Fixing Tauric template [Archive] - Wizards Community

Fixing Tauric template [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
ArochanoX
04-16-06, 02:55 PM Hullo!

Tauric template is known for its brokedness and exploitability. I've managed to create a solution to fix the template. The mechanics are a bit difficult, but try to manage!

First I'll have to present you virtual HD:
Virtual HD:s are not actually HD:s, they're bonus toughness feats. Some class abilities and racial abilities that use HD for determining the power of the effect are counted using these virtual HD:s.

Then the Tauric Template:
"Tauric" is an inherited template that combines two creatures inot one hybrid creature. The template can be added to any corporeal humanoid or monstrous humanoid of small or medium-size (referred hereafter as the base humanoid) and any medium-size or larce corporeal animal, magical beast or vermin with atleast four legs (referred hereafter as the base creature). A tauric creature has all the base creature's characteristics except as noted here.

Size and Type: The creature's type changes to monstrous humanoid.

Hit Dice: The tauric creature has hit dice equal to base monster's HD if the base monster has higher CR than the base humanoid. If the base humanoid had higher CR than the base creature, use the base humanoid's HD instead. If the CR:s are equal use that creature that had more HD.
The tauric creature gains the other creature's HD as virtual HD (see above)
Each HD the tauric creature has changes to a d8. A humanoid that normally has a class instead of 1 HD counts as a 1 HD creature.

Armor Class: A tauric creature has the natural armor bonus of the base creature or base humanoid, whichever is better.

Attacks and Damage: A tauric creature retains the natural weapons and base damage of the base humanoid and the base creature, provided that the tauric creature's physical form is capable of delivering those attacks. The absence of the base creature's head always results in the loss of the base creature's bite attack. If the creature loses its primary attack in this fashion, all its remaining natural attacks are still secondary.
A tauric creature has the base attack bonus of a monstrous humanoid of the tauric creature's Hit Dice (do not include virtual HD or Hit Dice from class levels!) as a monster.

Special Attacks: A tauric creature retains the special attacks of the base humanoid and base creature, provided that the tauric creature is capable of delivering the attack. The absence of the base creature's head always results in the loss of the base creature's breath weapon or gaze attack. For determining the DC and power of a HD based special attack, use either HD or virtual HD depending which special attack came from which creature. (The tauric creature's special attack's HD based abilities should not increase in power.) Later though all HD-based special attack's increase in power if the tauric creature gains more hit dice.

Special Qualities: A tauric creature retains the special qualities of both the base humanoid and the base creature. For determining the DC and power of a HD based special quality, use either HD or virtual HD depending which special quality came from which creature. (The tauric creature's special quality's HD based abilities should not increase in power.)

Base Saves: Recalculate the saves using the tauric creature's HD (do not include virtual HD). If either the base creature or the base creature had some good save, the tauric creature also has that good save. If both the base humanoid and the base creature had some poor save, the tauric creature also has that poor save.

Abilities: A tauric creature uses the base humanoid's intelligence, wisdom and charisma scores, and it uses the base creature's strenght dexterity and constitution scores. (You may need to recalculate some special abilities or special qualities if the corresponding ability score changes.)

Skills: A tauric creature gains skill points as a monstrous humanoid of its hit dice (do not include virtual HD or class levels!) as a monster. Treat skills from both the base creature's list and the base humanoid's list as class skills. If the creature has a class, it gains skill points for class levels normally.

Feats: A tauric creature gains feats as a monstrous humanoid of its Hit Dice as a monster (do not include virtual HD!). A tauric creature gains a toughness feat as a bonus feat for each virtual HD it has.

Challenge rating: Base humanoid's CR +1 or base creature's CR +1 whichever is greater.

Level Adjustment: (NOT ACCURATE!). As base humanoid + base creature's CR x 2.

Advancement: By character class or as the base humanoid.

So the tauric template is fixed. You're welcome! Please criticize and post your ideas and visions!
Insane Pixie
04-16-06, 03:26 PM First I'll have to present you virtual HD:
Virtual HD:s are not actually HD:s, they're bonus toughness feats. Some class abilities and racial abilities that use HD for determining the power of the effect are counted using these virtual HD:s.

Why not just give them a supply of temporary HP, that is regained in a manner that treats it like normal HP?
ArochanoX
04-16-06, 03:34 PM Because some abilities are calculated based on HD:s. Not to mention saves and bab. Most often special attack saving throw DC:s are form of 10 + ½HD + Ability modifier, so using other creature's HD might change the power drastically. Also tauric creatures have very very much hit points compared to normal creature of that CR, so losing a bit of hit points won't hurt.

I was first toying on a option that used the average HD of both creatures, but even that system would change the DC:s.

