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Old 06-28-2011, 02:16 PM   Top  -  End  -  #1
Kellus
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Join Date: Feb 2007
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Default Must Affix Everything to Everything! (Grafts That Don't Make Me Cry Myself To Sleep)

The Xenoalchemist

"On a scale of one to ten, how angry would you be if I cut off your hand and replaced it with a second head? Like, one that breathes fire. I mean, hypothetically."


Image credit keithherrschaft of deviantart.com.

There are a lot of weird and wild monsters out there. From aboleths to yrthaks, there are a metric ton of things in the wild that would like nothing more than to remove your skin and slurp out your insides like a Mountain Dew Blue Shock Slurpee (now available at 7-Elevens for a limited time). If you're very very lucky, some of these monsters might wait until after you're dead before laying their eggs inside of you and having their babies chew their way out of your brain cavity.

Basically, the number of horrifying creatures in the wilderness right now that actively want to hunt down and eat every last humanoid on the planet is really high. A while ago, a clever adventurer decided that being humanoid just wasn't good enough anymore. It's a brutal campaign setting out there, and two arms, two legs and twenty nonlethal digits just don't cut it when the enemy has actual tentacles that dissolve your skin by touching you.

That's where xenoalchemy comes in. Xenoalchemy is the careful scientific practice of chopping up strange and alien monsters and stapling their pieces onto people. If we're going to survive in this messed-up world we're going to need every advantage we can get, up to and including voltronning a frost worm's giant frigid mandibles to your torso. Why? BECAUSE WE CAN.

Hit Die: d6
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier

Class Skills: A xenoalchemist's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (all) (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Knowledge (the Planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Cha), Speak Language (n/a), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Use Rope (Dex).

The Xenoalchemist
LevelBABFortRefWillSpecial
Graft Level
1st+0+0+0+2Harvest material, surgical precision +1d6, xenoalchemy
1
2nd+1+0+0+3Bedside manner +1, postop procedure, thesis monster
1
3rd+2+1+1+3Accurate analysis, surgical precision +2d6
1
4th+3+1+1+4Combat medic, thesis monster
1
5th+3+1+1+4Surgical precision +3d6
2
6th+4+2+2+5Battlefield diagnosis, thesis monster
2
7th+5+2+2+5Steady hand, surgical precision +4d6
2
8th+6/+1+2+2+6Back on their feet, thesis monster
2
9th+6/+1+3+3+6Bedside manner +2, surgical precision +5d6
3
10th+7/+2+3+3+7Thesis monster, waste not want not
3
11th+8/+3+3+3+7Attack its weak point for massive damage, surgical precision +6d6
3
12th+9/+4+4+4+8Emergency action, thesis monster
3
13th+9/+4+4+4+8Surgical precision +7d6
4
14th+10/+5+4+4+9Advanced cryogenics, thesis monster
4
15th+11/+6/+1+5+5+9Conjoined grafts, surgical precision +8d6
4
16th+12/+7/+2+5+5+10Always on call, bedside manner +3, thesis monster
4
17th+12/+7/+2+5+5+10Surgical precision +9d6
5
18th+13/+8/+3+6+6+11Autoimmunity, thesis monster
5
19th+14/+9/+4+6+6+11Medical mastery, surgical precision +10d6
5
20th+15/+10/+5+6+6+12God will be cut, thesis monster
5

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the xenoalchemist.

Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: A xenoalchemist is proficient with all simple weapons and light armour. They are not proficient with any kind of shield.

Harvest Material (Ex): As a trained xenoalchemist you can quickly identify, catalogue and remove for future use the pieces of monsters which make them so dangerous. Harvesting remains requires two minutes of work with a helpless creature or recently dead (within one hour) corpse. It requires two skill checks.

First, you must make a Knowledge check relating to the monster's type. The relevant Knowledge skill required is described under the uses of Knowledge, but since that's kind of obscure I'll just list them here for you. It's worth noting that if you don't know what type the monster was you can simply attempt a broad Knowledge check and the DM will choose the appropriate skill for you.

Knowledge SkillMonster Types
Knowledge (arcana)Constructs, dragons, magical beasts
Knowledge (dungeoneering)Aberrations, oozes
Knowledge (local)Humanoids
Knowledge (nature)Animals, fey, giants, monstrous humanoids, plants, vermin
Knowledge (religion)Undead
Knowledge (the Planes)Outsiders, elementals

The DC for the Knowledge check is equal to 10 + the monster's HD. You can always attempt these checks, even untrained thanks to your broad training in general monstrous physiology.

If the Knowledge check is successful, the DM shall describe to you the pieces available for harvest. In general, this consists of informing you about supernatural and extraordinary abilities, breath weapons, natural weapons, movement modes, and so on. This might seem a little vague, but you can always request particular information about an aspect of the monster. If there is a piece of the monster you wish to harvest for one of your grafts, you can move on to the second skill check. You can only harvest material if it's appropriate for a graft you currently have access to.

