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The Vorpal Tribble
2006-03-05, 03:19 PM
I watched the Brother's Grimm not too long ago, and though alot of it stunk, it had some of the most interesting creatures and supernatural villains I've ever seen. One of the more disturbing scenes though was the horse that spat spiderwebs and swallowed a small child.

-=-=-=-=-

Spiderbelly
Spiderbellies are creatures transformed by horrible magic for use in terrorizing and kidnapping. This transformation is caused by tiny magical spiders that the poor beast is induced or forced to invibe. Crawling within gut and nasal passages they quickly go to their gruesome work. Those who near infected creatures notice how they seem to be in a permanent state of bewildered alarm, crying out and chomping. Within but a single day the transformation is complete. The infected often appear normal from a distance, but as one nears they see that thick webbing droops from their mouth, dripping with saliva. The tiny arachnids continue to crawl all about these webs as well as the creature's body.

These creatures called spiderbellies are under direct control by the one who introduced the spiders and are often instructed into towns to seek out specific individuals for capture. One can always tell when a spiderbelly has collected a victim from the gross bloating of their stomach. Other animals sense the change in the spiderbelly and will not willingly venture near one.

This spell is most often cast by evil druids with a twisted version of the summon swarm spell.


Sample Spiderbelly

This large, stately horse seems to be caught in the throes of nervous agitation, stamping and knickering in a way painful to hear. Its eyes are wide and wild and long, sticky strands of saliva hang from its wet muzzle...

Spiderbelly Horse, Heavy
http://ffmedia.ign.com/filmforce/image/article/643/643018/26-01HorseWeb_1124356423.jpg
Large Aberration (augmented animal)
Hit Dice: 3d8+9 (22 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 60 ft. (12 squares)
Armor Class: 13 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +3 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+9
Attack: Hoof –1 melee (1d6+1*) or web +2 ranged
Full Attack: 2 hooves –1 melee (1d6+1*) or web +2 ranged
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Swallow whole, web
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent, spell-like abilities
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +0
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 8, Cha 6
Skills: Listen +2, Spot +2
Feats: Endurance, Run
Environment: Temperate plains
Organization: Domesticated
Challenge Rating: 2
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

Carrying Capacity: A light load for a heavy spiderbelly horse is up to 200 pounds; a medium load, 201–400 pounds; and a heavy load, 401–600 pounds. A heavy horse can drag 3,000 pounds.

Combat:
A spiderbelly horse usually trots in at night and stands before the house of its victim, neighing and whinnying, awaiting for them to venture out. It allows them to approach and then spits forth its web to capture them. With a powerful swing of its head it spins its entangled victim into the air and swallows them as they come down. It then proceeds to gallop away at full speed to deposit its catch.

*A heavy horse’s hoof is treated as a secondary attack and adds only half the horse’s Strength bonus to the damage roll.

Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day Whispering Wind. Caster level 3rd.

Swallow Whole (Ex): A spiderbelly horse can swallow a tangled opponent of small size or smaller as a full round action which allows an attack of opportunity. The swallowed creature takes 1 point of nonlethal damage a minute once within. This holding sack produces a gas that causes paralysis unless the swallowed creature succeeds on a DC 14 fortitude save. A new save must be made every minute to resist the paralysis. This paralysis lasts for as long as the victim is exposed to the gas and for 1d6 minutes afterwards. Those within may continue to make strength or escape artist checks to free themselves from the web, but only if they are unaffected by the gas. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 15 points of damage (AC 13).

