Extractor [base]

[sirpercival]

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This is inspired by the character Dom Cobb, from Christopher Nolan's absolutely brilliant movie Inception.  The character of Cobb is an Extractor, someone who hacks into peoples' minds through their dreams, discovering the information that they keep there.  In the dreamscape, an extractor would fight off projections of someone's subconscious (sometimes well-trained and dangerous projections), and otherwise act like a secret agent or high-society jewel thief. 

The turning point for designing this class came when I remembered Plato's Allegory of the Cave, which (in a nutshell) says that we are all operating as if chained to the wall of a cave, watching shadows projected in front of us play out the soap opera of life.  Only when we understand and question our situation (i.e., become philosophers), can we begin to comprehend the deeper truths.

So, the Extractor is a character who operates in the real world as if it was a dreamscape, with the deeper, underlying reality always out of reach.  (It's also kind of like Shadows and the Pattern in the Amber series by Roger Zelazny, and also like the Matrix.)  By coming to this realization, and by making use of dreams-within-dreams, the Extractor gains power over his surroundings.

This uses phaedrusxy's variant Lucid Dreaming rules, from his WIP Mindscapes campaign setting.

EXTRACTOR



The dream has become their reality.  Who am I to say otherwise?

You, an Extractor, have discovered a secret: your world is not real.  Every person you meet is a mental somnambulist, walking around unknowing within the Dreamscape, this colossal shared reverie of the Dream -- or perhaps they are simply projections of your subconscious which you interact with.  Who can say?

Those folk who are learned in the arcane arts, who have traveled the planes, believe that you are simply misguided, and manipulate the same metaphysical forces that everyone else does.  Some people just refuse to see what's in front of their collective face.

Because you know this secret, you can shape the world around you simply by what you can imagine.  You can cause bizarre, unexpected occurrences in the blink of an eye, or put more effort into designing an item of more permanent assistance.  You've learned to break into the vaults of your enemies' minds using layered dream, to discover their deepest secrets.

However, your subconscious is a fickle thing, just as likely to betray you to your enemies as aid you.

Adventures: An Extractor adventures for any number of reasons.  Some are mercenary thieves, assembling a team of assistants to perform chimeric espionage through carefully-designed dreamscapes.  Others might quest for a way to wake up from the Dream, or to reunite themselves with loved ones.  A number of Extractors adventure simply to push boundaries, to discover the furthest limits of their imagination, and of the Dreamscape.

Characteristics: An Extractor is an extremely adaptable character, capable of affecting the shared reality of the Dream in a number of different ways.  Depending on which soulmelds and maneuvers the Extractor prepares, he can be a deadly melee combatant, a dangerous ranged striker, or an out-of-combat swiss army knife.  And then, of course, there is Extraction, the method by which an Extractor can swipe a target's secrets out of his mind.

Alignment: Due to the... somewhat unethical nature of purloining information from other peoples' heads, few Extractors are lawful.  However, they run the gamut of the moral axis -- some Extractors seek ways to blackmail their opponents, while others may be looking for where the hostages have been hidden, to perform a rescue.

Religion: Most Extractors do not worship gods, believing them to be mere constructs of the Dream (though powerful ones).  However, the more religious among them tend to render obeisance to deities of dream, knowledge, secrets, thieves, and trickery.

Background: Becoming an extractor requires a surprising amount of training.  One must learn to manipulate dreams in a number of different ways, both short term and long term.  Extraction requires schooling in at least 6 different skills, usually 8, with other skills being quite useful as well. 

There are no academies for Extraction -- almost all training is done via apprenticeship.  A skilled Extractor will look for young recruits who show the right blend of skills and ambition, and introduce them to the heady, dangerous excitement of extraction.  Prospective Extractors often become addicted to the pure creation of the dreamscape.  However, learning about the Dream can be somewhat traumatizing...

Races: Though all creatures are constructs or inhabitants of the shared Dreamspace, the real work is done by dreams-within-dreams.  Therefore, only races who are able to dream can become Extractors.  Humans in particular have the right mix of ambition, intelligence, and creativity to become Extractors, but halflings, half-elves, and lesser planetouched will often study the somnambulant science as well.

Other Classes: An Extractor can get along well with almost anyone; every creature of consequence can be useful in the Dream.  However, they blend most easily with skillful classes such as bard, rogue, and factotum.

Role: The Extractor is primarily a skillful utility character, adaptable to almost any situation.  Using inspiration, soulmelds, and maneuvers, they can be very effective combatants, though they fall behind dedicated front-liners.   However, Extractors tend to gravitate towards positions of leadership in the party.  They would much rather give orders than take them, though they recognize and value good counsel.

Adaptation: An Extractor could be changed to a more traditional psychic thief if a campaign setting cannot support the Dream thematically, or the Lucid Dreaming mechanics.  In such a case, the abilities could be restructured to be based on psionics.  Or, an Extractor could be a creature touched by the lower planes, warping reality around him through the force of his personality and constructing elaborate visions and delusions to corrupt his enemies to darkness.

GAME RULE INFORMATION
Extractors have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Controlling the dreamscape requires enormous willpower and physical fortitude, and so an Extractor needs Wisdom and Constitution to be most effective.  Strength is also important, as many of the Extractor's maneuvers entail melee attacks.  Intelligence, Dexterity, and Charisma are useful for many of an Extractor's important skills.
Alignment: Any, though lawful alignments are rare.
Hit Die: d8
Starting Age: As rogue.
Starting Gold: As rogue.

Class Skills
The Extractor's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Arcana, Architecture & Engineering, Dungeoneering, The Planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Lucid Dreaming (Wis), Martial Lore (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (none), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex).

Skill Points at First Level: (6 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier

Extractor

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Inspiration	Special	Soulmelds	Essentia	Chakra Binds
1st	+0	+0	+2	+2	2	Inspiration, awakened defense, subliminal knowledge	1	1	0
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3	3	Awakened essence, fugue state (1 maneuver), fugue stance	2	1	0
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+3	3	Chakra bind (crown), extraction	2	2	1
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4	3	Impose will, lucid projection 20%	3	2	1
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4	4	Chakra bind (feet, hands), fugue state (2 maneuvers)	3	3	1
6th	+4	+2	+5	+5	4	Awakened offense	3	3	2
7th	+5	+2	+5	+5	4	Awakened capacity, fugue state (3 maneuvers)	4	4	2
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+6	5	Improved extraction, lucid projection 40%	4	5	2
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+6	5	Chakra bind (arms, brow, shoulders)	4	5	2
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+7	5	Fugue state (4 maneuvers)	5	6	3
11th	+8/+3	+3	+7	+7	6	Contagious awakening	5	7	3
12th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	6	Fugue state (5 maneuvers), lucid projection 60%	5	7	3
13th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	6	Greater extraction	6	8	3
14th	+10/+5	+4	+9	+9	7	Chakra bind (throat, waist)	6	9	4
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+9	7	Fugue state (6 maneuvers), we need to go deeper	6	10	4
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10	7	Awakened transcendence, lucid projection 80%	7	11	4
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10	8	Fugue state (7 maneuvers)	7	12	4
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+11	8	Supreme extraction	7	13	5
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+11	8	Chakra bind (heart)	8	14	5
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+12	10	Dream disruption, fugue state (8 maneuvers), lucid projection 100%	8	16	5

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Extractor.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: An Extractor is proficient with all simple weapons, as well as the falchion, scimitar, short sword, and one exotic weapon of his choice.  Extractors are also proficient with light armor and with shields (but not tower shields).

Dreamshaping: When a dreamer Awakens, learning the difference between active and passive participation in the Dream, he begins to shape the Dream around him in noticeable ways.  He understands that Incarnum, which others believe to be the residual soul energy derived from all creatures which ever have been and will be, is instead the raw material of the Dream, which he can mold to his specifications. 

An Extractor can shape incarnum soulmelds, which are drawn from the Extractor soulmeld list below.  He knows and can shape any soulmeld from this list.  The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an Extractor soulmeld is 10 + number of points of essentia invested in the soulmeld + the Extractor's Wisdom modifier. His meldshaper level is equal to his Extractor level.

An Extractor can shape only a certain number of soulmelds per day.  His base daily allotment is given on the table above; the maximum number of soulmelds that an Extractor can have shaped simultaneously is equal to his Constitution score minus 10, or the number of soulmelds allowed for his level, whichever is lower.  At 1st level, he can shape one soulmeld at a time (assuming he has a Constitution score of at least 11).  As he advances in level, he can shape an increasing number of soulmelds.

At 1st level, an Extractor also gains access to his personal pool of essentia, which can be invested into his soulmelds to increase their power. An Extractor's essentia pool's size is shown on the table above. The maximum quantity of essentia that can be invested in any single soulmeld is given in Magic of Incarnum, table 2.1.  Each round as a swift action, an Extractor can reallocate his essentia investments in his soulmelds if he wishes.  An Extractor 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.

Inspiration: An Extractor must be adaptable, able to meet any situation that he might encounter in the Dreamscape with insight and creativity, even when he isn't properly prepared.  To represent this training, an Extractor gains inspiration points that he can spend to activate his abilities.  At the beginning of each encounter, he gains a number of inspiration points determined by his level, as shown on the table above.

Awakened Defense (Ex): An Extractor's preternatural awareness of the flow of Dream around him grants him uncanny defenses against those which try to attack him.  He may spend an inspiration point as a free action (even when it isn't his turn) to gain an insight bonus to Armor Class equal to his Wisdom modifier for 1 round.  He can use this ability even when wearing medium or heavier armor, but no more than once per round.