Once you decide which piece of the monster you want (each graft has a particular requirement in the original monster and you can harvest one graft's worth of material from any given monster) you make a Heal check at the same DC. If successful you manage to procure the material needed for the chosen graft. The material is usable for about three days. If it's not used before then it begins to go rancid and becomes unusable unless you store it in a freezing environment (time spent in such a state effectively pauses the time limit).

If the Heal check is unsuccessful you cannot try again to harvest that material from the monster, but you can attempt additional pieces that you find useful. If you successfuly harvest one, however, the rest of the monster becomes contaminated and unusable.

You can store as many of these monster pieces as you want, but the DM should decide on their weight and the space required to store them based on the monster they came from.

Surgical Precision (Ex): Although a xenoalchemist is a lover not a fighter, he's trained in physiology and can quickly determine how a monster's body is put together. As a swift action you can study a creature within 30ft. of you. You immediately make a Knowledge check, as if for harvesting materials (as described above). If the check passes then the next successful weapon attack you make against that creature within the following three rounds deals an extra +1d6 damage. This damage is precision-based, which means it is not effective against creatures without a discernable anatomy or who are immune to effects such as sneak attacks or critical hits.

At 3rd level, and every second level thereafter the extra damage granted by this ability increases by +1d6.

Xenoalchemy (Ex): Here's what you showed up for. As a xenoalchemist you know how to chop things up and stick them onto other things. Once you've harvested a piece of a monster as described above, you can attach it to a living being. The target must either be willing or helpless for the duration of the procedure in order to perform the graft. The procedure requires 1d3 hours + 1/2 hour per graft level. You can attach a graft to yourself, but you must make a DC 20 Concentration check to endure operating on your own body. If you fail this skill check the time for the operation is wasted but your monstrous material is not.

You only have access to level 1 grafts at 1st level, but at 5th level and every four levels thereafter you gain access to an additional level of grafts. Grafts have body slots, but they do not stop someone from wearing a magic item in the same slot. You cannot, however, have two grafts in the same body slot. Furthermore, a creature can only have at any one time a number of grafts equal to 1 + their Constitution modifier (minimum 1). If a creature's Constitution is reduced so that they can no longer hold their current grafts the grafts are rejected, starting with the most recently acquired. Rejected grafts are destroyed, and all benefits they confer are lost. A creature can only have a single 5th level graft at a time.

A xenoalchemist can remove a graft at a later point, either to replace it with a mundane body part (treated as a level 0 graft) or to make way for a different graft. This may or may not impose a penalty (see the Graft Rejection section below for more information on empty body slots).

Performing xenoalchemy requires access to basic medical equipment (which might include things like bandages, knives, electroshock therapy, and so on at the player's discretion). If you would also like to make a loud ka-chunk sound effect as you perform the operation you may do so as you see fit.

Bedside Manner (Ex): As a medical professional you're expected to remain calm and in control at all times. At 2nd level you gain a +1 bonus on all Fortitude saves, and you can use a calm emotions effect on yourself at will with a caster level equal to your Hit Dice. This bonus increases to +2 at 9th level and +3 at 16th level.

Thesis Monster (Ex): Your studies take you far and wide, and you'll end up seeing a lot of monsters. At 2nd level and every 2nd level thereafter you can select a thesis monster type. In order to pick a thesis monster type, you must have successfully analysed at least two monsters of that type previously. Choosing a thesis monster gives you access to a special technique. If the technique requires a saving throw, the Difficulty Class is 10 + 1/2 your xenoalchemy level + your Intelligence modifier. You can only use a single thesis monster technique on an attack, and you must choose which one to use before declaring the attack roll.

Spoiler


Postop Procedure (Ex): The initial operation is only the beginning. A graft's effects are often based on the level of the xenoalchemist. Since a xenoalchemist might increase in level after the procedure has been performed, it's nice to have the graft increase in power along with the surgeon's skills. Beginning at 2nd level as a ten minute procedure you can touch up a graft so that the xenoalchemist level of the graft is adjusted to your current xenoalchemy level.

Accurate Analysis (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level whenever you use your surgical precision class feature you can add your Intelligence modifier to the attack roll in addition to the normal ability modifier.

Combat Medic (Ex): Starting at 4th level you're adept at providing medical attention to your allies in tight conditions. By making a successful Heal check (DC 10 + their HD) as a standard action you can remove all nonlethal damage on an adjacent ally or heal them 1 hit point per class level. You can only provide this benefit to an ally once every three hours. You can treat yourself with this ability, but within the same time restriction. This ability provokes attacks of opportunity.

Battlefield Diagnosis (Ex): Beginning at 6th level, whenever you succeed on an attack with your surgical precision class feature, you automatically analyse the target for harvesting. The time required to harvest materials from the monster drops to only a single standard action now that you know just what to take.

Steady Hand (Ex): Beginning at 7th level your skills with the knife progress. Thanks to your razor calm you can salvage the worst situations. If you botch the Heal check to remove a piece of a monster's corpse you can retry the check by taking an additional ten minutes.

