Life-shaper
The life-shapers are a secret society of knowledge and ritual. The members of this elite order presume that they are superior to the rest of the Athas, with stronger links to the past. Because their lore comes from ancient times, the life-shapers revere the rhulisti to a degree that approaches worship. They long for the ancient days when life-shaped objects met every demand and they developed innovative creations to meet new challenges and needs. The shapers guard their knowledge closely, preserving the rituals necessary to work their craft with great care and devotion.
Study and dedication are not enough to make one a life-shaper. There is a strange and secret initiation for candidates who wish to become life-shapers. This involves a process in which they immerse the aspirant in biological fluids and creation matter, in a life-shaped device called a womb, to see whether he or she is accepted “by the fundamental forces of life.” Those it rejects are cast out, unconscious but still alive, while those accepted are sustained by the pod and live within its walls until removed. Once accepted, the new apprentices are allowed to begin their work, directed and guided by their superiors. They leave society and join isolated life-shaper communities. The shapers are a separate subculture within society. The high number of life-shaped grafts and additions to their bodies often identifies them. Most wear cosmetic skin-grafts bearing the image of a green, outstretched hand, the insignia of the life-shapers.
In practice, the shapers take various protoplasmic ingredients (the most basic of which is called pith) and perform the rituals which instruct them in the methods that mold the protoplasm into the desired creation. Most components take 3 to 10 weeks to grow and develop, and the larger and more complex organisms can take up to a year to mature.
Life-shapers work in special sanctuaries, operating in large groups. With few exceptions, every community has a sanctuary. The shapers’ work is so all-consuming that members normally live within these retreats, rarely leaving their labor, and outsiders are prohibited within their walls. These secular monasteries are viewed by others as shrines to the power of life itself. Although there is no real religion, no doctrine, and certainly no religious services, there is no better way to describe the feeling that others have for the life-shaper preserves than that of hallowed temples.
Unlike the other professions, the life-shapers have a definite hierarchy. Their main sanctuary is located in Thamasku, and their leaders are the highly respected Loi Faroneth and his very influential lieutenant, Gil-ogres. Below these two, each sanctuary has its own leader and each leader has one or two assistants.
Role: The life-shaper’s reputation is not softened by his exuberance in perfecting his magical extracts and potion-like creations, infusing these substances with magic siphoned from pith and using his own body as experimental stock. Nor is it mollified by the lifeshaper’s almost gleeful passion for crafting and discovering strange new poisons and methods for their use. These traits, while making him a liability and risk for most civilized organizations and institutions of higher learning, seem to fit quite well with most adventuring groups.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8.
Starting Wealth: 3d6 x 10 gp (average 105 gp).
Class Skills
The life-shaper’s class skills are Appraise (Int), Craft (any) (Int), Disable Device (Dex), Fly (Dex), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis), Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points at each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Class Features
| Spells Per Day | |||||||||||
| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th |
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +2 | +0 | Alchemy, bomb 1d6, Brew Potion, mutagen, Throw Anything | 1 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +3 | +0 | Discovery, poison resistance +2, poison use | 2 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +3 | +1 | Bomb 2d6, swift alchemy | 3 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Discovery | 3 | 1 | – | – | – | – |
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Bomb 3d6, poison resistance +4 | 4 | 2 | – | – | – | – |
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Discovery, swift poisoning | 4 | 3 | – | – | – | – |
| 7th | +5 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Bomb 4d6 | 4 | 3 | 1 | – | – | – |
| 8th | +6/+1 | +6 | +6 | +2 | Discovery, poison resistance +6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | – | – | – |
| 9th | +6/+1 | +6 | +6 | +3 | Bomb 5d6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | – | – | – |
| 10th | +7/+2 | +7 | +7 | +3 | Discovery, poison immunity | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | – | – |
| 11th | +8/+3 | +7 | +7 | +3 | Bomb 6d6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | – | – |
| 12th | +9/+4 | +8 | +8 | +4 | Discovery | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | – | – |
| 13th | +9/+4 | +8 | +8 | +4 | Bomb 7d6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | – |
| 14th | +10/+5 | +9 | +9 | +4 | Discovery, persistent mutagen | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | – |
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +9 | +9 | +5 | Bomb 8d6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | – |
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +10 | +5 | Discovery | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +10 | +5 | Bomb 9d6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +11 | +11 | +6 | Discovery, instant alchemy | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +11 | +11 | +6 | Bomb 10d6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +12 | +12 | +6 | Grand discovery | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Life-shapers are proficient with all simple weapons and bombs. They are also proficient with light armor, but not with shields.
