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ShneekeyTheLost
2007-02-15, 09:18 PM
{table]Hydralisk
Size/Type:Large Aberration [Zerg]
Hit Dice:6d8 (45 hp)
Initiative:+3
Speed:30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class:20 (+3 Dex, +8 natural-1 Size), touch 12, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple:+5/+5
Attack: Spine +7 Ranged (2d4 + 1) range 100, Claw +8 Melee (1d6 +1)
Full Attack:2 Spine attacks +5 Ranged (2d4+1)
Space/Reach:5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:—
Special Qualities:darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, Hive Mind, Burrow, Mutate
Saves:Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +10
Abilities:Str 18, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 11
Skills:Hide +7, Listen +5, Spot +5, Survival +4
Feats:Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot
Environment:Anywhere the Zerg are
Organization:Scouting Pair, Hunting Pack (6-12), Combat Swarm (18-24)
Challenge Rating:3
Treasure:None
Alignment:Lawful Evil
Advancement:See Notes
Level Adjustment:-[/table]

Hive Mind (Ex)

All Zerg are in constant communication via Overlords, and Cerebrates. If one is aware of a particular danger, they all are. If one in a group is not flat-footed, none of them are. Zerg units are highly resistant to any form of mind-affecting abilities due to the Overmind being present in their mind already. This gives them a +4 to their Will Saves, and any mind-affecting spell, power, or ability needs to overcome a SR/PR 25.

Burrow (Ex)

As a full-round action which provokes an attack of opportunity, most Zerg ground units, including Hydralisks, may burrow into the ground. While so burrowed, Hydralisks may not attack (but see Lurker aspect below), however their presence is nearly impossible to detect. He may pop out as a move action which provokes an attack of opportunity if the opponent is not flat-footed or surprised.

Mutate
This ability takes one week to perform. The Hydralisk in question creates a cocoon around him and undergoes a metamorphasis, turning him into a Lurker, and his attack changes. He keeps his range, but his attack is a Line attack equal to his former range, and may only be used while Burrowed.

Advancement

At 8hd, Hydrolisks are considered to be Advanced Hydralisks. They gain the following benefits: All attacks have +1 Enhancement Bonus to attack and damage, and are considered to be both Magic and Adamantine for the purposes of overcomming DR (Hey, they have to be able to tear through Siege Tank armor, right?). They also have +4 Natural Armor, and DR 3/-

Holocron Coder
2007-02-15, 09:19 PM
Nice :) But it's spelt Hydralisk, with an 'a'.

The Orange Zergling
2007-02-15, 09:20 PM
Firstly, it's Hydralisk. [/nitpick][/simu'd]

I'd make them Large, and the Lurker Huge. Otherwise, looks good.

Saithis Bladewing
2007-02-15, 09:27 PM
Hydralisk. With an a.

Medium-sized seems a bit small, when comparing them to a Terran Marine. Even fully armoured (which makes them pretty massive, easily 7 foot from the bottom of their boot to the tip of their helmet), they're almost dwarfed by a hydra. Give them a large size, I'd say.

The spines always seemed rather acidic to me, but perhaps that was just my own imagination. I'd have put in a bit of acid damage as well as physical, but eh.

Edit: Aaaand simuposted.

starwoof
2007-02-15, 09:32 PM
Hydralisks are 15 feet tall. Large, definately.

Also, I think that they should get some sort of weakish claw attack. They didnt get on ein SC but they have those big spikes for their arms. Just a thought.

Saithis Bladewing
2007-02-15, 09:34 PM
Also, I think that they should get some sort of weakish claw attack. They didnt get on ein SC but they have those big spikes for their arms. Just a thought.

They do have one, it says right there.


Claw +5 Melee (1d6 +1)

Behold_the_Void
2007-02-15, 09:36 PM
Minor nitpick, aside from, of course, the fact that it's spelled Hydralisk.


At 8hd, Hydrolisks are considered to be Advanced Zerglings. They gain the following benefits: All attacks have +1 Enhancement Bonus to attack and damage, and are considered to be both Magic and Adamantine for the purposes of overcomming DR (Hey, they have to be able to tear through Siege Tank armor, right?). They also have +4 Natural Armor, and DR 3/-

Also, wouldn't Zerg normally have the alignment of the Cerebrate controlling them? Lawful evil doesn't strike me as correct where a Hydralisk is concerned.

Holocron Coder
2007-02-15, 09:44 PM
Similar to what void said, I'd call them advanced "zerg" rather than "zergling", seeing as the 'ling is a specific creature.

I agree on the acid damage for the range attack. Not all, but a portion of it should be.

Also agree with the alignment...

Additionally, and this is more of a nitpick, but the Organization should probably be similar to Scouting Pair (2), Scouting Group (1-2 Hydralisk, 2-6 Zerglings), Combat Swarm (6-8 Hydralisk, 15-20 Zerglings)

ShneekeyTheLost
2007-02-15, 09:48 PM
All Zerg are Lawful Evil. That is to say, their whole goal is galactic conquest. They wish to rule the galaxy in perfect order, the order of the Overmind. This is Lawful Evil.

