New Monster -- Hydracat

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serleran
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New Monster -- Hydracat

Post by serleran »

I know it has been a while... but I've been busy. This is probably not very good and could be improved.

Hydracat

No. Encountered: 1 (99%) or 1d4+3 (1%)
Size: Small - Large
HD: 3 - 8 (d8)
Move: 20 feet or Special
AC: 22 + Special
Attack: Claw x 4 (1d4) and Bite x Special (1d6)
Special: Multiheaded, Furball, Pounce, Heatsink, Vulnerable to Sleep, Immune to Charm; Darkvision 120 feet
Saves: Physical
Int: Special
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Type: Aberration
Treasure: Special (2 per HD; hoard)
XP Value: 350 + 1 (per head)

Hydracats are the horrid reality of an imagination gone awry, combining the ordinary housecat with the bestial might and visage of the hydra, created in the depths of madness by some, fortunately, forgotten experiment. They retain traits common to each forebear and have unnatural obsessions with cleanliness, predation, warmth and napping but in a random order and modified by current, unpredictable, mood.

Combat: Akin to their more “domesticated” cousins, a hydracat has two primary strategies – stalk and ambush. In both, they delight in causing injury or hindrance before retreating to a safe area only to return for a later, more devastating attack. When possible, a hydracat will almost always attempt a pounce first before swatting and then biting its opponent(s).

Multiheaded: A hydracat possesses between three (3) and eighteen (18) heads, determined on a roll of 3d6, rounding down to the nearest increment. Each head is capable of biting for 1d6 damage. No more than 3 can attack the same individual, however. For every three (3) heads the hydracat has above six (6), reduce the AC by two (2) points. In addition, for every three (3) heads, increase the number of HD rolled. A hydracat’s Intelligence rating starts at animal and improves one (1) category for every three (3) heads.

Furball: Thanks to its extensive and time-consuming self-cleaning regimen, a hydracat is subject to collecting excess fur into its gullet which it then needs to expunge. This rather grotesque encounter may be performed once per three (3) heads and is like an entangle spell. To produce the gooey residue, the hydracat must hack and cough for at least two (2) rounds; for every additional round spent, the effect is considered one (1) level higher for range, duration, area of effect, and other factors excluding save. If the hydracat has more than three (3) heads, multiple productions can occur simultaneously. If there are at least two (2) furballs, an additional stinking cloud effect is present. A hydracat may store 1d6, plus one (1) for every three (3) heads, furballs before it releases them.

Pounce: Striking at once with all four (4) paws is a fun game for a hydracat. This attack is considered a charge and requires the beast to move at least 20 feet. Curiously, a hydracat may also pounce and attack with a single claw, this requiring movement of 20 feet but allows the hydracat to return to a position behind its origin, so that it could move 5 feet forward to attack and retreat 15 from where it began; this tactic is generally used when a particular enemy remains motionless or has otherwise caught the attention of the hydracat.

Heatsink: Hydracat are preternaturally drawn to areas of warmth and will never be found in a cold environment. This unnatural ability also allows them to reduce damage due to direct fire, so that all such forms of attack deal one (1) less point per die.

Vulnerable to Sleep: Regardless of their HD or the number of heads a hydracat has, they are always subject to spells and effects which result in slumber, including the sleep spell. Consider the hydracat to have just one (1) HD for each six (6) heads when making a save. In addition, if awakened from such a condition, the hydracat is equally likely to be exhausted (suffering a -1 penalty on all die rolls) or enraged (gaining a +1 bonus on all die rolls) for two (2) rounds.

Immune to Charm: A hydracat cannot be dominated, befriended, compelled, or manipulated by any means unless it chooses to be. All saves and checks to resist are considered automatically passed. A Castle Keeper may waive this power if the source is exceptionally potent such as coming from the Lord of Cats or similar.

Revturkey
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Re: New Monster -- Hydracat

Post by Revturkey »

Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow...OMG..The Horror! Cool for cats :)

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Go0gleplex
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Re: New Monster -- Hydracat

Post by Go0gleplex »

Oh great. (face palm) Now the lil beastie can chew on several toes rather than just one at 3am in the morning.
"Rolling dice and killing characters since September 1976."
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Lurker
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Re: New Monster -- Hydracat

Post by Lurker »

Nice, twisted but nice !
"And so I am become a knight of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows!" - Mark Twain

Forgive all spelling errors.

