So here gose
I have made some minor changes to the Imbed ability and the shape mind blade ability
Soulknife
Requirements:
Alignment: Any
Skills: Knowledge (psionics) 5 ranks, Concentration 8 ranks.
Feats: Psionic Meditation, Any other psionic feat or metapsionic feat.
Psionics: Able to manifest 1st-level powers.
Class Features:
BAB: Average (as rouge).
Good Saves: Reflex and Will Poor Saves: Fort
Hit Dice: 1d6
Class Skills: Autohypnosis (Wis), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Move Silent (Dex), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str)* and Tumble (Dex).
*Exclude this skill in DS
Skill Points at Each Level: 4+ Int modifier.
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: A Soulknife gains no new weapon or armor proficiencies.
LEVEL ABILITIES:
[HTML]
1. Mind blade, imbed power +1 manifesting level
2. Throw mind blade, +1 mind blade
3. Mind blade enhancement +1 +1 manifesting level
4. +2 mind blade, free draw
5. Shape mind blade +1 manifesting level
6. +3 mind blade, mind blade enhancement +2
7. Multiple Throw +1 manifesting level
8. +4 mind blade
9. Mind blade enhancement +3 +1 manifesting level
10. Knife to the soul, +5 mind blade [/HTML]
Powers Known:At every odd level, a soulknife gains additional power points per day and access to new powers as if he/she had also gained a level in whatever manifesting class he/she belonged to before he/she added the prestige class. He/she dose not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (bonus feats, metapsionic or item creation feats, and so on). If a character had more than one manifesting class before he/she became a soulknife, he/she must decide to which class he/she adds the new level of soulknife for the purpose of determining power points per day, powers known and manifester level.
Mind Blade (Su): As a move action, a Soulknife can create a semisolid blade composed of psychic energy distilled from his/her own mind.
The blade is identical in all ways (except appearance) to a short sword of a size appropriate for its wielder. For instance, a Medium Soulknife materializes a Medium mind blade that he/she can wield as a light weapon that deals 1d6 points of damage (critical 19-20/X2). Large or small Soulknives create short swords appropriate to their size (see table 7-4 and 7-5 in the Player’s Handbook).
A mind blade can be broken (it has a hardness 10 and 10 hit points); however, a Soulknife can simply create another on his/her next move action. The moment he/she relinquishes his/her grip on his/her blade, it dissipates. A mind blade is considered a magic and/or psionic (unless the Psionics-Magic Transparency rules are not used then it is only treated as a psionic weapon, see page 55 of the Expanded Psionics Handbook) weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Treat a mind blade as a normal weapon for the purpose of using feats such as Power Attack or Combat Expertise and for acquiring feats such as Weapon Focus or Weapon Specialization. Powers or spells that upgrade weapons can be used on a mind blade.
A soulknife’s mind blade improves as he/she gains experience. At 2nd level and every even level after that the mind blade gains a cumulative +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls to a maximum of +5 at 10th level.
Even in places where psionic effects do not normally function (such as a null psionic field or an anti-magic field if the Psionics-Magic Transparency rules are used, see page 55 of the Expanded Psionics Handbook), a Soulknife can attempt to sustain his/her mind blade by making a DC 20 Will save. On a successful save, the Soulknife manifests his/her mind blade for a number of rounds equal to his/her class level. On an unsuccessful save, the blade vanishes. As a move action on his/her next turn, the soulknife can attempt a new Will save to rematerialize his/her mind blade while he/she stays in the affected area.
Imbed Power (Su): At 1st level, a soulknife can imbed any one power into his/her mind blade. This power can be of any level up to one level lower than the highest-level power he/she can manifest. This ability requires a move action, and the soulknife must pay the cost of the power to imbed it. It is more difficult to resist an imbedded power; the DC of an imbedded power is improved by +1 for every two soulknife levels (unless it doesn’t normally allow a saving throw, then treat the power as normal). Even if the power normally affects an area or is a ray, it affects only the target. The power remains in the mind blade until a successful attack is made or the mind blade is dissipated, in either case the power points are used. A mind blade can never have more than one power imbedded at a time.
