Archetype Soulmelds[3.5]

[Pyromancer999]

Background- I've been puzzling for a while as how to convert the Soulweaver(a Dragonfable class, for those familiar with the game) into D&D. At first, I thought a class, or a PrC. It seemed like a little too much. A feat or soulmeld (as the class revolves around the use of energy that's pretty much incarnum), perhaps? Too little. Then I came up with the idea of Archetypal Soulmelds, and decided to encompass this idea to fit other ideas I've had as well.

Archetype Soulmelds
Fluff

Spoiler

Archetype Soulmelds are a unique type of soulmeld. They were first discovered by Vahn'r Tainash, a meldshaper well-known to those who use incarnum. Vahn'r was brought up in an unusual orphanage-academy where children capable of using incarnum were raised. Proving adept at the usage of this soul-energy and its shaping, he quickly discovered new forms to shape incarnum into, inventing many soulmelds used into the present day, including Soulspark Familiar and Impulse Boots, amongst others. However, eventually, Vahn'r felt that the soulmelds, as they were, were not the only way to shape incarnum. By now 20, and helping out at the academy he grew up at, the teachers grew swiftly furious, and the headmaster, although he loved Vahn'r like a son, cast him out. However, he was able to make this condition: Vahn'r could return when he proved there were other ways to use incarnum. He set out throughout the land, and invented new ways of using incarnum that did not involve soulmelds, developing the techniques used by many prestige classes. He returned with one member of each class, but the teachers were not satisfied. Upon hearing this news, Vahn'r's eyes suddenly blazed a brilliant azure shade. Seeing this, the teachers quickly prepared for a battle, but strangely, he simply walked away. Little is known about the period that followed, except that it took place on top of a tall, secluded mountain. Time passed, and eventually Vahn'r began to leave the minds of those at the academy. Four years to the day he left, Vahn'r suddenly arrived. The teachers, who had all but forgotten him, slowly approached him. Vahn'r shaped the Soulweaver's Cloak Archetype Soulmeld in front of them, and they knew: Vahn'r had truly come across a new, improved way to shape incarnum, creating new, evolved types of soulmelds. Vahn'r was welcomed back, and taught talented students there how to shape these soulmelds, who then in turn taught others, spreading their use across the world.

Archetype Soulmelds act much like other soulmelds: they can have essentia invested in them, be bound to chakras, etc. However, they differ in a few ways. They are much more powerful than a normal soulmeld. You must take the Archetypal Meldshaper feat(see below) in order to learn how to shape one. Once you invest essentia in an Archetype Soulmeld, you cannot withdraw essentia from it. Archetype Soulmelds count as two soulmelds towards the limit you can shape. Also, some Archetype Soulmelds have certain abilities that activate when other soulmelds are shaped, called Synergy abilities. Lastly, you may not shape more than one Archetype Soulmeld at a time.

New Feat
Archetypal Meldshaper
Prerequisite:Able to shape two or more Soulmelds at a time
Benefit:You learn how to shape one Archetype Soulmeld.
Special: You may select this feat multiple times.



Archetype Soulmelds

Soulweaver Cloak

Spoiler

Soulweaver Cloak
Descriptors:None
Classes:All
Chakra:Hands, Arms, Shoulders, or Soul
Saving Throw:No

An azure cloak froms around you, looking rather like a long jacket. It has sleeves with rather odd looking, stripey cuffs, and looks rather cool and unusual.

Soulweavers deal with matters of the Soul, and draw upon the souls of past Archetypal Meldshapers. You gain a +5 bonus to speed, and gain a +3 bonus to AC. You may treat yourself as though you had unlocked one chakra of up to one level higher than the highest level you can use.(ex. so, if you had a least chakra unlocked, a lesser chakra could be unlocked). If you cannot bind to your chakras, one least chakra of your choice is unlocked. You may not bind this Archetype Soulmeld to this chakra, with the exception of the Soul chakra, but are free to bind other soulmelds to this chakra. Also, choose one energy type, selected when this Archetype Soulmeld is. You gain Energy Resistance to equal to 1 + twice the amount of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld.
Essentia: You gain an additional +5ft bonus to speed and +1 bonus to AC for each point of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld.

Chakra Bind(Hands)
Two azure blades of energy spring from the cuffs of the Soulweaver cloak. Gloves of pure azure energy envelop your wrists.

You may now attack with Azure Blades, dealing 1d8 piercing damage. These may not be used so long as you have objects in your hand. Also, you may bind another soulmeld to this chakra while the Soulweaver Cloak is, so long as it is not an Archetype Soulmeld, nor does it have essentia invested in it.
Essentia: The damage dealt by your Azure Blades increases by one die size for each point of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld. Also, at your option, they may also deal damage of the energy type you selected when you learned this Archetype Soulmeld.


Chakra Bind(Arms)
The cuffs expand to form an odd, brilliant sapphire bracer. Incorporeal
creatures and Outsiders seem to draw back when hit by this light

Your attacks become more damaging to those who are just made out of the material of their soul. Outsiders and creatures with the Incorporeal subtype are dealt 1 + the amount of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld extra damage from your attacks, and your melee attacks are treated as though your weapons had the Ghost Touch weapon property.
Essentia: You may temporarily unbind the soul of Outsiders and Incorporeal creatures, disrupting them. You may, once per encounter per two essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld, stun an Outsider or Incorporeal creature for a number of rounds equal to the number of points of essentia invested in this feat.

Chakra Bind(Shoulders)
The cuffs expand to cover all the way up to your shoulders. Your movements suddenly become more quick.

