The Ultimate Tree

[gareth]

A while back someone posted an interesting combination of the Awaken spell and metamagic. I've tweaked it to make it even more powerful.
Start with a 13th level Druid. Give him a Greater Rod of Maximise Spell and the Empower Spell feat. Find a Colossal tree. Cast Awaken on the tree using both the rod and the feat. Empower Spell brings the spell level to 7 and the rod doesn't change the level at all. The tree comes to life, and its Wisdom, Intelligence and Charisma scores are all 3d6. Maximise Spell brings them all to 18. Empower Spell adds half the normally rolled result: 1 to 9. So all the tree's mental abilities are between 19 and 27, and its strength is still 28 from being a Colossal Animated Object.
So, three questions. Firstly, is this legal? Secondly, would any DM actually allow this? And thirdly, what exactly do you do with a 125 tonne super-genius tree? It needs class levels to use the mental abilities effectively. It's tempting to make it a wizard or sorceror, but that just wastes two abilities. Making it a cleric uses both the Wisdom for spells and the Charisma for undead turning. Making it a paladin would be similar, but I'd hate to see the mount. So what would you do with it?

[Nerd-o-rama]

So what would you do with it?
Play a dwarf and smite it with lightning.

I think I recall reading an FAQ where it was stated that you can't use Maximize or Empower on Awaken, but I may be mistaken.

[Jasdoif]

It's certainly RAW-legal, as the ability scores are variable numeric effects. Heck, UA's metamagic component variant (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/metamagicComponents.htm) has a component specifically for empowering awaken.

[Chronos]

Making it a paladin would be similar, but I'd hate to see the mount.Seems pretty obvious to me: You've heard of rolling hills, right? Well, your leafy paladin would be mounted on a rolling hill.

Any class levels at all are going to be problematic, though, with the epic number of racial hit dice this thing is going to have to account for first.

[Mewtarthio]

It's a frigging tree. What can it do? It'll probably be a little upset about you granting it sapience, then it'll use it's magnificent Wisdom score to figure out whether or not it would make a sound if it comitted suicide. Just about the only game-breaking thing that could come from this would be maxxing out its epic-level ranks in Knowledge to become omniscient. Personally, I don't think an awakened tree should be allowed to take ranks in knowledge skills (except maybe local and possibly nature, in which case you're just burning 250 XP when you could have just used commune); in fact, it should be built by the DM, rather than the druid casting the spell, in which case it's only broken if the DM allows it.

Oh, and don't forget that the druid has to make a DC 42 Will save or the spell is wasted utterly.

As a side note, can an awakened tree even move? The spell description states that it can move vines, limbs, and whatnot, but is it even possible for the tree to uproot itself and wander off with no ill effect?

[Jasdoif]

As a side note, can an awakened tree even move? The spell description states that it can move vines, limbs, and whatnot, but is it even possible for the tree to uproot itself and wander off with no ill effect?The spell description states it can move roots as well, and it has the statistics of an animated object of its size (which has a movement speed), so I do believe it'd be capable of moving itself. Plant creatures still need to eat though, which could easily pose problems of its own for a colossal tree.

[Rachel Lorelei]

In Eberron, the Grand Druid of the Eldeen Reaches (and the most powerful non-evil NPC in the setting) is an awakened tree.

[Kyeudo]

In Eberron, the Grand Druid of the Eldeen Reaches (and the most powerful non-evil NPC in the setting) is an awakened tree.

18th level druid awakened great pine, at least 1000 years old. He is the single most powerful creature detailed in the ECS, although I don't remember if he's been completely statted out. Funny thing is, he can wildshape into a plant, which would make him weaker. Go figure.

[Jasdoif]

Now, what you do is use this maximized-and-empowered (or if you can swing it, intensified) awaken on a Tiny tree. Getting 11 on a Will save should be easy enough.

This tree will have an existential crisis, unable to comprehend precisely why it was chosen to bear the burden of sentience (which will be all the worse if you truly reveal that it was because you "wanted to see if metamagic worked that way"). Unable to stand being around the area where it spent most of its existence blissfully unaware, it will run away, to wherever the stinging reminders of life may leave it alone.

Which, naturally, will be a site of death...and undeath. If it can survive the encounter with such, it will come to believe that it has a strange kinship the reanimated dead: They too were once without the burden of sentience, and it was later thrust upon them. (Naturally it will rationalize away their prior living state as a curse, and death their release.) This will lead it into a deep fascination with the subject...and it will take levels in medium (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59250), hoping the dead will provide it answers to its own existence.

