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<blockquote data-quote="Cleon" data-source="post: 6199473" data-attributes="member: 57383"><p><strong>Valgoss Homebrew</strong></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong><em>Original Stats</em></strong></span></p><p>Valgoss range from two to six inches long, are pinkish white in color, and have powerful jaws, surrounded by tiny tentacles, on either end of their bodies. Blind, they swim in the water and sense the presence of other creatures through movement. Valgoss feed upon tiny algae and various slimes that grow in the water, Their presence will be detected by those watching the surface of the water carefully, as they come up to feed and slither along the top or the nearly opaque water</p><p></p><p>The PCs can do little to attract the attention of the slaiyiths or the valgoss. Even an outright attack probably just induces them to flee underwater or, barring that, fight back to the death. Spells or psionic abilities that allow a body to read the creatures’ minds reveal that while both possess intelligence, neither is even aware of the PCs’ existence. Essentially, both types of creatures feel that the characters are beneath notice—not even worth considering.</p><p></p><p> <strong><span style="font-size: 12px">V</span>ALGOSS:</strong> AC 8; MV 3, Sw 6; HD 1+1; hp 8; THAC0 19; #AT 1; Dmg 1d2 (burrow); SZ T (2-6” long); ML unsteady (7); Int avg (10); AL N; XP 35.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong><em>Homebrew Conversion</em></strong></span></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong><span style="font-size: 15px">Valgoss</span></strong></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF">Diminutive Aberration (Aquatic, Symbiont)</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Hit Dice:</strong> 1d8+4 (8 hp)</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Initiative:</strong> +0</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Speed:</strong> 10 ft. (2 squares), swim 20 ft., burrow 5 ft.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Armor Class:</strong> 14 (+4 size), touch 14, flat-footed 14</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Base Attack/Grapple:</strong> +0/-16</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Attack:</strong> Bite +2 melee (1d6-4)</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Full Attack:</strong> Bite +2 melee (1d6-4)</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Space/Reach:</strong> 1 ft./0 ft.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Special Attacks:</strong> Attach, burrow, slaiyith gift</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Special Qualities:</strong> Blind, blindsight 10 ft., hive telepathy, host bond, scent, symbiont traits</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Saves:</strong> Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +4</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Abilities:</strong> Str 2, Dex 11, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 10, Ego 10</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Skills:</strong> Climb +7, Escape Artist +7, Listen +6, Swim +8</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Feats:</strong> Great Fortitude, Weapon Finesse<strong>ᴮ</strong>, Toughness<strong>ᴮ</strong></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Environment:</strong> Temperate aquatic</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Organization:</strong> Solitary or communion (5–100)</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Challenge Rating:</strong> 1/4 or host +0</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Treasure:</strong> None</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Alignment:</strong> Always neutral</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Advancement:</strong> None</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Level Adjustment:</strong> —</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><em>A thick-bodied fleshy-pink worm about as long as a human hand. It has a mouth surrounded by a frill of tentacles at each end of its body.</em></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF">Background</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF">A valgoss is about 6 inches long and weighs a few ounces.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Combat</strong></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF">Tactics</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Attach (Ex):</strong> If a valgoss hits with a bite attack, it uses its teeth and mouth-tentacles to latch onto the opponent’s body. An attached valgoss is effectively grappling its prey. The valgoss loses its Dexterity bonus to AC and has an AC of 12, but holds on with great tenacity.