Cadaverous Germination [Archive] - Wizards Community

Cadaverous Germination [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
TheScapegoat
08-29-06, 04:54 PM Cadaverous Germination Template

These are creatures that, after death, have been implanted with a magical seed that grows over the body, feeding of the decay, and eventually reanimating the creature. The seed was created by a cult of druids whose purpose it is to remove all societies to stop man from destroying the world.

Creating a Cadaverous Germination

Cadaverous Germination is a template that can be added to any corporeal aberration, animal, beast, dragon, giant, humanoid, magical beast, or monstrous humanoid, of medium size or larger(referred to hereafter as the base creature).The creature’s type becomes plant with augmented (base creature's type) as a subtype.

Hit Dice:As the base creature. Base creature must have at least 1 hit dice to gain the Cadaverous Germination template.
Speed: As the base creature. If the base creature can fly, its maneuverability is dropped to clumsy.
Armor class: As the Cadaverous Germination spreads over its host it thickens until it becomes a tough bark giving a natural armor equal to 1/2+3 the base creatures hit dice. If the base creatures natrual armor is higher use it instead.
Base Attack Bonus: 3/4th of the Cadaverous Germination’s Hit Dice.
Attacks: The Cadaverous Germination has any nature attacks that the base creature had and retains proficiency with any manufactured weapons the base creature had.
Special attacks: The Cadaverous Germination gains 2 tentacle slam attacks that deal damage dependant on the creature’s size. The Cadaverous Germination gains addition tentacle attacks per 5 hit dice.

Size / Slam Damage
Medium / d6
Large / d8
Huge / 2d6
Gargantuan / 2d8
Colossal / 4d6

Improved grab (ex): If the Cadaverous Germination hits with at least 2 of its tentacle attacks it can attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check it can use it’s constrict attack.
Constrict (ex): The Cadaverous Germination deals damage dependant on size using the same chart as slam damage.

The cadaverous germination loses all special attacks of the base creature.

Special Qualities: The Cadaverous Germination gains dark vision 60ft., electricity resistance/20, is mindless, fast healing/3, and have a +4 racial bonus to grapple checks. The cadaverous germination is immune to the following; disease, death effects, ability damage and drain, and energy drain. A cadaverous germination takes 50% more damage from fire based attacks.
Turning or Rebuke: A Cadaverous Germination can be turned or rebuked; clerics with the plant domain gain a +2 on turning checks.
Summoning: A druid can use Summon Nature’s Ally 2 or greater to summon a Cadaverous Germination of equal hit dice as allowed by the spell.
Single Action Only (ex): Cadaverous Germination are slow creatures and because of this can only make a single move action or attack action each round. A Cadaverous Germination can only move and attack in a round if it attempts a charge.
Spore Cloud (ex): The Cadaverous Germination builds up a large number of spores that in can release once per day as a free action that will affect creatures in a 10 ft. radius around it. Anyone within the affected area must make a successful fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Cadaverous Germination’s HD) or else become diseased. The spores cause rashes on the victim’s body causing horrible itching. The affected creature gets -2 to skill strength or dexterity based skill checks, armor class, and attack rolls. A creature that dies while diseased will rise as a Cadaverous Germination after 48 hours.
Negative Energy Healing (Ex): Cadaverous Germination are healed by negative energy (such as an inflict spell), while positive energy (such as a cure spell) deals damage to them.
Saves: 1/2 HD+2 for fortitude, 1/3 HD for reflex, and 1/3 HD for will.
Abilities: A Cadaverous Germination ability scores are as the base creature except; dexterity is decreased by 2, has no constitution and intelligence score.
Skills: A Cadaverous Germination has no skills.
Feats: The Cadaverous Germination gains the Toughness and Weapon Focus (grapple) feats.
Environment: Any land or underground.
Organization: Any.
Challenge Rating: As base creature +3.
Treasure: None.
Alignment: Neutral.
Advancement: As base creature.
Level Adjustment: --
Grod_The_Giant
08-29-06, 09:04 PM i don't know about the chalenge rating but this thing (in addition to slightly confusing me) scares me! :gah:
Insane Pixie
08-29-06, 09:21 PM Hit Dice: As the base creature. Base creature must have at least 1 hit dice to gain the Cadaverous Germination template.

