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View Full Version : D&D 3.x Other Living Armory, featuring biological items of various types. (Please PEACH)



Almarck
2015-01-31, 11:59 PM
I’ve decided to redesign alot of things. Ditched the evolution mechanic for something more flavorful, “Synergies”. Living items now benefit from equipping other items. Additionally, I’ve reorganized the abilities and traits of weapons.

Still would like feedback.

For now, ignore any references to evolution while I start to work on modifying things.


Living Armory
Not all adventuring equipment adventurers find is made of cold metal or preserved leathers. Sometimes, many of them find tool as and equipment that are of a far more unusual, living nature. While it is not unheard (and indeed expected) of for primitive cultures to make use of animal bones and skin, there are cases where the tools themselves are as alive their weilders.

Whether such objects are created from an advanced civilization that understood how to twist flesh before learning to master fire, of alien intelligences from deep in the earth, or even the result of a mad alchemist’s plans, it doesn’t matter. What is important to know is that these objects are sometimes as much creatures in of themselves, sometimes able to act as animal companions and familiars in addition to its use as an object.

For the Adventurers

Living items are the results of a mad and eldritch magic and usually alien thought patterns taken and applied to living things. That said, while living items function very similarly to ordinary items (especially in the case of living items meant to replicate manufactured items), living items possess numerous boons and abilities that separate them from mundane equipment.

The most obvious change from mundane equipment is that living items very rarely need maintenance and repair. Metal armor may get dinged and singed during battle, blades dull and rust after drawing blood, bows need more arrows to keep firin. It then becomes up to the wearer to ensure that his equipment is fully repaired and restored for any upcoming engagements.

Living equipment do not possess this limitation. Dents and fractures, even those that severely hinder the item become mended if enough time is applied. Swords clean themselves of blood and welts in their form the flesh and hardened carapace being filled in, good as new. A ranged living weapon supplies its own ammo, only running out when its bearer fires it faster than it can produce.

The other most obvious change is that to live, living items may bond with their owner, allowing their functions and purposes to be used with only a thought. Even more impressive is that living items can work in tandem, connecting to each other to improve their overall capabilities. Each additional item improves the overall whole more efficiently.

To races like the aboleths, the yith, and other races that sponsor and develop living equipment, the ideal warrior is one that is clad in head to toe (or other appendage) in technorganic armor, each and every piece of equipment a part of a much larger whole. Before even magic is involved, the warrior is personally powerful, self-sufficient soldier.


Rules system:

In Living Armory, the weapons and armor are alive. They still function similarly to normal items in that they posses hitpoints, hardness, and follow a number of item specific rules such as taking half damage from energy attacks. They may even be enhanced and modified as normal items, though again they are alive.

The ascetics and look of a living item do not matter much, other than to give and define a simple understanding of function. An item meant to harm is clearly displayed as such, a bladed item is obviously meant to cut through foes, an item that shoots electricity forewarns its function with mild crackles of static around its barrel. For example, in the case of a living item meant to emulate a gun, the item may resemble anything from a long barreled weapon, an over-elongated pitcher plant, or even a strange nightmarish protrusion that spits spikes out one end. The look doesn’t matter, so long as the function is obvious to anyone who knows what the item is supposed to represent.

The other rules are represented by a number of special traits specific to living armory items listed at the bottom of this page.




Instead of following mundane crafting rules, living items have their own specific system.

Living items do not reproduce unless otherwise stated, but there are ways to create more of them.

Living items are created by the introduction of a lifeseed, a product of specially created trees that possess many traits similar to plants and animals. A lifeseed may be used to create nearly any type of living item, but doing so requires introducing the proper strands of DNA in the correct sequence of events. This determines the inclination and traits the item will possess.

Creating Living items does not need a feat.

Living Items follow 3 stages of development in no set order: Conceptual, Larval, and Completed.

The Conceptual stage is the process of instilling instilling life into a dormant lifeseed, encouraging it to hatch and consuming living matter through the installation of chemicals and DNA sequences. Typically, this is all done in a large pot of flask to contain the growing item. During this phase, chemicals and food must be given to the growing seed, to determine how it is to grow and develop. Living matter and chemicals of the appropriate type to determine brings the cost equal to 1/2 the item’s market value.

Regardless of the item, beginning the Conceptual stage requires only 1 hour of work after which the item moves into its Larval stage.

Once in Larval stage, the item starts developing on its own, multiplying and dividing its cells into the desired form chosen during the Conceptual phase. A Larval stage item does not require any work to maintain other than adding more food on a daily basis. Larval stage typically lasts 1 day for every 1,000 gold in the base item’s cost.

Once the Larval stage is finished, the item is complete and ready to use, the Completed stage.





Living Thing:Due their organic nature, spells that function based on repairing an inanimate object or construct do not work on living equipment. Instead, spells that affect living creatures may be used on living items, such as cure spells, and magic fang, instead of magical armor. Additionally, some spells, such as Phantasmal Killer may be used to "destroy" a living item. Druids may also wear and benefit using living items as they are classified as nonmetal items, despite their seemingly unnatural nature.

Self-Sufficiency: Despite being living creatures, living equipment does not need to be directly fed. Instead, any piece of living equipment is able to draw energy and raw materials to itself in a variety of different ways, such as siphoning off excess magical energy, draining miniscule and unnoticable amounts of psychic power from their holder while he sleeps, soaking up energy directly from the sun, or even taking nutrition from enemies damaged by the weapon itself. Regardless of the method or methods used, the item is completely self sufficient, so long as it is in active use.
Should an item not be in close contact (roughly 10 feet away) to another living creature or be used for a whole week, the item falls into dormancy and needs an hour to be reawaken itself once contact has been restablished.

Self-Recovery: Living equipment is capable of self repair. Every hour, a living armory item recovers hitpoints. Living items that are broken lose that condition once they are healed above half their hitpoints.

Unnatural: Regardless of the origins of living equipment, one constant remains; they are all the results of twisting life to suit the needs and desires of their creators. As a result, all living items are considered creatures of the aberrant type when that creature type is called into question. (for example, activating a Ranger’s Favored Enemy bonus on sunder attempts). Unless otherwise stated, they are also mindless and incapable of moving.

Untamed Living items are never masterwork, and under normal circumstances nor may they be enchanted as mundane equipment is able. Attempting to enchant an item destroys it. Magical effects meant to empower a creature apply as normal.

Melding: Living items may physically and/or psychically join with their user via a process of powerful grips, clamps, telepathy, and other esoteric phenomena. Regardless of the function, the user benefits

For armor and other equipment, this functions as Graft Armor (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/psionic-powers/g/graft-armor) except that the wearer may rest in his armor and suffer no penalties for doing so, on top of the usual benefits.
(For those who cannot use the link: while melded: Maximum Dexterity Bonus increases by 1, the armor's Armor Check Penalty is reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 0), any arcane spell failure is reduced by 10%, and the armor is treated as one step lighter for all purposes except armor proficiency (light armor is still considered light armor)

For weapons, this functions as Graft Weapon (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/psionic-powers/g/graft-weapon), except that it may also apply to all living weapons regardless of the number of hands used to wield it effectively. In the case of a weapon that require two hands, only one hand is required to grafted to the living weapon, but the other hand must be free to enable full use of the weapon, suffering the usual penalties for improperly holding a weapon if the other hand is not free. Weapons that are capable of being used twohanded or onehanded may be used in either state at the weilder’s discretion.
(Aside from making it impossible to disarm and damage caused by sunder is applied to the weilder instead of the weapon, the weapon may be treated as a manufactured or natural weapon at the wielder's discretion. It also add a +1 competence bonus to attack and damage rolls using the weapon. A hand that is occupied with a melded living weapon may be used freely, but takes -2 to rolls that involve finesse.

Unlike the above powers, melding lasts for as long as the wearer desires, days, months, even years may pass and the wearer may still cling to his armor.

The statistics blocks for items are written under the assumption that the wielder hasn't melded with the item.
Only physical creatures with a constitution score (or other living items) may meld with a living item. Living items may still be used by creatures that cannot meld with them, but doing so does not allow the item to be used to its fullest.



There are also a few unique traits that are not universal to living equipment, but are commonly associated with them.


Autonomous: Some items are more complex than others, able to act as fully living creatures. Such items often have creature statistics that may be used in certain circumstances depending on the item in question. In any case, the creature’s hardness always applies regardless if it moves or not.

In all cases, statistics are provided either by referencing an existent creature or providing new statistics in the item’s description. If the living item’s information ever conflicts with the creature’s statistics or information, default to the creature’s hitpoints, AC bonuses, and saves instead of the item’s, treat the creature as a mindless aberration and not an unattended nonmagical object, and treat the item’s hardness as an untyped Damage Reduction of equal value.

Companionable: Autonomous living items occassionally have the benefit of being able to be bound as a familiar or animal companion, as listed in the item's abilities. In all cases, either statics blocks are given or a reference to a similar creature is made, as well as what manner of magical binding applies.


Networking: Many living items when melded with a host are able to also to tangibly affect other living items attached to the same host. When this occurs, one or both of the items in question gains a benefit.