This was the only simple option that would leave the special abilities, base attack bonus and saves untouched.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ArochanoX 04-16-06, 02:55 PM	Hullo! Tauric template is known for its brokedness and exploitability. I've managed to create a solution to fix the template. The mechanics are a bit difficult, but try to manage! First I'll have to present you virtual HD: Virtual HD:s are not actually HD:s, they're bonus toughness feats. Some class abilities and racial abilities that use HD for determining the power of the effect are counted using these virtual HD:s. Then the Tauric Template: "Tauric" is an inherited template that combines two creatures inot one hybrid creature. The template can be added to any corporeal humanoid or monstrous humanoid of small or medium-size (referred hereafter as the base humanoid) and any medium-size or larce corporeal animal, magical beast or vermin with atleast four legs (referred hereafter as the base creature). A tauric creature has all the base creature's characteristics except as noted here. Size and Type: The creature's type changes to monstrous humanoid. Hit Dice: The tauric creature has hit dice equal to base monster's HD if the base monster has higher CR than the base humanoid. If the base humanoid had higher CR than the base creature, use the base humanoid's HD instead. If the CR:s are equal use that creature that had more HD. The tauric creature gains the other creature's HD as virtual HD (see above) Each HD the tauric creature has changes to a d8. A humanoid that normally has a class instead of 1 HD counts as a 1 HD creature. Armor Class: A tauric creature has the natural armor bonus of the base creature or base humanoid, whichever is better. Attacks and Damage: A tauric creature retains the natural weapons and base damage of the base humanoid and the base creature, provided that the tauric creature's physical form is capable of delivering those attacks. The absence of the base creature's head always results in the loss of the base creature's bite attack. If the creature loses its primary attack in this fashion, all its remaining natural attacks are still secondary. A tauric creature has the base attack bonus of a monstrous humanoid of the tauric creature's Hit Dice (do not include virtual HD or Hit Dice from class levels!) as a monster. Special Attacks: A tauric creature retains the special attacks of the base humanoid and base creature, provided that the tauric creature is capable of delivering the attack. The absence of the base creature's head always results in the loss of the base creature's breath weapon or gaze attack. For determining the DC and power of a HD based special attack, use either HD or virtual HD depending which special attack came from which creature. (The tauric creature's special attack's HD based abilities should not increase in power.) Later though all HD-based special attack's increase in power if the tauric creature gains more hit dice. Special Qualities: A tauric creature retains the special qualities of both the base humanoid and the base creature. For determining the DC and power of a HD based special quality, use either HD or virtual HD depending which special quality came from which creature. (The tauric creature's special quality's HD based abilities should not increase in power.) Base Saves: Recalculate the saves using the tauric creature's HD (do not include virtual HD). If either the base creature or the base creature had some good save, the tauric creature also has that good save. If both the base humanoid and the base creature had some poor save, the tauric creature also has that poor save. Abilities: A tauric creature uses the base humanoid's intelligence, wisdom and charisma scores, and it uses the base creature's strenght dexterity and constitution scores. (You may need to recalculate some special abilities or special qualities if the corresponding ability score changes.) Skills: A tauric creature gains skill points as a monstrous humanoid of its hit dice (do not include virtual HD or class levels!) as a monster. Treat skills from both the base creature's list and the base humanoid's list as class skills. If the creature has a class, it gains skill points for class levels normally. Feats: A tauric creature gains feats as a monstrous humanoid of its Hit Dice as a monster (do not include virtual HD!). A tauric creature gains a toughness feat as a bonus feat for each virtual HD it has. Challenge rating: Base humanoid's CR +1 or base creature's CR +1 whichever is greater. Level Adjustment: (NOT ACCURATE!). As base humanoid + base creature's CR x 2. Advancement: By character class or as the base humanoid. So the tauric template is fixed. You're welcome! Please criticize and post your ideas and visions!
Insane Pixie 04-16-06, 03:26 PM	First I'll have to present you virtual HD: Virtual HD:s are not actually HD:s, they're bonus toughness feats. Some class abilities and racial abilities that use HD for determining the power of the effect are counted using these virtual HD:s. Why not just give them a supply of temporary HP, that is regained in a manner that treats it like normal HP?
ArochanoX 04-16-06, 03:34 PM	Because some abilities are calculated based on HD:s. Not to mention saves and bab. Most often special attack saving throw DC:s are form of 10 + ½HD + Ability modifier, so using other creature's HD might change the power drastically. Also tauric creatures have very very much hit points compared to normal creature of that CR, so losing a bit of hit points won't hurt. I was first toying on a option that used the average HD of both creatures, but even that system would change the DC:s. This was the only simple option that would leave the special abilities, base attack bonus and saves untouched.