Help building an Incarnate

[Partysan]

So. I'm in an evil campaign starting at lvl 1 and everyone having obscene high stats. This is a secondary fun-campaign for play when the main campaign can't be played and we don't want to skip the session, so it's all not that serious.

Since I never played an Incarnum class I thought I'd like to try playing an Incarnate, either lawful or evil. However I heard they are difficult to build and while I understand how Incarnum works I don't really see the build yet.
I already know the Incarnum handbook, I just want to know a bit more.

Rest of the party btw is a dread necromancer, a necromancer cleric and a paladin of tyranny. I guess there'll be a lot of undead minions.

So, at first glance the Incarnate seems like a class that has a lot of melee itams but a low BAB. As I've read here it is possible to get a high attack bonus out of the essentia, but a high attack bonus still doesn't make a good fighter.
Also possible might be to take that Necrocarnum stuff for ranged damage like a Warlock. Necrocarnum seems to fit fluffy into my group.

So, how to make an evil and a lawful Incarnate from lvl one and, foremost, what to do with them? What race to take? If I pump my attack bonus what to do with it? Generally, what role to fill and how?
What soulmelds are good?

I guess since we have a PoT and soon some undead a tank will be less useful than a damage dealer but I'll take any suggestions.

Please?

[Optimystik]

Required reading incoming

The Incarnate Handbook
The Incarnum Handbook

Come back with any questions you may have

[Ernir]

Required reading incoming

The Incarnate Handbook
The Incarnum Handbook

Come back with any questions you may have

I'd guess the problem is mostly this:

Builds

As of yet, this section is incomplete. I need a different OS than Windows 7, which hates forums for some reason, before I'll be able to mess with it.

[Partysan]

I knew the Incarnum handbook, but Sinfire's Incarnate handbook actually was a great help, so thanks for the link!

Still, I don't really get it. I can get really high attack bonuses and then? I can do the fighter thing with full attacking every round, just without feat options and only two attacks? Isn't there something behind it or is the Incarnate just high numbers?
Secondly, is there some possibility to get some nice cruel style to it? The Necrocarnum melds seem rather mediocre to me, though I might use them anyway.
But my question: Is there something cool to do with Incarnates besides getting high numbers on anything?

[AmberVael]

Well...

Apparition Ribbon would allow you to go Incorporeal, which would be pretty interesting in combat.

Bloodwar gauntlets aren't amazing, but they do give you an at will blast radius of not necessarily low damage (3d6 per essentia, at will? With an incarnate, you get to add some to your essentia capacity... it's not going to be epic, but it can be viable. Plus, it adds morale to damage rolls, which is handy).

Dissolving Spittle is pretty fun. Acid ranged touch attack.

Flame Cincture is pretty specific, but it allows you to absorb and then throw back fire attacks.

Incarnate weapon allows stunning against opposing alignments, which is useful and mean.

Necroarcanum shroud will eventually allow you to deal negative levels, but unfortunately not all that many.
Utilizing its Waist chakra bind along with other various forms of demoralization (Imperius command, Intimidate, etc) allows you to be an intimidate monster, which is always good.

Planar Ward lets you Banish things.


So... my thought is, yeah. There are some cool things you can do.

[Draken]

Bloodwar Gauntlets unshape when you use the blast. There are the Lightning Gauntlets for Electricity touch attacks, however. And Necrocarnum Touch has the melee and anged touch attack thingy.

[AmberVael]

Bloodwar Gauntlets unshape when you use the blast.

Oh wow, that makes it useless. I missed that. How pathetic.

[Person_Man]

There's a huge number of soulmelds and build options, and which ones work best depend on your level. What ECL are you playing at?

Also, I would say that Evil Incarnates are somewhat superior to Lawful ones. They get better damage bonuses, and can shape Necrocarnate soulmelds without having to spend a feat to do so.

[Partysan]

There's a huge number of soulmelds and build options, and which ones work best depend on your level. What ECL are you playing at?

ECL 1, though ritual templates like dragonborn or necropolitan (not for a meldshaper i guess) are in.
Thought the

I'm in an evil campaign starting at lvl 1

made it clear.

[Person_Man]

Here's the progression I would use then:

Level 1: Decide whether or not you want to go into the Necrocarnate PrC. If so, then your progression should be Skill Monkey 1/Incarnate 4/Totemist 2/Necrocarnate X or something similar. There are also options for divine, arcane, and psionic Thuerge builds, though they tend not to kick in until ECL 6ish+, so I wouldn't suggest it for a game that starts at level one. For everything else, start with Incarnate 3. Best soulmelds at this level:

• Astral Vembraces: DR 2 + (2*essentia)/magic
• Mantle of Flame: 1d6 + (1d6 * essentia) retributive damage
• Lightning Gauntlets: Standard Action touch attack that deals 1d6 + 1d6 * essentia damage. Basically a greatsword that hits 90% of the time.

Level 2: Necrocarnum Circlet bound to Crown: Free renewable Animate Dead!

Level 3: Better essentia capacity. Woot! If you want a Trip, Grapple, or Bull Rush build, spend a feat on Shape Soulmeld for Mauling Gauntlets: 2 + (2* essentia).

Level 4: Decide whether or not you want to use Ironsoul Forgemaster. If so, go Incarnate 3/Totemist 2/Ironsoul Forgemaster X. If not, just continue with Incarnate. Incarnate 4 also opens up your feet and hand chakra, which give you some additional options - though you still only have 1 chakra bind per day at this point, so I would stick with Animate Dead:

• Impulse Boots: Uncanny Dodge, Ref bonus. Bound to Feet: Evasion.
• Cerulean Sandals: Water Walk, increased speed. Bound to Feet: Dim Door.
• Necrocarnum Weapon: Bonus to damage, crits. Bound to Hands: Bonus essentia on crit (basically trading your chakra bind for more essentia).

Level 5: If you went Incarnate/Totemist, this is when you get your Totem Avatar, which can do TONS of different things. If you stay with Incarnate, then you get Rapid Meldshaping. This is mostly useful if you stumble upon enemies defeated by specific soulmelds, such as summoned creatures, undead, or enemies that depend on a specific Energy type or ranged weapons.

Level 6: Essentia capacity expands, making a huge number of soulmelds viable. Your choice of SR, DR, ER, concealment, hit points, and/or bonuses to anything. Given some cross class investment, non-dumped Cha, and Mage Spectacles, UMD also become viable at this level.


Questions?

[term1nally s1ck]

Incarnate 20 is also a fairly nice build, due to the capstone granting full BAB.

[Ernir]

Incarnate 20 is also a fairly nice build, due to the capstone granting full BAB.

Full BAB is a feature of the outsider HD, not the outsider type.

[Obi-Juan]

I suggest Necrocarnate PrC (Moar minionz) and/or Incarnum Blade (?)