| Din_ |
I was looking into the evolutions, and I noticed many fallacies which resulted in Eidolons receiving absurd numbers due to lacking limitations on certain evolutions (30 hands on bipedal and other silly things). I decided to write out my own version to see if I could put a hard cap on attacks (natural or otherwise) without necessarily setting a cap.
Note: Long post incoming.
Summoner changes are listed in the third post.
Stat changes:
-Eidolon no longer receives a Dexterity bonus from the Str/Dex bonus.
-Alter max attacks number to 2 at level 1, slowly progressing to 10 at level 20.
-Evolution Pool is changed to: 10 at level 1. Gain 1 per level with 1 bonus evolution point for every fifth level. (Same effective value as current Eidolons except gain 1 more at max level)
-Base Forms removed. Eidolon starts at size:Small with only a head. Summoner must give Eidolon at least one natural attack to be able to summon it.
Base Eidolon stats:
12 Strength
14 Dexterity
11 Constitution
7 Intelligence
10 Wisdom
11 Charisma
Evolution changes: Instead of choosing an attack for each limb, I've decided to give it a more uniform/realistic system. Instead of dividing by amount of points required, I've divided based on the body part it's affecting, with other evolutions going into Utility/General.
I'll only list the ones I changed majorly.
Template-
(cost) name - Description
(2) Limbs- Cannot take this feat more than 5 times. Legs: Boost move by 5. Arms: Gives two arms with hands, which can be used to cast spells or hold weapons. Additionally, arms increase attack rolls with arm-based natural attacks by 1, cumulative. Each pair of limbs boosts Eidolon's Dex by 1.
Note: Adaptations below affecting arms cannot be used to hold weapons.
Arms:
(1) Claws-Applies claws to all arm limbs. Eidolon gets 2 claw attacks per pair of limbs affected this way.
(1) Pincers-Applies pincers to all arm limbs. Eidolon gets 2 pincer attacks per pair of limbs affected this way. Pincers are secondary attacks, but boost grapple chance by 2 per pair of pincers. This only occurs if attempting to grab using Pincers.
Legs:
(1) Rakes-Applies rakes to all leg limbs. Eidolon gets 2 rake attacks per pair of limbs affected this way. Rake attacks can only be used on successful grab check.
(1) Hooves-Applies hooves to all leg limbs. Eidolon gets 2 hoof attacks per pair of limbs affected this way. Hoof attacks can only be used on successful trample check.
(1) Talons-Applies to all leg limbs. Gets 2 talon attacks per pair of limbs affected this way. While flying, can use Talons to attack.
(1) Outrunner-Applies to all leg limbs. Increases movespeed by 5 per pair of limbs affected this way. Grants a bonus of 2 per pair of limbs to evade attacks of opportunity which result from movement.
Either:
(1) Spider limbs-Applies to either all arm or all leg limbs. Grants climb speed equal to movespeed + 10 per pair of limbs affected by this evolution.
(1) Fins-Applies to either all arm or all leg limbs, grants swim speed equal to movespeed + 10 per pair of limbs affected by this evolution.
(1) Earthmover-Applies to either all arm or all leg limbs. Grants burrow speed equal to movespeed + 10 per pair of limbs affected by this evolution.
| Din_ |
(3) Head-Grows another head, giving Eidolon access to another attack if any are placed on the head. Each head boosts Eidolon Int,wis, or charisma by 2. Can boost any one attribute a maximum of 2 times.
(1) Bite-Gives Eidolon Bite attack.
(1) Horn-Gives Eidolon Gore attack. For 2 more points, gives Eidolon Powerful Charge feat, dealing 2x strength on charges that use the gore attack.
(1) Headbutt-Slam replacement.
(1) Tail-Gives Eidolon a tail, giving acrobatics racial boost of 2. For each additional point spent, tail grows in strength (damage dies tied to the tail is improved by one rank) and racial acrobatics boost is increased by 2. Maximum of 2 times to improve tail.
(1) Sting-Places a stinger on tail.
(1) Tail Slap-Eidolon can now slap with tail.
(1) Prehensile-Tail can be used to dextrously move objects or use weapons. Reach with this limb is 5 feet per level in Tail.
