[Race] Kalque

[Drager]

Kalque Host

Kalque Hosts look exactly like any other creature of their kind, however they usually behave very differently guided by a quite different intelligence. All Kalque Hosts regardless of base creature show a clear intelligence in their eyes and behave in a clearly sapient manner.

Creating A Kalque Host

"Kalque-Host" is an acquired template that can be added to any living, corporeal creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature).

A Kalque Host uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Size and Type
The creature’s type remains the same. Size is unchanged.

Hit Dice
Hit dice remain unchanged.

Speed
A creatures speed remains unchanged.

Armor Class
Armor class remains unchanged

Attack
A Kalque Host retains all the natural attacks of the base creature.

Full Attack
A Kalque Host fighting without weapons uses the natural attacks of the base creature or unarmed attacks, whichever are better.

Damage
Use the damage for the base creature.

Special Attacks
A Kalque Host retains all the special attacks of the base creature. In addition it may cast Know Alignment once per day as the spell.

Special Qualities
A Kalque Host has all the special qualities of the base creature.

Parasite: A Kalque Host does not stop fighting until it is dead i.e. does not become unconscious at 0 Hp. In addition when it dies a Kalque, which may infect a new host, leaves the body(for Kalque stats see below).

Retained Memories: A Kalque Host, in addition to retaining all the qualities of the base creature gains all class levels of the Kalque that infects it.

Slumber: The base creatures personality is put into a coma like state of peaceful slumber whilst the Kalque personality takes over, as a standard action, if the base creature has an intelligence score greater than 3 it may make an opposed will save versus the Kalque to take over control. Is this attempt fails it may not try for a week. If it takes control the Kalque may make an opposed will save versus the base creature to take over control. Is this attempt fails it may not try for a week. These saves may be voluntarily failed.

Abilities
Retain the Str, Dex and Con of the base creature. Replace the Int Wis and Cha scores with the scores of the infecting Kalque.

Skills
A Kalque Host retains the base creatures skills.

Environment
Any.

Challenge Rating
Same as the base creature OR Same as base creature +1 if the creature was not previously intelligent.

Alignment
Usually Lawful Neutral.

Level Adjustment
None



Kalque

Kalque, 1st-Level Warrior

Size/Type: Diminuative Abberation
Hit Dice: Special (1HP)
Initiative:+2
Speed:5 ft. (1 squares)
Armor Class:15 (+2 Dex, +3 Size), touch 15, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple:+0/0
Attack:Bite +2 Mellee (Special Damage)
Full Attack: Bite +2 Mellee (Special Damage)
Space/Reach:5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:Possess
Special Qualities:Weak, Retained Memories
Saves:Fort +0, Ref +2, Will -1
Abilities:Str 1, Dex 14, Con 1, Int 12, Wis 8, Cha 10
Skills:Intimidate +4, Handle Animal +4, Jump +4
Feats:Weapon Finnesse
Environment:Any
Organization:Solitary, pair, or gang (3-4)
Challenge Rating:½
Treasure:Standard
Alignment:Usually Lawful Neutral
Advancement:By character class
Level Adjustment:+0

Kalque are tiny creatures that resemble tics or fleas

Combat
Kalque have one desire in combat… To acquire a host

Possess (Sp)
A Kalque can use possess any time it successfully bites an opponent, an opposed will save is made and, if the Kalque wins it is absorbed into the base creature which acquires the Kalque Host template.

Hit Dice
Kalque never have more than 1 Hp regardless of class levels

Weak
A Kalque may not use any class abilities that deal physical damage, require somatic, verbal or material components or require an enemy to be struck. It cannot hold weapons or wear clothes of any kind. A Kalque may nto survive outside a host for longer than 1 week.

Know Alingment
Know Alignment as the spell once per day.

The Kalque warrior presented here had the following ability scores before racial adjustments: Str 10, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10

Retained Memories
Kalque retain the memories of every host they have taken as well as their own. They retain the class levels of any host they have previously taken, but no abilities gained due to monster hit dice are retained.

Kalque As Characters

Kalque characters possess the following racial traits.
• -10 Strength, -10 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, -2 Wisdom.
• Diminutive size.
• A Kalque’s base land speed is 5 feet.
• Racial Feats: Weapon Finnesse
• Special Attacks (see above): Possess.
• Special Qualities (see above): Weak and Retained Memories (there can be no retained memories if the Kalque has never taken a host)
• Automatic Languages: Common, Bonus Languages: Any
• Favored Class: Psion.
• Level adjustment +0.

It is usually best to start Kalque cahracters in a host, for none evil characters this should usually be an animal with 1 HD, which is replaced by class hit dice if the character is level 1.

Kalque typically live for around 1000 years, they are born with a small amount fo their parents memories, enough to allow them of the difference between intelligent and unintelligent creatures and how to use their innate abilities. They also possess a need to find a host. A Kalque cannot survive without a host for longer than 1 week.

