Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ChaoticGod 03-27-04, 05:25 PM	This is the seventh in a series of Monster Tactics Threads. If you missed the previous threads just do a search for 'Monster Tactics' but be sure to click Search Titles Only. Animated Objects: CR ½ to 10 Powerful priests and even some legendary bards can use their magic to awaken ordinary objects at hand to fight in their defense. Statues stagger forward, tables and chairs leap to attack and trample, curtains ensnare the unwary. The strength of animating ordinary objects is that it is unexpected. While the heroes may think they have cornered the unguarded evil priest, the furnishings around them can ambush them. Animated objects are usually only awakened temporarily by use of the spell. They are chosen at the time of casting from the things at hand. Other objects are permanently enchanted to serve as guardians or minions. The choice of objects to be animated is very important. As the DM you will have to make some judgment calls on the effective CR of an object. For example while a animated longsword is technically Small you may want to bump it up to the statistics of a Medium Animated Object due to the combat effectiveness of its design. An evil priest who has chosen to prepare Animate Objects has probably pre-chosen objects within his sanctum that he knows would be effective in combat. When choosing objects there are three criteria to think about. 1) Durability. As constructs, animated objects have many defenses and immunities. One of their best defenses is Hardness. Objects made of metal or stone can be quite difficult to defeat by force of arms alone. Hardness reduces the damage of physical attacks and is also effective against cold, fire and electrical attacks as described in the D&D FAQ. Check the tables on PHB page 166 for common object hardness. 2) Size. The larger an object the tougher it is and the more combat effective it will be. One large object is usually a better choice than a number of smaller ones. 3) Originality. Players reach for their dice when statuary depicting any kind of living creature is found. While animating a large statue or idol may be effective, it totally loses the advantage of surprise. When choosing objects to animate try to think outside the box. What would be totally unexpected? The tactics of using an Animated Object is more a matter of design than set actions. What special abilities do you want your Object to have, etc Here is an example. A Huge Object is normally CR 5 but I would probably make this a CR 7 due to the hardness and the ambush. An evil priest has managed to permanently animate a huge object as a guardian for his temple. Since the priest has had time to think of this beforehand he is pretty much designing a form of lesser golem. He commissions a Huge chainmail net made of links of the hardest steel. He then has a Huge tapestry made depicting a scene of evil with strange nonsensical runes written across it. The chainmail net is then sewn inside the tapestry. This object is then Animated and hung on a large wall within the priest’s dark temple which must be passed on the way to the inner sanctum. Across from the tapestry stands a large stone idol depicting the priest’s evil deity. Our Huge Animated Object thus has the following abilities . . . Blind: The Tapestry is opaque so anyone it grapples cannot see beyond it. Constrict: The tapestry/chainmail net is flexible and thus can constrict those it grapples. As a Huge 15ft by 15ft net it can grapple multiple medium creatures. Its dimensions allow it to cover up to nine (9) such creatures if they are close together. Hardness: Steel and chains are both listed as having a hardness of 10. This will make our Object quite formidable. Now when characters reach this point most players will be suspicious of the statue. Others will try to read the runes on the tapestry. Placing a minor magical aura on the statue will make both items radiate if Detect Magic is used. I will assume 7th level PCs for this combat but this may be a challenge even for higher level PCs. Surprise Round: The tapestry/net drops down on all those in front of it initiating a grapple. Only those with Combat Reflexes are allowed the AOO this provokes since they are flatfooted in regards to the piece of décor that is attacking them. Since grappling is an animated object’s best means of attack it needs surprise in order to avoid the AOOs which may prevent its grapple. This is also another reason why object size is of vital importance. First Round+: The PCs will probably win initiative but it hardly matters with the object’s defenses. Being in a grapple doesn’t hurt it at all. Its AC is already low and it has no Dexterity bonus. And as a construct it cannot be sneak attacked for ‘losing its Dexterity bonus’. The tapestry/net is likely to survive any attacks with little damage. It then makes a grapple check to Constrict all the PCs it has within its grasp. As the animated object is effectively mindless this is its sole tactic. Once those within its grasp are dead it will then seek to repeat the process on any other PCs. The PCs’ best options are Power Attack against the Objects low AC and Acid, Force or Sonic attacks. Remember that while animated such objects are creatures and can be targeted by Magic Missile and like effects. To sum up, an Animated Object’s attack bonus is rather low for actual attacks but is fine for making the touch attacks necessary for starting a grapple. Once in a grapple it can use its size to great advantage. Less ‘unique’ objects that would make good animated minions include . . . iron chests, heavy chains, large melee weapons, large stone tables or thrones, boulders, wooden or iron doors which would grapple by closing on those attempting to pass through, hide or leather tapestries or rugs or stone columns which aren’t really supporting weight, etc. While it may seem like an inflexible object without any projections couldn’t actually grapple, you must remember that such objects typically have a high mass. A boulder can grapple a PC by merely sitting on top of the PC like the fat kid at school. Remember also that Animation does provide some flexibility even to the most rigid of objects so that they can move at all. As always these tactics may not be perfect. If you see any flaws or simple improvements please feel free to kindly and gently inform me. Thanks.
