CATNIPPER "Herbs for sale! Herbs to heal the pain! Herbs to cure diseases! Herbs to make your husband a man again! Herbs for sale!" Catnippers are herbalists and healers. They are also members of the infamous Cat Burglars Guilds, and makers of some very questionable substances. They constantly experiment with herbal and alchemical combination's to figure out how to enhance the abilities of Guild members (or disable the abilities of others). They're also a little crazy from constant exposure to toxins and from sampling their experiments.
BECOMING A CATNIPPER You'll need at least 1 level of Cat Burglar, and some kind of spellcasting class for the Alchemical studies.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Class Abilities: Kitty Form, must be able to cast Arcane or Divine Spells
Skills: Craft (Alchemy, Poisonmaking) 4 ranks, Knowledge (Arcane, Nature) 4 ranks
Feats: Brew Potion, Spell Focus (Enchantment is common, but it can be any school).
Class Skills The Catnipper's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Knowledge (Arcana, Local, Nature)(Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skills Points at Each Level : 4 + int
Hit Dice: d6
BAB Fort Ref Will Abilities
1. +0 +0 +2 +2 Enhanced Potion Brewing, Poison Use
2. +1 +0 +3 +3 No I'm Not Crazy, Why Do You Keep Asking?, +1 level of spellcasting class
3. +1 +1 +3 +3 Enhanced Poison Crafting, +1 level of spellcasting class
4. +2 +1 +4 +4 Enhanced Potion Brewing
5. +2 +1 +4 +4 No I'm Not Crazy, Why Do You Keep Asking?, +1 level of spellcasting class
6. +3 +2 +5 +5 Enhanced Poison Crafting, +1 level of spellcasting class
7. +3 +2 +5 +5 Enhanced Potion Brewing
8. +4 +2 +6 +6 No I'm Not Crazy, Why Do You Keep Asking?, +1 level of spellcasting class
9. +4 +3 +6 +6 Enhanced Poison Crafting, +1 level of spellcasting class
10.+5 +3 +7 +7 Meister Herbalist, +1 level of spellcasting class
Weapon Proficiencies: Catnippers gain no new weapon or armor proficiencies.
Enhanced Potion Brewing (Su): At 1st level the Catnipper learns to make Potions from 4th level spells, and gains Exceptional Artisan as a Bonus Feat.
At 4th level he can make Potions from 5th level spells, and gains Extraordinary Artisan as a Bonus Feat.
At 7th level he can make Potions from 6th level spells, and gains Legendary Artisan as a Bonus Feat.
Poison Use (Ex): Catnippers are well trained in the handling of poisons and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves.
No I'm Not Crazy, Why Do You Keep Asking? (Su): At 2nd level you're a little whacked out from all the chemicals and such you've been exposed to. Plus you've occasionally tasted your latest potion to see what it does. Probably not a good move on your part. You gain a Bonus on all Saving Throws against Illusion or Enchantment spells equal to your Charisma Bonus, but take a similar penalty on all Wisdom based checks (except Spot and Listen).
At 5th level you get a Bonus on all Fortitude Saves equal to your Charisma Bonus, but take a similar Penalty to all Charisma based checks (except Intimidate and Use Magic Device).
At 8th level you are pretty much living in your own world. You take no damage from spells from the Illusion school.
Enhanced Poison Crafting (Ex): At 3rd level Inhaled or Ingested Poisons created by the Catnipper have their Save DC's increased by +2.
At 6th level the Catnipper's Inhaled and Ingested Poisons do +1 damage per die. For example if the poison does 1d6 Con it now does 1d6+1. If it does 2d6 it now does 2d6+2.
At 9th level the Save DC's of the Catnipper's Inhaled or Ingested Poisons increases by an additional +2.
Meister Herbalist (Ex): You make exceptionally potent potions. All potions crafted by you have their duration increased as if they had been cast with the Extend Spell Feat. If they have a harmful effect, their Save DC is increased +2. Your potions may be made colorless and tasteless now if you wish.
PLAYING A CATNIPPER Catnippers are master herbalists, and many are also minor spellcasters as well. They tend to study just enough magic to be able to make their potions and herbal remedies, and maybe perform a few neat tricks when they need a way out of a jam. The real threat is the poisons they can make.
Combat: Catnippers aren't really combatants, but they can enhance those who are. Or poisoning them, one of the two.
Advancement: Advancement depends on what the Alchemist has been sampling and what weird whim he gets one night at 3 am. Seriously they're a weird bunch. Some are out to heal the world, and soem are out to burn it down.
Resources: Catnippers always have the Guilds to rely on, and if their abilities are known perhaps a local rich patron or two...
