FMArthur
2008-09-13, 10:52 PM
There's always something subtly amusing about roleplaying a roleplayer. The challenge is that you're roleplaying someone who roleplays better than you.
The Chameleon
Introduction
A chameleon is a person with a born talent for mimicry and a passion for learning of, imitating and becoming the heroes in the world around them. Chameleons' area of expertise changes often, taking on one role at a time. Because of this, they can be considered versatile in a very general sort of way, but because of their weaker abilities they are functionally less versatile than other classes at any one moment.
Their talent for imitation is taxing and complex, but strangely does not require exceptional mental abilities; savant-like chameleons exist where in their normal state they might possess mental deficiencies, but appear to grow smarter, wiser or more charismatic when imitating. Most chameleons are at least detachedly aware that they are imitating and often much more than that, but usually act and feel as if they have been taken over by the role. By nature, a chameleon's abilities lend themselves well to disguise and trickery, but they pursue the path of the chameleon out of a passion for imitation rather than a desire to deceive or take advantage of others. A chameleon who has come to know himself knows that his life's purpose is to see it all, to witness the world from every set of eyes.
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/ex_magelord.jpg
Pictured above: Dornus the human wizard, AKA Torgo the orc barbarian, AKA Ezeala the elf ranger, AKA Traia, the changeling chameleon.
Making a Chameleon
Why Choose Chameleon?
The chameleon is designed around the idea of altering its major class features to temporarily emulate other classes, choosing the best one for each situation. While chameleons can't ever reach the same level of skill as the classes they emulate, the fact that they can, with sufficient preparation, always have the skillset that is most advantageous for any given situation means that they will consistently be useful even when circumstances change dramatically. The chameleon possesses arcane spellcasting, divine spellcasting, melee combat power, sneaking skill and hunting prowess as its main class features to switch around, as well as changeable feats and some limited extra abilities that are usable any time. Chameleons can only focus on fulfilling one role at a time (or two at higher levels), so if you came here looking for a class able to do anything at any time then the factotum class (Dungeonscape), with its weaker but always-on abilities, will be of more use to you.
The chameleon is primarily a class for players who frequently want to change their character and party role - if you get bored quickly with a fixed role and start making new characters before your current one is even in danger, then this class is for you. The chameleon is also a good choice for players wanting to join parties that are missing two or more important party roles, filling in gaps where needed, and is also a good choice for joining parties that already have a well-rounded composition because it can always give a helping hand where one is needed. Chameleons underperform in parties in need of a single specific role, since they will need to stay in that role for extended periods and a class more specialized for it will undoubtedly be more helpful.
Party Role
The entire focus of the chameleon class is to have a variable role in a party. A chameleon is usually a substitute for a role that, ideally, the party is in need of, and this can change dramatically depending on the situation and the chameleon. The chameleon's lack of well-focused training means that he can't ever fully replace the roles he plays and thus can never be as good in a role as those who are specialized for it.
Races
Most chameleons are humans, whose adaptability already enables them to spread out amongst all kinds of classes. Changelings (MMIII), the product of human/doppelganger unions, are perhaps even more well-suited to the chameleon class, being shape-changing roleplayers by nature, but are far fewer in number than humans. Doppelgangers themselves are generally less interested in the class than in manipulating others and so pursue the difficult chameleon class rarely and half-heartedly. Other races are known to have chameleons in them, but humans and changelings tend to make up the bulk of them.
Alignment
A chameleon is not always a devotee of deception, despite how well its abilities suit trickery and disguise (generally chaotic actions), because some do not assume other identities, or don't do so for their own profit and amusement. They are often highly valued for their versatility by authorities and organizations, and obediance, discipline and dedication are concepts drilled into agents trained by such institutions. Rarely will a chameleon be neutral with regard to law and chaos, but they usually take a neutral stance on good and evil, since their roleplaying makes them reluctant to adopt any one society's set of morals.
Adventures
Chameleons are usually found and employed as mercenaries in the world. While many openly advertise their real talents, more chameleons keep their imitation abilities to themselves and their comrades and sometimes as an "open secret" to fellow members of mercenary communities, leaving organizers and employers out of the loop. Powerful organizations are also known to recruit and train groups of chameleons as small strike forces, being useful as assassins, spies and general odd-jobbers that can be set on virtually any task. These strike forces have such a reputation for resourcefulness and cunning that they can be powerful tools of fear for governments. Organization-based chameleons and mercenary-based chameleons despise one another, generally representing Lawful and Chaotic alignments in opposition. Upon meeting, they are quick to make snide remarks about the other and often escalate arguments into a fight.
Other Classes
As a result of their weaker abilities, chameleons often develop as the runts of adventuring groups, being viewed as unfocused talent by the intellectually inclined and too weak or slow by the martially inclined. While they make up the difference in their ability to suit any situation, their allies often look past that versatility to compare them to members of specialized classes in their strength at that one role. Generally classes whose abilities are not emulated by chameleons are better able to recognize them as the multi-talented people they are. Chameleons don't treat any particular classes differently, but may be secretly competitive with them.
Game Rule Information
Abilities
Strength augments a chameleon's physical (martial) power, Intelligence influences his ability to cast arcane spells and their effectiveness while Wisdom does the same for divine spells, and Constitution is important for survivability. Dexterity and Charisma are useful for various reasons and a chameleon can certainly make good use of them, but attack/spellcasting/survivability most often need to be taken care of first. After second level, chameleons have less need for concern over low stats thanks to Ability Boon's variable competence bonus. Given this, a chameleon is best off with balanced stats - even mediocre ones - between those needed for his roles, and boosting specific ones at the times when they are needed.
Basics
Starting Gold: 1d6 x 10 (35gp)
Starting items: Wizard's spellbook (100 pages) containing 8 0th-level arcane spells and [3 + Int] 1st-level arcane spells of your choice AND 8 0th-level divine spells and [3 + Wis] 1st-level divine spells of your choice.
Starting Age: as wizard
Hit Die: d8
Skill Points: 4 + Int (x4 at 1st level)
Class Skills: Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Profession (wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int).
Chameleon Progression
Class
LevelBase Attack
BonusFort
SaveRef
SaveWill
SaveSpecialAptitude
Bonus
1 +0 +0+0+0Aptitude Focus 1/day, Able Learner
+1
2 +1 +0+0+0Ability Boon + 2
+1
3 +2 +1+1+1Mimic Class Feature 1/day
+2
4 +3 +1+1+1Efficient Preparation
+2
5 +3 +1+1+1Flexible Feat (1)
+3
6 +4 +2+2+2Mimic Class Feature 2/day
+3
7 +5 +2+2+2Split Aptitude
+4
8 +6/+1 +2+2+2Aptitude Focus 2/day, Ability Boon +4
+4
9 +6/+1 +3+3+3Mimic Class Feature 3/day
+5
10+7/+2 +3+3+3Rapid Refocus
+5
11+8/+3 +3+3+3Primary Aptitude
+6
12+9/+4 +4+4+4Mimic Class Feature 4/day
+6
13+9/+4 +4+4+4Flexible Feat (2)
+7
14+10/+5 +4+4+4Aptitude Focus 3/day, Ability boon +6
+7
15+11/+6/+1 +5+5+5Mimic Class Feature 5/day
+8
16+12/+7/+2 +5+5+5Double Aptitude
+8
17+12/+7/+2 +5+5+5Dangerous Unpredictability
+9
18+13/+8/+3 +6+6+6Mimic Class Feature 6/day
+9
19+14/+9/+4 +6+6+6Ability Boon + 8
+10
20+15/+10/+5+6+6+6Aptitude Focus unlimited/day
+10
Spells Per Day & Maneuvers
Class
Level0th
Level1st
Level2nd
Level3rd
Level4th
Level5th
Level6th
Level7th
LevelManeuvers
ReadiedStances
Known
1 2 1 - - - - - - 3 1
2 2 2 - - - - - - 3 1
3 3 2 0 - - - - - 3 1
4 3 3 1 - - - - - 4 1
5 4 3 2 - - - - - 4 2
6 4 3 2 0 - - - - 4 2
7 4 4 3 1 - - - - 4 2
8 4 4 3 2 - - - - 4 2
9 4 4 3 2 0 - - - 4 2
10 4 4 4 3 1 - - - 5 2
11 4 4 4 3 2 - - - 5 2
12 4 4 4 3 2 0 - - 5 2
13 4 4 4 4 3 1 - - 5 2
14 4 4 4 4 3 2 - - 5 2
15 4 4 4 4 3 2 0 - 6 3
16 4 4 4 4 4 3 1 - 6 3
17 4 4 4 4 4 3 2 - 6 3
18 4 4 4 4 4 3 2 0 6 3
19 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 1 6 3
20 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 2 7 3
Class FeaturesWeapon and Armor Proficiency:
A chameleon is proficient with all simple weapons and with light armor, as well as most shields (just not tower shields).
