Glowing Coral
Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2015 1:34 am
I had an idea for a land living mollusk colony creature. During the day it looks like a dead tree or shrub. Possibly with some bones strewn about the base for ambiance. At night it sprouts these glowing (blue?) tentacles that tries to grab anything living that comes near. Not too common, if zoomed out completely you should hardly ever see more then one or two (or none) at most. It's something pretty and shiny that lights up the empty wastes at night.
Most human NPC factions avoid them. Some animals are attracted to them. Hungry bandits sometimes attack them, because they are mad with hunger. Ninjas and Slavers also attack them because they want to harvest the toxins. It's attack and aggro range should not be very far. They are stationary, so no one would have to fight one unless they want to. Possibly make it immune to piercing or range damage, if guns, bows or throwing spears ever makes it to the game.
Can only be killed permanently with fire. It can be hacked to pieces and disabled for a while with melee weapons. Strength-wise I think a large one should be able to take out 5 average ninjas. Smaller bush sized mollusk colonies would be a lot weaker. And maybe have one gigantic one somewhere that's up there with the strongest creatures in the game.
When chopped down (but not burned) it will take about one in game week to regrow, in the same spot. From a chopped down colony you can harvest tentacles and coral husks. The husks can be used for armor plating and maybe crafted spear or arrow heads. The tentacles can be used for crafting lanterns that don't go out, paralyzing toxins to be applied to blades. Possibly you should also be able to replant a tentacle to grow a new colony. Which you might use to light up the areas outside the walls of your outpost. Planted ones should be very weak and small though and can't be planted too close together.
Most human NPC factions avoid them. Some animals are attracted to them. Hungry bandits sometimes attack them, because they are mad with hunger. Ninjas and Slavers also attack them because they want to harvest the toxins. It's attack and aggro range should not be very far. They are stationary, so no one would have to fight one unless they want to. Possibly make it immune to piercing or range damage, if guns, bows or throwing spears ever makes it to the game.
Can only be killed permanently with fire. It can be hacked to pieces and disabled for a while with melee weapons. Strength-wise I think a large one should be able to take out 5 average ninjas. Smaller bush sized mollusk colonies would be a lot weaker. And maybe have one gigantic one somewhere that's up there with the strongest creatures in the game.
When chopped down (but not burned) it will take about one in game week to regrow, in the same spot. From a chopped down colony you can harvest tentacles and coral husks. The husks can be used for armor plating and maybe crafted spear or arrow heads. The tentacles can be used for crafting lanterns that don't go out, paralyzing toxins to be applied to blades. Possibly you should also be able to replant a tentacle to grow a new colony. Which you might use to light up the areas outside the walls of your outpost. Planted ones should be very weak and small though and can't be planted too close together.
