Hashmalum
Explorer
Ok, first of all, let me stress that I am NOT the twisted genius who came up with the original concept for this monster: that credit goes to Bob Mackenzie. The original thread is here:
http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=31614. After I came up with the rectifier (http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=61710), whose concept is in many ways directly opposed to that of this monster, I decided that I wanted a 3.5E conversion of the morpheum. After asking in vain for one (although I'm sure it would have helped if I'd remembered the correct name--oops!), I decided to do one myself.
Besides converting to 3.5E, I made a number of other changes as well. The main two are: I reworked the morphine injection special attack to use the drug rules from the Book of Vile Darkness, and based the reworked stats on the ghoul, which is a fairly similar monster--an undead thing driven by an unnatural craving. Because the creature is so driven and utterly defined by this craving, I decided that a standard monster made more sense than a template, as so little of the original person's mind remains by this point (much like a ghoul). The reworked creature is also a lot weaker (again closer to the ghoul); I decided they should be weaker than rectifiers, but more common. Finally I adopted the name that I (mis-)remembered it by.
Once again, I'd appreciate feedback on the mechanical aspects of the creature (especially the CR, which is again a wild guess). And in the case of this creature, of course I'm curious about how you think it stacks up to the original. So, without further ado...
Morphiend
Medium Undead
Hit Dice: 3d12 (18 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 12 (+2 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+2
Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d6+1 plus drug injection)
Full Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d6+1 plus drug injection) and 2 claws +0 melee (1d3 plus drug injection)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Drug injection
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., regeneration 3, undead traits
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +1
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 10, Con -, Int 6, Wis 6, Cha 6
Skills: Search +4, Spot +4
Feats: Ability Focus (drug injection), Multiattack
Environment: Any land
Organization: Solitary or den (2-12)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -
This figure appears as little more than a skeleton with sickly pale grey skin stretched taut across its bones. It constantly shivers and twitches, apparently unable to stand still. The creature's eyes, however, are cold, distant and lifeless with dilated pupils that seem to be staring off into space. The monster's hands have needle thin razor sharp claws at the end, and its teeth are like needles as well.
The morphiend is the undead form of a humanoid that died in the throes of withdrawal from drug addiction. As such it feels a constant craving for drugs that it can no longer metabolize (as an undead, it no longer has a metabolism). The constant, insatiable craving eventually unhinges the morphiend's mind. There are only two ways to forget the nagging addiction: the stimulation of mortal combat, and morphiend's final destruction. Ironically, a morphiend regenerates, rendering it unable to kill itself directly. Therefore the need for release turns the morphiend into a relentless attacker, seeking out combat with the living in order to be destroyed itself and hatefully slaying those who were too weak to grant it merciful oblivion.
Morphiends usually lurk in or near the drug dens they frequented when still alive. Morphiends are only very rarely found away from society, usually as the result of a drug addict having to flee the consequences of his criminal behavior and succumbing to withdrawal sickness when his stash runs out.
A morphiend's height is the same as the height of its living form. Being little more than skin and bone, however, it is only one third to one half the normal weight of a creature of the same height and species.
Morphiends speak whatever languages they knew when they died (usually only Common), but usually only shriek, howl, whimper, and moan. When they speak, it is only to beg for drugs and/or death.
Combat
A morphiend never retreats unless turned, rushing in to attack hand-to-hand heedless of attacks of opportunity or damage taken. It never shows either fear or mercy.
Drug Injection (Ex): The needlelike claws of the morphiend inject a morphine-like substance into the target. This functions as a drug with a high addiction rating, meaning that the Fortitude save DC to avoid addiction is 14, the satiation period of the effect is 2 days, and the damage inflicted after the satiation period is 1d6 Dex, 1d6 Wis, and 1d2 Con damage per day (see the Book of Vile Darkness, pp. 41-42, for more on drug addiction). The Fortitude save DC to resist the initial and secondary effects is 14; any bonuses to save against poison apply to this save. This save DC (although not the addiction save DC) is Strength-based. An addicted character may not attempt a save against the initial and secondary effects.
