General Monster Feats, Flaws and Traits

[ketaro]

I still don't see the problem.

Paying 38k less gp for the Hoard option isn't a very big difference when you're able to afford the Belt.
Also, you can just craft the belt for 100k. Oh hey! +6 to everything for 62k less than the Hoard!
Because every party has a crafter

[Raineh Daze]

I still don't see the problem.

Paying 38k less gp for the Hoard option isn't a very big difference when you're able to afford the Belt.
Also, you can just craft the belt for 100k. Oh hey! +6 to everything for 62k less than the Hoard!
Because every party has a crafter

Plus being slotless.

And 'you can craft it!' is a reaaaaally bad argument. Because I don't think I've been in a party with a crafter.

[Rakoa]

The belt is so rarely useful, though. Only the most MAD characters can make use of it, which Dragons are notably not. Sure, you could pay less money to get bonuses to every stat, but Wisdom and Intelligence aren't doing much for a dragon. Dexterity does add a bit, but probably not worth the investment.

[ketaro]

I still don't see the problem.

Paying 38k less gp for the Hoard option isn't a very big difference when you're able to afford the Belt.
Also, you can just craft the belt for 100k. Oh hey! +6 to everything for 62k less than the Hoard!
Because every party has a crafter

Plus being slotless.

And 'you can craft it!' is a reaaaaally bad argument. Because I don't think I've been in a party with a crafter.

Usually because online games don't appear to tend to have much in the way of ingame downtime with the awesomely slow pace they go at already. Plus minmaxers. Ummmmm, basically, just cause you haven't been in a game with a crafter doesn't mean a large majority of games don't involve crafters :v
I've never played a game without a crafter before I started joining games on Minmax. 

And when they do involve crafters, they'll go for as many cost reductions as possible :v

Look, you're arguing Hoard being bad from the perspective that just any ol' person can pick it up but they can't. It's niche and highly specific. It's locked in to a single creature type, and even then a very small, select list of creatures within that creature type compared to the enormous amount of monsters that populate every D&D game that isn't a dragon much less a True Dragon.

If you're a PC Dragon (if you can even get a DM to let you be a True Dragon; it's definitely not a common occurrence), you open yourself up to constantly having to worry about the safety of your Hoard because of course the DM would use it as reason to threaten it. Either because they can or because they think it adds something to the character or game or whatever or something else. Also you're then apparently playing in a game that allows homebrew material and mere +s to some Ability Scores is among the tamest things you could do.

[Rekmond]

Um Ketaro. I'm not sure what you mean by 'locked to a specific creature type' the only mention of that sort of thing is how dragons can get it as a Bonus Feat by devouring 2K of treasure.

It doesn't say it is Dragon exclusive. Only that dragons are the only ones able to get it in that way.

[ketaro]

The "Free bonus feat for 2k" aspect of it is creature locked :v

I may have run off on a slightly unrelated tangent midway that post.

But my point is bonuses to ability scores is the least efficient way to boost a character's power in this game
Much less one that is open to homebrew and thus that feat.
This is far from overpowered in any sense.

[Raineh Daze]

It's ridiculous to argue that it's fine to get slotless boosting stacking like that because in a game with a good crafter you could get better stuff cheaper. It's 54k for +6 to two stats, slotless. If we had just one item doing that, it's be somewhere in the vicinity of 125k anyway, and the BoM version has 270k. But that's being generous about how the stacking works, else it's either 400k (Doubled Belt of Magnificence costs) or 576k because of item stacking. Or, with the 'three different items' thing: 375k.

Either way it's more expensive than simply getting a belt, and it isn't an argument for balance that if you have a Caster, and if the GM lets them, they can create this frankenstein statbuff item far more cheaply than it should otherwise be available.

Also, everything except the 'extremely generous' version costs more than your piles of dosh without extra cost-cutting.

[ketaro]

Having the +6 to everything is also something that takes a lot of time to build up to. You don't have it just cause just picked up the feat. You could have it, eventually, but it's not instant power bump like every other feat. The feat doesn't even do anything until you have some spare money to put away.

[Raineh Daze]

Just like you don't get a +6 Belt of Magnificence at level one or the instant you get 2,000 GP.

[Rakoa]

Belt of Magnificence also doesn't require a feat to wear.

[Raineh Daze]

Belt of Magnificence also doesn't require a feat to wear.

It's a feat if you're most monsters. Not if you're a dragon, though. If you're a dragon, it's 2k. Yeaaaah.

[Rekmond]

And theres the simple detail Ketaro that while investing in enhancements to your ability scores isn't the best way to up your power, it still doesn't hurt and the main reason people don't is because they have something better to fit in the slot, or they use a spell as needed.

Having an effectively permanent Cat's Grace that can't be dispelled makes it a non-issue for item slots making it far more appealing since it doesn't end up as an either/or argument. You just need Gold which tends to be the least of your worries at high levels.


Course, I like the wearing magic items from your hoard without them physically being there the most. No physical indication of just what kind of stuff someone has at their disposal. And you can switch gear just by focusing for a little bit. Also works great for Deceivingly Innocent Form, and the Titanic Creature's final stage of This Isn't Even My Final Form.

[ketaro]

Does nobody know that you can actually use Dispel Magic on magic items to suppress them? Even if it's not a commonly used tactic, it's still a thing.

On that note, considering the text in Hoard about it not working in an AMF and that it can't be disarmed or sundered, I do feel it should be susceptible to Dispel Magic, Greater Dispel Magic, and Disjunction type effects. The Dispel checks being made against, say, 10+1/2HD instead of the item's caster level (which would totally stupid easy to make by default even at low levels). Disjunction just being a normal Will save by the creature with Hoard like the spell usually allows.

[Rekmond]

I can't quite agree with the disjunction.

The spell only affects what is in the area and that doesn't include the Hoard, only the creature the Hoard is connected to. (unless you are fighting a boss within their vault)

I could see it severing your Hoard connection until you visited it and spent the time attuning to it again. But a possibly cross planar disjunction.....not so much.

Both effects are plenty dire and either is easily capable of killing a player.

But just turning their gear in their vault into useless scrap vs forcing them to retreat to regain their stuff. Well I know all too well how a little extra prep time can benefit a BBEG.

People with useless scrap will try to soldier on. People who have had their stuff effectively stolen are gonna want it back asap.

Course my way is a lot more evil since it robs you of ALL the gear in your Hoard and not just the ones you currently have 'equipped'.

[ketaro]

Well yeah I meant Disjunction to just sever the connection until they took the time to revisit it, not turn their hoard into useless junk

[DavidWL]

Does "Extra Option" apply by default to every monster class with choices?  (With the pre-req changing accordingly)?

For example, would it apply to the Flesh Golem's choice sets?  I'm asking, in particular, because of the "Frankestein's Madness" options.

Best,
David

[oslecamo]

No, it doesn't apply to every monster class with choices (cogh Paragon cough) unless otherwise noticed, but Flesh Golem looks like it would be ok being able to take it, so added it to the list.

[oslecamo]

Savage (Trait)
You've grown on primitive lands or in isolation, and thus highly suspicious of fancy magic items. In return, you've learned how to fully unlock your potential.

Prerequisite: Levels in a monster class.

Benefit: You gain the following benefits.

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-Two extra skill points per level.
-An enhancement bonus to two different ability scores of your choice equal to 1+1/3 your level.
-An enhcancement bonus to natural armor equal to 1+¼ your level.
-A resistance bonus to saves equal to 1/3 your level.
-An enhancement bonus to your weapons attack rolls and damage rolls equal to 1/4th your level. If you're at least 4th level, your weapons also count as magic whenever it would be benefical for them.
-8 hours of rest will fully heal your HP and remove any and all diseases/poison/ability damage/curse/ability drain you were suffering from. However you must eat ten times the usual amount of food for a creature your size before going to rest for this full restoration to happen, even if you wouldn't normally need to eat. This food can't have been produced by magic means.

If you're a PC or a named NPC that isn't somebody's cohort/minion, you also gain six Ancient Skills chosen from the list below. With each level up you can choose new abilities to fill those slots, or with one year of uninterrupted meditation.


If you're slain, your body wields high quality materials that can be harvested as essence for crafting magic items worth the average treasure for your level (or WBL if you're a PC or named NPC that isn't somebody's cohort/minion).

Loss: You don't know how to read and write unless you spend 2 skill points for that. You also don't know how to speak any widely known language unless you spend another 1 skill points to learn Common. You cannot benefit from magic items on your possession, nor mundane items worth  more than 10 GP besides non-magic non-masterwork weapons you're proficient with. Neither can you benefit from abilities that allow you to absorb a magic item's essence like the Tarrasque's Assimilation. You can still benefit from such items used by others, like riding in somebody else's airship, as long as you're not piloting it. You must still claim your fair share of the party's treasure, and spend it in exotic extravagant foods (which you can share with others, as long as they eat it on the spot). Or eat the treasure itself. It's full of important nutrients to keep you going!

If you're brought to life after your essence was harvested, you must consume treasure equal to the average treasure for your level (or WBL if you're a PC or named NPC that isn't somebody's cohort/minion) to regain your Savage bonus, until then you're too weakened to fully unleash your abilities.

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Character Level	1st slot limit	2nd slot limit	3rd slot limit	4th slot limit	5th slot limit	6th slot limit
1st	I	I	I	I	I	I
2nd	I	I	I	I	I	II
3rd	I	I	I	I	II	II
4th	I	I	I	II	II	II
5th	I	I	II	II	II	III
6th	I	II	II	II	III	III
7th	II	II	II	III	III	III
8th	II	II	III	III	III	IV
9th	II	III	III	III	IV	IV
10th	III	III	III	IV	IV	IV
11th	III	III	IV	IV	IV	V
12th	III	IV	IV	IV	V	V
13th	IV	IV	IV	V	V	V
14th	IV	IV	V	V	V	VI
15th	IV	V	V	V	VI	VI
16th	V	V	V	VI	VI	VI
17th	V	V	VI	VI	VI	VII
18th	VI	VI	VI	VI	VII	VII
19th	VI	VI	VI	VII	VII	VII
20th	VI	VI	VII	VII	VII	VII

Unless otherwise noticed you can only pick each Ancient Skill once. You may take a lower level Ancient Skill on a higher level slot if you wish.

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Basilius: You recover one level worth of spent SLAs every 20 minutes. So for example you could recover a 1st level SLA use in 20 minutes or a 3rd level SLA use in 1 hour. 0th level SLAs count as ½.

Cunning: You gain +1 Insight to Dex and +1 Insight to Cha.

Fast Healer: You gain Fast Healing 1.

Might: You gain +1 Insight to Str and +1 Insight to Con.

Observer: If you remain still and don't take any actions for 1 round while nobody else can see you, you become Invisible and don't make any sound. Those benefits end as soon as you move or take an action besides basic skill checks besides Use Magic Device.

Pride: You gain +1 Insight to Int and +1 Insight to Wis.

Sharpened: Add +1 to your damage rolls.

Stout: You gain DR 5/magic, which stacks with any other DR/ magic you may have.

Speed: You gain a +10 feet Insight bonus to all your movement speeds.

Tough: You gain +5 max HP.

Unnatural Armor: You gain a +2 armor bonus to AC.

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Arcane Flesh: You can use one of your SLAs an extra time per day.

Cunning II: You gain +2 Insight to Dex and +2 Insight to Cha.

Fading: You can use Invisibility with CL 1 on yourself at will.

Ghostly: As an immediate action you can become ethereal for 1 round. After using this ability you need to wait 1d4+1 rounds before being able to use it again.

Might II: You gain +2 Insight to Str and +2 Insight to Con.

Morbid: You heal 10% of the damage you deal with physical attacks.

Personal Book: You can replicate Summon Monster I as a SLA  as a swift action with CL=character level 1/hour. You cannot summon creatures more than one alignment step away from yours, but double the monsters produced.

Piercing: You gain a +2 bonus on damage rolls and critical confirmations.

Pride II: You gain +2 Insight to Int and +2 Insight to Wis.

Void Spirit: You recover one level worth of spent SLAs every  10 minutes. So for example you could recover a 1st level SLA use in 10 minutes or a 3rd level SLA use in 1/2 hour. 0th level SLAs count as ½.