Aptitude Focus:
A number of times per day depending on your chameleon level (see chart), you can focus yourself on one of the following areas of expertise and gain its abilities, losing any abilities from your previous Aptitude Focus. Aptitude Foci each give their own set of special abilities and give an 'Aptitude Bonus' to certain skills and abilities; your Aptitude Bonus is one half your chameleon level, rounded up and is always a competence bonus. The sum of your skill bonuses granted by Aptitude Foci and your ranks in that skill cannot exceed your character level +3 (this is relevant if you gain these skills in-class in some way).
The process of switching Aptitude Foci takes one hour, but the effect lasts until you change your Aptitude Focus again. You can use Aptitude Foci to qualify for prestige classes and feats, but if you change your current Aptitude Focus so that you no longer would meet the entry requirements of a prestige class, you lose all of that class's abilities except for its base attack bonus, saves, skill points and hit dice until you once again qualify for it. If you no longer meet the prerequisites of a feat, you lose all of its effects until you meet its prerequisites again.
Arcane Focus: You gain the ability to prepare and cast arcane spells from any single arcane spellcasting class's spell list (you may decide on a different one each time you change to Arcane Focus). You must choose and prepare your spells ahead of time by getting a good night's rest and then spending 1 hour studying your spellbook (the spells you prepare must be in your spellbook). At each new chameleon level, you add two arcane spells of any level you can cast to your spellbook, and you can add spells from scrolls and other sources to it just like a wizard can.
To prepare or cast a spell, you must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against your spells is 10 + the spell level + your Intelligence modifier, and your caster level is equal to your chameleon level. You may only prepare as many arcane spells as your chameleon level would indicate on the Spells Per Day & Maneuvers table, plus any that you might get for a high Intelligence score (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/theBasics.htm#tableAbilityModifiersandBonusSpells) . Additionally, you gain your Aptitude Bonus on Knowledge (arcana) checks and Will saves.
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Devotion Focus: You gain the ability to prepare and cast divine spells from any single divine spellcasting class's spell list (you may decide on a different one each time you change to Devotion Focus). Unlike most divine spellcasters, who know all of their spells, you must prepare your spells from a prayerbook, which can be the same book as your spellbook. You must choose and prepare your spells ahead of time by getting a good night's rest and spending 1 uninterrupted hour in quiet meditation with your prayerbook (the spells you prepare must be in your prayerbook). At each new chameleon level, you add two divine spells of any level you can cast to your prayerbook, and you can add spells from scrolls and other sources to it just like a wizard would, but with divine spells.
To prepare or cast a spell, you must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against your spells is 10 + the spell level + your Wisdom modifier, and your caster level is equal to your chameleon level. You may only prepare as many divine spells each day as your chameleon level would indicate on the Spells Per Day & Maneuvers table, plus any that you might get for a high Wisdom score (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/theBasics.htm#tableAbilityModifiersandBonusSpells) . Additionally, you gain your Aptitude Bonus on Knowledge (religion) checks, Fortitude saves and Will saves.
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Combat Focus: You gain proficiency with all martial weapons, medium armor, heavy armor and tower shields. Your Base Attack Bonus from chameleon levels improves to that of a fighter and you gain extra iterative attacks in your full attack routine correspondingly (giving you iterative attacks as your Base Attack Bonus reaches +6, +11 and +16, with -5, -10 and -15 penalties respectively). Additionally, you gain your Aptitude Bonus to your current and maximum hit points, Fortitude saves and the Intimidate, Balance and Ride skills as well as the following benefit:
Warrior's Feat: Each time you enter Combat Focus, you may select a Fighter Bonus Feat or Tactical Feat to gain temporarily, but you must meet its prerequisites. At 5th level, you can ignore certain prerequisites for this feat: skill ranks of up to your level +3, saves of up to 2 + half your level, ability score requirements, and any prerequisite feats that you would be able to select with this ability. You do not gain the use of any such prerequisite feats. At 10th level you gain another feat with prerequisites you meet, and at 15th this feat too may ignore those prerequisites.
Stealth Focus: You gain your Aptitude Bonus on all Dexterity- and Strength-based skills plus Disable Device and Search, as well as on Reflex saves. You also gain the following extraordinary abilities:
Uncanny Dodge: You can react to danger before your senses would normally allow you to do so. You retain your Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, you still lose your Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.
Trapfinding: You can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a Difficulty Class higher than 20. Finding a nonmagical trap has a DC of at least 20, or higher if it is well hidden. Finding a magic trap has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it. You can use the Disable Device skill to disarm magic traps; a magic trap generally has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it. Beating a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check means you can study a trap, figure out how it works and bypass it without disarming it.
Hide in Plain Sight: You can use the Hide skill even while being observed. As long as you are within 10 feet of an area of darkness, shadowy illumination, or some sort of cover, you can hide yourself from view in the open without anything to actually hide behind.
Poison Use: You never risk accidentally poisoning yourself when applying poison to weapons or using poisoned weapons.
Wild Focus: You gain your Aptitude Bonus on Climb, Handle Animal, Jump, Knowledge (nature), Listen, Spot and Survival checks as well as your Fortitude and Reflex saves. Additionally, you gain the following extraordinary abilities:
Blindsense: Using your hearing, you notice and locate creatures without Listen or Spot checks out to a short distance. Creatures you cannot see still have total concealment against you (giving you a 50% miss chance and losing your Dexterity bonus to AC against their attacks). The range of this ability is equal to 5ft plus your Aptitude Bonus in 5ft increments.
Blindsight: Using your hearing, you maintain full awareness of the area around you without using your sight. Concealment, invisibility, darkness, blindness and other purely visual impediments have no effect on you from within the range of this ability, which is half your blindsense range (rounded down to the nearest 5ft). You cannot use your blindsight to distinguish color or read.
Favored Enemy: At the start of each day, regardless of the current Aptitude Focus, you can select a creature type to be your Favored Enemy (you must select a subtype as well if you choose Humanoid or Outsider) for use in Wild Focus. In Wild Focus, you gain an insight bonus equal to your Aptitude Bonus on Bluff, Intimidate, Sense Motive and Survival checks against your favored enemies, and you also add 1 plus another 1 per four chameleon levels to weapon damage rolls against them. See the table on PHB p.47 for a list of common favored enemies you can choose. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/ranger.htm#tableRangerFavoredEnemies)
Track: you gain the benefits of the Track feat (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#track) (PHB p.101)
Woodland Stride: You may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas and similar terrain) at your normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment unless it has been magically manipulated to impede motion.
Martial Focus*: You gain proficiency with all martial weapons, Your Base Attack Bonus from chameleon levels improves to that of a fighter and you gain extra iterative attacks in your full attack routine correspondingly (gaining additional iterative attacks when your Base Attack Bonus reaches +6, +11 and +16 with -5, -10 and -15 penalties, respectively), and you add your Aptitude Bonus to Martial Lore skill checks and Reflex saves.
