Vote Up A Villain VII! (3.X) [Voting Closed, Villain Complete!]

[afroakuma]

Off we go again, hopefully to break some new ground during the seventh round! This contest aims to create a D&D villain, complete with fluff! Please bold your vote.

I am pleased to present the resultant villain, the Thief King's Palace!

Contests that have gone before (or are currently running):
Vote Up a Monster (3.X) #1 by Zeta Kai
Result: the Gatekeeper

Vote Up a Monster (3.X) #2 by Zeta Kai
Result: the Deus ex Machina

Vote Up a Monster (3.X) #3 by Zeta Kai
Result: the Ectoplasmic Swarm

Vote Up a Monster (3.X) #4 by Zeta Kai
Result: the Polymental

Vote Up a Monster (4E) #1 by Shadow_Elf
Result: the Songbird Spirit

Vote Up a Monster (4E) #2 by Shadow_Elf
Result: the Pandora's Paradox

Vote Up a Villain (3.X) #1 by afroakuma
Result: the Maiden’s Weeping/Swain of Varrone

Vote Up a Villain (3.X) #2 by afroakuma
Result: the Caillteanas

Vote Up a Villain (3.X) #3 by afroakuma
Result: Dandag the Quiet

Vote Up a Villain (3.X) #4 by afroakuma
Result: the Augmoha

Vote Up a Villain (3.X) #5 by afroakuma
Result: the Silver Hellstar

Vote Up a Villain (3.X) #6 by afroakuma
Result: Prince Meridius

Vote Up A Campaign Setting by Zeta Kai, Shadow_Elf and afroakuma (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=96183)
Result: Pending


Currently Voting On: Voting Closed, Villain Complete
1. Type: Ooze
Type|Votes
Aberration|
Animal|1
Construct|
Dragon|2
Elemental|1
Fey|3
Giant|1
Humanoid|
Magical Beast|
Monstrous Humanoid|
Ooze|17
Outsider|2
Plant|
Undead|10
Vermin|

2. Race/Species: Living Spell
Vote for any Ooze type monster from any 3.X WotC source. The current table contains only oozes from the Monster Manual. If you vote for a creature in another source, please list that source with your vote.
Ooze Species|Votes
Black Pudding|1
Gelatinous Cube|
Gray Ooze|
Living Spell (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5718490#post5718490)|13
Ochre Jelly|
Reason Stealer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5721273#post5721273)|7
Snowflake Ooze (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5719438#post5719438)|2
Unique (Colloid)|
Unique (Runny)|1
Unique (Sloppy)|
Unique (Translucent)|6
Unique (Vapor)|2


2b. Class: N/A
You may vote for other classes, but please bear in mind that certain classes have been disallowed. Non-core classes are italicized.
Class|Votes|Class|Votes
Artificier||Ninja (new)|
Barbarian||Paladin|
Bard||Psion|
Beguiler||Psychic Warrior|
Cleric||Ranger|
Crusader||Rogue|
Druid||Samurai (new)|
Duskblade||Scout|
Favored Soul||Sorcerer|
Fighter||Swordsage|
Healer||Warblade|
Hexblade||Warlock|
Matador (new)||Wilder|
Marshal||Wizard|
Monk||None|

3. CR: 15
CR|Votes
1|
2|
3|
4|
5|
6|
7|1
8|
9|
10|
11|
12|1
13|
14|
15|15
16|
17|1
18|
19|
20|13

4. Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Alignment|Votes|Alignment|Votes|Alignment|Votes
Lawful Good|10|Neutral Good||Chaotic Good|1
Lawful Neutral|2|Neutral|3|Chaotic Neutral|14
Lawful Evil||Neutral Evil||Chaotic Evil|3

5. Primary Motivation: Entertainment
Motivation|Votes
Ambition|
Anarchy|1
Arrogance|1
Curiosity|2
Depression|
Entertainment|10
Envy|
Greater good|4
Greed|
Hunger|
Insanity|2
Justice|
Logic|2
Love|1
Malevolence|
Order|
Punch-clock villainy|
Rage|8
Revenge|
Selfishness|
Self-loathing|
Spite|1
Survival|

[Reverent-One]

and voting again for Humanoid, hopefully one less wet.

[Lyndworm]

I vote for Giant.

[Limos]

Ooze!

Has there been an Ooze yet? If not can we have an intelligent Ooze monster?

[Gorgondantess]

Ooze! Go ooze! I've never seen an intelligent ooze villain. Not even an ooze with class levels. It's beyond me, and thus a great idea.

[afroakuma]

Again, has nobody met Juiblex?

[Limos]

No actually, I have not. Who is this Jubilex?

[Alteran]

Outsider sounds good to me.

[afroakuma]

No actually, I have not. Who is this Jubilex?

Demon Prince of Oozes.

[Username]

Hmm... I'm torn. I'll go with Outsider simply do to the variety.

[LordZarth]

Humanoid. I.e., human.

[thegurullamen]

I'm sick of typical Undead. Spin it.

[DracoDei]

You still are missing the "Don't Vote Up a Monster" stuff from your listing of previous threads.

Anyway, I wanna see a True Dragon

[arguskos]

Show me the Ooze powah!!

[Adumbration]

I'd really love to see what he can do with Fey. Unseelie court much?

[The Tygre]

I likea teh Ooze!

[arguskos]

Again, has nobody met Juiblex?
Just saw this. Of course I know who Juiblex is; he's freaking AWESOME is what he is, though he's barely intelligent. He's more like a pile of ooze that knows it wants to kill things, and goes and does it for teh lolz.

