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View Full Version : [3.5]Soul Eater: The Base Classes: Maester & Shinigami Weapon



Zephyros
2009-01-15, 03:46 PM
Hi there... This is my first thread in the Homebrew Design forum. It was inspired from a thread about Shinigamis as monsters for 3.5 where I derailed the thread a bit. What I am about to present here is base classes for 3.5. I understand that stating out characters of the Soul Eater anime would be easier using GURPS or M&M but that's the job of someone else. Critique is welcome.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm275/AshenBlue/Soul-Eater.jpg

The Maester
The Maester (Mae)
Hit Die: d6,
BAB: as cleric,
Saves: Fort: poor, Ref: good, Will: good,
Proficient with: Light armor, Simple weapons and small shields.
Class Skills: (6+Int modifier per level, x4 at 1st level): Balance, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Heal, Jump, Knowledge (whatever seems appropriate), Listen, Martial Lore, Profession, Sense Motive, Swim, Tumble.
1. Weapon Technician (ex): The Maester is proficient with Shinigami Weapons (regardless of their weapon type) and can wield them. Normal: Non-proficient characters can wield Shinigami Weapons with a -4 penalty and are not able to use their special abilities (they treat the Shinigami Weapon as a non-magical, masterwork weapon)
Sense Soul Eater (sp): The Maester is able to pinpoint the location of the nearest uncloaked Kishin Egg within 20ft/Maester level/round of concentration (caps at 3 rounds). If the Kishin Egg is cloaked they make opposed Concentration vs Bluff or Disguise (whichever is higher) to determine if she (the Maester) is able to trace the Egg. DMs can modify this ability to work with Outsiders if it fits their campaign.
Shibusen Training (ex): The Maester can choose a bonus feat from the +2 & +2 bonus skill feats. The bonuses provided by the feat improve at 3rd level every 3 levels thereafter by +1 to a maximum of +8 at 18th level. These skills become class skills for the Maester.
Awakened Soulwave: The Maester’s Soulwave awakens within. Her AC gains a deflection bonus equal to her CHA modifier. She also registers as a Maester at others’ Sense Soul attempts.
2. Soulwave Slam (su): The Maester gains the ability to channel her soulwave through his body and use it against her opponents as a weapon. The Maester can make melee touch attacks, empowered by his Soulwave, dealing 1d8/3 levels +CHA mod force damage. She can use her Soulwave Slam a number of times equal to her CON mod per encounter. (This ability doesn’t need activation the Maester just chooses to do so and she can use it with iterative attacks if she has the necessary attack bonus.)
3. Sense Soul (sp): The Maester gains an understanding of people’s souls. By concentrating as per the Sense Soul Eater ability (20ft/Maester level/round of concentration – max 3 rounds). Sensed humanoids register as following: Witches (persons with arcane spellcasting ability), Maesters, Shinigami Weapons, Believers (divine casters) Commons (non-maesters, non-believers &non-witches). In contrast to the Sense Soul Eater ability the Maester cannot pinpoint the location of everyone thus sensed. She just learns the presence of such persons in her whereabouts. If the number of people thus sensed is more than her Character Level the Maester becomes dazed for 1 round.
4. Channel Soulwave (su): The Maester can channel her Soulwave through weapons (add her Soulwave damage) she is proficient with. These attacks are normal attacks and count against the encounter limit.
5. Soul Minor Resilience (ex): The Maester becomes resilient to the foulest attacks of Witches and Fiends. She may add her CHA mod on her saves against [Mind-Affecting] and soul-relevant spells and spell-like abilities.

6. Trained Shinigami Wielder (ex): The Maester can unlock the potential of Shinigami Weapons as mentioned at the Shinigami Weapon class. She may use the abilities granted by the Shinigami Weapon for abilities granted to SWs to the maximum of her own level (e.g. a 5th level Maester wielding a 20th level SW would gain up to 5th level abilities). Non-maesters are never granted abilities by SW.
Guidance of the Soul (ex): The Maester may add her CHA mod to initiative checks (if positive).
7. Refined Sense Soul (sp): As per Sense Soul ability but the Maester can also determine the power of the people thus sensed.
CR ≤ Character level ±2: Apprentice Soul
CR= Character level ±2: Soul Equal
CR≥ Character level ±2: Strong Soul
e.g. When a 9th level Maester/ 3rd level Warblade uses Refined Sense Soul in a room with a 15th level Cleric and a 9th level Sorcerer he learns that in that room there is a Strong Soul Believer and an Apprentice Soul Witch.

