Semi-Corporeal (3.5e Subtype)
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Semi-Corporeal Subtype[edit]
Semi-corporeal creatures are not completely incorporeal. A semi-corporeal creature has an actual physical presence, but more often than not that presence is comprised of countless smaller objects, like stones, dust or smaller composite creatures that move contiguously and are bound to the spirit's will. Semi-corporeals possess certain traits akin to swarms, but they have the collective consciousness of a single creature, rather than a swarm of creatures. Semi-corporeals are naturally incorporeal spirit entities that accrue matter and objects in order to take physical form. The encompassing spirit entity can be considered as intangible for the purpose of fighting the monster, and is usually unaffected by the loss of its physical body. To truly kill a semi-corporeal, the spirit sustaining the physical form must be targeted and destroyed.
Prerequisites[edit]
To manifest as a semi-corporeal, the entity thet comprises its core must be incorporeal. Most semi-corporeals are elementals, outsiders or undead, but they don't need to be.
Semi-Corporeal Traits[edit]
The following traits and abilities are common in every semi-corporeal creature. The Semi-Corporeal traits override the Swarm traits when applicable.
- Blindsight out to 60 ft.
- Semi-corporeals usually have a hover speed, with varying levels of mobility, but certain sufficiently solidified semi-corporeals can move on solid ground as if walking. See the individual creature entries for more information.
- Swarm Traits: A semi-corporeal is comprised of a large number of similar components that make up its physical form, in the same way as a swarm is comprised of creatures. These components can differ in size, from Tiny or larger (such as rocks), to Diminutive or smaller (such as pebble-sized objects, dust or sand). The former type of semi-corporeal takes half damage from any physical attack that doesn't deal bludgeoning damage, whereas the latter type is completely immune to any form of physical damage.
- Furthermore, a semi-corporeal creature possesses any further trait and vulnerability of a swarm-type creature, except that a semi-corporeal can be of any size, and that it doesn't take extra damage from any spell or effect that affects an area.
- Immunity to vision-affecting effects (phantasms and patterns that have an effect on the eyes, gaze attacks).
- Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, and death effects. These immunities are in addition to or overlap with the immunities of the semi-corporeal's creature type.
- Not subject to critical hits. Immune to damage to its physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution), as well as to fatigue and exhaustion effects.
- Not at risk of death from massive damage, but when reduced to 0 hit points or less, it is either dispersed or destroyed.
Attacks: A semi-corporeal is proficient with any natural or manufactured weapons disclosed in its creature entry. It further possesses a swarm attack like any normal swarm. The damage that this attack deals depends on the semi-corporeal's Hit Dice, but increases by an additional +1d6 for every size category the semi-corporeal is larger than Medium.
Spirit Entity (Ex): Some semi-corporeals are entities wrought by the effort of its controlling spirit. This spirit is incorporeal, and can be a ghost or a composite soul of some kind. While taking no damage from most weapons, Semi-corporeals take partial or normal damage from certain spells, effects, or weapons with certain special abilities (as denoted in the creature listing), or otherwise have certain conditions under which they can be destroyed. Any damage dealt by such aspell, effect or weapon automatically bypasses any damage reduction, regeneration or other damage resisting ability the creature has, and when slain by such a weapon, a semi-corporeal creature is destroyed outright. Normal attacks, spells and effects merely disperse the creature, allowing the spirit to reform its body at full hit points within a certain amount of time (defer to creature listing). This trait only applies to a select few semi-corporeals. Check the individual creature listings for if and how this trait applies.
Elusive Body (Ex): Creatures take a -8 penalty to grapple checks against a semi-corporeal creature made of objects of Tiny size or larger, but are not prevented from making an attack while grappled. Semi-corporeals formed from smaller objects cannot be grappled at all. Creatures can still make opposed grapple checks to defend against a semi-corporeal's grapple attempt as normal, regardless of the semi-corporeal's composition, and take no penalty to such checks.
Creatures with the Semi-Corporeal Subtype[edit]
The following creatures have the semi-corporeal subtype:
| Creature Entry | CR | Type and Subtypes | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ash Ghoul | 5 | Undead [Semi-Corporeal] | Medium |
| Nanocyte Cloud | 10 | Construct [Semi-Corporeal, Swarm] | Fine |
| Revenant | 11 | Undead [Evil, Semi-Corporeal] | Medium |
| Sand Devil | 16 | Outsider [Baatezu, Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful, Semi-Corporeal] | Huge |
| Sulacu/Elemental Sprite | 1 | Elemental, SRD: Type [Earth, Native, Semi-Corporeal, Fire] | Tiny |
Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Glossary
| Author | Sulacu + |
| Identifier | 3.5e Subtype + |
| Rated By | Leziad + |
| Rating | Rating Pending + |
| Summary | A semi-corporeal creature has an actual physical presence, but more often than not that presence is comprised of countless smaller objects, like stones, dust or smaller composite creatures that move contiguously and are bound to the spirit's will. + |
| Title | Semi-Corporeal + |
