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View Full Version : [D&D 3.5 Class] Lifeless Shaper [WIP, PEACH]



Xuldarinar
2013-05-21, 01:40 PM
Lifeless Shaper



Hit Die: d6

Class Skills
The lifeless shaper's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (Architecture and engineering)(Int), Knowledge (religion)(Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier

Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th
1st|+0|+0|+2|+2|Touch of the Lifeless, Lifeless Form (1/day)|0|-|-|-|-|-|-
2nd|+1|+0|+3|+3|-|1|-|-|-|-|-
3rd|+2|+1|+3|+3|Energy Burst 1/day|2|-|-|-|-|-
4th|+3|+1|+4|+4|-|2|0|-|-|-|-|-
5th|+3|+1|+4|+4|Lifeless Form (2/day)|3|1|-|-|-|-
6th|+4|+2|+5|+5|Lifeless Form (3/day)|3|2|-|-|-|-
7th|+5|+2|+5|+5|Lifeless Form (4/day)|3|2|0|-|-|-
8th|+6/+1|+2|+6|+6|Lifeless Form (Large), Energy Burst 2/day|3|3|1|-|-|-
9th|+6/+1|+3|+6|+6|-|3|3|2|-|-|-
10th|+7/+2|+3|+7|+7|Lifeless Form (5/day), Light fortification 25%|3|3|2|0|-|-
11th|+8/+3|+3|+7|+7|Lifeless Form (Tiny)|3|3|3|1|-|-
12th|+9/+4|+4|+8|+8|Lifeless Form (2nd Type)|3|3|3|2|-|-
13th|+9/+5|+4|+8|+8|Extraordinary Form, Energy Burst 3/day|3|3|3|2|0|-
14th|+10/+5|+4|+9|+9|Lifeless Form (6/day)|3|3|3|3|2|-
15th|+11/+6/+1|+5|+9|+9|Lifeless Form (Huge)|4|3|3|3|2|-
16th|+12/+7/+2|+5|+10|+10|Lifeless form (Templated Creature 1/day)|4|4|3|3|2|0
17th|+12/+7/+2|+5|+10|+10|Light fortification 50%|4|4|4|3|3|1
18th|+13/+8/+3|+6|+11|+11|Lifeless Form (7/day, Templated Creature 1/day), Energy Burst 4/day|4|4|4|4|3|2
19th|+14/+9/+4|+6|+11|+11|Lifeless Form (3rd Type)|4|4|4|4|4|3
20th|+15/+10/+5|+6|+12|+12|Lifeless Embrace, Lifeless form (Templated Creature 3/day)|4|4|4|4|4|4

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Lifeless Shapers are proficient with all simple weapons. They are also proficient with all natural attacks of any form they assume with lifeless form. Lifeless shapers are proficient with light armor and shields (except tower shields)

Spells: A lifeless shaper casts divine spells, which are drawn from the lifeless shaper spell list. She can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time, the way a wizard or cleric must. Like a cleric, they know their entire list.
To cast a spell, a lifeless caster must have a Wisdom score equal to atleeast 10 + the spell level (Wis 10 for 0-level spells, Wis 11 for 1st-level spells, and so forth). The Difficulty Class for saving throws against a lifeless shaper's spell is 10 + the spell level + he lifeless shaper's Wisdom modifier
Like other spell casters, a lifeless shaper can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given in the table above. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score. When the table indicates the lifeless shaper gets 0 spells per day of a given level, she gains only the spells she would be entitled to based on her Wisdom score for that spell level.

