A Deep Hunger (PEACH) [Archive] - Wizards Community

A Deep Hunger (PEACH) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
The Vorpal Tribble
08-02-06, 08:13 PM Stomiitaw

http://www.bbsr.edu/biodiversity/creaturefeature/cf_viper/viperfish.jpeg

Stomiitaw, 1st-Level Warrior
Small Monsterous Humanoid (aquatic)
Hit Dice: 1d8+1 (5 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: Swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: 15 (+2 dex, +2 natural, +1 size), touch 13, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-3
Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d6) or javelin +4 melee (1d4)
Full Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d6) or javelin +4 melee (1d4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, reflexive snap, swallow whole
Special Qualities: Bearded light, darkvision 120 ft., scent
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +2
Abilities: Str 11, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 15, Cha 6
Skills: Spot +6, Survival +6, Swim +4
Feats: Swim-by Attack (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Swim-by_Attack,Sto), Weapon Finesse
Environment: Cold Aquatic
Organization: Clump (4–9), school (10–100 plus 100% noncombatants plus 1 3rd-level sergeant per 20 adults and 1 leader of 4th–6th level), warband (10–24 with seawolf mounts), or clan (40–400 plus 100% noncombatants plus 1 3rd-level sergeant per 20 adults, 1 or 2 lieutenants of 4th or 5th level, 1 leader of 6th–8th level, 10–24 , and 2–4 dire barracudas)
Challenge Rating: 1/2
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +1

A stomiitaw's proportions are eerily exagerated an is easily one of the most grotesque creatures you could encounter. Its wide, heavily wrinkled head is larger than its body with grinning jaws large enough to swallow the rest of itself. These jaws are filled with a horrifying array of inwardly curving teeth below enormous black eyes. Dangling from the enormous chin is a fleshy beard of glowing polyps.
The head is attached to a thin, almost atrophied body with four, stick-thin limbs rippling with small fins and ending in tiny manipulative digits. The belly though is capable of immense stretching to hold its meals. The thick spine concludes in a mobile fluke to propel itself.

Stomiitaws are one of the most numerous of deepwater peoples, living in thousands of interconnecting caves cut into the sides of trenches. They have a violent, almost homicidal nature, lashing out at the slightest provocation. All stomiitaws release faint pheromones, with families producing similiar scents that supress their killer urges. Meetings between other families however are tense, often bloody affairs, though it is common for different families to exchange sons to prevent inbreeding. Those who are traded instinctively change their scent to match the new family over a period of several days.

Stomiitaws tend to be ruled over by a matriarch, the largest and strongest mother with the most children. When this matriarch dies their is a great battle amongst the daughters for supremacy.

Stomiitaws have nocturnal habits despite the fact they never see the sun, sleeping during the daylight hours far below and awaking and often rising to near the surface in the night to hunt. Female stomiitaws are generally significantly larger than the males, and thus become the hunters as the smaller males are bullied into domestic tasks.

Stomiitaws rarely stand above two feet in height and weigh some 25 lbs. They speak t*o*w, a language consisting soley of the subtle manipulations of hues and illumination of their bearded lights. They have no tongues and thus cannot speak spoken languages.

Combat
Stomiitaws prefer to fight in great numbers, taking huge aquatic beasts down by sheer weight and ferocity. Occassionally a party will go after a ship passing above their trench in the night, using sharp stones to drill holes in the ship and waiting for it to sink. As a stomiitaw's weak limbs are unable to support it upon land its attacks are always at sea.

Bearded Lights (Ex):
A stomiitaw may produce light at will that can be seen out to 100 feet in complete darkness (or half that far in shadowy light levels), but illuminates an area no farther than his personal square.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a stomiitaw must hit a Medium or smaller foe with a bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Reflexive Snap (Ex):
Whenever a stomiitaw rolls a 1 on his bite attack he may immediately make a second bite attack as a swift action at a -5 penalty.

Swallow Whole (Ex): A stomiitaw can attempt to swallow a grappled opponent of Tiny or smaller size by making a successful grapple check.
A swallowed creature takes 1 point of acid damage each round from the stomiitaw's gut. of A swallowed creature can cut its way out by dealing 2 points of damage to the stomiitaw (AC 11).
The stomiitaw's body can hold 2 Tiny, 8 Dimunitive, or 32 Fine creatures.

Skills: A stomiitaw has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It also has a +4 racial bonus on spot and survival checks. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.
savant_warlord13
08-02-06, 08:26 PM I would make the bearded lights provide light as a candle.

Is it supposed to have no land speed? It should at least be able to crawl with its arms at 5 ft, with a special rule for no 5 ft steps.
The Vorpal Tribble
08-02-06, 08:28 PM I would make the bearded lights provide light as a candle.
Naw, was going for 'really' dim lights based on real sea creatures.

Is it supposed to have no land speed?
Aye, made specific mention of it:
"As a stomiitaw's weak limbs are unable to support it upon land its attacks are always at sea. "

It can no more pull itself along land than a dolphin.
savant_warlord13
08-02-06, 08:31 PM These guys don't seem very humanoid then.

