Tooth and Tentacle [base class PEACH]

[EdroGrimshell]

Just thought of something for the Sower of Strangeness, what if it could make a seed that's a symbiont? Seems like something it should be able to do.

[Magikeeper]

Huh, some of the changes such as how the multiple mouths work are quite nice. Only real change I can see doing is make it only deal normal damage if the target is immune to con damage, and then making razor tooth deal an extra point or two of damage in that situation (slightly more complex, but not overly much). The way the item destruction works is also likely better for a simple version.

I'll try to update the post with the adjusted version in the next day or so, the delay mainly due to some other minor things I'm working on and needing to figure out how the changes will work with the post being near the character limit.

Okay, here is a newer new version with a version of the suggested change:

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Devour(Ex): Ozodrins of second level or higher are capable of consuming pinned opponents. Bite attacks made against an opponent the Ozodrin has pinned do not take the usual -4 penalty to attack rolls and the Ozodrin may make as many bite attacks as they would normally be able to (normally you cannot attack a pinned opponent with your own weapon, nor can you usually attack a grappled opponent with multiple light weapons). The ozodrin may choose to have a successful bite attack against a pinned opponent deals 1 point of con damage instead of its normal damage. For each point of con damage dealt this way, the Ozodrin heals 2 points of damage. The Ozodrin may cough up any magical or inorganic items possessed by one or more completely eaten opponents (opponents that were killed by bite attacks effected by this ability, even if they did not deal con damage) as a standard action as long as they do so within ten minutes of eating the opponent(s). Pieces of inorganic opponents such as iron golems cannot be coughed up this way and unusually potent items, such as artifacts, can be coughed up even after 10 minutes have passed. The Ozodrin cannot choose which items they cough up in this fashion - all items that could be coughed up are.

Razor Teeth: Additional cost 6
Required level 4: This mouth deals an additional point of con damage against pinned opponents. This ability has no effect on attacks that would not already deal at least one point of con damage.

Jaws that Bite (Ex): If a creature attempts to use a Swallow Whole special attack against a 5th level or higher ozodrin manifesting it's true nature that has at least one mouth, the ozodrin may choose to make a grapple attempt in response. If successful, the ozodrin avoids being swallowed and instead pins the opponent . The ozodrin may choose to use their own Swallow Whole special attack if they have one. This grapple check does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

There. By making the damage type a choice we make it either/or and solve all of the corner cases with only a few extra words. It also makes it simpler to run (each bite deals a single damage type), so that's a plus. Also, it means that Ozodrin's will tend to use larger mouths to deal damage and smaller mouths to nibble people to death with con damage, which is pretty nice flavor-wise.

Anything else I need to change or can we finally make the switch? I'm going to throw a party or something when it happens.

As for the strange movement, I've considered adding such a requirement to it, then altering the travelling tentacle to remove the requirement, but only along the length of said tentacle. Would certainly be likely to help with some of the issues that strange movement can cause.
Owrtho

Sounds good to me.


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I am also iffy on naught morality, just because it forces you down a specific RP path that the rest of the class currently doesn't do. For example, I have no idea how I'm going to deal with that as my Ozodrin is kinda the... heart of most my party when it comes to morality. It is possible to play a paladin-type Ozodrin right now. At least the CG version. I'm not for making it into a bunch of smaller abilities though. I would just add the following bit (Char limit shouldn't be an issue as the new devour is much smaller):

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Some Ozodrin, particularly those with strong ethical preferences, choose to cling to a vestige of their former self, maintaining that self until all who knew it are dust in the wind and it is time for that personality to "pass on" like mortals do. In this case the Ozodrin keeps their alignment, but are still effected by alignment based effects in the most favorable manner as the Ozodrin can shield the vestige with their deeper, unfathomable self.

Please? This would also result in me throwing a party. You like parties, don't you? Also, this gives DM's that don't like the "no alignment, time to act inconsistent" part of the ability an easy option to 'suggest' the player takes.



---------------------------------

I like Twisted fate and see no issue with adding it.

The spike augments are interesting too, but I think they need to be altered a little and maybe made into a feat or something. I do like the idea of feats that give 1-2 smaller augments, kinda like tactical feats.

[Qwertystop]

Just because there is no alignment doesn't mean they have to act inconsistent.

[Magikeeper]

Just because there is no alignment doesn't mean they have to act inconsistent.

But it certainly means they COULD, which is enough for my comment. In fact, it at least means that one could argue that they could, which is definitely the case.

However, that point is not necessary for the rest of my commentary on naught morality to still be applicable - and it is hardly the most important reason to add my suggested lines to the ability.

[Qwertystop]

But it certainly means they COULD, which is enough for my comment. In fact, it at least means that one could argue that they could, which is definitely the case.

However, that point is not necessary for the rest of my commentary on naught morality to still be applicable - and it is hardly the most important reason to add my suggested lines to the ability.

Well, no. You said it "forces you along a specific RP path". It doesn't, you are entirely able to continue acting as you had been if you want to. At least as far as my experience, alignment does not dictate actions, actions dictate alignment. Alignment in terms of those two letters on your character sheet is only important for what alignment-specific effects and abilities do, so that's all that the ability changes.

