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Jester of Doom
2012-08-31, 12:43 PM
I had this idea a long time ago, (ebberon had just came out) and over the years, I've half-finished it multiple times. The idea was to make a race built around racial feats. This is the first race i've ever made, so I'm in need of some serious PEACHing. Anyway, without further ado, I present:



The Arellus

http://i.neoseeker.com/n/9/nightmare2p_1_thumb.jpg

The illithids, neogi, and other abberations have enslaved humanoid races for as long as there have been abberations, (or, as they would argue, as long as there have been humanoids,) and many brave heroes have lost their lives trying to right this. many know of the ancient and horrible story of the gith, and even to this day many worlds are subject to the predations of the neogi. In the end, most such slaves live short, nightmarish lives before meeting a long-awaited end or in some cases an equally anticipated rescue. The abberations have always loved experimenting on their slaves, and these experiments have created many strange and horrible abominations. The arellus (pronounced "are-rel-lus," both plural and singular) are one such creation, modified from human stock, imbued with psycometabolism and engeneered to be the perfect warrior slaves. To this day, the majority of arellus live as slaves, and few have built up the courage or identity to free their bretheren. Even those who have obtained freedom live difficult lives, as most who learn their true nature seek to kill them as monsters or enslave them theirselves.
Personality: The arellus are generally very meek, instinctively bowing to the authority of others. Their loyalty and devotion to their masters is unparalelled, and few ever have the pride to seek anything above the station of lowly servant. Greed is almost unknown to them, and they rarely seek to provide for themselves until everyone else is accounted for. Those few arellus who do discover self-importance, however, are generally quite emotional and resentful of authority, fearing the loss of individuality that was so difficult to find. Some arellus have a tendency to "absorb" personality traits from those around them, a high-ranking illithid slave becoming a sadistic plotter, or one living among the elves becoming artistic, and serene.
Physical Description: Arellus are almost identical to humans, however they are on average a few inches shorter, and are almost always very broad. Otherwise, they have an even grater physical diversity than humans, as the many transmutative effects placed opun their ancestors have given them many strange and rare features. Arellus reach adulthood faster than humans and begin to age later, their psionically boosted metabolisms retaining effectiveness longer than their more natural cousins. The arellus' most striking physical trait, however, is their mutable forms: they are not quite shapeshifters in the same way as a doppelganger or a werewolf, but they have a limited ability to rearrange their muscles, bones, organs and such, and many of them have refined this ability to a strange art. Their purpose as biological weapons becomes apparent, however, in that there is one skill all Arellus are naturally capable of at birth: forming weapons out of their own bodies. As such, Arellus can always be considered armed, and some arellus' weapons are capable of making even the gratest handicrafts of the dwarves look like children's playthings. Their bodies cannot function at full efficiency in antimagic, and they therefore avoid antimagic at all costs, the experience being incredibly painfull.
Relations: Arellus generally have poor relations with other races: illithids use them as soldiers, and love performing further experimentation opun them, the neogi prize them as slaves over almost any other race, tracking the rare and valulable fodder across the multiverse; indeed, some neogi forsake their ever-loyal umber hulks for thoroughly brainwashed arellus. Dwarves do not open their gates to the arellus, believing that they have been touched too deeply by the horrors of the darkest depths to ever be trusted, gnomes and halflings extend the same open arm acceptance they give to everyone, but nonetheless, distrust slowly grows until they too come with torches and pitchforks. Elves are one of the few races likely to accept arellus into their society, but they consider them a weak race; one that must have its hand held at all times. As a result, arellus rarely ever gain respect or equality among the elves. Humans can be the worst and the best: ignorant human peasants are the quickest to cry "monster!" and enlightened human societies are one of the few places they can be treated as equals; however, most human societies appreciate them for their combat talents, and nothing more. Ultimately, they find easiest acceptance among other outcast races, such as half-elves, half-orcs, mongrelfolk, changelings, and others.
Alignment: There are two major groups among the arellus as far as alignment is concerned: there is the majority of the race, whose slave mentality gives them a strong lawful alignment, with a slight tendency towards their master's; and then there is the small proportion of self-driven arellus, who posses a strong tendency towards the chaotic alignment, their natual tendency towards chaos coming through from underneath thoughtless obedience.
Arellus Lands: The majority of the race live as slaves for illithids, neogi, and other races; of the free arellus, roughly half of them live scattered about in other races societies. On their own, they have a tendency to live in caves, (as they dislike bright light) and their slave mentality lends themselves to leadership by whoever is most able to assert their will opun others. As a result, most arellus rulers are of chaotic evil alignment, and many slave rebellions simply result in becoming slaves to one of their own kind.
Religion: The arellus have no gods of their own, and usually worship (often with surprising zeal) the gods of their masters, or whatever race they happen to live among. Free arellus also have a tendency to worship gods of freedom or change (whether they were once slaves or not).
Language: Arellus speak Undercommon, but those who live on the surface speak Common as well.
Names: Most arellus are named by their masters, (if they even get a name at all) and as they have no true culture of their own, most names given by their own race are either taken from humans, (or some other race) or are simply some title in Undercommon.
Adventurers: Many Arellus simply have no choice but to become adventurers. Whether an anti-paladin in faithful service to their dark masters, or a freeborn driven out of his home by superstitious peasants, many arellus are not given the privelige of choosing not to become adventurers, and those who try to avoid this fate all too often fulfill their unwanted purpose as living weapons.