None-Evil Kalque usually take animal hosts and learn as they go, a newly born Kalque ahs the mental abilities and awareness of an adolescent human, able to speak and think coherently, although it has with no life experience whatsoever and as such is very innocent.

Evil Kalque often attempt to possess intelligent creatuers to gain their abilities, then move on to stronger and stronger creatures as their own minds strengthen, this is a quick route to power but decidely evil.


OK can anyone help me out with this race, I think you can see where I am going with this, so any help with wording or suggestions on abilities would be greatly appreicated. I want to keep standard Kalque to ECL +0, if possible to make them sensible characters for NPC citizens and PCs. Obviously evil Kalque can make good antagonists (A Kalque that possessed a level 1 Cleric then jumped to a level 5 fighter, then a level 10 wizard, then a dragon would be rather strong, being a 1 Cleric/5 Fighter/10 Wizard Dragon)

[DraPrime]

What's the DC of the will save to resist possession? Depending on that the LA might go up or down.

[Drager]

It doesn't have a DC its opposed... Will save vs Will save so with the -2 Wis its anywhere from 1-19 if you don't have a good will save. Also once you possess someone you can't possess something else until that host dies (you'll notice the template doesn't ahve Possess.

[Drager]

bump No one else has anything to add?

[JackMage666]

Considering your diminutive size, you could just hide in a harsh environment and wait for something strong to sleep there. Then, hut them unconcious, and bam, you have a powerful body. This can be done at Level 1, even. It is possible, in fact, for a level 1 creature to possess a 10 HD animal or unintelligent creature.

Better yet, know a necromancer. Have him make a skeleton from a young dragon corpse. Sure, it's not as good as a full dragon, but the strength are great, as well as the fact you now how so many new immunities.

If you possess an animal, you get it's HD and you class levels added together. So a 5th level Barbarian Kalque can possess a Dire Wolverine, unopposed - 5d12+5d8, at ECL 5, with the racial strengths of the Dire Wolverine. And that's a weak example.

So much cheese is available, it's not even funny. Possession is not something a PC should ever be able to get, ever.

If you can make a much more mechanically feasible parasite trait, then it MIGHT be able to be a +0 LA. Even just with 1 HD animals, it gains so many strengths that other +0 LA can't - Flight speeds, swim speeds, burrow speeds, all possible with the right animals present (hence, a Kalque Ranger or Druid would be great). I dunno, I don't see a way this can be +0 LA and not be abused.

Also...


• +2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma.
Is incorrect due to your example... Shoule be more like...

-10 Str (Min 1), +4 Dex, -10 Con (Min 1), +2 Int, -2 Wis

[BisectedBrioche]

Is the relationship between its host always parasitic or can they be symbiotic?

[Poppatomus]

Considering your diminutive size, you could just hide in a harsh environment and wait for something strong to sleep there. Then, hut them unconcious, and bam, you have a powerful body. This can be done at Level 1, even. It is possible, in fact, for a level 1 creature to possess a 10 HD animal or unintelligent creature.

Better yet, know a necromancer. Have him make a skeleton from a young dragon corpse. Sure, it's not as good as a full dragon, but the strength are great, as well as the fact you now how so many new immunities.

If you possess an animal, you get it's HD and you class levels added together. So a 5th level Barbarian Kalque can possess a Dire Wolverine, unopposed - 5d12+5d8, at ECL 5, with the racial strengths of the Dire Wolverine. And that's a weak example.

So much cheese is available, it's not even funny. Possession is not something a PC should ever be able to get, ever.

If you can make a much more mechanically feasible parasite trait, then it MIGHT be able to be a +0 LA. Even just with 1 HD animals, it gains so many strengths that other +0 LA can't - Flight speeds, swim speeds, burrow speeds, all possible with the right animals present (hence, a Kalque Ranger or Druid would be great). I dunno, I don't see a way this can be +0 LA and not be abused.

Also...


Is incorrect due to your example... Shoule be more like...

-10 Str (Min 1), +4 Dex, -10 Con (Min 1), +2 Int, -2 Wis

Don't forget, it retains past levels as well, so it grabs a level 2 fighter, a level 2 monk, a level 2 sorceror, a level 2wizard and all of a sudden its a +8 level creature + whatever creature it then captures.

[JackMage666]

Retained Memories
Kalque retain the memories of every host they have taken as well as their own. They retain the class levels of any host they have previously taken, but no abilities gained due to monster hit dice are retained.

Wow, wait, didn't even notice this.... No way can it be +0 LA with this. Basically, it can just go possessing every 1st level PC-class NPC in town, and be 1st level everything... Then it can move up...

He doesn't need XP to level up. Another example... You have a 4 person party - Lvl 10 Wizard, Lvl 10 Fighter, Lvl 10 Cleric, and the Kalque
The Kalque possess each one (they voluntarilly fail), and finds a Human Warrior 1 Host.

