Author Topic: Arcantor, an incarnum wizard [3.5 base]  (Read 10873 times)

Offline sirpercival

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Arcantor, an incarnum wizard [3.5 base]
« on: November 19, 2014, 09:39:54 PM »
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ARCANTOR


Occupying a middle ground between the ephemeral magyks of the Wizard and the enduring artifacts of the Artificer, the Arcantor is a learned individual who infuses the soul-stuff of incarnum with arcane energy.

MAKING AN ARCANTOR
An Arcantor is an arcane meldshaper.
Abilities: Intelligence (for meldshaping) and Constitution (for meldshaping and hit points) are an Arcantor's most important attributes.
Races: Azurin humans, as well as races drawn to the arcane arts such as elves and gnomes, are the most common Arcantors.
Alignment: Any, though the rigorous study required to become an Arcantor tends to draw those of lawful alignment.
Starting Gold: As wizard.
Starting Age: As wizard.

HD: d4

Class Skills
The Arcantor's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int) x4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int

Table: The Arcantor
LevelBABFortRefWillSpecialMeldsEssentiaBinds
1 +0      +0 +0 +2 Familiar, Repertoire, Specialization21 0
2 +1      +0 +0 +3 Specialist chakra bind (+1 capacity)32 1
3 +1      +1 +1 +3 Far horizon                         33 1
4 +2      +1 +1 +4 Chakra bind (crown, feet, hands)    44 1
5 +2      +1 +1 +4                                     45 1
6 +3      +2 +2 +5 Specialist chakra bind (+1 ML)      46 2
7 +3      +2 +2 +5 Far horizon                         57 2
8 +4      +2 +2 +6                                     58 2
9 +4      +3 +3 +6 Chakra bind (arms, brow, shoulders) 59 2
10+5      +3 +3 +7                                     6103
11+5      +3 +3 +7 Far horizon                         6113
12+6/+1  +4 +4 +8 Specialist chakra bind (2 melds)    6123
13+6/+1  +4 +4 +8                                     7133
14+7/+2  +4 +4 +9 Chakra bind (throat, waist)         7143
15+7/+2  +5 +5 +9 Far horizon                         7164
16+8/+3  +5 +5 +10Specialist chakra bind (+2 capacity)8184
17+8/+3  +5 +5 +10Chakra bind (heart)                 8204
18+9/+4  +6 +6 +11                                    8225
19+9/+4  +6 +6 +11Far horizon                         9245
20+10/+5 +6 +6 +12Chakra bind (soul)                  9265

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Arcantors are proficient with the club, dagger, heavy crossbow, light crossbow, and quarterstaff, but not with any type of armor or shield. Armor of any type interferes with an arcantor's movements, which can cause her soulmelds to fail. Whenever an Arcantor activates one of her soulmelds, she must roll successfully against the Arcane Spell Failure of any armor she wears, or the effect of the soulmeld fails. This does not apply to soulmelds with a continuous effect.

Familiar: An Arcantor can obtain a familiar. Doing so takes 24 hours and uses up magical materials that cost 100 gp, and results in a Soulspark (see Magic of Incarnum pg 197). The creature serves as a companion and servant, and increases in power as the Arcantor increases in power. If the familiar dies or is dismissed by the Arcantor, the Arcantor must attempt a DC 15 Fortitude saving throw. Failure means she loses 200 experience points per Arcantor level; success reduces the loss to one-half that amount. However, an Arcantor's experience point total can never go below 0 as the result of a familiar’s demise or dismissal. A slain or dismissed familiar cannot be replaced for a year and day. A slain familiar can be raised from the dead just as a character can be, and it does not lose a level or a Constitution point when this happy event occurs. A character with more than one class that grants a familiar may have only one familiar at a time.

