I wasn't referring to any particular NPC. I just remember a lot of NPC with the phase of using vital strike and spring attack in their tactics.
Listed In Their Tactics
Monastic Sniper, p 104
Grove Guardian, p 109
Vault Breaker, p 206
Iron Duelist, p 218
Have Both Feats
Giant Slayer, p 17
Dath Whisperer, p 158
Darkstar, p 239
Master Duelist, 219
Golem-Breaker, p 141
Pirate Queen, p 133
Ageless Master, p 111
In retrospect there are only 4 that have it in their stat block.But IMO, that is 4 too many.
Oh, and they killed the spider after I drop dead. My friend who plays Advokat says of this whole affair, "Y'know, this was a @$&#ing brilliant idea that @#% noblewoman had! 'Oh! Let's hire a thug, a lawyer, a private eye, a peasant with a sling, and a halfling and hope they can find the most powerful artifact in the world! THIS IS A GREAT IDEA!'"
LOL! I just snorted diet coke over my keyboard! And at work too! That's a great line.
In fact, one might wonder if the Paizo APs are, in the end, just for Paizo Messageboard Users...
Wow. Universe revolve around you much?
I'm sorry that just came off nasty and that wasn't my intent.
Spoiler:
(Well, perhaps a little (: ).
Mainly the good folks at Paizo only have a few ways to determine what their customer base wants. The forums are probably the one they see day in and day out. to mean, that means that its fair to assume that whats on the message boards is what the consumers want.
After all if you are a consumer and you don't tell the service provider what you want, you have to be satisfied with what is delivered to you.
Lastly, all the APs are are a collection of themed, perhaps sequential, encounters. if you don't want to have the dungeons, don't use them and convert the room to room encounters to NPC meeting to NPC meeting encounters. Its a lot of work, but it can be done.
In the boxed text for when the PCs get Maroux to a friendly status, she says:
Spoiler:
...that Sorshen really is alive and well in the Lady’s Light, but if you believe that claptrap, there’s a bridge across the Straits of Aroden I’d like to sell ya!”
Um... isn't there a bridge over the straits of Aroden? <http://pathfinder.wikia.com/wiki/Arch_of_Aroden> Though here is calls the straits the Straits of Hespereth. However, elsewhere (Council of Thieves, part 4) its referred to as the Straits of Aroden...
Going across in the first paragraph, entering the gates and the grand gates shut close.
You wont get out as a mortal, so either ascend or fail and die.
So downwards into the dungeons the path takes.. all 6 installments, until at last either divinity of final death is achieved.
Can you tell us more about Cathedral of Ascension? i don't think i have ever heard of it before and my Google-fu didn't find it.
As a player in this campaign, I have to say that FallenValkyrja is selling herself short. She is a fantastic GM and doesn't let the metagamers and rules-lawyers get away with much (and yes, i am referring to myself, though i like role-play too). She is doing a great job!
My favorite moment so far has been sabotaging Fipps. he spent the entire day working on ropes, tying them in knows and getting them to hang correctly for Plug. Only to have the water wizard (my character) cast animate ropes and ruin the entire job.
And don't even get me started on the Plug Club....
I started pulling a list of settlements out of the ISWG, when I realized I might not be able to share my work with fellow gamers, due to the Community Use Policy.
Would something so innocuous as a list of settlements, their populations, and the approximate distances between them along trade routes be prohibited?
I would love to see something like this. I created one for my old 2nd edition FR campaign and it amazed me how much trouble and time is saved in my game.
As for whether its covered by whatever, that's a question for the good folks at Paizo.
might want to break it down by level as will. What arcane spells do you have to worry about between 1st and 5th level? Obviously the level 1-3 spells. :) But how many enchantment spells are there versus evocation spells at that level.
You never camp out in dungeons, preparing before you open doors into unknown threats?
And hour's not that much, especially if you have a prepared caster in the group. Just because you're not sure how to make it effective doesn't make it ineffective. ;-)
Sounds like a challenge... How would ypu make it effective you where playing the character with the ability?
And for the record, i just don't like the half-hour limit. I think its very effective, just not useful because of the half hour thingee.
In short, the text says that it acts as the auguary spell. Does that mean it is only for the half hour after the hour of writing? That seems too limiting. But at the same time, i dont want to grant the ability too much power. Any suggestions?
