Baron Corm
2008-04-18, 10:11 PM
I was excited when I first heard about the changeling race. Then I saw what it gave... +10 to disguise checks. Completely different from what I thought changelings had; the ability to change. Also rather underpowered. I present a revised version, called the morphling to differentiate the flavor. The morph point costs and level adjustment could probably use some help.
Morphling
Morphlings, in their natural form, resemble a mishmosh of the creatures they change into most often. They have no natural genders, and can reproduce only by changing into a reproductive creature. They always produce morphlings in this way (or half-morphlings, if reproducing with another creature). Morphlings are laid in eggs, regardless of the current form of the mother, and appear to be nothing more than an ooze before becoming familiar with a few forms.
- Medium
- 30 ft. land speed
- Ooze (possibly Aberration)
- Cosmetic Morphing (Su): A morphling can morph into any creature or object it is familiar with. The morphling can make only superficial or fundamental changes with this ability. This ability grants a +10 bonus to Disguise checks to appear as a creature or object of the given form, with an additional +1 bonus per 2 HD. The morphling is treated as the creature type of that creature (or as a construct if changing into an object). However, the morphling becomes restricted by the creature or object's physical form (i.e., if it can't talk, the morphling can't). Cosmetic Morphing is activated with a full-round action, but can be activated in the same action as any number of power morphs.
- Power Morphing (Su): A morphling has a pool of "morph points" which it can use to morph itself in other ways than changing into creatures. It gets one morph point per HD. These morph points can be gained back at any time by dismissing the abilities they were used for. Any number of morph points may be spent or gained back in a single full-round action. Power Morphing combined with Cosmetic Morphing can help a morphling to actually become a member of a different species.
Abilities in italics cause the morphling to lose its Constitution score, become immune to effects which offer Fortitude saves (unless they also target objects), and become susceptible to effects which target objects. The morphling must change his type to Undead or Construct to use these abilities.
{table="head"]Ability|Morph Points
Increase or Decrease Ability Score 1 point|4 per
Increase or Decrease Natural Armor 1 point|4 per
Increase or Decrease Skill 1 point|4 per
Increase or Decrease Size 1 Category|5 per
Increase or Decrease Land or Swim Speed 5 feet|2 per
Increase or Decrease Fly or Burrow Speed 5 feet|3 per
Gain Swim, Fly, or Burrow Speed 20 feet|5 per
Gain Immunity to Mind-Affecting|12
Gain Immunity to Critical Hits|12
Gain Immunity to Poison or Disease|5 per
Gain Immunity to Paralysis or Stunning|3 per
Gain Immunity to Death Effects or Energy Drain|7 per
Gain Immunity to Ability Damage|8
Gain Immunity to Ability Drain (and damage)|11
Gain Resistance to Energy Type 1|1 per
Gain Damage Reduction 1/-|5 per
Gain Functional Extra Limb|9 per
Gain Natural Attack (1d6 damage)|5 per
Upgrade Damage Die of Natural Attack|2 per
Lose Need for Sleep (trance required for spellcasters)|3
Lose Need for Eating|7
Lose Need for Breathing|10
Communicate with Members of Cosmetic Morph Species|1
Gain (Ex) Ability of Cosmetic Morph|Ask DM[/table]
- Languages Known: Common. Bonus Languages: Any.
- Favored Class: Any.
- Level Adjustment: +2.
Half-Morphling
The result of a morphling breeding with another member of the species of its cosmetic morph. Half-morphlings are much more common than full-blooded morphlings. A half-gnome half-morphling is presented below.
- +2 Constitution -2 Strength
- Small
- 20 ft land speed.
- +1 saving throws vs. illusions
- +1 bonus to Listen checks
- Cosmetic Morphing, except it's a flat +10 bonus to Disguise instead of 10 + 1/2 HD.
- Power Morphing, except morph points are gained at a rate of 1 per 2 HD.
- Languages Known: Common and Gnome. Bonus Languages: Any.
- Favored class: Any
- LA +0
Morphling
Morphlings, in their natural form, resemble a mishmosh of the creatures they change into most often. They have no natural genders, and can reproduce only by changing into a reproductive creature. They always produce morphlings in this way (or half-morphlings, if reproducing with another creature). Morphlings are laid in eggs, regardless of the current form of the mother, and appear to be nothing more than an ooze before becoming familiar with a few forms.
- Medium
- 30 ft. land speed
- Ooze (possibly Aberration)
- Cosmetic Morphing (Su): A morphling can morph into any creature or object it is familiar with. The morphling can make only superficial or fundamental changes with this ability. This ability grants a +10 bonus to Disguise checks to appear as a creature or object of the given form, with an additional +1 bonus per 2 HD. The morphling is treated as the creature type of that creature (or as a construct if changing into an object). However, the morphling becomes restricted by the creature or object's physical form (i.e., if it can't talk, the morphling can't). Cosmetic Morphing is activated with a full-round action, but can be activated in the same action as any number of power morphs.
- Power Morphing (Su): A morphling has a pool of "morph points" which it can use to morph itself in other ways than changing into creatures. It gets one morph point per HD. These morph points can be gained back at any time by dismissing the abilities they were used for. Any number of morph points may be spent or gained back in a single full-round action. Power Morphing combined with Cosmetic Morphing can help a morphling to actually become a member of a different species.
Abilities in italics cause the morphling to lose its Constitution score, become immune to effects which offer Fortitude saves (unless they also target objects), and become susceptible to effects which target objects. The morphling must change his type to Undead or Construct to use these abilities.
{table="head"]Ability|Morph Points
Increase or Decrease Ability Score 1 point|4 per
Increase or Decrease Natural Armor 1 point|4 per
Increase or Decrease Skill 1 point|4 per
Increase or Decrease Size 1 Category|5 per
Increase or Decrease Land or Swim Speed 5 feet|2 per
Increase or Decrease Fly or Burrow Speed 5 feet|3 per
Gain Swim, Fly, or Burrow Speed 20 feet|5 per
Gain Immunity to Mind-Affecting|12
Gain Immunity to Critical Hits|12
Gain Immunity to Poison or Disease|5 per
Gain Immunity to Paralysis or Stunning|3 per
Gain Immunity to Death Effects or Energy Drain|7 per
Gain Immunity to Ability Damage|8
Gain Immunity to Ability Drain (and damage)|11
Gain Resistance to Energy Type 1|1 per
Gain Damage Reduction 1/-|5 per
Gain Functional Extra Limb|9 per
Gain Natural Attack (1d6 damage)|5 per
Upgrade Damage Die of Natural Attack|2 per
Lose Need for Sleep (trance required for spellcasters)|3
Lose Need for Eating|7
Lose Need for Breathing|10
Communicate with Members of Cosmetic Morph Species|1
Gain (Ex) Ability of Cosmetic Morph|Ask DM[/table]
- Languages Known: Common. Bonus Languages: Any.
- Favored Class: Any.
- Level Adjustment: +2.
Half-Morphling
The result of a morphling breeding with another member of the species of its cosmetic morph. Half-morphlings are much more common than full-blooded morphlings. A half-gnome half-morphling is presented below.
- +2 Constitution -2 Strength
- Small
- 20 ft land speed.
- +1 saving throws vs. illusions
- +1 bonus to Listen checks
- Cosmetic Morphing, except it's a flat +10 bonus to Disguise instead of 10 + 1/2 HD.
- Power Morphing, except morph points are gained at a rate of 1 per 2 HD.
- Languages Known: Common and Gnome. Bonus Languages: Any.
- Favored class: Any
- LA +0