Racial Statistics:
•+2 Con, -2 Int, -2 Cha: Inhumanly durable, the Arellus’ mental capabilities are hideously mangled.
•Medium-Size.
•Aberration (Shapechanger): as abberations with the shapechanger subtype, they are immune to Charm Person and any other effects that target humanoids, as well as being immune to any adverse polymorphing effects.
•Arellus have a base land speed of 30 feet.
•-2 on all Will Saves: They are extremely weak willed.
•No Darkvision.
•Low-Light Vision
•Antimagic Vulnerability: Any Arellus that enters an antimagic (or anti-psionic) field takes a -2 to all fortitude saves so long as they remain within its area of effect.
•Form Weapon (Su): At will, as a swift action, you may form a non-magical weapon out of your own body. You must be proficient in this weapon, and you must have seen one before, but there are no other restrictions on what weapons you may form. Weapons formed this way may possess any kind of attachment or add-on you wish, may not be masterwork, do not possess any weight, and may not be given to anyone else as they disintegrate into a small pile of muck if they leave your grasp; (thrown weapons and ammunition do not disintegrate until after striking the target.) otherwise they are mechanically identical (damage die, crit rate, damage type, etc.) to ordinary weapons of their type and size. Ranged weapons come with free non-magical, non-masterwork ammunition; however you may use magical ammunition from other sources. You may reabsorb a weapon formed this way as a free action. You may not use this ability inside an Antimagic Field; however, you may carry an already-formed weapon inside if you succeed on a DC 15 fortitude save. Weapons formed this way are not considered natural weapons.
•Naturally Psionic: You gain 1 bonus Power Point at 1st level.
•Bonus Racial Feat: You gain 1 bonus Arellus feat at 1st level.
•Favored Class: Psychic Warrior.
(feats in next post)

Jester of Doom
2012-08-31, 12:47 PM
Arellus Racial Feats


Adaptation: Claws [Arellus]
You may grow claws.
Prerequisite: Arellus, Form Weapon racial ability.
Benefit: You may gain two claw attacks as a swift action, primary natural weapons that deal 1d6 damage each, for a medium-size character. If you are wielding a light or one-handed weapon and have your claws active, it is treated as a secondary natural weapon instead and gets a -5 penalty to hit. You may deactivate this as a free action. You may not activate this ability inside an Antimagic Field; however, if it is already active it remains so if you succeed on a DC 15 fortitude save. This ability does not stack with claw attacks from any other source.
Special: If you also possess Adaptation: Fangs, you may activate both feats with the same swift action.

Form Armor [Arellus]
You may form armor out of your own flesh.
Prerequisite: Arellus, Form Weapon racial ability.
Benefit: At will, as a full-round action (swift for shield), you may form non-magical armor (and a shield) out of your own body. You must be proficient in this armor and shield and you must have seen one before, but there are no other restrictions on what armors/shields you may form. Armors/shields formed this way are not masterwork, do not possess any weight, and do not possess any attachments (armor spikes, shield spikes, locked gauntlets, etc.). If a shield leaves your grasp, it disintegrates into a small pile of muck (armor formed this way cannot be removed under any circumstance.); otherwise they are mechanically identical (armor/shield bonus, armor check penalty, arcane spell failure, etc.) to ordinary armors/shields of their type and size. You may reabsorb any armor/shield formed this way as a full-round action (free for shield). You may not use this ability inside an Antimagic Field; however, you may carry already-formed armors/shields inside if you succeed on a DC 15 fortitude save.

