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SangoProduction
2021-04-11, 01:42 PM
Gravecrawler

Everyone has that itchy feeling in the back of the neck, like something's crawling around inside. You simply feel it more strongly than others, and with good reason. You don't know when it started, but you have felt the presence of another being within you. Helping you. Seeing things you missed. Clarifying your memories. Or perhaps altering them to be unrecognizable. Are you really yourself, or just a puppet? It doesn't seem hostile, but how can you really know?
Regardless, you're determined to make use of it as it uses you.


Role: Gravecrawlers have powerful tools to enabling the supporting of their allies or the disabling of their enemy.
Alignment: Gravecrawlers tend toward neutral alignments, moderated by their new companion, but they can be any alignment.

Hit Die: d8
Class Skills:
Acrobatics, Bluff, Climb, Craft, Diplomacy, Disguise, Fly, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge (all), Linguistics, Perception, Perform, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Spellcraft, Stealth, Swim, and Use Magic Device.
Skill Points: 4 + Int modifier



Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
Caster Level
Magic Talents



1st

+0



+2



+0



+2


Casting, Spell Pool, Deathly, Drones, Crawler Powers
1
1 (+2)



2nd

+1



+2



+0



+2


Third Eye, Crawler Powers
2
2



3rd
+1



+3



+1



+3


Amplified Drones
3
3



4th

+2



+4



+1



+4


Crawler Powers
4
4




5th

+2



+4



+1



+4


Hive Workers
5
5



6th

+3



+5



+2



+5


Crawler Powers
6
6



7th

+3



+5



+2



+5


Bodily Reinforcement +2, Foot in the Grave
7
7



8th

+4



+6



+2



+6


Crawler Powers
8
8



9th

+4



+6



+3



+6


Encompassing Drones
9
9



10th

+5



+7



+3



+7


Crawler Powers
10
10



11th

+5



+7



+3



+7


Overpowering Spawn
11
11



12th

+6/+1



+8



+4



+8


Crawler Powers
12
12



13th

+6/+1



+8



+4



+8


Bodily Reinforcement +4
13
13



14th

+7/+2



+9



+4



+9


Crawler Powers
14
14



15th

+7/+2



+9



+5



+9


Secondary Processing +1
15
15



16th

+8/+3



+10



+5



+10


Crawler Powers
16
16



17th

+8/+3



+10



+5



+10


Ultimate Control
17
17



18th

+9/+4



+11



+6



+11


Crawler Powers
18
18



19th

+9/+4



+11



+6



+11


Bodily Reinforcement +6, Secondary Processing +2
19
19



20th

+10/+5



+12



+6



+12


Crawler Powers, Final Stage
20
20



Casting: A gravecrawler may combine spheres and talents to create magical effects. A gravercrawler is considered a High-Caster. (Note: All casters gain 2 bonus talents and a casting tradition the first time they gain the casting class feature.)

Spell Pool: The gravecrawler gains a small reservoir of energy she can call on to create truly wondrous effects, called a spell pool. This pool contains a number of spell points equal to her level + her casting ability modifier (minimum: 1). This pool replenishes once per day after roughly 8 hours of rest.

Deathly (Su): The gravecrawler, while remaining as his original type, can also be magically detected as though he were an undead and vermin with an HD of his gravecrawler level. The exact visual manifestation varies from gravecrawler to gravecrawler, with some even being imperceptible. This is thanks to the gravecrawler's connection with his crawler.

Drones (Su): Your crawler symbiote is able to fraction off some of its power to create small nodes which can communicate back with it. Unfortunately, these small nodes of power require living hosts, and even still, only persist for a few days. In order to implant a Drones on a creature, you must successfully touch the creature as a melee touch attack, although you may also implant it as a part of a successful unarmed combat maneuver or unarmed strike. This is all but imperceptible for the new host. These Drones die when either you or the host dies.
A single creature can not be host to more than one Drone at any given time, with the most recent Drone taking over from the previous. Further, a gravecrawler can only fraction off its power so much before it's unsafe. As such, a gravecrawler may only maintain a number of Drone equal to his level + casting ability modifier, with a select Drone being lost after going above that limit. (The gravecrawler can host his own Drone, same as any other creature.])

