# Awakened Trees Questions.



## RUMBLETiGER (Apr 15, 2012)

A statement on the third page of This Thread got me thinking.  

I must admit, I've neglected the tree application of the _Awaken_ spell.  I realize that a Treant is a different creature than an Awakened Tree.  The Treant has a decent DR, the ability to animate other trees, a vulnerability to fire, etc.  An Awakened Tree is based around the Animated Object, and I have a few questions about how this might work:
-First off, is the stats of the Animated Object based off the tree size?
-If so, can a tree as large as the Giant Sequioa be Awakened?  If so, we're looking at a Colossal+ sized creature.  How about something like Pando?
-The land speed of an Animated Object is based off of the number of legs that object has.  How does one determine the number of legs on an Awakedn Tree?


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## TKDB (Apr 15, 2012)

RUMBLETiGER said:


> -First off, is the stats of the Animated Object based off the tree size?



Yes, the stats of an animated object are always based on size.


RUMBLETiGER said:


> -If so, can a tree as large as the Giant Sequioa be Awakened?  If so, we're looking at a Colossal+ sized creature.  How about something like Pando?



Assuming you can make the Will save required by the Awaken spell, yes. Which would be a pretty tall order for a Colossal creature -- DC 42. Whether you can animate a clonal aspen colony as a single enormous creature would probably be up to your DM. Personally, I wouldn't allow it unless perhaps you could Heighten the Awaken spell to epic level.


RUMBLETiGER said:


> -The land speed of an Animated Object is based off of the number of legs that object has.  How does one determine the number of legs on an Awakedn Tree?



Personally, I'd say it has no "legs" for the purposes of movement as an animated object, since that gives it the same speed (10 ft) as trees animated by a treant's Animate Trees SLA. However, you could make the argument that the roots count as multiple legs, giving it 30 ft land speed, or that they collectively are about as effective as having two legs, giving 20 ft speed. DM discretion, really.


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## Dannyalcatraz (Apr 15, 2012)

Reminded me of this:




Dannyalcatraz said:


> Here's an interesting fact: Aspen Trees are a clonal species- they can spread by runners.  One of the largest organisms on Earth is an Aspen grove in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains that has 41,000+ trunks.
> 
> That inspired this:
> 
> ...


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## frankthedm (Apr 16, 2012)

Yes, the will save is going to be an issue. Remember each casting costs the caster 250 XP whether the will save succeeds or fails.  So even if the caster wants to shoot for a natural 20, it will cost plenty of XP and plenty of time.

[MENTION=6674868]RUMBLETiGER[/MENTION],

Treant has DR, animated tree has hardness and potentially takes energy damage as an object, which means the awaken'ed tree will vary in power depending on the DM.


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## RUMBLETiGER (Apr 16, 2012)

Could this tree be multilegged?






Hm...not sure why it's not resizing smaller.  Sorry about that.


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## Loonook (Apr 16, 2012)

*Awaken the Children of Gaea*
Epic Spell Seeds (Life)
Spellcraft DC: 36
Component: V,S,M,F
Casting Time: 10 Days.
Duration: Permanent (Until Discharged)
Saving Throw: See Text.
Spell Resistance: Yes (Harmless).
Seed: 27 + 30 (3 extra targets), +60 (Reduce DC -30 of caster _Awaken_ checks*),  -18 (10 minutes), -9 (10 days) -54 (6 5th Level Druid spells cast by Druids of 9th level or higher _(Awaken)_)
Requirements: Caster and Acolytes must be Druids in the service of Gaea.  The Spirits of the Children will become angry if summoned for any purpose that is not a direct threat to Gaea.
Focus: The Circlet of the Mother, worn by the Archdruid of the Cradle of Gaea.
Material Component: The willing sacrifice of four Druids of 7th level or higher, bound to the Children, who must survive the entire Ritual period without food or drink.