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF">Once attached, a valgoss will Burrow into its victim (see below). It continues to make bite attacks against the attached opponent using its second mouth, and if that attack hits the valgoss will attach itself with both its mouths.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF">An attached valgoss can be struck with a weapon or grappled itself. To remove an attached valgoss through grappling, the opponent must achieve a pin against the valgoss. The valgoss uses its Escape Artist skill (typically a +7 check modifier) to oppose creatures attempting to pin them.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Blind (Ex):</strong> Valgoss are immune to gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions, and other attack forms that rely on sight.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Burrow (Ex):</strong> An attached valgoss can burrow into its opponent, dealing 1d2 points of damage in any round it begins its turn attached to a victim. If it is attached to its opponent with both its mouths it does this damage twice (total 2d2 damage).</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Hive Telepathy (Ps):</strong> A valgoss is in constant telepathic communion with all other valgoss within 50 miles. If one is aware of a particular danger, they all are. If one in a group is not flat-footed, none of them are. No valgoss in a group is considered flanked unless all of them are.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Host Bond (Ex):</strong> The Hanim have developed a secret process that allows a living creature to form a symbiotic union with a valgoss. The candidate must perform an hour-long ceremony and then enter water populated by valgoss. The Hanim usually accompany this ceremony with incense and the music of hide drums, but this is not necessary for success.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF">The valgoss will only bond with healthy hosts – they reject candidates who is diseased, wounded, poisoned, or sickly (Con of 7 or less). If a candidate meets their approval, a valgoss will bite their host-to-be with the mouths at the opposite end of its wormlike body and burrow into their flesh, inflicting 1d2 points of damage with each of its two mouths. The valgoss then fuses with the host, becoming a slimy pink arc of flesh that loops across the host's body, with an occasional squirm or twitch. This bonding permanently inflicts 2 hit points of damage per mouth to the host (so 4 hit point damage in total). This damage cannot be healed by any means as long as the valgoss remains bonded. Even if the host bond is broken and the valgoss removed, the injury can only be removed by a <em>heal</em>, <em>miracle</em> or <em>wish</em>.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF">In addition to the injury, the host suffers a –1 penalty to all Charisma-based skills except for Intimidate unless the target of the skill is also the host of a valgoss. These penalties are cumulative, so a host with three valgoss will have 12 hit points of wounds and a –3 penalty to those skills.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF">The valgoss's host gain the ability to communicate with the slaiyith, and their union with a valgoss means they will never be attacked by the Taker of Life. In addition, they gain a +2 insight bonus on Listen, Spot and Survival checks while on Maelost. The greatest benefit of the host bond, however, is that bonded valgoss can receive supernatural gifts from the slaiyiths (see Slaiyith Gift).</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF">Once bonded, the valgoss is sustained by the host's body and does not need to eat, drink or breath. The valgoss can voluntarily break the bond with its host, but will only do so its host is dying or suffering from a terminal disease (one that has reduced the host's Con to 5 or less).</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Slaiyith Gift (Su):</strong> The host of a valgoss beseech the oldest and most powerful of the slaiyiths, the master slaiyiths, to gift their valgoss symbiont with a supernatural power. The master slaiyiths can bestow 10 different gifts to a valgoss, although one gift is only available to valgoss with Hanim hosts. Each valgoss can only bear a single gift. A host can bond with multiple gifted valgoss, but the gifts must be dissimilar. Under no circumstances can a host bond with two or more valgoss bearing the same Slaiyith Gift. A bonded valgoss will lose its gift if it is killed or separated from its host.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF">Nine of the Slaiyith Gifts only function on the plane of Maelost. The Gift of Maximization is the exception and has a limited functionality on other planes.