Author Topic: Mimic  (Read 7981 times)

Offline Chemus

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Mimic
« on: October 21, 2012, 05:14:31 AM »
Mimic

HD: d8



Level
Base
Attack Bonus
Fort
Save
Ref
Save
Will
Save

Feature
1st+1+2+0+2Mimic Body, Mimic Shape, Mimicry, +1 Str
2nd+2+3+0+3Lure, Mime, +1 Str, +1 Con
3rd+3+3+1+3Adhesive, Olfactory Mimic, +1 Str
4th+4+4+1+4Crush, Large, Mimic Magic, +1 Str, +1 Con

Skills: 4+Int per level (x4 at 1st character level), class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Disguise (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Listen (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Use Magic Device (Cha)

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Mimics are proficient with their natural weapons and with simple weapons, but with no armor or shields.

Features:
Mimic body (Ex): At 1st level, a mimic loses all other racial traits and gains aberration traits (basically darkvision 60 feet). It's a medium sized aberration, with the shapechanger subtype, with a base speed of 20ft. It has two slam attacks dealing 1d6+Str modifier. It can speak Common, plus any two other languages.

A mimic also gains a bonus to Natural Armor equal to its Con bonus, if any.

A mimic has Acid Resistance 5. This improves to 10 at 5 HD, 20 at 7HD, and full immunity to Acid at 11HD.

A mimic usually has no equipment slots, but if it takes a form capable of wielding weapons, it can wield them. Additionally, it may activate any items touching its body as if it were holding them in its hands, wearing one amulet or necklace, up to two rings, one glove or pair of gloves, and one bracelet or bracer or pair of bracers. Thus if there were an alchemists fire inside a cabinet-shapes mimic, it could throw it as normal, or drink a potion, throw a fire bead from a necklace of fire beads, etc.

Mimicry (Ex): At 1st level a mimic can replicate any sound that it has heard, most often used to supplement its disguise (door creaking in the wind) or lure creatures closer (pained yell). A mimic can produce as much noise as four normal humans per HD (maximum twenty humans). Talking, singing, shouting, walking, marching, or running sounds can be created. The noise a mimic produces can be virtually any type of sound within the volume limit. A horde of rats running and squeaking is about the same volume as eight humans running and shouting. A roaring lion is equal to the noise from sixteen humans, while a roaring dire tiger is equal to the noise from twenty humans. A single musical instrument is equivalent to four normal humans. Creatures that succeed a Will save with a DC equal to 10 + 1/2 HD + Cha mod recognize the ruse. Additionally, speak language is always in-class for a mimic.

Mimic Shape (Ex): At 1st level a mimic can assume the general shape of any inanimate object that fills roughly 36 cubic feet (3 feet by 3 feet by 4 feet), such as a chest, a table, or a throne. The creature cannot substantially alter its size, though. A mimic’s body is hard and has a rough texture, no matter what appearance it might present. Only those who examine the mimic, even those with extraordinary (Ex) senses like tremorsense or scent, can detect the ruse with a successful Spot check opposed by the mimic’s Disguise check. "Of course, by this time it is generally far too late."

When the mimic becomes large, it's volume increases to 150 cubic feet (5 feet by 5 feet by 6 feet) and it must assume larger forms.

The mimic cannot mimic the shape of animate creatures, but can assume the form of a corpse, statue, or other inanimate object.

Stat Boost (Ex): At each mimic level, the mimic gains +1 to Str, and at 2nd and 4th, it gains +1 Con.

Lure (Ex): At 2nd level a mimic can emanate one light of any color, plus 1 light per 4 HD from its body, or some part of its body, much like a firefly. Most commonly this is used to attract prey; unintelligent creatures may be attracted to the light, and intelligent creatures are attracted to the obviously magical glowing thing sitting on the table. The mimic may shed light whose bright illumination is 20', and shadowy illumination of 40'. At 7HD these ranges double, and double once more at 11HD. The light is not bright enough to affect any creature sensitive to light. Any magic light or darkness overrides the lure's illumination.

Mime (Ex): At 2nd level a mimic gains a racial bonus to disguise equal to 1/2 its HD.

Adhesive (Ex): At 3rd level a mimic exudes a thick slime that acts as a powerful adhesive, holding fast any creatures or items that touch it. An adhesive-covered mimic automatically grapples any creature it hits with its slam attack. Opponents so grappled cannot get free while the mimic is alive without removing the adhesive first. A mimic can dissolve and refresh its adhesive at will as a free action on its turn.

A weapon that strikes an adhesive-coated mimic is stuck fast unless the wielder succeeds on a Reflex save with a DC of 10 + 1/2 HD + Con Mod. A successful Strength check with a DC of 10 + 1/2 HD + Con Mod is needed to pry it off.

Strong alcohol dissolves the adhesive, and the mimic cannot refresh the ability for 5 rounds, but the mimic still can grapple normally. The substance breaks down 5 rounds after the mimic dies.

