Author Topic: Necrocarnate Redux  (Read 13950 times)

Offline sirpercival

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Necrocarnate Redux
« on: July 26, 2012, 06:38:18 PM »
A rewrite of the monumentally dysfunctional prc from Magic of Incarnum.

NECROCARNATE

   

I'm not copy/pasting all the flavor text.  Sorry.

BECOMING A NECROCARNATE
A necrocarnate is generally an evil Incarnate, though other methods of entry are possible.

 ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
   Alignment: any Evil.
   Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 10 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 10 ranks.
   Feats: Necrocarnum Acolyte*.
   Meldshaping: Ability to shape a soulmeld with the necrocarnum descriptor, ability to bind a soulmeld to the crown, feet, and hands chakras.

*new feat below

Class Skills
 The Necrocarnate's class skills are Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Intimidate, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (religion), Knowledge (the planes), Profession, and Spellcraft.
Skills Points at Each  Level: 2 + int

Table: The NecrocarnateHD: d6


Level
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Base
Attack
Bonus
+0
+1
+2
+3
+3
+4
+5
+6
+6
+7
+8
+9
+9

Fort
Save
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5
+5
+6
+6
+7
+7
+8
+8

Ref
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4

Will
Save
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5
+5
+6
+6
+7
+7
+8
+8


Special
Necrocarnum focus, bonded touch
Harvest soul energy
Chakra bind (arms, brow, shoulders)
Necrocarnum soulshield
Necrocarnum animation
Improved necrocarnum touch
Transfer soul energy
Chakra bind (throat, waist)
Necrocarnum skin
Greater necrocarnum touch
Chakra bind (heart)
Consume soul energy
Chakra bind (soul), necrocarnum apocalypse   


Meldshaping
+1 level of existing class     
+1 level of existing class
+1 level of existing class
+1 level of existing class
+1 level of existing class
+1 level of existing class
+1 level of existing class
+1 level of existing class
+1 level of existing class
+1 level of existing class

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: A necrocarnate gains no new weapon or armor proficiencies.

Meldshaping: At each necrocarnate level except 1st, 6th, and 11th you increase your meldshaper level, the number of soulmelds you can shape, the number of chakra binds you can create, and your essentia pool as if you had gained a level in a meldshaping class to which you belonged prior to gaining the necrocarnate level. You do not, however, gain any other abilities of that class, such as new tiers of chakra binds.  If you had more than one meldshaping class before becoming a necrocarnate, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining your essentia pool, meldshaper level, and the number of soulmelds and chakra binds available.

Necrocarnum focus: Upon entering this class, you focus your studies more fully on necrocarnum.  You add all necrocarnum soulmelds to your class soulmeld list (and your soulmelds known, if applicable).  In addition, your necrocarnum soulmelds are extremely hard to suppress or unshape -- you gain a bonus to rolls to resist suppression or unshaping of your necrocarnum soulmelds (as well as the DC for others to suppress your soulmelds) equal to your class level.  Finally, the essentia capacity of any necrocarnum soulmeld you have shaped increases by 1.

Bonded touch (Su): Necrocarnates learn a great many uses of the necrocarnum touch soulmeld; as a result, they have developed a way to use it in conjunction with other soulmelds.  As long as you have at least one other necrocarnum soulmeld shaped, you may shape the necrocarnum touch soulmeld without it occupying a chakra or using up one of your daily soulmelds.  If you bind necrocarnum touch to your arms chakra, the soulmeld occupies the arms chakra as normal. 

In addition, whenever you have the necrocarnum touch soulmeld shaped, you can make touch attacks with it in place of normal attacks (instead of as a standard action).  This allows you, for example, to make multiple attacks with the soulmeld as part of a full-attack action if your base attack bonus is +6 or greater.  This benefit applies even when you make ranged touch attacks by using the arms chakra bind ability.

Harvest soul energy (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, whenever you damage an opponent with your necrocarnum touch (to a maximum of once per round), you gain one point of temporary essentia which you may immediately invest in your necrocarnum soulmelds as part of the same action.  This temporary essentia lasts for a number of rounds equal to the number of essentia invested in your necrocarnum touch when you gain it.  If you later change the number of essentia invested in necrocarnum touch, the duration of any existing temporary essentia you gained from this ability does not change.  Temporary essentia granted by this ability stack.

