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daggaz
2006-11-29, 08:04 PM
Am running my first game, and I wanted some nasty beasties for a pit trap, but was surprised not to find them in the monster manual, so I tried myself...
I used the nasty things from King Kong as inspiration (that scene was SO sick).

A Monstrous Leech

Medium Vermin
Hit Dice: 2d6+2
Initiative: -2 (dex)
Speed: 10 ft, climb 0 ft -unless there are places it can squeeze its body into for a hold, in which case 10 ft.
AC: 10 (-1 dex, +1 natural)
Attacks: Bite -1 melee
Damage: Bite 1d6-1
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. (8 ft. max, but will generally move in first)
Special Attack: Improved grab, Engulf
Sp. Qualitites: vermin, damage reduction 7/bludgeoning
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +0, Will +0
Abilities: Str 9, Dex 9, Con 12,
Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2
Skills: Hide +10
------------------------
Climate/Terrain: Temperate and warm swamp, underground
Organization: Solitary or colony (2-10)
Challenge Rating:2?
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement --


Monstrous leeches have fat, barrel shaped bodies with tough, rubbery skin which blends in extremely well with their environment. They have a long snake-like proboscis with a circular mouth ringed by twenty or so sharp, triangular teeth, which is kept retracted inside their bodies until they become excited. They are generally about four feet long and 3 feet wide, but they can extend their bodies somewhat, and by pushing out their proboscis, can attain a reach of seven to eight feet.

These foul creatures inhabit swamps, brackwaters, and moats. They dislike direct sunlight and other strong light sources, tho they are not harmed by it in anyway. There is even a subterrainean species commonly found in damp caves, especially at the bottom of pitfalls where the creatures become trapped, feeding off anything unfortunate to fall in with them.

Monstrous leeches typically lay very still, blending in nearly perfectly with their muddy, semi-aquatic environment, until nearby movement or scents arouse them. Although blind, they have an uncanny sense of both scent and vibration, and easily home in on anything within 15 feet of them, reacting more quickly to movement than to scent alone. In caves, where the air is typically still and new scents are rare, they will react to a constant scent by moving if possible towards the source at base speed, with a reaction time of 1 hour per 50 feet from the source. This typically occurs if a creature is sleeping or is wounded and cannot otherwise move.

It is rumored that the largest specimens have an anesthetic-like poison in their saliva, which deadens the senses and can even induce unconsciousness. Furthermore, it is not entirely uncommon for monstrous leeches to carry diseases, typically Red Ache, tho cases of Filth Fever and even Slimy Doom have been reported.

Combat

Monstrous leeches surround an opponent and mindlessly try to feed by extending their proboscus and biting at anything they can sense.
Damage Reduction: A monstrous leech's thick skin and rubbery body make it almost impervious to normal bludgeoning attacks.
Improved Grab: A leech that succeeds with a bite attack automatically
makes an attempt to grapple by sinking its teeth into the flesh and latching
on, disregarding any size differences. Medium or Heavy Armor stops this
ability, except for attacks dealt to the head, hands, or feet (DM discretion).
A successful grapple deals an additional 1d4 damage per round. Breaking a grapple deals an automatic 1d6 damage as the teeth are torn from the body.
Engulf: A successful grapple against the head, hands, or feet of an opponent results in automatic engulfing of the body member at a rate of one foot of appendage per round, after the initial round of attack. Engulfing does not deal any more damage than already dealt by the grapple, but it does give a -2 circumstance penalty to all relative checks per foot of engulfment. Monstrous leeches have extremely supple mouths, and will even engulf a hand that is wielding a small sized weapon or smaller, despite taking half damage from the action (all str or dex bonuses to damage are negated). If a medium sized weapon or similiar object is held, make a seperate strength check to see if the object is dropped. If not, the hand is still considered grappled, but not engulfed. If a character's head is engulfed, spellcasting with verbal components is impossible and suffocation rules commence.

