A Better Soulknife

[Andor]

Am I the only one who thinks that the Soulknife is reasonable as is?

Speaking as a Balance Nazi, full BAB classes with interesting abilities such as a spell list makes extremely sweet dip classes for a Fighter. In this case, Wild Talent is the item of interest.

The Skill Points, improved Saves, and funky mind weapon w/Focus at the cost of ~1 HP & 1/2 a Feat could easily justify the dip. The Wild Talent opens a number of superb feats that the Fighter can greatly benefit from -- Psionic Weapon, Deep Impact, Speed of Thought would be the most obvious examples.

Or... they could juat dip a level in Psi-warrior.

 

[EyeontheMountain]

Am I good, or what?

A simplle url would have sufficed. No need to reprint 2 pages of text.

 

[Sejs]

Am I the only one who thinks that the Soulknife is reasonable as is?

Speaking as a Balance Nazi, full BAB classes with interesting abilities such as a spell list makes extremely sweet dip classes for a Fighter. In this case, Wild Talent is the item of interest.

The problem is judging a class by how well it might serve another class for a level or two doesn't speak at all to the issue of how the class stands on its own. Simply, the Soulknife as-is does not stand well on its own.

Compare it against the Barbarian. Similarly to what you've mentioned, a single or even two-level dip into Barbarian can be quite sweet for a Fighter. Rage, fast movement, extra skill points, uncanny dodge, higher HD type. All for the small price of missing out on one fighter bonus feat. Not bad at all. However, despite that attraction, the Barbarian is still able to stand well all by itself, also. That's something the Soulknife needs to be able to do.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Whizbang,

I'm packaging this fix with a Wilderlands adventure that I'm going to have published as Fan Material on JudgesGuild.com. I don't think Wizards of the Coast will approve new tactical feats to be published outside-of-their-house.

If there are qualifications on a question, it's probably a lot more expedient to just state them in the original post instead of as a continual dribble of snide remarks.

 

[Nareau]

I played a Soulknife with this alternative, and had a great time:
http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=310984

Makes the class much more interesting, IMHO.

Nareau

 

[Sir Elton]

I wasn't being snide.

played a Soulknife with this alternative, and had a great time:
http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=310984

Makes the class much more interesting, IMHO.

Yes, that's a good fix, but I wonder if it's really overpowered. I think the psychic strike ability should have been done away with if you go that route.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Or... they could juat dip a level in Psi-warrior.

Claiming that Psi-Warrior should also have full BAB is a common "improvement".

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

The problem is judging a class by how well it might serve another class for a level or two doesn't speak at all to the issue of how the class stands on its own. Simply, the Soulknife as-is does not stand well on its own.

Fair point. But how well it might serve a Core class is nonetheless something that should not be ignored.

How the Soulknife fails to stand on its own is something I would need to understand before I could be persuaded by proposed tweaks.

 

[Fishbone]

I don't see how it doesn't hit that often, though.
7/2 base, +2 weapon from class abilities, Weapon Focus and Greater Weapon Focus, +11/+6 to hit. Not too shabby! Then throw on some strength and buffing and its not all that bad. It also has a d10 and can afford to focus on only 2 stats, Strength and Constitution, so it doesn't have to be stuck as a skirmisher. The Psionic Weapon and Psychic Strike abilities are usually used with Soulknifes so they do make great Spring Attackers.
Its not that bad of a class, its just missing a little something. A d12, or full BAB, and plenty of people would have played them.