Fieldguard Feats [3.5]

[LOTRfan]

So, I am currently working on a homebrew project: The Demiplane of Oz. I'm currently assembling a list of races that will be part of the world, and I came across a perfect scarecrow race on these very forums. The Fieldguard race, by SilverClawShift, is a (in my opinion) well designed, flavorful race that deserves to be put to use. While I liked it a lot, it was originally made for no specific reason, so it lacked unique options. With SilverClawShift's permission, I have created a few feats to support their role in a project that hopefully I'll find the time to finish.

Improved Soft Body [Fieldguard]
The body of the fieldguard is overstuffed with hay and cloth, granting more protection than normal.
Prerequisites: Fieldguard
Benefits: The Fieldguard gains Damage Reduction 3/Slashing.
Normal: A Fieldguard ignores the first three points of piercing damage, only.
Special: This feat can only be taken at 1st level.

Hay Form [Fieldguard]
When near death, fieldguard degrades into a dormant pile of hay.
Prerequisites: Fieldguard, Improved Soft Body
Benefits: When brought below -1 hp, the Fieldguard breaks apart into a pile of wood, hay, and cloth. In this form, the Fieldguard’s Damage Reduction changes to 10/---, and all attacks except those that use fire deal only half damage. When brought to -10, a Fieldgard still dies. A fieldguard remains in this form until brought to at least 1 hit point.

Excellent Assimilator [Fieldguard]
Some Fieldguards can repair themselves much quicker than others.
Prerequisites: Fieldguard, Craft Construct
Benefits: When having access to materials such as wood, cloth, and hay, the Fieldguard may recover ability damage and hitpoints three times as fast as other creatures do via resting.
Normal: When having access to the needed materials, Fieldguards recover ability damage and hitpoints twice as fast as other creatures do via resting.

I probably need help with balancing these, so I'd appreciate it if someone would PEACH 'em.

[radmelon]

This looks interesting. I like the Fieldguards.

[LOTRfan]

I have to agree. I like the Fieldguards, and its always cool to have another Living Construct race.

[Glimbur]

Improved Soft Body seems too strong at first level. Adamantine Body, for contrast, offers only DR 2/Adamantine, which is harder to break at first level, but... it still seems too good. I would drop it to about DR 3/slashing or 4/slashing.

Hay form is nice at low levels, but as levels go up the odds of landing between 0 and -10 drop. It's probably ok though.

Excellent Assimilator is not worth a feat slot. Maybe letting them store a buff... at 1-6 HD they can get +2 to a physical score for (HD) minutes, at 7-11 HD the bonus increases to +4, at 12-16 they get +4 to one and +2 to another, and 17-20 it's +4 to two different scores. If the bonus is untyped this is nice, depending on the action type it takes to activate (maybe standard, maybe swift). I am also not sure it really fits the theme of the race...

[LOTRfan]

Improved Soft Body seems too strong at first level. Adamantine Body, for contrast, offers only DR 2/Adamantine, which is harder to break at first level, but... it still seems too good. I would drop it to about DR 3/slashing or 4/slashing.

My reasoning was that a simple slashing weapon is a lot more common than an adamantine weapon, but I see your point. Changes shall be made.

Hay form is nice at low levels, but as levels go up the odds of landing between 0 and -10 drop. It's probably ok though.

Fair enough. I expected as much.

Excellent Assimilator is not worth a feat slot. Maybe letting them store a buff... at 1-6 HD they can get +2 to a physical score for (HD) minutes, at 7-11 HD the bonus increases to +4, at 12-16 they get +4 to one and +2 to another, and 17-20 it's +4 to two different scores. If the bonus is untyped this is nice, depending on the action type it takes to activate (maybe standard, maybe swift).

Interesting, but not what I had in mind. Perhaps I'll add an extra bonus, not sure what right now though.

