Homebrew DesignRoll up your sleeves and get working: there's lots of homebrewin' to be done! Post your custom creation for critiques or review those of your peers.
0-LA race of humanoids descended from vampires. Like a lot of my work, designed with eberron in mind, but easily adapted to fit other campaign settings.
Edit: Note: Still under reconstruction.
Finished. Enjoy.
Description
Spoiler
Night-touched
In rare circumstances, a vampire that has recently consumed a significant quantity of blood gains the ability to breed successfully with living humans, creating half-vampire offspring, and these half-vampires in turn pass on their taint to future generations. In areas where vampires are common, such as Karrnath and many large cities, these offspring have developed into a race that breeds true. Stories also abound of the unusual case of a pregnant human who survives a vampire’s blood drain attack. Legends say the child may be born “tainted” by the attacker’s vampirism. Regardless of their origins, these are the night-touched, and they are branded outcasts by both the living and the undead. Personality: Night-touched are typically dark, brooding individuals. They admire fine things such as jewelry, expensive clothes, wines, and foods, and often dress in the most noble outfits available. Night-touched are nocturnal, waking up at dusk to enjoy the nightlife only to withdraw into their darkened halls to sleep through the day. They are sometimes prone to fits of rage or melancholy, but are seldom equally excited or joyful. A night-touched is more likely to be amused than excited. They reply to petty insults with disdain, and serious insults with vengeance. Physical description: Night-touched are often physically attractive and persuasive. Even as they age and grey over their centuries-long lifespans, they keep a regal air about them. Their skin is pale, even ashen in color. Their eyes are typically a deep red, like blood, and seem to burn with an inner fire in conditions of low light. While they lack the fangs of their forebears, they possess slightly more pronounced canine teeth. Males are slightly taller than the average human male, with females being about the same size as human females. Relations: Night-touched are drawn to other living creatures and feel far more comfortable living in towns and cities. Still, night-touched know that they must keep their identities secret or else risk the hatred and violence of others. Of the common races, night-touched get along best with elves, half-elves, and humans due to similar outlooks and a cosmopolitan lifestyle. Orcs, half-ors, halflings, and dwarves are too uncivilized. Shifters, who share a similarly feared ancestry are interesting to night-touched, but their brash, rude, uncivilized nature often prevents the two races from connecting. Changelings and gnomes are valuable allies and should be treated as such, though they are not to be trusted beneath the surface. Alignment: Unlike their undead forebears, night-touched enjoy the freedom (or curse) of pursuing any alignment, though most tend toward neutrality or evil. Those rare few good-aligned night-touched often feel haunted by their heritage, sometimes working to undo the evil of their ancestry. Lands: The sort of unions that produce night-touched happen in Karrnath more often than the church of the silver flame would like, however the church itself (save for the most fanatic sects) holds little if any enmity toward the night-touched. Night-touched can be found throughout Khorvaire, forming small secretive social networks in large cities, but hold no lands of their own. Religion: Night-touched are religious as often as not. Some worship the same dark deities that their forebears worshipped, such as the Dark Six. Some, seeking to repent for their dark heritage pay homage to the Sovereign Host or the Silver Flame. The vast majority of religious night-touched are members of the Blood of Vol. They know firsthand the power of blood and the divinity of undeath. Language: Night-touched speak common plus any additional languages of their homeland. Names: Born in Human lands, often to human families, night-touched carry the naming traditions of their homeland. Adventurers: Night-touched adventure to escape persecution, gain wealth, test their strength, or simply out of boredom with the humdrum life of a noble. Some good-aligned night-touched dedicate their lives to the eradication of the undead or other evils that haunt the night. Night touched can be found following nearly any class, but some of the more common choices include bard, cleric, rogue, sorcerer, wizard, spellthief, warlock, hexblade, swashbuckler, beguiler, duskblade, archivist, dread necromancer, and shadowcaster.
