Warpsoul [base] & soulmelds

[sirpercival]

Here's my next homebrew, an incarnum base class modeled after the Totemist, but focused on aberrations instead of magical beasts.  As always, any feedback is greatly appreciated!

Warpsoul

Alignment: Any non-good.
HD: d8
Races: Usually human.  Races with strong ties to nature rarely become warpsouls, as they feel that the class's connection to aberrations is... unnatural.
Abilities: Constitution is the primary ability score for meldshaping, as in other meldshaping classes.  A high Wisdom is also key, as it is important to be of strong stuff to combat the madness that can overtake a warpsoul.

Lvl	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Soulmelds	Essentia	Chakra Binds
1	+0	+0	+0	+2	Touch of madness (meldshaper level, soulmeld DC)	2	1	0
2	+1	+0	+0	+3	Chakra bind (crown)	3	2	1
3	+2	+1	+1	+3	Alien senses	3	3	1
4	+3	+1	+1	+4	Chakra bind (feet, hands)	4	4	1
5	+3	+1	+1	+4	--	4	5	1
6	+4	+2	+2	+5	Touch of madness (essentia)	4	6	2
7	+5	+2	+2	+5	--	5	7	2
8	+6/+1	+2	+2	+6	Alien constitution	5	8	2
9	+6/+1	+3	+3	+6	Chakra bind (arms, brow, shoulders)	5	9	2
10	+7/+2	+3	+3	+7	Telepathy	6	10	3
11	+8/+3	+3	+3	+7	Touch of madness (capacity)	6	11	3
12	+9/+4	+4	+4	+8	--	6	12	3
13	+9/+4	+4	+4	+8	Alien mentality	7	13	3
14	+10/+5	+4	+4	+9	Chakra bind (throat, waist)	7	14	4
15	+11/+6/+1	+5	+5	+9	Improved alien constitution	7	15	4
16	+12/+7/+2	+5	+5	+10	Touch of madness (chakra)	8	16	4
17	+12/+7/+2	+5	+5	+10	Chakra bind (heart)	8	17	4
18	+13/+8/+3	+6	+6	+11	Alien resistance	8	18	5
19	+14/+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	--	9	19	5
20	+15/+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Chakra bind (soul), alien transformation	9	20	5

Class Skills (2+Int modifier per level, x4 at 1st level): Concentration, Craft, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (the Planes), Listen, Profession, Spellcraft, and Spot.

Class Features

   Weapon and Armor Proficiency: You are proficient with all simple weapons, with light armor, and with shields (except tower shields).

   Meldshaping: A warpsoul's primary ability is shaping incarnum soulmelds, which are drawn from the warpsoul soulmeld list below. You know and can shape any soulmeld from this list. Unlike the aligned forces of an incarnate’s melds, or the bestial spirits of totemist, you channel the strange, unnatural essence of aberrations.  The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a warpsoul soulmeld is 10 + number of points of essentia invested in the soulmeld + your Constitution modifier. Your meldshaper level is equal to your warpsoul level.
   A warpsoul can shape only a certain number of soulmelds per day. Your daily allotment is shown on the table above. The maximum number of soulmelds that you can have shaped simultaneously is equal to your Constitution score minus 10 or the number of soulmelds on the table, whichever is lower. At 1st level, you can shape two soulmelds at a time (assuming you have a Constitution score of at least 12). As you advance in level the number of soulmelds you can shape increases.
   At 1st level, you also gain access to your personal pool of essentia, which can be invested into your soulmelds to increase their power. Your essentia pool’s size is shown on the table above. Your character level determines the maximum essentia capacity as usual.  As a swift action, you can reallocate your essentia investments in your soulmelds every round.  A warpsoul does not study or prepare soulmelds in advance, but must have a good night’s rest and must meditate for 1 hour to shape his soulmelds for the day.

