Post/Author/DateTime	Post
BlaineTog 06-12-07, 05:30 PM	I've never really liked shapechanging in D&D. The idea of paging through the Monster Manual to find something suitable and then holding it open for the stat block has never really appealed to me. I mean, usually, if someone in literature can shapechange, it's only into a select few forms. Hence, this first power. I'm trying to make it balanced against the game, as opposed to balanced against shapechanging magics and powers, so it probably looks pretty useless next to Polymorph. The second power is something of a plot power, something for important NPCs, bad guys, or the PC who never wants to die. I also tried to make it useful to the average game. Assume Animal Form Psychometabolism Level: Psion/wilder 2, psychic warrior 2 Display: Mental, Visual, Audible, Material Manifesting Time: 1 minute Range: Personal Target: You Duration: 1 hour/level (d) Power Points: 3 You reknit your physical form into that of a specific animal. When you learn this power, choose one of the animals from the list in the spoiler block below. When you manifest this power, you transform into the creature, gaining the changes, additions, and abilities as spelled out here. When in animal form, manifesting powers is more difficult and you take a -1 penalty to your manifester level when manifesting powers. You are also unable to speak humanoid language unless your animal form specifically says you can, though you can converse with animals of your class (ie mammals, birds, fish, amphibians). Unlike most powers, you may take this power multiple times. Each time you do, choose a different animal. You can then transform into that animal as well. How to read: Each stat block below contains all the information you need to assume your animal form. These stats may differ from the standard animal statistics. They contain your new size, speed, natural attacks gained (with Full Attack only included if it differs from your standard attack; all attacks are melee), any special attacks or special qualities you gain, changes to your ability scores, bonuses to skills, and bonus feats you are treated as having while transformed. If your normal speed is higher than that of a normal member of your size from some source other than your race, this speed bonus is added to all applicable movement types you have in your new form. Ability score penalties gained from these forms can never lower a score below one. BABOON Medium Animal. Speed: 40 ft, climb 30 ft. Attack: Bite (1d6+Str) Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent Abilities: Str +4, Dex +4, Con +2 Skills: Climb +8 Feats: Alertness Baboons are powerful and aggressive primates adapted to life on the ground. They prefer open spaces but climb trees to find safe places to rest overnight. A typical baboon is the size of a big dog. Males can be 2 to 4 feet long and weigh as much as 90 pounds. Skills: Baboons have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. BADGER Small Animal. Speed: 30 ft, burrow 10 ft. Attack: Claw (1d2+Str) Full Attack: 2 claws, melee (1d2+Str) and bite, melee (1d3+Str) Special Attacks: Rage Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent Abilities: Str -2, Dex +6, Con +4 Skills: Escape Artist +4 Feats: Agile, Track, Weapon Finesse The badger is a furry animal with a squat, powerful body. Its strong forelimbs are armed with long claws for digging. An adult badger is 2 to 3 feet long and weighs 25 to 35 pounds. Rage (Ex): A badger that takes damage in combat flies into a berserk rage on its next turn, clawing and biting madly until either it or its opponent is dead. It gains +4 to Strength, +4 to Constitution, and –2 to Armor Class. The creature cannot end its rage voluntarily. Skills: A badger has a +4 racial bonus on Escape Artist checks. BAT Diminutive Animal. Speed: 5 ft, fly 40 ft. (good) Attack: — Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Blindsense 20 ft., low-light vision Abilities: Str -10, Dex +4 Skills: Listen +4*, Spot +4* Feats: — Bats are nocturnal flying mammals. The statistics presented here describe small, insectivorous bats. Blindsense (Ex): A bat notices and locates creatures within 20 feet. Opponents still have 100% concealment against a creature with blindsense. Skills: *A bat has a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Listen checks. These bonuses are lost if its blindsense is negated. CAT Tiny Animal Hit Dice. Speed: 30 ft. Attack: Claw (1d2+Str) Full Attack: 2 claws (1d2+Str) and bite (1d3+Str) Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent Abilities: Str -6, Dex +6 Skills: Balance +8, Climb +4, Hide +4*, Jump +8, Move Silently +4 Feats: Stealthy, Weapon Finesse The statistics presented here describe a common housecat. Cats prefer to sneak up on their prey. Skills: Cats have a +4 racial bonus on Climb, Hide, and Move Silently checks and a +8 racial bonus on Jump checks. Cats have a +8 racial bonus on Balance checks. They use their Dexterity modifier instead of their Strength modifier for Climb and Jump checks. *In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, the Hide bonus rises to +8. DOG Small Animal. Speed: 40 ft. Attack: Bite (1d4+Str) Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent Abilities: Str +2, Dex +6, Con +4 Skills: Jump +4, Survival +4* Feats: Alertness, Track The statistics presented here describe a fairly small dog of about 20 to 50 pounds in weight. They also can be used for small wild canines such as coyotes, jackals, and African wild dogs. Skills: Dogs have a +4 racial bonus on Jump checks. *Dogs have a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent. DONKEY Medium Animal. Speed: 30 ft. Attack: Bite (1d2+Str). Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent Abilities: Dex +2, Con +4 Skills: Balance +2 Feats: Endurance These long-eared, horselike creatures are surefooted and sturdy. The statistics presented here could also describe burros. Carrying Capacity: A donkey can carry 150% as much weight for its strength (so a light load for a donkey with 10 strength is 50 instead of 33, and it can drag 750 lbs instead of 500). Skills: Donkeys have a +2 racial bonus on Balance checks. EAGLE Small Animal. Speed: 10 ft, fly 80 ft. (average) Attack: Talons (1d4+Str) Full Attack: 2 talons (1d4+Str) and bite (1d4+Str) Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Low-light vision Abilities: Dex +4, Con +2 Skills: Spot +8 Feats: Alertness, Weapon Finesse A typical eagle is about 3 feet long and has a wingspan of about 7 feet. The statistics presented here can describe any similar-sized, diurnal bird of prey. Skills: Eagles have a +8 racial bonus on Spot checks. HAWK Tiny Animal. Speed: 10 ft, fly 60 ft. (average) Attack: Talons (1d4+Str) Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Low-light vision Abilities: Str -4, Dex +6, Con +2 Skills: Spot +8 Feats: Alertness, Weapon Finesse These creatures are similar to eagles but slightly smaller: 1 to 2 feet long, with wingspans of 6 feet or less. Skills: Hawks have a +8 racial bonus on Spot checks. LIZARD Tiny Animal. Speed: 20 ft, climb 20 ft. Attack: Bite (1d4+Str) Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Low-light vision Abilities: Str -6, Dex +4, Con +2 Skills: Balance +8, Climb +8 Feats: Stealthy, Weapon Finesse The statistics presented here describe small, nonvenomous lizards of perhaps a foot or two in length, such as an iguana. Skills: Lizards have a +8 racial bonus on Balance checks. They also have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. Lizards use their Dexterity modifier instead of their Strength modifier for Climb checks. MONKEY Tiny Animal. Speed: 30 ft, climb 30 ft. Attack: Bite (1d3+Str) Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Low-light vision Abilities: Str -8, Dex +6 Skills: Balance + 8, Climb +8 Feats: Agile, Dodge, Weapon Finesse The statistics presented here can describe any arboreal monkey that is no bigger than a housecat, such as a colobus or capuchin. Skills: Monkeys have a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Climb checks. They can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. They use their Dexterity modifier instead of their Strength modifier for Climb checks. OWL Tiny Animal. Speed: 10 ft, fly 40 ft. (average) Attack: Talons (1d4+Str) Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Low-light vision Abilities: Str -6, Dex +6 Skills: Listen +8, Move Silently +14, Spot +8* Feats: Alertness, Weapon Finesse The statistics presented here describe nocturnal birds of prey from 1 to 2 feet long, with wingspans up to 6 feet. They combine both talons into a single attack. Skills: Owls have a +8 racial bonus on Listen checks and a +14 racial bonus on Move Silently checks. *They have a +8 racial bonus on Spot checks in areas of shadowy illumination. PONY Medium Animal. Speed: 40 ft. Attack: Hoof (1d3+1/2 Str) Full Attack: 2 hooves (1d3+1/2 Str) Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent Abilities: Str +2, Dex +2, Con +2 Skills: — Feats: Endurance The statistics presented here describe a small horse, under 5 feet tall at the shoulder. Carrying Capacity: A donkey can carry 150% as much weight for its strength (so a light load for a donkey with 10 strength is 75 instead of 50, and it can drag 1,125 lbs instead of 500). PORPOISE Medium Animal. Speed: Swim 80 ft. Attack: Slam (2d4+Str) Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Blindsight 120 ft., hold breath, low-light vision Abilities: Dex +6, Con +2 Skills: Listen +4*, Spot +4*, Swim +8 Feats: Weapon Finesse Porpoises are mammals that tend to be playful, friendly, and helpful. A typical porpoise is 4 to 6 feet long and weighs 110 to 160 pounds. The statistics presented here can describe any small whale of similar size. Blindsight (Ex): Porpoises can “see” by emitting high-frequency sounds, inaudible to most other creatures, that allow them to locate objects and creatures within 120 feet. A silence spell negates this and forces the porpoise to rely on its vision, which is approximately as good as a human’s. Hold Breath (Ex): A porpoise can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to 6 x its Constitution score before it risks drowning. Skills: A porpoise has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line. *A porpoise has a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Listen checks. These bonuses are lost if its blindsight is negated. RAT Tiny Animal. Speed: 15 ft, climb 15 ft., swim 15 ft. Attack: Bite (1d3+Str) Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent Abilities: Str -8, Dex +4 Skills: Balance +8, Climb +8, Hide +4, Move Silently +4, Swim +8 Feats: Stealthy, Weapon Finesse These omnivorous rodents thrive almost anywhere. Skills: Rats have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks, and a +8 racial bonus on Balance, Climb, and Swim checks. A rat can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. A rat uses its Dexterity modifier instead of its Strength modifier for Climb and Swim checks. A rat has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line. RAVEN Tiny Animal. Speed: 10 ft, fly 40 ft. (average) Attack: Claws (1d2+Str) Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Low-light vision, speech Abilities: Str -10, Dex +4 Skills: — Feats: Alertness, Weapon Finesse These glossy black birds are about 2 feet long and have wingspans of about 4 feet. They combine both claws into a single attack. The statistics presented here can describe most nonpredatory birds of similar size. Speech: You can speak any language you can speak in your normal shape when in raven form. SHARK Medium Animal (Aquatic). Speed: Swim 60 ft. Attack: Bite (1d6+Str). Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Blindsense, keen scent Abilities: Str +2, Dex +2, Con +2 Skills: Swim +8 Feats: Alertness, Weapon Finesse Sharks are from 5 to 8 feet long and not usually dangerous to creatures other than their prey. Blindsense (Ex): A shark can locate creatures underwater within a 30-foot radius. This ability works only when the shark is underwater. Keen Scent (Ex): A shark can notice creatures by scent in a 180-foot radius and detect blood in the water at ranges of up to a mile. Skills: A shark has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line. TOAD Diminutive Animal. Speed: 5 ft Attack: —Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Amphibious, low-light vision Abilities: Str -10, Dex +2, Con +4 Skills: Hide +4 Feats: Alertness These diminutive amphibians are innocuous and beneficial, since they eat insects. Skills: A toad’s coloration gives it a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks. VIPER, TINY Tiny Animal. Speed: 15 ft, climb 15 ft., swim 15 ft. Attack: Bite (1+Str plus poison) Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Scent Abilities: Str -6, Dex +6 Skills: Balance +8, Climb +8, Hide +4, Listen +4, Spot +4, Swim +8 Feats: Alertness, Weapon Finesse VIPER, SMALL Small Animal. Speed: 20 ft, climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft. Attack: Bite (1d2+Str plus poison) Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Scent Abilities: Str -4, Dex +6 Skills: Balance +8, Climb +8, Hide +4, Listen +4, Spot +4, Swim +8 Feats: Alertness, Weapon Finesse Poison (Ex): A viper snake has a poisonous bite that deals initial and secondary damage of 1d6 Con. The save DC 10 + the snake’s constitution modifier. This poison cannot be extracted, saved, or otherwise refined. Skills: Snakes have a +4 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, and Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Climb checks. A snake can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened. Snakes use either their Strength modifier or Dexterity modifier for Climb checks, whichever is higher. A snake has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line. WEASEL Tiny Animal. Speed: 20 ft, climb 20 ft. Attack: Bite (1d3+Str) Special Attacks: Attach Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent Abilities: Str -8, Dex +4 Skills: Balance +8, Climb +8, Move Silently +4 Feats: Agile, Dodge, Weapon Finesse The statistics presented here can also apply to ferrets. Attach (Ex): If a weasel hits with a bite attack, it uses its powerful jaws to latch onto the opponent’s body and automatically deals bite damage each round it remains attached. An attached weasel loses its Dexterity bonus to Armor Class. An attached weasel can be struck with a weapon or grappled itself. To remove an attached weasel through grappling, the opponent must achieve a pin against the creature. Skills: Weasels have a +4 racial bonus on Move Silently checks and a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Climb checks. They use their Dexterity modifier for Climb checks. A weasel can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened. WOLF Medium Animal. Speed: 50 ft. Attack: Bite (1d6+Str) Special Attacks: —Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent Abilities: Str +2, Dex +4, Con +4 Skills: Survival +4* Feats: Track Skills: *Wolves have a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent. Augment: You can augment this power in any number of the following ways. 1. If you spend one additional power point, you may speak any language you can speak in your normal shape when in your animal form. 2. If you spend 1 additional power point, you may converse with any animal. 3. If you spend 1 additional power point and manifest this power on your psicrystal, the duration changes to “Permanent.” 4. If you spend 2 additional power points, you may manifest this power as a full-round action. 5. If you spend 2 additional power points, the duration of this power increases to 2 hours/level. 6. If you spend 4 additional power points, your manifester level is no longer reduced by one when in your animal form. Fuel Essence Psychometabolism Level: Psion/wilder 4, psychic warrior 4 Display: Mental, Visual Manifesting Time: 10 minutes Range: Personal Target: You Duration: 24 hours; see text Power Points: 7 Eyes closed in intense concentration, light seems to flow out from your mind into every part of your body as tissues are reinvigorated and charged with psychic energy. You focus your mental energy into the task of keeping your body functioning better and longer than ever before. You gain a +4 bonus on the following checks and saves: Swim checks made to resist nonlethal damage, Constitution checks made to continue running, Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from a forced march, Constitution checks made to hold your breath, Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from starvation or thirst, Fortitude saves made to avoid nonlethal damage from hot or cold environments, and Fortitude saves made to resist damage from suffocation. Also, you may sleep in light or medium armor without becoming fatigued. Additionally, this power reverses the effects of aging, lengthening the life of the manifester potentially indefinitely. The first manifestation of this power each day adds one day to the natural life of the character. Manifested daily over long periods of time, this power triples the amount of time between each age category and extends the character’s maximum life by one per day in which he or she manifested this power.
Scion of Coldshard 06-12-07, 06:55 PM	I really like the powers, I do have a few questions and suggestions though ;) First off, the second power looks like it should be a feat. Make it require holding on to focus and basically becomes an improved version of endurance (I would even suggest giving it text that says that it counts as endurance for the purposes of prereqs plus if you have both the bonuses stack plus something extra). If you simply do not age while you are holding focus it would basically turn every 1 day of aging into 1/3 a day of aging for most characters which perfectly simulates the base ability ;) On the first, would it be ok to make it simpler? Perhaps with a feat or two that could go along with it at that. You could have it work something closer to the original animal affinity, which I really loved way back when. Choose the power and get an animal that you relate to on a very basic nature. When the power is manifested you can pick up one aspect from that animal (some aspects will have a level prereq) with the option to augment for more. Something like this: Aspect of the Eagle: Flight of the eagle: You grow wings and feathers sprout from most of your body. Your weight decreases to 2/3 of normal. These wings grant you a flight speed of half your base land speed with a maneuverability of poor. At manifester level 7 these increase to flight = base land speed and maneuverabilty of average, at manifester level 13 flight = 2xbase land speed and maneuverability of good, at manifester level 18 the maneuverability increases to perfect, at manifester level 23 you gain the equivalent of the run feat that may only be used with these wings (if you already have the run feat you may move at x10 while using this ability with your wings instead of x5) Sharpest wit in the nest: Your feet change into fierce talons and your face elongates into a razor sharp beak. If you are wearing footgear you may not use the talons. Your talons give you a +1 competance bonus on climb checks (+1 at levels 3, 7, 13, 18, 23, etc) and your beak makes it harder for people to understand you when you speak (5% chance to lose a spell with a verbal component, stacks with deafness). You may attack with these weapons as normal natural weapons (base damage for a medium creature: beak d6, talon d4) but you may only attack with a single talon or a your beak while not flying, while in flight all may be used). These natural weapons gain a +1 enhancement bonus to attack and damage (and count as magical) at manifester level 3 and go up by +1 at 7, 13, 18, 23, etc) Eagle eyes (dim): You gain low-light vision. This bonus increases by an extra range increment at manifester level 3, 7, 13, 18, 23, etc. Eagle eyes (bright): Your eyesight becomes as sharp as the eagles you have such a strong affinity to. Your spot checks gain a +2 racial bonus and search checks. This bonus increases by +2 at manifester levels 3, 7, 13, 18, 23, etc. The eagle strikes first: You gain the benefit of the weapon finesse feat (as a bonus feat) and a +2 racial bonus to initiative. The bonus to initiative increases by +1 at manifester level 3, 7, 13, 18, 23, etc. You could have a feat which grants extra form choices, an extra set of even more powerful form choices, counting as a higher manifester level for purposes of this power, new forms, and the like. Perhaps a feat that gives some sort of bonus based on the number of times you have selected this power. I would also recommend that the power be reduced to level 1 so that a character can begin play with this talent somewhat inborn. Given scaling bonuses and augmenting costs it should be possible to balance it for that level. Hmm.. I had some other things, but I am a little tired now, maybe later. Have a good one.
Fafnir 06-12-07, 06:58 PM	Great stuff as always. A few question about Animal Form... 1) What happens to equipment? 2) Can you apply the speech augments to your psicrystal? If yes, what's the result? 3) Why the long manifestation time? 4) Why the penalty to ML is only -1? It seems trivial... should be at least -2 or not here at all. 5) I'd suggest putting it in the Egoist list instead of the Psion/Wilder one. And removing Metamorphosis, of course.
Celsun 06-12-07, 07:13 PM	So, I can fly at 80' whenever I want, for about as long as I want, for 3pp? And I get to disguise myself as an ordinary animal? I think I don't need Overland Flight now. How does a psychometabolic power allow me to speak to animals? Being able to make an animal sound doesn't mean you can understand other animals. Augment #3 could be a bit more clear. What's it supposed to do? You might want to look at the wildshape variant in the PHB2. The variant specifies the level-based bonuses for shapechanging, not the actual shapes. Whether you are a wolf, tiger, leopard, or bear really doesn't make much difference--you're shapechanging for combat buffs. If you want a flying form, it really doesn't matter if you're a bat, hawk, owl, or sparrow--you're flying. I think you'd have a better power if you look at it that way. I've been meaning to convert the PHB2 wildshape into a power for a while, since I'd like to make a "psychic druid." I'd make Fuel Essence into a few psionic feats (such as "psychic endurance" and "long life") instead of a power.
munin 06-12-07, 10:02 PM	I've developed animal form powers before and, given the disguise self [1st], alter self [2nd], ..., polymorph [4th] progression, I've always felt that animal form powers are best at the 3rd level. That makes them accessible at the same time the druid gets wild shape, doesn't offer better combinations of ability score increases than the 2nd level animal affinity/bull's strength/etc., keeps flight at 5th level and above (I know, there are official WOTC exceptions), and a number of other reasons that have come up over the years. Here's my favorite (from a shadow-based manifester -- if I was writing it from scratch today I'd simply base it on the new version of the alternate form (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#alternateForm) special ability instead of writing it all out): Zoomorph (PRONOUNCED ZOH'·A·MORPH) Psychometabolism (Shadow); Level: Shadowstructor 3; Display: Visual; Manifesting Time: 1 standard action; Range: Personal; Target: You; Duration: Permanent (D), see text; Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless); Power Resistance: Yes (harmless); Power Points: 5 You suffuse your body with morphic shadow allowing you to change your form to that of an animal. You assume the form of an animal. The assumed form you choose cannot have more Hit Dice than your manifester level, cannot have a template, and cannot be more than one size category different than your normal form. You gain the magical beast type (you are an animal with a greater-than-animal Intelligence score and the ability to manifest powers) — unless your original type was construct, deathless, elemental, outsider, or undead: in which case you retain your original type — and you lose any subtypes which are not applicable to your new type. You acquire the physical qualities of the new form while retaining your own mind. Physical qualities include natural size, mundane movement capabilities (such as burrowing, climbing, walking, swimming, and flight with wings, to a maximum speed of 120 feet for flying or 60 feet for nonflying movement), natural armor bonus, natural weapons (such as claws or a bite), racial bonuses on skill checks, racial bonus feats, and any anatomical qualities (presence or absence of wings, number of extremities, and so forth). A body with extra limbs does not allow you to make more attacks (or more advantageous two-weapon attacks) than normal. You can vocalize as appropriate for your new form (barking, howling, bird-song, etc.), but you do not have the ability to speak. You gain the Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores of the new form but retain your own Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores (however, incorporeal manifesters do not gain a Strength score, and manifesters without a Constitution score do not gain a Constitution score). You gain a penalty or enhancement bonus on your new Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores equal to your original modifiers for those abilities (for example, if your original Strength was 14, you gain a +2 enhancement bonus to your new Strength score, and if your original Dexterity was 9, you gain a –1 penalty to your new Dexterity score). You gain all special attacks possessed by the new form (such as constrict, improved grab, poison, etc.) but do not gain the special qualities possessed by the new form (such as blindsense, low-light vision, scent, etc.). You cannot gain a special attack with a saving throw based on an ability score you do not have (for example, if you have no Constitution score, you cannot gain a poison attack whose saving throw is Constitution-based). You retain all supernatural and spell-like special attacks and special qualities of your normal form, except for those requiring a body part that the new form does not have, if any. You keep all extraordinary special attacks and special qualities derived from class levels, but you lose any benefits of the racial traits of your normal form. If you have a template, special abilities it provides are likewise not retained. You retain any manifesting ability you had in your original form. You can freely designate the new form’s minor physical qualities (such as hair color, hair texture, and skin color) within the normal ranges for a creature of that type. The new form’s significant physical qualities (such as height, weight, and gender) are also under your control, but they must fall within the norms for the new form’s species. You are effectively disguised as an average member of the new form’s race. If you use this power to create a disguise, you get a +10 bonus on your Disguise check. When the change occurs, your equipment either remains worn or held by the new form (if it is capable of wearing or holding the item in question) or melds into the new form and becomes nonfunctional. When you revert to your normal form, any objects previously melded into the new form reappear in