--Lime--
2010-07-01, 06:23 PM
Okay, this was originally a PM to DracoDei, to whom all credit must go for creating the Fractal Bears (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8290906&postcount=8) which inspired this concept. Now, it isn't finished, but I'm off to China on Monday, so I won't have time to do it. However, I don't want it going to waste either, so I'll share what I have so far.
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v387/mediocre1/giraffes-1.jpg
Image by mediocre, from b3ta
FRACTAL GIRAFFE
Huge Animal/Aberration
(I say huge because a normal giraffe seems to be at least 18 feet tall and 12-15 feet long. A square footprint doesn't seem to fit it, though, but I couldn't find how broad a giraffe is)
Form
I'm picturing the smaller giraffes being around 6 feet tall (the height of a newborn giraffe) so that should put the main body out of reach, except to ranged or reach weapons. That would be the main thing for a party to confront with the Fractal Giraffe, because otherwise apart from its Fun Value, it's not going to be the best opponent. To counter this, taking out two adjacent foot-giraffes should have it fall over, where it remains immobile, but still headbutting, biting and kicking (using the smaller kicks on the still-alive foot-giraffes, or using Foot Club with the alive AND dead foot-giraffes) anyone who comes near.
Attacks:
This is where it gets interesting. There are lots of options for attacks.
1) Giraffe headbutts or bites.
I like the idea of its head and neck being out of reach until it lowers them, so it would prefer not to use this sort of attack. On the ground, however, it becomes relevant, or it might want to "finish off" an opponent as it becomes increasingly desperate. Because the Fractal Giraffe is a separate entity to its foot-giraffes, it may combine these attacks freely with any below.
2) Small Kicks
The foot-giraffe kicks with its legs. The Fractal Giraffe may use 2 legs per foot-giraffe so long as it remains still. If the foot-giraffe is lifted up and pointed at an opponent, it can attack with all 4 hooves. Up to two foot giraffes (on opposite corners) may be used in this manner but a) the other foot-giraffes must keep all 4 legs on the floor and b) taking out an adjacent foot-giraffe when a foot-giraffe is lifted in this manner means the Fractal Giraffe must make a reflex save (DC attack roll?) to return its lifted foot to the ground, or fall over. Standing up is a full-round action (or maybe longer)
3) Foot Club
The Fractal Giraffe lifts the foot-giraffe and slams the whole thing down upon the opponent. In addition, the foot-giraffe may make two Small Kick attacks at some kind of attack penalty, without penalty to the Foot Club. The Fractal Giraffe would be able to rear up as a full attack to make two Foot Club attacks, or use one as a standard attack (rules for lifting foot apply as above). Foot Club may be used with dead foot-giraffes but they cannot make the Small Kick attacks (obviously...).
4) Mix'n'Match!
Of course, one foot may foot club, while the other three feet make two Small Kick attacks. Or the back left foot is lifted up for four Small Kick attacks and the front-right, dead foot-giraffe is slammed down on the paladin. Or the front-left and back-right legs make 2 Small Kick attacks and the front-right clubs down. You get the idea. So long as it doesn't require two adjacent feet to be off the ground (the Foot Club is an exception; see below)
Feet Off the Ground
Normally, taking two adjacent foot-giraffes off the ground would cause the Fractal Giraffe to fall over, but by rearing up its front legs, or kicking out its back legs, like a horse might, this consequence is avoided. However, both left or both right feet may NEVER be off the ground at the same time. A foot is counted as being "off the ground" when its foot-giraffe has more than two legs off the ground. The Fractal Giraffe must keep a minimum of 8 legs on the ground at all times or fall over.
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Phew! Lots to say for that bit. Take a breather, make sure you're following me so far.
----------------------------
BODY/IES:
Unlike the Fractal Bears, there is only one brain for the Fractal Giraffe. However, the legs on the foot-giraffes are controlled like fingers on a hand, so it should take no penalty on multiple attacks*
This also means that if a foot-giraffe is severed, it can't claw its way along the ground towards the PCs, growling wildly and gnashing its terrible teeth ;) I'm just looking through your Bears again and it seems you didn't actually include that, but we did vorpal attacks as taking off a limb (roll d5). The forearm was taken off, and the bears dragged themselves forwards along the ground, still alive (think we did it as alive for d20 rounds or something... can't really remember)
*Unless, as stated above, it's using Foot Club and having that foot-giraffe use Small Kicks. But that's an accuracy, not a competance issue: for normal Small Kicks, the foot-giraffe isn't being swung through the air :smalltongue:
--------------------------------------
Keep going!
