"Tu est une grande source d'essentia!" [3.5 PrC, Incarnum, PEACH]

[Edge]

Behold what comes of watching too much Wakfu.

You'll note that the 7th level currently has no class feature. Any ideas on how to fill it would be much appreciated, as would critiques on the balance of the class. I'm especially leery of the current state of Endow Essentia, Juste à Temp and Overclocking.

The Xelor

"I’ll bring them back! You’ll see! Nothing I’ve done will matter anymore!" – Noximilien L’Horloger

The xelor are a group who have fortunately always been few in number, it being rare for one to arise more than once every few hundred years. The reason for this is simple: xelors are born of the collision of several rare occurrences.

First, they must be master craftsmen, capable of creating sorcerous objects of great quality, as well as being highly capable watchmakers. Second, they must not possess any innate talent for temporal manipulation. Third, they must only possess the barest hint of incarnum capability on their souls. Fourth, something terrible must occur to them, an event they wish to reverse so much that they would gladly give anything to undo it. Fifth, they must learn the terrible truth that essentia, the lifeblood of incarnum, is an arcane fuel beyond any archmage or deity’s wildest dreams.

Thus begins the mad cycle of constructing a machine to take them back to rectify their mistake, and gathering enough essentia to power it.

HD: d8

Requirements
Alignment: Any non-good.
Skills: Craft (watchmaking) 9 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 9 ranks, Spellcraft 9 ranks.
Feats: Bonus Essentia*, Craft Magic Arms and Armour and Craft Wondrous Item.
Special: Must possess a craft reserve, as well as the retain essence and metamagic spell trigger class features**.
Special: Must not possess any feats or class features with an essentia capacity, nor be able to shape soulmelds.
Special: Must not have used any spells, psionic powers or other abilities that influence time prior to entering this prestige class.
*From Magic of Incarnum.
**All class features of the artificer, from Eberron Campaign Setting.

Class Skills: Appraise, Concentration, Craft (any), Disable Device, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (architecture and engineering), Knowledge (the planes), Open Lock, Profession, Search, Spellcraft and Use Magic Device.
Skill points per level: 4 + Intelligence modifier, minimum 1.

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Infusions
1st	+0	+0	+2	+2	Essentia Pool, Essentia Well, Leech Essentia 1d6/1d4, Temporal Artisan	-
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3	Temporal Glitch	+1 of existing infusion class
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+3	Endow Essentia	+1 of existing infusion class
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Craft Consumptive Construct	+1 of existing infusion class
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Expanded Well, Leech Essentia 1d8/1d6	+1 of existing infusion class
6th	+4	+2	+5	+5	The Clock’s Hand	+1 of existing infusion class
7th	+5	+2	+5	+5		+1 of existing infusion class
8th	+6	+2	+6	+6	Juste à Temp	-
9th	+6	+3	+6	+6	Expanded Well, Leech Essentia 2d6/1d8	+1 of existing infusion class
10th	+7	+3	+7	+7	Overclocking	-

Class Features
All the following are class features of the xelor.

Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: The xelor gains no new weapon proficiencies, but gains proficiency with medium armour.

Temporal Artisan: At 1st level, the xelor’s class level stacks with his artificer level for determining his caster level for the purpose of item creation, the bonus provided by his artificer’s knowledge class feature and the capacity of his craft reserve.

Infusions: At every level other than 1st, 8th and 10th, the xelor gains new infusions per day as if he had also gained a level in whatever infusion-using class he belonged to before he added the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. This essentially means that he adds the level of xelor to the level of whatever other infusion-using class the character has, then determines spells per day and caster level accordingly.
If a character had more than one spellcasting class before he became a xelor, he must decide to which class he adds each level of xelor for the purpose of determining spells per day.

Essentia Pool: At 1st level, the xelor gains an essentia pool as per a soulmelding character, save that its maximum capacity is (class level x 2) + Charisma modifier. However, unlike a meldshaper’s, this essentia pool is not automatically full: by default, a level 1 xelor only possesses one point of essentia from their Bonus Essentia feat. A xelor fills this pool through use of their essentia well and leech essentia class features.

