User:Viatos/Soulknife, Variant (3.5e Class)

Making a Soulknife

<-Strong points and weak points, and effectiveness with party members.->.

Abilities: High Strength compliments soulknives with a direct approach to their problems, as well as physical skills. High Dexterity contributes to stealthier, more skillful skirmish-based approaches. High Intelligence is important to afford more class skills and for many class features.

Races: Human, elf.

Alignment: Any.

Starting Gold: 4d4x10 (100gp).

Starting Age: As fighter.

Table 1-1: The Soulknife

Hit Die: d8

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Mindblade (Max/Total)
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+0	+2	+2	Actualization, Mental Approach	0/0
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3	Combat Cognition	0/0
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+3	Psychic Strike +1d8, Refinement	1/1
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Freethinking	1/2
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Ideal Art	1/2
6th	+4	+2	+5	+5	Bastion of Self	2/3
7th	+5	+2	+5	+5	Ideal Art	2/3
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+6	Psychic Strike +2d8	2/4
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+6	Ideal Art	3/4
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+7	Fortress of Self	3/5
11th	+8/+3	+3	+7	+7	Ideal Art	3/5
12th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8		4/6
13th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	Ideal Art, Psychic Strike +3d8	4/6
14th	+10/+5	+4	+9	+9	Unassailable Kingdom of Self	4/7
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+9	Ideal Art	5/7
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10		5/8
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10	Ideal Art	5/8
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+11	Psychic Strike +4d8	6/9
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+11	Ideal Art	6/9
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+12	Perfect Syzygy	6/10
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) The autoplate pilot’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills) (Int), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), and Spot (Wis).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Soulknife.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: All simple weapons and light and medium armor.

Actualization (Su): As a move action, a soulknife can create a weapon from pure psychic energy; such armaments are known as mindblades. A soulknife's mindblade is a one-handed weapon that deals 1d10 points of damage, with a critical range of 19-20 x2. It does not have a set damage type; the soulknife chooses whether her mindblade deals bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage when she forms it, and can switch damage types with the expenditure of a move action. It counts as a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. The blade can be broken (hardness 10 and 10 hitpoints), but the soulknife can simply reform it on her next move action. It dissipates instantly when released from her grip.

A mindblade is a valid weapon for the purpose of feats, conditions, spells, and powers that reference weapons.

Even in places where magical effects do not normally function (such as within a null magic field), a soulknife can attempt to sustain his mindblade by making a DC 20 Will save. On a successful save, the soulknife maintains his mindblade for a number of rounds equal to his class level before he needs to check again. On an unsuccessful attempt, the mindblade vanishes. As a move action on his turn, the soulknife can attempt a new Will save to rematerialize his mindblade while he remains within the magic-negating effect. He gains a bonus to these Will saves equal to his Intelligence modifier.

Mental Approach (Ex): At first level, a soulknife has developed a combat philosophy that shapes not only her tactics but the materialized expression of her soul. She may choose between Speed, Control, Focus, or Power. Each choice offers a bonus feat and a new option for the form of her mindblade; when she gains access to mind-blade enhancements (see the Refinement class feature, below), she may enhance her Mental Approach forms separately from her standard mindblade. If a Mental Approach allows her to create multiple mindblades, she may enhance each separately, but the total enhancement bonus available is reduced by 1.

Speed: She gains Two-Weapon Fighting as a bonus feat, even if she does not meet the prerequisites. When materializing her mindblade, she may choose to split the blade into two light weapons each dealing 1d6 points of damage with a critical threat range of 19-20 x2. Offhand attacks with these mindblades add her Strength in damage, rather then one-half her Strength.

Control: She gains Combat Expertise as a bonus feat, even if she does not meet the prerequisites. When materializing her mindblade, she may choose to form a one-handed weapon dealing 1d8 points of damage with a critical threat range of 19-20 x2 and a shield (with which she is considered proficient) granting a +2 shield bonus to AC. She may enhance her shield as a second mindblade; instead of using weapon special abilities, she may enhance it with the Fortification, Energy Resistance, and Spell Resistance properties.

Focus: She gains Speed of Thought as a bonus feat, even if she does not meet the prerequisites. When materializing her mindblade, she may choose to form a one-handed weapon dealing 1d10 points of damage with a critical threat range of 18-20 x2. Attacks with this mindblade may substitute the soulknife's Intelligence modifier for her Strength modifier on attack rolls.

Power: She gains Power Attack as a bonus feat, even if she does not meet the prerequisites. When materializing her mindblade, she may choose to form a two-handed weapon dealing 2d6 points of damage with a critical threat range of 19-20 x2. Attacks with this mindblade apply twice her Strength in damage rather then 1.5x her Strength.

Combat Cognition (Ex): At 2nd level, the soulknife's intense awareness of the world creates a potent preemptive defense. He gains his Intelligence modifier as an insight bonus to his AC; as long as he maintains psionic focus, he also applies it as an insight bonus to Initiative checks.

Psychic Strike (Su): As a move action, the soulknife can charge his mindblade with destructive psychic energy. This charge (which may be held until used, and does not dissipate even if the charged mindblade is dismissed) can be expended on any attack with the mindblade to deal the indicated bonus damage on the Table. Mindless creatures are immune; creatures with minds but immune to mind-affecting effects take half damage.

