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Ing
2006-12-09, 08:55 PM
Long ago there was a great inventor and sage by the name of Demetros. He was a gifted craftsman and it was said his work and inovations rivled that of the gods. However, rather than just for the benefit of man kind, he mostly squandered his gifts on petty or self agrandizing inventions and devices, serving the eccentric whims of nobles or his own ego. His days of living in the bask of his brilliance were cut short upon the death of his wife. He was so devestated by the looming specter of death that he crafted for himself and his son a pair of brass clock work hearts, under the intention to never agian have to face the loss from a loved ones death. Unfortunatly, he had made enemies with a powerful nobel who had locked him away in a tower. He manadged to escape but his son was slain in the process. Demetros was thus left humble and devestated resigned to live out the rest of his immortal life in eternal lonliness and shame....

Creating a TECHNOLICH

A technolich is a template that can be applied to any living animal creature, hence forth known as the base creature

To become a technolich a creature must undergo or be forced to undergo a ritual that removes their heart and several other chest cavity organs and replace them with a mechanical replacement. The heart requires a craft check 50 to make and costs 5000 gold to make and 1,000 XP. The ritual to purify it and animate it requires a 2d4 week ritual that requires a spellcraft check (35). Installing the heart requires a painful magical ritual in which the base creature is kept alive while its heart is replaced. During the ritual, the person responsible for installing the heart must make a healing (or knowledge anatony) check with a DC of 35 if another does the installation and 50 if one preforms it on themselves. Durring the opperation a second heal check (30) must be made. If that check fails the opperation is a success but the base creature takes 6 perment Cha loss and will suffer feelings of detachment from living creatures. If any of the above fail the ritual must be start over and all costs are lost, if the primary heal check fails the creature also takes 2d4 con damage from the failed operaton.

A Technolich has all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Size and Type
The creature gains a subtype Construct. Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. Size is unchanged.

Hit Dice
Increase all current and future Hit Dice to d10s if higher.

Quasi-Construct traits
Due to their new semi-construct nature they gain immunity to sleep, and paralaysis and gain a +8 racial bonus to checks agianst poisons and toxins. Since their new heart self-regulates their body temperature and status gain a +4 on will saves versus mind altering or emotional altering effects. Technoliches do not age normally but still may suffer death from massive damage. they gain no other benefits normally assosiated to being constructs

Special Qualities
ATechnolich retains all the base creature’s special qualities and gains those described below.

Redundent anatomy
The clockwork heart that a technolich installs durring its creations makes most of their vital organs redundant and vestigal. They often shrivle up and are absorbed into muscle and connective tissue by the body within a decade of creation. A Technolich has a 50% fortification agianst critical hits and sneak attacks

Spell like abilities
Technoliches gain teh ability to cast Shocking grasp as a wizard level of their HD. They can use this ability 1X1/5 their HD minimum 1.

Clockwork blood
The clockwork heart also replaces 35% of a technolich's blood with a metalic mechanical substitute. The blood gives the Technolich fast healing 5. If a technolich is reduced to bellow 0 hp they are immedientl considered stableized.

Ability adjustment
A Technolich immediently gains some benefits from their opperation due to the nature of the mechanical heart
Str+2
con+6
wis+2

BlueWizard
2006-12-09, 09:07 PM
I like it! It would work well as a villain in my games.

Ing
2006-12-09, 09:35 PM
Thanks ^^ If you want I have ideas for feats/artifacts for technoliches to replace further body parts...

Mewtarthio
2006-12-09, 10:56 PM
"Construct" isn't really a subtype. Also, while giving them +4 AC against critical confirmation rolls is nice, it's much cleaner if you change Sneak Attack to read "the attack roll must exceed the Lich's AC by at least four to deal Sneak Attack damage." Alternatively (and this already has precedent), require a d% roll to deal critical and precision damage (as with Fortification Armor).

Ing
2006-12-09, 11:02 PM
No idea what fortification damage is, trying to stick to core for the monster. Idea about the +4 ac sounds fine though. Since we now have warforged I see no reason why living creatures cannot have a construct subtype, and its been applied to swarms or the like in the past.

Fizban
2006-12-09, 11:18 PM
Fortification isn't a damage, it's a defensive ability giving a % chance of blocking sneak attacks, critical hits and the like.

Fortification is an armor ability grades of 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%.
Warforged have 25 or 50% (can't remember which)
Some classes that give undead or construct traits give fortification.

So, baisically what you want is to give him maybe 50 or 75% fortification, so he has a 50 or 75% chance of ignoring sneak attacks and critical hits.

Since it sounds like you want the creature to stay mostly the same, I suggest a nice new subtype name to avoid confusion, all I can think of is "mechanized".