Chakra binds: As you attain higher levels, you can bind your soulmelds and magic items to your chakras, gaining new powers based on the combination chosen. At 3rd level, you can bind your soulmelds or magic items to your lesser chakras (arms, brow, and shoulders), in addition to any other chakras you have available. When you attain 8th level, your greater chakras (throat and waist) become available for chakra binds.  At 11th level, you can bind soulmelds or magic items to your heart chakra, and at 13th level your soul chakra becomes available.

Necrocarnum soulshield (Su): At 4th level, the necrocarnum that you surround yourself with provides some protection against other harmful effects.  You gain a profane bonus to all your saving throws equal to half the number of necrocarnum soulmelds you have bound at any time.

Necrocarnum animation (Su): Upon reaching 5th level, you gain an incredible command over the powers of necrocarnum and undeath.  Whenever your kill a creature with your necrocarnum touch attack, you may choose to have that creature rise 1d4 rounds later as a necrocarnum zombie under your control.  The necrocarnum zombies you create remain under your control indefinitely.  No matter how many times you use this ability, however, you can control only 4 HD worth of necrocarnum zombies per meldshaper level.  If you exceed this number, all the newly created zombies fall under your control, and any excess zombies from previous uses of this ability become uncontrolled. (You choose which creatures are released.) If you have the necrocarnum circlet bound to your crown chakra, the necrocarnum zombie created by that chakra bind does not count toward the limit.

Improved necrocarnum touch (Su): Beginning at 6th level, the damage dealt by your necrocarnum touch soulmeld increases to 1d10 per essentia invested in the soulmeld.  In addition, your necrocarnum touch threatens a critical on a 19 or 20, and whenever you successfully confirm a critical hit with it, your opponent gains one negative level, as per the enervation spell (with a caster level equal to your meldshaper level).

Transfer soul energy (Su): Beginning at 7th level, you can redistribute essentia you gain from harvesting soul energy among your undead minions.  As an immediate action, you may transfer any number of temporary essentia gained from your Harvest Soul Energy class feature to any necrocarnum zombie or zombies under your control.  You may distribute the essentia however you like among your controlled zombies, who can immediately invest it without spending an action.

Necrocarnum skin (Su): At 9th level, the necrocarnum you've shaped has infused your living skin with some of its profane essence.  You gain damage reduction equal to the number of necrocarnum soulmelds you have shaped at any time, which is overcome only by good-aligned weapons.  In addition, you gain resistance to one energy type of your choice equal to twice the number of necrocarnum soulmelds you have shaped at any time.  You can change the type of energy resistance at any time by spending a swift action.

Greater necrocarnum touch (Su): Upon reaching 10th level, the damage dealt by your necrocarnum touch soulmeld increases to 1d12 per essentia invested in the soulmeld.  In addition, your necrocarnum touch threatens a critical hit on an 18, 19, or 20, and whenever you successfully confirm a critical hit with it, your opponent gains 1d4 negative levels, as per the energy drain spell (with a caster level equal to your meldshaper level).  The DC to remove the negative level is equal to 10 + 1/2 meldshaper level + the number of essentia invested in necrocarnum touch.

Consume soul energy (Su): At 12th level, when one of your minions is destroyed, you can consume the necrocarnum within it, regaining temporary power.  Whenever a necrocarnum zombie under your control is reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, as an immediate action you may gain a number of temporary essentia equal to the essentia pool of the zombie (not including any temporary essentia it gained through your Transfer Soul Energy power).  This temporary essentia lasts for one round, and stacks with temporary essentia gained from other sources.  Using this ability destroys the soul of the original creature utterly, preventing any form of raising or resurrection.  There is a 50% chance that a wish,miracle, or true resurrection spell cannot restore to life a victim consumed by this spell; check once for each destroyed creature, and if the d% roll fails, the creature cannot be brought back to life by mortal magic.

Necrocarnum apocalypse:  Upon reaching 13th level, the number of Hit Dice of necrocarnum zombies you can control with your Necrocarnum Animation class feature increases to 8 HD times your meldshaper level.
 
