Exterminators

[jaker2003]

Okay, the idea is for a construct that hunts down a kind of creature. So I present the Exterminator. They start of at 1 HD and advance by character class. I'll need help to balance the ability scores and set CR and LA.
[sblock=Exterminators]Exterminators are constructs forged to hunt down and kill a certain kind of creature. Exterminators are quite intelligent and learn new skills quickly.
Exterminators appear humanoid, but have only 3 digits on each hand and foot. Each forearm sports one harpoon. Exterminators stand just less than ten feet tall and weigh 500 pounds.
• +6 Strength, No Constitution, +2 Intelligence, -4 Charisma
• Large Size, -1 penalty to Armor Class, -1 penalty to attack rolls, -4 penalty on Hide checks, +4 bonus on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits double those of Medium characters
• Space/Reach: 5ft. by 5ft./10ft.
• Base land speed: 30 feet.
• +2 natural armor bonus.
• Construct Traits.
• Harpoons (Ex): As ranged attacks, an exterminator can fire one or two of its harpoons up to 20 feet (no range increment). The exterminator can fire at two different targets if it chooses. A successful hit deals 1d6 points of damage as the harpoon hooks the flesh of the target. The exterminator can reel in a harpoon as a free action; treat this as a trip attack against any creature attached to the harpoon. Failure indicates that the harpoon rips free (and deals another 1d6 points of damage to the victim). Success indicates that the victim is pulled off its feet and dragged back to the exterminator, who can immediately make a free attack against the victim. An exterminator can only pull a creature smaller than itself in this manner. Attempts to retract a creature of its own size or larger automatically cause the harpoon to rip free as if the trip attack failed.
• Magic Sympathy (Ex): A mending spell repairs 2d6 points of damage that an exterminator has taken. A make whole spell replaces lost limbs or body parts while repairing 3d6 points of damage.
• Quick Leap (Ex): An Exterminator can make a standing jump as a free action.
• Adamantine Fists (Ex): An exterminator’s fists are plated in adamantine, allowing it to overcome the damage reduction of some constructs and to ignore the hardness of objects.
• Favored Enemy (Ex): An exterminator is expert at dealing with a particular creature and its kin. The exterminator gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against their favored enemy. Likewise, she gets a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls against creatures of this kind.
This bonus increases by +2 when the exterminator reaches 4HD, and every third HD after that (7HD, 10HD, . .).
• Favored Enemy Sense (Su): An exterminator can sense the presence of its favored enemy within 60 feet, even if they are hidden by darkness or walls, but cannot discern their exact location.
• Scent (favored enemy) (Su): An exterminator can its favored enemy by following psychic trails and aura traces. It gains a +20 bonus on all checks made to track its favored enemy. It does not receive this bonus against mindless creatures.
• Automatic Language: Common. Bonus Language: Any unrestricted.[/sblock]
Please provide feedback.

 

[ChimericDream]

Well, this is definitely an interesting concept. I'd probably be inclined to take out the quick leap and favored enemy abilities, as they don't sit well with the concept of a construct. Also, I'd probably give them a set hit die (probably a d10 or d12) regardless of the class they choose.

Restrict them from any spellcasting class. Constructs shouldn't be using spells.

What's the level adjust on these? As is, I'd say they are at least a +4, if not higher, but that's just an eyeball estimate.

It's an interesting concept, but I think it could use a bit of work to get it balanced and working well.

 

[Nifft]

Since they advance by class, why not just give them Favored Class: Ranger and a bunch of racial features that synergize well with Favored Enemy?

Do they have to be size Large? That's a hefty LA boost.

-- N

 

[Land Outcast]

I can see a problem with them starting at 1 HD, they'd definetly be CR 2 (minimum), and at 1 HD, that's far too little hp. Almost a glass cannon. (of course, if you keep the Large size, they get good bonus hp, so that'd be a non-issue)

I'd make them medium (high end of medium) and allow them to harpoon creatures the same size as them.
Could they harpoon someone and use their fists in a full attack?

