attack rolls/essentia invested; Evil: +2 Insight bonus on melee damage rolls/essentia invested; Good: +1 Insight bonus to AC/essentia invested; Law: +1 Insight bonus on melee attack rolls/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Depends on alignment. Chaos: +30' enhancement bonus to base land speed; Evil: Fly at 30' (good maneuverability); Good: Fly at 30' (good maneuverability); Law: Immunity to daze, paralysis, petrification, and stun as well as any magical effect that would Slow you.
Keeneye Lenses - Good for scouting
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Basic Effect: +4 Insight bonus on Spot checks Essentia: Increase bonus by +2/essentia
Bound Effect: True Seeing, always on
Necrocarnum Shroud - Good if you are a Necrocarnate
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Basic Effect:+1 Profane bonus on attack and damage rolls any time a living creature takes damage while adjacent to you. This bonus lasts one round. If a living creature dies while adjacent to you, bonus lasts for number of rounds equal to creature's HD Essentia:Increase area of effect to 5'+5'/essentia invested
Bound Effect: As a standard action, make a melee touch attack against a living foe to deal 1d4 negative levels (Fort/half). For each negative level bestowed, you gain 1 temp essentia point and 5 temp hit points. Temp essentia lasts until end of next turn. Temp hit points fade after an hour.
Planar Chasuble - Good for Incarnates wanting situational energy resistance or to increase their Incarnum Radiance class feature
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Basic Effect: Gain Alignment subtype, immunity to planar effects of that type, resistance to energy 10 as follows: Chaotic: Electricity, Evil: Acid, Good: Cold, Lawful: Fire Essentia: Increase energy resistance to specified type by 5/essentia invested
Bound Effect: 1/week you may use Gate to a plane with an alignment trait matching your chosen alignment. If you use the 'calling creatures' function, it costs 1,000 XP.
Each soulmeld will have their Totem chakra bind listed in their description, which will be found under the slot they are shaped under.
Crown Chakra
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Beast Tamer Circlet - Not useful
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Basic Effect:+2 Insight bonus on Handle Animal and Wild Empathy checks Essentia: +2 to above checks/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Speak with Animals Totem Bind effect: Animal Trance
Frost Helm - Good for Endure Elements
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Basic Effect:Endure Elements Essentia:Cold Resistance 5/essentia invested
Bound Effect:Ray deals 1d6 Cold damage + 1d6/essentia invested Totem Bind effect: Target 1 creature + 1/essentia invested. Will save or be stunned for 1d4 rounds. If target is attacked or violently shaken (full-round action), it's allowed another save. Once a creature has resisted or broken the effects, it cannot be targeted by this ability for 24 hours.
Hunter's Circlet - Good for Track
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Basic Effect:+2 to Heal and Survival checks Essentia:Additional +2/essentia invested
Basic Effect:Cannot be flanked. Period. Essentia: +1 Competence bonus on Search checks
Bound Effect: At the end of your turn, take an extra Move action. If you do, you take a -5 penalty on AC and all attack rolls until the end of your next turn. Furthermore, on your next turn, you can only take a single standard action OR a move action, but not both, nor a full-round action. Essentia reduces the penalty by 1/essentia invested (maximum of 0), but does not affect the reduction in action economy. Totem Bind effect: Gain natural attacks. One bite (1d8), one Bite (1d6), and one Gore (1d6). As a standard action, you can attack with any one of them, applying full Str mod as bonus on damage roll. As a full attack action, you can attack with all three, applying full str mod on all three. Alternately, as part of a full attack, you can make a secondary attack with ONE head at a -5, applying 1/2 Str mod to damage.
Feet Chakra
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Dread Carapace - Handy for natural attack damage bonuses
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Basic Effect:+2 bonus on damage when using a Bite attack, +1 when using a Claw or other natural attack. In exchange, take a -1 penalty on attack. Essentia: Increase both the damage bonus (+2 for bite, +1 for other natural attacks) and the penalty on attack rolls per essentia invested.
Bound Effect: 1/min you can add an enhancement bonus of 60' to your speed for 1 round. This is further increased by 10'/essentia invested. Totem Bind effect: When you charge, all enemies within 60' who can see you become shaken for 1 round (Will/negates)
Landshark Boots - Very situationally useful
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Basic Effect:+4 Competence bonus on Jump checks Essentia: Increase said bonus by +2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Move action for Tremorsense 10'. Cannot pinpoint the location of any creature. Every point of essentia increases range by 5' Totem Bind effect: Hands gain claws for 1d6. +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage with these claws per point of invested essentia. As a part of a move, make Jump check to attack with all four claws as a standard action. If you do so, you cannot make any other attacks in the same round, regardless of the source.
Totem Avatar - Versatile soulmeld that has various applications
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Basic Effect: Bonus hit points equal to meldshaper level. These are NOT temp hit points, and do not go away first. Essentia: +1 Enhancement bonus to Natural Armor/Essentia invested
Bound Effect: +4 bonus on checks to resist a bull rush, overrun, or trip. You are ALSO treated as if you were one size category larger than normal when making a check to resist a bull rush, grapple, overrun, or trip attack. Totem Bind effect: +1 Morale bonus on natural weapon damage/essentia invested
Urksan Greaves - Good for Pounce builds
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Basic Effect:+5 untyped bonus on Balance checks on ice Essentia:Resistance to Cold 5/essentia invested
Bound Effect: When you charge, if your melee attack hits, you deal an additional 1d4 damage per point invested Totem Bind effect: When you attempt to overrun an opponent, the target cannot choose to avoid you. You also gain a +2 bonus on Str checks to knock down your opponent, with an additional +1/essentia invested
Worg Pelt -
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Basic Effect: +2 Competence bonus on Hide and Move Silently Essentia: Additional +2 to the aforementioned checks/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Base land speed increases 5' plus an additional 5'/essentia invested Totem Bind effect: Bite attack deals 1d6. Use either as Primary attack or as a Secondary attack. +1 Enhancement bonus on attack and damage per point of Essentia invested
Hand Chakra
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Bloodtalons - Avoid this
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Basic Effect:You are not disabled by being -1 to -9 hit points. When you hit -10, you immediately die. Since specific trumps general, this actually bypasses normal immunity to death via damage, making this worse than useless for any build which might normally take advantage of being below 0 hit points. Essentia: +2 untyped bonus on Spot checks/essentia invested.
