Pathfinder 1E Incarnum in Pathfinder

Changes to Two Critical Soulmelds

Because the Incarnate of Balance exists, it is necessary to make changes to two critical soulmelds in order to fully incorporate it. Namely, Incarnate Avatar and Incarnate Weapon. Both need versions for the Incarnate of Balance, and in fact I made a specific descriptor for soulmelds that are intended to be used by True Neutral people only (the Balance descriptor). Also, PF official canon changes the Outsiders associated with each given alignment in some cases, so I incorporated those changes into the Avatar (given that it is supposed to look like the appropriate Outsider type). The changes to the two soulmelds are set out below.

Incarnate Avatar

Descriptors: Balance, Chaotic, Evil, Good, or Lawful
The appearance of an Incarnate Avatar depends on its alignment descriptor (Incarnate and Soulborn characters cannot shape soulmelds with alignment descriptors not matching their own alignment).
Balance: Your Incarnate Avatar resembles a Bythos Aeon, a four-armed vaguely-humanoid form made of gray smoke.
Chaotic: Your Incarnate Avatar resembles an Imentesh Protean, a (usually) blue-colored humanoid torso with enormous claws, a birdlike head with a toothy maw, and a snakelike lower body. The color shifts and changes over time, but usually stays some shade of blue or combines blue with other colors in a color pattern.
Evil: Your Incarnate Avatar resembles a Derghodaemon, a nightmarish, vicious bouquet of insectile claws sprouting from a three-legged, multi-eyed beast.
Essentia: Investing essentia in the Incarnate Avatar grants a specific benefit depending on its alignment descriptor.
Balance: You gain a +1 insight bonus on CMB and CMD for every point of essentia you invest in this soulmeld.
[h=4]Chakra Bind (Soul)[/h] Incarnate Weapon

[h=4]Chakra Bind (Arms)[/h]

Three New Soulmelds For Alignment Distinction

MoI has several soulmelds aligned Good or Evil, but none aligned Lawful or Chaotic except for Incarnate Avatar and Incarnate Weapon. I felt that this was a huge hole begging to be filled, so began the process of filling it (though only began). I invented three new soulmelds, one each for Lawful, Balance, and Chaotic alignment association; these three are set out below (first the "shorthand" versions, then the full versions set out like the full soulmeld descriptions in Chapter 4 of MoI).

The shorthand:

Judges Monocle (Lawful): +(2+2E) competence Diplomacy, Intimidate, Sense Motive.
Brow: StdA Discern Lies upon one target.

Mantle of Stability (Balance): +(2+2E) insight Acrobatics, and on CMD against Bull Rush, Drag, or Trip.
Shoulders: Treat difficult terrain within (5+5E) feet (1+E squares) as normal terrain for purposes of movement, plus ignore temperature extremes within radius.
Pattern: StdA Endure Elements up to (ML) times before (U).
Totem: Gain Woodland Stride as Druid.

Revolutionary's Cloak (Chaotic): +(2+2E) insight Bluff, Disguise, and Stealth.
Shoulders: Freedom of Movement, up to (ML) minutes/day.

The full descriptions:

[h=3]Judge's Monocle[/h] [h=4]Chakra Bind (Brow)[/h] [h=3]Mantle of Stability[/h] [h=4]Chakra Bind (Shoulders)[/h] [h=4]Chakra Bind (Pattern)[/h] [h=4]Chakra Bind (Totem)[/h] [h=3]Revolutionary's Cloak[/h] [h=4]Chakra Bind (Shoulders)[/h]

The Current Version of the Totemist

This is the most current version of the Totemist in my rules files, including two Archetypes for it. Everything in this post is as yet untested in actual play, though hopefully it's not far off the balance mark (and proves to be fun when used). The Spirit Guide is, of course, the Totemist's answer to the Radiant Incarnate. The Monstershaper came out of me noticing the fact that the Foundationist (which depends upon its Pattern Chakra in a manner quite similar to the Totemist depending upon its Totem Chakra) really wants to combine many soulmelds on that Chakra at once; the Monstershaper therefore creates a Totemist that is closer to the Foundationist mechanically. It is possible that the Monstershaper should actually be the core version of the Totemist, and the version set out below an Archetype instead; however, this is what I have at present so it's what I'm posting.

Class Skills: The Totemist's class skills are: Craft (any) (INT), Fly (DEX), Handle Animal (CHA), Knowledge (Arcana, Nature, Planes) (INT), Perception (WIS), Profession (any) (WIS), Ride (DEX), Spellcraft (INT), Survival (WIS), and Swim (STR)


Totemists have class abilities as described in MoI, except for the (admittedly extensive) changes noted below.

