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View Full Version : Come Up With Cool Abilities(3.5)



ondonaflash
2010-01-24, 12:22 AM
So a few of my games have started to get a little dry and in order to stir things up a little I want to give each character a unique ability. I don't want a repeat of a spell or something, I want to give them new and interesting powers. I decided to tap the collective consciousness of the web to see what you lot could come up with.

If you could please write out the power description and where the player might get the power from. Best power gets a heartfelt compliment.

Overshee
2010-01-24, 12:27 AM
Well, I think the "virtual weapon proficiency" ability that... warblades? get is cool. Basically they can switch a weapon they have a proficiency in to any other weapon they practice with.

An innate alter self would be cool (although it is duplicating spell)

You could go with the ability to switch skills every day, (dangerous with a skillmonkey), or, allow them to pick a non-class skill every day which is maxed, but they can't choose the same one two days in a row or something, just to make it fluid.

Astrologically/weather/other environmental bonuses or penalties could be fun.

FishAreWet
2010-01-24, 12:28 AM
Are you familiar with Incarnum or Binding? Many players aren't and they are extremely well made and fun systems.

Sinfire Titan
2010-01-24, 12:40 AM
Are you familiar with Incarnum or Binding? Many players aren't and they are extremely well made and fun systems.

+1. Secretly Gestalt their characters, or provide them with a plot-related bonus feat of Shape Soulmeld or Bind Vestige.

Alternatively, post their character sheets on Myth Weavers and ask the optimizers around here to come up with some custom Legacy Items for them.

Arbitrarious
2010-01-24, 01:33 AM
+1. Secretly Gestalt their characters, or provide them with a plot-related bonus feat of Shape Soulmeld or Bind Vestige.

Alternatively, post their character sheets on Myth Weavers and ask the optimizers around here to come up with some custom Legacy Items for them.

I did this and it worked very well. I put my players on a fighter feat progression as standard and gave them plot feats every 3 levels that were binder or incarnum based, they were well received.

The real problem is that so many things have been done in some fashion.

Kelb_Panthera
2010-01-24, 02:32 AM
So a few of my games have started to get a little dry and in order to stir things up a little I want to give each character a unique ability. I don't want a repeat of a spell or something, I want to give them new and interesting powers. I decided to tap the collective consciousness of the web to see what you lot could come up with.

If you could please write out the power description and where the player might get the power from. Best power gets a heartfelt compliment.

Mightn't you be better served by posting this request in the home-brew forum?

Temotei
2010-01-24, 02:37 AM
Mightn't you be better served by posting this request in the home-brew forum?

Probably.

I recommend looking at homebrew classes and feats, and stealing things from those. Look at the disciplines too.

Here's (http://wiki.faxcelestis.net/index.php?title=User:Temotei) my stuff. The Ground Pound feat (and its counterpart) would be cool for a dwarf in touch with his inner earth.

The radiant monk's abilities could go well for a paladin or a good cleric.

The debaser's abilities might work for a necromancer or an evil person.

Marker Mage
2010-01-24, 02:53 AM
I got a few ideas.

Metabolism Haste
You can make yourself and others feel a day in an instant.
The target recovers HP as if they had a full day of complete rest. If they are dying when they are affected, they instead lose the HP that they would have taken in 24 hours. If they are being affected by disease or poison, they receive all of the effects of the disease or poison they would have received in 24 hours. The target will also suffer the effects of being without food or water for one day.

So basically a power to make someone heal faster or die faster. The character could get it from careful study of anatomy and haste magic.

Rename
Everyone only remembers the names that you come up with.
The target receives a name of this power's user's choice. Everyone that refers to the target will use the name whether they know the target or not, even the target when he or she isn't using pronouns. The target retains full memory of their previous name.

OK, so it's a rather silly power that is beast used to drive a villain crazy by renaming them something unflattering. Not sure how a character could get it.

Magnetic Ground
You can make the ground pull down metal objects with amazing force.
The user of this power can make a 10ft by 10ft area magnetized (either temporarily or permanently). All metal objects in the area are treated as being 5 times their weight. Held equipment that becomes too heavy is dropped (possible reflex save to keep it from falling on one's feet). If a character in the area is still overencumbered due to the extra weight, they become prone until they can remove the equipment.

A monk or druid character might take delight in slamming their hand on the ground and seeing various opponents in metal armor collapsing from their armor suddenly being too heavy. Maybe the character could gain the power from some magical bolt of electricity.

Kangaroo as a mount
Not really a power, but who wouldn't like the thought of their character charging into battle in the pouch of a kangaroo? You can find stats for one HERE (http://www.enworld.org/cc/converted/view_c.php?CreatureID=1159). You can either increase the size of it or give it a pouch of holding to explain how human-sized creatures can fit into its pouch.

Just give the character a way to catch and tame such a creature. Alternatively, you can try using some other exotic mount The Arms and Equipment Guide has a pretty good selection of them.

Distracting Hat
A hat that is so strange/cool/amazing/distracting, that everyone who glances at it must make a DC 15 will save or become fascinated. Getting a good look at the wearer's face requires a DC 20 will save. The hat draws one's attention so well that everyone that can see it treats everything except the hat as having 100% concealment.

Cool Base/Vehicle
Try giving the characters a cool place to call home or something cool to travel around in. It could be a floating continent with a permanent reverse gravity effect on the underside accompanied by a castle filled with an army of penguins willing to serve the characters when they aren't swimming around in a pool that's kept clean by a clockwork platypustaur.

Ranged Slashing Attacks
Give a character the ability to make ranged attacks with melee slashing weapons. They swing the weapon so hard that it creates it creates a vacuum (the "empty space" kind, not the "sucks up dirt" kind) that travels towards the enemy and leaves a cut on them.

