Help Me Stat a "Sheep"

[lazerfish]

Well, in defense of this admitedly silly idea, you have to concede that even a dragon wouldn't be too keen on eating an exploding meal...

I really can't see ANY predator attacking these things when they're floating. Sure, maybe the largest dragons creatures of like size and power may be able to stomach them or deal with the explosion (though even they would be likely to search for easier prey), but anything smaller would either be killed or be taught a very painful lesson it wouldn't forget soon. Animals learn behaviors, too.

 

[balard]

Very cool idea!
And what if the digestion that made the gazes? They have a kind thick skin, an a wild semblit just float like 10 feet high cause he is releasing the gaz. If it anus could sealed, the animal wound float very high. Maybe it youngs climb in its mothers and seal it, or the pregnancy does the same.

So they are a very populous species, with very few natural predators. Up until the humans started to domesticate then. Sealing of their anus, and with special kind o ration, they could generate much more gas. From that to airships was a little jump.

Semblit breeders are always striving to make then tougher, so can accumulate more gaz, and to develop ration that generates more gas. So less and less semblits are needed to lift a heavy object.

They say that some crazy tyrant with grandeur delusions, has developed a semblit breed plus ration, that makes then full of gaz, but from a non-floating kind. If it's true, how much more time do we have before semblit bombing?

 

[Starfox]

The the semblit was just a fun, new concept to have a relatively interesting and yet somewhat dangerous airship that wasn't magic-based like every other airship (e.g. Death Gate Cycle).

Sorry to disappoint, but they need to be magical. No way a creature can float on stomach gas alone. I did some of the physics of airships playing Crimson Skies, and airships need to be huge to be able to fly. 1 cubic meter of hydrogen gas provides about 1 kg of lift. A sheep weights about 15 kg - it would take a gas balloon of 15 cubic meters to give one neutral buoyancy in air, more if its supposed to lift anything at all.

This, of course, need not stop you. Media are full of creatures doing impossible things, often adding a bit of pseudo-science for believability. Say the gas bag holds phlogiston (which was postulated to have negative weight and was seriously believed to exist in the 18th century). They a bloated stomach would be enough.

As for the lack of predators; not hard to understand at all. No predator can reach them at 300 ft.; they are too large (and dangeous) for birds of prey.

 

[Saeviomagy]

No combat stats, minion, explosion does 1 damage in a burst 3, +0 to hit. All defenses are 10.

Easy and quick.

No magic is necessary: it's just that physics is different in D&D world.

 

[Rel]

This is a fun idea! I would suggest that their natural predators would be those that could hunt them in the air from a distance. Maybe a manticore or something similar.

 

[LostSoul]

Instead of statting them up like a monster, I'd probably stat them up as a trap (actually a hazard).

That would be:

Floating Semblit * Level 1 Blaster
Hazard * XP 25
A floating rust-coloured sheep.
Hazard: One square that holds the semblit. If it's not attached to the ground, it floats peacefully up to 6 squares off the ground.
Perception
No Perception check is required to notice the semblit.
Trigger
The semblit takes damage.
Attack
Immediate Reaction * Close burst 1
Target: All creatures in burst
Attack: +4 vs. Reflex
Hit: 3d6+3 Fire damage.

Increase the level based on how much and how recently the semblit has eaten.

Maybe those are the stats for wild semblits and specially bred "airship semblits" are higher level, doing more damage in a wider area with a higher attack bonus.

 

[Silverblade The Ench]

If they're ruptured, they blow up, .

Damn ye man!! an exploding SHEEP?! Have the Celtic folk done ye some terrible injustice that ye'd make our cuddly wee pals blow us tae bits as we have some...fun?!
Ochone! Ochone!! There'll be a fair few dead folks from Scotland tae Wales tae Australia!!
*sniffs tearfully, imagining fields littered with blown up sheep worriers*

Next ye'll be giving the sneaky critters:

Aura 5: Charm Celt (Viagra Domination), save ends


Sorry, couldn't resist it mate, lol!

 

[Infiniti2000]

Sorry to disappoint, but they need to be magical.

Agreed wholeheartedly...if my campaign was set on the planet Earth. Fortunately, I don't ever recall ever playing or DMing a D&D game on Earth. I only said Hydrogen because it's something most people will be familiar with; at least enough so that the concept could be understood.

 

[Starfox]

Agreed wholeheartedly...if my campaign was set on the planet Earth. Fortunately, I don't ever recall ever playing or DMing a D&D game on Earth. I only said Hydrogen because it's something most people will be familiar with; at least enough so that the concept could be understood.

The laws of physics are by no means planet-specific. And if you change them and don't use fantasy handwaving, expect a LOT of things to change as a consequence. For example, if these could fly without magic, it would be super-easy to build baloons and zeppelins, and there ought to be other creatures evolved to take advantage of the same effect.

Of course, you might not be playing with nerds, so this might not matter to you.

All that is required is the same kind of unstated magic that lets 20-feet giants stand tall and dragons to fly. Which are both clearly impossible if your setting is hard SF.