DracoDei
2020-04-02, 10:03 PM
Wiki-like cross-indexing: The 5e version may be found HERE (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?610507-Let-us-laugh-together-at-our-fears!-Monster).
This is a slightly belated post meant for April Fools, since part of its purpose is to help us laugh* at the worries for the future, and fear for our bodies that many of us share at this time.
*Less "ROFL-copter" type humor, and more analogous to how Potter-verse boggarts (https://harrypotter.fandom.com/wiki/Boggart) are defeated by transforming them into something silly via the riddikulus spell. Unlike a boggart, corona virus is dangerous even after such a (mental) transformation.
When I have posted similar creatures in the past the feedback I have gotten was that the players would find them humorous, while the characters might be horrified and/or disgusted.
Perhaps more importantly, some players might find them cathartic to beat down with blade and spell. A more viscerally satisfying* catharsis against the frustrations and worries of this specific time.
*With authentic viscera!
Disclaimer: This is based on the D&D rules for disease. Nothing here is designed to even REMOTELY model real world medical science. On your Wisdom+Intelligence < 10 head (or rather lungs...) be it if you try to extrapolate any course of action in the real world from this.
I determined the attack range of the largest of these monsters by looking up the height of spray from a whale's blowhole. This is hardly germaine to the proceedures to remain healthy in this crisis.
Coughing Lungs
Open Spoiler below for main stat block for Diminutive through Small Coughing Lungs.
~{th]Coughing Lungs, Fine[/th]Coughing Lungs, DiminutiveCoughing Lungs, TinyCoughing Lungs, Small
Size and Type {td]
Fine Undead [Organ Undead] [/td]
Diminutive Undead [Organ Undead]
Tiny Undead [Organ Undead]
Small Undead [Organ Undead]
Hit Dice {td]
1/8d12 (1 hp) [/td]
1/4d12 (1 hp)
1/3d12 (2 hp)
1/2d12 (3 hp)
Speed {td]
Fly 15 ft. (Good) [/td]
Fly 20 ft. (Good)
Fly 30 ft. (Good)
Fly 40 ft. (Good)
Initiative {td]
+4 [/td]
+3
+2
+1
AC {td]22 (+4 Dex, +8 size); touch 22; flat-footed 18[/td]17 (+3 Dex, +4 size); touch 17; flat-footed 1415 (+3 Dex, +2 size); touch 15; flat-footed 1213 (+1 Dex, +1 size, +1 natural); touch 12; flat-footed 12
BAB {td]
+0 [/td]
+0
+0
+0
Grapple {td]
-21 [/td]
-16
-12
-7
Attack {td]
None [/td]
None
None
None
Space/Reach {td]
1/2 ft./0 ft. [/td]
1 ft./0 ft.
2 1/2 ft./0 ft.
5 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks{td]
Cough [/td]
Cough
Cough
Cough
Special Qualities{td]Damage Reduction 2/Slashing, Dark Vision 60 ft., Hollowness, Turn Resistance +1/8, Undead Traits[/td]Damage Reduction 3/Slashing, Dark Vision 60 ft., Hollowness, Turn Resistance +1/4, Undead TraitsDamage Reduction 5/Slashing, Dark Vision 60 ft., Hollowness, Turn Resistance +2/3, Undead TraitsDamage Reduction 10/Slashing, Dark Vision 60 ft., Hollowness, Turn Resistance +1 1/2, Undead Traits
Saves {td]
Fort +0, Ref +4, Will +2 [/td]
Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +2
Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +2 Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +2
Abilities{td]Str 1, Dex 18, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 1[/td]Str 2, Dex 17, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 1Str 3, Dex 16, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 1Str 4, Dex 13, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 1
Skills {td]
Move Silently -6 [/td]
Move Silently -7
Move Silently -8
Move Silently -9
Feats {td]
Ability Focus(Cough)(B) [/td]
Ability Focus(Cough)(B)
Ability Focus(Cough)(B)
Ability Focus(Cough)(B)
Environment {td]
Any [/td]
Any
Any
Any
Organization {td]
Any [/td]
Any
Any
Any
Challenge Rating{td]
1 (3 PF)* [/td]
2 (4 PF)*
3 (5 PF)*
4 (5 PF)
Treasure {td]
None [/td]
None
None
None
Alignment {td]
Always Neutral Evil[/td]
Always Neutral Evil
Always Neutral Evil
Always Neutral Evil
Advancement {td]
None [/td]
None
None
None
Level Adjustment{td]
~ [/td]
~
~ ~
*The increased CR for Pathfinder actually comes down to the fact that Cackle Fever is an inhaled disease that can prevent a cleric from casting the spells needed to cure or even mitigate it and the difference in how the the heal skill works against diseases in 3.x versus Pathfinder. In 3.x the heal check substitutes for the fortitude save if it is better (Since you can take 10, success is automatic for any SRD disease provided the (NPC) healer has 4 ranks and a wisdom of at least 14), where-as in Pathfinder a success only gives a +4 on a successful check. Increase the 3.x CRs by 1 for any entry with this footnote if you consider taking 10 on such checks to be R.A.W.-silliness.
