Bio-engineers seek to create life. They harness their arcane powers and scientific knowledge to create wholly new creatures, spawning them from giant vats or protoplasmic slime. With skill and practice, the bio-engineer is able to control and direct the growth of these creatures, customizing each one to fit his needs. Some bio-engineers design their creations with a specific purpose in mind, much like a carpenter will erect buildings with a specific purpose in mind for their use. Others see what they do as a form of art, and nurture the life forms growing within their laboratories with the same attention and dedication of an artist carefully painting a breathtaking scenery or an exceptionally detailed portrait. A few bio-engineers see their craft as a means to power, and surround themselves with small armies of loyal, twisted beasts.The first bio-engineers are believed to have been ancient Sethsarri, who are rumored to have created many great, towering vat-factories throughout Migdalia. These terrible spawning pits continually churned out horrid abominations and nightmares, which were then turned against the elder race’s elven and arborean enemies. These structures were among the first structures demolished by the victorious elves, their forms melted to slag by magical, purifying flames. However, a few small caches of research materials were apparently missed during the elves’ search, for a rare Sethsarri tome describing the process of vat-growing creatures, the Sanguinary Codex, resurfaced in Alrethel at the beginning of the Fourth Age.
The Alran began to carefully experiment with the techniques described within the Codex, creating only small, harmless beasts which many of the people kept as pets. Once the Alran realized the extent to which their neighbors, Tael-Mohrd and Vur-Dravin, were preparing for war, however, the Alran were forced to expand their research into more practical areas. Within only a few years, the Alran’s creations, which they dubbed Lhurgs, dwarfed the standing armies of both Tael-Mohrd and Vur-Dravin combined. More importantly, perhaps, was the fact that the creatures were stronger, faster, and generally more dangerous than humans. Each spawning of creatures could be altered as the bio-engineers saw fit, ensuring that few of their opponents ever developed effective strategies for battling the Lhurgs; each new generation fought and thought differently than the last, it seemed. Even if the battle did turn poorly against Alrethel, the Lhurgs were fully expendable, and the kingdom could replace its troops in months, rather than the years required to train Tael-Mohrd’s or Vur-Dravin’s mages.
Alrethel likely would have emerged from the Arcane Wars a victor, had it not been for the genius, or arrogance, of their most skilled bio-engineers. Seeking to end the taxing wars quickly, the scientists began creating a Lhurg with powers far beyond anything even hinted at within the Codex. According to the rumors which surfaced after Alrethel sank beneath the waves, the scientists succeeded – they created a beast more powerful than anything that had ever existed within Migdalia. Unfortunately, the Lhurg was uncontrollable, and its rampage resulted in the destruction of the kingdom and the scattering of the surviving Lhurg armies. While the tale may or may not be true, it remains as a moral for aspiring bio-engineers: Do not create that which you cannot put down.
Hit Dice: d4
Requirements
In order to qualify to become a Bio-engineer, a character must meet the following criteria.
Skills: Heal 4 ranks, Knowledge (anatomy) 8 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 8 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 4 ranks.
Feats: Brew Potion, Spell Focus (necromancy or transmutation).
Special: Must have read the forbidden Sanguinary Codex, an ancient Sethsarri tome containing the secrets of creating life from raw materials both mundane and fantastic.
Class Skills
The Bio-Engineer’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (any) (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int). See Chapter 4 of the Player’s Handbook for skill descriptions.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Spells per Day Class Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special 1 2 3 4 1 +0 +0 +0 +2 Craft Lhurg 1 - - - 2 +1 +0 +0 +3 Tend Creations (2) 2 - - - 3 +1 +1 +1 +3 Secrets of Life 2 1 - - 4 +2 +1 +1 +4 Tend Creations (4) 3 2 - - 5 +2 +1 +1 +4 Secrets of Life 3 2 1 - 6 +3 +2 +2 +5 Tend Creations (6) 4 3 2 - 7 +3 +2 +2 +5 Secrets of Life 4 3 2 1 8 +4 +2 +2 +6 Tend Creations (8) 4 3 3 2 9 +4 +3 +3 +6 Secrets of Life 4 4 3 2 10 +5 +3 +3 +7 Spawning Master 4 4 3 3
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Bio-Engineer prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Bio-engineers gain no new proficiency with weapons or armor.
