Community Based Monster Classes VI

[Gorgondantess]

I'm starting to think it's too much job for two people. You should elect a third. You already slash each other's throats being two, it will be a bloodbath with three, but at least it will take a little less time (college starts again monday and I won't have nearly as much time as now to make more monsters...).

Slash at each other's throats? Hardly. Actually, I'd like to think that Hyudra and I are on quite good terms with each other. In fact, one might even say we're friends. We disagree over certain things in this thread... but it's not like it's anything personal. We just each have our own opinions. We usually agree on most things anyways.
'Course, still wouldn't mind a third... but who would you suggest? Most people here either don't have the experience, talent or inclination to take on a more serious, authoritative critiquing role.
'Sides, things ran smoothly enough for a good amount of time while it was just me running the thread. With Hyudra as well, I think we're doing OK.

[Lix Lorn]

I'd volunteer, but I'm lazy and don't have a great sense for balance.

[dsmiles]

I'm pretty good at balance, but with work, my ability to keep up would be compromised. I can help out a little, but I work 6AM to 6PM-ish.

[Kobold-Bard]

Re Council Members: <cough>Kyuubi<cough>

[Gorgondantess]

I'd volunteer, but I'm lazy and don't have a great sense for balance.

Most people here either don't have the experience, talent or inclination

I'm pretty good at balance, but with work, my ability to keep up would be compromised. I can help out a little, but I work 6AM to 6PM-ish.

Most people here either don't have the experience, talent or inclinationtime

My point exactly.

[Mystic Muse]

Re Council Members: <cough>Kyuubi<cough>

I certainly have the inclination and time. If Hyudra and Gorgondantess approve me, I'd be more than willing to do it.

[Hyudra]

My point exactly.

Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.

And all things considered, Gorgon and I do get along fairly well. Some miscommunications, some aggravation I'm sure, when I go off on a tangent during an IM conversation. We don't agree on everything, but I think that's better for the project overall. He can tell me my storm giant is flawed. I can tell him his pseudonatural creature is off base, flavorwise.

As far as adding council members goes, I'd be down if Kyuubi wanted to join. Been around for a good while, active in the homebrew subsection, and has the grit to have a good number of monsters pass muster in our system, old and new.

[flabort]

when I go off on a tangent during an IM conversation.

You should see the tangets I go off on any conversation. Few people can keep up .
And yet, I still fall behind if no tangets are taken .

[DiBastet]

I wouldn't suggest anyone. But that's because I have a personal code that if I'm going to point at the needs of a system I'll point and give suggestions, but never how to implement them. That's doubly true to pointing out people to jobs. I say "you need someone else" or "you need to change this or that chief of section" and then "you know better than I do who you should use".

Moar people, moar work!

[Lizard Lord]

I would like to request that the Hooded Pupil (from Libris Mortis) be made into a class. A prestige class since it is a template. I"d do it myself, but I don't think I have the talent for it.

[Hyudra]

Maybe rant would be more accurate than tangent.

Anyways, I'm more or less taking the weekend off from work, so let's see... next four people who post and ask for a critique (DiBastet doesn't need to ask - I did say I'd get to it when he finished the attribute bonuses) get one from me.

Hoping to whittle down that unfinished list further. We're down to 22 monsters, and I get the feeling gargoyle, medusa and monstrous spider are an arm's length from done, and the ball's in Gorgondantess's court there. I'll do the 5 critiques, and we'll take a step forward there too. I'll leave it to council member Kyuubi to go through the unfinished classes in her own time.

Edit: @ Lizard Lord. I'll tell you what I told others who've made requests as of late. You're welcome to request, even encouraged to do so, but people tend to have their own ideas for monsters that they want to do. Your best bet, if the monster doesn't have too many levels, is to do it yourself. Beyond that, while I wish you luck as to seeing your request fulfilled, I wouldn't hold my breath.

[DiBastet]

council member Kyuubi

Gods, if my suggestions gave fruits so fast at my job I would be a happy man! But then, the fast resolution to an improvement propposal makes me feel like I'm working at home outside my job.

Blergh, time to leave the job behind.

Welcome, council member Darth Kyuubi. May the dark side guide you.

[NineThePuma]

Does anyone have any requests for QuasiGod portfolios?

I'd prefer to avoid Racial Portfolios, and broad alignment based ones.

[Mystic Muse]

Welcome, council member Darth Kyuubi. May the dark side guide you.

All shall bow before me and despair!

As a side note, Darth Kyuubi looks an awful lot like nightmare from soul calibur 3.

If you need a critique, feel free to IM me, or PM me if you want to get to me quicker than posting in this thread.