Open Spoiler below for main stat block for Medium through Huge Coughing Lungs.
~Coughing Lungs, MediumCoughing Lungs, LargeCoughing Lungs, Huge
Coughing Lungs, Gargantuan
Size and Type Medium Undead [Organ Undead] Large Undead [Organ Undead] Huge Undead [Organ Undead]
Gargantuan Undead
Hit Dice 1d12 (6 hp) 2d12 (13 hp) 4d12 (26 hp)
8d12 (52 hp)
Speed Fly 50 ft (Good) Fly 60 ft (Average)Fly 60 ft (Average)
Fly 70 ft (Average)
Initiative +0 +0 -1
-2
AC13 (+1 Dex, +2 natural); touch 11; flat-footed 1211 (-1 Size, +2 natural); touch 9; flat-footed 1111 (-2 size, -1 Dex, +3 natural); touch 8; flat-footed 11
7 (-4 size, -2 Dex, +3 natural); touch 4; flat-footed 7
BAB +0 +1 +2
+4
Grapple -3 +3 +11
+20
Attack None None None
None
Space/Reach 5 ft./0 ft. 10 ft./0 ft. 15 ft./0 ft
20 ft./0 f
Special Attacks Cough Cough Cough
Cough
Special QualitiesDamage Reduction 15/Slashing, Dark Vision 60 ft., Hollowness, Turn Resistance +3, Undead TraitsDamage Reduction 15/Slashing, Dark Vision 60 ft., Hollowness, Turn Resistance +2, Undead TraitsDamage Reduction 20/Slashing, Dark Vision 60 ft., Hollowness, NO Turn Resistance, Undead Traits
Damage Reduction 20/Slashing, Dark Vision 60 ft., Hollowness, NO Turn Resistance, Undead Traits
Saves Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +2 Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +3 Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +4
Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +6
AbilitiesStr 5, Dex 10, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 1STR 7, Dex 10, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 1STR 9, Dex 8, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 1
STR 11, Dex 6, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 1
Skills Move Silently -10 Move Silently -10 Move Silently -11
Move Silently -12
Feats Ability Focus(Cough)(B) Ability Focus(Cough)(B) Ability Focus(Cough)(B)
Ability Focus(Cough)(B)
Environment Any Any Any
Any
Organization Any Any Any
Any
Challenge Rating 5 (6 PF)* 7 7
15?
Treasure None None None
None
Alignment Always Neutral EvilAlways Neutral EvilAlways Neutral Evil
Always Neutral Evil
Advancement None 3 HD (Large) 5-7 HD (Huge)
9+ HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment ~ ~ ~
~
*The increased CR for Pathfinder actually comes down to the fact that Cackle Fever is an inhaled disease that can prevent a cleric from casting the spells needed to cure or even mitigate it and the difference in how the the heal skill works against diseases in 3.x versus Pathfinder. In 3.x the heal check substitutes for the fortitude save if it is better (Since you can take 10, success is automatic for any SRD disease provided the (NPC) healer has 4 ranks and a wisdom of at least 14), where-as in Pathfinder a success only gives a +4 on a successful check. Increase the 3.x CRs by 1 for any entry with this footnote if you consider taking 10 on such checks to be R.A.W.-silliness.
A pair of yellowish, lobed bags covered in an intricate network of blood-vessels hanging from a tube shaped like an inverted "Y" float before you.
Coughing Lungs are the pairs of lungs of humanoids, monsterous humanoids, or giants murdered while suffering from an inhaled infection reanimated through dark and sinister magic. They spread the same disease that they suffered in life. (See "Creation" below)
Combat (Some of this stuff is mechanically critical!)
Because of their utter lack of intelligence, the instructions given to a newly created pair of Coughing Lungs must be very simple. They are generally end up simply maneuvering each round to bring the maximum number of opponents they can into the area of their cone without provoking any attacks of opportunity for either movement or the cough itself (but will accept AoOs if it is the only way to get a Cough that round). As a specific example of especial note, if they are within the threatened area of an opponent they may (depending on how carefully they were instructed) take a 5 foot float directly away from it before launching their attack for that round. They are actually incapable of understanding any other offensive actions than their cough. Even if this limitation is overcome* their complete lack of manipulative appendages would prevent many things.
*Awaken Undead (Spell Compendium p.21) and Magic Jar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/magicJar.htm) (to possess them) are two such ways this could be done.
