Steel Men and other strange creatures (3.5, PEACH)

[afroakuma]

Ooze Paraelemental

Spoiler: Small

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Ooze Paraelemental, Small
Small Elemental (Earth, Extraplanar, Water)
HD 2d8+4 (13 hp)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares); swim 50 ft.
Init: +0
AC 17; touch 11; flat-footed 17 (+6 natural, +1 size)
BAB +1; Grp +3
Attack Slam +4 melee (1d6+2 and 1d4 acid)
Full Attack Slam +4 melee (1d6+2 and 1d4 acid)
Space 5 ft. Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Acid (DC 12)
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, ooze affinity, resistance to cold 5 and fire 5, vulnerability to electricity
Saves Fort +4 Ref +0 Will +0
Abilities Str 14, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Balance +8*, Listen +2, Spot +3
Feats Improved Grapple^B, Improved Toughness^MMIII
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Ooze
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 1
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 3 HD (Small)

Spoiler: Medium

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Ooze Paraelemental, Medium
Medium Elemental (Earth, Extraplanar, Water)
HD 4d8+16 (34 hp)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares); swim 50 ft.
Init: +1
AC 18; touch 11; flat-footed 17 (+7 natural, +1 Dex)
BAB +3; Grp +10
Attack Slam +6 melee (1d8+3 and 1d6 acid)
Full Attack Slam +6 melee (1d8+3 and 1d6 acid)
Space 5 ft. Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Acid (DC 15)
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, ooze affinity, resistance to cold 10 and fire 10, vulnerability to electricity
Saves Fort +7 Ref +2 Will +1
Abilities Str 16, Dex 12, Con 17, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Balance +9*, Listen +3, Spot +4
Feats Improved Grapple^B, Improved Toughness^MMIII, Power Attack
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Ooze
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 3
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 5-7 HD (Medium)

Spoiler: Large

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Ooze Paraelemental, Large
Large Elemental (Earth, Extraplanar, Water)
HD 8d8+40 (76 hp)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares); swim 50 ft.
Init: +2
AC 19; touch 11; flat-footed 17 (+8 natural, +2 Dex, -1 size)
BAB +6; Grp +19
Attack Slam +10 melee (2d8+5 and 1d6 acid)
Full Attack 2 slams +10 melee (2d8+5 and 1d6 acid)
Space 10 ft. Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks Acid (DC 18)
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., DR 5/-, elemental traits, ooze affinity, resistance to cold 15 and fire 15, vulnerability to electricity
Saves Fort +10 Ref +4 Will +2
Abilities Str 20, Dex 14, Con 19, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Balance +10*, Listen +5, Spot +6
Feats Dodge, Improved Grapple^B, Improved Toughness^MMIII, Power Attack
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Ooze
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 5
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 9-15 HD (Large)

Spoiler: Huge

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Ooze Paraelemental, Huge
Huge Elemental (Earth, Extraplanar, Water)
HD 16d8+96 (168 hp)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares); swim 50 ft.
Init: +4
AC 21; touch 12; flat-footed 17 (+9 natural, +4 Dex, -2 size)
BAB +12; Grp +31
Attack Slam +17 melee (2d10+7 and 1d6 acid)
Full Attack 2 slams +17 melee (2d10+7 and 1d6 acid)
Space 15 ft. Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks Acid (DC 23)
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., DR 5/-, elemental traits, immunity to cold and fire, ooze affinity, vulnerability to electricity
Saves Fort +15 Ref +9 Will +5
Abilities Str 24, Dex 18, Con 21, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Balance +12*, Listen +9, Spot +10
Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Grapple^B, Improved Toughness^MMIII, Mobility, Power Attack, Spring Attack
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Ooze
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 7
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 17-20 HD (Huge)

Spoiler: Greater

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Magma Paraelemental, Greater
Huge Elemental (Earth, Extraplanar, Water)
HD 21d8+126 (220 hp)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares); swim 50 ft.
Init: +5
AC 23; touch 13; flat-footed 18 (+10 natural, +5 Dex, -2 size)
BAB +15; Grp +35
Attack Slam +21 melee (2d10+8 and 2d6 acid)
Full Attack 2 slams +21 melee (2d10+8 and 2d6 acid)
Space 15 ft. Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks Acid (DC 27)
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., DR 10/-, elemental traits, immunity to cold and fire, ooze affinity, vulnerability to electricity
Saves Fort +17 Ref +12 Will +7
Abilities Str 26, Dex 20, Con 21, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Balance +13*, Listen +12, Spot +12
Feats Ability Focus (acid), Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Elusive Target^CWar, Improved Grapple^B, Improved Toughness^MMIII, Mobility, Power Attack, Spring Attack
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Ooze
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 9
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 22-23 HD (Huge)

Spoiler: Elder

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Ooze Paraelemental, Elder
Huge Elemental (Earth, Extraplanar, Water)
HD 24d8+144 (252 hp)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares); swim 50 ft.
Init: +6
AC 25; touch 14; flat-footed 19 (+11 natural, +6 Dex, -2 size)
BAB +18; Grp +39
Attack Slam +25 melee (2d10+9 and 2d6 acid)
Full Attack 2 slams +25 melee (2d10+9 and 2d6 acid)
Space 15 ft. Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks Acid (DC 27)
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., DR 10/-, elemental traits, immunity to cold and fire, ooze affinity, resistance to electricity 10, vulnerability to electricity
Saves Fort +19 Ref +14 Will +8
Abilities Str 28, Dex 22, Con 21, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Balance +14*, Listen +27, Spot +17
Feats Ability Focus (acid), Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Elusive Target^CWar, Energy Resistance (electricity)^E, Improved Grapple^B, Improved Toughness^MMIII, Mobility, Power Attack, Spring Attack
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Ooze
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 11
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 25-48 HD (Huge)

