D&D 3E/3.5 Creature Catalog 3.5 Overhaul Project

[dhaga]

I don't see anything like that on the kercpa or hamadryad (or the feystag). Are you maybe thinking of this?

Woodland Mastery (Su): Hamadryads are in tune with their forest and the environment they live in, and have a significant advantage while in the woodlands. They have exact knowledge of their forest home, providing them with +20 to Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks. Hamadryads in the forest are immune to any sort of summoning spell, but are aware of the attempted summons and from where it originated. They can consume and process any type of water, even water fouled by human or animal wastes.

I think that's more powerful than what we're looking for here. Would a simple "+2 to Spot and Listen checks while in forested areas" suffice?

Hmmm...I think you're on the right track, but I think it should function by contact, not imbibing. Also, after it is destroyed, should the remaining sap be harvestable? If so, how much?

Good point, and good question! I know several PCs who would want to know the answer to this, and it would be good to provide the DM with this information

I also think it should function by contact -- as a (sticky) salve rather than a potion. As for how much could be harvested from a felled golem... 10 applications (healing 1d8+1 each)?

I think we should leave out wish...wouldn't it depend upon how the wish is used? Using a wish to produce a stinking cloud, for example, probably shouldn't affect it. We could probably leave off time stop as well.

I agree with this assessment.

 

[Aspect of BOZ]

Did we ever check to see if the wood golem from Dungeon #14 differs? I can't recall.

Not that I'm aware of.

I don't see anything like that on the kercpa or hamadryad (or the feystag). Are you maybe thinking of this?

Woodland Mastery (Su): Hamadryads are in tune with their forest and the environment they live in, and have a significant advantage while in the woodlands. They have exact knowledge of their forest home, providing them with +20 to Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks. Hamadryads in the forest are immune to any sort of summoning spell, but are aware of the attempted summons and from where it originated. They can consume and process any type of water, even water fouled by human or animal wastes.

That was a bit of a vague memory on my part, though I could have sworn there was something more recent than the hamadryad. How about a much lesser version of that, as such:

"Forest Alertness" (Ex): A wood golem is keenly aware of the forest and environment it inhabits. A wood golem has a +X bonus on Knowledge (nature), Listen, Spot, and Survival checks while in the forest.

Perhaps a 'Sunder Wood' ability?

?

"Sunder Wood / Double Damage against Wood" (Ex): A wood golem that makes a full attack against a wooden object or structure deals double damage.

We should add the ranged attack bonus to the description. We should probably also state that it only functions as acorn grenades, not holly berry bombs. The save DC should probably be Con-based (and thus DC = 10 + 1/2 HD).

How aboot:

Fire Seeds (Su): Once per minute?, a wood golem can fire projectiles from either or both hands which have not already been used to make slam attacks that round. This attack functions as the fire seeds spell, except that a wood golem can only use the acorn grenades version of the spell, and it can throw up to three acorns from each hand (up to 6 total). A wood golem using this attack has a ranged touch attack bonus of +5 and a Reflex save DC of 14 for half damage. Caster level 6th. The save DC is Constitution-based.

I like though the original text seems to suggest that it only heals wounds inflicted by the wood golem - perhaps the potion could 'go off' after a period of time?

Hmmm...I think you're on the right track, but I think it should function by contact, not imbibing. Also, after it is destroyed, should the remaining sap be harvestable? If so, how much?

It does seem to imply that the sap heals wounds inflicted by the golem, yes. If it's a contact effect, I think it would hit the attacker immediately and act as the CLW. We could give it a set amount of "charges" to harvest from a killed one, but I think it's just as well that it becomes neutralized when the golem dies.

Should we state that even mind-affecting spells that normally don't affect mindless creatures affect them in this case?

Isn't there that spell control plants?

Wood shape dazes it for a round? Although as a construct it would normally be immune to stun and daze effects.

I think we should leave out wish...wouldn't it depend upon how the wish is used? Using a wish to produce a stinking cloud, for example, probably shouldn't affect it. We could probably leave off time stop as well.

Actually, constructs are not immune to being dazed as far as I can tell. They're usually immune to most effects that cause dazing, but not immune to the daze itself. I can change all instances of Stun to Daze for rules clarity.

Leaving off wish and time stop is probably wise, since I don't think spell resistance applies to them anyway.

 

[Aspect of BOZ]

Good point, and good question! I know several PCs who would want to know the answer to this, and it would be good to provide the DM with this information

I also think it should function by contact -- as a (sticky) salve rather than a potion. As for how much could be harvested from a felled golem... 10 applications (healing 1d8+1 each)?

that's certainly a possibility. if we don't go with what i said above, of course.

 

[Shade]

Not that I'm aware of.

I checked, and it appears to be an unrelated creature. It was a really niche wood golem, specifically for making cheese (which makes sense within the adventure, but sounds quite silly here I'm sure).

That was a bit of a vague memory on my part, though I could have sworn there was something more recent than the hamadryad. How about a much lesser version of that, as such:

"Forest Alertness" (Ex): A wood golem is keenly aware of the forest and environment it inhabits. A wood golem has a +X bonus on Knowledge (nature), Listen, Spot, and Survival checks while in the forest.

I like it, although "Forest Awareness" sounds a bit better.

"Sunder Wood / Double Damage against Wood" (Ex): A wood golem that makes a full attack against a wooden object or structure deals double damage.

I prefer the "Double Damage Against Wood" name and like the rest.

