Interesting Templates for Characters

[Seeten]

I was inspired by Thanee's LA +1 thread into trying this out.

I have seen Half-Dragon, and Half-Fiend, Lich and assorted others, and really like some of them, but I am wondering which ones you guys like, which ones you like for an actual character you'd want to play, which ones you think are crazygonuts overpowered, etc.

I tend to find most everything with an LA of +2 or more to be bad, but in a campaign where my friend played a tweaked out Half-Dragon with a Str of over 30 to incredible effect, I must say, I was impressed. What are some of your favorites?

 

[Jack Simth]

Phenric is pretty fair for Sorcerors, as the +4 Charisma offsets save DC's, the +2 Int and Wis increase skill points and Will saves, and the Psi-Like abilities are rather useful (Body Adjustment, once per day at ECL 7 for either 1d12 or 2d12 + 1d12 per two additional HD - hmm, when a Psi-like ability doesn't specify which level it's at, which one is used?). The Power Resistance will occasionally get in the way of allies attempting to help (always hurts to have a Healing spell fizzle against your spell resistance when you're at negative HP, but then, with only 10+HD, your PR is going to be outclassed fairly readily (roll of 7 succeeds) by any fully classed spellcaster).

It works especially well with the LA buy-off variant.....

 

[Corsair]

Feral is good. Draconic is good. I actually like the "Shadow creature" template too.

 

[Drowbane]

Shade has consistantly been my favorite template since the FRCS was released. Other favorites include: Feral (Savage Species), Mineral Warrior (Underdark), Winged (Savage Species), 1/2 Dragon, 1/2 Celestial, 1/2 Fiend, and my homebrewed Nosteratu (a slightly more playable Vampire)

 

[Thanee]

Feral is good.

That's a bit of an understatement there.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

In one of the still missing posts, someone once accused me of mentioning the Savage Species Multiheaded Template in every thread...but I think it really belongs here!

You get +2HD/head (Medium creatures can only have one extra head), +2 Con, 2wf or mwf without penalty, Improved initiative and (as I recall) Combat Expertise as bonuses, and +2 to Listen/Search/Spot checks for +2 LA.

For an additional +2LA you can get Lernean, and for another +1LA, you can get Cryo or Pyro- each of which adds a weakness, a resistance and a breath weapon.

 

[Drowbane]

In one of the still missing posts, someone once accused me of mentioning the Savage Species Multiheaded Template in every thread...but I think it really belongs here!

You get +2HD/head (Medium creatures can only have one extra head), +2 Con, 2wf or mwf without penalty, Improved initiative and (as I recall) Combat Expertise as bonuses, and +2 to Listen/Search/Spot checks for +2 LA.

For an additional +2LA you can get Lernean, and for another +1LA, you can get Cryo or Pyro- each of which adds a weakness, a resistance and a breath weapon.

Note that everytime you increase the number of HD, you're increasing your overall ECL also. This is one reason I've never considered taking this template for a PC... that and its rather weird. Hmm... two-headed Warforged... um... something.

Still, this is an awesome template for DMs to throw on monsters! Just wait until that "Hydra" the PCs have been hunting in the (Insert cool place name here) Swamps turns out to actually be a mutant Black Dragon!

 

[Klaus]

For purely fluff reasons, I like the Folkloric Fey template from Van Richten's Guide to the Shadow Fey. Apply it to an elf or dwarf and you get a playable 'mythological' version of the race.

 

[Question]

Is that a WOTC book?

Btw i always considered shade to be too "what if". I mean it would be GREAT in a underdark campaign and all, but having it useless when you are in the sunlight is really limiting in a standard campaign, just like how mounted combat is nearly useless.

 

[Dog Moon]

I don't know why, but I've always like the Winged template. Wings and a good Dex bonus fits me perfectly.

If the LA wasn't so high, I'd like to play a neat combination of Tauric or Amalgamation, but I don't think it would be worth it.

I've always wanted to play a character who used the Swarm Shifter template, but I don't want to play Undead to use it.