Bound Effect: Weapon Finesse with natural weapons Totem Bind effect: Hands gain claws that deal 1d4 damage. On the round after you hit with a claw, the wounds bleed for an additional 1 point of damage per point of essentia invested. Nonliving creatures are immune to this. Every point of essentia also grants a +1 enhancement bonus on attack rolls made with these claws.
Kruthik Claws - Not bad for claws
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Basic Effect: +4 Competence bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks Essentia: Increase bonus by +2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Weapon Finesse with natural weapons Totem Bind effect: Hands gain Claws do 1d6 damage + 1d4/essentia acid damage invested.
Rageclaws - Avoid this
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Basic Effect: Not disabled when -1 to -9 hit points. You immediately die at -10 or lower. See Bloodtalons for why this is bad. Essentia: Increase the negative hit point threshold by -3/essentia invested. If your essentia investment is reduced (voluntarily or otherwise) and your current hit point total is at or below the point at which you would die, you immediately die.
Bound Effect: While your hit point total is below 0, you gain a +2 morale bonus on melee attack, melee weapon damage, and fort saves. Totem Bind effect: Hands gain claws that do 1d6. When you grapple, you can attack with both claws, which are not subject to the usual -4 penalty for attacking with a natural weapon while in a grapple. +1 Enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls with your claws/essentia invested
Sphinx Claws - The go-to soulmeld for all your Pouncing needs
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Basic Effect: +1 Competence on Str checks and Str-based skill checks Essentia: Increase bonus by +1/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Pounce with natural weapons only. Totem Bind effect: Hands grow claws do 1d8 damage. +1 enhancement to attack and damage per point of essentia invested
Worg Pelt - Situationally useful for trip builds that have a bite
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Basic Effect: +2 Competence bonus on Hide and Move Silently Essentia: Additional +2 to the aforementioned checks/essentia invested
Bound Effect: When you hit with a Bite attack, you get a free Trip attempt. You cannot be tripped if you fail. Totem Bind effect: Bite attack deals 1d6. Use either as Primary attack or as a Secondary attack. +1 Enhancement bonus on attack and damage per point of Essentia invested
Arms Chakra
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Dread Carapace - Handy for natural attack damage bonuses
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Basic Effect:+2 bonus on damage when using a Bite attack, +1 when using a Claw or other natural attack. In exchange, take a -1 penalty on attack. Essentia: Increase both the damage bonus (+2 for bite, +1 for other natural attacks) and the penalty on attack rolls per essentia invested.
Bound Effect: Threat range of any natural attacks you possess is doubled. Does NOT stack with any other effect that increases threat range of your natural weapon. Totem Bind effect: When you charge, all enemies within 60' who can see you become shaken for 1 round (Will/negates)
Girallon Arms - Go-to soulmeld for lots of claw attacks
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Basic Effect: +2 competence bonus on Climb and Grapple checks Essentia: increase bonus by +2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: If you hit with at least two claws, you can Rend, automatically dealing double claw damage, including double Str bonus Totem Bind effect: You gain four claws that deal 1d4 damage each. +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls per point of essentia invested
Kraken Mantle -
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Basic Effect: +8 Competence bonus to Swim checks. With a successful Swim check, you can move at up to your speed (as a full round action) or one-half speed (as a move action) Essentia: +5' swim speed/essentia invested.
Bound Effect: Bonus on grapple checks equal to number of points of essentia invested. In addition, successful grapple check deals 1d8 bludgeoning damage plus Str mod to opponent. Totem Bind effect: Breathe underwater
Lammasu Mantle - Good against evil things
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Basic Effect: +2 Deflection bonus to AC vs attacks made by Evil creatures Essentia: +1 Resistance bonus on saving throws against spells and effects used by Evil creatures/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Share deflection bonus to AC vs evil creatures with all all allies within 10' Totem Bind effect:15' cone of fire dealing 1d4 fire damage +1d4/essentia invested (Ref/half)
Riding Bracers: - Good bonus on Handle Animal and Ride checks
Spoiler
Basic Effect: +4 Insight bonus on Handle Animal and Ride checks Essentia: Increase bonus by +2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: +2 Insight bonus to melee damage and +2 Dodge bonus to AC while mounted Totem Bind effect: If you are riding an animal or magical beast with an Int of 1-2, you can handle the creature as a Free action, or push it as a Move action, even if you don't have any ranks in Handle Animal. In addition, your mount gains Evasion.