Hollowness(Ex): After damage reduction, apply the following further reductions: Halve bludgeoning damage and reduce piercing damage to 1 point per hit.
Cough(Su): A pair of Coughing Lungs (which is a single creature!) can create something like the affect of a Contagion spell, except effecting all creatures within a cone-shaped spread.
Some more specifics are as follows.
Size
Range
Initial
DC
Frequency
Size of Source Creature
Diminutive 5 feet 14 Every Round Small
Tiny 10 feet 16 Every Round Medium
Small 15 feet 18 Every Round Large
Medium 20 feet 20 Every Round Huge
Large(2 HD) 30 feet 22 Every Round Gargantuan
Large(3 HD) 30 feet 23 Every Round Gargantuan w/ 2 EHD
Huge(4 HD) 40 feet 24 Every Other Round Colossal
Huge(5 HD) 40 feet 25 Every Other Round Colossal w/ 2 EHD
Huge(6 HD) 40 feet 26 Every Other Round Colossal w/ 4 EHD
Huge(7 HD) 40 feet 27 Every Other Round Colossal w/ 6 EHD
Any creature within the area(a cone shaped burst) must make a fortitude save against the listed DC or contract the disease specific to that particular pair of Coughing Lungs. Unlike the Contagion spell this has the normal onset duration, but like it, once contracted, the subsequent saves are as per the standard for the disease, regardless of the size etc. of the source creature.
Coughing Lungs of Huge size can not cough if they did so the previous round.
The initial save DC does NOT follow the usual relationship to hit-dice. Instead it is as per the above chart, which already has the Ability Focus feat taken into account.
At the time of animation, the necromancer must select which disease each coughing lungs will infect its victims with. This must be a disease the sources creature was symptomatic for at the time of its death by violence**, and must be one with "inhaled" as one of its vectors and that Contagion could inflict. Mixing and matching between diseases for different coughing lungs, even those created with a given spell-casting is permissible. The two such diseases from the 3.5 SRD are listed below for convenience, followed by the ones from the Pathfinder SRD. Onset times are as per normal for the disease in question rather than instantaneous.
*Sic, each one is a pair of lungs with the attached (primary) bronchi, trachea, and larynx.
**Remember, the primary cause of death must have been violence and NOT the disease.
Disease
Incubation
Ongoing DC
Damage
Cackle fever1 day161d6 Wis
Mindfire 1 day121d4 Int
[tr]
BUBONIC PLAGUE
Type disease, injury or inhaled; Save Fortitude DC 17
Onset 1 day; Frequency 1/day
Effect 1d4 Con damage and 1 Cha damage and target is fatigued; Cure 2 consecutive saves
CACKLE FEVER
Type disease, inhaled; Save Fortitude DC 16
Onset 1 day; Frequency 1/day
Effect 1d6 Wis damage; Cure 2 consecutive saves
LEPROSY
Type disease, contact, inhaled, or injury; Save Fortitude DC 12 negates, Fortitude DC 20 to avoid effects
Onset 2d4 weeks; Frequency 1/week
Effect 1d2 Cha damage; Cure 2 consecutive saves
MINDFIRE
Type disease, inhaled; Save Fortitude DC 12
Onset 1 day; Frequency 1/day
Effect 1d4 Int damage; Cure 2 consecutive saves
BUBONIC PLAGUE
Type disease, injury or inhaled Save Fortitude DC 17
Track physical; Frequency 1/day
Cure 2 consecutive saves
CACKLE FEVER
Type disease, inhaled; Save Fortitude DC 16
Track mental; Frequency 1/day
Cure 2 consecutive saves
DEMENTIA DUST
DESPITE BEING ADDED BY THE UNCHAINED RULES, AND THUS PERHAPS NOT HAVING BEEN EXPLICITLY CONSIDERED IN THE LISTING OF DISEASES THAT CONTAGION CAN INFLICT THE DIFFICULTY OF CURING IT MEANS IT IS PROBABLY NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE ADDED TO THAT LIST, AND THUS NOT SOMETHING THAT FLOATING LUNGS CAN INFLICT. LEFT IN FOR COMPLETENESS.
Type disease, inhaled; Save Fortitude DC 14
Track mental; Frequency 1/week
Effect Even if the disease is removed with remove disease, condition does not improve without greater restoration or heal
Cure magic only
LEPROSY
Type disease, contact, inhaled, or injury; Save Fortitude DC 12
Track physical (special); Frequency 1/week
Effect Healthy—Latent/Carrier—Sluggish—Stiffened; sluggish and stiffened are as Dexterity poison, stiffened is an end state
Cure 2 consecutive saves
MINDFIRE
Type disease, inhaled; Save Fortitude DC 12
Track mental; Frequency 1/day
Cure 2 consecutive saves
Organ Undead: For purposes of controlling or creation add the basic racial turn resistance of an undead with this subtype to its hitdice in all cases rather than only for turning/rebuking/commanding/destroying. Note especially that this applies to how many hitdice worth of the Animate Dead control pool it takes up.