Subliminal Knowledge (Ex): By connecting to a fundamental reality beyond the Dream, an Extractor can gain insight into the laws which govern his present reality.  This grants him ability beyond that which the non-Awakened normally possess.  By spending an inspiration point as a free action (even when it isn't his turn), an Extractor can make a Lucid Dreaming check to gain an insight bonus (as shown on the table below) to the next skill check within 1 round, as long as he has at least 1 rank in that skill.  He cannot use this ability while performing an Extraction (but see Improved Extraction, below).

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LD Check Result	Insight Bonus
15 or less	+2
16-25	+4
26-35	+6
36-45	+8
46 or more	+10

Awakened Essence (Ex): An Extractor of 2nd level or higher has learned to control his surroundings, drawing upon the Dreamscape to gain additional power and resources when necessary.  At any time (even if it isn't his turn), he can spend 1 inspiration point to gain 1 temporary point of essentia, which he may invest immediately.  This temporary essentia lasts for 1 round.

Fugue State (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, an Extractor learns to briefly dissociate himself with his normal identity, granting him unusual and fearsome power over the Dreamscape.  By spending 1 inspiration point, he can initiate a martial maneuver that he has readied.

At the start of each day, the Extractor chooses and readies a number of maneuvers from the Infinite Shore discipline based on his Extractor level.  He can choose one maneuver at 2nd level, and additional maneuvers as shown on the table above.  The maximum level of maneuver he can use is equal to half his class level, rounded up, though he can only ready one maneuver of his maximum level.  His initiator level equals his Extractor level (plus half his levels in non-initiating classes, as normal).  He need not meet the prerequisites (other than minimum initiator level) for the maneuvers he chooses.  He begins each encounter with all of his maneuvers readied.

When the Extractor rests for 8 hours, he readies new maneuvers, and loses any unexpended maneuvers from the previous day, though he can select the same maneuver on consecutive days. The Extractor cannot ready the same maneuver multiple times to use it more than once during the same encounter.

Fugue Stance (Su): A small part of a 2nd-level Extractor's subconscious remains disconnected from the Dream even when he interacts with it normally on a conscious level.  When readying his maneuvers for the day, the Extractor may choose to reduce his inspiration pool by 1 for the rest of the day. If he does so, he chooses one Infinite Shore stance for which he meets the initiator level prerequisite.  He may leave and enter that stance freely throughout the day, using the normal rules for stances.

Chakra Binds: At 3rd level, an Extractor can bind soulmelds to his chakras, granting him 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, page 50 of Magic of Incarnum), so that one cannot also benefit from a magic item worn on the body slot associated with that chakra.

The number of chakra binds that an Extractor can have active at any one time depends on his level (see the Chakra Binds column on the table above). At 3rd level, he can bind a soulmeld to his crown chakra. Beginning at 5th level, the Extractor can bind soulmelds to his feet or hands chakras. At 9th level, he can bind soulmelds to his arms, brow, or shoulders chakras. At 14th level, he can bind soulmelds to your throat or waist chakras. At 19th level, he can bind a soulmeld to his heart chakra.  He never gains the ability to bind soulmelds to his soul chakra (though he may do so via an Epic feat).

Extraction (Su): Upon reaching 3rd level, an Extractor is practiced enough at controlling the Dreamscape that he can begin to attempt his namesake: extraction.  See below for extraction rules.

Impose Will (Ex): When an Extractor reaches 4th level, he learns to impose his will on the Dreamscape around him.  As a standard action which provokes attacks of opportunity, the Extractor can make a Lucid Dreaming check to regain spent inspiration points as shown on the table below.  This ability cannot raise your pool of inspiration points above your normal maximum.  However, doing so comes with a risk: whenever he uses this ability, there is a 10% chance per point of regained inspiration that he becomes trapped in his own subconscious for a long subjective time, though he returns to his current situation when little actual time has passed. If this happens, the Extractor becomes exhausted for 1 round, even if he is normally immune to exhaustion (though the exhaustion disappears at the beginning of his next turn); in addition, he takes 2 points each of Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma damage.

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LD Check Result	Inspiration points
15 or less	1
16-25	2
26-35	3
36-45	4
46 or more	5

Lucid Projection (Su): An Extractor's subconscious is a powerful thing, able to affect the world around him even when he doesn't intend.  Often the result is helpful, but other times it can sabotage the Extractor's plans, as his mental skeletons escape the closet.

Upon achieving 4th level, an Extractor gains a Lucid Projection, which functions as an Extractor cohort of his Extractor level -3.  However, the Projection does not exist all the time.  At the beginning of each encounter, there is a 20% chance that the Lucid Projection appears, in a random open square up to 100 feet away from the Extractor (line of sight or effect is not required).  Appearance chance and position are rolled by the DM.

When the Lucid Projection appears, it has all the knowledge of the situation that the Extractor has, and is initially Friendly towards the Extractor and his allies.  However the Projection is fickle; each round that the Projection exists, the Extractor must make a Will save (DC 13 + the Projection's HD + 2 times the number of successful saves) or the Projection turns Hostile towards the Extractor and his allies for the remainder of the encounter.

Once the Lucid Projection has appeared, it remains for the duration of the encounter or until killed, at which point it disappears.  The chance that the Projection will appear increases by 20% every 4 levels after 4th; at 20th level, the Projection appears every encounter.

Awakened Offense (Ex): Beginning at 6th level, an Extractor learns to use his preternatural abilities in more aggressive ways.  He may use his Subliminal Knowledge ability to gain a bonus on his next attack roll within 1 round instead of his next skill check.

Awakened Capacity (Ex): At 7th level, an Extractor realizes that the only thing which limits him is his own preconceptions.  As part of reallocating his essentia, he can spend an inspiration point as a free action to increase the capacity of one of his soulmelds by 1 for one round.  This ability can be used no more often than once per round.

Improved Extraction (Su): When an Extractor achieves 8th level, he has gained significant experience at extraction.  When obscuring the purpose of the dream, he may use his Subliminal Knowledge ability to improve his Bluff check; in addition, he reduces the time requirement to design a dreamscape of a given complexity by one category.

Contagious Awakening (Ex): Staring at 11th level, an Extractor can impart some insight into the existence and workings of the Dream to others.  Whenever he uses his Awakened Defense, Awakened Offense, or Subliminal Knowledge abilities, he may spend an additional inspiration point to have the bonus affect all allies within 10 feet.  In the case of Awakened Offense and Subliminal Knowledge, each ally gains the bonus to the next appropriate roll they make within 1 round (the skill, if applicable, must be the same skill that the Extractor modifies).

Greater Extraction (Su): An Extractor of 13th level or higher is a master of extraction.  When drawing a target into a shared dream, the Extractor reduces the penalties for distance to the target by half, and may use his Subliminal Knowledge ability to improve his Gather Information, Disguise, or Forgery check while acquiring the information.

We need to go deeper (Su): At 15th level, an Extractor has learned that sometimes, one layer of dream is not enough.  He must be able to go deeper, to add another layer when necessary.  He can begin to perform a double-layer extraction; see Extraction Rules below for details.

Awakened Transcendence (Ex): Beginning at 16th level, an Extractor can use his awareness of the Dream to achieve incredible heights of prowess.  As a free action (even when it's not his turn, but no more often than once per round), he can spend 1 inspiration point to treat one of his essentia receptacles as filled with essentia to its maximum capacity for 1 round.

Supreme Extraction (Su): By 18th level, an Extractor has reached the pinnacle of extraction.  He may draw a target into a shared dream with no penalties for distance; he reduces the time requirement to design a dreamscape of a given complexity by an additional category; and he may use his Subliminal Knowledge ability to improve any skill checks while performing an extraction.

Dream Disruption (Su): Upon reaching 20th level, an Extractor can control the Dream in ways normally reserved for transient dreamscapes.  By spending a full-round action, the Extractor can destabilize the Dreamscape within a radius equal to 10 feet times his Wisdom modifier.

Within the destabilized area, the substance of the plane becomes raw, wild dreamstuff.  The planar traits match that of Limbo, but with bounded size and with no Chaos-alignment (i.e., Subjective Directional Gravity, Highly Morphic, Sporadic Element-Dominant, and Wild Magic).  Controlling the dreamstuff is identical to controlling parts of Limbo.

The destabilization slowly heals over time as the overarching identity of the Dream reasserts itself.  The disrupted area shrinks at the rate of 10 feet per hour, until it disappears entirely.

[sirpercival]

Extraction

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The Basics of Extraction
Extraction is the process of gaining hidden information from another creature's mind, without the target realizing that you're doing so, by means of a shared dream, a second layer beyond the base Dreamscape.  Extraction is a specialized usage of the Lucid Dreaming skill (and complementary skills) and the dreamscape, and can only be performed while both Extractor and target are dreaming.

Performing an extraction requires five steps:

• Designing the dreamscape
• Initiating and maintaining the dreamscape
• Drawing the target into the shared dream
• Acquiring the information
• Obscuring the purpose of the dream

Designing the dreamscape
The first step to performing an extraction is designing the dreamscape in which it will take place.  This can be a difficult task, as the target's subconscious projections will attempt to end the dream; to counteract this, the design must be a maze complex enough to allow the Extractor time to acquire the information.  Designing mazes of such complexity requires significant effort.