Web (Ex): As a full round action a spiderbelly horse can spit forth a great sticky web as a ranged touch attack with a range increment of 10 feet. If successful the spiderbelly and victim must make an opposed strength check. Success means the victim pulls free of the web. Failure means the victim is bound but can break loose by spending 1 round and making a DC 20 Strength check or a DC 30 Escape Artist check. If unsuccessful, in the next round the spiderbelly can pull the web and its victim into its space and swallow it whole. This is alike to the web spell of the same name for purposes of destroying the web.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Creating a Spiderbelly
Spiderbelly is an aquired template that can be added to any medium or larger animal(referred to hereafter as the "base creature").
A spdierbelly uses all the base creature's statistics amd special abilities except as noted here.
Size and Type: Spiderbellies become aberrations (augmented animal). Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. Size is unchanged.
Speed: The spiderbelly's land speed increases by 10 feet.
Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day Whispering Wind. Caster level equals its Hit Dice.
Special Attacks: A spiderbelly retains all the special attacks of the base creature. It also gains the following attacks.
Web (Ex): As a full round action a spiderbelly can spit forth a great sticky web as a ranged touch attack with a range increment of 10 feet. If successful the spiderbelly and victim must make an opposed strength check. Success means the victim pulls free of the web. Failure means the victim is bound but can break loose by spending 1 round and making a DC 20 Strength check or a DC 30 Escape Artist check. If unsuccessful, in the next round the spiderbelly can pull the web and its victim into its space and swallow it whole. This web is alike to the spell of the same name for purposes of destroying the web.
Swallow Whole (Ex): A spiderbelly can swallow a tangled opponent of up to two sizes smaller as a full round action. The swallowed creature takes 1 point of nonlethal damage a minute once within. This holding sack produces a gas that causes paralysis. The save DC to resist the paralysis equals half the base creature's HD + its con modifier. A new save must be made every minute to resist the paralysis. This paralysis lasts for as long as the victim is exposed to the gas and for 1d6 minutes afterwards. Those within may continue to make strength or escape artist checks to free themselves from the web, but only if they are unaffected by the gas. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal damage which varies on the size of the base creature.


Medium 10
Large 15
Huge 20
Gargantuan 30
Colossal 50
The AC of the spiderbelly's holding sack equals the base creature's natural armor or 10, whichever is highest. A spider can only hold one creature at a time and can regurgitate the swallowed creature as a standard action.
Special Qualities: A spiderbelly retains all the special qualities of the base creature. It gains darkvision out to 60 feet and the augmented subtype.
Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Con +2, Wis -4
Challenge Rating: +1

Maryring
2006-03-05, 03:29 PM
And here is my response. UGH. That's ugh. I sense nightmares approaching. Still very good, though how on earth does a HORSE manage to swallow a fullgrown halfling?

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-03-05, 03:42 PM
though how on earth does a HORSE manage to swallow a fullgrown halfling?
Same as an anaconda can swallow a crocodile ;)

Phasm
2006-03-05, 03:44 PM
You're right, that is incredibly disturbing. >_< ::shudder:: So wrong on so many levels.

Can you imagine this template on a dire toad?

Sophistemon
2006-03-05, 03:53 PM
Very... interesting, Tribble. Did you draw the horses?

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-03-05, 04:02 PM
Very... interesting, Tribble. Did you draw the horses?
Nope, they are sketches from the movie website. I unfortunately cannot draw flip despite how much I'd like to.

Maryring
2006-03-05, 04:05 PM
Still won't work. I'd say that a horses jaws are... erm... to firmly tied together... to be able to do... that.

Sophistemon
2006-03-05, 04:08 PM
Ah, I see. I suffer the same confliction.
@Maryring: They're Augmented Animals. A normal horse (in this case) couldn't, but a Spiderbelly horse can.

EDIT
Oh, you were referring to the mouth being webbed shut, weren't you? Ehrm... I have no reasoning for that. A wizard did it?

Maryring
2006-03-05, 04:11 PM
Well, yeah. Doesn't everything nonexplainable in DnD get explained with either "balance reasons" or "a wizard did it"? ;)

Sophistemon
2006-03-05, 04:12 PM
I think so, yeah. Maybe whatever turns the animal into a Spiderbelly gives it a mouth strong enough to break the webs, as well as contort-able enough to swallow the prey. I dunno.

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-03-05, 04:16 PM
Part of the transformation is merely its jaws becoming unhinged. Its mouth is not webbed shut, its just got alot of webbing hanging off.

