Biohazard
First Post
What follows is my hacked-together idea for sentient plant PCs for d20 Gamma World. Please note that this is *unfinished*, very much a work in progress...just thought I'd throw it out there for some feedback. Any of you who have toyed with the idea of having sentient plant PC's in Gamma World d20, may find some of my ideas helpful. Any comments/suggestions appreciated.
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Genotype: Sentient Plants
In the opinion of most humans, and even many mutants, the most horrific and grotesque product of the Gamma World is the sentient plant. Unlike mutants, little is known about the origin or physiology of sentient plants, and while they are certainly the product of some form of random mutation or genetic engineering, there is little agreement as to what specific factors combined to produce them, and for this reason they are usually viewed as a separate genotype from mutants.
Sentient plants are innately psionic, and it is their psionic abilities that enable them to reason and communicate. They come in many shapes and forms but almost all are mobile to some extent, usually crawling or even walking on flexible roots which they can then plant into fertile ground for nourishment. They are sexless and although few details are known it is assumed they reproduce in a similar manner to regular plant life. They do not “sleep” as humans and mutants do but, similar to synthetics, they require a 6-8 hour rest period every day with their roots planted in soil, although during one of these rest periods they can “save up” up to three days’ worth of extra soil nutrients if they anticipate not being near soil. Like humans, mutants, and synthetics, some sentient plants have sinister intentions, yet there is no reason for other beings to fear the sentient plant genotype as a whole. Nevertheless, sentient plants tend to be hated and feared by most other intelligent creatures, gaining acceptance usually only from the most deformed of mutants.
APPEARANCE
Sentient plants vary widely in appearance, and specific details should be agreed upon by the player and GM. Generally speaking, sentient plant PCs will be of medium size and have vine or bush-like characteristics. They have no eyes or other facial features—indeed, they do not even have faces in the humanoid sense. As a result, they are blind and deaf, but their psionic abilities allow them to function as a humanoid creature. Sentient plants all have stalk or vine appendages that serve surprisingly well as hands; they can wrap these tentacle-like “limbs” around any device, though supple dexterity, such as that needed to pick up a coin, is usually beyond them. They can fire a rifle, open a can of food, or unlock a door. Specific limitations are at the GM’s discretion.
COMMUNITIES AND RELATIONS
There are no known communities of sentient plants, though many have gained acceptance in small tribes or villages of mutants. A few have even been accepted by stock humans, though these associations are rare. Pure-strain humans consider sentient plants to be destructive aberrations and will never associate with them, except perhaps in the most extreme of circumstances. Most sentient plants are solitary creatures that try to avoid contact with other intelligent life.
RACIAL TRAITS
Size: Medium. At the GM’s discretion, players may wish to design a sentient plant character larger or smaller than this standard size, but will have to adjust ability modifiers and other attributes accordingly.
Speed: 15 feet.
Though sentient plants can travel effectively overland by shuffling or crawling on their roots, they are slow and ungainly when they do so. Due to their powerful constitutions, they can travel twice as far as a human before requiring rest. They can swim in water and can stay underwater without ill effect for a number of minutes equal to their Constitution score, at which point they become saturated and lose 1 hp per round until on dry ground.
Abilities: WIS +4, CON +4, DEX –4, CHA –4
Sentient plants have superb perception and awareness, thanks to their psionic abilities, and are far tougher and more resilient than they appear. However, they tend to be slow and awkward in movement, and are hated and feared by most other sentient life.
Telepathic communication (Ex, Psi): At will, sentient plants can communicate telepathically with any intelligent creatures within a 60-foot radius. They do not need to see a creature to communicate with it (though they must know it is there before attempting contact), and the communication is two-way. They can only communicate with one creature at a time. Telepathic communication is a free action.
