Author Topic: [3.5]Improved monster classes: adapting creatures for player use-Taking Requests  (Read 392317 times)

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CDTalmas

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Heh, that would work for some of the weaker spells.  Unfortunately, a bit higher up, they start getting costly.  Very costly.  I might recommend something along the lines of an aboleth being able to consume up to X cubic meters/pounds of material (X being related to its current size) which acts as a bag of holding for material components.  Something similar to a gullet that doesn't actually digest anything.  Chipmunk cheek pouches are a close example.

[Edit]I think I left out the important part of that post.  Whenever it casts spells, if it has the material components in its gullet (and focuses), it uses them.  This might not work for but a few spells that require specifically pointing at a target or flinging said object.[/Edit]
« Last Edit: September 07, 2011, 03:01:13 AM by CDTalmas »

The Tygre

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Hecantoncheires


...

I-

...

It's-

...

How do I put this?

...

The class balance is-

...

... Fuck it.

This is the most goddamn beautiful thing I have ever seen. That is beautiful. That is a fucking work of art. It's a testament, nay, a monument to Epic. In the end, man shall die and return to loam, civilization will crumble into dust, but this, -this- will be eternal. The neuromancers wandering the Capital Wasteland will hold this as a standard. Exalted and Nobilis will be called 'low-magic settings' before this monstrosity's might. There will be legends founded on this monster class. DMs will whisper of it in hushed darkness, and PCs will call it an optimization legend. This is the heart of Epic. This is its point. It's not supposed to be practical or within reason. It stares common sense in the face so it can sucker-punch it in the scrote. -With atomic fire-.

I tell ye what.

In other words:

"And he said, 'Dance before us, atrocious nothing.'"

oslecamo

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Merfolk


[spoiler]
HD:d8
Level BAB Fort Ref Will Feature
1 +0 +0+2+2Merfolk Body, Amphibious, Water Path, +1 Con
4 Skill points+int per level, quadruple at 1st level. Class skills: Apraise,  Bluff, Concentration, Climb, Craft(any) Diplomacy, Disable Device, Handle Animal,  Hide, Intimidate,  Listen,  Knowledge(any), Move Silently, Perform(any), Search, Sleight of Hand, Spot, Spellcraft, Swim.

Proficiencies: a Merfolk is proficient with Simple Weapons, Tridents, Halberds, and Light Armor.

Features:
Merfolk Body: The Merfolk loses all other racial bonuses, and gains Humanoid traits (nothing really) plus the aquatic subtype (breath water and doesn't take any penalty for acting underwater). It is a medium sized humanoid with base speed 5 feet and swim speed 50 feet, plus low-light vision. As a swift action, the Merfolk may divide his tail into a pair of humanoid legs, losing his swim speed but gaining base speed 20 feet. It can change back as another swift action.

[spoiler]

A merfolk grows legs to explore dry land.
[/spoiler]

Amphibious:Merfolk can breathe both air and water, although they prefer to hang near water.

Water Path: Normally renowed for their subtelty, Merfolk are actually a pretty varied bunch. At 1st level the Merfolk chooses one of the following paths which will shape his life.

Seaguard
[spoiler]


Altough rarely witnessed by land dwellers, merfolk have to wage constant war against a variety of auqatic monsters and less harmonic underwater races like Kuo-Toa and Sahuagin. Many merfolk heed the call of arms to defend their own.

Sea Weaponry: Current Fighter:Seaguards are trained to be shifty. At 1st level they may take a 5-feet step as an immediate action.

Sea Reflexes: At 5 HD the seaguard can draw (and put away again) melee weapons and crossbows as a free action, even if it isn't his turn. If he had (or later gains) the quickdraw feat, he can also shoot a crossbow once and charge as a single fullround action.

Sea Discipline: Seaguards advanced training focus on countering their oponent moves as they are unleashed. At 10 HD,  whenever the seaguard or an adjacent ally is attacked, the seaguard may perform a melee or ranged crossbow attack against the attacker as an immediate action before the blow lands. If this hits, the attacker takes a penalty to their attack roll equal to the damage taken.

The seaguard may also use this to try to disrupt an enemy that starts to cast a spell that would affect the seaguard and/or an adjacent ally. If the attack hits the enemy must make a concentration check to keep the spell as normal for the damage taken.

Either option cannot be used more than once per minute.

Sea Legionaire: At 15 HD As Sea Reflexes, but now only consumes an Attack of Oportunity for the round instead of an immediate/swift action, and the seaguard may perform it multiple times per round (as long as he has enough attacks of oportunity), but not more than 1 round per hour.

 The Seaguard also can perform an extra number of attacks of oportunity per round equal to his Con mod.

Sea Champion:The strongest seaguards are said to be able to block any attack, stop any monster on its tracks. At 20 HD, 1/day as a free action, even if it isn't his turn, the Seaguard may fully prevent one enemy physical attack or spell/power/smilar that would affect the seaguard or an adjacent ally if he suceeds on a Bab check against that oponent. Both sides use their actual Bab, ignoring any spells/effects that may be altering it.

