[Skill Tricks] that'll make ya sick

[The Vorpal Tribble]

I'm working on Skill Tricks for my Monstrumologist PrC (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=9668220#post9668220).

Suggestions for further bio-tricks are welcome.

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Enigmatic Pitch (Interaction)
Your voice seems to come from everywhere and makes concentration difficult.
Prerequisite: Bluff 10 ranks, Hide 1 rank
Benefit: Through a special form of ventriloquism, any vocal effects, such as that from speaking or casting a spell with a vocal component, or your general location, cannot be determined through listen checks. It also hides you from those who 'see' with blindsense or blindsight through hearing, and they gain no benefit from these abilities. You can still be seen normally through all other forms of sight and heard moving or making noise through non-vocal means.

Induce Vomiting (Manipulation)
You can cause any creature that swallows you to regurgitate.
Prerequisite: Heal 8 ranks
Benefit: If swallowed whole by a living creature, you may trigger a gag reflex as a swift action at any time once within. The creature that swallowed must attempt a Fortitude save (DC = to Heal check) or spend a standard action retching, and deposits you in an adjoining square. It cannot attempt to ingest anything for 1d4 rounds without immediately regurgitating again.

Reassuring Presence (Interaction)
You quell panic by your stoic nature.
Prerequisite: Bluff 5 ranks, Diplomacy 1 rank
Benefit: If you succeed on a save against a fear affect, or are immune to fear, all those within 10 feet of you may make an immediate second save. If successful they throw off their fear for that round. Even if they fail their save the fear is reduced by one level; from Panicked to Frightened, Frightened to Shaken, Shaken to Calm.

Regulate Temperature (Manipulation)
You take control of your body's internal temperature.
Prerequisite: Autohypnosis 8 ranks, Survival 5 ranks
Benefit: You make a Autohypnosis check each time your would be affected by extreme cold or heat. For every 1 point past an Autohypnosis roll of 20 your maximum weather tolerance decreases or increases (depending on cold or heat) by 2 degrees.
Example: An unprotected human must make a fortitude save when the weather is below 40 degrees or above 90 degrees. A roll of 20 allows him to forgo requiring a fortitude check at 40/90 degrees. A roll of 21 however allows him to forgo making a check at 38/92 degrees. A roll of 30 would allow him forgo making a check at 20/110 degrees.
Special: Creatures from Cold terrains do not have to make a save until the temperature becomes -20 or less.
Creatures from Hot terrains do not have to make a save until the temperature becomes 140 degrees or more.

Savor the Effect (Manipulation)
You enjoy the effects of potions longer than normal.
Prerequisite: Autohypnosis 8 ranks, Concentration 5 ranks
Benefit: Though a form of specialized meditation you take control of your digestive system and extend the benefits of a potion with a duration longer than instantaneous for 1d4 additional rounds.

Strange Overtones [Interaction]
Your voice drives others a little crazy.
Prerequisite: Bluff 5 ranks, Intimidate 5 ranks
Benefit: Through manipulation of subharmonics and carefully crafted reflection your voice takes on a subtly disturbing tone. It takes no action, but you may use your voice to cause others to take a -1 penalty to saves against Confusion and Fear effects, including Intimidate checks.

Venom's Armor (Manipulation)
You protect yourself from poison by poisoning yourself.
Prerequisite: Heal 5 ranks
Benefit: By ingesting 1/10th an application of a specific poison a day you gain a +1 cumulative bonus to fortitude saves against the primary damage, and twice that to the secondary damage, to a maximum of a +10 bonus on the 10th day (and immunity to the secondary).
For each each day you don't take the poison the save decreases by 1 until you gain no bonus. Once you reach your 10th day however your body is saturated with the poison and you only need take a dose each week to retain your bonus.
Example: If you ingested 1/10th of a dose of Terinav Root for 5 days he would gain a +5 bonus to saves against it, and a +10 bonus to it's secondary effects. If he then failed to take it for 2 days the primary bonus would decrease to +3, and the secondary to +6.

Warm-Eyed (Manipulation)
You can detect heat signatures.
Prerequisite: Autohypnosis 8 ranks
Benefit: Through constant practice you are able to sense the general presence of heat 90 degrees or higher out to 10 feet, 60 feet if an actual fire or a fire elemental. This does not indicate the direction any more than in front of you, behind you, or to the sides, nor does can its exact location be detected.
You can differentiate the difference between wildly varying heat sources, such as that of a human's body heat and that of a campfire or fire elemental.
In this manner you can detect the number of differentiating hear sources, but multiple humans behind you for example wouldn't register multiple sources, being the same temperature and thus source.
Special: If you desire you can determine before sleeping to awake in the presence of a new heat source than those that you fell asleep within range of your sense.

