Kind of thinking about a D&D game with a premise of "Marvel, but in a Fantasy Iron Age." I've got a lot that I can use in that already, but I've been thinking about how to translate the symbiotes into D&D. This is surprisingly difficult, but I think I've figured something out, mostly. Might have some balance issue. Oh, and I edited the Totemic Power feat a bit, since I realized that some of the variations were weak options compared to the others.
Nethar Symbiote
These strange lifeforms are easily, and often, confused for psychoactive skins, but are in fact sapient beings budded from Neth, the Living Plane. While they are sapient, they are unknown to communicate (mostly due to their communication being entirely telepathic). True to their name, they are symbiotic, needing a host to live. They feed on the host's adrenaline while augmenting the host's capabilities.
In their dormant form, a Nethar symbiote appears to be a featureless goo of a mostly solid colour, though streaks and marbling are somewhat common. When bonded to a host, the goo covers the host like a second skin, typically showing the same colouration over the host's form and adding long claws and a distending mouth full of sharp fangs. However, Nethar symbiotes possess amazing chameleonic abilities, and may change their appearance on the host as they or the host desires, much as the spell Disguise Self.
Additionally, due to their parasitic feeding and psionic abilities, Nethar symbiotes have the ability to "learn" new capabilities from a host which can be used by later hosts. The more hosts a Nethar symbiote has had, the stronger it is, and the harder it is for a given host to resist it's control. This makes it very important for host and symbiote to share a personality and objective, much like an intelligent item.
Nethar Symbiote Powers
In general, a Nethar symbiote can be thought of similar to an Astral Construct which has something like the reverse of the feat Skin of the Construct, allowing it to absorb another entity, rather than the entity having a feat allowing it to wear a symbiote.
A Nethar symbiote has a number of HD equal to the number of hosts it has fed from. More importantly than it's hit points, these HD determine the number and strength of abilities a Nethar symbiote can have learned from those hosts, the amount by which they augment future hosts, and how hard it is for a host to resist the symbiote's control.
Nethar Symbiotes are Outsiders with Darkvision and Low-light Vision. When worn by a host, consider the symbiote an armor with an armour bonus equal to it's natural armour bonus and a magical enhancement bonus to armor equal to 1/3 the host's character level, max dex equal to half it's dexterity score (rounded up), and no armour check or armour stealth penalty. The wearer is always aided in strength-based checks by the symbiote (as the Aid Another action), and may replace their own strength with that of the symbiote if this would be beneficial (this is treated as an enhancement bonus to their strength, meaning they cannot replace their strength
and use an item that gives an enhancement bonus to strength), however doing so is tiring, and the host will be Fatigued at the end of the encounter or after using the symbiote's Strength for a number of minutes equal to their own Con mod (whichever is less), and will make the symbiote hungry (the stress or combat the strength is used for does not count for sustenance in this case). If the symbiote is not given a source of food at the end of this use (1 pound of flesh per point of strength modifier in excess of the host's normal modifier is preferred), the symbiote will drain the host, instead, dealing 1 Con damage per minute the strength was used. Finally, the host gains damage reduction equal to the symbiote's HD overcome by adamantine, the Powerful Build trait and claws and a bite attack which deal damage for their Powerful Build (ie, as if they were one size larger than they are).
Nethar Symbiotes are extremely susceptible to heat and vibration. When subjected to an attack which deals fire or sonic damage, whether bonded to a host or not, the symbiote must make a Will save (DC 10+Damage dealt) or become Panicked. The symbiote uses it's host's base will save with its own wisdom modifier.
Obtaining a Symbiote
Obtaining a symbiote involves encountering one that needs or wants a new host. This might involve a diplomacy check, or killing its current host, or finding it in place of treasure. If you don't have a cohort, you may treat your symbiote as such, in which case, whatever the hit die of the symbiote, you can access a maximum of your character level-2 HD of its traits. If you
do have a cohort, you may still have a symbiote, mechanically gaining it through either the feat Nethar Symbiote Bond (see below) or as a magical item (see below), but its abilities are limited to a maximum of your character level-3 HD. Either way, the symbiote advances as you do, gaining a HD whenever you level up, and it always confers its maximum abilities for what you are limited to.