Form Enchantment [Arellus]
You may enchant your inborn equipment.
Prerequisite: Arellus, Form Weapon racial ability.
Benefit: All equipment made through Form Weapon or Form Armor is now considered masterwork in quality, and armor/shield may now possess add-ons. Additionally, you may "learn" enchantments by sacrificing EXP, as shown below:

{table=head] Minimum Level|Maximum Bonus|EXP Cost**

4th|
+1|
120

7th|
+2|
480

9th|
+3|
1,080

11th|
+4|
1,920

13th|
+5|
3,000

14th|
+6*|
4,320

15th|
+7*|
5,880

16th|
+8*|
7,680

17th|
+9*|
9,720

18th|
+10*|
12,000[/table]
*:You may not learn a set of enchantmentswith an enhancement bonus greater than +5, however, you may learn a set of enchantments with a combined total of special abilities and enhancement bonus that is greater than 5.
**: EXP costs for Armor/Shield group is half that shown.

However, certain rules apply:
1.You may "learn" as many enchantments as you want; you may have both +1 & flaming and +1 & holy, but you must buy them both individually.
2.Enchantment are learned in "sets," which are specific to one of the following types of item: Armor/Shields, Melee/Thrown & Shield Bash, and Ranged weapons. You may not apply more than one set of enchantments to one item, (the exeption being shields, which may have one set of defensive Armor/Shields enchantments, and one set of offensive Melee/Thrown & Shield Bash enchantments.) nor may you apply a set of enchantments to an item of an innapropriate group.
3.Enchantments are applied at the formation of the item and if an item is destroyed you do not lose access to the enchantment on future items.
4.You may not form two items with the same enchantment; if you have a weapon with +1 & wounding, you may not dual wield weapons with those qualities unless you buy +1 & wounding a second time.
5.You may not reapply enchantments on the fly; in order to add, change, or remove an enchantment you must reabsorb an item and then reform it at the normal speed for doing so.
6.The maximum bonus listed on the table applies only to a single set of enchantments; it is not a cap on the total enhancement bonus of all of your enchantments.
7.You may not apply enchantments to ammunition, however, you can apply them to ranged & thrown weapons.
8.Enchantments that require a melee weapon to leave your grasp for an entire round (such as Dancing) may not be used; however, throwing (it disintegrates after hitting the enemy) and Returning (It returns to your hands before it disintegrates) may be used.
9.Use of this feat counts as the possession of a magic item, therefore, it cannot be used in conjunction with Vow of Poverty.
10.Learning or adding to a new set of enchantments requires meditating for 1 hour, at which time the EXP is spent.
Special: You may use this feat to apply enchantments to any natural weapons you may have, however, all the same rules apply.

Adaptation: Fangs [Arellus]
You may grow fangs.
Prerequisite: Arellus, Form Weapon racial ability.
Benefit: As a swift action you may gain a bite attack that deals 1d8 damage for a medium-size character. It is treated as a primary natural weapon if it is the only attack you make in a round; however, if you use a weapon attack, or any other natural weapon, it is instead treated as secondary and takes a -5 penalty to hit. This may be deactivated as a free action. You may not activate this ability inside an Antimagic Field; however, if it is already active it remains so if you succeed on a DC 15 fortitude save. This ability does not stack with a bite attack from any other source.
Special: If you also possess Adaptation: Claws, you may activate both feats with the same swift action.


Super-Charged Metabolism [Arellus]
You heal at an accelerated rate.
Prerequisite: 15+ Constitution, Arellus, Form Weapon racial ability.
Benefit: You gain Fast Healing up to half health, equal to 1 + (¼ your Character Level, rounded down). This ability does not function inside an Antimagic Field. This ability does not stack with any other ability that would grant fast healing.


