PDA

View Full Version : Want to make monster, having trouble with type



flabort
2010-09-12, 10:22 PM
So, I want to create this monster. It is composed of small mechanical plates, linked together (So my first thought was Construct), with an entirely hollow inside. these plates have such a free range of motion (like a chainmail shirt), that the natural form is very much like a blob. Very much. So much in fact, that I really wanted to give it the Ooze type.

My conundrum arises with the augmented subtype. It would be so easy to just to make it a Construct (Augmented Ooze), but: AFAIK Augmented is only when subtype changes when a template is applied. so I can't use that.
And that is where I'm having trouble.

I await your responses in the morning.

Edit: Thank you for your help, here is the result:
Formless Golem

Taken from the diary of the late wizard Killain:
My project has failed. So many wizards have created so many new autonomous beings, and yet I cannot seem to even create one. My latest project, an attempt to capitalize on the ease of movement provided by chain-mail, has failed. It looks more like a shapeless blob, a floppy ball for children to kick around, then any sort of being. It moves, and I guess that is a light in the dark, but the way it rolls around, akin to a silk sheet being handled by incompetents, is just eerie. Perhaps I should have used an internal frame, so that it would keep it's shape. Woe, it is only useful for swallowing intruders. Perhaps I will try again in the morning...

This creature is made of several interlocking plates, small enough that they look similar to the links in a chain-mail shirt. It rolls around, it's several thousand joints bending and moving in ways that would not be possible in a humanoid form. It has a hollow interior, in which it can carry assorted objects and creatures. The lose, interlocking design means that it can separate it's plates long enough to allow an object through it's armor.

Size/type: Large Construct
Hit Dice: 2d10+30 (41 hp)
Initiative: -8
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)
Armor Class: 6 (- 1 size, -1 dex, +3 nat), touch 3, flat-footed 6
Attack/Grapple: +1/+4
Attack: Slam +1 melee (1d8)
Full attack: Slam +1 melee (1d8+1) + bite -4 melee (1d6+1)
Space/reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special attacks: Constrict, Engulf, Improved Grab
Special Qualities: Low light vision, darkvision 60 ft., Construct traits
Saves: Fort -1, ref +2, will -1
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 8, Con --, Int --, Wis 1, Cha 1
Skills: --
Feats: --
Environment: Underground or a wizard's dwelling place
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: none
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 3-8 HD (large); 9-17 (Huge)
Level Adjustment: +1

Combat

A formless golem attacks by slamming it's body into foes. By separating it's plates, it can create a sort of maw to bite it's foes, but it usually tries to engulf them through the opening.

Constrict (Ex)
A formless golem deals automatic slam damage to a grappled opponent each round with a successful grapple check. It can only constrict 4 grappled opponents per round, or a number equal to it's strength moddifier, but it is a free action.

Engulf (Ex)
A formless golem has the ability to create an opening in it's armor, allowing it to simply mow down large or smaller creatures as a standard action. It cannot make a slam or bite attack during a round in which it engulfs. To engulf, it merely has to move over the opponents, affecting as many as it can cover. Opponents can make opportunity attacks against the golem, but if they do so they are not entitled to a saving throw. Those who do not attempt attacks of opportunity must succeed on a DC 17 reflex save or be engulfed; on a success, they are pushed back or aside (opponent's choice) as the golem moves forward. engulfed creatures are considered to be grappled and trapped within the golem's body.
The save DC is strength based and includes a +1 racial bonus. Both of these have already been figured in.

Improved Grab (Ex)
To use this ability, a formless golem must hit with it's slam or bite 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. If the golem uses Engulf while grappling an opponent this way, it automatically counts the grappled opponent as affected, and may make the reflex save to avoid being engulfed, although it will remain grappled afterwards.

Construct traits
A formless golem has no constitution score, Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects), Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and necromancy effects. It cannot heal damage on it's own, but can be repaired through use of the Craft Construct feat. If it gains fast healing it sill benifites from that quality. It is not subject to critical hits, no lethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or energy drain. It has immunity to any effect that requires a fortitude save, unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless. it is not at risk of death from massive damage, and is immediately destroyed when reduced to 0 hitpoints or less. It cannot be raised or resurrected, and gains hitpoints based on size (30 for large size). it is proficient with it's natural weapons only, not proficient with any armor, and does not need to eat, sleep, or breath.

(Yah, hybrid of gelatinous cube and a gray ooze made into a construct)

The Vorpal Tribble
2010-09-12, 10:57 PM
Here's the question, is it alive?

Morph Bark
2010-09-13, 02:32 AM
Sounds like a construct to me, especially if it is hollow from the inside. Oozes are moreso when the creature looks like Jell-O.

DracoDei
2010-09-13, 05:01 AM
Sounds like a Construct with ooze-like special abilities (and attacks? If it is hollow inside, I smell the Engulf/Improved Grab pairing).

Anyone know the mechanical effects of the Augmented subtypes? I can't recall any, but if there are some, and they are useful, this might be a case for ignoring the convention (while explicitly calling it out somewhere in the special abilities descriptions).

Just make sure to give it an Ooze's squeezing ability (although depending on the size and mobility of the plates relative to eachother, you might want to nerf it slightly, as with MMII's Bone Ooze), and immunity to flanking.

flabort
2010-09-13, 10:34 AM
@vorpal tribble: uh, no. not alive.
@DracoDie: augmented gives traits of current type, but features of previous type. so actually... augmented ooze wouldn't change anything in a construct.

Yah, I'll just make it a construct, expect it in a while.