« Last Edit: July 27, 2012, 01:37:56 PM by sirpercival »
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Offline sirpercival

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Re: Necrocarnate Redux
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2012, 06:38:36 PM »
Necrocarnum Acolyte [Incarnum]
You have experienced the power of necrocarnum, a dark and twisted form of incarnum. The power gained from this source can be great, but many decry its origins as evil.
Prerequisites: Ability to shape soulmelds, nongood alignment.
Benefit: You gain the ability to shape soulmelds with the Necrocarnum descriptor regardless of your alignment.  If your alignment is Evil, the essentia capacity of any Necrocarnum soulmeld you shape increases by 1.



New Soulmelds

Necrocarnum Aura
Descriptors: Necrocarnum.
Classes: Incarnate.
Chakra: Shoulders, Soul.
Saving Throw: None.

Twisted, crackling necrocarnum extends from you, darkening the air around you with chill.

While you have necrocarnum aura shaped, all opponents within 10 feet of you suffer a -2 morale penalty on saving throws.  This is a mind-affecting fear effect.  Essentia: For every point of essentia invested in the necrocarnum aura, opponents affected by the aura suffer a -1 penalty on attack rolls.  This is a mind-affecting fear effect.

Chakra Bind (Shoulders)  Your necrocarnum aura affects all opponents with 30 feet of you.

Chakra Bind (Soul)  The penalties imposed by your necrocarnum aura are no longer morale penalties, becoming untyped -- however, they do not stack with penalties imposed by other necrocarnum auras.  In addition, the ability of the necrocarnum aura is no longer a mind-affecting fear affect.


Necrocarnum Boots
Descriptors: Necrocarnum.
Classes: Incarnate.
Chakra: Feet.
Saving Throw: None.

As necrocarnum envelops your feet and ankles, the ground beneath you shrivels and blackens, and your shadow gyrates sickeningly behind you.

When you shape necrocarnum boots, you gain a +4 circumstance bonus to Jump checks as necrocarnum billows out of the boots behind you. Essentia: Every point of essentia invested in the necrocarnum boots increases the bonus to Jump checks by +2.

Chakra Bind (Feet)  You gain the ability to levitate yourself (as the spell), with a speed of 10 feet per essentia invested in this soulmeld, as the necrocarnum beneath your feet gains solidity and supports you.


Necrocarnum Gaze
Descriptors: Necrocarnum.
Classes: Incarnate.
Chakra: Brow.
Saving Throw: Will.

Your eyes cloud with shadowy necrocarnum, radiating a painful blackness.

As long as you have necrocarnum gaze shaped, you can determine the condition of creatures near death within the spell’s range. You instantly know whether each creature within the area is dead, fragile (alive and wounded, with 3 or fewer hit points left), fighting off death (alive with 4 or more hit points), undead, or neither alive nor dead (such as a construct). Essentia: Unconscious living creatures within 30 feet of you suffer 1d6 points of damage per round for every point of essentia invested in the necrocarnum gaze.  This is a gaze attack.

Chakra Bind (Brow)  Conscious, living creatures within 30 feet are subject to your gaze attack, and must make a Will save or take 1d6 points of nonlethal damage per round for every point of essentia invested in the necrocarnum gaze.


Necrocarnum Gloves
Descriptors: Necrocarnum.
Classes: Incarnate.
Chakra: Hands.
Saving Throw: None.

Necrocarnum twists into shadowy prongs stretching forward from the ends of your arms.  They ripple and writhe with the slightest breeze.

With necrocarnum gloves shaped, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus on Open Lock and Sleight of Hand checks. Essentia: Every point of essentia invested in the necrocarnum gloves increases the bonus to Open Lock and Sleight of Hand checks by +2.

Chakra Bind (Hands)  Your natural reach doubles, but only for touch attacks and natural attacks made with your arms (such as unarmed strikes, claw attacks, or slam attacks).


Necrocarnum Spear
Descriptors: Necrocarnum.
Classes: Incarnate.
Chakra: Arms.
Saving Throw: None.

A long shaft of necrocarnum springs into being in your hands, its point wickedly sharp.

