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chronoplasm
2008-10-12, 02:15 AM
Monster Merchant

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v614/otakucyborg/merchant.jpg

Monster Merchants loot the corpses of fallen adventurers and sell the items to other adventurers at an inflated price.


OK, so I have the general idea flavorwise, but I'm not sure what direction to go with it in the way of mechanics. Do you guys have any ideas?

Icewalker
2008-10-12, 02:31 AM
I'm usually all up for writing up a monster based on a small inspiration, but while this is awesome it looks somewhat complicated, and one of the things I have very little knowledge about is treasure and I have almost no experience in monsters who use items extensively. So I won't be of much help.

Question on my mind is what is the actual creature under there. Is it the mimic chest deal?

Jayngfet
2008-10-12, 02:45 AM
That thing needs it's own tables for loot.

I'd give it lots of mind affecting SLA's(helps with costumers and robbers). A super powerful weapon(+9 katana by the looks of it). And a swallow whole thing. And a darkwood body(fast speed to go with it).

But it'll have so much loot it'll be worth it.

For alignment I'f do LN?

But I work in 3.5, don't know about 4.0.

And we need a thread for this sort of thing. I have a drawing of an evil ice cream truck I'd love statted.

Icewalker
2008-10-12, 02:52 AM
This could be applicable with it's own thread. Minor enough not to be sticky though, probably. Enough homebrew stickies already.

Is it a construct? That's the impression I got, although those arms look bodily.

chronoplasm
2008-10-12, 02:53 AM
And we need a thread for this sort of thing. I have a drawing of an evil ice cream truck I'd love statted.

Go ahead and post your pic. :smallsmile:

Also, while I would prefer 4E stats for Monster Merchant, any ideas are appreciated.
Also yes, the actual monster under there is the mimic-chest dealie with arms and legs. Instead of eating people though it eats money.
*edit*
Construct? Maybe.

onasuma
2008-10-12, 04:41 AM
I officially love this thing. Id be happy to stat it in 3.5, but i you want 4th ed, which im not so good at.

Anyhow thorghts:
First, i dont think construct does it justice. More likely an aberation with lots covered in inanimate objects. Next, i expect this thing to be low HP but highly armoured and weilding good weaponry, probably 6HD and CR10-ish. Finally, i also agree it needs a loot table all to itself, very random, ranging from minor level artifacts to string with copper tied on it. After all, it loots adventurers, theres got to be some good stuff.

chronoplasm
2008-10-12, 05:24 AM
I officially love this thing. Id be happy to stat it in 3.5, but i you want 4th ed, which im not so good at.


Out of curiosity, I think I would like to see 3.5 stats if you don't mind. It might still give me some good ideas. :smallsmile:

Rigon
2008-10-12, 05:37 AM
this could be a Fey type... a greed fey.
i say solo striker/lurker.
it could have an immediate interrupt swallow attack, which teleports the swallowed enemy into an unoccupied square with 10 squares (and in sight) of the Monster Merchant. as a secondary part of the attack it could maybe loot one randomly chosen item from the target.
if it's higher level (15-30) then it could have a at-will minor action power which switches the weapon of the monster, allowing different type of damage and maybe even different powers.
as for attack powers just copy the mechanics of some ranger/rogue powers but change the flavour. like "dagger spit", a dagger emerges from its mouth and does a "ranged" attack. or like "lances", the chest busts wide open and spears pierce out in all directions doing a close burst attack.
the "fragile" items on it could be simply sources of temporary hit points. so the potions, barrels and xxx bottle could break (and go to waste) in battle.
i say it should have awesome STR, CON and DEX.

AstralFire
2008-10-12, 07:56 AM
Holy crap, you've got some good drawin' ability.

Pronounceable
2008-10-12, 08:35 AM
You should know that I've saved this picture, and am intending to unleash it on unsuspecting innocents, unarmed civillians and gamers...

This also strikes me as an abomination. Could you have been inspired by the Luggage?

sigurd
2008-10-12, 09:52 AM
I like it - This is my take 3.5 I guess


Bondai-Mook
Demigod of Plenty

Bondai-Mook is the personal dream of poor people and quartermasters. He manifests with plenty of everything a party could need. Huge sacs of food, kegs of good beer and bottles of rum, wine or sake. Tradition says that he will stay at a place until he has run out of an item then travel away to restock. He seldom comes back to the same place.

