awakened grey ooze

[Ettina]

So, I decided to play an unusual PC - an awakened grey ooze (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Gray_Ooze). (I'm using the awaken ooze spell from Dragon #304 for this one.) And after calculating out its new stats and 5 hit dice, I have a 60 hp, 5 AC monstrosity with 12 Strength, 1 Dexterity, 21 Constitution, 8 Intelligence, 9 Wisdom and 16 Charisma, who I've decided to call 'Lucy'.

So, I have a mix of questions for you guys.

First, oozes are described as amorphous blobs. How amorphous would they be? Should Lucy be able to ooze underneath a door, or would she be better off just eating the door to get through?

Can a sentient ooze turn its acid on/off at will? Because I was wanting to have it be as cuddly as Ash's Muk in Pokemon, but I don't want it to hurt its friends by glomping on them.

Second, once I start grabbing class levels, what class do you recommend? (I'm going more for fun than actual optimization, by the way. But a better Will save would be nice.) Also, are there any ooze-specific classes or feats?

And lastly, is there any way for my ooze to pull itself into a humanoid form, like a slime girl (http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/948/268/7e5.png) or Odo from Star Trek Voyager when he's tired (http://www.treknews.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/odo-cellular-structure.jpg)?

[Afgncaap5]

I think how amorphous they are depends on the type of ooze (a Gelatinous Cube will be blocked by things more readily than a Black Pudding, for instance) but I could be wrong about that.

As for what class to play... I dunno. I like the idea of taking Expert just so that the Cube can have weird skills like Autohypnosis, Iajuitsu Focus, Use Magic Device and the like. (An ooze with Iajuitsu Focus alone should be terrifyingly effective in most situations.)

And with a Constitution like that, some Incarnum classes might be fun.

[Sian]

Incarnum is next to useless for oozes, as they fall into the rule on p170 on Amorphous bodies, which states that they'll only have two chakras, Heart and Soul

[ScrivenerofDoom]

Grey oozes in 1E had a small chance of being psionic so why not play a grey ooze wilder?

[RoyVG]

Constitution is your only high physical stat and your only other stat noteworthy is Charisma. A caster like a Sorceror would be the best way to go but because of the RHD you are already lagging behind severely on caster levels. I suggest going Dragonfire Adept (Dragon Magic). Constitution is now literally your only stat to worry about. Take the Entangling Exhalation feat ASAP and take Invocations to support your allies like Endure Exposure to make them immune to your breath. With the Humanoid Shape Invocation (Level 6 DFA) you can turn into a humanoid as a Change shape (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#ChangeShape) ability, so I would say a perfect fit :smallbiggrin:. Here (http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1101061) is a handbook on the class for some advice, tips and tricks.

[ShaneMRoth]

I love this concept.

I would be worried about it breaking my campaign... but it is a wonderful idea. I hope you have fun playing this character.

[ShurikVch]

DFA is awesome idea

How about the Crusader? Divine Crusader?

[Bronk]

First, oozes are described as amorphous blobs. How amorphous would they be? Should Lucy be able to ooze underneath a door, or would she be better off just eating the door to get through?

Can a sentient ooze turn its acid on/off at will? Because I was wanting to have it be as cuddly as Ash's Muk in Pokemon, but I don't want it to hurt its friends by glomping on them.

Second, once I start grabbing class levels, what class do you recommend? (I'm going more for fun than actual optimization, by the way. But a better Will save would be nice.) Also, are there any ooze-specific classes or feats?

And lastly, is there any way for my ooze to pull itself into a humanoid form, like a slime girl (http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/948/268/7e5.png) or Odo from Star Trek Voyager when he's tired (http://www.treknews.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/odo-cellular-structure.jpg)?

The full description of a gray ooze mentions that it resembles a puddle of water or a wet patch on stone, so it sounds like you could easily be flat enough to slip under a door.

I don't think you can normally turn your acid off though, and since it works whenever you touch something or something touches you, you'd have a hard time using most equipment.

Classes? Have you considered druid? Once you get wild shape at level 5, you'd be able to use equipment in your alternate forms without it dissolving. Actually, you could try to be a fangsheild druid... one of their substitution levels allows you to take a humanoid form that still sort of resembles your original form, which would work out great for your odo/slime girl theme. Maybe you could talk to your DM about using a fangshield druid with some wild shape only druid variant (or the wild shape ranger variant?) since your wisdom is so low it would be hard to cast spells anyway.

