Tyrant Lizard King's page

I would consider Brawler or Martial Artist Monk for classes. I think you've got a good selection of drawbacks. For Traits I would look into ones that up his saves or luck. Luigi might be a cowardly clutz but he usually sticks it through to the finish.

Firstly, Circle of the Moon sounds pretty easy to do. They seem to be a Wildshape focused Druid so ignore archetypes for this one and go regular Druid. As far as your flavor, most of that for this character will come from feats.

Powerful Shape- treated as if your form was 1 size bigger for certain combat bonuses
Planar Shape- Give you DR, energy resistance and smite while Wildshaped
Shaping Focus- gives you 4 additional Druid levels for Wildshape if you wanna multiclass into Barbarian or something
Quicken Shape- transform faster
Energized Wild Shape- choose an energy type when you Wildshape and gain Resist 10(increase by 5 if the form already has that resistance) and add 1d6 of that energy to all natural attacks(increase die by 1 size category if the form already has energy damage on it's attacks).
Mutated Shape- gain an additional natural attack when you Wildshape
Natural Spell- you can cast spells while in Wildshape form

Those combined with some generic yet useful combat feats like Power Attack can help make you quite the monster in melee, especially if you add Rage.

Next, Circle of the Stars...
This one is much harder to emulate in Pathfinder since a lot of the abilities they have are quite unique. There are a few archetypes that might add some cool abilities that can substitute for that. My biggest suggestion (this will require GM approval) is to take the Stars subdomain of the Void domain for your Nature Bond. This will add some cool spells and domain powers that will make this Druid unique indeed. I'm assuming this character will be more of a caster so maximizing Wisdom will be paramount (bonus spells). Additionally, if you dont care to go down the feat path of Metamagics, you could be the "pokemon master" Druid. Here are some feats for Druid summoning. Ferocious Summons will require GM approval if you're not playing an Orc/Half-Orc.

Ferocious Summons(Orc)- gives your summons Ferocity. They disappear when they die instead of at 0 HP
Augment Summoning- +4 Strength and +4 Constitution to summoned creatures.
Starlight Summons- creatures gain Blind-Fight, +5 to Perception and Stealth in dim light or darkness, natural attacks treated as Cold Iron
Moonlight Summons- shed light as the light spell, immune to confusion and sleep effects, natural attacks treated as Silver
Sunlight Summons- shed light as the light spell, immune to blinding and dazzling effects, natural attacks are treated as Magic
Superior Summoning- add 1 to the total summons whenever you summon more than 1 creature
Versatile Summon Nature's Ally- whenever you summon more than 1 creature with a casting you can grant them 1 of the 4 elemental templates(Fiery, Aqueous, Aerial and Chthonic) or the Primordial template instead of the bonus from Augment Summoning
Nimble Natural Summons- summoned creatures can move through undergrowth at normal speed

I hope that helps!

Could've just been an undead Tiger or a Necrocraft with GM added Pounce.

Or Abomination template to fuse a Big Cat with a Bear and then added Fast Zombie or Skeleton template.

Final thought, it could've been a Yaoguai.

It's basically allowing a free attack (with +4) when successfully preforming an Overrun maneuver in addition to no longer allowing the target to choose to avoid you.

I think the intent is that your Horse gets a chance to "step on" the target of the Overrun as part of the action. The mount is probably moving too quickly to be able to make multiple "step on" attacks... especially since the actual action being taken is the Overrun maneuver. To allow more attacks would be even more powerful than the Pounce ability because you are potentially knocking them prone as well. For game mechanics, allowing more than one attack would cause some serious imbalance IMHO.

Also, consider how this might stack with other feats like Improved Overrun which denies their attack of opportunity, Greater Overrun which grants an attack of opportunity when knocked prone and Charge Through which lets you cause all that destruction on an enemy that's between you and your target of a charge attack. You potentially get 2 attacks on an enemy you overrun, who has no option to attack or avoid and is then prone, and then make a charge attack on a second enemy.