Stats:
Spoiler
Night-touched Racial Traits
Medium Humanoid (Night-touched)
30 ft base land speed
+2 Cha, -2 Wis. Night-touched are exotic and attractive, but aloof, hailing from sheltered lives.
Darkvision 60ft
Low light vision
+2 racial bonus to Bluff, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, and Spot checks
+2 racial bonus on saves vs. Sleep, Stunning, Paralysis, Poison, and Disease
Light sensitivity: Night-touched are children of the night. As such, they are dazzled in conditions of bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.
Vampiric Awakening (Su): A Night-touched can tap into his vampiric heritage to gain short bursts of power. Once per day, a Night-touched can enter a state that is superficially similar to a barbarian’s rage. Each Night-touched has one of eight awakening traits—characteristics that manifest themselves when a character is awakened. Each awakening trait typically provides a +2 bonus to one of the character’s ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution) and grants some other advantage as well. Awakening traits are described in the following section.
Awakening is a free action and lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the Night-touched’s Constitution modifier. (If an Awakening trait or other effect increases the character’s Constitution modifier, use the newly improved modifier.) A Night-touched can take feats to improve this ability. These Awakening feats are described later in this section.
Every Awakening feat a character takes increases the duration of his Awakening by 1 round. For every two Awakening feats a character takes, the number of times per day he can tap into the ability increases by one. So, a character with two Awakening feats can Awaken two times per day (instead of the usual one), and each use of the ability lasts for a number of rounds equal to 5 (instead of 3) + the Night-touched’s Con modifier.
Awakening, though related to and developed from vampirism, is neither an affliction nor a curse. It is not passed on by bite or claw attacks, and a Night-touched can’t be cured—Awakening is a natural ability for the race.
Automatic languages: Common
Bonus languages: Any
Favored class: Any
Awakening Traits
Spoiler
Awakening Traits
Deadflesh (Su): While awakened, a Deadflesh Night-touched gains a +2 bonus to Constitution and natural armor that provides a +2 bonus to AC.
Dustmote (Su): While awakened, a Dustmote Night-touched gains a +2 bonus to dexterity and can assume gaseous form at will as the spell (caster level 5th), but it can remain gaseous only up to the duration of its awakening.
Creeping (Su): While awakened, a Creeping Night-touched gains a +2 bonus to Dexterity and can climb as if under the effects of a Spider Climb spell.
Alacritous (Su): While awakened, an Alacritous Night-touched gains a +2 bonus to Dexterity and a bonus of +10 feet to his base land speed.
Feeding (Su): While awakened, a feeding Night-touched gains a +2 bonus to Strength and can suck blood from a living victim with its fangs by making a successful grapple check. If it pins the foe, it drains blood, dealing 1 point of Constitution damage each round the pin is maintained. It can’t drain more points of Constitution in a single hour than its Constitution score. When a Night-Touched drains a victim’s Constitution, it gains 5 temporary hit points. Temporary hit points gained in this way last for up to 1 hour.
Soaring (Su): While awakened, a Soaring Night-touched temporarily gains a +2 bonus to Dexterity. His arms grow leathery flaps of skin (similar to a bat’s wings), which grant him a fly speed of 20 feet (average maneuverability).
While airborne, the Night-touched can’t use his hands for anything other than flying, though he can still hold or carry objects. A Night-touched can’t fly while carrying a medium or heavy load or while wearing medium or heavy armor.
Rising (Su): While awakened, a Rising Night-touched gains a +2 bonus to Constitution and heals 3 points of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point but less than half its full normal hit points. As long as the Night-touched has more than half its full normal hit points, its fast healing does not function (but other forms of healing still function normally).
Charming (Su): While awakened, a Charming Night-touched gains a +2 bonus to Charisma and can charm humanoid or monstrous humanoid opponents just by looking into their eyes. This is similar to a gaze attack, except that the Night-touched must use a standard action, and those merely looking at the Night-touched are not affected. Anyone the Night-touched targets must make a successful Will save (DC 10 + ½ the Night-touched’s HD + the Night-touched’s Charisma modifier) or fall under the Night-touched’s influence as though affected by a charm monster spell (caster level equal to HD). Any creature that successfully saves against a Night-touched’s charm gaze cannot be affected by that half vampire’s charm gaze for 24 hours. The ability has a range of 30 feet.
Awakening Feats
Spoiler
ALACRITOUS ELITE [NIGHT-TOUCHED] Prerequisite: Night-touched with the Alacritous trait. Benefit: While awakened, your base land speed improves by an additional 10 feet.
CHARMING ELITE [NIGHT-TOUCHED] Prerequisite: Night-touched with the Charming trait. Benefit: While awakened, you may use your charm gaze to instead implant a suggestion as the spell. The save DC remains unchanged.
CREEPING ELITE [NIGHT-TOUCHED] Prerequisite: Night-touched with the Creeping trait. Benefit: While awakened, your climb speed improves by an additional 10 feet.
DEADFLESH ELITE [NIGHT-TOUCHED] Prerequisite: Night-touched with the Deadflesh trait. Benefit: While awakened, you gain damage reduction 2/silver and magic.
DUSTMOTE ELITE [NIGHT-TOUCHED] Prerequisite: Night-touched with the Dustmote trait. Benefit: While awakened, your gaseous form has a fly speed of 20 feet with perfect maneuverability.
EXTRA AWAKENING TRAIT [NIGHT-TOUCHED]
You manifest a second awakening trait while Awakened. Prerequisites: Night-touched, two other night-touched feats Benefit: Select a second awakening trait from those described above. You manifest all the benefits of the second trait except for the temporary bonus to an ability score.
FEEDING ELITE [NIGHT-TOUCHED] Prerequisite: Night-touched with the Feeding trait. Benefit: With a successful pin, you now deal 1d4 points of constitution damage while awakened.
NIGHT-TOUCHED AGILITY [NIGHT-TOUCHED]
Your heritage of speed and grace has honed your reflexes, allowing you to avoid attacks. Prerequisite: Night-touched with the Creeping, Alacritous, or Soaring trait.
Benefit: You gain a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class and a +1 bonus to Reflex saves while awakened.
NIGHT-TOUCHED SENSES [NIGHT-TOUCHED]
Your discerning tastes and social skills combined with your vampiric senses let you notice things that others might miss. Prerequisite: Night-touched Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus on Sense Motive, Search, and Spot checks, and a +2 bonus on initiative checks.
NIGHT-TOUCHED STAMINA [NIGHT-TOUCHED]
Yours is a heritage of undead survivability. As such, you can shrug off bruises and fatigue. Prerequisite: Night-touched with the Deadflesh, Dustmote, or Rising trait. Benefit: While awakened, you are immune to nonlethal damage, and the effects of fatigue and exhaustion are suppressed. When your awakening ends, any fatigue or exhaustion effects that would have taken effect during your awakening (or that were in effect when you began awakening) take effect normally.
REACTIVE AWAKENING [NIGHT-TOUCHED]
You can awaken with a mere thought. Prerequisites: Night-touched, Improved Initiative. Benefit: You can activate your vampiric awakening ability as an immediate action, allowing you to awaken even when flat-footed or when it’s not your turn.
RISING ELITE [NIGHT-TOUCHED] Prerequisite: Night-touched with the Rising trait. Benefit: While awakened, your fast healing granted by your rising trait improves to fast healing 5.
SOARING ELITE [NIGHT-TOUCHED]
You are a creature whose heart lies in the endless night skies. Prerequisite: Night-touched with the Soaring trait. Benefit: While awakened, your base fly speed improves by 10 feet and your maneuverability improves to good.
Height, Weight, Age
Spoiler
Random Starting Ages
Adulthood
Simple
Moderate
Complex
16 Years
+1d4
+1d6
+2d6
Aging Effects
Middle Age
Old
Venerable
Maximum Age
165 Years
225 years
310 years
+6d20 years
Random Height and Weight
Gender
Base Height
Height Modifier
Base Weight
Weight Modifier
Male
5' 2''
+2d10
100lb.
x(2d4)lb.
