Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Davus Antonius 04-15-05, 11:23 PM	I'm working on a character concept and I thought I'd try something with the Tauric template. The humanoid portion for this character will be human, what I'd like help on would be some choises for the other part of the combination. My first thought was maybe Griffon, but I thought I'd get some other ideas before I went with that. To make it possible to get by the DM, I'm only interested in non-templated creatures. What I'm looking for are the best physical stats, or the best abillities granted, or a combination of either. We have access to all WOTC material exept Sandstorm (on purchase list).
catharz 04-15-05, 11:30 PM	Shedu, IIRC, is hands-down the best. Blink dogs are fun too ;)
Zemyla 04-16-05, 01:01 PM	Dang! So no shadow half-celestial half-fiend half-elemental half-dragon mineral warrior effigy bears?
Interested2 04-16-05, 01:46 PM	Anything approaching Shedu in power? It's such an UGLY critter...it's not even *cool* ugly, it's just UGLY.
catharz 04-16-05, 02:02 PM	Nevermind, its the Lammasu. Sorry, I always get the two mixed up. Ya, if you can find anything better than 7th level Cleric casting, constant Magic circle 20', S+12/D+2/C+6, Pounce, Rake, Fly speed, 10 natural AC, and some nice spell-like abilities in 7 HD, I'm all ears (non-templated, that is).
Interested2 04-16-05, 02:31 PM	Grumble. I can't seem to find an offical LA...
Zemyla 04-16-05, 02:58 PM	LA is humanoid LA + 2, completely ignoring any special abilities the base creature might have.
Interested2 04-16-05, 03:43 PM	That's what I thought. It adds the Hit Dice of the base creature to your hit dice, though, if I remember correctly.
catharz 04-16-05, 03:47 PM	That's what I thought. It adds the Hit Dice of the base creature to your hit dice, though, if I remember correctly. It sure does!
Borin 04-16-05, 03:50 PM	Oeh, tauric lammasu is sick. What about the other half though? Are there any humanoids with low LA and weird abilities (and high mental stats)?
catharz 04-16-05, 03:59 PM	Oeh, tauric lammasu is sick. What about the other half though? Are there any humanoids with low LA and weird abilities (and high mental stats)? A Dream dwarf would be pretty cool. Stability is pointless, but no armor speed reduction when your base speed is like 40... Grey elves are good for the mental stats. Human is rarely a poor choice.
Interested2 04-16-05, 04:02 PM	Strongheart Halflings all the way!
allenchan 04-16-05, 04:33 PM	Deffinately Spectral Panther (MoF)
foxylady 04-17-05, 03:59 AM	Nevermind, its the Lammasu. I thought Tauric requires the base creature to be an Animal or Vermin, not a Magical Beast. A large scorpion makes a good base form. Good speed, and tremorsense(!).
Borin 04-17-05, 01:15 PM	I thought Tauric requires the base creature to be an Animal or Vermin, not a Magical Beast. A large scorpion makes a good base form. Good speed, and tremorsense(!). Lower half: Animal, Vermin, or Magical Beast Upper half: humanoid or monstrous humanoid Pretty strange actually, since it was 3.0 you'd expect animal/vermin/BEAST (not magical beast), because Beast used to be a type. I think it's hard to beat the Lammasu with 7th lvl cleric casting, great stats/natural ac, and a fly speed, and pounce/rakes, Magic Circle... too bad there's probably no humanoid or monstrous humanoid that can really add something beyond a feat or +2int and has a low LA :cool:
catharz 04-17-05, 02:54 PM	Lower half: Animal, Vermin, or Magical Beast Upper half: humanoid or monstrous humanoid Pretty strange actually, since it was 3.0 you'd expect animal/vermin/BEAST (not magical beast), because Beast used to be a type. Savage species was designed to be 3.5 compliant, hence no "Beast" type.
Borin 04-17-05, 05:07 PM	Savage species was designed to be 3.5 compliant, hence no "Beast" type. Ah, I thought it was a bit older. I think there's still some archaic stuff in it, like different feat progressions for racial hd, that sort of stuff.
