Because Incarnum Defense needed to be non-lame.
GAME RULE INFORMATIONSoulborn have the following game statistics:
Alignment: Any but Neutral
Hit Die: d10
| Level | Base Attack | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Soulmelds | Essentia | Chakra binds |
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Aura, Born for the Fight, Detect Opposition, Smite Opposition 1/day, | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Incarnum Defense (1 Layer) | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Bonus Feat | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Channel Incarnum | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +3 | +3 | Smite Opposition 2/day, Special Mount | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 6th | +6/+1 | +5 | +3 | +3 | Chakra Binds (Crown, Feet, Hands) | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| 7th | +7/+2 | +5 | +3 | +3 | Bonus Feat | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| 8th | +8/+3 | +6 | +4 | +4 | Share Incarnum Defense (2 Layers) | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| 9th | +9/+4 | +6 | +4 | +4 | {Special ability yet to be determined, or named} | 4 | 5 | 1 |
| 10th | +10/+5 | +7 | +5 | +5 | Smite Opposition 3/day, | 4 | 6 | 1 |
| 11th | +11/+6/+1 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Bonus Feat | 4 | 6 | 1 |
| 12th | +12/+7/+2 | +8 | +4 | +4 | Chakra Binds (Arms, Brow, Shoulders) | 5 | 7 | 2 |
| 13th | +13/+8/+3 | +8 | +4 | +4 | - | 5 | 7 | 2 |
| 14th | +14/+9/+4 | +9 | +4 | +4 | Improved Incarnum Defense (3 layers) | 5 | 8 | 2 |
| 15th | +15/+10/+5 | +9 | +5 | +5 | Bonus Feat,Smite Opposition 3/day | 6 | 8 | 2 |
| 16th | +16/+11/+6/+1 | +10 | +5 | +5 | - | 6 | 9 | 2 |
| 17th | +17/+12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +5 | Timeless body | 6 | 9 | 2 |
| 18th | +18/+13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +6 | Chakra Binds (Throat, Waist) | 7 | 10 | 3 |
| 19th | +19/+14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +6 | Bonus Feat | 7 | 10 | 3 |
| 20th | +20/+15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +6 | Immaculate Defense, Incarnum Defender(4 Layers), Smite Opposition 3/day | 7 | 11 | 3 |
Aura: Do I have to explain this?
Born for the Fight: (still working on it)
Detect Opposition: As the Incarnate ability, but any opposing alignment.
Smite Opposition: As the Paladin ability, but any opposing alignment.
Meldshaping: Meldshaper level = Soulborn level, Soulborn list, see chart.
Incarnum Defense:
- You may wrap yourself with incarnum to form a protective matrix of soulstuff. When you first shape your soulmelds for the day, you may wrap any of the Layers on Table X.X, 'Incarnum Defense Layers', provided you meet the prerequisites. A Layer you wrap lasts for 24 horus or until you shape soulmelds for the day again. You may have a number of Layers equal to your Soulborn level wrapped at any time. A creature can have no more Layers wrapped around her at any time than her HD. You may dismiss a layer as a free action, and you may wrap a new Layer as standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity at any time so long as you are below you limit of Layers wrapped. Any essentia invested in a dismissed layer are returned to the essentia pool(s) of the creature(s) that invested them.
- Layers are Incarnum receptacles, that require at least one invested essentia to function, but a Soulborn is always treated as having 1 essentia invested in Layers she wraps herself in. If she invests additional essentia, they stack with this first 'virtual' point of essentia. The normal essentia limits still apply, so a Soulborn may only invest essentia in a Layer she wraps herself in starting at level 6 (unless she takes a feat that increases the limit). You can shift the essentia you have invested your Layers whenever you take a swift action to shift essentia in your soulmelds. Layers cannot be dispelled, but are inactive in an anti-magic field and can be suppressed by the 'Suppress magic" spell (make a dispel check as normal vs the Meldshaper level of the Soulborn who wrapped the Layer).
- You may initially have only 1 layer active, but at level 8 and every 6 levels thereafter, you may have one additional Layer wrapped around yourself active. Normally, Non-Soulborns may only ever have 1 Layer active, and may not gain the benefit of Improved Incarnum Defense. (Feats may change this)
-Having a Layer wrapped around you has the side effect of making your eyes glow. This glow has distinctive characteristics based on the active layer and a DC 25 Knowledge (The Planes) check can identify the active layer. If more than one layer is active, the DC increases by 5 per additional Layer. Success identifies all active Layers The glow does not provide meaningful illumination beyond that necessary to read a page you hold right up to your face, but does impose a non-cumulative -2 circumstance penalty on hide checks.
