Author Topic: Carrionwalker [base class]  (Read 7314 times)

Offline sirpercival

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Carrionwalker [base class]
« on: November 19, 2012, 11:14:21 PM »
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Death is but a minor obstacle, a common affliction, and one to be celebrated.  Why, far more creatures are dead than live.


The Carrionwalker


You know the smell of death, the feel of it.  You bind it to your body, meld it with your very essence.  You have conquered the final gate, and others (rightly) fear you and the secrets you have learned.

Alignment: Any non-good (usually with a tendency towards Evil).
HD: d8
Skill points per level: 4+int
Skill points at 1st level: 4*(4+int)



Level
Base
Attack
Bonus

Fort
Save

Ref
Save

Will
Save


Special

Blemishes
Known

Blemishes
Readied
1+0+0+0+2Unnatural Form, Feral Form, Carrion-bound11
2+1+0+0+3Flesh for the Wasting (1 minute)22
3+1+1+1+3A Lamb from the Slaughter, Feast for Maggots +132
4+2+1+1+4Favored Mutilation, Husk of Rot and Bone (least)32
5+2+1+1+4The Desolate Beauty of Decay (fascinate)42
6+3+2+2+5Flesh for the Wasting (10 minutes)53
7+3+2+2+5Favored Mutilation63
8+4+2+2+6Husk of Rot and Bone (lesser)64
9+4+3+3+6Feast for Maggots +274
10+5+3+3+7Favored Mutilation, Flesh for the Wasting (1 hour)85
11+5+3+3+7The Desolate Beauty of Decay (sicken)95
12+6/+1+4+4+8Husk of Rot and Bone (greater)96
13+6/+1+4+4+8Favored Mutilation106
14+7/+2+4+4+9Flesh for the Wasting (1 day)117
15+7/+2+5+5+9Feast for Maggots +3127
16+8/+3+5+5+10Husk of Rot and Bone (greatest), Favored Mutilation128
17+8/+3+5+5+10The Desolate Beauty of Decay (nauseate)138
18+9/+4+6+6+11Flesh for the Wasting (1 week)149
19+9/+4+6+6+11Favored Mutilation159
20+10/+5+6+6+12One with the Reaper1510

Class Skills: Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Nature), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: A Carrionwalker is proficient in all simple and natural weapons, and with light and medium armor.

Outcast: A Carrionwalker is an Outcast, a being that does not belong to the place where they are, no matter where they are. Every Outcast has an Outcast level, which is equal to the sum of their levels in every Outcast class; in addition, every Outcast has a Warp score, which is equal to half their Outcast level (but see Favored Mutilation, below).

Blemishes: All Outcasts gain preternatural abilities that are in direct violation to the world around them, called Blemishes.  An Outcast's Blemishes warp the world around them until the Universe is forced to accept their presence, resulting in the strange powers of the Outcast.  All Blemishes are extraordinary abilities unless stated otherwise, and those Blemishes which allow saves have a DC equal to the 10 + the Outcast's Warp score + the Outcast's key ability modifier, as detailed in the individual Outcast class descriptions.

Blemishes may be suppressed by a creature which has the ability to Turn or Rebuke a particular type of creature, based on the specific Outcast class.  Such a creature makes a turning attempt, rolling their Turning check against a DC equal to the Outcast level of the Blemish; if they are successful, all Blemishes benefiting the Outcast are suppressed until the Outcast readies them again (see below).

The saving throws against a Blemish are equal to 10+the character's Warp+the granting class' Key Ability Modifier; a Carrionwalker's Key Ability Modifier is Wisdom.

Unnatural Form (Ex): At every level other than 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, and 18th, a Carrionwalker learns a Blemish, a physical or metaphysical mutation that grants them certain powers. However, they don't automatically benefit from these mutations; they must prepare a selected few from the ones they have gained through their Carrionwalker levels, which are drawn from their class Blemish list below. They learn new Blemishes and may ready a number of them according to the table above, along with any they would be able to prepare due to any other classes that grant Blemishes Known and Readied.

To prepare their Blemishes a Carrionwalker needs 10 minutes to consume and internalize long-dead flesh from their personal store. During this time, they choose from among their known Blemishes those which they wish to use and prepares a number of Blemishes as shown on the table above. They do not benefit from any Blemishes they have not chosen through this process, although they are considered to have them for the purposes of prerequisites. They may prepare Blemishes at any time during the day, any number of times in a day they wish, as long as they have the time to do so.

A Carrionwalker must prepare their maximum number of Blemishes, unless a feat or ability says otherwise.  A Carrionwalker's Blemishes gained through their Carrionwalker levels may be suppressed by spending a use of Turn or Rebuke Undead.

Of course, there are drawbacks to this capability that are all too readily apparent to the people around the Carrionwalker: the pure savage decay of a Carrionwalker's existence is too intense for most people to bear.  A Carrionwalker receives a penalty to all Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, and Sense Motive checks equal to their Warp, and are detected as Evil by any ability that detects evil alignment. This class feature counts as having Lichloved and Evil Brand for the purpose of meeting prerequisites.

