Soulknife, Eat Your Heart Out-[Bladesworn Feats, 3.5, PEACH]

[Pyromancer999]

Background- This is basically what we use in my games instead of Soulknives

Background

We all know them. That one guy who has that one kind of weapon that's the only one he'll fight with, whether it be daggers, swords, axes, whatever. However, some become devoted to one specific weapon to the point of it becoming intricately tied to their soul, gaining power from this innate connection. These are the Bladesworn.

Bladebound[Bladesworn]
Benefit: Choose one kind of weapon that you are proficient with. As a move action, you may manifest a unique version of this kind of weapon that acts as an embodiment of your fighting spirit. Should the weapon ever leave your hands for more than 1 round, it disappears, but may be re-manifested with another move action. Additionally, you gain a small pool of Blade Points to enhance your blade with, gaining 1 point + 1 point per two Bladesworn feats you have. Your pool of Blade Points refreshes at the start of every day and at the start of each encounter, and may be allocated between your Bladesworn weapon, and yourself as a swift action. So long as you have at least one Blade Point invested in your Bladesworn weapon, it is treated as a magic weapon.
Special: The Bladesworn is devoted to his Bladesworn weapon. Whenever possible, he must use his Bladesworn weapon in combat, only using another weapon when such a weapon would offer an obviously greater benefit in combat against a particular foe.

Blade's Impact[Bladesworn]
Prerequisites: Bladebound, 3rd level
Benefit: At the start of each encounter, You may invest Blade Points to gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls with your Bladesworn weapon equal to the number of Blade Points invested.

Blade's Edge[Bladesworn]
Prerequisites: Bladebound, Blade's Impact, 6th level
Benefit: The critical range for your Bladesworn weapon increases by 1 per three Bladesworn feats you have.

Soul Edge[Bladesworn]
Prerequisites: Bladebound, Blade's Impact, Essentia Pool of at least 2, 9th level
Benefit: As the the blade is an extension of your soul, you may invest essentia in it as though it were a soulmeld, increasing the blade's critical range for every two essentia you invest in it.

Quick Draw[Bladesworn]
Prerequisites: Bladebound
Benefit: The action needed to manifest your Bladesworn weapon becomes a swift action.
Special: You may select this feat again allow yourself to manifest your Bladesworn weapon as a free action.

Sudden Blow[Bladesworn]
Prerequisites: Bladebound, Quick Draw, 6th level
Benefit: Once per day per two Bladesworn feats you possess, you may manifest your Bladesworn weapon as part of an attack, providing you are not wielding any other weapons. This suprises the attacked party so much that it must make a Reflex save(DC 10 + twice the number of Bladesworn feats you have) or be treated as flat-footed for the attack.

Path of Destruction[Bladesworn]
Prerequisites: Bladebound, any two other Bladesworn feats
Benefit: Once per day per three Bladesworn feats you have, you may, as a full-round action, carve a Path of Destruction. You may move up to your speed, attacking any opponenets in adjacent squares along the way. This does not provoke actions of opportunity, and the Bladesworn weapon gains a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls with these attacks for each two opponents hit by an attack this way.

Enhance The Blade[Bladesworn]
Prerequisites: Bladebound, 3rd level
Benefit: As a move action, you may concentrate and focus on your Bladesworn weapon in order to improve your next attack. During this action, you may choose to invest Blade Points into your Bladesworn weapon, granting +1d8 per Blade Point to your next attack. Once this attack has been made, you regain the Blade Points that were spent.

Imbue The Blade[Bladesworn]
Prerequisites: Bladebound, Enhance The Blade, 6th level
Benefit: You learn how to use Blade Points in order to enhance your Bladesworn Weapon. At the start of each encounter as a move action, by using Blade Points, the Bladesworn may enhance his Bladesworn weapon with any of the enhancements available to Soulknives. The Bladesworn expends one Blade Point per +1 bonus value of the enhancement.

Creature of the Blade[Bladesworn]
Prerequisites: Bladebound, Enhance The Blade, Imbue The Blade, 9th level
Benefit: The spirit of your Bladesworn Weapon enhances you just as you enhance it. At the start of each encounter, you may expend Blade Points to grant yourself the benefits of a template, expending 1 Blade Point per +1 LA of the template. You may not expend more Blade Points on yourself than you have on your blade. This effect lasts for 1 round per Bladesworn feat you have.

