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AustontheGreat1
2010-11-30, 10:39 PM
VIRAL AGENT

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii194/hungryhungryhippo987/Hunter_of_the_Bayou_by_Astrozerk04.png

A Viral Agent searching for rare diseases in a swamp. Picture by Astrozerk04 on DeviantArt
Actually, I believe this is a Hunter from that game Left 4 Dead, which regrettably I have not played. But whatever...

Prerequistes
Alignment: Any Non-good
Abilities: Must have a Constitution score.
Base Save Bonus: Fort +5
Skills: Heal 6 Ranks, Knowledge (Nature) 6 ranks
Feats: Great Fortitude
Special: The viral agent must have fallen victim to the ravages of a disease.

Hit Die: d6

VIRAL AGENT
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special

1st|
+0|
+2|
+2|
+0|Disease Host, Infect Weapon, Sense Disease

2nd|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+0|Hive Mind, Symbiotic Enhancement (Con to AC)

3rd|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+1|Extraordinary Disease, +1d6 Sneak attack

4th|
+3|
+4|
+4|
+1|Infectious Touch, Resistant Strain

5th|
+3|
+4|
+4|
+1|Extraordinary Disease, Super Bug

6th|
+4|
+5|
+5|
+2|Symbiotic Enhancement (Fast Healing 2), +2d6 Sneak Attack

7th|
+5|
+5|
+5|
+2|Extraordinary Disease

8th|
+6|
+6|
+6|
+2|Viral Insurgent

9th|
+6|
+6|
+6|
+3|Extraordinary Disease, +3d6 Sneak Attack

10th|
+7|
+7|
+7|
+3|True Viral Agent, Symbiotic Enhancement (Poison Immunity)[/table]
Class Skills:(4 + Int. Mod.) The viral agent’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Slight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str),
Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex).

Class Features
Proficiencies: Viral agents are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor, and with shields.

Disease Host (Ex): At 1st level, a viral agent suffers no ill effects of diseases, though he may choose to allow the purely cosmetic ones such as boils, pockmarks, watery eyes, blackened skin, hair loss, foul smell, and so on to become visible. The viral agent becomes a carrier of every disease he encounters, though he remains immune to most of their effects.
However, the viral agent takes 1d6 points of damage per caster level if someone casts a cure disease spell or similar effect on him (he can make a Fortitude save to try to resist the effect).

Infect Weapon (Ex): As a swift action, the viral agent can coat any weapon he is wielding (though this weapon must deal either piercing or slashing damage) with disease ridden material from his body. This material can spit, blood, or puss from an oozing sore, regardless of the source this ability deals no damage to the viral agent. For the next round, any creature dealt damage by this weapon must save against as many as one diseases for every two viral agent class level that the viral agent is currently carrying. The diseases lose potency after exposed to the air after one round, though the viral agent can apply another coating to his weapon on his next turn.

Sense Disease (Ex): The viral agent can detect both the presence and type of diseases present anywhere within 30ft. whether within a living host or any other location. The viral agent may use this ability to keep track of nearby victims (even those that have evaded his sight and therefore retains his dexterity bonus against any creature currently infected with a disease, even if the viral agent is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, the viral agent still loses its Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.
The viral agent also uses this ability to discover and acquire new disease not already included in his arsenal. Viral agents are always driven to seek and acquire new diseases, if doing so is within his ability and posses no risks.

Hive Mind (Ex): At 2nd level, the diseases interacting within the viral agent begin to join forces form a type of hive mind. The diseases gain an intelligence and a personality distinct from the viral agent. The hive mind and the viral agent can communicate telepathically. When needed, the hive mind uses the viral agent’s scores for saves, ability scores other than Intelligence, and so forth. The hive mind gains abilities as the viral agent gains levels.

{table=head]Level|Int|Special

2nd|
6|Blindsight 30 feet.

3rd|
7|Can use a spell or spell-like ability of the viral agent on its own as a standard action once per day, requiring no action on the part of the viral agent.

4th|
8|Can warn the viral agent of danger, granting him the evasion ability.

