[3.5] How can I gain the Angel subtype?

[lylsyly]

Just what the title says folks. I am looking for a way to gain the angel subtype, preferably at character creation.

Angel Subtype (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#subtypes)

[Kelb_Panthera]

Only way I know of, other than simply being an angel, is the wish ritual described in savage species. Really expensive but it's literally the only thing I can think of that would work.

[daremetoidareyo]

How crazy do you want to get?

1. There is a ritual in Savage species that can give you subtypes. It's expensive and requires some high-level level spells.

2. Be a commoner with the corpse flaw from the dragon magazine that also has the chicken infested flaw. Use that flaw to take The Apprentice feat from the DMG II. Choose spell caster. Your mentor has to be an exalted good spellcaster with a level in spell dancer and have the persist spell metamagic feat. They have to be high enough level to cast animate with the spirit. So we are talking about a minimum of eight level for your mentor. Everyday he casts a 24 hour animate with the spirit spell on your corpse. Boom. You an angel.

Kind of

[Feantar]

The only way I know, except playing an Astral Deva or homebrewing a Half-Celestial with a subtype, is through the Ritual of Association (Savage Species p.148). Note however that it's costly (63000 gp and 2240 XP) and would not give you the traits of the subtype. If you want the traits you'd need to homebrew a ritual based, I'd imagine, on the ritual of Transfiguration and/or Elements (Same book) and come up with an appropriate level adjustment (which is going to be pretty high concidering the immunities).

[daremetoidareyo]

ooh. figured out another one, if flaws are allowed.

A changeling with the racial emulation feat, and the otherwordly feat from PGTF. If he racially emulates an elf, he can take the otherworldly feat to become an outsider. From there, all he needs to find is an elf, somewhere in the planes with the angel subtype, which would serve as an example for your character to change his subtype to.

Now, traits are a poorly defined game term. But right there in the subtypes, it uses the word traits repeatedly. So that is going to work against you real hard. Further making this difficult is the fact that the aquatic subtype doesn't use the word traits at all, so you can racially emulate yourself into the ability to breath water. Which is pretty cool.

That leaves with you with two choices in your rules lawyering, choose one, because you don't get to make the other argument: 1. to argue in bad faith that it is talking about the traits variant rule from unearthed arcana or 2. that traits only applies to racial traits (like an elf's proficiencies, sleep rules, vision, or stat adjustments) not subtype traits, which aren't explicitly defined.

[Crake]

ooh. figured out another one, if flaws are allowed.

A changeling with the racial emulation feat, and the otherwordly feat from PGTF. If he racially emulates an elf, he can take the otherworldly feat to become an outsider. From there, all he needs to find is an elf, somewhere in the planes with the angel subtype, which would serve as an example for your character to change his subtype to.

Now, traits are a poorly defined game term. But right there in the subtypes, it uses the word traits repeatedly. So that is going to work against you real hard. Further making this difficult is the fact that the aquatic subtype doesn't use the word traits at all, so you can racially emulate yourself into the ability to breath water. Which is pretty cool.

That leaves with you with two choices in your rules lawyering, choose one, because you don't get to make the other argument: 1. to argue in bad faith that it is talking about the traits variant rule from unearthed arcana or 2. that traits only applies to racial traits (like an elf's proficiencies, sleep rules, vision, or stat adjustments) not subtype traits, which aren't explicitly defined.

Racial emulation specifies that it only works for humanoids that you transform into, so if an elf takes the otherworldly feat you can no longer use racial emulation to copy their subtypes.

What exactly is the reason for wanting the angel subtype? If it's for the abilities, it's not really something you're going to be able to have access to from level 1, even if you play a savage species progression angel, they don't get all the abilities from the angel subtype right away. If you want it for the ability to cast spells with the celestial component however, then there are prestige classes that can help with that. Again, not available from level 1, but there are some things which are just simply beyond 1st level characters.

[lylsyly]

I was afraid of this. With all the ways of gaining different types there is no easy way to gain a subtype. Thanks again WOTC.

And yes, I was aiming for the traits.