Author Topic: [3.5]Improved monster classes: adapting creatures for player use-Taking Requests  (Read 392191 times)

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oslecamo

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Introduction
As you may know, 3.5 allows you to play monsters as PCs, but with a cost: LA and RHD.

However, most monsters out there weren't designed for player use, and end up with fat LAs to keep the players away from powerfull abilities like greater teleport at will.

Plus, monsters with higher HD than CR also aren't very usefull for players.

And then, the players have to deal with many of their monster abilities don't improving with leveling up.

In this thread, I'll pick up popular monsters and re-design them to be useable by players, so that they can play any monster with CR X by level X. I'll acomplish this by:
-Adjusting RHD to always match the player's level to don't punish/reward them against level dependant abilities.
-Reducing huge ability bonus and natural armor.
-Making monster special abilities level dependant so they keep increasing.
-Cut down most abuseable abilities to keep the power level in check. No stuff like teleport at will at level 5.

Since a lot of this classes change your size, I'm posting a table here to show exactly what you get when you change size.

FAQ:
[spoiler]

Do I need to take those classes at 1st level?

Yes, unless you go for the monster templates, wich are mostly treated as Prcs which you can take when you meet the pre-reqs.


No ability penalties?
Nope.


Do I need to take all the levels or can I just take what I want and then go to other class?

Just like a normal class, you can leave a monster class at any level up and then even come back later if you wish. You aren't suposed to mix diferent monster classes togheter however. Do it at your own risk. I created a couple feats here that allow you to multiclass between monster classes.

What's this lose all racial bonus thingy?
Basicaly, these classes count as both initial race and class, so you can't be an human/ogre mage. You're just an ogre mage.

I want to play a spellcaster monster!
Monsters that cast as "class X" like the dragon and Rakshasa will stack their spellcasting with the respective classes.

Other monsters like the mind flayer don't actualy cast as "class X", but if they multiclass to certain caster classes they gain powerfull bonus.

If it isn't clear for you what spell slots you gain with those monsters, here's some tables with the main progressions laid down for you
[spoiler]

When you multiclass to wizard/druid-Spell slots per day (cumulative)
Total HD01 23456789
2 11 --------
3 00 1-------
4 01 1-------
5 00 01------
6 00 11------
7 01 001-----
8 00 011-----
9 00 1001----
10 00 0011----
1100 01001---
1200 00011---
1300 001001--
1400 000011--
15 00 0001001-
16 00 0000011-
17 00 00001001
18 00 00000011
19 00 00000101
20 00 00000011


When you multiclass to cleric-Spell slots per day(cumulative)
Total HD01 23456789
2 11 --------
3 00 1+1-------
4 01 1-------
5 00 01+1------
6 00 11------
7 01 001+1-----
8 00 011-----
9 00 1001+1----
10 00 0011----
1100 01001+1---
1200 00011---
1300 001001+1--
1400 000011--
15 00 0001001+1-
16 00 0000011-
17 00 00001001+1
18 00 00000011
19 00 00000101
20 00 00000011

When you multiclass to sorceror-Spell slots per day (cumulative)
Total HD01 23456789
2 11 --------
3 01 --------
4 01 3-------
5 00 1-------
6 00 13------
7 00 11------
8 00 013-----
9 00 011-----
10 00 0013----
1100 0011----
1200 00013---
1300 00011---
1400 000013--
15 00 000011--
16 00 0000013-
17 00 0000011-
18 00 00000013
19 00 00000011
20 00 00000002
[/spoiler]


 If you want a dragon that casts as a full sorceror, I point you for the fact that not even WOTC dragons cast as a full sorceror.

In alternative, take just one level of monster and then go fullcaster. Or polymorph yourself.

What's the Caster Level for the SLAs?

Unless otherwise specified, the Caster level for any SLAs is equal to your total HD.

What's the Starting Gold for 1st level monsters?
100 GP for simplification's sake. Enough to take care of basic gear, whitout being overpowered.
[/spoiler]


Growth modifiers
[spoiler]
Base SizeNew Size AC & Attack Bonuses*Space*Reach (Tall/Long)*Ave. Size Incr.Ave. Weight Incr.Grapple Mod.Hide Mod.
FineDiminutive-4 (size)+1/2 lb.+4 (size)-4 (size)
DiminutiveTiny-2 (size)+5 lbs.+4 (size)-4 (size)
TinySmall -1 (size)+36 lbs.+4 (size)-4 (size)
SmallMedium -1 (size)+240 lbs.+4 (size)-4 (size)
MediumLarge-1 (size)+2000 lbs.+4 (size)-4 (size)
LargeHuge-1 (size)+8 tons+4 (size)-4 (size)
HugeGargantuan-2 (size)+80 tons+4 (size)-4 (size)
GargantuanColossal-4 (size)+200 tons+4 (size)-4 (size)

No you don't gain extra stats just for growing. It's not even listed on the table. Just to make it clear since every other person asks it.
Your natural weapons damage increases one die size for each size increase tough.
[/spoiler]

Red dragon



[spoiler]
HD:d12
Level BAB Fort Ref Will Feature
1 +1 +2+0 +2 Red Dragon body, Fire Breath, +1 Str
2  +2 +3+0 +3 Keen senses, Arcane Blood
3 +3 +3+1 +3 Blindsense 60 feets, Str+1, Con+1
4  +4 +4 +1+4 Wings, +1 Con
5 +5 +4 +1 +4 Tail slap, Growth
6  +6 +5+2+5 Sugestion, +1 Cha
7  +7 +5 +2 +5 +1 Str, +1 Con, Firey Arcana
8  +8 +6 +2 +5  Locate Object,  +1 Cha
9  +9  +6+3 +6 +1 str, +1 con, Greed
10  +10 +7+3 +7 Fire Lord, +1 Cha
11  +11 +7 +3+7 Arcane Skin, +1 Str
12  +12 +8 +4+8 Iron Scales, +1 Con, +1 Cha
13  +13 +8 +4 +8 Growth, Crush, Frightfull presence, +1 Str
14  +14 +9 +4 +9Hellfire, +1 Str, +1 Con
15  +15 +9 +5 +9 Burn, +1 Cha
16  +16 +10 +5 +10 Firey Arcana, +1 str, +1 con
17  +17 +10 +5+10 Revenge, +1 Cha
18  +18 +11+6 +11 Find the Path, +1 str, +1 Con
19  +19 +11 +6 +11 Wrath, +1 Str, +1 Cha
20  +20 +12 +6 +12 Growth, tail sweep, Discern location
2 Skill points+int per level, quadruple at 1st level. Class skills: Concentration, climb, jump, spot, listen, apraise, intimidate, Knowledge(any), Search, Spellcraft.

Proficiencies: a red dragon isn't proefecient with any armor or weapons, besides his own natural weapons.


Features:

Dragon Body:
The red dragon loses all other racial bonuses, and gains Dragon traits, fire subtype, bite 1d8 damage+Str mod, 2 claws attack for 1d6 +1/2 Str mod damage each and 40 base speed, medium size. The Red dragon has wings, but they're too weak to do anything for now. His claws are capable of fine manipulation and can be used for somatic components of spellcasting or anything else a human hand could do.

The red dragon also gets a natural armor bonus of 2+Con modifier. Whenever the red dragon grows one size category, his natural armor increases by a further 1.


The red dragon has immunity to fire, but takes 50% more damage from cold attacks.

Fire Breath:
At 2nd level  the red dragon can fire a cone of 30 feet dealing 1d6 fire damage/HD with DC ref of 10+1/2 HD+Con modifier for half every 1d4 turns. Cone increases by 5 feets with each extra HD the player takes from here.

Arcane Blood:A red dragon receives spells known and spells per day as a sorceror of 2/3 his level, but he has CL equal to his HD.
If he multiclasses as a sorceror, the casting stacks.

Dragon level Sorceror casting
1-
21
32
42
53
64
74
85
96
106
117
128
138
149
1510
1610
1711
1812
1912
2013

If a dragon takes a casting prc, it may choose to advance his casting as that of a sorceror. So a dragon 10/loremaster 10 would cast as a 16th level sorceror.


Ability score increase:
The red dragon ability scores increase by the shown amount.

Level Total bonus gained
1+1 Str
3 +2 Str, +1 Con
4 +2 Str, +2 Con
6 +2 Str, +2 Con, +1 Cha
7 +3 Str, +3 Con, +1 Cha
8 +3 Str, +3 Con, +2 Cha
9 +4 Str, +4 Con, +2 Cha
10 +4 Str, +4 Con, +3 Cha
11 +5 Str, +4 Con, +3 Cha
12 +5 Str, +5 Con, +4 Cha
12 +6 Str, +5 Con, +4 Cha
14 +7 Str, +6 Con, +4 Cha
15 +7 Str, +6 Con, +5 Cha
16 +8 Str, +7 Con, +5 Cha
17 +8 Str, +7 Con, +6 Cha
18 +9 Str, +8 Con, +6 Cha
19 +10 Str, +8 Con, +7 Cha
NOTE:this table presents the TOTAL bonus gained for ease of keeping count! Don't add the values from diferent levels!

Keen senses:At 2nd level the red dragon sees four times as well as a human in shadowy illumination and twice as well in normal light. It also has darkvision  out to 120 feet.

Blindsense:
as the normal ability, range 60 feets.


Wings:
At 4th level the red dragon becomes able to fly at the speed of 10 feets per HD, with poor maneuverability. The maneuverability doesn't increase naturaly, but players can take the Savage Species feat that increases it by two steps(stackable). Each wing can also be now used to deliver a natural atack dealing 1d4+1/2 str mod damage.

Growth:
At 5th level the red dragon grows to large size.
                At 13th level the red dragon grows to huge size.
                At 20th level the red dragon grows to gargantuan size.

His AC, bonus to hit, base damage, grapple and skills change acordingly, but he doesn't get any ability score bonus or penalties.

Tail slap:
The red dragon can now make a tail slap attack dealing 1d8 +1,5 str modifier damage (already taking in acount large size).

Red dragon SLAs:At 6th level the red dragon can use Sugestion as a SLA 1/day per 3 HD it has.

At 8th level it can use locate object as a SLA 1/day per 4 HD it has.

Save DCs are 10+1/2 HD+Cha mod.

Firey Arcana: At 7th and 16th level the red dragon adds one  spell with the fire descriptor of a level he can cast to his list of spells known.

Greed:At 9th level a red dragon can instantly discern the monetary value of any objects in his view. He can also memorize the number and type of each item and notice if anything is missing or added to that group of items with a new glance.

