PDA

View Full Version : D&D 3.x Other Vestigial Incarnum



Zaydos
2015-11-09, 10:25 PM
Posol, the Progenitor of Souls

Posol hungers for what it once sacrificed seeking to reclaim the life it once gave to others. Posol grants its binder an overflowing of spiritual energy which manifests in the form of essentia and several means by which to use it.

Level: 3rd.

Binding Check DC: 20.

Legend: Legends of Posol are fragmentary at best. Some claim that Posol is a progenitor of the gods themselves that split itself into the very souls of the divine. Having created the gods by dividing its very soul Posol died in anguish, begging that the gods return each of them a fragment of what it had given them, yet they each refused in turn allowing their creator’s existence to extinguish hopefully for all time. However what fragment of Posol remained lived on, trapped in the realm of its birth, and serving as a beacon for other such vestigial fragments of beings which could not like mortals die. Another version claims that Posol was not the source of the gods but the souls of mortals, dividing itself into the various souls that made the first mortals and spilling its life blood to create the wellspring from which the gods draw new souls to this day. As Posol lay slowly dying over millennia, beyond even the gods’ power to help, it watched and watching as mortals made mockery of its gift in violence and warfare it grew resentful. As Posol dwindled further it began to curse its own self-sacrifice and attempt to reclaim what it once gave freely, but was stopped by a mortal hero, slain by one who to it owed their very existence. Other tales claim that Posol was a great monster at the dawn of existence, which warred with the gods of good and evil. Posol’s power was great, stored within its body, its blood, and its breath. Olidammara realized that defeating Posol would be impossible even for the gods as long as it had these three great powers. So Olidammara developed a plan with which the gods stole Posol’s blood and breath, and these two taken they struck down Posol’s body and divided it into pieces and scattered them across the planes. Olidammara kept the breath and blood, hidden in his realm, but Garl Glittergold grew jealous and while a guest in Olidammara’s hall opened their containers letting each spill forth. Posol’s breath flowed across the worlds as essentia, its blood pooling into the incarnum used to form soulmelds, for Posol’s soul had already passed and its body was not whole. Other versions abound but always Posol is part of the creation of souls or incarnum either as the giver of the gift, or a creature which hoarded them all to itself at the dawn of time.

Manifestation: Posol appears as a five headed chimera. One head looks like the binder’s who seeks the pact, and the other four appear as draconic heads made of incarnum, each a varied shade of blue, one azure, another cobalt, a third cerulean, and the last sapphire. Posol mutters phrases of bitter lost about how it was taken and how it will have it back again.

Sign: Your skin turns cobalt.

Influence: Posol sacrificed its life to provide souls, and grew to regret that decision. While under Posol’s influence you can never give something to another unless given something of greater value.

Granted Abilities: While bound to Posol you gain the ability to manipulate your own essentia and that of Posol for a variety of effects, and to even strip it from foes.

Azure Hide: While Posol is bound you gain a +2 enhancement bonus to your natural armor, this enhancement bonus is increased by 1 per point of essentia invested into this ability. If you are not showing Posol’s sign and invest essentia into this ability its sign manifests as long as essentia is in this ability.

Devour Essentia: While Posol is bound you gain the ability to revoke the blessing Posol granted in life. As a standard action you may strip a target within 30 ft of their essentia. The target loses 1 point of essentia per 2 EBL you possess and you gain 2 temporary hit points per essentia lost to this effect. Essentia lost to this effect is regained after 1 minute and the temporary hit points fade after the same amount of time. The target is allowed a Will save to half the essentia loss, and cannot lose more essentia than they possess. Once you have used this ability you must wait 5 rounds before using it again.

Posol’s Senses: While Posol is bound you gain darkvision 60 ft. You gain +10 ft to your darkvision range and a +2 competence bonus to Spot, Search, and Listen per point of essentia invested. If you invest at least 2 points of essentia you gain Scent. If you invest at least three you gain Blindsense 30 ft. If you invest at least four you gain blindsight 10 ft.

Soul Rending: While Posol is bound your blows are able to tear through bodies formed from souls allowing you to tear through creatures which are living souls or imbued with incarnum in their nature. You deal +2 damage against creatures with the Outsider type or which possess racial essentia, meldshaping, or are creations of incarnum or soulmelds (such as incarnum zombies). For each point of essentia you invest in this ability this bonus to damage is increased by 1.

