I need a Brain in a Jar monster for my next adventure. Has anyone made a Pathfinder conversion of this monster? I think it might be in Libris Mortis, but I'm not completely sure.
I need a Brain in a Jar monster for my next adventure. Has anyone made a Pathfinder conversion of this monster? I think it might be in Libris Mortis, but I'm not completely sure.
I don't have a conversion, but if you need the original, there is one in the 3.5 adventure Prisoner of Castle Perilous (free download) on the WotC website.
Greg
I dont have a Pathfinder conversion....Im just here to confirm yes the brain in a jar moster is in Libris Mortis.
Yep, its in the Libra Mortis 3.5 sourcebook, its exceptionally deadly when paired with a Construct such as a Golem or some Mindless Undead.
One example where it was used to deadly effect (in an adventure I cant recall the name of right now) was a specially constructed Iron Golem with this Brain In a Jar enclosed within it save from a thin slit.
The Brain In The Jar gained total cover from outside attacks, and using its Blindsight it could track opponents outside the Golems Chassis through the thin slits. Attacks that were made against the slits that failed counted as possibly hitting the Golem instead if the concealment chance was missed due to concealment.
The effect was quite deadly, the Golem's Magic Immunity protected the concealed Brain In The Jar against most spells and being Undead both it and the Golem had alot of the same immunities anyway.
The Golem could attack and smash its foes to bits while it used its Mind Crush ability to deal magical damage to foes every round or to use its spelllike abilities from relitive safety (since they have poor HP and low hitdice, they always operate better when hidden).
Danger for living necromancers who make them is these things frequently control the minds of their makers using their spellike/psionic abilities.
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
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Yep, its in the Libra Mortis 3.5 sourcebook, its exceptionally deadly when paired with a Construct such as a Golem or some Mindless Undead.
One example where it was used to deadly effect (in an adventure I cant recall the name of right now) was a specially constructed Iron Golem with this Brain In a Jar enclosed within it save from a thin slit.
I realize this isn't your creation but an adventure you read, but I'd have to call multiple shenanigans on this.
The Brain In The Jar gained total cover from outside attacks,
It can't gain total cover from outside attacks unless it has a complete barrier between it and the outside; i.e., unless it is completely sealed inside.
Since it has a thin slit allowing access out, that also allows access in. I would totally buy it having "improved cover" (+8 AC, +4 Reflex saves, improved evasion against attacks that allow Reflex saves), but total cover.
and using its Blindsight it could track opponents outside the Golems Chassis through the thin slits. Attacks that were made against the slits that failed counted as possibly hitting the Golem instead if the concealment chance was missed due to concealment.
The brain in a jar doesn't have any concealment; it only has cover. There shouldn't be any miss chance involved, just the AC penalty.
Now, since the BiaJ has cover from opponents, it can make Stealth checks, but its stealth is immediately broken if it attacks, and it cannot re-hide while under direct observation. As long as opponents have line of sight to it (as it must have line of sight to them for its Blindsight to work), it cannot hide again once it attacks.
Nobody is likely to notice the BiaJ or its hiding slit up until that point until it does attack, of course, but as soon as it does the jig is up.
The effect was quite deadly, the Golem's Magic Immunity protected the concealed Brain In The Jar against most spells and being Undead both it and the Golem had alot of the same immunities anyway.
The golem's magic immunity has no effect on the BiaJ.
It's a power inherent to the golem itself. If the BiaJ were completely sealed inside of a golem, it still wouldn't grant its magic immunity to it. It *would* grant the BiaJ total cover from all attacks, so it's kind of a moot point, because no attacks could reach the BiaJ unless the golem were destroyed first.
But, if the BiaJ has line of sight to be able to see out, and line of effect to use its powers, those go both ways. It could get the benefits of improved cover, sure, but total cover blocks line of effect. In. Both. Directions.
You can't target without line of sight.
You can't affect without line of effect.
If the BiaJ can see out (excepting x-ray vision, of course), people outside can see in.
If the BiaJ can affect creatures outside of the golem (unless its magic powers have built-in exceptions to the line of effect rules), people outside can affect it.
You COULD make a golem with a brain-tank inside, plus a little door on the slit that opened and shut. When shut, it would give total cover. People could ready attacks against the creature inside whenever he opened the shutter.
In theory that would be a move action to open the shutter, but the BiaJ would have a problem, since it doesn't have hands. It'd have to use an SLA like mage hand/telekinesis to open it, which would be a standard action, so it couldn't very well do any kind of useful open-attack-close routine.
The Golem could attack and smash its foes to bits while it used its Mind Crush ability to deal magical damage to foes every round or to use its spelllike abilities from relitive safety (since they have poor HP and low hitdice, they always operate better when hidden).
Essentially it's like a creepier version of mounted combat - the rider (BiaJ) uses magic while its mount (the golem) does the smashie-smashie.
The cover does make the BiaJ a lot harder to hit... unless it's attacked by an effect that doesn't require an attack roll, like the ubiquitous magic missile. Its hp and HD are still crummy; cover only helps its AC and Reflex saves.
Danger for living necromancers who make them is these things frequently control the minds of their makers using their spellike/psionic abilities.
True indeed. It's a neat monster; I never had the right setup in my recent campaigns to actually use it, alas.
I guess I'll make my own conversion then. I found the PDF previously mentioned.
I'm preparing a nasty adventure for the players which will involve at some point a brain in a jar that might turn hostile depending on what the players decide to do.