3rd-Party Highlights: Time Thief (Rogue Genius Games)

Welcome to 3rd-Party Highlights, where we bridge the gap between companies that aren’t just Paizo or Wizards of the Coast. If they can be found on an Open Gaming site, they’re fair game.

Today, Kevin Glusing of Samurai Sheepdog looks at the time thief by Rogue Genius Games. Introduced in 2010, the time thief is a class that steals moments of time (called motes) and uses them to create an array of cool, time-based effects. After putting the class through its paces as a player, I really wanted to see what it would be like to use it as a GM. To that end, I concocted not only a template for creatures that make them formidable enemies for a time thief, but also a class graft and a template graft for the simple monster creation guidelines.

Time Thief Class Graft

Time thieves steal motes of time and use them to power their supernatural abilities.

Required Array: Expert.

Statistic Adjustments: Increase Reflex saving throw bonus by 3; Skill—1 good Dexterity-based; Options—deflect projectiles, improved initiative.

CR 1: Options—evasion, one any.

CR 3: Options—evasion, uncanny dodge, one combat, one any.

CR 9: Options—evasion, uncanny dodge, unflankable, one combat, one any.

CR 11: Options—evasion, uncanny dodge, unflankable, one combat, one social, one any.

CR 19: Options—evasion, stun attack, uncanny dodge, unflankable, two combat, one social, one any.

Suggested Ability Modifiers: Dexterity, Charisma, Intelligence.

Suggested Options: combat reflexes, extra attack, fast feint, fast reload, mobile attack (melee), mobile attack (ranged).

Aevum Creature

Occasionally, when a time thief, wizard, or other creature unscrupulously starts manipulating time, doing so can create a butterfly effect that shunts one or more other creatures between moments, locking them away from meaningful interaction with the rest of the world for all eternity. These aevum, as they are called, eventually become haunting, angry echoes of their former selves, left to exist alone until they finally lash out with the little bit of power they can gather, trying to either pull themselves back into the normal flow of time or, if that fails, dragging other creatures down with them.

Creating an Aevum Creature

Aevum” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature. An aevum creature retains all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities, except as noted here.

CR: Same as the base creature +1 (CR 1-5) or +2 (CR 6+).

Type: The base creature’s type changes to outsider and it gains the augmented subtype. Do not recalculate class Hit Dice, BAB, or saves.

AC: An aevum creature gains a Dodge bonus to AC for every 3 hit dice it possesses (minimum 1).

Defensive Abilities: An aevum creature gains a +1 circumstance bonus on Reflex saves for every 3 hit dice it possesses (minimum 1).

Speed: An aevum creature’s speed is increased by 5-feet for every 3 hit dice it possesses (minimum 1).

Melee and Ranged Attacks: Aevum creatures gain a +1 circumstance bonus on attack rolls for every 3 hit dice they possess (minimum 1).

Special Qualities: An animal lord gains the following special qualities.

Outside of Time (Ex)

At the beginning of each of its turns, there is a 50% chance the aevum creature enters a time stop effect as a free action. The creature can take its turn as if affected by time stop. At the end of that turn, and until the start of its next turn, the aevum creature is treated as being outside of a time stop effect by every other creature. If another creature uses time stop while the aevum creature is affected in this way, that creature and the aevum can interact with each other normally until the effect ends for either of them.

Temporal Prison (Su)

Any living creature that would be slain by an aevum creature instead disappears for 1 week per hit die it possesses as if affected by temporal stasis. At the end of each week, the creature can attempt a Will saving throw (DC 10 + half the aevum creature’s hit dice + its Charisma modifier) to break free and return to the nearest unoccupied space from where it left. If it fails, the creature remains stuck out of time and can only interact with creatures under a time stop effect. At the end of the full duration, if it hasn’t broken free, the creature attempts a final Will save or becomes an aevum creature itself.

Simple Monster Creation Template Graph

Aevum (CR 6+) Template Graft

A living creature affected by time manipulation can become an aevum creature.

Required Creature Type: No constructs or undead.

Automatic Traits: Bestow major condition (stunned), 50% automatic time stop at the start of the creature’s turn. After time stop, its locked in temporal stasis until the start of its next turn; Options—any 1 quick combat option, temporal prison (magic).

Aevum Sphinx (CR/HD 9)

XP 6,400; CN outsider

Init +3; Senses Perception +14 (darkvision 60 ft.)

Size Large (10 ft.); Speed 30 ft., fly 80 ft. (average)

DEFENSE

AC 25 (touch 14, flat-footed 19)

Fort +10, Ref +12, Will +8; CMD 29

hp 126

OFFENSE

Melee bite +19 (1d10+26), 2 claws +14 (1d8+12)

Attack Spell-Like Abilities (DC 17), 1/day—confusion

Attack Options (DC 13) Bestow major condition (stunned), pounce; CMB +21

STATISTICS

Utility Options constant—outside of time, temporal prison

Str +7, Dex +3, Cha +4; Bluff +17, Fly +14, Knowledge (history) +14, Sense Motive +17

Products Mentioned in this Article



About Kevin Glusing

Kevin Glusing is the Lead RPG Designer for Samurai Sheepdog and Owner/Lead Designer for Northwinter Press. He has been designing tabletop RPG content since 2003, and publishing content since 2010. RPG credits include Mystical: Kingdom of Monsters, The Book of Many Things, and several collaborative products with other companies including Rogue Genius Games, Total Party Kill Games, and EN World.

View all posts by Kevin Glusing →

Submit a Comment