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The Vorpal Tribble
2010-10-31, 09:12 AM
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I will not rest until the fiend is slain, and my wife revenged. My heart must become as stone, and my resolve steel. I will become the stalker, and it my prey... - From the journal of Dr. Mordecai Slate, on the Eve of the Witching Hour.

Curiosity and Fear. These are both the curse and the blessing upon mankind. Especially that of the unknown. From the glowing eyes in the forest, and the shadows of the cave, to the depths of the still waters. We are both frightened by what it contains, and yet intrigued by it. It's a war that at times strengthens us and others to sew our own destruction.

The monstrumologist is one who straddles the line. A naturalist who braves the dark so as to seek illumination. They may be guardians, learning the ways of the horrors so that they may protect their people and loved ones. Others are monsters onto themselves, cold and detached individuals who see all creatures of creation as subjects to be cut open for their secrets. Regardless of the path they take, they go where the angels fear to tread.

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An inquisitive mind, nerves of steel, and a strong stomach is all that is required to follow the ways of the Monstrumologist. Most begin as apprentices to high-level Monstrumologists, but many a healer or hunter have learned the path on their own or through necessity.
Factotums with a naturalist bent are the most common monstrumologists, and most easily meet the requirements. Archivists fascinated by the (un)natural world also benefit greatly from the Monstrumologist's path. Rangers with high intelligence who wish to know more about that which they hunt are also very common, to whom skinning and dressing of hunted creatures is second nature. In fact, nearly any class may benefit from the knowledge gleaned, though full casters are uncommon as their concentration is fully focused on monsters. Wizards tend to study that of dragons and magical beasts, and Necromancers undead, dissecting the creatures to add to their collection of spells.

Hit Dice: d6


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Feats: Educated, Jack Of All Trades, Open Minded or Skill Focus (any knowledge)
Skills: Concentration 8 ranks, Craft (alchemy) 4 ranks, Heal 8 ranks, Knowledge 4 ranks (any three that provides information of a creature type)
Skill Tricks: Collector of Stories and Healing Hands

{table=head]Level|
Base Attack Bonus|
Fort Save|
Ref Save|
Will Save|
Special

1st|
+0|
+2|
+2|
+2|Knowledge from the Knife, Obsessive Concentration, Monstrous Lore

2nd|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+3|Focused Study, Immunity to Sickened, Secret Piercer

3rd|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+3|Haruspicy, Sneak Attack +1d6

4th|
+3|
+4|
+4|
+4|Dissection (Keen), Elixer Master, Live to Fight Another Day

5th|
+3|
+4|
+4|
+4|Darkvision 60 ft., If The Right Eyestalk Offend Thee..., Immunity to Fear

6th|
+4|
+5|
+5|
+5|Dissection (Wounding), Researcher Speciality

7th|
+5|
+5|
+5|
+5|See Invisibility

8th|
+6|
+6|
+6|
+6|Giver of Life, Immunity to Confusion

9th|
+6|
+6|
+6|
+6|Dim Mak, True Seeing

10th|
+7|
+7|
+7|
+7|Playing God, Graft Flesh[/table]

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A Monstrumologist's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are All. A monstrumologist's studies and explorations have them researching and seeking an incredible wide range of topics and connections.
Skills Points at Each Level: 6 + int mod


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All of the following are class features of the Monstrumologist prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Monstrumologist gains proficiency with all simple weapons, and a single weapon of his choice, even an exotic weapon, but not with any type of armor or shield.

Knowledge from the Knife (Ex): A monstrumologist can learn nearly anything about a creature through application of two methods -- Dissection (internal exploration of a dead or inert body) and Vivisection (internal exploration of a live or animated body).

Dissection
A monstrumologist may spend an hour to dissect a creature that has been dead for no longer than 2d6 days. Without requiring a knowledge check he gains knowledge of the creature's type, subtype, physical ability scores, physical special abilities/attacks, special qualities, vulnerabilities and resistances. He knows where their organs or weaknesses are, and gains a 1d6 sneak attack against that specific creature's race. This bonus increases to 2d6 at 4th level, and 3d6 at 8th level, and stacks with sneak attacks gained from another source.

At 4th level, he may choose to use any slashing weapon against a creature he has dissected as if it possessed the Keen property. At 6th it also acts as if it had the Wounding enhancement. The weapon attains no enhancement bonus through this ability. These bonus stacks with those provided by the true Wounding and Keen enhancements or Improved Critical and similar feats.

A monstrumologist may also determine the cause of death of any creature he dissects.

Vivisection
To vivisect a creature it must be rendered unconscious or helpless. In the first 1d4 minutes of vivisection the creature's HP total is reduced to 0 as he cuts into it, and enough Constitution damage to reduce their score to 1. Every five minutes he must succeed on a DC 25 Heal check to keep the subject stable. If he fails a check they take 1 point of damage and are dying. He must attempt to stabilize them through another heal check (DC 15). Even after the vivisection he can attempt to keep the subject alive through continued Heal checks, though these need be done only every 10 minutes since he is not continuing to prod and poke. The subject can only be kept alive for up to 12 hours before succumbing permanently. At any time a curing spell or ability can stabilize them, and the monstrumologist need not make additional heal checks.

At any point of the vivisection the monstrumologist can deal damage to a vital organ or supporting segment to kill/destroy the subject as a standard action.

He may, in addition to learning all that dissection (above) grants, determine its feats, spell-like and supernatural abilities, as well as it's race's standard HD.

The monstrumologist may even learn how to reproduce a certain affect of which a vivisected creature is capable. Only a living creature's affects can be reproduced, though one can still determine the abilities of a non-living creature. To recognize a psi-like ability, psionic power, racial spell, or spell-like ability the being knew (such as a dryad's casting 'as' a druid, not a spell gained exclusively from levels in a class, though you may a power due to its inherent nature), you must be able to examine the brain and succeed on a Psicraft or Spellcraft check, DC 20 + power/spell level. Studying a single power, spell or psi/spell-like ability requires 10 minutes of concentration +1 minute per level of the power/spell in addition to the normal hour required.
Once you have determined the ability the being possessed, you can learn it in one of two ways.

Psi-like/Spell-like: If the creature had a psi-like or spell-like ability you also learn it as such.

Power/Spell: If the creature could manifest or cast a power or spell as a racial ability you add it to your powers or spells known if you have the ability to manifest powers or cast spells. Otherwise it becomes a psi-like or spell-like ability as mentioned above. For example, a Psion could add Mind Thrust to his list of powers known, but a Fireball spell would become a 1/day spell-like ability due to the fact a psion cannot cast spell.

If you vivisect another creature with the same ability you can increase the number of times per day you may use this ability, up to a number of times per day equal to your Int mod or 3/day, whichever is less. The caster/manifester level of the power or spell must be one you'd be capable of if your level equaled your HD. The save DC is Intelligence based.

For instance, a Factotum 5/Monstrumologist 2 would have a caster level of 7, and be able to use a 4th level power or spell.

To learn additional abilities requires another 10 + 1 min/level session. Out of these abilities learned only 1 may be kept permanently from each brain studied from an individual. The rest grant you insight into what the subject was capable of, but grant no additional abilities.

Non-Living and Regeneration
Undead and Deathless that remain animated must be restrained, but do not have to be kept stable during vivisection. They are reduced to 1 hit point so as not to be destroyed.

A creature with regeneration automatically stabilizes and the monstrumologist can choose to purposely deal damage so as to keep it unconscious.

Other
A monstrumologist gains the benefits of the Darkstalker feat in regards to the race of a creature that has been dissected or vivisected.

An evil-aligned monstrumologist that retains a living creature for 2d4 weeks may also inflict upon them a physical Deformity feat as a bonus feat. The victim itself need not be evil to receive this feat, nor does acquiring it alter their alignment.

DM Notes
For players who begin a game with a level of Monstrumologist there may lead to questions on how many creatures he has dissected/vivisected previously, before the campaign began.

It is recommended that the amount of spells, spell-likes, and psionic equivalents be kept to 1 ability per level of monstrumologist. After that, any supernatural ability gained through vivisection should cost as much as an equivalent scroll or power stone. This is to show the cost of tracking down and preparing to hold the creature. Also it could be the cost to hire hunters to trap it and bring it to you. You are essentially paying for bodies instead of scrolls/power stones.

In games that use alignment the vivisection of a sentient creature is considered a strongly evil act, even if the subject is kept unconscious through the procedure. If the creature is evil and has caused much death, some may reason that its vivisection, to learn and prepare to defend against others of its kind, is to the greater good. In this regard it is up to your discretion whether the morality of the ends justifying the means is grounds for shading to evil
Vivisection of a conscious non-sentient, while not a good act, should not be considered evil, though repeated offenses by a good-aligned character has precedence for shifting them towards Neutral.

Obsessive Concentration: A monstrumologist becomes so focused on the pursuit of knowledge, and inured to the unpleasantness of his work, that sights and scents and scenarios that would leave another cowering, he barely notices. In fact, he is so obsessed that he often fails to eat, drink, rest or in general care for himself properly, taking -1 hit points each monstrumologist level and a -4 penalty to saves against fatigue and exhaustion.

However, he does not have to make a Concentration check due to receiving damage. He also gains a +4 bonus to Concentration checks to avoid being distracted, such as while maintaining concentration on a spell or bardic music. This bonus increases to +6 at 5th level, and +10 at 10th level.

In addition, at 2nd level he gains a +6 bonus to saves against fear and confusion. Whenever he would be Nauseated he is instead Sickened.

At 5th level he gains immunity to Fear.

At 8th level he gains immunity to Confusion

At 9th level he adds his Intelligence modifier to his Will saves.

Monstrous Lore: A monstrumologist may make a special monstrous knowledge check with a bonus equal to his monstrumologist level + his Intelligence modifier to see whether he knows some relevant information about a creature, urban legends, supernatural occurrences and similar. If the monstrumologist has 5 or more ranks in any Knowledge check that involves the creature's type, he gains a +2 bonus on this check. Bard levels stack with his monstrumologist levels to gain relevant information in the subjects mentioned above.

