Black Pudding [Archive] - Wizards Community

Black Pudding [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
paradox1995
07-23-07, 02:48 AM The Black pudding has the following ability...

Split (Ex): Slashing and piercing weapons deal no damage to a black pudding. Instead the creature splits into two identical puddings, each with half of the original’s current hit points (round down). A pudding with 10 hit points or less cannot be further split and dies if reduced to 0 hit points

Do all the subsequent puddings retain their identical size? If so... shouldn't this ability be called "multiply?" If something splits it becomes to Lesser size creatures...

Help Please...:confused:
ArcTan
07-23-07, 06:56 AM It's D&D. Don't obsess too much over it.

The only way this would be physically possible in real life (without giving the creature the ability to create matter from nothing) would be if the two puddings end up the same *size* but not the same mass -- i.e. each pudding has hollow spaces inside, and after splitting the hollow spaces get bigger (which explains why each new pudding is weaker).
DebiHuman
07-23-07, 10:40 AM I've always looked at it thusly: Since the rules don't say anything about the size of a split pudding -- only that each half is identical.

Since it's an ooze, none of its abiities are really size related as it just might be thinner but for game purposes it's size is amorphous.

An average black pudding is 15 feet across and 2 feet high. You could split it at most into 16 puddings which have 7 hit points each (they would lose 3 hit points just for rounding out the numbers) covering a mass of 15 feet but instead of each one being two-feet tall, each one would only be 1/8th of that (3 inches thick). This also assumes that the pudding didn't take any damage other than being split.

The greater question is, 'does iit matter?' It can still fit into 15 feet at its smallest size and three inches of goo is still three inches of goo. It's slightly better than 2 feet of goo but instead of 1 you've got 16, and instead of being side-by-side they could just as easily be on top of each other-- especially if they are in a confined area.

A smaller ooze has to pull in more mass to create the same psuedopod but with 16 of them in one area, it's not going to be very noticeable. Of course having a party come across one that's been split 3 times might be interesting.

At least that was how I always looked at it. YMMV.

Debby
Slagger the Chuul
07-24-07, 12:26 AM Personally, I wish they'd created statistics for a range of ooze sizes, the way they did for elementals. It would provide an easier way to implement split and allow you to pitch oozes at a wider range of Encounter Levels.
paradox1995
07-24-07, 01:01 AM So when they split...all the puddings are 15x15'?
eggplantm
07-24-07, 07:32 AM So when they split...all the puddings are 15x15'?

As written, yes. If you are uncomforable with this idea, you could have them continue to occupy the same space but give the creature an extra attack each time this even occurs. It is now like there are multiple creatures occupying the same space and each has separate hit points and attacks.
paradox1995
07-24-07, 02:21 PM Hmmmm... okay... new delima. What if it "splits"... but there isn't enough room in the chamber for it to occupy 15' without moving into a PC's space? Instant grapple check? Bull rush? What happens to the PC's who are suddenly covered in black pudding... LoL bad day for them?:rolleyes: :confused:

Thanks for the extra attacks suggestion, I might have to go with that , or make the room in the dungeon bigger.. Damn confusing multiplying puddings LOL:eek:
paradox1995
07-24-07, 08:05 PM Hmmmm... okay... new delima. What if it "splits"... but there isn't enough room in the chamber for it to occupy 15' without moving into a PC's space? Instant grapple check? Bull rush? What happens to the PC's who are suddenly covered in black pudding... LoL bad day for them?:rolleyes: :confused::

Anyone...Anyone???:confused:
DebiHuman
07-25-07, 12:32 AM It's an amorphous creature. That's one of the things about puddings and oozes in general--they are globular not a fixed shape or dimension. so it can fit in a much smaller space (it would just be taller) or in a larger space (and be thinner as it spreads out). In that way it could squeeze through holes and such to escape.

Unfortunately, as a DM this requires you to think in 3 dimensions. If any ooze is in a room too small for it to begin with, how are the pcs going to get in? It's not like they'll volunteer to get mucked by a black pudding unless you have it drop on top of them. In which case, they will likely be surprised, caught flat-footed, the ooze will get an attack of opportunity and so forth.

Just some ideas to consider.

Debby
paradox1995
07-25-07, 01:30 AM If any ooze is in a room too small for it to begin with, how are the pcs going to get in?

Its not that it is too large to fit in the room at the begining of the encounter... after it gets hit with a peircing/slashing weapon it splits into two 15'x15' creatures... now you have two 15' creatures trying to occupy a 25 foot room...

That room also contains the PC's... so everyone will not fit LOL

I making sense here?!:confused: :D
JulesCARV
07-25-07, 02:01 AM Well, in general, a creature one size category larger is about eight times as massive. Since each splitting divides mass by two, I'd say that an ooze that's a result of being split three times should have its size reduced by one step.

This is a house rule with no support in the actual rules, but it seems to make sense.
DebiHuman
07-25-07, 09:29 PM An unsplit black pudding is 15X15X2 feet, 2 are 15x15x1 foot, 4 are 15x15 by 6 inches, etc. If there are two in a room, they are roiling over each other (being amorphous that's just what they do).

