New Version of Changeling

[Baron Corm]

I was excited when I first heard about the changeling race. Then I saw what it gave... +10 to disguise checks. Completely different from what I thought changelings had; the ability to change. Also rather underpowered. I present a revised version, called the morphling to differentiate the flavor. The morph point costs and level adjustment could probably use some help.

Morphling

Morphlings, in their natural form, resemble a mishmosh of the creatures they change into most often. They have no natural genders, and can reproduce only by changing into a reproductive creature. They always produce morphlings in this way (or half-morphlings, if reproducing with another creature). Morphlings are laid in eggs, regardless of the current form of the mother, and appear to be nothing more than an ooze before becoming familiar with a few forms.

- Medium
- 30 ft. land speed
- Ooze (possibly Aberration)
- Cosmetic Morphing (Su): A morphling can morph into any creature or object it is familiar with. The morphling can make only superficial or fundamental changes with this ability. This ability grants a +10 bonus to Disguise checks to appear as a creature or object of the given form, with an additional +1 bonus per 2 HD. The morphling is treated as the creature type of that creature (or as a construct if changing into an object). However, the morphling becomes restricted by the creature or object's physical form (i.e., if it can't talk, the morphling can't). Cosmetic Morphing is activated with a full-round action, but can be activated in the same action as any number of power morphs.
- Power Morphing (Su): A morphling has a pool of "morph points" which it can use to morph itself in other ways than changing into creatures. It gets one morph point per HD. These morph points can be gained back at any time by dismissing the abilities they were used for. Any number of morph points may be spent or gained back in a single full-round action. Power Morphing combined with Cosmetic Morphing can help a morphling to actually become a member of a different species.

Abilities in italics cause the morphling to lose its Constitution score, become immune to effects which offer Fortitude saves (unless they also target objects), and become susceptible to effects which target objects. The morphling must change his type to Undead or Construct to use these abilities.

{table="head"]Ability|Morph Points
Increase or Decrease Ability Score 1 point|4 per
Increase or Decrease Natural Armor 1 point|4 per
Increase or Decrease Skill 1 point|4 per
Increase or Decrease Size 1 Category|5 per
Increase or Decrease Land or Swim Speed 5 feet|2 per
Increase or Decrease Fly or Burrow Speed 5 feet|3 per
Gain Swim, Fly, or Burrow Speed 20 feet|5 per
Gain Immunity to Mind-Affecting|12
Gain Immunity to Critical Hits|12
Gain Immunity to Poison or Disease|5 per
Gain Immunity to Paralysis or Stunning|3 per
Gain Immunity to Death Effects or Energy Drain|7 per
Gain Immunity to Ability Damage|8
Gain Immunity to Ability Drain (and damage)|11
Gain Resistance to Energy Type 1|1 per
Gain Damage Reduction 1/-|5 per
Gain Functional Extra Limb|9 per
Gain Natural Attack (1d6 damage)|5 per
Upgrade Damage Die of Natural Attack|2 per
Lose Need for Sleep (trance required for spellcasters)|3
Lose Need for Eating|7
Lose Need for Breathing|10
Communicate with Members of Cosmetic Morph Species|1
Gain (Ex) Ability of Cosmetic Morph|Ask DM[/table]

- Languages Known: Common. Bonus Languages: Any.
- Favored Class: Any.
- Level Adjustment: +2.


Half-Morphling

The result of a morphling breeding with another member of the species of its cosmetic morph. Half-morphlings are much more common than full-blooded morphlings. A half-gnome half-morphling is presented below.

- +2 Constitution -2 Strength
- Small
- 20 ft land speed.
- +1 saving throws vs. illusions
- +1 bonus to Listen checks
- Cosmetic Morphing, except it's a flat +10 bonus to Disguise instead of 10 + 1/2 HD.
- Power Morphing, except morph points are gained at a rate of 1 per 2 HD.
- Languages Known: Common and Gnome. Bonus Languages: Any.
- Favored class: Any
- LA +0

[Kizara]

Just use doopleganger?

[Baron Corm]

4 racial HD, combined with 4 LA, and a more limited change shape ability, make the doppelganger not useful to me. Doppelgangers get ability score adjustments, natural armor, detect thoughts, and other things, so I'm hoping my race has a lower LA.

[robotrobot2]

I think the full changeling should be LA+2 and the half changeling LA+1. Otherwise high level characters would always want to be half-changelngs, because at level 20, they have 10 morph points, that they can use for basically anything.
Oh, and put a time limit on the power morph abilities, probably making it usable once per five rounds.

