Deca
2010-03-29, 06:16 AM
HIVER
Hivers are a relatively new phenomenon. It all began with Arch-mage Hyran the Yellow. It began when Hyran locked himself into his laboratory for an extensive spell-casting session. Not even his closest servants were told what he was doing. Nothing untoward happened for several days. Then, at noon, Hyran opened his doors and pronounced his experiment a success.
Inside his laboratory was the Node. It is unknown whether Hyran had created the Node or simply summoned it from another dimension. We may never know. The Node was nearly invisible, a small bundle of lightly glowing energies.
The Arch-mage had apparently thought he could control the Node. He, like so many people in this situation, was horribly, horribly wrong.
Within but a few hours, the Node made it’s move. It attacked the wizard, forcing its raw psionic energy against Hyran’s skilled magic. Hyran was horrified as his best mental defences, instead of blocking out the influence, were assimilated and brought under control by the Node. His mental barriers had become jail walls for his mind, walls that quickly compressed until his mind had been completely wiped from existence.
Hyran had become the first Hiver.
His mind gone, his body was but a vessel for a fragment of the Node’s mind. The Node’s mind had expanded into his. A tiny fragment of his mind was left alive in order for the Node to harness his spellcasting power but it was kept weak enough that it all it could do is scream and scream and scream in a tiny mental voice that is drowned out by the ever present voice of the Node.
Hyran quickly subdued his servants and transformed them into Hivers as well. They in turn left his home and spread out into the city below. Soon the entire city had been hived.
Since then, the Hive has spread its way across the land like a malignant epidemic. Individual beings are fast becoming a rarity.
Description:
Hivers can be anything. Any living being with enough intelligence can be absorbed into the Hive Mind can be used against those that remain individuals. Hivers can range from the smallest forest animal used to spy on enemies before an invasion to the mightiest dragons, their burning spirit extinguished.
Hivers look exactly the same as they did before the transformation, apart from their eyes. The eyes of a Hiver are completely grey and are always open, never blinking. Aside from the eyes, there are other indicators. Hivers display an economy of movement, they never move unnecessarily, never fidget, never twitch. Intelligent Hivers of a civilised species can also noted by their unkempt appearance. They have no care for shaving, bathing or changing their clothes, which often become frayed and worn.
The skin of a Hiver, upon close inspection, has a shiny glassy appearance and is tougher to rip or break. However, if you are this close, you are about to say good-bye to your own free will.
Creating a Hiver:
‘Hiver’ is an acquired template that can be added to any living corporeal creature with an Int score of 1 or above.
Size and Type:
The base creatures size and type remain the same. All sub-types except for alignment related subtypes also remain the same. It uses all the base creatures statistics and abilities except when noted here.
Hit Dice: Remain the same.
Speed: Remains the same.
Armor Class: Gains a +1 Natural Armor Bonus
Attacks: A Hiver retains all the natural weapons, weapon attacks and weapon proficiencies of the base creature.
Damage: Same as base creature.
Special Attacks:
A Hiver retains all special attacks and spell-like abilities of the base creature as well as gaining the following special attacks:
Psi-Like Abilities:
At will- Detect Psionics, Know Direction and Location, Psionic Daze, My Light, Read Thoughts.
3/day: Metaconcert
Hiver uses Int to manifest these powers. Their manifesting level for these abilities is determined by their Hit Dice. Only a Hiver with 9HD or over can perform Metaconcert and only with other Hivers. Hivers cannot augment these abilities.
Hive Touch(Su):
As a standard action, a Hiver can make a touch attack against a non-Hived being. The target must be living, corporeal and have an Int of at least 1. The target cannot have five more HD than the attacking Hiver or the Hive Touch will not work. If the touch attack is successful, the target must make a Will Save. The Save DC is 10 + 1/2 HD of the Hiver + Int bonus. If the target has levels in a Psionic class or has Psi-Like Ability, it gains a +2 bonus to their save roll.
If the target fails their Will Save, they are rendered unconscious for 1 round. When they wake again, they are completely transformed into a Hiver. Apply the Hiver Template to the target.
If the target is unconscious, a Coup De Grace Hive Touch can be attempted. This takes a full round. In a Coup De Grace Hive Touch, the target can be of any HD and the save DC is 18 + full HD + Int Modifer of the Hiver.
