Editing Castlevania (section)

==Soul Blades==

Soul Blades are a name for spirit with a dual nature, very like ghosts, who dwell on the ethereal plane, but manifest on the material plane in the guise of an animated physical weapon. Soul blades are related to poltergeist phenomena in that they are not a single spirit. Rather they occur whenever a a large number of creatures of the same race, or with the same purpose, have died in a certain area. The trailing wisps of spiritual energy that once bound their soul join together to form a Veilegeist, a Spirit made of many undead spirits. While the Template specifies using a single creature as the "base" creature, understand that Soul Blades are composed of the undead energy of thousands of creatures, the "base creature" was simply the most dominant bit of soul present.

'''Creating a Soul Blade'''

Soul Blade is an inherited template which can can that can be added to any fae, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid. A Soul Blade uses the base creatures statistics except as noted here.

'''Size and Type'''

The creature's type changes to Undead. Do not recalculate Hit Dice, base attack bonus, or saves. Size is unchanged.

'''Speed'''

Soul Blades are ethereal creature, even when they incarnate. They have a fly speed of 30ft with perfect maneuverability.

'''Armor Class'''

Soul Blades are Ethereal Creatures. On the Ethereal plane they have a Deflection Bonus to Armor Class equal to their Charisma Bonus(minimum of +1). See their Incarnate ability below for more information about Soul Blades on the Material Plane.

'''Attack'''

As Base Creature

'''Special Attacks'''

As base Creature.

'''Special Qualities'''

A Soul Blade retains the Special Abilities of the base class and gains the following Abilities.

''Incarnate(Su)'': Soul Blades normally exist on the Ethereal Plane, much like ghosts. As a Standard Action they can Incarnate, taking a semi-physical form of a ghostly, immaterial humanoid figure wielding a large, physical weapon. Their body is immaterial to anything which does not affect ethereal creatures and weapons and spells both pass through it without harm. Their weapon, while physical, is actually an extension of their body. Attacking the weapon is like attacking the creature itself, and the weapon has an Armor Class equal to the Base Creature(with a size modifier as if two sizes smaller than the base creature). Damaging the weapon is like dealing damage to any other creature, not an object. You do not provoke attacks of opportunity for attacking the weapon as you would with a sunder attempt. A Soul Blade in Incarnated form cannot be disarmed, and cannot be tripped or grappled by creatures not on the ethereal plane.

The weapon that forms when a Soul Blade incarnates is empowered by their spiritual essence. It assumes the form of a single magical weapon of the type and abilities of the Soul Blade's choice, though it always forms with the same powers. Once a power has been applied to the Blade, it cannot be changed. The weapon's total market price bonus cannot exceed one half the Soul Blades hit dice total(rounding down), and its Enhancement bonus to attack and damage cannot exceed their Hit Dice total divided by four, rounding down(minimum of +1).

When Incarnated a Soul Blade attacks with its weapon as though it were wielded by a creature of the Base Creature's size and abilities, including strength. The attack is physical, but can strike incorporeal creatures as though always enhanced with the Ghost Touch special quality, regardless of enhancement bonus.

''Rejuvenation(Su)'': A Soul Blade cannot be disposed of merely by destroying its physical, or even ethereal, form. A Soul Blade that is destroyed will reform in 2d4 days, returning automatically to the location it was created at. The only way to permanently set a Soul Blade to rest is to fully placate the Veilegeist, the multitude of pained spirits that give it power.

''Veilegeist'': Soul Blades are made up of the combined spiritual energy and the emotional suffering and pain of hundreds, or even thousands, of dead beings. This emotional energy is powerful, but unstable. Creatures may attempt to bargain or reason with, or placate the Veilegeist with a diplomacy check. The Soul Blade's initial reaction is Hostile to most creatures, depending on the nature of the Veilegeist.

During each round of combat there is a 5% chance that some aspect of their opponents will remind some component of the spirits that make up the Soul Blade of their past life. In such a situation the Soul Blade will take no offensive action, as though dazed, though it will still defend itself. If a Diplomacy check is made to influence the Soul Blade during such a round it gains a +4 bonus.

Setting a Soul Blade to rest requires discovering what is still driving the spirits to prowl the mortal realm. Some Veilegeist are made up of the victims of wars, soldiers and innocents alike slain by greed and a lust for power. Such spirits may seek vengeance on the powers that killed them, or on those who emulate them, or they may seek to protect others from suffering a similar fate. Still other Soul Blade are the result of the deaths of guardians of some great purpose. More than one city or castle has a ghostly, patrolling Soul Blade which still stands guard over its masters demesne, even if its master has long since passed away.