A successful monstrous lore check will not reveal the exact abilities of a creature such as you would require dissection or vivisection, but it gives you an idea of what it is capable. A monstrumologist may not take 10 or 20 on this check; this knowledge is essentially random.

Focused Study (Ex): Once per day a monstrumologist may choose a specific race of being to devote his entire focus to, such as white dragons, goblins, or zombies. He may also choose a supernatural profession including Mage (arcane caster), Priest (divine caster), Psionicist (manifester), Binder (pact magic), Shade (shadowcaster), Speaker (truenamer), Spiritual (incarnum), or Martial (maneuver user).

He gains a bonus equal to his Monstrumologist levels to Bluff, Heal, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Sense Motive, Search, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against creatures of this type or followers of the mentioned professions. He then takes a penalty equal to the bonus to these checks against all others races and professions. Beings of the same creature type (such as true dragons, goblinoids, or undead) do not gain the bonus, but nor do they gain the penalty. The same applies to racial minions, or symbionts to the studied creature. A profession-based focus does not have a related creature type for the purpose of non-penalties.

Likewise, he gets an insight bonus to AC and weapon damage rolls against the subject of his focus equal to his monstrumologist level. He does not take a concordant penalty.

For example, a 5th level Monstrumologist would gain a +5 bonus against aboleths, take no penalty or bonus against aberrations and skums, but take a -5 penalty to all other creatures. Same with neogi and umber hulks, and similar relationships.

This focus lasts indefinitely, or until the monstrumologist chooses a new focus. He remains focused for a minimum of 24 hours before he can choose a new focus. To change to a new focus requires an hour of reviewing notes if any, and thinking on the creature to recall details.

Secret Piercer (Ex): A monstrumologist searches for hidden things as a way of life. He gains low-light vision, and if passes within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door is entitled to a Search check to notice it as if he were actively looking for it. If you already possess low-light vision your sight distance doubles.

At 5th level he gains Darkvision out to 60 ft. If you already possess Darkvision your sight distance doubles.

At 7th level he is affected as by See Invisibility at will.

At 9th level this heightens to a True Seeing effect that he can use for a total number of minutes per day equal to his Monstrumologist level. He must maintain concentration to use this ability.

Haruspicy (Ex): A monstrumologist in his examination and research of the inner workings of the creatures he hunts, becomes well trained in the discipline of Haruspicy - insight from the examination of entrails. To study the entrails, the creature must not have been dead for more than an hour, and have a discernible anatomy with the majority of its body intact. It takes 1d10+10 minutes to study the entrails, -1 minute for each level you have in Monstrumologist. A monstrumologist can attempt a hurried Haruspicy check, minutes becoming rounds, though the DC of the check increases by 20. Use the following chart to decipher the results of your search. Only one haruspicy check can be made per creature. Even if the creature is resurrected or brought to life in some way he cannot gain a second check.

The monstrumologist makes a Heal check and gains knowledge as if having casted one of the spells below, depending on the result:
{table=head]DC| Result
20 | Augery
30 | Divination
35 | Commune
40 | Legend Lore
[/table]


The more magically inclined creatures produce stronger effects than mundane creatures. He adds the following bonuses to his Heal check.
{table=head]*Bonus | Creature
+0 | Animal
+1 | Monstrous Humanoid
+4 | Magical Beast
+6 | Fey**
+8 | Aberration
+10 | Dragon
+12 | Outsider
[/table]

* If the heal check is sufficient to gain a divinary result, the bonus is also applied to the base chance of receiving a correct answer.
** Unless the question is regarding fey, seelie/unseelie court, natural phenomena or similar, when reading the entrails of Fey creatures Commune instead functions as Commune with Nature, and Legend Lore functions as Find the Path.

As well, the more knowledgeable a monstrumologist is in the workings of the creature, the more he may glean. For every 5 he rolls over 10 in a Knowledge skill that covers the creatures type he is searching, he gains a +1 bonus that stacks with those previously mentioned.

For example, a monstrumologist is studying the entrails of a Hydra (magical beast bonus +4). He then makes a Heal check of 29, and a Knowledge (arcana check) of 21 (+2 bonus). The end result is a Haruspicy check of 35, allowing the Monstrumologist to use the Commune spell. If he wished to hurry this check, he would fail his check by only achieving a DC 15.

If the monstrumologist succeeds on a DC 40 for Legend Lore he may choose to instead make use of a lower DC spell.

Sneak Attack: A monstrumologist gains a sneak attack as a Rogue that deals +1d6 damage. This stacks with the sneak attack damage from another source, including the monstrumologist's Knowledge of the Knife.

Elixer Master: A monstrumologist has studied much in the way of medicines, poisons and preservative substances. At 4th level he gains Brew Potion as a bonus feat. He is considered to to possess the prerequisites necessary to brew any potion mentioned below, even if he does not otherwise meet the requirements or have the ability to cast the necessary spells. These potions are not considered magical in nature, though his caster level is equal to his Hit Dice for the purpose of brewing potions. He can increase the DC of the potion by +2 if he brews it for a particular race he has dissected, though the DC decreases by -2 for creatures not of that race. This is reduced to 0 for creatures of the same type.

For instance, you could specially make the potion for a Hill Giant, with the DC increasing by +2. Ogres, a fellow Giant-type, takes receives neither a bonus nor penalty. The DC of a human drinking it however would be -2.

Each brew is specific to creature type or specific sickness. There is no one cure-all. For example, a Remove Disease potion would be crafted to cure only Filth Fever. Or Poison to only affect Vermin. As such, the price for each brew to make is only 1/6th the standard price. Caster level equal to HD, Int-based.

Brewable Spells
Blindness/Deafness
Bestow Curse
Calm Animals
Charm
Delay Poison
Deep Slumber
Dominate Animal
Dominate Person
Ease of Breath
Gentle Repose
Hibernate
Hold Animal
Neutralize Poison
Remove Blindness/Deafness
Remove Curse
Remove Disease
Remove Paralysis
Repel Vermin
Restoration, Lesser
Rigor Mortis
Plant Growth
Poison
Shivering Touch
Suggestion
Thin Air
Zone of Truth

Live To Fight Another Day (Ex): A monstrumologist as often as not has to resort to the one time honored method - fleeing from danger. He gains a +10 bonus to his speed(s).
Once per day he may flee at 6 times his base speed for a number of rounds equal to his Constitution modifier. At the end of this sprint he is Fatigued.

If The Right Eyestalk Offend Thee... (Ex): A monstrumologist may sacrifice 2d6 points from their sneak attack to deliver a specialized blow to a race they have dissected/vivisected. If successful, the victim must succeed on a Fortitude save equal to the damage dealt in the blow. If they fail their save, a single portion of their body used for special attacks or abilities is damaged and they lose that ability. If they are successfully injured they cannot use that ability until the damage dealt in that blow is healed. This healing can be via a spell, or through natural healing. Sneak attack damage from Knowledge of the Knife may be used.

Examples
A monstrumologist can announce he's aiming for an organ vital to the Troll's regeneration. If he hits, and the Troll fails their fortitude save, the Troll cannot regenerate until the organ is healed.

A monstrumologist aiming for a Sphinx's achilles tendon could remove its ability to pounce.

A dragon with a damaged draconis fundamentum can no longer use it's breath weapon.

A mindflayer purposely hit in a particular region of its cranium would lose its mind blast ability.

A balor smitten along a specific gland can no longer explode in it's death throes.

Researcher Specialty (Ex): At sixth level a monstrumologist can specialize in his research while still keeping knowledgeable of his general interest. He may now apply half his Focused Study bonus to not just a single race, but an entire creature type that he has dissected/vivisected at least 6 different races or professions (such as arcane casters) from, chosen from the types in Focused Researcher above. Bonuses from creatures that fall under two categories, such as a dragon sorcerer, do not stack.

He may still choose a specific race to use Focused Research on, even if it is not of the specialty he chose above. However, while focused he does not take a penalty to checks against his Speciality. He does however stack bonuses if his specialty and focus match, such as he is focusing on Beholders and his specialty is Aberrations.

Giver of Life (Ex): At 8th level a monstrumologist's intricate knowledge of the biological workings from such a wide variety of creatures has granted him insight into life like few others possess. They can attempt to revive any creature that has not been dead for more than a number of rounds equal to their full Constitution modifier before death. A Gentle Repose spell cast before this deadline preserves the corpse indefinitely for revival.

Physical
If a creature dies from mere physical damage, but retains a complete body and head, a Monstrumologist may attempt a DC 30 heal check as a full round action to revive them. For each point of damage beyond -10 the victim was harmed, the DC of the heal check required to revive them increases equally. Those revived are brought back to -9 hit points, but are stable.

Disease/Poison
If a creature dies due to Constitution loss by poison or disease, a monstrumologist may use a spell or ability that cures the condition even if the subject is dead. They may then attempt to revive them as mentioned in Physical, except their Constitution score is increased to 1.

Other
A creature that is killed through a method that does not deal hit point or constitution damage/drain, and leaves the full body intact, such as dim mak (see below), vivisection, suffocation, dehydration, hunger, death affects, etc., requires only a DC 30 heal check, as mentioned in Physical. Those that died of hunger or thirst, however, must be provided with food or water within an hour or they die again, and cannot be revived a second time. The revival time frame of those killed by non-magical cold is measured in minutes instead of rounds.

For more exotic death methods consult your DM for appropriate revival.

Dim Mak (Ex): At 9th level a Monstrumologist can use his knowledge of the body to cause nearly any condition to a creature of which it is subject. He makes a special touch attack as a full round action.
Of races he has not dissected the effects are lessened as shown below. He may choose to use a lesser condition if he wishes. The condition can be negated with a Fortitude save equal to the Monstrumologist's heal check. If a member of a race that has been dissected or vivisection makes their save against a greater effect they must make a second save at the original DC to negate the lesser effect.
If the target is possessed of a symbiont, parasite or inhabiting creature (such as a tsochar), the monstrumologist can target it instead, even if he cannot directly see it, though in such a case it is considered to have partial concealment.