Telepathic awareness (Ex, Psi): Though they are blind and deaf in the traditional sense, sentient plants can discern sound, movement, and physical forms within a 60-foot radius due to their psionic abilities. There are only two things their psionic senses cannot detect: color (which is a meaningless concept to them) and two-dimensional images (such as printed words or pictures). For this reason sentient plants cannot read (although theoretically, one could learn to write).
Damage reduction (Ex): Due to their toughness and flexibility, a sentient plant ignores 1 hp of damage per character level. This damage reduction does not apply to fire, acid, or electricity damage.
Telekinetic Thorns (Ex, Psi): Sentient plants of all types have evolved a unique protective mechanism in telekinetic thorns. Once per day a sentient plant can shoot a volley of needle-sharp thorns at all targets within a 360 degree radius with a 30-foot range. The thorns automatically hit (no attack roll is necessary) and each target within the 30-foot range takes 2d6 damage. Shooting a volley of telekinetic thorns is a full-round action that leaves the sentient plant fatigued for 1d4 rounds. The sentient plant’s body regenerates a supply of thorns within 24 hours.
Combat Awareness (Ex, Psi): Due to their telepathic nature, sentient plants cannot be surprised in combat. They also gain +2 to initiative rolls.
Healing balm (Ex): Sentient plants have evolved a healing balm that they can secrete from their pores. The balm restores 1d4 hit points when applied to any creature’s wounds (including a wound on the sentient plant itself). Sentient plants can secret a healing balm twice per day. Secreting the balm and applying it to themselves or another creature is a full-round action. If the balm is not applied to wounds it dries up in 1d6 rounds.
Skills: Sentient plants suffer a –4 penalty to all Diplomacy, Gather Information, and Perform checks involving intelligent creatures other than sentient plants, and –4 to Handle Animal and Ride checks, since animals tend to find sentient plants extremely unnerving. Their physical appearance makes a successful Disguise check almost impossible (-20) unless they are attempting to disguise themselves from other sentient plants (in which case they roll normally). They gain a +4 bonus to Listen, Sense Motive and Spot checks due to their telepathic abilities, and +4 to Bluff and Intimidate checks vs. intelligent creatures other than sentient plants due to their bizarre appearance. They also gain +8 to Hide checks if surrounded by foliage similar to themselves.
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Genotype: Sentient Plants
In the opinion of most humans, and even many mutants, the most horrific and grotesque product of the Gamma World is the sentient plant. Unlike mutants, little is known about the origin or physiology of sentient plants, and while they are certainly the product of some form of random mutation or genetic engineering, there is little agreement as to what specific factors combined to produce them, and for this reason they are usually viewed as a separate genotype from mutants.
Sentient plants are innately psionic, and it is their psionic abilities that enable them to reason and communicate. They come in many shapes and forms but almost all are mobile to some extent, usually crawling or even walking on flexible roots which they can then plant into fertile ground for nourishment. They are sexless and although few details are known it is assumed they reproduce in a similar manner to regular plant life. They do not “sleep” as humans and mutants do but, similar to synthetics, they require a 6-8 hour rest period every day with their roots planted in soil, although during one of these rest periods they can “save up” up to three days’ worth of extra soil nutrients if they anticipate not being near soil. Like humans, mutants, and synthetics, some sentient plants have sinister intentions, yet there is no reason for other beings to fear the sentient plant genotype as a whole. Nevertheless, sentient plants tend to be hated and feared by most other intelligent creatures, gaining acceptance usually only from the most deformed of mutants.
APPEARANCE
Sentient plants vary widely in appearance, and specific details should be agreed upon by the player and GM. Generally speaking, sentient plant PCs will be of medium size and have vine or bush-like characteristics. They have no eyes or other facial features—indeed, they do not even have faces in the humanoid sense. As a result, they are blind and deaf, but their psionic abilities allow them to function as a humanoid creature. Sentient plants all have stalk or vine appendages that serve surprisingly well as hands; they can wrap these tentacle-like “limbs” around any device, though supple dexterity, such as that needed to pick up a coin, is usually beyond them. They can fire a rifle, open a can of food, or unlock a door. Specific limitations are at the GM’s discretion.
