Soul Chain Warrior (3.5e Class)
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Soul Chain Warrior
The Soul Chain Warrior was originally an arcane experiment from a mad dark wizard facinated with infusing organic matter with non-organic materials. Once the wizard's studies were made public, some kingdoms soon started practicing with making their own soldiers into Soul Chain Warriors, while some Soul Chains were formed by fighters or mercenaries seeking an edge in battle. In rougher societies, the Soul Chain Warriors were formed out of captives and then made to fight in arenas for whatever sick reasons their masters wished. All that is truly known about the Soul Chain Warrior, is that they are incredibly deadly to all that oppose them on the battlefield. As Soul Chain Warriors get older, and use their chains more often, the magic that bonds steel to flesh slowly takes over their body, making them tougher and stronger in a slow, but steady process.
- (Please Note: All information below is listed for a Medium-sized character. Modifications will need to be made (mostly to damage rolls) for creatures of larger or smaller sizes.)
Making a Soul Chain Warrior
Soul Chain Warriors are a decent mix between ranged and melee fighters. Using their Soul-Bound chains to attack enemies and defend themselves against harm. When working in a party, they are often well suited when working with spell casters who can enhance the effectiveness of their attacks.
Abilities: Dexterity helps with not only Armor Class, but the ability to move quickly on the battlefield. Being a frontline fighter, Constitution helps with Hit Points. While a Soul Chain's spirit, Charisma, often determines many factors for the chains bound to his soul.
Races: Any race that values brute force and strength on the battlefield often finds the Soul Chain Warrior to be a worthwhile class option, even though the process of binding the soul to steel can often be quite painful.
Alignment: Because of the various roles and reasons a Soul Chain Warrior may fight, they may be any alignment.
Starting Gold: 5d4 ×10 gp (125 gp).
Starting Age: Simple, As Barbarian.
|Saving Throws||Special||Number of Chains|
|1st||+1||+2||+1||+0||Chain Strike, Bonus Feat||1|
|3rd||+2||+3||+2||+1||Chain Grapple, Magic Chains, Evasion||1|
|4th||+3||+3||+3||+1||Climbing Chains, Improved Grab||2|
|5th||+4||+4||+3||+2||Minor Enchantment, Dual Targeting||2|
|6th||+5||+4||+4||+2||Improved Uncanny Dodge||2|
|9th||+7/+2||+6||+5||+3||Heart of Steel, Alignment Chains||3|
|10th||+8/+3||+6||+6||+3||Improved Evasion, Moderate Enchantment||3|
|11th||+9/+4||+7||+6||+4||Rend +2d6, Improved Targeting||3|
|12th||+10/+5||+7||+7||+4||Body of Steel||4|
|15th||+12/+7/+2||+9||+8||+5||Rend +4d6, Legs of Steel, Major Enchantment||4|
|16th||+13/+8/+3||+9||+9||+5||Razor Chains, Adamantine Chains||5|
|17th||+14/+9/+4||+10||+9||+6||Rend +5d8, Greater Targeting||5|
|18th||+14/+9/+4||+10||+10||+6||Mind of Steel||5|
|20th||+16/+11/+6/+1||+11||+11||+7||Pure Steel, Greater Enchantment||6|
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level)
All of the following are class features of the Soul Chain Warrior.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Because Soul Chains come magically equipped with their chains for weapons, they are rarely trained in anything else, but should the need arise they are often proficient with crude simple weapons (Dagger, Club, Spear, Dart, and Sling). A Soul Chain Warrior may use any Light or Medium Armor, but no shields, as the Warrior needs their hands to summon their chains.
Chain Strike (Su): From their palms they launch the chains that have been bonded to their soul. These chains have a reach equal to 5 times their Charisma Modifier. To hit with one of these chains, the Soul Chain Warrior must roll a ranged attack versus his/her opponent. A Soul Chain Warrior has the ability to alter the tips of his/her chains before using them, this must be decided as a swift action at the beginning of each of his/her turns. The chain tips and their associated abilities are as follows:
- Ball: 1d6 Damage; Critical 20/x2 (Bludgeoning), On critical hits, this tip is capable of knocking down enemies (Balance Check vs. Attack roll)
- Spike: 1d6 Damage; Critical 20/x3 (Piercing), On critical hits, this tip works as though it has the Cleave Feat, passing through the first enemy and into any single enemy within range directly behind it.
- Blade: 1d6 Damage; Critical 18-20/x2 (Slashing), Capable of being used as a whip to disarm enemies.
Number of Chains: This column represents the maximum number of chains a Warrior may use per attack. A Soul Chain Warrior does not need any feats to use multiple chains without penalty for doing so, for even though they were magically installed, they are still a part of their body. They must roll a seperate attack for each chain used. As long as a chain is not being used to grapple an enemy, they return immediately to the Warrior after each attack. When a Warrior gains the ability to target multiple enemies, he/she may distribute the chains among the targets as they see fit.
Bonus Feat: At 1st Level, a Soul Chain Warrior may take one of the following Feats: Far Shot or Precise Shot. The Warrior does not need to meet the prerequisites for these feats in order to use them.
