Post-game to collaboratively design a new monster: Morrusant

[Eloi]

Morrusant Hive Queen

A Morrusant Hive Queen probably takes special nutrients added to the second stage larvae, such as those found in a Barghest or Formian Myrmarch. The kind of things enterprising Morrusants would round up, before becoming a second stage proto-Hive Queen.

Normal progression of up to triple the base HD would work for the fighting elite, but the Hive Queen is probably a x5 HD special case, and Huge to boot, so she can retain mobility. That seems to be Chaotic Good's recurrent theme, Freedom and Mobiity. Hive Queens can travel about, heading off the likely expansion paths of Formians and staying in touch with each other to concentrate their troops when needed.

I'm thinking the Hive Queen probably has subsonic communication, with a ten or twelve mile range, the kind of thing every Morrusant can pick up on and respond to instantly. Up close, that's a mighty sound. This would also give those Morrusants in range of her "voice" an improved save vs mind control, charm, domination - shores up a weak point.

From 3 HD (our baseline) we might have a 4-6 HD range, and then a 7-9 HD range that was Medium sized. I see a +1 to a single stat at 4 HD, plus Evasion, and a fourth feat (Improved Initiative) at 6 HD. Probably gain Immunity to Poison at 5 HD, with a slight improvement to stinger poison (2d4+2 instead of 2d4 Dex) as the body gets better at redirecting stray poisons and concentrating them for deployment.

Growing to 7 HD and Medium size will mean the growth of two new arms, with twin-thumbed hands, and gaining a feat of choice, as well as +2 Leadership (Morrusant). This is when most Morrusants would begin sampling other paths (such as character levels). 8th and 9th HD probably come with racial boni that I am not ready to set in stone, and after 9th HD, gain character levels and keep hunting the required substances for second stage larvaehood.. or you could always help other Hive queens assemble what they need to start a new hive in a strategically critical place.

Have a Hive named after you! A little slice of immortality.

(edit - left a bit out, fixed it)

 

[runtime]

Ach, forgot to tack a rate onto the regeneration!

Regeneration 2

Also, the Magical Beast type gets 10 sided HD; with the Con of 12, and 3 HD posted earlier, that gives our Morrusant HP: 3d10+3 (19 hp)

How does Regeneration rate work? Does a Regeneration rate of 2 mean that the morrusant heals itself of 2 HP of nonlethal damage per round? The SRD is a little unclear: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/naturalSpecialAbilities.htm#regeneration

 

[Eloi]

The amazing regenerating Morrusant

How does Regeneration rate work? Does a Regeneration rate of 2 mean that the morrusant heals itself of 2 HP of nonlethal damage per round? The SRD is a little unclear: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/naturalSpecialAbilities.htm#regeneration

Weapons and attack forms that are not of the special kind (here, Evil aligned or Silver weapons) do nonlethal damage, which the Morrusant will heal at 2 hp per round.

Weapons and attack forms which are of the special kind (Evil or Silver) do lethal damage, the kind that normal rest and healing tend to. (Or friendly Clerics.)

So the same Silver weapon that strikes fear into a Werewolf is also bad juju to a Morrusant.

Oh, yes, and suggested CR for a 3 HD Morrusant is 2. (2/3 its HD)

--keen, that's like a Pseudodragon's CR, without the one-shot capability of that super KO tail poison..

(edit - spelling)

 

[runtime]

Eloi, I distilled your notes into separate stat blocks (in post #1) and use standard stat block terminology were possible, though there is more number crunching to be done. I'm not sure how best to give the stat blocks for every HD advancement. I've been using d20srd.org's stat blocks for Monstrous Scorpions and Formians as a style guide.

- http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/monstrousScorpion.htm
- http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/formian.htm

 

[Herobizkit]

Special Attack: Breath Weapon. Once every 3 rounds, the Morrus Ant (?) can expel a flesh-rending cone of biting and stinging insects. All persons with the cone suffer 3d8 points of damage, Reflex save for half. In addition to damage, the insects remain and form an insect swarm of an appropriate type.

 

[Eloi]

Thank you Runtime! I was making the steps from baseline 3 HD to 6 HD easy to track (in case someone wanted to try to play one from CR 2 or have a "nice, er, 'animal-companion' you've got there.") A HD, a feat (first the Evasion and the +1 to a stat, then the Poison Immunity and associated poison improvement at 5, then Improved Inititatve at 6), a nudge to the BAB, a little push to the saves.. gradual improvements. Stat blocks, much as I like them, are mostly good for the GM who needs to whip out 3 Colossal Scorpions fast.

I figured that, by the time we got to 6 HD, we'd be at CR 4. Cocooning up to metamorphose into a Medium creature, I reckon, that'll take a good whack of downtime, which most parties need around then for training and such anyway. Then, with a 7 HD creature that's sprouted a pair of arms (with dual thumbs, even), there's room for flexibility in the Morrusant's future. Hello CR 5.

Herobizkit, that breath attack is really pretty powerful, probably worth +1 CR all by itself. Besides, I wasn't thinking of a Morrusant being infested with stinging and biting insects like that - the things make noise, which is something an ambush hunter is going to avoid like the plague. Would you care to create your own collaborative-design monster?

 

[Herobizkit]

Heh, then what about breaking all the rules and allowing the creature to shapechange/polymorph/whatever into a swarm of non-flying insects?

 

[Dinkeldog]

A new creature really belongs in House Rules, so off we go!

 

[JimAde]

Heh, then what about breaking all the rules and allowing the creature to shapechange/polymorph/whatever into a swarm of non-flying insects?

Actually there's a template for that in Libris Mortis, but you have to be undead to get it.

 

[catdragon]

Actually there's a template for that in Libris Mortis, but you have to be undead to get it.

Only if you stick to the rules....

Anyhow, i don't think the Morrisant is the type of oddness (an aberration perhaps?) that this ability would be an add.