PDA

View Full Version : Pathfinder [PrC] Who's on the menu today, then?



Phillammon
2014-04-14, 11:50 AM
The Glutton

"Any last requests?"
"Just one. Could you recommend a wine to go with you?"
-Elijah, the Bloodied Butcher of Kayne, Glutton

If you know what you're looking for, it's easy to spot a Glutton. A telltale trail of blood from lip to chin, evasiveness when questioned about their cooking, or maybe just the unflinching, hungry stare they all seem to have. Gluttons aren't impossible to work with, as long as you're more useful to them as a teammate than you are as a morsel. But one thing is for sure; when the battle's over, and all is said and done... avert your eyes.

Role: The Glutton is a frontline fighter, using their combat regeneration capacity to keep themselves alive while dealing considerable damage to foes.

Alignment: While a Glutton can be of any alignment, they are almost exclusively of Evil alignments for... practical reasons.

Hit Die: d12

Requirements
To qualify to become a Glutton, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Skills: At least 3 ranks in Profession (Chef) or Profession (Gourmet Chef)
Special: Must have voluntarily consumed the flesh of a member of their own race

Class Skills
The Glutton's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Ranks per Level: (4 + Int modifier)


Glutton


Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special


1st

+1

+1

+0

+0
Gorge (Full-Round Action), Refined Palate (1), Metabolism


2nd

+2

+1

+1

+1
Battle Butcher, Back for Seconds


3rd

+3

+2

+1

+1
Gorge (Standard Action)


4th

+4

+2

+1

+1
Refined Palate (2)


5th

+5

+3

+2

+2
Gorge (Move Action)


6th

+6

+3

+2

+2
Improved Metabolism


7th

+7

+4

+2

+2
Gorge (Swift Action), Refined Palate (3)


8th

+8

+4

+3

+3
Messy Eater


9th

+9

+5

+3

+3
Gorge (Free Action)


10th

+10

+5

+3

+3
Refined Palate (4)



Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Glutton.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: The Glutton does not gain any new proficiencies, but keeps the proficiencies of their previous class(es).

Gorge (Ex): Starting at the first level, a Glutton becomes much quicker at eating. At first level, a Glutton may consume a ration or similar amount of food as a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. At third level, they may consume a ration as a standard action. At fifth level, this becomes a move action, and Gorging food no longer provokes attacks of opportunity. At seventh level, this becomes a swift action. At ninth level, this becomes a free action.

Refined Palate (Ex): Starting at the first level, a Glutton becomes open to whole culinary worlds never before considered. On reaching first level, a Glutton chooses a creature type. As a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity, a Glutton may Butcher the corpse of a creature of this type which is one size category smaller than the Glutton or larger. For the purposes of Refined Palate, a helpless creature is treated as a corpse. If the corpse is successfully Butchered, a Glutton obtains remains from the corpse that can be treated by the Glutton as a ration of food. This can take place even if the original corpse would ordinarily be inedible, poisonous, or rotten. Remains cut off in this way cannot regenerate independent of the body. If the Glutton chooses to do so, they may consume the remains as part of the action, though this extends the action to a full-round action if the Glutton is level two or below. A corpse can be Butchered a number of times equal to the number of hit dice the creature originally had. If a living creature is Butchered in this way, they take damage equal to the size of their largest hit die. At level four, level seven, and level ten, the Glutton may select an additional creature type to benefit from the effects of Refined Palate.

Metabolism (Ex): Starting at the first level, a Glutton's body becomes able to burn energy exceptionally fast. When a Glutton consumes a ration or similar amount of food, they gain Fast Healing 1 for a number of rounds equal to their Glutton levels. However, this comes at a cost. Each day, a Glutton must consume an additional ration's-worth of food for every level of Glutton they have to avoid starvation.

Battle Butcher (Ex): Starting at the second level, a Glutton learns how to multitask eating and fighting. By voluntarily taking a -4 penalty to their attack roll, a Glutton may attempt to Butcher a foe with a melee attack. This foe must be belong to a type selected for Refined Palate. If the attack is successful, it deals additional damage equal to the Glutton's Glutton levels. If the attack successfully deals damage equal to or greater than the size of the largest hit die on the target foe, the Glutton obtains remains from the foe as if they had Butchered a corpse. Unlike Butchering a corpse, the Glutton may not consume the remains as part of this action.

Back for Seconds (Ex): Starting at the second level, a Glutton starts to hunger even as they consume. For one minute per Glutton level after consuming remains, the Glutton gains benefits to attacking similar creatures. If the Glutton attacks a foe which shares a type with the remains, the Glutton gains an untyped bonus to attack and damage rolls against that foe equal to a half of their Glutton levels, rounded up. If the foe is of the same race as the remains, this bonus increases to being equal to their Glutton levels. If the remains were up until recently part of the foe, the Glutton additionally automatically confirms any critical hits threatened by attacks against the foe.