[Magikeeper]

Well, no. You said it "forces you along a specific RP path". It doesn't, you are entirely able to continue acting as you had been if you want to. At least as far as my experience, alignment does not dictate actions, actions dictate alignment. Alignment in terms of those two letters on your character sheet is only important for what alignment-specific effects and abilities do, so that's all that the ability changes.

Here is the deal: Some DMs go with that. I pretty much ignore alignment when DMing. Some don't. More importantly, the fluff that explains WHY you don't have an alignment could cause issues. With all groups? No. In groups you play in? Doesn't sound like it. But as checking any significantly long alignment thread can tell you, this can vary wildly for different groups/players. I know at least one player who uses alignment when it comes to deciding actions, and my current DM does a lot with it. It's a tricky issue and it would be wise IMO, to give a clear option to players that are in games where not having an alignment would cause issues.

My option still keeps every mechanical benefit, and in perhaps in your games there would be absolutely no difference between choosing one and the other. If I were the DM it wouldn't be an issue either. But some DMs will not jump to the same conclusion as you or I, and I think giving a clearly stated justification for the PC to keep acting as they were before with the same motivation* as before would solve issues.

Yes, you could argue otherwise. I could argue otherwise. The player in hypothetical game X could argue otherwise. I'd rather not have a class feature that WILL, as written, cause alignment arguments. Add an easy out.

----------------------------

*That said, it DOES force you down the path of assuming your motivation is no longer the same as before - for some players (myself included) this is a problem. I'm not really playing the same PC, I'm playing a cosmic horror that no longer really feels anything my PC used to feel**. Yeah, you can still assume the vestige thing (I intend to regardless), but it really isn't supported by the current fluff and not all DMs will go for it if it isn't written down. I'm going to have to keep reminding my DM that he agreed to let me do something like that once I hit level 17. *sigh*

**Not that this isn't something that couldn't be cool to play, I'd just like the option to not assume that and I don't think I am alone.

[Amechra]

My solution is having you swap over to the Color Wheel Alignment system

How many things target a Blue alignment?

How many clerics will know what to do when their Detect Alignment spells turn up a Green?

[Qwertystop]

My solution is having you swap over to the Color Wheel Alignment system

How many things target a Blue alignment?

How many clerics will know what to do when their Detect Alignment spells turn up a Green?

Yeah. That'd be hilarious.


Add a line allowing the Ozodrin to switch to a different alignment system when they get that, please?

[Owrtho]

Right, I have two things to say. Magikeeper, throw two parties. Qwertystop, check post 13.

Other stuff like the spike augments shall be addressed later.

Owrtho

[Qwertystop]

Yay!


But why can't I have a party too?

[Owrtho]

Well, you could, but you didn't say you would ahead of time. That said, Magikeeper is already throwing two, so it might make more sense to go to one of those.

Owrtho

[Magikeeper]

YES! I work today 2:30-11:00, so I guess this is going to be a work party!

Party at my local supermarket at ~7pm to celebrate the updating of devour. There will be singing. Maybe a high five. Music is provided from the store and food can be bought at our daily low prices.

Other party to come later.

Edit: Removed location since that might count as advertising.

[Hanuman]

First point, I'd really like to see some kind of summon available at lower level by utilizing FP, as early as 10th level. Perhaps this shouldn't be spawn, perhaps it should.

MAIN POINT:

It seems that the ozodrin is notoriously difficult to dress due to their shifting constantly, and because they don't absorb it(?) as other shape shiftings do.

The simple solution I used in a campaign last year is basically, you eat the items!

By absorbing the items into the ozodrin initially you can avoid this problem, it also allows you to mount magical items non-visually by drawing them directly off the creature.

So, two things need to be addressed with this, first is the balance of what should grant this, second is how to identify the items from inside the stomach.

A simple feat could work like this:

When unattended magical items are in your stomach, you may as a standard action identify them (3/day) or absorb them into your stomach. When a magical item is absorbed it functions the same as if you were wearing it. When absorbing a magical item that has the same slot you have already absorbed the old effects are destroyed and replaced by the new item.


Which gives me ideas for the opposite, destroying items:

Rusting Bile
Stomach Augment-
Any unattended nonmagical metal object within your stomach is instantly destroyed, magical items are allowed a DC12 fortitude save, attended items are allowed a DC12 reflex save. Metal creatures within the stomach take 5 acid damage per round.

In addition, you deal an extra 1 point of acid damage against metal creatures or 2d4 points of damage against metal objects with spitting attacks.

Rotting Bile
Stomach Augment-
Any unattended nonmagical wooden object within your stomach is instantly destroyed, magical items are allowed a DC12 fortitude save, attended items are allowed a DC12 reflex save. Plant creatures within the stomach take 5 acid damage per round.

In addition, you deal an extra 1 point of acid damage against plant creatures or 2d4 points of damage against wooden objects with spitting attacks.


Which carries onto, how can we get this at earlier level, outside the stomach?

Rot or Rust can be applied to spikes instead of it's regular venom.

Flesh could apply this as a variant on acid damage, such as a rust monster does.

Rust or rot COULD be applied by limbs, but I don't think it would be contextually appropriate, and if petrification isn't a gaze I don't think rust or rot should be either.