There is no limit to how many items joined via Networking, nor is there a limit to how many times one item may be joined with other items, excluding the limitations of the wearer’s inventory slots and limbs able to hold weapons.


Format: Current ItemName of second item: Benefit applied to second item
Ex. Venon-Sack. Melee weapon: Poisons foes struck with attacks from this weapon

Intelligent: Despite their powers, most living items are very base, either possessing animal or even simpler intellects, barely able to be registered as able to think. Some items are capable of complex thinking patterns, sometimes even to a better degree than their wielder’s.


Note: Living Armory items may not become Intelligent items the same way other unliving items are able to, nor do they follow the normal rules of intelligent magical items. Living items do not need to be magical to become intelligent, but being magical or intelligent does not prevent allowing the item to also be the other. The rules living items use to become intelligent have their own section defining their use.

Almarck
2015-02-01, 12:00 AM
Living Weapons
By far the most common and widespread living living are weapons, simply because they tend to be tend to be the easiest to make and are easily portable and concealable. Their functions are quite simple, similar to using weapons of compatible appearance, but their inner workings are much more complex.

Like all living items, the key advantage of living weapons is their self sufficiency and reliability, but some living weapons take this a step further by rapidly replenishing their ammunition stores and maintaining a store otherwise expendable resources the user would normally go out of his way to produce. Typically, ranged weapons in particular are more prone to this than other weapons, able to forge replacement munitions at a rate measurable in multiples per second. Users of such weapons rarely fear ammo inefficieny for their weapons rarely are depleted so thoroughly.

Melee weapons tend to emulate mundane equipment, but their texture and nature is more complex than a simple change of base materials.

Even more impressive is that living weapons seamlessly bind to the user’s forearms, becoming a specialized, almost natural extension of the user’s own limbs, giving their owner increased accuracy and power to strike at his foes. See melding above for details.

A well trained individual armed with the right living weapons can exceed his peers.

There are two primary types of living weapon, emulated and original. Emulated weapons are living weapons that function almost identically to their mundane counterparts, whereas original weapons have no real comparisons to mundane equipment

Emulated Weapons
Emulated weapons are living weapons that emulate the functions of an existing mundane weapon but is made of unusual materials. For all intents and purposes, emulated weapons are treated as a normal weapon of their type for the purposes of feats, traits, class features, and other abilities, save that the weapon is composed of unusual materials, following the usual rules of special materials when used on weapons, except that the weapons are not considered masterwork.



Weapon Size
Adaptive Ceramite
Hardened Vulkrum
Supple Varrite


Light
+400 gp
+4,000 gp
+400 gp


One-Handed
+700 gp
+4,000 gp
+700 gp


Two-Handed
+1,400 gp
+4,000 gp
+1,400 gp




A very basic and simplistic material lacking in unusual abilities on its own, save that the weapon is capable of self-repair and able to merge with its wielder. It is strong as steel. Adaptive Ceramite however is very responsive to the inclusion of other living items within the wielder’s network, particularly Catalysts.

Adaptive Ceramite may only be applied to melee weapons.



A subtstance that rivals adamantimum in its durability it. Living weapons made from Vulkurm are treated as though they were adamantium weapons for piercing damage reduction and bypassing hardness. The hardness of Vulkurm weapon is that of adamantium.

Only melee weapons may be made from Hardened Vulkurm




A slightly more complex version of Ceramite that is soft and flexibile as wood and able to be shaped in a variety of ways.
Varrite weapons posses the ability to shape and condense the user's own aura and innate bioelectrical field into a tangible form.

Varrite weapons do not have a resupply trait like other ranged living weapons. Instead, each turn, the user receives a number of shots equal to Constitution modifier. Any shots using the weapon in a given turn are wasted and the munitions do not carry over to the next turn. Once fired and landing or missing on the target, the shot remains in the target until pulled out like a normal arrow. Once removed, the expended munition dissipates.

Supple Varrite may only be applied to bows and crossbows.





Original Weapons
Original weapons are weapons that have no real equivalents found outside of themselves. They may be part of mundane weapons groups.




Name
Price
Damage
Type
Critical
Range
Capacity
Weight
Special
Proficiency


Acid Lobber
1,000 gp
1d8
Acid
x2
50 feet
10
2 lbs
Touch, Semi-Automatic, Resupply (1/turn)
One-handed Firearm*


Acid Blaster
2,000
2d6
Acid
x2
150 feet
20
6 lbs
Touch, Automatic, Resupply (2/turn)
Two-handed Firearm*


Crushing Claw
5,000 gp
3d8
Piercing, Slashing
x2
Melee
0
3 lbs
Adamantine, Armor Piercing 10, Slow to Fire
One-handed Martial


Shock Roach
500 gp
1d6
Electric
x3
75 feet
10
2 lbs
Touch, Semi-Automatic, Resupply (3/turn), Autonomous (treat as a weasel), Companionable (weasel familiar)
One-handed Firearm*


Spike Lobber
500
1d8
Bludgeoning, Piercing
x4
50 feet
7
6 lbs
Touch (first range increment only), Resupply (2/turn)
One-handed Firearm*


Spike Blaster
1,500
2d6
Bludgeoning, Piercing
x4
100 feet
20
20 lbs
Touch (first range increment only), Automatic, Resupply (4/turn)
Two-handed Firearm*






For the purposes of simplicity and because covering firearms is complex enough on its own, living weapons that function like firearms only do so for the purposes of proficiency requirements or whether class abilities and feats dependant on using firearms may affect them.

For this reason, gaining proficiency with living items is considered an exotic “firearms” proficiency. This means that selecting “firearms” when taking Exotic Weapon Proficiency is treated as a proficiency in all living firearms.

Some DMs may not want their players to need to spend an extra feat on living weapon firearms. Treat two-handed living weapon firearms as a martial proficiency and one-handed living weapon firearms as a simple proficiency instead.

Living weapon firearms do not inherit any “inherent” Pathfinder specific special rules pertaining to firearms, such as misfires causing explosions, jamming the gun caused it to gain the broken condition, or resolving at touch AC when attacking a target in the first range increments unless otherwise stated.





The Acid Lobber is a simple but effective weapon that shoots high pressure “bombs” containing fast acting acid at high speeds. Melding with its user, it rapidly regrows lost munitions, but extended battle can leave it depleted much faster.



The Acid Blaster is an upscaled lobber able to fire stronger acid in greater quantities at farther ranges. It also produces munitions faster than a normal lobber.


The Crushing Claw is an oversized gauntlet that completely engulfs the wielder's fist that produces a number of long, sharp blades for each finger. It is able to punch through armor better than most other weapons, but it is slow and cumbersome, allowing it to be used only once per round. The wielder may still charge with a Crushing Claw, ignoring its slow to fire rule.

The Crushing Claw is treated as an adamantine weapon for all purposes, excluding being metallic.


The shock roach is a somewhat unusual weapon that resembles an oversized metalic blue bug. It fires electrical shocks in close range. Strangely, it may be taken as a familiar by those so inclined to have one.




The spike lobber hurls projectiles at high speeds. While not as easily able to piece enemy armor at long range as other lobbers, it is able to slice through at close range. It also replenishes its munitions faster than other lobbers.



The spike blaster is an upscaled lobber. It’s features are increases on the smaller design by taking advantage of larger and stronger muscle fibers and construction.




Living Weapon Qualities
Compared to other living items, living weapons possess a number of traits.

Touch: Normal attacks done by this weapon are resolved against touch AC.

Self-supply: Living ranged weapons (and melee weapons with expendable resources) do not usually accept munitions inserted into them. Instead, they automatically resupply their own munitions at the listed rate. The weapon may replenish its munitions up to the listed capacity.

Scatter: A weapon with the scatter weapon quality can shoot two different types of ammunition. It can fire normal projectiles that target one creature, or it can make a scattering shot, attacking all creatures within a cone. When a scatter weapon attacks all creatures within a cone, it makes a separate attack roll against each creature within the cone. Each attack roll takes a –2 penalty, and its attack damage cannot be modified by precision damage or damage-increasing feats such as Vital Strike. Effects that grant concealment, such as fog or smoke, or the blur,invisibility, or mirror image spells, do not foil a scatter attack. If any of the attack rolls threaten a critical, confirm the critical for that attack roll alone.

Armor Piercing Attacks by the weapon treat armor and natural armor bonuses on the attacked creature are being lower, with a value given by the creature.

Automatic A weapon with the automatic quality may act as a semi-automatic weapon or fire a burst of shots with a single pull of the trigger to attack all creatures in a line. This line starts from any corner of the wielder's space and extends to the limit of the weapon's range or until it strikes a barrier it cannot penetrate. When using an automatic weapon to attack all creatures in a line, the wielder makes a separate attack roll against each creature in the line. Each creature in the line can be attacked with only one shot from each burst. Each attack roll takes a -2 penalty, and its damage cannot be modified by precision damage or damage-increasing feats such as Vital Strike. Effects that grant concealment, such as fog or smoke, or the blur, invisibility, or mirror image spells, do not affect an automatic weapon's line attack. Roll to confirm each attack roll that threatens a critical hit separately. When taking a full-attack action with an automatic weapon, the wielder can fire as many bursts in a round as he has attacks, provided he has enough munitions to make all of the attacks. Unless otherwise stated, using the automatic action in this second manner consumes 10 munitions.