Female
4' 5''
+2d10
85lb.
x(2d4)lb.
Comments and Critique are welcome.
__________________
Quote:
"To play a fighter is to play the game.
To play a wizard is to understand the rules.
To understand the rules, and play a fighter, is to understand the game."
-Lycar
First and foremost, nice work. While a lot of the fluff seems to be borrowed from the half-vampire template, it is neatly blended with your original work. Just out of curiosity, do I detect a hint of Twilight?
As far as the crunch goes, it seems pretty decent. There aren't many races that give a Charisma boost. I'm not the best judge of game mechanics, but it appears to be workable without being overpowered. I do have a couple problems with it, though.
First of all, where is the light sensitivity coming from? I know full vampires have problems with it, but half-vampires don't. These guys are supposed to be even less vampire-y than half-vampires, so the light sensitivity doesn't make sense and can be a huge turn-off. My second problem is that aside from this light sensitivity, I don't see much of the vampire in the crunch. The bonus to strength-related skills is mildly interesting, but it is hardly a reason to choose this race that is unlikely to go into classes utilizing this bonus. A race with a bonus to Cha and a hit to Con is unlikely to produce stellar warriors, which are the types that utilize Str-based skills.
What I would like to see here is more of a vampire feel. Maybe look at the half-vampire special abilities and grant the race either the use of these or toned-down versions of them. The ability to turn into a bat/rat/wolf so many times per day could also work. You could also create a whole line of feats based around improving these abilities, similar to Shifter feats.
As for the age section, it looks pretty good and fits thematically, but make sure you mention it in the fluff section! I didn't know these guys were particularly long-lived until I got here, and I think it would be important to add for those that would otherwise skip this section.
First and foremost, nice work. While a lot of the fluff seems to be borrowed from the half-vampire template, Caught me
it is neatly blended with your original work. Just out of curiosity, do I detect a hint of Twilight? NO!
As far as the crunch goes, it seems pretty decent. There aren't many races that give a Charisma boost. I'm not the best judge of game mechanics, but it appears to be workable without being overpowered. I do have a couple problems with it, though.
First of all, where is the light sensitivity coming from? I know full vampires have problems with it, but half-vampires don't. These guys are supposed to be even less vampire-y than half-vampires, so the light sensitivity doesn't make sense and can be a huge turn-off. Mostly fluff, but also to balance out their resistances and skill bonuses. I was going for no level adjustment, but if you think they don't need it... What does anyone else think?
My second problem is that aside from this light sensitivity, I don't see much of the vampire in the crunch. The bonus to strength-related skills is mildly interesting, but it is hardly a reason to choose this race that is unlikely to go into classes utilizing this bonus. A race with a bonus to Cha and a hit to Con is unlikely to produce stellar warriors, which are the types that utilize Str-based skills. But it does mean that a night-touched wizard with a 10 str has the same chance of breaking down a door as a human fighter with an 18 str. That was the vampire part. Well, that and the skill and resistance boosts. Edit: It does now. Forgot to change that back.
What I would like to see here is more of a vampire feel. Maybe look at the half-vampire special abilities and grant the race either the use of these or toned-down versions of them. The ability to turn into a bat/rat/wolf so many times per day could also work. You could also create a whole line of feats based around improving these abilities, similar to Shifter feats.
I couldnt think of anything that wouldn't merit some kind of LA. Maybe the charm gaze, or creatures of the night ability.
As for the age section, it looks pretty good and fits thematically, but make sure you mention it in the fluff section! I didn't know these guys were particularly long-lived until I got here, and I think it would be important to add for those that would otherwise skip this section.
I hate it when you type something and someone skips it, don't you?
Edit: I'll add it in somewhere.
__________________
Quote:
"To play a fighter is to play the game.
To play a wizard is to understand the rules.
