You can't whack a burrowing creature without a similar ability yourself, no?It'd only take 5 hit's on average doing 140 damage to the Zygomind on average (40 x 3.5), who as almost 300 HP and fast healing 20. It could also probably just Coup de grace. Although a CDG is probably out of it's intelligence rangeCouldn't the Zygomind just kill the Rhemoraz with conventional Tentacle attacks?And take 8d6 fire damage a hit?
That would make things difficult.
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What I find insidious about it is... Even if you won, you beat the creature. Did you REALLY beat it? Or are you trapped in it's mindscape while it feeds on your body?
If I was to ever use this thing, I wouldn't mention what the rolls are for. I'd have notes of everyone's will save, and simply ask for d20 rolls. Even if they fail and get sucked into the seemless reality mindscape, I'd keep asking for the rolls. They could approach (assuming they knew the giant mushroom was a monster) and fight it. Trapped in the mindscape, doesn't matter. I'd still do the combat. Then I'd continue the campaign.
Okay, so maybe the characters are actually trapped in it's mindscape, get leached of nutrients, then become undead. They still go on adventures, retire, live their lives.
Next campaign though I'd maybe have npc's wondering what ever happened to that former adventuring group. You know, the great heroes who just vanished.
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Even then, not completely certain. According to the prd
Depending on how long a zygomind has infested an area, a creature who is able to avoid being trapped in the mindscape could find a veritable hoard of weapons, armor, and magic items within the cage of its body, discarded as the bodies that brought them withered away, then rose as undead. Of course, a canny adventurer must always be aware that the discovery of such a trove within the fungus could simply be one more illusion imposed by the zygomind's mindscape. Once a creature has had contact with a zygomind, it can never again truly be certain that the world it inhabits is the real one without the aid of powerful psychic magic or of those familiar with the logic and perils of mindscapes—yet even then, the zygomind smoothly creates the illusions of such individuals and abilities to reassure victims that they are indeed free.
To be completely certain, pack a high-level Psychic. Cast Mindscape door every few minutes, if it fizzles, then you're safe, if it doesn't, then climb on out.What I find insidious about it is... Even if you won, you beat the creature. Did you REALLY beat it? Or are you trapped in it's mindscape while it feeds on your body?
If I was to ever use this thing, I wouldn't mention what the rolls are for. I'd have notes of everyone's will save, and simply ask for d20 rolls. Even if they fail and get sucked into the seemless reality mindscape, I'd keep asking for the rolls. They could approach (assuming they knew the giant mushroom was a monster) and fight it. Trapped in the mindscape, doesn't matter. I'd still do the combat. Then I'd continue the campaign.
Okay, so maybe the characters are actually trapped in it's mindscape, get leached of nutrients, then become undead. They still go on adventures, retire, live their lives.
Next campaign though I'd maybe have npc's wondering what ever happened to that former adventuring group. You know, the great heroes who just vanished.
Or the master of the mindscape succeeded a Will save each time... You'll never be sure...
Oh, and if you are alone, the creators of the mindscape can succeed a save and then proceed to shape false doors, and let you "out". You will never be sure if you actually escaped or the mindscape master is just more careful at pretending that you are out...
To be completely certain, pack a high-level Psychic. Cast Mindscape door every few minutes, if it fizzles, then you're safe, if it doesn't, then climb on out.What I find insidious about it is... Even if you won, you beat the creature. Did you REALLY beat it? Or are you trapped in it's mindscape while it feeds on your body?
If I was to ever use this thing, I wouldn't mention what the rolls are for. I'd have notes of everyone's will save, and simply ask for d20 rolls. Even if they fail and get sucked into the seemless reality mindscape, I'd keep asking for the rolls. They could approach (assuming they knew the giant mushroom was a monster) and fight it. Trapped in the mindscape, doesn't matter. I'd still do the combat. Then I'd continue the campaign.
Okay, so maybe the characters are actually trapped in it's mindscape, get leached of nutrients, then become undead. They still go on adventures, retire, live their lives.
Next campaign though I'd maybe have npc's wondering what ever happened to that former adventuring group. You know, the great heroes who just vanished.
Or the master of the mindscape succeeded a Will save each time... You'll never be sure...
Oh, and if you are alone, the creators of the mindscape can succeed a save and then proceed to shape false doors, and let you "out". You will never be sure if you actually escaped or the mindscape master is just more careful at pretending that you are out...