You shape necrocarnum into a longspear (sized normally for you). The longspear functions as a normal longspear, except that it deals half piercing and half profane damage.   Your necrocarnum spear cannot be sundered or otherwise destroyed (except by effects that unshape soulmelds). If your necrocarnum spear leaves your hand for any reason, it returns to your grasp at the beginning of your next turn. If that is impossible, it falls at your feet (but attempts to return again on your next turn). Any other creature attempting to wield your necrocarnum spear gains none of its special benefits (but can wield it as a normal longspear). Essentia: When you invest essentia into your necrocarnum spear, it gains a +1 enhancement bonus to attack and damage for each invested essentia.

Chakra Bind (Arms)   When you hit a living creature with your necrocarnum spear, you can release the spear, letting it pull itself into the target's body.  The spear deals damage equal to that dealt by the initial hit every round until removed, at which point it dissipates.  While the spear is embedded in the subject, the subject also suffers a penalty to AC equal to the number of essentia invested in the spear. The subject can attempt a Fortitude save as a standard action to remove the spear. You can create a new necrocarnum spear without dissipating ones already embedded in living creatures.


Necrocarnum Wake
Descriptors: Necrocarnum.
Classes: Incarnate.
Chakra: Feet.
Saving Throw: Reflex.

As you walk, the ground behind you is covered with a disgusting residue of necrocarnum which dissipates slowly.

While you have necrocarnum wake shaped, spaces you move through are tainted for 1 minute, dealing 1d4 damage to creatures that attempt to move through them.  A creature who remains in a tainted square suffers this damage every round at the beginning of your turn.  You are immune to your own necrocarnum wake. Essentia: Every point of essentia invested in the necrocarnum wake increases the damage cause by tainted squares by 1d4.

Chakra Bind (Feet)  Black skeletal hands made of the souls of the dead bound in necrocarnum grasp at those who pass through the tainted trail you leave behind.  Any creature who attempts to move through a square tainted by your necrocarnum wake must make a Reflex save or be immobilized for 1 round.  A successful save allows passage through tainted squares for 1 round.

« Last Edit: July 27, 2012, 01:41:58 PM by sirpercival »
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Offline sirpercival

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Re: Necrocarnate Redux
« Reply #2 on: July 26, 2012, 08:01:46 PM »
OK, done.  Any suggestions for other new necrocarnum soulmelds?  I want there to be at least one more, but I'm out of ideas.
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Offline Garryl

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Re: Necrocarnate Redux
« Reply #3 on: July 26, 2012, 10:20:44 PM »
You've got the Blighter problem. 7 levels spent building up varied and useful class features, then you toss them all away in a single level to focus on a limited and generally weaker subset. Perhaps, instead of banning all non-necrocarnum soulmelds entirely, you could grant bonus soulmelds and chakra binds that can only be used with necrocarnum soulmelds. Maybe also grant some special points of necrocarnum essentia that grant extra benefits when invested into necrocarnum soulmelds?

Add all Necrocarnum soulmelds to your soulmeld list (and if you want to be nice to potential homebrewers, your soulmelds known as well).

Necrocarnum Focus needs to also apply to the DC of checks made to suppress your soulmelds, not just the rolls you make.

I'm worried about so many of your class features only functioning through Necrocarnum Touch, especially at the first few levels. Maybe you should grant it as sort of a bonus soulmeld shaped at all times. That way you can be sure that the character will be able to use his class features, and the player won't feel that taking what might be an otherwise suboptimal choice is a (further) burden to pay for being a member of this class.
Class features that only function with Necrocarnum Touch:
 - Rapid Touch (1st)
 - Harvest Soul energy (2nd)
 - Necrocarnum Animation (5th)
 - Improved Necrocarnum Touch (6th)
 - Transfer Soul Energy (7th)
 - Greater Necrocarnum Touch (10th)

The reanimation effect of Necrocarnum Animation should be optional. If you already have your dream team of Necrocarnum Zombies, no sense having to kill your enemies twice over.

Is the effect of Improved Necrocarnum Touch's enervation-like negative level based on the ability's caster level or your meldshaper level for Necrocarnum Touch? Further, what's the save DC on the negative levels granted?