To understand the rules, and play a fighter, is to understand the game."
-Lycar
Sorry. The "dark and brooding" bit made me think of the emo feel of the Twilight vampires. My mistake.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarrick
Mostly fluff, but also to balance out their resistances and skill bonuses. I was going for no level adjustment, but if you think they don't need it... What does anyone else think?
Remember, humans get a feat, which is not counterbalanced by anything, and in many cases I would prefer the feat to what this race currently offers by a long shot. To further elaborate, this discourages anyone planning on adventuring outdoors during the day time (99% of adventurers) from choosing this race. It's not a huge hit, but it's annoying.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarrick
But it does mean that a night-touched wizard with a 10 str has the same chance of breaking down a door as a human fighter with an 18 str. That was the vampire part. Well, that and the skill and resistance boosts.
Edit: It does now. Forgot to change that back.
At first level, maybe. But then the fighter starts getting Str boosting items and buffs and the wizard gets shatter, making this a fairly weak ability at later levels. Monsters are going to have so much better grapple modifiers and fighter types will have so many skill points invested in Str skills that you won't ever use the ability past level 5.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarrick
I couldnt think of anything that wouldn't merit some kind of LA. Maybe the charm gaze, or creatures of the night ability.
Remember that a significant portion of the Half-Vampire LA comes from the stat boosts alone. I think the charm gaze, creatures of the night, or even the blood drain ability would all be reasonable, especially if they scaled with level as ryleah suggested. Again borrowing from the Shifters, you could have each Night-touched have one vampiric aspect, and go from there.
Again, I'm not the best person to talk to about game balance, but I do have a rough idea of how things work. You might want to PM some other people and get them to check this out. A lot of people are more than willing to evaluate homebrew stuff if you ask them.
Hm... This has given me a lot to think about. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to work on this right now. Basing them off the shifters though... this sounds amazing. I wish i'd thought of it.
Edit:
Quote:
this discourages anyone planning on adventuring outdoors during the day time (99% of adventurers) from choosing this race. It's not a huge hit, but it's annoying.
Makes you wonder why so many people play drow. lol. I'll remove it for now.
__________________
Quote:
"To play a fighter is to play the game.
To play a wizard is to understand the rules.
To understand the rules, and play a fighter, is to understand the game."
-Lycar
I like the fluff of this class, and would be interested in playing one in the future. Maybe, because the vampires have a spider climb-like extraordinary ability, this race has a climb speed? So far this race seems a bit underpowered to me. EDIT: I think that a climb speed like this (20ft, hands and feet, no running) would be a fair exchange for the strength-skill bonuses, fits with the fluff better, and would remain useful after level five. Just a thought.
Last edited by The Anarresti : 04-28-2010 at 04:31 PM.
Reason: I forgot to say something
I like the fluff of this class, and would be interested in playing one in the future. The highest praise a homebrewer can receive.
Maybe, because the vampires have a spider climb-like extraordinary ability, this race has a climb speed? So far this race seems a bit underpowered to me. EDIT: I think that a climb speed like this (20ft, hands and feet, no running) would be a fair exchange for the strength-skill bonuses, fits with the fluff better, and would remain useful after level five. Just a thought.
I'm liking this idea. Maybe I'll make it one of the traits. Check back two days from now, in the evening. I've got some crap to deal with and I'm not going to be able to make any whole-hearted, thought out changes until then.
Any sugesstions in the meantime are welcome though.
I'm definately going the Shifter route. Suggestions for types are more than welcome. There is also more homebrew in my sig I've posted recently, if you're interested.
Edit: If not -2con, which would be a better choice?
__________________
Quote:
"To play a fighter is to play the game.
To play a wizard is to understand the rules.
To understand the rules, and play a fighter, is to understand the game."