Undead with this subtype often require additional spells to create in the simplest way, in addition to skill (or luck) with cutting up inanimate corpses to remove the organ.
Special: Coughing Lungs are occasionally returned to the rib-cages from which they came (tied in place with a network of string or rope in the case of skeletal undead). In such a case the larger undead becomes somewhat subject to critical hits, sneak attack, and other precision based damage provided that they are dealt in the form of piercing damage. In such a case a confirmed critical hit may be elected by the attacker to deal its NORMAL (NOT critical hit!) damage to the Coughing Lungs instead of dealing any damage what-so-ever to the larger undead.
Skills: Because Coughing Lungs have difficulty NOT coughing slightly for any period of time, they take a -10 penalty to move silently checks and must make such checks even when stationary.
Usage:
Because these observe the usual onset times, they are a strategic and terror weapon, rather than a tactical one. The coughing sound is almost certain to prevent ambushes unless a noisy environment or thick doors are arranged. An area of magical silence could also work, but is probably more of a resource investment than it is worth for most necromancers. The ones with at least 10' range means the DR combined with flight should keep them around long enough to present a credible threat of infection unless spell slots or grenade-like weapons are expended or slashing reach weapons are present. Ranged slashing weapons tend to be exotic in most settings.
Sidenote: The above explains why the amount of a control pool they take up is so tiny compared to their CR.
Creating a pair of Coughing Lungs
First the lungs of one or more humanoids, monstrous humanoids, and/or giants of at least small size must be harvested. Each pair requires a Heal check with a DC of 20 to extract in good enough physical condition to animate. Regardless of success or failure on this check, a second check heal check against the same DC is required to avoid being exposed to the disease.
The next step is the casting of the appropriate auxiliary spells to prepare the coughing lungs for animation. Contagion must be cast once over each pair of lungs of Medium or smaller size. For Large and larger Coughing Lungs it must be cast once per HD. In any case either Fly, or Overland Flight must be cast once over each Pair of Lungs to be animated. Wind Walk may be substituted for Fly and in such a case it fulfills that requirement for as many pairs of Coughing Lungs as the number of targets it could normally affect.
Finally, either Animate Dead or Create Undead, Lesser must be cast. The material components for the spell must inserted down the throat past the vocal cords to rest inside each pair of lungs to be animated. Each such casting (regardless of which spell is used) may create up to 2 HD worth of Coughing Lungs per caster level (The Desecrate spell doubles this limit). Animate Dead can not create a pair of Coughing Lungs of over 20 HD. The size of the Coughing Lungs is two size classes smaller than the size of the creature the lungs were taken from (to a minimum Fine Size). Coughing Lungs have hit dice equal to the minimum listed for a pair of Coughing Lungs of that size, plus extra hit dice equal to 1/2 the number of extra hit dice above the minimum that the creature it was harvested from needed to achieve its size class (up to the maximum listed HD a Coughing Lungs of the particular size category it is at may be advanced to).
The remaining corpse is still suitable for animation into most types of undead. Especially note that with the right skill checks, spells, etc it is possible to generate a Skeleton, a pair of Coughing Lungs (which is a single undead), and several other organ undead, including, but not limited to: a Hopping Stomach (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3301315),an Empty Skin (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44544), a Gut Snake (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3295643&postcount=8), a Dark Heart (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/printthread.php?t=64187), and a contribution toward a Fat Glob (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=128873) from a single corpse.
As is usually the case the CR's are pretty much just guesses.
Spellcasting:
LvlCoughing Lungs
I --
II --
IIIstandard Diminutive
IV --
V standard Tiny
VI* standard Small
VII* standard Medium
VIII*Large (3 HD)
IX*Huge (7 HD)
As always, you can use a spell from the Summon Undead series to summon 2 undead from the list for 1 spell level lower, or 4 undead from the list for 2 spell levels lower.
*These spells can be easily extrapolated from the published Summon Undead series of spells. For more things that can be summoned with them, see post 24 (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?278418-(Creature)-(Spell)-Organ-Undead-Nightmares-of-Anatomy-(P-E-A-C-H-)&p=15003872#post15003872) of my older organ undead thread (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?278418-(Creature)-(Spell)-Organ-Undead-Nightmares-of-Anatomy-(P-E-A-C-H-)&p=15003872).
EDIT: For further humor, see my puns about plagues (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?610654-Puns-about-plagues-to-lighten-moods-(Probably-my-1st-post-in-this-section-)&p=24459164#post24459164) in the Friendly Banter section.