Refinement (Ex): A soulknife’s mind blade improves as the character gains higher levels. Starting at 3rd level and advancing as shown on the Table, the mind blade gains a cumulative +1 enhancement bonus that she may spend on an actual enhancement bonus or on weapon special abilities. A soulknife's level determines her maximum enhancement bonus (see Table: The Soulknife). The soulknife may (and must, when her total enhancement is higher than her maximum bonus) apply any special ability from the table below instead of an enhancement bonus, as long as she meets the level requirements. 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, but she must assign at least a +1 enhancement bonus before assigning any special abilities.

Freethinking (Ex): At 4th level, shaping a mindblade is a free action, rather then a move action. In addition, the mindblade may now be thrown to make ranged attacks with a 30ft increment; thrown mindblades reappear instantly in the hands of the soulknife, allowing for multiple attacks if the soulknife is capable of such.

Ideal Artistry (Ex): At 5th level, and every even level thereafter, the soulknife learns a new application of her growing talent for empowering her mind and body. Choose an ability from the list below (which she meets the level prerequisites for). Abilities may be selected only once unless stated otherwise.

Annihilation Mantra: As long as the soulknife maintains both psionic focus and one or more charges of Psychic Strike, attacks with his mind blade deal bonus damage equal to the number of die inflicted by Psychic Strike.

Destructive Wellspring: The soulknife may hold a number of psychic strike charges equal to her Intelligence modifier, although imbuing each is a separate move action and a single attack cannot expend more then one charge at a time. She may take this ability a second time at 11th level, allowing her to fill her psychic strike reservoir with a single full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity.

Destructive Savant: The soulknife's psychic strike damage increases by 1d8.

Destructive Enthusiasm: The soulknife's psychic strike damage die increases to a d10. He may take this ability a second time at 11th level to increase psychic strike damage dice to d12s.

Combat Dance: The soulknife's base land speed increases by 10ft as long as she. She may take this ability a second time at 11th level to increase her base land speed another 10ft.

Combat Slide: Whenever the soulknife successfully strikes a target with his mindblade, if he has not taken a 5ft step this round, he may do so as a free action. Whenever an enemy misses the soulknife with a melee attack, he may spend an immediate action to take a 5ft step.

Invigorating Cleave: Whenever the soulknife drops an enemy, she may immediately regain a charge of her psychic strike ability. If she already had the maximum number of charges, her next psychic strike is empowered to deal 1.5 its rolled damage. She must be 11th level or above to take this ability.

Mind-Body Evolution: As long as the soulknife maintains psionic focus, she may substitute her Intelligence modifier for her Strength modifier on all Strength and Strength-based skill checks. She may take this abiliy again at 11th level to apply its effects to Dexterity and Dexterity-based skill checks.

Bastion of Self (Ex): At 6th level, as long as she maintains psionic focus, the soulknife may add her Intelligence modifier as an insight bonus to saves against mind-affecting spells and abilities. At 10th level, she may expend her psionic focus to negate a mind-affecting spell or ability targeting her; if the effect is persistent, such as a fear aura, she may ignore its effects until the end of the encounter. At 14th level, as long as she maintains psionic focus, she gains the benefits of a permanent mind blank effect.

Ex-<-pluralized class name->

<-Describe what happens when a character violates the alignment restrictions of any other class restrictions. If there are no behavior or alignment restrictions delete this section->.

Epic <-class name->

<span id="Table: The Epic <-class name->">Table: The Epic <-class name-></span>

Hit Die: d<-Die size for Hit Die->

Level	Special
21st	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
22nd	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
23rd	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
24th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
25th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
26th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
27th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
28th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
29th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
30th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
<-number of skill points-> + Int modifier skill points per level.

<-existing class feature->: <-how this class feature increases or accumulates at epic levels->

<-another existing class feature->: <-how this class feature increases or accumulates at epic levels->

<-Lather, rinse...->

<-... repeat.->

Bonus Feats : The epic <-class name-> gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic <-class name-> bonus feats) every <-number of feats per level-> levels after 20th.

Epic <-class name-> Bonus Feat List: <-list of bonus epic feats->.

<-Sample race of your choice-> <-class name-> Starting Package

Weapons: <-Weapon selection for starting at 1st level with this class.->.

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Skill	Ranks	Ability	Armor Check Penalty
<-Skill name->	<-4 for class skills and 2 for cross-class skills->	<-Abbrieviated key ability->	<-armor check penalty based on starting armor. If innapplicable put "—"->
<-Skill name->	<-4 for class skills and 2 for cross-class skills->	<-Abbrieviated key ability->	<-armor check penalty based on starting armor. If innapplicable put "—"-> <-copy and paste the rows as necessary.->

Feat: <-1st-level feat selection->.

Bonus Feats: <-1st-level feat bonus feats due to class or sample race. remove this section if this sample doesn't get any bonus feats at 1st level. ->.

Gear: <-Starting armor and other equipment outside of weapons.->.

Gold: <-Starting gold using this package.->.

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