Dubik, vampiric tree for review please!

[Ferret]

I had the idea from a TV series a while back, now my main question is of balance, especially with th Illusion ability. And secondly whether the wording makes sense, and if anyone has better names for the abilities. One last thing, should it have an intelligence or not? The only reason I think it should is because of the illusion ability.

Hope you enjoy,

Dubik
Large Plant
Hit Dice: 4d8 +12 (30 hp)
Initiative: 0
Speed: 0ft
Armour Class: 6 (Dex -5, size -1)
Base Attack/Grapple: --
Attack: Blood drain +5
Full Attack: Blood drain +5
Space/Reach: 10ft/5ft
Special Attacks: Blood Drain
Special Qualities: DR 3/--, Illusion, Plant Immunities, Regenerative
Saves: Fort +4, Refl -1, Will+5
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 0, Con 17, Int 9, Wis 16, Cha 11
Skills: --
Feats: --
Environments: Temperate Woodlands
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: Special
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Advancement: 3-15 HD (Large), 16-30 (Huge)
Level Adjustment: --

The Dubik appears to be just another tree that whilst eerie, and perhaps dead, appears to be nothing more then what it wishes too. The tree in fact is vampiric, and the innocent image is part of its ruse. The other part is its ability to create the illusion of a dead loved one to lure the victim in, and once in its grasp it can begin to feed.

Combat: A Dubik always starts combat with its illusion ability luring it’s opponent in, then it uses it’s Improved grapple and blood drain.

Blood drain (Ex): Once an opponent is in the Dubik’s square it may make a grapple attempt and if it succeeds it may proceed to its blood drain ability. As soon as the Dubik grabs hold of a creature it is immediately allowed to make a blood drain attack, if which successful allows the Dubik to deal 1d4 points of constitution damage and heals the Dubik to heal three times as much damage as it deal.

Illusion (Su): When a creature comes into range of the Dubik it instantly changes it appearance to that of a dead loved one, which always compels the victim to advance towards it. The creature is neither helpless nor unaware of its surroundings when under the illusions influence, but its prime concern is the illusion. As the image is taken from the creatures mind it may talk, respond to questions and defy others, but is unable to move from the spot.

To disbelieve the effect they must make a Will save DC 15 (Wis based), however the Victim takes -4 penalty as the image is taken from the perceivers thoughts, and they must resist the compulsion with a will save at DC 12 (Cha based). A creature that fails the first save but succeeds in the second is allowed another save. In the chance that more then one creature is near enough to be effected by the spell, one is chosen but they both see the illusion.

Regeneration (Su): The Dubik recovers 1 hp every minute, and all damage except fire is considered non-lethal. Furthermore so long as some of the wood from a Dubik remains it can reappear once it regains all of its hit points. A Dubik can last indefinitely without food, unless it is up rooted and knocked unconscious (by non-lethal damage); in which case looses hit points at a rate of five a day.

Treasure: If the creature does not recognise the tree it my harvest 50lbs of wood from the tree.

Ok edited it to fix stats and the things they effect, clarified and modified some of the abilities and explained the Special entry in treasure.

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

Init: How can it have a +1 to initiative when it has "--" for Dex? Should be "-5" if you give it 0 DEX.
AC: Should be "4", if you start at 10 and reduce it by 6. I would add some natural armor, though.
Space/Reach: 0' reach? give it more than that!
Saves: Should be, IMO, Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +5
Abilities: The creature should have "0" for DEX, but not "--". I'm pretty sure an INT score isn't necessary, but I'm surprised by the 18 in WIS...

I'd change the description of the illusion ability, if you want to maintain the "--" INT score. Instead of saying that the tree projects the image to its potential victims, make it so its pollen provokes mental images in the mind of the people who approach it.

If you want to keep your illusion ability the way it works, then, yes, I'd recommend an INT score.

I would not give it an alignment unless you also give it an INT score.

Hope this helps!

AR

 

[Ferret]

It will, I'll probably change it later though.

 

[robjh]

Based on your description I don't think it even has a normal attack. It is using the grapple for its blood drain, therefore the +5 melee is superfluous. Your entire description seems to imply intelligent intent. As per Altamont, some type of autonomous effect would work, whether spores or some other autonomous mechanism that produces a automatic subconscious response in victims.

Just curious, but what's the "Special" treasure? Wouldn't "Standard" do?

 

[Mithral Silverwave]

Actually, with his current size modifier, armor class should be 9, and initiative +0, though I think you're supposed to use the Int modifier... oh, wait, you don't have one of those either. So where did the +1 come from?

-- is NOT the same as zero. When you have -- Dex, you simply don't HAVE a Dex score. It doesn't EXIST for you. Therefore, it can't modify your armor class or initiative. The score doesn't exist to modify anything.

Words in all caps are spoken with special force and emphasized by a slap on the table. I don't mean to offend anybody.

 

[Ferret]

A lot of stuff got changed whilst making, meaning some of the numbers aren't wht they should be. When I get computer sorted, I'll fix it up.

 

[Ferret]

I corrected the problems and add some compensation for the bad AC.