Fire Lord:
At 10th level a red dragon casts spells with the [Fire] descriptor at +2 caster level and ignores any limit on caster level on such spells.


Arcane skin:
At 11th level the red dragon gains SR equal to his HD+11.

Iron Scales:
At 12th level the red dragon gains DR/magic equal to half his HD.

Crush:

Frightfull presence:
Hellfire: At 14th level the red dragon's flame burns hotter than anyone can measure. The red dragon's breath weapon ignores fire resistance from any target equal to his own HD. If a creature is immune to fire, it instead counts as having Fire Resistance 30 (that's then reduced by the red dragon's HD).

Burn:At 16th level, as a free action a number of times per day equal to his Cha mod, the Red Dragon can make his breath weapon persist and keep dealing damaging on the same area. This lasts for a number of rounds equal to the dragon's HD, but deals 1 less damage dice for every turn that passes.

Revenge: At 17th level, whenever the red dragon is damaged or hindered in any way by an oponent, he automatically knows that oponent's location for 1 round. If the red dragon can't actually see this oponent then he still counts as having total concealment against the red dragon.


Find the path:
At 18th level the red dragon can now use find the path as a SLA 1/day for each 5HD it has.

Wrath:
At 19th level, 1/day per 6 HD, the red dragon can enter a state of pure destructive rage as a free action. He gains an enanchment bonus on attack and damage rolls, to Str, Con and Cha equal to 1/3 his HD. This rage lasts 3+(enanched) Con mod rounds, after wich the Red Dragon is exhausted.


Tail sweep:
Discern location:the red dragon can now use discern location as a SLA 1/day for each 5HD it has.


[/spoiler]

Personal coments:
[spoiler]So this class allows you to play a dragon up to gargantuan size. You can breath, get some SLAs, natural armor, limited but usefull arcane casting, sold skills, fly, some ability score increases, and always have HD equal to your character level. It should be more than able to hold his own in any average/high powered campaign, being a tank, suport arcane caster of Jack of all trades.

You can also multiclass out at any time, and around half your class abilities will keep increasing, not counting the spellcasting wich can be increased by taking prcs that increase it.
[/spoiler]

Troll

[spoiler]HD:d8
Level BAB Fort Ref Will Feature
1 +0 +2+0+0Troll body, Reckless Assault, Shrug it off, Str+1, Con+1
2  +1+3+0+0 Scent, Hunter Leap, Str+1, Con+1
3  +2+3+1+1  Rend, Lunging Throw Str+1, Con+1
4  +3+4+1+1 Regeneration, Tear Trough, Str+1, Con+1
5  +3+4+1+1  Growth , Overrun, Str+1, Con+1

Skills: 2+int modifier per level, quadruple at first level. Class skills:
spot, listen, climb, jump, swim, knowledge(nature, geography, war), handle animal, intimidate.

Proficiencies: all simple weapons and his own natural weapons.

Features:
Troll body: the troll loses all other racial bonuses, and gains giant traits(basically low light vision), a base speed of 30 feet, two claw attacks dealing 1d4+Str mod each and one bite attack dealing 1d4+1/2 Str mod damage . He also gains a natural armor bonus equal to his own Con modifier.

Reckless Assault:Trolls are infamous for throwing themselves at their oponents while trusting their own toughness to endure whenever the oponent throws back at them. Whenever the troll charges or full attacks, he may make an extra claw or bite attack at his highest attack bonus, but causes an attack of oportunity from their oponent. If this attack of oportunity misses, the troll may make a new bite or claw attack, provoking a new attack of oportunity, and so on. The troll cannot gain a number of bonus attacks bigger than his own HD this way, neither those extra attakcs can trigger Rend when the troll gets the ability (they're just too reckless to set up a good tearing!)

Shrug it off: At first level a troll's regeneration still isn't fully developed, but they're already able to quickly recover with mere seconds of rest. As a standard action, a number of times per day equal to his Con modifier, the Troll may heal itself for an amount of HP equal to HDxCon modifier.

At 3 HD, this ability automatically triggers should the Troll be droped below 0 HP.

Ability score increase:a troll gains +1 Str and +1 Con for each level in this class.

Scent:At 2nd level, a Troll gains the scent extraordinary ability, as the standard SRD ability.

Hunter Leap: At 2nd level, a Troll performing a charge can choose to fling itself trough the air. It can only move up to his speed (instead of twice), but counts as flying for all purposes, so ignores dificult terrain and can leap over a chasm, or reach flying targets. If it finishes it's charge on the air, then it falls back on the ground and takes damage as apropriate.


Lunging Throw: After centuries of running after agile preys while being too lazy to run faster themselves, trolls developed a natural talent for usinng thrown weapons to slow down their oponents. At 3rd level, if the Troll moves at least 10 feet on the direction of a target and then hits it with a thrown weapon, it must make a reflex save with DC 10+1/2HD+Str mod or be unable to move for 1 round (it can still attack/use items/cast, just not move). If the hit oponent was flying, it drops 10 feet for every point it failed the save. If this makes it hit the ground, it takes falling damage as apropriate.

Rend:Regeneration: At 4th level the Troll gains regeneration equal to half his HD. Fire and acid deal normal damage to a troll. If a troll loses a limb or body part, the lost portion regrows in 3d6 minutes. The creature can reattach the severed member instantly by holding it to the stump.

Tear trough:At 4th level, as the Troll's regeneration awakens, it becomes even more reckless, allowing him to suffer grievous injuries in order to push trough traps and hazards at any cost. Whenever the troll would roll a save, it may deal Claw damage to itself as an immediate action and add half the self-inflicted damage as an Insight bonus on that save.

Growth:At 5th level the troll grows one size category.

Overrun: 1/day for every 2 HD it has, the Troll may push it's body to the limits. As a fullround action, it can move up to twice it's speed, ignoring hard terrain and even moving over oponents, while delivering one claw attack to every oponent he passes trough (no more than one attack per oponent), or alternatively full attack one single oponent at any time during the move. The troll causes attacks of oportunity as normal for moving, but in the turn this ability is used, and for a number of turns equal to his Con modifier afterwards, he automatically heals an amount of HP equal to his HD every time it's damaged (except if the source of damage is fire or acid).

Skraag: When taking this class, you may choose to be a skraag, an aquatic troll. In that case at 1st level your base speed is just 20 foot but you gain a swim speed equal to twice your base speed, and your regeneration only works when you're sugmerged in water.[/spoiler]

Comments:
[spoiler]The original troll is strong, but kinda boring. Hit with claws and bite, regenerate some damage every turn, and that's it.

So the Troll class offers several new takes on the whole self-healing aspect, then new combat options for the troll, focusing on ferocious assaults while exposing yourself to enemy attacks, and some thrown weapon goodyness because I'm a WC III fan.[/spoiler]


Gotta a lot more stuff done, will be posting it during the next days as I adapt to this forums templates.

oslecamo

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Re: [3.5]Improved monster classes: adapting creatures for player use!
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2010, 10:01:47 PM »
Index

[spoiler]
Aasimar
Abeil
Aboleth
Achaierai
Aeon, Pleroma
Air Elemental
Anaxim
Androsphynx
Angel of Decay
Ankheg
Antromorphic Animal
Aranea
Astral Stalker
Azer
Awakened Flail Snail
Awakened Gelatinous Cube
Awakened Monstruous Crab
Awakened Skeleton
Basilisk(awakened)
Beholder
Blink Dog
Brain in a jar
BugBear
Celestials
[spoiler]
Angel (planetar/solar)
Astral Deva
Bralani
Ghaele Eladrin
Hound Archon
Lantern Archon
Leonal
Monavic Deva

[/spoiler]
Centaur
Chaond
Chesire Cat
Choker
Cloaker
Coatl
Concordant Killer
Conflagration Ooze
Daelkyr
Deadly Dancer
Defacer
Derro
Djinni
Displacer Beast
Doppelganger
Drider
Dragons
[spoiler]
Black Dragon
Blue Dragon
Brass Dragon
Bronze Dragon
Copper Dragon
Fang Dragon
Gold Dragon
Green Dragon
Hellfire Wyrm
Orange Dragon
Purple Dragon
Pyroclastic Dragon
Red Dragon
Silver Dragon
Song Dragon
Styx Dragon
Wing Dragon
White Dragon

[/spoiler]
Dragonne
Dracotaur
Dryad
Duergar
Dvati
Earth Elemental
Entropic Reaper
Ethergaunt
Flind Gnoll
Fire Elemental
Genie, Kahayal
Giants
[spoiler]
Fire Giant
Geriviar
Hill Giant
Firbolg
Frost Giant
Ogre
Ogre Mage
Stone Giant

[/spoiler]
Ghoul
Gloom
Gnoll
Golem, Force
Golem, Iron
Gray Jester
Griffon
Grimlock
Gynosphynx
Hag, Annis
Hag, Green
Hag, Sea
Hagnumemnon
Hecantoncheires
Harpy
HellWasp Swarm
Hook Horror
Hydra
Infernals
[spoiler]
Assassin Devil(Dogai)
Balor
Bone Devil(Osyluth)
Death Drinker
Erinyes
Ice Devil(Gelugon)
Hell Hound
Imp
Kyton(chain devil)
Lilitu
Malebranche
Marilith
Mezzoloth
Nycaloth
Pit Fiend
Pleasure Devil
Succubus

[/spoiler]
Janni
Kython
LeShay
Lillend
Living Spell
Kaorti
Keeper
Kuo-Toa
Maug
Medusa
Mind Flayer
Mindstealer Drone
Mephit
Merfolk
Midgard Dwarf
Minotaur
Mummy
MurderJack
Naga(Dark, Guardian, Spirit, Water)
Nerra (mirror-people)
NightWalker
Nimblewright
Nixie
Nymph
Owlbear
Pegasus
Phasm
Phoenix
Pixie
Pseudodragon
Puppeteer
Rakshasa
Rakshasa, Ak'Chazar
Rakshasa, Naytyan
Rakshasa, Naztharune
Ravid
RedCap
Reth Dekala
Rukanyr
Rust Monster
Sahuagin
Salamander
Scorpionfolk
Silthilar
Sharn
Skaven
Slaad, Red
Slaadi (green, grey, black, white)
Son/Daughter of Silence
Spell Weaver
Tarrasque
Tengu
Thri-Kreen
Tiefling
Treant
Troglodyte
Troll
Troll, War
Tsochar
Ulgurstasta
Unicorn
Urskan
Vargouille
Vashutant
Verdant Prince
Xill
Xixecal
Yuan-Ti(Pureblood->Half-Blood->Abomination)
Yuan-Ti Anathema  
Wight
Wild Hunt
Will-O'-Wisp
Winter Wolf
Wyvern
Zelekhut(Inevitable)
Zenythri
Zern

Templates (prcs)
[spoiler]
Creature of Legend (prc)
Death Knight
Guardian
Half-Celestial
Half-Dragon (prc)
Half-Fiend(prc)
Half-Golem
Fusion Golem(Half-Golem advancment)
Half-Illithid(prc)
Half-Troll (prc)
Kython Impaler
Kython Slaughterking
Kython Slaymaster
Kython Viscerator
Lich(prc)
Demilich
Multi-Headed Creature
Shade
Spellwarped creature(prc)
Swarm-Shifter (prc)
Ulitharid( mind flayer prc)
Vampire (prc)
War Troll(prc)
Wendigo(prc)
Werebear(prc)
WereCheetah
Wereconstrictor
WereHydra
WereLeopard
WereLion
WereLizard
WereRat
WereRhino
WereSpider Hunter
WereSpider Weaver
WereTiger
Wereviper
Werewolf(prc)
Yuan-Ti Tainted One/Broodguard
[/spoiler]


[/spoiler]

Extra Material

General Monster Feats
More Monster feats by Prime32

oslecamo

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Re: [3.5]Improved monster classes: adapting creatures for player use!
« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2010, 10:02:08 PM »
So you want to make your own monster classes? Here's the general guidelines I use for myself.