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Blink Cut: You can teleport up to 300 feet as a swift or move action, assuming you haven't been harmed since the last round. Once used you must wait 1d4+1 turns before being able to use this again.

Cunning III: You gain +3 Insight to Dex and +3 Insight to Cha.

Hyper: You can perform one extra attack at your highest attack bonus in a full attack.

Mad Hunger: You heal 20% of the physical damage you inflict. As a swift action for 3 round you gain +20 feet bonus to your movement speeds plus you make two extra attacks in a full attack, but you take 30% extra damage. You cannot end this effect earlier once it starts.

Might III: You gain +3 Insight to Str and +3 Insight to Con.

Mordigan's Brutality: You gain +20 max HP and +3 insight bonus to your damage rolls. As a swift action your physical attacks deal an extra 1d12 damage and all your ability DCs increase by 1, however you lose 20 HP at the end of each of your turns. It takes another swift action to disable this effect. You cannot die from this damage, ending at worst at -9 HP, but it automatically ends if you reach 0 or below HP, and cannot be restarted until you're fully healed.

Natural Tool: Choose a magic item worth 1500 GP or less that's been printed in an official D&D book and doesn't have limited uses that don't recharge (a bag of tricks would be fine, a wand or scroll not). You gain the benefits of that items as if you had equipped it. You can take this Ancient Skill multiple times, each time pick another magic item worth 1500 GP or less.

Oblivion Sign: You gain a +2 insight bonus to your damage rolls and you recover two levels worth of spent SLAs every  hour. So for example you could recover a 1st level SLA use in half a hour or a 4th level SLA use in 2 hours. 0th level SLAs count as ½.

Persevering: You gain Fast Healing 4 and recover two levels worth of spent SLAs every  hour. So for example you could recover a 1st level SLA use in 30 minutes or a 3rd level SLA use in 10 minutes. 0th level SLAs count as ½.

Personal Book II: You can replicate Summon Monster II as a SLA  as a swift action with CL=character level 1/hour. You cannot summon creatures more than one alignment step away from yours, but double the monsters produced.

Pride III: You gain +3 Insight to Int and +3 Insight to Wis.

Sange's Maim: You add a +2 insight bonus to your damage rolls and when you strike an enemy they must make a Reflex save with DC10+1/2 HD+Str mod   or be Slowed for 1 round. Multiple hits on the same target don't stack, they just need to save once.

Vanguard: You gain +10 max HP, Hardness 5 and Fast Healing 5.

Yasha's Speed: You gain +20 feet insight bonus to your movement speeds and +2 Insight bonus to attack rolls.

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Basher: Your physical attacks deal 1d12 insight bonus extra damage and force hit targets to make a Reflex save with DC 10+1/2 HD +Str mod or be dazed for 1 round. Multiple hits on the same target don't stack, they only need to save once if struck multiple times on the same round,

Cunning IV: You gain +4 Insight to Dex and +4 Insight to Cha.

Dagon's Burst: As a swift action you can launch a ranged touch attack ray that deals 1d6 damage (fire, acid, cold, electricity, negative energy or positive energy, chosen when this ability is picked) per character level at a target within 150 feet. Once used you must wait 1d4+1 turns before being able to use this again. You can pick this option multiple times, each one pick a different element and has its own “cooldown”.

Diffusal: Your physical attacks inflict a targeted dispel with CL=character level on the victim, except they can't dispel more than one effect per attack. Once per day you can replicate an Extraordinary Greater Dispel Magic effect as a swift action with CL=character level+8.

Might IV: You gain +4 Insight to Str and +4 Insight to Con.

Natural Tool II: Choose a magic item worth 4500 GP or less that's been printed in an official D&D book and doesn't have limited uses that don't recharge (a bag of tricks would be fine, a wand or scroll not). You gain the benefits of that items as if you had equipped it. You can take this Ancient Skill multiple times, each time pick another magic item worth 4500 GP or less.


Personal Book III: You can replicate Summon Monster III as a SLA  as a swift action with CL=character level 1/hour. You cannot summon creatures more than one alignment step away from yours, but double the monsters produced.

Pride IV: You gain +4 Insight to Int and +4 Insight to Wis.

