Akasha Expanded: Akashic Constructs (Patreon)

Construct Shaper (Helmsman Archetype)

Wielders of magic given shape and form to armor and empower them, construct shapers utilize their unique skills to focus on the magical arts of the helmsman, rather than the technological.

Akashic Construct: The construct shaper gains the ability to shape a special form of veil known as an akashic construct. The construct shaper shapes this special veil automatically when they shape their veils each day, and it does count towards the number of veils they have shaped. If the construct shaper does not have a veilweaving level, they use their construct shaper level as their effective veilweaving level for the purposes of their akashic construct. See Akashic Constructs for more information about how this special veil functions.

This ability replaces the helmsman’s bonded vessel class feature.

Piloting Affinity: A construct shaper can utilize their akashic construct as if it were a mech for most purposes, such as for abilities that grant the construct shaper additional abilities while piloting a mech, or for abilities that grant a mech additional bonuses. However, this does not let the construct shaper qualify for any abilities, talents, feats, or prestige classes that require a bonded mech.

Hypercharge: A construct shaper’s hypercharge ability charges their akashic construct rather than their bonded vessel. Hypercharges grant their abilities to the construct shaper while they are enveloped by their akashic construct. If a hypercharge ability grants a bonded vessel a mech enhancement, it grants the akashic construct an akashic upgrade instead.

This modifies the helmsman’s hypercharge class feature, but does not count as a modified ability for the purposes of archetype compatibility.

Akashic Armaments: A construct shaper can invest essence into their akashic construct as if it were a bonded vessel, granting it additional powers. If the akashic construct is destroyed, all of the essence in the akashic construct is burned. If an akashic armament grants a numerical bonus to the akashic construct, the construct shaper gains this bonus while they are enveloped by the akashic construct. If an akashic armament would apply to one of the bonded vessel’s weapons, it instead applies to a wielded weapon or natural weapon of the construct shaper’s choice.

This modifies the helmsman’s akashic armaments class feature, but does not count as a modified ability for the purposes of archetype compatibility.

Lifebound Construct: At 4th level, the construct shaper has furthered the strength of their akashic construct, allowing them to divert damage to themselves to prevent its destruction. Whenever the akashic construct would take enough damage to destroy it, the construct shaper can choose to lose any amount of hit points. Each hit point lost in this way prevents 1 point of damage done to the akashic construct. This loss of hit points can not be prevented or delayed in any way.

This modifies the helmsman's lifebound vessel class feature, but does not count as a modified ability for the purposes of archetype compatibility.

Akashic Constructs

Akasha given shape and form to surround its weaver, akashic constructs are a rarely used form of akashic magic. These akashic constructs are difficult to use and require a great deal of specialization to master, but a veilweaver who does so is a formidable foe on any battlefield.

Akashic constructs are special veils that function as a combination of creature and magical creation, and are treated as if they had the [Force] and [Enhanced (heavy armor; see text)] descriptors. You can shape this special veil in either the veilweaver’s Shoulders or Body slots, and it can be invested with essence as if it were a veil. Unlike a normal veil the akashic construct cannot be sundered, though it can still be dispelled or affected by the Counterspell feat or similar abilities that dispel magic or suppress veils and is still considered a supernatural effect.

You can envelop yourself in your akashic construct or dismiss it as a move action. The akashic construct mimics your movements as if it were a second skin. You cannot wear armor or bulky clothing or be under the effects of a polymorph effect or other effects that change your shape when you envelop yourself with your akashic construct. Due to being entirely enclosed within your akashic construct, you cannot benefit from any items that increase your armor bonus to your armor class, such as using bracers of armor. While enveloped by your akashic construct, you do not benefit from any armor bonuses to your armor class from a veil, nor from any armor created by a veil. You can still be affected by veils, spells, and abilities that otherwise increase your defenses.

Being enclosed in your akashic construct counts as wearing heavy armor for any class features, feats, or talents that depend on being armored or unarmored. You gain a bonus to your armor class that is based on your veilweaver level with the akashic construct while enveloped by it (see Table: Akashic Construct), and this veil can be enhanced as if it were a suit of heavy armor. Because the akashic construct is derived from force, this bonus to armor class functions against the attacks of incorporeal creatures.

The akashic construct is the same shape and size you, with the same number of limbs. It emulates all of your natural attacks, including those granted by veils or other magical effects. While enveloped in your akashic construct, you gain an enhancement bonus to your Strength and Dexterity based on your veilweaver level with the akashic construct, but otherwise use your own ability scores (see Table: Akashic Construct).

The akashic construct has its own Hit Dice and Hit Points (see Table: Akashic Construct). It automatically recovers any hit points it has lost when you rest and shape your veils for the day, but can otherwise be healed as if it were you, or a creature of the construct type. You can also meditate for 1 hour to restore 5 hp to the akashic construct.

