Vampire Moss

[demiurge1138]

this one should probably have the camouflage ability, for the same reason the obliviax would.

Agreed. I'm not a fan of the camouflage ability, but it makes sense for things that look like normal plants and can't move. Like these guys.

Demiurge out.

 

[BOZ]

also, how do people feel about this?

We have to make it 100% clear whether or not this thing will actually physically attach itself to its victim. Especially the first version is somewhat ambiguous on the topic: "magically attach itself", "latched on", "releases its victim"...

The extra verbage in the MCA1 version makes it reasonably clear the moss never actually makes physical contact: "the Dungeon Master should not at any time inform the character why the checks are necessary [...] or should the DM identify the source of the energy drain"

Should we be more specific about the nature of the link between the moss and its victim? Maybe they're a visible link on the Astral or Ethereal?

Either way, we should change some of the wording above. Maybe something like this:

"If the check succeeds, the moss will continue to try to establish a link until the intended victim leaves its area of effect, requiring subsequent Constitution checks each round until that happens. If and when the victim fails a check, the moss is able to establish an ethereal feeding link, and it immediately begins feeding at a rate of 1 hp per round until the victim dies, until he leaves the area, or until the moss has consumed four times its own hit-point total in life energy (16 hit points), at which time it is sated and severs the link with its victim."

This version does make the feeding link visible through See Invisibility and True Seeing - a very plausible choice of spells if the party suddenly starts losing hp to some invisible foe...

 

[Shade]

I don't feel the link should be tangible or visible by any means. I picture it more akin to a telepathic link.

 

[BOZ]

updated this entry...

 

[demiurge1138]

I rather like the idea of true seeing or see invisibility picking up a reddish tendril drawn between the vampiric moss and its victim. It might not be a physical link... but it's cool and creepy if it can be seen... and it rewards clever parties trying to find the invisible assailant sapping their health.

Demiurge out.

 

[Conaill]

What CR are we aiming for? See Invisibility is a fairly obvious choice when your strength is being drained by an invisible opponent. A low-level party might not waste a spell slot on See Invisibility whne they're trudging through the wilderness. But for a higher-level party surrounded by a cluster of mosses, this little detail could make a big difference in how (un-)challenging the encounter turns out to be.

 

[Shade]

I'd rather stick with a Spot check to notice the moss changing colors. It just seems truer to the original, and a bit more satisfying to discover than resorting to a spell.

 

[Aspect of BOZ]

sounds good to me.

A character that succeeds on a DC X Spot check (? or Survival/Knowledge (Nature)?) will notice the color change, and any character specifically watching the moss will notice this automatically.


filling in the blanks...

fast healing 1? maybe go with 2? i think 5 might be a bit much.

what CR are we looking at for these guys? no physical attacks, low AC, and a vulnerability to fire, but they do have fast healing and plant traits and an attack that increases their hp. would CR 2 be too high, or should we stick with 1?

weight - 1 pound? less?


there are also a few decisions to make on the life drain power:

Life Drain (Ex): A vampire moss can use negative energy to cause a persistent energy loss in a creature to which it has established a vampiric link. Such a creature loses 1 hit point each round. This continuing hit point loss cannot be stopped by a Heal check, cure spell, or heal spell, though these methods can restore drained hit points. The vampire moss gains temporary hit points equal to the number of hit points drained (which disappear X days later? Or in the normal way?). If the vampiric link is severed, the hit point loss ceases immediately.

If the hit point loss continues for a full minute, the victim must succeed on a DC 13 Fortitude save or fall unconscious (for X rounds). (? For every round the link remains after that, the victim must succeed on another Fortitude save with a cumulative +2 on the DC per round after the first, or fall unconscious?) The save DC is Charisma-based.

After a vampire moss has drained (a number of hit points equal to 4 times its own maximum hit point total (16 points for a typical vampire moss) - perhaps equal to victim's total HD/character level + Con mod?), it reaches satiation and severs the vampiric link.

 

[Shade]

A character that succeeds on a DC X Spot check (? or Survival/Knowledge (Nature)?) will notice the color change, and any character specifically watching the moss will notice this automatically.

Since the original creature grew "brighter" as it drained more life, I'd start with DC 20 and make it drop by a cumulative -1 for every round the moss drains life. I think both Spot and Survival should be allowed.

fast healing 1? maybe go with 2? i think 5 might be a bit much.

I like fast healing 2.

what CR are we looking at for these guys? no physical attacks, low AC, and a vulnerability to fire, but they do have fast healing and plant traits and an attack that increases their hp. would CR 2 be too high, or should we stick with 1?

CR 1. They are weak and immobile.

weight - 1 pound? less?

"less than a pound"

Life Drain (Ex): A vampire moss can use negative energy to cause a persistent energy loss in a creature to which it has established a vampiric link. Such a creature loses 1 hit point each round. This continuing hit point loss cannot be stopped by a Heal check, cure spell, or heal spell, though these methods can restore drained hit points. The vampire moss gains temporary hit points equal to the number of hit points drained (which disappear X days later? Or in the normal way?). If the vampiric link is severed, the hit point loss ceases immediately.

If the hit point loss continues for a full minute, the victim must succeed on a DC 13 Fortitude save or fall unconscious (for X rounds). (? For every round the link remains after that, the victim must succeed on another Fortitude save with a cumulative +2 on the DC per round after the first, or fall unconscious?) The save DC is Charisma-based.

After a vampire moss has drained (a number of hit points equal to 4 times its own maximum hit point total (16 points for a typical vampire moss) - perhaps equal to victim's total HD/character level + Con mod?), it reaches satiation and severs the vampiric link.

Temporary hit points usually disappear after an hour.

Unconsciousness lasts for 1d3 hours for poisons that cause it, unless otherwise specified. Is that too tough for this ability?

I prefer the sated equal to 4 times its own hp total.

 

[BOZ]

Since the original creature grew "brighter" as it drained more life, I'd start with DC 20 and make it drop by a cumulative -1 for every round the moss drains life. I think both Spot and Survival should be allowed.

should i fold that into camouflage, you think?

Temporary hit points usually disappear after an hour.

we can do that, then. i was wondering, doesn't it say somewhere that too many temporary hp can kill you? if so, we should state that life drain will not kill a moss.

Unconsciousness lasts for 1d3 hours for poisons that cause it, unless otherwise specified. Is that too tough for this ability?

don't know, though that could be pretty bad for any characters left near a live vampire moss. if its temporary hp go away after an hour, and a victim is out for 3 hours... well, survivability is not likely.