[/spoiler]

Wave Infiltrator
[spoiler]

Most merfolks have a big natural curiosity. Some satisfy it with trading. Others with stealing. Some others seeing how other races bleed. Whatever they're searching for however, they prefer to do it unnoticed.

Wave Mimicry: All merfolks can slightly change the tone and color of their skin depending on their emotions and health, but a Wave Infiltrator takes it to a new state. They gain a bonus to Hide checks equal to half their HD. This bonus is doubled if the Wave Infiltrator is inside or adjacent to a large mass of water, including watery terrains like swamps.

Current Pilferer: At 1st level the Wave Infiltrator may use Sleight of hand as a move action, or as a swift action with a -10 penalty. He may also draw a concealed weapon as a swift action, in which case enemies count as flatfooted against attacks from that weapon for 1 round.

Wave Raider: At 5 HD the Wave Infiltrator's ability of controling his skin grows even greater, granting him permanent cover (20% miss chance), which also allows it to hide whitout actually having anything to hide behind.

Dream Thief: At 10 HD the Wave Infiltrator can steal even the memories of adjacent oponents as a swift action 1/minute. The oponent must suceed on a reflex save with DC 10+ 1/2 Ranks in Sleight of Hand+Dex mod or lose 1 skill point for each point they failed their saves. If the enemy is a spellcaster or similar, they instead lose one spell (or similar) known, including any prepared spells of that kind. In the case of spellcasters that write their spells in a book, the merfolk has ripped the stolen pages of the book, even if it wasn't in their person! (the wave infiltrator actualy stole it in some downtime and they just realize it now). The Wave infiltrator automatically learns all spells known and skill points of oponents failing their saves against Dream Thief.

Either way, the Wave infiltrator liquifies the stolen memories in colorfull potions that can be collected in vials which can then be sold for 50 GP per skill point, and 100 GP per level in the case of a spell. His oponents may then track down their own crystals on the markets with 1d10 days of searching, but will have to pay double price to get them back. If they get them back they may drink it to recover their skill points/spells known.

Nightmare Thief: At 15 HD, 1/hour as a free action, the Wave Infiltrator may use his Dream Thief ability on every oponent it strikes for 1 round.

Dream Wave: At 20 HD, 1/day as a free action even if it isn't her turn, the Wave Infiltrator may drink one potion produced by Dream Thief to gain the respective skill points for 1 round. If it was a spell potion, it can cast that spell normally as long as he starts casting it whitin 1 round, and must pay any Exp and material costs. The CL is equal to his HD and he uses his highest mental Stat mod for DCs.

[/spoiler]

Siren
[spoiler]

Singing and music are quite popular merfolk hobbies, and among land dwellers the legends of mermaids enchanting sailors are quite popular. As most legends, they have some truth to it.

Sea Song: A Siren can use Bardic Music as a 1st level Bard. This stacks with actual Bardic Music. The Siren can sing underwater whitout problem.

Siren Lure: At 1st level as a swift action while using a bardic song, a Siren may direct subtle requests to any single creature listening to her. That creature makes a Will save with a DC of 10+1/2 Ranks in Perform+Cha mod or move 5 feet in a direction of the Siren's choice. This movement doesn't cause attacks of oportunity.

Siren Trap: At 5 HD, when the Siren uses the Fascinate option from Bardic Song, creatures affected by it don't automatically break out when somebody threatens them. They only get a new save if actually harmed in any way.

Ocean Song: At 10 HD, 1/minute as a swift action, the Siren may throw her voice up to 1 mile per HD, including singing effects.

Siren Temptation: At 15 HD, 1/hour, as a free action for 1 round the Siren may ignore any immunities to [Sonic], [Enchantment], [Compulsion] and mind-affecting, but oponents with such abilities still gain a +5 bonus on saves against those effects from the Siren.

Siren Cacophony: At 20 HD, 1/day as a swift action, the Siren may sing all her known bardic songs at the same time until the start of her next round. This doesn't expend Bardic Magic uses.

[/spoiler]

Ocean Sage
[spoiler]

Merfolk have a certain natural talent for magic, even if only some of them actively pursue that path. They're specially adept at disrupting other spellcasters.

Ocean Magic: At 1st level the Ocean Sage gains 1st level spellcasting of a base class of his choice. This stacks with actual levels from that base class. A Ocean Sage can speak spell components whitout trouble underwater.

Fleeting Distraction: At 5 HD as an immediate action the Ocean Sage may create a small illusion that makes a target oponent whitin 10 feet per HD take a -1 penalty on his next roll.

Mana Leak: At 10 HD, the Ocean Sage can perform counterspells as an immediate action 1/minute.

Force of Will: At 15 HD 1/hour the Ocean Sage can automatically counter an enemy spell as a free action by spending any of his spell slots/prepared of the same level or higher.

Magic Desertion: At 20 HD 1/day when an oponent whitin view casts a spell, the Ocean Sage as an immediate action may take control of it. The ocean sage picks the targets (if any) and will be the one controling any resulting effects.

