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The Vorpal Tribble
2006-08-10, 11:00 AM
In opposition of my Elysium Orchid (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10563), I give you the...

Tilinikan

Small Plant (extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 3d8+12 (25 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft.
Armor Class: 19 (+8 natural, +1 size), touch 11, flat-footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+0
Attack: Claw +4 melee (1d4-1 plus wounding)
Full attack: 4 claws +4 melee (1d4-1 plus wounding)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Constrict, deepseed, improved grab, tanglethorn, wounding
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 2/good or slashing, greensight 60 ft., improved woodland stride, plant traits
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +1, Will +2
Abilities: Str 8, Dex 11, Con 18, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 14
Skills: Climb +4, *Hide +2, Move Silently +4
Feats: Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (claw)
Environment: Infinite Layers of the Abyss
Organization: Solitary or Bramble (3-5)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Advancement: 3-4 HD (small), 5-12 HD (medium)
Level Adjustment: --

Tilinikans appear as miniature trees or bushes with a gnarled trunk about as thick around as a human forearm. The bark covering it is a pale smokey grey and speckled with shallow pockmarks. From this trunk sprouts many branches thick with red, lobed leaves so thin as to be transparent. The leaves appear quite fragile but are in fact a sort of organic crystal. Surporting it are many long, tentacle-like roots covered with large, cruelly barbed thorns.

Where tilinikan's hail from is a great mystery as they have seeded themselves in most of the planes, carried their by their hosts. Because of their nature it is speculated that they are a type of demonic weed from the Abyss, but this is purely speculation. It is accepted though that their origins are certainly not that of the Material plane.

Tilinikan's weigh about 40 lbs, and stand just over three feet high. They can understand abyssal, common and fey, but cannot speak any language but a type of sign language amongst others of their species.

Combat:
Tilinikan's are vicious fighters, turning entire areas into temporary thorny thickets. If any manage to get past the thicket the Tilinikan leaps at its foe, slashing and grasping much like the tangles it produced before. If it grabs ahold it will attempt to constrict, causing copious ammounts of blood to flow.

Deepseed (Ex):
If at any time a tilinikan deals a critical blow one of its thorns breaks off and imbeds itself deep within the flesh of its opponent. It quickly sends out rootlets to brace itself within and begins feeding off the blood of this victim. Unless removed, it grows quickly, forming a large boil under the host's skin, which within a week bursts (dealing 1d4 damage) and deposits a bloody globule. The globule burrows into the available soil, using acid to aid its course if the ground is rocky. 1d4 weeks later it digs its way back out, full grown. To remove the thorn requires a good deal of flesh to be cut out, dealing 1d6 damage.

Greensight (Ex):
A Tilinikan's 'foliage' can feel light, allowing it normal vision. However, because of this type of sight it is immune to all forms of blinding and sneak attacks. The tilinikan can also sense warmth, giving it the equivalent of darkvision out to 40 feet.

Constrict (Ex):
A tilinikan deals 1d3-1 points of damage with a successful grapple check and deals 2 points of constitution damage from bloodloss per round.

Improved Grab (Ex):
To use this ability, an Tilinikan must hit with its claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.

A tilinikin gains a +4 racial bonus on grapple checks. This bonus is included in the statistics above.

Improved Woodland Stride (Ex):
A tilinikan may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at its normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. This ability even works within thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion.

Tanglethorn (Su):
As a full-round action a tilinikan can send out its roots to possess all plants within a 20 foot radius. These plants sprout viciously curving thorns that begin to thrash violently, entwining about creatures in the area or those that enter the area, holding them fast and causing them to become entangled. The creature can break free and move half its normal speed by using a full-round action to make a DC 20 Strength check or a DC 20 Escape Artist check. A creature that succeeds on a Reflex save is not entangled but can still move at only half speed through the area. Each round on the victim's turn, the plants once again attempt to entangle all creatures that have avoided or escaped entanglement. If successfully entangled the flora constricts, dealing 1d6 damage per round. Entangled or no, every creature automatically takes 2d4 slashing and piercing damage while within the radius. This stacks with the damage taken if entangled. The roots of plants also push up and sprout hard, jagged thorns. Those whom walk through this area take damage as if walking upon caltrops. The tilinikan cannot move while using its tanglethorn ability and must maintain concentration. Withdrawing its roots takes a full-round action.

Wounding (Ex):
A tilinikan's thorns are almost supernaturally sharp, and are treated as a Wounding weapon, dealing 1 point of constitution damage from bloodloss when it hits.

Skills: Tilinikan's have a +4 racial bonus on climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. *They also gain a +6 racial bonus on hide checks in forested areas.

martyboy74
2006-08-10, 11:50 AM
When it uses the tanglethorn ability, does it "animate" itself?

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-08-10, 12:06 PM
When it uses the tanglethorn ability, does it "animate" itself?
"The tilinikan cannot move while using its tanglethorn ability and must maintain concentration."

ghost_warlock
2006-08-10, 01:47 PM
VT, since you're Craft (monster)-ing a lot of plants lately, what're the chances of you putting together a sentient, psionic, non-extraplanar, PC-able plant at/below the ECL 5 range (LA +1 to +3, max of ECL 6 with one class level)?

I'm working on one for my "Psi-fi" psionics/space campaign, sort of a fungus puff-ball called the lexalm. I'm not really happy with what I've got, though. :( Making it non-humanoid in shape might be messing me up a bit but I'm going for the "something weird" category (as if a psionic fungus isn't weird enough...).

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-08-12, 08:58 PM
Hrmmm, will see what I can come up with.