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Author Topic: [3.5] Soulknife fix (WIP)  (Read 1350 times)
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Risada
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« on: October 14, 2011, 06:18:13 AM »

I asked on this thread for tips on a Soulknife fix, and now it's here! (well... most of it anyway  Rolls Eyes)

Posting this to get some opinions on what I have right now...

Basically, I want to know your thoughts on some of the blade tricks that require power points to use...

Soulknife

CLASS FEATURES
    BAB  Fort    Ref    Will   Power    Abilities 
                               Points                                          
1.  +1    +0     +2     +2      0       Mind Blade, Mind Blade Mastery (Weapon Focus), Psychic Strike +1d8  
2.  +2    +0     +3     +3      1       Blade Trick, Evasion
3.  +3    +1     +3     +3      3       Bonus Feat, Enhance Mind Blade    
4.  +4    +1     +4     +4      5       Blade Trick, Mind Blade Mastery (Weapon Specialization)
5.  +5    +1     +4     +4      7       Psychic Strike +2d8  
6.  +6    +2     +5     +5      11      Blade Trick    
7.  +7    +2     +5     +5      15      Bonus Feat
8.  +8    +2     +6     +6      19      Blade Trick, Mind Blade Mastery (Greater Weapon Focus)      
9.  +9    +3     +6     +6      23      Psychic Strike +3d8    
10. +10   +3     +7     +7      27      Blade Trick
11. +11   +3     +7     +7      35      Bonus Feat    
12. +12   +4     +8     +8      43      Blade Trick, Mind Blade Mastery (Greater Weapon Specialization)    
13. +13   +4     +8     +8      51      Psychic Strike +4d8
14. +14   +4     +9     +9      59      Blade Trick    
15. +15   +5     +9     +9      67      Bonus Feat  
16. +16   +5     +10    +10     79      Blade Trick, Mind Blade Mastery (+2 Attack/Damage/DCs)      
17. +17   +5     +10    +10     91      Psychic Strike +5d8    
18. +18   +6     +11    +11     103     Blade Trick      
19. +19   +6     +11    +11     115     Bonus Feat
20. +20   +6     +12    +12     127     Blade Trick, Mind Blade Perfection  

Hit Die: d10

Class Skills (4 + Int modifier, x4 at 1st level): The soulknife’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (psionics)* (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Spot (Wis), and Tumble (Dex).

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Soulknives are proficient with all simple weapons, with their own mind blades, and with light armor and shields (except tower shields).

Mind Blade (Su): As a free action, a soulknife can create a semisolid weapon composed of psychic energy distilled from his own mind. She can either form it into a light weapon, a one-handed weapon, or a two-handed weapon. The light weapon deals 1d6 points of damage, the one-handed weapon deals 1d8 points of damage, and the two-handed weapon deals 2d6 points of damage. All damages are based on a Medium-sized creature wielding Medium-sized weapons; adjust the weapon damage as appropriate for different sized weapons. In all forms, the mind blade has a critical range of 19-20/x2. A soulknife with powerful build or any similar ability forms an appropriately-sized mind blade dealing the size-appropriate amount of damage. The soulknife may choose to form two light weapons or one one-handed and one light when forming her mind blade if she so chooses, but she suffers the standard penalties for two-weapon fighting.

Regardless of the weapon form a soulknife has chosen, her mind blade does not have a set damage type. When shaping her weapon and assigning abilities to it, the soulknife chooses whether it will deal bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage. The soulknife may change the damage type of an existing mind blade, or may summon a new mind blade with a different damage type, as a full-round action; otherwise, the mind blade retains the last damage type chosen every time it is created.