• Wild Empathy (Ex): A Totemist can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The Totemist rolls 1d20 and adds his or her Totemist level and CHA modifier to determine the Wild Empathy check result.
  The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.
  To use Wild Empathy, the Totemist and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
  A Totemist can also use this ability to influence a Magical Beast with an INT score of 1 or 2, but takes a –4 penalty on the check. However, unlike other classes with the Wild Empathy ability, a Totemist can gain a bonus to offset this penalty: if the character is specifically trying to influence a Magical Beast associated with the soulmeld that he or she has bound to his or her Totem chakra (for example, the character has a Basilisk Mask bound to the Totem, and tries to use Wild Empathy on a Basilisk), he or she gains a +4 bonus on the Wild Empathy check (and thus effectively takes no penalty).
• Totem's Protection (Su): At 3rd level, the Totemist can use his or her connection with the souls of beasts to gain protection against the special attacks and powers of those same beasts. He or she gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against the Extraordinary, Psi-Like, Supernatural, and Spell-Like abilities of Magical Beasts.
• Totem's Empathy (Ex): At 4th level, the Totemist gains a +4 on Wild Empathy checks made to influence the attitude of a beast associated with any of his or her shaped soulmelds, not just the one bound to the Totem chakra. If the beast is specifically the one associated with the soulmeld bound to the Totemist's Totem chakra, then the character receives a further +4 bonus, granting him or her (in most cases) a total +4 bonus rather than the usual -4 penalty associated with trying to influence a Magical Beast.
• Improved Totem's Empathy (Ex): At 7th level, the Totemist gains a +4 bonus on Wild Empathy checks made to influence the attitude of any Magical Beast, regardless of which soulmelds he or she has shaped. He or she still gains a +4 bonus if the beast is associated with the soulmeld bound to the Totem chakra.
  Furthermore, the Totemist is no longer limited to influencing creatures with an INT score of 1 or 2 with Wild Empathy checks; any creature of the Animal or Magical Beast type is a legal target for his Wild Empathy from 7th level onward. If the Totemist uses Wild Empathy on a creature with an INT score above 2, it is treated as a Diplomacy check in every way, including allowing for the possibility of the Totemist using the Aid Another action to help an ally's Diplomacy check on the same target, or an ally using Diplomacy to Aid the Totemist's Wild Empathy check.
• Totem's Lore (Su): At 10th level, a Totemist can use his or her connection with the souls of nature to learn things about creatures with some connection to it, even if he or she has no appropriate Knowledge ranks. As a standard action, the Totemist can target a creature of the Animal, Dragon, Magical Beast, or Ooze type within 30 feet to learn about its abilities and weaknesses. With a successful ranged touch attack, the character gains information as if he made the appropriate Knowledge skill check with a result equal to 20 + his or her Totemist level + his or her WIS modifier. The character may also target creatures which are templated versions of creatures of an appropriate type, even if the template changes the creature type to a disallowed type (for example, a Half-Dragon Lich would be a legal target, even though it is of the Undead creature type, because it was type Dragon before it became a Lich).
• Totem Shape (Su): Also at 10th level, a Totemist gains the ability to literally merge with the souls woven into the soulmeld bound to his or her Totem Chakra, actually becoming the associated beast (at least in form). This works like the spell Beast Shape IV, except that the character can only become a Magical Beast of size Tiny to Large, and can only transform into the creature associated with the soulmeld bound to his or her Totem Chakra (if there is no soulmeld bound to the Totem Chakra, or the soulmeld bound to Totem is not associated with a Tiny, Small, Medium, or Large creature of the Magical Beast type, then this ability cannot be used).
  The Totemist can use the alternate form for up to 1 minute/level per day. These minutes need not be used consecutively; for example, a 10th-level Totemist can spend 2 minutes as the Totem creature, then transform back to normal form, and still have 8 minutes of Totem Shape time left that day. Transforming either from normal form to beast form, or vice versa, is a full-round action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The character need not wait a full minute after transforming into beast form before turning back, but any fractional minutes used are rounded up when counting against total duration for any given day. The total number of minutes of Totem Shape per day is renewed after resting for 8 hours, though these hours do not need to be consecutive.
  While in the form of his or her Totem creature, the Totemist still has all soulmelds shaped, and retains access to all of their abilities (including Chakra Binds) wherever appropriate, including the ability to change essentia investments each round. One exception to this is that, if a soulmeld grants the character a natural attack (such as Claws) which the character's Totem form also has, then the attacks do not stack; instead, only the more damaging one is used (although special effects besides basic damage, such as energy damage or the ability to Rend, are combined if possible). For example, if the Totemist has Behir Gorget bound to Totem and transforms into a Behir, he or she loses the 1d8 Bite attack and instead gains a Bite dealing 2d6 damage. However, this Bite not only has the Grab ability that a normal Behir would have, but also deals 1d4 Electricity damage per point of essentia invested in the Gorget on top of its normal damage.
  Whether or not the creature of the Totem Form can typically speak, a Totemist in Totem Shape cannot use Wild Empathy, cast spells or use spell-like abilities that are not a part of the standard Totem creature's repertoire, or use his or her normal equipment (it is melded into the new form as standard for Polymorph effects). Also, since this ability is so tightly linked to the Totem Chakra, the Totemist is unable to voluntarily unshape the soulmeld bound to it, or unbind it, or use the Rebind Totem Soulmeld class ability, or otherwise change the soulmeld bound to the Totem Chakra while in the alternate form. The soulmeld bound to the character's Totem can still be unshaped by special effects or abilities, such as an Incarnum Dragon's Consume Soulmeld ability, and if it is then the Totemist is forced to spend his or her next round transforming back to normal form.
• Greater Totem's Empathy (Su): At 13th level, the souls of beasts are such a part of the Totemist that animals and beasts of any kind become loath to attack the character.
  The character is now allowed to use Wild Empathy not only on Animals and Magical Beasts, but also upon Oozes- even Oozes which have no INT score. If the Totemist tries to influence an Ooze, he or she takes a -4 penalty on the check, and Oozes typically start with an attitude of Unfriendly (if intelligent) or Hostile (if unintelligent).
  Creatures of the Animal type are now more inclined to respect the Totemist, and automatically begin encounters with the character one step friendlier than the standard (i.e. domesticated animals start as Friendly, while wild animals start as Indifferent).
  Finally, the Totemist is able to make any Wild Empathy check with just one full-round action, in contrast to the usual required time of 1 minute.
• Greater Totem Shape: At 14th level, the Totemist's Totem Shape ability improves, allowing him or her to assume the form of a creature associated with any soulmeld he or she has shaped- not just the one bound to the Totem Chakra. Furthermore, the character is also allowed to assume the form of a creature of Diminutive or Huge size, as long as it is of the Magical Beast type (ability score adjustments for Diminutive are the same as Tiny, while adjustments for size Huge are the same as Large). The Totemist is not allowed to switch directly from one beast form to another, without first switching back to normal form (and thus expending 1 minute of the total daily duration).
  While in alternate form, the Totemist is free to unshape/reshape/unbind/rebind all soulmelds except the one associated with the character's present form; for example, if the Totemist has Girallon Arms bound to Arms, but is using an Ankheg Breastplate bound to his or her Totem, then he or she is allowed to change the Breastplate (even using Rebind Totem Soulmeld, if desired) while in Girallon form, but is not allowed to rebind the Girallon Arms to Totem, or otherwise alter the status of the Arms without first switching back to normal form.
• Master Totem Shape: At 18th level the Totem Shape ability improves again, allowing the Totemist to switch from one possible alternate form to another without first resuming his or her normal form. Thus, a Totemist with Ankheg Breastplate, Brass Mane, Displacer Mantle, and Landshark Boots shaped could spend a round transforming into a Bulette, spend two rounds in that form, use round 4 to turn into a Dragonne, take round 5 to fly up to a ledge, use round 6 to turn into an Ankheg, and spend rounds 7-9 burrowing into the hillside- all while only using up 1 minute of Totem Shape duration.
• Perfect Totem's Empathy (Su): At 19th level, the Totemist's Wild Empathy ability improves one more time. The character is now allowed to use Wild Empathy on creatures of the Animal, Dragon, Magical Beast, or Ooze types, regardless of the target's INT score (or lack thereof). The character is also able to target creatures of other types, as long as those creatures are templated versions of base creatures with an appropriate type (for example, a Manticore Skeleton would be an allowed target, because the skeleton was once a Manticore- a Magical Beast).
  A Wild Empathy check can now be made with a standard action.
  The Totemist takes no penalty on the Wild Empathy check for any creature type, but a creature without an INT score is more difficult to influence and thus the character takes a -4 penalty to influence those. Creatures of the Animal type, as well as Dragons and Magical Beasts with INT scores above 2, treat the character with greater respect than normal, and begin encounters one step friendlier than they otherwise would have (for Animals, this does not change from the effect of Greater Totem's Empathy, above, but it now affects other types of creatures as well).
  This ability to connect with the souls of beasts is so powerful that the Totemist is even able to affect summoned creatures, as long as they are of appropriate types. If the Totemist desires, he or she can try to break the bond between a summoned creature and its master, as long as the creature is of an appropriate creature type. This special check is not a standard Wild Empathy check, but is instead an attempt to overcome the master's control over the target creature; the Totemist makes a roll of 1d20 + his or her Totemist level + his or her CHA modifier against a DC of (11 + the spell's caster level).
  If the check is successful, the master loses all control over the summoned creature, which is now free to act as it pleases; the typical starting attitude of a freed summoned creature is Unfriendly towards its master or any allies of that caster, Friendly toward the Totemist who freed it, and Indifferent to any allies of the Totemist. The master is no longer allowed to dismiss the spell, if he or she originally cast it, nor even to end it by any means other than resorting to use of Dispel Magic or Dismissal (or other such spell) on the summoned creature, and in the latter case must make a Dispel check just as if trying to dispel another caster's spell rather than one of his or her own.
  Once a summoned creature is freed from the control of its master, the Totemist is allowed to attempt to influence it further using a Wild Empathy check as normal.

Starting Age: Totemists start at Trained age.
Starting Gold: Totemist characters start with 2d6 × 10 gp (average 70).

[h=4]Archetypes[/h] Monstershaper:
Although most Totemists explore their connections to the various souls of beasts one at a time, some prefer to use their powers to transform themselves into "perfect monsters" which partake of desirable powers from some creatures without also having any of their weaknesses. To accomplish this, these "Monstershaping" Totemists spend considerable time and energy discovering how to bind the powers of multiple beast-souls to their Totems simultaneously. This allows them to gain the powers of multiple beast-souls at once, though it also tends to make their powers less stable and concentrated than those of standard Totemists (in particular, they never gain the ability to increase the effective meldshaper level of soulmelds bound to Totem- though this is not the only power they never develop).


Class Features:
All of the following are class features of the Monstershaper.

• Double Chakra (Totem) (Ex): At 6th level, a Monstershaper gains Double Chakra (Totem) as a bonus feat. If the character already has Double Chakra (Totem), then he or she gains no benefit from this class feature.
  This ability replaces the +1 meldshaper level granted to the Totem-bound soulmeld, which other Totemists gain at 6th level. A Monstershaper never gains the meldshaper level boost gained by other Totemists.
• Triple Chakra (Totem) (Ex): At 12th level, a Monstershaper gains a unique ability to have three soulmelds occupying (and, if desired, bound to) the Totem chakra simultaneously.
  This ability replaces the extra use of the Rebind Totem Soulmeld ability that other Totemists gain at 12th level. From this point forward, a Monstershaper has one less daily use of the Rebind Totem Soulmeld ability.
• Quadruple Chakra (Totem) (Ex): At 18th level, the Monstershaper can have four soulmelds occupying (and, if desired, bound to) the Totem chakra at the same time.
  This ability replaces Master Totem Shape.

Spirit Guide:

Most Totemists are happy to explore their own connection to the souls of beasts, and commune with nature on their own, but some (typically, members of tribes living in wild areas beyond the bounds of "civilization" as such) instead use their powers to help others commune with beasts the way they can. Rather than using their meldshaping powers to enhance only themselves, these Totemists spend time helping others discover and use their own totems. Because of this latter role, these Totemists are called Spirit Guides, though it is notable that they more often guide helpful spirits to allies, rather than the reverse. They give up some ability to meldshape in exchange for this specialty, but those who benefit from their unique guidance and help rarely (if ever) fault them for that weakness.


Class Features:
All of the following are class features of the Spirit Guide Totemist.