Feral Form (Ex): You care little for these pesky man-things and their cities.  No, what calls you is the thrill of teeth tearing through skin and muscle, the soft taste of rotted flesh, the crack of bone become dry and brittle.  Wild creatures see you for what you are: the final hunter, jackal-souled, to be feared and obeyed even beyond death.

A Carrionwalker gains the wild empathy ability of a druid of his Outcast level.  In addition, he receives a competence bonus on all Handle Animal, Intimidate, and wild empathy checks equal to his Warp.

Carrion-bound (Ex): As a being that straddles the line between death and life, a Carrionwalker is no mere mortal, but neither is he undead.  He increases the DC to suppress his blemishes by an amount equal to his Wisdom modifier.  However, enough of his essence is necrotic that he is treated as undead for spells, abilities, or etc. which have particular effects when used on undead.

Flesh for the Wasting (Ex): In the absence of an animating spirit, a carcass is simply meat.  As a Carrionwalker, you understand this in a way which is simply inaccessible to others, and have learned to bolster your own damaged husk with the substance of others.

By spending 1 minute consuming dead flesh from a creature who died within 1 minute per Outcast level, a Carrionwalker of 2nd level or higher regains hit points equal to the HD of the dead creature (to a maximum of his normal max hit point total).  Every 4 levels, the unit of time that a creature can have been dead to be applicable for this ability increases, as shown in the table above.

A Lamb from the Slaughter (Ex): Civilization is wasteful and inefficient.  These creatures have forgotten the peat and mold from which they rose, and to which they will fall again.  But you have not forgotten.

Beginning at 3rd level, a Carrionwalker can perform a 24-hour ritual over the carcass of a slain animal, restoring it to a semblance of twisted life as a carrion companion.  The animal cannot have been dead longer than 24 hours (some Carrionwalkers prepare their own subjects, purchasing the finest living stock), and must be an animal available as an animal companion to a 1st-level druid.  The animal loses any templates it had, becoming a typical member of its species (except for the half-dead part).  As the Carrionwalker advances in level, the companion's power increases as described below under Carrion Companion. If a Carrionwalker releases his companion from service, or the beast is destroyed, he may gain a new one by performing the ritual with a new corpse.

A Carrionwalker of 6th level or higher may select from a druid's alternative lists of animals. Should he select an animal companion from one of these alternative lists, the creature gains abilities as if the Carrionwalker's level were lower than it actually is. Subtract the value indicated in the appropriate list header from the character’s Carrionwalker level and compare the result with the Carrionwalker level entry on the table below to determine the new companion’s powers. (If this adjustment would reduce the Carrionwalker's effective level to 2 or lower, he can’t have that animal as a companion.)

Feast for Maggots (Ex): The strong prey on the weak and the weak plot revenge, but they all end in the same condition.  Only a fool lets such things stop him.

Starting at 3rd level, a Carrionwalker can perform a 1-minute ritual with a corpse which has been dead no more than an hour.  Upon completion of the ritual, the Carrionwalker selects one blemish that he knows; his warp for that blemish increases by +1 for a number of hours equal to his Wisdom modifier.  He cannot gain the benefit from this ability more than once simultaneously; if he performs the ritual again, he may choose a different blemish to apply the bonus to.  The warp bonus increases by +1 every 6 levels (to +2 at 9th, and +3 at 15th).

Favored Mutilation (Ex): Growth sprouts like a fungus, consuming the being beneath.  To some, this is an outrage, but others recognize that it is simply purification: that which remains is stronger, wheat divorced from the chaff.

At 4th level, and every 3 levels thereafter, a Carrionwalker may select a single Blemish that he gained from this class; his Warp for that Blemish is equal to his Outcast level from then on.

Husk of Rot and Bone (Ex): Every cell in your body will die, and soon.  This is no reason to consign such causalties to dust, but rather to cherish and preserve these parts of you to the bitter end.  As parts of you die and are not replaced, you rise above the vagaries of your previous flesh to become something greater.

Upon reaching 4th level, a Carrionwalker becomes immune to disease and sleep effects, and has a 25% chance of negating critical hits and precision damage.  At 8th level, the Carrionwalker gains immunity to poison, fatigue and exhaustion effects, and paralysis, and has a 50% chance to negate critical hits and precision damage.  A Carrionwalker of 12th level or higher is immune to stunning, nonlethal damage, and ability damage and drain, and has a 75% chance to negate critical hits and precision damage.  Starting at 16th level, a Carrionwalker becomes immune to energy drain, death effects, critical hits and precision damage, and has no more need of food, water, or sleep (though he can still benefit from potions, alchemical items, etc. which must be imbibed or swallowed).

The Desolate Beauty of Decay (Ex): Death is a coy mistress, peeking from beneath sallow skin and blackened teeth.  There are those who do not appreciate her caress, and such weak and unenlightened souls quaver at your visage.

