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Corporate M
2010-05-23, 03:39 AM
http://toonbarn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/ben-10-alien-force-hits-the-uk.jpg
There's really no way I can make the druid more powerful, atleast I hope not... this is purely for those looking to play something different. The druid wants to abuse his wildshape, so let him! (Note: I just use this pic because I'm sure someone would pointout that's basicaly what this druid variant turns him into... lolz!!! All it's missing is for animal companion to be a psicrystal...)

This druid variant does not gain spells or spells per day. Instead, his wildshape ability allows him now to transform into any creature. (Not just animal/plant/elemental, but even undead, dragons, constructs, whatever!) If it's in a monster manual, the druid can turn into it...

Instead of per day, the druid gets a number of wildshape mana points he can invest to transform. The monster he wildshapes into's mana cost would obviously equal the hit die. And he could get bonus mana for a high wisdom score... (Perhaps suggesting the druid could become psionic and turn them into powerpoints)

As well, gains bonus feats like a psychic warrior to replace what he would gain as spell access, he gains a bonus feat that must be of the [monster] category. He has treated as having the prequisites, even when he's not in-form...

http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/DnD_Monstrous_Feats

D&D Wiki expands on the monster feats list to make it better...


Hopefully this is a good variant. I'd want to try it out in a game eventually.


Possible variant build:
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/classes/psychicwarrior.htm
Powerpoints gained at a rate like psychic warrior.
Shapshifting costs a number of powerpoints equal to hit die (or challenge rating, DM decides) of creature x2. Some creatures that don't quality for "1" in CR or hit die only cost 1 powerpoint.

Any supernatural, spell-like, or stat based abilities/functions use wisdom instead of their normal stat.

You gain all that stats of the monster, except for your wisdom stat that remains your original.

Gains bonus feats as indicated by the psychic warrior class progression. Bonus feats must be a [monster] or [druid] feat, and the druid is treated as meeting the prequisites unless those prequisites are another feat.

Transformations last for 1 minute. (10 rounds) Shapeshifting is considered a full round action. Some special druid feats you can take with the [monster] tag.


Greater Transformation [Druid]
Prequisite: Transformation
Effect: Transforming is now a move action instead of a full-round action.

Advanced Transformation [Druid]
Prequisite: Greater Transformation
Effect: Transforming is now a swift action instead of a full-round action

Extend Transformation [Druid]
Prequisite: Transformation, Wisdom Score 13 or greater
Effect: You add additional minutes to your transformation duration equal to your wisdom modifier.

Contain The Beast [Druid]
Prequisite: Transformation
Effect: You may expend any number of powerpoints, (max your druid level) inorder to gain a bonus equal to that on your next attack/damage roll. You cannot transform for another 5 rounds. This is used as a move action.
(You cannot use this feat while transformed.)

Animal I've Become [Druid]
Prequisite: Transformation
Effect: You may expend 6 powerpoints to grant you the ability for 1 minute when you deliver an attack, your target suffers -4 on attack/damage rolls against you untill the end of the encounter. You cannot use this more then once on the same target per encounter, but can effect multiple targets. You cannot transform for another 5 rounds. This is used as a move action.
(You cannot use this feat while transformed)

Improved Multi-Attack [Monster]
Prequisite: Multi-Attack
Effect: You take no attack penaltys for using creature's secondary attacks with natural weapons.
Normal: Multi-Attack lets you use secondary natural weapons at -2 atk roll.


Some New Intterputations of feats when used by the druid:
Ability Focus:
Effect: Gain +2 to DC for special attack.
Erretta: Rather then being stuck with your choice, everytime you transform, you get to choose one special attack to apply this feat too. Taking it multiple times helps expand how many of your special attacks gain a DC bonus.

Empower Spell-Like Ability
(Like ability focus)

demidracolich
2010-05-23, 01:55 PM
This looks very interesting. I generally play druid to be able to turn into animals and maul people's faces off. This would let me turn into other things and maul people's faces off. I'm not sure its completely balanced but getting rid of spellcasting definitely makes it more balanced.

Corporate M
2010-05-25, 02:26 AM
lol, yeah. I'm hoping without the spells it atleast will be no worse then a typical druid. Maybe it might go down to tier-4.

I actually decided to make a 4th edition version too to tryout... Oddly enough, he would not gain powers, but rather use those from monsters, but occassionaly get his own powers he could use independently...


SHAPESHIFTER:
Role: Defender (despite seeming like a controller, what makes a shapeshifter especially powerful is the fact that his damage from his transformation does not carry over to his original form)

Power Source: Primal
Key Abilities: Wisdom, Dexterity, Charisma
Weapon Prof: Simple
Armor Prof: Cloth
Def Bonuses: +1 Fortitude +1 Will
HP at first level: 15+constitution score
HP per additional level: 6
Healing surges per day: 9+constitution modifier
Trained Skills: Nature, and choose any three from the following: Diplomacy, Dungeonerring, Endurance, Heal, Insight, Intimidate, Perception.



SHAPESHIFTER CLASS FEATURES:
Transform:
At-will, polymorph.
Target: Personal
Effect: Choose a monster of a level equal to or lower then yours. You are treated as that monster with the stats, powers, etc. For a number of rounds equal to 40 minus the level of the monster. When the transformation is over, and you return to your normal state. You cannot transform again for another five rounds.

A transformation ends when the rounds are up, you willfully dismiss the transformation, or your monster form's HP is reduced to 0. Damage from an attack does not carry over into your original form. Though you emulate all the statistics and powers of monsters, you retain your own original healing surges per day.

POWERS:
Unlike other classes, shapeshifters do not gain encounter or at-wills. Only dailies, some of which can only be used when it original or in transformation.