[/spoiler]

Ability Score Increase: The Merfolk gains +1 to Con, and +1 to Dex if he took the Seaguard or Wave infiltrator path, or +1 to Cha if he took the Siren or Ocean Mage path.
[/spoiler]

Comments:
[spoiler]
Back when I played MTG merfolks were my favorite race, and I drew plenty of inspiration from Blue to make this one.

May have gotten a little overboard with the scaling abilities but quite limited uses should keep them in check. Need sleep right now.

So if you want to play the sea people, the merfolk are for you!

[/spoiler]

oslecamo

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This is the most goddamn beautiful thing I have ever seen. That is beautiful. That is a fucking work of art. It's a testament, nay, a monument to Epic. In the end, man shall die and return to loam, civilization will crumble into dust, but this, -this- will be eternal. The neuromancers wandering the Capital Wasteland will hold this as a standard. Exalted and Nobilis will be called 'low-magic settings' before this monstrosity's might. There will be legends founded on this monster class. DMs will whisper of it in hushed darkness, and PCs will call it an optimization legend. This is the heart of Epic. This is its point. It's not supposed to be practical or within reason. It stares common sense in the face so it can sucker-punch it in the scrote. -With atomic fire-.
Mission acomplished then!  :) :D

Heh, that would work for some of the weaker spells.  Unfortunately, a bit higher up, they start getting costly.  Very costly.  I might recommend something along the lines of an aboleth being able to consume up to X cubic meters/pounds of material (X being related to its current size) which acts as a bag of holding for material components.  Something similar to a gullet that doesn't actually digest anything.  Chipmunk cheek pouches are a close example.

[Edit]I think I left out the important part of that post.  Whenever it casts spells, if it has the material components in its gullet (and focuses), it uses them.  This might not work for but a few spells that require specifically pointing at a target or flinging said object.[/Edit]

On the other hand I feel like just leaving it as a natural limitation. Pseudo-spellcaster is already quite powerfull, specially when backed up by the actual aboleth abilities. No need for allowing the aboleth full easy acess to every spell out there if you ask me.

oslecamo

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Living Spell

[spoiler]
HD:d10
LevelBase Attack BonusFort SaveRef SaveWill SaveSpecial Anima
1
+0
+0
+0
+2
Spell Body, Anima, Spell Slam 2
2
+2
+0
+0
+3
Engulf, Spell Within, Speed of Magic 4
3
+2
+1
+1
+3
Arcana body, +1 Cha6
4
+3
+1
+1
+4
Descriptor Resistance, +1 Cha8
5
+3
+1
+1
+4
Flight, +1 Con10
6
+4
+2
+2
+5
Living Arcana, +1 Str12
7
+5
+2
+2
+5
Growth, +1 Cha14
8
+6
+2
+2
+6
Arcane Grasp, +1 Con16
9
+6
+3
+3
+6
Living Metamagic, +1 Str18
10
+7
+3
+3
+7
Cast Self, Reshape, +1 Cha20
11
+8
+3
+3
+7
Spell Evolution, +1 Con22
12
+9
+4
+4
+8
Living Spark, +1 Str24
13
+9
+4
+4
+8
Growth, +1 Cha26
14
+10
+4
+4
+9
Spell Feed, +1 Con28
15
+11
+5
+5
+9
Magic Mirror, +1 Str30
16
+12
+5
+5
+10
Living Doom, +1 Cha32
17
+12
+5
+5
+10
Spreading Arcana (twins), +1 Con34
18
+13
+6
+6
+10
Anima Feedback, +1 Cha 36
19
+14
+6
+6
+11
Spreading Arcana(triplets), +1 Str, +1 Con38
20
+15
+6
+6
+12
Mournland Legacy, +1 Cha, +1 Str, +1 Con40
Skills: 2+Int mod, quadruple at first level. Class Skills: Spellcraft, Knowledge(any).

Proficiencies:  A Living Spell Paragon is proficient with its natural slam attack only.

Features:
Spell Body : At first level the Living Spell loses its racial traits and features and gains the Ooze type and the following Ooze traits:
[spoiler]
-Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).
-Blind (but have the blindsight special quality with 60 feet), with immunity to gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions, and other attack forms that rely on sight.
-Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, polymorph, and stunning.
-Not subject to critical hits or flanking.
-Oozes eat and breathe, but do not sleep.
[/spoiler]

 It is a medium ooze with 20 base speed and  one natural Slam attack dealing 1d4+Str mod damage. It can speak by making the air around vibrate with its body.

 The Living Spell also has a deflection armor bonus equal to half its Cha modifier.

Oozes lack fine manipulation, but can partially meld objects into their own body to carry them and perform simple actions like pulling levers and pressing buttons.

Oozes can use their body as either head+neck slot or body+belt slot. The living spell can wear more magic equipment by having it crafted in the form of orbs that float around him like ioun stones, but said custom equipment costs double the normal market price.