Symbiotes and Fiery or Screamy Hosts
Nethar symbiotes are inherently vulnerable to fire and sonic attacks. This can cause issues for a host who is fiery or frequently uses sonic energy that their body would be subjected to. In this case, so long as you can suppress any ability which produces fire or sonic damage (or if such effects are not always active), you may bond to a Nethar symbiote. The symbiote will quickly gain an immunity to the relevant energy, and in fact it
must have such immunity in its ability purview. If you have the (fire) subtype, the symbiote gains it as well as a special ability, and replaces its fire vulnerability with cold vulnerability.
Symbiotes and Feats
Nethar symbiotes gain feats as any other intelligent creature. However, these feats are only available to the symbiote itself, and generally inactive when the symbiote is bonded to the host. Purely mental effects of feats remain active, but are at the control of the symbiote, not the host. Feats may be gained as special abilities, in which case they are usable by the symbiote's host, but all feats the symbiote has, whether normal HD-attained feats or special abilities, use the symbiote's HD for all purposes, not the host's.
Symbiotes as Treasure
As effectively intelligent items, Nethar symbiotes can be gained in place of magic items. A Nethar symbiote of up to 5 HD counts as a Lesser item, one of 6-11 HD counts as a Moderate item, and one of 12 or more HD counts as a Greater item. A Nethar symbiote gained as a magical item must be attuned and counts against your limit for attuning items.
"What is a Nethar symbiote?
As creatures, Nethar symbiotes are Tiny Outsiders with the Extraplanar subtype (and/or similar subtypes as appropriate). As such, they use a d8 Hit Die, and have a Full BAB, All Good saves, and 8 skill points plus int mod (minimum 1) per hit die, with 4x skill points for their first HD. They have Darkvision 60 ft., a Tentacle attack which they are proficient in, and, unlike other outsiders, must eat and breath. However they are able to extract the substances necessary for respiration from virtually any surrounding, and thus, effectively, they do not breath, and they normally "eat" by feeding on the host's adrenaline. A host who is stressed (in a situation where they could not normally take 10) at least three times in a day satisfies their symbiote's "nutritional" needs, and one actual fight in a day satisfies the symbiote for that day entirely.
Symbiotes, innately, are not proficient in any weapons other than natural attacks (including the claw and bite attacks they confer on a host) or any armor, but they do gain proficiencies from hosts. These proficiencies are gained as if the symbiote was a Tome Fighter, "mentally" training with the weapons and armor the host is proficient in, meaning a symbiote bonded to a host gains a single weapon and armor proficiency each day they are bonded.
Symbiote Abilities by HD
HD | HP | NA | Ability Scores | Special Abilities | Ego
|
1 | 10 hp | +1 | Str 15, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 6 | 1 | 2
|
2 | 16 hp | +2 | Str 17, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 6 | 2 | 3
|
3 | 28 hp | +3 | Str 21, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 8 | 3 | 4
|
5 | 46 hp | +4 | Str 25, Dex 15, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10 | 5 | 6
|
7 | 70 hp | +5 | Str 29, Dex 13, Con 20, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 12 | 7 | 11
|
10 | 118 hp | +6 | Str 33, Dex 13, Con 24, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 15 | 10 | 17
|
13 | 179 hp | +7 | Str 35, Dex 13, Con 28, Int 18, Wis 18, Cha 16 | 13 | 20
|
16 | 235 hp | +8 | Str 39, Dex 13, Con 30, Int 20, Wis 20, Cha 20 | 16 | 28
|
19 | 317 hp | +10 | Str 43, Dex 11, Con 34, Int 24, Wis 24, Cha 30 | 19 | 42 |
Former Host Special Abilities
[spoiler]
Breath Weapon The symbiote has taken on a former host's ability to breath out an attack. This attack is a cone or line and deals a type of damage depending on the former host (this is determined at the time the ability is taken). The damage die is the same as the former host, but the damage is 1 die per two hit die of the symbiote.
Burrowing The symbiote has taken on a former host's ability to burrow, granting future hosts a Burrow speed of 40'. This symbiote's host's claws deal damage as if they were another size larger.
Climbing The symbiote has taken on a former host's ability to scale walls, granting future hosts a Spiderclimb at will as an extraordinary ability. The symbiote also acts as a pair of locking gauntlets.
Fast Healing The symbiote has learned to supplement both its own and its host's healing ability. Both symbiote and host gain Fast Healing equal to half the symbiote's HD (minimum 1). Much like Regeneration, Fire and Sonic damage cannot be healed by this fast healing, and must be healed by other means.
