Shards of Power Playtest: Racial Archetypes and Veils

[RecordedChaos]

The following are new Alternate Racial Traits for the Human and Skinwalker as well as several new veils. They are part of the Shards of Power playtest, the whole google doc can be found here

Alternate Racial Traits

The following are alternate racial traits for the Skinwalker and Human races.

-Skinwalkers-
Spirit-kin (Soulbred)
Soulbred are a subrace of skinwalkers whose ancestry is tied to the spiritual totem of the beastial shapechanger as opposed to the heritage of a single lycanthrope.
Totemic: The Soulbred gains the akashic subtype, gaining immunity to magical sleep.
Unnerving Aura: The strange nature of a Soulbred’s existence unnerves others. They gain a +2 racial bonus to Intimidate skill checks. This ability replaces Animal-Minded.
Bestial Soul: The Soulbred is always treated as if they had the Beastblood Transformation veil shaped, and spending an hour each morning meditating allows them to change what animal this veil is tied to. This veil gains the [Undetectable] descriptor while the Soulbred has it shaped. This veil does not count against their number of veils shaped for the day and does not count as being shaped in the Blood slot for the purpose of shaping other veils or for the ability to bind Blood veils, it also cannot be bound normally. The soulbred uses their character level as their veilweaving level and their highest mental ability score as their veilweaving modifier for this veil.
This ability replaces Change Shape but counts as that ability for the purpose of meeting prerequisites. The Soulbred does not get to increase its Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution by +2 when changing form.
Essence: A Soulbred gains 1 point of essence. This ability replaces Spell-Like ability.


-Humans-
Doppelborne
Aberrant Bloodline: Some humans are born with the taint of aberrant ancestors. They gain the akashic and shapechanger subtypes, low-light vision, and an immunity to magical sleep. Doppelborne are treated as if they always have the Visage of the Faceless veil shaped. This veil loses the [Evil] descriptor and gains the [Undetectable] descriptor while the Doppelborne has it shaped. This veil does not count against their normal limits on veils shaped or their veil slots and may not be bound normally. They use their highest mental ability score’s modifier as their veilweaving modifier for this veil, and their character level as their veilweaving level. They also gain 1 point of essence.
This trait replaces the human’s bonus feat and skilled racial traits.

Sigilium
Rune Giant’s Blood:Some humans are born with a trace of the power once held by Rune Giants. They gain the akashic and giant subtypes, low-light vision, immunity to magical sleep, and treat Intimidate and Perception as class skills
Runebound Bloodline:: Select three veils with the [Shatter] descriptor. They may shape one of these veils at a time and this veil does not count against their normal limits on veils shaped or their veil slots and may not be bound normally. They use their highest mental ability score’s modifier as their veilweaving modifier for this veil, and their character level as their veilweaving level. They also gain 1 point of essence. This ability counts as having the Scholar of Sigils feat for the purpose of prerequisites.
This trait replaces the human’s bonus feat and skilled racial traits.

[RecordedChaos]

The following are new veils. They use the Akashic Magic rule set and are part of the Shards of Power playtest, the whole google doc can be found here

[Shatter] Descriptor Veils
Veils with the shatter descriptor can be shattered for an additional or improved effect. When shattered, a veil is normally suppressed for 10 minutes unless otherwise specified by the veil or one of your abilities. You can choose to keep your veils shattered for longer than 10 minutes, if you wish. After this 10 minutes has passed, you can unsuppress a shattered veil as part of investing your essence. If one of these veils grants a benefit while it is shattered, or if shattering the veil produces an ongoing effect, those effects or benefits end when the veil is unsuppressed.
Unless otherwise specified by the veil, shattering a veil burns the essence invested in it to provide an additional effect. This essence cannot be recovered while the veil is suppressed, and is automatically recovered when the veil is unsuppressed.
If a veil with the [shatter] descriptor has an effect that triggers on being shattered, such as if it contains the text “When this veil is shattered” or “While this veil is shattered”, that effect triggers if it is shattered from any source, not just from the effects of a veil. For example; if a spellweaver shatters a veil to cast a spell, a veil with the above text would have its shatter effect triggered.
If a veil has an ability that shatters it as part of activating it, that effect only activates when the appropriate action is spent or trigger is met, rather than if it is shattered from any source. If shattering a veil has an effect that requires a saving throw, the DC of that saving throw is 10 + your veilweaving modifier + the number of points of essence burned as part of
shattering the veil (unless specified otherwise by the veil).

