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Would a Monster review/revision work?
EmperorSeth
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I DM a D&D 3.5 game, and I find one of my favorite elements of running the game comes from creating new monsters. However, since the monster designs are primarily aimed at my own players, it gives me little time to play test or gauge their difficulty beyond simply comparing them to similar monsters in the Manual. I figured the PA boards would be good at constructive and blunt criticisms and critiquing, and if nothing else we could share monster ideas between ourselves for our own games.
If this is too specific a topic, maybe it could expand to cover general DMing adventure critiques. Either way, I would like to hear if there is some interest in the subject before posting.
If this is too specific a topic, maybe it could expand to cover general DMing adventure critiques. Either way, I would like to hear if there is some interest in the subject before posting.
You know what? Nanowrimo's cancelled on account of the world is stupid.
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Thank you, Rubacava!
There...there's an algorithm? Hell, I've just been using basic assumptions and eyeballing it. You know, HD is about CR for magic or special ability happy things, double for higher level or brute types, etc. That or just taking something similar from the MM and basing it on that.
You know, given what I just said, this may be a very good idea.
Patient
Medium Abberration
Hit Dice: 5d8+10 (32 hp)
Initiative: +4 (+4 Dex)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares,)
AC: 17 (+4 Dex, +3 Natural) touch 14, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+5
Attack: Bite +5 (1d6+2) or Acid Spit +8 (3d4 plus continual damage)
Full Attack: Bite +5 (1d6+2) or Acid Spit +8 (3d4 plus continual damage)
Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet
SA: Acid Spit
SQ: Slither, Darkvision 60 ft.
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +4
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 19, Con 15
Int 3, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills: Bluff +8
Feats: Great Fortitude, Dodge
Climate/Terrain: Any land
Organization: Solitary or epidemic (2-6)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 6-18 HD (Medium)
Patients are among the manifested monsters seen only the nightmarish demi-plane created when the chaos of an Archaimorph is exposed to the evil rituals created from the power of the Far Realm or from its worshippers. Patients represent all people killed in to fulfill the purpose of the Far Realm supporters.
Patients are humanoid in appearance, but they look as if they were skinned, revealing hideous yellow, red, and purple musculature and veins. They also initially appear to be armless. However, a series of muscles constantly shift and struggle near their chests, suggesting arms that are trapped in the body’s own living straight jacket. Despite this hideous deformity, patients are surprisingly fast and aggressive enemies who tend to surprise their prey with their attacks. Driven to madness by pain and the demands of their evil demi-plane, patients mindlessly attack any living thing they see, except for other creatures of the demi-plane and any Far Realm worshippers and allies responsible for creating the demi-plane.
Combat:
Patients rely on their Acid Spit attack to inhibit and destroy their targets. If reduced to lower health (less than a third, usually,) or surrounded, they feign death and try to Slither to their target.
Acid Spit (Ex): Though patients can engage in melee, the prefer to attack at a ranged using their acidic spit. Patients can spit at a maximum range of 20 ft., with no range increments. If it hits, the acid does 3d4 points of damage on the first round, 2d4 on the second, and 1d4 on the third, unless the target removes the acid prematurely. This can be done most easily by immersing in water or otherwise washing in several gallons of it.
Slither (Ex): Patients have mastered the ability to move without using their limbs, letting them attack from the ground. When prone, patients are treated as capable of moving normally. They can move at their normal speed and attack without penalty, nor do enemies get a bonus to hit them while their prone. Any pentalties to attacking a prone target with ranged attacks still apply. When prone, a patient can feign death with a successful bluff check and drop to prone as an immediate action after being successfully attacked.
Pendulum
Medium Abberration
Hit Dice: 5d8+15 (37 hp)
Initiative: +2 (+2 Dex)
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares,) fly 50 ft. (perfect)
AC: 18 (+2 Dex, +6 Natural) touch 12, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+5
Attack: Claw +9 (1d8+5, 19-20/x2)
Attack: 3 Claws +9 (1d8+5, 19-20/x2)
Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet
SA: Readied Charge
SQ: Darkvision 60 ft.
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +4
Abilities: Str 21, Dex 14, Con 17
Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 9
Skills: Spot +8
Feats: Flyby Attack, Weapon Focus (Claw,) Improved Flyby Attack (B, Savage Species)
Climate/Terrain: Any land
Organization: Solitary or swarm (2-4)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 6-18 HD (Medium)
Pendulums are among the most bizarre inhabitants of the nightmarish demi-plane created from the mixture of the Far Realm and the chaos of the Archaimorphs. Pendulums represent the twisted and deadly intrigue and industry that powers the worshippers of the Far Realm.