To design a dreamscape, the Extractor rolls a Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) check.  The check result determines the maximum complexity of dreamscape he may design, as shown on the table below (along with the time investment, and the duration of the maze in subjective time).  He may choose to design a dreamscape of less complexity, which requires less time and has a shorter duration.

Once a dreamscape has been designed, it remains available to the Extractor for a number of days equal to his class level, before the memory has eroded significantly enough to prevent its use.  An Extractor may have only one dreamscape designed at a time, and each dreamscape may only be used once; after a particular dreamscape has been used for an extraction, he must design a new one.

Kno:A&E	Complexity	Design Time	Duration	Dream Points
9 or less	0	30 minutes	Unsuccessful design	0
10-14	1	1 hour	10 minutes	1
15-19	2	3 hours	20 minutes	1
20-24	3	6 hours	30 minutes	4
25-29	4	12 hours	1 hour	4
30-34	5	1 day	6 hours	4
35-39	6	2 days	1 day	7
40-44	7	3 days	3 days	7
45-49	8	5 days	1 week	7
50 or more	9	1 week	2 weeks	10

Initiating and maintaining the dreamscape
Once the dreamscape has been designed, it requires a DC 20 Lucid Dreaming check to initiate, just like changing an aspect of one's personal dreamscape.  This check is made while awake, just before falling asleep; if the check is successful, upon falling asleep the Extractor appears in the dreamscape instead of a normal dream, and is immediately aware that he is dreaming.  Initiating the dreamscape carries a cost in Dream Points just like any other manipulation of the dreamscape, dependent on the complexity of the design; the cost in Dream Points is shown on the table above.

Under normal conditions, maintaining the dreamscape once it has been initiated is trivial, and requires no special attention on the dreamer's part.  However, if the dreamer takes damage, or is otherwise in a stressful situation, he must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + 3 times the complexity of the dreamscape) to maintain the dreamscape's integrity.  Changing conditions outside the dreamscape (i.e., alterations to the surroundings of the Extractor's sleeping body) can also have similar effects on the dreamscape (such as changing the direction of gravity in the dreamscape as the orientation of the Extractor's body changes), and force the dreamer to concentrate on maintaining the integrity of the dreamscape just like other stressful situations.  In any case, the Extractor does not make a Concentration check to maintain the dreamscape more than once per round unless he receives damage multiple times.

If the Extractor fails such a Concentration check, the dreamscape becomes unstable.  The entire dreamscape suffers as if from an earthquake spell, which lasts until the Extractor succeeds at a Concentration check (made once each round) at a DC 10 higher than the normal DC to maintain the dreamscape.  After 5 consecutive rounds of instability, the entire dreamscape disintegrates and all participating dreamers wake up.

Dreamscapes designed for Extraction are more durable than normal dreamscapes, however.  If the Extractor dies in a dreamscape he is maintaining, even though he disappears immediately, the dreamscape persists for 5 rounds, unstable, before collapsing.

Drawing the target into the shared dream
Once the dreamscape has been initiated and is being maintained, the dreaming target must first be located, which requires a Lucid Dreaming check as normal.  Once the target has been identified and located, it can be drawn into the prepared dreamscape with a second, opposed Lucid Dreaming check.  This works as normal, except that the Extractor suffers a penalty to the second check based on the distance between his sleeping body and the target's, as shown in the table below.

Distance	Penalty
10 feet or less	No penalty
11–30 feet	-1
31–60 feet	-2
61–100 feet	-4
101–200 feet	-6
201–500 feet	-8
500–1000 feet	-10
1001 feet or more	-12

Acquiring the information
Actually coming into possession of the information is the most difficult part of an extraction.

First, the Extractor must find the information he is looking for.  Locating the information requires a Gather Information check, opposed by the target's best Knowledge skill.  The more knowledge the target has, the more easily it can confuse the trail that the Extractor is attempting to follow.  This stage can be made easier or more difficult by whether or not the target knows that the information the Extractor is looking for is important.  A usual Extractor trick is to build a vault or safe into the design of the dream; any secrets the target knows will automatically be stored there for safekeeping by the target's subconscious when it enters the dreamscape; this grants the Extractor a +2 bonus to his Gather Information check.  However, if the target doesn't know that the information the Extractor wants is important, it won't store that information in the safe, and it's much more difficult to find, imposing a -5 penalty to the Extractor's Gather Information check instead.

If the Gather Information check is successful, the Extractor knows exactly where the information he is after is stored (assuming the target has the information in the first place); if it is unsuccessful, the Extractor may retry as often as he likes.  However, each Gather Information check requires an amount of subjective time which is normal for the skill, which is why designing a maze of sufficient complexity (and therefore duration) is essential.  If the length of time spent locating the information is longer than the duration of the dreamscape, the dream ends with the Extractor unsuccessful.

Once the information has been located, the Extractor must bypass the target's natural (and possibly trained) defenses to gain access to it.  This requires an Open Lock check, opposed by the target's Will save; the target's bonus on Sense Motive checks also apply as a bonus to the Will save (except without double-counting the target's Wisdom modifier).  This is more difficult if the target is attempting to guard the information, either consciously or subconsciously, in which case the target gains a +4 bonus to the Will save.  If the target doesn't particularly care to guard the information, it suffers a -3 penalty to its Will save instead.  If the Open Lock check is successful, the Extractor acquires the information and may leave the dreamscape whenever he wishes.

The Extractor has two other tools which may be used to aid either stage of this phase.  By using Disguise and Forgery, he may attempt to mitigate the target's obfuscation and/or defenses if he chooses, to make the extraction easier.  He may apply each skill check to only one stage, chosen when he attempts the check, though he may apply both skills to the same stage if he likes.  Both skills are opposed by the target's Spot check, and the Extractor must make new skill checks each time he repeats the key check for the appropriate stage (e.g., if he is using Disguise in the first stage and fails the Gather Information check, he must make a new Disguise check to affect the next Gather Information check).  For each successful skill check applied to the first stage, reduce the time required for the Gather Information check by one third; for each successful skill check applied to the second stage, the Extractor gains a +3 bonus to his Open Lock check.

Obscuring the purpose of the dream
Certainly the simplest, and perhaps the most important of the phases of an extraction is the last one: convincing the target to believe, upon waking, that this was all just a dream, and nothing of true import actually occurred.  This is a simple Bluff check, opposed by the target's Lucid Dreaming check.  If the Extractor fails, the target realizes upon waking that he was the subject of an Extraction; otherwise, he will simply recall a particularly vivid and confusing dream.

Supplemental Extraction Rules

Collaborative extraction
More than one character can collaborate to perform an extraction.  Each creature participating in the extraction must have at least 3 ranks in Lucid Dreaming.  An Extractor must maintain the dreamscape and draw in the target, but any number of other creatures may contribute.  Any other skill checks can be divided up among the other contributing creatures, who may also Aid Another for any check they do not directly contribute, if they wish.

The Kick
An Extractor can leave a dreamscape prematurely by having an ally initiate a "kick" -- a sensation which automatically wakes the Extractor.  Usual kicks are abrupt changes of gravity (the sensation of falling or of hitting water), or sharp jolts.  The kick is usually agreed upon to occur when certain conditions are met in the next layer down, or when a certain amount of time has passed.  If an ally initiates a kick, the Extractor automatically exits the dreamscape, which becomes unstable if the departed Extractor was maintaining it, as normal.

Double-layer extraction

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Performing a double-layer extraction is similar to performing two single-layer extractions.  The differences are described below.

Designing and maintaining the dreamscapes
Both dreamscape layers must be designed as normal.  Then, they are initiated in order, requiring two separate Lucid Dreaming checks; the DC for initiating the 2nd layer is increased by 5, as normal.  Note that due to the compounded timeflow of the layered dreamscapes, for each second that passes in the first layer, 10 seconds pass in the second layer (as normal for multi-layer dreamscapes).

Maintaining two layered dreamscapes at the same time is quite difficult, however -- each minute of subjective time that the Extractor is in the second layer, he must make a Concentration check (DC 15 + 2 times the number of successful checks) or lose control of both dreamscapes.  In this case, both dreamscapes become unstable.  Because of this, most Extractors work in teams of at least two, with one maintaining each layer, which causes no difficulty as long as the dreamer of the first layer remains on that layer.

Drawing the target into the shared dream
The target is drawn into the first layer as normal.  Once inside the first layer, the target can be drawn into the second layer with a Lucid Dreaming check which costs 0 Dream Points; the target suffers a -5 penalty on the opposed Lucid Dreaming check.

Acquiring the information
This is the main purpose of including a second layer.  Since the second layer is deeper in the target's subconscious, the Extractor gains a +5 bonus on checks to acquire the information.  However, the target's subconscious fights back harder in deeper levels, and the duration of a dreamscape of a given complexity is one category less.

Obscuring the purpose of the dream
The second layer of dreamscape is significantly less stable than the first layer, and the Extractor suffers a -5 penalty to obscure the purpose of the second layer.  However, even if the target discovers the purpose of the second layer, as long as the Extractor successfully obscures the purpose of the first layer, the full purpose of the dream is obscured.

