Ettina
2015-06-11, 09:12 AM
OK, I'm making a homebrew 3.5 template based on this one type of creature in one of my stories (unpublished author). These guys are possessed by a magic-eating spirit being (magophages), which gives them a bunch of powers that are only useable against magical creatures or creatures that use magic. I'm thinking this template would have a base level adjustment, plus increasing power as the character levels up. But I'm having trouble thinking of an appropriate level-equivalence for some of these abilities, because they're so weird.
Starting ability:
They can use a special touch attack as a supernatural ability against magical targets. An enchanted object loses one enchantment per touch, randomly determined. This magical property is permanently gone.
A spellcaster of a nonmagical race (such as a humanoid) loses 1d6 spell slots, randomly determined. Prepared spells are still prepared, but may no longer be castable if the spellcaster lost too many spell slots. These slots return after an extended rest. Psionic targets lose PP in a similar manner, and characters with supernatural abilities lose one supernatural ability for each touch attack.
A magical race (I'm planning on figuring out the full list, basically any race that seems like it would probably need to use magic for basic bodily functions, like undead or constructs) takes 2d6 damage per touch attack. In addition, it also loses any spells, spell-like abilities, supernatural abilities or psionic powers in the manner described above.
A semi-magical race (something that is inherently magical but wouldn't need its' magic for bodily functions, like the characters with this template) takes 1d6 damage from the touch attack, and the touch attack cannot lower them below half health. It also removes spells, spell-like abilities, etc in the same manner as for magical races.
This ability is completely useless on nonmagical characters who don't use
They must use this touch attack on a target it can affect at least once every three days, or begin to suffer starvation effects.
At higher levels they will get upgrades (a bit like the warlock's upgrades to eldritch blast), such as having this do more damage and turn into a ranged touch attack (with range similar to a reach weapon), but this basic ability must be given as soon as they get the template, so it would require a level adjustment if it's too powerful for a first level character.
Subtypes:
There are two types of magophages, acquired and born magophages. Born magophages were possessed in the womb, acquired magophages in adulthood. (Magophages could possess a child, but it happens rarely and I can't be bothered to think up rules for it - suffice it to say they'd be intermediate between the two types.)
Born magophages fuse mentally with their host, giving them +6 to Wisdom, Intelligence and Charisma, but if affected by dispel magic or in an antimagic field (or any other effect that would take away their supernatural abilities), they suffer a penalty of 2d6 to those mental stats. (The reason it's greater than the bonus is because the host's brain is used to depending on the magophage and did not develop properly as a result.) In addition, born magophages show unusual mental maturity for their age, and their minimum starting age is 2/3rds that of other races.
Born magophages must be nongood alignment, and die within a week if the magophage is expelled or destroyed. If the host dies of anything or the magophage is expelled, the magophage dies within a week - unless the host was at least 70 years old. (The magophages that possess unborn infants are infants themselves, and need a host body to survive until they reach maturity.) Beyond this age, the magophage can survive without its host and even take a new host as an acquired magophage.
Acquired magophages do not fuse mentally with the magophage as born magophages do, and do not gain the bonus to their mental stats. Instead, the magophage and the host have separate mental stats and can communicate telepathically. They roll two Will saves, and if one succeeds and one fails, then only one of the two is affected by the spell. Normally, the two would cooperate, but if they are in opposition to each other (such as if only one is mind-controlled) then the magophage controls all its supernatural abilities and has veto power on use of any other spells, spell-like abilities, supernatural abilities or psionic powers the host attempts to use, while the host controls their body.
The host can be any alignment, but the magophage itself is always evil-aligned. Since becoming an acquired magophage is voluntary (the magophage needs their consent to possess them) it's unlikely that a good-aligned character would chose to do so. However, once they have been possessed by a magophage, if that magophage is expelled or destroyed, any other magophage can possess them without consent.
Another ability, which they will get as they level up:
If they managed to touch the head of an intelligent magical creature (one with an Int score, who would suffer 2d6 damage from their touch attack), they can scramble its' mind. This deals 3d6 damage to Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma and 1d6 to Dexterity. The target regains 1d2 Dexterity and 1d6 Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma when it rests or after 24 hours has passed, continuing until all the damage is healed. This effect cannot be dispelled - instead, attempts to dispel it will affect the creature as if it has been hit by the ability again. However, boosting these skills through other means (eg headband of intelligence, Owl's Wisdom) works normally.
When they get this ability, they also get access to a bunch on specialized Knowledge skills (one for each type & subtype of intelligent magical creature), which they get ranks in by spending a week repeatedly scrambling the mind of a creature of that type. As they gain ranks in Knowledge of a particular creature, they gain the ability to do a variety of more precise alterations, mimicking various spells (still working on the list, but it will definitely include pretty much any mind-affecting spell), but with the duration changed to 24 hours. They will also eventually get the ability to make their alterations permanent. Attempts to dispel these changes will affect them as described above for the basic ability.
