Community Based Monster Classes VI

[Hyudra]

In a rare instance, I've actually moved one creature off the finished list and back onto the unfinished list. Gorgon informed me that he wanted to make further changes to the Saguaro Sentinel in light of recent critiques by Kyuubi. My bad.

@ Mootoall - I edited in that bit about the MoI cloak in the phantom description.

[mootoall]

In a rare instance, I've actually moved one creature off the finished list and back onto the unfinished list. Gorgon informed me that he wanted to make further changes to the Saguaro Sentinel in light of recent critiques by Kyuubi. My bad. @ Mootoall - I edited in that bit about the MoI cloak in the phantom description.

This streak of being right's gonna end as soon as I post the Unbodied, I can tell. Also, know what's really weird? Making an ability called "Unbodied body"

[Mystic Muse]

If anybody needs a critique, feel free to IM or PM me. Otherwise, I will look over Hyudra's critiques, make sure I don't repeat anything she says, and look at several classes tomorrow.

[Frog Dragon]

Black Dragon
A proposal, partially in response to your PM. You try your hand at renovating the black dragon without Oslecamo's methodology, and I'll let grammar/spelling mistakes slide for the first few critiques (at least, until you and I decide we like your version and want to finish it), so you can focus on getting abilities on the page & getting a general kind of balance working. Sound good? Just experiment, be creative.[/list]

I correct grammar obsessively enough that I doubt the existence of spelling errors in my work. Awkward wording, copypasta failures, yes, but no spelling errors.

I have school to attend to shortly, but I'll get to it soon.

[Zemro]

I did some digging around and since I didn't see it or any claims on it I'm going to call the Justice Archon (MMIV Pg 80). I won't be posting it any time soon, but wanted to make sure there wouldn't be conflicts.

I'm also looking at picking up one of the abandoned monsters to fix up, just waiting to hear back from it's original creator.

Sorry for lack of comment and critique on the recent monsters. I've been a bit busy and there seems to be a lot of critique happening already, so finding something to say that hasn't already been said is difficult.

[mootoall]

Unbodied

Source: XPH, SRD

Spoiler

Show

Hit Dice: d6

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

1st|

+0

|

+0

|

+2

|

+2

|Unbodied Body, Natural Telepath, +1 Int

2nd|

+1

|

+0

|

+3

|

+3

|Assume Appearance, +1 Cha

3rd|

+2

|

+1

|

+3

|

+3

|Now You See Me, Now You Don't, Disappearing, +1 Cha

4th|

+3

|

+1

|

+4

|

+4

|4th level ability, +1 Cha

5th|

+3

|

+1

|

+4

|

+4

|Incorporeality, +1 Cha, +1 Int
[/table]

Skills Points at First Level: (6+Intelligence Modifier) x 4
Skills Points at Each Level: (6+Intelligence Modifier)
Class Skills: The Unbodied's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (All Skills Taken Individually) (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Profession (Int), Psicraft (Int), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Slight of Hand (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex)

Proficiencies: The Unbodied is proficient with all simple weapons, all finessable martial weapons and the hand crossbow, as well as light armor.

Unbodied Class Features: The following are the Class Features of the Unbodied.

Unbodied Body (Ex): At first level the Unbodied loses all racial traits. They become a Medium Monstrous Humanoid, with the [Psionic] subtype. At 16 HD, they gain the [Incorporeal] subtype. Unbodied are naturally psionic, and at first level gain 1 bonus power point. They also gain bonus power points from having a high Charisma or Intelligence score, decided by the Unbodied at first level. For the purpose of multiclassing with manifesting classes, Unbodied levels stack for the purposes of determining bonus power points, power points, powers known, and maximum powers levels known. Unbodied levels stack with Psychic Rogue or Lurk levels for determining Sneak Attack or Psionic Sneak Attack damage.

Natural Telepath (Ex): The Unbodied is capable of high level espionage, relying on its vast mental prowess to give it this bonus. The Unbodied manifests as a Telepath with a level equal to its Telepath levels-1. Additionally, at first level, it can manifest Read Thoughts as a PLA at-will, with a save DC of 10+½HD+Int or Cha, based on what stat they based their bonus power points on.


Ability Score Bonus (Ex): At every level besides first, the Unbodied gets a +1 bonus to Charisma. At first and fifth level, the Unbodied gets a +1 bonus to Intelligence.


Assume Appearance (Su): At second level, the Unbodied has faded further from physical existence, and this has made their appearance more mutable. Their basic visage becomes a slightly glowing, grey skinned human, except they seem a bit fuzzy around the edges. By expending their psionic focus, Unbodied have the supernatural ability to alter their appearance as though using a disguise self spell that affects their bodies but not their possessions. This is not an illusory effect but a minor physical alteration of a Unbodied's facial features, skin color and texture, and size, within the limits described for the spell. An Unbodied can use this ability at will, and the alteration lasts until she changes shape again. An Unbodied reverts to its natural form when killed. A true seeing spell reveals her natural form. Using this ability is a move action. The Unbodied can additionally spend two power points to copy one opponent exactly, down to their actions and tone of voice. Your opponents must make a Will save with a DC equal to 10+1/2 HD+the Unbodied's Charisma modifier, or not know which the real one is. If the copied creature is within ten feet of the Unbodied, opponents have a 50% chance to attack the wrong target. Finally, opponents who failed their Will save automatically fail any Sense Motive checks opposing the Unbodied's Bluff checks for the purpose of feinting. If the Unbodied is killed while using Assume Appearance, they revert back to their basic form. At 5 HD, they may take the appearance of a small humanoid or monstrous humanoid, and at 7 HD they may take the appearance of a large humanoid or monstrous humanoid. This changes the Unbodied's AC and attack bonus, but otherwise has no mechanical effects.

Now You See Me, Now You Don't (Su): The Unbodied is a master spy by nature, a king of manipulation, and every spy requires an escape route. At third level, the Unbodied uses its already incorporeal nature to achieve this. As a standard action, by expending their psionic focus and paying five power points, the Unbodied may momentarily fade from the material plane and rematerialize a distance of 5 feet per 2 HD away. This ability allows the Unbodied to move through solid objects, but if the movement ends with the Unbodied within a solid object they are shunted to the nearest open space, taking 1d6 damage per 5 feet shunted.

Disappearing (Ex): At third level, the Unbodied's body has started fading from this plane. Their extremities seem translucent, and they leave less of a mark on the places they walk. They gain a +4 bonus to hide and move silently, and as a swift action, 1/day per 3 HD, they can spend 3 power points to enter a state where their slight incorporeality spreads to their weapons. For a number of rounds equal to their ½ their Charisma modifier, their melee attacks, and ranged attacks out to 30 feet, are capable of striking incorporeal creatures, and their attacks target their opponents' touch AC.

Hide Mind: As it hides amongst the ranks of their enemies, the Unbodied learns to avoid detection as a spy. While the Unbodied maintains their psionic focus, they and the powers that they manifest do not register as psionic when subjected to a Detect Psionics power, or Detect Magic spell. By expending their psionic focus, they may send a burst of mental power through the area near them, rendering divination particularly difficult there. The Unbodied produces an aura with a radius of 10' per 4 HD centered on them, and that area becomes filled with psionic interference. Casters attempting to cast divination spells affecting the Unbodied or people or objects in the area of the aura must make an opposed caster level check against the Unbodied, or have their spells fail. This aura lasts for 1 minute per HD of the Unbodied.

Incorporeality (Ex): The Unbodied is, finally, ready to fully shed their mortal flesh. They appear only as a medium sized patch of white light, the brightness of which they can adjust as a free action, when they are not using the Assume Appearance ability. They are still capable of being harmed by mundane weapons, unless they expend a portion of their psionic power. By expending seven power points, they may become fully incorporeal as a full round action for a number of rounds equal to their charisma modifier, gaining the full abilities of the [Incorporeal] subtype, with the following exceptions. While incorporeal, the Unbodied lose their strength score, and instead wield weapons using pure telekinetic energy. They use their dexterity score to modify their to-hit rolls instead of strength, and are capable of manipulating objects with telekinesis. For the purposes of carrying capacity, they are treated as having a Strength score of 10 +2 per 5 HD. Their magic items and armor fade into incorporeality with them. Any armor bonuses granted from armor become deflection bonuses, and the ACP for armor in which they are proficient becomes 0. The round spent becoming incorporeal does not count towards the duration of the ability. At 8 HD, the Unbodied may become incorporeal as a standard action. At 10 HD, they may become incorporeal as a move action. At 12 HD, they may become incorporeal as a swift action. At 14 HD, the duration of the incorporeality increases to a number of rounds equal to the Unbodied's HD. At 16 HD, the Unbodied becomes permanently incorporeal, and may become corporeal as a swift action in order to equip magic items and armor.


Comments/Changelog:

Spoiler

Show

Comments:

Spoiler

Show

Part Psion Uncarnate, part Rogue, I figured that what I did is a good way to make that happen, without being too powerful (I think). The fluff calls it essentially a master spy, so I gave it a bunch of social abilities and skills, as well as its trademark incorporeality.

I'm desperately seeking a fourth level ability, preferably something social-ish for flavor purposes.

Also, gonna give it more skills. Duh.

Changelog

Spoiler

Show

1/3/11: Fixed class skills after realizing they were far too sparse. Now has most of the Psychic Rogue's list, changed Incorporeal subtype from 15 to 16 HD, one level after the Uncarnate. Reduced amount of "Wraithstrike" attacks to 1/2 Cha mod until 9 HD.

2/3/11: Altered the text for Assume Appearance to match Changeling text. Moved Disappearing to third level. Added Telepath Manifesting at Unbodied Level-1 as per Gorgondantess' request. Added Hide Mind ability.

[Tacitus]

First of all, I'm diggin the Unbodied, but I see one small problem right off the bat. Its giving Wraithstrike with a duration of Rounds based on Cha Mod, and its doing this at level one. Overall, its an amazing working to both make the Unbodied easier to play (as an Uncarnate has the ability to become corporeal and an unbodied does not, something you've rectified), but I can't shake the feeling that the ability to dole out a large number of touch attacks is a a wee bit too powerful for the first level in a base monster class.

[Hyudra]

There's also the incorporeal subtype at level 1. That breaks the game right off the bat.

[Benly]

This streak of being right's gonna end as soon as I post the Unbodied, I can tell. Also, know what's really weird? Making an ability called "Unbodied body"

You could always call it "Conspicuous Lack Of Body".

[Mystic Muse]

Just a heads up, still working on the Silver dragon. Should be able to post it tomorrow if I can think of a cool ability for level 14, a name for the capstone, possibly find something else for level 19, and run a check on the abilities so they aren't overpowered.

[mootoall]

Ah, the [Incorporeal] subtype was not meant to be granted at level one, but only while using incorporeality as gained at fifth level. That was something that got scourged in an edit, which then must've got added in as I was copy-pasting from word. I'll fix it. I'll give a much smaller duration for wraithstrike, though it's only one attack per round barring shenanigans. Still looking for a fourth level ability ...

[The Winter King]

• You've got an ability outside the spoiler there.

• Ooops ive gotta start double checking for these
  

  I really like Killer Bee.

  Me too, thought it up watching winnie the pooh and the honey tree
  

  That said, you've still got the issue of Phase Wasps at level 2 having huge hide checks (5 ranks, +8 for tiny size, +5 for dex = a +18 on hide), leaving it predominantly as an ambush based class, like practically every other tiny creature in this project. What if Killer Bee was a toggled ability or stance, with a built in drawback that the violently buzzing, darting insect can't hide?

  Damn, that is a problem I forgot the siz mod rules because my table uses relative size, on second thought what if I made it so that whenever they are hovering/flying they take a -5 penalty to Hide checks
  

  The 3HD benefit should probably be restricted to 5' of movement. If you feel it needs more gravy to make it appealing and interesting, consider allowing the bee to make two AoOs in the doing, provided it has the ability (ie. combat reflexes).

  Nice idea
  

  You offer two benefits at 3HD, killer bee upgrade and phase powers upgrade. Consider spacing them out more, so PCs who've invested in the class see a more broad, general benefit (rather than a bunch of stuff at levels 1 & 2, two boosts at 3HD, then nothing until 16). You could give killer bee another upgrade, allowing it to move the full distance alongside enemies, at 10th or 12th, to just flesh it out a bit more.

  changed killer bee to 9HD and any amount of distance, at 18HD it will include teleportaion effects.
  

  Buzz Song: "friendly creatures that can hear the Buzz Song gain a +1 morale bonus on skill checks, attack and damage rolls, and saving throws." Too many "and"s

  Fixed
  

  HP & AC. It's a little too tough (tougher than, say, a griffon), between d8 HD, natural armor from con and tiny size. Consider shrinking the HD, lowering the natural armor to 1 + 1 per 2 points of con mod and giving it another point of dex at 2nd level. So it's not quite so tough, hard to hit and brutish. It should still do quite nicely for AC and be hard to hit, but that's now more dependent on dexterity, and leaves it vulnerable when flatfooted.

  HD down a size, Nat Armor down a size, and am going to add SR because the MMII says they are nuisainces to wizards.
  

  It works. It stands out, I really do like killer bee, and it's got a very solid identity as "harassment", just some tweaks to be made to deal with the still-present hide thing, the balance the smoothness of progression and the "I can't escape this damned bee that moves every time I do and that I can't hit!"

Thank you that was what I was going for

[Lizard Lord]

I do like the whole "different ability depending on which type of undead taught the Hooded Pupil thing".

So I thought up which undead pop into my head when I think "intelligent undead" and spit-balled ideas for them. Here is what I have so far:

Vampire: Drink Blood seemed like the obvious choice, but then the Vampire path won't really have anything the current version of the Hooded Pupil has (except for a fixed version of Drink Blood. I have typed an idea for it at the bottom of the post.) and it would still be without a role.

Mummy: Disease effect for spending a long time in the mummy's tomb? Maybe damage reduction due to a mummy's pupil being wrapped in magical bandages? If DR is too strong, would fire vulnerability counter it? I'm kinda liking DR as it could give the Hooded Pupil a sort of "tanking" role. Though my own take on the flavor of it seems a little odd to me.

