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Lord Iames Osari
2006-08-23, 11:04 AM
This monster is based off of the assassin vine. I mentioned it in my description of bliss poisons (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=homebrew;action=display;num=11543007 73;start=5#5).

Bliss Vine
Size/Type: Large Plant
Hit Dice: 4d8+12 (30 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 5 ft. (1 square)
Armor Class: 15 (-1 size, +6 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+12
Attack: Slam +7 melee (1d6+7)
Full Attack: Slam +7 melee (1d6+7)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Aura of bliss, constrict 1d6+7, entangle, improved grab
Special Qualities: Blindsight 30 ft., camouflage, immunity to electricity, low-light vision, plant traits, resistance to cold 10 and fire 10
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +1, Will +2
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 10, Con 16, Int ~, Wis 13, Cha 9
Environment: Temperate forests
Organization: Solitary or patch (2-4)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: 1/10th coins; 50% goods; 50% items
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 5-16 HD (Huge); 17-32 HD (Gargantuan); 33+ HD (Colossal)
Level Adjustment: —

As you walk through the woods, you suddenly feel a strange sense of happiness and contentment drawing you toward a plant not ten yards from where you stand. It is a viny plant bedecked with fragrant, deep red flowers. You breathe deeply, savoring the enchanting scent, and feel yourself slipping into a blissful stupor...

Aura of Bliss (Ex): The bliss vine exudes sweet-smelling pheremones in a 30-foot radius of itself. These pheremones are an airborne toxin with a Fortitude save DC of 15. Those who fail the save
are treated as if under the effects of the attraction power for 1 minute. After the one minute has ended, the creature must make another Fortitude save against DC 15. Failure results in being unconscious and charmed, while success indicates that they are merely stunned and charmed. These effects last for 1d10 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based. This is a mind-affecting, compulsion, and poison effect that operates only in the spring and summer. The durations of effects already in place continue after the bliss vine's demise.

The bliss vine is a relative of the assassin vine. However, unlike its cousin, the bliss vine prefers to lure its prey to it with its pheremonal powers. Once an animal or humanoid has succumbed to its aura of bliss, it kills its victims and feeds on their corpses. In the fall, its seeds can be harvested and made into poisons.

asromta
2006-08-23, 11:25 AM
How can a charmed person walk to the vine, if it is dazed? Doesn't dazed mean it can take no actions?

Brickwall
2006-08-23, 11:29 AM
An animated vine that uses pheremones? Watch out for problem players.

Anyway, it actually seems pretty good. Nothing I see wrong here.

Lord Iames Osari
2006-08-23, 11:34 AM
How can a charmed person walk to the vine, if it is dazed? Doesn't dazed mean it can take no actions?

Oops, my bad. Will be fixed.

Abd al-Azrad
2006-08-23, 03:03 PM
I'm not sure Charm is the perfect spell to use. I like the idea, but doesn't Attraction do exactly what you want?

Lord Iames Osari
2006-08-23, 03:20 PM
The first part, yeah. Why didn't I think of that?

Abd al-Azrad
2006-08-23, 03:48 PM
After the one minute has ended, the creature must make another Fortitude save against DC 15. Failure results in being stunned and charmed, while success indicates that they are merely dazed and charmed. These effects last for 1d10 rounds.

Waitaminute... so if they fail their first save, the're screwed no matter what. Owch. You know the difference between Stunned and Dazed? Dex to AC.

martyboy74
2006-08-23, 04:15 PM
Waitaminute... so if they fail their first save, the're screwed no matter what. Owch. You know the difference between Stunned and Dazed? Dex to AC.
How would they be screwed? The plant has the character dazed, and they're no longer a threat. Therefore, it starts going for the other potental threats to it's existence.

Abd al-Azrad
2006-08-23, 05:47 PM
How would they be screwed? The plant has the character dazed, and they're no longer a threat. Therefore, it starts going for the other potental threats to it's existence.

...and when it has no further targets?

martyboy74
2006-08-23, 05:58 PM
...and when it has no further targets?
At 4th, hopefully a DC 15 fortitude save can be made by the fighter long enough to kill the plant. (I hope).

