Stingtail Asabi Questions

[Jowgen]

The Stingtail Asabi is a Large Humanoid (Reptilian) from Monsters of Faerun.

Due to having 7 HD, they're not a legal Alter Self target afaik; but they do seem like they'd work for a Dragonfire Adept's change shape invocation.

Now, first question; what would a DFA loose/gain when turning into one of these? Like, for example, ability scores are meant to stay the same, but these things are Large, so do the adjustments from that come into play?

Secondly, the Stingtail's get a Poisontail (Ex) special attack; which I'm pretty sure is something the DFA would gain. It's very interesting in that it has a 1 minute onset time and, upon a failed fort save, it also requires a will-save or the target is forced to "act as if under the influence of a confusion spell for their next two actions". This stuff raises a lot of questions for me.
-What the hell is "next two actions" supposed to mean?
-Does this get over-ridden by mind-affecting immunity?
-If you fail against initial and secondary, does it come into play both times?
-Is it touch, injury or possibly even inhaled (e.g. described as a spray)?
-If a DFA changes shape into something else and then into a Stingtail Asabi again, does the 6/day use limit reset?
-Can it be bottled/distilled via craft poisonmaking?
-If one were to wish to either purchase or sell a dose of this poison, is there anything one could use as a basis/guideline when determining a fair price for it? I've never come across a delayed-onset+dual-effect poison like this before, so I have no idea myself. :smallannoyed:

Lastly, just some generic question about burrowing.

-Is it safe to assume that Asabi's burrow only functions in loose material and doesn't leave a tunnel behind?
-Can a burrowing creature adjacent to the surface attack with weapons, spells or breath weapons?
-Assuming no to the above, is there any precedent to a creature fighting while partially burrowed and thus e.g. gaining (improved/partial) cover because of it or something similar?
-Also assuming no to the attack-adjacent-surface question, is there actually a way for two burrowing creatures battle each other?

Thanks in advance :smallsmile:

[Starbuck_II]

The Stingtail Asabi is a Large Humanoid (Reptilian) from Monsters of Faerun.

Due to having 7 HD, they're not a legal Alter Self target afaik; but they do seem like they'd work for a Dragonfire Adept's change shape invocation.

Now, first question; what would a DFA loose/gain when turning into one of these? Like, for example, ability scores are meant to stay the same, but these things are Large, so do the adjustments from that come into play?

Nope, you just become large (gaining reach though).



Secondly, the Stingtail's get a Poisontail (Ex) special attack; which I'm pretty sure is something the DFA would gain. It's very interesting in that it has a 1 minute onset time and, upon a failed fort save, it also requires a will-save or the target is forced to "act as if under the influence of a confusion spell for their next two actions". This stuff raises a lot of questions for me.
-What the hell is "next two actions" supposed to mean?
-Does this get over-ridden by mind-affecting immunity?
-If you fail against initial and secondary, does it come into play both times?
-Is it touch, injury or possibly even inhaled (e.g. described as a spray)?

Seems to be Contact poison as it even says " come into contact".
No, it seems to be only the initial Fort save causes Confusion.
By "Next Two actions" it seems to be referring to rounds you could act (thus if you fell sleep it would wait till you awoke weirdly).
It sprays only when you hit with it (why?).
If you somehow bottled it, then the Contact factor in the poison would matter more.


-If a DFA changes shape into something else and then into a Stingtail Asabi again, does the 6/day use limit reset?
-Can it be bottled/distilled via craft poisonmaking?
-If one were to wish to either purchase or sell a dose of this poison, is there anything one could use as a basis/guideline when determining a fair price for it? I've never come across a delayed-onset+dual-effect poison like this before, so I have no idea myself. :smallannoyed:

Well, you'd use the base DC of a normal Asabi, so DC 15 Fort save. I'm not sure the price.


Lastly, just some generic question about burrowing.

-Is it safe to assume that Asabi's burrow only functions in loose material and doesn't leave a tunnel behind?
-Can a burrowing creature adjacent to the surface attack with weapons, spells or breath weapons?
-Assuming no to the above, is there any precedent to a creature fighting while partially burrowed and thus e.g. gaining (improved/partial) cover because of it or something similar?
-Also assuming no to the attack-adjacent-surface question, is there actually a way for two burrowing creatures battle each other?

Thanks in advance :smallsmile:

Well, it is trained to do it in sand so I'd assume soft material only.
If burrowed, you'd be blind till you unburrow (unless you meant have only head and tail out to attack, then yeah I guess partial cover).

[Jowgen]

Nope, you just become large (gaining reach though).

Makes sense.



Seems to be Contact poison as it even says " come into contact".

I suppose that is the most reasonable reading.


No, it seems to be only the initial Fort save causes Confusion.

I don't see how you're getting that. It has both initial and secondary damage, which I can only assume each forces a save as per normal. When it says "In addition, those who fail the Fortitude save must succeed at a Will save (DC 15) or..." it doesn't make distinction about applying to either or just one save, so...


By "Next Two actions" it seems to be referring to rounds you could act (thus if you fell sleep it would wait till you awoke weirdly).

Hmmm... I'm not sure about the 3.0e action language, but confusion does work on a per-round basis, so I guess the percentile roll happens upon the first action the creature tries to take in a round and then applies to the actions of that round.



If you somehow bottled it, then the Contact factor in the poison would matter more.

Well, DotU has rules for harvesting the poison of willing creatures. Then again, I also recall some special rules from a dragon mag article on poison that I might want to look into...


Well, you'd use the base DC of a normal Asabi, so DC 15 Fort save. I'm not sure the price.

... I orginally assumed that, but thinking about it now, with it being an (Ex) poison attack, wouldn't the DC follow the standard formula of 10 + 1/2 HD + Con? And yeah, price is tricky.



Well, it is trained to do it in sand so I'd assume soft material only.

I personally agree.



If burrowed, you'd be blind till you unburrow (unless you meant have only head and tail out to attack, then yeah I guess partial cover).

I hate how poorly defined that movement mode is. :smallannoyed:

[Thurbane]

I believe they were updated to Monstrous Humanoids in the 3.5 update document?

There may still be an OA Humanoid type that is Large, and remained a Humanoid in the Dragon Magazine 3.5 update, but I don't have details to hand...