What I want to see is an Ooze that is ACTUALLY intelligent in a manner that isn't dictated by an Awaken spell, and has goals, desires, and is a NPC that can be meaningfully interacted with. That's far more awesome that Juiblex will ever be.

[thegurullamen]

What I want to see is an Ooze that is ACTUALLY intelligent

Ever read Harlan Ellison's "I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/HighOctaneNightmareFuel/Literature)"?

I'm not going to freak out, I'm not going to freak out, I'm not going to freak out, I'm not going to freak out, I'm not going to freak out, I'm not going to freak out...oh god why did I read that page at 3am?...

[Athaniar]

Undead. Because we need more undead.

[Belobog]

Ooze, if only becomes the concept of a sentient amoebiod powerful enough to shape some function of the world is a fascinating concept, and your villains are fascinating anyway.

[blackspeeker]

Ooze!

Has there been an Ooze yet? If not can we have an intelligent Ooze monster?

HELLZ YEAH!

this time we might get our ooze and eat it too

[Wandiya]

Lets fold into peer pressure and say OOZE:smallbiggrin::smalltongue:

[vegetalss4]

and vote Oozed down out from under the door

[Atelm]

A Fey antagonist/villain could have plenty of potential.

[vitorgas]

I vote for Slime.

[afroakuma]

I'd really love to see what he can do with Fey. Unseelie court much?

Check the previous contests. VUAV 2 had the Caillteanas, an inscrutable unseelie who...

steals babies

[cnsvnc]

Afro, I'm afraid you are addicted. You must seek professional help...
...

Much as I'm sick and tired of and hate everything about them, we've never had a dragon from these contests. Wondering if Afro can make one that appeals even to me.

HOWEVER:

Can an ooze be intelligent by RAW? There was some stuff about validity of villainy without actual intelligence in the villanous vermin thread and that issue is icky IMO.

If it can, my vote goes to ooze (and not dragon) as well.

[afroakuma]

Unlike vermin, an ooze can me intelligent and still have supernatural abilities per RAW.

[Llama231]

Wow, even before looking at this thread, I though OOZE. An ooze would be soo awsome. Then I look. Ooze is not only possible, but winning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes!:biggrin:
Ooze

[Limos]

Yay Ooze! I really think an intelligent Ooze will be awesome.

[Egiam]

I actually want to use this villian. I vote for Fey even though it seems hopeless. Its going to take a lot of work to make an engaging inteligent ooze. I imagine something like the villian in MIB II (the weird alien snake woman thing).

[Juhn]

I'm gonna go with Undead. I've seen too much ooze from these contests (Incorporeal Ooze Swarm, anyone?), and I really really really want to see what afro can do with a Nightwalker.

[Saint Nil]

Will said ooze have class levels?

[Lord Mancow]

Even though anything but ooze is just about doomed to fail I will say dragon because as we all know, humaoids without magic are just pointy/non-pointy eared monkeys. But a dragon.... is still a dragon.

[afroakuma]

Will said ooze have class levels?

Depends. Probably not, though.

[puppyavenger]

oooooooooze

[Overlord Nicy]

The time for Ooze has come!

[afroakuma]

*is bandwagon'd*

Ouch.

Should I even bother keeping this round open?

[lesser_minion]

I think I'm going to go with Undead. Ooze is not exactly my favourite monster type.

But yeah, actually getting an undead feels a bit hopeless at the moment.

[Limos]

It seems this round might be a foregone conclusion already. But you never know.

[MammonAzrael]

Well...nuts to the ooze. I'm voting for Elemental again!

(I really got to get in earlier to these votes, so I can help say everyone towards my vote! :smalltongue:)

[Lord Mancow]

It's a foregone conclusion and the only way it can't be is to have some people from the other parts of the forum randomly show up and all vote for one type.

[Llama231]

*Erfworld invasion*
Twoll! Twoll! Twoll! Twoll! Twoll! Twoll! Twoll! Twoll! Twoll!

[Zeta Kai]

Despite the fact that it will surely lose,
I must vote for Undead & not for Ooze.

[afroakuma]

*Erfworld invasion*
Twoll! Twoll! Twoll! Twoll! Twoll! Twoll! Twoll! Twoll! Twoll!

Invalid option. Were you intending to vote Giant?

[PersonMan]

Ooze is winning. It'll also be incredibly interesting to see...

[Saint Nil]

I think I'll vote Undead. Who knows, we might just get it.:smallwink:

[evil-frosty]

I'll vote Undead. Just cause i cant see an ooze being a villain, thats just me though

[Reverent-One]

Changing vote from Humanoid to Undead.

[Kazasu]

My vote goes to Undead for sure. Perhaps if we cross our fingers the infernal ooze won't win.

[Suleman]

Hmm. I wonder if an ooze-like creature in a suit of armor could be done. You know, with disgusting stuff leaking from the cracks. Hell, I'll vote Ooze anyway.

[xanaphia]

I'll vote for Ooze.

[afroakuma]

Now there's a surprise. The underdog is fighting back!

The forces of Ooze persist in their assault, though.

I think I'll let this run its course, see how it plays out.

[Limos]

Why do you people hate the Ooze so much! What did Ooze ever do to you?

[LordZarth]

Changing vote from Humanoid to Animal.

[thegurullamen]

Changing vote from Humanoid to Animal.

Rofl. Just...just rofl.

[dracoslaad]

I'm going to join the Undead side.

[Juhn]

Maybe I'll get my Nigtwalker after all. I'm rather excited.

