The better man? There is no such thing [3.5 base class]

Draken · 04-22-2012, 09:29 PM

Evolutionist

"To improve is to change, so to be perfect is to have changed often."
- Winston Churchill.

Throught the strange reaches of the world, one will find many who seek the power that they never acquired by accident of birth. They are wizards using transmutation to become wyrms and giants, they are druids becoming beasts and elemental beings. Others are not so fortunate, and they are born or endowed with wretched powers grafted to their flesh and to their soul, with no option but to control or be controlled by these alien and vile energies that twist them into monsters.

Evolutionists are neither. These men and women have discerned a path towards a transcendence of what they were born as, no simple transmutation and no unnatural energy twisting their selves, but a true change on the very building blocks of the divine design of their lives. They have discovered how to become greater than they started as, not simply borrow the greatness of other beings.

Abilities: Any given evolutionist can find use for any ability score. Those who focus on combat will certainly appreciate strength, dexterity and constitution, those who favor more eldritch paths to power will prefer intelligence or charisma.

Role: Any individual evolutionist, depending on how exactly he chooses to mutate, can perform any type of role. Some are perless frontliners, while others are skirmishers or healers or miriad other potential roles.

Background: Evolutionists have found an art, and a science they treat with the same reverence a wizard has for his magic. They have not stumbled on insane powers from beyond or devotion to forces and ideals greater than themselves, or any such source of power. But into an untapped knowledge of the basic workings of life itself.

Organization: Evolutionists sometimes congregate, specially those who favor a specific creature type.

Alignment: Evolutionists have no particular alignment.

Races: Evolutionists are more common among the humanoid races of the world, those poor masses that almost universally gained nothing but their limbs and their wits in the grand design of the gods. But rare and unthinkably powerful is the creature that blessed with might by birth, finds and follows this path.

Religion: Some evolutionists, specially those who try to emulate extant species, follow the gods of the creatures they aspire to. Still others eschew the gods entirelly, focusing on their prowess and potential to dismiss their design for all life and become zealous in their anti-theism. More still simply follow the deities who align with their views of the world.

Other Classes: Evolutionists are an oddity to most, and their choices often paint the view of others to them. Druids feel uneasy around these individuals, and unfriendly or even hostile to those who follow aberrant paths, the same goes for rangers, but with greater latitude depending on their enemies of choice. Monks are specially likely to clash with evolutionists, as their paths to perfection can be at extreme odds.

Adaptation: Usually, the evolutionist will be a man or woman who is following a path to monstrous transcendence. But this class can just as easily be used to show the development of a young monster into an adult member of its great race.

Hit Die: d8

Starting Gold: 3d4x10 (75gp)

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Features
1	+0	+0	+0	+0	Mutations, Monster Sage, Improved Unarmed Strike
2	+1	+0	+0	+0	Mutations, Teratomorph I
3	+1	+1	+1	+1	Mutations
4	+2	+1	+1	+1	Mutations
5	+2	+1	+1	+1	Mutations, Teratomorph II
6	+3	+2	+2	+2	Mutations
7	+3	+2	+2	+2	Mutations
8	+4	+2	+2	+2	Mutations, Teratomorph III
9	+4	+3	+3	+3	Mutations
10	+5	+3	+3	+3	Mutations, Mutant Ascendancy
11	+5	+3	+3	+3	Mutations, Teratomorph IV
12	+6/+1	+4	+4	+4	Mutations
13	+6/+1	+4	+4	+4	Mutations
14	+7/+2	+4	+4	+4	Mutations, Teratomorph V
15	+7/+2	+5	+5	+5	Mutations
16	+8/+3	+5	+5	+5	Mutations
17	+8/+3	+5	+5	+5	Mutations, Teratomorph VI
18	+9/+4	+6	+6	+6	Mutations
19	+9/+4	+6	+6	+6	Mutations
20	+10/+5	+6	+6	+6	Mutations, Mutant Perfection

Class Skills (2 + Int Modifier): The evolutionist can choose any ten skills to be class skills.

Proficiencies: Evolutionists are proficient with all simple weapons and light armor but not with shields. They are innately proficient with any natural weapons they may acquire.

Mutations: At first level, the evolutionist gains six mutations. Each level afterwards, he gains four mutations.
Whenever the evolutionist gains a level, he may chose to lose any one mutation he has to gain a different one, he cannot chose to lose a mutation that would cause him to no longer qualify for another mutation, feat or prestige class.

Monster Sage (Ex): The evolutionist gains a +4 bonus on all knowledge checks made to discern information about a creature.

Improved Unarmed Strike: The evolutionist gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat, he may treat unarmed strikes as grouped natural weapons (as many as he has fists or analogous limbs to use) or as manufactured weapons as he prefers.

Teratomorph: Mutations are relatively simple, small individual changes. Teratomorphism is a much more radical alteration of the evolutionist’s body, a full array of widespread changes meant to achieve a more complex final result than the relatively simple addition or improvement of biological components that is a mutation.
At their second , fifth , eighth , eleventh , fourteenth and seventeenth levels, the evolutionist can chose one Teratomorphism. At first he can take only a Teratomorph change from the Teratomorph I list, but each time this ability is gained he also gains access to a higher level of potential changes. The same ability cannot be taken more than once. The changes wrought by Teratomorph are considered extraordinaire effects.

Spoiler

Teratomorph I:

Dire Body: The evolutionist’s appearance and demeanor become exponentially more ferocious. The damage die of all his natural weapons increase by one step and he gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls and natural armor plus another +1 bonus to attack rolls and natural armor for every two teratomorphisms he has. Lastly, he gains a bonus to intimidate checks equal to his mutator level.
Tauric Body: The evolutionist’s lower body becomes that of a bestial creature, he is considered a quadruped (and consequentially a long creature), increasing his land speed by 10 feet and allowing him to treat himself as mounted for the purposes of feats and abilities (and also providing stability and increased cargo capacity). If he is already a quadruped, this teratomorphism can be taken in order to make him into a bipedal creature (and consequentially a tall creature), improving reach for large sized beings, but removing the benefits of quadruped form, in this particular scenario it should probably have another name, but I am at a loss for one.
Anomalous Mutation: The evolutionist gains one unstable mutation. By concentrating for 5 minutes he may convert this unstable mutation into any single mutation he qualifies for, the unstable mutation remains in that form for 24 hours. Unlike other teratomorphisms, this ability can be taken more than once; any number of existing unstable mutations can be converted in a single period of concentration.
Extra Mutations: The evolutionist gains three mutations. Unlike other teratomorphisms, this ability can be taken more than once.

Sidebar: The shapes of critters:

Spoiler

Teratomorph II:

Size Increase I: The evolutionist grows one size category. His height, length and width doubles and his weight is multiplied by 8. He gains a +2 size bonus to strength, gains a size modifier to attack rolls, armor class, grapple checks and hide checks and his reach changes accordingly to his new size. This teratomorphism cancels one existing instance of size decrease, if any, instead of giving its normal benefits if the evolutionist has that teratomorphism. Furthermore, the evolutionist gains additional bonuses (or penalties) to his strength and natural armor according to his new size, as seen on the following table:

Former Size	New Size	Str Adjustment	NA adjustment
Fine	Diminutive	+2	+1
Diminutive	Tiny	+2	+1
Tiny	Small	+2	+1
Small	Medium	+2	+1
Medium	Large	+2	+1
Large	Huge	+2	+1
Huge	Gargantuan	+4	+2
Gargantuan	Colossal	+8	+4

Size Decrease I: The evolutionist reduces one size category. His height, length and width are halved and his weight is divided by 8. He gains a +2 size bonus to dexterity, gains a size modifier to attack rolls, armor class, grapple checks and hide checks and his reach changes accordingly to his new size. This teratomorphism cancels one existing instance of size increase, if any, instead of giving its normal benefits if the evolutionist has that teratomorphism. Furthermore, the evolutionist gains additional bonuses or penalties to his strength according to his new size, as seen on the following table:

Former Size New Size Str adjustment*
Colossal Gargantuan -8
Gargantuan Huge -4
Huge Large -2
Large Medium -2
Medium Small -2
Small Tiny -2
Tiny Diminutive -2
Diminutive Fine -2
* Strength can never go below 1 and natural armor can never go below +0.
Amorphous I: The evolutionist’s body loses consistency, becoming considerably more gelatinous or amoeboid, or maybe simply rubbery, or something else entirely. The evolutionist gains a +4 bonus on all escape artist and is treated as one size category larger than he actualy is for the purposes of grappling and can treat himself as being up to one size category smaller than he actually is for the purposes of squeezing through tight spaces. Lastly, the evolutionist has a 25% chance of ignoring extra damage from precision damage (such as sneak attacks) and critical hits.