Spells: Bio-engineers are able to cast a small number of arcane spells, which are drawn from the bio-engineer spell list below. A bio-engineer must choose and prepare his spells in advance, in the same manner as a wizard. To prepare or cast a spell, a bio-engineer must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a bio-engineer spell is 10 + the spell level + the bio-engineer’s Intelligence modifier. The bio-engineer’s caster level is equal to his bio-engineer level.
Craft Lhurg (Ex): The bio-engineer’s primary focus lies in devising, creating, and raising new life forms, commonly referred to as “Lhurgs.” These creatures are the end result of many hours of research, design, and careful creation. As the bio-engineer becomes more confident in his methods, he learns to make more intricate creatures that feature a wider range of bizarre abilities and powers. Lhurgs all count as magical beasts, even if their form and function mimics that of a humanoid or other creature type. Lhurgs are loyal to their creator, and are considered to have a helpful attitude towards their creator.To create a Lhurg, the bio-engineer must have access to a specially equipped laboratory, including vats, arcane tools, and other resources totaling 10,000 gp. This laboratory is large enough to effectively be immobile, and may be moved only with great expense and difficulty.
Once his laboratory is prepared, the bio-engineer must determine the type of Lhurg he wishes to create. A Lhurg uses the base saving throws and base attack bonus of a ranger of a level equal to its Hit Dice. It gains skill points equal to (2 + its Intelligence modifier) per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for its first Hit Die. A 1st level bio-engineer may create either Small or Medium Lhurgs; larger Lhurgs may be created as the bio-engineer advances. An Lhurg has the following base ability scores:
Strength 10, Dexterity 10, Constitution 10, Intelligence 4, Wisdom 6, Charisma 4.
A bio-engineer may also choose to apply traits, features, and other abilities to a Lhurg he creates. The abilities the bio-engineer has access to are dependant upon his class level, as shown below. The bio-engineer selects which abilities from each column (if any) he wishes for his creation to possess. Total the required levels of each ability selected, and multiply the result by 250 gp. This is the cost of the raw materials required to produce the Lhurg. The process of actually growing the Lhurg’s body requires a number of full days of work equal to the total required levels of the Lhurg’s abilities. A Lhurgs cannot speak or understand a language unless the bio-engineer allocates skill points to learn a language.
While a Lhurg is growing, the bio-engineer can undertake no other tasks aside from tending to it. For every two days the bio-engineer does not tend to the Lhurg (which need not be consecutive), it loses one Hit Dice. Should this reduce the Lhurg’s Hit Dice to zero, the Lhurg dies, and the components used in its creation are ruined. Should the bio-engineer’s lab be destroyed during this time period, any Lhurgs being grown within that facility are destroyed. A bio-engineer may tend to only one Lhurg at a time.
Class Level Creature Hit Dice (d10) Melee Damage Ranged Damage Movement Speed Movement Type Poison Natural Armor 1st 1 1d4 - 30 ft. - - +1 2nd 2 1d6 - 35 ft. - - +2 3rd 3 1d8 1d4 40 ft. Swim - +3 4th 4 2d4 1d6 45 ft. Climb DC 10, 1/1 +4 5th 5 1d10 1d8 50 ft. Clumsy (clumsy) DC 11, 1d2/1d2 +5 6th 6 1d12 2d4 55 ft. Fly (poor) DC 12, 1d3/1d3 +6 7th 7 2d6 1d10 60 ft. Fly (average) DC 13, 1d4/1d4 +7 8th 8 3d4 1d12 65 ft. Burrow DC 14, 1d6/1d6 +8 9th 9 2d8 2d6 70 ft. Fly (good) DC 15, 1d6/1d8 +9 10th 10 3d6 3d4 75 ft. Fly (perfect) DC 15, 1d6/1d8 +10
Class Level Spell Level Once/Day Spell Level Three/Day Spell Level Unlimited/Day Bonus Feats Special Abilities Ability Points 1st - - - 1 Low-Light Vision 4 2nd 0 - - - Darkvision 60 ft. 6 3rd - - - 2 Amphibious 8 4th 1 0 - - Large, 10-ft. reach 10 5th - - - 3 Immune to critical hits 12 6th 2 1 - - Blindsight 14 7th - - - 4 Huge, 15-ft. reach 16 8th 3 2 0 - Tremorsense 60 ft. 18 9th - - - 5 Fast Healing 2 20 10th 4 3 1 - DR 10/magic 22
Hit Dice: Lhurgs uses a d10 to determine its hit points. A Lhurg’s base saving throws and base attack bonus are equal to those of a ranger with a number of levels equal to the creature’s Hit Dice. A Lhurg must possess at least one level of this ability.Melee Damage: The Lhurg has a melee attack that deals the listed damage. A Lhurg may be granted additional melee attacks simply by purchasing this ability multiple times. Each attack deals the damage according to its level, and all attacks use the Lhurg’s base attack bonus without penalty. A Lhurg that does not have at least 1 level in this ability has no effective melee attacks, but may use weapons if it possesses hands and the appropriate proficiency. This melee attack may be a claw, bite, fang, or any other form of natural attack.
