Special Conversion Thread: Plants

[Cleon]

I agree that a skill check is a better fit, and like both Escape Artist and Tumble.

So where are you on the great Dex/Ref controversy?

 

[Shade]

So where are you on the great Dex/Ref controversy?

I'm anti-Reflex save, and prefer Dex-based skill checks (Escape Artist and/or Tumble) to a straight Dex check.

 

[Cleon]

I'm anti-Reflex save, and prefer Dex-based skill checks (Escape Artist and/or Tumble) to a straight Dex check.

Well I'll go along with that so long as we drop the Dex check. I don't see the point to it, since Escape Artist can be used untrained.

Revising... (note I assumed the DC15 for the Escape/Tumble checks was OK)

Sword Grass (CR 1)
These dangerous plants grow a spray of leaf-blades from an underground stalk, These leaves are several feet long and razor sharp, but otherwise resemble ordinary long grass. A standard patch of sword grass has 1d6 stalks each occupying its own 5-ft square, but larger patches are not uncommon. A 5-ft square spray of sword grass has 5 hit points and can be cut down (AC 12, DR 5/slashing) or burned away. The sword grass will grow back with 1d3 weeks unless the plant's stalk and roots are pulled or dug out from the ground.

It requires a successful DC 20 check against Spot or Knowledge (nature) to recognize a patch of sword grass as a threat. Any creature that unknowingly moves into a square of sword grass it takes 1d8 slashing damage, halved with a successful DC 15 Reflex save. A creature that knows a 5-ft square contains sword grass can move through it slowly and carefully, taking no damage if they succeed at a DC 15 check using their Escape Artist or Tumble skill, or 1d4 slashing damage if they fail - such movement uses the rules for hampered movement. Any creature biting or grabbing a spray of sword grass (to uproot it, for example) automatically takes 1d8 slashing damage with no saving throw.

 

[freyar]

If that's settled, let's look at the numbers. I like the numbers Cleon already has, so I'd say it's about done. CR 1 is probably about right, too.

Edit: ninja'ed by Cleon! Looks done to me.

 

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

I removed the other Reflex save, as I see it as simply being hit by a sword. It's not like something is thrown at the victim or explodes in their vicinity...they simply walk into something sharp and get cut.

If you both feel strongly about keeping it, I'll put it back. But at CR 1, I think the equivalent of being hit by a longsword wielded by a creature with no Strength bonus doesn't need to be halved.

 

[Cleon]

Added to Homebrews.

I removed the other Reflex save, as I see it as simply being hit by a sword. It's not like something is thrown at the victim or explodes in their vicinity...they simply walk into something sharp and get cut.

If you both feel strongly about keeping it, I'll put it back. But at CR 1, I think the equivalent of being hit by a longsword wielded by a creature with no Strength bonus doesn't need to be halved.

I suppose I can go along with the no Ref save.

Just spotted the stray it in "Any creature that unknowingly moves into a square of sword grass it takes 1d8 slashing damage". I did a lot of fooling around with that sentence and it got left behind from a previous version.

So, the Sword Grass looks finished to me.

 

[Shade]

Next!

Razorweed
FREQUENCY Rare
NO. APPEARING: One patch
ARMOR CLASS: 0 on dry land, 4 in the water
MOVE: Nil
HIT DICE: 2 HD per square yard
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Incidental only
NO. OF ATTACKS: See below
DAMAGE/ATTACK: See below
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Destruction of armor
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Diffraction of water causes -1 to attackers’ “to hit” roll; see also below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 5%
INTELLIGENCE: Non-
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: L (2d20 x 10 square yards)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

Razorweed looks like normal aquatic grass, but both the sea and freshwater varieties are more blue in color than their normal counterparts. A player character has a chance of noticing its saw-toothed, sharp edges by casual inspection; this chance is equal to a percentile roll of 5% per intelligence point of the character. Anyone who deliberately examines the weed or who has encountered razorweed before has a 95% chance of knowing it for what it is.

Razorweed occurs most often in tropical seas and lakes, though occasional patches appear in temperate climates. A dry-land species that resembles a Spanish bayonet in size and shape is known as well.

Anyone falling or walking into a patch of razorweed suffers immediate slashing damage from the hundreds of bladelike leaves on the plant. This damage varies with the size and surface area of the victim. Human-shaped beings take 1d4 hp damage if they are 3’ or less in height; for every foot of height over 3’, an extra 1d4 hp damage is taken. Four-legged beings take 2d4 hp damage if 3’ high or less at the shoulders, and an extra 2d4 hp damage for every 1’ over that height.

All cloth, leather, and paper goods exposed to razor-weed attacks must save vs. normal blow each round or else be cut to pieces. Ropes and items of thin wood (½” or less in thickness) must also save or be destroyed. Leather and padded armor are reduced in AC value one step for each round exposed to this growth, and ring, scale, and studdedleather armor are reduced one step every three rounds they are in razorweed. Other armors are immune to this effect, as they cannot be so easily slashed apart. Any damaged armor remains in damaged condition until repaired by qualified armorers, tailors, and leather-workers (see page 29, DMG). Magical armor loses its magical powers if the saving throw noted above is failed.