Back On Their Feet (Ex): Beginning at 8th level when you successfully treat someone with your combat medic class feature you provide far more than a few bandages. With the whole of your medical expertise you can also allow them to make a new saving throw against any ongoing condition affecting them. You can now provide aid to a given creature once per hour.

Waste Not Want Not (Ex): Starting at 10th level you have learned how to more carefully remove monster bits so as to more efficiently get what you want. You can remove up to two graft components from a given corpse before the entire thing becomes unusable.

Attack its Weak Point for Massive Damage (Ex): No matter how big or tough a monster is, there's always a vulnerability. Starting at level 11, whenever you deliver a surgical precision attack the enemy's natural armour bonus to AC is reduced by the number of extra damage dice you deal (to a minimum of +0 natural armour). This effect lasts until the end of the encounter or until the target is subject to a regeneration effect. If the target has the regeneration special ability, the bonus returns at the start of your next turn. This effect stacks with itself, and thus can be used multiple times against the same enemy.

In addition, your surgical precision class feature can now be used at a distance of 60ft.

Emergency Action (Ex): Beginning at 12th level, you can use your combat medic class feature to save an ally a lesser surgeon might have lost. If you can perform this ability on an ally who has died within two rounds of their death you can bring them back from the brink with no penalty. Your combat medic ability now heals 2 hit points per class level and can be used on a given creature once every ten minutes.

Advanced Cryogenics (Ex): Starting at 14th level you have devised a special technique which preserves body parts indefinitely. Your monster parts no longer go bad after three days, and instead can be kept around as long as you please.

Conjoined Grafts (Ex): Starting at 15th level you have mastered the art of fusing two disparate grafts together. You can now attach up to two grafts to the same body slot.

Always on Call (Ex): Beginning at 16th level you can provide aid to your allies perpetually with your combat medic class feature. You can now use the ability as often as you like.

Autoimmunity (Ex): Starting at 18th level your body is now used to changing conditions and wildly different states of being. Whenever you receive energy damage you can activate this ability as an immediate action to gain immunity to that energy type (after receiving the initial damage). The effect lasts until you change to a different energy type.

Medical Mastery (Ex): Starting at 19th level you're a master of life and death, and probably the best doctor in the world. Whenever you use your combat medic class feature you restore the target to full hit points plus an additional ten percent temporary hit points.

God Will Be Cut (Ex): A xenoalchemist of 20th level has reached the pinnacle of her craft. Once you achieve this impressive milestone you get the incredibly cool ability to chop up gods and attach their pieces to people. You can remove pieces from a god's body just like from a normal monster, using the Knowledge (religion) skill to analyse it. Unlike a normal creature, you can remove as many pieces from the god as they had salient divine abilities.

Basically, the grafts that you can make using godly tissues grant the salient divine abilities the god possessed. Treat these as 6th level grafts that you can attach, even though your class table states that you only have access to 5th level grafts. Unlike normal grafts, godly grafts can be attached to any body part thematically appropriate to the salient divine ability (such as inserting a god's eye to grant the Clearsight divine ability). All effects of the divine abilities granted are based on the divine rank of the god at the time of death. They do not grant a divine rank to the recipient of the graft.

All deific grafts grant a +5 perfection bonus to a single ability score, chosen at the time of grafting. You can only have a single deific graft at a time.
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Last edited by Kellus : 08-19-2011 at 10:56 AM. Reason: Typo
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Old 06-28-2011, 02:17 PM   Top  -  End  -  #2
Kellus
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Default Re: Must Affix Everything to Everything! (Grafts That Don't Make Me Cry Myself To Sle

Grafts
"Come now, that's no way to get ahead in life!"

Grafts are pieces of monsters that occupy a body slot. They don't take up magic item slots, but instead cannot share a space with another graft. A xenoalchemist has access to any graft at or below his level of achievement (as shown on the class table). Any character can have a number of grafts at one time up to 1 + his Constitution modifier (minimum 1 graft). If a graft offers an ability that requires a saving throw, the DC for the save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the xenoalchemist level of the graft + an appropriate ability modifier as described in the graft's entry. The body slots used by grafts are: Arms, Body, Eyes, Hands, Head, Legs, Shoulders, Throat, Torso, and Waist.

Most grafts merely have a requirement in the monster they're harvested from, such as a natural attack form or a special ability. In rare cases a graft may be specific to one particular monster or kind of monster. These are fairly uncommon so as to give the player a chance to get access to a lot of grafts no matter what campaign he's in. You may also sometimes find a monster that can donate a graft but which doesn't fit with the flavour attached to the graft. Please feel free to change the name of the graft to something more suitable for the donating monster.

Although many grafts grant supernatural abilities, grafts themselves are extraordinary in nature. In practice, this means they can't be dispelled or suppressed, and going into an antimagic field doesn't make them fall off. On the other hand, a graft that gives supernatural abilities cannot be used in such a situation. Grafts that grant supernatural abilities are marked as such in the graft entry.