Meldshaping: An Arcantor's primary ability is shaping incarnum soulmelds, which are drawn (mostly) from the Arcantor soulmeld list given below. An Arcantor begins play knowing 5 soulmelds of her choice from her class list; see Repertoire, below, for details. She may shape any soulmeld in her repertoire. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an Arcantor soulmeld is 10 + number of points of essentia invested in the soulmeld + her Intelligence modifier. Her meldshaper level is equal to her Arcantor level.

An Arcantor can shape only a certain number of soulmelds per day. Her base daily allotment is given on the table above. The maximum number of soulmelds that an Arcantor can have shaped simultaneously is equal to her Constitution score minus 10 or the number of soulmelds allowed for her level, whichever is lower. At 1st level, she can shape two soulmelds at a time (assuming she has a Constitution score of at least 12). As an Arcantor advances in level, she can shape an increasing number of soulmelds.

At 1st level, an Arcantor also gains access to her personal pool of essentia, which can be invested into her soulmelds to increase their power. An Arcantor's essentia pool's size is shown on the table above. Her character level, as noted on Magic of Incarnum page 19, determines the maximum quantity of essentia that she can invest in any single soulmeld. As a swift action, an Arcantor can reallocate her essentia investments in her soulmelds and other essentia receptacles every round (see Essentia, MoI page 50). An Arcantor must have a good night's rest and must meditate for 1 hour to shape her soulmelds for the day (see Shaping Soulmelds, MoI page 49).

Repertoire: Unlike other incarnum users, an Arcantor does not automatically have access to all soulmelds on her class list; instead, she learns to shape particular soulmelds through concentrated study and research into the fusion of arcanum and incarnum. An Arcantor begins play knowing 5 soulmelds of her choice from the Arcantor class list (subject to the restrictions of her Specialization, as described below), and learns one additional Arcantor soulmeld every level after 1st (which costs no extra time or resources). Prestige classes which grant +1 level of an existing meldshaping class also allow the Arcantor to automatically add soulmelds to her Repertoire.

An Arcantor can learn soulmelds in other ways, as well, and from other class soulmeld lists. The Shape Soulmeld feat adds the chosen soulmeld to the Arcantor's repertoire, which she then may shape using her normal soulmeld slots. In addition, an Arcantor can learn a soulmeld from another willing meldshaper who knows it and has it shaped. Learning a soulmeld in this way is a rather involved process. First, the Arcantor must analyze the soulmeld with a Spellcraft check (DC 20 + twice the standard essentia capacity of the soulmeld, based on the other meldshaper's Hit Dice and MoI page 19). If the skill check fails, the Arcantor cannot attempt to analyze the soulmeld until the next day. The other meldshaper must be present for this analysis, as well as the rest of the learning process.

Once the soulmeld has been analyzed, the Arcantor must spend a day studying the soulmeld (the meldshaper must have the soulmeld shaped during this time). At the end of the day, she must make a Spellcraft check (at a DC of 5 less than the DC to analyze the soulmeld). An Arcantor who has specialized in a school of magic gains a +2 bonus on the Spellcraft check if the new soulmeld is associated with her specialty school. She cannot, however, learn any soulmelds associated with her prohibited schools. If the check succeeds, the Arcantor understands the soulmeld and can add it to her repertoire by spending 24 hours in meditation and spending 100 gp in magical materials. The process leaves the source meldshaper unharmed. If the check fails, the Arcantor cannot understand or learn the soulmeld. She cannot attempt to learn that soulmeld again until she gains another rank in Spellcraft.

Specialization: A school is one of eight groupings of magical effects, each defined by a common theme. If desired, an Arcantor may specialize in one school of magic. If she does so, she gains access to the Specialist chakra bind at level 2 (see below). A specialist Arcantor can bind soulmelds associated with her chosen school to the Specialist bind, and also gains a +2 bonus on Spellcraft checks to learn the soulmelds of her chosen school (see Repertoire, above). The Arcantor must choose whether to specialize and, if she does so, choose her specialty at 1st level. At this time, she must also give up two other schools of magic, which become her prohibited schools. Soulmelds associated with the Arcantor's prohibited school or schools are not available to her, either via the soulmelds she learns automatically, or by adding to her Repertoire in other ways (such as the Shape Soulmeld feat, or by learning from other meldshapers). She may not learn such soulmelds, nor can she shape them. She may not change either her specialization or her prohibited schools later. The eight schools of arcane magic are abjuration, conjuration, divination, enchantment, evocation, illusion, necromancy, and transmutation.