This spell awakens the 4 Children of Gaea.  Four sequoia that have lived since the dawn of Man, the Children are Colossal+ Paragon Objects (45HD).  I winged a few of the DCs bumps based on existing, but I feel that a good chance to kill the minor casters involved with the Backlash and requiring a solid but not implacable Spellcraft DC should assist in making it a spell used in preparation for war and only when absolutely needed.

I figure four 1080 HP, 36 SR, 40ish AC trees hitting for 4d6+35 who can move as fast as horses would be a solid animated object.  Of course these would be the largest examples; tune the spell down to call forth multiple Colossals (DC in the 60s), and perhaps this spell could link to that one, lowering the required DC for successful castings as you 'understand' the magic of the trees.  I also made it befittingly 'epic', requiring the sacrifice of four druids to call the Children to their ancient vessels as the material component .

Slainte,

-Loonook.

EDIT: Completely forgot that Seed: Life is instantaneous (so no need for the *5) and backlash is per round of casting () so I bumped the DC drop to make it much easier to pass for the Awaken check, and increased the casting time to 10 days (preventing a spontaneous casting of the spell to temper it somewhat), and bringing the DC waaaay down for use by pretty much any Epic caster who meets the pre-reqs.


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## TKDB (Apr 16, 2012)

Loonook said:


> -54 (9 5th Level Druids with _Awaken_ prepared)




Are you sure you don't mean 5 9th level Druids? A 5th level druid can't prepare Awaken (a 5th-level spell).


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## Loonook (Apr 16, 2012)

TKDB said:


> Are you sure you don't mean 5 9th level Druids? A 5th level druid can't prepare Awaken (a 5th-level spell).




That would be the case... Very important to correct as the listed pre-req (having Awaken prepared) precludes the error as being incorrect...

Slainte,

-Loonook.

Edit: Corrected a major issue with Backlash (been awhile since I generated Epic Spells), added "component" and "focus".


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## Dannyalcatraz (Apr 16, 2012)

Just because:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn1iIbIzfWw&feature=youtube_gdata_player]Rush - The Trees (Official Music Video - 1978)  - YouTube[/ame]


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## kitcik (Apr 16, 2012)

Sorry, but...

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnlCCZ2cmJo]trees by Marty Casey - YouTube[/ame]


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## Nebten (Apr 17, 2012)

If we are going to start whipping out our videos and showing them . . .

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5KtFf9UE_M&feature=related[/ame]


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## RUMBLETiGER (Apr 17, 2012)

Loonook said:


> *Awaken the Children of Gaea*
> ...



I dig it.  I'll be honest, not yet played an Epic game, not yet messed with Epic spells.  
While it makes sense that _Awakening_ colossal+ trees sounds like an Epic spell, the reality is the way the _Awaken_ spell is written, it doesn't need to be Epic to do so.  The only limit to the spell's effect is passing the Will save.  There are creative ways to accomplish this, pre-epic.  

What I'd really like to _Awaken_ is a Battletitan.


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## Loonook (Apr 17, 2012)

RUMBLETiGER said:


> I dig it.  I'll be honest, not yet played an Epic game, not yet messed with Epic spells.
> While it makes sense that _Awakening_ colossal+ trees sounds like an Epic spell, the reality is the way the _Awaken_ spell is written, it doesn't need to be Epic to do so.  The only limit to the spell's effect is passing the Will save.  There are creative ways to accomplish this, pre-epic.
> 
> What I'd really like to _Awaken_ is a Battletitan.




Yes, but you asked to raise a Sequoia.  Technically there's going to be nothing that covers the size without having to pass a minimum DC: 45 Will Save (smallest Colossal Awakened Tree)... Or burn a day and XP.  I'd much rather have my double-max HP beasties who are well within the realm of possibility .

The spell has thematic elements that aren't actually tied to the spell's DC, and the DC is laughable for a an epic caster to perform.

Slainte,

-Loonook.


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