Becoming An Aberration

[betelgeuce]

Okay so I know I'm an optimization whore....:sigh:....it happens. Here's my question, other than taking the template Spellwarped, what is another way to gain the Aberration type? Feats, skills, any of that are legitimate for me so long as you can gain the type Aberration. Also am I wrong to assume that you can have multiple types or do the rules only apply to subtypes?

[Grinner]

There are quite a few options for this sort of thing in Lords of Madness.

Edit: Checked, and its the Fleshwarper PrC that grants the aberration type. You need to invest 10 levels though...

[Wookie-ranger]

The simplest way is to be an Elan. +0 race that is an Aberration from the start. If you want to become an elan with an existing character you should read the fluff. Elans are made not born.


not sure about getting multiple types. as a DM i would rule that you could olny have one.

[betelgeuce]

I should note that the one thing I can't lose, is my ability to well....take ability damage. I must retain a constitution score.

Also the Elan thing is what I was imagining, but from what I read they technically aren't considered to be humanoid which is a bummer.

[Solaris]

Okay so I know I'm an optimization whore....:sigh:....it happens. Here's my question, other than taking the template Spellwarped, what is another way to gain the Aberration type? Feats, skills, any of that are legitimate for me so long as you can gain the type Aberration. Also am I wrong to assume that you can have multiple types or do the rules only apply to subtypes?

You can have only one type, but check out the augmented subtype.

[betelgeuce]

Okay, so I guess I should just spill the beans. I'll explain what I'm doing so that it will help some. I've got this campaign I'm in and honestly it's evolved to Dragon Ball Z. Literally we have 4.0 combat going on in 3.5. Which is great, but not sure how long this might last. None the less, I play a Ur-lock. I thought hey why not be able to fly 100 ft per move action. So I looked up a template for it that's free, but only to Aberrations. It's the Air Element Template from Dragon Magazine #307 which lists no LA (Score +1 me!!!!). At the same time I was making a Half-Vampire and to add flavor of flight I really got on board with the Air Element template. The only problem is this:

Half-Vampire:
"...is an inherited template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid which is where I'm stuck at.

[Darrin]

Okay so I know I'm an optimization whore....:sigh:....it happens. Here's my question, other than taking the template Spellwarped, what is another way to gain the Aberration type?

Try "Corrupted by the Abyss" in Expedition to the Demonweb Pits, which is the 3.5 version of the Corrupted template in BoVD. That will change your type to aberration (no LA listed, either).

Polymorph any object x2 might work as well, but watch out for dispels.

[betelgeuce]

Try "Corrupted by the Abyss" in Expedition to the Demonweb Pits, which is the 3.5 version of the Corrupted template in BoVD. That will change your type to aberration (no LA listed, either).

Polymorph any object x2 might work as well, but watch out for dispels.

Mannnn, you might just be my hero. :) Thanks, this is exactly what I wanted.

[Aeryr]

:smallconfused:

I thought that an LA of -

Was intended not to be used by player characters. Was I wrong all this time? :smalleek:

[Wookie-ranger]

At the same time I was making a Half-Vampire and to add flavor of flight I really got on board with the Air Element template. The only problem is this:

Half-Vampire:
"...is an inherited template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid which is where I'm stuck at.


there is an odd sub-race of the Illithids that are vampires.
these Mind-fayers are aberrations and Undead vampires at the same time.
If you want to talk to your DM in letting you be both an aberration and vampire he might want to see a case where that has happened this might just be it.

This is what i found about it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illithid#Vampiric_illithids
http://voltor.narod.ru/vr/rlm2_018.htm

[betelgeuce]

Again that is freaking awesome and I think I'd go for it but Hellfire Warlock likes to make undead templates null and void. Sadly I think I won't be able to take it unless I can keep my Con mod. Looks cool but I think I'm going with the corrupted template. It just makes me esmurk to see it. I think this game is really going DBZ style with each combatant pushing a +5 CR just about. Thanks guys for your ideas. The playground is the best.

[OracleofSilence]

I thought that an LA of -

Was intended not to be used by player characters. Was I wrong all this time?

Yes and no. LA - is not the same as LA not listed. LA - is almost always not intended for PC's, and is usually due to vast numbers of racial HD in my experience. However, there is a rule somewhere that says that PC's CANNOT take LA - templates or races. (Also, LA - is almost always on races, not templates)

LA not listed is rare, and could be said to not be intended for PC's either, but it is so rare as to be a formatting error. However, since no LA is listed, no LA can be assumed, thus making it LA +0.

[betelgeuce]

Yes and no. LA - is not the same as LA not listed. LA - is almost always not intended for PC's, and is usually due to vast numbers of racial HD in my experience. However, there is a rule somewhere that says that PC's CANNOT take LA - templates or races. (Also, LA - is almost always on races, not templates)

LA not listed is rare, and could be said to not be intended for PC's either, but it is so rare as to be a formatting error. However, since no LA is listed, no LA can be assumed, thus making it LA +0.