[sirpercival]

Extractor Soulmelds

Soulmeld List

(click to show/hide)

• Crown
  • Considering Cap -- Gain a +2 bonus on Knowledge checks
    
  • Insidious Pendant -- Gain a +1 bonus to the DC of one of your supernatural abilities
    
  • Lucid Crown -- Gain a +2 bonus on Lucid Dreaming checks
    
  • Oblivion Cowl -- Be protected against divinations
    
• Feet
  • Drift Boots -- Glide up to 15 feet as a move action
    
  • Mirage Mocassins -- Ignore speed penalties for difficult terrain
    
  • Somnambulant Cincture -- Gain bonuses to Infinite Shore maneuvers
    
  • Wandering Shoes -- Move 10 feet in a round to gain the benefit of a feat
    
• Hands
  • Daydream Gloves -- Gain a +2 bonus on Open Lock checks
    
  • Dreamer's Totem -- Always know how deep you are in the Dreamscape
    
  • Duplicitous Gage -- Gain a +2 bonus on Forgery checks
    
  • Nightmare Weapon -- Gain a +4 bonus on Intimidate checks when demoralizing
    
  • Scrutiny Shroud -- Gain a +2 bonus on Sense Motive checks
    
• Arms
  • Bracers of Projection -- Subconsciously make your attacks more effective
    
  • Daydream Gloves -- Gain a +2 bonus on Open Lock checks
    
  • Nightmare Weapon -- Gain a +4 bonus on Intimidate checks when demoralizing
    
  • Soporific Vambraces -- Make a touch attack to put target to sleep
    
  • Trance Bracers -- Gain bonus hit points equal to your meldshaper level.
    
• Brow
  • Mask of Faces -- Gain a +2 bonus on Disguise checks
    
  • Oblivion Cowl -- Be protected against divinations
    
  • Plain Masque -- Gain a +2 bonus on Bluff checks
    
  • Stargazer Veil -- Gain a +2 bonus on Gather Information checks
    
• Shoulders
  • Dreamer's Totem -- Always know how deep you are in the Dreamscape
    
  • Inconsequential Cloak -- Gain a +2 bonus on Hide checks
    
  • Reverie Pauldrons -- Continue fighting while disabled or dying
    
  • Sandmantle -- Creatures near you may fall asleep
    
  • Trance Bracers -- Gain bonus hit points equal to your meldshaper level
    
• Throat
  • Brooch of Stars -- Gain a +2 bonus on Concentration checks
    
  • Dreamer's Totem -- Always know how deep you are in the Dreamscape
    
  • Delusion Ribbon -- Gain a +2 bonus to Will saves vs illusion & enchantment spells
    
  • Insidious Pendant -- Gain a +1 bonus to the DC of one of your supernatural abilities
    
  • Nightmare Weapon -- Gain a +4 bonus on Intimidate checks when demoralizing
    
• Waist
  • Discontinuous Sash -- Teleport 10 feet as a move action
    
  • Finder's Vest -- Gain a +2 bonus on Search checks
    
  • Skirt of Silver Moonlight -- Gain a +2 bonus to Tumble checks
    
  • Somnambulant Cincture -- Gain bonuses to Infinite Shore maneuvers
    
  • Wandering Shoes -- Move 10 feet in a round to gain the benefit of a feat
    
• Heart
  • Brooch of Stars -- Gain a +2 bonus on Concentration checks
    
  • Finder's Vest -- Gain a +2 bonus on Search checks
    
  • Mantle of the Fated -- Gain a +1 luck bonus on various checks
    
  • Synchronous Symphony -- Gain a +1 bonus to initiative checks
    
• Soul
  • Dreamer's Totem -- Always know how deep you are in the Dreamscape
    
  • Inconsequential Cloak -- Gain a +2 bonus to Hide checks
    
  • Mantle of the Fated -- Gain a +1 luck bonus on various checks
    
  • Scrutiny Shroud -- Gain a +2 bonus on Sense Motive checks
    

Soulmeld Descriptions

(click to show/hide)

Bracers of Projection
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Arms.
Saving Throw: None.
A pair of nearly transparent bracers coalesce around your forearms, shimmering with colors seen only out of the corner of your eye.

While wearing bracers of projection, your subconscious mind reaches into the dreamscape around you to alter events in your favor.  Whenever you make a successful Lucid Dreaming or Concentration check, you gain a +2 insight bonus on attack and damage rolls for 1 round.  Essentia: Every point of essentia invested in the bracers of projection increases the bonus by 2.

Chakra Bind (Arms)
The bracers expand outward into huge, opalescent and diaphanous limbs stretching beyond your usual grasp.

Whenever you would make a melee attack, before declaring the target of your attack, you can choose a single subject as a free action. Make a Lucid Dreaming check against a DC equal to the subject's AC. If you succeed, your reach increases by 10 feet for this melee attack, but only for the purpose of attacking the subject. Even on a failure, you can still choose to attack another valid target you threaten.


Brooch of Stars
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Heart or Throat.
Saving Throw: None.
Incarnum forms into a tiny constellation of brilliant blue motes which rests in the center of your chest.

Your brooch of stars grants you a +2 insight bonus on Concentration checks, serving as a focus to ward away random thoughts which might distract you.  Essentia: Every point of essentia invested in the brooch of stars increases the bonus by +2.

Chakra Bind (Heart)
The motes sink into your body, leaving azure pinpricks over your heart.

When brooch of stars is bound to your heart chakra, you become immune to attacks by nonmagical weapons, taking no damage from them whatsoever.  Such weapons simply slide off of your skin without leaving a mark. (Attacks which bypass damage reduction as if they were magical, such as a monk's ki strike (magic), count as magical for this ability.)  In addition, whenever you take damage from a magical weapon, you may make a Reflex save against a DC of 10 + 1/2 attacker's BAB + attacker's Str or Dex modifier (whichever was used on the attack roll) to reduce the damage by half.  Evasion does not apply to this ability.

Chakra Bind (Throat)
Little sparkles of blue swirl around your neck like a choker.

While brooch of stars is bound to your throat chakra, you can take 10 on skill checks even when stress or other factors would normally prevent you from doing so.  You cannot use this ability to take 10 on skill check for which you cannot take 10 even under ideal conditions (such as Use Magic Device).


Considering Cap
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Crown.
Saving Throw: None.
Incarnum forms a large, triangular cream-colored hat with three points.

By shaping a considering cap, you pledge to take time to think about the consequences of your words and actions, based on your knowledge and experience.  You gain a +2 insight bonus to Knowledge checks.  Essentia: For each point of essentia invested in the considering cap, increase the bonus by +1.

Chakra Bind (Crown)
Words written in an ancient and unreadable script appear on the three faces of the hat.

When you bind considering cap to your crown chakra, you learn to plan out exactly how to accomplish a given task, which increases your likely hood of success.  You may substitute a Knowledge check for any other skill check you would make, as long as you have at least 5 ranks in the given skill, -1 rank per point of essentia invested in the cap.  If you do so, the check takes twice as long as the original skill check would have taken.


Daydream Gloves
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Arms or Hands.
Saving Throw: None.
Soft, dark grey calfskin forms around your hands, but the ends of the fingers seem to blur and bleed into nothingness.

Daydream gloves make your obstacles evanescent, nothing more than the idle wanderings of a bored mind.  While you have them shaped, you gain a +2 bonus to Open Lock checks.  Essentia: Increase the bonus by +2 for each essentia invested in the daydream gloves.

Chakra Bind (Arms)
The gloves extend backward over your forearms, and your entire hands seem to fade into mist.

If you bind daydream gloves to your arms chakra, you may resolve up to one melee attack per round against your opponent's touch AC instead of his normal AC.

Chakra Bind (Hands)
Veins of smoky silver and bronze thread through the material of the gloves.

You gain the benefit of the Improved Disarm feat while the daydream gloves are bound to your hands chakra, even if you don't meet the prerequisites.


Delusion Ribbon
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Throat.
Saving Throw: See text.
Incarnum weaves into a ribbon that wraps gently around your neck.  Its color changes depending on the viewing angle.

While under the influence of a delusion ribbon, you can see through magical untruths.  While you have the soulmeld shaped, you gain a +2 insight bonus to saves against illusion and enchantment spells and effects.  Essentia: For each essentia invested in the delusion ribbon, increase the save bonus by +1.

Chakra Bind (Throat)
The ribbon acquires a ghostly visual echo, sitting a few inches above your skin.

When delusion ribbon 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.


Discontinuous Sash
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Waist.
Saving Throw: None.
Around your waist forms a rich cloth sash, which seems to have large sections missing.

A discontinuous sash grants you the inconstancy of location that happens often in dreams.  While you have the meld shaped, you may teleport up to 10 feet at will (with no chance for error) as a move action.  The new space must be within line of sight and line of effect.  You can't use the sash to move into a space occupied by another creature, nor can you teleport into a solid object; if you attempt to do so, the teleport fails and the action is wasted.  You can bring along objects weighing up to your maximum load, but you can't bring another creature with you.  Essentia: Each essentia invested in the discontinuous sash grants you a +1 dodge bonus to AC.

Chakra Bind (Waist)
The missing pieces of the sash move and shift and dizzying speed.

If you bind discontinuous sash to your waist chakra, at will you may spend a full-round action to teleport up to 50 feet for each essentia invested in the sash (as per dimension door). You may not use this ability in consecutive rounds, and you cannot bring along other creatures; you affect only yourself.


Dreamer's Totem
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Hands, Shoulders, Soul, or Throat.
Saving Throw: None.
Incarnum coalesces into a small, otherwise unremarkable object which has significance only to you.

A dreamer's totem is a tool used quite often by Extractors and other creatures familiar with lucid dreaming.  It's one of the few ways to be sure, to be absolutely certain, whether you're awake or in a dream.  While the dreamer's totem is shaped, you always know how many layers deep in dream you are.  Essentia: When you invest essentia in the dreamer's totem, you gain additional dream points when dreaming equal to twice the amount of invested essentia.