He is a minor figure in __________ pantheon where he sees to the earthly needs of the deities on their journeys to the prime material plane.

Legend tells of the poor but noble family visited by Bondai-Mook as reward for a great deed. In the morning they awake to find their home filled with fine gold plate, exotic foods and even carpets & tapestry.

Magic Item:

Mook's Dates: These tremendously sweet dates grow only in the oasis of the gods. The smallest part of one is said to clear any hangover and sustain a grown man for a day. Eating a full date grants the user a new save on any poison or disease check from the last week.


Sigurd

chronoplasm
2008-10-12, 11:51 AM
This also strikes me as an abomination. Could you have been inspired by the Luggage?

Partly. The personality is quite different though.
Yeah, go ahead and use it on your friends. :smallsmile:

Sigurd: Cool backstory!


Anyway, I like the fey suggestion. I'm thinking maybe Fey Animate and then come up with some kind of unique keyword for it.
I like the Lurker suggestion, but I don't know about making it solo. I think it could be interesting to give this guy a little group of buddies, probably kobolds or goblins, and then this guy can be a Leader for the group.
Perhaps this can grant enchanted weaponry to its pals giving them improved attack, damage, and defenses.
All the leaders in the monster manual are controllers from what I can see. It might be interesting to have a Lurker (Leader) for a change.

A loot table would certainly be a good idea.

RTGoodman
2008-10-12, 12:59 PM
I'd say maybe a Fey Animate (Construct, Leader) or something like that. How's this for a couple of powers?

http://rtg0922.googlepages.com/Melee.png Swallowing Bite (standard; at-will) ♦ Teleportation
+X vs. AC; X damage, and the monstrous merchant makes
a secondary attack. Secondary attack: +Y vs. Reflex; the
target is teleported to an extra-dimensional pocket within
the monstrous merchant and trapped until the end of the
merchant's next turn. A trapped creature is removed from
combat entirely and cannot be the target of any powers,
friendly or otherwise. Upon being released, one randomly
determined item in the target's possession is removed and
held by the merchant until the end of the encounter.

{table=head]Roll | Item Taken
1 | Ritual Components
2 | Potion or Alchemical Item
3 | Item in Glove, Mask, Foot, or Arm item slot
4 | Item stored in backpack
5 | Item in off-hand shield, second weapon, etc.)
6 | Stored melee weapon or implement
7 | Primary melee weapon or implement
8 | Two items; roll twice, ignoring any other 8s
[/table]

A monstrous merchant can only have one trapped
creature inside it at once.

http://rtg0922.googlepages.com/Close.png Share the Wealth (minor; recharge http://rtg0922.googlepages.com/5.png, http://rtg0922.googlepages.com/6.png)
The monster merchant eats a random magic weapon from
its extra-dimensional interior (though not the items stolen
from players with its Swallowing Bite ability) and distributes
some of that combat magic to nearby allies. Close burst 5;
allies in the burst gain a +1d3 power bonus on attack and
damage rolls until the end of the monster merchants next turn.

chronoplasm
2008-10-12, 01:08 PM
I think Share the Wealth is a little unfair together with Swallowing Bite as it allows the monster to take someones weapon, then devour it to power up its allies. Players might be OK with losing their toys for an encounter, but this makes it so that they can possibly lose their toys forever.

I like Swallowing Bite, but I think Share the Wealth might push it too far over the edge.

Good work though. :smallsmile:

Emperor Demonking
2008-10-12, 01:11 PM
Did you actually draw that?

RTGoodman
2008-10-12, 01:14 PM
I think Share the Wealth is a little unfair together with Swallowing Bite as it allows the monster to take someones weapon, then devour it to power up its allies. Players might be OK with losing their toys for an encounter, but this makes it so that they can possibly lose their toys forever.

I like Swallowing Bite, but I think Share the Wealth might push it too far over the edge.

Good work though. :smallsmile:


Oh, yeah, I should probably clarify - it doesn't use the PCs weapons to fuel Share the Wealth, it uses the random other items it has. How is it if that's the case?

Edit: Share the Wealth has been changed now to reflect that.

chronoplasm
2008-10-12, 01:16 PM
Oh, yeah, I should probably clarify - it doesn't use the PCs weapons to fuel Share the Wealth, it use the random other items it has. How is it if that's the case?

