Rust Monsters as Characters

[Fiery Diamond]

So, inspired by this comic, I started wondering- if you were to have an intelligent rust monster-impossible by RAW, but we're assuming something exceptional here- (say, roll for stats or use point buy with the following adjustments to stats, derived from the Rust Monster stats: Dex +6, Con +2, Int -8, Wis +2, Cha -2), how would you go about making it a viable PC? Let's overlook the ECL effect of the RHD and potentially added LA for now.

We have two problems: 1) It can't hold anything. 2) It's only damage dealing ability is its extremely suboptimal bite, since its primary attack (antennae) has the rust effect with no other damage (still powerful, but situational and doesn't deal damage to non-metal).

One solution is to make the critter into a caster, giving it levels in Cleric or Druid, or some similar Wis-based caster. But that, I think, is too easy, especially if we let it use wild shape. So what other solutions can you think of? Preferentially, we want it to stay in Rust Monster form, not do shape-shifting. We also don't want to be adding fifty million templates and making it too confusing. And making a viable non-caster would be super-good, and is the hardest thing for me to think of how to do.

Go wild.

[AstralFire]

Another problem: Characters below 6 int are really, really, really hard to play. It's difficult to avoid either making them a caricature or accidentally having them realize things they really shouldn't simply by your own reactions.

[subject42]

Could a psychic warrior work? It's wisdom based, gives natural attacks, and has some direct damage powers.

[Touchy]

Could a psychic warrior work? It's wisdom based, gives natural attacks, and has some direct damage powers.

wouldn't you want a rogue for your dex bonus instead?

[Doc Roc]

What's that, mindswitch? You say that this would be a good time to use you as a plot device?

[Vaynor]

Well even though you're opposed to shape-shifting, getting a druid with the aberration wild shape feat would be much easier. You wouldn't lose out on mental stats and you'd still get the full druid casting you wanted.

[Glimbur]

Swordsage. Or any ToB class, but the Int penalty hurts Warblades and the Cha penalty slightly hinders Crusaders. I'm thinking ToB because then you can be effective in melee via using strikes, which work with any weapon. Diamond Mind, for example, has strikes that don't care what weapon you are using. Shadow Hand lets you put that dex to work via the Shadow Blade feat. They even make the racial hit dice less of an impediment, because those count as 1/2 Initiator Level.

Alternately, do like the comic does and have a party entirely of monsters. Then it's fair to everyone to change up the rules to make monster characters more viable.

[Beorn080]

First, Vow of Poverty, though that is naturally horribly broken with a beast that can't actually use anything.

If you can get a ruling on allowing the antenna to count as unarmed strikes, monk could work. Would be an interesting character.

[Flickerdart]

First, Vow of Poverty, though that is naturally horribly broken with a beast that can't actually use anything.

If you can get a ruling on allowing the antenna to count as unarmed strikes, monk could work. Would be an interesting character.

Better yet, make it an enforcer of the Vow. Going around the place, punishing violators. It'd have to be a Cleric, then, so it can cast Atonement on the guys after it eats their stuff.

[oxinabox]

Take a lok at the savage species rules for playing very difficult to play creatures...
and the rules for playing dragons.

these are s rules but varient rules, though

[Vizzerdrix]

Aberrant wildshape Human WS ranger or druid.

[Lycanthromancer]

How about a warforged egoist, using metamorphosis? Having a ferrous construct that eats metals would be funny.

Alternately, maybe a hengeyokai/divine minion/changeling who then takes Master of Many Forms and Warshaper?

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Better yet, make it an enforcer of the Vow. Going around the place, punishing violators. It'd have to be a Cleric, then, so it can cast Atonement on the guys after it eats their stuff.

I was going to suggest this as well. A cleric/monk or /swordsage focusing on Setting Sun and/or grappling would be good--jump out of the shadows, grab someone, pull them into the shadows, spit them back out sans items and atoned. Your work there is done.

[Dimers]

Better yet, make it an enforcer of the Vow. Going around the place, punishing violators. It'd have to be a Cleric, then, so it can cast Atonement on the guys after it eats their stuff.