Chakra Bind (Hands)
Your totem becomes an object which is held in one hand, and as you move it through the air, the substance of the Dream coalesces into a desired shape.

By binding the dreamer's totem to your hands chakra, you are granted the ability to temporarily shape raw dreamstuff into a useful mundane object, which functions identically to a normal object of the same sort.  By making a DC 16 Wisdom check as a full-round action, you can control up to a 1-foot cube of dreamstuff; each essentia invested in the totem increases the dimensions of the cube you can affect by 1 foot.

If your Wisdom check succeeds, you can reshape the dreamstuff as you desire.  Once control is established, the shape lasts as long as you remain within 100 feet of it; if you move out of that range, the dreamstuff the item is made of dissipates into nothingness.  Thus, if you have sufficient patience and strong enough will, you can construct small fortresses out of dreamsruff, even
if you must do so a few cubic feet at a time.

Another creature can break your control over the Dreamscape by succeeding on an opposed Wisdom check.  If they succeed, the item dissipates as if you had moved out of range.

Chakra Bind (Shoulders)
The totem winds itself around your upper arm, becoming a string or ribbon which only you know the material of.

Binding the dreamer's totem to your shoulders chakra allows you to use your control of the Dreamscape to your advantage in a physical context.  Whenever you make a Strength- or Dexterity-based skill check, you may substitute a Lucid Dreaming check if you wish.

Chakra Bind (Soul)
The totem itself does not change, but you are surrounded by a faint aura of wispy grey smoke.

Whenever you bind the dreamer's totem to your soul chakra, you gain the ability to physically enter a dreamscape, without leaving a sleeping body behind.  You may make a DC 20 Lucid Dreaming check whenever you go to sleep; if you succeed, you enter the dreamscape physically, as per the dream walk spell (Heroes of Horror).  Entering further layers of dream increases the DC by +5 for each layer.

Chakra Bind (Throat)
Your totem is a pin or brooch with a secret carving on the back.

If you bind the dreamer's totem to your throat chakra, you gain the ability to follow creatures through the Dreamscape by sensing the eddies they make in the dreamstuff.  This works exactly like the Track feat, except you use Lucid Dreaming in place of Survival.


Drift Boots
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Feet.
Saving Throw: None.
Soft boots of pure white, like untouched snow or cumulus clouds, form on your feet.

When you shape drift boots, you gain the ability to glide gently on the wind.  You negate all damage from falling, and can travel 15 feet forward for every 5 feet of descent.  You glide at a speed of 15 feet with average maneuverability (you can never hover while gliding, even if your maneuverability improves).  You glide (negating falling damage) even if you become unconscious or helpless in the air.  Essentia: For each essentia invested in drift boots, increase both your gliding speed and the forward travel distance by 5 feet.

Chakra Bind (Feet)
The boots become wispier, more like cirrus clouds.

When bound to your feet chakra, drift boots catch unseen winds to allow you to fly.  You can fly with good maneuverability at a speed of 5 feet per invested essentia.  You can mix gliding and flying in the same move action (in 5-foot increments), allowing you to maneuver aloft even with relatively low flight speeds. 


Duplicitous Gage
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Hands.
Saving Throw: None.
Gloves of thin, off-white silk form out of incarnum around your hands.

The duplicitous gage grants you the ability to use objects to tell lies.  You gain a +2 insight bonus on Forgery checks.  Essentia: Each essentia invested in duplicitous gage increases the bonus by +2.

Chakra Bind (Hands)
The material of the gloves hardens to thick leather, with delicately pointed fingertips.

When you bind duplicitous gage to your hands chakra, you can see past the lies that your eyes tell you.  Whenever you make a ranged attack which suffers a miss chance, reduce that miss chance by 5% for each essentia invested in duplicitous gage, to a minimum of 0%.


Finder's Vest
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Heart or Waist.
Saving Throw: None.
Incarnum weaves into a sturdy vest of brown wool, with several useful pockets.

Shaping a finder's vest makes it easier for you to find the things you want and need.  You gain a +2 insight bonus on Search checks.  Essentia: For each essentia invested in finder's vest, increase the bonus by +2.

Chakra Bind (Heart)
One of the vest's pockets holds a compass, which always points in the direction you need.

The finder's vest, when bound to your heart chakra, grants you the ability to use find the path at will as a standard action.  This is a supernatural ability, with a caster level equal to your meldshaper level.

Chakra Bind (Waist)
A wide, armored belt forms at the bottom of the vest, which is weighted down with several hanging pouches.

While bound to your waist chakra, the finder's vest prevents you from being moved against your will.  You gain a +2 bonus to rolls which would allow you to resist being moved, which increases by +1 for every essentia invested in the soulmeld.


Inconsequential Cloak
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Shoulders or Soul.
Saving Throw: None.
A shroud of incarnum settles over you, making you indistinct and beneath notice.

With the inconsequential cloak hanging from your shoulders, you seem to melt into the background, making it difficult to notice you and pick you out from your surroundings.  You gain a +2 bonus on Hide checks.  Essentia: Every point of essentia invested in the inconsequential cloak increases the bonus by +2.

Chakra Bind (Shoulders)
The cloak closes more tightly around you, and you fade even further into the scenery, a blur in your opponents' peripheral vision.

When you bind the inconsequential cloak to your shoulder chakra, you benefit from a miss chance against melee and ranged attacks of 10% + 10% for each essentia invested in the soulmeld (max 50%).  This ability counts as concealment for determining whether or not you can make a Hide check.

Chakra Bind (Soul)
By concentrating, you can cause the cloak to shroud you completely from detectability.

By spending a move action while inconsequential cloak is bound to your soul chakra, you can grant yourself the benefit of the superior invisibility spell, as if cast on yourself with a caster level equal to your meldshaper level, until the beginning of your next turn.  This is a supernatural ability.

Insidious Pendant
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Crown or Throat.
Saving Throw: None.
Incarnum creeps around your throat, laying in a snakelike coil.

An insidious pendant is a subtle soulmeld, which can bolster many of your other abilities without seeming to affect anything by itself.  When you shape the insidious pendant, choose a supernatural ability that you have; the DC of that ability is increased by +1.  Essentia: For each point of essentia you invest in the insidious pendant, the DC of the chosen ability increases by an additional +1.

Chakra Bind (Crown)
The snake slithers up to rest on your head, its gemstone eyes quite unsettling with their stare.

If you bind insidious pendant to your crown chakra, whenever a creature fails a save against the chosen supernatural ability, you may treat the creature as flat-footed against your attacks for 1 round.

Chakra Bind (Throat)
The head of the snake seems to burrow deep into your body, and your neck is covered with faint greenish scales.

Whenever you bind insidious pendant to your throat chakra, instead of affecting a single supernatural ability, the DC increase applies to every supernatural ability you have.


Lucid Crown
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Crown.
Saving Throw: None.
A crystalline circlet coalesces around your head, glowing with the pure clear light of dawn.

When you shape lucid crown, your dreams gain incredible depth of clarity, and you develop more awareness and control over them.  You gain a +2 bonus to Lucid Dreaming checks.  Essentia: Every point of essentia you invest in the lucid crown increases the bonus by +2.

Chakra Bind (Crown)
The crown grows more prominent crystal clusters, which emanate an inner light of deep lavender.

When bound to your crown chakra, lucid crown makes it easier for you to alter your surroundings.  The volume that you can affect with the Change Aspect usage of the Lucid Dreaming skill is doubled.


Mantle of the Fated
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Heart or Soul.
Saving Throw: None.
Incarnum erupts into a rich robe of maroon brocade, draping you with its solid weight.  The embroidery on the robe changes with your mood.

Shaping the mantle of the fated gives you unparalleled control over your own fate.  As a swift action, choose one of the following: attack rolls, damage rolls, any one type of saving throw, or skill and ability checks for any one ability .  You gain a +1 luck bonus to rolls of the chosen type until the start of your next turn.  Essentia: Every point of essentia you invest in the mantle of the fated increases the bonus by +1.

Chakra Bind (Heart)
The robe thickens over your chest, becoming something akin to armor.

If you bind mantle of the fated to your heart chakra, you are protected against effects which would damage your life force directly.  You become immune to all death spells, magical death effects, energy drain, and any negative energy effects (such as from inflict spells or chill touch).  You are not granted immunity to other sorts of attacks, such as hit point loss, poison, or petrification, even if those attacks might be lethal.

Chakra Bind (Soul)
The air around you darkens, taking on a hue similar to the robe.

When you bind mantle of the fated to your soul chakra, you become the absolute master of your own fate.  Any time you make an attack roll, skill check, ability check, or saving throw, you may roll twice and take the better result.


Mask of Faces
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Brow.
Saving Throw: None.
A mask of pure incarnum covers your face, making your features more malleable.

While you have the mask of faces shaped, you tap into the mutability of dream identities and visages.  You gain a +2 insight bonus to Disguise checks.  Essentia: For each point of essentia you invest in the mask of faces, increase the bonus by +2.

Chakra Bind (Brow)
The mask sinks into your skin, which abruptly alters to suit your whims.

Binding mask of faces to your brow chakra grants you the ability to change your appearance.  You can assume any humanoid form, as the change shape special ability (MM 306). You can remain in the form as long as the soulmeld remains shaped, or until you take a standard action to assume a new form or return to your natural form.


Mirage Moccasins
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Feet.
Saving Throw: None.
Incarnum forms into soft leather moccasins on your feet, which seem to ripple and fade if you look at them wrong.