Vestigial Receptacles: While Posol is bound you gain 3 points of essentia. Certain of Posol’s granted abilities allow you to invest essentia into them up to the standard essentia capacity based upon your character level. You must invest essentia into each ability separately and the essentia in one ability has no influence on the essentia in other abilities. You do not need this ability to invest essentia in the others if you have them this is merely meant as a clarification of how they function.

Warp Blast: While Posol is bound you may as a standard action release a burst of spiritual force which assails a single creature within 20 ft. The target takes 2d6 damage per point of essentia in this ability and 1 point of Charisma damage per point of invested essentia. A successful Will save halves this damage and the ability damage.

If bound with Improved Bind Vestige Posol grants Posol's Senses if the binder also has Practiced Binder they also gain Vestigial Receptacles.


New Soulmelds

AMON’S CROWN
Descriptors: Fire
Classes: Incarnate, Soulborn, Totemist
Chakra: Crown, Totem
Saving Throw: None
Incarnum forms a pair of curling goat ram horns upon your head, a fire appearing in the midst between the two horns.
As a standard action, you can spit out a small burst of flame at a target within 30 feet. This requires a ranged touch attack to hit and deals 1d6 points of fire damage. Using Amon’s crown provokes attacks of opportunity.
Essentia: Every point of essentia you invest in your Amon’s crown increases the damage dealt by 1d6 points.

Chakra Bind (Crown)
The horns rest lower on your head, a skullcap of black fur forming beneath their resting place. The fire between them darkens becoming purplish in color.
While Amon’s crown is bound to your crown chakra you gain darkvision 30 ft (or your existing darkvision increases by 30 ft). In addition magical light within 5 ft of you + 5 ft per point of essentia invested in the crown is reduced in brightness producing only shadowy illumination within this range of you if it produces continuous illumination, and creatures within the area gain a +4 bonus to saving throws against magical light based effects (such as flashes of blinding light).

Chakra Bind (Totem)
The flame between the horns vanishes as they cement themselves in your skull growing more larger and more substantial.
You gain a head butt attack that deals 1d4 points of bludgeoning damage. You can use this head butt either as a primary attack (in which case it uses your full base attack bonus and adds your Strength bonus on damage rolls) or as a secondary attack (with a –5 penalty on the attack roll and applying only half your Strength bonus on your damage roll). In addition when you strike a creature with this head butt you may make a bull rush attempt as a free action without entering its space or provoking attacks of opportunity, you may not travel along with the target with this bulrush to push them further than 5 ft. For every point of essentia invested into this soulmeld you gain a +2 bonus to opposed rolls made as part of this bull rush, and for every 2 points you may push them another 5 feet back if your strength check is high enough.

DAHVLER’S MAW
Descriptors: None
Classes: Totemist
Chakra: Throat, Totem
Saving Throw: None
Incarnum forms a mask of layered teeth coming from what looks almost like the pink flesh of gums, similar to the face of a tooth beast.
While wearing dahvler’s maw, you may touch a conscious and willing creature as a standard action to create a bond of incarnum between the two of you. Whenever you would be dealt damage the first 2 points of that damage is dealt to that creature instead of you as long as it is within 10 ft per meldshaper level you possess; this transfer takes place after effects which would reduce or increase the damage such as damage reduction or energy immunity/vulnerability.
Essentia: Every point of essentia invested in dahvler’s maw increases the amount of damage which is transferred by 2 and grants you a +1 enhancement bonus to your natural armor.

Chakra Bind (Throat)
The mask extends down your throat in a tooth covered pink gorget. As it merges with your flesh your vocal chords are changed to allow you to release maddening cries.
You gain the ability to release a maddening cry as a standard action. Any creature within 30 ft of you which can hear this cry must make a Will save or cower for 1 round and be shaken for 1 minute thereafter. A creature which successfully makes this Will save is immune to this ability for 8 hours. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.

Chakra Bind (Totem)
The mask fuses with your face, the teeth becoming your own, your entire mouth shaping into a deadly and twisted maw.
You gain a bite attack that deals 1d8 points of damage. You can use this bite either as a primary attack (in which case it uses your full base attack bonus and adds your Strength bonus on damage rolls) or as a secondary attack (with a –5 penalty on the attack roll and applying only half your Strength bonus on your damage roll). Every point of essentia invested in this soulmeld grants a +1 to damage with this soulmeld and allows you to heal 1 hp per invested essentia each time you bite a living creature for lethal damage.