Take the name of two characters or real people that you like and mix them together. Like a cool last name mixed with another person's unique first name...
Alastair MacDirk + Rhogarr Stormblood= Alastair Stormblood or Dirk Bloodstorm.

Another thing I've used is spelling a name backwards and then modifying that to make it sound more exotic...
Amber=Rebam: Rebam, Rehbam, Areh-bam-iri, Serebam, etc.
David=Divad: Divad, Divadas, Radivad, etc.

Feats for different focus builds:
Wildshape
Wild Speech
Natural Spell
Powerful Shape
Planar Wild Shape
Quick Wild Shape
Vital Strike
-Winter's Strike
-Faerie's Strike
-Grasping Strike

Summoning
Spell Focus: Conjuration
Augment Summoning
Versatile Summon Nature's Ally
Moonlight Summons
Sunlight Summons
Starlight Summons
*Summon Guardian Spirit
Summon Plant Ally
Putrid Summons
Nimble Natural Summons
Superior Summoning
Ferocious Summoning (Half-Orc)

Animal Companion
Evolved Companion
Totem Beast
Spirit's Gift
Celestial Companion (Aasimar)
Vampiric Companion (Dhampir, Vampire)
Monstrous Companion

I'm sure there are more I missed. Hopefully some of these are useful to your concept.

With a T-Rex animal companion I would recommend making him full offense instead of a bodyguard. Improved Natural Attack for your Rex and Evolve Companion for you would crank his bite attack to 4d6.
You could take Evolve Companion again to add 1d6 Bleed to it's bite making him even more terrible to get bit by.
Vital Strike chain is destructive with a base 4d6... that not including any size increase, Animal Growth, or Strong Jaw spells >:)

Now, Im assuming you have the Bodyguard archetype for your animal companion to make this more effective and if you do, I think that gaining those feats would work nicely with that archetype. I still recommend your character taking the Evolve Companion feat for this but instead of getting *Improved Damage or *Bleed, get *Reach evolution... now your Rex can make better use of Combat Reflexes, offensively, by being able to chomp anything within 10ft of it. ;)

There are many examples of how it could get unbalancing listed above. You just have to do things "within reason" when you want to bend the rules so you don't break the game. Here is an example of bending the rules in a way that makes reasonable sense from an older thread I posted in...

I've considered introducing a predator(yautja) in a game for some time. I have found that almost everything that they are capable of exist in the technology guides. So having a magic item for each ability is something I haven't tried to put together. Here are some tech pieces if you want to implement those to cover magic items you are having trouble finding....

Weapons:
Mono-whip
Plasmathrower
Lasersight

Medi-comp:
Medlance (for faster injection)
Cureall (for disease and poison)
Vive (for ability damage)
Hemochem (for fast healing)
Nanite Hypogun
Trauma Pack Plus

Other:
Filter Mask
Veemod (brown, gray, green and red)

For voice mimicry I would use Ventriloquism but have it emanate from you and only with things you have heard to "record".

If you're looking for a character that has all upsides and no downsides at all to the requirement that no other class is allowed to even exist in the world as an npc you're in the wrong game.

You have a LOT of really, really nutty random, requirements that you're looking for here. If you think the druid is underpowered or not versatile you're nuttier than the special brownies they hand out at the moots.

+1

Thats kinda funny, you say you do not get a +5 to maintain because it is not a subsequent round which is the line that shows even more intent that maintain checks are on subsequent rounds.

RAW vs RAI

I'm not saying I can't be wrong, but the rules don't say that you cannot maintain a grapple the same round you initiate it.

A very good job summarizing the general rules.

And completely wasted. Monk's have a specific rule that allows their unarmed strikes to count as natural weapons for beneficial effects.

Power attack is a beneficial effect. Exactly what that effect is depends on weapon type, weapon usage, and strength modifier applied with the specific weapon.

In the case of Dragon Ferocity + Power Attack, counting as a natural weapon is more beneficial than counting as a manufactured weapon.

An unarmed strike is a Light, Simple weapon.