Anima:  Every level of The Living Spell class a Living Spell gains 2 Anima, which can be used to purchase the following:

-Increase Caster level of its Represented spells by 1 (the Living Spell starts with 1 free CL)

-Purchase a primary spell to represent, costing two Anima per spell level. A Living spell must have a CL equal to 2*(spell Level) to purchase a spell. 0th level spells cost 1 Anima. They must be spells that create an area or effect (not targeted spells),  but not a spell whose effect is already a creature (such as a summon monster spell).

-Purchase any number of secondary spells to represent, these must be of the same level or lower than the primary spell, following the same restrictions, except that they only cost half the normal Anima (minimum 1 anima per spell, or 1 anima per two 0th level spells).

Whenever a new Living Spell level is gained, you can choose to re-make those choices, so you it can "reshape" lower level spells into higher level ones.

For example, a Living Spell 5 has 10 anima, six of them invested into caster level to get CL 7, two for a burning hands primary spell, and one in both Obscuring Mist and Color Spray as secondary spells.

Upon gaining a new Living Spell level, it has 12 total anima, so he can either learn two new secondary first level spells (or four cantrips), or it can "reshape" all its spells and learn fireball as its primary spell.

Spell Slam:Ability Increase The living spell gains a +1 to Charisma at 3rd level, 6th level, 9th level, 12th level, 15th level, and 18th level. It also receives a +1 to Constitution at 7th, 13th, 11th and 17th level.

Engulf:Spells Within: Any creature or object occupying the same space as the Living spell, either a willing creature or unattended object, or a target subjected to Engulf (See below),  is subjected to the all of the spells that Living Spell represents. Caster Level is as the Anima, and the Save, if any applies, is (10+spell level+Cha mod) for each spell individually.

Speed of Magic:Arcana Body: At 3rd level the Living Spell gains DR/Magic equal to half its HD and SR equal to 11+HD. It may raise or drop its SR at any time as a free action.

Ability Score Increase: A Living Spell gains a permanent +1 to

Cha at levels 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 20

Con at levels 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 20

Str at levels 5, 8,  11, 14, 17, 19, 20

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

Descriptor Resistance: Starting at 4th level the Living Spell gains a bonus on saves and SR equal to half its HD on spells with the same descriptor as its Primary Spell Slot, it gains a bonus on saves and SR equal to one quarter its HD on spells with the same descriptor as any of its Secondary Spell Slots.

Flight: At 5th level the Living spell gains a flight speed equal to its base land speed as modified by its 'Speed of Magic.' It maneuverability is (Good).

Living Arcana: At 6th level the Living Spell adds his Cha mod to Knowledge and Spellcraft checks, and gains an amount of skill points equal to its HD+3, which must be spent on knowledge skills. For every extra HD, the Living Spell gains one extra skill point that must be spent on a Knowledge skill.

Growth: At 7th level the Living spell grows to large size , and at 13th level the Living Spell grows to Huge size.

Arcane Grasp: At 8th level the Living spell adds its Cha mod to attack rolls and grapple checks.

Living Metamagic At 9th level the Living spell can purchase spells with its Anima as modified by any metamagic feat it has (the level modification is included on the anima cost). In addition the Living spell can reduce the metamagic cost of metamagics applied to its primary represented spell by 1, to a minimum of 0.

Cast Self: At 10th level, the Living Spell may cast each of its Represented Spells as an actual spellcaster, each 1/day per 5 HD. It ignores somatic components.

Reshape:Living Spark: At 11th level the Living Spell can act even inside an AMF, altough he takes damage equal to the CL of the AMF for every round the Living Spell remains inside it.

In addition the Living Spell has now a 50% chance of being able to affect enemies immune to magic like golems.

Spell Evolution:At 12th level a number of times per day equal to his Cha mod as a free action, for 1 round the Living Spell may ignore any immunities on an oponent to its spells, but they gain a +5 bonus on their saves. This ability doesn't do anything if the Represented spells didn't allow a save.

Spell Feed:At 14th level oponents engulfed or hit by the slam attack of the Living Spell are targeted by a Greater Dispel magic with CL equal to the Anima CL of the living spell. The Living Spell recovers HP equal to the combined levels of the dispelled spells. In alternative, the Living Spell may use the area dispel option over all the squares it threatens.

In addition, whenever the SR of the Living Spell stops a magic, the Living spell heals an amount of HP equal to the level of the stoped spell.

Magic Mirror: At 15th level whenever the Living Spell's SR sucessfully stops a spell or the Living Spell is affected by one, it may swap one of its represented spells for the new one, as long as they're of the same level and a valid choice.

In addition the Living Spell may now use Reshape in just 1 hour, and with just the help of scrolls of the spells he wants to change to instead of another spellcaster. The scrolls are consumed.

Living Doom: At 16th level the Living Spell ignores Freedom of Movement effects on its oponents, neither can them use any kind of planar travel while engulfed by the Living Spell.