An Arcantor who chooses not to specialize (a "generalist") may not bind soulmelds to the Specialist chakra (and gains no access to any chakras until 4th level); however, the benefits to a given soulmeld that would have been granted by the Specialist bind instead apply to a single chakra which the Arcantor chooses each day when shaping her soulmelds. For example, a 12th-level generalist Arcantor can bind 2 soulmelds to any one of her chakras (subject to her daily limit on chakra binds), and each soulmeld she binds to that chakra gains a +1 increase to its essentia capacity and +1 meldshaper level.

Chakra Binds: Beginning at 2nd level, an Arcantor can bind her soulmelds to her chakras, granting her new powers based on the soulmeld and the chakra chosen. Binding a soulmeld to a chakra closes the body slot associated with that chakra (see Chakras, MoI page 50), so that she cannot also benefit from a magic item worn on the body slot associated with that chakra. The number of chakra binds that an Arcantor can have active at any one time depends on her level (see the Chakra Binds column on the table above). At 2nd level, the Arcantor can bind a soulmeld to her Specialist chakra (see below). Beginning at 4th level, she can bind soulmelds to her crown, feet or hands chakras. At 9th level, she can bind soulmelds to her arms, brow, or shoulders chakras. At 14th level, she can bind soulmelds to her throat or waist chakras. At 17th level, she can bind a soulmeld to her heart chakra, and at 20th level she can bind a soulmeld to her soul chakra. For more information on chakra binds, see MoI page 51.

Specialist chakra bind: Upon reaching 2nd level, a specialist Arcantor gains access to a unique chakra: the Specialist chakra. This chakra is not associated with any location on the body, but rather represents her deepened understanding of a particular school of magic. Since the Specialist chakra doesn't match a body location, binding a soulmeld to this chakra doesn't restrict her use of magic items that take up a body location.

Any soulmeld bound to an Arcantor's Specialist chakra has an essentia capacity 1 higher than the normal capacity for her soulmelds. For example, a 2nd-level Arcantor can invest up to 2 points of essentia in any soulmeld bound to her Specialist chakra bind (rather than the normal limit of 1 point of essentia at level 2). At 16th level, the capacity of any soulmeld bound to her Specialist chakra increases by an additional point (meaning that a 15th-level Arcantor could invest up to 5 points of essentia in that soulmeld). At 6th level, the effective meldshaper level of a soulmeld the Arcantor has bound to her Specialist chakra is equal to her actual meldshaper level +1. The primary effect of this benefit is to make that soulmeld harder to unshape. At 12th level, an Arcantor gains the ability to bind two soulmelds to her Specialist chakra at the same time. She gains the special benefits of both chakra binds.

Far Horizon: At 3rd level, and every four levels after, an Arcantor expands her knowledge and understanding of magic. She gains Shape Soulmeld as a bonus feat, adding a non-prohibited soulmeld from any class list to her Repertoire.

Arcantor's Familiar
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Offline sirpercival