Alchemy (Su): Life-shapers are not only masters of creating mundane alchemical substances such as Life-shaper’s fire and smokesticks, but also of fashioning magical potion-like extracts in which they can store spell effects. In effect, an Life-shaper prepares his spells by mixing ingredients into a number of extracts, and then “casts” his spells by drinking the extract. When an Life-shaper creates an extract or bomb, he infuses the concoction with a tiny fraction of his own magical power—this enables the creation of powerful effects, but also binds the effects to the creator.
When using Craft (alchemy) to create an alchemical item, an Life-shaper gains a competence bonus equal to his class level on the Craft (alchemy) check. In addition, an Life-shaper can use Craft (alchemy) to identify potions as if using detect magic. He must hold the potion for 1 round to make such a check.
An Life-shaper can create three special types of magical items—extracts, bombs, and mutagens. Bombs are explosive splash weapons, and mutagens are transformative elixirs that the Life-shaper drinks to enhance his physical abilities—both of these are detailed in their own sections below.
Extracts are the most varied of the three. In many ways, they behave like spells in potion form, and as such their effects can be dispelled by effects like dispel magic using the Life-shaper’s level as the caster level. Unlike potions, though, extracts can have powerful effects and duplicate spells that a potion normally could not.
An Life-shaper can create only a certain number of extracts of each level per day. His base daily allotment of extracts is given on Table 2–1. In addition, he receives bonus extracts per day if he has a high Intelligence score, in the same way a wizard receives bonus spells per day.
When an Life-shaper mixes an extract, he infuses the chemicals and reagents in the extract with magic siphoned from his own magical aura. An extract immediately becomes inert if it leaves the Life-shaper’s possession, reactivating as soon as it returns to his keeping—an Life-shaper cannot normally pass out his extracts for allies to use (but see the “infusion” discovery below). An extract, once created, remains potent for 1 day before losing its magic, so an Life-shaper must re-prepare his extracts every day. Mixing an extract takes 1 minute of work—most Life-shapers prepare many extracts at the start of the day or just before going on an adventure, but it’s not uncommon for an Life-shaper to keep some (or even all) of his daily extract slots open so that he can prepare extracts in the field as needed.
Although the Life-shaper doesn’t actually cast spells, he does have a formulae list that determines what extracts he can create. An Life-shaper can utilize spell-trigger items if the spell appears on his formulae list, but not spell-completion items (unless he uses Use Magic Device to do so). An extract is “cast” by drinking it, as if imbibing a potion—the effects of an extract exactly duplicate the spell upon which its formula is based, save that the spell always affects only the drinking Life-shaper. An Life-shaper can draw and drink an extract as a standard action. The Life-shaper uses his level as the caster level to determine any effect based on caster level.
Creating extracts consumes raw materials, but the cost of these materials is insignificant—comparable to the valueless material components of most spells. If a spell normally has a costly material component, that component is expended during the consumption of that particular extract. Extracts cannot be made from spells that have focus requirements (Life-shaper extracts that duplicate divine spells never have a divine focus requirement).
An Life-shaper can prepare an extract of any formula he knows. To learn or use an extract, an Life-shaper must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the extract’s level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an Life-shaper’s extract is 10 + the extract level + the Life-shaper’s Intelligence modifier.