Why is rust/rot thematically important? Metal and wood are the two most common cage-making materials, if I see a monster in a cage in a horror film I start estimating the time in the movie when they find the cage bars have been melted off... and if this will never be an option I guess the ozodrin will just have to take ranks in craft and build a clockroach to get that acid utility.


Rust and rot really applies to breath and exhalations though... hmm...

[EdroGrimshell]

Just thought of something for the Sower of Strangeness, what if it could make a seed that's a symbiont? Seems like something it should be able to do.

I think my question was missed since there was no comment on it

[Owrtho]

I think my question was missed since there was no comment on it

Well, that was intended to be part of the other stuff to cover later. That said, I know very little about symbionts in D&D, so can't really do much about that. That said, the easiest way to deal with it would be to make a feature that is a symbiont.

Owrtho

[Owrtho]

Thought I'd mention, I made a minor edit to the ozodrin. Specifically that if the ozodrin gains aberrant affinity at the character's first level, it may get Mourning Mutate rather than aberrant blood as a bonus feat.

Owrtho

[Magikeeper]

I just noticed that primary stomach still mentions aspects of the old devour. Also, there is no reason to mention primary stomach until level 8 now, as there is no way for the ozodrin to put creatures into its stomach before then and the new devour covers what happens to items that are eaten. I think the old devour described that as well, so this might be a leftover from a very long time ago.

Rewrite for primary stomach (Just deleted stuff that shouldn't be there), also I suggest it be moved to level 8:

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Primary Stomach (Ex): An ozodrin's stomach can hold a number of small creatures equal to its class level squared times two (at level 8 this would be 128). Four small creatures equal 1 medium, 4 medium equal 1 large, 4 large equal 1 huge, etc. Unlike most creatures with a swallow whole ability, an ozodrin has no natural hazards in it's stomach. Instead it is able to place features in it's stomach, allowing it to see and attack creatures it swallows. If it has no eyes inside it's stomach, creatures in contact with the stomach have partial concealment (as it can feel them but not see them) while creatures that are flying or otherwise avoiding touching the surfaces have total concealment.
As long as the ozodrin is manifesting it's true nature, there is a supply of air to the stomach. However, if it suppresses it's true nature, the air supply is cut off. In this case there is enough air to support a creature for 1 minute for every creature of it's size that could fit in the stomach before the supply is exhausted (this assumes normal activity).
If the ozodrin dies, creatures in its stomach have 1d6 rounds to escape before they are forcefully ejected (along with all the other contents of the stomach not a part of the ozodrin) as the pocket dimension collapses, dealing 1d8 damage per 4 ozodrin levels. Creatures ejected this way show up at the location of the ozodrins corpse or as close to it as possible if other ejected contents are in the way.
If another class would advance the stomach feature, it advances this ability as well.

[Qwertystop]

Hello again! Anybody willing to help me with a project I'm working on? It's an Ozodrin calculator app for iOS/Android. That is, it would calculate cost of features and compile all the abilities and stuff you have, since all those little things can really pile up depending on how you're playing.

I expect to be able to do the programming myself. What I want help with is converting the many, many things there are into an easier-to-work-with format. I've already done Eyes, but if I could get a couple of people helping, it would really speed the whole thing along.

Any takers? My formatting for features is as follows:

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Eyes:
1 FP
Level 1
lowlight for 2
+1 Search and Spot per 2
+1 AC per 3
+10% nonflanked, 5% not flatfoot per 5

Augments:
Darkvision (Darkvision 5): +1
Perceptive (+1 search/spot): +1
Sightless (listen instead of search/spot): +2
Acute (blindsense 5): +1, Sightless
Insightful (see invis 10): +3, Level 3
Trembling (tremorsense 10): +2, Acute, Level 7
Blind (blindsight 5): +2, Acute, Level 7
Spirit Eye (Arcane Sight 10): +4, Insightful, Level 10

That's all the things for eyes.

[Magikeeper]

Hello again! Anybody willing to help me with a project I'm working on? It's an Ozodrin calculator app for iOS/Android. That is, it would calculate cost of features and compile all the abilities and stuff you have, since all those little things can really pile up depending on how you're playing.

I expect to be able to do the programming myself. What I want help with is converting the many, many things there are into an easier-to-work-with format. I've already done Eyes, but if I could get a couple of people helping, it would really speed the whole thing along.

Any takers? My formatting for features is as follows:

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Eyes:
1 FP
Level 1
lowlight for 2
+1 Search and Spot per 2
+1 AC per 3
+10% nonflanked, 5% not flatfoot per 5

Augments:
Darkvision (Darkvision 5): +1
Perceptive (+1 search/spot): +1
Sightless (listen instead of search/spot): +2
Acute (blindsense 5): +1, Sightless
Insightful (see invis 10): +3, Level 3
Trembling (tremorsense 10): +2, Acute, Level 7
Blind (blindsight 5): +2, Acute, Level 7
Spirit Eye (Arcane Sight 10): +4, Insightful, Level 10

That's all the things for eyes.

That is a great idea! I'll help, although mostly because I was looking for a project to teach myself HTML and website design. Er.. in addition to your presumably awesome phone app. I've never worked before with phone apps either, but you already called that plan (Could you explain what programs you used if any, etc? I'm interested in how coding the phone app works.)