This is a slightly belated post meant for April Fools, since part of its purpose is to help us laugh* at the worries for the future, and fear for our bodies that many of us share at this time.
*Less "ROFL-copter" type humor, and more analogous to how Potter-verse boggarts (https://harrypotter.fandom.com/wiki/Boggart) are defeated by transforming them into something silly via the riddikulus spell. Unlike a boggart, corona virus is dangerous even after such a (mental) transformation.
When I have posted similar creatures in the past the feedback I have gotten was that the players would find them humorous, while the characters might be horrified and/or disgusted.
Perhaps more importantly, some players might find them cathartic to beat down with blade and spell. A more viscerally satisfying* catharsis against the frustrations and worries of this specific time.
*With authentic viscera!
Disclaimer: This is based on the D&D rules for disease. Nothing here is designed to even REMOTELY model real world medical science. On your Wisdom+Intelligence < 10 head (or rather lungs...) be it if you try to extrapolate any course of action in the real world from this.
I determined the attack range of the largest of these monsters by looking up the height of spray from a whale's blowhole. This is hardly germaine to the proceedures to remain healthy in this crisis.
Coughing Lungs
Open Spoiler below for main stat block for Diminutive through Small Coughing Lungs.
~{th]Coughing Lungs, Fine[/th]Coughing Lungs, DiminutiveCoughing Lungs, TinyCoughing Lungs, Small
Size and Type {td]
Fine Undead [Organ Undead] [/td]
Diminutive Undead [Organ Undead]
Tiny Undead [Organ Undead]
Small Undead [Organ Undead]
Hit Dice {td]
1/8d12 (1 hp) [/td]
1/4d12 (1 hp)
1/3d12 (2 hp)
1/2d12 (3 hp)
Speed {td]
Fly 15 ft. (Good) [/td]
Fly 20 ft. (Good)
Fly 30 ft. (Good)
Fly 40 ft. (Good)
Initiative {td]
+4 [/td]
+3
+2
+1
AC {td]22 (+4 Dex, +8 size); touch 22; flat-footed 18[/td]17 (+3 Dex, +4 size); touch 17; flat-footed 1415 (+3 Dex, +2 size); touch 15; flat-footed 1213 (+1 Dex, +1 size, +1 natural); touch 12; flat-footed 12
BAB {td]
+0 [/td]
+0
+0
+0
Grapple {td]
-21 [/td]
-16
-12
-7
Attack {td]
None [/td]
None
None
None
Space/Reach {td]
1/2 ft./0 ft. [/td]
1 ft./0 ft.
2 1/2 ft./0 ft.
5 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks{td]
Cough [/td]
Cough
Cough
Cough
Special Qualities{td]Damage Reduction 2/Slashing, Dark Vision 60 ft., Hollowness, Turn Resistance +1/8, Undead Traits[/td]Damage Reduction 3/Slashing, Dark Vision 60 ft., Hollowness, Turn Resistance +1/4, Undead TraitsDamage Reduction 5/Slashing, Dark Vision 60 ft., Hollowness, Turn Resistance +2/3, Undead TraitsDamage Reduction 10/Slashing, Dark Vision 60 ft., Hollowness, Turn Resistance +1 1/2, Undead Traits
Saves {td]
Fort +0, Ref +4, Will +2 [/td]
Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +2
Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +2 Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +2
Abilities{td]Str 1, Dex 18, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 1[/td]Str 2, Dex 17, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 1Str 3, Dex 16, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 1Str 4, Dex 13, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 1
Skills {td]
Move Silently -6 [/td]
Move Silently -7
Move Silently -8
Move Silently -9
Feats {td]
Ability Focus(Cough)(B) [/td]
Ability Focus(Cough)(B)
Ability Focus(Cough)(B)
Ability Focus(Cough)(B)
Environment {td]
Any [/td]
Any
Any
Any
Organization {td]
Any [/td]
Any
Any
Any
Challenge Rating{td]
1 (3 PF)* [/td]
2 (4 PF)*
3 (5 PF)*
4 (5 PF)
Treasure {td]
None [/td]
None
None
None
Alignment {td]
Always Neutral Evil[/td]
Always Neutral Evil
Always Neutral Evil
Always Neutral Evil
Advancement {td]
None [/td]
None
None
None
Level Adjustment{td]
~ [/td]
~
~ ~
*The increased CR for Pathfinder actually comes down to the fact that Cackle Fever is an inhaled disease that can prevent a cleric from casting the spells needed to cure or even mitigate it and the difference in how the the heal skill works against diseases in 3.x versus Pathfinder. In 3.x the heal check substitutes for the fortitude save if it is better (Since you can take 10, success is automatic for any SRD disease provided the (NPC) healer has 4 ranks and a wisdom of at least 14), where-as in Pathfinder a success only gives a +4 on a successful check. Increase the 3.x CRs by 1 for any entry with this footnote if you consider taking 10 on such checks to be R.A.W.-silliness.
