Jervis
2022-01-13, 09:07 PM
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Why don't people believe me when I say I'm a Fighter Psion Cleric Barbarian Rogue Wizard?
Chameleon... Yeah this is my favorite class bar none but it has issues. I'm not concerned with power so much, after all i see 3.pf as an excuse to throw overpowered things at each other and see what explodes first. The class itself, for all it's questionable design choices, is fun and fills a interesting niche of being a generalist capable of doing just about anything but can't specialize, which is what gives the best classes in 3.5 their power. It needs a redesign. Most of my issues can be summed up with a few sentences. Feel Free to skip this part if you don't want to see a person whos spent WAYYYY too much time theorycrafting a series of Chameleon builds talk about it's design and why i decided to make a rework of a class for a game that's been out of print for over a decade. And regardless of what you think, i'd love to hear what people think of this.
Here are my issues.
First off, it has no follow up. There's nothing more sad then a level 15 Chameleon in a game that ends around 20. You reach level 10 in the class and there's not much to do until epic, at least not without cheese (I'll get to that next). I don't consider a lack of late game options to be a balancing factor, it's why i don't like mystic ranger. It means your power is front loaded in the part of the game people actually play most often while the rarely seen later levels have very little to offer. You end up needing high octane cheese to keep up or just have to accept the thing you were working towards for 15 levels just stops before everyone else.
And on the note of Mystic Ranger, they have the same problem, almost exactly the same actually. SotAO Mystic Rangers can keep up so long as they use cheese like Dragon Disciple combined with Extra Slot and spell level boosters to cheese their way into 8th and 9th level spells, making them a a wizard effectively. Chameleons do the same typically, most Chameleons use the same to get to 9th level spell slots around 18th level. It's powerful but extremely feat intensive. I don't have an issue with that per se but again it means you need to invest a lot of resources early on and late in the game to keep up while a mid level game doesn't have any issues. Yeah builds change based on how long you play but it creates problems. The class suffers heavily from 10 level syndrome like Mystic Theurge, where any game over 15 requires you to meet a whole different list of prerequisites to just keep going because the writers for some reason didn't want to make it 15 levels long.
And my last issue is that it has two good options and every other focus is trash. Every player will use Divine focus until level 7 where they use Arcane in addition. While i know that objectively it's better to nerf those, that's boring. Improving the other existing Foci to not be an objective trap option is pretty important. Yeah they won't be caster focus good but they can at least be decent.
Now the stuff that isn't a problem. I actually like the fact that you can't use mimiced abilities and focues to qualify for things. You can't specialize like normal casters can. That's why i don't consider Chameleon to be as good as Wizards or Clerics despite the much better spell access, they don't have the caster PrC and Feat access that improves them so much, at least not natively. They also probably can't be progressed by them either.
Requirments
Race: Human, Doppelganger, or Changeling
Skill Ranks: Bluff 8, Disguise 8, Sense Motive 4, Spellcraft 4
Feats: Able Learner
Hit Die: d8
Skill Points: 4 + Int
Class Skills: Irrelevant All skills you previously possessed as class skills are class skills for this class.
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
1st
+0
+0
+0
+0
Aptitude focus 1/day (+2)
2nd
+1
+0
+0
+0
Mimic Class Feature
3rd
+2
+1
+1
+1
Floating Feat
4th
+3
+1
+1
+1
Ability boon +2
5th
+3
+1
+1
+1
Aptitude focus 2/day (+4)
6th
+4
+2
+2
+2
Mimic class feature
7th
+5
+2
+2
+2
Ability boon +4, Double Aptitude
8th
+6/+1
+2
+2
+2
Rapid Refocus, Mimic Class feature
9th
+6/+1
+3
+3
+3
Floating Feat
10th
+7/+2
+3
+3
+3
Ability boon +6, Aptitude focus 3/day (+4)
11th
+8/+3
+3
+3
+3
Mimic Class Feature
12th
+9/+4
+4
+4
+4
Floating Feat
13th
+9/+4
+4
+4
+4
Spontaneous Refocus, Ability Boon +6/6
14th
+10/+5
+4
+4
+4
Triple Aptitude
15th
+11/+6/+1
+5
+5
+5
Aptitude focus 4/day (+6)
Proficiency: You have proficiency in all armor and with all shield, except tower shields, and all simple weapons.