--------------------------------------
Hitpoints:
So basically each Fractal Giraffe has 5 lots of hitpoints. One for each foot-giraffe, and one for the main body. As noted earlier, I want to keep the feet as a separate problem, forcing the party to co-ordinate, so it's pretty vital that only reach weapons, ranged weapons and magic, or attackers size Large or greater can hit the main body from the ground. I think I've said about what happens if a foot dies -- ooh no, one more thing there: though each part is thought of as distinct and individual, the HP is grouped for the purpose of non-lethal damage (maybe the party were sent to capture one for a Sultan or something, I don't know).
So say, just for instance, that the Fractal Giraffe is made up of 340 hp. Each foot-giraffe is 60hp (total 240) and the Fractal Giraffe is 100hp. The party kill two of its foot-giraffes. Now, each foot giraffe, when put out of action (by either lethal or non-lethal damage) will do 1/4 (also just for instance) of its hp in non-lethal damage to the Fractal Giraffe. Fluff is pain. The result is that you're not waiting so long to take out a giraffe on the ground flailing around, which could very easily be boring if it went on for too long. So the Fractal Giraffe has 70 non-lethal hp remaining if two foot-giraffes are taken out.
It would be silly - well, excessively silly - to have more than 4 foot-giraffes, but there's no reason that it couldn't be expanded if you were that way inclined.
---------------------------------
Feets & Abilities (sea whut i did thar? =P)
What it can do
I'm thinking along the lines of Run, Endurance, maybe Scent, due to its height able to see over obstructions and fog clouds and whatever. It'd be nice if the large weight of the foot-giraffes was taken into account, but would require a new ability: that it can push attackers back or knock them prone by swinging a whole foot-giraffe at them. Would probably require 12 feet on the ground for stability. It'd add variety because I can't imagine this thing grappling. In fact, it would be stupid to grapple it because it'd just lift its feet up and slam you into the ground or a tree, since that's the bit you'd grapple. Unless you jumped to grab the main neck... yeah I'll leave that line of thought for now. It could get stupidly confusing, but I'd still include it if my PCs wanted a grapple.
With all those legs, it's probably good at swimming too, but sheer size means it wades most things. Speaking of legs, Powerful Charge is fitting, and throw into the mix that trample attacks cannot be avoided except with a reflex save. Trample attacks do not use one hoof, but one foot-giraffe (so 4 Small Kick attacks, or something like that)
Saves:
Will save... well, that depends. They don't have a brain to affect. Fort saves... that can be separate. Smaller than the main body, probably. Reflex saves: probably shoe this one in as higher than the main giraffe's own reflex, since it's easier to move one Medium-sized Foot-giraffe out of the way than it is move the whole Fractal Giraffe.
-----------------------------------------
Fluff
Organisation:
They'd be a majestic race. Int 3, so that they can speak Sylvan. Not enough things speak Sylvan. Plus nearly nobody chooses it, even druids, so it'd be cool. It would also allow them to have the outlines of a social structure. They don't have hands to build or forge weapons, and they live on the savannah or plains or even sparse jungle. However, they do migrate as a herd, and they often have a leader, and may even organise roles such as scouts or guards in large herds. That allows PCs to find them solo or in groups of practically any number.
Origins...
let's see... magical offspill: someone developed a potion to make crops bear more food, so wheat with six ears instead of one; apple trees producing four times more apples, that sort of thing. Rain washed it into the water supply, where migrating giraffes drank it. Years later, the mutated race is now a distinct species. Yeah, I like that.
Ways of moving
... well, you know in Tom and Jerry where they're sneaking and it's the toes that do the walking? Why might they use that..? hmm. They move slower but gain a bonus to Move Silently? And when they use both their small legs and the legs that join the foot-giraffes and the body, that's why they have Run.