Ghast: I don't really want to give paralysis here since I don't see how a ghast could teach it or magically grant it. Maybe I give the mummy's pupil DR and give the ghast's pupil a disease effect that he cultivated from eating or generally being around raw carrion?

Lich: Maybe here I give spellcasting progression? Not sure what else could go here.

Ghost: Fear effect? Ghosttouch? Invisibility? I'm really not sure what I should put here.

I realize the idea of this part of the Hooded Pupil would be to try and flesh out a role for it, and not all these ideas work to do that. But, like I said, I'm just spit-balling right now.

As for how to improve Drink Blood, maybe I could have it heal 1 damage per HD +constitution modifier and have it heal 2 Constitution damage when the Hooded Pupil uses it?

[Hyudra]

I do like the whole "different ability depending on which type of undead taught the Hooded Pupil thing".

So I thought up which undead pop into my head when I think "intelligent undead" and spit-balled ideas for them. Here is what I have so far:

Vampire: Drink Blood seemed like the obvious choice, but then the Vampire path won't really have anything the current version of the Hooded Pupil has (except for a fixed version of Drink Blood. I have typed an idea for it at the bottom of the post.) and it would still be without a role.

Mummy: Disease effect for spending a long time in the mummy's tomb? Maybe damage reduction due to a mummy's pupil being wrapped in magical bandages? If DR is too strong, would fire vulnerability counter it? I'm kinda liking DR as it could give the Hooded Pupil a sort of "tanking" role. Though my own take on the flavor of it seems a little odd to me.

Ghast: I don't really want to give paralysis here since I don't see how a ghast could teach it or magically grant it. Maybe I give the mummy's pupil DR and give the ghast's pupil a disease effect that he cultivated from eating or generally being around raw carrion?

Lich: Maybe here I give spellcasting progression? Not sure what else could go here.

Ghost: Fear effect? Ghosttouch? Invisibility? I'm really not sure what I should put here.

I realize the idea of this part of the Hooded Pupil would be to try and flesh out a role for it, and not all these ideas work to do that. But, like I said, I'm just spill-balling right now.

As for how to improve Drink Blood, maybe I could have it heal 1 damage per HD +constitution modifier and have it heal 2 Constitution damage when the Hooded Pupil uses it?

Trouble with some of those ideas is that Disease is, well, it's not a great PC ability. You can disease a foe, and... well, then what? They'll probably die in the 1-4 rounds of combat, and then your disease won't have a chance to be used. Catch my meaning?

Also, you really want to emphasize active abilities over passive ones. I touch on what that means a few posts above, in my reply to Winter King. Just ensure the abilities are suitably diverse (and ideally, original), and there should be the ability to fit the Hooded Pupil to some role.

[Benly]

I do like the whole "different ability depending on which type of undead taught the Hooded Pupil thing".

So I thought up which undead pop into my head when I think "intelligent undead" and spit-balled ideas for them. Here is what I have so far:

Vampire: Drink Blood seemed like the obvious choice, but then the Vampire path won't really have anything the current version of the Hooded Pupil has (except for a fixed version of Drink Blood. I have typed an idea for it at the bottom of the post.) and it would still be without a role.

Mummy: Disease effect for spending a long time in the mummy's tomb? Maybe damage reduction due to a mummy's pupil being wrapped in magical bandages? If DR is too strong, would fire vulnerability counter it? I'm kinda liking DR as it could give the Hooded Pupil a sort of "tanking" role. Though my own take on the flavor of it seems a little odd to me.

Ghast: I don't really want to give paralysis here since I don't see how a ghast could teach it or magically grant it. Maybe I give the mummy's pupil DR and give the ghast's pupil a disease effect that he cultivated from eating or generally being around raw carrion?

Lich: Maybe here I give spellcasting progression? Not sure what else could go here.

Ghost: Fear effect? Ghosttouch? Invisibility? I'm really not sure what I should put here.

I realize the idea of this part of the Hooded Pupil would be to try and flesh out a role for it, and not all these ideas work to do that. But, like I said, I'm just spill-balling right now.

As for how to improve Drink Blood, maybe I could have it heal 1 damage per HD +constitution modifier and have it heal 2 Constitution damage when the Hooded Pupil uses it?

For the ghast, you could give an active-use stench ability, since that's one of the ghast's signature schticks and it's one you could reasonably get by hanging out with carrion-eaters (magically enhanced, of course)Maybe add a paralyzing touch at higher HD.

DR sounds viable for mummies as a "tank option", or you could give a fear effect like a lesser version of the mummy's despair - obviously something less potent, like "move action to make enemies save vs. shaken", since actual Despair is extremely powerful. It could upgrade at higher HD to stay useful, perhaps - maybe at low HD it's a standard action, upgrading to move and swift as you gain HD.

If you don't want blood drinking for vampires, their Alternate Form (bat/wolf/gaseous form) comes to mind. Maybe start with the weaker forms and improve the options as you gain HD.

Spellcasting progression is boring, but giving it as an option for liches means this is a class spellcasters might actually bother to take, so I can't complain.

Incorporeality is the obvious one for ghosts, but it's much too powerful at low levels. Maybe at low HD you can move through enemies' spaces and get a miss chance on AoOs when you're moving, upgrading at higher HD into the ability to move through thin barriers and finally true incorporeality?

[Kobold-Bard]

Hey, could I request a council readthrough of Oslecamo's vampire? I asked once when he was still around, being destroyed in 2 rounds of sunlight or 3 rounds after being Plane Shifted onto the Plane of Water seems harsh for a player character.

Also, if you aren't bitten by a vampire it requires you to take both Dodge & Alertness as pre-req Feats, which I hope we can all agree is harsh.

[Hyudra]

Yeah. I remember liking the blood points system of the vampire, but finding the class a little flawed. If there was interest, I could put a Vampire revision on my to-do list, after Drow, Xorvintaal Red and Leucrotta.

[mootoall]

Can anyone suggest a fourth level ability for the Unbodied? I'm frankly stumped as to what else might fit it ... I know I want it to be interaction based, with the parameters listed in "4th level ability," but otherwise I'm all out of ideas.

[Tacitus]

Hmm... had the Barghest been done in a previous incarnation of the project? I think I'd seen it done, but checking through the thread indexes I don't see it. Is there anyone willing to take on the Barghest? I've not really the time to do it myself at the moment. >.>

[Psyborg]

Greenbound Creature

Prestige Monster Class/Template
Lost Empires of Faerûn

Class:

Spoiler

Show

Greenbound Creature Prerequisites
To become a Greenbound Creature, a character must meet the following requirements:
Type: Any living, corporeal humanoid, monstrous humanoid, giant, dragon, fey, outsider, animal, or magical beast.
Hit Dice: Minimum 5HD.
Special: Must not have any undead or fire-elemental grafts, any attached symbiont classified as an aberration, or the [fire] subtype.

HD: D8

{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|

Special

1st|

+0

|

+2

|

+0

|

+2

|Greenbound Body, Symbiont, Clear Mind, +1 Con

2nd|

+1

|

+3

|

+0

|

+3

|Mettle, Weather Sense, Symbiotic Swiftness, +1 Con[/table]

Skill Points per Level: 4+Intelligence Modifier
Class Skills: The Greenbound Creature’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft(woodworking) (Int), Disguise (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Knowledge(Nature), Listen (Wis), Profession(horticulture) (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Proficiencies: The Greenbound Creature does not gain any weapon, armor, or shield proficiencies. She retains all proficiencies of the base creature.

Attribute Bonus: The Greenbound Creature gains +1 to Constitution at each level, for a total bonus of +2 Constitution at 2nd level.

Greenbound Body: The Greenbound Creature's type does not change. She retains all types, subtypes, and racial traits of the base creature. She gains Natural Armor equal to 1/2 her Con modifier, or 1 + her existing Natural Armor, whichever is higher. She gains Light Fortification, giving her a 25% chance to negate extra damage from critical hits, Sneak Attack, and precision damage. This does not stack with any existing Fortification. At 14HD, this improves to Moderate Fortification, granting her a 50% chance to negate such damage. At 21HD, the Greenbound Creature gains immunity to critical hits, Sneak Attack, and precision damage, and retains her 50% Fortification against any effect that would bypass this immunity.

Symbiont (Ex): At 1st level, the Greenbound Creature gains a symbiont, a bonded plant that grows on and over her. She may choose one symbiont from the list below. While bonded to her chosen symbiont, she may not benefit from any resistance or immunity to fire. On any day in which she gets at least 6 hours of natural sunlight or 12 hours of equivalent artifical illumination, she need not eat. (She must still drink and breathe normally.) She gains a racial bonus equal to 1/2 her HD to Disguise checks made to appear as a mundane plant of her symbiont's type. Finally, she may use the Least Powers of her chosen symbiont. At 10HD, the Greenbound Creature gains access to her symbiont's Lesser Powers.

While living and bonded, a character and her symbiont are considered parts of the same whole and cannot normally be targeted or affected separately; symbionts cannot be destroyed, sundered, damaged, or healed separately from the character they are attached to. A character bonded to a plant symbiont cannot receive undead or fire-elemental grafts, or attach symbionts classified as aberrations. A character with a symbiont who dies and is raised, resurrected, reincarnated, or otherwise restored to life has the symbiont restored to life with her.

Plant Symbionts

Spoiler

Show

Oak:
Least Powers:

• Characters bonded to an Oak symbiont increase their Hit Die from d8 to d10 for all Greenbound Creature and Greenbound Paragon levels.
• Damage Reduction (Ex): The bonded character gains DR/- equal to 1/2 her HD.
• Spell-Like Ability (Sp): speak with plants, 1/day per four HD.

Lesser Powers:

• Resilience (Su): If the bonded character would gain resistance to an energy type or types (except Fire) from any source, the amount of energy resistance is increased by 50%, rounded down.
• Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): [i]barkskin[/b], bear's endurance, 1/day per four HD each.

Greater Power:

• Forest Lord (Ex): The bonded character's maximum HP is permanently increased as if she had rolled the maximum possible result on each of her Hit Dice. Each time she gains a Hit Die thereafter, she gains the maximum possible result from the Hit Die instead of actually rolling.

Kudzu:
Least Powers:

• Fast Healing (Ex): The bonded character gains Fast Healing equal to 1 per four HD.
• Spell-Like Ability (Sp)[/b]: speak with plants, 1/day per four HD.

Lesser Powers:

• Regenerative Focus (Su): With practice, the bonded character learns to channel her own energy to enhance her symbiont's regenerative abilities. Once per round, she may spend an action to increase the effectiveness of her Fast Healing for that round. (She may only do this once per round, even if she has the ability to take additional actions of some type.) The degree of this increase depends on the action she spends.{table=head]Action Spent|Fast Healing
  none | 1 per four HD
  Swift | 1 per three HD
  Move | 1 per two HD
  Standard* | 1 per HD
  Full-Round* | 2 x HD[/table]
  *Devoting this much attention to enhancing her Fast Healing renders the bonded character vulnerable to distraction and surprise. Spending these types of actions on Regenerative Focus provokes an Attack of Opportunity.
• Spell-Like Ability (Sp)[/b]: entangle, 1/day per four HD. Vines from the character's symbiont are sufficient greenery to entangle anything within Close range (25' + 5'/2lvls).

Greater Power:

• Vine Shield (Ex): The bonded character gains temporary HP equal to twice her HD at the beginning of each of her turns. These stack with other sources of temporary HP, but not with each other.

Dreamlily:

<undecided>:

Comments

Spoiler

Show

Wow. Lot bigger project than I'd planned on when I started. And the symbionts themselves are very much a work in progress.

Changelog

Spoiler

Show

v0.1 (~4:30PM March 1 2011): Unfinished.
v0.2 (~8:25PM March 2 2011): Did Oak and Sunflower. Still unfinished overall.
v1.0 (~12:55PM March 3 2011): Finished Moonflower. Put Ivy, Hazel, and Mistletoe on hold until I get some more ideas (Ivy) and get a better idea of what symbiont balance ought to look like (Hazel and Mistletoe). Ready for first-round critiques.
v1.0.1 (~): Moved up to the Greenbound Creature section of the post, just below the Symbiont ability.
v2.0.1 (~1PM March 8 2011): Complete rewrite in progress. Oak and Kudzu finished; Dreamlily and the other one still need to be written.

Clear Mind (Ex): Bonding with a plant symbiote has a stabilizing effect on the Greenbound Creature’s mind. At 1st level, she gains immunity to charm and compulsion abilities effects and a +2 insight bonus to Will saves. This clarity of mind also sharpens her senses: she may use her highest mental ability score modifier for Listen, Search, Spot, and Sense Motive checks.

Mettle (Ex): At 2nd level, the Greenbound Creature can resist magical and unusual attacks with great willpower or fortitude. If she makes a successful will or fortitude save against an attack that normally would have a lesser effect on a successful save (such as a spell with a saving throw entry of Will half or Fortitude partial), she instead completely negates the effect. An unconscious or sleeping Greenbound Creature does not gain the benefit of mettle.

Weather Sense (Ex): A Greenbound Creature’s intimate connection with the natural world improves her awareness of natural phenomena. At 2nd level, she gains a +5 circumstance bonus to Survival checks to predict the weather. This bonus is reduced to +2 if the Greenbound Creature is in an unfamiliar climate.

Symbiotic Swiftness (Su): The symbiont of a 2nd-level Greenbound Creature can move without her explicit control. Once per day per six HD, her symbiont may take an action to use one of its abilities without costing the Greenbound Creature an action. It may do so at any time except during a surprise round, even when it is not the Greenbound Creature’s turn, but it cannot interrupt other creatures’ actions; the symbiont’s action occurs after any actions that were pending when it was declared.

Comments

Spoiler

Show

The original Greenbound Creature template is absurdly powerful for its CR+2 rating- perhaps even powerful enough to deserve its official +8 Level Adjustment. Hopefully this will be...worth taking for its two levels, even if I did have to create a Paragon class for it out of thin air to justify actually gaining the Plant type and its slew of useful traits.

Its role as I see it is to give some useful defenses and flavorful utility abilities to a character, without delaying the progression of said character’s primarily abilities too much.

Help finding images would be greatly appreciated.(Thanks, Hyudra.)

...you know what? It still looks front-loaded as heck. I'm going to put it up how it is for now, but...there's too much going on. Considering rolling Fortification and Resistance into a Body ability, or maybe Symbiont, just to clean up the table, but I don't want to hide a balance problem with the abilities just by consolidating their effects into a single table entry. Possibly push one of them back to Greenbound Paragon, replacing Improved Spell-Like Abilities?

Parallel Actions is the only ability that really has a chance to be a balance concern in and of itself. Going to re-evaluate that once I finish the symbionts.

7:50PM March 1 2011 (v1.1 edit): I'm concerned about Mettle being a bit early at level 7, but I don't want to make people take Greenbound Paragon for it, either. Am I stressing about nothing, or should I put a "At X HD, the Greenbound Paragon gains..." on it?

Changelog

Spoiler

Show

v1.0 (~4:30PM March 1 2011): Original version.
v1.1 (~7:50PM March 1 2011):

• Added image (thanks, Hyudra).
• Added Dragon to the permissible creature types in the Prerequisites.
• Removed Energy Resistance; moved Weather Sense to 2nd level.
• Removed the possibility of changing symbiont types.

v1.1.1 (~10:10AM March 2 2011): Corrected wording in Mettle.
v1.1.2 (~4:15PM March 2 2011): Slightly altered wording in prerequisites. Specified that characters bonded to a plant symbiont can't receive fire-elemental grafts. Specified interaction of symbionts with death and resurrection.
v1.2 (~3:30PM March 6 2011):

• Fortification, natural armor, etc., rolled into Greenbound Body.
• Attribute Bonus: Corrected "[Monster]" to "Greenbound Creature".
• Skill list trimmed: Removed Craft, Escape Artist, Intimidate, Profession, and Use Rope; added Craft (woodworking), Knowledge(nature), and Profession (horticulture). Disguise was retained for purposes of masquerading as a mundane bush, and a bonus to such attempts was added to Symbiont.
• Removed complications involving death, resurrection, and removing and reacquiring symbionts.
• Parallel Actions renamed to Symbiotic Swiftness.

Greenbound Paragon

Prestige Monster Class/Template
Lost Empires of Faerûn

Class:

Spoiler

Show

Greenbound Paragon Prerequisites
To become a Greenbound Paragon, a character must meet the following requirements:
Type: Any living, corporeal humanoid, monstrous humanoid, giant, dragon, fey, outsider, animal, or magical beast.
Hit Dice: Minimum 12HD.
Special: Must have completed the Greenbound Creature monster prestige class.

HD: D8

{table=head]Level|BAB*|Fort*|Ref*|Will*|

Special

1st|

+0

|

+2

|

+0

|

+2

|Natural Paragon, +1 Wis

2nd|

+1

|

+3

|

+0

|

+3

|Greater Symbiont or Second Symbiont, +1 Con

3rd|

+2

|

+3

|

+1

|

+3

|Greenbound Apotheosis, +1 Con, +1 Wis[/table]

Skill Points per Level: 4+Intelligence Modifier
Class Skills: The Greenbound Creature’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft(woodworking) (Int), Disguise (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Listen (Wis), Profession(horticulture) (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Proficiencies: The Greenbound Paragon does not gain any weapon, armor, or shield proficiencies. It retains all proficiencies of the base creature.

Attribute Bonus: The Greenbound Paragon gains +1 to Wisdom at levels 1 and 3, and +1 to Constitution at levels 2 and 3, for a total bonus of +2 Wis and +2 Con at 3rd level.

Natural Paragon: A Greenbound Paragon is blessed with a particularly close bond with the powers of nature. Upon taking her first level in this class, a Greenbound Paragon may add her Greenbound Creature and Greenbound Paragon levels to her other class levels to determine the power of the following class features (if she has them):

• Animal Companion (Special: Greenbound levels always count fully towards the character's effective Druid level for determining animal companion advancement.)
• Favored Enemy or Skirmish
• Fast Movement
• Wild Empathy
• and her choice of one of the following:
  • Wild Shape
  • Shapeshift
  • Aspect of Nature
  • Ranger spellcasting (or any divine spellcasting ability that has access to the Ranger and/or Druid spell lists and does not gain 9th-level spells at any point)
  • Domain powers of nature-oriented domains (Plant, Animal, Nature, Weather, and any similarly nature-themed domain, subject to DM approval)
  • Breath weapon
  • Totemist essentia pool and soulmelds per day progression (but not chakra binds per day or access to new chakras)
  • Homebrew: Granted abilities of nature-oriented mantles (if homebrew mantles with powers that scale with level are used)
  • Homebrew: Concurrence progression (Sagittarius base class)

Additionally, her bonus from the Weather Sense class ability doubles (to +10, or +4 in unfamiliar climates).

Greater Symbiont (Ex) or Second Symbiont (Ex): At 2nd level, the Greenbound Paragon may choose to either unlock the Greater Power of her chosen plant symbiont, or bond with a second plant symbiont of her choice, gaining access to its Least and Lesser powers. Once made, this choice cannot be altered.
Characters who choose Second Symbiont may have either of their symbionts act via the Symbiotic Swiftness class feature, but they share a single pool of daily uses.

Greenbound Apotheosis: At 3rd level, the Greenbound Paragon’s plant symbionts merge fully with her body. Her Type changes to Plant, and she gains the Augmented subtype appropriate to her former type. She retains all existing subtypes and other racial traits and bonuses, and gains Plant traits (granting her Low-Light Vision and immunity to stunning, polymorph, paralysis, poison, sleep, critical hits, Sneak Attacks, and precision damage, and mind-affecting effects). She retains the benefit of her Fortification from Greenbound Body against any effect that would normally ignore immunity to critical hits or precision damage. She no longer needs to sleep, but must still rest for eight hours in order to prepare spells or recover spell slots or power points. Her Natural Armor gained from the Greenbound Body class feature improves to equal her Con modifier, or 2 + her existing Natural Armor, whichever is higher. She cannot benefit from any form of resistance or immunity to fire.

Comments

Spoiler

Show

And here’s the “second half” of the deal- actually getting the Plant type change! Along with some other cool stuff. It's less strictly defensive than Greenbound Creature.

Symbiotic Swiftness is probably the only balance concern here.

7:40PM March 1 2011: Looking for a level 1 ability, preferably active. Natural Paragon is handy, but not very interesting. Any ideas?

Changelog

Spoiler

Show

v1.0 (~4:30PM March 1 2011): Original version.
v1.0.1 (~4:33PM March 1 2011): Fixed the 3rd-level BAB and saves in the table.
v1.1 (~7:50PM March 1 2011):

• Added image (thanks, Hyudra).
• Added Dragon to the list of permissible creature types in the Prerequisites.
• Eliminated all references to Energy Resistance, which no longer exists.
• Removed the "hasn't removed/changed/lost symbiont in three levels" prerequisite, since symbionts can't be changed any more anyway.
• After trying and failing to clarify the language in Symbiotic Transformation, merged it with Greenbound Body.
• Removed Improved Spell-Like Abilities, as it's boring and screws with all kinds of ought-to-be-simple stuff. Looking for an active ability of some sort to replace it.
• Added language to Natural Paragon to prevent Supermount stacking.

v1.1.1 (~4:15PM March 2 2011): Slightly altered some wording in prerequisites. Specified interaction of symbionts with death and resurrection.
v1.2 (~3:30PM March 6 2011):

• Skills list trimmed: Removed Craft, Escape Artist, Intimidate, Profession, and Use Rope; added Craft (woodworking), Knowledge(nature), and Profession (horticulture).
• Renamed Greenbound Body to Greenbound Apotheosis. Removed/altered several references to things that were changed in Greenbound Creature.
• Removed Symbiotic Swiftness. Parallel Action renamed to Symbiotic Swiftness, and is no longer lost or otherwise altered upon apotheosis. Second Symbiont characters now share a single pool of daily uses between their symbionts, rather than each symbiotn having its own.
• After gaining crit/precision-damage-immunity, Fortification becomes effective against effects that would ignore that immunity.
• Removed advancement for Familiars and Special Mounts. Greenbound levels now add fully to Effective Druid Level for animal companions, even for Rangers.

[Hyudra]

No Pic? Here's two possibilities:

http://i54.tinypic.com/1nxsb4.jpg
http://i52.tinypic.com/15g3skx.jpg

You're gonna want to resize those, though. The 'how' is in the link in the first post (That leads to a bunch of stuff, including image FAQ).

[Gorgondantess]

Psurlon:
What Hyudra said.
Additionally:
On levels: please don't do something that breaks convention without asking first. I don't believe there's a single other monster on here that has levels=/=CR. That's because there's a few good ways around the whole PLA thing.
One is to just base it off of HD. There are many monsters- specifically low level outsiders- that'll gain an SLA at later HD once it finishes all class levels.
OR, you can just do it as an 8 level class and include something at 6th level about starting as an elder psurlon. Which, really, should have been done from the start.

Might want to copy standard spellcasting multiclassing rules. See vanilla mindflayer. Also, it's rude to force people into something so specific: "manifesting class" would be better than "wilder"

In place of this:

At each following Psurlon level, a Psurlon gains bonus power points equal to half of their current Hit Dice (rounded down). Psurlons do not gain known powers, however, levels of Psurlon count as Wilder levels for the purposes of maximum power level known and maximum power points spent to manifest a Wilder power.

The Psurlon does not use intelligence for any of its abilities. As such, it should not gain intelligence bonuses.
Inertial armor: Honestly don't see why you couldn't just have given that as a PLA.
Telekinetic blast: should scale by HD, not level. Also, it's a little powerful to give something the equivalent of a warlock's eldritch blast for a 1 level dip.
Blindsight should come later and scale.
Bonus feats...
Damage reduction: I wasn't aware DR/Psionics existed. Also, wouldn't psionics always pierce DR anyways? Looks like you're essentially giving them DR/-.
Oh... right. Using Psionics are Different is sortof like not using the swift action optional variant. Pretty much nobody does it, and for good reason. For the purposes of this project, we're assuming Psionics are the Same. For sanity's sake.
Concussion blast? Energy bolt?
Giving it a lot of telekinesis based abilities is a little redundant, as it can just use its PLAs to (often) greater effect. It's sortof like giving a blaster mage an at will energy attack.
Forcing it to be psionically focused to manifest PLAs is needlessly punishing.
The Psurlon doesn't really have a manifesting level. It has HD. Call the PLA use scaling based on HD.
Narrow mind?

Medusa: Llllllooks good!

Unbodied, Razor Boar & Gargoyle will be finished soon.

[Benly]

Inertial armor: Honestly don't see why you couldn't just have given that as a PLA.

He did. Then people complained it was overpowered.

Telekinetic blast: should scale by HD, not level. Also, it's a little powerful to give something the equivalent of a warlock's eldritch blast for a 1 level dip.

Not really. Eldritch blast in its basic form is terrible, and this doesn't give the options warlocks have for doing actual decent damage with it. The only reason I can see to dip for it might be on a rogue since it's a decent sneak attack vector.

Concussion blast? Energy bolt?

It had those. Someone thought it was overpowered. He changed it.


People are really scared of d6es for some reason. As I've said before, the average damage from the 5d6 Telekinetic Blast (or EB) deals at 9th level is equivalent to a 4th-level warrior power attacking, a 9th-level wizard using his reserve feat because the situation isn't worth his spells, or a warhorse full attacking. If anything, it needs to be better.

Dsmiles also needs to keep a better changelog, even though it's hilarious watching people complain about the lack of things the class used to have that got changed because someone else complained about them.

[Hyudra]

Drow

Monster Class
Monster Manual, SRD

Class

Spoiler

Show

HD: D6

{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will |Special
1st|+0|+0|+2|+2| Drow Body, Caste, Scheme, Attribute Bonus
[/table]

Skill Points 6+Int per level
Class Skills: The Drow's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Taken individually, Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex).

Proficiencies: The Drow is proficient with simple weapons and with the rapier, hand crossbow and short sword. The Drow is proficient with light armor.

Drow Body: The Drow loses all other racial bonuses and gains Humanoid (Elf) traits, granting her Darkvision out to 120' and a bonus +2 on Will saves. Drow are initially medium sized creatures with a base movement speed of 30'.

Drow are light sensitive, and on initial exposure to bright light, they are blinded for 1 round and dazzled for 1d4 rounds. A Drow with a hood or Sundark goggles is not dazzled.

Drow speak Elven and either Undercommon or Drow Silent as their starting languages and gain additional languages for a high intelligence score as normal.

Attribute Bonus: The Drow gains +1 to her choice of Dex, Wis or Cha at first level.

Caste: The Drow picks a caste that fits his or her background, gaining the ability to leverage her cutthroat heritage to her advantage. Pick one:

Spoiler

Show

Noble Caste:

The Noble Caste Drow is born to the upper ranks of a noble matriarchy, adept at navigating the labyrinthine political landscape of the underdark, imposing her will on others, and forcing them to do as she bids, whether they want to or not. the Drow condenses Diplomacy and Intimidate into a single skill, Blackmail, that she may draw from whenever either of the two skills is called for. If she already has ranks in either of those skills, she adds up the total ranks and puts them into Blackmail, moving any excess skill ranks into other skills, putting no more than two ranks into a given skill in the doing. Blackmail offers all the options of intimidate and diplomacy, with the added bonus that the demoralize action lasts 1d4 rounds if successful.

The Drow gains the ability to use poison without risking poisoning herself.

A Noble Caste Drow that demoralizes a foe within melee range can make an attack against that foe as a free action. A Drow Noble that successfully hits a foe suffering from the shaken condition (or any worse, fear-based status effect) can decide to either make that foe Frightened as the status condition for one round unless that foe can make a will save (DC 10 + ½ Drow HD + Drow's Cha). Alternately, with no save offered, the Drow may force a struck, shaken foe to make a 5' step to any space of that foe's choice that the Drow does not threaten, with the Drow being allowed a free 5' step to fill their now-vacant spot. The Drow is free to use her normal 5' step as she pleases. Finally, any time the Noble Caste Drow attacks an individual who had an attitude of friendly or better towards the Drow, she treats the attack as an unconfirmed critical hit.

Warrior Caste:

The Drow is trained to rigorously adapt cutthroat discipline to even esoteric or less militant schools of combat. She gains full BAB for levels in this class. Further, for every 4HD she gains, she may advance a single level of a 3/4 BAB class to full BAB.