You may make an additional attack as a free action once per 5 rounds. Always, as part of a full attack, you gain one additional attack, at a -5 penalty.
Essentia:For every point of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld, you may decrease the penalty on the additional attack to a full attack by 1, and increase the attack roll for the normal free attack by 1.

Chakra Bind(Soul)
The entire cloak grows and expands, glowing a brilliant, but not blinding, sapphire. Other soulmelds seems to do the same, growing more powerful than before

Your Meldshaper level increases by 1 while this soulmeld is shaped. Also, all soulmelds are treated as though they had 1 + 1/2 the amount of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld additional points of essentia invested in them. This point does not count towards the limit of how many points of essentia you can invest in a soulmeld.

Synergy(Soulspark Familiar):
Your Soulspark Familiar suddenly changes shape, assuming a more humanoid, and powered up, form
Your Soulspark Familiar becomes a Soul Ally, increasing one size for each point of essentia invested in this soulmeld, and also all statistics are increased by 1. Its attacks deal damage of the energy type selected when this Archetype Soulmeld is learned. Additionally, if you have this Archetype Soulmeld bound to your Soul Chakra, your Soul Ally may shape one soulmeld you know.

Vestige Chains

Spoiler

Vestige Chains
Descriptors:None
Classes:All
Chakra:Hands, Arms, or Soul
Saving Throw:Yes

You draw upon a fragment of what can be called the vestige's soul, and manifest it as the chains that bind it to wherever it lies. These chains wrap around your body noticeably.

This soulmeld draws upon the souls of vestiges. Although it is arguable whether vestiges do not possess souls of their own, they did at some point. This Archetype Soulmeld grasps onto what remained of a vestige's soul after it died, a soul fragment that is hard for even experienced meldshapers to perceive. Choose a number of vestiges of any level equal to your Wis modifier when you learn this Archetype Soulmeld. Whenever you shape this Archetype Soulmeld, you may select one vestige. You gain one ability from it, as on the table here
. Your EBL is equal to your Meldshaper level - 1.
Essentia: Your EBL increases by 1 for each point of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld.

Chakra Bind(Hands)
The chains created by the vestige's soul fragment begin to move, being malleable to your will

You may attack with the chains created by this Archetype Soulmeld, treating these chains as masterwork spiked chains. When you use these chains to attack, you may wrap them around your opponent and move him 5 ft towards you.

Chakra Bind(Arms)
The chains wrap around your torso and arms, ending at a wrist clamp on the end of each arm. The vestige's circle appears on each arm, a tattoo of incarnum, glowing softly.

You gain the benefits of being bound to the chosen vestige, providing a binder of your EBL could bind it.


Chakra Bind(Soul)
Your chains become undone, the energy evaporating and forming instead the vestige's circle on your chest, glowing with azure brilliance

Your effective EBL now equals 1/2 your meldshaper level + three times the number points of essentia invested in this. Additionally, once per day, for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your meldshaper level, you may allow the soul fragment to overwhelm you, allowing you to become just like a Summoned Vestige of CR nearest to your meldshaper level. You lose all other abilities in this state, and the rounds need not be consecutive.

Guardian's Gauntlets

Spoiler

Guardian's Gauntlet
Descriptors:None
Classes:All
Chakra:Hands, Arms, or Soul
Saving Throw:Yes

A loose bunch of minature plates cover your hand, forming almost what appears to be a metallic glove over it

In ages past, an order of guardians existed, both good and evil, to protect the order of feelings in the human world. Each order represented a particular emotion or feeling, and deriving their powers from it. The colors and emotions of each order were: Green/Willpower, Yellow/Fear, Violet/Love, Red/Anger, Blue/Hope, Orange/Greed, and Indigo/Compassion. Each member of the order wore a gauntlet of their order's color, excepting a rather effeminate male member of the Green order that wore a ring instead. This soulmeld draws upon the souls of past members of one order, and the emotion that order represented. Choose one order(see below). This will affect how the Guardian's Gauntlet will work. However, as each of the orders had some abilities in common, you gain such abilities first. You are granted a fly speed equal to your land speed + 5 ft/point of essentia invested. You gain the ability to send forth force blasts, which deal 2d8 + 2d8/point of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld force damage. This blast has a range of 20 ft + 10 ft/point of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld. Additionally, you get a bonus to AC equal to 1 + the points of essentia invested in the Archetype Soulmeld, and ranged attacks have a 5%+ 5% per point of essentia invested chance of missing.

Essentia: Your Gauntlet gains additional abilities based upon what color you chose:

Color	Ability
Green	Telekinesis effect for up to 25 pounds/point of essentia
Yellow	Frightful Prescence for 10 ft/point of essentia
Violet	Can cast Charm Person 1/day per point of essentia
Red	May rage as a Barbarian of meldshaper level for 1 round per point of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld per day
Blue	Can heal 5 points of damage/point of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld, as per the Paladin's Lay on Hands ability
Orange	Can use a Vampire Touch effect for 3 points of damage/point of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld per day
Indigo	Gains Wild Empathy, as a Druid, except that it can apply to 1 additional type of creature other than those of the Animal type for every point of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld

Chakra Bind(Hands)
The minature plates link together, forming a true gauntlet, which then binds to your hand, becoming almost one with it

You gain the ability to make emotional constructs. These act like Astral Constructs, except that they are made of incarnum and gain the tiniest modicum of your color's power. Each gains the essentia power of your color for the non-bound version of this Archetype Soulmeld as though it had 1 point of essentia invested in it. So, a Red-based emotional Construct would be able to rage as a Barbarian for 1 round. You may make a total number of emotional constructs equal to 1 + 1/2 the number of points of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld per encounter, and all Astral Constructs are of level equal to 3 + the number of points of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld.