Over time, it will decide that druids are responsible for corrupting the very nature they claim to revere. (At this point, you will hope it places blame on druids in general and not you in particular) It will begin a campaign, aligned with undead and constructs, to wipe out druids and their ilk in order to save the blessedly unaware trees from having to endure the same trials it did.

It will call itself the Lorax.

[Mewtarthio]

Now, what you do is use this maximized-and-empowered (or if you can swing it, intensified) awaken on a Tiny tree.

Intensify's a little tricky to get, given that intensified awaken is an eleventh-level spell.

Hm... How much for a Metamagic Rod of Intensify?

{table]Adjustment | price (gp)
+1 | 11,000
+2 | 32,500
+3 | 54,000
+4 | 45,500
+5 | ?????
+6 | ?????[/table]

[bugsysservant]

Now, what you do is use this maximized-and-empowered (or if you can swing it, intensified) awaken on a Tiny tree. Getting 11 on a Will save should be easy enough.

This tree will have an existential crisis, unable to comprehend precisely why it was chosen to bear the burden of sentience (which will be all the worse if you truly reveal that it was because you "wanted to see if metamagic worked that way"). Unable to stand being around the area where it spent most of its existence blissfully unaware, it will run away, to wherever the stinging reminders of life may leave it alone.

Which, naturally, will be a site of death...and undeath. If it can survive the encounter with such, it will come to believe that it has a strange kinship the reanimated dead: They too were once without the burden of sentience, and it was later thrust upon them. (Naturally it will rationalize away their prior living state as a curse, and death their release.) This will lead it into a deep fascination with the subject...and it will take levels in medium (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59250), hoping the dead will provide it answers to its own existence.

Over time, it will decide that druids are responsible for corrupting the very nature they claim to revere. (At this point, you will hope it places blame on druids in general and not you in particular) It will begin a campaign, aligned with undead and constructs, to wipe out druids and their ilk in order to save the blessedly unaware trees from having to endure the same trials it did.

It will call itself the Lorax.

...

You've thought about this, haven't you? :smallconfused:

[Kaerou]

I fail to see why the tree would immediately dispise its life and newfound sapience.

[Mewtarthio]

I fail to see why the tree would immediately dispise its life and newfound sapience.

Well, not immediately I suspect it would go something like this:

DRUID: Awaken!

TREE: Hey, cool! I can think now! This is totally awesome!

DRUID: You wouldn't by any chance know where the archwizard Xinjoiberzu lives, would you?

TREE: What? I'm just a tree; why would I know that?

DRUID: Ah. Sorry for wasting your time. I'll just be off now. (Exit)

TREE: Huh. That was weird. What do you think about that, Clarissa?

CLARISSA: ...

TREE: Oh, right, you're just a tree. You can't think. Huh. Oh, well, at least I have my animal friends to keep me company!

ANIMAL FRIENDS: ...

TREE: Uh... right. Man, this sucks. I'll just have to find someone else who can talk.

BOB: ...And then I said, "Murder? I 'ardly know 'er!" Man, you should have seen the look on the constable's face!

TREE: Humans! I'm saved! Hey, guys, how's it hanging!

BOB: A talking tree! Run away!

TREE: ...Alright, I'll just hang around here, then. Huh. Okay, I can wait. I'll just stand here in the forest until something happens.

PEASANT MOB: Behold, the tree Bob spoke of! We must kill it with fire!

TREE: *sigh*

[Jasdoif]

Intensify's a little tricky to get, given that intensified awaken is an eleventh-level spell.

Hm... How much for a Metamagic Rod of Intensify?

{table]Adjustment | price (gp)
+1 | 11,000
+2 | 32,500
+3 | 54,000
+4 | 45,500
+5 | ?????
+6 | ?????[/table]The +4 is listed 75,500, the "4" snuck into the next column...anyway, that means each +1 increases the price by 21,500gp....so +5 is 97,000gp, and +6 is 118,500gp. Since intensify spell is epic, I'll add the price adjustment for an epic item just in case...1,185,000gp.

Might be a bit of a budget strain, yes....



...

You've thought about this, haven't you? :smallconfused:Only the intensified awaken part :smalltongue: The rest of it came to me as a result of this topic.



I fail to see why the tree would immediately dispise its life and newfound sapience.Well...primarily because I needed it to get to the last sentence. :smalltongue:

Also, it's never even been sentient before, it's been an ordinary tree for all its existence prior to this. What's it doing to go do with itself now? What all does it know how to do with itself? What does it know period, other then a set of languages? It's been shoved into a totally alien state of being through no choice of its own. It might be uncomfortable with its newfound consciousness.

[Prometheus]

The ultimate moral dilemna for a sapient tree. Awakened by a druid and with an enlightened sense of kinship with all treekind and given great power. However to do anything it has to knock down half of the forest to move.

EDIT Even if it could gain experience, it could never use tree stride because it would be the biggest tree around!

Incidentally I feel I should mention that one of my campaigns recently had a non-sentient tree grow to enormous proportions. It was taller than a mountain and the top was obscured by clouds of pollen. Climbing through the deep fissures in its dark, they reached a wide branch and decided to make camp. during the night, a heavy wind shook the pine needles which rained down like erratic spears. This experience culminated with a dwarf being dug out of a giant ball of sap that landed on him and finding his armor turned yellow with all the pollen sticking to him. They end the campaign halfway up the tree - still to deal with the suffocating pollen, the pealing bark, and of course the monstrous blight they are climbing to eradicate from the tree.

[Nevar]

And as the pot of petunias fell from the sky the only thought that crossed it's mind was oh no not again...

[pantoffelheld]

In Eberron, the Grand Druid of the Eldeen Reaches (and the most powerful non-evil NPC in the setting after King Boranel) is an awakened tree.

fixed that for you

[Eldritch_Ent]

So many pundits. Seriously, I'm ashamed of you guys. :smallfrown:


However, I think the benefits of having a tree-minion are obvious. As Durkon said- "They have huge STR and hundreds of limbs! Think of all the attacks they could make!", it'd be like having your own wooden Hecatonchieres. :smallbiggrin:


But aside from that- Doesn't casting "Awaken" on a tree just make a Treant? :smallconfused:

[Jasdoif]

But aside from that- Doesn't casting "Awaken" on a tree just make a Treant? :smallconfused:No. An awakened tree has the statistics of an animated object of its size (except for the few exceptions mentioned in the text of awaken, of course), not those of a treant. They don't get the special abilities of a treant.

[Prometheus]

But aside from that- Doesn't casting "Awaken" on a tree just make a Treant? :smallconfused:
Thinking of Liveoak (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/liveoak.htm)

[goat]

DRUID: Ah. Sorry for wasting your time. I'll just be off now. (Exit)

TREE: Huh. That was weird. What do you think about that, Clarissa?

CLARISSA: ...

TREE: Oh, right, you're just a tree. You can't think. Huh. Oh, well, at least I have my animal friends to keep me company!

ANIMAL FRIENDS: ...

TREE: Uh... right. Man, this sucks. I'll just have to find someone else who can talk.

Oh now surely not.

Any Druid who's putting this much effort and experimentation into this has probably awakened every other animal in that forest, and woken up so many trees the local towns are terrified to cut wood because it might kick them if they try.

[gareth]

Thanks for your comments. I hadn't noticed the Intensify Spell feat before. Here's Willow (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheets/view.php?id=29688), the Awakened Tree 5th-Level Paladin. I had some difficulty with the skills, but I think this is close enough.

[Jack Mann]

Oh now surely not.

Any Druid who's putting this much effort and experimentation into this has probably awakened every other animal in that forest, and woken up so many trees the local towns are terrified to cut wood because it might kick them if they try.

Woodchopper: "Um, hello, are you one of those talking trees, or one of the normal sort?"

Tree:: "..."

Woodchopper: "Just to be clear, you are nonsapient, an' if I chop you, you're not gonna hit, kick, or otherwise try to kill me, right?"

Tree:: "..."

Woodchopper: "I just don't want there to be any misunderstandings. One last time, you're just a regular old tree, right?"

Tree: "..."

Woodchopper: "Okay, then. Glad we got that sorted out." *Swings ax*

Tree: *Crushes woodchopper with a single mighty blow* "Hey! I was taking a nap!"

[RTGoodman]

Of course, the best and possibly coolest path for an awakened tree going through some sort of identity crisis like this would be to take a few levels of Druid and then go Blighter.

[Kyeudo]

fixed that for you

Boranal could not take an awakened great pine 18th level druid. Hes only an Aristocrat 2/ Fighter 8 or 10. He's out classed by at least 6 levels, and he's a Fighter! The Great Pine could out fight him without wildshaping and without buffing.

