Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 12:17 am
Well, the way I designed the template was for it to be just a template that could make a spirit of anything. Not everything with the "spirit" type (ie, fey) is going to have the Spirit template, though a lot of the animal spirits are turning out to, since they have magic powers. Kappa probably won't have a sphere, and won't even have a human form. Usagi are seriously just big rabbits (small size) that walk around on their hind legs carrying an usu (pestle for making mochi). They do have a sphere, but that's because they're supposed to have some magic.
So, yes, there are Spirit People, and Spirits. Spirit People are everything from humanoid spirits of locations and objects to the ancestor spirits, people that are old, skilled, and died. Spirits are generally going to be magic animals and the asian equivalent of fey.
in other words:
Spirit Person: Ancestor Spirit, Bamboo Spirit, Mountain Spirit
Spirit: Kitsune, Tanuki, Usagi, Tsukuyogami (stuff that's been well treated for 100 years and achieved spiritual substance and sentience, like a paper lantern)
Most of that stuff is totally playable. The bamboo spirit and mountain spirits will almost never be in their normal forms, because it's hard to interact with trees and rocks, and the animal spirits are fine either way, because they can totally talk and interact with the human world while short and furry. Tsukuyogami aren't playable, generally speaking, because they (usually) don't have a human form. They're literally parasols and tea kettles with legs and eyes and shit. In fact, there are set kinds, so they'd get statted, not made with the Spirit template.
On the other hand, it should be totally possible to play an armour or sword spirit, with a human form, if desired. In fact a sword spirit that walks around in human form, wearing his old owner's armour and wielding his physical sword form would be a really cool character.
(there also needs to be a caveat that almost without exception, inanimate object spirits are a manifestation, not a transformation)
The issue with Okami would be the feed ability, it's not a huge issue, but... something needs to be figured out. Maybe they just are known for eating a lot and don't actually have a supernatural ability that makes them stronger for it.
Tengu and Usagi:
Tengu
Tiny Spirit
Hit Die ¼ d8
Init +1
Speed 10 ft., Fly 40 ft. (average) (30 ft, Fly 20 ft [average] in human form)
Armour Class (+2 size, +1 dex)
Base Attack/Grapple +0/-3
Attack Claws +1m (1d2+1)
Full Attack Claws +1m (1d2+1) or Katana +1m (1d10+1) in human form
Space/Reach 2 ½ ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks -
Special Qualities Humanoid Form, Low Light Vision
Saves Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +2
Abilities Str 10, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
Skills Spot +2, Survival +2
Feats Insightful Strike
Honorable
CR 1/3
Tengu are protective, but potentially dangerous spirits of the mountains and forests. Their spirit form is that of a large crow, or raven, and these birds can occasionally be seen carrying swords in their talons. When a tengu takes human form, they usually disguise themselves as a priest of some form, usually a yamabushi.
The actual huamn form of a tengu is generally more variable than other youkai. They may take a standard form, which is that of a human with a beak, a more human form, a human with a large, almost phallic nose, or a more terrifying form, a humanoid body covered in black feathers, with full wings, raven head, and talons on their arms and legs. As youkai, it is technically possible for them to wield their katanas in bird form, but take the standard size penalties for a tiny creature using a medium sword (-4).
The art of Kendo is said to have been taught to man by the Tengu, and indeed the highest masters of the art are very old, powerful Tengu. Tengu are also associated with hauchiwa, magic fans made of feathers, capable of creating great gusts of wind, and cause a person's nose to grow or shrink.
In many areas, Tengu are placated or gifted with either kuhin-mochi () or okoze (fish) to avoid the wrath and trickery of the wardens of the forests and lakes they live from. Mackeral is also occasionally employed as a ward against Tengu, as they smell this fish quite strongly, and are not fond of it, but this merely makes them leave if they're not particularly intent on causing trouble, otherwise they are able to bare the smell. Kuhin-mochi and okoze are both foods that can be useful for discerning a Tengu in human form.
Tengu Sphere
Tengu are known for their ability to create things out of thin air, their martial prowess and their protection of holy shrines and people. Only powerful Tengu gain this sphere. Basic access is obtained at level 6, advanced at level 12, and expert at level 18.
Granted Ability: Combat school: Kendo. If the Tengu already has this feat, he instead gains another Combat Feat. For the purposes of Combat School: Kendo (and only that feat. This doesn't apply to any other feat granted by this sphere), his BAB is considered to be 3 higher for determining the feat's benefits.
