Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Senevri Dec 22, 2008 18:29:41	This is probably ollld.... I had a little Shoggoth, I conjured up one day.... *edit*: A lot of it is in the finals. There will be a test. *edit2* Howzabout an arcane-magic, dm-will-allow type build, any ideas? I'd also like to avoid most polymorph abuse and infinite loops, just having a few well-played cards. but I think I've almost figured out how to build the GD in D&D 3.5 rules. 1. Polymorph Any Object. http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/polymorphAnyObject We'd definitely want 9+ here. Well, maybe. We could do this with normal Polymorph, too. No need to work out a way to have int score, then. 2. Black Pudding http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/ooze.htm Intelligence ends up zero, but that fits the origin state in many ways ( reacting, not acting. ). So... you turn into mindless ooze, which isn't that cool. However: You retain all your (ex) and even spellcasting or psionic abilities you had. 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. You can split yourself as long as you, or the splittee has at least 10 hit points. http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/vigor.htm. You get 10 points for every 2 points you spend. Okay, let's say you have, say, 160 HP normally. You turn yourself into an intelligent ooze, manifest an acid-immune astral construct and tell it to hit yourself. (or otherwise manage the damage) You end up with 16 10hp clones. All taking 15ft square of space. Now, for an example all of these go Metamind, and manifest a fully-augmented (say, 80hp worth, for 16 pp ) vigor. Or, you could just have lots of PP otherwise. say, around 300 pp. Each split instance is, in effect it's own individual, except with a split PP pool. You spend 160pp on vigor, multiplying your clone count by 8 each iteration, ten times. That's.. um, *2^34 clones, or around 65536 BILLION clones. After that, we'll need to make them work in concert. If they're cerebramancers, they could each cast Mental Pinnacle http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/spells/mentalPinnacle.htm for 3*20ish PP each, or 60 PP. Some to work with. if, during your last level, you picked up a feat, and you have access to Psychic Reformation, http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/psychicReformation.htm each of your instances could now go and change that feat to something different. (or you could squeeze chameleon 2 there, for a floating feat they can change every day.) Now, remember, each of these clones is in fact, a new instance of "you", a distinct new creature. Then look at this: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/fusion.htm that's... um, lots of power points and hit points, at least. The sum creature will have, uh, lots of points. And arbitrary stats. http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/assimilate.htm. Parts of you keep on repeating this loop while other parts do stuff. Of course, if it wants, it can now split AGAIN.
#2 hogarth Dec 22, 2008 20:56:18	Polymorph Any Object doesn't give you special qualities, only special attacks. I think I've seen someone mention using the Master Transmogrifist class to get the Black Pudding's Split ability, though. Maybe I'm misremembering. The 3.0 PrC Oozemaster is great for flavour, if that's what you're looking for.
#3 Senevri Dec 23, 2008 5:48:02	Ah, yeah. Everything refers annoyingly to Extraordinary _ATTACKS_ explicitly. Hm. Oozemaster... Nah. 3rd level spell Amorphous Form, pretty much makes that class pointless. Hm. If you could give a Pudding a brain, an Illithid Savant 5 could do it. Shapechange gets you Splitting, but you might lose manifesting. Tricky, tricky. Ah, Greater Metamorphosis, and no need to be Cerebramancer. There we go. *edit* Except, again you lose your (su). It's either, retain your (su) or get the form's (ex), it seems.
#4 ChristopherGroves Dec 23, 2008 7:18:02	The pudding split power is also a matter of some debate. If you turn into a black pudding (named George) and you split it do you get two black puddings of equal size or two George's?
#5 Senevri Dec 23, 2008 14:44:31	Well, the basic concept is, if you have a pudding that splits, you'll have two puddings with the same stats, attack bonus, saves, HD, skills, abilities... but with half hit points. Not even half MAX hit points, just ... half hitpoints. If an elder pudding splits, you'll have two elder puddings. If you have a pseudonatural paragon phrenic pudding, it splits and you have two pseudonatural paragon phrenic puddings.... But, yeah, those are all what it _is_. If it (having an int of 20, ) has Egoist levels, or ardent levels (moar optimal with wis of 28) and it splits... um... Well, you'll have reality vs. rules issue, one might think... Except for the elder pudding case. if the splittees were a form of asexual reproduction, they wouldn't retain the increased hit dice of the elder form. You might very well have two distinct separate individuals, and it's probably dm's purview how it goes from there. Of course, if the player has a way to immediately dominate / join with the splittees, it's all good. Actually, you probably could convince them to participate in fusion... Assimilate might be a hard sell.
#6 ChristopherGroves Dec 23, 2008 16:47:33	Right. The trick works assuming you have two "George's" You could also read the rules to say that when Uber-George (who is a Psion/whatever) splits you don't get two half-georges ... you get two black puddings of half Uber-George's size, HP ... and no more psion in them ... just two black puddings.
#7 Senevri Dec 23, 2008 18:57:48	Right. The trick works assuming you have two "George's" You could also read the rules to say that when Uber-George (who is a Psion/whatever) splits you don't get two half-georges ... you get two black puddings of half Uber-George's size, HP ... and no more psion in them ... just two black puddings. That is one reading, yes. In which case, it's Assimilate time. Still, that path doesn't allow for getting all feats in game, which is... not so neat. Still, from a PC POW... is there a way to get psi powers as "psi-like abilities?"