Totem Avatar - Versatile soulmeld that has various applications
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Basic Effect: Bonus hit points equal to meldshaper level. These are NOT temp hit points, and do not go away first. Essentia: +1 Enhancement bonus to Natural Armor/Essentia invested
Basic Effect:Low-Light vision Essentia: Darkvision with a range of 30'/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Blind-Fight feat Totem Bind effect: Full round action Flesh To Stone duration is only 1 round (Fort/negates)
Disenchanter Mask -
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Basic Effect: Detect Magic 10' Essentia: Increases range of Detect Magic by 10'/essentia invested
Bound Effect: When using this Detect Magic ability, you instantly determine the number, strength, and location of each magical aura present. You must still make a Spellcraft check to determine the school of magic involved in each aura. Totem Bind effect: As a Standard Action, you may make a melee touch attack with a reach of 5' longer than your natural reach. If you hit, make a Meldshaper level check DC 11+magic item's caster level to repress for 10 minutes. You may also use this to suppress a specific soulmeld, but you have to specify it.
Great Raptor Mask - Good for Evasion without armor limitations
Spoiler
Basic Effect: +2 competence bonus on Spot checks. Essentia: increase bonus by +2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Low light vision 5x as far as normal Totem Bind effect: Evasion
Krenshar Mask - Good for intimidate stacking
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Basic Effect: +4 Competence to Jump and Move Silently checks Essentia: Increase bonus by +2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Bonus also applies to Intimidate checks Totem Bind effect: Standard action to cause one creature within 30' to become Frightened for 1 round (Will/negates). Sonic, mind-affecting
Unicorn Horn -
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Basic Effect: +2 Competence bonus on Wild Empathy and Move Silently Essentia: Increase bonus by +2
Bound Effect: Detect Evil Totem Bind effect: Horn can gore for 1d6 damage. Enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls with the horn equal to essentia invested. +1d6 damage vs undead.
Yrthak Mask -
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Basic Effect: +4 Competence bonus to Listen checks Essentia: Increase bonus by +2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Limited Blindsense. Move action to pinpoint the location of every creature within 10' with LoE. Range increases by 10'/essentia invested. Any creature you cannot see still has Total Concealment and you still have normal miss chance when attacking foes with concealment. Visibility still affects your movement. You are still denied your Dex Bonus to AC against attacks from creatures you cannot see. You also take a -4 penalty on Spot checks, but a +4 on saving throws vs Gaze, visual effects, illusions, and other attack forms that rely on sight. Totem Bind effect: Once every two rounds, you can use a ranged touch attack ray for 1d6 Sonic per point of essentia invested
Shoulders Chakra
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Displacer Mantle -
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Basic Effect: +4 Competence bonus on Hide checks Essentia: Increase bonus by +2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: 20% miss chance, as per Blur Totem Bind effect: 2 tentacles deal 1d4 damage. Have natural reach + 5', but cannot make AoO. +1 Enhancement to attack and damage/essentia invested
Kruthik Claws - Not bad for Claws that also gives Acid resistance
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Basic Effect: +4 Competence bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks Essentia: Increase bonus by +2/essentia invested
Basic Effect: +2 Deflection bonus to AC vs attacks made by Evil creatures Essentia: +1 Resistance bonus on saving throws against spells and effects used by Evil creatures/essentia invested
Bound Effect: No summoned creatures except those of Good alignment may approach within 10' of you (see Magic Circle against Evil) Totem Bind effect: 15' cone of fire dealing 1d4 fire damage +1d4/essentia invested (Ref/half)
Pegasus Cloak - So the totem bind is worse than the shoulder bind? Wut?
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Basic Effect: +2 Enhancement bonus on Jump checks Essentia: Increase bonus by +2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Fly (average maneuverability) 10'/essentia invested Totem Bind effect: As a move action, can fly up to 10'/essentia invested (Average maneuverability), but must start and land on a solid surface or fall
Phase Cloak -
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Basic Effect: +4 Competence bonus on Climb checks. May always Take 10 on Climb checks. Essentia: Increase bonus by +2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: When you move at least 5', you can become ethereal during the movement, but become physical again at the end of each move. If you are in a solid object when you become physical, you are shunted to nearest open space taking 1d6/5' so traveled. While traveling so, you may be attacked by ethereal creatures.
Totem Bind effect: Bite deals 1d4 damage and has poison (Fort/negate 1d3 Con). Can be used either as primary or secondary attack. +1 Enhancement bonus to attack with this bite attack per point of essentia invested.
Shadow Mantle - Someone forgot to read what Darkness actually does
Spoiler
Basic Effect: +4 Competence bonus to Listen checks Essentia: Increase bonus by +2/essentia investd
Bound Effect: Magical darkness radius 5'/essentia invested. You also gain Blindsight within the same radius. Magical silence negates this blindsight. You may end this effect as a Swift action Totem Bind effect: Bonus to Listen also applies to Hide checks
Totem Avatar - Versatile soulmeld that has various applications
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Basic Effect: Bonus hit points equal to meldshaper level. These are NOT temp hit points, and do not go away first. Essentia: +1 Enhancement bonus to Natural Armor/Essentia invested
Bound Effect: Natural Weapons deal damage as if you were one size category larger Totem Bind effect: +1 Morale bonus on natural weapon damage/essentia invested
Throat Chakra
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Ankheg Breastplate - long cooldown on the bound effect
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Basic Effect: +2 Armor bonus to AC Essentia: Increase bonus by +1/essentia
Bound Effect:Once Per Minute Line of Acid 5' + 5'/essentia invested. Deals 2d6 + 1d6/essentia invested. Ref/half. Totem Bind effect: Bite attack does 1d8 + 1d4 Acid/essentia invested
Behir Gorget - Long cooldown on the damage output, but electricity resistance is good
Spoiler
Basic Effect: +4 bonus resist being bull rushed or tripped Essentia: Resistance Electricity 5/essentia invested
Bound Effect:Once Per Minute line of lightning 5' + 5' per essentia invested dealing 2d6 + 1d6/essentia invested (Ref/half) Totem Bind effect: Bite deals 1d8 + 1d4 electricity/essentia invested
Brass Mane -
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Basic Effect: +4 Competence bonus to Intimidate Essentia: additional +2/essentia
Bound Effect: Once per Minute, 10' point-blank area effect Wil save or Fatigued. Increase range by 10'/essentia invested Totem Bind effect: Bite 1d8. +1 enhancement/essentia invested
Gorgon Mask - I like to be useful more than 1/day
Spoiler
Basic Effect: +1 Resistance bonus to Fort saves, +2 resistance bonuses vs bull rush, tripped, overrun, or trampled Essentia: additional +1 to aforementioned bonuses/essentia invested.
