Obliviax

[dhaga]

Obliviax (Memory Moss)
Type: Fine Plant
Hit Dice: ½ d8 (2 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 0 ft.
AC: 18 (+8 size)
Attacks: Stolen Spells
Damage: by spell
Face/Reach: 0 ft by 0 ft / 0 ft
Special Attacks: Memory Steal
Special Qualities: Camouflage
Saves: Fort +1, Ref -, Will +5
Abilities: Str --, Dex --, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 9
Skills: none
Feats: Combat Casting
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Climate/Terrain: Any land
Organization: Patch (2 – 12)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: none
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Advancement: none

Will Save DC 16 to prevent loss of memory and spells.
Save DC for stolen spells is 10 + spell level.

If eating the obliviax, Fortitude Save DC 14. Success means the eater gains all stolen memories and spells. Failure means eater is physically ill for 1d4 hours, during which time he/she receives a –2 penalty to all attacks, saves, and skill checks.

Camouflage (Ex): a Spot or Wilderness Lore check, DC 20, is needed to distinguish an obliviax from normal moss.

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Well, here it is. As I expected, it's rough, but hopefully something can be salvaged from it. I believe BOZ posted the original flavor text above; it's not part of my conversion, as I have the original creature in my compendium.

 

[dhaga]

And now I've actually had time to read what you guys have been posting about the Obliviax, and also had time to better look over my conversion (which is more and more shoddy as I look at it )

I'm not sure why I decided it had no Str or Dex. I think it would probably have at least average Dex, and just enough Str to form its image of the caster (1?) Cha definitely needs to be bumped up, and Int too.

Its CR is really dependent on the spells available to it from its victims. If it tags a 1st level mage -- whoopie, 1 magic missile. But a 10th level mage? (who somehow fails the save) Ow.

I like the DR idea. DR 5/- would be really good.

SR 14 would be good; it'd give it a chance of surviving long enough to make a mess.

Blindsense 60 ft. -- good plan.

 

[BOZ]

OK, finally found the time to write up some text for this fella, so i updated its entry.


Steal Memories (Su): An obliviax can steal the memories of any intelligent creature within 60 feet as a standard action. The affected creature must succeed on a DC 14 Will save or lose all memory of the last 24 hours. If the target is a spellcaster that prepares spells, all prepared spells are lost until the target rests to prepare them again. If the target is a spellcaster that does not need to prepare spells, the target loses all unused spell slots until he rests again. An affected creature (takes X points of Wisdom damage? suffers the effects of a confusion spell for X rounds?) and becomes baffled and disoriented, with the memories of the previous day blanked out. Surrounding the moss with lead will block its powers totally. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Mossling (Su): An obliviax can form a part of itself into a tiny moss immitation of the creature whose memories it most recently stole, as a standard action. The mossling allows the obliviax to cast any spells it has stolen, to defend itself. If the obliviax stole the memories of a spellcaster that does not need to prepare spells, then the remaining spell slots are chosen randomly from the caster's available spells. The save DCs of the stolen spells (are the same as the original caster?)

I'm probably getting ahead of myself, but I think its feat should be Ability Focus (memory theft), since that is its one schtick.

actually, that sounds just perfectly fine.

I'm not sure why I decided it had no Str or Dex. I think it would probably have at least average Dex, and just enough Str to form its image of the caster (1?)

actually, you were perfectly correct. since it is an immobile creature, it gets no Str or Dex score.

 

[demiurge1138]

I like the idea of Wisdom damage upon stolen memories. And I say the save DCs are determined by the obliviax's Charisma score. Because if we let it be equal to the saves of the original spellcaster, it opens up a whole can of worms. Would it get DC increases from the caster's feats, for example? And it makes the obliviax a bit more even in power for its CR - a combat with an obliviax would be highly effected by the competence of the wizard they stole from otherwise, which doesn't really fit nicely with the CR system as a whole.

Better to make the DCs straight Cha based, I think.

Demiurge out.

 

[Shade]

I'm fine with that. We'll also need to figure out its caster level for the stolen spells. Basing it off its HD would be too weak, while remembering the caster level of its previous victims could be a bookkeeping nightmare.

 

[BOZ]

not necessarily. once the spell is cast, the energy is gone for good (i.e., the moss doesn't get to recast it again at some future point unless stolen again).

so the stealing would cause wisdom damage (1d3 maybe?) but not a confusion effect?

is there a creature out there which has a detect thoughts ability? i can't think of one at the moment but i'm sure there is...

 

[demiurge1138]

Raksashas and doppelgangers both have detect thoughts.

We could do both wisdom damage and confusion, but I thought of the "disorientation" was the symptom of the wisdom damage, not a seperate effect.

Demiurge out.

 

[dhaga]

I've always preferred to let the players roleplay the effect of suddenly losing the last 24 hours of memories, rather than add an actual Confusion effect.

I would say 1d3 Wis damage would be sufficient.

 

[Shade]

Here's how the xerfilstyx handles it:

"Any creature caught in the breath weapon's area must make a Will save (DC 22) or suffer the effects of a modify memory spell (caster level 20th) that erases all recollection of the encounter with the xerfilstyx up until the point just after its breath weapon was used. A xerfilstyx uses this ability not only to deal damage but also to possibly end a combat that has turned against it. The save DC is Constitution-based."

"Memory Theft (Su): A creature attached to a xerfilstyx's tail must make a Will save (DC 22) or be subject ot a modify memory spell (caster level 20th). (This effect is identical to the memory-altering effects of the xerfilstyx's breath weapon. The save DC is Charisma-based."

And here's the modify memory spell:

Modify Memory
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Brd 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 round; see text
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One living creature
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

You reach into the subject’s mind and modify as many as 5 minutes of its memories in one of the following ways.

• Eliminate all memory of an event the subject actually experienced. This spell cannot negate charm, geas/quest, suggestion, or similar spells.
• Allow the subject to recall with perfect clarity an event it actually experienced.
• Change the details of an event the subject actually experienced.
• Implant a memory of an event the subject never experienced.

Casting the spell takes 1 round. If the subject fails to save, you proceed with the spell by spending as much as 5 minutes (a period of time equal to the amount of memory time you want to modify) visualizing the memory you wish to modify in the subject. If your concentration is disturbed before the visualization is complete, or if the subject is ever beyond the spell’s range during this time, the spell is lost.

A modified memory does not necessarily affect the subject’s actions, particularly if it contradicts the creature’s natural inclinations. An illogical modified memory is dismissed by the creature as a bad dream or a memory muddied by too much wine.

 

[BOZ]

updating this entry...