• Meldshaping: A Spirit Guide has a soulmeld limit one less than normal- thus, a 5th-level Spirit Guide can shape at most 3 soulmelds, rather than 4. This ability otherwise functions as and replaces the standard Totemist Meldshaping class feature.
• Infused Soulmeld (Su): A Spirit Guide Totemist helps other willing sentient creatures by sculpting soulmelds around them- empowering them with abilities much like those the Spirit Guide is able to gift to himself or herself via more conventional meldshaping craft.
  As a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity, a Spirit Guide Totemist may transfer any one soulmeld he or she has shaped onto another willing creature by touch, as long as the creature receiving the soulmeld has the appropriate chakra unoccupied by any soulmeld or magic item (for example, a Girallon Arms could not be transferred to a creature with another soulmeld already occupying its Arms Chakra). If a soulmeld can occupy more than one chakra (for example, Dread Carapace can occupy Arms, Feet, or Heart), then the soulmeld must be set to occupy the same chakra that the Spirit Guide had it occupying on himself or herself; that is, the chakra cannot be changed in transit. The Spirit Guide must invest 1 point of essentia into the chosen soulmeld as it is transferred, or the soulmeld immediately unshapes; this essentia stays invested in the soulmeld but does not provide either the soulmeld's new wearer nor the Spirit Guide who originally shaped it with any of the standard benefits that soulmeld would normally grant from essentia investment- the essentia is instead being used to keep the soulmeld intact on its new wearer.
  If the creature receiving the soulmeld has an essentia pool of its own, it may invest essentia into the transferred soulmeld as if it had shaped the soulmeld itself; the essentia invested by the Spirit Guide to keep it intact upon its new wearer does not count in any way against the soulmeld's essentia capacity for investment. If the new wearer has the ability to bind a soulmeld to the chakra the transferred soulmeld occupies, then it may Bind the transferred soulmeld to that chakra using the normal rules for reshaping and rebinding soulmelds. The transferred soulmeld does not count against the new wearer's limits on soulmelds shaped, if it has any such limits, but it does count as being a soulmeld occupying the appropriate chakra- so a creature gifted with an Girallon Arms could not, for example, spend 15 minutes shaping an Armguards of Disruption on itself unless it had the Double Chakra (Arms) feat. If the new wearer becomes unconscious or dead for any reason, the transferred soulmeld immediately unshapes, and the essentia the Spirit Guide invested into it to keep it intact is divested as though the Spirit Guide had done it himself or herself (see below).
  The Spirit Guide is not able to invest essentia into the soulmeld, after it is transferred; for all intents and purposes, the soulmeld is considered unshaped from the perspective of the Spirit Guide as soon as the transfer is completed. The Spirit Guide may, in fact, shape a new soulmeld to replace the one just transferred; this uses the normal rules for shaping individual soulmelds. The only thing the Spirit Guide must do while the transferred soulmeld remains shaped is keep the 1 point of essentia invested in it; as soon as the Spirit Guide divests that essentia from the transferred soulmeld for any reason, the soulmeld immediately unshapes.
  This ability replaces Wild Empathy.
• Totem Guidance (Su): Beginning at 4th level, a Spirit Guide Totemist has the ability to specifically bind a soulmeld transferred using the Infused Soulmeld ability to the Totem Chakra of its new wearer, during the transfer. This does not harm the creature to whom the soulmeld is transferred, and grants that creature the full benefits of the Totem Chakra Bind for the transferred soulmeld as long as the soulmeld remains shaped. Because the soulmeld is being bound to the other creature's Totem by a third party, it does not naturally stay bound the way a normal soulmeld would; the Spirit Guide must carefully keep watch upon the soulmeld to be sure it does not spontaneously unbind itself, and can therefore only bind one transferred soulmeld to its new wearer's Totem Chakra this way at any given time.
  If the Spirit Guide wishes, he or she can allow the transferred soulmeld to unbind (without actually unshaping it or divesting the essentia being used to keep it intact upon the new wearer), and free up this "Transferred Totem slot" for another soulmeld. Soulmelds which have already been transferred to other creatures cannot be bound to their new wearers' Totems this way; the binding must be done during the actual transfer itself- but if the Spirit Guide is not currently maintaining a Totem-bound transferred soulmeld, then he or she is free to bind a new soulmeld that he or she transfers to its new wearer's Totem during that transfer process.
  At 13th level, the Spirit Guide becomes familiar enough with maintaining Totem-bound soulmelds on other creatures that he or she is able to maintain two such Totem binds at once.
  This ability replaces Totem's Empathy, Greater Totem's Empathy, and Totem Transformation.
• Share Totem's Protection (Su): At 7th level, the same spirits which grant the Spirit Guide Totemist the Totem's Protection ability (+4 on saves against Extraordinary, Psi-Like, Supernatural or Spell-Like abilities of Magical Beasts) will listen to the character if he or she asks them to help another creature. As an immediate action, the Spirit Guide can grant the bonus on saving throws to an ally within 30 feet, or to any ally currently wearing a soulmeld which was transferred by the Spirit Guide (using Infused Soulmeld) regardless of distance. The ally gains this bonus for 1 round, and the Spirit Guide loses the bonus for 1 round. The Spirit Guide may use this ability any number of times per day, but may only grant another creature the bonus if he or she is currently under the protection of the bonus himself or herself- that is, no more than one creature (including the Spirit Guide) can benefit from the Totem's Protection at any one time.
  This ability replaces Improved Totem's Empathy.
• Greater Totem Guidance (Su): At 19th level, a Spirit Guide Totemist gains the ability to not only bind a soulmeld transferred using the Infused Soulmeld ability to the Totem Chakra of its new wearer, but also to the Chakra that the soulmeld actually occupies, as though the new wearer had the "Double Bind" ability of the Totem Chakra Bind gained by Totemists at 11th level. This grants the creature the full benefits (for the transferred soulmeld) of both the Totem Chakra Bind and the Chakra Bind ability for the occupied chakra, for as long as the soulmeld remains shaped. The Spirit Guide is able to double-bind any transferred soulmeld that he or she binds to its new wearer's Totem at all, with this ability, so the character is able to maintain two at once. This ability functions regardless of whether or not the soulmeld's new wearer has the appropriate chakra open for binding- by this point the Spirit Guide is experienced enough at manipulating soul energy that the target's own meldshaping prowess (or lack thereof) is irrelevant to the process.
  This ability replaces Perfect Totem's Empathy.

The Current Version of the Foundationist

Finally, here's the most recent version of the Foundationist from the files. This one has three Archetypes, partly because it was the first class to get any at all. Of course, the Soulborn has an entire alternate class, so that's ahead in terms of options- though that alternate class brings it closer to this class, so then again maybe not.

Patternmelder is, of course, this class's version of a Radiant Incarnate or a Spirit Guide (Totemist).

Class Skills: The Foundationist's class skills are: Craft (any) (INT), Fly (DEX), Knowledge (any) (INT), Linguistics (INT), Profession (any) (WIS), and Spellcraft (INT).


Skill Points per Level: 2 + INT modifier.




[h=4]Class Features:[/h] All of the following are class features of the Foundationist.

• Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Foundationists are proficient with all Simple weapons, Light armor, Medium armor, and Shields (but not Tower Shields).
• Meldshaping: A Foundationist's primary ability is shaping soulmelds, which are drawn from the Foundationist soulmeld list. All Foundationists know (and can shape) all soulmelds from this list, but see Elemental Affinity below regarding the Elemental associations of these soulmelds.
  The DC for a saving throw against a Foundationist's soulmeld is 10 + the number of points of essentia invested in the soulmeld + the Foundationist's INT modifier. The Meldshaper Level is equal to the Foundationist level.
  A Foundationist can shape only a certain number of soulmelds on his or her person at any one time. This base allotment is given in the class table above. The maximum number of soulmelds that the character can have shaped simultaneously is equal to his or her CON score minus 10, or the number of soulmelds allowed for his or her Foundationist level, whichever is lower. At 1st level, a Foundationist can shape two soulmelds at a time (assuming he or she has a CON score of at least 12). As the character advances in level, he or she can shape an increasing number of soulmelds.
  At 1st level, a Foundationist also gains access to a personal pool of essentia, which can be invested into his or her soulmelds to increase their power. This essentia pool's size is shown on the class table, but note that the Foundationist's character level determines the maximum quantity of essentia that he or she can invest in any single soulmeld, as noted in MoI on page 19 (table 2-1: Essentia Capacity). As a Swift Action, a Foundationist can reallocate his or her essentia investments in all of his or her soulmelds, every round (see MoI, page 50, "Essentia").
  A Foundationist 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 or her soulmelds (see Shaping Soulmelds, on page 49 of MoI).
• Elemental Affinity: A Foundationist picks one of the four elements at 1st level, and is forever afterward bound to that choice. This has effects later on soulmelds of the character's chosen element, but from this level it has an effect on the character's opposed element (that is, Air to Earth, Fire to Water, and vice versa): all soulmelds of the opposed element used by a Foundationist are at -1 essentia capacity. This means that at 1st level, although a Foundationist is allowed to shape soulmelds of the opposed element, he or she is forbidden from putting any essentia into them, because their effective essentia capacity is 0.
  Most soulmelds on the Foundationist list are affiliated to one specific element, but three in particular (Elemental Avatar, Elemental Channel, and Elemental Chasuble) are affiliated with all four elements. A Foundationist is only allowed to use the version associated with his or her own element, for these three soulmelds; thus, a Fire Foundationist could not shape an Elemental Avatar (Air). A few soulmelds have no elemental affiliation, and are designated Universal (or Univ).
  Also, the character receives a +1 bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Linguistics, and Sense Motive checks when used on creatures of the same elemental type he or she is affiliated with. For example, a Fire Foundationist would receive the bonus when interacting with Fire Elementals or Efreeti, or when dealing with the Ignan language.
• Pattern Chakra: Foundationists get access to a unique chakra which does not occupy any body slot, similar to the Totemist's Totem chakra. This unique chakra is called the Pattern chakra, because it represents the basic pattern of elements that is required to create any given object. In particular, the character's Pattern chakra is intended to represent his or her own Pattern, and conceptually the act of binding a soulmeld to it infuses the Foundationist's Pattern with extra elemental (or soul) energy which is what grants the powers provided by the chakra bind.
  Beginning at 8th level, any soulmeld (regardless of element) bound to the character's Pattern chakra has an essentia capacity 1 higher than normal. At 19th level, the capacity of any soulmeld bound to the Pattern increases by an additional point, for a total of +2 capacity.
  At 13th level, the Foundationist gains the ability to bind a single soulmeld to his or her Pattern chakra and to another chakra at the same time, gaining the special benefits of both chakra binds.
• Expanded Element Capacity (Ex): At 3rd level, and again at 15th, the essentia capacity of any soulmelds of the Foundationist's chosen element increases by 1. This only affects soulmelds, not feats, class features, or other abilities involving or allowing essentia investment. Noteworthy, however, is the fact that this benefit stacks with the ability of the Pattern chakra to boost soulmeld capacity- so at 8th level, for example, the essentia capacity of a soulmeld of the chosen element when bound to the Pattern chakra is +2 above standard.
• Rapid Meldshaping (Su): Beginning at 5th level, a Foundationist learns to shape soulmelds instantly (usually, but not always, under extreme circumstances). Once per day, as a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity, the character can unshape one of his or her existing soulmelds and immediately shape a replacement soulmeld. The newly shaped soulmeld cannot be bound to a chakra, even if the soulmeld that was unshaped was bound to a chakra. At 11th level, and every six levels thereafter, the Foundationist gains another daily use of this ability.
• Double Chakra (Pattern) (Ex): At 6th level, a Foundationist gains Double Chakra (Pattern) as a bonus feat. If the character already has Double Chakra (Pattern), then he or she gains no benefit from this class feature.
• Rebind Pattern Soulmeld (Su): At 7th level, the Foundationist gains the ability to shift soulmelds into and out of his or her Pattern chakra. Once per day, as a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity, the character can unbind a soulmeld from the Pattern chakra and then bind a different soulmeld to that chakra, as long as the new meld is one that the character currently has shaped. A Foundationist can use this ability one additional time per day for every 4 levels gained after 7th (2/day at 11th, 3/day at 15th, etc.).
• Reset Soulmeld (Su): At 10th level, the Foundationist is good enough at building and shaping soulmelds, and charging them with energy, that he or she can sometimes repair a soulmeld which is losing power due to use. Some soulmelds (including many on the Foundationist list) have a limited number of uses per day, or even unshape after a certain number of uses. This ability allows the Foundationist to use a full-round action (which provokes attacks of opportunity) to "reset" any one such soulmeld so that it "forgets" the number of times it has already been used, and is essentially starting again fresh and unused. This ability can be used only one time per day at 10th level, but at 16th level the Foundationist gains another daily use of this ability.
• Triple Chakra (Pattern) (Ex): At 12th level, a Foundationist gains a unique ability to have three soulmelds occupying (and, if desired, bound to) the Pattern chakra simultaneously.
• Quadruple Chakra (Pattern) (Ex): At 18th level, the Foundationist can have four soulmelds occupying (and, if desired, bound to) the Pattern chakra at the same time.
• Elemental Incarnation (Su): At 20th level, the Foundationist is so infused with elemental energy that he or she effectively becomes an Elemental, in body if not in soul. This grants the character immunity to Sneak Attacks, critical hits, and damage from the character's chosen element (Air: Electricity, Earth: Acid, Fire: Fire, Water: Cold).