Sidebar: Changing sizes and you:

Spoiler

Teratomorph III:

Burrow: The evolutionist gains a burrow speed equal to his base land speed. The evolutionist's burrowed movement leaves behind a tunnel that other creatures can use.
Flight: The evolutionist gains a fly speed equal to twice his base land speed with average maneuverability. If he is already capable of flying, his flight speed increases by 20 ft. and his maneuverability improves one step.
Regeneration I: The evolutionist gains the ability to reattach or grow back lost body parts (even his head if he has a spare one to keep going). Holding the lost body part to the stump instantly reattaches it, but regenerating a lost body part takes five minutes. In addition, the evolutionist gains fast healing 2, stacking with any existing fast healing and heals an additional 5 points of nonlethal damage per round.
Extra Head I: The evolutionist grows one additional head. This extra head gives the evolutionist a +2 bonus on spot, listen and search checks, it may share any bite or gore attacks owned by the original head and may be used alongside mutation-granted natural weapons in a full attack, increasing the limit to fit itself. Additionally, whenever you could perform an attack with the bite or gore of one of your heads, you may attack with all of your heads, but you may only attack once per head in this way, even if you have more than one attack per head.

Teratomorph IV:

Size Increase II (Requires Size Increase I): This teratomorphism works exactly like size increase I and stacks with it.
Size Decrease II (Requires Size Decrease I): This teratomorphism works exactly like size decrease I and stacks with it.
Amorphous II (requires Amorphous I): This teratomorphism works exactly like amorphous I and stacks with it.

Teratomorph V:

Regeneration II (Requires Regeneration I): The evolutionist needs only one minute to regenerate a lost body part. In addition, all physical damage (slashing, piercing or bludgeoning) dealt to him is turned into non-lethal damage. Lastly, the evolutionist gains fast healing 2, stacking with any existing fast healing and heals an additional 5 points of nonlethal damage per round, this effect stacks with that of Regeneration I.
Extra Head II (Requires Extra Head I): This teratomorphism works exactly like Extra Head I, giving the evolutionist a third head. In addition, the evolutionist gains one extra move or standard action each round.
Blindsight: The evolutionist gains Blindsight with a range of 30 ft, or half the range of any existing Blindsense, whichever is higher.

Teratomorph VI:

Size Increase III (Requires Size Increase II): This teratomorphism works exactly like size increase II and stacks with it.
Size Decrease III (requires Size Decrease II): This teratomorphism works exactly like size decrease II and stacks with it.
Amorphous III (Requires Amorphous II): This teratomorphism works exactly like amorphous II and stacks with it, with the following alteration, the evolutionist gains an additional 50% chance to avoid precision damage and critical hits (for a total of 100% chance). Additionally, the evolutionist can no longer be flanked.

Mutant Ascendancy (Ex): At 10th level, the evolutionist becomes something… Different from whatever he used to be. The evolutionist may choose to change his creature type to Aberration, Dragon, Fey, Giant, Magical Beast or Monstrous Humanoid. He may chose to remain a humanoid if he is one, but most other creatures agree that humanoids are a step down in the evolutionary ladder. The evolutionist gains the augmented subtype pertaining to his old type.
If they don’t already have it, aberrations, dragons, magical beasts and monstrous humanoids gain Darkvision out to a range of 60 feet (stacking with any other Darkvision not granted by creature types) while giants and fey gain low-light vision. In addition, the evolutionist gains two extra mutations and one benefit from the following list, depending on his creature type:

Spoiler

As a final benefit, upon gaining this ability, the evolutionist may redefine how his age categories advance. He must still follow the standard advancement rules for his type (meaning a non-true dragon can't change to that paradigm, he must stick to Mature, Old and Venerable and its usual bonuses and penalties), but can simply decide that he will never reach one of the later age categories or do away with his maximum age entirely.

Mutant Perfection (Ex): A 20th level evolutionist is a thing of its own, he might be the most perfect exemplar of his kind or he might be the origin of an entirely new species. He gains two additional mutations and an ability depending on his creature type.

Spoiler

Aberration: Horrible, unnatural, alien. These are the words associated with aberrations. Their powers are varied and unpredictable as their shapes. The evolutionist gains two additional teratomorphisms of any level.
Dragon: Dragons will have you know that they are the most glorious and terrible beings that ever graced the world, they are probably right. The evolutionist’s base land speed increases by 30 feet (which can have an effect on other movement modes gained from mutations and teratomorphisms), the damage die of all his natural weapons and any breath weapon they have increases by one step, any resistances he has increase by 5 (but he does not gain any resistance he does not have), he gains damage reduction 5/magic or increases an existing damage reduction by 5 and any existing spell resistance increases by 5.
Fey: Graceful and wicked in the manner of mad courtiers, fey are a conundrum to many. The evolutionist gains a +5 bonus on all dexterity, wisdom and charisma based skill checks. He also gains two mutations that can only be spent on spell-like abilities, but he can take any two wizard/sorcerer or druid spells of up to 9th level with these abilities, they are useable twice per day each (or more if they are of 6th level or lower, see Spell-like ability mutation). Unlike normal spell-like abilities, the ones gained from this mutation cannot have their daily uses increased through the Arcane Capacity mutation.
Giant: Whoever does not believe that might makes right has never faced a giant. Whoever thinks that the mighty of body are dull of mind has never faced a giant. The evolutionist gains a +4 bonus to all ability scores. He also grows one size category (up to colossal, gaining the same bonuses and penalties due to size change listed in the Size Increase teratomorphism) and gains an additional +2 to constitution.
Humanoid: As a paragon of his kind, the evolutionist is a beacon of glory to others of those meager - mostly hairless - often apes (but sometimes other things) known as humanoids. All humanoids within 60 feet of the evolutionist gain a +5 morale bonus on all attack rolls, damage rolls and skill checks. They are not simply food for the greater monstrosities of the world, they have the right to be and they have the power to be more. He also gains a +2 bonus to all ability scores.
Magical beast: The magical beast is great and magnificent, something about these creatures just inspires those who look at them, their pride is not vain, and their might is not without finesse. The evolutionist’s natural armor increases by +5, he gains a +3 bonus on all saving throws and the save DCs for all his special attacks increases by +3.
Monstrous Humanoid: All brutality, all ferociousness, all canniness and ruthlessness is embodied in the monstrous humanoid. The evolutionist gains a +5 bonus on all skill checks, ability checks and attack and damage rolls.

Draken · 04-22-2012, 09:30 PM

Mutations
Mutations are split into six groups: Basic, Innate, Extraordinaire, Supernatural, Spell-like and Psi-like. All evolutionists have access to these mutations. In addition to these, there are a number of special lists of mutations accessible only to evolutionists of specific creature types or who take specific feats.
Unless otherwise noted, a character can only take the same mutation up to a number of times equal to his mutator level. A character’s mutator level is equal to the sum of his levels in mutation-granting classes plus any racial hit dice or levels in racial paragon classes or monster classes he might have. Mutator level also determines the power of some mutations, and whenever a mutation allows a save, the DC is 10 + half the character’s mutator level + relevant ability modifier (see the specific mutation for this).

Mutations and Appearance
Most mutations, innate mutations in particular, make a tangible and obvious change to the evolutionist’s body. In the broader aspect, the nature of the change is dictated by the mutation. Gaining a bite attack will give you prominent teeth, claws will enlarge his fingernails, tentacles will grow out of… somewhere. But as that ‘somewhere’ says, the specifics of the change are up to the evolutionist. Tentacles can grow on his back, on his waist, on his face. A bite attack can give him vampiric fangs or give him a crocodilian mouth. Natural armor can give him reptilian scales or the chitinous shell of an arthropod. The more mutations, the more prominent the changes become and the less like his original self the evolutionist will look.
Don’t even get me started on teratomorphisms or type changes from Mutant Ascendancy, when those things happen, you can pretty much go wild.

Granting Mutations
Certain prestige classes can grant mutations to other creatures, based on those the evolutionist himself has. The mutations granted are based directly on those that the evolutionist has, and limited by any choices he has already made, such as where mutation-granted skill points are allocated, what specific feats, spell-like abilities or energy resistances are granted by mutations, etc. Lastly, such effects do not allow the evolutionist to grant more instances of a given mutation than he personally possesses, including any mutations the target might already have.

Mutation Prerequisites
A number of mutations have prerequisites; some have a mutator level prerequisite while others have special abilities as prerequisites. When a mutation has a special attack or ability as a prerequisite, it can be supplied by mutations or by any other permanent means (racial abilities, class features, etc) available to the character.

