Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Talisman 06-15-07, 10:33 PM	Plagueswarm Medium Undead Hit Dice 10d12 (65 hp) Initiative +5 Speed Fly 50' (perfect) AC 19 (+5 Dex, +4 deflection), touch 19, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple +5/+7 Attack Slam +10 melee Full Attack 2 slams +10 melee Damage Slam 1d8+2 plus disease and irritation Space/Reach 5'/5' Special Attacks Disease, irritation, swarmspew Special Qualities DR 10/magic, swarm form, swarm traits, SR 17, unholy grace, vulnerabilities Saves Fort +9, Ref +12, Will +14 Abilities Str 14, Dex 20, Con --, Int 8, Wis 15, Cha 19 Skills Hide +15, Listen +12, Move Silently +14, Spot +12 Feats Dodge, Great Fortitude, Mobility, Weapon Finesse Environment Any land Organization Solitary Challenge Rating 6? Treasure None Alignment Always chaotic evil Advancement 11-15 HD (Medium), 16-24 HD (Large), 25-30 HD (Huge) Level Adjustment -- A buzzing cloud of black flies appears, swirling about as if directed by a single will. In an instant the flies coalesce into a roughly man-shaped form. Red eyes open in the swarm-shape's head, glaring at you with raw hatred. Plagueswarms are a rare and terrible form of undead, formed when someone contracts a vile disease and is abandoned to die in a place they cannot escape. Merely dying of plague does not give birth to a plagueswarm; the victim must be deliberately abandoned to die, and must be filled with hatred for his betrayers at the time of death. Sometimes, the souls of such unhappy creatures linger after death, possessing the flies that swarm nearby, attracted by the stench of death. If the soul is of sufficient personal power and strength of hatred, it may force the flies into a single undead entity known as a plagueswarm. Plagueswarms roam the land, spreading pain and destruction. They are consumed with wrath and hatred for those that abandoned them to die, and take out their bitterness on anyone they encounter who has the fortune to be alive. A town where a plagueswarm has passed is often littered with the dying and diseased, and, ironically, may provide a spawning ground for new plagueswarms. A typical plagueswarm fills a volume roughly equal to a Medium humanoid, although much larger plagueswarms are possible. These creatures weigh only a few pounds. Plagueswarms understand whatever language they spoke in life (usually Common), but do not speak. They are accompanied everywhere by the buzzing drone of thousands of flies. Combat: Although they are composed of living flies, plagueswarms are considered undead and have all the qualities of an undead creature. If a plagueswarm's controlling spirit is banished without harm to the flies (as might be the case if the creature is turned), the flies immediately disperse and are treated as normal flies. Plagueswarms enter combat filled with rage, seeking to inflict as much pain as possible on any who dare to live while the plagueswarm has died. They are chaotic combatants, flitting from one foe to the next without bothering to be certain their enemies are dead--as a result, a plagueswarm attack often leaves many diseased victims. Disease (Ex): A plagueswarm's slam attacks expose the victim to filth fever (Fortitude DC 19). Rumors exist of plagueswarms that inflict other, more dangerous diseases, such as demon fever or devil chills. The save DC is Charisma-based. Irritation (Ex): Any living creature damaged by a plagueswarm's slam attack must make a DC 19 Fortitude save or suffer red, itchy welts as a result of the insect bites, stings and scratches; this imposes a -1 morale penalty on attacks, saves and skill and ability checks. The effect persists for 24 hours or until a neutralize poison spell is used, and the effects of multiple strikes are cumulative. The save DC is Charisma-based. Swarm Form (Ex): As a standard action a plagueswarm may disperse its component flies into a larger swarm, sacrificing its combat ability in exchange for improved defenses. While in swarm-form a plagueswarm's face/reach changes to 10'/0', and it loses the ability to make attacks of any kind. However, while in this condition it is immune to all weapon attacks (although not to area-effect attacks). Swarm Traits (Ex): Despite being treated as a single, Medium creature, a plagueswarm has many of the features of a swarm of smaller creatures (which it technically is). A plagueswarm takes half-damage from slashing and bludgeoning attacks, and is totally immune to piercing attacks. It has no discernable front or rear, and therefore cannot be flanked. Swarmspew (Su): Once per day a plagueswarm can spew forth a concentrated blast of flies mixed with negative energy. This attack is a 30' cone and deals 1d6 points of damage per HD of the plagueswarm (10d6 for a typical plagueswarm). Half the damage is negative energy, while the other half is combined bludgeoning, piercing and slashing. In addition, all creatures damaged by this attack may be infected with filth fever. A succesful Reflex save (DC 19) halves the damage, while a successful Fortitude save (DC 19) negates the disease. The save DCs are Charisma-based. Unholy Grace (Ex): A plagueswarm gains a resistance bonus on all saves equal to its Charisma modifier. Vulnerabilities: Because of its unique origin, a plagueswarm possesses several vulnerabilities not common to the undead. The creature will not attack anyone who is trapped in any way (for example, in prison or under a fallen log), although it cannot be tricked by someone pretending to be trapped. Garlic repels the creature as it does vampires, and a plagueswarm will not approach within 10' of a clove of garlic. Finally, a remove disease spell will inflict 1d6 points of damage per caster level (max. 10d6) on a plagueswarm with a Fortitude save for half damage. These vulnerabilities can be discerned with a DC 16 Knowledge (religion) or bardic knowledge check, or a DC 21 Knowledge (arcana) or Knowledge (local) check.