Share Incarnum Defense - Starting at level 8 you may invest any Layer you have access to in an ally with a touch, as a full round action. Your ally need not meet any prerequisites of the Layer she is being wrapped in, only you need to meet the prerequisites. You may provide essentia for her yourself, up to the maximum you can invest, which is necessary If said ally does not have an essentia pool or any free essentia to invest. If your ally has her own essentia, and you do not provide any, she must invest at least 1 point of essentia into the layer within 1 round of being wrapped or she loses the benefit. The maximum essentia that can be invested in a shared Layer is based on the HD of the ally you are wrapping in it, not your own HD which only limits the amount you can invest. You may still only have a number of Layers wrapped equal to your soulborn level, although you can have the same Layer wrapped on multiple people. Layers are (harmless), but can be resisted with a Will save, as for a soulmeld. Dismissing a Layer you have wrapped around an ally is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, although you ally may dismiss it herself as a free action. A Layer you wrapped is automatically dismissed if a the ally wrapped in it moves further than 120 ft away from you. Allies wrapped in a layer also get the glowy eyes side effect.
- For example, if Manal, 8th level soulborn, wraps a Layer around Enil, 12th level Incarnate, Manal can provide up to 2 essentia, which can only be invested in the Layer, to Enil. Enil may still invest his own essentia in the layer, up to 3 points of essentia, which is his limit. If a Layer is divested of essentia, it becomes inactive until at least 1 point of essentia is restored (Soulborn don't suffer this problem with their own Layers, since the virtual essentia point cannot be divested).
- You may wrap a layer around another soulborn, and it does not count against the number of Layers she can wrap, but does count against the number of Layers she may have active if she chooses to make it active. Layers obtained in this fashion does not receive 'virtual' essentia and follows the normal rules for wrapping a layer around an ally..
Improved Incarnum Defense - Starting at level 14 any one layer you are wrapped in provides the improved effect on Table X.X 'Incarnum Defense Layers', in addition to it's normal effect You may change which active Layer gains this this benefit with an immediate action, which can be the same immediate action you use to change your active Layers. You may apply this ability to a Layer wrapped around you by another Soulborn.
Immaculate Defense- Starting at level 20, you need no longer invest essentia in your Layers; all your active Layers are treated as having the maximum number of essentia invested in them. This benefit does not apply to Layers you wrapped around an ally.
-Additionally, Layers you wrapped around an ally are no longer dismissed if they move further away from you than 120 ft; such layers are only automatically dismissed if said ally moves to another plane. You know the condition of any ally you have wrapped a layer around as though you had cast the Greater Status spell on her, and can cast spells on her as per that spell. Additionally if you have any non-spell ability that provides you with the ability to heal hitpoint damage (such as the Lay on Hands ability of a Paladin), including abilities that normally heal only yourself (Such as the Second Wind or Healing Soul feats), you may apply the healing to her as though she were yourself, spending the normal action required to do so. Fast healing or Regeneration do not count. This does not allow you to use any other sort of ability through a Layer.
Bonus Feat: At level 3 and every 4 levels there after, you may gain a(n) [Incarnum], [Divine] or [Fighter] feat you qualify for.
Channel Incarnum: As the Azurin Cleric ability.
Chakra Binds: As the Incarnate ability
Special Mount: As the Paladin ability. (Variant planar mounts may be available by feat or ACF)
{Special ability yet to be determined, or named}: (working on it)
Timeless Body: as the Dragon Prophet ability.
Incarnum Defender - As an immediate action, you may spend a Turn or Rebuke attempt to redirect one negative effect an ally you wrapped a Layer around has just suffered to yourself. This may be a targeted spell, one attack, or any other single effect that was imposed on her by a foe. If you are immune to this negative effect, it is negated, otherwise you suffer it's effect normally (You do not get a saving throw or apply spell resistance or damage resistance, these were ally overcome when the effect struck your ally). This ability is treated as a Divine feat, so other abilities that can be used to power divine feats (such as you Channel Incarnum ability) may be used to power it.