Temprement:
They like to run away, really, but if they can't (e.g. if they're surrounded, or running away will leave their young in danger, or they're nearly dying of thirst and the PC is between it and the only water hole for miles around or whatever) then they might fight. Normally they charge at the opponent, opening with a Foot Club, or they try to overrun them. Some males will fight a large opponent as they would fight during mating season, and use their horns to headbutt when charging. (I have no idea if that's how giraffes actually fight but dammit, that's how Fractal Giraffes roll!)
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Additional Silliness: (probably to be excluded!)
If you get bitten by a Fractal Giraffe and fail a fort save, or you drink Fractal Giraffe blood, or eat Fractal Giraffe meat and fail a fort save, there's a good chance you'll catch the multi-limb mutation. I saw you talking about a Fractal Template... well, what if your character grew small versions of himself, either extra arms on his arms, or heads on his arms, or legs on his legs (roll a d100!). I like the idea of sprouting little people on the arms, each reflecting a different aspect of personality (only one each - smaller brains!). So Lusty head might drop the character in it with a diplomacy or gather info check, and Lawful Good head argues with Chaotic Evil head, or Honest head says too much and reveals the party's plans. It'd work better as a villain, to be sure. Hmm... yes, I'm actually seeing this start to come together.
Plot hook:
Party is recruited to capture a Fractal Giraffe alive for the sultan/king/emperor's circus/colliseum/zoo/palace. They meet some villagers along the way who tell them of how towns disappeared over the last year or two. Something to get everyone suspicious. They return with the Fractal Giraffe and get the reward, but they should go back to the villagers and work out what happened. Turns out the poisoned water supply has been affecting people. The mutants are very angry, or just grow extra livers and die or something, it's very random, but the BBEG is one trying to co-ordinate an army for payback. The party must stop him, or side with him. Yeah... decisions decisions! Perhaps they'll see the Sultan as the evil one for not keeping check on magical growth potions being washed into the rivers of his own subjects, or they'll have their characters remain loyal and understand that if Mutant Man gets into the city, thousands will die (let's just say his army is full of bitterness and resentment and jealousy for those without five arms, but that becomes a real issue when each arm can hold a sword :smallamused:). It would need a bit more thought to balance the options, and the DM could give more credence to whichever side they wanted the PCs to choose if they were running the game.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v387/mediocre1/giraffes-1.jpg
Image by mediocre, from b3ta
FRACTAL GIRAFFE
Huge Animal/Aberration
(I say huge because a normal giraffe seems to be at least 18 feet tall and 12-15 feet long. A square footprint doesn't seem to fit it, though, but I couldn't find how broad a giraffe is)
Form
I'm picturing the smaller giraffes being around 6 feet tall (the height of a newborn giraffe) so that should put the main body out of reach, except to ranged or reach weapons. That would be the main thing for a party to confront with the Fractal Giraffe, because otherwise apart from its Fun Value, it's not going to be the best opponent. To counter this, taking out two adjacent foot-giraffes should have it fall over, where it remains immobile, but still headbutting, biting and kicking (using the smaller kicks on the still-alive foot-giraffes, or using Foot Club with the alive AND dead foot-giraffes) anyone who comes near.
Attacks:
This is where it gets interesting. There are lots of options for attacks.
1) Giraffe headbutts or bites.
I like the idea of its head and neck being out of reach until it lowers them, so it would prefer not to use this sort of attack. On the ground, however, it becomes relevant, or it might want to "finish off" an opponent as it becomes increasingly desperate. Because the Fractal Giraffe is a separate entity to its foot-giraffes, it may combine these attacks freely with any below.
2) Small Kicks
The foot-giraffe kicks with its legs. The Fractal Giraffe may use 2 legs per foot-giraffe so long as it remains still. If the foot-giraffe is lifted up and pointed at an opponent, it can attack with all 4 hooves. Up to two foot giraffes (on opposite corners) may be used in this manner but a) the other foot-giraffes must keep all 4 legs on the floor and b) taking out an adjacent foot-giraffe when a foot-giraffe is lifted in this manner means the Fractal Giraffe must make a reflex save (DC attack roll?) to return its lifted foot to the ground, or fall over. Standing up is a full-round action (or maybe longer)
3) Foot Club
The Fractal Giraffe lifts the foot-giraffe and slams the whole thing down upon the opponent. In addition, the foot-giraffe may make two Small Kick attacks at some kind of attack penalty, without penalty to the Foot Club. The Fractal Giraffe would be able to rear up as a full attack to make two Foot Club attacks, or use one as a standard attack (rules for lifting foot apply as above). Foot Club may be used with dead foot-giraffes but they cannot make the Small Kick attacks (obviously...).