[Qwertystop]

That is a great idea! I'll help, although mostly because I was looking for a project to teach myself HTML and website design. Er.. in addition to your presumably awesome phone app. I've never worked before with phone apps either, but you already called that plan (Could you explain what programs you used if any, etc? I'm interested in how coding the phone app works.)

Sure, you could work on a web version or something!

I actually don't know how, I'm taking a class on it at summer camp in a few weeks. That's why I'm gettiing the data-organizing done now. So, you want to take the features in post 711, and I'll take the ones in 710?

[General Patton]

I was thinking, right now Flesh Calls to Flesh isn't very useful. The only real application for it is a meta-gamey system of "flesh compasses" where you trap severed flesh in circular glass chambers in the towns you've helped. This allows you to navigate back to them, correlate their locations to estimate where you are, and have your allies triangulate your position for rescue attempts.

It does get a bit more interesting with One's Form in Miniature. You can have two pieces of flesh per flesh-compass and point them in opposite directions when on other planes. You can instruct your NPC allies to briefly check the flesh-compass every 4 hours. This allows for a fail-proof signaling/alert/intervention system through the power of Sinister Image. If they intentionally stare at it for 5 minutes straight, miss a scheduled check, or invaders get curious and investigate it too long after capturing everyone, you can send a Shifting Tentacle with Eyes to investigate (would Travelling Tentacle allow you to Strange Movement to it?).

Though, regardless of how interesting that is, it isn't very useful and Flesh Calls to Flesh is especially lackluster on its own. However, there is a certain ability I thought of which could thematically fit with the ability to have severed flesh survive, though it might trepass on the Sower of Strangeness a little bit. Ozodrin with Flesh Calls to Flesh should be able to inflict large amounts of damage to themselves, and temporary loss of Form Points as well as an XP cost, to form a "Coat of Flesh". This would be a living adaptable armor with supernatural/aberrant properties, formed through bodily sacrifice to protect those precious few who the misunderstood and shunned Ozodrin can actually call "friend". The armor would be nigh-impossible to remove against the recipient's will, and would be so perfectly form-fitting and comfortable that it can be slept in without penalty. It would reject those that the Ozodrin does not care for and be capable of moving on its own, whether to return to its intended wearer or drag the dead/unconscious wearer to safety. It's base stats and Form Points would vary with how much sacrifice the Ozodrin put into it (capped based on Ozodrin's level), and could be strengthened later on through a new infusion of their flesh.

Its pool of FP could be invested to...
-Increase the armor to medium or heavy (large increases to AC in exchange for the usual Max Dex, Arcane Spell Failure, movement speed and Armor Check Penalties)
-Decrease/nullify those penalties
-Provide Fortification, SR, Energy Resistance
-Provide protection from flanking/surprise
-Be aware of being watched/scried (requires One's Form in Miniature)
-Act as a valid recipient for Shifting features
-Apply Otherworldly Power as an enhancement bonus and use it as the "Enchanted X" augments
-Provide a miss chance

Needs more suggestions for appropriate implementation and abilities.

[Hanuman]

I agree with Patton's thinking.


I was also thinking, we need to provide a clear scale for expansion on abilities.

If we could scribble a chart together and see how much FP ozodrins gain per level and then the range variables on that, and see how much 1/day spell effects match up to that.

From that, we can estimate the "sustainability" of being able to "burn" feature points.

Why is this important? It allows one-shot features!


I was thinking about this, the best way to balance this is to have a template ability, such as a spiders web shot. Figure out the power balance of the shot, note the recharge time and effect based on the monsters HD.

Take the power and adjust it down to the ozodrin's HD, temporarily disable the FP, possibly by making them interchangeable with X ability's available charge, and then make it so an ozodrin must become fatigued as a standard action to refill the charge. The fatigue should last as long as the recharge on the template ability's 1/time, so if it's 1/day it's a 24h fatigue. If the ozodrin cannot become fatigued then make the recharge not work. This allows the ozodrin to play like it should overall, but still have limitations on trying to do much in a short amount of time-- this sustainability is similar to a maneuver-based class but because the abilities are meant for utility it's not so frontloaded.


I've settled on making a gland-like feature (including pod) and polishing it up, if this really must be a PrC once it's done I'll respect the author's wishes.

[Qwertystop]

What happens if you have Invisibilty and you have a puppet? Does the puppet go invisible? I was thinking of an Ozodrin with some item of Greater Invisibility at-will, whose "True Form" therefore looks like a swarm of toddlers and small fuzzy animals.

On another note, what is the point of the Tail augment? 2 extra FP to remove the ability to grapple, without changing the damage.

[Necroticplague]

On another note, what is the point of the Tail augment? 2 extra FP to remove the ability to grapple, without changing the damage.

It allows you to get the swiping tail augment, and there are feats that allow you do do different things with tails (like a feat that makes tails prehensile, which tentacles are not).

[Magikeeper]

What I have so far for the project:

Special eyes:

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Multi = can add multiple times to same feature
Special eyes have a lot of different limitations from other features.