5th|
9|Can warn the viral agent of danger, granting him the uncanny dodge (Dex bonus to AC) ability.

6th|
10|Mind-affecting spells and effects have a 50% chance of affecting the companion rather than the viral agent.

7th|
11|Can use a spell or spell-like ability of the viral agent on its own as a standard action three times per day, requiring no action on the part of the viral agent.

8th|
12|Can warn the viral agent of danger, granting him the uncanny dodge (can’t be flanked) ability.

9th|
13|-

10th|
14|Blindsight 60 feet.[/table]


Symbiotic Enhancement (Ex): A viral agent is more than host to the diseases he carries; he is a partner in a glorious mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship between him and his viral companions. His body nurtures and provides a host for the diseases, and in return the disease reinforces and enhances the body of the viral agent. He gains different benefits as he progresses.

The diseases toughen the viral agents flesh making him resistant to attack. Beginning at second level, the viral agent adds his constitution modifier to his armor class in the form of a natural armor bonus.

The diseases also repair damage done to its host’s body very quickly, almost instantaneously. Beginning at 6th level, the viral agent gains fast healing 2.

The disease can also intercept harmful poisons and destroy them. Beginning at 10th level, the viral agent becomes immune to all forms of poison.

Extraordinary Disease (Ex): At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th, level, the viral agent gains Extraordinary Disease as a bonus feat. The viral agent gains this feat regardless of whether or not he meets the prerequisites.

Sneak Attack (Ex): If a viral agent can catch an opponent when she is unable to defend herself effectively from his attack, he can strike a vital spot for extra damage. Basically, any time the viral agent’s target would be denied her Dexterity bonus to AC (whether she actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), the viral agent’s attack deals +1d6 points of damage. This extra damage increases by +1d6 points every four levels (+2d6 at 5th level and +3d6 at 9th level). Should the viral agent score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied. It takes precision and penetration to hit a vital spot, so ranged attacks can only count as sneak attacks if the target is 30 feet away or less. With a sap or an unarmed strike, a viral agent can make a sneak attack that deals subdual damage instead of normal damage. He cannot use a weapon that deals normal damage to deal subdual damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual –4 penalty, because he must make optimal use of his weapon in order to execute the sneak attack. A viral agent can only sneak attack a living creature with a discernible anatomy—undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Additionally, any creature immune to critical hits is similarly immune to sneak attacks. Also, the viral agent must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach a vital spot. A viral agent cannot sneak attack while striking at a creature with concealment or by striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach. If a viral agent gets a sneak attack bonus from another source (such as rogue levels), the bonuses to damage stack.

Infectious Touch (Ex): Beginning at 4th level, the viral agent can transmit an infectious disease through a simple touch. Once per day per viral agent class level, the viral agent can attempt to make a melee touch attack. If the attack is successful, the target must immediately save against becoming infected with the disease.

Resistant Strain (Su): Diseases and ailments carried by the viral agent can be particularly deadly and difficult to destroy. At each level, the viral agent chooses one disease he carries. These chosen diseases become much more powerful and resistant to treatment. Any saves to resist these diseases are increased by one for every point of the viral agent’s intelligence modifier. This includes saves made to prevent infection, or (if the character has been infected), to prevent each instance of repeated damage, and to recover from the disease, as well as checks made to treat the diseases. Additionally, the host infected with the disease gains SR 13 + the viral agents class level against spells used to cure the disease.

Lastly, diseases chosen to be enhanced by this ability surpass the immunity of creatures normally immune to disease (though not the viral agents or the disease immunity of other viral agents). These diseases still have no effect on creatures that do not have a constitution score.