Starting Age: Foundationists start at Trained age.
Starting Gold: Foundationist characters start with 2d6 × 10 gp (average 70).

[h=4]Archetypes:[/h] Necrofoundationist:
The fearsome power of Necrocarnum has its adherents and practitioners among Foundationists too. Called "Necrofoundationists" by others, they explicitly enslave and torture elemental spirits to power their meldshaping, rather than just contacting and encouraging as standard Foundationists do. They gain considerable power in the combination of Necrocarnum with standard elemental meldshaping, but give up any direct affinity with the Elements that they might have otherwise enjoyed (Elementals do not enjoy having their souls enslaved or tortured, any more than other creatures do).


Class Features:
All of the following are class features of the Necrofoundationist.

• Alignment: Any Evil. Necrofoundationists are explorers in a realm of hideously dark and wicked lore, who combine that lore with the otherwise-blameless craft of elemental meldshaping.
• Necroelemental Affinity: A Necrofoundationist adds the following soulmelds to his or her class list, all in the Universal category: Midnight Bracers, Midnight Necklace, Midnight Shirt, Necrocarnum Boots, Necrocarnum Circlet, Necrocarnum Cloak, Necrocarnum Mantle, Necrocarnum Mask, Necrocarnum Touch, and Necrocarnum Vestments. Noteworthy, here, is the fact that none of these soulmelds have or gain Pattern Chakra Binds when used by a Necrofoundationist.
  The Necrofoundationist loses the following soulmelds from his or her class list, and is unable to shape them without taking specific feats or other special abilities: Crystal Helm, Cyber Helmet, Gorgon Mask, Oceanic Robe, Pegasus Cloak, Purewater Globes, Rainbow Bracelets, Soulspark Familiar, Sunburst Mask, and Tornado Crown.
  A Necrofoundationist gives up any specialty with a particular element as a result of pursuing the combination of Necrocarnum with Foundationist soulcraft. A Necrofoundationist does not suffer a lower essentia capacity with any one element, but also does not gain any ability to enhance soulmelds of a particular element, nor to deal more favorably with creatures of a particular elemental type. Importantly, a Necrofoundationist is not restricted in choice of element when using any of the three "Elemental" soulmelds: Elemental Avatar, Elemental Channel, or Elemental Chasuble.
  This ability replaces Elemental Affinity.
• Expanded Necro Capacity (Ex): At 3rd level, and again at 15th, the essentia capacity of any soulmeld with the Necrocarnum descriptor shaped by the Necrofoundationist increases by 1. This only affects soulmelds with the Necrocarnum descriptor, not feats, class features, or other abilities involving or allowing essentia investment. Noteworthy, however, is the fact that this benefit stacks with the ability of the Pattern chakra to boost soulmeld capacity- so at 8th level, for example, the essentia capacity of a Necrocarnum soulmeld bound to the Pattern chakra is +2 above standard.
  This ability replaces Expanded Elemental Capacity.
• Necrotic Reconstruction (Ex): At 6th level, a Necrofoundationist is familiar enough with the four basic Elements that he or she is able to enslave and torture souls affiliated with them to derive Necrocarnum from them. When shaping his or her soulmelds, the character can add the Necrocarnum descriptor to one soulmeld that would not otherwise have it, as it is being shaped. This does not change any effects of the soulmeld so changed, except one: any damage the chosen soulmeld deals, is changed so that it deals half necrotic/negative energy damage. Because the elemental souls do not enjoy being used in the manner the character is using them, he or she must carefully watch it to maintain the soulmeld's integrity; only one such soulmeld can be shaped at any given time- though if the Necrotic-Reconstructed soulmeld unshapes, the character can replace it with another Necrotic-Reconstructed soulmeld if desired.
  For example, if the character shapes a Diamond Crown but changes it to be a Necrocarnum soulmeld, then its Brow Chakra Bind is a standard-action Ranged Touch Attack dealing 2d4 damage, plus 1d4 per point of invested essentia, of which half is Force damage (as the normal Diamond Crown deals) and half is negative energy/necrotic damage (not subject to any Force Resistance or Immunity the target may have). This special Necrotic-Reconstructed "Diamond Crown" counts as a Necrocarnum soulmeld for all purposes regarding Necroelemental Affinity, in particular the essentia capacity; thus, a 10th-level Necrofoundationist would have +1 essentia capacity in it. Only the damage type of a Necrotic-Reconstructed soulmeld changes; its other effects remain identical to the original form.
  At 18th level, the Necrofoundationist is able to maintain two Necrotic-Reconstructed soulmelds at once.
  This ability replaces Double Chakra (Pattern) and Quadruple Chakra (Pattern).
• Double Chakra (Pattern) (Ex): At 12th level, a Necrofoundationist gains Double Chakra (Pattern) as a bonus feat. If the character already has Double Chakra (Pattern), then he or she gains no benefit from this class feature.
  This ability replaces Triple Chakra (Pattern).
• Deathless (Su): A 20th-level Necrofoundationist who has at least one Soulmeld with the Necrocarnum descriptor shaped gains the following abilities and immunities: Darkvision 60 feet; Immunity to: ability damage to physical ability scores (mental ability scores can still be damaged), ability drain, bleed, death effects, disease, energy drain, exhaustion, fatigue, nonlethal damage, paralysis, poison, sleep effects, stunning; Immunity to any effect that requires breathing (such as inhaled afflictions, "cloud" spells such as Cloudkill, etc.). The character does not need to breathe, eat, or sleep while this ability is active, though he or she must still rest for 8 hours (performing no significant activity) as normal for use of abilities (such as natural healing) that require rest.
  This ability replaces Elemental Incarnation.

Patternmelder:

Most Foundationists are happy to explore their own connection to the souls of the elements, and what this says about the underpinnings of Reality, but a few do not stop there. Convinced that knowing (and altering) their own Patterns is not enough, these Foundationists spend time studying (and when practical, modifying) the elemental Patterns of others, in order to better discern the deeper laws governing mystical elements and their interaction with the cosmos. By studying unusual methods not taught (or even explicitly forbidden) by schools of elemental meldshaping, these Patternmelders (as they are called) try to experiment on others by modifying them with elemental soulstuff, sculpting soulmelds around them the way most meldshapers only do upon themselves. They give up some ability to meldshape in exchange for this specialty, but those who benefit from their meldshaping experiments rarely (if ever) fault them for that weakness.


Class Features:
All of the following are class features of the Patternmelder.

