Eldritch Akasha: Options of Flesh (Patreon)

New Archetypes

Hidden Horror (Eclipse Archetype)

Either altered by dark arts or born through eldritch means, your natural shape is that of a monstrous horror which can consume corpses and take on their form, allowing you to live parasitically among a society that would normally seek to destroy you.

Horrific Form (Ex): If you select this archetype at 1st level, you do not select a race when creating your character. The hidden horror’s type is aberration with the (shapechanger) subtype, they gain a +2 bonus to two different ability scores of their choice, and a -2 penalty to an additional ability score of your choice. They are a Medium sized creature. They gain a +5 racial bonus to Disguise checks, low-light vision, and a base movement speed of 30 feet. They have immunity to disease, and any time they would be subjected to a critical hit or sneak attack there is a 50% chance that critical hit or sneak attack is negated and the damage is rolled normally. This does not stack with similar abilities. The hidden horror speaks common, and may select any languages if they possess a high Intelligence score. For the purpose of eclipse favored class bonuses the hidden horror is treated as a single race of their choice, chosen when they first gain this feature. If they are reincarnated, you automatically return to this form. The hidden horror’s starting age and maximum age are identical to those of a human.

If the hidden horror gains this archetype after 1st level, the hidden horror loses all benefits granted by their race (including ability score bonuses, proficiencies, creature type, and bonus feats) save for their languages, and they gain the above benefits in their place. If losing a feat in this way would cause them to no longer meet the prerequisites of another feat or ability, they may retrain those feats or abilities as part of taking this archetype.

Once gained, this archetype cannot be retrained without the equivalent of a miracle or wish (or another method up to your GM’s approval), which allows the hidden horror to retrain the archetype and change their race to another PC race of their choice (up to the GM’s approval).

The hidden horror’s base form is that of an amorphous blob of translucent flesh, organs, and viscera. While in this shape the hidden horror cannot wield weapons or armor, but they can interact with objects, hold and carry items, and they gain a primary slam natural attack that deals 1d8 points of damage. If they gain natural attacks from another source (such as a veil they shape, a spell they have cast, or a feat or class feature), they can use them in this form but are considered to only have the normal number of limbs for a bipedal creature when doing so (they only have a single head for gore attacks, 2 arms for claw attacks, and so on, despite lacking normal limbs). While in their amorphous form they can squeeze through any space a Fine sized creature could fit through without penalty (this does not apply to any objects they may be holding that are too large to fit through such a space). The hidden horror can adjust the appearance of their base form as a standard action, allowing them to change the color and appearance of their flesh to mimic biological matter (such as bones, scales, hide, fur, hair, and the like). They lose these benefits and penalties when outside of this form (see below).

The hidden horror can engulf the bones of a Small or Medium sized creature and take on that creature’s form. This process takes between 1 and 10 minutes; they gain a +1 bonus to Disguise checks to disguise themselves as that individual, increasing by an additional +1 per additional minute spent (to a maximum of +10). If the bones had flesh (or another substance acting as the creature’s flesh), they can consume or discard the flesh as part of this process. If they  consume poisoned flesh as part of this ability the hidden horror is subject to that poison as well. While in a form using this ability, creature’s are not entitled to Perception checks to bypass the hidden horror’s Disguise unless they perform an action that would raise their suspicions, such as acting particularly intelligent while in an animal form, or acting out of a person’s normal character while disguised as them. Engulfed bones are not destroyed; a hidden horror can eject bones they have engulfed as a standard action into an adjacent space, returning them to their base form.

While in the shape of another creature the hidden horror gains all of its modes of movement, reach, and natural attacks, but not any of their other abilities. If the creature the hidden horror take’s the form of could breathe water, they can breathe water while in its form. If the hidden horror takes the form of a creature whose size differs from their own, they benefit or suffer from any size bonuses or penalties appropriate to that creature’s size. The hidden horror’s flesh changes in color and shape to match the flesh of the mimicked creature, but it does not gain any additional hardness that would grant them natural armor. This process allows them to match the voice of the mimicked creature, but does not grant them any insight into their personality or knowledge.