Special Qualities:
A Hiver retains all special qualities they had before their transformation. In addition, the following qualities are gained:
Enslaved Mind(Ex):
The mind of a Hiver has been nearly completely replaced by a fragment of the Node. The thoughts of the Node are completely alien to all other beings. Any attempts to read a Hiver’s mind simply results in a blank. In addition, they are completely immune to mind-affecting spells and abilities.
In short, treat every Hiver as if it has a permanent Mind Blank spell cast upon it.
The Veil (Ex):
Every Hiver’s mind leads back to the Node if you explore it powerfully enough. If an enemy manages to get past the Mind Blank affect in attempt to influence or read the thoughts of the Hiver (ie through some sort of Epic Magic or Psionics), they instead get a direct link to the Node’s mind instead. The Node’s thought processes are incredibly alien and the creature being linked to it will understand nothing of what it is thinking. The Node cannot be influenced by any spells or powers through the link. Also, the Node will immediately notice the intruder and retaliate, using the link in an attempt to rip the intruder’s mind asunder.
The intruder must immediately make a Will Save against a telepathic Hive Touch by the Node itself. The DC for the Will Save is 85 (HD of Node is 45 and Manifester Level is 22). If the intruder passes the Will Save, the link is immediately cut off and all Hivers the Node controls will be directed to move to the intruder’s location immediately and attack. The Node will then attempt to make another telepathic Hive Touch against the intruder every day.
Hivelink (Su):
Every Hiver is connected in a single Hive Mind controlled by the Node that directs them what to do. All of the Hiver’s senses are tied into the Hive Mind. Everything a Hiver sees, hears, smells and feels is relayed back to all Hivers. What one Hiver knows, they all know. Treat a Hiver as if it has all available knowledge skills maxed out. Due to this ability, Hivers cannot be suprised or flanked unless the attacker has done so without any Hivers seeing them. Due to most Hivers being followed and scouted for by a swarm of Hived spy fleas, this is unlikely. Hivers counts as having Improved Uncanny Dodge and Improved Evasion. They can see your attacks coming.
Hivelink can be supressed by an antimagic field or any psionic equivalent. If the hivelink is cut off, the Hiver still contains a Node fragment inside it and will still be Hived. However, a Hiver has none of the bonuses as detailed in the Hivelink description.
Saves: All of the Hiver’s saves remain the same.
Abilities: A Hivers ability scores change as follows: Int+4, Cha is reduced to 1.
Skills: A Hiver retains all skills from the base creature but can never advance any.
Feats: A Hiver retains all feats from the base creature but can never get additional ones.
Environment: Hivers spread wherever they can. They can be found in any environment the base creature can survive in.
Organization: Solitary, Pair, Group (2-5), Circle (6-10), Army (11-100), Swarm (100+)
Challenge Rating: ?
Treasure: Whatever the base creature had on them when they were transformed.
Alignment: Always Lawful Evil.
Advancement: None. Hivers cannot advance classes beyond what the base creature had.
Level Adjustment: N/A (Not PC controlled characters EVER)
Breaking the Control: The Hiver template can be removed from a creature only by Wish, Miracle or Reality Revision.
Examples:
Rat Hiver
Hived rats often herald a full-on attack. They spread through the cities, attacking the rat colonies that live within all of them. This was so successfull that nobody has seen an individual rat for years. It is widely believed that non-Hived rats no longer exist and that the entire species has been assimilated. Seeing a rat is a sure-fire sign that a Hiver raiding party is on it's way to your location.
Size/Type: Tiny Animal
Hit Dice: ¼ d8 (1 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares), climb 15 ft., swim 15 ft.
Armor Class: 15 (+2 size, +2 Dex, +1 Natural Armour), touch 15, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-12
Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d3-4)
Full Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d3-4)
Space/Reach: 2½ ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Psi-Like Abilities, Hive Touch
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent, Enslaved Mind, The Veil, Hivelink
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +1
Abilities: Str 2, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 1
Skills: Balance +10, Climb +12, Hide +16,
Move Silently +10, Swim +10
Feats: Stealthy, Weapon FinesseB
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, Pair, Group (2-5), Circle (6-10), Army (11-100), Swarm (100+), Plague (10-100)
Challenge Rating: ?
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++
Comments and ideas to improve it are always appreciated.
Also, if anyone has any better ideas for the Hive Touch or the Veil abilities, I would love to hear them. I don't really like their current names.
