Symbiotic plants - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Symbiotic plants

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
kefrem
Nov 29, 2010 5:39:36 I was disappointed when after buying the game these were not included. Anyone made any home brewed rules for them yet?
#2
Serpine
Nov 29, 2010 6:28:20
From a game standpoint there wouldn't really need to be special rules, its just flavor text. A Hypercognitive Felinoid could very well say "I'm a big mutant tiger with a gross tentacled plant thing on his cranium" - The symbiot justifies the smart origin, the host the combat aspects. A more aggressive symbiotic infestation (tiger covered in moss and vines) would likely be indicated by a plant combo origin (Plant Felinoid).

Ideally if your trying to push the smart plant on dumb quadraped angle you'll want convince your GM to houserule that your starting weapons and armor are natural: It would prevent you from replacing them and hinder you from using a lot of equipment, so it hurts you more then anything, but the coolness factor of saying light melee weapon and light armor are actually "razor-sharp talons" and "thick hide" is more then worth it in style points.
#3
kefrem
Nov 29, 2010 6:45:54 well...see thats really a cool idea and all...but the thing is with symbiotic plants(from 1st edition thru 3rd was that they could jump from creature to creature...a sort of upgrade. A gm isnt gonna allow that without some kind of rules ...what happens to the original...does the new creature get a save and so on. As thats how the original rules worked.

While seperated also the plant would have some seperate statistics for its smaller reduced form.

Are there similar rules in the 4e dnd? i dont play 4e dnd as i dont like how spells were redone.
#4
Serpine
Nov 29, 2010 8:08:01 Looking up the 3rd edition books (the core and the "Rules Supplement" which they sent out free when they realised how much they forgot to include in the core), the specifics were:
* Extra mental mutation.
* -2 HP per HD.
* Can only possess common animal for host that doesn't exceed half your HD.
* Can't change host till host dies.
* Host had one 5d6 (discard lowest) stat and the rest were 3d6.
* Natural abilities of host were whatever the DM liked.
* Physical damage split even between plant and host, mental all hits plant.

So numerically this would actually make you much more fragile versus mental attacks, since the enemy is directly hitting the reduced plant total. Versus physical damage if your host had more hit points then the plant, the plant would die first leaving a confused host, and if the host had fewer it would die first leaving a heavily damaged non-mobile plant without natural attacks.

- - - - -

Hmmm... In any case I'm sure somebody could cook up a new custom origin to provide something appropriate. Mix in some sort of helpless self-rez and a way to stat the host... Maybe I'll give it a shot tomorrow or so if I have time.
#5
caz_granberg
Nov 29, 2010 8:35:50 Plant and Rat Swarm could be defined as a number of plant bodies that 'reanimate' a host form. You'd look different from time to time, but you'd have your 'controller spore' idea.

Plant and Mind Coercer or Mind Breaker could give you the 'mentalist plant' running a lobotomized humanoid body.
#6
Tony_Vargas
Nov 30, 2010 15:27:53
Second the Plant Mind Coercer as a close fit.

I think you're looking for the classic 'parasitic attatchment' mutation, that let you piggyback and mind control a victim. If there's not something like that already 'in the cards,' adding a custom Alpha Mutation might be the best way to do it, as it's the kind of thing that'd be a bit much as an origin power.
#7
caz_granberg
Dec 01, 2010 2:39:00 A start for your 'infestation' alpha mutation:

Under Your Skin

You will do nicely, minion.

Standard Action Ranged 5

Target: One Creature

Attack: Level +5 vs. Will

Hit: 3d6+twice your level psychic damage. Slide the target its Speed and make one at-will attack.

Benefit: You become insubstantial until the beginning of your next turn. (I don't have my book to know if insubstantial is in the rules)

Overcharge: When you hit with this power, you can roll a d20.

10+ You can use this power one per round while it is readied.

9 or less: You are stunned, and insubstantial (save ends both)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 kefrem Nov 29, 2010 5:39:36	I was disappointed when after buying the game these were not included. Anyone made any home brewed rules for them yet?
#2 Serpine Nov 29, 2010 6:28:20	From a game standpoint there wouldn't really need to be special rules, its just flavor text. A Hypercognitive Felinoid could very well say "I'm a big mutant tiger with a gross tentacled plant thing on his cranium" - The symbiot justifies the smart origin, the host the combat aspects. A more aggressive symbiotic infestation (tiger covered in moss and vines) would likely be indicated by a plant combo origin (Plant Felinoid). Ideally if your trying to push the smart plant on dumb quadraped angle you'll want convince your GM to houserule that your starting weapons and armor are natural: It would prevent you from replacing them and hinder you from using a lot of equipment, so it hurts you more then anything, but the coolness factor of saying light melee weapon and light armor are actually "razor-sharp talons" and "thick hide" is more then worth it in style points.
#3 kefrem Nov 29, 2010 6:45:54	well...see thats really a cool idea and all...but the thing is with symbiotic plants(from 1st edition thru 3rd was that they could jump from creature to creature...a sort of upgrade. A gm isnt gonna allow that without some kind of rules ...what happens to the original...does the new creature get a save and so on. As thats how the original rules worked. While seperated also the plant would have some seperate statistics for its smaller reduced form. Are there similar rules in the 4e dnd? i dont play 4e dnd as i dont like how spells were redone.
#4 Serpine Nov 29, 2010 8:08:01	Looking up the 3rd edition books (the core and the "Rules Supplement" which they sent out free when they realised how much they forgot to include in the core), the specifics were: * Extra mental mutation. * -2 HP per HD. * Can only possess common animal for host that doesn't exceed half your HD. * Can't change host till host dies. * Host had one 5d6 (discard lowest) stat and the rest were 3d6. * Natural abilities of host were whatever the DM liked. * Physical damage split even between plant and host, mental all hits plant. So numerically this would actually make you much more fragile versus mental attacks, since the enemy is directly hitting the reduced plant total. Versus physical damage if your host had more hit points then the plant, the plant would die first leaving a confused host, and if the host had fewer it would die first leaving a heavily damaged non-mobile plant without natural attacks. - - - - - Hmmm... In any case I'm sure somebody could cook up a new custom origin to provide something appropriate. Mix in some sort of helpless self-rez and a way to stat the host... Maybe I'll give it a shot tomorrow or so if I have time.
#5 caz_granberg Nov 29, 2010 8:35:50	Plant and Rat Swarm could be defined as a number of plant bodies that 'reanimate' a host form. You'd look different from time to time, but you'd have your 'controller spore' idea. Plant and Mind Coercer or Mind Breaker could give you the 'mentalist plant' running a lobotomized humanoid body.
#6 Tony_Vargas Nov 30, 2010 15:27:53	Second the Plant Mind Coercer as a close fit. I think you're looking for the classic 'parasitic attatchment' mutation, that let you piggyback and mind control a victim. If there's not something like that already 'in the cards,' adding a custom Alpha Mutation might be the best way to do it, as it's the kind of thing that'd be a bit much as an origin power.
#7 caz_granberg Dec 01, 2010 2:39:00	A start for your 'infestation' alpha mutation: Under Your Skin You will do nicely, minion. Standard Action Ranged 5 Target: One Creature Attack: Level +5 vs. Will Hit: 3d6+twice your level psychic damage. Slide the target its Speed and make one at-will attack. Benefit: You become insubstantial until the beginning of your next turn. (I don't have my book to know if insubstantial is in the rules) Overcharge: When you hit with this power, you can roll a d20. 10+ You can use this power one per round while it is readied. 9 or less: You are stunned, and insubstantial (save ends both)