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View Full Version : Vortigaunt [Creature]



Nebo_
2007-11-13, 03:54 AM
http://developer.valvesoftware.com/w/images/thumb/f/fd/200px-Vortigaunt.jpg

Vortigaunt

Size/Type: Medium Aberration
Hit Dice: 3d8 + 6 (19 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (+3 Dex, +4 natural, +1 Armour), touch 13, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +2, +4
Attack: Claw, +5 melee 1d4+2 or Arc, +5 Ranged touch 2d6
Full Attack: Two claws, +5 melee (1d4+2)
Space/Reach: 5ft/ 5ft
Special Attacks: Lightning Arc
Special Qualities: Lightning Resistance 10
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +4
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 15, Wis 13, Cha 9
Skills: Concentration +8, Spot & Listen +6
Feats: Toughness, Weapon Focus (Claw)
Environment: Black Mesa Research Facility or Xen
Organization: Solitary or Squad (3-5)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Chaotic Awesome
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +3

Lightning Arc (Ex.)
A vortigaunt can fire a ray of electricity as a ranged touch attack at a target within 80ft. The ray deals 2d6 points of electricity damage.

Vortiessence (Su.)
Vortigaunts share a hive mind. Vortigaunts within 60 feet of each other are considered linked. If one is aware of a particular danger, they all are. If one of them is not flat-footed, none of them are. They are not considered flanked unless all of them are.


_______________________________

I made this a while ago and I just decided to post it up. If you don't recognise it, it's my version of a vortigaunt/alien slave from the half life games.

Setra
2007-11-13, 03:58 AM
If Gordan can defeat several of those at once, makes you wonder what level he might be =p

But yeah, it looks good.

BisectedBrioche
2007-11-13, 05:01 AM
I think that there's some precident for their electrical attack giving them energy, as well as being used to transfer it to others, perhaps you should allow them to heal themselves or transfer HP to a target by using it?

Nebo_
2007-11-13, 05:07 AM
How so? As far as I know, they don't do that in the game.

Demented
2007-11-13, 05:12 AM
That, with a wee bit less health (one revolver shot should do it) would be good for a Vortigaunt slave from Half-Life.

In Half-Life 2, though, the things are freakin' powerhouses. In Episode 2, they only get better. That's to say nothing of their link to "the vortessence".


P.S. I love their alignment.

Nebo_
2007-11-13, 05:57 AM
Well, these ones might be the alien slave version from half life - before they were freed. The ones from the episodes might just have class levels.

BisectedBrioche
2007-11-13, 06:00 AM
How so? As far as I know, they don't do that in the game.

Half Life: Decay;

You can play a bonus chapter as two votigaunts, they apparently can restore their health with their beams

Half Life 2;

A vortigaunt restores some energy to Freeman's suit, throughout the game (and Eps. 1 and 2) they can be seen using the beam to carry out various tasks (e.g. attaching a gun to your hoverboat, removing parts from an antlion).

Not to mention they have a shared conciousness (the vortessance) which should give the flatfooted bonuses most hive minds get and (Ep. 2 spoilers follow);

The ability to to heal people from near (or possibly completly) fatal injuries

Nebo_
2007-11-13, 06:08 AM
I'm trying to emulate the enemies as seen in the games, so the healing doesn't really fit. Aside from the fact that spending an action healing probably won't help.


Not to mention they have a shared conciousness (the vortessance) which should give the flatfooted bonuses most hive minds get and (Ep. 2 spoilers follow);

Until I play Episode 2, I won't read that, so I'm not doing anything about what is written there. Sorry.

BisectedBrioche
2007-11-13, 06:26 AM
I'm trying to emulate the enemies as seen in the games, so the healing doesn't really fit. Aside from the fact that spending an action healing probably won't help.



Until I play Episode 2, I won't read that, so I'm not doing anything about what is written there. Sorry.

Its implied that they have a shared conciousness throughout all of HL2, IIRC.

Demented
2007-11-14, 06:14 AM
Until I play Episode 2, I won't read that, so I'm not doing anything about what is written there. Sorry.

You needn't worry, it's basically false.
Or, to be more precise, exaggerated.

They could stabilize wounds, but it's seemingly no more significant than a human trying to stabilize bleeding, and thus easily represented by ranks in the Heal skill. Likewise, to actually heal the wound they required "the larval extract", which is probably equivalent to super-effective medicinal herbs.

As far as the hive mind thing, they seem pretty individualistic to me.
I don't know what the standard is for not being flat-footed.

ZeroNumerous
2007-11-14, 06:22 AM
As far as the hive mind thing, they seem pretty individualistic to me.
I don't know what the standard is for not being flat-footed.

Hive Minds have the "Unless every member of the Hive Mind is caught by surprise, none of them are surprised" ability. Which creatures with a shared consciousness(like Vortigaunts) would gain. Sure, they don't have a massive gestalt personality entity controlling all of their actions, but they do share memories through the Vortiessence.

Nebo_
2007-11-14, 07:09 PM
I've added Vortiessence to their abilities, due to popular demand.