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Skin-Walker
Class Level BAB Fort Save Reflex Save Will Save # of Skins Armor Bonus Evolution Pool Skin Max Attacks Special
1st +1 +2 +2 0 2 2 3 3 Skin, Monster Feats
2nd +2 +3 +3 0 2 4 3 Evasion
3rd +3 +3 +3 1 2 5 3 Feat
4th +4 +4 +4 1 3 2 7 4 Quick Change
5th +5 +4 +4 1 4 8 4 Multiattack
6th +6 +5 +5 2 4 9 4 Feat
7th +7 +5 +5 2 6 10 4
8th +8 +6 +6 2 6 11 5
9th +9 +6 +6 3 4 6 13 5 Feat
10th +10 +7 +7 3 8 14 5 Improved Evasion
11th +11 +7 +7 3 8 15 5
12th +12 +8 +8 4 10 16 6 Feat
13th +13 +8 +8 4 10 17 6
14th +14 +9 +9 4 5 10 19 6 Reflexive Change
15th +15 +9 +9 5 12 20 6 Feat
16th +16 +10 +10 5 12 21 7
17th +17 +10 +10 5 14 22 7
18th +18 +11 +11 6 14 23 7 Feat
19th +19 +11 +11 6 6 14 25 7
20th +20 +12 +12 6 16 26 8 Final Form
SKIN-WALKER
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d10.
Class Skills
The Skin-Walker ’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
The following are the class features of the Skin-Walker.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Skin-Walkers are proficient with all simple weapons, all martial weapons, and the natural weapons of the forms they turn into. Skin-Walkers are also proficient with light armor and all shields.
Skin (Su): A skin-walker can pull energies from the outer planes and wear them like a skin. This changes their shape to that of unnatural creatures, and they use this power to fight like a monster. The mark of the skin-walker always shows when a skin is worn, this maybe a glowing mark that shines an inch off the middle of the skin’s head. A skin-walker can never exactly mimic any other creature, they always look slightly unnatural, and anyone with an understanding of animals (wild empathy, or 1 rank in handle animal or knowledge (nature), for example) can look and quickly spot its wrongness.
Skin-Walkers start out with two alternate forms and gain more as they go up. It is a full round action to change forms, as the skin-walker summons the energy and changes shape. A skin can be maintained for up to 1 hour (10 minutes?) per level, and then they must resume their normal form. They can put on a skin, Charisma modifier plus 3 times per day. If they change out of the skin early the energy is lost, and they lose the rest of the time for that skin change. A skin-walker can have only one skin on at a time.
All equipment is covered up when the skin is put on; this suppresses most magic items, and stops the skin-walker from retrieving items. The exception to this is items that don’t need an action to turn on, and any item the skin can use; if your new form can carry, and use a weapon in its hands then the sword does not vanish. Armor does not function while a skin is on.
Each skin starts with one of three base forms that determine the skins starting size, speed, AC, attacks, and ability score bonuses. These base forms also note any free traits that base form possesses. The bonuses from these free traits are already factored into the starting statistics.
Alternatively, any one of these base forms can be made Small. If the skin is Small, it gains a +2 size bonus to its Dexterity score, a –2 size penalty to its Strength, a +1 size bonus to its AC and attack rolls, a –1 penalty to its CMB and CMD scores, +2 size bonus on its Fly skill checks, and a +4 size bonus on its Stealth skill checks. Reduce the damage of all of its attacks by one step (1d6 becomes 1d4; 1d4 becomes 1d3). If this choice is made, the skin can be made Medium whenever the skin-walker can change the skin’s trait pool (which causes it to lose these modifiers for being Small).
Darkvision (Ex): All skins have darkvision out to a range of 60 feet.
Base Forms
Quadruped
Starting Statistics: Size Medium; Speed 40 ft.; AC +2 natural armor; Attack bite (1d6); Ability Scores Con +2; Free Traits bite, limbs (legs) (2).
Biped
Starting Statistics: Size Medium; Speed 30 ft.; AC +2 natural armor; Attack 2 claws (1d4); Ability Scores Str +2; Free Traits claws, limbs (arms), limbs (legs).
Serpentine
Starting Statistics: Size Medium; Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.; AC +2 natural armor; Attack bite (1d6), tail slap (1d6); Ability Scores Dex +2; Free Traits bite, climb, tail, tail slap.
Armor Bonus: The number noted here is the skin’s base total armor bonus. This bonus may be split between an armor bonus and a natural armor bonus, as decided by the Skin-Walker. This number is modified by the skin’s base form and some options available through its trait pool. While wearing a skin, a skin walker gets no bonuses from armor, as the armor is covered up when the skin-walker puts on the skin.