Chakra Bind(Arms)
The plates extend up your arm, forming a bracer of sorts. You begin to feel a bit of the emotion associated with your order

This bind draws more strongly upon the powers of each color and order, granting enhanced abilities:

Color	Ability
Green	Can use Suggestion 1/encounter per point of essentia invested
Yellow	Those hit by the attack granted by this soulmeld must make a Will save or be panicked for 1 round per point of essentia invested
Violet	Can cast Charm Monster 1/day per two points of essentia invested in this feat, and gains a Cha bonus equal to the number of points of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld
Red	You have a chance of destroying any effect that comes near you. This acts like Dispel Magic, except it affects all spell, spell-like, supernatural, or other similar abilities that come within 5 ft per point of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld.
Blue	You can tap into the hopes of one target within 5 ft/point of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld, distracting them with illusions where their hopes come true. This distracts them to the point where they cannot move, and are stunned for 1 round/point of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld. This may be done 1/day/point of essentia invested
Orange	You can steal certain traits of people. You may steal 1 ability point/point of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld per day. You may treat 2 skill points as 1 ability point or one feat as two ability points for the purposes of this feat. These stolen things last until your next extended rest. Additionally, once per week, you may copy the identity of any one person with 4 less HD than you, treating the identity the same as 4 ability points. This lasts the same as other stolen things.
Indigo	You force others to feel compassion for those they've done wrong, emotionally overhwhelming them, paralyzing them for 1 round per point of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld. This can be done a number of times per day equal to 1 + 1/2 the number of points of essentia invested

Chakra Bind(Soul)
The plates interlock not only over your hand, but spread to cover your body, making it shine with light of your chosen color

You've now tied to your very soul the emotions and ideals of the ancient order you emulate with this soulmeld. You may now treat the number of points of essentia invested in this feat as though it has been doubled, even if this would exceed the amount you may invest in a soulmeld or Archetype Soulmeld.

Spellseeker Gloves

Spoiler

Spellseeker Gloves
Descriptors:None
Classes:All
Chakra:Hands, Arms, or Heart
Saving Throw:Yes

An odd glove forms over your hand. The main part of the glove is a nice but in the center of the back hand part of the glove is a circle, glowing with an arcane, azure light
Legend

Spoiler

This Archetype Soulmeld has its own legend behind it, often quoted by Incarnum users whenever an Arcane spellcaster gets high and mighty on them. Once, while Vahn'r Tainash was traveling the roads after his initial display of Archetype Soulmelds, he met a prideful wizard. This wizard was able to shock people, turn into a mouse, and create some illusions. This granted the wizard no small amount of respect and prestige in the area where he lived. One day, Vahn'r came across the wizard performing some spells. "This seems interesting" He said to a man standing by him. The wizard overhead him. "Interesting? Just that?" He exclaimed,"Sir, these are arcane arts that are secret and unknown to millions! It takes skill to learn how to do this!". Vahn'r looked at the man and paused for a second. "It doesn't seem to be that hard. I bet I could do that stuff in three days." He replied calmly. This set off the wizard, who issued a challenge for a magical contest for three days in the future. Vahn'r calmly accepted, then locked himself in his room for three days. When time for the challenge came, Vahn'r showed up with this Archetype Soulmeld shaped. The wizard was in top form. He shocked a buffalo to death. He turned into a lion. He created the illusion of a large pile of gold so real-looking, the event had to be paused when a flock of passing red wyrmlings tried to steal the gold. Vahn'r watched this all with a mild look of amusement on his face. He then got up and did his act.
"I don't think he can do better than my shocking a buffalo", before Vahn'r cast Chain Lightning and took out the Red wyrmlings that had disturbed the event. This disturbed the wizard, who looked around and said to the crowd, "Well, at least he can't turn into a lion!", before Vahn'r transformed into a Juvenile Incarnum Dragon before their eyes. Before the next stage of the competition, the Juvenile dragon came over and said with a grin,"You're right. I can't turn into a lion." This made the wizard panicked. "At the most, he cannot surpass my illusion," he muttered, the second before Vahn'r created an actual castle. As the judges pronounced him the winner of the competition, Vahn'r looked at the gaping wizard. "What?" He said. "I couldn't get how to create images, so I just decided to create the real thing." After this point in the tale, the incarnum user is normally zapped, burnt, or subjected to some other kind of attack by the arcane spellcaster the tale has been told to, although not without a satisfied look on the meldshaper's face during and after the assault.

This soulmeld draws upon the souls of wizards from all times and the arcane energy tied to them. This grants the meldshapers who use this a spellcasting ability of sorts. The meldshaper may cast arcane spells from the Sor/Wiz spell list.The meldshaper's caster level is equal to their meldshaper level -1, and can cast spells of up to the highest spell level a sorcerer of their meldshaper level -1 could. The meldshaper knows 2 spells from each level of spell they can cast, plus 1 additional spell per level for each point of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld. These spells are chosen as this Archetype Soulmeld is learned, or as they are gained, whichever comes first. You cast using spell levels, gaining spell levels equal to your meldshaper level + twice the amount of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld. This spellcasting does not count as spellcasting for qualifying for feats, prestige classes, or any other similar thing.