If the hidden horror would be subject to an effect that would force them to return to their normal form, the effect instead reveals their nature as a shapechanger and dazes them for 1 round on a failed saving throw, and then sickens them for the remaining duration of the effect. These penalties bypass any immunities the hidden horror might possess.

This replaces the eclipse’s occultation and advanced occultations class features.

Armor of Shadows (Su): The hidden horror has learned to channel the powers of shadowy akasha to shield and hide them from view. As long as they are within 10 feet of an area of dim light or darker they gain a +1 armor bonus to AC and a +1 competence bonus on Disguise and Stealth checks. These bonuses increase by an additional +1 at 3rd level, and every 2 levels thereafter.

Amorphous Forms (Ex): At 5th level, the hidden horror can squeeze through spaces up to two size categories smaller than the form they have taken by engulfing bones without penalty (Diminutive spaces for Small forms, Tiny spaces for Medium forms).

Additionally, the hidden horror can alter the shape and appearance of forms they take by engulfing bones; they can use this ability to take on the appearance and voice of a specific creature of the same type of the creature whose bones they consumed, but doing so only provides half the bonus to disguise checks (+1 per 2 minutes spent, to a maximum of +5 for 10 minutes spent, minimum 2 minutes to change). They can also choose to take a particularly horrific or alien form rather than mimicking the form of a living creature of the bone’s type. This form has the same number of limbs, modes of movement, and natural attacks as the form provided by engulfing a creature’s bones, but the appearance of the form and voice is entirely up to the hidden horror. When taking such a form, the hidden horror gains a bonus to Intimidate checks rather than Disguise checks, and it only takes 1 round per +1 bonus, to a maximum of 10 rounds, to change their shape in this way.

The hidden horror does not need to eject bones before using this ability, but beginning the change into a new form removes any previous bonuses to Disguise or Intimidate granted by their form.

Shadow Armor: The hidden horror gains the benefits of this class feature at all times, rather than only when they don’t have an active occultation (they still unlock the abilities granted by this feature at their normal levels).

This modifies the eclipse’s shadow armor class feature, but not for the purposes of archetype compatibility.

Rapid Forms (Ex): At 11th level, the hidden horror needs to only spend 1 round per +1 Disguise bonus when taking a form by engulfing bones, or 1 move action per +1 Intimidate when taking a horrific or alien form.

Empowered Forms (Ex): At 17th level, the hidden horror can engulf the bones of Tiny and Large creatures and take their forms. Additionally, they can engulf multiple sets of bones at a time, allowing them to more freely change their forms without leaving behind incriminating evidence. The hidden horror can engulf up to one set of Large bones, up to two sets of Medium bones, up to four sets of Small or Tiny bones (or a set of Medium bones, and two sets of Small or Tiny bones).

Immortal Horror (Ex): At 20th level, the hidden horror’s body has so adapted to reshaping and consuming living beings that it defies death itself. The hidden horror no longer needs to eat and breathe, does not die from old age, does not accrue penalties to their physical ability scores for aging (though any penalties they have already accrued remain), and gains regeneration 5.

This replaces the eclipse’s darklord class feature.

Bondwarper (Radiant Archetype)

You have learned to warp flesh using your essence, investing it within yourself or your allies to change their forms as you see fit.

Warping Bond (Su): At 1st level, the bondwarper gains a warping bond with which they can invest essence to warp the flesh of themselves or their allies. The bondwarper can invest one point of essence into willing creatures within 60 feet of them, up to a maximum number of creatures equal to their essence capacity, granting them the benefit of a selected fleshwarped vivification (see below). The bondwarper can also affect themselves using this ability, if they wish. An affected creature only needs to be within 60 ft. when the essence is first invested in this ability; they may move outside of that area and retain any benefits for essence invested. To remove essence from one of these creatures, an affected creature must be within 60 feet of the radiant. When removing essence in this way, this is considered to be reclaiming essence from that creature for the purposes of the bondwarper’s radiant class features. If that creature is not within 60 feet, the bondwarper can choose to burn the point of essence as it is uninvested, and the essence is not considered to be reclaimed for the purpose of their class features.