For Power Attack and your Unarmed Strike you don't get to change what an unarmed strike is. Power Attack is not an "effect" that enhances any weapon, it simply adds damage at the cost of accuracy. Additionally, an unarmed strike is NEVER considered a Primary Natural Attack(automatically gaining 1.5 STR to damage rolls from being the only natural attack a creature has).
As Natural Attacks read: "You do not receive additional natural attacks for a high base attack bonus. Instead, you receive additional attack rolls for multiple limb and body parts capable of making the attack (as noted by the race or ability that grants the attacks)." Unarmed Strikes are not treated as natural attacks in THAT regard because you DO get to make additional unarmed strikes due to a higher BAB.
Furthermore, a Monk may make an unarmed strike with ANY part of his body... allowing an absurd amount of "Natural Attacks"(you receive additional attack rolls for multiple limb and body parts capable of making the attack) at FULL BAB! This simply is not allowed and you are mistaken.

Dragon Style would still benefit Power Attack though in the way Power Attack would benefit from wielding a weapon in 2 hands(1.5 STR) making it -1 attack for +3 damage for the first strike and +2 damage for the rest. Dragon Ferocity would up it to -1 attack for +4 damage on the first strike(2xSTR) and +3 damage on the rest(1.5 STR).

ChaosTicket it's starting to seem like you are arguing just to argue now. I have read PLENTY of posts here that show how versatile the Druid class is but you maintain that these ideas are incorrect.

There is NO class that will be the best at EVERYTHING. There isn't even a class that is AS good at every thing that other classes specialize in.

Seriously... myself and others have pointed out solutions to your biggest complaints about the class but you dismiss them, for the most part, and then make additional complaints or non-relevant comparisons. It seems like you wanted more to defeat people's opinions about the class being versatile than actually wanting to learn how it could be.

You can argue all you like but the fact remains that the Druid is a very versatile class. You don't like Druid? Try Bard... they are also pretty well balanced. You wanna be the best blaster caster ever? Go be a Wizard/Sorcerer.

TLDR

CORE RULEBOOK
Equipment
-Weapons
--Weapon Descriptions
---Strike, Unarmed
An unarmed strike is always considered a light weapon. Therefore, you can use the Weapon Finesse feat to apply your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier to attack rolls with an unarmed strike. Unarmed strikes do not count as natural weapons (see Combat). The damage from an unarmed strike is considered weapon damage for the purposes of effects that give you a bonus on weapon damage rolls.

Combat
-Actions in Combat
--Attack
---Unarmed Attacks
Striking for damage with punches, kicks, and head butts is much like attacking with a melee weapon, except for the following:...

-Natural Attacks
Attacks made with natural weapons, such as claws and bites, are melee attacks that can be made against any creature within your reach (usually 5 feet). These attacks are made using your full attack bonus and deal an amount of damage that depends on their type (plus your Strength modifier, as normal). You do not receive additional natural attacks for a high base attack bonus. Instead, you receive additional attack rolls for multiple limb and body parts capable of making the attack (as noted by the race or ability that grants the attacks).

Equipment
-Weapons
--Simple
Unarmed Strike

In summary...
Light, Simple Weapons
NOT Natural Attacks, NOT Manufactured Weapons

My best take on a one man army is Druid...

Player Character+
Animal Companion+
Awoken Companion/Tree (loyal and devoted unless you awaken something else)+
Summon Nature's Ally spontaneous spell+
Leadership+
Liveoak spell (Treant guardian)+
Changestaff spell (Treant guardian)+
Shambler spell

This makes; You, Animal Companion, Awoken Animal Companion (Magical Beast- Augmented Animal), Cohort, 1d3 Purple Worms(my choice at SNA IX), 2 Treants and 1d4+2 Advanced Shambling Mounds. You would have quite the personal army. A lot of the troops from spells will be CR6:Shambling Mound and CR8: Treant but your Cohort will be almost as powerful as you, as well as your awoken friend... who would probably gain levels as a PC. Heck, you could possibly even build a Construct to tag along as well. I know a Wizard or Summoner could do something similar but in my opinion the Druid's capabilities with the Awoken animal companion (basically a second Cohort) and Wildshape make them stronger and more fun in combat