Sounds OK, but I'd think this guy would want to keep his merchandise so he can sell it to somebody else after looting these adventurers.
Perhaps instead of eating a weapon, this creature gives the weapon to a nearby ally to power up its attacks?

sigurd
2008-10-12, 02:32 PM
I think you need a special at will ability:

Spit Something.

With a guffwuff the figure spits something in the direction of his assailant.

1-3 - random equipment (1 in 10 chance of it being game affecting)
2-4 - food or missile item (1-2) 1-3dm (2-4) 1-6dm (5) 1-8dm (6) Paint, cloth net or area affecting item.
3-6 - Arrow (1-4) Normal (5) Silver (6) Blessed


Equipment Loyalty
Between his many items and innate magic for item collection this creature's magic affects weapons used against it. Weapons attacking him dull faster and break more readily.

Dublock
2008-10-12, 03:29 PM
if the monster sells weapons, and such. Could it be possible for the pcs to trade with it instead of battling it perhaps requiring a high enough skill check in diplomacy?

chronoplasm
2008-10-12, 03:33 PM
if the monster sells weapons, and such. Could it be possible for the pcs to trade with it instead of battling it perhaps requiring a high enough skill check in diplomacy?

Certainly!

The whole point is that players have the option to either fight or trade.

chronoplasm
2008-10-12, 09:26 PM
Ideas!

1) Three varieties of merchant monster:

Copper Merchant for heroic tier.
Silver Merchant for paragon tier.
Gold Merchant for epic tier.


2) Whenever a player makes a non-psychic, non-fear attack roll against the monster, that player, that player consults a table. Depending on what that player rolls, an item from the monsters inventory will be destroyed and a random effect will be triggered.
Possible effects:


Merchant regains 50 hit points and loses a potion.
Merchant deals 10 fire damage to each creature in close burst 3 and loses a magic weapon.
Merchant deals 10 cold damage to each creature in close burst 3 and loses a magic weapon.
Merchant deals 10 acid damage to each creature in close burst 3 and loses a magic weapon.
Merchant regains 25 hit points and loses a potion.
Merchant summons an orc drudge to an adjacent square and loses a wondrous item.
Merchant summons a zombie rotter to an adjacent square and loses a wondrous item.
Merchant summons a kruthnik hatchling to an adjacent square and loses a wondrous item.
Merchant summons a giant rat to an adjacent square and loses a wondrous item.
Merchant regains 10 hit points and loses a potion.
Each creature in close burst 1 gets -1 reflex until end of the encounter and loses a foot item.
Each creature in close burst 1 gets -1 fortitude until end of the encounter and loses an arm item.
Each creature in close burst 1 gets -1 will until end of the encounter and loses a head item.
Each creature in close burst 1 gets -1 AC until end of the encounter and loses a waist item.
Merchant regains 5 hit points and loses a potion.


If you roll 16-20, or merchant doesn't have an item of the specified type to lose, then no effect.

FireSpark
2008-10-12, 10:38 PM
Okay chronoplasm, I have a question that is just a little off to one side of this topic, but has got my brain vibrating and it just won't stop.

Why the heck is the date on the drawing 12,008? And what is H.E.?

Inquiring minds (namely my own) want to know.

Oh, ohhh, Midnight Star.

Enlong
2008-10-12, 10:42 PM
Sweet. I have no stats to contribute, but I will say that someone needs to also stat up a 4th ed Mimic, because this thing reminds me of the most awesome idea of a Mimic ever.

chronoplasm
2008-10-12, 10:55 PM
Okay chronoplasm, I have a question that is just a little off to one side of this topic, but has got my brain vibrating and it just won't stop.

Why the heck is the date on the drawing 12,008? And what is H.E.?

Inquiring minds (namely my own) want to know.

Oh, ohhh, Midnight Star.

Holocene era. I refuse to use the Gregorian calendar as it offends my lack of religion. I base my dating system on the approximate end of the ice age.:smallamused:

Baalthazaq
2008-10-13, 07:04 AM
Well, I have to say like everyone else that this seems alot like a more sentient mimic.

Bear in mind, Mimics speak common, and have an int of 10, even though most DM's treat them as tradtional mindless monsters (and ALWAYS disguised as a chest). The fluff around mimics is that they were (possibly) created by a long forgotten wizard.

Here are some ideas based on the mimics.

Is this a unique creature?

