Revised Outsider traits

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Narfi Ref's picture
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Revised Outsider traits

Outsider type revised
An attempt to tweak the Outsider type so as to work better for Planescape
This is an attempt to revise the Outsider type so that it will work better in the Planescape setting.

Outsider Type
An outsider is at least partially composed of the essence (but not necessarily the material) of some plane other than the Material Plane. Some creatures start out as some other type and become outsiders when they attain a higher (or lower) state of spiritual existence.

Features
An outsider has the following features.

8-sided Hit Dice.
Base attack bonus equal to total Hit Dice (as fighter).
Good Fortitude, Reflex, and Will saves.
Skill points equal to (8 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for the first Hit Die.
Traits
An outsider possesses the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature’s entry).

Darkvision out to 60 feet. Outsiders with both the native and planetouched subtypes do not possess this trait.

Not including the extraplanar subtype, all outsiders have at least one other subtype. These must include at least one of the following: elemental/energy subtypes (air, earth, fire, negative, positive, or water), alignment subtypes (chaotic, evil, good, lawful, neutral or evil), a subtype of the same name as their home plane that is not of the Prime Material, Inner, or Outer Planes (eg. Astral, Ethereal, Shadow, Far Realms), or the native subtype; these categories are mutually exclusive, except as noted below. Outsiders generally cannot possess two subtypes in opposition (ie fire and water, positive and negative, law and chaos, etc.) but there are occaisionally exceptions. The neutral subtype is mutually exclusive with all other alignment subtypes. Native Outsiders may also have the planetouched subtype. An outsider with both the native and planetouched subtypes must have one more subtype from those listed above, and may possess an alignment subtype that differs from or is in opposition to its own alignment.

Unlike most other living creatures, an outsider does not have a dual nature—its soul and body form one unit. When an outsider is slain, no soul is set loose. Spells that restore souls to their bodies, such as raise dead, reincarnate, and resurrection, don’t work on an outsider. It takes a different magical effect, such as limited wish, wish, miracle, or true resurrection to restore it to life. An outsider with the native subtype can be raised, reincarnated, or resurrected just as other living creatures can be.
Proficient with all simple and martial weapons and any weapons mentioned in its entry. An outsider with both the native and planetouched subtypes does not possess this trait.

Proficient with whatever type of armor (light, medium, or heavy) it is described as wearing, as well as all lighter types. Outsiders not indicated as wearing armor are not proficient with armor. Outsiders are proficient with shields if they are proficient with any form of armor. Outsiders with both the native and planetouched subtypes do not possess this trait.

Outsiders breathe, but do not need to eat or sleep (although they can do so if they wish). Native outsiders breathe, eat, and sleep.
Outsiders that are the subject of a spell or spell-like ability of the Transmutation (Polymorph) school or a similar supernatural ability that changes the creature into a different form and depends on creature type to determine the allowable outcomes have an added restriction. For the purposes of such spells and abilities, outsiders are considered to be of the same type if they share at least one subtype not including the extraplanar subtype and have no subtypes in opposition. Outsiders with both the native and planetouched subtypes may also be counted as humanoid for such purposes.

ripvanwormer's picture
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Revised Outsider traits

If outsiders are required to have subtypes, you need to introduce a Neutral subtype for rilmani to have.

A planetouched subtype would be redundant; the native subtype is primarily for planetouched characters, after all, and planetouched should probably have the same subtypes as half-outsiders. The only other examples of native outsiders - rakshasas, couatls, and tritons - really shouldn't have the native subtype at all, as it doesn't make sense for the nature of their souls and their bodies to change just because they (sometimes, but certainly not always) happen to be born on the Material Plane.

Narfi Ref's picture
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Revised Outsider traits

Oops, I thought I listed Neutral with the other alignments. I did mention it a little later.
Considering that of the 3.5 monster books published, I only own MMI, and of the 6 native outsiders listed (you forgot about Janni)only two of them were planetouched, I guessed by extrapolation that there were probably a lot more in other books. I did this primarily so that the planetouched races could work better as PCs. Part of this was fixing the "why can an Tiefling use Alter Form to turn into a Salamander but not an Elf?" problem. My idea of fixing this was to limit outsider transformation to other similar outsiders, and this requires all outsiders to have a subtype. While this will give a subtype (that doesn't neccessarily have to have any further game effects) to some creatures (such as giving Ravids the positive subtype) it doesn't follow that I need to get rid of the native subtype from the non-planetouched natives. I wanted to make this patch change as little as possible outside of what was intended.

As far as defining the new subtypes is concerned, I'm not sure what to do for some. I don't know what abilities Rilmani were given to show their neutrality. If I had to come up with something I'd say this should work:

Neutral Subtype
A subtype usually applied only to outsiders native to the Outlands. Most creatures that have this subtype also have neutral alignments; however, if their alignments change, they still retain the subtype. Any effect that depends on alignment affects a creature with this subtype as if the creature has a neutral alignment, no matter what its alignment actually is. The creature also suffers effects according to its actual alignment. A creature with the neutral subtype overcomes the damage reduction of creatures with alignments that contain no aspects of neutrality as if its natural weapons and any weapons it wields were attuned to all alignments.

As for Positive and Negative?

Positive subtype.
A subtype usually applied only to outsiders and elementals native to the Positive Energy Plane or any of its neighboring quasi-elemental planes. Creatures that can turn undead can rebuke creatures with the positive subtype as evil clerics can rebuke undead. Creatures that can rebuke undead can turn creatures with the positive subtype as good clerics turn undead.

Negative subtype.
A subtype usually applied only to outsiders and elementals native to the Negative Energy Plane or any of its neighboring quasi-elemental planes. Creatures with the negative subtype are affected as undead are by turning, rebuking, and spells that use positive or negative energy.

Again, I'm not even sure that those rules are neccessary. The subtypes for other planes definately do not need new rules.

ripvanwormer's picture
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Revised Outsider traits

'Narfi Ref' wrote:
I did mention it a little later.

Ah, I see it now. Sorry.

Quote:
I guessed by extrapolation that there were probably a lot more in other books.

There aren't any more.

I guess I have an axe to grind against branding jann, rakshasas, tritons, and couatls with the native template, since I think it's a crime against reason. Regardless of what plane they're associated with, they should breathe, eat, and be resurrected the same as other outsiders do.

Bob the Efreet's picture
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Revised Outsider traits

'ripvanwormer' wrote:
I guess I have an axe to grind against branding jann, rakshasas, tritons, and couatls with the native template, since I think it's a crime against reason. Regardless of what plane they're associated with, they should breathe, eat, and be resurrected the same as other outsiders do.

That is a problem. Coupled with my feelings that planetouched are really better-portrayed as humanoids, that almost reduces a need for the native subtype to zero. Unfortunately, half-outsiders do, I think, deserve to be Outsider (Native).

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