Trait Pool: The value given in this column is the total number of points in the skin’s trait pool. Points from this pool can be spent on a wide variety of modifications and upgrades that add new abilities, attacks, and powers to the skin. Whenever the skin-walker gains a level, the number in this pool increases and the skin-walker can spend these points to change the abilities of the skin. These choices are not set. The skin-walker can change them whenever he gains a level (and through the transmogrify spell). The current list is below at the end of the class.
Max. Attacks: This indicates the maximum number of natural attacks that the skin is allowed to possess at the given level. If the skin is at its maximum, it cannot take traits that grant additional natural attacks.
Monster Feats: A skin-walker can pick up any feat, that the prerequisites for are met while using a skin, though the feat is only useable when the prerequisites are actually met.
Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level, a skin-walker, in any form gains evasion. If a skin-walker is subjected to an attack that allows a Reflex save for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw.
Feat: At 3rd level, and every 3 levels after a skin-walker gains a bonus feat.
Quick Change: At 4th level, a skin-walker can put on a skin as a standard action. This improves to a move action at 14th and a swift action at 20th.
Multiattack: At 6th level, a skin-walker gains Multiattack as a bonus feat; if his current form has 3 or more natural attacks. If he does not have the requisite 3 or more natural attacks (or is reduced to less than 3 attacks), the skin-walker instead gains a second attack with one of its natural weapons, albeit at a –5 penalty. If the skin-walker later gains 3 or more natural attacks, it loses this additional attack and instead gains Multiattack.
Improved Evasion (Ex): At 10th level, a skin-walker gains Improved Evasion. When subjected to an attack that allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a skin-walker takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and only half damage if the saving throw fails.
Reflexive Change (Ex): At 14th level, a skin-walker can respond to an opponent’s attack by putting on a skin. This is an immediate action and the skin the skin-walker puts on must have a defense against the attack that the skin-walker would normally not have. The skin-walker can do this as often as he likes, but each time it counts as a skin use for that day, and he loses his next move action.
Final Form (Su): From summoning so much energy from the outer planes, the skin-walker’s fundamental life force is closer aligned with them, than his home plane. At 20th level, the skin-walkers type changes to outsider (native), instead of humanoid. In addition the skin-walker can put on any of his skins as many times as he wants for an unlimited amount of times per day.
Traits
Each skin-walker receives a number of trait points that can be spent each war form for new abilities, powers, and other upgrades. These abilities, called traits, can be changed whenever the skin-walker gains a new level, but they are otherwise set. Some traits require that the skin have a specific base form or the skin-walker be of a specific level before they can be chosen. A number of traits grant additional natural attacks. Natural attacks listed as primary are made using the Skin-Walker’s full base attack bonus and adding the Skin-Walker’s Strength modifier to damage rolls. Natural attacks listed as secondary are made using the Skin-Walker’s base attack bonus –5 and add 1/2 the Skin-Walker ’s Strength modifier on damage rolls (if positive). If the skin-walker has only a single natural attack, the attack is made using his full base attack bonus and he adds 1-1/2 times its Strength modifier on damage rolls made with that attack, regardless of the attack’s type.
Traits are grouped by their cost in trait points. Trait points cannot be saved. All of the points must be spent whenever the skin-walker gains a level. Unless otherwise noted, each trait can only be selected once.
1 Point Traits
The following traits cost 1 point from the skin’s trait pool.
Bite (Ex): The skin’s maw is full of razor-sharp teeth, giving it a bite attack. This attack is a primary attack. The bite deals 1d6 points of damage (1d8 if Large, 2d6 if Huge, 1d4 if Small). If the skin already has a bite attack, this trait allows it to deal 1-1/2 times its Strength modifier on damage rolls made with its bite.
Claws (Ex): The skin has a pair of vicious claws at the end of its limbs, giving it two claw attacks. These attacks are primary attacks. The claws deal 1d4 points of damage (1d6 if Large, 1d8 if Huge). The skin must have the limbs trait to take this trait. This trait can only be applied to the limbs (legs) trait once. This trait can be selected more than once, but the skin must possess an equal number of the limbs trait.
Climb (Ex): A skin becomes a skilled climber, gaining a climb speed equal to its base speed. This trait can be selected more than once. Each additional time it is selected, increase the skin’s climb speed by 20 feet.
Gills (Ex): A skin has gills and can breathe underwater indefinitely.