[watsyurname529]

I'm going to have to say Ooze just to see what kind of... creation... you can make out of it.

[Juhn]

My poor Nightwalker will never see the light of day at this rate. :<

[afroakuma]

Maybe I'll get my Nigtwalker after all. I'm rather excited.

Not unless you rally the troops; the Ooze side is really pushing to make it happen.

[Juhn]

It's hard to rally when everybody in the thread has already voted and you're not supposed to do anything more blatant than explain your rationale, which at this point extends roughly to "Nightwalkers are totally awesome and I want to see one." Of course, there's also things like liches, and mummies, and vampires. What do you have with Ooze? A blob. Occasionally a cube-shaped one.

[afroakuma]

I dunno, I've seen some thorough blatance (is that a word? it is now) on these contests before.

[watsyurname529]

It's hard to rally when everybody in the thread has already voted and you're not supposed to do anything more blatant than explain your rationale, which at this point extends roughly to "Nightwalkers are totally awesome and I want to see one." Of course, there's also things like liches, and mummies, and vampires. What do you have with Ooze? A blob. Occasionally a cube-shaped one.

Ah, But that's what they want you to think!

[Username]

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/as/20061002a

While WotC has in fact made a living spell villain already, I think Afro could one-up them with one of his own, if folks choose to go with it as the type of ooze.

[Juhn]

I dunno, I've seen some thorough blatance (is that a word? it is now) on these contests before.

It's either blatance or blatancy, I think. My firefox says blatancy.

And, yeah, but you're not supposed to do it and it gets you hard looks if not outright accusations of screwing with the voting process. I tend to like to stay within the rules for these contests.

If Undead loses this time, I'm going to start rallying for Nightwalker as soon as the next contest goes up. :smallbiggrin:

[thegurullamen]

ZOMG joo guyz u haf ta voat fo the unded for great lulz!1

[watsyurname529]

I'll vote Undead next time. I just wanted to see an Ooze villain.

[afroakuma]

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/as/20061002a

While WotC has in fact made a living spell villain already, I think Afro could one-up them with one of his own, if folks choose to go with it as the type of ooze.

Ahhh, Stohpo-Ahk is a wuss. I can think of a better spell combination in, like, seven millisecoops, there's one now.

[Juhn]

Yeah, and it will no doubt be awesome. I'm just still satiated from the madness that was the Incorporeal Ooze Swarm.

[afroakuma]

Well, the bandwagon has spoken, and the villain's type is Ooze!

So, let's give this morphic miscreant a Species!

[Username]

Where's the Living Spell(MM3/Eberron Campaign Setting) option?

Edit: My apologies. I made an erroneous assumption that Living Spells were well known enough to be included off the bat.

[thegurullamen]

Well, the bandwagon has spoken, and the villain's type is Ooze!

No! All my expectations!

Unique (Translucent), please!

[afroakuma]

*sigh* Read the rules, please.

Vote for any Ooze type monster from any 3.X WotC source. The current table contains only oozes from the Monster Manual. If you vote for a creature in another source, please list that source with your vote.

I don't list them all because I have neither the time nor the inclination to make a massive table filled with options most have never heard of. You want it, you vote it and if it comes from an appropriate source, it joins the table.

[Username]

Edited my post to include the books containing the Living Spell template.

[afroakuma]

Just so you're aware, nothing in included "right off the bat" except for MM and whatever Uniques I throw in. I myself happen to like Living Spells.

I'll assume that was a formal vote and add them.

[Username]

Just so you're aware, nothing in included "right off the bat" except for MM and whatever Uniques I throw in. I myself happen to like Living Spells.

I'll assume that was a formal vote and add them.

Which is why I called the assumption erroneous.

Edit: And yes, it was a formal vote.

[afroakuma]

Living Spell Details
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/eb_gallery/82158.jpg
Living spells are individual spells or conglomerations of two or more spells which have achieved enough stability to become permanent entities in their own right, manifestations of the casting that brought them into being.

[thegurullamen]

It's neck and neck heading into the first turn, with neither lead showing a clear...er, lead. Living spell inches in on the rail, but Unique's pounding the dirt hard to keep her pace. Looks like it'll be a real nail biter, folks.

[afroakuma]

Psh. You'll have a heck of a time keeping the four Uniques to a cohesive one.

[Reverent-One]

I honestly don't know what most of the species are specifically. :smallconfused:

[Limos]

What is a Black Pudding?
(go go gadget google search)
Oh dear, that's not something I want at all.

I'll vote for Unique (Translucent)

[Alteran]

Sure, Unique (Translucent).

[The Tygre]

I put my hat in for Black Pudding.

[arguskos]

Unique (Translucent) because the world needs more unique oozes.

Note, if given a Unique critter, will you be giving us it's stats sans levels? If so, that'd be AWESOMESAUCE (see, more awesome critters!).

[UnChosenOne]

Unique (Translucent).

[Gorgondantess]

YAY OOZE! Seriously, there needs to be a decent entirely sentient ooze. I'm going to go for Living Spell, even though Unique: Translucent is going to win.

[Adumbration]

Living Spell for me.

[thegurullamen]

I'm going to go for Living Spell, even though Unique: Translucent is going to win.

Wait for it... (pendulum swings back) ...okay, here we go.

[Atelm]

I'm putting up a suggestion/vote for the Snowflake Ooze from 3.5 Monster Manual III (page 161), it looks for warm things to engulf and freeze to death, and it splits into two if hit with bludgeoning weapons (to the damage of which it is immune to). You can't go wrong with that. :smallbiggrin:

[The Neoclassic]

Unique (runny) :smallbiggrin:

[Magnor Criol]

Geez, afro, did you even pause for breath after Prince Meridius was done? =p

I actually don't know what I want for this category. I guess I don't really think about oozes in the 'villain' sense...more of a 'natural hazard' sense.

