Appendix: Epic-Level Meldshapers

is a particularly devout Dolmen Novice keen on slaying a lost that he has been tracking for a week. He initially suspects the PCs. In fact, in the darkness and his zeal, he probably ambushes the adventuring party without bothering to make certain that they are the lost he hunts. If a PC makes a DC 15 Knowledge (religion) or DC 15 Knowledge (history) check, she can recognize the phoenix over a dolmen circle emblazoned on Gilles’s shield as the symbol of the Pentifex Order. Subsequently, a DC 10 Diplomacy check convinces Gilles to call off his attack. At that point, the lost that Gilles has been tracking descends upon the weakened party and Gilles, forcing them to fight back-to-back for survival (use Dolcianne, the lost nymph barbarian presented on page 182, for the second part of this encounter).

Gilles Veprain CR 6

Male human incarnate 6 LN Medium humanoid (incarnum) Init +5; Senses Listen +1, Spot +1 Languages Common AC 21, touch 12, flat-footed 20; Dodge, Mobility hp 35 (6 HD); DR 3/chaos Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +7 (+9 against charm/compulsion) Speed 20 ft. (4 squares) or fly 20 ft. (perfect) Melee +3 good-aligned longsword +7 (1d8+4/19–20) or Ranged javelin +4 (1d6+1) Base Atk +3; Grp +4 Special Actions incarnum radiance 1/day (+2 to melee attack rolls, duration 5 rounds) Combat Gear 2 potions of cure moderate wounds Essentia Pool 8; Capacity 2 (3 for soulmelds); Chakra

Binds 2; Soulmelds 4 Soulmelds and Essentia Investment (CL 6th):

Adamant pauldrons 3 (25% chance to negate critical hits and sneak attacks; DR 3/chaos)

Airstep sandals 1 (fly 20 ft., perfect; bound to feet chakra)

Crystal helm 1 (+2 resistance bonus on Will saves against charm and compulsion effects; +1 deflection bonus to AC; melee attacks have force descriptor; bound to crown chakra)

Incarnate weapon 3 (creates +3 lawful longsword) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th):

At will—detect chaos Abilities Str 12, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 15, Cha 10 SQ chakra binds (crown, feet, hands), moderate lawful aura, rapid meldshaping 1/day Feats Bonus Essentia, Dodge, Improved Initiative,

Mobility Skills Jump –9, Knowledge (religion) +8 Possessions combat gear plus 2 javelins, pentifex +1 breastplate, pentifex +1 heavy shield, backpack, 1 week’s rations, full wine skin, 11 gp, 19 sp, 1 tourmaline earring with a wagon intaglio (182 gp)

Regardless of the method used to attain 21st level, once a character reaches that point, he or she is considered an epic character. Epic characters—those whose character level is 21st or higher—are handled slightly differently from non-epic characters. While they continue to gain most of the customary benefi ts of gaining levels, some benefi ts are replaced by alternative gains. Despite the twenty-level limit indicated in the class tables earlier in this chapter, you can advance a melding class beyond 20th level (see Epic Characters, page 208 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide). You can also advance the level of a ten-level prestige class beyond 10th level, but only if the character level of the advancing character is already 20th or higher. You cannot advance the level of a class with fewer than ten levels beyond the maximum level described for that class, regardless of the character level of the advancing character. Rules for fi guring the epic save bonus, epic attack bonus, experience points, class skill max ranks, cross-class skill max ranks, and ability increases for epic-level characters are covered on page 206 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. The Dungeon Master’s Guide also presents the basic epic class features that any class gains upon advancing to 21st level and above, regardless of whether that class uses incarnum.

EPIC ESSENTIA CAPACITY

Essentia capacity—the maximum quantity of essentia you can invest in a soulmeld, incarnum feat, or other ability that allows essentia investment—continues to improve as your character level increases, though at a slower rate than it did at nonepic levels. Consult the Epic Essentia Capacity table to determine your capacity.

Epic Essentia Capacity

Character Essentia

Level Capacity

21st–30th 4 31st–40th 5 41st–50th 6 51st–60th 7 . . . and so on.

EPIC INCARNATE

Standing as an exemplar of her principles, the epic incarnate wields moral or ethical forces as weapons in his struggle against those who oppose his alignment.

Hit Die: d6.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifi er.

Incarnum Radiance: The epic incarnate can use this ability one additional time per day for every five levels he attains beyond 18th level (5/day at 23rd level, 6/day at 28th level, and so on.). The sacred bonus granted improves by 1 (for good or lawful incarnates), by 2 (for evil incarnates), or +10 feet (for chaotic incarnates) for every five levels above 20th.

