Grimoire Soulknife (3.5e Alternate Class Feature)

Grimoire Soulknife
Summary::Honing your Mind Blade allows you to perform at far higher levels when compared with other soulknives.

Class: ]]

Level: 1st

Replaces: If you select this class feature, your hit-die is reduced to d8, the number of skill points gained per level increases by two, you lose the Mind Blade at first level, Speed of Thought at level six, Greater Weapon Focus (Mind Blade) at level eight, and Knife to the Soul at level thirteen.

Benefit: You gain the following abilities and feats:

 (Su): As the standard soulknife class feature, except as follows.

A soulknife’s mind blade improves as the character gains higher levels. At 4th level and every other level thereafter, the mind blade gains a cumulative +1 enhancement bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls (+2 at 6th level, +3 at 8th level, +4 at 10th level, and so on). Note that the enhancement bonus of the mind blade cannot exceed +5. The soulknife may (and, indeed, must, after the enhancement bonus exceeds +5) apply a special ability, though he must "pay" an equivalent enhancement bonus equal to the effective bonus's "cost" (so +1 for Flaming, +2 for Keen, +3 for Speed, and so on). A soulknife can choose any combination of weapon special abilities and/or enhancement bonus that does not exceed the total allowed by the soulknife’s level. Class levels not in this class count as 1/2 for the purpose of the mind blade's total enhancement (so a Soulknife 3 / Fighter 8 would count as a 7th level soulknife for the purpose of the mind blade, and thus the character's mind blade will have a +2 total enhancement bonus).

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 meditate upon his mind blade as a one-round action; once this action is complete, the mind blade materializes with the new ability or abilities selected by the soulknife, though he can be interrupted during the period of meditation if he takes damage, forcing him to make a Concentration check (DC 10 + damage dealt) or be unable to invest new abilities into his mind blade.

At second level, the soulknife gains the Shielded in Life feat with either Wisdom or Charisma.

 (Su): As the standard soulknife class feature, except as follows.

At third level, the soulknife's Psychic Strike deals +2d8 damage, and increases by 2d8 damage at every other level afterwards. Psychic Strike may be used as a swift or move action (but only once per round), and affects the first successful attack made until the start of your next turn.

At eighth level, this class feature improves, and affects the first two attacks made during a round, though the bonus disappears as normal at the start of the soulknife's next turn.

No ability, effect, or feat allows the soulknife to have their psychic strike affect more than two attacks per round.

 (Su): The soulknife and his mindblade grow ever closer, allowing him to sense the movement of his enemies through its blade, almost as though it were another eye. Any special sight-based abilities to perceive things are transferred to the mindblade as well, such as the ability to see invisible creatures or darkvision. At fourth level, the soulknife gains a +1 competence bonus to attacks on a round in which he activates Psychic Strike; this bonus increases by one every four levels afterwards (+2 at level eight, +3 at level twelve and so on). This competence bonus stacks with any competence bonus granted by any class, but not one granted from feats or other abilities.

Furthermore, the soulknife may use the mindblade to see around corners by edging it past a wall, and may see normally with it as long as it's unsheathed and unblinded, even if he himself is blinded as long as he is in contact with it (treat this as the soulknife's normal form of vision).



 (Su): As his mastery of the mindblade nears completion, the soulknife learns how to move his mindblade seperately from him, almost as though it had its own mind. As a free action at level 11, the soulknife may spend one PP to increase his reach by 5' until the start of his next round. At fifteenth level this ability increases, allowing the soulknife to spend two PP to grant his mindblade the Dancing special quality for one round. He may refresh this ability and allow his mindblade to continue dancing for another round by spending another PP every round. Should he have more than one mindblade, only one may benefit from this ability, and he may channel his psychic strike through the dancing mindblade as though he were holding it. Should the soulknife stop spending PP, the mindblade winks out of existance (though he can summon it normally during his turn).

 (Su): As their greatest achievment, soulknives can shatter their own minds into a million pieces, all the while still staying sane. While this would have no actual effect upon a normal person, the soulknive's mind blade is so deeply connected to the soulknife that this cracking of the soulknife's psyche corresponds with a shattering of the Mind Blade. Once per encounter, the level 20 soulknife may make a single melee attack; this attack roll is compared to the AC of all opponents within 15' of the soulknife, and the mindblade rolls once for damage normally as the soulknife's mindblade shatters into a million pieces, streaking out at enemies all around. The soulknife may add feats or other enhancements to the attack if the form of their mind blade allowed for them, such as Psionic Weapon or Power Attack, as well as the damage from Psychic Strike.