VEILBREAKER’S MANTLE
Descriptors: None
Classes: Incarnate
Chakra: Shoulders, Soul
Saving Throw: None
You form a black cloak of incarnum upon which the faces of those which have passed beyond the veil of reality, past even the reach of the gods into their own realm of nothingness, are displayed. These whispers of these creatures sound within the mind of the shaper, whispering to them of deeds long past and worlds without end.
While wearing veilbreaker’s mantle, you gain a +2 insight bonus on Knowledge (History) and Knowledge (the Planes) checks and may make such checks untrained. However you suffer a -1 penalty to Listen checks made as reactions due to the distracting whispers sounding in your mind.
Essentia: Every point of essentia invested in the veilbreaker’s mantle increases the bonus by 2, and the penalty to Listen by 1. Every 2 points of essentia invested increases your effective binder level for the abilities of bound vestiges by 1.

Chakra Bind (Shoulders)
The mantle shrinks into a dark cape with flows and flutters behind you, one face growing in prominence of display even as it forms into a hood.
When you bind this soulmeld to your brow chakra select one vestige. If you use an ability of that vestige which would normally require 5 rounds wait to be used again it requires 1 less round to recharge.

Chakra Bind (Soul)
The mantle extends to brush your feet and cover your whole like a robe. The sign of one of these creatures from beyond the veil appears upon your body, even as you allow it to enter you more completely.
When you bind this soulmeld to your soul chakra select one level 4 or lower (should it be 3? 2?) vestige. You gain the benefits of having made a pact with that vestige as long as this soulmeld is bound. You automatically show its sign, as if you had formed a bad pact, however you are not penalized by its influence as if you had formed a good pact. Your effective binder level for this vestige is equal to your meldshaper level.

AtlasSniperman
2015-11-10, 12:12 AM
YAY more Incarnum!
Looks well balanced too! No criticism or advice. I like it and look forward to potentially using it.

kestrel404
2015-11-10, 03:55 PM
Not bad, but vestige activated abilities like Devour Essentia & Warp Blast generally have a cooldown period of 5 rounds. The damaging attack especially should come with a cooldown.
You've got more abilities than any other 3rd level vestige, but most of the abilities are fairly limited (assuming you don't have a seperate essentia pool to pump into several of them - and that comes with its own limits).
The big issue I'd point out is that the essentia investment is not currently limited. Somewhere in the description, you should state clearly that the essentia invested is capped in the same manner as soulmelds. This prevents an incarnate with a binder dip (they'd only need 3 levels with the improved binding feat) from getting an at-will 72d6 damage +36 charisma damage AOE.

AMON’S CROWN : This is...kind of potent. I'd change the attack to '1 fire damage + 1d6 / invested essentia', or give it a cooldown like a breath weapon (1d4 rounds). The only other ranged attack soulmeld I can think of is the Totemist one which requires a Totem chakra binding to get access to the attack. The rest looks good.

DAHVLER’S MAW: Looks good. Like the flavor. ;)

VEILBREAKER’S MANTLE: Very nice. If it wasn't Chakra Bind (Soul), it would be overpowered, but this works. For the level, I'd say 'level equal to invested essentia', with essentia investment in this case working like the feats (you get to choose once, and then cannot un-commit the essentia while bound). I'd also recommend stating that this soulmeld can only be bound to the soul once per 24 hours.

Zaydos
2015-11-10, 04:54 PM
YAY more Incarnum!
Looks well balanced too! No criticism or advice. I like it and look forward to potentially using it.

Thank you.


Not bad, but vestige activated abilities like Devour Essentia & Warp Blast generally have a cooldown period of 5 rounds. The damaging attack especially should come with a cooldown.

Warp Blast, with full essentia investment is roughly equal to damage with Focolar's at-will lightning bolt. A little better (untyped, Cha damage) and at the same time a little worse (Will saves are higher than Reflex saves starting around 5th level). It should be single target instead of a 15-ft cone, so I'm putting it at 20 ft one target giving it another minor disadvantage compared to Focolar (20 ft vs 30 ft range, like I said minor). Devour Essentia was supposed to have a 5 round cool down to begin with :smallredface:


You've got more abilities than any other 3rd level vestige, but most of the abilities are fairly limited (assuming you don't have a seperate essentia pool to pump into several of them - and that comes with its own limits).