Semi-Automatic: A semi-automatic weapon normally fires one shot as an attack. However, the user can take a full-attack action to fire twice, as if using the Rapid Shot feat (including taking a -2 penalty on all attacks). If the wielder has the Rapid Shot feat, she can use the additional shot from that as well, but the penalty for all shots fired in that round increases to -6.

Slow to Fire A weapon with this trait is unable to use multiple attacks in a single turn. Slow weapons need a full-round action to fire, though some may not need it.

Almarck
2015-02-01, 12:01 AM
Living Armors
Though far harder to hide and rather obvious in its nature, living armor tends to be rather a rare sight due to the prevalence and ease of manufacture of metal and leather mundane items. A few individuals here and there might possess a suit or two, but such individuals may be counted on a single hand even in the largest of cities. Only societies that have completely turned to using organic technology produce more than a handful of living suits.

Living armor protects its wearer efficiently and readily, not just by providing a strong physical bulwark against attacks, but by giving the wearer’s ease of movement among other unusual abilities. Living armor can seal up deep cuts and wounds with its self-repairing flesh and automatic link to the wearer’s pain.

Wearers in such armor may never need to leave their armor and may in time come to view it as a second skin, even to the point of feeling awkward and exposed without it on. It bonds to the wearer seamlessly, perhaps even better than living weapons. Despite covering the whole body, living armor never impedes the ability for the wearer to bind with other items.

Living Armor consists of two main types, body armor and shields.

Unlike living weapons, living armor (excluding shields) does not have separate “unique” and “emulated” categories. Instead, living armor is totally run under the assumption that the armor is “unique”, with many armor sharing the same functionalities, if possessing different statistics.



Living Armor Qualities
Similar to other living items, living armors may possess a number of unique traits.

Augmentation The item provides a bonus to one or more statistics of the user, such as on ability scores or spend speed. The bonus is treated as an Enhancement bonus and thus does not stack with other existing enhancement bonuses.

Bullet Proof Firearms (including energy based firearms and living firearms), resolve their attacks against the wearer’s total AC instead of his touch AC..

Life Support The living armor is capable of sealing its user away entirely within to protect it from the environment. This allows the user to benefit from a constant Endure the Elements effect.

The wearer never need take off the armor as it takes care of most biological functions and requirements (such as waste disposal), though the user still needs to rest as is normal.


Stabilizing Every turn, the armor has a X% chance to stabilize a dying wearer or remove a bleed effect.




Weapons Table


Name
Armor Bonus
Max Dexterity
Armor Check Penalty
Arcane Spell Failure Chance
Proficiency
Traits
Weight
Price


Guardian, Heavy
+9
+1
-6
35%
Heavy
DR 3/-, Bulletproof
50 lbs
16,000


Guardian, Medium
+6
+3
-4
25%
Medium
DR 2/-, Bulletproof
30 lbs
11,000 gp


Muscle, Heavy
+9
+1
-6
40%
Heavy
Stabilizing
50 lbs
2,000 gp


Muscle, Light
+4
+4
-2
20%
Light
Stabilizing
25 lbs
500 gp


Muscle, Medium
+6
+3
-3
25%
Medium
Stabilizing
30 lbs
1,000 gp


Shield Vambrace
+1
-
-1
5%
Shield Vambrace
Bulletproof
5 lbs
200 gp


Skirmisher, Light
+4
+6
0
20%
Light
Stabilizing
15 lbs
2,000 gp


Skirmisher, Medium
+6
+5
0
25%
Medium
Stabilizing
15 lbs
6,000 gp


Survivor, Light
+2
+6
0
10%
Light
Life Support, Stabilizing
15 lbs
6,000 gp










Hitpoints 40/inch Hardness 20
Guardian pattern living armor features boosted defenses with the use of hard, almost crystalline mesh of carbon. The armor is despite its weight still very flexible.

Shield Vambrace The shield may be used as a melee weapon. Treat as a heavy steel shield with armor spikes.






The Muscle Suit is a suit of armor made of hardened flesh held together in an exoskeleton. It is the most basic of living armor.

Supple Varrite bow Weapon’s wielder may add his Strength to damage rolls involving the weapon. If an effect or ability already allows the user to use an attribute to add to damage, take only the numerically stronger effect. They do not stack.
Crushing Claw Weapon may double its strength bonus for the purposes of determining damage. In addition, the Crushing Claw is treated as a twohanded weapon despite occupying a single hand for the purposes for feats and abilities that require or are dependant on a twohanded weapon.



A Shield Vambrace is a thick armlet that attaches to a wearer's arm to project either a physical or energy based field that blocks incoming attacks. Its armor bonus is a Shield bonus. A shield vambrace may be used as a buckler, but it may not be thrown. It may also be deactivated, clinging to the wearer's arm, but causing no impediments or benefits though it still remains melded. Additionally, the shield may be used as a weapon as a heavy steel shield without spikes. The wearer's evolution bonus is considered an enhancment bonus to both the shield vambrace's armor and weapon properties.

Unknown




Skirmisher pattern living armor is based of the muscle suit pattern. It is optimized for lighter weight, boasting increased mobility and allowing the wearer to possess even faster reflexes..Wearers of Light Skirmisher living armor do not have their speed impeded. As a drawback, Skirmisher armor may not be treated as a normal muscle suit.


Living Firearm Weapon’s wielder may add his Dexterity to damage rolls involving the weapon. If an effect or ability already allows the user to use an attribute to add to damage, take only the numerically stronger effect. They do not stack.



Survivor pattern living armor is designed for ease of use and the ability to handle most environments.

Unknown

Almarck
2015-02-01, 12:02 AM
So here’s what I got to make living weapons seem interesting. The idea was to have a system of linking things up and bridging them together. Think of these like Gems from Diablo and you’ll have an idea of how Catalysts work.


Bio-Catalysts
Due to their biological nature and the fact that living equipment is constantly repairing any damage and alterations made to it, living items may not be permanently enchanted or enhanced by normal means.

Instead, living items must evolve, change into newer and stronger forms. To this end, a special unique type of living items exists; Bio-Catalysts or Catalysts join with a living item either physically or psychically though the wearer's network and enhance other living items.
So long as a Catalyst is in contact with the items it modifies, it secretes special enzymes and deliver complex psionic commands to the item's functions, causing living equipment to change to suit the wearer's needs.

Users dedicated to getting the most out of living equipment spend much of their funds in acquiring more Catalysts to make the most of their gear.

Rules system:
While the exact size and shape of Catalyst may vary, Catalysts are the size of a fine object weighing half a pound. Their forms can range from tiny organs, smooth stones, or even gems, but regardless of their forms each Catalysts is still a living item with 5 hipoints and 5 hardness.

In order for a Catalyst to function, it has to be melded into another living item. The only exception to this is the Evolution Catalyst item which bonds directly to the user’s body. So long as the Catalyst remains melded to an item or is in contact to a creature’s living item network, it provides its effects and bonuses to the item it is attached to and any relevant living items within the network. However, the moment a Catalyst is removed from the network or otherwise becomes otherwise unmelded, it no longer provides the wearer of any benefits it conferred. Any effects that were created by its presence simply cease and the living items it modified revert.

Equipping or unequipping Catalysts is a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity that requires at least one free hand.

With the exception of the Evolution Catalyst, Bio-Catalysts are designed to meld directly to a living item; they are meant to meld into another living item, taking up a specially design space that exists only to house Catalysts. When inserted and melded into another living item, the Catalyst adds it hitpoints to the item and may no longer be damaged or affected separately, as if it was a part of the living item itself. While melded, to the living item, the Catalyst provides its benefits to the item without needing to create a network.
Not all equipment features the same amount of Catalyst slots, and neither are all Catalysts able to fit be attached to every item. Some items are simply not compatible.

Lastly, certain Catalysts may have improved or different effects depending on if other Catalysts are within the network. This is most noticeable with the Evolution Catalyst, where depending on its magnitude, other Catalysts installed on armor and weapons improve or change their effects.

Slots
In order for a living item to accept a Catalyst and meld with it, the Catalyst must be of an appropriate type able to be inserted into the weapon or piece of equipment. As there are two major distinctions of equippable living items, armor and weapon, there are two slightly different sets rules for what Catalysts are able to be attached, Predator and Protector.

All living weapons universally possess at least two slot for a Predator Catalyst, with some specific pieces of equipment able to hold more. As all weapons are meant for combat, it thus stands to reason that Catalysts for weapons would be simple and near universal. Predator Catalysts only apply their effects to the weapons that they specifically melded with, meaning multiple instances of the same Catalyst must be acquired for each weapon the user intends to use.

Not all Predator Catalysts are suited to fit in every weapon. Some are meant to apply only to ranged weapons, others for strictly melee.

Likewise, living armors except shields posses two Protector Catalysts, but there are no restrictions placed upon selection.

Shields, being treated as weapons and armor, are able to hold any one of the four armor Catalysts and one Predator Catalyst.