Flight The symbiote has taken on the ability to fly from a former host, allowing future hosts to sprout wings and fly at 20' (Average). The speed allowed by the symbiote is increased by 10' for every 3 HD it has, and the maneuverability increases by one step for every +2 modifier of the host's Dexterity.
Elemental Infusion The symbiote has been infused with elemental energy, as the feat
Infusion of Elemental Essence. If this gives the symbiote immunity or resistance to fire or sonic, the relevant vulnerability must be replaced by vulnerability to another energy.
Feat The symbiote gains the benefits of a suitable feat, which is only active when the symbiote is. Typically these feats are from the Monstrous or Fiend categories, but others may be possible if they make sense. The symbiote
can have [Symbiote] feats, but not [Symbiote- Host] feats.
Resistance The symbiote has taken on the energy resistance of a former host, conferring a resistance of 5x(half the symbiote's HD) to one energy type.
Shield The symbiote acts as a shield, having the
Shield special ability with hit points equal to the symbiote's own hp. Energy which the symbiote is susceptible to (typically fire and sonic) are not stopped by this ability).
Speed The symbiote has taken on the speed of a former host, increasing the land speed of future hosts by 20'.
Spell like Ability The symbiote has taken on the ability to use a single spell like ability from a former host, chosen when this ability is taken. This spell like ability mimics a spell of a level equal to 1/2 the3 symbiote's HD, with a caster level equal to the symbiote's HD. The casting ability for the spell is Cha.
Swim The symbiote has taken on the ability to swim of a former host, granting it's host a swim speed of 40'.
Tendrils The symbiote can sprout an array of psuedopods not quite suitable for wielding weapons, but perfectly serviceable as weapons on their own. The host gains two Tentacle attacks which deal damage as if they were a size larger, and can attempt to trip an opponent they hit with a tendril as a free action. If the host fails to trip their opponent, there is no danger of being tripped themselves.
Webbing The symbiote has taken on a former host's ability to create webs. Future hosts gain Spider variation of the Totemic Power feat (see above).
[/spoiler]
Symbiote Feats
Broadly, possession and use of a Nethar Symbiote beyond the menu abilities is best represented by feats, similar to fiendish feats from the Tome of Fiends.
Nethar Symbiote Bond
You are bonded to a Nethar Symbiote.
Benefit: You have and are bonded to a Nethar Symbiote. You gain the benefits of the symbiote when wearing it- you have an armor bonus equal to the symbiote's natural armor bonus, have a bite and claw attack which deal damage as if you were a size larger, DR (Symbiote HD)/Adamantine, and the symbiote's Former Host special abilities. You may use
Chameleon and
Disguise Self at will as Psi-Like Abilities.
Being bonded with the symbiote, it is easier for you to work with your symbiote and resist its control, gaining a bonus to your Will save against it's Ego equal to the better of your Charisma or Wisdom modifier. If you do not have a cohort, your symbiote becomes a cohort, with maximum HD equal to your character level-2. If you already have a cohort, its maximum HD are your character level-3.
Finally, this feat allows you to take Symbiote feats.
Special: You may have a Nethar symbiote without this feat, but you can't take Symbiote feats without it.
Aggressive Protoplasm[Symbiote]
The very nature of your symbiote's protoplasm has altered to become anathemic to other life, either corrosive or toxic.
Benefit: When you gain this feat, choose Poison or Acid. If you choose Poison, choose any poison in D&D with a DC equal to or less than (10+half your HD+the better of your symbiote's con mod or your own). You may create a poison from your symbiote's protoplasm that mimics that poison, save that it uses your own DC (increasing as your HD and con mod does). Doing so deals 1 point of subdual damage to your symbiote. If you choose Acid, your symbiote's protoplasm becomes corrosive, dealing dealing acid damage to creatures touched by it equal to (symbiote's HD)d6. You may throw, drip, or otherwise separate a small amount of protoplasm from your symbiote to deal this acid damage at range or similar, but doing so deals 1 point of subdual damage to your symbiote each time you do. Protoplasm separated from your symbiote continues to deal damage each round equal to half the damage dealt the round before for a number of rounds equal to the better your symbiote's or your own con mod.
Constricting Symbiote[Symbiote]
You have learned to shape your symbiote, altering your own cellular structure as you do, to create a powerful constricting tail in place of your legs.