CATNIPPERS IN THE WORLD "Man, don't eat any of Bob's brownies. I had two or three of them last night and woke up married to an Orc chick." People are usually happy to see you. You have the herbs necessary to help with life's little complaints that the Clerics can't be bothered to use spells for. Plus you tend to be cheaper than them, and your customers don't have to pay lip service to your deity.
Daily Life: Much of your day is devoted to searching for/buying/trading/selling herbs and potions. You get to funnel money to the Guild this way legally, and make a nice chunk for yourself as well. Depending on your alignment you also have opportunities to heal or harm people.
Notables: Marie Lamartine (CE Human Female Cat Burglar 1/Wizard 5/Catnipper 6) is ranked among the expert poisoners of the world. Juan Martinez (Cat Burglar 3/Druid 3/Catnipper 6) is a local herb farmer, and healer of note.
Organizations: The Catnippers are like an organization inside an organization. They usually try to remain in close contact with one another, and trade recipes and new ideas and information.
NPC Reaction NPC reaction will vary depending on whether they know what you are, and what side of the law they're on. Authorities frown on people selling deadly nightshade as "a sleep aid".
CATNIPPERS IN THE GAME While the obvious joke is the idea of the Catnipper as a parody of a marijuana dealer, they aren't just potheads. They do have actual uses, and care more about their fellow Guild Members than using illicit substances. Most are actually more like the Vodoun Houngans who have mastered using poisons to achieve effects.
Adaptation: Catnippers are written for a silly campaign, but they could also go in a horror campaign that had some pretty black humor.
Encounters: PC's can encounter Catnippers as herbalists or healers, or if they need to buy poison, or perhaps they require some sort of mind altering substance. They may find out the poisons being used on them come from one and he has the antidote as well.
Sample Encounter EL 12: One of the PC's has been poisoned with a rather nasty hallucinogen, and they are told a local woman can cure him...for a price. She wants a particular book from someone who isn't willing to sell. Breaking into the house of this aforementioned someone the PC's learn she's the only one supposed to be capable of making the poison that's infected their friend. Hmm...
Marie LamartineCE Human Female Cat Burglar 1/Wizard 5/Catnipper 6
Init +1 (+3 Small),
Senses: Listen +10, Spot +8, Low Light Vision and Scent in Kitty Form, Alertness if Familiar is near
Languages Common, Goblin, Elven, Sylvan
------------------------------------------------
AC 17, touch 11, flat-footed 16 (+1 Dex, +6 Armor)
AC Small 20, touch 14, flat-footed 17 (+1 Size, +3 Dex, +6 Armor)
hp 37 (12 HD)
Fort +3,
Ref +9 (+10 Small),
Will +11
------------------------------------------------
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Melee +1 Dagger +4 (1d4)
Ranged +1 Dagger +6 (1d4+1)
Base Atk +5,
Grp +4 (-3 Small)
Atk Options +1d6 Sneak Attack
Combat Gear Potions
Spells Per Day 0: 4 (DC 13)
1st: 5 (DC 14)
2nd: 4 (DC 15)
3rd: 3 (DC 16)
4th: 1 (DC 17)
Caster Level 7th
-----------------------------------------------
Abilities Str 8, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 14
Abilities Small Str 4, Dex 17
SQ Purr, Kitty Form (Small), Trapfinding, Familiar (Cat)
Feats Brew Potion, Greater Spell Focus (Enchantment, necromancy), Spell Focus (Enchantment, Illusion, Necromancy)
Skills Bluff +10, Concentration +9, Craft (Alchemy, Poisonmaking) +11, Diplomacy +10, Gather Information +10, Hide +9, Knowledge (Arcane, Local, Nature) +9, Listen +10, Move Silently +12, Sense Motive +10, Spellcraft +7, Spot +8
Possessions Collar of Holding, Cute Widdle Bowsies, +1 Returning Dagger, Ring of Invisibility, +6 Bracers of Armor, 18000 GP in Potions, 948 GP
EPIC CATNIPPER Hit Die: d6
Skills Points at Each Level : 4 + int
Spells The Catnippers Caster Level increases with Epic Levels, but he gains no new spells per day.
Bonus Feats: The Epic Catnipper gains a Bonus Feat every 4 levels higher than 20th
Base Potion PricesSpell Level Clr, Drd, Wiz Sor Brd
4th 1400 1600 2000
5th 2250 2500 3250
6th 3300 3600 4800
Cost to MakeClr, Drd, Wiz4th: 700GP, 28 XP
5th: 1125 GP, 45 XP
6th: 1650 GP, 66 XP
Sor4th: 800 GP, 32 XP
5th: 1250 GP, 50 XP
6th: 1800 GP, 72 XP
Brd4th: 1000 GP, 40 XP
5th: 1625 GP, 65 XP
6th: 2400 GP, 96 XP