the same location on your body they previously occupied and are once again functional. Any new items you wore in the assumed form and can’t wear in your normal form fall off and land at your feet; any that you could wear in either form or carry in a body part common to both forms (mouth, hands, or the like) at the time of reversion are still held in the same way. Any part of the body or piece of equipment that is separated from the whole reverts to its normal form. If you are slain while under the effect of this power, you revert to your original form, though you remain dead. Remaining in the form of an animal risks your ability to reason. Every minute, at the beginning of your turn, you must make a Concentration check (you can choose to make your Concentration check earlier, and you can choose to dismiss this power instead of making the Concentration check). The DC for this check is 13 + the number of times you have made this check since you manifested this power or last regained your power points (the standard action you take to replenish your power point pool after resting), whichever was earlier. If you fail this check, you must take 1 point of Intelligence burn to maintain this power (you can take this ability burn, even if you otherwise could not, such as if you are immune to ability burn or the ability burn would be reduced). If you do not take 1 point of Intelligence burn, then this power ends. If your Intelligence drops to 0 or you are otherwise unable to make a Concentration check or choose to take Intelligence burn (such as if unconcious), then this power ends. Augment: You can augment this power in one or more of the following ways. 1. For every 2 additional power points you spend, you can affect one target in addition to yourself (all targets assume the same form). You make a single Concentration check at a time for all targets, and need take only 1 point of Intelligence burn to maintain the effect if you fail the Concentration check. 2. If you spend 4 additional power points, you only need to make Concentration checks every 10 minutes. If you spend 6 additional power points, you only need to make Concentration checks every hour. If you spend 8 additional power points, you only need to make Concentration checks every day. 3. For every 2 additional power points you spend, you can gain one special ability of the assumed form (blindsense, low-light vision, scent, etc.). 4. For every 4 additional power points you spend, you can assume the form of an animal an additional size category different than your own. 5. If you spend 6 additional power points, you gain the ability to shift your form as a move action whenever you succeed on your Concentration check, as if you had remanifested the power, except that you can also reassume your normal form. Time spent in your normal form (even if other targets are not in their normal form) does not count when determing when you need to make Concentration checks.
BlaineTog 06-13-07, 03:03 AM	First off, the second power looks like it should be a feat. Make it require holding on to focus and basically becomes an improved version of endurance (I would even suggest giving it text that says that it counts as endurance for the purposes of prereqs plus if you have both the bonuses stack plus something extra). If you simply do not age while you are holding focus it would basically turn every 1 day of aging into 1/3 a day of aging for most characters which perfectly simulates the base ability ;)Hmm. I don't know about this. For one thing, it doesn't allow for immortality so much as extended life, and given that neither is powerful at all and that that was the intent of the power, it would be underpowering an already underpowered mechanic as well as not meeting the design goal. On the first, would it be ok to make it simpler? Perhaps with a feat or two that could go along with it at that.Could you ellaborate? How might we integrate feats into the design? You could have it work something closer to the original animal affinity, which I really loved way back when. Choose the power and get an animal that you relate to on a very basic nature. When the power is manifested you can pick up one aspect from that animal (some aspects will have a level prereq) with the option to augment for more.Er. With this one, too, this doesn't take it quite in the direction I wanted. Aspects of animals is nice and all, but this power is about actual shapeshifting. The aspects thing would be really cool too, though. Might be something to return to. I just wanna work some of the kinks out of this version first. 1) What happens to equipment?Not sure. It could see it going either way. 2) Can you apply the speech augments to your psicrystal? If yes, what's the result?I guess your psicrystal could talk with animals, and/or talk with people it if already could. 3) Why the long manifestation time?To make it so that you can't manifest it during combat, so you choose beforehand whether or not to be in animal form. 4) Why the penalty to ML is only -1? It seems trivial... should be at least -2 or not here at all.Well, every ML penalty is pretty big, and I'm not trying to cripple him. 5) I'd suggest putting it in the Egoist list instead of the Psion/Wilder one. And removing Metamorphosis, of course.Removing metamorphosis yes, Egoist list no. I don't want this to be specific to egoists. So, I can fly at 80' whenever I want, for about as long as I want, for 3pp? And I get to disguise myself as an ordinary animal? I think I don't need Overland Flight now.[/i]Yeah, pretty much. How does a psychometabolic power allow me to speak to animals? Being able to make an animal sound doesn't mean you can understand other animals.Because why not? Augment #3 could be a bit more clear. What's it supposed to do?Make it so you don't have to keep casting it on your psicristal. Cast it once and it sticks. You might want to look at the wildshape variant in the PHB2. The variant specifies the level-based bonuses for shapechanging, not the actual shapes. Whether you are a wolf, tiger, leopard, or bear really doesn't make much difference--you're shapechanging for combat buffs. If you want a flying form, it really doesn't matter if you're a bat, hawk, owl, or sparrow--you're flying. I think you'd have a better power if you look at it that way.Better, perhaps, but soulless and kinda silly. The whole point of the power is that you are turning into this specific thing, which is an animal.
