New Monstrous Player Race: Cambion

 

Racial Powers

A race that resembles a unholy union between man and devil. (Note: This contains some custom powers mentioned in a a previous thread.)

Cambion 0

  • Dark Souls: Whenever rolling on the Tampering With Mortality table, the character suffers a penalty on the 1d20 roll of -1 per level of experience. (-1)

  • Dominate Undeath: The character gains +2 to reaction roll against undead. The character gains the ability to turn undead as a cleric of his level, but unlike Clerics, cannot destroy undead inherently. Instead they use their deformed souls to dominate undead, indefinitely gaining control over the undead  they would otherwise destroy. Dominated undead can no longer be turned - only destroyed. If the character casts spells that require a saving throw versus Death, his targets suffer a -2 penalty on the save. When the character casts necromantic spells (such as animate dead), the spell effects are calculated as if he were two class levels higher than his actual level of experience. (+3)

  • After the Flesh: Once transformed, a creature may continue to advance in Hit Dice without limit, regardless of his class’s maximum level.  At 1 HD, it requires 3,000XP plus 500XP per special ability (*) to advance to 2 HD. The amount of XP required doubles with each HD (round values greater than 20,000XP to the nearest 1,000). As the undead creature increases in Hit Dice, any class abilities (such as thief skills, spellcasting, turning undead, etc.) will continue to progress without regard to his class’s maximum level, to a maximum of 14th level. (+1)

  • Perceive Intentions: The character always knows the exact reaction result (Hostile, Unfriendly, etc.) of creatures he interacts with, even if the creatures attempt to lie or conceal their reactions. Creatures with a CHA greater than the character’s WIS are immune to this power (and the character will know they are immune). (+1)

 

Cambion 1

  • Dark Souls: Whenever rolling on the Tampering With Mortality table, the character suffers a penalty on the 1d20 roll of -1 per level of experience. (-1)

  • Dominate Undeath: The character gains +2 to reaction roll against undead. The character gains the ability to turn undead as a cleric of his level, but unlike Clerics, cannot destroy undead inherently. Instead they use their deformed souls to dominate undead, indefinitely gaining control over the undead  they would otherwise destroy. Dominated undead can no longer be turned - only destroyed. If the character casts spells that require a saving throw versus Death, his targets suffer a -2 penalty on the save. When the character casts necromantic spells (such as animate dead), the spell effects are calculated as if he were two class levels higher than his actual level of experience. (+3)

  • After the Flesh: Once transformed, a creature may continue to advance in Hit Dice without limit, regardless of his class’s maximum level.  At 1 HD, it requires 3,000XP plus 500XP per special ability (*) to advance to 2 HD. The amount of XP required doubles with each HD (round values greater than 20,000XP to the nearest 1,000). As the undead creature increases in Hit Dice, any class abilities (such as thief skills, spellcasting, turning undead, etc.) will continue to progress without regard to his class’s maximum level, to a maximum of 14th level. (+1)

  • Perceive Intentions: The character always knows the exact reaction result (Hostile, Unfriendly, etc.) of creatures he interacts with, even if the creatures attempt to lie or conceal their reactions. Creatures with a CHA greater than the character’s WIS are immune to this power (and the character will know they are immune). (+1)

  • Unholy Existence: The character suffers a -2 penalty on all saves made versus lawful divine spells. All attacks from lawful creatures do +1 bonus damage. (-1)

  • Cursed Flesh:  The character is immune to all forms of poisons, curses and disease, gains a +4 bonus to saving throws against Paralysis and Petrification and Death, and gains a +2 bonus to saves versus Spells. (+2)



 

Cambion 2

  • Dark Souls: Whenever rolling on the Tampering With Mortality table, the character suffers a penalty on the 1d20 roll of -1 per level of experience. (-1)