Slot: Neck.
The Evolution Catalyst is essential to enhancing living items beyond their default specifications. When worn, it provides an Enhancement bonus to all items Melded with the wearer, increasing the attack and damage rolls of living weapons, increasing the Armor or Shield bonuses to AC to living armor. Effects that rely on an item’s enchantment bonus consider the Evolution Catalyst’s rating.

Weapons benefiting from an Evolution Catalyst can pierce Damage Reduction. At +1, this allows them to bypass DR that may be pierced by magic. At +3 this extends to silver and cold iron. At +4, Adamantine. And at +5, Alignment based DR.

Also, other Catalysts linked to the wearer of an Evolution Catalyst may receive bonus abilities.

Unlike other Catalysts, the Evolution Catalyst is equipped on the wearer’s neck as a magic item.

Price: 6,000 gp (+1), 24,000 gp (+2), 54,000 gp (+3), 96,000 gp (+4), 150,000 gp (+5)





Slot: Predator
A weapon with this Catalyst is wreathed in flames. The weapon gains the flaming weapon property.

With a +3 Evolution Catalyst: treat as flaming burst instead.

Price: 8,000 gp



Slot: Predator
A weapon with this Catalyst is wreathed in an aura of cold. The weapon gains the frost weapon property.

With a +3 Evolution Catalyst: treat as icy burst instead.

Price: 8,000 gp



Slot: Predator
A weapon with this Catalyst is wreathed in an electrical field. The weapon gains the shock weapon property.

With a +3 Evolution Catalyst: treat as shocking burst instead.

Price: 8,000 gp



Slot: Predator
A weapon with this Catalyst secrets destructive acids. The weapon gains the corrosive weapon property.

With a +3 Evolution Catalyst: treat as corrosive burst instead.

Price: 8,000 gp



Slot: Predator
When placed in a piercing or slashing weapon, this Catalyst augments the cutting potential drastically. The weapon gains the Keen property

Price: 6,000 gp



Slot: Predatoropening. This functions as Vorpal property.


When placed in a slashing melee weapon, this Catalyst augments the weapon’s blades to monomolecular levels and instinctive targeting parameters to aim for fatal hits when it gets an

Price: 70,000 gp



Slot: Predator
A specialized set of data that allows the weapon to favor one type of creature above all others. When created, choose a creature type. The weapon is treated as possessing the bane property against that creature type.

Price: 6,000 gp



Slot: Predator
With this Catalyst, the weapon becomes able to pass between the walls that separate dimensions. Treat the weapon as possessing the ghost touch property.

Price: 10,000 gp




Slot:Predator.
This Catalyst houses a genetic material safely taken from a protean, as impossible it may seem. When applied melded to a weapon, this Catalyst infuses some of this genetic information into it. Threat the melded weapon as being having Anarchic property.

Price: 15,000 gp



Slot:Predator.
This Catalyst houses a genetic material safely taken from an inevitable, as impossible it may seem. When applied melded to a weapon, this Catalyst infuses some of this genetic information into it. Threat the melded weapon as being having Axiomatic property.

Price: 15,000 gp



Slot:Predator.
This Catalyst houses a genetic material safely taken from a celestial, as impossible it may seem. When applied melded to a weapon, this Catalyst infuses some of this genetic information into it. Threat the melded weapon as being having Holy property.

Price: 15,000 gp



Slot:Predator.
This Catalyst houses a genetic material safely taken from a fiend, as impossible it may seem. When applied melded to a weapon, this Catalyst infuses some of this genetic information into it. Threat the melded weapon as being having Unholy property.

Price: 15,000 gp




Slot:Predator
The Catalyst strongly resonates enegies that when applied to a weapon affect dimensional travel and harm extraplanar entities. The weapon gains the planar property.

With a +2 Evolution Catalyst: the weapon also receives the phase locking[i] property

Price: 12,000 gp



Slot:Predator
This Catalyst features a number of special enhancements that allow the user to better land a hit with a ranged weapon. When installed in a ranged living weapon, the weapon gains the [i]veering property.

With a +3 Evolution Catalyst: the weapon also receives the seeking property
With a +5 Evolution Catalyst: the weapon also receives the second chance property.

Price: 20,000 gp



Slot:Predator.
This Catalyst produces a sort of glowing pollen that illuminates weak points marked by a ranged weapon. A ranged weapon with this Catalyst gains the designating, lesser property.

With a +3 Evolution Catalyst: treat as designating, greater property.

Price: 18,000 gp



Slot:Predator.
This Catalyst mutates the weapon to be more nimble, able to take full advantage of the user’s quick reflexes, but this only applies to weapons able to be used with the Weapon Finesse feat. A weapon with this Catalyst gains the Agile property.

With a +3 Evolution Catalyst: it also gains the Dueling property.
Price: 10,000 gp


[spoiler=Fortification Aspect]
Slot:Protector.
This Catalyst mutates the armor to resist devastating blows more frequently. A suit of armor with this Catalyst gains the light fortification property.

With a +2 Evolution Catalyst: treat as the medium fortification property.
With a +4 Evolution Catalyst: treat as the heavy fortification property.
Price: 10,000 gp

Almarck
2015-02-01, 12:03 AM
Reserved for Intelligence

Almarck
2015-02-01, 12:04 AM
Reserved for Feats

Almarck
2015-02-01, 12:05 AM
Alright, now that I got all those reservations out of the way. What do people think about this?

MorgromTheOrc
2015-02-01, 12:35 AM
Have you ever seen the Dnd lifeshaping handbook? You could get some ideas from there. But overall I love it, bioweapons is my thing and I really wish my DM allowed stuff like this.

Almarck
2015-02-01, 12:37 AM
Never even knew there was a DnD Lifeshaping Handbook. What edition is it from?

Debihuman
2015-02-01, 01:41 AM
We already have living armor as a symbiont in Eberron see Living Breastplate as an example.

How much does it cost to feed living armor and weapons? A single meal isn't a static price. It could be anything from iron rations to a gourmet meal fit for a king. It costs 1 sp for a poor meal per day. Is that sufficient? If you have to feed it daily, that adds to the cost of the item over time.

An Auto-supplying a weapon sounds an awful like like a living weapon poops its ammunition. It's rather gross imagery at best.

The idea is intriguing but the execution needs a bit of work.

You reconsider the description of the acid lobber as it is NOT a simple weapon. It has to be acid resistant unless it takes damage from the acid it lobs. Should the damage actually be ACID not 1d6 untyped. This item looks thrown together. Why is there a neural link? Shooting a firearm doesn't usually require such elaborate machinations Gaining Alertness as a feat should add 1,800 gp to the item. I'd like to see the math as 5K for a gun that fires acid 30 feet I can throw a flask of acid 10 feet. Is 30 feet the max range or is this incremental? The cost of a pistol is a lot cheaper (see DMG pg. 145) A standard pistol costs 250 gp and even adding an addition 1,800 gp for the Alertness feet doesn't seem worth the 5K price tag. If it breaks does the wielder automatically take the acid damage or should there be a save? I'd rather pay for a wand of acid arrow for 4,500 gp and not have to pay for the feeding and care of it. A typical wand has AC 7, 5 hit points, hardness 5, and a break DC of 16. Acid arrow has a range of 400 feet (plus 40 feet per caster level), making it far more useful in ranged combat.

Debby

Almarck
2015-02-01, 02:02 AM
Thanks for letting me know with what to clarify.

Yes, everything is thrown together. And yes, living items are gross, particiularly if they emphasize their nature. But it's not really that disgusting if you really think about it. The guns fire lethal waste byproducts yes, but it's not the same as people throwing it.

Part of the prices and mechanics are the results of me using Pathfinder as a base. Granted, you are right that I need to adjust that. The Acid Lobber is horrifically weak compared to an equivalent weapon under pathfinder's rules (which bypass touch AC by default and usually have either ). I did put Acid damage in the weapon's type, but I suppose I didn't make it clear. I believe I might have overcompensated nerfing it. (Original version had 20 shots recharging to full every hour, 1d8 base damage small, touch AC hitting at a range iterative of 50 feet.)

I've tried to find my hardcopy dungeon masters book and search for the statistics for 3.5's firearms online; no luck, so I'm unable to reference that. I am also unable to reference Eberron due to me lacking books, but I decided to do grafts anyways because no section on living equipment wouldn't be done without grafts of some sort. I'm familiar with them to say the least, but most of it is probably going to be freakish like the stuff in Lords of Madness.

So far, the Alertness is a place holder for everything but the bonesword until I can figure out a better replacement (source material had the swords have primitive brains at the hilt that aided their wielder in coordinating strikes).

But yes, you are right. I do need to make adjustments, change some things. This is why I posted the draft. Thank you.

Almarck
2015-02-01, 03:09 AM
Alright, so I made major, major buffs. I might have made Acid Lobber and spitter too powerful, then again, I want to justify their steep costs. Now they recharge quite quickly, for technically infinite ammo weapons. I fail to see situations where you need to fire 100 times in 10 minutes but that might just be me.

Oh, and Spike launchers may be upgraded to fire adamantine barbs.

I also clarified the feeding rules to double the item's weight every week. Now it's super cheap, perhaps too much so, but to be fair most people will just feed on the remains of monsters if they can get away with it. The main issue is carrying it, but most people aren't going to worry about it since bags of holding are a thing and scavenging off of dead monsters is a tradition.