Open Spoiler below for main stat block for Medium through Huge Coughing Lungs.
~Coughing Lungs, MediumCoughing Lungs, LargeCoughing Lungs, Huge
Coughing Lungs, Gargantuan
Size and Type Medium Undead [Organ Undead] Large Undead [Organ Undead] Huge Undead [Organ Undead]
Gargantuan Undead
Hit Dice 1d12 (6 hp) 2d12 (13 hp) 4d12 (26 hp)
8d12 (52 hp)
Speed Fly 50 ft (Good) Fly 60 ft (Average)Fly 60 ft (Average)
Fly 70 ft (Average)
Initiative +0 +0 -1
-2
AC13 (+1 Dex, +2 natural); touch 11; flat-footed 1211 (-1 Size, +2 natural); touch 9; flat-footed 1111 (-2 size, -1 Dex, +3 natural); touch 8; flat-footed 11
7 (-4 size, -2 Dex, +3 natural); touch 4; flat-footed 7
BAB +0 +1 +2
+4
Grapple -3 +3 +11
+20
Attack None None None
None
Space/Reach 5 ft./0 ft. 10 ft./0 ft. 15 ft./0 ft
20 ft./0 f
Special Attacks Cough Cough Cough
Cough
Special QualitiesDamage Reduction 15/Slashing, Dark Vision 60 ft., Hollowness, Turn Resistance +3, Undead TraitsDamage Reduction 15/Slashing, Dark Vision 60 ft., Hollowness, Turn Resistance +2, Undead TraitsDamage Reduction 20/Slashing, Dark Vision 60 ft., Hollowness, NO Turn Resistance, Undead Traits
Damage Reduction 20/Slashing, Dark Vision 60 ft., Hollowness, NO Turn Resistance, Undead Traits
Saves Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +2 Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +3 Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +4
Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +6
AbilitiesStr 5, Dex 10, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 1STR 7, Dex 10, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 1STR 9, Dex 8, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 1
STR 11, Dex 6, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 1
Skills Move Silently -10 Move Silently -10 Move Silently -11
Move Silently -12
Feats Ability Focus(Cough)(B) Ability Focus(Cough)(B) Ability Focus(Cough)(B)
Ability Focus(Cough)(B)
Environment Any Any Any
Any
Organization Any Any Any
Any
Challenge Rating 5 (6 PF)* 7 7
15?
Treasure None None None
None
Alignment Always Neutral EvilAlways Neutral EvilAlways Neutral Evil
Always Neutral Evil
Advancement None 3 HD (Large) 5-7 HD (Huge)
9+ HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment ~ ~ ~
~
*The increased CR for Pathfinder actually comes down to the fact that Cackle Fever is an inhaled disease that can prevent a cleric from casting the spells needed to cure or even mitigate it and the difference in how the the heal skill works against diseases in 3.x versus Pathfinder. In 3.x the heal check substitutes for the fortitude save if it is better (Since you can take 10, success is automatic for any SRD disease provided the (NPC) healer has 4 ranks and a wisdom of at least 14), where-as in Pathfinder a success only gives a +4 on a successful check. Increase the 3.x CRs by 1 for any entry with this footnote if you consider taking 10 on such checks to be R.A.W.-silliness.
A pair of yellowish, lobed bags covered in an intricate network of blood-vessels hanging from a tube shaped like an inverted "Y" float before you.
Coughing Lungs are the pairs of lungs of humanoids, monsterous humanoids, or giants murdered while suffering from an inhaled infection reanimated through dark and sinister magic. They spread the same disease that they suffered in life. (See "Creation" below)
Combat (Some of this stuff is mechanically critical!)
Because of their utter lack of intelligence, the instructions given to a newly created pair of Coughing Lungs must be very simple. They are generally end up simply maneuvering each round to bring the maximum number of opponents they can into the area of their cone without provoking any attacks of opportunity for either movement or the cough itself (but will accept AoOs if it is the only way to get a Cough that round). As a specific example of especial note, if they are within the threatened area of an opponent they may (depending on how carefully they were instructed) take a 5 foot float directly away from it before launching their attack for that round. They are actually incapable of understanding any other offensive actions than their cough. Even if this limitation is overcome* their complete lack of manipulative appendages would prevent many things.
*Awaken Undead (Spell Compendium p.21) and Magic Jar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/magicJar.htm) (to possess them) are two such ways this could be done.
