[3.5] How to be a tentacle monster?

[Smeggedoff]

Heyo playgrounders
I'm rolling up a character for an epic level D&D game with a few funky houserules (none relevant I think) and I've run into a bit of a rut.

So far the character's a level 24 binder (yay epic vestiges) and I'm pretty hardy, my only problem is that I haven't decided on how to contribute to combat yet.

From a theme point of view, I'm already binding Zceryll and Tkhaluuljin, so the squid monster vibe is pretty high so I though "why not, lets play squid-girl.

So with a large chunk of WBL left, I started looking for a decent monster to stay shapeshifted into most of the time.

After talking with a friend and trawling through the monster manuals I've got a few choices

Giant Squid (MM)
Kraken (MM)
Darktentacles (MM2)
Moonbeast (MM2)
Balhannoth (MM3) (I think this one's out by virtue of the fact that he suppresses any worn or held magic items, but maybe there's a way around that)
Voor, Dreadful Lasher (MM3)

They've all got their perks.

Basically I figure either some sort of grappler, or bind the two sneak attack vestiges and go to town with as many sneak attacks as possible.

What do you guys think?
Feel free to add more stuff to the list if you think you know about something suitable squamous from a book I may not have looked at yet.

Oh, additionally I have 7 feats left to play with too because I suck at choosing them.
I don't need a prewrapped build, just some tips would be nice.

(in fact, here's my current Seventeen (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=353483))

Thanks in advance

[Soren Hero]

have u considering using symbionts or grafts to get natural attacks/special abilities? this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=190350) thread has the most (if not all) complete list of available grafts and symbionts to use

being a binder means u can bind naberius to negate ability damage and the like..hope this helps

[Smeggedoff]

I was planning on taking at least one graft to qualify for multiattack feats, but I'll browse the list since I was planning on taking other grafts anyway. good point on naberius though.

[Crasical]

I was all excited to come in and offer advice and now I see you're both epic level and are using Vestiges, two things I'm not very good with. Darn.

EDIT: I feel silly for asking, but do you have a way to bypass the Kraken's lack of a move speed?

[Dr.Epic]

Awakened Squid:smallwink:

[dgnslyr]

There's a feat in Lords of Madness that gives you a pair of tentacles. It's called Deepspawn, but requires two other feats: Aberrant Blood, which gives you a small bonus to one of several skill checks, and any other Aberrant Feat. Depending on your character, that might be a rather steep price, but if it's tentacles you want, it's tentacles you get.

[blazingshadow]

just posted to help you remember to resist the urge to repeatedly rape any teenage girls you find along the way

[Smeggedoff]

Crasical: Tkhaluuljin gives me 150ft perfect fly speed
Dr.Epic: Awakened doesn't really matter since I'm using shapeshift and keep my own brain, but I'll mark that down as a vote for Giant Squid
Dgnslyr: Cool, I do have loads of feats to spare so that's doable.
blazingshadow: duly noted ;P

[Endarire]

Form of Doooooooooom (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/formofDoom.htm)!

[Soren Hero]

you can also look here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7066595) for ways to get extra attacks (including grafts) and this (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=10994.0) guide on using natural weapons for more ideas

[Hirax]

If it's at all possible, I'm a big fan of the flaying tendrils spell, because not only does it give you tentacles, it lets you eat brains like a mind flayer. Pairs nicely with the fearsome grapple and extend tentacles spells.

[ScionoftheVoid]

Aboleth have tentacles, as well as an incredibly annoying on-hit effect (not many people expect to drown on dry land, after all, and a common counter to drowning is that item which surrounds you with a shell of fresh air - which doesn't help against Aboleth mucus) granted by mucus. If you can keep the mucus with the kind of shapeshifting you're using (and hopefully have some way to raise the DC), it's a decent option. Also has illusion spell-likes if you can keep those.

[meto30]

Aboleth have tentacles, as well as an incredibly annoying on-hit effect (not many people expect to drown on dry land, after all, and a common counter to drowning is that item which surrounds you with a shell of fresh air - which doesn't help against Aboleth mucus) granted by mucus. If you can keep the mucus with the kind of shapeshifting you're using (and hopefully have some way to raise the DC), it's a decent option. Also has illusion spell-likes if you can keep those.

don't aboleths have the disadvantage of naturally larger size?

...Oh, I forgot the character is to be epic. never mind.

[Frosty]

If you can use Pathfinder stuff, then a Summoner (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/summoner) with the Synthesist (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/summoner/archetypes/paizo---summoner-archetypes/synthesist) archetype can give the Eidolon (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/summoner/eidolons) he wears a LOT of tentacle attacks.

[HunterOfJello]

I'm not sure how you're supposed to be shapeshifting into these other monsters. Since you listed animals and aberrations, I'll just list some random monsters.

Dream Master Quori - (Magic of Eberron) CR 11
Ulithard (Mind Flayer) - (Lords of Madness) CR 12+++
Du'ulora Quori - (Secrest of Sarlona) CR 11
Lilitu - (Fiendish Codex I) CR 12 [has 4 stingers]
Corruption Eater - (Heroes of Horror) CR 8
Crawling Head - (Fiend Folio) CR 20
Darkweaver - (Fiend Folio) CR 10
Myrmxyicus (Tanar'ri) - (Fiend Folio) CR 21
Piscoloth - (Fiend Folio) CR 9

There are several other monsters with tentacles in the Fiend Folio, but they were Huge size or larger.