Shadowing: As an immediate action you can become Invisible and gain +25 feet insight bonus to movement speed for 3 rounds. The speed bonus ends earlier if you break the invisibility earlier. After using this ability you must wait 1d4+1 turns before using this ability again.

Soul Booster: You gain Fast Healing 4, +15 max HP, you can use one of your SLAs an extra time per day. and recover three levels worth of spent SLAs every  10 minutes. So for example you could recover a 3rd level SLA use in 10 minutes or a 1st level SLA use in 3,3 minutes. 0th level SLAs count as ½.

Traveling: Your movement speeds gain a +30 feet insight bonus. In addition as a 1 round action you can replicate a teleport effect in yourself towards an ally's position, but you can only bring yourself and whatever inanimate gear you're carrying.

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Cunning V: You gain +5 Insight to Dex and +5 Insight to Cha.

Elite Guard: You gain +20 max HP, +5 armor bonus to AC, fast healing 10 and hardness 15.

Forgotten King: You gain +30 max HP and +6 insight bonus to damage rolls. As an Immediate action you can appear to become larger and become fully immune to spells and powers for 2 rounds. Su and Ex abilities have a 75% chance of failing to affect you for the duration. Once used you must wait 1d4+1 rounds before being able to use this again.

Might V: You gain +5 Insight to Str and +5 Insight to Con.

Natural Tool III: Choose a magic item worth 11000 GP or less that's been printed in an official D&D book and doesn't have limited uses that don't recharge (a bag of tricks would be fine, a wand or scroll not). You gain the benefits of that items as if you had equipped it. You can take this Ancient Skill multiple times, each time pick another magic item worth 11000 GP or less.


Orchid Malevolence: As a swift action you can mark one target so that they must make a Will save with DC 10+1/2 character level+Cha mod or become unable to use spells/SLAs/powers/maneuvers/activated items/similar for 1 round and for the duration they take +30% damage from spells/SLAs/powers/maneuvers/activated items/similar. Even if they make the Will save, for 1 round they take a -4 penalty to CL/ML/IL/similar and take +10% damage from spells/SLAs/powers/maneuvers/activated items/similar. In addition you recover four levels worth of spent SLAs every  10 minutes. So for example you could recover a 4th level SLA use in 10 minutes or a 1st level SLA use in 2,5 minutes. 0th level SLAs count as ½.


Personal Book IV: You can replicate Summon Monster IV as a SLA  as a swift action with CL=character level 1/hour. You cannot summon creatures more than one alignment step away from yours, but double the monsters produced.

Pride V: You gain +5 Insight to Int and +5 Insight to Wis.

Sange and Yasha: You gain +40 feet insight bonus to your movement speeds and +4 Insight bonus to attack rolls. You add a +4 insight bonus to your damage rolls and when you strike an enemy they must make a Reflex save with DC10+1/2 HD+Str mod   or be Slowed for 2 rounds. Multiple hits on the same target don't stack, they just need to save once.

Eye of Truth: You gain Truesight.

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Blood Stone: Whenever you see another creature die you may store their soul inside your body so that they can't come back to life unless you're slain. If you're slain, at least three other creatures can ressurect you in a 1 hour ritual and you come back with no level loss. You also gain Fast Healing 8, +35 max HP, you can use one of your SLAs an extra time per day and recover five levels worth of spent SLAs every  10 minutes. So for example you could recover a 5th level SLA use in 10 minutes or a 1st level SLA use in 2 minutes. 0th level SLAs count as ½.


Cunning VI: You gain +6 Insight to Dex and +6 Insight to Cha.

Linken's Sphere: You gain a +4 Insight bonus to four stats of your choice. As a free action you may instantly block any attack against you even if it isn't your turn. Once used you must wait 1d4 turns before being able to use this again.

Might VI: You gain +6 Insight to Str and +6 Insight to Con.

Natural Tool IV: Choose a magic item worth 25000 GP or less that's been printed in an official D&D book and doesn't have limited uses that don't recharge (a bag of tricks would be fine, a wand or scroll not). You gain the benefits of that items as if you had equipped it. You can take this Ancient Skill multiple times, each time pick another magic item worth 1500 GP or less.