Bound Effect: 1/day, single-target against adjacent foe Flesh to Stone (Fort/negates) Totem Bind effect: Trample 1d8
Winter Mask -
Spoiler
Basic Effect: Touch attack to Fatigue (Fort/negates) Essentia: Also deals 1d4 nonlethal cold damage/essentia
Bound Effect: Once every 1d4 rounds, 15' Cone of Cold deals 2d6 + 1d6/essentia invested (Ref/half) Totem Bind effect: Bite deals 1d6 + 1d4 Cold damage/essentia invested
Waist Chakra
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Heart of Fire -
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Basic Effect: +1 Insight to attack and damage vs creatures with Cold subtype Essentia: increase bonus by +1/essentia invested
Bound Effect: 1d6/essentia invested fire damage retributive strike. Explicitly doesn't stack with totem bind Totem Bind effect: natural weapons or unarmed strikes deal +1d4/essentia fire damage. Creatures grappling also take this damage.
Lamia Belt -
Spoiler
Basic Effect: +4 Competence bonus to Bluff and Hide Essentia: Increase bonus by +2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Enhancement bonus of 10' to land speed and gain Spring Attack Totem Bind effect: Gain two more Claw attacks 1d4 damage
Manticore Belt - Go-to soulmeld for ranged Natural Attacks
Spoiler
Basic Effect: +2 enhancement bonus on Jump and Spot checks Essentia: increase bonus by +2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Fly (Clumsy maneuverability) 10'/essentia + Flyby Attack Totem Bind effect: As a standard action, Ranged attack spines deal 1d6. They are listed as natural attacks, so all soulmelds which affect natural attacks also affect these. 1 spine/essentia invested
Phoenix Belt -
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Basic Effect: Endure Heat up to 140 degrees Essentia: Resistance to Fire 5/essentia invested
Bound Effect: When you resist fire, you gain fast healing 1 for number of rounds equal to amount of damage negated. Doesn't stack with itself or any other kind of fast healing, use longer duration. Totem Bind effect: Standard action point-blank area effect deals 1d6 fire damage per point of invested essentia (Ref/half)
Wormtail Belt - Good for natural armor, do not bind it
Spoiler
Basic Effect: +2 Enhancement to Natural Armor Essentia: increases by +1/essentia
Bound Effect: Awesome Blow, but DC is calculated as any other soulmeld effect, so it sucks now Totem Bind effect: stinger deals 1d6 damage + 1d4 Str poison (Fort/negate). May not use any other attacks when using this. +1 enhancement bonus on attack and poison save DC per essentia invested.
Heart Chakra
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Blink Shirt - Good for DimDoor action. Shadowpouncer's best friend
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Basic Effect: DimDoor 10' unlimited use Essentia: Increases range of DimDoor 10'/essentia
Bound Effect: Blink Totem Bind effect: You can DimDoor as a Move action. Keep in mind that DimDoor still shuts down the rest of your actions that round.
Dread Carapace - Handy for natural attack damage bonuses
Spoiler
Basic Effect:+2 bonus on damage when using a Bite attack, +1 when using a Claw or other natural attack. In exchange, take a -1 penalty on attack. Essentia: Increase both the damage bonus (+2 for bite, +1 for other natural attacks) and the penalty on attack rolls per essentia invested.
Bound Effect: SR 5 + 4/essentia invested Totem Bind effect: When you charge, all enemies within 60' who can see you become shaken for 1 round (Will/negates)
Shedu Crown -
Spoiler
Basic Effect:Immune to being pushed back as a result of Bull Rush Essentia: +1 Competence bonus on saving throws vs mind-affecting/essentia invested
Bound Effect: May shift to the Ethereal plane as a standard action, and back to the Material as a free action. Each day, you may spend a total number of rounds equal ethereal to your meldshaper level. Totem Bind effect: Trample attack. 1d8 Bludgeoning damage +1.5*Str mod
Totem Avatar - Versatile soulmeld that has various applications
Spoiler
Basic Effect: Bonus hit points equal to meldshaper level. These are NOT temp hit points, and do not go away first. Essentia: +1 Enhancement bonus to Natural Armor/Essentia invested
Bound Effect: DR 5/Magic +1/essentia invested Totem Bind effect: +1 Morale bonus on natural weapon damage/essentia invested
Soul Chakra
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Threefold Mask of the Chimera -
Spoiler
Basic Effect:Cannot be flanked. Period. Essentia: +1 Competence bonus on Search checks
Bound Effect: At the end of your turn, you may take an additional standard action. However, if you do, you can take no actions, and you have a -5 on AC and attack rolls until the end of your next turn. Essentia reduces penalties by 1/esentia invested (maximum of 0), but does not affect the reduction in action economy. Totem Bind effect: Gain natural attacks. One bite (1d8), one Bite (1d6), and one Gore (1d6). As a standard action, you can attack with any one of them, applying full Str mod as bonus on damage roll. As a full attack action, you can attack wtih all three, applying full str mod on all three. Alternately, as part of a full attack, you can make a secondary attack with ONE head at a -5, applying 1/2 Str mod to damage.
