[4e]Brainstorming: Incarnum classes for Non-Essentials

[Howler Dagger]

I had an idea: Incarnum for 4e. My first thought was you would have "daily" soulmelds, which you can shape after an extended rest, and give you access to benefits throughout the day. Encounter soulmelds would be effects triggered once by the power then by at-wills. For example, you could have an encounter power that allowed you to attack vs. AC for 1d6+CON mod. damage and the ability to repeat the same attack through at-wills (obviously, the power would do more than that) for the rest of the encounter. Essentia would be a common trait, but each class would use it differently. For the striker class, you could use it to get more damage.

So, does anybody else have any ideas?

[vasharanpaladin]

Completely unrelated to yours, in fact! :smalltongue:

Mine had soulmelds as utility powers (comparable to the executioner's poisons, in fact), with essentia being used to augment them, just as before. Plus, since what defined incarnum in 3.5e was eaten by Primal and Psionic in 4e, I used a different definition based on its shared root with the word "incarnation." I'm still working on mine, tho. :smallbiggrin:

[Waddacku]

I don't think full-blown classes are really the best way to go about it. Themes would seem better. Maybe class-independent powers, or possibly use boons... Basically transforming other classes into Incarnum-using versions instead.

[Pyromancer999]

Here's an idea: Base it off psionics, except it gets nothing but class powers. Then it can expend essentia to improve a power's use to encounter and daily power levels.

[Howler Dagger]

. Plus, since what defined incarnum in 3.5e was eaten by Primal and Psionic in 4e, I used a different definition based on its shared root with the word "incarnation." I'm still working on mine, tho. :smallbiggrin:

Not really, incarnum is drawing on soul energy to create objects (bascily) and primal is using power granted from the spirits, and psionics is far realm energy.



I don't think full-blown classes are really the best way to go about it. Themes would seem better. Maybe class-independent powers, or possibly use boons... Basically transforming other classes into Incarnum-using versions instead.

Why not? I have no idea what themes are, but full classes seem best to replicate what was in MoI, which was 3 base classes, PrCs and lots of soulmelds.


Here's an idea: Base it off psionics, except it gets nothing but class powers. Then it can expend essentia to improve a power's use to encounter and daily power levels.
I thought of psipnics as a model, but I really didn't like the idea because a character in 3.5 got the use of many soulmelds and with your idea you would ony get 3 at use per level (since that is how many at-wills psionics get).

[Pyromancer999]

Well, under what I suggested, they'd probably have 6-7 at-wills, as they'd have nothing else.

[vasharanpaladin]

Not really, incarnum is drawing on soul energy to create objects (bascily) and primal is using power granted from the spirits, and psionics is far realm energy.


Yes, really. Primal classes draw power from the spirits of those gone before, the spirits that have always existed, and those that have yet to be. Psionic classes draw power from their own souls, focused through the lens of their minds and bodies.

That being said, my premise for Incarnum as a power source is this: There is power to be had in being something beyond human. Clerics, druids, fighters, sorcerers, these are only mortal, limited in what they can achieve. They are only conduits, vessels through which power is channeled. But an incarnate is his power, no more and no less.

Or rather, I'd like to say that, but I've gotten to the point where the old class names seem rather forced for my ideas. Rest assured that GitP will be the first to bear witness to the monstrosity I have wrought. :smallbiggrin: