It still leaves a speechless character (the minimum int scoref for speking, on a very basic level, a language, is three, and that also works for mental conversation) thus except all in on combat adventures, what can you do?
Cranium Rats (Pack)
*** This is a greatly outdated attempt at this concept. For a newer version work in progress check here: /forum/cranium-rats-swarm-pc-wip
Personality: Cranium rats are verminous creatures not uncommon in Sigil and pestilent cities of the Lower Planes. Cranium rats are distinguishable from their normal cousins by the pulsating brains that protrude from the tops of their skulls. They are many creatures and one all at once, for they possess a type of group mind. This is a modification of the Monster: Cranium Rats entry by James O'Rance. http://www.ps3e.com/monster.cfm?id=43&btog=1&monstertog=1The cranium rat is not an aggressive creature, avoiding open attacks in favour of flight or ambushes.
| Personality: Cranium rats are verminous creatures not uncommon in Sigil and pestilent cities of the Lower Planes. Cranium rats are distinguishable from their normal cousins by the pulsating brains that protrude from the tops of their skulls. They are many creatures and one all at once, for they possess a type of group mind. This is a modification of the Monster: Cranium Rats entry by James O'Rance. http://www.ps3e.com/monster.cfm?id=43&btog=1&monstertog=1The cranium rat is not an aggressive creature, avoiding open attacks in favour of flight or ambushes. Cranium rats usually move in swarms of ten or more.By: John SadorfImported from a previous version of Planewalker.com |
| Physical Description: Cranium rats are distinguishable from their normal cousins by the pulsating brains that protrude from the tops of their skulls. |
| Relations: They are many creatures and one all at once, for they possess a type of group mind. |
| Alignment: Lawful Good |
| Lands: Sigil; pestilent cities of the Lower Planes; possibly other large cities. |
| Religion: None (NPCs are rumored to serve Ilsensine, the great god-brain of the illithids) |
| Language: Telepathic, based on intellegence. |
| Names: Many as One, The Collective, Keeper of Secrets |
| Male Names: None |
| Female Names: None |
| Family Names: None |
| Adventurers: Packs are always in search of more knowledge to sate their ever increasing intellegence. |
| Racial Traits: This is the monster listing followed by PC modifications: Type: Tiny Magical Beast Hit Dice: ½d10+1 (3 hp) Initiative: +2 (Dex) Speed: 40 ft., climb 15 ft. AC: 14 (+2 size, +2 Dex) Attacks: Bite +4 melee Damage: Bite 1d3-1 Face/Reach: 2½ ft. by 2½ ft./0 ft. Special Attacks: Mental powers Special Qualities: Communal defenses, hive mind, scent Saves: Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +1 Abilities: Str 2, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 2+, Wis 12, Cha 2+ Skills: Balance +10, Climb +4, Hide +14, Move Silently +6 Feats: Weapon Finesse (bite) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Climate/Terrain: Any underground Organization: Swarm (10-100) Challenge Rating: 1/8 per rat; +1 CR for every ten rats above 34. Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral evil Advancement: - Description: Cranium rats are verminous creatures not uncommon in Sigil and pestilent cities of the Lower Planes. Cranium rats are distinguishable from their normal cousins by the pulsating brains that protrude from the tops of their skulls. They are many creatures and one all at once, for they possess a type of group mind. Cranium rats exist as the eyes and ears of Ilsensine, the great god-brain of the illithids. The extent and purpose of their powers are held closely secret, lest Ilsensine's instruments be discovered. Those who discover the true purpose of the cranium rats are undersentance of swift and terrible death. Combat: The cranium rat is not an aggressive creature, avoiding open attacks in favour of flight or ambushes. Cranium rats usually move in swarms of ten or more. Communal Defenses (Su): When calculating damage from area-affecting spells, the cranium rat swarm is treated as a single creature with one pool of hit points. For example, a fireball that inflicts 20 points of damage kills of 20 hit points of cranium rats, rather than all of them. Hive Mind (Ex): Cranium rats are automatically in telepathic contact with all other cranium rats within 10 fet, and possess a group mind that allows them to share not just thoughts, but also brain capacity - every five rats in contact generate 1 point of Intelligence and Charisma, and grant a +1 bonus to all saving throws. However, the rats quickly break the telepathic link with any individual that falls under another creature's control. Consequently, spells such as suggestion and charm monster affect but a single rat. Mental Powers: With increasing Intelligence comes increasing powers, as shown below. These powers are cumulative. # Rats Int/Cha Abilities 1-4 1 None 5-34 2-6 None 35-39 7 1 level of sorcerer spells 40-44 8 +1 level of sorcerer spells 45-49 9 Mind Blast, 1/3 rounds 50-54 10 +1 levels of sorcerer spells 55-59 11 +1 levels of sorcerer spells 60-64 12 Mind Blast, 1/2 rounds 65-69 13 +1 levels of sorcerer spells 70-74 14 +1 levels of sorcerer spells 75-79 15 Mind Blast 1/round 80-84 16 Immune to gases 85-89 17 Immune to cold 90-94 18 SR 13 95-99 19 SR 19 100+ 20 SR 25 Sorcerer Spells (Sp): Cranium rats can cast a number of spell-levels of sorcerer spells each day; for example, a 55-rat swarm might cast two 2nd-level spells, one 3rd-level and one 1st level spell, or one 4th-level spell each day. The cranium rat swarm casts these spells at a level equal to half its Intelligence score. The save DC of these spells is 10 + the spell level + the swarm's Charisma modifier. Mind Blast (Sp): This attack is a cone 60 feet long. Anyone caught in this cone must succeed at a Will save or be stunned for 3d4 rounds. The DC of this saving throw is 10 + ½ the swarm's Intelligence score + the swarm's Charisma modifier. Skills: Cranium rats receive a +4 racial bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks and a +8 racial bonus to Balance checks. They use their Dexterity modifier for Climb checks. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cranium Rats as a PC Race Forget all the crazy player character ideas there have been in the past because I have one that takes the cake. I want to play a PC pack of Cranium Rats. I would take the base monster description and add the following to make it for a PC: Benefits: Character Level 1 : Pack of 4 rats maximum, with the related abilities (Communal Defenses, Skills, Hive Mind , 1 Int/Cha at this level). Character Level 2+ : Add 5 rats to max pack size per level up and replenish dead rats to current maximum (from natural reproduction). This keeps Int/Cha score equal to character level. Character Level 7+, 9+, 16+ : Spells, MindBlast, Immunities as listed in monster description. Added ability (Bonus at 1st level if lawful or have to spend a feat on it... or DM choice): Mass Attack: The pack can make a melee attack counting as a single attack that will be useful for overcoming monsters with damage resistance, considering DR is subtracted from the damage of separate attacks. The pack makes a single attack roll, adding the base attack bonus of a fighter of their level (plus their natural +4). If they hit, they do a cumulative 1 point damage per pack member, instead of the usual d3-1 each. A miss means that the pack failed to coordinate their attack enough to do any damage. The downside of this is that the pack can be attacked in melee as a single unit (AC 14?) when they use this ability, losing 1 rat per 3hp damage taken. Hinderances: Now hold on if this all sounds too overpowered for a PC race. There are some downsides: Can only take character levels in their racial class (without major reworking of this design). Pretty low starting stats - Str 2, Int 1, Cha 1. Don't get to add 1 stat point per 4 levels, as they already get +1 Int and +1 Cha every level. Possibly don't get extra skill points, or maybe 0+Int Mod per level, minimum 0. Character level bonus feats every 3(?) levels possibly not allowed (though 1st spent on Weapon Finesse). Finally, and possibly most important, the pack's abilities are based on their current number of rats. This means that they lose bonus abilities down to their current pack size if rats are killed off. For example, when a 7th level pack of 38 rats gets cut down to 34 rats in combat, they lose their bonus spell level and get dropped to an Int/Cha of 6. If this still sounds overpowered, a cruel DM can have their player's pack lose a character level (as level drain) if they drop below the minimum pack size for their current level. These levels and pack members have to be restored through regaining experience levels. If you had the patience to read it all, please send me feedback on this. I would like your opinions of my first PC mod. |
- 1170 reads
Mon, 2007-09-17 12:07
#3
Mon, 2007-09-17 16:36
#4
Ever played a mute character? Similar situation.
Try to imagine yourself as a pack of rats. Your reason for being in the party in the first place is probably an attachment of some sort to another PC, be it that they gave you food and you're following them, or that you're sort of a pet, or some other link.
At early levels you'd have to play with a very animalistic approach. Fight, flight, survival, food, basic instincts. The party goes into a bar, you scatter, hide in the rafters, and try to trick someone out of a loaf of bread while the party is gathering info. In combat you take out enemies not because you're supposed to, but because they are a threat to you, you think they can be killed without too many rat-deaths due to the help of the tall things, and they're probably edible. Dividing treasure? You want the rations, the potentially edible leather goods, and that shiny globe, just because it looks neat.
Leveling is essentially adding more Cranium rats to the swarm as you come across them. When your INT reaches 3 the pack gains the sort of human thought pattern that we're familiar with, although at its most basic level. You'd start to communicate basic wants and needs to the rest of the party, might have opinions on simple matters. Further on you'd get more and more complex until eventually you're outthinking most of the party.
Personally I think it's a really interesting idea with great roleplay potential. I'd try one myself if I could find a decent, willing DM
Fri, 2008-07-04 23:32
#5
THis is quite interesting, but how can a pc be of int1, this is basically the intelligence of a walking tin box (i didn't say modron) at this level of intelligence, no speaking, no object using, no quests, no roleplaying! Something has to be done about it, otherwise this just can't be played, but on higher level campaigns.
Playing stupid PCs is difficult, but not impossible at all. (This issue has been discussed controversely since I started role playing. AD&D adds a special note to this by splitting up the higher mental processes into “wisdom” and “intelligence”.)
Much of what is considered pretty complex behaviour on first sight is simply hardwired into the nervous system as instinct. The bee-dance might serve as an example. Simple rats can be really clever beasts. On the one hand they survive situations a human child never could, although on the other hand three year old children would easily outsmart them in a frank discussion
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I remember an episode of StarTrek where Mr. Spock lost his brain (INT 0) and was still a distinctive part of the play (thanks to a RC and a receiver on his skull). Conan wasn’t a heck of a thinker, either.
Rather unintelligent characters should be played with instincts in mind, lacking the ability to foresee complex situations or derive rational conclusions. Their horizon is limited to the here and now. I think that this can be rewarding, when it is played out in the right way and situation.