An Life-shaper may know any number of formulae. He stores his formulae in a special tome called a formula book. He must refer to this book whenever he prepares an extract but not when he consumes it. An Life-shaper begins play with two 1st-level formulae of his choice, plus a number of additional forumlae equal to his Intelligence modifier. At each new Life-shaper level, he gains one new formula of any level that he can create. An Life-shaper can also add formulae to his book just like a wizard adds spells to his spellbook, using the same costs, pages, and time requirements. An Life-shaper can study a wizard’s spellbook to learn any formula that is equivalent to a spell the spellbook contains. A wizard, however, cannot learn spells from a formula book. An Life-shaper does not need to decipher arcane writings before copying them.
Bomb (Su): In addition to magical extracts, Life-shapers are adept at swiftly mixing various volatile chemicals and infusing them with their magical reserves to create powerful bombs that they can hurl at their enemies. An Life-shaper can use a number of bombs each day equal to his class level + his Intelligence modifier. Bombs are unstable, and if not used in the round they are created, they degrade and become inert—their method of creation prevents large volumes of explosive material from being created and stored. In order to create a bomb, the Life-shaper must use a small vial containing an ounce of liquid catalyst—the Life-shaper can create this liquid catalyst from small amounts of chemicals from an alchemy lab, and these supplies can be readily refilled in the same manner as a spellcaster’s component pouch. Most Life-shapers create a number of catalyst vials at the start of the day equal to the total number of bombs they can create in that day—once created, a catalyst vial remains usable by the Life-shaper for years.
Drawing the components of, creating, and throwing a bomb requires a standard action that provokes an attack of opportunity. Thrown bombs have a range of 20 feet and use the Throw Splash Weapon special attack. Bombs are considered weapons and can be selected using feats such as Point-Blank Shot and Weapon Focus. On a direct hit, an Life-shaper’s bomb inflicts 1d6 points of fire damage + additional damage equal to the Life-shaper’s Intelligence modifier. The damage of an Life-shaper’s bomb increases by 1d6 points at every odd-numbered Life-shaper level (this bonus damage is not multiplied on a critical hit or by using feats such as Vital Strike). Splash damage from an Life-shaper bomb is always equal to the bomb’s minimum damage (so if the bomb would deal 2d6+4 points of fire damage on a direct hit, its splash damage would be 6 points of fire damage). Those caught in the splash damage can attempt a Reflex save for half damage. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the Life-shaper’s level + the Life-shaper’s Intelligence modifier.
Life-shapers can learn new types of bombs as discoveries (see the Discovery ability) as they level up. An Life-shaper’s bomb, like an extract, becomes inert if used or carried by anyone else.
Brew Potion (Ex): At 1st level, Life-shapers receive Brew Potion Fruit as a bonus feat. A Life-shaper can brew potion fruits of any formulae he knows (up to 3rd level), using his Life-shaper level as his caster level. The spell must be one that can be made into a potion. The Life-shaper does not need to meet the prerequisites for this feat.
Mutagen (Su): At 1st level, an Life-shaper discovers how to create a mutagen that he can imbibe in order to heighten his physical prowess at the cost of his personality. It takes 1 hour to brew a dose of mutagen, and once brewed, it remains potent until used. An Life-shaper can only maintain one dose of mutagen at a time—if he brews a second dose, any existing mutagen becomes inert. As with an extract or bomb, a mutagen that is not in an Life-shaper’s possession becomes inert until an Life-shaper picks it up again.
When an Life-shaper brews a mutagen, he selects one physical ability score—either Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution. It’s a standard action to drink a mutagen. Upon being imbibed, the mutagen causes the Life-shaper to grow bulkier and more bestial, granting him a +2 natural armor bonus and a +4 alchemical bonus to the selected ability score for 10 minutes per Life-shaper level. In addition, while the mutagen is in effect, the Life-shaper takes a –2 penalty to one of his mental ability scores. If the mutagen enhances his Strength, it applies a penalty to his Intelligence. If it enhances his Dexterity, it applies a penalty to his Wisdom. If it enhances his Constitution, it applies a penalty to his Charisma.