-Lycar
I like the fluff of this class, and would be interested in playing one in the future. Maybe, because the vampires have a spider climb-like extraordinary ability, this race has a climb speed? So far this race seems a bit underpowered to me. EDIT: I think that a climb speed like this (20ft, hands and feet, no running) would be a fair exchange for the strength-skill bonuses, fits with the fluff better, and would remain useful after level five. Just a thought.
It will still useful as long as you don't have some means of flight by then. And, as most casters/shapeshifters/people with mounts do, this is again flavorful but not super useful at high levels. Just something to consider.
+2 Cha, -2 Wis. Night-touched are exotic and attractive, but aloof, hailing from sheltered lives.
I also need a better name, Night-touched is a little long-winded.
One of their shifting (Called Awakening) options will give them blood drain as a half vampire, should I also include the blood dependency?
__________________
Quote:
"To play a fighter is to play the game.
To play a wizard is to understand the rules.
To understand the rules, and play a fighter, is to understand the game."
-Lycar
If the above post was written any time between 4AM and noon Mountain Time (10:00-20:00 GMT), it was probably written while I ought to have been sleeping. So, sorry. Unless an apology isn't necessary and whatever I wrote was awesome. In that case, you're welcome.
How about the Thirsting? Or the Restless? They have a touch of dark-and-mysterious to them, and allude to the best-known traits of their ancestors.
I like Restless. I was already considering reducing their need to sleep. That name kinda makes me think more "Zombie" than "Vampire" though. Thirsting is good, but innaccurate unless they have blood dependancy. Definately adding both to the list of possibilities either way. Thanks for the input!
__________________
Quote:
"To play a fighter is to play the game.
To play a wizard is to understand the rules.
To understand the rules, and play a fighter, is to understand the game."
-Lycar
"To play a fighter is to play the game.
To play a wizard is to understand the rules.
To understand the rules, and play a fighter, is to understand the game."
-Lycar
I don't like the "Awakening" ability, just personally. Changing shape is the lycanthropes' main shtick, so it logically follows that watered-down lycanthropes (shifters) would have a watered-down, but similar ability. However, vampire's main shtick is as refined hunters-of-men, not shapeshifters. Note that although they can change shape, they do not have the shapeshifter subtype. The "Awakening" ability I think steps on the Shifter's toes. It also seems to be an extension of the werewolf/vampire false dichotomy.
It just kinda irks me.
It's supposed to represent them tapping into their ancestral powers rather than actually changing shape. They were meant to be a parallel to the shifters. Separate, but equal, and cool to pit against each other.
__________________
Quote:
"To play a fighter is to play the game.
To play a wizard is to understand the rules.
To understand the rules, and play a fighter, is to understand the game."
-Lycar
Yeah but in RAW D&D a werewolf/vampire dichotomy doesn't exist. Again, sounds a bit too "Twilight" or "Underworld" for my taste. Just personal preference though, feel free to disregard. I just don't see much of a rational for the Awakening ability other than "Shifter has it." I mean, Aasmiers and Tieflings don't have a similar ability, even though they draw their powers from their ancestors.
I like the direction this is going, but as some people above have mentioned, careful about stepping on the shifters' toes. Some of these abilities are almost identical to some of the shifter ones, and I think that is something you'll want to avoid. Think of the shifter as a template, but don't turn these guys into a slightly different copy.
What if you keyed the Awakening abilities off of Cha instead of Con? That seems to fit more with the race, both the fluff and crunch, and it would allow them to become undead without a penalty to this ability. I would also change the ability drain of the Feeding trait to ability damage. And what if the Soaring ability turned him into a bat rather than just giving him wings? I'm not sure how exactly to scale this with level (maybe increase the size/add templates or just add feats that do something), but I think it would be cool to look into and would be a bit more original-feeling.
P.S.-What about "Nightborn" as the name?
P.S.S.-Do they see their reflections in mirrors?
Mirrors? I guess so. I don't think they're vampiric enough to not reflect. Maybe they only kind-of reflect, and have to squint to see themselves.
