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View Full Version : The Soulknife (v3.5, PEACH please)



realbombchu
2008-12-17, 12:30 AM
I wanted to make the soulknife a little stronger and more flexible (the two complaints I hear the most about the class). I balanced the class against the ranger and made some small but effective changes. The largest change is in the skill list. I thought that it needed to be expanded. Anyway, please let me know what you think. I'll be happy to tell you why I did things a certain way if any of you are confused. Thanks!

The Soulknife
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+1|
+0|
+2|
+2|Fast movement, mind blade, Wild Talent

2nd|
+2|
+0|
+3|
+3|Combat style, throw mind blade

3rd|
+3|
+1|
+3|
+3|Psychic strike +1d8

4th|
+4|
+1|
+4|
+4|+1 mind blade

5th|
+5|
+1|
+4|
+4|Free draw, shape mind blade

6th|
+6/+1|
+2|
+5|
+5|Improved combat style, mind blade enhancement +1

7th|
+7/+2|
+2|
+5|
+5|Psychic strike +2d8

8th|
+8/+3|
+2|
+6|
+6|+2 mind blade

9th|
+9/+4|
+3|
+6|
+6|Bladewind

10th|
+10/+5|
+3|
+7|
+7|Mind blade enhancement +2

11th|
+11/+6/+1|
+3|
+7|
+7|Greater combat style, psychic strike +3d8

12th|
+12/+7/+2|
+4|
+8|
+8|+3 mind blade

13th|
+13/+8/+3|
+4|
+8|
+8|Knife to the soul

14th|
+14/+9/+4|
+4|
+9|
+9|Mind blade enhancement +3

15th|
+15/+10/+5|
+5|
+9|
+9|Psychic strike +4d8

16th|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+5|
+10|
+10|+4 mind blade

17th|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+10|Multiple throw

18th|
+18/+13/+8/+3|
+6|
+11|
+11|Mind blade enhancement +4

19th|
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+6|
+11|
+11|Psychic strike +5d8

20th|
+20/+15/+10/+5|
+6|
+12|
+12|+5 mind blade[/table]

Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8.

Skills
The soulknife's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Psicraft (Int), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), and Tumble (Dex).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) X 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Fast movement works just like the Barbarian ability, and combat style refers to the two-weapon fighting Ranger ability only, there is no ranged option. You can look up the soulknife in the SRD, I think, for the text on these abilities. I'm lazy, so I don't really want to type out all the text on each one.

Rebonack
2008-12-17, 01:58 AM
There are lots of soulknife fixes floating around out there. Which just goes to show that people like the flavor of the class and feel let down by the crunch. Just look at the poor guy, it's easy to tell why.

Anyway, your fix puts the soulknife about on par with a not-terribly built fighter. Not on par with a good fighter, mind. On par with one that can be somewhat useful until mid to high levels. The two best options for a fighter type who focuses on melee (Uber charger and Tripper/area control) aren't an option for the soulknife because all he can make are meh-tastic weapons unless you burn valuable feats.

It makes him better, but that isn't terribly hard to do. But compared to the martial classes that are generally considered decent (well built fighter) or good (Pretty much anyone from the ToB, the psi warrior if you feel like counting him) he still won't hold a candle.

realbombchu
2008-12-17, 07:56 AM
Wow, you really think so? I was worried that I was making it a little too powerful, but I always worry about that, so I guess I must've held back too much. Thank you for your input.

I really want to make this a good class without going overboard, have you seen any really good soulknife fixes out there that I could take lessons from? Or do any of you have specific things you would like to see in a soulknife that I could add.

I'm thinking about adding some ranger-level (1-4) manifesting abilities, but I'm not sure that would work, and it would take more work than simply moving abilities around.