Life-less Form (Su): At 1st level, a lifeless shaper gains the ability to turn into any Small or Medium Undead, Construct, or Deathless and back again once per day. Her options for forms include all creatures with the Construct, Deathless, and/or Undead type. You select one of these types at 5th level, and you may select another at 12th level, and again at 19th level. This ability functions like the polymorph spell, except as noted here. You may use this ability, regardless of your type. The effect lasts for 1 hour per lifeless shaper level, or until she changes back. Changing form is a standard action and doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity.
The form chosen must be that of a creature the lifeless shaper is familiar with. For example, a lifeless shaper who has never been to Mechanus could not transform into a Kolyarut.
A lifeless shaper's ability to speak is depended upon the form they have taken. If they have taken the form of something that cannot normally speak, they cannot speak.
A lifeless shaper can use this ability more times per day at 5th, 6th, 7th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level, as noted on the table above. IN addition, she gains the ability to take the shape of a Large creature at 8th level, a Tiny creature at 11th, and a Huge creature at 15th. The new form's Hit Die cannot exceed the character's lifeless shaper level. For instance, a neutral or evil lifeless shaper cannot take the form of a devourer (a Large creature that has at least 12HD) until 12th level.
Unlike polymorph, and abilities based on it, you do not need to be a living creature to use Lifeless form.
Beginning at 16th level, a lifeless shaper becomes able to lifeless form to assume the form of any template based creature of any type they can transform into. Doing this applies the template to themselves for the duration of the effect. The template they apply using this ability cannot have a level adjustment greater than their lifeless shaper level - 14. While you do not need to normally be able to qualify for the template, you cannot apply a template you already possess and the template must either change your type to a type you can change into, or require a type you can change into. A lich lifeless shaper cannot apply the lich template to themselves, again. However, a template designed to stack with itself (Such as evolved undead) may be applied multiple times in a single use and may be applied even if you already possess it. The total LA added however cannot be greater than your maximum.

Touch of the Lifeless: Starting at 1st level you acquire the ability to heal and do damage by means of channeling energy through your touch. The energy you channel is based upon your choices for lifeless form. If you choose undead you channel negative energy; dealing damage to living creatures and deathless, and healing the undead. If you choose deathless you channel positive energy; dealing damage to the undead, and healing both living creatures and deathless. If you choose construct, the energy you channel deals damage to all creatures but heals constructs and repairs objects. Regardless of your choice, you deal 1d8 points of damage +1 per four class levels or heals for 1 point of health +1 per four class levels. As you expand the types you may change into with your lifeless form ability, this ability expands as well.

Energy Burst (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a lifeless shaper gains the ability to emit a burst of energy from their body, harming or hurting creatures and objects within 5 feet around her, as your Touch of the Lifeless ability does. This burst deals 1d4 points of damage per class level, or heals 1d4 damage per class level, pending upon the form you use and those effected. For instance; a 5th level lifeless shaper using this ability, who selected undead for her first set of forms, deals 5d4 points of damage to all living creatures and deathless in range and heals undead within the range for the same amount. Had they selected constructs instead, they would heal all objects and constructs within range and harm all creatures within range. This, as your touch of the lifeless ability, expands in typing as your lifeless form expands in form. This ability is only usable 1/day, but increases by 1 use at 8th, 13th, and 18th level.

Light Fortification: With prolonged use of lifeless form, your connection to life weakens in your benefit. Starting at 10th level, a lifeless shaper gains 25% resistance to critical hits. At 17th level, this fortification increases to 50%.

Extraordinary Form: Starting at 13th level, a lifeless shaper can take on the extraordinary special qualities of any form they assume using lifeless form.

Lifeless Embrace: Upon reaching 20th level, your continued use of your lifeless form ability has fully left it's mark on you. Your type is changed to Construct, Deathless, or Undead, depending upon what type you selected first for your lifeless form ability. All Hit Dice are changed to d12's and you lose your constitution score (assuming you had one). In addition, they acquire the shapechanger subtype.