   Chakra binds: Beginning at 2nd level, you can bind your soulmelds to your chakras, granting you new powers based on the soulmeld and the chakra chosen. Binding a soulmeld to a chakra closes the body slot associated with that chakra, so that you cannot also benefit from a magic item worn on the body slot associated with that chakra. The number of chakra binds that you can have active at any one time depends on your level, as shown in the table above.
   At 2nd level, you can bind a soulmeld to your crown chakra.  Beginning at 4th level, you can bind soulmelds to your feet or hands chakras. At 9th level, you can bind soulmelds to your arms, brow, or shoulders chakras. At 14th level, you can bind soulmelds to your throat or waist chakras. At 17th level, you can bind a soulmeld to your heart chakra, and at 20th level you can bind a soulmeld to your soul chakra.

   Touch of madness: You have learned how to tap more fully into the essence of the aberrations that make up your soulmelds; however, such power comes at a price.  As an immediate action, you can voluntarily take a point of Wisdom burn to raise the meldshaper level or soulmeld DC of one of your soulmelds by one; this increase lasts for a number of rounds equal to your Constitution modifier.
   At 6th level, you can instead, as an immediate action, spend two uses of this ability and take 2 points of Wisdom burn to gain one temporary essentia.  You can invest the temporary essentia (subject to the normal capacity for your receptacles) as part of the action, and it lasts for a number of rounds equal to twice your Constitution modifier.
   At 11th level, as an immediate action you can spend three uses of this ability and take 3 points of Wisdom burn to temporarily increase the essentia capacity of one of your soulmelds by one for a number of rounds equal to three times your Constitution modifier.  You can reallocate your essentia to take advantage of this increased capacity as part of the action.
   At 16th level, your connection to the essence of aberrations is unparalleled.  As an immediate action, you can spend four uses of this ability and take 4 points of Wisdom burn to temporarily bind one of your soulmelds to a chakra that it occupies.  This chakra bind does not count against your daily number of chakra binds from the levels in this class, and the soulmeld remains bound for a number of rounds equal to four times your Constitution modifier.
   The Wisdom burned by this ability cannot be prevented, reduced, or healed by magic -- it must be healed normally.

   Alien senses: Beginning at 3rd level, your association with aberrations has given you uncanny senses.  You gain Alertness as a bonus feat, and you also gain darkvision out to 60 feet.  If you already have darkvision from another source, the range of your darkvision increases by 60 feet.

   Alien constitution: At 8th level, the aberrant nature of your soulmelds has begun to alter your physical make-up.  You heal at twice the normal rate, and you gain damage reduction 5/magic.  You heal ability damage (including Wisdom burn from your touch of madness ability) at the rate of 1 point every hour.
   At 15th level, your physical essence has changed even more.  You gain fast healing 2, and you heal ability damage (including Wisdom burned via touch of madness) at the rate of 1 point every 10 minutes.

   Telepathy: Starting at 10th level, you are so attuned to your surroundings that you gain telepathy at a range of 60 feet.

   Alien mentality: At 13th level, your mind becomes more difficult to affect by those who don't understand your aberrant nature.  You gain slippery mind, as the rogue special ability.

   Alien resistance (Su): Beginning at 18th level, your psyche is so alien to others that it becomes almost impossible to affect.  You are permanently under the effect of mind blank, as the spell.

   Alien transformation: At 20th level, you have completely subsumed the essence of aberrations.  Your type changes to aberration, and your Wisdom and Charisma scores are permanently reduced by 2 points.  However, you gain a permanent 2-point increase to your Intelligence and Constitutions scores, and you can use true strike as a supernatural ability 3 times per day.  You gain immunity to poison, and your DR improves to 10/adamantine.