Monster classes building guidelines.

[spoiler]
0-Put your monster class into a post of his own, statistics spoilered, spoilered comments below and a non-spoilered picture above everything, monster name in bold and size 4. Put the abilitiy descriptions by order they're gained and their names italized, the monster HD, skills and class features should be bolded.

1-Number of levels of the class=CR of the monster (or CR increase on case of template-classes). This is as simple as it gets. If the monster is epic CR then you can cut it down to 20 levels. If the monster is less than CR 20 and you feel inspired then you can do some extra levels for some kind of "paragon" or "lord" monster with completely custom abilities.

2-If it's not an undead or construct, then ignore the basic monster saves, skills, proefeciencies and Bab progression. The monster class will have those based on the extra abilities they have. The more and/or better abilities, the worst saves/skills/Bab/proefeciencies the monster should have.

2a-If it's an undead or construct, no good fort or ref saves, 2+int skill points per level and no class skills. This is for balancing the powerfull traits of those creature types. In adition, constructs get average Bab and bad will saves and undeads get bad Bab and good will saves. That's because that it's easier to buff an undead but there's also several anti-undead spells that target will, and vice-versa.

3-Monster classes remove any base race advantages at first level. Template classes do not. Take in acount this so 1st level of the monster class can be better than 1st level of most classes because you're sacrificing your race, roughly worth two-three feats.

4-For Nat armor, base it on Con modifier. The default is Nat armor=Con modifier. Stronger monsters can have something like X+Con modifier (keep X low tough), or half Con modifier for "softer" monsters. Undeads and constructs should base it on Str. For "smart" or "spellcaster" monsters you may make the Nat armor based on a mental score instead, or replace it by a deflection/insight bonus based on a mental score.

5-Ability score increases shouldn't be more than +1 to any score in any level. You may take exceptions to this at 1st level in certain cases. No ability score penalties unless you have a very really good reason.

5a-Speaking of wich, try to base each monster class in two stats, three at max. Don't go around giving bonus to every one of the six stats, players really don't need it and it clogs up the class. If you feel like a monster should be smart but has no actual Int-based abilities  it's preferable to simply give it skill points than Int boosts.

5b-Extra scores should only be used if the monster is gaining minor abilities or has bad base statistics (low Bab, saves, no proefeciencies, no hands).

6-Break down the monster abilities into separate groups, figure out the levels on wich it would be fair for them to be available to a player, then distribute them trough the monster levels so you gain something nice at every one.

6a-Flying should only come at 4th level, unless you're an handless monster whitout ranged attacks whatsoever. Growth can come online as early at level 3, but it's preferable at 4th level or higher.

6b-Melees deserve nice things. Casters deserve bad things. DR should be equal to half your HD (except for really tough monsters like the iron golem, and even then it should become available at higher level), and SR should be 11+HD, or 15+HD for monsters that are really suposed to be anti-casters like the Rakasha.

7-Make sure that at least half the monster abilities scale with HD. SLAs saves should always be 10+1/2 HD stat and the monster should gain more uses when it gains more HD. Yes, HD, not monster levels.

7a-Try to put sinergies with other classes, like the ogre mage's ability to gain extra caster level and higher level spells when it. And again make several (but not all) of the abilities scale with HD and not necessarily monster class level (except for the strongest abilities).

Do not however put synergies with classes not available on the srd.

7b-At-will SLAs just in special cases. Even tough most monsters have them, at-will is considerably stronger on the hands of a player that will live for more than 5 rounds. Please don't make every single SLA of the monster at-will. You can put a couple effects or iconic SLAs, but think carefully, does the player really needs them? Wouldn't it be best to give some custom ability instead?

The exception to the above rule it's for epic play. Monsters who reach lv 21 or higher can have all their  SLAs at-will as the power level is considerably increased at that point.

7c-It's however ok to allow certain SLAs to auto-upgrade to stronger versions when the player reaches a certain HD. The prime example of this is Dispel Magic upgrading to Greater dispel magic at 11 HD, and Summon monster X becoming X+1 every other level. This should only be used for SLAs that become considerably weaker after a certain level. Dispel magic for example is caped at +10 CL so it stops growing after you reach 10 HD.

8-Compare with base classes. I'm trying to aim at around sorceror-warblade power level around here. If you see anything that you think would curbstomp a wizard, please slap me.

8a-Compare with other monsters here of the same type/role. Gloom is the base "roguish" monster for example.

9-If a certain monster has several versions (like the diferent age categories of each dragon), then it's ok to combine them all on the same class, but try that abilities of each "stage" of the monster are gained at the apropriate level/CR. For example, the dragon classes grow at the levels corresponding at the CRs the. On the other hand, the dragons get their best SLAs pre-epic because they wouldn't be much usefull if only gained at epic levels.

10-Faster than linear progression. Each levels should give more than the last one, even if just a little.

10a-Don't be afraid to make custom abilities if the original monster doesn't have enough to fill all levels (check out the giants as the prime example of this)! Keep them creative, in theme for the monster and fun, not necessarily powerfull. One simple idea is to allow the monster to partially ignore immunity to his main combat tactic.

10b-On the same vein, monsters with really powerfull abilities should receive custom penalties, that are reduced as the character grows. The ghost, being undead and ethereal must carry his body around. The vampire must drink blood to fuel his powers. The Medusa's gaze starts weak and then improves untill it reaces full power.

[/spoiler]

Request Waiting List

-Visage
-Shadow Dragon
-Satyr
-Behir.


oslecamo

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Re: [3.5]Improved monster classes: adapting creatures for player use!
« Reply #4 on: October 01, 2010, 08:29:53 AM »
Mind Flayer

[spoiler]
HD:d8
LevelBabFortRefWillFeature
1+ 0+0 +0 +2 Mind Flayer body, telepathy, Battle of minds, Superior Intellect
2+ 1+ 0+0 +3 Minor psionics
3+ 2+ 1+ 1 +3 Mind Blast, Psionic resistance
4+ 3+ 1+1 +4 Improved grab, Dissecate
5+ 3+ 1+1 +4 Advanced psionics
6+ 4+ 2+2 +5 Fast Tentacles
7+ 5+ 2+2 +5 Extract,
8+ 6+ 2+2 +6 Greater psionics
Skills:Proefeciencies:a mind flayer is proefecient with simple weapons and his tentacles attacks.

Features:
Mind Flayer body: At 1st level, the mind flayer loses all other racial bonus and gets aberration traits(darkvision 60 feets basicaly). He's a medium sized aberration creature with base speed 30 with several tentacles around it's mouth. Two of those tentacles can be used as natural attacks dealing 1d4+Str damage each. The mind flayer becomes able to use one extra tentacle as a natural attack for each 3 HD it possesses (3 tentacles with 3 HD, 4 tentacles with 6 HD, 5 tentacles with 9 HD, ect).

 The mind flayer takes no penalty for attacking with all his tentacles in a fullattack.
If the mind flayer coup de graces a monster and kills with it's tentacles, it can eat it's brains.

The Mind flayer gets a Nat armor bonus equal to his Int or Cha modifier, wichever is higher.

Telepathy:a mind flayer gains telepathy with a range of 10 feets for each HD he possesses. . A mind flayer who multiclasses for an arcane/psionic class can count his Mind Flayer levels as levels of that class for purposes of CL/ML and for the purposes of learning new spells/powers and geting new spell slots/power points. So for example, a Mind Flayer 3 who took 1 level of sorceror could choose to have CL 4, get 3 2nd level spell slots, 1 1st level spell slot, 1 2nd level spell known and 1 0th level spell known. He wouldn't get the spell knowns and spell slots of a sorceror 3 however.  He would get the familiar ability, but mind flayer levels wouldn't count for it.

Battle of Minds:
The Mind Flayer fights smarter not harder. It may use either his Int or Cha modifier instead of strenght in his to hit roll attacks with tentacles.

In adition, the mind flayer may add his Int modifier on top of his Cha modifier in Bluff and Intimidate checks, and may use the demoralize option in any oponent he can reach with his telepathy, not only oponents in melee range.

Superior Intellect: At each level of this class the mind flayer gets either a permanent +1 to his intellegence score  or a permanent +1 to his Charisma score.


Minor psionics: The mind flayer can use detect toughts, charm person and levitate as SLAs twice per day for each HD it possesses.  The save DCs are 10+1/2HD+Cha mod.


Mind Blast:A mind flayer can focus his mind in a powerfull stunning wave attack. It affects a cone of 10 feets and stuns all targets inside it for 1d4 rounds. A will save of 10+1/2HD of the mind flayer+Mind flayer's Cha modifier denies the stun. This ability is useable 1/day for each HD of the mind flayer.

The cone affects an extra 5 feets for each extra HD of the mindflayer beyond 3. The Mind flayer can choose to affect a smaller area than his maximum with his mind blast attack in order to don't hit allies. The stun effect lasts for an extra 1d4 rounds for each two extra HD beyond 3.

Psionic resistance:The mind flayer gets SR equal to 11+HD.


Improved Grab:
Dissecate:
The mind flayer's cold mind allows him to quickly figure out the best way to hurt his foes with his exceptionally flexible tentacles. He may use either his Cha or Int modifier instead of Str on tentacle damage rolls and grapple checks.