Is the damage boost of Improved and Greater Necrocarnum Touch really needed to be as big as it is? The base effect already scales with the square of your level (extra attack from full BaB, increased essentia capacity increasing damage done).

Harvest Soul Energy gives only 1 essentia at a time. Since it's an immediate action to use, Transfer Soul Energy will thus only be able to transfer 1 essentia per round.

Edit: There are what, 8 existing necrocarnum soulmelds? If you want to even think about preventing the use of non-necrocarnum soulmelds, you'll need a total of at least 20, with varied effects.

Offline WinterBeast

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Re: Necrocarnate Redux
« Reply #4 on: July 26, 2012, 11:25:38 PM »
I agree with Garyyl in regards to the 'Necrocarnum Focus' class ability, this may have been a better fit for the original Necrocarnate that didn't gain melding 'progression' but since you're leaving that door open it becomes extremely limited, a possible tweak to allowing any Necrocarnum and/or Evil soulmeld may help but I can't recall many evil melds(Blood War and the ones based off the Meldshaper's alignment are all that come to mind). Realized that doesn't really work w/o some kind of exception to the 'Aligned Soulmelds' class ability.

I do like the flavor though, a question comes to mind about the 'focus' on 'Necrocarnum Touch' do the class abilities also apply themselves to the ranged attack that comes from binding? If so you've certainly made a 'Close' range blaster a pretty solid option with almost Warlock like style.

And I'm torn between the printed Necrocarnum Acolyte and yours, while  the expanded capacity is nice the original's hardset bonus to the DC also fits very well, the Evil only limitation of your feat seems a little limiting as I don't imagine it'll appeal(in general) to many non-evil that don't want to take levels in this class.

All in all I like what you've done, personally I'd show a little more love for the other existing Necrocarnum melds(or at least something for 'Necrocarnum Weapon' as I think the bind has a lot of potential, maybe making it 1/2 invested * crit multiplier cause struting around with a scythe coated in Necrocarnum as it digs deep and takes some of the targets soul energy with it just seems like a party in my pants, though the lack of proficiency's kind of a downer). The 2 you have so far do certainly keep to the normal flavor but the skills they grant bonuses to seem a little odd given the 'Necrocarnum' limitation and that of the Incarnate.
« Last Edit: July 27, 2012, 01:16:41 AM by WinterBeast »

Offline sirpercival

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Re: Necrocarnate Redux
« Reply #5 on: July 27, 2012, 09:53:35 AM »
You've got the Blighter problem. 7 levels spent building up varied and useful class features, then you toss them all away in a single level to focus on a limited and generally weaker subset. Perhaps, instead of banning all non-necrocarnum soulmelds entirely, you could grant bonus soulmelds and chakra binds that can only be used with necrocarnum soulmelds. Maybe also grant some special points of necrocarnum essentia that grant extra benefits when invested into necrocarnum soulmelds?
It's not exactly the same -- blighter you lose all your spell slots; it's more like incantatrix+red wizard or something, where you're giving up the ability to cast from all schools except your specialist school.  But I agree that maybe that's not a great idea in retrospect.

Honestly, Necrocarnum Soulshield is a great defensive ability and will encourage as many necro soulmelds as possible; if I restrict the temp essentia you get from other class features to applying to necro soulmelds, then I think that'll probably do it.  I'll also increase the capacity by one (stacking with the feat).

Quote
Add all Necrocarnum soulmelds to your soulmeld list (and if you want to be nice to potential homebrewers, your soulmelds known as well).
Oh yeah, I forgot about that part.  I'll include it.

Quote
Necrocarnum Focus needs to also apply to the DC of checks made to suppress your soulmelds, not just the rolls you make.
I couldn't be bothered to look up the rules for how suppression actually worked, so thanks for pointing that out ;) I'll add it.

Quote
I'm worried about so many of your class features only functioning through Necrocarnum Touch, especially at the first few levels. Maybe you should grant it as sort of a bonus soulmeld shaped at all times. That way you can be sure that the character will be able to use his class features, and the player won't feel that taking what might be an otherwise suboptimal choice is a (further) burden to pay for being a member of this class.
Class features that only function with Necrocarnum Touch:
 - Rapid Touch (1st)
 - Harvest Soul energy (2nd)
 - Necrocarnum Animation (5th)
 - Improved Necrocarnum Touch (6th)
 - Transfer Soul Energy (7th)
 - Greater Necrocarnum Touch (10th)
Yeah, I was worried about that too, but it seemed so important.  So I think I'll put in that it's always shaped and doesn't take up a slot unless you bind it.