If so, he could:
1) Be the wizard, transformed by the same spell that made the first mimics.
(Make him a regular mimic and give him class levels of Wizard).

2) He is a particularly intelligent Mimic who has a greater grasp of human society and is currently trying to fit in.

3) He is the original mimic, who is trying as best he can to continue to fill the purpose his master set out for him. Other mimics are the result of the spell gone wrong and were never given any "real" instruction as to how to behave, behave more simply.

Is this creature "widespread"?

If so:
1) You could argue he is a "male" mimic, and that other traditional mimics are female. You could argue the males are enticed by females who have some piece of impressive loot/magical item left over from an adventurer, and you could argue that they go around collecting those items as payment for their "services".

You could also tag on something else which makes these male mimics attractive to females. What do they use the gold for when they get it? I would say they continue to buy more goods to adorn themselves with to make it look like they have had more conquests than they really have. The female mimics then have a tendency to think "Well if he's been with that many girls they must see something in him". This could also be why he attacks adventurers or waits for them to die before looting their corpses.

Suzuro
2008-10-13, 09:17 AM
Well, I honestly can't contribue much, I just wanted to stop by and say awesome drawing.

Also: Isn't your Holocene Era date off by a couple thousand of years? It ended just about ten thousands years ago, I though, not twelve thousand.


-Suzuro

Shadow_Elf
2008-10-13, 06:47 PM
Medium Fey Construct is my vote.
Around Level 3-8, I think, as merchants can't be too strong

Here's my idea for an at-will power. It may have to be adjusted to fit the level
Quarterstaff (Basic Melee) (Standard Action, At-Will)
+X vs. Ac; 1d8 damage; on a hit, roll 1d10, and consult the following table
1 - Ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends)
2 - The Monster Merchant gains cumulative resist 5 lightning damage until it is bloodied or until the end of the encounter
3 - The attack deals force damage and pushes the target 1 square
4 - The target is dazed until the end of the monster merchant's next turn
5 - The target takes an additional 5 cold damage and is slowed (save ends)
6 - The Monster Merchant slides the target 3 squares and knocks them prone
7 - The target is marked
8 - The target takes a -2 penalty to Fortitude defense
9 - The target is restrained (save ends)
10 - The target begins to dance (save ends)

And a Ranged Basic that throws a random potion could function on the same principle.

Oh, and here's an idea for a self-defense mechanism
Every Square the Monster Merchant passes through becomes difficult terrain until the end of its next turn. It is not slowed by this terrain.

Prometheus
2008-10-13, 07:50 PM
Well, I have to say like everyone else that this seems alot like a more sentient mimic.
My thoughts exactly, and mimic need more love, in this case literally. Your interpretation of the mimic would bring a whole new meaning to "check out your wares" (okay, a more punerific meaning).

The fact that Mimics are essentially adhesive would explain how it can carry so much. If it's using it's adhesive to carry everything, alcohol would make it naked pretty quick. Presumably, it wouldn't carry alcohol for that reason (unfortunately, because it could make a killing off drunken adventurers).

Here's a thought, the monster can gain the benefits of its magic items and has more magic item slot than a regular creature (this might raise it's LA significantly though). It would be hard to balance if you just gave it whatever it randomly rolled up, so if we went this route I'd suggest making a couple of preset configurations which are roughly balanced against each other, and the different configurations could lead to different combat styles.

I really like the idea of swallowing equipment and spitting it back out. It could disarm creatures or eat smaller ones and use their own equipment against them. Awesome picture by the way, I decided when I looked at it that if the rest of the thread didn't come up with a neat creature, I would.

chronoplasm
2008-10-13, 09:29 PM
Medium Fey Construct is my vote.
Around Level 3-8, I think, as merchants can't be too strong

Here's my idea for an at-will power. It may have to be adjusted to fit the level



I think this idea could be more elegant.
Instead of rolling a separate die when it hits to determine effect, you use one single d10 to determine both damage and effect. This way it speeds things up a little bit.

Free Sample (standard, at-will). Wonder.
Ranged 10; +15 vs. AC; 1d10 damage and consult the following table.

Roll again!
Ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends)
Ongoing 5 acid damage (save ends)
Ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends)
The target takes a -1 penalty to fortitude defense.
The target takes a -1 penalty to reflex defense.
The target takes a -1 penalty to will defense.
The target takes a -1 penalty to AC defense.
The target takes on the appearance of a chicken (see Change Shape, Monster Manual page 280)
No effect.