Base Effect: +2 Will vs Charm/Compulsion Essentia: Deflection Bonus to AC per essentia invested
Bound Effect: Melee attacks gain Force descriptor, ignoring miss chance of incorporeal targets
Diadem of Purelight - Good if you are worried about concealment
Spoiler
Base Effect: 20' bright illumination, 40' shadowy illumination Essentia: Increase radius of bright illumination by 10' per essentia invested, shadowy illumination is twice bright illumination.
Bound Effect: Negates concealment less than total within bright illumination. Does not affect invisibility or total concealment, but DOES affect all other forms of concealment, including fog and blur
Enigma Helm - Good if you are worried about divination or charms
Spoiler
Base Effect: Nondetection, DC 11+ Meldshaper level to penetrate with any divination effect. Essentia: +1 Will/Essentia
Bound Effect: Immunity to Enchantment (Charm) spells.
Hunter's Circlet - Good if you want to Track
Spoiler
Basic Effect:+2 Insight bonus on Heal and Survival checks Essentia: Increase bonus by +2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Track feat
Necrocarnum Circlet - Good if you are going Necrocarnate
Spoiler
Base Effect: Detect Undead 30. Functions as Blindsight for undead, so it does allow specific targeting, and bypasses invisibility and other sight-based effects, but for undead only. Essentia:Undead within 30' gain Turn Resistance equal to essentia
Bound Effect:Animate Necrocarnum Zombie, HD cap = Meldshaper level. You take damage equal to zombie's HD, which may not be healed as long as zombie is animated. Zombie can act immediately on your turn, you have complete control as long as you have Line of Effect. If this is broken, it acts on last instructions. Automatically regain control when you regain LoE. Only one at a time. Zombie returns to inert corpse if soulmeld is unshaped. No creature can be affected more than once. Bound Essentia Effect: Necrocarnum Zombie's essentia pool is increased by the amount of essentia invested in this soulmeld.
Soulspark Familiar - Good if you want a familiar
Spoiler
Base Effect: Summon Least Soulspark, grants Alertness. EssentiaGives the soulspark various abilities, all essentia must be invested in the same ability. Choose between: Aligned Attack, Attack/Damage Bonus, Deflection Bonus to AC, Fast Healing, or Saving Throw Bonus. Note: this only affects the soulspark, not the meldshaper.
Bound Effect: Summon a Lesser soulspark rather than least
Soulspeaker's Circlet - Good for communicating
Spoiler
Basic Effect: Choose a language when shaping this meldshape. You can understand the spoken forms of this language, but not the ability to speak, read, or write that language Essentia: Each essentia point invested gives you another language.
Bound Effect: You may now speak those languages it lets you understand. You still cannot read or write them.
Feet Chakra
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Cerulean Sandals - Various movement-based abilities
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Basic Effect: Walk on Water Essentia: +5' to base land speed/essentia invested
Bound Effect: DimDoor up to 10'/meldshaper level per day. May be split up into 10' increments, but soulmeld unshapes when you hit your daily allotment. Requires Standard action to activate.
Impulse Boots - Good if you are worried about Sneak Attack/Sudden Strike or Blastomancy
Basic Effect:When you charge, if you hit with a melee attack, thetarget takes an additional 1d4 Sonic damage Essentia: increases sonic damage dealt by 1d4/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Any creature taking damage from Thunderstep Boots also is stunned for a 1 round (Fort/negates)
*NOTE: There is some debate about how this works with Pounce. Some say that because the wording is singular, that it only affects the first attack in a Pounce, wheras others say it works on all attacks in a Pounce. Check with your GM about which interpretation will be used at your table
Hand Chakra
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Gloves of the Poisoned Soul - Would have been useful if it wasn't for the crippling limitation
Spoiler
Basic Effect:Deliver poison with melee touch attack that does 1 Wis/1Wis (Fort/negates). No creature can be affected by the gloves more than once in a 24-hour period. Essentia:Increase Wis damage (both primary and secondary) by 1 point/essentia invested
Bound Effect: The poison deals Str damage in addition to Wis damage. A single save will resist both effects.
Lucky Dice - Luck bonus to various things, can share with allies
Spoiler
Basic Effect: Use as Swift action to gain +1 luck bonus to one of the following: Attack *and* Damage rolls, Saving Throws, or all Skill and Ability checks. When you activate, roll 2d6. If the result turns up a 7, you gain this bonus to ALL of the listed rolls. Essentia: Increase duration of bonuses by one round/essentia. Since luck bonuses stack with themselves, and you may activate them every round as your Swift action, you may find yourself stacking bonuses up pretty heavily.
Bound Effect: Share bonus with allies
Mauling Gauntlets - Not really useful unless you use unarmed attacks. Might be useful for a monk
Spoiler
Basic Effect: +2 Morale bonus on Str checks (but NOT str-based skill checks) such as those to break down doors or bull rush an opponent. Essentia: Increase morale bonus by +2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Morale bonus on unarmed strike damage equal to the morale bonus on Strength checks granted by the mauling gauntlets. You also gain the benefit of the Improved Unarmed Strike feat
Necrocarnum Weapon - Good if you are going Necrocarnate
Spoiler
Basic Effect: Bypass DR/Evil Essentia: +1 Profane bonus on attack AND damage rolls AND critical threat confirmation checks, but ONLY against living creatures.
Bound Effect: Gain temp essentia equal to essentia invested when you confirm a critical hit on any living creature. This temp essentia lasts 10 rounds. Multiple uses of this ability does not stack, it refreshes the 10 round timer. This works with a CDG.