Hello everyone! So I'm building custom monsters for a futuristic campaign... themes include Halo, Alien vs Predator and Star Wars. Today's topic is the Xenomorphs. I'm not an experienced poster so Idk how to add links or spoiler/hide buttons to save space :/
At any rate, I am looking for opinions on my creations. Fairness, power, CR, abilities... what could be improved, what could be added, what should be removed? I'm open to all suggestions. I have stats for the following; Facehugger, Chestburster, Drone, Queen. I will only post the Drone for now, and work through the others as the thread progresses.

Universal Xenomorph Traits:
Corrosive Blood: (as Purple Worm but not limited to metal)
Acid Spray: (as Nyogoth)
Pressurized Detonation: A Xenomorph that is reduced to 0 or fewer hitpoints by Fire damage must make a fortitude save, DC equal to 10+ damage dealt or explode dealing Acid damage equal to 1d6 per 2 HD (min 1d6) to all threatened squares. Reflex for 1/2. (Reflex DC = 10+HD+CON)
Fast Healing: equal to 1/5 HD, minimum 1
Ferocity
Darkvision 60ft
Blindsight 60ft
Immune: Acid, Disease and Poison
Fire Vulnerability
+4 racial bonus to Stealth
Hive Mind: +4 to Initiative and Perception when within a Hive
Bonus Feat- Improved Initiative
Xenomorphs always threaten an additional 5ft with Tail attacks. Tail attacks are always considered primary attacks that deal piercing and slashing damage.

Xenomorph Drone
CR 5
XP 1,600
NE Medium Aberration
Init: +10(+14 Hive Mind)
Darkvision 60ft, Blindsight 60ft, Perception +11(+15 Hive Mind)
DEFENSE
AC 23, touch 17, flat-footed 16 (+6 DEX, +6 Nat Armor, +1 Dodge)
HP: 55 (5d8+35); Fast Healing 1
Fort +11, Ref +10, Will +3
Defensive Abilities:(Universal Xenomorph Traits), Resist Cold 5
OFFENSE
Speed: 40, Swim: 20, Climb: 40
Melee: Bite +9(1d6+6, 19-20x2), 2 Claws +8(1d4+6, Grab), Tail +8(1d8+6)
Reach: 5ft (10ft with Tail)
STATISTICS
Str 20, Dex 22, Con 24, Int 11, Wis 14, Cha 14
BAB +3, CMB +8(+12 Grab), CMD 19
Feats: Improved Initiative, Dodge, Mobility, Outflank
Skills: Acrobatics +14, Sense Motive +7, Stealth +18
Languages: ?
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Ferocity
Deadly Grasp: Automatically inflict Bite damage when successfully maintaining a grapple.
Punching Bite: Bite attacks threaten a critical on 19-20

That is what I have currently for the Drone. Any thoughts on the resin/cocoon capabilities? Thank you for your feedback.

Tyrant Lizard King wrote:

People may confuse this feat to only apply to multiclass characters because they think "Max effective druid level equal to character level... my max druid level IS my character level" or something of that nature... No. It's the max effective druid level of the animal companion... not to exceed your character level.

If you are a level 8 Druid with 2 companions at level 4, you can take this feat twice (once for each animal) and have 2 animal companions at effective druid level 8!

This loses steam beyond that however as a level 20 Druid with 2 at 10 with this feat twice allows 2 animals at Druid level 14. Still usable IMO, especially if you're going for a pack theme.

I don't believe it works this way.

This is an order of operations question. Your argument is that you have an Effective Druid Level, which a Packmaster splits between multiple ACs. Afterwards, the Packmaster applies the increased levels from Boon Companion to raise the effective level of the ACs.

The wording from Boon Companion however is that your level (i.e., the PC's level, not the AC's level) is being effectively increased for the purpose of calculating the power of ACs. Animal Companions don't have Effective Druid Levels. You do and your AC's powers are calculated based off of that.