Super Bug (Su): At 5th level, a viral agent can extend the range of his telepathic link with the diseases within him, allowing him communicate with them while they infect another. He enhances a chosen disease, making it smarter by giving it a point of his own Intelligence. He establishes a telepathic link with the disease that functions at a range of one mile per class level of the viral agent. The viral agent can then attempt to infect a target with his super bug, using his Infectious Touch ability. If successful, the super bug can tell the viral agent telepathically what its host experiences. In all other respects, the viral agent is a normal disease; if the victim fights it off or a cure disease spell is used, the super bug dies; though if the disease chosen to become the super bug is a disease enhanced by the extraordinary disease feat or the Resistant strain ability, it retains those bonuses normally. The viral agent regains his Intelligence point 24 hours after the viral agent dies. The viral agent can create as many super bugs as he is willing to devote Intelligence points toward.

Viral Insurgent (Su): In a fashion similar to the super bug ability, a viral agent of 8th level or higher can create a viral insurgent by devoting 3 points of Intelligence to a disease or virus in his system. The disease chosen may be a disease enhanced by the viral agent’s resistant strain or extraordinary disease abilities, and retains these abilities when modified into a viral insurgent. The viral agent can then bestow his viral insurgent upon a humanoid victim using his contagion ability, and the viral insurgent can communicate telepathically with the viral agent at a range of one mile per class level of the viral agent. The viral insurgent (and thus the viral agent) controls its host as surely as with a dominate person spell, although the host gets no separate saving throw to avoid the dominate person effect. The viral insurgent is a normal disease; however, the victim can fight it off with successful Fortitude saves or a cure disease spell, either of which kills the viral insurgent. The viral agent regains his missing Intelligence points 24 hours later. A viral agent can create as many viral insurgents as he is willing to devote Intelligence points toward.

True Viral Agent (Su): At 10th level, the viral agent gains the ability to discorporate the cells in his body becoming a human disease once per day. (This ability also affects up to 100 pounds of gear the viral agent is carrying.) As a disease, the viral agent is intangible and invisible to standard methods of observation, even blindsight. Creatures with the scent ability note a foulness in the air. The viral agent cannot move, except with the wind (if any), or within a host. The viral agent may adopt his disease form as a standard action, attempting to infect a living creature within 100 feet. A potential victim must succeed at a fortitude save (DC 10 + the viral agent’s class level + the viral agent’s constitution modifier) to avoid being infected with the viral agent. Any creature that comes within 10 feet of a viral agent in disease form is subject to the saving throw to resist infection as well. Once inside an infected host, the viral agent deals 1d3 points of Constitution damage per day after a 24-hour incubation period. The victim has no way of knowing that the viral agent is anything other than a normal illness. The viral agent travels with the victim, aware of whatever the victim is aware of and the viral agent may speak telepathically with the host. A number of times per day equal to the viral agent’s intelligence modifier, the viral agent can attempt to force the victim to take one round’s worth of actions of the viral agent’s choosing; a successful Will save (DC 20 + the viral agent’s intelligence modifier) allows the victim to resist this. While controlling his victim, the viral agent has access to all skills, feats, spells, and special abilities of the host, plus any of his own that he can use in his disembodied state. The viral agent may stay in this form as long as he wishes or as an immediate action, the viral agent can return to its normal form. It resumes its form in either the square it occupied before taking its disease form if the viral agent is not in a host when he resumes normal form, or in a square adjacent to its host if he currently infects a victim. If he resumes normal form, all other instances of his disease form die, no longer effecting the infected creature.
-0-
Hyudra (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/member.php?u=35941) kindly allowed me to use this feat. I hope he isn't disappointed.

EXTRAORDINARY DISEASE

Extraordinary Disease [Monstrous]
Your disease works in a manner above and beyond that of other creatures of your type.
Prerequisite: A natural weapon that can transmit disease, 13 Con and 6HD, at least one of which must be a level in a monster class.
Benefit: Choose one of the following from the list to enhance your disease:

• Pathogen: Each time the victim fails a save against the disease (including the initial save to find if the disease was contracted), the DC is increased by +2.
• Rapid Onset: The Disease now has an incubation period of 1d3 rounds. This may be taken a second time, reducing the incubation period to 1d3-2 rounds.
• Scourge: The victim must save against the disease twice as often (ie. from every 24 hours to every 12 hours). This option may be taken multiple times, halving the amount of time the victim must save each time it is taken. (from 24 to 12, 12 to 6, 6 to 3, and so on).
• Fever: Once the disease enters the victim's system, the victim displays a rapidly progressing fever. From the point the victim fails the saving throw up until the time the disease is removed, the victim is Fatigued. Once the disease is incubated, the victim must make a fortitude save on any given hour or Exhausted, instead. (DC is 10 + ½ creature's HD + creature's Con)
• Systemic Shock: When an opponent fails their save against disease, they are immediately sickened. Further, if the disease affects physical stats, the creature must make another fortitude save or be nauseated for 1d4 rounds, and if the disease affects mental stats, the creature must make a will save or be confused for 2d3 rounds. The DC for both saves isis 10 + ½ creature's HD + creature's Con.
Once the disease has incubated, the victim must save or be nauseated/confused (again, as appropriate to the disease) on any given hour.
• Miasma: After a disease has finished incubating, a contagious vapor begins leaking out of their nose and mouth to taint the air around them. The disease effectively becomes inhalation and contact based, transmitted with the victim themselves as the origin point. Any infections transmitted in this way have the traits of the original disease, but with only a 50% chance the new victim will also show signs of the miasma.
1d3 rounds after a victim afflicted with Miasma dies, the miasma begins consuming their body, filling all adjacent squares with the inhaled version of the disease.
• Blight: The disease becomes potent enough to affect targets that are normally immune, as the individual elements in the disease produce byproducts that consume, occlude or taint even inanimate matter or energies. The Disease can now affect any creature that cannot produce the disease itself, including those creatures that are typically immune or that lack constitution scores. The effects of the disease are halved when affecting such opponents, rounding down. Diseases that would deal Con damage to creatures with no Con score deal Cha damage instead.

Special: This feat may be taken multiple times, choosing a different option each time (or choosing options that specifically allow multiple instances).

STRATEGIC STRIKE INFECTION
Strategic Strike Infection
By putting your weapon in a vital area, the diseases carried by your weapon can get a strong foot hold in the victim, becoming that much more difficult to fight off.
Prerequisites: Sneak Attack 2d6, Infect Weapon class feature
Benefit: When making a sneak attack with a weapon carrying an infection from your Infect Weapon class feature, the victim incures a -1 to fortitude saves made to prevent infection, or (if the character has been infected), to prevent each instance of repeated damage, and to recover from the disease, as well as checks made to treat the diseases for every 1d6 of sneak attack damage.
Creatures immune to sneak attack damage are not affected by this penalty even if they are vulnerable to the diseases infecting the weapon.

Thanks EdroGrimshell

Okay, I've always liked the Cancer Mage concept but there were somethings that I didn't like. So I decided to make my own. Its seems a little overpowered to me but I guess we'll see.

Jarrick
2010-11-30, 11:19 PM
Wow, crazy coincidence. I recently designed a Cancer Mage base class called the Scourge for a new setting I've been planning. I was considering posting it for more feedback. The bigger coincidence though is that your Bloodbred race was going to be one of a few new races I was going to include and highlight as part of the setting. Part of what enabled the vampires' rise to imperial power was the spreading of a horrid plague that killed off 1/2 of the human population, if not more (still brainstorming). It sometimes "altered" those that survived its ravages.

I wonder if you wouldnt mind if I borrowed a few class features from this and incorporated them into my own class?

AustontheGreat1
2010-11-30, 11:32 PM
Go for it.

Hyudra
2010-12-01, 02:53 PM
You copied an old edition of the Extraordinary Disease feat I wrote up - note there's (at least) two mentions of 'poison' in the text that should be changed to 'disease'.

One potential issue that jumped out at me, under infect weapon:
For the next round, any creature dealt damage by this weapon must save against any and all diseases the viral agent is currently carrying.
This is pretty ridiculous, when you figure that you could be carrying a dozen diseases, forcing a enemy to make a dozen saving throws. Couple with Extraordinary Disease:System Shock & Extraordinary Disease:Fever for almost guaranteed fatigued & sickened conditions.