I know Boranal is cooler in the books, but his crunch just can't cut it.

[SilverClawShift]

I'd kill to see an Awakened Tree Warlock (or artificer decked out in magical stuff).

[Yeygresh]

Thanks for your comments. I hadn't noticed the Intensify Spell feat before. Here's Willow (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheets/view.php?id=29688), the Awakened Tree 5th-Level Paladin. I had some difficulty with the skills, but I think this is close enough.

Lay on Branches was a nice touch.

[Eldritch_Ent]

I'd kill to see an Awakened Tree Warlock (or artificer decked out in magical stuff).

So, the tree was part Infernal or Fae?:smallconfused: How does THAT work?

..... Actually, on second thought, maybe it's best to not think of the implications..... :smalleek:

[Mewtarthio]

So, the tree was part Infernal or Fae?:smallconfused: How does THAT work?

..... Actually, on second thought, maybe it's best to not think of the implications..... :smalleek:

What? It just makes an infernal pact for its powers. Or maybe it was Awakened by a fiend with Druid levels (Heh. I love the idea). Or a Warlock that UMD'd a scroll.

Now, the real scary thought is that an Awakened tree is technically a living, corporeal creature (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/halfDragon.htm).

EDIT: Or, for a different definition of "scary," awakening a Colossal Tree qualifies it for the Phrenic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/monsters/phrenicCreature.htm) template, which is normally barred to Animated Objects. For good reason.

augmentable psi-like abilities
manifester level 32
CR 13
Hope your players are really forgiving...

[Setra]

Incidentally I feel I should mention that one of my campaigns recently had a non-sentient tree grow to enormous proportions. It was taller than a mountain and the top was obscured by clouds of pollen.
Kind of reminds me of the World Tree from Dragon Quest.

[Gralamin]

Step 1: Do this to a Colossal Tree on a glacier
Step 2: Train him as a Paladin, get his mount to be the glacier
Step 3: Say something witty about your inexorable advancing wall of (celestial) ice.
Step 4: ???
Step 5: Profit!

[Chronos]

Now, the real scary thought is that an Awakened tree is technically a living, corporeal creature.Actually, technically, it's not. It has stats like an animated object unless otherwise specified, and it doesn't have a Con score specified, so it doesn't have a Con. And a creature without a Con score doesn't count as living.

I'm confused on a few points re Willow:

First, as an ECL 37, doesn't she have 666,000 XP, with 703,000 needed for next level? And second, what kind of monstrous spider are you mounting her on? I thought those only went up to Colossal. It also looks like she's short on skills: She should get 13 skill points per level, and she doesn't even have points in that many skills. Oh, and depending on the species of tree, gender is probably "both", not "female". Unless she's a ginkgo or something.

[Collin152]

Perhaps it's a mental gender.

[Roderick_BR]

18th level druid awakened great pine, at least 1000 years old. He is the single most powerful creature detailed in the ECS, although I don't remember if he's been completely statted out. Funny thing is, he can wildshape into a plant, which would make him weaker. Go figure.
It would use a "plant" shape to pretend to be something else, instead of a high level superpowered awakened tree. There's the risk of being weaker in that shape, true, but then again, why would a dragon change into a human shape?

[gareth]

Re: Willow (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheets/view.php?id=29688). Thanks for the correction on the XP. I'm still working on the skills. My assumption is that she only gets skills for being an Intelligence 36 Level 5 Paladin, which unfortunately the character generator website I use can't handle. I've changed the mount to a Gold Dragon Great Wyrm. It's still only Colossal but as far as I can work out it can carry 200 tonnes, so it's the closest thing to a mount that's possible. As for the gender, real willows come in male and female trees. Whether they grow up to 125 tonnes, on the other hand...

[Douglas]

Hit dice give skill points too, with the amount dependent on the creature's type. In this case, the Awaken spell specifies that it has the plant (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#plantType) type, which gives it 2+int skill points per racial hit die. This may, subject to interpretation, also mean it gains the plant type's traits in place of construct traits, giving it a constitution score and several other changes.

[Setra]

but then again, why would a dragon change into a human shape?
Because we like your women.

Where do you think all the half-dragons came from?

[Chronos]

Oh, and you also have the armor type listed as "Female". Which is either a really obscure joke that's going straight over my head, or a typo.