Personally, I would rule that produce flame just doesn't work that way. The spell creates a ball of flame that you can throw or push in someone's face. Note that the spell description says "Effect flame in your palm."
When the dragon disciple attacks with his claws, he's attacking with his claws not slapping his opponent across the face.
Take a 200 ft. deep pit. Cast a web spell in the exact middle and then make it permanent. Creature falls into the pit. Does the web break its fall? How much if any? Would it obscure the bottom of the pit (i.e. if a creature falls all the way through, would it hinder thing dropping into the pit or the character climbing out?
I realize that some of these questions are fairly easy to answer, but the repercussions of each "simple answer" is not so easy to adjudicate.
And yes, I get .01 every time I use a big word. :)
GIANT DEMONIC STIRGE CR 10
Male Stirge
NE Medium Outsider ((Magical Beast), Native)
Init +6; Senses Darkvision (60 feet), Low-Light Vision, Scent; Perception +16
DEFENSE AC 19, touch 16, flat-footed 13 (+6 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 88 (8d10+40)
Fort +11, Ref +12, Will +7
DR 5/magic; Immune poison; Resist acid 10, cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10; SR 21
OFFENSE Spd 10 ft., Flight (40 feet, Good)
Melee Bite +14 (2d6+3) and Claw×2 +14×2 (1d8+3)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Smite Good (1/day)
Spell-Like Abilities 3/day - Darkness, Poison 1/day - Desecrate, Unholy Blight STATISTICS Str 16, Dex 23, Con 20, Int 13, Wis 20, Cha 12
Base Atk +8; CMB +14; CMD 27
Feats Agile Maneuvers, Combat Expertise +/-3, Lunge, Weapon Finesse
Skills Climb +14, Escape Artist +14, Fly +21, Intimidate +9, Perception +16, Stealth +17, Survival +13
Languages Abyssal
SQ Attach (Ex), Blood Drain (Ex), Diseased (Ex)
SPECIAL ABILITIES Attach (Ex) When a giant demonic stirge hits with a touch attack, its barbed legs latch onto the target, anchoring it in place. An attached giant demonic stirge is effectively grappling its prey. The giant demonic stirge loses its Dexterity bonus to AC and has an AC of 13, but holds on with great tenacity and inserts its proboscis into the grappled target's flesh. A giant demonic stirge has a +8 racial bonus to maintain its grapple on a foe once it is attached. An attached giant demonic stirge can be struck with a weapon or grappled itself-if its prey manages to win a grapple check or Escape Artist check against it, the giant demonic stirge is removed.
Blood Drain (Ex) A giant demonic stirge drains blood at the end of its turn if it is attached to a foe, inflicting 1d4 point of Constitution damage.
Combat Expertise +/-3 Bonus to AC in exchange for an equal penalty to attack.
Damage Reduction (5/magic) You have Damage Reduction against all except Magic attacks.
Damage Resistance: Acid, Cold, Electricity, and Fire (10) You have the specified Damage Resistance against Acid, Cold, Electricity, and Fire attacks.
Darkness (3/day) (Sp) Granted by Half-Fiend heritage. 20-ft. radius of supernatural shadow.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Desecrate (1/day) (Sp) This spell imbues an area with negative energy. The DC to resist negative channeled energy within this area gains a +3 profane bonus. Every undead creature entering a desecrated area gains a +1 profane bonus on all attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws. An undead creature created within or summoned into such an area gains +1 hit points per HD.
If the desecrated area contains an altar, shrine, or other permanent fixture dedicated to your deity or aligned higher power, the modifiers given above are doubled (+6 profane bonus to negative channeled energy DCs, +2 profane bonus and +2 hit points per HD for undead created in the area).
Furthermore, anyone who casts animate dead within this area may create as many as double the normal amount of undead (that is, 4 HD per caster level rather than 2 HD per caster level).
If the area contains an altar, shrine, or other permanent fixture of a deity, pantheon, or higher power other than your patron, the desecrate spell instead curses the area, cutting off its connection with the associated deity or power. This secondary function, if used, does not also grant the bonuses and penalties relating to undead, as given above.
Desecrate counters and dispels consecrate.
