GITP Monster Competition LVIII - Strange Bedfellows

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

Strange Bedfellows
http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs32/f/2008/219/2/b/Symbiote_Alternate_by_Zatransis.jpg
"“Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.”
- Ryunosuke Satoro


The world is full of parasites, striving to feast on those around them, using and consuming the power of others for their own sakes. They are foolish, these beings. After all, are not two minds greater than one?



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The contest begins with the posting of this thread and will continue until the 20th of June.

Soon after a poll will be opened for everyone to vote for their favorite that will last until June 30th. Again, apologies for the delay, and for the overlap the voting for this contest will have with the next contest.



Rules

1. You will be creating one two original D&D creatures. These creatures must have a symbiotic relationship of some sort: while one may be dominant over the other, it must still be in the best interests of both creatures to remain alive. If you make a single creature, it must be a creature who relies on others to survive, although it does not have to rely on a specific creature unless you so choose. It could be a creature from the Positive Energy plane who seeks out a similar creature from the Negative Energy plane to achieve a necessary balance, a childhood dream given form who clings to its creator to hold on to reality, protecting them all the while, or any other such creature your minds can dream up.

2. The entry must include name, complete stat-block, physical description, basic background information, and detailed combat behavior if any. A plot hook or similar in addition is optional but encouraged. Incomplete entries will be disqualified upon the deadline.

3. Entries must be 3.5 edition, using the standard format listed below (not that new one seen in the Monster Manual IV-V, except for a lore section which is encouraged).

4. Post all entries on this thread. Do not post conversation here. Any and All Comments and discussions will take place on a separate thread here (this is a link) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10470789#post10470789).

5. One entry per participant. No double-teaming.

6. Entries copied from some other source (splatbook, alternate website, etc) will be disqualified. All entries must be a new creation, not one already posted. Adding class levels to an already published or posted creature does not count as a new monster. Nor does adding templates. There must be an original base creature devoid of any template added on as the actual entry. Samples of the original base creature with a template may be posted in 'addition' but will not be judged.

7. No reserving posts. Feel free to post a creature and tweak it, but you have to have the basic beast already done.

8. Please state if you do not want critiques, otherwise other participants will likely give a rundown of your build in the chat thread.

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[i]Image by Zatransis on DeviantArt

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

Vorpal Tribble's Guide To Making Monsters (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43009)

As well, here is the standard 3.5 monster format. Only complete entries will be accepted. If there are any questions feel free to ask me or post queries in the GITP Contest Chat Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=8753819#post8753819).

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No Parsed Stat Block Code
Name

<Size> <Type>
Hit Dice:
Initiative:
Speed: (# squares)
Armor Class: (), touch, flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple:
Attack:
Full Attack:
Space/Reach:
Special Attacks:
Special Qualities:
Saves: Fort +, Ref +, Will +
Abilities Str , Dex , Con , Int , Wis , Cha
Skills:
Feats:
Environment:
Organization:
Challenge Rating:
Treasure:
Alignment:
Advancement:
Level Adjustment:

Description/background/characteristics

Combat

Ability descriptions

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

- Optional -

Lore

Plot Hook/Story if any

Name

<Size> <Type>
Hit Dice:
Initiative:
Speed: (# squares)
Armor Class: (), touch, flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple:
Attack:
Full Attack:
Space/Reach:
Special Attacks:
Special Qualities:
Saves: Fort +, Ref +, Will +
Abilities Str , Dex , Con , Int , Wis , Cha
Skills:
Feats:
Environment:
Organization:
Challenge Rating:
Treasure:
Alignment:
Advancement:
Level Adjustment:

Description/background/characteristics

Combat

Ability descriptions

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

- Optional -

Lore

Plot Hook/Story if any

[unosarta]

Witherwood Vine

http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs37/f/2008/270/f/b/Parasite_by_Bobbaji.jpg
[1] (http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&q=parasite#/d1mya63)
A Witherwood Vine that has taken a victim.

Small Plant
Hit Dice: 9d8+9 (54 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 20 feet (4 squares); Burrow 15 feet
Armor Class: 20, touch 14, flat-footed 17 (+1 Size, +3 Dexterity, +6 Natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+14
Attack: Slam +11 melee (2d6+4 and Poison)
Full Attack: 2 Slams +11 melee (2d6+4 and Poison)
Space/Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft.
Special Attacks: Constrict 2d6+4, Possess, Improved Grab, Play Dead
Special Qualities: Fire Vulnerability, Witherwood Poison, DR 5/Cold Iron
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +5
Abilities Str 18, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 5
Skills: Hide +15*, Move Silently +13*, Spot +3
Feats: Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Grapple, Ability Focus (Possess),
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: True Neutral
Advancement: 10-15 HD (Small); 16-21 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: --

A Witherwood Vine is a rather strange plant creature that binds itself to others as a parasite, and then drains them dry, moving on to other victims afterward. Unlike many more magical parasites, the Witherwood Vine doesn’t actually control the actions of the host or victim, instead staying rather low key, and not becoming visible until it is absolutely too late for the victim.

