There are those who take a different path when pursuing power, reaching not for external energies, but instead into their own soul. Though one's soul can be wielded in several ways, one of the oldest, if not the original, of such disciplines is soul sharding. A soulshard takes a fragment of his own soul and fashions it into a semi-independent being. While the methods for doing so are considered outdated by most, and the inscriptions required leave little room for more modern affordances, some of aranity's greatest heroes were soulshards.

Role: Soulshards spend much of their time either sparring and training together with their eidolon, or perfecting their perfomances and meditative techniques. Their power comes from within, and they rely heavily on their eidolon companions in dangerous situations. While a soulshard and his eidolon function as individuals, their true power lies in what they can accomplish together.

Class Features

The following are the class features of the soulshard.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Soulshards are proficient with all simple weapons and light armor.

Eidolon

A soulshard begins play with the ability to split off a shard of his own soul and shape it, in his own image, into a semi-independent creature called an eidolon. The eidolon remains linked to the soulshard, who forever after creates same creature. An eidolon is treated as an independent creature. An eidolon does not experience real death, as it is a fragment of the soulshard's soul, instead it disapates due to instability when reduced to a number of negative hit points equal to or greater than its Constitution score.

A soulshard can form his eidolon in a ritual that takes 1 minute to perform. When called forth in this way, the eidolon's hit points are unchanged from the last time it was called forth. The only exception to this is if the eidolon was slain, in which case it returns with half its normal hit points. The eidolon does not heal naturally. The eidolon remains until dismissed by the soulshard (a standard action). If the eidolon is forced to disapate due to instability, it cannot be called forth again until reinscription. If the soulshard is unconscious, asleep, or killed, his eidolon immediately disapates. If the eidolon disapates, the shard of soul forming the eidolon instantly rejoins the soulshard's soul, and no magic can prevent this rejoining.

The eidolon's physical appearance is identical to his soulshard, save for any obvious differences such as evolutions or equipment; the exact appearance of evolutions that diverge from his true shape depend on the soulshard, but it is always clear that they are not natural. An eidolon has the same language proficiencies as his soulshard, regardless of his Linguistics ranks. The eidolon's Hit Dice, saving throws, skills, feats, and abilities are tied to the soulshard's class level and increase as the soulshard gains levels. In addition, each eidolon gains a pool of evolution points based on the soulshard's class level that can be used to give the eidolon different abilities and powers. Whenever the soulshard gains a level, he must decide how these points are spent, and they are set until he gains another level of soulshard. A soulshard's eidolon has the Sharded subtype, and must remain the same size as his soulshard, for further details on eidolon statistics and available evolutions, see the Eidolon rules.

Life Link (Su)

At 1st level, a soulshard forms a close bond with his eidolon. Whenever the eidolon takes enough damage to disapate, as a reaction to the damage, the soulshard can sacrifice any number of hit points he has without using an action. Each hit point sacrificed in this way prevents 1 point of damage dealt to the eidolon. This can prevent the eidolon from being disapated due to instability.

In addition, the eidolon and the soulshard must remain within 100 feet of one another for the eidolon to remain at full strength. If the eidolon is beyond 100 feet but closer than 1,000 feet, its current and maximum hit point totals are reduced by 50%. If the eidolon is more than 1,000 feet away but closer than 10,000 feet, its current and maximum hit point totals are reduced by 75%. If the eidolon is more than 10,000 feet away, it is immediately disapated. Current hit points lost in this way are not restored when the eidolon gets closer to its soulshard, but its maximum hit point total does climb to the levels indicated and eventually returns to normal.

Shared soul (Su)

At 1st level, while a soulshard's eidolon is formed, it grants the soulshard some immunity against mind-affecting effects. When the soulshard fails a saving throw against a mind-affecting effect, as an immediate action he can shunt that effect onto his eidolon instead. When he does so, he is not affected by the mind-affecting effect, and his eidolon disapates immediately and must remain disapated for the normal duration of that effect, during this time he can't use this ability to shunt another mind-affecting effect onto his eidolon or call forth his eidolon in any way. When a mind-affecting effect is shunted onto eidolon, spells such as dispel magic and break enchantment can be cast on the soulshard to end the effect's duration as if the soulshard were affected by the mind-affecting effect.