Scion of Coldshard 06-13-07, 10:45 AM	Hmm. I don't know about this. For one thing, it doesn't allow for immortality so much as extended life, and given that neither is powerful at all and that that was the intent of the power, it would be underpowering an already underpowered mechanic as well as not meeting the design goal. Well, I think it would be much cooler as a feat ;) Also, it alone would give immortality so long as a character could retain focus at all times. If you get a ring of sustenance, and so only have to sleep 2 hours a day, then you go from aging at a 1/3 rate to a 1/12 rate. If you can find a way to get rid of even more sleep it increases it even more. Effectively it would be a feat that would do what you want but to truely become immortal would still take a bit more effort. It allows for people at every stage of the immortality ladder at the same time! Some will be slowly aging, others virtually not aging at all, while still others have found a way to truely master it and will never age again. ENDURING ESSENCE[GENERAL, PSIONIC] Benefit: While psionically focused you gain a +8 bonus on the following checks and saves: Swim checks made to resist nonlethal damage, Constitution checks made to continue running, Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from a forced march, Constitution checks made to hold your breath, Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from starvation or thirst, Fortitude saves made to avoid nonlethal damage from hot or cold environments, and Fortitude saves made to resist damage from suffocation. In addition, while psionically focused you do not age. Also, as long as you were psionically focused for at least 8 hours today you may sleep in light or medium armor without becoming fatigued. Special: This feat counts as endurance for feats, prc's, etc. If you also have endurance the bonuses from each stack while focused and if you were focused for at least 8 hours you may sleep in any armor without becoming fatigued. Could you ellaborate? How might we integrate feats into the design? A few of those were near the end of my post ;) You could have a feat which grants extra form choices, an extra set of even more powerful form choices, counting as a higher manifester level for purposes of this power, new forms, and the like. Perhaps a feat that gives some sort of bonus based on the number of times you have selected this power. Er. With this one, too, this doesn't take it quite in the direction I wanted. Aspects of animals is nice and all, but this power is about actual shapeshifting. Ah, but that is the other point of the aspects! Not only are they easier to balance at each level but each one makes you shift in shape to be more like the idealized version of what your chosen animal is. With enough augmentation, feats, and/or whatever you look just like the perfect form of the creature in question. I was thinking something kindof like Plato's theory of forms. Somewhere out there there is a form of the creature that is perfect in every way for what it does. The aspects the various levels of perfection for it and each changes your form somewhat, eventually changing your form fully. I know it isnt the same as just going 'poof! animal!' but it is much easier to balance over a lot of levels, especially as animals of different stripes are very different in power level and some abilities in the hands of pcs are very tough while others not so much. The aspects thing would be really cool too, though. Might be something to return to. I just wanna work some of the kinks out of this version first. That makes sense of course, I just think it will be tough to balance the other one. Not vs polymorph and the like but just making it both useful and not broken at the same time. You have already shot down the, 'you look more like/just like a certain animal but only gain certain bonuses based on your level' in a couple different forms though. I would say that at 3rd level having a psion change into an eagle is a huge, huge, huge boon! 80' movement, harder to hit, better ability to hit touch AC with rays, incredible spot, plus you are up to 3 attacks which are likely a lot better than your former attacks! Most of the forms are way too good though for the level, which is a problem ;/ I think that a shapeshifter that starts off only being able to gain some of the abilities and look more like what they are going for is best. As the character progresses and gets better at his ability he is able to take on more characteristics of the creature and be more able to disguise himself convincingly as that creature. At that point it is like your own built in lycanthropy that you have control over but takes time to master.
BlaineTog 06-13-07, 11:32 AM	You have already shot down the, 'you look more like/just like a certain animal but only gain certain bonuses based on your level' in a couple different forms though. I would say that at 3rd level having a psion change into an eagle is a huge, huge, huge boon! 80' movement, harder to hit, better ability to hit touch AC with rays, incredible spot, plus you are up to 3 attacks which are likely a lot better than your former attacks! Most of the forms are way too good though for the level, which is a problem ;/Hmm. Would raising it to 3rd level do the trick? I mean, other things might need raising (and I might simply fold one of the augments into the power itself), but it might be easier to balance at 3rd.
Celsun 06-13-07, 11:46 AM	Yeah, pretty much. It's harder to challenge players that can fly at level 3, at least in some campaigns. And you have a power at level 2 that's arguably better than psionic fly or overland flight. Because why not? I'd classify the ability to speak to and understand animals as a clairsentient or telepathic power. It's out of flavor for a psychometabolic power. Better, perhaps, but soulless and kinda silly. The whole point of the power is that you are turning into this specific thing, which is an animal. I'd question if there's a point to turning into an animal unless you want a disguise, a buff, or a movement mode--are you turning into a cat to be a cat, or so you can sneak around? If you're shapechanging to get buffs, it doesn't matter what animal form you are using as long as you get what you want. It's also a lot easier to balance a power if it does specific things--you don't need to list statistics for each animal form. You also won't have players claiming that the power should allow them to turn into a dire velociraptor from the Heroes of Maltak campaign setting.