8. Quick Draw (ex): The Maester gains the Quick Draw feat (PHB) and can use it to alternate between the various forms of a Shinigami Weapons as a swift action (even in the middle of a full attack)
9. Mettle (ex): As per the Hexblade ability (Complete Warrior)
Soulwave Thread (su): The Maester can declare any of her attempts to use her Soulwave Slam (channeled or touch) to be a Soulwave Thread attempt (in which case she forfeits the extra damage). If the attack strikes true the target becomes entangled for Maester levels/2 rounds. The target of this attack may try to break free by just declaring it but he suffers damage as if he was hit by the Maester with a Soulwave Slam at that point. Multiple attempts on the same target refresh the counter and do not interact with damage.
10. Resonance of Souls (su): At this level most Maesters have usually chosen a Shinigami weapon as their partner. As a full round action both partners (while the Maester wields the Shinigami Weapon) can make a Resonance Check. Both of them make a Concentration check at DC 15. The psychic relationship between Maester and weapon plays a major role while attempting to resonate and thus penalties (or rarer bonuses) are applied on this check to both of them.
-for each step away on the Alignment Axis -5 penalty
Participants are:
-strangers -15
-acquaintances -10
-one is the other’s follower/servant -5
-party member/close ally +0
-blood relative +5
-friend +5
-lover +5
DMs may add modifiers according to their judgment.

If they succeed their power expands significantly. The Maester glimpses at the Shinigami Weapon’s martial skill and the Weapon empowers its combat prowess with the Maester’s Soulwave. The Maester is granted Maneuvers as a Crusader of her level* and assumes a Stance; all from the School of the Shinigami Weapon’s choice (see class description, one school chosen at the start of her career). The Resonance of Souls last for the sum of their CON modifiers in rounds [+1 for every 5 points they beat the check additively e.g. Maka (14CON) gets a 22 and Soul (18CON) gets an 18 their resonance lasts for (+2+4) + (7+3)/5 = 8 rounds.] minimum 1. Both partners are fatigued after a Resonance and must wait for the same amount of rounds they resonated before they resonate again. Fatigued partners become exhausted. Both conditions last until the end of the encounter. If a Maester wields more than one weapon all participants make the resonance check in the same way. If one or more participants fail the resonance check they cannot resonate for the rest of the encounter. Both participants can take 10 on this check if they are willing to spend one extra full-round.

*the Maester need not ready maneuvers. He is just granted them after the Resonance Check. Maneuvers are granted by the weapon (randomly or not; DM’s discretion; many opportunities for in-combat-RP if chosen!) every round to the limit of readied maneuvers. The pool from which maneuvers are drawn is the whole Martial Discipline. For initiator level purposes and to see what level of maneuvers the Maester can initiate use the lowest level between Maester and Weapon.

