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5e magic of Incarnum (Beta)
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<blockquote data-quote="Blue" data-source="post: 7007038" data-attributes="member: 20564"><p>Okay, I'll give a stream of consciousness as I read through, and then try to pull everything together in the end. I will not concerns as I go along, but that doesn't mean they are justified until I see how it hangs together.</p><p></p><p>d8 HD, medium armor and shields. Tougher then any caster but the cleric.</p><p></p><p>1st level seems to allow you to have 3 soulmelds up. Is this too easy to cherrypick when multiclassing? Must keep an eye on this when we get to them.</p><p></p><p>Hmm, can pick from all 20 soulmelds each long rest. Better "spell" selection then a wizard, definitely better than any of the spells known classes.</p><p></p><p>...Bunch of features that I need to se the soulmelds in order to understand their potency...</p><p></p><p>Ah, incarnations. Oh wait, they also give additional features at 1st level? Not liking this at all. 3rd level seems to be a breakpoint for things like this for paladins and such. Clerics have 1st level and they are the most cherry dipped.</p><p></p><p>HOLY. Incarnum Radiance at 1st level gives up to +5 to all saves, +5 to all attacks and damage, +20' movement. It's +Wis so it wont' be that high at character level 1, but it will still be high. For 1 minute (usually a combat) per short rest. No, no, no, no. Clerics and druids will love dipping this class. It will out-fight all melee classes at 1st. And god forbid you somehow get the Shillelagh spell through some means like the Magical Adept feat.</p><p></p><p>What, Share Radiance now gives that to all allies up to 30'? Or 120' with "Green Nimbus". Oh my. Huge buffs to allies, no concentration or action needed.</p><p></p><p>Okay, Incarnum Radiance needs to be beaten with a nerf bat then moved back to 3rd level. And Share Radiance ... maybe give it to an ally but ti takes concentration, or lend it to an ally and you don't have it. 5e doesn't hand out big buffs like that to everyone for free, it's not part of how any of the classes or spells are designed. Paladin auras, which give much less, are defensive, and start at only 10', are about the best you can expect.</p><p></p><p>On to Necrocarnate. Talents of the Dead is nifty. A skill with expertise you can switch around.</p><p></p><p>Soulborn - okay, heavy armor and martial weapons as a class feature, nto proficiency, at 1st. This is a big part of why cleric domains are cherrypicked. Not that it's overly powerful when just advancing one class, but at 1st it doesn't play nicely with multiclassing. Perhaps some note that this should be considered a proficiency so the normal multiclassing rules ignore it.</p><p></p><p>Totemist. Totem Weapons - I like this. Builds on other work (equipment list) ina way you can be flexible. Want a long tentacle, use a whip, etc. </p><p></p><p>I think it could a bit of clarification: does this replace your normal hand or is it additional? Can you manifest two handed weapons? Can you throw them?</p><p></p><p>5e seems to have if you replace the attack ability you replace the damage ability as well, so I'd recommend wisdom for damage as well.</p><p></p><p>On to soulmelds:</p><p></p><p>Acrobat Boots. Good. Not sure how many you can effect if you invest essentia and your root chakra is open, it' sjust "not limited to one", but then the sacral chakra is any number.</p><p></p><p>I like the growth of powers with chakra openings, though you may be a bit late in getting levitate & fly compared to others. (Note from later - I see this isn't the only way to get flight, so these are toppers not the main power. All good.)</p><p></p><p>Oh, throat is interesting. Not overpowered, but flexible. Watching this with excitement in further soulmelds.</p><p></p><p>I'm not going to mention every soulmeld. For example: perfectly happy with Adamant Pauldrons, no comments to make.</p><p></p><p>Airstep Sandals - flying at level 1 is usually considered a gamebreaker. Lots of negative feedback about flying races being overpowered. Also not assumed to be available until about 5th. No hover can mix interestingly with Acrobat Boots for levitation.</p><p></p><p>Good level appropriate spell progression. Though with a cast every short rest this is about 1/2 to 1/3 of all warlock casting right here in terms of slots, but not having a lot of essentia even at 20th that's not bad.</p><p></p><p>Ankheg Breastplate - all of the classes that give Unarmed Defense use a secondary ability (CON for barbs and WIS for Monks). A totemist would have Wis to Attack, Damage and AC in addition to normal WIS uses - it's making one ability too good.