Bond Senses (Su)

At 2nd level, a soulshard can, as a standard action, share the senses of his eidolon, hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, and touching everything the eidolon does. He can use this ability a number of rounds per reinscription equal to his soulshard level. There is no maximum range to this effect, but the eidolon and the soulshard must be on the same plane. The soulshard can end this effect as a free action.

Evasion (Ex)

At 2nd level or higher, a soulshard can avoid damage from many area-effect attacks. If a soulshard makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if a soulshard is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless soulshard does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Bonus Feat

At 3rd level, and every 4 levels thereafter, a soulshard may select a bonus feat. These feats must be taken from the following list: Agile Maneuvers, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Reposition, Improved Trip, Nimble Moves, Restorative Trance, Step Up, and Weapon Finesse. At 6th level, the following feats are also available: Acrobatic Steps, Bodyguard, Following Step, Improved Disarm, Improved Feint, Mobility, Second Chance, and Sidestep. At 10th level, the following feats are added: In Harm's Way, Repositioning Strike, Spring Attack, Step Up and Strike, and Tripping Strike.

Rejuvenating Meditation (Su)

Beginning at 3rd level, a soulshard can rejuvenate his eidolon by meditating. Using this ability takes one hour of uninterrupted meditative trance, during which the soulshard must concentrate on rejuvenating his eidolon. After each hour of uninterrupted meditation, his eidolon is cured for 1d10 + his Charisma modifier hitpoints. Each reinscription, he can meditate for a number of hours equal to his soulshard level. These hours do not need to be consecutive.

At 7th level, the soulshard can use his rejuvenating meditation to restore his eidolon to pristine condition. By spending three hours in meditation he can, instead of healing hitpoints, dispell any magical effects reducing one of the eidolon's ability scores, or cure 1d4 points of temporary ability drain to his eidolon. At the 11th level, this ability improves to dispell all magical effects reducing the eidolon's ability scores, or to restore all points of temporary ability damage to one of the eidolon's ability scores.

Flowing Dance (Ex)

At 4th level, a soulshard gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC for each enemy adjacent to him, up to a maximum bonus equal to his Charisma modifier (minimum 1). Flowing dance can be used only if a soulshard is wearing light armor or no armor.

Teamwork Feat (Ex)

At 2nd level, and again at 12th level, a soulshard gains a bonus teamwork feat. He must meet the prerequisites of the selected teamwork feat. The soulshard automatically grants all of his teamwork feats to his eidolon. The eidolon doesn't need to meet the prerequisites of these teamwork feats.

Maneuver Training (Ex)

At 3rd level, a soulshard uses his soulshard level in place of his base attack bonus when calculating his Combat Maneuver Bonus. Base attack bonuses granted from other classes are unaffected and are added normally.

Harmonized soul (Su)

At 5th level, the soulshard's soul has settled from splitting off his eidolon, and has starting harmonizing with the eidolon shard. The eidolon counts as the souldhard himself with regards to any items soulbound by the soulshard. Furthermore, the eidolon can commit the soulshard's energy channels as if he is the soulshard, and counts as the soulshard for any magic items that differentiate between their owner (usually, but not necessarily, based on who has committed energy channels) and others.

Synchronicity (Su)

At 5th level, when a soulshard and eidolon are flanking an opponent, their flanking bonus on attacks increases from the normal +2 to a +3 flanking bonus. At 10th level, and every 5 levels thereafter, this bonus increases by one (for a maximum of +6 at 20th level).

Resonant Aura

At 6th level and higher a soulshard has a particularly powerful aura. (See the Detect Magic spell for details).

Synchronous Redirection (Ex)

At 6th level, as an immediate action, a soulshard or his eidolon can attempt a reposition or trip combat maneuver against a creature that the soulshard or his eidolon threatens and that attacks him or his eidolon. If the combat maneuver is successful, the attacker is sickened for 1 round. The soulshard or eidolon gains a +2 bonus on the reposition or trip combat maneuver check and the save DC for redirection increases by 2 if the attacker is using Power Attack or is charging when attacking him. The benefit increases to a +4 bonus and an increase of the saving throw by 4 if both apply.