Advanced psionics: The mind flayer can now use sugestion and charm monster as SLAs once per day for each  HD it possesses. The save DCs are 10+1/2HD+Cha mod.

Fast Tentacles:
Whenever the mind flayer uses one of his SLAs, Mind Blast ability, casts a spell or manifests a power he may make an attack with an tentacle as a swift action.

As a full round action, the mindflayer may use an SLA, or cast a spell or manifest a power with a duration of a standard action or less, and then attack with all his tentacles.

Extract (Ex):Greater psionics:The Mind flayer can now use plane shift and Astral projection as SLAs once per day for each 4 HD it has. The save DCs are 10+1/2HD+Cha mod.
[/spoiler]

Comments:
[spoiler]
A classic D&D monster, this mind flayer focus more on his mental powers. It doesn't have the versatility of your typical caster, but has some good mobility and several save or dies to choose from. It's BAB is medium to make up for that.

I created some new abilities to make the mind flayer actualy good with his tentacles so it is rewarded for trying to eat brains in combat.

My improved extract ability at 7th level gives the mind flayer a powerfull incentive to actualy hunt brains of smart beings, but the limits should probably keep it from becoming too abuseable.

Finally, the class multiclasses quite well with both arcane and psionic classes, allowing you to create true mind flayer sorcerors/psions.

For more martial dudes, the extra tentacle attacks from the mind flayer make it a juicy dip.
[/spoiler]


Flay Crimsonwind

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Re: [3.5]Improved monster classes: adapting creatures for player use!
« Reply #6 on: October 01, 2010, 08:37:36 AM »
Which is something I like, and the reason I did my vampire template class like I did. I enjoy these, keep 'em coming! If you can, I seem to recall a badass assassin devil that could use some twinkery.

Also, for proofreading...
Quote
Extract (Ex): A mind flayer of 12th level or higher....

oslecamo

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Re: [3.5]Improved monster classes: adapting creatures for player use!
« Reply #7 on: October 01, 2010, 09:34:01 AM »
Minotaur

[spoiler]
HD:d8
LevelBabFortRefWillFeature
1+0+2 + 0 +0 Minotaur body, Mighty Charge, +1 Str, +1 Con
2+1+ 3+ 0 +0 Minotaur Skills, Scent, +1 Str,  +1 Con
3+2+ 3+ 1 +1Natural cunning, Labyrinth Assault, +1 Str, +1 Con
4+3+ 4+ 1 +1 Growth, Run trough, +1 Str, +1 Con

Skills:2+int modifier, quadruple at 1st level. Class skills (and the key ability for each skills)
are Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Move Silently
(Dex), Profession (Wis), and Spot (Wis).

Proficiencies: simple and martial weapons, and it's own natural weapons.

Features:

Minotaur body:At 1st level the minotaur loses all racial bonus and gains monstruous humanoid traits(basicaly dark vision 60 feets). He's a medium monstruous humanoid with base speed 30 feet. He has a natural gore attack dealing 1d6+1,5 Str modfier damage.

The minotaur also gets a natural armor bonus equal to his Con modifier.

Mighty Charge:When the minotaur charges with his gore attack, he deals 2d6 damage plus twice his str modifier. For each size above medium, the minotaur deals an aditional 2d6 damage.

In adition, oponents hit by the Minotaur's Mighty charge are moved back 5 feet for every 5 damage dealt, provoking attacks of oportunity from other creatures for the movement as normal. If they hit a surface, they take an extra 1d6 damage for every 5 feet they still had to move.

At 5 HD, the Minotaur can move the target in any direction he wishes but over itself, including throwing them into the air, in wich case they fall and take falling damage as apropriate unless they're able to fly.

At 9 HD, oponents moved back by Mighty charge that hits a surface not only takes extra damage, but the surface partially crumbles! The oponent must make a reflex save with DC 10+1/2H+Str mod or be caught in the resulting rubble, unable to take any actions (not even purely mental actions) but try to get free with a Str check or Escape Artist check with the same DC as a fullround action. Freedom of movement doesn't block this, as it's not only the rubble but the shock of the impact that incapacitates the target.

At 13HD, the Minotaur gore attack threatens a critical in a 18-20 and deals triple damage on a sucessfull critical.

At 18HD, the Minotaur may make two gore attacks with a charge instead of just one, each with all the benefits of a normal gore attack.

Minotaur skills:Minotaurs possess exceptional sharp senses. At 2nd level the minotaur gets +1 on spot, listen and search checks for each HD it has.

Ability score bonus:The minotaur permanently gets +1 Str  and +1 Con at every level of this class, for a total of +4 Str and +4 Con at 4th level.

Scent (Ex): At 2nd level a minotaur develops a keen sense of smell. It can detect opponents within the given range (double range if the scent is upwind, one-half range if it is downwind) and may take a move-equivalent action to determine the direction of a scent. If an odor source, such as an opponent, is within 5 feet, the minotaur can pinpoint that source. Minotaurs can use the scent ability to track an enemy by smell.

Natural Cunning:at 3rd level the minotaur is immune to maze spells and effects, never gets lost, and never counts as flat footed. They also gain track as a bonus feat.

Labyrint Assault:As the legend goes the original minotaur spent countless centuries trapped in a complex maze, where he would somehow ambush his oponents despite his massive bulk. At 3rd level the minotaur is able to  charge as a standard action, and may charge trough hard terrain (altough they still move at half speed).  Their charges are also very unpredictable. When the Minotaur performs a Mighty charge, no oponents may take any immediate or free action untill all it's effects are resolved.

Growth:The minotaur increases one size category. At 12 HD it grows another size category. At 20 HD it grows another size category.

Run Trough:1/day for every 2 HD it has, the Minotaur may make a charge, and then just keep going. Every time it hits an oponent with his gore attack on a charge, he may automatically perform a new charge, (including gaining a cumulative +2 to Attack and -2 to AC) against a new target, and repeat this untill it runs out of targets (cannot target the same creature twice in a round) or has moved up to four times his base speed, wichever comes first.

At any time during a Run Trough, the Minotaur may choose to Impale an oponent he hit with his horns. This automatically ends the Run Trough, but the oponent automatically counts as grappled by the Minotaur, whitout the minotaur suffering any of the penalties for grappling. The minotaur cannot use his gore attack while having an oponent Impaled, but said oponent automatically takes Mighty Charge damage at the begginning of each of the Minotaur's turns. The minotaur can move around with the Impaled oponent stuck on his horns normally, but counts his weight for his carrying purposes. This ignores freedom of movement effects.

[/spoiler]


Comments:
[spoiler]
Another D&D favorite, in my opinion the minotaur should be an iconic brute monster. Good fort save, average BAB, a lot of charge-friendly abilities and eventually impaling his oponents in his horns when not flinging them around the battlefield.

The natural cunning, extra skills and scent also make it exceptionaly good at finding enemies and playing sentry duty.

[/spoiler]

oslecamo

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Re: [3.5]Improved monster classes: adapting creatures for player use!
« Reply #8 on: October 01, 2010, 09:56:04 AM »
Medusa

[spoiler]
HD:d8
LevelBabFortRefWillFeature
1+1+0+2+2Medusa Body, Stone Glimpse, +1 Cha
2+2+0+3+3Blood Snakes, +1 Cha, +1 Dex
3+3+1+3+3Poison dip, Strenght in Beauty, +1 Dex
4+4+1+4+4Sudden Bite, Distant Gaze
5+5+1+4+4Stone glare,  Overwhelming beauty, +1 Cha
6+6+2+5+5Snake Crown, Vitriolic Poison, Focused Gaze, +1 Dex
7+7+2+5+5Mind Eye, Stone Gaze, +1 Dex, +1 Cha
Skills:Proficiencies:simple and martial weapons, and her own snakes

Features
Medusa body:At 1st level a medusa loses all racial bonus she had and gains monstruous humanoid traits (basically dark vision 60 feets). She's a medium monstruous humanoid with base speed 30.

A medusa's hair transforms into living snakes, wich may be used as a natural weapon dealing 1d4 +Str modifier damage. All the snakes count as a single natural weapon. The snake heads produce a poison dealing strenght damage. The Fort  DC is 10+1/2 medusa's HD+medusa's con modifier.
At 1st level the strenght damage is 1d4, but for every 2 extra HD the strenght damage increases 1 size category(1d6 at 3HD, 1d8 at 5HD, 2d6 at 7 HD, and so on)

A medusa gains a bonus to Nat Armor equal to her Cha modifier.

As long as the medusa covers her snake-air and eyes, she can pass as an human whitout need of disguise checks, unless she's observed by an adjacent creature, at wich point she can still pass as an human with a sucessfull disguise check.

Stone glimpse:The medusa eyes have the divine ability to petrify her oponents. She can't yet turn a creature into stone in one go, but can still slow them down signicantly.

As a standard action, a medusa can "stone glimpse" a creature whitin 10 feets(+5 feets for each HD beyond the first 3). This has all the limitations of a gaze attack, and it only affects one creature. The Fort DC is 10+Half the Medusa's HD+Medusa's Cha modifier. If the target fails the save, it takes 1d4 penalty to its Dexterity and a 10 feet penalty to all its movement speeds as their bodies partialy petrify. The Dex penalty increases by an extra 1d4 and the speed penalty an extra 10 feet penalty for every 3 extra HD of the medusa. This attack  doesn't affect creatures immune to petrification. The penalties last for 1 hour per HD.

The medusa may use stone glimpse a number of times per day equal to her HDxCha modifier.

Ability increase:A Medusa gains +1 to

Dex at levels 1, 2, 5, 7
Cha at levels  2, 3, 6, 7

For a total of +4 Dex and +4 Cha at level 7.

Poison Dip:At 2nd level, as a move action, a medusa may poison a weapon she's holding. The medusa doesn't risk poisoning herself, but such poison only remains "fresh" for 1 hour per HD or untill the weapon strikes, after wich it dries out and becomes useless. It has no commercial value. Thus medusas prefer bows as they can poison several arrows in advance.

Blood Snakes
-At 2nd level the medusa's spilled blood turns into snakes. Every time she takes at least 5 damage from a slashing or piercing weapon, a tiny viper is produced adjacent to the medusa, wich acts on her next iniative count. The medusa can command her spawned snakes for 1 round per HD, after wich they slither away and disapear. For each two extra HD from here, the medusa can spawn vipers or snakes of the next size category (small at 4 HD, medium at 6 HD both viper and constrictor, large at 8 HD, huge at 10 HD, both viper and constrictor). The medusa may stab herself to create snakes.

Since those snakes are spawned from her own blood, they come with a copy of every magic buff the medusa benefited from, including those provided by items, wich last while the medusa controls them.