Mewtarthio
2006-12-09, 11:20 PM
Fortification (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicArmor.htm#fortification) gives you a % chance to ignore extra damage from critical hits, sneak attacks, and the like. It's a core enhancement that is applied to armor.

EDIT: And I've been ninja-posted. I'd delete the redundant info except I have nothing left to say in this post. Oh well. Enjoy the link.

Ing
2006-12-10, 01:00 AM
Ah the fortification has its points. But the main point is that the Technolich's main weakpoint is his head. I figure more experienced warriors would aim for that anyway so I see no reason why not to make it a +4 ac penalty over a precentage.

Balesirion
2006-12-10, 01:07 AM
Why d8 Hit Dice? The construct type (not subtype), has d10 Hit Dice.

Ing
2006-12-10, 01:41 AM
Why d8 Hit Dice? The construct type (not subtype), has d10 Hit Dice.

fixed............................................. ..



Orriginally it was because it's not quite a construct and is still squishy

Hyrael
2006-12-11, 11:35 AM
Neat. Now, you just need to persue the idea to its logical conclusion. if he has a clockwork heart, and oil blood, why is he still seeing with squishy eyes? why is he still lifiting things with a flabby organic arm. and so on, until Phyresis is reached, and, save for a brain and part of the spinal chord (maybe not even that) there is nothing left of the original creature.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyrexia
http://www.ps-games.nl/images/content/8tPlagelord.jpg
http://home.versatel.nl/Metal-head/Order_of_Yawgmoth_for_pasting_272x223.jpg

Tormsskull
2006-12-11, 11:49 AM
... I'm not a doctor, but theoretically, if you removed someone's heart and were able to replace it with a mechanized heart, wouldn't their other organs kill shut down in time (assuming this was feasible in the first place, of course)?

Also, why does installing a mechanical heart in someone give them the ability to shock people?

Also, how in the world could you remove your own heart and replace it with a mechanized one? Even at Heal check 37,000 this would not be possible.

XtheYeti
2006-12-11, 01:46 PM
... I'm not a doctor, but theoretically, if you removed someone's heart and were able to replace it with a mechanized heart, wouldn't their other organs kill shut down in time (assuming this was feasible in the first place, of course)?

Also, why does installing a mechanical heart in someone give them the ability to shock people?

Also, how in the world could you remove your own heart and replace it with a mechanized one? Even at Heal check 37,000 this would not be possible.
cuz this is DnD and the real world rules dont count here, plus we have
magic so that we can keep people alive with out a heart, and just because the DM said so and DM=God!

Mauril Everleaf
2006-12-11, 02:35 PM
its totally possible to replace a heart and keep the other organs alive. they have mechanical/artificial hearts, and have had them for years now. and on the note of how would he do this by himself? he is infused with massive amounts of magic (would have to be to do this to himself) so he just casts statis on part of himself. or (since he is a pseudo-construct) someone else did it to him.

Khantalas
2006-12-11, 02:37 PM
... I'm not a doctor, but theoretically, if you removed someone's heart and were able to replace it with a mechanized heart, wouldn't their other organs kill shut down in time (assuming this was feasible in the first place, of course)?

Also, why does installing a mechanical heart in someone give them the ability to shock people?

Also, how in the world could you remove your own heart and replace it with a mechanized one? Even at Heal check 37,000 this would not be possible.

Catgirl killer! Get him!

Tormsskull
2006-12-11, 02:43 PM
I'm sorry, I was sitting in my office at lunch time reading this, and I just busted out laughing when I read the part about performing your own heart transplant. I mean, picture this guy sitting on a stretcher, carving out his own heart. When he extracts it he sets it on the table, then selects his favorite mechanized heart, placing it inside, reconnecting all of the ateries & and such, and then sews himself back up.

C'mon, aren't we breaching into unbelivability, even in the D&D sense, just a little bit? I mean, if it said something like "character must be placed in a timeless state or other state that prevents their death from the removal of their heart" or something I could accept it. Or even if there was a companion spell that transformed their heart into a mechanized version, whatever. But performing your own heart transplant? I'm sorry, that's just so hilarious because of its absurdness.

Khantalas
2006-12-11, 02:46 PM
Someone haven't watched Angel, clearly.

Tsk, tsk. Failing at your geek duty, are you?

Ing
2006-12-11, 03:21 PM
... I'm not a doctor, but theoretically, if you removed someone's heart and were able to replace it with a mechanized heart, wouldn't their other organs kill shut down in time (assuming this was feasible in the first place, of course)?

Also, why does installing a mechanical heart in someone give them the ability to shock people?

Also, how in the world could you remove your own heart and replace it with a mechanized one? Even at Heal check 37,000 this would not be possible.