1st Shield of Faith
3rd Aid
5th Bestow Curse
7th Divine Power
9th Mark of Justice
11th Major Creation
13th Control Weather
15th Iron Body
17th Soul Bind (usually used with shide, “zigzag paper tassels”, fans, or feathers)
19th Wish (wealth and magic item only for free, spend for raise the dead and increase power of item only)
Tengu as Player Characters
Tengu adventurers often travel with priests and yamabushi, serving as guardians and protectors. They may join a party found in the mountains if the whim takes them. They have +2 Dex, +2 Wis, and -2 Cha, as they are agile and wise, but can be somewhat abrasive in social situations. They receive a +2 racial bonus on Spot and Survival, and have the feat Insightful Strike.
Usagi
Small Spirit
Hit Die ½ d8
Init +1
Speed 30 Ft.
Armour Class (+1 Dex, )
Base Attack/Grapple +0/-5
Attack Usu -1m (1d8-1)
Full Attack Usu -1 (1d8-1)
Space/Reach 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks -
Special Qualities Low Light Vision, Moon Sphere
Saves Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +2
Abilities Str 8, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10
Skills Craft (alchemy) +3, Craft (Cooking) +3, Jump +2, Hide +2
Feats
Honorable
CR 1/4
Usagi are literally large, anthropomorphic rabbits that are said to live on the moon and make mochi. As spirits, they tend towards a slight mischievousness, enjoying playing tricks on people, but often leaving behind bundles of mochi as a gift to those they trick. They are commonly seen carrying their usu, large pestles shaped like mallets used for making mochi (greatclub), and a jug of sake.
Moon Sphere
Usagi are, at their basic, spirits of the moon and rice. They have a kinship to Inari spirits, and the Goddess Spirit Inari, and will frequently carry messages to or from either. The light of the moon, which Usagi can borrow for a short time, excels at revealing true forms and highlighting falsehoods.
Granted Ability: Radiate light as a torch at will. This light aids revelation of illusions and shapechanging. The dc for anyone to discern an illusion or see through a magical disguise within the range of this light is lowered by an amount equal to the Usagi's HD.
1st Goodberry (uses pieces of Mochi instead of berries)
3rd Zone of Truth
5th Plant Growth
7th Air Walk
9th Sending
11th Moon Path (FRCS)
13th True Seeing
15th Screen
17th Moonfire
19th Mage's Disjunction
Creature as Player Characters
Usagi Adventurers pack up their usu and mortars, and usually advance as spell casters of some sort. They have +2 Dex, +2 Con, and -2 Str, they're agile and have great stamina, but lack strength. They have a +2 racial bonus to Craft (Alchemy) and Craft (Cooking) Checks, and use their Dex modifier when jumping.
So, yes, there are Spirit People, and Spirits. Spirit People are everything from humanoid spirits of locations and objects to the ancestor spirits, people that are old, skilled, and died. Spirits are generally going to be magic animals and the asian equivalent of fey.
in other words:
Spirit Person: Ancestor Spirit, Bamboo Spirit, Mountain Spirit
Spirit: Kitsune, Tanuki, Usagi, Tsukuyogami (stuff that's been well treated for 100 years and achieved spiritual substance and sentience, like a paper lantern)
Most of that stuff is totally playable. The bamboo spirit and mountain spirits will almost never be in their normal forms, because it's hard to interact with trees and rocks, and the animal spirits are fine either way, because they can totally talk and interact with the human world while short and furry. Tsukuyogami aren't playable, generally speaking, because they (usually) don't have a human form. They're literally parasols and tea kettles with legs and eyes and shit. In fact, there are set kinds, so they'd get statted, not made with the Spirit template.
On the other hand, it should be totally possible to play an armour or sword spirit, with a human form, if desired. In fact a sword spirit that walks around in human form, wearing his old owner's armour and wielding his physical sword form would be a really cool character.
(there also needs to be a caveat that almost without exception, inanimate object spirits are a manifestation, not a transformation)
The issue with Okami would be the feed ability, it's not a huge issue, but... something needs to be figured out. Maybe they just are known for eating a lot and don't actually have a supernatural ability that makes them stronger for it.
Tengu and Usagi:
Tengu
Tiny Spirit
Hit Die ¼ d8
Init +1
Speed 10 ft., Fly 40 ft. (average) (30 ft, Fly 20 ft [average] in human form)
Armour Class (+2 size, +1 dex)
Base Attack/Grapple +0/-3
Attack Claws +1m (1d2+1)
Full Attack Claws +1m (1d2+1) or Katana +1m (1d10+1) in human form
Space/Reach 2 ½ ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks -
Special Qualities Humanoid Form, Low Light Vision
Saves Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +2
Abilities Str 10, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
Skills Spot +2, Survival +2
Feats Insightful Strike
Honorable
CR 1/3
Tengu are protective, but potentially dangerous spirits of the mountains and forests. Their spirit form is that of a large crow, or raven, and these birds can occasionally be seen carrying swords in their talons. When a tengu takes human form, they usually disguise themselves as a priest of some form, usually a yamabushi.