In adition, a medusa of 12 HD or more has her spawned vipers automatically advanced to an amount of HD equal to her own.

Strenght in Beauty:Medusas are regarded as some the most beatifull women in existence, but they always found themselves forced to fight for their lives. At 3rd level the medusa may add her Cha mod to all attack rolls and combat maneuvers such as grapple, disarm, trip and bullrush.

Sudden bite: The medusa's hair snakes develop a will of their own and thus become able to attack whitout need of the medusa's commands. At 4th level the Medusa may user her hair-snake attack as a swift action.

Distant Gaze:
At 4th level, the Medusa can, as a move action, double the reach of her gaze for 1 round.

At 12 HD she can double the reach of her gaze as a swift action. If she spends a move and swift action, it quadruples instead for 1 round.

Stone glare:At 5th level, the medusa can now instantly petrify a creature if their eyes directly meet, but it demands they both look at each other for some seconds. Same range and DC as stone glimpse, but the target it's instantly turned to stone as a flesh to stone spell if it fails the save. A stone glare costs two uses of stone glimpse.

Overwhelming Beauty: At 5th level, the medusa can add her Cha modifier to melee and ranged damage rolls.

Snake Crown:
At 6th level, whenever the medusa uses her snake-hair natural attack, she may either perform one attack against every adjacent oponent, or attacks against a single oponent twice (this obviously doesn't stack with itself).

Vitriolic poison:At 6th level, the medusa's poison develops powerfull acid properties. It can now affect creatures immune to poison and ability damage, but it deals only half Str damage to those. This bonus applies to her spawned vipers as well.

Focused gaze: At 6th level, oponents take a cumulative -2 penalty on saves against the medusa's gaze attack for each consequitive turn they have been affected by it.

Mind Eye:At 7th level, those trying to look upon the medusa trough special means find themselves staring directly at her divine eyes. Anyone using blindsight, mindsight, lifesight, scrying or a similar ability to detect the Medusa are automatically affected by Stone Glare (saves allowed as normal), regardless of range. This doesn't take any action on the part of the Medusa, and doesn't cost her any charges. The medusa may stop this from hapening by wearing a veil or some sort of physical seal upon her own eyes if she wishes to don't get atention.

Stone Gaze:At 7th level the medusa can now temporaly fill her eyes with stoning power, affecting all who look at her.

Activating the stone gaze is a standard action wich costs four uses of the medusa's stone glimpse ability, and then one extra use for each turn she sustains the effect. She may end the gaze at any moment as a free action.

Same range and effect as stone glare , but now all creatures whitin range are automaticaly affected.

A medusa of 10 HD or more may activate any of her eye attacks as a swift action. A medusa of 15 HD or more may activate her eye attacks as an immediate action. This bonus applies even if not all medusa levels were taken, but only for the obtained eye attacks.

Finally, if all levels of this class were taken, at 9 HD a Medusa's eye attacks can affect oponents immune to petrification, but they gain a +5 bonus on their saves.[/spoiler]

Comments:
[spoiler]
The medusa is one of those really old legends that has a lot of diferent versions depending on who you ask.

In this version I decided to focus on the "Cursed beatifull women with snakes on the hair". She has poison, can spawn snake minions, set a powerfull trap, Cha to Combat and of course the typical stone gaze, divided in three levels of power. +4 Dex and +4 Cha allows to make up for the MAD. 6 skill points per level, two good saves and Full Bab don't hurt either.

Blood snakes is from one version of the legend where her dripped blood turned into vipers.

Eye mind is a "screw you" to things with extra sights that will close their normal eyes to you.

So in the end we get kinda of a skirmisher/controler, hiting hard , wearing down oponent with poison and petrification while leaving behind snakes to slow down its oponents as it gets hurt.

[/spoiler]

oslecamo

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Re: [3.5]Improved monster classes: adapting creatures for player use!
« Reply #9 on: October 01, 2010, 09:59:41 AM »
Choker

[spoiler]
HD:d8
LevelBabFortRefWillFeature
1+0 +0 +2 +0 Choker body, Improved grab, constrict.
2+ 1+ 0+ 3 + 0Quickness, extend, climber

Skills:2+int modifier per level. Class skills (and the key ability for each skills) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int),
Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (any two, chosen at 1st level)
(Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis),
and Spot (Wis).

Proefeciencies:
a choker is proefecient with his natural weapons only.

Features:


Choker body: A choker loses all other racial bonuses and gains aberration traits (basicaly dark vision 60 feet). The choker is a small sized aberration with base speed 20. It has two tentacle attacks dealing 1d3 damage+str modifier each. It can attack with both tentacles with full attack bonus in a fullround attack.

Constrict  (Ex):
Improved Grab (Ex):To use this ability, a choker must hit a Large or smaller opponent with a tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict. Chokers receive a +4 racial bonus on grapple checks.

Quickness (Su):A choker is capable of suprising bursts of speed by focusing. It can take an extra standard or move action per turn. However, the choker's mind is pushed hard to work at this greater speed, so it can't use this extra action to cast spells or manifest powers.
 
Extend:The choker's tentacles become able to extend themselves, increasing his natural reach by 5 feets.

Climber:The choker's tentacles allow him to easily grab into surfaces, giving him a climb speed equal to half his land speed. A chokers has a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.
[/spoiler]

Coments:
[spoiler]Yes, the choker and his ba-roken quickness ability. Since I have to make the class only 2 levels long as the choker is CR2, I must cut any possible madness from the root and deny the possibility of easily casting several spells per turn every turn. You still get extra reach, two natural weapons and plenty of grapple bonus, altough this monster is probably more suited for skill monkeys in my opinion.[/spoiler]

oslecamo

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Re: [3.5]Improved monster classes: adapting creatures for player use!
« Reply #10 on: October 01, 2010, 10:02:13 AM »
Zelekhut


[spoiler]
HD:d10
LevelBabFortRefWillFeature
1+ 0+ 0+0 + 0Body of Law, Judgement Chains
2+ 1+ 0+ 0 +0Inevitable, +1 Str
3+ 2+ 1+ 1 +1 Mechanus blessing, lesser, Restrain, +1 Str, +1 Cha
4+ 3+ 1+ 1 + 1Wings, +1 Str
5+ 3+ 1+ 1 +1Mechanus blessing, +1 Cha, +1 Str
6+ 4+ 2+ 2 + 2Growth, +1 Str
7+ 5+ 2+ 2 + 2Mechanus blessing, advanced, +1 Str +1 Cha
8+ 6+ 2+2 + 2 Enforcer armor, +1 Str
9+ 6+ 3+3 +3 Mechanus blessing, greater,+1 Str, +1 Cha
Skills:2+int modifier per level, quadruple at first level. Class skills are Listen, Search, Sense Motive, Spot, Survival.

Proefeciencies: Spiked chains
Features:

Body of Law: a Zelekhut loses all other racial bonuses and becomes a construct, with all of it's penalties and disadvantages, except for the extra HP:

[spoiler]
# No Constitution score.
# Low-light vision.
# Darkvision out to 60 feet.
# Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).
# Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and necromancy effects.
# Cannot heal damage on their own, but often can be repaired by certain spells. The DM may also allow the construct to be repaired with the use of the right skills with the right tools. A construct with the fast healing special quality still benefits from this quality.
# Not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or energy drain.
# Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless).
# Not at risk of death from massive damage. Immediately destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points or less.
# Since it was never alive, a construct cannot be raised or resurrected except for limited wish, wish and miracle. The 1st makes the construct lose a level, the other two don't.
#However, it can be "repaired" if destroyed by spending 24 hours of work and 500 GP of materials, wich make it lose a level.
[/spoiler]

Zelekhut is a medium sized construct with base speed 30. It has a centaur-like body, wich allows him to qualify to feats as if it had the mounted combat feat, and to count as riding a mount whenever it would be benefical, like the spirited charge feat.

It also gains a bonus to it's Nat armor equal to his Cha modifier. Finally it gains +1 HP per HD at 5 HD. This bonus increases to +2 at 10 HD, +3 at 15 HD, and +4 at 20 HD.

Judgement chains:A Zelekhut can spring forth two spiked chains from his arms as a fullround action, and put them back inside his arms also as a fullround action. He takes no penalty attacking with both chains at the same time. Those chains can be enchanted as normal weapons. The Zelekhut also can "upgrade" his chains to special materials like adamantine by paying the right amount of gold.

When it reaches 3 HD it can spring forth/retrieve the chains as a standard action and the chains count as masterwork.

When it reaches 6 HD it can spring forth/retrieve the chains as a move action and they gain a +1 enanchment bonus to attack and damage rolls.

When it reaches 9 HD it can spring forth/retrieve the chains as a swift action and they gain the shocking property.

Inevitable: the Zelekhut gains fast healing equal to half it's HD, wich is bypassed by chaotic attacks. The Zelekhut also gains the lawfull subtype and any weapons it wields count as lawfull aligned for purposes of bypassing DR.

The Zelekhut also adds half it's HD to all search and sense motive checks it makes.

Mechanus blessing, lesser:The Zelekhut can use clairaudience/clairvoyance and dimensional anchor as SLAs once per day for each HD it possesses. The saves are 10+1/2 HD+Cha modifier.

Restrain: If the Zelekht hits an oponent with one of his chains, it may make it warp around the target and entangle it, inflicting a -4 penalty on Dex, -2 penalty on attack rolls and making it unable to move. The restrained creature can break free by either beating the inevitable in a constest of Strenght as a standard action, or with an escape artist check with DC 10+1/2HD+Str mod. The Zelekhut cannot attack with a chain wich is restraining an oponent, but can move at half speed dragging the restrained target, and also  use his own SLAs as normal, and the target can still attack. If both chains are used to restraing a single oponent, it cannot take any actions but trying to break free, with both DCs increasing by +4.

Ability increase:At 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th level the Zelekhut gains a permanent +1 to Cha, and he gains +1 to Str at all levels except first.

Wings:The Zelekhut can now spring forth/retrieve wings from his back wich allow him to fly at speed 40 feet (average maneuverability).

Mechanus Blessing:The Zelekhut can use fear and dispel magic as SLAs once per day for each HD it possesses. The saves are 10+1/2 HD+Cha modifier. When the Zelekhut reaches 10 HD, it's dispel magic SLA is replaced by greater dispel magic an equal number of times per day.

Growth:The Zelekhunt grows one size category, and gains all the bonus and penalties listed on the table at the 1st page. His base speed also increases to 50 feets and his fly speed increases to 60 feets.

Mechanus blessing, advanced: the Zelekhunt can now use hold person and locate creature as SLAs once per day for each HD it possesess. The saves are 10+1/2HD+Cha modifier.

