 November 4, 2015 - 10:28pm | I am working on the conversion of the Phase Spider... originally the Phase Spider looked like a Spider, then at some point it picked up traits that are described as human head, human like head and so on... So my question is on the spidy of doom what to do about the head? Do I do humanish head on spider, spider head on spider or only human/spider head mix? "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
November 4, 2015 - 10:50pm |  "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
November 4, 2015 - 10:51pm |  "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
November 4, 2015 - 10:53pm |  "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
November 4, 2015 - 10:54pm |  "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
November 4, 2015 - 10:55pm |  "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
November 5, 2015 - 5:40am |  "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
November 4, 2015 - 10:56pm |  "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
November 4, 2015 - 10:57pm |  "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
November 4, 2015 - 11:08pm | So there are 2 schools of art it seems on this critter one close to the OD&D description and one close to latter D&D and other RPG games... Of course I could go with a diffrent head then either. Also in one edition they are described as spindly which is something I don't see coming through in the art. Spindly makes me think more Daddy Long Legs versus the more substanial spider bodies I see in the art...    "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
November 5, 2015 - 5:49am | Lost in Spcae Smith Spider   "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
 November 7, 2015 - 10:47am | The human head does not fit for an alien creature. -iggy |
November 7, 2015 - 11:56am | I agree... I am inclined to just keeping it close to the original concept in OD&D Big Ass freaky spider no human face. There are two sizes... something not mentioned in all the modern stuff I tripped over on the net. Not all the newer ideas are bad, but I am not a fan of human head idea that is in all the RPGs now. IQ in the oldest stuff they are scary monsters, no language skills and animals, then at some point TSR assigned them an INT of 7 and that changed everything, they went from stealth trans-dimensional killer spiders to an animal with an IQ that would be in SF terms Poor but capable of speech, values and beliefs. I am okay with them being higher IQ or just critter IQ... do folks have a preference? If I give an IQ rating it will stay in the poor range for them. "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
November 21, 2015 - 10:16am | The original descriptions of many critters where pretty vague in the older materials.
Various Ideas about Phase Spiders either from official D&D or the net: Intelligent vs Not Intelligent. (I am sort of inclinded to allow the Poor Intelligence range as it allows the ref to present the creature at first as just a monster but develop it further if they so choose & I might include some ideas from old ERB concerning one of his Spider Races mainly how they have genetic memory of their progentator, the progenator only lays the eggs, so the average intelligent Spidy is actually sterile, the progenator do not require a mate, so that means Autogamy and thus must have both female & male reproduction organs. As an evolutionary and reproductive mechanism, self-fertilization allows an isolated individual to create a local population and stabilizes desirable genetic strains, but it fails to provide a significant degree of variability within a population and thereby limits the possibilities for adaptation to environmental change. But I could barrow an idea from Star Gate... the progenator like the Goa'uld/Tok'ra Queens could infact control the IQ potential or even some other aspect of genetics passed to allow for adaptation. Thus the progenator types would have highest IQ, maybe higher degree of variability in DNA %, maybe some other unfun (for PCs) abilities while the lock stock and barrow Phase Spiders would vary in IQ depending of refs needs for story line. Just some musings on the society options.) Webs have the ability to allow for travel to other dimension vs do not. Poison unless treated always kills vs some folks survive and even some are kept alive by Phase Spiders in other dimension. (Those kept alive by Phase Spiders go insane, are mutated and if they escape are mutant creatures that can phase in and out roaming and killing normal people... so a bunch of Phase Spider lunches escaping would be bad.) Those that survive a Poison by Phase Spider (with or without medical intervention) loose X amount of STA permanently only vs those that survive with no medical intervention loose X amount of STA but gain the limited ability to Phase Shift (the poison mutates them a bit)... a cool concept but it will mean working up a description of alternate dimension (not a big deal I have read up on this space and it seems very Sci-Fi to me so we would just need a name for it: not D&D name of course). I have been way busy this month so not as much progress as I wanted on it so still only thoughts on it. "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
