Here's my new version of the Aetheric Warrior, I'd be interested in hearing any opinions on it.
Anyway, I changed it so that it is more of a combination of ardent, psychic warrior and soulknife(rather than wilder). It may look like he's getting a lot of abilities, but the truth is that around half of them (the aether blade abilities) are just mimicing items that most characters will get by themselves, and the 'realms' are just giving him additional spells to choose from. Using "complete control" as a guide, he's actually worth about as many points as a regular psychic warrior because his maximum caster level is only 13 rather than 20.
The idea behind this character is that instead of using Psychic Strike with his energy blade, he can imbue his powers into it and release them when he hits like an arcane archer. Take a look at his "Power Storing Blade" abilities.
I'm worried that he's gaining a few too many abilities, but I think I like this class a lot better than the standard Soulknife
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AETHERIC WARRIOR
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8.
Class Skills
The aetheric warrior’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration* (Con), Craft (Int), Jump (Str), Knowledge (aetherics)* (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), and Swim (Str).
*New skill or expanded use of existing skill.
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All the following are class features of the aetheric warrior.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Aetheric warriors are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with light and medium armor and with shields (except tower shields).
Manifester Levels Gained: On 1st level, and every level that the Aetheric Warrior doesn’t gain a bonus feat, he new powers, power points, and an increase in manifester level as if he had taken a level as a Manifester.
Bonus Feats: At 1st level, an aetheric warrior gets a bonus combat-oriented feat in addition to the feat that any 1st level character gets and the bonus feat granted to a human character. The aetheric warrior gains an additional bonus feat at 2nd level and every three levels thereafter (5th, 8th, 11th, 14th, 17th, and 20th). These bonus feats must be drawn from the feats noted as fighter bonus feats or psionic feats. The aetheric warrior must still meet all prerequisites for the bonus feat, including ability score and base attack bonus minimums as well as class requirements. An aetheric warrior cannot choose feats that specifically require levels in the fighter class unless he is a multiclass character with the requisite levels in the fighter class.
These bonus feats are in addition to the feats that a character of any class gains every three levels. An aetheric warrior is not limited to fighter bonus feats and psionic feats when choosing these other feats.
Realm: At 1st level, the Aetheric Warrior chooses one aether Realm. All of his powers are chosen from these realms, and he also gains a special ability from each one.
At 3rd, 9th and 15th levels the Manifester gains additional realms from which they may choose powers from.
Aether Blade (Su): As a move action, an aetheric warrior can create a semisolid blade composed of aetheric energy distilled from his own reserves. The blade is identical in all ways (except visually) to a short sword of a size appropriate for its wielder. For instance, a Medium aetheric warrior materializes a Medium aether blade that he can wield as a light weapon, and the blade deals 1d6 points of damage (crit 19–20/x2). Soulknives who are smaller or larger than Medium create aether blades identical to short swords appropriate for their size, with a corresponding change to the blade’s damage. The wielder of an aether blade gains the usual benefits to his attack roll and damage roll from a high Strength bonus.
The blade can be broken (it has hardness 10 and 10 hit points); however, an aetheric warrior can simply create another on his next move action. The moment he relinquishes his grip on his blade, it dissipates (unless he intends to throw it; see below). An aether blade is considered a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
An aetheric warrior can use feats such as Power Attack or Combat Expertise in conjunction with the aether blade just as if it were a normal weapon. He can also choose aether blade for feats requiring a specific weapon choice, such as Weapon Specialization. Powers or spells that upgrade weapons can be used on an aether blade.
An aetheric warrior’s aether blade improves as the character gains higher levels. At 4th level and every four levels thereafter, the aether blade gains a cumulative +1 enhancement bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls (+2 at 8th level, +3 at 12th level, +4 at 16th level, and +5 at 20th level).
Even in places where aetheric effects do not normally function (such as within a null aetherics field), an aetheric warrior can attempt to sustain his aether blade by making a DC 20 Will save. On a successful save, the aetheric warrior maintains his aether blade for a number of rounds equal to his class level before he needs to check again. On an unsuccessful attempt, the aether blade vanishes. As a move action on his turn, the aetheric warrior can attempt a new Will save to rematerialize his aether blade while he remains within the aetherics negating effect.
Throw Aether blade (Ex): An aetheric warrior of 2nd level or higher can throw his aether blade as a ranged weapon with a range increment of 30 feet.
Whether or not the attack hits, a thrown aether blade then dissipates. An aetheric warrior of 3rd level or higher can make a psychic strike (see below) with a thrown aether blade and can use the blade in conjunction with other special abilities (such as Knife to the Soul; see below).