The Warrior Caste Drow gains the ability to poison her weapons without risking poisoning herself.

Drow of the Warrior Caste may attempt to deflect an incoming spell. This is an immediate action that also sacrifices the Drow's swift action for their next turn. Should the Drow be wearing no armor or light armor, bear no shield and have an encumbrance of medium or less, she may attempt to deflect an incoming spell that explicitly targets only one creature (noted as Target: one creature in the spell details) and is directed at the Drow herself. Deflecting a spell has a 15% chance of success, or a success chance equal to the Drow's unmodified arcane spell failure chance, whichever is higher. If successful, the spell is deflected to another space 10' behind the Drow, with 'behind' defined as far side of the Drow in respect to the positioning of the offending caster. If this newly targeted space includes another enemy, that opponent is treated as though they were targeted by the spell. Should this ability fail, the Drow is affected by the spell as normal. By 'unmodified arcane spell failure chance', this ability refers to the base arcane spell failure chance of the armor, unaffected by other class features, spells or special materials.

Assassin Caste:

The Drow is schooled by some of the most adept masters of deception and elimination. She combines her Bluff, Sense Motive and Disguise skills into a single skill, dubbed 'Subterfuge', with her choice of either Wis or Cha used for skill checks with this new skill. If she already has ranks in any of those skills, she adds up the total ranks and puts them into Subterfuge, moving any excess skill ranks into other skills, putting no more than two ranks into a given skill in the doing. Whenever the Drow would be called upon to use any of the aforementioned skills, she uses Subterfuge instead.

The Drow gains the ability to apply poison without risking poisoning herself.

The Assassin Caste Drow specializes in striking at exposed targets. She (and only she) counts herself as flanking and gains a +1 dodge bonus against any foe that has no allies within 15' of it. Further, she gains the ability to make an attack of opportunity if a foe falling under the purview of this ability attempts to 5' step away from her. If she delivers damage with this attack of opportunity, the 5' step fails and the target remains where they are.

Mage Caste:

The Mage Caste Drow, typically male, are well practiced in fine academies and well taught in versatility by a merciless peerage. The Drow advances his spellcasting as though he took levels in Wizard or Sorcerer. Drow levels stack with levels in the chosen class for the purposes of determining spells known and spells per day, much in the same manner as a prestige class.

The Mage Caste allows the Drow to cast Faerie Fire, Dancing Lights and Darkness as spell like abilities once a day each per 4HD. The Drow can, when casting any spell of third level or higher, simultaneously expend and use one of the aforementioned SLAs on the same subject or area. For the purposes of Darkness, which has a touch range, the Mage Caste Drow may use any touch, ranged touch or ray attack to choose the origin point for the darkness effect.

The Mage Caste Drow cannot gain a familiar as a class feature from levels in any class, nor can he gain alternate class features that would replace it. He loses his familiar if it was already acquired from a previous source.

Devout Caste:

The Drow advances her spellcasting as though she took levels in Cleric or Favored Soul. Drow levels stack with levels in the chosen class for the purposes of determining spells known and spells per day, much in the same manner as a prestige class.

The Devout Caste Drow exchanges Turn Undead that she has or gains from class levels for Turn Spider (Underdark Drow) or Turn Scorpion (if Xen'Drik Drow). She may gain Turn Undead from a different source, such as another class with Turn Undead or a feat.

Casteless/Exile:

The Casteless/Exile Drow is either of such low standing in society that he is a slave, is of such low status as to nearly qualify as a slave, or has fled the trappings of Drow society. To better aid his retreats from his capricious enemies and/or masters, the Casteless/Exile Drow does not provoke attacks of opportunity for the first 5' of his movement. For every 5HD after the first, the Drow increases this distance by 5', to a maximum of his base land speed.

Ironically, without the benefit of the complex system of checks, balances, backstabs and blades held at one's another's throats that defines drow society, the Casteless/Exile Drow is exceedingly vulnerable. Should the drow persevere regardless, this harrowing array of experiences can benefit them in the long run as they gain a tenacity and experience that sets them above their more spoiled peers. The Drow is regularly subjected to an attack or ploy set against them by their enemies from the society that looms above them (or in their past, for an Exile). This is an encounter with a CR equal to the Drow's HD, arriving at a time when the Drow is forced to face it alone, occurring when the Drow is close to gaining a level. The Drow cannot gain a level until it has defeated the challenge set against him for that level. The Drow gains full experience for defeating the challenge alone, if successful.

DM's discretion as to what constitutes an appropriate encounter - Casteless Drow in the underdark are liable to face threats from other drow or drow allies. Exile Drow far from the Underdark (insofar as such is possible, the Underdark is almost always underground somewhere) are likely to face threats from assassins or hired mercenaries. Mercy is rarely offered or accepted.

Scheme: The Drow are cunning, chaotic manipulators, and every Drow spends long minutes, hours or days debating how best to deal with a given rival, superior or tenacious subservient. To these ends, a Drow that spends a full round doing nothing but observing a foe may select a feat that she meets the prerequisites for. With a plan in mind, the Drow gains that feat for the purposes of dealing with that foe only. Any benefits granted are applied only to attacks, skills and abilities used against that foe, or defenses against that foe. Only one feat may be acquired from Scheme at a given point in time, and such feats with their ensuing benefits end when the Drow and the targeted foe part ways, one way or another (murder being a not uncommon end result). The Drow may not use this ability to acquire a feat she has used in the past 24 hours.

Feats with a temporary benefit or a certain number of uses a day (including feats that grant spells or spell like abilities, feats that grant extra ability uses, or feats that grant only a certain number of rounds of use a day) or feats that augment abilities with limited uses a day (such as metamagic feats, which augment spells) are not allowed choices for use of Scheme. Leadership and Epic feats are similarly barred for use.

Comments

Spoiler

Show

This was a bit of a challenge. I also reduced it from 2 levels to just the one midway through (I'd been looking at LA, erroneously, rather than CR), which made it even more challenging.

In any event, to cover the broad variety of Drow, and to encourage gameplay that fit the various Drow approaches to life, I set up the Caste system, above. Pick what applies to your background, it should feel fairly Drow in any event. Casters don't get much in the way of goodies, and trade off class features to get the more 'drowish' stuff, but they do get casting, which is the best class feature in the game. I may need to tweak the drawbacks to be a touch more severe, or to balance the devout caste drawback against the mage caste drawback.

The Scheme, then, is a tricky thing. I used the general template of the Assassin's death attack, but made it grant a feat, instead. So you essentially can watch, figure out what you want to do, then customize your approach for the attack, or to account for enemy weaknesses. Flexibility at the cost of efficiency. I think it fits the chaotic, conniving mindset of the Drow.

Is it too strong a one level dip? I dunno, but I think it's balanced against the fact that you're not getting your full complement of racial bonuses, you're vulnerable to sunlight (though you can adapt, you'll always have a reason to wince if you step out of a dungeon into daylight, or if someone causes a flash of light in front of you) and whatever approach you inevitably pick, there's some dilution due to the level's broad, nonspecific direction in HP, skillpoints, etc.