November 22, 2015 - 6:55am | Notes on Okay I need a name for this space... I thought of maybe using the Greek Letters so Alpha would be Normal Space thus it would be Beta, assigning it a number so Normal Space would be Primus/Prime or Zero or Zed even with it becoming the 2nd Dimension. Ideas on this welcome Ethereal is not what I want to call it though. The Other Dimension: (This dimension/plane in D&D has gone through changes some of which conflict also I don't think SF's version needs to be slavishly the same so ideas are welcome as well.) A dimension of Mists. This is a dimension of proto-matter. Protomatter is described as generally a semi-solid or sold substance of a generally white with bluish tinge. There are different types of prottomatter from very unstable to solid. The most ephemeral form, known as ephemeral protomatter, forms with any sufficiently strong movement, and dissolves just as quickly. Very rarely, ephemeral protomatter may become a more stable type of protomatter known as quintessential protomatter or quintessential ether. The web of a phase spider is made of quintessential ether. Very rarely, or in the case of very rare phase spiders, quintessential protomatter may become stable protomatter, which lasts indefinitely and slowly accumulates. It is believed that if enough stable ether accumulates in one place, a new demiplane will be created. (or maybe entrance to another dimension?) (This mist can be formed into shapes/objects but generally such items are unstable. Maluable substance.) (So proto-mattter is often a bit unstsable in Sci-Fi, and that would fit with the misty nature... in D&D this is a vast dimension in which some how some way all Dimensions or most Dimensions conect to, depends a bit on edition. So Proto-matter can somehow form into more stable materials creating dimensions/planes it seems. It flows, it ebbs, it seems to have layers as well in D&D again depends on edition. Thus the sci-fi gest is a proto-matter part of the universe. So how to present for SF?) Air breathers, water breathing and breathers of other atmospheres can all breath normally in this dimension. (Seems when living entities Phase Shift into this dimension their biology is shifted to breathe the proto-matter atmosphere so to speak as they become proto-matter, so no special environmental gear needed but PCs might not know that right away... and I am unsure if we want to complicate this idea) No Gravity: but with a definite "down" direction. Travelers can move along surfaces just as if they were in Normal Space but could also move in any direction by willing it so. An object dropped or let go of will simply float. Note though there is "no gravity" there is usually a thickness of protomatter mist near Normal Space and there are other thicknesses or curtains to other dimensions, vortexs, and all sorts of odd stuff, colors of mists vary as well (big clue to travelers about dimensions... but I want to keep this simple of course just a thought on the nature of this dimension you might be okay not in a Space Suit while here but if you cross back into normal space in space that would be fatal) Normal Time (this makes most sense when looking at critters like Phase Spiders) Infinite Size or the same size as its coexistent Normal Space. Normal Space when observed from this dimension appears muted and indistinct, it’s colors blurring into each other and it’s edges fuzzy. Taste, touch and smell are muted in this dimension. Hearing is sharpened in this dimension. While it is possible to see Normal Space from this dimension it is usually not possible to see this dimension from Normal Space. Sound can not travel between dimensions. There is a rather complicted layer system: Border Layers are those parts of the dimension that Border other Dimensions such as normal space and is described like a shore where the two dimension mngle a bit. The adjoining plane is reduced to shades of gray, and seems to be shrouded in fog. Sound on the adjoining plane is muffled and hard to make out clearly.. Special Technology would be needed to comunicate between dimensions. Creatures on the Border are aware of the adjoining dimension's gravity but not bound by it; they can move into the sky or into the earth by an act of will. Certain substances will block travel, for example lead, gold, diamond, expensive crystal, and all living creatures (including, for example, walls covered with crawling ivy) note there must be a way for living creatures to Phase so this last one and a few other examples I did not include do not make sense to me. Travelers must move around these obstacles. (Null-magic areas and dispel magic effects cause ethereal travelers to fall back into the adjoining plane. Okay I read this as some sort of Phase cancelling device) By another act of will, border travelers may move into the Deep Layer, passing through the Wall of Color on the way. This part of the Dimension exists independently, an infinite sea of mist without gravity or parallel planes to provide a traveler with a sense of direction. Shimmering curtains of differing colors help identify passages to the Border Ethereal; the exact color of the curtain can help identify which dimension the region borders. Movement is accomplished by acts of will, the mind translating the possibility of the plane into movement. Faster movement is possible by sacrificing physical substance, with increasing damage of a traveler's corporeal form providing increasingly fast movement. Note "will" is very important and it seems to me those that can use psionic type abilities would be at an advantage here or folks with high LOG/INT scores... D&D Hazards: Some of this is okay as a hazard but I do not really want to create a massive plane walker situation, so I am thinking mostley these things should be deadly or used only to allow very Sci-Fi stuff to happen... as I do not want it to unbalance the SF setting with portals to Fantasy D&D settings... but other SF planets would be okay for instance. So I need to think on this a bit:
"Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
November 22, 2015 - 7:12am |
"Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