[Hyudra]

Does anyone have any requests for QuasiGod portfolios?

I'd prefer to avoid Racial Portfolios, and broad alignment based ones.

I was working on a homebrew class, not related to this thread, for the Cultist. Sort of a warlock approach to divine casting. I've been cannibalizing ideas from it/its domains enough that I don't know I'll ever get around to finishing it, but domains I was particularly interested in seeing done included Trickery and Death. The former for Vecna (because the cult of vecna is awesome), the latter for Nerull and the like.

So yeah, Trickery/Deception and Death.

[DiBastet]

I would like to request that the Hooded Pupil (from Libris Mortis) be made into a class. A prestige class since it is a template. I"d do it myself, but I don't think I have the talent for it.

Do you need it for a game or char, or just for the hell of it? If you need I don't believe our Triunvirate would mind me doing a CR+1 prestige class.

Does anyone have any requests for QuasiGod portfolios?

I'd prefer to avoid Racial Portfolios, and broad alignment based ones.

Actually I would love the whole lot of portfolios that I use in my games. In my campaign every god has 4 portfolio, the two of the aligment (or less if it has a neutral aligment) and two more (3 if it's something-neutral and 4 if it's true neutral) that are exclusive to it, like charm, ocean, undeath, sun, etc. I would love the whole lot.

[TheGeckoKing]

I would like to request that the Hooded Pupil (from Libris Mortis) be made into a class. A prestige class since it is a template. I"d do it myself, but I don't think I have the talent for it.

I'd wager that since it's a +1 CR template (And thus a 1 level class), you could have a go yourself, and you'd do fine. I'm sure people will help out as best as they could if you make a pig's ear of it anyway.
Well, watch Darth Kyuubi

[NineThePuma]

I'd like to specify.

Not Domains, I requested Portfolios. Consider that a Portfolio will hopefully be able to cover three or four Domains (the exact number is still in the air).

[Lizard Lord]

Do you need it for a game or char, or just for the hell of it? If you need I don't believe our Triunvirate would mind me doing a CR+1 prestige class.

I don't need it right now, but it is something I would like to able to use in the future. Anyways, I figure I can give it my best shot myself. If it becomes acceptable I might give necromental a try.

[DiBastet]

I'd like to specify.

Not Domains, I requested Portfolios. Consider that a Portfolio will hopefully be able to cover three or four Domains (the exact number is still in the air).

well, how much "I requested" we have here? I have 24 gods...

I don't need it right now, but it is something I would like to able to use in the future. Anyways, I figure I can give it my best shot myself. If it becomes acceptable I might give necromental a try.

Go for it! We're here to help!

[Lizard Lord]

Hooded Pupil

Monster Prestige Class
Libris Mortis

Spoiler

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Prerequisites
To become a Hooded Pupil the character must meet the following requirements

Type: Must be a corporeal humanoid, monstrous humanoid, or giant.
Skill: Must have at least one rank in Knowledge (Arcane) or Knowledge (Religion).
Special: Must have at least 4 HD
Special: Must be accepted as the disciple of one of the following: a Vampire, Mummy, Lich, Ghoul, Ghost, or Death Knight. Which of these has accepted the Hooded Pupil as their disciple determines which Dead Master ability he takes.

Hit Dice: d8

{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Class Features

1st|

+0

|

+2

|

+0

|

+2

|Hooded Body, Resistance to Cold, Dark Power, Dead Master, +1 Wis, +1 Cha[/table]

Skills Points at 1st Level: (4+Intelligence Modifier) x 4
Skills Points at Each Level: (4+Intelligence Modifier)
Class Skills: The Hooded Pupil’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Arcane), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Use Magic Device (Cha).

Proficiencies:The Hooded Pupil is proficient with simple weapons, martial weapons and light armor.

Hooded Pupil Class Features: The following are the Class Features of the Hooded Pupil.

Hooded Body: Unlike other monster classes, the Hooded Pupil doesn't lose its racial ability modifiers. Its type remains the same. If it does not already have a natural armor bonus, the Hooded Pupil gains a natural armor bonus equal to its constitution modifier.

Ability Bonuses: Starting at 1st level the Hooded Pupil gains +1 Wisdom, and Charisma.

Resistance to Cold: Starting at 1st level the Hooded Pupil gains Resistance to Cold equal to its HD.

Dark Power: Starting at 1st level the Hooded Pupil gains the following abilities:

Spoiler

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Spider Climb: Starting at 1st level the Hooded Pupil gains the ability to use Spider Climb as an at will supernatural ability.

