chronomatophobe
2013-02-26, 06:27 PM
I'm designing a recurring NPC for a campaign I'm running, and I want them to be--above all--memorable. I can't remember how I came across this idea initially, but I've flirted with the general idea for a long time: a were-dire-toad grappler!*
Reasoning (I think fairly) that the idea is awesome but I'd never want to play one, I set about making it an NPC. It ended up being a Troll Were-Dire-Toad Swordsage because I didn't want it to be a one-half-trick pony in combat. Plus, the idea of a 10ft meditative, spiritual troll-toad that can swallow you is funny AND threatening. Also, the idea that a toad (the character in animal form) can initiate a maneuver with a bite attack is pretty neat.
I have the nitty-gritty stuff like abilities and skills and stuff ironed out, but I'm looking for a few suggestions. For reference, I want the character to start at Swordsage 3, which gives her 13 HD (6 Giant, 4 Animal, 3 Swordsage).
Abilities are: 23 Str, 16 Dex, 24 Con, 13 Int, 20 Wis, 4 Cha based on 32 point buy plus HD ability points, and assuming hybrid form.
Firstly, I'm wondering what maneuvers to take. Seems like Setting Sun will feature, but most of the low level maneuvers are pretty bland. Diamond Mind is kind of out because it's really hard to make concentration respectable after all those nonclass hit dice. Desert Wind is a funky idea and I'm married to the character having ranks in tumble for Flame's Blessing, but I don't really see the character's tenure in the discipline going much further. I honestly don't know where to spend the available maneuvers. Current Build is Troll Were-Dire-Toad Swordsage 3, for reference. I'd like her primary weapons to be her natural weapons. I want people to fear the toad claw when she's not grappling, tripping or eating them.
I also have no idea where to start with gear, aside from some nifty troll-sized light armor. All suggestions are welcome.
Relatively minor question: would you consider Swordsage to be an associated or unassociated class for the purposes of determining CR? I guess I consider it associated because it really accentuates the grappling I'm trying to pursue. But then again, Swordsage is a class with more depth than "I'M TROLL I SMASH"
Also, did I miss a rule about animals being Martial Adepts somewhere? I know unicorns are smart enough to be clerics according to the SRD, and this troll is relatively witty. Could she thusly use Burning Brand to increase the reach of her bite in animal form and do other shenanigans like that? Would a toad's Burning Brand Bite be poisonous RAW? Would Burning Brand allow you to initiate a maneuver that required a melee touch attack like Mighty Throw and an increased distance?
And is one considered flat footed for the purposes of being sneak-attacked in one's own stomach?
Any other comments are welcome, of course. If there are better ways to have an NPC eat a player in a sentient way, I'm all ears.
*Dire Toads are in MMII and I've taken the liberty of updating them to be more 3.5-ey. Mostly just changed some wording so they interact with revised rules in the way one would expect. Biggest change is that I've decided their poison is Con based and includes a +2 racial bonus. Nothing too drastic.
Reasoning (I think fairly) that the idea is awesome but I'd never want to play one, I set about making it an NPC. It ended up being a Troll Were-Dire-Toad Swordsage because I didn't want it to be a one-half-trick pony in combat. Plus, the idea of a 10ft meditative, spiritual troll-toad that can swallow you is funny AND threatening. Also, the idea that a toad (the character in animal form) can initiate a maneuver with a bite attack is pretty neat.
I have the nitty-gritty stuff like abilities and skills and stuff ironed out, but I'm looking for a few suggestions. For reference, I want the character to start at Swordsage 3, which gives her 13 HD (6 Giant, 4 Animal, 3 Swordsage).
Abilities are: 23 Str, 16 Dex, 24 Con, 13 Int, 20 Wis, 4 Cha based on 32 point buy plus HD ability points, and assuming hybrid form.
Firstly, I'm wondering what maneuvers to take. Seems like Setting Sun will feature, but most of the low level maneuvers are pretty bland. Diamond Mind is kind of out because it's really hard to make concentration respectable after all those nonclass hit dice. Desert Wind is a funky idea and I'm married to the character having ranks in tumble for Flame's Blessing, but I don't really see the character's tenure in the discipline going much further. I honestly don't know where to spend the available maneuvers. Current Build is Troll Were-Dire-Toad Swordsage 3, for reference. I'd like her primary weapons to be her natural weapons. I want people to fear the toad claw when she's not grappling, tripping or eating them.
I also have no idea where to start with gear, aside from some nifty troll-sized light armor. All suggestions are welcome.
Relatively minor question: would you consider Swordsage to be an associated or unassociated class for the purposes of determining CR? I guess I consider it associated because it really accentuates the grappling I'm trying to pursue. But then again, Swordsage is a class with more depth than "I'M TROLL I SMASH"
Also, did I miss a rule about animals being Martial Adepts somewhere? I know unicorns are smart enough to be clerics according to the SRD, and this troll is relatively witty. Could she thusly use Burning Brand to increase the reach of her bite in animal form and do other shenanigans like that? Would a toad's Burning Brand Bite be poisonous RAW? Would Burning Brand allow you to initiate a maneuver that required a melee touch attack like Mighty Throw and an increased distance?
And is one considered flat footed for the purposes of being sneak-attacked in one's own stomach?
Any other comments are welcome, of course. If there are better ways to have an NPC eat a player in a sentient way, I'm all ears.
*Dire Toads are in MMII and I've taken the liberty of updating them to be more 3.5-ey. Mostly just changed some wording so they interact with revised rules in the way one would expect. Biggest change is that I've decided their poison is Con based and includes a +2 racial bonus. Nothing too drastic.