Additionally, if a creature affected by this ability becomes diseased, poisoned, or fatigued, the bondwarper may draw this condition out of the ally and take it upon themselves when reclaiming essence from that creature. If the condition originally allowed a saving throw, the bondwarper may make a new saving throw to resist the effect at its original DC.

This replaces the radiant’s akashic bond class feature.

Fleshwarped Vivification (Su): At 1st level, the bondwarper chooses two options presented in the fleshsculptor promethean’s fleshsculpting feature and treats the selected options as their fleshwarped vivications which they can grant to creatures using their warping bond class feature. The bondwarper treats their radiant level as their effective promethean level and uses their veilweaving ability score in place of their Intelligence when determining the effects of these abilities. If an ability allows the bondwarper to choose multiple options upon applying it, those choices are made when the fleshwarped vivification is applied to a creature.

At 2nd level, and every 2 levels thereafter, the bondwarper chooses an additional option from that list and treats it as a fleshwarped vivification.

Starting at 8th level, they can also select from the options available to the fleshsculptor’s improved fleshsculpting feature.

Starting at 16th level, they can also select from the options available to the fleshsculptor’s greater sculpting feature.

This replaces the radiant’s vivification class feature.

New Class Features and Options

Author’s Note: There are currently two variations of the Evolution passion and Evolution option for Daevic Aspect presented below and I am not particularly happy with either of them! Rather than further delay this article, I am posting it with both versions. The final release of the book will either have one of these, or something completely different in their place!

New Daevic Passion: Evolution

Daeva of evolution seek out hosts that are willing to adapt to their environments, constantly seeking out new ways to improve their lives, further their education, or harness new power to overcome their foes. Daevics of evolution spring up from all manner of backgrounds, but are always those who are willing to overcome the odds through sheer force of will. A daevic of this passion is of no particular alignment; the drive to evolve that draws forth their daeva is found amongst all groups of living beings.

Veil List**: Acidic Mass*, Behemoth’s Flesh, Boneplate Vambraces*, Buzzing Cloak*, Chameleon Skin, Chitinplate, Consuming Scales, Daevic Aspect, Fleshling Growth*, Insectocorpus*,  Leaping Gate, Writhing Approach

*These veils are found in Studio M— Compilation - October 2021

**I am planning to print more fleshwarp veils later this month, so this list will likely be edited to include some of those veils. This will be reflected in the final release of this book.

Class Skills: Knowledge (dungeoning), Knowledge (nature), Stealth, Survival,

Starting at 3rd level, the daevic’s body begins to change to suit their whims and allowing them to rapidly evolve features to overcome their challenges. When the daevic shapes their veils for the day, they gain a number of customizations points equal to an aegis of their level that can be spent on customizations from the following list. They treat their aegis level as their daevic level when meeting prerequisites for these customizations and when determining their effects (or as their aberrant level, for customizations normally available to an aegis with the aberrant archetype). These customizations are considered an extraordinary effect.

The following customizations can be found on this page, or on this page for customizations marked with a *.

1 Point Customizations: Darkvision, Disjointed*, Eyestalks*, Hardened Strikes, Pull, Push, Speed, Spiked Carapace,  Swim, Underwater Breath

2 Point Customizations: Adhesive Feet, Chameleon, Climb, Powerful Build, Tremorsense,

3 Point Customizations: Blindsense, Burrow, Reach

4 Point Customizations: Blindsight

At 6th level the possessing daeva begins to transform and adopt an affinity for a particular aspect of Evolution. Choose one of the following aspects: Predation or Survival.

Predation

Daevics of Predation have learned to focus their evolutionary powers towards hostile ends, their bodies themselves becoming a weapon to overwhelm and destroy their foes.

They add the following customizations to the list of customization they can select using this passion:

1 Point Customizations: Tearing Sting*, Stinger*, Tentacle*

2 Point Customizations: Increased Size, Poison*, Spikes*, Tear Flesh*, Ram

3 Point Customizations: Toxic*, Quickened Attacks

4 Point Customizations: Improved Increased Size

Survival

Daevics of Survival have learned to focus their evolutionary powers towards defensive ends, protecting themselves from harm and allowing them to thrive in particularly dangerous situations.