Choose a martial discipline; you gain the ability to ready/execute martial maneuvers and enter stances from that discipline, and your initiator level is equal to your chameleon level. Your momentary insight lets you temporarily learn as many maneuvers and stances from your chosen discipline as you can ready (see the Spells Per Day and Maneuvers table), but you cannot learn more than one of your maximum level maneuvers, two of the level below that, and three of the level below that (first level maneuvers are exempt from this limitation). You expend and recover your maneuvers in the same way a swordsage would: spend a full-round action to meditate and recover one expended maneuver, or five minutes to ready all of them. You begin all encounters with your current readied maneuvers unexpended.
*Martial Focus can be considered entirely optional and can be removed without consequence if your game does not include the Tome of Battle.
Able Learner (Ex):
Your cross-class skills only cost one skill point per rank, although they are still restricted by their normal maximum.
Ability Boon (Ex):
You gain a competence bonus to an ability score of your choice whenever you adopt an Aptitude Focus, and the bonus lasts for as long as you keep that Aptitude Focus. The bonus is +2 at 2nd level and improves to +4, +6 and +8 at levels 8, 14 and 19, respectively. You can use this ability to qualify for prestige classes or feats, but if you change this ability so that you would no longer qualify, you lose the benefits in the same manner you would with Aptitude Focus if used in this way.
Mimic Class Feature:
A number of times per day, shown on the class's chart, you can use the following abilities that would normally be exclusive to other classes. You may not use any of these to qualify for feats or prestige classes that require their normal versions, but you can still benefit from things that affect them as normal. Effects that grant extra uses of the normal versions of these features do not work with Mimic Class Feature (meaning things like Extra Smite, Extra Turning and Extra Rage would have no effect here).
Evasion (Ex): With a successful Reflex save against an attack that would normally deal half damage on a successful save, you can activate this ability to avoid the damage altogether as an immediate action. You can activate this ability after you have rolled a successful Reflex save, but before you have taken damage. This ability lasts for 1 minute.
Rage (Ex): Once per encounter during your turn, you may activate a Rage ability identical to that of a barbarian's (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/barbarian.htm#rage) but with a shorter duration: +4 to Strength, +4 to Constitution (adding 2 HP per level that goes away after the Rage), +2 morale bonus on Will Saves, -2 AC. You cannot cast spells, cannot use magic items that require a command word, spell trigger or spell completion, cannot use Combat Expertise and cannot use Concentration or any intelligence-, charisma- or dexterity-based skills except Balance, Escape Artist, Intimidate and Ride. This lasts for 1 + your newly-improved Constitution modifier in rounds or until you end it voluntarily, at which point you become Fatigued (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#fatigued).
Smite (Ex): On your first daily usage of this ability, choose an alignment: Good, Evil, Lawful or Chaotic. You use this alignment for all subsequent uses of Smite for the rest of the day. On any normal melee attack against a target at least partly of the chosen alignment, you may add your Charisma modifier to the attack roll and half your chameleon level to your attack's damage. When used on targets not of the chosen alignment, this ability has no effect but is still used up.
Sneak Attack (Ex): Before you make any attacks on your turn, you can choose to activate this ability for one round (ending at the start of your next turn). When you succeed on an attack within 30 ft on a foe you are flanking or is denied its Dexterity Bonus, you deal an additional d6 of damage for every two levels of chameleon you have. This is precision damage and thus cannot affect creatures immune to critical hits, and cannot deal nonlethal damage with lethal weapons. Treat your rogue level as your chameleon level when opposing the target's Uncanny Dodge.
Turn/Rebuke Undead: On your first daily usage of this ability, you choose to either turn or rebuke the dead; all subsequent uses of this ability use that choice for the rest of the day. You turn or rebuke the undead as a cleric of two levels lower than your chameleon level. See here for Turn/Rebuke Undead details. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialAttacks.htm#turnOrRebukeUndead)
Efficient Preparation (Ex):
You can prepare your arcane and divine spells at the same time now and do not need to be in either spellcasting Aptitude Foci to prepare their spells, only to cast them. You are not considered to have the spells prepared by any other effects when you are not using their respective spellcasting foci.
Flexible Feat (Ex):
At 5th level, you can designate one of your existing feats that you have chosen using your natural feat progression (those given by levels, not by race, class or other ability) as a Flexible Feat. From then on you may change it to any other feat which you meet the prerequisites for whenever you change Aptitude Focus. You may do this with another of your feats at 13th level.
You can use these feats to qualify for prestige classes and other feats, but if you change them so that you would no longer meet the entry requirements of a prestige class, you lose all of that class's abilities except for its base attack bonus, saves, skill points and hit dice until you once again qualify for it. If you no longer meet the prerequisites of another feat, you lose all of its effects until you meet its prerequisites again. If you use the feat to bring about any kind of ability or effect that would ordinarily remain after you changed the feat, its effect ends as well - including any items or materials gained. Any item or material created or crafted by use of the feat possesses a faint magic aura of falseness that cannot be concealed by magic, and it can be detected as temporary by a DC 11 Appraise, Craft, Forgery, Spellcraft or Use Magic Device check.
Split Aptitude (Ex):
You gain the ability to adopt two different Aptitude Foci at once when you change Aptitude Focus. When you do so, your Aptitude Bonus is halved, your spells per day from your spellcasting foci are lowered by 1 for each spell level, your Martial Focus maneuvers and stances are reduced by 1, and the Warrior's Feat benefit of Combat Focus is reduced to that of a Chameleon 5 levels lower. This ability also lets you gain the effects of Ability Boon twice, but they do not stack when applied to the same ability score. Remember that multiple competence bonuses do not stack and that most Aptitude Foci provide only competence bonuses.
Rapid Refocus (Ex):
You can now adopt an Aptitude Focus at greater speed than before. After reaching 10th level, you can change your Aptitude Focus in 15 minutes.
Primary Aptitude (Ex):
Starting at 11th level, whenever you adopt two Aptitude Foci using Split Aptitude, you designate one of them as your Primary Aptitude. None of that Aptitude Focus's abilities are subject to the reductions from entering a Split Aptitude.
Double Aptitude (Ex):
Starting at 16th level, you can use Split Aptitude without either of the two foci being subject to Split Aptitude's reductions.
Dangerous Unpredictability (Ex):
You have become so adept at mimicry that you can quickly change your Aptitude Focus for a single round before reverting to your previous Aptitude Focus on your next turn. You expend one of your daily changes of Aptitude Focus to do this, you may only do this to take on one focus at a time, and you may not use Dangerous Unpredictability again for 10 minutes. Doing this is a free action and its effect ends at the start of your next turn.
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/ph2_gallery/97174.jpg
Extras
Chameleon FeatsAptitude Union [Tactical]
Chameleons meeting in the world are often capable of sharing a special bond due to the fact that most chameleons think strangely alike. While this can lead to discomfort and tension, it can also lead to frighteningly well-synchronized combat as allies.
Prerequisite: Aptitude Focus, Charisma 13+
Benefit: After fighting at least five battles within 60 feet of an allied chameleon who also has this feat, you become Bonded to one another and develop an unspoken combat rhythm when fighting near that chameleon from then on. You can form any number of said connections to others. This feat only takes effect when you and your fellow Bonded chameleons are allies, but does not require that you be aware of one another.
Back to Back: Whenever a Bonded chameleon uses the total defense action, fights defensively or successfully feints within 10ft of you, you each gain its benefit as if you had done it yourself but without taking the action or its penalties.
Uncanny Coordination: Whenever you use features or skills associated with your current Aptitude Focus, you confer a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls, armor class, skill checks, saving throws and spell DCs to all Bonded chameleons in different Aptitude Foci from you within 60ft. This effect lasts until the beginning of your next turn and stacks with others' bonuses when they trigger this ability (limit of +1 per type of Aptitude Focus).
Surprise, Surprise: If any of your Bonded chameleons take a surprise round within 150 feet of you and you did not receive a surprise round, you can take one anyway. If you were not aware that a combat has started nearby, you can sense that something dangerous is happening with one of your Bonded chameleons, but not where or what.
Eagle-Eyed Study [General]
Your inquisitive mind and sharp wits enable you to observe the world around you more closely. Every mundane and magical thing you see gradually comes together to improve your understanding of all the arts you study.