Fixed the typo in the name, and in the advancement.

Also increased Size to Large and adjusted stats accordingly. Gave them a 'phantom' dex boost so they can still use their ranged attacks well

Saithis Bladewing
2007-02-15, 09:52 PM
All Zerg are Lawful Evil. That is to say, their whole goal is galactic conquest. They wish to rule the galaxy in perfect order, the order of the Overmind. This is Lawful Evil.

The Cerebrates and the Overmind, perhaps, but the Zerg minions seem to be True Neutral more than anything. When Zasz is killed, his entire brood collapses into anarchy as they revert back to being uncoordinated beasts, attacking and killing at random. It seems to me that they're just near-mindless animals without a controlling force behind them.

Eighth_Seraph
2007-02-15, 09:55 PM
Actually, the 'zergling' issue in the post was really just an oversight after the copy/paste from the 'ling's thread, if I read the signs right. In the case of alignment, it makes sense that the individual zerg are all Lawful Evil, sincee they serve unquestioningly to their cerebrates; though that may be simply because they're mindless, which is arguable.

I'm slightly worried about the high CR's for the zerg units so far, since it would be difficult to make a proper swarm of them to fit the theme and expect the party to survive.

(EDIT) AND.....simu'd

ShneekeyTheLost
2007-02-15, 09:58 PM
The Cerebrates and the Overmind, perhaps, but the Zerg minions seem to be True Neutral more than anything. When Zasz is killed, his entire brood collapses into anarchy as they revert back to being uncoordinated beasts, attacking and killing at random. It seems to me that they're just near-mindless animals without a controlling force behind them.

If you have a human nation under the heel of a ruthless tyrant using a police state, and that tyrant is killed, you pretty much have the same anarchy and chaos as well, unless you have an outside force inflicting some semblance of order.

When under the control of a Cerebrate/Overmind, they are Lawful Evil. When not under the control, they either revert to TN or CE.

ShneekeyTheLost
2007-02-15, 10:02 PM
I'm slightly worried about the high CR's for the zerg units so far, since it would be difficult to make a proper swarm of them to fit the theme and expect the party to survive.

(EDIT) AND.....simu'd

Actually, not nearly as big a problem as you might think.

Keep in mind that the Terrans can advance quite quickly. Slap six levels of Grunt on a Terran, and they've got a couple of extra attacks, and easily able to take down a swarm of zerg troops. They'll have on par about the same hit points as a Hydralisk (6 hit dice at d10 each, although no con bonuses), three attacks per round (two from base attack bonus of +6/+1, one from Rapid Shot), and a greater range than even the Advanced Hydralisks. Although maybe I should adjust the Advanced Hydralisks to have the same range.

Saithis Bladewing
2007-02-15, 10:03 PM
When under the control of a Cerebrate/Overmind, they are Lawful Evil. When not under the control, they either revert to TN or CE.

That makes little sense to me. If a PC is under the effect of a Lawful Evil sorceror's Dominate Person spell, do they become Lawful Evil until the spell ends, regardless of their actions?

I_Got_This_Name
2007-02-15, 10:05 PM
I'd stat a Lurker as a separate monster. It has more HP (125 vs 80), does more damage (by a factor of two), and increases its range.

I'd do the Zerg Upgrades by a mechnic similar to Marshal Auras, most likely; a hive cluster in an area is able to cause the Zerg around it to develop hardened carapaces, better attacks, and so on and so forth, rather than make it a function of advancement. I'd also hand out the ability to blast through tank plating earlier; possibly just let them ignore half of the hardness of vehicles and unattended objects.

Also, you didn't give a range on the Spines.

ShneekeyTheLost
2007-02-15, 10:17 PM
I'd stat a Lurker as a separate monster. It has more HP (125 vs 80), does more damage (by a factor of two), and increases its range.
I hadn't remembered quite so much variance. I'll go in and edit the lurker form. However, it is the same critter.


I'd do the Zerg Upgrades by a mechnic similar to Marshal Auras, most likely; a hive cluster in an area is able to cause the Zerg around it to develop hardened carapaces, better attacks, and so on and so forth, rather than make it a function of advancement. I'd also hand out the ability to blast through tank plating earlier; possibly just let them ignore half of the hardness of vehicles and unattended objects. Umm... no. Zerg upgrades are constant, even when in the opponent's area faaar away from a hive cluster. I like my idea better.


Also, you didn't give a range on the Spines.

Attack: Spine +7 Ranged (2d4 + 1) range 100,

Amphimir Míriel
2007-02-16, 01:42 AM
Speed:30 ft. (8 squares)


Sorry, aren't squares 5ft?
Therefore 30ft = 6 squares?

ShneekeyTheLost
2007-02-16, 02:46 AM
Sorry, aren't squares 5ft?
Therefore 30ft = 6 squares?

This has been fixed.