Special Conversion Thread: Finishing off the oozes

[Cleon]

You know, you have acid and Con damage anyway.

Have to head out, so I'll need to do that draft SQ later. Will try to remember tonight...

I can wait...

 

[freyar]

Will do that now...

Growth (Su): A flareater can eat a non-magical light source, such as a lamp or torch, by smothering it, automatically putting it out (the flareater cannot eat a carried light source unless it first makes a disarm check to cause the creature carrying the light to drop it). For each light source that the flareater eats, it gains one positive level. Alternately, a flareater may absorb light produced magically by merely moving into magical light. This automatically cancels the magical light effect as long as the flareater remains in the area of effect, and the flareater gains one positive level per 2 caster levels of the light effect.

When the flareater has gained 6 positive levels, it automatically splits into two 6HD flareaters, a process which takes 4 full rounds. During this time, the flareater is staggered. Any hit point damage the flareater takes during this process is split between the two children.



Not sure about this. I'm particularly unsure about what to do about sources like everburning torches. It doesn't seem right that the flareater could move into the light, move out, move back in, and get double benefit. Etc.

 

[Cleon]

Will do that now...

Growth (Su): A flareater can eat a non-magical light source, such as a lamp or torch, by smothering it, automatically putting it out (the flareater cannot eat a carried light source unless it first makes a disarm check to cause the creature carrying the light to drop it). For each light source that the flareater eats, it gains one positive level. Alternately, a flareater may absorb light produced magically by merely moving into magical light. This automatically cancels the magical light effect as long as the flareater remains in the area of effect, and the flareater gains one positive level per 2 caster levels of the light effect.

When the flareater has gained 6 positive levels, it automatically splits into two 6HD flareaters, a process which takes 4 full rounds. During this time, the flareater is staggered. Any hit point damage the flareater takes during this process is split between the two children.



Not sure about this. I'm particularly unsure about what to do about sources like everburning torches. It doesn't seem right that the flareater could move into the light, move out, move back in, and get double benefit. Etc.

A flareater cancels out magical light sources it devours, the relevant text describes it "absorbing the magical light, and cancelling its effects."

I'd also suggest it only absorbs spells with the Light descriptor. The SRD has flare, light, dancing lights, faerie fire, continual flame, daylight, sunbeam and sunburst.

That reminds me, we should rule something about what natural sunlight does to them. They oughtn't to grow, or they'd cover the entire world in a few months! I suggest saying that they do not grow in sunlight, and that Light spells that harm fungi (i.e. sunbeam and sunburst) damage Flareeaters instead of causing them to grow.

 

[freyar]

I take it you're talking about listing only specific magical light effects that it can eat, since you're ruling out some of the Light descriptor spells.

I did have it cancelling the effects of the light spell, but with a "duration" in a sense; I guess you'd prefer an instantaneous cancellation.

If that's how you wanted it, I'll try to work that in.

 

[Cleon]

I take it you're talking about listing only specific magical light effects that it can eat, since you're ruling out some of the Light descriptor spells.

I was thinking something like "a flareeater can absorb any spell with the Light descriptor unless it is a spell that harms Oozes (such as sunbeam or sunburst), such Light spells are not absorbed and affect the flareater normally."

I did have it cancelling the effects of the light spell, but with a "duration" in a sense; I guess you'd prefer an instantaneous cancellation.

If that's how you wanted it, I'll try to work that in.

Could you clarify more about what you mean by "a "duration" in a sense"? I don't want the flareater to suppress the light for a while, I would like it to completely dispel/remove the light effect.

 

[freyar]

That's fine, we can make it an instantaneous dispel. Hmmm, should the flareater need to make a dispel check?

Proposal:

Growth (Su): A flareater can eat a non-magical light source, such as a lamp or torch, by smothering it, automatically putting it out (the flareater cannot eat a carried light source unless it first makes a disarm check to cause the creature carrying the light to drop it). For each light source that the flareater eats, it gains one positive level. Alternately, a flareater may absorb any spell with the Light descriptor unless it is a spell that harms Oozes (such as sunbeam or sunburst, which affect the flareater normally). The flareater gains one positive level for each level of the spell. A flareater cannot absorb natural daylight, starlight, or moonlight.