How aboot:

Fire Seeds (Su): Once per minute?, a wood golem can fire projectiles from either or both hands which have not already been used to make slam attacks that round. This attack functions as the fire seeds spell, except that a wood golem can only use the acorn grenades version of the spell, and it can throw up to three acorns from each hand (up to 6 total). A wood golem using this attack has a ranged touch attack bonus of +5 and a Reflex save DC of 14 for half damage. Caster level 6th. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Looks good, and once per minute should be fine.

It does seem to imply that the sap heals wounds inflicted by the golem, yes. If it's a contact effect, I think it would hit the attacker immediately and act as the CLW. We could give it a set amount of "charges" to harvest from a killed one, but I think it's just as well that it becomes neutralized when the golem dies.

I'd say it affects anyone touching the golem with an unarmed strike or natural attack, or garppling the golem. Manufactured weapons shouldn't impart the benefit.

I like Dhaga's suggestion that up to 10 applications can be harvested...kinda like the bonus that's left behind when a gemstone golem dies.

Isn't there that spell control plants?

Yep. And command plants, too. Both are transmutation, and not mind-affecting. I was just trying to cover what would happen if a spell targeted intelligent plants, and could be mind-affecting. I'm not sure if any of those exist, but figured to err on the side of caution.

Actually, constructs are not immune to being dazed as far as I can tell. They're usually immune to most effects that cause dazing, but not immune to the daze itself. I can change all instances of Stun to Daze for rules clarity.

Good catch!

 

[BOZ]

I checked, and it appears to be an unrelated creature. It was a really niche wood golem, specifically for making cheese (which makes sense within the adventure, but sounds quite silly here I'm sure).

heh heh heh... WTF?

I'd say it affects anyone touching the golem with an unarmed strike or natural attack, or garppling the golem. Manufactured weapons shouldn't impart the benefit.

the problem with that is, it will hardly ever come into play. since the sap comes out only with cutting weapons, unarmed strikes won't trigger it. however, i guess a bear would be a real threat to a wood golem.

of course, someone cutting into it with a weapon would be able to extract the sap, although perhaps not effectively during combat.

I like Dhaga's suggestion that up to 10 applications can be harvested...kinda like the bonus that's left behind when a gemstone golem dies.

Treasure
A wood golem possesses no treasure, but if the golem is killed, its sap can be extracted. Enough sap can be found in a wood golem's body to effectively equal 10 potions of cure light wounds; the number of potions is reduced by one for each time the golem was wounded enough to bleed sap within the last 24 hours.

Yep. And command plants, too. Both are transmutation, and not mind-affecting. I was just trying to cover what would happen if a spell targeted intelligent plants, and could be mind-affecting. I'm not sure if any of those exist, but figured to err on the side of caution.

i don't think any such spells exist, but i could be wrong.

 

[Shade]

heh heh heh... WTF?

Indeed.

the problem with that is, it will hardly ever come into play. since the sap comes out only with cutting weapons, unarmed strikes won't trigger it. however, i guess a bear would be a real threat to a wood golem.

I figure axe-wielding fighter triggers the sap, and the monk, wildshaped druid, animal companions, etc. all come into contact with it after the fact. If you want it to effect the guy who hit it, you could say it sprays out with force, hitting adjacent squares in the direction from which the attack came.

of course, someone cutting into it with a weapon would be able to extract the sap, although perhaps not effectively during combat.

True.

Treasure
A wood golem possesses no treasure, but if the golem is killed, its sap can be extracted. Enough sap can be found in a wood golem's body to effectively equal 10 potions of cure light wounds; the number of potions is reduced by one for each time the golem was wounded enough to bleed sap within the last 24 hours.

I think we should state it functions as oil of cure light wounds:

i don't think any such spells exist, but i could be wrong.

Dunno, but better to err on the side of caution, no?

 

[dhaga]

Treasure
A wood golem possesses no treasure, but if the golem is killed, its sap can be extracted. Enough sap can be found in a wood golem's body to effectively equal 10 potions of cure light wounds; the number of potions is reduced by one for each time the golem was wounded enough to bleed sap within the last 24 hours.

Sounds good to me.

Should it have a cheese affinity, Shade?

 

[Shade]

Sounds good to me.

Should it have a cheese affinity, Shade?

That would be a funny reference that about 5 people on the planet might get!

 

[Aspect of BOZ]

OK, now i'm thinking the sap should stay "active" for 1 full round. the first creature who touches the golem in that round (the creature who wounded it, if with natural weapons, counts) with bare flesh gets the benefit of the CLW, and subsequent creatures don't. i'd say otherwise the "potion" is wasted. i'd say that actual potions can only be harvested from dead or helpless wood golems.


i reworked this section as well:

Immunity to Magic (Ex): A wood golem is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain effects function differently against the creature, as noted below.

A magical attack that deals electrical or cold damage does not harm a wood golem, but slows a wood golem (as the slow spell) for 6 rounds. If the attack allows for a saving throw, the golem is not slowed if it succeeds on the save.

A wood golem is considered a plant creature for the purposes of any spells or effects that specifically affect plants, though it receives a +4 racial bonus to any saving throws against such effects. If any sort of magic is successfully used to control a wood golem (such as control plants), the wood golem becomes enraged when the effect ends and attacks the person who was controlling it.

A repel wood or warp wood spell dazes a wood golem for 1d4 rounds.

A plant growth or a wall of thorns spell cures a wounded wood golem, restoring 3d8 hit points.

 

[Shade]

Good ideas all around. I'd replace "electrical" with "electricity" as a minor nitpick.