I'll need to get a conversion chart over how it works for eating on monsters though.

Debihuman
2015-02-01, 08:09 AM
Thanks for letting me know with what to clarify. You're quite welcome. Feedback is essential to making a better item and so is the ability to take criticism, which is not easy. The DMG's rules for Renaissance Firearms aren't open content. However, I will say the pistol requires the Exotic Weapons (firearms) feat. The pistol costs 250 gp and has a range increment of 50 feet. In contrast, your acid lobber falls far short of that since it only has a range of 30 feet rather than a range increment.


Yes, everything is thrown together. And yes, living items are gross, particularly if they emphasize their nature. It sorta showed and it's kinda yucky. Let's be honest that acid lobber is throwing its urine at you! How much does it have to drink? A gallon a day? More? How much is a "gob" of acid? An ounce? Three ounces? Let's assume a gallon a day (that's 64 ounces) and rough it to 2-3 ounces a gob an hour for 24 hours. [64÷24=2.666]


But it's not really that disgusting if you really think about it. The guns fire lethal waste byproducts yes, but it's not the same as people throwing it. No, guns discharge black powder, a mixture of sulfur, charcoal and saltpeter, which is far less disgusting than say fresh (or even old) bodily waste products. Just gross. Why would anyone want to even touch one of these? It could carry diseases!


Part of the prices and mechanics are the results of me using Pathfinder as a base. Granted, you are right that I need to adjust that. The Acid Lobber is horrifically weak compared to an equivalent weapon under pathfinder's rules (which bypass touch AC by default and usually have either ). I did put Acid damage in the weapon's type, but I suppose I didn't make it clear. I believe I might have overcompensated nerfing it. (Original version had 20 shots recharging to full every hour, 1d8 base damage small, touch AC hitting at a range iterative of 50 feet.)

I think you went too soft on this. 24 shots a day is fine (it recharges 1 shot an hour). However, shots should only be good for up 24 hours before they lose their potency (and become susceptible to disease). This prevents massive stockpiling. The damage should be as a bullet or as vial of acid. I believe the acid damage was unclear but I see it is marked in the Damage type in the acid lobber stat block now.

Also, cite your mechanics in spoiler as that helps those of us trying to help you. I don't object to using Pathfinder as a source as it's a comparable and mostly compatible product. Also, their rules are all open content, making it much easier to cite.The PRD is far more complete than the SRD.I use it as a guideline sometimes.


I've tried to find my hard copy dungeon masters book and search for the statistics for 3.5's firearms online; no luck, so I'm unable to reference that. I am also unable to reference Eberron due to me lacking books, but I decided to do grafts anyways because no section on living equipment wouldn't be done without grafts of some sort. I'm familiar with them to say the least, but most of it is probably going to be freakish like the stuff in Lords of Madness.

Sorry you can't find your book. I'd loan you mine if I could. I have the books so I can at least help out if you get stuck.


So far, the Alertness is a place holder for everything but the bonesword until I can figure out a better replacement (source material had the swords have primitive brains at the hilt that aided their wielder in coordinating strikes). Now you're talking about an Intelligent item -- very expensive and just which sentient creature does this brain come from and how does it communicate? This could be anathema to folks with high moral codes.


But yes, you are right. I do need to make adjustments, change some things. This is why I posted the draft. Thank you. Very good for a draft and I'm glad you posted it. And again you're welcome

Debby

Zireael
2015-02-01, 08:10 AM
Never even knew there was a DnD Lifeshaping Handbook. What edition is it from?

Looks like Dark Sun related.

On topic: I approve! Will there be living armors?

Debihuman
2015-02-01, 08:22 AM
My Google search indicates the Life-shaper Handbook is an Open Content fan-made netbook that you can download from here: http://www.athas.org. It is under articles and page 5, the very last item. I just downloaded it so I'm not yet familiar with it. It's written for 3.5 it seems. Also editing this to mention: It's FREE!

Debby

Almarck
2015-02-01, 11:25 AM
I think the acid lobber is fine now. Outside of maybe using touch ar 0th level. Anyways I'll clarify that the only way to use munitions is to shoot it from the weapon that produces it. Otherwise it spoils.

It's intended early on nor to be a counterpart to a pistol at least not directly but as the description says be a reusable acid flask. I'll change mechanics to work like that later. Aside from that it's poor range and relatively lower damage is fine in my opinion for its new cost. The weapon does energy damage and I think that fact makes it quite valuable.
I'll fix it later today to make it more clear it's supposed to be an early alchemist flask.

Anyways, outside of the creatures I find myself oddly disappointed for some reason on the pdf. I don't know I guess it'd the lack of heavier armors. I'll remedy that with some really heavy armors. Unlike weapons I think I can handle armor to a better degree.


To clarify the neural link is more like a telepathic connection to a really dumb and simple animal that is subservient to you for most living items that possess it. It's only a creature with real thoughts if the item possesses the intelligence trait and there's varying degrees of that. The brain is almost always the items own brain connecting with your own. Again the items brain is probably closer to a reptile than a person.

The boneswords get alertness because the alternative was deflect arrows. The source material had them enhancing the skill and guidinf the weilders blades and in atleast one very good welders case partying automatic gunfire despite being atleast huge or gargantuan. Still I think I could do better on that and am open to suggestions.

In my personal experience biotechnology I haven't really seen living weapons outside of the shock roach that weren't gross. Even then the shock roach acts like a lamprey to stay alive(changing this). Plus I don't see alot of material where the living weapons weren't atleast a little squick inducing. It comes with the territory. And to be fair, the aboleths and mindflayers are more likely to master it than people

Almarck
2015-02-01, 08:58 PM
Looks like Dark Sun related.

On topic: I approve! Will there be living armors?

This project is more Generic and has nothing to do with Darksun by default beyond maybe some inspiration. That said, I will be adding living armors and they'll be pretty badass.

Onto the upgrade
Made the shockroach. I dunno about you, but I think a onehanded weapon that fires shots that deal 1d8+Int elec damage (on top of enhancement bonuses and class abiltiies) is probably worth the crazy price tag of +25,000 gp for the weapon at max evolutions. It starts out weak but recharges shots super quickly on top of being used as a familiar. While, yes, it might be considered overpriced, the fact it is infinite use with very rapid recovery and doesn't need to be taken off (even when holding something else in the hand that's using it) make it worth it in my eyes.

On other news, I adjusted the acid lobber and spitter yet again. Also, Debi, I have decided that the weapons get more potent as they level up, effictively doing more damage with less materials. This also justifies their increased capacities, the capacity doesn't increase; it's just that the required munitions to do damage get smaller.

For example, in the spitter, the projectiles might start out as larger, but as it evolves, the projectiles look like human teeth and are fired faster and forged stronger to compensate for the loss of mass. This is reflected in the description.

Also, for simplicity and because people may feed their weapons at different ways (once a week, once every day but smaller meals), I don't think it's wise to keep track of weight once its fed. No idea where to put that.

Anyone would like to comment on changes?

Citrakayah
2015-02-01, 09:47 PM
A while back, I created the acitan, who solely used organic technology due to being from an extremely metal-poor area. They were a high tech society, but they did have melee weapons. Crunch is basically identical to living steel, except that it can break and die. Fluff had it as a bug stripped of most of the organs and nervous system to serve as a knife. Plus, the fact that they used insects meant they could make all sorts of cool patterns on their blades.

They also had laser weapons, which used GFP-producing bacteria to create a brief, high power laser blast. For the most part they used that creating an ionized air pathway that could direct a lightning bolt, though.

Oh, and they were well known for being impossible to invade, since the entire ecosystem could be directed against you. Which is part of the problem with what you're doing here--the things that you're making can reproduce. There is no reason for them to be that expensive, because you can breed enough beetles to outfit an army in relatively short order, unless you introduce a reason that can't happen.

For the acitan, I have it so that they already wrecked their ecosystem once when self-replicating biotech got out, and most of their biotechnology these days is just trying to keep the place from collapsing around their ears. So everything is sterilized, and they never use microorganisms (with the exception of phage treatments for infections).


Acitan biotechnology isn't squicky, though, because I consciously avoided making it so. My method was pretty easy:

1. When possible, make things plant-based. That electrolaser I mentioned? It looks like a particularly straight branch with a green glowy bit on the end. Other technology has similar aesthetics. For instance, they have tablets that are flat rectangles of plant matter, kind of like a really thick leaf. They need to be fed once a week or so, but can just be dunked in a nutrient bath.
2. There is no reason for internal organs to be on the outside, or for things to be squishy. In fact, there's an excellent reason against it--in harsh climates they'll dry out, and it makes them more susceptible to infection. So you won't get soft mucus tissues on the outside.
3. Smooth organic curves over misshapen cancerous-looking lumps. If they were to make an acid spewer, they'd probably make it look like a cylinder with a hole at one end.
4. Most people will not want to wear an organism that fed on them, even if it was an example of mutualism. Acitan biotechnology is either entirely internal (organs that allow them to produce electric shocks, for instance), purely cosmetic (bioluminescence), or a separate organism that they don't graft to themselves (the electrosticks I mentioned).

