Creature by Poll #4 - Discuss our Fey!

[Knight Otu]

With the results of the two polls in, we can now start to flesh our little gnome out.
- Magical abilities were seen as most important, so the creature will likely have a high SR and many spell-like abilities and supernatural powers.
- High Intellect indicates that the mental ability scores should be comparably high, though I'd argue that an emphasis should be put on Wis and Cha.
- Next was Mobility, indicating a high speed and Dex. Adding to this is the suggestion of a tree stride ability.
- Toughness gathered a several votes, so a slightly above average Con would be approriate, and possibly a minor DR. Natural armor doesn't seem to fit the creature too well, though.
- Strength received hardly any votes, so it will be quite low.

Combining this, I submit the following rough draft:
Small Fey
HD: 3d6+3 (13 hp)
Init: +2
Speed: 50 ft.
AC: 13 (+1 size, +2 Dex)
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +6
Abilities: Str 6, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 17, Cha 16

Our special abilities poll again indicates a large number of spell-like abilities. Which do you want?
The two runner ups are summoning and poison, which should defnitely find their way into the final creature.
Summoning - Ferret proposed summoning a bonsai treant, Gez proposed more powerful allies, and a cooperative summoning of a treant. Krishnath proposed lower power allies.
Poison - Ferret proposed a Contact poison, (on and off) which deals: Primary 1d6 con damage(temp), secondary, colour change and small leaves.

There are also a few other proposals:
Ferret - a tree stride ability.
Tonguez - Photosynthesis - can use Sunlight for fuel (doesn't need to eat) and can regenerate 2 in sunlight and Thorns - a Green Gnome can manifest thin sharp thorns along its arms gaining +2 Nat Armour and causing 1d3 damage.

Discuss!

 

[Robbert Raets]

Wouldn't hardness be more appropriate than natural armor?

Also, why not have it 'grow' rather than summon reinforcements?

 

[Knight Otu]

I feel that neither hardness nor natural armor are appropriate for the creature, but I'm open to suggestions.

As for growing reinforcements... in a way, it might do that, depending on the spells it might be able to use.

 

[BOZ]

i don't see why they couldn't be used. i mean, it could be a tough little nut, so to speak.

 

[Krishnath]

hmm...

These are just general ideas, please feel free to agree or disagree...

Spell-like Abilities: Att will - Diminish Growth, Obscuring Mist, Pass Without Trace, and Plant Growth; 3/day - Barkskin, Entangle, Goodberry, and Spike Growth. As a 5th level druid (DC: 13 plus spell level)
The barkskin gives it defensive power, while the Spike Growth and Entangle gives it a manner of offensive power (as well as fitting with the plant theme). Obscuring Mist is both defensive as well as a 'moistiourizer'. Pass without trace prevents creatures from tracking it, as well as having great synergy with the suggested tree stride ability. The remaining spells just fit the plant theme.

Should be under the effect of a continous Speak With Plants as an extraordinary ability.

Tree Stride is a must...

Should be able to summon small plants, I suggest that it is able to summon any plant creature with a CR equal to 2 or less, up to three times per day.

SR: Around 16 or so...

I'm not sure about the poison though, as the creature should be quite inoffensive... could work though, lot's of plants are quite poisonous... But if it is poisonous, the Primary damage should be 1d4 dex, with the secondary damage causing the creature to become greenish and grow leaves as per Ferret's suggestion.

Later,

 

[Gez]

hmm...

These are just general ideas, please feel free to agree or disagree...

Spell-like Abilities: Att will - Diminish Growth, Obscuring Mist, Pass Without Trace, and Plant Growth; 3/day - Barkskin, Entangle, Goodberry, and Spike Growth. As a 5th level druid (DC: 13 plus spell level)
The barkskin gives it defensive power, while the Spike Growth and Entangle gives it a manner of offensive power (as well as fitting with the plant theme). Obscuring Mist is both defensive as well as a 'moistiourizer'. Pass without trace prevents creatures from tracking it, as well as having great synergy with the suggested tree stride ability. The remaining spells just fit the plant theme.