I checked out the 'Awaken Ooze' spell (why the heck aren't the spells in that issue in alphabetical order anyway?) and I'd like to point out that it doesn't add any HD like the normal awaken spell does, so you'd still be at 3HD. You can also work on your DM to see if you can't be an ooze awakened by a wizard that cast the spell maximized, or enhanced (edit: empowered), or both to boost your mental stats. I mean, he or she is already letting you plan an awakened ooze! Then you would have no issues with druid spellcasting. You're already using Dragon material, so maybe this unknown wizard used 'dust of maximization' from Dragon 294. (Edit: or greater metamagic rods)

[Ettina]

Constitution is your only high physical stat and your only other stat noteworthy is Charisma. A caster like a Sorceror would be the best way to go but because of the RHD you are already lagging behind severely on caster levels. I suggest going Dragonfire Adept (Dragon Magic). Constitution is now literally your only stat to worry about. Take the Entangling Exhalation feat ASAP and take Invocations to support your allies like Endure Exposure to make them immune to your breath. With the Humanoid Shape Invocation (Level 6 DFA) you can turn into a humanoid as a Change shape (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#ChangeShape) ability, so I would say a perfect fit :smallbiggrin:. Here (http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1101061) is a handbook on the class for some advice, tips and tricks.

An ooze with a breath weapon? What would that look like? Where would it come out?

[satorian]

DFA is great, but where does your breath come from?

[Xuldarinar]

http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/eberron/images/e/ec/82977.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width/300?cb=20111016211333

[Andezzar]

Who cares? the breath weapon originates from a corner of the squares occupied by the ooze. Oozes do breathe (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#oozeType).

[Ettina]

You can also work on your DM to see if you can't be an ooze awakened by a wizard that cast the spell maximized, or enhanced, or both to boost your mental stats. I mean, he or she is already letting you plan an awakened ooze! Then you would have no issues with druid spellcasting. You're already using Dragon material, so maybe this unknown wizard used 'dust of maximization' from Dragon 294.

Dust of maximization only works on 1st, 2nd and 3rd level spells, while awaken ooze is 8th level.

I don't think maximize spell would work, because it makes a spell take up a slot three levels higher, and there aren't any 10th level spell slots. Enhance spell is even worse, plus it states 'damage' so I don't think it would affect a nondamaging spell.

I guess I could swap out my rolls for Cha vs Wis, giving me a 12 and a 13. (Since my base Cha is 4 and Wis is 1, and I got a 12 and an 8.) I'd have pretty weak casting for a druid, but I'm missing out on spell levels anyway, so I'll just focus on wild shaping. Maybe I could even go into warshaper at some point - I've been meaning to try that out.

Now, do I qualify for two feats as a 3 HD sentient creature? Can I get those feats at the same time I get my first class level, or do I get them before? I'm thinking of getting ooze whisperer once I'm a druid, but I'd need my first class level for that. So would that have to be my 6th level feat?

[Sian]

Obligatory Link (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?207928-Urpriest-s-Monstrous-Monster-Handbook)

Feats runs of HD, which 'merely' most often is Character Level on PCs ...

[RoyVG]

Who cares? the breath weapon originates from a corner of the squares occupied by the ooze. Oozes do breathe (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#oozeType).
Breath weapons do not require the creature to be able to or need to breathe (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#breathweapon), so there is that. Warforged can be DFAs and they don't breathe.

Most breath weapons, including the DFA's breath weapon are supernatural abilities, so it's basically just, so I would say, where do you WANT it to come out?Wait a minute....

Come on, it's a pool of water shooting fire! Call it 'Old Faithful' and you're done

[Darrin]

So, I decided to play an unusual PC - an awakened grey ooze (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Gray_Ooze). (I'm using the awaken ooze spell from Dragon #304 for this one.) And after calculating out its new stats and 5 hit dice, I have a 60 hp, 5 AC monstrosity with 12 Strength, 1 Dexterity, 21 Constitution, 8 Intelligence, 9 Wisdom and 16 Charisma, who I've decided to call 'Lucy'.


See if you can add the Sentry Ooze template (from Dungeonscape) before the awaken ooze spell. The spell will reset your mental abilities (at least, I think it will... it's not a terribly well-written spell), but this should bring your Dex up to at least 7.



First, oozes are described as amorphous blobs. How amorphous would they be? Should Lucy be able to ooze underneath a door, or would she be better off just eating the door to get through?


