Could someone do an example similacrum? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Could someone do an example similacrum? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
calypso
04-30-05, 04:34 AM Hey all,

I'm casting 3.0 similacrum on an advanced adult green dragon, and I was either hoping someone could do it to illustrate the process or give an example. In particular, this is an Adult Green Dragon with 10 levels of sorcerer.

The main points I don't understand are as follows:

1) Are ability scores affected?

2) How do you figure size-dependant abilities? For example, as an adult dragon, it gets Suggestion 3/day. Is this affected by similacrum?

3) Does it get the SR of the original?

4) What about caster level? Normally the CL of an adult Green dragon is 5, plus the similacrum gets 6 (of 10) sorcerer levels. Is the 5 unaffected, so that the similacrum's CL is 11?

Anything else you can think of. I have worked out what I think are the right stats, but I was hoping someone could corroborate them.

Calypso
calypso
04-30-05, 12:08 PM Hrm.... or maybe someone could point me to a Skip "Rules of the Game" article on the subject?

Calypso
mbfu3k
04-30-05, 01:44 PM Would the 10 sorcerer levels stack with the dragon's ability to cast spell as a sorcerer? I guess that makes more sense than them not...

In general, I think it's best to figure out what HD the simulacrum will be and then determine what the creature was like when it had that many HD. Thus, if a wizard made a simulacrum of himself, it would have the feats, levels, etc, that he did when he was at half his current HD / level.

Actually, don't the extra sorcerer levels add HD to the dragon? Are you factoring those in when determining the simulacrum's HD?

Let's say the dragon took all his extra sorcerer levels after he reached Adult category. So, he has 30 HD, and 60% of that would be 18. So he loses all his extra sorcerer levels, and gains the stats and abilities for a Young Adult green dragon. Thus his CL would be 3 (all from his dragon spell casting).

On the other hand, say he took the extra sorcerer levels spaced out more or less evenly throughout his lifetime (2 per age category over Wyrmling). He would still end up with 18 HD, but would instead be Juvenile with a CL of 6 (all from his extra sorcerer levels).

Which is better I guess depends on whether you want a tougher dragon, or a better spellcaster.

Note that the dragon's actual size remains Huge, since otherwise it wouldn't be very good at impersonating the original. All abilities, though, are calculated off its younger age category (Young Adult, or Juvenile). So, in neither case would it retain the Suggestion SLA, but may or may not keep the damage reduction.

Disclaimer: The mechanics of the spell are not well defined. This is all my interpretation, and what my DM and I have come up with to make the spell easier to deal with. Dragons end up particularly easy to work out, since they have defined progressions all the way from Wyrmling, but many other monsters remain difficult. Especially ones with at-will SLAs. But our general strategy remains: figure out the 60% HD, and try to decide what abilities would be appropriate for a creature of that HD. Savage Species may help in this regard.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
calypso 04-30-05, 04:34 AM	Hey all, I'm casting 3.0 similacrum on an advanced adult green dragon, and I was either hoping someone could do it to illustrate the process or give an example. In particular, this is an Adult Green Dragon with 10 levels of sorcerer. The main points I don't understand are as follows: 1) Are ability scores affected? 2) How do you figure size-dependant abilities? For example, as an adult dragon, it gets Suggestion 3/day. Is this affected by similacrum? 3) Does it get the SR of the original? 4) What about caster level? Normally the CL of an adult Green dragon is 5, plus the similacrum gets 6 (of 10) sorcerer levels. Is the 5 unaffected, so that the similacrum's CL is 11? Anything else you can think of. I have worked out what I think are the right stats, but I was hoping someone could corroborate them. Calypso
calypso 04-30-05, 12:08 PM	Hrm.... or maybe someone could point me to a Skip "Rules of the Game" article on the subject? Calypso
mbfu3k 04-30-05, 01:44 PM	Would the 10 sorcerer levels stack with the dragon's ability to cast spell as a sorcerer? I guess that makes more sense than them not... In general, I think it's best to figure out what HD the simulacrum will be and then determine what the creature was like when it had that many HD. Thus, if a wizard made a simulacrum of himself, it would have the feats, levels, etc, that he did when he was at half his current HD / level. Actually, don't the extra sorcerer levels add HD to the dragon? Are you factoring those in when determining the simulacrum's HD? Let's say the dragon took all his extra sorcerer levels after he reached Adult category. So, he has 30 HD, and 60% of that would be 18. So he loses all his extra sorcerer levels, and gains the stats and abilities for a Young Adult green dragon. Thus his CL would be 3 (all from his dragon spell casting). On the other hand, say he took the extra sorcerer levels spaced out more or less evenly throughout his lifetime (2 per age category over Wyrmling). He would still end up with 18 HD, but would instead be Juvenile with a CL of 6 (all from his extra sorcerer levels). Which is better I guess depends on whether you want a tougher dragon, or a better spellcaster. Note that the dragon's actual size remains Huge, since otherwise it wouldn't be very good at impersonating the original. All abilities, though, are calculated off its younger age category (Young Adult, or Juvenile). So, in neither case would it retain the Suggestion SLA, but may or may not keep the damage reduction. Disclaimer: The mechanics of the spell are not well defined. This is all my interpretation, and what my DM and I have come up with to make the spell easier to deal with. Dragons end up particularly easy to work out, since they have defined progressions all the way from Wyrmling, but many other monsters remain difficult. Especially ones with at-will SLAs. But our general strategy remains: figure out the 60% HD, and try to decide what abilities would be appropriate for a creature of that HD. Savage Species may help in this regard.