Lesser
Dazed
Dazzled
Disabled
Fatigued
Sickened
*Tinnitus
This condition is caused by overloading of the auditory senses. A creature with tinnitus has difficulty hearing and is beset with a constant ringing. They take a -1 penalty to listen checks and cannot use blindsight or blindsense based on sound, but can still hear normally (though with noted penalty).

Greater
Blinded
Confused
Deafened
Exhausted
Nauseated
Paralyzed

At 10th level this ability can also be used to cause instant death to one he has Dissected/Vivisected. It's lesser effect is 2d6 Constitution damage.

Playing God:
By 10th level a monstrumologist's knowledge of biology, life force and chemistry is unmatched.

He can distill a concoction that if a single piece of an organism is placed within can grow an exact clone of the original, at the age of the original at the time the sample was collected. This can be a blood sample, a hair, fang, feces or anything that was once a part of, or produced by, the body.

This body grows at an extremely accelerated rate, a mere 1 week per racial HD of the original creature (minimum 1 week). A human for instance would take a single week, and have all the exact features of the original, while a centaur would require 4 weeks.
A portion of a creature with natural regeneration, however, takes days instead of weeks. As such a Troll would take only 6 days.

The clone possesses no soul or mind. It is effectively a living vegetable. As such, the vivisection of such a creature has no moral stipulation yet grants you all the information if it was aware. Though mindless, you can still glean powers and spells it would normally be able to use (though, as mentioned, not those from a class).
For spells requiring a full body, such as Raise Dead, this body may be used if it was cloned from the last.
In fact, Raise Dead, Resurrection and similar treat the body as a True Resurrection spell, with no lost levels nor effects that effected the original body. In fact, if a portion of a body that was an undead is grown the body is not undead. This means only living creatures can be grown from this ability, but that even those who have an undead body can be resurrected into a living body.

A monstrumologist can produce a mating of two samples, but the spirit of any sample can use it (though no more than 1 at a time). In this manner a body can be grown that brings together the features of, say, two humans as if it were their child. The age of the body defaults to the youngest sample, though the mating are always of at least Adult age. As such a spirit of one who died of old age can be resurrected.

Multiple samples of creatures can also be grown to produce a hybrid. The monstrumologist must choose which race he wishes to dominate the hybrid.

For example, a human and elf sample could produce a human (with elvish features), a half-elf, or an elf (with humanish feature). This is standard for humanoids.

For crossbreeds that cross creature types, this is at the Monstrumologist's (and DM's) discretion.

A human/animal hybrid may gain the Feral template (Savage Species), the Tauric template (MM II), or become a simple crossbreed, like a human/horse a centaur, or a human/fish a merfolk (or an aventi). Bird and humanoids may become harpies, kenku, or gain the Winged Template. Whales and humans darfellan. A demon and human might become a fiendish creature, or a half-fiend, depending on how the monstrumologist decides how much of each to bond.

These crosses are often unstable and may die as they reach maturation. For each LA in the combined creature that is an equal 10% chance of failure (maximum 90%).
For example a LA +3 half-dragon (human & dragon equal combination) would have a 30% chance of death.

Creatures without an LA (not merely an La +0) have a 90% chance of death.

The monstrumologist can dissect and vivisect 1d4 days before complete maturation, though to hold the life force and soul of another requires full maturation.

Concoction Specifics
The cost to make this growth mixture depends on the amount needed for the creature as below.

{table=head]Size| Price
Fine | 175 gp
Diminutive | 325 gp
Tiny | 750 gp
Small | 1,500 gp
Medium | 2,000 gp
Large | 2,500 gp
Huge | 5,000 gp
Gargantuan | 10,000 gp
Colossal | 20,000 gp
[/table]

Donor's Harvest
Organs, limbs and similar can be taken from a clone and used to restore the same to a living being it was cloned from. The Monstrumologist gains Graft Flesh as a bonus feat and may reattach severed limbs. He may also harvest any poisons it produces, as many doses each day as the creature would produce. Naturally produced diseases may also be harvested. See below.

Petri Dish
Instead of a body, a Monstrumologist may also grow diseases in his solution (considered fine creatures for purpose of concoction price). He gains the disease through any of an infected creature's excretions, from blood to stool and saliva. The solution keeps the disease growing indefinitely, allowing the monstrumologist a nearly inexhaustible supply.

The Vorpal Tribble
2010-10-31, 09:13 AM
...Monstrumologist Continued


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A body is found, horribly mangled and its head missing. Insane laughter and chanting is heard from the woods, and footprints of no known race or beast is found stamped upon the ground. A horrible disease that no one can cure plagues a town. Children speak of a frightening form that whispers to them from the shadows.

Who do the townsfolk turn to? The Monstrumologist. You are a healer, a hunter, and a forensics specialist rolled into one. Your knowledge of the ways of beast and bodies, freaks and fiends is second to none. You know what goes bump in the night, and why one should fear the dark.

Combat: The monstrumologist is a master of informed, prepared action. He searches for clues to what he is up against, mixes strange concoctions, sets the traps, and prepares the bait. He then springs everything into action at a time of his choosing.
He knows that no plan is foolproof, and as such prepares for his own failure, always several moves ahead of his opponent. Even if still caught unawares, few can match his skill at improvisation.
He prefers his opponents alive, but even a corpse reveals much to the monstrumologist.
Advancement: A monstrumologist knows how to draw useful information from so many different directions and skills that nearly any class can be used to his benefit. A martial class will aid his fighting of beasts, while that of sneaking best helps him stalk and learn from it.
Resources: A monstrumologist has connections all over existence, those who owe him no less than their lives, and some their very souls. As well, crypts and battlefields provide quite a bit of study for the monstrumologist. He benefits from both life and death equally.

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You know what, there's a ton of lore on unicorns too. In fact, I hear that they ride on silver moonbeams, and that they shoot rainbows out of their ass! - Dean Winchester

He was drenched in blood, head to toe, and the hellish parasite that had burst from Miss Chambers was beginning to burrow into he as well. Another man would have been hysterical, but he calmly watched it feed on his own flesh for several moments before pulling it from his wound. He peered into that voracious maw with... with curiosity! Blind me, but his nerve was inhuman!" - Constable Danny Murther at the scene of the Chamber Leeching.

Few have as mixed a reputation as a Monstrumologist. He is reviled as a grave robber and a fear-monger in one locale, only to be received as a grand hero in another. In most instances however he is seen as a necessary evil. An unpopular personage who has a needed skill, a researcher into things uncanny and not of mortal kind, but nevertheless required. One who does the work none else dare do.
Then there are those who are skeptical that a monstrumologist knows what he is doing at all. Nothing but a crackpot meddling in things best left to run its course.
Daily Life: Few dawns rise brightly for a typical monstrumologist. You have delved too deeply into the dark and seen too much of life and death to take for granted that you'll live out any given day. Only your driving curiosity, a duty to others or a refusal to go down without a fight propels you from your bed.

As often as not blood will be on your hands before you return to it; your own, or others. You then prepare for another uneasy night. Most monstrumologists eventually turn to a nocturnal life, those you hunt preferring the witching hours. Darkness also covers actions others find questionable at best, but that you know are necessary.

There are rewards however; the ever increasing compilation of knowledge and the heartfelt gratitude of those you aid (assuming they recognize it). Bittersweet describes your existence.
Notables:

Tiberious Smith
Though there have been those who followed the path of the monstrumologist to one degree or the other, it was Tiberious Smith who founded the Society of Monstrumology. One of the greatest naturalists of the age, he began as but a precocious artist who one evening found fairies dancing about the field of his father's equine farm. The next morning mushrooms had grown up. In astonishment he chronicled this discovery and by it etched his sight of the fairies that caused it.

From that moment on he was dedicated to discovering the life that occupied the woods and then the town. He managed to catch one of the fairies, but in doing so broke her wing by mistake. Horrified of what he had done he fed her and brought her back to health. Seeing in the child no mischief, only curiosity, she allowed him to visit her glade and see what manner of beasts visited her. He was enthralled and dedicated his life to aiding all creatures and documenting his discoveries. He became a traveling doctor, tending to the ailing people and their animals as he passed from town to town on his way between the strange places of the world.

After 50 years of wandering he had built the Society in a quiet location nearby a human town who'd had prosperity for hundreds of years, where nothing troubled their fields and factories. A rare place where the ley-lines produced a natural area of anti-magic.

He gathered those of like mind and creatures were brought or invited to be studied where they were weakened by the non-existence of magic. For another 10 years he remained the Head before abdicating to a trusted friend.

He announced that he was leaving this world for the next, but would continue to send information back to be collected within the Society. Information continued to be sent for the next several centuries, despite the mortality of its maker. Some say he died, but travels each plane as a spirit, untouchable, ever curious.

It is said that he learned a secret of the gods themselves, and as it was being transmitted the book was stolen by them. Such information within one tome was too much, and its was scattered throughout existence. The information gleaned from the discovered pages helped prompt many a book, from the Draconimicon to the dread Libris Mortis.

Somewhere though, it is said Tiberious still walks discovering, adding to his own tome, and that it is hidden even from the gods. It is said it can be found within the empty hole of an evil vestige that he destroyed, while others say his knowledge of the gods allowed him to cloak it and that is is in plain sight.

If one were ever to find The Bestiary the world might be changed...

Loq'quio
On the flipside of the monstrumologists are those who enjoy the taking apart of life to find their secrets. They revel in their knowledge and power. The most horrible of these is Loq'quio, a Cerebrillith whose name is enough to inspire terror. Obsessed with the ways of the mind he has creatures brought from all over existence to his own plane of the Abyss said to float with the corpses of a trillion billion bodies and the larval flayers that feet on them. It is said that he has fiendish Elder Brains under his own control, pretending to worship the great deity of the mindflayers, but instead learn from it so that they might pass on their information to their true master.