Shadow_Elf
2008-10-13, 09:35 PM
I think this idea could be more elegant.
Instead of rolling a separate die when it hits to determine effect, you use one single d10 to determine both damage and effect. This way it speeds things up a little bit.

Free Sample (standard, at-will). Wonder.
Ranged 10; +15 vs. AC; 1d10 damage and consult the following table.

Roll again!
Ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends)
Ongoing 5 acid damage (save ends)
Ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends)
The target takes a -1 penalty to fortitude defense.
The target takes a -1 penalty to reflex defense.
The target takes a -1 penalty to will defense.
The target takes a -1 penalty to AC defense.
The target takes on the appearance of a chicken (see Change Shape, Monster Manual page 280)
No effect.


I like it, but I think that the 10 should be the best effect. Highest damage + best effect would make this thing's criticals all the more brutal. Speaking of criticals, maybe make it so that all of the effects are applied on a critical? That would make it truly devastating for unlucky PCs...

chronoplasm
2008-10-13, 10:59 PM
I like it, but I think that the 10 should be the best effect. Highest damage + best effect would make this thing's criticals all the more brutal. Speaking of criticals, maybe make it so that all of the effects are applied on a critical? That would make it truly devastating for unlucky PCs...

Ouch. A little mean...

How about this: On a 10, Merchant's Consume power recharges.

Consume (Standard; Recharge when Monstrous Merchant rolls a 10 on a damage roll.). Teleportation
Close burst 3; 18 vs. Reflex; the targets are teleported to an extra-dimensional pocket within the monstrous merchant and trapped until the end of the merchant's next turn. A trapped creature is removed from combat entirely and cannot be the target of any powers, friendly or otherwise. Upon release, monstrous merchant places the targets anywhere within burst 3.

Stormthorn
2008-10-13, 11:11 PM
Holocene era. I refuse to use the Gregorian calendar as it offends my lack of religion. I base my dating system on the approximate end of the ice age.

Obfuscateing time by way of utter faithlessness. Of course, if your going to get counter-culture about it why not go deep? We cant be sure time passes as we percieve it. Some dude once said that our world could be a simulation done by a thousand generations of monks working weekends with abacuses and we wouldnt know. So why not just refuse all forms of time, including such arbitrary things as seconds and hours? Or use a calender based upon some other meaningless thing, like making Year 0 the year Henry Fonda was born.

And i think it should be some sort of mimic.

chronoplasm
2008-10-13, 11:56 PM
Obfuscateing time by way of utter faithlessness. Of course, if your going to get counter-culture about it why not go deep? We cant be sure time passes as we percieve it. Some dude once said that our world could be a simulation done by a thousand generations of monks working weekends with abacuses and we wouldnt know.


Theres no evidence to support that.
There is evidence to support that the ice age occurred and ended and occurred and we can figure out about when it happened.
I believe in evidence because its fairly reliable, what with all the verifiable predictions and whatnot.
I'm not going to refuse to use hours and seconds though. I need those to figure out when I need to go to work or class. I would only have issue with them if religion were used as the basis of their measurement, as opposed to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium 133 atom.

So anyway, I think I want to cap this monster off at three abilities. Since two of them use tables, I don't want to add a lot more for fear of making this thing too complicated.

Swallowing ability that might steal an item
At-Will attack with random extra effect
Immediate reaction that causes it to loose an item and trigger an effect when attacked.


Now I think I need to start tightening this guy up.

I know I want this to have speed 8 on the ground, no flying or anything.
I know I want this to have vulnerability to fear and psychic attacks so that theres a good way to attack it without damaging the goods.

I'm thinking that this thing needs high charisma and intelligence to be a good salesman. That means this thing is going to have good reflex and will defense. Perhaps I should power down the fortitude then. That means this thing is going to need lower strength and constitution, meaning lower HP. In that case I need to pump up the AC to compensate. What do you guys think?

newbDM
2008-10-13, 11:59 PM
Monster Merchant

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v614/otakucyborg/merchant.jpg

Monster Merchants loot the corpses of fallen adventurers and sell the items to other adventurers at an inflated price.


OK, so I have the general idea flavorwise, but I'm not sure what direction to go with it in the way of mechanics. Do you guys have any ideas?


