Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Lord Nedd 03-29-07, 07:15 PM	Howdy folks... I have a train of thought that I need either to be derailed or flushed out. My players will be running into a cadaver golem in the near future and as that was the case, I was doing some more reading on its features. One of the (Ex) powers that is has is stated in the following http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20051007a&page=6 Notice the first line where it states "A cadaver golem can choose to replace one of its limbs, sense organs, or other parts with a similar part taken from a living or recently deceased humanoid. Doing so grants the golem skills and abilities associated with that particular body part" (Emphasis mine). It would appear at first blush that this golem can rip off body parts and as a full round action attach them to themselves from living folks! As such, I need a solid dynamic that will allow such an action. I was planning on having the following. If you can see any problems, let me know. First, the golem must first start a grapple. Second, the golem must maintain a force a pin. Third, the golem initiates an assimilation which necessitates a fort save at 10 + 1/2 HD + Cha bonus (which is nominally 0), which takes a full round action as stipulated in the link. Any thoughts? -LN
Sildatorak 03-29-07, 11:18 PM	My thoughts are that you're better off having it function similarly to a coup de grace or perhaps as an added benefit of one.
orionm42 03-30-07, 12:13 AM	The description also says... Cadaver golems seek out humanoids who possess abilities they want in order to kill their targets and steal those abilities. To me, his tactic is to kill first and then take the body parts from the cadaver. Along those lines, I do not allow players to target specific areas of the body. Similarly, I probably would not allow the golem to tear limbs off a living target.
celloshane 03-31-07, 04:05 PM	I would run it so that the golem attacks the party and attempts to kill the party member who's flesh it desires. If the encounter goes well for the party however, the golem attempts to assimilate and flee. I would say the encounter is in the party's favor if the golem has lost 50% of his hp and the target player still has more than 50%. In this case I would allow the golem to tear a body part from a living creature. I would do step 1 & 2 as you stated, for Step 3 the golem should make an attack as part of the grapple, then if the attack is successful allow the Fort save to resist the assimilation. Be sure to describe the assimilation as a visceral and bloody process to your players :evillaugh It shouldn't have a negative effect on your campaign, spells can regenerate your player's missing body part, or invent a special potion that can reattach the stolen limb (if they get it back!) There's also several magic items made for limb replacement scattered thoughout splat books. If you post what the party consists of and what you planned on doing to them, I'm sure some more ideas would pop up.
tos_shai_hulud 04-01-07, 03:26 PM	Instead of the fort save being charisma-based, if the cadaver must rip the limb off, perhaps it should be strength-based.