Once a Drone has been implanted upon a living target, hereby referred to as a "host" or "host creature", you can choose what system it will attach itself to (see below), and whether or not it will immediately activate. Upon activation, the host body can then identify that something is off, and try to root it out. As a swift action an infected host may attempt a fortitude save to remove the drone, DC (10 + 1/2 Gravecrawler level + casting ability modifier). Activating or deactivating a Drone can be done as a free action, once every round. If the target is willing, the Drone can freely swap between systems once per round.
Sensory: By attaching to the sensory network of the host, the gravecrawler can passively detect the direction and distance to the host. On activation, you may both communicate telepathically with each other, while within 20 feet per gravecrawler level.

Muscle: By attaching to the musculature of the host, the gravecrawler can passively grant the effects of Endurance feat. On activation, the host's limiter on muscular exertion is removed - they are considered 1 size larger for the purpose of carrying capacity, weapon damage, and combat maneuvers. This does not change their actual size.

Mind: By attaching to the mind of the host, they view the gravecrawler more favorably, passively granting the gravecrawler a bonus of (2+1/3 gravecrawler level) to diplomacy, bluff, perform, and intimidate against the creature. On activation, they suffer half the bonus as a penalty vs Mind and Death sphere effects from the Gravecrawler.

Immunity: By integrating with the host's immune system, the gravecrawler can passively grant the host a bonus of (1 + 1/4 gravecrawler level) to all saves against effects not from the gravecrawler. On activation, the host or gravecrawler may spend a mental swift action to attempt a save to end any ongoing effect affecting the host that had a save.


Third Eye (Ex): While normally metaphorical, the crawler is able to actually amplify and enhance the sensations of the body. Starting at level 2, the gravecrawler gains a bonus to perception and sense motive equal to +1/2 gravecrawler level, and gains the effects of Evasion.

Crawler Powers (Su): Each gravecrawler carries a crawler, which develops uniquely within their body to gain a variety of powers. At first level, second level, and every second level thereafter, he gains an ability from the list below. The saving throw for any crawler power is equal to (10 + 1/2 gravecrawler level + casting ability modifier). All crawler powers are considered supernatural abilities unless stated otherwise. A crawler power may only be selected once, unless stated otherwise.

Aggressive Spawn: The gravecrawler may attempt to implant a Drone into a target in place of making an attack, meaning he may do as an attack of opportunity, in place of multiple attacks during a full attack, etc. Further he may also do so as part of a successful natural attack, not just unarmed attacks, or he may attempt to implant Drone as a thrown weapon; doing so requires a ranged touch attack with a range increment of 20 feet. While a Drone is active, you may have it deal your gravecrawler level as damage to its host each round. This damage can be your choice of lethal or nonlethal.

Death Bound Drones (Requires: Aggressive Spawn, Gravecrawler level 5): Once per round, whenever the gravecrawler would be able to implant a drone (such as on a successful melee touch), he may instead cast a Death sphere effect (often Ghost Strike) on the target without provoking an attack of opportunity. If the gravecrawler has Encompassing Drones, rather than reanimating the corpse of a dead host normally, he may chose for the corpse to be temporarily reanimated for the remaining life of the drone, without counting against the maximum number of controlled undead. Thereafter, the corpse is no longer viable for reanimation.

Enduring Spawn: Drones no longer have a maximum duration, and do not immediately die when the gravecrawler dies, instead going dormant for up to a number of days equal to his gravecrawler level. If resurrected within this time, they become active again. In addition, the DC of effects to remove his Drones is increased by 2.

Energizing Drones: As a standard action, the gravecrawler can spend a spell point to grant all allied hosts gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks for a number of rounds equal to his casting ability modifier. These bonuses are doubled against enemy host creatures. This bonus increases to +3 at level 15.

