Formian Queen - no Dex, no Strength, no attacks

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

The Formian Queen has no Strength or Dexterity Score, and no natural attacks. But she can cast spells like a Sorcerer.

The question(s):
If, as an example, she would want to cast Melf`s Acid Arrow (Ranged Touch Attack), how would I derive her attack bonus, especially her Ability (Dex) Bonus to the attack?
What happens if someone tries to grapple or trip her?

 

[Relentless]

Use the unmodified scores. BAB without DEX. Grapple or trip without STR.

 

[the Jester]

Don't forget that the queen can achieve unexpected mobility through a fly spell.

 

[Sejs]

Or just polymorph herself into something appropriate when she wants to move or fight. Like say the Formian version of a Bebilith (same stats, but more ant-flavored, than spider). Heck, with 2 more sorcerer levels she could cast 9th level spells -and- polymorph herself into a Solar.


...or maybe the ant version of a Solar. Couple strategically placed plates of red-brown chitin, and four big transparent black insect wings coming out of her back instead of white feathered ones. Eyes flaring golden white with the power of her dominion, that sorta thing.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Thanks, so far.
I wonder what the revisided stats for the Queen will be. It seems a bit stupid to me for her not to have any Strenth or Dexterity, even if she is unable to move and does not regularly attack.

Mustrum Ridcully

 

[godfear]

...or maybe the ant version of a Solar. Couple strategically placed plates of red-brown chitin, and four big transparent black insect wings coming out of her back instead of white feathered ones. Eyes flaring golden white with the power of her dominion, that sorta thing.

...Between Angels and Insects?

Sorry...

 

[daTim]

Since her ability scores are "-" they get no bonus or penalty to attacks or damage, just like an Undead Constitution. Were the ability score 0, not only would it get a -5 penalty, but with a Str or Dex score of 0 I dont think you could move, even to speak or cast somatic components. I dont see why they are listed as "-" though, doesnt seem to make sense. Just because she is immobile doesn't mean she cant pick up heavy things, or manipulate fine objects... she just chooses to remain stationary. I'm sure in an emergency she would get up and attack/run away much like the Queen in Aliens.

 

[MarauderX]

Yeah, I don't like it when ANY of the stats are listed as "-", so I change them accordingly to be something that would be associated with the critter. A formian queen would have STR=2, DEX=2 as not having those stats would mean the queen is incorporal; a zombie would have CON=28(+10 I think) and would still not be vulnerable to attacks that have CON associated with them.
But of course that is just how I "house" rule it to make more sense and have a formian queen that has arms but can't feed herself.

 

[Sejs]

...Between Angels and Insects?

Lies.... Obsession.


by Calvin Klien.

 

[Norfleet]

Well, if it lacks any kind of moveable body or functional appendages, such that it wouldn't be able to move, manipulate its environment, or attack in any physical way, then it wouldn't really have a strength or dexterity.

As a bug with an exoskeleton, I could see it as not having a strength or dexterity, since without a flexible body, it wouldn't be able to move like a snake could, and without functional appendages, as the legs on a formian queen are described as vestigial, as in, useless, they wouldn't really possess the ability to attack anything.

So a formian queen is just kind of this immobile lump. Grappling it wouldn't be meaningful, since you can't really "pin" it, it doesn't move, nor could you trip it, since it doesn't really have a sense of upright.

In fact, it might even qualify as "helpless", since it lacks any means of mobility or attack, much like something which is held, asleep, paralyzed, or locked on an executioner's block, and therefore could be CDG'd if anyone could get close to it and it was still in its natural form.