Abd al-Azrad
2006-08-23, 06:07 PM
At 4th, hopefully a DC 15 fortitude save can be made by the fighter long enough to kill the plant. (I hope).

I never said the ability was terribly unbalanced. I said it was vicious. Anyone within 30' must apparently continuously make DC 15 saves, and a failure means they lose their actions for 1d10 rounds. The plant's not terribly scary in a fight, but it only needs to fight one, maybe two PCs at once.

And then there's the fact that the plant need not live in a vacuum. Imagine a lich surrounding his lair with advanced Bliss Vines (for a higher DC). It's just one way to knock a party to half strength without taking an action.

martyboy74
2006-08-23, 08:18 PM
And then there's the fact that the plant need not live in a vacuum. Imagine a lich surrounding his lair with advanced Bliss Vines (for a higher DC). It's just one way to knock a party to half strength without taking an action.
Ah, tactics. Well, that brings up this question: When the plant dies, do it's effects immediatly end, or does the 1d10 time limit still apply?

Abd al-Azrad
2006-08-25, 01:15 AM
I've noticed you've added the Bliss Vine to the MitP project. Add in some fluff and description, and I'll throw you a vote.

Actually, I'll just vote Yes now, on the assumption that you'll flesh out the creature for publication. It's got a nice ability, and isn't bogged down with complex mechanics. I think it's good.

Fax Celestis
2006-08-25, 01:47 AM
MitP Vote: Yes.

Subtle threats are always fun.

wippit
2006-08-25, 10:18 PM
MtP vote: Yes.

Everyone always comes up with the aggressive, in-your-face monsters... I like the guys that can ruin a party passively.

Winged One
2006-08-25, 10:51 PM
MitP vote: yes.

Athanatos
2006-08-31, 12:12 AM
MitP Vote: Definite yes. I'd love to establish the book as a "Thinking-Man's-Monster-Manual". This guy succeeds admirably at that. I can imagine some malevolent beings with immunity to its ability using it as a trap. Delightful.

LordOfNarf
2006-08-31, 12:57 AM
I can see this as a felame undead BBEG keeping a garden of theese seemigly innocous plants to keep away pesky heroes. Maybe a perfume made from the pheremones......


MitP vote YES

thats 6, assuming there are no no's, one more and your in

The Glyphstone
2006-08-31, 07:56 AM
Agree with all above comments, MitP = Yes.

I just ran a pair of assassin vines against my 5th level party, inside a haunted greenhouse. Was amusing, actually - they debated if they should just toss alchemist's fire inside and torch the place, then decided to explore it first. ;D Stupid warlock...stupid stupid warlock and his max-rolled blasts... :)

This critter would have eaten them alive.

Lord Iames Osari
2006-08-31, 08:04 AM
Woot! 7th yes vote! ;D



Ah, tactics. Well, that brings up this question: When the plant dies, do it's effects immediatly end, or does the 1d10 time limit still apply?

Don't know how I missed this earlier. The time limit still applies. Edit - fixed.

Saithis Bladewing
2006-08-31, 09:23 AM
Just to seal the deal by showing my appreciation of this plant...

MitP Vote: Yes!

fangthane
2006-08-31, 04:25 PM
MitP Vote: Yes.

I'm not sure it's really strong enough to justify its CR4, given that any hostile action will temporarily null Attraction and will also tend to break charms, but even a round or two of limited opposition may be worth it. And it's kind of nice to see a plant which is neither an Assassin nor a Roper.

Abd - stunned or dazed (and charmed) for 1d10 rounds, after having been permitted to engage the thing in combat for a full minute beforehand? Not such an arduous hardship, methinks. With enough of these together, advanced, a lich could defend his home; however, there're many means to defend too - not breathing, carrying your own supply, torching the plants, DDT, letting the lich do it all himself when he forgets that his plants also have water in them...

Maerok
2006-08-31, 05:43 PM
MitP Vote: Yes

firepup
2006-09-13, 09:53 PM
*puts on gas mask and pulls out herbicide* here planty planty heh....

by the way, would that be affected by something purifing the air around the creature?

Lord Iames Osari
2006-09-13, 10:01 PM
How so?