|
As I keep working on my campaign setting I had an idea for a new template and I thought I'd post it and see what everyone thought. I haven't seen one like it before, and it kind of just came to me one day. It may need work but here's what I have mechanics wise so far.
New Template:
Cryptid:
Cryptid is a template that may be added to any humanoid, monstrous humanoid, beast or magical beast. A Cryptid tends to be tougher and smarter than their base creature. A Cryptid's blood is cursed from birth, though the why is unknown.
+2 profane bonus to Int, +2 profane bonus to Con
Always detects as evil, regardless of actual alignment
Fast Healing: 2
Challenge Rating: +1
I'm still working on background, world history and the like as I go. I'm having to go back and do a rewrite because I didn't like what I originally came up with.
So what do you think?
I'm curious about the name for the template. Cryptid is just a word for creatures or plants (more often creatures) that cryptozoology and cryptobotany state may exist while scientific consensus rejects them. So, sasquatch, the Loch Ness Monster and so on. Nothing in there about them being evil. Of course, it could have a different meaning within your campaign setting, so it may be totally appropriate.
As for mechanics, I don't see any glaring problems.
fast healing is good but...Idk, seems kinda weak...could we get a better idea of what this means in your campaign? it might help flesh this out a bit more.
Yep, I'm getting no flavor resonance, so all I' really seeing is a bunch of thinly connected "dread"/"cursed" mechanics.
|
|
Essentially in the world I'm designing there are times when someone, or something (i.e. the things mentioned in the template) is born cursed. Their blood is physically different from that of a normal person in that it's black instead of red.
Just by looking at someone there's no outward way to tell that a person is a Cryptid so they try to stay as hidden as possible because the vast majority of people don't trust them. They feel that the gods must have cursed the person's bloodline for a reason, or that the person's family must have made a pact with a devil somewhere along the line. (hence why they always detect as evil)
A Cryptid's alignment can be anything if they have the capacity to choose it. They just detect as evil because of their blood. So a Cryptid human that becomes a Paladin would detect as both good and evil. (which might confuse a lot of people)
The truth is that no one really knows why a Cryptid is born cursed. The gods are silent on the issue. Many have tried searching for the answer but so far none have found it. (Just one of the many mysteries I'm putting into place for the world)
Cryptids are supposed to have a draw towards some of the more esoteric classes. They realize that their enhanced durability lets them be better warriors but they also know that the moment they get wounded they'll be outed as a Cryptid and that might cause problems depending on where they are.
Magic seems to call out to them on a subconcious level and there is a deep temptation to use toward darker ends once started down that path. (Of course not all Cryptids become evil monsters as that would be boring, but the temptation is greater for them when it comes to magic for whatever reason)
That's what I've come up with so far as far as flavor goes, granted I'm still working on a bunch of stuff and it's still got a long ways to go.
Add a charisma bonus and a blood passable sickness similar to what vishkana do with their poisonous blood.
|
Is this really necessary? I mean, between Tieflings and Sorcerer Bloodlines, the fiendish template, and a whole lot of other stuff I'm probably forgetting, do we really need another under-challenge rated template? You could even just make a race.
|
|
Is this really necessary? I mean, between Tieflings and Sorcerer Bloodlines, the fiendish template, and a whole lot of other stuff I'm probably forgetting, do we really need another over-challenge rated template? You could even just make a race.
How is it over challenge rated???
I actually tried to reign it in as much as I could, given the nature of what the Cryptid could have been.
Sorcerer bloodlines have nothing to do with whether or not a person is born a Cryptid or not. It can happen to almost anyone. Aasimar and Tieflings are excluded from being Cryptids because they're planetouched as are half fiends and any other half-outsider, half-aberration, or half-something that can't get the template.
I'm really kind of confused here on this one.
|
|
Whoops, meant underrated...
Well the point is that they aren't really a race unto themselves. A Cryptid type could be born to just about any humanoid or monstrous humanoid (not counting the beasts). A normal Elf family could suddenly give birth to a child that was a Cryptid and may not know for a time. At least until the first time the child is hurt.
They look like anyone else, which is why it can be cause for concern when one is found. There are a lot of people who just assume that they're working for some evil power, because of their unusual nature. Not every template can be UBER-LEET and I'd rather have templates that added to the history of the world and were balanced for both power and RP than just "hey here's a bunch of powers go nuts with it".
The templates I'm going to make for the setting have to make sense, and they have to be balanced. Why is the Cryptid underrated? I know they aren't some huge beastly thing, but they're only a +1 CR adjustment. They aren't meant to be some super template.
|
|
I'm kinda curious why they even need a template. You've explained that they've got black blood and that they seem evil even if they're not. But why do they have a bonus to constitution and intelligence? Why do they have fast healing? Why are they cursed with awesome?
As it is, the template doesn't feel evil.
|
|
I'm kinda curious why they even need a template. You've explained that they've got black blood and that they seem evil even if they're not. But why do they have a bonus to constitution and intelligence? Why do they have fast healing? Why are they cursed with awesome?
As it is, the template doesn't feel evil.
It's a template because, as I said, they aren't a race unto themselves. Anyone could be born that way, it's just a quirk accident of birth. They don't feel evil because the Cryptid is only evil if they choose to be. They detect as evil as part of the curse on their blood.
The bonus to Con and Int is because, for reasons unknown, Cryptids tend to be slightly tougher and smarter than average for their race. They also can heal faster because of their blood. There's something different about it but no one seems to know just what.
Divinations have revealed nothing on the matter.
The whole point is that it's a mystery of the campaign world. I haven't even figured out all the answers for it myself, and truth be told I'm not sure I want to give the answers myself. Players and GMs can come up so many creative ways to answer questions not answered that I'm hesitant to say something that would disappoint when people have something built up in their heads. To me it would be much more enjoyable to just let them play with some of the mysteries and see where they take it. I'd release something that told my story at one point, but I'd probably encourage GMs to send in their ideas and campaign scenarios, go over them and pick the best ones and publish them in the same book. My answer to people would be that while the campaign setting is my baby and my world you, the players, are part and parcel of it. If you have great ideas, and you don't like mine feel free to play with your own. At least just send me an email, respectfully of course, and let me know what's up. I love hearing about creativity.