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Re: Arcantor, an incarnum wizard [3.5 base]
« Reply #1 on: November 19, 2014, 09:40:47 PM »
Arcantor Soulmeld List
  • Crown
    • Abjurant Aegis -- All creatures within 30 feet gain a +2 resistance bonus to saves vs mind-affecting effects
    • Captivant Control -- Distract nearby creatures with a thought
    • Conjurant Cloak -- Create a 15-foot-radius cloud of mist
    • Divinant Declaration -- Gain a +4 insight bonus on Decipher Script and Sense Motive checks
    • Evocant Effort -- Duplicate the effects of the bigby's helpful hand spell
    • Imaginant Invention -- Change your appearance, as the disguise self spell
    • Necromant Neurosis -- Demoralize as a move action instead of a standard action
    • Transmutant Trance -- Gain darkvision 60'
    • Universal Arcanum -- Perform minor tricks
  • Feet
    • Abjurant Anchor -- Gain a +4 insight bonus to prevent being moved against your will
    • Captivant Curse -- Curse a creature to take 1d6 damage per round
    • Conjurant Conduction -- Teleport a willing creature up to 30 feet
    • Divinant Discovery -- Gain a +4 insight bonus to Search and Spot checks
    • Evocant Edifice -- Create a floating disk of force to carry things
    • Imaginant Indecision -- Mask magical auras
    • Necromant Nocturne -- Deal 1d6 negative energy damage and gain equal temporary hp with a touch
    • Transmutant Transit -- Gain a +30 foot enhancement bonus to speed for 1 round per level
  • Hands
    • Abjurant Armor -- Grant a creature a +3 armor bonus for 1 round/level
    • Captivant Curse -- Curse a creature to take 1d6 damage per round
    • Conjurant Castigation -- Deal 1d6 bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage with a ranged touch attack
    • Divinant Discernment -- Grant a creature a +2 insight bonus to any roll
    • Evocant Edge -- Attack your opponents with a blade of force
    • Imaginant Illustration -- Duplicate the effects of the ghost sound spell
    • Necromant Negation -- Inflict a 1d6 Strength penalty with a melee touch attack
    • Transmutant Transit -- Gain a +30 foot enhancement bonus to speed for 1 round per level
    • Universal Arcanum -- Perform minor tricks
  • Arms
    • Abjurant Armor -- Grant a creature a +3 armor bonus for 1 round/level
    • Captivant Compulsion -- Give a creature a one-word command
    • Conjurant Castigation -- Deal 1d6 bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage with a ranged touch attack
    • Divinant Destiny -- Gain the benefit of a Luck feat
    • Evocant Effort -- Duplicate the effects of the bigby's helpful hand spell
    • Imaginant Imitation -- Shroud a nearby creature in concealing shadows
    • Necromant Nihilism -- Fatigue an opponent with a melee touch attack
    • Transmutant Tactics -- Grant an ally an immediate, extra attack as a standard action.
  • Brow
    • Abjurant Attrition -- Spells of a certain school are difficult to cast around you
    • Captivant Charm -- Gain a +2 insight bonus to Charisma-based checks
    • Conjurant Call -- Summon a nearby unattended object to your hand
    • Divinant Deduction -- Make a Lore check to know relevant information
    • Evocant Eruption -- Deal 1d6 energy damage as a ray attack
    • Imaginant Iridescence -- Blind, stun, or knock a target unconscious for 1 round as a 15-foot ray
    • Necromant Nemesis -- Animate a Tiny animal or humanoid as a zombie or skeleton
    • Transmutant Trance -- Gain darkvision 60'
  • Shoulders
    • Abjurant Abnegation -- Dispel spell effects with a touch
    • Captivant Coma -- Put target to sleep with a touch attack