Yeah that was the intent. It's one reason I went with the lower damage Focolar model for Warp Soul over the standard ~1d6/level AoE with 5 round cool down, it makes essentia a greater round by round concern.


The big issue I'd point out is that the essentia investment is not currently limited. Somewhere in the description, you should state clearly that the essentia invested is capped in the same manner as soulmelds. This prevents an incarnate with a binder dip (they'd only need 3 levels with the improved binding feat) from getting an at-will 72d6 damage +36 charisma damage AOE.

It actually is limited by the general rule in MoI


However large your essentia pool is, you can only invest a certain amount of essentia into any one soulmeld, feat, class feature, magic item, or other incarnum receptacle.

But I added a specific reference to the rule for clarity.


AMON’S CROWN : This is...kind of potent. I'd change the attack to '1 fire damage + 1d6 / invested essentia', or give it a cooldown like a breath weapon (1d4 rounds). The only other ranged attack soulmeld I can think of is the Totemist one which requires a Totem chakra binding to get access to the attack. The rest looks good.

The base effect is actually copy-pasta'd from Dissolving Spittle with acid swapped to the usually slightly inferior damage type of fire. However Totemists don't get automatic access to Dissolving Spittle, and it can be totem bound making it better for them than Dissolving Spittle ever would be. So it might need a nerf. At the same time if I gave it the cool down it'd still be strictly worse for incarnates. Maybe make it 1d8 + 1d8 per essentia but throw on a 1d4+1 round cool down?


DAHVLER’S MAW: Looks good. Like the flavor. ;)

Thanks.


VEILBREAKER’S MANTLE: Very nice. If it wasn't Chakra Bind (Soul), it would be overpowered, but this works. For the level, I'd say 'level equal to invested essentia', with essentia investment in this case working like the feats (you get to choose once, and then cannot un-commit the essentia while bound). I'd also recommend stating that this soulmeld can only be bound to the soul once per 24 hours.

I don't want to do that because an Incarnate can easily get an essentia capacity for a soulmeld of 7, and I feel bad about letting a pure Incarnate bind 7th level vestiges even at the cost of their soul chakra. That and I never liked the essentia locking of feats, and would prefer a lower absolute raw power potential for the ability to keep the versatility of most soulmelds. Though this may have to do with my failed attempt at a far realm themed meldshaper whose Totem equivalent had feat like essentia locking.

thethird
2015-11-14, 03:46 AM
First of all thanks for taking the request :smallsmile:



Posol, the Progenitor of Souls

Posol hungers for what it once sacrificed seeking to reclaim the life it once gave to others. Posol grants its binder an overflowing of spiritual energy which manifests in the form of essentia and several means by which to use it.

Level: 3rd.

Binding Check DC: 20.

Legend: Legends of Posol are fragmentary at best. Some claim that Posol is a progenitor of the gods themselves that split itself into the very souls of the divine. Having created the gods by dividing its very soul Posol died in anguish, begging that the gods return each of them a fragment of what it had given them, yet they each refused in turn allowing their creator’s existence to extinguish hopefully for all time. However what fragment of Posol remained lived on, trapped in the realm of its birth, and serving as a beacon for other such vestigial fragments of beings which could not like mortals die. Another version claims that Posol was not the source of the gods but the souls of mortals, dividing itself into the various souls that made the first mortals and spilling its life blood to create the wellspring from which the gods draw new souls to this day. As Posol lay slowly dying over millennia, beyond even the gods’ power to help, it watched and watching as mortals made mockery of its gift in violence and warfare it grew resentful. As Posol dwindled further it began to curse its own self-sacrifice and attempt to reclaim what it once gave freely, but was stopped by a mortal hero, slain by one who to it owed their very existence. Other tales claim that Posol was a great monster at the dawn of existence, which warred with the gods of good and evil. Posol’s power was great, stored within its body, its blood, and its breath. Olidammara realized that defeating Posol would be impossible even for the gods as long as it had these three great powers. So Olidammara developed a plan with which the gods stole Posol’s blood and breath, and these two taken they struck down Posol’s body and divided it into pieces and scattered them across the planes. Olidammara kept the breath and blood, hidden in his realm, but Garl Glittergold grew jealous and while a guest in Olidammara’s hall opened their containers letting each spill forth. Posol’s breath flowed across the worlds as essentia, its blood pooling into the incarnum used to form soulmelds, for Posol’s soul had already passed and its body was not whole. Other versions abound but always Posol is part of the creation of souls or incarnum either as the giver of the gift, or a creature which hoarded them all to itself at the dawn of time.