In this plane he examines those brought him, and their brain in particular, in an attempt to learn all they knew. His experiments with mind and body disturb even the demon lords, but they dare not oppose him for fear of what he knows and how he could use it against them.

As long as he keeps to his own toys they cast a blind eye to his experiments.

Organizations: The Society of Monstrumology founded by Tiberious is the main organization for learning. They are comprised mainly of archivists and healers of all manner. They are mainly concerned with knowledge and are not as often known to act on what they discover as some think they should.

Hunters are their more proactive brethren, loosely connected by the needs of the moment, debts owed, and simple survival. They tend to be loners at the fringes of society, though some are raised to it for generations, sharing information through the familial grape vine.

Often these are survivors of attacks who raise their family to be able to counteract and defeat all that may prey on them. To their mind everyone else is soft, vulnerable fools, living in ignorance of the danger.

http://i54.tinypic.com/t5oaap.jpg
NPC reaction is mixed and often contradicting. It also depends on the monstrumologist. Some see a kindly doctor who uses his intellect to bring peace to a plagued village, others a horrible violator of bodies and mores. The ethics of healer's knowledge and the way in which a monstrumologist is found practicing his craft can mean all the difference between being seen as a monster or a savior.

http://i55.tinypic.com/27z9s7o.jpg
There is literally no position in which a Monstrumologist can't be of use. Depending on his inclinations he could be a mighty warrior, a veiled assassin, a learned cleric or a mental marvel. Likewise his ability to discover what foes they face and turn it against them is invaluable to all.
Adaptation: Monstrumologists can fit into any campaign setting without alteration of any specifics. His instruments and surroundings may change, but they all remain part of the same goal.
Encounters: Encounters with a monstrumologist are commonplace. Where adventurers go so do they to. If there are whispers of odd occurrences such as disappearances, brutal murders, or other grim going-ons with a hint of uncanny origins it may be the Monstrumologist has already beat them there or been tracking it for months.

http://i54.tinypic.com/eg7p6w.jpg

The Restless Nights of Dr. Mordecai Slate (EL 11)
http://oi55.tinypic.com/ju9z7d.jpg

First recovered journal entry in Midsummer
I have always been fascinated with the mad. What paths do their thoughts take, and what fantasies are formed by a mind that is free and unhindered. I have traveled far and wide to study the most astonishing cases. Those with great mentality, nay, utter genius, when they lose all focus, attract things.

More than once I been called upon by institutions, churches, innumerable homes, to capture these lunatics, or put down that which they call up.

There are some that not even I with my years of experience could not fully comprehend or heal. The worst of these, the most perplexing, the most fascinating I have had brought to my asylum. Some might call it a prison, others a place of torture. I have the word of their previous physicians, both loved ones, priests of high standing, and learned colleagues of my acquaintance to quell the frequent complaints. Brave and compassionate men work with me to protect the patients from themselves and the populace from them.

Further reason for settling down in one place and having patients brought to me is I've recently married the love of my life. My beloved Clarity, whom I have known since my childhood. She has waited so many years for me to pour the foundation on a permanent home, and so I did. Never have I seen such piercing yet beautiful eyes, and the mind behind them equally so. She has been my assistant, then nurse, now partner. When all those around me howl and scream and laugh, she was the calm in the storm. When the insanity of the others pressed upon me, she is who I can count on for a down to earth view. A counter to my imaginative and absent-minded ways. I do believe that without her I would be naught but another one of these patients...

Second Journal Entry Recovered

My patients of late have complained of dreams even worse than normal for some several weeks now. One in particular had been growing slowly weaker and the orderlies say he has spent every night screaming this week. After a time he refused to sleep. After two nights I slipped him a draft to force him under. He roiled and frothed horribly, biting at his own tongue until we were forced to force his mouth open for breath. He awoke like a man who'd arrived at the gates of the Heavens, so glad was he to awake.

Such was his change we thought he calming until dusk fell. I came running in at the pained screams to find he had cut his own eyelids off, saying he would never sleep again.

He died several days later in great agony, his cries becoming softer and softer but he seemed glad of it. I performed an autopsy and many of his organs were wasting away, and his lungs atrophying, which I cannot understand considering the way they were used. From what I can tell, it seems a touch of the common cold finally did him in. I must make certain none of the others are suffering from any strange malnourishment.

There is something very odd occurring here.

Later...
One of the other patients is slowly worsening as well. I drugged him, and monitored him personally as he slept. I watched as his body wasted away a little more in the night. The few times I dared touch upon his mind it was of images truly hellish, with a literally nightmarish woman of vile features and bruised skin who seemed to feature prominently, as if directing the horrors that abused him.

They are beginning to get to me I fear, for after contact I also dreamed of a great grotesquery. She forced herself upon him, and as they copulated she slowly began to feed on him, chewing off his head like some mantid.

I have chosen not to visit today. I am going to spend several days just being with Clarity, and I will not bring up the asylum once.

The Witching Hour

Today I begin my research in earnest, but none but I must seek the answers. Something unnatural has begun to stalk those who aided me. Several have gone missing from the town, all close colleagues of mine, including my beloved wife. It has been a month, but still I hear her screams the night she was snatched from our bed, as if coming from within the walls. It left only her finger, and the torn fang thwarted by the wedding band. They claim it is I who murdered her and the others, refusing to accept the truth.
I will not rest until the fiend is slain, and she revenged. My heart must become as stone, and my resolve steel. I will become the stalker, and it my prey...


This is the point at which the players are hired to seek out a psychotic murderer by the name of Mordecai Slate. He is hidden well, in a location where he once routed out an escaped madman. When they find him they see him deep in meditation, refusing to sleep, surrounded by extensive tomes on the subject of dreaming and oneiropathy. Around are the scribbles and dried feces of the previous madman.

He refuses to be caught, but if the players give him a chance to explain (and with his sense motive and Inquisitor feat he'll know if they are sincere) he explains that he has discovered that he now is being 'ridden by a night hag that ate his wife'. He is able to fend her off at times, but is still being slowly drained.

He does not appear fearful, but his eyes are dead and his manner of one so intensely focused that he starts at things he should have noticed. He is going slowly insane, and if they do not manage to kill or drive off the night hag within the next 4 days he dies, rising back up 1d4 nights later as an 11 HD Insomnus (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11309). If at all possible Mordecai wishes to capture the hag so as to vivisect her.

There is also the possibility that during his enforced absence that the hag has also caused the inmates of his prison to produce a Momeh (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10744). If Mordecai is still alive he accompanies the players to attack the abomination.

Dr. Mordecai Slate
Chaotic Neutral (formerly TN) Male Human Paragon 1/Erudite 5/Monstrumologist 5
Init +7, Senses: Listen +0, Spot +0, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision
Languages Common, Abyssal, Dwarven, Elven, Undercommon
-----------
AC 13 (+3 dex), touch 13, flat-footed (10)
hp 56 (11 HD)
Fort +9, Ref +11, Will +18
-----------
Speed 40 ft. (8 squares)
Melee +1 Rapier, Silvered +9 melee (1d6+1/14-20x2)
Ranged Pistol +9 ranged (1d10/19-20x3)
Base Atk +5, Grp +5
Atk Options Sneak Attack +1d6
Combat Gear
Powers Known Manifester level 11th. (Power Points per day = 47; Save DC 14 + power level, 15 if telepathy):
1st - Attraction, Call To Mind, Disable, *Empathy, *Mind Thrust, Missive, Sense Link, *Skate, Urban Strider
2nd - *Brain Lock, Cloud Mind, *Concussion Blast, *Ego Whip, *Mental Barrier, *Psionic Lion's Charge, Serenity
3rd - *Body Adjustment, *Dimension Slide, Psionic Blast, Psychic Containment
4th - *Catapsi, *Energy Bolt
* Acquired through Vivisection
Supernatural Abilities
--------------
Abilities Str 10, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 19, Wis 13, Cha 10
SQ Adaptive learning (Heal), Elixer Master, Focused Study +5 (night hag), Haruspicy, If The Right Eyestalk Offend Thee..., Immunity to Fear and Nausea, Induce Vomiting, Knowledge from the Knife, Live To Fight Another Day, Monstrous Lore +9
Feats Improved Initiative, Improved Toughness, Ghost Attack, Inquisitor(PsiB), Jack of All Trades, Psicrystal Affinity (sympathetic)(B), Psionic Meditation (FlawB), Open Minded(PsiB), Weapon Finesse
Skills Autohypnosis +11, Concentration +17 (+27 distraction), Diplomacy +6, Heal +15, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +17, Knowledge (local) +17, Knowledge (nature) +13, Knowledge (psionics) +17, Knowledge (the planes) +7, Listen +4, Psicraft +6, Search +11, Sense Motive +13 (+23 ex. psionic foucs), Spot +4, Survival +3
Skill Tricks: Collector of Stories
Flaw: Somnambulist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10642)
Possessions 6,110 gp remaining
+1 Keen Silver Rapier (8,090 gp)
+1 Power Storing, Deep Crystal Dagger (9,000 gp)
Cloak of Resistance +3 (9,000 gp)
Goggles of Minute Seeing (1,250 gp)
Pistol, Masterwork (550 gp)
Psionatrix of Telepathy (8,000 gp)
Psionic Restraints (damping) (24,000 gp)

--------------
Dissection: The following are creatures that Mordecai has Dissected
Humanoid (gnome)
Humanoid (half-elf)
Humanoid (human)
Humanoid (maenad)
Phantom Fungus

Vivisection: The following are creatures that Mordecai has Vivisected
Animals (ape, baboon, boar, cat, dog, donkey, monkey, mule, rat, raven, toad)
Astral Construct
Choker
Cranny Creeper (http://tinyurl.com/29rho7b)
Duskwing Moth (http://tinyurl.com/28tqq5y)
Monstrous Spider
Phthisic
Psicrystal
Shadow Eft

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Monstrumologist Skill Tricks


Enigmatic Pitch
Induce Vomiting
Reassuring Presence
Regulate Temperature
Savor the Effect
Strange Overtones
Venom's Armor
Warm-Eyed
(http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=9441658#post9441658)

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Monstrumologist Bred Creatures

Hunter Worm
Medicinal Leeches
Purefly Swarm (http://tinyurl.com/2eppv8o)
Wellspring Newt (http://tinyurl.com/23czkvb)


Haruspicy Kit (30 gp)
This is the perfect tool for use in aiding the determining of the future via the inspection of organs. It provides a +4 circumstance bonus on Heal checks for use in haruspicy. A haruspicy kit is exhausted after ten uses.

