Yuan-Ti Disciple PrC: Please Critique!

[Kaptain_Kantrip]

I am currently in a campaign featuring extensive use of yuan-ti and one of the players wants to become one because he has fallen madly in love with one of their halfblood priestesses, LOL. This won't disrupt the campaign since it's an evil one.

So looking through the Tome & Blood splatbook, I was inspired by the Dragon Disciple PrC. My PrC here ends up by 5th level granting all psionic and spell-like abilities of the yuan-ti, SR 16, Natural Armor +1, and +3 levels of existing spellcasting class (presumably cleric). The character's type changes to Monstrous Humanoid and they are basically considered a yuan-ti pureblood for all purposes. They don't gain the feats or ability scores of a yuan-ti, however; they retain their own in all cases.


Yuan-Ti Disciple Prestige Class

The Yuan-Ti Disciple (YTD) is a human who has willingly taken on the corrupted
bloodline of the yuan-ti. Initially, the power of the bloodline unlocks certain latent psionic
talents lying dormant in the disciple’s mind, as well as generating a rudimentary spell
resistance and natural armor bonus. As the disciple progresses down this path, more psionic
powers are unlocked, until the disciple has achieved mastery of all psionic powers
common to yuan-ti. In the final stage, the disciple becomes a yuan-ti pureblood, gaining
the spell-like abilities of that creature (see Monster Manual, p.190).

Requirements:

Race: Human.

Alignment: Any evil.

Feats: Dodge, Improved Initiative

Skills: Knowledge (Religion) 8 ranks.

Languages: Yuan-Ti.

Spells: Ability to cast divine spells and access at least one of the Chaos, Evil, Destruction,
Plant domains (or another domain granted by a yuan-ti deity).

Special: Must be willingly transformed through a ritual performed by a yuan-ti cleric
wherein the character to be transformed renounces their humanity and consumes a
mouthful of the sacred blood of the initiating cleric, as well as sacrifices a human life in the name of the yuan-ti deity.

Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills: Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Hide, Intimidate, Knowledge
(Religion), Listen, Move Silently, Spot.

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Ex-Yuan-Ti Disciples: Only a wish or miracle can reverse the transformation process;
the character cannot willingly become of a non-evil alignment or seek to regain their
humanity. If somehow they ever regain their humanity, they lose all class abilities and
cannot advance levels in the Yuan-Ti Disciple class.

Table 1-1: The Yuan-Ti Disciple

1st Level: BAB +0, Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +2
Special: +1 natural armor, SR 11 + 1 per class level.

2nd Level: BAB +1, Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +3
Special: Produce Acid (1d6 damage by touch only, at will), Detect Poison (at will); both
of these are psionic abilities. +1 level of existing spellcasting class.

3rd Level: BAB +2, Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +3
Special: Chameleon Power (+8 Hide checks, at will), Alternate Form (tiny to large viper,
at will); both of these are psionic abilities. +1 level of existing spellcasting class.

4th Level: BAB +3, Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +4
Special: Aversion (inspires fear of snakes and yuan-ti, including the character, at will);
this is a psionic ability. +1 level of existing spellcasting class.

5th Level: BAB +3, Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +4
Special: Yuan-ti Apotheosis (character gains the spell-like abilities of a pureblood yuan-ti
and changes to the monstrous humanoid type).

* Unless otherwise noted, all psionic and spell-like abilities are exactly as per the yuan-ti
entry in the Monster Manual, p.190.

 

[Hulkamaniac]

Seems balanced to me, more-so than the Dragon Diciple IMO. I love the idea. I would like to see more creative/useful Prc's such as this. Good work such as this lets me know that some DM's care for the enjoyment of their player. Bravo

 

[Ace32]

Get the Forgotten Realms Monster Compendium, or atleast the Yuan-ti Broodguard template... that's what you are looking for I think.

 

[Valicor]

Looks good, should you really restrict it only to humans though?

 

[Kaptain_Kantrip]

I wonder if it is still a little weak? Yes, it's drastically toned down from the Dragon Disciple, LOL, but giving up five levels is a lot. Should each level give +1 level of existing spellcasting class? That's as much boost as I'd want to give it.

The Tainted One from Monsters of Faerun is what you're thinking of; the broodguard (histachii) are made up of humans who failed to "evolve" into tainted ones and degenerate into dimwitted, animalistic guards.

Humans are the only ones in the rules who can become yuan-ti (in Monsters of Faerun, demihumans die from drinking the transformation fluid). Feel free to change it however you want, of course.

I suppose the yuan-ti could just use their polymorph other ability to create more yuan-ti, though, but this way, the subject retains its physical ability scores (desirable if superior to those of a yuan-ti) while gaining all the psionic and spell-like abilities denied by a polymorph other spell. Is there a newer revision of Polymorph Other/Self since Tome & Blood? It's hard to keep track of all the revisions to this spell. It's really too hard for me to figure out which abilities are received and which aren't, especially in the heat of battle or when I want to keep things moving...

Thanks for the input!

 

[elric lornhood]

Too much at will?

I don't know much about psionics, but I see it as a bit much that so many of the powers are usable at will. If you want some other Yuan'Ti friendly type of class in your campaign, I'll be posting my Serpent Brotherhood class which could easily be usable as a Yuan-Ti friendly class. I also love them and think they are an underused monster.

 

[Kaptain_Kantrip]

The 5 psionic powers aren't that amazing/unbalancing, IMO.

Detect Poison at will? A cantrip equivalent, no harm there.

Alternate Form? Takes a standard action to change, allows only tiny to large viper forms, better for sneaking/escaping than attacking, IMO.

Aversion? Must use a standard action to activate, which would probably be better spent attacking. Affects only 1 creature.

Chameleon Power? +8 to Hide. No big deal.

Produce Acid? Great if you're a monk, otherwise it does okay damage (subdual from fist + Str + 1d6 acid). It lasts only 1 round and becomes harmless after leaving the yuan-ti's body. Good for melting locks and making escapes, and the character will always have an unarmed attack. I see the PC not using this much in favor of his much more potent sword attacks.

 

[Kaptain_Kantrip]

Any other opinions?

 

[Dispater]

Why only humans?

 

[Kaptain_Kantrip]

Humans are the only ones in the rules who can become yuan-ti (in Monsters of Faerun, demihumans die from drinking the transformation fluid). Feel free to change it however you want, of course.

(I already said this in a previous post!)