Soulless [template] [PEACH]

[channingman]

I'm creating a template for a particular type of enemy in a campaign I'm running that hasn't been introduced yet. I was wondering if I could get some help with balance, abilities, etc. In particular, I'm having difficulty figuring out CR and LA, although any advice would be appreciated. The description here is fairly rudimentary, but I'll update that as I go too.

Soulless
Soulless are desperate creatures who have lost their souls in the attempt to capture demon magic. Under the control of the Chaos god, they populate the material plane, although there are almost no discernible differences between a soulless and the original creature. A few of the most powerful are able to retain their sense of self through the transformation and can act of their own accord.

Creating a Soulless
“Soulless” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid, monstrous humanoid, fey, Giant, or Undead (hereafter referred to as the base creature). It uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Size and Type: The creatures type changes to Outsider and it gains the Augmented, Evil, and Chaotic subtypes (do not recalculate BAB, Saves, or skill points)
Hit Dice: A soulless gains 2 HD (and all the benefits that come along with it) as an outsider in addition to its base HD.
Speed: As base creature +10 ft
AC: A soulless gains +2 natural armour. This amount increases to +4 at 6 HD and +6 at 12 HD. This is in addition to any natural armour the base creature has.
Attacks: In addition to any attacks of the base creature, a soulless gains 2 claw attacks.
Full Attack: A Soulless fighting without weapons uses either its claw attacks (see above) or its natural weapons (if it has any). If armed with a weapon, it usually uses the weapon as its primary attack along with a slam or other natural weapon as a natural secondary attack.
Damage: Soulless have claw attacks. If the base creature does not have this attack form, use the appropriate damage value from the table below according to the vampire’s size. Creatures that have other kinds of natural weapons retain their old damage values or use the appropriate value from the table below, whichever is better.

Size	Damage
Fine	1
Diminutive	1d2
Tiny	1d3
Small	1d4
Medium	1d6
Large	1d8
Huge	2d6
Gargantuan	2d8
Colossal	4d6

Special Attacks: A soulless retains all the special attacks of the base creature and also gains the following special attacks.
Smite Good (Su): Once per day the creature can make a normal melee attack to deal extra damage equal to its HD total (maximum of +20) against a good foe.
Spellcasting (Su): A soulless may cast spells per day as a Paladin of their level from the Soul Magic spell list. A soulless uses their charisma modifier to determine bonus spells and spell dc. Their caster level is equal to one half their hit dice.
Detect Soulless (Su): A soulless automatically detects the presence of any other soulless within 60 feet
Drain Life (Su): Whenever a soulless kills another creature, he regains a spell slot of his soul magic.
Special Qualities: A fiendish creature retains all the special qualities of the base creature and also gains the following.

• Darkvision out to 60 feet.
• Damage reduction (see the table below).
• Resistance to cold (see the table below).
• Spell resistance equal to the creature’s HD + 10 (maximum 30).

Hit Dice	Resistance to Cold	Damage Reduction
1-3	5	-
4-7	10	5/magic
8-11	15	10/magic
12+	20	15/magic

If the base creature already has one or more of these special qualities, use the better value.
If a soulless creature gains damage reduction, its natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Abilities: A soulless gains +4 Str, +4 Dex, +4 Con, and +2 Cha
Saves: +2 to will
Environment: Any
Challenge Rating: Base creature HD 3 or less, as base creature +1; HD 4 to 7, as base creature +2; HD 8 to 11, as base creature +3; HD 12 or more, as base creature +4
Alignment: Always Chaotic Evil
Advancement: 3-8 HD or by Character Class
Level Adjustment: +6

Soul Magic:

Lvl 1:
Soul Drain: Target takes 1d8+1/caster level (max 5) damage and heals caster by the same amount.
Ray of Enfeeblement: As wizard spell of the same name
Blink: As a reaction, caster may teleport 10 ft in any direction. Increases to 20 ft at lvl 11.
False Life: As wizard spell of the same name
Lvl 2:
Soul Drain, Greater: Target takes 2d8+1/caster level (max 10) damage and heals caster by the same.
Vampiric Touch: As wizard spell of the same name
Fear: As wizard spell of the same name
Create Soulspawn: creates a soulspawn monster under the control of caster
Lvl 3:
Haste: As the Wizard spell of the same name.
Soul Drain, Mass: Deals 1d8 +1/caster level (max 15) damage to many creatures and heals caster by ½ damage dealt.
Enervation: As the wizard spell of the same name
Lvl 4:
Soul Drain, Greater, Mass: Deals 2d8 +1/caster level (max 20) damage to many creatures and heals caster by ½ damage dealt.
Teleport: As the Wizard spell of the same name.