Devour [Arellus]
Heal by absorbing corpses.
Prerequisite: Arellus, Super-Charged Metabolism, Form Weapon racial ability.
Benefit: As a full-round action (that provokes attacks of opportunity), you may absorb a portion of a corpse to heal hit points equal to the number of hit-dice the creature possessed. This ability does not work on oozes, constructs, or creatures with fractional hit-dice, and leaves sufficient bone fragments, muck, and other waste products for a raise dead spell. You may not activate this ability inside an Antimagic Field.
Special: You may heal by absorbing living constructs, but they heal half the hit points (rounded down) that an ordinary creature would. If you become a construct via Green Star Adept or some other prestige class, you gain full benefit from absorbing constructs.


Adaptation: Speed [Arellus]
Move Faster.
Prerequisite: Arellus, Form Weapon racial ability.
Benefit: By increasing the efficiency of your musculature, you have gained a permanent +10 foot bonus to your base land speed. This ability still functions inside an Antimagic Field.

Adaptation: Gills [Arellus]
Move underwater.
Prerequisite: Arellus, Form Weapon racial ability.
Benefit: As a move action, you may grow various fins and replace your lungs with gills, gaining the following traits:
•Water breathing, and a swim speed of 30 feet.
•You gain a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard.
•You may choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered.
•You can use the run action while swimming, provided you swim in a straight line.
You may abandon these traits as a free action. You may not activate this ability inside an Antimagic Field; however, if it is already active it remains so if you succeed on a DC 15 fortitude save.
Special: If you also possess Adaptation: Speed, your swim speed becomes 40 feet.


Adaptation: Reach [Arellus]
Increase your reach.
Prerequisite: Arellus, Form Weapon racial ability, at least two other Arellus feats.
Benefit: Your arms gain the ability to stretch out, increasing your reach by 5 feet. This ability still functions inside an Antimagic Field.


Adaptation: Wings [Arellus]
You grow wings.
Prerequisite: Arellus, Form Weapon racial ability, 9th level, at least two other Arellus feats.
Benefit: As a standard action, you may grow bony, sinuous wings that grant you a fly speed of 30 feet with Average maneuverability. You may not activate this ability inside an Antimagic Field; however, if it is already active it remains so if you succeed on a DC 15 fortitude save.
Special: If you also possess Adaptation: Speed, your fly speed becomes 40 feet.


Minor Metamorphosis [Arellus]
You may change your appearance.
Prerequisite: Arellus, Form Weapon racial ability, Cha 11+
Benefit: You gain the ability to alter your appearance as though using a disguise self spell that affects your body but not your possessions. This ability is not an illusory effect, but a minor physical alteration of your facial features, skin color and texture, and size, within the limits described for the spell. You can use this ability at will, and the alteration lasts until you change shape again. You revert to your natural form when killed. A true seeing spell reveals your natural form. When using this ability to create a disguise, you receive a +10 circumstance bonus on Disguise checks. Using this ability is a full-round action. You may not activate this ability inside an Antimagic Field; however, if it is already active it remains so if you succeed on a DC 15 fortitude save.
Special: This feat is a supernatural ability.


Adamantium Infusion [Arellus]
By assimilating a piece of adamantium, you have gained its resilience.
Prerequisite: Arellus, Form Weapon racial ability, Con 15+
Benefit: Weapons, armor, and shields formed by you gain all the benefits of Adamantium equipment: damage reduction, item hp, hardness penetration, et cetera, even if they may not normally be made of that material. Shields do not grant DR, however, they are treated as adamantium weapons when making a shield bash. You are permanently susceptible to Heat Metal, and other spells that effect metal. Altering your armor with this feat breaks a druid’s oath, thus druids can only gain these benefits on weapons. This ability still functions inside an Antimagic Field.
Special: This also affects any natural weapons you may possess. Also, if you are a member of the Green Star Adept prestige class, adamantium is replaced with starmetal, granting weapons and shields an additional +1d6 damage against extraplanar creatures while on the Material Plane.


Thoughts, everyone?

Jester of Doom
2012-08-31, 12:48 PM
This post is reserved in case I ever make a paragon class, racial substitution levels, or any racial presitge classes.

Admiral Squish
2012-08-31, 01:35 PM
Definitely a cool idea. I would suggest taking a look at my changeling warshape (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=239838)r PrC to see if you can get any ideas out of it.

I suppose the biggest issue in my mind is how does this look? The weapon grows from your body, yes, but as a swift action? It takes you less than a second to grow any weapon you choose, no matter how big or complicated? Do your limbs become the weapon, or does it burst from your chest fully formed, or does it grow out of your palm? Overall, in my mind, it seems like the actionm is too quick to really grow a full-sized weapon out of your body.