Forest gnomes have pass without trace as an innate ability. We could mimick that, so pass without trace would be removed from the spell-like ability list. By the way, why not giving it forest gnome traits ?

Originally copied from da SRD
Forest Gnomes: In addition to Gnome, forest gnomes speak Elf, Sylvan, and a simple language that enables them to communicate on a very basic level with forest animals.
Forest Gnome Traits (Ex): These are in addition to the basic gnome traits, except where noted here.
Forest gnomes have the innate ability to pass without trace (as the spell).
+1 racial bonus to attack rolls against kobolds, goblinoids, orcs, and reptilian humanoids.
Skills: Forest gnomes receive a +4 racial bonus to Hide checks, which improves to +8 in a wooded area.

Should be under the effect of a continous Speak With Plants as an extraordinary ability.

At least speak with plants. I proposed that they could also speak with animals and even rocks (see stone tell).

Tree Stride is a must...

I agree.

Should be able to summon small plants, I suggest that it is able to summon any plant creature with a CR equal to 2 or less, up to three times per day.

Maybe a formula... Frex, CR equals to half the moss gnome's HD +1. Makes it easier for advancing the creature. Furthermore, cooperative summoning could use that same formula.

SR: Around 16 or so...

I'm not sure about the poison though, as the creature should be quite inoffensive... could work though, lots of plants are quite poisonous... But if it is poisonous, the Primary damage should be 1d4 dex, with the secondary damage causing the creature to become greenish and grow leaves as per Ferret's suggestion.

A fun suggestion! I like it.

 

[Knight Otu]

Nice suggestions so far.

It seems that tree stride is a must,so we should look how to implement it, due to the limitations of the spell.

(Forest) Gnome traits also seem likely for the creature, so i guess they are in, as is the "greening" poison.

I'm not sure how to feel about a formula for summoning creatures for this creature, though it could help.

Any thoughts about DR/Natural Armor/and-the-like?
I'd propose a DR of 5/+1 (5/cold iron for Revised).

 

[Krishnath]

If we implement DR, it should be 5/cold iron from the start, as that saves us the trouble of going back and 'fixing' it when the revision hits in a couple of months.

Anyways, I disagre with using that formula to the summoning as that could bog down the game somewhat and cause some DM's tp shy away from the creature, hmm... maybe basing it on HD rather than CR, for example allowing it to summon it's own HDx2 in plant creature per day, spacing it out however it feels, that would allow a standard un-advanced 'gnome' to summon no less that 6HD of plant creatures each day... This would also allow it to summon some of the more powerful plant creatures...

I also disagree with giving it the 'forest gnome' traits, as it is not a forest gnome, at least drop the attack bonus against orcs, goblinoids, and reptilian humanoids (including kobolds).

As for the Treestride ability, simply write the following: Treestride (sp): As the spell, useable three times per day (or at will, whatever you think fits.)

Later,

And feel free to agree or disagree with me.

 

[Geocorona]

Maybe his red cone cap should be green.

I like the little guy, and think you should give him at least one unexpected ability to make him stand out, like morphing into a beaver, or summoning a pot of gold for characters that can sprinkle salt on his head, or False Vision.

 

[Knight Otu]

I also disagree with giving it the 'forest gnome' traits, as it is not a forest gnome, at least drop the attack bonus against orcs, goblinoids, and reptilian humanoids (including kobolds).

I'd say that he should have at least some gnomish traits. Otherwise, there would not be much of a point to compare it with a gnome, right?

As for the Treestride ability, simply write the following: Treestride (sp): As the spell, useable three times per day (or at will, whatever you think fits.)

That would work, although I guess that Ferret and others thought about a constant supernatural ability.


Unless I'm misinterpreting things.