    • Conjurant Cloak -- Create a 15-foot-radius cloud of mist
    • Divinant Detection -- Detect magical auras
    • Evocant Efflation -- Create a 30-foot line of 25mph winds
    • Imaginant Icon -- Throw your voice as ventriloquism
    • Necromant Nourishment -- Gain three times your meldshaper level temporary hp
    • Transmutant Tactics -- Grant an ally an immediate, extra attack as a standard action.
  • Throat
    • Abjurant Aegis -- All creatures within 30 feet gain a +2 resistance bonus to saves vs mind-affecting effects
    • Captivant Charm -- Gain a +2 insight bonus to Charisma-based checks
    • Conjurant Conception -- Create 1 cubic foot of vegetable matter
    • Divinant Detection -- Detect magical auras
    • Evocant Eruption -- Deal 1d6 energy damage as a ray attack
    • Imaginant Illustration -- Duplicate the effects of the ghost sound spell
    • Necromant Nocturne -- Deal 1d6 negative energy damage and gain equal temporary hp with a touch
    • Transmutant Tumescence -- Reduce touched opponent's size and increase your own
  • Waist
    • Abjurant Anchor -- Gain a +4 insight bonus to prevent being moved against your will
    • Captivant Catalyst -- A nearby creature gains a +1 morale bonus to many checks
    • Conjurant Cumbrance -- Make a 10-foot-radius patch of ground very slippery
    • Divinant Destiny -- Gain the benefit of a Luck feat
    • Evocant Echo -- Creatures attack you take 1d6 energy damage
    • Imaginant Imitation -- Shroud a nearby creature in concealing shadows
    • Necromant Nemesis -- Animate a Tiny animal or humanoid as a zombie or skeleton
    • Transmutant Tumescence -- Reduce touched opponent's size and increase your own
  • Heart
    • Abjurant Ablation -- Gain energy resistance 5 against a single energy type
    • Captivant Catalyst -- A nearby creature gains a +1 morale bonus to many checks
    • Conjurant Conduction -- Teleport a willing creature up to 30 feet
    • Divinant Deduction -- Make a Lore check to know relevant information
    • Evocant Edifice -- Create a floating disk of force to carry things
    • Imaginant Indecision -- Mask magical auras
    • Necromant Nourishment -- Gain three times your meldshaper level temporary hp
    • Transmutant Transformation -- Transform into a Diminutive Animal for as long as you concentrate
  • Soul
    • Abjurant Ablation -- Gain energy resistance 5 against a single energy type
    • Captivant Control -- Distract nearby creatures as a with a thought
    • Conjurant Call -- Summon a nearby unattended object to your hand
    • Divinant Discovery -- Gain a +4 insight bonus to Search and Spot checks
    • Evocant Edge -- Attack your opponents with a blade of force
    • Imaginant Icon -- Throw your voice as ventriloquism
    • Necromant Negation -- Inflict a 1d6 Strength penalty with a melee touch attack
    • Transmutant Transcendance -- Gain a +2 bonus on ability checks with a chosen ability score
Arcantor Soulmeld Descriptions pt 1
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« Last Edit: February 25, 2015, 02:45:18 PM by sirpercival »
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Re: Arcantor, an incarnum wizard [3.5 base]
« Reply #2 on: November 19, 2014, 09:41:16 PM »
Arcantor Soulmeld Descriptions pt 2
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« Last Edit: February 25, 2015, 02:46:31 PM by sirpercival »
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Re: Arcantor, an incarnum wizard [3.5 base]
« Reply #3 on: November 19, 2014, 09:41:31 PM »
Done. Go ahead.
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Offline YouLostMe