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF">The available gifts are:</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong><em>Hanim Gift</em></strong></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><em>Gift of Personality Exchange:</em> Because of an ancient pact the master slaiyith made with the Hanim they will only grant this gift to valgoss with a Hanim host. This ability allows two valgoss hosts who both possess a valgoss symbiont with the Personality Exchange gift to exchange their minds. Both hosts must be willing to exchange minds and be within 60 ft. of each other.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"> Personality Exchange brings about the same changes as the <em>mind switch</em> psionic power: each mind gains the type and physical characteristics of the assumed body as well as that body's extraordinary abilities (but not its supernatural or spell-like abilities). They gain the possessions and equipment of the assumed body (which includes the valgoss the body's bonded with and its Slaiyith Gifts) while retaining their own hit points, base saves, class abilities such as spells and powers, supernatural and spell-like abilities, skill ranks, and feats. Feats or abilities whose requirements are not met by the assumed body become temporarily unavailable.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"> Personality Exchange relies on the valgoss's Hive Telepathy, so the exchange ends if the telepathy is suppressed (e.g. an antimagic field or a <em>mind blank</em> spell). Personality Exchange also ends if a host dies, loses its Personality Exchange valgoss, or ceases being willing to continue the exchange. The host minds immediately return to their original bodies if the Personality Exchange is broken. If the death of a host forces the exchanged minds to return, only the original mind of the slain body is killed.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong><em>Physical Gifts</em></strong></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><em>Gift of Strength:</em> The host gains a +2 inherent bonus to Strength.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><em>Gift of Dexterity:</em> The host gains a +2 inherent bonus to Dexterity.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><em>Gift of Constitution:</em> The host gains a +2 inherent bonus to Constitution.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><em>Gift of Speed:</em> The host gains an inherent bonus to their land, swim and burrow speeds. Speeds from 5 ft. to 15 ft. gain a +5 ft. bonus; speeds from 20 ft. to 35 ft. gain a +10 ft. bonus; speeds from 40 ft. to 55 ft. gain a +20 ft. bonus; and speeds of 60 ft. or more gain a +30 ft. bonus. This gift only increases existing natural modes of movement; it does not increase movement granted by magic (such as a beholder's fly speed or the +30 ft. speed bonus of a <em>haste</em> spell), nor does it grant the host any additional modes of movement (e.g. it will only increase a host's existing swim speed if they already have a swim speed).</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong><em>Magical Gifts</em></strong></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><em>Gift of Spell Resistance:</em> The host gains a spell resistance equal to their Hit Dice plus 5 (maximum 25).</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><em>Gift of Empowerment:</em> The host can cast up to three spells per day that are empowered as though using the Empower Spell feat.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><em>Gift of Enlargement:</em> The host can cast up to three spells per day that are enlarged as though using the Enlarge Spell feat.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><em>Gift of Extension:</em> The host can cast up to three spells per day that are extended as though using the Extend Spell feat.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><em>Gift of Maximization:</em> The host selects one spell with a spell level up to 2 lower than the maximum spell level they can cast (e.g. a 3rd level spell if they can cast spells of up to 5th level). Whenever the host casts the selected spell it is automatically maximized as though by the Maximize Spell feat. In addition, the host can prepare the spell without referring to a spellbook.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF">The Gift of Maximization is the only Slaiyith Gift that functions outside the plane of Maelost. If a host casts the selected spell when they are not on Maelost, the spell is not automatically maximized but instead is unaffected by the planar traits Impeded Magic, Limited Magic or Wild Magic.