Way, WAY latter than it was meant to be, here is my Secret Santa gift for EcksianRaven. I hope you enjoy this class, even if it's late. This is taken from your wonderful list of Class Ideas. May we see the rest soon! Your Nordic-Tolkien-Elric inspired setting is wonderful and I look forward to seeing more of it in the future!
Big, big thanks to Louis for proof reading and essentially coming up with the latter two templates of this class! Thank you a tons!
CLASS: TWO BIRDS
Starting Inventory: d6 GP in random clutter picked up from the floor, 3 packs of bird seeds (half a ration each), 2 adorable Satchel Bags (this is just your Inventory).
Skills: Bird God Cult + whatever skills your Bird type starts off with.
+1 to Stealth related rolls per Template due to your small size and speed.
A: Two Birds, Bird Aura
B: Bird Network
C: Bird Noble
D: Bird Cleric OR Bird Possession
A: Two Birds
You are two birds. You have been bound together by the fates via your shared faith in the Crow God.
Roll stats as per a standard character, apply the resulting array to both Birds, then roll or pick two bird types from the d20 table of Birds, and give them cool/cute names.
You were bonded together for being so similar, and as such don’t have separate stats for each bird.
As a Bird, you both individually:
-Move 20’ per round while walking, but 70’ while flying.
-Have 12 Unarmored AC due to your sturdy feathers, but otherwise can not wear armor.
-Deal d6+DEX slashes and pecks in unarmed combat.
-Can see 5x better and further than humans can, and have Ultra Violent Vision, which grants you slightly better vision in the dark. (But not outright dark vision.)
-Can usually hold onto items in your mouths or talons as large as a knife (i.e. 1 inventory slot) without issue, but without thumbs, can’t use weapons or other fine tools without proper training.
-Are smaller than men, therefore need only half as much rations to survive.
-Are as smart as a human of comparative level, but can’t speak their language unless taught.
-Gain Advantage in any roll related to the killing and eating of Snakes and Bugs.
As TWO Birds working together:
-You get two different actions each round. as if two seperate characters, rolling for separate attacks, skill checks, and saves (both using the same HD); but otherwise share the same initiative, character sheet and base stats.
-Split your max HP pool in two as desired. (I.E. Total HP of 46 = Swan has 12 HP, Crow has 34.) You can change this every level up. When one of you dies, the other suffers from psychic shock and must Save or go unconscious for the rest of the day.
-Spells, Attacks and other beneficial or harmful effects only apply to whatever bird it targets, unless it logically targets both. (I.E. Only the Swan that eats a poisoned apple would only be poisoned, while its Crow friend would be fine.)
Birds are also separated into two body types: Small and Large.
-Large birds are carried in a human’s arms, can pick up and carry anything as big as a House Cat without issue, and anything as large as an average sized human with some effort on a successful Grapple roll. Carrying them along for large distances (I.E. more than 5 minutes) will Fatigue them, however. They can carry up to 5 Inventory Slots of gear by default.
-Small birds can fit in the palm of a human, can not carry anything bigger than a knife, but can easily fit into small, tight spaces without issue, and even hide inside other character’s inventories (you take up 1 slot)! However, they may only hold 2 Slots of items in Inventory.
This essentially means you are in control of two characters at once, but are inherently limited by your bird biology. You are both more versatile yet more limited than most characters. But you have something most mortals don’t: Aura.
A: BIRD AURA
Each Bird blessed by the Bird God has a special divine Aura that grants them and their allies useful boons of magical potentity, or means to greatly hinder their enemies.
To summon your Aura, you must mutter a great prayer (howl) to the Bird God, be able to see and be within vocal distance of those you wish to affect.
It is usually obvious when a Bird is howling to summon an Aura. This can be hidden by whispering the prayer, but this limits its effective range.
Only a single Aura can be on at a time. Unless otherwise stated, assume a given Aura can affect up to 1+[Templates] targets at a time (Both Birds count against this limit), lasts for that same amount of rounds, and both Birds may only summon Auras up to 2+[Templates] times per day.
Some Auras only affect one person at a time per round. In this case the Birds may switch the recipient to another person the following round until the duration is over.
