Please Critique My New Template [Archive] - Wizards Community

Please Critique My New Template [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Shi'ar Morpheus
08-08-07, 03:23 AM Hi, I wanted some D&D prodigies out there to apply their talents to this new template, particularly in the field of adequate CR and LAs. Thanks in advance!

Soulbound

Early in the year of 1372 DR The Year of Wild Magic, the Cormyrean kingdom was in the grip of near anarchy. Still reeling from the death of King Azoun IV the previous year, Cormyr now faced the threat of a resurgent church of Bane and the Zhentarim, as well as the expansionist policies of the recently returned Shade enclave. Though the Purple Dragons and War Wizards had acquitted themselves well throughout the turmoil, their staunch support of the crown and uncompromising asceticism made them readily identifiable to the enemy. As such, all of Cormyr’s attempts to infiltrate the ranks of its enemies met with swift revelation and painful retribution. To overcome this obstacle, Dowager Queen Filfaeril ordered the Royal Magician Vangerdahast to devise a means of disguising the crown’s most secret of operatives so that they might infiltrate the ranks of the most insidious of organizations and work to bring them down from the inside. To this end, Vangerdahast applied all of his knowledge of the arcane. In time, the aging wizard discovered a process by which a mortal soul could be removed from its host body and secured in a physical object known as a phylactery. The process, which is thought to involve the spell magic jar, or some variant thereof, is not unlike the rite invoked when a wizard undergoes the gruesome transformation into a lich. This process, however, neither slays the subject nor resurrects it as an unliving husk of its former self. Instead, it acts a shield against divinations and scrying, creating a creature with neither emotion nor affect and whose true allegiance is undetectable by even beings of divine status. In fact, those affected by this process have even managed to become high ranking clergy of dark gods, their spells granted them by deities that are completely unaware that their seemingly devoted follower is actually a double agent twisting the god’s own powers against them. Vangerdahast called these masters of infiltration the “Soulbound”, and it is unknown how many the old wizard created before his presumed destruction at the Battle of Tilverton. Whether the process for creating more of these creatures will be replicated by either an apprentice of Vangerdahast or by someone who follows in his research remains to be seen.
Soulbound appear exactly as they did prior to undergoing the process of becoming a soulbound. However, most are suddenly struck as emotionally bereft, and their outward affect becomes flat. Those who appear to experience normal mortal emotion are either incredibly convincing frauds or are the exception that makes the rule.

Creating a Soulbound
“Soulbound” is an acquired template that can be added to any giant, humanoid or monstrous humanoid. The creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature) must have a Wisdom of at least 6.
A soulbound uses all of the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Size and Type: The creature’s size and type do not change.
Hit Dice: Same as the base creature.
Speed: Same as the base creature.
Initiative: Same as the base creature.
Armor Class: Same as the base creature.
Attack: A soulbound retains all the attacks of the base creature.
Full Attack: A soulbound retains all the attacks of the base creature.
Damage: A soulbound uses all the damage values of the base creature.
Special Attacks: A soulbound retains all the special attacks of the base creature.
Special Qualities: A soulbound retains all the special qualities of the base creature and also gains those described below.
Death Touched (Ex): Being deprived of a soul facilitates within a soulbound many of the qualities found with the undead. A soulbound is therefore immune to all fear effects, mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns and morale effects), death effects and magic jar spells. Further, they are not subject to ability or energy drain.
Indiscernible Intent (Ex): A soulbound is utterly immune to any attempt to determine his alignment or intent. Spells such as detect chaos/evil/good/law, detect thoughts or discern lies functions as though the soulbound were under permanent nondetection and undetectable alignment spells.
Soulless(Sp): Soulbound lack the life energy found in most living beings. As such, it is much more difficult to return a soulbound to life once he has died. Soulbound are immune to raise dead, reincarnate and resurrection spells and effects. To successfully employ one of these spells on a fallen soulbound, the phylactery containing their soul must first be found and the soul released. Only then can the soulbound be returned to life through one of the above spells. Further, soulbound suffer cure and heal magic as undead do. Only the negative energy of inflict and harm spells can heal the wounds of a soulbound.
Abilities: A soulbound gains the following inherent ability score modifications: +2 WIS, -2 CHA; their lack of emotion allows soulbound to examine situations with cold logic even while their loss of emotional response unsettles many.
Skills: A soulbound gains a +2 inherent bonus to Bluff, Intimidate and Sense Motive checks while simultaneously suffering a -2 penalty to Diplomacy, Disguise and Perform checks; their flat affect makes reading their true intent difficult even as it unnerves most and allows the soulbound to better appraise his opponent. Unfortunately, this effect also deprives the soulbound of the necessary passions to negotiate on more intimate levels or to deceive or entertain watchful eyes. However, when dealing with the undead, these checks are modified as follows: +4 morale bonus to Bluff, Intimidate and Sense Motive and +2 morale bonus to Diplomacy, Disguise and Perform; soulbound share many qualities with the undead, making it easier for them to interact with these ghastly creatures.
Feats: Assuming the base creature meets the prerequisites and does not already have these feats, a soulbound gains Improved Turning and Iron Will; again, their affinity for undead heightens a soulbound’s power when used against them and their apathy creates a will that borders on supernatural.
Environment: Any, as often as base creature.
Organization: Solitary, or strike team (2-4).
Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +1.
Alignment: Most soulbound show decidedly neutral tendencies, though those still in the service of Cormyr are also good inclined.
Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +1.
Valgard
08-08-07, 06:32 AM I think that +1 LA (and CR) is too low for this template. You get a lot of immunities that are worth sacrificing a level. Maybe +2 should be more balanced (or even +3).
Dielzen
08-08-07, 11:59 AM CR1 - appropriate
LA1 - try 2...immune to raises and heals is a touch rough, but not if you're evil as your evil clerics can spont out inflicts