Throw Mind Blade (Ex): At 2nd level, a soulknife learns to throw his/her mind blade. A mind blade has a range of 30 feet. Weather or not the attack hits, the mind blade dissipates.
Mind Blade Enhancement (Su): At 3rd level, a soulknife gains the ability to enhance his/her mind blade. He/she can add any one of the weapon special abilities on the table below that has an enhancement bonus value of +1. The enhancement bonus is +1 at 3rd, +2 at 6th and +3 at 9th level.
The weapon ability or abilities remain the same every time the soulknife materializes his/her mind blade (unless he/she decides to reassign its abilities; see below). The ability or abilities apply to any form the mind blade takes, including the use of the shape mind blade class ability.
A soulknife can reassign the ability or abilities he/she has added to his mind blade. To do so, he must first spend 8 hours in concentration. After that period, the mind blade materialize with the new ability or abilities selected by the soulknife.
[HTML]Mind Blade Enhancements
Defending +1 Icy burst +2
Deflecting +1 Magebane +2
Flaming +1 Mindcrusher +2
Frost +1 Psibane +2
Keen +1 Psychokinetic burst +2
Lucky +1 Shock burst +2
Merciful +1 Suppression +2
Psychokinetic +1 Wounding +2
Shock +1 Bodyfeeder +3
Sundering +1 Mindfeeder +3
Vicious +1 Soulbreaker +3
Collision+2
Flame burst +2[/HTML]
Free Draw (Su): At 4th level, a soulknife learns to materialize his/her mind blade as a free action instead of a move action. He/she may only attempt to manifest a mind blade once per round (if, for example he/she is in a null psionic field).
Shape Mind Blade (Su): At 5th level, a Soulknife learns to manipulate the shape of his/her mind blade. As a move action, the soulknife can change the shape of his/her mind blade into any piercing or slashing weapon he/she is proficient with. If the weapon is a two-handed weapon it must be wielded two-handed (unless the Soulknife has a feat which allows him/her to wield it one-handed such as the Monkey Grip feat).
Alternatively, a soulknife can split his/her mind blade into to separate light weapons, suitable for fighting with a weapon in each hand (the normal penalties apply for fighting two-handed). However, both mind blades have an enhancement bonus 1 lower than the soulknife would otherwise create with a single blade. For example a 6th level soulknife normally creates a +3 mind blade, but he/she could use this ability to instead materialize two +2 mind blades.
Multiple Throw (Ex): At 7th level, a soulknife can throw a number of mind blades per round equal to the number of melee attacks he/se could make. If the mind blade is charged with an imbedded power it only has affect on the first attack, if this attack misses the imbedded power is still wasted. If he/she has used the shape mind blade ability to materialize a mind blade for each hand, he/she can throw two additional blades per round (the normal penalties apply for fighting two-handed).
Knife the Soul (Su): At 10th level, a soulknife has learned to imbed pure psychic energy into his her mind blade. For every two power points a soulknife imbeds into his/her mind blade a soulknife may deal 1 point of ability damage to Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma (his/her choice) treat this as augmenting a power. A soulknife can combine an imbedded power and this ability in any combination. For example a 5th level psion/10th level soulknife could augment his/her soulknife with a total of 10 power points to do 5 points of damage to a targets Wisdom in addition to any power already imbedded in his/her mind blade. Creatures immune to extra damage from critical hits and/or mind-affecting effects are immune to this ability.
As seen in the official DS3 PrC's
Soulknife
“The mind is a beautiful weapon.”
- Caraden Merak, soulknife
Soulknives represent a specialized tradition of psionics on Athas. In a world without metal, manifesting weapons with the Way has evolved naturally. However, the soulknives of Athas are not in great numbers and must take care for their ability to manifest weapons from air with a thought is feared. Templars and nobles sometimes employ them as assassins, but they are equally quick to blame a soulknife for unsolved crimes. Small orders of soulknives exist all over Athas, and their motivations differ. Some are
mercenaries and assassins for hire, a number serve the sorcerer-kings, whereas others practice their psionic skills simply to hone their minds and instincts to perfection.