11. Soul Major Resilience (ex): The Maester becomes immune to [mind-affecting] spells and spell-like abilities.
12. Soulwave blast (su): As a standard action the Maester may choose to spend one Soulwave attempt to blast his enemies with the strength of his soul. Creatures in a 30ft radius sphere centered at the Maester receive Soulwave Slam damage (Reflex DC for half = 10 +Maester level/2 +CHA mod).
13. Coincidence of Souls (su): Whenever a Maester wields a Shinigami Weapon he may decide to use the Weapon’s base attack bonus and base saves bonus instead of her own (this may not be beneficial).
Dimensional Soulwave Thread (sp): Αs a standard action the master can spend 2 Soulwave Slam attempts to produce an effect identical to the Dimensional Anchor spell (casted at the Maester’s Character level)
14. Eyes of the Soul (sp): The Maester can use True-Seeing at will.
15. Swift Resonance (su): Maester and Weapon can resonate as a standard action or take 10 at the check as a full round action.
16. Soul Tenacity (sp): As an immediate action,the Maester can choose to spend one of his Soulwave Slam attempts to grant himself (and his weapon if she is wielding it) Spell Resistance equal to the result of the Soulwave damage which lasts 1 round. e.g. 17 level, 18 CHA Maka uses this ability when a Witch targets her with a Finger of Death. To calculate her SR Maka throws 6d8+4 (10 min, 52 max, at level 20 its 28+CHA average)
17. Soulwave Nova (su): As Soulwave blast, but the Maester may elect to spend any number up to his available Soulwave slam attempts and do cumulative damage.
18. Instant Resonance (su): Maester and Weapon canresonate as a swift action or take 10 at the check as a move action.
Greater Coincidence of Souls (su): The Shinigami weapon may grant the Maester the use of a feat even if she doesn’t qualify for it. This uses one Soulwave Slam attempt.
19. Soul Projection (sp): Glancing at the deepest secrets of souls the Maester can transcend the boundaries of mortal planes. The Maester can use Astral Projection as the spell 1/day. He may bring a Shinigami Weapon designated by him but no one else.
20. Shinigami‘s Soulwave capacity (su): At the pinnacle of his career the Maester’s Soul expands. His encounter limit for Soulwave Slam attempts doubles (equal to double his CON modifier) and so does his deflection bonus to his AC (equal to double his CHA modifier).
The Shinigami Weapon
The Shinigami Weapon (ShW)

Hit Die: d10,
BAB: as fighter,
Saves: Fort: good, Ref: good, Will: poor,
Proficient with: Light and Medium Armor, Simple and Martial Weapons (see text)
Class Skills: (4+Int modifier per level, x4 at 1st level): Balance, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Intimidate, Jump, Swim, Tumble.

1. Shinigami‘s Choice (ex): Upon gaining the first level in the Shinigami Weapon class, the character must choose a Martial Discipline (from Tome of Battle). At each odd level (except 19th) she learns one Strike from his chosen discipline (of the appropriate level). All strikes known are granted to her simultaneously and have a recharge rate of 1 round. Strikes may be initiated with a mundane weapon or the SW‘s Soul blade.

E.g. Soul a 5th level Shinigami Weapon of the Diamond Mind discipline knows Sapphire Nightmare Blade (1st), Emerald Razor (2nd) and Insightful Strike (3rd). At the first round of combat he uses SNB which then recharges for the next round. At the second round of combat he can use ER or IS but not SNB. Let’s say he uses ER. ER then cools off for a round. So at the third round of combat he can use IS and SNB (which just recharged).

The Shinigami Weapon treats the associated with the discipline skill as a class skill.
The Shinigami Weapon must also choose one weapon from the Discipline’s weapons as her primary Weapon Form.