Shaping mirage moccasins helps you walk even on terrain as fickle as desert sand.  You ignore the speed penalty for difficult terrain, including any penalties for overland movement.  However, this ability does not allow you to charge through difficult terrain.  Essentia: You gain a +2 insight bonus to Balance checks for each point of essentia invested in mirage moccasins.

Chakra Bind (Feet)
The moccasins, and your feet inside them, become much more hazy, and your step becomes unimaginably light.

While mirage moccasins are bound to your feet chakra, you can stand and move with no penalty on liquids and other surfaces which cannot normally support your weight, like water, quicksand, or fragile branches.


Nightmare Weapon
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Arms or Hands or Throat.
Saving Throw: None.
Your weapon is coated with an oily black sheen.

When you shape a nightmare weapon, your attacks evoke the deep, dark monsters of the night.  You gain a +4 bonus to Intimidate checks when demoralizing.  Essentia: For each point of essentia invested in nightmare weapon, increase the bonus by +2.

Chakra Bind (Arms)
The oily blackness curls out of your arms, and looking into it, one can feel endless depths of terror.

The nightmare weapon, when bound to your arms chakra, makes your enemies quaver with fear whenever you strike them.  Any time you make a successful attack (but no more often than once per round), you may make a demoralize attempt as an immediate action against the target you struck.

Chakra Bind (Hands)
Your weapon seems to take on a sense of... hunger.

When you bind nightmare weapon to your hands chakra, you increase the critical multiplier of your weapon by +1, and you gain a bonus to confirm critical hits equal to the amount of invested essentia.

Chakra Bind (Throat)
Whenever you open your mouth, small puffs of pure, inky incarnum leak out, and your voice carries a faint, resonant echo of screams.

If you bind nightmare weapon to your throat chakra, you can demoralize opponents who are normally immune to fear.  However, such creatures receive a +5 bonus to their save, and the duration of the effect, if any, is halved (to a minimum of 1 round).


Oblivion Cowl
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Brow or Crown.
Saving Throw: None.
Around your head settles a hood of stark grey, which throws your face in impenetrable shadow.

The oblivion cowl is a powerful defensive soulmeld, designed to protect you from prying eyes and searching thoughts.  While you have the oblivion cowl shaped, any creature attempting a divination effect (or clairsentience effect) against you must succeed at a caster (or manifester) level check against a DC of 11 + your meldshaper level, or the effect fails to affect you.  Essentia: Each point of essentia invested in oblivion cowl increases the DC by +1.

Chakra Bind (Brow)
Your face is completely hidden by the cowl -- for all anyone else can tell, you have no face at all.

While oblivion cowl is bound to your brow chakra, you are immune to charm and compulsion effects.  Creatures attempting such effects find nothing behind the cowl for the magic to hold on to.

Chakra Bind (Crown)
The top of the cowl grows significantly heavier, as if lined with... lead?

When you bind oblivion cowl to your crown chakra, you gain a bonus to Will saves vs mind-affecting effects equal to the amount of invested essentia.


Plain Masque
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Brow.
Saving Throw: Will negates; see text.
Incarnum swirls in front of your face, taking the shape of a mask of... your face.

When you shape plain masque, you learn to lie in the most effective way: by speaking the plain truth.  You gain a +2 insight bonus to Bluff checks.  Essentia: For every point of essentia invested in plain masque, increase the bonus by +2.

Chakra Bind (Brow)
No visible change occurs, but you feel the masque settle even more firmly onto your face.

When you bind plain masque to your brow chakra, you learn to see past the lies others tell.  At will as a standard action, you may use discern lies as a supernatural ability with a caster level equal to your meldshaper level.  The DC of the spell is equal to the DC of this soulmeld.


Reverie Pauldrons
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Shoulders.
Saving Throw: None.
Silvery armor forms around your shoulders, which seems as light as spun sugar, and as hard as steel.

Whenver reverie pauldrons are shaped, your body realizes that the Dream is not real, and that therefore you should not be shackled by the normal conventions of life and death.  When reduced to 0 hit points, you can act as if you weren’t disabled (that is, you ignore the normal restriction to only a single move or standard action per turn), and do not lose 1 hit point for performing a standard or otherwise strenuous action while at 0 hit points.  When reduced to –1 to –9 hit points, you do not fall unconscious. You do not automatically lose 1 hit point each round when at –1 to –9 hit points.  When your current hit points drop to –10 or lower, you immediately die. 

Essentia: Investing essentia in reverie pauldrons increases the range of negative hit points at which you can continue functioning. Every point of essentia invested effectively reduces the point at which you die by 3 (such as from –10 to –13). You can continue to fight without penalty until you reach that hit point total.  If your essentia investment in this soulmeld is reduced (whether voluntarily or involuntarily) and your current hit point total is at or below the point at which you would die, you immediately die. For example, if you are currently at –16 hit points and reduce your essentia investment from 3 points to 2 points, you would die (since your new point of death would be –16).

Chakra Bind (Shoulders)
The material of the pauldrons thickens, becoming broader and sturdier, to take the weight of many blows.

If reverie pauldrons is bound to your shoulders chakra, you gain DR /– equal to three times the invested essentia.


Sandmantle
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Shoulders.
Saving Throw: Will negates; Fortitude half; see text.
A light cloak seemingly made of beige sand flutters around your shoulders.

When you shape a sandmantle, the creatures around you become drowsy and begin to fall asleep.  Each creature within 20 feet with 5 or fewer HD must make a Will save or fall asleep.  You may raise or lower this effect as a swift action.  A successful save grants a creature immunity to the effects of this soulmeld for 1 hour.  You are immune to the effects of your own sandmantle. Essentia: For each essentia invested in sandmantle, increase the maximum HD of creature you can affect by +3 HD.

Chakra Bind (Shoulders)
The sandy cloak expands outward, and sand moves in hypnotic whorls around you.

By binding sandmantle to your shoulders chakra, you gain the ability to create a sand auger, a whirlwind of erosive grit around yourself.  You can cause a sand auger as a standard action at will, and it lasts until the beginning of your next turn (at which point you can recreate the whirlwind by spending another standard action).  The sand auger is a cylinder, 40 feet high and with a 10-foot radius centered on you.  Any creature caught within (other than you) takes 1d6 damage per invested essentia (Fortitude save for half); unprotected flames are smothered, and protected flames have a 50% chance of blowing out.


Scrutiny Shroud
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Hands or Soul.
Saving Throw: None.
The air around you sharpens in focus, as if looking through a magnifying glass.

When you shape the scrutiny shroud, you gain increased sensitivity to nuance in body language and expression.  You gain a +2 insight bonus to Sense Motive checks.  Essentia: Each point of essentia invested in scrutiny shroud increases the bonus by +2.

Chakra Bind (Hands)
The field of clarity around you spreads out to a larger radius, and your hands itch with new sensation.

Binding scrutiny shroud to your hands chakra allows you to sense things in situations where you would normally be unable to do so.  At will, you can spend a standard action to grant yourself the benefit of the touchsight power as a psi-like ability, with a manifester level of 5, for 1 round.  Each essentia invested in the soulmeld increases the duration by 1 round and the manifester level by +3.

Chakra Bind (Soul)
The air around you doesn't change visibly, but you can feel the magical charge building up.

If you bind scrutiny shroud to your soul chakra, you are continually affected as if by the true seeing spell, with a caster level equal to your meldshaper level.


Skirt of Silver Moonlight
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Waist.
Saving Throw: None.
Around your waist drapes a kilt of the softest silk, white with silver threads running through it in glorious rays.

Whenever you shape the scrutiny shroud, your steps are as soft as moonlight.  You gain a +2 insight bonus to Tumble checks. Essentia: For each point of invested essentia, the bonus granted by the skirt of silver moonlight increases by +2.

Chakra Bind (Waist)
The white material of the skirt fades from view, leaving only a fine webwork of silver threads around your waist.

When you bind the skirt of silver moonlight to your waist chakra, you become as slippery as a moonbeam, as subtle as starlight.  At will, you can spend a standard action to grant yourself the benefit of the freedom of movement spell as a supernatural ability with a caster level equal to your meldshaper level.  The effect lasts for 1 round + 1 round per invested essentia.


Somnambulant Cincture
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Feet or Waist.
Saving Throw: None.
A tasseled rope made of brown and gold thread twines around your waist.

The somnambulant cincture is a soulmeld designed for those who wield dreamstuff directly, as weapons against their enemies.  While it is shaped, you gain a +1d4 bonus damage to each attack made with an Infinite Shore maneuver.  Essentia: Each point of essentia invested in the somnambulant cincture increases the bonus damage by +1d4.

Chakra Bind (Feet)
The tasseled ends of the cincture stretch down and encircle your legs, creating ropy greaves.

Binding the somnambulant cincture to your feet chakra helps guide your steps when moving within the Dream.   Whenever you initiate an Infinite Shore boost or counter, your movement speed increases by +5 feet per point of essentia invested in the soulmeld until the beginning of your next turn.

Chakra Bind (Waist)
The cincture tightens slightly around your waist, and the threads turn varied shades of brilliant blue.

If you bind the somnambulant cincture to your waist chakra, your connection to the Dream intensifies.  Whenever you enter an Infinite Shore stance, the essentia capacity of this soulmeld improves by 1, and you gain 1 temporary essentia which you can invest as part of the same action.  Both of these benefits last until you exit the stance.


Soporific Vambraces
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Arms.
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial.
A pair of vambraces made of dull grey leather writhes into being around your forearms.  Just looking at them makes your eyes droop.