Taliesin
2006-03-05, 04:16 PM
We love this.
We can't wait till using it.
The party We are DM ing to is 6-7 th level, but since we like a good syrrealistic horrory thing, we'll think of a way how to involve it.

Yuki Akuma
2006-03-05, 04:19 PM
Ah, once again, you post a message which proves that this is the only thing you do ever.

I love it, like all your monsters. Imagine a Spiderbellied dinosaur...

Off topic: I've been wondering this for a while. Why is Mickle sideways?

bosssmiley
2006-03-05, 04:25 PM
That's just *nasty*

Vorpal Tribble, you're a man after my own heart & deserve a statue or something. ;D

I have one player who hates (and I mean hates) spiders, and another who wants to be an entomologist, but is scared of big animals. This will freak them both out. 8)

Time to send the party off to the Shadowlands/Mournland area in my game (picture the continental US, it's roughly Tennessee). Where's the Kentucky Derby run? I might use that town as the location...

Maryring: Didn't you see the second "Blade" movie? I little physiological tinkering and these beasties would (kinda) work. Although I prefer the sheer horror of their being inexplicable. ;)

Sophistemon
2006-03-05, 04:29 PM
Part of the transformation is merely its jaws becoming unhinged. Its mouth is not webbed shut, its just got alot of webbing hanging off.
Ah, so I was almost right in a roundabout, nonsensical, not-at-all right way.

Maryring
2006-03-05, 04:38 PM
Still, this template is just NASTY. Being eaten alive is horrible enough, but when the creature that swallows you has a gut filled with crawling spiders and lots of web... YUCK.

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-03-05, 04:42 PM
Off topic: I've been wondering this for a while. Why is Mickle sideways?
Cuz its funny ;)

Actually, its from a game I used him in in which to save himself he had to leap off a great height. He manifested Immovability right before he hit and decided to just stay that way as he meditated and rested.


I have one player who hates (and I mean hates) spiders, and another who wants to be an entomologist, but is scared of big animals. This will freak them both out.
Yeah, one trick as a DM I've found is to find what the player fears, and have his character face it. The character may not have the same fears but the players is cringing through the whole thing.


Ah, so I was almost right in a roundabout, nonsensical, not-at-all right way.
;)

Brickwall
2006-03-05, 04:44 PM
Two things I'd like to note:

1. Check for typos. Imbibe, not invibe, for one.

2. You've deviated quite a bit from the movie version. There was no spell cast, they were special evil spiders, applied to the horse's mouth. And the way I see it, this is just my opinion, the horse actually became an intelligent creature capable of receiving and obeying orders. And it did that weird calling thing. Very scary thing. So, I'd add intelligence and sending where the receiver knows who the sender is.

Tilian
2006-03-05, 04:48 PM
Ick ick ick. But brilliant.

Does anyone else kind of want to see this applied to a giraffe? Or a gorilla?

Maryring
2006-03-05, 04:50 PM
A giraffe? How on earth... that's just even MORE disturbing than a horse. And beside, the creature swallowed would most likely be killed by the fall damage when released.

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-03-05, 04:52 PM
There was no spell cast, they were special evil spiders, applied to the horse's mouth.
And where do you get special evil spiders aside from perhaps a spell of calling?


And the way I see it, this is just my opinion, the horse actually became an intelligent creature capable of receiving and obeying orders. And it did that weird calling thing. Very scary thing. So, I'd add intelligence and sending where the receiver knows who the sender is.
I thought of making it intelligent, but I don't know thats how it was in the movie. It was brought home and the child that the sorceress wanted was attracted to the horse. The sending sounds right, but still not sure about the intelligence bit. Seemed more like it was just being controlled from a distance.


Edit: There, gave it a 3/day Whispering Wind. This way the spiderbelly doesn't have to know the child, just where its to be found.

Brickwall
2006-03-05, 05:23 PM
And where do you get special evil spiders aside from perhaps a spell of calling?