[Xefas]

Suggestions for further bio-tricks are welcome.

How about something about taking hallucinogenics and gaining a save bonus versus illusions/chance of automatically seeing through illusions? You're just so damn used to tripping balls, the line between reality and fiction is exceptionally clear.

Maybe something about regulating body temperature to get an effect similar to Endure Elements?

[Starbuck_II]

I like them so far.
Induce Vomiting? :smallbiggrin:

[The Vorpal Tribble]

How about something about taking hallucinogenics and gaining a save bonus versus illusions/chance of automatically seeing through illusions? You're just so damn used to tripping balls, the line between reality and fiction is exceptionally clear.
That would have to have a reeeeally odd prerequisite.


Maybe something about regulating body temperature to get an effect similar to Endure Elements?
Hmm, that has potential. Needing ranks in Autohypnosis. I like it.

[Jota]

Some ideas, mebbe:


Pressure points attacks to limit physical capability (reflected by Strength/Dexterity scores as well as movement speeds -- melee touch attack, which AC to target might be a little tricky).
Targeting the solar plexus to knocked the wind out of someone (save vs. exhausted/fatigued for one round/until taking a move/whatever action to catch one's breath).
A more extreme example of the above which borrows elements from Naturo and Avatar: the Last Airbender would be limiting spellcasting with the first option listed.
It's use is somewhat questionable, but you can control someone's movement to certain extent by pushing down on their clavicle. This tends to make people move down to avoid the pressure, which could be reflected as a trip attempt that offers no reversal opportunity and is opposed by a Will (or perhaps Fortitude) save instead of an opposed check.


That's all I've got for now. But in general areas that you might think of targeting with the somewhat-established called shot rule might make for reasonable skill tricks. The eyes for a one-round blindness, the groin for a temporary reduction to Strength/movement (maybe sickened for one round), etc.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Couple more added there.


That's all I've got for now. But in general areas that you might think of targeting with the somewhat-established called shot rule might make for reasonable skill tricks.
Actually, pretty much all of those have been turned into feats for sneak attacks.

[Morph Bark]

Considering you have something for poison, how about something for disease?

Regulate Temperature makes me think of meditating Buddhist monks... perhaps also one that will allow you to go without food or sleep for a little while longer? Wouldn't do so for drinking, though.

And the Induce Vomiting one makes me think it'd go along well with my Tasted (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=9361109) to some degree... I like it.

EDIT: You have a leftover [/spoiler] tag at the end of your post, VT. Just sayin'.

[jiriku]

I'd recommend simplifying Regulate Temperature to work with the temperature band and protection level system presented in the environmental books. For example, a DC 30 check offers level 1 protection (equivalent to a creature native to a hot or cold climate), a DC 45 check offers level 2 protection (equivalent to a creature native to a waste or frostfell environment), and a DC 60 check offers level 3 protection (equivalent to the endure elements spell). I could even see reducing those DCs by 10 or 15 each if you're actively attempting to close the gap between martial and magical powers.

Venom's Armor should use Iocane Powder as its example poison. :smallbiggrin:

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Considering you have something for poison, how about something for disease?
Suppose you could expose yourself to small bits of disease, but not certain how even a monstrumologist could control the dosage.


Regulate Temperature makes me think of meditating Buddhist monks... perhaps also one that will allow you to go without food or sleep for a little while longer? Wouldn't do so for drinking, though.
Naw, sleep isn't even necessary by rules. Only for casting.

Food would make a sort of sense, but you can go so long without it not sure it'd be worth a feat.


And the Induce Vomiting one makes me think it'd go along well with my Tasted (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=9361109) to some degree... I like it.
Might also want to take a look at my Purge Stomach (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31403) line of spells.


EDIT: You have a leftover [/spoiler] tag at the end of your post, VT. Just sayin'.
Found it before you even editted. Ha :smallamused:


I'd recommend simplifying Regulate Temperature to work with the temperature band and protection level system presented in the environmental books.
Well, that'd be getting pretty powerful for a simple skill trick. Arctic animals with thick fur only get to Tier 2.

[Morph Bark]

Suppose you could expose yourself to small bits of disease, but not certain how even a monstrumologist could control the dosage.

Admittably it's hard to reason, considering in real life you naturally build up immunity to disease, but in DnD there is no such thing for supernatural disease. You could reason though that every instance of the same supernatural disease has a slight mutation that allows it to overcome any other resistances against similar version of that disease.