Prerequisites: Aptitude Focus, Spot 4 ranks, Intelligence 13+ and Wisdom 13+
Benefit: Every time you increase in level, you gain an extra arcane spell and an extra divine spell to write in your spellbook/prayerbook, but no more than two can come from the same spell list. This benefit is retroactive for previous chameleon levels as a sort of epiphany.
You gain proficiency with a single one-handed exotic weapon when adopting Combat Focus, your Search checks against traps improve by 5 in Stealth Focus, your Blindsense extends another 5ft in Wild Focus, and when you adopt a Martial Focus you count as knowing one additional maneuver of your second highest level available or lower (this bypasses your normal limit on the number of each level of maneuvers you can know, but your number of readied maneuvers stays the same).
Extra Mimicry [General]
You focus on training your improvisation skills to become more adaptable.
Prerequisites: Mimic Class Feature
Benefit: You gain one more daily use of Mimic Class Feature. You can take this feat multiple times, and its effects stack.
Focused Imitation [General]
You can lose another degree of detachment from the roles you play, becoming more immersed in the persona than normal.
Prerequisites: Mimic Class Feature, Aptitude Focus
Benefit: When you adopt an Aptitude Focus, you can choose one ability granted by Mimic Class Feature to double your uses per day with. When you use this feat, you become unable to use other Mimic Class Feature abilities. The effects last until you change your Aptitude Focus. Keep track of the number of expended daily uses of Mimic Class Feature when switching between normal Mimic Class Feature access and Focused Imitation's altered access.
Honest Fraud [General]
Your immersion in a role makes your deceit more difficult to uncover.
Prerequisites: Aptitude Focus, Disguise 4 ranks
Benefit: The difficulty class of an observer's spot check to see through your disguise increases by 5 if you are in an Aptitude Focus that grants abilities they know the person you are disguised as has. Skill and save bonuses are not part of this consideration. Your bluff checks against them are also improved by 5.
Mental Focus [Psionic]
Your unique combination of gifts in imitation and innate psionic talent makes you a special kind of chameleon.
Prerequisites: Aptitude Focus, power point reserve, character level 3rd. Levels in a psionic class are not required.
Benefit: You must permanently give up access to one type of Aptitude Focus of your choice (Arcane, Devotion, Combat, Stealth or Wild - or Martial if in use). If you are currently using that Aptitude Focus, it ends, and you can never again adopt that Aptitude Focus.
Select one psionic base class (treat psions of each discipline as separate classes); you lose the ability to manifest powers from it normally if you already can, but gain a new Aptitude Focus called Mental Focus that allows you to manifest powers you know from that class. At each chameleon level not divisible by three (meaning on 2 out of every 3 levels), your powers known (and mantles/unique powers per day if applicable), manifester level and power point reserve improve as if you had advanced a level in the class you chose. This gain is retroactive for previous chameleon levels. You do not gain any other class features from that class.
While you are in Mental Focus, you gain your Aptitude Bonus to Will saves and the Autohypnosis (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/skills/autohypnosis.htm), Knowledge (Psionics) (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/skills/knowledgePsionics.htm) and Psicraft (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/skills/psicraft.htm) skills. If you use Mental Focus as part of a Split Focus, the number of power points usable to you are reduced to two levels lower on the chart of the psionic class you chose. This reduction is lifted if selected with Primary Aptitude or if you use Double Aptitude.
Special: You cannot use Flexible Feat to change this feat.
Twin Focus [General]
Your ability to maintain two Aptitude Foci improves, giving you the ability to maintain and distinguish between similar roles.
Prerequisites: Split Aptitude
Benefit: You gain the ability to adopt two of the same Aptitude Focus when you enter a Split Aptitude. The effects do not stack if you make the same choices or gain a fixed benefit, but any choices you make when you adopt each Aptitude Focus can be different ones. For example, you could choose Arcane Focus twice to be able to cast both wizard and bard spells, or Wild Focus to select two favored enemies. You are still limited by one total for arcane spells per day and likewise for your divine spells per day.
Pathfinder Adaptation Here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=11322346#post11322346)
Sample Chameleon Encounter Here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=11325594#post11325594)
Epic Progression
Rules for progressing past level 20:
Caster level increases as normal.
You gain an extra usage of Mimic Class Feature at level 21 and every 3 levels thereafter.
Your Ability Boon improves by 2 at level 25 and every 6 levels thereafter.
You gain a bonus feat every four levels after 20th. Use the epic Eldritch Knight (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/prestigeClassProgressions.htm#epicEldritchKnight)' s bonus feat list.
See here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/basics.htm) for more information on epic advancement.
Changelog
The official chameleon Prestige Class this is based on. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20041210b&page=1)
Update (Mar 31, 2014): Attempted update to new forum code, trimming some text to fit.
Update (June 23-30, 2011): Opening paragraph rewritten and Adventures/Other Classes sections added. Divine Focus changed to Devotion Focus (game term conflict), given prayerbook-based preparation (nerf), and was rewritten for clarity (didn't even mention Wisdom before!). War Focus named Combat Focus again. Combat Focus's damage bonus was removed to keep it from outshining T4 melee classes at damage. Combat Focus's Aid Another for free wasn't useful and did not emphasize the role, so it now gives a Fighter feat at 1st and 10th level that you can ignore prerequisites for at 5th and 15th levels. Stealth Focus given Poison Use. Wild Focus's Blindsense+Blindsight toned down to scale with level, and Favored Enemy's damage is halved. Able Learner moved to level 1, Ability Boon +2 moved from level 4 to 2. Ability Boon qualifies you for things now. Double Aptitude, renamed Split Aptitude, made available at 7th level, Primary Aptitude shifted down to 11th level, and Double Aptitude was added at 16th level (gain full benefits). Chameleon Feats added.
Update (July 30, 2010): Aptitude bonuses to skills were designed to make cross-class skills almost as good as in-class skills... which made them uber good if you did something to make them in-class. You lose the bonus now if you exceed the cross-class maximum ranks in the skill.
Update (December 20, 2009): Wild Focus ambushed Stealth Focus in the woods and took Spot and Listen from it. Smite and Turn Undead used your chameleon level in the PrC, but were weaker than normal due to the PrC only having 10 levels! I caught onto this and have changed my chameleon to correspondingly weaker values of level/2 for smite damage and level-2 for turn/rebuke. I'm not aiming for tier 1 with this.
Update (September 9, 2009): Changed BAB back to 3/4, removing attack bonuses from various foci and getting rid of stupid 'spot the weakness' stealth ability.
Update (July 23, 2009): Changed "Maneuvers Known" to be variable - you know as many maneuvers as you can ready when you switch to Martial Focus, but they can be different every time and only from one discipline.
Update (July 15, 2009): Changed the BAB to 1/2 and removed medium and heavy armor, but made the bonuses from Aptitude Focus (now the "Aptitude Bonus") to be 1/2 your character level + 0.5. Changed Combat Focus from a bad Martial Focus to War Focus with new features, like full-BAB iteratives. Stealth Focus lost Search to Wild Focus, but gained the ability to make a touch attack with a spot check. Wild Focus adds the Aptitude Bonus to attacks vs favored enemies. The reason for most of this is to reduce the frontloaded-ness of the non-casting foci: too good in low levels and too weak later on.
Update (June 10, 2009): Added in Primary Focus at 16th level - one of the aptitude foci you adopt with Double Aptitude is not reduced. Rapid Refocus no longer two-tiered. Got rid of damage reduction (from Mimic Class feature), which made no sense at all. Added more explanatory text so you don't have to go elsewhere for things not named Track.
Update (Dec 29, 2008): Found a better picture, cleaned up some text, gave it an epic progression and started using bulleted lists. You may now use Aptitude Focus to qualify for things.
Update (Dec 8, 2008): Double Aptitude got nerfed to giving half the bonuses and reduced spells per day, because of how dramatic a change occurs when you get this.