COMMUNITIES AND RELATIONS
There are no known communities of sentient plants, though many have gained acceptance in small tribes or villages of mutants. A few have even been accepted by stock humans, though these associations are rare. Pure-strain humans consider sentient plants to be destructive aberrations and will never associate with them, except perhaps in the most extreme of circumstances. Most sentient plants are solitary creatures that try to avoid contact with other intelligent life.
RACIAL TRAITS
Size: Medium. At the GM’s discretion, players may wish to design a sentient plant character larger or smaller than this standard size, but will have to adjust ability modifiers and other attributes accordingly.
Speed: 15 feet.
Though sentient plants can travel effectively overland by shuffling or crawling on their roots, they are slow and ungainly when they do so. Due to their powerful constitutions, they can travel twice as far as a human before requiring rest. They can swim in water and can stay underwater without ill effect for a number of minutes equal to their Constitution score, at which point they become saturated and lose 1 hp per round until on dry ground.
Abilities: WIS +4, CON +4, DEX –4, CHA –4
Sentient plants have superb perception and awareness, thanks to their psionic abilities, and are far tougher and more resilient than they appear. However, they tend to be slow and awkward in movement, and are hated and feared by most other sentient life.
Telepathic communication (Ex, Psi): At will, sentient plants can communicate telepathically with any intelligent creatures within a 60-foot radius. They do not need to see a creature to communicate with it (though they must know it is there before attempting contact), and the communication is two-way. They can only communicate with one creature at a time. Telepathic communication is a free action.
Telepathic awareness (Ex, Psi): Though they are blind and deaf in the traditional sense, sentient plants can discern sound, movement, and physical forms within a 60-foot radius due to their psionic abilities. There are only two things their psionic senses cannot detect: color (which is a meaningless concept to them) and two-dimensional images (such as printed words or pictures). For this reason sentient plants cannot read (although theoretically, one could learn to write).
Damage reduction (Ex): Due to their toughness and flexibility, a sentient plant ignores 1 hp of damage per character level. This damage reduction does not apply to fire, acid, or electricity damage.
Telekinetic Thorns (Ex, Psi): Sentient plants of all types have evolved a unique protective mechanism in telekinetic thorns. Once per day a sentient plant can shoot a volley of needle-sharp thorns at all targets within a 360 degree radius with a 30-foot range. The thorns automatically hit (no attack roll is necessary) and each target within the 30-foot range takes 2d6 damage. Shooting a volley of telekinetic thorns is a full-round action that leaves the sentient plant fatigued for 1d4 rounds. The sentient plant’s body regenerates a supply of thorns within 24 hours.
Combat Awareness (Ex, Psi): Due to their telepathic nature, sentient plants cannot be surprised in combat. They also gain +2 to initiative rolls.
Healing balm (Ex): Sentient plants have evolved a healing balm that they can secrete from their pores. The balm restores 1d4 hit points when applied to any creature’s wounds (including a wound on the sentient plant itself). Sentient plants can secret a healing balm twice per day. Secreting the balm and applying it to themselves or another creature is a full-round action. If the balm is not applied to wounds it dries up in 1d6 rounds.
Skills: Sentient plants suffer a –4 penalty to all Diplomacy, Gather Information, and Perform checks involving intelligent creatures other than sentient plants, and –4 to Handle Animal and Ride checks, since animals tend to find sentient plants extremely unnerving. Their physical appearance makes a successful Disguise check almost impossible (-20) unless they are attempting to disguise themselves from other sentient plants (in which case they roll normally). They gain a +4 bonus to Listen, Sense Motive and Spot checks due to their telepathic abilities, and +4 to Bluff and Intimidate checks vs. intelligent creatures other than sentient plants due to their bizarre appearance. They also gain +8 to Hide checks if surrounded by foliage similar to themselves.
