Post/Author/DateTime	Post
turalisj 06-29-07, 11:08 PM	An Ectopic Ascendant, or EA, is a psion, typically a shaper, who has melded his body with ectoplasm, making himself effectively immortal. Creating an Ectopic Ascendant: 'Ectopic Ascendant' Is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal, living creature with a soul. The future ectopic ascendant must posses a psycrystal and be able to manifest at least 3 powers from the shapers power list, and manifest astral construct. Size and Type: The base creature gains the construct type with the augmented psionic subtype. Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. Size is unchanged. Hit Dice: Increase all current and future hit dice to d10's. Armor Bonus: An Ectopic Ascendant gains a +4 bonus to natural armor. Attacks: An Ectopic Ascendant retains all weapon proficiencies and natural weapons of the base creature. He also gains a psychic draining attack. this attack drains 1d4 power points. This is a touch attack. He can deal this touch attack through a weapon. Full Attack: An Ectopic Ascendant fighting without weapons uses either it's power draining attack or it's natural weapons. If armed with a weapon, it usually uses the weapon as a primary attack and the power draining attack as a secondary attack, provided it has a way to make the attack. Special Attacks: An Ectopic Ascendant retains all special attacks of it's previous form, and gains the following special attacks. Powers: An Ectopic Ascendant can uses any powers it could use when alive. Change Shape: An Ectopic Ascendant's body is malleable. So malleable that is can alter it's form. Special Qualities: An Ectopic Ascendant retains any special qualities it had in it's previous form, and gains the following special qualities. Turn Resistance: An Ectopic Ascendant gains +4 turn resistance. Damage Reduction: An Ectopic Ascendant gains Damage Resistance 10/adamantine and magic. Immunities: An Ectopic Ascendant has immunity to to cold, electricity, polymorph, and mind affecting abilities. They can suppress these abilities at will. Power Points: An Ectopic Ascendant reduces it's power point reserve permanently by 1/3. Psicrystal Phylactery: An Ectopic Ascendant's 'Phylactery' is it's psicrystal. An Ectopic Ascendant without a psicrystal dies. Abilities: Ectopic Ascendants gain +2 intelligence, +2 wisdom, and +2 charisma. An Ectopic Ascendant has no constitution score. Skills: An Ectopic Ascendant has a +8 racial bonus on autohypnosis, hide, listen, move silently, search, spot, sense motive, and psicraft checks. Otherwise same as the base creature. Feats: Same as the base creature. Level Adjustment: +5 Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +3 Becoming an Ectopic Ascendant: An aspiring Ectopic Ascendant must spend a week focusing on channeling his psychic energy into his psicrystal. He must then form a link with the astral plane. During this time, he cannot be disturbed or he dies. The ceremony for channeling his energy into his psicrystal costs 120,000gp and 4,800xp. He must have a manifestor level of atleast 11th.
CrimsonDeath 06-30-07, 09:12 PM	Interesting, but it looks a bit too close to a "psionic lich"... I'd like to offer a few suggestions that shouldn't change too much, mechanically. First, I'm not sure the Deathless type is any more appropriate than the Undead type for psionic transcendance. Perhaps the Construct type would be more appropriate, since the template seems to be centered around Shapers (the class with Psionic Repair Damage on its devotion list). It would drop the HD down to a d10, but the character would get bonus HP based on size (introducing an interesting use of the Expansion power). The rest of my suggestions assume you go with the suggestion above. A slam attack (or two) would make more sense for a construct than a PP-draining touch attack, just as DR/adamantine would make more sense than DR/slashing. Finally, having the psion destroy his mortal body seems off-flavor for this particular transformation. It might make more sense for the psion to gradually infuse himself with ectoplasm, replacing his flesh during the ritual. Reforming when destroyed seems perfectly fine, though. One more thing. Requiring six Shaper powers is a significant commitment even for a Shaper, an extreme degree of focus for a non-Shaper Psion or Psychic Warrior, and it may be impossible for a Wilder or Ardent. Three Shaper powers (or even three, plus Astral Construct) would be a bit more manageable. One more other thing. A prestiege class (along the lines of the Green Star Adept, for example) might be more appropriate for this idea. Note that a ten-level half-manifesting class would result in a 20-level character with the same ECL as a level 15 manifester with a +5 level adjustment.
turalisj 07-04-07, 12:14 AM	I edited it along the lines of your suggestions. And... BUMP
forsaken1111 07-04-07, 04:09 AM	Still seems a bit all over the place. Are you trying to make a new type of undead? Would make more sense to change him into a construct similar to astral constructs, not an undead. I don't know of any association between ectoplasm and undeath or deathless in the books anyway, so it seems odd.
