Converting Dark*Matter Creatures

[Cleon]

Since you got the ball rolling, Cleon, we have skills, feats, and Challenge Rating left, then I can post a full stat block with fluff included.

We have 77 skill points to utilize, with the potential for 11 skills maxed out at 7 ranks each. I suggest we go with the following:
Climb
Craft (Mechanical)
Drive
Hide
Investigate
Jump
Knowledge (Arcane Lore)
Knowledge (Physical Sciences)
Knowledge (Technology)
Move Silently
Swim

That seems to cover most of the bases of the non-combat or feat-related Alternity skills that the faders have.

For the two feats we're granted, do we want to give the faders Personal Firearms Proficiency right off the bat, or save both feats for some sort of augmentation of their abilities?

The skills sound reasonable.

I think I'd give them the proficiency as one of their feats, since it's something the typical fader would retain from the person it replaces. But a fader that somehow got created out of someone non-military might not have it, so a bonus feat seems wrong.

I'm with Freyar. Giving them Firearms Proficiency seems a good idea for a standard "ex-sailor" fader.

Haven't got any strong opinion on the other feat at the moment.

Oh, and I neglected to change the Saves from when I copy-and-pasted the Ikuya's stats. Better fix that.

EDIT: Upon reflection I would give them Lightning Reflexes as their other feat if we can't come up with anything better.

 

[Rappy]

Fader
CR: 4
Medium-size Outsider (Extraplanar)
Hit Die: 4d8+12
Hit Points: 30
Massive Damage Threshold: 17
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft.
Defense: 17, touch 15, flat-footed 15 (+3 deflection, +2 Dex, +2 natural)
Base Attack Bonus: +4
Grapple: +6
Attack: +6 melee (1d3+2, unarmed strike) or +6 ranged (2d6, SITES M9 revolver)
Full attack: +6 melee (1d3+2, unarmed strike) or +6 ranged (2d6, SITES M9 revolver)
Fighting Space: 5 ft. by 5 ft.
Reach: 5 ft.
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., ethereal jaunt, fuse (DC 13), power resistance 13
Allegiances: Alien
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +7
Action Points: 0
Reputation: +0
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 16, Wis 17, Cha 13
Skills: Climb +9, Craft (Mechanical) +10, Drive +9, Hide +9, Investigate +10, Jump +9, Knowledge (Arcane Lore) +10, Knowledge (Physical Sciences) +10, Knowledge (Technology) +10, Move Silently +9, Read/Write English, Speak English, Swim +9.
Feats: Lightning Reflexes, Personal Firearms Proficiency.
Advancement: By character class
Possessions: None

Faders are aliens in human skin, invaders that are simultaneously too human and too alien for comfort. These beings outwardly resemble humans, but rarely display any human emotions beyond those needed by their cover, leading many to believe that they are aloof or quietly hostile individuals. Faders typically work as scientists or engineers to both further their masters' enigmatic goals and to fuel their diet of electromagnetic energy. A particularly desperate individual of the species may even raid television or radio towers to survive.

The few known faders are presumably all from the infamous Philadelphia Experiment, although it is not unlikely that more may have been created in similar experiments performed since that time. Faders usually prefer flight over fight, but will engage in combat if their mission is compromised or they are directly threatened without any apparent means of escape.


Species Traits
Ethereal Jaunt (Su): A fader can shift from the physical world to an ethereal dimension during the course of any move action, and shift back again as a free action. It can remain in this pocket dimension for 1 round before returning to the physical world. The ability is otherwise identical with the ethereal jaunt spell (caster level 13th).

Fuse (Su): Once per day, a fader can cause a creature it has successfully hit with a melee attack to fuse with nearby matter. At the time of the attack, the target creature must be within 5 feet of a solid object with a volume at least equal to its own. (In most cases, the ground or a wall is sufficient.) The target must succeed at a Will saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 the fader’s Hit Dice + its Charisma modifier) or be fused with the object, taking 2d8 points of Strength and Constitution damage.

If the target survives this damage they are unable to move away from the object into which they are fused, and suffer a -4 penalty on all their attack rolls, ability checks and skill checks due to their pain and restricted movement. These penalties persist until all the ability damage the victim took from the fuse attack has been healed. A fused victim can be torn free with a DC 22 Strength check, but takes 1d10 hit points of damage for every attempt (successful or otherwise), or they can be surgically removed from the fused object with a successful Treat Injury check (DC 25).


