GreatWyrmGold
2019-05-22, 02:02 AM
I think this is the best subforum to put this in, so...
As a "gimmick" for a 3.5 game I'm working out details on, I'm planning to have the PCs be the products of some kind of magical experimentation. Since this involves them getting a few plot-relevant spell-like abilities, I decided to also let them choose a template stripped down to per-HD spell-like abilities and enough other fluff to keep things distinct and balanced.
Half-fiend and half-celestial were obvious picks, and a good balance point. I thought they could get DR/magic, spell resistance, and at-will daylight (for the celestial)/natural attacks (for the fiend) on top of that. Half-fey (Fiend Folio) also fits the bill, but the at-will charm person they get at first level seems...strong. So I thought extra abilities could be limited to low-light vision and enchantment immunity.
Does this seem balanced so far, or is one spell list significantly stronger/weaker than the other two in ways I hadn't realized?
I want to use the half-illithid template, but it only gives SLAs (technically psionics) through 7th level. Obviously, it needs additional abilities (especially after that point) to be competitive with the other half-templates' SLA lists. I'm thinking, at minimum, use of the template's tentacles and mind blast (probably multiple times per day, details pending) and access to Savage Species's Illithid Savant prestige class.
Alternatively, I could just give them the tentacles, savant access, and reduced psion progression (a la the psionic mind flayer in the Expanded Psionics Handbook, just...less so). I'd rather not do that, especially since it would defeat part of the original purpose here, but it's an option.
Any suggestions on how to bring half-illithids in line?
And what other templates are available? I wanted to give players about half a dozen options (because reasons), each with good arguments for taking them. The Woodling from the Monster Manual 3 is an option, but aside from an SLA list that seems kind of lackluster (to my untrained eye), it covers a lot of the same thematic ground as the half-fey template.
Any help you guys can provide would be appreciated!
As a "gimmick" for a 3.5 game I'm working out details on, I'm planning to have the PCs be the products of some kind of magical experimentation. Since this involves them getting a few plot-relevant spell-like abilities, I decided to also let them choose a template stripped down to per-HD spell-like abilities and enough other fluff to keep things distinct and balanced.
Half-fiend and half-celestial were obvious picks, and a good balance point. I thought they could get DR/magic, spell resistance, and at-will daylight (for the celestial)/natural attacks (for the fiend) on top of that. Half-fey (Fiend Folio) also fits the bill, but the at-will charm person they get at first level seems...strong. So I thought extra abilities could be limited to low-light vision and enchantment immunity.
Does this seem balanced so far, or is one spell list significantly stronger/weaker than the other two in ways I hadn't realized?
I want to use the half-illithid template, but it only gives SLAs (technically psionics) through 7th level. Obviously, it needs additional abilities (especially after that point) to be competitive with the other half-templates' SLA lists. I'm thinking, at minimum, use of the template's tentacles and mind blast (probably multiple times per day, details pending) and access to Savage Species's Illithid Savant prestige class.
Alternatively, I could just give them the tentacles, savant access, and reduced psion progression (a la the psionic mind flayer in the Expanded Psionics Handbook, just...less so). I'd rather not do that, especially since it would defeat part of the original purpose here, but it's an option.
Any suggestions on how to bring half-illithids in line?
And what other templates are available? I wanted to give players about half a dozen options (because reasons), each with good arguments for taking them. The Woodling from the Monster Manual 3 is an option, but aside from an SLA list that seems kind of lackluster (to my untrained eye), it covers a lot of the same thematic ground as the half-fey template.
Any help you guys can provide would be appreciated!