Jarrick
2010-12-01, 07:51 PM
I fixed that in my class by making it so that the cancer mage fights off most diseases normally, in that they can't NOT make fort saves to fight it off. They have the ability to "Culture" a small handful of chosen diseases to make them more virulent for use as "weapons" though. This means they provoke a small handfull of big saves as opposed to a bunch of small ones.

AustontheGreat1
2010-12-02, 02:13 AM
You copied an old edition of the Extraordinary Disease feat I wrote up - note there's (at least) two mentions of 'poison' in the text that should be changed to 'disease'.

I took a look through and fixed all instances of poison. Once again, thanks for letting me use it.


One potential issue that jumped out at me, under infect weapon:
For the next round, any creature dealt damage by this weapon must save against any and all diseases the viral agent is currently carrying.
This is pretty ridiculous, when you figure that you could be carrying a dozen diseases, forcing a enemy to make a dozen saving throws. Couple with Extraordinary Disease:System Shock & Extraordinary Disease:Fever for almost guaranteed fatigued & sickened conditions.

That's kind of the point, but if it's too powerful I could change it one disease per class level? If thats any better. Other than what you mentioned, are there any other problems?

absolmorph
2010-12-02, 02:32 AM
Festering Anger and Vile Rigidity.
Each day, you get +2 to Str and +1 natural armor.
This is why I like Cancer Mage, and why I like this. You can have a character who got so angry he can punch a mountain in half. That's seriously the best flavor for Festering Anger and Cancer Mage I've ever heard.

Anyway, the class is cool, it's not too powerful without being at least kinda cheesy. I like the idea of DnD biological warfare.

AustontheGreat1
2010-12-02, 04:43 AM
Thank you, I'm glad you like it.

absolmorph
2010-12-02, 12:54 PM
I just realized: You don't have the skill points written down. Just the skills.

AustontheGreat1
2010-12-02, 03:18 PM
I just realized: You don't have the skill points written down. Just the skills.

...Crap. Thats embarrassing.

AugustNights
2010-12-04, 04:01 PM
Infect weapon, 10 diseases is a lot, I think 1 per 2 levels would be more balanced.

Why not give it the ability to transfer diseases with a touch instead of Contagion?

AustontheGreat1
2010-12-04, 05:27 PM
Infect weapon, 10 diseases is a lot, I think 1 per 2 levels would be more balanced.

Why not give it the ability to transfer diseases with a touch instead of Contagion?

Sure thing, thanks for the suggestions.

EdroGrimshell
2010-12-05, 02:37 AM
How about making it harder to resist a virus when using the sneak attack and Infect Weapon abilities together? Makes sense a virus implanted in the right spot is harder to resist or faster acting. Bonus equal to half Viral Agent level would probably be a good baseline.

AustontheGreat1
2010-12-05, 07:51 AM
How about making it harder to resist a virus when using the sneak attack and Infect Weapon abilities together? Makes sense a virus implanted in the right spot is harder to resist or faster acting. Bonus equal to half Viral Agent level would probably be a good baseline.

The idea has merit. I decided to implement it as a feat instead of class feature as the class itself was a little full; that and I'm still under the impression that it is a little strong. The class already has a good amount of abilities which increase the DC of a virus.

thank you, though.

DreadWarlock
2012-04-05, 06:16 PM
Why is it proficient with all martial weapons and all armor and shields? I think that should be changed to gains no proficiency cuz viruses or diseases shouldnt give you training in that, and plus if you want to play a fighterish char the base classes that give you proficiencies shoul be taken for enty into the viral agent

Tanuki Tales
2012-04-05, 06:44 PM
Just want to point something out with the Rapid Onset option under Extraordinary Disease:

If you take this feat twice, choosing that both times, you can potentially warp time and space to retroactivately affect a creature with your disease? o.o

Madara
2012-04-05, 06:51 PM
Very nice class. I only wish that it was viable for casters :smallsigh: but they get enough treats as-is :smallsmile:


Brilliant Remake, it very strong, but it doesn't have T1 or T2 status, so don't worry. :smallbiggrin: