Author Topic: I found what may be the most broken race in a Pathfinder product yet  (Read 9404 times)

Offline Libertad

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Note that I said 'broken,' not overpowered.

The Tome of Horrors Complete by Frog God Games may be third party, but it's a very well-known and respected title in the fandom, dating back all the way to the 3.X days.  Now updated for Pathfinder, it has a host of new monsters, many of which are further gleaned from official sourcebooks of older Editions.

One of them is the nilbog, a goblin afflicted with a disease wrought from spending too much time in areas of warped magic affecting the space-time continuum.  On their own, they're not much different than normal goblins, but they have two innate Extraordinary abilities which grant them massive benefits:

Quote
Damage Reversal (Ex) When struck by any attack that would normally damage the nilbog, it actually gains hit points equal to the damage the attack would have otherwise dealt. A nilbog gains any extra hit points above its normal total as temporary hit points, though it can never have more than twice its normal hit points. (Excess hit points are simply lost.). The nilbog can only be damaged through the use of curative magic and effects (cure light wounds and healing potions, for instance). Curative magic deals damage equal to the amount it would normally heal.

Spatio-Temporal Reversal (Ex) A nilbog constantly emanates an aura of confusion in a 20-foot-radius. A creature in the area must succeed on a DC 11 Will save or be affected as if by a confusion spell (caster level 4th). The save DC is Constitution-based.

In 1st Edition Dungeons & Dragons from whence they came, nilbogs were meant as a gimmick monster, the kind which seems nigh-invulnerable to all the tricks PCs can throw at it until their weakness is revealed to be something many adventuring parties have in spades.  But as a PC race is another thing entirely.  One of Pathfinder's high points is that it has no Level Adjustment and instead assumes monsters to have levels equal to their Challenge Rating, but a nilbog has no racial hit die meaning it can be played from level 1.  And the sourcebook even encourages it with a "nilbogs as characters entry!  Granted, there's still ways of rendering them helpless, such as entangle, sleep, save or die effects, and other shutdown effects, but given how many NPCs, monsters, and traps rely upon damage, a nilbog PC can dramatically change the game.  Plus their ever-active confusion aura acts as a good save or lose itself.

Quote
Nilbogs as Characters

Nilbogs are defined by class levels—they do not possess racial Hit Dice. Nilbogs have the following racial traits.

–2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, –2 Charisma. Nilbogs are quick but weak and ugly.

Small: Nilbogs are Small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their CMB and CMD, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.

Fast: Nilbogs are fast for their size, and have a base speed of 30 feet. Darkvision: Nilbogs can see in the dark up to 60 feet.

Skilled: +4 racial bonus on Stealth checks.

Special Attacks: Spatio-temporal reversal (see above)

Special Defenses: Damage reversal (see above)

Languages: Goblins begin play speaking Goblin. Goblins with high Intelligence scores can choose any of these bonus languages: Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Gnoll, Gnome, Halfling, Orc.

I even have the images to prove it!




Offline Nanshork

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Re: I found what may be the most broken race in a Pathfinder product yet
« Reply #1 on: February 23, 2016, 11:03:10 AM »
Wow, somebody wasn't thinking when they encouraged those as a PC!

Offline awaken_D_M_golem

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Re: I found what may be the most broken race in a Pathfinder product yet
« Reply #2 on: February 25, 2016, 05:48:10 PM »
Wow.


Damp Power from CPsi to cut down the rare Healy targettings.
Short list of monsters to be psychotic'ly scared of.
Standard trickery that golems use ;  heck this is pretty much the race.

That save # looks like 1st level + Con 10.
Some ways to raise that, but it'd get less useful at mid levels.
Goad and similars, to get bbe'mooks into the zone.

Intentionally take damage, like the way way back  build by
Stoned Golem with negative AC , or the 4e Revenant stuff.
Hit me please, but needs to undo lots of conditions.
Might be the only defenses necessary.

I figure the combat tactic is to charge in and
mess up whatever plan the bad guys had,
while the rest of the party kites the scattering.

What kind of build does all this sound like ??
 :flutter  :??? ... I have totally no idea at all.
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Offline linklord231

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Re: I found what may be the most broken race in a Pathfinder product yet
« Reply #3 on: February 25, 2016, 10:38:40 PM »
What happens if they use a Vicious weapon?
I'm not arguing, I'm explaining why I'm right.

Offline SorO_Lost

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Re: I found what may be the most broken race in a Pathfinder product yet
« Reply #4 on: February 25, 2016, 11:14:10 PM »
What happens if they use a Vicious weapon?
Someone rules lawyers it to saying struck by an attack does not mean it works against non-attacks, similar to the official ruling that a Strongheart Vest does not negate Hellfire damage.

Offline Blightersbane

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Re: I found what may be the most broken race in a Pathfinder product yet
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2016, 04:33:55 PM »
I thought the Noble Drow with a half fiend template for a total of 2 LA took the 1st place ribbon

Offline Maelphaxerazz

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Re: I found what may be the most broken race in a Pathfinder product yet
« Reply #6 on: March 02, 2016, 12:43:21 PM »
I thought the Noble Drow with a half fiend template for a total of 2 LA took the 1st place ribbon
This is Pathfinder, there's no LA any more. So if you want to get into templates for the brokenness, might as well take nearly all of them at once.