[Smeggedoff]

Endarire: Ooh, that looks neat. specifically can't be used while shapeshifted though. I'll certainly keep it in mind in the event that I decide to do something without turning into something else.

Soren Hero: Cool, more resources are always good, thanks for the update.

Hirax: Spells will need to be gained by either a UMD vestige, or custom magic items. Entirely possible though, I'll take a look :)

Scionofthevoid: True, I hadn't considered aboleth. The save DC's are a bit low for an epic game though :-/

Meto30: I'm confused, is a larger size a bad thing? I guess thinking about it if I choose grapple I wan to be as large as possible, if I go with multiweapon fighting I want to be small so I don't eat unneccesary hit penalties. :/

Frosty: I wasn't looking for another class unfortunately, since I need to be an epic level binder to get the epic vestiges. I've got the two I want however, so since I got the binder bonus feat at 23, there's nothing stopping me from going into another class at 24 I guess. Epecially since I can still take the epic binder feats as normal epic feats. Hmm.

HunterofJello: ooh, neat list. I will go browse. Thankies.

[Lateral]

How are you shapeshifting, exactly? AFAIK, neither Zceryll nor Tkhaluuljin grant any sort of shapeshifting. Is it shapeshifting like Polymorph, shapeshifting like Shapechange, or what?

[Fax Celestis]

Form of Doooooooooom (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/formofDoom.htm)!

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES

[Demon of Death]

There's also the Grell from MMII that have 10 tentacle attacks, figured I would let you about it as well.

[Smeggedoff]

Lateral: Custom item of the spell Shapechange (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/shapechange.htm) with a constant duration

Demon of Death: Ta

[poignant123]

Anthropomorphic Giant Octopus.

Medium size, no LA, 2 Monstrous Humanoid HD.

It has 6 Tentacle Attacks and a bite attack.

Add Amphibious from Stormwrack so you can breathe out of water.

[Soren Hero]

i wonder how many tentacles/extra limbs we can get: i'll use a True Mind Switched Marilith as a base because, well, you now have 6 arms to use/replace with tentacles, grafts, etc, and a Tail slap...and no LA or RHD (maybe a sore spot where u got hit with a DMG)

just from the Fiend Folio:
-three aberration heritage feats (including Deepspawn) gets you two extra tentacles
-aboleth tentacle says that it replaces a limb or forearm, but it also says it can be graft below an arm/forearm
-clawed arm, extra NA
-Flexible arm, extra NA
-grappling tentacle and long arm don't say if they replace a limb or are grafted independently, but assuming they don't replace a limb, that's +2 NA
-sting Tail, extra NA
-Whip tail , potential NA, debatable that sting/whip tails are in lieu of ur own tail as a Marilith
-Rending Claw, extra NA as it doesn't "replace" a limb
-Serpent Arm, extra NA

So, assuming a Marilith base and the grappling/aboleth tentacle, long arm, and sting/whip tail don't replace any limbs, but instead add them, you now have 18 natural weapons

additionally, there is the Illithid Heritage feats from Complete Psionic, particularly the Illithid Grapple Feat with adds a Tentacle attack per feat, which means u need Illithid Heritage, +1 extra IH feat, +4 IG feats to get 4 tentacles...here you can have some leeway, i hope, with ur DM and talk him/her into allowing Illithid Heritage feats to count as Aberration Heritage Feats for the purposes of Deepspawn...which means for 7 feats, you can get 6 tentacle attacks...however, this may or may not be worth the feat investment...however, it means you would get 22 natural weapons, 8 of which are tentacles, 1 is a snake arm (almost a tentacle), 3 are tail attacks, including ur own tail slap, and the rest are arms

I haven't even added in persistent/permanent spells, or items other than grafts

I know the Playground can improve on this, Super OPTIMIZE IT, and make something like a Hecatoncheires, but with tentacles!!!!

edit:tho, you could just TMS a Hecatoncheires and be done with it, but this Tentacle monster needs more Style

[Tvtyrant]

This (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/items/universalItems.htm#skinofProteus)is a good way to always be in another form.

[Coidzor]

Too bad that homebrew's not kosher, there's a fairly good bit here on these boards called the Ozodrin or something that basically is about becoming a tentacle monster (or puddle of eyes and teeth or...)

[Dr.Epic]

Does this count?

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPulWjJHjRk/TwHn1JU1HpI/AAAAAAAAAg0/NvSH_NcDxU8/s1600/Clam_edited-1.jpg

CLAM! SMASH!

:smalltongue:

[Rebel7284]

Can't you grow infinite tentacles with warshaper?

[Rubik]

I had a character that was an anthrobat ghost with the Illithid Heritage and Illithid Grapple feats (from CPsi; the first qualifies for the second, and for each IG feat you've got (up to x4) you get a tentacle attack). I'd possess enemies, and when I inhabited their bodies they'd explode into tentacles.

He was the stillborn spawn of Cthulu (hence the anthrobat).

[dgnslyr]

Can't you grow infinite tentacles with warshaper?

I think the number of tentacles you can grow is limited only by the duration of your shapechange, because it's one natural weapon per round. For someone like a druid, whose Wild Shape duration is counted in hours, you should be able to grow plenty of tentacles.