To you, this is a fencepost. To me... A warhammer. (3.5 PEACH)

[Qwertystop]

NOTE: THIS CLASS NEEDS A SERIOUS OVERHAUL, CHECK THE LATER POSTS FOR DETAILS OF FEATURES-IN-PROGRESS.

Essence Extractor

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+1	+0	+0	+2	Extract Weapon Essence (Light)
2nd	+2	+0	+0	+3
3rd	+3	+1	+1	+3	Refine Weapon Essence (Masterwork)
4th	+4	+1	+1	+4	Improved Essence Extraction (Masterwork)
5th	+5	+1	+1	+4	Extract Weapon Essence (One-Handed)
6th	+6/+1	+2	+2	+5
7th	+7/+2	+2	+2	+5	Refine Weapon Essence (+1)
8th	+8/+3	+2	+2	+6	Improved Essence Extraction (+1)
9th	+9/+4	+3	+3	+6	Extract Weapon Essence (Two-Handed)(Standard)
10th	+10/+5	+3	+3	+7
11th	+11/+6/+1	+3	+3	+7	Refine Weapon Essence (+2)
12th	+12/+7/+2	+4	+4	+8	Improved Essence Extraction (+2)
13th	+13/+8/+3	+4	+4	+8	Extract Weapon Essence (Exotic)(Similar Material)
14th	+14/+9/+4	+4	+4	+9
15th	+15/+10/+5	+5	+5	+9	Refine Weapon Essence (+4)
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+5	+5	+10	Improved Essence Extraction (+4)
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+5	+5	+10	Extract Weapon Essence (Any Material)(Swift)
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+6	+6	+11
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Refine Weapon Essence (+5 and special abilities)
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Improved Essence Extraction (+5)(special abilities)

Hit Die: d12
Skill Points at First Level: (4 + Int mod) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int mod
Class Skills: An Essence Extractor’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Craft (Int), Forgery (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Use Magic Device (Cha)
Class Features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: An Essence Extractor is proficient with all simple weapons and light armor. He is also proficient with one light martial weapon of his choice.

Extract Weapon Essence: An Essence Extractor is able to take the essence of an improvised weapon and separate it from the actual object. When this ability is used on an improvised weapon, it is transformed into the essence of the weapon, which is treated as a normal weapon of the type that deals damage closest to the original improvised weapon, and of the same material. For example, a large branch weighing 6 pounds would do 1d6 bludgeoning damage when used as an improvised weapon, but with a -4 penalty on attack rolls, and would count as a one-handed weapon (assuming the Extractor is Medium). When its essence is extracted, it would result in a wooden light mace, which would do identical damage but would have no improvised-weapon penalty on attack rolls, would only weigh 4 pounds, and would be a light weapon.
This ability requires a move action to use. If he wishes, he can supercharge the essence as he extracts it. The duration of the effect will be halved, but the weapon's damage die size will be increased as though it was made for a character one size category larger than the weapon actually is. The weapon will crumble to dust when the duration expires, instead of transforming back as normal.
A first level Essence Extractor can extract the essence from objects to produce light simple or martial weapons, and his extractions last 1d6 minutes + his Wisdom modifier. When the duration expires, the weapon changes back into the original object. He is automatically proficient with a weapon he extracts.
At fifth level, the Essence Extractor can produce a one-handed simple or martial weapon when using his Extract Weapon Essence.
At ninth level, the Essence Extractor can produce a two-handed simple or martial weapon. Also, he can extract the essence of the object as a standard action.
At thirteenth level, the Essence Extractor can produce an exotic weapon in place of a simple or martial weapon. Also, he can change the material of the weapon produced, as long as it is similar. For example, a wooden stick that would produce a club could be made into a Darkwood club instead; or a scrap of metal that would become a steel dagger could be extracted to form an adamantine one instead. This also applies to materials without any particular magical effect, such a making an oak club from a cherry bough.
At seventeenth level, the Essence Extractor can change the material of the weapon produced to any material he wants. Also, he can extract the essence as a swift action.

