Creatures By Poll - Monster #1 Discussion


log in or register to remove this ad





Now that I've completely thrown the topic off-balance with the name suggestions...:)

Are there any other comments on Boz's stats?

There seems to be plenty of support for and against a spit attack.

I think we should probably lay aside any arguments which rely upon real-world physics, since this is a fantasy creature, and by giving it spell-like abilities at all, we depart from the normal realm of archer fish and the like. Environment and ecology should be factors, but we should be able to use some imagination, considering the context.
Likewise, we aren't required to give it actual magical abilities, for the examples given above include many which lack them.

That said:

I think some mechanism for holding on to rocks is needed, and I think spider climb would be the best way to render that ability.
Camouflage could best be rendered as a conditional bonus, such as +10 to Hide checks made in aquatic environments.

Spit attacks - we shouldn't feel obligated to give this creature a way to attack airborne creatures. It would derive much of its sustenance as a sea anemone would, only on a larger scale. Any airborne creature which gets close enough would be killed by its tentacles, however, which would discourage such attacks by seagulls or other airborne oceanic predators.

If enough people want a spit attack, however, there is always the possibility that it has learned to spit the enzymes it uses to digest food -- the Ankheg certainly does.

- Devon
 

Personally I prefer if the creature did not get a spit attack. It would of course have quite some reach with it's tentacle's/head's and combining that with a camouflage spell-like or supernatural ability would give it the ability to catch low-flying airborne creatures. The camouflage ability combined with the spiderclimb ability, would make it a much larger threat than a mere coincidental bonus in aquatic enviroments, as a crafty DM can easily put it in caverns and on land, near a body of water and still retain the +10 bonus to hide.

The above, ofcourse is strictly my opinion.

Later,
 


Devon said:
Now that I've completely thrown the topic off-balance with the name suggestions...:)
I didn't start it! (OK, I admit, I did it ;))

Are there any other comments on Boz's stats?
Male human expert 20?
Ups, you were talking about the monster! :D

There seems to be plenty of support for and against a spit attack.
I'm sort of neutral. As a Magical Beast, it could potentially have a spit attack that works under water, and it would be nice to have such an attack, but in it's current form, a spit attack would propably a bit much.

Likewise, we aren't required to give it actual magical abilities, for the examples given above include many which lack them.
With Damage Reduction, Scy.., er, the monster already has a supernatural ability, but I agree, we don't really need them.

I think some mechanism for holding on to rocks is needed, and I think spider climb would be the best way to render that ability.
Camouflage could best be rendered as a conditional bonus, such as +10 to Hide checks made in aquatic environments.
I think those two abilities should work well :)
 


Remove ads

Top