When I think back to all the 3.5 material that never made the jump to Pathfinder, much less Starfinder, I’m always kinda amazed at the shear scope of it. Some of it, the deity focused stuff, Realms tied in material, some of the steampunk style stuff of Eberron, don’t really fit the Sci-fantasy aesthetic of Starfinder. There are whole systems that could work, but would need serious effort to adapt them, like Incarnum, Shadow and Pact Magic, or Tome of Battle. Some, like symbionts, various grafts, and a host of monsters from beyond time and space, are just begging to be brought into Starfinder. Which brings me to the Aberrant Feats from Lords of Madness.
If there was ever a system and setting where it made sense to have a character warped by powers beyond the stars, Starfinder is it. The corruption mechanic covers a lot of that, but if you’d like a softer way to reflect your character’s taint from the depths of space, Aberrant Feats are a good way to do that.
ABERRANT FEATS
Aberrant feats reflect the warping influence some radiation, inexplicable power from beyond space, or bizarre ancestry has had upon your form. This change is not only physical, as the more these strange powers influence a character, the more alien their thoughts and point of view becomes. A character that has selected an Aberrant Feat takes a -1 feat penalty to Diplomacy and Disguise checks for every Aberrant Feat, and all Medicine checks made to treat them take a cumulative -2 penalty for every Aberrant Feat they have.
ABERRANT TAINT (ABERRANT)
Prerequisites: cannot have the Constructed trait and/or Construct type or subtype
Your form has been altered by powers beyond your understanding. This taint manifests physically in an notable alteration of your form. You may select any one of the following features:
Bulging Eyes – you gain a +2 bonus on sight based Perception checks
Elongated Extremities – you gain a +2 bonus on Athletics checks to climb
Rubbery joints – you gain a +4 bonus on Acrobatics checks to escape a grapple
Segmented Eyes – you gain a +1 bonus on Initiative checks
Vestigial limb – you gain a +4 bonus on Acrobatics checks to balance
Webbed digits – you gain a +2 bonus on Athletics checks to swim
Special: this feat can be taken multiple times. Each time you must choose a different feature.
BESTIAL HIDE (ABERRANT)
Prerequisites: Aberrant Taint, or the Aberration type or subtype
Your outer surface takes on a hard, rubbery consistency that makes you somewhat more resistant to physical damage. You gain DR X/- , where X is equal to half the total number of Aberrant Feats you possess.
DEEPSPAWN (ABERRANT)
Prerequisites: Aberrant Taint, or the Aberration type or subtype
You sprout a functioning tentacle from some point on your body. You can hold an additional hand’s worth of equipment. This lets you have more items at the ready, but it doesn’t increase the number of attacks you can make in combat.
Special: this feat can be taken multiple times.
DURABLE FORM (ABERRANT)
Prerequisites: Aberrant Taint, or the Aberration type or subtype
Your internal structure has become stranger and more resilient to damage. You gain fortification equal to +5% for every Aberrant Feat you possess.
INHUMAN REACH (ABERRANT)
Prerequisites: Aberrant Taint, or the Aberration type or subtype
Your limbs have elongated. Your natural reach increases by 5 feet. The lengthening has made them less responsive though, and you take a −1 penalty to attack rolls with weapons wielded in your hands and to Dexterity- and Strength-based ability checks and skill checks.
INHUMAN VISION (ABERRANT)
Prerequisites: Aberrant Taint, or the Aberration type or subtype
Your eyes have taken on some unusual characteristics not typical in your species. The range of your darkvision improves by 5 feet for every Aberrant Feat you possess. If you do not already have darkvision, you gain darkvision out to 5 feet for each Aberrant Feat you possess.
SCAVENGING GULLET (ABERRANT)
Prerequisites: Aberrant Taint, or the Aberration type or subtype
Your aberrant taint have given you strange appetites, and the physiology to digest them. You gain a +4 bonus on Fortitude saves to resist ingested poisons, as well as a +1 bonus to Fortitude saves versus disease for every Aberrant Feat you possess.
STARSPAWN (ABERRANT)
Prerequisites: Aberrant Taint, or the Aberration type or subtype, and one other Aberrant Feat
Fleshy, membranous wings sprout from your body. You add +10 feet to your existing fly speed, or if you do not possess a fly speed, gain one equal to half your base land speed, with a maneuverability of clumsy. You also gain the No Breath extraordinary trait.
WARPED MIND (ABERRANT)
Prerequisites: Aberrant Taint, or the Aberration type or subtype
Your altered physiology and increasingly alien mindset have made you resist to mental influence. You gain a bonus to Will saves versus mind affecting effects equal to half the number of Aberrant Feat you possess.
WATERSPAWN (ABERRANT)
Prerequisites: Aberrant Taint, or the Aberration type or subtype, and one other Aberrant Feat
You grow fins and a tail. You add +10 feet to your existing swim speed, or if you do not possess a swim speed, gain one equal to your base land speed. You also gain the No Breath extraordinary trait.
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Jeremy Corff
Artist and Writer