What would a slaad say?

[trentonjoe]

I am going to run an encounter with some slaads this evening and was wondering if I could draw on the community to help me think like a CN creature with 6 INT.

A sample sentence or two or motivation or anything......I am having a hard time with their motivations being anything other than 'let's break stuff".

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[seebs]

Some of my players fought a Slaad once.

1. If grappled, it pees on them. Why? Because I know people who have pet toads and I am reliably assured that if you hold them, they will pee on you.
2. It would shout things. Angry things. Incoherent things. Bits and pieces of political discourse. Misquoted comedy sketches.
3. Motivation is whatever seems interesting. Doing a thing? Sure! Playing a game? Sure! That's fine.

 

[Swarmkeeper]

Be sure to include a good amount of Slaadi gibberish to play up the strong C part of the CN.

 

[trentonjoe]

"Listen, all I have to say is that I need to send Joel nothing but light and love at this moment. Do I agree, do I don't agree? Maybe not."
"How Can Mirrors Be Real If Our Eyes Aren't Real"
"Trees Are Never Sad Look At Them Every Once In Awhile There Quite Beautiful"

I think I am going to give them Dissonant Whispers as a Bonus action and have those be the somatic components.

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

There's a song about this. Just replace the word 'Fox' with the word Slaad. Then you've pretty much got it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jofNR_WkoCE

 

[Oofta]

Sentences should be simple, but they don't need to be nonsensical. Chaotic does not mean insane.

So what do the slaad want? Eat, breed (implant IIRC), protect what they view as theirs, smash things just for fun and so on.

Exactly what they say depends on what role they're fulfilling. Guards? They're probably bored and excited to have something to do. "Ooh! Fun squishy things to smash!". Are the PCs invaders? "Invader! Go away now or we smash!" A hunting party? "You strong!
You make good host!" and so on.

Keep sentences short and simple, possibly play up their disrespect of authority but respect for power. Oh, and don't over-think it. Sometimes spontaneous responses from things like this are best.

 

[Umbran]

Sentences should be simple, but they don't need to be nonsensical. Chaotic does not mean insane.

I agree. CN does not mean insane, or incoherent. CN means that it cares about its own personal freedom to do what it wants, and it doesn't care about much more than that.

So, yeah, at that intelligence, think tantrum-prone toddler.

 

[Swarmkeeper]

I agree. CN does not mean insane, or incoherent. CN means that it cares about its own personal freedom to do what it wants, and it doesn't care about much more than that.

So, yeah, at that intelligence, think tantrum-prone toddler.

Sentences should be simple, but they don't need to be nonsensical. Chaotic does not mean insane.

So what do the slaad want? Eat, breed (implant IIRC), protect what they view as theirs, smash things just for fun and so on.

Exactly what they say depends on what role they're fulfilling. Guards? They're probably bored and excited to have something to do. "Ooh! Fun squishy things to smash!". Are the PCs invaders? "Invader! Go away now or we smash!" A hunting party? "You strong!
You make good host!" and so on.

Keep sentences short and simple, possibly play up their disrespect of authority but respect for power. Oh, and don't over-think it. Sometimes spontaneous responses from things like this are best.

True, chaotic does not mean insane or incomprehensible. But Slaad, borne of utter chaos, often does.
On the flip side to your points, not all CN (or LE or N or...) creatures act alike, either.

Here are some more Slaad ideas for the OP:

http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?408218-Help-Me-Grok-Slaad

 

[MechaTarrasque]

Have it speak in Smurf, but instead of smurf, it says slaad. That should inspire your players with the desire to have their PC's kill it pretty quickly.