Uncanny Dodge: A Soul Chain Warrior has the ability to retain his/her Dexterity bonus to their AC even if they are caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. (As per Uncanny Dodge for Barbarians, PHB pg. 26)
Chain Grapple (Su): Using his/her chains, a Soul Chain Warrior is capable of making grapple attempts at a distance. This can be used to hold enemies still, or drag them closer, or even attempt to throw them.
Magic Chains (Su): At 3rd Level, the chains are considered magic for the purpose of bypassing damage reduction. Once the chains have this magic ability the Warrior can apply 1/2 their Charisma modifier (rounded down) to their Attack and Damage rolls when using the chains. This ability improves as the Soul Chain gets stronger. At 9th Level, the chains become aligned, being treated as an aligned weapon, mimicing the Warrior's alignment (Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic, Evil, Good) for the purpose of further bypassing damage reduction. When a Warrior reaches 16th Level, the chains become made of Adamantine, increasing the ability to bypass hardness and damage reduction.
Evasion: As per Monk, PHB pg 41. Though a Warrior may use this ability while wearing Light armor or no armor at all.
Climbing Chains (Su): At 4th Level, a Soul Chain Warrior may now use a fourth tip for non-combat situations. This tip is a grappling hook, and allows the Warrior to climb walls, scale cliffs, and otherwise reach previously unreachable areas. When using his/her chains in this manner, the Soul Chain Warrior adds in 1/2 their Charisma modifier (rounded up), as well as a +2 bonus for each chain they use, to their climb check.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the Warrior must hit with his/her chains. They can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.
Minor Enchantment (Sp): When a Warrior gains 5th level, the magic in their body that fuses the chains to their soul begins to mutate in a way that it manifests new powers through the chains, enchanting them slightly. Roll a 4-sided dice, this will decide the enchantment (found in Magic Weapons: DMG pg. 223):
Dual Targeting (Ex): Due to heightened senses caused by the blossoming magical influence, the Soul Chain Warrior is able to direct his/her attacks upon two seperate targets at once with no penalty. Both targets must be in sight and within range of the chains.
Improved Uncanny Dodge: As per Barbarian, PHB pg 26.
Constrict (Ex): After a successful grapple, the chains can deal 1d4 points of damage each round as they begin to squeeze the victim to death. This damage is automatic.
Barbed Chains (Su): Small spikes begin to petrude from the edges of the chains, causing an additional 1 point of damage on each successful hit, and raising the Constrict damage to 1d6 instead of 1d4. Upon reaching 16th Level, the chains become sharp as razors and covered in large, vicious spikes, causing the Constrict damage to raise to 2d6, and making the Rend ability even more deadly.
Heart of Steel (Su): Further use of the magic causes the spells used to bind the steel of the chains to the soul of the Warrior, resulting in better resistance. At 9th Level, the Soul Chain Warrior can add 1/2 of his/her Charisma modifier (rounded down) to their Constitution Score.
Improved Evasion: As per Monk, PHB pg 42.
Moderate Enchantment (Sp): When a Warrior gains 10th level, the magic that holds the chains to their soul begins to change in a way that it creates stronger powers within the chains, making them slightly more formidable. Roll a 4-sided dice, this will decide the enchantment (found in Magic Weapons: DMG pg. 223):
- Bane: roll on the chart in the DMG pg 224 to figure out the foe
- Slow: As per spell, activates on hit, lasts for 1d4 rounds (Will DC = 10 + 1/2 Warrior's Charisma Modifier + 3 for each chain used)
- Poison: 1d4 Constitution Damage every 1d4 rounds (Fort DC = 10 + 1/2 Warrior's Charisma Modifier + 3 for each chain used)
- Confusion: As per spell, activates on hit, lasts for 1d4 rounds (Will DC = 10 + 1/2 Warrior's Charisma Modifier + 3 for each chain used)
Rend (Ex): After successfully grabbing a hold of an enemy, the barbed chains begin to tear the flesh from the victim's bones, dealing automatic extra damage in addition to the Constrict ability. The Warrior adds their full Charisma modifier to the Rend ability's damage. This damage is caused by each chain used in the Rend ability, meaning the more a Warrior uses, the more damage they dish out.
Improved Targeting (Ex): With stronger, more awakened magic coursing through his/her veins, the Soul Chain Warrior is even more aware of the battlefield. These better senses allow the Warrior to attack a number of enemies equal to 1/2 their Charisma modifier (rounded up). The targets maybe to the direct left, right, or directly above, or below the Warrior, but not neccessarily within sight. When using this ability, a Soul Chain can strike at multiple targets with any number of available chains (see Number of Chains chart)
Body of Steel (Su): As the Soul Chain Warrior continues to delve deeper into the magic that gave him/her the ability to be soul-bound to the chains, they find their physical abilities being affected. At 12th Level, their skin becomes harder than normal due to continued use of the magic, granting them the ability to apply 1/2 their Charisma Modifier (rounded down), to their Armor Class as Natural Armor.