Images used: "Magelord" by Brian Despain, 'Respec' by Steve Prescott
Thanks for reading, and thanks to all the people who responded to this topic, which helped shape this class.
The Chameleon
Introduction
A chameleon is a person with a born talent for mimicry and a passion for learning of, imitating and becoming the heroes in the world around them. Chameleons' area of expertise changes often, taking on one role at a time. Because of this, they can be considered versatile in a very general sort of way, but because of their weaker abilities they are functionally less versatile than other classes at any one moment.
Their talent for imitation is taxing and complex, but strangely does not require exceptional mental abilities; savant-like chameleons exist where in their normal state they might possess mental deficiencies, but appear to grow smarter, wiser or more charismatic when imitating. Most chameleons are at least detachedly aware that they are imitating and often much more than that, but usually act and feel as if they have been taken over by the role. By nature, a chameleon's abilities lend themselves well to disguise and trickery, but they pursue the path of the chameleon out of a passion for imitation rather than a desire to deceive or take advantage of others. A chameleon who has come to know himself knows that his life's purpose is to see it all, to witness the world from every set of eyes.
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/ex_magelord.jpg
Pictured above: Dornus the human wizard, AKA Torgo the orc barbarian, AKA Ezeala the elf ranger, AKA Traia, the changeling chameleon.
Making a Chameleon
Why Choose Chameleon?
The chameleon is designed around the idea of altering its major class features to temporarily emulate other classes, choosing the best one for each situation. While chameleons can't ever reach the same level of skill as the classes they emulate, the fact that they can, with sufficient preparation, always have the skillset that is most advantageous for any given situation means that they will consistently be useful even when circumstances change dramatically. The chameleon possesses arcane spellcasting, divine spellcasting, melee combat power, sneaking skill and hunting prowess as its main class features to switch around, as well as changeable feats and some limited extra abilities that are usable any time. Chameleons can only focus on fulfilling one role at a time (or two at higher levels), so if you came here looking for a class able to do anything at any time then the factotum class (Dungeonscape), with its weaker but always-on abilities, will be of more use to you.
The chameleon is primarily a class for players who frequently want to change their character and party role - if you get bored quickly with a fixed role and start making new characters before your current one is even in danger, then this class is for you. The chameleon is also a good choice for players wanting to join parties that are missing two or more important party roles, filling in gaps where needed, and is also a good choice for joining parties that already have a well-rounded composition because it can always give a helping hand where one is needed. Chameleons underperform in parties in need of a single specific role, since they will need to stay in that role for extended periods and a class more specialized for it will undoubtedly be more helpful.
Party Role
The entire focus of the chameleon class is to have a variable role in a party. A chameleon is usually a substitute for a role that, ideally, the party is in need of, and this can change dramatically depending on the situation and the chameleon. The chameleon's lack of well-focused training means that he can't ever fully replace the roles he plays and thus can never be as good in a role as those who are specialized for it.
Races
Most chameleons are humans, whose adaptability already enables them to spread out amongst all kinds of classes. Changelings (MMIII), the product of human/doppelganger unions, are perhaps even more well-suited to the chameleon class, being shape-changing roleplayers by nature, but are far fewer in number than humans. Doppelgangers themselves are generally less interested in the class than in manipulating others and so pursue the difficult chameleon class rarely and half-heartedly. Other races are known to have chameleons in them, but humans and changelings tend to make up the bulk of them.
Alignment
A chameleon is not always a devotee of deception, despite how well its abilities suit trickery and disguise (generally chaotic actions), because some do not assume other identities, or don't do so for their own profit and amusement. They are often highly valued for their versatility by authorities and organizations, and obediance, discipline and dedication are concepts drilled into agents trained by such institutions. Rarely will a chameleon be neutral with regard to law and chaos, but they usually take a neutral stance on good and evil, since their roleplaying makes them reluctant to adopt any one society's set of morals.
Adventures
Chameleons are usually found and employed as mercenaries in the world. While many openly advertise their real talents, more chameleons keep their imitation abilities to themselves and their comrades and sometimes as an "open secret" to fellow members of mercenary communities, leaving organizers and employers out of the loop. Powerful organizations are also known to recruit and train groups of chameleons as small strike forces, being useful as assassins, spies and general odd-jobbers that can be set on virtually any task. These strike forces have such a reputation for resourcefulness and cunning that they can be powerful tools of fear for governments. Organization-based chameleons and mercenary-based chameleons despise one another, generally representing Lawful and Chaotic alignments in opposition. Upon meeting, they are quick to make snide remarks about the other and often escalate arguments into a fight.
Other Classes
As a result of their weaker abilities, chameleons often develop as the runts of adventuring groups, being viewed as unfocused talent by the intellectually inclined and too weak or slow by the martially inclined. While they make up the difference in their ability to suit any situation, their allies often look past that versatility to compare them to members of specialized classes in their strength at that one role. Generally classes whose abilities are not emulated by chameleons are better able to recognize them as the multi-talented people they are. Chameleons don't treat any particular classes differently, but may be secretly competitive with them.
Game Rule Information
Abilities
Strength augments a chameleon's physical (martial) power, Intelligence influences his ability to cast arcane spells and their effectiveness while Wisdom does the same for divine spells, and Constitution is important for survivability. Dexterity and Charisma are useful for various reasons and a chameleon can certainly make good use of them, but attack/spellcasting/survivability most often need to be taken care of first. After second level, chameleons have less need for concern over low stats thanks to Ability Boon's variable competence bonus. Given this, a chameleon is best off with balanced stats - even mediocre ones - between those needed for his roles, and boosting specific ones at the times when they are needed.
Basics
Starting Gold: 1d6 x 10 (35gp)
Starting items: Wizard's spellbook (100 pages) containing 8 0th-level arcane spells and [3 + Int] 1st-level arcane spells of your choice AND 8 0th-level divine spells and [3 + Wis] 1st-level divine spells of your choice.
Starting Age: as wizard
Hit Die: d8
Skill Points: 4 + Int (x4 at 1st level)
Class Skills: Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Profession (wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int).
Chameleon Progression
Class
LevelBase Attack
BonusFort
SaveRef
SaveWill
SaveSpecialAptitude
Bonus
1 +0 +0+0+0Aptitude Focus 1/day, Able Learner
+1
2 +1 +0+0+0Ability Boon + 2
+1
3 +2 +1+1+1Mimic Class Feature 1/day
+2
4 +3 +1+1+1Efficient Preparation
+2
5 +3 +1+1+1Flexible Feat (1)
+3
6 +4 +2+2+2Mimic Class Feature 2/day
+3
7 +5 +2+2+2Split Aptitude
+4
8 +6/+1 +2+2+2Aptitude Focus 2/day, Ability Boon +4
+4
9 +6/+1 +3+3+3Mimic Class Feature 3/day
+5
10+7/+2 +3+3+3Rapid Refocus
+5
11+8/+3 +3+3+3Primary Aptitude
+6
12+9/+4 +4+4+4Mimic Class Feature 4/day
+6
13+9/+4 +4+4+4Flexible Feat (2)
+7
14+10/+5 +4+4+4Aptitude Focus 3/day, Ability boon +6
+7
15+11/+6/+1 +5+5+5Mimic Class Feature 5/day
+8
16+12/+7/+2 +5+5+5Double Aptitude
+8
17+12/+7/+2 +5+5+5Dangerous Unpredictability
+9
18+13/+8/+3 +6+6+6Mimic Class Feature 6/day
+9
19+14/+9/+4 +6+6+6Ability Boon + 8
+10
20+15/+10/+5+6+6+6Aptitude Focus unlimited/day
+10
Spells Per Day & Maneuvers
Class
Level0th
Level1st
Level2nd
Level3rd
Level4th
Level5th
Level6th
Level7th
LevelManeuvers
ReadiedStances
Known
1 2 1 - - - - - - 3 1
2 2 2 - - - - - - 3 1
3 3 2 0 - - - - - 3 1
4 3 3 1 - - - - - 4 1
5 4 3 2 - - - - - 4 2
6 4 3 2 0 - - - - 4 2
7 4 4 3 1 - - - - 4 2
8 4 4 3 2 - - - - 4 2
9 4 4 3 2 0 - - - 4 2
10 4 4 4 3 1 - - - 5 2
11 4 4 4 3 2 - - - 5 2
12 4 4 4 3 2 0 - - 5 2
13 4 4 4 4 3 1 - - 5 2
14 4 4 4 4 3 2 - - 5 2
15 4 4 4 4 3 2 0 - 6 3
16 4 4 4 4 4 3 1 - 6 3
17 4 4 4 4 4 3 2 - 6 3
18 4 4 4 4 4 3 2 0 6 3
19 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 1 6 3
20 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 2 7 3
Class FeaturesWeapon and Armor Proficiency:
A chameleon is proficient with all simple weapons and with light armor, as well as most shields (just not tower shields).
