Viva le Evolution [Creature]

[The Demented One]

Ubb-Godinn
Size/Type: Huge Ooze (Extraplanar, Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 8d10+32 (77 hp)
Initiative: -5
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft.
Armor Class: 3 (-2 size, -5 Dex), touch 3, flatfooted 3
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+21
Attack: Slam +13 melee (2d6+7)
Full Attack: Slam +13 melee (2d6+7)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Constrict 2d6+7, improved grab, living weapon
Special Qualities: Adaptive damage reduction, adaptive energy resistance, blindsight 60 ft., carapace, ooze traits
Saves: Fort +6, Ref -3, Will -3
Abilities: Str 24, Dex 1, Con 18, Int -, Wis 1, Cha 1
Skills: Climb +15
Feats: Multiattack^B, Improved Multiattack^B
Environment: Xoriat
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually Chaotic Evil
Advancement: 9-12 HD (Huge), 13-18 HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: –

The Ubb-Godinn are creations of the alien Daelkyr, the inhabitants of the mad plane of Xoriat. They were created as living engines of war, able of wading through battlefields unhindered by even small armies. The Ubb-Godinn, like most oozes, look like nothing more than an amorphous mass of translucent slime. However, unlike most oozes, once an Ubb-Godinn engages in battle, it uses a host of shapeshifting abilities to adapt to the situation. They are capable of forming a variety of natural weapons, from gnashing teeth to long tentacles, and can adapt to resist almost any form of attack. Though the high amount of metabolic energy this artificial evolution consumes prevents an Ubb-Godinn from constantly remaining in its shapeshifted form, they can enter into a battle-ready form almost immediately once the conflict begins.

Like most oozes, Ubb-Godinn are mindless, making tactical use of them difficult. During the Daelkyr invasion, a small group of Ubb-Godinn was typically set loose near the enemy, and left to their own predatory instincts. A few Ubb-Godinn remain on Eberron in the aftermath of the Daelkyr invasion, mostly in far-off corners of the world where the Gatekeepers failed to reach in their campaigns of aberration-purging. Able to adapt to almost any conditions, Ubb-Godinn have been found in Xen’drik, the Mournlands, the Frostfell, and even at the bottom of the sea. Once an Ubb-Godinn encounters a living creature, it almost always begins trying to hunt it down and consume it, as they require a tremendous amount of metabolic energy to survive–deprived of it, they revert into a multi-year hibernation. They fight with a ferocious mindlessness, and it is frustratingly difficult to fight them as the weapons used against them rapidly become useless. A large array of different weapons and spells is almost a necessity for killing an Ubb-Godinn.

Constrict (Ex)
A Ubb-Godinn automatically deals slam damage with a successful grapple check.

Improved Grab (Ex)
To use this ability, a Ubb-Godinn must hit with its slam attack, or a claw or tentacle attack, if it has one through its living weapon ability. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.

Living Weapon (Ex)
A Ubb-Godinn is capable of reshaping its body to form natural weapons. As a swift weapon, it can grant itself either a bite attack, which deals 2d6 damage, a pair of claw attacks, which deal 1d8 damage each, or a tentacle attack, that deals 1d8 damage and has a reach of 25 ft. It can grant itself a total of up to four extra natural attacks. However, once it has gained more than two extra natural attacks, it loses its Improved Multiattack bonus feat, and once it gains more than three extra attacks, it loses its Multiattack bonus feat. Regardless of how many times the Ubb-Godinn uses this ability, the natural weapons lasts for ten minutes, after which the Ubb-Godinn cannot use this ability for 3d10 minutes.

Adaptive Damage Reduction (Ex)
A Ubb-Godinn has damage reduction 10/magic. In addition, whenever it is damaged by a weapon, that weapon’s damage type can no longer overcome the Ubb-Godinn’s damage reduction–for example, if it was damaged by a slashing weapon, it’s DR would become 10/magic and bludgeoning or piercing. This alteration lasts for one minute, or until another kind of weapon damages the Ubb-Godinn, causing its damage reduction to adapt to that weapon’s damage type. In addition, whenever a weapon made out of a special material, such as adamantine or cold iron, damages a Ubb-Godinn, weapons made of that material cease being able to overcome the Ubb-Godinn’s damage reduction for one minute.

Adaptive Energy Resistance (Ex)
Whenever a Ubb-Godinn is dealt energy damage (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic damage), it gains resistance 15 to that type of energy for 15 minutes.