Dude, you have some great artistic skill! I would kill for a fraction of that talent.


Also, that is a very creative creature idea. I wish I could help, but at the moment I am still trying to figure out how to make monsters myself. I wish I knew a forum more into homebrewing. :smallfrown:

chronoplasm
2008-10-14, 12:42 AM
Dude, you have some great artistic skill! I would kill for a fraction of that talent.


It's not talent so much as practice. You don't have to kill anybody; you just have to practice drawing from observation and pace yourself. It's like exercise. Start out light-weight (draw random objects around your house), build a routine, and make sure to keep challenging yourself. If you get to the point where it gets easy, then graduate up to "bigger weights". If it's not frustrating and difficult, you're doing it wrong.
Do not draw from photographs. You won't learn anything about depth or spacial relationships and if the flash was on you won't get any good shadows.

Rigon
2008-10-14, 06:21 PM
It's not talent so much as practice. You don't have to kill anybody; you just have to practice drawing from observation and pace yourself. It's like exercise. Start out light-weight (draw random objects around your house), build a routine, and make sure to keep challenging yourself. If you get to the point where it gets easy, then graduate up to "bigger weights". If it's not frustrating and difficult, you're doing it wrong.
Do not draw from photographs. You won't learn anything about depth or spacial relationships and if the flash was on you won't get any good shadows.

And dare not to stop drawing. I was getting pretty good (when it came to dragonish or monster type drawings)... but then I stopped for an elongated exam season and a summer vacation and my drawing skills are that of primitive man before the invention of fire.

AS for the monster. Now we could have multiple different kinds of monsters of this one image. And not just based on heroic/paragon/epic tiers but rather on flavor/works.

Prometheus
2008-10-14, 07:18 PM
Holocene era. I refuse to use the Gregorian calendar as it offends my lack of religion. I base my dating system on the approximate end of the ice age.:smallamused: As an atheist and physicist, I think that's silly. After all, 0 AD doesn't actually correspond to anything, not even the birth of Jesus, it's just a convention regardless of its origins. It's worse than the metric system in the US or Esperanto. It is doomed to failure by being only marginally more arbitrary than the system it is designed to replace. If you wanted to go absolute, we should represent time in terms of the big bang (or perhaps, whatever was before that).

chronoplasm
2008-10-14, 08:06 PM
Prometheus:
You gotta admit though, it is a good conversation piece.

Rigon:
Absolutely!
I think I've got the Copper Merchant idea just about figured out, but a lot of these ideas could be applied to different monsters.
I actually do like the idea of a monster that can make terrain rough but move through that terrain, but I like that idea better with some kind of giant slug that makes terrain 'swampy' with its trail of slime. I now have this image in my head of some kind of snail man holding a halberd in its two tentacle arms.
Maybe I'll draw that this weekend if I have the time. I have some other monsters I want to sketch too. I'll try to find the time.

crimson77
2008-10-15, 11:44 AM
For your monster merchant, i would recommend having it have some sort of acidic blood so that if it is killed some of the loot is destroyed. Seems a little unfair if the PC ask, "Do you have any longswords +5" "Yes" "Attack"

Just my two cp.

Texas Jedi
2008-10-15, 12:41 PM
How about this idea.

If the monster is killed in combat there is a chance that their items could be destroyed. It would make the PC's try to come up with a peaceful solution other than attacking which is good for a change of pace.

If you do the tiered monster idea then make the chances greater that the itmes could explode after death.

Then add a little feature not known to the PC's if the items are removed without the consent of the Merchant have the items have a curse on it. The other mimics of the world would know that this item was taken and would treat the PC's negatively for the rest of their existance. For example instead of attacking the PC's they sell them faulty items or even cursed items.

They could have a power like Fool Identify Item: They could make a cursed magic item appear to be anything they wish and only a greater dispel magic, limited wish, wish, or an epic spell could reveal the truth about the item. True Seeing would show that the item would not look the same as the original item but not that their is a curse. Remove Curse would destroy the item as per the spell description. So that the PC's aren't aware of this power have it so it only manifests when it would be harmful to the PC's. So it would act like the real item 90% of the time but when truly it counts it fails.

EDIT: Man I have to double check myself.

Rigon
2008-10-15, 01:48 PM
What if that's a Gnome in there?
IMAGINE! RAWR! I'M A MONSTER!