Lastly, some grafts build off of an earlier graft, usually a basic natural attack graft. These grafts are marked with a tag such as [Bite] or [Tentacle]. In order to attach one of these grafts the subject must first have the corresponding base graft. The advantage is that this graft doesn't need to occupy a new body slot. The downside is that it still counts as two grafts. You can only have one graft with such a tag for each slot.

1st Level Grafts

Spoiler


2nd Level Grafts

Spoiler


3rd Level Grafts

Spoiler


4th Level Grafts

Spoiler


5th Level Grafts

Spoiler
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Last edited by Kellus : 07-23-2011 at 08:16 PM. Reason: Wish restrictions
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Old 06-28-2011, 02:18 PM   Top  -  End  -  #3
Kellus
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Default Re: Must Affix Everything to Everything! (Grafts That Don't Make Me Cry Myself To Sle

The Biolinguist

Spoiler


The Fleshwarper

Spoiler


The Medicineer

Spoiler
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Old 06-28-2011, 02:19 PM   Top  -  End  -  #4
Kellus
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Default Re: Must Affix Everything to Everything! (Grafts That Don't Make Me Cry Myself To Sle

The Nosomatic Chirurgeon

Spoiler


The Shadowstitcher

Spoiler


The Supersoldier

Spoiler


The Xenomorph

Spoiler
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Last edited by Kellus : 09-13-2012 at 11:27 PM. Reason: Typo
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Old 06-28-2011, 02:21 PM   Top  -  End  -  #5
Kellus
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Default Re: Must Affix Everything to Everything! (Grafts That Don't Make Me Cry Myself To Sle

Bloodline: Emergent Atrocity


Spoiler


Feats


Spoiler


Extra Rules


These rules don't come up much, but you might be glad they're here someday.

Starting at Higher Levels

Spoiler


Graft Rejection

Spoiler


Handicap Grafts

Spoiler


Grafts as Disguises

Spoiler


Reserved for future content, comments, or update log.

Wow! That's everything! I've been working on this for a while, and I'd be glad to hear anything you have to say about it or answer your questions! Please enjoy!

– Kellus
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Last edited by Kellus : 07-15-2011 at 12:51 AM.
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Old 06-28-2011, 02:39 PM   Top  -  End  -  #6
Owrtho
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Default Re: Must Affix Everything to Everything! (Grafts That Don't Make Me Cry Myself To Sle

I find I quite like this so far, though I'll need to read over everything in more detail to say much more. I was wondering though, since the description on the grafts post didn't make things quite clear. Do grafts replace your existing limbs? If so, would that mean that if it ended up being rejected you'd now be sort a limb with whatever penalties that incurs?

Owrtho
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[creature]Shiny: Monster Competition XXXVI entry.
[class]Wisp fire guide: Follow me. I have such sights to show you.
[class]Ozodrin: A class to play as an eldritch horror.
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Old 06-28-2011, 02:43 PM   Top  -  End  -  #7
Kellus
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Default Re: Must Affix Everything to Everything! (Grafts That Don't Make Me Cry Myself To Sle

Quote:
Originally Posted by Owrtho View Post
I find I quite like this so far, though I'll need to read over everything in more detail to say much more. I was wondering though, since the description on the grafts post didn't make things quite clear. Do grafts replace your existing limbs? If so, would that mean that if it ended up being rejected you'd now be sort a limb with whatever penalties that incurs?

Owrtho
Good question. It's not something that's going to come up often (the only two times I can think of off the top of my head are Con damage or a shadowstitcher's patients walking into an antimagic field) but it should still be covered. Most of the grafts are add-ons, not replacements. For example, having your grafted wings fall off doesn't remove your shoulders. That being said, some of them (such as eye replacements) could potentially carry a penalty. That's ambiguous enough that I think I'll leave it up to the DM to decide on an appropriate penalty, especially since the penalty won't be around long. Once the creature's Con is restored you can graft even just mundane parts like a new eye into the socket to get rid of any ad hoc penalty for being partially blind.
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Old 06-28-2011, 02:45 PM   Top  -  End  -  #8
Tanuki Tales
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Default Re: Must Affix Everything to Everything! (Grafts That Don't Make Me Cry Myself To Sle

Why is Regeneration set at a higher level than permanent True Seeing or basically permanent Vorpal weapons?
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Old 06-28-2011, 02:51 PM   Top  -  End  -  #9
JoshuaZ
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Default Re: Must Affix Everything to Everything! (Grafts That Don't Make Me Cry Myself To Sle

I'm a little worried about the 20th level ability with the God grafts since the usefulness of that will be extremely campaign specific. For example, in an FR-like campaign world that would be ridiculously powerful while in say Eberron it would be useless.

Cerebral Expansion- How does this impact beings that have multiple spellcasting classes? Also note that even a regular Elder Brain only has 28 int. So maybe reducing this to 25 int would make sense?

Formian Command Cortex should probably allow some form of save if the Formians in question have more HD than you do.