Scion of Coldshard 06-13-07, 12:10 PM	Hmm. Would raising it to 3rd level do the trick? I mean, other things might need raising (and I might simply fold one of the augments into the power itself), but it might be easier to balance at 3rd. It depends on the benefits gained. Are you trying to make this power less powerful overall than polymorph? If it was a 3rd level power then at psion 5 a character could pop this off and gain a rather impressive set of boosts for a very long time. Looking at the eagle still the fly speed is faster than fly and longer lasting, the ability bonuses makes your stats likely much better than a normal eagles so you are better off than a guy using polymorph to turn into an eagle and it lasts for 60x as long, you gain a +10 to your spot check (unless you already had alertness at which point it is only +8), you gain an attack routine almost definately better than what you had before as a psion. Effectively, so long as you are not wanting to use one of the bruiser forms of polymorph this power is much better. Although I have to say, I really prefer this powers way of doing things over polymorph itself. I really like the longer duration and the ability score boosts/penalties instead of flat out changes. I would really like to find a way to make this power 1st level and simply have it augment into stronger and stronger bits. Maybe you could change it to picking a certain branch whenever you choose the power: Avian Land Bruiser Land Swift Water (poor name choices I know) Each level will have a different animal form at a different power level. 1 pp to get the basic, 3 to get the next up, and so forth all the way up to 17, 19, or higher. I know you dont want to have selectable powers like astral constructs or something so perhaps you would start off with something like, 'below average eagle' as a first level avian form, you dont have to use the exact stats of a hawk after all. With enough pp you could turn into a real eagle, or maybe even a better than eagle guy. Maybe you could use, 'below, average, above' and then move on to another creature in the chain. (it wouldnt look like the following, just a demonstration) 5 pp - below average eagle, 7 pp - average eagle, 9 pp - above average eagle. But that still wouldnt get what you are going for really.. :( I'll think over it more and see if I can think of anything that will be balanced and fun plus have the desired features. I believe the desired features are: Long duration, complete shift to an animal form, not too powerful, not too weak
BlaineTog 06-13-07, 02:04 PM	Are you trying to make this power less powerful overall than polymorph?Yes. If it was a 3rd level power then at psion 5 a character could pop this off and gain a rather impressive set of boosts for a very long time. Looking at the eagle still the fly speed is faster than fly and longer lasting, the ability bonuses makes your stats likely much better than a normal eagles so you are better off than a guy using polymorph to turn into an eagle and it lasts for 60x as long, you gain a +10 to your spot check (unless you already had alertness at which point it is only +8), you gain an attack routine almost definately better than what you had before as a psion. Effectively, so long as you are not wanting to use one of the bruiser forms of polymorph this power is much better.Not really, though. You lose massive versatility in that you have to pick one form per time you take the power, and the versatility is a big, big part of the power of polymorph. Also, though the bonuses to ability scores are nice, they also mean you can't just use this power to dump your physical stats, as they still mean something. The available forms are also significantly less powerful than those availble to the polymorpher, and while you're in this other form, your manifesting ability is lessened. You also can't choose to use this during combat, so it isn't a viable method of escape until 5th level. Pretty much the only things this has going for it are the massive duration and the lower level, and even the lower level part falls out if you augment to remove the ML penalty. I dunno. I think the most dangerous thing about this is that you can get it at 3rd level. I would really like to find a way to make this power 1st level and simply have it augment into stronger and stronger bits.Yeah, that would be cool. Problem is I can't see a way of doing that that elegantly leads to a specific animal form. I believe the desired features are: Long duration, complete shift to an animal form, not too powerful, not too weakThat's pretty much it, although "only one animal" and "specific animal" are also important. I mean, we don't need to have different stats for Cebus capucinus and Cebus albifrons (two different stypes of capuchin monkeys) or anything, but it needs to be more specific than "small avian," for example. EDIT: Idea for making the second one a feat: FUEL ESSENSE You suffuse your body with psychic energy, energizing it beyond its normal vitality. Prerequisites: Psionic Body, Autohypnosis 9+ ranks Benefit: Immediatelly upon waking up after a rest which was sufficient to refill your power point reserve, you may choose to spend five power points to activate this feat. If you do, you are treated as having the Endurance feat for the next 24 hours. Additionally, each day you take advantage of this feat adds one day to the maximum natural life of the character. Used daily over long periods of time, this feat triples the amount of time between each age category and extends the character’s maximum life potentially indefinatelly. Special: This feat counts as Endurance for the purposes of qualifying for prestige class, feat, or other prerequisites. Hmm... any might the other one be made into a focus feat?
Scion of Coldshard 06-13-07, 03:54 PM	Ok, this turned out a lot longer than I had thought it would. This tries to make it so that you can be the form that you like, keep that form, get some flavorful stuff on the side, plus the form should be more or less ok through most levels. Each individual form will likely need some tweaking though, this is just a basic draft. Animalis Perfecta [psionic] Prereq: Must not have a psicrystal Benefit: You form a psychic bond to a perfect representation of an animal of your choice. While psionically focused you see its ghostly form (or at least part of it) within 5’ of you and it moves of its own volition. It passes freely through objects but it cannot actually see into areas that you cannot see. It cannot be harmed directly but whenever you take damage it shows appropriate wounds as well. It can give you aid in certain tasks though and when you become focused you gain the Focused Skill User feat but you may only choose 3 skills that the base animal has (if it does not have 3 skills your dm will decide what skills fill in the empty slots for this feat). Also, while focused, you may see other creature’s animalis perfecta and they may see yours, no other method of detection will see them normally. For each non-mental stat (determined when not in animal form) that you possess