Special Conversion Thread: Finishing off the oozes

[freyar]

So essentially, the aruchai are trapped within the blobbed form until they slay something else to replace them. Mechanically, this is a bit like a template that completely changes the creature. But in all honesty, this will only come into play as a plot device, so might just work as flavor text. Let's revisit that later.

We've mostly agreed that the aruchai transform into the creatures they kill and somehow transfer to that creature's home plane. The creature they killed becomes an arucha. Beyond that is a little fuzzy.

This is similar to an adherer's adhesive ability, or the farastu demodand's adhesive slime, albeit with the extra bonus of dealing acid damage (and possibly, a weapon's "death throes").

Adhesive (Ex): An adherer exudes a sour smelling glue-like substance that acts as a powerful adhesive, holding fast any creatures or items touching it, except for items made of stone. The adherer automatically grapples any creature it hits with its slam attack. Opponents so grappled cannot break free while the adherer is alive without removing the adhesive first.

A weapon that strikes an adherer is stuck fast unless the wielder succeeds on a DC 17 Reflex save. A successful DC 17 Strength check is needed to pry it off. The save and check DC are both Constitution-based and include a +4 racial bonus.

An application of boiling water thrown on the adherer deals 1d4 points of damage to it (and to any creature stuck to it). It also reduces both the Reflex save DC and the Strength check DC to 13 for one round. An application of fire deals damage to both the adherer and any creature stuck to it and weakens the adhesive (as above) for 1d3 rounds. An application of the universal solvent automatically dissolves the adhesive. An adherer can dissolve its adhesive at will, and the substance breaks down 1 hour after the creature dies.

Adhesive Slime (Ex): The thick, tarlike slime that farstus secrete acts as a powerful adhesive, holding fast creatures or items that touch it. Farastus have a +8 racial bonus on grapple checks and disarm checks due to their adhesive slime. A farastu frequently chooses to grapple its foes and then maul its enemies with natural attacks.

A weapon that strikes a farastu is stuck fast unless the wielder succeeds on a Reflex save (DC 17). Prying off a stuck weapon requires a Strength check (DC 17). The save DC is Constitution-based.

Lantern oil or some other flammable oil (such as alchemist's fire) dissolves the farstu's adhesive slime; the creature requires 10 minutes to renew its adhesive coating if doused with oil. A farastu can dissolve its adhesive slime at will, and the substance breaks down 1 minute after the creature dies.

I knew you'd remember what examples there were! We've basically agreed on this mechanic (though haven't thought about a solvent) but mostly for the weapons. Big Mac, if you agree, I'd like to go with sticking to creatures as well (and auto-grapple on a pseudopod attack, I guess). I suggested upthread doing X hp per round of acid damage and that weapons explode (as an acid flask?) when they reach 0 hp.

Essentially, just the g-cube's engulf and paralysis abilities with slightly different flavor text.

Well, I'd put paralysis with the pseudopod attack, but yeah. I also think that we should bump these to Medium size if we're using the standard Engulf, so they can Engulf Medium PCs. Should they be able to Engulf a creature they've grappled through their adhesive?

Basically, just an ability to merge numerous Small aruchai to form a really, really big one.

Right. Probably should have a separate stat block, though, since this will be beyond the normal advancement, I'd guess. You mention below Gargantuan for the size. However, 5 cubed is more than 100 already, so 100 aruchai merged together only gives something about 5 times bigger in each direction. So I could possibly see Huge for the smallest colonies, even if we go with Medium.

Immunity to cold

Yup.

Damage reduction x/magic?

Probably DR 5.

Simplify to vulnerability to acid and fire?

I'm fine with fire, but vulnerability to acid makes no sense to me, since their adhesive does acid damage. Any thoughts about that?

Let me know how all that meshes with what you've previously discussed.

Mostly pretty well.

 

[Shade]

I'm fine with starting at Medium, since 4' is the low end of the Medium size category.

Let's figure out ability scores. Int is Semi (2-4) to Low (5-7). Dex appears to be average due to AC 10. Spot checking a few other Medium oozes puts Con in the 15-21 range. Wis is probably average, but Cha could be decent due to their "strength of spirit".

Also, I found another adhesive ability, this time from another ooze.

Adhesive (Ex): A flotsam ooze exudes a sticky slime that holds fast any creature or item touching it. It automatically grapples any creature it hits with its slam attack. Opponents so grappled cannot get free while the ooze is alive. The ooze makes one additional slam attack each round against any creature stuck to it.

A weapon that strikes a flotsam ooze sticks fast unless the wielder makes a Reflex save (DC 12). A successful Strength check (DC 16) is needed to pry it off.

The adhesive can be weakened by soap or lye, but even in such a case the ooze gets a +4 bonus on grapple checks (for a total bonus of +7). The substance breaks down 5 rounds after the ooze dies.

 

[freyar]

Str 15, Dex 10, Con 18, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 15?

These adhesive abilities are about the same (which is nice), so I'm fine with copying from any of them. We just need to decide if there is a solvent and what it is.

 

[Shade]

Added to http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=224622&page=11&pp=15]Homebrews[/URL].

I'm fine with fire, but vulnerability to acid makes no sense to me, since their adhesive does acid damage. Any thoughts about that?

Agreed. Let's drop the vulnerability to acid.

 

[freyar]

Homebrews link?

 

[Shade]

Oops.

 

[Big Mac]

I'm liking where this is going, but am busy at the moment. I'll have a proper read through your stuff tommorrow (if ENWorld is still up). Otherwise have a nice weekend!

