The SoulForge Adept (3.5 base Class, PEACH)

[BelGareth]

The SoulForge Adept

"You dig into dusty tomes and practice arcane gestures to gain a modicum of relevance, You know not of real power until you have tapped into your own essence, it is that which drives us, it is the power of the gods!" Jerehn, talking on the subject of SoulForging.

A SoulForge Master

Class skills (4 + Int Modifier per level): The SoulForge Adepts's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff(Cha), concentration(Con), Diplomacy(Cha), Disguise(Cha), Gather information(Cha), Heal(Wis), Intimidate(Cha), Knowledge (arcana)(Int), Profession(Wis), Sense Motive(Wis), Spellcraft(Int), and Use Magic Device(Cha).

4 * (4 + Int Modifier) for first level

Alignment: Any non evil

Starting Age: As cleric

Starting Wealth: As Cleric

Hit Dice: d6

{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th

1st| +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Personal Ardor, Soulforging |1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

2nd| +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Inner Countenance 1 |2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

3rd| +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Natural armor +1 |3|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

4th| +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Internal Vigor |3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

5th| +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | DR 1/-, SoulForge Resilience |3|3|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

6th| +4 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Natural armor +2 |3|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-

7th| +5 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Break these bonds of my flesh |3|3|3|1|-|-|-|-|-

8th| +6/+1 | +6 | +2 | +6 | Internal Vigor +1 |3|3|3|2|-|-|-|-|-

9th| +6/+1 | +6 | +3 | +6 | Natural armor +3, SoulForge Resilience |3|3|3|3|1|-|-|-|-

10th| +7/+2 | +7 | +3 | +7 | DR 2/- |3|3|3|3|2|-|-|-|-

11th| +8/+3 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Inner Countenance 2 |3|3|3|3|3|1|-|-|-

12th| +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Internal Vigor +2, Natural armor +4 |3|3|3|3|3|2|-|-|-

13th| +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | SoulForge Resilience |3|3|3|3|3|3|1|-|-

14th| +10/+5 | +9 | +4 | +9 | Break the limits |3|3|3|3|3|3|2|-|-

15th| +11/+6/+1 | +9 | +5 | +9 | DR 3/-, Natural armor +5 |3|3|3|3|3|3|3|1|-

16th| +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Internal Vigor +3 |3|3|3|3|3|3|3|2|-

17th| +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | SoulForge Resilience |3|3|3|3|3|3|3|3|1

18th| +13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Natural armor +6 |3|3|3|3|3|3|3|3|2

19th| +14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Inner Countenance 3 |3|3|3|3|3|3|3|3|3

20th| +15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +12 | Internal Vigor +4, DR 4/-, SoulForge Master |3|3|3|3|3|3|3|3|3
[/table]

Proficiencies: The SoulForge Adept is proficient with all simple weapons, plus the Flail, Warhammer, Greatclub and Heavy Flail. SoulForge Adepts are proficient with light and Medium armor and with shields (except the buckler).

Personal Ardor: At 1st level the SoulForge Adept gains the ability to create minor affects of magic with nothing but sheer force of will. Every day the SoulForge Adept chooses two 0 level spells from the list, he may cast these 0 level spells at will for the 24 hours. With the exceptions noted here, these spells otherwise act exactly as his SoulForge ability (explained below).

SoulForging: The SoulForge Adept learns through sheer force of will to bend his body to his whim, starting at 1st level the SoulForge adept learns a spell chosen from the SoulForge Adept's list. Unlike a sorcerer or Mage however the SoulForge Adept does not gain spell slots per day. He instead uses his own personal energy to fuel the spell. The SoulForge Adept gains a SoulForge pool equal to his Maximum HP total as his daily pool of points to cast from. A SoulForge Adept must have a Constitution in order to cast spells from his SoulForge Pool.

Every time a SoulForge Adept cast's a spell he pays an amount of points from his SoulForge pool equal to twice the spell level. This allows a SoulForge Adept to cast spells as many times as he has points. If a SoulForge Adept does not have enough SoulForge points to spend for the spell, the spell fails and the SoulForge Adept does not lose any points.