At 9th level, a soulshard and his eidolon can use redirection against an opponent that the soulshard or eidolon threatens and that attacks an ally with a melee attack. At 13th level, a soulshard and his eidolon can make both a reposition and a trip maneuver as part of a single immediate action with this ability. At 17th level, a soulshard and his eidolon can use redirection against any opponent that attacks them in melee, even if the soulshard or eidolon is not threatening the opponent who attacks him. A soulshard can use this ability once per reinscription per soulshard level, but no more than once per round.

Malleable Facet (Su)

Beginning at 7th level, the soulshard can temporarily grant his eidolon new characteristics. Upon activation of this ability, the soulshard can grant his eidolon any evolution whose total cost does not exceed 1 evolution point. Activating this ability is a standard action. This ability cannot be used to grant an upgrade to an evolution that the eidolon already possesses. The eidolon must meet any prerequisites of the selected evolution, but may ignore subtype prerequisites. This ability does not allow an eidolon to exceed its maximum number of natural attacks. The granted evolution is temporary, and has a duration of one minute per two soulshard levels (or part thereof). The soulshard can use this ability a number of times per reinscription equal to his Charisma modifier.

At 9th level, and every two levels thereafter, the soulshard gets an additional evolution point to use with his this ability. Even with increased evolution points he still may only grant one evolution, even if that evolution can be taken multiple times, but he can grant an evolution that allows him to spend additional evolution points to upgrade that evolution

Energy Channels

Starting at 8th level, a soulshard gains 1 additional energy channel. The number of additional energy channels increases by +1 for every four levels beyond 8th.

Paired Dance (Ex)

At 8th level, as long as the soulshard and his eidolon share at least one adjacent enemy, the soulshard counts enemies adjacent to his eidolon as adjacent to himself for his flowing dodge ability. Furthermore, as long as he and his eidolon share an adjacent enemy, the eidolon uses the soulshard's level in place of its base attack bonus when calculating its Combat Maneuver Bonus.

Restabilizing Meditation (Su)

At 9th level, the soulshard can enter a restabilizing trance once per reinscription. After an hour of meditation his eidolon appears at full hit points and without any damage or penalties to its ability scores, regardless of its previous condition. In addition, any temporary negative conditions affecting his eidolon are immediately removed, as are permanent conditions and ability drain. At level At 13th level, and every four levels thereafter, the soulshard can use this ability an additional time per reinscription.

Mirror Facet (Su)

At 10th level, a soulshard can divert up to 2 points from his eidolon's evolution pool to add evolutions to himself. He must select an evolution that he has selected for his eidolon. He cannot select the ability increase evolution through this ability. Any points spent in this way are taken from the eidolon's evolution pool (reducing the total number available to the eidolon). The soulshard can change the evolutions granted by these points anytime he can change the eidolon's evolutions. The exact appearance of the evolutions depend on the soulshard, but it is always clear that they are not a natural part of his body.

Improved Evasion (Ex)

At 14th level, a soulshard's evasion ability improves. He still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, but henceforth he takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless soulshard does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

Greater Mirror Facet (Su)

At 17th level, a soulshard can divert more of his eidolon's evolutions to himself. This ability functions as mirror facet ability, but the maximum number of evolution points the soulshard can divert increases to 6. In addition, the eidolon loses 1 point from its evolution pool for every 2 points (or fraction thereof) diverted to the soulshard instead of losing 1 point from the evolution pool for each point diverted.

Twinned Soul (Su)

At 20th level, the soulshard and his eidolon become practically identical on a metaphysical level. The soulshard and eidolon are considered a single creature with respect to beneficial spells. Additionally, the souldhard and eidolon fully share experiences and memory: the soulshard can use the bond senses ability an unlimited amount of rounds, and both soulshard and eidolon may use the higher of the two's skill ranks for any skill check (only the skill ranks are substituted, any other skill bonuses still come from whomever makes the check).

Furthermore, if the soulshard or eidolon would go below zero hitpoints due to damage, a soulshard can swap locations with his eidolon as long as both are within 100 ft. of each other. If either the soulshard or his eidolon occupies more squares than the other, each must occupy one or more squares that were occupied by the other if possible, or as close as possible if not.