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View Full Version : Sandborn [Template, MitP]



Maerok
2007-06-08, 02:41 PM
http://www.samruby.com/Villains/Sandman/SandmanChap.gif
(not based on Sandman, but the image works)

"The desert is a strange place, but not as strange as those who walk it. Look out, my apprentice, for there are those who have not only adopted the desert, but have, in turn, been adopted by that vast land as well. For as long as you shall tread that barren place, do not forget this."

The Sandborn are creatures who have undergone a transformation within the endless expanse of sands that dominate many parts of the world. They have forsaken their original homeland for this forbidden landscape, and are among its chief defenders or enforcers. How exactly this change takes hold is up to the will of the divine, but it usually encompasses the discovery of ancestral tombs where the very first Sandborn continue to guard their truest homeland. Every so often, a very wrathful Sandborn will be created who takes the ancient power to the lands of their former home in search of vengeance. These creatures will come from or seek out planes of entire deserts.

Sandborn Creature
This acquired template can be applied to any non-Outsider creature.

Size and Type: The base creature becomes a Construct, gaining all the traits along with additional HP, and acquires the Augmented and Fire subtype.

Skills: +4 bonus to Move Silently, Hide, Disguise, and Survival checks while in the desert or a sandy terrain.

Bonus Feats: Tracking (desert only)

Special Abilities:
Improvised Weaponry (Ex): As a move action, the creature may shape weapons from its own sandy form. It may form a longsword, heavy flail, or lance; either way it has hardness 5 and hitpoints equal to the creature's HD or extra HP, whichever is larger. This weapon lasts for 1d4 rounds and cannot be disarmed though it may be sundered. It cannot be dropped and only one may be formed at a time. The creature may choose to end this effect as a free action. This sand weapon can be the subject of weapon-based spells and the creature is proficient in it automatically.

Sand Splash (Ex): Once per day, the creature may halve the damage from any one source if the damage exceeds its bonus Construct HP. The creature is torn apart in the process resulting in a physical gaseous form effect, treated as an extraordinary ability. This state persists for 1d6+4 minutes but it must forfeit its first round after the ability is triggered in order to get itself under control.

Sandform (Ex): Once per hour, the creature may willingly undergo the effect of Sand Splash for 10 minutes. This effect cannot be ended prematurely.

Damage Reduction (Ex): HD 1-5 = DR 1/bludgeoning or magic, HD 6-10 = DR 5/bludgeoning or magic, HD 11-15 = DR 10/bludgeoning and magic, HD 16-20 = DR 15/bludgeoning and magic.

Flux Shape (Ex): By taking a -2 penalty to Dexterity for six hours, the creature gains the powerful build ability for one hour. By taking a -2 penalty to Strength for six hours, the creature gains the slight build ability for one hour. It may use either form, but switching adds to the penalty and only one build ability can be active at a time. This affects the weapons of Improvised Weaponry immediately.

Fire Immunity (Su): The creature is immune to fire damage.

CR +3
LA +4

Call Me Siggy
2007-06-08, 02:53 PM
Interesting...I'd play it. One of these, regardless of class, would be great with Vow of Poverty. Why does Magic penetrate its DR? Seems like Bludgeoning only would make it more effective, because almost everything is magic (Well, not at low levels).

JackMage666
2007-06-08, 02:58 PM
Flux Shape (Ex): By taking a -2 penalty to Strength for six hours, the creature gains the powerful build ability for one hour. By taking a -2 penalty to Dexterity for six hours, the creature gains the slight build ability for one hour. It may use either form, but switching adds to the penalty and only one build ability can be active at a time. This affects the weapons of Improvised Weaponry immediately.

Shouldn't the -2 penalty be switched (Dex for Powerful Build, Str for Slight build)?

Smiley_
2007-06-08, 03:28 PM
The template seems to be rather restricted though. I would think to make it available to anything besides constructs, outsiders and elementals. I could easily imagine a sandborn triceratops or python.

And undead should be allowed the template. Imagine walking through the dessert and you get attacked by sand zombies and skeletons.

So, in essence, I think it should be able to be attached to any non-outsider biological mass (yes, plants too).

Maerok
2007-06-08, 03:28 PM
Oops, my bad.

DragonTounge
2007-06-08, 06:46 PM
Wouldn't fire attacks turn it to glass? If they did you could sell its frozen body as a statue and make a ton of money.

Maerok
2007-06-08, 08:41 PM
Well won't you need something like birch bark to add to the sand before you heated it? But I did think of that. I don't believe any of the other sand-themed monsters have taken that into account...

DracoDei
2007-06-09, 11:22 AM
Turning sand to glass requires a LOT of heat... easiest accomplished if applied over a long period of time rather than all at once.

Icewalker
2007-06-11, 01:57 AM
I dunno...

I like the idea, and I could go for a sand based template, but I just don't like the way you statted it out. Sand Splash rubs me the wrong way.

Sorry, but I'm going to have to Mitp vote: no on this one

Anxe
2007-06-30, 08:05 AM
It's not inspired by Sandman, but it works perfectly for him. I've always wanted to make Super Heroes in D&D, but never found a good way to do it. This is pretty good. Mitp: Yes

DragonTounge
2007-07-18, 02:03 PM
Cool. MitP Vote: Yes

Zeta Kai
2007-07-18, 07:32 PM
You know, this is the second time recently that I've seen a sand-type creature, & something has occured to me: shouldn't the sand-form change the creature's type to Ooze? I think it just makes sense to make it an Ooze. Or many a Swarm sub-type? That might work better.

Inyssius Tor
2007-07-18, 09:04 PM
There's a template called Dustform (from Sandstorm, of course) that basically does this exact thing, fluff-wise.

I really like the entirely different direction you've taken with the crunch, though.

Matthew
2007-07-30, 12:27 AM
Yeah, this is pretty nice. Can we have an example of an application of the Template?

Lord Iames Osari
2007-07-30, 07:36 PM
*Iames bumps the thread*

Zeta Kai
2007-07-30, 08:15 PM
MitP Vote: YES.

Well, the picture's gotta go, but the concept is sound.

Maerok
2007-07-30, 08:17 PM
There's a template called Dustform (from Sandstorm, of course) that basically does this exact thing, fluff-wise.

I really like the entirely different direction you've taken with the crunch, though.

Yup, I was aware of the Dustform template. I know my Sandstorm. :smallbiggrin: As for below, I'll post a sample creature and nix the picture for good ol' ZK.