Shadows of the Apt- 3.5 PEACH

[Octopus Jack]

For anyone who has read the Shadows of the Apt series this is an attempt to convert themes of that world into d&d 3.5.
For anyone who hasn't read that series this is an attempt to introduce some "insecty" mechanics to 3.5.

Ok to start off with races (well actually templates to be applied to humans):

The Templates are based on what Kinden the person is from which is based upon aspects of various insects:

Beetle:
10ft climb speed
+2 Con +2 Int
+2 On Craft checks
Apt
Bonus Feat: Endurance

Ant
+2 Str
30ft Mindlink with other Ants (at will telepathy)
+2 On Saves against Fear
Apt
Bonus Feat: Combat Expertise

Wasp
30ft range Ranged Touch attack dealing 1d6 damage 1/round
30ft Fly Speed (good)
Apt
Bonus Feat: Improved Initiative

Mantis
+2 Dex +2 Str
30ft fly speed (average)
1 Claw natural weapon deals 1d6 damage
Inapt
Bonus Feat: Combat Reflexes

Fly
+2 Dex +2 Wis
60ft Fly Speed (perfect)
Apt
Bonus Feat: Dodge

Scorpion
+4 Str -2 Cha
2 claws as natural weapons1d4 damage each
Apt or Inapt
Bonus Feat: Power Attack

Mole Cricket
Size Changes to Large (+2 Str -2Dex -1on attack rolls -1AC)
20ft Burrow Speed
Spell Like Abilities- Meld into stone 1/day Stone Shape 1/day
Apt
Bonus Feat: Toughness

Bee
+2 Con
30ft fly speed (average)
Rage 1/day
Apt
Bonus Feat: Great Fortitude

Moth
+2 Wis
30ft fly speed (good)
Darkvision 60ft
+1 CL on all spells cast
Inapt
Bonus Feat: Spell Penetration

Dragonfly
+2 Dex
40ft fly speed (good)
+1 on all saving throws
Inapt
Bonus Feat: Weapon Finesse

Spider
+2 Cha
30ft Climb Speed
Charm person 1/day
Inapt
Bonus Feat: Persuasive

[Octopus Jack]

Kinden Points:

These are gained at first level and upon every level up and represent how developed the characters art is and what they are focusing their training on:

A character gets 5 Kinded points at 1st level and 2 upon every level up:

General- Can be taken by any Kinden
Tough Hide (3) +1 Natural Armour each time this is taken
Luck of your Art (4) +1 Luck bonus on all saving throws (can only be taken once)
Honed Combat Art (5) +1 on attack and damage rolls each time this is taken
Flexible Art (1) +1 bonus on a dice roll 1/day each time this is taken, declare you are using this bonus before you roll
Superior Senses (2) +1 on listen and spot checks each time this is taken
Natural Climber (2) +10ft to climb speed or gain a 10ft climb speed if you didn't have one
Being of the sky (3) If you have a fly speed it's manuverability goes up one catagory

Beetle:
Wings (5) gain a fly speed of 15 feet (clumsy)- increases by 10 feet every time this is chosen
Collegium Studies (2) gain a +1 on all knowledge skills each time you take this
Artificer Master (3) gain a +2 on all craft skills each time you take this
Dark Sight (4) gain 60ft Darkvision each additional purchase gives 10ft blindsense

Ant:
Improved Mindlink (3) your mindlink range improves by 30feet every time you take this
Team Combat (4) For every Ant ally within 5you gain a +1 on attack and damage rolls each time you take this either the distance improves by 5 feet or the bonuses increase by 1
Machines Master (2) When using ground machinery such as locamotives you gain a +1 on your skill checks to use it each time you take this
Strong Willed (2) +1 bonus on Will saves each time this is taken

Wasp:
Sting Mastery (4) +1d6 on Sting Damage
Flight Mastery (2) +5ft to fly speed each time this is taken
Interrogation Mastery (2) +2 bonus on sense motive checks each time this is taken
Engineer Mastery (4) +2 bonus on all craft checks, if a check is missed by 5 or more then the materials arn't ruined

Mantis:
Purest Combat Form (3) +1 on attack and damage with your claw each time you take this
Hunters' Eye (5) +2 on attack rolls with bows +1 on spot and listen checks each time this is taken
Mantis Defence (2) +1 Bonus to AC when you have a weapon drawn bonus improves by 1 each time this is taken
WeaponsMaster (6) Gain double strength modifier on melee damage for one round per time this is taken

Fly:
Confounding Strike (5) Cause one opponent to be flatfooted for 1 round usable an additional time/day each time you take this
Quickfooted (4) Increase your baseland speed by 10ft each time this is taken
Aerial Combat (2) +1 to attack rolls while you are flying everytime you take this
Fly's Pastimes (2) +1 bonus on sleight of hand checks each time this is taken

Scorpion:
Desert's Toughness (2) Gain 3 hp each time this is taken
Scorpion's Sting (5) gain a sting attack dealing 1d6 damage + Scorpion Poisoneach additional purchase of this improves damage by 1d6 and poison DC by 1
Scorpion Combat (4) Gain a +1 on Grapple Checks every time taken
The Way of the Desert (2) +1 on intimidate checks each time this is taken

Mole Cricket:
Swift Digger (2) burrow speed improves by 5feet
Great Strength (4) gain a temporary +2 bonus to strength lasting for 1round/level each day, an additional use of this power is aquired each time this is bought
Temperance (3) +2 bonus on saving throws against Rage, Confusion, Crushing Despair- Any other emotion spells or fear affects
With the Stone (4) Gain an additional use of Meld into stone or Stone Shape a day each time this is taken.