Exoskeleton: The gravecrawler gains (2 + 1/4 gravecrawler level) natural armor. If the gravecrawler is not currently wearing armor, also add casting abitilty modifier to the natural armor. As a swift action, the gravewalker may grant another creature with an active Drone the benefits and drawbacks of this ability, dependent on whether or not the host wears armor. The granted natural armor last for (casting ability modifier) rounds. Disguise checks made by the gravecrawler take a penalty equal to the natural armor bonus granted by this ability. If you already use your casting ability modifier to calculate your AC (such as through an AC Bonus feature), consider yourself to be armored for the purpose of this feat.Exoskeleton, Dark Shine (Requires Exoskeleton): Your exoskeleton now has a dark sheen overtop of it, glinting light, but blending into the dark. Gain a +3 to stealth, while in shadowy light or total darkness The Dark sphere now benefits from any bonuses as though it were also the Death sphere. When a Gravecrawler class feature allows for the use of a Death sphere ability, you may use a Dark sphere ability instead.

Exoskeleton, Glowing (Requires Exoskeleton): Your exoskeleton now glows an eerie green, with the light of a candle. Gain -2 to stealth and disguise while in shadowy light or total darkness. The Light sphere now benefits from any bonuses as though it were also the Death sphere. When a Gravecrawler class feature allows for the use of a Death sphere ability, you may use a Light sphere ability instead.
Hive Network (requires gravecrawler 9): The gravecrawler may use hive workers, crawler powers, Mind, and Death sphere effects on any creature with an implanted drone regardless of distance or line of effect.

Hive Network, Improved (requires gravecrawler 15, Hive Network): The gravecrawler may use any sphere effects on any creature with an implanted drone, as long both are on the same plane.

Networked Crawler: Whenever a host creature is subject to damage, as an immediate action (or free action even when its not his turn, for a spell point) the gravecrawler can cause half of the damage to be split with another willing creature. The gravecrawler must be aware of the damage being dealt in order to redirect it.Networked Crawler Swarm (Requires Networked Crawler, Restore (life sphere)): Whenever a host creature is subject to a condition that the gravecrawler can restore, as a free action even when its not his turn, he may transfer the condition to another willing host creature that doesn't already have that condition. The gravecrawler is also automatically aware when a host is about to be damaged or have a condition inflicted on it, as long as they are in medium range.

Network Twitch (Requires Networked Crawler): As a swift action, the gravecrawler can have an willing host make an attack against an enemy as though they provoked an attack of opportunity. Alternatively, he may force an enemy host to provoke an attack of opportunity from another target creature.

Mobile Carrier (Requires Networked Crawler): As a move action, the gravecrawler can allow a willing host to immediately move up to their movement speed. This movement provokes attacks of opportunity as normal.

Vivacious Transfer (Requires Networked Crawler): The gravecrawler may accept up to 2+ (1 / 2 class level) constitution burn as an immediate action. In so doing, he may grant a willing host a temporary bonus to their constitution score equal to the burn, until the burn is healed. This can save a host who'd otherwise die. This counts as a Life sphere effect for the purposes of Vitality talents.
Controlled Odor (Ex): Once per minute, as a free action, gain the effects of any one trait granted by the Odiferous alteration sphere talent for up to one minute. This is not a polymorph effect. You may grant this the same trait for the same duration to any number of chosen hosts for one spell point.

Flesh for Favor: The crawler is able to more efficiently convert vital energy into magical energy. You just need to let it do so. As a free action, once per round, the grave crawler may have a willing host take 2 points of constitution burn in order to cause your next sphere ability to cost 1 fewer spell points, and gain +(1+1/3 class level) to caster level. This bonus does not stack.

Secondary Constitution (Requires: Reanimate (deaths sphere)): When the gravecrawler reanimates undead, he may treat them as having a drone, despite not being a living creature, and without counting against his maximum number of drones. If benefitting from an active drone, a gravecrawler's reanimated corpses also count as vermin type. Any crawler power applied to his reanimated corpses last twice as long when beneficial.