[fuzzysora]

I'm not the best at crunching numbers, but I am curious. Who are these guys? What do they do? How does one become Soulless? Are there any weaknesses? Are they even who they were before at all? What motivation do they have to continue on if they have no soul?

[channingman]

I'm not the best at crunching numbers, but I am curious. Who are these guys? What do they do? How does one become Soulless? Are there any weaknesses? Are they even who they were before at all? What motivation do they have to continue on if they have no soul?

The soulless are pretty heavily tied to my campaign world, particularly a god known only as Chaos.

There is a type of magic known as soul magic, or demon magic. It is very powerful, easy to use and understand, but costs a part of you to cast it. The magic is said to have come from the demons who invaded the material plane centuries ago, although that age is lost in obscurity. Those who practice soul magic find themselves growing more and more sickly, as well as more and more aggressive, angry, greedy, jealous, etc. The magic is actually consuming them, especially the parts of them that are good and empathic. This continues until one day, they are completely well. They are no longer aggressive, outwardly jealous or angry.

By this point, they are dead. Their body is a mere shell under the control of the god known as Chaos. They are literally a part of him. But, though dead, they are unable to move on to the afterlife. Their consciousness is trapped inside their mortal body and until the body is destroyed and the shard of Chaos is vanquished, they remain.

This is a soulless. So called because their soul has been consumed by magic. No longer sentient, they are merely pawns of Chaos. Or at least, this is true for most soulless. But those who are possessed of a powerful spirit, the greatest of them are not completely consumed, but rather corrupted by the shard. They remain aware and in control, although all that was once good in them is now gone. They are wholly consumed by power, lust, and greed. And through their magic, they are able to control the lesser soulless.

[channingman]

Added a monster created through the use of soul magic:

Soulspawn

Size/Type: Medium aberration (Evil, Chaotic, Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 6d8-6 (21)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30 ft
Armor Class: 13 (+1 dex, +2 natural armor), touch 11, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+3
Attack: bite +3 melee (1d6+1) or slam +3 melee (1d4+1)
Full Attack: 2 slams +3 melee (1d4+1) and bite -2 melee (1d6)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Shape Change
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., Blindsense 30 ft., Blur, Psychic Link
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +6
Abilities: Str 12 , Dex 12, Con 8, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 3

Skills: Listen +6, Spot +6, Disguise +8, Survival +7
Feats: Lightning Reflexes, Alertness, Track
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, Pair, or Group (usually 3-5 plus 1-2 Soulspawn Annihilator)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 4-8 HD (Medium), 9-12 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —

In their natural form, a soulspawn is a pure black quadripedal creature that stands 5’ tall at the shoulder. Its form is largely obscured by a blur effect, and it is constantly changing its appearance. Its skin is rough but pliable. its head is a part of its torso, and features large eyes and a large, toothy mouth.

Combat: Soulspawn are created through the use of soul magic, sometimes as an unintended consequence and sometimes through the intentional use of a spell. Those who are created by accident will roam the area around where they are created, seeking weaker creatures to hunt and kill, typically wild animals but occasionally they will target humanoid populations.

When soulspawn are intentionally created, they have a psychic link with their creator and will carry out his will.

Shapechange: A soulspawn will change to look like their prey, and often take the form of their dead victims. They however cannot speak, even in their changed form. While under the control of another, they will often use this ability to stalk their target.

Blur: As the wizard spell of the same name. This effect is constant.

Psychic Link: While under the control of another, the soulspawn is linked to them, so they can hear their controller's wishes, and their controller can see what they see. This link does not grant any bonuses to saves, although it does allow the soulspawn to act more intelligently than it would normally be capable of.

Skills: Soulspawn have a +2 racial bonus to Listen and Spot, a +5 racial bonus to survival and a +10 racial bonus to disguise.

[Debihuman]

When a creature gains the Augmented Subtype, it means it has a new Type. What is the correct Type for Soulless Template? If it is still Humanoid, then it shouldn't gain the Augmented Subtype. If it changes to Outsider (which it seems to; then you need to state that). BTW, your description of the soulless and template are at odds. If they are dead shells why have the template? It's kinda confusing.

Outsiders use same HD as humanoids but they advance as fighters rather than as clerics. Should you recalculate BAB, saves and so forth?