Blade's Soul[Bladesworn]
Prerequisites: Bladebound, Any three Bladesworn feats, 12th level
Benefits: You become proficient with your Bladesworn weapon to the point of mastery. This grants multiple benefits. Firstly, you always gain a bonus to attack and damage rolls with your Bladesworn weapon equal to 1/2 the number of Bladesworn feats you possess. Secondly, once per day per two Bladesworn feats you possess, you may instead manifest your weapon as a creature. Treat this as an Eidolon with 10 binding points per Blade Point you invest in your Bladesworn weapon. his effect lasts 1 round per Bladesworn level, with the Blade disappearing afterwards, and the Blade Points invested this way regain. Thirdly, once per day for a number of rounds per Bladesworn feat you possess, you may double the number of Blade Points you have.

[Psyborg]

Creature of the Blade and Blade's Soul seem...likely to slow down play significantly. Applying templates and designing eidolons are not fast, easy, or simple things to do on-the-fly.

Other than that, I like it. I'd consider opening Imbue the Blade up to any weapon enhancement, rather than just the Soulknife list, but that's probably just me.

Oh, and it needs a way to mimic or become special materials, for damage reduction purposes. Probably just another feat.

[Pyromancer999]

Originally Posted by Psyborg

Creature of the Blade and Blade's Soul seem...likely to slow down play significantly. Applying templates and designing eidolons are not fast, easy, or simple things to do on-the-fly.

Normally, it would. However, the templates applied will only be +1 LA usually, or +2 at the highest levels, so, in most cases there won't be that much stuff to consider. Also, yes, it does take time to design an eidolon, so I'd have any player of mine make an eidolon then just summon that.

Other than that, I like it. I'd consider opening Imbue the Blade up to any weapon enhancement, rather than just the Soulknife list, but that's probably just me.

I'd do that, but then a huge amount of time would be consumed by trying to decide what the enhancement bonus equivalents of dozens of weapon enhancements are/

Oh, and it needs a way to mimic or become special materials, for damage reduction purposes. Probably just another feat.

How about this:

Mutable Blade
Prerequisites: Bladebound, 6th level
Benefit: You may expend 1 Blade Point in order for your Bladesworn Weapon to mimic one specific material for the purposes of bypassing damage reduction.

That good?

[Kobold-Bard]

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

...

Quick Draw[Bladesworn]
Prerequisites: Bladebound
Benefit: The action needed to manifest your Bladesworn weapon becomes a standard action.
Special: You may select this feat again allow yourself to manifest your Bladesworn weapon as a free action.

So you take the feat once to slow you from move - standard, then again to go from standard - Free? And by free, do you mean swift?

Creature of the Blade[Bladesworn]
Prerequisites: Bladebound, Enhance The Blade, Imbue The Blade, 9th level
Benefit: The spirit of your Bladesworn Weapon enhances you just as you enhance it. At the start of each encounter, you may expend Blade Points to grant yourself the benefits of a template, expending 1 Blade Point per +1 LA of the template. You may not expend more Blade Points on yourself than you have on your blade. This effect lasts for 1 round per Bladesworn feat you have.

I'm not sure I like this, stuff like the Saint is very powerful for it's LA, and has very hard fluff based pre-reqs that you can just ignore. Seems like a good ability though.

Blade's Soul[Bladesworn]
Prerequisites: Bladebound, Any three Bladesworn feats, 12th level
Benefits: You become proficient with your Bladesworn weapon to the point of mastery. This grants multiple benefits. Firstly, you always gain a bonus to attack and damage rolls with your Bladesworn weapon equal to 1/2 the number of Bladesworn feats you possess. Secondly, once per day per two Bladesworn feats you possess, you may instead manifest your weapon as a creature. Treat this as an Eidolon with 10 binding points per Blade Point you invest in your Bladesworn weapon. his effect lasts 1 round per Bladesworn level, with the Blade disappearing afterwards, and the Blade Points invested this way regain. Thirdly, once per day for a number of rounds per Bladesworn feat you possess, you may double the number of Blade Points you have.

So with that third ability, can you double the number of Blade points you have, then keep doing that forever, doubling them each time? Maybe say they don't stack (but that may be me being nitpicky).

[Pyromancer999]

Originally Posted by Kobold-Bard

So you take the feat once to slow you from move - standard, then again to go from standard - Free? And by free, do you mean swift?