4) Mix'n'Match!
Of course, one foot may foot club, while the other three feet make two Small Kick attacks. Or the back left foot is lifted up for four Small Kick attacks and the front-right, dead foot-giraffe is slammed down on the paladin. Or the front-left and back-right legs make 2 Small Kick attacks and the front-right clubs down. You get the idea. So long as it doesn't require two adjacent feet to be off the ground (the Foot Club is an exception; see below)
Feet Off the Ground
Normally, taking two adjacent foot-giraffes off the ground would cause the Fractal Giraffe to fall over, but by rearing up its front legs, or kicking out its back legs, like a horse might, this consequence is avoided. However, both left or both right feet may NEVER be off the ground at the same time. A foot is counted as being "off the ground" when its foot-giraffe has more than two legs off the ground. The Fractal Giraffe must keep a minimum of 8 legs on the ground at all times or fall over.
--------------------------
Phew! Lots to say for that bit. Take a breather, make sure you're following me so far.
----------------------------
BODY/IES:
Unlike the Fractal Bears, there is only one brain for the Fractal Giraffe. However, the legs on the foot-giraffes are controlled like fingers on a hand, so it should take no penalty on multiple attacks*
This also means that if a foot-giraffe is severed, it can't claw its way along the ground towards the PCs, growling wildly and gnashing its terrible teeth ;) I'm just looking through your Bears again and it seems you didn't actually include that, but we did vorpal attacks as taking off a limb (roll d5). The forearm was taken off, and the bears dragged themselves forwards along the ground, still alive (think we did it as alive for d20 rounds or something... can't really remember)
*Unless, as stated above, it's using Foot Club and having that foot-giraffe use Small Kicks. But that's an accuracy, not a competance issue: for normal Small Kicks, the foot-giraffe isn't being swung through the air :smalltongue:
--------------------------------------
Keep going!
--------------------------------------
Hitpoints:
So basically each Fractal Giraffe has 5 lots of hitpoints. One for each foot-giraffe, and one for the main body. As noted earlier, I want to keep the feet as a separate problem, forcing the party to co-ordinate, so it's pretty vital that only reach weapons, ranged weapons and magic, or attackers size Large or greater can hit the main body from the ground. I think I've said about what happens if a foot dies -- ooh no, one more thing there: though each part is thought of as distinct and individual, the HP is grouped for the purpose of non-lethal damage (maybe the party were sent to capture one for a Sultan or something, I don't know).
So say, just for instance, that the Fractal Giraffe is made up of 340 hp. Each foot-giraffe is 60hp (total 240) and the Fractal Giraffe is 100hp. The party kill two of its foot-giraffes. Now, each foot giraffe, when put out of action (by either lethal or non-lethal damage) will do 1/4 (also just for instance) of its hp in non-lethal damage to the Fractal Giraffe. Fluff is pain. The result is that you're not waiting so long to take out a giraffe on the ground flailing around, which could very easily be boring if it went on for too long. So the Fractal Giraffe has 70 non-lethal hp remaining if two foot-giraffes are taken out.
It would be silly - well, excessively silly - to have more than 4 foot-giraffes, but there's no reason that it couldn't be expanded if you were that way inclined.
---------------------------------
Feets & Abilities (sea whut i did thar? =P)
What it can do
I'm thinking along the lines of Run, Endurance, maybe Scent, due to its height able to see over obstructions and fog clouds and whatever. It'd be nice if the large weight of the foot-giraffes was taken into account, but would require a new ability: that it can push attackers back or knock them prone by swinging a whole foot-giraffe at them. Would probably require 12 feet on the ground for stability. It'd add variety because I can't imagine this thing grappling. In fact, it would be stupid to grapple it because it'd just lift its feet up and slam you into the ground or a tree, since that's the bit you'd grapple. Unless you jumped to grab the main neck... yeah I'll leave that line of thought for now. It could get stupidly confusing, but I'd still include it if my PCs wanted a grapple.