Probably nowhere, but that's not the point. A spell was not cast on the horse. I am just noting on your flavor text. I'm trying to make it true-to-movie, and you go ahead and pick at my exact wording? Sheesh. Sorry for trying to be a bit helpful.

Seriously, though, a ritual/spell that requires somatic/verbal components makes it less creepy. Would it have been as scary if the guy had started chanting? Don't think so.

Tilian
2006-03-05, 05:31 PM
A giraffe? How on earth... that's just even MORE disturbing than a horse. And beside, the creature swallowed would most likely be killed by the fall damage when released.

Just imagine the head bursting through a window, lunging at you as you try to run out of the room; its purple, webby tongue lashing at your ankles.

...

I want to grow up. I don't want to be a Toys'R'Us kid.... :-[

Yuki Akuma
2006-03-05, 05:31 PM
Probably nowhere, but that's not the point. A spell was not cast on the horse. I am just noting on your flavor text. I'm trying to make it true-to-movie, and you go ahead and pick at my exact wording? Sheesh. Sorry for trying to be a bit helpful.

Seriously, though, a ritual/spell that requires somatic/verbal components makes it less creepy. Would it have been as scary if the guy had started chanting? Don't think so.


That was a movie. This is D&D. Deal with it.

Maryring
2006-03-05, 05:35 PM
Just imagine the head bursting through a window, lunging at you as you try to run out of the room; its purple, webby tongue lashing at your ankles.

...

I want to grow up. I don't want to be a Toys'R'Us kid.... :-[
It's still that part about fitting inside the creature. Yeah, you'd fit inside the stomach, but what about the way down?

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-03-05, 06:10 PM
Probably nowhere, but that's not the point. A spell was not cast on the horse. I am just noting on your flavor text.
Well, was basically meaning that the horse, by way of magically called spiders, was transformed. So spiderbellies basically come from the result of a spell. I can adjust it to say something like changed by horrible 'magics' perhaps.


I'm trying to make it true-to-movie, and you go ahead and pick at my exact wording? Sheesh. Sorry for trying to be a bit helpful.
But I wasnt'... what are you... how was I... oh never mind. I wasn't complaining or making an attempt to pick anything. Thank you for your help, but get a grip ::)

Sophistemon
2006-03-05, 07:31 PM
... SERVED!

Everyman
2006-03-05, 08:50 PM
Ahem...

Create Spiderbelly
Transmutation [Evil]
Level: Drd 4, Ranger 4
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 round
Targets: 1 animal touched
Effect: One handful of spiders
Duration: 1 day/two levels
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: No

You call from the darker aspects of nature a small collection of pale spiders. Any animal that consumes these spiders (requiring the caster to reach out his hand and feed the animal) is transformed into a spiderbelly over the course of twenty-four hours (see template).

During the period of infestation, the animal is under the direct control of the caster. If you can speak Sylvan or Druidic, you may direct the animal to capture individuals as you see fit.

The effects caused by this spell can not be dispelled, but it can be removed by a break enchantment, limited wish, miracle, remove curse, or wish spell.

How 'bout that? That might explain how these suckers come into play in a D&D campaign. I'm a little unsure which class should have this. On one hand, the spell has a very druidic/ranger feel to it (since it only effects animals). On the other hand, it turns the animal into an aberration...and that quality seems contrary to the druid mentality.

Zeful
2006-03-05, 09:06 PM
Ahem...

Create Spiderbelly
Transmutation [Evil]
Level: Drd 4, Ranger 4
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 round
Targets: 1 animal touched
Effect: One handful of spiders
Duration: 1 day/two levels
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: No

You call from the darker aspects of nature a small collection of pale spiders. Any animal that consumes these spiders (requiring the caster to reach out his hand and feed the animal) is transformed into a spiderbelly over the course of twenty-four hours (see template).

During the period of infestation, the animal is under the direct control of the caster. If you can speak Sylvan or Druidic, you may direct the animal to capture individuals as you see fit.