Secondly is the issue of scaling. Beyond their ability to be armed, the race itself is pretty sub-par. They get a couple extra penalties (I'd suggest making that con penalty in antimagic a -2, you never modify abilities by 1) and a a bonus feat from a limited list. And while the weapon thing is cool, mechanically, it can only ever be equal or lesser than what you could get normally. Granted, it offers a bit of extra versatility in the face of certain foes with unusual DR, and it does prevent you from having your weapon stolen/confiscated/lost/broken, but under normal operating conditions, it's the same as any other weapon. The only way this race becomes greater than breaking even is through getting a lot of racial feats.

On the subject of your wings feat. I think the maneuverability should probably be poor or even clumsy. They can grow the wings, but they don't have any of the instincts to accompany their use.

Jester of Doom
2012-08-31, 02:15 PM
Definitely a cool idea. I would suggest
I suppose the biggest issue in my mind is how does this look?

The weapon is not directly attached to your arm, it is simply a chitinous organic weapon dependent opun your life force. As for where it is formed, it can really come out anywhere, sliding out of your arm, "drawing" it from your hip, whatever. The speed was mostly a game-mechanical choice, but their supernatural nature is enough that I can see such a change occuring that quickly. (Think quickened polymorph.)


Secondly is the issue of scaling. Beyond their ability to be armed, the race itself is pretty sub-par.

Think they would be balanced with +4 Con?

Also, I went with average maneuverability for the wings feat because a simmilar feat in Lords of Madness also used average maneuverability.

Steward
2012-08-31, 03:17 PM
I like the weapon description too. I've always felt that aberrant power should always be uncomfortable to observe in some way. Maybe different individuals could manifest their weapons in different ways; one guy's hand might slough off to reveal a blunted club, while another guy might puke up shuriken. One arellu can reach into his stomach and pull out an entire spear while another peels back his skin to reveal a longsword.

Burnheart
2012-08-31, 03:48 PM
Interesting concept but i see a few issues:

•+2 Con, -2 Int, -2 Cha: Inhumanly durable, the Arellus’ mental capabilities are hideously mangled.

This gives them the Half Orc problem, Half orcs being the only core race to have a -2 total stat modifers, i would bump the Con bonus to +4.

•-2 on all Will saves: They are extremely weak to mental domination.

You use Will saves for more than just resisting mental domination so i suggest changing it to a -2 penalty against Compulsion effects only.

•Antimagic Vulnerability: -2 Con in Antimagic Field. Hit point loss from this effect can kill you.

This ability? I would scrap completely, most people who play this race will do so to play a warrior who creates his own weapons so an Antimagic Field will already be almost as bad for them as for a full caster, there's no need to make it so they risk dying by entering one. That being said if you do wish to keep it try changing it to, they take 2 points of Non Lethal damage per level upon entering.

Empedocles
2012-08-31, 04:29 PM
Past...level 3ish (depending on the campaign, really) this race becomes worthless. Sure, I can have a nonmagical, nonmasterwork greatsword as a swift action, but my will save is -2, and I've got lower intelligence and charisma (which makes casting classes very difficult)...It's not really worth it.

Consider allowing the race to, once per day, create a masterwork weapon. Then, as they gain more HD it becomes +1, +2, and so on (follow the general progression of the soulknife, perhaps). To balance this out, consider making the penalties such that they will matter more at lower levels, when their natural weapon making ability also matters more. For example, they get less skill points at first level because they dedicate their time to mastering their weapon, or no 1st level feat. Remove the -2 on will saves...it's too much.

All that being said, this is an awesome concept thematically.

Jester of Doom
2012-08-31, 04:37 PM
This gives them the Half Orc problem, Half orcs being the only core race to have a -2 total stat modifers, i would bump the Con bonus to +4.I've been considering increasing the Con bonus. Done.


You use Will saves for more than just resisting mental domination so i suggest changing it to a -2 penalty against Compulsion effects only.You're right. I'll change it.


This ability? I would scrap completely, most people who play this race will do so to play a warrior who creates his own weapons so an Antimagic Field will already be almost as bad for them as for a full caster, there's no need to make it so they risk dying by entering one. That being said if you do wish to keep it try changing it to, they take 2 points of Non Lethal damage per level upon entering. I decided to change it to a penalty to Fortitude saves, thats more what I had origionall had in mind anyway, and not quite as likely to come into play.