Faders In Dungeons and Dragons
Environment: Any urban
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually Neutral Evil

Faders are the spawn of aberrations from the far reaches, rather than extraterrestrials. They are likely to gather around alchemical laboratories or wizard's towers to feast upon any ambient energy they need to sustain themselves. In addition to swapping out Personal Firearms Proficiency with Martial Weapons Proficiency (and the SITES M9 with either a longbow or shortbow, depending on the DM's preference), the following skill changes are made:

• Craft (Mechanical) to Craft (Bowmaking or Weaponsmithing)
• Drive to Ride
• Knowledge (Arcane Lore) to Knowledge (Arcana)
• Knowledge (Physical Sciences) to Knowledge (Geography)
• Knowledge (Technology) to Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering)
• Read/Write and Speak English to Read/Write and Speak Common

The Fader is © 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
Originally found in Dark*Matter: Xenoforms

 

[Cleon]

Hmm, DC11 seems awful low for Fuse, perhaps we should increase or change to governing ability, or add Ability Focus or a racial bonus?

Either that, or we want it to be a weak "save or die" attack.

 

[Rappy]

We could always weaken it some. I forgot to mention that Dark*Matter's text for fuse describes it more as "horrible pain you'll probably die from, but you have a chance of surviving if you have enough HP to take the damage" style ability.

 

[freyar]

Why don't we just bump Cha to 10? Then we have DC 12, which is respectable but not ridiculous for save-or-die at CR 2 or 3. Heck, I'd even be willing to go back up to a few/day at that DC.

 

[Cleon]

We could always weaken it some. I forgot to mention that Dark*Matter's text for fuse describes it more as "horrible pain you'll probably die from, but you have a chance of surviving if you have enough HP to take the damage" style ability.

Why don't we just bump Cha to 10? Then we have DC 12, which is respectable but not ridiculous for save-or-die at CR 2 or 3. Heck, I'd even be willing to go back up to a few/day at that DC.

Increasing the Charisma was my preferred solution, although I was thinking Cha 13 or thereabout. That way the save DC would also be 13 and I can make "unlucky for you" quips.

Having it do HP damage instead of insta-kill isn't a bad idea. Although maybe Con and/or Strength damage would be a better fit? How about having it do some reasonably hefty damage and potentially fuse the victim to the floor/ceiling, so if they survive they require surgery to be freed or have to tear themselves loose by brute strength, taking more damage in the process.

Maybe something like this, with the "numbers to be worked out" in red:

Fuse (Su): Once per day, a fader can cause a creature it has successfully hit with a melee attack to fuse with nearby matter. At the time of the attack, the target creature must be within 5 feet of a solid object with a volume at least equal to its own. (In most cases, the ground or a wall is sufficient.) The target must succeed at a Will saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 the fader’s Hit Dice + its Charisma modifier) or be fused with the object, taking 2d8 Strength and Constitution damage.

If the target survives this damage they are unable to move away from the object into which they are fused, and suffer a -4 penalty on all their attack rolls, ability checks and skill checks due to their pain and restricted movement. These penalties persist until all the ability damage the victim took from the fuse attack has been healed. A fused victim can be torn free with a DC 22 Strength check, but takes 1d10 hit points of damage for every attempt (successful or otherwise), or they can be surgically removed from the fused object with a DC 25 [whatever the d20 Modern equivalent to Heal] skill check.

 

[freyar]

Reasonable enough.

 

[Rappy]

Well, since it looks like we're in agreement about Cleon's numbers being good, this leaves us with the Challenge Rating and fluff left before we can wrap up another creature and move onward.

 

[freyar]

CR 3 maybe. We also need a CL for the ethereal jaunt. I propose CL 13. I'll let y'all do the fluff.

 

[Rappy]

How's this sound for fluff?

"Faders are aliens in human skin, invaders that are simultaneously too human and too alien for comfort. These beings outwardly resemble humans, but rarely display any human emotions beyond those needed by their cover, leading many to believe that they are aloof or quietly hostile individuals. Faders typically work as scientists or engineers to both further their masters' enigmatic goals and to fuel their diet of electromagnetic energy. A particularly desperate individual of the species may even raid television or radio towers to survive.

The few known faders are presumably all from the infamous Philadelphia Experiment, although it is not unlikely that more may have been created in similar experiments performed since that time. Faders usually prefer flight over fight, but will engage in combat if their mission is compromised or they are directly threatened without any apparent means of escape."