Subtype Based

[Khorod]

I think subtypes aren't important enough.

Sure, Dragons and humanoids and animals are all important creature types, and help define how magic and skills affect them and are affected by them, but how about those more precise quantifiers, which speak to the very nature of a creature.

Is it a Fire Creature? Does its heart beat with the flicker of heat? Or maybe it can simply sit in flame, contemplating its glories, because fire does not reach past its thick skin.

Is it a lawful creature? The geometries of the world springing to its disciplined mind, no irregularity going unnoticed, no piece of chaos left untended to mar the surrounding world.

Suppose a being, particularly such magical creatures as Outsiders, Elementals, Fey, and Dragons, could explore this subtle nature of its existence. Perhaps there would be feats for him to tap into the power of this uncommon nature.

 

[Khorod]

Flaring Aura(Subtype) [General]
  Choose one of your subtypes, you may now extend this quality beyond yourself.
  Prereqs: Outsider, Fey, Dragon, or Elemental, Wisdom 13+
  Benefit: For a total of 1 round per point of Wisdom per day you may surround yourself in a 5-foot radius sphere in which all things take on the subtype associated with this feat. If something within this zone is of an opposing subtype, both its subtype and your aura are negated for the duration.
  Special: You may take this feat again. Each time it is taken, select a new subtype.

Reduced Weakness(Subtype) [General]
  Choose an opposing subtype, your weakness to this subtype is reduced.
  Prereqs: Outsider, Fey, Dragon, or Elemental creature type
  Benefit: You reduce the saving throw penalty against the opposing subtype/descriptor. (Don't have the book here... )

Energy Blast(Subtype) [General]
  You are able to manifest your selected subtype affinity in a physical blast of energy.
  Prereqs: Allowed Creature types, Cha 15+
  Benefit: By negating the benefits of the chosen subtype for 1d4 minutes, you may harness its energy to attack opponents. Range is 10 feat, ray, 2d4 damage. Alignment-based subtypes affect only opposing alignment subtypes, but have DC 15, Element-based subtypes affect anything, base DC 12.

As you all can see, this needs some work. Further ideas for touch affects are in my head. I'd like to stretch this a bit more than I have... so anyone wanna help me pull?

 

[ax0n]

Hi Khorod,

Excellent idea: I can really see the potential of Subtype/type modifier based power feats. I'm working on some planetouched-like races at the moment called Planar Kin/Kindred that could really use something like this.

My only criticism is that the feats you defined are a little too generic. I think they would benefit by being individually directed towards specific types. For example, Flame Body for creatures with the Fire sub-type.

Flaring Aura: Not sure of the precise benefits of this but I can see some interesting roleplaying potential.

Reduced Weakness: This is good. I'm only unsure of the assumption that having a certain sub-type (e.g. Water) automatically makes a creature vulnerable to the opposing sub-type.

Energy Blast: This is good. Me likee

 

[Khorod]

The idea of 'Flaring Aura' is that it surrounds the character in a zone which applies the Plane Descriptions subtype which matches the creature subtype...

Reduced Weakness is kindof weak... but its based on the notion I seemed to have that the energy subtypes tended to be vulnerable to opposing elements. It was not intended to introduce a weakness...

Energy Blast. Is good. Must be careful that these remain feats and not subjects for a PrC which requires a given subtype...

Of course, perhaps a PrC would be a more appropriate format than feats. Any thoughts?

 

[ax0n]

Of course, perhaps a PrC would be a more appropriate format than feats. Any thoughts?

Good question and my answer is: not sure. I'm currently working on some planetouched-like races for which these rules would be very interesting. I can see the reason you would go for feats, but I can see the advantages of PrCs.

Feats: It would seem pointless to create an arbitrary progression, which is why feats are nice. I think you should try to make many specific abilities, rather than the wide-spread, generic feats you have listed below. For example, Energy Blast could be subdivided in Fire Blast, or Summon Water.

PrCs: On the other hand, these powers are extremely, well, powerful. It would be interesting to have an Elemental monster PrC, for example, that would slowly convert a creature with the Fire sub-type into an elemental, and other variations on that theme.

Ideas anyone else?