Almarck
2015-02-01, 10:13 PM
I didn't state anywhere they can reproduce. I have yet to actually think that far ahead.
But I do understand. I'll need to add a paragraph featuring reproduction rules. I'll just say that they're a similar situation to modern farming bananas. DNA has to be grafted in manual from a specific "source". Thanks for letting me patch up that hole before it is an issue?

For the record half of the current item roster is actually references to existing items in other games. The others also being very generic items without much reference to anywhere.

I think the only instance of good not as sickening biotechnology was.... The buzz lightyear cartoon. And even that was psychoactive.

Hm actually where have I actually described the physical appearances of anything outside of the shock roach or bonesword?

I'll still have them all classified as aberration for simplicity with a few very big outliers.


Edit: made some adjustments

Citrakayah
2015-02-01, 10:55 PM
You haven't, but in other parts of the thread the aesthetics of biotech was brought up, so I thought I'd give another view of how to treat them.

EDIT: Also, mind if I develop a sort of armor that's basically an integrated fungus?

Almarck
2015-02-01, 11:05 PM
If you don't mind me using it and posting it above, sure. Would appreciate some items to go along with it. You may also want to put information concerning that you authored it, just in case I forget. I know I'm prone to being careless sometimes.

Oh and update. items tell you now whether they're plant or animals with the information about what they eat being posted up top. The acid lobber is now a specialized pitcher plant. I actually think it's even scarier now. Anyways, I'm going to make sure descriptions of some items are more visible.

Other items including the spitter being able to be either plant or animal, so ascetics can be handled else where.

Didn't post this yet, but the prices for evolutonss for armor are:

+1 1,000
+2 8,000
+3 18,000
+4 32,000
+5 50,000

So, you got alot of leeway into how powerful you can make evolutions.


Anyways, thanks for the help.

Citrakayah
2015-02-01, 11:06 PM
No problem.

Milo v3
2015-02-02, 05:29 AM
When I tried this I tried to go the simpler route of making a feat that lets you craft magic items with Heal checks as long as the item is an Intelligent Item, or using gramarie's biollurgy. It'll be interesting to see how this'll end up.

Almarck
2015-02-02, 05:09 PM
When I tried this I tried to go the simpler route of making a feat that lets you craft magic items with Heal checks as long as the item is an Intelligent Item, or using gramarie's biollurgy. It'll be interesting to see how this'll end up.

I never got into either of those much, so I have no idea this would all work. I'd argue this is all simpler in a sense, but that's probably just me. Still, thanks for the support.

Also, I'm working my way through armor slowly. I'm making quality tags for the moment.

Almarck
2015-02-02, 07:15 PM
Added in the armor. I still have no idea how to handle the other suits, but I got the most basic, predatory style armor I could think up.

Hanuman
2015-02-03, 03:25 AM
If it's a weapon make some materials.
If it's got an intelligence score, and is an item, it's an intelligent item.
Otherwise it's a construct.
If you're holding a cat and saying pewpew then it's not a construct.
http://www.kuroneko-chan.com/echoes/images/kittypistol.gif

For living material, you could just replace all gold cost with food of equivalent cost, for instance you could replace ammunition or repair cost, I wouldn't require the player to feed the object every day.
I'd also leave the fluff open ended, what it looks like, what materials are needed to feed it, if it eats or subsumes or is injected, ect.

It seems like you're setting up camp for the long haul here though... I'd move this to gramarie, those guys looooove long haul.

Almarck
2015-02-03, 03:55 AM
I would have done that if that project was still in development or if I could have even grasped it (I completely failed at that for reasons I am unsure of). As it is, this is stand alone due Gramie's seeming lack of updates recently and a lack of my willingless.

I do admit though, I may need to restructure and refluff. The bonesword and shockroachs however have to be specific in their descriptions due to their nature as shoutouts.

The stuff though gets weird when you have items that are both mobile, able to be used as weapons, or other stranger things. I mean, part of the weirdness I want to include is nonmagical intelligent items (by a concept I haven't fully thought out admittedly)

I did actually consider going the route of basic materials, but I deemed it not impressive enough. So, as a result, here I was, driven to persue a project of specific items which evolve in addition to being enchanted.

I could conceivably make a better system or ditch the evolution mechanic entirely. What do you think about that?

Milo v3
2015-02-03, 04:01 AM
I would have done that if that project was still in development or if I could have even grasped it (I completely failed at that for reasons I am unsure of). As it is, this is stand alone due Gramie's seeming lack of updates recently and a lack of my willingless.
Just a note: It is still being worked on, abet slowly. I was working on ALCH stuff for it earlier today, and I wrote the mark 3 Biollurgy rules.


The stuff though gets weird when you have items that are both mobile, able to be used as weapons, or other stranger things. I mean, part of the weirdness I want to include is nonmagical intelligent items (by a concept I haven't fully thought out admittedly)
You could count all of these as Technological items through the technology guide rules?

Almarck
2015-02-03, 04:11 AM
Just a note: It is still being worked on, abet slowly. I was working on ALCH stuff for it earlier today, and I wrote the mark 3 Alchemetry, Biollurgy, Culinaretics (I always mess up the spelling), and Eldrikinetics rules

Well, I consider myself corrected. For the time being, I'll consider myself seperate due to my lack of understanding of the mechanics of that subsystem.


You could count all of these as Technological items through the technology guide rules?

The only reason I did not do that was due to the charges mechanics. I would need to invent a metric for it given that these are "Alive" and don't follow batteries. I suppose I am just being too overly picky and making such a mechanic would arguably be simpler than the evolution mechanic which really only seems to serve as a price gate to prevent lower level players from getting really strong items.

Still, I do like the idea of self resupplying ammo at a level earlier than normal.

Milo v3
2015-02-03, 04:20 AM
Well, I consider myself corrected. For the time being, I'll consider myself seperate due to my lack of understanding of the mechanics of that subsystem.
Yeah, that's a perfectly understandable reason.... I'm still not 100% sure on how some of it works.


The only reason I did not do that was due to the charges mechanics. I would need to invent a metric for it given that these are "Alive" and don't follow batteries. I suppose I am just being too overly picky and making such a mechanic would arguably be simpler than the evolution mechanic which really only seems to serve as a price gate to prevent lower level players from getting really strong items.

Still, I do like the idea of self resupplying ammo at a level earlier than normal.
Well you could have the charge mechanic be how the Food-to-Ammo works (but they'd require food rather than batteries), and there are a few technological items that didn't use charges like cybernetics... but yeah, the charges thing does throw a spanner into the works for that idea.

Almarck
2015-02-03, 04:36 AM
I'm hesitant to use the battery mechanic exactly, mostly due to pricing issues and the recharge stations. Conversely, food is pretty much everywhere or can be gained from solar energy.

Perhaps all living items gained energy from internal photosynthesis or by physically bonding with a host? The issue then is that charges are limited by time.

Edit: The only way a Food to Fuel mechanic would work is if I can figure out a universal metric.

Hanuman
2015-02-03, 04:45 AM
I could conceivably make a better system or ditch the evolution mechanic entirely. What do you think about that?
I think 90% of homebrew issues are caused by the refusal to accept or reference existing material, how many monk or fighter fixes are there, how many things need to be juuuust right for the individual.

Honestly I'm not big into novels, I don't enjoy walls of text as much as the average dnd player, and I think your system is incredibly bloated compared to using existing concepts.

Mind you, my biggest project (in my sig) is a bloated pile of bulletpoints, loaded with so many options in such a convoluted and MAD way that it takes a while to understand what anything actually is or what the class' function in the party is. It's finicky and personalized to a point, but it's also absorbed so many other people's ideas that it's kind of an akira style blob monster of a class.

I think, what you want, is enough bang and fluff and stuff like that to really impress the viewers, not just "here's a cool bunch of neat data for you to plug and play like a script into your website, just Control + C !"

I'd do this with flare, get or draw some pictures, make everything shiny, make the presentation of the simple stuff really classy and once you hit the actual data people will be like oh snap son this bioweapons gonna make my players day, its got speed holes and spinning rims and has fire details-- MADE OF HOT AND REAL FIRE.

Think of it like a toy you can throw to your players like a parent would throw a BB gun to their kid (in some previous generation), except ditch all that responsibility crap, your player probably doesn't want to know all that crap, how to cast and mold BB's, all the prices of all the barrels and stocks, ect and the rest of the party surely gives very little fracks so if they get THEIR hands on it for an extended period of time you want to make that experience easy as well for both player and DM. I hear where you're coming from, but man, games already got rules, if you want to create an entire subsystem to handle rules there's better uses than "this is nonmagical magic for the same price up front but requires meticulous upkeep costs".

Having small constructs you can use as weapons? Amazing, do that. Amazing dungeon flavor. Have the whole dungeon crawling with em and find one you can control? Yes please.

Having a material you can feed for minor effects? Great, love it. Prolly gonna use it.

Having a big enchantment nonmagical subsystem thing? Whatever, it's what some people are into. Gramarize it and make it biomatter and get some 10#'s principalities in that.

I really enjoy the flavor though, interested in seeing more of your work.