(1) Flipper-Grants Eidolon Swim speed equal to base speed plus 20 per level in tail.
(2) Wings-Grows a pair of wings. If this is the first time Wings has been taken, Eidolon gains fly(normal) equal to movement speed and gains 1 dexterity. Taking this evolution again grows another pair of wings, increasing Fly speed by 20 in addition to granting 1 dexterity and improving fly by one step. This evolution can be taken up to three times.
(1) Wing Buffet-Gives 2 wing buffet per pair of wings.
(2) Superior Flight-Lose all wings, gain perfect flight regardless of size.
(2) Body-Increases the bulk of the Eidolon in general. Increases Eidolon str or Con by 2 per rank. Can be taken a maximum of 3 times.
(2) Spines-Whenever the Eidolon is successfully struck by a melee attack, deal 1d4 damage per rank.
(1) Plating-Increases natural armor by 3 per rank.
(1) Magic resistance-Increases resistance to an element by 5 per rank. Can be taken multiple times.
(1) Immunity-Grants immunity to an element. Requires Magic Resistance to that element.
(3) Spell Resistance-Gives SR. Requires Plating.
(1) Tentacle- Grows a tentacle. Tentacles cannot be used to cast spells or hold objects. They are secondary attacks, but they do not count toward the natural attack limit. This evolution can be taken multiple times.
(2) Grab-Can use Claws, Pincers, Bite, or Tail Slap to grab. Attacking with that allows a free grapple check.
(2) Constrict-Can only be taken if Eidolon has Grab(tail). On successful grapple check with Tail, deal Tail slap damage for free. If Eidolon does not have any limbs(leg), then reduces the penalty for attempting to grab using only the tail to 2, from 20. Eidolon is immobilized while grappling using only the tail in this case.
(2) Swallow Whole-If Grab(bite) was chosen, Swallow Whole allows Eidolon to swallow a grappled enemy, ending the grapple effect on itself and causing the opponent to automatically take bite damage until free. Eidolon cannot use Bite from a given head that is currently swallowing a creature.
(1) Energy Attacks-Deals 1d3 damage of given element on successful hit with a natural attack. Can be taken up to 2 more times to improve damage to 1d4/1d6.
(2) Rend- Deal claw damage + 1.5xStr as extra damage for every 2 claw hits on a target. Only once per round per target, requires claws.
(2) Trample- Saving cuts the base damage in half. Base: 1d6 + 2x strength, plus 1d6 for each pair of legs Eidolon has. Can only be used on opponents smaller than Eidolon. Requires at least 1 pair of legs.
(1) Pounce- Requires at least 2 pairs of legs. Eidolon may use a full attack after a charge attack, however all attacks made during this full attack deal half damage.
(2) Double Tail- Requires at least one point in Tail. Eidolon gains a second tail which mirrors the original, gaining a second attack if the tail has one. This second tail does not increase Acrobatics.
(2) Poison-Choose Bite or Sting. Deals 1d2 strength damage per round for 4 rounds on successful hit with that attack. Fort save. For 2 more points, increases poison die to 1d4 and choose which ability it poisons upon taking this evolution enhancement.
(2) Growth- Increases Eidolon size to next category. This can only be taken up to 3 times, each costing 2 more than the previous growth.
Medium: +4 Str/+2 Con/-1 Dex
Large: +8 Str/+4 Con/-2 Dex
Huge: +16 Str/+8 Con/-4 Dex
Size bonuses replace previous ones (These values do not stack).
(Varies) Empower attack: Increases the damage die of attacks used by head, wings, arms, or legs by 1 step. Cost is 1 per limb affected this way. Can only be taken once per limb.
(1) Reach-Pick a body part of the Eidolon (Wings, head, legs, arms, or tail). Reach with any attacks granted by that body part is increased by 5 feet.
Any evolutions I left out were either unchanged or I haven't thought of something for them yet. Except for the following, which I purposefully removed:
-Ability Increase (Body parts fulfill its role now)
-Damage Reduction
-Slam (replaced by Headbutt)
| Din_ |
Summoner changes:
-Aspect and Greater Aspect are removed.
-Extra Evolution Feat removed.
Extra Evolution I: Give Eidolon 1 extra Evolution point.