Pendulums consist of two humanoid bodies conjoined from the front, with two bald, deformed facing each other. However, the details of their combined bodies are thankfully hidden in a mess of filthy shrouds and rags. Both bodies, however, are clearly lacking in legs or any part of their lower bodies. Instead, Pendulums are supported by three sharp metal legs. They move slowly on land, but they can somehow defy physics by somehow using the legs as a form of propulsion, letting them fly with remarkable skill. When they fly in this way, the grinding noise made by their metal apparatus is loud and irritating to the point of frustration, making it impossible for Pendulums to move silently while flying. Pendulums are more conservative combatants than Patients, but they have the same aggressive hatred towards all creatures but other demi-plane natives and servants of the Far Realm.
Combat:
Pendulums tend to guard locations for the demi-plane’s desires. They will fly at and attack anyone who nears their location, but otherwise they prefer to ready a charge against ranged attacks or let their victims come to them. If caught flat-footed, Pendulums have a 30% chance of being on the ground, but otherwise they can be found (and heard,) flying.
Readied Charge (Ex): In addition to letting them fly, the metal legs and their attached apparatus can be used to change direction and speed with incredible speed. When flying, a Pendulum can ready an action to make a full charge, despite that normally being a full-round action. When combined with the flyby attack and improved flyby attack feats, Pendulums can charge at and past a target while getting an attack in as well. Pendulums usually ready actions this way to charge at the first enemy to make a ranged attack within their 100 ft. charge range. Pendulums only close for normal attacks when enemies try to engage in melee with them.
Pyramid Head
Medium Abberration
Hit Dice: 11d8+44 (93 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares,)
AC: 20 (+4 Metal Helmet, +6 Natural) touch 10, flat-footed 20
Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+15
Attack: Large Greatsword +13 (3d6+10, 19-20/x2)
Full Attack: Large Greatsword +13/8 (3d6+10, 19-20/x2)
Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet
SA: Cut Reality
SQ: Immortal, Darkvision 60 ft.
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +7
Abilities: Str 25, Dex 11, Con 19
Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 18
Skills: Spot +14, Listen +14, Survival +14
Feats: Power Attack, Cleave, Monkey Grip (Complete Warrior,) Track
Climate/Terrain: Any land
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 12-47 HD (Medium)
There are monsters in the demi-plane that perhaps are more powerful than the butcher known as Pyramid Head, but none represent the land as purely as this creature does. Pyramid Head appears to be human, though no actual skin can be seen. He wears a smock seemingly made out of skin, though it can be hard to tell with all the blood stains. His most noteworthy physical feature, however, is a heavy, red, metal helmet that Pyramid Head wears at all times. The helmet’s triangular structure is designed to obscure the original wearer’s head at all times and gives the creature its name. Pyramid Heads are based on an early model of executioner seen in some earlier societies on Mesion, and that image of brutality symbolizes the actions of this creature of the demi-plane.
Pyramid Heads don’t appear as regular creatures in the demi-plane. Instead, they appear when called by the creators of the demi-plane, whether those creators intentionally made the plane or if they subconsciously trapped themselves in it. Though called on command, Pyramid Heads are creatures of ultimate aggression. They attack any living thing in sight, including their own summoner and other inhabitants of the plane. In fact, they often can be seen murdering or brutalizing other planar inhabitants before noticing their actual target!
Combat:
Pyramid Heads do not rely on complicated tactics. They simply move at the nearest victim and attacks as ruthlessly as possible. When confronted with a largely defenseless enemy, they use their Power Attack as much as possible to do maximum damage.
Cut Reality (Su): As a living model of the demi-plane’s destructive nature, Pyramid Heads are free to remove anything in the plane that does not apply to its goals. Pyramid Heads can immediately destroy a 10-cube of nonliving matter as if by a disintegrate spell just by making an attack with a weapon. In addition, if attacking unattended objects that come from outside of its plane, it ignores hardness.
Immortal (Su): Technically, Pyramid Heads are just projections of the demi-plane’s hostile will. They cannot, technically, be destroyed, nor will they appear to take damage. However, the magical forces that maintain the Pyramid Head’s body will be slowly disrupted by attacks, effectively damaging it as normal. To realize attacks are having any effect, a Knowledge (aracana) check of DC 25 must be made, with a +1 bonus after every successful, damage-dealing attack. If reduced to 0 hp, a Pyramid Head will seemingly kill itself, often in the most brutal way possible. However, the Pyramid Head’s energies will return 1d4 minutes later, letting it appear for further attacks. As a result of this transitive existence, Pyramid Heads are immune to death attacks, petrification, sleep, paralysis, stunning, mind-affecting abilities, and polymorph attacks.
No, there is no CR calculator. CR is determined by running them against test parties and measuring how difficult it is based on the amount of resources expended.
Lipido
Large Outsider (Evil, Chaotic, Underworlder)
Hit Dice: 7d8+28 (59 hp)
Initiative: -1 (-1 Dex)
Speed: 30 ft, (6 squares) fly 20 feet (4 squares) (perfect).
