Stoneborn [Template]

[Lysander]

This idea is a little inspired by the Gargoyles TV show. It could be useful in campaigns with little or no magical healing.

Stoneborn

A Stoneborn person has a spiritual link to elemental Earth, either innate from birth or acquired through worship of an earth spirit. At certain times their soul communes with the elemental plane of earth, and during that time their body is transformed into a solid stone statue, as Flesh to Stone.

A person is locked into either transforming during the day or during the night, first decided when they become Stoneborn. As soon as the sun rises or sets they instantly transform to or from their stone shape. They have no control over the transformation and no mortal magic can delay or hasten it. If a Stoneborn travels to a plane without a day/night cycle they no longer transform.

While becoming a helpless statue is a major disadvantage there are some benefits. When returning to their living form all hp damage, stat damage, lost levels, diseases, poisons, and any harmful ongoing spells upon them are cured. Additionally, if a severed limb is held to their body when turning to stone it will petrify with them and be perfectly healed when they turn back.

In addition to this supernatural healing Stoneborn have the following advantages:

*Hardness 10 while in statue form.
*Stoneborn are allowed will saves to resist harmful spells while in statue form, but also enjoy all immunities objects have from spells that only affect creatures.
*Immunity from petrification attacks such as Flesh to Stone or a medusa's gaze.
*Rebuke, command, or bolster earth creatures as an evil cleric rebukes undead, using character level in place of cleric level. This ability may be used once a day.
*Spell-like abilities - 1/day: Stoneskin (ECL 10) but personal only with a duration of just one round + one per character level.
*After transforming back a Stoneborn gains knowledge of the surrounding territory like that granted by a Commune with Nature spell (ECL 10).
*Stoneborn age half as quickly and live twice as long as other members of their species, due to only aging while unpetrified.

Level Adjustment: +0

[Ouranos]

Gargoyles fan?

[Teutonic Knight]

How do they decide what part of the day they turn to stone? And detail block?

[Temotei]

Do certain spells affect them? Examples: Enlarge Person, Reduce Person...mostly transmutation. Another thing. Can the Stone to Flesh spell turn them back into their original form?

[Lysander]

How do they decide what part of the day they turn to stone? And detail block?

It's a choice made when they first become Stoneborn. If it's from birth than whether they petrify at day or night is part of their backstory.



Do certain spells affect them? Examples: Enlarge Person, Reduce Person...mostly transmutation. Another thing. Can the Stone to Flesh spell turn them back into their original form?

When they're flesh they're affected by all spells as normal. No spells would work on their statue form that doesn't normally affect statues. Stone to Flesh wouldn't work on their statue though, since there's no magic that can make them turn back prematurely.

[Temotei]

How about Teleport Object? Would a caster be able to send the statue to the ethereal plane? It's unclear whether there is day or night in the ethereal plane...if it has neither, then they could be stuck there forever. That would be mean. :smallamused:

[sigurd]

But it would make a great plot twist.

[Temotei]

But it would make a great plot twist.

Or a great way to keep a stoneborn villain imprisoned...the jerkish way. :smallbiggrin:

[Admiral Squish]

As much use as fully healed every nightfall is, this template lacks some major kick to make up for being completely and totally helpless for twelve hours a day. Maybe strength/con boosts to represent the connection to the earth? Some major DR in all forms? I mean, for a PC, this is awful, because you're limiting yourself and the rest of the party by being a statue for twelve hours at a time, and for a villan, the PCs just have to walk in during the day, take a mace to the BBEG, and it's over. This could only be really used effectively for NPCs.

[Temotei]

As much use as fully healed every nightfall is, this template lacks some major kick to make up for being completely and totally helpless for twelve hours a day. Maybe strength/con boosts to represent the connection to the earth? Some major DR in all forms?

Damage reduction would make sense. Just in stone form, though, to keep it at a low level adjustment.

[Lysander]

I added some extra abilities like you suggested. In addition to DR I allowed them to keep their will save in statue form, and gave them the ability to command earth creatures and benefit from Stoneskin briefly among other benefits. What do you think?

[Melayl]

In stone form, shouldn't it be hardness instead of DR? As a Player, I'd want alot more out of this race. Like others have mentioned, I'd be out-of-play for 12 hours each day, and helpless during that time to boot. One Shatter spell and I'd be hosed.

I'd want a boost to Strength or Conditioning at least, probably along with DR in my fleshy form. You could have them scale by Character Level if you thought they'd be too powerful as an initial big bonus.

Just my two cents.

Melayl

[DracoDei]

Wizards already prefer short "work days", and most races are "out of commission" for 8 hours a day. Another 4 and not being able to interrupt it is a problem, but perhaps less than you think.

[Lysander]

Wizards already prefer short "work days", and most races are "out of commission" for 8 hours a day. Another 4 and not being able to interrupt it is a problem, but perhaps less than you think.

Also, remember they aren't stone for twelve hours. They're stone from dusk til dawn. That's potentially just 10 hours or so.

[Silverscale]

Also, remember they aren't stone for twelve hours. They're stone from dusk til dawn. That's potentially just 10 hours or so.


Or if you're in an earth analogous world, and are visiting one of the extreme poles during the time of year when the sun either never sets or never rises, then you'd have a completely different problem on your hands. Either you would never turn to stone and heal all your wounds etc or you would never "wake-up".

[TabletopNuke]

Or if you're in an earth analogous world, and are visiting one of the extreme poles during the time of year when the sun either never sets or never rises, then you'd have a completely different problem on your hands. Either you would never turn to stone and heal all your wounds etc or you would never "wake-up".

Did the Gargoyles cartoon ever address that?

I'll bet you can find answers for a lot of the questions being raised about the template over at the Gargoyles Wiki. http://gargoyles.dracandros.com/