Transforming Hero (3.5e Class)

Transforming Hero
After an accident with (nuclear waste/radiation/speed force/eating way too many donuts), young (insert name here) went from a mild mannered NPC mook to the powerful TRANSFORMING HERO! With the power to transform from a zero to a true hero!

Making a Transforming Hero
Abilities: As a combat oriented possible gish class, the physical ability scores of Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution are important. But so is Charisma, which powers many supernatural abilities. Wisdom helps Will saves, and Intelligence is good to grant additional skills known.

Races: Any.

Alignment: Any.

Starting Gold: 5d4&times;10 gp (125 gp).

Starting Age: As rogue.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Transforming Hero.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Transforming Heroes gain no new weapon or armor proficiencies in their "mundane" state, but once transformed they are proficient in all simple and martial weapons, and in light and medium armor and shields (but not tower shields).

They gain an untyped bonus to three ability scores of their choice as they level. For example, a 10th level transforming hero can get a +5 bonus to their Strength score, a +3 Constitution bonus, and a +2 Wisdom bonus as the bonuses they choose. They can change which ability scores the bonus applies to each time they level.

Your levels in this class are effectively gestalted with your levels in the NPC class, gaining the higher of the two's base attack bonus, skill points, and saves. You also gain the HD of the NPC class, and not the HD of the transforming hero (but see Hero Spirit). When you are not in your transformed state you only have access to the abilities of the NPC class. All class abilities of the transformed hero (except for Transform) can only be used while transformed. The NPC you choose is forever linked with your future levels in this class.

When the transforming hero transforms, he effectively becomes the hero spirit, a fantastical being which may look radically different from the host. They may look older, or be covered in armor, or may look completely alien and strange. The hero spirit is nearly an entity on its own, and when you transform you are absorbed within it. All your items are suppressed, but the hero spirit can wear items in its own body slots. Thus an unarmored scientist can transform into an armored hero spirit with a flaming sword. When the hero spirit is dismissed (forcefully or otherwise) their items are absorbed inside of you until you next don the hero spirit.

Most importantly of all, the hero spirit has a pool of hit points equal to its class level times (it's HD + Charisma). Essentially the hero spirit gains the d8 HD of the transforming hero, using your Charisma as it's Con modifier, and uses this as its supply of hit points. Levels in classes other than transforming hero count, but the hero spirit receives d4s for these levels. Thus a paladin 4/transforming hero 6 would have a hero spirit with 4d4+6d8+(Cha x10). A hero spirit always appears with as many hit points it had since it was last dismissed or banished. When the hero spirit's hit points are depleted, it is dismissed and the host is left vulnerable again. They cannot call a hero spirit which is "killed" like this until they rest for 8 hours, which restores the hero spirit at half its maximum hit points.

Because of this, death effects and effects which would otherwise instantly kill a character kill the hero spirit first and leave the host untouched, though they may subsequently die from another attack. Other status effects such as ability damage, poison, or compulsions continue to persist on the host once a hero spirit is dismissed or banished. You can choose to apply healing from healing effects to either the base host or the hero spirit as you see fit.

Hero spirits are susceptible to effects which affect outsiders, such as dismissal. Such effects dismiss the hero spirit and leave the host vulnerable, though they can re-transform in the subsequent round.

Hero spirits come in three types. When you first level in this class choose one of the hero spirit types below, the fighting hero, magic hero, or psionic hero (see below). These class features are added to your class and cannot be changed.

 : Starting at 1st level, the transforming hero forms a close bond with his hero spirit. Whenever the hit points from his hero spirit would be reduced to 0, the transforming hero can, as a non-action, sacrifice any number of his own hit points. Each hit point sacrificed this way prevents 1 point of damage done to the hero spirit (thus preventing the loss of the hero spirit's hit points), preventing the hero spirit from being killed and dismissed.

 : The transforming hero has the power to transform into their hero spirit, which gives them ability bonuses, extra hit points, and additional class features granted from this class. Transforming requires either somatic or vocal components (but not both), decided when you first take the class. At first they can transform into their hero spirit as a standard action which provokes attacks of opportunity. They can maintain their transformed state for up to 1 hour per day, and the duration need not be continuous but is used in 1 hour increments. The hero spirit may be dismissed as a standard action regardless how long it takes to transform initially.

At 7th level, transforming becomes a move action. At 13th level it becomes a swift action. At 16th level, it becomes an immediate action. No matter how many extra actions they possess, the transforming hero can only transform once per round at most.

At 20th level, the transforming gains unlimited duration to their transformation and may stay in their transformed state at all times.

 : At 2nd level, the transforming hero gains half their level as a bonus against mind-affecting effects while transformed.