Maybe I should go make a legged template based on the amphibious and winged templates.
The Vorpal Tribble
08-02-06, 08:34 PM These guys don't seem very humanoid then.

Maybe I should go make a legged template based on the amphibious and winged templates.
Their humanoid because they are shaped as one... however, their humanoid shape is soley adapted to the water. Think anthromorphic viperfish.

http://www.bbsr.edu/biodiversity/creaturefeature/cf_viper/viperfish.jpeg

A legged template would be cool though. LAND SHARK!
Dracomortis
08-02-06, 08:57 PM A legged template would be cool though. LAND SHARK!
Aye, except the bulette is known as a land shark ;). Imagine how much worse Jaws would be if he had legs...

Anyway, cool concept.
savant_warlord13
08-02-06, 09:15 PM Their humanoid because they are shaped as one... however, their humanoid shape is soley adapted to the water. Think anthromorphic viperfish.

http://www.bbsr.edu/biodiversity/creaturefeature/cf_viper/viperfish.jpeg

A legged template would be cool though. LAND SHARK!
CANDY-GRAM!!!
The Vorpal Tribble
08-03-06, 11:43 AM CANDY-GRAM!!!
Eh?
Secrets Untold
08-03-06, 02:02 PM Perhaps Monsterous Humanoid would be better. You gave an LA, but no info about them as characters. Stat mods, skill bonuses, abilities, favored class, all of that is important for a 0HD race.
The Vorpal Tribble
08-05-06, 04:16 PM Perhaps Monsterous Humanoid would be better. You gave an LA, but no info about them as characters. Stat mods, skill bonuses, abilities, favored class, all of that is important for a 0HD race.
Well, no one is really supposed to play one. Thats why I didn't give stat for them. Its possible a soley aquatic game could have one, but the players would have to spend a couple skill points and learn it on their own.

And yeah, maybe I should convert it to a monsterous humanoid... though it won't actually change anything ;)
R.M.G.C.L.F.
08-06-06, 08:10 AM I think you should set up a seperate stat block for females, especially since deep-sea creatures have more sexual dimorphism.

I'd also add Light Sensitivity to the creature, what with it being a long-range-darkvision bearing deep-sea organism.