Whenever you take damage while enveloped by your akashic construct, apply your akashic construct’s hardness to it, as well as any other defensive abilities you possess that reduce damage such as resistances, and then split the remaining damage evenly between yourself and the akashic construct (the construct takes the extra damage if it's an odd number). The hardness granted by an akashic construct does not stack with hardness granted by other sources, or with any form of damage reduction. If the akashic construct is reduced to 0 hit points it is immediately dismissed and you cannot envelop yourself with it again until you rest and reshape their veils (restoring it to full health), or meditate for one hour, which returns it to 5 hit points and allows it to be healed as normal thereafter.

The akashic construct can be targeted by abilities that affect only constructs. If those abilities provide a benefit or penalty, you gain those bonuses or suffer those penalties while you are enveloped by the construct. If it is an effect that deals damage only to constructs, you and your akashic construct split the damage dealt from the effect as normal. Any abilities used on your akashic construct persist even while the akashic construct is dismissed, but you do not suffer any bonuses or penalties caused by those abilities while it is dismissed.

Essence: When the akashic construct is invested with at least 1 point of essence, you gain a primary slam attack that deals bludgeoning damage based on the size of the akashic construct, and the amount of essence invested in it (see Table: Akashic Construct Slam Damage) while you are enveloped by your akashic construct. You may also use this slam natural attack in place of your unarmed strikes while enveloped by your construct, though you can’t use this slam attack as a natural attack during any round in which you do so. When doing so, it is still treated as an attack made using an unarmed strike for effects that modify unarmed strikes, or for effects that trigger off of unarmed strikes. If you have an effect that increases the base damage dice of your unarmed strikes, it does not apply to the damage of this slam attack when used in place of an unarmed strike (this does not include size increases from other effects).

Table: Akashic Construct Slam Damage

Chakra Bind (Shoulders): Binding the akashic construct to your Shoulders chakra allows you to increase your akashic construct’s size. When you envelop yourself in your akashic construct, you can choose for it to be of a size one category greater than your own. For each size category the akashic construct is increased, the space you take up increases by one category and grants you a +2 size bonus to Strength, a -2 penalty to Dexterity, a -4 penalty to Stealth checks, and increases your natural reach by 5 feet. You do not gain any other bonuses or penalties associated with your akashic construct’s size (such as size bonuses or penalties), but are otherwise treated as the new size for all purposes, such as being affected by combat maneuvers. The akashic construct gains 10 additional hit points and the damage die of its slam increases in size as well (see Table: Akashic Construct Slam Damage) for each size category it increases. These bonuses stack with themselves when increasing the akashic construct’s size by more than one size category (such as through the effects of the Body bind, or the size increase akashic upgrade). When wielding weapons you are considered to be of the size of your akashic construct, suffering the penalties for wielding undersized weapons if applicable. If one of your veils creates a weapon for you to wield, you can choose for it to produce weapons sized appropriately for your akashic construct. Your natural attacks are also emulated by your akashic construct, dealing damage based on its size when you use them while enveloped by it.

Alternatively, rather than increasing your akashic construct’s size, you can instead increase the bonus to Dexterity granted by your akashic construct by +2 and grant the akashic construct an additional 10 hit points. These bonuses stack for each size category increase you choose to apply this option to. You must choose this option if increasing your akashic construct’s size would make it larger than Colossal.

Chakra Bind (Body): Binding this veil to your Body chakra grants you all the benefits of binding it to your Shoulders chakra, and allows you to cause your akashic construct to grow up to two size categories instead of only one.

Akashic Construct Base Statistics

Table: Akashic Construct

Veilweaving Level: Your veilweaving level with the akashic construct determines its statistics.

Hit Dice: The number of hit dice the akashic construct has. Akashic constructs normally have average hit points per hit die. For a d10, the average is 5.5. Multiply 5.5 times the number of hit dice and round down to determine your akashic constructs base hit points.

Armor Bonus: The armor bonus to armor class granted to you while you are enveloped by the akashic construct.

Hardness: The akashic construct hardness. This hardness does not stack with hardness gained from other sources, or with damage reduction.

Str/Dex Bonus: The enhancement bonus granted to your Strength and Dexterity scores while enveloped by the akashic construct.

Bonus Hit Points: An akashic construct does not have a Constitution score, but begins with 10 bonus hit points at 1st level.

Akashic Upgrade: At 1st level, and again at 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th levels, the akashic construct gains a permanent upgrade. By spending 8 hours in meditation, you can exchange a single upgrade you have selected for your akashic construct for another. For every additional 4 hours you meditate, you can change an additional upgrade. For more information on Akashic Upgrades, see below.

Akashic Upgrades

In addition to the options presented below, you may select some mech enhancements in place of an akashic upgrade. For these purposes, the akashic construct is considered to be a mech with a level equal to your veilweaving level with your akashic construct. Additional mech enhancements may be available for selection, at your GM’s discretion.

Akashic Armament

Prerequisites: Veilweaver level 5 with your akashic construct.