1) yes the other organs do shut down and become redundent. If you re-read it is specificly states that the Technoliches blood will eventually absorb the organ tissue and reformat it into connective and muscular tissue

2) the heart also monitors their life status and keeps them at a near perfect equalibrium. Due to natural life magic flowing through the chaukras and natural electricity run off from the nervious system the heart is able to hold a rather significant charge that can be discharged slowly and gradually or rapidly to form a shock. Certian genetic anormalities exist in the real world where humans are able to hold a slight charge from nervous system electricity and either become magnetic or are able to give off a shock

3) the spellcrat check is for a specific ritual to keep the body alive and esscentually use a form of magical telekenisis to manually move blood throughout the body while the heart is being severed. Hence how someone could remain conscious and do it themselves...though that is not reconmended.

I might go as far and to say as to your comment about unbelievability, that you simply don't have a large enough imagination to see how the vast arcane or clerical powers from D&D could be applied to unique situations.

Ing
2006-12-11, 03:22 PM
Neat. Now, you just need to persue the idea to its logical conclusion. if he has a clockwork heart, and oil blood, why is he still seeing with squishy eyes? why is he still lifiting things with a flabby organic arm. and so on, until Phyresis is reached, and, save for a brain and part of the spinal chord (maybe not even that) there is nothing left of the original creature.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyrexia
http://www.ps-games.nl/images/content/8tPlagelord.jpg
http://home.versatel.nl/Metal-head/Order_of_Yawgmoth_for_pasting_272x223.jpg


Thank you. Do to increased interest I will put up some artifacts/feats the Technolich can make/take to increase their power via replacing more and more of their body.

ShneekeyTheLost
2006-12-11, 04:45 PM
Honestly, I think that you should change the +4 AC vs crit confirms and sneak attacks to moderate Fortification (from the DMG 3.5, core rules), which gives the Technolitch a 50% chance of ignoring a critical hit or sneak attack. The other half of the time, they either hit one of the mechanical organs, or something not as redundant (such as the brain).

Ironically, that would make this creature much more 'core' than the way you currently have it written.

Other than that, I like it. I may have to use this in one of my games, in fact.

Ing
2006-12-11, 06:44 PM
Honestly, I think that you should change the +4 AC vs crit confirms and sneak attacks to moderate Fortification (from the DMG 3.5, core rules), which gives the Technolitch a 50% chance of ignoring a critical hit or sneak attack. The other half of the time, they either hit one of the mechanical organs, or something not as redundant (such as the brain).

Ironically, that would make this creature much more 'core' than the way you currently have it written.

Other than that, I like it. I may have to use this in one of my games, in fact.


Ok fixed to make it fortification.

Tormsskull
2006-12-11, 10:09 PM
I might go as far and to say as to your comment about unbelievability, that you simply don't have a large enough imagination to see how the vast arcane or clerical powers from D&D could be applied to unique situations.

Well, I can imagine lots, and I'm definitely not trying to stifle your creativity, I'm just saying you have to think of the grand scheme. You see, when D&D players are introduced to this magical world that is your campaign, they immediately compare it to real life. Like, they take gravity for granted. No one has to tell them "Oh by the way, you don't just float into the sky, there's this thing called gravity...."

Players already know that. Now imagine you're describing a wound that someone took. If you tell me that I got impaled with a spear, I'm going to think my character is FUBARed. But, if you also tell me in this same world that people can remove their own hearts and perform self-heart transplants, I'm going to think "ehh, its a scratch. I'll just pull it out."

I would suggest emphasizing the powerful magics used in the ritual that sustain the persons life while they don't have a heart. That way when people read it they go "Oh, he's magically keeping himself alive while he removes his own heart." That way it reads it just sounds awkward. But then again, maybe its just me, I dunno.

Ing
2006-12-11, 10:20 PM
WEll like all ritual magics in the PBH, its up to the DM to decide on the flavor and exact details. It says how much the stuff costs but it dosn't say what they are or what goes on in the any number of days it takes to make a clone or whatever in any great detail

Fine....Varient rule, casting must be able to cast, Status, false life, mend, mage hand and shocking grasp.

Mewtarthio
2006-12-11, 11:37 PM
Or just amend it like so:


Creating a TECHNOLICH

A technolich is a template that can be applied to any living animal creature, hence forth known as the base creature

To become a technolich a creature must undergo or be forced to undergo a ritual that removes their heart and several other chest cavity organs and replace them with a mechanical replacement. The heart requires a craft check 50 to make and costs 5000 gold to make and 1,000 XP. The ritual to purify it and animate it requires a 2d4 week ritual that requires a spellcraft check (35). Installing the heart requires a painful magical ritual in which the base creature is kept alive while its heart is replaced. During the ritual, the person responsible for installing the heart must make a healing (or knowledge anatony) check with a DC of 35 if another does the installation and 50 if one preforms it on themselves. Durring the opperation a second heal check (30) must be made. If that check fails the opperation is a success but the base creature takes 6 perment Cha damage and will suffer feelings of detachment from living creatures. If any of the above fail the ritual must be start over and all costs are lost, if the primary heal check fails the creature also takes 2d4 con damage from the failed operaton.