Special Eyes
6 FP
Level 11
Gain passive gaze that deals 1d6 + cha damage.
60ft range
Any given creature can only be effected by 1 special eye per 6 cha (min 1, round down)
Counts as a basic eye

Augments
Farsight (+10 range): +2, multi-use
Penetrating Gaze (+1d6 damage, +1 ability damage, or increase duration by 1 die), +4, Multi
Wide Gaze (Effected creatures must be able to move 5ft to side or auto fail save), +6

Can only benefit from one of the following augments:
Frightful Gaze (No damage, increase fear level by 1 plus 1 for every 5 points save is failed by. 1d4 rnds), +2

Silencing Gaze (No damage, silenced for 1d4 rnds instead), +2
Disorienting Gaze (No damage, will save, confused as the spell for ½ caster level rounds), +4
Charming Gaze(No damage, will save, charmed as by charm monster for ½ caster level hours), +6

Cumbersome Gaze (No damage, deals 2 weird dex damage instead, Fort Save), +6, level 14
Disfiguring Gaze (No damage, deals 2 weird cha damage instead, Will Save), +6, level 14
Fragile Gaze (No damage, deals 2 weird Con damage instead, Fort Save), +6, level 14
Lethargic Gaze (No damage, deals 2 weird str damage instead, Fort Save), +6, level 14
Maddening Gaze (No damage, deals 2 weird wis damage instead, will Save), +6, level 14
Stupefying Gaze (No damage, deals 2 weird int damage instead, will Save), +6, level 14
Dazzling Gaze (No damage, Daze for 1 round), +8, level 16

Flesh:

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2 FP
Level 12
+1 Escape Artist
+1 Natural Armor per 2

Augments:
Luminous Flesh (Can produce up to 5ft illumination per level. -10 + (-5 per 5ft beyond 15 illum) on hide -----------------------checks in the dark, Misc uses), + 1
Filtering Flesh (Immunity to a chosen substance, can breathe substance), +2, Multi
Fragrant Flesh (Smell like whatever, +4 bonus to disguise checks or +2 bonus to hide checks), +2
Iron Flesh (Replace Escape Artist bonus with +1 DR/Adamantine)

Energy Consuming Flesh (Resistance 5 to Fire/Cold/Acid/Electric/or Sonic. Every 50 points = pound of food consumed and gallon of water drunk), +3, Multi
Magic Consuming Flesh(SR 13 or +3 to SR, gain 5xlevel temp hp when resist, 3lvl = food/water), +3, level 13

Pretending Flesh (Mundane Disguse, -10 if different body type OR +leve racial bonus to hide checks), +6, level 14

Condensed Flesh (Decrease Size category by 1, Immune to Atmospheric Pressure), +8, Level 15

Condensed Flesh type 2 (Immune to Atmospheric Pressure Effects), +4, level 15
Engorged Flesh (Increase Size category by 1, stats and feature sizes do not change, Max colossal, immune APE). +8, Level 15

Secreting Flesh (Add 1 point of fire, acid, cold, or electricity damage to all natural attacks and against opponents touching flesh, can be suppressed, does not effect nonliving objects), +2, Multi, level 16

Supernatural Consuming Flesh (As Energy Consuming, but can choose positive, negative, or hellfire), +4, multi, level 16

Cystic Flesh (Any time you are dealt piercing or slashing damage, Creatures within 5ft in direction of attack take 1d4 damage of the Secretion’s type. A reflex save (10 + ½ the ozodrin’s Class level + the ozodrin’s Charisma modifier) negates the damage. The effects of mutli do not stack. Each time it is taken it applies to a different secretion available to that flesh.), +2, Multi, Secreting Flesh, Level 17

Regenerative Flesh (Heal 10hp per pound of food consumed, max 5 * number of regenerative flesh per round. Assume 100lb for medium creatures if unknown, use carrying capacity modifiers for different sizes. Healing rate does not stack (always 10hp per pound)), +2, Multi, Level 17

Force Consuming Flesh (As Energy Consuming, but can choose Force), +4, level 18

Reality warping Flesh (Creates 1 inch emanation around Ozodrin that allows it to selectively ignore the alignment and magic traits of various planes, but only within one inch of its body. Also applies to anti-magic and energy transformation fields. Allows survival in non-Euclidean realities. Creatures in stomach also receive benefit), +10, Requires level 18

Puppet (<- This needs to be a mini app within the app, It’s too complicated)

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X FP
Level 13
Requires a tentacle with the blunt ability at least 2 sizes larger than the creature you wish to duplicate, and with a length a minimum length of 15' + 5' for every size category bigger than small it is.
In equation form:
Basic Tentacle cost = (Max[(Size Category + 2 – Size Category of Ozodrin), 0] *3) + 4
+ Max[(Max[((Size Category – Small), 0] * 3) + 9) – ((currLength/5)*3), 0 ]
Rest of Puppet Cost = Cost of component features
Divide base cost by 3 (round up?) to get cost of puppet.

Puppet Disguise check equals Your disguise + 20 to pretend to be race, Your disguise +15 to be a specific individual (or +20 if you know individual well). Alternately, you can make it +15 and -3 cost if you know individual well.
Puppet can move 10ft + Max[(currLength – 15), 0] away from the Ozodrin.
Base puppet strength is 8.