Boon Companion explicitly doesn't let your EDL exceed your class levels. If you apply Boon Companion after splitting ACs, your EDL will exceed your class level. Your claim is that a 6th level Pack Lord can have a level 6 AC and a level 2 AC, since neither exceeds 6. But the math is commutative. Your EDL cannot...

Except it's not talking about your level... it says your animal companion or familiar.

The abilities of your animal companion or familiar are calculated as though your class were 4 levels higher, to a maximum effective druid level equal to your character level.

You are still thinking of calculating the effects based on your effective druid level but the feat says it is calculating your companion as 4 higher. Your AC DOES have an effective druid level. Yes, you have one from class levels that determine how much you have to allot to your animals but they have a level based on the class chart for animal companions that determines their abilities. A single animal companion EDL is what your EDL is, but when there are multiple their EDL are divided and cannot exceed your EDL. For example...

A 6 level packmaster could have 2 companions at effective druid level 3. If you take the feat for one of these animals then its abilities are calculated as 4 higher, however, it's effective druid level cannot exceed your character level. This means that said animal's effective druid level would be 6 even though +4 would make it 7 it cannot exceed your character level and the other would remain 3.

So... lets say there is now packmaster 6/ fighter 2. His EDL is 6. He has 2 animals, one EDL 4 and the other EDL 2. If he applied Boon Companion to EDL 4 animal, it would be calculated as 4 higher, to EDL 8, with a maximum EDL not to exceed Character level... Character level is 8 (6+2)... so now the character has one animal EDL 8 and one EDL 2.

Stop confusing the EDL as your EDL, its referring to your animal's EDL which was already determined by you and your class.

In case this is still confusing lets say Druid 4/ Fighter 3 (lvl 7). EDL of yourself is 4 and single animal (EDL 4). You take Boon Companion and animal is calculated as 4 higher, which would be 8, but maximum EDL cannot exceed your Character level, making the animal's EDL 7... By your logic, using your EDL, the number would still be 4 and this feat could never help anyone. For progression purposes, lets say this same character is now Druid 4/ Fighter 5. The animal's EDL would now be 8... 4 from class levels, 4 from Boon Companion, EDL does not exceed character level (9).

Finally, if it was only meant for multiclassing characters or the wording of Packmaster makes you think it couldn't apply, the wording in the feat specifically points out how it is applied in the case of multiple animal companions.

Boon Companion
Benefit: The abilities of your animal companion or familiar are calculated as though your class were 4 levels higher, to a maximum effective druid level equal to your character level. If you have more than one animal companion or familiar, choose one to receive this benefit. If you lose or dismiss an animal companion or familiar that has received this benefit, you may apply this feat to the replacement creature.

Special: You may select this feat more than once. The effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a different animal companion or familiar.

I know this was longwinded but I cannot stress enough that this is how the feat functions. I understand many of you feel that having multiple, full power animals at low levels is too OP and therefore must be a mistake but it's not. Consider how much a character loses in order to attain these animals in regards to class abilities and the feats they would have to burn to achieve this. Then consider how useless these animals (and to an extent the character) will be at higher levels. A lvl 20 character with 4 companions at EDL 9? 5 from class and +4 to each from taking the feat 4 times... Even a lvl 20 with 2 at EDL 14 would be difficult.

Another option I just considered is Ragechemist Alchemist. That would actually fit your failed science experiment theme pretty well. Feral Mutagen discovery would give you the natural attacks you desire and the Rage Mutagen would give you the beserking qualities you want. Extracts will give you more spell like options than a bloodrager would get as well. It's feat hungry but if you wanted to supplement your body with a sorcerer bloodline take the Eldritch Heritage feat line for extra abilities that are permanent.

Half-Elf might work for the Skill Focus bonus feat (prerequisite for Eldritch Heritage) or Human for their flexible bonus feat to compensate. Half-Orc would be a good option as well due to their ferocity feats.

Additionally, Master Chymist prestige class might appeal to you as well. If you want to be an experiment gone wrong... this is the place to look :)

Necromancer. Have a steady supply of bodies to fight for you. They get destroyed, no big deal. Kill a couple bad guys, you add to your numbers. Maybe Dhampir and channel negative energy to heal yourself and minions.