Ooze underneath, but if time is an issue, you'll want to work out with the DM how long this might take. A typical gray ooze can move 10' on a move action... assuming the door counts as difficult terrain, half that, so... call it a move action to squeeze 5' under the door?



Can a sentient ooze turn its acid on/off at will? Because I was wanting to have it be as cuddly as Ash's Muk in Pokemon, but I don't want it to hurt its friends by glomping on them.


By my reading, no... but I might ask the DM for a homebrew feat to be able to turn it off. Maybe call it:

Corrosive Control [Monstrous]
You can suppress your acid touch.
Prerequisite: Ooze type or amorphous form, Acid Special Attack
Benefit: As a standard action, you can suppress your body's ability to secrete acid, allowing you to touch organic objects or creatures without harming them. You can continue to suppress your acid ability by concentrating, but may need to make a Concentration check if you take damage or get distracted (see PHB pp. 69-70).

Hugging... hmm. Well, it's not clear how much acid damage you'd do from just a touch. A melee attack or constrict would do 1d6, except against wood or metal it does 16 damage, but only if you touch it for a full round.

Some other ideas... the Draconic Aura feat (Dragon Magic) can get you the Resistance Aura. When you use this on your allies, they'll get Acid Resistance 5. Unfortunately, there's no easy way to increase your Aura bonus beyond +1 unless you take more levels of Dragon Shaman, and nobody should have to suffer through that. If you're taking Dragonfire Adept levels, you can pick up Energy Resistance as a lesser invocation for Acid Resistance 10. Unfortunately, it looks like you can only use this on yourself, and it doesn't stack with the Resistance Aura. So here again I might ask the DM for a house rule, or a homebrew lesser invocation that does something like: touch a creature, they gain immunity to your acid touch and acid resistance 5 to all other forms of acid, lasts for 24 hours.

Make sure you and the rest of the party is using armor with the Durable property (500 GP, Dungeonscape), as that renders it immune to acid/rust/green slime. For weapons, use Everbright (+2000 GP, MIC). Riverine (Stormwrack) would also work, but is much more expensive



Second, once I start grabbing class levels, what class do you recommend? (I'm going more for fun than actual optimization, by the way. But a better Will save would be nice.) Also, are there any ooze-specific classes or feats?


Dragonfire Adept is probably your best choice, particularly with that Con score. Once you get Humanoid Shape (lesser invocation, so DFA 6th), passing as an ordinary humanoid becomes trivial.

I like the Druid suggestion, maybe with the Rootwalker ACF (Dungeonscape), except your Wis score kinda throws spellcasting out the window. So Wildshape Ranger is probably better... you can trade your spellcasting for feats (Champion of the Wild ACF), maybe take the Fangshield substitution level (Champions of Valor) for Improved Natural Attack (slam). That usually leads into Master of Many Forms, then maybe Frozen Wildshape for Cryohydra.

There is at least one ooze-specific PrC: Thrall of Juiblex (Book of Vile Darkness). It requires you to be evil and worship a demon lord, but at 4th level you get alter self at will, which would allow you to change into... another type of ooze, so this doesn't necessarily solve the "humanoid" issue, but maybe turning into a Reason Stealer (MM2) would allow you to pass for a humanoid? But that involves eating people, which may be frowned upon in certain social situations. Changing your type to aberration or outsider with another template might give you more acceptable forms to choose from.

Slime Lord (PGtF) and Oozemaster (MotW) are ooze-related, but you've already pulled off the capstone, so the other Slime Lords/Oozemasters would be all, "No fair! Cheater cheater pumpkin eater!"

Feats... hrm. Nothing really ooze-specific, but since you've already got Improved Grab + constrict + acid damage, maybe Improved Grapple. There's some Choke Hold stuff in Oriental Adventures that might be interesting. A Wildshape Ranger/Leviathan Hunter/Reaping Mauler build might have some interesting possibilities.



And lastly, is there any way for my ooze to pull itself into a humanoid form, like a slime girl (http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/948/268/7e5.png) or Odo from Star Trek Voyager when he's tired (http://www.treknews.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/odo-cellular-structure.jpg)?

Pedantic Nitpickery: Odo was on DS9, not Voyager.


Dust of maximization only works on 1st, 2nd and 3rd level spells, while awaken ooze is 8th level.


There are a variety of ways to reduce the spell level adjustment for metamagic. Sudden Maximize, for one.