Please find me this rule....We have a spell-hording, dragonwrought, lore-master kobalt in the party and I'd love to drop this rule out. I NEVER PLAY WITH TEMPLATES BECAUSE THEY BREAK THE GAME...>_>

[Darrin]

LA not listed is rare, and could be said to not be intended for PC's either, but it is so rare as to be a formatting error. However, since no LA is listed, no LA can be assumed, thus making it LA +0.

I would think "no LA" = "LA: -", as in, not intended for PCs. Not listing an LA was quite common for most of the 3.0 templates, and unfortunately a bunch of them were never updated.

And since the printed LAs are pretty much a crapshoot anyway, you kind of have to go through each template and "eyeball" it up/down to fit whatever you're trying to apply it to.

I don't recall exactly if Corrupted by the Abyss had "LA: -" or not (obscure book, not handy at the moment), but it was sufficiently powerful that I'd be very hesitant to call it "LA: +0" (I think last time I eyeballed it in the neighborhood of +2/+3). Actually, given the flavor of the campaign, I think I'd just pencil in "LA: DBZ!" and not worry about it.

[OracleofSilence]

Please find me this rule....We have a spell-hording, dragonwrought, lore-master kobalt in the party and I'd love to drop this rule out. I NEVER PLAY WITH TEMPLATES BECAUSE THEY BREAK THE GAME...>_>

I feel that, very simialar to the Taint rules, it is just stuck somewhere or other in the middle of a much larger paragraph. It may simply be a strong suggestion, but I recall it was a hard and fast rule


I would think "no LA" = "LA: -", as in, not intended for PCs. Not listing an LA was quite common for most of the 3.0 templates, and unfortunately a bunch of them were never updated.

I fully agree. However, from a simple semantics based view point it is a clear cut difference. As i said, the majority of these cases are CLEARLY not intended for players.


dragonwrought, lore-master

The first is a feat in Races or the Dragon, not a template, the second, well the second is broken. However it is not even a real template, so obviously has no LA. (I am AFB so no exact reference)

[Aeryr]

It definitively has a LA of - Corrupted by the abyss I mean, I don't have that dragon magazine atm I might check it later.

But I can see the DM allowing it if it is dragon ball mode.

[Heatwizard]

Please find me this rule....We have a spell-hording, dragonwrought, lore-master kobalt in the party and I'd love to drop this rule out. I NEVER PLAY WITH TEMPLATES BECAUSE THEY BREAK THE GAME...>_>

Those aren't usual templates. However, if you were to kick this guy in the crotch anyway, no one would really blame you. Playing a Loredrake Kobold in an actual game is terrible form.

[OracleofSilence]

Those aren't usual templates. However, if you were to kick this guy in the crotch anyway, no one would really blame you. Playing a Loredrake Kobold in an actual game is terrible form.

To be fair, in a Type: DBZ game, this is closer to fair game. Still Bad Form, but within the range or standard brinksmanship.

[betelgeuce]

I think there is a white dragon something template and some more thrown in there as well. I stopped listening after 2 of them. I heard, I cast as a sorcerer, progress as a wizard, cast at level 12....blah blah blah blah geezeeeee.....I think I'm good though. Other than corrupted by the abyss dropping my Ur-priest stat which honestly I can just buff up, I think I'm good. This has a nice flavor of Uber-cheese.

[Aeryr]

Probably white dragon spawn from dragon lance campaign setting, so broken for a LA +1.

[betelgeuce]

Probably white dragon spawn from dragon lance campaign setting, so broken for a LA +1.

Yep that's it. So NOW does everyone understand how we got to Dragon Ball Z? Also the corrupted by the abyss is probably just as broken. It's the exact template I wanted.

[hamishspence]

there is an odd sub-race of the Illithids that are vampires.
these Mind-fayers are aberrations and Undead vampires at the same time.


They're a bit lacking in most of the "true vampire" traits though.

For those who want their vampires to be much more "vampiric" there's the Monstrous Vampire template in Ghostwalk Campaign Option- applies to the following:

Animals, humanoids, monstrous humanoids, magical beasts, aberrations, fey, dragons, vermin, giants.

So basically, everything except elementals, outsiders, oozes, plants, and undead.

Draconomicon has the Vampiric Dragon template- a few boosts over normal vampires, less weaknesses.

Biggest difference is that it has a "tombstone" (stone that was near the site of its burial) instead of a coffin. Yes, it can be moved.

[betelgeuce]

+15 LA is toooooo much but thanks for the heads up. I was hoping it would only be +3 or +4. I really want to break my campaign with a Vampire Lord but that's never going to happen in game.