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Re: Arcantor, an incarnum wizard [3.5 base]
« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2014, 04:19:35 PM »
I assume the plan is to make a few of each school of magic?

Even then, 5 soulmelds per spell school is pretty small. You can know everything in your specialization at level 2.

Offline sirpercival

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Re: Arcantor, an incarnum wizard [3.5 base]
« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2014, 05:30:43 PM »
I assume the plan is to make a few of each school of magic?

Even then, 5 soulmelds per spell school is pretty small. You can know everything in your specialization at level 2.
It's actually 6 per school. That's 48 soulmelds, which is a sizable amount for any class. There are also non-Arcantor soulmelds for each school which you can learn... but either way, every wizard knows spells from pretty much all schools available to them. I'm not bothered.
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Re: Arcantor, an incarnum wizard [3.5 base]
« Reply #6 on: November 21, 2014, 03:30:25 PM »
Conjuration is done... I'm not quite as happy with these. Dunno why. Any comments?
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Re: Arcantor, an incarnum wizard [3.5 base]
« Reply #7 on: November 23, 2014, 08:42:39 PM »
Divination and Enchantment posted (along with an extra). I also split the soulmelds into two posts so I don't have to worry about character limits.
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Re: Arcantor, an incarnum wizard [3.5 base]
« Reply #8 on: November 24, 2014, 09:13:11 PM »
Made some tweaks to soulmelds, including a near-complete rewrite of Conjurant Call.
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Re: Arcantor, an incarnum wizard [3.5 base]
« Reply #9 on: November 25, 2014, 10:22:59 PM »
Evocation posted.
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Re: Arcantor, an incarnum wizard [3.5 base]
« Reply #10 on: November 27, 2014, 05:22:09 AM »
I kind of want to wait until you've finished illusion before I write out all the optimization possibilities I can think of, but I can see several cool tricks coming from the soulmelds already (the class is really just there to provide the specialist chakra). The only thing that really bothers me right now is the use of melee attacks from necromant nocturne and necromant nihilism (also evocant edge, but the reach makes it kind of better) on a class with the worst possible BAB, HP, and armor proficiency possible. That feels a lot like a noob trap.

There are a few crazy-good high level effects and lots of cool low level shenanigans you could pull off as an arcantor, so I think this is sitting around the level of the fighter or the rogue right now.

EDIT: Also 2 + Int skill points feels terrible. This is probably going to be an int primary/secondary class, but it's still going to suffer from more MAD issues than a wizard or cleric might. I would very much appreciate it if you found it in your heart to add another 2 skill points. Also maybe add some more skills, since it's kind of weird that the arcantor can leverage incredible magic to get search, spot, and sense motive bonuses but can't train in them without cross-classing.
« Last Edit: November 27, 2014, 05:39:45 AM by YouLostMe »

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Re: Arcantor, an incarnum wizard [3.5 base]
« Reply #11 on: November 27, 2014, 06:18:11 AM »
I kind of want to wait until you've finished illusion before I write out all the optimization possibilities I can think of, but I can see several cool tricks coming from the soulmelds already (the class is really just there to provide the specialist chakra). The only thing that really bothers me right now is the use of melee attacks from necromant nocturne and necromant nihilism (also evocant edge, but the reach makes it kind of better) on a class with the worst possible BAB, HP, and armor proficiency possible. That feels a lot like a noob trap.

There are a few crazy-good high level effects and lots of cool low level shenanigans you could pull off as an arcantor, so I think this is sitting around the level of the fighter or the rogue right now.

EDIT: Also 2 + Int skill points feels terrible. This is probably going to be an int primary/secondary class, but it's still going to suffer from more MAD issues than a wizard or cleric might. I would very much appreciate it if you found it in your heart to add another 2 skill points. Also maybe add some more skills, since it's kind of weird that the arcantor can leverage incredible magic to get search, spot, and sense motive bonuses but can't train in them without cross-classing.

The Necromantic ones are touch attacks, so BAB doesn't matter much.  That said, you're correct in that melee range is not exactly a place this class wants to be.  There are mitigating factors though - for example, Necromantic Nourishment gives you extra temporary hit points, and stacks with the temporary hit points from Necromantic Nocturne (per Rules Compendium 72).  Combine these temp HPs with Abjurant Armor (bound to Hands), Evochant Echo, and Conjurant Cloak (for miss chance) and you can get a pretty decent tank.  Bonus points for using one of your Far Horizon picks to nab Astral Vambraces. 

SirP, I'm wondering about whether it would be better to just give out knowledge of all the Melds in your Specializtion for free, rather than making you pick them.  There's only, what, 10 soulmelds per school, tops? 
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Re: Arcantor, an incarnum wizard [3.5 base]
« Reply #12 on: November 27, 2014, 06:45:50 AM »
Well, re: skill points, this is supposed to be "a wizard that uses soulmelds instead of spells". So that's where the skill set came from. And they get a bunch of skill boosts via soulmelds if that something you want to do... it should work in a pinch, but shouldn't the skill stuff be left to a skillful class? Or no?