Aptitude Focus:
A number of times per day depending on your chameleon level (see chart), you can focus yourself on one of the following areas of expertise and gain its abilities, losing any abilities from your previous Aptitude Focus. Aptitude Foci each give their own set of special abilities and give an 'Aptitude Bonus' to certain skills and abilities; your Aptitude Bonus is one half your chameleon level, rounded up and is always a competence bonus. The sum of your skill bonuses granted by Aptitude Foci and your ranks in that skill cannot exceed your character level +3 (this is relevant if you gain these skills in-class in some way).
The process of switching Aptitude Foci takes one hour, but the effect lasts until you change your Aptitude Focus again. You can use Aptitude Foci to qualify for prestige classes and feats, but if you change your current Aptitude Focus so that you no longer would meet the entry requirements of a prestige class, you lose all of that class's abilities except for its base attack bonus, saves, skill points and hit dice until you once again qualify for it. If you no longer meet the prerequisites of a feat, you lose all of its effects until you meet its prerequisites again.
Arcane Focus: You gain the ability to prepare and cast arcane spells from any single arcane spellcasting class's spell list (you may decide on a different one each time you change to Arcane Focus). You must choose and prepare your spells ahead of time by getting a good night's rest and then spending 1 hour studying your spellbook (the spells you prepare must be in your spellbook). At each new chameleon level, you add two arcane spells of any level you can cast to your spellbook, and you can add spells from scrolls and other sources to it just like a wizard can.
To prepare or cast a spell, you must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against your spells is 10 + the spell level + your Intelligence modifier, and your caster level is equal to your chameleon level. You may only prepare as many arcane spells as your chameleon level would indicate on the Spells Per Day & Maneuvers table, plus any that you might get for a high Intelligence score (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/theBasics.htm#tableAbilityModifiersandBonusSpells) . Additionally, you gain your Aptitude Bonus on Knowledge (arcana) checks and Will saves.
`
Devotion Focus: You gain the ability to prepare and cast divine spells from any single divine spellcasting class's spell list (you may decide on a different one each time you change to Devotion Focus). Unlike most divine spellcasters, who know all of their spells, you must prepare your spells from a prayerbook, which can be the same book as your spellbook. You must choose and prepare your spells ahead of time by getting a good night's rest and spending 1 uninterrupted hour in quiet meditation with your prayerbook (the spells you prepare must be in your prayerbook). At each new chameleon level, you add two divine spells of any level you can cast to your prayerbook, and you can add spells from scrolls and other sources to it just like a wizard would, but with divine spells.
To prepare or cast a spell, you must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against your spells is 10 + the spell level + your Wisdom modifier, and your caster level is equal to your chameleon level. You may only prepare as many divine spells each day as your chameleon level would indicate on the Spells Per Day & Maneuvers table, plus any that you might get for a high Wisdom score (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/theBasics.htm#tableAbilityModifiersandBonusSpells) . Additionally, you gain your Aptitude Bonus on Knowledge (religion) checks, Fortitude saves and Will saves.
`
Combat Focus: You gain proficiency with all martial weapons, medium armor, heavy armor and tower shields. Your Base Attack Bonus from chameleon levels improves to that of a fighter and you gain extra iterative attacks in your full attack routine correspondingly (giving you iterative attacks as your Base Attack Bonus reaches +6, +11 and +16, with -5, -10 and -15 penalties respectively). Additionally, you gain your Aptitude Bonus to your current and maximum hit points, Fortitude saves and the Intimidate, Balance and Ride skills as well as the following benefit:
Warrior's Feat: Each time you enter Combat Focus, you may select a Fighter Bonus Feat or Tactical Feat to gain temporarily, but you must meet its prerequisites. At 5th level, you can ignore certain prerequisites for this feat: skill ranks of up to your level +3, saves of up to 2 + half your level, ability score requirements, and any prerequisite feats that you would be able to select with this ability. You do not gain the use of any such prerequisite feats. At 10th level you gain another feat with prerequisites you meet, and at 15th this feat too may ignore those prerequisites.
Stealth Focus: You gain your Aptitude Bonus on all Dexterity- and Strength-based skills plus Disable Device and Search, as well as on Reflex saves. You also gain the following extraordinary abilities:
Uncanny Dodge: You can react to danger before your senses would normally allow you to do so. You retain your Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, you still lose your Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.
Trapfinding: You can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a Difficulty Class higher than 20. Finding a nonmagical trap has a DC of at least 20, or higher if it is well hidden. Finding a magic trap has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it. You can use the Disable Device skill to disarm magic traps; a magic trap generally has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it. Beating a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check means you can study a trap, figure out how it works and bypass it without disarming it.
Hide in Plain Sight: You can use the Hide skill even while being observed. As long as you are within 10 feet of an area of darkness, shadowy illumination, or some sort of cover, you can hide yourself from view in the open without anything to actually hide behind.
Poison Use: You never risk accidentally poisoning yourself when applying poison to weapons or using poisoned weapons.
Wild Focus: You gain your Aptitude Bonus on Climb, Handle Animal, Jump, Knowledge (nature), Listen, Spot and Survival checks as well as your Fortitude and Reflex saves. Additionally, you gain the following extraordinary abilities:
Blindsense: Using your hearing, you notice and locate creatures without Listen or Spot checks out to a short distance. Creatures you cannot see still have total concealment against you (giving you a 50% miss chance and losing your Dexterity bonus to AC against their attacks). The range of this ability is equal to 5ft plus your Aptitude Bonus in 5ft increments.
Blindsight: Using your hearing, you maintain full awareness of the area around you without using your sight. Concealment, invisibility, darkness, blindness and other purely visual impediments have no effect on you from within the range of this ability, which is half your blindsense range (rounded down to the nearest 5ft). You cannot use your blindsight to distinguish color or read.
Favored Enemy: At the start of each day, regardless of the current Aptitude Focus, you can select a creature type to be your Favored Enemy (you must select a subtype as well if you choose Humanoid or Outsider) for use in Wild Focus. In Wild Focus, you gain an insight bonus equal to your Aptitude Bonus on Bluff, Intimidate, Sense Motive and Survival checks against your favored enemies, and you also add 1 plus another 1 per four chameleon levels to weapon damage rolls against them. See the table on PHB p.47 for a list of common favored enemies you can choose. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/ranger.htm#tableRangerFavoredEnemies)
Track: you gain the benefits of the Track feat (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#track) (PHB p.101)
Woodland Stride: You may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas and similar terrain) at your normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment unless it has been magically manipulated to impede motion.
Martial Focus*: You gain proficiency with all martial weapons, Your Base Attack Bonus from chameleon levels improves to that of a fighter and you gain extra iterative attacks in your full attack routine correspondingly (gaining additional iterative attacks when your Base Attack Bonus reaches +6, +11 and +16 with -5, -10 and -15 penalties, respectively), and you add your Aptitude Bonus to Martial Lore skill checks and Reflex saves.
Choose a martial discipline; you gain the ability to ready/execute martial maneuvers and enter stances from that discipline, and your initiator level is equal to your chameleon level. Your momentary insight lets you temporarily learn as many maneuvers and stances from your chosen discipline as you can ready (see the Spells Per Day and Maneuvers table), but you cannot learn more than one of your maximum level maneuvers, two of the level below that, and three of the level below that (first level maneuvers are exempt from this limitation). You expend and recover your maneuvers in the same way a swordsage would: spend a full-round action to meditate and recover one expended maneuver, or five minutes to ready all of them. You begin all encounters with your current readied maneuvers unexpended.