Olfactory Mime (Ex): At 3rd level a mimic may take a move action to alter its scent to that of an object that its encountered before. The scent cannot cause any effect such as nausea or sickness. If the mimic becomes unconscious its scent returns to normal, otherwise the remains the same until changed again.

Crush (Ex): At 4th level a mimic deals 1d8+Str points of damage with a successful grapple check.

Large (Ex): At 4th level a mimic becomes large (tall). Its slam attack deals 1d8+Str damage.

Mimic Magic (Su): At 4th level, a mimic's natural attacks are treated as magical for the purpose of overcoming magic resistance and if it can hit incorporeal creatures. Additionally, it may project or suppress up to 1 magic aura per 4 HD from its body, any portion of its body, or any object it possesses. Thus it might suppress the aura of a mage armor spell cast upon it, or make the 'dagger' sitting on it seem to be dagger of throwing. Objects that leave its possession revert to their normal aura state immediately.

Favored Class: Bard (Beguiler if using the PHB II)

(click to show/hide)

edit: fixed typos, updated pic in case of link rot, added Warshaper caveat.
« Last Edit: March 13, 2022, 05:46:59 PM by Chemus »
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Offline phaedrusxy

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Re: Mimic
« Reply #1 on: October 21, 2012, 08:09:04 PM »
Hilarious. Should it get some way to mask/change its scent, to fool creatures with the Scent ability? Maybe a feat?
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Offline Chemus

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Re: Mimic
« Reply #2 on: October 21, 2012, 09:44:46 PM »
Ooh. Good idea. And since I won't replicate Darkstalker here... perhaps just add a line like: Even creatures with extraordinary (Ex) senses like tremorsense or scent must make this check to penetrate its disguise as an object. That doesn't obviate Darkstalker in any way, but keeps the mimic hidden.

So the detection line in Mimic Shape would read:
"...Only those who examine the mimic, even those with extraordinary (Ex) senses like tremorsense or scent, can detect the ruse with a successful Spot check opposed by the mimic’s Disguise check. Of course, by this time it is generally far too late."

Good, bad or Far Realms-ish?

As for the Scent Change, a feat sounds right.

Olfactory Mime [Racial]

Prerequisite: Mimic 1

Benefit: You may take a move action to alter your scent to that you smell like an object that you've smelled before. You do not gain any extraordinary properties that that scent may have had, such as producing nausea or sickness. If you become unconscious your scent returns to normal, otherwise it remains until you change it again. This is an Extraordinary ability.
« Last Edit: October 21, 2012, 09:49:29 PM by Chemus »
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Offline phaedrusxy

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Re: Mimic
« Reply #3 on: October 21, 2012, 10:29:01 PM »
I like the suggested change, but doesn't it obviate the need for the feat, basically?
I don't pee messages into the snow often , but when I do , it's in Cyrillic with Fake Viagra.  Stay frosty my friends.

Offline Chemus

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Re: Mimic
« Reply #4 on: October 21, 2012, 10:39:14 PM »
Yes, the clause would make the feat fluff ("I smell like roses!")

So, I'll just place the effect of the feat on level 3 and be done with it. Thus it will have Appearance and Sound Mimicry at 1st, Light Mimicry at 2nd, Smell Mimicry at 3rd and Magic Mimicry at 4th.

Edit: changes made. Should I add the scent special quality or just leave it as is? Oops! Forgot Acid Immunity! Added it to mimic body; Resistance moving up to immunity by 11HD.
« Last Edit: October 22, 2012, 12:04:01 AM by Chemus »
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Offline Chemus

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Re: Mimic
« Reply #5 on: October 22, 2012, 05:30:58 PM »
I missed the memo about size changes not affecting stats; added Str boosts at each level, removed dex boosts, moved con boosts to be later.

I'm done, unless there's more good input.
« Last Edit: October 22, 2012, 10:17:32 PM by Chemus »
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Offline oslecamo

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Re: Mimic
« Reply #6 on: October 26, 2012, 05:40:37 PM »
Why the pseudo-ghost sound? Mimics are infamous for imitating shapes, not for being glorified music boxes. If you can't atract victims just by looking valuable/interesting, then you're doing the mimic wrong.

How long does it take to restore the adhesive?

Crush has no scaling whatsoever.

Wasn't it suposed to get a second slam attack somewhere in there?

Offline Chemus

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Re: Mimic
« Reply #7 on: October 26, 2012, 09:14:59 PM »
Why the pseudo-ghost sound? Mimics are infamous for imitating shapes, not for being glorified music boxes. If you can't atract victims just by looking valuable/interesting, then you're doing the mimic wrong.
Mimics are living traps (sicko! j/k), and have been ever since 1e for sure, and perhaps before. I put in the ghost sound and the rest, as an extension of the visual mimicry they already do, in order to give them more to do than look like a toilet and wait. Making them able to lure prey with sight, light, smell (that one is all phaedrus' fault; he forced me to do it :) ), sound, and magic added usable abilities without really adding power as such, since they're all personal/touch range only anyway. I'm not married to the idea, but mimicry of all sorts is what I was going for, and this steps on very few toes (bards, gnomes...nobody important or useful).