Offline Blightersbane

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Re: I found what may be the most broken race in a Pathfinder product yet
« Reply #7 on: March 02, 2016, 01:36:25 PM »
I thought the Noble Drow with a half fiend template for a total of 2 LA took the 1st place ribbon
This is Pathfinder, there's no LA any more. So if you want to get into templates for the brokenness, might as well take nearly all of them at once.

now now thats not entirely true...its been "suggested" via errata that both of these play at 1 level lower than the rest of party, so combining them would be ??? 2 level LA...

As a side note is Pathfinder unpopular? I thought it was popular Im not hip on current trends

Offline Nanshork

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Re: I found what may be the most broken race in a Pathfinder product yet
« Reply #8 on: March 02, 2016, 01:45:50 PM »
I thought the Noble Drow with a half fiend template for a total of 2 LA took the 1st place ribbon
This is Pathfinder, there's no LA any more. So if you want to get into templates for the brokenness, might as well take nearly all of them at once.

now now thats not entirely true...its been "suggested" via errata that both of these play at 1 level lower than the rest of party, so combining them would be ??? 2 level LA...

As a side note is Pathfinder unpopular? I thought it was popular Im not hip on current trends

It's popular in general, it isn't super popular here in particular (there are a few around who seriously hate it).

Offline Blightersbane

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Re: I found what may be the most broken race in a Pathfinder product yet
« Reply #9 on: March 02, 2016, 03:03:19 PM »
I thought the Noble Drow with a half fiend template for a total of 2 LA took the 1st place ribbon
This is Pathfinder, there's no LA any more. So if you want to get into templates for the brokenness, might as well take nearly all of them at once.

now now thats not entirely true...its been "suggested" via errata that both of these play at 1 level lower than the rest of party, so combining them would be ??? 2 level LA...

As a side note is Pathfinder unpopular? I thought it was popular Im not hip on current trends

It's popular in general, it isn't super popular here in particular (there are a few around who seriously hate it).

OK so thats why I aint gettin a good return on my posts...its pathfinder..not so much me...well maybe Im a dick I dunno

Offline Nanshork

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Re: I found what may be the most broken race in a Pathfinder product yet
« Reply #10 on: March 02, 2016, 04:04:56 PM »
If you put in the thread title that it's for pathfinder you're more likely to attract the PF specific people around here, I know there are some. 

I don't know about other people, but I've looked at some of your threads and then realized you were talking about PF and since I don't have as much experience with it I haven't responded.

But yeah, it's the game and not you.

Offline Snowbluff

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Re: I found what may be the most broken race in a Pathfinder product yet
« Reply #11 on: March 02, 2016, 04:25:44 PM »
What happens if they use a Vicious weapon?
Someone rules lawyers it to saying struck by an attack does not mean it works against non-attacks, similar to the official ruling that a Strongheart Vest does not negate Hellfire damage.
Which is runny when you consider it. Strongheart Vest doesn't specifically reduce abilities damage from attacks, and even if it did, Hellfire Blast is an attack. :p
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Offline Blightersbane

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Re: I found what may be the most broken race in a Pathfinder product yet
« Reply #12 on: March 02, 2016, 07:12:28 PM »
whats the ...respect...under names here?

Offline Libertad

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Re: I found what may be the most broken race in a Pathfinder product yet
« Reply #13 on: March 02, 2016, 10:17:57 PM »
It's when a poster says something another likes, usually given for insightful, funny, or high-quality posts.  It's an anonymous way of indicating approval on the boards.  There's no "downvote" equivalent, and they're all keyed to specific posts (the "up" arrow in the upper right).

Offline Blightersbane

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Re: I found what may be the most broken race in a Pathfinder product yet
« Reply #14 on: March 03, 2016, 11:19:53 AM »
oh ok, I tested it out on your post, it worked, wooppee Im with the "in" crowd now

Offline Maelphaxerazz

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Re: I found what may be the most broken race in a Pathfinder product yet
« Reply #15 on: March 04, 2016, 11:41:45 AM »
I'll make you even more of the "in" crowd. Here, a free upvote! Warm and fuzzies for all.

Offline SorO_Lost

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Re: I found what may be the most broken race in a Pathfinder product yet
« Reply #16 on: March 04, 2016, 12:23:35 PM »
Strongheart Vest doesn't specifically reduce abilities damage from attacks, and even if it did, Hellfire Blast is an attack. :p
I figure you probably need a quick quote here in case you try saying that later on in a more serious setting.
Quote from: Magic of Incarnum pg 89
The strongheart vest protects you from attacks that would reduce your ability scores.
And while the blast is an attack, the sacrificial component required to use it isn't.

It's when a poster says something another likes, usually given for insightful, funny, or high-quality posts per the users whims.
fify.  :P

Offline Libertad

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Re: I found what may be the most broken race in a Pathfinder product yet
« Reply #17 on: March 04, 2016, 11:36:10 PM »
I'll make you even more of the "in" crowd. Here, a free upvote! Warm and fuzzies for all.

Better be careful doing that.  You can get banned for that on Reddit (upvote parties).

Offline Keldar

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Re: I found what may be the most broken race in a Pathfinder product yet
« Reply #18 on: March 05, 2016, 06:42:36 AM »
You have invoked Reddit.  Now we're all going to get downvoted for no reason.  And we don't even have downvotes!

Offline Amechra

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Re: I found what may be the most broken race in a Pathfinder product yet
« Reply #19 on: March 05, 2016, 11:12:32 AM »
Ia! Ia! Reddit fhtagn!

The Old Ones will come again, and we will learn new ways to upvote, downvote, and generate pointless chatter!
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