Heart Clutch: You may focus on your opponents, causing them harm as you manipulate their blood against them. Pick one of the following:

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• You Gain Clutch of Orcus (Libris Mortis, p.63) as a spell like ability, castable once a day per two HD.
  
  Blood Font: You may concentrate your malign will on a foe, causing them to sweat blood and their wounds to bleed profusely, usable 1/day per HD. While you concentrate, your target foe is slowed as per the spell by the agony of the ordeal, and takes 1d3 damage for every two HD you have. Foes who are already damaged (that is, not at full health or over max health by way of temporary hp) take 1d6 damage per two HD for each round you concentrate, instead. Foes below half health take 1d8 damage per two HD each round you concentrate. Foes get a saving throw (DC 10 + ½ Hooded Pupil HD + Hooded Pupil wisdom mod or Hooded Pupil charisma mod, whichever is higher) each time the Hooded Pupil initiates this effect, and if they succeed, they become immune to further attempts for 1 hour.

Drink Blood: At 1st level, the hooded pupil gains the ability to suck blood from a living victim 1/day per 2 HD. The hooded pupil must make a successful grapple attack, and when a Hooded Pupil drinks an opponent's blood, it deals 2 constitution damage to the victim and the Hooded Pupil heals damage equal to 1/HD+constitution modifier. This ability can only be used on a pinned or helpless opponent who has taken unhealed damage.

Dead Master: At 1st level the Hooded Pupil gains one of the following depending on which type of undead accepted the Hooded Pupil as it disciple:

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Vampire's Forms: If the Hooded Pupil was accepted by a vampire he gains the ability to assume the shape of a bat or wolf 2/day per HD and a dire bat or dire wolf at 1/day per HD. At 10 HD The Hooded Pupil may use Gaseous Form as a spell like ability 1/day per HD.

Mummy's Wrappings: If the Hooded Pupil is the disciple of a mummy he wraps himself in protective magic bandages. The Hooded Pupil may activate the power of the bandages and gain DR/- equal to his HD 1/day per 3 HD. This lasts a number of rounds equal to twice the Hooded Pupil's HD.

Lich's Studies: If the Hooded Pupil is the disciple of a lich he gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class of the Hooded Pupil's choice.

Stench of Death: If the Hooded Pupil is the disciple of a ghast or ghoul he gains an unnaturally strong smell of rotting flesh. Living creatures within 5ft+5 ft./5 HD of the Hooded Pupil must succeed with a fortitude save (DC=10+1/2 HD+Cha Mod) or become sickened for 1d6+HD rounds. Creatures that fail by 10 or more become nauseated for 1 round. Creatures that succeed the fortitude save do not need to roll again for 24 hours.

Ghostly Essence: If the Hooded Pupil is the disciple of a ghost he may move through spaces occupied by other characters and gains a 25% miss chance against attacks of opportunity. At 8 HD the Hooded Pupil may move through walls and objects that are 5ft. thick or less. At 15 HD the Hooded Pupil may become incorporeal 1/day per HD for a number of rounds equal to his hit dice.

Death Knight's Combat Training: If the Hooded Pupil is the disciple of a Death Knight he becomes proficient in medium and heavy armor and shields (but not tower shields), gains a bonus feat chosen off the fighter bonus feat list, and +1 strength.

Comments:

Spoiler

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I decided to include monstrous humanoid amongst the things that could be Hooded Pupils since it doesn't make sense to me why they would be disallowed. I originally had it be more then one level but was pointed out by fellow playgrounders why that wouldn't work.

Changelog:

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Feb 25 2011:

• Made the Hooded Pupil a level 1 class
• Got rid of Bonus Skills and Bonus Feats

Feb 26 2011

• Clarified text for Drink Blood.
• Made Clutch of Orcus 1/day per 2 HD.
• Removed Evil alignment from the prerequisites
• Added 4 HD to the Prerequisites.
• Fixed Clutch of Orcus so that you don't need the Libris Mortis and made it add HD to damage.

Feb 27 2011

• Removed Strength bonus.
• Added prerequisite requiring the Hooded Pupil is taught by an intelligent undead.
• Fixed typo with skills.
• Removed Use Rope from skill list.

Feb 28 2011

• Replaced Clutch of Orcus with Heart Clutch.

Mar 02 2011

• Put the Wisdom and Charisma bonuses under "Ability Bonuses".
• Put Spider Climb, Drink Blood, and Heart Clutch under "Dark Powers".
• Made Drink Blood heal damage equal to 1/HD+constitution modifier and 2 constitution damage.
• Bolded the different class abilities instead of having them italicized.