I agree with the Alchemist idea, they are fun and dangerous. If you wanted a martial build of alchemist look into the Beastmorph or Ragechemist archetypes.

More sticks and stones style... Barbarian.

Seriously, if you want to murder in melee, these are your guys. Being a berserking Halfling is also comical... until youre soaked in the blood of your enemies! Look into Brutal Pugilist and be a grappler. Pin your opponents and throttle the life outta them. Build up to the Neckbreaker feat and you're causing serious damage!

A Dex based Fighter would mess people up. Use a rapier and crank out critical hits and use Critcal feats. Weapon Finesse, Slashing Grace, Impaling Critcal. Use feints to keep them off balance and easier to hit... Deadly Stroke.

Final thought, Druid. You will have access to some powerful nature spells and Wildshape will allow you to charge into combat as a Tiger, Elephant, Dinosaur... you name it! Get armor with the Wild magic enchantment to add your armors armor bonus to your wildshape form instead of trading it for the natural armor. Animal companions are no joke either, they wreck better than most melee classes at their level. I had a Large T-Rex when my Druid hit lvl 7 that had a bite that was 4d6+14, +1d6 Bleed, plus Grab! He nommed everything! Meanwhile, I cast Bulls Strength on myself and Wildshaped into an Allosaurus(Huge)

I would have to say that since it ONLY appears on the Alchemists spell list AND specifies that it is a swift action to use it is an exception to the normal Standard action Extract "casting" time. Therefore, use extract as a swift action... throw a bomb as a standard... choose a target that would take splash damage... two targets take direct hit damage. Obviously on a successful attack roll.

There is really no other way to describe how this extract could possibly work.

That would make an Immolation Bomb exceptionally ugly LOL

If a character was Wild Shaping into a Fiendish animal, wouldn't he still only receive the base abilities provided by the spell?

This spell functions as beast shape II, except that it also allows you to assume the form of a Diminutive or Huge creature of the animal type. This spell also allows you to take on the form of a Small or Medium creature of the magical beast type. If the form you assume has any of the following abilities, you gain the listed ability:
burrow 30 feet, climb 90 feet, fly 90 feet (good maneuverability), swim 90 feet, blindsense 30 feet, darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, scent, constrict, ferocity, grab, jet, poison, pounce, rake, trample, trip, and web.

The only thing they could possibly gain from that would be the Darkvision. Im not saying this should be allowed, but there are several animals in the bestiaries that, in fact, have darkvision in real life but are limited to Low-Light Vision.

People get bent around the rules and freak out about things, that are restricted by the RAW, that really don't hurt the balance in any way...
Wild Shape says you can become any animal you are familiar with. Lets go with the Constrictor Snake... it basically represents your average python. What about the Anaconda? Would the GM use the advanced versions for higher level characters? That makes them real in the game does it not? The Constrictor Snake can be enlarged to a Large or Huge creature resembling an Anaconda. How does this break the balance of the game when a character could also turn into an Allosaurus(Huge)that gains Pounce, Grab and Rake!?

On the other hand, people talk of the Huge Tiger thing...
Realistically, there has NEVER been an Elephant sized(Huge) tiger... the great thing about this game is that they can exist if a GM wants a species of elephant sized tigers! Or any other animal the GM wants to exist in HIS world.

Player: "Hey GM, in this game are there Large and Huge Anacondas? Im playing a Serpent Shaman and there is nothing left that fits my specific abilities and theme beyond the Emperor Cobra?"

GM: "Of course there are. You guys will be in swamps most of the campaign."

Player: "So could I Wild Shape into those creatures when Im able to, if Im familiar with them, even though they aren't in the bestiary?"

Gm: "That rule is stupid. There is an exception for the Eagle Shaman turning into a freakin Roc so Im OK with that."

Player: :D

....problem solved. When it comes down to it, the game is about having fun people. Bend the rules to your will, drive them before you and hear the lamentations of their women!