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View Full Version : [3.5e] A Soulknife Fix - Augments (PEACH)



lsfreak
2009-07-25, 06:32 PM
I discovered that one of my players decided to switch from playing swordsage to soulknife last session, and wanted to make sure he was up to par. I quickly threw this together a couple nights ago, and then later discovered that there's about a million soulknife fixes already (including one very similar to this one). Oh well.

The main change is the augments, along with a few other things that it seems the class needs to remain competitive. I tried to keep a bit of a skirmisher feel to the class, with light armor and lots of movement. Any comments are welcome, though I'm especially interested in making sure that it's roughly on-par with ToB classes (as I'm horrible with figuring out balance).
[Also, I'm still trying to come up with a good 17th-level augment]

SOULKNIFE

Hit Dice: d10

Skills: Autohyprnosis (Wis), 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).

{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Power Points

1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+2|Mindblade, Mindblade Augments, Mindblade Focus|
0

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+3|Mindblade Enhancement, Throw Mindblade|
1

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+3|Psychic Strike +1d8|
3

4th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4|Mindtap|
5

5th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4|Free Draw, Shape Mindblade|
7

6th|
+4|
+2|
+5|
+5|Blinkstrike (10 feet / 1 attack)|
11

7th|
+5|
+2|
+5|
+5|Psychic Strike +2d8|
15

8th|
+6|
+2|
+6|
+6|Psychic Strike (swift action)|
19

9th|
+6|
+3|
+6|
+6|Bladewind, Mindleech|
23

10th|
+7|
+3|
+7|
+7|Mindblade Augment (Double)|
27

11th|
+8|
+3|
+7|
+7|Psychic Strike +3d8|
35

12th|
+9|
+4|
+8|
+8|Blinkstrike (20feet / 2 attacks)|
43

13th|
+9|
+4|
+8|
+8|Knife to the Soul|
51

14th|
+10|
+4|
+9|
+9|Bladewind (thrown)|
59

15th|
+11|
+5|
+9|
+9|Psychic Strike +4d8|
67

16th|
+12|
+5|
+10|
+10|Mindblade Augment (Triple)|
79

17th|
+12|
+5|
+10|
+10|Mindfusion|
91

18th|
+13|
+6|
+11|
+11|Blinkstrike (30 feet / Full Attack)|
103

19th|
+14|
+6|
+11|
+11|Psychic Strike +5d8|
115

20th|
+15|
+6|
+12|
+12||
127[/table]

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Soulknives are proficient with all simple weapons, with their mindblade (whatever shape it may be), with light armor, and with shields (except tower shields).

Power Points/Day: A soulknife has a number of power points per day. He gains additional power points per day if he has a high Wisdom modifier. Unlike other psionic classes, the soulknife does not normally learn psionic powers; instead, his power points are used entirely to augment mindblade attacks (see below).

Mindblade (Su): As a move action, a soulknife can manifest a blade composed purely of psychic energy. The soulknife can also manifest the blade as part of movement, including a charge, as per drawing a weapon during movement.

The blade can be made into a dagger, a shortsword, a longsword, or a greatsword, or two such light or one-handed weapons. These weapons are identical to the weapon on which they are based, sized correctly for the wielder, and gain benefits from high Strength scores, feats, and other effects as if they were a normal weapon. The mindblade normally crackles slightly with psychic energy and is only partially solid, but the soulknife can make a DC20 Concentration check while manifesting it to make the mindblade look like nothing more than a standard weapon.

The blade can be broken (it has hardness 10 and 10 hit points); however the soulknife can simply create another. The moment a soulknife releases the mindblade, unless it is to be thrown (see below), it dissipates. A mindblade is considered a magic weapon for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.

In places where psionic effects do not normally function, a soulknife can attempt to sustain his mindblade by making a DC20 Will save. On a successful save, the mindblade remains active for a number of rounds equal to the soulknife's class levels before another save is needed. On a failed save, the mindblade vanishes, though the soulknife can attempt to create another (and make another Will save) on his next turn.

Mindblade Augments (Ex): A soulnife's connection to their mindblade allows them to infuse bursts of mental energy into a mindblade. As a free action, a soulknife may spend power points to augment a single attack with an additional special property. These augments are lost if the soulknife misses with the attack it augments. The rules for spending additional power points on augments is the same as with manifesting powers; that is, a soulknife can spend no more on a single augment than his soulknife level. A soulknife may use a number of augments each encounter equal to one-half his soulknife level + his Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). A soulknife may augment a single attack only once, until reaching 10th level (two augments) or 16th level (three augments), though each of these additional augments counts towards the limit of augments per encounter. The DC's for any augments are 10 + 1/2 your effective soulknife level + the soulknife's Wisdom modifier.