(Replace Unarmed Strike option as following: Setting Sun: whip; Shadow Hand: scythe; Stone Dragon: Spiked Gauntlet; Tiger Claw: remove it already. It has claws!)
Shibusen Training (ex): As per the Maester 1st level ability.
Soulwave of Steel (su): The Shinigami Weapon adds her CON modifier as a bonus to her Will saves and as a penalty to Wild Empathy checks. She also registers as a Shinigami Weapon at others’ Sense Soul attempts.
Soul blade (su): The Weapon’s true calling begins to manifest. As a move action, she may form a part of her primary Weapon Form made of Soulwave in the place of her arm(s) (or whatever suits your aesthetical criteria). The Soul blade uses the stats of the corresponding weapon. The Soul blade feature can be treated as one or two weapons or more with the appropriate penalty for fighting with multiple weapons. The Shinigami Weapon may choose to enhance his body with a non-numerical enhancement but she must pay the appropriate amount of money as if it was an unslotted item (x1.5 cost). The enhancement applies to all weapon forms if appropriate.
2. Throw Soul blade (ex): The Shinigami Weapon can throw the Soul blade as a ranged weapon with a range increment of 30ft. Whether it hits or not the Soul blade then dissipates and she can form a new one.
3. Weapon Contortion (ex): As a move action The Shinigami Weapon can fully transform in his primary weapon‘s form (as a masterwork weapon of his chosen version). In his weapon form he may not move. Nevertheless, she can be wielded as a weapon. If wielded by a Maester the weapon may initiate his known strikes at his discretion (and if he is able; strikes won’t be initiated if the Maester full-attacks all the time!). The Shinigami Weapon is also granted the Shapechanger subtype.
Sunder attempts against a Shinigami Weapon at his weapon form treat her as a weapon with her CON score as hardness and her HP as weapon HP. A sundered Shinigami weapon dies.
4. Second Weapon Form (ex): The Shinigami Weapon may choose a second weapon from the chosen discipline‘s preferred weapons.
Bonus Fighter Feat: ...
Soul Enhancing Steel (su): The Shinigami Weapon‘s soul grants his soul blade and his full weapon form a +1 enchantment. This feature also grants the Weapon a +1 natural bonus to his AC. If wielded by a Maester the NA bonus applies to her.
5. Free Draw (su): The Shinigami Weapon may form his Soul blade (or blades) or assume a Weapon as a swift action.
6. Martial Throw (ex): The Shinigami Weapon may initiate strikes with his thrown Soul blade feature within the first range increment.
Novice Elemental Soul (su): The Shinigami Weapon must choose an elemental type from: fire (+1d8), cold(+1d6), lightning(+1d6), acid(+1d4) and sonic(+1d4) and add the aforementioned dice to every of his attacks. He is also granted elemental resistance 5 to his chosen element. When wielded by a Maester the resistance is applied to her.
7. Bonus Fighter Feat:
8. Shapechange Technician (su): The Shinigami Weapon may change weapon forms between attacks freely.
Soul Enhancing Steel +2 (su): +2 soul blade, +2 NA to AC.
9. Whirling Blade Form (su): As a standard action the Shinigami Weapon may transform in Weapon and perform a Whirlwind Attack. He may not use strikes as these attacks. Usable 3/times per day.
Soul blade of the Beast (ex): As Claws of the Beast (ToB), the Shinigami Weapon may add his full strength bonus to his off-hand when fighting with 2 Soul blades, or add double his STR bonus if fighting two handedly.

10. Third Weapon Form (ex): The Shinigami Weapon may choose a third weapon from the chosen discipline‘s preferred weapons.
Apprentice Elemental Soul (su): The Shinigami Weapon doubles her bonus from Novice Elemental Soul (+2dX, resistance 15)
11. Bonus Fighter Feat:
12. Soul Enhancing Steel +3 (su): +3 soul blade, +3 NA to AC.
13. Soul Eater Empowerment (sp): Creatures killed (touched at each time of death or struck the killing blow) by a Shinigami Weapon at this level face utter extinction. The Shinigami Weapon may decide to keep the creature’s soul or use it to empower her combat abilities. The Shinigami Weapon may store in herself up to her CON mod in souls. Souls thus stored cannot be restored to life by mortal magic. For a soul to have an effect if consumed it must belong to a creature of a CR equal or greater of the Shinigami Weapon. For each soul consumed he gains an untyped bonus +5/+10 to attack/damage in humanoid and weaponform (while wielded). This bonus lasts for rounds/Shinigami Weapon CON modifier and stacks with itself. Consuming a soul (or souls) is a swift action. Souls used this way are released after the effect ends. Killing a Shinigami Weapon releases all stored souls.
14. Master Elemental Soul (su): The Shinigami Weapon increases her bonus from Novice Elemental Soul again (+3dx, resistance 30)
15. Soul Eater Minor Renewal (sp): The Shinigami Weapon may consume her stored Souls to heal herself or her Maester if wielded. She may use one soul to create an effect identical to a Restoration spell with a caster level of her class level.
16. Bonus Fighter Feat:
Soul Enhancing Steel +4 (su): +4 soul blade, +4 NA to AC.
17. Soul Eater Major Renewal (sp): The Shinigami Weapon may consume her stored Souls to heal herself or her Maester if wielded. She may use one soul to create an effect identical to a Heal spell with a caster level of her class level.
18. Demonwitch Hunter (sp): As an immediate action the Shinigami Weapon may discharge all his strikes to counter any 1st -9thlevel spell or spell like ability casted with him as a target. The Shinigami Weapon and the Caster make an opposed check then: 1d20+ (STR mod + CON mod) vs. 1d20 + casting stat modifier correspondingly. If the Shinigami Weapon wins the check she is unaffected by the spell. (This cannot be used while wielded.)
19. Demonwitch Harrier (sp): While resonating with a Maester the Shinigami Weapon may use this powerful attack. Creatures with spellcasting ability or creatures with the outsider subtype are legal targets. As a standard action the Maester using the Shinigami Weapon may attempt a melee attack. If the attack strikes true the target must make a Fort Save against 19+ the higher CON modifier of the two. If the save is failed the Soulwave length of the pair permeates everything and their target is either stripped of all buffs and casting ability for 1 round or banished to his plane of origin. This is an abjuration effect equivalent of a 9th level spell.
20. Soul Eater True Renewal (sp): “I live once again…” If the Shinigami Weapon dies with at least one soul stored within the soul is destroyed (for ever) and the Weapon appears at the same place 1 week later at full hit points.
Soul Enhancing Steel +5 (su): +5 soul blade, +5 NA to AC

