Half Treant, the Treeman

[Eldorian]

Treeman
Large Plant
Hit Dice: 4d8 + 8
Initiative: -1 (Dex)
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 17 (-1 size, - 1 Dex, +9 natural), touch 8, flat footed 17
Attacks: 2 slams +6
Damage: Slam 1d10 +4
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./ 10ft.
Special Attacks: Trample, double damage against objects
Special Qualities: Plant, fire vulnerability, low-light vision
Saves: Fort 5+, Ref +0, Will +3
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 8, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10
Skills: Hide -5*, Intimidate +4, Knowledge (any one) +4, Listen +6, Sense Motive +6, Spot +6,
Wilderness Lore +6
Feats: Power Attack, Sunder
Climate/Terrain: Any land and forest
Organization: Solitary, or grove (2-5 Treants, 1-3 Treemen)
Challenge Rating 3
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually neutral good
Advancement: By character class

Treemen are the offshoots of treants and humanoids, usually elves or humans. Like their treant parents, they are peaceful by nature, but deadly when angered. Treemen resemble men more than treants, but are still very similar to trees in appearance. They have the same thick, brown skin, with a bark-like texture. Their arms are less branch-like than treants, but still gnarled and
possess some leafy growths. Their legs fit together when standing to appear similar to a tree trunk. On their heads and backs are foliage hanging from smaller branches. In winter the leaves of a treeman change color, but they rarely fall out. Treemen speak their own language, plus Common, Sylvan, and Elvish. Most can also manage a smattering of just about all other humanoid tongues-- at least enough to say, "Get out of our
trees!"

Combat
Treemen are devious foes in combat. They prefer to use the cover of the forest to remain unseen before striking, and attack from surprise when possible. If accompanied by treants, they
wait until the treants have animated trees before attacking.
Trample (Ex): A treeman can trample a Medium-size or smaller creature for 2d8 +6 points of damage. Opponents who do not make attacks of opportunity against the treeman can attempt a Reflex save (DC 16).
Double Damage against Objects (Ex): A treeman that makes a full attack against an object or structure deals double damage.
Plant: Immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and polymorphing. Not subject to critical hits.
Fire Vulnerability (Ex): A treeman doubles all fire damage received.
Low-light Vision (Ex): Treemen have low-light vision.
Skills: Treemen receive skills as though they were fey*. They have a +12 racial bonus to Hide checks made in forested areas.

Treemen Characters
A treeman's favored class is treeman. Most treemen advance as druids or barbarians. A treeman PC's effective character level (ECL) is equal to it's class levels + 7.

Creating this race because my DM didn't want a full blown treant in his epic level game. I'm headed for the Sacred Fist PrC. Any comments?

Eldorian Antar

 

[Khaalis]

Myhtic Races

You might want to check out FFG's Mythic Races. They have a race called the Tremen. They are a smaller 1HD race that is a cousin race to treants.

 

[Eldorian]

why would i want to buy a book to get a race that I made up? Is there supposed to be some reason why it's inherently better than my own version? sigh... just cause it's in print doesn't mean it's good people, especially 3rd party stuff.

Eldorian Antar

 

[handforged]

how about it might be a better choice, because...

• You could take more levels being only a 1 HD race. You might even be able to have made it to your PrC for the beginning of play.
• Your DM might be more likely to let a 3rd party race in than one you created because it would be less likely min/maxed to the proposed class progression.
• Just because you made it up does not make it better than something for sale.

I am not accusing you of min/maxing(I am unfamiliar with Sacred Fist), but as a DM I would be suspicious of a player creating a race with a class progression already in mind. Otherwise the race looks fine, but I would most likely not allow it as a player race(my campaign style, not unbalance).