Changelog

Spoiler

Show

Changes, March 1, 2011:

• Removed the scaling dazzle. You're now dazzled for one round afterwards, and even that is removed if you have a hood or sundark goggles.
• Removed the 2 round diplomacy from Noble Caste Drow, where you could use diplomacy with two consecutive rounds of swift actions in combat.
• Warrior caste drow no longer convert any and all ¾ BAB classes to full BAB. Instead, for every 4 HD you get, you can change a level of ¾ BAB class to have full BAB instead. This lets you dip in a ¾ BAB class (monk, rogue, hexblade) without gimping your BAB, which was the goal.
• Mage caste drow now work the other way around. Use a cantrip alongside a level 3 spell, faerie fire alongside a level 5 or darkness alongside a level 7 (with restrictions).
• Devout caste drow no longer gains wild empathy (vermin) in exchange for her level 0 spells, but now exchanges turn undead for turn spider (or scorpion if xen'drik drow).

Changes, March 2nd, 2011:

• Fixed vague Knowledge under class skills.
• Fixed singular vs. plural Drow is/are appearing in the same sentence under proficiencies.
• Added Drow Silent under language options.
• Changed wording under attribute bonus.
• Clarified wording under Warrior Caste.
• Assassin Caste now specifies that the bonus only applies to the Drow herself.
• Devout Caste now specifies that the Drow can gain turn undead from another class or source.
• Casteless Exile wording fixed, where sentence was both grammatically incorrect and misleading.
• Casteless Exile drow now get the ability to ignore AoOs for their first 10' 5' of movement, this extends with every 5HD.
• Removed semicolon in Scheming. I'll use a semicolon and have it stick, one of these days!

Changes, March 5th, 2011:

• Nerfed the cower option of the Drow Noble's 'attack a shaken foe' bit to make them frightened instead. Gave the 'force the enemy to make a 5' step' option a slight buff, in that the enemy can't 5' step to a square the Noble threatens.
• Drow Warrior - clarified what 'sole target' means for the spell targeting. Namely, that you can only deflect spells that explicitly state "Target: one creature" (more or less) in the spell details.
• Not up to messing with mage caste ability for wording, as I'm all worded out.
• As for the scheme & metamagic Gorgon's begging for, I can't think of a way to do it that doesn't make things really annoying or complicated as far as metamagics that affect effective spell levels and whatnot.

Changes, March 23rd, 2011:

• Reworded Mage caste so it now just lets you append any SLA you have available to any spell of 3rd level or higher. (Before, had a complex method where each SLA was only available for use with spells of a minimum level).

[ScionoftheVoid]

Gargoyle:
Only half con mod natural armor? Seriously? I'd expect 1.5x, if anything different from the norm.
Give 'em intimidate as a class skill.
Wicked talons: 2 sets of natural weapons (as in a claw and a bite) or just 2 natural weapons? Could someone do 1 of 2 claws and one bite?
You have a lot of abilities with "body" in the name. This should be altered, as "body" abilities are usually specifically the base, well, body abilities.
Zealous carvings: that's effectively doubling bad saves. I'd either reduce it to 1 save or to something like 1/5th HD.
Hideous Visage: Ehhh... I'd make it a standard action. You can pump intimidate easily.
Reflective Scales: hopy **** this just became the best stealth class ever. You're effectively duplicating an 8th level spell (superior invisibility). Hell, if this blocks against stuff like true seeing even, then it's better than an 8th level spell.
Petrification: "plus one point for each five points of the target's natural armour. The creature struck gains one point of natural armour bonus for each point of Dex damage they have taken from this ability." Ummm... that's... kindof needless. Interesting, but I wouldn't do it.
Deluge Waterspout: closest unoccupied edge?
Anyways, it's pretty much better than a dragon's breath weapon at 14 HD. Less range, I suppose, but that's it- knocking prone is a good effect. I'd add the damage at a lower level- 9, maybe- and make it 1d6/3 HD, then up to 1d6/2 HD at 18 HD or so. Something like that.
Horrendous Visage: Too low DC. 5+ranks+cha mod would be a little better.
"If they fail the save they are immune to the gaze unless they leave the area and re-enter or the gaze is actively focused on them."
What? Just use standard gaze wording. See marraenoloth. Beyond that, why would anyone choose shaken over frightened? Or, better yet, frightened over panicked?
Statuesque Perfection: Chiseled armaments or chiseled armoury?
Stone cold metabolism: Might want to just say "is considered an object for all intents and purposes". Something like that.
Otherwise: *thumbsup*

First, that's because the Tough Skin ability can raise it. I'll hold back on an edit here until I have some input on how to adjust both of them. Raise both, keep as-is, raise base only?

Whoops.

Just two, often two of the same.

They're generally options within a larger ability, but I'll try to change a few soon.

One save it is.

Done.

Would it be strong enough if I removed super-invis? I'm guessing yes and changing it, but I can change it back.

Petrification, to clarify I should remove both features? It was weak only raising natural armour and would be rather strong with just the boost.

Deluge Waterspout doesn't knock prone (it's a direct push back, not knocking them off their feet) so I'll leave a damage change for after a response, and I'll add "unoccupied".

And, I've run out of time. I'll wait for response and come back to this ASAP. Thanks for the advice and help.

[TheGeckoKing]

The Drow; (Because I feel like being helpful)

First up? Looks cool enough to play, but you need to ban Leadership with regards to Scheme. Summoning an army at will to beat up your foes seems funny, but is clearly broken. Hell, the entire idea screams broken to me. Ban Leadership and Epic Feats, at the very least.
Next, the light sensitivity seems like a bit of a pain to track, but each to their own.
Lastly, I don't like Exile/Casteless one bit. It's basically "YOU SUCK, and we're charging for the privilege!". Throw 'em a bone, at the very least.

[Hyudra]

Front Page

• Updated the unfinished monster list to include phantom, greenbound and drow.
• Goblins are removed and will be brought up in the homebrew thread in a little bit.
• Flesh golem moved to the abandoned list. I keep meaning to do that.
• Gray Jester and Remorhaz are liable to be moved to the abandoned list in the coming week, as they've been unupdated with no creator comments in the thread for nearly a month.

Leadership & Epic feats barred, now.

As far as the casteless/exile drow: they should just suck it up. It's bonus experience. There's no way I'm gonna make life easy on the Drizz't clones.

[Mystic Muse]

One thing I notice on the Drow is that the Noble caste option makes Diplomacy even more broken than it already was.

[Hyudra]

One thing I notice on the Drow is that the Noble caste option makes Diplomacy even more broken than it already was.

There's some parts of the game where I just assume that there's some houserule or common sense in place, whenever I approach or refer to it. Diplomacy is one such aspect.

I mean, I could enforce Rich Burlew's diplomacy rules for Blackmail, but that's really bizarre. Conversely, just ignoring diplomacy entirely is similarly bizarre for a noble character.

[Mystic Muse]

There's some parts of the game where I just assume that there's some houserule or common sense in place, whenever I approach or refer to it. Diplomacy is one such aspect.

I mean, I could enforce Rich Burlew's diplomacy rules for Blackmail, but that's really bizarre. Conversely, just ignoring diplomacy entirely is similarly bizarre for a noble character.

I know, I just thought I would bring it up as a concern.