Regarding those traits that are just like shifters, they translate well to vampires, so I just re-used them. The rationale behind the bat wings was that they couldn't turn completely into a bat due to diluted genes. Besides, I didn't want them to show up the shifters. I think I may have already done that with the fast healing. I'm considering reducing that.
Damage and Drain to ability scores aren't a big difference when it targets an NPC, as it's usually dead before it becomes an issue. With that in mind, I'll change it.
When I get around to making the feats, those will likely be rather different than their equivalent shifter feats.
And incidentally, I like vampires vs. lycanthropes.
They need not fight each other though if that's what you prefer. I just wanted them to have similar mechanics so you could pick your favorite because you favor one or the other's ancestors, not because of some mechanical benefit.
And regarding tying the abilities to Cha, I didn't want to tie their most powerful racial traits to a stat that they get an automatic bonus in. DM sense was tingling. Someone please tell me if i'm wrong.
I like the name Nightborn. Strongly considering that for the name.
I'm going to have some time off from work soon. I'll work on it more thoroughly then. Until then, suggestions are more than welcome. In fact they're requested.
__________________
Quote:
"To play a fighter is to play the game.
To play a wizard is to understand the rules.
To understand the rules, and play a fighter, is to understand the game."
-Lycar
I mean, Aasmiers and Tieflings don't have a similar ability, even though they draw their powers from their ancestors.
They might have, now that you've got me thinking about it...
__________________
Quote:
"To play a fighter is to play the game.
To play a wizard is to understand the rules.
To understand the rules, and play a fighter, is to understand the game."
-Lycar
Awakening Feats up along with a few minor changes. Light sensitivity came back to help mitigate the many advantages of this race. Nerfed fast healing a little.
I'm very pleased with what this has become. I think its come a long way thanks to the input of the many helpful folks here in the playground. Thank you all.
Comments and critique are welcome as always, but I'm pretty happy with it the way it is. If you can think of any specific way that this can be broken to hell and back, let me know and I'll consider a revision.
__________________
Quote:
"To play a fighter is to play the game.
To play a wizard is to understand the rules.
To understand the rules, and play a fighter, is to understand the game."
-Lycar
FEEDING ELITE [NIGHT-TOUCHED] Prerequisite: Night-touched with the Feeding trait. Benefit: While awakened, you drain 1d4 points of constitution when you successfully pin your foe.
I would change the wording to "With a successful pin, you now deal 1d4 points of constitution damage while awakened." This eliminates possible confusion with damage vs. drain. Some flavor text would be nice too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarrick
NIGHT-TOUCHED AGILITY [NIGHT-TOUCHED]
Your heritage of speed and grace has honed your reflexes, allowing you to avoid attacks. Prerequisite: Night-touched with the Creeping, Alacritous, or Soaring trait.
Benefit: You gain a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class and a +1 bonus to Reflex saves while shifting.
Careful with the copying and pasting there, bud.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarrick
NIGHT-TOUCHED SENSES [NIGHT-TOUCHED]
Your discerning tastes and social skills combined with your vampiric senses let you notice things that others might miss. Prerequisite: Night-touched Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus on Sense Motive, Search, and Spot checks, and a +2 bonus on initiative checks.
I would label this as a "Racial" feat rather than "Night-Touched," as they are slightly different things.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarrick
NIGHT-TOUCHED STAMINA [NIGHT-TOUCHED]
Yours is a heritage of undead survivability. As such, you can shrug off bruises and fatigue. Prerequisite: Night-touched with the Deadflesh, Dustmote, or Rising trait. Benefit: While awakened, you are immune to nonlethal damage, and the effects of fatigue and exhaustion are suppressed. When your awakening ends, any fatigue or exhaustion effects that would have taken effect during your shifting (or that were in effect when you began shifting) take effect normally.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarrick
RISING ELITE [NIGHT-TOUCHED] Prerequisite: Night-touched with the Alacritous trait. Benefit: While awakened, your fast healing granted by your rising trait improves to fast healing 5.
Do you mean "Night-touched with the Rising trait"?