Veils

Deck of the Fates
Descriptors: Acid, Cold, Divination, Electricity, Enhanced (54 darts), Fire, Force, Sonic, Variant
Classes: Daevic, Guru, Nexus, Soulforge, Vizier
Slot: Belt
Save: See text
Special: If you are a vizier with the Path of the Augur mystic attunement you may merge the deck granted by that mystic attunement with the deck granted by this veil while you have it shaped, using the deck created by this veil for your path of the augur abilities.

A deck of cards marked with glyphs representing the six suits of the harrow rests at your hip, producing cards which flare with energy when thrown.
This is a variant of the Deck of the Four Seasons veil.

Shaping this veil grants you a deck which contains 54 cards divided into six suits: Hammer, Key, Shield, Book, Star, and Crown. Each suit has nine cards, numbered one through nine. This deck can be used as a harrow deck would, but its true powers shine when it is used as a weapon.

You can draw a card from the deck and throw it as if it were a dart, which returns to the deck after the attack is resolved. Any enhancements applied to this veil are applied to these thrown cards. Unlike a normal dart, these cards have a damage die of 1d10 which cannot be modified through any means. These cards can be drawn as part of making the attack, as if they were ammunition. You can choose to use these cards as a light weapon while two-weapon fighting, and can draw cards with each of your hands. If you do so, those cards suffer the normal penalties for using multiple weapons produced by a veil with the [Enhanced (weapon)] descriptor.
Should you roll a 10 on the damage dice the card shimmers and bursts into shards of energy when it strikes, dealing your veilweaving modifier in splash damage to all enemies adjacent to your target on a hit.
When you make an attack using one of these cards, roll 1d6. This determines the card's suit and the damage type dealt by the card. Any physical damage that would be normally dealt using this card is instead of the type determined by its suit:

• Book: Cold damage.
• Crown: Sonic damage.
• Hammer: Fire damage.
• Key: Electricity damage.
• Shield: Acid damage.
• Star: Force damage.

Essence: For each point of essence invested in this veil, the range increment of your thrown cards increases by 5 feet and they deal an additional 1 point of damage of their rolled suit’s type. This extra damage is also dealt to adjacent enemies when the card bursts.
Chakra Bind (Belt): [D13, G17, N16, St14, Vi16] Binding this veil to your Belt chakra further improves the power of your deck, unlocking new and more potent cards. Each of the deck’s suits gains a new card: the Ascendant.
The cards thrown using this veil now burst on rolls of 1 through 9, and the initial target becomes charged with an abundance of misfortune on a successful hit from this veil, taking a -2 penalty on saving throws against your spells, spell-like abilities, and veils for 1 round. Finally, on a roll of 10 the card drawn gains the ascendant effect determined by their suit.
Only one d10 you roll as part of the attack counts when determining this effect, if you have the ability to roll multiple damage dice (such as if you are using Vital Strike) or if your attack is a critical hit. The d10 you use to determine this effect is chosen before the dice are rolled.