The best way out is to kill yourself and take the one way Plane Shift to the Boneyard...
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Or is this fantasy?
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Or is this just fantasy?
Caught in a zygominnnnnnddddd~~
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This thing is so cool! I wonder if I can put in a plot hook of one in Arcadia and a faction of wyrwood using it as a natural defense against outsiders.
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So if you get trapped in the mindscape, and level up due to adventures in the simulated dreamworld, do they retain those levels if they are freed from the mindscape and returned to their body?
Even if one gets to level up, one might get pretty peeved that their nice loot and magic item investments never actually existed lol
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This thing was basically the plot from an episode of the X-files (original run). I forget how Mulder escapes...
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Actually, I think the easiest way to kill one is to herd a rhemoraz into the mindscape, let it fail it's save and then calmly walk up and lay down to be eaten. The heat ability will do 8d6 fire a round as long as it stays there, which should be enough to overcome the fast healing.
If the remorhaz is calmly lying there, it won't be doing any fire damage.
...These internal fires cause the armor plates along its back to glow red-hot when the creature is particularly angry, excited, or in pain...
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This creature is an entire campaign in and of itself. It's the Pathfinder Matrix!
Before laying down to take a nap, I was thinking just this. Do a campaign from 1st to 7th level, then the characters wake up in the 'cage' just after some high level heroes managed to kill the zygomind. THey're weak, near death, but nothing a few Restorations wont fix.
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Haven't read the rules on mindscapes too closely yet since right now I mostly do PFS. But I'm not sure if True Seeing would help here. It'd let you see the mindscape, exactly as the zygomind created it with no illusions. Problem is that I don't think the mindscape is an illusion. And with Seemless Reality, there aren't really any flaws to indicate you're trapped in a mindscape.
Haven't read the rules on mindscapes too closely yet since right now I mostly do PFS. But I'm not sure if True Seeing would help here. It'd let you see the mindscape, exactly as the zygomind created it with no illusions. Problem is that I don't think the mindscape is an illusion. And with Seemless Reality, there aren't really any flaws to indicate you're trapped in a mindscape.
The spell create mindscape and greater variants are, in fact, illusions (and mind-affecting, to boot).
The creature's ability, however, and the fact that it is both mindless and a plant, leaves it questionable whether or not its powers are mind-affecting and illusion.
If they are, there are a metric ton of ways around this creature and it sits relatively well in it's zone. If they are not, it becomes a mega-deathtrap of doom.
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As I'm reading the ability, it sounds closer to the typical psychic version of a mindscape. And the description does indicate it is a mega trap of doom. One which even powerful psychics who escape it's mindscape trap can never be sure if they really escaped. It also implied that you'd have to be aware you're in the mindscape to begin with due to willingly submitting to it for mindscape door to work. Otherwise, you're convinced you're still in the real world.
I probably wont use this creature unless it's a plot device. Seems kind of... just, wow, that's nasty.
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Welcome to the Hotel Zygomind... such a lovely place, such a lovely space... Plenty of room at the Hotel Zygomind... any time of year, you can find it here...
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I like the bohemian rhapsody bit more. Seems to call out to the nature of the threat more.
Still, great song. Awesome band. They just don't make music like that anymore. Do they?
I won't argue that Rhapsody is a good one too for this sort of thing.
Makes me also wonder if 'Wish you were Here', 'Welcome to the Machine', or (tragically) 'Shine on You Crazy Diamond' might also fit for this...
And no, they just don't make music like that anymore.
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Oh! That's what minded me. Right.
Now you have this thing that creates reality, etc.
Now imagine one the size of say... oh, I dunno, the Inner Sea Region or larger... Suddenly Rovagug's goal of 'destroy the world' takes on a *whole different shade*, doesn't it?
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Oh! That's what minded me. Right.Now you have this thing that creates reality, etc.
Now imagine one the size of say... oh, I dunno, the Inner Sea Region or larger... Suddenly Rovagug's goal of 'destroy the world' takes on a *whole different shade*, doesn't it?
I told them my Master would heal the world by its total destruction, but they just attacked me!
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This entire thread is taking place inside a Zygomind. Wake up, fools! Wake up before it's too late!