The blade can be broken (it has hardness 10 and 10 hit points); however, a soulknife can simply create another on his next round. The moment he relinquishes his grip on his blade, it dissipates (unless he intends to throw it; see below). A mind blade is considered a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

A soulknife can throw his mind blade as a ranged weapon with a range increment of 30 feet.  Whether or not the attack hits, a thrown mind blade then dissipates. A soulknife can make a psychic strike (see below) with a thrown mind blade and can use the blade in conjunction with other special abilities (such as the Blade Tricks, see below). At 6th level, the soulknife can make a full attack using his mind blade as a thrown weapon, spending a free action to create another weapon normally. The soulknife can't throw his mind blade if its a two handed weapon.

A soulknife can use feats such as Power Attack or Combat Expertise in conjunction with the mind blade just as if it were a normal weapon. He can also choose mind blade for feats requiring a specific weapon choice, such as Weapon Specialization. Powers or spells that upgrade weapons can be used on a mind blade.

Even in places where psionic effects do not normally function (such as within a null psionics field), a soulknife can attempt to sustain his mind blade by making a DC 20 Will save. On a successful save, the soulknife maintains his mind blade for a number of rounds equal to his class level before he needs to check again. On an unsuccessful attempt, the mind blade vanishes. As a move action on his turn, the soulknife can attempt a new Will save to rematerialize his mind blade while he remains within the psionics negating effect.

The soulknife chooses the appearance of her mind blade, although its shape must reflect the selections the soulknife has chosen: a bludgeoning mind blade would be blunt, slashing would have an edge, etc.

Mind Blade Mastery (Ex): The soulknife is constantly perfecting his unique fighting style.

At 1st level, the soulknife gains Weapon Focus (mind blade).
At 4th level, the soulknife gains Weapon Specialization (mind blade).
At 8th level, the soulknife gains Greater Weapon Focus (mind blade).
At 12th level, the soulknife gains Greater Weapon Specialization (mind blade).
At 16th level, gains an additional +2 bonus on attack and damage rolls made with his mind blade, and +2 bonus to the DCs of any blade trick (see below) used by the soulknife.  

Power Points: A soulknife gains power points as if it was a manifesting class, and receives bonus power points per day if she has a high Wisdom score. Her race may also provide bonus power points per day, as may certain feats and items. A 1st-level soulknife gains no power points for her class level, but she gains bonus power points (if he is entitled to any).

Psychic Strike (Su): As a move action, a soulknife of 1st level or higher can imbue her mind blade with destructive psychic energy. This effect deals an extra 1d8 points of damage on any attack she wishes to activate it on (as long as the attack is made with her mind blade). A soulknife may hold the charge as long as she likes without discharging. It does not go off on any attack unless she chooses to use it, and the charge is not wasted if an attack misses. Unlike the rogue's sneak attack, the psychic strike is not precision damage and can affect creatures otherwise immune to extra damage from critical hits or more than 30 feet away. A mind blade deals this extra damage only once when this ability is called upon, but a soulknife can imbue her mind blade with psychic energy again by taking another move action. Additionally, she may recharge it as a free action by expending 1 power point, allowing a higher level soulknife to apply his psychic strike damage on each attack made during a full attack.

Once a soulknife has prepared her blade for a psychic strike, it holds the extra energy until it is used (whether the attack is successful or not). Even if the soulknife drops the mind blade (or it otherwise dissipates, such as when it is thrown), it is still imbued with psychic energy when the soulknife next materializes it.

If the soulknife forms her mind blade into two weapons, she may imbue each mind blade with psychic strike as normal. If she reshapes her mind blade into a single weapon form, the additional psychic strike imbued into the additional weapon is not lost, but only one psychic strike can be discharged per successful attack. At every four levels thereafter (5th, 9th, etc), the extra damage from a soulknife's psychic strike increases by 1d8.

Blade Trick (Ex or Su): The soulknife can use various abilities with her mind blade. Starting at 2nd level, and at every two levels thereafter, the soulknife may choose one ability from the list below. She may only choose a trick she meets the prerequisites. The DC for a blade trick is 10+ 1/2 class levels + the Soulknife's Wisdom modifier, and the caster level or manifester level is equal to the soulknife's class level (when applicable).