which is higher than the base animal stat your max hp is increased by 1. By taking this feat you are now allowed to choose the following power. It is added to your powers known list in a single manifesting class that you have. If you have no manifesting class then the first manifesting class that you gain gets this power on its list. Assume Animal Form Psychometabolism Level: 1 Display: Visual, Audible Manifesting Time: 1 minute Range: Personal Target: You Duration: 1 hour (D) Power Points: 1 People who watch this transformation are often left wondering which form is your true form. As you manifest this power your chosen animal moves into your body. Slowly your body fades away to invisibility while your animal takes form, first black and white and translucent but gaining in color and opacity until your original form is gone and only the animal remains. While you are in your animal form you see your normal form as a ghostly image of itself which follows within 5’ of you (even if movement modes that it would not normally have). You gain the form of your animalis perfecta which gives you many advantages. First, you may choose to either keep the benefits of gear that your normal form is wearing or lose the benefits (weapons may not be transferred to forms without appropriate appendages to use them). If you choose to transfer any gear then your animal form gains a representative token placed in the appropriate place. If this item is destroyed then so is the original item, if you take it off or drop it the original item reappears and will not change back until you are holding it again and remanifest this power, if it is dispelled it remains in the token form but becomes nonfunctional for the appropriate amount of time. Your stats and abilities change as follows (round down all fractions): Size: Your size is now the new size (this does not count as size changing magic). HD: Your HD do not change. BAB: Your BAB does not change. HP: Changes con boost/penalty (be careful about changing back with too much damage) Str/Dex/Con: Add or subtract these numbers as appropriate. This represents a real change to the stat just like a racial stat modification. The final number cannot go below 1 (before stat damage is applied). Speed/Movement mode: You lose all of your original speeds and movement modes derived from race and gain these instead (which may then be modified by other things such as a barbarians fast movement ability). Round off to the next lowest multiple of 5’ when appropriate. Attacks: You lose any racially derived, non-mental attacks and gain attacks listed here. Feats: Any feats listed are gained as bonus feats Special: For any extra information. Baboon: Size: Medium Str: +*/2, Dex: +*/2, Con: +*/3 Speed/Move: (30 + 3x*)’, Climb (10 + 5x*)’ Attacks: Bite (d4 + */2) Feats: Alertness Special: Low-light vision, Bonus on climb checks +(4+*), May take 10 on any climb check Badger: Size: Small Str: -2+*/3, Dex: +*, Con: +*/2 Speed/Move: 30’, Burrow (3x*)’ Attacks: 2 claws (d2), bite (d3) Feats: Agile, Track, Weapon Finesse Special: Low-light vision, Scent, Escape artist +(2+*), Rage [On turn after being damaged go into berserker rage until that opponent is dead, may not be ended voluntarily, gain +(2+*/2) str, +(2+*/2) con, -(3-*/3) AC] Bat: Size: Diminutive Str: -10+*/3, Dex: +*/2, Con: +*/4 Speed/Move: 5’, Fly (8x*)’ (good) Attacks: - Feats: Special: Low-light vision, Blindsense 20’, +(2+*) on spot and listen checks (negated if blindsense is negated) Cat: Size: Tiny Str: -6+*/3, Dex: +*, Con: +*/4 Speed/Move: 30’ Attacks: 2 claws (d2), bite (d3) Feats: Stealthy, Weapon finesse Special: Low-light vision, Scent, +(2+*) on climb, hide, and move silently checks, +(4+*) bonus on jump and balance checks, Dex instead of str on climb and jump checks, extra +2 on hide in tall grass or heavy undergrowth Dog: Size: Small Str: +*/3, Dex: +*, Con: +*/2 Speed/Move: (30+3x*)’ Attacks: Bite (d4) Feats: Alertness, Track Special: Low-light vision, Scent, +(2+*) bonus on jump checks, +(2+*) racial bonus on survival checks while tracking by scent Donkey: Size: Medium Str: +*/4, Dex: +*/3, Con: +*/2 Speed/Move: 30’ Attacks: Bite (d2) Feats: Endurance Special: Low-light vision, Scent, Extra carrying capacity (150%), +* racial bonus on balance checks Eagle: Size: Small Str: +*/4, Dex: +*/2, Con: +*/3 Speed/Move: 10’, Fly (16x*)’ (average) Attacks: 2 talon (d4), beak (d4) Feats: Alertness, Weapon finesse Special: Low-light vision, +(4+*) racial bonus to spot Hawk: Size: Tiny Str: -4+*/3, Dex: +*, Con: +*/3 Speed/Move: 10’, Fly (12x*)’ (average) Attacks: Talons (d4) Feats: Alertness, Weapon finesse Special: Low-light vision, +(4+*) racial bonus to spot Lizard: Size: Tiny Str: -6+*/3, Dex: +*/2, Con: +*/3 Speed/Move: 20’, climb (10 + 3x*)’ Attacks: Bite (d4) Feats: Stealthy, Weapon finesse Special: Low-light vision, +(4+*) racial bonus on balance and climb checks, may take 10 on climb checks, use dex instead of str on climb checks Etc etc etc If you lose your psionic focus while in this form you may no longer see your original form and lose the benefit of Focused Skill user. In addition, you may not change back into your normal form if the duration of this power wears off while you are unfocused. If this happens you must immediately make a fortitude save of DC 15 or gain one negative level. Each hour thereafter you must make another fortitude save but each time the DC increases by 1 point. If you are killed by these negative levels your animal form slowly dissolves over the course of a minute, leaving behind the token representations of your gear which revert back after 24 hours, and your original body does not reappear. Treat this as a death effect for what may revive you except that a reincarnation cast on your token gear representations within 24 hours will bring you back to life still in your animal form with negative levels equal to one less than the amount it would take to kill you again. Negative levels gained from this disappear automatically after 24 hours and never result in a loss of a real level. Augmentation: 1. 2 pp – increase duration to 1 hour/level (may not be used with 2, duration cannot exceed 24 hours, even with feats such as extend power) 2. 4 pp – increase duration to 24 hours (may not be used with 1, duration cannot exceed 24 hours, even with feats such as extend power) 3. 1 pp – you may speak your known languages normally while in this form 4. 1 pp – you may converse with an animal of the same or similar (similar up to dm) species 5. 2 pp – you may manifest this power as a full-round action 6. 12 pp – increase * by an extra 1 For every 2 points spent on augmentations the *’s above are increased by 1.
BlaineTog 06-13-07, 04:46 PM	I dunno. I mean first, I really, really dislike the "animalis perfecta." Second, if this were to become a feat, it would seem silly to them transfer it back into a power again. You know, the more I think about it, the less this idea has to do with psionics. The more I think about it, the more like a less-serious version of psionics-fueld lycanthropy it's looking like.