Mutation Presentation
Name: The mutation’s name.
Prerequisite: The mutation’s prerequisites.
Ability Score: Which Ability score governs the mutation’s save, if any. If a mutation would require Constitution (not only for saves, but for any of its effects) and the evolutionist has a null score on it, use Charisma instead.
Benefit: What the mutation does.
Further Mutations: What the character gains from taking the mutation more times and how many times the mutation can be taken, if it has any unusual limits. If this entry is left empty, the mutation’s basic benefit is received once more (stacking with itself) whenever the mutation is taken. If a mutation can be taken “up to once per X mutator levels”, divide the character’s mutator level by ‘X’ and round the result up to determine how many instances of the mutation he can take.
Table 2: Mutation Limits

Mutator Level	1/2 ML	1/3 ML	1/4 ML	1/5 ML	1/6 ML	1/7 ML	1/8 ML	1/9 ML	1/10 ML
1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
2	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
3	2	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
4	2	2	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
5	3	2	2	1	1	1	1	1	1
6	3	2	2	2	1	1	1	1	1
7	4	3	2	2	2	1	1	1	1
8	4	3	2	2	2	2	1	1	1
9	5	3	3	2	2	2	2	1	1
10	5	4	3	2	2	2	2	2	1
11	6	4	3	3	2	2	2	2	2
12	6	4	3	3	2	2	2	2	2
13	7	5	4	3	3	2	2	2	2
14	7	5	4	3	3	2	2	2	2
15	8	5	4	3	3	3	2	2	2
16	8	6	4	4	3	3	2	2	2
17	9	6	5	4	3	3	3	2	2
18	9	6	5	4	3	3	3	2	2
19	10	7	5	4	4	3	3	3	2
20	10	7	5	4	4	3	3	3	2

Basic Mutations
Basic Mutations are those that effect non-physical changes on the evolutionist. The evolutionist retains access to the benefits granted by these mutations even if he is not in his natural form (by alter self or similar spell effect).

Spoiler

Innate
Innate mutations create obvious physical changes. Unless otherwise stated they are not considered extraordinaire, supernatural or spell-like abilities. Because these mutations rely on features of the physical form of the evolutionist they are suppressed if he is not in his natural form.

Spoiler

Draken · 04-22-2012, 09:32 PM

Extraordinaire
Extraordinaire mutations grant extraordinaire abilities based on the evolutionist’s physical body in its natural form. Their benefits become unavailable whenever the evolutionist is not in his natural shape.

Spoiler

Supernatural
Supernatural mutations give supernatural abilities that are usually reliant on the evolutionist’s natural form (but not always his external organs) and become unusable when he is in a different form.

Spoiler

Draken · 04-22-2012, 09:33 PM

Spell-Like
Spell-like mutations grant spell-like abilities and are always available, even if the evolutionist is shapeshifted into a different form. Whenever a spell-like mutation has a spell as a prerequisite, any variation of that spell (spell-like ability or spell known) suffices to qualify. The caster level for abilities gained through these mutations is equal to half the character’s mutator level, rounded up.

Spoiler

Psi-Like
Psi-like mutations grant psi-like abilities and are always available, even if the evolutionist is shapeshifted into a different form. Whenever a psionic mutation has a power as a prerequisite, any variation of that power (psi-like ability or known power) suffices to qualify. Whenever a character takes a psi-like mutation he gains 1 power point. The manifester level for effects gained through psi-like mutations is half of the character’s mutator level, rounded up.

Spoiler

Draken · 04-22-2012, 09:35 PM

Mutator Feats

Azure Claws [Incarnum, Mutator]
Essentia flows into your muscles, empowering your strikes.
Prerequisites: Mutator level 1, Constitution 13, any natural weapon.
Benefit: Once per day, you can invest essentia into this feat. You gain a +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls with natural weapons per point of invested essentia. Once the amount of essentia invested is chosen, it cannot be altered and remains invested for 24 hours.
You gain 1 point of essentia.

Azure Form [Incarnum, Mutator]
Essentia flows into your flesh and bones, altering them with the hazy imagery of evolved potential.
Prerequisites: Mutator level 1, Constitution 13.
Benefit: Once per day, you can invest essentia into this feat. You gain one mutation per point of invested essentia, chosen at the moment the investment is made. Once the amount of essentia invested is chosen, it cannot be altered and remains invested for 24 hours, at the end of which the mutations gained vanish.
You gain 1 point of essentia.

Change Posture [Mutator]
You can change your overall stance to draw benefit from it.
Prerequisite: Mutator level 3, Must have the Tauric Body teratomorphism.
Benefit: You can, as part of any move action, change your posture to be treated as either a quadruped (increased move speed, cargo capacity, stability and mounted benefits) or a biped (improved range, etc).

Construct Mutator [Mutator]
Sometimes known as Constructionists.
Prerequisites: Mutator level 1, must not be a construct type creature
Benefit: You gain access to the Construct Mutation list. You gain one additional mutation.

Control Size [Mutator]
You can control your innate physical changes to return only to your original size, as opposed to returning wholly to your original form.
Prerequisites: Either one of Size Increase I or Size Decrease I teratomorphisms, Change Shape mutation.
Benefit: You may, as a standard action, suppress any number of teratomorphisms you possess that alter your size category. Reactivating the suppressed teratomorphisms is also a standard action.

Elemental Mutator [Mutator]
To the chagrin of some, Elementalist was already taken by a group of spellcasters.
Prerequisites: Mutator level 1, must not be an elemental type creature
Benefit: You gain access to the Elemental Mutation list. You gain one additional mutation.

Expanded Creation [Mutator]
You have more freedom in what you can create through your seeds.
Prerequisite: Budding Creation, Mutator level 9.
Benefit: Whenever you use the Budding Creation mutation, you may create animal matter (flesh, bone, hairs, etc) as if it were vegetable matter.
Special: If you have access to the Construct mutator list, you also gain the ability to create metals through budding creation. If you have access to the Elemental mutator list, you also gain the ability to create objects made of raw elements with Budding creation, these objects lose consistency and break down into the elements themselves, unless the character creating them has the matching elemental subtype, in which case the object functions normally, despite being made of pure air, water or fire.

Sidebar: Does a sword made of fire deal fire damage?

Spoiler

Extra Chimerism [Mutator]
You have more chimerisms than usual.
Prerequisites: Chimerism, Mutator level 6.
Benefit: You gain one additional chimerism, with the same number of mutations available to all your other chimerisms.

Extra Teratomorphism [Epic, Mutator]
Prerequisite: Access to rank VI teratomorphisms.
Benefit: You gain one extra teratomorphism of any rank.
Special: You can only take teratomorphisms from special lists if you would normally have access to those lists.

Force and Verve
You are very loud.
Prerequisites: Any supernatural ability that is a sonic effect, Perform (Oratory or Sing) 5 ranks.
Benefit: Whenever you use a supernatural ability that is a sonic effect, you may do so as a full-round action, if you do so, you may apply one of the following effects to the supernatural ability, not all effects might apply to any given ability.

You may make a perform check against a DC of 11 + Caster level of the effect to pierce any Silence effect that might nullify the ability.
You may cause your ability to affect deaf creatures.
You may double the area of your ability.
You may double the range of your ability.
You may double the duration of your ability.
You may treat your supernatural ability as an extraordinaire ability.
You may increase the save DC of the sonic effect by +2.
You may maximize all numerical variables of the ability, as per the Maximize Supernatural Ability feat.
You may increase all numerical variables of the ability as per the Empower Supernatural Ability feat.

Special: You may take this feat more than once. For each instance of this feat that you have taken, you may add one additional effect to your sonic supernatural abilities when using Force and Verve. No effect can be added to a single ability more than once.

Great Chimera [Mutator]
You are quite the strange little mongrel.
Prerequisites: Chimerism, Mutator level 8.
Benefit: Each of your chimerisms gains an additional mutation.

Outsider Mutator [Mutator]
Nobody really balked at the ditching of “Outsiderist”, some considered Transcendent.
Prerequisites: Mutator level 1, must not be an outsider type creature
Benefit: You gain access to the Outsider Mutation list. You gain one additional mutation.

Plant Mutator [Mutator]
The Botanist Association appreciates its own name.
Prerequisites: Mutator level 1, must not be a plant type creature
Benefit: You gain access to the Plant Mutation list. You gain one additional mutation.

Undead Mutator [Mutator]
When ‘Undeadist’ was suggested, laugh ensued. But nobody managed to think of any other name. The least conservative suggested Defiler.
Prerequisites: Mutator level 1, must not be an undead type creature
Benefit: You gain access to the Undead Mutation list. You gain one additional mutation.