Warpsoul Soulmelds

• Crown
  • Gibbering Mask -- +2 bonus to Spot checks
  • Naga Hood -- +1 bonus to saves vs. mind-affecting effects
  • Rusted Cap -- Smell metal objects from 30 feet away
• Feet
  • Carrion Boots -- 10 foot climb speed
  • Delver Greaves -- 10 foot burrow speed
  • Grell Robe -- +2 bonus to Jump and Listen checks
• Hands
  • Ettercap Claws -- +4 bonus to Climb checks
  • Filch Gloves -- +2 bonus to Sleight of Hand
  • Otyugh Mantle -- +2 bonus to grapple checks
• Arms
  • Athach Gauntlets -- +1 bonus to ranged attack rolls
  • Chuul Bracers -- 10 foot swim speed
• Brow
  • Gibbering Mask -- +2 bonus to Spot checks
  • Illithid Mask -- Spell resistance 5
• Shoulders
  • Athach Gauntlets -- +1 bonus to ranged attack rolls
  • Blackcloak -- 10% miss chance
  • Otyugh Mantle -- +2 bonus to grapple checks
  • Phasm Shirt -- +4 bonus to Disguise checks
• Throat
  • Aboleth Gills -- +4 bonus to swim checks
  • Neothelid Gorget -- Blindsight 5 feet
• Waist
  • Pseudonatural Belt -- Resistance to acid and electricity 5
  • Umber Sash -- +1 bonus to natural armor
• Heart
  • Choker Vest -- +4 bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks
  • Filch Gloves -- +2 bonus to Sleight of Hand checks
  • Phasm Shirt -- +4 bonus to Disguise checks
• Soul
  • Aboleth Gills -- +4 bonus to Swim speed
  • Beholder Shroud -- Can't be flanked
  • Grell Robe -- +2 bonus to Jump and Listen checks

Warpsoul Soulmeld Descriptions, Part I

Aboleth Gills
Descriptors: Evil.
Classes: Warpsoul.
Chakra: Soul or throat.
Saving Throw: See text.

While wearing aboleth gills, you gain a +4 insight bonus on Swim checks.  Essentia: Every point of essentia invested in the aboleth gills increases the bonus by 2.

Chakra Bind (Soul) You gain the ability to attempt to enslave any one living, humanoid creature within 30 feet as a standard action. The target must succeed on a Will save (DC of this soulmeld) or be affected as though by a dominate person spell (caster level equal to your meldshaper level). An enslaved creature obeys your telepathic commands until freed by remove curse or one minute per meldshaper level, whichever is sooner. The control is also broken if you die or travel more than 1 mile from your slave.  This is a supernatural, mind-affecting compulsion ability, and you cannot use the ability more than once per day on a single person.

Chakra Bind (Throat) When aboleth gills is bound to your throat chakra, at will as a standard action you can use minor image as a spell-like ability, with a caster level equal to your meldshaper level.  The DC to disbelieve your image is the DC of this soulmeld.


Athach Gauntlets
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Warpsoul.
Chakra: Arms or shoulders.
Saving Throw: See text.

Your athach gauntlets grant you a +1 insight bonus on ranged attack rolls.  Essentia: Every point of essentia invested in the athach gauntlets increases the bonus by 1.

Chakra Bind (Arms) When athach gauntlets are bound to your arms chakra, you gain the extraordinary ability to throw rocks.  You can throw stones that way 50 pounds and do damage equal to 2d6 + your Strength modifier; the range increment for your thrown rocks is 80 feet.

Chakra Bind (Shoulders) You gain the Powerful Build extraordinary ability.  You can function in many ways as if you are one size category larger. Whenever you are subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts), you are treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to you. You are also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature’s special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect you. You use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty. However, your space and reach remain those of a creature of your actual size. The benefits of this trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject’s size category.


Beholder Shroud
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Warpsoul.
Chakra: Soul.
Saving Throw: See text.

While you have beholder shroud shaped, you cannot be flanked, except by a rogue of a level equal to this soulmeld's meldshaper level + 4.  Essentia: You gain a +2 insight bonus to Spot checks for each essentia invested in the beholder shroud.

Chakra Bind (Soul) When you bind beholder shroud to your soul chakra, you gain the ability to fire an antimagic ray as a spell-like ability at will; this functions exactly as the spell on page 14 of the Spell Compendium.  The caster level is equal to this soulmeld's meldshaper level, and the Will save DC is the DC of this soulmeld.  Activating this ability is a standard action.