Improved Damage (Ex): One of the skin’s natural attacks is particularly deadly. Select one natural attack form and increase the damage die type by one step. This trait can be selected more than once. Its effects do not stack. Each time a skin selects this trait, it applies to a different natural attack.
Improved Natural Armor (Ex): A skin’s hide grows thick fur, rigid scales, or bony plates, giving it a +2 bonus to its natural armor. This trait can be taken once for every five levels the skin-walker possesses.
Magic Attacks (Su): A skin is infused with magic, allowing it to treat all of its natural attacks as if they were magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. If the skin-walker is 10th level or higher, all of the skin’s weapons are treated as one aspect of the skin-walker’s alignment for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.
Pincers (Ex): A skin grows a large pincers at the end of one pair of its limbs, giving it two pincer attacks. These attacks are secondary attacks. The pincers deal 1d6 points of damage (1d8 if Large, 2d6 if Huge, 1d4 if small). Skins with the grab trait linked to pincers gain a +2 bonus on CMB checks made to grapple. The skin must have the limbs (arms) trait to take this trait. Alternatively, the skin can replace the claws from its base form with pincers (this still costs 1 trait point). This trait can be selected more than once, but the skin must possess an equal number of the limbs trait.
Pounce (Ex): A skin gains quick reflexes, allowing it to make a full attack after a charge. This trait is only available to skins of the quadruped base form.
Pull (Ex): A skin gains the ability to pull creatures closer with a successful attack. Select one type of natural attack. Whenever the skin-walker makes a successful attack of the selected type, it can attempt a free combat maneuver check. If successful, the target of the attack is pulled 5 feet closer to the skin. This ability only works on creatures of a size equal to or smaller than the skin-walker. Creatures pulled in this way do not provoke attacks of opportunity. The skin must have a reach of 10 feet or more to select this trait. This trait can be selected more than once. Its effects do not stack. Each time a skin gets this trait, it applies to a different natural attack.
Push (Ex): A skin gains the ability to push creatures away with a successful attack. Select one type of natural attack. Whenever the skin-walker makes a successful attack of the selected type, it can attempt a free combat maneuver check. If successful, the target of the attack is pushed 5 feet directly away from the skin-walker. This ability only works on creatures of a size equal to or smaller than the skin-walker. Creatures pushed in this way do not provoke attacks of opportunity. This trait can be selected more than once. Its effects do not stack. Each time a skin gets this trait, it applies to a different natural attack.
Reach (Ex): One of a skin’s attacks is capable of striking at foes at a distance. Pick one attack. The skin’s reach with that attack increases by 5 feet.
Resistance (Ex): A skin’s form takes on a resiliency to one particular energy type, which is usually reflected in its physical body (ashen hide for fire, icy breath for cold, and so on). Pick one energy type (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic). The skin gains resist 5 against that energy type. This resistance increases by 5 for every 5 levels the skin-walker possesses, to a maximum of 15 at 10th level. This trait can be selected more than once. Its effects do not stack. Each time a skin gets this trait, it applies to a different energy type.
Scent (Ex): A skin’s sense of smell becomes quite acute. The skin gains the scent special quality, allowing it to detect opponents within 30 feet by sense of smell. If the opponent is upwind, the range increases to 60 feet; if downwind, it drops to 15 feet. Strong scents can be detected at twice the normal range. Scent does not allow the skin-walker to precisely locate the creature, only to detect its presence. It can detect the direction with a move action. The skin can pinpoint the creature’s location if it is within 5 feet. The skin can use scent to track creatures (see page 304 of the Bestiary for details).
Skilled (Ex): A skin becomes especially adept at a specific skill, gaining a +8 racial bonus on that skill. This trait can be selected more than once. Its effects do not stack. Each time a skin gets this trait, it applies to a different skill.
Slam (Ex): A skin can deliver a devastating slam attack. This attack is a primary attack. The slam deals 1d8 points of damage (2d6 if Large, 2d8 if Huge, 1d6 if small). The skin must have the limbs (arms) trait to take this trait. Alternatively, the skin can replace the claws from its base form with this slam attack (this still costs 1 trait point). This trait can be selected more than once, but the skin must possess an equal number of the limbs trait.
Spell-Like Ability (Sp): A skin gains a measure of arcane power. Select one spell from the wizard/sorcerer spell list. The skin gains this spell as a spell-like ability that can be cast once per day (or three times per day if the spell is 0-level). The spell’s DC is based on the skin’s Charisma. The skin-walker must possess a Charisma score equal to 10 + the spell’s level to select this trait. The skin-walker must be of a level equal to or greater than twice the spell’s level to select this trait. This spell-like ability costs a number of trait points equal to the spell’s level (minimum 1). The spell can be cast three times per day by increasing the trait cost by 1 (or at will if the spell is a 0-level spell).