Chakra Bind(Hands)
lThe light begins to swirl around, almost revolving, as arcane energy becomes available to channel

You may choose a number of metamagic feats equal to the number of points of essentia invested in this soulmeld. You may use these feats for your spellcasting, and may 1/day per two points of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld, use one of these metamagic feats for free on a spell. However, if one of the metamagic feats has another metamagic feat as a prerequite, you must also have chosen that one as well.

Chakra Bind(Arms)
The material of the glove expands to cover up your arm, and a line of the arcane azure light from the circle trails up the center

You may choose one school of magic. You gain a number of spell levels equal to 1/4 your meldshaper level + the number of points of essentia invested in this feat for the special use of only spells of that school of magic.


Chakra Bind(Heart)
The glove's material expands to cover your chest. The circle of light moves to position itself over your heart, now glowing a brilliant sapphire, with a noticeabley arcane tinge to it

Choose one metamagic feat that does not require another metamagic feat to obtain. You may now apply that metamagic feat to all spells you cast using this Archetype Soulmeld. Also, you may translate spell energy into life using this soulmeld, healing yourself of 1d6 damage per spell level sacrificed this way. Additionally, you gain an additional number of spell levels equal to 1/5 your caster level + the number of points of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld.

Synergy(Soulspark Familiar):
Your Soulspark Familiar becomes like an actual familiar. It still benefits from the Incarnum Shroud ability, but its statistics change to any familiar with the same or less HD, as you choose(including those available through the Improved Familiar feat or other similar methods). You gain the familiar bonus this kind of familiar gives.

Necroweaver Wreathe

Spoiler

Necroweaver Wreathe
Descriptors:Necrocarnum, Evil
Classes:All
Chakra:Hands, Arms, Waist, or Soul
Saving Throw:No

A crimson cloak froms around you, extending into a loose bunch plate armor that hovers around you, with noticeably large cuffs.You look quite a bit tougher than before.

Soulweavers deal with matters of the Soul, and are generally good. However, some go renegade, and allow themselves to be tainted by Neocarnum. Some already are tainted by Necrocarnum from the beginning. These are the Necroweavers. You gain a +5 bonus to speed, and gain a +3 bonus to AC. You may treat yourself as though you had unlocked one chakra of up to one level higher than the highest level you can use.(ex. so, if you had a least chakra unlocked, a lesser chakra could be unlocked). If you cannot bind to your chakras, one least chakra of your choice is unlocked. You may not bind this Archetype Soulmeld to this chakra, with the exception of the Soul chakra, but are free to bind other soulmelds to this chakra. Also, you now add the Necrocarnum despcriptor to all soulmelds you have shaped while this Archetype Soulmeld is.
Essentia: You gain an additional +5ft bonus to speed and +1 bonus to AC for each point of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld.

Chakra Bind(Hands)
The cuffs now adhere to your wrists, growing jagged around the edges and becoming slightly larger than before. Flickers of Necrocarnum occasionally buzz around the edges.

You may now attack with Crimson Cannons. These ares ranged attack that deal 1d8 bludgeoning damage, and have a range of 15 ft + 15 ft/point of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld. These may not be used so long as you have objects in your hand. Also, you may bind another soulmeld to this chakra while the Necrocarnum Wreathe is, so long as it is not an Archetype Soulmeld, nor does it have essentia invested in it.
Essentia: The damage dealt by your Crimson Cannons increases by one weapon size for each point of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld. Also, at your option, this damage may bypass damage reduction as though it were an evil-aligned weapon.


Chakra Bind(Arms)
The plate around your arms settles in, and binds to your arms. You look stronger.

You become a bit stronger. You gain a Strength bonus equal to 1 + the amount of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld. Your melee attacks are treated as though your weapons had the Ghost Touch weapon property.
Essentia: You grow strong enough to stun people. You may, once per encounter per two essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld, stun a creature for a number of rounds equal to half the number of points of essentia invested in this feat.

Chakra Bind(Waist)
The floating plate binds to the areas surrounding your waist

You become more durable thanks to the power of Necrocarnum. You gain a Constitution bonus equal to 1 + the number of points of essentia invested in this feat. Additionally, it allows you to steal the soul energy of others. You gain an attack that mimics Vampire Touch, except that it only steals a number of hit points equal to 2 + twice the number of points of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld, and can only be done once per encounter per two points of essentia invested in it.


Chakra Bind(Soul)
The entire plate binds to your body. Large pairs of bones made of neocarnum jut out of the back, and a cloak descends from your shoulders. Your eyes gleam with neocarnum, the whites turning red, reflecting Necrocarnum's corruption of your soul

Your Meldshaper level increases by 1 while this soulmeld is shaped. Also, all Necrocarnum soulmelds are treated as though they had 1 + 1/2 the amount of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld additional points of essentia invested in them. This point does not count towards the limit of how many points of essentia you can invest in a soulmeld.

Synergy(Necrocarnum Crown)
You may raise 1 Necrcocarnum Zombie, even if you do not have it bound to your Crown Chakra. If it is bound to your Crown chakra while you have this Archetype Soulmeld shaped, you may raise two. Other effects that increase the number of Necrocarnum Zombies you may raise are changed to reflect this increase in number of Necrocarnum Zombies able to have raised. Also, the Necrocarnum Zombies gain the benefit of one CorpseCrafter trait per two points of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld.