Past...level 3ish (depending on the campaign, really) this race becomes worthless. Sure, I can have a nonmagical, nonmasterwork greatsword as a swift action, but my will save is -2, and I've got lower intelligence and charisma (which makes casting classes very difficult)...It's not really worth it.Check the feats, one of them lets you enchant your weapons w/EXP.

Empedocles
2012-08-31, 04:53 PM
Check the feats, one of them lets you enchant your weapons w/EXP.

With EXP? :smallconfused: That sounds....not worth it.

Jester of Doom
2012-08-31, 05:32 PM
With EXP? :smallconfused: That sounds....not worth it.

In 3.5, you gain more EXP if you are lower level than the rest of the party, making it difficult to fall more than a level behind. Can still hurt, though.

bobthe6th
2012-08-31, 07:24 PM
should offer a gold cost in place of the XP cost... so spend 120 XP or 1200 gp, or 600 gp. I don't know.

DaedalusMkV
2012-08-31, 07:26 PM
In 3.5, you gain more EXP if you are lower level than the rest of the party, making it difficult to fall more than a level behind. Can still hurt, though.

On that front... You can switch your Enhancements around as a Swift action by reabsorbing and recreating the weapon, right? With no XP cost? That's... Really a huge deal. Like, gigantic. No matter what you're fighting, as long as you spent just under 2000 XP a while back your weapon is always a +1 Them-bane Their-alignment-hurting weapon of the appropriate type and material to overcome their DR. It gets worse as time goes on; say a level 15 Arellus is fighting a Demon. How does +1 Holy Chaotic Outsider-Bane Evil Outsider-bane keen sound? 6d6 free damage! Half-Orc? Humanbane Orcbane! Half-fiend Changeling? Humanbane Shapeshifterbane Evil Outsiderbane Native Outsiderbane. Is he a wizard? Arcanist-bane for 10d6 free damage and a +11 equivalent weapon. That's really good for a racial ability, far outstripping what most classes get. I'd suggest that enchanting and re-enchanting should probably take at least a full-round action, and preferably a more than that, though reshaping the weapon into a different type should be fine. It's switching the enchantments on the fly that causes problems, and a Swift action is no bar to basically free switching.

Also, what happens to enchanted weapons that leave your grasp? Do they turn to mush and cease existing like normal weapons? Do you get your XP back in this case or is it gone? By the same token, what happens if you fail the Fort save to store an enchanted weapon? Is it gone? 'Cause that's going to cause problems.

Finally, what action does transferring the enchantment take? Because if it's a Free action, you can have silliness like Full Attacking with two formed Short Swords and transferring a single Enchantment between them between each weapon's attacks to circumvent the restrictions and costs of dual-wielding.

Jester of Doom
2012-09-01, 01:27 PM
I may have to clarify this in the feat, but you can't just change your enchantment on the fly. You can change your weapon on the fly but if you want to change from using a +1 flaming greatsword to using a +1 holy greatsword, you'll have to pay EXP because you are adding new enchantments. I think it's a little clearer worded like this: you buy a set of enchantments whose total does not exeed the +X bonus for your level. You may place these enchantments on any applicable weapon/armor you form, at the time that you form it, but you "learn" these enchanments permanently, and can apply them to any weapon/armor you form so long as you have no more than 1 item with these enchanments at a time. You cannot just "trade-in" +1 flaming for +1 holy with no cost; if you want a holy weapon, you will have to pay EXP to get one, as you have not yet "learned" that enchantment. So yes, you could get a set of enchantments for every enemy, just like how anyone can get a magic weapon for every situation, but it takes a high cost in EXP, (and you are never allowed to pay enough EXP to go down a level in 3.5) just as a sword for every situation has a high cost in GP.

ArkenBrony
2012-09-02, 11:10 PM
i really like this race, it has a nice flavor to it, is well made, and would be great for making a balor-like character, great job! i would happily make something for it for you, cause i could easily be inspired by this

Raiki
2012-09-03, 05:14 PM
Okay, weighing in on the side of reason here. A +4 con is not the equivalent of -2 Int and -2 Cha.