Determined Strike: You gain an attack bonus of 2 on your attack. For every 2 additional power points you spend, the attack bonus increases by 1. Requires level 1.

Unfocusing Strike: Your target must succeed on a Will save or lose their psionic focus or a spell they are currently casting. This is in addition to making the Concentration check for the damage while casting. Requires level 1.

Leeching Blade: If you strike a living creature with discernible anatomy, you heal yourself for one-quarter of the weapon damage (not including additional damage dice) you deal. For every 6 additional power points you spend, the damage healed increases by an additional 25%. Requires level 3.

Rending Energy: You deal an additional 1d8 points of damage with your psychic strike. For every 2 additional power points you spend, you deal a further 1d8 points of damage. Requires level 3.

Psiburn: Your attack deals damage next round equal to half the damage of this attack. For every 3 additional power points you spend, the damage continues for another round. Multiple psiburns stack. Requires level 5.

Quickrazor: You make your attack at a -2 penalty. Immediately after this attack, you gain another attack at the same attack bonus and the same -2 penalty. This additional attack gains no augments from its "parent" attack, but can be augmented normally (including additional quickrazors, though the -2 penalty stacks with each use of quickrazor). Requires level 5.

Ephemeral Strike: You ignore miss chance against incorporeal creatures. For every 4 additional power points you spend, the creature is rendered vulnerable as if it were corporeal for 1 round, though it may make a Wills save each round to negate this effect. Requires level 7.

Disconnecting Strike: In addition to normal damage, your target must succeed on a Will save or be stunned or dazed for 1 round (soulknife's choice). Each additional 4 power points adds 1 round to the duration, though targets can make an additional save each round. Requires level 7.

Bondbreaker: You render the target undead or construct vulnerable to psychic strike, precision damage, and critical hits until the beginning of your next turn (including any such effects that occur on this attack). For every 4 additional power points you spend, the vulnerability lasts an additional round. Requires level 9.

Focused Strike: Your critical threat range increases by 1 point (after multipliers) and you gain a +4 bonus to confirm critical threats. For every additional 2 points you spend, it the threat range increases by a further 1 and you gain an additional +2 on the confirmation roll. Requires level 9.

Mind Sieve: You drain a number of power points from the target equal to the base weapon damage you deal (or the equivalent from a spellcaster, rounded down). You may use these temporary power points until the end of your next turn. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack. Requires level 11.

Subtle Energies: Your psychic strike does not deal additional dice of damage; instead, it deals 4 damage for every die it would normally deal. For every 3 additional power points, the damage of your psychic strike increases by 1 point per replaced die. As your psychic strike is no longer additional dice of damage, it is multiplied by critical strikes. Requires level 11.

Assassin's Strike: Your target is rendered flat-footed against your attack and you deal 2d6 points of sneak attack damage. This augment does not overcome immunity to sneak attack nor the inability to be caught flat-footed. For every 4 additional power points, you also deal 1 point of Constitution damage and 2d6 more sneak attack damage. Requires level 13.

Shatterstrike: Your mindblade shatters, dealing full damage to your target as well as all creatures within 5 feet of it (except yourself). This burst damage is half piercing, half slashing instead of the base damage type. This burst only applies weapon properties, augments, or other effects if they deal hit point damage, ability damage or drain, or negative levels. A successful Reflex save by those hit with the burst halves hit point damage and negates all other effects. For every 4 additional power points you spend, the radius of the blast increases by 5 feet. Requires level 13.

Psychic Static: You release a burst of psychic energy to suppress magic. Make a dispel check against every ongoing magical effect on the target (not including items), substituting caster level for your soulknife level + your Wisdom modifier. A successful check means that effect is suppressed for 1 round. For every 3 additional power points, your target takes 1d6 points of backlash damage for each effect that "turns on" at the beginning of your next turn. Requires level 15.

Tremorstrike: Your target takes a -4 penalty on attacks, damage, and AC, and a -2 penalty to all saves and checks as its mind and body convulse. For every 4 additional power points, the penalties last one additional round. Requires level 15.

Mindsurge: If the target can cast spells, manifest powers, or has spell-like or psi-like abilities, it must succeed on a Will save or lose the ability to use these power for 1 round. On a successful save, the target instead takes damage equal to twice the level of any such ability used during the next round. For every 4 additional power points, this augment lasts and additional round, though the target is allowed an additional save each round. Requires level 17.

