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View Full Version : Character symbiose feats [PEACH]



Masterclick
2009-10-25, 11:19 PM
In a future campaign, a friend and I are planning on having a two characters who are physically and mentally reliant on one another. One of them cannot physically take of himself and the other one can not mentally take of himself. The physically adept character is going to always be carrying the other mentally adept character on his back. (The physically adept character is large size while the mentally adept character is small size).
I plan on presenting these feats to my DM but want to make sure they make sense and are balanced (this is one of my first serious attempt at homebrew).

Of One Mind [General]
You and another person (referred to as the partner) have become so closely bonded together that while in close proximity you are able to use each others strengths to offsets each others weaknesses.
Prerequisites: You must designate a partner character who also has this feat, this feat only works with that partner. Your alignment must be within one step of your partners’s (that is, it may be one step away on either the lawful-chaotic axis or the good-evil axis, but not both) and you must have spent at least a full year in close relationships that with the character. You must be able to communicate with your partner.
Benefits: All benefit only work if your within sight with the partner and the partner is 100 ft.
You have become so finely tuned together that whenever the two of you roll initiative, one person may forfeit his initiative roll to be replaced with the other characters roll.
If one character is not surprised, the partner is not surprised either by picking up on the body ques that his partner gives.
All spells have their range increased by one when targeting their symbiose. (personal to touch, touch to close, close to medium (etc)).
All uses of aid another for skills or for combat have their bonuses increased by +2 (to a total of +4). Finally, if two characters are attacking the same monster in melee it always counts as flanking. If the two characters would qualify for flanking without this feat, the bonus to hit is increased to +4.
Special: When a character gains this feat, his partner may choose to gain this feat as well at the same time. If the partner chooses to do so, he forfeits the next feat he would receive that could qualify for "Of One Mind" must be used to pay for this feat. For this feat to work, your partner must also have the feat and must have you as his designated partner.


Of One Body [General]
The two characters have become literal symbiotes to each other. Though not necessarily bonded together, the two have become dependent upon each other for physical and mental needs.
Prerequisites: Of One Mind. You must have the same alignment as your partner (referred to as a symbiote). You must have spent an additional year with each other beyond what was required for the feat Of One Mind. You must be able to communicate with your partner.
Benefits: All benefits only work if you are either touching your symbiote, 5 feet away from your symbiote, or are able to do the same action (attacking, using a skill) against the same target.
Your symbiote and you always have the same initiative. Add together your initiative bonus. This bonus is used in place of your normal initiative roll.
All skill checks used with the aid another skill recieve an additional +2 bonus (for a total of +6).
Any spell that targets one of the symbiotes specifically applies to the other one as well. Saving throws as well as Spell Resistance is allowed.
A character may deliver a touch attack for his symbiote.
All actions made without your symbiote within sight take a -2 penalty.
Special: When a character gains this feat, his symbiote may choose to gain this feat as well at the same time. If the symbiote chooses to do so, he forfeits the next feat he would receive that could qualify for "Of One Body" must be used to pay for this feat. For this feat to work, your partner must also have the feat and must have you as his designated symbiote.

EdroGrimshell
2009-10-26, 06:15 AM
sounds like borth and majar from chaotic

DracoDei
2009-10-26, 12:28 PM
All spells have their range increased by one (personal to touch, touch to close, close to medium (etc)).
I assume this only applies to spells cast by one on the other?


The second feat could lead to some Initiative cheese, but I don't think that is really that big a deal.


For cross-referencing purposes, I shall provide a link to my Gemini Strike (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=116900) feat.

Masterclick
2009-10-26, 06:51 PM
Oops ya I meant for each other. Thanks for the comments I'll go fix that.

Milskidasith
2009-10-26, 08:30 PM
One of Body is more like a flaw... you get a minor initiative boost, rather than rolling initiative twice (which is going to average out better), get a minor boost on aid another, and both of you take hits for one another, which isn't good, at all. Having both of you get hit by the casters single target Save or Die is just terrible.

One of Mind, however, is pretty nice.

lightningcat
2009-10-30, 03:11 PM
Similar idea is the Tayfolk, a race of twins from Bestiary of Krynn (Dragonlance). One is an elf-like natural spellcaster, and the other is a Large Monsterous Humanoid warrior (looks like a cross between a bear and sasquach).

You've already covered most of those abilities, but here's something to give you an "official" comparison to work off of. Tayfolk have the following racial traits:
Combat Synergy (Su): A tayfolk’s empathic bond with his sibling provides a number of combat benefits. When a pair of tayfolk siblings are both conscious and in the same battle, they each gain a +2 insight bonus to Initiative checks and Reflex saving throws. In addition, a tayfolk who uses the aid another action to assist its sibling against an opponent increases the bonus earned to +4 instead of +2.
Empathic Bond (Su): A tayfolk has a strong, almost telepathic connection with its twin, and knows when he or she is hurt, upset, or in danger. This creates an empathic link out to a distance of up to 1 mile through which general emotional information can be shared (such as fear, hunger, happiness or curiosity). Because of this empathic link, a tayfolk has the same connection to an item or place as its twin. For example, a tayling whose taylang brother has been to a room can teleport to that room as if he himself had been there.

Use this information as you will, but as a word of warning, me and a friend actually palyed a pair of tayfolk. It was a lot of fun, but a lot more difficult then you might think to maintain that mentality.