PDA

View Full Version : Half-Esper race (i.e. Terra from Final Fantasy 6)



kwanzaabot
2008-05-12, 03:49 AM
I thought I posted this before, but the internet tubes died on me, so hopefully I won't have a double-post happening. :(

Anyway, as some of you know, I like Final Fantasy, especially FFVI. I'm also a big fan of halfbreeds and it turns out, Sorcerer Substitution Levels. :smalltongue:

My race is heavily based on the Silverbrow (I think) Humans from Dragon Magic, and the racial feats were "borrowed" from a Moogle race by Watsyurname529 on the Wizard's forums (found here: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=861082 ). Luckily, they're pretty generic (in a good way!) so they fit nicely with my half-Espers.

FLUFFY STUFF
Born from the unions of humans and a powerful group of Fey known as Espers, a half-Esper looks no different to the average human at a glance. They even have similar, although more specialized racial abilities. Nevertheless, half-Espers are highly sought after for their innate magical abilities.

RACIAL TRAITS

• Medium Size
• Humanoid (Human, Feyblooded): Half-Espers are human, but they also count as fey thanks to their otherworldly heritage.
• Base land speed is 30ft.
• Feather Fall (Sp): A half-Esper can cast Feather Fall once per day, plus an additional time per day for every 5 Hit Dice he has. Half-Espers cannot fly at first, but have a natural bouyancy which allows them to appear as though they can walk on air.
• Natural Spellcaster: A half-Esper may gain Black Mage (with an Int score of 13+) or White Mage (with a Wis score of 13+) as a bonus feat at 1st level.
• Another Face in the Crowd: +2 Racial Bonus on Disguise checks, and Disguise is always considered a class skill. Half-Espers appear utterly unremarkable to the untrained eye, and have a knack for blending in among other people.
• Automatic Languages: Common.
• Bonus Languages: Any.
• Favoured class: Sorcerer

RACIAL FEATS
Black Mage*
Prereqs: Int 13, Half-Esper
Bonus: This allows the Half-Esper to pick one of the following Spell-like abilities for 1/day: Fire, Blizzard, or Thunder.
Caster level is equal to character level and each has a range of (25ft +5/CL), is instantaneous, and has no save.
Fire: Deals 1d6 Fire Damage every 4 Levels to one creature.
Blizzard: Deals 1d6 Cold Damage every 4 Levels to one creature.
Thunder: Deals 1d6 Electricity Damage every 4 Levels to one creature.

White Mage*
Prereqs: Wis 13, Half-Esper
Bonus: This allows the Half-Esper to pick one of the following Spell-Like abilities for 1/day: Cure, Shell, Protect. Caster level is equal to character level.
Cure: Cures 1d6 Damage every 4 levels to one creature
Shell: Provides a +1 bonus on saves vs. Spells and Spell-like abilities for 1min, this increases +1 every 4 levels
Protect: Provides +1 AC for 1min, this increases +1 every 4 levels

*This feat can be taken multiple times, each time applying to a different spell.


HALF-ESPER SORCERER SUBSTITUTION LEVELS
Requirements
To take a half-Esper Sorcerer substitution level, a character must be a half-Esper about to take her 3rd, 5th or 7th level of Sorcerer.
Class Skills
Half-Esper Sorcerer substitution levels grant the same class skills as the standard Sorcerer class.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

{table="head"]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|Spells
3rd|+1|+1|+1|+3|Morph|As standard Sorcerer
5th|+2|+1|+1|+4|Mystic Knight|As standard Sorcerer
7th|+3|+2|+2|+5|Flight (Good)|As standard Sorcerer[/table]

Morph: At 3rd level, a half-Esper gains the ability to transform as a swift action once per encounter into a hybrid Human-Esper for a number of rounds equal to half the number of levels (rounded down) the half-Esper has in any spellcasting class (“spellcasting” in this case meaning any class that has access to spells, psionic power or another signifigant form of magical power from first level).

For example, Terra, a half-Esper Sorcerer 4/Psion 1/Fighter 2 would be able to Morph for 2 rounds, as the Fighter class lacks any kind of spellcasting ability, while Sorcerer and Psion do.

The number of rounds Morphed may double if the half-Esper hasn't used any of her spells or powers that day.

While Morphed, the half-Esper gains a +1 bonus to caster level for spells (but not spell-like abilities) with a descriptor matching that of his/her bloodline (see below) and immunity to enemy spells with the same descriptor. A half-Esper may only have one bloodline, which is chosen when first taking this class.