Compared to the necropolitan I'd say it's pretty similar.
Shi'ar Morpheus
08-08-07, 12:15 PM Whhops! Fixed the alignment description! The soulbound are supposed to be good, as hinted at in the flavor text. This makes their disadvantages much more steep! Still modify the LA?
Mad Mage
08-08-07, 01:30 PM Um, you mind breaking up the first paragraph into a few smaller ones? No offense, but that's really making my eyes hurt. :twitch:
Diffan
08-08-07, 04:26 PM Also, you should put the abilities in Bold like Special Attacks, Full Attack, AC that sorta thing. Makes it alot easier to read. :)

I like the idea, but I agree with the others that it might be better served with a +2 level adjustment. The template offers immunity to energy or ability drain which gives it a +1 right there. Furthermore, immunity to detect spells, and the gaining of hp through inflict spells is another +1. Any enemy clerics that see you as a threat are going to hit you with inflict spells, harm, and negative energy spells, just to realize that you benefit from them will make them go like this=:OMG! The CR is good where it stands as well as the other things such as speed, HD, attacks,.... Overall, nice work.

BTW, is there any connection to this template and the new movie with Nicole Kidman called The Invasion where people who get infected/body snached remain emotionless and cold to where they're almost alien or merely coincidence?
Shi'ar Morpheus
08-09-07, 09:15 AM Ha! Actually, no it's coincidence. This is an idea for a char I've had for along time and I've finally convinced one of my players to try it. Basically, the character lacks a soul and so personifies everything the church of Shar stands for, so they're able to infiltrate it as a Cormyrean agent. Originally, it was just a char concept, but I recently decided the concept was best served with a template that really defined it. But that movie does look pretty neat tho. BTW, thanks for everyone's comments!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Shi'ar Morpheus 08-08-07, 03:23 AM	Hi, I wanted some D&D prodigies out there to apply their talents to this new template, particularly in the field of adequate CR and LAs. Thanks in advance! Soulbound Early in the year of 1372 DR The Year of Wild Magic, the Cormyrean kingdom was in the grip of near anarchy. Still reeling from the death of King Azoun IV the previous year, Cormyr now faced the threat of a resurgent church of Bane and the Zhentarim, as well as the expansionist policies of the recently returned Shade enclave. Though the Purple Dragons and War Wizards had acquitted themselves well throughout the turmoil, their staunch support of the crown and uncompromising asceticism made them readily identifiable to the enemy. As such, all of Cormyr’s attempts to infiltrate the ranks of its enemies met with swift revelation and painful retribution. To overcome this obstacle, Dowager Queen Filfaeril ordered the Royal Magician Vangerdahast to devise a means of disguising the crown’s most secret of operatives so that they might infiltrate the ranks of the most insidious of organizations and work to bring them down from the inside. To this end, Vangerdahast applied all of his knowledge of the arcane. In time, the aging wizard discovered a process by which a mortal soul could be removed from its host body and secured in a physical object known as a phylactery. The process, which is thought to involve the spell magic jar, or some variant thereof, is not unlike the rite invoked when a wizard undergoes the gruesome transformation into a lich. This process, however, neither slays the subject nor resurrects it as an unliving husk of its former self. Instead, it acts a shield against divinations and scrying, creating a creature with neither emotion nor affect and whose true allegiance is undetectable by even beings of divine status. In fact, those affected by this process have even managed to become high ranking clergy of dark gods, their spells granted them by deities that are completely unaware that their seemingly devoted follower is actually a double agent twisting the god’s own powers against them. Vangerdahast called these masters of infiltration the “Soulbound”, and it is unknown how many the old wizard created before his presumed destruction at the Battle of Tilverton. Whether the process for creating more of these creatures will be replicated by either an apprentice of Vangerdahast or by someone who follows in his research remains to be seen. Soulbound appear exactly as they did prior to undergoing the process of becoming a soulbound. However, most are suddenly struck as emotionally bereft, and their outward affect becomes flat. Those who appear to experience normal mortal emotion are either incredibly convincing frauds or are the exception that makes the rule. Creating a Soulbound “Soulbound” is an acquired template that can be added to any giant, humanoid or monstrous humanoid. The creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature) must have a Wisdom of at least 6. A soulbound uses all of the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here. Size and Type: The creature’s size and type do not change. Hit Dice: Same as the base creature. Speed: Same as the base creature. Initiative: Same as the base creature. Armor Class: Same as the base creature. Attack: A soulbound retains all the attacks of the base creature. Full Attack: A soulbound retains all the attacks of the base creature. Damage: A