Thesis Monster- It may make sense to give a small bonus to knowledge checks related to your thesis monsters. Afterall, if you've studied those monsters that much...

That's all for now. Most of this looks very good, as is usually the case for your stuff.
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Spoiler


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Old 06-28-2011, 02:58 PM   Top  -  End  -  #10
Kellus
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Default Re: Must Affix Everything to Everything! (Grafts That Don't Make Me Cry Myself To Sle

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bendraesar View Post
Why is Regeneration set at a higher level than permanent True Seeing or basically permanent Vorpal weapons?
Because regeneration lets you never die unless someone murders you with fire. True seeing is available as a spell starting at 9th level and the vorpal weapons you summon will only ever have a +6 effective enchantment. Regneration is incredibly incredibly good.

Quote:
Originally Posted by JoshuaZ
I'm a little worried about the 20th level ability with the God grafts since the usefulness of that will be extremely campaign specific. For example, in an FR-like campaign world that would be ridiculously powerful while in say Eberron it would be useless.

Cerebral Expansion- How does this impact beings that have multiple spellcasting classes? Also note that even a regular Elder Brain only has 28 int. So maybe reducing this to 25 int would make sense?

Formian Command Cortex should probably allow some form of save if the Formians in question have more HD than you do.

Thesis Monster- It may make sense to give a small bonus to knowledge checks related to your thesis monsters. Afterall, if you've studied those monsters that much...
The capstone is definitely useful, but like you say, campaign specific. Actual godslaying isn't really possible until ludicrously high levels, and the game falls apart that high anyway. I wanted to make sure that a xenoalchemist who stuck it out into those massively high levels would at least have something interesting to do. As far as I see it, if you're high enough level to kill a god you're high enough level to steal its stuff. And by stuff I mean body parts.

Cerebral Expansion gives you one additional prepared spell from every spell level you know. If you know for whatever reason 4 different levels of wizard spells and 6 different levels of cleric spells then you definitely get 10 bonus spells just because being a mystic theurge sucks so much. So congratulations, I guess? Also, good call on the Int. I don't have my MM, and was hoping that illithids had a huge Int but couldn't verify. I'll drop it to 25.

Your suggestion on Formian Command Codex is probably a good one, although I can't imagine there being too many. Even the queen only has 20HD.

As for thesis monster, take a closer look at the actual abilities. You do get a bonus on related Knowledge checks.

Thanks for the comments!
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Old 06-28-2011, 03:13 PM   Top  -  End  -  #11
Owrtho
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Default Re: Must Affix Everything to Everything! (Grafts That Don't Make Me Cry Myself To Sle

Another thing I thought of. How do undead, constructs, deathless, and other null con creatures interact with grafts? Are they just limited to the default 1, do they use another ability score, or some other option?

On a different note, given that grafts need to get their energy from somewhere, would a sufficient number of grafts increase the amount of food a character needs to eat?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kellus View Post
Good question. It's not something that's going to come up often (the only two times I can think of off the top of my head are Con damage or a shadowstitcher's patients walking into an antimagic field) but it should still be covered. Most of the grafts are add-ons, not replacements. For example, having your grafted wings fall off doesn't remove your shoulders. That being said, some of them (such as eye replacements) could potentially carry a penalty. That's ambiguous enough that I think I'll leave it up to the DM to decide on an appropriate penalty, especially since the penalty won't be around long. Once the creature's Con is restored you can graft even just mundane parts like a new eye into the socket to get rid of any ad hoc penalty for being partially blind.
Wouldn't it also come up if you tried grafting something onto a person when they already have the maximum number of grafts? Also, given that one of the main things people think of with grafts is replacing an existing body part, it seems like a feat or PRC could work around that. Possibly making a graft replacing a part not count toward your max number of grafts, though potentially making you lose other slots for grafts (such as replacing your arm potentially removing your hand slot).

Finally (for this post), while I haven't read through all the grafts yet, there seems to be a distinct lack of negative ones (by which I mean grafts that add penalties rather than benefits). It seems like it could be fun to try playing a character who can immobilize opponents and graft things on them to weaken them, but that currently doesn't seem possible.

Owrtho
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My Homebrew
[creature]Shiny: Monster Competition XXXVI entry.
[class]Wisp fire guide: Follow me. I have such sights to show you.
[class]Ozodrin: A class to play as an eldritch horror.
other hombrew
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Old 06-28-2011, 03:15 PM   Top  -  End  -  #12
Veyr
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Default Re: Must Affix Everything to Everything! (Grafts That Don't Make Me Cry Myself To Sle

This is awesome!

With your permission, I would like very much to add it to my Fleshwarping list!

Last edited by Veyr : 06-28-2011 at 03:15 PM.
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Old 06-28-2011, 03:18 PM   Top  -  End  -  #13
Kellus
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Default Re: Must Affix Everything to Everything! (Grafts That Don't Make Me Cry Myself To Sle

Quote:
Originally Posted by Veyr View Post
This is awesome!

