Author Topic: The Dung Snake!  (Read 3574 times)

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Akalsaris

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The Dung Snake!
« on: September 10, 2009, 05:32:39 PM »
Hey, I just found something cool that I've never seen mentioned before...the Dung Snake!

This snake from Serpent Kingdoms 83 is mentioned as a creature that a spellcaster can take as a normal (not improved) familiar, granting +2 to saves against disease.

While it's obviously kinda gross, the cool thing about it is that the Dung Snake is a 3HD medium-sized animal, which I don't believe any other normal familiar is.  It also has a speed of 20 climb/swim/land each, 19HP and a natural Fast Healing (1) and Improved Grab+Constrict+Multigrab, and scent, along with very high ranks in the scouting skills - so it's a decent tank, scout, and crowd control option!  And since it's found all over Faerun, especially in Undermountain, it's not particularly rare either!

The reed snake and trewarm are also listed as possible familiars, though both of them are a bit weak.

Edit - also, since I can't resist a good poop joke: Holy crap!  The Dung Snake is totally the Shit!
« Last Edit: September 10, 2009, 05:51:48 PM by Akalsaris »

PhaedrusXY

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Re: The Dung Snake!
« Reply #1 on: September 10, 2009, 05:51:26 PM »
Hmm... if the base creature has more hit points than the mage who chooses it as a familiar, does its hit points drop? Or stay the same? If they stay the same... that's freakin'  insane! A 19 HP medium sized creature with Fast Healing 1 as a familiar at 1st level? WTH were they smoking?
[spoiler]
A couple of water benders, a dike, a flaming arrow, and a few barrels of blasting jelly?

Sounds like the makings of a gay porn film.
...thanks
[/spoiler]

BowenSilverclaw

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Re: The Dung Snake!
« Reply #2 on: September 10, 2009, 06:04:39 PM »
So now we can have Loredrake Kobold Sorcerers riding around on snakes made of poop that are arguably better than a level 1 PC?!

Man, I love D&D :lol
"Weakness? Come test thy mettle against me, hairless ape, and we shall know who is weak!"

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Tonymitsu

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Re: The Dung Snake!
« Reply #3 on: September 10, 2009, 06:19:59 PM »
Quote

So yes.  The snake's hit points would drop as soon as it became a familiar, unless your wizard has some seriously goofy Con.  :P

But it still retains those hit dice, so I could see it still being handy against spells that go after hit dice, like sleep.

PhaedrusXY

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Re: The Dung Snake!
« Reply #4 on: September 10, 2009, 06:28:44 PM »
Quote

So yes.  The snake's hit points would drop as soon as it became a familiar, unless your wizard has some seriously goofy Con.  :P

But it still retains those hit dice, so I could see it still being handy against spells that go after hit dice, like sleep.
Ah, that's too bad.

And surely to god these things aren't made of poop, are they...? I figured they lived in it, or something...
[spoiler]
A couple of water benders, a dike, a flaming arrow, and a few barrels of blasting jelly?

Sounds like the makings of a gay porn film.
...thanks
[/spoiler]

Akalsaris

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Re: The Dung Snake!
« Reply #5 on: September 10, 2009, 07:00:45 PM »
A brown, unpleasant-looking snake clad in a layer of slime
rests atop a dung heap, its tongue flicking in and out.

Dung snakes thrive amid muck and decay. In cold conditions,
they burrow deep into compost piles, cesspools, and similar
sources of warmth, emerging only when disturbed or when
warm weather returns. This habit gives dung snakes a fearsome
folk reputation.

A dung snake is a water-dwelling constrictor snake with
brown scales. It exudes a slimy, odoriferous substance that gives
its body a sheen.

So no, but it's still gross enough that the party will never let you hear the end of it either! =P