Enforcer armor:The Zelekhunt gains DR/chaotic equal to half his HD and SR equal to 11+his HD.

Mechanus blessing, greater:The Zelekhunt can now use Hold monster, mark of justice and True seeing as SLAs once per day for each 2 HD it possesses. In adition, it can now use Lesser Geas once per week for each 5HD it has. The saves are 10+1/2HD+Cha modifier.

In adition, the Zelekhunt's SLAs can now affect oponents with immunity to mind-affecting and/or divination effects, altough those gain a +5 bonus on their saves.

[/spoiler]

Comments:
[spoiler]
Well, this one was tricky. It has a lot of abilities, but they aren't really synergetic. What is he trying to do? Tracker? Save or dies? Spiked chain tank? Mounted charger?

I ended up puting a little of everything. It can rain SLAs from afar while flying and then descend to bludgeon his enemies with his chains.

It's horrible saves are more than made up for the powerfull construct traits. It doesn't have a Con score, but fast healing and eventualy the DR and SR make up for that. His skills suck to try to balance all the SLAs and extra movement.
[/spoiler]

oslecamo

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Re: [3.5]Improved monster classes: adapting creatures for player use!
« Reply #11 on: October 01, 2010, 10:07:11 AM »
Ogre Mage


[spoiler]
HD:d8
LevelBabFortRefWillFeature
1+0+2+0+2 Ogre mage body, Beginner Mage, +1 Str, +1 Cha
2+1+3+0+3Lesser Mage, +1 Cha
3+2+3+1+3Regeneration, +1 Str
4+3+4+1+4Mage, +1 Cha
5+3+4+1+4Flight, Mage resistance, +1 Str
6+4+5+2+5Advanced Mage, +1 Cha
7+5+5+2+5Growth, change Shape, +1 Str
8+6+6+2+6Greater Mage,+1 Str, +1 Cha
Skills: 4+int mod per level, quadruple at 1st level. Class skills are spot, listen, spellcraft, concentration, intimidate, Use Magic Device, Knowledge(Arcana, Planes, Dungeonering), Apraise.

Proficiencies: Ogre Mages are proficient with simple and martial weapons and light armor.
Features
Ogre Mage body:
the ogre mage loses all other racial bonuses and gains giant traits (basicaly low light vision). It's a medium giant with 40 feets base speed.

It also has a bonus to natural armor equal to his Con modifier.


Beginner mage:
The ogre mage can use sleep as a SLA twice per day for each HD it has. Save equal to 10+1/2 HD+Cha modifier. An ogre mage who multiclasses for an arcane class can count his Ogre mage levels as levels of that class for purposes of CL and for the purposes of learning new spells and geting new spell slots. So for example, a Ogre Mage 3 who took 1 level of sorceror could choose to have CL 4, get 3 2nd level spell slots, 1 1st level spell slot, 1 2nd level spell known and 1 0th level spell known. He wouldn't get the spell knowns and spell slots of a sorceror 3 however.  He would get the familiar ability, but ogre mage levels wouldn't count for it.

At 5 HD, the ogre mage's sleep SLA can affect one HD of oponents per CL.

Ability increase:The ogre mage gets a permanent bonus of +1 Str at levels 1, 3, 5, 7 and 8 and +1 Cha at levels 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, for +5 Str and +5 Cha at 8th level.

Lesser mage:At 2nd level the ogre mage can now use darkness and Charm person each 1/day as a SLA for each HD it has. Save equal to 10+1/2 HD+Cha modifier.

At 7HD the charm person upgrades to Charm Monster.

At 10 HD the Ogre Mage can ignore immunity to sleep, mind-affecting and cold from oponents inside a Darkness he created, but those who would normally be immune to those effects still gain a +5 bonus on their saves.

Regeneration:At 3rd level gains regeneration equal to 1/3 the HD of the ogre mage, rounded down.  Fire and acid deal normal damage to an ogre mage.

An ogre mage that loses a limb or body part can reattach it by holding the severed member to the stump. Reattachment takes 1 minute. If the head or some other vital organ is severed, it must be reattached within 10 minutes or the creature dies. An ogre mage cannot regrow lost body parts.

Mage: At 4th level the ogre mage can now use invisibility as a SLA 1/day for each HD it has.

In adition, a number of times per day equal to his Cha mod, he may cast any of his SLAs as a swift action, but if he does so he cannot cast a spell or use another SLA on the same round (he may still move and attack oponents by more physical means however).

Flight (Su): At 5th level an ogre mage can cease or resume flight as a free action.  His fly speed is equal to his base speed. While using gaseous form it can fly at its normal speed and has perfect maneuverability.

Mage resistance:At 5th level the ogre magi gains SR equal to 15+it's HD. It may rise or lower its SR as a free action at any time even if it isn't its turn.

Advanced Mage: at 6th level the ogre mage can now use gaseous form as a SLA 1/day for each 2 HD it has.

Growth:At 7th level the ogre mage grows one size category.

Change Shape (Su):Greater Mage: the ogre mage can now use cone of cold as a SLA 1/day for each 2HD it has. Save equal to 10+1/2 HD+Cha modifier.

In adition, the ogre mage's Cone of Cold SLA has no damage die cap, and oponents wich fail their save against it are entangled for 1 round per caster level. Even if they suceed, they're entangled for 1 round.

[/spoiler]

Comments:
[spoiler]
As I pointed out, the original ogre mage monster is quite weak.

This one offers more uses of it's rarer SLAs, cuting down the at-will SLAs in return. I also buffed up some of the SLAs with custom abilities and allowed it to cast them as a swift action sometimes per day so he can keep bashing like the giant he is.

The ogre mage is quite MAD, so it gets bonus to both Str and Cha to help him be both a caster and frontline dude. Like the Mind Flayer, he'll get bonus for multiclassing for an arcane class.

His SR is higher than normal to represent his innate connection with magic, and the regeneration doesn't hurt also.
[/spoiler]

oslecamo

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Re: [3.5]Improved monster classes: adapting creatures for player use!
« Reply #12 on: October 01, 2010, 10:11:17 AM »
Succubus



[spoiler]
HD:d8
LevelBabFortRefWillFeature
1+0+0 +2+2 Body of temptation, Corrupter initiate, Change Shape, +2 Cha
2+1+0 +3+3Demon, Gifted, Deadly Seduction, +1 Cha
3+2+1+3+3Lesser Corruptor ,Gifted, +1 Cha
4+3+1+4+4Wings, Abyss skin, +1 Cha
5+3+1+4+4Corruptor, Temptation Incarnate, +1 Cha
6+4+2+5 +5 Kiss, +1 Cha
7+5+2+ 5+5Greater Corruptor, +1 Cha

Skills:8+Int modifier per level, Class skills are Bluff, Concentration,Craft(any), Diplomacy, Disguise, Intimidate, Knowledge(any), Listen, Profession(any), Search, Sense Motive, Spot,  Use Rope, Use Magic Device.

Proficiencies:Simple weapons, Whips, and her own natural weapons.

Features:

Body of temptation: The succubbus loses all other racial bonuses and gains outsider traits. She's an outsider with base speed 30 feets and two claws as natural attacks, each dealing 1d6+Str modifier damage.

She also gains a bonus to natural armor equal to her Cha modifier.

Corrupter initiate:
The Succubus can use Detect Good, Detect Thoughts, Charm Person as SLAs twice per day per HD, any DC=10+1/2HD+Cha modifier.  If she multiclasses for an arcane/divince class she can count her succubus levels as levels of that class for purposes of CL and for the purposes of learning new spells and geting new spell slots. So for example, a succubus 3 who took 1 level of sorceror could choose to have CL 4, get 3 2nd level spell slots, 1 1st level spell slot, 1 2nd level spell known and 1 0th level spell known. She wouldn't get the spell knowns and spell slots of a sorceror 3 however.  She would get the familiar ability, but succubus levels wouldn't count for it.

If the succubus multiclasses into cleric, she may use Cha as her main Casting stat instead of Wis, but she can't take any domains if she does so.

Change Shape:Ability increase:The succubus gains +2 Cha at first level and +1 every other level, for a total of +8 Cha at 7th level.

Demon:At 2nd level the Succubus gains resistance to electricity and a bonus on saves against poison equal to her HD, and resistance to fire, acid and cold equal to half her HD. Plus telepathy 40 feets plus 10 feets for each extra HD from here. Also she gains the evil and chaotic subtypes and her attacks with natural and manufactured weapons count as chaotic and evil for bypassing DR.

Deadly seduction:At 2nd level if the Succubus sucessfully feints an oponent in combat, that oponent takes a penalty to AC equal to the succubbus Cha modifier untill the end of the next succubus turn.

Gifted:At 3rd level the Succubus is under a permanent Tongues effect. She also gains a bonus to listen and spot checks equal to her HD.

Lesser corruptor:At 3rd level the Succubus can use Sugestion as a SLA once per day per HD. DC=10+1/2HD+Cha modifier.  

Wings:At 4th level the Succubus grows bat-like wings  allowing her to fly at a speed of 50 feet with average maneuverability.

Abyss skin:At 4th level the Succubus gains DR/cold iron or good equal to half her HD and SR equal to 11+HD. She may drop or raise her SR at any time as a free action. At 10 HD her DR improves to DR/cold iron and good.

Corruptor:At 5th level the Succubus can use Charm Monster as a SLA once per day per HD. DC=10+1/2HD+Cha modifier.

Temptation Incarnate:At 6th level the succubbus benefits from a permanent sanctuary effect as the spell,  save DC= 10+1/2+Cha mod, except that creatures make must make will saves every round they try to attack the Succubus and if the Succubus attacks a creature the sanctuary effect is only lost towards that creature. The succubus can force an attacked oponent to make Will saves for this ability again by performing and suceeding on a new feint check.
  
Kiss:Greater corruptor:At 7th level the Succubus can now use Ethereal Jaunt and teleport 1/day as SLAs for each 4HD she has. A succubus with 12 HD or more can use greater teleport SLA instead of the teleport SLA.

In adition, the succubus mind-affecting SLAs and spells can now affect oponents immune to mind-affecting, but they gain a +5 bonus on their saves. If they were flat-footed by deadly seduction, they gain no special bonus for having immunity instead.
[/spoiler]

Comments:
[spoiler]
Like the mind flayer,  a favorite of the community.

Again I focus on the SLAs. The Succubus is more mobile than the Mind Flayer and gets some nice defensive abilities to boot, but in return doesn't have any kind of area control, or the ability to get bonus from "eating" her victims.

