Yeah, ok, it sounds really, really strange. But as a random encounter I had the party interact with a druid wearing a cactus cloak (it's in the Far Corners of the World articles on the main website, in the desert magic items section), and my weretiger druid (long story) wondered out of character if he was a were-cactus.
That set off a whole different tangent of having people that had the ability to turn into plants. And I was wondering, could you make an effective were-plant?
My ideas were as thus:
A were-plant is a plant (and thus is immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning , and polymorphing. They are not subject to critial hits or mind-influencing effects. Have low-light vision). A were-plant also has darkvision 60 ft.
Their "animal" form is that of a standard plant. While in plant form they are indistinguishable from a slightly larger than normal plant, exactly a druid in tree shape form (though a were-plant does not radiate magic of any sort). While in plant form a were-plant can obtain water and nutrients normally as a plant (and doesn't need to resort to human food). A traveling were-plant must spend at least eight hours a day in a place with adequate sunlight, water, and soil to support his species of plant to get the benefits of food and water. A were-plant may sleep in plant form, and so many traveling were-plants travel and night and "eat" and sleep during the day.
Were-plants are born that way, appearing normal human sized when in human form, and they cannot transmit their state through a bite like a normal lycanthrope. They are not cursed to change with the moon, though they are bound somewhat to the land in which their species is native.
A were-plant also has plant empathy, and may communicate with intelligent plant creatures in a limited fashion (otherwise as per lycanthropic empathy).
Were-cactus: +4 to Con, +4 natural armor, needs only half the water a normal character needs, and is not subject to subdual (or nonlethal) heat damage.
While in hybrid form a were-cactus grow spines and his body becomes greener and tougher. His natural armor increases to +6, and he gains the ability to throw his spines. He may make a ranged attack for 1d6 points of damage (range increment of 10 ft.) 5/day.
A were-cactus in hybrid form is always considered armed. Anyone in a grapple with a hybrid were-cactus takes 1d4 points of damage per round. If a were-cactus hits anyone with an unarmed attack or anyone hits him with an unarmed attack, they take 1d4 points of damage. A were-cactus in hybrid form has a +8 to Hide checks in his appropriate environment.
Were-pine - see were-cactus, with the exception that a were-pine is not subject to subdual (or nonlethal) damage by cold rather than heat.
Were-sequoia (redwood) - +4 Str, +4 con, natural armor +4. In hybrid form a were-sequoia goes up to Large size (gaining a +8 Str, -2 Dex, +4 Con, +2 additional natural armor, and -1 size penalty to attack). Also a were-sequoia in hybrid form gains a further +2 to natural armor and a slam attack (call this the TIMBER! attack). The slam attack deals 1d8 + 1.5 Str bonus of damage.
Were-oak - As per were-sequoia, but no size increase. Gains an additional +2 to Str in hybrid form.
Were-flytrap (Venus flytrap) - +2 Str, +4 Con, natural armor +2. When in hybrid form gains +4 Str, an additional +2 natural armor, and grows a huge mouth that can be used to hold and dissolve victims. An were-flytrap is considered to have the Improved Grab feat while in hybrid form. When a hybrid were-flytrap grapples, he does it with his mouth, and has a +4 to the grapple check. Once grappled the victim is inside the were-flytrap's mouth and automatically takes 2d6 acid damage per round until the grapple is broken. A were-flytrap may grapple a single victim up to its own size at a time.
Were-ivy - +2 Str, +4 Con, +4 Dex. In hybrid form the were-ivy gains +2 Str, an additional +2 natural armor, and the ability to cast entagle as a spell-like ability 3/day with a DC of 15 + Str mod. They also gain two vine-slap attacks at +2 that do 1d6 +Str mod damage, in addition to what other attacks they may have. Were-ivy has the ability to regenerate body parts, usually 1d6 weeks for any severed limb. Holding a severed limb to othe trunk will allow the were-ivy to reattach it in 1d6 minutes.
Were-kelp - As per were-ivy, but gains a swim speed of 30 and can breathe water. Has the aquatic subtype.
Were-sundew - +2 Str, +4 Con, +2 natural armor. While in hybrid form a were-sundew gains +2 Str, an additional +2 natural armor, and the ability to make a sticky, acidic, grapple attack. In hybrid form the were-sundew has the Improved Grab feat, with a +10 to the grapple (due to sticky secretions). Once grappled the victim takes 1d6 acid damage for every round the grapple is maintained. Also, in hybrid form the were-sundew has a +10 versus any attempts to disarm him.
Were-fungus - +2 Str, +6 Con, +2 natural armor. A were-fungus also has tremorsense at a range of 10 ft. regardless of his form. In hybrid form a were-fungus gains a further +2 Str and an additional +2 to natural armor. They also gain a spore attack. This is a 20 ft. radius ejection of spores around the were-fungus that may be done 3/day. Anything in that zone that breathes much make a Fortitude save at 10 + Con mod or spend the next 2d4 rounds coughing and choking (effectively nauseated).
Were-plants and home terrain - When a were-plant is not in an area in which his type of plant grows naturally, they cannot "eat" or sleep in plant form, nor may they stay in plant form for more than an hour. If they spend more than a month away from their home terrain, they take a -2 to attacks, saves, and skill checks due to the stress of being in such a hostile environment.
I hope to have sample characters up by tomorrow.
