Quick Gelatinous Cube question

[brunswick]

Hiya folks,

The text beneath the "Translucent" section of the Gelatinous Cube's stats says

"A gelatinous cube is invisible until seen (Perception DC25) or until it attacks. Creatures that fail to notice the gelatinous cube might walk into it, automatically becoming engulfed".

When it says 'might' walk into it, does that mean that a PC travelling down a passageway (and doesnt see it) automatically becomes engulfed or does s/he get some sort of 'save' to avoid blundering into it? Just curious.

Cheers,


Bruns.

 

[Ryujin]

Don't see it. Walk into a square occupied by it, without seeing it. Automatically engulfed. No hit roll. No 'save.'

 

[SabreCat]

Sounds like that Perception check is the one chance you get!

 

[Abstruse]

I'd use Passive Perception until it attacks unless they actively look for something on their own, then give them a roll just as they move into the square as a chance to stop short. That way, it won't blow the surprise because they'll find out about it one way or another after the roll.

 

[wedgeski]

"Might" in this case means, "if they're unlucky enough not to spot it and then unlucky enough to walk into it".

Of course, if you put a g-cube (yo) into a corridor only just wide enough for it to fit, and then have it walk towards the PC's, "might" quickly becomes "will", and then there's the screaming.

 

[brunswick]

Great - thanks for all the answers. I'm running a game this evening and they're gonna bump (quite literally) into one of these!

 

[Ryujin]

If you're feeling particularly kind, have the party's Eladrin (if any) be the one to walk into it. As it's translucent it blocks line of effect, but not line of sight, so he'll be able to teleport out of it.

 

[TarionzCousin]

Jello cubes are much easier to see if they have slices of banana in them.

 

[Nemesis Destiny]

Jello cubes are much easier to see if they have slices of banana in them.

Exactly!

So why are they so hard to see when all the pictures of them show bones, magic items and fleshy bits sticking out the side of them as they jiggle down the corridor? You'd think a seasoned adventurer would notice something like that. :/

 

[moxcamel]

Exactly!

So why are they so hard to see when all the pictures of them show bones, magic items and fleshy bits sticking out the side of them as they jiggle down the corridor? You'd think a seasoned adventurer would notice something like that. :/

Some years ago the DM described exactly that to us players: "just at the edge of your vision you see what looks like a bunch of bones, some coins, an old boot, and some other unidentifiable bits, all floating in the air."

Before anyone can get a word in...

The thief: "I walk up and prod it with my 10' pole."

DM: *rolls lots of dice and shakes his head.*

The rest of us howled with laughter. The thief lived, but only barely, and wound up having to replace a lot of his gear.