Power Spike: You gain a number of temporary power points equal to the total damage dealt. You may use these temporary power points until the end of your next turn. These temporary power points do not stack with those gained from mind sieve, nor do they stack from multiple uses of this ability. For every 6 additional power points, one augment using these additional power points does not count towards your encounter maximum. Requires level 20.

Mindblade Focus (Ex): A soulknife gains a +1 bonus on all attacks with their mindblade. This bonus increases to +2 at 8th level and +3 at 15th level. This counts as having Weapon Focus (mindblade) for the purposes of qualifying for feats, prestige classes, or other abilities, and Greater Weapon Focus (mindblade) at 8th level.

Mindblade Enhancement (Su): At 2nd level, the soulknife's mindblade gains a +1 enhancement bonus. At 4th level, and every even level thereafter, the soulknife gains an additional +1 bonus that can be put as an enhancement bonus or into a weapon property. A mindblade can never have more than a +5 enhancement bonus, as normal for magical weapons, and a weapon of the type the mindblade is shaped as must be able to have the weapon property (for example, a mindblade can't be enchanted with distance). A soulknife may invest these additional points in any way they see fit; for example, an 8th-level soulknife can have a +4 mindblade, a +1 keen collision mindblade, a +2 keen defending mindblade, or any other variation.

With 15 minutes of deep meditation, the soulknife can reallocate how the enhancement bonuses are spent on a mindblade. A mindblade gains the same enhancement bonuses and weapon properties no matter how it is shaped, unless the current shape is not a legal weapon type for the property, in which case the property is ignored.

Throw Mindblade (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, the soulknife can throw his mindblade as a thrown weapon with a range increment of 30 feet. The mindblade then vanishes, whether or not it hits the target. A soulknife can use psychic strike or knife to the soul (see below) with their thrown weapon and can place mindblade augments on a thrown mindblade.

Psychic Strike (Su): As a move action, a soulknife of 3rd level or higher can imbue his mindblade with destructive psychic energy. This effect deals an extra 1d8 points of damage to the next living, nonmindless target he successfully hits with a mindblade attack. Creatures immune to mind-affecting effects are immune to this ability. Psychic strike is not precision damage and is not limited by range, but like other similar abilities is not multiplied by critical hits.

A mindblade deals extra damage only once before it dissipates, though a soulknife can continue taking actions to charge a psychic strike. Once a soulknife has charged a psychic strike, it holds the charge until an attack is successfully made, even if the mindblade dissipates for any reason.
Every 4 levels beyond 3rd, the extra damage from psychic strike increases. At 8th level, a soulknife may charge a psychic strike as a swift action instead of a move action.

Mindtap (Su): Immediately after a soulknife of 4th level or higher drops a creature vulnerable to psychic strike with his mindblade, his mindblade is charged with psychic strike.

Free Draw (Ex): At 5th level, a soulknife may materialize his mindblade as a free action. This allows a mindblade to make multiple attacks in a round with a thrown mindblade if he has the ability to make multiple attacks. If a soulknife is in a location where psionics do not function, and fails the save to materialize his mindblade, he is still limited to one attempt per round. This ability counts as having the Quick Draw feat for the purposes of qualifying for prestige classes, feats, or other abilities.

Shape Mindblade (Su): At 5th level, a soulknife can shape their mindblade into any melee or thrown simple or martial weapon. In order to shape their mindblade into a specific weapon, the soulknife must train and meditate for 8 hours, using a weapon of the desired type of at least masterwork quality. Exotic weapons can be shaped only if the soulknife is proficient with them. A mindblade shaped into an alternate weapon cannot be thrown unless it has a listed range increment.

Blinkstrike (Su): The soulknife is an exceptionally fast combatant due to their unique psionic powers. At 6th level, a soulknife gains an additional 10 feet to his land speed as long as they are in light or no armor. In addition, while in light or no armor they can move up to their speed and still make a single attack at any point during their movement (or one mainhand attack and one offhand attack, if dual-wielding).

At 12th level , the soulknife adds an additional 10 feet to his land speed and may make an additional attack (or an additional attack with each hand) at any point during his movement. At 18th level, the soulknife adds a further 10 feet to his land speed and may make a full attack during his movement. This ability counts as having both Speed of Thought and Spring Attack for the purposes of prerequisites.

Bladewind (Su): At 9th level, a soulknife gains the ability to fragment his mindblade, lashing out at all nearby enemies. As a full attack, when wielding his mindblade, a soulknife can give up all regular attacks and instead make an attack against any target in reach at his full base attack bonus. This attack can be augmented, and unlike a regular attack, the augmentation lasts for every attack made as part of this action. When using bladewind, a soulknife forfeits any additional attacks, including such things as haste, quickrazor, and the Cleave feat. The mindblade immediately reforms as normal in the soulknife's hand after a bladewind attack.