Sometimes called "mud elementals," ooze paraelementals are foul-smelling, acrid, and dangerously corrosive puddles of slimy fluid capable of extruding pseudopods and rising up a torsolike mass at their center that forms a rudimentary "body" separate from the muck of their home plane. Ooze paraelementals enjoy slowly dissolving and crushing solid objects, serving as decontaminators (insofar as such a term can apply when removing impediments to "pure" filth) of their home environment. On the Prime, their attitudes are little different. Ooze paraelementals are dark-colored, thick, and behave similarly to non-Newtonian fluids in motion and nature, though they are still able to thin the substance of their bodies enough to slither into tiny cracks and openings (slowing them to a speed of 5 ft. while moving through such openings). Vulnerable to some of the same effects as a true ooze, they exhibit different characteristics than those they most closely resemble (such as a black pudding), but the deadly acid they secrete is similar in its wicked potency.

Acid (Ex) An ooze paraelemental secretes a corrosive acid that dissolves organic material and metal quickly, but does not affect stone. Any contact with the ooze paraelemental deals acid damage, and armor and clothing dissolve and become useless immediately unless they succeed on Reflex saves. A metal or wooden weapon that strikes an ooze paraelemental also dissolves immediately unless it succeeds on a Reflex save. The save DCs are Constitution-based.

An ooze paraelemental's acidic touch deals damage each round to wooden or metal objects equal to the save DC of its acid ability, but the ooze paraelemental must remain in contact with the object for 1 full round to deal this damage.

All ooze paraelementals are immune to the acid of other ooze paraelementals, but are not inherently immune to any other form of acid.

Ooze Affinity (Ex) An ooze paraelemental is affected by anything that would specifically affect a creature with the ooze type; if such an effect permits a saving throw, the ooze paraelemental gets a +4 bonus to such a save. An ooze paraelemental takes double damage from desiccation^Sand and from salt-based damage sources. If an ooze paraelemental is targeted with transmute mud to rock or a similar effect must make a Fortitude saving throw against the effect; on a failure, it becomes petrified, while if successful on its saving throw it takes 5d6 damage and is slowed for 1 minute.

Skills Ooze paraelementals have a +8 racial bonus to Balance checks as their bodies can naturally blend the best of slickness for motion and stickiness for bonding to surfaces.

Spoiler: House Rule: Acid Is Unfair

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While at low levels exposure to an ooze paraelemental's acid ability (or that of other creatures, most infamously other oozes) might result in the loss of a replaceable weapon, shield, or suit of armor, when magical items get involved, even with their superior saving throws, "save or be destroyed" effects can be ruthlessly unfair and significantly damage the future success potential of the victim. There is value, in my opinion, in having access to foes that present different kinds of adverse risk and thus attendant tactical considerations for the party, but a few bad d20 rolls could end up costing a player character considerably more in resources than even suffering a reversible death would.

To balance these competing needs, I propose this house rule for any magical, psionic, or otherwise "superior" piece of equipment exposed to an acid ability, whether it be the ooze paraelemental detailed above or a printed creature such as a black pudding. At the DM's discretion this might also apply to masterwork items.

For Weapons: Take the weapon's base damage dice and determine their maximum unmodified value (e.g. a weapon that deals 2d6 damage would have an MUV of 12). Each failed save against the acid ability imposes a cumulative -2 penalty to attack and damage rolls with the specified weapon. When the cumulative penalty from this exposure equals the maximum unmodified value, the weapon is ruined. Add the weapon's enhancement bonus or enhancement-equivalent value (e.g. a +1 flaming mace has a value of +2, 1 from the enhancement bonus and 1 from the effective value of the flaming property). For instance, a +3 longsword would have an MUV of 8 (1d8 base damage) plus 3 (+3 weapon enchantment) for a total of 11. Repairs may be effected on an acid-damaged weapon; with 8 hours of work, a Craft check (DC 20, penalized by the same penalty the acid has applied to the weapon), and 100 gp for materials (labor may cost extra), one increment of acid damage (one -2 penalty) is removed from the weapon.

For Armor and Shields: Each failed save against the acid ability imposes a cumulative -1 penalty to the AC value afforded by the item (e.g. a chain shirt offers +4 AC, one exposure to acid would reduce it to +3). When the consistent AC value (not temporary or conditional) of the item, reduced by the cumulative penalty from such exposure, equals 0, the item is ruined. Each "plus" of bonus the armor or shield imparts to AC is counted toward its total AC value. Repairs may be effected on an acid-damaged armor or shield; with 8 hours of work, a Craft check (DC 20, penalized by the same penalty the acid has applied to the weapon), and 100 gp for materials (labor may cost extra), one increment of acid damage (one -1 penalty) is removed from the armor or shield.

A ruined item cannot be used; it can be restored to full utility at a cost of 25% of its market price for materials and labor; the process follows the normal process for crafting an item, and whoever is doing the labor must be capable of crafting the original item.

The spell mending does not repair acid damage, which is too substantial, nor can a spell such as fabricate be used to effect repairs (fabricate can create something out of something else, but acid damage depletes the existing material).

Bookkeeping? Yes, but let's face it, if you're the kind of person who wants to use acid rules to blow up items, you already like bookkeeping and this is less mean.