November 22, 2015 - 11:32am | I think I should use Phase Space or Protomatter Space for the name of this Dimension that the Spiders Phase in & out of. Current rough draft: The Protomatter or Phase Dimension: It is not very well understood how life forms can successfully adapt to or move between dimensions but s few are known to do so. Scientists are just beginning to understand the nature of one such dimension that seems to be entirely composed of protomatter. Best described as a dimension of mists. Protomatter that has been observed is described as generally a semi-solid or sold substance of a generally white with bluish tinge. There are different types of prottomatter from very unstable to solid. The most ephemeral form, known as ephemeral protomatter, forms with any sufficiently strong movement, and dissolves just as quickly. Very rarely, ephemeral protomatter may become a more stable type of protomatter known as quintessential protomatter. Very rarely, quintessential protomatter may become stable protomatter, which lasts indefinitely and slowly accumulates. It is believed that if enough stable protomatter accumulates in one place, it bleeds into other dimensions such as normal space. What other effects this protomatter has on the universe is not well understood. Qualities of Protomatter Space Known & Unknown to Scientists: Air breathers, water breathing and breathers of other atmospheres can all breath normally in this dimension once they have been Phase Shifted. (A thought on the nature of this dimension: you might be okay not in a Space Suit while here but if you cross back into normal space in space that would be fatal.) No Gravity: but with a definite "down" direction. Travelers can move along surfaces just as if they were in Normal Space but could also move in any direction by willing it so. An object dropped or let go of will simply float. Normal Time Infinite Size or the same size as its coexistent Normal Space. Coexists with other dimensions besides Normal Space. Normal Space when observed from this dimension appears muted and indistinct, it’s colors become shades of grey, it’s edges fuzzy, blurred and shrouded in fog. Taste, touch and smell are muted in this dimension. Hearing is sharpened in this dimension. While it is possible to see Normal Space from this dimension it is usually not possible to see this dimension from Normal Space. Sound can not naturally travel between dimensions. Special Technology would be needed to communicate between dimensions. Creatures on the border between dimensions are aware of the adjoining dimension's gravity but not bound by it; they can move into the sky or into the earth by an act of will. Movement through this dimension is accomplished by acts of will, the mind translating the possibility of the dimension into movement. Faster movement is possible by sacrificing physical substance, with increasing damage of a traveler's corporeal phased form providing increasingly fast movement. Certain substances will block travel within this dimension, for example lead, gold, diamond, crystal, and all living creatures. Travelers must move around these obstacles. Null-energy devices once activated cause beings in the phase dimension to fall back into the adjoining dimension. Moving away from areas adjoining normal space into this protomatter space will reveal an infinite sea of mist without gravity or parallel planes to provide a traveler with a sense of direction. Shimmering curtains of differing colors indicate borders with other dimensions. Note "will" is very important and it seems to me those that can use psionic type abilities would be at an advantage here or folks with high LOG/INT scores... • Protomatter cyclones are spiraling storms (resulting from the friction between the various dimensions of the universe) that suck up all in their path, throwing them off course or into other dimensions. • Protomatterr gaps are catastrophic collapses in the protomatter, the cause of these gaps are not known though scientists speculate they could be the legacy of catastrophic events in space and time. The gaps pull all who come too close into them to be forever lost. They first manifest as a strange tugging in the mist, the current growing stronger the closer a traveler approaches until they become unstoppable, spiraling holes of death in the substance of reality. Where these gaps go are unknown, it is hypothesized that they may lead to other universes, other dimensions, worlds with in this dimension, sections of space, other galaxies some speculate they lead to other timelines and more. Gaps are extremely dangerous and distorted forms of reality. • Vortex fronts. Vortices like endless cyclones connect various dimensions of space with normal space. The Vortices channel basic materials of the universe from one dimension to another. From the Protomatter Dimension, these vortices resemble endless shadowy tubes. They may, at irregular intervals, burst with elemental material and pulse with dangerous wave fronts made of temporarily compressed protomatter. These "vortex fronts" can be used as propulsion by those who know how to "ride" them in the same way a surfer rides a wave. Note: Referees should probably make travel to and from this dimension rare, difficult and dangerous for player characters.
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December 1, 2015 - 8:27pm | I think at this point I am not going to define where Phase Spiders go or come from dimension wise, I am also of thinking of keeping them even more old school... that way refs can add or not as they see fit but are not painted into corners with this creature. So I need to rewrite the draft, edit it down to the essential elements of this bad critter, then it can develop in settings as refs desire. "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
December 3, 2015 - 5:54am | SO I basiced it up left the description vaguer so refs can have fun with spiders... But Poison does a bunch of stuff but the damage is 6d10 per turn so I am wondering should it be 60 or should I leave it 6d10... usually the T is listed so many turns but this toxin is as many turns as it takes unless medical intervention, plus it paralyzes. 6d10/T! 60?/T! "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
December 3, 2015 - 7:23pm | I've been pondering the poison I am leaning toward 30 as that is a nice number in between 6 and 60 which is what 6d10 range would be, it will also work nicely with a side effect of being bitten, if a PC survives they loose 30 STA permanently. 30/  T! is what I am thinking. "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
December 3, 2015 - 9:31pm | How is this for Basic Stats: NAME: Phase Spider TYPE: Standard is Large, Dwarf is Medium, Carnivore NUMBER: 1- 4
IM/RS: 4/40 STAMINA: 65 LOGIC: Poor NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE: 1d10 bite MUTATIONS: N/A "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
