Special Conversion Thread: Plants

[freyar]

Hmm, there are a few things I'd change.

First off, 5% magic resistance should be SR: CR+2, not SR 10.

Next, where do you get the "carnivorous" and "attacks objects thrown in" aspects? I don't see it in the original text, and it doesn't feel very hazard-like.

I'm not so fond of target size based damage. I don't really get the rationale for it.

 

[Shade]

I'm not so fond of target size based damage. I don't really get the rationale for it.

Agreed. I know it was in the original writeup, but it feels odd.

 

[Cleon]

Hmm, there are a few things I'd change.

First off, 5% magic resistance should be SR: CR+2, not SR 10.

CR+2 is way too low.

A 5% AD&D magic resistance would give a 55% chance of blocking a spell cast by a 1st level spellcaster. In d20 terms that's a roll of 10+, or SR9.

Next, where do you get the "carnivorous" and "attacks objects thrown in" aspects? I don't see it in the original text, and it doesn't feel very hazard-like.

Well I doubt they slash animals to ribbons just for fun.

They appear to attack anything that intrudes into their space, so it seemed pretty obvious to me that would include objects.

I'm not so fond of target size based damage. I don't really get the rationale for it.

Basically a larger creature has more surface area to be cut by the razorweed.

I did wonder about 1d4 damage per square of razorweed the intruding creature occupies.

 

[Shade]

CR+2 is way too low.

A 5% AD&D magic resistance would give a 55% chance of blocking a spell cast by a 1st level spellcaster. In d20 terms that's a roll of 10+, or SR9.

I'll agree with you here. While I generally find CR+x to work better, for really low CR creatures the standard conversion method [(magic resistance/5) +11] seems to work well. That would be SR 12 here, but 9-10 suffices as well.

Well I doubt they slash animals to ribbons just for fun.

They appear to attack anything that intrudes into their space, so it seemed pretty obvious to me that would include objects.

Technically, they don't "attack" anything. Things that fall into them get cut. They're essentially variant caltrops.

Basically a larger creature has more surface area to be cut by the razorweed.

I did wonder about 1d4 damage per square of razorweed the intruding creature occupies.

Speaking of caltrops, we might look to them for inspiration:

Caltrops: Caltrops resemble large metal jacks with sharpened points rather than balls on the ends of their arms. They are essentially iron spikes designed so that one point is always facing up. Scatter them on the ground in the hope that enemies step on them or are at least forced to slow down to avoid them. One bag of caltrops (the 2-pound unit listed on Table: Goods and Services) covers an area 5 feet square. Each time a creature moves into an area covered by caltrops (or spends a round fighting while standing in such an area), the creature may step on one. The caltrops make an attack roll (base attack bonus +0) against the creature. For this attack, the creature's shield, armor, and deflection bonus do not count. (Deflection averts blows as they approach, but it does not prevent a character from touching something dangerous.) If the creature is wearing shoes or other footwear, it gets a +2 armor bonus to AC. If the caltrops succeed at the attack, the creature has stepped on one. The caltrop deals 1 point of damage, and the creature's speed is reduced by one-half because its foot is wounded. This movement penalty lasts for 1 day, until the creature is successfully treated with the Heal skill (DC 15), or until it receives at least 1 point of magical curing. A charging or running creature must immediately stop if it steps on a caltrop. Any creature moving at half speed or slower can pick its way through a bed of caltrops with no trouble.

 

[freyar]

CR+2 is way too low.

A 5% AD&D magic resistance would give a 55% chance of blocking a spell cast by a 1st level spellcaster. In d20 terms that's a roll of 10+, or SR9.

I'm going by ye olde conversion guide...

Well I doubt they slash animals to ribbons just for fun.

They appear to attack anything that intrudes into their space, so it seemed pretty obvious to me that would include objects.

The original text seems to me to indicate a passive damage done, like the sword grass. If I thought it had active attacks, I'd have called it a monster!

Basically a larger creature has more surface area to be cut by the razorweed.

I did wonder about 1d4 damage per square of razorweed the intruding creature occupies.

How tall is this stuff? If I'm taller than it, it shouldn't much matter if I'm Small or Gargantuan.

EDIT: Caltrops are an interesting comparison...

 

[Cleon]

The original text seems to me to indicate a passive damage done, like the sword grass. If I thought it had active attacks, I'd have called it a monster!

To my mind it doesn't indicate one way or t'other. I prefer a reflexive cutting action, just cause it's a more dramatic image. Since I'm imagining it as being a swarm-like "death by 1000 cuts" it wouldn't need an actual attack roll.

How tall is this stuff? If I'm taller than it, it shouldn't much matter if I'm Small or Gargantuan.

It doesn't say. But if you were Small you'd be standing in one square of it, but if you were Gargantuan you could occupy up to 16 squares - that's a lot more are to potentially cut.

Also, I'd presume some of the additional damage is because a bigger creature has a greater weight pressing down on the razor-leaves.

 

[Shade]

Anyone falling or walking into a patch of razorweed suffers immediate slashing damage from the hundreds of bladelike leaves on the plant.

That sure sounds passive to me. If it were active, it would say something like "anyone within reach of its blades" or somesuch.

If we're going with size-based damage, I'm going to insist on a caltrop-like approach. Otherwise, it's breaking far too many precedents for my tastes.

 

[Cleon]

That sure sounds passive to me. If it were active, it would say something like "anyone within reach of its blades" or somesuch.

If we're going with size-based damage, I'm going to insist on a caltrop-like approach. Otherwise, it's breaking far too many precedents for my tastes.

If you didn't want those precedents broken you shouldn't leave them lying around.

Anyhow, those caltrop rules previously quoted don't scale the damage by size, so how is it a precedent?

 

[Shade]

Anyhow, those caltrop rules previously quoted don't scale the damage by size, so how is it a precedent?

I mean each 5-foot-square containing one is "encountered" by the victim.

In other words...razor weed is a 5x5 hazard for damage purposes, but a patch could contain multiple razor weeds.

 

[freyar]

I mean each 5-foot-square containing one is "encountered" by the victim.

In other words...razor weed is a 5x5 hazard for damage purposes, but a patch could contain multiple razor weeds.

This makes sense to me.