Baalthazaq
2008-10-23, 02:07 AM
I'm liking Texas Jedi's example, but it could be simplified.
(Bear in mind this is all assuming 3.5 rules).

Many have suggested it uses the items for other purposes, so how about something along the lines of:

Absorb Item: The creature absorbs the energy of any magical items it is carrying, depleting all of the items by +1. (So a +5 sword would become a +4 sword). When using this ability, it may choose to gain a full heal, or cast a spell equal to the highest level item in it's inventory.

This means you can scale the creature to whatever level the adventurers are, if he's holding at least one +9 item as a shop, he can cast time stop and deplete all items by 1.

You could also do it as spell levels. (A +9 item could be a time stop, or 9 magic missile spells).

What this achieves:
Scaling the items with the CR of the creature.
Punishing players for not resolving the situation peacefully.
If the players fail to kill him quickly, they won't have any loot to show for it.

Problems:
What to do with wands? I say either lose 10 charges, or say they are destroyed if the highest item < the spell level. (Dimension door is level 4 (I think?), if you deplete your items to no more than +3, the wand is gone).

What do you do with rods? Similar to wands, give them an appropriate +X and destroy them if they fall below that threshold.

What to do with large enchant items (E.g. A +1 Vorpal sword)? If items drop below +6, what happens to the item? In these cases, the Vorpal sword would become a simple +5 sword.

Non-numerical enchants? Personally I say keep them until you drop below +1, at which point all enchants are destroyed.



Finally, Jesus was born on:
17th April (BBC)
9th of May (Dr. Karl Kruzelnicki)
6th of April (Discovery Channel)
15th September (Biblical Evidence + Jewish holidays)
February of 4AD (Matthew + Roman Census Dates)
OR
March of 6AD (Matthew + Roman Census Dates)
January 7th (Ukraine (6 months after John the Baptist))
March 10 of 4BC (Some guy on Yahoo answers)
8BC (Beginning of Piscean age, heralding a new leader).
Between 8BC and 6AD (Wikipedia)
In the summer (Biblical accounts of farmer behaviour).

Glad I could clear that up for you.

newbDM
2008-10-23, 02:15 AM
It's not talent so much as practice. You don't have to kill anybody; you just have to practice drawing from observation and pace yourself. It's like exercise. Start out light-weight (draw random objects around your house), build a routine, and make sure to keep challenging yourself. If you get to the point where it gets easy, then graduate up to "bigger weights". If it's not frustrating and difficult, you're doing it wrong.
Do not draw from photographs. You won't learn anything about depth or spacial relationships and if the flash was on you won't get any good shadows.

Thank you so much for the advice!

And frustration is a good thing? I always thought that meant I was doing things wrong.

newbDM
2008-10-23, 02:25 AM
Oh, and I can't remember if this has been mentioned yet, but I find it odd that someone would buy from something it fears/knowns would want his loot as well.

I was thinking, what if it and it's species (if there are more of it that is) have a racial rule/agreement that they never attack anyone inside a settlement, or on roads/important trade routes? This is something instinctive to them, and they will not break it unless they are attacked first. Even if they (either individuals or as a race) are evil aligned. However, it might be common knowledge that if you ever see one outside (one of the places you as DM choose) you better stay clear of it.

It might also be instinctive for them to not hunt around communities/settlements, because they know the residents would eventually stop buying from them/it, and they would most likely send out a hunting party for it/them.

Bouregard
2008-10-23, 02:39 AM
Looks brilliant (and yes reminds anyone on the luggage of discworld)

If I see it I think about how does it get those treasures? Trading? Mhm no. Only the second best choice. Trading means I give away things to get other things I want more, but what could a walking luggage want? (Mhm. Ok. It needs to pay the carpenter from time to time and maybe a new painting)


So how would such a thing fight? I imagine it as something waiting patiently on a cliff oabove a road and watching downwards.

*sees beggar* No. don't worth.
*sees army walking across* to many
*sees lonely adventurer with new magic items from a dungeon walk across*
*drop down& crush him*

Maybe a few items get lost with this way of surpirse attack... but hey easy win means no further items lost by combat.

Against to strong adventurers I would say it will prefer trading over fighting. "Oh nice "Epic sword of pure gold" but those wounds you have... mhm wana trade it for some bandages?"