Surgeon's Tools (150 gp)
This kit includes everything one needs to dissect or vivisect a large variety of creatures. Amongst clamps, tweezers, rasps, trocars, retractors, and forceps it includes four scalpels in Adamantine, Alchemical Silver, Cold Iron and Surgical Steel.
You gain a +4 bonus to heal checks that requires the removal of items, such as caltrops, a creature's bite, or parasites.
A surgeon's kit weighs 6 lbs.


Surgical Steel: A special process using metallurgy and alchemical solutions produces surgical steel, a slightly tougher material that doesn't tarnish. Items made of surgical steel have a 20% chance of ignoring corrosion spells and abilities, such as acid or a rust monster's Rust attack. Items made of surgical steel are considered Masterwork, and have a corresponding higher price.

Surgical Steel has 30 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 11.

Jarrick
2010-10-31, 04:10 PM
Ah, yes. I've been keeping an eye on this one. I plan on introducing this class in an upcoming campaign. Good work. :smallbiggrin:

Greensleeve
2010-10-31, 04:56 PM
Nice job! A fairly disturbing class, full of flavour.

Milskidasith
2010-10-31, 10:00 PM
Knowledge from the Knife (Ex): A monstrumologist can learn nearly anything about a creature through application of two methods -- Dissection (internal exploration of a dead or inert body) and Vivisection (internal exploration of a live or animated body).

Dissection
A monstrumologist may spend an hour to dissect a creature that has been dead for no longer than 2d6 days. Without requiring a knowledge check he gains knowledge of the creature's type, subtype, physical ability scores, physical special abilities/attacks, special qualities, vulnerabilities and resistances. He knows where their organs or weaknesses are, and gains a 1d6 sneak attack against that specific creature's race. This bonus increases to 2d6 at 4th level, and 3d6 at 8th level, and stacks with sneak attacks gained from another source.

At 4th level, he may choose to use any slashing weapon against a creature he has dissected as if it possessed the Keen property. At 6th it also acts as if it had the Wounding enhancement. The weapon attains no enhancement bonus through this ability. These bonus stacks with those provided by the true Wounding and Keen enhancements or Improved Critical and similar feats.

A monstrumologist may also determine the cause of death of any creature he dissects.

Vivisection
To vivisect a creature it must be rendered unconscious or helpless. In the first 1d4 minutes of vivisection the creature's HP total is reduced to 0 as he cuts into it, and enough Constitution damage to reduce their score to 1. Every five minutes he must succeed on a DC 25 Heal check to keep the subject stable. If he fails a check they take 1 point of damage and are dying. He must attempt to stabilize them through another heal check (DC 15). Even after the vivisection he can attempt to keep the subject alive through continued Heal checks, though these need be done only every 10 minutes since he is not continuing to prod and poke. The subject can only be kept alive for up to 12 hours before succumbing permanently. At any time a curing spell or ability can stabilize them, and the monstrumologist need not make additional heal checks.

At any point of the vivisection the monstrumologist can deal damage to a vital organ or supporting segment to kill/destroy the subject as a standard action.

He may, in addition to learning all that dissection (above) grants, determine its feats, spell-like and supernatural abilities, as well as it's race's standard HD.

The monstrumologist may even learn how to reproduce a certain affect of which a vivisected creature is capable. Only a living creature's affects can be reproduced, though one can still determine the abilities of a non-living creature. To recognize a psi-like ability, psionic power, racial spell, or spell-like ability the being knew (such as a dryad's casting 'as' a druid, not a spell gained exclusively from levels in a class, though you may a power due to its inherent nature), you must be able to examine the brain and succeed on a Psicraft or Spellcraft check, DC 20 + power/spell level. Studying a single power, spell or psi/spell-like ability requires 10 minutes of concentration +1 minute per level of the power/spell in addition to the normal hour required.
Once you have determined the ability the being possessed, you can learn it in one of two ways.

Psi-like/Spell-like: If the creature had a psi-like or spell-like ability you also learn it as such.

Power/Spell: If the creature could manifest or cast a power or spell as a racial ability you add it to your powers or spells known if you have the ability to manifest powers or cast spells. Otherwise it becomes a psi-like or spell-like ability as mentioned above. For example, a Psion could add Mind Thrust to his list of powers known, but a Fireball spell would become a 1/day spell-like ability due to the fact a psion cannot cast spell.

If you vivisect another creature with the same ability you can increase the number of times per day you may use this ability, up to a number of times per day equal to your Int mod or 3/day, whichever is less. The caster/manifester level of the power or spell must be one you'd be capable of if your level equaled your HD. The save DC is Intelligence based.

For instance, a Factotum 5/Monstrumologist 2 would have a caster level of 7, and be able to use a 4th level power or spell.

To learn additional abilities requires another 10 + 1 min/level session. Out of these abilities learned only 1 may be kept permanently from each brain studied from an individual. The rest grant you insight into what the subject was capable of, but grant no additional abilities.

Best one level sorcerer dip ever, I'd think. Start an ethergaunt breeding farm and roll in the new spells known. Hell, it would be much better if you could just take them as spell likes rather than additional spells known, so you can be more of a caster than a caster with enough time (and ethergaunts). Perhaps make a hard cap to what you can learn from this total, rather than per individual, or making them only last a temporary amount of time? Also, I think you should specify whether you gain a spell as a "spell known" if it is a spell level higher than you can actually cast; a sorcerer 1/other X/this Y wouldn't really like being limited to first level spells for selection while a non sorcerer can just grab them as spell likes.


Non-Living and Regeneration
Undead and Deathless that remain animated must be restrained, but do not have to be kept stable during vivisection. They are reduced to 1 hit point so as not to be destroyed.

A creature with regeneration automatically stabilizes and the monstrumologist can choose to purposely deal damage so as to keep it unconscious.


And here I thought you might have overlooked something. What about constructs?


Other
A monstrumologist gains the benefits of the Darkstalker feat in regards to the race of a creature that has been dissected or vivisected.

An evil-aligned monstrumologist that retains a living creature for 2d4 weeks may also inflict upon them a physical Deformity feat as a bonus feat. The victim itself need not be evil to receive this feat, nor does acquiring it alter their alignment.

DM Notes
For players who begin a game with a level of Monstrumologist there may lead to questions on how many creatures he has dissected/vivisected previously, before the campaign began.

It is recommended that the amount of spells, spell-likes, and psionic equivalents be kept to 1 ability per level of monstrumologist. After that, any supernatural ability gained through vivisection should cost as much as an equivalent scroll or power stone. This is to show the cost of tracking down and preparing to hold the creature. Also it could be the cost to hire hunters to trap it and bring it to you. You are essentially paying for bodies instead of scrolls/power stones.

In games that use alignment the vivisection of a sentient creature is considered a strongly evil act, even if the subject is kept unconscious through the procedure. If the creature is evil and has caused much death, some may reason that its vivisection, to learn and prepare to defend against others of its kind, is to the greater good. In this regard it is up to your discretion whether the morality of the ends justifying the means is grounds for shading to evil
Vivisection of a conscious non-sentient, while not a good act, should not be considered evil, though repeated offenses by a good-aligned character has precedence for shifting them towards Neutral.

I'm not sure I like the "multiple non evil but not good acts shift towards evil" approach, but otherwise this looks good... except it basically means that evil PCs get to laugh and cast with impunity while good PCs lose what is doubtlessly the strongest feature of this class (granted, my "farm ethergaunts" idea was *probably* very evil to begin with, but... yeah.)


Obsessive Concentration: A monstrumologist becomes so focused on the pursuit of knowledge, and inured to the unpleasantness of his work, that sights and scents and scenarios that would leave another cowering, he barely notices. In fact, he is so obsessed that he often fails to eat, drink, rest or in general care for himself properly, taking -1 hit points each monstrumologist level and a -4 penalty to saves against fatigue and exhaustion.

However, he does not have to make a Concentration check due to receiving damage. He also gains a +4 bonus to Concentration checks to avoid being distracted, such as while maintaining concentration on a spell or bardic music. This bonus increases to +6 at 5th level, and +10 at 10th level.

In addition, at 2nd level he gains a +6 bonus to saves against fear and confusion. Whenever he would be Nauseated he is instead Sickened.

At 5th level he gains immunity to Fear.

At 8th level he gains immunity to Confusion

At 9th level he adds his Intelligence modifier to his Will saves.

I'd just make the hit dice D4 instead of giving a -1 penalty with a bigger die size. The penalty to saves against fatigue and exhaustion is minor (since those are often no save) and the benefits you get are nice, but hey, it's shaping up to be a powerful PrC anyway.


Monstrous Lore: A monstrumologist may make a special monstrous knowledge check with a bonus equal to his monstrumologist level + his Intelligence modifier to see whether he knows some relevant information about a creature, urban legends, supernatural occurrences and similar. If the monstrumologist has 5 or more ranks in any Knowledge check that involves the creature's type, he gains a +2 bonus on this check. Bard levels stack with his monstrumologist levels to gain relevant information in the subjects mentioned above.

A successful monstrous lore check will not reveal the exact abilities of a creature such as you would require dissection or vivisection, but it gives you an idea of what it is capable. A monstrumologist may not take 10 or 20 on this check; this knowledge is essentially random.

Nifty.