The actual huamn form of a tengu is generally more variable than other youkai. They may take a standard form, which is that of a human with a beak, a more human form, a human with a large, almost phallic nose, or a more terrifying form, a humanoid body covered in black feathers, with full wings, raven head, and talons on their arms and legs. As youkai, it is technically possible for them to wield their katanas in bird form, but take the standard size penalties for a tiny creature using a medium sword (-4).
The art of Kendo is said to have been taught to man by the Tengu, and indeed the highest masters of the art are very old, powerful Tengu. Tengu are also associated with hauchiwa, magic fans made of feathers, capable of creating great gusts of wind, and cause a person's nose to grow or shrink.
In many areas, Tengu are placated or gifted with either kuhin-mochi () or okoze (fish) to avoid the wrath and trickery of the wardens of the forests and lakes they live from. Mackeral is also occasionally employed as a ward against Tengu, as they smell this fish quite strongly, and are not fond of it, but this merely makes them leave if they're not particularly intent on causing trouble, otherwise they are able to bare the smell. Kuhin-mochi and okoze are both foods that can be useful for discerning a Tengu in human form.
Tengu Sphere
Tengu are known for their ability to create things out of thin air, their martial prowess and their protection of holy shrines and people. Only powerful Tengu gain this sphere. Basic access is obtained at level 6, advanced at level 12, and expert at level 18.
Granted Ability: Combat school: Kendo. If the Tengu already has this feat, he instead gains another Combat Feat. For the purposes of Combat School: Kendo (and only that feat. This doesn't apply to any other feat granted by this sphere), his BAB is considered to be 3 higher for determining the feat's benefits.
1st Shield of Faith
3rd Aid
5th Bestow Curse
7th Divine Power
9th Mark of Justice
11th Major Creation
13th Control Weather
15th Iron Body
17th Soul Bind (usually used with shide, “zigzag paper tassels”, fans, or feathers)
19th Wish (wealth and magic item only for free, spend for raise the dead and increase power of item only)
Tengu as Player Characters
Tengu adventurers often travel with priests and yamabushi, serving as guardians and protectors. They may join a party found in the mountains if the whim takes them. They have +2 Dex, +2 Wis, and -2 Cha, as they are agile and wise, but can be somewhat abrasive in social situations. They receive a +2 racial bonus on Spot and Survival, and have the feat Insightful Strike.
Usagi
Small Spirit
Hit Die ½ d8
Init +1
Speed 30 Ft.
Armour Class (+1 Dex, )
Base Attack/Grapple +0/-5
Attack Usu -1m (1d8-1)
Full Attack Usu -1 (1d8-1)
Space/Reach 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks -
Special Qualities Low Light Vision, Moon Sphere
Saves Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +2
Abilities Str 8, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10
Skills Craft (alchemy) +3, Craft (Cooking) +3, Jump +2, Hide +2
Feats
Honorable
CR 1/4
Usagi are literally large, anthropomorphic rabbits that are said to live on the moon and make mochi. As spirits, they tend towards a slight mischievousness, enjoying playing tricks on people, but often leaving behind bundles of mochi as a gift to those they trick. They are commonly seen carrying their usu, large pestles shaped like mallets used for making mochi (greatclub), and a jug of sake.
Moon Sphere
Usagi are, at their basic, spirits of the moon and rice. They have a kinship to Inari spirits, and the Goddess Spirit Inari, and will frequently carry messages to or from either. The light of the moon, which Usagi can borrow for a short time, excels at revealing true forms and highlighting falsehoods.
Granted Ability: Radiate light as a torch at will. This light aids revelation of illusions and shapechanging. The dc for anyone to discern an illusion or see through a magical disguise within the range of this light is lowered by an amount equal to the Usagi's HD.
1st Goodberry (uses pieces of Mochi instead of berries)
3rd Zone of Truth
5th Plant Growth
7th Air Walk
9th Sending
11th Moon Path (FRCS)
13th True Seeing
15th Screen
17th Moonfire
19th Mage's Disjunction
Creature as Player Characters
Usagi Adventurers pack up their usu and mortars, and usually advance as spell casters of some sort. They have +2 Dex, +2 Con, and -2 Str, they're agile and have great stamina, but lack strength. They have a +2 racial bonus to Craft (Alchemy) and Craft (Cooking) Checks, and use their Dex modifier when jumping.