Intro
Unlock the full potential of your D&D 3.5 characters with our 7 Essential Templates guide. Discover how to create unique and powerful builds using Prestige Classes, Base Classes, and Monster Classes. Explore the intricacies of character customization, optimize your builds, and dominate the battlefield with these expert-crafted templates.
The world of Dungeons & Dragons is vast and wondrous, filled with an array of magical creatures, forgotten ruins, and legendary artifacts. For players and Dungeon Masters alike, one of the most exciting aspects of the game is the ability to customize and create unique characters and monsters. In the 3.5 edition of the game, templates provide a powerful tool for doing just that.
Templates are a set of rules that can be applied to a creature to modify its abilities, attributes, and characteristics. They can be used to create new and interesting creatures, or to modify existing ones to make them more challenging or unique. In this article, we will explore seven essential D&D 3.5 templates that can add depth and variety to your game.
What are Templates?
Before we dive into the specific templates, it's worth taking a moment to understand what templates are and how they work. In the 3.5 edition of the game, templates are a set of rules that can be applied to a creature to modify its abilities, attributes, and characteristics. They can be used to create new and interesting creatures, or to modify existing ones to make them more challenging or unique.
Templates can be applied to creatures in a variety of ways, including:
- As a racial template, which modifies a creature's racial characteristics
- As a class template, which modifies a creature's class abilities
- As a monster template, which modifies a creature's monster characteristics
Templates can also be stacked, allowing players and Dungeon Masters to create complex and unique creatures.
1. The Dragon Template
The dragon template is one of the most iconic and powerful templates in the game. It can be applied to any creature, and modifies its abilities and attributes to make it more draconic. The dragon template grants a creature a number of abilities, including:
- A breath weapon, which deals massive damage to enemies
- A fly speed, allowing the creature to soar through the skies
- A bonus to Strength and Constitution, making the creature more formidable in combat
The dragon template is a great way to create a powerful and iconic creature, and can be used to modify existing creatures to make them more challenging or unique.
2. The Fiendish Template
The fiendish template is a dark and malevolent template that can be applied to any creature. It modifies a creature's abilities and attributes to make it more fiendish, granting it a number of abilities including:
- A bonus to Intelligence and Wisdom, making the creature more cunning and perceptive
- A number of spell-like abilities, allowing the creature to cast dark and malevolent spells
- A bonus to damage, making the creature more formidable in combat
The fiendish template is a great way to create a dark and malevolent creature, and can be used to modify existing creatures to make them more challenging or unique.
3. The Half-Dragon Template
The half-dragon template is a unique and interesting template that can be applied to any creature. It modifies a creature's abilities and attributes to make it more draconic, granting it a number of abilities including:
- A bonus to Strength and Constitution, making the creature more formidable in combat
- A number of draconic abilities, allowing the creature to breathe fire and fly
- A bonus to damage, making the creature more formidable in combat
The half-dragon template is a great way to create a unique and interesting creature, and can be used to modify existing creatures to make them more challenging or unique.
4. The Vampire Template
The vampire template is a dark and malevolent template that can be applied to any creature. It modifies a creature's abilities and attributes to make it more vampiric, granting it a number of abilities including:
- A bonus to Intelligence and Wisdom, making the creature more cunning and perceptive
- A number of supernatural abilities, allowing the creature to turn into a bat or wolf
- A bonus to damage, making the creature more formidable in combat
The vampire template is a great way to create a dark and malevolent creature, and can be used to modify existing creatures to make them more challenging or unique.
5. The Ghost Template
The ghost template is a unique and interesting template that can be applied to any creature. It modifies a creature's abilities and attributes to make it more ghostly, granting it a number of abilities including:
- A bonus to Intelligence and Wisdom, making the creature more cunning and perceptive
- A number of supernatural abilities, allowing the creature to turn invisible or possess others
- A bonus to damage, making the creature more formidable in combat
The ghost template is a great way to create a unique and interesting creature, and can be used to modify existing creatures to make them more challenging or unique.
6. The Lycanthrope Template
The lycanthrope template is a unique and interesting template that can be applied to any creature. It modifies a creature's abilities and attributes to make it more lycanthropic, granting it a number of abilities including:
- A bonus to Strength and Constitution, making the creature more formidable in combat
- A number of supernatural abilities, allowing the creature to turn into a wolf or bear
- A bonus to damage, making the creature more formidable in combat
The lycanthrope template is a great way to create a unique and interesting creature, and can be used to modify existing creatures to make them more challenging or unique.
7. The Zombie Template
The zombie template is a dark and malevolent template that can be applied to any creature. It modifies a creature's abilities and attributes to make it more zombie-like, granting it a number of abilities including:
- A bonus to Strength and Constitution, making the creature more formidable in combat
- A number of supernatural abilities, allowing the creature to become undead and immune to certain effects
- A bonus to damage, making the creature more formidable in combat
The zombie template is a great way to create a dark and malevolent creature, and can be used to modify existing creatures to make them more challenging or unique.
Gallery of D&D 3.5 Templates
D&D 3.5 Templates Image Gallery
Templates are a powerful tool in the world of Dungeons & Dragons, allowing players and Dungeon Masters to create unique and interesting creatures. The seven essential templates outlined in this article provide a great starting point for creating a wide range of creatures, from powerful dragons to malevolent vampires. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, templates can add depth and variety to your game, and help you to create a world that's truly your own.
We hope you found this article informative and helpful. If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to reach out. Happy gaming!