Ugh. I am properly horrified/intrigued/amused.

Could a psychic warrior work? It's wisdom based, gives natural attacks, and has some direct damage powers.

That was my first thought too. Give it bite of the wolf and that bite is suddenly not so suboptimal. Breath of the black dragon also seems appropriate for a monster whose main power is corrosive.

[TheCountAlucard]

...impossible by RAW...

Not if it's fiendish or celestial. Would make its INT at least a 3.

[Vizzerdrix]

Not if it's fiendish or celestial. Would make its INT at least a 3.

or if you advanced it's HD, and put the stat point into int. May have to go 4 to 8 HD, depending on if it has a 1 or 2 int already though.

[Asbestos]

Or just be a Half-Dragon Rust Monster? I suggest copper, green, or black for the acid.

[GolemsVoice]

Soulknife was the class that could "manifest" a blade, wasn't it? So it could make it's own blade, and you could rule that it hovered above him and attacked.

[Munchkin-Masher]

Soulknife...

BAHAHAHAHAHAHa HA Ha Ha Ha ha ha haaah.

But other than that not to bad of an idea if they were manifest through his antennas.

[GolemsVoice]

Yeah, I knew I would get laughed at for that suggestion. Sue me.

[Runestar]

Totemist for the extra attacks? 2 lvs gives you 4 claw attacks (but I concede that I am not sure how that works on creatures with no arms). 1 lv of barb for pounce. So you charge, corrode their armour (thus decreasing their AC), then follow up with your natural attacks.

Your players are going to hate you for destroying their loot though.

Curse you! Now I am sorely tempted to design such an npc to use against my party. I know it is a tragedy in the making, but I just can't get that idea out of my head...

Quick! Someone come up with another awesome monster npc concept to take my mind off it...

[Vizzerdrix]

Vampire ducks! go!

[Prime32]

After reading this comic, I wanted to do this too.

There's always the symbiotic creature template. Use a rust monster as the host and, say, a petal warlock as the guest.

Also, half-celestial anthropomorphic rust monster.

Or you could play a halfling/gnome with a rust monster mount.

[Admiral Squish]

I had a guy who kept a baby rust monster in a wooden cage. It was just for the kicks.

[Volkov]

Or just be a Half-Dragon Rust Monster? I suggest copper, green, or black for the acid.

Or make it a half-rust dragon rust monster for more rusting.

[AstralFire]

Or just be a Half-Dragon Rust Monster? I suggest copper, green, or black for the acid.

The existence of the Half-Dragon template is the most damning evidence against suggestions that dragons are very intelligent.

[Reaper_Monkey]

The existence of the Half-Dragon template is the most damning evidence against suggestions that dragons are very intelligent.

*applause*

Or make it a half-rust dragon rust monster for more rusting.

I was going to suggest this, it seems a logical pairing. Mind, I've never quite worked out what rust-dragons sleep on, because if its a pile of gold like other dragons then they really can eat their 'pillows' and I doubt they'd have a 'bed' for long.

[Volkov]

The existence of the Half-Dragon template is the most damning evidence against suggestions that dragons are very intelligent.

Nah, it's just that dragons are turned on by more or less anything of the opposite sex.

[Vizzerdrix]

*applause*



I was going to suggest this, it seems a logical pairing. Mind, I've never quite worked out what rust-dragons sleep on, because if its a pile of gold like other dragons then they really can eat their 'pillows' and I doubt they'd have a 'bed' for long.

I'm not sure gold rusts. Not all medals do.

[Reaper_Monkey]

I'm not sure gold rusts. Not all medals do.

Doesn't matter. Rust monsters still eat any metal, even if they prefer ferrous metals. And Rust dragons don't even "rust" things their breath weapon "instantly corrodes and destroys any metal", it specifically says that even adamantine (and gold) are susceptible.

Its therefore logical that humans gave them the name of rust -whatever because they tend to prefer to eat ferrous metals and because everyone knows what rusting does to metal. Also, D&D ignores chemistry a lot, I don't think it cares about the literal definition of words, it invents enough after all!