When a SoulForge Adept rest's for 8 hours he regains all his SoulForge points back. Healing a SoulForge Adept has no affect on his SoulForge pool, the pool is established from the SoulForge Adepts maximum HP total, if the total changes throughout the day from a permanent source the pool does not change until the SoulForge Adept has rested for 8 hours, temporary increases have no affect (like a potion of bears endurance).

A SoulForge Adept has a very limited known spell list, every level he gains a new spell according to the table, once chosen these spells cannot be changed.

A SoulForge Adept knows all his spells and does not need to prepare or memorize them.

When casting a spell, a SoulForge Adept ignores the arcane spell failure chance when wearing light or medium armor and shields. SoulForge Adept spells count as arcane spells.

At first level a SoulForge Adept is unable to modify his spells with metamagic feats or affects, additionally all spells a SoulForge Adept cast's can only affect him.

The DC for a SoulForges spell (if any) is 10 + spell level + the SoulForge Adepts Charisma Modifier.

Inner Countenance (Ex): The SoulForge Adept's inner strength empowers his physical form, he gains +1 Strength and Charisma bonus and a +4 bonus to saves versus poisons and diseases of any kind (including magical diseases).

At 11th level you gain an additional +1 Strength and Charisma bonus and you become immune to poison and disease (including magical diseases).

At 19th level you gain an additional +1 Strength and Charisma bonus and you become immune to ability damage and ability drain.

Natural Armor (Ex): The Inner strength of the SoulForge Adept affects his very countenance, he gains a +1 natural armor bonus. This ability increases by 1 every 3 levels thereafter for a maximum of +6 at 18th.

Internal Vigor (Su): At 4th level the SoulForge Adept learns to manipulate his SoulForging to allow any spells he casts to be affected by metamagic feats. A SoulForge Adept may apply any metamagic feat he knows to any spell he can cast, the modified spell level must still be of a level the SoulForge Adept can cast. The level increase of the spell increases the SoulForge point cost by an amount equal to 2 times the level increase.

This ability improves at levels 8th, 12th, 16th and 20th. Each time it allows the SoulForge Adept to apply a metamagic feat with equal cost to any spell he knows, regardless if it raises the modified spell level above the maximum spell level he can cast. The SoulForge Adept must still pay the extra cost in SoulForge points as usual.

For Example, at 8th level a SoulForge Adept can apply any metamagic feat he knows with a spell modifier of +1 to any spell he can cast.

Damage Reduction (Ex): The SoulForge Adept gains the ability to throw off wounds that would normally cause weaker individuals harm, he gains DR 1/-, this ability increase by 1 every 5 levels thereafter for a maximum of DR 4/- at 20th.

SoulForge Resilience (Ex): So strong is the SoulForge's essence that the corrupting magic’s which would try to twist and defile it start to fail, the SoulForge gains a bonus equal to his Constitution modifier against death spells and affects.

At 9th level this bonus applies to negative levels and level drain affects.

At 13th level a Soulforge Adept can become immune to death spells and affects for 1 round/day/Con Modifier, rounds do not need to be consecutive and activating this affect is a swift action.

At 17th level a Soulforge Adept can become immune to negative levels and level drain affects for 1 round/day/Con Modifier, rounds do not need to be consecutive and activating this affect is a swift action.

Break these bonds of my flesh (Su): The SoulForge Adept learns to affect those around him with the force of his inner power, a number of times per day equal to his Constitution modifier he can choose to affect someone other than himself with a spell. Only one use is required for a single spell. The spell is otherwise unaffected.

Break the limits (Ex): The SoulForge Adept has learned to supplement his physical body with that of his soul power, he can a number of times per day equal to 1 round/day/Con Modifier ignore the negative effects of fatigue, exhaustion, stunning, and the sickened conditions.

SoulForge Master (Su): The SoulForge Adept is no longer a student in the ways of SoulForging, he has become a master, The SoulForge Master gains Spell resistance equal to 12 + his class levels, he may as a free action lower or raise his SR at will. Lastly he gains the ability to unleash the true power of his soul into the material realm, as a standard action he may transform into golden white form of energy (retaining any equipment worn), while in this form he gains fast Healing 20, a fly speed equal to 5 times his racial land speed with perfect maneuverability, his Charisma modifier to AC as a perfection bonus and can target anyone with his spells while in this form, to stay in this form the SoulForge Master must spend 5 SoulForge points per round in addition to any spells he cast's.

