Nudibranches and other molluscs....

[Casimir Liber]

Okay. Attempt #1 - nudibranch modelled on blue glaucus (there are others with acid secretions...will get to them) - this thing has six appendages. Not sure how to work them in multiattack for balance....figured swim speed 40 as they are adept swimmers.

 

[Cleon]

Firstly, a regular Nudibranch collapses under its own weight out of the water. It should not be able to move on land and might require some trait to reflect that.

Also, it needs Water Breathing to prevent it drowning!

Sea slugs are really squishy so I don't see why it would have much natural armor. Indeed, I'd suspect its AC would be very unimpressive, possibly even 10 or less. Its main defense it its stings and being a bucket of hit points (IIRC sea slugs can take a lot of damage without dying, they're just easy to damage).

They're also extremely slow sine they move like, well, slugs! A pelagic nudibranch like a blue glaucus basically just drifts about on the current. It can swim under its own power, but it's not moving as fast as a shark! I'd think Speed 10 ft., swim 20 ft. would be more accurate.

Ability wise, the DEX looks way too high as Nudibranches are hardly noted for their speed and agility. I'd think something in the range 3 to 7 would be better. I doubt it would any higher than, say, a Purple Worm's DEX 7 and it could easily be lower.

The Keen Scent is fine, but I'd also add:

Water Breathing. The blue glaucus can breathe only underwater.​

​

Waterbound. A sea slug can only use its ground speed when submerged in water.​

Rather than giving it Multiattack with up to six "Appendages" I'd suggest making it a trait, so any creature venturing too close to the creature must avoid contacting one of its cerata and getting stung.

Indeed, I wouldn't give it Multiattack at all.

I have no objection to having it use its Cerata as a action too. So maybe something like this:

Traits​

​

Venomous Defense #1. Any creature within 15 ft. of the blue glaucus must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw on each of its turn, if it fails the blue glaucus can make a stinging cerata attack against the creature as a free action.​

​

Venomous Defense #2. Any creature within 15 ft. of the blue glaucus must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw on each of its turn, if it fails the blue glaucus automatically hits the creature with a stinging cerata attack.​

​

Actions​

​

Stinging Cerata. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: the target must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, on a failed save they take # (#d# + #) poison damage and are poisoned for 1 hour, on a successful one they take half as much damage and are not poisoned.​

Of those, I prefer Defense #2.

 

[Cleon]

Venomous Defense #2. Any creature within 15 ft. of the blue glaucus must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw on each of its turn, if it fails the blue glaucus automatically hits the creature with a stinging cerata attack.

Just thought of an elaboration:

Venomous Defense #3. Any creature within 15 ft. of the blue glaucus must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw on its turn, on a failure the blue glaucus can make a stinging cerata attack against the creature as a free action. In addition, creatures attacking the blue glaucus in melee (unless using a reach weapon) must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or be automatically hit by a stinging cerata attack.​

I like that one better than either #1 or #2.

 

[Casimir Liber]

My initial idea was (like our land star) something that could come out of the water...but maybe stretching disbelief a bit. Given their walking movement is underwater, leaving both as 20 ft. (presuming some buoyancy) otherwise they're pretty useless movers, and then why not swim. If moves are the same then it just 'moves' for 20 ft no matter how it's doing it

 

[Cleon]

My initial idea was (like our land star) something that could come out of the water...but maybe stretching disbelief a bit. Given their walking movement is underwater, leaving both as 20 ft. (presuming some buoyancy) otherwise they're pretty useless movers, and then why not swim. If moves are the same then it just 'moves' for 20 ft no matter how it's doing it

I'm fine with Speed 20 ft., swim 20 ft.

Come to think of it, I should have used "A giant nudibranch" in Waterbound not "a sea slug", since that's not the beast's name!

Should probably use "giant nudibranch" in Water Breathing instead of "blue glaucus" too, since presumably all standard giant nudibranches can only breath water.

I'm wondering whether it needs a few more Hit Dice to help it survive a few rounds of combat, although that would increase its Challenge a bit.

If I'm reading the CR Calculator correctly, giving it 104 (11d12 + 33) or 114 (12d12 + 36) would make it Challenge 3 if nothing else changes.

Where does the +2 on its cerata's poison damage come from?

It doesn't have any abilities with a +2 modifier, so the glaucus has either got an arbitrary bonii to the cerata's damage or it uses its Proficiency Bonus, which seems a bit odd. Would make it dice only - i.e. (#d#) poison damage - or use its CON modifier for (#d# + 3).

Oh, and finally. This whole thread is tagged as a Review thread rather than being a Conversion, 5E of Tagless thread. Can you remove the Review tag?

 

[Casimir Liber]

Gone with 114hp - planning on using them in a dungeon with Crab Folk, so thinking they should have significantly more hp than them.

The +2 is from proficiency I figured - I have removed it if no mechanic for it - I have added +3 for CON modifier as I like the idea of the poison being a bit meatier (given potency of some jellyfish poisons)

when I made the thread, it forced me to use "review" tag. Dunno why and I can't change it

 

[Cleon]

Gone with 114hp - planning on using them in a dungeon with Crab Folk, so thinking they should have significantly more hp than them.

Sounds good.

The +2 is from proficiency I figured - I have removed it if no mechanic for it - I have added +3 for CON modifier as I like the idea of the poison being a bit meatier (given potency of some jellyfish poisons)

So it's 3d6 + 3 poison damage now? That makes more sense to me.

when I made the thread, it forced me to use "review" tag. Dunno why and I can't change it

An old Homebrew thread once did the same thing to me, but then 5 months later I could remove the Review tag. It's some glitch of the boards.

 

[Casimir Liber]

Okay so looks like this..anything else needs doing? Oh...description...

 

[Cleon]

Okay so looks like this..anything else needs doing? Oh...description...

I think that Waterbound should start "A giant nudibranch" instead of "A sea slug" but apart from that I'm fine with it.

 

[Casimir Liber]

giant nudibranch