Beginning at 5th level, any creature of Intelligence 3 or higher (who is not a Carrionwalker) must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 Outcast level + Wisdom modifier) or become morbidly fascinated upon seeing the Carrionwalker.  A successful Disguise check suppresses this effect, but a creature who sees through the disguise must save as normal.  At 11th level, a creature who sees the Carrionwalker must make a Fortitude save at the same DC or become sickened; creatures immune to being sickened must save vs being fascinated instead.  At 17th level, a creature who fails the Fortitude save becomes nauseated instead of sickened, and becomes sickened on a failed save.

One With the Reaper (Ex): And now, at the pinnacle of your power, do you see the true substance of the world.  Everything is death, and you are its master.

At 20th level, a Carrionwalker becomes immune to all mind-affecting effects, and no longer needs to breathe.  He counts as undead or his normal type, whichever is beneficial at the time, and heals due to both positive and negative energy.  In addition, whenever a creature dies within a radius of 10 feet times his Wisdom modifier, the Carrionwalker gains temporary hit points equal to that creature's HD.  Temp hp gained from this ability stack.

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« Last Edit: November 20, 2012, 07:31:55 AM by sirpercival »
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Offline sirpercival

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Re: Carrionwalker [base class]
« Reply #1 on: November 19, 2012, 11:14:34 PM »
reserved for blemishes
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Offline Garryl

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Re: Carrionwalker [base class]
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2012, 01:16:31 AM »
Carrion-Bound means you'll be harmed by both Cure and Inflict spells (assuming you're a living creature without Tomb-Tainted Soul).

The Desolate Beauty of Decay: Avoid mirrors.

Offline sirpercival

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Re: Carrionwalker [base class]
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2012, 07:31:08 AM »
Carrion-Bound means you'll be harmed by both Cure and Inflict spells (assuming you're a living creature without Tomb-Tainted Soul).
Yep.  However, you can heal yourself with Flesh for the Wasting, and at level 20 you get healed by both.

Quote
The Desolate Beauty of Decay: Avoid mirrors.
Oops, I'll fix that, thank you.
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Offline Garryl

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Re: Carrionwalker [base class]
« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2012, 08:04:19 AM »
Carrion-Bound means you'll be harmed by both Cure and Inflict spells (assuming you're a living creature without Tomb-Tainted Soul).
Yep.  However, you can heal yourself with Flesh for the Wasting, and at level 20 you get healed by both.

Not until 1 level later.

Offline sirpercival

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Re: Carrionwalker [base class]
« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2012, 08:22:32 AM »
Hmm.... true.  Is this problematic? Should I explicitly exclude Cure spells?
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Offline Bozwevial

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Re: Carrionwalker [base class]
« Reply #6 on: November 20, 2012, 10:18:30 AM »
Hmm.... true.  Is this problematic? Should I explicitly exclude Cure spells?
At first level, maybe a little. You could push Carrion-Bound back to second level, if you don't think that would make first level sparse.
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Offline sirpercival

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Re: Carrionwalker [base class]
« Reply #7 on: November 20, 2012, 10:25:21 AM »
I could push it back... the reason I have it there in the first place is that Turn Undead is 20398558 times more common than the other Outcast classes' version, and so I wanted to have some protection against turning in at level 1.  Thoughts?
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Offline Bozwevial

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Re: Carrionwalker [base class]
« Reply #8 on: November 20, 2012, 10:30:29 AM »
Split the feature into two parts, perhaps. Keep the +Wisdom DC at first level and move the undead quasi-type to second so that you're not boned by $TEXAS turning attempts.
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Offline Amechra

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Re: Carrionwalker [base class]
« Reply #9 on: November 21, 2012, 06:36:03 PM »
Ideas for blemishes:

- Something that let's you use Entangle on a single creature as an attack action. Thorny vines bursting from underground!

- An aura of wildness. Creatures within the aura make will saves, or permanently lose any tricks they've been taught.

- Look up "Thorn Elf". Seriously, go do it.

- Maybe a lycanthropy blemish?
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Offline phaedrusxy

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Re: Carrionwalker [base class]
« Reply #10 on: November 24, 2012, 11:33:16 PM »
this seems like it should have at least medium BAB.
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Offline StalkerStrigoi

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Re: Carrionwalker [base class]
« Reply #11 on: September 12, 2013, 02:27:57 PM »
I've been observing this for some time now, have you ceased development of this class? I was always wondering if you were going to update it.

Offline sirpercival

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Re: Carrionwalker [base class]
« Reply #12 on: September 12, 2013, 02:30:13 PM »
I've been observing this for some time now, have you ceased development of this class? I was always wondering if you were going to update it.
My homebrew output has gone way, way down recently. I'll try and get to it at some point, but it isn't too high a priority...
I am the assassin of productivity

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It's begun — my things have overgrown the previous sig.