With all those legs, it's probably good at swimming too, but sheer size means it wades most things. Speaking of legs, Powerful Charge is fitting, and throw into the mix that trample attacks cannot be avoided except with a reflex save. Trample attacks do not use one hoof, but one foot-giraffe (so 4 Small Kick attacks, or something like that)
Saves:
Will save... well, that depends. They don't have a brain to affect. Fort saves... that can be separate. Smaller than the main body, probably. Reflex saves: probably shoe this one in as higher than the main giraffe's own reflex, since it's easier to move one Medium-sized Foot-giraffe out of the way than it is move the whole Fractal Giraffe.
-----------------------------------------
Fluff
Organisation:
They'd be a majestic race. Int 3, so that they can speak Sylvan. Not enough things speak Sylvan. Plus nearly nobody chooses it, even druids, so it'd be cool. It would also allow them to have the outlines of a social structure. They don't have hands to build or forge weapons, and they live on the savannah or plains or even sparse jungle. However, they do migrate as a herd, and they often have a leader, and may even organise roles such as scouts or guards in large herds. That allows PCs to find them solo or in groups of practically any number.
Origins...
let's see... magical offspill: someone developed a potion to make crops bear more food, so wheat with six ears instead of one; apple trees producing four times more apples, that sort of thing. Rain washed it into the water supply, where migrating giraffes drank it. Years later, the mutated race is now a distinct species. Yeah, I like that.
Ways of moving
... well, you know in Tom and Jerry where they're sneaking and it's the toes that do the walking? Why might they use that..? hmm. They move slower but gain a bonus to Move Silently? And when they use both their small legs and the legs that join the foot-giraffes and the body, that's why they have Run.
Temprement:
They like to run away, really, but if they can't (e.g. if they're surrounded, or running away will leave their young in danger, or they're nearly dying of thirst and the PC is between it and the only water hole for miles around or whatever) then they might fight. Normally they charge at the opponent, opening with a Foot Club, or they try to overrun them. Some males will fight a large opponent as they would fight during mating season, and use their horns to headbutt when charging. (I have no idea if that's how giraffes actually fight but dammit, that's how Fractal Giraffes roll!)
--------------------------------
Additional Silliness: (probably to be excluded!)
If you get bitten by a Fractal Giraffe and fail a fort save, or you drink Fractal Giraffe blood, or eat Fractal Giraffe meat and fail a fort save, there's a good chance you'll catch the multi-limb mutation. I saw you talking about a Fractal Template... well, what if your character grew small versions of himself, either extra arms on his arms, or heads on his arms, or legs on his legs (roll a d100!). I like the idea of sprouting little people on the arms, each reflecting a different aspect of personality (only one each - smaller brains!). So Lusty head might drop the character in it with a diplomacy or gather info check, and Lawful Good head argues with Chaotic Evil head, or Honest head says too much and reveals the party's plans. It'd work better as a villain, to be sure. Hmm... yes, I'm actually seeing this start to come together.
Plot hook:
Party is recruited to capture a Fractal Giraffe alive for the sultan/king/emperor's circus/colliseum/zoo/palace. They meet some villagers along the way who tell them of how towns disappeared over the last year or two. Something to get everyone suspicious. They return with the Fractal Giraffe and get the reward, but they should go back to the villagers and work out what happened. Turns out the poisoned water supply has been affecting people. The mutants are very angry, or just grow extra livers and die or something, it's very random, but the BBEG is one trying to co-ordinate an army for payback. The party must stop him, or side with him. Yeah... decisions decisions! Perhaps they'll see the Sultan as the evil one for not keeping check on magical growth potions being washed into the rivers of his own subjects, or they'll have their characters remain loyal and understand that if Mutant Man gets into the city, thousands will die (let's just say his army is full of bitterness and resentment and jealousy for those without five arms, but that becomes a real issue when each arm can hold a sword :smallamused:). It would need a bit more thought to balance the options, and the DM could give more credence to whichever side they wanted the PCs to choose if they were running the game.