Rerecros 06-16-07, 02:16 AM	I would stat it as diminutive undead (swarm) And have it composed out of undead flies, they only live one day don't they? Just treat it as a swarm, and give it the ability to form a humanoid form for various tasks when needed. they need distraction.
Talisman 06-18-07, 08:34 PM	:bump:
dknight100 06-18-07, 10:19 PM	i suppose the short lifespan of the flies would be counteracted if they too were undead? But then again, the idea of a flying plague that can only live one day would be quite cool - like flies and rabbits, it would just be mad keen to propegate itself, which would be such a cool quest hook. Picture it, the beginning of a plague, but its not overly contagious. Someone horribly sick by the illness, one of few people, is dumped by their family, as being lower class, they just cant afford to take care of her. Resenting the decision, wishing they at least had the courage to kill her so that she doesnt die from rotting through, alone in an alleyway, she becomes a plagueswarm. Now, her restless spirit, wanting to inflict itself on as many people as it can, is spreading from person to person. It only has a day, but it could affect so many in that time (in a moderate town or city) that the heroes must give it their all to protect the citizens. A cool hook to insert, as well as the above, would be that the disease carried by the plagueswarm is host to a little bit of the soul that makes up the swarm. Thus, while each swarm dies after one day, the same spirit reoccurs for every victem of its plague that dies. This would be kinda cool, making the same spirit a recurring 'villian' for an arc, as they would pop up after the incubation peroid each time, so it would be plagueswarm fight, downtime during incubation, then another big plagueswarm fight, but bigger. Perhaps to truely stop it, they have to appease the spirit, give the 1st corpse a proper burial or something.
Rerecros 06-18-07, 11:06 PM	This might off topic but... I watched this show on modern medical uses for bugs, leeches and such. Flies are apparently helpful in that their maggots can only eat dead flesh while ignoring the living, they showed some sort of plague in some third world country and the doctors there encouraged the natives to let flies do their thing so their maggots would eat their infections. An image thats still burned into my mind to this day is an old woman with diabetes got gangrene in here leg, to save as much of the leg as they could doctors used maggot treatment, and the old woman showed her now hollowed out leg with filled with her maggot visitors.
Talisman 06-18-07, 11:13 PM	I like your plot hook, dknight100. For the record, I think flies live longer than 24 hours. Not terribly much longer--probably about a week--but nut just a day. Heck, they can eat, and if they're designed to live for 1 day and then die, that's a pretty redundant design. Anway, here's a version of the plagueswarm using swarm rules. I still like the original better--the undead spirit compels the flies to act as a single entity--but whatever. Plagueswarm Fine Undead (Swarm) Hit Dice 10d12 (65 hp) Initiative +5 Speed Fly 50' (perfect) AC 19 (+5 Dex, +4 deflection), touch 19, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple +5/-- Attack/Full Attack Swarm Damage Swarm 2d6 plus disease and irritation Space/Reach 10'/-- Special Attacks Disease, distraction, irritation, swarmspew Special Qualities DR 10/magic, humanoid form, swarm traits, SR 17, unholy grace, vulnerabilities Saves Fort +9, Ref +12, Will +14 Abilities Str 1, Dex 20, Con --, Int 8, Wis 15, Cha 19 Skills Hide +31, Listen +12, Move Silently +14, Spot +12 Feats Dodge, Great Fortitude, Mobility, Spring Attack Environment Any land Organization Solitary Challenge Rating 6? Treasure None Alignment Always chaotic evil Advancement 11-30 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment -- A buzzing cloud of black flies appears, swirling about as if directed by a single will. In an instant the flies coalesce into a roughly man-shaped form. Red eyes open in the swarm-shape's head, glaring at you with raw hatred. Plagueswarms are a rare and terrible form of undead, formed when someone contracts a vile disease and is abandoned to die in a place they cannot escape. Merely dying of plague does not give birth to a plagueswarm; the victim must be deliberately abandoned to die, and must be filled with hatred for his betrayers at the time of death. Sometimes, the souls of such unhappy creatures linger after death, possessing the flies that swarm nearby, attracted by the stench of death. If the soul