soulbound uses all the damage values of the base creature. Special Attacks: A soulbound retains all the special attacks of the base creature. Special Qualities: A soulbound retains all the special qualities of the base creature and also gains those described below. Death Touched (Ex): Being deprived of a soul facilitates within a soulbound many of the qualities found with the undead. A soulbound is therefore immune to all fear effects, mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns and morale effects), death effects and magic jar spells. Further, they are not subject to ability or energy drain. Indiscernible Intent (Ex): A soulbound is utterly immune to any attempt to determine his alignment or intent. Spells such as detect chaos/evil/good/law, detect thoughts or discern lies functions as though the soulbound were under permanent nondetection and undetectable alignment spells. Soulless(Sp): Soulbound lack the life energy found in most living beings. As such, it is much more difficult to return a soulbound to life once he has died. Soulbound are immune to raise dead, reincarnate and resurrection spells and effects. To successfully employ one of these spells on a fallen soulbound, the phylactery containing their soul must first be found and the soul released. Only then can the soulbound be returned to life through one of the above spells. Further, soulbound suffer cure and heal magic as undead do. Only the negative energy of inflict and harm spells can heal the wounds of a soulbound. Abilities: A soulbound gains the following inherent ability score modifications: +2 WIS, -2 CHA; their lack of emotion allows soulbound to examine situations with cold logic even while their loss of emotional response unsettles many. Skills: A soulbound gains a +2 inherent bonus to Bluff, Intimidate and Sense Motive checks while simultaneously suffering a -2 penalty to Diplomacy, Disguise and Perform checks; their flat affect makes reading their true intent difficult even as it unnerves most and allows the soulbound to better appraise his opponent. Unfortunately, this effect also deprives the soulbound of the necessary passions to negotiate on more intimate levels or to deceive or entertain watchful eyes. However, when dealing with the undead, these checks are modified as follows: +4 morale bonus to Bluff, Intimidate and Sense Motive and +2 morale bonus to Diplomacy, Disguise and Perform; soulbound share many qualities with the undead, making it easier for them to interact with these ghastly creatures. Feats: Assuming the base creature meets the prerequisites and does not already have these feats, a soulbound gains Improved Turning and Iron Will; again, their affinity for undead heightens a soulbound’s power when used against them and their apathy creates a will that borders on supernatural. Environment: Any, as often as base creature. Organization: Solitary, or strike team (2-4). Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +1. Alignment: Most soulbound show decidedly neutral tendencies, though those still in the service of Cormyr are also good inclined. Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +1.
Valgard 08-08-07, 06:32 AM	I think that +1 LA (and CR) is too low for this template. You get a lot of immunities that are worth sacrificing a level. Maybe +2 should be more balanced (or even +3).
Dielzen 08-08-07, 11:59 AM	CR1 - appropriate LA1 - try 2...immune to raises and heals is a touch rough, but not if you're evil as your evil clerics can spont out inflicts Compared to the necropolitan I'd say it's pretty similar.
Shi'ar Morpheus 08-08-07, 12:15 PM	Whhops! Fixed the alignment description! The soulbound are supposed to be good, as hinted at in the flavor text. This makes their disadvantages much more steep! Still modify the LA?
Mad Mage 08-08-07, 01:30 PM	Um, you mind breaking up the first paragraph into a few smaller ones? No offense, but that's really making my eyes hurt. :twitch:
Diffan 08-08-07, 04:26 PM	Also, you should put the abilities in Bold like Special Attacks, Full Attack, AC that sorta thing. Makes it alot easier to read. :) I like the idea, but I agree with the others that it might be better served with a +2 level adjustment. The template offers immunity to energy or ability drain which gives it a +1 right there. Furthermore, immunity to detect spells, and the gaining of hp through inflict spells is another +1. Any enemy clerics that see you as a threat are going to hit you with inflict spells, harm, and negative energy spells, just to realize that you benefit from them will make them go like this=:OMG! The CR is good where it stands as well as the other things such as speed, HD, attacks,.... Overall, nice work. BTW, is there any connection to this template and the new movie with Nicole Kidman called The Invasion where people who get infected/body snached remain emotionless and cold to where they're almost alien or merely coincidence?
Shi'ar Morpheus 08-09-07, 09:15 AM	Ha! Actually, no it's coincidence. This is an idea for a char I've had for along time and I've finally convinced one of my players to try it. Basically, the character lacks a soul and so personifies everything the church of Shar stands for, so they're able to infiltrate it as a Cormyrean agent. Originally, it was just a char concept, but I recently decided the concept was best served with a template that really defined it. But that movie does look pretty neat tho. BTW, thanks for everyone's comments!