They only get access to the bonus feat in their transformed state, and must qualify as normal. They may use their transformed state's ability scores to qualify for these feats.

Choose from the powers below.

 : Choose an alignment which you possess. You bypass DR/alignment as appropriate (so a good aligned transforming hero bypasses DR/good) on all your attacks and count as the appropriate alignment for other effects such as bypassing regeneration. Against creatures of the opposing alignment, you gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage against them.

 : As a full attack action you make a single attack in slow motion that the opponent clearly should be dodging, but the both of you are too busy being in anime time with the swishy backgrounds and dramatic zooms. Dramatization is a free action I suppose. Attack only once, but deal double your normal damage. When you reach BAB +6, the damage is tripled. At BAB +11, it is quadrupled (x4), and at BAB +16 it is pentupled (x5).

Alternatively as a full round action you can make an Intimidate check out to an opponent within 60 ft. Even though you've done nothing but scream and power up and otherwise look scary, if your intimidation is successful they are also flatfooted until the end of your next turn (or until they are attacked at least once) in addition to the effects of intimidate.

 : While in your transformed state you gain +1.5 competence bonus per level (round down) to strength and dexterity skill checks. As a competence bonus, it doesn't stack with most skill boosters.

 : Choose an energy type (acid, cold, electricity, or fire). You gain 2 points of energy resistance per class level against that element (max resist 30 at 15th level). Once a day as an immediate reaction you can choose to negate all damage from that energy type from a single attack.

 : Choose an energy type (acid, cold, electricity, or fire). You gain 1d4 plus half your class level as bonus energy damage on all your attacks. Once a day as an free action as part of your attack, you can overcharge the damage dealing 2d6 points of energy damage for every +1 energy damage you would normally have from this ability.

 : Whenever you transform, you can choose to release a concussive shockwave out in a 10 ft radius from you. It deals 1d4 points of force damage per level to all creatures in the area, no save.

 : You can deploy a powerful finishing move, but only when the time is right. It can only be performed if 5 rounds of initiative has passed in active combat, an ally drops below 0 hp, or by charging up your power (a 1 round action which provokes attacks of opportunity). When the pre-requisite conditions have been met you can make a single attack and declare it a finishing move. You can choose the attack to have double its normal damage, maximize the damage it deals, or to gain a bonus to spell resistance checks equal to 1/2 your level and spell DCs equal to 1/4th your level (max +5 at 20th). Regardless of the success of the finishing move or not, you can only perform this action once per encounter.

 : If an ally is attacked within your movement range, you can choose to use an immediate action to jump in the way. You move in position of your ally, and push your ally to the nearest valid space of your choice. You are then subject to the attack against your AC and saves as appropriate. This consumes all your attacks of opportunities for the round, and it cannot be used if you do not have attacks of opportunities remaining.

 : As a standard action you can give an inspiring performance. You and your allies within 90 ft gain a morale bonus equal to 1 + 1/4th your class level to one of the following of your choice: attack, damage, saving throws, or skill checks. Creatures can only benefit from one inspiring performance at a time. You can apply inspiring performance for a number of rounds a day equal to your highest ranks in either Bluff, Diplomacy, or Perform. The rounds need not be consecutive, with a minimum of 1 round.

 : You can now intimidate creatures within 60 ft, and your intimidation lasts for 5 rounds. In addition to the usual penalties of intimidation, attacks against you take a -4 morale penalty on attack and damage, and a -4 morale penalty on the DCs of any spells and spell-like effects used against you.

 : Once per day as an immediate action you can recover 10 hp/HD which you may spread between yourself and your hero spirit. As a secondary bonus, you always heal the maximum result when affected by healing spells.

 : Your size when you are transformed increases by one step, gaining the bonuses and penalties associated with the expansion power. You may take this ability twice, each time growing one more size (to a maximum of Huge). You must be at least 6th level take it at all (maximum Large) and 12th level to become another size larger (maximum Huge).

 : As a standard action action you can shout out commands to your allies which inspire and motivate. You may grant all allies within 90 ft which are aware of you an extra move action.

 : As a 1 round action you can request help from your allies of at least your CR -4 or greater. All allies within 90 can choose to give you their spiritual power (a move action on their part) to empower your own abilities. At the end of 1 round, you fire a massive beam of energy composed of all the love, compassion, and friendship you gathered. You deal 1d6 points of damage per HD in a 120 ft line, Reflex half (DC 10 + 1/2 HD + Cha modifier). The damage die increases by one step for every ally who grants you power (1d6 to 1d8 to 1d10 to 1d12 to 1d20), to a maximum of 1d20 per level after 4 allies. You must be 6th level to select this ability.