Why not giving them one mwk. harpoon arm and one mwk. light crossbow arm?

What is it that links the harpoon to the exterminator? Could I break it?

 

[jaker2003]

First, thanks for the feedback, I hope for more.
I've made some changes. The actual changes are in bold print to help identify them.
I've knocked the size down to medium, but gave them powerful build to compensate. This way, they can still use their harpoon ability on medium-sized creatures. I put in a reminder that constructs recieve bonus HP based on their size. I replaced quick leap with spell entropy. I added a favored class and preliminary CR and LA. Land Outcast asked about the harpoon. Well, let's just say it's on a cable, and that the victim and allies don't get an opportunity to attack it. If you really want to have the cable as a target, treat it as a taught rope composed of adamantine.

[sblock=Exterminators]Exterminators are constructs forged to hunt down and kill a certain kind of creature. Exterminators are quite intelligent and learn new skills quickly.
Exterminators appear humanoid, but have only 3 digits on each hand and foot. Each forearm sports one harpoon. Exterminators stand just less than eight feet tall and weigh 400 pounds.
• +6 Strength, No Constitution, +2 Intelligence, -4 Charisma
• Medium size.
• Powerful Build (Ex): Th physical stature of exterminators lets them functions in many ways as if they were one size category larger. Whenever an exterminator is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as during grapple checks, bull ruch attempts, and trip attempts), the exterminator is treated as one size category larger if doing so is advantageous to him. An exterminator is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature's special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect him. An exterminator can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty. However, his space and reach remain those of a creature of his actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subjects's size category.
• Base land speed: 30 feet.
• +2 natural armor bonus.
• Construct Traits. As a medium-sized construct, the exterminator gains 30 hp at first level.
• Harpoons (Ex): As ranged attacks, an exterminator can fire one or two of its harpoons up to 20 feet (no range increment). The exterminator can fire at two different targets if it chooses. A successful hit deals 1d6 points of damage as the harpoon hooks the flesh of the target. The exterminator then reels in a harpoon as a free action; treat this as a trip attack against any creature attached to the harpoon. Failure indicates that the harpoon rips free (and deals another 1d6 points of damage to the victim). Success indicates that the victim is pulled off its feet and dragged back to the exterminator, who can immediately make a free attack against the victim. The harpoons automatically release at the end of the round that they are fired. An exterminator can only pull a creature smaller than itself in this manner. Attempts to retract a creature of its own size or larger automatically cause the harpoon to rip free as if the trip attack failed.
• Magic Sympathy (Ex): A mending spell repairs 2d6 points of damage that an exterminator has taken. A make whole spell replaces lost limbs or body parts while repairing 3d6 points of damage.
• Spell Entropy (Ex): An exterminator suffers a circumstance penalty to caster level equal to half its HD.
• Adamantine Fists (Ex): An exterminator’s fists are plated in adamantine, allowing it to overcome the damage reduction of some constructs and to ignore the hardness of objects.
• Favored Enemy (Ex): An exterminator is expert at dealing with a particular creature and its kin. The exterminator gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against their favored enemy. Likewise, she gets a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls against creatures of this kind.
This bonus increases by +2 when the exterminator reaches 4HD, and every third HD after that (7HD, 10HD, . .).
• Favored Enemy Sense (Su): An exterminator can sense the presence of its favored enemy within 60 feet, even if they are hidden by darkness or walls, but cannot discern their exact location.
• Scent (favored enemy) (Su): An exterminator can track its favored enemy by following psychic trails and aura traces. It gains a +20 bonus on all checks made to track its favored enemy. It does not receive this bonus against mindless creatures.
• Automatic Language: Common. Bonus Language: Any unrestricted.
• Favored Class: Ranger
• CR: 1+HD
• LA: +4[/sblock]
Please provide feedback.