Aptitude Focus (EX): Once per day, you can select one of five areas upon which to focus your ever-shifting talents. After meditating for 1 hour, you gain the chosen abilities for 24 hours or until you change your aptitude focus. An aptitude focus ability is usable once per day at 1st level, twice per day at 5th level, three times per day at 10th level, and four times per day at 15th. At 5th level, you can change your aptitude focus one time per day, at 10th level you can change your aptitude focus two times per day, at 15th level you can change your aptitude focus three times per day. Abilities gained from your Aptitude Focus class feature cannot be used to qualify for feats or prestige classes.
[tr="class:outer_border"]
Spells Per Day
Powers
Manuvers
Level
Focus Bonus
0th
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
Power Points
Powers Copied
Maximum power level
Maneuvers Copied
Stances Copied
1st
+2
4
2
0
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
11
2
2nd
3
1
2nd
+2
4
3
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
17
3
2nd
4
2
3rd
+2
4
3
2
0
-
-
-
-
-
-
25
3
3rd
4
2
4th
+2
4
4
3
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
35
5
3rd
4
2
5th
+4
4
4
3
2
0
-
-
-
-
-
46
5
4th
4
2
6th
+4
4
4
4
3
1
-
-
-
-
-
58
6
4th
4
2
7th
+4
4
4
4
3
2
0
-
-
-
-
72
6
5th
4
2
8th
+4
4
4
4
4
3
1
-
-
-
-
88
7
5th
5
3
9th
+4
4
4
4
4
3
2
0
-
-
-
106
7
6th
5
3
10th
+4
4
4
4
4
4
3
1
-
-
-
126
8
6th
5
3
11th
+4
4
4
4
4
4
3
2
0
-
-
147
8
7th
5
3
12th
+4
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
1
-
-
170
9
7th
5
3
13th
+4
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
2
0
-
195
9
8th
6
3
14th
+4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
1
-
221
10
8th
6
4
15th
+6
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
2
1
250
10
9th
6
4
[tr]
Note on Spellcasting and Manifesting Focuses
A Chameleon's number of spells per day does not change regardless of how many times the Chameleon changes their ability focus or what focus they are using. If a Chameleon is using Arcane and Divine focus then they may divide their spells per day between the two. They will still not have more than 4 spells prepared of any given level before factoring in bonus spells. They do however gain bonus spells from both foci. Spells are prepared when assuming the focus and take that duration of time to prepare regardless of how long it takes to assume a focus, and unused spells prepared are lost if the Chameleon changes to a different focus. Your Caster Level and Manifester level are equal to your ranks in the Disguise skill - 3, all spells and powers have a minimum caster level/ manifester level equal to twice it's level - 1. Regardless of any encounters you have, you always have identified one Divine Cleric or Druid spell, one Arcane Wizard spell, and one non-discipline Psion power of your choice per Chameleon level. A Chameleon can make a Gather Information check (DC 15 + Spell level) to find a spellcaster or manifester capable of casting/manifesting a power they are interested in finding should they exist, this takes 1 week and must be done in a urban environment. Casters/Manifesters typically charge the cost of a spellcasting service for doing so, should they be willing to show you.
Note on Initiator level
This designer is of the opinion that, by RAW, all prcs fully progress Initiator level unless otherwise stated, which none do. However for our purposes this PrC fully progresses Initiator level.
Focus Bonus: You gain a Competence bonus on certain rolls based on your assumed Aptitude Focus, this bonus is +2 at level 1, +4 at level 5, and +6 at level 15.
Arcane Focus
You gain the ability to prepare and cast arcane spells, which may be chosen from the spell list of any arcane spellcasting class. To prepare a Spell you must have seen the spell cast and identified it with a spellcraft check and make a Disguise Check (DC 15 + double the spell level for Wizard, Sorcerer, and Bard spells, or DC 20 + double spell level for all other Arcane Spells). Once you have succeeded on a Disguise check to prepare a spell you may do so without making another one for the rest of the day, if you fail twice then you may not attempt to prepare the spell again that day. You gain bonus spells based on your Intelligence and the save DCs of your spells are 10 + spell level + your Intelligence modifier. You add your Focus Bonus to Knowledge (Arcana) and Spellcraft checks and to Will saves.
Battle Focus
You gain the ability to initiate martial maneuvers. Select one Martial Discipline, you know all maneuvers from that discipline. Charisma is your Initiating modifier and you can substitute Disguise for any skill checks or effects dependent on skill ranks for that discipline until you change your focus. When you assume that focus you select a number of Maneuvers and Stances determined by your Chameleon level, those are your readied maneuvers and known stances until you change your Focus. You may recover all used maneuvers by taking a standard action to Fient. You add your Focus Bonus to Martial Lore checks and to Fort and Reflex saves.