is of sufficient personal power and strength of hatred, it may force the flies into a single undead entity known as a plagueswarm. Plagueswarms roam the land, spreading pain and destruction. They are consumed with wrath and hatred for those that abandoned them to die, and take out their bitterness on anyone they encounter who has the fortune to be alive. A town where a plagueswarm has passed is often littered with the dying and diseased, and, ironically, may provide a spawning ground for new plagueswarms. A typical plagueswarm fills a volume roughly equal to a Medium humanoid, although much larger plagueswarms are possible. These creatures weigh only a few pounds. Plagueswarms understand whatever language they spoke in life (usually Common), but do not speak. They are accompanied everywhere by the buzzing drone of thousands of flies. Combat: Although they are composed of living flies, plagueswarms are considered undead and have all the qualities of an undead creature. If a plagueswarm's controlling spirit is banished without harm to the flies (as might be the case if the creature is turned), the flies immediately disperse and are treated as normal flies. Plagueswarms enter combat filled with rage, seeking to inflict as much pain as possible on any who dare to live while the plagueswarm has died. They are chaotic combatants, flitting from one foe to the next without bothering to be certain their enemies are dead--as a result, a plagueswarm attack often leaves many diseased victims. Disease (Ex): A plagueswarm's slam attacks expose the victim to filth fever (Fortitude DC 19). Rumors exist of plagueswarms that inflict other, more dangerous diseases, such as demon fever or devil chills. The save DC is Charisma-based. Distractio (Ex): Any living creatures that start their turn in the plagueswarm's space must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. Even on a successful save, such creatures must make a Concentration check to cast a spell (DC 20 + spell level). The save DC is Constitution-based. Humanoid Form (Ex): As a standard action, a plagueswarm can assume a Medium-sized, vaguely humanoid shape with glowing red eyes and crude, pseudopod-like arms. In this form it can manipulate physical objects with a Strength of 10, although it cannot make slam attacks or wield weapons. A plagueswarm can resume its normal form as a free action. Irritation (Ex): Any living creature damaged by a plagueswarm must make a DC 19 Fortitude save or suffer red, itchy welts as a result of the insect bites, stings and scratches; this imposes a -1 morale penalty on attacks, saves and skill and ability checks. The effect persists for 24 hours or until a neutralize poison spell is used, and the effects of multiple strikes are cumulative. The save DC is Charisma-based. Swarm Traits (Ex): A plagueswarm is immune to weapon attacks. It has no discernable front or rear, and therefore cannot be flanked. Swarmspew (Su): Once per day a plagueswarm can spew forth a concentrated blast of flies mixed with negative energy. This attack is a 30' cone and deals 1d6 points of damage per HD of the plagueswarm (10d6 for a typical plagueswarm). Half the damage is negative energy, while the other half is combined bludgeoning, piercing and slashing. In addition, all creatures damaged by this attack may be infected with filth fever. A succesful Reflex save (DC 19) halves the damage, while a successful Fortitude save (DC 19) negates the disease. The save DCs are Charisma-based. Unholy Grace (Ex): A plagueswarm gains a resistance bonus on all saves equal to its Charisma modifier. Vulnerabilities: Because of its unique origin, a plagueswarm possesses several vulnerabilities not common to the undead. The creature will not attack anyone who is trapped in any way (for example, in prison or under a fallen log), although it cannot be tricked by someone pretending to be trapped. Garlic repels the creature as it does vampires, and a plagueswarm will not approach within 10' of a clove of garlic. Finally, a remove disease spell will inflict 1d6 points of damage per caster level (max. 10d6) on a plagueswarm with a Fortitude save for half damage. These vulnerabilities can be discerned with a DC 16 Knowledge (religion) or bardic knowledge check, or a DC 21 Knowledge (arcana) or Knowledge (local) check.
dknight100 06-18-07, 11:26 PM	Overall, if you feel its balanced, then you should run it however you like best.
Nilbog 06-19-07, 12:35 PM	According to Wikipedia's "House fly" page: "The adults live from half a month to a month in the wild, or longer in benign laboratory conditions."