I'd change it to "The base creature gains 1 HD". I don't see the reasoning behind the way it is right now.

Speed: 20 ft. If the base creature can fly, its maneuverability is dropped to clumsy.

I've never seen a template give an exact speed. That can be a pain... you're pretty much ensuring that your players can outrun it. Maybe the template should decrease base land speed by 10 ft.?

Base Attack Bonus: 3/4th of the Cadaverous Germination’s Hit Dice.

Easier to understand if you put it "As cleric".

Special attacks: The Cadaverous Germination gains 2 tentacle slam attacks that deal damage dependant on the creature’s size. The Cadaverous Germination gains addition tentacle attacks per 5 hit dice.

How many per 5 HD? One, two, seven? You should also list the attack damages for smaller creatures.

Special Qualities: The Cadaverous Germination gains dark vision 60ft., electricity resistance/20, is mindless, fast healing/3, and have a +4 racial bonus to grapple checks. The cadaverous germination is immune to the following; disease, death effects, ability damage and drain, and energy drain. A cadaverous germination takes 50% more damage from fire based attacks.

Wow... clumped together... hard to read. You really just put those in some some of bullet form, or take a look at the way they do in the books.

Summoning: A druid can use Summon Nature’s Ally 2 or greater to summon a Cadaverous Germination of equal hit dice as allowed by the spell.

How often?

Abilities: A Cadaverous Germination ability scores are as the base creature except; dexterity is decreased by 2, has no constitution and intelligence score.

No constitution score is weird for a plant. Maybe you should change the type to undead (augmented). You're pretty much giving them all the benefits and weaknesses of both the undead and of plants, so just making them a plant-like undead makes for sense (and is easier on the rules).

CR right now looks like it should be... well, nothing, actually. You give them a lot of the penalties of zombies and the like, but you even it out with plant abilities and a couple of weaknesses. At most, it should be as the base creature + 1.
TheScapegoat
08-29-06, 10:12 PM I'd change it to "The base creature gains 1 HD". I don't see the reasoning behind the way it is right now.

Primary reason is i don't want this template to be put on creatures with 1/2 a hit dice for example.

I've never seen a template give an exact speed. That can be a pain... you're pretty much ensuring that your players can outrun it. Maybe the template should decrease base land speed by 10 ft.?

That is exactly what the zombie template does.

How many per 5 HD? One, two, seven? You should also list the attack damages for smaller creatures.

Accidently ommision, ment to say AN addition tentacle attack, will revise. Its 1 per 5 HD

Wow... clumped together... hard to read. You really just put those in some some of bullet form, or take a look at the way they do in the books.

I figured it was long enough that that stuff could be lumped together as they where short, probably will fix.

How often?

Per the spell. The only reason its mention is i want druids to be able to summon them but under the spell i don't think its given as an option so i wanted to state this in the template.

No constitution score is weird for a plant. Maybe you should change the type to undead (augmented). You're pretty much giving them all the benefits and weaknesses of both the undead and of plants, so just making them a plant-like undead makes for sense (and is easier on the rules).

It really is ment to be an Undead Plant, but i was told by some very good players on another forum that you could not have 2 types and a subtype and per template desing rules the subtype has to be [Augmented Base creature] so it was either plant type OR undead type, i decided plant.

Tho i totally agree with you, i just want it to be as per there rules as possible.

EDIT: Maybe i misread you, do you mean make type Plant-Undead or just Undead? Cause that might not be a bad idea to change to Undead type instead of plant.