The effects caused by this spell can not be dispelled, but it can be removed by a break enchantment, limited wish, miracle, remove curse, or wish spell.Is the saving throw for the spiders or the animal that is to be... er... um... mutated?


How 'bout that? That might explain how these suckers come into play in a D&D campaign. I'm a little unsure which class should have this. On one hand, the spell has a very druidic/ranger feel to it (since it only effects animals). On the other hand, it turns the animal into an aberration...and that quality seems contrary to the druid mentality.
Well it should be maybe a 5th level spell. Druid Ranger makes sence as it effects animals
I would like to point out that I am Arachnaphobic and that create didn't scare me.

Dalcassius
2006-03-05, 11:31 PM
That is absolutely amazing. Great work VT. I can quickly see this put to play in a Raveloft campaign. A cavelry unit of these would be a hoot! Take that party off to where ever I wanted. All though the one issue I did have was that its a template. I agree with (and wish I'd beaten him to it) Tarkahn about making it a spell. Definitely put it on the list of spells available to the permenant spell. I man I can't wait to give my players nightmares. OH! Nightmares under the effect of Create Spiderbelly!! I'm really REALLY going to enjoy this spell. Thanks all.

Hateable_Bastard
2006-03-06, 09:18 AM
Now this is a monster. Not some dragon or an orc... A job well done, It is damn hard to create good non-LoveCraftian monsters.

Crazy_Uncle_Doug
2006-03-06, 11:30 AM
I'll join the bandwagon, very nicely done indeed. It was a great movie, with plenty of disturbing images like the horse.

Now if you made the face-stealing mud-critter into a monster, that'd be the one that'd give me the most screaming heebie-jeebies. I still can't watch that scene without getting the shivers.

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-03-06, 12:12 PM
Now if you made the face-stealing mud-critter into a monster, that'd be the one that'd give me the most screaming heebie-jeebies. I still can't watch that scene without getting the shivers.
Yeah, that thing was horibble. I guess it'd be an aberration to. Will see what I can do.

Dalcassius
2006-03-06, 01:29 PM
I'm not sure about abberation, thats a close second for me. One could almost use it as a fey. It was stealing her essence to become like her. That says changling/shapechanger to me. It could then spit her essence back out and *pop* there she is again.
I think I'd also put a limit on the time inwhich the "mud thing" could hold an essence. Too long and its burned up. This all brings a few different creatures to mind that one could borrow from. But I'll say no more and leave it in your obvious capable hands maw, Vopral Tribble.

Sulecrist
2006-03-06, 02:45 PM
I'm going to make spiderbelly beavers.

Freeman333
2006-03-06, 02:59 PM
I'm going to make spiderbelly beavers.

Now there's a sentence one never expects to read, ever. Ever. Ever ever ever.

Can I get that on a t-shirt?

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-03-06, 03:51 PM
Those are some great suggestions, Dalcassius. A fey with the earth subtype perhaps.


I'm going to make spiderbelly beavers.
Going to have to be pretty big beavers since it only applies to animals Medium or larger ;)

A beaver would be Small at most, probably closer to Tiny. Since the ability only works on a creature two sizes smaller than itself a Small-sized beaver would be swallowing things about the size of a duckling... which isn't really impressive. Basically why I put that they had to be Medium or larger. Much smaller and the spiders would be getting too big to fit inside.

Freeman333
2006-03-06, 03:52 PM
Going to have to be pretty big beavers since it only applies to animals Medium or larger ;)



Dire beaver?

Dalcassius
2006-03-06, 04:14 PM
A fey with the earth subtype perhaps.Now you're kicking ass and taking faces. I had to, I'm sorry. And beavers are a little large than most would think. They would be the lower end of small.

Guancyto
2006-03-06, 05:06 PM
Why not spiderbelly badgers instead? ???

Crazy_Uncle_Doug
2006-03-06, 05:26 PM
Giant Spiderbelly Space Hamsters?

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-03-06, 11:18 PM
Ok, hows this? My memory is a litte fuzzy on the 'battle scene' with the thing, but I hope this catches its essence (badda bing). Open to suggestions.

