Sorcery & Super Science for Pathfinder!

I figure it's about time to let everyone know that I'm working on a Pathfinder version of Sorcery & Super Science! I've been plugging away for a few months now (and have many k's of words) and have many more months to go before a finished product will be available. I'd like to hit Christmas of 2012, but we'll see how that works out.

This conversion is going to be a system-modified conversion, rather than a system faithful one. This means that I'll be following Pathfinder at all possible points, but when the concept of the S&SS world varies with Pathfinder assumptions, the Pathfinder assumptions are modified to fit the setting. I'm hoping this doesn't irk to many Pathfinder players, but I suspect that the coherent vision of the changes should easily be acceptable.

We'll see. Gamers are nothing if not an opinionated bunch.

Below's a sneak peak of the Mutated Animal race for the Pathfinder version of S&SS.


Mutated Animals
The second most-common of the mutated races, mutated animals come in a bewildering array of shapes, sizes and genetic backgrounds. Mutated animals vary greatly in temperament, but typically express traits associated with their animalistic background.

General Relations: Mutated animals that more fully show their animal heritage tend to be viewed with more suspicion than those that appear more human-like, but most communities are less concerned with genetic makeup than with behavior.

Mutated Animal Racial Traits

+2 to Two Ability Scores, -2 to One Ability Score: Mutated animals have various strengths and weaknesses depending upon their heritage.

Small, Medium, or Large: Mutated animals can be one of three sizes. Small mutated animals gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their Combat Maneuver Bonus and Combat Maneuver Defense, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks. Medium mutated animals have no bonuses or penalties to their size. Large mutated animals gain a -1 size penalty to their AC, a -1 size penalty on attack rolls, a +1 bonus to their Combat Maneuver Bonus and Combat Maneuver Defense, and a -4 penalty to Stealth checks. All mutated animals have a 5ft. reach.

Normal Speed: Mutated animals have a base speed of 30 feet.

Bonuses: Mutated animals possess various bonuses based upon their animal background. A mutated animal receives 9 points for purchasing of any of the following bonuses. A GM should work with a player who desires other bonuses to suit the character’s background. A bonus can only be purchased once.

1 point bonuses
Brave: You gain a +1 racial bonus on saving throws against fear and despair effects.
Climber: You gain a +4 racial bonus to Climb checks and can use accelerated climbing without penalty.
Disease Resistance: You gain a racial bonus on saving throws against disease, nausea, and sickened equal to your Hit Dice.
Empathetic: You gain a +4 bonus on Handle Animal checks.
Low-Light Vision: You can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
Poison Resistance: You gain a racial bonus on saving throws against poison equal to your Hit Dice.
Stable: You gain a +2 racial bonus to your Combat Maneuver Defense when resisting a bull rush or trip attempt while on the ground.
Stubborn: You gain a +1 racial bonus on Will saving throws. Additionally, if you fail a Will save, you receive another save 1 round later to prematurely end the effect triggering the save.
Swimmer: You gain a +4 racial bonus to Swim checks, and you can hold your breath for four times your Constitution score instead of the normal twice.

2 point bonuses
Cat’s Luck: Prerequisites: +2 racial bonus to Dexterity; Benefit: Once per day, when you make a Reflex saving throw, you can roll the  saving throw twice and take the better result. You must decide to use this ability before the saving throw is attempted.
Exceptional Low-Light Vision: You can see four times as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
Natural Climber: You gain a 10 ft. climb speed and a +8 racial bonus to Climb checks.
Natural Foe: +2 dodge bonus to AC and +2 on grappling combat maneuver checks against creatures of a single type or single humanoid subtype
Natural Weapon: You gain a bite, claw, gore, hoof, talon, or other appropriate natural attack based upon your heritage, dealing 1d3 damage. The natural weapon is a primary attack or a secondary attack if you are wielding a manufactured weapon.
Thick Skin: You gain +1 natural armor.

4 point bonuses
Darkvison 60 ft.: You can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
Dense Hide: You gain +2 natural armor.
Ferocious: When your hit points fall below 0, but you are not yet dead, you can continue to fight. If you do, you are staggered, and you lose 1 hit point each round. You still die when your hit points reach a negative amount equal to your Constitution score.
Hard to Hurt: You gain 2/— damage reduction. This damage reduction does not stack with any others.
Superior Specimen: You gain +2 to One Ability Score
Wall Crawler: Prerequisites: Natural Climber; Benefit: You gain an additional 10 ft. to your climbing speed (resulting in a 20 ft. climb speed) and can cling to cave walls and even ceilings as long as the surface has hand-and footholds. In effect, you are treated as constantly being under the effect of a nonmagical version of the spider climb spell, save that you cannot cling to smooth surfaces. You also gain an additional +8 racial bonus on Climb checks normally granted creatures with a climb speed (resulting in a total of +16).

Penalties: Some of the technologies and medicines of the ancients don’t work very well for mutated animals. Mutated animals suffer a -6 on all Technology Compatibility checks.

Languages: Mutated animals begin play speaking a local language. Mutated animals with high Intelligence scores can choose any languages appropriate to the character origin and GM approval.