[Wandiya]

Lets go for LIVING SPELL because if the spell is owl's wisdom it could be a cleric right? right?:smallbiggrin::smalltongue:

[HoundDog]

Living spell.

[vegetalss4]

living spell. sounds like a load of fun.

[lesser_minion]

I think I'm going to go with the unique(translucent) crowd.

[Debihuman]

Ooze, eh? In that case, I'm for a new living spell.

Just don't repeat any of the ones that were already done on the WotC site. Here is the last of the 4 part series: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ls/20070115a [and there is a link at the bottom of the page to the earlier 3 articles as well].

Debby

[afroakuma]

Snowflake Ooze Details
http://pds5.egloos.com/pds/200707/11/31/d0046631_08074615.jpg
A lacy frost creature that hunts for warmth to extinguish using its own body. Its delicate, powdery nature makes it hard to strike.

[afroakuma]

I honestly don't know what most of the species are specifically. :smallconfused:

Well, the four from the MM are also available on d20srd, and images of them shouldn't be hard to track down.

As for the uniques, Runnies are slippery pools of flat liquid, Sloppies are bulky masses of semisolid goo and Translucents are solid gelatinous masses.

So, basically gray ooze, black pudding and gelatinous cube.

Colloids are an even mixture of two heterogeneouns substances.

And I don't think I need to explain what Vapors are.

[Frog Dragon]

Living Spell is just too much of an awesomesauce to pass up.

[DracoDei]

Unique(Vaporous)

[cnsvnc]

Vaporous ooze isn't something you see everyday. In fact, I belive you don't see anything like that.

[afroakuma]

If you see any of these every day, then I don't envy you your job.

[puppyavenger]

I'm going to go with living spell, mainly because I'd like to see a high-level one.

Come everyone, bandwagon them!

[watsyurname529]

It's either Living Spell or Translucent for me... Hmm... I think Living Spell is going to have the most interesting potiential.

[LordZarth]

Snowflake Ooze FTW!

[Juhn]

I've been freezing lately, so I think a villainous Snowflake Ooze is appropriate.

I take it that Oozes don't get class levels?

[afroakuma]

It will depend on the winning species, but probably not.

I expect someone wants to foister a gelatinous cube samurai on me, or something else equally stupid.

[MammonAzrael]

Ooh, the choices....I think the current oozes are cool enough in their own right. Lets get some Unique: Translucent in there!

[Suleman]

I'm voting Living Spell for now, but if someone can think of a way to make a slime-like creature in a suit of armor, I'll change my vote to that.

[Gorgondantess]

Wow. I'm shocked living spell is actually in the lead. Yay!:smallbiggrin: Living spell can gain class levels, right?

[Llama231]

Wow! The bandwagon is sure agreeing with me this time!:smallbiggrin:
Another vote for Living Spell.

[Athaniar]

Upon looking through my Monster Manuals in order to find an interesting slime, I discovered this little creature, which now has my vote:

Reason Stealer
Source: Monster Manual II
Brief Description: An ooze which kills people and takes their minds, gaining any ability score, skill rank, save, BAB, feat, and spell possessed by the victim for 24 hours. It also changes its shape into a mockery of the victim's, even allowing it to wield weapons if the victim could do so.

It's the perfect villain!

[afroakuma]

I could certainly see possibilities. I'll add it.

[afroakuma]

Reason Stealer Details
http://www.iwozhere.com/SRD/images/88268_620_107.jpg
A voracious blob that takes on the form, skills and intellect of those it kills.

[Adumbration]

Living spell -1.
Reason Stealer +1.

[Llama231]

A reason stealer would be very interesting, but not as much as a living spell.
I nearly changed my vote here.

[Limos]

Unique Translucent -1
Reason Stealer +1

OMG! That thing is even better than the Unique Translucent! I want that one instead!

[Kazasu]

I vote for the Reason Stealer. What if it happens to kill a group of sorcerers?

[afroakuma]

It uses the optimal mental stats and the form of the last being it killed.

[Kazasu]

Ah, thank you for that explanation Afro.

[afroakuma]

'Tis my job.

[Juhn]

I like reason stealer better than snowflake ooze, actually. I was thinking when I originally voted snowflake ooze that that might have decided too much already.

As such.
-1 Snowflake Ooze
+1 Reason Stealer

[orchitect]

Well I'm not familiar with DnD, but as full site participation is something I am aiming for right now, I decided to educate myself and vote!

I looked up the popular living spell ooze and I gotta say, I like it! If it wins we're voting on what spell it is too, right?

Not really for the bandwagon thing, I just want to make a crazy character. I was thinking about the snowflake ooze too. Now I have to learn about DnD spells...

[afroakuma]

Well I'm not familiar with DnD, but as full site participation is something I am aiming for right now, I decided to educate myself and vote!

I looked up the popular living spell ooze and I gotta say, I like it! If it wins we're voting on what spell it is too, right?

Not really for the bandwagon thing, I just want to make a crazy character. I was thinking about the snowflake ooze too. Now I have to learn about DnD spells...

Oh, I advocate it. I'll be allowing a trickle of feedback on the spell if Living Spell wins, but you will most certainly not be voting for it. That power ultimately rests with me.

Welcome to Homebrew, by the way! Stay a while and take in the sights!