All in all, it looks pretty good. I still don't like the light-sensitivity, and would rather see low-light vision go then get stuck with it, but you have the last say. Now we just need some cool PrCs to go with it!
"To play a fighter is to play the game.
To play a wizard is to understand the rules.
To understand the rules, and play a fighter, is to understand the game."
-Lycar
YES! Like the Weretouched master, but it makes you more like a real vampire! The gravity of the awesome of this didn't hit me until now! I must get started!
Edit: Err, umm. that class doesn't translate well in this case... This is going to be harder than I thought.
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__________________
Quote:
"To play a fighter is to play the game.
To play a wizard is to understand the rules.
To understand the rules, and play a fighter, is to understand the game."
-Lycar
While you won't be able to directly copy, I think it is still possible to draw on the basic concept. You could divide the Night-touched by their area of focus (bloodsucking, persuasion, stealth, etc.) and then come up with related bonuses/feats that make them closer to actual vampires. I would also recommend taking a look at the vampire spawn monster class in Libris Mortis for additional ideas.
Well, the biggest problem with this race vs. the shifters is that the shifters can come from different animals and get their variety in the weretouched master PrC by differentiating between the different animals. Vampire, on the other hand, is one creature. These guys already have a means of becoming more vampiric. If they get all the traits, then, while they're awakened at least, they will have everything a vampire gets minus the slam, energy drain, create spawn, bonus feats, alternate form, children of the night, and weaknesses. So maybe what's needed is an accelerated means of aquiring these traits/feats and maybe some of what they're missing. That way, for a few minutes a day at least, they can be almost as overpowered awesome as regular vampires. The trick is levels vs power.
Edit: Hm... That's 15 feats to do it that way. that's a long PrC... even with one feat a level. This would make an awesome char concept though I think, especially with a high BaB and some decent skills. I'd play it.
Edit Edit: 10 times per day for 19+Con rounds each if you then take the other four feats too. By that point it might as well be at will. Grr... I'm not sure I can make this work. I might be better off making a vampire monster class. But then again, you'd be level 20 by then so... I dunno.
__________________
Quote:
"To play a fighter is to play the game.
To play a wizard is to understand the rules.
To understand the rules, and play a fighter, is to understand the game."
-Lycar
What's that prestige class that gives you the choice of gaining +1 level to spellcasting or a fighter bonus feat every other level? I need to look at that mechanic again. It's relavent.
Edit: Thrall of Demogorgon. Never mind.
Edit Edit: I'm getting frustrated with this project. I'm out of meaningful ideas. The way its looking, it's going to be easier to just find a vampire and acquire the vampire spawn monster class to become more vampiric. You'd get more and at lower levels and less book-keeping for the exchange of a few hit dice.
If someone else wants to make the Vampiric Ascendant PrC, be my guest though.
__________________
Quote:
"To play a fighter is to play the game.
To play a wizard is to understand the rules.
To understand the rules, and play a fighter, is to understand the game."
-Lycar
What if the capstone is actually adding the vampire template, but without the weaknesses? You'd have to add in a clause about the feats applying to vampire abilities, but that shouldn't be too hard. And it'd be really cool...
What if the capstone is actually adding the vampire template, but without the weaknesses? You'd have to add in a clause about the feats applying to vampire abilities, but that shouldn't be too hard. And it'd be really cool...
Because then it would be like 12 levels of nothing to justify the now larger because of no weaknesses level adjustment and then Boom, you're a vampire. Either that or you try to cram everything a vampire gets into a PrC that's 13-15 levels long...
But...
What if you omitted the ability score adjustments? Then it might be workable...
But I'm bored with this project, I've moved on to a new base class project. I'm better at those than I am PrCs. Go ahead and make it if you want, you have my blessing to do so.
__________________
Quote:
"To play a fighter is to play the game.
To play a wizard is to understand the rules.
To understand the rules, and play a fighter, is to understand the game."
-Lycar
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Vampiric descendants: Night-touched
