Genetic Experiment (3.5e Template)

Genetic Experiment

3e Summary::A genetic experiment, result of futuristic science.

Using an advanced science, creatures can be granted a great powers and unique qualities. However, in most levels of futuristic technology, except the most advanced ones, creature's DNA can be directly edited only in the very first level of the development- one cell. Therefore, in most campaign worlds such genetic engineering is used only on lab creations. (This is why the template is inherited)

Creating a Genetic Experiment

This is an inherited template, which can be added to any living creature (not to undeads, elementals or constructs) (referred to hereafter as the base creature). However, if a genetic experiment acquires another template, which transform them into one of these types (like most of the vampire templates), they retain their qualities.

Special Qualities

As a result of genetic engineering, the base creature acquire some, or all, the following qualities. However, most of them are raising their challenge rating (and therefore, their level adjustment):

  • Sometimes, genetic experiment's special qualities are latent. In such cases, their CR and LA are both untouched until their qualities awaken.

Ability Score Increase: An increase of +5 to an ability score adds +1 to the creature's CR. Results are rounded (as example, both +20 and +22 will add +4 to the CR, but both +13 and +15 will add +3 to the CR). (bonuses to different ability scores overlap, not stack).

Damage Reduction: Every 10 DR from any type (except DR/-) adds +1 to the creature's CR. Every 10 DR/- adds +2 to the creature's CR.

Elemental Resistance: Every 10 elemental resistance to any element adds +1 to the creature's CR (different resistances overlap, not stack).

Elemental Immunity: Elemental immunity to any element adds +3 to the creature's CR (different immunities overlap, not stack).

Improved Speed: Every two multipliers (above 1, who does nothing) to the creature's base speed adds +1 to the creature's CR (in short, reduce the multiplier by one and then halve it (rounded down), and you have the CR bonus) (As example, multiplier 4 adds +1 to the creature's CR).

Improved Reflexes: The craeture can act twice per round. It adds +1 to the creature's CR. Must having this quality to have the quality Superior Reflexes.

Superior Reflexes: The craeture can act four times per round. It adds +2 to the creature's CR. Must having the quality Improved Reflexes to have this one.

Improved Stamina: Gain the feat Endurance. Doesn't affect the creature's CR. Must having this quality to have the quality Super Stamina.

Super Stamina: Gain the feat Epic Endurance. Adds +1 to the creature's CR. Must having the quality Improved Stamina to have this one. Must having this quality to have the quality Supreme Stamina.

Supreme Stamina: Gain the feat Enduring Life with additional 20 Endurance ranks. Adds +2 to the creature's CR. Must having the quality Super Stamina to have this one.

Unlimited Stamina: The creature's body is either self-sustaining or, alternatively, does not require energy at all; regardless, the creature does not require sustenance, sleep or oxygen, and has unlimited physical stamina, meaning they can never naturally get tired. Adds +3 to the creature's CR.

Healing Factor: Depends on the level:

Longevity: This applies to any level of longevity (longer lifespan than the ordinary, and decelerated aging process respectively, from the maturity and further). This quality doesn't affect the creature's CR.

Immortality: The creature isn't aging beyond maturity, immune to non-magical diseases and can potentially live forever. This quality doesn't affect the creature's CR.

Reactive Camouflage: This powerful quality allows the creature to alter their physical appearance to looks like any kind of creatures from their size and type, as long as they know their appearance (having encountered a member of the kind at least once). This ability doesn't affect the creature's clothing and equipment, can be used at will and takes one regular action. It adds +2 to the creature's CR. Must having this quality to have the quality Advanced Reactive Camouflage.

Advanced Reactive Camouflage: This powerful quality allows the creature to alter their physical structure and appearance into that of any kind of creatures, as long as they knows their appearance (having encountered a member of the kind at least once). This ability, unlike regular Reactive Camouflage, does affect the creature's clothing and equipment, and takes one move action, although it also can be used at will. It adds +4 to the creature's CR. Must having the quality Reactive Camouflage to have this one.

Enhanced Senses: The creature possesses heightened senses compare to those of regular members of their kind. The CR adjustment is such:

  • Bonuses to Spot and Listen checks do not affect the creature's CR regardless.
  • Scent and Enhanced Scent do not affecting the creature's CR. Advanced Scent (like Enhanced Scent, but within distance between 300 feet to 1 mile) and Highly Advanced Scent (like Enhanced Scent, but within distance larger than 1 mile) adds +1 to the creature's CR.
  • Blindsense, regardless of range, do not affect the creature's CR. Blindsight adds +1 to creature's CR per 600 feet of range, rounded down..
  • Microscopic and telescopic visions, regardless of range, do not affect the creature's CR.
  • Low-light Vision and Darkvision, both regular and superior and regardless of their range, do not affect the creature's CR. Perfect Darkvision and Perfect Status Vision both adds +1 to the creature's CR.