That would mean, no, it can't be! It would mean America doesn't exist, the Earth doesn't exist, that Paizo has been trying to warn us for years.
Wait.
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..
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It would also mean Twilight doesn't exist either. That world war 1 and 2 never actually happened. That there isn't a real chance of Trump becoming the president.
I'm torn on if this would be a good or bad thing.
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This entire thread is taking place inside a Zygomind. Wake up, fools! Wake up before it's too late!That would mean, no, it can't be! It would mean America doesn't exist, the Earth doesn't exist, that Paizo has been trying to warn us for years.
Wait.
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It would also mean Twilight doesn't exist either. That world war 1 and 2 never actually happened. That there isn't a real chance of Trump becoming the president.I'm torn on if this would be a good or bad thing.
All hail our new fungal overlords?
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This thing was basically the plot from an episode of the X-files (original run). I forget how Mulder escapes...
A slightly less-sinister version was the focus of "Forest of the Dead" in Doctor Who, though it was less creature, more computer.
"This isn't real? But I've been dieting!"
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This thing was basically the plot from an episode of the X-files (original run). I forget how Mulder escapes...A slightly less-sinister version was the focus of "Forest of the Dead" in Doctor Who, though it was less creature, more computer.
"This isn't real? But I've been dieting!"
There is a huge space-going one that almost eats the ship in an episode of Star Trek: Voyager.
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I need to thank this thread because it has helped me to solve an enormous problem with my campaign.
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Open your eyes, look up to the sky and see.No escape to reality!Or is this just fantasy?Caught in a zygominnnnnnddddd~~
I'm just a poor bard, with mind affecting immunity!
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I've actually wanted to build a home game around this critter. It getting "planted" during the rumblings of a civil war. Things start out with a village or town suddenly being empty (the zombies being used as proxies), but that only comes up to the party in side conversations and in context that suggests it was due to whatever side of the war they're against. Its zombies are blamed on the other side sinking to new lows/propoganda/etc... The war escalates and the Zygomind slowly grows and the players slowly start realizing that something else is at play here. As they figure it out and research very old records, they realize it's far beyond anything they can handle, so they go from fighting a civil war to trying to unify everyone against what is clearly (for them) the greater evil that will kill them all if they spend all their time killing each other...
Running into people who have been impacted by this creature in some way, or by a cult that's risen up around the zygomind and is trying to help it grow because they think it's some kind of god. I've thought about modifying a kingmaker game along these lines as well, but you could do it a few different ways.
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The players would start out between level 1 and 3, I doubt they'd top 15 by the end of it... maybe around 12?
I can't seem to picture what this thing looks like. 500 feet tall, 40 feet wide, looks like a cage. Is it just empty in the middle aside from the glow? Is there a mushroom stalk in the center? What shape is it intended to be?
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yeesss... in another thread I suggested that an albino zygomind is the dreaded Gazebo.
That makes too much sense. Dread Gazebo it is.
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yeesss... in another thread I suggested that an albino zygomind is the dreaded Gazebo.That makes too much sense. Dread Gazebo it is.Cleric: "Waiiit... That structure in the middle of the woods seems a bit fishy. Let me roll to find out what's wrong with it..."
GM: "You're trained in Knowledge (Engineering?)"
Cleric: "No."
Fighter: "I've got a rank in it."
GM: "That's no hut... it's a... uh... Dire Gazebo!"
Fighter: "It's too big to be a Dire Gazebo."
GM: "Alright, everyone, roll Will saves."
Cleric: "I've got a bad feeling about this."
I would suggest that the Zygomind IS a Dire Gazebo, as opposed to a regular Dread Gazebo (Dire Dread Gazebo is just awkward to say).
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I can't seem to picture what this thing looks like. 500 feet tall, 40 feet wide, looks like a cage. Is it just empty in the middle aside from the glow? Is there a mushroom stalk in the center? What shape is it intended to be?
I just googled "mushroom cage". They look rather interesting, if a but smaller than a zygomind would be.
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I can't seem to picture what this thing looks like. 500 feet tall, 40 feet wide, looks like a cage. Is it just empty in the middle aside from the glow? Is there a mushroom stalk in the center? What shape is it intended to be?I just googled "mushroom cage". They look rather interesting, if a but smaller than a zygomind would be.
Ah, interesting. Now I'm imagining how to incorporate the design as a gazebo. Shouldn't be hard.