Sighting Gloves: - Good if you want to focus on ranged attacks
Spoiler
Basic Effect: +1 Insight bonus on damage with ranged attacks Essentia: Increase bonus by +1/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Precise Shot feat
Arms Chakra
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Armguards of Disruption - Good against undead
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Basic Effect: +1d6 damage to undead with melee touch attack Essentia:Increase damage by +1d6/essentia invested
Bound Effect: +1 Insight bonus to AC and Saving Throws vs attacks made by Undead Creatures/essentia invested
Bluesteel Bracers Good combat-focused abilities
Spoiler
Basic Effect: +2 Insight bonus to Initiative checks Essentia: +1 Insight bonus to weapon damage rolls/essentia invested. Does not discriminate between melee and ranged, but does specify weapon.
Bound Effect: Share bonus on Initiative with allies
Mauling Gauntlets - Handy for Crit-Fisher builds
Spoiler
Basic Effect: +2 Morale bonus on Str checks (but NOT str-based skill checks) such as those to break down doors or bull rush an opponent. Essentia: Increase morale bonus by +2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Double critical threat range of any melee weapon you wield. Does not stack with any other effect that increases a weapon's threat range, such as Improved Critical or Keen/Impact
Necrocarnum Touch - Good if you are going Necrocarnate
Spoiler
Basic Effect: +4 on Slight of Hand and Bluff Checks to Feint in combat. This DOES allow you to make checks untrained Essentia: Grants melee touch attack dealing 1d8 damage/essentia invested to living target (Fort/half). This is NOT a negative energy effect, it may NOT be used to heal targets with Tomb-Tainted.
Bound Effect: Allows the Essentia granted ability to be used as a Ray with a range of 30'.
Riding Bracers: - Good bonus on Handle Animal and Ride checks
Spoiler
Basic Effect: +4 Insight bonus on Handle Animal and Ride checks Essentia: Increase bonus by +2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: +2 Insight bonus to melee damage and +2 Dodge bonus to AC while mounted
Sailor's Bracers - Good only in a sea-heavy campaign
Spoiler
Basic Effect: +4 Insight bonus on Swim, Profession (Sailor), and Use Rope checks Essentia: Increase bonus by +2/essentia invested
Bound Effect Swim up to your speed as full-round action, or up to half speed as move action. You take no penalties on attack rolls made underwater (as if you had Freedom of Movement, for this effect ONLY)
Brow Chakra
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Fearsome Mask - Only useful if you plan on intimidate-lockdown
Bound Effect: Gaze attack to make opponents Shaken for 1 minute (Will/negate). This is a mind-affecting effect.
Illusion Veil - Good if you are also an illusionist
Spoiler
Basic Effect: +1 DC on illusion spells and SLA's you cast Essentia: Increase duration of non-instantaneous illusion spell or SLA by 1 round/essentia invested
Bound Effect: See Invisibility and +1 Insight bonus on Spot checks AND save vs Illusion spells/essentia invested
Silvertongue Mask - Good for 'Party Face' roll
Spoiler
Basic Effect: +2 Insight bonus on Bluff and Diplomacy checks Essentia:Increase bonus by +2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Also gain insight bonus on Sense Motive checks equal to bonus on Bluff and Diplomacy granted by this meldshape
Soulspark Familiar - Good if you want a familiar
Spoiler
Base Effect: Summon Least Soulspark, grants Alertness. EssentiaGives the soulspark various abilities, all essentia must be invested in the same ability. Choose between: Aligned Attack, Attack/Damage Bonus, Deflection Bonus to AC, Fast Healing, or Saving Throw Bonus. Note: this only affects the soulspark, not the meldshaper.
Bound Effect: Summon a standard Soulspark rather than least
Truthseeker Goggles - Good for gather information
Spoiler
Basic Effect: +2 Insight bonus on Gather Information, Search, and Sense Motive checks Essentia: Increase bonus by +2/essentia
Bound Effect: Darkvision 60'
Shoulders Chakra
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Pauldrons of Health - Good if you are worried about certain status effects
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Basic Effect: Immunity to Disease, Sickened, and Nauseated Essentia:+1 Enhancement bonus to Fort saves/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Immunity to energy drain
Therapeutic Mantle - Almost worthless unless you plan on being healed a lot
Spoiler
Basic Effect: Any spell or effect that heals hit point damage which targets YOU heals additional damage equal to the spell level Essentia: Increase additional healing by 2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Insight bonus to effective caster level for any spell you cast in the Healing subschool equal to essentia invested. Considering the caps these spells have, this is a trap.
Wind Cloak - Good against ranged attacks
Spoiler
Basic Effect: DR 2/Magic vs ranged attacks Essentia: Increase DR/magic vs ranged attacks by 2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Deflect Arrows, but you don't need a free hand to use it. This works even if you are flat-footed. Bound Essentia: Increases number of projectiles you may deflect per round by 1/essentia invested
Throat Chakra
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Arcane Focus - Good if you plan on Blastomancy
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Basic Effect:+1 bonus on spell damage. Spells that deal damage to multiple targets apply this bonus damage to each target. Essentia: Increase damage bonus by 1/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Single Living creature damaged by your spell make Fort save or be Dazed for one round. If the spell deals damage to more than one target, or if the target takes no damage due to resistance, saving throws, or other method of negating damage, this effect does not apply.