 

[Notmousse]

I want a tiny version so I can play a whole Hoi Hoi-san campaign! Only it needs beam rifles and machine guns.

 

[jaker2003]

I want a tiny version so I can play a whole Hoi Hoi-san campaign! Only it needs beam rifles and machine guns.

Just give them wands of searing light and repeating crossbows.

 

[Nifft]

I want a tiny version so I can play a whole Hoi Hoi-san campaign! Only it needs beam rifles and machine guns a few levels of Warlock.

Fixed it for you.

-- N

 

[Nifft]

• +6 Strength, No Constitution, +2 Intelligence, -4 Charisma
• Harpoons (Ex): As ranged attacks, an exterminator can fire one or two of its harpoons up to 20 feet (no range increment). The exterminator can fire at two different targets if it chooses. A successful hit deals 1d6 points of damage as the harpoon hooks the flesh of the target. The exterminator then reels in a harpoon as a free action; treat this as a trip attack against any creature attached to the harpoon. Failure indicates that the harpoon rips free (and deals another 1d6 points of damage to the victim). Success indicates that the victim is pulled off its feet and dragged back to the exterminator, who can immediately make a free attack against the victim. The harpoons automatically release at the end of the round that they are fired. An exterminator can only pull a creature smaller than itself in this manner. Attempts to retract a creature of its own size or larger automatically cause the harpoon to rip free as if the trip attack failed.
• Magic Sympathy (Ex): A mending spell repairs 2d6 points of damage that an exterminator has taken. A make whole spell replaces lost limbs or body parts while repairing 3d6 points of damage.

Cool. The harpoon mechanics might need a bit more tuning, like what if a foe readies an action to sunder the cable, and is using an adamantine weapon?

• Spell Entropy (Ex): An exterminator suffers a circumstance penalty to caster level equal to half its HD.

Ranger favored class and a NEGATIVE caster level if he takes Ranger? What's your goal here?

• Adamantine Fists (Ex): An exterminator’s fists are plated in adamantine, allowing it to overcome the damage reduction of some constructs and to ignore the hardness of objects.

How about: Focused Enmity (Su): An Exterminator's natural weapons are considered to be whatever alignment or material is necessary to penetrate the damage reduction of any of its favored enemies.

Still seems like more of a class feature than a race feature... or maybe a racial feat.

• Favored Enemy (Ex): An exterminator is expert at dealing with a particular creature and its kin. The exterminator gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against their favored enemy. Likewise, she gets a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls against creatures of this kind.
This bonus increases by +2 when the exterminator reaches 4HD, and every third HD after that (7HD, 10HD, . .).

It's a better Ranger than the Ranger. Does this stack with a Ranger's favored enemy bonus?

I don't like this racial feature, since it looks like a bonus class feature hidden in the race section.

How about some racial substitution levels instead?

• Favored Enemy Sense (Su): An exterminator can sense the presence of its favored enemy within 60 feet, even if they are hidden by darkness or walls, but cannot discern their exact location.
• Scent (favored enemy) (Su): An exterminator can track its favored enemy by following psychic trails and aura traces. It gains a +20 bonus on all checks made to track its favored enemy. It does not receive this bonus against mindless creatures.

Hmmm... so an Undead Exterminator would have some trouble "smelling" his prey. IMHO this feature is unnecessary, and also wonky. Is this sense foiled by nondetection? How about mind blank? Does it stack or overlap with the normal favored enemy bonus to tracking?

- - -

Here's an idea: make the harpoon and natural slam attacks into some sort of psionic mind-blade kinda things. That allows them to be sundered, and yet still usable the next round.

You could also make him able to boost his harpoons via the Soulknife class.

Hmm, as a combo Ranger / Soulknife, he could be pretty cool.

That's all I got for now.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Land Outcast]

Here's an idea: make the harpoon and natural slam attacks into some sort of psionic mind-blade kinda things. That allows them to be sundered, and yet still usable the next round.

You sir, are a smart fellow