• Meldshaping: A Patternmelder has a soulmeld limit one less than normal- thus, a 5th-level Patternmelder can shape at most 3 soulmelds, rather than 4. This ability otherwise functions as and replaces the standard Foundationist Meldshaping class feature.
• Infused Soulmeld (Su): A Patternmelder experiments upon other sentient creatures that are willing to go along with it by sculpting soulmelds around them- empowering them with abilities much like those the Patternmelder is able to gift to himself or herself via more conventional meldshaping craft.
  As a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity, a Patternmelder may transfer any one soulmeld he or she has shaped onto another willing creature by touch, as long as the creature receiving the soulmeld has the appropriate chakra unoccupied by any soulmeld or magic item (for example, a Rainbow Bracelets could not be transferred to a creature with another soulmeld already occupying its Arms Chakra). If a soulmeld can occupy more than one chakra (for example, Golden Hammer can occupy either Hands or Waist), then the soulmeld must be set to occupy the same chakra that the Patternmelder had it occupying on himself or herself; that is, the chakra cannot be changed in transit. The Patternmelder must invest 1 point of essentia into the chosen soulmeld as it is transferred, or the soulmeld immediately unshapes; this essentia stays invested in the soulmeld but does not provide either the soulmeld's new wearer nor the Patternmelder who originally shaped it with any of the standard benefits that soulmeld would normally grant from essentia investment- the essentia is instead being used to keep the soulmeld intact on its new wearer.
  If the creature receiving the soulmeld has an essentia pool of its own, it may invest essentia into the transferred soulmeld as if it had shaped the soulmeld itself; the essentia invested by the Patternmelder to keep it intact upon its new wearer does not count in any way against the soulmeld's essentia capacity for investment. If the new wearer has the ability to bind a soulmeld to the chakra the transferred soulmeld occupies, then it may Bind the transferred soulmeld to that chakra using the normal rules for reshaping and rebinding soulmelds. The transferred soulmeld does not count against the new wearer's limits on soulmelds shaped, if it has any such limits, but it does count as being a soulmeld occupying the appropriate chakra- so a creature gifted with an Rainbow Bracelets could not, for example, spend 15 minutes shaping a Bluesteel Bracers on itself unless it had the Double Chakra (Arms) feat. If the new wearer becomes unconscious or dead for any reason, the transferred soulmeld immediately unshapes, and the essentia the Patternmelder invested into it to keep it intact is divested as though the Patternmelder had done it himself or herself (see below).
  The Patternmelder is not able to invest essentia into the soulmeld, after it is transferred; for all intents and purposes, the soulmeld is considered unshaped from the perspective of the Patternmelder as soon as the transfer is completed. The Patternmelder may, in fact, shape a new soulmeld to replace the one just transferred; this uses the normal rules for shaping individual soulmelds. The only thing the Patternmelder must do while the transferred soulmeld remains shaped is keep the 1 point of essentia invested in it; as soon as the Patternmelder divests that essentia from the transferred soulmeld for any reason, the soulmeld immediately unshapes.
  A Patternmelder gives up any specialty with a particular element as a result of tinkering with the elemental balance of other creatures. A Patternmelder does not suffer a lower essentia capacity with any one element, but also does not gain any ability to enhance soulmelds of a particular element, nor to deal more favorably with creatures of a particular elemental type. Importantly, a Patternmelder is not restricted in choice of element when using any of the three "Elemental" soulmelds: Elemental Avatar, Elemental Channel, or Elemental Chasuble.
  This ability replaces Elemental Affinity.
• Patternmelding (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a Patternmelder has the ability to specifically bind a soulmeld transferred using the Infused Soulmeld ability to the Pattern Chakra of its new wearer, during the transfer. This does not harm the creature to whom the soulmeld is transferred, and grants that creature the full benefits of the Pattern Chakra Bind for the transferred soulmeld as long as the soulmeld remains shaped. Because the soulmeld is being bound to the other creature's Pattern by a third party, it does not naturally stay bound the way a normal soulmeld would; the Patternmelder must carefully keep watch upon the soulmeld to be sure it does not spontaneously unbind itself, and can therefore only bind one transferred soulmeld to its new wearer's Pattern Chakra this way at any given time.
  If the Patternmelder wishes, he or she can allow the transferred soulmeld to unbind (without actually unshaping it or divesting the essentia being used to keep it intact upon the new wearer), and free up this "Transferred Pattern slot" for another soulmeld. Soulmelds which have already been transferred to other creatures cannot be bound to their new wearers' Patterns this way; the binding must be done during the actual transfer itself- but if the Patternmelder is not currently maintaining a Pattern-bound transferred soulmeld, then he or she is free to bind a new soulmeld that he or she transfers to its new wearer's Pattern during that transfer process.
  At 15th level, the Patternmelder becomes familiar enough with maintaining Pattern-bound soulmelds on other creatures that he or she is able to maintain two such Pattern binds at once.
  This ability replaces Expanded Element Capacity.
• Greater Patternmelding (Su): At 20th level, a Patternmelder gains the ability to not only bind a soulmeld transferred using the Infused Soulmeld ability to the Pattern Chakra of its new wearer, but also to the Chakra that the soulmeld actually occupies, as though the new wearer had the "Double Bind" ability of the Pattern Chakra Bind gained by Foundationists at 13th level. This grants the creature the full benefits (for the transferred soulmeld) of both the Pattern Chakra Bind and the Chakra Bind ability for the occupied chakra, for as long as the soulmeld remains shaped. The Patternmelder is able to double-bind any transferred soulmeld that he or she binds to its new wearer's Pattern at all, with this ability, so the character is able to maintain two at once. This ability functions regardless of whether or not the soulmeld's new wearer has the appropriate chakra open for binding- by this point the Patternmelder is experienced enough at manipulating soul energy that the target's own meldshaping prowess (or lack thereof) is irrelevant to the process.
  This ability replaces Elemental Incarnation.

Reconstructionist:

Not content to simply build artificial elemental soulstuff into soulmelds unavailable by any other method, some Foundationists study ways of forcing the elements to do things they would not naturally do- such as using Earth soulstuff to fly, or using Water soulstuff to create light. These "Reconstructionists," as they are called, believe that in forcing and teaching the elements to emulate each other, they can sift through the resulting chaos to discern the truest, deepest fundamental nature of each element and thereby gain a greater understanding of reality. What they give up in energy-attack capability, the Reconstructionists make up for in added versatility when it comes to utility options.


Class Features:
All of the following are class features of the Reconstructionist.

• Elemental Reconstruction (Ex): At 6th level, a Reconstructionist is familiar enough with the four basic Elements that he or she is able to see ways of using them for similar effect, even where they normally differ. When shaping his or her soulmelds, the character can change the Elemental descriptor of one soulmeld as it is being shaped (typically, to the character's own favored Element so as to take advantage of the Expanded Element Capacity). This does not change any effects of the soulmeld so changed, except one: any damage the chosen soulmeld deals, is changed to match the Element the character changes it to. Because the elemental energy does not naturally assume the shape the character is forcing it to assume, he or she must carefully watch it to maintain its integrity; only one such soulmeld can be shaped at any given time- though if the Reconstructed soulmeld unshapes, the character can replace it with another Reconstructed soulmeld if desired.
  For example, if the character shapes a Diamond Crown (an Earth soulmeld with the Force descriptor, normally) but changes it to be an Air soulmeld instead, then its Brow Chakra Bind is a standard-action Ranged Touch Attack dealing 2d4 electricity damage, plus 1d4 per point of invested essentia, rather than Force damage (as the normal Diamond Crown deals). This special Air-focused "Diamond Crown" counts as an Air soulmeld for all purposes regarding Elemental Affinity, in particular the essentia capacity; thus, a 10th-level Reconstructionist specialized in Air would have +1 essentia capacity in it rather than -1 as normal. The elements (and associated damage types) are: Air: Electricity, Earth: Acid, Fire: Fire, Water: Cold. Only the damage type of a Reconstructed soulmeld changes; its other effects remain identical to the original form.
  At 18th level, the Reconstructionist is able to maintain two Reconstructed soulmelds at once.
  This ability replaces Double Chakra (Pattern) and Quadruple Chakra (Pattern).
• Double Chakra (Pattern) (Ex): At 12th level, a Reconstructionist gains Double Chakra (Pattern) as a bonus feat. If the character already has Double Chakra (Pattern), then he or she gains no benefit from this class feature.
  This ability replaces Triple Chakra (Pattern).

Bumping to note that I just edited the "Changes to" posts for the Soulborn and True Necrocarnate to add full class tables, since the new ENWorld happily makes cutting and pasting such a table easy to do (even if CTRL-V doesn't work for some reason, the right-click "Paste" option on the pop-up menu does). May as well make all these things as easy to use as possible!

The Hauntshaper (a new Prestige Class)

In the process of coming up with all of the above, I got this germ of an idea for an Incarnum class that didn't seem right for an Archetype or a full base class- so I made it a prestige class instead. Nobody in my present gaming group is excited by this idea, but we rarely deal with stuff like Ghosts and hauntings in our games; this PrC really is hyper-specialized for that type of role. Mostly, I would expect this to be useful for an NPC in a typical game, probably a unique villain who makes a special haunted dungeon to challenge the PCs. But it could probably make an interesting and useful PC too, in a horror-themed game like the Carrion Crown AP.