Focused Study (Ex): Once per day a monstrumologist may choose a specific race of being to devote his entire focus to, such as white dragons, goblins, or zombies. He may also choose a supernatural profession including Mage (arcane caster), Priest (divine caster), Psionicist (manifester), Binder (pact magic), Shade (shadowcaster), Speaker (truenamer), Spiritual (incarnum), or Martial (maneuver user).

He gains a bonus equal to his Monstrumologist levels to Bluff, Heal, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Sense Motive, Search, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against creatures of this type or followers of the mentioned professions. He then takes a penalty equal to the bonus to these checks against all others races and professions. Beings of the same creature type (such as true dragons, goblinoids, or undead) do not gain the bonus, but nor do they gain the penalty. The same applies to racial minions, or symbionts to the studied creature. A profession-based focus does not have a related creature type for the purpose of non-penalties.

Likewise, he gets an insight bonus to AC and weapon damage rolls against the subject of his focus equal to his monstrumologist level. He does not take a concordant penalty.

For example, a 5th level Monstrumologist would gain a +5 bonus against aboleths, take no penalty or bonus against aberrations and skums, but take a -5 penalty to all other creatures. Same with neogi and umber hulks, and similar relationships.

This focus lasts indefinitely, or until the monstrumologist chooses a new focus. He remains focused for a minimum of 24 hours before he can choose a new focus. To change to a new focus requires an hour of reviewing notes if any, and thinking on the creature to recall details.

ETHERGAUNT FAAAAAARMMMM. But besides that, a +10 to AC and damage (and skill checks) against something, if you no what you are fighting, is *very* nice.


Secret Piercer (Ex): A monstrumologist searches for hidden things as a way of life. He gains low-light vision, and if passes within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door is entitled to a Search check to notice it as if he were actively looking for it. If you already possess low-light vision your sight distance doubles.

At 5th level he gains Darkvision out to 60 ft. If you already possess Darkvision your sight distance doubles.

At 7th level he is affected as by See Invisibility at will.

At 9th level this heightens to a True Seeing effect that he can use for a total number of minutes per day equal to his Monstrumologist level. He must maintain concentration to use this ability.

Mantaining concentration takes actions (I think), so the last part isn't so hot, but it's still very useful overall.


Haruspicy (Ex): A monstrumologist in his examination and research of the inner workings of the creatures he hunts, becomes well trained in the discipline of Haruspicy - insight from the examination of entrails. To study the entrails, the creature must not have been dead for more than an hour, and have a discernible anatomy with the majority of its body intact. It takes 1d10+10 minutes to study the entrails, -1 minute for each level you have in Monstrumologist. A monstrumologist can attempt a hurried Haruspicy check, minutes becoming rounds, though the DC of the check increases by 20. Use the following chart to decipher the results of your search. Only one haruspicy check can be made per creature. Even if the creature is resurrected or brought to life in some way he cannot gain a second check.

The monstrumologist makes a Heal check and gains knowledge as if having casted one of the spells below, depending on the result:
{table=head]DC| Result
20 | Augery
30 | Divination
35 | Commune
40 | Legend Lore
[/table]

I really love the image of studying a monsters appendix and learning about it, although I'm not sure why your study of the creature can allow you to contact a god to ask random questions.



The more magically inclined creatures produce stronger effects than mundane creatures. He adds the following bonuses to his Heal check.
{table=head]*Bonus | Creature
+0 | Animal
+1 | Monstrous Humanoid
+4 | Magical Beast
+6 | Fey**
+8 | Aberration
+10 | Dragon
+12 | Outsider
[/table]


Sweet, now the Ethergaunt farm gives me divinations too. But this is sensible, I suppose.*


* If the heal check is sufficient to gain a divinary result, the bonus is also applied to the base chance of receiving a correct answer.
** Unless the question is regarding fey, seelie/unseelie court, natural phenomena or similar, when reading the entrails of Fey creatures Commune instead functions as Commune with Nature, and Legend Lore functions as Find the Path.

*Milskidasith is not at any legal liability regarding the use of the word "sensible." It does not say any true meaning, and any gameplay problems caused by the aforementioned ability are in no way related to Milskidasith. :P


Sneak Attack: A monstrumologist gains a sneak attack as a Rogue that deals +1d6 damage. This stacks with the sneak attack damage from another source, including the monstrumologist's Knowledge of the Knife.

Neat.


Elixer Master: A monstrumologist has studied much in the way of medicines, poisons and preservative substances. At 4th level he gains Brew Potion as a bonus feat. He is considered to to possess the prerequisites necessary to brew any potion mentioned below, even if he does not otherwise meet the requirements or have the ability to cast the necessary spells. These potions are not considered magical in nature, though his caster level is equal to his Hit Dice for the purpose of brewing potions. He can increase the DC of the potion by +2 if he brews it for a particular race he has dissected, though the DC decreases by -2 for creatures not of that race. This is reduced to 0 for creatures of the same type.

For instance, you could specially make the potion for a Hill Giant, with the DC increasing by +2. Ogres, a fellow Giant-type, takes receives neither a bonus nor penalty. The DC of a human drinking it however would be -2.

Each brew is specific to creature type or specific sickness. There is no one cure-all. For example, a Remove Disease potion would be crafted to cure only Filth Fever. Or Poison to only affect Vermin. As such, the price for each brew to make is only 1/6th the standard price. Caster level equal to HD, Int-based.

Brewable Spells
Blindness/Deafness
Bestow Curse
Calm Animals
Charm
Delay Poison
Deep Slumber
Dominate Animal
Dominate Person
Ease of Breath
Gentle Repose
Hibernate
Hold Animal
Neutralize Poison
Remove Blindness/Deafness
Remove Curse
Remove Disease
Remove Paralysis
Repel Vermin
Restoration, Lesser
Rigor Mortis
Plant Growth
Poison
Shivering Touch
Suggestion
Thin Air
Zone of Truth


Neat. Really, really neat.


Live To Fight Another Day (Ex): A monstrumologist as often as not has to resort to the one time honored method - fleeing from danger. He gains a +10 bonus to his speed(s).
Once per day he may flee at 6 times his base speed for a number of rounds equal to his Constitution modifier. At the end of this sprint he is Fatigued.

What if he doesn't sprint for the full amount of time? Is he still fatigued? Also, the sprinting is a tad bit... underwhelming, since you run at 4x your speed.


If The Right Eyestalk Offend Thee... (Ex): A monstrumologist may sacrifice 2d6 points from their sneak attack to deliver a specialized blow to a race they have dissected/vivisected. If successful, the victim must succeed on a Fortitude save equal to the damage dealt in the blow. If they fail their save, a single portion of their body used for special attacks or abilities is damaged and they lose that ability. If they are successfully injured they cannot use that ability until the damage dealt in that blow is healed. This healing can be via a spell, or through natural healing. Sneak attack damage from Knowledge of the Knife may be used.

This is pretty powerful, though it seems to only be intended to disable one ability at a time. Can you hit multiple abilities by sacrificing more sneak attack?


Researcher Specialty (Ex): At sixth level a monstrumologist can specialize in his research while still keeping knowledgeable of his general interest. He may now apply half his Focused Study bonus to not just a single race, but an entire creature type that he has dissected/vivisected at least 6 different races or professions (such as arcane casters) from, chosen from the types in Focused Researcher above. Bonuses from creatures that fall under two categories, such as a dragon sorcerer, do not stack.

He may still choose a specific race to use Focused Research on, even if it is not of the specialty he chose above. However, while focused he does not take a penalty to checks against his Speciality. He does however stack bonuses if his specialty and focus match, such as he is focusing on Beholders and his specialty is Aberrations.

More ethergaunt farm improving abilities. :smalltongue:

Still, what is essentially favored enemy (entire creature type) +5 is a pretty useful ability considering you already get favored enemy (certain creature and followers) +10.


Giver of Life (Ex): At 8th level a monstrumologist's intricate knowledge of the biological workings from such a wide variety of creatures has granted him insight into life like few others possess. They can attempt to revive any creature that has not been dead for more than a number of rounds equal to their full Constitution modifier before death. A Gentle Repose spell cast before this deadline preserves the corpse indefinitely for revival.

Very nice.


Physical
If a creature dies from mere physical damage, but retains a complete body and head, a Monstrumologist may attempt a DC 30 heal check as a full round action to revive them. For each point of damage beyond -10 the victim was harmed, the DC of the heal check required to revive them increases equally. Those revived are brought back to -9 hit points, but are stable.

Sweet, I can beat ethergaunts to death, revive them, and then vivisect them and kill them again. I'm starting to sound pretty evil, but I'm also gaining ULTIMATE ARCANE POWER (until spells known caps are applied).


Disease/Poison
If a creature dies due to Constitution loss by poison or disease, a monstrumologist may use a spell or ability that cures the condition even if the subject is dead. They may then attempt to revive them as mentioned in Physical, except their Constitution score is increased to 1.

So a base DC of 30? Is it increased by anything else?


Other
A creature that is killed through a method that does not deal hit point or constitution damage/drain, and leaves the full body intact, such as dim mak (see below), vivisection, suffocation, dehydration, hunger, death affects, etc., requires only a DC 30 heal check, as mentioned in Physical. Those that died of hunger or thirst, however, must be provided with food or water within an hour or they die again, and cannot be revived a second time. The revival time frame of those killed by non-magical cold is measured in minutes instead of rounds.

For more exotic death methods consult your DM for appropriate revival.

Neat.


Dim Mak (Ex): At 9th level a Monstrumologist can use his knowledge of the body to cause nearly any condition to a creature of which it is subject. He makes a special touch attack as a full round action.
Of races he has not dissected the effects are lessened as shown below. He may choose to use a lesser condition if he wishes. The condition can be negated with a Fortitude save equal to the Monstrumologist's heal check. If a member of a race that has been dissected or vivisection makes their save against a greater effect they must make a second save at the original DC to negate the lesser effect.
If the target is possessed of a symbiont, parasite or inhabiting creature (such as a tsochar), the monstrumologist can target it instead, even if he cannot directly see it, though in such a case it is considered to have partial concealment.