Umarth
2006-11-29, 11:00 PM
If they live in swamps and swim around you'll probably want to give them a swim speed. Right now with a str of 9 and no ranks in swim a lot of these bad boys might drown just moving arround. (That str is going to make it hard for them to grapple anything successfully as well unless it’s smaller)

Rather than giving them an odd 8 foot reach perhaps give them a 10 foot reach but change engulf and improved grab so it only works on creatures within 5 feet. Sort of long and stretchy to make a bite but can't hold on when they are stretched out like that.

Under Engulf: What are the rules for grappling a specific body part?

I’d also say DR 7/bludgeoning is a bit much for a CR 2. I’d probably get rid of the DR all together. If you want to keep the feel of the tough rubbery hide bump there nat armor up by 2-3 and describe any hits that miss by that much as bouncing off their skin.


"Monstrous leeches typically lay very still, blending in nearly perfectly with their muddy, semi-aquatic environment, until nearby movement or scents arouse them. Although blind, they have an uncanny sense of both scent and vibration, and easily home in on anything within 15 feet of them, reacting more quickly to movement than to scent alone. In caves, where the air is typically still and new scents are rare, they will react to a constant scent by moving if possible towards the source at base speed, with a reaction time of 1 hour per 50 feet from the source. This typically occurs if a creature is sleeping or is wounded and cannot otherwise move. "

I don't see rules backing up these abilities. Blindsense 15' and some sort of hide bounus might be good.

daggaz
2006-11-30, 04:51 AM
Hmm forgot about the swim bit, of course they can swim. They would also have waterbreath.

Yeah was wondering if they were too weak, but the thing is, they are supposed to be more like scavengers than spot-on carnivores (one reason for the slow base speed) so its pretty unlucky if one gets a successful nab on you. But then, if he does, his friends have a good shot at getting you too, and if you get more than one leeched on, you are getting into some ugly trouble.. Also, I placed mine in waist deep mud, so if/when a PC fell in, they would have a -2 circumstancial to their relevant checks (which the leech ignored because it was its natural environment). Still, maybe I'll bump the strength up a tad.

As far as body part targetting, thats why I wrote DM discretion. Personally, I made a table with various percents (head 5%, body 35%, l. hand 5%, r. hand 5%, l. foot 5% r. foot 5%, l. arm 10%, r. arm 10%, l. leg 10%, r. leg 10%) and rolled on that after a successful bite.

As far as scent and vibrational sense, I think it's entirely fitting and not at all overpowered. (It takes a long time for them to even notice your smell and only if you remain in position, they have a pitiful base speed, and they are incapable of climbing for the most part. Also, anybody who doesn't post a guard at night deserves to be eaten alive by giant leeches!!) Its what I envisioned these guys could do. I suppose I should call it improved scent tho, as its not exactly in line with the scent rules, but then again, this is homebrew.


In my setting, the party was desperately fighting their way through a troglodyte cave, in hopes of rescuing a kidnapped elven child before she was eaten for dinner. Five of these beasties were placed down in a 20 ft deep mud filled hole, which had very slippery walls. A very narrow ledge ran along one edge of the pit, across which was the obvious entrance to the main trog. lair. Being in a big hurry, the party failed their spot checks (hide +10) and just went to cross the ledge. The rogue made it, but the fighter fell in (wearing only medium body armor).

When I described these things glooping up out of the thick mud, extending their tooth-rimmed probuscuses towards him as they began to slowly edge in, he litterally screamed out loud to get him the F out of there! He was scratching desperately at the muddy walls, the party lowered a rope, but he was bitten in the left leg and was forced to take a stand. Luckily his armor kept them from making any more grapples, and the party simply fired crossbows at the beasties until they were all dead, which is what they were supposed to do to solve the encounter the easy way rather than the very challenging way.

All in all, a lot of fun (and the party learned all about grapple checks), but still I wish more of them had fallen in, especially the cleric who was wielding a mace. (yeah I will take into consideration the DR/higher NA thing)