Lair of the Fleshweaver [3.5 Hybrid Creatures, Vote up]

[TravelLog]

Hummingbird Scorpion

[flabort]

Hmm, it's that "New post", no new post error again. Ah, doesn't matter. After my post, the new post will show, right?

And hummingbird scorpion sounds awesome. Changing my vote to that.

[Domriso]

Barnacle Hummingbird!

[Rainbow Servant]

Ostrich-like Mantis

[Eldan]

Counted up to here.

[Lady Serpentine]

I'm going to vote for Mammal-Fish.

Preferably a Rat-Gar cross.

[Owrtho]

Vulture
Myriapod

That is my vote.

Owrtho

[Eldan]

And the winner is:

The Ostripede!

Stats tomorrow.

[Gorgondantess]

Rats, am I too late to vote for echinoderm?

Also, Eldan, nice new avatar.

[Eldan]

Thanks. It's for Eldritch horror week.

[Owrtho]

And the winner is:

The Ostripede!

Stats tomorrow.

But, didn't hummingbirds have 5 vote to Ostrich-like's 3?

Owrtho

[Eldan]

But, didn't hummingbirds have 5 vote to Ostrich-like's 3?

Owrtho

So they did.

The result, therefore, is the Colipede.

[flabort]

And now that stats are on their way does the voting start all over now?
Amphibian + Mollusc

[Lady Serpentine]

Good question.

If so, I keep my vote for a Rat-Gar.

[Rafinius]

So is it a cross between a hummingbird and a milipede or a hummingbird and a centipede? Also which kind of hummingbird? I can't remember voting on the species colibri

[Eldan]

Collipede because neither Hummipede or Trochilipede sounded good. I'm also not doing Androdopede, Doryferapede, Topazapede or Phaetornipede. These are all the species and sub-groups I can remember, and they all sound bad.

Also, it would likely make little difference. As for the Myriapoda part, it will be based on Scutigera. And be enormously fast.

[flabort]

Which side is it's head on?

[Volthawk]

Which side is it's head on?

The left side. I asked Eldan that when he showed me the picture.

[Eldan]

It's the segment(s) with no legs on. Plus, you can see the eyes, and the little poison legs.

[flabort]

Just joking. It's rear just looks a lot like a face in that picture. "Not one of (It's) better days", and all that.

[Eldan]

This took ages and went through half a dozen body plans, including a few flightless ones, but I think this works. The sketch is done, but the scanner is at home.

The Hummipede



Diminutive Animal
HD 1d8-1 (3)
Speed 5 ft. (1 squares); Fly 30 ft. (Perfect)
Init: +7
AC 22; touch 20; flat-footed 12
(+3 size, +7 dex, +2 natural)
BAB +0; Grp -12 (the hummipede has a +4 racial bonus on grapple checks)
Attack Claws +7 (1d2-4 plus poison)
Space 1 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks: Poison
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, Slime
Saves Fort +5 Ref -1 Will +2
Abilities Str 1, Dex 24, Con 8, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 4
Skills Listen +10, Spot +9 (A Hummipede has a +8 racial modifer on spot and listen checks)
Feats Weapon Finesse
Environment: Tropical rainforests
Organization Solitary or swarm (20-200)
Challenge Rating 1/2
Treasure None
Alignment Neutral
Advancement --
Level Adjustment -

Poison (ex): The Hummipede has two short, poisonous claws behind its head, with which it delivers a powerful mixture of cyanide and other substances in small doses. Contact DC 9, Initial and secondary damage 1d2 constitution.

Slime (ex): As a defence against predators, the hummipede can secrete a sticky, poisonous and corrosive slime. Any creature grappling the hummipede automatically takes 1d3 points of acid damage, and is affected by its poison.


Appearance
The Hummipede is a segmented flying animal about a foot long. All of the segments are covered in tiny, scintillating feathers, except for a row of striped armour plates running down their backs and between the wings.
Its largest and most massive segment is the first one behind he head, which is almost twice the size of any other and serves to anchor the massive flight musculature, as well as the two short, strong limbs that bear the creature's claws.
The rear segments, of which there are five, each bear two pairs of long, slender legs that end in flexible, sensitive feet. The first four pairs of legs are much larger than the six rear pairs, and serve mainly to hang on to trees or branches while feeding.
The hummipede's head has two eyes, which are exceptionally sharp, as well as two antennae out countless pale segments. The beak is extraordinarily long and slender, featuring a long tongue the creature uses to sip nectar from tubular flowers.

