Archtype construction?

[Coopernicus]

Hi guys,

I've been a Herolab user for about 5 years now I think, and have used the editor for small things but I'm no programmer and don't know a lick of script so I'm looking for some help, hints or even a full blown guide for converting a house-made archetype for a Kitsune Bard known as a Kitsune Faceless.

They're basically Spy/Assassins that give up the versatility of a Bard to appear as almost anyone.

Now, I am attempting to learn how to create this archetype (I started with the Bard template in the editor) but if anyone can give me some advice or help from looking at the description as you might see sth there I'll need advice on then please let me know!

And if anyone is willing to go out of their way to CREATE the Faceless then I'd be obliged to send massive waves of good karma, and maybe draw a character portrait for ya.

Anyway, here's the Kitsune FACELESS...

Kitsune
>>>THE FACELESS

INTRODUCTION
The Faceless are an extremely secretive cabal of Kitsune (Fox-people) who revere the darker or more mercenary aspect of the Kitsune worldview.
As the Kitsune people enjoy chicanery and art, so too the Faceless, though they revel in what they consider a higher form of trickery and ability, of which they consider an art in itself.

Neither the origin of the Faceless nor their numbers are known, though they are exceptional even amongst the already rare Kitsune race itself.
They are constantly training, practicing and testing themselves in the arts of espionage, sabotage and assassination.

A Faceless shape changing goes beyond a normal Kitsune's to a point where they are almost completely undetectable as anything other than what they want to appear as, even amongst their own kind.
When performing a final assassination and alone with their victim, it has been said that they sometimes revert to their true form and savage their targets as they die.

The Faceless are highly sought after as spies, assassins and information brokers (of which they use to protect themselves) though their price can be incredibly steep and they are not always trustworthy as they have been known to switch sides for the right price.

Amid the Kitsune, The Faceless are greatly respected, as they have been known to use their skills to protect their people.

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No sing-songy musician, the Faceless is a master of assassination, deception, and sabotage.
They sacrifice the bard’s versatility for the opportunity to become anyone.

Initiate------------------------------------------------------------------------- At first level, a Faceless must take the alternate racial trait Fast Faceless if they have not already done so.

• Fast Faceless (Su) You were born with an innate talent for switching between your natural forms. Using your racial change shape ability is a move action instead of a standard action. This racial trait replaces Kitsune magic.

Spy-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
At 2nd level, a The Faceless gains a bonus equal to half his class level on Bluff checks to lie, Diplomacy to gather information and Disguise.
He can put on or change disguises in half the normal amount of time (minimum 1 round).

At 4th level a Faceless can re-roll a bluff check (to lie) once a day after the die has been rolled but he must take the second roll.

At 6th level, a The Faceless gains Mimic (Realistic Likeness) as a free feat.

• Mimic (Kitsune) (ex)
When you are in human form, you can take the shape of a specific individual human.
Prerequisites: Kitsune.
Benefit: You can precisely mimic the physical features of any individual you have encountered. When you use your racial change shape ability, you can attempt to take the form of an individual, granting you a +2 circumstance bonus on Disguise checks made to fool others with your impersonation for each day (4 hrs min.) you have spent in observation of the individual, up to a maximum of +10.

This ability replaces the versatile performance ability.

Assassin-----------------------------------------------------------------------
• Poison Use (Ex)
A 3rd level, a The Faceless is trained in the use of poison and cannot accidentally poison herself when applying poison to a blade.

This ability replaces Well Versed.


The Faceless-------------------------------------------------------------------
At 8th Level, A Faceless can alter its appearance to appear as a specific single member of another Medium-size humanoid species. Changing to another humanoid species is a standard action and grants a +5 species bonus on Disguise checks to appear as a member of that species. A Faceless gains none of the special qualities or species traits of the mimicked species, but the effect lasts as long as the The Faceless wishes.
Whenever a The Faceless changes form to appear as any humanoid species other than human, it must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 12) or suffer 2 points of temporary Constitution damage immediately after the transformation.
A Faceless can combine Mimic with The Faceless, but doing so raises the DC by +4.
At 10th level, a Faceless can reduce the transformation time to a move action, but doing so raises the save DC to 16.
This ability replaces the Dirge of Doom Performance.

A The Faceless cannot create or conceal heavy clothing as part of the transformation and immediately reverts to its natural form when stunned, fatigued, exhausted, unconscious, dying, or dead.

[Aaron]

So what is giving you trouble?

[Coopernicus]

Originally Posted by Aaron

So what is giving you trouble?

First off, I need to make sure the character takes the FAST SHIFTER alternate racial trait at first level.

How can I implement this?

Thanks

[ShadowChemosh]

Originally Posted by Coopernicus

First off, I need to make sure the character takes the FAST SHIFTER alternate racial trait at first level.

How can I implement this?

Thanks

So to start I will assume you read the Glossary of Terms to get use to the Editor Terminology. I will also assume you watched the first several Intro Videos on using the editor.

Classes with Prerequisites store the tests on the "Class->Class Level" Thing in the editor. So you can do a New(Copy) on a say an existing class and see their "Expr-reqs" that store the test. As this is an archetype you put it on the "Expr-reqs" directly on the archetype.

The above intro should have also showed you how to turn on the HL Debugging tools "Develop->Enable Data File Debugging". So now load a Kitsune and select your Fast Shifter ART. Then right click on the "?" and you see you have new options and the one you want is the "Copy Unique ID". As that is what we want to check for.

So on the Class Level tab add a new Expr-Reqs and enter:

#hasability[raKitFastS] <> 0

This means if we have a racial ability with the unique ID of raKitFastS do NOT display an error message. Else display the error message you type in under "Message".

For other Prerequisites scripts think of something that checks for something similar and use New Copy in the editor to view the scripts.

[Coopernicus]

How can I remove versatile performance?

[ShadowChemosh]

Originally Posted by Coopernicus

How can I remove versatile performance?

Their is a section built into the Archetype tab for removing class abilities called "Removed Class Special Abilities".

[Coopernicus]

Originally Posted by ShadowChemosh

Their is a section built into the Archetype tab for removing class abilities called "Removed Class Special Abilities".

Yeah, I looked at that. For some reason "versatile performance" isn't in the list of Removed Class Special Abilities.
There's versatile channel, challenge, dance, Evocation, human, improvisation, speech but not performance.
Am I missing sth?

[Coopernicus]

I think I need to use custom ability to get the correct stats in there. Would you know how to do this?

[Lord Magus]

The various Versatile Performance options are custom abilities, not class abilities. Your archetype would have to subtract from the base class custom ability count (not secondary, tertiary or quaternary) as indicated in the editor.

[ShadowChemosh]

Originally Posted by Lord Magus

The various Versatile Performance options are custom abilities, not class abilities. Your archetype would have to subtract from the base class custom ability count (not secondary, tertiary or quaternary) as indicated in the editor.

Thanks! Forget these can be chosen by the class. So yes just like Sorcerer Bloodlines, Barbarian Rage Powers, Alchemist Discoveries, Rogue Talents these are all "Custom Abilities" in the editor.