Creating a new monster/race: Treemen [Archive] - Wizards Community

Creating a new monster/race: Treemen [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Uratoh
05-27-05, 02:46 PM In my aquatic campaign homebrew world, I was inspired by the Oak Mage model from Mage Knight, to make a Large-sized tree man race...perhaps druidic. My overall aim is something SIMILAR to an ogre i nterms of basics...4 racial HD and +2 worth of LA abilities...though I'd like to steer away from the 'big brute' concept and give them perhaps some spell-likes or what not...I'm looking for suggestions, these creatures would live primarily, in swamplands, or on the islands created by druids.
Insanity
05-29-05, 08:17 PM Some suggestions for either Sp or Su abilities, Command Plants, Commune with Nature, and Transport via Plants.
OamuTheMonk
05-29-05, 11:55 PM Entangle is always good. Spikes (self only) 1/day. They should have a Slam attack, +2 Natural armor (that maybe imposes an armor check penalty), High Str, high Con, low, low Dex (-4 at least), and high Wis. Vulnerability to fire (definitely). Plant traits (meaning vulnerability to Command plants, maybe).
Slagger the Chuul
05-30-05, 09:43 AM So what's really in demand here is a more accessible version of the treant. "Same great treant flavour with just a fraction of the LA calories."

Treants only have a single spell-like ability, but it's definitely one to write home about, so they aren't exactly slouches in that department.

The plant type will be a big consideration (since that's the type they'll probably have), since it gives a bunch of nice immunities without any real drawbacks, so you'll probably be putting a little more into Level Adjustment than the ogre at the cost of a racial Hit Die or two. Don't try and put in too many racial spell-like abilities; the real big men of the race will be those who have levels in druid.

Entangle is good because it's relatively cheap (being a low-level spell) to add, but clearly evocative of the plant theme. You might want to consider something like the dwarf's stability ability; with stout roots anchoring it, a Large tree man can probably wade through the swamp in most cases.

If you aren't too concerned about having the plant traits, you could make them giants or monstrous humanoids and put more into their magic abilities without making them too good. The plant type does have some nice advantages, however.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Uratoh 05-27-05, 02:46 PM	In my aquatic campaign homebrew world, I was inspired by the Oak Mage model from Mage Knight, to make a Large-sized tree man race...perhaps druidic. My overall aim is something SIMILAR to an ogre i nterms of basics...4 racial HD and +2 worth of LA abilities...though I'd like to steer away from the 'big brute' concept and give them perhaps some spell-likes or what not...I'm looking for suggestions, these creatures would live primarily, in swamplands, or on the islands created by druids.
Insanity 05-29-05, 08:17 PM	Some suggestions for either Sp or Su abilities, Command Plants, Commune with Nature, and Transport via Plants.
OamuTheMonk 05-29-05, 11:55 PM	Entangle is always good. Spikes (self only) 1/day. They should have a Slam attack, +2 Natural armor (that maybe imposes an armor check penalty), High Str, high Con, low, low Dex (-4 at least), and high Wis. Vulnerability to fire (definitely). Plant traits (meaning vulnerability to Command plants, maybe).
Slagger the Chuul 05-30-05, 09:43 AM	So what's really in demand here is a more accessible version of the treant. "Same great treant flavour with just a fraction of the LA calories." Treants only have a single spell-like ability, but it's definitely one to write home about, so they aren't exactly slouches in that department. The plant type will be a big consideration (since that's the type they'll probably have), since it gives a bunch of nice immunities without any real drawbacks, so you'll probably be putting a little more into Level Adjustment than the ogre at the cost of a racial Hit Die or two. Don't try and put in too many racial spell-like abilities; the real big men of the race will be those who have levels in druid. Entangle is good because it's relatively cheap (being a low-level spell) to add, but clearly evocative of the plant theme. You might want to consider something like the dwarf's stability ability; with stout roots anchoring it, a Large tree man can probably wade through the swamp in most cases. If you aren't too concerned about having the plant traits, you could make them giants or monstrous humanoids and put more into their magic abilities without making them too good. The plant type does have some nice advantages, however.