Lesser
Dazed
Dazzled
Disabled
Fatigued
Sickened
*Tinnitus
This condition is caused by overloading of the auditory senses. A creature with tinnitus has difficulty hearing and is beset with a constant ringing. They take a -1 penalty to listen checks and cannot use blindsight or blindsense based on sound, but can still hear normally (though with noted penalty).

Greater
Blinded
Confused
Deafened
Exhausted
Nauseated
Paralyzed

At 10th level this ability can also be used to cause instant death to one he has Dissected/Vivisected. It's lesser effect is 2d6 Constitution damage.

I'd make it a regular fortitude save rather than a heal check... although being able to paralyze ethergaunts effortlessly makes vivisecting them so much easier. Have I mentioned I'm feeling evil for Halloween?


Playing God:
By 10th level a monstrumologist's knowledge of biology, life force and chemistry is unmatched.

He can distill a concoction that if a single piece of an organism is placed within can grow an exact clone of the original, at the age of the original at the time the sample was collected. This can be a blood sample, a hair, fang, feces or anything that was once a part of, or produced by, the body.

This body grows at an extremely accelerated rate, a mere 1 week per racial HD of the original creature (minimum 1 week). A human for instance would take a single week, and have all the exact features of the original, while a centaur would require 4 weeks.
A portion of a creature with natural regeneration, however, takes days instead of weeks. As such a Troll would take only 6 days.

The clone possesses no soul or mind. It is effectively a living vegetable. As such, the vivisection of such a creature has no moral stipulation yet grants you all the information if it was aware. Though mindless, you can still glean powers and spells it would normally be able to use (though, as mentioned, not those from a class).
For spells requiring a full body, such as Raise Dead, this body may be used if it was cloned from the last.
In fact, Raise Dead, Resurrection and similar treat the body as a True Resurrection spell, with no lost levels nor effects that effected the original body. In fact, if a portion of a body that was an undead is grown the body is not undead. This means only living creatures can be grown from this ability, but that even those who have an undead body can be resurrected into a living body.

A monstrumologist can produce a mating of two samples, but the spirit of any sample can use it (though no more than 1 at a time). In this manner a body can be grown that brings together the features of, say, two humans as if it were their child. The age of the body defaults to the youngest sample, though the mating are always of at least Adult age. As such a spirit of one who died of old age can be resurrected.

Multiple samples of creatures can also be grown to produce a hybrid. The monstrumologist must choose which race he wishes to dominate the hybrid.

For example, a human and elf sample could produce a human (with elvish features), a half-elf, or an elf (with humanish feature). This is standard for humanoids.

For crossbreeds that cross creature types, this is at the Monstrumologist's (and DM's) discretion.

A human/animal hybrid may gain the Feral template (Savage Species), the Tauric template (MM II), or become a simple crossbreed, like a human/horse a centaur, or a human/fish a merfolk (or an aventi). Bird and humanoids may become harpies, kenku, or gain the Winged Template. Whales and humans darfellan. A demon and human might become a fiendish creature, or a half-fiend, depending on how the monstrumologist decides how much of each to bond.

These crosses are often unstable and may die as they reach maturation. For each LA in the combined creature that is an equal 10% chance of failure (maximum 90%).
For example a LA +3 half-dragon (human & dragon equal combination) would have a 30% chance of death.

Creatures without an LA (not merely an La +0) have a 90% chance of death.

The monstrumologist can dissect and vivisect 1d4 days before complete maturation, though to hold the life force and soul of another requires full maturation.

Concoction Specifics
The cost to make this growth mixture depends on the amount needed for the creature as below.

{table=head]Size| Price
Fine | 175 gp
Diminutive | 325 gp
Tiny | 750 gp
Small | 1,500 gp
Medium | 2,000 gp
Large | 2,500 gp
Huge | 5,000 gp
Gargantuan | 10,000 gp
Colossal | 20,000 gp
[/table]


A morally ambiguous Ethergaunt cloning factory, you say? :smallbiggrin:

But besides that, this is very, very cool. And freaky. But really awesome that you can revive people into them. Can you combine this with their ressurection ability?


Donor's Harvest
Organs, limbs and similar can be taken from a clone and used to restore the same to a living being it was cloned from. The Monstrumologist gains Graft Flesh as a bonus feat and may reattach severed limbs. He may also harvest any poisons it produces, as many doses each day as the creature would produce. Naturally produced diseases may also be harvested. See below.

Petri Dish
Instead of a body, a Monstrumologist may also grow diseases in his solution (considered fine creatures for purpose of concoction price). He gains the disease through any of an infected creature's excretions, from blood to stool and saliva. The solution keeps the disease growing indefinitely, allowing the monstrumologist a nearly inexhaustible supply.

And some neat abilities to cap it off.

Overall, this is *incredibly* awesome, though it almost feels like a base class, and it *definitely* should have a cap on its vivisection, since... y'know. Ethergaunt cloning farm.

The Vorpal Tribble
2010-11-01, 11:10 AM
Best one level sorcerer dip ever, I'd think.
Sorcerers do not make good monstrumologists.

#1. They don't have Heal as a class skill. Would have to multi-class or take a feat or two to get it.
#2. They don't have many skill points. To get this class they'd have to have an Int of 18 and put every skill point into the skills and skill tricks. Or you could take another feat and get by with an int of 16. However, as you'd have to be taking Educated for Heal, this means every feat up to the PrC would be taken solely for the PrC.



Start an ethergaunt breeding farm and roll in the new spells known. Hell, it would be much better if you could just take them as spell likes rather than additional spells known, so you can be more of a caster than a caster with enough time (and ethergaunts).
And where do you plan to find these ethergaunts? They're not exactly common, nor easy to find. How is this any different than a wizard going on a killing spread of other wizards and taking their spell books? There are a lot more wizards than ethergaunts and then you can gain them all at once. In this instance you gain a single spell from each individual ethergaunt.

Not only do these things have those spells, but they have everything else in addition going for them, immunity to spells, special sight, etc. They are tough for their level.

Also, you cannot vivisect them on the material plane unless they have used planeshift. They can only stay on the material plane for a few rounds before being whisked back. As such, you'll have to use planeshift to get there. Good luck on your sorcerer doing that before 14th level.

Then you gotta carefully knock it out so as not to kill it, this uber-wizard here, and restrain it for an hour.

All in all, under the most ideal situations, throwing ethergaunts at you right and left... you're still in for a hell of a time gaining them. Not to mention by the time you're through killing all these ethergaunts you'll be next level with corresponding extra spells.

You may get a lot of spell under these perfect conditions, but you'll be earning them.


Also, I think you should specify whether you gain a spell as a "spell known" if it is a spell level higher than you can actually cast; a sorcerer 1/other X/this Y wouldn't really like being limited to first level spells for selection while a non sorcerer can just grab them as spell likes.
No, its like copying a spell from a spellbook. Even if you find a book filled with 9th level spells you can't do squat with it until you reach a sufficient level. In this case however you're spellbook will probably rot before you achieve the next level.



And here I thought you might have overlooked something. What about constructs?
You can learn what they can do, but as with undead you can't gain spells from them.


I'm not sure I like the "multiple non evil but not good acts shift towards evil" approach, but otherwise this looks good... except it basically means that evil PCs get to laugh and cast with impunity while good PCs lose what is doubtlessly the strongest feature of this class (granted, my "farm ethergaunts" idea was *probably* very evil to begin with, but... yeah.)
Good NPC's don't 'lose' it. There are non-sentient creatures with spell-likes. It's just harder for them. But that's realistic. If you have no conscience then the world probably would be easier for you, to a degree.


I'd just make the hit dice D4 instead of giving a -1 penalty with a bigger die size. The penalty to saves against fatigue and exhaustion is minor (since those are often no save) and the benefits you get are nice, but hey, it's shaping up to be a powerful PrC anyway.

Going from d4 to d6 is a -2 hp per level and seems too much. These guys deserve better than a wizard HP. Open to suggestions on alternative penalties though. Just think they needed a little something to help balance.


What if he doesn't sprint for the full amount of time? Is he still fatigued? Also, the sprinting is a tad bit... underwhelming, since you run at 4x your speed.
Yup, the act of sprinting makes you fatigued regardless. Yeah, can run at 4x speed. With the Run feat you can go 5x. 6x is what a cheetah has. But considering a standard 30 footer can go 120 feet in a round running, and this guy can go 180... I think it has its uses. If you have a 40-foot speed you can go 240 feet with this. Nearly 100 extra feet than you could normally.


ETHERGAUNT FAAAAAARMMMM. But besides that, a +10 to AC and damage (and skill checks) against something, if you no what you are fighting, is *very* nice.
Considering the ethergaunt could then cast Summon Monster and sic stuff on you and you take a -10 penalty to it... yeah. It balances out.


Mantaining concentration takes actions (I think), so the last part isn't so hot, but it's still very useful overall.
Used to have it continuous, then at will, then decided with all the other goodies it needed lowered even further.


I really love the image of studying a monsters appendix and learning about it, although I'm not sure why your study of the creature can allow you to contact a god to ask random questions.
It's haruspicy, not actual casting. You're not asking a god anything. The future is already there if you look. It's just a sticky kind of astrology.


This is pretty powerful, though it seems to only be intended to disable one ability at a time. Can you hit multiple abilities by sacrificing more sneak attack?
No. Wouldn't make sense either to hit a heel and then because you hit it so hard they also have a brain aneurysm.


Sweet, I can beat ethergaunts to death, revive them, and then vivisect them and kill them again. I'm starting to sound pretty evil, but I'm also gaining ULTIMATE ARCANE POWER (until spells known caps are applied).
"Out of these abilities learned only 1 may be kept permanently from each brain studied from an individual. The rest grant you insight into what the subject was capable of, but grant no additional abilities."