The half-Esper's bloodline also determines her spell-like ability. Spell-like abilities may only be used once per Morph, but additional effects (such as a half-Cúchulainn's Filth Fever or a half-Shiva's Endure Elements) are permanently in effect.
When the number of rounds Morphed reaches its limit, the effects of Morph (such as the half-Ifrit's Immolate, a half-Odin's Summon Gungnir or the half-Gilgamesh's extra arms) simply wink out of existence harmlessly.

Esper Bloodlines:

{table="head"]Esper Parent|Spell Descriptor|Special
Ifrit|Fire|Immolate (Sp): As a standard action, a Morphed half-Esper may engulf herself in flames, causing anything that touches her (such as being on the receiving end of an attack roll, or attacking somebody yourself) to take Fire damage equal to 1d4 + 1d4 for each additional spellcasting level after 3rd (max 5d4 at 8th). Flammable materials burn if the flames touch them. A character can extinguish burning items as a full-round action. Being immolated also allows the half-Esper to provide illumination, as if she was the target of a Light spell.
Shiva|Cold|Weather Witch (Sp): As a standard action, a Morphed half-Esper may manipulate the weather to create a blizzard that acts like a Sleet Storm spell.
||Additional Effect: A half-Esper of this bloodline acts as if under the effects of an Endure Elements spell, except that it only protects the user against the effects of extreme cold.
Ramuh|Electricity|Weather Wizard (Sp): As a standard action, a Morphed half-Esper may manipulate the weather to create a thunderstorm that acts like a Call Lightning spell.
||Additional Effect: When Morphed, a half-Esper of this bloodline may appear in dreams as if casting a Dream spell.
Madeen|Chaotic|Wave of Chaos (Sp): As a standard action, a Morphed half-Esper may suddenly release a wave of chaotic-aligned energy that may blow away all Medium or smaller creatures within a radius of 20 feet as though caught in high-velocity winds, requiring a Fort save of DC 15 + the half-Esper's total spellcasting levels to stay put.
||(A creature on the ground that is blown away is knocked down and rolls 1d4 × 10 feet, taking 1d4 points of nonlethal damage per 10 feet. A flying creature that is blown away is blown back 2d6 × 10 feet and takes 2d6 points of nonlethal damage due to battering and buffering.)
Bahamut|Fire, Cold, Earth or Electricity (choose one)|Flare (Su): As a standard action, a Lawful-aligned Morphed half-Esper may use a Smite attack similar to the Paladin's class feature, except that it affects Chaotic-aligned creatures instead. Unlike the Paladin, a Morphed half-Esper does not gain additional uses of this ability by levelling up.
||Additional Effect: A half-Esper of this bloodline has her subtype changed from Feyblooded to Dragonblood, and when morphed, is immune to the Frightful Presence ability of dragons.
Odin|Death|Summon Gungnir (Sp): As a standard action, a Morphed half-Esper may summon the magic spear Gungnir, which has been passed down from Esper to Esper in the Odin bloodline for generations. Gungnir acts like a Death Spike (see Magic Item Compendium- essentially a +1 Cold Iron Spear that grants some bonuses similar to the Death Knell spell), but it cannot be wielded by anyone other than the half-Esper who summoned it- it simply vanishes in a flash of light the second it is held by anyone other than the half-Esper.
Chaos|Force|Blade Tornado (Sp): As a standard action, a Morphed half-Esper may summon a whirlwind of force, which provides cover to the half-Esper (+4 bonus to AC, +2 bonus on Reflex saves), but by reaching out and grasping at the whirlwind as a move action, it may yield one of the following blades, which dispels the whirlwind:
||Additional Effect: When Morphed, a half-Esper of this bloodline recieves a Favoured Enemy, like the Ranger class feature, except that she must choose from one of one of the following: Undead, Evil Outsiders, Aberrations or Evil Dragons.
Fenrir|Evil|Alternate Form (Su): As a standard action, a Morphed half-Esper gains the ability to assume the shape of a Worg.
Gilgamesh|Good|Bonus Feat: When Morphed, a half-Esper gains an extra two limbs, giving her a total of four arms. She gains Multiweapon Fighting as a bonus feat, but it can only be used when Morphed, unless she gains the ability to permanently keep her extra limbs.
Sylph|Mind-Affecting|Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): A half-Esper of this bloodline may cast Charm Person, Glitterdust and Whispering Wind 3 times per day, even when not Morphed.
Titan|Earth|Nature's Fury (Su): As a standard action, a Morphed half-Esper may use a Smite attack similar to the Paladin's class feature, except that it doesn't affect specific alignments, but rather targets the enemies of nature- Aberrations, Constructs, Deathless and Undead. Unlike the Paladin, a Morphed half-Esper does not gain additional uses of this ability by levelling up.
||Additional Effect: A half-Esper of this bloodline has her subtype changed from Feyblooded to Giantblooded, meaning that she is affected by effects that target Giants and Humanoids, rather than Fey.
Valefor|Sonic|Sonic Boom (Sp): As a standard action, a Morphed half-Esper may blast magical energy from her hands that act like a Shout spell.
||Additional Effect: When morphed, a half-Esper of this bloodline has her base flight speed increased to 40 ft.
Famfrit|Water|Tidal Wave (Sp): As a standard action, a Morphed half-Esper may summon a wave of water that acts like a Rushing Waters spell (Spell Compendium, page 178), except that it only grants a +5 bonus on the bull rush attempt referenced by the spell. This bonus increases to +10 at 5th level, and the usual +15 at 7th level.
||Additional Effect: When morphed, a half-Esper of this bloodline gains a swim speed of 30 feet. A half-Esper has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. She can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. She can use the run action while swimming, provided she swims in a straight line. Additionally, a Morphed half-Esper can breathe water as easily as air.
Cúchulainn|Acid|Fester (Sp): As a standard action, a Morphed half-Esper may poison an enemy as if under the effect of the Adic Arrow spell.
||Additional Effect: When Morphed, a half-Esper of this bloodline may spread the Filth Fever disease (Fortitude DC 11, incubation period 1d3 days, damage 1d3 Dex and 1d3 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based) on a successful attack roll. The half-Esper is immune to Filth Fever. Additionally, any grass or flowers growing in a square occupied by the half-Esper immediately wither and die. Other plants are immune to this effect.
Exodus|Lawful|Woodland Guardian (Sp): As a standard action, a Morphed half-Esper may command local plant life as if casting Entangle, Plant Growth or Diminish Plants (casting each spell once per Morph).
||Additional Effect: A half-Esper of this bloodline may communicate with plants as if under the effects of the Speak with Plants spell.
Adrammelech|Air|Dust Devil (Sp): As a standard action, a Morphed half-Esper may conjure up a cloud of dust or sand that acts like an Obscuring Mist spell.
||Additional Effect: A half-Esper of this bloodline has influence over the undead, allowing her to command unintelligent undead as if under the effects of a Command Undead spell.[/table]