Augments

Hidden Puppeteer (Ozodrin can use puppet while using strange movement to hide. Time spent hidden like this does not count against total while puppet is out), +2

Strong Puppet (+2 to Strength of Puppet), +3, Multi

Jerk the line (Can give puppet a +6 bonus to dex and reflex saves, reduces disguise by 10 while in use. Enemies who see it must make DC 5 + Cha will save or become shaken. Can move puppet 5ft in a direction when using this. Usable once per round as a free action), +4

Appealing (Creatures that see puppet must make a dc 10 +1/2 class + cha or become friendly towards puppet and desire to help/protect it. If they know it is a puppet the creature gets a +4 bonus to save. Effect ends if puppet is hostile or has a triggered lure trap. Ozodrin can choose to exclude targets.), +5

Missing Strings (Hides string, uses up 5ft of strange movment. Adds +5 to disguise check and increases max distance by 10ft), +3, Min level 15

Puppet Show (Reduces size by 2 categories, creates second puppet. The puppets gets a -20 penalty to disguise and must remain within 5ft of each other. Extras beyond the first do not further decrease size/disguise), +4, Multi, level 15

Miniversion: This augment should not exist as nothing restricts the puppet to being real creatures in the first place. Using smaller features already reduces the cost!

Comments for Owrtho:
> First, Primary stomach needs to be changed – see my post on the previous page.
> I think the ability damage gazes should work like normal ability damage. The current wording doesn’t really balance it or anything and is just awkward to use. Once every two rounds is still too slow to make much of a difference, so why add all that extra bookkeeping?

>Condensed Flesh should say (Min fine size). It currently does not.
> Why doesn’t Iron flesh let you choose DR/byeshk for campaigns using that?
> Regenerative flesh should be 10x number of flesh, not 5x, since each flesh increases healing rate by 10.
Otherwise the first flesh actually heals a max of 5hp, which is extremely counter intuitive.

> Miniversion Puppet Augment: This augment should not exist as nothing restricts the puppet to being real creatures in the first place. Using smaller features already reduces the cost!
> Jerk the line should be an immediate action, or else you can’t use it to respond to anything.

[Qwertystop]

Got it, sent you a PM with a link to the spreadsheet, and yuo have permission to edit.


On another note, I've been given possible approval to be (as far as I can tell) the villain of a PbP campaign. This is pending approval of the Ozodrin class. Can someone other than myself or Owrtho (in other words, an objective outsider) write up a summary and tier-rating of the class for me to quote and PM to the DM of that campaign, to speed approval?

[Owrtho]

Right, I'm going to try addressing some of the more recently brought up things. I realize I'm overlooking older stuff, I'll try to go back over older posts later to catch it, though it is more likely to get addressed if reposted.

I just noticed that primary stomach still mentions aspects of the old devour. Also, there is no reason to mention primary stomach until level 8 now, as there is no way for the ozodrin to put creatures into its stomach before then and the new devour covers what happens to items that are eaten. I think the old devour described that as well, so this might be a leftover from a very long time ago.

Rewrite for primary stomach (Just deleted stuff that shouldn't be there), also I suggest it be moved to level 8:

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Primary Stomach (Ex): An ozodrin's stomach can hold a number of small creatures equal to its class level squared times two (at level 8 this would be 128). Four small creatures equal 1 medium, 4 medium equal 1 large, 4 large equal 1 huge, etc. Unlike most creatures with a swallow whole ability, an ozodrin has no natural hazards in it's stomach. Instead it is able to place features in it's stomach, allowing it to see and attack creatures it swallows. If it has no eyes inside it's stomach, creatures in contact with the stomach have partial concealment (as it can feel them but not see them) while creatures that are flying or otherwise avoiding touching the surfaces have total concealment.
As long as the ozodrin is manifesting it's true nature, there is a supply of air to the stomach. However, if it suppresses it's true nature, the air supply is cut off. In this case there is enough air to support a creature for 1 minute for every creature of it's size that could fit in the stomach before the supply is exhausted (this assumes normal activity).
If the ozodrin dies, creatures in its stomach have 1d6 rounds to escape before they are forcefully ejected (along with all the other contents of the stomach not a part of the ozodrin) as the pocket dimension collapses, dealing 1d8 damage per 4 ozodrin levels. Creatures ejected this way show up at the location of the ozodrins corpse or as close to it as possible if other ejected contents are in the way.
If another class would advance the stomach feature, it advances this ability as well.

Primary stomach is kept at level two for prerequisites. Also, while devour now lists a way to obtain eaten loot in its description, the having features allows one to specifically select the loot retrieved. That said, some rewording is needed for it to fully fit the new version of devour.

I was thinking, right now Flesh Calls to Flesh isn't very useful. The only real application for it is a meta-gamey system of "flesh compasses" where you trap severed flesh in circular glass chambers in the towns you've helped. This allows you to navigate back to them, correlate their locations to estimate where you are, and have your allies triangulate your position for rescue attempts.

It does get a bit more interesting with One's Form in Miniature. You can have two pieces of flesh per flesh-compass and point them in opposite directions when on other planes. You can instruct your NPC allies to briefly check the flesh-compass every 4 hours. This allows for a fail-proof signaling/alert/intervention system through the power of Sinister Image. If they intentionally stare at it for 5 minutes straight, miss a scheduled check, or invaders get curious and investigate it too long after capturing everyone, you can send a Shifting Tentacle with Eyes to investigate (would Travelling Tentacle allow you to Strange Movement to it?).

