Synthetic Soul (3.5e Template)

Synthetic Soul

Synthetic Soul are created by magic, creatures with Synthetic Soul are different then others of it kind.

Creating a Synthetic Soul

Synthetic Soul is an inherited template that can be applied to any non-outsider and non-mindless undead or construct. You may take the LA 0 or LA 1 version of the template. When you take the LA 0, you do not gain additional benefits (choose one of...)

Special Qualities

Eternal Youth: While you effectively age, your body remains young and strong. In effect you no longer take any penalty from Strength, Dexterity and Constitution from aging. (See Decaying Mind Below)

Unnatural Soul: Your soul is very different from a normal creature soul, while you have a consciousness and the ability to think and feel, the multiverse does not recognize your existence. After a Synthetic Soul creature dies, her soul does not ascend to the Upper Plane. Most of them remain trapped on the material plane. Also, a Synthetic Soul is impervious to many dangers. A Synthetic Soul is immune to Energy Drain, Negative Levels (except for negative level bestowed by items, like Axiomatic and Anarchic weapons) and cannot be consumed or used to create items.

Unnatural Aura (Su): Animals, whether wild or domesticated, can sense the unnatural presence of a Synthetic Soul at a distance of 30 feet. They will not willingly go closer than that and panic if forced to do so; they remain panicked as long as they are within that range. Any creature affected by Unnatural Aura may make a will save, even if they succeed they are still shaken. The DC is wisdom-based

You may also choose one of the following bonuses: (LA 1 version only)

Emotionless: A Synthetic Soul creature becomes immune to all Emotion-based effects, also they gain a bonus against all Mind-Affecting Spells equal to your Charisma or Wisdom modifier, whichever is higher.

Unrecognized Existence (Ex): A Synthetic Soul is cloaked in mystery. They are permanently affected by the nondetection spell.

Unnatural Healing (Ex): A Synthetic Soul are neither healed by both negative and positive energy, however they gain fast healing equal to their Charisma or Constitution Modifier.

Abilities

A synthetic soul may choose one of the following ability modifier:

• Mind over Body: +2 to Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma, -2 to Strength, Dexterity or Constitution.

• Body over Mind: +2 to Strength, Dexterity or Constitution, -4 to Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma

LA 1 version gain one of these bonuses instead of above bonuses):

• Enhanced Body: +2 to Strength, Dexterity or Constitution

• Enhanced Soul: +4 to Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma (chosen ability isn't affected by Decaying Mind weaknesses)

• Mental Pinnacle: +2 to Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma (ignore middle-age decaying mind penalty)

Alignment

As the base creature (tend toward Chaos after middle age.)

Advancement

By character classes.

CR

+1 or +0 (LA 0 version only)

Level Adjustment

LA 0 or LA 1

Weaknesses

A synthetic soul gain the following weakness.

• Awkward Skills: -4 to all Charisma and Wisdom-based skills check.

• Decaying Mind: Your mind while perfect in young age begin to decay as you age. Instead of gaining a intelligence, wisdom and charisma point at each age categories you lose one. Instead of dying of old age, you take a -4 Penalty to Wisdom (since you gradually become insane).

When you take the template you must choose any of the following weaknesses.

• Flawed Soul: Take -4 to all save vs energy drain or negative energy in general. Lose immunity to negative levels.

• Unadaptive: You do not gain a feat at first level.

• Vulnerable Mind: -3 to all will save.

• Weak Soul: When you die and resurrected instead of losing a single level you lose 2. When your total levels after resurrection is 0 or less, your soul die with the body and cannot be resurrection or raised in any way. True Resurrection make you lose a single level.

Variant

When taking a variant, you do not again any bonus of the original template, you instead gain the benefit listed below.Note that you still keep the weaknesses.

Shadow Stuff Soul

When a soul is made of shadowstuff instead of soulstuff, a Synthetic Soul gain strange powers.

LA 0 Variant

• -2 Constitution, +2 Charisma
• +5 Bonus on Hide check
• Darkvision 120 ft. and Low light-Vision.
• You keep Unnatural Aura, Unnatural Soul and Eternal Youth

LA 1 Variant

• +4 Cha (replace the LA 0 Bonuses)
• Can see Perfectly in even magical darkness.
• Fast Healing equal to Cha modifier.

Spelltouched Soul

Your soul is very sensible to spells. You gain unique ability thank to this supernatural adaptability.

LA 0 Variant:

• Choose either intelligence, wisdom or charisma; the chosen ability isn't affected by decaying mind.
• You gain one spelltouched feat at first level and fifth level and every 5 level thereafter.
• + 2 Caster level for all arcane spells.
• You keep Unnatural Aura, Unnatural Soul and Eternal Youth.

LA 1 Variant

• +2 to either Intelligence or Charisma, the chosen ability is not affected by Decaying Mind weakness.
• By absorbing a spell every day (expending a spell slot of you or another willing arcane spellcaster). You may gain control over your Unnatural Aura and resume or dismiss it as a free action.

LA 2 Version

• +4 to either Intelligence or Charisma, the chosen ability is not affected by Decaying Mind weakness.
• Spell Resistance: 15 + HD, may lower or restore it as a free action.

Lore and Fluff

Creation of a Synthetic Soul

Synthetic Soul are created by spellcasters who dare to try creating true life. The process being incredibly controversial and complicated. The manipulation of raw soulstuff and the application of conscience through Divine or Arcane ritual is a complicated process. A spellcaster must be able to cast 9th level spells, since Create Synthetic Soul is a 9th level spell. See the spell for more info.

Social Behavior

Synthetic Souls have trouble getting along others, their very existence is different. It almost if an aura of unease cover them. Most Synthetic Soul lack proper behavior, some may act strangely for their race. By example a Orc Synthetic Soul may be peaceful and moral. Synthetic Soul when they mate (rarely) produce completely normal children. However many of them are infertile and so rare are spawn of Synthetic Souls.

The Decaying Mind Syndrome

Synthetic souls never age, their body stay young forever and their lifespan is infinite. However as time pass, the mind of a synthetic soul begin to degrade and corrode. The very multiverse drive them insane, the decaying mind remain mostly unexplained by scholars. Some think the fact they have no place in the divine plans end up driving them to madness. Other claim it simply a failure of the spell used to create them and the syndrome should be corrected when magic shall advance.

Afterlife

Synthetic souls often die with the body (those who choose weak soul), others may continue to exist indefinitely. However rare are those who ascend top the other planes. Except by some outsider intervention, most Synthetic Souls will become ghost. Even if some rare case Synthetic souls may ascend to the inner planes, a proof of their undestined existence, it rare that any Synthetic Soul leave the material plane after death (or any plane they died in). It should be noted, Synthetic souls possess the same consciousness as other creature.

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