Was going to name it the Well Wacke, but found the makers of it had already named it...

-=-=-=-=-=-

Mud Mimic

http://www.miramax.com/thebrothersgrimm/images/gilliam_07_photo03.jpg

Small Fey
Hit Dice: 7d6+21 (45 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), swim 20 ft.
Armor Class: 17 (+1 size, +6 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+6
Attack: Slam +7 melee (1d4+3 plus 1d4 constitution drain)
Full Attack: 2 slams +7 melee (1d4+3 plus 1d4 constitution drain) or touch +7 melee (1d4 constitution drain)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./20 ft.
Special Attacks: Essence meld, improved grab, true mimic
Special Qualities: Amphibious, damage reduction 10/magic, fey traits, immunity to poison, ooze traits, quick coagulation, regeneration 5, tremorsense 40 ft.
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +6
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 11, Con 17, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 4
Skills: Bluff +7, Escape Artist +20, Hide +14, Swim +13
Feats: Endurance, Diehard, Great Fortitude
Environment: Any urban or swamp
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: None
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Advancement: 8-12 HD (Small), 13-19 (Medium)
Level Adjustment: -

Mud Mimics are fey of primordial potential with an unquenchable thirst for form and personality. In normal form they appear as wet, sticky muck with a nauseating greenish-brown hue and smelling strongly of rotting vegetation and mud. As they steal the essence from their victims however they slowly begin to take on its vague form, growing a rigid crust, though no matter the form always retains the same number of attacks.
They often come across as completely insane to other creatures, doing and saying strange things as it persues its victims. This comes from the slight mental link that developes between the two that renders it extremely unbalanced, memory and personality of its victim flashing across the link.

Mud mimicks are most often found in fetid swamps, though those who come near towns are often attracted to the moisture at the bottoms of wells and inhabit it for some time before rising with a bucket to feed. They are easily directed by magical means however and many use them as a particularly frightening way of kidnapping. They are directed to absorb certain individuals and return to their master to release the captured essence.

Mud mimicks weigh roughly around 20 lbs. and speak no language but the one they absorb from their victims.

Combat:
Though mud mimicks are fond of lying in wait, once battle starts they are bold and relentless opponents, having absolutely no fear. They prefer to lash out and grab their victims, keeping hold as long as possible, absorbing their essence as well as their eyes and mouths. With their ability to stretch their limbs incredible distances its difficult to avoid their grasp. They continue to persue their victim till it is absorbed or the mud mimic is killed. Once it has completely consumed its victim it flees at top speed for the nearest source of water to lose itself within.

Amphibious (Ex): Although mud mimics spend most of their time underwater, they can survive indefinitely on land.

Essence Meld (Su): The mere touch of a mud mimic causes 1d4 points of constitution damage unless the victim succeeds on a DC 13 fortitude save. When the victim is reduced to 0 hit points the victim does not die, but is instead completely absorbed by the mimic. The mimic can only hold one essence at any given time.
Once the mud mimic has drained even one point from its victim it becomes attuned to it. It cannot drain another creature for a day and can sense the exact location of its victim within 100 feet. The mimic can release the essence of those it has absorbed within a day, leaving them as they were before they were enveloped, with full consitution and hit points. After a day has passed however the mimic has completely consumed the essence and slumps back into formless goo. The save DC is charisma based.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a mud mimic must hit its victim with a slam attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. A mud mimic automatically deals 2d4 consitution damage every round it maintains a hold.
Mud mimics recieve a +4 racial bonus on grapple checks, which is already included in the statistics above.

Quick Coagulation (Ex): Slashing and piercing weapons deal no damage to a mud mimic, pieces lopped off immediately rejoining with the main mass.