lokkesmadr 04-17-05, 05:29 PM	I think it's hard to beat the Lammasu with 7th lvl cleric casting, great stats/natural ac, and a fly speed, and pounce/rakes, Magic Circle... too bad there's probably no humanoid or monstrous humanoid that can really add something beyond a feat or +2int and has a low LA :cool: It's completely sub-optimal but an Unbodied would be a fun top half. ECL 17 total but you're a lammasu body with a brain floating a few feet above it On a more optimal note, an anthropomorphic bat adds a hefty +6 wisdom for a 1 HD 0 LA base humanoid
foxylady 04-19-05, 08:03 PM	Lower half: Animal, Vermin, or Magical Beast Upper half: humanoid or monstrous humanoid I believe there's a reprint of Tauric in MM2 that removes Magical Beast as a valid type for the lower half. I think it's hard to beat the Lammasu with 7th lvl cleric casting, great stats/natural ac, and a fly speed, and pounce/rakes, Magic Circle... too bad there's probably no humanoid or monstrous humanoid that can really add something beyond a feat or +2int and has a low LA :cool: Duergar have some very nice racial traits for +1 LA (immunities, darkvision 120', 2 1/day SLAs, skill bonuses). Light Sensitivity is a pain, but I think there's a monstrous feat that mitigates it. There's a +1 LA monstrous humanoid race in Sandstorm (I forget the name) that's also very nice.
Interested2 04-19-05, 08:14 PM	If I remember correctly, MM2 == 3.0, whereas SS is a 3.0/3.5 crossover.
catharz 04-19-05, 11:33 PM	If I remember correctly, MM2 == 3.0, whereas SS is a 3.0/3.5 crossover. MM2 was published September 2002, Savage Species was published February 2003.
Dark_and_Stormy 04-20-05, 01:34 AM	Don't have books with me, but would a thri-kreen be an acceptable top half? Psionic, 4 arms, Bite... Alternative, Githyanki. I like the imagery of the unbodied, though.
catharz 04-20-05, 01:42 AM	Don't have books with me, but would a thri-kreen be an acceptable top half? Psionic, 4 arms, Bite... Alternative, Githyanki. I like the imagery of the unbodied, though. Ya, a medium-sized monstrous humanoid should work. Of course, thats +3 ECL, which pushes the bounds of playability in a normal campaign. I really love the Tauric Spellweaver, because spellcasting is based on HD. :smirk: But they're really up there are far as ECL. I unfortunately have yet to find a magical beast with inherent sorcerer spellcasting, however.
MikeN 04-20-05, 02:14 AM	One might argue that Fey be allowed to be the "top half" of a tauric creature. Satyrs and the like would be good arguments for this. If this were to occur, one could then have some interesting combinations...sylph comes to mind, but there are others... Of course, that's not RAW, but seems reasonable. Aren't there templates that change creatures into monstrous humanoids, though? That would expand your options a bit.
Tweedledope 04-20-05, 09:10 PM	I actually played a Half-Displacer Beast/Half-Drow. It was friggin' sweet. The SR really kicked ass.
obrysii 04-20-05, 10:01 PM	A Wolverine would make quite a nice tauric animal (if you NEED to take an animal)... 3 HD +4 str, +4 dex, +8 con *Rage *+2 Natural AC *Medium Size *Speed: 30ft., Burrow 10ft., Climb 10ft. *Track as a Bonus feat *2 Claw attacks (1d4 damage each) Not too bad, for ECL 5
foxylady 04-21-05, 01:48 AM	Does advancing the Lammasu's HD advance its clerical casting? Such is implied by the Lammasu's stats, but I'm not sure if that's become a general rule regarding monsters with racial spellcasting. Magical beast HD are significantly better than wizard HD (D10, full BAB, 2 good saves), and you get to advance to Huge size (if you don't care about ever fitting into a building or dungeon).
Tweedledope 04-21-05, 11:48 AM	Manticore might be nice too seeing as how you get flying and a natural ranged attack.
catharz 04-21-05, 03:17 PM	Does advancing the Lammasu's HD advance its clerical casting? Such is implied by the Lammasu's stats, but I'm not sure if that's become a general rule regarding monsters with racial spellcasting. Magical beast HD are significantly better than wizard HD (D10, full BAB, 2 good saves), and you get to advance to Huge size (if you don't care about ever fitting into a building or dungeon). The book does not indicate that advancing HD advanced spellcasting, and because the Lammasu is already a balance issue you're probably better off not pushing things. As for animals... Magebred Horrid Warbeast Dire wolf (+7 HD, 3.14, 0.86, 2.29, 6.29): Str+22, Dex+6, Con+16. Magebred Horrid Dire rat (+1 HD, 4, 8, 8, 20) Magebred Cryptoclidus (+3 HD, 4, 2.6, 2.6, 9.3), Str+12, Dex+8, Con+8. -This makes for a freakish merman. Magebred dog (+1 HD, 6, 8, 6, 20) Are dire rats big enough? I've got ability scores divided by HD listed parenthetically.
Part-Human2 05-06-05, 02:41 AM	Tauric from MMII got updated in the 3.5 Conversion Document making it more 3.5 official than SS right? It says LA +3 Shifter Tauric Brown Bear 7 Monstrous Humanoid HD/Weretouched Master (Bear) 5/Warhulk 5