Combat Focus
You gain proficiency in Martial weapons and with one Exotic weapon of your choice. Treat your BaB as being equal to your ranks in Disguise - 3. Your add your Focus Bonus to weapon attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, trip, disarm, bullrush, sunder, and grapple checks, and to Fort saving throws.
Divine Focus
You gain the ability to prepare and cast divine spells, which may be chosen from the spell list of any divine spellcasting class. To prepare a Spell you must have seen the spell cast and identified it with a spellcraft check and make a Disguise Check (DC 15 + double the spell level for Cleric and Druid spells, or DC 20 + double spell level for all other Divine Spells). Once you have succeeded on a Disguise check to prepare a spell you may do so without making another one for the rest of the day, if you fail twice then you may not attempt to prepare the spell again that day. You gain bonus spells based on your Wisdom and the save DCs of your spells are 10 + spell level + your Wisdom modifier. You add your Focus Bonus to Knowledge (Religion) checks and to Fort and Will saves.
Enlightened Focus
You gain the ability to Manifest psionic powers, which may be chosen from the power list of any psionic class or any discipline power list. You do not prepare powers, you instead choose a number of powers to copy and use as your powers known. To copy a power you must have seen someone use it and identified it with a psicraft check and make a Disguise check (DC 15 + double the power's level for Psion/Wilder powers or DC 20 + double the power's level for all other powers). Once you have succeeded on a Disguise check to copy a power you may do so without making another one for the rest of the day, if you fail twice then you may not attempt to copy that power again that day. You gain bonus power points based on your Charisma and the save DCs of your powers are 10 + spell level + your Charisma modifier. You add your Focus Bonus to Knowledge (Psionics) and Concentration checks and to Will saves.
Monastic Focus
You gain a still and calm mind like a Monk. When unarmored and unencumbered you gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Wisdom modifier. You gain the benefits of the Improved Unarmed Strike feat as well as a bonus to your movement speed and the unarmed strike damage of a Monk with a level equal to your Chameleon level. If you have levels in Monk, your levels in Chameleon stack with your Monk levels for determining Monk level dependent abilities (AC bonus, Flurry of Blows, etc.) while using this Focus. You add your Focus Bonus to Balance, Climb, Jump, and Tumble checks as well as all saving throws.
Stealth Focus
You gain Trapfinding and Uncanny Dodge as the rogue feature of a rogue of a level equal to your Chameleon level. You add your Focus Bonus to Bluff, Disable Device, Disguise, Diplomacy, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock, Search, Use Magic Device checks, Initiative checks, and to Reflex saves.
Wild Focus
You gain the Wild Empathy, Woodland Strike, and Trackless abilities as a Druid of a level equal to your Chameleon level. You gain the benefits of the Track feat. You add your Focus Bonus to Climb, Handle Animal, Jump, Knowledge (nature), and Survival checks, and to Fortitude and Reflex saves.
Mimic Class feature (EX): At 2nd level you gain the ability to copy the abilities of other characters. You choose three of the class feature options below, once per encounter you can choose one of the class feature options you know to use. You choose an additional class feature to learn at 6th, 8th, and 11th level. Outside of combat you can use one of the mimic class feature options once every minute. You cannot use your Mimic Class Feature abilities to qualify for feats or prestige classes.
Evasion(EX)
As an immediate action, you can avoid damage from certain attacks with a successful Reflex save. You can activate this ability after you have rolled a successful Reflex save, but before you have taken damage. This ability lasts for 1 minute. This works as the rogue feature.
Flurry of Blows(EX)
You can use Flurry of Blows as a monk of your class level.
Rage(EX)
You can fly into a screaming blood frenzy. See the barbarian class feature, except that the duration of the rage is 1 round + 1 round per point of your (newly improved) Constitution modifier.
Mettle(EX)
As an immediate action, you can avoid damage from certain attacks with a successful Will or Fortitude save. You can activate this ability after you have rolled a successful Will or Fortitude save, but before you have taken damage. This ability lasts for 1 minute. This works as the Hexblade feature.
Overchannle(SU)
When casting a spell or manifesting a power you can use an immediate action to increase that spell or power's caster or manifester level by 1. If you increase it's manifester level that power is also manifested as if you had spent an additional power point. At 3rd level you can increase it by two caster/manifester levels, at 10th you can increase it by three. You an amount of d6 damage equal to twice the caster level increase minus 1, this damage cannot be reduced or avoided in any way.
