MitD XIX: The Potted Plant Is Starting To Look Reasonable

[Ruck]

Right, but having to really bend the physical appearance of the monster so that it doesn't make it's identity obvious is a major con of the Protean. It might not be a dealbreaker, but it is a drawback.

I don't agree it "really bends" anything. We see two eyes in the dark. We don't know what's going on underneath that.

Why would it be obvious? There are so many shapechanging monsters they get their own subtype.

How many of them fit the other scenes? How many of them have shapechanging powers that work in the particular manner of the Protean's?

Why is it a surprise that it’s talking?
Why is the Jungle a surprising place to find it?
Why does it smell?
Why don’t the goblins recoil in abject horror at the sight of it?
Why does Xykon think it can swallow things whole?
Why does Xykon think it can vomit the amulet back out?
Why does it break its toys?
Why isn’t it as scary as it should be?
Why can’t it figure out what a Gate is?
How does it shout, “STOP!” ?
How does it do the earthquake?
Why does it hope for things and expect them to happen?
Why does Rich keep telling jokes about it eating sentients?
Why was its father really big? All Proteans are Large.
How does it know Tsukiko has half a ritual?
How does it know what the Astral Plane is?
Why does Oona call it a beast? It’s a monstrosity.
How does it manage trenchant political analysis?
What did Xykon read that made him think the Monster in the Dark wants to eat dwarves?

The Protean can answer none of these with its character sheet.

Quite a few can indeed, just off the top of my head. The language one certainly. The intelligence and detect thoughts at will for some of the others. Others I do not understand how they are a question. ("How does it shout 'STOP'?" With a voice, which it has.) Others yet I don't think necessarily have anything to do with its species, or even will be answered. ("What did Xykon read that made him think the Monster in the Dark wants to eat dwarves?" Who knows? What does it matter? Xykon and Redcloak think the MitD eats a lot and will eat anything, we know that.)

One that has been listed in the OP for quite literally over a decade. So at the very least, I really wish those that dislike the protean would come up with either a new objection, or cease retreading old ground. Yes, we get it, they don't like it because they feel that a creature frequently accused of being lazy might have been spending every move action retaining a face to fit in is implausible. But coming here to tell us "I don't buy that it's a protean because there is no overt evidence of changing shape" like this is some major revelation become boring... I don't know, six or seven years ago now?

Grey Wolf

Yeah, I should just stop because we're just rehashing the same things over and over at this point. I just get a little frustrated by arguments that misrepresent the Protean's powers or essentially ask "If the MITD is a Protean, why hasn't Rich shown us the most defining and distinctive characteristic of that species, which he is trying to keep a secret?"