Hollowness(Ex): After damage reduction, apply the following further reductions: Halve bludgeoning damage and reduce piercing damage to 1 point per hit.
Cough(Su): A pair of Coughing Lungs (which is a single creature!) can create something like the affect of a Contagion spell, except effecting all creatures within a cone-shaped spread.
Some more specifics are as follows.
Size
Range
Initial
DC
Frequency
Size of Source Creature
Diminutive 5 feet 14 Every Round Small
Tiny 10 feet 16 Every Round Medium
Small 15 feet 18 Every Round Large
Medium 20 feet 20 Every Round Huge
Large(2 HD) 30 feet 22 Every Round Gargantuan
Large(3 HD) 30 feet 23 Every Round Gargantuan w/ 2 EHD
Huge(4 HD) 40 feet 24 Every Other Round Colossal
Huge(5 HD) 40 feet 25 Every Other Round Colossal w/ 2 EHD
Huge(6 HD) 40 feet 26 Every Other Round Colossal w/ 4 EHD
Huge(7 HD) 40 feet 27 Every Other Round Colossal w/ 6 EHD
Any creature within the area(a cone shaped burst) must make a fortitude save against the listed DC or contract the disease specific to that particular pair of Coughing Lungs. Unlike the Contagion spell this has the normal onset duration, but like it, once contracted, the subsequent saves are as per the standard for the disease, regardless of the size etc. of the source creature.
Coughing Lungs of Huge size can not cough if they did so the previous round.
The initial save DC does NOT follow the usual relationship to hit-dice. Instead it is as per the above chart, which already has the Ability Focus feat taken into account.
At the time of animation, the necromancer must select which disease each coughing lungs will infect its victims with. This must be a disease the sources creature was symptomatic for at the time of its death by violence**, and must be one with "inhaled" as one of its vectors and that Contagion could inflict. Mixing and matching between diseases for different coughing lungs, even those created with a given spell-casting is permissible. The two such diseases from the 3.5 SRD are listed below for convenience, followed by the ones from the Pathfinder SRD. Onset times are as per normal for the disease in question rather than instantaneous.
*Sic, each one is a pair of lungs with the attached (primary) bronchi, trachea, and larynx.
**Remember, the primary cause of death must have been violence and NOT the disease.
Disease
Incubation
Ongoing DC
Damage
Cackle fever1 day161d6 Wis
Mindfire 1 day121d4 Int
[tr]
BUBONIC PLAGUE
Type disease, injury or inhaled; Save Fortitude DC 17
Onset 1 day; Frequency 1/day
Effect 1d4 Con damage and 1 Cha damage and target is fatigued; Cure 2 consecutive saves
CACKLE FEVER
Type disease, inhaled; Save Fortitude DC 16
Onset 1 day; Frequency 1/day
Effect 1d6 Wis damage; Cure 2 consecutive saves
LEPROSY
Type disease, contact, inhaled, or injury; Save Fortitude DC 12 negates, Fortitude DC 20 to avoid effects
Onset 2d4 weeks; Frequency 1/week
Effect 1d2 Cha damage; Cure 2 consecutive saves
MINDFIRE
Type disease, inhaled; Save Fortitude DC 12
Onset 1 day; Frequency 1/day
Effect 1d4 Int damage; Cure 2 consecutive saves
BUBONIC PLAGUE
Type disease, injury or inhaled Save Fortitude DC 17
Track physical; Frequency 1/day
Cure 2 consecutive saves
CACKLE FEVER
Type disease, inhaled; Save Fortitude DC 16
Track mental; Frequency 1/day
Cure 2 consecutive saves
DEMENTIA DUST
DESPITE BEING ADDED BY THE UNCHAINED RULES, AND THUS PERHAPS NOT HAVING BEEN EXPLICITLY CONSIDERED IN THE LISTING OF DISEASES THAT CONTAGION CAN INFLICT THE DIFFICULTY OF CURING IT MEANS IT IS PROBABLY NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE ADDED TO THAT LIST, AND THUS NOT SOMETHING THAT FLOATING LUNGS CAN INFLICT. LEFT IN FOR COMPLETENESS.
Type disease, inhaled; Save Fortitude DC 14
Track mental; Frequency 1/week
Effect Even if the disease is removed with remove disease, condition does not improve without greater restoration or heal
Cure magic only
LEPROSY
Type disease, contact, inhaled, or injury; Save Fortitude DC 12
Track physical (special); Frequency 1/week
Effect Healthy—Latent/Carrier—Sluggish—Stiffened; sluggish and stiffened are as Dexterity poison, stiffened is an end state
Cure 2 consecutive saves
MINDFIRE
Type disease, inhaled; Save Fortitude DC 12
Track mental; Frequency 1/day
Cure 2 consecutive saves
Organ Undead: For purposes of controlling or creation add the basic racial turn resistance of an undead with this subtype to its hitdice in all cases rather than only for turning/rebuking/commanding/destroying. Note especially that this applies to how many hitdice worth of the Animate Dead control pool it takes up.