Refine Weapon Essence: At third level, the Essence Extractor can take a normal weapon and make it Masterwork as a move action. This lasts for 1d6 + his Wisdom modifier minutes, after which point the weapon returns to normal. If the weapon is of higher than Masterwork quality, it does not change.
At seventh level, the Essence Extractor can increase a weapon’s enhancement bonus by 1, but cannot increase it above +2. The bonus does not stack with other temporary effects.
At eleventh level, the Essence Extractor can increase the enhancement bonus by as much as 2, but cannot increase it above +4. The bonus does not stack with other temporary effects.
At fifteenth level, the Essence Extractor can increase the enhancement bonus by as much as 4, but cannot increase it above +5. The bonus does not stack with other temporary effects.
At nineteenth level, the Essence Extractor can increase the enhancement bonus to as much as +5. He can also give the weapon any special abilities that are priced in enhancement bonuses, as long as the total enhancement bonus of the weapon (sum of normal enhancement bonuses and the special abilities, including any that were preexisting before using this ability) does not surpass +10.

Improved Essence Extraction: At fourth level, the Essence Extractor can produce a masterwork weapon instead of a normal one when using his Extract Weapon Essence ability.
At eighth level, the weapon extracted can be made +1.
At twelfth level, the weapon extracted can be made +2.
At sixteenth level, the weapon produced can be made +4.
At twentieth level, the weapon produced can have a numerical enhancement bonus of up to +5, and can have any special abilities that are priced in enhancement bonus, as long as the total of the numerical (+x) bonuses and the enhancement bonus values of the special abilities do not add to more than +10.
_____________________________
Questions? Comments? Suggestions?

Most recent changes have been bolded.

[Siosilvar]

Suffers from the same problem as the soulknife: All of your class features are "I have a weapon."

Not to mention the 1d8 hit die and 3/4 BAB on a warrior.

That said, this is a great concept. Just needs a lot of work... maybe it should be a PrC instead.

[Qwertystop]

Originally Posted by Siosilvar

Suffers from the same problem as the soulknife: All of your class features are "I have a weapon."

Not to mention the 1d8 hit die and 3/4 BAB on a warrior.

That said, this is a great concept. Just needs a lot of work... maybe it should be a PrC instead.

I can bump it up to d12 and full BAB.
Also, a full quarter of the class features are free enchantment of any weapons. At 3rd, you save 200 gp on Masterwork. At 7th, you can save 2000 on a +1, or even more on a +2 if you have a +1. By 19th level, you can enhance a plain, cheap, maybe 50 gp Greatsword weapon into a +5 Flaming Ghost Touch Keen Wounding Greatsword, saving 199,950 gp, and at 20th, you can get that as long as you have a heavy branch with a sharpened edge (which I would consider to be maybe a DC 10 Craft check to sharpen the edge enough to count as slashing)

EDIT: Actually, going back over my hastily-scribbled plans, the BAB and Hit Die were supposed to be full and d12, respectively, all along. I copied the skeleton of the table and such from someone else's post, and I suppose I forgot to change those.

[Siosilvar]

Originally Posted by master256

Also, a full quarter of the class features are free enchantment of any weapons. At 3rd, you save 200 gp on Masterwork. At 7th, you can save 2000 on a +1, or even more on a +2 if you have a +1. By 19th level, you can enhance a plain, cheap, maybe 50 gp Greatsword weapon into a +5 Flaming Ghost Touch Keen Wounding Greatsword, saving 199,950 gp, and at 20th, you can get that as long as you have a heavy branch with a sharpened edge (which I would consider to be maybe a DC 10 Craft check to sharpen the edge enough to count as slashing)

Yes, a full quarter of your class is "I have a weapon." The other three quarters is "I can get a weapon."

That wouldn't be a problem if everybody else didn't have a weapon. As it stands, everybody else already has a weapon.

Like the soulknife, this is a cool concept. Also like the soulknife, it has poor execution. What do they do besides make weapons? Can they "extract enemy essence" and do ability damage/negative levels? Can they "extract ground essence" and create temporary terrain?

[Gorgondantess]

To elaborate on why "I have a weapon" is bad:
class levels are a very potent resource. You can break reality over your knee in 3.5 seconds with class levels. As such, they should give you something unique: something no one else can get without equal class levels. Anyone else can get a +5 enchantment enchantment enchantment greatsword. Anyone else can get feats. Spellcasting, though? Initiating? Unique other class features like a knight's challenge or a swashbuckler's insightful strike? Those all need class levels. Thus, don't give WBL with class levels, don't give feats with class levels, give class level stuff with class levels.