Improved Metabolism (Ex): At sixth level, a Glutton's fast metabolism improves further. When a Glutton consumes a ration or similar amount of food, they either gain Regeneration (Fire, Acid) equal to their Constitution modifier (maximum 5) for a number of rounds equal to half their Glutton levels, rounded up, or Fast Healing equal to their Glutton levels for a number of rounds equal to their Glutton levels, at the Glutton's choice. These effects do not stack- if a Glutton is Regenerating using Improved Metabolism, attempting to Fast Heal with Improved Metabolism ends the Regeneration effect immediately, and vice versa.

Messy Eater (Ex): At eighth level, the Glutton becomes able to exploit how gruesome their eating habits are. As a full round action that provokes attacks of opportunity, the Glutton may messily devour remains. All foes within 30 feet that can see this harrowing display must make a Fortitude save with a DC equal to 10 + the Glutton's Glutton Levels + the Glutton's Constitution Modifier or become sickened for one minute. If the saving throw is failed by 5 or more, the foe instead becomes nauseated for one minute. If the remains being devoured are the same type as the foe, the DC increases by 2. If they are of the same race, the DC is instead increased by 4, and if they remains were cut from the foe itself, the DC is increased by 8 instead. This effect does not stack with itself- foes who have been sickened by Messy Eater cannot be sickened again by Messy Eater to become nauseated, however, they can become Nauseated as usual if they fail a saving throw by 5 or more. If a creature successfully saves against Messy Eater, they cannot be affected by Messy Eater for 1 hour.

Meat Cleaver
Exotic One-Handed/ Martial Two-Handed Melee Weapon
1d10/19-20x2 Slashing Damage
40 gp
A three and a half foot cleaver, somewhat oversized for its normal purpose, but usable in combat with the right training. If a Meat Cleaver is the weapon used when attempting to Butcher a foe in combat, the penalty to the attack roll is reduced to -2. A character proficient with bastard swords can use a Meat Cleaver proficiently, but does not gain the benefit to Butchering.


So that's the Glutton! Apologies for the... macabre subject material, I was looking back at the archives of the Pathfinder Grab Bag competition and got inspired by the "What's in a name" prompt (in case it's not obvious, look at my avatar). In any case, I vaguely had ideas for doing something more with this, possibly involving stealing special qualities from things when eating their corpse, but I figured leaving it as a primarily mundane rather than magical class made more sense, plus, it's pretty... inelegant, at the moment. As is, it's feeling pretty flavourful I'm sorry I'm sorry the pun wasn't intended but there was no other word I could really have used but it looks like it might be in dire need of some more power somewhere, and making level eight not-dead would be a good thing.

In any case, feedback and suggestions would be appreciated, if possible. Any thoughts, anyone?

Primal Fury
2014-04-14, 12:03 PM
Aw MAN. I'm doing something really similar with a bloodline thing I'm making, but your's done much more elegantly. I really want to steal Refined Palate for one of the abilities. In other words, this is really good.

Although... You might be better served naming the "Guzzle" ability "Gorge", if only because the former has to do with drinking, and the later with eating, which it seems this class focuses more on. That's more of a stylistic choice though; either way is appropriate.

Phillammon
2014-04-14, 12:05 PM
Ah, good point. I wasn't immediately aware of the connotations of Guzzle, I'll switch that around. Also, steal away, if you so wish!

qazzquimby
2014-04-14, 07:31 PM
Thank you very much, I now have enough for a cannibal folder in my bookmarks!

Gestalt Xenoalchemist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?205119-Must-Affix-Everything-to-Everything!-(Grafts-That-Don-t-Make-Me-Cry-Myself-To-Sleep))1/Ozodrin (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?153536-Tooth-and-Tentacle-base-class-PEACH)3/Connoisseur (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?93577-The-Forbidden-Feast-Base-Class-PEACH)16//Glutton10/Devourer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?248579-The-Blue-Book-Preview-No-3-The-Devourer!)10

Tanuki Tales
2014-04-14, 10:49 PM
You continue to impress. :smallamused:

Some suggestions though:

Metabolism should either be just Fast Healing 1 or scale so it equals half the Glutton's Glutton levels.
Back for Seconds is just...well, awkward. The bonus it gives for creatures of the same type never really matters, even at max level for this PrC. I suggest giving the same type half class level, same race full bonus and the actual creature something like autoconfirm critical hits or ignore DR/FH/Regen or something similar.
Improved Metabolism is a tricky class feature. I'm a strong advocate that both Fast Healing and Regeneration are severely overrated, but giving them both at the same time (especially Regeneration that you never mentioned having a method to bypass) is definitely strong. May I suggest that they choose between either Fast Healing or Regeneration, with the former being equal to their Glutton level and the latter equal to half their Glutton level but it lasts for a shorter duration?

Phillammon
2014-04-14, 11:55 PM
Thank you very much, I now have enough for a cannibal folder in my bookmarks!