A xelor typically possesses no soulmelds to commit essentia to, but other xelor class features allow them to commit essentia to items, or to permanently expend points of essentia to fuel one-time effects similar to spell-like abilities.

Any uncommitted points of essentia in a xelor’s essentia pool vanish after 24 hours. Committing the essentia or storing it within the xelor’s essentia well prevent this dissipation. The essentia point provided by the xelor’s Bonus Essentia feat is immune to this dissipation.

Essentia Well: The xelor’s craft relies on the manipulation of essentia, but they have no innate talent for it. Thus, all xelors possess some external item to store the essentia they rely on, known as an essentia well. They can craft such an item themselves, or use an ancient artifact they have discovered that is conducive to the purpose – perhaps the sole remnant of a previous xelor.

This item, whatever it source, now becomes the locus of the xelor’s craft reserve. The points of his craft reserve are stored therein, and when he cannot access his essentia well, he cannot access his craft reserve points. The xelor can tap into his essentia well from a range of 100ft per two class levels.

The essentia well’s main purpose, however, is the storing of essentia. As a swift action, the xelor within range of their essentia well may take any amount of essentia currently within his essentia pool and store it in his essentia well. Each point transferred permanently removes one point of essentia from the xelor’s essentia pool, whilst adding 25 points to the xelor’s craft reserve. A xelor may not add points in excess of his craft reserve’s maximum capacity.

However, a xelor may find himself in desperate need of the essentia stored within his well. A xelor within range of his essentia well may tap into it to add points of essentia to his essentia pool as a move action. Doing so costs 25 points of craft reserve per essentia point added, though a xelor can only add a number of essentia points to his pool equal to his class level plus his Charisma modifier per action. They also may not add essentia points in excess of their pool’s maximum capacity. Any attempt to do so expends the craft reserve normally but dissipates the essentia into nothingness.

Leech Essentia (Su): A xelor requires essentia for his plans, but is unable to access any but the smallest amount of his own. Therefore, he must steal it from others. At 1st level, the xelor may make a melee touch attack as a standard action. If this attack hits, the target must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + class level + Charisma modifier) or be paralyzed for as long as the xelor maintains contact. Each round thereafter, the target loses 1d6 points of essentia which are then directly added to the xelor’s essentia pool. Against a target that does not possess essentia, this attack instead deals 1d4 points of Wisdom damage, with every 4 points of Wisdom damage dealt adding 1 point of essentia to the xelor’s essentia pool. A target reduced to 0 essentia by this attack falls unconscious. A xelor may maintain contact with such a target to drain their Wisdom as well.

A target paralyzed by this attack may attempt another Fortitude save at the same DC on their next turn to negate the paralysis and break the xelor’s touch. They may keep attempting Fortitude saves each round until their Wisdom is reduced to 0 or they break free.

At 5th level the essentia damage and Wisdom damage dealt each round by Leech Essentia increases by one die step. At 9th level, they increase by another die step.

Wisdom damaged by Leech Essentia returns at the normal rate, but a creature that loses points of essentia to this attack regains all lost points after 24 hours. Helpless targets may not make saves against Leech Essentia’s effects.

Temporal Glitch (Su): At 2nd level, the xelor unlocks the first secret of temporal manipulation. Channelling essentia into his body and the surrounding timeframe, the xelor becomes able to move at impossible speeds. The xelor becomes able to teleport a distance equal to his move speed at-will as a move action. This ability may have essentia invested in it, and has an essentia capacity equal to the norm for the xelor’s character level (see Magic of Incarnum page 19 for details). Each point of essentia invested in temporal glitch increases the distance of teleportation by an amount equal to the xelor’s move speed. Thus, a xelor with 3 points of essentia invested in this ability may teleport up to four times their move speed as a move action.

Furthermore, a xelor with 4 or more points of essentia invested in temporal glitch may permanently expend 1 point of essentia from their essentia pool to use the ability as an immediate action, allowing them to avoid any effects or attacks directed at the space they occupied prior to their teleportation.