Almarck
2015-02-03, 01:47 PM
Thank you, and you've really made me think. I realize part of the problem of this project is that I didn't spend a month mulling about it like I usually do.


I need to establish a good mechanic that does something more than make a more simplistic enchantment system.

I'm thinking of replacing it with a "Link" system, where items of certain types benefit one another by providing a synergy bonus. Not every item can synergize with every other item, but the times they do are quite neat.

For instance, as a hypothetical example, combining a muscle suit and a bonesword gives you deflect arrows. Using it with a spitter instead means you can add your strength bonus to damage. Then if you have a spitter, you could get a shield that negates rays. Then if you have all of that, the crown on your head that provides shortterm mind blank effects grows stronger and lasts longer

This is sort of a more interesting mechanic in my opinion, because it encourages that the player try to decide on what synergies he wants to use and makes the choice of upgrading a much more nuanced decision if the DM isn't keen of just upgrading an existing item and you need more replacements.

The theme of "Link" would be that the items are all "talking" to each other and optimizing their defenses while in contact with one another.


By the way. The only reason I am not using Googlefu to get pictures is the fineprint against images without permission. Granted, I can probably get demotovationals and use those because of the Parody rules.

Hanuman
2015-02-03, 08:38 PM
Mods gonna mod, for future projects I'm planning on using google docs then just providing links, that way the mods are spared liability for (c) infringement and I get to put whatever illustrations I damn well please. They've been pretty accomodating so far, except for illustrations specifically taken from books, even when modified to abstract their likeness with photoshop filters. I've also had threads closed never to be re-opened, which is generally why I keep backups of all my threads in text files so it's not a huge pain in the ass to re-code new threads.

Sounds like you want to copy diablo II style set bonuses. That is a mountain of work.

Again, think about how to use existing concepts. If you're giving an effect from an item find similar items that grant effects and use their cost, ones that grant feats can be extremely expensive, something that "blocks rays" would be incredibly expensive. Better to just go with deflection AC at that point.

If you want to integrate your bioweaponry into you just use the graft weapon or graft armor psionic powers:
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/psionic-powers/g/graft-weapon
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/psionic-powers/g/graft-armor

If you transform then use something like beast shape, which is essentially druid's balanced wildshape:
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/b/beast-shape

For advancement with armor and weaponry and such there are a few ways you can handle that, there is oldschool essentia, you could make a new system, but the best thing I can think of would be using the aegis' class abilities:
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/classes/aegis

Specifically using astra suit customizations:
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/classes/aegis/astral-suits

And if you want a more horror or alien feel thennn aberrant:
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/classes/aegis/archetypes/dreamscarred-press/aberrant

See, you have a balanced and established list of content already sorted and established for you (which means it assuredly LOOKS more balanced for when the player proposes the brew to their DM), you can just provide a link, say that the content is refluffed a certain way, and BAM you've shaved off 40 hours (including re-mull, balancing, correcting, later additions and compensating for PEACH responses).

There's lots of options to choose from for existing content, not just the ones I referenced.

Almarck
2015-02-03, 09:02 PM
Yes, I see the point. I'm likely going to use Graft as a way to allow linking without it being mandatory.

For the record, the bonuses are not "Sets" exactly like Diablo, though it functions in much the same way. Items work best when comboed and the same item might be featuring mutually exclusive choices (such as 2 boneswords akimbo versus sword and shield). As for it being loads of work? Well, compared to what I was doing before with evolutions, it'd be very simplistic in comparison.

Thank you for reminding me of sources I could use. I don't factor DSP often mostly because I never get GMs who let me to use them.

Hanuman
2015-02-04, 02:20 AM
By saving time I mean in a "take one digit off the number of hours" sort of way, if you're going from 100 -> 40 -> 4 that's a lot of time saved.

Here's some more fuel to your fire:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?205119-Must-Affix-Everything-to-Everything!-%28Grafts-That-Don-t-Make-Me-Cry-Myself-To-Sleep%29

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=16971452&postcount=397

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=15557488&postcount=26

This is kind of why I was mentioning gramarie, because complicated systems have already been built around this sort of concept, but establishing a system of items maybe not. Gramarie has their own IRC channel too.

Almarck
2015-02-04, 02:27 AM
Alright. Well, yeah, I think that's what started this project. I keep seeing people publish whole classes over using biological stuff but hardly anyone focuses on just letting items exist to make existing classes better at using living things.

Also, project on hold for a few days as I work on other projects. I'm mostly mulling over how I want to redesign things to be not only more useful, but to be better.

Weirdly, I've got this idea for a "evolution points" system based of Aegis and Summoner. Make a table for converting generic items and evolve them using points not too dissimilar from the two above. The item's evolution is thereby completely in the player's control. The only question is how to have it interact with enchantment. What's your take on it? Keep them seperate? Link them up?

Make Enchantment bonuses provide EP?

The idea is likely mutually exclusive to the linking synergy bonuses in the previous idea.

Milo v3
2015-02-04, 02:32 AM
The only question is how to have it interact with enchantment.

I'd keep it separate.

Almarck
2015-02-04, 02:40 AM
I'd keep it separate.

Mutually exclusive seperate, or you can apply both to the same weapon by paying for both upgrades (+1/+3 for example) ?

Milo v3
2015-02-04, 02:48 AM
Mutually exclusive seperate, or you can apply both to the same weapon by paying for both upgrades (+1/+3 for example) ?

I'd say mutually exclusive, since they're creatures, so they are technically making natural attacks, which require a special amulet to enchant them. You could force them to include the costs of the amulet to enchant them I suppose.

Hanuman
2015-02-04, 04:09 AM
I'd say mutually exclusive, since they're creatures, so they are technically making natural attacks, which require a special amulet to enchant them. You could force them to include the costs of the amulet to enchant them I suppose.

Reaaaaaaally depends on exactly what we are talking about.

If the "thing" is being used as a weapon it's treated as a normal weapon, if it's grafted you can also treat it as a natural weapon, if it's like, an Arbalester then you could let it fire itself in which case it's not using your attack roll at all, you're just carrying it as you would another player.

If it's fleshed out as a full creature (not just intelligent item) then perhaps use the animated object rules?

Milo v3
2015-02-04, 04:18 AM
Reaaaaaaally depends on exactly what we are talking about.

If the "thing" is being used as a weapon it's treated as a normal weapon, if it's grafted you can also treat it as a natural weapon, if it's like, an Arbalester then you could let it fire itself in which case it's not using your attack roll at all, you're just carrying it as you would another player.

If it's fleshed out as a full creature (not just intelligent item) then perhaps use the animated object rules?

I was meaning, it's the living weapons natural weapon. So, it is harder to enchant than a "real" weapon.

Hanuman
2015-02-04, 05:10 AM
I was meaning, it's the living weapons natural weapon. So, it is harder to enchant than a "real" weapon.

Perhaps more expensive, but yes you could just treat the weapon as if it's grafted to itself? So it wields itself as a natural weapon OR manufactured weapon, and since you can graft it to yourself then you could do the same?

Almarck
2015-02-05, 12:53 PM
I'll make it a default that they count as either/or where favorable.
They are still "items" after all.

One funny thing I thought of thought of as a result of this. "Weapon Feats" as in the weapon itself levels up and gets hitdice and feats. May not actually do this, but still, a funny thing to think about.

Almarck
2015-02-06, 04:40 PM
Updated the first post. Now Living items do not posses "evolution" nor may they benefit from "enchantment".

My current replacement idea is to provide an item that acts as an amulet of mighty fists, except that it only provides a straight up enchantment bonus to living items when equipped. This bonus applies to both weapons and armor.

Also, I have made grafting a universal ability, known as mending. Grafting armor works exactly the same as the power.

But the weapon is slightly different. Instead, two handed and/or weapons may be grafted, not just just one-handed melee weapons. The idea was that maybe some players want to make a technoorganic Samus Aran where a really big two handed rifle is melded to the right or left arm and they can use the other hand to stabilize the platform.

Still need to edit the other posts, but I think the road I am going down now is probably better than the one I have embarked on earlier. Evolution was too complicated.

Oh, also, made a big spiel about the benefits of living weapons, under the context of the new rules.

Almarck
2015-02-09, 11:22 AM
Made some edits and completely changed weapons.


Now there is a weapon material for melee weapons with more coming as I think about it.

Also I streamlined the existing firearms. Probably not going to add more on those fronts for a while.

Still haven't mad bonuses to mixing and matching but mores coming.

also the more I think about it the more I imagine the system getting very Diabloesque.

What does everyone think?

GorinichSerpant
2015-02-09, 09:46 PM
Won't it be silly if a warforged wore living armor and used living weaponry? He'd (she, it, whatever) would be a fleshy robot with a metal core. I feel that certain living item options shouldn't be available to constructs, but warforged are classifed as living constructs and such so I guess that detail can be hand-waved.

Almarck
2015-02-09, 10:07 PM
Which makes it pretty hilarious no? Warforged do technically have living components particularly wood that acts as their fles whole metal works mostly as an exoskeleton.

Hanuman
2015-02-09, 10:07 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj5_7jnIXm8

I like that you switched to enchantments, because thats basically what they are. If you want to hide that allow options to make it more expensive.

