My Changeling Paragon Class

[Baron Opal]

Desiring a racial class for changelings (Eberron), I came up with this. Tell me what you think. The major benefit of the class is patterned after house rules for alter self.

Changeling Racial Levels
HD: d8
Weapons: All simple weapons.
Armor: Light armors and shields.

Level Base Fortitude Reflex Will Special
1 +0 +0 +0 +2 +1 Charisma, Innate magical ability: 1/day - read minds
2 +1 +0 +1 +3 +1 Charisma, +1 Dexterity
3 +2 +1 +1 +3 Greater Bodymorph, +1 Strength

Greater Bodymorph: The changeling is able to shift their form with greater control than most of their race. Not only are they able to mimic the form of another humanoid with greater control, they can also enhance their form with features of other creatures.

Changelings can adopt two features. They can maintain this new form for as many hours/day as their Charisma bonus +1, minimum one hour. They may spend this time in one hour units. Once chosen the features are fixed for at least an hour.
• Swim 30’, Walk 60’ or fly 30’.
• Low-light Vision
• Waterbreathing
• Climate damage resistance 10.
• Elemental resistance 5
• +5 to Climb and Jump
• Handblade: Transform a hand into a bone shortsword, 1d6 damage.
• Carapace: +2 Natural armor.

 

[Graf]

Not an expert on racial levels.
However, imho, here are a few points:
1. you mean detect thoughts right? there is no "read minds" spell
2. You should probably call Greater Bodymorph improved alter self or something.
3. greater bodymorph isn't clearly worded. If I were a DM I'd make you actually specify what you can and can't do with it and over what duration. "locking in" someone for an hour sounds like a particularly weird side effect.
4. Don't use special saving throws.
5. You need a skil list.
6. Don't put all the shapechanging into the third level of the class.
*Ex: At the first level fof the class allow them more control. Maybe the ability to turn into a small creature.
7. I woudl give out one use of detect thoughts every class level.
8. You need to specify things like "caster level" for [detect thoughts.
9. Climate damage resistance doesn't make any sense. Do you mean endure elements?

It's a good idea, the powers for the 3rd level class seem reasonably balanced.

 

[Nifft]

Interesting! Allow me to streamline it for you?

Changeling Paragon
HD: d8
BAB: 3/4
Good Save: Will
Skills: 6 + Int -- Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (history, local, nobility & royalty) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis) and Swim (Str).

Proficiencies: Simple weapons, Light armor and Shields (but not tower shields).

1/ Martial body
2/ +1 spellcaster level
3/ +2 Charisma, detect thoughts

Martial Body (Ex): You have trained your body for war. You gain access to the following benefits. Changing which benefit you have is a Move action.

• Camouflage: you gain a bonus to your Hide check equal to twice your class level
• Thick Skin: you gain a natural armor bonus equal to your class level
• Fist of Bone: you gain a Slam attack that deals 1d4 damage (primary or secondary natural attack)
• Climate Adaptation: you can exist comfortably in any natural climate (as endure elements)
• Athletic: you gain a bonus to Climb, Jump and Swim checks equal to twice your class level

Note that this probably shouldn't be used in a campaign with the Warshaper prestige class... I sorta consider the Warshaper PrC to be the official Changeling paragon ...

Cheers, -- N

 

[Crothian]

Of niffts: I'd lower the HD to d6, and limit Detect thoughts to X/day

 

[Nifft]

Of niffts: I'd lower the HD to d6, and limit Detect thoughts to X/day

Yeah, I agonized over the d8 vs. d6, but the d8 won out because:
- no Tumble
- no Sneak Attack
- same skill points as a Ranger (vs. what a Changeling racial sub Rogue gets (!!!) )
- 1/3 spellcasting

This paragon class is more martial than the Changeling Rogue would be, but doesn't get much that allows it to survive in combat. Thus, the d8.

For detect thoughts, IMHO it gets less useful after a certain point, so I didn't really consider it worth limiting. (Unless you were to take Mindspy PrC or something like that -- but then you're really focusing on that one ability, and to limit it would be stinky.)

That's the reasoning behind my choices -- but they may very well be flawed!

What kind of limit would you put on detect thoughts ?

Thanks, -- N

 

[Baron Opal]

Wow, that's great! Thanks!

Sorry I was unclear. I use AE as my core, so read minds translates as detect thoughts and my skill system is a little different so there really aren't any "class skills" per se.

This was in part inspired by Jack Chalker's book Medusa, part of his Four Lords of the Diamond series. I'm looking to expand the changeling's abilities without making them full dopplegangers (or Warshapers, for that matter.)

 

[Nifft]

Ah, AE would explain the "middle" reflex save and the +1 stat bonuses. In that case, call it "Racial Levels" and then I won't be all confused.

I do think that Greater Bodymorph is too strong, particularly for a game which doesn't have alter self. I also think you should add at least +1 spellcaster level (unrestricted, so it could turn into +1 combat rites feat at the player's option).

In that case, I'd remove the stat boosts except the (+1 Charisma) and here's what I'd do for Greater Bodymorph instead:

Greater Bodymorph (Ex): You can gain features of the race you are emulating.
- Sibbeccai: You gain use of the Bite feat and +2 Dex.
- Littorian: You gain use of the Bite feat and +2 Con.
- Mojh: You gain use of the Bite feat and +2 natural armor.
- Giant: You gain +2 Str.
- Faen: You are Small, but you retain your normal land speed.
- Dracha: You gain the ability to glide and +2 natural armor.

... or something like that. Basically, fit it into the setting.

Cheers, -- N