Should the mustard jelly have an int score?

[the Jester]

In older editions, the mustard jelly had average intelligence. Now, granted that oozes, like vermin, have no intelligence score as a "type trait" if you will... However, the mustard jelly was cool, intelligent and had a good backstory.

Now, I know all the conversions of it I've seen have Int -, but why not keep the coolness?

I see two ways to do this:

1) It's an aberration, not an ooze. This avoids the pesky issue of that type trait.

or, 2) Make it an ooze with intelligence (I like this one better).

But wait, you say, oozes have no int score! Well, I can cite several instances where, f'rinstance, plants have skills and feats like fey (treants) or one type of creature has at least some traits of another type.

But my biggest precedent is the Puppet Master vermin in the Psionics HB. It's a vermin with an intelligence score!

What do you all think?

 

[Grazzt]

PLants having skills like fey creatures or whatever is not the same as making the mustard jelly sentient though.

I myself would lean toward the aberration idea you suggested. Just make it an aberration and give it the ooze traits (sans the immunity to mind-affecting attacks).

 

[the Jester]

While I agree that plants having skills like fey isn't the same, what about the puppet master? That's the real precedent I'm citing.

Anyone comfortable with this?

 

[BOZ]

i have to agree - the mustard jelly w/out intelligence just isn't right. i favor making it an ooze with an int score, but keep the immunity to mind-affecting (yep, i'm evil like that).

 

[MissHappen]

Slimy Thoughts

I'm with Boz on that. Give it a brain that works, but nobody non-oozelike can understand it.

-MsM

 

[Crothian]

I'll admit I'm pretty much pro ooze on all the ooze related issues

I say give it a score and just make surte you note that it is an exception. I've run into the same problem with ooze familars. They have no natural armor and no Int, so unless the rules are severle changed and ooze familiar is worthless.

 

[the Jester]

Ooh, a precedent!

Just thought I'd mention that there is a precedent for an intelligent ooze: the worm that walks.

 

[Gez]

While I agree that plants having skills like fey isn't the same, what about the puppet master? That's the real precedent I'm citing.

It's a bogus precedent. The psionics handbook assume that psionics is magic, but then psionical creatures are assumed to be non-magical (the brain mole is an animal, the puppeteer is a vermin), that's obviously bogus, bogus, bogus, they should be magical beasts.

 

[Knight Otu]

IIRC, the D20 Modern puppeteer does not have an Int score...

 

[demiurge1138]

Some (very few, but some) oozes are intelligent. But I would probably just make it an aberration with ooze traits (even mind-effecting immunity and bonus hp). That should satisfy the strictist rules-lawyers

Demiurge out.