Natural Attack Soul Manifester?

[Krüsher]

Hello Playground! Me again, still looking into everything that I can do with Incarnum. I was just wondering, I've been researching the Soul Manifester, and the general consensus is that you use Incarnate for it. My idea for a build incorporating it would be Totemist and Psychic Warrior. Taking advantage of Claws of the Beast and Astral Vambraces. Then adding in Heart of Fire for extra damage. Does this work? Is there a better way for me to be doing this?

[Keld Denar]

I've tried a few variations on this. It generally comes out too starved and spread too thin. I think if you could isolate EXACTLY what you wanted from it, you might be able to pull it off. I think my problem was that I was trying to Tash together Monk, PsyWar (or Ardent), Totemist, and Soul Manifester into a supergrappler with Sun School tec, and it was...lackluster. If you kept it simple, something like PsyWar4/Totemist2/SoulManifester10, get your weapons from either Totemist or Claws o' the Beast, you could get something workable there. Try it out.

[Big Fau]

One of the weaknesses of the Soul Manifester is that the lower BAB can make things tedious if you use a PsyWar/Totemist entry. I've seen Sinfire recommend using Legacy Champion to advance Soul Manifester so you can keep some modicum of BAB.


The alternative is to use Spell to Power Erudite and grab Divine Power through shenanigans.

[Ernir]

It's kind of difficult. If you go with an ardent base into Soul Manifester, you'll end up critically short on feats. If you go with a PsyWar base, you'll end up with few PP and the need to spend at least 4 levels on the PsyWar before you enter SM, which is a very serious dent in your meldshaping progression.

It's hardly unworkable, though. So yeah, what exactly are you trying to get out of this combo?

[Krüsher]

It's kind of difficult. If you go with an ardent base into Soul Manifester, you'll end up critically short on feats. If you go with a PsyWar base, you'll end up with few PP and the need to spend at least 4 levels on the PsyWar before you enter SM, which is a very serious dent in your meldshaping progression.

It's hardly unworkable, though. So yeah, what exactly are you trying to get out of this combo?

Just some double-expansion, fire damage and natural attack sillyness. One of the reasons I went for psychic warrior was so I could use my Totem Bind for Heart of Fire instead of one that gave me nat attacks.

[Person_Man]

Maybe Totemist 2/Psion 3/Soul Manifester 10, using Expanded Knowledge to get access to Claws of the Vampire and Claws of the Beast? Or maybe using War Mind in place of Psychic Warrior, since it has a faster progression but uses the same list?

Anywho, I'm not sure what you're really getting out of it. While the mechanics are wildly different, functionally a Totemist and King of Smack Psychic Warrior play almost exactly the same way. Both have massive natural weapon damage, pounce, limited but fun non-melee options, etc. Totemist is stronger early in it's progression, whereas Psychic Warrior is stronger late in it's progression. But the Soul Manifester's entry requirements are such that it makes it very difficult for them to be used together without nerfing the abilities of both.