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Though, regardless of how interesting that is, it isn't very useful and Flesh Calls to Flesh is especially lackluster on its own. However, there is a certain ability I thought of which could thematically fit with the ability to have severed flesh survive, though it might trepass on the Sower of Strangeness a little bit. Ozodrin with Flesh Calls to Flesh should be able to inflict large amounts of damage to themselves, and temporary loss of Form Points as well as an XP cost, to form a "Coat of Flesh". This would be a living adaptable armor with supernatural/aberrant properties, formed through bodily sacrifice to protect those precious few who the misunderstood and shunned Ozodrin can actually call "friend". The armor would be nigh-impossible to remove against the recipient's will, and would be so perfectly form-fitting and comfortable that it can be slept in without penalty. It would reject those that the Ozodrin does not care for and be capable of moving on its own, whether to return to its intended wearer or drag the dead/unconscious wearer to safety. It's base stats and Form Points would vary with how much sacrifice the Ozodrin put into it (capped based on Ozodrin's level), and could be strengthened later on through a new infusion of their flesh.

Its pool of FP could be invested to...
-Increase the armor to medium or heavy (large increases to AC in exchange for the usual Max Dex, Arcane Spell Failure, movement speed and Armor Check Penalties)
-Decrease/nullify those penalties
-Provide Fortification, SR, Energy Resistance
-Provide protection from flanking/surprise
-Be aware of being watched/scried (requires One's Form in Miniature)
-Act as a valid recipient for Shifting features
-Apply Otherworldly Power as an enhancement bonus and use it as the "Enchanted X" augments
-Provide a miss chance

Needs more suggestions for appropriate implementation and abilities.

You are correct about flesh calls to flesh being rather lackluster in general. That said, the reason is due more to it not being intended for the average ozodrin than poor design (though there may well be some of that too). Flesh calls to flesh is designed for use by ozodrin who are prone to have limbs and features cut off, resulting in them needing to retrieve them. In most games this only really is encountered with vorpal weapons, and then it usually is fatal (unless the ozodrin has decentralized body), but even so it is a fairly uncommon scenario. When dealing with an ozodrin having its limbs sundered somewhat frequently, and needing to re-consume them before they die to regain form points put into them without waiting to be fully healed, the feat is much more useful. Speaking of which, I should make another optional ability that lets the ozodrin get somewhat more features in exchange for them being easily sundered, thus providing simpler rules for people who want to play that way.

As for your coat of flesh idea, while it is interesting and may be worth making its own feat or ability, it doesn't fit in with what flesh calls to flesh is intended to do.

I agree with Patton's thinking.


I was also thinking, we need to provide a clear scale for expansion on abilities.

If we could scribble a chart together and see how much FP ozodrins gain per level and then the range variables on that, and see how much 1/day spell effects match up to that.

From that, we can estimate the "sustainability" of being able to "burn" feature points.

Why is this important? It allows one-shot features!


I was thinking about this, the best way to balance this is to have a template ability, such as a spiders web shot. Figure out the power balance of the shot, note the recharge time and effect based on the monsters HD.

Take the power and adjust it down to the ozodrin's HD, temporarily disable the FP, possibly by making them interchangeable with X ability's available charge, and then make it so an ozodrin must become fatigued as a standard action to refill the charge. The fatigue should last as long as the recharge on the template ability's 1/time, so if it's 1/day it's a 24h fatigue. If the ozodrin cannot become fatigued then make the recharge not work. This allows the ozodrin to play like it should overall, but still have limitations on trying to do much in a short amount of time-- this sustainability is similar to a maneuver-based class but because the abilities are meant for utility it's not so frontloaded.


I've settled on making a gland-like feature (including pod) and polishing it up, if this really must be a PrC once it's done I'll respect the author's wishes.

On the issue of looking into one shot features, that would be interesting to see done. That said, I'm unlikely to do it myself, but would be interested in seeing what others come up with.

As for the gland-like feature, it doesn't need to be made a PRC, but as it is unlikely to wind up in the main class, that may be what works best. That said, it may also fit as an ACF, a feat, or similar.

What happens if you have Invisibilty and you have a puppet? Does the puppet go invisible? I was thinking of an Ozodrin with some item of Greater Invisibility at-will, whose "True Form" therefore looks like a swarm of toddlers and small fuzzy animals.

On another note, what is the point of the Tail augment? 2 extra FP to remove the ability to grapple, without changing the damage.

On the invisibility, I think I might make that a one point augment, that would allow any targeting spell or ability to treat the puppet and ozodrin as distinct creatures (mind as they share hp, the ozodrin would still take any damage dealt to the puppet. Similarly things that effect minds would still go after the ozodrin, given the puppet lacks a mind). Then this augment could be used to let the ozodrin become invisible while leaving the puppet visible, but would also allow other spells to treat them distinctly. I think I'd also throw in having it let the puppet be treated as the type of the creature it seems to be for spells and abilities.

On the tail, as Necroticplague said the main point is for other abilities that require tails. It also grants a feature to directly correlated tails to when using conservative form.