When I read this, I imagined that it would be based on the deep-sea fish which has a stretchable specialized jaw and highly elastic stomach allowing it to swallow creatures larger than it. As it stands, may I suggest something like my Hungry Bite attack, wherein the bite actually tears out and swallows a chunk of flesh? The net mechanical effect of this is that one point of the bite damage can only heal at the same rate as and by the same means as temporary ability damage.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
The Vorpal Tribble 08-02-06, 08:13 PM	Stomiitaw http://www.bbsr.edu/biodiversity/creaturefeature/cf_viper/viperfish.jpeg Stomiitaw, 1st-Level Warrior Small Monsterous Humanoid (aquatic) Hit Dice: 1d8+1 (5 hp) Initiative: +2 Speed: Swim 30 ft. Armor Class: 15 (+2 dex, +2 natural, +1 size), touch 13, flat-footed 13 Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-3 Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d6) or javelin +4 melee (1d4) Full Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d6) or javelin +4 melee (1d4) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Improved grab, reflexive snap, swallow whole Special Qualities: Bearded light, darkvision 120 ft., scent Saves: Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +2 Abilities: Str 11, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 15, Cha 6 Skills: Spot +6, Survival +6, Swim +4 Feats: Swim-by Attack (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Swim-by_Attack,Sto), Weapon Finesse Environment: Cold Aquatic Organization: Clump (4–9), school (10–100 plus 100% noncombatants plus 1 3rd-level sergeant per 20 adults and 1 leader of 4th–6th level), warband (10–24 with seawolf mounts), or clan (40–400 plus 100% noncombatants plus 1 3rd-level sergeant per 20 adults, 1 or 2 lieutenants of 4th or 5th level, 1 leader of 6th–8th level, 10–24 , and 2–4 dire barracudas) Challenge Rating: 1/2 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Usually chaotic evil Advancement: By character class Level Adjustment: +1 A stomiitaw's proportions are eerily exagerated an is easily one of the most grotesque creatures you could encounter. Its wide, heavily wrinkled head is larger than its body with grinning jaws large enough to swallow the rest of itself. These jaws are filled with a horrifying array of inwardly curving teeth below enormous black eyes. Dangling from the enormous chin is a fleshy beard of glowing polyps. The head is attached to a thin, almost atrophied body with four, stick-thin limbs rippling with small fins and ending in tiny manipulative digits. The belly though is capable of immense stretching to hold its meals. The thick spine concludes in a mobile fluke to propel itself. Stomiitaws are one of the most numerous of deepwater peoples, living in thousands of interconnecting caves cut into the sides of trenches. They have a violent, almost homicidal nature, lashing out at the slightest provocation. All stomiitaws release faint pheromones, with families producing similiar scents that supress their killer urges. Meetings between other families however are tense, often bloody affairs, though it is common for different families to exchange sons to prevent inbreeding. Those who are traded instinctively change their scent to match the new family over a period of several days. Stomiitaws tend to be ruled over by a matriarch, the largest and strongest mother with the most children. When this matriarch dies their is a great battle amongst the daughters for supremacy. Stomiitaws have nocturnal habits despite the fact they never see the sun, sleeping during the daylight hours far below and awaking and often rising to near the surface in the night to hunt. Female stomiitaws are generally significantly larger than the males, and thus become the hunters as the smaller males are bullied into domestic tasks. Stomiitaws rarely stand above two feet in height and weigh some 25 lbs. They speak tow, a language consisting soley of the subtle manipulations of hues and illumination of their bearded lights. They have no tongues and thus cannot speak spoken languages. Combat Stomiitaws prefer to fight in great numbers, taking huge aquatic beasts down by sheer weight and ferocity. Occassionally a party will go after a ship passing above their trench in the night, using sharp stones to drill holes in the ship and waiting for it to sink. As a stomiitaw's weak limbs are unable to support it upon land its attacks are always at sea. Bearded Lights (Ex): A stomiitaw may produce light at will that can be seen out to 100 feet in complete darkness (or half that far in shadowy light levels), but illuminates an area no farther than his personal square. Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a stomiitaw must hit a Medium or smaller foe with a bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. Reflexive Snap (Ex): Whenever a stomiitaw rolls a 1 on his bite attack he may immediately make a second bite attack as a swift action at a -5 penalty. Swallow Whole (Ex): A stomiitaw can attempt to swallow a grappled opponent of Tiny or smaller size by making a successful grapple check. A swallowed creature takes 1 point of acid damage each round from the stomiitaw's gut. of A swallowed creature can cut its way out by dealing 2 points of damage to the stomiitaw (AC 11). The stomiitaw's body can hold 2 Tiny, 8 Dimunitive, or 32 Fine creatures. Skills: A stomiitaw has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It also has a +4 racial bonus on spot and survival checks. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.
savant_warlord13 08-02-06, 08:26 PM	I would make the bearded lights provide light as a candle. Is it supposed to have no land speed? It should at least be able to crawl with its arms at 5 ft, with a special rule for no 5 ft steps.
The Vorpal Tribble 08-02-06, 08:28 PM	I would make the bearded lights provide light as a candle. Naw, was going for 'really' dim lights based on real sea creatures. Is it supposed to have no land speed? Aye, made specific mention of it: "As a stomiitaw's weak limbs are unable to support it upon land its attacks are always at sea. " It can no more pull itself along land than a dolphin.
savant_warlord13 08-02-06, 08:31 PM	These guys don't seem very humanoid then. Maybe I should go make a legged template based on the amphibious and winged templates.
The Vorpal Tribble 08-02-06, 08:34 PM	These guys don't seem very humanoid then. Maybe I should go make a legged template based on the amphibious and winged templates. Their humanoid because they are shaped as one... however, their humanoid shape is soley adapted to the water. Think anthromorphic viperfish. http://www.bbsr.edu/biodiversity/creaturefeature/cf_viper/viperfish.jpeg A legged template would be cool though. LAND SHARK!
Dracomortis 08-02-06, 08:57 PM	A legged template would be cool though. LAND SHARK! Aye, except the bulette is known as a land shark ;). Imagine how much worse Jaws would be if he had legs... Anyway, cool concept.
savant_warlord13 08-02-06, 09:15 PM	Their humanoid because they are shaped as one... however, their humanoid shape is soley adapted to the water. Think anthromorphic viperfish. http://www.bbsr.edu/biodiversity/creaturefeature/cf_viper/viperfish.jpeg A legged template would be cool though. LAND SHARK! CANDY-GRAM!!!
The Vorpal Tribble 08-03-06, 11:43 AM	CANDY-GRAM!!! Eh?
Secrets Untold 08-03-06, 02:02 PM	Perhaps Monsterous Humanoid would be better. You gave an LA, but no info about them as characters. Stat mods, skill bonuses, abilities, favored class, all of that is important for a 0HD race.
The Vorpal Tribble 08-05-06, 04:16 PM	Perhaps Monsterous Humanoid would be better. You gave an LA, but no info about them as characters. Stat mods, skill bonuses, abilities, favored class, all of that is important for a 0HD race. Well, no one is really supposed to play one. Thats why I didn't give stat for them. Its possible a soley aquatic game could have one, but the players would have to spend a couple skill points and learn it on their own. And yeah, maybe I should convert it to a monsterous humanoid... though it won't actually change anything ;)
R.M.G.C.L.F. 08-06-06, 08:10 AM	I think you should set up a seperate stat block for females, especially since deep-sea creatures have more sexual dimorphism. I'd also add Light Sensitivity to the creature, what with it being a long-range-darkvision bearing deep-sea organism. When I read this, I imagined that it would be based on the deep-sea fish which has a stretchable specialized jaw and highly elastic stomach allowing it to swallow creatures larger than it. As it stands, may I suggest something like my Hungry Bite attack, wherein the bite actually tears out and swallows a chunk of flesh? The net mechanical effect of this is that one point of the bite damage can only heal at the same rate as and by the same means as temporary ability damage.