Verdant Cape

Spoiler

Verdant Cape
Descriptors:None
Classes:Totemist
Chakra:Shoulders, Waist, Heart, or Totem
Saving Throw:Yes

You draw upon the emerald incarnum of the forest, carefully shaping it into a cloak of leaves shaped from this energy

This Archetype Soulmeld draws upon the soul of the forest. Due to the forest's green nature, the incarnum used in this Archetype Soulmeld is a verdant green rather than blue. The useage of this energy allows mastery over plants, as well as some fey abilities, as these beings are formed from the same energy as is used in this Archetype Soulmeld. First off, one can extend the ends of the cape to attack enemies, granting the meldshaper a tentacle attack that deals 2d8 + 2d8/point of essentia invested bludgeoning or piercing damage, with the type of damage dealt being chosen from each of these two choices at the beginning of the day. Secondly, it grants one the ability to greenwalk, making it so that plant matter cannot count as difficult terrain, and also granting a +10 + 5 ft/point of essentia invested bonus when walking through forests. Lastly, the durability of nature creeps into your frame from contact with this incarnum, granting you a bonus to Constitution equal to 1 + the amount of incarnum invested in this soulmeld.

Essentia: Investing essentia allows you to bring life to plants, imbuing them with this special incarnum. This acts as the spell Animate Plants, except that it only animates one Medium plant per two caster levels, with your caster level equaling your meldshaper level + the amount of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld for this purpose.


Chakra Bind(Shoulders)
The verdant leaves expand to cover your shoulders. Wherever you walk, plant life can be seen growing and strengthening only moments after you have been there

You gain almost magical power over plants. You gain the Plant domain special power, except that you use your Con modifier to determine the number of turn attempts, and gain 2 + the amount of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld spell levels. You may use these spell levels to cast spells from the Plant domain, treating your caster level as your meldshaper level. You cannot cast spells of a level higher than a druid of your meldshaper level could.

Chakra Bind(Waist)
The leaves bind to your torso, to an extent that makes you seem almost plant-like

You gain the ability to turn into a plant for a limited time. You may use Wildshape, as a druid, treating your meldshaper level as your druid level, except that it only allows you to turn into Small, Medium, or Large plant creatures. Also, this ability only lasts 10 minutes per meldshaper level, and is useable a number of times per day equal to 1 + 1/2 the amount of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld.
Essentia: By investing 2 points of essentia in this Archetype Soulmeld, you may turn into Tiny or Huge Plant creatures. By Investing 4 points of essentia in this Archetype Soulmeld, you may turn into Diminutive or Gargantuan Plant creatures.

Chakra Bind(Heart)
An emerald radiance excludes itsefl from your chest. You eyes shine emerald, and it appears that your hair is made of leaves, and your body from plant matter

Your very core becomes infused with the soul-energy of the forest. You become able to animate Trees or other similar plants as a Treant, being able to animate one such tree per point of essentia invested in this soulmeld. Also, you gain Plant type traits, and may make use of certain Plant Domain spells, being able to use one level of Plant Domain spell for each point of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld(ex. Two points of essentia, can make use of the 1st and 2nd level spells of the Plant domain). These spells may be cast once per 6 rounds.


Chakra Bind(Totem)
Your eyes glow an emerald hue, allowing your sense of the nature around you to grow
Your nature power increases. You gain a more generalized nature power, granting you 2 + the amount of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld spell levels, which can only be used to cast Druid spells, treating your caster level as your meldshaper level. You cannot cast spells of a level higher than a druid of your meldshaper level could. You only know 1 + your Con modifier Druid spells of each level of spell you can cast, selected when this Archetype Soulmeld is learned.

Champion Plate

Spoiler

Champion Plate
Descriptors:None
Classes:Incarnate, Soulborn
Chakra:Hands,Shoulders, or Waist
Saving Throw:Yes

This armor forms differently for everyone. For Good and some Lawful people, it forms as a shining white bunch of plate armor that covers only your torso. For those who are Evil, and for some Chaotic people, the armor is pitch black. For the rare few who take no sides, it manifests as grey plate

This Archetype Soulmeld draws upon the souls of all those who share your alignment. When using your alignment for this Archetype Soulmeld, your alignment on the Good vs. Evil axis is all that matters, unless you are neutral on that level, in which case your alignment on the Lawful vs. Chaotic axis is what matters. For the few True Neutral meldshapers who can shape this soulmeld, you may select one alignment to treat as your own for the purposes of this Archetype Soulmeld. This soulmeld has numerous useful abilities. For one, if you cannot detect members of opposing alignments, you may now(ex. Lawful Evil characters can detect both Chaotic and Good persons). If you already have a similar ability, its range doubles. Also, you gain the ability to Smite any members of an opposing alignment 1/day + 1/day per point of essentia invested in this soulmeld. Should you already have this kind of ability, you may instead increase the additional damage dealt by one-half, and increase your uses per day by 1 + 1 per 2 points of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld. Additionally, you gain a +3 bonus to AC.

Essentia: You may increase the AC bonus of this Archetype Soulmeld by 1 per point of essentia invested.

Chakra Bind(Hands)
The armor extends a bit to form light arm guards and some gauntlets around your hands. Depending on your alignment, the gauntlets seem to shine or give off a deadly aura

You gain a pool of points equal to 5 + 5 x the amount of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld. If Lawful or Good, these points may be used to heal hit points as per the Paladin's Lay on Hands ability. If Chaotic or Evil, however, these points may be used to damage people instead. You may straight-up damage people with a touch attack using these points, or may add them to an existing attack, in which case you must decide how many points you are adding before you make the attack roll.