Starting at 14th level, the soulknife can combine bladewind with a thrown mindblade. The soulknife's range increment is halved, and each target must be within one range increment. This provokes a single attack of opportunity from threatening targets, unless the soulknife has a way of not provoking with thrown weapons.

Mindleech (Su): Immediately after a soulknife of 9th level or higher lands a critical strike against a target vulnerable to psychic strike, his mindblade is charged with psychic strike.

Knife to the Soul (Su): Beginning at 13th level, when a soulknife lands a psychic strike, he can choose to sacrifice die of psychic strike damage in order to instead deal 1 point of Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma damage. For each die of damage he sacrifices, the target takes 1 point of whichever ability damage the soulknife chooses. A single attack must use the same type of ability damage for all sacrificed die, but the soulknife can choose to sacrifice any number of damage die during the attack.

Mindfusion (Su): Beginning at 17th level, a soulknife learns to fully fuse mind and body. He adds his Wisdom modifier to any damage rolls made with his mindblade, and adds his Strength modifier to his Wisdom modifier for determining bonus power points per day.

lsfreak
2009-07-25, 06:34 PM
Reserved just in case.

Person_Man
2009-07-27, 03:37 PM
Looks good. Commentary:

"These augments are lost if the soulknife misses with the attack it augments." I'm not sure what I think about this mechanic, in that it creates a very uneven power curve. At low levels when you have a low-ish to hit and few power points, the class is still quite weak. I'd say it's on par with having Smite Evil - a minor benefit that isn't worth trading away the potential of a full BAB class. But at mid-high levels when you can boost your To-Hit quite easily via a large number of means and you have a decent number of Power Points, then each investment essentially lasts until you roll a natural 1 (or try to target a boss enemy). And when you hit level 17 and add "his Strength modifier to his Wisdom modifier for determining bonus power points per day." You get a HUGE bump in power points. You may wish to level out the power progression somehow.

"The rules for spending additional power points on augments is the same as with manifesting powers; that is, a soulknife can spend no more on a single augment than his soulknife level." Soulknife level should be changed to manifester level (in case you go Soulknife X/Prestige Class Y).

I hate dead levels. I suggest giving him some sort of awesome 20th level capstone.

How many Skill Points does it get per level?

You may wish to give it full BAB. It'd still be weaker then the Psychic Warrior, Warblade, Crusader, and Knight (though stronger then the Fighter, Ranger, Barbarian, Samurai, etc).

Here's my Soulknife fix (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=92407). Though clearly it's a pastiche of the Soulknife and the Apprentice from Force Unleashed and not really in the same vein as what you propose, you might like some of the ideas. Feel free to steal from it directly - though please give me credit if you do so.

lsfreak
2009-07-28, 03:58 AM
Thanks for the comments.

As for the unevenness, you're right, I hadn't noticed that before. Would giving full BAB combined with not letting augments expend give a more even power curve... you're guaranteed your augments landing, it just may take a while to land the attack.
[However, just to make sure, I intended for an augment lasts only until a hit lands; it is then lost. Judging by what you're saying, you believe it to be weaker than ToB even if the augment stays on the weapon until an attack misses. Should I let all attacks for a round be augmented in the same fashion for the power point expenditure? Is a single-attack during too limiting? I can see it being rather problematic when you're trying to augment 5 attacks a round, just for the slowing down of combat. Thinking about it more, it seems lasting a round might be good, allowing bursts of damage at lower levels when needed and being more sustained additions at higher levels. There's the problem of a fully-augmented Rending Energy+Subtle Energies+Psiburn being used to nova a boss, but then again if you're dumping half your power points in a single round...]

You're right about the increased power points, as well; looking closer I'm not sure what I was thinking. I'd like to merge Wisdom and Strength into each other's realms somehow. The extra damage is rather small but the next power points are too much. Any ideas? Even adding your Strength modifier to your Wisdom score for extra power points is a huge jump in your pool.

The level 20 capstone was meant to be the level 20 augment - use PowerSpike7 to charge a free PowerSpike19, giving a pool of free augmentation as long as you wish to maintain it. Going with what you said before, however, it does seem suddenly granting huge numbers of augments is too much of a... well, power spike.

Any further suggestions from anyone? (Also, I'm probably going to take a shot at doing something with Soulbow, some of the soulknife feats that I messed up with my changes, and go fix grammar-ish problems in my first post).