Any treasure found in a patch of this material is purely incidental, left over from previous victims. Treasure types J-N (x5), Q, and C (magic only) are suggested. Patches of strangeweed (see the Monster Manual) often grow in and around razorweed, making for a deadly combination in certain oceanic areas.

Razorweed burns easily if dry, but wet razorweed takes only half damage from fire. Submerged razorweed is, of course, immune to fire. Razorweed is immune to lightning and electrical effects, but it can be chopped apart by bladed weapons. Blunt weapons do not affect razorweed at all, and it cannot be affected by bare-handed attacks. Destroying a square yard of this weed is sufficient to protect a humanlike being from further attacks (unless a new patch of razorweed is entered). A horse-sized quadruped can be affected by up to 10 square yards of razorweed, or by lesser amounts if smaller.

Originally appeared in Dungeon #1 (1986).

 

[Cleon]

Next!

Razorweed
FREQUENCY Rare
NO. APPEARING: One patch
ARMOR CLASS: 0 on dry land, 4 in the water
MOVE: Nil
HIT DICE: 2 HD per square yard
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Incidental only
NO. OF ATTACKS: See below
DAMAGE/ATTACK: See below
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Destruction of armor
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Diffraction of water causes -1 to attackers’ “to hit” roll; see also below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 5%
INTELLIGENCE: Non-
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: L (2d20 x 10 square yards)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

Okay, since this is Large how about making it an immobile swarm?

2 Hit Dice per square yard and 2d20 x 10 square yards means it has 40-800 Hit Dice - that seems awful high!

Shall we cut it down to something more reasonable, such as 11 HD? (11 being the average of 2d20).

I'm thinking the "AC 0 on dry land" is for the terrestrial species. Shall we do that as a sub-entry?

EDIT: ... or we could just make it a Hazard. It isn't that different from the Sword Grass.

 

[freyar]

My first thought was that it seems awfully similar to sword grass. I'd probably make it a hazard based on the sword grass. Like we did with the sword grass, I'd ditch the victim-dependent damage, but I think I'd add in damage to equipment. Any other thoughts?

 

[Cleon]

My first thought was that it seems awfully similar to sword grass. I'd probably make it a hazard based on the sword grass. Like we did with the sword grass, I'd ditch the victim-dependent damage, but I think I'd add in damage to equipment. Any other thoughts?

Yes, I had decided to go for adapting the Sword Grass too.

I like the variable damage though, I was thinking of making it size-based.

Having it destroy equipment suits me too.

Something like:

EDIT: Upon reflection, I'd prefer the damage progression to match the normal size progression rather than use d4s like the original. My first draft used "targets up to Tiny size take 1d4 slashing damage, Small targets take 2d4 damage, Medium 3d4, Large 4d4, Huge 6d4, Gargantuan 8d4 and Colossal 10d4" but I changed it to 1d4/1d6/1d8/2d6/3d6 et cetera.

Also, if it can slash away armour it needs some kind of hardness-penetrating ability. :ENDEDIT

Razorweed (CR 2?)
Razorweed is a carnivorous aquatic plant that mimics normal aquatic grasses. Only a keen observer will notice the grass blades have razor-keen serrated edges. A patch of razorweed can be quite large, usually ranging from a 15 ft. by 15-ft. square to a field 60-70 feet across (a typical patch of razorweed occupies 8d20 5-ft squares). Each 5-ft square of razorweed has 25 hit points and can be cut down (AC 16, DR 5/slashing). Razorweed has Spell Resistance 10. Aquatic razorweed always grows underwater, so is immune to fire damage.

It requires a DC 20 check against Spot or Knowledge (nature) to recognize a patch of razorweed as a threat. If an object is thrown into the razorweed, the plant will automatically attack it for a round and thereby reveal itself.

Any creature or object that moves into a square of razorweed will be slashed by scores or hundreds of knife-like grass blades, taking damage every round they remain within an area occupied by the plant. The razor-leaves are incredibly sharp, and ignore hardness of less than 12. The damage they take depends on their size - targets up to Diminutive size take 1d4 slashing damage, Tiny targets take 1d6, Small targets 1d8 damage, Medium 2d6, Large 3d6, Huge 4d6, Gargantuan 6d6 and Colossal targets 8d6. The razorweed continues to slash and vibrate its razor-leaves until all creatures standing on it are dead, have moved away, or the razorweed has been cut down. Razorweed will also damage equipment worn or carried by creatures standing upon it, usually doing 1d8 slashing damage per round to such equipment, following the normal rules for damaging objects.

Terrestrial Razorweed: There is a variety of razorweed that grows on dry land. This uses the same mechanics as above, except it is tougher (AC 20) and is not immune to fire damage.