Manifestation: Posol appears as a five headed chimera. One head looks like the binder’s who seeks the pact, and the other four appear as draconic heads made of incarnum, each a varied shade of blue, one azure, another cobalt, a third cerulean, and the last sapphire. Posol mutters phrases of bitter lost about how it was taken and how it will have it back again.

Sign: Your skin turns cobalt.

Influence: Posol sacrificed its life to provide souls, and grew to regret that decision. While under Posol’s influence you can never give something to another unless given something of greater value.

I do like the fluff


Granted Abilities: While bound to Tonjak you possess some of the great powers that the mystic armor held before its destruction.

I assume Tonjak the mystic armor was a working idea?


Azure Hide: While Posol is bound you gain a +2 enhancement bonus to your natural armor, this enhancement bonus is increased by 1 per point of essentia invested into this ability. If you are not showing Posol’s sign and invest essentia into this ability its sign manifests as long as essentia is in this ability.

Ok ability, not too potent and in line.


Devour Essentia: While Posol is bound you gain the ability to revoke the blessing Posol granted in life. As a standard action you may strip a target within 30 ft of their essentia. The target loses 1 point of essentia per 2 EBL you possess and you gain 2 temporary hit points per essentia lost to this effct. Essentia lost to this effect is regained after 1 minute and the temporary hit points fade after the same amount of time. The target is allowed a Will save to half the essentia loss, and cannot lose more essentia than they possess. Once you have used this ability you must wait 5 rounds before using it again.

I fear that essentia isn't as prevalent as this to be actually something that you will invest essentia in. And most certainly not something you will want to use every round. Why not make it the other way arround? It does hp damage it provides temporary essentia? That way I can see myself using this ability earnestly. I think that having this essentia last for a minute or until you use this ability again will keep it in check. Perhaps limiting the essentia to the EML, which I assume all the abilities are limited by.


Posol’s Senses: While Posol is bound you gain darkvision 60 ft. You gain +10 ft to your darkvision range and a +2 competence bonus to Spot, Search, and Listen per point of essentia invested. If you invest at least 2 points of essentia you gain Scent. If you invest at least three you gain Blindsense 30 ft. If you invest at least four you gain blindsight 10 ft.

Soul Rending: While Posol is bound your blows are able to tear through bodies formed from souls allowing you to tear through creatures which are living souls or imbued with incarnum in their nature. You deal +2 damage against creatures with the Outsider type or which possess racial essentia, meldshaping, or are creations of incarnum or soulmelds (such as incarnum zombies). For each point of essentia you invest in this ability this bonus to damage is increased by 1.

Vestigial Receptacles: While Posol is bound you gain 3 points of essentia. Certain of Posol’s granted abilities allow you to invest essentia into them up to the standard essentia capacity based upon your character level. You must invest essentia into each ability separately and the essentia in one ability has no influence on the essentia in other abilities. You do not need this ability to invest essentia in the others if you have them this is merely meant as a clarification of how they function.

Perhaps add the EML limitation to inveested essentia.


Warp Blast: While Posol is bound you may as a standard action release a burst of spiritual force which assails a single creature within 20 ft. The target takes 2d6 damage per point of essentia in this ability and 1 point of Charisma damage per point of invested essentia. A successful Will save halves this damage and the ability damage.

This looks fine to me


If bound with Improved Bind Vestige Posol grants Posol's Senses if the binder also has Practiced Binder they also gain Vestigial Receptacles.


New Soulmelds

AMON’S CROWN
Descriptors: Fire
Classes: Incarnate, Soulborn, Totemist
Chakra: Crown, Totem
Saving Throw: None
Incarnum forms a pair of curling goat ram horns upon your head, a fire appearing in the midst between the two horns.
As a standard action, you can spit out a small burst of flame at a target within 30 feet. This requires a ranged touch attack to hit and deals 1d6 points of fire damage. Using Amon’s crown provokes attacks of opportunity.
Essentia: Every point of essentia you invest in your Amon’s crown increases the damage dealt by 1d6 points.