Who you gonna call?

[h=4]The Hauntshaper[/h] One of the more interesting manifestations of disembodied souls is the Haunt- a soul (or group of souls) bound to a specific location that causes real physical effects despite there being no body present to use for causing said effect. Since meldshapers, by definition, know how to contact and use the energy of disembodied souls, it was inevitable that some meldshapers would turn toward focused study of Haunts and their properties and doings. Though they are scholars first and foremost, Hauntshapers are sometimes called upon by others without their special gifts to deal with Haunts and similar phenomena that arise in their area, and are sometimes known as "Ghostbusters" as a result of this secondary role.

Hauntshapers are usually Foundationists or Incarnates, given the scholarly focus of those two classes, though occasionally a more action-oriented meldshaper will take up the path due to life-changing encounters with Haunts or Ghosts.


Role: Hauntshapers are students of a unique combination of meldshaping and magical lore, able to deal with restless spirits in a manner no others are able to do because of the unique abilities they develop. Although they do not necessarily pursue adventure as an end in and of itself, adventurers do have a distinct tendency to encounter more of the restless souls that Hauntshapers focus upon than any other mortals, so Hauntshapers find themselves in adventuring company as frequently as not. Although they are highly specialized, Hauntshapers do have abilities that can aid most any adventuring group, so they are typically welcomed into adventuring bands when they choose to join them.


Alignment: Any. The study of Ghosts, Haunts, and other disembodied spirits is not limited to any particular moral or ethical code- and so, it attracts students from all of them sooner or later.

Hit Die: d8.

Requirements:

• Meldshaping: Able to shape both Necrocarnum Circlet and Sunburst Mask, OR able to shape both Shedu Crown and Armguards of Disruption.
• Knowledge (History): 5 ranks.
• Knowledge (Religion): 5 ranks.
• Perception: 5 ranks.
• Spellcraft: 5 ranks.

Class Skills: The Hauntshaper's class skills (and associated abilities) are Bluff (CHA), Craft (INT), Diplomacy (CHA), Intimidate (CHA), Knowledge (Any) (INT), Linguistics (INT), Perception (WIS), Profession (WIS), Sense Motive (WIS), and Spellcraft (INT).

Skill Points at each level: 4 + INT modifier.




Class Features: The following are class features of the Hauntshaper prestige class.

• Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Hauntshapers gain no additional proficiency in any weapons or armor.
• Meldshaping: At the indicated levels, the Hauntshaper increases his or her meldshaper level, the number of soulmelds he or she can shape, the number of chakra binds he or she can create, and his or her essentia pool as if he or she had gained a level in the meldshaping class to which he or she belonged before adding the prestige class. The character does not, however, gain any other abilities of that class, such as new tiers of chakra binds, or abilities to increase essentia capacity in certain soulmelds, or the like. If the character had more than one meldshaping class before becoming a Hauntshaper, then he or she must decide to which class each level is added for the purpose of determining essentia, meldshaper level, number of soulmelds, and chakra binds.
• Haunt Sense (Ex): A Hauntshaper adds the listed bonus to Perception checks made to notice Haunts or Ghosts, to saving throws (of any type) made against their abilities, and to skill checks made to Neutralize Haunts (see below). This bonus begins at +1 at 1st level, and goes up by +1 for every two Hauntshaper levels thereafter.
  A Hauntshaper can make a check to notice a Haunt even before it manifests, and without being inside its area. Simply passing within 10 feet of a Haunt's area is enough to grant a Hauntshaper a Perception check to notice its presence, as if the Haunt were actually manifesting. The Hauntshaper does not suffer the usual -4 penalty to the check when noticing a Haunt this way, unlike characters using spells such as Detect Undead to notice Haunts.
• Neutralize (Su): By talking to (or otherwise communicating with) the spirits embedded in a Haunt, a Hauntshaper can cause them to become quiescent and not act the way they normally would. This works essentially like disabling a trap using the Disable Device skill, except that the Hauntshaper can use any one of the skills Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate to quiet the Haunt (whichever one happens to be most advantageous to him or her at the time, really), and the Haunt's "Disable" DC is set according to its CR.
  The skill check DC required to Neutralize a Haunt is equal to 20 + its CR, and it takes 2d4 rounds of talking, cajoling, and pleading in order to successfully Neutralize it. During the time the Hauntshaper is attempting to Neutralize a Haunt, it will not trigger/attack any creatures within its area, even if it would otherwise do so under normal circumstances- only after the Neutralize attenpt fails will the Haunt exert its effect(s). The Hauntshaper must be within the Haunt's area of influence/effect in order to Neutralize it.
  Regardless of which skill the Hauntshaper actually uses to try to Neutralize the Haunt, the check is made secretly- so the character doesn't immediately know whether it succeeded or failed. If the check succeeds, the Haunt is Neutralized, as if its hit points were reduced to 0 by positive energy, and it does not trigger again until its reset period is expired. If the check fails by 4 or less, then the Hauntshaper failed to convince the Haunt with that check but may still try again (if he or she does so, then the Haunt still does not trigger until after the attempt is made). If the check fails by 5 or more, then the Haunt refuses to be quieted, and triggers immediately on its standard initiative count as if the attempt to Neutralize had not been made in the first place.
• Unimpressed (Ex): At 2nd level, a Hauntshaper can avoid the attacks of Haunts and Ghosts with great finesse and strength of mind. If the character makes a successful Will saving throw against an attack from a Haunt or Ghost that normally carries a reduced effect on a successful save, then the Hauntshaper instead experiences no effect whatsoever, as if the effect were completely negated.
• Hauntcrafting (Su): Haunts are normally the result of suffering and torment, but that is only what is necessary to cause the souls of the deceased to linger in the Material Plane and cause the effects of the haunting- not a prerequisite of the effects caused by a Haunt in and of itself. A Hauntshaper knows this better than any mortal, because Hauntshapers truly earn their class name by gaining this ability. Beginning at 3rd level, a Hauntshaper can gather soul energy and infuse it into material structures (or just a specified area) in such a manner as to create an artificial Haunt; essentially, it is a giant and diffuse soulmeld bound to a specific area and designed to trigger under specified conditions. Those who are affected by an artificial Haunt rarely (if ever) care about the difference between it and a "natural" Haunt created by actual suffering and torment, but the difference is critical to the Hauntshaper who creates one and binds it in place.
  Creating an artificial Haunt works essentially like creating a Magic Device Trap (Core pages 423-424), except that the Hauntshaper is assumed to be capable of casting all required spells (in fact, the souls used to craft the Haunt are what create the spell effects, but it works out to the same end result), creating an artificial Haunt requires Spellcraft checks instead of Craft (Traps), and a Haunt only takes 1 day per 1000 gp to construct (instead of the standard 1 day per 500 gp). Creating a Haunt requires special incense, resonant crystals, and other special materials not used in standard spellcasting or psionic manifesting, which is what consumes the gp cost of creation (the GM can specify the necessary materials, or not, as it suits him or her). Haunts are more difficult to construct than standard traps, as reflected in the necessary Spellcraft DCs (given in the table below).
  

  Spellcraft DC	Haunt CR
  25	1-5
  30	6-10
  35	11-15
  40	16-20
  45	21-25
  50	26-30
  +5	Proximity Trigger

