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The Vorpal Tribble
2006-10-01, 05:37 PM
Licosti

Fine Magical Beast (extraplanar, swarm, water)
Hit Dice: 10d10+20 (75 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: Swim 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 25 (+7 dex, +8 size), touch 25, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +10/-
Attack: Swarm (2d6)
Full Attack: Swarm (2d6)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Matreshki
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., harmony of the currents, immune to weapon damage, low-light vision, swarm traits
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +14, Will +6
Abilities: Str 4, Dex 24, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 19
Skills: Listen +7, Perform (dance) +11, Survival +14
Feats: Ability Focus (distraction), Dodge, Iron Will, Run
Environment: Elemental Plane of Water
Organization: Solitary, gambol (2-4 swarms), whirl (6-14 swarms), or torrent (20-60 swarms)
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: None
Alignment: Often chaotic neutral
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -

A single licosti group is as a giant tadpole, though one of nearly completely transparent skin swimming with perfect precision not even a hair's breadth from its neighbors. If one were to peer closer however one would see that each tadpole is made of smaller tadpoles, and those of smaller, until sight fails.

Many of these tadpoles will suddenly explode, forming smaller tadpoles or disapearing from sight all together before suddenly recombining.

Licosti are a perfection of harmony. Individually licosti are almost microscopic an completely mindless, but upon hatching they instinctively begin to bond together into groups. These groups are so perfect in unison that they merge seamlessly with one another in a macroscopic version of their minute selves. With form comes a minimal intelligence as they link together physically and mentally as one. These groups then join with others, splitting and joining with one another until true sentience comes together in a glorious dance in step with the underlying rythem of the plane itself.

This dance fills most of their hours whenever not tracking down fish to nibble. They are often found within vortexes or other violently moving water as they 'play' within.

Licosti speak Aquan.

Combat
Licosti aren't agressive creatures unless hungered, but even then tend to stick only to fish and other unintelligent sea creatures. However, those that attempt to do them harm are not only considered to be murderers, both something even more abhorant, disturbers of their dance, ones who would wish to forever still them. They will then swim about the agressor, confusing it before finally enveloping it within their numbers. If overpowered they often flee for their nearest disturbance of water to hide within.

Distraction (Ex): Any living creature vulnerable to a licosti's damage that begins its turn with a swarm in its square is nauseated for 1 round; a Fortitude save (DC 19) negates the effect. Spellcasting or concentrating on spells within the area of a licosti swarm requires a Concentration check (DC 20 + spell level). An exception to this is water-based spells which are unaffected by the swarm. Using skills that involve patience and concentration requires a DC 20 Concentration check.

Harmony of the Currents (Ex): A licosti swarm is unaffected by the natural movement of water, even whirlpools, moving naturally in tune with it or around it and taking no damage. They may even swim at their base speed added to the speed of an available current. Supernaturally manipulated water affects licosti movement as normal.

As well, the swarm can sense the minute disturbances caused by the movement of other creatures or objects through the water. Thus they may track creatures as if they were on land.

Water Survival DC
Calm Water 5
Rough Water 10
Turbulent Water 20
Vortex 30

They can automatically detect the presence of creatures moving in the water within 100 feet, though cannot pinpoint their exact location until within 10 feet.

Matreshki (Ex): A licosti swarm reduced to 0 hit points are scattered and has had their rythem so completely thrown off that they take 1d4 hours to reform into a swarm at 1/10th their former hit points. While in its disoriented form the miniscule individual licosti form a cloud 60 feet long and 40 high. Those who breathe, through gills or lungs, within this cloud, inhale many of the creatures.

Once in the bloodstream they act alike to a disease, though they do not infect as most. Instead they mindlessly attempt to reknew their rythem and bond with the cells of the host. Each day after inhalation the victim must succeed on a DC 17 fortitude save or die as the internal workings of the body, particularly the heart, are knocked out of sync. The licosti come together witin the body within 2d4 days, and exit by causing their host to regurgitate.
Spells and powers that remove disease can remove the licosti infestation. The save DC is Constitution-based.

ishi
2006-10-01, 05:46 PM
Brilliant concept. A creature, made up of smaller creatures, made up of smaller creatures, made up of...

A Fractal Elemental?

I assume this is the case, but: is the speed listed a swim speed? Can they travel on land?

Just an opinion: shouldn't something that is "a perfection of harmony" be Lawful, rather than Chaotic?

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-10-01, 05:55 PM
A Fractal Elemental?
A fractal magical beast in this instance, though I am thinking maybe it should just be an elemental instead.


I assume this is the case, but: is the speed listed a swim speed? Can they travel on land?
D'oh. Listed it as a swim speed.


Just an opinion: shouldn't something that is "a perfection of harmony" be Lawful, rather than Chaotic?
Honestly, I think you are just trying to make me look dumb here ;)

I had thought of them being chaotic as they are pretty wild and carefree, but now that you mention it, they do seem to be following the underlying logic of the plane... or might it be the underlying chaos of the the water...

*ponders*

Lykan
2006-10-01, 10:57 PM
Wow... Get enough of these things together and you've got undersea biological warfare...

*schemes*

Eighth_Seraph
2006-10-04, 04:18 PM
Very nice. A swarm that is also an individual, solid'looking creature. Very original. I like how these things work with actual disturbances in water, so that if I ever hit a negative energy-charged section of your plane, I'll know I'm in for a rought time; excellent flavor.

It seems to me that your strategy for this war is to have lots of rather weak, disposable minions backed by juggernauts like this monstrosity. I think it would be a good idea if each of us solidied our army's strategy so we can start the storyline for this war already.

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-10-04, 08:37 PM
I like how these things work with actual disturbances in water, so that if I ever hit a negative energy-charged section of your plane, I'll know I'm in for a rought time; excellent flavor.
Negative energy?


It seems to me that your strategy for this war is to have lots of rather weak, disposable minions backed by juggernauts like this monstrosity. I think it would be a good idea if each of us solidied our army's strategy so we can start the storyline for this war already.
I dunno, is a CR 7 really a 'juggernaut'?

Eighth_Seraph
2006-10-04, 09:11 PM
Yeah, did I not transfer that part of planescape that D1 sent me? Every element has different results when combined with positive or negative energy. Apparently I messed up that reference because water+negative energy=salt. I was thinking of air, that results in a vacuum when combined with negative energy, I'll PM you the rest soon. And as for your juggernauts, I was referring to the Wai. We'll have to work this out and post the resulting at a forum near you.

Now please everyone, continue with the reviewing.

The Vorpal Tribble
2007-08-20, 09:40 AM
Was tidying this fellow up a bit...