I guess I could swap out my rolls for Cha vs Wis, giving me a 12 and a 13. (Since my base Cha is 4 and Wis is 1, and I got a 12 and an 8.) I'd have pretty weak casting for a druid, but I'm missing out on spell levels anyway, so I'll just focus on wild shaping. Maybe I could even go into warshaper at some point - I've been meaning to try that out.


Wildshape Ranger (which only needs a Wis of 14 to cast up to 4th level spells) would be better for that.



Now, do I qualify for two feats as a 3 HD sentient creature? Can I get those feats at the same time I get my first class level, or do I get them before?


You'd get them before, as soon as the awaken ooze spell finishes and you get a valid Int score. You also get immediately skill points: (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) x (Hit Dice + 3) = 6 skill points. Ooze class skills are Climb, Hide, Listen, and Move Silently.



I'm thinking of getting ooze whisperer once I'm a druid, but I'd need my first class level for that. So would that have to be my 6th level feat?

By RAW, yes, because you don't have Wild Empathy when you get your 3rd HD. However, you might be able to ask the DM to bend the rules there a bit if you want to start as a druid.

[Bronk]

Dust of maximization only works on 1st, 2nd and 3rd level spells, while awaken ooze is 8th level.

I don't think maximize spell would work, because it makes a spell take up a slot three levels higher, and there aren't any 10th level spell slots. Enhance spell is even worse, plus it states 'damage' so I don't think it would affect a nondamaging spell.



Hmm, didn't see that limit on the dust, but a wizard powerful enough to cast the spell in the first place would certainly have access to greater metamagic rods.

Also, I meant to say empowered spell, not enhanced, before. Sorry about that. Empowered spells are not just for damage.

Good luck!

[Ettina]

Obligatory Link (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?207928-Urpriest-s-Monstrous-Monster-Handbook)

Feats runs of HD, which 'merely' most often is Character Level on PCs ...

Cool. So I get two feats. Any suggestions?

[Shining Wrath]

For crunch I like the DFA - it is pretty close to a SAD(CON) class.

For fluff I like the druid. An ooze is as close to being one with nature as you can get. And yes, you ought to be able to Wildshape into a humanoid form, ask your DM nicely.

[Karl Aegis]

Get a couple levels of Monk for the Deflect Arrows feat, Decisive Strike ACF and Invisible Fist ACF. Not getting hit by an arrow every round saves more health than getting more AC.

[Andezzar]

Get a couple levels of Monk for the Deflect Arrows feat, Decisive Strike ACF and Invisible Fist ACF. Not getting hit by an arrow every round saves more health than getting more AC.Deflect arrows only works against ranged weapons, the most dangerous attacks are not ranged weapons.

[Bronk]

The ooze probably won't need to deflect arrows as much as normal anyway... most of them would dissolve on contact because of the acid (at least in its natural form).

[daremetoidareyo]

I have a bunch of terrible ideas.

ooze 5/ sorcerer 2/ osteomancer 10
You can finally get that skeleton you always wanted, but your early level osteomancer abilities blow. This isn't fun to play, but it is fun to read on the character sheet.

ooze 5/ unarmed swordsage 1/ spellthief 14
When you whack a caster, you can steal spells. Swordsage is there for fun setting sun maneuvers: "Did that ooze just throw grognard 20 feet away?"

ooze 5/ totemist 15
Probably the best use of that constitution score out there. Grow some girallion arms and use animal empathy. It's all good.

ooze 5 /zhentarim spy 5/yakuza 5/marshal 5
A spymaster has up to 3 cover identities. Which is means that you are going to have to up them bluff and disguise skills. Just the idea that you switch ooze hats and people believe that you're a different awakened ooze is pretty funny. One cover identity should be an ocular adept cultist. Just stick some fake glass eyes on yourself and be all "great mother this, great mother that. By the way, which way to the sacrifice?" Once you develop your deep cover, you get in good with the yakuza, gain their trust, develop a following, and then use your marshalling skills to take over.

ooze 5/ fighter 1/monk 1/ anointed knight 2/ legacy champion 10 (advancing anointed knight)
When you got awakened, you found a weapon that you decided that you would bequeath to your heirs. I personally like the garrotte, brass knuckles, or war fan, but you can choose anything. And then you start pimping out that item!

[Gnaeus]

Warlock is a good choice if you avoid invocations with saves.

If you could figure out how to be an orcish ooze, scarred witch doctor would be even better