Mystic Knight: By 5th level, a half-Esper's talent for magic is so great that it is no longer affected by arcane spell failure when wearing armour.

Flight: At 7th level, a half-Esper gains the ability to fly at a rate of 30 feet with Good maneuverability.

So... thoughts? Critiques? Cease-and-desist orders from Square, even?

MAJOR EDIT: Added some unique abilities to each bloodline, all compressed into a nice, messy table. Is there a <br> command I can use for those tables at all?

kwanzaabot
2008-05-15, 12:24 AM
Anybody have any opinions on this, at all?

Ceaon
2008-05-15, 10:36 AM
Looks nice overall, though a bit too powerful. Maybe -2 charisma would balance it (like an Elan, the psionic race).

Also, flight at level 3 is very good. Maybe change it so that the flight (good) is gained at level 7. And no other flight bonusses. Terra learned how to fly in one go, didn't she?

kwanzaabot
2008-05-15, 05:55 PM
Looks nice overall, though a bit too powerful. Maybe -2 charisma would balance it (like an Elan, the psionic race).

Also, flight at level 3 is very good. Maybe change it so that the flight (good) is gained at level 7. And no other flight bonusses. Terra learned how to fly in one go, didn't she?

Good idea. I've made adjustments to it as you suggested. :)
Any ideas on how to balance those Bloodlines, though? Some are definitely more powerful than others. I've decided to drop Chaos's sword ability, in exchange for a much simpler Favoured Enemy bonus.

jagadaishio
2008-05-15, 07:23 PM
Something with a -2 Charisma and a favored class of sorcerer? That's a bit of an oxymoron.

kwanzaabot
2008-05-15, 08:01 PM
Something with a -2 Charisma and a favored class of sorcerer? That's a bit of an oxymoron.

I was hesitant to add that, but yeah, it's gone. :)