Harmony of Mind: you are immune to Wisdom damage, drain, or penalties. (especially useful with the houserule that immunity to wisdom damage = immunity to essentia damage) Voluntary damage, drain or penalties may still be taken.
Essentia: You gain a Sacred/Profane/Anarchic/Axiomatic bonus to Wisdom equal to the invested essentia.
Improved: your immunity extends to all mental ability scores, and you can pick the score to apply the bonus to.
Haleness of Body: you are immune to Strength damage, drain. or penalties. Voluntary damage, drain or penalties may still be taken.
Essentia: You gain a Sacred/Profane/Anarchic/Axiomatic bonus to Strength equal to the invested essentia.
Improved: your immunity extends to all physical ability scores, and you can pick the score to apply the bonus to.
Aura of Turqoise Tenacity: you may add your Charisma modifier to one type of saving throw of your choice.
Essentia: Any foe making a caster level check (such as a check to overcome SR, or a dispel check) against you takes a penalty equal to the invested essentia.
Special: You may wrap this Layer around a creature multiple times. Each time, you choose a different saving throw. The choice is made by the Soulborn who wraps this Layer.
Improved: You charisma bonus applies to all saving throws. You may choose one saving throw for which you do not fail on a natural 1.
Aura of Cerulean Resilience: You gain Spell Resistance equal to 5 + your HD.
Essentia: You gain a effect that functions as Globe of Invulnerability, except that it excludes spells or spell like abilities of a level up to the number of essentia you invest. Allies designated at the time of wrapping may bypass this effect.
Improved: Your spell resistance improves to 10 + HD. You may pick one alignment opposed to one of the components of your own alignment for which your spell resistance is 15 + HD. You make this choice when you designate this Layer as the one affected by your Improved Incarnum Defense Ability.
Aura of Untouchable Untramarine: Choose an element [Fire, Cold, Electric, Acid, Sonic, Negative energy, Positive Energy, Force]. An aura of that element surrounds you, giving you energy resistance 10 vs that element, and dealing damage to any foe that strikes you in melee combat. This energy surges up a foe's weapon, so It affects even a foe using a reach weapon. The damage dealt is 1d6, 1d4 if the element you chose is Force. You (the creature this layer is wrapped around) choose which element, and can change it as a move action. Creatures who heal from the energy type you have chosen are simply not affected by the retributive damage ability; your aura recognizes and ignores them.
Essentia: Each point of essentia invested increases the energy resistance by 5 and the damage by one dice.
Special: You may wrap this Layer around a creature multiple times. Each time, you choose a different element. The choice is made by the Soulborn who wraps this Layer.
Improved: Select one of the primary elements [Fire, Cold, Electric, Acid, Sonic] You are immune to that element] when you you designate this Layer as the one affected by your Improved Incarnum Defense Ability. You take no damage from that element, and are immune to any spell with that type even if it does not deal damage. You may choose to select different elements for this immunity and your aura, so as to continue benefiting from the energy resistence.
Indomitable Soul: You are immune to possession, including from the Magic Jar spell.
Essentia: you gain a bonus to saves against Mind Affecting effects equal to the invested essentia
Special: If you attempt wrap this Layer around a creature who is possessed, your attempt fails, and you are made aware of the possession.
Improved: You are also immune to all Compulsion and Charm effects, the Geas line of spells (and any ability that duplicates their effects), the Trap the Soul spell, and the Mind Seed, Mind Switch and True Mindswitch powers.
Dragon Hearted: You are immune to fear.
Essentia: you are treated as having one more HD than you actually do per essentia invested for the purpose of resisting spells or other offensive abilities that affect creatures differently based on HD. This bonus also applies to the level check to resist intimidation and any other level checks you may need to make.
Improved: You are also immune to Sleep and Paralysis effects and any spell, spell like ability, or supernatural ability that targets only creatures of a specific type or subtype. (all 'favored enemy'-based abilities, including spells, still function on you). You impose a -2 morale penalty to will saves on adjacent foes. You gain a bonus on saves vs breath weapons (an all attendant effects) equal to the invested essentia.
Tireless: You gain immunity to fatigue (effects that would cause exahaustion render you fatigued instead).
Essentia: you gain a bonus to anything the Endurance feat would give you a bonus to, equal to twice the invested essentia.