Power Storing Blade (Ex): At 3rd level, the aetheric warrior’s aetheric blade is treated as a Power Storing blade. He may only store his own powers within the blade, and the power point cost of the stored power can be equal to or less than his manifester level.
The stored power must have a manifesting time of 1 standard action and it takes 1 standard action to store the power within the blade. Any time the weapon strikes a creature and the creature takes damage from it, the weapon can immediately manifest the power on that creature as a swift action if the wielder desires.
This ability does not count as one of the enhancements given by the aether blade enhancement ability.
Free Draw (Su): At 5th level, an aetheric warrior becomes able to materialize his aether blade as a free action instead of a move action. He can make only one attempt to materialize the aether blade per round, however.
Shape Aether blade (Su): At 6th level, an aetheric warrior gains the ability to change the form of his aether blade. As a fullround action, he can change his aether blade to replicate a longsword (damage 1d8 for a Medium weapon wielded as a one-handed weapon) or a bastard sword (damage 1d10 for a Medium weapon, but he must wield it as a two-handed weapon unless he knows the Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword) feat). If an aetheric warrior shapes his aether blade into the form of a bastard sword and wields it two-handed, he adds 1-1/2 times his Strength bonus to his damage rolls, just like when using any other two-handed weapon.
Alternatively, an aetheric warrior can split his aether blade into two identical short swords, suitable for fighting with a weapon in each hand. (The normal penalties for fighting with two weapons apply.) However, both aether blades have an enhancement bonus 1 lower than the aetheric warrior would otherwise create with a single aether blade.
Aether blade Enhancement (Su): At 6th level, an aetheric warrior gains the ability to enhance his aether blade. He can add any one of the weapon special abilities on the table below that has an enhancement bonus value of +1.
At every four levels beyond 6th (10th, 14th, and 18th), the value of the enhancement an aetheric warrior can add to his weapon improves to +2, +3, and +4, respectively. An aetheric warrior can choose any combination of weapon special abilities that does not exceed the total allowed by the aetheric warrior’s level.
The weapon ability or abilities remain the same every time the aetheric warrior materializes his aether blade (unless he decides to reassign its abilities; see below). The ability or abilities apply to any form the aether blade takes, including the use of the shape aether blade or bladewind class abilities.
An aetheric warrior can reassign the ability or abilities he has added to his aether blade. To do so, he must first spend 8 hours in concentration. After that period, the aether blade materializes with the new ability or abilities selected by the aetheric warrior.
Imbue Aetheric Blade (Ex): At 7th level, the aetheric warrior can enchant his blade with powers such as "Weapon of Energy" more quickly. He may manifest powers which have a casting time of a standard action and target his aetheric blade as a move action.
This ability does not affect the time it takes to store a power within a blade using the Power Storing Blade ability.
Bladewind (Su): At 9th level, an aetheric warrior gains the ability to momentarily fragment his aether blade into numerous identical blades, each of which strikes at a nearby opponent.
As a full attack, when wielding his aether blade, an aetheric warrior can give up his regular attacks and instead fragment his aether blade to make one melee attack at his full base attack bonus against each opponent within reach. Each fragment functions identically to the aetheric warrior’s regular aether blade.
When using bladewind, an aetheric warrior forfeits any bonus or extra attacks granted by other feats or abilities (such as the Cleave feat or the haste spell).
The aether blade immediately reverts to its previous form after the bladewind attack.
Advanced Power Storing Blade (Ex): At 13th level, the aetheric warrior may store powers within his aetheric blade as a move action instead of a standard action.
Multiple Throw (Ex): At 19th level and higher, an aetheric warrior can throw a number of aether blades per round equal to the number of melee attacks he could make.
Anyway, I changed it so that it is more of a combination of ardent, psychic warrior and soulknife(rather than wilder). It may look like he's getting a lot of abilities, but the truth is that around half of them (the aether blade abilities) are just mimicing items that most characters will get by themselves, and the 'realms' are just giving him additional spells to choose from. Using "complete control" as a guide, he's actually worth about as many points as a regular psychic warrior because his maximum caster level is only 13 rather than 20.
The idea behind this character is that instead of using Psychic Strike with his energy blade, he can imbue his powers into it and release them when he hits like an arcane archer. Take a look at his "Power Storing Blade" abilities.
I'm worried that he's gaining a few too many abilities, but I think I like this class a lot better than the standard Soulknife
-----------------
AETHERIC WARRIOR
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8.
Class Skills
The aetheric warrior’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration* (Con), Craft (Int), Jump (Str), Knowledge (aetherics)* (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), and Swim (Str).
*New skill or expanded use of existing skill.
