Octopus-Based Monster And Race [3.5] [PLEASE COMMENT]

[The Pressman]

Although I have posted a related thread, this is homebrew, and so I thought that I could put in another thread. If the consensus is for me to move it back, I'll delete the post and put it in the other one. Until then, here it is.


Tomthobotnica
Medium Amphibious Magical Beast
Hit Dice:2d8+2 (11)
Initiative:+3
Speed: 30ft walk and swim
Armor Class: 15, 12(FF), 13(touch)
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+3
Attack:Tentacle +5 melee (1d8+2)
Full Attack:2*Tentacle +5 melee (1d8+5
), Bite +0 melee (1d4 +1)
Space/Reach:5', 5'
Special Attacks:Improved Grab
Special Qualities:Low Light Vision, Amphibious, Jet, Ink Cloud, Natural Armor +2
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +2
Abilities Str 14, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 5, Wis 12, Cha 4
Skills: Escape Artist +13, Hide +11, Listen +2, Spot +5, Swim +9
Feats: Weapon Finesse
Environment: Marsh/Swamp/Jungle
Organization: Packs, Almost Tribal
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: 900 gp
Alignment:Neutral (usu.)
Advancement: 3-6 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment:-

A five and a half foot tall octopus glares at you as it climbs over the vines and tries to seek out the prey you scared away, claws sliding out from it's tentacles.

The Tomthobotnica is a small, grey-green land octopus. It's origins are shrouded in mystery, but some believe that Cephalos, the god of Octopods, may have altered normal octopus to be the dawn of a new age for cephalopds.

A Tomthobotnica stands about 5'5" tall, and has mottled green gray skin, with young children having a red color reminiscent of octopi. They have no internal skeleton, having instead a system of flexible cartilage and muscle. Their eyes betray an intelligence beyond what you might expect. They communicate with a language of beak clicks, whistles, and tentacle waves.

Combat :
They prefer to hide, then strike out with a tentacle, launching into a grapple, then biting their prey.

Ability descriptions

Low Light Vision: the Tomthobotnica can see twice as far as normal in low light conditions.
Amphibious: They are able to breath and survive equally well on land and water.
Jet:A Tomthobotnica can jet backward once per round as a full-round action, at a speed of 200 feet. It must move in a straight line, but does not provoke attacks of opportunity while jetting. This only works in water.
Ink Cloud: They can emit a cloud of jet-black ink 10 feet high by 10 feet wide by 10 feet long once per minute as a free action. The cloud provides total concealment, which the Tomthobotnica normally uses to escape a losing fight. All vision within the cloud is obscured. This works only in water.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Tomthobotnica comes from the Swedish 'Tomt', or land, and the Slovenian 'Hobotnica', octopus. 'Osjetan' comes from the Croatian for sentient.


There, the monster.

Now for the Race.

Osjetantomthobotnicai

They appear to be a man sized octopus, ranging from 4.5' to 6'3", and from 90-150 lbs. They have a mottled green gray skin, although they can change color to blend in. They can also escape from tight enclosures, due to their lack of a skeleton. Because of their aquatic heritage, they have a swim speed.

Traits:

• +2 Dexterity
• +2 Wisdom
• -2 Charisma
• Low Light Vision
• Swim and Move Speed of 30'
• Marshcunning: +2 to search in bogs
• Natural Attack: Tentacle 1d8
• Escape Artist +4, Hide +3, Listen +2, Spot +5, Swim +2
• Multidexterity

Languages:
The Osjetantomthobotnica is proficient in it's native tongue, <sharp click><soft whistle><tentacle 3 wave>, Common, and Aquan.
Bonus Languages: Any

Weapons:
Because it has natural weapons, it does not bother to have proficiency in any but ranged, simple weapons. However, it does have proficiency in the <soft click><hard whistle><hard click><tentacle 7 wave>, also known as the Palto. The weapon has a blade that splits a few inches from the handle, with one side being a curved blade reminiscent of a falchion, and the other side being a cudgel. The cudgel side deals 1d4 bludgeoning, and the blade side deals 1d6 slashing and piercing.
<This was because the natural weapons seemed to unbalance it, and while I would prefer to keep them, I'd sacrifice them for +0 LA>


Background

This is a higher, more intelligent form of the Tomthobotnica, stronger, bigger, etc. It split off from the others in time immemorial. They have a tribal system, but are very egalitarian in their judgement.