Worldskin Domain [Mutator][Aberrant]
Your grove is filled with the strange, fibrous carpet of the worldskin.
Prerequisites: Feature (Worldskin), Grove mutation.
Benefit: The area encompassed by your grove is covered by the worldskin feature, which grows over every sessile solid surface within the grove's radius, this costs you no form points. As a standard action, you may cause any amount of the worldskin inside the grove to recede until you wish it to grow once again.
Special: If you have the living fortress special ability for the grove, all features you put on the worldskin inside your grove benefit from the fast healing provided by that ability.

The Epic Evolutionist

Level	Features
21	Mutations
22	Mutations
23	Mutations, Bonus Feat
24	Mutations
25	Mutations
26	Mutations, Bonus Feat
27	Mutations
28	Mutations
29	Mutations, Bonus Feat
30	Mutations

Hit Die: d8
Skill Points at each additional level: 2 + Int modifier.

Mutations The epic evolutionist gains three mutations per level.

Teratomorphisms: The epic evolutionist does not gain any additional teratomorphisms.

Bonus Feats: The epic evolutionist gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic evolutionist bonus feats) every three levels after 20th.

Epic Evolutionist Bonus Feat List: Armor Skin, Blinding Speed, Damage Reduction, Dexterous Fortitude, Dexterous Will, Distant Shot, Energy Resistance, Epic Dodge, Epic Endurance, Epic Fortitude, Epic Prowess, Epic Reflexes, Epic Speed, Epic Toughness, Epic Will, Extended Life Span, Extra Teratomorphism, Fast Healing, Great Charisma, Great Constitution, Great Dexterity, Great Intelligence, Great Strength, Great Wisdom, Improved Combat Reflexes, Improved Darkvision, Improved Low-Light Vision, Improved Spell Resistance, Perfect Health, Self-Concealment, Superior Initiative.

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Prestige Classes

The Evolutionist Anomaly.
The most variable of evolutionists.

The Malshaper
Combining Ozodrin and Evolutionist into a glorious harbinger of the Mother of Monsters.

The Soul Evolutionist
By Rizban, augmenting your body with the power of your soul, and other souls.

The Progenitor 2.0
By Selinia, Release your inner Overlord.

The Progenitor
By Selinia, because the true mark of evolutionary success is spreading your heritage. - On the way to obsolescence

The Venomancer
By Selinia, a wretch focused completely on poisons and diseases!

High Evolutionary
Giving the gift of mutation to the unwashed masses.

Disciple of Thessala
Two heads are better than one. Three heads are better than two. Four heads are better than three...

The Weaponthane Ascendant
By Mithril Leaf, a man-at-arms who put his soul into them.

Draken · 04-22-2012, 09:36 PM

New Subtypes:

Spoiler

Necrogolem
Creatures of the Necrogolem subtype are treated as both undead and constructs by spells and effects that target such creatures, additionally, anything that heals or damages a creature with either of these types (such as negative energy and positive energy for undead and repair damage or inflict damage for constructs) also heals or damages those with this subtype. This subtype is only found on undead and constructs.

Ghastly
The ghastly is a new subtype of undead, a being not wholly undead but not exactly alive either. Ghastly combine aspects of both undead and living creatures, as detailed below.
Features: A ghastly derives its Hit Dice, base attack bonus progression, saving throws, and skill points from the class it selects. Traits: A ghastly possesses the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature’s entry).

Unlike other undead, a ghastly has a Constitution score. A ghastly creature gains (or loses) bonus hit points through a Constitution bonus (or penalty) as with other living creatures.
Unlike other undead, a ghastly does not have low-light vision or darkvision, by default.
Unlike other undead, a ghastly is not immune to mind-influencing effects.
Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, disease, nausea, fatigue, exhaustion, and energy drain.
Unlike other undead, ghastly are subject to critical hits, effects requiring a Fort save, death from massive damage, nonlethal damage, stunning, ability damage, ability drain, and death effects or necromancy effects.
Ghastly can be affected by spells that target living creatures as well as by those that target undead. They are healed by negative energy and harmed by positive energy as undead are.
A ghastly responds slightly differently from other living creatures when reduced to 0 hit points. A ghastly with 0 hit points is disabled, just like a living creature. He can only take a single move action or standard action in each round, but strenuous activity does not risk further injury. When his hit points are less than 0 and greater than –10, a ghastly is inert. He is unconscious and helpless, and he cannot perform any actions. However, an inert ghastly does not lose additional hit points unless more damage is dealt to him, as with a living creature that is stable.
Can be raised or resurrected.
Does not need to eat, sleep, or breathe, but can still benefit from the effects of consumable spells and magic items such as heroes’ feast and potions.
Does not need to sleep, but must rest for 8 hours before preparing spells.

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Construct
Can artificial, inorganic beings evolve? Those who asked such question looked no further than inevitables and warforged for their answer, for these beings certainly can. This list of mutations is avaiable to all evolutionists of the construct type, augmented construct subtype and to all those who take the Construct Mutator feat.

Teratomorphisms:

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Teratomorph I

Adaptive Expertise Systems: The evolutionist can gain temporary mastery of a single skill, treating his ranks in the chosen skill as the maximum possible for a class skill at his character level. These virtual ranks cannot be used to qualify for any feats, prestige classes or similar. The chosen skill can be changed with one hour of work devoted entirely to it. This teratomorphism can be taken more than once, giving an additional configurable skill each time, all such skills can be changed with a single hour of effort towards it.

Teratomorph II

Plating: The evolutionist develops a built-in plating that gives him a +2 armor bonus to AC for each teratomorphism he has, as well as 25% fortification. This plating can be enchanted like normal armor, it has no armor check penalty or maximum dexterity bonus to AC and does not impose arcane spell failure. If the evolutionist already has some other form of plating (such as the Composite Plating of a Warforged) the armor bonus and fortification granted stack.

Teratomorph III

Spellward: The evolutionist gains immunity to spells of a level up to his highest available teratomorphism that allow spell resistance. This teratomorphism otherwise works as a form of spell resistance with an arbitrary value.

Teratomorph IV

Living Bastion (requires Plating): The evolutionist’s physical form is inviolate. He gains 50% fortification, stacking with any other fortification he has, he gains 10 hit points and a +2 bonus to fortitude saves for every teratomorphism he has. Finally, he gains hardness equal to the highest damage reduction or energy resistance he has, up to a maximum of hardness 20.

Teratomorph V

Baseline Structure Reconfiguration: The evolutionist may change his baseline form to an extent. This works as the Alter Self power, with the following differences. First, the HD limit for the new form is equal to the evolutionist’s mutator level. Second, the evolutionist cannot change into the shape of any creature with a size category different than the default for his original race. Third, the evolutionist may assume the forms of inanimate objects, following the same rules as the Metamorphosis power, and may retain mobility while in these forms as if he was an animated object of the appropriate size category. Fourth, unlike what happens with any other form of shapeshifting, the evolutionist’s mutations and teratomorphisms are not suppressed while in this alternate shape.

Teratomorph VI

Extrude Docent: The evolutionist may produce a docent containing a copy of his personality as a standard action. This docent is a sapient magic item with the same mental ability scores as the evolutionist himself and possessed of the same skill ranks as the evolutionist himself as well as telepathy with a range of 5 feet, with the ability to speak to any creature with a language. Any construct may equip this docent as if it were an amulet. The evolutionist may maintain telepathic contact with all of his docents at any distance, as long as they are both on the same plane. Like any sapient magic item, the docent has an ego score (2 + total mental ability score bonuses) and the capacity to take control of its wearer, the save DC against this possession is equal to the default DC for mutations (charisma based) increased by the docent’s ego score. The docent will never go against the wishes of the evolutionist, even if it somehow develops different viewpoints than him over the course of its existence. The evolutionist can have a number of active docents at any given time equal to the sum total of his mental ability score modifiers.

Mutant Ascendancy: The evolutionist gains the option to ascend into a construct being, somewhat. This ascendancy has a few special interactions with other creature types.
Construct ascendants gain Darkvision with a range of 60 feet (or increase existing Darkvision by 60 feet), additionally, if the ascendant’s previous type was not construct or undead she gains the Living Construct subtype, if she had the undead type she retains it and gains the Necrogolem subtype instead of changing types. Lastly, the evolutionist gains the following ability:

The evolutionist gains an enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls with all manufactured weapons equal to one fourth of his mutator level.

As a final note, ascendancy cannot turn a construct into a true living being. Should a construct creature elect to take an ascendancy for a creature type other than its own, it retains the Construct type and gains the new type as an Augmented subtype, and does not gain the choice to lose that augmented subtype upon achieving mutant perfection, it still receives both the benefits of the chosen mutant ascendancy and mutant perfection.