Smite(EX)
You can smite a foe with a normal melee attack. You add your Charisma bonus (if any) to the attack roll and deal 1 extra point of damage per class level.
Sneak Attack (EX)
You can deal an extra 1d6 points of damage per three class levels when flanking an opponent or any time the target would be denied its Dexterity bonus (except on ranged attacks, which must be point-blank to deliver the extra damage).
Turn/Rebuke Undead(SU)
You can turn or rebuke undead creatures (your choice when activating the ability) by channeling the power of your faith through a holy symbol as a Cleric of a level equal to your class level.
Floating Feat (EX): At 3rd level you gain any one feat you qualify for as a bonus feat. Unlike normal bonus feats you may change the feats gained from this feature once per day when assuming a Aptitude Focus. You gain an addition floating feat at 9th and again at 12th level.
Ability Boon (EX): At 4th level, when choosing an aptitude focus, you also gain a +2 competence bonus to an ability score of your choice. This bonus lasts until you change your aptitude focus. At 7th level this bonus improves to +4, and at 10th level to +6. At 13th level you can apply this competence bonus to any other ability score.
Multi-aptitude (EX): At 7th level, you can adopt two aptitude focuses in the same amount of time it previously took for you to adopt one. For example, you could adopt both the combat focus and the wild focus to mimic a ranger, or the divine focus and arcane focus to mimic a mystic theurge. You can't adopt the same aptitude focus twice simultaneously. You can still only adopt as many focuses per day as indicated by your aptitude focus ability. At 14th level you adopt three aptitude focuses at once.
Rapid Refocus (EX): At 8th level, you gain the power to change your aptitude focus in only 10 minutes.
Spontaneous Refocus (EX): At 13th level, you gain the ability to change your aptitude focus as a full round action.
Extra Mimiced Class Feature
Requirment: Chameleon level 2
Benefit: You select another Mimic Class Feature option to add to your list of known class features. This feat can be selected more than once.
Extra Aptitude Focus
Requirment: Chameleon Class
Benefit: You can assume an Aptitude one more time per day. This feat can be selected more than once.
Split Ability Boon
Requirment: Ability Boon class feature
Benefit: You can apply a competence bonus equal to half your Ability Boon bonus to any other ability score, you can change this choice when changing which stat your Ability Boon applies too.
False Theurgy(EX)
Requirement: Chameleon level 3, must be selected with a Chameleon's Floating Feat, Chameleon must have assumed Arcane Focus, Divine Focus, or Enlightened Focus
Benefit: As an immediate action when casting a spell or manifesting a power you can choose to make a Disguise check as part of the casting or manifesting to alter it's appearance. Any creature that tries to identify the spell or power must make a spellcraft or psicraft check, if they roll lower than your Disguise check you can make them believe that is was another spell or power of any level equal to or lower than the spell or power you actually used. This makes the spell or power effectively impossible to counterspell successfully unless the creature succeeds on their initial spellcraft or psicraft check.
Eldritch Blade
Requirement: Chameleon level 7, must be selected with a Chameleon's Floating Feat, Chameleon must have assumed Battle Focus or Combat Focus, and either Arcane Focus, Divine Focus, or Enlightened Focus
Benefit: When casting a spell or manifesting a power with a casting or manifesting time of one action defensively, you can make one weapon attack as part of the action used to cast the spell.
False Casting
Requirement: Chameleon level 14, must be selected with a Chameleon's Floating Feat, Chameleon must have assumed Stealth Focus and any two of Arcane Focus, Divine Focus, or Enlightened Focus
Benefit: As an immediate action when casting a spell or manifesting a power, you can add a material component of specialized alchemical reagents with a value equal to 100 GP per level of the spell or power, which the spell or power consumes. If you do the Spell or Power is rendered for all effects nonmagical, allowing it to ignore spell resistance, work in a anti-magic field, etc. It's effects are calculated as if it's caster level was equal to your ranks in the Disguise skill. To do this you must succeed on a Sleight of Hand check (DC 25 + spell or power level), on a failure the spell fails and the slot and material components are consumed.
Psycho-Theurgy
Requirement: Chameleon level 3, must be selected with a Chameleon's Floating Feat, Chameleon must have assumed any Enlightened Focus
Benefit: When selecting your copied powers for your Enlightened Focus you can add spells you have identified and prepared at least once from either your Arcane Focus or Divine Focus in place of psionic powers. Spells with costly material components cannot be selected. Spells ignore their Verbal, Somatic, and non-costly material components. Spells have a power point cost equal to double their level -1. See spell to power Erudite for other rules on how spells converted to psionic powers behave such as caster level dependent effects.
