As before, getting ahead of myself here since I haven’t actually run 4.10 and these things may not show up until 4.12 or 4.13 (maybe even later depending on the PCs), but that’s fine.
The Star Wars d20 adventure “Tempest Feud” identifies the oasis mother as a “species of sentient, predatory plant.” They are fifteen to twenty meters high, which turns out to a GURPS SM of +7 (twenty meters becomes ~21.8 yards.) In d20 terms, the important stats are thus:
Oasis Mother: Desert predator 10; Init -1; Defense 15 (-1 Dex, -4 Size, +10 natural); Spd 0m; VP/WP 115/50; Atk +10 melee (2d8+7, 7 tentacles); SA Fear; SQ Blindsight 50m, damage reduction 5, immune to critical hits, telepathy; SV Fort +14, Ref +6, Will +2; SZ G; Str 28, Dex 8, Con 25, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 7
Fear: The oasis mother can generate a 20-meter-diameter fear effect at will. Those within the are must succeed at a Will save (DC 13) or become panicked.
So looking at that, I find a couple of ways to go here. In “Creatures of the Night, Volume 5”, I see the Dreadstalk (which is only SM +1) which is probably the closest, while “Lands Out Of Time,” there is the Carnivorous Plant (SM +2). Neither of these is exactly right, though and “Banestorm” has the Kraken, which is actually probably a little closer to what the Oasis Mother fits. So let’s mix them together!
Oasis Mother, 279-point plant monster
ST 50 {80}; DX 11 {12}; IQ 6 {-80}; HT 12 {20}
Damage 5d+2/8d-1; BL 500lb; HP 90 {24}; Will 10 {20}; Per 12 {30}; FP 12 {0}; Basic Speed 5.75; Basic Move 0; SM +7
Advantages
- Damage Resistance 5 (Tough Skin) {15}
- Extra Arms 8 (Extra-Flexible; Weak (1/4 ST) (80)
- Extra Attack 4 {100}
- Injury Tolerance (Homogenous; No Blood; No Eyes) {50}
- Mindlink (10-99 “people”) {20}
- Terror (Will-3) {60}
- Universal Digestion {5}
- Vibration Sense {10}
Disadvantages
- Blindness {-50}
- Deafness {-20}
- Dependecy (Soil/Water; Very Common; Constantly) {-25}
- Invertebrate {-20}
- No Fine Manipulators {-30}
- No Legs (Sessile) {-50}
Skills
- Brawling (E) DX+2 {28} – 13
Melee Attacks
- Punch – sw 5d+6 cr; Reach C,1-10
Ouch. Potentially very lethal, what with the whole average 21 points of crushing damage but, at the same time, the PCs are likely going to be equipped with their standard gear and just a couple of blasts from their weapons could ruin this things day. Although … the injury tolerance really gives this puppy staying power. The Terror ability is really the most powerful tool at this thing’s disposal, I think. Still, once PCs get clear of it’s “tentacles” (which is what? 22 yards away?), the only thing the mother can really do is a zerg rush with its children …
Which leads to the children. They are described as “nocturnal predators that resemble headless great apes. Their bodies are made of fibrous material and resemble dolls woven out of reeds and sticks. They have no visible sensory organs but they do detect motions and heat around them. They have extremely long and powerful arms ending in poison-tipped claws. This poison serves to immobilize their prey, which they drag back to the oasis mother for consumptions. The oasis children themselves do not eat and live only for a few short weeks.” Pertinent d20 stats for these are:
Oasis Children: Desert vermin 7; Init +1; Defense 17 (+1 Dex, +1 Size, +5 natural); Spd 16m (8m when moving on two legs); VP/WP 24/9; Atk +4 melee (1d3-1, 2 claws); SA Improved Grab; poison; SQ Blindsight 50m, empathic link, vermin; SV Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +2; SZ S; Str 9, Dex 12, Con 9, Int 1, Wis 11, Cha 2
Poison: With a successful claw attack, an oasis child delivers a poison that causes paralysis for 1d6 minutes unless a Fortitude save (DC 16) succeeds. After 1 minute elapses, a second save (DC16) is required to avoid taking 1 point of Strength damage.
Frankly, the flavor text makes them sound a lot more impressive than their actual d20 stats indicate so I’m intentionally going to reference the flavor text more than those weak stats. Regardless, they still strike me as little more than zombie-like creatures although the paralytic claws brings to mind Ghouls. So, it’s to GURPS: Zombies that I turn.
The Paralyzing Scratch (Zombies p50) Affliction is perfect, so that’s going into the critter (which isn’t going to be that tough against PCs with anything more than a nanoweave bodysuit.) Looking at Short Lifespan in Basic (154) maxes out at 4 levels but even it is way too long since they specifically state such a thing can live up to 5 years but the flavor text gives them only a few weeks; with that in mind, add Terminally Ill (B158) with the -100 point version which is “up to one month.” They need Vibration Sense as well but clearly don’t have vitals so Injury Tolerance is in order. The improved speed is also interesting; in Star Wars d20, an average person moves 10m a round, but they’ve got these guys at 16m (or 8m when walking) which could be Enhanced Move (Ground), I suppose.
This is what I came up with:
Oasis Children, 16-point plant vermin thing
ST 13 {30}; DX 12 {40}; IQ 2 {-160}; HT 12 {20}
Damage 1d+1/2d+1; BL 34lb; HP 13 {0}; Will 10 {40}; Per 12 {50}; FP 12 {0}; Basic Speed 6; Basic Move 6; SM -1
Advantages
- Affliction (Paralyzing Claws; Follow-up (Claws); Paralysis) {25}
- Claws (Sharp Claws) (5)
- Doesn’t Eat or Drink {10}
- Enhanced Move 1/2 Ground {10}
- Indomitable {15}
- Injury Tolerance (Homogenous; No Blood; No Eyes) {50}
- Long Arms (2 Arms) {20}
- Mindlink (1 “person”) {5}
- Striking ST 2 {10}
- Vibration Sense {10}
Disadvantages
- Blindness {-50}
- Deafness {-20}
- Invertebrate {-20}
- Terminally Ill (Up to one month) {-100}
Skills
- Brawling (E) DX+1 {24} – 13
- Stealth (A) DX+1 {2} – 12
Melee Attacks
- Punch – sw 1d cut (plus Affliction); Reach C,1