Blackcloak
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Warpsoul.
Chakra: Shoulders.
Saving Throw: See text.

With the blackcloak hanging from your shoulders, the shadows around you shift and make it difficult for enemies to see you.  You gain a 10% miss chance against melee and ranged attacks.  Essentia: Every point of essentia invested in the blackcloak increases the miss chance by 5%.

Chakra Bind (Shoulders) When you bind the blackcloak to your shoulders, you gain the ability to emit an eerie, terrifying moan.  This ability functions exactly like the moan special attack of a cloaker, except that the DC to resist the effects is equal to the DC of this soulmeld.


Carrion Boots
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Warpsoul.
Chakra: Feet.
Saving Throw: None.

While wearing carrion boots, you gain a climb speed of 10 feet.  Essentia: Every point of essentia invested in the carrion boots increases your climb speed by 5 feet.

Chakra Bind (Feet) You gain Track as a bonus feat, and a +2 bonus to Survival checks for each point of essentia invested in the carrion boots.


Choker Vest
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Warpsoul.
Chakra: Heart.
Saving Throw: None.

With the choker vest shaped, you gain a +4 insight bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks.  Essentia: Every point of essentia invested in the choker vest increases the bonus by 2.

Chakra Bind (Heart) When you bind the choker vest to your heart chakra, you become supernaturally quick.  You can take an extra standard action or move action during your turn each round.


Chuul Bracers
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Warpsoul.
Chakra: Arms.
Saving Throw: See text.

While wearing chuul bracers, you gain swim speed of 10 feet.  Essentia: Every point of essentia invested in the chuul bracers increases your swim speed by 5 feet.

Chakra Bind (Arms) You gain the ability to make a paralyzing touch with the claws extending from your arms.  You can make a touch attack as a standard action; if you succeed, your opponent must make a Fort save or be paralyzed for 1 round.  The duration of the paralysis increases by 1 for each essentia invested in the chuul bracers.

[sirpercival]

Warpsoul Soulmeld Descriptions, Part II


Delver Greaves
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Warpsoul.
Chakra: Feet.
Saving Throw: None.

With delver greaves shaped, you gain a burrow speed of 10 feet.  Essentia: Every point of essentia invested in the delver greaves increases your burrow speed by 5 feet.

Chakra Bind (Feet) You gain tremorsense at a range of 30 feet.  Each essentia invested in delver greaves increases the range of your tremorsense by 10 feet.


Ettercap Claws
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Warpsoul.
Chakra: Hands.
Saving Throw: See text.

While wearing ettercap claws, you gain a +4 insight bonus on Climb checks.  Essentia: Every point of essentia invested in the ettercap claws increases the bonus by 2.

Chakra Bind (Hands) With ettercap claws bound to your hands chakra, you gain the extraordinary ability to throw a web.  This is similar to an attack with a net but has a maximum range of 50 feet, with a range increment of 10 feet, and is effective against targets of up to Medium size. The web anchors the target in place, allowing no movement.  An entangled creature can escape with an Escape Artist check or burst the web with a Strength check, at DCs equal to the DC of this soulmeld.  The web has 6 hit points, hardness 0, and takes double damage from fire.


Filch Gloves
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Warpsoul.
Chakra: Hands or Heart.
Saving Throw: See text.

With filch gloves shaped, you gain a +2 insight bonus to Sleight of Hand checks.  Essentia: For each point of essentia invested in the filch gloves, the bonus increases by 2.

Chakra Bind (Hands) You gain the ability to detect magic at will as a spell-like ability, with a caster level equal to this soulmeld's meldshaper level.

Chakra Bind (Heart) With filch gloves bound to your heart chakra, you gain the ability to use ethereal jaunt at will as a supernatural ability with a caster level equal to this soulmeld's meldshaper level.  Using this ability is a standard action.


Gibbering Mask
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Warpsoul.
Chakra: Brow or crown.
Saving Throw: See text.