CrimsonDeath 07-04-07, 06:27 AM	You might want to specify what the Change Shape ability allows a person to do. Is it largely cosmetic changes similar to Disguise Self, or is it more like Alter Self or Polymorph?
forsaken1111 07-04-07, 06:31 AM	You might want to specify what the Change Shape ability allows a person to do. Is it largely cosmetic changes similar to Disguise Self, or is it more like Alter Self or Polymorph? Er.. its probably a lot like the change shape ability. http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm
CrimsonDeath 07-04-07, 12:05 PM	Er.. its probably a lot like the change shape ability. http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm You're probably right... But still, he didn't specify what creature type he can Change Shape into. (Going with the default, humanoid?)
forsaken1111 07-04-07, 02:18 PM	You're probably right... But still, he didn't specify what creature type he can Change Shape into. (Going with the default, humanoid?) I think unless stated otherwise it is any creature of the same type as yourself. He really should go into more detail. In fact this could be expanded by making it the capstone ability of its own prestige class granting extraordinary control over ectoplasm and its powers.
turalisj 07-04-07, 03:43 PM	Any humanoid or monstrus humanoid shape. And I changed it to construct...
forsaken1111 07-04-07, 04:53 PM	Okay you first need to lay out what you're trying to create. The reason I say this is that your abilities are still all over the place. I've included sections where I think improvements could be made, or clarifications are needed. Creating an Ectopic Ascendant: 'Ectopic Ascendant' Is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal, living creature with a soul. The future ectopic ascendant must posses a psycrystal and be able to manifest at least 3 powers from the shapers power list, and manifest astral construct. This looks fine, but what's the purpose behind the psicrystal? A lot of psionic characters choose not to have a psicrystal because it costs a feat for most classes and can die fairly easy. For flavor you could replace the psicrystal feat requirement with the Skin of the Construct feat which allows you to wear an astral construct like a skin, augmenting your body. Also, how do you define "with a soul"? Does an Elan have a soul? They are psionically created. I suggest it be changed to: Creating an Ectopic Ascendant: 'Ectopic Ascendant' Is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal, living creature with the psionic subtype. The future ectopic ascendant must know the Skin of the Construct feat and be able to manifest at least 3 shaper-specific powers other than astral construct. The Skin of the Construct feat requires them to already know Astral Construct. Size and Type: The base creature gains the construct type with the augmented psionic subtype. Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. Size is unchanged. You may want to specify that they gain all the benefits and penalties associated with the construct type, such as lack of a con score etc etc. It may seem redundant but its always good to be specific. Also, you don't need the bit about the psionic subtype. Any creature with power points automatically gains the psionic subtype IIRC. Attacks: An Ectopic Ascendant retains all weapon proficiencies and natural weapons of the base creature. He also gains a psychic draining attack. this attack drains 1d4 power points. This is a touch attack. He can deal this touch attack through a weapon. I confess I don't understand the reasoning behind this psychic drain attack. If you don't give people a reason to use it, they probably won't. Its only 1d4 power points, enough to manifest a 2nd level power with 1 augment. Now if this touch attack can be delivered as part of a normal attack action, it becomes much better but you don't specify that. As it stands, a touch attack like this cannot be used as part of an attack unless it says so. Perhaps reword the ability to say "Any melee attack which deals damage to its target also drains 1d4 power points from the foe, adding the same amount to your power point total. This cannot cause you to go above your total maximum power points per day, and any extra gained are lost. This ability has no effect on nonpsionic creatures or psionic creatures with no power points remaining. In addition, on a confirmed critical hit the number of power points drained is doubled and the target loses their psionic focus (if any) if they fail a DC 15+damage delt concentration check." That makes it a cooler power, and something to be feared for that painful 5 level adjustment. Change Shape: An Ectopic Ascendant's body is malleable. So malleable that is can alter it's form. This needs some clarification. May I suggest something like: "The Ectopic Ascendant gains the Change Shape (Ex) ability. This ability is usable at will, as a standard action which provokes an attack of opportunity, and allows the Ascendant to alter his physical form into any Humanoid or Monstrous Humanoid within 1 step of his size. That is, a medium Ectopic Ascendant could take the form of a Small, Medium, or Large humanoid or monstrous humanoid. Otherwise this ability functions as the Change Shape ability printed in the monster