Bloodprawn Swarm [3.5 construct symbiont]

[Admiral Squish]

Bloodprawn Swarm

Fine Construct (swarm, symbiont)
Hit Dice: 2d8 (11 HP)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 10 feet (2 squares)
Armor Class: 20 AC (+8 size, +2 dex), 20 Touch, 18 Flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-18
Attack: Swarm (1d6)
Full Attack: Swarm (1d6-5)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Distraction
Special Qualities: Construct Traits, Swarm Traits, Symbiont Traits
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +0
Abilities Str 1, Dex 14, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 4, Ego 2
Skills: -
Feats: -
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 1 (singular) or Host +1 (When Worn)
Alignment: always Neutral
Advancement:-

You hear the sound of metal on stone up ahead in the darkness. From the shadows crawls a thousand tiny insect-like metallic creatures.

Bloodprawn swarms are not actually prawns, or insects. They are, in fact, constructs. Tiny, tiny, incredibly detailed constructs. Nobody knows exactly where these swarms first came from, or what masterful craftsman first built their incredibly detailed forms, but they wander through the cavernous tunnels of the dark seeking hosts. Driven by some unknown program, the bloodprawns will enter a host's body and enter the bloodstream, where they begin work immediately, repairing any damage caused by their entry. Each bloodprawn is about a half-inch long, with intricate detailing so fine and complex that it's nearly impossible to appreciate with the naked eye. Viewed under magnification, the minute engraving and precisely machined joints become visible. Each prawn is unique, with it's own, individual engravings and markings. The work is so fine and precise, it can be almost guaranteed that these prawns were not the work of human hands.

Combat:
Bloodprawn swarms are physically weak and can only attach themselves to willing or helpless hosts (as a full-round action). In general, a creature either seeks out a bloodprawn swarm to gain its benefits or encounters the bloodprawn swarm accidentally. Driven by some unknown program, the bloodprawns will enter a host's body and enter the bloodstream, where they begin work immediately, repairing any damage caused by their entry and tuning the host's body to the peak of it's capabilities. The bloodprawns fade into the host's blood, becoming almost unnoticeable, except for the occasional feeling of something moving under the host's skin.
Attaching or removing a bloodprawn swarm deals 1d2 points of constitution damage.

Distraction: Any living creature that begins its turn with a swarm in its space must succeed on a DC 11 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based. Once inside a host, the host is automatically nauseated for one round, but is then immune to this ability.

Host Benefit: While a bloodprawn swarm is attached, the swarm grants it's host fast healing 5 and, once attached to a host for at least one consecutive week, grants it's host a +2 inherent bonus to strength, dexterity, and constitution. In addition, once/day, the bloodprawn swarm can prevent it's host from dying. As an immediate action, if the host of a bloodprawn swarm would die for any reason, the bloodprawn swarm can revive him, leaving him at -9 HP and stable. The host's body must be intact for this to work (So, this ability could not save a character who was struck by a disintegrate or destruction spell).

Symbiont Traits: See page 299 of the EBERRON Campaign
Setting.

[EdroGrimshell]

I'd use this. And what would the price for this thing be?

[Admiral Squish]

I'd use this. And what would the price for this thing be?

Frankly, I'm not sure. I don't suppose anyone has an opinion on the pricing?

[Tanuki Tales]

So these guys can prevent Disintegration?

Nanite Healing Factor for the win by the way.

[Admiral Squish]

So these guys can prevent Disintegration?

Nanite Healing Factor for the win by the way.

Good point. I should throw in a clause about the body needing to be intact for that thing to work.

[Nanoblack]

Frankly, I'm not sure. I don't suppose anyone has an opinion on the pricing?

Well to compare it to grafts from the fiend folio might no be fair, but this little critter outperforms silithar healing blood in fast healing and also the silithar muscle, tendons, and bones. Each of those grafts are 91,000+ gold and thats not including the ability to auto-stabilize at -9 which outperforms the silithar heart when combined with the fast healing (because it can save you from any amount of damage, not just -9 or higher). I'm not saying that it should be anywhere near that amount of money, as grafts are horrendously overpriced, but its a good starting point.

[EdroGrimshell]

Well to compare it to grafts from the fiend folio might no be fair, but this little critter outperforms silithar healing blood in fast healing and also the silithar muscle, tendons, and bones. Each of those grafts are 91,000+ gold and thats not including the ability to auto-stabilize at -9 which outperforms the silithar heart when combined with the fast healing (because it can save you from any amount of damage, not just -9 or higher). I'm not saying that it should be anywhere near that amount of money, as grafts are horrendously overpriced, but its a good starting point.

So it's in line with the living breastplate, a minor artifact

[Admiral Squish]

I like the idea of a living artifact with CR 1, but I dunno if it's quite worth that. Anyone else got opinions?