  • Dominate Undeath: The character gains +2 to reaction roll against undead. The character gains the ability to turn undead as a cleric of his level, but unlike Clerics, cannot destroy undead inherently. Instead they use their deformed souls to dominate undead, indefinitely gaining control over the undead  they would otherwise destroy. Dominated undead can no longer be turned - only destroyed. If the character casts spells that require a saving throw versus Death, his targets suffer a -2 penalty on the save. When the character casts necromantic spells (such as animate dead), the spell effects are calculated as if he were two class levels higher than his actual level of experience. (+3)

  • After the Flesh: Once transformed, a creature may continue to advance in Hit Dice without limit, regardless of his class’s maximum level.  At 1 HD, it requires 3,000XP plus 500XP per special ability (*) to advance to 2 HD. The amount of XP required doubles with each HD (round values greater than 20,000XP to the nearest 1,000). As the undead creature increases in Hit Dice, any class abilities (such as thief skills, spellcasting, turning undead, etc.) will continue to progress without regard to his class’s maximum level, to a maximum of 14th level. (+1)

  • Perceive Intentions: The character always knows the exact reaction result (Hostile, Unfriendly, etc.) of creatures he interacts with, even if the creatures attempt to lie or conceal their reactions. Creatures with a CHA greater than the character’s WIS are immune to this power (and the character will know they are immune). (+1)

  • Unholy Existence: The character suffers a -2 penalty on all saves made versus lawful divine spells. All attacks from lawful creatures do +1 bonus damage. (-1)

  • Cursed Flesh:  The character is immune to all forms of poisons, curses and disease, gains a +4 bonus to saving throws against Paralysis and Petrification and Death, and gains a +2 bonus to saves versus Spells. (+2)

  • Second Sight: The character has a connection to the hidden world, and can see innately or magically invisible creatures within 60’. Invisible creatures are aware that the character can see them and may often take a particular interest in him as a result. Second sight does not provide the ability to see characters in shadows, secret doors, traps or other creatures or objects hidden through cover and concealment, but does provide a +4 bonus to saving throws to disbelieve illusions. (+1)

  • Child of the Shadows: The character has the ability hide in shadows and move silently as a Thief of his level. If  in areas of poor lighting, the character may make this proficiency throw as a Thief two class levels higher that his actual level of experience.  So long as he remains in regions of poor lighting, the character can move in shadows without needing to reroll and does not suffer movement speed penalties while moving silently.  Whilst in areas of poor lighting, the character gains an additional +1 bonus to damage. Any lights, magical or otherwise, with sufficient intensity to dispel darkness or shadows will summarily dispel these effects, if the character is within range. (Ex. A chamber that is fully lit would not permit any abilities not allowed to a normal thief of his level.)  (+2½)

 

Cambion 3

  • Dark Souls: Whenever rolling on the Tampering With Mortality table, the character suffers a penalty on the 1d20 roll of -1 per level of experience. (-1)

  • Dominate Undeath: The character gains +2 to reaction roll against undead. The character gains the ability to turn undead as a cleric of his level, but unlike Clerics, cannot destroy undead inherently. Instead they use their deformed souls to dominate undead, indefinitely gaining control over the undead  they would otherwise destroy. Dominated undead can no longer be turned - only destroyed. If the character casts spells that require a saving throw versus Death, his targets suffer a -2 penalty on the save. When the character casts necromantic spells (such as animate dead), the spell effects are calculated as if he were two class levels higher than his actual level of experience. (+3)

  • After the Flesh: Once transformed, a creature may continue to advance in Hit Dice without limit, regardless of his class’s maximum level.  At 1 HD, it requires 3,000XP plus 500XP per special ability (*) to advance to 2 HD. The amount of XP required doubles with each HD (round values greater than 20,000XP to the nearest 1,000). As the undead creature increases in Hit Dice, any class abilities (such as thief skills, spellcasting, turning undead, etc.) will continue to progress without regard to his class’s maximum level, to a maximum of 14th level. (+1)

  • Perceive Intentions: The character always knows the exact reaction result (Hostile, Unfriendly, etc.) of creatures he interacts with, even if the creatures attempt to lie or conceal their reactions. Creatures with a CHA greater than the character’s WIS are immune to this power (and the character will know they are immune). (+1)