Level 1 Daily Powers:

SPIDERBITE
Daily, Transformation only, Standard Action, Melee
Target: One
Attack: Wisdom vs Fortitude
Damage: 2d4+dexterity modifier damage. The target makes a saving throw upon attack, if fails, their attacks deal -2 damage against you for the next three attacks delivered.

SPIDERS AMBUSH
Daily, Transformation only, Standard Action
Target: Personal
Effect: Choose one--use a stealth check inplace of inniatiave check, or gain +8 bonus on your next stealth check.

POUNCE
Daily, Transformation only, Standard Action, Melee
Target: One
Attack: Wisdom vs Reflex
Damage: 1d8+dexterity modifier damage, and the target becomes prone.

INFUSE MONSTER ESSENCE
Daily, Original form only, Standard Action
Target: Personal
Effect: You may regain HP as though you expended a healing surge.

WOLF FANG FIST
Daily, Original form only, Standard Action, Melee
Target: One
Attack: Wisdom vs Will
Damage: 2d10+charisma modifier damage. You cannot use your transformation ability for the remainder of the encounter. (At 21st level, increase to 3d10)

No intention, but awesome none the less that it has that "anime" feel to it. (4th edition typically does) Where those who stress toward monster-only powers rely on their forms and act like villain anime characters who go into "final form".

Where as more protagonist types who try to contain their demon forms and conservatively use it's power, (like Ichigo with his hollow) would lean more toward "original form only" powers. (Albeit Ichigo is probably more of a hybrid barbarian+shapeshifter) Which speaking of which, not that I'm fully certain hybrid is even a good idea. (4th edition is powerful enough without it's own version of gestalt) Here's the hybrid option...

HYBRID SHAPESHIFTER:
Role: Defender | Power Source: Primal | Key Stats: Wisdom, Dexterity, Charisma.
Weapon Prof: Simple | Armor Prof: Cloth | Def Bonus: +1 to Fort or Will
HP 1st Level: 7 | HP each additional level: 3 | Healing Surges Per Day: 4
Class Skills: Nature, Diplomacy, Dungeonerring, Endurance, Heal, Insight, Intimidate, Perception.
Class Features: Transformation.

Djinn_in_Tonic
2010-05-25, 09:24 AM
For the 3.5 Version: What abilities of the monster do you get? That makes a HUGE difference. Does the monsters Hit Dice have to be lower than yours? Also, why not run it off of CR rather than Hit Dice? Hit Dice are an even worse way to judge balance, as turning into a Hill Giant at level 16 is just pathetic compared to some other 16HD options.

How long does a transformation last? How long does it take? Do you need to know of the creature? Can you turn into templated creatures (I'd suggest no)?

For the 4e Version: Vastly overpowered. Monster at-wills are often incredibly potent, and you don't differentiate between turning into, say, a level 4 minion, a level 4 elite, a level 4 solo, and so forth.

What of the monster's do you get? If you get everything, your gear bonuses will ensure that you're FAR to deadly and well defended. Also, if you don't use your own hit points, it's INSANELY overpowered (especially at high levels, where I can easily get 400 odd hit points every 12 rounds). It also makes a poor Defender as it can't...well...DEFEND. It has no marking powers.

Yeah...it interacts oddly with gear, and has FAR to many hit points. You should retain your own hit poits (and probably your own scores...at LEAST your own mental scores), but balancing it is probably impossible. After all, monsters can take on any role. You, by proxy, can take on every role at a moment's notice, and burn at-wills and dailies like mad by switching forms or taking monster forms with refreshing powers. Definitely overpowered.

Miraqariftsky
2010-05-25, 09:30 AM
Aye, agreed with ol' Djinn there. Mebbe it could be turned down a tad? And here's a humble suggestion, mebbe yon powers could be more gradually acquired?

Corporate M
2010-05-25, 12:24 PM
Well, I didn't list wildshape amount of time because it was assumed since wildshape used to be hourly based, that would just transition over. (Granted, given it's massive verstaility it should probably be brought down to rounds) Basically I was just suggesting it be a druid entirely dedicated to wildshaping...

I don't see why templates couldn't be used if you traded off hit die and ecl. Say you're level 5, be a hit die 1 creature and half-fiend. Something with less then 1 hit die would be treated as "0" and thus be able to take more advantage of templates. (Half-dragon kobolds... lololololz!)

I do see your point that hit die might not nesscaraly be a good scale in determining effectiveness of monster transformation. (Hill Giant is actually a 12 hit die creature. Least in 3rd edition... But a bodak is 9 hit die and far more attractive power wise...) There could be alternate routes for that such as consulting challenge rating instead. (In which case hill giant would be 7 and bodak would be 8. But bodak deserves to be a lvl9 transformation, and hillgiant deserves lvl7)

I considered the possibility of rather then the druid just wildshaping into everything, he choose a monster "type" much like a favored enemy type at 1st and every 4 levels. (He could also gain additional types through his [monster] bonus feats) But thats if someone really thinks it'll make a big difference. Mostly what I wrote was just simplified for the sake of being easy to read.



Fourth Edition version is a completely expiramental idea I hadn't even planned on doing, just kind of threw together at the last minute "just incase". At every tier level I suppose you could choose a "monster class type" (artillery, controller, brute, skirmisher, lurker, and soldier) Tiers being level 1, level 20, and level 30. Again, with feats you could probably bypass this limitation...

Minions was an interesting point I hadn't considered. But considering monsters already reduce your rounds you can stay monster by their level, just halve that for minions. (So a level 1 minion would have no round eating downside, and even a level 30 minion would only cost 15 rounds!)