Endow Essentia (Su): At 3rd level, the xelor takes the first tentative step in realising their goal of an essentia-fuelled time machine by learning to channel essentia into more mundane objects. Any item other than spell completion items (e.g. scrolls) or single-use use-activated items (e.g. potions) the xelor wields or owns gains an essentia capacity, using the xelor’s character level for determining its maximum capacity. If the item already possesses an essentia capacity, it uses whichever value is higher. The xelor may invest essentia in his items, providing benefits dependent on the item’s function:

• Ability Score Enhancement Bonus: Every 2 points of essentia invested in the item increases its bonus to one ability score by 1.
• Armour/Shield: Every point of essentia invested in the item increases its enhancement bonus by 1, or provides a special ability with an enhancement equivalent equal to the essentia dedicated to that purpose. E.g. a xelor may invest 4 points of essentia in his armour to increase its enhancement bonus by 1 and give it the ghost touch property.
• AC Bonus (not armour/shield enhancement): Every point of essentia invested in the item increases its bonus to AC by 1.
• Bonus Spell(s) per Day: Every 4 points of essentia invested in the item increases the number of spell slots granted by 1.
• Save Bonus: Every point of essentia invested in the item increases its bonus to one saving throw by 1.
• Skill Bonus: Every point of essentia invested in the item increases its bonus to one skill by 1. Investing a full 4 points of essentia in this ability improves the bonus granted by an additional point.
• Spell Resistance: Every point of essentia invested in the item increases the spell resistance by 1.
• Weapon Enhancement Bonus: Every point of essentia invested in the item increases its enhancement bonus by 1, or provides a special ability with an enhancement equivalent equal to the essentia dedicated to that purpose. E.g. a xelor may invest 3 points of essentia in his weapon to increase its enhancement bonus by 1 and give it the anarchic property.
• Spell Effect, spell trigger: Every point of essentia invested in the item increases its caster level by 1.
• Spell Effect, command word: Every point of essentia invested in the item increases its caster level by 1.
• Spell Effect, use-activated/continuous: Every 2 points of essentia invested in the item increases its caster level by 1.
• Charges Per Day: Every 2 points of essentia invested in the item increases its daily charges by 1.
• Charged: Every 2 points of essentia invested in the item provides a charge up to the item’s maximum.

If an item possesses multiple functions, essentia may be spread among them as the xelor wishes, though a point of essentia may only improve one function at a time. Items only have a single essentia capacity, not one per function.

Craft Consumptive Construct: At 4th level, the xelor gains Craft Construct as a bonus feat. The xelor also gains the ability to bestow any construct he creates with the Leech Essentia and Essentia pool class features of a level 1 xelor by paying a surcharge on the construct’s creation costs, dependent on its HD.

Construct’s HD	Cost Surcharge
1-5	500gp
6-10	750gp
11-15	1000gp
16-20	1500gp
21+	2,500gp

Expanded Well (Ex): By continually tinkering with their essentia well, the xelor dramatically improves its efficiency. At 5th level and 9th level, the maximum capacity of the xelor’s craft reserve increases by 500 points.

The Clock’s Hand: At 6th level, the xelor expands his crafting capabilities. They gain Craft Staff as a bonus feat. However, their “staves” may use any two-handed masterwork weapon as a base, rather than just a masterwork quarterstaff, replacing the cost of the quarterstaff with the cost of the masterwork weapon when determining the staff’s cost. A weapon used to craft a staff in this manner may also bear weapon enhancements as usual. Any staff crafted in this manner must bear the aesthetics of clocks, watches and gears in its physical design. Sword-staves shaped similarly to clock hands are a popular choice for this. A xelor is considered proficient with the base weapon of any staff he crafts in this manner, provided the item has essentia invested in it.

Juste à Temp (Su): At 8th level, the xelor’s temporal manipulation takes a great leap forward: his goal is now well within sight. The xelor may use temporal acceleration once per encounter as supernatural ability that is considered fully augmented as per usual with psi-like abilities, replacing manifester level with your infusion caster level, though the rounds of apparent time stem from an actual pausing of time, rather than self-acceleration.