Sting (Ex): The skin possesses a long, barbed stinger at the end of its tail, granting it a sting attack. This attack is a primary attack. The sting deals 1d4 points of damage (1d6 if Large, 1d8 if Huge, 1d3 if small). The skin must possess the tail trait to take this trait. This trait can be selected more than once, but the skin must possess an equal number of the tail trait.
Swim (Ex): A skin provides webbed hands, feet, or powerful flippers, giving it a swim speed equal to its base speed. This trait does not give the skin the ability to breathe underwater. This trait can be selected more than once. Each additional time it is selected, increase the skin’s swim speed by 20 feet.
Tail (Ex): The skin grows a long, powerful tail. This grants it a +2 racial bonus on Acrobatics checks made to balance on a surface. This trait can be selected more than once.
Tail Slap (Ex): A skin can use its tail to bash nearby foes, granting it a tail slap attack. This attack is a secondary attack. The tail slap deals 1d6 points of damage (1d8 if Large, 2d6 if Huge). The skin must possess the tail trait to take this trait. This trait can be selected more than once, but the skin must possess an equal number of the tail trait.
Tentacle (Ex): A skin possesses a long, sinuous tentacle, granting it a tentacle attack. This attack is a secondary attack. The tentacle attack deals 1d4 points of damage (1d6 if Large, 1d8 if Huge). This trait can be selected more than once.
Wing Buffet (Ex): A skin learns to use its wings to batter foes, granting it two wing buffet attacks. These attacks are secondary attacks. The wing buffets deal 1d4 points of damage (1d6 if Large, 1d8 if Huge). The skin must possess the flight trait, with wings, to select this trait.
2 Point Traits
The following traits cost 2 points from the skin’s trait pool.
Ability Increase (Ex): A skin grows larger muscles, gains faster reflexes. Increase one of the skin’s physical ability scores by +2. This trait can be selected more than once. It can only be applied to Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution once per individual ability score, plus 1 additional time for every 6 levels the skin-walker possesses.
Constrict (Ex): A skin gains powerful muscles that allow it to crush those it grapples. Whenever the skin successfully grapples a foe using the grab trait, it deals additional damage equal to the amount of damage dealt by the attack used by the grab trait. This trait is only available to skins of the serpentine base form.
Energy Attacks (Su): A skin’s attacks become charged with energy. Pick one energy type: acid, cold, electricity, or fire. All of the skin’s natural attacks deal 1d6 points of energy damage of the chosen type on a successful hit. The skin-walker must be at least 5th level before selecting this trait.
Flight (Ex or Su): A skin grows large wings, like those of a bat, bird, insect, or dragon, gaining the ability to fly. The skin gains a fly speed equal to its base speed. The skin’s maneuverability depends on it size. Medium or smaller skins have good maneuverability. Large skins have average maneuverability, while Huge skins have poor maneuverability. For 2 additional trait points, the skin flies by means of magic. It loses its wings, but its maneuverability increases to perfect. Flying via magic means makes this a supernatural ability. The skin’s fly speed can be increased by spending additional trait points, gaining a 20-foot increase to f ly speed for each additional point spent. The skin-walker must be at least 5th level before selecting this trait.
Gore (Ex): A skin grows a number of horns on its head, giving it a gore attack. This attack is a primary attack. The gore deals 1d6 points of damage (1d8 if Large, 2d6 if Huge).
Grab (Ex): A skin becomes adept at grappling foes, gaining the grab ability. Pick bite, claw, slam, tail slap, or tentacle attacks. Whenever the skin makes a successful attack of the selected type, it can attempt a free combat maneuver check. If successful, the skin grapples the target. This ability only works on creatures of a size one category smaller than the skin or smaller. Skins with this trait receive a +4 bonus on CMB checks made to grapple.
Immunity (Su): A skin’s body becomes extremely resilient to one energy type, gaining immunity to that type. Pick one energy type: acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic. The skin gains immunity to that energy type. This trait can be selected more than once. Its effects do not stack. Each time it applies to a different energy type. The skin-walker must be at least 7th level before selecting this trait.