*Martial Focus can be considered entirely optional and can be removed without consequence if your game does not include the Tome of Battle.
Able Learner (Ex):
Your cross-class skills only cost one skill point per rank, although they are still restricted by their normal maximum.
Ability Boon (Ex):
You gain a competence bonus to an ability score of your choice whenever you adopt an Aptitude Focus, and the bonus lasts for as long as you keep that Aptitude Focus. The bonus is +2 at 2nd level and improves to +4, +6 and +8 at levels 8, 14 and 19, respectively. You can use this ability to qualify for prestige classes or feats, but if you change this ability so that you would no longer qualify, you lose the benefits in the same manner you would with Aptitude Focus if used in this way.
Mimic Class Feature:
A number of times per day, shown on the class's chart, you can use the following abilities that would normally be exclusive to other classes. You may not use any of these to qualify for feats or prestige classes that require their normal versions, but you can still benefit from things that affect them as normal. Effects that grant extra uses of the normal versions of these features do not work with Mimic Class Feature (meaning things like Extra Smite, Extra Turning and Extra Rage would have no effect here).
Evasion (Ex): With a successful Reflex save against an attack that would normally deal half damage on a successful save, you can activate this ability to avoid the damage altogether as an immediate action. You can activate this ability after you have rolled a successful Reflex save, but before you have taken damage. This ability lasts for 1 minute.
Rage (Ex): Once per encounter during your turn, you may activate a Rage ability identical to that of a barbarian's (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/barbarian.htm#rage) but with a shorter duration: +4 to Strength, +4 to Constitution (adding 2 HP per level that goes away after the Rage), +2 morale bonus on Will Saves, -2 AC. You cannot cast spells, cannot use magic items that require a command word, spell trigger or spell completion, cannot use Combat Expertise and cannot use Concentration or any intelligence-, charisma- or dexterity-based skills except Balance, Escape Artist, Intimidate and Ride. This lasts for 1 + your newly-improved Constitution modifier in rounds or until you end it voluntarily, at which point you become Fatigued (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#fatigued).
Smite (Ex): On your first daily usage of this ability, choose an alignment: Good, Evil, Lawful or Chaotic. You use this alignment for all subsequent uses of Smite for the rest of the day. On any normal melee attack against a target at least partly of the chosen alignment, you may add your Charisma modifier to the attack roll and half your chameleon level to your attack's damage. When used on targets not of the chosen alignment, this ability has no effect but is still used up.
Sneak Attack (Ex): Before you make any attacks on your turn, you can choose to activate this ability for one round (ending at the start of your next turn). When you succeed on an attack within 30 ft on a foe you are flanking or is denied its Dexterity Bonus, you deal an additional d6 of damage for every two levels of chameleon you have. This is precision damage and thus cannot affect creatures immune to critical hits, and cannot deal nonlethal damage with lethal weapons. Treat your rogue level as your chameleon level when opposing the target's Uncanny Dodge.
Turn/Rebuke Undead: On your first daily usage of this ability, you choose to either turn or rebuke the dead; all subsequent uses of this ability use that choice for the rest of the day. You turn or rebuke the undead as a cleric of two levels lower than your chameleon level. See here for Turn/Rebuke Undead details. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialAttacks.htm#turnOrRebukeUndead)
Efficient Preparation (Ex):
You can prepare your arcane and divine spells at the same time now and do not need to be in either spellcasting Aptitude Foci to prepare their spells, only to cast them. You are not considered to have the spells prepared by any other effects when you are not using their respective spellcasting foci.
Flexible Feat (Ex):
At 5th level, you can designate one of your existing feats that you have chosen using your natural feat progression (those given by levels, not by race, class or other ability) as a Flexible Feat. From then on you may change it to any other feat which you meet the prerequisites for whenever you change Aptitude Focus. You may do this with another of your feats at 13th level.
You can use these feats to qualify for prestige classes and other feats, but if you change them so that you would no longer meet the entry requirements of a prestige class, you lose all of that class's abilities except for its base attack bonus, saves, skill points and hit dice until you once again qualify for it. If you no longer meet the prerequisites of another feat, you lose all of its effects until you meet its prerequisites again. If you use the feat to bring about any kind of ability or effect that would ordinarily remain after you changed the feat, its effect ends as well - including any items or materials gained. Any item or material created or crafted by use of the feat possesses a faint magic aura of falseness that cannot be concealed by magic, and it can be detected as temporary by a DC 11 Appraise, Craft, Forgery, Spellcraft or Use Magic Device check.
Split Aptitude (Ex):
You gain the ability to adopt two different Aptitude Foci at once when you change Aptitude Focus. When you do so, your Aptitude Bonus is halved, your spells per day from your spellcasting foci are lowered by 1 for each spell level, your Martial Focus maneuvers and stances are reduced by 1, and the Warrior's Feat benefit of Combat Focus is reduced to that of a Chameleon 5 levels lower. This ability also lets you gain the effects of Ability Boon twice, but they do not stack when applied to the same ability score. Remember that multiple competence bonuses do not stack and that most Aptitude Foci provide only competence bonuses.
Rapid Refocus (Ex):
You can now adopt an Aptitude Focus at greater speed than before. After reaching 10th level, you can change your Aptitude Focus in 15 minutes.
Primary Aptitude (Ex):
Starting at 11th level, whenever you adopt two Aptitude Foci using Split Aptitude, you designate one of them as your Primary Aptitude. None of that Aptitude Focus's abilities are subject to the reductions from entering a Split Aptitude.
Double Aptitude (Ex):
Starting at 16th level, you can use Split Aptitude without either of the two foci being subject to Split Aptitude's reductions.
Dangerous Unpredictability (Ex):
You have become so adept at mimicry that you can quickly change your Aptitude Focus for a single round before reverting to your previous Aptitude Focus on your next turn. You expend one of your daily changes of Aptitude Focus to do this, you may only do this to take on one focus at a time, and you may not use Dangerous Unpredictability again for 10 minutes. Doing this is a free action and its effect ends at the start of your next turn.
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/ph2_gallery/97174.jpg
Extras
Chameleon FeatsAptitude Union [Tactical]
Chameleons meeting in the world are often capable of sharing a special bond due to the fact that most chameleons think strangely alike. While this can lead to discomfort and tension, it can also lead to frighteningly well-synchronized combat as allies.
Prerequisite: Aptitude Focus, Charisma 13+
Benefit: After fighting at least five battles within 60 feet of an allied chameleon who also has this feat, you become Bonded to one another and develop an unspoken combat rhythm when fighting near that chameleon from then on. You can form any number of said connections to others. This feat only takes effect when you and your fellow Bonded chameleons are allies, but does not require that you be aware of one another.
Back to Back: Whenever a Bonded chameleon uses the total defense action, fights defensively or successfully feints within 10ft of you, you each gain its benefit as if you had done it yourself but without taking the action or its penalties.
Uncanny Coordination: Whenever you use features or skills associated with your current Aptitude Focus, you confer a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls, armor class, skill checks, saving throws and spell DCs to all Bonded chameleons in different Aptitude Foci from you within 60ft. This effect lasts until the beginning of your next turn and stacks with others' bonuses when they trigger this ability (limit of +1 per type of Aptitude Focus).
Surprise, Surprise: If any of your Bonded chameleons take a surprise round within 150 feet of you and you did not receive a surprise round, you can take one anyway. If you were not aware that a combat has started nearby, you can sense that something dangerous is happening with one of your Bonded chameleons, but not where or what.
Eagle-Eyed Study [General]
Your inquisitive mind and sharp wits enable you to observe the world around you more closely. Every mundane and magical thing you see gradually comes together to improve your understanding of all the arts you study.