No, I mean a free action. This is because, as I said, this replaces the Soulknife. Most characters won't be able to take it for a free action until 6th, which is fair, as Soulknives get Free Draw(which allows them to manifest their Soulknife as a free action) at 5th.

I'm not sure I like this, stuff like the Saint is very powerful for it's LA, and has very hard fluff based pre-reqs that you can just ignore. Seems like a good ability though.

I may be wrong, but I don't remember the Saint having an LA of +1 or +2. May have to double-check that, though.

So with that third ability, can you double the number of Blade points you have, then keep doing that forever, doubling them each time? Maybe say they don't stack (but that may be me being nitpicky).

It's for a number of rounds per day. It's not permanent.

[Kobold-Bard]

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

No, I mean a free action. This is because, as I said, this replaces the Soulknife. Most characters won't be able to take it for a free action until 6th, which is fair, as Soulknives get Free Draw(which allows them to manifest their Soulknife as a free action) at 5th.

Still doesn't explain why taking it once increases the time it takes from a move action to a standard action, then taking it a gain drops it back down to a free action.

I may be wrong, but I don't remember the Saint having an LA of +1 or +2. May have to double-check that, though.

It's +2, though it's not a bad ability because of one OP template.

It's for a number of rounds per day. It's not permanent.

True, but by using the ability you have double points. This gives you twice as many uses of it, so you can keep using it to get more uses and rounds that it lasts for if you don't specify that they don't stack.

[Pyromancer999]

Originally Posted by Kobold-Bard

Still doesn't explain why taking it once increases the time it takes from a move action to a standard action, then taking it a gain drops it back down to a free action.

Okay, I can see your point there.

It's +2, though it's not a bad ability because of one OP template.

True. Also, most DMs would increase the LA of it, I'd think.

True, but by using the ability you have double points. This gives you twice as many uses of it, so you can keep using it to get more uses and rounds that it lasts for if you don't specify that they don't stack.

.....You can't get more uses of the doubling of the Blade Points. It's a 1/day ability. Which does not get affected by the number of Blade Points you have.

[Kobold-Bard]

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

...

.....You can't get more uses of the doubling of the Blade Points. It's a 1/day ability. Which does not get affected by the number of Blade Points you have.

ARGLEFLABEQNDWEKILSMADRCJW!!!!

I totally misread the ability as usable 1/point each day.

[Pyromancer999]

Originally Posted by Kobold-Bard

I totally misread the ability as usable 1/point each day.

Well, that's a bit understandable, as most previous feats relied upon usage of Blade Points to activate. So, no biggie.

[Jallorn]

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

Quick Draw[Bladesworn]
Prerequisites: Bladebound
Benefit: The action needed to manifest your Bladesworn weapon becomes a standard action.
Special: You may select this feat again allow yourself to manifest your Bladesworn weapon as a free action.

This is supposed to say Swift Action, yes?

[Pyromancer999]

Originally Posted by Jallorn

This is supposed to say Swift Action, yes?

Correct. Thought I had corrected that. Thanks for noticing.

[silphael]

The blade points you invest at the beginning of an encounter... do you get them back at the end of it? Because as written, you may spend a large part of your BP to get a boosted weapon something like once or twice per day...

[Pyromancer999]

Originally Posted by silphael

The blade points you invest at the beginning of an encounter... do you get them back at the end of it? Because as written, you may spend a large part of your BP to get a boosted weapon something like once or twice per day...

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

Bladebound[Bladesworn]
Benefit: Choose one kind of weapon that you are proficient with. As a move action, you may manifest a unique version of this kind of weapon that acts as an embodiment of your fighting spirit. Should the weapon ever leave your hands for more than 1 round, it disappears, but may be re-manifested with another move action. Additionally, you gain a small pool of Blade Points to enhance your blade with, gaining 1 point + 1 point per two Bladesworn feats you have. Your pool of Blade Points refreshes at the start of every day and at the start of each encounter.
Special: The Bladesworn is devoted to his Bladesworn weapon. Whenever possible, he must use his Bladesworn weapon in combat, only using another weapon when such a weapon would offer an obviously greater benefit in combat against a particular foe.

Does this help answer your question?

[hierophant]

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

Sudden Blow[Bladesworn]
Prerequisites: Bladebound, Quick Draw, 6th level
Benefit: Once per day per two Bladesworn feats you possess, you may manifest your Bladesworn weapon as part of an attack, providing you are not wielding any other weapons. This suprises the attacked party so much that it must make a Reflex save or be treated as flat-footed for the attack.