Why don't people believe me when I say I'm a Fighter Psion Cleric Barbarian Rogue Wizard?
Chameleon... Yeah this is my favorite class bar none but it has issues. I'm not concerned with power so much, after all i see 3.pf as an excuse to throw overpowered things at each other and see what explodes first. The class itself, for all it's questionable design choices, is fun and fills a interesting niche of being a generalist capable of doing just about anything but can't specialize, which is what gives the best classes in 3.5 their power. It needs a redesign. Most of my issues can be summed up with a few sentences. Feel Free to skip this part if you don't want to see a person whos spent WAYYYY too much time theorycrafting a series of Chameleon builds talk about it's design and why i decided to make a rework of a class for a game that's been out of print for over a decade. And regardless of what you think, i'd love to hear what people think of this.
Here are my issues.
First off, it has no follow up. There's nothing more sad then a level 15 Chameleon in a game that ends around 20. You reach level 10 in the class and there's not much to do until epic, at least not without cheese (I'll get to that next). I don't consider a lack of late game options to be a balancing factor, it's why i don't like mystic ranger. It means your power is front loaded in the part of the game people actually play most often while the rarely seen later levels have very little to offer. You end up needing high octane cheese to keep up or just have to accept the thing you were working towards for 15 levels just stops before everyone else.
And on the note of Mystic Ranger, they have the same problem, almost exactly the same actually. SotAO Mystic Rangers can keep up so long as they use cheese like Dragon Disciple combined with Extra Slot and spell level boosters to cheese their way into 8th and 9th level spells, making them a a wizard effectively. Chameleons do the same typically, most Chameleons use the same to get to 9th level spell slots around 18th level. It's powerful but extremely feat intensive. I don't have an issue with that per se but again it means you need to invest a lot of resources early on and late in the game to keep up while a mid level game doesn't have any issues. Yeah builds change based on how long you play but it creates problems. The class suffers heavily from 10 level syndrome like Mystic Theurge, where any game over 15 requires you to meet a whole different list of prerequisites to just keep going because the writers for some reason didn't want to make it 15 levels long.
And my last issue is that it has two good options and every other focus is trash. Every player will use Divine focus until level 7 where they use Arcane in addition. While i know that objectively it's better to nerf those, that's boring. Improving the other existing Foci to not be an objective trap option is pretty important. Yeah they won't be caster focus good but they can at least be decent.
Now the stuff that isn't a problem. I actually like the fact that you can't use mimiced abilities and focues to qualify for things. You can't specialize like normal casters can. That's why i don't consider Chameleon to be as good as Wizards or Clerics despite the much better spell access, they don't have the caster PrC and Feat access that improves them so much, at least not natively. They also probably can't be progressed by them either.
Requirments
Race: Human, Doppelganger, or Changeling
Skill Ranks: Bluff 8, Disguise 8, Sense Motive 4, Spellcraft 4
Feats: Able Learner
Hit Die: d8
Skill Points: 4 + Int
Class Skills: Irrelevant All skills you previously possessed as class skills are class skills for this class.
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
1st
+0
+0
+0
+0
Aptitude focus 1/day (+2)
2nd
+1
+0
+0
+0
Mimic Class Feature
3rd
+2
+1
+1
+1
Floating Feat
4th
+3
+1
+1
+1
Ability boon +2
5th
+3
+1
+1
+1
Aptitude focus 2/day (+4)
6th
+4
+2
+2
+2
Mimic class feature
7th
+5
+2
+2
+2
Ability boon +4, Double Aptitude
8th
+6/+1
+2
+2
+2
Rapid Refocus, Mimic Class feature
9th
+6/+1
+3
+3
+3
Floating Feat
10th
+7/+2
+3
+3
+3
Ability boon +6, Aptitude focus 3/day (+4)
11th
+8/+3
+3
+3
+3
Mimic Class Feature
12th
+9/+4
+4
+4
+4
Floating Feat
13th
+9/+4
+4
+4
+4
Spontaneous Refocus, Ability Boon +6/6
14th
+10/+5
+4
+4
+4
Triple Aptitude
15th
+11/+6/+1
+5
+5
+5
Aptitude focus 4/day (+6)
Proficiency: You have proficiency in all armor and with all shield, except tower shields, and all simple weapons.