[evil-frosty]

Go reason stealer. It looks very cool and could be a hard villain to track down, if i read the explanation right.

[DrakebloodIV]

If it was even vaguely possible for snowflake ooze to win I would vote for it, but I also really like the concept of a LIVING SPELL +1

[orchitect]

Oh, I advocate it. I'll be allowing a trickle of feedback on the spell if Living Spell wins, but you will most certainly not be voting for it. That power ultimately rests with me.

Welcome to Homebrew, by the way! Stay a while and take in the sights!

Thanks. I love chances to stretch my imagination so I think I'll be around a lot. Of course, that just means I have an excuse to learn DnD! :smallbiggrin:

I was reading a four-part article on living spells on Wizards.com and I liked the description of the "flesh to stone" living spell. I especially liked this line, "It emits a low crackling sound like a lake freezing in wintertime." That line gave me chills just thinking about it. Its all about how sound stirs up emotions, especially in this case, fear. I just think that should be taken into consideration.

[afroakuma]

We have a host of spells that would make for great living adversaries. I always like the Living Blasphemy, a 15' tall tower of molten screaming blackness.

This one, actually.
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/eb_gallery/82168.jpg

[orchitect]

We have a host of spells that would make for great living adversaries. I always like the Living Blasphemy, a 15' tall tower of molten screaming blackness.

This one, actually.
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/eb_gallery/82168.jpg

Yeah I saw that when I was looking up living spells. I need to look up its effects, but that would be fun to toss at a party.

What about something like "beast claws"? I imagine a Lovecraftian cloud with hundreds of claws reaching out it. Kind of like a cross between a cat and shub niggurath.

[afroakuma]

Living Evard's black tentacles would be highly Lovecraftian. Living Bigby's interposing hand would be a pest, while Living Mordenkainen's sword would be ridiculously dangerous.

[LordZarth]

BEST. VILLAIN. EVAH.
-1 Snowflake Ooze
+1 Reason Stealer

[Juhn]

Living implosion?

[orchitect]

And I have to admit I don't know any of those spells, but their names give me a pretty good impression of what they accomplish. :smallamused:

Living Sword of Damocles (not a real spell as far as I know) would be neat. Or Gift of Diogenes , a spell that turns living things into dogs. Hehe, I could have fun making spells based just on historical concepts. They might not be scary, but they could be entertaining.

[Limos]

What happens if someone with a lot of metamagic feats ends up making a living spell?

A Living Enlarged Empowered Bigby's Crushing Hand

Master Hand anyone?

http://www.smashbros.com/en_us/gamemode/various/images/various28/various28_080225awk2.jpg

[thegurullamen]

Living Disjunction. It's "rocks fall, everyone cries" as an encounter.
Living Rope Trick. Really mean for characters with portable holes or bags of holding.
Living Twinned, Maximized, Empowered, Repeating Enervation + Harm and Inflict Minor Wounds. "DM, you're being an ass.

[afroakuma]

I thought about Living Implosion... God, that one would be scary.

I think Master Hand is closer to Bigby's Doinking, Flicking, Grabbing, Laser-Emitting Hand. But that's just me. Throw in insanity for Crazy Hand.

Living Rope Trick would be so fun... it would lurk on the ceiling, dropping down a strand of rope to drag unwary adventurers into itself. It could even have inhabitants.

[orchitect]

I thought about Living Implosion... God, that one would be scary.

I think Master Hand is closer to Bigby's Doinking, Flicking, Grabbing, Laser-Emitting Hand. But that's just me. Throw in insanity for Crazy Hand.

Living Rope Trick would be so fun... it would lurk on the ceiling, dropping down a strand of rope to drag unwary adventurers into itself. It could even have inhabitants.

People living inside of a living rope? I'll second that! :smallamused:

[afroakuma]

Just so you know, rope trick creates an extradimensional space at the top of a hanging rope. So the rope would drop out of a hole in the ceiling, grab someone and pull them into the space up top, where a badguy would lurk.

Really, there are so many potential goodies.

[Juhn]

I think all this speculation might end up feeding votes to living spell.

It's probably going to win even without the help though.

And wait, with Rope Trick you're gonna make a Wallmaster straight from Zelda?

[afroakuma]

I hope I'm not forced to use rope trick.

And given that there's only 53 minutes to the turnover, I'm hardly worried. Reason Stealer did quite well for entering so late, though.

[Gorgondantess]

Yeah I saw that when I was looking up living spells. I need to look up its effects, but that would be fun to toss at a party.

What about something like "beast claws"? I imagine a Lovecraftian cloud with hundreds of claws reaching out it. Kind of like a cross between a cat and shub niggurath.

Heh... yeah. But if you really wanted something lovecraftian: living polymorph. Can anybody say Nyarlathotep? Or Living Nightmare, because that just sounds cool, and would be interesting mechanically. Living implosion is just too insane to think about. Actually... that would be pretty awesome. Like a living vacuum, or something... yeah. Living miracle would be cool too. But the coolest living spell ever: Living Prestidigitation! Mwahaha, feel my cantrip might!

[Limos]

I would like to see Living Wail of the Banshee.

It kills one creature per level.

[Kazasu]

Living Spell will be a very interesting thing to see. Whatever the outcome, I hope it uses every possible sense to cause a nerve wracking paranoia created by the most horrid sense of dread. Or, you know, death could work too.

[thegurullamen]

Living True Strike: "All the better to...hit me with?"
Living Arcane Fusion: Schizophrenia? Whosa-jigga-wha?
Living Create Living Spell: "I cast Magic Missile." "Interestingly enough..."