While wearing the gibbering mask, you gain a +2 insight bonus to Spot checks.  Essentia: For each point of essentia invested in the gibbering mask, the bonus increases by 2.

Chakra Bind (Brow) When you bind gibbering mask to your brow chakra, you gain the extraordinary ability to gibber as a standard action.  All creatures (other than you) within a 60-foot spread must succeed on a Will save (DC equal to the DC of this soulmeld) or be affected as though by a confusion spell for 1 round. This is a sonic mind-affecting compulsion effect, and a creature that successfully saves cannot be affected by your gibbering for 24 hours.  Every point of essentia invested in the gibbering mask increases the duration of the confusion effect by 1 round.

Chakra Bind (Crown) As a standard action, you can fire a stream of acidic spittle at one opponent within 30 feet. You make a ranged touch attack; if it hits, you deal 1d4 points of acid damage, and the target must succeed on a Fortitude save or be blinded for 1d4 rounds (DC equal to the DC of this soulmeld). Eyeless creatures are immune to the blinding effect, but are still subject to the acid damage.  Each point of essentia invested in the gibbering mask increases the acid damage by 1d4 points.


Grell Robe
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Warpsoul.
Chakra: Feet or soul.
Saving Throw: None.

With the grell robe shaped, you gain a +2 bonus on Jump and Listen checks.  Essentia: For each point of essentia invested in the grell robe, the bonus to Jump and Listen improve by 2.

Chakra Bind (Feet) You gain a fly speed of 10 feet (perfect maneuverability); each point of invested essentia increases your fly speed by 10 feet.

Chakra Bind (Soul) When you bind grell robe to your soul chakra, you become blind, but gain the ability to maneuver and fight as well as a sighted creature.  You gain blindsight out to 60 feet, and you are immune to gaze attacks, visual illusions, and other attack forms that rely on sight.  You also gain a +1 insight bonus to initiative checks for each essentia invested in this soulmeld.


Illithid Mask
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Warpsoul.
Chakra: Brow.
Saving Throw: See text.

While wearing the illithid mask, you gain spell and power resistance 5.  Essentia: For each point of essentia invested in the illithid mask, the spell and power resistance increases by 4.

Chakra Bind (Brow) You gain the ability to unleash a mind blast as a standard action.  This is a spell-like ability that forms as a 30-foot cone.  Anyone caught in the cone must succeed at a Will save (DC equal to the DC of this soulmeld) or be stunned for 3 rounds.  For each essentia invested in the illithid mask, the range increases by 10 feet and the duration increases by 1 round.


Naga Hood
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Warpsoul.
Chakra: Crown.
Saving Throw: See text.

With the naga hood shaped, you gain a +1 insight bonus to saving throws against mind-affecting abilities.  Essentia: For each point of essentia invested in the naga hood, the bonus increases by 1.

Chakra Bind (Crown) When you bind naga hood to your crown chakra, you can use detect thoughts as a spell-like ability at will, with a caster level equal to this soulmeld's meldshaper level.  The DC of the Will save is equal to the DC of this soulmeld.


Neothelid Gorget
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Warpsoul.
Chakra: Throat.
Saving Throw: See text.

While wearing the neothelid gorget, you gain blindsight at a range of 5 feet.  Essentia: For each point of essentia invested in the neothelid gorget, the range of blindsight increases by 5 feet.

Chakra Bind (Throat) With the neothelid gorget bound to your throat chakra, you gain a breath weapon.  As a standard action you can breathe a cone of acid 30 feet long that does 2d4 acid damage (Reflex save for half damage, DC equal to this soulmeld's DC).  Every point of essentia invested in the neothelid gorget increases the range by 10 feet and the acid damage by 2d4.


Otyugh Mantle
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Warpsoul.
Chakra: Shoulders or hands.
Saving Throw: See text.

When you wear the otyugh mantle, you gain a +2 insight bonus to grapple checks.  Essentia: The bonus to grapple checks increases by +2 per point of essentia invested in the otyugh mantle.