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Symbiont Traits:</strong> While bonded to a host, a valgoss acts on its host's turn each round, regardless of its own initiative modifier. It is not flat-footed unless its host is, and it is aware of any danger its host is aware of.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF">A bonded valgoss symbiont is treated as if it is part of its host for targeting purposes, so opponents cannot attack it separately from the host creature.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF">A symbiont never takes damage from attacks directed at the host. Like a worn magic item, a symbiont is usually unaffected by spells that damage the host, but if the host rolls a 1 on its saving throw, the symbiont is one of the "items" that can be affected by the spell. A symbiont uses its host's base saving throw bonuses if they are better than its own.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF">Any spell the host creature casts on itself automatically also affects the symbiont. Additionally, the host may cast a spell with a target of "You" on the symbiont instead of on itself. The symbiont may do likewise with any spell or spell-like ability it uses. The host and symbiont can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the host's or the symbiont's type. Spells targeted on the host by another spellcaster do not affect the symbiont, and vice versa.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Skills:</strong> A valgoss has a +6 racial modifier on Climb checks and Escape Artist checks and a +4 racial bonus on Listen checks.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000FF">A valgoss has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line. A valgoss uses its Dexterity modifier instead of its Strength modifier for Climb and Swim checks.</span></p><p></p><p><em>Originally appeared in Tales From the Infinite Staircase (1998) in Tale 3: Lord of the Worms</em></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Cleon, post: 6199473, member: 57383"] [b]Valgoss Homebrew[/b] [SIZE=4][B][I]Original Stats[/I][/B][/SIZE] Valgoss range from two to six inches long, are pinkish white in color, and have powerful jaws, surrounded by tiny tentacles, on either end of their bodies. Blind, they swim in the water and sense the presence of other creatures through movement. Valgoss feed upon tiny algae and various slimes that grow in the water, Their presence will be detected by those watching the surface of the water carefully, as they come up to feed and slither along the top or the nearly opaque water The PCs can do little to attract the attention of the slaiyiths or the valgoss. Even an outright attack probably just induces them to flee underwater or, barring that, fight back to the death. Spells or psionic abilities that allow a body to read the creatures’ minds reveal that while both possess intelligence, neither is even aware of the PCs’ existence. Essentially, both types of creatures feel that the characters are beneath notice—not even worth considering. [B][SIZE=3]V[/SIZE]ALGOSS:[/B] AC 8; MV 3, Sw 6; HD 1+1; hp 8; THAC0 19; #AT 1; Dmg 1d2 (burrow); SZ T (2-6” long); ML unsteady (7); Int avg (10); AL N; XP 35. [SIZE=4][B][I]Homebrew Conversion[/I][/B][/SIZE] [COLOR=#0000FF][B][SIZE=4]Valgoss[/SIZE][/B] Diminutive Aberration (Aquatic, Symbiont) [B]Hit Dice:[/B] 1d8+4 (8 hp) [B]Initiative:[/B] +0 [B]Speed:[/B] 10 ft. (2 squares), swim 20 ft., burrow 5 ft. [B]Armor Class:[/B] 14 (+4 size), touch 14, flat-footed 14 [B]Base Attack/Grapple:[/B] +0/-16 [B]Attack:[/B] Bite +2 melee (1d6-4) [B]Full Attack:[/B] Bite +2 melee (1d6-4) [B]Space/Reach:[/B] 1 ft./0 ft. [B]Special Attacks:[/B] Attach, burrow, slaiyith gift [B]Special Qualities:[/B] Blind, blindsight 10 ft., hive telepathy, host bond, scent, symbiont traits [B]Saves:[/B] Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +4 [B]Abilities:[/B] Str 2, Dex 11, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 10, Ego 10 [B]Skills:[/B] Climb +7, Escape Artist +7, Listen +6, Swim +8 [B]Feats:[/B] Great Fortitude, Weapon Finesse[B]ᴮ[/B], Toughness[B]ᴮ[/B] [B]Environment:[/B] Temperate aquatic [B]Organization:[/B] Solitary or communion (5–100) [B]Challenge Rating:[/B] 1/4 or host +0 [B]Treasure:[/B] None [B]Alignment:[/B] Always neutral [B]Advancement:[/B] None [B]Level Adjustment:[/B] — [I]A thick-bodied fleshy-pink worm about as long as a human hand. It has a mouth surrounded by a frill of tentacles at each end of its body.