Give them a Hookshot
Hookshot stats (http://z12.invisionfree.com/Zelda_RPG/index.php?showtopic=2587)... nuff said...

The Power to Turn Stuff Upside Down
The power would make the target prone. You might have to have it have a saving throw.

The Power to Teleport Small Objects into One's Hand
The character would be able to make sleight of hand checks to pick pockets at a distance, as well as steal things that would otherwise not be able to be stolen.



...And my imagination has just about run...

The Ability to Summon a Swarm of Penguins...

OK, my imagination has run out for today.

ondonaflash
2010-01-24, 02:54 AM
I am just looking for ideas for exciting things to give my players, plot based weaponry, special abilities, might make one a Bhaalspawn, who can say? Just stuff that is cool and fun.

Marker Mage has the spirit of it.

Justin B.
2010-01-24, 03:03 AM
Maybe if you gave us some more information about your players we could help you out a little better. I can give you cool magic items, and interesting abilities all day, but it would be better if we could maybe tailor them to your players a little bit better.

Adumbration
2010-01-24, 03:11 AM
Let the mage have a Raiment as a familiar, and let him wear it. :smallwink:

Cespenar
2010-01-24, 03:13 AM
Give them abilities that would fit the worst with their personalities. For example, the touch of a kind, caring healer-type character could cause pain (as symbol of pain) to everyone, the barbarian could gain the ability to communicate with every living being possible, the rogue could use daylight at will, etc.

AustontheGreat1
2010-01-24, 03:13 AM
my campaign is doing something similar. right now, my DM is a bit of an anime freak and we recently were randomly sent by a planar gate to the One Piece universe and character took it upon himself to collect as many of those magical superpower fruit as possible (too sell and make a killing), the one he ate gave him the ability to shoot and transform into sound waves, the one my friend ate gave him the ability to control his age and the age of others... one guy became a bibliomancer.... yeah, it was really fun. some are more creative than others.

so the ability to

scream really loud = sometype of sonic damage breath weapon.

become young or old on a whim = the ability to adjust his age bonus and penalties at need.

the ability to summon beings and beasts from tomes = summon monster with literary figures. could be extremely useful.

stuff like that, what your looking for?

Atelm
2010-01-24, 03:14 AM
Let the mage have a Raiment as a familiar, and let him wear it. :smallwink:

Bonus points for naming it. :smalltongue:

"Your coat and hat, sir."

"Oh, I couldn't possibly part with George."

"Who?"

"My familiar. Observe."

*Sleeves of the coat strangle doorman.*

ondonaflash
2010-01-24, 03:22 AM
These are all good ideas. Describing each player would take a while so I will get back to you on that. Keep posting ideas they are all helping.

Marker Mage
2010-01-24, 03:37 AM
my campaign is doing something similar. right now, my DM is a bit of an anime freak and we recently were randomly sent by a planar gate to the One Piece universe and character took it upon himself to collect as many of those magical superpower fruit as possible (too sell and make a killing), the one he ate gave him the ability to shoot and transform into sound waves, the one my friend ate gave him the ability to control his age and the age of others... one guy became a bibliomancer.... yeah, it was really fun. some are more creative than others.

Yeah, One Piece is filled with a whole bunch of interesting abilities. You can find a list of the named paramecia abilities (the ones that tend to be the weirdest) HERE (http://onepiece.wikia.com/wiki/Paramecia#List_of_Known_Paramecia_Fruits).

Justin B.
2010-01-24, 06:19 AM
Chaos Channeling- Character has the ability to channel the raw powers of chaos a number of times per day equal to his Hit die / 3. As a full round action, the character summons the pure chaos, which is ever shifting in shape and color. In any round, including the round in which the choas is first summoned, the character can move the mass to any spot within thirty feet, any creature or item caught in the chaos takes 2D6/Hit die damage, reflex for half. The save DC for chaos channel is equal to 10 + 1/2 HD + Charisma modifier.

The damage from Chaos channeling ignores hardness. The Chaos channel use lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the characters charisma modifier.

Tokiko Mima
2010-01-24, 07:05 AM
Stealing from Fate/stay night !

Twelve Lives (Ex) - You have a stock of resurrections, eleven in total. When slain, disabled, or rendered unconscious by damage, you revive the next round on your initiative count with your body fully regenerated as if by a true ressurection spell. You regain one 'life' every day at noon up to a maximum of eleven, and cannot be permanently killed until they are all exhausted.

Knight of Honor (Su) - When you possess a weapon, you can absorb the magical qualities of that weapon into yourself, and apply them to any weapon you wield (except for unarmed strike) for all purposes. Thus, if absorbed a +1 holy corrosive longsword you can treat any weapon you wield as if it was a +1 holy corrosive longsword. You can absorb up to three different weapons, and they disappear while you are using them in this way.

While so absorbed, your weapon cannot be disarmed, sundered, teleported, or in anyway removed from your person, though the weapon your are physically wielding is subject to attack per the normal rules. In an antimagic field, you cease to be able to apply this ability, but the weapon is not lost and will return as soon as the use of the ability does.

God Hand (Su) - Gain resistance based on the last attack that dealt damage to you, starting at 5 and increasing by +2 with every consecutive attack of that type that overcomes your resistance. If you are hit with another type of damage, your previous resistance type is lost, and you begin again with your new resistance. The resistance type is always based on the damage itself not the material, and thus cold iron resistance would not result from a cold iron weapon.

For example a sword attack that hits you grants you 5/slashing resistance after the attack is resolved, and the resistance increases by 2 every successive time a slashing attack deals damage. If you are hit with fire damage, you lose your resistance to slashing and begin gaining fire resistance. If you are hit with slashing again, you must start at 5/slashing.