Rapid Meldshaping: The epic incarnate can use this ability one additional time per day for every six levels he attains beyond 17th level (4/day at 23rd level, 5/day at 29th level, and so on.).

Meldshaping: The epic incarnate does not gain any additional soulmelds, essentia, or chakra binds after 20th level. His meldshaper level continues to increase, however.

Bonus Feats: The epic incarnate gains a bonus feat every two levels higher than 20th (22nd, 24th, and so on).

EPIC SOULBORN

The epic soulborn is a mighty champion of her chosen alignment, shaping her soulmelds for maximum martial capability.

Hit Die: d10.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifi er.

Smite Opposition: The epic soulborn can use this ability one additional time per day for every five levels she attains beyond 20th (6/day at 25th level, 7/day at 30th level, and so on.).

Share Incarnum Defense: The epic soulborn can use this ability one additional time per day for every four levels she attains beyond 17th (4/day at 21st level, 5/day at 25th level, and so on.).

Meldshaping: The epic soulborn does not gain any additional soulmelds, essentia, or chakra binds after 20th level. Her meldshaper level continues to increase by one for every two levels of soulborn gained.

Bonus Feats: The epic soulborn gains a bonus feat every three levels after 20th (23rd, 26th, and so on).

EPIC TOTEMIST

The epic totemist is a fi erce warrior of nature, though some more rightfully compare him to a force of nature itself.

Hit Die: d8.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifi er.

Rebind Totem Soulmeld: The epic totemist can use this ability one additional time per day for every four levels he attains beyond 20th (5/day at 24th, 6/day at 28th, and so on.).

Meldshaping: The epic totemist does not gain any additional soulmelds, essentia, or chakra binds after 20th level. His meldshaper level continues to increase, however.

Bonus Feats: The epic totemist gains a bonus feat every two levels after 20th (22nd, 24th, and so on).

EPIC FEATS

Like the epic feats detailed in the Dungeon Master’s Guide and the Epic Level Handbook, these feats are available only to characters whose character level is 21st or higher. They expand the abilities of melding characters beyond the limits of 20 levels on those classes.

BONUS SOULMELD [EPIC]

You gain newfound meldshaping ability.

Prerequisite: Ability to shape fi ve soulmelds.

Benefi t: Choose a meldshaping class for which you can shape at least fi ve soulmelds. The number of soulmelds for that class you can have shaped at any given time increases by one.

Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Each time you select this feat, it increases your number of soulmelds for a chosen class by one.

EPIC ESSENTIA [EPIC]

You unlock more of your inner soul energy.

Prerequisite: Ability to shape three soulmelds.

Benefi t: You gain 3 points of essentia.

Special: You can gain this feat multiple times, up to a maximum equal to one-third the number of soulmelds you are capable of shaping. For example, a character who can shape six soulmelds can take this feat twice.

EXTRA CHAKRA BIND [EPIC]

You gain the ability to use more of your body’s centers of power in conjunction with your soulmelds.

Prerequisites: Three chakra binds, ability to bind soulmelds to your lesser chakras.

Benefi t: The number of chakras to which you can bind soulmelds increases by one.

Special: You can gain this feat multiple times.

OPEN HEART CHAKRA [EPIC]

You open up one of your body’s most potent centers of power, allowing you to bind a soulmeld or a magic item to your heart chakra.

Prerequisites: Con 19, character level 21st.

Benefi t: You can now bind a soulmeld or a magic item to your heart chakra. In addition, you gain hit points equal to one-half your Hit Dice. Each time you gain an even-numbered HD (such as when advancing from 21 HD to 22 HD upon gaining a level), you gain 1 additional hit point. If you lose an evennumbered HD (such as by losing a level from 22nd to 21st), you lose a hit point permanently.

OPEN SOUL CHAKRA [EPIC]

You gain the ability to bind soulmelds to your body’s most potent center of power: your soul chakra.

Prerequisites: Con 21, character level 24th.

Benefi t: You can now bind a soulmeld or a magic item to your soul chakra. In addition, you gain a +2 insight bonus on damage rolls made against creatures whose alignment opposes any component of your alignment. For example, a lawful good character would gain this bonus against chaotic creatures and against evil creatures. Neutral characters can treat the four “extreme” alignments (lawful good, chaotic good, lawful evil, and chaotic evil) as opposed to their alignment for purposes of this feat.

RAPID MELDSHAPING [EPIC]

You can shape a meld in seconds.

Prerequisites: Meldshaper level 12th, Knowledge (arcana) 15 ranks.

Benefi t: Once per day, you can unshape one of your existing soulmelds and immediately shape another soulmeld. This process requires a full-round action and provokes attacks of opportunity. The soulmeld that you shape cannot be bound to a chakra, even if the soulmeld that you unshape was bound to a chakra.