  • Unholy Existence: The character suffers a -2 penalty on all saves made versus lawful divine spells. All attacks from lawful creatures do +1 bonus damage. (-1)

  • Cursed Flesh:  The character is immune to all forms of poisons, curses and disease, gains a +4 bonus to saving throws against Paralysis and Petrification and Death, and gains a +2 bonus to saves versus Spells. (+2)

  • Second Sight: The character has a connection to the hidden world, and can see innately or magically invisible creatures within 60’. Invisible creatures are aware that the character can see them and may often take a particular interest in him as a result. Second sight does not provide the ability to see characters in shadows, secret doors, traps or other creatures or objects hidden through cover and concealment, but does provide a +4 bonus to saving throws to disbelieve illusions. (+1)

  • Child of the Shadows: The character has the ability hide in shadows and move silently as a Thief of his level. If  in areas of poor lighting, the character may hide in shadows on a proficiency throw of 8+ and attempt to move silently on a proficiency throw of 12+.  If the players  So long as he remains in regions of poor lighting, the character can move in shadows without needing to reroll and does not suffer movement speed penalties while moving silently.  Whilst in areas of poor lighting, the character gains an additional +1 bonus to attack throws, saving throws and AC, and a +2 bonus to damage. Any lights, magical or otherwise, with sufficient intensity to dispel darkness and shadows will summarily dispel these effects, if the character is within range. (Ex. A chamber that is fully lit would not permit any abilities not allowed to a normal thief of his level.)  (+4 )

  • Abomination: Unless fully clothed and mute, the character is recognizable as an abomination. Lawful creatures are immediately unfriendly and creatures with lawful divinity are immediately hostile. The character is effectively unable to purchase healing spells from lawful clergy, else be immediately attacked. This effect also grants a -3 on reaction rolls against all neutral creatures. (-2)

  • Fangs and Claws:  The character gains a claw/claw/ bite attack routine. The claws deal 1d3-1 damage each, while the bite deals 1d6-1 damage. (+3)

  • Death Healing: When the character successfully slays a sentient creature with a melee attack, he can, in lieu of cleaving, expend a spell slot to heal himself. Healing is 1d6 per level of the spell slot  expended, to a maximum value equal to the slain victim’s maximum (starting) hit points. (+2)

 

Cambion 4

  • Dark Souls: Whenever rolling on the Tampering With Mortality table, the character suffers a penalty on the 1d20 roll of -1 per level of experience. (-1)

  • Dominate Undeath: The character gains +2 to reaction roll against undead. The character gains the ability to turn undead as a cleric of his level, but unlike Clerics, cannot destroy undead inherently. Instead they use their deformed souls to dominate undead, indefinitely gaining control over the undead  they would otherwise destroy. Dominated undead can no longer be turned - only destroyed. If the character casts spells that require a saving throw versus Death, his targets suffer a -2 penalty on the save. When the character casts necromantic spells (such as animate dead), the spell effects are calculated as if he were two class levels higher than his actual level of experience. (+3)

  • After the Flesh: Once transformed, a creature may continue to advance in Hit Dice without limit, regardless of his class’s maximum level.  At 1 HD, it requires 3,000XP plus 500XP per special ability (*) to advance to 2 HD. The amount of XP required doubles with each HD (round values greater than 20,000XP to the nearest 1,000). As the undead creature increases in Hit Dice, any class abilities (such as thief skills, spellcasting, turning undead, etc.) will continue to progress without regard to his class’s maximum level, to a maximum of 14th level. (+1)

  • Perceive Intentions: The character always knows the exact reaction result (Hostile, Unfriendly, etc.) of creatures he interacts with, even if the creatures attempt to lie or conceal their reactions. Creatures with a CHA greater than the character’s WIS are immune to this power (and the character will know they are immune). (+1)

  • Unholy Existence: The character suffers a -2 penalty on all saves made versus lawful divine spells. All attacks from lawful creatures do +1 bonus damage. (-2)

  • Cursed Flesh:  The character is immune to all forms of poisons, curses and disease, gains a +4 bonus to saving throws against Paralysis and Petrification and Death, and gains a +2 bonus to saves versus Spells (+2)