[Lappy9000]

Then I saw what it gave... +10 to disguise checks. Completely different from what I thought changelings had; the ability to change. Also rather underpowered. I present a revised version. The morph point costs and level adjustment could probably use some help

There's no real way to do that and keep them at +0, as you've shown.

If this is the sort of thing that floats your boat, more power to ya', but for me, it kinda reminds me of everything I absolutely hate about most shapechangers, and takes away what I do like about the changelings. If it's for Eberron, it doesn't really fit in with the fluff, since changelings are essentially half-doppelgangers anyway.

Personal opinions aside, the system does seem a tough iffy. Were you planning for the abilities to stack? Just asking 'cause it doesn't specify -whether or not a character can shrink to Fine size or something.

You may be better off dumbing down the doppelganger than risk missing a loophole and having a munchkin run right through it. Seriously:
Changeling
Medium Humanoid (Shapechanger)

+2 Dex, +2 Int, +4 Cha
Change Shape: As Doppelganger
+2 Racial Bonus to Bluff and Sense Motive Checks
Immunity to Mind-Affecting spells and Charm Effects
That's a weaker +2 race, probably, but it gives you some elbow room to customize a bit to your liking.


EDIT: Oh, and just curious;


- +2 Constitution -2 Strength

Why do half-changelings get a +2 Constitution???

[Baron Corm]

I think the full changeling should be LA+2 and the half changeling LA+1. Otherwise high level characters would always want to be half-changelngs, because at level 20, they have 10 morph points, that they can use for basically anything.
Oh, and put a time limit on the power morph abilities, probably making it usable once per five rounds.

So at level 20, they can get a +1 to any two stats, or some relatively trivial abilities (which can be gotten with spells), taking a full-round action to switch between. Are you sure that's overpowered?


If this is the sort of thing that floats your boat, more power to ya', but for me, it kinda reminds me of everything I absolutely hate about most shapechangers, and takes away what I do like about the changelings. If it's for Eberron, it doesn't really fit in with the fluff, since changelings are essentially half-doppelgangers anyway.

What do you hate about most shapechangers? And how can you even call changelings shapechangers, when all they get is a bonus to Disguise checks? No, it's not for Eberron.


Personal opinions aside, the system does seem a tough iffy. Were you planning for the abilities to stack? Just asking 'cause it doesn't specify -whether or not a character can shrink to Fine size or something.

Well, where it says "X per", that would imply, yes.


You may be better off dumbing down the doppelganger

Already addressed that in first reply.


Why do half-changelings get a +2 Constitution???

"A half-gnome half-changeling is presented below."

A half-human half-changeling would probably be the same as human, minus the skill points and bonus feat, plus the dumbed down versions of Cosmetic and Power Morphing, and so on in that fashion for other races.

[Reinboom]

You are overvaluing DR here.
A good way to balance this list of arbitrary values is to compare with feats.

+1 AC would be considered a mediocre feat. (There are feats that do this)
+1 DR would be considered a meh feat. (There's a feat that gives +1 on to current DR as is - never soon it used effectively, and a feat that gives +2 DR /— that stacks but requires 20 con to take and toughness, I've actually seen this one used, but it's not as powerful as you would think)

I would also consider adding in a way to modify their speed.

Finally, this is a great race for a wizard or sorcerer by level 16. +2 to their prime stat will be on constantly by then.

[Maerok]

I like it, but I wouldn't call it a changeling. More like a customizable phasm. Which is cool.

[TKDfirefly]

I am confused about why you hate true changelings. Yes, they get a +10 bonus to Disguise checks. But that is from being able to use Disguise Self at will. It evens says that it is a Transformation, not an Illusion. Personally, I think the race is nice flavor and perfect as is. Now that I am done ranting, I can objectively evaluate your race.

- The level adjustment needs to be at least +2, probably +3. This is because of not subject to critical hits and the 2 ways of being able to alter your form.

- Why do they have their own language if they do not have a common form? This just does not make sense in my mind. If they could all have an entirely different form, in theory, they would not be able to make the same sounds that they could understand.

- Like true changelings, I feel that this race's favored class would be rogue. It is the most adaptable of classes, to me, which go with the feel of the race.

- Half-changelings need a LA of +1. Also, you need to limit what can be aquired from the parent races. The limit you gave for the bonuses from the changeling parent is good. However from the other parent, no matter what race, you should not give them the ability bonuses. Let the half-changelings keep 30 ft speed also. Just give minor skill bonuses from the other parent race. Basically follow the half-elf bonuses to the perception skills. That should make them more balanced.

- I agree with Maerok that you should change the name of the race. The name he suggested sounds good.

[Baron Corm]

Changed a bunch of things you guys said, thanks.