</p><p></p><p>Essentia - because this is at-will, I'm comparing it to cantrips. Eldritch Blast is the only cantrip that targets multiple, and that is limited in number and the damage doesn't scale. I'd either reduce the usage (2/short rest?) or drastically cut it down.</p><p></p><p>On the other hand, I'm beef up Throat, it's lacking compared to some others. It's totemist, maybe add acid damage to Totem Weapons?</p><p></p><p>Apparition Ribbon - I liked it until I realized that there was no limit on using th essentia ability and if you spam it you can become immune to a huge host of conditions and eventually get resistance to B/P/S. I'd suggest some limit on it so you don't keep spamming it.</p><p></p><p>Arcane Focus - more as fluff than power, no class can change cantrips. You are stuck with them, maybe adding more but never swapping them out. Having "I get whatever cantri I want for this situation" makes you a whole quantum better at cantrips then anyone else. But for the most part that's still not too powerful. I do worry about Eldritch Blast, which in some ways should be a warlock class feature but isn't.</p><p></p><p>Same note before about the essentia part being equal to a considerable fraction of warlock casting, but in this case it's more flexible on spell and from a better list.</p><p></p><p>How does Third Eye where you can cast identify at-will interact with the Essentia ability to change out that spell for another? I'm assuming they don't interact - essential lets you pick another spell, Third Eye gives you detect & identify.</p><p></p><p>Really like Armguards.</p><p></p><p>Okay, need to run to get to a game so I'll stop here. </p><p></p><p>SUMMATION:</p><p>I like a lot of what you have, it's flavorful.</p><p></p><p>I'm a bit worried that when you put it together it's too much - bunch of soulmelds plus a number with essentia invested, all getting buffed from opening chakras, with great HD/armor and Incarnation power.</p><p></p><p>On top of that, flexibility is VERY high. Switch between all 20 available soulmelds every day, only invest essentia when you need to, many of the soulmelds have a lot of flexibility, like Arcane Focus is ANY spell of the appropriate level.</p><p></p><p>I have concerns about cherry-picking via multiclassing - the PHB classes (except you, cleric) are careful about this and it sets the bar high for new classes.</p><p></p><p>One thing I haven't mentioned, but 5e uses concentration to keep from too many buffs. I think that a lot of the soulmeld abilities should have this. Like maybe Airstep Sandals requires concentration to use, and that requirement goes away with Throat.</p><p></p><p>And the Incandescent features need a rework, 5e just doesn't support that level of buffing for yourself, much less partywide.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Blue, post: 7007038, member: 20564"] Okay, I'll give a stream of consciousness as I read through, and then try to pull everything together in the end. I will not concerns as I go along, but that doesn't mean they are justified until I see how it hangs together. d8 HD, medium armor and shields. Tougher then any caster but the cleric. 1st level seems to allow you to have 3 soulmelds up. Is this too easy to cherrypick when multiclassing? Must keep an eye on this when we get to them. Hmm, can pick from all 20 soulmelds each long rest. Better "spell" selection then a wizard, definitely better than any of the spells known classes. ...Bunch of features that I need to se the soulmelds in order to understand their potency... Ah, incarnations. Oh wait, they also give additional features at 1st level? Not liking this at all. 3rd level seems to be a breakpoint for things like this for paladins and such. Clerics have 1st level and they are the most cherry dipped. HOLY. Incarnum Radiance at 1st level gives up to +5 to all saves, +5 to all attacks and damage, +20' movement. It's +Wis so it wont' be that high at character level 1, but it will still be high. For 1 minute (usually a combat) per short rest. No, no, no, no. Clerics and druids will love dipping this class. It will out-fight all melee classes at 1st. And god forbid you somehow get the Shillelagh spell through some means like the Magical Adept feat. What, Share Radiance now gives that to all allies up to 30'? Or 120' with "Green Nimbus". Oh my. Huge buffs to allies, no concentration or action needed. Okay, Incarnum Radiance needs to be beaten with a nerf bat then moved back to 3rd level. And Share Radiance ... maybe give it to an ally but ti takes concentration, or lend it to an ally and you don't have it. 5e doesn't hand out big buffs like that to everyone for free, it's not part of how any of the classes or spells are designed. Paladin auras, which give much less, are defensive, and start at only 10', are about the best you can expect. On to Necrocarnate. Talents of the Dead is nifty. A skill with expertise you can switch