They add the following customizations to the list of customizations they can select using this passion:

1 Point Customizations: Energy Resistance, Evasion, Stalwart

2 Point Customizations: Improved Natural Armor*, Obsese*, Fortification

3 Point Customizations: Diehard, Frightful Presence

4 Point Customizations: Energy Immunity, Improved Evasion, Improved Stalwart, Protective Shell*

Daevic Aspect: Evolution Passion

When you shape the Daevic Aspect veil, you can choose the Evolution passion.

Evolution: This veil gains the [Fleshwarp] descriptor. When you shape this veil, choose a single option available to the  adaptationist’s bodily adaptations feature, treating your veilweaving level as your effective promethean level when determining its effects. You may change the bodily adaptation you selected using this veil by meditating for 10 uninterrupted minutes.

Essence: Rather than the normal effects for investing essence in this veil, investing essence in this veil when the Evolution passion is selected increases any numerical bonuses granted by a bodily adaptation to increase by +1 per point of essence invested, and modes of movement granted by a bodily adaptation to increase by +5 per point invested, and the time in meditation it takes to change your bodily adaptation granted by this veil is reduced by 1 minute (to a minimum of 1 standard action).

Chakra Bind (Blood): Binding this veil to your Blood chakra grants you the following benefits if you choose the Evolution passion:

Binding this veil allows you to choose options from the adaptationist’s instinctual adaptation feature in addition to their bodily adaptations feature, and allows you to select two of these abilities rather than one. When you meditate to change your selected adaptations you can change one or both of them.

Alternate Evolution Passion

Daeva of evolution seek out hosts that are willing to adapt to their environments, constantly seeking out new ways to improve their lives, further their education, or harness new power to overcome their foes. Daevics of evolution spring up from all manner of backgrounds, but are always those who are willing to overcome the odds through sheer force of will. A daevic of this passion is of no particular alignment; the drive to evolve that draws forth their daeva is found amongst all groups of living beings.

Veil List**: Acidic Mass*, Behemoth’s Flesh, Boneplate Vambraces*, Buzzing Cloak*, Chameleon Skin, Chitinplate, Consuming Scales, Daevic Aspect, Fleshling Growth*, Insectocorpus*,  Leaping Gate, Writhing Approach

*These veils are found in Studio M— Compilation - October 2021

**I am planning to print more fleshwarp veils later this month, so this list will likely be edited to include some of those veils. This will be reflected in the final release of this book.

Class Skills: Knowledge (dungeoning), Knowledge (nature), Stealth, Survival

Starting at 3rd level, the daevic’s body begins to change to suit their whims and allowing them to rapidly evolve features to overcome their challenges. When the daevic shapes their veils for the day, they gain a number of evolution points equal to that of an eidolon with an effective summoner level equal to the daevic’s class level that can be spent on eidolon evolutions. The daevic is considered to have the biped base form for the purposes of meeting prerequisites for these evolutions, they cannot select the Large evolution or evolutions that would grant them natural attacks or improve their natural attacks, and the daevic uses their class level as their effective summoner level when determining the effects of these evolutions.

At 6th level the possessing daeva begins to transform and adopt an affinity for a particular aspect of Evolution. Choose one of the following aspects: Predation or Adaptation.

Adaptation

Daevics of Adaptation have learned to focus their evolutionary powers towards adapting to best the challenges presented to them. By taking any number of points of essence burn as a standard action, the daevic can lose a number of evolutions equal to the number of points of essence burn taken and gain an equal number of points worth of evolutions in their place.

Predation

Daevics of Predation have learned to focus their evolutionary powers towards hostile ends, their bodies themselves becoming a weapon to overwhelm and destroy their foes. The daevic can select evolutions that grant them natural attacks or modify their natural attacks, but they are limited to a maximum of 2 natural attacks granted by evolutions, increasing to 3 natural attacks at 11th level and 4 natural attacks at 16th level.

Alternate Evolution Daevic Aspect

When you shape the Daevic Aspect veil, you can choose the Evolution passion.

Evolution: This veil gains the [Fleshwarp] and [Polymorph] descriptors. As a standard action, you can alter your form with evolutionary magics; select a single base form available to an eidolon. Your base movement speeds are changed to those of that base form, your size changes to Medium, your limbs are replaced by those of that base form, and you gain the natural armor bonus, abilities, natural attacks, and free evolutions of that base form. Your effective summoner level is equal to your veilweaving level when determining the effects of abilities granted by the base form and evolutions granted by this veil. You can return to your normal form as a standard action.