[Gorgondantess]

Living Create Living Spell: "I cast Magic Missile." "Interestingly enough..."

....damn. That kicks the crap out of my living prestidigitation. But is that even a spell? What book is it in? If so, my sorceror's taking it next level.

[dracoslaad]

This is another vote for the identity theft of Reason Stealer.

[Limos]

Living True Resurrection

The actual Pro-life position.

[Juhn]

I'm thinking Living Polymorph might have been what resulted in the monstrosity that is the Gibbering Mouther. Those things creep me out, man.

[Limos]

How about a Villain team?

Living Flesh to Stone
Living Stone to Mud
Living Mud to Stone
Living Stone to Flesh

It's team Puddles of People! First they Stone you, then melt you, then re-solidify your now melted body, then turn your melty statue into a person again.

[Gorgondantess]

How about a Villain team?

Living Flesh to Stone
Living Stone to Mud
Living Mud to Stone
Living Stone to Flesh

It's team Puddles of People!

... That's just beautiful.:smallbiggrin:

[Limos]

... That's just beautiful.:smallbiggrin:

And I'm pretty sure THAT is where Gibbering Mouthers come from. It's whats left over when a party loses to Team Puddles of People.

[Juhn]

...True enough.

[afroakuma]

Alright, the votes have been tallied, and the winning Species is Living Spell!

So, now this evil eldritch emulsion needs a Challenge Rating.

I'll also allow suggestions for spell(s) used, but it will not count as a formal vote.

[Juhn]

Can I get a rough estimate of what level spell corresponds to what CR?

[Username]

I'm going with CR 20, let's see a true monstrosity bringing the full array of possible spells/spell combos to bear.

There are simply too many possible interesting spell combos for me to suggest any, I'm totally torn. My only suggestion/request would be that it be a spellmeld (combination of multiple spells) of some sort.

[puppyavenger]

I'm going with CR 20 too, we had a low end one, here's sometihng for his master plan to feature!

[evil-frosty]

My vote goes to CR 12 good and powerful but still not insanely powerful

[afroakuma]

Not unreasonable.

A living spell's CR is equal to the level of the spell plus one-half its caster level, rounded down (minimum caster level being the minimum to cast the spell in the first place; basically add the spell's level again and subtract one for the minimum). For mixtures of multiple spells, use the above step for the highest-level spell, then take half the sum of the levels of the other spells, rounded down and add.

[Zeta Kai]

CR20. That is all.

[Juhn]

I'm too tired to do math at the moment; I'll vote for whatever CR gives me a fourth-level spell. I want to see a living Phantasmal Killer. A living spell that can literally scare you to death is sheer awesome to me.

[afroakuma]

4+3 = CR 7 at minimum, Juhn. Confirm?

[Limos]

CR 20

Let's get some Nigh-epic spellcasting up in here.

[Juhn]

Sure, let's go with 7 then.

[LordZarth]

CR 20, please.

And Juhn: remember, he can still do a phantasmal killer if you say CR 20. It can just have a really high CL AND be combined with other spells.

[paddyfool]

In that case, anything over CR 17 would pretty much have to be a mixture of multiple spells. Unless, of course, if we consider epic spellcasting... and if we treat their effective level as 10, and the caster level required to cast a relatively simple one as 21... that works out to CR 20.

Let's save you that headache. CR 17.

[thegurullamen]

In that case, anything over CR 17 would pretty much have to be a mixture of multiple spells. Unless, of course, if we consider epic spellcasting... and if we treat their effective level as 10, and the caster level required to cast a relatively simple one as 21... that works out to CR 20.

Living Nailed to the Sky.

PC: "I attack with my short sword and--"
DM: "Suddenly find yourself burning up in a low level orbit."

[afroakuma]

If I get CR 20, it will probably be a mix, yes.

And it will be a mixture set to tapdance on your grave.

No, that was not me saying I'm making Otto, the Irresistible Dance.

[Limos]

Oh man, I want to see the Living Spell Compendium of lame spells.

It's every single useless, weird, or just stupid spell working together. Prestidigitation! Mage Hand! Hideous Laughter! Irresistable Dance!

[afroakuma]

Hideous Laughter earned that name, Limos. It's a killer. I am dead serious. I murdered Draz74's whole party with it.

[Limos]

Hideous Laughter earned that name, Limos. It's a killer. I am dead serious. I murdered Draz74's whole party with it.

I was using it as an example of Weird spell, not lame spell.

[Gorgondantess]

CR 20! Yay bandwagoning! This thing totally should have class levels, though. I mean, why not? It's homebrew, do whatever the hell you want with it. At least give it an intelligence score. Preferably a high one, because those are the cool villains.

[Lord_Gareth]

I agree with the class levels - hell, Halaster's apprentice turned herself into a living wish. Do you really want to have the mindless villain argument again?

(See Expedition to Undermountain for more details on Halaster and his apprentices)

[afroakuma]

CR 20! Yay bandwagoning! This thing totally should have class levels, though. I mean, why not? It's homebrew, do whatever the hell you want with it.

I am doing what I want with it, namely keeping it from becoming a Living Silence bard. :smalltongue:

I never said it was going to be mindless, merely that I'm not going to burn potential CR on weak levels.

[Gorgondantess]

I am doing what I want with it, namely keeping it from becoming a Living Silence bard. :smalltongue:

I never said it was going to be mindless, merely that I'm not going to burn potential CR on weak levels.

Well, I still don't see why it can't have class levels, if you're doing whatever the hell you want with it; you get to choose the spell(s) in the end. How are cass levels weak levels?