Soulknives can be of any race or class, but all share a rudimentary psionic talent. Some are wild talents, others command the Way more extensively. Warrior-classes enjoy the benefit of always having a weapon nearby and fighters can use their feats to gain additional skill with their mindblade. Rogues and bards enjoy having a deadly, concealed weapon undetectable to those who would search them, and psychic warriors can expand their psionic skill to a new tradition that has the potential to turn them into
even more deadly warriors.
Hit Die: d10
Level & Special Abilities
[HTML]1st +1 +0 +2 +2 Mindblade, throw mindblade
2nd +2 +0 +3 +3 Shape mindblade, +1 mindblade
3rd +3 +1 +3 +3 Mindblade enhancement +1, psychic strike +1d8
4th +4 +1 +4 +4 Free draw, +2 mindblade
5th +5 +1 +4 +4 Mindblade enhancement +2
6th +6 +2 +5 +5 Bladewind, +3 mindblade
7th +7 +2 +5 +5 Mindblade enhancement +3, psychic strike +2d8
8th +8 +2 +6 +6 Multiple throw, +4 mindblade
9th +9 +3 +6 +6 Mindblade enhancement +4
10th +10 +3 +7 +7 Knife to the soul, +5 mindblade[/HTML]
Requiirements
To qualify to become a soulknife, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +3.
Skills: Knowledge (psionics) 4 ranks.
Psionics: Must have a power point reserve.
Class Skills:
The soulknife’s class skills (and key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int),
Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (psionics), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Spot (Wis) and Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class features
Weapon and Armor proficiencies: Soulknives are proficient with all simple weapons, with their own mindblades, and with light armor and shields (except tower shields).
Mind Blade (Su): As a move action, a soulknife can create a semisolid blade composed of psychic energy distilled from his own mind. The blade is identical in all ways (except visually) to a short sword of a size appropriate for its wielder. For instance, a Medium soulknife materializes a Medium mind blade that he can wield as a light weapon, and the blade deals 1d6 points of damage (crit 19-20/x2). Soulknives who are smaller or larger than Medium create mind blades identical to short swords appropriate for their size, with a corresponding change to the blade’s damage. The wielder of a mind blade gains the usual benefits to his attack roll and damage roll from a high Strength bonus.
The blade can be broken (it has hardness 10 and 10 hit points); however, a soulknife can simply create another on his next move action. The moment he relinquishes his grip on his blade, it dissipates (unless he intends to throw it; see below). A mind blade is considered a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
A soulknife can use feats such as Power Attack or Combat Expertise in conjunction with the mind blade just as if it were a normal weapon. He can also choose mind blade for feats requiring a specific weapon choice, such as Weapon Specialization. Powers or spells that upgrade weapons can be used on a mind blade.
A soulknife’s mind blade improves as the character gains higher levels. At 2nd level and every even levels thereafter, the mind blade gains a cumulative +1 enhancement bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls (+2 at 4th level, +3 at 6th level, +4 at 8th level, and +5 at 10th level).
Even in places where psionic effects do not normally function (such as within a null psionics field), a soulknife can attempt to sustain his mind blade by making a DC 20 Will save. On a successful save, the soulknife maintains his mind blade for a number of rounds equal to his class level before he needs to check again. On an unsuccessful attempt, the mind blade vanishes. As a move action on his turn, the soulknife can attempt a new Will save to rematerialize his mind blade while he remains within the psionics negating effect.
Throw Mind Blade (Ex): A soul knife of 1st level or higher can throw his mind blade as a ranged weapon with a range increment of 30 feet. Whether or not the attack hits, a thrown mind blade then dissipates. A soulknife of 3rd level or higher can make a psychic strike (see below) with a thrown mind blade and can use the blade in conjunction with other special abilities (such as Knife to the Soul; see below).