Hivers are a relatively new phenomenon. It all began with Arch-mage Hyran the Yellow. It began when Hyran locked himself into his laboratory for an extensive spell-casting session. Not even his closest servants were told what he was doing. Nothing untoward happened for several days. Then, at noon, Hyran opened his doors and pronounced his experiment a success.
Inside his laboratory was the Node. It is unknown whether Hyran had created the Node or simply summoned it from another dimension. We may never know. The Node was nearly invisible, a small bundle of lightly glowing energies.
The Arch-mage had apparently thought he could control the Node. He, like so many people in this situation, was horribly, horribly wrong.
Within but a few hours, the Node made it’s move. It attacked the wizard, forcing its raw psionic energy against Hyran’s skilled magic. Hyran was horrified as his best mental defences, instead of blocking out the influence, were assimilated and brought under control by the Node. His mental barriers had become jail walls for his mind, walls that quickly compressed until his mind had been completely wiped from existence.
Hyran had become the first Hiver.
His mind gone, his body was but a vessel for a fragment of the Node’s mind. The Node’s mind had expanded into his. A tiny fragment of his mind was left alive in order for the Node to harness his spellcasting power but it was kept weak enough that it all it could do is scream and scream and scream in a tiny mental voice that is drowned out by the ever present voice of the Node.
Hyran quickly subdued his servants and transformed them into Hivers as well. They in turn left his home and spread out into the city below. Soon the entire city had been hived.
Since then, the Hive has spread its way across the land like a malignant epidemic. Individual beings are fast becoming a rarity.
Description:
Hivers can be anything. Any living being with enough intelligence can be absorbed into the Hive Mind can be used against those that remain individuals. Hivers can range from the smallest forest animal used to spy on enemies before an invasion to the mightiest dragons, their burning spirit extinguished.
Hivers look exactly the same as they did before the transformation, apart from their eyes. The eyes of a Hiver are completely grey and are always open, never blinking. Aside from the eyes, there are other indicators. Hivers display an economy of movement, they never move unnecessarily, never fidget, never twitch. Intelligent Hivers of a civilised species can also noted by their unkempt appearance. They have no care for shaving, bathing or changing their clothes, which often become frayed and worn.
The skin of a Hiver, upon close inspection, has a shiny glassy appearance and is tougher to rip or break. However, if you are this close, you are about to say good-bye to your own free will.
Creating a Hiver:
‘Hiver’ is an acquired template that can be added to any living corporeal creature with an Int score of 1 or above.
Size and Type:
The base creatures size and type remain the same. All sub-types except for alignment related subtypes also remain the same. It uses all the base creatures statistics and abilities except when noted here.
Hit Dice: Remain the same.
Speed: Remains the same.
Armor Class: Gains a +1 Natural Armor Bonus
Attacks: A Hiver retains all the natural weapons, weapon attacks and weapon proficiencies of the base creature.
Damage: Same as base creature.
Special Attacks:
A Hiver retains all special attacks and spell-like abilities of the base creature as well as gaining the following special attacks:
Psi-Like Abilities:
At will- Detect Psionics, Know Direction and Location, Psionic Daze, My Light, Read Thoughts.
3/day: Metaconcert
Hiver uses Int to manifest these powers. Their manifesting level for these abilities is determined by their Hit Dice. Only a Hiver with 9HD or over can perform Metaconcert and only with other Hivers. Hivers cannot augment these abilities.
Hive Touch(Su):
As a standard action, a Hiver can make a touch attack against a non-Hived being. The target must be living, corporeal and have an Int of at least 1. The target cannot have five more HD than the attacking Hiver or the Hive Touch will not work. If the touch attack is successful, the target must make a Will Save. The Save DC is 10 + 1/2 HD of the Hiver + Int bonus. If the target has levels in a Psionic class or has Psi-Like Ability, it gains a +2 bonus to their save roll.
If the target fails their Will Save, they are rendered unconscious for 1 round. When they wake again, they are completely transformed into a Hiver. Apply the Hiver Template to the target.
If the target is unconscious, a Coup De Grace Hive Touch can be attempted. This takes a full round. In a Coup De Grace Hive Touch, the target can be of any HD and the save DC is 18 + full HD + Int Modifer of the Hiver.