around. Soulborn - okay, heavy armor and martial weapons as a class feature, nto proficiency, at 1st. This is a big part of why cleric domains are cherrypicked. Not that it's overly powerful when just advancing one class, but at 1st it doesn't play nicely with multiclassing. Perhaps some note that this should be considered a proficiency so the normal multiclassing rules ignore it. Totemist. Totem Weapons - I like this. Builds on other work (equipment list) ina way you can be flexible. Want a long tentacle, use a whip, etc. I think it could a bit of clarification: does this replace your normal hand or is it additional? Can you manifest two handed weapons? Can you throw them? 5e seems to have if you replace the attack ability you replace the damage ability as well, so I'd recommend wisdom for damage as well. On to soulmelds: Acrobat Boots. Good. Not sure how many you can effect if you invest essentia and your root chakra is open, it' sjust "not limited to one", but then the sacral chakra is any number. I like the growth of powers with chakra openings, though you may be a bit late in getting levitate & fly compared to others. (Note from later - I see this isn't the only way to get flight, so these are toppers not the main power. All good.) Oh, throat is interesting. Not overpowered, but flexible. Watching this with excitement in further soulmelds. I'm not going to mention every soulmeld. For example: perfectly happy with Adamant Pauldrons, no comments to make. Airstep Sandals - flying at level 1 is usually considered a gamebreaker. Lots of negative feedback about flying races being overpowered. Also not assumed to be available until about 5th. No hover can mix interestingly with Acrobat Boots for levitation. Good level appropriate spell progression. Though with a cast every short rest this is about 1/2 to 1/3 of all warlock casting right here in terms of slots, but not having a lot of essentia even at 20th that's not bad. Ankheg Breastplate - all of the classes that give Unarmed Defense use a secondary ability (CON for barbs and WIS for Monks). A totemist would have Wis to Attack, Damage and AC in addition to normal WIS uses - it's making one ability too good. Essentia - because this is at-will, I'm comparing it to cantrips. Eldritch Blast is the only cantrip that targets multiple, and that is limited in number and the damage doesn't scale. I'd either reduce the usage (2/short rest?) or drastically cut it down. On the other hand, I'm beef up Throat, it's lacking compared to some others. It's totemist, maybe add acid damage to Totem Weapons? Apparition Ribbon - I liked it until I realized that there was no limit on using th essentia ability and if you spam it you can become immune to a huge host of conditions and eventually get resistance to B/P/S. I'd suggest some limit on it so you don't keep spamming it. Arcane Focus - more as fluff than power, no class can change cantrips. You are stuck with them, maybe adding more but never swapping them out. Having "I get whatever cantri I want for this situation" makes you a whole quantum better at cantrips then anyone else. But for the most part that's still not too powerful. I do worry about Eldritch Blast, which in some ways should be a warlock class feature but isn't. Same note before about the essentia part being equal to a considerable fraction of warlock casting, but in this case it's more flexible on spell and from a better list. How does Third Eye where you can cast identify at-will interact with the Essentia ability to change out that spell for another? I'm assuming they don't interact - essential lets you pick another spell, Third Eye gives you detect & identify. Really like Armguards. Okay, need to run to get to a game so I'll stop here. SUMMATION: I like a lot of what you have, it's flavorful. I'm a bit worried that when you put it together it's too much - bunch of soulmelds plus a number with essentia invested, all getting buffed from opening chakras, with great HD/armor and Incarnation power. On top of that, flexibility is VERY high. Switch between all 20 available soulmelds every day, only invest essentia when you need to, many of the soulmelds have a lot of flexibility, like Arcane Focus is ANY spell of the appropriate level. I have concerns about cherry-picking via multiclassing - the PHB classes (except you, cleric) are careful about this and it sets the bar high for new classes. One thing I haven't mentioned, but 5e uses concentration to keep from too many buffs. I think that a lot of the soulmeld abilities should have this. Like maybe Airstep Sandals requires concentration to use, and that requirement goes away with Throat. And the Incandescent features need a rework, 5e just doesn't support that level of buffing for yourself, much less partywide. [/QUOTE]
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