Chakra Bind (Hands) You gain the improved grab ability.

Chakra Bind (Shoulders) You can make a touch attack as a standard action to infect your enemy with filth fever -- Fortitude save DC equal to this soulmeld's DC, incubation period 1d3 days; damage 1d3 Dex and 1d3 Con.  The Dex and Con damage increase by 1 point each for every point of essentia invested in the otyugh mantle.


Phasm Shirt
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Warpsoul.
Chakra: Heart or Shoulders.
Saving Throw: None.

With the phasm shirt shaped, you gain a +4 insight bonus to Disguise checks.  Essentia: For each point of essentia invested in the phasm shirt, the bonus increases by 2.

Chakra Bind (Heart) You gain the alternate form supernatural ability, which you can use to take any form of Large size or smaller.

Chakra Bind (Shoulders) With the phasm shirt bound to your shoulders chakra, you gain immunity to poison, sleep, paralysis, polymorph, and stunning effects. You are not subject to critical hits and cannot be flanked except by a rogue of 4 levels higher than this soulmeld's meldshaper level.


Pseudonatural Belt
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Warpsoul.
Chakra: Waist.
Saving Throw: None.

While wearing the pseudonatural belt, you gain resistance 5 to acid and electricity.  Essentia: For each point of essentia invested in the pseudonatural belt, the resistance to acid and electricity increases by 5.

Chakra Bind (Waist) You gain two tentacle natural attacks, which do 1d6 damage (for a medium creature) + your strength modifier.  You can use these as primary attacks, or as secondary attacks with a -5 penalty, in which case you only add half your strength modifier to damage.  For each essentia invested in the pseudonatural belt, you gain a +1 enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls with your tentacles.


Rusted Cap
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Warpsoul.
Chakra: Crown.
Saving Throw: None.

With the rusted cap shaped, you can scent metal objects (as the scent special ability) at a range of 30 feet.  Essentia: For each point of essentia invested in the rusted cap, the range of your scent increases by 10 feet.

Chakra Bind (Crown) When the rusted cap is bound to your crown chakra, you gain the ability to make a rusting touch as a standard action.  Make a touch attack against a metal object; if it is successful, you cause the target metal to corrode, falling to pieces and becoming useless immediately. The touch can destroy up to a 10-foot cube of metal instantly. Magic armor and weapons, and other magic items made of metal, must succeed on a Reflex save (DC equal to the DC of this soulmeld) or be dissolved.


Umber Sash
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Warpsoul.
Chakra: Waist.
Saving Throw: See text.

While wearing the umber sash, you gain a +1 enhancement bonus to your natural armor.  (If you don't have natural armor, you have an effective natural armor bonus of +0.)  Essentia: For each point of essentia invested in the umber sash, the bonus to natural armor increases by 1 point.

Chakra Bind (Waist) You gain the ability to make a confusing gaze attack against a single target within 30 feet as a standard action.  This is a spell-like ability with a caster level equal to the meldshaper level of this soulmeld, and functions as the confusion spell, with the DC equal to the DC of this soulmeld.

[Havok4]

You should have very few per day abilities. The balance of soul melds is usually built around having the abilities at will. At will minor image is not game breaking. The at will enslave would be overpowered , so maybe make it work only once per day on a single person.

[sirpercival]

You should have very few per day abilities. The balance of soul melds is usually built around having the abilities at will. At will minor image is not game breaking. The at will enslave would be overpowered , so maybe make it work only once per day on a single person.

Agreed and edited.  I have a bunch more soulmelds to add, as well...

[Havok4]

You might want to make the grell robe require a feet bind or something to get perfect flight, level 1 is kind of early for that. All of the other soul melds look pretty good and level appropriate.

You might want to alter the wisdom burn of the touch of madness ability. None of the bonuses you get from it seem worth the huge difficulties you would have in trying to recover from the wisdom burn. You would eventually have more uses per day then you have wisdom, which would be irritating. Perhaps make it temporary wisdom damage that heals at the end of the encounter.