Soporific vambraces grant your touch the ability to put people to sleep.  You may make a melee touch attack as a standard action; if it succeeds, your opponent must make a Fortitude save or fall asleep.  On a successful save, or if your opponent is immune to sleep effects, the opponent is fatigued instead, for 1 round.  This fatigue does not stack with any other fatigue, including from multiple applications of this ability.  Essentia: For each point of invested essentia, increase the duration of the fatigue by 1 round, on a failed save.

Chakra Bind (Arms)
The material of the vambraces develops silver and black embroidered whorls which are lazily hypnotic.

If you bind soporific vampraces to your arms chakra, a creature who succeeds on the save vs your touch attack is exhausted for 1 round, then fatigued for the normal fatigue duration.


Stargazer Veil
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Brow.
Saving Throw: None.
A veil coalesces over your face, loosely woven of midnight blue incarnum, and embroidered with silver stars.

When you shape a stargazer's veil, you learn to read horoscopes in the stars; this gives you insight into the people you encounter, and you know exactly what questions to ask.  You gain a +2 insight bonus to Gather Information checks.  Essentia: Every point of essentia invested in the stargazer veil, increase the bonus by +2.

Chakra Bind (Brow)
Silver lines appear on the veil, connecting the embroidered stars into constellations.

When you bind the stargazer veil to your brow chakra, the stars hold portents of more significance than mere horoscopes.  As a standard action at will, you may use augury as a supernatural ability, with a caster level equal to your meldshaper level.


Synchronous Symphony
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Heart.
Saving Throw: None.
A small music box pin made of purest silver appears just over your heart.  Lovely tinkles of melody emanate from it.

A synchronous symphony is a method of organizing actions, using the cues and rhythm of the music to standardize timing.  While the symphony is shaped, you gain a +2 insight bonus to initiative checks.  Essentia: Every point of essentia invested in the synchronous symphony increases the bonus by +1.

Chakra Bind (Heart)
The sound coming from the music box suddenly swells into a full orchestral arrangement.

By binding the synchronous symphony to your heart chakra, you gain the ability to synchronize your actions with those of your companions.  When determining initiative order, you may choose to have any number of allies with lower initiative rolls act on the same initiative count as you.  However, doing so lowers your initiative count (and thus the initiative count of all synchronized allies) by 1 + 1 for each ally you synchronize with.


Trance Bracers
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Arms or Shoulders.
Saving Throw: None.
Heavy bracers made from braided leather twine up your arm in intricate patterns.

When you shape trance bracers, you acquire a state of mind where the trials and tribulations of the physical world have less effect on you.  In this trance state, you are able to ignore the pain and rigor of your activities to some extent.  You gain bonus hit points equal to your meldshaper level.  These hit points don’t go away first the way temporary hit points do; if this soulmeld is unshaped or suppressed, you lose the hit points granted by it. Essentia: Each point of essentia invested in trance bracers grants you a +1 insight bonus to Fortitude saves.

Chakra Bind (Arms)
The braided leather of the bracers bulges into the shape of extra muscles.

If you bind trance bracers to your arms chakra, your trance allows you to set aside the normal limitations of strength and leverage, instead wringing the absolute maximum effort and efficiency out of your anatomy.  You gain the Powerful Build ability (as per the Half-Giant racial trait).

Chakra Bind (Shoulders)
Stiff leather pauldrons form and attach to the ends of the bracers.

Binding trance bracers to your shoulders chakra grants you the ability to toughen your skin through meditative exercises.  You gain a +2 bonus to your natural armor, +2 per invested essentia.  This stacks with natural armor you gain from your race, class features, or feats, but not with that granted by temporary effects such as magic items, spells, powers, etc.


Wandering Shoes
Descriptors: None.
Classes: Extractor.
Chakra: Feet or Waist.
Saving Throw: None.
A pair of sturdy shoes, designed to withstand the rigors of lengthy travel, appears on your feet.

By shaping wandering shoes, you learn to let your mind wander while your path stays focused, granting you a wider, more adaptable set of solutions to your problems.  When you shape this soulmeld, choose a feat for which you qualify.  As long as you move at least 10 feet in a round, you gain the benefit of the chosen feat until the beginning of your next turn.  Essentia: For every point of essentia invested in wandering shoes, increase your base land speed by 5 feet when making a double move, charge, or run action.

Chakra Bind (Feet)
The soles of the shoes thicken, becoming hardier and more wear-resistant -- literally made for walking.

When you bind wandering shoes to your feet chakra, your feet walk in spirit even when they aren't walking physically.  You gain the benefit of the chosen feat at all times, even when you move less than 10 feet in a round.

Chakra Bind (Waist)
You acquire a leather belt made of the same material as the shoes.

If you bind wandering shoes to your waist chakra, the efficiency of your wandering increases.  Whenever you take a 5-foot step in a round, you can move up to 10 feet instead.

[sirpercival]

Reserved for posterity.

[sirpercival]

OK, port is done.

The current extraction rules are functional, but not exactly what I want.  I'm trying to rewrite them to make it more like a minigame, more organic & interactive -- instead of "roll these skill checks & get your information", something tactical, that you roleplay out.

Here are my current notes:

(click to show/hide)

Extraction
The Basics of Extraction
Extraction is the process of gaining hidden information from another creature's mind, (hopefully) without the target realizing that you're doing so, by means of a shared dream, a second layer beyond the base Dreamscape. Extraction is a specialized usage of the Lucid Dreaming skill (and complementary skills) and the dreamscape, and can only be performed while both Extractor and target are dreaming.

More than a simple set of skill checks, however, extraction is fundamentally a method of mental combat, carried out using the vehicle of the dreamscape, with various skill checks and saves determining the results of the individual tactics that the aggressor (the Extractor) and the defender (the target) use.

Initiation
The first step to an extraction is initiating the shared dreamscape, and bringing both parties into it.  The Extractor must make a DC 20 Lucid Dreaming check to do so (just like changing an aspect of one's personal dreamscape). This check is made while awake, just before falling asleep; if the check is successful, upon falling asleep the Extractor appears in the dreamscape instead of a normal dream, and is immediately aware that he is dreaming. Initiating the dreamscape carries no cost in Dream Points.

Once the Extractor is occupying the dreamscape, the dreaming target must first be located, which requires a Lucid Dreaming check as normal.  Once the target has been identified and located, it can be drawn into the prepared dreamscape with a second, opposed Lucid Dreaming check. This works as normal, except that the Extractor suffers a penalty to the second check based on the distance between his sleeping body and the target's, as shown in the table below.


When the Extractor and the target are both sharing the dreamscape, the games begin: Extractor and target may begin using dream tactics against each other, as described below.

End game
The extraction ends when the Extractor leaves the dreamscape, either intentionally or by dying within.  (If the target leaves, the Extractor can gain no more information, so generally the extraction ends in that case as well.)  When the Extractor leaves, the dreamscape becomes unstable. While it is unstable, the entire dreamscape suffers as if from an earthquake spell; after 5 consecutive rounds of instability, the entire dreamscape disintegrates and all participating dreamers wake up.

Tactical Manipulation of the Dreamscape
Once the target has been brought into the dreamscape, the Extractor can attempt to


Knowledges
Open Lock
Forgery
Intimidate
Disguise
Bluff
Gather Information
Hide
Concentration
Search
Tumble
Sense Motive

Distance	Penalty
10 feet or less	No penalty
11–30 feet	-1
31–60 feet	-2
61–100 feet	-4
101–200 feet	-6
201–500 feet	-8
500–1000 feet	-10
1001 feet or more	-12

Help??

[phaedrusxy]

Just looking it over for now. Noticed this:

The Extractor cannot ready the same maneuver multiple times to use it more than once during the same day.

Shouldn't that be encounter?

Upon achieving 4th level, an Extractor gains a Lucid Projection, which functions as a cohort of his Extractor level -3.  However, the Projection does not exit all the time.

And why is it his ECL-3, instead of -2 like a normal cohort? I think you should play an Extractor, and have your new character be his (or her) Projection.

[sirpercival]

Just looking it over for now. Noticed this:

The Extractor cannot ready the same maneuver multiple times to use it more than once during the same day.

Shouldn't that be encounter?

Yes, thank you!

[Garryl]

Still looking through this myself. I'm actually starting with the soulmelds, for some reason. I haven't actually gotten very far, yet.

(click to show/hide)

Bracers of Projection (Arms): I'm not sure the timing works out on this. You have to declare what you're attacking (something within reach) before you make the attack roll, so if this must be used immediately before the attack roll, it's too late for reach to matter, isn't it?

Brooch of Stars (Heart) + Evasion = Immune to damage. Seriously, man? This is a well-known issue with a well-known spell/item (so known due to said issue).

Considering Cap (Crown): Essentia, not essential.

[sirpercival]

Upon achieving 4th level, an Extractor gains a Lucid Projection, which functions as a cohort of his Extractor level -3.  However, the Projection does not exit all the time.

And why is it his ECL-3, instead of -2 like a normal cohort? I think you should play an Extractor, and have your new character be his (or her) Projection.

Just saw your edit.  Fixed the typo.

It's extractor level -3 because you get it at level 4, so it's set at 1st level there.

Still looking through this myself. I'm actually starting with the soulmelds, for some reason. I haven't actually gotten very far, yet.

(click to show/hide)

Bracers of Projection (Arms): I'm not sure the timing works out on this. You have to declare what you're attacking (something within reach) before you make the attack roll, so if this must be used immediately before the attack roll, it's too late for reach to matter, isn't it?