ps: I wanted to have also tables for better presentation, but I don't know how to make them. Feel free to show me (linky?)
ps2: Thanks for reading everybody :smallcool:

Innis Cabal
2009-01-15, 03:53 PM
This only presents Maka...and really not that well.

Blackstar, heck most of the other Meisters don't work under this as presented, maybe only Ox being the exception.

Zephyros
2009-01-15, 04:46 PM
As I said at the start of my post:

I understand that stating out characters of the Soul Eater anime would be easier using GURPS or M&M but that's the job of someone else.
It is somehow impossible to make a class able to represent all souleater maesters. Not without granting choice class features with 20 alternatives (something that GUPRS does more efficiently) on each one. I tried to give the general feeling of a Maester on the class...and it might be just me, but all Maesters have some similarities.

Thanks for replying.

Innis Cabal
2009-01-15, 05:03 PM
As for balance. This thing is way to powerful.

Either you control both, or there are two people controling the two seperate characters, making both situational and thus not able to stand alone. Which would really be best for a PrC. One with leadership would probably be better. If you get to control both, then absolutly this is broken. Two characters with two attacks, unless you have some rule about that thats not posted.

They all get abilities every level if the numbers at the side are any indication, look at non homebrewed class's, dead levels arn't always bad. On top of that, the weapon gets a martial set....this is....unbalanced.

Both are just....even if it serves to be one type of meister...they are horribly unbalanced to the point of unplayability. No sane DM would let these slide.


What I would do to change it would be to make the meister a PrC granting a special form of leadership, granting a special cohort with a Soul Weapon template. The character must have some form of martial adept class, and the weapon that the cohort can change into is dependent on the weapon the meister can control.

If you really want it to be a full 20 level class, take the above and have the special "cohort" gained at level 1 grow with the character rather then two seperate class's. That just is way to unbalanced.

If you want to go indepth with the "cohort" make a table that people can pick from at certain levels for varying powers to give it a somewhat more authentic feel.

But as it stands, you've missed the feel and mark of the actual "class" and have created something really broken. Hope the suggestions help.

Zephyros
2009-01-15, 05:55 PM
Ofc u DONT get to control both... Seriously now...

You could take the leadership feat to have the other half of the combo but this would make your Resonance more difficult and you would always use the abilities granted at the lower level'd of the couple.

And sure its powerful... It s powerful enough to allow both classes to function by themselves and occasionally blossom in power terms (whenever they meet their NPC partner.)

Powerwise, I 'd put them somewhere in between ToB and the Tome Series, more close to ToB I think. Of course they are horrendously overpowered in contrast to a measly single-classed soulknife. Other than that I find dead levels to be boring :smallbiggrin:

As for the Martial Initiation being OP. It's only strikes for the Weapon and from only one discipline if you noticed. When they Resonate they are granted the whole Martial Discipline BUT they no longer function as 2 seperate characters. Only one set of actions for them.

just my 2 cc. Thx again.