Roper strands

[robberbaron]

Blood loss?
Feeding on 'Life Force'?
Feeding on the body's electrical energy?

 

[Henry]

I think the problem is describing it as an Extraordinary ability. That is SO supernatural to me, from description. If it's not a blood drain (and a stirge's blood drain causes CON loss, not STR), and it's not poison, then it would stand to reason it's magical in some fashion.

 

[Matthias_Gloom]

Blood loss?
Feeding on 'Life Force'?
Feeding on the body's electrical energy?

I actually like the electrical energy idea. It could emenate an electrical field that doesn't cause physical damage, but weakens the muscles. Think Tazer.

 

[Henry]

I actually like the electrical energy idea. It could emenate an electrical field that doesn't cause physical damage, but weakens the muscles. Think Tazer.

But then, I would think Electricity Resistance would work against that. As a DM, I wouldn't feel comfortable with it, and as a player, I'd probably balk at that being the explanation. Just a general "it's magic," I'd have no problem with, but passing it off as nonmagical, yet not as a poison, disease, etc. I can't feel comfy with.

MMM.. perhaps a microscopic parasitic organism that causes the fort save? It infests the muscles, and causes an almost instantaneous paralysis?

 

[lukelightning]

Sheesh, why all this problem with the roper strand? We don't worry about how dragons can fly despite being so large!

 

[Henry]

Sheesh, why all this problem with the roper strand? We don't worry about how dragons can fly despite being so large!

At least they have wings and a token stab at plausibility. Men shooting fireballs use magic to do so. Clerics have gods for their healing. Ropers got nothing. It can't be a poison, can't be magic, so there's not much left. It's not out of place to want an explanation, even a sort-of flimsy one.

 

[mmu1]

The strength gets sucked into the vacuum created by all the holes popping up in the logic behind it.

I think the Roper is a good example of a legitimate problem with the design of many monsters - design that is either sloppy or that intentionally ignores the rules (both official and unwritten ones) of the D&D universe.

 

[werk]

The strength gets sucked into the vacuum created by all the holes popping up in the logic behind it.

I think the Roper is a good example of a legitimate problem with the design of many monsters - design that is either sloppy or that intentionally ignores the rules (both official and unwritten ones) of the D&D universe.

Absolutely, you can tell that they knew what they wanted it to be able to do, and how that should look and feel, but the rules couldn't do it exactly the way they wanted.

Non-energy, non-magic, non-poison strength drain...must be magnets!

 

[darthkilmor]

And their tentacles nonmagically sap strength.

How does this happen, an instantaneous no save poison? Negative energy connection? Any flavor text explanation for a DM to more than vaguely state "it saps your strength."?

similar to...

Crippling Strike (Ex)

A rogue with this ability can sneak attack opponents with such precision that her blows weaken and hamper them. An opponent damaged by one of her sneak attacks also takes 2 points of Strength damage. Ability points lost to damage return on their own at the rate of 1 point per day for each damaged ability.

?

 

[Henry]

similar to...

Ah, so pressure points with no damage, then? Could possibly work.... but that's one HECK of a pressure point.