Limbs (Ex): A skin grows an additional pair of limbs. These limbs can take one of two forms. They can be made into legs, complete with feet. Each pair of legs increases the skin’s base speed by 10 feet. Alternatively, they can be made into arms, complete with hands. The skin does not gain any additional natural attacks for an additional pair of arms, but it can take other traits that add additional attacks (such as claws or a slam). Arms that have hands can be used to wield weapons, if the skin is proficient. This trait can be selected more than once.
Poison (Ex): A skin secretes toxic venom, gaining a poison attack. Pick one bite or sting attack. Whenever the selected attack hits, the target is poisoned. Skin-Walker poison—type poison (injury); save Fort negates; frequency 1/round for 4 rounds; effect 1d4 Str damage; cure 1 save. The save DC is equal to 10 + 1/2 skin-walker level + the skin’s Charisma modifier. For 2 additional trait points, this poison deals Constitution damage instead. This poison can be used no more than once per round. The skin-walker must be at least 7th level before selecting this trait.
Rake (Ex): A skin grows dangerous claws on its feet, allowing it to make 2 rake attacks on foes it is grappling. These attacks are primary attacks. The skin receives these additional attacks each time it succeeds on a grapple check against the target. These rake attacks deal 1d4 points of damage (1d6 if Large, 1d8 if Huge). This trait is only available to skins of the quadruped base form. The skin-walker must be at least 4th level before selecting this trait.
Rend (Ex): A skin learns to rip and tear the flesh of those it attacks with its claws, gaining the rend ability. Whenever the skin makes two successful claw attacks against the same target in 1 round, its claws latch onto the flesh and deal extra damage. This damage is equal to the damage dealt by one claw attack plus 1-1/2 times the skin’s Strength modifier. The skin must possess the claws trait to select this trait. The skin-walker must be at least 6th level before selecting this trait.
Trample (Ex): A skin gains the ability to crush its foes underfoot, gaining the trample ability. As a full-round action, the skin can overrun any creature that is at least one size smaller than itself. This works like the overrun combat maneuver, but the skin does not need to make a check, it merely has to move over opponents in its path. The creatures take 1d6 points of damage (1d8 if Large, 2d6 if Huge), plus 1-1/2 times the skin’s Strength modifier. Targets of the trample can make attacks of opportunity at a –4 penalty. If a target forgoes the attack of opportunity, it can make a Reflex save for half damage. The DC of this save is 10 + 1/2 skin-walker level + the skin’s Strength modifier. A trampling skin can only deal trampling damage to a creature once per round. This trait is only available to skins of the biped or quadruped base forms.
Tremorsense (Ex): A skin becomes attuned to vibrations in the ground, gaining tremorsense out to a range of 30 feet. This works like the blindsense trait, but only if both the skin and the creature to be pinpointed is in contact with the ground. The skin-walker must be at least 7th level before selecting this trait.
Trip (Ex): A skin becomes adept at knocking foes to the ground with its bite, granting it a trip attack. Whenever the skin makes a successful bite attack of the selected type, it can attempt a free combat maneuver check. If successful, the target is knocked prone. If the check fails, the skin is not tripped in return. This ability only works on creatures of a size equal to or smaller than the skin. The skin must possess the bite trait to select this trait.
3 Point Traits
The following traits cost 3 points from the skin’s trait pool.
Blindsense (Ex): A skin’s senses become incredibly acute, giving it blindsense out to a range of 30 feet. This ability allows the skin to pinpoint the location of creatures that it cannot see without having to make a Perception check, but such creatures still have total concealment from the skin. Visibility still affects the skin’s movement and it is still denied its Dexterity bonus to Armor Class against attacks from creatures it cannot see. The skin-walker must be at least 9th level before selecting this trait.
Burrow (Ex): A skin grows thick and gnarled claws, allowing it to move through the earth. The skin gains a burrow speed equal to 1/2 its base speed. It can use this speed to move through dirt, clay, sand, and earth. It does not leave a hole behind, nor is its passage marked on the surface. The skin-walker must be at least 9th level before selecting this trait.
Damage Reduction (Su): A skin’s body becomes resistant to harm, granting it damage reduction. Choose one alignment: chaotic, evil, good, or lawful. The skin gains DR 5 that can be bypassed by weapons that possess the chosen alignment. The alignment must be opposite to one of the alignments possessed by the skin-walker. At 12th level, this protection can be increased to DR 10 by spending 2 additional trait points. The skin-walker must be at least 9th level before selecting this trait.