Augmented Critical (Ex): the soulknife's mind blade critical multiplier and threat range increase by 1. The increase to the mind blade's threat range stacks with effects like the Improved Critical feat or the keen weapon property, and is applied after such effects. A soulknife must be at least 10th level to choose this blade trick.

Bladewind (Su): The soulknife can momentarily fragment his mind blade into numerous identical blades, each of which strikes at nearby opponents. She may spend 3 power points as a full attack action to give up her regular attacks and instead fragment the mind blade to throw one fragment against each opponent within 30 ft at her highest attack bonus. Each fragment functions identically to the soulknife’s regular mind blade. Regardless of the number of attacks she makes, she only provokes attacks of opportunity as though she made a single ranged attack. This ability can be used in conjunction with the Psychic Strike, dealing bonus damage against each creature struck.

When using bladewind, a soulknife forfeits any bonus or extra attacks granted by other feats or abilities (such as the Cleave feat or the haste spell).

The mind blade immediately reverts to its previous form after the bladewind attack.

Only a soulknife of 6th level or higher may choose this blade trick.

Combat Maneuvers (Ex): the soulknife may use her mind blade to make disarm and/or trip attempts. If the opponent tries to trip the soulknife in response to a failed attempt, the soulknife may drop his mind blade as a free action to avoid being tripped.

Combat Slide (Ex): Upon successfully striking an enemy in melee, the soulknife may immediately make a 5-foot step (even if she's already moved in the round, but not if she's taken a 5-foot step). In addition, when someone misses the soulknife with a melee attack, she may spend an immediate action to take a 5-foot step.

Dimensional Strike (Su): The soulknife can interfere with the dimensional boundaries of anyone she hits with her mind blade. As a move action, the soulknife can spend a number of power points equal to half her class level to make the target of her next successful attack be subjected to the effects of a dimensional anchor spell or the dimensional twisterCPsi psionic power.

Disruptive Blade (Su): The soulknife charges his mind blade with unstable mind energy, disrupting its target's mind. The soulknife spends a number of power points equal to helf her class level (maximum 5) as a swift action to make one of her successful attacks made this round render its target dazed, unless it succeeds on a Will saving throw.

Extended Range (Ex): The soulknife's range increment when throwing her mind blade in any form doubles.

Improved Enhancement (Su): The soulknife's enhancement bonus on her mind blade increases by 1. This increase may be used to increase the actual enhancement bonus of the mind blade (to a maximum of +5) or be spent on weapon special abilities, as normal. Only a soulknife of 4th level or higher may choose this blade trick.

Improved Psychic Strike (Su): The soulknife's psychic strike deals an additional 1d8 points of damage.

Instant Enhancement (Su): The soulknife may spend 2 power points as a free action to increase her mind blade's enhancement bonus granted by her Enhance Mind Blade ability by 1. At 4th level and every four levels there after, the soulknife may spend an additional 2 power points to increase the enhancement bonus by 1 (maximum of +6 at 20th level). This increased bonus allows the soulknife to choose between adding one or more special abilities to her mind blade, or increasing the bonus to attack and damage rolls (the bonuses granted by this ability may increase the total enhancement bonus over +5). This bonus to the mind blade's enhancement value lasts for 1 minute per class level. Only a soulknife of 4th level or higher may choose this blade trick.

Knife to the Soul (Su): the soulknife spends 3 power points as a free action to make her next attack rend the target's essence, dealing 1d4 points of Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma damage (her choice). Only a soulknife of 8th level or higher may choose this blade trick.

Metallic Mind Blade (Su): The soulknife may spend 2 power points as a free action to make her mind blade deal damage as if it was made of one of the following materials: adamantine, cold iron, silver.

Reaching Blade (Su): The soulknife may spend 3 power points and her psionic focus to increase her mind blade's reach by 5 feet for a number of rounds equal to her class level. The soulknife can't use this ability if she is wielding two mind blades.