I guess you would meet such a nice little wooden nightmare in shortly raided dungeons cleaning up behind the adventurers, on battlefields after the battle, or just on the road from dungeon to town to either ambush weak adventurers or trade with them bevore they get to the greedy merchants in town. Also it can "magically" appear in the area of fully loaded adventurers who picked up everything and argue about walking back to town to sell the loot or procede further into the dungeon.



Also, you defeated the evil lich/dragon/crockroach of doom in the "temple of a thousand nightmares (now with spikes!)" and walk into the treasury, badly wounded without potions left. The last thing you see are 3 chests standing up and looting you *hrhr*

chronoplasm
2008-10-23, 11:20 AM
Thank you so much for the advice!

And frustration is a good thing? I always thought that meant I was doing things wrong.

*edit*
Frustration means that you are challenging yourself and looking at your work critically. If it gets too frustrating, take a break and go do something else, but don't give up. Hours of frustration will be rewarded with a moment of clarity.

Lets put it in D&D terms. The best way to become more powerful is by leveling up. To do that, you need XP. The best way to acrue XP is to fight monsters. Fighting is painful though. When you fight monsters, you put yourself at risk and you often get hurt. There is a big payoff at the end though. Just set your sights on the monsters closer to your level, and focus on fighting them until you can progress up to more powerful monsters. Don't try to face monsters that are too high level, but don't just grind on lower level monsters either.
*****

Good ideas newbDM and Bouregard!

I have been wondering what role to put this thing in... Now I'm thinking Lurker. It has to have some way of popping out at people and then retreating back into the shadows to pop out again.

What if combat with this thing is like a shell game?
Theres three treasure chests. One of them is this guy in disguise, the other two are traps. When attacking this guy, you have to successfully guess which one is the real one or risk taking damage.

Atticus Bleak
2008-10-24, 02:34 AM
Holocene era. I refuse to use the Gregorian calendar as it offends my lack of religion. I base my dating system on the approximate end of the ice age.

Ah, but are you just "christian non-religious" or are you really nonreligious? Do you use days of the week? They were based on the names of gods. Or months?

Okay, enough of that. Sorry :smallbiggrin: Had to tease, what with people claiming to be "entirely non-religious" choosing one religion to be against and ignoring the others.

Either way, I love the monster, and with your permission would like to ninja the concept for my campaign? With your permission of course. I'm also working on 3.5 stats out of boredom, will try to post them later.

Yours,
Wherever I am needed,
Atticus Bleak

chronoplasm
2008-10-24, 04:26 AM
Ah, but are you just "christian non-religious" or are you really nonreligious? Do you use days of the week? They were based on the names of gods. Or months?

Okay, enough of that. Sorry :smallbiggrin: Had to tease, what with people claiming to be "entirely non-religious" choosing one religion to be against and ignoring the others.

Either way, I love the monster, and with your permission would like to ninja the concept for my campaign? With your permission of course. I'm also working on 3.5 stats out of boredom, will try to post them later.

Yours,
Wherever I am needed,
Atticus Bleak

Go ahead and use it. I'm down with that. :smallsmile:

Also, I don't believe in any gods. If there was a better alternative to the current names for the days of the week, I'd use that. Sunday and Monday I have no problem with though, since those just mean sun-day and moon-day.

Debihuman
2008-10-24, 10:00 AM
I love the picture. This looks like something from Planescape. Were you looking for something 4e or could I take a swing at this for 3.5?

Here is my take for 3.5:

This is why commoners should be careful in Sigil as anything can happen.

Frederick the Merchant, Augmented Human (Cursed).

Frederick was a simple commoner (3rd level merchant) until he managed to annoy the wrong people. At first it was his penchant for overcharging for on items and later it was his sub-par products. Eventually his ship-shod products gave way to one that presented a complete hazard. The Dabus who died from the resulting explosion was a diplomat and one with far-reaching ties.

Little is known about the curse or how it can be removed, but Frederick would gladly pay much so that he can return to normal.

Frederick is still there buried under pounds of stuff but he cannot see and his hearing is obstructed by the stuff although his arms and legs are sticking out. He cannot run and his speed is limited to 5 feet due to the encumbrance. His STR has doubled but his DEX has halved. He cannot turn down any item given to him and can only sell any item that he has at current market value. One unknown [to anyone other than Frederick] benefit to his curse is that he is completely unaffected by cursed items but he may not discuss this ability.

Stats to come later....

Debby