Extra Evolution II: Give Eidolon 2 extra Evolution points.
Evolution Master: Increases the point gain or loss of all Evolution spells by 1.
Evolution Spells cannot affect non-living creatures.
Baleful Evolution
Cast time: Touch Attack readied after minimum 1 round, maximum 5 rounds.
Duration: Permanent (Fort save: Negate, Will save: 1 round/caster level)
Summoner focuses the energies of manipulation into their next touch attack. For each round spent casting, the summoner may use up to 8 evolution points on the target they touch (Max: 40). Follows the same rules as Forced Evolution for distribution and effects of these points, however Baleful Evolution may also select the body evolution.
Casting any spells or attacking after this spell is readied without committing to touching a target causes this spell to backfire. If the Summoner does not touch a valid target in the next minute, the spell backfires.
Backfired: Target the Summoner. The DM may distribute the points and decide the duration in this case.
This spell can be removed through a miracle, limited wish, or wish. It can also be removed by being targeted by Banish. If Banish was used to remove this, target takes 1d6 per 2 evolution points the Baleful evolution added.
Forced Evolution
Cast time: 1 standard
Duration: 1 min/caster level
May use up to 4/6/8 evolution points on target. Evolutions can only be heads, tails, wings, arms, or legs. There are no numerical limitations to these selections, but their effects are cumulative and reduce what they would normally add. Any limbs added cannot be used for any purpose deemed beneficial to the recipient. These evolutions cannot reduce land speed below 5. Cannot reduce any attribute below 1 with Forced Evolution.
Evolutionary Shift
Cast time: 1 standard
Duration: 1 min/caster level
Allows one to temporarily alter specific evolutions on Eidolon to 2 of the following: arms, legs, head, tail, body.
Mass Evolution
Cast time: 1 standard
Duration: 1 min/caster level
Num targets: 1/2 caster levels
Choose 3 points' worth of evolutions. All targets gain that evolution. Must be arms, legs, head, tail, body, or wings, or attacks attached to them.
Evolutionary Suppression
Cast time: 1 standard
Duration: 1 round/4 caster levels
Removes 1/2/3 limbs that could normally be added through evolutions, even if these limbs were not added in such a way. Cannot make the target headless. Any attacks attached to these limbs are lost for the duration.
Evolution Surge
Cast time: 1 standard
Duration: 1 min/caster level
Grants 2/4/6 evolution points to Eidolon, which may be spent in any way. Limbs acquired from this do not grant additional natural attacks.
Speciation
Cast time: 1 standard
Duration: 1 round/caster level
Choose a living creature type (animal, aberration, etc.). Your eidolon is now designated as both that creature type and an Outsider for spell purposes, and gains any beneficial traits associated with that creature type.
| TheMightyTeebs |
Limbs- Cannot take this feat more than 5 times.
There goes my dream of a human centipede eidolon.
| Din_ |
Quote:Limbs- Cannot take this feat more than 5 times.There goes my dream of a human centipede eidolon.
With the Baleful Evolution spell, you could turn someone into a human centipede! They'd even get a whole lot of negative stats to movement and would gain no attacks, more accurately representing its condition.
Don't fret, Summoners under this version still have a license to create unspeakable abominations of limbs. It's just that those abominations won't have huge stats that barely make sense.
| Din_ |
What I'm trying to do with this change to the eidolon evolution system is the following:
1) Allow all Eidolons to have access to all evolutions in the pool.
-Serpentine base form with 2 limbs(legs) and quadruped with a tail are statistically identical, yet the serpent may choose constrict and the quadruped may choose pounce.
2) Make it impossible to create an Eidolon that is logically impossible (No 10 tails, no 30 weapon-capable arms, no 100+ base speed).
3) Normalize acquired evolutions (reach affects all parts instead of a specific attack, poison applies to all stingers instead of just one, eidolon isn't a mess of different natural attacks, such as hooves, rakes, claws, gore, bite, with 2 tentacles)
4) Make all possible selections potentially viable in some way without making any one evolution a must-have.
For the summoner-specific spells, I just wanted to add some more flavor to the class-specific spells which had more offense instead of targeting the Eidolon only. Haven't thought through the numbers or spell levels.
I could really use some feedback on either the evolution system or the spells/feats.