Necrocarnum Mantle - Good if you are a Necrocarnate
Spoiler
Basic Effect: Immunity to Disease Essentia: +1 Profane bonus on saving throws vs mind-affecting
Bound Effect: Immunity to Poison
Silvertongue Mask - Good for 'Party Face' roll
Spoiler
Basic Effect: +2 Insight bonus on Bluff and Diplomacy checks Essentia:Increase bonus by +2/essentia invested
Bound Effect: Suggestion (as per spell) as Standard action (will negates). A creature targeted by this ability may not be targeted again for 24 hours, successful or not.
Soulspark Familiar - Good if you want a familiar
Spoiler
Base Effect: Summon Least Soulspark, grants Alertness. EssentiaGives the soulspark various abilities, all essentia must be invested in the same ability. Choose between: Aligned Attack, Attack/Damage Bonus, Deflection Bonus to AC, Fast Healing, or Saving Throw Bonus. Note: this only affects the soulspark, not the meldshaper.
Bound Effect: Summon a Greater soulspark rather than least
Soulspeaker's Circlet - Good for communicating
Spoiler
Basic Effect: Choose a language when shaping this meldshape. You can understand the spoken forms of this language, but not the ability to speak, read, or write that language Essentia: Each essentia point invested gives you another language.
Bound Effect: You can communicate telepathically with any creature within 20' per point of invested essentia, as long as that creature has a language. This is a mind-affecting effect.
Waist Chakra
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Flame Cincture - Good against fire
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Basic Effect:Fire Resistance 10 Essentia:+5 Fire Resistance/Essentia invested
Bound Effect: When your Flame Cincture prevents fire damage, on your next turn, as a swift action, deal fire damage equal to the amount prevented by the flame cincture on the previous round (Ref/half) to a single target within 60'
Necrocarnum Shroud - Good if you are a Necrocarnate
Spoiler
Basic Effect:+1 Profane bonus on attack and damage rolls any time a living creature takes damage while adjacent to you. This bonus lasts one round. If a living creature dies while adjacent to you, bonus lasts for number of rounds equal to creature's HD Essentia:Increase area of effect to 5'+5'/essentia invested
Bound Effect: At the beginning of your turn, any creature within the area of effect becomes Shaken for one round (Will negates)
Necrocarnum Vestments - Good if you are a Necrocarnate
Spoiler
Basic Effect:Resistance to Cold 5 Essentia:3 bonus hit points/essentia invested. These are not temporary hit points, and are not depleted first. This can reduce your hit point total below 0 if you reduce the essentia invested in this while low on hp.
Bound Effect: Any living creature adjacent to you at the end of your turn takes 1d6 Cold damage (Fort/negate)
Strongheart Vest - Good if you are worried about ability damage
Spoiler
Basic Effect:Any time you would take ability damage, the amount of the damage is reduced by 1 point, to a minimum of 0 Essentia:Increases the amount of ability damage that is reduced by 1/essentia invested
* NOTE: There is a long-standing debate about how this interacts with Hellfire Warlock. Some say that by reducing the damage to 0, you don't take the damage, an thus the HFW's abilities are negated. Others say that you are taking damage, it's just being reduced to 0, so because you aren't immune to it, the abilities stay put. Check with your GM before using this in conjunction with HFW to make sure you are both in agreement about the interpretation being used in your game.
Bound Effect: Also reduce Ability Drain by the same amount you reduce ability damage.
Heart Chakra
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Necrocarnum Vestments - Good if you are a Necrocarnate
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Basic Effect:Resistance to Cold 5 Essentia:3 bonus hit points/essentia invested. These are not temporary hit points, and are not depleted first. This can reduce your hit point total below 0 if you reduce the essentia invested in this while low on hp.
Bound Effect: Immunity to stunning and death effects
Spellward Shirt - Good for being immune to specific spells
Spoiler
Basic Effect:Spell Resistance 5 Essentia:Increase spell resistance by 4/essentia invested
Bound Effect: When you shape this soulmeld, choose 4 spells of 6th level or less. You gain complete immunity to the effects of these spells as if you were under the effect of a spell immunity spell.
Strongheart Vest - Good if you are worried about ability damage
Spoiler
Basic Effect:Any time you would take ability damage, the amount of the damage is reduced by 1 point, to a minimum of 0 Essentia:Increases the amount of ability damage that is reduced by 1/essentia invested
* NOTE: There is a long-standing debate about how this interacts with Hellfire Warlock. Some say that by reducing the damage to 0, you don't take the damage, an thus the HFW's abilities are negated. Others say that you are taking damage, it's just being reduced to 0, so because you aren't immune to it, the abilities stay put. Check with your GM before using this in conjunction with HFW to make sure you are both in agreement about the interpretation being used in your game.
Bound Effect: Immunity to energy drain and death effects
Soul Chakra
Spoiler
Necrocarnum Shroud - Good if you are a Necrocarnate
Spoiler
Basic Effect:+1 Profane bonus on attack and damage rolls any time a living creature takes damage while adjacent to you. This bonus lasts one round. If a living creature dies while adjacent to you, bonus lasts for number of rounds equal to creature's HD Essentia:Increase area of effect to 5'+5'/essentia invested
Bound Effect: As a standard action, make a melee touch attack against a living foe to deal 1d4 negative levels (Fort/half). For each negative level bestowed, you gain 1 temp essentia point and 5 temp hit points. Temp essentia lasts until end of next turn. Temp hit points fade after an hour.
Incarnate and Soulborn have most of the same melds, so let's start there.
Crown - It's hard to go wrong with either Crystal Helm or Enigma Helm, depending on if you want to be better in combat, or better at saying 'no'. However, none of the other Crown meldshapes are really worth bothering with, except in specific builds and specific situations.
Crystal Helm's Deflection Bonus to AC is pretty huge, and the fact that it makes your melee attacks Force effects is handy if you are fighting incorporeal types. This makes it actually better than the Diadem of Purelight when fighting things like Shadows.