True Mimick (Su): A mud mimic that successfully pins a creature and deals essence drain damage can steal away any natural, non-supernatural facial feature of its victim and make use of the part. For every round the mud mimic pins its foe it can gain another attribute.
If the creature has eyes the mimic can absorb them gains any extraordinary visual abilities such as darkvision, low-light vision, etc. This renders the victim permanently blind.
If the creature has a mouth the mud mimic may take it, causing the creature to lose the ability to speak or use spells with somatic components. If the victim has a bite attack the mud mimic gains it as a secondary attack, dealing the same ammount of damage as its victim but uses its own strength modifier. It gains no supernatural abilities of the bite, though extraordinary abilities such as poison are also absorbed. The mud mimic can speak the base language of any creature whoes mouth its stolen.
A stolen nose can grant the mimic the Scent ability if its victim possessed the ability.
Ears increase its Listen skill by +2, and if the victim possessed any extraordinary abilities from its ears the mud mimic absorbs it.
This is considered a polymorph affect for the purpose of creatures immune to such. Unless the victim is consumed and released later on, these affects are permanent. Any spell that heals ability damage or grants regeneration however regrows the lost bits

Skills: Mud mimicks have a +10 racial bonus on escape artist checks and a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

Tilian
2006-03-06, 11:44 PM
Anyone interested in the idea behind the Mud Mimic(the face stealing more than the goopiness) may want to check out a short film freely available online called "The Cat With Hands". Pretty creepy ideas and visuals in there.

After seeing Brothers Grimm, I figured the mud monster and "Cat With Hands" may borrow from the same folktale, but I've never heard of anything like it before.

Dalcassius
2006-03-07, 12:07 AM
During the battle scene they also made reference to the Gingerbread man. You could give it an increased speed (5 or 10 feet/rnd) and evasion (if not evasion then lightning reflexes or dodge). Just a thought.

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-03-07, 11:34 AM
During the battle scene they also made reference to the Gingerbread man. You could give it an increased speed (5 or 10 feet/rnd) and evasion (if not evasion then lightning reflexes or dodge). Just a thought.
I thought I recalled it actually being pretty slow and clumsy, just that no one could really do anything to it?

Dalcassius
2006-03-07, 01:42 PM
It started out that way, but as the rounds passed (for lack of a better term) it became more agile. The reference I am refering to is when it says the line "Fast as fast can be, you'll never catch me." I think in the first few rounds of appearing it takes a while for it to get its act together. Perhaps a form of summoning sickness?
"After leaving a water source and attempting to form a (semi-)solid body the fey has a -4 penalty to its dexterity score. This is reduced by one each round until it has expelled enough water from its mass to have a cohesive form."

Also, are you just making it strait fey or fey with the earth subtype? Just curious since you mentioned it and its not in the right up. No biggie really.

Brickwall
2006-03-07, 03:28 PM
I like the way you did the mimic. However, I disagree with your making the requirement for face-stealing that the victim be at 0 Constitution. I like how he was able to do that quickly in the movie, and would want it to be that way for games.

Dalcassius
2006-03-07, 04:31 PM
What if for every three or four points of con taken with Essence Meld the mimic can steal one facial feature (including ears I think). True Mimic could allow the Mud Mimic to actually become their victim if all con is taken and it holds the victim pinned for 1d4 four rounds.

What if the mimic takes my friends essence and face then I kill the little bugger? Will my friend lose the face forever or is it instantly returned? Could the facial features return with Con points that would return as per standard healing?

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-03-08, 11:19 AM
"After leaving a water source and attempting to form a (semi-)solid body the fey has a -4 penalty to its dexterity score. This is reduced by one each round until it has expelled enough water from its mass to have a cohesive form."
That sounds reasonable.


However, I disagree with your making the requirement for face-stealing that the victim be at 0 Constitution.
Never said it had to be at 0 constitution, just pinned and having drained 'any' consitution. Edited it to clear it up.


What if the mimic takes my friends essence and face then I kill the little bugger? Will my friend lose the face forever or is it instantly returned? Could the facial features return with Con points that would return as per standard healing?
Loses those bits of the face permanently. I think I'll make mention that any spell that heals ability damage brings back its facial features.