Bonus Bloodlines
Welcome again to From the Workshop, where we showcase a bevy of new magic items, monsters and even alternate class features. This week I’ve been tinkering with the sources of arcane power that sorcerers tap into, and I’ve created two new types of bloodlines. The first of these is the artificial (or construct) bloodline and the second is the most unusual plant bloodline.
Artificial
Somewhere down the line, your ancestors dabbled in the art of creating artificial life. Your bloodline is either the result of having one of the successes in your lineage, or it could be caused by residual magic from failed experiments.
Class Skill: Knowledge (engineering)
Bonus Spells: animate rope (3rd); make whole (5th); magic weapon, greater (7th); stoneskin (9th); fabricate (11th); animate objects (13th); statue (15th); iron body (17th); crushing hand (19th)
Bonus Feats: Cleave, Combat Casting, Empower Spell, Great Fortitude, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Knowledge [engineering]), Toughness
Bloodline Arcana: Whenever you cast a spell of the transmutation school, increase the duration as if your caster level was two levels higher.
Bloodline Powers:
Battlefist (Ex): At 1st level, you can transform one of your hands into a metal fist as a free action. This fist is treated as a natural weapon, allowing you to make a slam attack as a full attack action, using your full base attack bonus. These attacks deal 1d6 points of damage each (1d4 if you are Small) plus your Strength modifier. At 5th level, this fist is considered a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming DR. At 7th level, the damage increases by one step to 1d8 points of damage (1d6 if you are Small). At 11th level, this fist becomes a shocking weapon, dealing an additional 1d6 points of electricity damage on a successful hit. At 15th level, this fist is considered adamantine for the purposes of overcoming DR and hardness. This is a supernatural ability. You can use your battlefist for a number of rounds per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.
Construct Fortification (Ex): At 3rd level, you gain a +1 natural armor bonus and DR 5/— against nonlethal damage. At 9th level, your natural armor bonus increases to +2 and your DR increases to 10/— against nonlethal damage. At 15th level, your natural armor bonus increases to +4.
Iron Might (Ex): At 9th level, you gain a +2 inherent bonus to your Strength. This bonus increases to +4 at 13th level, and to +6 at 17th level.
Resistance to Magic (Su): At 15th level, you gain spell resistance equal to your sorcerer level + 10.
Construct Perfection (Su): At 20th level, you gain immunity to nonlethal damage, paralysis, and sleep. You also gain DR 10/adamantine. In addition, you gain bonus hit points based on your size, just like a construct. You can be healed by make whole and other similar spells as though you were a construct (regular healing still affects you normally).
Plant
The power of nature resides in you, and at times you can barely contain it within. This influence comes from a plant-like creature in your family history, or a time when you or your relatives were exposed to a powerful force of nature.
Class Skill: Knowledge (nature)
Bonus Spells: entangle (3rd), barkskin (5th), plant growth (7th), command plants (9th), plant shape I (11th), plant shape II (13th), plant shape III (15th), changestaff* (17th), shambler (19th)
*This version of that spell is 8th level; the creature the staff transforms into looks and fights just like an advanced treant.
Bonus Feats: Alertness, Endurance, Enlarge Spell, Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Knowledge [nature]), Toughness
Bloodline Arcana: Some plants are susceptible to your mind-affecting spells. You can affect non-mindless plants as though they were humanoids.
Bloodline Powers:
Wooden Fist (Su): As a free action, your hands can become as hard as wood, covered in tiny thorns. While you have wooden fists, your unarmed strikes do not provoke attacks of opportunity, deal lethal damage, and gain a bonus on damage rolls equal to 1/2 your sorcerer level (minimum +1). You can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.
Photosynthetic Might (Su): At 3rd level, you gain a +2 natural armor bonus and fast healing equal to one foruth of your sorcerer level (minimum 1) while in sunlight. You also no longer need to eat or drink as long as you spend 4 hours in the sun and “take root” for at least 2 hours a day by having some part of you in direct contact with the earth (you may take root while you sleep). At 9th level your natural armor bonus increases to +3 and you gain a +2 inherent bonus to your Strength while in sunlight. At 15th level, your inherent bonus to Strength increases to +4 and your natural armor bonus increases to +6.
Bramble Armor (Su): At 9th level, you can cause a host of wooden thorns burst from your skin as a free action. While bramble armor is in effect, any foe striking you with an unarmed strike or a melee weapon without reach takes 1d6 points of piercing damage + 1 point per two sorcerer levels you possess. You can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to your sorcerer level. These rounds do not need to be consecutive.
Abundance (Sp): At 15th level, you gain access to the following spell-like abilities: liveoak – 1/day, fire seeds – 1/day, tree shape – 3/day, goodberry – at will. These spell-like abilities use your sorcerer level as your caster level.
Verdant Ascension (Su): At 20th level, you gain immunity to electricity and poison. You also gain DR 10/slashing. Creatures of the plant type do not attack you unless compelled to do so through magic or if you attack first. Once per day, you can cast transport via plants as a spell-like ability using your sorcerer level as your caster level.