Aptitude Focus (EX): Once per day, you can select one of five areas upon which to focus your ever-shifting talents. After meditating for 1 hour, you gain the chosen abilities for 24 hours or until you change your aptitude focus. An aptitude focus ability is usable once per day at 1st level, twice per day at 5th level, three times per day at 10th level, and four times per day at 15th. At 5th level, you can change your aptitude focus one time per day, at 10th level you can change your aptitude focus two times per day, at 15th level you can change your aptitude focus three times per day. Abilities gained from your Aptitude Focus class feature cannot be used to qualify for feats or prestige classes.
[tr="class:outer_border"]
Spells Per Day
Powers
Manuvers
Level
Focus Bonus
0th
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
Power Points
Powers Copied
Maximum power level
Maneuvers Copied
Stances Copied
1st
+2
4
2
0
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
11
2
2nd
3
1
2nd
+2
4
3
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
17
3
2nd
4
2
3rd
+2
4
3
2
0
-
-
-
-
-
-
25
3
3rd
4
2
4th
+2
4
4
3
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
35
5
3rd
4
2
5th
+4
4
4
3
2
0
-
-
-
-
-
46
5
4th
4
2
6th
+4
4
4
4
3
1
-
-
-
-
-
58
6
4th
4
2
7th
+4
4
4
4
3
2
0
-
-
-
-
72
6
5th
4
2
8th
+4
4
4
4
4
3
1
-
-
-
-
88
7
5th
5
3
9th
+4
4
4
4
4
3
2
0
-
-
-
106
7
6th
5
3
10th
+4
4
4
4
4
4
3
1
-
-
-
126
8
6th
5
3
11th
+4
4
4
4
4
4
3
2
0
-
-
147
8
7th
5
3
12th
+4
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
1
-
-
170
9
7th
5
3
13th
+4
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
2
0
-
195
9
8th
6
3
14th
+4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
1
-
221
10
8th
6
4
15th
+6
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
2
1
250
10
9th
6
4
[tr]
Note on Spellcasting and Manifesting Focuses
A Chameleon's number of spells per day does not change regardless of how many times the Chameleon changes their ability focus or what focus they are using. If a Chameleon is using Arcane and Divine focus then they may divide their spells per day between the two. They will still not have more than 4 spells prepared of any given level before factoring in bonus spells. They do however gain bonus spells from both foci. Spells are prepared when assuming the focus and take that duration of time to prepare regardless of how long it takes to assume a focus, and unused spells prepared are lost if the Chameleon changes to a different focus. Your Caster Level and Manifester level are equal to your ranks in the Disguise skill - 3, all spells and powers have a minimum caster level/ manifester level equal to twice it's level - 1. Regardless of any encounters you have, you always have identified one Divine Cleric or Druid spell, one Arcane Wizard spell, and one non-discipline Psion power of your choice per Chameleon level. A Chameleon can make a Gather Information check (DC 15 + Spell level) to find a spellcaster or manifester capable of casting/manifesting a power they are interested in finding should they exist, this takes 1 week and must be done in a urban environment. Casters/Manifesters typically charge the cost of a spellcasting service for doing so, should they be willing to show you.
Note on Initiator level
This designer is of the opinion that, by RAW, all prcs fully progress Initiator level unless otherwise stated, which none do. However for our purposes this PrC fully progresses Initiator level.
Focus Bonus: You gain a Competence bonus on certain rolls based on your assumed Aptitude Focus, this bonus is +2 at level 1, +4 at level 5, and +6 at level 15.
Arcane Focus
You gain the ability to prepare and cast arcane spells, which may be chosen from the spell list of any arcane spellcasting class. To prepare a Spell you must have seen the spell cast and identified it with a spellcraft check and make a Disguise Check (DC 15 + double the spell level for Wizard, Sorcerer, and Bard spells, or DC 20 + double spell level for all other Arcane Spells). Once you have succeeded on a Disguise check to prepare a spell you may do so without making another one for the rest of the day, if you fail twice then you may not attempt to prepare the spell again that day. You gain bonus spells based on your Intelligence and the save DCs of your spells are 10 + spell level + your Intelligence modifier. You add your Focus Bonus to Knowledge (Arcana) and Spellcraft checks and to Will saves.
Battle Focus
You gain the ability to initiate martial maneuvers. Select one Martial Discipline, you know all maneuvers from that discipline. Charisma is your Initiating modifier and you can substitute Disguise for any skill checks or effects dependent on skill ranks for that discipline until you change your focus. When you assume that focus you select a number of Maneuvers and Stances determined by your Chameleon level, those are your readied maneuvers and known stances until you change your Focus. You may recover all used maneuvers by taking a standard action to Fient. You add your Focus Bonus to Martial Lore checks and to Fort and Reflex saves.