Automatic Strike (Ex): When a creature with hostile intent enters within range of the chains, one of the Warrior's chains will automatically attack the enemy, as long as the Warrior is not currently using all of his/her available chains. This attack always activates the Improved Grab, Constrict, and Rend abilities when it hits. This attack will also occur upon any creature attempting to land an attack of opportunity upon the Soul Chain Warrior.
Legs of Steel (Su): The magic that binds flesh and steel continues its course through the body of the Soul Chain Warrior. At 15th Level, the Warrior now applies 1/2 of his/her Charisma modifier to their Dexterity score, but they apply their full Charisma modifier to their Reflex Save, and gain an additional 10ft of movement speed. At this stage, they also no longer need food or drink to survive, but are still required to sleep if needed.
Major Enchantment (Sp): The dark magic is getting much stronger, and with it, the chains themselves are mutating to take on increasingly more powerful abilities. Upon reaching 15th Level, the Soul Chain Warrior rolls 1d4 twice, the first is a new (or stacked) enchantment off the Minor Enchantment list, and the second is a more powerful enchantment:
- Flaming Burst
- Shocking Burst
Greater Targeting (Ex): With the power of the magic helping to control their senses, the Soul Chain Warriors can literally detect an enemy in any direction within the range of their chains. Because of these improved senses, they may also attack a number of enemies equal to their Charisma modifier, as long as they have enough chains available to do so.
Mind of Steel (Su): With the magic of the binding nearly in control, it begins to seep into the mind of the Warrior, giving them better focus and mental abilties. Upon reaching 18th Level, a Soul Chain Warrior adds their full Charisma modifier to their Will save, and 1/2 of their Charisma modifier to their Wisdom Score. Once a Warrior reaches this level, they not only do not need to eat or drink, but they no longer require sleep or rest, as the magic that binds the steel to their soul keeps them energized alone.
Pure Steel Being (Su): The peak of binding between flesh and steel, magic and mortal have become one with each other. Here, at 20th Level, a Soul Chain gains a number of beneficial construct-like traits:
- Immunity to mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, patterns, etc).
- Immunity to poison, sleep effects, and disease.
- No longer subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, fatigue, exhaustion, or energy drain.
- No longer required to eat, sleep, or breathe.
- Gains 2d8 × their Charisma modifier worth of extra Hit Points
- Add full Charisma modifier to Armor Class as Natural Armor
- Physically the Warrior takes on a metallic look. Their hair and eyes change to a metal-like color like gold, silver, platinum, steel, brass, copper, or iron.
Greater Enchantment (Sp): With the binding of flesh and steel at its peak, the magic flows through the chains with rivers of sheer power. Upon reaching 20th Level, a Soul Chain Warrior rolls another 1d4 twice, with first result being a second or stacked power from the Moderate Enchantment list, and the second roll being from the following list:
- Brilliant Energy
- Double Critical Threat Range
- Roll once off the Major Enchantment list, and roll again off this list.
Playing a Soul Chain Warrior
Religion: This depends ultimately on the reasons why the Warrior underwent the process to bind steel to flesh through magic. There are those that do it for the purpose of defending the weak, in which they very well might have a strong religion, but there are those as well who seek only power and greed.
Other Classes: Soul Chain Warriors tend to work with those that are capable of enhancing their attack and defence. Because he/her is strictly melee-oriented, this often leaves them open to long-range and spell attacks, so anyone who can keep those attacks at bay while the Warrior is tearing and shredding with his/her chains is seen as a great asset.
Combat: A Soul Chain works best by approaching combat by focusing on the ability to grapple and rip the flesh from his/her victim with various grapple-based attacks. Though at higher levels, when one is able to focus on greater numbers of enemies, one might focus more on dispatching larger numbers by striking quickly with a spread of chains.
Advancement: When multi-classing, it is quite often that a Soul Chain will take ranks in Rogue, often to grant them abilities to sneak up and deal incredible amounts of damage between sneak attacks and the Rend attack. Spell-casting classes are limited, as the Soul Chain Warrior needs his/her palms for releasing their chains.
Soul Chain Warriors in the World
|“||"You wish to fight me for this mere girl... Fine, I like a challenge... Let's see if you can reach me before I tear you in half. I wager you won't ever get closer than twenty feet."||”|
|—Otterlan Dessian, Vellorean Soul Chain Warrior of the Stygian Guard|
Daily Life: Soul Chain Warriors are often guards or mercenaries, using their talents for battle and protection of others.
NPC Reactions: When a Soul Chain is discovered, they are often treated with fear and loathing. Many who do not understand the Soul Chain Warrior see them as abominations to their race, but those who appreciate their unique talents often give them great respect.
Soul Chain Warrior Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Arcana) can research Soul Chain Warriors to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.
|5||Your research yeilds no new information.|
|10||You discover that Soul Chain Warriors are the product of a vicious experiment to meld steel with flesh.|
|15||You have found information telling you exactly what Soul Chain Warriors are capable of as they get stronger.|
|20||With the information you have gathered, you are able to compose a roster of all the known Soul Chain Warriors in the region, with their names, occupation, and place of residence.|