[/I] Background A valgoss is about 6 inches long and weighs a few ounces. [B]Combat[/B] Tactics [B]Attach (Ex):[/B] If a valgoss hits with a bite attack, it uses its teeth and mouth-tentacles to latch onto the opponent’s body. An attached valgoss is effectively grappling its prey. The valgoss loses its Dexterity bonus to AC and has an AC of 12, but holds on with great tenacity. Once attached, a valgoss will Burrow into its victim (see below). It continues to make bite attacks against the attached opponent using its second mouth, and if that attack hits the valgoss will attach itself with both its mouths. An attached valgoss can be struck with a weapon or grappled itself. To remove an attached valgoss through grappling, the opponent must achieve a pin against the valgoss. The valgoss uses its Escape Artist skill (typically a +7 check modifier) to oppose creatures attempting to pin them. [B]Blind (Ex):[/B] Valgoss are immune to gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions, and other attack forms that rely on sight. [B]Burrow (Ex):[/B] An attached valgoss can burrow into its opponent, dealing 1d2 points of damage in any round it begins its turn attached to a victim. If it is attached to its opponent with both its mouths it does this damage twice (total 2d2 damage). [B]Hive Telepathy (Ps):[/B] A valgoss is in constant telepathic communion with all other valgoss within 50 miles. If one is aware of a particular danger, they all are. If one in a group is not flat-footed, none of them are. No valgoss in a group is considered flanked unless all of them are. [B]Host Bond (Ex):[/B] The Hanim have developed a secret process that allows a living creature to form a symbiotic union with a valgoss. The candidate must perform an hour-long ceremony and then enter water populated by valgoss. The Hanim usually accompany this ceremony with incense and the music of hide drums, but this is not necessary for success. The valgoss will only bond with healthy hosts – they reject candidates who is diseased, wounded, poisoned, or sickly (Con of 7 or less). If a candidate meets their approval, a valgoss will bite their host-to-be with the mouths at the opposite end of its wormlike body and burrow into their flesh, inflicting 1d2 points of damage with each of its two mouths. The valgoss then fuses with the host, becoming a slimy pink arc of flesh that loops across the host's body, with an occasional squirm or twitch. This bonding permanently inflicts 2 hit points of damage per mouth to the host (so 4 hit point damage in total). This damage cannot be healed by any means as long as the valgoss remains bonded. Even if the host bond is broken and the valgoss removed, the injury can only be removed by a [I]heal[/I], [I]miracle[/I] or [I]wish[/I]. In addition to the injury, the host suffers a –1 penalty to all Charisma-based skills except for Intimidate unless the target of the skill is also the host of a valgoss. These penalties are cumulative, so a host with three valgoss will have 12 hit points of wounds and a –3 penalty to those skills. The valgoss's host gain the ability to communicate with the slaiyith, and their union with a valgoss means they will never be attacked by the Taker of Life. In addition, they gain a +2 insight bonus on Listen, Spot and Survival checks while on Maelost. The greatest benefit of the host bond, however, is that bonded valgoss can receive supernatural gifts from the slaiyiths (see Slaiyith Gift). Once bonded, the valgoss is sustained by the host's body and does not need to eat, drink or breath. The valgoss can voluntarily break the bond with its host, but will only do so its host is dying or suffering from a terminal disease (one that has reduced the host's Con to 5 or less). [B]Slaiyith Gift (Su):[/B] The host of a valgoss beseech the oldest and most powerful of the slaiyiths, the master slaiyiths, to gift their valgoss symbiont with a supernatural power. The master slaiyiths can bestow 10 different gifts to a valgoss, although one gift is only available to valgoss with Hanim hosts. Each valgoss can only bear a single gift. A host can bond with multiple gifted valgoss, but the gifts must be dissimilar. Under no circumstances can a host bond with two or more valgoss bearing the same Slaiyith Gift. A bonded valgoss will lose its gift if it is killed or separated from its host. Nine of the Slaiyith Gifts only function on the plane of Maelost. The Gift of Maximization is the exception and has a limited functionality on other planes. The available gifts are: [B][I]Hanim Gift[/I][/B] [I]Gift of Personality Exchange:[/I] Because of an ancient pact the master slaiyith made with the Hanim they will only grant this gift to valgoss with a Hanim host. This ability allows two valgoss hosts who both possess a valgoss symbiont with the Personality Exchange gift to exchange their minds. Both hosts must be willing to exchange minds and be within 60 ft. of each other. Personality Exchange brings about the same changes as the [I]mind switch[/I] psionic power: each mind gains the type and physical characteristics of the assumed body as well as