Grimlock the Warforged Lycan

[Sintanan]

This character started as a simple concept of seeing exactly what trouble I could cause with Lycanthropy (Through RAW). At some point I was joking with a friend whether or not we could recreate the Transformers with D&D rules. While we can't find a viable way outside polymorph any object to turn into vehicles, we did touch on doing the Dinobots.

One thing led to another, and this was the result. I would greatly appreciate input on the results or corrections to any glaring errors I made (applying the lycanthrope 'template' can be tricky at times.

Information
* Grimlock is playable as a PC at ECL 20.
* Grimlock was built with the following stats:
.......Str 15, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
* Grimlock was built with an averaged hit points. But the values are there so you can roll.
* Ungeared other than a mwk greataxe for humanoid form.
* If you don't like the shiny Mithril look, swap the green feat with:
.......Adamantine Body - +8 armor, as heavy armor, DR 2/adamantine or
.......Darkwood Body - +3 armor, as light armor, DR 2/slashing

Me Grimlock no bozo, me Grimlock king!

GRIMLOCK (Humanoid Form) XXXXXXXXXXXx CR 13
WERE-TYRANNOSAURUS
HALF-OGRE/INCARNATE CONSTRUCT WARFORGED
Male barbarian 1

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CE Large Humanoid/Giant (Living Construct, Shapechanger)
Init +1; Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Low-light vision; Listen +5, Spot +4
Languages Common
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AC 21, touch 10, flat-footed 20
XX (+5 armor, +1 Dex, +6 natural, -1 size)
hp 394 (1d12+6 plus 18d8+297) (19 HD)
Immune Poison, sleep, paralysis, disease, nausea, fatigue,
XX exhaustion, sickened, energy drain
Fort +19, Ref +12, Will +9
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Speed 50 ft. (10 squares)
Melee mwk large greataxe +23/+17/+11 (2d8+12, x3)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Base Atk +14; Grp +26
Atk Options Rage 1/day
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Abilities Str 27, Dex 12, Con 23, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 4
SQ Alternate form, illiteracy, scent, tyrannosaurus empathy
Feats Alertness, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Iron Will, Mithril Body,
XX Run, Toughness (3), Track
Skills Control Shape +24, Listen +5, Spot +4
Advancement By class level

(Hybrid Form)

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CE Huge Humanoid/Giant (Living Construct, Shapechanger)
Init +2; Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Low-light vision; Listen +5, Spot +4
Languages Common
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AC 22, touch 10, flat-footed 20
XX (+5 armor, +2 Dex, +7 natural, -2 size)
hp 394 (1d12+6 plus 18d8+297) (19 HD); DR 5/silver
Immune Poison, sleep, paralysis, disease, nausea, fatigue,
XX exhaustion, sickened, energy drain
Fort +24, Ref +13, Will +9
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Speed 60 ft. (12 squares)
Melee 2 claws +31 each (2d4+17) and
XX bite +26 (2d8+8)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft. (claws), 10 ft. (bite)
Base Atk +14; Grp +39
Atk Options Rage 1/day
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Abilities Str 45, Dex 14, Con 33, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 4
SQ Alternate form, illiteracy, scent, tyrannosaurus empathy
Feats Alertness, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Iron Will, Mithril Body,
XX Run, Toughness (3), Track
Skills Control Shape +24, Listen +5, Spot +4
Advancement By class level

(Animal Form)

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CE Huge Humanoid/Giant (Living Construct, Shapechanger)
Init +2; Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Low-light vision; Listen +5, Spot +4
Languages Common
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
AC 22, touch 10, flat-footed 20
XX (+5 armor, +2 Dex, +7 natural, -2 size)
hp 394 (1d12+6 plus 18d8+297) (19 HD); DR 5/silver
Immune Poison, sleep, paralysis, disease, nausea, fatigue,
XX exhaustion, sickened, energy drain
Fort +24, Ref +13, Will +9
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Speed 60 ft. (12 squares)
Melee bite +31 (3d6+25)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Base Atk +14; Grp +39
Atk Options Improved grab, rage 1/day, swallow whole
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Abilities Str 45, Dex 14, Con 33, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 4
SQ Alternate form, illiteracy, scent, tyrannosaurus empathy
Feats Alertness, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Iron Will, Mithril Body,
XX Run, Toughness (3), Track
Skills Control Shape +24, Listen +5, Spot +4
Advancement By class level