''Hardness(Ex)'': The weapon that a Soul Blade Incarnates as has a hardness score of 10 plus 2 points per +1 enhancement bonus.

''Spell Resistance(Su)'': Soul Blades have a spell resistance equal to 15 plus Hit Dice.

'''Abilities'''

Str +4 , Dex +4, Con -, Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +2

'''Skills'''

As a creature with the Augmented Subtype, it retains the features(and thus skill points per HD) of the base creature. Do not include Hit Dice from class levels in this calculation. Treat skills from the base creature痴 list as class skills, and other skills as cross-class.

'''Challenge Rating'''

As Base Creature +2

'''Level Adjustment'''

- (as in, Not a chance)

Sample: Hunting Girl
<pre>
Soul Blade Elven Ranger 4
Medium Undead(Augmented Elf)
Hit Dice: 4d8 (18hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30ft (Fly 30ft, Perfect)
AC: 22 (+2 Size*, +5 Dex, +1 Deflection), Flatfooted 13, Touch 22
Base Attack/Grapple: +4 / +8
Attack: +11 Rapier (1d8+5 plus Bane Humanoid[Shapechanger])
Full Attack: +11 Rapier (1d8+5 plus Bane Humanoid[Shapechanger])
Face/Reach: 5ft / 5ft
Special Attacks: Favored Enemy(Shapechanger), Spells
Special Qualities: Combat Style, Elven Traits, Hardness 12, Incarnate, Rejuvenation, SR 19, Undead Traits, Veilegeist, Wild Empathy
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +9, Will +2
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 20, Con -, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 12
Skills: Handle Animal +8, Hide +12, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +8, Knowledge(Nature) +8, Listen +8, Search +8, Spot +8
Feats: Endurance (B), Improved Initiative, Track(B), Weapon Finesse.
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: None
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Advancement: By Character Class
</pre>

You see an ornate silver rapier hovering in the air in front of you, surrounded by the wispy outline of a nude female. As you approach, the blade springs to attention, wielded by the steady hand of the ghostly figure in front of you.

The Hunting Girl, as such spirits are called, are the spiritual essence of the tortured innocents slain by evil were creatures, often mixed with the emotional energy of those who hunt such evil beasts and failed. While they do not always appear as women, the spirit which commands this Soul Blade is female. The Hunting Girl seeks to slay were-beasts of all ilk, and her unique Soul Blade manifests as a form of spiritual silver, rather than steel, to combat their damage reduction. The Hunting Girl, if startled or confronted by any living creature will seek to defend itself, especially against unnatural creatures such as undead and those with the tint of evil. The Hunting Girl can, however, be reasoned with if treated with dignity and respect.

The Hunting Girl speaks Elven, Common, and Sylvan.

'''Combat'''

The Hunting Girl, if confronted by by were creatures of any ilk, will almost move to attack, and will strike with great hatred. Otherwise the Hunting Girl singles out the most likely looking target and flies down to strike. The Hunting girls spellcasting is weak, but it usually uses Summon Nature's Ally I to call forth enormous blue ravens (treat as a Hawk).

''Favored Enemy Humanoid(Shapechanger)(Ex)'': The Hunting Girl gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against humanoids with the Shapechanger subtype. Likewise, it gets a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls against such creatures.

''Spells'': The Hunting girl casts spells as a fourth level ranger. It knows one first level spell per day, and usually prepares Summon Nature's Ally I.

''Combat Style(Ex)'': The Hunting girl has chosen the Two-weapon Fighting Style, but does not use a second weapon.

''Incarnate(Su)'': The Hunting Girl is an ethereal creature, but it incarnates on the Material Plane as a +1 Alchemical Silver Bane(Humanoid[Shapechanger]) Rapier.

''Rejuvenation(Su)'': If slain or destroyed, either on the Material or Ethereal plane, The Hunting Girl reforms in 2d4 days. Attempts to put the spirit to rest have all failed, and it's likely that The Hunting Girl will only ever reach true peace if all Were-creatures are destroyed.

''Veilegeist'': The Hunting Girls Ideologist shows a strong empathy for elven characters, and any elven character who attempts a diplomacy check against it gains a +4 bonus. Comparatively, it seems to fear and distrust undead creature, and such beings suffer a -8 penalty to diplomacy checks to influence the Veilegeist. Even though the Hunting Girl is hostile to most creatures, it will not usually attack unless provoked.