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Code:
Table: The Aetheric warrior
Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special Manifester Levels Gained
1st +0 +2 +0 +0 Aether Blade, Realm(1st) +1
2nd +1 +3 +0 +0 Bonus feat, Throw Aether Blade 0
3rd +2 +3 +1 +1 Realm(2nd), Power Storing Blade +1
4th +3 +4 +1 +1 Aether Blade +1 +1
5th +3 +4 +1 +1 Bonus feat, Free Draw 0
6th +4 +5 +2 +2 Aether Blade Enhancement +1, +1
Shape Aether Blade
7th +5 +5 +2 +2 Imbue Aetheric Blade +1
8th +6 +6 +2 +2 Bonus feat, 0
Aether Blade +2
9th +6 +6 +3 +3 Realm(3rd), Bladewind +1
10th +7 +7 +3 +3 Aether Blade Enhancement +2 +1
11th +8 +7 +3 +3 Bonus feat 0
12th +9 +8 +4 +4 Aether Blade +3 +1
13th +9 +8 +4 +4 Advanced Power Storing Blade +1
14th +10 +9 +4 +4 Bonus feat, 0
Aether Blade Enhancement +3
15th +11 +9 +5 +5 Realm(4th) +1
16th +12 +10 +5 +5 Aether Blade +4 +1
17th +12 +10 +5 +5 Bonus feat 0
18th +13 +11 +6 +6 Aether Blade Enhancement +4 +1
19th +14 +11 +6 +6 Multiple Throw +1
20th +15 +12 +6 +6 Bonus feat, Aether Blade +5 0 (total: 13)All the following are class features of the aetheric warrior.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Aetheric warriors are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with light and medium armor and with shields (except tower shields).
Manifester Levels Gained: On 1st level, and every level that the Aetheric Warrior doesn’t gain a bonus feat, he new powers, power points, and an increase in manifester level as if he had taken a level as a Manifester.
Bonus Feats: At 1st level, an aetheric warrior gets a bonus combat-oriented feat in addition to the feat that any 1st level character gets and the bonus feat granted to a human character. The aetheric warrior gains an additional bonus feat at 2nd level and every three levels thereafter (5th, 8th, 11th, 14th, 17th, and 20th). These bonus feats must be drawn from the feats noted as fighter bonus feats or psionic feats. The aetheric warrior must still meet all prerequisites for the bonus feat, including ability score and base attack bonus minimums as well as class requirements. An aetheric warrior cannot choose feats that specifically require levels in the fighter class unless he is a multiclass character with the requisite levels in the fighter class.
These bonus feats are in addition to the feats that a character of any class gains every three levels. An aetheric warrior is not limited to fighter bonus feats and psionic feats when choosing these other feats.
Realm: At 1st level, the Aetheric Warrior chooses one aether Realm. All of his powers are chosen from these realms, and he also gains a special ability from each one.
At 3rd, 9th and 15th levels the Manifester gains additional realms from which they may choose powers from.
Aether Blade (Su): As a move action, an aetheric warrior can create a semisolid blade composed of aetheric energy distilled from his own reserves. The blade is identical in all ways (except visually) to a short sword of a size appropriate for its wielder. For instance, a Medium aetheric warrior materializes a Medium aether blade that he can wield as a light weapon, and the blade deals 1d6 points of damage (crit 19–20/x2). Soulknives who are smaller or larger than Medium create aether blades identical to short swords appropriate for their size, with a corresponding change to the blade’s damage. The wielder of an aether blade gains the usual benefits to his attack roll and damage roll from a high Strength bonus.
The blade can be broken (it has hardness 10 and 10 hit points); however, an aetheric warrior can simply create another on his next move action. The moment he relinquishes his grip on his blade, it dissipates (unless he intends to throw it; see below). An aether blade is considered a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
An aetheric warrior can use feats such as Power Attack or Combat Expertise in conjunction with the aether blade just as if it were a normal weapon. He can also choose aether blade for feats requiring a specific weapon choice, such as Weapon Specialization. Powers or spells that upgrade weapons can be used on an aether blade.
An aetheric warrior’s aether blade improves as the character gains higher levels. At 4th level and every four levels thereafter, the aether blade gains a cumulative +1 enhancement bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls (+2 at 8th level, +3 at 12th level, +4 at 16th level, and +5 at 20th level).
Even in places where aetheric effects do not normally function (such as within a null aetherics field), an aetheric warrior can attempt to sustain his aether blade by making a DC 20 Will save. On a successful save, the aetheric warrior maintains his aether blade for a number of rounds equal to his class level before he needs to check again. On an unsuccessful attempt, the aether blade vanishes. As a move action on his turn, the aetheric warrior can attempt a new Will save to rematerialize his aether blade while he remains within the aetherics negating effect.
Throw Aether blade (Ex): An aetheric warrior of 2nd level or higher can throw his aether blade as a ranged weapon with a range increment of 30 feet.