Mutant Perfection: The perfect construct body is incomplete, the evolutionist may look upon his joints and plates and know that more parts still could be integrated into his form, and then removed when they are no longer needed, in favor of more fitting add-ons.
The evolutionist gains five mutation ‘slots’ by default, these slots contain no mutations, and cannot be filled as simply as selecting them. Each mutation appropriate for these slots has to be fashioned from raw materials before it may used by the evolutionist and doing so costs 2000 gold per modular mutation.
Placing modular mutations in their slots takes one hour of work (for any or all of them), as does replacing them or removing them wholesale. While not in use, the mutations remain stored inside an extradimensional space appropriate for them. In the event of the evolutionist’s death, this extradimensional space ruptures and ejects the modular mutations, they are for the most part useless to others, but are worth their production cost in raw materials for other endeavors.

Mutations:

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Elemental
This list of mutations is available to all evolutionists of the elemental type, augmented elemental subtype and to all those who take the Elemental Mutator feat.

Teratomorphisms:

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Mutant Ascendancy: The evolutionist gains the ability to ascend into an elemental being. Doing so grants the traits of the elemental type, including Darkvision 60 ft. (or a 60ft increase to an existing darkvision), immunity to poison, sleep, paralysis and stunning as well as critical hits and sneak attacks. Unlike common elementals, the evolutionist can still be resurrected as per the creature type he belonged to before. If the evolutionist has no elemental subtypes he gains one of his choice (from Air, Earth, Fire or Water). Lastly, he gains the following benefit:

The evolutionist gains energy resistance 10 (or increases existing energy resistance by 10) to energy damage based on the elemental subtypes he has, as follows: Fire (Fire), Cold (Water), Electricity (Air), Acid (Earth). If the evolutionist increases any of his elemental resistances to 35, he gains immunity to that form of damage.

Mutant Perfection: In the unfathomable vast of the cosmos all things have their purpose, the purpose of the elements is to raise worlds, to be the building blocks of reality, they are the primal and final forces of creation and change, destructive as they might be.
A demiplane bound to the evolutionist is formed. Its dimensions stretch out to a radius of one mile per mutator level, it may be finite or self-contained as the evolutionist prefers. It’s default Morphic trait is Alterable, but it is considered Divinely Morphic for the evolutionist should he ever acquire a divine rank. It has normal time trait. It’s gravity trait is chosen by the evolutionist. It is connected to the astral plane and to the ethereal plane, but not to the shadow plane, and it borders an associated inner plane if it is not self-contained. It has elemental dominant traits matching the subtypes of the evolutionist, if he has alignment subtypes it is mildly aligned to those as well, if the evolutionist is undead it gains the minor negative dominant trait (and the minor positive dominant trait if he is deathless). The evolutionist is immune to harm that would be dealt by the traits of his demiplane.
The evolutionist may set up a portal to this demiplane as a standard action, the portal can be placed anywhere within 120 feet of the evolutionist and it can be as large as needed for a colossal creature to pass through or as small as necessary for the evolutionist himself to cross. Portals may not be closed (also a standard action) from inside the demiplane, only from the outside, and it leads to a point inside the plane of the evolutionist’s choice when it is set. There may be more than one portal active at any given time and they otherwise work exactly like the planar travel version of the Gate spell, but without the need for concentration and no set duration.
Besides those traits, the overall appearance of the demiplane upon creation is up to the evolutionist (the minutiae of its geography are not, however, and these develop on their own), and even the dominance of an element does not preclude the presence of others (merely their… lack of pervasiveness), a Water plane might be a vast body of water with bubbles of air and blocks of granite floating inside it, a plane of fire might be nothing more than a massive ball of fire or a molten planetoid or a long plain of burning coals. The demiplane may have natural resources of its own, but acquiring those from their elemental beds is no easier for the evolutionist than mining in the material plane would be. Any desired fauna and flora must be introduced after the demiplane forms.

As a final benefit, the evolutionist’s attunement to elemental forces allows him to convert himself and anything on him or generated by him into elemental energy for brief periods. As a free action he may convert all damage he would deal into energy damage matching his elemental subtype (Air – electricity; Earth – acid; Fire – fire; Water – cold).

Mutations:

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Addendum: The Periodic Table of Elementals

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So. Elemental mutations went directly for the default elemental arrangement of the D&D world, the claisscal greek elements, air, earth, fire and water.

However, as we all know, there are other classical arrangements of elements that include a wide array of things, such as wood and metal, and sometimes the two energies (positive and negative) are included too. And more exotic elements still. I have not given these consideration in the elemental mutations, which is good, if I had done so they would never be posted because there is always another elements, somewhere.

Generally speaking, adding a custom element involves the following pieces of effort and will be left to individuals who want to:

1. Create a Heart of (Element) teratomorphism. That is the root of the whole T-morph tree, assign it a scaling power with an appropriate limitation, add a bonus feat of taste (not one that is particularly combat-centric, preferentially) and gauge its benefits.

2. Select an energy association. Perhaps the element of Metal is associated with electricity and the element of Wood is associated with acid, it is up for consideration. Sonic is not out of the question, for the record, I just had to stick to the defaults of D&D there.

3. Control Elements: choose 2 to 4 appropriate spells.

4. Archon: Work is mostly cut for you! If your associated energy is already there, just reuse it. No need to reinvent the wheel.

5. Cataclysm Heart. THis one is tricky. Cataclysm Heart is a bit more open ended than the rest of the elemental associations. In general it shouldn't so much be an offensive ability as it should be a natural disaster of some sort. I recommend always refering to the environmental dangers sections of your books to get a grip of what to give this. The Cold element, for instance, could easily provide the opposite of Burning Heat, Unearthly Cold, and instead of smoke perhaps it could make surfaces frozen and slippery.

This is pretty much a do it yourself guideline. Because I have prestige classes to make! Off we go!

Draken · 04-22-2012, 09:37 PM

Plant
This list of mutations is avaiable to all evolutionists of the plant type, augmented plant subtype and to all those who take the Plant Mutator feat.

Teratomorphisms:

Spoiler

Teratomorph I

Roots: The evolutionist gains the ability to root himself to the ground and make himself a nearly immovable object. Taking root requires a move action, while rooted to the ground the evolutionist has his base movement speed reduced to one third of its normal (rounded down), but he gains a +2 bonus per teratomorphism on rolls to resist being grappled, bull rushed or tripped, his natural armor increases by +1 per teratomorphism (stacking with any other natural armor he has) and he gains Fast Healing with a value equal to the number of teratomorphisms he has (stacking with any other fast healing). Uprooting takes a move action, but it immediately ends if the evolutionist loses contact with the ground for any reason.

Teratomorph II

Solar Power I: The evolutionist can derive additional energy from photosynthesis. As long as he is under direct sunlight or within the area of a Daylight spell or similar, he gains a +2 bonus to all of his ability scores.

Teratomorph III

Offensive Roots [Requires Roots]: When you are rooted, you may use your roots as tentacles to attack your opponents. These tentacles are identical to the ones gained through the natural weapon mutation and benefit from any mutations you have applied to them. You gain one additional tentacle per teratomorphism you have.
Mobile Roots Requires Roots]: The evolutionist can move at his normal land speed or burrow speed while rooted. Swimming or flying breaks the connection of the roots to the ground and terminates the effect.

Teratomorph IV

Solar Power II [Requires Solar Power I]: This teratomorphism improves Solar Power I, increasing the ability score bonuses to +4. However, if the evolutionist find himself in a non-illuminated area, he becomes fatigued.

Teratomorph V

Regrowth [Requires Roots]: While rooted, the evolutionist may swiftly drain the surrounding terrain of all its nutrients to quickly replenish himself, using this ability is a standard action that can be performed as long as the evolutionist is alive, even if he is otherwise unable to act (stunned, unconscious, dazed, frightened, nauseated, etc). Using this ability heals the evolutionist for 10 hit points per mutator level and immediately ends any and all of the following adverse conditions affecting him: ability damage, blinded, confused, dazed, dazzled, deafened, diseased, exhausted, fatigued, feebleminded, insanity, nauseated, sickened, stunned, and poisoned. After this ability has been used in any given area, it becomes barren and cannot be drained again by this ability or similar effects, the evolutionist will need to move to a new area (completely, if his area covers more than one square) in order to use this ability again.

Teratomorph VI

Solar Power III [Requires Solar Power II]: This teratomorphism improves Solar Power II, increasing the ability score bonuses to +6. The evolutionist becomes extremely dependant on sunlight, however, and whenever he is not beneath direct sunlight or within the area of a Daylight spell or effect, he becomes fatigued, if he finds himself in an area of shadowy illumination or no illumination, he becomes exhausted instead.