Oh, by the way, ability damage is never permanent. There are four ways to get a score lowered:

-Ability damage: This is temporary and can be recovered naturally or through magic.
-Ability burn: As above, except it cannot be reversed magically and must be healed naturally (usually the person suffering burn submits himself to it, either as a sacrifice or a risk)
-Ability drain: This can only be reversed by powerful magic.
-Permanent ability loss: The Constitution loss when you resurrect a first-level character.

Ing
2006-12-12, 12:12 AM
Or just amend it like so:



Oh, by the way, ability damage is never permanent. There are four ways to get a score lowered:

-Ability damage: This is temporary and can be recovered naturally or through magic.
-Ability burn: As above, except it cannot be reversed magically and must be healed naturally (usually the person suffering burn submits himself to it, either as a sacrifice or a risk)
-Ability drain: This can only be reversed by powerful magic.
-Permanent ability loss: The Constitution loss when you resurrect a first-level character.

Bah the point was gottan across....also changed. I thought it would be obvious that hte ritual was to keep him alive for the process.

Evil_Pacifist
2006-12-12, 11:09 AM
Wow. Scary. I think it's cool.

mikeejimbo
2006-12-13, 12:06 AM
I love the idea, but there are a few things I don't understand.

For one thing, the heart doesn't regulate temperature, nor do I see why it would affect mind-altering things. (Since their brain is still intact.) I also don't understand why it would grant more Wisdom. Also, the heart doesn't filter the blood, so I don't see why poisons (except those that affect the heart) would be less effective.

I also don't understand why the other organs would be vestigial unless the heart performs their functions too.

What I'm thinking is that a clockwork kidney would give a bonus to poisons, and perhaps a clockwork hypothalamus would give a bonus against mind-altering effects.

Although the idea of a clockwork hypothalamus is absurd.

Perhaps, just perhaps, I should suspend disbelief and call it good as it is? Still, you did want an idea for another feat to replace other body parts, so my suggestion is to give a +2 bonus against poisons, toxins and disease, and a +6 for the clockwork kidney.

Ing
2006-12-13, 12:17 AM
I love the idea, but there are a few things I don't understand.

For one thing, the heart doesn't regulate temperature, nor do I see why it would affect mind-altering things. (Since their brain is still intact.) I also don't understand why it would grant more Wisdom. Also, the heart doesn't filter the blood, so I don't see why poisons (except those that affect the heart) would be less effective.

I also don't understand why the other organs would be vestigial unless the heart performs their functions too.

What I'm thinking is that a clockwork kidney would give a bonus to poisons, and perhaps a clockwork hypothalamus would give a bonus against mind-altering effects.

Although the idea of a clockwork hypothalamus is absurd.

Perhaps, just perhaps, I should suspend disbelief and call it good as it is? Still, you did want an idea for another feat to replace other body parts, so my suggestion is to give a +2 bonus against poisons, toxins and disease, and a +6 for the clockwork kidney.

Well you answered your own question. The "Heart" takes over many of the functions...or rather the heart and the construct blood he introduces into it, which is why the organs become vestigial. the blood stream is the method for transfering hormones so the clockwork heart regulates that. The fact that they become slightly construct like and have an internal clock and rythme adds the wisdom bonus.

mikeejimbo
2006-12-13, 12:27 AM
Well you answered your own question. The "Heart" takes over many of the functions...or rather the heart and the construct blood he introduces into it, which is why the organs become vestigial. the blood stream is the method for transfering hormones so the clockwork heart regulates that. The fact that they become slightly construct like and have an internal clock and rythme adds the wisdom bonus.

So it's not just a heart, but a sort of internal 'core'? I could deal with that, even though having a clockwork kidney sounds neat.

Ing
2006-12-13, 12:34 AM
In a few I'll add up Clockwork organs

Lungs
stomach
Kidney
Arms
Eye
Legs

mikeejimbo
2006-12-13, 12:44 AM
Stomach should give you a bonus against poisons too, come to think of it. And also probably lessen the amount of food you need to eat. (Perhaps it's more efficient?)

Lungs would let you hold your breath longer, too.

I don't know if a clockwork eye would work well.

Arms and legs would add to strength and speed, respectively.

The_Cowinator
2006-12-14, 06:12 AM
I'm on the fence about this one. Good idea, for sure, but I have found that technology has ended up being a no-no at my D&D table. Maybe thats just my group though.