Brooch of Stars (Heart) + Evasion = Immune to damage. Seriously, man? This is a well-known issue with a well-known spell/item (so known due to said issue).

Considering Cap (Crown): Essentia, not essential.

Fixed & clarified on all counts.

[Garryl]

Bracers of Projection (Arms): Same problem. You have to declare your target (see the second sentence) before you get the benefit. Your target must be within reach, thus negating the benefit.

Brooch of Stars (Heart): By the time you get this, you'll be making the save on a 1. Just say you take half damage from attacks and be done with it, removing the risk of any the issue (which can still exist with certain Improved Evasion abilities, a Ring of Evasion, and who knows how many homebrew abilities).
   On a related note, this effect has two particular things I hate in its mechanics. Fixed save DCs, and making a save against your own ability to impede your opponents' attacks.
   Fixed DCs are bad because eventually you just make them on a 1.
   Saves against your own ability are weird, counterintuitive, and deny the standard mechanics. Your save DC boosters apply (working against you), but your opponents have no method to make their own attack form more effective.

[sirpercival]

Bracers of Projection (Arms): Same problem. You have to declare your target (see the second sentence) before you get the benefit. Your target must be within reach, thus negating the benefit.

Alright, how do I make this work the way I intend?

Brooch of Stars (Heart): By the time you get this, you'll be making the save on a 1. Just say you take half damage from attacks and be done with it, removing the risk of any the issue (which can still exist with certain Improved Evasion abilities, a Ring of Evasion, and who knows how many homebrew abilities).
   On a related note, this effect has two particular things I hate in its mechanics. Fixed save DCs, and making a save against your own ability to impede your opponents' attacks.
   Fixed DCs are bad because eventually you just make them on a 1.
   Saves against your own ability are weird, counterintuitive, and deny the standard mechanics. Your save DC boosters apply (working against you), but your opponents have no method to make their own attack form more effective.

Hm.  I'd still like there to be a save.  Maybe a Ref save vs their attack roll?

[Garryl]

Bracers of Projection (Arms): Same problem. You have to declare your target (see the second sentence) before you get the benefit. Your target must be within reach, thus negating the benefit.

Alright, how do I make this work the way I intend?

Whenever you would make a melee attack, before declaring the target of your attack, you can choose a single subject as a free action. Make a Lucid Dreaming check against a DC equal to the subject's AC. If you succeed, your reach increases by 10 feet for this melee attack, but only for the purpose of attacking the subject. Even on a failure, you can still choose to attack another valid target you threaten.

Brooch of Stars (Heart): By the time you get this, you'll be making the save on a 1. Just say you take half damage from attacks and be done with it, removing the risk of any the issue (which can still exist with certain Improved Evasion abilities, a Ring of Evasion, and who knows how many homebrew abilities).
   On a related note, this effect has two particular things I hate in its mechanics. Fixed save DCs, and making a save against your own ability to impede your opponents' attacks.
   Fixed DCs are bad because eventually you just make them on a 1.
   Saves against your own ability are weird, counterintuitive, and deny the standard mechanics. Your save DC boosters apply (working against you), but your opponents have no method to make their own attack form more effective.

Hm.  I'd still like there to be a save.  Maybe a Ref save vs their attack roll?

Gonna fail. Attack bonuses outscale saves.

[sirpercival]

Bracers of Projection (Arms): Same problem. You have to declare your target (see the second sentence) before you get the benefit. Your target must be within reach, thus negating the benefit.

Alright, how do I make this work the way I intend?

Whenever you would make a melee attack, before declaring the target of your attack, you can choose a single subject as a free action. Make a Lucid Dreaming check against a DC equal to the subject's AC. If you succeed, your reach increases by 10 feet for this melee attack, but only for the purpose of attacking the subject. Even on a failure, you can still choose to attack another valid target you threaten.

Thank you! lol.

Brooch of Stars (Heart): By the time you get this, you'll be making the save on a 1. Just say you take half damage from attacks and be done with it, removing the risk of any the issue (which can still exist with certain Improved Evasion abilities, a Ring of Evasion, and who knows how many homebrew abilities).
   On a related note, this effect has two particular things I hate in its mechanics. Fixed save DCs, and making a save against your own ability to impede your opponents' attacks.
   Fixed DCs are bad because eventually you just make them on a 1.
   Saves against your own ability are weird, counterintuitive, and deny the standard mechanics. Your save DC boosters apply (working against you), but your opponents have no method to make their own attack form more effective.

Hm.  I'd still like there to be a save.  Maybe a Ref save vs their attack roll?

Gonna fail. Attack bonuses outscale saves.

How about "DC = 10 + the amount the attack roll beat your AC by"?

[sirpercival]

{scrubbed}

damn quote vs edit...

[phaedrusxy]

I like the class overall, but much of what you have written up in the Extraction material is already in the Lucid Dreaming skill itself (as I know you noticed after writing this... ). The information in the spoiler is a step in the right direction. The main difference between just someone with ranks in Lucid Dreaming and what this guy is doing is the actual information gathering part, right? So the mechanics of Extraction should definitely focus on that, and only mention briefly the parts that just use the skill's mechanics (if at all).

In the movie, they did the trick with the safe. I think that's great, and should definitely be included. This is basically letting you use your Open Lock skill instead of Bluff to get the target to give you some information. All of the other parts of the setup just facilitate that. So how about just having it work like that (use Open Lock instead of Bluff to trick the target into "giving" you the information you want)?

You could allow the same kind of thing with other skills, as alternatives to get the information.

And why the penalty on the check to draw them into the dream based on distance? Do you think that's something that should be included in the skill itself? It seems very odd that a class specialized in using a skill would be worse at some aspects of it than someone who didn't take the class, but instead just used the skill normally...

[Garryl]

How about "DC = 10 + the amount the attack roll beat your AC by"?

Unless you're dumping AC and relying on miss chances or something, we're back into a really complex way of saying auto-success. Attack bonuses usually wind up hitting on a 1, but not so much on a -10, except for touch attacks from non-gishes (gishes with touch attacks tend towards hitting on a -20 instead). Plus, did I mention that it's really complex to figure out the odds? A whole cartload of different modifiers on different scales designed for different things, all mashed together.

[veekie]

Easier, just do the DC as normal, 10+(1/2 BAB)+ Stat.

[sirpercival]

I like the class overall, but much of what you have written up in the Extraction material is already in the Lucid Dreaming skill itself (as I know you noticed after writing this... ). The information in the spoiler is a step in the right direction. The main difference between just someone with ranks in Lucid Dreaming and what this guy is doing is the actual information gathering part, right? So the mechanics of Extraction should definitely focus on that, and only mention briefly the parts that just use the skill's mechanics (if at all).

In the movie, they did the trick with the safe. I think that's great, and should definitely be included. This is basically letting you use your Open Lock skill instead of Bluff to get the target to give you some information. All of the other parts of the setup just facilitate that. So how about just having it work like that (use Open Lock instead of Bluff to trick the target into "giving" you the information you want)?

You could allow the same kind of thing with other skills, as alternatives to get the information.

Yeah, that's kind of the idea.  I want this to be a sort of mental combat system, but using skill checks instead of attack rolls & crap.  The idea is to make it something you actually get to roleplay out.

And why the penalty on the check to draw them into the dream based on distance? Do you think that's something that should be included in the skill itself? It seems very odd that a class specialized in using a skill would be worse at some aspects of it than someone who didn't take the class, but instead just used the skill normally...

I dunno... the lore goes both ways.  I was including it to kind of represent the whole "we have to be close to you to hook you up to the machine" thing... but in, for example, Tel'ara'rhiod, you can find someone's dreams from anywhere and pull them into dream shards.  So I'm kinda torn.

Easier, just do the DC as normal, 10+(1/2 BAB)+ Stat.

Hm, yeah that's better.  Done!

[phaedrusxy]

I dunno... the lore goes both ways.  I was including it to kind of represent the whole "we have to be close to you to hook you up to the machine" thing... but in, for example, Tel'ara'rhiod, you can find someone's dreams from anywhere and pull them into dream shards.  So I'm kinda torn.

I went for the first one, obviously.  It makes sense in the movie to have to be close, but in D&D it doesn't, really. The existence of souls and minds outside of their bodies is well established, even in specific regard to dreaming.

I did make the difficulty dependent on how well you know them, though:

Locate Dreamer/Dreamwalker: A Dreamwalker may cast their mind across the Plane of Dreams to find the dream of a specific individual. If the individual that they are searching for is within the same Dreamscape as them, then the DC for this check is only 10 plus the number of dream levels separating them.

If they are in separate dreams, then the DC is based on the familiarity the Dreamwalker (the person making the check) has for the Dreamer (the person they're trying to find). If they are intimate friend, then the DC is only 15. For close friends, the DC is 17. For less well known friends and associates, the DC is 20. For someone they've seen only once (including via Scrying), the DC is 25. For someone they've only heard of, the DC is 30.

[veekie]

I dunno... the lore goes both ways.  I was including it to kind of represent the whole "we have to be close to you to hook you up to the machine" thing... but in, for example, Tel'ara'rhiod, you can find someone's dreams from anywhere and pull them into dream shards.  So I'm kinda torn.

For T'A'R,  you need to be physically close or more importantly, spiritually close to find a particular person/dream, unless the dream is particularly strong or noticeable in some other way. So it's twofold, you have to be physically near them unless you have a pre-existing close relationship or some other connection.