 : The hero spirit forms an airtight seal around its host and becomes durable against the elements. While transformed the transforming hero does not need to breathe, and is constantly under endure elements. Can can also endure pressure extremes and the radiation of space, but not lasers or [Light] spells.

Said animal only appears when transformed (anywhere within 30 ft) and vanishes when the hero spirit is dismissed or killed. You must be at least 4th level to select this ability.

 : The 4th level transforming hero can transform in a very flashy manner. All the SFX involved with the transformation grant the transformed hero a luck bonus on AC and saving throws for 1 round equal to half their class level. It only applies when transforming into the hero spirit, and not when they dismiss the hero spirit.

 : At 10th level, the transforming hero now has a split mind. If they fall victim to a mind-affecting effect, they can choose if it effects the host or the hero spirit. As a result they can continue to function normally as long as the unaffected mind remains in control. For example, the transformed hero can be dominated, but have their host be dominated. As long as they remain in a transformed state, their behavior is unaffected and the duration of dominate continues normally.

They cannot be surprised or flanked as the hero spirit is always on guard. In addition if the host hits 0 hp while the hero spirit still has hp, they immediately transform into their hero spirit as a non-action and absorb any excess damage. Typically if they live, they will immediately try to flee to rescue themselves. This also applies to death effects, causing the hero spirit to absorb it instead and leaving the host alive.

Fighting Hero
The fighting hero spirit employs the most simple and effective methods of justice; deploying weapons to the vitals of their opponents. They gain Climb, Martial Lore, Swim, and Tumble as class skills, and obtain martial maneuvers with an initiator level equal to their class level. They can choose any three disciplines which they can learn maneuvers from, and refresh all their maneuvers known by posing heroically as a full attack action. They obtain maneuvers and stances as per the following chart.

The fighting hero receives Good BAB and one Good save of their choice.

Magic Hero
The magic hero spirit can change reality with the powers of love, freedom, and justice. They gain Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (religion), and Spellcraft as class skills, and obtain spontaneous spellcasting with a caster level equal to their class level. They can choose either sorcerer/wizard spells, cleric spells, or druid spells, but once selected the choice cannot be changed. Regardless if the spellcasting is arcane or divine in nature, they do not suffer from arcane spell failure from all forms of spellcasting granted by this class. Spellcasting is Charisma based.

They obtain spells per day and spells known as a bard of their level, meaning they only get up to 6th level spells in their respective school of magic.

The magic hero receives two Good saves of their choice.

Psychic Hero
The psychic hero spirit can change reality with force of will, inner power, and the hope of the people they defend. They gain Autohypnosis, Knowledge (psionics), Psicraft, and Sense Motive as class skills, and psionic powers with a manifester level equal to their class level. They select powers from the psion/wilder list. Manifesting is Charisma based.

They obtain powers known and power points per day as a psychic warrior of their level, meaning they only get up to 6th level powers.

The magic hero receives two Good saves of their choice.

Epic Transforming Hero
Hero Power: You continue gaining hero powers at 21st and every three levels beyond.

Transformation Feat: You continue gaining transformation feats at 23rd and energy three levels beyond.

Human Transforming Hero Starting Package
Weapons: Longsword (wielded by the Hero Spirit).

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 5 + Int modifier.

Feat: Power Attack.

Bonus Feats: Improved Initiative.

Gear: Chain Shirt (worn on the Hero Spirit).

Gold: 10 gp.

Playing a Transforming Hero
Religion: Transforming heroes may be religious, but show now proclivity to religion anymore than the average man.

Other Classes: Those not aware of the transforming hero's alter ego may scoff at this mere NPC being of any import, but they soon change their mind when they transform into a true hero.

Combat: As a built in gish (or an initiator), you generally will be on the front lines even with your spells, psionics, or other abilities.

Advancement: Most transforming heroes benefit from staying in a single class, as few classes can advance the abilities associated wih their alter ego.

Transforming Heroes in the World
"Henshin-a-go-go!"

Daily Life: In the day they are mere normal NPCs, but at night, they become... CAPTAIN PLAYER CHARACTER!

Notables: Rumor has it that the news reporter for the newspaper is some kind of hero. But why would a hero wear stupid glasses? Clearly it's not true.

Organizations: Transforming heroes might form bands of super powered friends or the like, as long as they aren't fighting one another over silly misunderstandings.

NPC Reactions: Many transforming heroes become idols for NPCs, merely because it means the possibility that any one of the common people might be a hero waiting to happen.

Transforming Hero Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge The Planes can research Transforming Heroes to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Transforming Heroes in the Game
Sample Encounter: Dr. Wrong and his legion of Superfiends have appeared to destroy Happitown City!