Removed the summon vrock ability since it's kinda unbalanced and abilities that only have 30% chance of working aren't that much fun anyway. In return she keeps her great skills to back up her mind control stuff. Also a total of +8 Cha.
[/spoiler]

Prime32

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Re: [3.5]Improved monster classes: adapting creatures for player use!
« Reply #13 on: October 01, 2010, 11:50:21 AM »
Quote
Natural Cunning:The minotaur is immune to maze spells and effects, never gets lost, and never counts as flat footed. This also counts as the track feat.
Does this mean they count as having the Track feat for prerequisites, or do they actually gain its benefits? If it's the latter, just say "They also gain Track as a bonus feat."

Also, you've misspelled "Proficiencies". The mind flayer's ability should be "Dessicate", and "Magi" is the plural of "Magus". The Zelekhut has a reference to "40 feets" - feet is already plural.

Some of these classes end up with SLAs that can be used as many as 8/day. At that point, wouldn't it be easier to just grant them at-will? Maybe a general rule that when you can use an SLA more than 6/day it becomes at-will. Or a feat which upgrades SLAs to at-will.
« Last Edit: October 01, 2010, 11:53:19 AM by Prime32 »
My work
The tier system in a nutshell:
[spoiler]Tier 6: A cartographer.
Tier 5: An expert cartographer or a decent marksman.
Tier 4: An expert marksman.
Tier 3: An expert marksman, cartographer and chef who can tie strong knots and is trained in hostage negotiation or a marksman so good he can shoot down every bullet fired by a minigun while armed with a rusted single-shot pistol that veers to the left.
Tier 2: Someone with teleportation, mind control, time manipulation, intangibility, the ability to turn into an exact duplicate of anything, or the ability to see into the future with perfect accuracy.
Tier 1: Someone with teleportation, mind control, time manipulation, intangibility, the ability to turn into an exact duplicate of anything and the ability to see into the future with perfect accuracy.[/spoiler]

PhaedrusXY

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Re: [3.5]Improved monster classes: adapting creatures for player use!
« Reply #14 on: October 01, 2010, 12:09:44 PM »
So.... a red dragon 7/sorcerer 2 would have:

Sorcerer casting as an 8th level sorcerer, but his caster level would be equal to his character level.

Large size.

A fly speed of 70.

Know all fire spells from the sorc/wiz list.

A natural attack routine of bite, bite, claw, wing, wing, tail.

Racial adjustments of +3 Str, +2 Con, +1 Cha.

Natural armor of 3+Con mod.

A breath weapon.

Blindsense, and really good low-light and dark vision.

Great BAB, saves, and 7d12 hit dice (plus 2d4, but I could have entered Abjurant Champion directly I think).


Did I miss anything?

Hmm... Although you could replicate most/all of that with a good choice of spells known for a 9th level gish type of character, this guy is going to get it for free on top of his 8th level sorcerer casting. I think overall this is probably fine, if you're looking to balanced against tier 2. Many might consider it a bit overpowered. It would be fine in a Tome game, for example.

And can you multiclass back and forth between this and other classes? Could I for example go red dragon 2/sorcerer 1, and then go back to pick up 5 more levels of red dragon before hitting a gish prestige class like Abjurant Champion?

I definitely like this method of monster PCs a lot more than the standard one. It is very similar to how Frank and K's Races of War deals with it, at least in one of their options.




And as far as the choker... I actually have a choker PC in a game I'm running. I basically did a very similar conversion to yours, but let him cast two spells per round (in his case SLAs, actually). He loses two levels of "casting" advancement, which I think is a fair price to pay for the full Quickness ability.

Now... you could argue that this could be broken with something like Ur-Priest, to which I'd respond that it is the fast progression classes like Ur-Priest which are broken, and not this ability.
« Last Edit: October 01, 2010, 12:23:21 PM by PhaedrusXY »
[spoiler]
A couple of water benders, a dike, a flaming arrow, and a few barrels of blasting jelly?

Sounds like the makings of a gay porn film.
...thanks
[/spoiler]

oslecamo

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Re: [3.5]Improved monster classes: adapting creatures for player use!
« Reply #15 on: October 01, 2010, 12:56:22 PM »
So.... a red dragon 7/sorcerer 2 would have:

Sorcerer casting as an 8th level sorcerer, but his caster level would be equal to his character level.

Large size.

A fly speed of 70.
Correct so far, but I must point out it's poor maneuverability flight.

Know all fire spells from the sorc/wiz list.
Small error on my part,  it's suposed to be just one spell each time the ability is gained, fixed it now.

Did I miss anything?
The sugestion SLA I believe.

Hmm... Although you could replicate most/all of that with a good choice of spells known for a 9th level gish type of character, this guy is going to get it for free on top of his 8th level sorcerer casting. I think overall this is probably fine, if you're looking to balanced against tier 2. Many might consider it a bit overpowered.
Yes it's aimed at higher powered games than your average game.

If you're playing average games the original Savage Species progressions work relatively fine.

It would be fine in a Tome game, for example.
Oh, no, it would get steamrolled by anything from a Tome game! It doesn't have at-will save or dies, immediate action shut downs, and tome characters get a free +5 to all stats by this level. And if they had chosen the feat to be large they would've got even more stats by now.

And can you multiclass back and forth between this and other classes? Could I for example go red dragon 2/sorcerer 1, and then go back to pick up 5 more levels of red dragon before hitting a gish prestige class like Abjurant Champion?
Yes as explained on the FAQ.

I definitely like this method of monster PCs a lot more than the standard one. It is very similar to how Frank and K's Races of War deals with it, at least in one of their options.
I must respectifully disagree. Races of War tells you to basically give the monster directly to the player with +1 LA, with no regard for non-scaling abilities, overpowered powers, and no way to play it from lower levels. My method goes directly against all of that.

I'll admit tough it was a tome player that convinced me on the level=HD thingy, but it's the only thing I adopted from their philosophy.

And as far as the choker... I actually have a choker PC in a game I'm running. I basically did a very similar conversion to yours, but let him cast two spells per round (in his case SLAs, actually). He loses two levels of "casting" advancement, which I think is a fair price to pay for the full Quickness ability.
Not really balanced in my opinion. Sorcerors are already pretty powerfull casting one level behind the wizard. Losing another level for doubling your caster potential sounds a very sweet deal to me.

PhaedrusXY

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Re: [3.5]Improved monster classes: adapting creatures for player use!
« Reply #16 on: October 01, 2010, 03:44:10 PM »
So.... a red dragon 7/sorcerer 2 would have:

Sorcerer casting as an 8th level sorcerer, but his caster level would be equal to his character level.

Large size.

A fly speed of 70.
Correct so far, but I must point out it's poor maneuverability flight.
Does anyone actually care about that? If they do, they can take the Hover feat. :P

Did I miss anything?
Quote
The sugestion SLA I believe.
I left that out on purpose, as 1xday abilities don't even matter, IMO, unless they give you the ability to generate semi-permanent minions. ;)

Hmm... Although you could replicate most/all of that with a good choice of spells known for a 9th level gish type of character, this guy is going to get it for free on top of his 8th level sorcerer casting. I think overall this is probably fine, if you're looking to balanced against tier 2. Many might consider it a bit overpowered.
Quote
Yes it's aimed at higher powered games than your average game.

If you're playing average games the original Savage Species progressions work relatively fine.
No, those rules suck, horribly. If you like playing gimped pieces of crap that aren't even good at what they're supposed to do, you should use those rules. (Unless you go find the overpowered stuff in there, like anthropomorphic animals). (Sorry for the vitriol... Obviously you're not a fan of those rules either, or you wouldn't have made these up. So it certainly isn't directed at you. :P)

Quote
It would be fine in a Tome game, for example.
Oh, no, it would get steamrolled by anything from a Tome game! It doesn't have at-will save or dies, immediate action shut downs, and tome characters get a free +5 to all stats by this level. And if they had chosen the feat to be large they would've got even more stats by now.
As someone who is running a Tome game right now, I respectfully disagree. This class isn't very different at all from many of the Tome monster classes I've seen on the gaming den message board.

I definitely like this method of monster PCs a lot more than the standard one. It is very similar to how Frank and K's Races of War deals with it, at least in one of their options.
Quote
I must respectifully disagree. Races of War tells you to basically give the monster directly to the player with +1 LA, with no regard for non-scaling abilities, overpowered powers, and no way to play it from lower levels. My method goes directly against all of that.

I'll admit tough it was a tome player that convinced me on the level=HD thingy, but it's the only thing I adopted from their philosophy.
Keep reading. That's the first method they suggest. It's not the only one. The second one is much more similar to this. They also have a rule that says you only get half of either your natural armor or armor bonus, whichever is lower. So that more or less nerfs monsters that have insane NA down to a reasonable level.

Although the Tome of Tiamat method was not included in RoW, monster classes very similar to yours have been done a bunch of times on the gaming den forums. This is basically what it would have been, if they'd have finished it.

And as far as the choker... I actually have a choker PC in a game I'm running. I basically did a very similar conversion to yours, but let him cast two spells per round (in his case SLAs, actually). He loses two levels of "casting" advancement, which I think is a fair price to pay for the full Quickness ability.
Quote
Not really balanced in my opinion. Sorcerors are already pretty powerfull casting one level behind the wizard. Losing another level for doubling your caster potential sounds a very sweet deal to me.
You're losing two levels to racial hit dice, plus the one sorcerers eat already. And at that point I disagree. I'd rather have one powerful spell per round in many cases than two weaker ones.
[spoiler]
A couple of water benders, a dike, a flaming arrow, and a few barrels of blasting jelly?

Sounds like the makings of a gay porn film.
...thanks
[/spoiler]

oslecamo

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Re: [3.5]Improved monster classes: adapting creatures for player use!
« Reply #17 on: October 01, 2010, 04:42:09 PM »
Does this mean they count as having the Track feat for prerequisites, or do they actually gain its benefits? If it's the latter, just say "They also gain Track as a bonus feat."

Also, you've misspelled "Proficiencies". The mind flayer's ability should be "Dessicate", and "Magi" is the plural of "Magus". The Zelekhut has a reference to "40 feets" - feet is already plural.
Somehow I missed this post, fixed the grammar problems you pointed out, thanks!

Some of these classes end up with SLAs that can be used as many as 8/day. At that point, wouldn't it be easier to just grant them at-will? Maybe a general rule that when you can use an SLA more than 6/day it becomes at-will.
A high level caster can easily get eight spell slots on each of his lower levels. Should the caster's low level spells become at will? At will glitterdust? Grease? Entangle? Wings of cover? Summon mount?