[Qwertystop]

Originally Posted by Siosilvar

Yes, a full quarter of your class is "I have a weapon." The other three quarters is "I can get a weapon."

That wouldn't be a problem if everybody else didn't have a weapon. As it stands, everybody else already has a weapon.

Like the soulknife, this is a cool concept. Also like the soulknife, it has poor execution. What do they do besides make weapons? Can they "extract enemy essence" and do ability damage/negative levels? Can they "extract ground essence" and create temporary terrain?

I was trying to fit in stuff like that, though the damage doesnt really fit with the concept. The concept is magnifying the best aspects of something, not stealing life. In the end, though, it seemed to me that it would seem a bit tacked-on to do non-weapon stuff, since the weapon stuff covers all 20 levels and I can't figure out a way to stagger other applications.

I was considering "extracting a being's essence", which would be making their main body collapse to the floor while a slightly smaller, possibly ethereal them floats out, with the original's highest 2 or 3 ability scores magnified while the others are nulled. (Moving their entire essence to their best qualities)

Didn't think of magnifying terrain though.

Incidentally, does calling it an "extractor" seem too much like direct-damage-dealing? Should I change it to "Magnifier" or something?

[DracoDei]

I don't know... this guy has a LOT of flexibility at higher levels. Everyone has been talking about the Soulknife. Let me present a counter-argument for consideration: Artificer. That is a guy who basically gets WBL for a lot of his class features. Now I HEAR Artificers are up with CoDzillas and Wizards in power level, but I have never really understood the details of that. I get a vague sense that a noticeable portion of it comes down to "<Whatever we are fighting> Bane" + Holy/Unholy/Anarchic/Axiomatic weapons and such. This guy can react faster than an artificer I think, which ups the power level.

If I am correct than there should be SOME point between soul-knife and artificer that matches what you want.

[Human Paragon 3]

1) Why only weapons? He should be able to make any sort of object, for instance, turn a scarf or a straw into a rope, or turn a coin into a pair of manacles by sampling its hardness. Take a look at the shadowsmith from Tome of Magic. It's a prestige class that makes stuff out of shadows.

2) I would give the option to change metal types a lot earlier so he can always have the right metal to bypass damage reduction.

3) One aspect of the class that isn't emphasized right now is his ability to destroy any object by sucking out its essence and leaving it as a husk. I would play that up.

[Qwertystop]

Originally Posted by Gaurd Juris

1) Why only weapons? He should be able to make any sort of object, for instance, turn a scarf or a straw into a rope, or turn a coin into a pair of manacles by sampling its hardness. Take a look at the shadowsmith from Tome of Magic. It's a prestige class that makes stuff out of shadows.

2) I would give the option to change metal types a lot earlier so he can always have the right metal to bypass damage reduction.

3) One aspect of the class that isn't emphasized right now is his ability to destroy any object by sucking out its essence and leaving it as a husk. I would play that up.

1) Because making weapons can be ruled with the catchall statement "closest in damage type", while other objects don't have any standardized set of stats besides HP and hardness.
2) Good idea, when would you suggest it? Which Extract Weapon Essence ability is weakest now?
3) The thing is, whatever he turns into a husk would have an emphasized version appear nearby, so it doesn't work too well as combat.

[Human Paragon 3]

It has out of combat applications. It's disable device in a can, you can break bonds, destroy a steal bar and turn it into a sword for a jail break, turn a wooden door into a wooden club so you can get where you need to go, destroy evidence, put out a fire by turning the fuel into a husk, and probably a ton of other creative uses! If you can turn stuff into other objects too, the sky is the limit. Take a look at shadowsmith if you have tome of magic. I think you're too caught up in making weapons and damage types and aren't seeing the big picture. It's a guy who can take the essence of an object and turn it into an idealized form. I don't think it would be too hard for you to say you can take an object and turn it into any other like object? Use a craft roll and give the class craft as a class skill, and a bonus to craft equal to 1/2 class level or something.