So, my questions:
What would a suitable level adjustment be for having the magophage template, and would that differ between born and acquired magophages?
What level should they get access to the ability to scramble the target's mind?
Starting ability:
They can use a special touch attack as a supernatural ability against magical targets. An enchanted object loses one enchantment per touch, randomly determined. This magical property is permanently gone.
A spellcaster of a nonmagical race (such as a humanoid) loses 1d6 spell slots, randomly determined. Prepared spells are still prepared, but may no longer be castable if the spellcaster lost too many spell slots. These slots return after an extended rest. Psionic targets lose PP in a similar manner, and characters with supernatural abilities lose one supernatural ability for each touch attack.
A magical race (I'm planning on figuring out the full list, basically any race that seems like it would probably need to use magic for basic bodily functions, like undead or constructs) takes 2d6 damage per touch attack. In addition, it also loses any spells, spell-like abilities, supernatural abilities or psionic powers in the manner described above.
A semi-magical race (something that is inherently magical but wouldn't need its' magic for bodily functions, like the characters with this template) takes 1d6 damage from the touch attack, and the touch attack cannot lower them below half health. It also removes spells, spell-like abilities, etc in the same manner as for magical races.
This ability is completely useless on nonmagical characters who don't use
They must use this touch attack on a target it can affect at least once every three days, or begin to suffer starvation effects.
At higher levels they will get upgrades (a bit like the warlock's upgrades to eldritch blast), such as having this do more damage and turn into a ranged touch attack (with range similar to a reach weapon), but this basic ability must be given as soon as they get the template, so it would require a level adjustment if it's too powerful for a first level character.
Subtypes:
There are two types of magophages, acquired and born magophages. Born magophages were possessed in the womb, acquired magophages in adulthood. (Magophages could possess a child, but it happens rarely and I can't be bothered to think up rules for it - suffice it to say they'd be intermediate between the two types.)
Born magophages fuse mentally with their host, giving them +6 to Wisdom, Intelligence and Charisma, but if affected by dispel magic or in an antimagic field (or any other effect that would take away their supernatural abilities), they suffer a penalty of 2d6 to those mental stats. (The reason it's greater than the bonus is because the host's brain is used to depending on the magophage and did not develop properly as a result.) In addition, born magophages show unusual mental maturity for their age, and their minimum starting age is 2/3rds that of other races.
Born magophages must be nongood alignment, and die within a week if the magophage is expelled or destroyed. If the host dies of anything or the magophage is expelled, the magophage dies within a week - unless the host was at least 70 years old. (The magophages that possess unborn infants are infants themselves, and need a host body to survive until they reach maturity.) Beyond this age, the magophage can survive without its host and even take a new host as an acquired magophage.
Acquired magophages do not fuse mentally with the magophage as born magophages do, and do not gain the bonus to their mental stats. Instead, the magophage and the host have separate mental stats and can communicate telepathically. They roll two Will saves, and if one succeeds and one fails, then only one of the two is affected by the spell. Normally, the two would cooperate, but if they are in opposition to each other (such as if only one is mind-controlled) then the magophage controls all its supernatural abilities and has veto power on use of any other spells, spell-like abilities, supernatural abilities or psionic powers the host attempts to use, while the host controls their body.
The host can be any alignment, but the magophage itself is always evil-aligned. Since becoming an acquired magophage is voluntary (the magophage needs their consent to possess them) it's unlikely that a good-aligned character would chose to do so. However, once they have been possessed by a magophage, if that magophage is expelled or destroyed, any other magophage can possess them without consent.
Another ability, which they will get as they level up:
If they managed to touch the head of an intelligent magical creature (one with an Int score, who would suffer 2d6 damage from their touch attack), they can scramble its' mind. This deals 3d6 damage to Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma and 1d6 to Dexterity. The target regains 1d2 Dexterity and 1d6 Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma when it rests or after 24 hours has passed, continuing until all the damage is healed. This effect cannot be dispelled - instead, attempts to dispel it will affect the creature as if it has been hit by the ability again. However, boosting these skills through other means (eg headband of intelligence, Owl's Wisdom) works normally.
When they get this ability, they also get access to a bunch on specialized Knowledge skills (one for each type & subtype of intelligent magical creature), which they get ranks in by spending a week repeatedly scrambling the mind of a creature of that type. As they gain ranks in Knowledge of a particular creature, they gain the ability to do a variety of more precise alterations, mimicking various spells (still working on the list, but it will definitely include pretty much any mind-affecting spell), but with the duration changed to 24 hours. They will also eventually get the ability to make their alterations permanent. Attempts to dispel these changes will affect them as described above for the basic ability.
So, my questions:
What would a suitable level adjustment be for having the magophage template, and would that differ between born and acquired magophages?
What level should they get access to the ability to scramble the target's mind?