[DracoDei]

Well, the UNTYPED stat bonuses are pretty boss (since they stack with everything). -9 and stable practically screams "Cherry Tap Me" (slightly less so with Die Hard)... but then again that takes a separate action of some kind, so it is worth something. Is the 1 con damage per day thing in the section you referred to the book on, or what?

[Admiral Squish]

Well, the UNTYPED stat bonuses are pretty boss (since they stack with everything). -9 and stable practically screams "Cherry Tap Me" (slightly less so with Die Hard)... but then again that takes a separate action of some kind, so it is worth something. Is the 1 con damage per day thing in the section you referred to the book on, or what?

Well, I always though enhancement bonus was a magical bonus, whereas this would be physically hardening the muscle. I could make it enhancement, but then it would never actually get used.

As for -9, you've still go fast healing, so you're standing back up in two rounds.

I think it's in there, I just kinda stole this format from MoE. I don't think any of those symbionts specify continual damage.

[DracoDei]

To rounds can be a long time when you are in initiative... if it was pit-trap, that is a bit different though.

[Admiral Squish]

To rounds can be a long time when you are in initiative... if it was pit-trap, that is a bit different though.

It's still better than 'dead'. At least there's a chance of you surviving.

[AugustNights]

I know DMs that would consider 'covered in' and 'filled with' to be the same thing. Perhaps a Host should be immune to the bloodprawn swarm's distraction after... the two weeks?

[Admiral Squish]

I know DMs that would consider 'covered in' and 'filled with' to be the same thing. Perhaps a Host should be immune to the bloodprawn swarm's distraction after... the two weeks?

Well, spending a week nauseated would be a pretty good mitigating factor. But no, I'll throw a clause in there about once they're inside the host he's immune to the distraction.

[Lix Lorn]

This is awesome. Just to say. ♥♥

[Admiral Squish]

I'm glad you think so!

I've added a clause about the immunity to the distracted. I would have done it sooner, but hey, it was thanksgiving. I'm kinda required to make an appearance at family gatherings.

[PersonMan]

This looks great. I'm definitely going to be using this in one of my games.

[Admiral Squish]

This looks great. I'm definitely going to be using this in one of my games.

There's a surprising amount of sentiment for this five-minute creation...

I added a bit of prose to the entry. Are all agreed that this should be an artifact?

[sokar1618]

Well, I always though enhancement bonus was a magical bonus, whereas this would be physically hardening the muscle. I could make it enhancement, but then it would never actually get used.

I would say you should make it an inherent which is what the Gutworm from fiend folio does. Then more people would use it and it would stack with most other bonuses, just not wish.

I added a bit of prose to the entry. Are all agreed that this should be an artifact?

It depends on how many you want out their really. Living Breastplates are minor artifacts because only daelkyr have them, even though all daelkyr have them, and their are only 6 in Eberron. Also, I recommend making the saving the host from death ability bring them to 1 hp. It would make it more like a last stand kind of thing and maybe have it give like 50 temp hp for like 1 minute. That way people wouldn't be saved to get stabbed and died, and after the minute the fast healing has hopefully kicked in enough to heal any major wounds you previously sustained and any during that minute.

[Admiral Squish]

I would say you should make it an inherent which is what the Gutworm from fiend folio does. Then more people would use it and it would stack with most other bonuses, just not wish.

Alright, done.

It depends on how many you want out their really. Living Breastplates are minor artifacts because only daelkyr have them, even though all daelkyr have them, and their are only 6 in Eberron. Also, I recommend making the saving the host from death ability bring them to 1 hp. It would make it more like a last stand kind of thing and maybe have it give like 50 temp hp for like 1 minute. That way people wouldn't be saved to get stabbed and died, and after the minute the fast healing has hopefully kicked in enough to heal any major wounds you previously sustained and any during that minute.

I think minor artifact is what we've settled on. Not MANY of them, but there are very, very few of them, and their numbers continue to dwindle.

Ehh, I'm not a fan of the 1HP+50 temp deal. I think that you dying should have more effect on the fight than a half-second pause.

[sokar1618]

Ehh, I'm not a fan of the 1HP+50 temp deal. I think that you dying should have more effect on the fight than a half-second pause.

50hp is a lot, but if it saves them and brings them to -9 and they get hit by anything then they will die which negates the whole point of having that ability. Also, they can't do anything so if there's anything alive they are gonna die, even the fast healing 5 won't save them from it.

The dying should have more of an effect thing, it should, but you have a minor artifact that just saved you from dying. The 50 temp hp is a bit much, but having the host at 1hp and able to heal themselves or at least move or get away seems to be more of what you're going for than, "You're not dead! Oops, now you're dead." I mean, you are making a minor artifact, so it should be pretty bad ass.

EDIT:
I was just rereading the living breastplate and it's stabilize host ability drains 1 STR. So no matter how powerful you make the "save from death" ability, you should have it drain something like WIS or CHA. Drain his mental faculties to save his life style ya know.