Undead with this subtype often require additional spells to create in the simplest way, in addition to skill (or luck) with cutting up inanimate corpses to remove the organ.
Special: Coughing Lungs are occasionally returned to the rib-cages from which they came (tied in place with a network of string or rope in the case of skeletal undead). In such a case the larger undead becomes somewhat subject to critical hits, sneak attack, and other precision based damage provided that they are dealt in the form of piercing damage. In such a case a confirmed critical hit may be elected by the attacker to deal its NORMAL (NOT critical hit!) damage to the Coughing Lungs instead of dealing any damage what-so-ever to the larger undead.
Skills: Because Coughing Lungs have difficulty NOT coughing slightly for any period of time, they take a -10 penalty to move silently checks and must make such checks even when stationary.
Usage:
Because these observe the usual onset times, they are a strategic and terror weapon, rather than a tactical one. The coughing sound is almost certain to prevent ambushes unless a noisy environment or thick doors are arranged. An area of magical silence could also work, but is probably more of a resource investment than it is worth for most necromancers. The ones with at least 10' range means the DR combined with flight should keep them around long enough to present a credible threat of infection unless spell slots or grenade-like weapons are expended or slashing reach weapons are present. Ranged slashing weapons tend to be exotic in most settings.
Sidenote: The above explains why the amount of a control pool they take up is so tiny compared to their CR.
Creating a pair of Coughing Lungs
First the lungs of one or more humanoids, monstrous humanoids, and/or giants of at least small size must be harvested. Each pair requires a Heal check with a DC of 20 to extract in good enough physical condition to animate. Regardless of success or failure on this check, a second check heal check against the same DC is required to avoid being exposed to the disease.
The next step is the casting of the appropriate auxiliary spells to prepare the coughing lungs for animation. Contagion must be cast once over each pair of lungs of Medium or smaller size. For Large and larger Coughing Lungs it must be cast once per HD. In any case either Fly, or Overland Flight must be cast once over each Pair of Lungs to be animated. Wind Walk may be substituted for Fly and in such a case it fulfills that requirement for as many pairs of Coughing Lungs as the number of targets it could normally affect.
Finally, either Animate Dead or Create Undead, Lesser must be cast. The material components for the spell must inserted down the throat past the vocal cords to rest inside each pair of lungs to be animated. Each such casting (regardless of which spell is used) may create up to 2 HD worth of Coughing Lungs per caster level (The Desecrate spell doubles this limit). Animate Dead can not create a pair of Coughing Lungs of over 20 HD. The size of the Coughing Lungs is two size classes smaller than the size of the creature the lungs were taken from (to a minimum Fine Size). Coughing Lungs have hit dice equal to the minimum listed for a pair of Coughing Lungs of that size, plus extra hit dice equal to 1/2 the number of extra hit dice above the minimum that the creature it was harvested from needed to achieve its size class (up to the maximum listed HD a Coughing Lungs of the particular size category it is at may be advanced to).
The remaining corpse is still suitable for animation into most types of undead. Especially note that with the right skill checks, spells, etc it is possible to generate a Skeleton, a pair of Coughing Lungs (which is a single undead), and several other organ undead, including, but not limited to: a Hopping Stomach (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3301315),an Empty Skin (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44544), a Gut Snake (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3295643&postcount=8), a Dark Heart (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/printthread.php?t=64187), and a contribution toward a Fat Glob (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=128873) from a single corpse.
As is usually the case the CR's are pretty much just guesses.
Spellcasting:
LvlCoughing Lungs
I --
II --
IIIstandard Diminutive
IV --
V standard Tiny
VI* standard Small
VII* standard Medium
VIII*Large (3 HD)
IX*Huge (7 HD)
As always, you can use a spell from the Summon Undead series to summon 2 undead from the list for 1 spell level lower, or 4 undead from the list for 2 spell levels lower.
*These spells can be easily extrapolated from the published Summon Undead series of spells. For more things that can be summoned with them, see post 24 (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?278418-(Creature)-(Spell)-Organ-Undead-Nightmares-of-Anatomy-(P-E-A-C-H-)&p=15003872#post15003872) of my older organ undead thread (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?278418-(Creature)-(Spell)-Organ-Undead-Nightmares-of-Anatomy-(P-E-A-C-H-)&p=15003872).
EDIT: For further humor, see my puns about plagues (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?610654-Puns-about-plagues-to-lighten-moods-(Probably-my-1st-post-in-this-section-)&p=24459164#post24459164) in the Friendly Banter section.