While enveloped by your akashic construct, you treat the weapons or natural weapons produced by one of your veils, chosen when you shape your akashic construct each day, as if they were one size category larger when determining their damage dice. You may select this upgrade multiple times, allowing you to apply its effects to an additional veil for each selection.

Akashic Targeting

The akasha that forms the construct amplifies the weapons you wield, causing them to become more accurate. While enveloped by your akashic construct, you are treated as though you had the Weapon Focus feat with the weapons or natural weapons produced by a single veil, chosen when you shape your akashic construct each day. You may select this upgrade multiple times, allowing you to apply its effects to an additional veil for each selection.

Akashic Targeting, Improved

Prerequisites: Veilweaver level 5 with your akashic construct, Akashic Armament akashic upgrade

While enveloped by your akashic construct, you are treated as though you had the Greater Weapon Focus feat with the weapons or natural weapons produced by one veil selected by the Akashic Targeting upgrade. This upgrade can be taken multiple times, affecting an additional veil each time it is selected.

Mechanized Enhancement

The following mech enhancements (found in Arcforge - Technology Expanded) are available to an akashic construct as akashic upgrades, using your veilweaving level with the akashic construct as its mech level when meeting their prerequisites: Arcforged Armor, Cerebral Reinforcement, Modified Aerodynamics, Nautical Superiority, Powered Servomotors, Shielded Cockpit, Superior Arcforged Armor, Thrusters. Additional mech enhancements found in other books can be taken at your GM’s discretion. This upgrade can be selected multiple times, selecting a different mech upgrade each time it is selected.

Size Increase

Prerequisites: Veilweaver level 5 with your akashic construct.

When you envelop yourself in your akashic construct, you can choose to increase its size by one category, gaining the bonuses and penalties listed in the Shoulders slot bind ability of the akashic construct. You can choose whether to increase your construct in size or increase its Dexterity each time you envelop yourself in it, as per the ability listed above. This akashic upgrade can be taken a second time if your veilweaving level with the akashic construct is at least 15.

Weapon Envelopment

When you envelop yourself in your akashic construct, it envelops your weapons in a shell of akasha as well. Your manufactured and natural weapons are considered to be magical and derived of force, dealing full damage to incorporeal creatures. You gain an insight bonus to your CMD against attempts to disarm your weapons while you are enveloped equal to twice the amount of essence invested in the akashic construct. If a creature attempts to sunder your weapons, you may choose to use the higher of the weapon’s or akashic construct’s hardness against the attack, and may choose to split the damage between the akashic construct and the weapon if the creature’s sunder attempt is successful.

Whenever you increase the size category of your akashic construct, the shell enveloping your manufactured weapons increases in size as well, allowing your manufactured weapons to be wielded and deal damage as if they had increased in size along with the akashic construct.

If your akashic construct has the Akashic Armament or Weapon Infusion upgrade, you can select a single manufactured weapon in place of a veil when using those upgrades, applying their effects to the chosen manufactured weapon.

Weapon Infusion

Prerequisites: Veilweaver level 5 with your akashic construct.

The aksha that makes up the construct infuses the weapons you wield, causing them to deal more damage. While enveloped by the akashic construct, you are treated as though you had the Weapon Specialization feat with the weapons or natural weapons produced by a single veil you can shape, chosen when you shape your akashic construct each day. This upgrade can be taken multiple times, affecting an additional veil each time it is selected.

Weapon Infusion, Improved

Prerequisites: Veilweaver level 15 with your akashic construct, Akashic Infusion akashic upgrade

While enveloped by your akashic construct, you are treated as though you had the Greater Weapon Specialization feat with the weapons or natural weapons produced by one veil selected by the Weapon Infusion upgrade. This upgrade can be taken multiple times, affecting an additional veil each time it is selected.

Feats

Extra Akashic Upgrade

You have developed an additional way to upgrade your akashic construct.

Prerequisites: Ability to shape an akashic construct

Choose one akashic upgrade for which your akashic construct qualifies; it immediately gains this upgrade.

Special: This feat may be taken up to three times.

Shape Akashic Construct

Your akasha flows around you to form a hardened shell around your limbs and body, protecting you from harm and enhancing your physical prowess.

Prerequisites: Veilweaving level 5, ability to shape 2 or more veils.

You gain the ability to shape a special form of veil known as an akashic construct. You treat your veilweaver level as 4 levels lower (minimum 1) when determining the abilities of your akashic construct.

Special: You may take this feat a second time, allowing you to use your full veilweaver level when determining the abilities of your akashic construct.

Advanced Magic

Veilweaving Sphere

Construct Shaper

Prerequisites: Caster level 5th, ability to shape 2 or more veils

You gain the ability to shape a special form of veil known as an akashic construct. You treat your veilweaver level as 4 levels lower (minimum 1) when determining the abilities of your akashic construct.

You may select this advanced talent twice. Selecting it a second time allows you to use your full veilweaver level when determining the abilities of your akashic construct. Associated Feat: Shape Akashic Construct.