Combat Focus
You gain proficiency in Martial weapons and with one Exotic weapon of your choice. Treat your BaB as being equal to your ranks in Disguise - 3. Your add your Focus Bonus to weapon attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, trip, disarm, bullrush, sunder, and grapple checks, and to Fort saving throws.
Divine Focus
You gain the ability to prepare and cast divine spells, which may be chosen from the spell list of any divine spellcasting class. To prepare a Spell you must have seen the spell cast and identified it with a spellcraft check and make a Disguise Check (DC 15 + double the spell level for Cleric and Druid spells, or DC 20 + double spell level for all other Divine Spells). Once you have succeeded on a Disguise check to prepare a spell you may do so without making another one for the rest of the day, if you fail twice then you may not attempt to prepare the spell again that day. You gain bonus spells based on your Wisdom and the save DCs of your spells are 10 + spell level + your Wisdom modifier. You add your Focus Bonus to Knowledge (Religion) checks and to Fort and Will saves.
Enlightened Focus
You gain the ability to Manifest psionic powers, which may be chosen from the power list of any psionic class or any discipline power list. You do not prepare powers, you instead choose a number of powers to copy and use as your powers known. To copy a power you must have seen someone use it and identified it with a psicraft check and make a Disguise check (DC 15 + double the power's level for Psion/Wilder powers or DC 20 + double the power's level for all other powers). Once you have succeeded on a Disguise check to copy a power you may do so without making another one for the rest of the day, if you fail twice then you may not attempt to copy that power again that day. You gain bonus power points based on your Charisma and the save DCs of your powers are 10 + spell level + your Charisma modifier. You add your Focus Bonus to Knowledge (Psionics) and Concentration checks and to Will saves.
Monastic Focus
You gain a still and calm mind like a Monk. When unarmored and unencumbered you gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Wisdom modifier. You gain the benefits of the Improved Unarmed Strike feat as well as a bonus to your movement speed and the unarmed strike damage of a Monk with a level equal to your Chameleon level. If you have levels in Monk, your levels in Chameleon stack with your Monk levels for determining Monk level dependent abilities (AC bonus, Flurry of Blows, etc.) while using this Focus. You add your Focus Bonus to Balance, Climb, Jump, and Tumble checks as well as all saving throws.
Stealth Focus
You gain Trapfinding and Uncanny Dodge as the rogue feature of a rogue of a level equal to your Chameleon level. You add your Focus Bonus to Bluff, Disable Device, Disguise, Diplomacy, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock, Search, Use Magic Device checks, Initiative checks, and to Reflex saves.
Wild Focus
You gain the Wild Empathy, Woodland Strike, and Trackless abilities as a Druid of a level equal to your Chameleon level. You gain the benefits of the Track feat. You add your Focus Bonus to Climb, Handle Animal, Jump, Knowledge (nature), and Survival checks, and to Fortitude and Reflex saves.
Mimic Class feature (EX): At 2nd level you gain the ability to copy the abilities of other characters. You choose three of the class feature options below, once per encounter you can choose one of the class feature options you know to use. You choose an additional class feature to learn at 6th, 8th, and 11th level. Outside of combat you can use one of the mimic class feature options once every minute. You cannot use your Mimic Class Feature abilities to qualify for feats or prestige classes.
Evasion(EX)
As an immediate action, you can avoid damage from certain attacks with a successful Reflex save. You can activate this ability after you have rolled a successful Reflex save, but before you have taken damage. This ability lasts for 1 minute. This works as the rogue feature.
Flurry of Blows(EX)
You can use Flurry of Blows as a monk of your class level.
Rage(EX)
You can fly into a screaming blood frenzy. See the barbarian class feature, except that the duration of the rage is 1 round + 1 round per point of your (newly improved) Constitution modifier.
Mettle(EX)
As an immediate action, you can avoid damage from certain attacks with a successful Will or Fortitude save. You can activate this ability after you have rolled a successful Will or Fortitude save, but before you have taken damage. This ability lasts for 1 minute. This works as the Hexblade feature.
Overchannle(SU)
When casting a spell or manifesting a power you can use an immediate action to increase that spell or power's caster or manifester level by 1. If you increase it's manifester level that power is also manifested as if you had spent an additional power point. At 3rd level you can increase it by two caster/manifester levels, at 10th you can increase it by three. You an amount of d6 damage equal to twice the caster level increase minus 1, this damage cannot be reduced or avoided in any way.
Smite(EX)
You can smite a foe with a normal melee attack. You add your Charisma bonus (if any) to the attack roll and deal 1 extra point of damage per class level.