CR right now looks like it should be... well, nothing, actually. You give them a lot of the penalties of zombies and the like, but you even it out with plant abilities and a couple of weaknesses. At most, it should be as the base creature + 1.

The problem with saying base creature + 1 is say an great wyrm black dragon is killed and raised as one of these. The CR would then be 23 [Base creature is 22 + 1 from template]. But a great wyrm with this template is MUCH weaker then an actual great wyrm. Therefor, like the zombie template, the CR must be based on the HD plus i think a small modifier is in order because this template is much stronger on a 1HD creature then it is on a 10HD creature.

Thanks for reviewing it at least but thats mainly why its designed the way it is. I may infact put "as cleric" tho as that is infact much easier to deal with.
Insane Pixie
08-29-06, 10:28 PM That is exactly what the zombie template does.

Actually, all it does is drop manueverability. I was saying that it wouldn't make sense that a germinated Human and a germinated Cheetah would move the same speed, which is why I suggested you just decrease land speed.

Per the spell. The only reason its mention is i want druids to be able to summon them but under the spell i don't think its given as an option so i wanted to state this in the template.

What I meant was - how often can they use it? Aka, once per day, once per week, at will? You should mention that.

EDIT: Maybe i misread you, do you mean make type Plant-Undead or just Undead? Cause that might not be a bad idea to change to Undead type instead of plant.

Change it to undead it what I meant.

The problem with saying base creature + 1 is say an great wyrm black dragon is killed and raised as one of these. The CR would then be 23 [Base creature is 22 + 1 from template]. But a great wyrm with this template is MUCH weaker then an actual great wyrm.

Actually, he'd be a lot more powerful. He'd have all the immunites of the undead, and he'd gain 9 extra tentacle attacks, each at 2d8. With the standard Black Great Wyrm's Strength score, he'd deal an extra 18d8+108 damage per round. And that's assuming that the tentacles are off-hand attacks.

So, yeah, we were both wrong. The template is probably more useful to higher HDs, and CRs, because they gain more attacks. I'm not sure about how to adjust it (the CR), though.
TheScapegoat
08-29-06, 10:39 PM Actually, all it does is drop manueverability. I was saying that it wouldn't make sense that a germinated Human and a germinated Cheetah would move the same speed, which is why I suggested you just decrease land speed.

Checked, not sure where i read that but i will probably just remove it. The main reason i put it was because it made sense like the zombie template but as i was incorrect ill probably just remove.

What I meant was - how often can they use it? Aka, once per day, once per week, at will? You should mention that.

I must not be explaing my self. Its not actually an abbility gifted to druids. Druids CAN get the summon natures ally spells. All this entry does is allow druids to use that spell and get these just as if they got a wolf or a bear or whatever. How many times per day is totaly dependant on the character and nothing to do with the template. Hope that clears it up.

So i guess the anwser would be, however many times as he can cast summon natures ally per day is how often he can do it.

Actually, he'd be a lot more powerful. He'd have all the immunites of the undead, and he'd gain 9 extra tentacle attacks, each at 2d8. With the standard Black Great Wyrm's Strength score, he'd deal an extra 18d8+108 damage per round. And that's assuming that the tentacles are off-hand attacks.

Im not exacly sure how he would be stronger. Yes he would have more attacks. But he would lose all spell casting and his breath weapon, his fear, and any other none melee attacks and effects. Tho i guess if he did hit all his attacks (not hard for that kind of creature) the +108 dmg per round could be alot. Maybe i under estimated that many attacks and +dmg . :D

(EDIT: Relized i misscounted attacks so removed that part.)
Insane Pixie
08-29-06, 10:57 PM I must not be explaing my self. Its not actually an abbility gifted to druids. Druids CAN get the summon natures ally spells. All this entry does is allow druids to use that spell and get these just as if they got a wolf or a bear or whatever. How many times per day is totaly dependant on the character and nothing to do with the template. Hope that clears it up.