When the Witherwood Vine is not possessing a host, they appear as small vines, about 3 feet long. They weigh roughly five pounds, although it is very difficult to say, since so few have gotten close enough to touch the Witherwood Vine and still live afterward. The Witherwood Vine, outside of a host, appears as a very dark brown with a few green highlights.

When the Witherwood Vine is possessing a host, they appear much differently. Because of their sort of covert nature, they are not visible at all until the second or so week of possession, when the cycle has started, and the deadly nature of the Witherwood Vine becomes truly visible. At that point, the vine slowly, over the period of several days, becomes visible, as a brownish green chitin over the body of the host.

Witherwood Vines are not especially common, understandably. Not only are they hunted, but they also tend to live in more wooded areas, killing and eating local fauna and altogether ignoring everything else. Only when a host who travels into the woods is possessed by a Witherwood Vine and who then travels into an urban area does the Witherwood Vine actually become something visible. Given its rarity, and the way it kills, it can be very, very hard for towns or communities to remove, trap, or kill the Witherwood Vine, sometimes impossible.

Witherwood Vines do not speak any language. Druids and Rangers can use their Wild Empathy ability to communicate with the Witherwood Vines, and the Witherwood Vine automatically starts out as Indifferent towards the creature that has Wild Empathy.

Witherwood Vines are commonly captured and used as weapons among enemy populations, capable of destroying large armies in enough quantities, and able to assassinate key targets without those targets knowing of it.

Combat

Constrict (Ex): The Witherwood Vine deals automatic slam damage as well as poison, upon a successful grapple check.

Possess (Ex): The Witherwood Vine may possess a creature that it has been grappling with for at least 3 rounds, as a swift action. That creature must make a Fortitude save (DC 17) or become possessed. This DC is Constitution based, and includes a +2 racial modifier. The Witherwood Vine appears to die as soon as this ability is used, but in reality, their outer layer of skin is simply shed and the Witherwood Vine enters the opponent’s body.

The Witherwood Vine stays dormant for up to 2 weeks, before activating. Upon activating, the host must make a Fortitude save (DC 17) or begin the consumption of the host. The DC is Constitution based, and includes a +2 racial modifier. If the host makes their save, the consumption of the host is delayed by another 2 weeks, upon which time the host must make an additional Fortitude save. The host takes a -1 penalty for the Fortitude saves from this effect for each successful Fortitude save they make against the consumption process.

During the consumption process, the host takes 20% of their health as damage every week of consumption, as the Witherwood Vine slowly eats away at them. This damage may not be healed by mundane means, and only healing spells of at least 5th level can heal it.

If anyone physically tries to harm the chitin, and manages to deal enough damage to it that it would kill the regular Witherwood Vine, it also kills the host.

The Witherwood Vine can be removed from the host by either healing them back to full health during the consumption process, having Greater Restoration, Lesser Wish, Wish, or Miracle cast upon them, or having a DC 40 heal check made.

Improved Grab (Ex): Whenever the Witherwood Vine hits on both slam attacks in the same round, it can start a grapple attempt as a free action.

Fire Vulnerability (Ex): The Witherwood Vine takes 50% more fire damage.

Witherwood Poison (Ex): Whenever the Witherwood Vine deals damage with their slam attack, the opponent must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or be affected by the Witherwood Vine’s poison. The Fortitude save is Constitution based. A successful Fortitude save also removes the secondary damage.
{table=head]Poison Name|DC|Initial Damage|Secondary Damage

Witherwood Poison|15|1d4 Str|1d6 Str[/table]

Skills: The Witherwood Vine gains a +6 racial bonus to Hide, and a +4 racial bonus to Move Silently. This bonus increases to +8 and +6, respectively, when the Witherwood Vine is in areas of thick or thickened vegetation.

[The Dark Fiddler]

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg41/The_Dark_Fiddler/Lileep.png
Symbiont Plant

Small Plant
Hit Dice: 6d8+18 (45 HP)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 0 ft. (immobile)
Armor Class: 15 (+4 natural, +1 size), 11 touch, 15 flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+10
Attack: Slam +7 (1d6+3)
Full Attack: Slam +7 (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 0 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, spores
Special Qualities: Amphibious, blindsight 30 ft., plant traits, regeneration 1, symbiont
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +2, Will +2
Abilities Str 14, Dex 10, Con 16, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 6
Environment: Swamps
Organization: Typical of host creature (see symbiont quality)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: Typical of host creature
Alignment: Always true neutral
Advancement: By HD
Level Adjustment: -

From the depths of the murky water, a wolf rises, seeming to have no trouble breathing. On its back is a strange plant with writhing tentacles. Several of its pack members follow suit, and you are quickly surrounded. Without warning, they spit a cloud of pollen at you, clouding the air and making it difficult to breathe.

Symbiont plants are plants that survive off of other creatures, growing directly out from them. Aside from feeding on them, however, they are actually more beneficial than harmful, assisting their hosts whenever they enter a fight, allowing their hosts to breathe underwater, and sharing their blindsight with their hosts. They are known to be extremely adaptable, able to survive in creature of nearly any shape or size.