Ranged Damage: The Lhurg has a natural range attack that deals the listed damage. This attack has a range increment of 30 feet. The Lhurg has unlimited ammunition for this attack.
Movement Speed: The Lhurg has the listed base land speed. Lhurgs without levels in this feature have a base speed of 15 feet.
Movement Type: In addition to walking or running, the Lhurg has a special mode of movement. Lhurgs that gain the swim or climb movement have a speed equal to their base land speed when using those types of movement. Lhurgs that gain the ability to burrow dig through the earth at half their base land speed. Lhurgs that can fly move through the air at twice their base land speed.
Poison: A Lhurg with the poison feature produces a natural venom usable with all of its piercing or slashing natural weapons. Creatures without natural weapons may not produce poison. The Lhurg’s poison requires a Fortitude save at the listed DC to resist. The damage listed with the DC is placed in the order of primary then secondary damage. The bio-engineer may choose which of the six abilities (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma) the poison damages. No poison may damage more than one ability.
Natural Armor: The Lhurg gains the listed natural armor bonus to its Armor Class. Spell Level: Lhurgs can be engineered with the magical ability to duplicate arcane spells. The Lhurg uses a standard action to activate the spell, which functions at a caster level equal to its Hit Dice. These abilities otherwise function as supernatural abilities. Each ability must be linked to one particular spell of the appropriate level, and the bio-engineer may purchase this ability multiple times.
Spell Level Once/Day: The Lhurg may cast a single spell of the listed level once per day.
Spell Level Twice/Day: The Lhurg may cast a single spell of the listed level three times per day.
Spell Level Unlimited/Day: The Lhurg may cast a single spell of the listed level any number of times per day.
Bonus Feats: The Lhurg gains the listed number of feats in addition to the feats granted to it by its Hit Dice. When choosing the feats, the Lhurg must meet all necessary prerequisites. The bio-engineer may not select this ability multiple times.
Special Abilities: At the listed level cost, the Lhurg gains a specific special ability. The bio-engineer may select multiple special abilities from the list, so long as he pays the level cost for each of them. Lhurgs that become Large or Huge have their base statistics modified by size as per the Monstrous Manual.
Ability Points: This feature grants the bio-engineer a pool of points to add to the Lhurg’s base ability scores. Each point gained from this feature may be spent on any of the six ability scores. Bio-engineers may not select this ability more than once.
Tend Creations (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, the bio-engineer is able to divide his attention among multiple growing Lhurgs without ruining their growth. He may now tend to two growing Lhurgs at the same time.The number of Lhurgs a bio-engineer can safely tend to at one time increases by two at 4th, 6th, and 8th levels.
Secrets of Life (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level, the bio-engineer gains an increased understanding of the nature of life, and may select one of the following abilities. He gains an additional such ability at 5th, 7th, and 9th levels.Quick Growth: The time required for the bio-engineer to grow a Lhurg is reduced by 20% (rounded down). This secret may be selected multiple times; its effects stack.Base Materials: The bio-engineer discovers a less-expensive form of base materials, lowering the total cost required to create Lhurgs by 20%. This secret may be selected multiple times; its effects stack.
