Living Balloon (3.5e Template)
Living Balloon
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3e Summary::The creature looks like the normal creature; however, it is actually a balloon.
The Living Balloon template does exactly as it sounds, making the creature in question a balloon that has obtained life. Externally, it looks no different from another, flesh-and-bones creature. However, touching it will reveal its true nature.
Creating a Living Balloon
This template is usually inherited, but (should the DM see fit) can be acquired through potions, curses, etc. This template can affect any creature, PC or NPC (hereafter referred to as the base creature)
Size and Type
The base creature's Size is unaffected, as is its Type and Subtypes.
Hit Dice
The base creature has no difference in Hit Dice than an equivalent creature without this template.
Speed
The base creature's land speed is unaffected. However, it loses any Swim speed, and its Flying speed (if it has one) is halved. Maneuverability remains unaffected.
Armor Class
The base creature cannot gain any AC bonuses from Natural armour.
Attack
The base creature cannot use any two-handed weapon (with exclusion of ranged weapons, such as bows), nor can it use any weapon that deal Piercing damage. Natural attacks deal damage with one dice class lower (so a d6 becomes a d4, a d8 becomes a d6 and so on). A d4 remains unaltered, but loses any bonus damage it would otherwise recieve.
Full Attack
Full Attacks are unaffected by this template, unless they rely on the above-mentioned restrictions.
Special Attacks
Special Attacks are unaffected by this template, unless they rely on the above-mentioned restrictions.
Special Qualities
A Living Balloon gains the following qualities.
- Lightweight (Ex): Any Living Balloon weighs only 1% of its normal weight. It also becomes immune to Falling damage*, falls ten times slower than normal*, is unable to enter any liquid* and avoids triggering any weight-based trap*. Their light weight allows them to take 20 on any Climb check*, even in conditions where such an act is usually not available. Abilities obtained from this quality marked with an asterisk (*) do not apply if the creature is carrying anything more than a Light load, or wearing armour. Armour in this context is any item that, in its base form (unenchanted, not masterwork, etc) grants an AC bonus.
- Bounce, Don't Break (Ex): A Living Balloon is resistant to Bludgeoning damage; however, they are knocked back by it. For every point of Bludgeoning damage they take, they are knocked away from the attacker one square. If the Living Balloon hits a wall or another creature, roll a d6 to determine direction. 1 is to the character's left, 2 is to the character's left-forward diagonal, 3 is forward and so on until 5 to the character's right. On rolling a 6, reroll. In addition, any damage they take from a Bludgeoning attack is halved (for knockback, use the rolled value before halving it)
- Neither Flesh Nor Blood (Ex): A Living Balloon neither breathes nor eats as a means to survive. It still needs to sleep, however, and food CAN be ingested as normal, enabling potions - and poisons, should the character be careless - to function as normal.
- Hollow: A Living Balloon may store gases, liquids and small solids within them (assuming it is safe to do so). Creatures cannot be thusly stored, no matter their size.
- Internal Invulnerability (Ex): A Living Balloon cannot take damage from sources within the Balloon's body (with exclusion of poisons, which act as normal). Note that the damage can apply on leaving the Balloon's body if it is careless.
- Risk of Popping: Any Living Balloon takes triple the damage from any Piercing source.
- Awkward Temperature: Living Balloons must be at the right temperature, or risk suffering penalties. If the climate is Hot (desert, heatwave weather, etc), the base creature starts floating uncontrollably (unless weighed down by armour). If the climate is Cold (anywhere that can suffer a blizzard), they are knocked back half the distance from Bludgeoning (as described in Bounce, Don't Break) but also recieve the full damage as normal.
Abilities
Living Balloons have a -6 penalty to Strength. If their strength reaches zero, they can still move - but must unequip and drop anything they are carrying to do so.
Skills
Living Balloons gain a +2 to the Escape Artist skill.
Feats
Feats are unaffected by this template.
Environment
Living Balloons tend to either gather near the source, or try and fit in with the rest of the society they heralded from.
Challenge Rating
To be confirmed.
Treasure
As the base creature, but remove any Piercing weapons from the loot table.
Alignment
As the base creature.
Advancement
As the base creature.