Lifeless Shaper Spell list
The lifeless shaper's spell list appears below. (Will be filled in later)
1st Level: Burning hands, cause fear, chill touch, cure light wounds, detect undead, disguise self, inflict light wounds, repair light damage, remove fear, shocking grasp, summon undead I
2nd Level: Alter self, command undead, cure moderate wounds, darkness, ghoul touch, inflict moderate wounds, repair moderate damage, spectral hand, summon undead II
3rd Level: cure serious wounds, daylight, gentle repose, halt deathless, halt undead, inflict serious wounds, repair serious damage, summon undead III
4th Level: Animate dead, contagion, cure critical wounds, evard's black tentacles, inflict critical wounds, repair critical damage, summon undead IV, vampiric touch
5th Level: hallow, mass cure light wounds, mass inflict light wounds, summon undead V, undeath to death, unhallow
6th Level: create deathless, create undead, control deathless, mass cure moderate wounds, mass inflict moderate wounds, summon undead VI
__________________________________________________ ____________


Currently I need advice and opinions.

Fates
2013-05-21, 01:51 PM
I like the concept, but the mechanic is severely lacking in info.

-How long does the effect last?
-More importantly, what is the HD/CR limit on the effect?
-Third question which has now escaped me.


Also, I'm not sure about the alignment restrictions- anyone with common sense would be true neutral/lawful neutral, so as to be able to turn into any of them.

Xuldarinar
2013-05-21, 02:24 PM
I like the concept, but the mechanic is severely lacking in info.

-How long does the effect last?
-More importantly, what is the HD/CR limit on the effect?
-Third question which has now escaped me.


Also, I'm not sure about the alignment restrictions- anyone with common sense would be true neutral/lawful neutral, so as to be able to turn into any of them.

1: Oh, i forgot to put that in. As the druid's wild shape ability, 1 hour per class level. Though as a prestige class the number may differ.

2: I'll put in the limit being, unless otherwise suggested, 1HD per Class Level (if a core class). Essentially a similar restriction to what Druids have.

3: The answer escapes me.

As for alignment restrictions, perhaps I should put on some limit, or change the limitation. As in, you may only select 1 or 2 different types, perhaps forcing a change if your alignment changes. I was thinking of making it so you had to be Neutral (Good-Evil axis) for Constructs, Good for Deathless, and Evil for Undead, but it occurred to me there are evil constructs. Constructs however tend to be lawful. Of course maybe I should change it so you can assume any that you are within 1 step of the creature's natural alignment. Wights would be available to LE, LN, and NE. Ghouls on the other hand would be available to NE, CE and CN.

On the other hand, I could just remove alignment restrictions altogether. What do you think? Unless i can find a Constitution - type that is typically chaotic, chaotic really is the suffering alignment here for diversity.

Xuldarinar
2013-05-21, 02:43 PM
I've settled on making this a class, rather than a PrC. Of course do to the theme I may make certain things to help with synergy with certain classes. For instance, a Multi-class Lifeless Shaper/Dread Necromancer should receive some sort of interesting benefit.

darktornaydoe
2013-05-21, 08:36 PM
Interesting concept, I would however like to point out you should while making it a druid like class, make it as different as you can. Reason being that in Libris Mortis there is a feat that allows undead druids to shift into undead creatures.

Xuldarinar
2013-05-21, 09:13 PM
Interesting concept, I would however like to point out you should while making it a druid like class, make it as different as you can. Reason being that in Libris Mortis there is a feat that allows undead druids to shift into undead creatures.

I agree, it should be as different as possible, but the druid class serves as a good base in regards to what is there so far.

The trick is coming up with other abilities to set it apart from druids, and line up with the theme.

Xuldarinar
2013-05-22, 02:07 AM
Update:

Now we have a class. At this point I need pointers on what I have already, Possible additional abilities, and a spell list.

darktornaydoe
2013-05-22, 08:14 PM
It would be cool if they were able to create creatures with their template applied.

Xuldarinar
2013-05-22, 09:47 PM
It would be cool if they were able to create creatures with their template applied.

Well, do you mean by abilities like create spawn? Well, perhaps I could add something. Otherwise, I could just add certain spells. I need to make their spell list.