Furthermore, an addicted character suffering withdrawal (that is, a character who failed their save against addiction and whose satiation period has elapsed or who has received a neutralize poison or similar spell to remove the effect of the drug) will move towards a morphiend at his maximum movement rate and stand in front of the creature awaiting its attack (he may take no actions and is considered helpless). A character who dies from the ability damage inflicted by withdrawal has a 10% chance of rising as a morphiend himself 1d6 hours after death. The new morphiend is not in any way under the control of its creator.
Initial Effect: 1 point of Wisdom damage. Also, the character loses dodge and Dexterity bonuses to Armor Class against the attacks of a morphiend as they subconsciously associate being struck by it as pleasurable.
Secondary Effect: The character becomes numbed to pain for 1d4 hours. This renders the character immune to pain-induced effects such as the effects of a symbol of pain or the Nybor's gentle reminder, Nybor's stern reproof, or Nybor's wrathful castigation spells. Furthermore, the character need not make saves for death from massive damage.
Side Effects: The character has no idea how much damage he takes from attacks. For PC's, the DM tracks their hit points in secret until the secondary effect expires.
Overdose: Additional attacks from a morphiend while the secondary effect listed above is in effect induce a narcotic stupor (partial actions only) for 1d4 hours unless the effect Fort save is made; with each sucessful save, however, the DC to save against that overdose effect goes up by 5. If the creature is already in a stupor, it becomes comatose for 1d4 days (unless the save is made); if already in a coma, it dies (unless the save is made).
Drugs are a form of poison. Creatures immune to poison do not suffer the initial effect, the secondary effect, the side effects, or the overdose effect and cannot become addicted to drugs (although creatures already addicted to a drug or drugs remain addicted if they become immune to poison later).
Regeneration (Ex): Fire and holy attacks deal normal damage to a morphiend. All other damage is converted to a special form of subdual damage, which affects the creature normally despite its undead nature. If a morphiend loses a limb or body part, the lost portion regrows in 3d6 minutes. The creature can reattach the severed member instantly by holding it to the stump.
http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=31614. After I came up with the rectifier (http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=61710), whose concept is in many ways directly opposed to that of this monster, I decided that I wanted a 3.5E conversion of the morpheum. After asking in vain for one (although I'm sure it would have helped if I'd remembered the correct name--oops!), I decided to do one myself.
Besides converting to 3.5E, I made a number of other changes as well. The main two are: I reworked the morphine injection special attack to use the drug rules from the Book of Vile Darkness, and based the reworked stats on the ghoul, which is a fairly similar monster--an undead thing driven by an unnatural craving. Because the creature is so driven and utterly defined by this craving, I decided that a standard monster made more sense than a template, as so little of the original person's mind remains by this point (much like a ghoul). The reworked creature is also a lot weaker (again closer to the ghoul); I decided they should be weaker than rectifiers, but more common. Finally I adopted the name that I (mis-)remembered it by.
Once again, I'd appreciate feedback on the mechanical aspects of the creature (especially the CR, which is again a wild guess). And in the case of this creature, of course I'm curious about how you think it stacks up to the original. So, without further ado...
Morphiend
Medium Undead
Hit Dice: 3d12 (18 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 12 (+2 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+2
Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d6+1 plus drug injection)
Full Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d6+1 plus drug injection) and 2 claws +0 melee (1d3 plus drug injection)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Drug injection
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., regeneration 3, undead traits
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +1
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 10, Con -, Int 6, Wis 6, Cha 6
Skills: Search +4, Spot +4
Feats: Ability Focus (drug injection), Multiattack
Environment: Any land
Organization: Solitary or den (2-12)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -
This figure appears as little more than a skeleton with sickly pale grey skin stretched taut across its bones. It constantly shivers and twitches, apparently unable to stand still. The creature's eyes, however, are cold, distant and lifeless with dilated pupils that seem to be staring off into space. The monster's hands have needle thin razor sharp claws at the end, and its teeth are like needles as well.