However, targets rendered inactive for the rounds of apparent may make a Will save (DC 16 + Charisma modifier) each round of apparent time. Success allows them to free themselves from the frozen time frame, becoming able to act you do within the rounds of apparent time for the rest of its duration, acting in normal initiative order. Creatures free of the frozen time frame may interact with each other as though time was behaving normally, permitting them to attack or utilise spells and other effects against each other.

The xelor may expend 10 points of essentia as a swift action to gain an additional use of this ability once each encounter. Juste à Temp also possesses an essentia capacity appropriate for the xelor’s character level: each point of essentia invested in the ability increases the save DC to act within the frozen time frame by 1.

Overclocking (Su): At 10th level, the xelor has fine-tuned his personal link with his essentia well, permitting him to channel vast amounts of its power for a limited period. Once per day, the xelor may announce that he is overclocking all systems as a free action. This improves his essentia-wielding capabilities greatly for the rest of the encounter at the cost of 500 points from his craft reserve.

The first benefit of overclocking is that the xelor’s essentia pool doubles in capacity, allowing them to store 2 x ((class level x 2) + Charisma modifier) points of essentia therein. Furthermore, the essentia capacity of all abilities and items the xelor possesses doubles whilst overclocking is active.

The xelor may also create armaments created of pure essentia whilst overclocking is active. This functions as a call weaponry, used as a supernatural ability, but considered fully augmented as per usual with psi-like abilities, replacing manifester level with your infusion caster level. The xelor may create up to one two-handed or two one-handed or light weapons at a time through this ability. Any weapons created via overclocking gain an essentia capacity from Endow Essentia which is modified by the other benefits of overclocking as usual.

Finally, whilst overclocking is active, the xelor need not permanently expend a point of essentia to utilise temporal glitch as an immediate action.

[Xzoltar]

I really like the power of mixing Infusion with Essentia, this have been done in the past, but this is something quite different and I will add this Prestige class in my game for sure.

Only thing is the title should read : "Tu est une grande source d'essentia" and its not L’Horlorger but "L’Horloger"

[Edge]

I really like the power of mixing Infusion with Essentia, this have been done in the past, but this is something quite different and I will add this Prestige class in my game for sure.

Only thing is the title should read : "Tu est une grande source d'essentia" and its not L’Horlorger but "L’Horloger"

Yeah someone already PM'd me about the French. In my defence, it's been years since I needed to use my high school French, so I am obviously out of practice.

[Draken]

Two things edge:

1. Bonus essentia gives two essentia.

2. Requiring a useless (until you take the first level of the class) feat is somewhat odd. There are races that give essentia without giving a means to employ it (namely azurins, but there are always options for making incarnum subraces, namely exchanging one racial feature for 1 point of essentia).

Other than that, neat features but I don't know the story behind it.

[Edge]

Gah. Of course Bonus Essentia gives 2 essentia. Stupid me overlooking stuff.

As for the story behind it, this PrC is based off the villain of the first series of the French anime/cartoon/whatever Wakfu, one Noximilien the Watchmaker. The link in the first post shows him in action.

[Biguds]

Aewsome !

Just made a artificer to use this P.C. !

But, really need a seventh level "thing"...

Maybe mold essensia in itens [like swords, armors, under water baskets] ?

And a question: Can I use 1 essencia point [permanent] to use a power, soh use some craft reserve to regain this point, and later consume magic itens to ragain the reserve ?

[Edge]

And a question: Can I use 1 essencia point [permanent] to use a power, soh use some craft reserve to regain this point, and later consume magic itens to ragain the reserve ?

This is the general idea, yes. The xelor should be draining essentia from everything they can to refill their craft reserve, and then convert those reserve points into personal essentia. Note that any essentia in your essentia pool not invested vanishes after 24 hours.

And I'm glad you like it.

[Draken]

Hmm... A number of infusions have extremely long cast times. Maybe give them a 7th level ability allowing the investiture of essence to improve cast times and caster level of infusions?