Mutant Ascendancy: The evolutionist gains the ability to ascend into an plant being. Doing so grants the traits of the plant type, including low-light vision, immunity to poison, sleep, paralysis, polymorph effects and stunning and critical hits. Unlike common plants, the evolutionist is not immune to mind-affecting effects. Lastly, he gains the following benefit:

The evolutionist’s natural armor increases by +2 and two additional hit points per mutator level.

Mutant Perfection: Plants, the oldest of their lot are ancient colossi that have stood unshaken for millennia, witness to the birth and death of dragons and the rise and fall of civilizations. In all this time, no winter, no illness and no creature has worn away at their strength, and should they ever fall, their lingering roots will raise them anew to witness another age.
The evolutionist heals one point of ability damage or ability drain to each score every turn and one point of ability burn on each score every hour. At the end of each encounter he immediately recovers all negative levels without the risk of them becoming permanent. Should the evolutionist die, as long as his body (or his ashes) stay in contact with the ground for at least a week, he will be resurrected at the end of that time, with no level loss, on that exact spot where his remains rested last.

Mutations:

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Outsider
This list of mutations is available to all evolutionists of the outsider type, augmented outsider subtype and to all those who take the Outsider Mutator feat.

Teratomorphisms:

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Teratomorph I

Smite Opposition: The evolutionist can smite a creature with at least one opposite alignment component (Good-Evil, Lawful Chaotic. True Neutral evolutionists can smite Lawful Good, Chaotic Good, Lawful Evil and Chaotic Evil opponents). This smite deals extra damage equal to his mutator level and adds his charisma modifier to the attack roll. This ability is useable once every five rounds. This teratomorphism provides a supernatural ability.
Armor of the Outer Planes: The evolutionist may forge armor out of the matter of his very soul. This ability can create any armor of the evolutionist’s choice and the armor check penalty for the armor created is treated as zero (which means proficiency is irrelevant), the armor can be made of any material of his choice that armor of its type could normally be made of (Hide armor can’t be made of mithril), it has an enhancement bonus equal to ¼ of his mutator level and can receive up to +10 worth of additional enchantments (the baseline enhancement bonus doe snot count towards the cost), but the evolutionist must be present during the whole enchanting process. Calling this armor to the evolutionist’s body is a move action, and it displaces any existing armor in order to don itself (the other armor falls to the floor near the evolutionist), if the armor is removed, it dissipates back into the evolutionist’s soul until called again. Whenever the evolutionist gains a new level, he can change what the basic armor is, but all enchantments remain the same. This teratomorphism provides a supernatural ability.
Arms of the Outer Planes: The evolutionist may forge a weapon out of the matter of his very soul. He is considered proficient with the weapon created by this ability (but not with other weapons of its type if he is not proficient with it already), it has an enhancement bonus equal to ¼ of his mutator level and can receive up to +10 worth of additional enchantments (the baseline enhancement bonus doe snot count towards the cost), but the evolutionist must be present during the whole enchanting process. Calling this weapon is a standard action, and if it is ever throw or disarmed, it can be called back to his hand as an immediate action. If the weapon is ever away from the evolutionist’s person for more than a minute, it dissipates back into his soul until called again. Whenever the evolutionist gains a new level, he can change what the basic weapon is, but all enchantments remain the same. This teratomorphism provides a supernatural ability.

Teratomorph II

Summon: As a standard action, the evolutionist can summon an outsider whose alignment matches his own. This creature cannot have a CR righter than 1 + half the evolutionist’s mutator level and remains in his service for up to 1 hour, the evolutionist can have no more than one summoned creature through this ability at any one time. Summoned creatures cannot use any summoning abilities they might have themselves and creatures summoned through this ability cannot grant wishes with their spell-like abilities. This ability can be used once per day for each teratomorphism the evolutionist has. This teratomorphism provides a supernatural ability.

Teratomorph III

Planar Apotheosis: The evolutionist gains alignment subtypes matching his own alignment at the time this teratomorphism is taken. If the evolutionist’s alignment changes, he can change what subtypes are granted by this teratomorphism when he next gains a level. Having an alignment subtype causes all of your attacks to pierce damage reduction as tough they had the alignment in question. Furthermore, he gains immunity to the harmful effects inherent to any plane that shares at least one of his alignment (or elemental, if any) subtypes, such as Cania's cold (but not any other cold, including those of the inhabitants of the plane) and may choose wether or not he is treated as an Extraplanar being while in such planes at his discretion.

Teratomorph IV

Planar Renewal I (Requires Planar Apotheosis): Once per month, after the evolutionist is killed in any plane where he gains the Extraplanar subtype, he reappears (after five days) in one plane of his choice where he would not gain the Extraplanar subtype as if revived with a Resurrection spell. This teratomorphism provides a supernatural ability.

Teratomorph V

Planewalker: The evolutionist can use Greater Teleport as a spell-like ability at-will and Plane Shift as a spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to the number of teratomorphisms he has. When using either of these abilities, he can only transport himself and up to his medium load in personal possessions, not any other creatures.

Teratomorph VI

Planar Renewal II (Requires Planar Renewal I): The evolutionist’s Planar Renewal is improved. It works once per week and the evolutionist revives in the plane of his choice one day later as if revived by True Resurrection.

Mutant Ascendancy: The evolutionist gains the ability to ascend into an outsider being. Doing so changes his creature type to Outsider and grants him a few characteristics of the type, including Darkvision 60 feet (or a 60 feet increase in existing darkvision), he still needs to breathe but no longer requires food, drink or sleep (but can eat, drink and sleep if he wants to). Lastly, he gains the following benefit:

The daily uses of the evolutionist’s current and future spell-like abilities increases by 1, if this increase would bring the spell-like ability's daily uses to seven times per day or more, it can be used at-will instead. The save DCs of his spell-like abilities increases by +1.

Even if he does not chose to take the Outsider ascendancy, an evolutionist with access to this mutation list may, upon acquiring this class feature, change his home plane to whichever plane he prefers, causing him to gain the extraplanar subtype on his former home plane and no longer gain said subtype on his new home plane. This choice can be changed once again when the evolutionist gains Mutant Perfection, as well as on the off-chance that his home plane stops existing for some reason.

Mutant Perfection: The evolutionist has the weight of spiritual gravity to match that of the outer planes, imposing his spiritual truth on his surroundings. He is an anchor to which the souls of the dead can hold, or be chained to.
The evolutionist projects an aura with a radius of 60 feet, the area within this radius is considered to have strong alignment traits matching his alignment. Furthermore, as a full-round action, the evolutionist may bind the soul of a creature that died within this area no more than 1 minute/mutator level before, converting it into a petitioner, the dead creature is entitled to a will save to resist this effect as if it were still alive, against a DC of 10 + ½ Mutator level + the evolutionist’s charisma modifier, but it may forgo this save if it wishes. Petitioners are bound to loyalty to the evolutionist, they will never disobey his commands, even outright suicidal ones or those that go against everything in which they believed in life. Mere death will not release these souls from their chains, and destroyed petitioners will reform within 60 feet of the evolutionist after 24 hours, any petitioner more than 60 feet away from the evolutionist gains the Extraplanar subtype and will return to this radius if banished, if the evolutionist moves to a different plane, all of his petitioners move along with him, no matter where they are referent to him (they usually appear within 60 feet of him when that happens, usually), if the evolutionist dies, all of his petitioners are released to their proper afterlives. Any effect that binds or destroys souls will prevent the petitioner from reforming, furthermore, any spell that revives the dead (such as Raise Dead or Resurrection) cast on the petitioner, his body or the idea of the person it was in life allows it to freely chose whether it wishes to live once more or to remain in this state, nothing the evolutionist can do or say is capable of tampering with this decision. The resurrection is much smoother in this manner than travel back from the grasp of the outer planes, and the resurrected being does not suffer level loss from being revived.

Petitioners

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Mutations:

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Draken · 04-22-2012, 10:41 PM

Undead
This list of mutations is avaiable to all evolutionists of the Undead type, augmented undead subtype and those who take the Undead Mutator feat.

Teratomorphisms:

Spoiler

Teratomorph I

Unholy Toughness: The evolutionist uses his charisma modifier to determine his hit points (instead of his constitution modifier if he has one).

Teratomorph II

Decrepit [Skeletal] I: The evolutionist takes only half damage from piercing attacks.
Decrepit [Dead Flesh] I: The evolutionist takes only half damage from bludgeoning attacks.
Decrepit [Tough Hide] I: The evolutionist takes only half damage from slashing attacks.

Teratomorph III

Consume Life: Whenever the evolutionist inflicts ability penalties, damage, ability drain or negative levels with a supernatural, spell-like or psi-like ability, he heals 5 hit points for each point of penalty, damage, drain or negative level dealt. If he is at full health he gains the same amount of temporary hit points as he would have healed. These temporary hit points last for up to 1 hour.

