Greasing a Black Pudding - Will this Work?

[Goldmoon]

Lets start a new thread about D&D recipes.....

 

[Nail]

Back on-topic:

I agree with I2K: the grease spell does not have the area to grease all sides of the depression the Black Pudding is in.

Since it is mindless, it *will* try coming up the closest side, and (so long as the wizard puts it there) that will cause the pudding to slip back down. Next round, it'll try climbing a different side.

 

[Question]

Isnt the definition of mindless "Too stupid to do anything else?". So wouldnt it just keep trying to come up the slippery side over and over?

 

[Nail]

Good Question!



I'd say: "Too stupid to do anything but respond to stimuli."

A Black Pudding would be aware of the difficulty of terrain. Then (semi-randomly), the Black Pudding would try alternate routes. It's likely the alternate routes would be very close to the original route.

For example, put glass in the path of an ant. Depending on the ant, he won't be able to climb the glass. Evenetually, however, he will be able to make his way around the glass and continue on his way. That's "mindless" behavior, IMHO.

 

[Infiniti2000]

For example, put glass in the path of an ant.

I haven't seen him around in a while either, but I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate the example.

 

[Simm]

I'm not sure about grease but have always ruled that flasks of salt can be used to damage oozes (come on the're pretty much slugs).

 

[Nail]

I'm not sure about grease but have always ruled that flasks of salt can be used to damage oozes (come on the're pretty much slugs).

Yeah, that's cool enough. Besides, anyone with a little chemistry knowledge knows about osmosis and ionic solutions. It's a good idea.

Besides, who carries around the 200 lbs of salt you'd need for one black ooze? (whisper: Major Creation spell becomes useful)

 

[KarinsDad]

I wouldn't rule heavily in either direction.

Instead, I would first give the Black Pudding the Balance check that the Grease spell indicates. If it fails the check, then that portion of the pudding is relatively stable until the rest of the pudding pulls it along. If it makes the check, then that portion of the pudding is half speed until the rest of the pudding pulls it along.

However, the rest of the pudding (5/9ths assuming that a minimum of 5 squares out of 9 of the pudding is always outside the grease) should be able to go around the grease pretty easily.


If this is a horizontal surface, this would barely slow down the pudding since the greased sections should move easily. It gets no traction under the grease to move, but it also gets no resistance. To give the player an idea of what happens here, I would say "The pudding seems to slip somewhat on the grease and then slides across at normal speed and continue on with its movement".

If this is a vertical surface, then 4/9ths of the pudding should have a difficult time and 5/9ths should have a normal time, so basically half speed if the check is failed (5/9ths of the pudding has to move the entire thing) and 3/4ths speed if the check is made (5/9ths + 1/2 4/9ths).


So, horizontally it matters little and vertically, it would just slow up the pudding a little bit.

 

[Question]

Hmm is an ant mindless though? I know they have a hive mind and SOME intelligence......

 

[frankthedm]

Hmm is an ant mindless though? I know they have a hive mind and SOME intelligence......

Int is learning capacity, wisdom is instinct.

High wisdom mindless monsters migh have complex flow charts of instinctive actions. A puddings routine is pretty simple. Something like...

Percieve food
Approach food
circumvent obstacles to food
Eat food, compressing and secreting enzymes on struggling food.
Flee damaging energy if no food percieved
Wander untill food percieved