And unless the post has been heavily edited since the comments talking about how useless it is, people are just being crazy. As an abberation, they have (very powerful) additional options when being targeted by any of the polymorph-line spells, as well as complete immunity "X Person" spells. Additionally, the shapechanger subtype makes them immune to harmful Polymorph abilities.

These 2 things combined more than compensate for the -2 net stat modifiers.


Edit: Also, can I assume that you're a fan of the Prototype games? :smalltongue:

~R~

Thump
2012-09-04, 08:35 PM
How would the ability to create his own weapons and armor conflict with Vow of Poverty?

Jester of Doom
2012-09-05, 02:04 PM
Okay, weighing in on the side of reason here. A +4 con is not the equivalent of -2 Int and -2 Cha.

And unless the post has been heavily edited since the comments talking about how useless it is, people are just being crazy. As an abberation, they have (very powerful) additional options when being targeted by any of the polymorph-line spells, as well as complete immunity "X Person" spells. Additionally, the shapechanger subtype makes them immune to harmful Polymorph abilities.

These 2 things combined more than compensate for the -2 net stat modifiers.

The philosophy I origionally made this race under. Also, I came up with the idea long before I ever played prototype, but I did like the game.

@Thump: It breaks vow of poverty because those two feats together would be an unstoppable combination.

Thump
2012-09-05, 08:57 PM
Okay, weighing in on the side of reason here. A +4 con is not the equivalent of -2 Int and -2 Cha.

And unless the post has been heavily edited since the comments talking about how useless it is, people are just being crazy. As an abberation, they have (very powerful) additional options when being targeted by any of the polymorph-line spells, as well as complete immunity "X Person" spells. Additionally, the shapechanger subtype makes them immune to harmful Polymorph abilities.

These 2 things combined more than compensate for the -2 net stat modifiers.


Edit: Also, can I assume that you're a fan of the Prototype games? :smalltongue:

~R~
Actually, if you took a look at the Warforged, you'd notice that this would be somewhat par for the course. The Warforged has FAR more immunities, and it's own innate weaknesses (half HP restored from cure spells, vulnerability to rare and almost never-used spells), that are slightly less crippling. It also has racial feats and it's own prestige classes, like other races. This race may be able to make it's own weapons, but they're nonmagical and nonmasterwork without a feat, and it costs XP to get magical weapons unless you go to the trouble of buying them. Mind you, the flexibility of some of the feats is a bit questionable, but it's still balanced IMO. Certainly more powerful than most races in core, but it's workable while still being an LA +0, albeit a strong one. I would say if it's weapons were masterwork by default, that would push it to LA +1, but it's fine as so:

+4 STR, -2 INT and CHA, -2 to Fort saves while in AMF, -2 to Will saves vs compulsion (-2 vs all will saves is crippling, you may as well have a -6 to Wisdom) and the other regular features, with the exception of taking out the bonus racial feat.

Would that balance it?

Noctis Vigil
2012-09-06, 05:57 PM
I would make racial stats +2 Str +2 Con -2 Int -2 Cha. For a race that can control its body the way these guys do, the bonus to Str seems justified, especially since they're supposed to be warriors.

I also say that a flat -2 to all Will saves is a deal breaker. This makes the class just too weak to be useful at all. I mean, look at how many spells have Will saves. Yes, he's immune to a hefty portion because he's an aberration, but still.

Also, as this is a race you state is psionic/psionically created, I'd make it a weakness to antipsionic fields, but that's just me.

All in all, I love the idea. It's pretty cool. I'll probably use it at some point.

Waargh!
2012-09-06, 06:35 PM
So I would need to balance the feat expense and exp expense to the gold expense of buying an actual weapon to figure out if this class is balanced. This is not the best of practices. Just re-use the standard ancestral weapon feat with adding the option for versality, which is the only real gain.

I agree on Raiki on the will save penalty. And with the personality description it is kind of hard not to put a penalty. For the stats just add a few skill bonuses to compensate the ability penalties.

SanusCompleo
2012-09-07, 07:12 AM
I really really like this race, and it just begs to be a Warblade Kensai. EXP costs everywhere. I wonder if a thorough readthrough of the rules would even allow the Kensai to mesh well with this. Anyhow;

Don't make it as sets, make it as categories, and allow the mixing and matching (May require some additional penalties because dang). I'm giddy as anything with there being no limit to how many enhancements you can learn either. But what I mean by categories---well, the foundation is already there.