Also for the level 18 alien resistance ability, why not just give permanent mind blank?

[sirpercival]

You might want to make the grell robe require a feet bind or something to get perfect flight, level 1 is kind of early for that.

So, average maneuverability, and feet bind to make it perfect?

All of the other soul melds look pretty good and level appropriate.

Great!  I thought they were pretty interesting.

You might want to alter the wisdom burn of the touch of madness ability. None of the bonuses you get from it seem worth the huge difficulties you would have in trying to recover from the wisdom burn. You would eventually have more uses per day then you have wisdom, which would be irritating. Perhaps make it temporary wisdom damage that heals at the end of the encounter.

Also for the level 18 alien resistance ability, why not just give permanent mind blank?

Good call on the mind blank, I'll change that -- it simplifies things nicely.  Also, I was worried about that very thing with the touch of madness ability... but I also don't want it to be a trivial resource, I wanted to make you think about when you want to use it.  Note that there's no limit on how often you can use it at once besides your Wisdom, so you could theoretically nova if you needed to.

Maybe if I change Alien Constitution so you heal an ability burn point every hour or something?  That way you could burn a bunch and it would matter, but only for a while.

[Garryl]

Illithid Mask refers to itself as Gibbering Mask with regard to investing essentia.

Grell Robe's flight is too much for a basic effect. It's essentially Overland Flight (a 5th level spell) for a soulmeld that anyone can shape with a feat at 1st level. Airstep Sandals, a comparable soulmeld from MoI, only gives a limited form of flight initially (forcing you to land at the and of the action, if I remember correctly). Try either that or withholding the flight until it's bound to one of the lesser chakras (arms, brow, or shoulders; effectively delaying fully-fledged flight until ~6th level for an Incarnate, or 9th in the case of this class, or 12th for anyone getting it solely with feats).

[sirpercival]

Illithid Mask refers to itself as Gibbering Mask with regard to investing essentia.

Grell Robe's flight is too much for a basic effect. It's essentially Overland Flight (a 5th level spell) for a soulmeld that anyone can shape with a feat at 1st level. Airstep Sandals, a comparable soulmeld from MoI, only gives a limited form of flight initially (forcing you to land at the and of the action, if I remember correctly). Try either that or withholding the flight until it's bound to one of the lesser chakras (arms, brow, or shoulders; effectively delaying fully-fledged flight until ~6th level for an Incarnate, or 9th in the case of this class, or 12th for anyone getting it solely with feats).

Thanks for the note -- damn copy/paste.   

As for the Grell Robe, I think I'm going to make the flight a foot bind in general, and change the base effect to Jump and Listen bonuses.  Does that work?

[Havok4]

That should work. As for touch of madness, you currently have a class level per day usage limit in addition to the wisdom burn. One or the other might work but both just seems too restrictive. So get rid of the daily use limitation and it looks good with the alien constitution changes.
You should also put in some form of fast healing at higher levels, that seems appropriate for this type of character.
You might want to change grell robe to give you a flight speed of 10 ft+10ft per essentia invested. That will make it much more manageable at lower levels and more useful and higher levels.

[sirpercival]

Sounds good.  Will do.

[Sobolev]

I want to start off saying, I really like the flavor going on here.  The abilities also don't seem too out of line.  That said, Save DCs on Soulmelds are usually pretty unimpressive, and I find those soulmelds to be traps most of the time.  Your class seems to have a LOT of soulmelds with Save DCs.  It may work out just fine, just throwing that out there.

My favorites: Phasm Shirt, Naga Hood.

[sirpercival]

I want to start off saying, I really like the flavor going on here.  The abilities also don't seem too out of line.  That said, Save DCs on Soulmelds are usually pretty unimpressive, and I find those soulmelds to be traps most of the time.  Your class seems to have a LOT of soulmelds with Save DCs.  It may work out just fine, just throwing that out there.

My favorites: Phasm Shirt, Naga Hood.