Expanded Knowledge: The bio-engineer selects one column of abilities from the table above. When selecting abilities from this table, his class level is considered to be one higher than it actually is. If this would push the bio-engineer’s effective level in that ability past 10th, he gains progressively better abilities. Abilities without a natural progression (such as movement type or special abilities) may be selected for use with this secret, but they do not progress past 10th level. This ability may be selected multiple times; if the same column is selected multiple times, its effects stack.
Divine Mysteries: Lhurgs you create may be created with the ability to emulate divine spells as well as arcane spells. You do not need to know the divine spell in question, though all the normal level limits apply to the divine spell normally.
Linked Creation: The process of creation links each of your Lhurgs to you. You gain an empathic link with each new Lhurg you create, to a range of 1 mile. The bio-engineer cannot see through the eyes of his Lhurgs, but they can communicate empathically. Because of the limited nature of the link, only general emotional content (such as feat, hunger, happiness, curiosity) can be communicated. A Lhurg’s low intelligence limits what it is able to communicate or understand, and even intelligent Lhurgs see the world as very different from humans, so misunderstandings are always possible.
Fanatical Loyalty: Lhurgs you create are fanatically loyal towards you, and will never harm you, even if magically compelled to do so. If you have the Leadership feat and select a Lhurg you created as your cohort, its total Hit Dice may equal your total Hit Dice or level (though its Hit Dice still cannot exceed your own).
Perfect Specimens: Lhurgs you create have the maximum possible hit points for their Hit Dice.
Genetic Attunement: The bio-engineer can choose to have any spell he casts on himself affect any number of his Lhurgs as well, provided that the Lhurgs to be affected are within 5 feet of him at the time of casting. If the spell effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting her Lhurgs if they move further than 5 feet away and will not affect the Lhurgs again, even if they return to him before the duration expires. Additionally, the bio-engineer may cast a spell with a target of “You” on all Lhurgs within 5 feet of him instead of on himself. A bio-engineer and his Lhurgs may share spells even if such spells would normally fail to affect a creature with the Magical Beast type.
Blood Meal: The bio-engineer is able to create Lhurgs whose bodies course with the very power of life. If a creature consumes a helpless or willing Lhurg of Small size, that creature recovers a number of hit points equal to the 1d4 x the Lhurg’s Hit Dice. Consuming a Lhurg in this way requires 5 minutes, and destroys the Lhurg in question. A Medium Lhurg provides enough food for up to two creatures, A Large Lhurg feeds three creatures, and a Huge Lhurg feeds up to four creatures. A creature may only receive healing in this manner once per consumed Lhurg. To be effective, the Lhurg must be alive at the time of consumption; the flesh of a dead Lhurg provides no healing.
Spawning Master (Ex): A bio-engineer of 10th level has discovered the means to mass-produce Lhurgs, enabling him to quickly grow large forces of warriors to do his bidding. Whenever the bio-engineer successfully creates a Lhurg, an additional 1d3 Lhurgs are created at no additional cost. These additional Lhurgs are identical to the original Lhurg in every way, and each shares a telepathic bond with the others. Any Lhurgs from the same “batch” that are within 100 feet of each other are in constant mental contact with each other. If one is aware of a particular danger, they all are. If one in the group is not flat-footed, none of them are. No Lhurgs in the batch are considered flanked unless all of them are.In addition, any Lhurgs within 60 feet of you are inspired by your presence, and gain a +1 morale bonus to their attack and damage rolls.
Bio-Engineer Spells
1st-level Spells
Alarm, Barkskin, Cure Light Wounds, Death Watch, Detect Poison, Endure Elements, Enlarge, Expeditious Retreat, Hold Portal, Jump, Magic Fang, Ray of Enfeeblement, Reduce, Spider Climb
2nd-level Spells
Bear’s Endurance, Bull’s Strength, Cat’s Grace, Cure Moderate Wounds, Darkvision, Delay Poison, Inflict Moderate Wounds, Resist Energy, Status
3rd-level Spells
Cure Serious Wounds, Greater Magic Fang, Inflict Serious Wounds, Ray of Exhaustion, Remove Disease, Water Breathing
4th-level Spells
Cure Critical Wounds, Imbue with Spell Ability, Inflict Critical Wounds, Neutralize Poison, Poison, Restoration, Stoneskin
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