Re: touch attacks, again that's a wizard problem too. They have a familiar for delivering touch attacks... I will say that I made the decision to turn a bunch of stuff into touch attacks as a mitigating factor for the ability to spam. Was that a bad trade-off?

SirP, I'm wondering about whether it would be better to just give out knowledge of all the Melds in your Specializtion for free, rather than making you pick them.  There's only, what, 10 soulmelds per school, tops? 
There's 6 per. But, a conjurer doesn't get to know every conjuration spell off the bat...
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Re: Arcantor, an incarnum wizard [3.5 base]
« Reply #13 on: November 27, 2014, 02:06:54 PM »
The Necromantic ones are touch attacks, so BAB doesn't matter much.  That said, you're correct in that melee range is not exactly a place this class wants to be.  There are mitigating factors though - for example, Necromantic Nourishment gives you extra temporary hit points, and stacks with the temporary hit points from Necromantic Nocturne (per Rules Compendium 72).  Combine these temp HPs with Abjurant Armor (bound to Hands), Evochant Echo, and Conjurant Cloak (for miss chance) and you can get a pretty decent tank.  Bonus points for using one of your Far Horizon picks to nab Astral Vambraces.
Some of those mitigating factors are good, but (for example) at level 1 you get 7+ConMod or ~10.5+ConMod iff you land nocturne, which means you have the HP of the party fighter, except you've got no armor to back it up and you can easily get smacked beforehand. Other tanking abilities like abjurant armor and conjurant cloak are really bad at low levels until you get a chakra to bind them, though while evocant echo doesn't stop you from dying I can see it discouraging enemies from hitting you. As you rise to higher levels, your temp HP grows slower while your lack of armor becomes a bigger deal, and your defenses don't seem to grow in power fast enough to compensate. If you want a necromancer theme and you want to roll melee attacks, I'd say necromant nemesis is a much better choice.

Well, re: skill points, this is supposed to be "a wizard that uses soulmelds instead of spells". So that's where the skill set came from. And they get a bunch of skill boosts via soulmelds if that something you want to do... it should work in a pinch, but shouldn't the skill stuff be left to a skillful class? Or no?

Re: touch attacks, again that's a wizard problem too. They have a familiar for delivering touch attacks... I will say that I made the decision to turn a bunch of stuff into touch attacks as a mitigating factor for the ability to spam. Was that a bad trade-off?
I'm fine with this not being a skillmonkey class, but I think there's a good middle ground between this skill list and a skillmonkey's, something similar in magnitude to the totemist's skill list.

I would prefer if the touch attacks could at least be ranged touch attacks. I don't think an RTA that forces a Fort Save v non-stacking Fatigue is that big of a deal. In fact, I'm of the opinion that necromant nihilism could use a bit of a buff.

Offline sirpercival

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Re: Arcantor, an incarnum wizard [3.5 base]
« Reply #14 on: November 29, 2014, 08:18:49 AM »
I'm still hesitant to stray from the source material for skill points... but I'll keep it in mind if this turns out gishier than I was expecting.

I've made some edits, including buffing up Necromant Nihilism and Evocant Edge (great, I said I didn't intend to make it gishy and then I made it gishier). I've also put up the first of the illusion melds; the rest are in the works.
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Offline Amechra

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Re: Arcantor, an incarnum wizard [3.5 base]
« Reply #15 on: December 01, 2014, 12:12:05 AM »
Once you're done with Illusion, might we see...

Transmutation? (Well, given that it IS the last school...)
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Offline Amechra

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Re: Arcantor, an incarnum wizard [3.5 base]
« Reply #16 on: December 04, 2014, 08:39:36 PM »
Shouldn't Conjurant Castigation round up for the basic effect? Otherwise, it doesn't do anything if you take it as one of your starting Soulmelds.