Debby

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
paradox1995 07-23-07, 02:48 AM	The Black pudding has the following ability... Split (Ex): Slashing and piercing weapons deal no damage to a black pudding. Instead the creature splits into two identical puddings, each with half of the original’s current hit points (round down). A pudding with 10 hit points or less cannot be further split and dies if reduced to 0 hit points Do all the subsequent puddings retain their identical size? If so... shouldn't this ability be called "multiply?" If something splits it becomes to Lesser size creatures... Help Please...:confused:
ArcTan 07-23-07, 06:56 AM	It's D&D. Don't obsess too much over it. The only way this would be physically possible in real life (without giving the creature the ability to create matter from nothing) would be if the two puddings end up the same size but not the same mass -- i.e. each pudding has hollow spaces inside, and after splitting the hollow spaces get bigger (which explains why each new pudding is weaker).
DebiHuman 07-23-07, 10:40 AM	I've always looked at it thusly: Since the rules don't say anything about the size of a split pudding -- only that each half is identical. Since it's an ooze, none of its abiities are really size related as it just might be thinner but for game purposes it's size is amorphous. An average black pudding is 15 feet across and 2 feet high. You could split it at most into 16 puddings which have 7 hit points each (they would lose 3 hit points just for rounding out the numbers) covering a mass of 15 feet but instead of each one being two-feet tall, each one would only be 1/8th of that (3 inches thick). This also assumes that the pudding didn't take any damage other than being split. The greater question is, 'does iit matter?' It can still fit into 15 feet at its smallest size and three inches of goo is still three inches of goo. It's slightly better than 2 feet of goo but instead of 1 you've got 16, and instead of being side-by-side they could just as easily be on top of each other-- especially if they are in a confined area. A smaller ooze has to pull in more mass to create the same psuedopod but with 16 of them in one area, it's not going to be very noticeable. Of course having a party come across one that's been split 3 times might be interesting. At least that was how I always looked at it. YMMV. Debby
Slagger the Chuul 07-24-07, 12:26 AM	Personally, I wish they'd created statistics for a range of ooze sizes, the way they did for elementals. It would provide an easier way to implement split and allow you to pitch oozes at a wider range of Encounter Levels.
paradox1995 07-24-07, 01:01 AM	So when they split...all the puddings are 15x15'?
eggplantm 07-24-07, 07:32 AM	So when they split...all the puddings are 15x15'? As written, yes. If you are uncomforable with this idea, you could have them continue to occupy the same space but give the creature an extra attack each time this even occurs. It is now like there are multiple creatures occupying the same space and each has separate hit points and attacks.
paradox1995 07-24-07, 02:21 PM	Hmmmm... okay... new delima. What if it "splits"... but there isn't enough room in the chamber for it to occupy 15' without moving into a PC's space? Instant grapple check? Bull rush? What happens to the PC's who are suddenly covered in black pudding... LoL bad day for them?:rolleyes: :confused: Thanks for the extra attacks suggestion, I might have to go with that , or make the room in the dungeon bigger.. Damn confusing multiplying puddings LOL:eek:
paradox1995 07-24-07, 08:05 PM	Hmmmm... okay... new delima. What if it "splits"... but there isn't enough room in the chamber for it to occupy 15' without moving into a PC's space? Instant grapple check? Bull rush? What happens to the PC's who are suddenly covered in black pudding... LoL bad day for them?:rolleyes: :confused:: Anyone...Anyone???:confused:
DebiHuman 07-25-07, 12:32 AM	It's an amorphous creature. That's one of the things about puddings and oozes in general--they are globular not a fixed shape or dimension. so it can fit in a much smaller space (it would just be taller) or in a larger space (and be thinner as it spreads out). In that way it could squeeze through holes and such to escape. Unfortunately, as a DM this requires you to think in 3 dimensions. If any ooze is in a room too small for it to begin with, how are the pcs going to get in? It's not like they'll volunteer to get mucked by a black pudding unless you have it drop on top of them. In which case, they will likely be surprised, caught flat-footed, the ooze will get an attack of opportunity and so forth. Just some ideas to consider. Debby
paradox1995 07-25-07, 01:30 AM	If any ooze is in a room too small for it to begin with, how are the pcs going to get in? Its not that it is too large to fit in the room at the begining of the encounter... after it gets hit with a peircing/slashing weapon it splits into two 15'x15' creatures... now you have two 15' creatures trying to occupy a 25 foot room... That room also contains the PC's... so everyone will not fit LOL I making sense here?!:confused: :D
JulesCARV 07-25-07, 02:01 AM	Well, in general, a creature one size category larger is about eight times as massive. Since each splitting divides mass by two, I'd say that an ooze that's a result of being split three times should have its size reduced by one step. This is a house rule with no support in the actual rules, but it seems to make sense.
DebiHuman 07-25-07, 09:29 PM	An unsplit black pudding is 15X15X2 feet, 2 are 15x15x1 foot, 4 are 15x15 by 6 inches, etc. If there are two in a room, they are roiling over each other (being amorphous that's just what they do). Debby