Although many people are understandably distressed when infected with a symbiont plant, some accept it as a new part of them, using the new abilities gained by them to their own advantage. Occasionally, those who know of symbiont plants will seek infection intentionally, whether through natural means or the assistance of one who has their spores stored.

Combat

Symbiont plants will attack any foe their host is currently fighting with their slam attack, and attempt to grapple them so they pose less of a threat. Occasionally, and seemingly randomly, they will release their spores to attempt to infect those around them.

Amphibious (Ex): Symbiont plants can breathe equally well in water and in land, as can its host creature.

Blindsight (Ex): Symbiont plants are able to use the tentacles surrounding their main bulb to sense disturbances in the air or water around them, granting them blindsight out to 30 feet. If a symbiont plant is grappling a foe, they cannot use their blindsight ability, as their tentacles are instead gripping their foe.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a symbiont plant must hit a creature no more than one size category larger than it with its slam attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. *A symbiont plant has a +8 racial bonus on grapple checks.

Regeneration (Ex): Fire and acid deal normal damage to a symbiont plant. If a symbiont plant's tentacle is removed, it regrows in 3d4 minutes. If a symbiont plant is killed or its bulb is removed without being properly purged, it can make a fortitude save (DC 15, +1 for each time it's regrown in the past). If it succeeds, it regrows in 3d4 hours.

Spores (Ex): As a standard action, a symbiont plant may release a cloud of spores. All living creatures within 15 feet (except other plants and anyone already infected) must make a fortitude save (DC 16, constitution based) or become infected with their own symbiont plant. A symbiont plant will take 2d4 days to grow properly, during which time the host will take 2 constitution, dexterity, and strength damage each day. A remove disease spell cast on the host during this time will successfully purge the symbiont plant. The symbiont plant grows to full size while the host is asleep on the final day of its growth, sprouting from its back (and ruining any clothes the host was wearing). A symbiont plant can use this ability while grappling a foe, in which case only the grappled foe is affected, but the DC is increased by 4. This ability can be used once a week regardless of in which manner it is used.

Symbiont (Ex): A symbiont plant and its host lives together, both gaining several benefits from the relationship. Symbiont plants are always one size category smaller than its host when they grow; the given statblock is for a symbiont plant hosted by a medium creature. For every size category larger or smaller than the given specimen a given symbiont plant is, add or remove one hit die respectively. Because of the way a symbiont plant sits on its host, it occupies the same space as its host rather than taking up any additional space. Any armor the host wishes to wear, however, must specifically be built around the symbiont plant.

A symbiont plant acts on its host's initiative count, and gets its own actions (however, since it can't move and can't full attack, it will generally only use its standard action). The host takes a -2 on attack rolls, armor class, and dexterity-based skill checks until he is accustomed to the presence of the symbiont plant, which typically takes 1d3+1 weeks. Every day, the host of a full-grown symbiont plant takes 1 constitution damage as the symbiont plant feeds (which is promptly healed when the host rests, essentially leaving the host one point of constitution lower than normal).

The host of a symbiont plant is able to use its blindsight and amphibious special qualities as long as the symbiont plant is not regrowing. Likewise, the symbiont plant can access any of its host's senses (including any spells affecting them, such as true sight.). Additionally, a symbiont plant's immunity to poison grants its host a +4 circumstance bonus on all saves against poison.

Any critical hit that would normally hit the symbiont plant's host instead hits the symbiont plant, and any attack aimed at the symbiont plant has a 25% chance of hitting its host instead. Any spell cast on the host or the symbiont plant also affects the other, if possible (for example, a bull's strength spell cast on the host will also increase the symbiont plant's strength, but an enlarge person would not affect the symbiont plant in any way, and a prismatic ray would also affect both). Any effect that would affect both (such as a fireball spell) has its effects determined separately (with the exception that if the host succeeds a reflex save against an effect, the symbiont plant also succeeds).

Once the symbiont plant is fully grown, removing it is much harder than normally. A remove disease spell will still remove the symbiont plant, but only if it fails a fortitude save. If the spell is cast while the symbiont plant is regrowing, it takes a -4 on the save.

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Lore
{table=head]DC|Lore
21|Symbiont plants spread their spores to infect other creates. (Reveal spores.)
26|Symbiont plants survive equally well in and out of water, and recover from damage quickly. (Reveal amphibious and regeneration.)
31|Symbiont plants see by feeling vibrations in the air and will latch onto enemies that it attacks. (Reveal blindsight and improved grab.)
36|Symbiont plants actually assist their hosts more than they hurt them. (Reveal symbiont.)[/table]

Plot Hook
The king and his council all have a strange plant growing from their backs and are substantially weaker than normal. Rumors of mind control, mutation, and doppelgangers are spreading, and somebody needs to find the truth.

A small but powerful group of druids are going around the countryside and infecting anybody they come across with plants they have growing out of their backs. In a few days, anybody infected grows a similar plant. The plant doesn't seem to be too harmful, aside from weakening its hosts, but everybody is understandably scared; the druids have to be stopped.