[Qwertystop]

Originally Posted by Gaurd Juris

It has out of combat applications. It's disable device in a can, you can break bonds, destroy a steal bar and turn it into a sword for a jail break, turn a wooden door into a wooden club so you can get where you need to go, destroy evidence, put out a fire by turning the fuel into a husk, and probably a ton of other creative uses! If you can turn stuff into other objects too, the sky is the limit. Take a look at shadowsmith if you have tome of magic. I think you're too caught up in making weapons and damage types and aren't seeing the big picture. It's a guy who can take the essence of an object and turn it into an idealized form. I don't think it would be too hard for you to say you can take an object and turn it into any other like object? Use a craft roll and give the class craft as a class skill, and a bonus to craft equal to 1/2 class level or something.

I know it would be good to turn stuff into normal objects, it's just that the phrase "similar" is fairly vague, and I'm not going to go through a list of every object in every splatbook ever, so I'm not sure how I would do it. If anyone knows a way, I'd probably put it in. It already has Craft as a class skill, but I'm not sure how a Craft check would work for this.
I don't have Tome of Magic, can someone summarize the Shadowsmith for me? It seems like it would be useful to know the mechanics from what people are saying.

[Venardhi]

Why not give him the ability to simply remove the 'essence' from an object. To remove its purpose and function. To turn a lock into a hole, to turn a door into a portal, to turn a warhammer into a fencepost. This removed essence could be stockpiled to some extent, or it could be transferred to another object.

The weapon stuff is well and good, but in a straight up smash and crash dungeon crawl the player of this class is going to be bored out of his mind. (At least I would be) and in a more social or political campaign he would have no real abilities to put to use.

Look beyond the immediately obvious into what more you can do with the same concept. Little first level spells can be immensely useful if used creatively even in a legendary campaign.

[Benly]

Originally Posted by DracoDei

I don't know... this guy has a LOT of flexibility at higher levels. Everyone has been talking about the Soulknife. Let me present a counter-argument for consideration: Artificer. That is a guy who basically gets WBL for a lot of his class features. Now I HEAR Artificers are up with CoDzillas and Wizards in power level, but I have never really understood the details of that. I get a vague sense that a noticeable portion of it comes down to "<Whatever we are fighting> Bane" + Holy/Unholy/Anarchic/Axiomatic weapons and such. This guy can react faster than an artificer I think, which ups the power level.

If I am correct than there should be SOME point between soul-knife and artificer that matches what you want.

An artificer can create any spell effect in the game and any magic item. The ability to bane whatever weapon you want is nice but it's not what makes Artificer a powerhouse.

[DracoDei]

I assume by "Any Spell Effect" you mean making potions, wands, and scrolls? Or is there an infusion I am missing?

Also, having to pick up and hold whatever you are transforming would... simplify things greatly. Not sure if it would be for the good or the bad, but it would simplify things.

If you DO expand it beyond weapons (which is a seperate choice from the above) you might try looking at Fabricate for one of your inspirations.

[Qwertystop]

I have a few ideas, but I'm not sure where they should go in the progression:

1: Remove the Preserve Essence ability and "husk". Weapons automatically revert, instead of being destroyed. If you want, you can halve the duration of the change to raise the die size by one increment, but the weapon will be destroyed at the end of the (shortened) duration. At higher levels, the duration will be shortened by a progressively smaller amount.

2: Spell Essence - As an immediate action, turn a spell being cast into a blobby thing, like a liquid, but cohesive. If it is thrown, drunk like a potion, or applied like an oil, the target/drinker/recipient will have the spell cast, targeted on them. If it cannot affect them, it fails, and they take 1d4 nonlethal damage from the minor magical energy that was released unspent. Maybe allow it (the blob) to be made into a Living Spell at higher levels or under certain situations.

3: Combine the Refine Essence and Improved Extraction into one ability.

4: Allow the original ability (the improvised-weapon one) to work on Improvised Tools (for skills) to make them into good ones.

5: Refine your own alignment into an aura that buffs those who are the same alignment in an aspect, weakens those that are opposite in an aspect. From a pole to neutral would be a minor debuff, and the buff and debuff would cancel each other out.

6: Turn a willing mind into an oil, which, when applied to an object, makes an intelligent item. This can also be undone by turning them back into an oil and applying it to their comatose but completely stable body, or waiting for the duration to end.


Any critique or suggestions on where to put 2, 4, 5, and 6 in the progression?

[Qwertystop]

Anybody?
Renaming thread, maybe it'll get more posts with a new name...