  Artifical Haunts (i.e. those created using this class feature) always have a relatively easy means of destruction; a Remove Curse cast at a specific "anchor item" (which must be placed within the trigger area by the Hauntshaper when the Haunt is created) can remove the artifical Haunt. The DC of the check equals the Hauntshaper's character level + the CR of the Haunt. Alternately, a Dispel Evil (or other Dispel [Alignment] spell) can be used, and grants a +5 on the check. The Hauntshaper cannot change this means of destruction, but can act to conceal the anchor item (for example, by bricking it up inside a wall) as long as it remains within the trigger zone.
  At 6th level, the Hauntshaper is able to add the Cunning Trigger ability to any Haunt he or she creates using this class feature. As a swift action, the Hauntshaper can set off any Haunt within 30 feet that he or she created. This does not increase the CR or cost of the Haunt, but Haunts created without this ability (for example, any Haunts created before the character gained this ability) cannot be triggered this way.
  At 9th level, the Hauntshaper is able to use the necessary materials more efficiently when creating artificial Haunts. The character pays only 75% of the normal cost when creating a Haunt, rather than the full amount.
• Ghostbuster (Ex): A 4th-level Hauntshaper is so familiar with the ways and activities of lingering souls such as Ghosts and "natural" Haunts that he or she is able to easily discover the conditions necessary to grant such souls eternal rest. By making a Knowledge (Religion) or Knowledge (History) check, with a DC equal to 15 + the target's CR, the Hauntshaper can learn the means of preventing a Ghost's Rejuvenation ability, or the means of permanently destroying a specific Haunt. For targets which have a specific DC on such a check that is different from the above check (for example, if the GM's adventure specifies the DC of a Knowledge check to learn the means of destruction), the Hauntshaper receives a (unnamed) bonus equal to his or her Hauntshaper class level on the check.
• Masterful Neutralize (Su): At 5th level, the Hauntshaper gains the ability to use Neutralize to bypass a Haunt, rather than simply deactivating it. This ability allows the Hauntshaper (plus any companions designated by him or her) to pass safely through a Haunt's trigger zone without activating it, if he or she beats a Haunt's Neutralize DC (whether using Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate) by 5 or more. A Haunt affected by Masterful Neutralize acts as though disabled for the Hauntshaper and any companions he or she designates with the Neutralize check, but normally for any and all creatures not specified by the Hauntshaper during said check. The Haunt remains Neutralized for up to 10 minutes per class level of the Hauntshaper before resuming its normal activity, but the Hauntshaper is always free to re-Neutralize a Haunt that was previously Neutralized and not destroyed.
• Extremely Unimpressed (Ex): At 7th level, the Hauntshaper's Unimpressed ability improves. The character still takes no effect if he or she makes a successful Will saving throw against an attack from a Haunt or Ghost that normally carries a reduced effect on a successful save, but even on a failed save the Hauntshaper takes the reduced effect that normally occurs on a successful save (as opposed to the full effect that normally happens with a failed save).
• Carry Haunt (Su): At 8th level, a Hauntshaper can essentially "pack up" a Haunt from one area, carry it to a new one, and set it out so that it affects the new area exactly as it affected the old one. This requires that the Hauntshaper first use Neutralize on the Haunt, and be more successful than usual- the character must beat the Neutralize DC by 10 or more. If this first check is successful, then the Hauntshaper must make a Spellcraft check (with DC set as if he or she were using Hauntcrafting to create a Haunt with exactly the same qualities). If the Spellcraft check fails, then the Haunt is still Neutralized as normal, but the attempt to move it failed; the Hauntshaper cannot attempt to move that specific Haunt again until he or she gains at least 1 more rank in Spellcraft.
  On the other hand, if the Spellcraft check succeeds, then the Hauntshaper "packs up" the Haunt into a single small focus item that he or she carries away from the spot; the Haunt is considered to be bypassed for most game purposes (in particular, granting XP to the Hauntshaper and his or her companions as though having been bypassed normally). The focus item must be an item from the original site of the Haunt that the Hauntshaper can easily carry (for example, a brick from the wall of a haunted house), and remains quiescent for up to 1 day per Hauntshaper level. While carrying a Haunt, the focus item carries a supernatural aura of Conjuration, Enchantment, and Necromancy, with a strength like that of a Magic Item with caster level equal to the Hauntshaper's character level. If the Hauntshaper does not place it in a new location by the end of this period, then the focus item loses its power and the Haunt returns to its former location immediately, at full strength.
  While the focus item contains the Haunt, the Hauntshaper can (at any time) spend a full-round action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity to call the Haunt forth from the item. Doing so allows the character to establish the Haunt in any desired place within 30 feet of himself or herself, restoring its full normal statistics and functionality as though it had always existed at its new location (with the exception that its destruction condition now means casting Remove Curse or a similar spell upon the focus item the Hauntshaper used to carry it to its new site, as if that were the anchor item and the Hauntshaper had crafted the Haunt using Hauntcrafting at its current location). This does allow the character to more easily destroy a "natural" Haunt that had a very different destruction method; some Hauntshapers actually use this ability to do exactly that and never actually keep Haunts around for later use in the first place.
• Anchor Ghost (Su): A 10th level Hauntshaper gains the ability to turn mobile Ghosts into bound Haunts through quickly-executed meldshaping. To accomplish this, the Hauntshaper must first understand the way to bypass the Ghost's Rejuvenation ability (typically, by using his or her Ghostbuster ability as described above); if the character does know the Ghost's means of destruction, then he or she can use this ability upon it.
  To use this ability, the Hauntshaper must have ready a gem capable of holding the Ghost being targeted; the gem must be of a clear or translucent variety (such as emerald, ruby, or diamond) and have a value at least equal to the CR of the Ghost × 500 gp. Drawing the Ghost into the gem requires a successful Spellcraft check (DC equals 20 + the Ghost's CR) and a full-round action that requires concentration (treat as a 5th-level spell) and provokes attacks of opportunity. If the Spellcraft check and the action both succeed, the Ghost must make a Fortitude save (DC 15 + the Hauntshaper's class level + the Hauntshaper's CHA modifier) or be drawn into and trapped within the gem. A Ghost that is trapped this way is treated as if permanently destroyed for game purposes (that is, it cannot use Rejuvenation to return to unlife).
  While holding a Ghost, the gem is treated as though it were the focus of a Trap the Soul spell (with caster level equal to the Hauntshaper's character level) holding the former Ghost, except for its lesser value. In particular, there is no limit to the amount of time a Ghost can stay trapped inside a gem this way; the Ghost remains trapped permanently until and unless the gem is broken (freeing the Ghost) or the gem is used to create a new Haunt (see below).
  Once a Ghost is trapped within the gem, the Hauntshaper can use the Ghost's spiritual energy to create a new Haunt using Hauntcrafting. Any Haunt with CR equal to or less than the CR of the original Ghost can be created using the Ghost-gem, but using the Ghost to create the Haunt is much faster and more efficient than doing it the normal way. If using a Ghost-gem to create an artificial Haunt, a Hauntshaper need only make one Spellcraft check (with DC set according to normal for the Haunt he or she wishes to create), and the crafting takes only 15 minutes regardless of how long it would normally take. Furthermore, the character need not expend any cost in gp or special materials to craft the new Haunt; the energy of the Ghost is subsumed and used to make the Haunt. The Ghost-gem loses its power and becomes the anchor-item for the newly crafted Haunt, as part of the crafting process.
  If the Hauntshaper attempts to craft a new Haunt, but the Spellcraft check fails, then the gem is destroyed and the Ghost is freed as described above (usually, in a very irate and hostile state). A Hauntshaper always knows the CR of a trapped Ghost simply by holding the gem holding it, and therefore always knows how powerful a Haunt he or she can create using the Ghost in question.

Chakras

Hey,

I've read though the updates and am currently play-testing the incarnate (albeit in a futuristic campaign setting) and I've encountered some changes to body slots that might need to be looked at:

Soul chakra- gone are the days of not being able to wear armor with a robe it seems, so the questions stands, is it to be changed so the soul chakra is the body slot (thus not able to use robes) or remain as the armor (possibly allowing the use of another chakra)? the easiest and the one I'm leaning towards is it taking over the body slot instead.
I did briefly consider that it could take both but then the soul chakra binds aren't nearly powerful enough (with the possible exception of the necrocarnum Shroud) to justify closing two magic item slots.

Crown and brown chakra's- in 3.5 there used to be the head and face body slot for magical items that in PF and branched into the eyes, head, and headband, I've shied away from leaving that chakra empty despite the amount of work that would be required to fill out that particular space and am currently thinking of bringing in the Mind Chakra and placing it around the power level of the heart chakra and take up the headband slot.

I realize that introducing these ideas could complicate play testing and design of the classes that you have obviously placed a fair amount of time and effort in, So I hope I don't get burned at stake.

Ragnos said:

I realize that introducing these ideas could complicate play testing and design of the classes that you have obviously placed a fair amount of time and effort in, So I hope I don't get burned at stake.

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No valid reason to burn you anywhere, stake or otherwise. Given that the whole point of Incarnum as originally designed was to create a system of "temporary magic items" which were customizable on the fly, the new item slots introduced in PF should be integrated into the system somehow.

Then again, they never integrated the Ring slot into original Incarnum, so maybe not.

For the Soul, I agree with your assessment; it should be Body slot and not Armor. This works out very well for Incarnum users who prefer to get into melee, such as Totemist and True Necrocarnate; Foundationist and Incarnate could probably take it or leave it. Of course, given we're talking about serious high-level characters here if they even have the Soul to worry about, it probably matters very little in the final analysis.

If you want to make a new Chakra to correspond with one of the Head or Headband slots (given that one of those must clearly go to Crown instead, but Crown could actually go to either one and still "work" thematically), then Mind is clearly the best choice of name for it. The questions to be answered are, which slot does Mind occupy, and what "level" of Chakra should it be? For "level," I would actually recommend putting it equal to Throat and Waist, since those two are already a tier; they open earlier and one can therefore get more use out of the new Chakra. This presents no difficulty except for the one class that opens its Chakras in a fluid manner- True Necrocarnate. Giving it a new Greater Chakra would mean one of two things: either it only ever gets to open two of the three Greater Chakras, or it opens the third Greater one at level 17 where Heart currently is, and then opens Heart at 19 where Soul currently is. This in turn would mean that Soul never gets opened at all, unless we do something like put it at 19 with Heart or instead open it at 20.

Alternatively, if you don't make a new Chakra for the new Head/band slot, then one of Head or Headband becomes a slot like Ring, which has no Chakra to interfere with it and therefore becomes more valuable to Incarnum users generally. In this case, I'd recommend making Headband the "open" slot, since fewer item types correspond to it (and particularly, stat-boosters which are an item most characters want).

As for updates, I have been doing more with this; most recently I created some new feats and soulmelds to deal with Ultimate Campaign rules (since spells and other feats exist to do it- "Player Companion- Quests & Campaigns" is full of 'em). I also have a third new Incarnum base class, but that one's tricky to post here because its powers are tied in heavily to my own personal setting which includes lots of new spells & stuff that aren't part of the PRD. So I've been highly reluctant to post it, because it's so far outside the mainstream (as well as being completely untested, so far). For those who are curious, its concept is basically being a controlled version of a Lost; it empowers "Mantles of Emotion" with Incarnum as its main class feature rather than just using Soulmelds (though it can use a few Soulmelds too) and it can use something like Barbarian Rage to intensify the emotions it's using (and thus temporarily increase the essentia capacity of the appropriate Mantles). It's called the Vehement.