When either Bird is hit while casting an Aura, they must Save, or cause the Aura to be dispelled. Enemies may save to resist negative Auras.
Each Bird type also has their own Skill, which grants whatever benefits your system gains Skills, and a passive benefit that Bird alone enjoys.
D20 List Of Birds:
1. Out Of Place Bat (Small)
Aura: Lower damage dealt while in Dark by [Templates], and add +[Templates] to damage against those in bright light.
Skill: Bilingual (Can learn other languages with half the time required), Echolocate (Can see without vision as long as there is enough noise.)
2. Crow/Raven (Small)
Aura: Undead of equal or lower HD must Save or flee those affected by Aura. Allies may also see and interact with Ghosts if not otherwise able to.
Skill: Spirit Talking (Starts out knowing one common and one uncommon Language, can see and speak to Ghosts.)
3. Pekin Duck (Large)
Aura: Target ducks, completely avoiding a single ranged attack or hazard. (1 per turn per ally.)
Skill: Swim (Can swim 60’ per round, breathe for twice longer than humans.)
4. Magpie (Small)
Aura: +[Templates] to ranged Attack rolls, and any roll related to stealing.
Skill: Fears (Gain keen awareness of what others are afraid of by staring into their eyes intensely.)
5. Owl (Large)
Aura: Those targeted by Aura gain Telepathy with each other. (Last for as long as the Owl stands still and concentrates.)
Skill: Nocturnal (sleeps during the day, can stay up for long periods of time), Keen Hearing (Can locate exact origin of noises with uneven ears.)
6. Ox-Pecker (Large)
Aura: Damage dealt during duration is reduced/increased by d4 to targeted allies/enemies respectively.
Skill: First Aid and Torture (+[Template] reaction with big guys.)
7. Parrot (Small)
Aura: Target parrots the result of a d20 roll seen by the Parrot earlier that day while attempting the same action. (Reduces remaining Aura each use.)
Skill: Impersonation (Can perfectly mimic the voices of any being previously heard by ear that day.)
8. Peacock (Large)
Aura: Affected enemies must Save or hit Peacock instead of allies.
Skill: Durability (+3 Max HP per each level.)
9. Pigeon/Dove (Small)
Aura: Targeted allies heal d4 HP each round, doubled if spent preening.
Skill: Navigator (Always know the general direction to an interiors’ exit or the closest patch of land.)
10. Songbird (Small)
Aura: +HD to Saves while constantly singing outloud.
Skill: Sing, Music (Can read and understand musical notation masterfully.)
11. Swiftlet (Small)
Aura: Allies gain +2 Initiative (May be retroactive) and +5 Movement Speed.*
Skill: SPEED PHYSICS (+5 movement speed, stacks with above.)
12. Secretarybird (Large)
Aura: +[Templates] to Melee Attack rolls, double damage if unarmed, tripled if Snakes are harmed.
Skill: Snake-Slaying (Free Unarmed kick attack in combat.)
13. Swan (Large)
Aura: +[Templates] to Reaction and other CHA related checks.
Skill: Beauty! (+[Templates] reaction from Elves and other lovers of ethereal beauty.)
14. EAGLE/HAWK (Large)
Aura: +[Templates] to STR related rolls, or anything related to the breaking and shattering of bonds.
Skill: FREEDOM! (Advantage to resisting mind control and similar spells.)
15. Merlin (Small)
Aura: +[Templates] to Sum of Allies’ spells OR automatically dispel any spells in range of lower [Dice] than your [Templates].
Skill: Magic Reading! (Can see spells and talk to them.)
16. Shoebill (Large)
Aura: +[Templates] to AC as long as targets do not move for duration. (Attacking is still okay.)
Skill: Longevity (Can stand still, doing nothing, for up to a year without suffering the consequences.)
17. Vulture (Large)
Aura: Attacks towards targeted enemies of equal or lower HP than 4+[Templates] gain Advantage.
Skill: Corpse Eating (Can treat Corpses as Rations.)
18. Flamingo (Large)
Aura: Targets must Save or spend duration swooning over the beauty of the Flamingo.
Skill: Salt Water Consumer (Can drink and eat Poison without issue.)