AC: 17 (-1 Size, -1 Dex, +9 Natural,) touch 8, flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+17
Attack: Tentacle +12 melee (1d8+6)
Attacks: 4 Tentacles +12 melee (1d8+6)
Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet
SA: Improve Grab, Darkness Scatter, Consume Souls, Spell-Like Abilities
SQ: Damage Reduction 5/magic, SR 16, Poison Immunity, Fire Resistance 10
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +4, Will +6
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 8, Con 19
Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 15
Skills: Climb +16, Jump +16, Hide +5, Move Silently -11*, Spot +11, Listen +11, Search +11, Sense Motive +11, Spellcraft +11, Knowledge (planes) +11
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Blind Fighting, Ability Focus (Darkness Scatter)
Climate/Terrain: Any land or underground
Organization: Solitary or gang (2-4)
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 8-9 HD (Large,) 10-15 (Huge,) 16-33 (Gargantuan)
Lipidos are psychotic demons, who enjoy killing their victims, and consuming their souls to create a horrible chorus of anguished wailing. They resemble jellyfish, but they have four tentacles, and are of a sickly green color. Their tentacles also end in beds of sharp needles, which they use to pierce their enemies. In addition, their head is actually a contained orb full of dark fluid. The spirits of those killed by the Lipido constantly appear in this orb and cry out about their fate in despair. Lipidos often ally with evil forces that want to control and inspire fear in lesser opponents.
Combat:
Lipidos often start combat by using their darkness powers, then using their Blind Fighting ability to attack their unaware enemies. They also like to hover over their enemies, while using their superior reach to lash out at opponents that can’t engage them in melee.
Improved Grab(Ex): If a Lipidos successfully hits with a tentacle, it can immediately attempt to grab a hold of their target. If successful, it will pull the victim to its body, and inflict automatic tentacle damage each round.
Darkness Scatter(Su): Three times a day, the Lipido can generate eight orbs of darkness around its body as a standard action that doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. The next round, it can release these as a free action. The orbs fly outward in the eight cardinal directions for 10 feet, effectively creating eight line areas of effect. The four diagonal lines always fly directly from the four corners of the Lipido, but the Lipido can choose to fire the four straights shots through the more clockwise or the more counterclockwise line, though all four lines must be one or the other. Those caught in a line takes 3d8 of unholy damage (or half the Lipido’s HD, for advanced Lipidos, maximum 20d8) unless they make a Reflex Save (DC 17) to take only half damage. The Save is Charisma-based.
Consume Soul(Su): If the Lipido kills a victim with a tentacle, it pulls the victim’s soul into itself. The soul is then bound inside the Lipido, and can’t be resurrected unless the Lipido is killed or banished from the plane. In addition, the Lipido heals 1d10 points of damage after consuming the soul. If at full health, the Lipido instead gains 1d10 temporary hit points for five rounds.
Spell-Like Abilities(Sp): At will: Darkness, Teleport Without Error (DC 17) (Self and 50 pounds only,) Silence (DC 14,) Detect Good, See Invisibility. 1/day: Confusion (DC 16.) All spells are cast as a 12th level sorcerer. The Save DCs are Charisma-based.
Spell Resistance(Su): Lipido Spell Resistance is equal to 10+the Lipido’s CR.
Lipidos have a –10 racial penalty to Move Silently checks, because of the constant wailing of the lost souls within it. This penalty is not present if the Lipido does not have any souls consumed. It also could use its silence power to cancel this effect but rarely does so, as it enjoys using the screams to demoralize its enemies.
God bless Lovecraft. God bless him right in the eye.
It's an extra-dimensional prowler that lives in time, and which is attracted to temporal divination; the catch is that it can only manifest through right angles.
Typically, spell resistance is an extraordinary ability, and it's based on the creature's hit dice.
Well, you can also make it spell resistance of 10+half the creature's hit dice, or something like that. Or SR = 1/2 the creature's hit dice. It's fine to do things the way you'd like in home games, but published works usually try to follow certain precedents (which is why I brought it up).
Also, having outrageous Spell Resistance does not mean that you're immune to magic, just that you're highly resistant to spells that have Spell Resistance: Yes. Golems, Rakshasas and other creatures typically "immune to magic" are still vulnerable to things like glitterdust, arc of lightning, melf's acid arrow, wall of thorns, summon monster/nature ally spells, etc. So even a creature with high SR, like a balor, can still be blinded by a 2nd level spell if it fails a will save (not a likely prospect, I know).
...More than Cthulhu?
And Cthulhu was actually an interesting comparison.
[spoiler:478efd0d45]Rather than being an ancient sleeping god, the Shrike was (is?) created by the machine god in the far future and sent back in time to fight the human gods. He's hanging around the Time Tombs, who are also travelling back in time, until the Tombs open and it has free reign across the universe.[/spoiler:478efd0d45]
I'll give a shot at giving him a stat block later.
Like what? What do you dislike about it?