Chakra Bind (Crown)
The horns rest lower on your head, a skullcap of black fur forming beneath their resting place. The fire between them darkens becoming purplish in color.
While Amon’s crown is bound to your crown chakra you gain darkvision 30 ft (or your existing darkvision increases by 30 ft). In addition magical light within 5 ft of you + 5 ft per point of essentia invested in the crown is reduced in brightness producing only shadowy illumination within this range of you if it produces continuous illumination, and creatures within the area gain a +4 bonus to saving throws against magical light based effects (such as flashes of blinding light).

Chakra Bind (Totem)
The flame between the horns vanishes as they cement themselves in your skull growing more larger and more substantial.
You gain a head butt attack that deals 1d4 points of bludgeoning damage. You can use this head butt either as a primary attack (in which case it uses your full base attack bonus and adds your Strength bonus on damage rolls) or as a secondary attack (with a –5 penalty on the attack roll and applying only half your Strength bonus on your damage roll). In addition when you strike a creature with this head butt you may make a bull rush attempt as a free action without entering its space or provoking attacks of opportunity, you may not travel along with the target with this bulrush to push them further than 5 ft. For every point of essentia invested into this soulmeld you gain a +2 bonus to opposed rolls made as part of this bull rush, and for every 2 points you may push them another 5 feet back if your strength check is high enough.

I specially like the binds making things that are difficult to do otherwise but not overpowered.


DAHVLER’S MAW
Descriptors: None
Classes: Totemist
Chakra: Throat, Totem
Saving Throw: None
Incarnum forms a mask of layered teeth coming from what looks almost like the pink flesh of gums, similar to the face of a tooth beast.
While wearing dahvler’s maw, you may touch a conscious and willing creature as a standard action to create a bond of incarnum between the two of you. Whenever you would be dealt damage the first 2 points of that damage is dealt to that creature instead of you as long as it is within 10 ft per meldshaper level you possess; this transfer takes place after effects which would reduce or increase the damage such as damage reduction or energy immunity/vulnerability.
Essentia: Every point of essentia invested in dahvler’s maw increases the amount of damage which is transferred by 2 and grants you a +1 enhancement bonus to your natural armor.

Chakra Bind (Throat)
The mask extends down your throat in a tooth covered pink gorget. As it merges with your flesh your vocal chords are changed to allow you to release maddening cries.
You gain the ability to release a maddening cry as a standard action. Any creature within 30 ft of you which can hear this cry must make a Will save or cower for 1 round and be shaken for 1 minute thereafter. A creature which successfully makes this Will save is immune to this ability for 8 hours. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.

Chakra Bind (Totem)
The mask fuses with your face, the teeth becoming your own, your entire mouth shaping into a deadly and twisted maw.
You gain a bite attack that deals 1d8 points of damage. You can use this bite either as a primary attack (in which case it uses your full base attack bonus and adds your Strength bonus on damage rolls) or as a secondary attack (with a –5 penalty on the attack roll and applying only half your Strength bonus on your damage roll). Every point of essentia invested in this soulmeld grants a +1 to damage with this soulmeld and allows you to heal that much each time you bite a living creature.

I would clarify that the totem bind allows you to heal 1 point by essentia invested when you damage with your bite attack a living creature.


VEILBREAKER’S MANTLE
Descriptors: None
Classes: Incarnate
Chakra: Shoulders, Soul
Saving Throw: None
You form a black cloak of incarnum upon which the faces of those which have passed beyond the veil of reality, past even the reach of the gods into their own realm of nothingness, are displayed. These whispers of these creatures sound within the mind of the shaper, whispering to them of deeds long past and worlds without end.
While wearing veilbreaker’s mantle, you gain a +2 insight bonus on Knowledge (History) and Knowledge (the Planes) checks and may make such checks untrained. However you suffer a -1 penalty to Listen checks made as reactions due to the distracting whispers sounding in your mind.
Essentia: Every point of essentia invested in the veilbreaker’s mantle increases the bonus by 2, and the penalty to Listen by 1. Every 2 points of essentia invested increases your effective binder level for the abilities of bound vestiges by 1.