With your permission, I would like very much to add it to my Fleshwarping list!
No problem. I admit to using your list in order to make sure I hadn't missed any blatantly obvious kinds of grafts.

Just remember to add a disclaimer that using this material overwrites basically everything already in the rules concerning grafts. There is no way you should be playing a game where both sets of rules are in effect.
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Old 06-28-2011, 03:31 PM   Top  -  End  -  #14
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Done; I've only skimmed the classes so far, but let me know if any of the blurbs I've given them are completely wrong.
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Old 06-28-2011, 03:35 PM   Top  -  End  -  #15
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Done; I've only skimmed the classes so far, but let me know if any of the blurbs I've given them are completely wrong.
Excellent descriptions. I'm glad you like it.
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Old 06-28-2011, 03:44 PM   Top  -  End  -  #16
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Default Re: Must Affix Everything to Everything! (Grafts That Don't Make Me Cry Myself To Sle

This is awesome beyond words. I wish I had something constructive to say, but I don't... It's still pretty awesome, though.
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Old 06-28-2011, 04:18 PM   Top  -  End  -  #17
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What's this? A grafting base class? And it's actually both well done and chock full of flavor? I applaud you, Kellus, this is a fantastic piece of homebrew.

I really like the Bedside Manner ability, but what type of action does it consume? If you have to stop the surgery to wipe the sweat from your brow and take a breath, is it a move action? A standard action? Do you need a full-round to calm down? Would you eventually become so jaded that it would only take a swift action for you to shake your head and get back to work?

I think you actually added bonemail to the graft list between when I started reading this post and when I clicked the reply button, but I have to say I like it. Scaling natural armor is a very cool tool, and I bet it gives you some sweet circumstances bonuses to Intimidate (and Disguise, if you want to go there)

WOW

I just looked at the entire graft list. I had no idea it would be so...complete. I am genuinely, seriously, one hundred percent impressed. I don't think I've ever been so impressed by any class on this site as I have with the xenoalchemist, and I mean that sincerely. The vampiric fangs, the sword of balor, every kind of natural attack you could want and every upgrade to those attacks you can think of. This class is like the totemist on sweet, science-y crack. I definitely will be using this class in my next game if I can in any way convince my DM to let me.
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Old 06-28-2011, 04:27 PM   Top  -  End  -  #18
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Originally Posted by NeoSeraphi View Post
What's this? A grafting base class? And it's actually both well done and chock full of flavor? I applaud you, Kellus, this is a fantastic piece of homebrew.

I really like the Bedside Manner ability, but what type of action does it consume? If you have to stop the surgery to wipe the sweat from your brow and take a breath, is it a move action? A standard action? Do you need a full-round to calm down? Would you eventually become so jaded that it would only take a swift action for you to shake your head and get back to work?

I think you actually added bonemail to the graft list between when I started reading this post and when I clicked the reply button, but I have to say I like it. Scaling natural armor is a very cool tool, and I bet it gives you some sweet circumstances bonuses to Intimidate (and Disguise, if you want to go there)

WOW

I just looked at the entire graft list. I had no idea it would be so...complete. I am genuinely, seriously, one hundred percent impressed. I don't think I've ever been so impressed by any class on this site as I have with the xenoalchemist, and I mean that sincerely. The vampiric fangs, the sword of balor, every kind of natural attack you could want and every upgrade to those attacks you can think of. This class is like the totemist on sweet, science-y crack. I definitely will be using this class in my next game if I can in any way convince my DM to let me.
Haha, I'm glad you like it.

I swear I didn't go back and add any grafts to the list, bonemail was definitely always there. A few things:

• Bedside manner gives you a spell-like ability to use calm emotions. Unless otherwise stated a spell-like ability requires a standard action to use, which provokes attacks of opportunity.

• The sword of the balor is kind of tongue-in-cheek since it's incredibly stupid that they have a magical ability to have a vorpal sword. But it's still a fun graft.

• This list is also by no means complete. One big thing I want to stress for any DM reading this is that the list of grafts is just the beginning. Please feel free to take special abilities you have on monsters in your campaign and adapt them for use with this system. The grafts listed are mainly to give you an idea what abilities are appropriate at what levels. If you have homebrew monsters or monsters from other sources I swear that your players will feel like badasses if they get to chop them up and take their stuff.

EDIT: Thanks for your kind words as well, Lyndworm.
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Old 06-28-2011, 05:43 PM   Top  -  End  -  #19
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You... you... you are my new best friend. This is awesome.
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Old 06-28-2011, 05:52 PM   Top  -  End  -  #20
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You... you... you are my new best friend. This is awesome.
Hey, I'm glad you like it! I loved your xenotheurgy material, even if it was a little hard to wrap my head around at first.