Ah, my bad. I thought you meant that the germinations could cast SNAII to summon more germinations. I see what you mean, now. Thanks for the clarification.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
TheScapegoat 08-29-06, 04:54 PM	Cadaverous Germination Template These are creatures that, after death, have been implanted with a magical seed that grows over the body, feeding of the decay, and eventually reanimating the creature. The seed was created by a cult of druids whose purpose it is to remove all societies to stop man from destroying the world. Creating a Cadaverous Germination Cadaverous Germination is a template that can be added to any corporeal aberration, animal, beast, dragon, giant, humanoid, magical beast, or monstrous humanoid, of medium size or larger(referred to hereafter as the base creature).The creature’s type becomes plant with augmented (base creature's type) as a subtype. Hit Dice:As the base creature. Base creature must have at least 1 hit dice to gain the Cadaverous Germination template. Speed: As the base creature. If the base creature can fly, its maneuverability is dropped to clumsy. Armor class: As the Cadaverous Germination spreads over its host it thickens until it becomes a tough bark giving a natural armor equal to 1/2+3 the base creatures hit dice. If the base creatures natrual armor is higher use it instead. Base Attack Bonus: 3/4th of the Cadaverous Germination’s Hit Dice. Attacks: The Cadaverous Germination has any nature attacks that the base creature had and retains proficiency with any manufactured weapons the base creature had. Special attacks: The Cadaverous Germination gains 2 tentacle slam attacks that deal damage dependant on the creature’s size. The Cadaverous Germination gains addition tentacle attacks per 5 hit dice. Size / Slam Damage Medium / d6 Large / d8 Huge / 2d6 Gargantuan / 2d8 Colossal / 4d6 Improved grab (ex): If the Cadaverous Germination hits with at least 2 of its tentacle attacks it can attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check it can use it’s constrict attack. Constrict (ex): The Cadaverous Germination deals damage dependant on size using the same chart as slam damage. The cadaverous germination loses all special attacks of the base creature. Special Qualities: The Cadaverous Germination gains dark vision 60ft., electricity resistance/20, is mindless, fast healing/3, and have a +4 racial bonus to grapple checks. The cadaverous germination is immune to the following; disease, death effects, ability damage and drain, and energy drain. A cadaverous germination takes 50% more damage from fire based attacks. Turning or Rebuke: A Cadaverous Germination can be turned or rebuked; clerics with the plant domain gain a +2 on turning checks. Summoning: A druid can use Summon Nature’s Ally 2 or greater to summon a Cadaverous Germination of equal hit dice as allowed by the spell. Single Action Only (ex): Cadaverous Germination are slow creatures and because of this can only make a single move action or attack action each round. A Cadaverous Germination can only move and attack in a round if it attempts a charge. Spore Cloud (ex): The Cadaverous Germination builds up a large number of spores that in can release once per day as a free action that will affect creatures in a 10 ft. radius around it. Anyone within the affected area must make a successful fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Cadaverous Germination’s HD) or else become diseased. The spores cause rashes on the victim’s body causing horrible itching. The affected creature gets -2 to skill strength or dexterity based skill checks, armor class, and attack rolls. A creature that dies while diseased will rise as a Cadaverous Germination after 48 hours. Negative Energy Healing (Ex): Cadaverous Germination are healed by negative energy (such as an inflict spell), while positive energy (such as a cure spell) deals damage to them. Saves: 1/2 HD+2 for fortitude, 1/3 HD for reflex, and 1/3 HD for will. Abilities: A Cadaverous Germination ability scores are as the base creature except; dexterity is decreased by 2, has no constitution and intelligence score. Skills: A Cadaverous Germination has no skills. Feats: The Cadaverous Germination gains the Toughness and Weapon Focus (grapple) feats. Environment: Any land or underground. Organization: Any. Challenge Rating: As base creature +3. Treasure: None. Alignment: Neutral. Advancement: As base creature. Level Adjustment: --