You can vivisect and revive them but you'll never gain more spells from it. One spell per brain, period.



So a base DC of 30? Is it increased by anything else?
Only if its specially made to follow them into the afterlife I guess. There is only so much ability damage you can do.



But besides that, this is very, very cool. And freaky. But really awesome that you can revive people into them. Can you combine this with their ressurection ability?
What Resurrection ability?



Overall, this is *incredibly* awesome, though it almost feels like a base class
Yeeeeah, thought that a little too, but not everything would really fit into a class and I like you being able to take other classes to fit into it.

Milskidasith
2010-11-01, 11:54 AM
Sorcerers do not make good monstrumologists.

#1. They don't have Heal as a class skill. Would have to multi-class or take a feat or two to get it.
#2. They don't have many skill points. To get this class they'd have to have an Int of 18 and put every skill point into the skills and skill tricks. Or you could take another feat and get by with an int of 16. However, as you'd have to be taking Educated for Heal, this means every feat up to the PrC would be taken solely for the PrC.

Unlimited spells known is quite worth it. Also, I'm confused why you say you'd need all your feats dedicated to this; you need a grand total of one (educated) for the requirements (since it's any of the four listed feats) and another for your skill point needs; with a human sorcerer 5 entering the class, you'd have five feats at that point, three without flaws.


And where do you plan to find these ethergaunts? They're not exactly common, nor easy to find. How is this any different than a wizard going on a killing spread of other wizards and taking their spell books? There are a lot more wizards than ethergaunts and then you can gain them all at once. In this instance you gain a single spell from each individual ethergaunt.

Well, it's just a theory (the cloning makes it very easy later on). I still think the focus should be more on "A one level dip lets you rapidly expand your spells known or almost pass off as a full caster over time" and not on the specifics of an ethergaunt farm. As for how it's different than killing wizards for spellbooks: Sorcerers and psionic classes can't do that! It also doesn't hurt that you can get them as SLAs, which, for classes who have spells/powers known, are strictly superior unless you need a lot of castings of the spell.


Not only do these things have those spells, but they have everything else in addition going for them, immunity to spells, special sight, etc. They are tough for their level.

Also, you cannot vivisect them on the material plane unless they have used planeshift. They can only stay on the material plane for a few rounds before being whisked back. As such, you'll have to use planeshift to get there. Good luck on your sorcerer doing that before 14th level.

Then you gotta carefully knock it out so as not to kill it, this uber-wizard here, and restrain it for an hour.

All in all, under the most ideal situations, throwing ethergaunts at you right and left... you're still in for a hell of a time gaining them. Not to mention by the time you're through killing all these ethergaunts you'll be next level with corresponding extra spells.

You may get a lot of spell under these perfect conditions, but you'll be earning them.

Kill them, clone them, profit. Or earlier, kill them, revive them, profit.

It would be tough, sure, but extra spells known, for a sorcerer, is nutty. And that's just a one level dip with some hefty skill investments. Not exactly cheap, but... spells known are powerful. Even if you don't fight ethergaunts, you're surely likely to encounter plenty of stuff with spells you can pick up; it's a massive increase in versatility.


No, its like copying a spell from a spellbook. Even if you find a book filled with 9th level spells you can't do squat with it until you reach a sufficient level. In this case however you're spellbook will probably rot before you achieve the next level.


The point is that anybody with any ability to cast arcane spells gets the spell known (and thusly can't use it), but anybody without it just gets to cast it freely (so they can use it). That's a problem considering the class seems to be at least partially intended to be entered by people with such abilities. I don't know why spellbooks have anything to do with this.

I'd also recommend, since I didn't pick it up, making a spell level limit, since you can, in theory, get high level spells far before you should with some luck.


You can learn what they can do, but as with undead you can't gain spells from them.

Fair enough; you may want to mention that.


Good NPC's don't 'lose' it. There are non-sentient creatures with spell-likes. It's just harder for them. But that's realistic. If you have no conscience then the world probably would be easier for you, to a degree.

The point is that for a class that isn't intended to be evil, it's *much* easier to get power being evil with this class, considering I doubt there are many, if any, non sentient creatures with the ability to "casts as an X level spellcaster" which grants a massive variety of spells known to the monstrumologist.


Going from d4 to d6 is a -2 hp per level and seems too much. These guys deserve better than a wizard HP. Open to suggestions on alternative penalties though. Just think they needed a little something to help balance.


:smallconfused:

The average of a D6 is 3.5, and the average of a D4 is 2.5. The average of a D6-1 is 2.5.


Yup, the act of sprinting makes you fatigued regardless. Yeah, can run at 4x speed. With the Run feat you can go 5x. 6x is what a cheetah has. But considering a standard 30 footer can go 120 feet in a round running, and this guy can go 180... I think it has its uses. If you have a 40-foot speed you can go 240 feet with this. Nearly 100 extra feet than you could normally.

It's sort of useful, but at the level you get it you can tactically teleport.


Considering the ethergaunt could then cast Summon Monster and sic stuff on you and you take a -10 penalty to it... yeah. It balances out.


Actually, you'd be taking a -10 penalty just to the skills, if summoned monsters don't count as followers, which you get a +10 bonus to. This isn't factoring in the fact that it's more the damage and AC bonus that matters, not the skill checks.


Used to have it continuous, then at will, then decided with all the other goodies it needed lowered even further.

Reasonable.


It's haruspicy, not actual casting. You're not asking a god anything. The future is already there if you look. It's just a sticky kind of astrology.


Commune actually has you asking the god a question directly, though, and specifically mentions the god can use the answer to further his own agenda. This is a bit different in purpose, enough that, mechanically, you may need to bring it up.


"Out of these abilities learned only 1 may be kept permanently from each brain studied from an individual. The rest grant you insight into what the subject was capable of, but grant no additional abilities."

You can vivisect and revive them but you'll never gain more spells from it. One spell per brain, period.

I was talking more about the ability to forgo any kind of nonlethal or tactical force; ubercharge (well, OK, be a bit more careful than that; it would help to have a lot of medium damage attacks hit), revive, vivisect, dice the brain. It makes vivisection significantly easier, since it's essentially just a heal check you can take 20 on.


What Resurrection ability?

The revive creatures ability you get. Doesn't really make sense, but I'm not quite sure where the spirit goes before you revive them with heal checks.

I still think it needs massive caps on spells known and what spells you can know, since, especially with the cloning ability, you can get spells extremely cheap. Hell, if you just chop off the party sorcerer's nails while he's sleeping, you can clone enough to become a better caster than him/her, unless the clones don't count as individual creatures for the spell limit.

EdroGrimshell
2010-12-04, 11:29 PM
I just noticed you have a tenth level ability Graft Flesh but have not statted it out yet. Is that a mistake from an older version or was it simply forgotten?

Slowpool
2010-12-07, 06:04 AM
This is surprisingly balanced, and a very interesting concept at that. Applause.

Brom
2010-12-07, 08:27 AM
Mr Vorpal Tribble

Your Monstrumologist inspired me to make a medically inclined class of my own. I hope it wasn't too derivative.

I gave you credit and attributed such to you in my post here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=178745) in the first spoiler. I included a link back to your work in this thread, so that (hopefully) anyone inspecting mine would also inspect yours! ^^

I would most certainly appreciate your expert eyes, and the eyes of any who are willing to look at my inspired version on Tribble's idea.

Which, as many have said, is wonderful.

The Vorpal Tribble
2010-12-07, 09:44 AM
I just noticed you have a tenth level ability Graft Flesh but have not statted it out yet. Is that a mistake from an older version or was it simply forgotten?
"Donor's Harvest
Organs, limbs and similar can be taken from a clone and used to restore the same to a living being it was cloned from. The Monstrumologist gains Graft Flesh as a bonus feat and may reattach severed limbs."


I would most certainly appreciate your expert eyes, and the eyes of any who are willing to look at my inspired version on Tribble's idea.
I'll stop by some time for a look.


Unlimited spells known is quite worth it.
Except to gain such requires an incredible expenditure of time, effort and likely money, etc etc.


Also, I'm confused why you say you'd need all your feats dedicated to this; you need a grand total of one (educated) for the requirements (since it's any of the four listed feats) and another for your skill point needs; with a human sorcerer 5 entering the class, you'd have five feats at that point, three without flaws.
If you want alternate ways of getting extra feats I can think of ways to get it up to about 10 feats by level 5, but in general, minus abomination worshiping, otyugh hole dropping, item granting, flawed human-only individual... it usually will take up all your feats.


Actually, you'd be taking a -10 penalty just to the skills, if summoned monsters don't count as followers, which you get a +10 bonus to. This isn't factoring in the fact that it's more the damage and AC bonus that matters, not the skill checks.
It specifically says followers get no bonus, nor penalty.


Commune actually has you asking the god a question directly, though, and specifically mentions the god can use the answer to further his own agenda. This is a bit different in purpose, enough that, mechanically, you may need to bring it up.
There are beings who have Commune as a spell-like. It mimics the results, not the origin, etc etc.


The revive creatures ability you get. Doesn't really make sense, but I'm not quite sure where the spirit goes before you revive them with heal checks.
It makes perfect sense. Folks die all the time and are resuscitated. I don't think the moment your heart stops beating you're standing at the pearly gates or instantly on some demon's rack.

For one, Spirit Sense allows you to speak with and interact with the departing spirit for several minutes.


Hell, if you just chop off the party sorcerer's nails while he's sleeping, you can clone enough to become a better caster than him/her, unless the clones don't count as individual creatures for the spell limit.
It also specifically says they have no mind. They have no class levels. I'd recommend going back over the details.

DaragosKitsune
2010-12-12, 11:06 PM
It also specifically says they have no mind.

-the sound of every good-aligned Monstrumologist rejoicing-

No, seriously. Any good-aligned Monstrumologist who knows this ability is coming will find a way to preserve samples from everything it meets with a useful ability because it can clone it later. Basically, evil gets progressing abilities, while good gets them all at level ten.