Diseased (Ex) Due to the stagnant swamps in which they live and their contact with the blood of numerous creatures, stirges are harbingers of disease. Any creature subjected to a giant demonic stirge's blood drain attack has a 10% chance of being exposed to filth fever, blinding sickness, or a similar disease (Core, p557). Once this check is made, the victim can no longer be infected by this particular giant demonic stirge, though attacks by different giant demonic stirges are resolved normally and may result in multiple illnesses.
Immunity to Poison You are immune to poison.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in low light, distinguishing color and detail.
Lunge -2 to AC for +5' reach
Poison (3/day) (Sp) Calling upon the venomous powers of natural predators, you infect the subject with a horrible poison by making a successful melee touch attack. This poison deals 1d3 Constitution damage per round for 6 rounds. Poisoned creatures can make a Fortitude save each round to negate the damage and end the affliction.
Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ feet by sense of smell.
Smite Good (1/day) (Su) +1 to hit, +8 to damage, +1 deflection bonus to AC when used.
Spell Resistance (21) You have Spell Resistance.
Unholy Blight (1/day) (Sp) You call up unholy power to smite your enemies. The power takes the form of a cold, cloying miasma of greasy darkness. Only good and neutral (not evil) creatures are harmed by the spell.
The spell deals 1d8 points of damage per two caster levels (maximum 5d8) to a good creature (or 1d6 per caster level, maximum 10d6, to a good outsider) and causes it to be sickened for 1d4 rounds. A successful Will save reduces damage to half and negates the sickened effect. The effects cannot be negated by remove disease or heal, but remove curse is effective.
The spell deals only half damage to creatures who are neither evil nor good, and they are not sickened. Such a creature can reduce the damage by half again (down to one-quarter) with a successful Will save.
I wanted to pull the players into having their characters help the encampment. Of course a random encounter would have done that, but I also wanted to them to take an interest in the day to day operations.
So I had a thirst of stirges continually bother the camp. The stirges targets the animals (horses, goats, and cows), but they also attacked any sentries around as well. The beginning attacks took place off camera, but when the PCs got involved they easily handled the stirges (c'mom they are CR 1!).
Only problem is that they kept coming back.
So the PCs have to hunt down the nest. I placed the nest of the outskirts of the Residential Area, in a limestone cavern under several ruined, caved-in buildings. The caverns were cold, almost icy. Also there was a some mystical artifact (read McGuffin) that regenerated wounded stirges. The thing fed on heat, so the closer the PCs got to it, the more "ripe" it got. And then the PCs actually got within 50 feet of it, the McGuffin "hatched", summoning/creating/letting loose an advance half-fiend giant stirge (CR 10).
The military district was too easy for my players, so I advanced a few of the charau-ka. here is what i created for your enjoyment and use....
CHARAU-KA SNIPER CR 5
Male Charau-Ka Fighter (Crossbowman) 2/Rogue (Sniper) 2
CE Small Humanoid
Init +2; Senses Darkvision (60 feet), Low-Light Vision, Scent; Perception +9
DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+3 armor, +2 Dex, +1 size, +2 natural)
hp 51 (2d10+5d8+14)
Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +2
Defensive Abilities Bravery +1, Evasion
OFFENSE
Spd 30 ft., Climbing (30 feet)
Melee Bite +3 (1d3+1) and Shortsword +8 (1d4+2/19-20) or
Melee Bite +3 (1d3+1) and Throwing Axe +8 (1d4+2/x3) or
Ranged Masterwork Light Crossbow +10 (1d6/19-20) or
Ranged Masterwork Light Crossbow +8 (1d6+4/19-20) or
Ranged Throwing Axe +7 (1d4/19-20/x3)
Special Attacks Accuracy, Sneak Attack +1d6, Sniper's Eye
STATISTICS
Str 15, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 11
Base Atk +5; CMB +6; CMD 18
Feats Bullseye Shot , Deadly Aim -2/+4, Opening Volley , Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rogue Weapon Proficiencies, Throw Anything, Weapon Focus (Light Crossbow)
Skills Acrobatics +9, Climb +18, Fly +4, Perception +9, Stealth +18
Languages Abyssal, Polyglot
SQ Shrieking Frenzy (1/day) (Su), Thrown-Weapon Mastery (Ex)
Combat Gear Masterwork Light Crossbow, Masterwork Studded Leather, Shortsword, 3 throwing axes; Other Gear potion of cure moderate wounds, potion of jump
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Accuracy (Ex) Halve all range increment penalties with a bow or crossbow.