  • Second Sight: The character has a connection to the hidden world, and can see innately or magically invisible creatures within 60’. Invisible creatures are aware that the character can see them and may often take a particular interest in him as a result. Second sight does not provide the ability to see characters in shadows, secret doors, traps or other creatures or objects hidden through cover and concealment, but does provide a +4 bonus to saving throws to disbelieve illusions. (+1)

  • Child of the Shadows: The character has the ability hide in shadows and move silently as a Thief two levels higher than his actual level of experience. If  in areas of poor lighting, the character may hide in shadows on a proficiency throw of 1+ and attempt to move silently on a proficiency throw of 4+.  So long as he remains in regions of poor lighting, the character can move in shadows without needing to reroll and does not suffer movement speed penalties while moving silently.  Whilst in areas of poor lighting, the character gains an additional +3 bonus to attack throws, saving throws and AC, and a +2 bonus to damage. Any lights, magical or otherwise, with sufficient intensity to dispel darkness and shadows will summarily dispel these effects, if the character is within range. Once daily, in areas of poor lighting or otherwise shrouded in shadows, the character can take on the aspect of a shadow: they become impervious to non-magic weapons and creatures encountering the character suffer a -3 penalty to surprise rolls. These effects endure while a character remains in areas of poor lighting and endures for 1 round afterwards. Being the direct target of the Light spell will immediately expose the character and end these effects. (+8)

  • Perceive Intentions: The character always know the exact reaction result (Hostile, Unfriendly, etc.) of creatures he interacts with, even if the creatures attempt to lie or conceal their reactions. Creatures with a CHA greater than the character’s WIS are immune to this power (and the character will know they are immune). (+1)

  • Abomination: Unless fully clothed and mute, the character is recognizable as an abomination. Lawful creatures are immediately unfriendly and creatures with lawful divinity are immediately hostile. The character is effectively unable to purchase healing spells from lawful clergy, else be immediately attacked. This effect also grants a -3 on reaction rolls against all neutral creatures. (-2)

  • Fangs and Claws:  The character gains a claw/claw/ bite attack routine. The claws deal 1d3-1 damage each, while the bite deals 1d6-1 damage. (+3)

  • Death Healing: When the character successfully slays a sentient creature with a melee attack, he can, in lieu of cleaving, expend a spell slot to heal himself. Healing is 1d6 per level of the spell slot  expended, to a maximum value equal to the slain victim’s maximum (starting) hit points. (+2)

  • Fangs and Claws:  The character gains a claw/claw/ bite attack routine. The claws deal 1d4-1 damage each, while the bite deals 1d8-1 damage. (+5)

  • Animal Reflexes: The character gains a +1 bonus on surprise rolls and initiative rolls. This does not provide a bonus to casting spells. While Animal Reflexes is similar to taking the Combat Reflexes proficiency selected as a custom power, for game balance reasons, consider Animal Reflexes as a separate class power and allow it to stack with Combat Reflexes. For flavor, mystics call this power speed of thought and Zaharan ruinguards call it quickening.  (+1)



 

Value

Cambion

XP Cost

4

Cambion + Cleric (Spells x 150%)

4,250

3

Cambion + Cleric (Spells x  133%)

2,250

2

Cambion + Cleric

1,250

1

Cambion + ½ level Cleric

500

0

Cambion + Dominate Undeath

250


 

 

Thoughts? I would especially like feedbak on the XP Cost. I have the PDF with the appropriate costs for custom races. After a certain point, however, I felt that the individual costs did not reflect how monstrous the race powers were - especially when used in conjunction with one another. Especially, the Child of the Shadows power that gave abilities from the Thief class while the race itself also has access to Cleric spells and progression. The XP costs were approximated and adjusted. In the end, a base XP was set and then a multiplier was applied to all progressions. 

I think you did the right thing in raising the cost of the powers, since they are so synergistic with core activities for characters. 

The race is very flavorful. Also, thank you for calling it Cambion and not Tiefling.