Assimilated (3.5e Template)

Assimilated
Summary::Creatures inhabited by parasites which change their very being into something without self, without personality, perhaps without a soul. Zombies that yet still live, they seek to spread as a plague.  Born of horrible magically engineered spider-like creatures, they burrow into mortal flesh and take control of its nervous system, filling the body with a host of terrible chemicals while spawning. Those afflicted turn pale, with veins clearly visible and eyes yellowed with sickness. Their hair often falls out and they lumber with a unsteady gait, chanting in unison with each other. The physical changes, accompanied by the unbending grasp of the hivemind they share, makes them all look the same with their individual personalities lost.

Assimilated, while intelligent, have no free will. If left alone, most will wander aimlessly with no purpose until given one by the will of the hivemind as a whole, or by the mysterious Overminds. In combat they attempt to employ the talents of the host body, but have no qualms sacrificing themselves for other assimilated. For what is death to them, for they are all the same, they are all one mind.

Creating an Assimilated
This template is an acquired template which may be applied to any aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or outsider that possesses a nervous system.

Size and Type
Creature size and type are unchanged.

Speed
With poor motor control, assimilated base land speed is decreased by 10 ft, to a mimimum of 5 ft.

Armor Class
The parasites inside and outside the host body provide protection, increasing the creature's natural armor by 1 plus 1 point for every 5 HD (to a maximum of +5 at 20 HD).

Attack
The creature gains a slam attack which deals 1d6 + Str modifier in damage as a primary natural weapon.

Special Qualities
Assimilated Traits (Ex): The creature is immune to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, and death effects. It is no longer require to eat, sleep, or breathe as the parasites take control of all such functions on the behalf of the host. In addition, it is not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability drain, or energy drain. Assimilated are immune to damage to their physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution), as well as to fatigue and exhaustion effects. They have immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless). They are not at risk of death from massive damage and automatically stabilize if reduced to less than 0 hit points, and still die if reduced beyond -10 hit points. As not only their body but also mind and soul have been corrupted and dispersed into the hivemind, they are not affected by raise dead and reincarnate spells or abilities. Resurrection and true resurrection can affect assimilated creatures. These spells turn assimilated creatures back into the creatures they were before becoming assimilated.

Darkvision (Ex): The creature gains darkvision out to 60 ft.

Fast Healing (Ex): The creature gains fast healing 1.

Hivemind (Su): Connected by an empathic web which spreads across the plane, an assimilated is never quite alone. When within 100 ft to another hivemind it assumes the form of telepathy between fellow assimilated only. If an assimilated is under the control of an overmind (see below), the overmind may see through the creature's senses as if they were its own or even assume direct control if nessicary, out to the range of the overmind creature. Cutting off the effects of the hivemind is difficult. An antimagic field suppresses it, and a successful dispel check against 11 + assimilated creature's HD also suppresses it for a duration of 1d4 rounds. Regardless, whether under control or wandering aimlessly, an assimilated creature has no free will (and thus is unsuitable for player characters). If the assimilated creature is rendered helpless, the parasites (and thus the template) may be removed from the assimilated creature via surgery with a successful DC 50 Heal check. Failure by more than 10 points always proves fatal for its host. Surgery takes at least 10 minutes, and is subject to complications if not done within a controlled environment.

Mental Block (Su): As long as the creature's hivemind ability functions, an assimilated creature is immune to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects). They are also immune to effects which operate via pain (such as a symbol of pain) or affect the soul (such as trap the soul).

Overmind: Strange creatures known as overminds are capable of commanding assimilated creatures as their slaves, or taking control of one using the body as their own. Those possessed by the will of the overmind are obvious, as their insides and parasites glow with an unholy and unsettling light.

Abilities
+4 Str, -2 Dex, +4 Con, -2 Int

Feats
Assimilated creatures gain diehard as a bonus feat.

Environment
Any.

Organization
As part of a hivemind, the assimilated are often found in groups and rarely alone. The goals and purposes of the hivemind are unclear, but what is known is that the spread of the hivemind is paramount, by any means necessary. Morals, ethics, compassion... such concepts are discarded. There is only growth.

More mysterious are the creatures known as Overminds, which seem to serve as hubs for hivemind activity, granting them a single personality, which may use the assimilated creatures as they see fit.

Challenge Rating
CR::+1 CR.

Treasure
As creature.

Alignment
Always Neutral Evil.

Advancement
As creature.

Level Adjustment
Level Adjustment::--

Adaption
Biological magically creatured spiders can easily become alien invaders, a magical sentient curse, an intelligent disease, or even technological nanomachines. Any number of sources can be used for these body snatchers.