Shape Mind Blade (Su): At 2nd level, a soulknife gains the ability to change the form of his mind blade. As a full round action, he can change his mind blade to replicate a longsword (damage 1d8 for a Medium weapon wielded as a one-handed weapon) or a bastard sword (damage 1d10 for a Medium weapon, but he must wield it as a two-handed weapon unless he knows the Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword) feat). If a soulknife shapes his mind blade into the form of a bastard sword and wields it two-handed, he adds 1-1/2 times his Strength bonus to his damage rolls, just like when using any other two-handed weapon.
Alternatively, a soulknife can split his mind blade into two identical short swords, suitable for fighting with a weapon in each hand. (The normal penalties for fighting with two weapons apply.) However, both mind blades have an enhancement bonus 1 lower than the soulknife would otherwise create with a single mind blade.
Psychic Strike (Su): As a move action, a soulknife of 3rd level or higher can imbue his mind blade with destructive psychic energy. This effect deals an extra 1d8 points of damage to the next living, nonmindless target he successfully hits with a melee attack (or ranged attack, if he is using the throw mind blade ability). Creatures immune to mind-affecting effects are immune to psychic strike damage. (Unlike the rogue’s sneak attack, the psychic strike is not precision damage and can affect creatures otherwise immune to extra damage from critical hits or more than 30 feet away, provided they are living, nonmindless creatures not immune to mind-affecting effects.). A mind blade deals this extra damage only once when this ability is called upon, but a soulknife can imbue his mind blade with psychic energy again by taking another move action. Once a soulknife has prepared his blade for a psychic strike, it holds the extra energy until it is used. Even if the soulknife drops the mind blade (or it otherwise dissipates, such as when it is thrown and misses), it is still imbued with psychic energy when the soulknife next materializes it. At 7th level, the extra damage from a soulknife’s psychic strike increases to 2d8.
Free Draw (Su): At 4th level, a soulknife becomes able to materialize his mind blade as a free action instead of a move action. He can make only one attempt to materialize the mind blade per round, however.
Mind Blade Enhancement (Su): At 3rd level, a soulknife gains the ability to enhance his mind blade. He can add any one of the weapon special abilities on the table below that has an enhancement bonus value of +1. At every two levels thereafter, the value of the enhancement a soulknife can add to his weapon improves to +2, +3, and +4, respectively. A soulknife can choose any combination of weapon special abilities that does not exceed the total allowed by the soulknife’s level.
The weapon ability or abilities remain the same every time the soulknife materializes his mind blade (unless he decides to reassign its abilities; see below). The ability or abilities apply to any form the mind blade takes, including the use of the shape mind blade or bladewind class abilities. A soulknife can reassign the ability or abilities he has added to his mind blade. To do so, he must first spend 8 hours in concentration. After that period, the mind blade materializes with the new ability or abilities selected by the soulknife.
Weapon Special Ability Enhancement Bonus Value
[HTML]Defending +1
Keen +1
Lucky* +1
Mighty cleaving +1
Psychokinetic* +1
Sundering* +1
Vicious +1
Collision* +2
Mindcrusher* +2
Psychokinetic burst* +2
Suppression* +2
Wounding +2
Bodyfeeder* +3
Mindfeeder* +3
Soulbreaker* +3[/HTML]
* Expanded Psionics Handbook
Bladewind (Su): At 6th level, a soulknife gains the ability to momentarily fragment his mind blade into numerous identical blades, each of which strikes at a nearby opponent. As a full attack, when wielding his mind blade, a soulknife can give up his regular attacks and instead fragment his mind blade to make one melee attack at his full base attack bonus against each opponent within reach. Each fragment functions identically to the soulknife’s regular mind blade. When using bladewind, a soulknife forfeits any bonus or extra attacks granted by other feats or abilities (such as the Cleave feat or the haste spell). The mind blade immediately reverts to its previous form after the bladewind attack.