When you draw the Ascendant card, the target suffers an additional effect based on the rolled suit, as determined below:
Ascendant Card Effects

• Book: The target is covered in a thick layer of frost. The target is entangled for 1 minute. If they were on the ground or touching a solid surface, they are anchored to their current space by this entanglement. At the beginning of each of their turns they spend entangled, they take 2 points of cold damage per point of essence invested in this veil. At the end of each of their turns they can make a Reflex save to end this effect on a successful save. The damage dealt by this effect stacks with itself, and each additional application resets its duration.
• Crown: The target loses the connections they have to the fates of others. The target must make a Will save, on a failure for the next minute their allies become unable to perceive or affect them as if they were incorporeal and invisible. The target may attempt a new Will save at the beginning of every round to end this effect.
• Key: The target is affected by a dangerous buildup of electricity. For the next minute whenever the creature takes a full-round action or standard action, it must make a Reflex save or take 1d10 points of electricity damage, plus 2 points per point of essence invested in this veil. A successful save halves the damage and ends the effect. This ability stacks with itself, increasing the damage taken for each additional application and resetting the duration of the effect.
• Hammer: The target catches fire. At the start of each of their turns, they must make a Reflex save or take 1d6 points of fire damage, plus 2 points per point of essence invested in this veil. A successful save halves the damage and ends the effect. A creature can attempt to douse the fire as a standard action, allowing them to make another Reflex save to end the effect. They don’t take additional damage from doing so. This ability stacks with itself, increasing the damage taken for each additional application.
• Shield: The target is covered in a sticky corrosive acid. For the next minute, the target’s hardness and damage reduction are reduced by your veilweaving modifier (to a minimum of 0) and at the beginning of each of the target’s turns they take 2 acid damage per point of essence invested in this veil. The target can rid themselves of this effect by submerging themselves in water, or scraping themselves clean as a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. This damage and lowering of hardness and damage reduction stacks with itself, and each additional application resets its duration.
• Star: The target is beset by the threads of fate, binding them to its course. For the next minute if the target moves from the spot where it was initially struck by this Ascendant card it must make a Will save or be teleported back to that position at the end of their turn. This effect ends if the target succeeds 2 consecutive Will saves to resist its effects.

Sigil of Mysticism
Descriptors: Shatter
Classes: Vizier, Rajah
Chakra: Neck
Save: None
Special: Spellweavers always treat this veil as part of their veil list due to their connection to their spellcasting.

A necklace of azure crystalline runes fits around your neck. The runes shed a faint glow that increases in brightness when you cast a spell.
Drawing upon the soul energy of spellcasters and warmages, veilweavers who also cast spells can use the akashic energy to intensify spells they cast. You shape akasha into a periapt or other trinket made of glowing crystal runes, known as a mystic focus, which you then wear about your neck.
While you have this veil shaped you gain the benefits of the False Focus feat, treating it as a Masterwork Holy Symbol worth 100gp, +20gp for each essence invested in this veil.

When you cast a spell or spell-like ability that deals damage, its damage is increased by your veilweaving modifier. This extra damage is a pulse of pure akashic energy, and ignores damage reduction and energy resistance.

Spells that can be used for multiple attacks or divide their damage among multiple targets, such as chill touch or magic missile, deal this extra damage only once to each affected target. If the spell or spell-like ability would heal damage instead, they instead heal an additional amount of damage equal to your veilweaving modifier. Should the effect grant fast healing or regeneration this additional healing only occurs once at the beginning of the effect.

This veil does not affect spells that do not deal or heal damage.

You may shatter this veil as an immediate action when you cast a spell or spell-like ability to double these bonuses to damage and healing till the beginning of your next turn.

While this veil is shattered its power lingers. You gain half the normal bonuses to damage and healing (rounded down) and the value of its False Focus bonus feat is reduced to 50gp, +10gp per essence burned while it remains shattered.
Essence: For each point of essence invested in this veil, spells and spell-like abilities you cast that deal damage deal 1 additional point of damage, and spells and spell-like abilities you cast that heal damage heal 1 additional point of damage. Should those spells grant fast healing or regeneration, this additional healing only occurs once at the beginning of the effect.
Chakra Bind [Neck]: Binding this veil to your Neck chakra causes the veil’s true power to manifest. When you bind this veil choose a single Esoteric Component feat that affects a single school of magic; you gain the benefits of that feat and are always treated as if your spells and spell-like abilities of that school were cast gaining the benefit of that feat, even while this veil is shattered.
When you utilize the shatter effect of this veil as part of casting a spell or spell-like ability of the chosen school, you apply the greater component effects of both the esoteric component feat chosen and its esoteric component to that spell.