Did you have something in mind?

Quote
How long does it take to restore the adhesive?
Swift Free action on your turn; will write it in.

Quote
Crush has no scaling whatsoever.
Should it? Most other forms of Constrict that I've seen are just the same as the creature's natural attack. If it really should have it, and I'm not really arguing against it mind, then I'd probably just say that the damage increases by 1d8 per 4HD, so 1d8 at 4th, 2 at 8th, etc. Or even starts at 2d8, then on up to 6d8 at 20th. Yeah, if it's gonna scale, 27.5+str damage on a grapple should be usable at 20th.

Quote
Wasn't it suposed to get a second slam attack somewhere in there?
Yes, I forgot to add it in as the mimic became large; will fix (medium critters only get one slam by default...)
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Offline oslecamo

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Re: Mimic
« Reply #8 on: October 27, 2012, 06:43:52 PM »
Why the pseudo-ghost sound? Mimics are infamous for imitating shapes, not for being glorified music boxes. If you can't atract victims just by looking valuable/interesting, then you're doing the mimic wrong.
Mimics are living traps (sicko! j/k), and have been ever since 1e for sure, and perhaps before. I put in the ghost sound and the rest, as an extension of the visual mimicry they already do, in order to give them more to do than look like a toilet and wait. Making them able to lure prey with sight, light, smell (that one is all phaedrus' fault; he forced me to do it  ), sound, and magic added usable abilities without really adding power as such, since they're all personal/touch range only anyway. I'm not married to the idea, but mimicry of all sorts is what I was going for, and this steps on very few toes (bards, gnomes...nobody important or useful).

Did you have something in mind?
Yes. That you're not really mimicking anything anymore when you look like a door, scream like a girl and smell like cooked fish at the same time. It isn't a trap at all, it is a circus atraction.

Phaedrusxy just sugested for the mimic to be able to mask its scent, not to flawlessly replicate any scent it ever felt regardless of the shape it takes.

« Last Edit: October 27, 2012, 06:46:28 PM by oslecamo »

Offline phaedrusxy

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Re: Mimic
« Reply #9 on: October 27, 2012, 07:15:26 PM »
Yes. That you're not really mimicking anything anymore when you look like a door, scream like a girl and smell like cooked fish at the same time. It isn't a trap at all, it is a circus atraction.
OK... now this thing has to be able to do this just so I can play one and do that. :lmao
I don't pee messages into the snow often , but when I do , it's in Cyrillic with Fake Viagra.  Stay frosty my friends.

Offline Chemus

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Re: Mimic
« Reply #10 on: October 27, 2012, 08:20:03 PM »
As for my trap remark, I'll clarify my point since I failed to make it clear the first time. The mimic has always been a living trap, but that's all they have been. The mimic's abilities are very passive. The ghost sound and olfactory mimic abilities are an attempt to improve its ability to mimic, but also broaden its capabilities beyond 'look like raised dais with an altar, and wait.' With the ghost sound it can replicate the guard captain's voice if it's heard it, or whatever. Since it can't look like the guard captain, and can't 'throw its voice', all abilities being personal/possession only, I figured the utility would be very situational.

...you're not really mimicking anything anymore when you look like a door, scream like a girl and smell like cooked fish at the same time. It isn't a trap at all, it is a circus atraction.

In this example you might entice someone to attempt to open the door. Thus improving your trapliness.

The sound and olfactory mimicry are almost non-mechanical; mostly, they provide flavor. At best they could provide occasionally RP and Circumstance bonuses (+2 or so) and can't produce damaging or status effects. Also, any blind creature would be almost immune to the mimic's mimic shape ability; why not give abilities that will affect those creatures as well?

And when I asked if you had anything in mind it was a challenge; since this is a 4 level monster class, what would be better than adding sound and scent mimicry? Is this somehow over or under powered? Is the mimicry flavor disrupted by adding sound and smell to the sight component?

At the worst, I feel that I've changed the mimic from 'living trap' to 'living illusion.'
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Offline oslecamo

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Re: Mimic
« Reply #11 on: October 30, 2012, 06:27:34 AM »
Well then I would just sugest to reduce the skill points to 4+int per level, since the original monster isn't that smart or skillful and you're already geting plenty of utility with the whole array of mimicries.

Offline Chemus

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Re: Mimic
« Reply #12 on: October 30, 2012, 12:02:49 PM »
Good point; done.
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Offline oslecamo

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Re: Mimic
« Reply #13 on: October 31, 2012, 09:18:13 AM »
Added then.

Offline Pinkmawile

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Re: Mimic
« Reply #14 on: June 21, 2014, 12:14:55 AM »
You might want to clarify how Adhesive interacts with freedom of movement effects.

Also, racial feats that allows different size types could also be neat (Such as small, long large, or even medium after level 4+).