Special Conversion Thread: Finishing off the oozes

[Cleon]

Sounds good. Updated.

Okay, I've given the Updated stat-block a closer look and there are some errors.

The attack damage seem to be from the previous monster - slam +1 melee (1d6 plus 1d6 acid plus paralysis), since goop ghouls don't add acid damage and have weapon-use as well. How about the sample goop ghoul using the Morningstar I proposed earlier? I'm also wondering whether 1d6 is too much slam damage for such a lightweight Ooze, so downgrade it to d4? That would make it:

Attack/Full Attack: Morningstar +1 melee (1d8 plus paralysis) or Slam +2 melee (1d4 plus paralysis)

Note this includes your proposed Weapon Focus (Slam) and my preference of the goop ghoul coating its weapons with anaesthetising slime. (Speaking of that, if it doesn't slime-coat weapons its skeleton holds that would be another advantage of incorporating artificial weapons into its skeletons, since it could paralyse foes by punching them with handax, ah "hands".)

The Special Attacks also look like they're left over from a previous monster - adhesive and explosive acid? Our current list is:

Special Attacks: Attach to skeleton, engulf, paralysis, split

That's assuming we don't stick Attach to Skeleton in Special Qualities, were it may make more sense ... nah, it includes weapon-use, so belongs in Attacks.

Oh, and I like the name "Splitlings" for a small group of goop ghouls.

 

[freyar]

I expect that most of the errors are just copy-and-pastes that haven't been changed yet.

I like the idea of "sliming" the weapons to provide paralysis. I think I'd put claw in the attack line, though.

The suggested weight, etc, sounds good.

 

[Cleon]

I expect that most of the errors are just copy-and-pastes that haven't been changed yet.

I like the idea of "sliming" the weapons to provide paralysis. I think I'd put claw in the attack line, though.

The suggested weight, etc, sounds good.

Ta, yes I was assuming it was the dreaded copy-and-paste error too.

As for the claw attack, it works for for. An undead human warrior's skeleton does 1d4 damage, same as the goop ghoul's slam, so it makes no difference damage wise. Should we apply the critters Weapon Focus to its claw attack? I'm guessing it spends a lot of its time using natural weaponry of the skeletons it rides. That'd make it:

Attack/Full Attack: Morningstar +1 melee (1d8 plus paralysis) or Claw +2 melee (1d4 plus paralysis)[Human skeleton] or Slam +1 melee (1d4 plus paralysis)[Ooze pseudopod]

 

[Shade]

Updated.

Let's stick with Weapon Focus (slam), as it really needs to hit with its original form. If you'd like, we could give it Weapon Focus (claw) as a bonus feat, and note in the flavor text that a goop ghoul instinctively knows how to use a skeleton's natural weaponry effectively.

 

[freyar]

Updated.

Let's stick with Weapon Focus (slam), as it really needs to hit with its original form. If you'd like, we could give it Weapon Focus (claw) as a bonus feat, and note in the flavor text that a goop ghoul instinctively knows how to use a skeleton's natural weaponry effectively.

That sounds like the right approach. In fact, does it have to take WF (claw) as a bonus feat since it doesn't actually have a claw?

 

[Cleon]

Updated.

Let's stick with Weapon Focus (slam), as it really needs to hit with its original form. If you'd like, we could give it Weapon Focus (claw) as a bonus feat, and note in the flavor text that a goop ghoul instinctively knows how to use a skeleton's natural weaponry effectively.

Two Weapon Focus feats with one as a bonus feat would work for me, I'd think having Weapon Focus (slam) as the bonus makes more sense as the goop ghoul is more likely to be inherently/instinctively good with its pseudopod and then learn how to be good with claws.

After a look at your update there's a minor formatting error on the attach line (no closing bracket after the slam attack) and I don't think we need the "fused weapon" bit after the morningstar since don't goop ghouls usually wield weapons normally using their skeleton's hands.

That'd make it:

Attack: Slam +2 melee (1d4 plus paralysis) or claw +2 melee (1d4 plus paralysis)[Human skeleton] or morningstar +1 melee (1d8 plus paralysis)
Feats: Weapon Focus (claw), Weapon Focus (slam)B

 

[Shade]

That sounds like the right approach. In fact, does it have to take WF (claw) as a bonus feat since it doesn't actually have a claw?

Yeah, I don't believe it can take the feat for that very reason. But a bonus feat seems possible with only a slight stretch of reason.

Two Weapon Focus feats with one as a bonus feat would work for me, I'd think having Weapon Focus (slam) as the bonus makes more sense as the goop ghoul is more likely to be inherently/instinctively good with its pseudopod and then learn how to be good with claws.

See above. I don't believe it can actually take the feat since it doesn't possess a claw in its natural form. A bonus feat seems more likely. The end result is the same, though, so we shouldn't worry too much about it.

After a look at your update there's a minor formatting error on the attach line (no closing bracket after the slam attack) and I don't think we need the "fused weapon" bit after the morningstar since don't goop ghouls usually wield weapons normally using their skeleton's hands.

That'd make it:

Attack: Slam +2 melee (1d4 plus paralysis) or claw +2 melee (1d4 plus paralysis)[Human skeleton] or morningstar +1 melee (1d8 plus paralysis)
Feats: Weapon Focus (claw), Weapon Focus (slam)B

The "fused weapon" text is probably poor wording, but I do feel we need to note how it is wielding a morningstar, as it can't do so in its natural form. How about "morningstar +1 melee (1d8 plus paralysis)[wielded as human skeleton]"?

 

[freyar]

I thought the morningstar was used in the "pile of weapons" form. I think I am a touch confused here.

 

[Shade]

I thought the morningstar was used in the "pile of weapons" form. I think I am a touch confused here.

Ahh...OK, I was a bit confused.

The original text seemed to indicate that a goop ghoul that took over a skeleton would often keep its weapons.

 

[freyar]

Ahh...OK, I was a bit confused.

The original text seemed to indicate that a goop ghoul that took over a skeleton would often keep its weapons.

That's also true. I guess we need to decide which weapon we're writing up (or should we add another option for the pile of weapons form?).