EDIT: Oh, right, if it gains class levels, it can't be as powerful of a spell.... gotcha. Nevermind then.

[afroakuma]

May I remind you that I am specifically doing whatever the hell I want with it.

I have stated my opinion that the nature of the living spell will make it more flexible and interesting if I am permitted the full latitude of the CR for spell combinations alone. I see no value in gypping voters by giving it one level of fighter just so that it "has class levels."

[arguskos]

CR 20, if you please.

[Limos]

Hey, what would a Living Stoneskin Spell look like?

[Lord_Gareth]

Y'know, Afro could even make it a living spell of a group of homebrewed spells.

Awww yeah, baby.

[Zeta Kai]

Y'know, Afro could even make it a living spell of a group of homebrewed spells.

Awww yeah, baby.

A Living Animate Settlements (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55664)? The horror... :smalleek:

[Adumbration]

CR 20. Oh yeah.

[Atelm]

CR 20, The Clown Ooze Prince of Crime Villany needs power to play with the minds of adventurers. :smallbiggrin:

[The Tygre]

I vote for a CR 15. Pathfinder seems to be able to work with it just fine.

[vegetalss4]

I vote 12 filler

[UnChosenOne]

CR 20. I'm part of bandwagon now.

[Lord Mancow]

So many CR 20s!:smalleek:

I'll go CR 15 though because its not too super high.

[Frog Dragon]

I'll go with CR 15 too.

[Wandiya]

15 is making a come back:smallbiggrin: The 15 is my vote

[lesser_minion]

CR15

I like that number. It gives a nice selection of spells without offering anything too horrific.

Animate Settlements would be a great thing to cast in the middle of, say, Sigil, but I would rather not see Living Epic Spells. They scare me a bit.

[afroakuma]

Y'know, Afro could even make it a living spell of a group of homebrewed spells.

Awww yeah, baby.

This idea is growing on me. I may do a side Living Spell project after this is complete.

[Debihuman]

Level 15 is far more appealing than a higher level.

Debby

[InsiderTrading]

I think a CR 15 would suit an ooze well, considering it's already immune to slashing weapons and deals damage on contact.

[PersonMan]

CR 15, yay!

[cnsvnc]

15 for president!

[afroakuma]

Dueling bandwagons? :smalleek:

[orchitect]

If I may ask before I cast my vote, what is CR? I'm usually a WFRPer; I don't have DnD experience.

[puppyavenger]

If I may ask before I cast my vote, what is CR? I'm usually a WFRPer; I don't have DnD experience.

thy3e level that the characters will be when they fight it.

[Reverent-One]

CR 15, unless we are dealing with something on a par with the Silver Hellstar, I prefer a more reasonable level.

[watsyurname529]

If I may ask before I cast my vote, what is CR? I'm usually a WFRPer; I don't have DnD experience.


CR is short for a creature's Challenge Rating. It gives a rough estimate of the power of the creature, and the appropriate level the characters need to be to have a decent fight, but still win. You can find more about it at the d20srd.org.

As for my vote, let's keep things interesting and say CR 15. I would still like to see a seperate CR 20 Living spell behemoth.

[afroakuma]

It's an assessment of the challenge level that the monster should present.

In this case, as I have indicated, it's also a bit less than twice the spell level of the monster.

CR|Spell Level|Two Spells|Three Spells
1|1|-|0+0+0
2|1|-|1+1+1
3|2|-|-
4|2|2+2|2+1+1
5|3|-|2+2+2
6|3|3+2|3+1+1
7|4|-|3+2+2
8|4|4+2|3+3+3
9|5|4+4|4+2+2
10|5|5+2|4+3+3
11|6|5+4|4+4+4
12|6|6+2|5+3+3
13|7|6+4|5+4+4
14|7|6+6|5+5+5
15|8|7+4|6+4+4
16|8|7+6|6+5+5
17|9|8+4|6+6+6
18|9|8+6|7+5+5
19|9|8+8|7+6+6
20|9|9+6|7+7+7

[Athaniar]

20 CR all the way. This will be awesome.

[Alteran]

CR 15, woo.

[evil-frosty]

Well 12 has no chance of winning so iam going to change my vote
12 -1
15 +1

[afroakuma]

Clash of bandwagonry tallied.

[Llama231]

20!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[puppyavenger]

2 more and then n more votes and we'll win!

[Llama231]

Level 20=9+6

Living Antimagic Field+Mordenkainen's Disjunction
No more wizard.
Yes.:smallamused:

[LordZarth]

Come on guys! CR 20 is so much more cool! Remember the Hellstar?

[orchitect]

Thanks for answering my question. I'm going to vote for CR 15, because its still powerful and more groups can fight it.

[Limos]

How could this happen? Our bandwagon has crashed. Oh the humanity.

[MammonAzrael]

CR 15 here.

[InsiderTrading]

Come on guys! CR 20 is so much more cool! Remember the Hellstar?

Yes, but I think most gamers would prefer if it was something a ragtag bunch of mid level misfits stands a chance against, rather than something we have to nuke from orbit.

[Juhn]

I would like to point out that we already have an awesome top-end villain: the Hellstar. I would also like to point out that the Hellstar was 10 levels higher than our highest option here, so we can't reproduce it anyway.

Well, CR 7 has no chance at all at this point. CR 15 includes fourth-level spells for two of its three options (and one of those has it twice), so if I go with that I stand a decent chance of getting my Phantasmal Killer.

