Colossal Creatures and Base Size [Archive] - Wizards Community

Colossal Creatures and Base Size [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
E-Arkham
07-30-04, 11:48 AM I recently made a mu spore from the Epic Level Handbook (It's one of the dorkiest looking creatures in existance, but I started it after a long string of jokes at one of our gaming sessions because I'm crazy like that). For a base, it uses a 6" x 6" piece of masonite which would be standard for a colossal creature. Sixty feet tall in game terms, the "miniature" stands about 12" tall. This fits very well on the 6" x 6" base.

My next big project is going to be a xixecal. Because, again, I'm crazy like that.

However, the xixecal stands "at least" 100' tall, which translates into 20" high. If I keep the bulk of the figure more or less proportional to the appropriate artwork, this would mean the xixecal would clearly exceed the limits of a 6" x 6" colossal base.

Thus my question is how to increase the size of the base (perhaps to 8" x 8", which would still be a bit tight for a 20" tall xixecal) while keeping the "miniature" legal for gaming -- IE, I want it on a base that fits the standards put forth in the DMG, yet there is no size beyond colossal for space.

Is there anything in the various manuals that would help here?

Thanks,

Kep

PS -- Eventually I'll be putting the mu spore and xixecal (when finished) up in my gallery or on coolminiornot; the size makes it a little harder to get a good picture than with standard sized figures.
obrysii
07-30-04, 12:07 PM I always thought that Colossal size meant anything that was the 6" by 6" or larger on the table. Afterall, a Castle is surely larger, but it would be considered Colossal. A Barn, too, is larger, but that's what they use as an example (at one point) of a Colossal sized item!
E-Arkham
07-30-04, 12:46 PM I could fit a respectably sized barn on a 6" x 6" base, with room for at least two carriages, however. The barn reference was in the modifiers to AC for size, wasn't it? Something about the broad side of a barn, which naturally comes up in terms of what you can hit or not? <g>

You're absolutely right about the castle being colossal. I did some more digging and found a bit in the DMG (in an unexpected section, actually, which is why I missed it before) mentioning that the max size for colossal is "64' or more." Luckily the mu spore is still considered colossal (rather than gargantuan, as it would be from that chart), and honestly it really wouldn't fit very well on a 20' x 20' (4" x 4") base.

Hmm. Guess I'll just dive forward with a 8" x 8" base, leave reach the same, and give the xixecal a go.

Thanks,

Kep
SirGog
07-30-04, 07:22 PM Mabye I remember wrongly, but I seem to recall the Xixecal being Colossal+.

Anyway, the 3.5 size simplification really becomes unbelievable with long creatures. A Behir is over 40ft long (if you go by the D&D miniature), but it always fights 'curled up' into a 15x15 foot square... Weird. Likewise, the Tarrasque is 70fttall, quadrepedal, and sits on a 30x30 ft base.
obrysii
07-30-04, 10:52 PM A great gold wyrm is 122ft long and over 70ft wide (wingspan) according to the Draconomicon, but takes up just the colossal size area..

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
E-Arkham 07-30-04, 11:48 AM	I recently made a mu spore from the Epic Level Handbook (It's one of the dorkiest looking creatures in existance, but I started it after a long string of jokes at one of our gaming sessions because I'm crazy like that). For a base, it uses a 6" x 6" piece of masonite which would be standard for a colossal creature. Sixty feet tall in game terms, the "miniature" stands about 12" tall. This fits very well on the 6" x 6" base. My next big project is going to be a xixecal. Because, again, I'm crazy like that. However, the xixecal stands "at least" 100' tall, which translates into 20" high. If I keep the bulk of the figure more or less proportional to the appropriate artwork, this would mean the xixecal would clearly exceed the limits of a 6" x 6" colossal base. Thus my question is how to increase the size of the base (perhaps to 8" x 8", which would still be a bit tight for a 20" tall xixecal) while keeping the "miniature" legal for gaming -- IE, I want it on a base that fits the standards put forth in the DMG, yet there is no size beyond colossal for space. Is there anything in the various manuals that would help here? Thanks, Kep PS -- Eventually I'll be putting the mu spore and xixecal (when finished) up in my gallery or on coolminiornot; the size makes it a little harder to get a good picture than with standard sized figures.
obrysii 07-30-04, 12:07 PM	I always thought that Colossal size meant anything that was the 6" by 6" or larger on the table. Afterall, a Castle is surely larger, but it would be considered Colossal. A Barn, too, is larger, but that's what they use as an example (at one point) of a Colossal sized item!
E-Arkham 07-30-04, 12:46 PM	I could fit a respectably sized barn on a 6" x 6" base, with room for at least two carriages, however. The barn reference was in the modifiers to AC for size, wasn't it? Something about the broad side of a barn, which naturally comes up in terms of what you can hit or not? <g> You're absolutely right about the castle being colossal. I did some more digging and found a bit in the DMG (in an unexpected section, actually, which is why I missed it before) mentioning that the max size for colossal is "64' or more." Luckily the mu spore is still considered colossal (rather than gargantuan, as it would be from that chart), and honestly it really wouldn't fit very well on a 20' x 20' (4" x 4") base. Hmm. Guess I'll just dive forward with a 8" x 8" base, leave reach the same, and give the xixecal a go. Thanks, Kep
SirGog 07-30-04, 07:22 PM	Mabye I remember wrongly, but I seem to recall the Xixecal being Colossal+. Anyway, the 3.5 size simplification really becomes unbelievable with long creatures. A Behir is over 40ft long (if you go by the D&D miniature), but it always fights 'curled up' into a 15x15 foot square... Weird. Likewise, the Tarrasque is 70fttall, quadrepedal, and sits on a 30x30 ft base.
obrysii 07-30-04, 10:52 PM	A great gold wyrm is 122ft long and over 70ft wide (wingspan) according to the Draconomicon, but takes up just the colossal size area..