Mindstealer Drone

[ariasderros]

Out of curiosity, would it be imbalancing to have the 'negative levels' bestowed by Psychic Drain increase by one per 5 HD after your first (2 at 6HD, 3 at 11, 4 at 16)? Or maybe 6HD (2 at 7, 3 at 13, 4 at 19)?

I only as because, at higher levels of play, it doesn't seem like you'd have much chance to actually use this class, because it would be too hard to incapacitate anything worthwhile. Having the 'negative levels' bestowed increased would really help with that. Otherwise you are locked into using "Save-or-Lose" or "No-save, Just-Lose" rocket-tag tactics just to get to incapacitate and absorb things. It seems like making the class so that it is less reliant on those tactics means that it can just maintain to use its debuff that combo's into its other abilities even in late-game.

[oslecamo]

Enervation is a 4th level spell and a pretty strong one at that.

Mindstealer drone meanwhile is just a 3 level investment. When you're level 7, you have 4 levels of other stuff to back up your transformations. When you're level 20, you have 17 levels of other stuff to back you up. So yes, it would be imbalanced if  Psychic Drain can reliably incapacitate "worthwhile" enemies by itself at medium-high levels.

[ariasderros]

Enervation is a 4th level spell and a pretty strong one at that.

Mindstealer drone meanwhile is just a 3 level investment. When you're level 7, you have 4 levels of other stuff to back up your transformations. When you're level 20, you have 17 levels of other stuff to back you up. So yes, it would be imbalanced if  Psychic Drain can reliably incapacitate "worthwhile" enemies by itself at medium-high levels.

So, then the dependence on learning & using other sources of save-or-sucks & save-or-loses was intentional. KK.

More questions (and after having read the rest of the thread, me asking questions here hurts, I'm sure) :

Why is Disguise not a class skill?

IMO, along with the options for movement speeds and skill bonuses and the like, shouldn't Absorb Abilities also grant the option to take up the extra-ordinary senses of creatures? Such as: Scent, Telepathy, Darkvision (if theirs is better), Blindsense / Sight.
To be blunt about application, I just think it's odd that I could be in the form of a Mind Flayer, using Pixie flight, but I can't be in Pixie form using Mind Flayer Telepathy (Mindsight).

[oslecamo]

I wouldn't really call it a dependence when you would already want to steal that kind of abilities to begin with. If the mindstealer drone could instantly absorb abilities whitout incapacitating the target, wouldn't you want to pick up save-or-sucks and save-or-die anyway?

Disguise as class skill added.

Special senses fall under special qualities, which the mindstealer gets.

[ariasderros]

I wouldn't really call it a dependence when you would already want to steal that kind of abilities to begin with. If the mindstealer drone could instantly absorb abilities without incapacitating the target, wouldn't you want to pick up save-or-sucks and save-or-die anyway?

Why I said "KK". I'd still want the Mind Blast. I'd still want the uber-sleep. So, yeah.

Special senses fall under special qualities, which the mindstealer gets.

When using Change Shape. It isn't an option for Absorb Abilities though.
To full state my example:
Pixie 5 has a fly speed: 60 ft with perfect maneuverability.
Mind Flayer 5 has Telepathy 50ft.
Using Combine, it is possible to have Absorb Abilities set to Pixie while using Change Shape into the Flayer. Thus, you are a Flayer who can fly really well.
Using Combine, it is not possible to have Absorb Abilities set to Mind Flayer while using Change Shape into the Pixie to have its Telepathy.

[oslecamo]

This class already has more than enough nice things. If I add that, somebody else will come in demanding something else to Absorb abilities and so on until you're basically gaining all the bonus of two diferent creatures plus your own at the same time. I have to draw a line somewhere.

Besides you have an idea of the amount of creatures on the waiting list that also have the theme of copying others? I have to save some ideas for them.