Chakra Bind(Shoulders)
The shoulder guards of the armor grow bigger. Somehow, you seem more tough, more endurant than before

You gain additional endurance from the champions of your alignment before you. You gain a bonus to Constitution equal to 2 + the number of points invested in this Archetype Soulmeld. Also, the base essentia effect now increases the bonus to AC by twice the number of points invested in this Archetype Soulmeld. Additionally, once per week, should you reach 0 or below hit points, you may automatically stabilize and heal a number of hit points equal to twice the number of points of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld.

Chakra Bind(Waist)
The plate around your torso and waist becomes infused with the incarnum of the champions that came before you, and reflects your strength of alignment in its white, black, or the occasional grey glow. You are now stronger and more capable in combat than before.

The souls of champions past enforce your armor with strength and vigor. You gain a bonus to Strength equal to 2 + the number of points invested in this Archetype Soulmeld. Also, you gain a bonus to attack and damage rolls equal to 1 + the number of points of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld. Additionally, should you also have this Archetype Soulmeld bound to your Hands Chakra, if you are of Good or Lawful alignment, you may now use points from your healing pool to damage Evil or Chaotic creatures, and if you are Chaotic or Evil, you may use the points from your damage pool to heal Evil or Chaotic creatures.

That's all for now, but I expect I will be able to make a few more when I have the time. Feel free to make suggestions. Please PEACH and Comment.

[Pyromancer999]

Anyone want to PEACH/give general comments on this idea?

[zagan]

I'm sorry I don't have the time do give you a detailed peach at the moment, but I must say that i really like the concept.
Still i did notice a few thing:

What do you mean by statistic for the soulspark familiar ?

For the vestige chain soulmeld when bound to the sould chakra your EBL is equat to your meldshaper level + 3 times essentia ?
So at ECL 20th I could have and an EBL of 35 ???

You may also want to reread it a little, I think some word may be missing or repeat at some point.

Anyway I'll try to comment more later.

[Pyromancer999]

Originally Posted by zagan

I'm sorry I don't have the time do give you a detailed peach at the moment, but I must say that i really like the concept.
Still i did notice a few thing:

What do you mean by statistic for the soulspark familiar ?

Soulspark Familiar, even though it is a soulmeld, creates a creature, of sorts. So, basically, it grants a +1 bonus to everything on the stats for the Soulspark familiar-HD, attack bonus, attack dice, abilities, etc.

For the vestige chain soulmeld when bound to the sould chakra your EBL is equat to your meldshaper level + 3 times essentia ?
So at ECL 20th I could have and an EBL of 35 ???

Oops, typo. Meant to say 1/2 meldshaper level + 3 times the essentia invested in it. fixed.

Anyway I'll try to comment more later.

Thanks

[IncarnumJunkie]

As the most proficient user of Incarnum amongst my own circle as well as an Incarnomaniac, I have to say that this is a truly wonderful idea. The concept of creating a more powerful soulmeld that requires double the soulmelds capable is a brilliant idea. I should try to muscle this into a game next time I play with my friends.

I have to ask the question, because this Incarnum we're talking about and it would not do to have the question be ignored.

Necrocarnum. How can this feat be applied to necrocarnum and what necrocarnum-based archetype soulmeld(s) can you come up with?

[Glimbur]

Interesting fluff. Note that it is possible to get one of these via three feats: Shape Soulmeld twice and then Archetype Meldshaper. You should specify the meldshaper level for the Archetype Soulmelds... it wouldn't be a big deal to make meldshaper level equal to character level.

Soulweaver Cloak is quite powerful. The speed and AC bonuses should have types, probably insight. Opening another chakra is quite powerful... the opening of a least chakra when you cannot bind is currently useless as you have 0 chakra binds to use. The energy resistance feels rather thrown on at the moment. This feels like you wanted the opening of a higher chakra and threw in the other bonuses to make this better; it seems disjointed to me.
Hand bind: what happens if I make the blades bigger than a d20? Normally attacks scale up like you increased in size categories, not a straight die size increase. I might just give a +2 to damage per essentia invested. This seems about right for a hand bind for a normal soulmeld, and with the bundle of bonuses for shaping that is about right.
Arms bind: What is the range on the unbinding of souls? It should allow a save, and 1-6ish rounds of stun is pretty brutal. I might make it essentia/2 rounds, minimum one.
Shoulder Bind: Scared as I am to say this, it seems reasonably balanced. I am scared because extra attacks are scary, but this is reasonable.
Soul Bind seems a little weak for a soul bind. I'm not sure how to improve it though. Possibly each two essentia in this increases the essentia in all soulmelds by one and ignores the cap?
Soul Ally, as said earlier, could be a bit clearer.

Vestige Chains seems like it should require the ability to bind things to shape it, but that would make it pretty useless.
Hands bind could give +essentia to hit and damage with the chain. Does the meldshaper get proficiency in these spiked chains?
Arms is a strange slot to give vestige abilities for.
Soul bind: ML/2 +3*essentia could be less than ML-1. Turning in to something else is... I'm too lazy to evaluate all of the balance there, sorry. It looks like the highest CR vestige is CR 18, so if one uses the Archetype Cloak and this one (costing two feats) one could get the ability to turn into a CR 18 thing at ECL 16. Depending on the powers of the critters, that might not be a big deal.

[Pyromancer999]

Originally Posted by IncarnumJunkie

As the most proficient user of Incarnum amongst my own circle as well as an Incarnomaniac, I have to say that this is a truly wonderful idea. The concept of creating a more powerful soulmeld that requires double the soulmelds capable is a brilliant idea. I should try to muscle this into a game next time I play with my friends.