Comments for Owrtho:
> First, Primary stomach needs to be changed – see my post on the previous page.
> I think the ability damage gazes should work like normal ability damage. The current wording doesn’t really balance it or anything and is just awkward to use. Once every two rounds is still too slow to make much of a difference, so why add all that extra bookkeeping?

>Condensed Flesh should say (Min fine size). It currently does not.
> Why doesn’t Iron flesh let you choose DR/byeshk for campaigns using that?
> Regenerative flesh should be 10x number of flesh, not 5x, since each flesh increases healing rate by 10.
Otherwise the first flesh actually heals a max of 5hp, which is extremely counter intuitive.

> Miniversion Puppet Augment: This augment should not exist as nothing restricts the puppet to being real creatures in the first place. Using smaller features already reduces the cost!
> Jerk the line should be an immediate action, or else you can’t use it to respond to anything.

In order:

• Addressed above.
• That is actually in part a wording error. It should say subjected to rather than effected by. The main distinction being that as long as the ozodrin continues using the same special eye and the creature remains in range the count will not occur. The point of the faster healing it in part to keep the ozodrin from just changing between various special eyes to lower the different attributes, and also to allow faster healing from them so that creatures (or players), need not wait weeks to recover from the ability damage and no longer be crippled due to a single encounter.
  With the proper wording, it should mean no extra book keeping in combat (provided the ozodrin doesn't stop using the special eyes), while still having the faster recovery outside of combat.
• That should be added.
• I'd not considered it at the time the augment was written. In fact I'm not sure I was even aware of it at the time the augment was written.
• That should actually be 5 + 5 * # of flesh with the augment.
• While true, if you don't use the mini version augment, it does not gain the normal disguise bonus to look like the race that you are making it a smaller version of. The miniversion augment gives it that at a -10 penalty.
• It should actually be an free action usable any time you could use an immediate action. Mainly the ability is intended to not use up your single immediate action for each round, and should be usable with more than one puppet in a given round (even if they can each use it only once).

Owrtho

[Necroticplague]

Just something odd I wanted to point out to make sure it's intentional:Conservative form automatically upgrades you in your true form, even without spending form points.Because your normal parts now count as features, they do gain the base benefits from it. Assuming a stock human, than switching to your true form provides the following benefits for free:

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-Ability to swallow whole and Devour, if you have those abilities
-+2 to grapple
-+5 land speed
-lowlight vision
-+1 spot and search
-+2 to resist bull-rush and trip
-+2 to bull-rush attempts

[Hanuman]

Thank you for the one-shot liking Ortho.

Let's start by tackling the translation of FP to spells.

Based on skillpoints, HD and abilities I'd say if ECL 1:1 and burning FP instead of PP or Spells/Day the class should be Bard or Psionic Warrior as a balance template.

Both of these classes have a similar advancement, and gives us the base for arcane and psionic progression (earliest gain).

Spell Level/Class Level
0/1
1/2
2/4
3/8
4/10
5/13
6/16

Power Level/Class Level
1/1
2/4
3/7
4/10
5/13
6/16

At arcane earliest levels the ozodrin has this variable of FP, between 10CHA and only class-granted ab feats ---to--- 18CHA and full ab feats (including human bonus and flaw grants) and gaining +2 cha at every 4th level (one for level up bonus and one for item bonus.)

Castzodrin Level / Spell Level Gain / FP Variables / Average
1 / 0 / 4-11 / 7.5
2 / 1 / 7-14 / 10.5
4 / 2 / 13-23 / 18
8 / 3 / 25-38 / 31.5
10 / 4 / 31-45 / 38
13 / 5 / 37-64 / 50.5
16 / 6 / 46-76 / 61

Psizodrin Level / Power Level Gain / FP Variables / Average
1 / 1 / 4-11 / 7.5
4 / 2 / 13-23 / 18
7 / 3 / 22-33 / 27.5
10 / 4 / 31-45 / 38
13 /5 / 37-64 / 50.5
16 / 6 / 46-76 / 61

Comparing FP to PP, PP has a slower start and a bigger finish in terms of it's gain trend, PP hits 1:1 with FP at level 4 for psion or level 12 for psychic warrior.

There's a few ways around this, first if we double the conversion 2FP=1PP then psion balances at level 2 and war balances at level 6 which is much more reasonable as 6-7 is a good level to start getting these. Unfortunately this doesn't pan out great for the higher level powers, and at level 16 you'd be using 1/4th your FP on a 6th level power.

Second option, only 1/4 of the ozodrin's FP could be used on charges at any time, this would allow a fairly solid balance-- at level 7 you could afford features to mimic a single 3rd level power, perhaps Graft Weapon? This would use 5FP/27.5FP for the feature.

hmm...

[Dr.Orpheus]

Just had an idea, how does this feat look it uses the book Ghostwalk.
Aberrant Afterlife [Ghost, Aberrant]
Dying after being tortured to the point of insanity a ghost may find the only thing that makes sense in death are the things that never made sense before. The once living being now finds comfort in the far realms.
Prerequisite: Any 1 ghost feat, any 1 aberrant feat, your ghostly appearance must be repulsive or gruesome.
Benefit: All Ghost feats that you possess count as aberrant feats for all purposes. You may select a Ghost feat whenever you would normally be able to select a bonus aberrant feat and visa versa.