Converting Monsters from Polyhedron Magazine

[freyar]

I think the vrock model is the way to go, though perhaps these spores are more potent (how often can the chief release them?). Maybe create spawn as a separate entry, as normal for undead?

 

[Shade]

Cleon's suggestion for Con damage (mixed with the paralysis we should retain) seems like a good deadly alternative.

And I agree that create spawn should be a separate entry.

 

[freyar]

Sounds good. Maybe we want to reduce spores to a bit less often than a vrock, though, or these might be a bit too high CR for their HD (comparing to vrock). Unless BAB and melee damage are way lower.

 

[Cleon]

Fair enough! We can compare end results.

For the spores, I think I'd look to the vrock for inspiration...

Spores (Ex): A vrock can release masses of spores from its body once every 3 rounds as a free action. The spores automatically deal 1d8 points of damage to all creatures adjacent to the vrock. They then penetrate the skin and grow, dealing an additional 1d4 points of damage each round for 10 rounds. At the end of this time, the victim is covered with a tangle of viny growths. (The vines are harmless and wither away in 1d4 days.) A delay poison spell stops the spores’ growth for its duration. Bless, neutralize poison, or remove disease kills the spores, as does sprinkling the victim with a vial of holy water.

*SNIP*

I think the vrock's model works fairly well, except I'd drop bless and holy water (as the plantman isn't inherently evil). I agree with adding a Heal check. I'm not fond of the limitations by creature types (other than for the "create spawn" portion).

Basing it on the Vrock sounds a good alternative. I'd be tempted to throw in a Fortitude Save and increase the area of effect - Fort Save to reduce its effectiveness since (a) a Plantchief is probably 3-4 CR lower than a Vrock and (b) I shudder at the thought of an auto-paralyze attack; area of effect because it makes it makes it more likely it will get an opportunity to use its Special Attack. After all, in most circumstances those 'adjacent squares' will be occupied by its plantmen followers & bodyguards.

The big question, of course, is frequency and damage. The original vrock does an average of 29.5 hit points of damage with no save or attack roll required, but it's very unlikely to kill and 'moldify' any opponents who have any healing support due to its slow 1d4/round progress. Useful in combat and for 'recruiting' captured foes, but not a potential party-killer.

Having a Con-damage spore cloud has the opposite effect, if it does high Con damage in a respectable area there's a good chance it'll wipe out the party's melee types, especially if it can discharge them more than once in a melee (which is possible if it can do this once/3 rounds, assuming it spores in the first round and can survive a bit).

Also, if we go along the Con damage path then it'll be a lot easier to use a poison model of doing X Con damage in the first round and Y Con damage after 10 rounds than A Con damage in the first round and B Con each round for 10 rounds.

Overall I'll vote for the hp/round model, just for the sake of being different.

 

[freyar]

I'd definitely think there should be a save. Perhaps 2; there could be a separate save vs the paralysis and against the damage, whether that's hp or Con. I kind of like the poison model for Con damage, but I don't know if I like Con or hp damage better.

 

[Shade]

How about a save vs. paralysis and supernatural disease (like mummy rot) dealing Con damage (to better simulate the death in 5-20 minutes and retain the fact that cure disease eliminates the threat)?

 

[freyar]

That would work great for me.

 

[Shade]

Attempting to summarize...

Spores (Ex): A plantfolk chief can release masses of spores from its body once every 3 rounds as a free action. The spores expose all creatures adjacent to the chief to its moldering.

Moldering (Ex): Disease—spores, Fortitude DC x, incubation period 1 minute; damage 1dx Con and paralysis. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Unlike normal diseases, moldering continues until the victim reaches Constitution 0 (and dies) or is cured.

An afflicted humanoid who dies of moldering rises as a 6 HD plantfolk 24 hours later. A humanoid who becomes a plantfolk in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. It is under the control of the plantfolk chief that created it, and serves as the chief's bodyguard until its death.

 

[freyar]

Looks reasonable to me.

 

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

Half of the plantmen in a group have 1 or 2 HD, while 25% have 3 or 4 HD. The rest are 5 or 6 HD (equal chances). For every 50 plantmen, there is a sub chief with 7 or 8 HD and 1d4+1 bodyguards of 5 HD each. Each tribe of plantmen is led by a chief with 10 HD and 2d4 bodyguards with 6 HD each.

Plantmen co-exist well with plant and fungus life. They often use shriekers to guard their lairs, and plant men native to the lair can pass by those shriekers unnoticed. Russet plant is usually found in the vicinity of a plantman lair as well.

Change organization line as follows?

Organization: Solitary, hunting party (6-24), or tribe (30-300 plus 1 chief and 2-8 6 HD bodyguards and one 7th-8th level subchief per 50 adults plus 0-5 shriekers)