Reflex save with a DC of...?
Pretty cool feat chain. I'd be tempted to make them available as fighter bonus feats, though.

[Pyromancer999]

Originally Posted by hierophant

Reflex save with a DC of...?

Thanks for noticing. Added in DC equal to 10 + number of Bladesworn feats you have.

Pretty cool feat chain. I'd be tempted to make them available as fighter bonus feats, though.

They'd make good Fighter Bonus feats, I suppose. Still, I know some people who would rule them too supernatural. In the end, however, I say they count as Fighter Bonus feats, but as it's really up to the DM, I'm sort of hesitant to mark it as such.

[Zerasen]

Sudden blow is pretty weak no? The DC is pretty low (21 highest at epic-ish levels to get every one of these feats) for an affect that's not all that strong. They're only flatfooted for the one attack after all. And in addition it can only be used a certain number of times per day (10 at best I think).

I'd ditch the save. Sure it has spamming capacity with sneak attack, but that's what the limited times per day are for, right? Then it'd just be a cool trick to let the rogue in question to sneak in some extra damage in the midst of combat. Or alternatively drop the limited uses, but that seems less elegant and to not follow precedent.

Other than that, this is extremely awesome. I love the Soulknife concept and now I can actually play it without being embarrassed for my character!

[Pyromancer999]

Originally Posted by Zerasen

Sudden blow is pretty weak no? The DC is pretty low (21 highest at epic-ish levels to get every one of these feats) for an affect that's not all that strong. They're only flatfooted for the one attack after all. And in addition it can only be used a certain number of times per day (10 at best I think).

I'd ditch the save. Sure it has spamming capacity with sneak attack, but that's what the limited times per day are for, right? Then it'd just be a cool trick to let the rogue in question to sneak in some extra damage in the midst of combat. Or alternatively drop the limited uses, but that seems less elegant and to not follow precedent.

What if uses per day changed to uses per encounter? Might that be a little better?

Other than that, this is extremely awesome. I love the Soulknife concept and now I can actually play it without being embarrassed for my character!

Thanks. That's sort of what I was going for with this.

[Qwertystop]

So, you've managed to replace a base class with a feat chain. And the feat chain is actually better than the class. And is not unbalanced.

WOW soulknife is bad.

[Zerasen]

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

What if uses per day changed to uses per encounter? Might that be a little better?

Although that would better to an extent, the save DC is still really low... Can you explain your reservations to me so I can better understand where you're coming from?

[JerichoPenumbra]

First off, I would like to say that in the short amount of time I have been aware of your homebrew, I have become a big fan.

Questions:
1) Can you take Bladebound multiple times for different weapons? (Like axe and dagger?)
2) Can you take Bladebound for ranged weapons?
3) If so, do you need to provide your own ammunition for the ranged weapon?

I ask because one of the first things I thought of when I saw this was a quasi-Megaman character.

[Deviston]

Originally Posted by Qwertystop

So, you've managed to replace a base class with a feat chain. And the feat chain is actually better than the class. And is not unbalanced.

WOW soulknife is bad.

This.

And this.

[Milo v3]

Originally Posted by Deviston

This.

And this.

So Soulknife sucks for those who can't use incarnum.

[Deviston]

So for undead and constructs?

Sure.

[Milo v3]

Originally Posted by Deviston

So for undead and constructs?

Sure.

I meant people who lack the books for Incarnum.

[Deviston]

{{scrubbed}}

[Milo v3]

Originally Posted by Deviston

{{scrubbed}}

Me.

Also I cannot access that site because of Blocks on my laptop.

[Deviston]

{{scrubbed}}

Also, $10 would solve your problem.

[Pyromancer999]

@Deviston, please do not post links to what appears to be pirated documents(except for the last link, which appears to be okay), as I believe there are rules against that on the website, and could end with this thread being locked, which I would rather it not be, and I do value feedback on all my work, no matter when it is given.

Now, getting back on track.......

Originally Posted by JerichoPenumbra

First off, I would like to say that in the short amount of time I have been aware of your homebrew, I have become a big fan.

Thanks. Good to know when someone enjoys my homebrew.

Questions:
1) Can you take Bladebound multiple times for different weapons? (Like axe and dagger?)

Yes, you can.

2) Can you take Bladebound for ranged weapons?

Most certainly yes.