Frightful Presence (Ex): A skin becomes unsettling to its foes, gaining the frightful presence ability. The skin can activate this ability as part of an offensive action, such as a charge or attack. Opponents within 30 feet of the skin must make a Will save or become shaken for 3d6 rounds. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 skin-walker level + the skin’s Charisma modifier. If the skin has at least 4 more Hit Dice than an opponent, that opponent becomes frightened instead. Foes with a higher level than the skin-walker are immune to this effect. The skin-walker must be at least 11th level before selecting this trait.
Speed Increase (Ex): The skin gains the ability to move faster. The skin adds +20 to its base move. The skin-walker must be at least 6th level before selecting this trait. For each additional 1 point this can be increase by +10, but the skin-walker must be 9th before increasing this trait and it maxes out at a total of +60. If the skin carries a heavy or medium load it cannot use this talent.
Swallow Whole (Ex): A skin gains the swallow whole ability, giving it the ability to consume its foes. If the skin begins its turn with a creature grappled using its bite attack (see the grab trait), it can attempt a combat maneuver check to swallow the creature. The creature can be up to one size category smaller than the skin. Swallowed creatures take damage equal to the skin’s bite damage each round plus 1d6 points of acid damage. A swallowed creature keeps the grappled condition, but can attempt to cut its way free with a light slashing or piercing weapon. The amount of damage needed to cut free is equal to 1/10 the skin’s total hit points. The skin’s AC against these attacks is equal to 10 + 1/2 its natural armor bonus. If a swallowed creature cuts its way out, the skin loses this ability until it heals this damage. Alternatively, the swallowed creature can attempt to escape the grapple as normal. Success indicates that it has returned to the skin’s mouth, where it can attempt to escape or be swallowed again. The skin must possess the grab trait, tied to a bite attack, to take this trait. The skin-walker must be at least 9th level before selecting this trait.
Web (Ex): A skin gains a pair of spinnerets, giving it the ability to spin webs. The skin can use these webs to support itself plus up to one creature of the same size. It can throw webbing as a ranged touch attack up to 8 times per day, entangling a creature up to one size larger than the skin. The webbing has a range of 50 feet and a 10-foot range increment. Creatures entangled by the web can escape with an Escape Artist check or a Strength check (at a –4 penalty). The DC of these checks is equal to 10 + 1/2 the skin-walker level + the skin’s Charisma modifier. The skin can climb its own webs at its climb speed and can pinpoint any creature touching its webs. The skin must possess the climb trait to take this trait. The skin-walker must be at least 7th level before selecting this trait.
4 Point Traits
The following traits cost 4 points from the skin’s trait pool.
Blindsight (Ex): A skin’s senses sharpen even further, granting it blindsight out to a range of 30 feet. The skin can maneuver and attack as normal, ignoring darkness, invisibility, and most forms of concealment as long as it has line of effect to the target. The skin must possess the blindsense trait to take this trait. The skin-walker must be at least 11th level before selecting this trait.
Breath Weapon (Su): A skin learns to exhale a cone or line of magical energy, gaining a breath weapon. Select either acid, cold, electricity, or fire. The skin can breathe a 30-foot cone (or 60-foot line) that deals 1d6 points of damage of the selected type per HD it possesses. Those caught in the breath weapon can attempt a Reflex save for half damage.
The DC is equal to 10 + 1/2 skin-walker level + the skin-walker’s Charisma modifier. The skin can use this ability once per day. The skin can use this ability 1 additional time per day by spending an additional 1 trait point (maximum 3/day). The skin-walker must be at least 9th level before selecting this trait.
Fast Healing (Su): A skin’s body gains the ability to heal wounds very quickly, giving it fast healing 1. The skin heals 1 point of damage each round, just like natural healing. Fast healing does not restore hit points lost due to starvation, thirst, or suffocation, nor does it allow the skin to regrow lost body parts (or to reattach severed parts). Fast healing functions as long as the skin is alive. This healing can be increased by 1 per round for every 2 additional trait points spent (maximum 5). The skin-walker must be at least 11th level before selecting this trait.
Large (Ex): A skin grows in size, becoming Large. The skin gains a +8 bonus to Strength, a +4 bonus to Constitution, and a +2 bonus to its natural armor. It takes a –2 penalty to its Dexterity. This size change also gives the creature a –1 size penalty to its AC and on attack rolls, a +1 bonus to its CMB and CMD, a –2 penalty on Fly skill checks, and a –4 penalty on Stealth skill checks. If the skin has the biped base form, it also gains 10 foot reach. The skin must be Medium to take this trait. The skin-walker must be at least 6th level before selecting this trait.