Epic Progression
Pending

Notes

Spoiler

Show

My intent for this class was a solid self buffing adventurer type, who digs into the power that everyone holds, his soul. At first I wanted to relate it to Incarnum, and make it my version of the incarnum caster, but I wanted to stray away incarnum as it scares some people off. Maybe an alt class option could be designed down the road.
The whole fluff thing, is a mixture of spellcasting and psionics...but different, I hope I got the difference big enough.
I will be posting the usual fluff stuff to go with this character, but for now here is the mechanical stuff.
Let me know if you find anything wrong.
Thanks for reading!

Edits

Spoiler

Show

12/18/11 - changed it from non-lethal damage to a pool of 'SoulForge' points equal to the Adepts max HP total.

[BelGareth]

SPELL LIST

0 Level
Arcane Mark
Create Water
Detect Magic
Detect Poison
Ghost Sound
Guidance
Light
Mage Hand
Mending
Message
Open/close
Prestidigitation
Purify Food and drink
Read Magic
Resistance
Virtue

1st
Comprehend languages
Cure light wounds
Detect Secret Doors
Detect Undead
Disguise Self
Divine Favor
Endure Elements
Enlarge Person
Entropic Shield
Expeditious Retreat
Hide from undead
Mage Armor
Magic Weapon
Shield
True Strike
Ventriloquism

2nd
Aid
Alter Self
Augury
Bears Endurance
Blur
Bulls strength
Cure Moderate Wounds
Delay Poison
Detect Thoughts
Eagles Splendor
False Life
Find traps
Invisibility
Lesser Restoration
Levitate
Locate Object
Misdirection
Owls Wisdom
Protection from arrows
Resist Energy
See invisibility
Spider Climb
Undetectable Alignment
Zone of Truth

3rd
Arcane Sight
Blink
Clairaudience/Clairvoyance
Cure Serious Wounds
Displacement
Fly
Gaseous Form
Greater Magic Weapon
Haste
Heroism
Keen Edge
Magic Vestment
Meld into stone
Nondetection
Obscure Object
Protection from Energy
Rage
Remove Blindness/Deafness
Remove Curse
Remove Disease
Speak with dead
Water Breathing
Water Walk

4th
Air Walk
Cure Critical Wounds
Death ward
Detect Scrying
Dimension door
Discern Lies
Divination
Divine Power
Freedom of Movement
Greater Invisibility
Lesser Globe of Invulnerability
Locate Creature
Magic Weapon Greater
Neutralize Poison
Polymorph
Restoration
Spell Immunity
Stoneskin
Tongues

5th
Break Enchantment
Commune
Glibness
Overland Flight
Plane Shift
Righteous Might
Spell Resistance
Teleport
True Seeing

6th
Analyze Dweomer
Contingency
Find the Path
Globe of invulnerability
Greater Heroism
Heal
Legend Lore
Mislead
Transformation
Wind walk
Word of Recall

7th
Ethereal Jaunt
Greater Arcane Sight
Greater Restoration
Greater Teleport
Plane shift
Regenerate
Spell Turning
Statue
Vision

8th
Discern location
Greater Spell Immunity
Iron Body
Mind Blank
Moment of Prescience
Protection from spells

9th
Astral Projection
Etherealness
Foresight
Miracle
Shapechange
Time Stop

[kalminos]

Seems like you won't be able to cast much at all with d6 hit dice, though.

[Fako]

Looks interesting, just a couple worrisome things:

1) You do not state that the SoulForge Adept be vulnerable to non-lethal damage in order to be able to cast spells. I'm sure it was your intent, but as written a Necropolitan SoulForge Adept would be able to cast with impunity. However, the oversight doesn't extend to the capstone ability, since he must "pay" nonlethal damage to be able to use it.