Arellus1 is level 9, so it can learn up to +3 enchantments, so it has to buy the +3 (Actual enchantment level) all by itself, and it learns flaming, holy, keen, and bane (Which should be able to interchange because yes yes yes), meaning it's longsword can be +1 keen holy, or +1 flaming orcbane, or +1 flaming holy.

This would be very good. Maybe a +2 LA? I'd take a +2 LA for all this, though the experience cost is a pretty good offset on it's own.

EDIT: Some things I noticed:
- There are a lot of grammatical/spelling errors, as well as a few capitalization issues. You'll have to comb through it, there are a few.
- There's no age/height/weight, but they are suggested in the first post.
- Very little incentive to go the Psy Warrior route. It's entirely doable, but honestly I wouldn't have much want to. Like I said before, I'd grab a level of warblade, something to get me to 4 BaB (Like 4 in fighter, with Weapon Focus and Specialization, using Warblade to make it to apply to whatever I wanted to fight with that day), grab Kensai to 15, and then cap it off with another 4 warblade.

I don't even -like- Tome of Battle.

Also I actually think the -2 to all will saves is perfect for this. I'd happily play it.

Wonder if 16,000 exp is a good price to pay for an effective +20 weapon? May just be for a weapon of that kind, unless warblade's weapon aptitude can swap things around? Or hell, just make all weapons Aptitude. Dear god.




Aptitude is a far more superior route than Warblade---but only if these count as natural weapons, which I'd think that they likely would. For all of this... I'd probably have just a nice, straight 6 Fighter/10 Kensai/4 ??? (Maybe more Fighter for more feats?)

Even without this, Aptitude Weapon and Kensai are very good. You can make a weapon (or double weapons) signature, and give them Aptitude, and suddenly you're doing all the nice things you can do with other weapons, like Lightning Maces, or even Stunning Fist (And Superior Unarmed Strike/Improved Natural Attack might even work, I'm not quite certain), but if these count as natural weapons, suddenly Kensai and the Form Enchantment ability allow you to do all these things with any weapon ever, the only restriction being you need to have seen it before.

Snap Kick + Rapid Shot on your TWF attacks? You betcha.
Lightning Maces + Stunning Fist with your splitting bow? Yep.
Put keen on EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING EVER.
Grab an Exotic Weapon feat, and Fighter, and you're proficient with all weapons and armor ever printed, thanks to the Aptitude enchantment that you put on everything. Aptitude and Keen right off are what should be put on everything. With Kensai, feel free to stack every +1 you've ever read on any given weapon, and toss it away like it's nothing, just to reform as a swift action another weapon. Two swift actions, and you have two weapons. It's too much, really. (Which is why I'm in love with it.)


(Edit)
(Wrong about Lightning Mace, I blame being awake too long, but still)
More to it:

Here's what I'd do as far as feats go: 1st: Weapon Focus, Power Attack, {Adaption: Claws} 2nd {Form Armor}, 3rd {Form Enhancement}, 4th Improved Unarmed Strike, 6th Boomerang Daze, Stunning Fist, 9th, {Adaption: Reach} 12th {Adaption: Wings}, 15th Snap Kick, 17th Free 18th Free, 20th Free.

This is just Fighter 10/Kensai 10, and implying the rather reasonable logical jump that these weapons are natural weapons. No flaws here, but with them you could grab things like Superior Unarmed Strike, Improved Natural Attack, or Crossbow Sniper (Yes. It would work if your weapon focus was in a crossbow, which would apply to all of your weapons as of level 7), on top of your +20 various enhancements. Find a way to make your body an adamantine Legacy Weapon, and you have another +5. Use the last 4 levels for Legacy Champion instead of Fighter to increase Kensai's bonuses by logical progression for 3 more levels, or even cut out some of the Kensai for Disciple of Dispater, Two Weapon Fighting, and the ever-classic Lightning Mace Kukri combo.

I like this race for a weapon master build. I really do.

Final EDIT: Also warshaper could be very fun. Very fun indeed. Maybe find a feat to allow tentacles to hold onto weapons, and suddenly you have a thousand tentacled beast that holds a thousand +20~ swords that threatens 15 feet around him in all directions because he's flying.

Now he is truly an abberation.

Real Final EDIT:

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d73/movingmychair/Flying_Spaghetti_Monster.jpg