Outdated Version (NOT a PC; under CR'd monster)

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GRIMLOCK (Humanoid Form) XXXXXXXXXXXx CR 14
WERE-TYRANNOSAURUS HALF-OGRE/WARFORGED
Male-personality barbarian 2

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CE Large Construct/Giant (Living Construct, Shapechanger)
Init +1; Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Low-light vision; Listen +X, Spot +X
Languages (Broken) Common
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AC 18, touch 10, flat-footed 18
XX (+2 armor, +1 Dex, +6 natural, -1 size)
hp 406 (2d12+12 plus 18d8+297) (20 HD)
Immune Poison, sleep, paralysis, disease, nausea, fatigue,
XX exhaustion, sickened, energy drain
Fort +19, Ref +12, Will +9
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Speed 50 ft. (10 squares)
Melee mwk large greataxe +24/+18/+12 (2d8+12, x3) or
XX slam +22 (1d6+8)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Base Atk +15; Grp +27
Atk Options Rage 1/day
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Abilities Str 27, Dex 12, Con 23, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 4
SQ Alternate form, illiteracy, light fortification, scent, uncanny dodge,
XX tyrannosaurus empathy
Feats Alertness, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Iron Will, Run,
XX Toughness (3), Track, Weapon Focus (greataxe)
Skills {barb 12, animal 18}
Advancement By class level

(Hybrid Form)

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CE Huge Construct/Giant (Living Construct, Shapechanger)
Init +2; Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Low-light vision; Listen +X, Spot +X
Languages (Broken) Common
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
AC 19, touch 11, flat-footed 19
XX (+2 armor, +2 Dex, +7 natural, -2 size)
hp 406 (2d12+12 plus 18d8+297) (20 HD); DR 5/silver
Immune Poison, sleep, paralysis, disease, nausea, fatigue,
XX exhaustion, sickened, energy drain
Fort +24, Ref +13, Will +9
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Speed 50 ft. (10 squares)
Melee 2 claw +32 each (2d4+17) and
XX bite +27 (2d8+8)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft. (claws), 10 ft. (bite)
Base Atk +15; Grp +40
Atk Options Rage 1/day
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Abilities Str 45, Dex 14, Con 33, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 4
SQ Alternate form, illiteracy, scent, uncanny dodge, tyrannosaurus
XX empathy
Feats Alertness, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Iron Will, Run,
XX Toughness (3), Track, Weapon Focus (greataxe)
Skills {barb 12, animal 18}
Advancement By class level

(Animal Form)

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CE Huge Construct/Giant (Living Construct, Shapechanger)
Init +2; Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Low-light vision; Listen +X, Spot +X
Languages (Broken) Common
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
AC 19, touch 11, flat-footed 19
XX (+2 armor, +2 Dex, +7 natural, -2 size)
hp 406 (2d12+12 plus 18d8+297) (20 HD); DR 5/silver
Immune Poison, sleep, paralysis, disease, nausea, fatigue,
XX exhaustion, sickened, energy drain
Fort +24, Ref +13, Will +9
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Speed 50 ft. (10 squares)
Melee bite +32 (3d6+25)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Base Atk +15; Grp +40
Atk Options Improved grab, rage 1/day, swallow whole
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Abilities Str 45, Dex 14, Con 33, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 4
SQ Alternate form, illiteracy, scent, uncanny dodge, tyrannosaurus
XX empathy
Feats Alertness, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Iron Will, Run,
XX Toughness (3), Track, Weapon Focus (greataxe)
Skills {barb 12, animal 18}
Advancement By class level

[Darrin]

While we can't find a viable way outside polymorph any object to turn into vehicles, we did touch on doing the Dinobots.

Check the Cityscape web enhancement, Druids get a wildshape variant at 16th level that allows them to turn into animated objects, which would include vehicles.

One thing led to another, and this was the result. I would greatly appreciate input on the results or corrections to any glaring errors I made (applying the lycanthrope 'template' can be tricky at times.

DM Fiat
* Half-Ogre template is applied to Warforged (normally cannot be applied to Construct).

The incarnate construct spell and template in Savage Species changes a construct's type to humanoid. After that, you can apply a lycanthrope template.

[cheezewizz2000]

Fantastic! But get rid of toughness (3) and replace with improved toughness. More HP, and frees up 2 more feat slots.

I know this is designed as an encounter, not as a playable character, but a couple more feats would allow you as a DM to pull a few more tricks out the bag.

Aside from turning into a giant adamantine dinosaur, of course.

[Sintanan]

@cheezewizz2000
The 3x Toughness feats are there because they are part of the Tyrannosaurus' feats which are treated as selected feats through the lycanthropy.

As noted, this is viable as an ECL 20 character if you drop the T-Rex by two racial HD before using for lycanthropy.


@Darrin
I'll have to look into that enhancement for Druids... Maybe I can play as Hot Rod after-all.
...and I'll look into the incarnate construct template when I return to my books (~12-18 hrs if the jets fly today).


Thank you for the feedback.

[Grumman]

Crystal Keep says there's a "Stoneboned" template that grants Powerful Build to any Corporeal Living creature. It's not quite as good as a size increase and it costs more LA/CR, but it avoids the need for DM fiat.

[Everyman]

Tatooed Monk gains Alter Self as a tatoo. While it isn't exactly an at-will option, it would allow a Warforged Monk to transform into animated objects. Led to one of the great player deaths ever in my group.

[Sintanan]

@Grumman
The Warforged needs to end up large in order to qualify for tyrannosaurus lycanthropy, as you need to be within one size step of the base animal (in this case a t-rex is huge, so the base creature needs to be large, huge, or colossal).
Was this not the case, I would just do away with Half-Ogre as a whole, as I'm going for concept over munchkin-ism.

@Everyman
I'll look into that as well for my future creations, right now I'm trying to perfect Grimlock, and afflicted lycanthropy seems like the best bet.

[Alejandro]

I would immediately dock the player a level if they ever used the word "I".

[Sintanan]

Updated original post with a second version of Grimlock done with Incarnate Construct. Completely playable at ECL 20 , but it loses a bunch of the robotic feel.

Now I just got to talk the DM into allowing me to play Grimlock (preferably vers.1) next high-level game I play in. Me Grimlock find you meat-sacks chewy.

[Darrin]

@Grumman
The Warforged needs to end up large in order to qualify for tyrannosaurus lycanthropy, as you need to be within one size step of the base animal (in this case a t-rex is huge, so the base creature needs to be large, huge, or colossal).
Was this not the case, I would just do away with Half-Ogre as a whole, as I'm going for concept over munchkin-ism.

Cave Tyrannosaur (Miniatures Handbook) is a large-sized animal.

[Thurbane]

Assuming we're talking 3.5, I feel I need to make a correction. 1/2 Ogre is not a template, it is a race of it's own, just like 1/2 Orc and 1/2 Elf. This is something I see come up a lot.

[Sintanan]

@Thurbane
In 3.5, there are both a Half-Ogre template (from Dragon #313?) and a Half-Ogre race (from Races of Destiny, updated from Savage Species).
I used the Half-Ogre template from the Dragon magazine.

@Darrin
Half-Ogre also plays double-duty unlocking access to lycanthropy through the "also treated as Giant type" bit in the Half-Ogre. Obviously vers 2 doesn't need it if you do use cave tyrannosaur, but...

"Me Grimlock no large dinosaur! Me Grimlock huge!"

Seriously, though. Like I pointed out in the bit you quoted, I was aiming for concept over any true optimized playability. Although, I realize my concept fails unless you swap the Weapon Focus (greataxe) 1st level feat for a warforged feat (such as Adamantine Body or Mithril Body)... Feats are shared when you turn into a hybrid or an animal... racial abilities (such as composite plating or light fortification) are not. Class abilities also carry over into the different forms, so the Barbarian fast movement should be applied to both hybrid and animal forms.


