Special Conversion Thread: Sheens

[freyar]

Still got some phasers in the Electrically Charged bit.

So: did we like disease for the "spores"? Are slaad eggs a bit different?

 

[Shade]

Hmmm..nothing seems to indicate that these need to return to the cyst to recharge. Perhaps they are powered by bio-electricity?

Here's a sample slaad egg...

Implant (Ex): A red slaad that hits with a claw attack can inject an egg pellet into the opponent's body. The affected creature must succeed on a DC 16 Fortitude save to avoid implantation. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Often the slaad implants an unconscious or otherwise helpless creature (which gets no saving throw). The egg gestates for one week before hatching into a blue slaad that eats its way out, killing the host. Twenty-four hours before the egg fully matures, the victim falls extremely ill (-10 to all ability scores, to a minimum of 1). A remove disease spell rids a victim of the pellet, as does a DC 25 Heal check. If the check fails, the healer can try again, but each attempt (successful or not) deals 1d4 points of damage to the patient.

If the host is an arcane spellcaster, the egg pellet instead hatches into a green slaad.

 

[freyar]

I'm really enjoying the new speedy EN World, I have to say! Not sure it's doing much for my productivity at work, though.

SA – Propagating Touch. Wounds inflicted by a propagator infect its foe if a saving throw vs. death magic is failed. (Roll only once at the end of an encounter for eachwounded character.) The flesh of infected PCs shows a glassy rash within 1 week and proves fatal in 1d6 months. For each month propagation advances, the victim permanently loses 2 points of Charisma. Standard healing spells such as cure disease do not affect propagation of the glassy rash. However, each time the victim is the target of a spell that conducts electricity (such as shocking grasp or lightning bolt), the replicating nodules are scrambled, and the victim is allowed another saving throw vs. death magic at a +1 bonus for each 10 hp of damage inflicted by the electricity.

The original text is something of a cross between a disease and a slaad egg (thanks for putting that in, another thing I wish was in the SRD!). I like the interaction of the electricity with the nodules, though I'm not sure about the single save. Let's go the "unique" route, more like the slaad egg and the original text, I think. Exceptions are fun every once in a while.

 

[demiurge1138]

Agreed to using the exception here. And I like the idea that they get power from their hosts.

 

[Shade]

Something like this?

Propagating Touch (Ex): A propagator that hits with a "flailing strike" attack can inject replicating nodules into the opponent's body. The affected creature must succeed on a DC X Fortitude save to avoid implantation. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Often the propagator implants an unconscious or otherwise helpless creature (which gets no saving throw). The nodules begin replicating immediately, but show no visible effects for 1 week. At that time, the victim's flesh shows a glassy rash. After one month, the victim suffers 2 points of Charisma drain. Each month thereafter, the victim suffers an additional 2 points of Charisma drain. A creature reduced to Charisma 0 dies and becomes a new propagator of similar size. A remove disease spell or similar effect cannot remove the nodules, nor can a Heal check. A spell or attack that deals electricity damage will scramble the replicating nodules, granting the victim a new saving throw to end the effect. The victim gains a +1 bonus on the saving throw for each 10 points of damage inflicted by the electrical attack.

 

[demiurge1138]

We should come up with another way to remove them. Heal (the spell), perhaps? Good ol' break enchantment?

 

[Shade]

Heal seems reasonable. Perhaps limit break enchantment to say, within 1d4 rounds after the electrical "scrambling"?

 

[freyar]

I'll agree to heal and break enchantment within 1d4 rounds of scrambling. That sounds pretty good. Although it seems to me that the Charisma countdown isn't going to work very well past 7th level due to restoration. Still, these will probably be low enough CR that that's not a big issue.

 

[Shade]

Like mummy rot, we could require a caster level check for conjuration (healing) spells (which include restoration).

 

[freyar]

Maybe not for hp damage. How about for ability damage/drain and removing the nodules? But I'm not 100% sure it's necessary. And, come to think of it, the magic vulnerability of sheens would suggest no caster level check should be needed.