I'm glad you like it!  Yeah, I wonder whether a feat to boost soulmeld DCs would work, or possibly another iteration of Touch of Madness to let you boost them.  There seem to be no real answers to that besides "boost your con and add more essentia"... which are things you want to do anyway.  Are there ANY ways in the literature already to boost your soulmeld DCs?

I like the Phasm Shirt as well, but I think my favorite overall is probably the Aboleth Gills -- free illusions, or enslaving people at 20th level.  The Choker Vest is fun, too.

[Sobolev]

I want to start off saying, I really like the flavor going on here.  The abilities also don't seem too out of line.  That said, Save DCs on Soulmelds are usually pretty unimpressive, and I find those soulmelds to be traps most of the time.  Your class seems to have a LOT of soulmelds with Save DCs.  It may work out just fine, just throwing that out there.

My favorites: Phasm Shirt, Naga Hood.

I'm glad you like it!  Yeah, I wonder whether a feat to boost soulmeld DCs would work, or possibly another iteration of Touch of Madness to let you boost them.  There seem to be no real answers to that besides "boost your con and add more essentia"... which are things you want to do anyway.  Are there ANY ways in the literature already to boost your soulmeld DCs?

I like the Phasm Shirt as well, but I think my favorite overall is probably the Aboleth Gills -- free illusions, or enslaving people at 20th level.  The Choker Vest is fun, too.

The problem is the DC is 10 + Con Score (4ish maybe?) + Essentia Invested (Without Expanded Capacity isn't THAT much).  Depending on how your DM reads Ability Focus, that might help here.  But if you're attempting to make a Totemist that uses Aberrations for powers, I feel like there are a lot of caster abilities and not much in terms of attacking. 

Also, have you considered throwing Adamant Pauldrons on your list of shapeable melds?  Seems up the ally of things with weird anatomy.  Just make it always overcome by Good (instead of based on alignment) and give it a new name, or even "Warpsouls refer to this soulmeld as...".

[sirpercival]

I wasn't trying to reproduce the abilities of Totemist with aberrations, just using the idea of a meldshaper that was focused on a particular type of creatures.  Looking it over, I found aberrations in general much stranger than magical beasts, with a bunch of bizarre and interesting abilities... so I went with that.  It's much more quirky (and possibly niche) than a totemist.

[Sobolev]

I wasn't trying to reproduce the abilities of Totemist with aberrations, just using the idea of a meldshaper that was focused on a particular type of creatures.  Looking it over, I found aberrations in general much stranger than magical beasts, with a bunch of bizarre and interesting abilities... so I went with that.  It's much more quirky (and possibly niche) than a totemist.

Yeah, I possibly didn't explain myself well, I didn't really mean you should just remake totemist, just that it has a certain role in a party and it's important for your class to determine a role for itself as well.  It would be pretty exciting to shape Rusted Cap early, and Naga Hood later, but I'm not sure where that would go in the middle levels.  Anyway, keep up the good work!

[sirpercival]

So, I think that what I'll do is add a +DC option to the level 1 ability of Touch of Madness... since increasing ML is mostly useless.

[ImperatorK]

What's the estimated tier of this class? Like Totemist? and what was totemist again, tier 4? 5?

[sirpercival]

Well, I think it's higher than totemist.  It's MUCH less melee based than totemist, and more focused around save-or-sucks, with some BFC.  But I think it's kind of hard to judge right now... X-Codes thought it was mid-high tier 3.  I'll let you know when I play it. 

[midnight_v]

I wanted to say that I saw this lnked from x-codes thread, and....

I'm really impressed with it. 

Only occasionally have I been temped by incarnum but I would totally play one of these. I had a druid with abberation shape, so I kinda have a love with scary monster chars. This one seems really designed well....

hey did you say this was related to a irish myth of guy named "Cu" or something like that in another thread? Sounds familiar. . . In anycase "GREAT WORK"

[sirpercival]

Hey, thanks!  I'm glad you like it.