Bravery +1 (Ex) +1 Will save vs. Fear
Climbing (30 feet) You have a Climb speed.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Deadly Aim -2/+4 Trade a penalty to ranged attacks for a bonus to ranged damage.
Evasion (Ex) If you succeed at a Reflex save for half damage, you take none instead.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in low light, distinguishing color and detail.
Point Blank Shot +1 to attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons at up to 30 feet.
Precise Shot You don't get -4 to hit when shooting or throwing into combat.
Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ feet by sense of smell.
Shrieking Frenzy (1/day) (Su) Free, gain effects of haste for 3 rds but can't speak and staggered 1 rd at end.
Sneak Attack +1d6 +1d6 damage if you flank your target or your target is flat-footed.
Sniper's Eye (Ex) Can use ranged sneak attack vs. targets with concealment.
Throw Anything Proficient with improvised ranged weapons. +1 to hit with thrown splash weapons.
Thrown-Weapon Mastery (Ex) Threat range for thrown weapons is doubled, as though Improved Critical.
CHARAU-KA ELITE CR 5
Male Advanced Charau-Ka Fighter (Two-Handed Fighter) 3
CE Small Humanoid
Init +3; Senses Darkvision (60 feet), Low-Light Vision, Scent; Perception +6
DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 15 (+3 Dex, +1 size, +4 natural)
hp 58 (3d10+3d8+24)
Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +5
OFFENSE
Spd 30 ft., Climbing (30 feet)
Melee Bite +5 (1d3+2) and Darkwood Greatclub +12 (1d8+6) or
Melee Darkwood Greatclub +12 (1d8+8) or
Melee Bite +3 (1d3+6) and Darkwood Greatclub +10 (1d8+10) or
Melee Darkwood Greatclub +10 (1d8+12) or
Special Attacks Overhand Chop, Shattering Strike +1
STATISTICS
Str 19, Dex 17, Con 18, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 15
Base Atk +5; CMB +8 (+9 Sundering); CMD 21 (22 vs. Sunder)
Feats Cleave , Point Blank Shot , Power Attack -2/+4, Precise Shot, Throw Anything, Weapon Focus (Greatclub)
Skills Climb +18, Fly +5, Intimidate +8, Perception +6, Stealth +14, Survival +9, Swim +10
Languages Abyssal, Polyglot, Sylvan
SQ Shrieking Frenzy (1/day) (Su), Thrown-Weapon Mastery (Ex)
Combat Gear Darkwood Greatclub; Other Gear potion of cure moderate wounds, tanglefoot bag
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Climbing (30 feet) You have a Climb speed.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in low light, distinguishing color and detail.
Overhand Chop (Ex) Single attacks with two-handed weapons receive double STR bonus.
Power Attack -2/+4 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Precise Shot You don't get -4 to hit when shooting or throwing into combat.
Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ feet by sense of smell.
Shattering Strike +1 (Ex) +1 Sunder and damage vs. objects.
Shrieking Frenzy (1/day) (Su) Free, gain effects of haste for 3 rds but can't speak and staggered 1 rd at end.
Throw Anything Proficient with improvised ranged weapons. +1 to hit with thrown splash weapons.
Thrown-Weapon Mastery (Ex) Threat range for thrown weapons is doubled, as though Improved Critical.
I had a ruined building that has collapsed into a large pit that had mud and water at the bottom. Also down there were a group of 12 mudmen (ToH, p.438).
For more fun and more challenge, make the mud poisonous or disease ridden. You can also use a mosquito swarm in the mud as well.
A beehive shaped tower, the bottom of which has has the main door collapsed and is in ruins. It is now the lair of a behir (Bestiary, p. 34) (or two if you are feeling vicious). Once the behir is dealt with a stairway can be found that leads up into the tower.
Most of the tower is closed off behind nonmagical large stone or metal doors. These doors lead to the private areas for the technomages that use to be here. They are all locked down and will not open with out serious destructive force being used.
The Only inhabitant of the tower is a Clockwork Brain Gear (ToH, p. 110), 24 Clockwork Warrior(ToH, p114), 4 Clockwork Scouts (ToH, p. 113), and two Clockwork Titans (ToH, p. 114). I made the brain gear old, partially malfunctioning, paranoid, and knowledgeable. I then used it as a method to communicate info that the the PCs needed.