Silken Thread: As a standard action, you may produce up to 10 ft of silk rope per gravecrawler level, which last for 24 hours. Alternatively, you may produce sticky threads that impair enemies. To do so, you target a creature within close range, who may make a reflex save, if unwilling. On a failed reflex save, they are entangled for (1d4 + gravecrawler level) rounds. The creature may attempt to escape as a standard action with a Strength or Escape Artist check, or by destroying the fibers which have 5 hp. Hitting an already-entangled foe with Silken Thread instead sedates the target and causes your choice of Exhausted or Staggered for the same duration. Additional applications of Silken Thread after the first refresh its duration and HP. This doesn't make it harder to escape or increase the threads' maximum hp.
Both versions of the Silken Thread gain bonus HP equal to gravecrawler level, and DR/Adamantine of 1/2 gravecrawler level. Cocoon (Requires Silken Thread): If a creature is willingly entangled by Silken Thread, on its next turn, the gravecrawler may choose to let the creature cast Shapeshift on itself as a move action with +1 maximum trait, accessing any alteration talents the gravecrawler may have, and using the gravecrawler's caster level if favorable. A creature casting shapeshift in this way ends the effect of Silken thread on the itself.

Silk Spray (Requires Silken Thread): By spending a spell point, the gravecrawler can use his Silken Thread ability to affect all creatures within a 30-ft cone or 60-ft line (reflex negates).

Silken Gift (Requires Silken Thread): As a full round action, for the next hour, or until the thread is destroyed, you may render Stunned and Helpless any creature that is Exhausted or Staggered by your Silken Threads. You may now implant a Drone when a creature fails its save against Silken Thread. Also gain the Web Mastery (Combat) feat, without needing to meet the prerequisites.

Wings (Ex): The gravecrawler grows chitinous wings, causing him to take no damage from falling (as if subject to a constant featherfall effect). At class level 4, this also grants him a fly speed of 30 (poor). Every 2 levels there after, the speed improves by 10 ft, and maneuverability improves by 1 step. As a spell point, he may cause any host to grow equivalent wings for (casting ability modifier) minutes.


Amplified Drones: At 3rd level, a gravecrawler's drones gain a degree of unwilling control over their hosts, unlocking different sets of abilities. While active, the gravecrawler may choose the original activation effect, or the ones presented here.
Sensory: The gravecrawler may choose for the granted telepathy to be one-way, and to disrupt the host's senses. This causes the host to suffer 15% miss chance, and -6 perception.

Muscle: The gravecrawler may chose for the crawler to instead reduce the host's effective size by 1 instead of increasing it.

Mind: While active, the crawler causes cognitive dissonance when an enemy host attempts to attack creatures with implanted drones. The host has a -2 to hit, damage, and save DCs vs any host creature. This is in addition to the original effects from level 1.

Immunity: The gravecrawler may choose for the drone to use the host to multiply. Whenever the creature touches, or makes an unarmed or natural attack against, a non-host creature, they automatically implant a drone.


Hive Workers (Su): At 5th level, a gravecrawler's drones can exert more direct control. As a result, the gravecrawler may affect any creature with Mind sphere abilities, and may have the save be Fortitude rather than Will, as long as they have Drone attached to their mind or sensory system. In addition, when a host creature dies, the drone survives for an additional (class level) rounds. During this time, he may reanimate the host's corpse as long as he is within long range and has line of sight and effect.

Bodily Reinforcement (Ex): Starting at level 7, the crawler has grown well enough to improve the body's utilization of resources. Choose either Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution. You gain a +2 inherent bonus to this score. This increases to +4 at 13th level, and +6 at 19th level.