Carapace (Ex)
As a swift action, a Ubb-Godinn can harden its outermost layer of ooze into a tough, leathery carapace, granting a +2 natural armor bonus. In subsequent rounds, it can take a swift action to increase the bonus by two, to a maximum of +16. However, once the bonus rises to +10, any further uses of this ability require a move action. Regardless of how many times the Ubb-Godinn uses this ability, the carapace lasts for ten minutes, after which the Ubb-Godinn cannot use this ability for 3d10 minutes.

Skills
A Ubb-Godinn has a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened.

[Riva]

Not that I would know, but isn't CR six a little low for the way its resistance evolves?

On another topic, I think its great fluff wise. Just a really cool creature I think.

Also, a potentially good story hook. Imagine walking through the forest when you step onto a patch of moss that you slowly sink into. Suddenly, what you had mistaken for a root viciously whips at you and the party becomes aware of a large amorphous blob starting to pull itself back together...

Ravenous!

[Lady Tialait]

EVOLUTION DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY!

erm...other then morbo over there, I like it...

[The Demented One]

Not that I would know, but isn't CR six a little low for the way its resistance evolves?

I was wavering between 6 and 7, and I decided to go low. It's got spiffy damage reduction, but it has an AC of 3, and it takes a while for carapace to get it anywhere near decent levels.

[Jaerc]

There are errors throughout referring to the Ubb-Godin as the Daelotha.

CLean them up

[DracoDei]

The options for adding natural weapons, as well as for adding natural armor once it requires a move-action, seem to me to require some reasonably explicit conditions under which they will occur. This thing is mindless and needs to ACT like it...

[The Demented One]

EVOLUTION DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY!

The conversation I'm envisioining goes something like this:

Daelkyr 1: Hey, what're those creatures doing over on the material plane?
Daelkyr 2: Looks like they're, I dunno, evolving or something. Adapting over time. Neat, isn't it?
Daelkyr 1: Dude, we could do that sooo much better! Look, they have to mate first before it even happens! What're they gonna do, crank out a new generation every time they run into some problems?
Daelkyr 2: Yeah, we could totally make it completely instantaneous! I'll still got some oozes back in the lab, I'll get those out.
Daelkyr 1: Sweet.

There are errors throughout referring to the Ubb-Godin as the Daelotha.

Thanks, fixed.

The options for adding natural weapons, as well as for adding natural armor once it requires a move-action, seem to me to require some reasonably explicit conditions under which they will occur. This thing is mindless and needs to ACT like it...

Just because something's mindless doesn't mean it's completely a reactionary automaton, just without intelligence of any kind. They still act under their own initiative, albeit it's not terribly well defined how.

[dwaro]

Wouldn't it be l'evolution?

[Collin152]

Wouldn't it be l'evolution?

And "vive".
Vive L'Evolution!

[Arioch]

Just because something's mindless doesn't mean it's completely a reactionary automaton.

No, that pretty much covers it. From p312 the Monster Manual:

"A creature with no Intelligence score is mindless, an automaton operating on simple instincts or programmed instructions."

It can have basic, pre-programmed strategy, but nothing complex.
Cool creature, though.

[McFayne]

This thing makes me want to play in Eberron again...I know my party would love having something new to beat on that reflects the ever-changing nature of chaos and isn't another Chaos Beast.
My only addition (sort of) would be to make a version of this guy with the ability to replicate special attacks by shaping a part of its mass (like Rake if it produces a claw weapon, for instance.) But defiantly a cool idea.

[The Demented One]

Wouldn't it be l'evolution?

Hey, I'm taking Latin, not French.

No, that pretty much covers it. From p312 the Monster Manual:

"A creature with no Intelligence score is mindless, an automaton operating on simple instincts or programmed instructions."

It can have basic, pre-programmed strategy, but nothing complex.
Cool creature, though.

*Makes a Bluff check*

The important word there is reactionary, not automaton. The Ubb has instincts, and "turn on the carapace and nifty cutty things when you start fighting" is one of them.

My only addition (sort of) would be to make a version of this guy with the ability to replicate special attacks by shaping a part of its mass (like Rake if it produces a claw weapon, for instance.) But defiantly a cool idea.

That's a neat idea, I'll try to come up with something like that.

[McFayne]

I gotta say that both 'instincts' and 'programed' fit this thing. It attacks almost at random until it finds an attack that works, in addition to the fact that even though it's an ooze, it was created to work a certain way, for a certain purpose. If it functions the way it was intended (however loosely), then it isn't breaking any rules on being mindless...plus, as I like to say in these situations: If it's fun and doesn't upset the players, so what if it doesn't follow 'mindless' by the letter? I don't think most players are going to stop in the middle of a heated battle against the spawn of madness to say, "Wait, oozes shouldn't be able to do anything but slosh around in a dull and uninteresting manner. God, does that grind my gears!"