Special Conversion Thread: Microscopic Monsters

[Shade]

Explicit is good <begins work on "Creature Catalog: After Dark">

Updated.

Organization: Solitary or colony (2–12)?

Challenge Rating: 1?

A typical giant peridinium is 4(?) feet long/in diameter and weighs about x pounds.

 

[Cleon]

Explicit is good <begins work on "Creature Catalog: After Dark">

Updated.

Sounds like a "Specialist Interest" second volume of The Book of Erotic Fantasy...

Organization: Solitary or colony (2–12)?

Challenge Rating: 1?

Both the above are fine.

A typical giant peridinium is 4(?) feet long/in diameter and weighs about x pounds.

That's too big for a Small creature. I would make the Large ones Beholder size (6-8' dia), which would mean the Medium ones are 3-4' and the Small ones 18"-2'.

Since they float in water, they must have the same density. A 2' sphere of water weighs ~260 pounds, an 18" one 110 pounds.

I'd assume the diameter includes spines and "knobbly bits", so a 2' dia specimen is roughly equal to a 18" dia sphere, and make it:

"A typical giant peridinium is 2 feet in diameter and weighs about 100 pounds, they can grow to over 6 feet across and 4,000 pounds or more in weight."

 

[Shade]

Sounds good (except for the Erotic Fantasy bit ).

For the tactics, are we making them aggressive, or simply firing in self-defense? (Or, Han Solo original flavor or Special Edition?)

 

[freyar]

Since they photosynthesize, they wouldn't be hunters, so I'd think they're not too aggressive. Make it mostly self-defense --- unless they're manipulated/controlled by something (like that other monster mentioned in the adventure/article).

 

[Cleon]

Since they photosynthesize, they wouldn't be hunters, so I'd think they're not too aggressive. Make it mostly self-defense --- unless they're manipulated/controlled by something (like that other monster mentioned in the adventure/article).

It says "They survive primarily by photosynthesis", but primarily does not mean exclusively. The general information on dinoflagellants in that article says "Most of them are capable of engulfing food particles, however, and some have completely lost their brown pigment and survive only by scavenging or predation."

A trichocyst is a structure used to capture prey, so I think we can safely say these things are predators as well as photosynthesisers.

Now, a trichocyst is usually a filament that entangles a victim, but some bacteria shoot trichocyst filaments with sharp points to harpoon prey - the Peridinium we're converting seems to use those kinds of trichocyst. Should we add a "pierce and draw in" mechanism to the trichocyst to allow it to harpoon prey, keep them crossbow bolt like attacks, or add "harpoon" and "net" Peridinium as variants of the "bolt-thrower"?

 

[freyar]

Eh, ok, fair enough. We can use a draw-in mechanism if you like -- we should already have one lying around somewhere (cave fisher, I think).

 

[Shade]

Since it actually impales, rather than relying upon adhesive, the bonespear is probably a better model than the cave fisher.

Attach (Ex): If a bonespear hits with a horn attack, the horn buries itself in its target, held in place by numerous barbs on the horn's surface. EAch round thereafter that a creature remains impaled by a horn, it takes additional horn damage automatically and incurs a cumulative -1 circumstance penalty on attack rolls, saves, and skill checks. On the bonespear's turn in subsequent rounds, it attempts to drag its prey closer (see below).

A single attack with a slashing weapon against a tendon (made as an attempt to sunder a weapon) that deals at least 15 points of damage severs a horn from its tendon. A creature impaled by a severed horn takes 1d6 points of damage per round automatically until the horn is removed. Removing a horn (a full-round action) deals 2d8 points of damage to the victim, but if the character removing the horn makes a successful Heal check (DC 20), this damage is reduced to 1d4 points.

Drag: After spearing a victim, a bonespear attempts to drag the victim closer on the bonespear's turn in each subsequent round. This activity resembles the bull rush maneuver, except that the bonespear drags its victim 10 feet closer +1 foot for each point by which its Strength check exceeds the victim's. The bonespear gains a +4 bonus on its drag check if it is set in its immobile stance. Against a Medium victim, the bonespear's Strength modifier is +10, or +14 if it is set in its stance.

A bonespear can draw in a creature from a distance of 10 feet or less and bite with a +4 bonus on its attack roll in the same round.

Horns (Ex): Most encounters with a bonespear begin when it fires its two horns. If a horn misses its intended target, it is quickly reeled in. Reeling in a horn is a full-round action. Each horn has a range of 60 feet (no range increment). A bonespear will always try to hit a single target with both horns, but is capable of attaching to two different targets at the same time.

 

[Cleon]

Since it actually impales, rather than relying upon adhesive, the bonespear is probably a better model than the cave fisher.

After mulling it over, I would rather give it "fire and forget" trichocysts like the original. If we do have a reeling-in version I'd prefer it as a subentry.

The bonespear seems a reasonable basis for the harpooning version, though.

 

[Shade]

After mulling it over, I would rather give it "fire and forget" trichocysts like the original. If we do have a reeling-in version I'd prefer it as a subentry.

I'm perfectly content with just the "vanilla" version.

 

[freyar]

Let's just stick with one version. It's nice to have an easy monster for a change. Make it like crossbows.