Refresher Orb: You gain +8 insight bonus to attack and damage rolls Once per hour as a free action you can recover one expended spell slot or SLA use, or instantly refresh all your expended maneuvers.

Personal Book V: You can replicate Summon Monster V as a SLA  as a swift action with CL=character level 1/hour. You cannot summon creatures more than one alignment step away from yours, but double the monsters produced.

Pride VI: You gain +6 Insight to Int and + Insight to +6 Wis.

Silver Edge: As an immediate action you can gain an Improved Invisibility effect and gain +50 feet insight bonus to movement speed for 3 rounds. While this ability is active you gain 20% miss chance against enemies that can see you and your physical attacks deal an extra 2d12 damage and force hit targets to make a Reflex save with DC 10+1/2 character level+Str mod or be Slowed for 1 round. Multiple hits don't stack, count only the first one. After using this ability you must wait 1d4+1 turns before using this ability again.

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Assaulter: You gain +10 armor bonus to AC, hardness 20, and in a full attack can make two extra attacks at your highest attack bonus. Enemies hit by your physical attacks take a -10 penalty to AC for 1 round.

Butterfly: You gain 50% miss chance, +5 insight bonus to AC, +10 insight bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls. As a free action you may lose the miss chance to gain +100 feet insight bonus to your movement speeds for 1 round.

Cunning VII: You gain + 7 Insight to Dex and +7 Insight to Cha.

Might VII: You gain +7 Insight to Str and +7 Insight to Con.

Natural Tool V: Choose a magic item worth 135000 GP or less that's been printed in an official D&D book and doesn't have limited uses that don't recharge (a bag of tricks would be fine, a wand or scroll not). You gain the benefits of that items as if you had equipped it. You can take this Ancient Skill multiple times, each time pick another magic item worth 1500 GP or less.


Personal Book VI: You can replicate Summon Monster VI as a SLA  as a swift action with CL=character level 1/hour. You cannot summon creatures more than one alignment step away from yours, but double the monsters produced.

Pride VII: You gain +7 Insight to Int and +7 Insight to Wis.

Radiance: You gain 30% miss chance and +20 insight bonus to damage rolls. Enemies within 200 feet automatically take 20 untyped damage that bypasses all defences at the end of each of your turns.


Vyse: As a swift action you can turn one creature within 200 feet in an harmless tiny cute animal for 1 round. Their defensive abilities remain active, but they can only move 5 feet and cannot attack nor affect other creatures by any means for 1 round. A Will save with DC 10+1/2 HD+Cha mod negates the transformation, but the victim still takes a -4 penalty to attack rolls, damage rolls and DCs for 1 round. Once used you must wait 1d4+1 turns before being able to use this again. In addition you recover six levels worth of spent SLAs every  10 minutes. So for example you could recover a 6th level SLA use in 10 minutes or a 1st level SLA use in 1,7 minutes. 0th level SLAs count as ½.

Special: A Savage creature can't take Vow of Poverty, as they wouldn't be rennouncing anything.

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Ghu, really drunk, and for some reason I decided to combine an old and new idea and then when I realized it I had written a bunch of words really fast and need to post them.

First idea is  a "savage" trait that's an alignment-neutral Vow of Poverty, no need for fancy gear yadayada.

But since players are expected to have special abilities from items, I decided to add a list of chooseable bonus. Based on the dota items. If people like this I may expand it, if not then to the backburner, now need water and sleep...

[CDTalmas]

It, um... needs some cleaning up. That said, it's full of juicy abilities and a decent little boost to a character not using magical items. Surprised it didn't have the option for no eating, drinking, sleeping, etc.

Do abilities from lower levels stack with abilities from higher levels? I see many untyped boosts that would definitely stack with each other, even if the wording needs some fine tuning.

[DavidWL]

It's a fun idea and a different take on Vow of Poverty.  There are many fixes, but I don't believe I've ever seen one with the idea of giving "slots" of abilities to represent the items you could have had.

General Thoughts:
1.  It might be nice to relate this even closer to items ... you can have a "virtual" item in a slot with a value up to X gp.  This also saves you of needing to spec out a ton of abilities
2.  I'd suggest adding some abilities that give movement powers.  Flight especially, but potentially other things as well.

Best,
David