Gestalt Xenoalchemist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?205119-Must-Affix-Everything-to-Everything!-(Grafts-That-Don-t-Make-Me-Cry-Myself-To-Sleep))1/Ozodrin (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?153536-Tooth-and-Tentacle-base-class-PEACH)3/Connoisseur (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?93577-The-Forbidden-Feast-Base-Class-PEACH)16//Glutton10/Devourer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?248579-The-Blue-Book-Preview-No-3-The-Devourer!)10
Well, I guess it was too much to hope that it would be completely original, it's a common archetype. I like how all 4 there take slightly different approaches to it, I must say.

You continue to impress. :smallamused:

Some suggestions though:

Metabolism should either be just Fast Healing 1 or scale so it equals half the Glutton's Glutton levels.

Thanks! Apologies on that one, I just wasn't aware of how the power works out there. Making it Fast Healing 1 so it has a clear upgrade when you reach 6 makes the most sense, I'm guessing.

Back for Seconds is just...well, awkward. The bonus it gives for creatures of the same type never really matters, even at max level for this PrC. I suggest giving the same type half class level, same race full bonus and the actual creature something like autoconfirm critical hits or ignore DR/FH/Regen or something similar.

I... may have forgotten while making this that you can't advance it to 20, somehow. No clue *how* I managed to forget, but I dit it somehow. Autoconfirmed crits sounds like a good way to go with it, I'll change it to reflect that.

Improved Metabolism is a tricky class feature. I'm a strong advocate that both Fast Healing and Regeneration are severely overrated, but giving them both at the same time (especially Regeneration that you never mentioned having a method to bypass) is definitely strong. May I suggest that they choose between either Fast Healing or Regeneration, with the former being equal to their Glutton level and the latter equal to half their Glutton level but it lasts for a shorter duration?
The regeneration was intended as a temporary "you need to deal X more damage to put this guy under" thing. Making it overcome by acid is the logical weakness to go for under the circumstances if that's stronger than I anticipated, which it apparently is, sorry.
Actually now I come to think of it, it would only have ever worked like that if I explicitly made it so it didn't fast heal you have passed -[constitution score], that was significantly stronger than intended, apologies. In any case, many thanks for the feedback, I'll go ahead and make the changes!

ThirdEmperor
2014-04-15, 02:24 AM
This is delightfully flavorful, but the levels could stand to be a bit more full. Level ate is painfully empty, for instance. And the fast healing/favorite enemy bonuses should probably come in bigger portions.

Phillammon
2014-04-15, 04:04 AM
I agree entirely. I heard somewhere, not sure where, that there should be no such thing as a dead level on a non-caster class, so that definitely needs fixing. I'm not sure more healing power is feasible without breaking the balance of it, but some more benefits for fighting your food would be nice.

One idea, not sure whether to pursue it- would adding a "Messy Eater" style ability at level 8, allowing the Glutton to spend a full round action eating to attempt to sicken/nauseate onlookers, with penalties to the saving throw if you're the same type/race/person as the thing being eaten be a good idea?

ThirdEmperor
2014-04-15, 05:37 AM
I don't think it would hurt much to bump the Fast Healing up to 2 or 3 somewhere along the class progression. Barbarians are getting a point of DR every three levels, and I've always held that DR is even better than FH past level 6th, because enemies get more attacks and DR (applied per attack) will shave off more damage than equal Fast Healing (applied once a round). That's also around the point wands of CLW get affordable enough that attrition isn't much of a factor anymore.

LordErebus12
2014-04-15, 06:01 AM
This makes me remember one of the last episodes of Hannibal

(in reference to the meal being served, which is Gideon's own leg)
Gideon: "How does one politely refuse a dish in circumstances such as these?"
Hannibal: "One doesn't..."

----

Hannibal: "The tragedy is not to die, Abel, but to be wasted."

Phillammon
2014-04-15, 06:51 AM
I reread Tanuki's post, yours, and what I'd done to Improved Metabolism and realised I'd unnecessarily gutted it. Is it preferable now? I feel it may have been overtuned back up now, but at this point it's "homing in" on balance, hopefully. I've also tentatively added Messy Eater, to try do deal with level 8 being dead, feedback on that would be appreciated.

My hope with this class was that there was a spectrum of how it could be played, with the refined, LE Hannibal Lecter on one end of the scale and the depraved CE Pudge or Elijah or any of that archetype on the other end of it, so it's heartening to see the comparisons to Hannibal being made.

Tanuki Tales
2014-04-18, 10:22 PM
I don't think it would hurt much to bump the Fast Healing up to 2 or 3 somewhere along the class progression. Barbarians are getting a point of DR every three levels, and I've always held that DR is even better than FH past level 6th, because enemies get more attacks and DR (applied per attack) will shave off more damage than equal Fast Healing (applied once a round). That's also around the point wands of CLW get affordable enough that attrition isn't much of a factor anymore.

DR, in amounts lower than 15, is pretty much worthless as a mechanic meant to be used against level appropriate enemies. Fast Healing is even more of a worthless mechanic, requiring at least 30% of max hp each round to be relevant.

Phillammon
2014-04-22, 11:17 AM
Would it be worth amping up the Fast Healing, then, or possibly even going all out and adding damage resistance to Metabolism in a similar fashion to Back for Seconds?