Quote
The reanimation effect of Necrocarnum Animation should be optional. If you already have your dream team of Necrocarnum Zombies, no sense having to kill your enemies twice over.
Good call.

Quote
Is the effect of Improved Necrocarnum Touch's enervation-like negative level based on the ability's caster level or your meldshaper level for Necrocarnum Touch? Further, what's the save DC on the negative levels granted?
I'll clarify.

Quote
Is the damage boost of Improved and Greater Necrocarnum Touch really needed to be as big as it is? The base effect already scales with the square of your level (extra attack from full BaB, increased essentia capacity increasing damage done).
With the increased essentia capacity, it's probably too much.  So I'll just increase the die (d10, d12).  It's fun rolling lots of d12s for damage.

Quote
Harvest Soul Energy gives only 1 essentia at a time. Since it's an immediate action to use, Transfer Soul Energy will thus only be able to transfer 1 essentia per round.
But they last for a while.  So you can have several from multiple rounds stacked up.  Do you think HSE should give for each attack?

Quote
Edit: There are what, 8 existing necrocarnum soulmelds? If you want to even think about preventing the use of non-necrocarnum soulmelds, you'll need a total of at least 20, with varied effects.
There are 8 with the inclusion of the two below.  So yeah... touché.



I agree with Garyyl in regards to the 'Necrocarnum Focus' class ability, this may have been a better fit for the original Necrocarnate that didn't gain melding 'progression' but since you're leaving that door open it becomes extremely limited, a possible tweak to allowing any Necrocarnum and/or Evil soulmeld may help but I can't recall many evil melds(Blood War and the ones based off the Meldshaper's alignment are all that come to mind). Realized that doesn't really work w/o some kind of exception to the 'Aligned Soulmelds' class ability.
Yeah, I'm axing the restriction bit and simply encouraging with beneficial class features.  Good call.

Quote
I do like the flavor though, a question comes to mind about the 'focus' on 'Necrocarnum Touch' do the class abilities also apply themselves to the ranged attack that comes from binding? If so you've certainly made a 'Close' range blaster a pretty solid option with almost Warlock like style.
That was the intention, yes.

Quote
And I'm torn between the printed Necrocarnum Acolyte and yours, while  the expanded capacity is nice the original's hardset bonus to the DC also fits very well, the Evil only limitation of your feat seems a little limiting as I don't imagine it'll appeal(in general) to many non-evil that don't want to take levels in this class.
The original class had Evil only; that's why I changed the feat, because if you were already evil it was like a very limited Spell Focus feat.  As it turns out, the DC of soulmelds is dependent on the essentia invested in them, so that's already wrapped up in the improved capacity -- if you're going to be using a soulmeld that requires a save, you're going to be pumping it full of essentia.  This way you get actual improved effect out of it too.

Now, that being said, I can remove the alignment restriction if we think that's a good idea.

Quote
All in all I like what you've done, personally I'd show a little more love for the other existing Necrocarnum melds(or at least something for 'Necrocarnum Weapon' as I think the bind has a lot of potential, maybe making it 1/2 invested * crit multiplier cause struting around with a scythe coated in Necrocarnum as it digs deep and takes some of the targets soul energy with it just seems like a party in my pants, though the lack of proficiency's kind of a downer). The 2 you have so far do certainly keep to the normal flavor but the skills they grant bonuses to seem a little odd given the 'Necrocarnum' limitation and that of the Incarnate.[/color]
I can rewrite the other soulmelds if you like.

EDIT: Alright, updated.
« Last Edit: July 27, 2012, 10:09:54 AM by sirpercival »
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Offline Garryl

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Re: Necrocarnate Redux
« Reply #6 on: July 27, 2012, 11:54:24 AM »
Necrocarnum Aura: Opponents within 10' suffer a -2 morale penalty on saving throws, and a -[essentia] morale penalty on attack rolls. Mind-affecting fear effect.
Shoulders: Radius increases to 30'.
Soul: No longer mind-affecting or fear, penalty is untyped. Still doesn't stack with the penalties imposed by other Necrocarnum Auras.