Spreading Arcana: Starting at 17th level, 1/day as a swift action the Living Spell may divide itself into two Living spell creatures. The Living spell divides both its maximum and current HP between the two living spells. Both can move and act independently of the other, and behave like to separate entities (but still under control of the same player). Each of the new Living spells are one size category smaller than the original.  However, the 'new' living spell exists on borrowed time, after 1 minute per Cha mod, one of the living spells collapses, and the other living spell's maximum hp returns to normal, however its current hp remains the same. The Living spells may conglomerate at any time before the limit, restoring maximum hp, and adding current hp. At 19th level the living spell may split itself into 3 living spells instead, dividing their hp by 3, and reducing their size category twice.

Anima Feedback: At 18th level, whenever the Living Spell is harmed, as an immediate action it may inflict one of its Represented spells on the creature that attacked it.

Mournand Legacy: Magic is quite unpredictable, and living spells are the living embodiment on how even the best spellcasters can lose control to create completely unexpexted, and dangerous, results. At 20th level once per day the Living spell can alter its anima as a swift action whitout need of scrolls or other components.

[/spoiler]

Comments:
[Spoiler]
This one was buried under my notes for quite some time. Found it half-done and finally got to finishing it up.

The living spell is pretty self-explanatory I believe. Pick your favorite ones, and go around spreading the love/hate!

[/spoiler]

CDTalmas

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Quote
The lantern archon can wear more magic equipment by having it crafted in the form of orbs that float around him like ioun stones, but said custom equipment costs double the normal market price.

Might wanna double-check that Living Spell ;)

Catty Nebulart

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Quote
Merfolk

The various paths could use more work

Siren:
Quote
Sea Song: A Siren can use Baric Music as a 1st level Bard. This stacks with actual Bardic Music. The

The what?

Otherwise this is fine.

Ocean Sage
Ocean Magic: "At 1st level the Ocean Sage gains 1st level spellcasting of a class of his choice." No, just no. The other bonuses this path gets are more then enough.


Sea Legionaire: a bit weak

Sea Champion: needs a lot of clarification, seems way to strong.
E: "Did they... did they just endorse the combination of the JSDF and US Army by showing them as two lesbian lolicons moving in together and holding hands and talking about how 'intimate' they were?"
B: "Have you forgotten so soon? They're phasing out Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

veekie

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Hows the living spell PC deal with equipment?
The mind transcends the body.
It's also a little cold because of that.
Please get it a blanket.

I wish I could read your mind,
I can barely read mine.

"Skynet begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th. At 2:15, it begins rolling up characters."

[spoiler]
"Just what do you think the moon up in the sky is? Everyone sees that big, round shiny thing and thinks there must be something round up there, right? That's just silly. The truth is much more awesome than that. You can almost never see the real Moon, and its appearance is death to humans. You can only see the Moon when it's reflected in things. And the things it reflects in, like water or glass, can all be broken, right? Since the moon you see in the sky is just being reflected in the heavens, if you tear open the heavens it's easy to break it~"
-Ibuki Suika, on overkill

To sumbolaion diakoneto moi, basilisk ouranionon.
Epigenentheto, apoleia keraune hos timeis pteirei.
Hekatonkatis kai khiliakis astrapsato.
Khiliarkhou Astrape!
[/spoiler]

There is no higher price than 'free'.

"I won't die. I've been ordered not to die."

oslecamo

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Quote
Merfolk

The various paths could use more work
More details please?


Siren:
Quote
Sea Song: A Siren can use Baric Music as a 1st level Bard. This stacks with actual Bardic Music. The

The what?
Was suposed to be a clause to specifically allow them to sing underwater fixed.

Ocean Sage
Ocean Magic: "At 1st level the Ocean Sage gains 1st level spellcasting of a class of his choice." No, just no. The other bonuses this path gets are more then enough.
The problem it's that I don't really believe in "suck now, get benefit later". The gnoll has a similar path in that it gets 1st level spellcasting.

Instead moved up Fleeting Distraction so it's gained later and reworked a little the other abilities.

Sea Legionaire: a bit weak
Buffed up by granting extra attacks of oportinity per round.

Sea Champion: needs a lot of clarification, seems way to strong.
Clarified and limited, how is it now?

Hows the living spell PC deal with equipment?

As other similar monsters so far.

Quote from: living spell
Spell Body : At first level the Living Spell loses its racial traits and features and gains the Ooze type and the following Ooze traits:

...

Oozes lack fine manipulation, but can partially meld objects into their own body to carry them and perform simple actions like pulling levers and pressing buttons.

Oozes can use their body as either head+neck slot or body+belt slot. The living spell can wear more magic equipment by having it crafted in the form of orbs that float around him like ioun stones, but said custom equipment costs double the normal market price.


veekie

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I Cannae Read.

Well actually I should just to to bed early for once. Early being 4.30 AM
The mind transcends the body.
It's also a little cold because of that.
Please get it a blanket.

I wish I could read your mind,
I can barely read mine.

"Skynet begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th. At 2:15, it begins rolling up characters."