that body's extraordinary abilities (but not its supernatural or spell-like abilities). They gain the possessions and equipment of the assumed body (which includes the valgoss the body's bonded with and its Slaiyith Gifts) while retaining their own hit points, base saves, class abilities such as spells and powers, supernatural and spell-like abilities, skill ranks, and feats. Feats or abilities whose requirements are not met by the assumed body become temporarily unavailable. Personality Exchange relies on the valgoss's Hive Telepathy, so the exchange ends if the telepathy is suppressed (e.g. an antimagic field or a [I]mind blank[/I] spell). Personality Exchange also ends if a host dies, loses its Personality Exchange valgoss, or ceases being willing to continue the exchange. The host minds immediately return to their original bodies if the Personality Exchange is broken. If the death of a host forces the exchanged minds to return, only the original mind of the slain body is killed. [B][I]Physical Gifts[/I][/B] [I]Gift of Strength:[/I] The host gains a +2 inherent bonus to Strength. [I]Gift of Dexterity:[/I] The host gains a +2 inherent bonus to Dexterity. [I]Gift of Constitution:[/I] The host gains a +2 inherent bonus to Constitution. [I]Gift of Speed:[/I] The host gains an inherent bonus to their land, swim and burrow speeds. Speeds from 5 ft. to 15 ft. gain a +5 ft. bonus; speeds from 20 ft. to 35 ft. gain a +10 ft. bonus; speeds from 40 ft. to 55 ft. gain a +20 ft. bonus; and speeds of 60 ft. or more gain a +30 ft. bonus. This gift only increases existing natural modes of movement; it does not increase movement granted by magic (such as a beholder's fly speed or the +30 ft. speed bonus of a [I]haste[/I] spell), nor does it grant the host any additional modes of movement (e.g. it will only increase a host's existing swim speed if they already have a swim speed). [B][I]Magical Gifts[/I][/B] [I]Gift of Spell Resistance:[/I] The host gains a spell resistance equal to their Hit Dice plus 5 (maximum 25). [I]Gift of Empowerment:[/I] The host can cast up to three spells per day that are empowered as though using the Empower Spell feat. [I]Gift of Enlargement:[/I] The host can cast up to three spells per day that are enlarged as though using the Enlarge Spell feat. [I]Gift of Extension:[/I] The host can cast up to three spells per day that are extended as though using the Extend Spell feat. [I]Gift of Maximization:[/I] The host selects one spell with a spell level up to 2 lower than the maximum spell level they can cast (e.g. a 3rd level spell if they can cast spells of up to 5th level). Whenever the host casts the selected spell it is automatically maximized as though by the Maximize Spell feat. In addition, the host can prepare the spell without referring to a spellbook. The Gift of Maximization is the only Slaiyith Gift that functions outside the plane of Maelost. If a host casts the selected spell when they are not on Maelost, the spell is not automatically maximized but instead is unaffected by the planar traits Impeded Magic, Limited Magic or Wild Magic. [B]Symbiont Traits:[/B] While bonded to a host, a valgoss acts on its host's turn each round, regardless of its own initiative modifier. It is not flat-footed unless its host is, and it is aware of any danger its host is aware of. A bonded valgoss symbiont is treated as if it is part of its host for targeting purposes, so opponents cannot attack it separately from the host creature. A symbiont never takes damage from attacks directed at the host. Like a worn magic item, a symbiont is usually unaffected by spells that damage the host, but if the host rolls a 1 on its saving throw, the symbiont is one of the "items" that can be affected by the spell. A symbiont uses its host's base saving throw bonuses if they are better than its own. Any spell the host creature casts on itself automatically also affects the symbiont. Additionally, the host may cast a spell with a target of "You" on the symbiont instead of on itself. The symbiont may do likewise with any spell or spell-like ability it uses. The host and symbiont can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the host's or the symbiont's type. Spells targeted on the host by another spellcaster do not affect the symbiont, and vice versa. [B]Skills:[/B] A valgoss has a +6 racial modifier on Climb checks and Escape Artist checks and a +4 racial bonus on Listen checks. A valgoss has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line. A valgoss uses its Dexterity modifier instead of its Strength modifier for Climb and Swim checks.[/COLOR] [I]Originally appeared in Tales From the Infinite Staircase (1998) in Tale 3: Lord of the Worms[/I] [/QUOTE]
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