Ecology
Hummipedes live in the canopies of tropical forest where they can find abundant, nectar-rich flowers, orchids and other epiphytes that cover the branches there. They are not exclusively nectarivorous, however: they also feed on bees and beetles visiting those same flowers. Their flight, which requires rapid beating of wings, is highly energy-intensive, requiring almost constant feeding.
Hummipedes have few enemies: between their corrosive, poisonous slime, equally poisonous claws and dextrous flight, those few predators that could catch them usually seek easier prey.
Normally solitary, hummipedes collect once a year in swarms of hundreds and thousands to mate: first, males deposit drops of sperm on long, free-hanging threads of slime. Next begins the courtship dance: males fly with their bodies upright, flicking their tails back and forth to present their colourful tail feathers and present freshly-caught, large prey to possible mates.Usually, this is limited large insects such as dragonflies or beetles, but especially large males have been known to catch small birds or rodents. The males also scrape their small, lower legs against their armour plates to produce a high-pitched, chirping sound.
Females build a nest of dried slime on the underside of the highest branches, in which they deposit between one and two dozen eggs, which they then leave on their own to hatch.

Variant: Monstrous Hummipede

Spoiler

Show

Huge Animal
HD 6d8+24 (48 Hp)
Speed 60 ft. (12 squares); Fly 40 ft. (Average)
Init: +2
AC 17
(-2 size, +2 dex, +7 natural)
BAB +4; Grp +24 (+4 racial bonus on grapple checks)
Attack Claws +12 (1d8+4 and poison)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks: Poison
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, Slime
Saves Fort +10 Ref +6 Will +3
Abilities Str 27, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 4
Skills Listen +13, Spot +12 (A Hummipede has a +8 racial modifer on spot and listen checks)
Feats Snatch, Hover, Fly-by attack
Environment: Tropical rainforests
Organization Solitary or swarm (20-200)
Challenge Rating 4?
Treasure None
Alignment Neutral
Advancement --
Level Adjustment -

Poison (ex): The Hummipede has two short, poisonous claws behind its head, with which it delivers a powerful mixture of cyanide and other substances in small doses. Contact DC 15, Initial and secondary damage 1d6 constitution.

Slime (ex): As a defence against predators, the hummipede can secrete a sticky, poisonous and corrosive slime. Any creature grappling the hummipede automatically takes 1d8 points of acid damage, and is affected by its poison.

[Rafinius]

I just guess you will add Ecology later on. It is clear that they will feed on nectar and insects, but I am really courious on your take on flight, reproduction and behavior (both normally and in combat). Especially the swarm structure and behavior can be something that is actually relevant in a campaign (a maxed out swarm would have a challenge rating of 100 if I am correct).

EDIT: I see you are editing it as I speak (or type)...

[flabort]

The text block describing it, is actually pretty descriptive. I can imagine what it looks like, without a picture.

However, I do want to see the picture.

Concerning the stats, I don't remember the last time I saw a critter with attacks that... mediocre. +7 hit, is sweet for a 1/2 CR creature. 1d2-4 damage, though........... Right, it's just a (fairly) mundane creature, and 1/2 cr at that, and it has poison. I guess that's actually fairly balanced, come to think of it.

And it's an herbivore (mostly, I think?). It shouldn't be a threat, unless you attack it first, right? Or it's under magical compulsion (druids.... ).

I like it

[Eldan]

Well, the picture is there, but something's wrong with my scanner. It's shrinkifying every picture. Nevermind, though. Next, ecology.

[Owrtho]

Looks nice, though I was hoping for it to have wings every segment rather than legs.

Owrtho

[Eldan]

I tried that one. It just looked wrong to me. Weird.

[gkathellar]

I tried that one. It just looked wrong to me. Weird.

Isn't that sort of the point?

I like the product, mind, I was just sort of hoping it would be more utterly terrifying. And possibly house-sized.

[Eldan]

I can do a giant version tomorrow.

About huge size okay?

[Owrtho]

Huh, I'd think it would look fine if the wings are done similar to this, though with more than just two pairs going along the length.


Owrtho

[Coidzor]

I can do a giant version tomorrow.

About huge size okay?

Sounds good to me.