Animal Templates, Familliars, and other odds n ends

[Jeric Hikari]

Due to a wide variety of issues I'd had to put my world building on hold. Now that I've a little time where i can sit and think on the matter I noted an earlier thread I'd made about a creature (cabbits) that, while I liked the concept, the execution left a fair bit to be desired.

i suppose instead of having a single creature, though said critter might be a unique to the setting, it might be better to have the ability to apply a template to any existing animal-type critter in the different bestiaries.

The general requirements for said template are as follows:
Slightly better than base stats

Change the subtype to construct (and requiring a craft/alchemy, or something else appropriate sounding as a medic skill to make use of)

When these things die, that's it. They flash decompose into a mineral powder that can be used in manufacturing a few of the medications floating around, which could be used as a plot hook naturally.

When bound to a human (via the familiar/companion feat) they gain access to a select list of powers/creature abilities/feats as well as a second form.

The specifics of said form can vary, but in general its a mismosh of crystal and 'rock' bits arranged to resemble whatever it's trying to behave like (say you have one that turns into a truck. you'll get something vaguely truck-like that hovers about a foot and a half off the ground, though the seats would be surprisingly comfortable considering they look like they were grown out of rocks, or crystal formations, and no control surfaces.) I'm not sure how to do this so that there's the possibility for 'large' objects like vehicles/ships or the like when the party gets into higher levels, but not have something that potentially game breaking in low levels available till a certain point later on.

Why is this last such a big deal? The backstory for the entire mess involves a treaty between human settlers and a planetary intelligence resulting in these creatures, either based off of what's on earth, or pulled from the imaginations of people, as something useful for the people to take the place of not being \able to preform deep mining operations. Plus since these are actual creatures that grow, reproduce, and are physically THERE it doesn't have to maintain them the way it would a projection.

Ideas on how to balance this out while keeping it somewhat interesting... or is it too rimenicent of everything else done in tabletop gaming to be worth repeating?

[Kendermage]

What you are describing sounds an awful lot like how the planet Wormwood responses to the needs of its people. Wormwood is one of the Dimension Sourcebooks for the Rifts Roleplaying Game. I'd recommend taking a look at that book if you could lay hands on it. It might help you to crystallize your ideas.

[Jeric Hikari]

Well, I know exactly what I want in terms of story cruft to explain the why. Its the game balancing minutia that leaves me headscratching.

What i have in mind so far:

Code: Select all

Template: Xenoform (just going off of what's on my notes)

This template is to be applied to any Animal, adding the subclass Xenoform to the existing creature.

Combat Progression: Same as base animal
Saving Throw Progression: Same as base animal

Ability Scores: Really not sure here, wanting them to seem smarter than your average critter, but not humanoid level intelligent, possibly a +2 to base intelligence.

Feat Progression: One (beyond what's naturally available to that creature) at First Level, One additional feat every other level.
Powers Progression: Slow, Narrow*

Skill Progression: 4+Int Skill points per level (does that mean you get four skill points even if you have negative int, or do you start deducting possible skill points till you get 0 int?).
Starting Skills: Same as base animal
Toughness: Base Toughness of +1 modified by size, feats, traits, and or powers

Level Progression: As Animal, cannot assume any heroic role (Meaning they can only pick either general feats, or the powers that they've been explicitly allowed access to).

Dependence: Till Level 6 xenoforms can not leave Okinaka's sphere of influence, and if one is forcefully removed, it suffers one level of Fatigue per day out of stasis till it becomes Exhausted. Once a xenoform is exhausted it then takes one level of lethal damage per day till it dies, or is returned to Okinaka where it recovers from damage and fatigue naturally. After reaching level 6 it can leave, but requires four times the amount of food the base creature would typically require.

Vulnerability: Xenoforms take an additional +3 damage from Sonic type attacks.

Racial Traits Progression:
Level 1:      Darkvision, Immunity (Disease, Poison)
Level 3:     +2 Notice, Scent Trait
Level 6:     Ability Score +1, +2 Jump
Level 9:     Hover
Level 10:   Blindsight (90 Feet)
Level 12:   Ability Score +1
Level 14:   Fast Healing
Level 18:   Ability Score +1
Level 20:   Regeneration

*Available Powers:
Beast Link  Bliss    Body-Control    Calm   Combat Sense   Enhance Ability  Enhance Senses

Harm   Heart Reading   Heart Shaping   Mind Probe  Mind Touch    Nature Reading  Pain   Psychic-

Reflection    Psychic Shield  Sense Minds   Sleep   Truth-Reading    Ward

Note: Powers can only be accessed if the xenoform is bound to a person via the companion feat. Unsure what sort of perks the bond should convey, nothing too game-breaky, but something tangible, like being able to communicate mentally or.. I dunno.