A non-Life-shaper who drinks a mutagen must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 the Life-shaper’s level + the Life-shaper’s Intelligence modifier) or become nauseated for 1 hour—a non-Life-shaper can never gain the benefit of a mutagen, but an Life-shaper can gain the effects of another Life-shaper’s mutagen if he drinks it. (Although if the other Life-shaper creates a different mutagen, the effects of the “stolen” mutagen immediately cease.) The effects of a mutagen do not stack. Whenever an Life-shaper drinks a mutagen, the effects of any previous mutagen immediately end.
Throw Anything (Ex): All Life-shapers gain the Throw Anything feat as a bonus feat at 1st level. An Life-shaper adds his Intelligence modifier to damage done with splash weapons, including the splash damage if any. This bonus damage is already included in the bomb class feature.
Discovery (Su): At 2nd level, and then again every 2 levels thereafter (up to 18th level), an Life-shaper makes an incredible alchemical discovery. Unless otherwise noted, an Life-shaper cannot select an individual discovery more than once. Some discoveries can only be made if the Life-shaper has met certain prerequisites first, such as uncovering other discoveries. Discoveries that modify bombs that are marked with an asterisk (*) do not stack. Only one such discovery can be applied to an individual bomb. The DC of any saving throw called for by a discovery is equal to 10 + 1/2 the Life-shaper’s level + the Life-shaper’s Intelligence modifier.
The full list of Life-shaper Discoveries can be found here.
Poison Resistance (Ex): At 2nd level, an Life-shaper gains a +2 bonus on all saving throws against poison. This bonus increases to +4 at 5th level, and then again to +6 at 8th level. At 10th level, an Life-shaper becomes completely immune to poison.
Poison Use (Ex): Life-shapers are trained in the use of poison and starting at 2nd level, cannot accidentally poison themselves when applying poison to a weapon.
Swift Alchemy (Ex): At 3rd level, an Life-shaper can create alchemical items with astounding speed. It takes an Life-shaper half the normal amount of time to create alchemical items, and he can apply poison to a weapon as a move action.
Swift Poisoning (Ex): At 6th level, an Life-shaper can apply a dose of poison to a weapon as a swift action.
Persistent Mutagen (Su): At 14th level, the effects of a mutagen last for 1 hour per level.
Instant Alchemy (Ex): At 18th level, an Life-shaper can create alchemical items with almost supernatural speed. He can create any alchemical item as a full-round action if he succeeds at the Craft (alchemy) check and has the appropriate resources at hand to fund the creation. He can apply poison to a weapon as an immediate action.
Grand Discovery (Su): At 20th level, the Life-shaper makes a grand discovery. He immediately learns two normal discoveries, but also learns a third discovery chosen from the list below, representing a truly astounding alchemical breakthrough of significant import. For many vs, the promise of one of these grand discoveries is the primary goal of their experiments and hard work.
The full list of discoveries, including Grand discoveries, can be found here.
Alternate Capstones
When a character reaches the 20th level of a class, she gains a powerful class feature or ability, sometimes referred to as a capstone. The following section provides new capstones for characters to select at 20th level. A character can select one of the following capstones in place of the capstone provided by her class. Some capstones are for specific classes, while others are for a range of classes that qualify for them. In some cases, a capstone specifies what ability it replaces. A character can’t select a new capstone if she has previously traded away her class capstone via an archetype. Clerics and wizards can receive a capstone at 20th level, despite not having one to begin with.
Perfect Body, Flawless Mind (Ex)
At 20th level, the character’s endless training and study has resulted in an unmatched mastery of the self. The character increases her ability scores by a collective total of 8. For example, she can increase one score by 8, or one score by 5 and another by 3, or four scores by 2, and so on. Characters of any class can select this ability.