Chakra Bind (Shoulders)
The mantle shrinks into a dark cape with flows and flutters behind you, one face growing in prominence of display even as it forms into a hood.
When you bind this soulmeld to your brow chakra select one vestige. If you use an ability of that vestige which would normally require 5 rounds wait to be used again it requires 1 less round to recharge.

Chakra Bind (Soul)
The mantle extends to brush your feet and cover your whole like a robe. The sign of one of these creatures from beyond the veil appears upon your body, even as you allow it to enter you more completely.
When you bind this soulmeld to your soul chakra select one level 4 or lower (should it be 3? 2?) vestige. You gain the benefits of having made a pact with that vestige as long as this soulmeld is bound. You automatically show its sign, as if you had formed a bad pact, however you are not penalized by its influence as if you had formed a good pact. Your effective binder level for this vestige is equal to your meldshaper level.

About your question I think 4 is okay, or perhaps 3, after all if I got a soul chakra naturally I would most likely bind Posol due to sinergy.

AtlasSniperman
2015-11-14, 08:26 AM
@thethird
Re:Devour Essentia.
It depends on the setting a little too. My homebrew setting has psionics and incarnum so prevelent that everyone(even commoners) with a Con score has 1 point of each. So in that kind of setting, this ability is very useful.

Zaydos
2015-11-14, 12:22 PM
First of all thanks for taking the request :smallsmile:

It was fun.


I do like the fluff

Glad to hear it.


I assume Tonjak the mystic armor was a working idea?

Actually just the vestige I copy-pasted the format from. Specifically Tony Stark's armor.


Ok ability, not too potent and in line.

I fear that essentia isn't as prevalent as this to be actually something that you will invest essentia in. And most certainly not something you will want to use every round. Why not make it the other way arround? It does hp damage it provides temporary essentia? That way I can see myself using this ability earnestly. I think that having this essentia last for a minute or until you use this ability again will keep it in check. Perhaps limiting the essentia to the EML, which I assume all the abilities are limited by.

They're limited by Character Level like essentia normally is. I'll think about it. As it is it's intended as a niche but potentially powerful ability, that takes advantage of the fact that it is a swift action to shift essentia meaning that if you do fight a meldshaper you can use it, but normally it won't be used that often. It's fairly common for vestiges to have a niche, fluffy ability (Whispering Wind on Orthos for example, Water Walking on Eurynome) so I wanted to give it one, and something anti-meldshaper seemed a good choice for one that wouldn't up the power too much on a potentially overloaded already vestige.


Perhaps add the EML limitation to inveested essentia.

They're limited by the character level limitation that is on all essentia investments, as specified in Vestigial Receptacles. There isn't normally a meldshaper level based limit to invested essentia its character level (I can't remember the exact levels it changes).


This looks fine to me

I specially like the binds making things that are difficult to do otherwise but not overpowered.

Thank you :smallbiggrin::smallredface:


I would clarify that the totem bind allows you to heal 1 point by essentia invested when you damage with your bite attack a living creature.

I will try to work on the wording.


About your question I think 4 is okay, or perhaps 3, after all if I got a soul chakra naturally I would most likely bind Posol due to sinergy.

4 allows Buer which is at-will out of combat healing, Andras which is mounted combat capability, and possibly most importantly Tenebrous with Turn Undead. Don't think any of them would be game breaking compared to a soul bind, but incarnum is the official system I'm least comfortable/familiar with.


@thethird
Re:Devour Essentia.
It depends on the setting a little too. My homebrew setting has psionics and incarnum so prevelent that everyone(even commoners) with a Con score has 1 point of each. So in that kind of setting, this ability is very useful.

This actually brings up the interesting design question of making abilities balanced for certain types of settings (setting where incarnum is dominant magic type) vs the default and niche abilities in general, which becomes a greater conundrum when you start building expansions for things like incarnum and pact magic. I mean if you're resorting to homebrew to meld the two that implies they will have some presence, almost certainly greater than the default of (virtually) none. At the same time you have to be careful with a niche ability like anti-meldshaping so that it is useful enough to justify its specialization while also not being so powerful that it completely dominates such situations. Not saying I succeeded, just noting it's something that always needs to be kept in mind... actually willing to admit I didn't keep it in mind as much as I ought to have.