Foot in the Grave (Su): Starting at level 7, the gravecrawler is recognized as an ally of the grave. Vermin and Mindless undead will refuse to attack the gravecrawler, or even notice him as an outsider, unless specifically instructed to by a controlling force. Instruction to attack the gravecrawler's group or to deter outsiders is insufficient. Non-mindless undead have a starting opinion one step friendlier than normal, and very perceptive ones might notice the influence at DM's determination. Finally, the gravecrawler may treat undead as vermin, and vermin as undead, when beneficial.

Encompassing Drones (Su): At 9th level, a gravecrawler's drones are much more adept at taking control of a host's systems. A drone may be attached to up to 2 systems at any given time, gaining the effects of both.

Overpowering Spawn (Su): By level 11, even the fragmentary power of the gravecrawler's drones can exert inordinate amounts of control over the host. The following abilities are in addition to the previous ones. On activation, you may choose to make the attempt to save against your active drones require a move action.
Sensory: The gravecrawler can also passively sense whatever the host senses within telepathy range. He can use this on up to (class level) hosts at a time. This enables the gravecrawler to make perception checks for things that normally the host could notice, but the gravecrawler couldn't. If a host he's sensing from is not surprised in combat, the gravecrawler isn't either. The range of telepathy increases to 50 ft per class level.

Muscle: The gravecrawler can passively allow a host to halve the penalty to physical actions from the following conditions: Fatigued, Exhausted, Sickened, Shaken, Frightened, or many poisons. The effective size change while active is up to 2 sizes. Or the activation can increase/decrease the true size of the creature by 1 size category, stacking with other sources of size change.

Mind: The target is passively considered 1 step friendlier towards the gravecrawler while not in combat. While active, the host can be targeted by Death or Mind sphere abilities within Long range, regardless of line of effect or line of sight. A barrier consisting of an inch of lead will block this ability.

Immunity: As an immediate action for a spell point, whenever a host with an active drone would fail or succeed a save, the gravecrawler may force the save to be either failed or succeeded, as he desires.


Secondary Processing (Ex): The crawler takes a much more active role in supplementing the gravecrawler's mental processes. At level 15, he gains a +1 bonus to all ability- and skill checks based on mental abilities (Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma), as well as initiative and Will saves. This increases to +2 at level 19.

Ultimate Control (Su): Now a gravecrawler's drones are almost as capable as a fully formed crawler. They can latch to almost the entire body at once. A drone may attach to up to 3 systems at once. For 2 spell points on activation, the attempt to save against your active drones require a standard action.

Final Stage (Ex): The gravecrawler now fully counts as a vermin and / or undead instead of humanoid when it would be beneficial, and suffers no effects from aging. Any class ability with a duration is increased by 1 step (rounds -> minutes -> hours -> day). In addition, when the gravecrawler would normally be killed, he may pass himself through to another living drone. All other drones die, as does the body of the gravecrawler. If in the next week, or next year with Enduring Drones, the host would either die or come within 5 ft of a suitably intact corpse, the drone may attempt to reconstitute the gravecrawler. Over the next day, the corpse gradually reshapes itself into a form resembling how the gravecrawler looked before his death. If the body or drone are destroyed during this time period, the resurrection process fails, and the gravecrawler actually dies.
A gravecrawler being held in a drone counts as being dead for 1 hour, every day he is held in the drone, for the purposes of effects that care about time since death. Similarly, a gravecrawler being held in a drone count as being dead and / or alive as would be most beneficial.

There aren't any full casters with a wide array of customizable class features. I very much hate 3/4 casters, and this is most definitely not a martial caster, so I just chose a full caster anyway. If you feel that this class is too strong for your game for this reason, I would suggest changing its BAB and Casting progression to medium instead, like the original class this was based off of.
I don't think that the class is too out of line compared with an Incanter, but still.

SangoProduction
2021-04-11, 01:44 PM
Change Log
12/26/2022: Clarified how the drone saves works.
5/28/2021: Fixed grammatical errors. Added clarity.
4/25/2021: Fixed unintentional wording which allowed for infinite caster level increases. Generally improved readability.


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