The Boss (Ex)
At 20th level, the character has become more than just a lone hero—she has become one of the senior figures of her field, with powers and responsibilities to match. The character becomes one of the leading figures in some manner of group or organization, as appropriate to the campaign and the setting. A wizard might become the dean of an arcane university or mages’ guild, a fighter could command a mercenary army or a city guard, a cleric might lead a major temple or her own sect, and so forth. The player and the GM should work together to determine the specifics. The character gains the Leadership feat if she does not already have it, and the number of followers that the feat grants is multiplied by 10 (although depending on the campaign and setting, the position may grant other powers as well). If multiple characters in a party select this capstone, the GM may consider pooling them to grant the players a particularly large and powerful organization, such as a small kingdom. Characters of any class can select this ability.
Vast Explosions
Rather than gaining a capstone, an Life-shaper can select the following grand discovery.
The Life-shaper has been practicing his demolitions for years, and it’s paid off with ever larger explosions. The Life-shaper’s bomb damage increases by 3d6.
With This Sword (Ex)
At 20th level, the character’s blade has become as well-known as the character herself. The character selects one item she has—preferably something iconic and significant, such as a weapon or arcane bond. The item becomes a minor artifact and gains 100,000 gp worth of new powers. The player and the GM should work together to select the new powers, with an eye towards making something memorable yet campaign-appropriate. Characters of any class can select this ability.
Won’t Stay Dead (Ex)
At 20th level, the character becomes a paragon of resilience. Once per week, if the character is killed, petrified, or otherwise removed from play, the character manages to survive by some dint of skill or luck and returns at the end of the combat or the scene (GM’s discretion). The player and the GM should work together to ensure that the method of the character’s survival is at least vaguely plausible, if unlikely. Characters of any class can select this ability.
Favored Class Options
Aarakocra: Add 1 foot to the range increment of the Life-shaper’s thrown splash weapons (including the Life-shaper’s bombs). This option has no effect unless the Life-shaper has selected it 5 times (or another increment of 5).
Dwarf: Add +1/4 to the Life-shaper’s natural armor bonus when using his mutagen.
Elf: Add one extract formula from the v’s list to his formula book. This formula must be at least one level lower than the highest-level formula the Life-shaper can create.
Half-Elf: Add +1 foot to the range increment of the Life-shaper’s thrown splash weapons (including the Life-shaper’s bombs). This option has no effect unless the Life-shaper has selected it 5 times (or another increment of 5); a range increment of 24 feet is effectively the same as a range increment of 20 feet, for example.
Half-Giant: Add +10 minutes to the duration of the Life-shaper’s mutagens.
Halfling: Add one extract formula from the Life-shaper’s list to the Life-shaper’s formula book. This formula must be at least one level below the highest formula level the Life-shaper can create.
Halfling: Add +1/2 to the Life-shaper’s bomb damage.
Human: Add one extract formula from the Life-shaper formula list to the character’s formula book. This formula must be at least one level below the highest formula level the Life-shaper can create.
Lapith: Add 1/4 to the Life-shaper’s natural armor bonus when using his mutagen.
Mul: Gain a +1/2 bonus on Strength checks to break objects and on sunder combat maneuver checks when under the effects of a mutagen that increases the Life-shaper’s Strength or Constitution score.
Nagaji: Add +1 on Craft (alchemy) checks to craft poison and +1/3 on the DCs of poisons the Life-shaper creates.
Pterran: Add +1 to Craft (alchemy) checks to craft poison and +1/4 to the DCs of poisons the Life-shaper creates.
Tari: The Life-shaper gains +1/6 of a new discovery.
Thri-kreen: The Life-shaper gains fire resistance 1. Each time this reward is selected, increase fire resistance by +1. This fire resistance does not stack with fire resistance gained from other sources.