Teratomorph IV

Decrepit [Skeletal] II (Requires Decrepit [Skeletal] I): The evolutionist is immune to piercing damage.
Decrepit [Dead Flesh] II (Requires Decrepit [Dead Flesh] I): The evolutionist is immune to bludgeoning damage.
Decrepit [Tough Hide] II (Requires Decrepit [Tough Hide] I): The evolutionist is immune to slashing damage.

Teratomorph V

Rejuvenation: The evolutionist stands defiant in the face of death. He may perform a ritual, taking eight hours, to bind his life force to a specific place or to an object, the evolutionist may only have one place or object affected by this ritual at any one time and is always aware of whether it is active or not. Whenever the evolutionist dies, he will reform after 1d6+4 days on the place or next to the object he has bound his life force to, suffering no penalties for this resurrection. This revival can be prevented, however. The ritual is broken if the place the evolutionist has bound his life force to is subjected to a Consecrate or Hallow spell, or if the object he has bound his life force to is destroyed. Places and objects subject to this ritual exude an aura of necromancy with a caster level equal to the evolutionist’s mutator level.

Teratomorph VI

Incorporeality: The evolutionist can, as a standard action, become incorporeal indefinitely (along with all of his carried equipment), or return to a corporeal state with a similar action. While incorporeal the evolutionist is weightless and may fly at his base land speed with perfect maneuverability, he may add his dexterity modifier to attack melee rolls, but has no effective strength score for the duration.

Mutant Ascendancy: The evolutionist gains the option to ascend into an undead being, somewhat. This ascendancy has a few special interactions with other creature types.
Undead ascendants gain Darkvision with a range of 60 feet (or increase existing Darkvision by 60 feet), additionally, if the ascendant’s previous type was not undead or construct she gains the Ghastly subtype, if she had the construct type she retains it and gains the Necrogolem subtype instead of changing types. Lastly, the evolutionist gains the following ability:

Undead: The evolutionist gains a +2 bonus to fortitude and will saves. And may attempt to rebuke (but not control) undead once every five turns, with an effective cleric level equal to his mutator level.

As a final note, ascendancy cannot resurrect the undead. Should an undead creature elect to take an ascendancy for a creature type other than its own, it retains the Undead type and gains the new type as an Augmented subtype, and does not gain the choice to lose that augmented subtype upon achieving mutant perfection, it still receives both the benefits of the chosen mutant ascendancy and mutant perfection.

Mutant Perfection: There is a tiny, hungry darkness within each undead being that is linked ever so slightly to the starving entropy of the Negative Energy Plane, the evolutionist has opened that floodgate within his void-touched soul and externalized it wholly. The evolutionist generates a field with a radius of 20 feet that mimics the effects of the Minor Negative Dominant planar trait, in addition, the area immediately adjacent to the evolutionist carries the Major Negative Dominant planar trait, with a save DC against negative levels of 10 + ½ mutator level + Cha mod.
The evolutionist can suppress this ability as a swift action.

Mutations:

Spoiler

Sidebar: The Positive Side of the Force

Spoiler

bobthe6th · 04-22-2012, 10:46 PM

background typo, not ozodrin

Owrtho · 04-22-2012, 10:50 PM

Well, I must say I highly anticipate the completion of this class, or at least the posting of it since it sounds to already be fairly complete. I rather liked the second version of it already, and this one seems to improve upon it in many ways. I'm always a fan of classes that help a character change into something of their own choosing.

That said, I thought I'd note you seem to have a typo in the background section of the first post.

Keep up the good work.

Edit: And someone else mentions the typo while I post this.

Owrtho

eftexar · 04-22-2012, 10:58 PM

Eagerly awaiting completion of posting. All I can think of is gestalting this with the ozodrin...

Draken · 04-22-2012, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobthe6th

background typo, not ozodrin

Quote:

Originally Posted by Owrtho

Well, I must say I highly anticipate the completion of this class, or at least the posting of it since it sounds to already be fairly complete. I rather liked the second version of it already, and this one seems to improve upon it in many ways. I'm always a fan of classes that help a character change into something of their own choosing.

That said, I thought I'd note you seem to have a typo in the background section of the first post.

Keep up the good work.

Edit: And someone else mentions the typo while I post this.

Owrtho

>>

Oops. I used the model of the Ozodrin for those first few fluff lines. Haha, time to edit.

Milo v3 · 04-23-2012, 05:47 AM

This is an awesome class, this would be perfect for an eldritch abomination.

EdroGrimshell · 04-23-2012, 12:01 PM

Can't wait to see the rest of this, however, i would like to make a note of a teratomorph that could be interesting, Welknair's Bloodlines. A teratomorph to gain increasingly powerful bloodlines without taking bloodline levels seems like it could fit in the ability. Seems like upgrading a bloodline over the course of a few levels would be a fun way to include them into the ability without being too powerful.

bobthe6th · 04-23-2012, 02:20 PM

so.. why are quills extrordinary? they seem to be a gross anatomical change, essentially a natural weapon, therefore they seem inate.

Draken · 04-23-2012, 02:43 PM

A large number of extraordinaire abilities could very easily be innate, and even some supernatural abilities are explained in D&D's fluff with byological processes (see: Breath Weapons).

The difference is more that an innate change is something much simpler to evolve than an extraordinaire change. But that is just fluff. Innates are generally things that you don't find in the Special Attacks/Qualities entry of a monster, and it is a completely OOC separation.

Technically all innates (and basics) are Ex. They just go tagless for word economy.

Welknair · 04-23-2012, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdroGrimshell

Can't wait to see the rest of this, however, i would like to make a note of a teratomorph that could be interesting, Welknair's Bloodlines. A teratomorph to gain increasingly powerful bloodlines without taking bloodline levels seems like it could fit in the ability. Seems like upgrading a bloodline over the course of a few levels would be a fun way to include them into the ability without being too powerful.

I give full permission for my bloodlines to be used for this purpose.

SamBurke · 04-23-2012, 02:56 PM

Hm... version two, at least... I like it quite a bit. Seems to be quite a bit more balanced than the last.

Draken · 04-23-2012, 05:34 PM

Evolutionist Anomaly
“I don’t know what it is!”
- Edgar Van Poun, Archivist.

Evolutionists adapt in steps, the better to improve their physical forms towards perfection. Not so with the Anomalies, these individuals have eschewed some of the stability of their power in favor of greater adaptability. Their chimerical forms can shift suddenly as necessity dictates

Prerequisites:
Mutations: Mutator level 4°.
Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) 8 ranks, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) 8 ranks, Survival 8 ranks.

HD: d8

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Features
1	+0	+0	+0	+0	Mutations, Chimerism (2)
2	+1	+0	+0	+0	Mutations
3	+1	+1	+1	+1	Mutations
4	+2	+1	+1	+1	Mutations, Fast Shift
5	+2	+1	+1	+1	Mutations, Anomalous Ascendancy
6	+3	+2	+2	+2	Mutations, Chimerism (3)
7	+3	+2	+2	+2	Mutations
8	+4	+2	+2	+2	Mutations, Quick Shift
9	+4	+3	+3	+3	Mutations
10	+5	+3	+3	+3	Mutations
11	+5	+3	+3	+3	Mutations, Chimerism (4)
12	+6/+1	+4	+4	+4	Mutations, Sudden Shift
13	+6/+1	+4	+4	+4	Mutations
14	+7/+2	+4	+4	+4	Mutations
15	+7/+2	+5	+5	+5	Mutations, Anomalous Perfection

Class Skills (2 + Int Modifier): The evolutionist anomaly can chose the class skills of any one of his base classes to be his class skills for this class, this choice cannot be changed.

Proficiencies: Anomalies gain no new proficiencies with weapons or armor.

Mutations: The anomaly gains three mutations per level.

Chimerism (Ex): At 1st level, the anomaly gains the power of chimerism. This gives him two sets of mutations, each containing a number of mutations equal to his class level, these sets do not need to have any mutations in common between them. He can activate either one of those sets as a standard action, gaining the benefits of all the mutations included in that package. The anomaly can have only one chimerism active at any given time.
At 6th level and again at 11th level, the anomaly gains one additional set of mutations.

Fast Shift (Ex): Starting at 4th level, the anomaly can change between his chimerisms as a move action.

Anomalous Ascendancy (Ex): The anomaly does not ascend quite like normal evolutionists do. At 5th level, he gains the power to change his creature type to any one of aberration, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast or monstrous humanoid (plus any other type to which he has access to a special mutation list) whenever he changes between chimerisms. Doing this does not grant him the benefits usually associated with the mutant ascendancy of the creature type taken.
In addition, the evolutionist anomaly gains one additional mutation on each of his chimerisms.