Multiple Throw (Ex): At 8th level and higher, a soulknife can throw a number of mind blades per round equal to the number of melee attacks he could make.
Knife to the Soul (Su): At 10th level, when a soulknife executes a psychic strike, he can choose to substitute Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma damage (his choice) for extra dice of damage. For each die of extra damage he gives up, he deals 1 point of damage to the ability score he chooses. A soulknife can combine extra dice of damage and ability damage in any combination. The soulknife decides which ability score his psychic strike damages and the division of ability damage and extra dice of damage
when he imbues his mind blade with the psychic strike energy.
And since there isn't a separate board for PrC's under the Dark Sun forum I wanted to keep them separate.
My sincerest apologies.
If anyone has anything constructive to say then please post I would very much like the feedback.
Thanx all
Anyway, I'll look over what you've written, and provide feedback to that, rather than the way you immediately went on the defensive when people were merely giving straight up advice, in a later post.
So, good effort, but it might be better directed elsewhere.
Imbed Power ability, which as far as I can tell was pretty much taken from the 3.0 Spellsword and made psionic.
This was actual taken from the 3.0 version with some minor changes.
I like both the original in the 3.0 version and the one created by Jon in the DS3 rules in both cases I think it makes more sense as a PrC.
But I feel that both these are two sides to an awesome whole.
One side being more combat oriented and the other more stealthy "assassin" like and both missing that full psionic feel IMO.
Yes it requires some psionic knowledge to obtain the PrC Jon created, but not as much as I think it would take to keep a semi-physical weapon in existence for a long period of time.
My goal hear is to try and create a single PrC that embodies both PrC's and still trying to retain balance.
I know this probably won’t be used by anyone on these boards but I would appreciate some help balancing the class.
Thanx again for the feedback.
1. Please, please, PLEASE fix the formatting on that table.
2. Provide Jon's version for reference here. It's OGC, so I doubt he'll bite. ;)
1. Please, please, PLEASE fix the formatting on that table.
Will do, thanx
2. Provide Jon's version for reference here. It's OGC, so I doubt he'll bite.
OGC? sorry not up to date on my forum lingo. :embarrass
Sorry I thaught most people on this forum had downloaded the ds3 PrC's and read throw them.
OGC? sorry not up to date on my forum lingo. :embarrass
Open Game Content. Covered under the Open Game License.
Sorry I thaught most people on this forum had downloaded the ds3 PrC's and read throw them.
Well, best to put the two up for comparison anyway, because then people would tend to find it convenient, and like you more :P.
Thanx all
Ok, no one bought that... ;)
You might want to fix all those linebreaks in the DS3.5 version, though. :P
For anyone who is interested in knowing what was changed, here is a list of gains and loses from the DS PrC
Gains:
5 manifester level increases
Skill points improved to 4+int
Losses:
Hit die reduced to d6
Base attack bonus reduced to average
Bladewind
Psychic Strike
1 enhancement bonus
I would recommend bumping the hit die up to d8, I think its balanced at that point.
You might want to fix all those linebreaks in the DS3.5 version, though.
sorry not familiar with the term "linkbreaks" I'll fix them when I figure it out thou, that aside what do you think Jon just curious. Would increasing the skill points to say 6+ instead of hit dice to d8 be too much? I like the idea of this class being a little more skill based than combat oriented.
Thanx everyone
Would increasing the skill points to say 6+ instead of hit dice to d8 be too much? I like the idea of this class being a little more skill based than combat oriented.
Thanx everyone
It's line breaks. Otherwise known as new lines being started when they shouldn't be when it is viewed.
that aside what do you think Jon just curious. Would increasing the skill points to say 6+ instead of hit dice to d8 be too much? I like the idea of this class being a little more skill based than combat oriented.
I would not increase the skill points to 6+. Your variant is primarily a psychic warrior build as I see it, and that is a significant increase in skill points per level compared to the psychic warrior.
Your variant is primarily a psychic warrior build as I see it, and that is a significant increase in skill points per level compared to the psychic warrior.