[Edge]

Hmm... A number of infusions have extremely long cast times. Maybe give them a 7th level ability allowing the investiture of essence to improve cast times and caster level of infusions?

I like it. I'll get to work on writing it up later today.

[Avalon®]

I recall seeing Nox's bugs draining the wakfu from trees. Maybe allow the Leech Essentia to apply to living objects?

[Edge]

I recall seeing Nox's bugs draining the wakfu from trees. Maybe allow the Leech Essentia to apply to living objects?

Yes, they do. However, what do I have the ability drain? The object's hit points? How many hit points does a tree have? What should be the exchange rate?

This are questions I cannot answer well, because of the way D&D assign hit point to objects (i.e. based on thickness). Which dimension do I use? I don't know, therefore I cannot easily ascertain the hit points of an average tree, and thus cannot decide on a fair exchange rate of object hit points: craft reserve.

I would like to do this, but I do not think I can, or at least I'm unwilling to put in the effort required to do so.

Plus, the class is plenty strong as it stands, and broadening their access to craft reserve further is kinda unnecessary.

[Owrtho]

Yes, they do. However, what do I have the ability drain? The object's hit points? How many hit points does a tree have? What should be the exchange rate?

This are questions I cannot answer well, because of the way D&D assign hit point to objects (i.e. based on thickness). Which dimension do I use? I don't know, therefore I cannot easily ascertain the hit points of an average tree, and thus cannot decide on a fair exchange rate of object hit points: craft reserve.

I would like to do this, but I do not think I can, or at least I'm unwilling to put in the effort required to do so.

Well, one possibility would be to have it drain hardness or x amount of hp per inch of thickness. Thus the dimensions of the tree wouldn't matter. Mind one may want to alter it slightly for special trees or the like, but those would generally be exceptions rather than the rule.

Owrtho

[Ghastly]

If this is a base on Nox himself, it's pretty good. However, Xelors were more like a profession in any other RPG (Like Enutrofs) than a sect of people out for a specific goal. That's if I understand correctly; my friend knows and plays the game, I've just seen the anime.

[Edge]

If this is a base on Nox himself, it's pretty good. However, Xelors were more like a profession in any other RPG (Like Enutrofs) than a sect of people out for a specific goal. That's if I understand correctly; my friend knows and plays the game, I've just seen the anime.

Yeah, this is based on Nox rather than the xelors from the Wakfu MMORPG, which I have dabbled in.

[silphael]

Some tiny correction:

"Tu es une grande source d'essence" (I'm not sure about the translation for essencia in french, the book I've got is in english ><

"Juste à temps"

"Juste en temps" means nothing ^^

[Edge]

Some tiny correction:

"Tu es une grande source d'essence" (I'm not sure about the translation for essencia in french, the book I've got is in english ><

Huzwhuh? Is this a gender thing I've forgotten? Est for masculine and es for feminine?

"Juste à temps"

"Juste en temps" means nothing ^^

Huh. Misheard Nox in that episode then. My bad.

[Mono Vertigo]

Nothing to do with gender there, "es" is how you conjugate "être" with the second person singular ("tu es"). "Est" is for the third person singular ("Il/elle est").

[Edge]

Nothing to do with gender there, "es" is how you conjugate "être" with the second person singular ("tu es"). "Est" is for the third person singular ("Il/elle est").

*facepalm*

Euurrrgh. It's been a while since I've used my high school French. So many missteps.

[silphael]

If "Juste en temps" is from the episode, it might be a wordplay, so might be right, I dunnow, sorry.

[Edge]

If "Juste en temps" is from the episode, it might be a wordplay, so might be right, I dunnow, sorry.

The translation the subs gave was "Just in time." I fully expect it was just me mishearing.

But I blame the distortion effect on Nox's voice anyway.

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

I really like the power of mixing Infusion with Essentia, this have been done in the past, but this is something quite different and I will add this Prestige class in my game for sure.

Here's a link to such a thing, if the OP is interested.