Also, to anyone interested I added a rule for starting at higher levels in chargen in post #5 for how many grafts you can claim to start with.
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Old 06-28-2011, 06:16 PM   Top  -  End  -  #21
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We now need a Xenoalchemist/Xenotheurge PrC. I hesitate to suggest it, but... Xenomorph sounds like a really good name for that PrC.
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Old 06-28-2011, 07:11 PM   Top  -  End  -  #22
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We now need a Xenoalchemist/Xenotheurge PrC. I hesitate to suggest it, but... Xenomorph sounds like a really good name for that PrC.
On a similar note, an Xenoalchemist/Ozodrin PrC would be pretty cool, perhaps with something like an ability that lets you take apart creatures you consume for graft parts and maybe being able to alter your grafts when you manifest your form (perhaps like a special stomach thing that lets you store grafts, and those grafts come out and form properly when you manifest your true form).
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Old 06-28-2011, 07:14 PM   Top  -  End  -  #23
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No, xenomorph generally refers to the aliens from the Alien movies, which it wouldn't be like at all really.

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Originally Posted by Owrtho View Post
Another thing I thought of. How do undead, constructs, deathless, and other null con creatures interact with grafts? Are they just limited to the default 1, do they use another ability score, or some other option?

On a different note, given that grafts need to get their energy from somewhere, would a sufficient number of grafts increase the amount of food a character needs to eat?



Wouldn't it also come up if you tried grafting something onto a person when they already have the maximum number of grafts? Also, given that one of the main things people think of with grafts is replacing an existing body part, it seems like a feat or PRC could work around that. Possibly making a graft replacing a part not count toward your max number of grafts, though potentially making you lose other slots for grafts (such as replacing your arm potentially removing your hand slot).

Finally (for this post), while I haven't read through all the grafts yet, there seems to be a distinct lack of negative ones (by which I mean grafts that add penalties rather than benefits). It seems like it could be fun to try playing a character who can immobilize opponents and graft things on them to weaken them, but that currently doesn't seem possible.
Thought I'd check if you saw my above post since you seem to have skipped over it.
Adding to it though, any chance of mechanical grafts? For those that want to gain a more cyborgy transhumanist flavour?

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Originally Posted by Volt View Post
On a similar note, an Xenoalchemist/Ozodrin PrC would be pretty cool, perhaps with something like an ability that lets you take apart creatures you consume for graft parts and maybe being able to alter your grafts when you manifest your form (perhaps like a special stomach thing that lets you store grafts, and those grafts come out and form properly when you manifest your true form).
Don't forget the possibility of grafting your features onto others.

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Old 06-28-2011, 07:34 PM   Top  -  End  -  #24
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Default Re: Must Affix Everything to Everything! (Grafts That Don't Make Me Cry Myself To Sle

Oh wow, I'm really sorry I missed that post, Owrtho! Let me clear it up!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Owrtho
Another thing I thought of. How do undead, constructs, deathless, and other null con creatures interact with grafts? Are they just limited to the default 1, do they use another ability score, or some other option?
Without a Con score an undead or a construct can only ever have one graft attached to them (1 + Con, minumum 1)

Quote:
On a different note, given that grafts need to get their energy from somewhere, would a sufficient number of grafts increase the amount of food a character needs to eat?
I think I'll leave that kind of roleplaying decision up to the player. I don't want to make arbitrary rules that get in the way of having fun, and while it would be a neat character quirk it's the sort of thing that doesn't add anything by having rules for it.

Quote:
Wouldn't it also come up if you tried grafting something onto a person when they already have the maximum number of grafts? Also, given that one of the main things people think of with grafts is replacing an existing body part, it seems like a feat or PRC could work around that. Possibly making a graft replacing a part not count toward your max number of grafts, though potentially making you lose other slots for grafts (such as replacing your arm potentially removing your hand slot).
Well. You bring up a valid point, although since most players know their Con score the party xenoalchemist shouldn't be trying to attach a new graft in the first place without taking one off first. You're right though, I should probably come up with some rules for graft rejection and penalties for having an empty body slot. I'll see what I can come up with.

Quote:
Finally (for this post), while I haven't read through all the grafts yet, there seems to be a distinct lack of negative ones (by which I mean grafts that add penalties rather than benefits). It seems like it could be fun to try playing a character who can immobilize opponents and graft things on them to weaken them, but that currently doesn't seem possible.
You're absolutely right, there are no negative grafts. While there is a niche kind of character that would make use of them, again it doesn't really add much to real play. I'll see if I can come up with a list of maybe 20 'handicap' grafts that you can put on helpless creatures to satisfy the mad scientist inside all of use.