It's also better at dealing damage than Evocant Eruption's base effect; then again, a 40' line dealing 1d6 + [E]d6 damage is pretty nice...
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Offline sirpercival

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Re: Arcantor, an incarnum wizard [3.5 base]
« Reply #17 on: February 22, 2015, 07:41:14 AM »
Shouldn't Conjurant Castigation round up for the basic effect? Otherwise, it doesn't do anything if you take it as one of your starting Soulmelds.
It's minimum 1.

Quote
It's also better at dealing damage than Evocant Eruption's base effect; then again, a 40' line dealing 1d6 + [E]d6 damage is pretty nice...
I think probably Evocant Eruption should be scaled up rather than Conjurant Castigation scaled down, any suggestions?

The rest of Illusion has been posted, also.
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Offline Amechra

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Re: Arcantor, an incarnum wizard [3.5 base]
« Reply #18 on: February 22, 2015, 12:51:58 PM »
Gaary you're alive!

I'd say Evocant Evocation should be scaled up; maybe have it scale a bit by ML?
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Offline linklord231

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Re: Arcantor, an incarnum wizard [3.5 base]
« Reply #19 on: February 22, 2015, 01:47:45 PM »
Repertoire: Unlike other incarnum users, an Arcantor does not automatically have access to all soulmelds on her class list; instead, she learns to shape particular soulmelds through concentrated study and research into the fusion of arcanum and incarnum. An Arcantor begins play knowing 5 soulmelds of her choice from the Arcantor class list (subject to the restrictions of her Specialization, as described below), and learns one additional Arcantor soulmeld every level after 1st (which costs no extra time or resources). Prestige classes which grant +1 level of an existing meldshaping class also allow the Arcantor to automatically add soulmelds to her Repertoire.

An Arcantor can learn soulmelds in other ways, as well, and from other class soulmeld lists. The Shape Soulmeld feat adds the chosen soulmeld to the Arcantor's repertoire, which she then may shape using her normal soulmeld slots. In addition, an Arcantor can learn a soulmeld from another willing meldshaper who knows it and has it shaped. Learning a soulmeld in this way is a rather involved process. First, the Arcantor must analyze the soulmeld with a Spellcraft check (DC 20 + twice the standard essentia capacity of the soulmeld, based on the other meldshaper's Hit Dice and MoI page 19). If the skill check fails, the Arcantor cannot attempt to analyze the soulmeld until the next day. The other meldshaper must be present for this analysis, as well as the rest of the learning process.

Once the soulmeld has been analyzed, the Arcantor must spend a day studying the soulmeld (the meldshaper must have the soulmeld shaped during this time). At the end of the day, she must make a Spellcraft check (at a DC of 5 less than the DC to analyze the soulmeld). An Arcantor who has specialized in a school of magic gains a +2 bonus on the Spellcraft check if the new soulmeld is associated with her specialty school. She cannot, however, learn any soulmelds associated with her prohibited schools. If the check succeeds, the Arcantor understands the soulmeld and can add it to her repertoire by spending 24 hours in meditation and spending 100 gp in magical materials. The process leaves the source meldshaper unharmed. If the check fails, the Arcantor cannot understand or learn the soulmeld. She cannot attempt to learn that soulmeld again until she gains another rank in Spellcraft.

Adding soulmelds to the repertoire from other meldshapers seems prohibitive, especially at low levels.  A first level Arcantor will be rolling Spellcraft +7 or 8 vs DC 22 at minimum to analyze the soulmeld (can't take 20 due to a penalty for failure), so he has to roll at least a 14 or 15 on the die.  Then, if that succeeds, he's got a 50/50 shot to actually learn the meld (auto-pass if you can take 10 though, so that's nice). 

It seems weird that learning a soulmeld from a Totemist 1 is easier than learning it from a Totemist 1/Fighter 19.  I get that you were trying to make the difficulty of the check scale with level, it just doesn't make any in-world sense to me.

Are there school associations for non-Arcantor soulmelds?
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