They gain claw attacks but you didn't note what the damage the claws do. You could just copy the chart from the Vampire's slam attacks.

Soul Magic is just normal spellcasting with limitations. No need to make a whole new special ability for it.

Detect Soulless should be its own Supernatural ability (like a wraith's lifesense).

Spellcasting (Sp): A soulless creature casts spells as a paladin of half its HD from the following list....

You reference fiendish creature in Special Qualities.

Otherwise, this looks pretty good.

Debby

[channingman]

When a creature gains the Augmented Subtype, it means it has a new Type. What is the correct Type for Soulless Template? If it is still Humanoid, then it shouldn't gain the Augmented Subtype. If it changes to Outsider (which it seems to; then you need to state that).

You're absolutely right. Fixed.

BTW, your description of the soulless and template are at odds. If they are dead shells why have the template? It's kinda confusing.

You're right, the description was bad. I've edited it, and will likely be changing it again, but I think the new version answers your questions here.

Outsiders use same HD as humanoids but they advance as fighters rather than as clerics. Should you recalculate BAB, saves and so forth?

No, we're going to keep the base creature's saves and stuff, but the Soulless can

They gain claw attacks but you didn't note what the damage the claws do. You could just copy the chart from the Vampire's slam attacks.

fixed

Detect Soulless should be its own Supernatural ability (like a wraith's lifesense).

Changed

Soul Magic is just normal spellcasting with limitations. No need to make a whole new special ability for it.

Spellcasting (Sp): A soulless creature casts spells as a paladin of half its HD from the following list....

Does it matter that I do want it to be a spell like ability, and not a spell (is that what the (sp) entails?). I haven't changed this yet, but I will if that's the proper way to handle it.

You reference fiendish creature in Special Qualities.

oops.


Thanks for the help, Lots of errors that I get to fix now lol.

[Debihuman]

Spell-like abilities are normally limited to a number of times a day rather than casting as class. Either way you do it, as spell-like abilities or as actual spells, is fine but be consistent. This is how Spell-like Abilities work: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbi...lLikeAbilities

How often can it cast each spell is spelled out in Spell-like Abilities. Weakest spell or spells can be At Will, then a number of times a day, then once per day, once per week, etc. The most powerful spell like wish is normally a once a year ability for a reason. That doesn't mean you have to stick to 3/day as you can use numbers that are significant. Just keep an eye on the DCs and make sure they fit the CR of the creature.

From the looks of it, these should be actual spells since there is no real change from the spell as cast. It's just weird that they cast so few spells. Paladins have crappy spell casting and you've halved even that. That gives them just 3 spells a day. That's not much. So either they cast as spells and can be switched around or they can all be cast as spell like abilities but it's either 3 or 9, not both.

Debby

[channingman]

Spell-like abilities are normally limited to a number of times a day rather than casting as class. Either way you do it, as spell-like abilities or as actual spells, is fine but be consistent. This is how Spell-like Abilities work: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbi...lLikeAbilities

How often can it cast each spell is spelled out in Spell-like Abilities. Weakest spell or spells can be At Will, then a number of times a day, then once per day, once per week, etc. The most powerful spell like wish is normally a once a year ability for a reason. That doesn't mean you have to stick to 3/day as you can use numbers that are significant. Just keep an eye on the DCs and make sure they fit the CR of the creature.

From the looks of it, these should be actual spells since there is no real change from the spell as cast. It's just weird that they cast so few spells. Paladins have crappy spell casting and you've halved even that. That gives them just 3 spells a day. That's not much. So either they cast as spells and can be switched around or they can all be cast as spell like abilities but it's either 3 or 9, not both.

Debby

Okay, I've switched to spell casting although I may have worded it wrong. I have them casting as a paladin of their level, with a caster level equal to one half their hit dice. This should be similar to how a paladin's casting work (a 14th level paladin has a caster level of 7).

Thanks for the help, Debby

[Debihuman]

You're welcome. Designing a template or critter can be challenging. The template probably shouldn't affect undead creatures since sucking their soul out would technically destroy them.

Debby

[channingman]

You're welcome. Designing a template or critter can be challenging. The template probably shouldn't affect undead creatures since sucking their soul out would technically destroy them.

Debby

True, but I did want it to be available for vampires. Do they work differently than most undead?

[Debihuman]

Undead that are created with templates can stack if that's what you are asking but you'd have to apply BOTH templates to a base creature.

Debby