D&D 3.x Creature Catalog 3.5 Overhaul Project

[Shade]

Cool. Ready to Homebrew this fella?

 

[BOZ]

firstly, time to hammer this part out:

Agathia take a material form as desired. One encountered will typically be in human form, in the form of a beneficent creature (such as a lammasu, shedu, or unicorn), or in non-corporeal form and contained in a ring, talisman, or possibly a small vase or flask, etc.

Human form is 60% likely. In this form, the agathion will use weapons typical of a cleric and have spell powers and abilities equal to that of a 7th-level cleric. As the agathion's wisdom equals 18, bonus spells are applicable. The appearance of the agathion can be young or old, male or female, handsome or plain, rustic or urbane.

In creature form - but 30%probable - the agathion will have whatever attack forms that creature possesses and the creature's spell abilities, if any, and the powers to turn undead of a 14th-level cleric.

Only 10% of the time will an agathion be encountered in non-corporeal form and contained within some object. When thus present, the agathion is able to bestow its 1st-level cleric spell ability on the possessor of the item, automatically detect evil, and allow the individual to affect undead as if he or she were a 6th level cleric.

Agathinon will never attack in their natural form. At the slightest sign of danger, they will assume another form. They gain great benefit from this because they will possess all attack forms and spell-like powers of the form they assume, though they retain their original hit points, THAC0, intelligence, etc. For example, if an agathinon assumes the form of an old bronze dragon, he will have two claw attacks (for 1-8 each), a bite (for 4-14), snatch, kick, wing buffet, and tail slap. It will also have the powerful breath weapon and spell-like powers of the dragon. It will not, however have 18 hit dice, but rather its own 8 hit dice.

On rare occasions, an agthion will assume the form of an inanimate object of magical nature, usually to be carried by some other being. This might be a magical lamp, a magical sword, necklace, or even something as unpretentious as a vase or glass vial, as the agathinon chooses. When in this form, the agathinon confers all powers of the object to its possessor plus several other benefits: the ability to cast 1st level priest spells from any sphere at will, and the ability for the individual to turn undead as if he or she were a 7th-level priest. Agathinon will never confer abilities to evil individuals. In fact, any evil person touching the item will receive 1-12 hit points of damage with no save allowed. Neutrals may receive benefits from the item only if their current mission or actions serve the needs of the agathinon.

Agathinon never attack in their natural form. At any sign of danger, they assume another form. They have all attack forms and spell- like powers of the form they assume, though they retain their original hit points, THAC0, Intelligence, and other statistics. For example, an agathinon who assumes the form of an old bronze dragon has two claw attacks (1d8 each), a bite (for 2d6+2), snatch, wing buffet, and tail slap. He also has the powerful breath weapon and spell-like powers of the dragon. He does not, however, have 18 Hit Dice, but rather his own 8 Hit Dice.

Rarely, an agathinon assumes the form of a magical inanimate object, usually carried by some other being: a magical lamp, sword, necklace, vase, or glass a vial. In this form the
agathinon confers all powers of the object on its possessor, plus several other benefits: the ability to cast 1st-level priest spells from any sphere at will, and to turn undead as a 7th-level priest. Agathinon never confer abilities on evil individuals. In fact, any evil person touching the item takes 1d12 points of damage (no save allowed). Neutrals may receive benefits from the item only if their current mission or actions serve the needs of the agathinon.

I had originally given them these for the form changing ability:

Shapechange (Su): An agathion can shapechange, as the spell, at will. The agathion usually uses this power to assume the shape of a creature, though it can even become an object. Unlike the spell, this ability also allows the agathion to assume Spell-like abilities and Supernatural powers of the form, such as breath weapons and gaze attacks.

An agathion that changes into an object will form a special bond with one character of good alignment (or a neutral character, if her current actions suit the agathion's mission). This bond allows the agathion to transfer some of its powers, as well as any powers the item has, to the character. Any evil being touching the items suffers 1d12 points of damage (no save).

Bestow Spells (Su): An agathion in the form of an object in the possession of a good creature, may bestow the ability to cast divine spells as a 1st-level cleric to the creature. The agathion in the form on an object may also bestow upon the creature the ability to turn undead as a 6th-level cleric.

It does need to have a shape changing power that allows it to gain Su and Sp abilities. Polymorph any object (self only) also springs to mind. There seem to be specific conditions, also, which apply to various forms chosen.

 

[Shade]

Man...I'm starting to hate shapechangers.

It looks like a modified form of alternate form might be the way to go. Has the shifter prestige class been updated to 3.5? That might provide some insight.

 

[BOZ]

Complete Adventurer? i understand about too many shapechangers... too many in a short time frame!

well, here's a place to start. do you think that splitting up the powers between becoming a creature or becoming an object is the way we should go?