[Leon]

The trees in the Forest of Skund



'Is it good being joinery?' said the tree anxiously.
'Did it hurt?'



'but who keeps talking to us? they say this is a magic wood, its full of goblins and wolves and -'
'Trees,' said a voice out of the darkness, high above.
It possessed what can only be discribed as timbre.



'There could be monsters. this is the sort of wood that has monsters.'
'And Trees,' said a friendly voice from the branches."

[gareth]

Oh, and you also have the armor type listed as "Female". Which is either a really obscure joke that's going straight over my head, or a typo.

It's a typo, even my jokes aren't that obscure.

[Azerian Kelimon]

Oh, and prismatic and force dragons are colossal + size. the perfect mount for Willow.

[Leon]

So, the tree was part Infernal or Fae?:smallconfused: How does THAT work?

..... Actually, on second thought, maybe it's best to not think of the implications..... :smalleek:

On the Eberron slant, a tree in a manifest zone for the correct related plane could fesibly pick up enough latent contact to develop the capabilties of a Warlock

[Sledge_bro]

even though it is against the rules, use tree shape, a bit of crafting, and get yourself some ranks in ride: Tree

TREE MECHA!

then get it some levels in warhulk and give it a spiked chain :smalltongue:

[TheSteelRat]

Given the amount of MAD this guy would have... anyone else thinking less useful class levels?

Awakened Tree Monk - It's not like you're getting someone to make you a set of full plate, and I have to admit, it'd be kinda amusing watching that Flurry of Blows
Awakened Tree Paladin - Already done

Awankened Tree Fighter / Warblade / Swordsage / Any melee class - You've got great Dex, Str, and if Plant, Con, so you're pretty good at whatever you do. Power Attack will definitely be your friend.

Might want to take a level in Monk for the +Wis to AC, or a level in Soulknife so you actually have a weapon (What's the stats on a Colossal Broadsword?)

[Hario]

Actually I dunno if this is ok by RAW but what if you awakend a bunch of trees and animals so that you have a Collosal tree ride something else that's collossal as its mount, a gargantuan boulder takes levels in paladin to ride the tree, a Huge Elephant takes levels in paladin to ride the boulder (because it saw it in the carnival), a Large bear takes levels in paladin to ride the elephant, A dire weasel takes levels in Paladin to ride the bear, an octopus takes levels in paladins to ride the dire weasel, an owl takes levels in paladin to ride the octopus and a mouse takes levels in paladin to ride the owl.

After this I assume they form voltron or some 80's spin off show.

[Hario]

(What's the stats on a Colossal Broadsword?)
8d6
too little words...

[Stam]

...it'd become the first of the Ents, and eventually go on to make more of its kind?

[Doresain]

...it'd become the first of the Ents, and eventually go on to make more of its kind?

the ents are going to war...no one will be spared...not even the children, no, especially the children

[Chronos]

Awankened Tree Fighter / Warblade / Swordsage / Any melee class - You've got great Dex, Str, and if Plant, Con, so you're pretty good at whatever you do. Power Attack will definitely be your friend.By the rules, its Dex sucks, and it doesn't have a Con (which sucks for HP, but is great for saves), thanks to using Animated Object stats. Its Strength is very high by virtue of being Colossal, and its mental scores are very high by virtue of the maximized empowered Awaken cheese.

[MandibleBones]

The desire to build one of these trees, throw various templates on it (divine, paragon, phrenic, psuedonatural, et cetera) and run a "Yggdrasil the World Tree is Corrupted! Ragnarok is Upon Us!" epic-level campaign using the Norse pantheon from Deities and Demigods is symied only by my lack of understanding of the epic rules.

[Sledge_bro]

Also,again against the rules, cast ironwood on it :smallbiggrin:

[Chronos]

Also,again against the rules, cast ironwood on itOr Barkskin.


The desire to build one of these trees, throw various templates on it (divine, paragon, phrenic, psuedonatural, et cetera) and run a "Yggdrasil the World Tree is Corrupted! Ragnarok is Upon Us!" epic-level campaign using the Norse pantheon from Deities and Demigods is symied only by my lack of understanding of the epic rules.The epic rules are simple. First, the caster says "OK, I create an Epic Spell called "Uncorrupt World-Tree" and cast it.". Then, the DM says "Right. OK, up for another adventure?".

Meanwhile, I find it amusing no end that Firefox's spellcheck recognizes "Yggdrasil", but not "Ragnarok".