Grod_The_Giant 08-29-06, 09:04 PM	i don't know about the chalenge rating but this thing (in addition to slightly confusing me) scares me! :gah:
Insane Pixie 08-29-06, 09:21 PM	Hit Dice: As the base creature. Base creature must have at least 1 hit dice to gain the Cadaverous Germination template. I'd change it to "The base creature gains 1 HD". I don't see the reasoning behind the way it is right now. Speed: 20 ft. If the base creature can fly, its maneuverability is dropped to clumsy. I've never seen a template give an exact speed. That can be a pain... you're pretty much ensuring that your players can outrun it. Maybe the template should decrease base land speed by 10 ft.? Base Attack Bonus: 3/4th of the Cadaverous Germination’s Hit Dice. Easier to understand if you put it "As cleric". Special attacks: The Cadaverous Germination gains 2 tentacle slam attacks that deal damage dependant on the creature’s size. The Cadaverous Germination gains addition tentacle attacks per 5 hit dice. How many per 5 HD? One, two, seven? You should also list the attack damages for smaller creatures. Special Qualities: The Cadaverous Germination gains dark vision 60ft., electricity resistance/20, is mindless, fast healing/3, and have a +4 racial bonus to grapple checks. The cadaverous germination is immune to the following; disease, death effects, ability damage and drain, and energy drain. A cadaverous germination takes 50% more damage from fire based attacks. Wow... clumped together... hard to read. You really just put those in some some of bullet form, or take a look at the way they do in the books. Summoning: A druid can use Summon Nature’s Ally 2 or greater to summon a Cadaverous Germination of equal hit dice as allowed by the spell. How often? Abilities: A Cadaverous Germination ability scores are as the base creature except; dexterity is decreased by 2, has no constitution and intelligence score. No constitution score is weird for a plant. Maybe you should change the type to undead (augmented). You're pretty much giving them all the benefits and weaknesses of both the undead and of plants, so just making them a plant-like undead makes for sense (and is easier on the rules). CR right now looks like it should be... well, nothing, actually. You give them a lot of the penalties of zombies and the like, but you even it out with plant abilities and a couple of weaknesses. At most, it should be as the base creature + 1.
TheScapegoat 08-29-06, 10:12 PM	I'd change it to "The base creature gains 1 HD". I don't see the reasoning behind the way it is right now. Primary reason is i don't want this template to be put on creatures with 1/2 a hit dice for example. I've never seen a template give an exact speed. That can be a pain... you're pretty much ensuring that your players can outrun it. Maybe the template should decrease base land speed by 10 ft.? That is exactly what the zombie template does. How many per 5 HD? One, two, seven? You should also list the attack damages for smaller creatures. Accidently ommision, ment to say AN addition tentacle attack, will revise. Its 1 per 5 HD Wow... clumped together... hard to read. You really just put those in some some of bullet form, or take a look at the way they do in the books. I figured it was long enough that that stuff could be lumped together as they where short, probably will fix. How often? Per the spell. The only reason its mention is i want druids to be able to summon them but under the spell i don't think its given as an option so i wanted to state this in the template. No constitution score is weird for a plant. Maybe you should change the type to undead (augmented). You're pretty much giving them all the benefits and weaknesses of both the undead and of plants, so just making them a plant-like undead makes for sense (and is easier on the rules). It really is ment to be an Undead Plant, but i was told by some very good players on another forum that you could not have 2 types and a subtype and per template desing rules the subtype has to be [Augmented Base creature] so it was either plant type OR undead type, i decided plant. Tho i totally agree with you, i just want it to be as per there rules as possible. EDIT: Maybe i misread you, do you mean make type Plant-Undead or just Undead? Cause that might not be a bad idea to change to Undead type instead of plant. CR right now looks like it should be... well, nothing, actually. You give them a lot of the penalties of zombies and the like, but you even it out with plant abilities and a