Eh? From what I understand, a psychic warrior would have to burn a feat (Expanded Knowledge, for the Mind Thrust power) to qualify, although that does fulfill the requirement of having another psionic feat. This is a Psion/Wilder build from what I can tell. Mostly Wilder, I'd say - in fact a Wilder can qualify at 4th level and take it at 5th. Which is quite speedy.
Eh? From what I understand, a psychic warrior would have to burn a feat (Expanded Knowledge, for the Mind Thrust power) to qualify, although that does fulfill the requirement of having another psionic feat. This is a Psion/Wilder build from what I can tell. Mostly Wilder, I'd say - in fact a Wilder can qualify at 4th level and take it at 5th. Which is quite speedy.
I believe he's saying that the class, in form and function seems to be quite similar in design to the Psychic Warrior, not that it is a class that seems to attract mainly Psychic Warriors.
I believe he's saying that the class, in form and function seems to be quite similar in design to the Psychic Warrior, not that it is a class that seems to attract mainly Psychic Warriors.
Yes, I realize that wasn't obvious. The term 'build' is fairly ambigious.
Gains:
5 manifester level increases
Skill points improved to 4+int
Losses:
Hit die reduced to d6
Base attack bonus reduced to average
Bladewind
Psychic Strike
1 enhancement bonus
Missed one, you also gain the imbed ability
:embarrass I didn’t realize that I had inadvertently made it more difficult for a Psychic Warrior to obtain the class. (that wouldn't make sense considering the class)
Any suggestions on a 1st level Psychic Warrior power that could be used in place of mind thrust. I would also add to the requirements that mind thrust or suggested power qualify you for the class.
Call Weaponry would make sense - as it manifests a weapon out of thin air. It's on the Psychic Warrior 1 list.
I thought of that myself but I need something that dose damage because of the mechanics of my Knife the Soul ability. I was thinking Dissipating Touch as an alternative.
What do you guys think?
I fail to see how Dissipating Touch is linked to the overall concept, while Call Weaponry can be seen as a logical prerequisite to the mindblade ability which the class is built around.
I agree it doesn't, but it was just a suggestion due to my new Knife the Soul mechanics.
I would just keep the mechanics the same, but adding psychic strike to the ability list of this class on top of everything else I've added I think would overpower it.
I don't even remember anyone suggesting that.Hunh?
"Suggestion" was a bad word to use. Since I'm the one who suggested it.
thanx for all the helpPsionics: Able to manifest 1st-level powers.
Imbed Power (Su): At 1st level, a soulknife can imbed any one power into his/her mind blade. This power can be of any level up to one level lower than the highest-level power he/she can manifest. This ability requires a move action, and the soulknife must pay the cost of the power to imbed it. It is more difficult to resist an imbedded power; the DC of an imbedded power is improved by +1 for every two soulknife levels (unless it doesn’t normally allow a saving throw, then treat the power as normal). Even if the power normally affects an area or is a ray, it affects only the target. The power remains in the mind blade until a successful attack is made or the mind blade is dissipated, in either case the power points are used. A mind blade can never have more than one power imbedded at a time.
Knife the Soul (Su): At 10th level, a soulknife has learned to imbed pure psychic energy into his her mind blade. For every two power points a soulknife imbeds into his/her mind blade a soulknife may deal 1 point of ability damage to Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma (his/her choice) treat this as augmenting a power. A soulknife can combine an imbedded power and this ability in any combination. For example a 5th level psion/10th level soulknife could augment his/her soulknife with could spend a total of 10 power points to do 5 points of damage to a targets Wisdom in addition to any power already imbedded in his/her mind blade. Creatures immune to extra damage from critical hits and/or mind-affecting effects are immune to this ability.
Hunh? I don't even remember anyone suggesting that.
I thought of that myself but I need something that dose damage because of the mechanics of my Knife the Soul ability. I was thinking Dissipating Touch as an alternative.
I actually suggested it as an afterthought but instead I just reworked the Knife the Soul mechanics.
As he fades into the dark sun