 

[freyar]

EN World is going to be down Thurs and Fri (and maybe the weekend) for upgrading as it is. (Oh, I see you seem to have noticed that!) But it's supposed to be visible, meaning we can read threads, at least...

Meanwhile, I think I'll go convert some other stuff. Maybe I can get that quelzarn finished.

 

[Big Mac]

Wow! I've fallen waaaay behind on this thread.

In order to try to catch up, let me break it apart and give you my initial thoughts:
<uber-snip>

I've falled way behind on this thread too.

Let me know how all that meshes with what you've previously discussed.

I don't see anything I disagree with.

We've mostly agreed that the aruchai transform into the creatures they kill and somehow transfer to that creature's home plane. The creature they killed becomes an arucha. Beyond that is a little fuzzy.

I'm a little bit lost to be honest. Hopefully, I haven't missed anything.

IIRC there is an ability (clerical) to dismiss outsiders back to their own plane. It feels like this is a parallel thing with the arucha somehow "stealing" the home plane (as well as the form) of its victim.

Here is something we haven't thought about yet: how fast does an aruchai hop over to its new plane? Does it wait for the end of the combat (in which case it might never get to happen unless you have a TPK) or does it instantly vanish as soon as someone gets absorbed and exuded?

I knew you'd remember what examples there were! We've basically agreed on this mechanic (though haven't thought about a solvent) but mostly for the weapons. Big Mac, if you agree, I'd like to go with sticking to creatures as well (and auto-grapple on a pseudopod attack, I guess). I suggested upthread doing X hp per round of acid damage and that weapons explode (as an acid flask?) when they reach 0 hp.

I would go further that this. I would want to go with it sticking to everything that touches it (not just creatures and weapons). And I want anything that isn't a valid target for engulfing to cause an explosion.

Well, I'd put paralysis with the pseudopod attack, but yeah. I also think that we should bump these to Medium size if we're using the standard Engulf, so they can Engulf Medium PCs. Should they be able to Engulf a creature they've grappled through their adhesive?

I'm onboard with medium size.

I thought adhesive was their only attack, so I'd go with them being able to engulf grappled creatures. I think there should be a short delay or additional attack roll (like the illithid extract brain) so that they don't get a 100 percent kill rate.

Right. Probably should have a separate stat block, though, since this will be beyond the normal advancement, I'd guess. You mention below Gargantuan for the size. However, 5 cubed is more than 100 already, so 100 aruchai merged together only gives something about 5 times bigger in each direction. So I could possibly see Huge for the smallest colonies, even if we go with Medium.

<snip>

Yes on immunity to cold. I'm not certain on DR 5, but I'll go along with you as I've got no idea of my own (apart from it needs good DR).

I'm fine with fire, but vulnerability to acid makes no sense to me, since their adhesive does acid damage. Any thoughts about that?

I think I mentioned this before. Does alkaline exist as a concept in D&D? Things like caustic soda are just as destructive as acid, but have a PH at the opposite end of the scale. So you could have a creature that has a alkaline attack and has acid vulnerability.

But if this concept doesn't exist, or if you think the monster is too complex for a GM, we could ignore the acid.

Both the adhesive abilities look good. I think I'll need to read 'em both and decide which is better.

I'm OK with the stats too. Should these creatures "steal" the stats of their victim after they transform?

These adhesive abilities are about the same (which is nice), so I'm fine with copying from any of them. We just need to decide if there is a solvent and what it is.

If we retain the acid vulnerabilty (i.e. make them have an alkaline attack) then acid could be a solvent. Otherwise I'd say that crushing the little red parasites would obviously give you something that stops the glue sticking.

I'm going to post what I've got now and keep reading.

 

[Big Mac]

Oops.

FYI: ENWorld have added a forum folder into the URL so:
http://www.enworld.org/showpost.php?p=4332432&postcount=391

Has become:
http://www.enworld.org/forum/showpost.php?p=4332432&postcount=391

I'm not sure if this is a permanant thing - the links might work again at the end of the update. But it means that pretty much all Creature Catalogue links are broken (and might stay broken).

vBulletin has a tag for linking from one thread to another thread (rather than using a hyperlink). I'm not sure if ENWorld have installed that tag on these forums, but it might be worth asking a moderator/admin if it is available here.​

That aside, I think you have pretty much got the stuff this creature uses on Limbo. What is left seems to include:

• the creation of the new Aruchai from the dead body (how long it takes for the new creature to come to life),
• the ability to jump from Limbo to the home plane of the victim and
• the transformation process on the home plane of the victim.

As the victim is already dead, I think it would be more interesting if the new aruchai sprouted from their remains very quickly (i.e. instantly, X combat rounds or X dX combat rounds). This would keep the transformation within the same encounter and add to the excitement.

I'd say the same for the aruchai phasing out and hopping off to its hijacked homeplane. I don't know if we want it to fade out or wink out, but it should be something the PCs can see. Maybe the text could even make it obvious where it is going. i.e. something like:

"Planehop (Su): A beam of eerie light surrounds the aruchai as it starts to excrete a molten bubbling mass that was once its victim. Anyone looking into the creature can see another plane on the opposite side of the creature. Anyone succeeding on a (spot?) check can make out details of the victim's birthplace. The DC for this check is X. After X rounds the original aruchai vanishes in a flash of light."​

This suggested text is a mess, but hopefully it gets across what I'm getting at. You might not want to go with the flash. (It already has enough flashy abilities! ) Maybe one of you knows of another creature that "planehops" in front of people.