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Manly Man
2014-09-29, 02:16 AM
A GIANT WOMAN. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI0gcYSeuIs)

So, something I noticed when I first started watching Steven Universe is how many parallels I managed to draw between the abilities exercised by the Gems and the psionics subsystem, especially with the rewrite that DSP did (which I adore, by the way, just sayin'), and I've wanted to figure out a way to make them into a playable psionic race. The majority of it was easy enough, but the biggest issue is how to emulate their ability to fuse without just giving them fusion (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/psionic-powers/f/fusion) as a psi-like ability, which is not only ridiculous (an 8th-level power as a racial ability? No way!), but it also doesn't capture the same feel. For their abilities, I figured to build them almost like a psionic aasimar, and so I ended up with something like this, which I've put up as a suggestion in the Steven Universe thread on Media Discussion:

Outsider (Native)
+2 Con, +2 Int, -2 Cha
Wild Talent as a bonus feat
Call weaponry as an at-will psi-like ability (only one particular weapon per Gem, chosen at character creation)

The ability they have to fuse together, though, is the tough part, since there would be so many problems with it being true to the show and balanced for a character race at the same time. A friend and I have discussed it a bit, and what we've come up with so far is that it takes a full-round action for the both of them to do, they need to make a skill check, though I'm unsure about whether it should be Autohypnosis or Perform (dance), if you have a look at their rituals, and it has to total to a certain amount. The size of their fused form is dependent on their HD; if their total HD, combined together, would be less than 8, then their fusion is Medium, 8-15 is Large, and 16+ is Huge. Those numbers are ones I made myself, but they seem to be fair enough.

In the show, Pearl gives the explanation that fused gems are like water; they're not just hydrogen and oxygen smooshed together. Because of that, the idea comes to mind that they don't just have two minds sharing one brain, they end up making an entirely new psyche that is very much aware of the fact that it only comes into being when two Gems fuse. Because the fused being is neither of the two parts, but is in fact something more, it seems fair that the DM then controls the new character. On top of that, an ability like this shouldn't be usable 1/day, even if it's breaking the lore (Amethyst and Pearl make two attempts in one day), and so I figure to make it 1/week.

Apart from all that, largely, it seems okay to make it function like the fusion power, but I'd really like the takes of everyone else on top of that, especially if there are any details I'm missing.

Manly Man
2014-11-06, 03:55 AM
Having given the fusion ability more thought, I'm thinking it should be something like this.

'Gem Fusion (Su): What is perhaps the most potent ability of the gem race is the power to fuse together. To activate this ability, two allied gems who are within reach of each other and are in a state of psionic focus may, once per day, make a skill check as a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity for both gems. If they choose Autohypnosis, the DC is equal to the sum of their HD+5. If they choose Perform (dance), the DC is equal to the sum of their HD. Both gems must succeed on this skill check, or else both of their turns are wasted, though they may try again as many rounds later as the DC; the fusion attempt is not used up until a fusion is successful. Regardless of however many other gems there are, any single gem may only fuse once per day, i.e. one gem who has fused with a second gem may not make a fusion attempt with a third gem later, even if the third gem has not fused with another that day, and so forth. The fused gems may not fuse with another gem while in their fused form.

Once fused, the gems create a new psyche entirely. The alignment of the fused gem is decided upon by the gems who fuse together. Control of the fused gem is relinquished to the GM for as long as the gems are fused together, thereby making the fusion an NPC. The body to house the fused mind is an amalgamation of both gems' traits, such as eye, hair, or skin color and such. The size of the body is determined by the sum of their HD, anything less than 8 means the fused gem is Medium, 8-15 makes a Large gem, and a total of 16 or higher results in a Huge gem. The fused gem's maximum hit points are the sum of the two gems' involved in the fusion, the current hit points being determined the same way. As well, the fused gem's power points, both maximum and current, are the sum amount of the two gems' who fused. Total HD does not matter, the HD being that of the one with the highest HD. The fused gem knows all of the powers of both gems, using the manifester level of whichever gem's is highest. Should both gems have the same manifester level, then the fused gem's manifester level is that of either gem +1; this does not grant any more powers known, nor does it affect what level of powers they may learn, only how many power points the fused gem may use when manifesting any single power.

Ability scores, BAB, and saves are all overlapped, using whichever base numbers are better between the two gems, modifiers being applied afterward, including what size modifiers may come from their fusion. The class skills of the fused gem are all that either of the original gems have, and skill points are determined by using the progression of whichever gem's was highest, and the points are to be arranged using the limits of the gem with the highest HD. The fused gem is proficient with whatever weapons and armor that either of the gems were. The fused gem's feats are not the combined feats of the two gems that made it. The number of feats available for the fused gem is determined by using the HD of the gem whose is highest, who also gets to choose the first feat. Bonus feats from class features, such as a psychic warrior's combat or psionic feats, are available to use, but only those granted by the class or classes of the gem with the higher HD, and if both gems are of the same HD, then the bonus feats from both gems are available for use. The fused gem must still qualify for all of the feats it takes, including bonus feats, unless they were granted by a class ability that says otherwise. All other class abilities are shared, so long as there is nothing to counteract them, in which case the concerned abilities are considered null and void while fused. The fused gem retains its call weaponry psi-like ability, though it must choose another weapon upon the first fusion, decided upon by the two gems. Once made, this decision may not be changed.

When fusing, the choice of which possessions remain on the fused gem's person goes to the gem with the highest HD. If they are of the same HD, then they agree on what goes where. Whatever the case, the items that are not to stay on their person merge with the body, and upon separation, the items are restored.

Damage taken by the fused gem is split evenly between the two gems upon separation. Neither of the gems fused together leave their state of fusion with more hit points than they entered it with, regardless of any healing that may have been done while fused. Remaining power points are divided evenly, and though the gems may leave the fusion with more power points than they had before fusing, they may not exceed their normal maximum limit, and should there be an odd number of power points, the extra point is lost. Ability damage, ability burn, ability drain, and negative levels are all divided between the two gems evenly, any extra going to the gem with higher HD if the number is odd.

To separate of their own accord, the two gems must each make an Autohypnosis check with a DC equal to their combined HD+5. If they both succeed, then they separate normally, expelling 10 ft. in opposite directions from the point where the fused gem stood. In a cramped space, the two gems are forced in astral form through the barriers of their confined space until they reach an open area that will fit them, taking 1d6 damage for every 10 ft. of the barrier they travel through. If only one of the gems succeeds, they do not separate, and they must wait until the next round to try again, albeit with -1 to the DC, which stacks with each attempt. If both gems fail the check, then they must wait one round before trying again, with a +1 DC to the skill check. A fused gem may also separate if it takes half or more of its current hit points in a single blow, and if the two gems who fused wish to stay together, the fused gem makes a Fortitude save with a DC equal to the BAB+Str or Dex modifier of its assailant, the fused gem separating as normal. Finally a fused gem separates upon death, the bodies of both gems separating as normal, and they are dead as well.

Once two particular gems fuse and the fused gem is generated, all choices made for the gem are permanent. When the two gems fuse, it will always be into the same gem they had created upon their first fusion, the fused gem's abilities, skills, and feats scaling appropriately if the gems gain levels. While the gems are separate, the psyche of the fused gem resides in dormancy on the Astral Plane, appearing as a translucent, still image of its physical form. It cannot be interacted with by any outside force, though it cannot interact either, but it can think to itself while dormant.'

Thoughts?