As the Fiend feat Constricting Fiend. The host may switch between legs and a constricting tail at will as a full-round action.
Enhanced Chameleonic Ability[Symbiote- Host]
You have learned to compress your symbiote in such a way that you can disguise it while maintaining it's enhanced size.
Prerequisites: Extra Biomass
Benefit: You may Change Shape into a Medium humanoid appearance, your symbiote mimicking attire of your choice, while still benefitting from the effects of Extra Biomass.
Normal: A host with Extra Biomass who wishes to disguise their symbiote's size must force the symbiote into dormancy, gaining no benefit from their Symbiote feats while it is inactive.
Extra Biomass[Symbiote]
You have increased the biomass of your symbiote such that when active, you are larger than normal.
As the Fiend feats Large and Huge size.
Greasy Protoplasm[Symbiote]
You have learned to secrete a slick byproduct from your protoplasm which makes it very hard to stand where you have or hold onto you.
As the Fiend feat Slime Trail
Limb Shaping[Symbiote]
Your ability to shape your symbiote's protoplasm has improved to the point that you can create entirely new limbs.
Prerequisites: Weapon Shaping, Character Level 6
Benefit: As a full-round action, you may create one pair of arms or legs, or a powerful tail. Extra arms allow the use of more weapons or shields and grant additional claw attacks. Extra legs grant the wearer the Stability trait of dwarves, save that it functions while climbing if the symbiote has a climb speed, as well as increasing the host's land speed by 10'. If the symbiote has a climb, burrow or swim speed, either form of limb increases that speed by 10'. A tail grants a Tail Slap attack, and may, at the host's option, include a stinger. If your have Aggressive Protoplasm, such a stinger may inject the poison or acid granted by that feat.
Pincers[Symbiote]
You can form your symbiote's protoplasm into a pair of large pincers over two of your hands.
As the Fiend feat Pincers.
Shards of the Symbiote[Symbiote]
You can throw razor sharp shards from your symbiote.
As the Fiend feat Spines of Fury
Share Symbiote[Symbiote- Host]
You have learned to create a small servitor symbiote that can be worn by another.
Prerequisites: Symbiote Domination, Character Level 10
Benefit: You may create a lesser symbiote from your own, ie, a symbiote with less HD, and allow it to engulf another host. Your own symbiote basically takes a number of negative levels equal to one less than the HD of the created symbiote and can only access a number of special abilities equal to that allowed by symbiote HD equal to (Symbiote's HD-negative levels). You cannot create a symbiote with more HD than one less than half your symbiote's HD. The host of your shared symbiote gains the usual benefits of having a symbiote, and the symbiote has whatever abilities you lost access to. You cannot create more symbiotes than your symbiote's Con Mod, and you do not control a host unless you also use Symbiote Domination on the host who receives your shared symbiote.
Symbiote Domination[Symbiote]
You have learned to use your symbiote to control others.
Prerequisites: Character Level 5
Benefit: You may use a small piece of your symbiote to establish control of another creature. This acts as the spell Dominate Animal, but deals an amount of subdual damage to your symbiote equal to the target's HD. If you have 9 or more HD, this may act as Dominate Person instead, and if you have 17 or more HD, this may act as Dominate Monster.
Weapon Shaping[Symbiote]
You have learned to form weapons from your symbiote's protoplasm.
Benefit: You may create weapons from your symbiote as a swift action. You can form natural or manufactured weapons with equal ease, and creating one takes a swift action. Weapons you create may be any size, and you are considered to be proficient in weapons you create from your symbiote. If you create a weapon above the size you could normally wield (taking the powerful build from the symbiote into account), it takes longer than normal to form--a move action for 1 size, a standard for 2 sizes, and a full round action for 3 sizes. You may also form multiple weapons at once, but two weapons of one size are treated as one weapon of the next size up for action purposes (ie, a medium host may form a huge weapon or two large weapons as a move action).
Your weapons may be sundered as normal. If this happens, it deals damage to the symbiote equal to the damage taken to sunder the weapon. A symbiote at reduced hp has a reduced mass from which to create weapons- at 3/4 hp, it cannot create weapons three sizes above normal; at 1/2 hp, it cannot create weapons two sizes above normal; at 1/4 hp, it cannot create weapons one size above normal. If the symbiote has less than 1/4 hp, it cannot create weapons until it has healed above 1/4 hp.
Special: This feat also allows the creation of Shields.