Special Qualities:
A Hiver retains all special qualities they had before their transformation. In addition, the following qualities are gained:
Enslaved Mind(Ex):
The mind of a Hiver has been nearly completely replaced by a fragment of the Node. The thoughts of the Node are completely alien to all other beings. Any attempts to read a Hiver’s mind simply results in a blank. In addition, they are completely immune to mind-affecting spells and abilities.
In short, treat every Hiver as if it has a permanent Mind Blank spell cast upon it.
The Veil (Ex):
Every Hiver’s mind leads back to the Node if you explore it powerfully enough. If an enemy manages to get past the Mind Blank affect in attempt to influence or read the thoughts of the Hiver (ie through some sort of Epic Magic or Psionics), they instead get a direct link to the Node’s mind instead. The Node’s thought processes are incredibly alien and the creature being linked to it will understand nothing of what it is thinking. The Node cannot be influenced by any spells or powers through the link. Also, the Node will immediately notice the intruder and retaliate, using the link in an attempt to rip the intruder’s mind asunder.
The intruder must immediately make a Will Save against a telepathic Hive Touch by the Node itself. The DC for the Will Save is 85 (HD of Node is 45 and Manifester Level is 22). If the intruder passes the Will Save, the link is immediately cut off and all Hivers the Node controls will be directed to move to the intruder’s location immediately and attack. The Node will then attempt to make another telepathic Hive Touch against the intruder every day.
Hivelink (Su):
Every Hiver is connected in a single Hive Mind controlled by the Node that directs them what to do. All of the Hiver’s senses are tied into the Hive Mind. Everything a Hiver sees, hears, smells and feels is relayed back to all Hivers. What one Hiver knows, they all know. Treat a Hiver as if it has all available knowledge skills maxed out. Due to this ability, Hivers cannot be suprised or flanked unless the attacker has done so without any Hivers seeing them. Due to most Hivers being followed and scouted for by a swarm of Hived spy fleas, this is unlikely. Hivers counts as having Improved Uncanny Dodge and Improved Evasion. They can see your attacks coming.
Hivelink can be supressed by an antimagic field or any psionic equivalent. If the hivelink is cut off, the Hiver still contains a Node fragment inside it and will still be Hived. However, a Hiver has none of the bonuses as detailed in the Hivelink description.
Saves: All of the Hiver’s saves remain the same.
Abilities: A Hivers ability scores change as follows: Int+4, Cha is reduced to 1.
Skills: A Hiver retains all skills from the base creature but can never advance any.
Feats: A Hiver retains all feats from the base creature but can never get additional ones.
Environment: Hivers spread wherever they can. They can be found in any environment the base creature can survive in.
Organization: Solitary, Pair, Group (2-5), Circle (6-10), Army (11-100), Swarm (100+)
Challenge Rating: ?
Treasure: Whatever the base creature had on them when they were transformed.
Alignment: Always Lawful Evil.
Advancement: None. Hivers cannot advance classes beyond what the base creature had.
Level Adjustment: N/A (Not PC controlled characters EVER)
Breaking the Control: The Hiver template can be removed from a creature only by Wish, Miracle or Reality Revision.
Examples:
Rat Hiver
Hived rats often herald a full-on attack. They spread through the cities, attacking the rat colonies that live within all of them. This was so successfull that nobody has seen an individual rat for years. It is widely believed that non-Hived rats no longer exist and that the entire species has been assimilated. Seeing a rat is a sure-fire sign that a Hiver raiding party is on it's way to your location.
Size/Type: Tiny Animal
Hit Dice: ¼ d8 (1 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares), climb 15 ft., swim 15 ft.
Armor Class: 15 (+2 size, +2 Dex, +1 Natural Armour), touch 15, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-12
Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d3-4)
Full Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d3-4)
Space/Reach: 2½ ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Psi-Like Abilities, Hive Touch
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent, Enslaved Mind, The Veil, Hivelink
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +1
Abilities: Str 2, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 1
Skills: Balance +10, Climb +12, Hide +16,
Move Silently +10, Swim +10
Feats: Stealthy, Weapon FinesseB
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, Pair, Group (2-5), Circle (6-10), Army (11-100), Swarm (100+), Plague (10-100)
Challenge Rating: ?
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++
Comments and ideas to improve it are always appreciated.
Also, if anyone has any better ideas for the Hive Touch or the Veil abilities, I would love to hear them. I don't really like their current names.