Ok, my questions to you:
1. Am I totally off my rocker?
2. What CRs would be appropriate? What ECLs would be appropriate?
3. Are there any abilities that seem totally off-base or unworkable?
4. What other cool plant types have I missed that you would like to see?
That set off a whole different tangent of having people that had the ability to turn into plants. And I was wondering, could you make an effective were-plant?
My ideas were as thus:
A were-plant is a plant (and thus is immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning , and polymorphing. They are not subject to critial hits or mind-influencing effects. Have low-light vision). A were-plant also has darkvision 60 ft.
Their "animal" form is that of a standard plant. While in plant form they are indistinguishable from a slightly larger than normal plant, exactly a druid in tree shape form (though a were-plant does not radiate magic of any sort). While in plant form a were-plant can obtain water and nutrients normally as a plant (and doesn't need to resort to human food). A traveling were-plant must spend at least eight hours a day in a place with adequate sunlight, water, and soil to support his species of plant to get the benefits of food and water. A were-plant may sleep in plant form, and so many traveling were-plants travel and night and "eat" and sleep during the day.
Were-plants are born that way, appearing normal human sized when in human form, and they cannot transmit their state through a bite like a normal lycanthrope. They are not cursed to change with the moon, though they are bound somewhat to the land in which their species is native.
A were-plant also has plant empathy, and may communicate with intelligent plant creatures in a limited fashion (otherwise as per lycanthropic empathy).
Were-cactus: +4 to Con, +4 natural armor, needs only half the water a normal character needs, and is not subject to subdual (or nonlethal) heat damage.
While in hybrid form a were-cactus grow spines and his body becomes greener and tougher. His natural armor increases to +6, and he gains the ability to throw his spines. He may make a ranged attack for 1d6 points of damage (range increment of 10 ft.) 5/day.
A were-cactus in hybrid form is always considered armed. Anyone in a grapple with a hybrid were-cactus takes 1d4 points of damage per round. If a were-cactus hits anyone with an unarmed attack or anyone hits him with an unarmed attack, they take 1d4 points of damage. A were-cactus in hybrid form has a +8 to Hide checks in his appropriate environment.
Were-pine - see were-cactus, with the exception that a were-pine is not subject to subdual (or nonlethal) damage by cold rather than heat.
Were-sequoia (redwood) - +4 Str, +4 con, natural armor +4. In hybrid form a were-sequoia goes up to Large size (gaining a +8 Str, -2 Dex, +4 Con, +2 additional natural armor, and -1 size penalty to attack). Also a were-sequoia in hybrid form gains a further +2 to natural armor and a slam attack (call this the TIMBER! attack). The slam attack deals 1d8 + 1.5 Str bonus of damage.
Were-oak - As per were-sequoia, but no size increase. Gains an additional +2 to Str in hybrid form.
Were-flytrap (Venus flytrap) - +2 Str, +4 Con, natural armor +2. When in hybrid form gains +4 Str, an additional +2 natural armor, and grows a huge mouth that can be used to hold and dissolve victims. An were-flytrap is considered to have the Improved Grab feat while in hybrid form. When a hybrid were-flytrap grapples, he does it with his mouth, and has a +4 to the grapple check. Once grappled the victim is inside the were-flytrap's mouth and automatically takes 2d6 acid damage per round until the grapple is broken. A were-flytrap may grapple a single victim up to its own size at a time.
Were-ivy - +2 Str, +4 Con, +4 Dex. In hybrid form the were-ivy gains +2 Str, an additional +2 natural armor, and the ability to cast entagle as a spell-like ability 3/day with a DC of 15 + Str mod. They also gain two vine-slap attacks at +2 that do 1d6 +Str mod damage, in addition to what other attacks they may have. Were-ivy has the ability to regenerate body parts, usually 1d6 weeks for any severed limb. Holding a severed limb to othe trunk will allow the were-ivy to reattach it in 1d6 minutes.
Were-kelp - As per were-ivy, but gains a swim speed of 30 and can breathe water. Has the aquatic subtype.
Were-sundew - +2 Str, +4 Con, +2 natural armor. While in hybrid form a were-sundew gains +2 Str, an additional +2 natural armor, and the ability to make a sticky, acidic, grapple attack. In hybrid form the were-sundew has the Improved Grab feat, with a +10 to the grapple (due to sticky secretions). Once grappled the victim takes 1d6 acid damage for every round the grapple is maintained. Also, in hybrid form the were-sundew has a +10 versus any attempts to disarm him.
Were-fungus - +2 Str, +6 Con, +2 natural armor. A were-fungus also has tremorsense at a range of 10 ft. regardless of his form. In hybrid form a were-fungus gains a further +2 Str and an additional +2 to natural armor. They also gain a spore attack. This is a 20 ft. radius ejection of spores around the were-fungus that may be done 3/day. Anything in that zone that breathes much make a Fortitude save at 10 + Con mod or spend the next 2d4 rounds coughing and choking (effectively nauseated).
Were-plants and home terrain - When a were-plant is not in an area in which his type of plant grows naturally, they cannot "eat" or sleep in plant form, nor may they stay in plant form for more than an hour. If they spend more than a month away from their home terrain, they take a -2 to attacks, saves, and skill checks due to the stress of being in such a hostile environment.
I hope to have sample characters up by tomorrow.
Ok, my questions to you:
1. Am I totally off my rocker?
2. What CRs would be appropriate? What ECLs would be appropriate?
3. Are there any abilities that seem totally off-base or unworkable?
4. What other cool plant types have I missed that you would like to see?
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