~hf

 

[Eldorian]

Well, I was going to play a treant, but the DM decided I should make a smaller version, so I would fit in the dungeons and what not. As for the wanting to be 1 hd, It's gonna be a level 23 epic game, so a treant would have still allowed all 10 levels of the PrC. I want to be a big tree guy, not a medium sized plant dude. If I had wanted the plant dude, I'd play a Verdant Lord (which was one of my ideas for class). As for a 3rd party race making it into the game easier than a homebrew.. I'd say the opposite. We trust our own capabilities moreso than most 3rd party rules.

Eldorian Antar

 

[Khaalis]

why would i want to buy a book to get a race that I made up? Is there supposed to be some reason why it's inherently better than my own version? sigh... just cause it's in print doesn't mean it's good people, especially 3rd party stuff.

I didnt say buy the book, I said you might want to look at the resource. If you had asked nicely I could have recapped the race for you since it is all OGL.

As for inherently better than home brew? Usually.
For all of the same reasons listed by "handforged"
* You could take more levels being only a 1 HD race. You might even be able to have made it to your PrC for the beginning of play.
* Your DM might be more likely to let a 3rd party race in than one you created because it would be less likely min/maxed to the proposed class progression.
* Just because you made it up does not make it better than something for sale.
*You could take more levels being only a 1 HD race. You might even be able to have made it to your PrC for the beginning of play.
* Your DM might be more likely to let a 3rd party race in than one you created because it would be less likely min/maxed to the proposed class progression.

As well as the fact that most published 3rd party sources have play-tested their work to make sure it is at least reasonably balanced to the Core Material.

Now speaking of Balance, "I think" (ie: My opnion as a DM) is that your Starting ECL +7 is way off.

Starting ECL = HD + Level Adjustment
HD = 4
Level Adjustments (Per Savage Species)
+9 Natural Armor = +2
Attacks: +1 (Has more attacks than a Fighter of 4th level)
Reach 10': +1
Trample: +1
Object Damage (Sunder): +1 (I'll remove this and give it free)
Plant Qualities: +1
Unbalanced Ability Scores: +1 (+8 STR, +4 CON, +4 WIS, -2 DEX = Aggregate gain of +14 Attribute Points)

Thats 4HD+7 = Starting ECL of 11 + Class Levels (Not 7+Class Levels).

You will get 9 levels of normal class progression before moving to Epic Advancement.

 

[Robbert Raets]

You will get 9 levels of normal class progression before moving to Epic Advancement.

Are you sure? Don't you need 20 HD before Epic?

 

[Khaalis]

Are you sure? Don't you need 20 HD before Epic?

If I am remembering the material from the Epic Handbook Correctly, and I may be wrong since I dont have it at work to quote from, but I am pretty sure Epic Levels begin after 20 Character levels - regardless of it is from HD or from Effective Character Level.

I believe there is also an example of an Epic Character that has an ECL, and at CL 21 they move to Epic Levels?

Anyone confirm? I will check and repost when I get home.

 

[Thresher]

Yep. page 155 of the ELHB will sort you out. After reaching level 21, including your ECL, then youre an epic beastie.

Apart from that I like the treeman as an idea.

However Im sure theres a reason why druids ban drinking...
"You know Barry the Heirophant?"
"Yep"
"Well he got drunk last solistice and slept with half the sacred grove!"
"No kidding! He sleeps with trees?"
"Yeah, now half the grove is looking for alimony and he's fresh outa walnuts."
"That wont be the only nuts he'll be out of if the treants catch him..."




Sometimes I wonder about half/*insert animal/vegetable/planar critter species, then again maybe I shouldnt...

 

[las]

all you can do is gain epic feats you other wise are still on the class. For short no bonus epic feats from class levels but you do get to takes epic feats. But lets say you are what you have made then you take ok using SS and epic level hand book in one. K with the ecl of this thing you gain feats equal to your HD + class levels. Thus with 4 HD and 9 levels in a class you would have 5 feats when every one else is level 20. Now your next feat will be when every one else is level 23 which can be an epic feat but you do keep your BaB, Saves, and standered class stuff. But it could be an epic feat. Sorry if that does not make senc.