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Maerok
2007-03-24, 10:27 PM
Corpse Sphere

Huge Construct
Hit Dice: 15d10+40 (122 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 50 ft., climb 30 ft.
Armor Class: 19 (-2 size, +5 Dex, +6 natural), touch 13, flat-footed (immune)
Base Attack/Grapple: +11/+26
Attack: +16 Spines (2d8+11 piercing; 18-20/x3, possible poison)
Full Attack: +16 Spines (2d8+11 piercing; 18-20/x3, possible poison)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Rolling Death, Spike Flicker, Poisonous, Death Barrage
Special Qualities: Construct traits, blind-sight 60 ft., spherical, dynamic spines, DR 10/adamantine
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +10, Will +0
Abilities: Str 25 , Dex 21 , Con - , Int - , Wis 1 , Cha 1
Skills: None
Feats: None
Environment: Dungeons and ruins
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 12
Treasure: Per corpses attached (see below)
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: 15-20 HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: -

Like a sea urchin with spines in every direction, this horrific devise is a 15 feet in diameter from spine tip to spine tip, built around a 5-foot diameter 'core' that houses the mechanical components. A Corpse Sphere is a deadly machine created to patrol derelict ruins and other tight areas where few can evade their attacks. Those slain by its gruesome spikes become grim trophies to others who seek to plunder the lost areas of ancient civilizations. Poison is usually applied to the tips of their spines for an added bonus.

Poisonous (Ex): One in four Corpse Spheres contain poison (at DM's discretion for type). Whenever it damages a creature with its spines, the creature must make its saves against the poison or fall victim to it. A Corpse Sphere generally contains enough poison in its reserves for 4d6 poisonings per hour.

Spherical (Ex): A Corpse Sphere 'sees' from all directions, making it immune to being flanked or being flat-footed.

Rolling Death (Ex): Due to its nature, a Corpse Sphere receives the benefit of Improved Overrun. It automatically gains a free overrun attempt whenever it moves through a space occupied by a creature (allowing it multiple attacks per turn). The Corpse Sphere performs its spines attack on each victim it knocks down. It also gets a free spines attack against any creature already prone. The Corpse Sphere cannot attack in any other way (except by its special attacks) and does not make attacks of opportunity. This ability may be used with a charge. Creatures slain by this attack are impaled across its spines and remain there until removed by force, rotted to bone (usually), or dropped off due to the shifting lengths of the spines. Creatures grappling a Corpse Sphere automatically take damage from its spine attack each round.

Hard to Reach (Ex): Melee weapons that are less than 5 feet long cannot damage the vital parts of the Corpse Sphere, unless the wielder is already within the Sphere's space. Ranged weapons are unaffected.

Spike Flicker (Ex): Once every 1d6 rounds, the Corpse Sphere spines will extend an extra 5 feet to impale its prey. It gets an attack against each creature within this range.

Dynamic Spines (Ex): A Corpse Sphere's spines will resize to allow it to fit into any corridor of the ruins it patrols. It may squeeze into spaces 5 feet wide, while still maintaining its size and speed. Its spines also help it to climb almost any type of material or terrain that it might encounter in its area (its climb speed is listed). Corpses impaled on the Sphere may fall off due to the resizing.

Death Barrage (Ex): Upon its destruction, the Corpse Sphere's spines are fired out in all directions. Each creature within 45 feet with a clear line to the core of the Corpse Sphere is attacked by 1d3-1 spines (BAB +16, as a ranged attack; roll seperately for each spine). If any poison is left in the Corpse Sphere for this hour, each spike has a 20% chance to be poisonous. A Corpse Sphere can attempt to trigger this ability (as a free action) in dire circumstances but it only works in 40% of its attempts and must retry on the next round.

Icewalker
2007-03-24, 11:05 PM
Wow, I like it. Creepy. Gotta add one thing in for it, which may increase CR significantly, although it is important for the sake of realism: weapons that are less than 5 feet long cannot touch it, unless the wielder is already impaled.

So it's movement is an eerie rolling along the ground?

Zeta Kai
2007-03-24, 11:35 PM
How about this:

Hard to Reach (Ex): Melee weapons that are less than 5 feet long cannot damage the core, unless the wielder is already impaled. Ranged weapons are unaffected.

Icewalker
2007-03-24, 11:46 PM
Yeah, that sounds about right. Rephrase it to cannot reach or cannot affect, because there are weapon effects that don't deal damage.

adanedhel9
2007-03-25, 12:04 AM
I really like the idea. I can see one of these getting loose and rolling around a battlefield, crushing friend and foe.

I do have some mechanical and meta-mechanical suggestions, however:

CR seems a bit high. I'd say 12, or 13 if it has poison.

You appear to have forgotten the -2 penalty from size on attacks.

The description of Rolling Death mentions a slam attack, but you do not give any numbers for it.

You should give the sphere a flat-footed AC. Players could incapacitate it, or make invisible ranged attacks from outside its blindsight range.

Dex 21 seems awfully high for a rolling sphere. I'm having a hard time imagining it having that much maneuverability.

The doses of poison seems a little odd. No other creature (that I know of) has mechanics for handling the number of doses available. If you want to keep track of it, that's fine, but personally, I wouldn't bother. It's likely to be dead before it matters, anyways.

Spike Flicker is a unclear. What sort of action is it? Does it allow the corpse sphere to attack without rolling people over?

I don't particularly like the chance to blow itself up. I would say it either can do it or it can't. Was there a particular effect you were going for with that?

The advancement line doesn't make a whole lot of sense, since the thing is already 15 HD.

Sorry to be picky, but that you got this much detail means that you created something that has intrigued me. Good job!

ajkkjjk52
2007-03-25, 12:14 AM
Why does being spherical help prevent it from being flat footed. I can see flanked, but unless it has true seeing or something, an invisible person could still flat-footed hit it.

Icewalker
2007-03-25, 10:19 PM
The fact that it is spherical doesn't have to do with preventing being flat footed and such.
Spherical (Ex): A Corpse Sphere 'sees' from all directions, making it immune to being flanked or being flat-footed. (emphasis added)

It has an all-direction sight. and blindsight, so invisibility doesn't help (I think). So it can't be flanked, although it should still be able to be flat-footed in certain situations.

knightsaline
2007-03-27, 12:10 AM
this reminds me of Legion from castlevania