Sigil of Imbuement
Descriptors: Shatter, Variant
Classes: Daevuc, Eclipse, Guru, Huay, Kheshig, Promethean, Stormbound, Vizier
Chakra: Wrists
Save: See Text

A mandala of glowing runes of many hues encircle your wrists, these runes are mirrored upon weapons you wield and burn with power. This veil was first taught to a Khshig by a wandering sage from a far off land.
This is a variant of the Armory of the Conqueror veil.

When you shape this veil, choose one of the following elements: Earth, Fire, Metal, Water, or Wood.
When you invest essence in this veil, and at the beginning of each of your turns while this veil is invested with at least 1 point of essence, choose one manufactured weapon you are wielding, unarmed strikes, or a single natural weapon; that weapon becomes imbued by glowing runes.

The imbued weapon deals half its damage (rounded up) as the element chosen when this veil was shaped (Acid for Earth, Fire for Fire, Sonic for Metal, Cold for Water, or Electricity for Wood).

This veil can be shattered as a standard action, allowing the veilweaver to make special attack action with the imbued weapon that causes the elemental energies to harmfully infuse the target on a successful hit with effects based on the chosen element:

• Earth- Acid splatters over the struck target, clinging and burning them. For a number of rounds equal to your veilweaving modifier the target takes acid damage equal to the essence invested in this veil.
• Fire- The strike superheats the air around the target, sapping their strength. The target must make a Fortitude save or be fatigued for a number of rounds equal to your veilweaving modifier.
• Metal- The strike forces the target to make a Will save or suffer a 20% miss chance for a number of rounds equal to your veilweaving modifier from the loud crash and flashing metal.
• Water- The strike causes chilling ice crystals to begin to freeze the target's limbs. The target must make a Reflex save or reduce all their movement speeds by 5ft for each essence invested for a number of rounds equal to your veilweaving modifier (to a minimum of 5 feet).
• Wood- The strike causes sparks of writhing electricity to crackle around the target for a number of rounds equal to your veilweaving modifier. The first time an enemy other than the target moves within 5 feet of the target on their turn or begins their turn within 5 feet of the target, they must make a Reflex save or be struck by sparks, taking your veilweaving modifier in electricity damage.

All continuing effects caused by the veil’s shattering can be removed by the target or its allies taking a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity the round after they occur.
While this veil is shattered the imbued weapon cannot be changed and deals its normal damage, but still gains bonus damage of the chosen elemental type equal to the burned essence.
Essence: For each point of essence invested, increase the elemental damage done by the imbued weapon and any damage done by the veils shatter effects by +2.
Chakra Bind [Wrists]: Binding this veil to your wrist chakra causes the runes to not only empower the weapon, but almost wholly convert it temporarily to unstable energy. The imbued element can be now changed by taking 1 essence burn as a move action.
When you shatter this veil as a standard action you can now cause the imbued energy to blast forth, hitting all enemies in an area determined by the chosen element and forcing them to save against the elemental debuff caused by that element instead of striking a single target. Enemies hit by the shatter effect take damage as if they were struck by the imbued weapon, and must save against the chosen element’s effect.

• Earth- Acid sprays from the ground at your feet in a 5ft radius centered on you, +5ft for every essence invested.
• Fire- Fire blasts forth from your hands to affect all enemies in a 5ft/essence invested cone.
• Metal- Your weapon extends to affects all enemies in a line 5ft/essence invested long.
• Water- A storm of swirling ice shards and pounding sleet fills a cylinder 5ft/essence invested in diameter and 20ft tall centered within close range.
• Wood- Lightning strikes a target within your reach, then streaks out to hit an additional random enemy target per essence invested within 15ft.

[RecordedChaos]

-Edit: added rules for [Shatter] descriptor veils for clarity.