couple of weaknesses. At most, it should be as the base creature + 1. The problem with saying base creature + 1 is say an great wyrm black dragon is killed and raised as one of these. The CR would then be 23 [Base creature is 22 + 1 from template]. But a great wyrm with this template is MUCH weaker then an actual great wyrm. Therefor, like the zombie template, the CR must be based on the HD plus i think a small modifier is in order because this template is much stronger on a 1HD creature then it is on a 10HD creature. Thanks for reviewing it at least but thats mainly why its designed the way it is. I may infact put "as cleric" tho as that is infact much easier to deal with.
Insane Pixie 08-29-06, 10:28 PM	That is exactly what the zombie template does. Actually, all it does is drop manueverability. I was saying that it wouldn't make sense that a germinated Human and a germinated Cheetah would move the same speed, which is why I suggested you just decrease land speed. Per the spell. The only reason its mention is i want druids to be able to summon them but under the spell i don't think its given as an option so i wanted to state this in the template. What I meant was - how often can they use it? Aka, once per day, once per week, at will? You should mention that. EDIT: Maybe i misread you, do you mean make type Plant-Undead or just Undead? Cause that might not be a bad idea to change to Undead type instead of plant. Change it to undead it what I meant. The problem with saying base creature + 1 is say an great wyrm black dragon is killed and raised as one of these. The CR would then be 23 [Base creature is 22 + 1 from template]. But a great wyrm with this template is MUCH weaker then an actual great wyrm. Actually, he'd be a lot more powerful. He'd have all the immunites of the undead, and he'd gain 9 extra tentacle attacks, each at 2d8. With the standard Black Great Wyrm's Strength score, he'd deal an extra 18d8+108 damage per round. And that's assuming that the tentacles are off-hand attacks. So, yeah, we were both wrong. The template is probably more useful to higher HDs, and CRs, because they gain more attacks. I'm not sure about how to adjust it (the CR), though.
TheScapegoat 08-29-06, 10:39 PM	Actually, all it does is drop manueverability. I was saying that it wouldn't make sense that a germinated Human and a germinated Cheetah would move the same speed, which is why I suggested you just decrease land speed. Checked, not sure where i read that but i will probably just remove it. The main reason i put it was because it made sense like the zombie template but as i was incorrect ill probably just remove. What I meant was - how often can they use it? Aka, once per day, once per week, at will? You should mention that. I must not be explaing my self. Its not actually an abbility gifted to druids. Druids CAN get the summon natures ally spells. All this entry does is allow druids to use that spell and get these just as if they got a wolf or a bear or whatever. How many times per day is totaly dependant on the character and nothing to do with the template. Hope that clears it up. So i guess the anwser would be, however many times as he can cast summon natures ally per day is how often he can do it. Actually, he'd be a lot more powerful. He'd have all the immunites of the undead, and he'd gain 9 extra tentacle attacks, each at 2d8. With the standard Black Great Wyrm's Strength score, he'd deal an extra 18d8+108 damage per round. And that's assuming that the tentacles are off-hand attacks. Im not exacly sure how he would be stronger. Yes he would have more attacks. But he would lose all spell casting and his breath weapon, his fear, and any other none melee attacks and effects. Tho i guess if he did hit all his attacks (not hard for that kind of creature) the +108 dmg per round could be alot. Maybe i under estimated that many attacks and +dmg . :D (EDIT: Relized i misscounted attacks so removed that part.)
Insane Pixie 08-29-06, 10:57 PM	I must not be explaing my self. Its not actually an abbility gifted to druids. Druids CAN get the summon natures ally spells. All this entry does is allow druids to use that spell and get these just as if they got a wolf or a bear or whatever. How many times per day is totaly dependant on the character and nothing to do with the template. Hope that clears it up. Ah, my bad. I thought you meant that the germinations could cast SNAII to summon more germinations. I see what you mean, now. Thanks for the clarification.