Essence: Rather than the normal effects of investing essence in this veil, when you take a form using this veil, you also gain a number of points worth of evolutions equal to the essence invested in this veil. You are treated as having the base form granted by this veil and a summoner level equal to your veilweaving level when meeting the prerequisites of these evolutions and determining their effects. You are also limited to the number of natural attacks you can select using this veil, as per an eidolon of your effective summoner level, and you cannot select the Large evolution.

If essence is uninvested from this veil while you are in a form (or from another receptacle that treats this veil as if it were invested with essence, such as a daevic’s passion), you lose a number of points of evolutions equal to the number of points of uninvested essence. If this would leave you with an evolution you cannot fully afford (such as if you spent 4 points on an evolution, and are reduced to 2 points total) you lose that evolution.

Chakra Bind (Blood): Binding this veil to your Blood chakra grants you the following benefits if you choose the Evolution passion:

When you take a form using this veil, you may increase the size of your new form to Large, granting you a +4 size bonus to Strength and Constitution, and a +2 increase to your natural armor. You also take a –2 penalty to your Dexterity. This size change also gives you a –1 size penalty to your AC and on attack rolls, a +1 bonus to your CMB and CMD, a –2 penalty on Fly skill checks, and a –4 penalty on Stealth skill checks. If your base form is biped, your natural reach also increases by 5 feet.

You can also choose to reduce the size of your base form to Small, granting you a +4 size bonus to Dexterity, and a -2 penalty to Strength. This size change also gives you a +1 size bonus to your AC and on attack rolls, a -1 penalty to your CMB and CMD, a +2 size bonus on Fly skill checks, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth skill checks.

New Variant Avead Heritage: Evolution

An avead can select the Evolution variant heritages:

Survival-Born (Evolution)

Ability Modifiers: +2 Dex, +2 Cha, -2 Int

Alternate Innate Veil: Chameleon Skin

Predation-Born (Evolution)

Ability Modifies: +2 Str, +2 Cha, -2 Int

Alternate Innate Veil: Behemoth’s Flesh

New Nexus Convergence: Primordial Chaos

Within the vast infinity of the realms lies a plane of constant change and growth known as the Primordial Chaos. Rumored to be the initial wellspring of life throughout the realms, the lands of this place are formed of an infinite expanse of flesh, bone and blood that emulates terrain found throughout the multiverse that birth creatures that are as horrifying and unique as their are wondrous.

Tier 1: A nexus who gains their first convergence tier with the Primordial Chaos gains a resistance to effects that would attempt to alter or warp their body unwillingly, granting then a +5 bonus on saving throws on effects that would attempt to polymorpg them or warp their flesh. In addition, they can choose to cause their planar detonation to warp the flesh of foes damaged by it; creatures stuck by the blast must make a Will saving throw or suffer one of the negative effects of the fleshsculptor promethean’s sculpting touch feature. The nexus treats their class level as their effective promethean level when determining the effects of this ability, and it follows the normal restrictions of that ability. Creatures not formed of flesh or a flesh-like substance (such as most golems, and incorporeal undead) are immune to this effect.

Tier 2: When the nexus chooses to warp flesh with their planar detonation, they can instead unleash a wave of warping energy by taking 1 point of essence burn to make their attack as a 20 ft. radius spread centered on themself. Creatures affected by this ability must make a Will saving throw for half damage, and creatures who fail have their flesh warped (as Tier 1). The nexus can choose a unique effect for each creature, and the nexus is immune to this ability.

Tier 3: A nexus who reaches the third convergence tier with the Primordial Chaos gains the ability to alter their own flesh with their warping magics. When the nexus shapes their veils for the day (or by meditating for 1 hour, if they do not shape veils), they select a single ability that could be granted by a fleshsculptor promethean’s fleshsculpting or improved fleshsculpting features and gain the effects of that ability until they next use this ability. By mediating for 1 hour the nexus can change the chosen effect. The nexus uses their class level as their effective promethean level and their Charisma in place of their Intelligence when determining the effects of this ability. At 16th level, the nexus can also choose from abilities granted by the greater sculpting feature.

