Updating the Magic-Blooded template to 3.5?

[Shadowleaf]

Hello there. As the Magic-Blooded template from 3.0 currently is, it is horribly overpowered if you compare advantages to disadvantages.

I would greatly appreciate some help in making this use-able for games, balance-wise. The Charisma bonus and spell-like abilities is what gives it its flavor, in my opinion.

The 3.0 template:

Charisma +2
Wisdom –2

Any special vision from the Ancestor Race is replaced with Low-Light Vision.
+2 Racial bonus on Spellcraft checks & the skill can be used untrained.
+2 Racial bonus on Knowledge (arcana) checks & the skill can be used untrained.

Gain the following spell-like abilities at Character level 2:
- Detect Magic, 1/day.
- Nystul’s Magic Aura, 1/day.
- Nystul’s Undetectable Aura, 1/day.
- Read Magic, 1/day.
Favored class becomes ‘Sorcerer’.

+2 Charisma, LLW, +2 Spellcraft and +2 Knowledge: Arcana plus spell-like abilities for -2 Wisdom? Horribly overpowered.

[Temotei]

If that replaces their ordinary racial features, it's LA +0. If it doesn't, it's a weak LA +1.

[Shadowleaf]

If that replaces their ordinary racial features, it's LA +0. If it doesn't, it's a weak LA +1.

It's not. I'm mainly looking for a way of balancing it to LA+0, with enough drawbacks to justify the Charisma +2 and some spell-like abilities.

[Temotei]

It's not. I'm mainly looking for a way of balancing it to LA+0, with enough drawbacks to justify the Charisma +2 and some spell-like abilities.

Another ability score penalty should do it. I'd go with either Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution (fluffed as the magic in your blood sort of taking from your bodily strength to add to your mental acuity).

Of course, taking away the Wisdom penalty and making it Dex -2, Con -2 would do it. That's usually enough to put off a lot of casters, but the +2 Charisma will still be enough to draw many.

Others will probably have more flavored ideas.

[Magikeeper]

Adding -2 Con and leaving it unchanged would be the easiest way to solve that. Most PCs want Con. -2 dex / -2 con would make it awesome for divine casters that use charisma for something. -2 str / -2 wisdom would make it awesome for... most everyone that was already taking the template. I would prefer -2 wis / -2 con as those two hit almost every PC type that doesn't lack a con score for some reason. And those PCs generally paid to get the benifits of - con already.

Favored class sorcerer is somewhat of a drawback, but I've never played in a group that used the favored class rules.

----------------
You could change the +2 racial into a simple "can be used untrained" (which won't matter for most PCs that want this). Then you could change the spell-likes to the following:

- Detect Magic, 1/day.
- Read Magic 2/day.

It would still be taken by any PC that wants Cha but doesn't need wisdom, true. But even if the template gave only +2 cha, -2 Wis that would still be the case. Like how Arctic is used by everyone that doesn't need Cha. [ Or play arctic-desert and be from the Tundraaa.]

[Temotei]

"can be used untrained"

Nitpick: They already can be.

[Magikeeper]

Nitpick: They already can be.

Correct. As in, remove the +2 and keep the untrained.

[Temotei]

Correct. As in, remove the +2 and keep the untrained.

Ah. I see. That would be a small, small change, as mentioned.

My favorite alternative is the Constitution penalty just tacked on.

[Jane_Smith]

My question is - why +2 cha, -2 wis, +2 to knowledge and spellcraft checks at all? It doesnt fit the template's flavor at all from what I have read of it, and worse yet, it buffs spellcasters needlessly so. It encourages min/maxers and optimizers to abuse the be****zl out of it. Though the spell-like abilities are ok - but to limited in usage for their limited effects.



My opinion? Toss the +2 cha, -2 wis, +2 knowledge, and +2 spellcraft checks. Give them;

Permanent constant Detect Magic and Read Magic in a single feature - call it like, "Magic Sensitivity". They cannot supress this effect, nor can it be dispelled. It functions in a null/anti-magic zone as well, and is an extraordinary ability. They dont need to concentrate to maintain it. However, this also has the drawbacks of powerful auras of magic, and sense they cant forcefully turn it off... it can outright blind them.

Give them at-will magic aura/undetectable aura, but it can only be used on themselves and items they weild or carry. If the object leaves their possession, etc, the effects are immediately ended. This isnt that op, really. At the most, it lets you slip threw cursed objects to hapless targets or sneak magical items into a paranoid enemys home/stronghold/etc, or pretend that the necklace you got is a necklace of fireball to hold a few weak wizards hostage in a nice, compact room for something... mainly roleplaying benefits, and ones that rarely come up.