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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Shade" data-source="post: 3840852" data-attributes="member: 287">Next!TotemsThis group holds a greater potential for DMs to be inventive, dealing with animations in the form of beasts.  Transient examples as seen in spells are few, but include:  sticks to snakes, live oak; simulacrum is an example that is permanent in effect.  As with hylems, there are corresponding magical items, for example, the figurines of wondrous power or Quaal's feather token (bird).  Also there exist monsters that possess related powers which can induce temporary theriomorphic animations (see treant and algoid).  Permanently animated theriomorphic beings are not particularly numerous in the bestiaries (see homonculus, iron cobra, and necrophidius). Rock TotemFreq:  Very rare# App: 1AC: 2Move: VariableHD: Variable% in lair: NilTreasure Type: Nil# Att:  VariableDmg/Att:  1-10SA:  VariableSD:  See belowInt:  AverageAlignment:  NeutralSize: VariablePsionics:  NilLevel/xp value: VariesSave As: Cleric 9Morale:  12These are fashioned from rock in the guise of the animal chosen by the creator.  They can only be constructed by name-level druids, unless a magical tome is employed.  These totems are slightly unusual in the fact that they are intelligent, and can think for themselves and are capable of speech.  They are totally loyal to their maker.The type of animal sculpted can be anything from the range which the druid himself can shapechange into.  It takes 1 month to construct such a totem and requires the following spells to be cast:  detect poison, shape rock, animate rock, commune with nature, and reincarnate.  The only material cost incurred by the druid is the need of 2 jewels (worth 5,000 gp each) for the eyes.Totems communicate in both common and druidic tongue.  They possess average intelligence and wisdom, so that the finished totem mimics the chosen animal in all attributes except mentality.  If the creator concentrates upon his totem while it is within 20" he will be able to see through its eyes.  All rock totems can detect poison, as a 6th level druid.A rock totem can only be hit by +3 or better weapons.  Furthermore, only a limited retinue of spells can actually affect them:  rock to mud will destroy the totem if it fails its save vs. spell, while stone to flesh changes its armor class to that of the mimicked animal.  For example, if a druid had created a rock totem in the form of a stag, then the armor class change would be from 2 to 7.  This change is permanent unless the magic is dispelled or reversed.  All rock totems save as 12th level druids.Basic:  As above (using campaign rules for the creation of the totem), except that passwall is the only spell that will destroy it.  Also, the rock totem can neutralize poison three times a month.From Imagine Magazine #19, October 1984.</blockquote>

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