Necrocarnum Wake: Spaces you move through are tainted for 1 minute, dealing 1d4+1d4/essentia damage per round to creatures that remain in or attempt to move through them. You are immune to your own necrocarnum wake.
Feet: Souls of the dead also grasp at those that pass through. Any creature that attempts to move through your wake must make a Reflex save or be immobilized for 1 round. A successful save allows passage for 1 round.

Necrocarnum Gaze: Gain deathwatch as the spell. Deals 1d6/essentia damage/round to unconscious living creatures within 30'.
Brow: Conscious, living creatures within 30' are subject to your gaze attack. Will save or take 1d6/essentia nonlethal damage each round.
« Last Edit: July 27, 2012, 12:03:58 PM by Garryl »

Offline sirpercival

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Re: Necrocarnate Redux
« Reply #7 on: July 27, 2012, 12:18:07 PM »
Ooh, nice.  I'll add these.  How does the class look now?

Would it be a bad idea for Necrocarnum Focus to reduce your essentia capacity by one for all non-necrocarnum soulmelds?
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Offline WinterBeast

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Re: Necrocarnate Redux
« Reply #8 on: July 27, 2012, 12:26:05 PM »
The only thing really sticking out at me now is the 'Necrocarnum Skin' and the 'universal' resistance it grants. Seems like it may be a bit much(even considering the near 'universal' resistance granted by the 'Dragon Mantle' soulmeld). Maybe reducing it to 'just' the evil aligned energies would be better?

And I think the capacity reduction to non-nercocarnum melds would be a bit much at least until there's a larger selection of Nerco melds available. I had considered using Garryl's idea of 'nercocarnum essentia' to 'alter' existing melds and add the 'Necrocarnum' descriptor to them temporarily but that would just complicate things to much I think.

Offline sirpercival

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Re: Necrocarnate Redux
« Reply #9 on: July 27, 2012, 12:40:09 PM »
Can I just say that Necrocarnum Wake is now one of my favorite soulmelds ever?  Simply awesome, G, and you shall get kudos for it.

@WinterBeast -- the energy resistance won't ever be more than 8, which is less than that granted by a 3rd-level spell.  You get the ability at 16th level, at which point spellcasters can be immune to energy entirely with not too much effort.  However, if it bothers you I can remove that part and just have the damage reduction.

And I agree about the capacity reduction.  I was just playing around with the idea in my head, but between the feat and the focus you'll already have a 2-essentia differential between necrocarnum and else, which is enough.
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Offline WinterBeast

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Re: Necrocarnate Redux
« Reply #10 on: July 27, 2012, 12:45:58 PM »
I know it's far from game breaking, just thematically it hits a 'sore spot' so to speak; but that may just be because I'm so used to seeing only certain types covered at one time. I'm the type that has totally ignored beneficial class features before because I didn't think they really fit the 'style' so it's likely just a personal issue.

Offline Garryl

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Re: Necrocarnate Redux
« Reply #11 on: July 27, 2012, 12:55:02 PM »
Can I just say that Necrocarnum Wake is now one of my favorite soulmelds ever?  Simply awesome, G, and you shall get kudos for it.

Thanks. Mechanically, it's just a ripoff of Corrosion Inducement (feet socket) from MaI/PoC. Though the simplicity and flavor makes it so much better.

Necrocarnum Spear: Form a longspear out of necrocarnum, much like Incarnate Weapon. +1 enhancement bonus/essentia.
Arms: When you hit a living creature, you can release the spear, letting it pull itself into the target's body, dealing damage equal to the initial hit's damage every round until removed, at which point it dissipates. While present, the subject also suffers a penalty to AC equal to the essentia invested. The subject can attempt a Fortitude save as a standard action to remove the spear. You can create a new Necrocarnum Spear without dissipating ones already embedded in living creatures.

