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Fax Celestis
2007-08-06, 07:25 PM
How many subtypes can you acquire, permanent or temporary, and how early?

Shhalahr Windrider
2007-08-06, 07:43 PM
Let's see...

Humanoids always have a racial subtype. (from the start)

Go with something like an aquatic elf to add an Aquatic subtype. (from the start)

Psionic and Incarnum subtypes apply to any characters with the requisite abilities. (one level in an appropriate class or an appropriate feat)

You can gain the Dragonblood subtype with the Dragonborn feat from Dragon Magic. (one feat)

A bit of lycanthropy earns you the Shapechanger subtype. (add the appropriate HD and LA for the lycanthrope type)

I know I've seen feats and Prestige Classes that grant alignment and elemental subtypes, but I cannot think of any specifics. Not sure how well you can mix and match those. You can certainly have two alignment subtypes—one for each axis. Not sure how easy it would be to pull off multiple elemental subtypes though. In most cases, though, you probably wouldn't be able to get more than two elements unless you changed our aquatic elf starting point to something like an Omnielemental (MM3).

Oh, yeah. You can also visit another plane to get the Extraplanar subtype, too.

Then you can find a magic item to render you incorporeal, granting you the Incorporeal subtype.

So...

Humanoid (elf, aquatic, shapechanger, psionic, incarnum, dragonblood, extraplanar, incorporeal, good, chaotic, water, air) yields us 12 subtypes. Since I'm fuzzy on some of the exact methods, though, I can't tell you how easy it is to get those.

Draz74
2007-08-06, 07:54 PM
Humanoid (elf, aquatic, shapechanger, psionic, incarnum, dragonblood, extraplanar, incorporeal, good, chaotic, water, air) yields us 12 subtypes. Since I'm fuzzy on some of the exact methods, though, I can't tell you how easy it is to get those.

Well, if you used any templates (e.g. lycanthropy), you already also should add the (augmented) subtype automatically.

Then you can probably find a number of other templates that add subtypes. Monk 20 also gets you the (native) subtype, and I think several classes have similar abilities; just make sure turning your main type into Outsider doesn't make you lose any of the subtypes you've already picked up.

Shhalahr Windrider
2007-08-06, 08:33 PM
Well, if you used any templates (e.g. lycanthropy), you already also should add the (augmented) subtype automatically.
Only if the template changes your type. After all, Humanoid (augmented humanoid) is just silly. Lycanthropes simply retain their original type and gain the Shapechanger subtype.


Then you can probably find a number of other templates that add subtypes. Monk 20 also gets you the (native) subtype, and I think several classes have similar abilities;
The way it's worded, Monk doesn't actually change your type. It just means you're treated as a different type for the purpose of magical effects. For instance, you still retain all your normal type's traits and features


just make sure turning your main type into Outsider doesn't make you lose any of the subtypes you've already picked up.
"Elf" is a humanoid-specific subtype, so if you did change types, you'd those that.

Kyeudo
2007-08-06, 08:50 PM
The number of subtypes you can get is about a dozen. The amount of useful subtypes, however, is less.

However, by playing a Changling and taking the Racial Emulation feat, you can pick up the subtypes of any creature you can immitate. The ease of making this useful depends on your interpretation of the feat.

The feat says you gain the subtypes of any humanoid creature you use your change shape ability to mimic. This can either be taken to mean any creature of the Humanoid type, or to mean any creature with 2 arms, 2 legs, and a head. The second opens up more options.

Aquatic subtype grants the ability to breathe water, and is fairly easy to aquire. Just become an Aquatic Elf or an Aventi to pick this up.

Fire subtype grants immunity to Fire damage, very useful when fighting Red Dragons or wandering on the Elemental Plane of Fire. To pick this up, imitate an Azer.

The Cold subtype grants immunity to Cold damage, of course. The easiest way to aquire this is to imitate a Frost Folk, from Frostburn.

The most interesting subtype, in my opinion, is the Air subtype. A creature with the Air subtype ALWAYS has a fly speed. Currently, however, I don't know of any medium size creature with the Air subtype that a Changling could imitate.

namo
2007-08-06, 09:46 PM
Mantle of the Fiery Spirit (Sandstorm) and mantle of the Icy Soul (Frostburn) give you the Fire and Cold subtype, respectively. They are Druid/Cleric spells.

Swooper
2007-08-07, 08:52 AM
The most interesting subtype, in my opinion, is the Air subtype. A creature with the Air subtype ALWAYS has a fly speed. Currently, however, I don't know of any medium size creature with the Air subtype that a Changling could imitate.
Hmm, I'm not sure about this, but would an Air Genasi work? I think they've been updated for 3.5 since Monsters of Faerūn, but I don't know where (mainly since I don't play FR) and I don't know how Changelings work either (you guessed it, don't play Eberron either). Just something that occurred to me.

Xefas
2007-08-07, 09:28 AM
From Savage Species you have the Monstrous Beast template that can give you the fire or cold subtypes, as well as the Multiheaded Template that can make you a Pyro or Cryo (like a hydra) type of creature.

Also, they have a minor ritual that costs 56,000gp and 2,240xp that can give you any of the humanoid subtypes, and a different ritual that costs the same, but gives you an alignment subtype, although it changes your alignment to match the subtype when you perform it.

And, in the Monster Manual 2 (might be 3, but I think it's 2), theres the Monster of Legend template that can give out fire or cold subtypes.

Finally, Mineral Warrior from the Underdark book grants the Earth subtype.

cupkeyk
2007-08-07, 09:33 AM
Lolz, that is Odd cause although the air genasi has the air subtype it has no fly speed, at most it has levitate once per day...

The Gilded Duke
2007-08-07, 01:19 PM
Let me see... most subtypes at first level: Aventi Totemist in Sigil with Wild Talent and Dragonblooded feats

Aquatic Psionic Incarnum Extraplanar Dragonblooded Humanoid

Probably next would go for the Earth Warrior Template, then figure out a way to become a shapeshifter. Then get some additional spells cast to add a few more subtypes. I think six at first level is good for now though.