Ooze, split?

SidusLupus · Dec 1, 2005

So last night was our first encounter with oozes. Well, ooze. This particular brine ooze had the ability to split, like the Ochre jelly from the MM.

First this is what the ability says:

Split (Ex)

Slashing and piercing weapons and electricity attacks deal no damage to an ochre jelly. Instead the creature splits into two identical jellies, each with half of the original’s current hit points (round down). A jelly with 10 hit points or less cannot be further split and dies if reduced to 0 it points.

It says identical, but does that mean they stay the same size? If they have half the hp it can be argued they are half the size.

What I did was to have the huge split into two larges, then the larges split to medium and the medium to small. After that I left them at that size.

Would I have to recalculate ac and damage for each ooze the smaller it gets? or should I have left it at what the original does. The danger from the brine ooze was the dessication damage, should I have been recalculating the save dc on that as well?

Basically, what's the proper application of the splitting? Full attacks vs single attack?

A good portion of the damage it was taking was slashing and piercing so I just kept it splitting, untill it got to the 10hp incriments.

Also, would it be fair to assume that the ooze can recombine as it likes if it's not under attack immediately? Or is it forever torn assunder?

Patryn of Elvenshae · Dec 1, 2005

They're identical, so a huge ooze splits into two huge oozes, each with half the hitpoints of the original.

Infiniti2000 · Dec 1, 2005

SidusLupus said:
If they have half the hp it can be argued they are half the size.

If that's true, then when you deal 50hp of damage to a 100hp, 6ft fighter, does he become 3ft tall? Or must a 3rd level fighter be half the size of a 6th level fighter?

The two (or more) oozes have the same exact stats, except for hit points. Even their HD is identical for those effects requiring the HD.

melkorspawn · Dec 1, 2005

I always assumed that it meant that they were identical to each other, not identical to the original. That may just be subconcious thermodynamics though.

frankthedm · Dec 2, 2005

SidusLupus said:
Would I have to recalculate ac and damage for each ooze the smaller it gets? or should I have left it at what the original does. The danger from the brine ooze was the dessication damage, should I have been recalculating the save dc on that as well?

Basically, what's the proper application of the splitting? Full attacks vs single attack?

Also, would it be fair to assume that the ooze can recombine as it likes if it's not under attack immediately? Or is it forever torn assunder?

Actually, the oozes do not change in any ways to make sure you DON’T have to do any math except divide HP by half.The split oozes need that size bonus to get into grapple otherwise they are way too easy to mop up with area affect spells.

The rules are silent on nebulous recombination, but mitosis is rarely the sort of thing that gets undone.
EDIT: There are a few things the rules don't cover on splitting,

Does the ooze appear adjacent?
Or does it cause "squeezing” with the initial ooze until it moves?
When does the ooze act?
Does it go on the original’s turn?
Or does it use the rules governing new combatants?
If split on its turn, like from an AoO or a ready, does the new bits have their own turns?

melkorspawn · Dec 3, 2005

Well illustrated, Frank. Thank you.

Thorindale · Dec 3, 2005

ooooooo, flanking oozes.

Vahktang · Dec 3, 2005

Oh, that was sooo good.
Yes, identical oozes, less hit points, same to hit.
W/blindsight, very dangerous.
Use sparingly.

Ooze, split?

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