Whether or not the attack hits, a thrown aether blade then dissipates. An aetheric warrior of 3rd level or higher can make a psychic strike (see below) with a thrown aether blade and can use the blade in conjunction with other special abilities (such as Knife to the Soul; see below).
Power Storing Blade (Ex): At 3rd level, the aetheric warrior’s aetheric blade is treated as a Power Storing blade. He may only store his own powers within the blade, and the power point cost of the stored power can be equal to or less than his manifester level.
The stored power must have a manifesting time of 1 standard action and it takes 1 standard action to store the power within the blade. Any time the weapon strikes a creature and the creature takes damage from it, the weapon can immediately manifest the power on that creature as a swift action if the wielder desires.
This ability does not count as one of the enhancements given by the aether blade enhancement ability.
Free Draw (Su): At 5th level, an aetheric warrior becomes able to materialize his aether blade as a free action instead of a move action. He can make only one attempt to materialize the aether blade per round, however.
Shape Aether blade (Su): At 6th level, an aetheric warrior gains the ability to change the form of his aether blade. As a fullround action, he can change his aether blade to replicate a longsword (damage 1d8 for a Medium weapon wielded as a one-handed weapon) or a bastard sword (damage 1d10 for a Medium weapon, but he must wield it as a two-handed weapon unless he knows the Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword) feat). If an aetheric warrior shapes his aether blade into the form of a bastard sword and wields it two-handed, he adds 1-1/2 times his Strength bonus to his damage rolls, just like when using any other two-handed weapon.
Alternatively, an aetheric warrior can split his aether blade into two identical short swords, suitable for fighting with a weapon in each hand. (The normal penalties for fighting with two weapons apply.) However, both aether blades have an enhancement bonus 1 lower than the aetheric warrior would otherwise create with a single aether blade.
Aether blade Enhancement (Su): At 6th level, an aetheric warrior gains the ability to enhance his aether blade. He can add any one of the weapon special abilities on the table below that has an enhancement bonus value of +1.
At every four levels beyond 6th (10th, 14th, and 18th), the value of the enhancement an aetheric warrior can add to his weapon improves to +2, +3, and +4, respectively. An aetheric warrior can choose any combination of weapon special abilities that does not exceed the total allowed by the aetheric warrior’s level.
The weapon ability or abilities remain the same every time the aetheric warrior materializes his aether blade (unless he decides to reassign its abilities; see below). The ability or abilities apply to any form the aether blade takes, including the use of the shape aether blade or bladewind class abilities.
Code:
Weapon Special Ability Enhancement Bonus Value Realm Required
Defending +1 Any
Dissipater +1 Aether or Destruction
Flaming +1 Fire
Frost +1 Water
Keen +1 Any
Lucky +1 Seer or Time
Mighty cleaving +1 Physical Power
Psychokinetic +1 Force or Aether
Sundering +1 Destruction or Physical Power
Vicious +1 Destruction
Collision +2 Creation or Earth
Flaming burst +2 Fire
Icy burst +2 Water
Mindcrusher +2 Aether or Destruction
Psychokinetic burst +2 Force or Aether
Shocking burst +2 Storm
Suppression +2 Aether or Destruction
Wounding +2 Pain and Suffering or Metabolism
Bodyfeeder +3 Consumption, Life, or Metabolism
Mindfeeder +3 Consumption or Aether
Soulbreaker +3 Destruction
Speed +3 Time
Brilliant energy +4 Light and Darkness
Dancing +4 Force or Storm
Vorpal +5 Destruction or StormImbue Aetheric Blade (Ex): At 7th level, the aetheric warrior can enchant his blade with powers such as "Weapon of Energy" more quickly. He may manifest powers which have a casting time of a standard action and target his aetheric blade as a move action.
This ability does not affect the time it takes to store a power within a blade using the Power Storing Blade ability.
Bladewind (Su): At 9th level, an aetheric warrior gains the ability to momentarily fragment his aether blade into numerous identical blades, each of which strikes at a nearby opponent.
As a full attack, when wielding his aether blade, an aetheric warrior can give up his regular attacks and instead fragment his aether blade to make one melee attack at his full base attack bonus against each opponent within reach. Each fragment functions identically to the aetheric warrior’s regular aether blade.
When using bladewind, an aetheric warrior forfeits any bonus or extra attacks granted by other feats or abilities (such as the Cleave feat or the haste spell).
The aether blade immediately reverts to its previous form after the bladewind attack.
Advanced Power Storing Blade (Ex): At 13th level, the aetheric warrior may store powers within his aetheric blade as a move action instead of a standard action.
Multiple Throw (Ex): At 19th level and higher, an aetheric warrior can throw a number of aether blades per round equal to the number of melee attacks he could make.
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