Telekinesis: Similar to the spell in caster level equal to half the creature's HD, rounded up, but unaffected from antimagic field and similar effects, which can be used at will, and adds +2 to the creature's CR. Must having this quality to have the quality Greater Telekinesis.

Greater Telekinesis: Similar to the spell in caster level equal to half the creature's HD, rounded up, but unaffected from antimagic field and similar effects, which can be used at will, and adds +4 to the creature's CR. Must having the quality Telekinesis to have this one.

Telepathic Ability: The creature can communicate telepathically with any other creature within certain a range that has a language. They can also hear their thoughts or read their memories (usually upon physical contact but sometimes they can do so remotely). It adds +1 to the creature's CR. Must having this quality to have the quality Brainwashing.

Brainwashing: Similar to the spell Dominate Monster in caster level equal to half the creature's HD, rounded up, but unaffected from antimagic field and similar effects, which can be used at will. Can control on number of creatures equal to quarter the creature's HD, rounded up. It adds +2 to the creature's CR. Must having the quality Telepathic Ability to have this one.

Enhanced Brain Capability: The creature is highly intelligent, very quick learner and has perfect memory. They gain a bonus to Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma, and receive an inherit bonus to Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma-based checks. The creature's processing capability is also enhanced; they can process information several times faster than regular people can. Thus, they can learn everything several times faster than usual, including skills and languages. They gain several times skill points per level than they should by their class. It adds +1 to the creature's CR.

Spell-Like/Psi-like Abilities: The creature has the ability to use one/multiple spell-like/psi-like ability/ies. The CR adjustment is such:

  • + 1/4 the level of the highest spell-like/psi-like ability if it can be used at will.
  • + 1/4 the level of the highest spell-like/psi-like ability -3 if its use is limited per encounter (minimum +0).
  • + 1/4 the level of the highest spell-like/psi-like ability -6 if its use is limited per day (minimum +0).
  • If the highest spell-like/psi-like ability can't be used at least once per day, use the highest that can its use is limited per day.
  • If none of the spell-like/psi-like abilities can be used at least once per day, the creature's CR is unaffected.

Spell/Psionic Resistance/Immunity: The creature is resilient/immune to either/both spells and spell-like abilities and/or psionic powers and psi-like abilities. The CR adjustment is such:

  • If the resistance equals to maximum 10+ the creature's HD, the creature's CR is unaffected.
  • If the resistance equals to between 11 to 20+ the creature's HD, +1 to the creature's CR.
  • If the resistance equals to between 21 to 30+ the creature's HD, +2 to the creature's CR.
  • If the creature has Spell/Psionic immunity/epic, +4 to the creature's CR.
  • If the creature has both spell and psionic resistance/immunity, the bonus to the CR overlap.

Reactive Adaptation: This quality is one of the strongest that can be added to creatures. Creature with this quality that got damaged by a certain weapon or effect, and survives, gains some resistance to that damage kind. For example, if a creature with this quality gets hit by a cold iron +2 weapon, and survives, they gain damage resistance (similar to damage reduction, but only against the noted damage kinds) 10/cold iron, +2. If they are later damaged by fire, and survive, their damage resistance becomes 10/cold iron, +2, fire. Damage resistance stacks with damage reduction and elemental resistance. Creatures with this quality can't adapt to damage that overcomes any DR. It adds +6 to the creature's CR.

Death Adaptation: This quality is also one of the strongest that can be added to creatures. This quality works similarly to reactive adaptation, but, instead of adjusting attacks they survive, creatures with this quality adapt to the attacks that kills them. After they die by certain weapon or effect, they self-resurrect as through the use of the spell true resurrection, and gain immunity to the damage kinds that killed them. For example, if a creature with this quality gets killed by a non-magical piercing weapon, after they self-resurrects they can no longer be harmed by non-magical piercing weapons (but can still be harmed by non-magical slashing or bludgeoning weapons, or by magical piercing weapons). Creatures with this ability can only be truly killed if their body is completely destroyed (naturally, the body can't adapt if there is no body). Creatures with this quality can't adapt to damage that overcomes any DR, but they can still self-resurrect if they are killed by such damage. It adds +6 to the creature's CR.

  • In order to make sure creatures won't become too powerful for an ordinary campaign, it is suggested to not allow to a creature to have both reactive adaptation and death adaptation.

Challenge Rating

By the creature's special qualities.

Level Adjustment

A quarter of the challenge rating, rounded up.

Adjusting to Campaigns

While originally designed as science-based, the template can be made magic-based. In such case, it can be both inherited and acquired, and can be applied to undeads, elementals or constructs.

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