-1 CR 7
+1 CR 15

[afroakuma]

Technically, those options are just estimates. For example, n+4+4 could easily be n+5+3 or n+7+1 and still follow the rules. As long as the sum of the other spell levels is the same as the sum presented (other than the highest one, that's untouchable) it's equivalent.

[Juhn]

That thing in brackets there is one reason why I prefer 15 anyway.

[afroakuma]

What, you want me limited to 8th, 7th or 6th level spells?

[LordZarth]

Yes, but I think most gamers would prefer if it was something a ragtag bunch of mid level misfits stands a chance against, rather than something we have to nuke from orbit.

Hellstar was 30. CR 20 is killable. Just very, very cool. 15 is moar boaring...

[Belobog]

CR 20.

Plus.

A living Sympathy (or Vengeful Gaze of God :smallamused:) would be fun to play around with.

[afroakuma]

Still a close duel... the last two hours will be crucial.

[Lord_Gareth]

CR 20 FTW, folks!

[Belobog]

Would a living Antipathy/Sympathy totally mess everyone up, or would they cancel themselves out entirely?

Not that I'm pulling for that for the villian, mind you, but the possibility of a living logic loop intrigues me.

[Gorgondantess]

Would a living Antipathy/Sympathy totally mess everyone up, or would they cancel themselves out entirely?

Not that I'm pulling for that for the villian, mind you, but the possibility of a living logic loop intrigues me.

Sadly,
Antipathy counters and dispels sympathy.
Interesting idea though. Methinks any creature effected by both without it being countered would have a coronary.

[afroakuma]

Don't worry. I have plenty of ideas up my sleeve.

Imagine a Living Polymorph Any Object that used this (http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=mMSHOPkcVv8) as its guidelines for the first four polymorph victims. It's brilliant, I tell you!

[afroakuma]

Alright, the duel of the fates is over, and the winner is CR 15.

Jerks. Cheating me out of my awesome doomy villain. Now I'll have to come up with a new idea, whose Alignment you will now be voting on!

Proceed.

[Limos]

Chaotic Neutral

[thegurullamen]

So it's intelligent enough to have an alignment?

If so, then Chaotic Evil.
If not, then it's obviously True Neutral.

[Username]

How about True Neutral?

Also, I'd love to hear what your idea for CR 20 was, even though it didn't win. Just the spell combo you had in mind.

Edit: I don't think we've had a true neutral villain yet, have we? I think the idea of the ooze not being *actively* malevolent but very much attached to its goals and willing to do some bad stuff to get them done would be pretty neat.

[afroakuma]

I was going to do something fun involving storm of vengeance and unhallow with deeper darkness tethered to it.

[Alteran]

Chaotic Evil here.

[Username]

I was going to do something fun involving storm of vengeance and unhallow with deeper darkness tethered to it.

Yikes! That is certainly a frightening prospect.

[afroakuma]

It would be awesome. Imagine a storm of eternal darkness, swarming with hints of malevolent, sorcerous thunder and the rustle of unseen shambling corpses, all converging implacably upon your city like a silent black tornado.

Now imagine that it specifically wants you. Dead.

[DrakebloodIV]

Lawful Good here 'cause not all oozes have to be chaoitic.

[Username]

It would be awesome. Imagine a storm of eternal darkness, swarming with hints of malevolent, sorcerous thunder and the rustle of unseen shambling corpses, all converging implacably upon your city like a silent black tornado.

Now imagine that it specifically wants you. Dead.

I really do hope you do decide to whip up a Living Spell Compendium at some point. It'd truly be something for the ages.

Also, something interesting of note is the Spell Sovereign prestige class in Dragon Mag #357. A prestige class dedicated to living spells. For Arcane casters of course, it nets such fun abilities as a living spell familiar and the ability to turn your spells into (non-permanent) living spells.

[afroakuma]

I am seriously considering it.

On top of all the other projects I have to do. :smalleek:

[UnChosenOne]

Lawful Good.

[Gorgondantess]

I vote Chaotic Neutral. While lawful good would be lovely under any other circumstances, the sheer possibilities of a chaotic neutral living spell is too great to pass up.

[MammonAzrael]

Neutral here!

[afroakuma]

...thus causing a four-way tie.

I'll be interested to see where this stands tomorrow.

[Belobog]

Lawful Good.

Doesn't mean it can;t do horrible things, just means it has to do them with the best of intentions.

And those are the funnest ones. :smallsmile:

[vegetalss4]

stay true!
Vote True Neutral

[Atelm]

Chaotic Neutral would be interesting to see.

[Wandiya]

LAWFUL GOOD just cause it would be funny and i would like to hear the fluff that Afro will have to make for it.:smallbiggrin:

[Lord Mancow]

Chaotic Neutral.

[vegetalss4]

remember everyone.
The balance needs YOUR vote

[arguskos]

Chaotic Neutral, if you please.

[afroakuma]

Voting has been extended until the end of the day.

[Debihuman]

Thanks for extending the vote. With all the trouble with the forums, I wouldn't have been able to vote at all. Anyhow, it would be interesting to see a villain who is chaotic neutral.

Debby

[Adumbration]

Chaotic Evil. Just becouse.

[cnsvnc]

Much as a LG ooze sounds interesting, I'll be going with CN. Cos it sounds awesome.

[afroakuma]

Remember folks, still looking for spell suggestions.

The rules are:

The spell must not have a target; it must be Area or Effect.

The spell cannot exceed 8th level.

If any 7th level spells are included, the total of other spell levels cannot exceed four.

If any 6th level spells are included, the total of other spell levels cannot exceed eight.

If any 5th level spells are included, the total of other spell levels cannot exceed twelve.