manual" You should clean that up and get a page number, maybe fix the wording but you get the point. Special Qualities: An Ectopic Ascendant retains any special qualities it had in it's previous form, and gains the following special qualities. Do you want the special qualities to work while the Ascendant is shape changed into something else? If not, put that clause in there. "While in another form via change shape, the ascendant cannot use the special qualities of his original form" if you don't care, leave it as-is. Turn Resistance: An Ectopic Ascendant gains +4 turn resistance. This may no longer be needed as I don't know of anything which can turn constructs. Power Points: An Ectopic Ascendant reduces it's power point reserve permanently by 1/3. Does this apply to all future power point gains as well? Will an Ascendant be forever treated as if he had 1/3 the normal size power point pool for his class? If so, put that in there. Psicrystal Phylactery: An Ectopic Ascendant's 'Phylactery' is it's psicrystal. An Ectopic Ascendant without a psicrystal dies. Ahh this is why you wanted the psicrystal? Is a phylactory needed now, since its not really an undead. If you still want a weakness, perhaps you should just adapt the standard rules for creating a lich's phylactory but call it something else like an Ectopic Seed which is created from a gem of 4000gp value and thereafter contains the Ascendant's psychic essence. Becoming an Ectopic Ascendant: An aspiring Ectopic Ascendant must spend a week focusing on channeling his psychic energy into his psicrystal. He must then form a link with the astral plane. During this time, he cannot be disturbed or he dies. Okay this is a little harsh. If someone knocks on the door and he has to open the door, he dies? Just make it "If the ritual is interrupted he must begin the week again" and make an interruption burn up 1/3 the material cost so he must pay 1/3 the cost again. 40k should be enough motivation to find a secluded locale without the threat of death.
CrimsonDeath 07-04-07, 06:17 PM	Also, how do you define "with a soul"? Does an Elan have a soul? Actually, there's already a pretty solid game mechanic for what has a soul and what doesn't. Elementals, non-living constructs, and non-native outsiders generally do not have souls separate from their bodies. Other things generally do. (Elan, as aberrations, would normally have souls.)
forsaken1111 07-04-07, 08:01 PM	Actually, there's already a pretty solid game mechanic for what has a soul and what doesn't. Elementals, non-living constructs, and non-native outsiders generally do not have souls separate from their bodies. Other things generally do. (Elan, as aberrations, would normally have souls.) Where did you read this? Book and page number?
CrimsonDeath 07-04-07, 10:24 PM	Where did you read this? Book and page number? It's not something that's explicitly spelled out in one place, but it can be deduced from information drawn from several places. Raise Dead (PHB p. 256) functions by retrieving a creature's soul, making minimal repairs to the creature's body, and then returning the soul to the body. It states that "a creature that has been turned into an undead creature or killed by a death effect cannot be raised by this spell." It goes on to say that "Constructs, elementals, outsiders, and undead creatures can't be rasied." Resurrection (PHB p. 272) is slightly stronger. It's similar to Raise Dead, except that it can make more extensive repairs to the body (recreating a healthy body even if the original was reduced to dust). It can also raise creatures that have been killed by death effects or that have been turned into undead and then destroyed. It still can't raise constructs, undead, elementals, or outsiders, though. True Resurrection (PHB p. 296) is even stronger. No trace of the body is even needed, and it can raise elementals or outsiders. Now, let's look at those four creature types: Construct, Elemental, Outsider, and Undead. One of the traits of a Construct (MM p. 307) is, "Since it was never alive, a construct cannot be raised or resurrected." The exception is constructs with the Living Construct subtype (EBCS p. 23). Elementals (MM p. 308) do, technically, have souls, but the soul and the body form one unit. So, they are unaffected by magic that reunites the soul and body-- they cannot be Raised or Resurrected. They can only be restored to life by effects such as (Limited) Wish, Miracle, and True Resurrection. Outsiders (MM p. 313) are described using almost exactly the same language as Elementals. The only difference is that outsiders with the Native subtype can be raised normally. Undead (MM p. 317) are subject to Resurrection and True Resurrection-- spells which can make extensive repairs to the body-- but not Raise Dead-- a spell which makes only minimal repairs to a corpse. Furthermore, these spells return such creatures to life, not to unlife. Over all, I may have been mistaken in making a definitive statement, but after reading the evidence above, that was the conclusion I drew.
forsaken1111 07-04-07, 10:28 PM	It makes sense, however since there is no definite ingame way to determine if something has a soul, its not a good requirement. I think the psionic subtype is a better one anyway, personally.