If 4 additional trait points are spent, the skin instead becomes Huge. The skin gains a +16 bonus to Strength, a +8 bonus to Constitution, and a +5 bonus to its natural armor. It takes a –4 penalty to its Dexterity. This size change also give the creature a –2 size penalty to its AC and attack rolls, a +2 bonus to its CMB and CMD, 10-foot reach, a –4 penalty on Fly skill checks, and a –8 penalty on Stealth skill checks. These bonuses and penalties do not stack with those gained from becoming Large. The skin-walker must be at least 11th level before selecting this option.
Spell Resistance (Ex): A skin is protected against magic, gaining spell resistance. The skin’s spell resistance is equal to 11 + the Skin-Walker’s level. This spell resistance does not apply to spells cast by the Skin-Walker. The skin-walker must be at least 9th level before selecting this trait.
A little hard to read, but I like it :) I'd probably take away martial weapon profs, since the point of the class is to "shape" your own weapons as needed, no?
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I gave up after reading the first bit 2BH. The judicious use of bolding and spacing would make this a far easier read.
That being said, my first thought when I saw the eidolon was "how can I turn this into a playable class?" It looks decent from the part I read but again, some formatting would be nice...maybe w/ your permission I'll port it to a google doc and link it or something when I have the time.
I gave up after reading the first bit 2BH. The judicious use of bolding and spacing would make this a far easier read.
That being said, my first thought when I saw the eidolon was "how can I turn this into a playable class?" It looks decent from the part I read but again, some formatting would be nice...maybe w/ your permission I'll port it to a google doc and link it or something when I have the time.
Not only do you have permission, please tell me how, so i can do it in the future. the only reason i didn't is because i don't know how yet... if you want you can send me your email, and i'll send you the word doc i used. Mine is GPendalehaven@hotmail.com
Problems i'm unsure of how to solve:
I'm still not sure about the amount of time you can keep a skin on, i currently have it at 1 hour per level (which is what a druid has wild shape for)
The armor bonus it a direct copy from the eidolon, including no armor bonus while a skin is on... but i've already had a dm tell me no because of that alone... which brings up is it to powerful for the eidolon also.. he didn't want to answer that.
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I think I'd keep it almost the same as it's described in the APG. I'd up the HD progression to 1:1. Give it a racial bonus to an ability score based on which body they choose( Bipedal +2str/Quadruped +2con, Serpent +2dex ). After that it's mostly a judgement call. I'd be tempted to do something similar to the fighter and monk. 1 bonus feat every even level pickable from a select group. At that point I think it's pretty balanced( at least mechanics wise, RP could be a little tricky ).
I think I'd keep it almost the same as it's described in the APG. I'd up the HD progression to 1:1. Give it a racial bonus to an ability score based on which body they choose( Bipedal +2str/Quadruped +2con, Serpent +2dex ). After that it's mostly a judgement call. I'd be tempted to do something similar to the fighter and monk. 1 bonus feat every even level pickable from a select group. At that point I think it's pretty balanced( at least mechanics wise, RP could be a little tricky ).
that's almost exactly what i did.
ok, so here is a second shot at posting the class.
Skin-Walker
Role: Most skin-walkers are brawlers, getting into the thick of the fighting. A few use their abilities for infiltration, shrinking in size to go unnoticed, and even fewer use their skins to create blasters, it’s just so much easier to learn magic normally.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d10.
Class Skills
The Skin-Walker ’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
The following are the class features of the Skin-Walker.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Skin-Walkers are proficient with all simple weapons, all martial weapons, and the natural weapons of the forms they turn into. Skin-Walkers are also proficient with light armor and all shields.
Skin (Su) : A skin-walker can pull energies from the outer planes and wear them like a skin. This changes their shape to that of unnatural creatures, and they use this power to fight like a monster. The mark of the skin-walker always shows when a skin is worn, this maybe a glowing mark that shines an inch off the middle of the skin’s head. A skin-walker can never exactly mimic any other creature, they always look slightly unnatural, and anyone with an understanding of animals (wild empathy, or 1 rank in handle animal or knowledge (nature), for example) can look and quickly spot its wrongness.
Skin-Walkers start out with two alternate forms and gain more as they go up. It is a full round action to change forms, as the skin-walker summons the energy and changes shape. A skin can be maintained for up to 1 hour (10 minutes?) per level, and then they must resume their normal form. They can put on a skin, Charisma modifier plus 3 times per day. If they change out of the skin early the energy is lost, and they lose the rest of the time for that skin change. A skin-walker can have only one skin on at a time.