2) The cost of spells is SL x 2 for damage, but you don't state the effective level of a 0-level spell. Should I assume that they can be cast freely, or are they treated as 1/2 level (thereby dealing 1 damage when cast)?

3) Using nonlethal damage is a good way to reflect fueling spells with the body, but does taking a level in SoulForge Adept prevent the cleric from healing you if you're hit by a Sap? If not, should a player record the nonlethal damage from attacks separately from the damage from casting?

4) Break these bonds of my flesh is confusingly written. Am I required to use this to affect allies with Teleport in addition to myself, or does it allow me to exempt myself from the casting? Would it allow a personal buff to be transferred to someone else? Am I required to use it in order to heal another person? What exactly is the ability intended to allow?

-----------------------------

It's looking good so far, and I love the idea. Keep up the good work

[togapika]

So they hit you for nonlethal once or twice and put you out of the fight?

[BelGareth]

Seems like you won't be able to cast much at all with d6 hit dice, though.

It may seem that way, at first I actually planned to go with D4's to keep the spellcasting controlled, but I just thought it would be to weak with the class dynamic. Refer to the table in the spoiler below, it shows that the average Adept would be able to cast a surprising amount of times.

Spoiler

Show

{table=head]Level|Constitution|Average Hp's|Available spell levels
1|18|10|5
2|18|17.5|8
3|18|25|12
4|19|34.5|17
5|19|42.5|21
6|19|50.5|25
7|19|58.5|29
8|20|70.5|35
9|20|79|39
10|20|87.5|43
11|20|96|48
12|21|110.5|55
13|21|119.5|59
14|21|128.5|64
15|21|137.5|68
16|22|154.5|77
17|22|164|82
18|22|173.5|86
19|22|183|91
20|23|202.5|101
[/table]

Looks interesting, just a couple worrisome things:

1) You do not state that the SoulForge Adept be vulnerable to non-lethal damage in order to be able to cast spells. I'm sure it was your intent, but as written a Necropolitan SoulForge Adept would be able to cast with impunity. However, the oversight doesn't extend to the capstone ability, since he must "pay" nonlethal damage to be able to use it.

Ah..that IS glaringly obvious isn't it? You are right, that was my intention, easy fix though, I'll add some text specifying that.

2) The cost of spells is SL x 2 for damage, but you don't state the effective level of a 0-level spell. Should I assume that they can be cast freely, or are they treated as 1/2 level (thereby dealing 1 damage when cast)?

For this I quote Personal Ardor:

Personal Ardor: At 1st level the SoulForge Adept gains the ability to create minor affects of magic with nothing but sheer force of will. Every day the SoulForge Adept chooses two 0 level spells from the list, he may cast these 0 level spells at will for the 24 hours. With the exceptions noted here, these spells otherwise act exactly as his SoulForge ability (explained below).

3) Using nonlethal damage is a good way to reflect fueling spells with the body, but does taking a level in SoulForge Adept prevent the cleric from healing you if you're hit by a Sap? If not, should a player record the nonlethal damage from attacks separately from the damage from casting?

hmmm...interesting question, for I will say yes, it does prevent the non-lethal damage from being healed, I'm tempted to change it to a pool of spell points equal to the SoulForge's HP total....to avoid problems like this.

4) Break these bonds of my flesh is confusingly written. Am I required to use this to affect allies with Teleport in addition to myself, or does it allow me to exempt myself from the casting? Would it allow a personal buff to be transferred to someone else? Am I required to use it in order to heal another person? What exactly is the ability intended to allow?

I personally do not see it, but meh I'm not you...I'll try to rewrite it.

To clarify it is so the SoulForge Adept can target an ally with a buff or heal spell or something similar.

-----------------------------

It's looking good so far, and I love the idea. Keep up the good work

Thanks!

So they hit you for nonlethal once or twice and put you out of the fight?

Once or twice at 1st - 3rd level, sure...but that's not what most encounters tend to do....it's extremely circumstantial and therefore not a huge problem, and a la DR, Nat armor and a high Con it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

[Elfstone]

It may seem that way, at first I actually planned to go with D4's to keep the spellcasting controlled, but I just thought it would be to weak with the class dynamic. Refer to the table in the spoiler below, it shows that the average Adept would be able to cast a surprising amount of times.