This class is interesting, but I'm worried that Leech Essentia is creating a horrible death spiral with its scaling DC, Con damage (up to 1d8), and required Fortitude save. That averages a +4-+5 increase in the DC each round, which is basically an instant-death effect against a single target if it fails the first save. Not cool. I'd recommend making the save a Will save to cut out the death spiral and removing the scaling save DC increase, or cutting both the paralysis and the save DC increase, but keeping the save a Fort save. Either one would put this ability a bit more in line, as, at the moment, it's an almost assured killer if you hit the first time.


Also, as written, a reasonable interpretation is that a creature without an Essentia Pool is naturally reduced to 0 Essentia, and thus falls unconscious. Maybe fix that wording to clarify, as it's a bit confusing.

[Edge]

Here's a link to such a thing, if the OP is interested.

Yeah, I'm a fan of your work, Djinn, so I've already seen the Soul Tinker.

This class is interesting, but I'm worried that Leech Essentia is creating a horrible death spiral with its scaling DC, Con damage (up to 1d8), and required Fortitude save. That averages a +4-+5 increase in the DC each round, which is basically an instant-death effect against a single target if it fails the first save. Not cool. I'd recommend making the save a Will save to cut out the death spiral and removing the scaling save DC increase, or cutting both the paralysis and the save DC increase, but keeping the save a Fort save. Either one would put this ability a bit more in line, as, at the moment, it's an almost assured killer if you hit the first time.

Could have sworn I dropped the scaling DC on the advice of a friend off-site, but maybe I only made the change in my Word doc. I'll drop that definitely. Slightly confused by the suggestion to switch from a Fort save to a Will save. I'm fairly sure that good Fort saves are more common than good Will saves, especially amongst monsters.

Also, as written, a reasonable interpretation is that a creature without an Essentia Pool is naturally reduced to 0 Essentia, and thus falls unconscious. Maybe fix that wording to clarify, as it's a bit confusing.

Hmm. Tricky. I'm fairly sure the incarnum rules don't actually make a distinction. Might specify that for the purposes of Leech Essentia, a creature without an Essentia Pool is treated has having Essentia - rather than Essentia 0, making it work something like a nonability.

[Draken]

Usually, when an effect that drains essentia finds a target without essentia it targets wisdom instead.

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

Yeah, I'm a fan of your work, Djinn, so I've already seen the Soul Tinker.

Always glad to hear people like my stuff!

Slightly confused by the suggestion to switch from a Fort save to a Will save. I'm fairly sure that good Fort saves are more common than good Will saves, especially amongst monsters.

The issue is that every failed save gives the target an effective -2 to -2.5 to the next save due to Constitution loss (assuming average rolls on the d8). It could be up to -4 with a lucky roll. Which still gives a death spiral, especially with the constant paralysis allowing Coup de Graces and other things that help ensure death.

[togapika]

The class says you cannot posses levels in an essentia shaping class to enter it, but improves your incarnum levels....
So how exactly is that supposed to work?

[Draken]

It doesn't improve any meldshaping. It gives an essentia pool, but that is pretty much it.

[Edge]

The class says you cannot posses levels in an essentia shaping class to enter it, but improves your incarnum levels....
So how exactly is that supposed to work?

It doesn't improve any meldshaping. It gives an essentia pool, but that is pretty much it.

To clarify, infusions are the spells utilised by the artificer class from the Eberron Campaign Setting.

[Greymane]

To say I love how this looks would be a vast understatement. I've never used Incarnum before (just purchased the book, though) nor have I played an Artificer, but the next time I'm a player, I will certainly give this a look over.

That said, I have a question. How long does Overclocking last? The rest of the Encounter? I do not see a duration (ironically) on it.

[Edge]

That said, I have a question. How long does Overclocking last? The rest of the Encounter? I do not see a duration (ironically) on it.

First paragraph of the ability. It lasts for the rest of the encounter.

[Blastywiz]

Since this is based on Nox, would u consider giving them levitation for their 7th level ability?

(I love this class btw and Wakfu so I'm definitely including this class in my world. )