Special Conversion Thread: Microscopic Monsters
- Thread starter Shade
- Start date
Cleon
Legend
It seems closest to a Gore natural weapon. Do we want to bother with the special penetration rules? It seems counter to 3E's ethos.
Statwise, I think we can modify the Peridinium.
With its speed of 15" the Ceratium is 3" faster (= 40 ft. swim?), and its AC is one better. I'm tempted to give it Dex 12-13 to account for that, since I don't see anything to suggest its better armoured than a Peridinium.
Do you want to give it a +1 Strength bonus and a 1d4 attack or a 1d6 attack and Str 10 like a Peridinium?
freyar
Extradimensional Explorer
Let's do a +1 Str bonus and 1d4 attack for variety.
I don't know what to do about the natural weapon, really. The funny penetration bit is its schtick, but I agree that it runs counter to 3E principles. One thing that seems viable would be to let it get +Dex and +Str on the attack bonus or something. I just don't know.
I don't know what to do about the natural weapon, really. The funny penetration bit is its schtick, but I agree that it runs counter to 3E principles. One thing that seems viable would be to let it get +Dex and +Str on the attack bonus or something. I just don't know.
Shade
Monster Junkie
That works for me.
Dungeonscape has drills in the new equipment. Essentially, they just ignore hardness of certain types of materials and create holes through which a Listen or Spot check can be made (with penalties).
I suppose we could treat it a bit like a harpoon (If it deals damage, the harpoon lodges in an opponent who fails a Reflex saving throw of DC 10 + the damage dealt: TThe harpooned creature can pull the harpoon from its wound if it has two free hands and takes a full-round action to do so, but it deals damage to itself equal to the initial damage the harpoon dealt. A character who succeeds on a DC 15 Heal check can remove a harpoon without further damage.)
freyar
Extradimensional Explorer
While a drill has the same flavor in some sense, it's just not a good analogy mechanically. I unfortunatey don't like the harpoon either, since it leaves the critter stuck to the victim. Just thinking: what if we give it something like a duelist's precise strike (some extra damage) vs opponents in light or no armor and w/o shields? We can remove some restrictions if you like.
Shade
Monster Junkie
I'm all for it!
freyar
Extradimensional Explorer
Something like this?
Penetrating Strike (Ex): The twisting motion of a ceratium's gore attack allows it to penetrate light armors, striking with extra force. A ceratium that hits a creature with no or light armor deals an extra +X hp of damage. The attack cannot penetrate medium or heavy armor and is easily deflected by a shield, so opponents using shields or medium or heavy armor do not take the extra damage when hit.
X could be +1d6 or +1d4 along the lines of the duelist or just +1x or 2xStr, as we like. Let's also see whether Cleon likes the idea at all.
Penetrating Strike (Ex): The twisting motion of a ceratium's gore attack allows it to penetrate light armors, striking with extra force. A ceratium that hits a creature with no or light armor deals an extra +X hp of damage. The attack cannot penetrate medium or heavy armor and is easily deflected by a shield, so opponents using shields or medium or heavy armor do not take the extra damage when hit.
X could be +1d6 or +1d4 along the lines of the duelist or just +1x or 2xStr, as we like. Let's also see whether Cleon likes the idea at all.
Cleon
Legend
That's fine by me.
Something like this?
Penetrating Strike (Ex): The twisting motion of a ceratium's gore attack allows it to penetrate light armors, striking with extra force. A ceratium that hits a creature with no or light armor deals an extra +X hp of damage. The attack cannot penetrate medium or heavy armor and is easily deflected by a shield, so opponents using shields or medium or heavy armor do not take the extra damage when hit.
X could be +1d6 or +1d4 along the lines of the duelist or just +1x or 2xStr, as we like. Let's also see whether Cleon likes the idea at all.
I like the Penetrating Strike a lot! Make it double damage (triple on a critical). Hmm, maybe it does triple damage on ALL criticals (e.g. including heavier armours and shields), since it happens to find a weak spot or gap to drill through?
Also, since we're going for a "Rapier Microbe" I think we should give it Weapon Finesse!
Hmm, I think we've got enough for a Working Draft based on the Peridinium. How's this?:
Ceratium, Giant
Small Ooze (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 1d10+4 (9 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: Swim 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (+1 size, +1 Dex, +2 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-3
Attack: Gore +2 melee (1d4+1/×3)
Full Attack: Gore +2 melee (1d4+1/×3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Penetrating strike
Special Qualities: Blind, blindsight 60 ft., ooze traits
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +1, Will -5
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 12, Con 19, Int —, Wis 1, Cha 1
Skills: Swim +9
Feats: Weapon Finesse (B)
Environment: Any aquatic
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 1/2 ?
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 2 HD (Small); 3-4 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: —
Penetrating Strike (Ex): The twisting motion of a ceratium's gore attack allows it to penetrate light armors, striking with extra force. A ceratium that hits a creature with no or light armor deals double damage (2d4+2), or triple damage (3d4+3) on a confirmed critical. The attack cannot penetrate medium or heavy armor and is easily deflected by a shield, so opponents using shields or medium or heavy armor do not take the extra damage when hit.
Cleon
Legend
Not that happy with the tactics writeup. Should we be using "apical"?
How's this:
Giant ceratium are photosynthetic, but hunt smaller aquatic organisms to supplement this diet of sunlight. Ceratium rotate their bodies to twist their protruding spike into prey, creating a drill-like gore attack.
Same size and weight as a Small Peridinium? (2 ft. diameter and 100 pounds)
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