Improved: You double your overland speed on a forced march. You are entirely immune to exahaustion, and you can gain all the benefits of 8 hours rest with 1 hour of rest. You still may not gain these benefits more than once a day.
Never Say Die You are immune to the staggered condition, and continue to act normally at -1 or less hit points. You still die when you reach your negative hit point limit.
Essentia: You gain a bonus on saves against any Death effect, as well as on saves vs massive damage, equal to twice the invested essentia.
Special: If a Death effect does not offer a save, you get one anyway, at an appropriate DC, but with a -4 penalty
Improved: You are immune to daze and stun, and you do not automatically fail on a roll of negative 1 on any save you gain the above bonus against.
Shield of Ethics You gain a bonus to AC equal to your Charisma modifier..
Essentia: You gain DR/opposite of one of your (the creature this layer is wrapped around) alignment components, equal to three times the invested essentia. You (the creature this layer is wrapped around) choose which alignment component, and can change it as a move action.
Improved: You grant half this AC bonus, rounded down, to ally adjacent allies, provided they share at least one alignment component with you. You may also choose one type of damage (blunt, piercing, slashing) that is also required along with the alignment to bypass your DR.
Soldier of the Planes You ignore the negative effects of whatever plane you are on. You (the creature this layer is wrapped around) decide which effects are negative. Normal gravity/time/whatever are not negative effects.
Essentia: You gain a bonus to Knowledge: the Plains checks and Survival checks relevant to the plane you are one equal to 2 + twice the invested essentia, and can make these checks as if trained in these skills.
Improved: When an ability or spell with an alignment tag is cast upon you, you may elect to be treated as whatever alignment the spell or ability is. This makes you immune to Blasphemy/Holy Word/etc., among other things.
King of the Hill You can make an additional number of attacks of opportunity per round equal to your Charisma modifier or your Dexterity modifier, whichever is higher. The Tumble DC to tumble through or around your threatened area is increased by that same modifier +1/2 your BAB.
Essentia: You gain a bonus to resist trip, disarm, overrun and bullrush attempts equal to the invested essentia.
Improved:You gain a bonus on attack and damage rolls on attacks of opportunity or when flanking or striking a flatfooted foe equal to the invested essentia, and the Tumble DC is now increased by CHA or DEX + BAB + invested essentia. You gain +5ft to your reach.
Freerunner You can use any of the following spell like abilities at will, as an immediate action: Deep Breath, Feather fall, Wave Blessing.
Essentia: You gain a bonus of 5ft per essentia invested to the speed of every movement type. You can also move this distance without provoking attacks of opportunity at the end or beginning of any movement (but not both).
Improved: You are continuously under the effect of Freedom of Movement. You are immune to the Imprisonment spell.
Grace of the Ready You gain Mettle, as the Hexblade.
Essentia: You can delay the effects of a spell, power, utterance, etc, or poison for a number of rounds equal to the invested essentia.
Improved: You gain Improved Evasion, as the Swordsage. On a successful save against a burst or spread, you can opt to move to the edge of the effect. This does not take an action.
This is intended to make Incarnum Defense a centerpiece of the Soulborn. It gains defensive abilities, which can then be handed out to allies to cover their weak spots. I'm working on expanding a big list of Layers right now.
I may need to add High Level Abilities ala the rogue. That covers the empty levels at 13 and 16, as well as adding stuff at 10 and 19. 7 as well if you play using the rule that Rogue HLA's start at 7.
If you use per encounter smites (good idea, I approve), just apply that.
I'm considering making Incarnum Defender a feat instead of a ability. I'm also going to have a feat that lets Soulborn level count as paladin level for the purpose of feats, with a suggestion that this be automatically granted in games where the paladin class does not exist.
Probably will add an ACF to allow a bonus feat to be traded for lay on hands, if not using it as a HLA.
Should I change Harmony/Haleness so that the player can pick the ability score to protect?
I'm also revamping the fluff for soulborn. Soulborn are mortals cultivated by planar factions as soldiers and agents in the never-ending wars of alignment and philosophy among the planes. Thus, Born to the Fight (need something cool to go with the cool name), some ability at level 9, and Timeless body at 17 (silly mortals dying too quickly is uncool in endless planar wars), all of which should be about making the mortal character suitable for the big interplanar rumpus.