 

[GrayLinnorm]

firstly, time to hammer this part out:







I had originally given them these for the form changing ability:

Shapechange (Su): An agathion can shapechange, as the spell, at will. The agathion usually uses this power to assume the shape of a creature, though it can even become an object. Unlike the spell, this ability also allows the agathion to assume Spell-like abilities and Supernatural powers of the form, such as breath weapons and gaze attacks.

An agathion that changes into an object will form a special bond with one character of good alignment (or a neutral character, if her current actions suit the agathion's mission). This bond allows the agathion to transfer some of its powers, as well as any powers the item has, to the character. Any evil being touching the items suffers 1d12 points of damage (no save).

Bestow Spells (Su): An agathion in the form of an object in the possession of a good creature, may bestow the ability to cast divine spells as a 1st-level cleric to the creature. The agathion in the form on an object may also bestow upon the creature the ability to turn undead as a 6th-level cleric.

It does need to have a shape changing power that allows it to gain Su and Sp abilities. Polymorph any object (self only) also springs to mind. There seem to be specific conditions, also, which apply to various forms chosen.

You could keep the Shapechange quality as given, but drop everything after "Spell-like abilities", since shapechange now allows supernatural abilities.

 

[Shade]

Bingo! It is now called the even-less-inspiring "Master of Many Forms". And it offers no help in this matter.

Let's see...the shapechange spell allows you to gain supernatural abilities of new form, but you lose your own. It doesn't appear to allow objects, either.

I think we should break the object shape into a different ability.

How about:

Greater Shapechange (Su): An agathion may assume the shape of any creature. This functions exactly like the shapechange spell, except the agathion retains its own supernatural abilities while in its new form.

This might help with becoming an object:

Weapon Form: A battleloth can change to or from its weapon form as a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. While in its weapon form, a battleloth functions as a weapon of the appropriate type with the indicated enhancement bonus. It can use only those movement forms and attacks specifically noted in its weapon form description, but all of its special qualities apply to both its weapon and its humanoid forms. A battleloth can perceive the world around it and can communicate normally while in weapon form. Since it lacks limbs, however, it cannot use spells that require material or somatic components.

In all other respects, the battleloth functions as a creature, not an object. It gains no hardness or additional hit points in weapon form, and any spells, attacks, or effects that specifically target it are resolved as if they had been used against the creature's humanoid form except that the battleloth benefits from a +2 size bonus to AC.


Alternate Forms (Su): Conjured gingwatzims are assigned two additional forms by the magic of the spell that calls them. The animate and object forms are chosen and fixed when the gingwatzim is called and cannot be changed unless the creature is returned to the Ethereal Plane. The gingwatzim can assume one of its other forms or return to its natural form as a free action once per round. Often (especially in the case of less intelligent gingwatzim) their controller orders them to remain in one particular form.

In the form of another creature, the gingwatzim retains its own ability scores and other abilities, and its deflection bonus becomes a natural armor bonus. It gains none of the assumed form's ability scores or abilities in any way, and retains the immunities of its elemental type. Armor class and skill bonuses based on size (such as Hide) use the new form's size instead of the gingwatzim's normal size.

In object form, a gingwatzim cannot move itself or drain Strength using its touch attack ability, and it loses its deflection bonus. When it takes the form of a weapon, a gingwatzim has an enhancement bonus equal to the bonus that would bypass its own damage reduction. For example, a pakim gingwatzim, which has damage reduction 5/+1, that takes the form of a longsword is effectively a +1 longsword.

 

[BOZ]

looks good so far... i'm thinking that the agathion doesn't need to gain spell-like abilities of its new form, so supernatural powers alone are just fine. and retaining its own powers is key.

the object-transformation powers are looking cool, and i will have a closer look at them when i get a chance.

 

[BOZ]

Object Form (Su): An agathion may change into a object, as per the polymorph any object spell (caster level Xth), except that it retains its Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma score, and can remain as an object until it chooses to return to its natural form. It may assume the form of any magic item of less than artifact status. It cannot move on its own while in object form, unless the item has the ability to do so, and since it lacks limbs it cannot use spells that require material or somatic components. An agathion can perceive the world around it and can communicate normally while in object form.

In all other respects, an agathion functions as a creature, not an object. It gains no hardness or additional hit points in object form, and any spells, attacks, or effects that specifically target it are resolved as if they had been used against the creature's natural form except that the agathion benefits from a size bonus to AC appropriate to the size it has assumed.

An agathion in object form can form a special bond with a character of good alignment (or a neutral character, if her current actions suit the agathion's mission). An agathion in object form in a creature's possession may bestow the ability to cast divine spells as a 1st-level cleric to the creature. An agathion in object form may also bestow upon the creature the ability to turn undead as a 6th-level cleric. Any evil being touching an agathion in object form takes 1d12 points of damage.

 

[Shade]

It looks good, except I'd replace the last sentence with the following:

"An agathion in object form may use its positive energy touch to inflict damage upon evil creatures."

 

[BOZ]

good deal. posting in homebrews!