[Fable Wright]

Extra Limbs [Fieldguard]
You have been crafted in a unique form, whether by self-construction or a rather twisted master. Regardless, you form is more malleable than others, and you can change it as you want.
Prerequisite: Fieldguard, Skill Focus(Profession (Tailor))
Benefit: You may add or remove limbs, as described below. You may have any number of extra limbs, and the bonuses and penalty for each stacks. It takes about 4 hours to properly add or remove a limb, and during this time, you cannot assimilate more materials. Attaching a limb requires a craft(woodworking) check (DC = 15+the number of extra limbs you have). Failure means that you still obtain the limb, but it doesn't work. In this case, you maintain the penalties for the limb without gaining the benefit. You may remove a working limb as a full-round action that deals 3d6 damage to you, or with 10 minutes of careful work dealing no damage. However, a non-working limb can only be removed by wrenching it off, dealing 1d4 points of constitution damage. You may only have a number of extra limbs equal to your wisdom score.
Arm: You gain an extra arm. You may use this to wield a weapon, use a tool, or any other such thing, granting a +2 bonus on any craft or professin check. If it is used to wield a weapon, however, it incurs the standard penalty for multi-weapon fighting, and every attack made in the round this arm is used in takes a -2 penalty on the attack roll. However, for each additional arm you have, you take a -2 penalty to all dexterity-based skill checks.
Leg: You gain an extra leg. You gain a +2 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground, and your base land speed is increased by 5ft for every 2 additional legs you have. However, for each additional leg you have, you take a -1 penalty on reflex saves as the legs trip over each other.
Head: You have an extra head. You gain a +2 bonus on all spot, listen, and search checks you make for each additional head you have, but a -2 penalty on initiative checks as the sheer amount of information your body gives you can overwhelm you a bit.

[LOTRfan]

I like it. Mind if I steal it?

I have one question, though: Is there a limit to the amount of extra limbs you can get, or do you only get one when you select the feat?

[Fable Wright]

I like it. Mind if I steal it?

I have one question, though: Is there a limit to the amount of extra limbs you can get, or do you only get one when you select the feat?

It was intended to grant as many limbs as you wanted. The stacking penalty for each limb was supposed to be the only limitation of how many you could have. I'll go clarify that.

[LOTRfan]

I think it's pretty good, all in all.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to make Excellent Assimilator worth a feat?

[ForzaFiori]

I might add a skill check to add limbs to yourself. Seems like something that would use one.

[Fable Wright]

I might add a skill check to add limbs to yourself. Seems like something that would use one.

Hence the skill focus required to add it on. But that might work...
(Extra arms would suddenly become necessary for extra other body parts. Makes for a more horror-type feel.)

[Fable Wright]

Improved Extra Limbs [Fieldguard]
You have developed skill with your extra limbs, using them with ease.
Prerequisites: Fieldguard, Extra Limbs
Benefit: You may now host 2 extra arms and legs without the listed penalties for extra limbs. In addition, you may gain one of the following benefits:
Dual spellcasting: You may take a full-round action to cast two spells with a casting time of 1 standard action or less. However, you may not cast a number of spells whose total spell level is greater than the highest level spell you can cast. Use the combined spell level of the spells used for the purposes of concentration checks made while casting them. If either of the concentration checks fail, then both spells are disrupted.
Improved arms: You may use your extra limbs to enhance your normal ones. When you wield a two-handed weapon, you may use your extra arms to support it. You may wield a two-handed weapon as a light weapon when you have one extra arm to support it. You may only wield 2 two-handed weapons in this way; one for each arm.

[LOTRfan]

I like the Improved Extra limbs, especially the duel casting.

[SilverClawShift]

These are great!

And I dig the extra arms feat, but I think it's a little too powerful. I would make it mimic the Spellweaver ability (monster manual 2 I think?) of not being able to cast more spells levels TOTAL than you could normally cast in the first place.

So if you can cast 8th level spells, you can cast two 4th-level spells at once, or a 5th and a 3rd.

[Fable Wright]

These are great!

And I dig the extra arms feat, but I think it's a little too powerful. I would make it mimic the Spellweaver ability (monster manual 2 I think?) of not being able to cast more spells levels TOTAL than you could normally cast in the first place.

So if you can cast 8th level spells, you can cast two 4th-level spells at once, or a 5th and a 3rd.

Thanks. I was thinking of a good way to balance it, and that seems like a great way to do it.