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serleran
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Re: New Monster -- Hydracat

Post by serleran »

I let my wife read this and she told me I had a major oversight. Please add the following the Pounce description.

Curiously, a hydracat may also pounce and attack with a single claw, this requiring movement of 20 feet but allows the hydracat to return to a position behind its origin, so that it could move 5 feet forward to attack and retreat 15 from where it began; this tactic is generally used when a particular enemy remains motionless or has otherwise caught the attention of the hydracat.

{it has been edited}

serleran
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Re: New Monster -- Hydracat

Post by serleran »

Oh, and because I found it finally, here is the original image I found online that inspired the write up. I am not the artist, as said. I don't know who is.

Image

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Traveller
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Re: New Monster -- Hydracat

Post by Traveller »

XP Values as calculated by me. Accept them, reject them, fold them, spindle them, or mutilate them as desired.

3: 75+3
4: 150+4
5: 300+5
6: 450+6
7: 675+7
8: 975+8

I: furball
II: 5+ attacks/round, Heatsink (Resistance to cold), Immunity (Charm)
III: none

NOTE: XP bonus is the standard "per hit point". Granting the XP bonus per head rather than per hit point undervalues the creature.

serleran
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Re: New Monster -- Hydracat

Post by serleran »

My calculation gives an 18-headed hydracat an XP value of 6300 before HP awards which are variable.

I don't consider that undervalued.

If you do, that's fine. I'll keep my method because it is precisely how it was intended.

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Traveller
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Re: New Monster -- Hydracat

Post by Traveller »

The XP award as given in your writeup specifies +8 per head. Based upon how it reads, that would mean the base + (8 times 3d6 heads). That would make the bonus 24XP to 144XP, which is undervalued.

So what exactly do you mean here? Is it intended to be (X+(YxHP))xZ heads, or is it X+(YxHPxZ heads)? Whichever one it is supposed to be, that needs to be made explicit.

serleran
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Re: New Monster -- Hydracat

Post by serleran »

The XP shows 350 + 1 (per head) so, at 18 heads, it is 350 * 18 (6300) + 18 per HP.

This may, in fact, be too high considering most 8 HD monsters are not vulnerable to a 1st level spell.

The number of heads is used to multiply both values. A 3 headed hydracat is worth a minimum of 1050 (3 * 350) XP before any HP modification.

The HD itself is irrelevant other than giving the possibility of more HP.

The way it is written, it should be obvious. If not, then (#of heads * 350) = base XP, + (#of heads per HP).


I guess what is plain to me is not always the same for others. Like I said, been a while. Have to reacquaint with C&C paradigms...

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Traveller
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Re: New Monster -- Hydracat

Post by Traveller »

Well, the multiplier for the number of heads is I feel an issue. It's way too generous.

Remember, I calculate XP values according to the RAW, and according to that XP for the 8HD version is 975+8. Multiply that by 18 and you have 17,550+144 per hit point. Way too generous given even the most powerful giant (storm giant) has a base of 11,900+17*. If you want to give a modifier of that kind, you probably should limit the modifier to the base only, the modifier should scale with the creature's heads, and the modifier should be no more than x3. So at 3-7 heads the base XP would be x1, at 8-12 heads it would be x2, and at 13-18 heads it would be x3. I personally don't like modifying XP values like this because now the creature is overvalued compared to similar creatures with similar abilities, like the hydra. But limiting the modifier to the base and scaling it as shown above based upon the number of heads would keep the numbers at least somewhat reasonable; an 8HD hydracat with maximum heads would then have XP of 2925+8.

*Spellcasting ability adds 1,200 or 3,000 XP to the total, depending upon the die roll.

serleran
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Re: New Monster -- Hydracat

Post by serleran »

When there is no multiplier factor, such as a huge an generous weakness, the RAW doesn't have much in the way of guidance. For example, if a creature took double damage from all weapons, that would have to make them worth less than one which did not, but this, as far as I recall, is not an included multiplier / add.

I'll stick to my value. Making an 8HD creature vulnerable to sleep is worth about 33% of "normal."

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Traveller
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Re: New Monster -- Hydracat

Post by Traveller »

As you wish, given that this is something you did off the cuff.

The RAW is quite specific however in that only beneficial specials get XP bonuses, especially as I rewrote the specials definitions. Having a vulnerability does not make a creature any less valuable, though that might make for a good house rule.

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