I'd still go for minimal presentation, start with a multi-cel image of different living weapons, ect.

Almarck
2015-02-09, 10:15 PM
Switch to enchantments? Uh no I haven't unless I misunderstand. Cure entry you can't enchant a living item. I've got a way to replace enchantment in a manner similar to an amulet of mighty fists but for the sake of compatibility but I have yet to release it.

And what do you mean by a multicellular image

Hanuman
2015-02-10, 01:02 AM
Something like this:

https://i.imgur.com/yByD7Pf.jpg

Almarck
2015-02-10, 01:08 AM
Oh the Mythos thing.. Hm, I'll need to figure out a good source.

And for the record, i nthe old Version, items could be both Evolved and Enchanted, but I decided to drop the evolutoon because it made things complicated in a boring way.

Hanuman
2015-02-10, 03:00 AM
Well boring is kind of subjective, some people like dry and some people can't be bothered. It's difficult to find the correct balance.

Almarck
2015-02-10, 03:06 AM
I found it boring because it offered complexity with no real substance. The original system was all about arbitrary gating to prevent people from having way too powerful weapons for their level. Nixing it frees up designing things without having to take it into consideration.

Almarck
2015-02-14, 11:45 AM
Major update. I have added numerous new weapons and weapon materials in the course of the week.

And just now I have uploaded all of the armor listings.

My next step is to develop the enchantment replacement system.

SangoProduction
2015-02-15, 12:51 AM
If you are looking for inspiration: there's a game series that's old, but does feature this "bio-magic." It's called Gene-forge. (I believe) It's old, and so it's graphics aren't great, but I enjoyed the games.
One of their items was the biotool, or something the similar, which could feel around in a lock and open it like a key. In the game though, it was one use, which I don't think you are going for. It doesn't go too far into the making living weapons and armor and what have you, but yeah.
I might call this tool an Omni-key, and allow it to always take 10 with a +13. If given the time, it could take 20 as well. The key can be released, and allowed to try to unlock it while you focus on something else, or you could "assist" it by bonding to it temporarily, allowing it to open locks of 25. It would take a move-equivalent action to insert the key into an appropriate key hole, and activate it.

Almarck
2015-02-15, 12:53 AM
OOh that game. I always wanted to play that game a few years back. I heard it was awesome.

Thanks for reminding me such things as awesome at that existed once.

As for the omnikey, I'll definately take it. Probably might have to fold it up with other tools though...

SangoProduction
2015-02-26, 12:36 AM
The gods smile upon thee. For no reason what so ever, a pdf of the book: life-shaping handbook, was in my downloads folder.
About half way through the feats section I realize: "hey, didn't gene forge call their magic "shaping" as well?" Then came up the "shape creature" feat. Yup.
I haven't read it through completely, but it seems promising so far, and even has it's one "currency" for building life-shaped objects (ceramic pieces, if I'm reading this correctly). You might wanna nab some of their ideas. (although, if I am correct, these ceramic pieces are just replacements for paying raw gold for raw materials, but still)

You can find the pdf by searching "life shaping handbook"

Almarck
2015-02-26, 12:57 AM
You're late to the party. I already read it at the recomedation of other people in the thread. I liked the idea of it but I felt it wasn't alive enough if you catch my drift. I thank you for bringing it up again though. I had forgotten I can still reference it for details.

Anyways ceramic pieces were a material replacement instead of paying in gold. While this is great for thematic reasons doesn't offer enough to the table. Similarly there was just too much untapped potential in making living weapons and armor. The ones in the book simply put were not really too impressive at first glance nor did they feel complete. There was only two or three sets of armor for one and none of them was heavy.

Simply put there was too much emphasize on item and not enough on on alive unless we're talking about constructs.... hm that gives me an idea. Thanks for letting me know.

Debihuman
2015-02-26, 09:12 AM
I think you are making this needlessly complex. The fluff is all very nice (needs some editing and proofreading to fix errors and tighten up the text) but I don't see your original weapon chart matching the text.

Since you brought up the fact that ranged weapons create their own munitions [It is under special in the chart but perhaps needs its own column]. Can they fire mundane or magical ammunition as well or are you stuck with only one type of ammunition?

One problem I have is this sentence regarding melee weapons: "Their functions though on paper are quite simple; actually using one can prove to be a complex task, comparable to some magical or advanced technological items." HOW are these more difficult to use than other weapons? Do you really want to penalize a PC for using this? If so, what are the mechanics for it? Or do you mean it takes longer to fire them? This by the way, is exactly the opposite of what the text says since they can be fired with just a thought. There is some disconnect. I think you mean that the weapon ONLY fires one type of ammunition, UNLESS it is made from one of the new materials i.e. Adaptive Ceramite, et al. but it's not explicitly stated. Note that there seems to be no difference between Adapative Ceramite and Hardened Velkrum other than the price. Something in the text is missing.

Don't snow the reader. "Even more impressive is that living weapons seamlessly bind to the user’s forearms, becoming a specialized, almost natural extension of the user’s own limbs, giving their owner increased accuracy and power to strike at his foes." But this doesn't give the PC any bonuses that I can see. Should a bonded living weapon give a +1 untyped bonus to hit? Can a bonded weapon be removed?

Debby

Almarck
2015-02-26, 09:42 AM
Read the melding rules. +1 damage and attack rolls and melding lets use the hand freely despite actually holding the weapon with only a -2 bonus.

But I will edit several of the lines of text you pointed out. It's all been written in different days. I'll say it's the inter workings that are complex though some weapons are functionally very simple.

Lastly I do not understand what you mean about things not matching up the entries match up as far as I am aware.

Debihuman
2015-02-26, 10:38 AM
I edited my post and hadn't realized you had already responded. Where is Where under melding does it state that the wielder gains a bonus to hit and damage? That text seems to be missing. "The user benefits" line seems to have been cut off.

Debby

Almarck
2015-02-26, 11:01 AM
That's because broke it off into 3 paragraphs since I needed to specify things on a case by case basis. The user benefits has a period and is meant to lead to the next parts.

In short I believe you failed to scroll down. We all fail spot checks I suppose
Edit:sorry if I sounded a little mean spirited there. I will have to consider fixing that section to be more readable. But in short, melding grafts the weapon or armor onto you as if you used certain powers or spells. It's a raw benefit. The fluff about weapons attaching onto you is there to remind people that melding applies.

Debihuman
2015-02-26, 12:31 PM
What you did was LINK to the text on the d20pfsrd site, but you never stated the bonuses. Sorry I missed that there was a link there. I'd recommend editing in the actual bonuses: "+1 competence bonus on all attack and damage rolls while using the weapon" so that someone can use this even if they can't link to the site.

Debby

Almarck
2015-02-26, 12:48 PM
I'll just put a cliff notes version when I have the time, simple summary of what the bonus to melding with a weapon does up front. Keep the kink, just add a small summary in case the site is down.

Thanks for letting me know.

Maglubiyet
2015-02-27, 09:33 PM
I like the living weapons idea. Reminds me of that living armor in one of the Spelljammer 2e Monstrous Compendium (bionoid?) and Eberron's Daelkyr grafts.

So far you've only focused on offense and defense. Are you going to have any non-lethal versions? Here are some ideas:

Weapon types:
Silk Spinners
Silk-producing organs on the forearms allow the wearer to spray webs as Web spell by 5th-level caster.

Paralytic Parasite
Appears as a Spike Lobber, but fires a burrowing parasite that latches onto the target's nervous system. Acts as Paralyze spell.

Living Armor Types:
Scout Suit
Enhanced arm and leg muscles boost the wearer's movement speed (maybe by granting Run or Sprint feat or just a flat bonus to Move?)
Leaping ability (bonus to Jump and Slow Fall as monk)
Hands and feet can produce gripping hooks and secretions at will, activation 1 round, acts as Spider Climb spell

Glider Suit
Bladders along the arms, legs, and back can inflate with the metabolic waste gases of the suit at will, taking 3 rounds to fill. Acts as Levitation spell (or Feather Fall).
Folding wing membranes along the arms and legs give the wearer a glide speed of 30'.

Sensors
Symbiotic sensory stalks graft to living armor and the wearer's nervous system allowing a wider range of senses:
Eyespots - Rudimentary chitinous eye buds are dotted all over the armor allowing the wearer to see in all directions (acts as Robe of Eyes)
Psisense - A psionically-sensitive organ allows the wearer to use Detect Psionics as per the psionic discipline
Tactile Nerve Endings - Movement-sensitive nerves infuse the suit giving the wearer Tremorsense
Heat Pits - Heat-sensitive pits in the suit give the wearer Darkvision to 60'

Almarck
2015-02-27, 09:51 PM
Ooh defiantly going to borrow some of that. Welcome to the forums thanks. Once I am done with the next subsystem pieces I'll get to work on expanding the arsenal.

Almarck
2015-03-01, 05:38 PM
So, last update for a while on this project. Added the replacement for "Enchantment", though I am actually hesitant.

Defiantnight
2015-03-03, 12:48 AM
I love it, keep up the good work please, I would love to use these in my campaign :D

Just letting you know it's awesome.