Spoiler

Show

{table=head]Level|Constitution|Average Hp's|Available spell levels
1|18|10|5
2|18|17.5|8
3|18|25|12
4|19|34.5|17
5|19|42.5|21
6|19|50.5|25
7|19|58.5|29
8|20|70.5|35
9|20|79|39
10|20|87.5|43
11|20|96|48
12|21|110.5|55
13|21|119.5|59
14|21|128.5|64
15|21|137.5|68
16|22|154.5|77
17|22|164|82
18|22|173.5|86
19|22|183|91
20|23|202.5|101
[/table]

hmmm...interesting question, for I will say yes, it does prevent the non-lethal damage from being healed, I'm tempted to change it to a pool of spell points equal to the SoulForge's HP total....to avoid problems like this.

This is a class that uses its own HP for spellcasting... In realty, once he had cast all his HP away, anything could knock him out, as 1 damage is the minimum. After that, he is effectively dead. Once you can no longer defend yourself in DnD, anyone can come along and whale at you until your dead for sure. I would either give this class a d12, or go with the spell pool = to HP. Much easier. And more elegant, as losing spell by getting hit sucks.

Just my thoughts

[BelGareth]

This is a class that uses its own HP for spellcasting... In realty, once he had cast all his HP away, anything could knock him out, as 1 damage is the minimum. After that, he is effectively dead. Once you can no longer defend yourself in DnD, anyone can come along and whale at you until your dead for sure. I would either give this class a d12, or go with the spell pool = to HP. Much easier. And more elegant, as losing spell by getting hit sucks.

Just my thoughts

You know, I think I will change it to a pool rather than use non-lethal hp's. Thanks for dropping by and commenting!

EDIT, changed to SoulForge Pool equal to the SoulForge Adepts max HP total.

[EdroGrimshell]

So they hit you for nonlethal once or twice and put you out of the fight?

Or a spell from the Whelm line of spells from the PHB2

[BelGareth]

Or a spell from the Whelm line of spells from the PHB2

Yes well, it's changed now to prevent that. I thought it would be a unique balance, and having circumstantial spells wouldn't be a problem, but guess not.

[EdroGrimshell]

Yes well, it's changed now to prevent that. I thought it would be a unique balance, and having circumstantial spells wouldn't be a problem, but guess not.

It's been tried before

[Amechra]

If you don't mind, I would like to at some point go through and clean up some of the wording; as it is, I can't understand why some spells are on that list (Vampiric Touch is NOT something you want as a Personal range spell, believe me.)

Also, what range to the spells gain when you use Break the Bonds of the
Flesh? Touch? Ranged Touch? Their original range? Someone an infinite distance away, behind a bajillion Riverine walls?

And make the action to raise and lower the SR granted by the capstone a free action; making it a swift action is heresy in my eyes.

I do have to say, the Celerity line of spells would be amusing to add to the list, as would Contingency and Greater Contingency...

And for real giggles, Transcend Mortality.

[BelGareth]

If you don't mind, I would like to at some point go through and clean up some of the wording; as it is, I can't understand why some spells are on that list (Vampiric Touch is NOT something you want as a Personal range spell, believe me.)

Ah yes, that is a type left over from previous versions...let ...me...get...that...Done.

Also, what range to the spells gain when you use Break the Bonds of the
Flesh? Touch? Ranged Touch? Their original range? Someone an infinite distance away, behind a bajillion Riverine walls?

Good point, this is why I post them for PEACHing...original range, will add text to clarify.

And make the action to raise and lower the SR granted by the capstone a free action; making it a swift action is heresy in my eyes.

Roger, Roger, I hadn't intended to break the mold, just forgot the action type.

I do have to say, the Celerity line of spells would be amusing to add to the list, as would Contingency and Greater Contingency...

And for real giggles, Transcend Mortality.

Yes, Yeeeesss....that sounds VERY interesting....

Thanks for reading and PEACHing!

EDIT: Contingency IS in the spell list.

[BelGareth]

Bump to get it back up top.