19. Weirdly More Flight Capable Than Usual Penguin (Large)
Aura: d6 ice damage to targeted enemies each round. (They may save to half damage.)
Skill: Cuteness (Automatically assumed to be innocent at first glance.)
20. Cuckoo (Small)
Aura: Randomly roll another Bird, gain their Aura; may replace this Aura anytime you help directly slay a Creature with one of its Abilities.
Skill: Disguise. (Start with Common. When claiming to be another type of bird or bird-like creature, is believed until contradictory evidence appears.)
(*this assumes d6 initiative, feel free to make +5 for d20 initiatives or whatever.)
If either of you ever dies, you may reroll on this chart to gain a replacement, but only after the deceased bird has received a proper burial (body taken to the highest peak close by and left under the open sky), and a week of righteous mourning from the surviving bird.
B: Bird Network
You have a strong enough bond together as Two Birds you may now communicate telepathically through thought from any distance. You may also communicate with any other birds, bird-like creatures (Harpies, Griffins, Dinosaurs, Flying Mammals, ect) and Priests of the Bird God within sight or shouting range. They can and will think back, although they might not always have the most elegant things to say to you.
Additionally, when you both work on the same task together, you roll once, but gain +[templates] to the roll and (if applicable) damage.
C: Bird Noble
Your performance as followers of the Bird God’s duty has attracted notice, and with that, comes prestige. You gain 1d6+1 2 HD Bird Retainers who will serve you loyally as long as you keep them fed and bathed. They are as affected by your other abilities as any other bird is.
When you and any number of them are attacking the same target, roll once, but add +1 to the attack and damage per each bird participating in the attack.
Once per week, you may send out a cry to the Bird God, replacing the current number of living Retainers you have with that number.
If any of them, or one of your two birds die, they go into a BERSERKER RAGE mode and descend onto the killer, attacking with Advantage. They will not cease until they or the killer dies.
(I recommend using the Murderous Crows on p.223 of the Monster Overhaul for their stats in this state, albeit with reduced HD.)
D: Bird Clerics
You are both now clerics. Bask in your glory!
Benefits are as follows:
-You both always benefit from a given Aura once it is cast, separate from the targets limit.
-You gain 1 MD, shared between you. It may be used to increase the duration, the targets affected, or bonus given by the [sum] rolled. It is always expended when used, but regained with a night of food and prayer.
-You gain another random Aura or a Random Spell! This boon appears in the form of an invisible Spell Bird only you (and other Magic Sight havers) both see. This Spell Bird casts its respective Aura/Spell the same way you do (via call), but always requires a MD to cast, even if an Aura. You may learn another new Aura/Spell each level.
-Birds, Harpies, Griffons, Dinosaurs, and all other Avian related creatures automatically like you unless you give them a reason not to.
If you walk on the ground at any time, you lose this template till you ritually bathe yourself in dust as an act of repentance.
D: Bird Possession
One or both of you may perch yourselves on top of a trusted person's head, transferring the Auras and Skills of your Bird types and ability to fly to them. In return, you gain their AC, and any incoming attack affects them first (unless it is an AOE or such). However, you are both affected by any applied spells, poisons, falls, or other misc negative effects.
The Aura lasts indefinitely, until either you willingly leave the person’s head, are forcefully removed, or either of you dies. While perched on the possessed subject, you both only get one round of actions, but you get the final say in their decisions if either of you conflict. (OOC, both players must agree to this before letting the possession proceed.)
The possessed bearer must also never physically touch the dirt with their own skin (gloves and boots are okay) or willingly allow another bird to come to harm, or else they and the Two Birds lose the ability to use this template till they have repented.
When any of you would die, you may Save to ascend to the CASTLE IN THE SKY, where you spend the next d4 weeks recovering under the Bird God’s watchful eyes. You, the player, can only do this once per life.
May it only be once.
(Bonus Bird I removed so it would be a nice d20 list):
21. Twelve-Wired Bird-Of-Paradise (Small)
Aura: Create [Template] 30’ wires within shouting range that can gently grapple and manipulate objects at will. (This is the only aura that does not require active, chosen targets.)
Skill: Courtship (You are a romantic soul who can always understand what a person desires most in a partner.)