Relentless Assault (Ex): The soulknife can push her mind and body past their limits, unleashing a rain of blows against her enemies. By spending a number of power points equal to half her class level and expending her psionic focus as a full attack action, the soulknife can make two full attacks this round. This ability may be used to make thrown attack as well as melee attacks. After using this ability, the soulknife is staggered for 1 round. This ability is usable once every 1d4 rounds. Only a soulknife of 12th level or higher may choose this blade trick.

Rend Psionics (Su): the soulknife can use his mind blade to destroy magic and psionic effects. As a move action, the soulknife can spend a number of power points equal to half her class level to make his next successful attack deal its normal damage in addition to a targeted version of greater dispel magic spell. Additionally, the target takes an additional 1d8 points of damage for every magical and/or psionic effect dispelled in this way.If the soulknife uses this ability and not expends it immediately, she may hold this ability until the next time she successfully hits a creature with her mind blade.  Only a soulknife of 8th level or higher may choose this blade trick.

Twin Strike (Ex): When making a single standard attack and wielding two mind blades, the soulknife may attack with both of her mind blades at the normal penalties for two-weapon fighting. She may also utilize this ability when making attacks of opportunity, but not for any other special attacks, unless specifically stated otherwise. The soulknife must be at least 6th level to choose this blade trick.

Two-Handed Throw (Ex): The soulknife gains the ability to throw her mind blade if it is in two-handed form, with a range increment of 15 ft.

Evasion (Ex): As rogue.

Bonus Feat: the soulknife gains a bonus feat for which she meets the prerequisites at 3rd and again at every 4 levels (7th, 11st and so on). The feat must be a Fighter bonus feat or a Psionic feat.

Enhance Mind Blade (Su): A soulknife's mind blade improves as the character gains higher levels. At 3rd level and every odd level thereafter, the mind blade gains a cumulative +1 enhancement bonus that she may spend on an actual enhancement bonus or on weapon special abilities. The soulknife may choose any special ability that is compatible with her mind blade (so a mind blade that deals bludgeoning damage can't have the keen special ability applied to it, but can have impactMIC instead), as long as the mind blade keeps at least a +1 enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls, and a maximum of +5.

Mind Blade Perfection (Ex): ??

Edit: fixed copy/paste typos...
Edit2: added some more Blade tricks, plus Evasion at level 2 and a different Enhanced Mind Blade...
« Last Edit: October 17, 2011, 08:01:21 AM by Risada » Logged

oslecamo
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« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2011, 06:30:40 AM »

At first glance looks quite solid, except for just low Bab. Shouldn't she get at least medium Bab?

Rend Psionics (Su): the soulknife can use his mind blade to destroy magic and psionic effects. As a move action, the soulknife can spend a number of power points equal to half her class level to make his next attack deal its normal damage in addition to ?. Additionally, the target takes an additional 1d8 points of damage for every magical and/or psionic effect dispelled in this way. Only a soulknife of 8th level or higher may choose this blade trick.
Something is missing here.  I guess dispel magic. Can you spend a move action in advance for this (and the other move-action blade tricks) for future combats?

Two-Handed Throw: The soulknife gains the ability to throw her mind blade if it is in two-handed form, with a range increment of 15 ft.

 The mind blade's description already states you an throw it with a ranged increment of 30 feet regardless of form.
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ThisGuy01
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« Reply #2 on: October 14, 2011, 10:18:48 AM »

Quote
A soulknife can throw his mind blade as a ranged weapon with a range increment of 30 feet.  Whether or not the attack hits, a thrown mind blade then dissipates. A soulknife can make a psychic strike (see below) with a thrown mind blade and can use the blade in conjunction with other special abilities (such as the Blade Tricks, see below). At 6th level, the soulknife can make a full attack using his mind blade as a thrown weapon, spending a free action to create another weapon normally. The soulknife can't throw his mind blade if its a two handed weapon.

Normally they can't throw a two handed though.  That's the reason for it.
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Risada
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« Reply #3 on: October 14, 2011, 11:10:42 PM »

At first glance looks quite solid, except for just low Bab. Shouldn't she get at least medium Bab?