Mar 06 2011

• Added the Dead Master abilities.
• Changed the perquisite that requires an intelligent undead to accept the Hooded Pupil as its apprentice to pertain to the Dead Master abilities.
• Changed the table back to show the ability bonuses as + 1 Wis, +1 Cha.
• Moved Resistance to Cold to near the top of the list of abilities, as shown on the table.

[flabort]

The point is to COMPLETELY IGNORE Level Adjustment, not base the class around it. Sorry if that comes off angry, but the class is supposed to equal the Challenge rating.
Commendations for trying, but I facepalm to you, my good sir.

[Lizard Lord]

The point is to COMPLETELY IGNORE Level Adjustment, not base the class around it. Sorry if that comes off angry, but the class is supposed to equal the Challenge rating.
Commendations for trying, but I facepalm to you, my good sir.

If you really think all that stuff should go into the first level, then fine. That was the main reason I made it 4th level.

[DiBastet]

Commendations for trying, but I facepalm to you, my good sir.

If you really think all that stuff should go into the first level, then fine.

Actually you should find a balance on it. Maybe remove one thing or another, to make it a 1 level prestige class. OR give it things to make it a 4 level prestige class. As it stands 1 level is bad, 4 levels ir worse.

[Kobold-Bard]

Requesting the Dvati.

[Crafty Cultist]

Lizard lord
Personally, I recommend focusing on the flavour of the class if you cant fit in everything. A hooded pupil is a creature changed by the influence of a powerful undead, so abilities that reflect that would be best.

Also, please don't spoiler the picture. when you're sorting through a lot of text the picture helps the actual classes to stand out.

I hope I've helped.

[Lizard Lord]

I decided to make the Hooded Pupil level two and remove the bonus feats and bonus skills to make it work.

[dsmiles]

HALP! I want to give this a shot, but can someone PM me the code for tables?

[Hyudra]

Ragewalker

• Lowest BAB for a martial character?
• Ability names in table doesn't match up with ability names in text or in comments.
• Nature Child: Rename to Ragewalker Body.
• Mind of Rage:
  
  • A few problems here. First off, the initiator stuff is problematic because you're referring to stuff that isn't open content. It's copyrighted and not everyone has that content. RAW, the whole 'ragewalker levels count as initiator levels' implies you get the stances/maneuvers as you take levels in the class, which is likely unintended.
  • I'd say, not as a hard rule but strongly recommended, that when you're including material in your monster that refers to books a player might not have, it's probably a good idea to offer an alternative. Regardless of whether you intend for the Ragewalker to have initiator stances/maneuvers with levels in the class or whether it's meant to happen after they stop taking levels in the class, I might suggest something along the lines of "Alternately, ragewalker levels stack with barbarian for advancing rage" or the like, depending on the flavor you want to sell. That isn't terribly graceful, but offer something.
  • "Whenever the Ragewalker makes an opposed attack roll (including a grapple check) that was initiated against him" - really clumsy wording. I honestly am not sure what you intend to say by this.
  • "he can use his total HD in place of his BAB" - why? What's the aim here? This is a massive bonus at high levels.
  • "Whenever the Ragewalker makes an opposed Strength check that was initiated against him, he may use a Dexterity check instead." - Wording is awkward. Reword to: "If a maneuver is initiated against the Ragewalker and he is required to make a strength check as a consequence, he may make a dexterity check instead."
• Grafted armor:
  
  • Worth stating it can be enchanted.
  • 4 + ⅓ HD. So 4 at first, 5 at third, 6 at sixth, and so on until +10 at 18th. I guess my only issue with this is that armor class becomes so negligible at high levels, unless you can ~really~ pump it, and often it doesn't even matter after that, so I can't help but wonder if it's even worth the effort of having a different progression than just Con mod = armor. Just commenting, doesn't need changing either way, don't think.
• Fey Body:
  
  • Rename. The 'body' abilities in this project are pretty much exclusively for the first level abilities that outline the racial benefits & particulars of any given monster. The ability's fine, it's just the name runs against convention.
• Styptic Armor:
  
  • Styptic really isn't the right word for this. It means to slow bleeding. Not necessarily heal. Rename ability?
• Weapon Cloud:
  
  • 'Any creature adjacent to the Ragewalker take 1d4 damage' - takes.
  • "This damage increases by 1d6 per three total HD beyond this point" - this is awkwardly phrased. It implies that if the Ragewalker takes the second level of the class at a higher level, it gets less overall benefit, which is something we try to explicitly avoid in this project.
  • Reword to: 'This damage increases by 1d6 for every 3HD after the 2nd?
  • Not sure I love no-save damage. Especially at a low level.
• Deflect Missiles:
  