Quick Shift (Ex): Starting at 8th level the anomaly can change between his chimerisms as a swift action.

Sudden Shift (Ex): Starting at 12th level, the anomaly can change between his chimerisms and an immediate action.

Anomalous Perfection (Ex): The anomaly who reaches perfection can barely be identified for a specific creature of any given kind. Whenever necessary, the anomaly can treat himself as a creature of any type he has available (as per Anomalous Ascendancy), according to his preference. Each of his chimerisms also gains one additional mutation.
Furthermore, in accordance with his chimerical apotheosis, the anomaly may, as a swift action, apply a second chimerism to himself, while retaining the benefits of the one previously active for one full round. At the beginning of the following round the anomaly loses the benefits of the previously active chimerism, unless he uses a swift action to reactivate it, or to activate a different one, repeating the cycle.

Owrtho · 04-23-2012, 06:05 PM

I like the Evolutionist Anomaly, but it seems like it should require the Anomalous Mutation Teratomorph be taken at least once as a prerequisite.

Owrtho

bobthe6th · 04-23-2012, 07:49 PM

the anomalous does seem to hand out some utility in exchange for teratomorph... but couldn't it just be an AFC? it is already evolutionist only. you could just make it give up teratomorphs, and grant it chimerism from level 2, replacing the teratomorph progression. replace the racial with the prcs abilaties, and there you go... no pain, and the evolutionist can play with more options in exchange for pure power.

Draken · 04-23-2012, 08:15 PM

Anomaly also has a different form of ascendancy/perfection and gains less standard mutations per level, if you check. The differences are numerous enough that I think a PrC is better than an ACF.

Anomalous Mutation is not on the prerequisites simply because it doesn't really work the same way and I feel like some leeway with the first T-Morph should be given.

Also: Rake took a trip down Nerflane while wearing all its bling. It got mugged and shived with a rusty spoon.

bobthe6th · 04-23-2012, 08:26 PM

that is made up for with the chimeric sets, leading to a net 0 loss per level. he gets as many, he just loses all but two tetaromorphs, and the acendentcies. it is al ready a AFC by a diferent name(15 level Prc with 4 levels required...) why not make an honest woman of it? I would like to play either, but I don't see why it should wait to get its class defining ability till level 6...

edit: also, difrences
pro: chimerance, change speed increaseres, additional option to the cap stone and mid level cap stone.
negative: loses tetremorph...

Mithril Leaf · 04-23-2012, 09:32 PM

Oh boy, this class looks phenomenal, can't wait for the outsider evolution so I can use my favorite race ever with it, good old Neraphim. Surprisingly balanced class, plus it looks like one of the few ones you'd be able to only drop a tier for taking VoP, instead of 2.

eftexar · 04-23-2012, 09:42 PM

This is a really interesting class and I still say this would be awesome gestalted with ozodrin. A couple of issues come to mind though:
I think that for abilities that grant spell uses (or power uses) you should just straight up ban spells with xp components (I'm thinking of limited wish in particular (what level is that by the way?)) and even spells with components costing over a certain amount.
Do the uses per day of spells and such increase at higher levels, or are they set at the level you take them. I assume the former, but it might be good to leave note of that.
As written unarmed strike must function as a natural weapon or as a manufactured weapon. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe unarmed strikes are their own class of attack and so this would actually negate several options normally available (not that that is necessarily a bad thing, but I just wanted to make sure that was intentional).

I'm curious though as to where you picked up the term teratomorph, and what it means. It sounds neat.

Edit > On another note, what about adding in shadowcasting. I've always been fond of that system. I would also say incarnum, but I don't know anything about it (though I've heard good things), and binding (but that seems like a tough fit).

Draken · 04-23-2012, 10:19 PM

Spell-like abilities and psi-like abilities have scaling uses, they are not stuck at the level you take then. And I did consider removing spells with exp components, but ultimately decided to keep them in avaiability Limited wish only comes online at a very high level at any rate, so I am not too concerned.

A note on gestalting this class: It is somewhat balanced by the poor chassis (in fact, it has the worst chassis possible save for HD), so when gestalting it, it may be recommended to, as a special rule, make the end result use the Evolutionist Chassis for anything other than actual class features (but case by case of course, not as an all-encompassing rule).

Terato comes from ancient greek, it means "birth deformity" and is derivated from Teros, "monster" or in this case "monstrous". It is the same root that originated Theropod, I believe. There is also a D&D monster called a Teratomorph in MMII or Fiend Folio.

Morph is, well, morph everybody knows that one.

Lemmy · 04-23-2012, 10:36 PM

OMGWTFBBQ!

My favorite homebrew is back! I can't wait to see it's improved awesomeness!

This is the class that made me get interested in homebrew in the first place!

One day I'll make some DM allow this on the table!

Rizban · 04-24-2012, 04:35 AM

Soul Evolutionist
"What are you to me, who has mastered the body and the soul?"
- Verril Beastheart, azurin soul evolutionist

Entry Requirements
Skills: Knowledge (arcana or nature) 8 ranks.
Feats: Azure Form.
Class Features: Teratomorph I.
Meldshaping: Ability to shape three soulmelds; ability to bind a soulmeld to a chakra.

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Meldshaping
1st	+0	+0	+0	+0	Soul given form +1, mutations	+1 level of existing meldshaping class
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+0	Mutations	+1 level of existing meldshaping class
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+1	Chakra binds (crown, feet, hands),	+1 level of existing meldshaping class
4th	+2	+1	+1	+1	Mutations	+1 level of existing meldshaping class
5th	+2	+1	+1	+1	Soul given form +2, mutations	+1 level of existing meldshaping class
6th	+3	+2	+2	+2	Mutable soul, mutations	+1 level of existing meldshaping class
7th	+3	+2	+2	+2	Mutations	+1 level of existing meldshaping class
8th	+4	+2	+2	+2	Chakra binds (arms, brow, shoulders), mutations	+1 level of existing meldshaping class
9th	+4	+3	+3	+3	Soul given form +3, mutations	+1 level of existing meldshaping class
10th	+5	+3	+3	+3	Incarnum Ascendancy, mutations	+1 level of existing meldshaping class

Class Skills (2 + Int Modifier): Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (Dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (Nature) (Int), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis) and Swim (Str).

CLASS FEATURES
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: You gain no new proficiency with weapons, armor, or shields.

Meldshaping: At each soul evolutionist level, you increase your meldshaper level, the number of soulmelds you can shape, the number of chakra binds you can create, and your essentia pool as if you had gained a level in a meldshaping class to which you belonged prior to gaining the soul evolutionist level. You do not, however, gain any other abilities of that class, such as new tiers of chakra binds. If you had more than one meldshaping class before becoming a soul evolutionist, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining your essentia pool, meldshaper level, and the number of soulmelds and chakra binds available.

Mutations: At each level, you increase your mutator level as if you had gained a level in the mutator class to which you belonged prior to gaining the soul evolutionist level. You do not, however, gain any other abilities of that class, such as new tiers of teratomorph. You also gain four new mutations.

Soul Given Form (Su): You tap ever deeper into the souls of the beasts you harness. The essentia capacity of your Azure Form feat increases by 1. At 5th level and again at 9th, the essentia capacity of the feat increases by another 1.

Chakra Binds: As you attain higher levels, you can bind your soulmelds and magic items to your chakras, gaining new powers based on the combination chosen. At 3rd level, you can bind your soulmelds or magic items to your least chakras (crown, feet, and hands), in addition to any other chakras you have available. When you attain 8th level, your lesser chakras (arms, brow, and shoulders) become available for chakra binds.

Mutable Soul (Su): As a full-round action, you may reinvest essentia in your Azure Form feat, allowing you to choose the amount of essentia invested and select new mutations. This may be done a number of times per day equal to your Soul Evolutionist level.

Incarnum Ascendancy (Ex): At 10th level, incarnum has completely suffused your being. Your creature type changes to Outsider, granting you a few characteristics of the type, including Darkvision 60 feet (or a 60 foot increase to existing darkvision). You still need to breathe but no longer require food, drink or sleep (but can eat, drink and sleep if you want). Lastly, you gain the following benefit:

You gain one bonus essentia for every 4 mutator levels you possess, rounded down.

zegram 33 · 04-24-2012, 09:24 AM

hmn...i was making a very similar class (even called the "mutator") having never heard of this before
now i feel like a scab..... haha

Awesomeusername · 04-25-2012, 12:28 AM

I'm curious, why don't the size changing Teratomorphs use something like the standard rules for changing sizes? I can see why not word for word (medium to large with +8 STR, and medium to small with only +2 DEX)