Thanks for the comments, that's some very helpful advice!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Volt
On a similar note, an Xenoalchemist/Ozodrin PrC would be pretty cool, perhaps with something like an ability that lets you take apart creatures you consume for graft parts and maybe being able to alter your grafts when you manifest your form (perhaps like a special stomach thing that lets you store grafts, and those grafts come out and form properly when you manifest your true form).
I'll be honest, I haven't really seen the ozodrin, but I'll definitely check it out. From the skim I just did it definitely looks like it would synergize well. If Owrtho doesn't mind, I'll see what I can do.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Veyr
We now need a Xenoalchemist/Xenotheurge PrC. I hesitate to suggest it, but... Xenomorph sounds like a really good name for that PrC.
Agreed. I'm working on it as we speak, but it turns out that the two of them are very different kinds of characters. Hard to mesh together, but I'll see what I can come up with.
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Old 06-28-2011, 08:02 PM   Top  -  End  -  #25
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Default Re: Must Affix Everything to Everything! (Grafts That Don't Make Me Cry Myself To Sle

Right, I made a sample list of 10 handicap procedures you can perform on people if you're not really a very nice surgeon. Go ahead and make some more if you feel like it adds anything to your game, but it's kind of really depressing just making that list.

EDIT: There's now also rules for missing body parts, which can happen by accident or on purpose if you're a mad scientist.
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Old 06-28-2011, 08:25 PM   Top  -  End  -  #26
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No, xenomorph generally refers to the aliens from the Alien movies, which it wouldn't be like at all really.
I am well aware, hence my hesitation, but the word is still fitting. The Greek comes out to something like "strange form". Plus, if you're a Xenoalchemist/Xenotheurge, you basically must have the dual-progression PrC start with Xeno-.
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Old 06-28-2011, 08:32 PM   Top  -  End  -  #27
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I really fail to see how Regeneration is too good, same thing with Fast Healing. Regeneration does turn a lot of damage to Non-lethal but it doesn't protect from the vast repertoire of what Spellcasters can sling.

By the time you even get 5th level grafts, Spellcasters have had Disintegrate, Cloudkill, Baleful Polymorph, Transmute Rock to Mud, Flesh to Stone, Finger of Death, Limited Wish, and Trap the Soul for a while and are just getting Imprisonment, Power Word: Kill, Weird, Energy Drain, Wail of the Banshee, Shapechange and Wish.

Edit: And that's just core.

All of those things either ignore Regeneration or are mentioned to not be affected by regeneration.

Yes, it gives massive out of combat healing, but it's pretty much a given than once Wands of CLW or Vigor or what have you are cheap then you're a total chump for ever healing at the natural rate.

The Troll should be a perfect example of how overrated Regeneration is. It's mostly CR 5 because of it's large size and high physical stats but the Regeneration also plays a part.

Now if you look at most any other monster that has Regeneration and has a higher CR than a Troll, it's not because the monster has Regeneration but because it has SLAs or Resistances or Immunities or other tricks and nasty maneuvers in its repertoire.
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Old 06-28-2011, 08:38 PM   Top  -  End  -  #28
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Where do you get all these good ideas from, Kellus? Every new thing you make seems to make it epic! Have you been sacrificing to some kind of dread god of homebrewing? Perhaps the fearsome and legendary Gygaxasaur?!
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Old 06-28-2011, 08:40 PM   Top  -  End  -  #29
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Default Re: Must Affix Everything to Everything! (Grafts That Don't Make Me Cry Myself To Sle

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I really fail to see how Regeneration is too good, same thing with Fast Healing. Regeneration does turn a lot of damage to Non-lethal but it doesn't protect from the vast repertoire of what Spellcasters can sling.

By the time you even get 5th level grafts, Spellcasters have had Disintegrate, Cloudkill, Baleful Polymorph, Transmute Rock to Mud, Flesh to Stone, Finger of Death, Limited Wish, and Trap the Soul for a while and are just getting Imprisonment, Power Word: Kill, Weird, Energy Drain, Wail of the Banshee, Shapechange and Wish.

Edit: And that's just core.

All of those things either ignore Regeneration or are mentioned to not be affected by regeneration.

Yes, it gives massive out of combat healing, but it's pretty much a given than once Wands of CLW or Vigor or what have you are cheap then you're a total chump for ever healing at the natural rate.

The Troll should be a perfect example of how overrated Regeneration is. It's mostly CR 5 because of it's large size and high physical stats but the Regeneration also plays a part.

Now if you look at most any other monster that has Regeneration and has a higher CR than a Troll, it's not because the monster has Regeneration but because it has SLAs or Resistances or Immunities or other tricks and nasty maneuvers in its repertoire.
Regeneration is a perfect example of an ability which is so-so on a monster, and incredibly good for a PC. The infinite out of combat healing is only part of it; in fact, there's 4th level graft that grants fast healing (Hydra Blood). The benefit from regeneration is that you're almost impossible to kill unless you can hit the vulnerability. There are, as you mentioned, plenty of save-or-suck spells that can work wonders against these characters. But being essentially immune to hit point damage is really good.
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Old 06-28-2011, 08:42 PM   Top  -  End  -  #30
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Default Re: Must Affix Everything to Everything! (Grafts That Don't Make Me Cry Myself To Sle

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Where do you get all these good ideas from, Kellus? Every new thing you make seems to make it epic! Have you been sacrificing to some kind of dread god of homebrewing? Perhaps the fearsome and legendary Gygaxasaur?!
Actually, I'm not a big fan of epic play, personally. It's not really that much fun.

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