I have to ask the question, because this Incarnum we're talking about and it would not do to have the question be ignored.

Necrocarnum. How can this feat be applied to necrocarnum and what necrocarnum-based archetype soulmeld(s) can you come up with?

Well, current ideas I have in mind are:
-Nightmare Cloak/Shroud
-Soul Ring
-Mage Robes
-Cerebral Circlet

So, anyways, I think Nightmare Cloak/Shroud could probably do well as a Neocarnum Archetype Soulmeld. Hadn't thought of using Neocarnum, so thanks!

Originally Posted by Glimbur

Interesting fluff. Note that it is possible to get one of these via three feats: Shape Soulmeld twice and then Archetype Meldshaper. You should specify the meldshaper level for the Archetype Soulmelds... it wouldn't be a big deal to make meldshaper level equal to character level.

Eh?

Soulweaver Cloak is quite powerful. The speed and AC bonuses should have types, probably insight. Opening another chakra is quite powerful... the opening of a least chakra when you cannot bind is currently useless as you have 0 chakra binds to use. The energy resistance feels rather thrown on at the moment. This feels like you wanted the opening of a higher chakra and threw in the other bonuses to make this better; it seems disjointed to me.

The bonuses do have a purpose, though.

Hand bind: what happens if I make the blades bigger than a d20? Normally attacks scale up like you increased in size categories, not a straight die size increase. I might just give a +2 to damage per essentia invested. This seems about right for a hand bind for a normal soulmeld, and with the bundle of bonuses for shaping that is about right.

Size would probably be better, come to think of it.

Arms bind: What is the range on the unbinding of souls? It should allow a save, and 1-6ish rounds of stun is pretty brutal. I might make it essentia/2 rounds, minimum one.

Maybe a range of 5 ft? And yes, it does allow a save.

Shoulder Bind: Scared as I am to say this, it seems reasonably balanced. I am scared because extra attacks are scary, but this is reasonable.
Soul Bind seems a little weak for a soul bind. I'm not sure how to improve it though. Possibly each two essentia in this increases the essentia in all soulmelds by one and ignores the cap?

Good idea, although I'd have to think it over.

Soul Ally, as said earlier, could be a bit clearer.

Yeah. Thinking of ways to improve wording.

Vestige Chains seems like it should require the ability to bind things to shape it, but that would make it pretty useless.
Hands bind could give +essentia to hit and damage with the chain. Does the meldshaper get proficiency in these spiked chains?

Interesting idea, and yes. Should put that.

Arms is a strange slot to give vestige abilities for.

Yeah, but it fits in with the chains bit.

Soul bind: ML/2 +3*essentia could be less than ML-1. Turning in to something else is... I'm too lazy to evaluate all of the balance there, sorry. It looks like the highest CR vestige is CR 18, so if one uses the Archetype Cloak and this one (costing two feats) one could get the ability to turn into a CR 18 thing at ECL 16. Depending on the powers of the critters, that might not be a big deal.

Yeah. I think it pretty much balances out.

[Pyromancer999]

Alright! Three new and fresh Archetype Soulmelds have been added:

-Guardian's Gauntlets

-Spellseeker's Gloves

-Neoweaver Wreathe(A Neocarnum Archetype Soulmeld)

Please comment and PEACH!

[Pyromancer999]

Anyone want to comment on/PEACH the new Archetype Soulmelds?

[InfiniteNothing]

Hmm...

How many times per day/hour/minute/encounter can you activate the basic Red and Orange Guardian Gauntlet abilities? Also, what's the range of the blast attack?

Why allow the constructs created by the Hands chakra binding of the Guardian Gauntlet to access the basic essentia investment ability as if only one point of essentia was invested? That seems... a bit weak, to be honest.

You may want to spellcheck the Necroweaver Wreathe (btw, check the definition of that last word to make sure you're using the right word.) You may also want to specify that its a 5ft bonus to speed.

The essentia augmentation of the Necroweaver Wreathe hands chakra bind refers to the Soulweaver Cloak and Azure Blades. You should probably fix that.

Other than that, they look good. Any chance of an epic feat that lets you use more than one of these suckers at once?

[Pyromancer999]

Originally Posted by InfiniteNothing

Hmm...

How many times per day/hour/minute/encounter can you activate the basic Red and Orange Guardian Gauntlet abilities? Also, what's the range of the blast attack?

These are per day abilities, although not all rounds/points need to be expended at one time. Blast attack is now listed as having a range of 20 ft + 10 ft/point of essentia invested.

Why allow the constructs created by the Hands chakra binding of the Guardian Gauntlet to access the basic essentia investment ability as if only one point of essentia was invested? That seems... a bit weak, to be honest.

I'm not quite comftorable with more, but maybe it should act as though it had the basic essentia investment ability as though it had essentia invested equal to 1 + 1/2 the number of points you've invested?

Other than that, they look good. Any chance of an epic feat that lets you use more than one of these suckers at once?

Actually, I've got one, maybe two more in mind at the moment, but once that's done, I'm actually thinking of making a PrC for these that allows it.

[InfiniteNothing]

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

These are per day abilities, although not all rounds/points need to be expended at one time. Blast attack is now listed as having a range of 20 ft + 10 ft/point of essentia invested.

Alright. You might want to specify the 'per day' part in the 'meld description.

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

I'm not quite comftorable with more, but maybe it should act as though it had the basic essentia investment ability as though it had essentia invested equal to 1 + 1/2 the number of points you've invested?