Or a feat which upgrades SLAs to at-will.
Not here, I'll let at will spells for tome games, wich this project isn't aiming for.


Does anyone actually care about that?
One of my group's wizard  memorized the maneuverability table and uses it to the max to get in positions flying monsters with lesser maneuverability cannot reach, and he takes it pretty seriously when they actualy manage to reach him.


If they do, they can take the Hover feat.
Feats are a scarce resource. If he's taking over then it's one less meta breath feat or metamagic feat he's taking.


I left that out on purpose, as 1xday abilities don't even matter, IMO, unless they give you the ability to generate semi-permanent minions.
Well, at 8th level he would get two uses per day, and eventually six uses per day at 8th level. And if you word it well enough it does give you semi-permanent minions for tasks that don't automatically look dangerous. :smirk

As someone who is running a Tome game right now, I respectfully disagree. This class isn't very different at all from many of the Tome monster classes I've seen on the gaming den message board.
As far as I readed, the tomes themselves don't have any monster classes.


Keep reading. That's the first method they suggest. It's not the only one. The second one is much more similar to this. They also have a rule that says you only get half of either your natural armor or armor bonus, whichever is lower. So that more or less nerfs monsters that have insane NA down to a reasonable level.

Although the Tome of Tiamat method was not included in RoW, monster classes very similar to yours have been done a bunch of times on the gaming den forums. This is basically what it would have been, if they'd have finished it.
I went to the gaming den homebrew and then remembered why I rarely go there. After tomes of "Mary Sues", "WeabooFighting", "Robots", "Naked Oil Men", I finally stumbled upon the said dragon class. It's quite diferent from mine:
-Zero support for multiclassing.
-Generic dragon class. I went to the trouble to making specific classes for several colors so far, and will be posting them.
-Ability bonus galore
-Considerably stronger progression at the begginning, that eventualy goes into full brokeness, and I can't even understand if the capstone is serious or not.


You're losing two levels to racial hit dice, plus the one sorcerers eat already. And at that point I disagree. I'd rather have one powerful spell per round in many cases than two weaker ones.
At this point we've stumbled into personal opinion matter (as you should know the right lower level spells still pack a lot of punch), so since it's my project my preference prevails. :D

oslecamo

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Re: [3.5]Improved monster classes: adapting creatures for player use!
« Reply #18 on: October 01, 2010, 04:49:54 PM »
Blue dragon


[spoiler]
HD:d12
Level BAB Fort Ref Will Feature
1 +1 +2+0 +2 Blue Dragon body, Thunder Breath
2  +2 +3+0 +3 Keen senses, Arcane Blood
3  +3 +3+1 +3 Blindsense 60 feets, Str+1, Con+1
4  +4 +4 +1+4 Wings, +1 Str
5  +5 +4 +1 +4 Create/destroy water,  +1 Cha
6  +6 +5+2 +5 Ventricolism, +1 Str.
7  +7 +5 +2 +5 +1 Cha, +1 Con, Shocking Arcana
8  +8 +6 +2 +6  Tail slap, Growth
9  +9  +6+3 +6   Sound imitation, +1 Cha
10  +10 +7+3 +7 +1 Str, +1 Con,Hallucinatory terrain
11  +11 +7 +3+7 Arcane Skin, +1 Cha
12  +12 +8 +4+8 Iron Scales, +1 Str, +1 Con
13  +13 +8 +4 +8  +1 Cha, Thunder Lord
14  +14 +9 +4 +9 Frightfull presence, Growth, crush.
15  +15 +9 +5 +9  +1 Cha, One with the Sky
16  +16 +10 +5 +10 +1 str, +1 con, Shocking Arcana
17  +17 +10 +5+10  +1 Cha, Shock Therapy
18  +18 +11+6 +11 +1 str, +1 con, Suzerain
19  +19 +11 +6 +11  +1 Cha, +1 Str, Veil
20  +20 +12 +6 +12 Overlord, +1 Str, +1 Con

4 Skill points+int per level, quadruple at 1st level. Class skills:
Concentration, climb, jump, spot, listen, apraise, bluff, Hide, Move Silently, intimidate, Knowledge(any), Search, spellcraft.

Proefeciencies: a blue dragon isn't proefecient with any armor or weapons, besides his own natural weapons.


Features:

Blue dragon Body:
The blue dragon loses all other racial bonuses, and gains Dragon traits, electrecity subtype, bite 1d8 damage, 2 claws attack for 1d6 damage each and 40 base speed, a burrow speed equal to half his land speed and is medium sized. The blue dragon has wings, but they're too weak to do anything for now. His claws are capable of fine manipulation and can be used for somatic components of spellcasting or anything else a human hand could do.

The Blue dragon also gets a natural armor bonus equal to his Con modifier. Whenever the blue dragon grows one size category, his natural armor increases by a further 1.

The blue dragon is immune to electrecity. It has no particular vulnerability.


Thunder Breath:
At 1st level the blue dragon can fire a line 60 feet dealing 1d6 lighting damage/HD with DC ref of 10+1/2 HD+Con modifier for half every 1d4 turns. Line increases by 10 feets with each extra HD the player takes from here.


Arcane Blood:A blue dragon receives spells known and spells per day as a sorceror of 2/3 his level, but he has CL equal to his HD.
If he multiclasses as a sorceror, the casting stacks.

Dragon level Sorceror casting
1-
21
32
42
53
64
74
85
96
106
117
128
138
149
1510
1610
1711
1812
1912
2013

If a dragon takes a casting prc, it may choose to advance his casting as that of a sorceror. So a dragon 10/loremaster 10 would cast as a 16th level sorceror.

Keen senses:The blue dragon sees four times as well as a human in shadowy illumination and twice as well in normal light. It also has darkvision  out to 120 feet.

Blindsense:
as the normal ability, range 60 feets.

Ability score increase:
The blue dragon ability scores increase by the shown amount.

Level Bonus gained
3+1 Str, +1 Con
4 +1 Str
5+1 Cha
6+1 Str,
7 +1 Cha, +1 Con
9+1 Cha
10+1 Str, +1 Con
11+1 Cha
12+1 Str, +1 Con
13+1 Cha
15+1 Cha
16+1 str, +1 con
17+1 Cha
18+1 str, +1 con
19 +1 Cha, +1 Str
20+1 Str, +1 Con

For a total of +8 Str, +7 Con and +8 Cha at 20th level.


Wings:
At 4th level the blue dragon becomes able to fly at the speed of 10 feets per HD, with poor maneuverability. The maneuverability doesn't increase naturaly, but players can take the Savage Species feat that increases it by two steps(stackable). Each wing can also be now used to deliver a natural atack dealing 1d4 damage.

Create/Destroy Water (Sp)
Blue dragon SLAs:
At 6th level Ventricolism 1/day per each 3 HD.

At 10th level hallucinatory terrain 1/day for each 5 HD.

Saves DC for both are 10+1/2HD+Cha mod.


Sound Imitation (Ex):

Shocking Arcana:
At 7th and 16th levels the blue dragon adds one spell with the [electrecity] descriptor of a level he can cast to his list of spells known.

Growth:At 8th level the blue dragon grows to large size.
                At 14th level the blue dragon grows to huge size.
                
His AC, bonus to hit, base damage, grapple and skills change acordingly, but he doesn't get any ability score bonus or penalties.

Tail slap:
The blue dragon can now make a tail slap attack dealing 1d8 damage(already taking in acount large size).



Arcane skin:
At 11th level the blue dragon gains SR equal to his HD+11.

Iron Scales:
At 12th level the blue dragon gains DR/magic equal to half his HD.

Thunder Lord:
At 12th level the blue dragon gains +2 on the caster level of any spells with the [electrecity] descriptor it casts and those spells ignore any limits on caster level they may have.


Crush:

Frightfull presence:

One with the Sky:
At 15th level the blue dragon can reflect the light on his scales in such a way it perfectly mimics the sky color.

The blue dragon can hide while flying on an open area whitout actualy having anything to hide behind, and he gains a bonus on those hide checks equal to his HD.

Shock Therapy:
At 17th level, as a free action a number of times per day equal to his Cha mod, the blue dragon may boost his breath weapon so it lingers on oponents. Creatures failing the save against the thunder breath when this ability is used take damage as is hit by a new thunder breath on their next turn, and on the next turns, untill they make their saves. A creature may spend a fullround action to get rid of shock therapy for good.

Suzerain:
At 18th level the blue dragon grows a strong sense of inner order. It gains a bonus on diplomacy and intimidate checks equal to it's HD.

Veil: At 19th level the blue dragon can now use veil as a SLA 1/day for every 5 HD it has. Save=10+1/2HD+Cha modifier.

Overlord:
At 20th level the blue dragon is an inspiring figure of power for younger ones. 1/day as a swift action the blue dragon can summon a  blue dragon built using this class of his own level-1 (using elite array for stats and NPC WBL), wich serves for one hour and then leaves. The called dragon appears adjacent to the player, either flying from the skies or bursting from the ground, but must wait one round before acting.

[/spoiler]

PhaedrusXY

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Re: [3.5]Improved monster classes: adapting creatures for player use!
« Reply #19 on: October 01, 2010, 05:08:51 PM »
I went to the gaming den homebrew and then remembered why I rarely go there. After tomes of "Mary Sues", "WeabooFighting", "Robots", "Naked Oil Men", I finally stumbled upon the said dragon class. It's quite diferent from mine:
-Zero support for multiclassing.
-Generic dragon class. I went to the trouble to making specific classes for several colors so far, and will be posting them.
-Ability bonus galore
-Considerably stronger progression at the begginning, that eventualy goes into full brokeness, and I can't even understand if the capstone is serious or not.
Their capstones are never serious. The often just put "X: You win the game" at level 20, where X is whatever random thing they want to stick in there. The game falls apart at level 20, and they don't even try to put something balanced there. So it's kind of an ongoing joke.

I wasn't specifically talking about a "dragon" class, just the way many of the "monster" classes I've seen on there are done. And yeah, if you don't get the humor, I could see why that board might irritate you. I find the "naked oily man" class hilarious, personally. ;)

Here is another dragon class that is more similar to yours, though.

I'm not trying to start an argument, or say you shouldn't make up your own classes or anything stupid. I'm just a bit puzzled why someone who is making classes like these (which I like, and seem fairly well balanced and designed) would seemingly have such a distaste for the things created there, when there are so many obvious similarities...
« Last Edit: October 01, 2010, 05:13:36 PM by PhaedrusXY »
[spoiler]
A couple of water benders, a dike, a flaming arrow, and a few barrels of blasting jelly?

Sounds like the makings of a gay porn film.
...thanks
[/spoiler]