3) If so, do you need to provide your own ammunition for the ranged weapon?

Hmmmm....well, as it is, you would have to supply your own ammunition, which should be taken care of. Perhaps a certain amount of ammunition appears with the weapon when summoned(probably would be number of Bladesworn feats you have + 1 or 2), which can be refreshed as a swift action would be good?

[Deviston]

My concern with this line of feats is the fact that a melee character would never NOT want to take at least the first. Always having a weapon nearly no matter what is stronk. It makes me think of the Fighter who wears a necklace of Anti-magic field. You should never NOT opt for it.

There are tons of other and better feat chains (which is the normal arguement) to follow, but if I were a melee character and theses existed, I would take the base feat (at least) every time. It's too valuable without having to level dip. And then combing this with a class like the soul knife itself (or as I would do the war soul or soulblade) is strong aswell.

This makes me think of Ascenstral Relic from the Book of Holygoodness or what not where VoP comes from.

Find some form of limit to the threat range increases. As is, it's very stronk.
Also, annotate that Path of Destruction requires you to only use your Bladebound weapon, AND is only in a straight line.

Cheese to explain why the above are issues.

Spoiler

Level 12 Human Soulborn
1st lvl feat – Bladebound
Human feat – Quick Draw (Bladesworn)
3rd lvl feat – Blade’s Impact
6th lvl feat – Blade’s Edge
9th lvl feat – Soul Edge
12th lvl feat – Path of Destruction

Bladebound SPECIAL note: All fluff, no mechanical rules here. Yeeessss…. Very well then….

Situation 1: He has selected the Scimitar as his weapon. Bladebound scimitar’s threat range has been increased from 18-20 x2 to 16-20 x2 and with invested essentia (and Expanded Essentia capacity or the one for feats whichever applies) increases it further to 12-20 x2. Now, with various speed booster feats, expeditious retreat, and whatever else I can come up with to max speed at this point, the Soulborn prepares to make his Path of Destruction. Let’s say his speed is 100. Easily higher but we will sit with that. He moves his move speed, to target the 15 enemies in front of him. They are all within a 30 foot range and standing randomly in the area. Luckily, since the feat does not state he must move in a STRAIGHT LINE, he is able to attack each and every one of the baddies (since the entire move won’t take him over 100 move speed) and provoke zero attacks of op, all the while threatening on a 12-20 x2.

Situation 2: He now draws his +5 Greatsword of Craziness since he didn’t crit much. Or some combination of cool enchantments that benefits a person only hitting someone once. Like clouting! Oh that’s fun! Anyhow, he activates Path of Destruction, luckily since the feat doesn’t stipulate that he must use his feat generated weapon…. INCOMING GREATSWORD CRAZINESS! And the villains are not only hewn in twain! But their bits go a-flying! Path of Destruction makes this feat chain the best ever seen. Better than many class features. Essentially a single attack AOE against everyone within a certain path of travel limit, and a safe destination point.

[Pyromancer999]

Originally Posted by Deviston

My concern with this line of feats is the fact that a melee character would never NOT want to take at least the first. Always having a weapon nearly no matter what is stronk. It makes me think of the Fighter who wears a necklace of Anti-magic field. You should never NOT opt for it.

How is that a bad thing?

There are tons of other and better feat chains (which is the normal arguement) to follow, but if I were a melee character and theses existed, I would take the base feat (at least) every time. It's too valuable without having to level dip. And then combing this with a class like the soul knife itself (or as I would do the war soul or soulblade) is strong aswell.

Can't really see it working with other classes, excepting through incarnum through Soul Edge, which is fine, as I believe there is a limit on how much essentia you can invest in any one thing anyways, which caps at around 6 essentia at around 20th, if I remember right.

This makes me think of Ascenstral Relic from the Book of Holygoodness or what not where VoP comes from.

Not sure what you mean here. And are you talking about the Book of Exalted Deeds?

Find some form of limit to the threat range increases. As is, it's very stronk.
Also, annotate that Path of Destruction requires you to only use your Bladebound weapon, AND is only in a straight line.

Hmmmm...Threat ranges are mostly fine, and as for Path of Destruction, limiting it to the Bladesworn weapon you chose should be fine, although I'd rather it not be a straight line, as it's more fun that way. It's only a 1/day per three Bladesworn feats anyways, so I'd say if a person cares enough to invest feat slots on enough Bladesworn feats to do it a couple of times per day, they should get that much.