All equipment is covered up when the skin is put on; this suppresses most magic items, and stops the skin-walker from retrieving items. The exception to this is items that don’t need an action to turn on, and any item the skin can use; if your new form can carry, and use a weapon in its hands then the sword does not vanish. Armor does not function while a skin is on.
Each skin starts with one of three base forms that determine the skins starting size, speed, AC, attacks, and ability score bonuses. These base forms also note any free traits that base form possesses. The bonuses from these free traits are already factored into the starting statistics.
Alternatively, any one of these base forms can be made Small. If the skin is Small, it gains a +2 size bonus to its Dexterity score, a –2 size penalty to its Strength, a +1 size bonus to its AC and attack rolls, a –1 penalty to its CMB and CMD scores, +2 size bonus on its Fly skill checks, and a +4 size bonus on its Stealth skill checks. Reduce the damage of all of its attacks by one step (1d6 becomes 1d4; 1d4 becomes 1d3). If this choice is made, the skin can be made Medium whenever the skin-walker can change the skin’s trait pool (which causes it to lose these modifiers for being Small).
Darkvision (Ex): All skins have darkvision out to a range of 60 feet.
Base Forms
Quadruped
Starting Statistics: Size Medium; Speed 40 ft.; AC +2 natural armor; Attack bite (1d6); Ability Scores Con +2; Free Traits bite, limbs (legs) (2).
Biped
Starting Statistics: Size Medium; Speed 30 ft.; AC +2 natural armor; Attack 2 claws (1d4); Ability Scores Str +2; Free Traits claws, limbs (arms), limbs (legs).
Serpentine
Starting Statistics: Size Medium; Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.; AC +2 natural armor; Attack bite (1d6), tail slap (1d6); Ability Scores Dex +2; Free Traits bite, climb, tail, tail slap.
Armor Bonus: The number noted here is the skin’s base total armor bonus. This bonus may be split between an armor bonus and a natural armor bonus, as decided by the Skin-Walker. This number is modified by the skin’s base form and some options available through its trait pool. While wearing a skin, a skin walker gets no bonuses from armor, as the armor is covered up when the skin-walker puts on the skin.
Trait Pool: The value given in this column is the total number of points in the skin’s trait pool. Points from this pool can be spent on a wide variety of modifications and upgrades that add new abilities, attacks, and powers to the skin. Whenever the skin-walker gains a level, the number in this pool increases and the skin-walker can spend these points to change the abilities of the skin. These choices are not set. The skin-walker can change them whenever he gains a level (and through the transmogrify spell). The current list is below at the end of the class.
Max. Attacks: This indicates the maximum number of natural attacks that the skin is allowed to possess at the given level. If the skin is at its maximum, it cannot take traits that grant additional natural attacks.
Monster Feats: A skin-walker can pick up any feat, even those out of the Bestiary, that the prerequisites for are met while using a skin, though the feat is only useable when the prerequisites are actually met.
Evasion (Ex) : At 2nd level, a skin-walker, in any form gains evasion. If a skin-walker is subjected to an attack that allows a Reflex save for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw.
Feat: At 3rd level, and every 3 levels after a skin-walker gains a bonus feat.
Quick Change: At 4th level, a skin-walker can put on a skin as a standard action. This improves to a move action at 14th and a swift action at 20th.
Multiattack: At 6th level, a skin-walker gains Multiattack as a bonus feat; if his current form has 3 or more natural attacks. If he does not have the requisite 3 or more natural attacks (or is reduced to less than 3 attacks), the skin-walker instead gains a second attack with one of its natural weapons, albeit at a –5 penalty. If the skin-walker later gains 3 or more natural attacks, it loses this additional attack and instead gains Multiattack.
Improved Evasion (Ex) : At 10th level, a skin-walker gains Improved Evasion. When subjected to an attack that allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a skin-walker takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and only half damage if the saving throw fails.
Reflexive Change (Ex) : At 14th level, a skin-walker can respond to an opponent’s attack by putting on a skin. This is an immediate action and the skin the skin-walker puts on must have a defense against the attack that the skin-walker would normally not have. The skin-walker can do this as often as he likes, but each time it counts as a skin use for that day, and he loses his next move action.
Final Form (Su) : From summoning so much energy from the outer planes, the skin-walker’s fundamental life force is closer aligned with them, than his home plane. At 20th level, the skin-walkers type changes to outsider (native), instead of humanoid. In addition the skin-walker can put on any of his skins as many times as he wants for an unlimited amount of times per day.
everything else in the above post was just the traits re-listed, which is unnecessary; as they are the traits straight from the book.