  • As I read the first two levels, something was bugging me, and I finally realized what it was. The issue is that the Ragewalker, for all his class features, doesn't do anything. Levels 1-3 (I'll comment if further levels have this issue) don't give you options in combat. I mean, sure, they give you stuff you can do in response to actions against you, but even that's fairly thin. You've got a ton of well disguised passive abilities and nothing active thus far.
  • The 9HD benefit here is a little much, considering it makes you immune to pretty much all ranged attacks against you. Too much, too soon.
  • Consider something like 'Starting at 9HD, the Ragewalker may deflect additional missiles. Doing so uses up one of the Ragewalker's attacks of opportunity for the round. If he cannot make an attack of opportunity, the missile passes through uncontested.
• Spell Resistant Armor:
  
  • Why 10+HD? I do believe 11+HD is standard.
• Spell Like Abilities:
  
  • So at 4th level we finally get an active ability... usable once a day. Others come up later, but it's still very little to break up the monotony of 'I move and make a standard attack', 'I make a full attack', 'I make a full attack', 'I try to trip', 'I make a standard attack', 'I make a full attack'.
• Command Living Spells:
  
  • I'm inclined to consider 5th level a dead level, because this ability is so unlikely to come up in regular play (without the DM catering to the ragewalker) that it's ignorable. Even when it does come up, there's the simple fact that the math for the turn undead class feature (and by extension, this) is so borked that (like truenaming, but to a lesser extent) you just won't be able to make a turn check at mid-high levels.
• Induce Blood Frenzy:
  
  • A little much, given it's (for the most part) a save or lose against against casters, turning half of your encounters against casters into trivial fights. It's just too easy to apply given the impact of what it does.
  • It's worth saying, a Ragewalker at 6th level of the class, and still, your only active ability (one you choose to use in combat) beyond the most basic of basics, is a single casting of Bull's Strength. Even Induce Blood Frenzy is passive, just a gaze attack that's pretty much always on.
• Repel Missiles:
  
  • You change pronouns mid-sentence. You refer to the Ragewalker by 'his', then change tacks a few words later to 'its'
  • Again, don't love that it works against all attacks at 12th level. I think I might prefer that it uses the ragewalker's attack roll on deflection, to avoid shenanigans where the Ragewalker effortlessly returns a god's bowshots back at the god.
• Cloud Attack:
  
  • Finally, at 7th level, we get an active attack option with something to consider and think tactically about, outside of the most basic of basics (attack, full attack, maneuvers). A range increment of 30' seems like quite a bit. Isn't that a max range of 150'?
• Cloud Fury:
  
  • "If he chooses to affect a 5ft radius it causes its normal Weapon Cloud damage. Finally, if it chooses to affect a 5ft radius it causes half its normal Weapon Cloud damage." - which is it, for a 5' radius?
• Repel Magic:
  
  • "This ability is usable once per day plus one more time per three HD attained beyond this point." - awkward wording, and we're back at the 'beyond this point' bit that goes against project philosophy. Try "This ability is usable once a day, with an additional daily use for every three HD after 14HD."
• {table=Head]Category|Score
  Originality|Doing ok here. Only you've got a little too much reliance on SLAs and rather standardized abilities (Spell resistance, DR) to fill levels.
  Playability|Low score here, I'm afraid. Waaaay too many levels with no active abilities. I mean, I'd need to get to 7th level to have anything more than a single buff SLA that I can use once a day. Until then, it's just attacks & maneuvers. That's nearly 100 encounters total before you've got the exp needed to get Cloud Attack.
  Power|Eh. Not doing great here. Incite Blood Frenzy is a bit over the top and game breaking, and deflect/reflect missiles trivialize some encounters after you get the HD needed to get the upgrades.
  Elegance|Some wording/phrasing errors and vague text, as described above.
  Flavor|Not bad here. Could do with more flavor text to describe what abilities are doing. Like, 'the Ragewalker can extend his arm, simultaneously directing the whirling cloud of blades around him to volley across the battlefield and impale a target foe'[/table]

A good few problems to fix, but don't be disheartened. It's very much in line with the feedback the average poster gets for their first homebrew monster class.

HALP! I want to give this a shot, but can someone PM me the code for tables?

There's a link on the first post (or one of the first three posts) of the thread to a 'fill in the blanks' submission form that you can copy for your monster classes.

Edit: Here. Link. Just make sure when you're previewing that you're not making the monster's name blue throughout. That's not supposed to be like that.

I decided to make the Hooded Pupil level two and remove the bonus feats and bonus skills to make it work.

Try to stick to convention by having the CR = the max level of the class. It can be a struggle to make stuff fit, but I know it can be done.

[Lizard Lord]

Alright, changed it to be a 1 level class.