[spoiler]
"Just what do you think the moon up in the sky is? Everyone sees that big, round shiny thing and thinks there must be something round up there, right? That's just silly. The truth is much more awesome than that. You can almost never see the real Moon, and its appearance is death to humans. You can only see the Moon when it's reflected in things. And the things it reflects in, like water or glass, can all be broken, right? Since the moon you see in the sky is just being reflected in the heavens, if you tear open the heavens it's easy to break it~"
-Ibuki Suika, on overkill

To sumbolaion diakoneto moi, basilisk ouranionon.
Epigenentheto, apoleia keraune hos timeis pteirei.
Hekatonkatis kai khiliakis astrapsato.
Khiliarkhou Astrape!
[/spoiler]

There is no higher price than 'free'.

"I won't die. I've been ordered not to die."

CDTalmas

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Another possible challenge for you after your core dragons might be the crystal/gem dragons... or maybe a song dragon?  Given that the name of the game is "Dungeons and Dragons", I figure they would probably be the most popular.

the_shadowmind

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I second the request for getting the Psionic dragons eventually.
I'll probably never get back to trying to make the Incarnum dragon work though.

oslecamo

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I've already made some of the non-core dragons, but on a single/double request basis. However since the gem dragons are 100 levels worth of classes, I'll do them one by one. When I feel like it unless you ask for a specific kind. Because "do all  dragons" or "do all outsiders" isn't exactly very motivating. I work better when I see you're specifically interested in a particular monster. ;)

But before that it's the Keeper Catty requested. And then there's a personal experiment I want to try out here before any other monster class.

Trivia, infernals managed to be just as popular around here untill now.

Catty Nebulart

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The various paths could use more work
More details please?

I did give 4 specific things wrong with the paths :) They don't feel fully finished or edited, I'll review in more detail and nitpick later.

Ocean Sage
Ocean Magic: "At 1st level the Ocean Sage gains 1st level spellcasting of a class of his choice." No, just no. The other bonuses this path gets are more then enough.
The problem it's that I don't really believe in "suck now, get benefit later". The gnoll has a similar path in that it gets 1st level spellcasting.

I also don't like those "sn, bl" mechanics, they are inherently unbalanced. I havne't looked at the gnoll.

I don't like the pick any class spellcasting in particular, if it was just caster-level stacking(with or without level skipping) as you do with many of your monsters it would be fine, but as it is it's a 1'st level wizard with a bigger hit die, more skillpoints, and a second good save, along with multiple movement modes, and the ability to cast underwater without a problem, among other goodies.

If it was just casting like a warmage or something it wouldn't even be a problem, it's the pick anything mechanic that is troublesome. Hell you could choose 1'st level Beholder Mage casting as it's written, and then just take a casting advancing PrC.

I'll read the changes over in detail later.
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oslecamo

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I don't like the pick any class spellcasting in particular, if it was just caster-level stacking(with or without level skipping) as you do with many of your monsters it would be fine, but as it is it's a 1'st level wizard with a bigger hit die, more skillpoints, and a second good save, along with multiple movement modes, and the ability to cast underwater without a problem, among other goodies.

Notice however that you're sacrificing your race with the merfolk. You can't be a small gnome with +2 con and +2 Dex bonus or a sun elf with dex and Int bonus or a human with extra skill points and feat or a warforged that's immune to a lot of stuff.

If the merfolk had multiple levels and they all granted casting I would fully understand, but with just 1 level, the question becomes, is one (any) feat of your choice, acess to human-specific abilities and one skill point per level worth less than amphibious capacity, lower base speed, +2 to a save, +2 skill points, and some other bonus later on?

Also you can't pick Beholder mage casting, because beholder mage is a prc, not a base casting class (clarified it).

oslecamo

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Re: [3.5]Improved monster classes: adapting creatures for player use!
« Reply #716 on: September 10, 2011, 06:17:05 PM »
Keeper

[spoiler]
HD:d8
LevelBabFortRefWillFeature
1+1+ 2+2+0Keeper Body, Eyeless, Mimic Weapon (simple)
2+2+ 3+3+0Keeper Skin, Scent , +1 Str
3+3+ 3+3+1Impossible Joints, Mimic Weapon(martial), +1 Int
4+4+ 4+4+1Alien Physiology, Venomous Spit
5+5+ 4+4+1Dissolution, Mimic Weapon(exotic), Strange Flesh +1 Str
6+6+ 5+5+2Hive Mind, +1 Int
7+7+ 5+5+2Body Switch, Pattern Assault, Artificial Flesh, +1 Str, +1 Int

Skills:8+Int modifier per level, quadruple at 1st level,  class skills are Apraise(Int), Balance(Dex), Climb(Str), Concentration (con), Craft(any) (wis), Diplomacy(Cha), Disable Device(Int), Escape Artist(Dex),  Hide(dex), Intimidate(Cha), Jump(Str), Knowledge (any) (int), Listen (wis), Move silently (dex), Open Lock, Search(Int),, Spot (wis), Survival (wis), Swim (Str), Use Rope (Dex), Use Magic Device(Cha)

Proficiencies: simple weapons.