Fixed that...

Rend Psionics (Su): the soulknife can use his mind blade to destroy magic and psionic effects. As a move action, the soulknife can spend a number of power points equal to half her class level to make his next attack deal its normal damage in addition to ?. Additionally, the target takes an additional 1d8 points of damage for every magical and/or psionic effect dispelled in this way. Only a soulknife of 8th level or higher may choose this blade trick.
Something is missing here.  I guess dispel magic. Can you spend a move action in advance for this (and the other move-action blade tricks) for future combats?

Yes and ... I don't know. Should it? Is it going to be overpowered if the Soulknife can hold the charge for later use?


Two-Handed Throw: The soulknife gains the ability to throw her mind blade if it is in two-handed form, with a range increment of 15 ft.

 The mind blade's description already states you an throw it with a ranged increment of 30 feet regardless of form.


This:

Quote
A soulknife can throw his mind blade as a ranged weapon with a range increment of 30 feet.  Whether or not the attack hits, a thrown mind blade then dissipates. A soulknife can make a psychic strike (see below) with a thrown mind blade and can use the blade in conjunction with other special abilities (such as the Blade Tricks, see below). At 6th level, the soulknife can make a full attack using his mind blade as a thrown weapon, spending a free action to create another weapon normally. The soulknife can't throw his mind blade if its a two handed weapon.

Normally they can't throw a two handed though.  That's the reason for it.

Now... to finish the blade tricks...
« Last Edit: October 14, 2011, 11:29:22 PM by Risada » Logged

Bauglir
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« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2011, 11:12:29 PM »

Protip: Ditch Enhance Mind Blade. Don't tie the maximum awesomeness of their weapon to a class progression that goes slower than they would afford with gold. If you want to keep it, I'd recommend giving them a discount on enhancing the weapon relative to other creatures (maybe, say, that enhancements cost 80% of their normal cost for a mind blade), and add fluff to explain that enhancing a mind blade is a process involving meditation with mystical incenses and so forth, and training (using the same rules for magic item creation) with a mentor (to provide the item prereqs, or not if you prefer to give soulknives a little more of a boost in versatility).

As written, Enhance Mind Blade is a debuff.
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So you end up stuck in an endless loop, unable to act, forever.

In retrospect, much like Keanu Reeves.
veekie
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« Reply #5 on: October 16, 2011, 01:33:45 AM »

Theres a way to use it though, if you simply applied Enhance Mind Blade on TOP of any enchants you buy for the weapon(check out how the Arcane Pool works). So it'd effectively have twice the enchants you can normally afford or half the cost.
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I can barely read mine.

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oslecamo
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« Reply #6 on: October 16, 2011, 05:44:53 PM »

Yes and ... I don't know. Should it? Is it going to be overpowered if the Soulknife can hold the charge for later use?

Heh, not really. Other psionic classes are all about going nova, we may as well keep the tradition with this one.

Also suporting the idea of having a bigger sword enanchment. Perhaps allow the soulknife to temporaly boost the enanchment with power points?
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Risada
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« Reply #7 on: October 17, 2011, 08:04:15 AM »

Update!

Added some more blade tricks, and my version of Enhanced Mind Blade...
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Bauglir
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« Reply #8 on: October 17, 2011, 07:02:39 PM »

You should at least call out that Enhance Mindblade stacks with enhancements from other sources, such as standard crafting (and explain how somebody other than the soulknife can use magic item crafting to add magical abilities to a mindblade), and explain how that interacts with standard pricing (if your mindblade has a +1 enhancement bonus from your class, does enhancing it normally to +2 cost 2000 or 8000 gp?). This version still has the problem of capping out at +9, so allowing a way to reach +10 (at minimum) is kind of obligatory.

Alternatively, that arcane pool esque version could do it.
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So you end up stuck in an endless loop, unable to act, forever.

In retrospect, much like Keanu Reeves.
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