Tier 4: A nexus who reaches the fourth convergence tier with the Primordial Chaos can choose to gain the benefit of two fleshsculpting abilities rather than one, and can change one or both chosen abilities by meditating for 10 minutes.

New Nexus Planar Attunement: Primordial Chaos

A 20th level nexus who chooses the Primordial Chaos as their planar attunement gains the following benefits:

Planar Attunement: The nexus gains shapechanger subtype, and may freely travel between the Primordial Chaos and Material Plane as thought using plane shift. In addition, the nexus gains the benefits of shapechange as a constant extraordinary effect. In addition to the shapes available to their shapechange, they can also take the shape of creatures as per monstrous physique IV and vermin shape II. Gear or equipment the nexus is carrying or wearing does not merge with them when they change their shape using this ability, though any wondrous items they are wearing automatically resize themselves to fit their new form. If the nexus suffers from an effect that would return them to their normal form, instead of reverting to their normal form they instead lose the ability to change their form for 1 minute (in addition to the normal effects of the ability). If slain, they also do not return to their original form.

If the nexus has the Tier 3 or Tier 4 convergences for the Primordial Chaos, they can change their selected fleshsculpting abilities each time they change their shape, and they maintain the benefits of those fleshsculpting abilities while their shape is changed.

New Vizier Mystic Path: Path of the Eldritch Surgeon

A vizier that chooses this path seeks to understand and gain mastery over the mortal form. Utilizing eldritch rituals and dark knowledge the vizier begins this path by altering their limbs into tools of surgery and evisceration, and alters their flesh and organs to be more durable. As they progress down this path their knowledge of eldritch surgery further improves, allowing them to further alter the bodies of themselves and other living beings.

The vizier treats Heal as a class skill, and may use the higher of their Intelligence or Wisdom when making Heal checks.

Eldritch Form (Ex): At 1st level, the vizier’s study of the art of eldritch surgery has allowed them to alter their body, making it more formidable and altering their hands into tools of surgery and battle.

The vizier gains an additional +2 hit points at each class level, and gains a +1 bonus to their natural armor. This natural armor stacks with other sources of natural armor. Their hands are also altered into a set of particularly deadly claws; the exact nature and form of these claws is up to the vizier, but they function just as well as the vizier’s normal hands. When making attacks or combat maneuvers using these claws, the vizier treats their base attack bonus granted by vizier levels as if it were equal to 3/4 their level instead of 1/2 (equivalent to a rogue of their level).

Whenever the vizier deals damage to a creature they are flanking or has been denied their Dexterity bonus to AC using their claws, they deal an additional 1d6 points of precious damage. This is considered a sneak attack for the purposes of creatures immune to or resistant to sneak attacks.

At 5th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, the vizier increases their natural armor by an additional +1, gains a +1 insight bonus to Heal checks, and the precision damage they deal using their claws increases by 1d6.

Surgeon of Flesh (Su): At 5th level, the vizier gains Fleshwarper as a bonus feat, even if they do not meet its prerequisites. The vizier does not need a lab to create fleshcraft grafts, but they do not create fleshcraft grafts through normal methods and cannot create fleshcraft elixirs; instead, the vizier directly alters the flesh of a creature using their claws and occult knowledge, modifying that creatures flesh to act as the graft.

When performing surgery on a creature to craft a graft, that creature must be willing or helpless for the entire duration of the crafting process, and the vizier must provide material components equal to the crafting cost of the graft. To create a graft, the vizier must have a number of ranks in the Heal skill equal to the listed ranks of the Craft (alchemy) skill normally required.

Creating a graft in this way takes 8 hours no matter the price of the graft. At the end of this time, the vizier must attempt a Heal check against the graft’s listed DC. Failure indicates the surgery has failed and the patient's body has rejected the change, wasting half of the provided material components. Regardless of the surgery’s success, the subject takes 1d4 points of Constitution damage and 1d4 points of Wisdom damage. Although fleshcraft grafts are not magical, some occupy a magic item slot on the body, preventing that slot from being used for any magic item or other graft.