Ratguy629 03-27-04, 09:27 PM	wow i never relized how strong of a foe animated objectss are...
ChaoticGod 03-28-04, 11:43 PM	the furniture moves . . . upward . . .
ChaoticGod 03-30-04, 12:01 PM	Animated Objects didn't cause near the uproar that angels did. Hope folks liked this one. Even though it didn't get too many replies. I guess its on to Anhkeg.
SoulLord 03-30-04, 12:48 PM	very nice one just for some tought im thinking of animated barrels of greek fire and similar stuff ;) SoulLord
Luminous Crayon 03-30-04, 01:15 PM	Once again, you've amazed me. I'm totally using the chain-link tapestry in an oncoming game. I'll let you know how it turns out, but it may be next semester before it goes down. Keep up the excellent work.
Transit 03-30-04, 01:42 PM	Originally posted by ChaoticGod Animated Objects didn't cause near the uproar that angels did. Hope folks liked this one. Even though it didn't get too many replies. I guess its on to Anhkeg. Some of us don't check the message boards on the weekend, and then it takes a day or two to catch up on all the new posts. Believe me, Chaoticgod, we appreciate your tactics posts. Your chainmail tapestry would also make a good rug, engulfing unsuspecting adventurers from beneath. Another idea for an animated object is a treasure chest. Rogue goes to check it for traps - the chest opens up and swallows him. Now the only PC that has open locks is locked inside the chest as it runs around the room and the other adventurers try to kill it and smash it open before the Rogue suffocates inside.
cwslyclgh 03-30-04, 02:14 PM	The chain-net tapestry is brutal.... as always your tactics are top-notch.
Luminous Crayon 03-30-04, 02:31 PM	Originally posted by Transit Your chainmail tapestry would also make a good rug, engulfing unsuspecting adventurers from beneath. For what it's worth, the sample mage's house in Tome and Blood had a welcome mat that did exactly that, attacking anyone who stepped across it without saying the password ("Honey, I'm home!") I think that mat was described as a wondrous item, thereby making it permanent and accessable to arcane casters. Come to that, I wonder why Animate Objects isn't on the Wiz/Sor spell list.
ChaoticGod 03-30-04, 02:38 PM	Soullord, I really like the idea of animating a barrel of alchemist's fire. It attacks and as soon as its hardness is breached, it explodes! Touching off all the other non-animated barrels of alchemist's fire in the room :devil: Transit, I thought of using the rug but in my experience any irregularity with the floor (rugs, checkerboard, individual stones, etc) makes the players suspect a trap. Also as soon as a character stepped on it they would feel the chainmail within. The grappling chest is a good idea. The rogue probably wouldn't suffocate but he/she would take damage each round until he/she got loose or the chest was destroyed.
Lord Nat 03-30-04, 02:44 PM	2 Things. 1. A sworm of pens is mighter then a sword :D 2. They are not in the walls... They ARE the walls! :D
sxoa 03-30-04, 02:46 PM	put spikes in the chest, that'll add some extra damage. Most players will also think its a mimic of some kind. Animated pants, now that would be amusing.
ChaoticGod 04-07-04, 06:22 AM	its been awhile . . .
Incenjucar 04-07-04, 07:29 AM	Animated Objects can get much nastier, and be more purposely designed; you just need to conceal them a bit. A thin clay jar that holds a medium-sized pile of poison-coated, disease-ridden spiked chains (might look something like a metal octopus) would be fun. Making the links of different materials (Cold Iron, Silver, etc) means you can bypass more DRs. Kamikazi tactics are great here. Just create a bunch of clay jugs with legs, fill them with explosive or proper spells, and have them run at your foes. Imagine a ship's sails drawing a crew towards a whirl pool. --- Of course, there's a lot of things that objects could do that aren't designed.. burrowing, swimming, and boring through flesh are all quite reasonable. No nastier caltrop than the one trying to burrow up towards your brain.
ChaoticGod 06-15-04, 12:29 AM	:teach:
Remnant 06-18-04, 02:46 PM	I do like the idea of an animated boulder. I can see my players avoiding a boulder trap, as it rolls by them, only to have it come around for another pass. Not to mention how hard it would be to bring down.
bitnine 06-19-04, 01:18 AM	Indeed; I'd probably go with the giant woven mass of adamantine chains. Spiked and coated with poison for good measure. Sheet-like forms can fly as well, which gives the neat image of a spooky sheet of bladed chains descending from above to wrap around a victim's head. That's one spicy meatball.