When the flareater has gained 6 positive levels, it automatically splits into two 6HD flareaters, a process which takes 4 full rounds. During this time, the flareater is staggered. Any hit point damage the flareater takes during this process is split between the two children.

 

[Cleon]

That's fine, we can make it an instantaneous dispel. Hmmm, should the flareater need to make a dispel check?

Proposal:

Growth (Su): A flareater can eat a non-magical light source, such as a lamp or torch, by smothering it, automatically putting it out (the flareater cannot eat a carried light source unless it first makes a disarm check to cause the creature carrying the light to drop it). For each light source that the flareater eats, it gains one positive level. Alternately, a flareater may absorb any spell with the Light descriptor unless it is a spell that harms Oozes (such as sunbeam or sunburst, which affect the flareater normally). The flareater gains one positive level for each level of the spell. A flareater cannot absorb natural daylight, starlight, or moonlight.

When the flareater has gained 6 positive levels, it automatically splits into two 6HD flareaters, a process which takes 4 full rounds. During this time, the flareater is staggered. Any hit point damage the flareater takes during this process is split between the two children.

That looks a lot better. I'd suggest a few changes:

First, I'd consider trimming the Light spell absorption down from 1/level, e.g.:

The flareater gains positive levels equal to half the spell level of the Light spell (minimum 1).
​

I'm not quite decided on that. The advantage of positive levels = spell level is that it makes it more conceivable that a flareater will actually use its split. In the time it would need to absorb a continual light and four torches it'd likely be killed by the PCs. Unless it already had some positive levels.

Secondly, the question of positive levels makes me realize advanced flareaters should be closer to splitting. Shouldn't we have something "If a flareater's hit dice plus its positive levels adds up to 12 or more, it automatically splits into two 6HD flareaters, a process which takes 4 full rounds."

Thirdly, cut the "During this time, the flareater is staggered." There's nothing to indicate the flareater is impaired in any way while splitting. The SRD Black Pudding and Ochre Jelly aren't staggered while splitting.

 

[freyar]

Those oozes split instantly, though. I guess, if you want to drop the staggered condition, I'd prefer to make this instantaneous, too. Strange, though, I must have interpolated that it couldn't do anything other than reproduce during those 4 rounds.

I prefer 1 positive level per spell level to make splitting more likely. I do agree on the advanced flareaters.

Anyway, can I get you to agree on instantaneous splitting? That will also make it more likely to occur during a fight.

 

[Cleon]

Those oozes split instantly, though. I guess, if you want to drop the staggered condition, I'd prefer to make this instantaneous, too. Strange, though, I must have interpolated that it couldn't do anything other than reproduce during those 4 rounds.

I prefer 1 positive level per spell level to make splitting more likely. I do agree on the advanced flareaters.

I can live with that. It matches the original getting two HD from absorbing a continual light (= continual flame).

Anyway, can I get you to agree on instantaneous splitting? That will also make it more likely to occur during a fight.

No objection to instantaneous splitting if Shade's OK with it.

Putting that together we'd get something like...

Growth (Su): A flareater can eat a non-magical light source, such as a lamp or torch, by smothering it, automatically putting it out (the flareater cannot eat a carried light source unless it first makes a disarm check to cause the creature carrying the light to drop it). For each light source that the flareater eats, it gains one positive level. Alternately, a flareater may absorb any spell with the Light descriptor, unless it is a spell that harms Oozes (such as sunbeam or sunburst), which affect the flareater normally. The flareater gains one positive level for each level of the spell. A flareater cannot absorb natural daylight, starlight, or moonlight.

If a flareater's hit dice plus its positive levels adds up to 12 or more, it automatically splits into two identical 6 HD flareaters, each with half of the original's current hit points (round down).

 

[freyar]

Looks good.

Do you think we should do a special attack for the "dropping on people" bit? Or just write it in the tactics?