On the subject of testing, the playtest Soulborn character is now 12th and for the first time took advantage of his ability to get "Fighter-only" feats when he took Greater Weapon Focus at 11th. That's been helpful because he nearly always activates Power Attack in combat, though since the party has several archers and spellcasters he often doesn't get the chance (since he was built for melee). I haven't used Aura of Conviction yet, in part because the party has not yet faced a "boss" where everybody would want the ability to Smite; the other main fighter-type is one of the archers (an Urban Ranger, specifically) and he's unfortunately Lawful so can't get the Aura benefit anyway (Soulborn is CG). On the occasions when he does get into combat, though, he's shown his worth many, many times- consistently dealing out the highest damage per hit by a large margin. The only party member that comes close to matching him there is an Animal Companion (a wolf) which is usually buffed out the wazoo. His highlight, to date, in this department was when the party was facing an Undead Antipaladin riding a roc and the guy first used Litany of Sloth against me to avoid an AOO, then cast Invisibility and leapt off to feather-fall the 300 feet to the ground- but mid-fall, the party Sorcerer Glitterdusted him, and my Soulborn leapt off the Roc after him to do a "death from above" strike which scored a critical hit and dealt 128 damage (re-killing the Undead in the process). Made for a nice glittery shower of sparks!

So, he's working out well I think.

Chakras, Soulmelds and such

Sorry if I focus more on the Incarnate, what can I say I'm somewhat selfish.

To be honest I hadn't even considered the ring slots as they weren't wondrous items (and the soul chakra as armor I found fairly aggravating), if they were incorporated there's the "no two of the same soulmelds at once" rule so there'd probably have to have twice as many just for options. That and rings vary the most in value compared to almost every other item (the next closest is eyes oddly enough).

For the Mind chakra, having it on the same level as waist rather than heart is probably better as the stat boost items are there as well. I was going with heart so it looked like the opening of chakras was tapering off rather then going from opening 3 chakras then dropping to 1. It just seems wrong to leave it alone as the meldshapers should have the difficult choice between chakra binds and magic items. I'll try moving the Planar Chasuble (any thoughts on changing the bind function?), Arcane Focus, Apparition Ribbon and Planar Ward to Mind (since they're the most out of place and of similar power levels) and then add some more melds.
For the necrocarnate it probably wouldn't be hard to change the opening of chakras to one at 1st, 2nd, then 1 every 2 after (similar to the fighters bonus feats).

Also I forgot to mention that I'm play testing the Radiant Incarnate and while I'm nowhere near level 20, what were your thoughts on the perfect meldshaper working with Infused soulmeld as it increases the amount of essentia in the soulmelds you have shaped to maximum without having to invest it? While this could make several characters REALLY scary for a short time it would also require a fair amount of preparation, and until used the incarnate would be fairly handicapped.

Any thoughts on the draconic melds for the extra classes/archtypes? My DM and I ruled that since they lack the dragonblood subtype I can't use infused soulmeld with those particular melds. I believe is this is fair, but maybe you'd like to add them to the element born and Foundationist lists?

As for the Element Born, maybe just call them Fireborn, Wave/Seaborn, Windborn, Earth/Stoneborn?
I also though that the smite might be a bit too limited, perhaps a water-type Elementborn should be able to smite a spell caster who primarily uses fire spells or a fire-based monk of the four winds?(not using my names since it's your class, and spontaneously had the idea of a character yelling "I choose you" before activating a bracelet of friends calling the Elementborn )
But I also don't want the ability to become unwieldy or hard to define.

Ragnos said:

Sorry if I focus more on the Incarnate, what can I say I'm somewhat selfish.

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There you go again apologizing for something that's not bad. Playtesting is playtesting- of course your prime concern is the class you're playing Right Now.

Ragnos said:

To be honest I hadn't even considered the ring slots as they weren't wondrous items (and the soul chakra as armor I found fairly aggravating), if they were incorporated there's the "no two of the same soulmelds at once" rule so there'd probably have to have twice as many just for options.

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An interesting point, but really as long as you have at least four or five options for the slot there's enough for two. I hadn't considered that one should normally be able to use two "Ring Chakra" melds, though it makes perfect sense. Not that it's more than an academic discussion in any case.

Ragnos said:

For the Mind chakra, having it on the same level as waist rather than heart is probably better as the stat boost items are there as well. I was going with heart so it looked like the opening of chakras was tapering off rather then going from opening 3 chakras then dropping to 1. It just seems wrong to leave it alone as the meldshapers should have the difficult choice between chakra binds and magic items. I'll try moving the Planar Chasuble (any thoughts on changing the bind function?), Arcane Focus, Apparition Ribbon and Planar Ward to Mind (since they're the most out of place and of similar power levels) and then add some more melds.

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Why move them? It's not like soulmelds which work on multiple chakras don't exist. Just make up new Binds for the new chakra. That greatly simplifies the problem.

Also, I'll remark that Arcane Focus is going to be out of place regardless, because its only real function is to aid multiclassing- it's pretty useless otherwise. I mean, if a hybrid class gets created that's both an Arcane caster and a meldshaper, then it would have great utility for just that class, but otherwise... no, not really.

Ragnos said:

Also I forgot to mention that I'm play testing the Radiant Incarnate and while I'm nowhere near level 20, what were your thoughts on the perfect meldshaper working with Infused soulmeld as it increases the amount of essentia in the soulmelds you have shaped to maximum without having to invest it? While this could make several characters REALLY scary for a short time it would also require a fair amount of preparation, and until used the incarnate would be fairly handicapped.

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Ah, that's good news! Have you found the "Infused Soulmeld" mechanic to work well? What level are you, how many are in the party?

As for Perfect Meldshaper, I call your attention to this phrase in the explanation of Infused Soulmeld: "The Radiant Incarnate is not able to invest essentia into the soulmeld, after it is transferred; for all intents and purposes, the soulmeld is considered unshaped from the perspective of the Radiant as soon as the transfer is completed." That would logically mean that Perfect Meldshaper has no interaction with any soulmeld the Radiant gave to another creature. Only the melds on the Incarnate himself/herself are affected, and it works exactly as it normally would. The only real power-up is that the Radiant is likely to have a lot less essentia in the pool than a standard Incarnate, due to keeping Infused Soulmelds active on other creatures.

Ragnos said:

Any thoughts on the draconic melds for the extra classes/archtypes?

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Way ahead of you. I assigned those to the new classes months or years ago (I forget which). Archetypes are irrelevant for this purpose, unless you invent new ones that specifically key off the Draconic melds (which is actually a pretty good idea, now that I think of it); however, the two new classes definitely are very relevant. I'll just list the soulmeld names for sake of brevity here:

Dragon Mantle: Foundationist, Universal
Dragon Tail: True Necrocarnate (it helps Acrobatics)
Dragonfire Mask: True Necrocarnate (it helps vision in the dark, plus grants Frightful Presence though the True Necro can't access that function)
Elder Spirit: Foundationist, Universal

Ragnos said:

My DM and I ruled that since they lack the dragonblood subtype I can't use infused soulmeld with those particular melds.

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I was personally just ignoring the Dragonblooded requirement for those melds completely, but in a game where you're not, I agree that that's the right interpretation to use. Infused Soulmeld clearly checks to be sure the recipient doesn't have a conflict with the soulmeld before the transfer is allowed; it's just that normally the only conflict possible would be alignment. With the dragonblood requirement, there's another, so logically the Infused Soulmeld ability should check it also.

Ragnos said:

I believe is this is fair, but maybe you'd like to add them to the element born and Foundationist lists?

Click to expand...

Elementborn list IS the Foundationist list. They're identical. Or was I misunderstanding you there?

Ragnos said:

As for the Element Born, maybe just call them Fireborn, Wave/Seaborn, Windborn, Earth/Stoneborn?

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It's just a name. Like I explain in the post, I just call it that to give a sort of callback to the Soulborn which it's based upon (and an Alternate Class for). If you want to call the four elements different names, go right ahead! Just be aware, for retraining rules (from Ultimate Campaign), the Elementborn should be allowed to retrain his/her elemental focus, so the possibility of switching does exist.

Ragnos said:

I also though that the smite might be a bit too limited, perhaps a water-type Elementborn should be able to smite a spell caster who primarily uses fire spells or a fire-based monk of the four winds?(not using my names since it's your class, and spontaneously had the idea of a character yelling "I choose you" before activating a bracelet of friends calling the Elementborn ) But I also don't want the ability to become unwieldy or hard to define.

Click to expand...

I had trouble defining the Smite in a manner that I liked, since logically it had to be elemental and have nothing to do with alignment- but elemental creatures are less common than aligned creatures (as you point out). Your suggestion could work, but how will you define such a target for rules purposes? You don't want to make the definition vague, or the ability suddenly becomes too good.

I really should post those new soulmelds for Ultimate Campaign, but I'm on my laptop today rather than my main machine at home so it's slightly more difficult.