Moth:
Knowledge of the ancients (4) +4 bonus on Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (history) and SpellCraft Checks
Magical Prowess (5) 1/day boost caster level and Save DCs by 2 for a single spell cast
The True Masters (5) DCs of mind affecting spells increased by 1
Blindsight (4) Blindsight up to 30feet, range increases by 10feet each time this is taken

Bee:
Hard Working (3) +1 on all craft and knowledge skills
Extra Rage (4) rage an additional time/day
Bee's Sting (6) Deals 2d6 damage on a ranged touch attack (30ft range) each additional purchase adds 1d6 to damage
Devoted Warrior (2) Gain +1 on attack and damage rolls when fighting defensivly

Dragonfly:
Dragonfly's Grace(3) Gain Dex modifier on damage 1 attack/day each time this is taken it can be used on an additional attack
Dragonfly's Speed(4) when doing a full attack you can make an extra attack 1/day
Exotic Diplomat (2) gain a +1 to diplomacy checks
Lancer Combat Style (3) gain a +1 to attack and damage while mounted

Spider:
Spinning the Web(3) +1 bonus on bluff checks
Persuasive (4) extra use of charm person today
Backstabbing Strike (5) gain 1d6 sneak attack, stacks with other sources
Charismatic Fighter (4) gain charisma on damage for 1 round per day

[Octopus Jack]

Now I think it's time I explained what excatly Apt and Inapt mean:

Apt: An apt creature is able to learn how to use various kinds of machinery with little problems, unfortunatly technology has it's downsides as this relience on technology has left them ignorant to magic. No apt creature is capable of casting spells or using spell like abilities of any kind.

Inapt: An Inapt creature cannot wield a crossbow or other mechanical device, can't understand how the simplest of locks work and get nausiated while on a mechanical contraption. With combat it is not them being unproficient with crossbows or even Snapbows it is them failing to understand how the process of pulling a trigger will result in the bolt being fired and no amount of teaching will ever enable them to learn.

[Octopus Jack]

New Feats

Art Focus
You choose to train on improving the abilities of your art above all others
You gain 1 Kinden Point, You can take this feat multiple times, it's effects stack

Inaptitude
You are a freak of nature for your kinden, while you have lost the knowlege of machinery your mind has been opened to something else entirely
You change from Apt to Inapt, however any spells you cast are at -1CL (to a minumum of 1) and -1Save DC

Aptitude
You are somewhat "more developed" than the rest of your kinden this has left you in wonder at technology but closed your mind from the old ways
You change from Inapt to Apt however you suffer a -1 to hit with mechanical weapons and a -1 on skill checks involving mechanics

Othermind
Prerequisits: Ant Kinden
Instead of just being linked to the Ant kinden of your city you are linked to any Ant that comes within your range
You have a mindlink with any Ant within your mindlink range, this allows you to talk to this Ant or listen in to the conversations he may be having.

HalfBreed
An (un)fortunate coupling between two different kindens has produced a unique offspring which is you
Choose Stat changes from one kinden and apply them instead to another kindens abilities, you can choose Art abilities from either Kinden you've chosen from. However you take a further -2 to Charisma and NPCs have a starting attitude of unfriendly towards you
This feat can only be taken at 1st level

Sting Focus
Prerequisits: A form of sting Attack
Years of practicing with your sting has turned it from a last resort to a lethal weapon
You gain +1 on attack and damage rolls with your sting

[Octopus Jack]

New Weapon:

Exotic Ranged Weapon
Snapbow:
Cost: 400gp
Range: 150feet
Damage: 2d6
Critical: 19-20x2
Powered by an "air-battery" which propels a metal bolt down a metal barrel
This weapon can be fired and reloaded very quickly, reloading it is a free action.
However every shot depletes the air-battery somewhat and after every ten shots fired the user must spend a full round action pumping the air-battery to recharge it.

The ammunition costs and weighs the same amount as crossbow bolts

[Octopus Jack]

Thats all I have for now, this is to be used in a game where tier 1 and 2 classes are banned to represent the lack of very powerful users of magic, and please tell me what you think of my first homebrew to be posted on this site.

[elpollo]

I'll start by saying I've currently only read the first two books.

I wouldn't give the ability to fly at first level. I'd probably follow the kobold ability from Races of the Dragon or something.

Ants should probably get some sort of ability that if one of their ant allies within so-much distance isn't flatfooted then none of them are.

I think there's mention of a crazy moth engineer in the first book, so it implies that you can occasionally get apt members of an inapt race. You might want to make that an option to take.

The cost of the abilities purchasable with kinden points might need some redoing. The BESM SRD has some costing for various abilities, so you might want to look at that.

As is, Art Focus is pretty weak. You need to take it at least twice to get one of the weaker abilities, and those are usually not as good as a feat themselves. Granting 2 points would make it more worthwhile, but 3 might be better (although if you do increase it to 2 or 3 you might want to limit the number of times each art power can be taken to 1/2 level or something to stop wasp fighters running around with 20d6 touch attacks.

Are you planning to use E6 with this system? I would personally, since it means you can have touch warriors without having invincible fighters.