The morphiend is the undead form of a humanoid that died in the throes of withdrawal from drug addiction. As such it feels a constant craving for drugs that it can no longer metabolize (as an undead, it no longer has a metabolism). The constant, insatiable craving eventually unhinges the morphiend's mind. There are only two ways to forget the nagging addiction: the stimulation of mortal combat, and morphiend's final destruction. Ironically, a morphiend regenerates, rendering it unable to kill itself directly. Therefore the need for release turns the morphiend into a relentless attacker, seeking out combat with the living in order to be destroyed itself and hatefully slaying those who were too weak to grant it merciful oblivion.
Morphiends usually lurk in or near the drug dens they frequented when still alive. Morphiends are only very rarely found away from society, usually as the result of a drug addict having to flee the consequences of his criminal behavior and succumbing to withdrawal sickness when his stash runs out.
A morphiend's height is the same as the height of its living form. Being little more than skin and bone, however, it is only one third to one half the normal weight of a creature of the same height and species.
Morphiends speak whatever languages they knew when they died (usually only Common), but usually only shriek, howl, whimper, and moan. When they speak, it is only to beg for drugs and/or death.
Combat
A morphiend never retreats unless turned, rushing in to attack hand-to-hand heedless of attacks of opportunity or damage taken. It never shows either fear or mercy.
Drug Injection (Ex): The needlelike claws of the morphiend inject a morphine-like substance into the target. This functions as a drug with a high addiction rating, meaning that the Fortitude save DC to avoid addiction is 14, the satiation period of the effect is 2 days, and the damage inflicted after the satiation period is 1d6 Dex, 1d6 Wis, and 1d2 Con damage per day (see the Book of Vile Darkness, pp. 41-42, for more on drug addiction). The Fortitude save DC to resist the initial and secondary effects is 14; any bonuses to save against poison apply to this save. This save DC (although not the addiction save DC) is Strength-based. An addicted character may not attempt a save against the initial and secondary effects.
Furthermore, an addicted character suffering withdrawal (that is, a character who failed their save against addiction and whose satiation period has elapsed or who has received a neutralize poison or similar spell to remove the effect of the drug) will move towards a morphiend at his maximum movement rate and stand in front of the creature awaiting its attack (he may take no actions and is considered helpless). A character who dies from the ability damage inflicted by withdrawal has a 10% chance of rising as a morphiend himself 1d6 hours after death. The new morphiend is not in any way under the control of its creator.
Initial Effect: 1 point of Wisdom damage. Also, the character loses dodge and Dexterity bonuses to Armor Class against the attacks of a morphiend as they subconsciously associate being struck by it as pleasurable.
Secondary Effect: The character becomes numbed to pain for 1d4 hours. This renders the character immune to pain-induced effects such as the effects of a symbol of pain or the Nybor's gentle reminder, Nybor's stern reproof, or Nybor's wrathful castigation spells. Furthermore, the character need not make saves for death from massive damage.
Side Effects: The character has no idea how much damage he takes from attacks. For PC's, the DM tracks their hit points in secret until the secondary effect expires.
Overdose: Additional attacks from a morphiend while the secondary effect listed above is in effect induce a narcotic stupor (partial actions only) for 1d4 hours unless the effect Fort save is made; with each sucessful save, however, the DC to save against that overdose effect goes up by 5. If the creature is already in a stupor, it becomes comatose for 1d4 days (unless the save is made); if already in a coma, it dies (unless the save is made).
Drugs are a form of poison. Creatures immune to poison do not suffer the initial effect, the secondary effect, the side effects, or the overdose effect and cannot become addicted to drugs (although creatures already addicted to a drug or drugs remain addicted if they become immune to poison later).
Regeneration (Ex): Fire and holy attacks deal normal damage to a morphiend. All other damage is converted to a special form of subdual damage, which affects the creature normally despite its undead nature. If a morphiend loses a limb or body part, the lost portion regrows in 3d6 minutes. The creature can reattach the severed member instantly by holding it to the stump.
