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View Full Version : D&D 3.x Other Template: non-humanoid monster made human-shaped [PEACH]



Aniikinis
2017-09-03, 11:16 AM
Thought of a strange idea and decided to make a template for it

Human Shaped Rust Monster
Size/Type: Medium Aberration
Hit Dice: 5d8+5 (27 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (+3 Dex, +5 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+3
Attack: Antennae touch +3 melee (rust)
Full Attack: Antennae touch +3 melee (rust) and bite -2 melee (1d3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Rust
Special Qualities: Darkvision, scent
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +5
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 8
Skills: Listen +7, Spot +7
Feats: Alertness, Track
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 6-8 HD (Medium); 9-15 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —

The instectile-looking humanoid creature before you has a hide that varies in color from a yellowish tan along the ventral side to a rust-red upper back. The creature has two long antennae that arise from it's head, two bulbous black eyes, and a strange beak-like mouth

The typical rust monster measures 5 feet long and 3 feet high, weighing 200 pounds.

Combat
A rust monster can scent a metal object from up to 90 feet away. When it detects one, it dashes toward the source and attempts to strike it with its antennae. The creature is relentless, chasing characters over long distances if they still possess intact metal objects but usually ceasing its attacks to devour a freshly rusted meal.

The creature targets the largest metal object available, striking first at armor, then at shields and smaller items. It prefers ferrous metals (steel or iron) over precious metals (such as gold or silver) but will devour the latter if given the opportunity.

Rust (Ex)
A rust monster that makes a successful touch attack with its antennae causes the target metal to corrode, falling to pieces and becoming useless immediately. The touch can destroy up to a 10-foot cube of metal instantly. Magic armor and weapons, and other magic items made of metal, must succeed on a DC 17 Reflex save or be dissolved. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +4 racial bonus.

A metal weapon that deals damage to a rust monster corrodes immediately. Wooden, stone, and other nonmetallic weapons are unaffected.


Human Shaped
This template can be applied to any creature that doesn't have a roughly humanoid form (vertical posture, at least two arms and legs, at least one head, and a fused torso and abdomen) and isn't part of the giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid types.

The creature gains a vaguely humanoid-looking form but still retains any extraneous parts and appendages (for example extra legs, additional heads, eyestalks, wings, wtc.). The creature gains any of the magic item slots that they didn't have and may have some slots converted into others (ex. four legs becomes two legs and two arms: loses the additional feet slot and gains two hands slots.)

CR: +1-9
LA: I'm unsure of the LA to give this template
So this was hammered out while I was completely dead tired and I'd love to have someone critique it.

rferries
2017-09-03, 09:47 PM
The only practical changes would be increased reach (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/movementPositionAndDistance.htm#bigandLittleCreatu resInCombat) for creatures of Large size or greater (Large (long) would become Large (tall)), and the ability for creatures to wield weapons instead of relying on just their natural attacks (assuming they didn't already have that ability). It's hard to see how it would be worth +1 CR... as for LA, +1 at max (most PC-suitable races already have humanoid capabilities or equivalent).

Knitifine
2017-09-03, 10:11 PM
The phrase for this without touching 'humanoid' (since that creates type confusion) is anthropomorphic creature. I think there's been a few attempts at this template before. The problem is that it's always gonna be variable CR depending on how much losing/gaining it's doing from it's original form. A dragon certainly is going to lose CR, but many creatures may gain CR simply due to being able to wield weapons.

rferries
2017-09-03, 10:16 PM
A dragon certainly is going to lose CR, but many creatures may gain CR simply due to being able to wield weapons.



The creature gains a vaguely humanoid-looking form but still retains any extraneous parts and appendages

They definitely won't lose CR!

Also, I feel the template shouldn't cover creatures of the Giant type (and maybe Fey as well).

Aniikinis
2017-09-04, 10:59 AM
The phrase for this without touching 'humanoid' (since that creates type confusion) is anthropomorphic creature. I think there's been a few attempts at this template before. The problem is that it's always gonna be variable CR depending on how much losing/gaining it's doing from it's original form. A dragon certainly is going to lose CR, but many creatures may gain CR simply due to being able to wield weapons.

That's what I was thinking with the CR, and I was operating on far less sleep than usual so I couldn't think of the word. The main thing that I've found with many of the anthropomorphic creature templates is that they give a bonus to mental attributes and I just wanted one that I thought would be strange to see, hence my rust monster above and the template itself allowing for bipedal rat terriers that act like rat terriers and look like little children running around and hyper.


Also, I feel the template shouldn't cover creatures of the Giant type (and maybe Fey as well).

I completely forgot about the giant type and I forgot that most fey fit the description outlined