The vizier can also apply fleshcraft grafts to themself; when they do so, they only take 1 point of Constitution and Wisdom damage, and they do not suffer the penalty normally imposed by a graft.

Surgical Evisceration (Ex): At 9th level, the vizier has gained such mastery over their claws that they can grab a creature and perform impromptu surgery to cripple it. The vizier’s claws granted by this path gain the Grab universal monster ability. The vizier treats their base attack bonus granted by vizier levels as if it were equal to 3/4 their level instead of 1/2 (equivalent to a rogue of their level) when defending grabs made using their claws, and for the purposes of meeting the prerequisites of feats that have Improved Grapple as a prerequisite. The vizier is also treated as having both the Improved Grapple and Improved Unarmed Strike feats for the purposes of feat prerequisites, but they may only use those feats with their claws unless they meet the prerequisites normally.

Whenever the vizier maintains a grapple against a creature using their claws, rather than choosing one of the normal options when maintaining a grapple they can choose to perform rapid surgery on that creature. That creature takes precision damage as if struck by the vizier’s claws, and must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 the vizier’s level + their Intelligence modifier) or take 1d4 points of ability damage to an ability score of the vizier’s choice. This is considered a sneak attack; if the creature is immune to or otherwise negates it, they do not make a saving throw against this effect and do not take damage.

Improved Eldritch Form (Ex): At 13th level, continuous surgical experimentation over their own body has allowed the vizier to optimize their own flesh, removing much of the needs required by a living being. The vizier no longer needs to breathe, eat, or drink water to survive, and they are immune to effects that require breathing (such as inhaled poison). They also no longer need to sleep, gaining the benefits of 8 hours of rest by meditating for 2 hours.

The vizier’s organs have been so heavily modified as part of this process that they have become entirely alien; whenever the vizier suffers from a critical hit or sneak attack, there is a 25% chance the critical hit or sneak attack is negated and the damage is rolled normally. This stacks with similar effects, to a maximum of a 100% chance to negate the critical hit or sneak attack.

Pinnacle of Form (Ex): At 17th level, the vizier has perfected their bodies' own natural processes; they gain immunity to disease and poison, no longer age, no longer die of old age, and can survive without penalty in areas or extremely high or extremely low pressure (such as at the bottom of the ocean, or in the void of space). If the vizier was already suffering penalties from aging they lose those penalties. The vizier’s chance to negate critical hits and sneak attacks made against them increases to 50%.

They also gain the ability to hibernate for extended periods; beginning their hibernation takes 1 minute. While in this state, the vizier can take no actions and is effectively helpless, as if it were in a deep sleep. The vizier can remain in hibernation for as long as it wishes, time effectively stands still for the hibernating vizier. If they are jostled or damaged while hibernating, the vizier can attempt a DC 20 Will save. If they succeed, they awaken in 2d4 rounds. Otherwise, it takes 1d4 hours to awaken from hibernation. The vizier can set the length of their hibernation when they first enter the state so that it can awaken after a set amount of time has passed. When awakening at a set time in this manner, the vizier needs only 1d3 rounds to rouse themself, with no Will saving throw necessary.

If the vizier has a continuous means of flight, they can use the above abilities to survive and travel the void of space, allowing them to travel at incredible speeds (even if their means of flying normally requires air, such as flight via wings). Although exact travel times vary, a trip within a single solar system normally takes 3d20 months, while a trip beyond normally takes 3d20 years (or more, at the GM’s discretion)—provided the vizier knows the way to its destination. The vizier can choose to hibernate during this travel as well; automatically awakening upon reaching their destination.

New Feats

Shapes of the Primordial Chaos

Your advanced convergence with the Primordial Chaos has granted you insight into shaping your very flesh with akasha.

Prerequisites: Nexus 8, Tier 3 Primordial Chaos Convergence, Shape veil (see text)

Benefit: You add every veil with the [Fleshwarp] descriptor to your veil list.

Special: To select this feat you must have learned the ability to shape any veil with the [Fleshwarp] descriptor using the Shape Veil feat. You cannot retrain that feat or change the veil you learned using that feat as long as you have this feat.