Features:

Keeper Body:The Keeper loses all other racial bonus and gains outsider traits (basicaly darkvision 60 foot). It is a medium sized outsider with base speed 40 feet and a Climb speed equal to half his base speed.

In adition he gains a bonus to nat armor equal to its Int modifier.
 

Eyeless: A Keeper is blind as it doesn't have eyes (they still use googles so it doesn't stand too much), but they have a sonar like that of a bat. This grants it blindsight with a range of 60 feet plus 20 feet per HD. The Keeper loses it however inside the area of a Silence spell or anything else that negates sound, becoming completely blind.


Mimic Weapon:
A Keeper can form the malleable flesh and bone of its arms into any melee simple weapon it has witnessed in use and then wield the weapon with proficiency. As a swift action it can form either arm into any single-hand melee weapon, or fuse both its arms to mimic a two-handed melee weapon.

A keeper's attacks with its mimicked weapons are treated as natural attacks; thus, Keepers do not incur the penalties for fighting with two weapons, cannot be disarmed, and do not gain iterative attacks with their mimicked weapons. It adds his full Str mod to single hand weapons and 1,5 Str mod to combined hand weapons. They can still wield normal weapons and perform fine manipulation when their arms are in their "normal" form.

At 3rd level the Keeper can mimic Martial weapons. It becomess automatically proficient with any martial melee weapons it observes.

At 5th level the Keeper can mimic Exotic weapons. It s automatically proficient with any exotic melee weapons it observes.

Ability Score Increase: The Keeper gains +1 to

Str at levels 2, 5, 7
Int at levels  3, 6, 7

For a total of +3 Str and +3 Int at 7th level.

Keeper Skin: At  2nd level the Keeper gains Resistance to Acid, Cold, Electricity, Fire and Sonic equal to his HD, DR/magic equal to half its HD, and SR equal to 11+HD. It may raise or lower its SR at any time as a free action even if it isn't its turn.

Scent: At 2nd level the Keeper gains the standard Scent ability.

Impossible Joints: At 3rd  level the Keeper gains a bonus to Jump and Escape Artist checks equal to his HD.

Alien  Physiology: At 4th level, the interior of a Keeper's body resembles more a machine than a living being. They become immune to poison, paralysis, diseases, death effects, necromantic effects.

In addition, the  Keeper's body can now be enchanted as if it was a masterwork weapon, and any enanchments put on it apply to its mimicked weapons.

Poison Spit: At 4th level as a standard action the Keeper can spit a nauseating contact poison in a 20 feet cone, with DC 10+1/2 HD+Con mod. The initial damage is nauseated for 1d8 rounds, and the secondary damage is 1d8 Con. The Keeper must wait 1d4 rounds before using it again.

The Keeper can "coat" weapons and ammo with poison by spitting on them, but the poison is wasted if not used whitin 1 hour per HD.

At 7 HD, and every 7 HD thereafter, the nausea duration and Con damage increase one die size. At 12 HD the Keeper's poison can affect even creatures normally immune to it, but they gain a +5 bonus on their saves

Dissolution: At 5th level, whenever the Keeper is harmed in melee, it may release a burst of poison at the attacker from the wound as an immediate action.

In addition, when the Keeper is dropped into negative HP, he may choose to dissolve himself in a pool of poison that fills his previous space and affects all standing on it plus all adjacent creatures. This pool of poison remains "active" for 1 round per HD, after which it becomes inert. If the Keeper is brought back to positive HP by some healing effect, it recovers its old shape again.

The Keeper mas also "self-destruct" if captured, pinned or otherwise held helpless or against his will, droping to -1 HP (unless he was already on the negatives) and turning into a puddle of poison as above.

Strange Flesh: At 5th level the Keeper becomes even more like a machine. They're now immune to any effects that would require a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects and are no longer subject to critical hits and precision damage.

Hive Mind:At 6th level a Keeper develops a mysterious direct connection with those of its own kind. All Keepers whitin 500 feet of each other are in constant communication. If one is aware of a particular danger, they all are. If one in the group is not flat-footed, none of them are. No Keeper whitin range is considered flanked unless all are. A Keeper may also spend 8 hours talking over a matter of diferent topics with a non-Keeper creature to forge a unique bond with them, that allows that Keeper to treat its companion as another Keeper for the purposes of Hive  Mind. The Keeper can only maintain a number of such companions at one time up to its Int mod, but he may trade old ones for new ones.

In addition, by now the Keeper's mind has become so incomprehesible that he becomes immune to mind-affecting effects, sleep and stunning.

Body Switch: At 7th a Keeper's hive mind and its unique mental link to other Keepers  grants it a supernatural ability to exhange places with any other living Keeper whitin 500 feet. As a standard action, a Keeper can use Greater Teleport to reach the location of another Keeper, instantaneously teleporting the other Keeper away and effectively switching positions with that Keeper. This may be used even with another uncoscious, dying or otherwise helpless Keeper. This ability can also be used with the special companions from Hive Mind that count as Keepers.