Sounds good.

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

Actually, I've got one, maybe two more in mind at the moment, but once that's done, I'm actually thinking of making a PrC for these that allows it.

Alright. Can't wait to see them.

[Pyromancer999]

Alright, the last two Archetype Soulmelds, at least for a good while, have been posted:

-Verdant Cape for the Totemist

And

-Champion Plate for Incarnates and Soulborn

Please comment and PEACH!

[Pyromancer999]

No one has anything to say about the last two ones?

[Benly]

I have a question about the various "x/day where x = invested essentia" soulmelds: since there's no real restriction on moving essentia in and out of archetype soulmelds, is there any reason you can't shift more essentia in when you want to use one of the daily abilities and then back to wherever you had it before? Or is it presumed that the balancing factor is just "if you want to use it more often, you're taking essentia out of your other soulmelds while using it"?

The Animate Plants ability of Verdant Cape is listed as an essentia-investment ability but does not appear to scale in any way to invested essentia.

How do you determine the spells known for Verdant Cape's totem bind? Do you choose them when you shape the soulmeld, when you select the feat, or at some other time?

[InfiniteNothing]

To answer your question Benly, it's usually assumed that once you use up all the uses your current amount of invested essentia provides, the only way to gain more is to put more essentia in. You can't 'cycle' essentia to get more uses. Another way to put it, is that the maximum number of uses you can get from a given 'per day' ability of a soulmeld is equal to the maximum amount of essentia you can invest in that soulmeld.

[Benly]

Originally Posted by InfiniteNothing

To answer your question Benly, it's usually assumed that once you use up all the uses your current amount of invested essentia provides, the only way to gain more is to put more essentia in. You can't 'cycle' essentia to get more uses. Another way to put it, is that the maximum number of uses you can get from a given 'per day' ability of a soulmeld is equal to the maximum amount of essentia you can invest in that soulmeld.

I wasn't thinking of cycling unlimited uses, I was thinking of just not bothering to invest until you wanted more uses that day, then sliding them back out once you were done.

In other words, the "per day is equal to the maximum investment for that soulmeld" bit you mentioned.

[Pyromancer999]

Originally Posted by Benly

I have a question about the various "x/day where x = invested essentia" soulmelds: since there's no real restriction on moving essentia in and out of archetype soulmelds, is there any reason you can't shift more essentia in when you want to use one of the daily abilities and then back to wherever you had it before? Or is it presumed that the balancing factor is just "if you want to use it more often, you're taking essentia out of your other soulmelds while using it"?

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

Archetype Soulmelds act much like other soulmelds: they can have essentia invested in them, be bound to chakras, etc. However, they differ in a few ways. They are much more powerful than a normal soulmeld. You must take the Archetypal Meldshaper feat(see below) in order to learn how to shape one. Once you invest essentia in an Archetype Soulmeld, you cannot withdraw essentia from it. Archetype Soulmelds count as two soulmelds towards the limit you can shape. Also, some Archetype Soulmelds have certain abilities that activate when other soulmelds are shaped, called Synergy abilities. Lastly, you may not shape more than one Archetype Soulmeld at a time.

Originally Posted by Benly

The Animate Plants ability of Verdant Cape is listed as an essentia-investment ability but does not appear to scale in any way to invested essentia.

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

Essentia: Investing essentia allows you to bring life to plants, imbuing them with this special incarnum. This acts as the spell Animate Plants, except that it only animates one Medium plant per two caster levels, with your caster level equaling your meldshaper level + the amount of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld for this purpose.

Originally Posted by Benly

How do you determine the spells known for Verdant Cape's totem bind? Do you choose them when you shape the soulmeld, when you select the feat, or at some other time?

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

Chakra Bind(Totem)
Your eyes glow an emerald hue, allowing your sense of the nature around you to grow
Your nature power increases. You gain a more generalized nature power, granting you 2 + the amount of essentia invested in this Archetype Soulmeld spell levels, which can only be used to cast Druid spells, treating your caster level as your meldshaper level. You cannot cast spells of a level higher than a druid of your meldshaper level could. You only know 1 + your Con modifier Druid spells of each level of spell you can cast, selected when this Archetype Soulmeld is learned.

Please,read these things through.

[Benly]

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

Please,read these things through.

Huh, I could swear I went over the Verdant Cloak spells known twice trying to figure out if there was something I was missing.

Ah well. Mea culpa.

[Gideon Falcon]

Very well done. I like the Lantern Corps gauntlets, they're a nice touch.

[Pyromancer999]

Originally Posted by Gideon Falcon

Very well done. I like the Lantern Corps gauntlets, they're a nice touch.

Thanks. Glad you got the reference.

[InfiniteNothing]

It would be hard to not get the reference. Any chance you're planning on a Black Lantern version?

[Pyromancer999]

Originally Posted by InfiniteNothing

It would be hard to not get the reference. Any chance you're planning on a Black Lantern version?

Originally, I was, but I feel that if I do a Black Lantern, there should be a White Lantern, and I really don't know what exactly I could do for a White Lantern(short of giving it a Ressurection ability), as there's not too much info out there about it. Plus, if I were to do Black and White Lanterns, Black Lanterns would probably only be available to undead meldshapers as a Necrocarnum Archetype Soulmeld(not that there's anything wrong with that, but I'm not too keen on making an Archetype Soulmeld even harder to learn), and White Lanterns could only be people who have come back after death. So, I'm not exactly sure what I would do for Black and White Lanterns.