Sneak Attack (EX)
You can deal an extra 1d6 points of damage per three class levels when flanking an opponent or any time the target would be denied its Dexterity bonus (except on ranged attacks, which must be point-blank to deliver the extra damage).
Turn/Rebuke Undead(SU)
You can turn or rebuke undead creatures (your choice when activating the ability) by channeling the power of your faith through a holy symbol as a Cleric of a level equal to your class level.
Floating Feat (EX): At 3rd level you gain any one feat you qualify for as a bonus feat. Unlike normal bonus feats you may change the feats gained from this feature once per day when assuming a Aptitude Focus. You gain an addition floating feat at 9th and again at 12th level.
Ability Boon (EX): At 4th level, when choosing an aptitude focus, you also gain a +2 competence bonus to an ability score of your choice. This bonus lasts until you change your aptitude focus. At 7th level this bonus improves to +4, and at 10th level to +6. At 13th level you can apply this competence bonus to any other ability score.
Multi-aptitude (EX): At 7th level, you can adopt two aptitude focuses in the same amount of time it previously took for you to adopt one. For example, you could adopt both the combat focus and the wild focus to mimic a ranger, or the divine focus and arcane focus to mimic a mystic theurge. You can't adopt the same aptitude focus twice simultaneously. You can still only adopt as many focuses per day as indicated by your aptitude focus ability. At 14th level you adopt three aptitude focuses at once.
Rapid Refocus (EX): At 8th level, you gain the power to change your aptitude focus in only 10 minutes.
Spontaneous Refocus (EX): At 13th level, you gain the ability to change your aptitude focus as a full round action.
Extra Mimiced Class Feature
Requirment: Chameleon level 2
Benefit: You select another Mimic Class Feature option to add to your list of known class features. This feat can be selected more than once.
Extra Aptitude Focus
Requirment: Chameleon Class
Benefit: You can assume an Aptitude one more time per day. This feat can be selected more than once.
Split Ability Boon
Requirment: Ability Boon class feature
Benefit: You can apply a competence bonus equal to half your Ability Boon bonus to any other ability score, you can change this choice when changing which stat your Ability Boon applies too.
False Theurgy(EX)
Requirement: Chameleon level 3, must be selected with a Chameleon's Floating Feat, Chameleon must have assumed Arcane Focus, Divine Focus, or Enlightened Focus
Benefit: As an immediate action when casting a spell or manifesting a power you can choose to make a Disguise check as part of the casting or manifesting to alter it's appearance. Any creature that tries to identify the spell or power must make a spellcraft or psicraft check, if they roll lower than your Disguise check you can make them believe that is was another spell or power of any level equal to or lower than the spell or power you actually used. This makes the spell or power effectively impossible to counterspell successfully unless the creature succeeds on their initial spellcraft or psicraft check.
Eldritch Blade
Requirement: Chameleon level 7, must be selected with a Chameleon's Floating Feat, Chameleon must have assumed Battle Focus or Combat Focus, and either Arcane Focus, Divine Focus, or Enlightened Focus
Benefit: When casting a spell or manifesting a power with a casting or manifesting time of one action defensively, you can make one weapon attack as part of the action used to cast the spell.
False Casting
Requirement: Chameleon level 14, must be selected with a Chameleon's Floating Feat, Chameleon must have assumed Stealth Focus and any two of Arcane Focus, Divine Focus, or Enlightened Focus
Benefit: As an immediate action when casting a spell or manifesting a power, you can add a material component of specialized alchemical reagents with a value equal to 100 GP per level of the spell or power, which the spell or power consumes. If you do the Spell or Power is rendered for all effects nonmagical, allowing it to ignore spell resistance, work in a anti-magic field, etc. It's effects are calculated as if it's caster level was equal to your ranks in the Disguise skill. To do this you must succeed on a Sleight of Hand check (DC 25 + spell or power level), on a failure the spell fails and the slot and material components are consumed.
Psycho-Theurgy
Requirement: Chameleon level 3, must be selected with a Chameleon's Floating Feat, Chameleon must have assumed any Enlightened Focus
Benefit: When selecting your copied powers for your Enlightened Focus you can add spells you have identified and prepared at least once from either your Arcane Focus or Divine Focus in place of psionic powers. Spells with costly material components cannot be selected. Spells ignore their Verbal, Somatic, and non-costly material components. Spells have a power point cost equal to double their level -1. See spell to power Erudite for other rules on how spells converted to psionic powers behave such as caster level dependent effects.