Class Ideas: Expert, as they rarely produce magic users. But when they do, they are usually Sorcerers or Archivists. Monk, as they have good unarmed attacks.

Favored Class: Factotum or Rogue, although Expert is still up there. Choose a favored class at the beginning, and never change.

[hamishspence]

It's pretty nice. Might be a shade powerful as a race- close to the border between +0 and +1, still, could be fun to play.

[GreatWyrmGold]

Looks interesting.

[Calmar]

Looks interesting!

Some suggestions:

Since they're intelligent guys, the tomthobotnica's type shouldn't be animal. Aberration, magical beast, or even a new type like cephalid might suit them better.

Maybe you should give them rogue as favoured class, since it's basically the heroic version of the expert. Generally I think NPC classes are something outside the normal favoured classes system...

Because they're land-dwellers I think they shouldn't be too comfortable in the water anymore.


How did you create the sample tomthobotnica' s ability scores?

[hamishspence]

I thought the Factotum was the heroic version of the expert- since for it, every skill is a class skill. It's to be found in Dungeonscape.

Might be a good alternative to the rogue.

[The Pressman]

Looks interesting!

Some suggestions:

Since they're intelligent guys, the tomthobotnica's type shouldn't be animal. Aberration, magical beast, or even a new type like cephalid might suit them better.

Maybe you should give them rogue as favoured class, since it's basically the heroic version of the expert. Generally I think NPC classes are something outside the normal favoured classes system...

Because they're land-dwellers I think they shouldn't be too comfortable in the water anymore.

How did you create the sample tomthobotnica' s ability scores?

I took the octopus ones and fiddled with them a bit. Nothing too formal.
EDIT: I got rid of Bite, because a human has teeth, but he doesn't have a bite attack.

[Bhu]

Have you by chance been peeking at the Pacific Tree Octopus website?

[The Pressman]

Actually, no. I thought of this before someone helpfully pointed me in that direction.


And also, is the weapon proficiency thing balanced? Or are natural attacks usually a cause for +1 LA?

[Bhu]

natural attacks only cause +LA if you get more of them at an earlier level than PC's would get iterative attacks (for example if you got 4 attacks per round before a PC without natural attacks would), or if they cause obscenely high damage.

[The Pressman]

CRAP. The concept is almost exactly like the Tako, from the 2e monster manual. It's an octopus that walks on land, and goes in water, and has multiple attacks.

[Bhu]

Dont let that hold you back. DnD has a shortage of cephalopod races ^_^

[The Pressman]

Because they're land-dwellers I think they shouldn't be too comfortable in the water anymore.

However, if you look at the (one) other octopus-like monsters that aren't octopi, they can swim and walk.

[hamishspence]

I think Oriental Adventures has the 3.0 stats for Tako, and Dragon 318 updates Oriental Adventures to 3.5 (so does the WoTC site, but Dragon updates a few more things).

However- Oriental Adventures is hard to get- so I'm happy to see other versions of octopusfolk.

Maybe these guys are to normal cephalopods, somewhere between robber crabs and normal crabs in land-adaptedness- very land-adapted, but not completely so?

[DracoDei]

Type should be Magical Beast I think.

[Debihuman]

You have Amphibious listed as a subtype but it isn't one.

Hit Dice is missing Con modifer and hit points

Hit Dice: 2d8 + 2 (11 hit points)

You didn't designate which AC is touch and which is Flat-footed. And I'm not sure how you arrived at AC 15 since it doesn't have natural armor listed.

Attack line only ever shows one attack regardless of how many the creature has.

Full attack lists ALL the attacks include how many of each. Its damage is also missing the STR modifier. Weapon Finesse does not change this.

Attack: Tentacle +5 melee (1d8+2)
Full Attack: 2 tentacles +5 melee (1d8+5) and Bite +0 melee (1d4+1). The bite only adds half damage (and you should note that as well in the creature's entry). Can it bite and use its tentacles at the same time? If not, change the "and" to an "or" in this line.

Debby

[The Pressman]

I think I got everything.

[Aeolius]

Dont let that hold you back. DnD has a shortage of cephalopod races ^_^

Depends on the game ;)

[Bhu]

Whatever she is, I want one to unleash on mah enemies