Offline sirpercival

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Re: Necrocarnate Redux
« Reply #12 on: July 27, 2012, 01:21:17 PM »
I know it's far from game breaking, just thematically it hits a 'sore spot' so to speak; but that may just be because I'm so used to seeing only certain types covered at one time. I'm the type that has totally ignored beneficial class features before because I didn't think they really fit the 'style' so it's likely just a personal issue.

Hm... I could make it one energy type (and maybe double the amount), and you can change the energy type as a swift action; would that feel better?

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Offline WinterBeast

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Re: Necrocarnate Redux
« Reply #13 on: July 27, 2012, 01:28:12 PM »
I know it's far from game breaking, just thematically it hits a 'sore spot' so to speak; but that may just be because I'm so used to seeing only certain types covered at one time. I'm the type that has totally ignored beneficial class features before because I didn't think they really fit the 'style' so it's likely just a personal issue.

Hm... I could make it one energy type (and maybe double the amount), and you can change the energy type as a swift action; would that feel better?

That might work, I've been looking things over to get an idea to maintain some sort of precedence and it seems like a 'moderate' amount of Resistance to 2 or 3 energy types at best fits most other examples(granted they're generally racial or [Type]/[Sub-Type] abilities). Not going to far outside 'the box' is my biggest issue when it comes to fixing/home brewing so you're likely far better suited to make the proper call it terms of balance/fairness.

Offline sirpercival

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Re: Necrocarnate Redux
« Reply #14 on: July 27, 2012, 01:36:50 PM »
What I tend to do is look at spells and say "at this level, what can a wizard do like this?" and if a wizard can do that on or before the level, it's not a big deal.  This works for all non-game-breaking abilities, since any given spell (as long as it isn't a spell like Gate or Time Stop) isn't what makes a wizard powerful, it's the breadth of options.

But having a switchable resistance is fine.
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Offline WinterBeast

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Re: Necrocarnate Redux
« Reply #15 on: July 27, 2012, 01:46:00 PM »
So I should take a WWAWD approach sometimes?  :lmao

Having looked into it a little more deeply the mechanics for a Necrocarnum Zombie seem quite feeble, if I recall Sinfire made a comment in their Incarnate handbook about how a 'bigger undead' would be better then 2 separate ones(per the core Necro's class ability) but it seems like your approach to just having a HD limitation is the better way to go since there's almost nothing that scales with the Zombies. Have you considered the general lack of essentia the zombies created through 'Necrocarum Animation' will have? Granted neither of their abilities are 'really impressive' but more would be 'better'.

Offline littha

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Re: Necrocarnate Redux
« Reply #16 on: July 27, 2012, 01:46:54 PM »
That green text is rather annoying you know.

Offline sirpercival

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Re: Necrocarnate Redux
« Reply #17 on: July 27, 2012, 01:50:29 PM »
I mean, that's kinda the point of the Transfer Soul Energy ability, but I was thinking about making a soulmeld which boosts necrocarnum zombies in your area.
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Offline WinterBeast

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Re: Necrocarnate Redux
« Reply #18 on: July 27, 2012, 01:58:09 PM »
That green text is rather annoying you know.

But I like my green text...it's been a standard 'signature' for every board I've used for almost as long as I can remember  :bigeyes

I mean, that's kinda the point of the Transfer Soul Energy ability, but I was thinking about making a soulmeld which boosts necrocarnum zombies in your area.

In the case of keeping a few 6 or 12HD zombies though it seems like you may be stretched a little thin. But I guess that's really campaign dependent

Offline sirpercival

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Re: Necrocarnate Redux
« Reply #19 on: July 27, 2012, 02:03:15 PM »
That green text is rather annoying you know.

But I like my green text...it's been a standard 'signature' for every board I've used for almost as long as I can remember  :bigeyes
I would just be careful because some people use other-color text to mean particular things (like blue or red text to mean sarcasm, etc.).  It also makes it a little weird to multiquote you... but I don't have a problem with it other than that.

Quote
I mean, that's kinda the point of the Transfer Soul Energy ability, but I was thinking about making a soulmeld which boosts necrocarnum zombies in your area.

In the case of keeping a few 6 or 12HD zombies though it seems like you may be stretched a little thin. But I guess that's really campaign dependent

Yeah.  Well, that soulmeld will exist soon.
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