Prerequisites: Aptitude Focus, Spot 4 ranks, Intelligence 13+ and Wisdom 13+
Benefit: Every time you increase in level, you gain an extra arcane spell and an extra divine spell to write in your spellbook/prayerbook, but no more than two can come from the same spell list. This benefit is retroactive for previous chameleon levels as a sort of epiphany.
You gain proficiency with a single one-handed exotic weapon when adopting Combat Focus, your Search checks against traps improve by 5 in Stealth Focus, your Blindsense extends another 5ft in Wild Focus, and when you adopt a Martial Focus you count as knowing one additional maneuver of your second highest level available or lower (this bypasses your normal limit on the number of each level of maneuvers you can know, but your number of readied maneuvers stays the same).
Extra Mimicry [General]
You focus on training your improvisation skills to become more adaptable.
Prerequisites: Mimic Class Feature
Benefit: You gain one more daily use of Mimic Class Feature. You can take this feat multiple times, and its effects stack.
Focused Imitation [General]
You can lose another degree of detachment from the roles you play, becoming more immersed in the persona than normal.
Prerequisites: Mimic Class Feature, Aptitude Focus
Benefit: When you adopt an Aptitude Focus, you can choose one ability granted by Mimic Class Feature to double your uses per day with. When you use this feat, you become unable to use other Mimic Class Feature abilities. The effects last until you change your Aptitude Focus. Keep track of the number of expended daily uses of Mimic Class Feature when switching between normal Mimic Class Feature access and Focused Imitation's altered access.
Honest Fraud [General]
Your immersion in a role makes your deceit more difficult to uncover.
Prerequisites: Aptitude Focus, Disguise 4 ranks
Benefit: The difficulty class of an observer's spot check to see through your disguise increases by 5 if you are in an Aptitude Focus that grants abilities they know the person you are disguised as has. Skill and save bonuses are not part of this consideration. Your bluff checks against them are also improved by 5.
Mental Focus [Psionic]
Your unique combination of gifts in imitation and innate psionic talent makes you a special kind of chameleon.
Prerequisites: Aptitude Focus, power point reserve, character level 3rd. Levels in a psionic class are not required.
Benefit: You must permanently give up access to one type of Aptitude Focus of your choice (Arcane, Devotion, Combat, Stealth or Wild - or Martial if in use). If you are currently using that Aptitude Focus, it ends, and you can never again adopt that Aptitude Focus.
Select one psionic base class (treat psions of each discipline as separate classes); you lose the ability to manifest powers from it normally if you already can, but gain a new Aptitude Focus called Mental Focus that allows you to manifest powers you know from that class. At each chameleon level not divisible by three (meaning on 2 out of every 3 levels), your powers known (and mantles/unique powers per day if applicable), manifester level and power point reserve improve as if you had advanced a level in the class you chose. This gain is retroactive for previous chameleon levels. You do not gain any other class features from that class.
While you are in Mental Focus, you gain your Aptitude Bonus to Will saves and the Autohypnosis (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/skills/autohypnosis.htm), Knowledge (Psionics) (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/skills/knowledgePsionics.htm) and Psicraft (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/skills/psicraft.htm) skills. If you use Mental Focus as part of a Split Focus, the number of power points usable to you are reduced to two levels lower on the chart of the psionic class you chose. This reduction is lifted if selected with Primary Aptitude or if you use Double Aptitude.
Special: You cannot use Flexible Feat to change this feat.
Twin Focus [General]
Your ability to maintain two Aptitude Foci improves, giving you the ability to maintain and distinguish between similar roles.
Prerequisites: Split Aptitude
Benefit: You gain the ability to adopt two of the same Aptitude Focus when you enter a Split Aptitude. The effects do not stack if you make the same choices or gain a fixed benefit, but any choices you make when you adopt each Aptitude Focus can be different ones. For example, you could choose Arcane Focus twice to be able to cast both wizard and bard spells, or Wild Focus to select two favored enemies. You are still limited by one total for arcane spells per day and likewise for your divine spells per day.
Pathfinder Adaptation Here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=11322346#post11322346)
Sample Chameleon Encounter Here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=11325594#post11325594)
Epic Progression
Rules for progressing past level 20:
Caster level increases as normal.
You gain an extra usage of Mimic Class Feature at level 21 and every 3 levels thereafter.
Your Ability Boon improves by 2 at level 25 and every 6 levels thereafter.
You gain a bonus feat every four levels after 20th. Use the epic Eldritch Knight (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/prestigeClassProgressions.htm#epicEldritchKnight)' s bonus feat list.
See here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/basics.htm) for more information on epic advancement.
Changelog
The official chameleon Prestige Class this is based on. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20041210b&page=1)
Update (Mar 31, 2014): Attempted update to new forum code, trimming some text to fit.
Update (June 23-30, 2011): Opening paragraph rewritten and Adventures/Other Classes sections added. Divine Focus changed to Devotion Focus (game term conflict), given prayerbook-based preparation (nerf), and was rewritten for clarity (didn't even mention Wisdom before!). War Focus named Combat Focus again. Combat Focus's damage bonus was removed to keep it from outshining T4 melee classes at damage. Combat Focus's Aid Another for free wasn't useful and did not emphasize the role, so it now gives a Fighter feat at 1st and 10th level that you can ignore prerequisites for at 5th and 15th levels. Stealth Focus given Poison Use. Wild Focus's Blindsense+Blindsight toned down to scale with level, and Favored Enemy's damage is halved. Able Learner moved to level 1, Ability Boon +2 moved from level 4 to 2. Ability Boon qualifies you for things now. Double Aptitude, renamed Split Aptitude, made available at 7th level, Primary Aptitude shifted down to 11th level, and Double Aptitude was added at 16th level (gain full benefits). Chameleon Feats added.
Update (July 30, 2010): Aptitude bonuses to skills were designed to make cross-class skills almost as good as in-class skills... which made them uber good if you did something to make them in-class. You lose the bonus now if you exceed the cross-class maximum ranks in the skill.
Update (December 20, 2009): Wild Focus ambushed Stealth Focus in the woods and took Spot and Listen from it. Smite and Turn Undead used your chameleon level in the PrC, but were weaker than normal due to the PrC only having 10 levels! I caught onto this and have changed my chameleon to correspondingly weaker values of level/2 for smite damage and level-2 for turn/rebuke. I'm not aiming for tier 1 with this.
Update (September 9, 2009): Changed BAB back to 3/4, removing attack bonuses from various foci and getting rid of stupid 'spot the weakness' stealth ability.
Update (July 23, 2009): Changed "Maneuvers Known" to be variable - you know as many maneuvers as you can ready when you switch to Martial Focus, but they can be different every time and only from one discipline.
Update (July 15, 2009): Changed the BAB to 1/2 and removed medium and heavy armor, but made the bonuses from Aptitude Focus (now the "Aptitude Bonus") to be 1/2 your character level + 0.5. Changed Combat Focus from a bad Martial Focus to War Focus with new features, like full-BAB iteratives. Stealth Focus lost Search to Wild Focus, but gained the ability to make a touch attack with a spot check. Wild Focus adds the Aptitude Bonus to attacks vs favored enemies. The reason for most of this is to reduce the frontloaded-ness of the non-casting foci: too good in low levels and too weak later on.
Update (June 10, 2009): Added in Primary Focus at 16th level - one of the aptitude foci you adopt with Double Aptitude is not reduced. Rapid Refocus no longer two-tiered. Got rid of damage reduction (from Mimic Class feature), which made no sense at all. Added more explanatory text so you don't have to go elsewhere for things not named Track.
Update (Dec 29, 2008): Found a better picture, cleaned up some text, gave it an epic progression and started using bulleted lists. You may now use Aptitude Focus to qualify for things.
Update (Dec 8, 2008): Double Aptitude got nerfed to giving half the bonuses and reduced spells per day, because of how dramatic a change occurs when you get this.
Images used: "Magelord" by Brian Despain, 'Respec' by Steve Prescott
Thanks for reading, and thanks to all the people who responded to this topic, which helped shape this class.