If you're worried about charms, however, Enigma Helm gives flat immunity.
Diadem of Purelight isn't a bad option if you keep getting the lights turned off, since the essentia also increases the effective spell level to keep even Deeper Darkness from screwing with it. Negating concealment is pretty big if you are a Rogue, although a Rogue wouldn't want all that light, so it's a tradeoff.
Feet Chakra - Airstep Sandals is really hard to beat. Flight all day long as early as level 3? Impulse Boots are good if you are constantly getting harassed by sneak attack or sudden strike guys, and the evasion is good if you're in a game with a lot of blastomancy being thrown at you.
Soulborn do actually get a handy unique bind in Thunderstep Boots for charge builds. It's a shame they suck so completely that you're almost forced to blow a feat on it.
While the other feet binds aren't bad, it's just really hard to compete with the mobility that Airstep Sandals grants or the defensive power that the Impulse Boots grants. And if you are charging in combat, Thunderstep Boots is probably the only feet bind you really want to be looking at, even if it DOES cost you a feat to snag.
Hand chakra - Lucky dice all the way, and never look back. Nothing else in this slot can really compete with them. You don't really have anything that takes advantage of your Swift actions anyways, the bonuses stack with themselves, and you can share the bonuses with allies.
Arms chakra - There's a lot of options here, although many are traps. If you want to be safe? Bluesteel Bracers and DONE.
Brow chakra - Planar Chasuble increases the bonuses you get from your Incarnum Radiance ability. That's pretty handy. Illusion Veil isn't bad for seeing invisibility. Most of the others you find here do much better in other slots, or aren't worth bothering with.
Soulborn do pick up the Fearsome Mask, which can be used in Imperious Command/Never Outnumbered builds, since it's an Insight bonus to Intimidate, but I doubt it will ever be worth the feat to pick up.
Shoulder chakra - Wind Cloak can be handy if you are expecting archers. Not for the DR, which is pathetic, but for the Deflect Arrows you don't need a free hand for, and can be used multiple times per turn. Good for a Jedi build.
Pauldrons of Health is the other serious contender for the slot, granting you immunity to some fairly serious effects.
Adamant Pauldrons isn't bad, although there's easier ways to negate precision-based damage. Like, say, Concealment.
Lammasu Mantle isn't bad if you keep getting evil summons thrown at you.
Throat chakra - Some good choices here, but some traps as well.
Apparition Ribbon is handy, but remember the per day cap on number of rounds.
Silvertongue Mask. These aren't the Droids you are looking for.
Necrocarnum Mantle. Immunity to poisons and diseases isn't bad, actually. Do keep in mind the alignment restriction.
Planar Ward can be very useful if you're fighting a bunch of Extraplanar creatures. Moreso if you passed up the Enigma Helm in favor of the Crystal Helm.
Waist chakra - Strongheart Vest. Done.
Heart Chakra - Often goes begging, really. Not much useful goes here. I suppose, if you want to do limited healing, you can do Lifebond Vestments here, so you don't have to wait an hour. This can make it spammable, but remember that you are taking half the damage you are healing.
Necrocarnum Vestments makes you immune to Stunning and Death effects. That's pretty handy, but it's an [evil] bind, which means you need to be NE to grab it.
Soul Chakra Fellmist Robes for Concealment or Keeneeye Lenses for True Sight. Those are pretty much your options here.
Rather than having a separate post for useful soulmelds, you could come up with a rating system built into each meldshaper's post, similar to the one gorfnab used for Mysteries in his Shadowcaster handbook or the one Saeomon used for powers in his Psion handbook. There are some melds that are must-haves, some are situational and some are traps, and you can rate both their bound and unbound forms.
I have just added this this topic as a "Favorite" on my browser. I look forward to comming back and using this to help build an Incarnate.
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I underwent "Specialized High Intensity Training" for the English language. My training focused on avoiding abbreviations and acronyms. Not all of them are a good thing.
I actually have this as a spreadsheet. But this is even more handy. Thanks.
I noticed that you didn't include material from Dragon 350 or psionic soulmelds or Dragon Magic. Do you need someone to write that up, or have you just not gotten there yet, or did you leave them off for some reason?
I actually have this as a spreadsheet. But this is even more handy. Thanks.
I noticed that you didn't include material from Dragon 350 or psionic soulmelds or Dragon Magic. Do you need someone to write that up, or have you just not gotten there yet, or did you leave them off for some reason?
I don't have access to Dragon Magic, and most games I've been in don't allow it anyways. I lost the link to the psionic soulmelds that were put online by WoTC, and haven't had a chance to do the Dragon Magic melds yet.
Work on my homebrew system, CRE8, is still marching slowly onwards. I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel -- an Alpha release -- in the distance now. Read my Design Goals here.
Where are Manticore Belt spines labeled as natural attacks?
I... er...
You know, you're right. It never does call it out as a natural attack. I suppose it's up to GM interpretation, since it's simulating the natural attack of a creature.
You know, you're right. It never does call it out as a natural attack. I suppose it's up to GM interpretation, since it's simulating the natural attack of a creature.
Drat. I was hoping I was missing something, as that would make ranged Totemists a lot more viable beyond low levels.
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You can call me Draz. Trophies:
Work on my homebrew system, CRE8, is still marching slowly onwards. I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel -- an Alpha release -- in the distance now. Read my Design Goals here.
Thanks, I'll get these included, even if they aren't particularly powerful. Most of the psychic ones are clearly based on some of the less powerful ones (Psion-killer mask instead of Disenchanter mask, Psychic focus rather than Mage's focus, etc...)
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