At 10 HD this may be used as a move action.

At 13 HD this may be used as a swift action.

At 16 HD as an immediate action.

At 19 HD as a free action even if it isn't its turn, but still no more than 1/round.

Pattern Assault: At 7th level the Keeper can combine its ability to turn its arms into weapons with its impossibly flexible joints to make an aparently crazy rampage of attacks as he turns his body into weapon and runs trough the battlefield twisting its body trough opening, that's actually a carefully calculated pattern to inflict as much damage as possible on its oponents.

First, the Keeper now adds his Int mod to weapon damage rolls with Mimic Weapon all the time.

Second, as a fullround action, make a Jump and Escape Artist checks. The Keeper moves an amount of feet equal to the combined results of those checks whitout provoking attacks of oportunity and performs a total number of attacks equal to its Int mod at any points during its movement. Those attacks must be performed with mimicked weapons, and the Keeper must change into a new weapon after each blow as a free action. At least half these attacks must be performed with single-hand weapons.

After using this, the Keeper must wait 2d4 rounds before being able to use it again.

Artificial Flesh: At 7th level is clear that someone designed the Keepers as extremely advanced constructs, but something went awry. They're no longer subject to subdual damage, ability damage, ability drain, energy drain or death from massive damage.


[/spoiler]

New Feats

[spoiler]
Keeper Sentry
Prerequisites: 1+ levels of the Keeper class.
Benefit: You can use your mimic ability to replicate ranged weapons. You can reload such weapons whitout problem even tough your hands are transformed. If you have no ammo available, you can produce it from your own body as a free action at the rate of 1 HP per shot.


Siege Keeper
Prerequisites: 5+ levels of the Keeper class.
Benefit: You can use your mimic ability to turn yourself into a siege engine. This option makes all your body transform into the siege engine, not just your hands, and you fill as much space as the siege engine itself. All your movement speeds are halved, and you cannot perform any actions other than firing (standard action), loading yourself(move action) and mental skills other than Use Magic Device. Unless you have some kind of ally crew to load you with shots, you must produce the ammo from your own body at the cost of 5 HP per shot.
[/spoiler]


Comments
[spoiler]
The Keeper is a somewhat creepy being that's something between a machine and a living being and exists in a state of hive mind. Can transform its body and dissolves into poison when finished. Also whitout eyes, not to mention humanoids shouldn't bend that way. And I could swear it's carrying some kind of plasma pistols the first time I saw the picture.

Well anyway you end up with a skillmonkey that gets most construct immunities whitout all the disadvantages, proficiency with all weapons you'll ever see, the ability to get them when you need them, poison, some neat hive-mind tricks and some other stuff. The ultimate is based on the fluff that Keepers develop their own favorite attack patterns and then use them over and over again. And also wanted to emphasize the whole "Transformer" aspect.

The feats are there because I wanted Keepers shooting stuff as well.

So if you want to play some kind of high-tech living construct, the Keeper's for you!

[/spoiler]

CDTalmas

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I've already made some of the non-core dragons, but on a single/double request basis. However since the gem dragons are 100 levels worth of classes, I'll do them one by one. When I feel like it unless you ask for a specific kind. Because "do all  dragons" or "do all outsiders" isn't exactly very motivating. I work better when I see you're specifically interested in a particular monster. ;)

But before that it's the Keeper Catty requested. And then there's a personal experiment I want to try out here before any other monster class.

Trivia, infernals managed to be just as popular around here untill now.
I know my wife is planning on having a crystal dragon as a companion.  She's running a campaign in which evil dragons have attacked the world, hidden themselves within it, and the good dragons were nearly wiped out by them.  The party has good dragon companions.  She has found an egg that will eventually hatch into a crystal dragon.  My character, being the bard, ended up with a song dragon (gee, how conVEEENient).  The rest of the party is currently working with metallic dragons, which they are now converting to these custom monster classes.

Amechra

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Hey, may I make a request?

I would like a Defiler; you know, those creepy undead from one of the later MMs (4 or 5, can't remember), that stole people's faces?
[spoiler]Fighter: "I can kill a guy in one turn."
Cleric: "I can kill a guy in half a turn."
Wizard: "I can kill a guy before my turn."
Bard: "I can get three idiots to kill guys for me."

On a strange note, would anyone be put out if we had a post about people or events we can spare a thought for, or if its within their creed, a prayer for? Just a random thought, but ... hells I wouldn't have known about either Archangels daughter or Saeomons niece if I didn't happen to be on these threads.
Sounds fine to me.
probably over on "Off-topic".
might want to put a little disclaimer in the first post.

This is the Min/Max board. We should be able to figure out a way to optimize the POWER OF PRAYER(TM) that doesn't involve "Pazuzu, Pazuzu, Pazuzu".
[/spoiler]

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Nanshork

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You've done Lich, how about Demilich?
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