Food would make a sort of sense, but you can go so long without it not sure it'd be worth a feat.

Perhaps a Skill Trick allowing for a potion effect to last a round longer instead, then? I'd imagine that to be somewhat similar - if the other way around and magical in a sense.



Might also want to take a look at my Purge Stomach (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31403) line of spells.

Ooh, yum. :smallbiggrin:


Found it before you even editted. Ha :smallamused:

Oh you, you fluffy ninja.

...now I won't be able to ever look at your avatar again without thinking of tanuki.

[AugustNights]

Some thoughts:

Ocular surgery that adds resistances or prevents or reflects gaze attacks?

Gastric surgery to remove the ability to be sickened. (There is a nerve in the stomach that can be severed, and it prevents nausea and a lot of dizzynes, but removed the ability to purge, so it's dangerous to sever in heavy drinkers.)

Various piercings about the body that may reduce Con, but increase Str or Dex?

Houdini-esq hiding of small things under the skin?

Cultivation of parasites that offer strange benefits? (Lice that inject a toxin that reduces the effectivity of nerve endings, which reduced damage from attacks by 1, or mites that eat away at dead flesh to inspire organ repairs increase nightly regeneration by 1 or two points.)

Constant intake of hallucinatory substances to get a bonus against illusions, possibly narcotic substances to get resistances against enchantments?

Attacking key muscle structures in grappling creatures to reduce their ability to grapple?

Nasal surgery to produce a sound that vibrates on a level that confuses creatures with Blindsense?

Edit 1: Another Thought

Gastric Surgery to use a vomit attack that deals acid damage, and may cause nauseated or sickened condition.

Development of reflexive ear wax??? that helps protect against language depended abilities?

Subconscious training inorder to instill a 'contingent' suggestion for whenever failing a save against suggestion or dominate spell. I.e. Sit down and repeat the Mantra 'The Books with odd looks are most often written by Crooks' whenever I fail a suggestion or dominate spell.?

Swimming out of a slime/ooze with relative ease?

Adding a mild or an ineffective disease to his blood that harms certain creatures maybe, that succeed on bite attacks?

Eating garlic or some other potent herb to make creatures with Scent feel uninclined to be within a certain distance?

[Lev]

I like venom's armor, but I think it should be successful saves that add the bonus.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Perhaps a Skill Trick allowing for a potion effect to last a round longer instead, then? I'd imagine that to be somewhat similar - if the other way around and magical in a sense.
That sounds like a good idea.

Savor the Effect [Manipulation]
You enjoy the effects of potions longer than normal.
Prerequisite: Autohypnosis 5 ranks, Concentration 1 rank
Benefit: Though a form of meditation you extend the benefits of a potion with a duration longer than instantaneous for 1d4 additional rounds.


Nasal surgery to produce a sound that vibrates on a level that confuses creatures with Blindsense?
HA! That got a laugh out of me, but I like the idea.

Enigmatic Pitch [Interaction]
Your voice seems to come from everywhere and makes concentration difficult.
Prerequisite: Bluff 10 ranks, Concentration 5 ranks
Benefit: Through a special form of ventriloquism, any vocal effects, such as that from speaking or casting a spell with a vocal component, or your general location, cannot be determined through listen checks. It also hides you from those who 'see' with blindsense or blindsight through hearing, and they gain no benefit from these abilities. You can still be seen normally through all other forms of sight and heard moving or making noise through non-vocal means.

Strange Overtones [Interaction]
Your voice drives others a little crazy.
Prerequisite: Bluff 5 ranks, Intimidate 5 ranks
Benefit: Through manipulation of subharmonics and carefully crafted reflection your voice takes on a subtly disturbing tone. It takes no action, but you may use your voice to cause others to take a -1 penalty to saves against Confusion and Fear, including Intimidate checks.


Subconscious training inorder to instill a 'contingent' suggestion for whenever failing a save against suggestion or dominate spell. I.e. Sit down and repeat the Mantra 'The Books with odd looks are most often written by Crooks' whenever I fail a suggestion or dominate spell.?
...that has incredible potential.

[AugustNights]

I suppose it could be reduced in power if the 'Subconscious action' were non-aggressive, and completely inane, such as repeating a mantra. Opposed to something like drink a potion of planeshift, or 'stab the guy attacking me' or what have you.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

I suppose it could be reduced in power if the 'Subconscious action' were non-aggressive, and completely inane, such as repeating a mantra. Opposed to something like drink a potion of planeshift, or 'stab the guy attacking me' or what have you.
Yeah, trying to work out the particulars.