So, now the Kalque is a Warrior 1/Fighter 10/Wizard 10/Cleric 10. Int he body of a Warrior (probably not that great physically, but it is a 10th level Wizard and Cleric caster now, with a bunch of bonus feats from his fighter friend.)

Everyone else is level 10, he's level 31. And, that can be done in a day.

[DraPrime]

Wow, wait, didn't even notice this.... No way can it be _0 LA with this. Basically, it can just go possessing every 1st level PC-class NPC in town, and be 1st level everything... Then it can move up...

He doesn't need XP to level up. Another example... You have a 4 person party - Lvl 10 Wizard, Lvl 10 Fighter, Lvl 10 Cleric, and the Kalque
The Kalque possess each one (they voluntarilly fail), and finds a Human Warrior 1 Host.

So, now the Kalque is a Warrior 1/Fighter 10/Wizard 10/Cleric 10. Int he body of a Warrior (probably not that great physically, but it is a 10th level Wizard and Cleric caster now, with a bunch of bonus feats from his fighter friend.)

Everyone else is level 10, he's level 31. And, that can be done in a day.


Now that's scary.

[JackMage666]

And Leadership is your best friend for getting that handy Host/Cohort!

[Drager]

Firstly, yeha I screwed up on the modifiers I didn't change them from an earlier version.

Secondly theres a few things I think you guys are missing.

1) The host does not get possess it cannot transfer from one host to another until the current hos tis dead.

2) Possessing a level 10 character is rather unlikely

In the case of a cleric +10 vs -1 in opposed rolls... I'm not betting on the -1 guy. Even a fighter will have a higher will save. Not sure why you think waiting for a creature to be asleep will help it still gets its will save, but if the parasite succeeds, yes it gets a powerful body.

3) I suggest that a PC starts in a 1HD creature at 1st level (as stated in the description). You can't then take a new host until the old one dies.

4) The relationship can be symbiotic as they can deliberately fail their saves for taking control so they take it in turns to be the controlling mind.

5) Also remember a powerful host is likely able to suppress the parasite and use its memories to power itself, which is nice for th ehost, less so for the parasite.


Quick question about this example:

He doesn't need XP to level up. Another example... You have a 4 person party - Lvl 10 Wizard, Lvl 10 Fighter, Lvl 10 Cleric, and the Kalque
The Kalque possess each one (they voluntarilly fail), and finds a Human Warrior 1 Host.

Why would they voluntarily fail?

So do you think the restirction of starting already in a host if your a PC is not enough to stop this getting away from people and out of control, if so why and how could I rectify it?

[JackMage666]

Personally, I;d have to go evil with this race. My party members would capture a guy, dominate him (thanks wizard!), then tell him to fail. Memories retained! Then, kill the guy, as I already have his class levels.

Dominate makes the new host under your (or, rather, your Wizard friend's) control, and once you have his class levels, you don't need the body.

Now it's time to find a Rhinoceros body for my 10 Barbarian levels!

Even so, it doesn't say you have to succeed in the possessing. You can just wait til they fail (everyone rolls a 1 eventually), and then you have a new body. Party with all elves. They'll be willing to wait a year for the Wizard 20 you hired the fighters to capture and tie down to roll a 1. Don't have anything better to do with their long loves, anyway.

EDIT - Also, I appoligize - I didn't realize your host had to die in order to gain a new one. The above example should be more fitting to prove my potential cheese point, though.

I understand the intent, but giving this to players has far too much potential cheese. As a Monster, it works wonderfully - As a playable race, it doesn't. A DM can run this faily, but a player would just body hop and eventually gain far too much power (remember, every time you gain some class levels, the Will save grows, so after the first Wizard 10, the Cleric 10 gets much easier).

I also want to make it clear that I think this is a great monster, and would make for a intriguing BBEG. But that's because,a s DM, you control it, and everything it does. A PC is just too unpredictable.

[Drager]

Thanks I'll see if I can think of a way to make it a more playable race.

I was more thinking DMs would only allow it in good aligned games, to ease the problems with cheese. One thing you also have though is the thing only has 1 Hp, if you have someone tied down and waiting from them to roll a natural 1 then the DM could just have a 'rescuer' kill the Kalque with a magic missile or something its physically pathetic outside a host. In the scenario you outlined I'm not sure the guy would just sit there and take it, I mean he'd probably have friends (DM controlled friends no less) too right?

How about I make it so a natural 1 isn't an auto fail in this case as its not actually a will save, its an opposed check that uses your will save as the base score? Then in order to get an advantage from level jumping you'd have to do pretty well against anything with a higher wills ave than you and not get squashed in the process...

Oh I just had an idea, what if I put the once a week restriction form slumber on Possess too, so if you fail you can't try again on the same victim for a week? Fairer? More playable?