Thus, version 2 can be tweaked with the following stats (and version one can kick it to the curb). Ignore the speed changes from fast movement if you prefer Adamantine Body over Mithril Body. (Just increase to +8 and add DR 2/adamantine.)

Humanoid
AC AC 21, touch 10, flat-footed 20
XX (+5 armor, +1 Dex, +6 natural, -1 size)
Speed 50 ft. (10 squares)

Hybrid and Animal
AC AC 22, touch 10, flat-footed 20
XX (+5 armor, +2 Dex, +7 natural, -2 size)
Speed 60 ft. (12 squares)

All Forms
Feats Weapon Focus (greataxe) Mithril Body

[Grumman]

Assuming we're talking 3.5, I feel I need to make a correction. 1/2 Ogre is not a template, it is a race of it's own, just like 1/2 Orc and 1/2 Elf. This is something I see come up a lot.

That's because you're looking at the wrong source. Half-minotaur and Half-ogre are templates from Dragon Magazine #313.

[Thurbane]

That's because you're looking at the wrong source. Half-minotaur and Half-ogre are templates from Dragon Magazine #313.

Oh OK, I knew about Half-Minotaur, but not Half-Ogre. Thanks.

[Mando Knight]

Problem on getting this approved: only Humanoids and Monstrous Humanoids are legal targets for lycanthropy by RAW. Check with the DM before attempting either build.

Edit: nevermind. Works for Giants, too. Just make sure your Half-Ogre template is approved.

[Sintanan]

If your DM is arguing with you over the Half-Ogre template used on the Warforge, go with version 2 and use the corrections in my previous post (will be adding the corrections to the original post shortly).

Vers 2 in a nutshell:
Warforged barbarian 1
+ Incarnate Construct template
+ Half-Ogre template
+ Tyrannosaurus Lycanthropy (as afflicted)
(as a template 'cause living constucts are disease-immune)
=
Grimlock


(To make him even more awesome, buyoff his +1 LA using Unearthed Arcana's rules, swap Barbarian for Ninja, and level him as some sort of pirate-themed prestige class. Ninja pirate robot-dinosaur. )

[Grumman]

Vers 2 in a nutshell:
Warforged barbarian 1
+ Incarnate Construct template

If he's not going to be a construct, why bother making him a warforged?

[Darrin]

If he's not going to be a construct, why bother making him a warforged?

Because when he's not in dino-form, he still looks like a robot.

[Sintanan]

Because when he's not in dino-form, he still looks like a robot.

And when in dino-form he looks like a robot thanks to the Warforged-only line of body feats (just pick one... you can be a (dark)wood robot, a chromed (mithril) robot, or just a really durable (adamantine) robot. Just replace the green-colored feat with the body feat of your choice:
* Adamantine Body - +8 armor, 30' speed (reduced from base of 50'), DR 2/adamantine
* Mithril Body - +5 armor, 60' speed (w/ barbarian fast movement)
* Darkwood Body - +3 armor, 60' speed, DR 2/slashing


Original post edited with the above tip.


EDIT: Also, since the Incarnate Construct template doesn't nix the Living Construct subtype, you can benefit from a lot of constuct-ish effects still:
* Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, disease, nausea, fatigue, exhaustion, effects that cause the sicked condition, energy drain, heartburn, indigestion, and upset stomach.
* Are affected by spells that target constructs (the repair chain, disable construct, etc).
* Half healing from conjuration (healing) spells and abilities.
* Damaged by heat metal, chill metal.
* Repelled by repel metal or stone, repel wood (I seriously think that this spell shouldn't work since you are no longer composite plated)
* Vulnerable to rusting grasp.
* React differently to 0 hit points. Disabled, but do not bleed with strenuous activity. -1 to -9 hit points are inert (unconscious and helpness, but do not bleed each round).
* Can be raised or resurrected.
* Does not need to eat, drink, sleep, or breathe.