My players allied themselves with it and negotiated a truce. Now their Pathfinders are sending transmuters to become technomages in return for supplies so the brain gear can repair itself. Of course if and when this becomes two much for the story, a catastrophic malfunction might take place...
One more vermin group.... i was thinking of placing one of the vaults behind this group.
Giant Ant Nest
1 Queen, 4 Drones, 5 sergeants, 25 soldiers, 5 scouts, 240 workers (BTW, i did try to use the same ratio of caste to caste that African army ants have)
GIANT ANT QUEEN CR 6
Female Ant, Giant, Queen
N Huge Vermin
Init +1; Senses Darkvision (60 feet), Scent; Perception +7
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 9, flat-footed 18 (+1 Dex, -2 size, +10 natural)
hp 26 (2d8+17)
Fort +10, Ref +1, Will +3
Immune mind-affecting
OFFENSE
Spd 10 ft.
Melee Bite +5 (2d6+6) and Sting +5 (1d8+6)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks Grab, Poison (Sting-injury (DC 18))
STATISTICS
Str 22, Dex 12, Con 25, Int -, Wis 17, Cha 15
Base Atk +1; CMB +9 (+13 Grappling); CMD 20 (28 vs. Trip)
Feats Toughness +3
Skills Fly -3, Perception +7, Stealth -7, Survival +7
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Grab (Huge) (Ex) You can start a grapple as a free action if you hit with the designated weapon.
Immunity to Mind-Affecting attacks You are immune to Mind-Affecting attacks.
Poison (Sting-injury (DC 18)) (Ex) Poison deals 1d2 Str damage, 1/round for 4 rounds, cure 1 save.
Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ feet by sense of smell.
GIANT ANT SERGEANT CR 8
Male Ant, Giant, Drone
N Medium Vermin
Init +2; Senses Darkvision (60 feet), Scent; Perception +12
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 17 (+2 Dex, +7 natural)
hp 71 (2d8+42)
Fort +11, Ref +4, Will +10
Immune mind-affecting
OFFENSE
Spd 50 ft., Climbing (20 feet)
Melee Bite +8 (1d6+4) and Sting +8 (1d4+4)
Special Attacks Grab, Poison (Sting-injury (DC 19))
STATISTICS
Str 18, Dex 14, Con 22, Int -, Wis 27, Cha 25
Base Atk +4; CMB +8 (+12 Grappling); CMD 20 (28 vs. Trip)
Feats Toughness +6
Skills Climb +12, Perception +12, Survival +12
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Climbing (20 feet) You have a Climb speed.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Grab (Medium) (Ex) You can start a grapple as a free action if you hit with the designated weapon.
Immunity to Mind-Affecting attacks You are immune to Mind-Affecting attacks.
Poison (Sting-injury (DC 19)) (Ex) Poison deals 1d2 Str damage, 1/round for 4rounds, cure 1 save.
Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ feet by sense of smell.
GIANT ANT SCOUT CR 2
Male Ant, Giant
N Medium Vermin
Init +0; Senses Darkvision (60 feet), Scent; Perception +5
DEFENSE
AC 15, touch 10, flat-footed 15 (+5 natural)
hp 21 (2d8+9)
Fort +6, Ref +0, Will +1
Immune mind-affecting
OFFENSE
Spd 50 ft., Climbing (20 feet)
Melee Bite +3 (1d6+2) and Sting +3 (1d4+2)
Special Attacks Grab, Poison (Sting-injury (DC 14))
STATISTICS
Str 14, Dex 10, Con 17, Int -, Wis 13, Cha 11
Base Atk +1; CMB +3 (+7 Grappling); CMD 13 (21 vs. Trip)
Feats Toughness +3
Skills Climb +10, Perception +5, Survival +5
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Climbing (20 feet) You have a Climb speed.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Grab (Medium) (Ex) You can start a grapple as a free action if you hit with the designated weapon.
Immunity to Mind-Affecting attacks You are immune to Mind-Affecting attacks.
Poison (Sting-injury (DC 14)) (Ex) Poison deals 1d2 Str damage, 1/round for 4rounds, cure 1 save.
Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ feet by sense of smell.
GIANT ANT SOLDIER CR 6
Male Ant, Giant, Drone
N Medium Vermin
Init +2; Senses Darkvision (60 feet), Scent; Perception +12
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 17 (+2 Dex, +7 natural)
hp 43 (2d8+24)
Fort +9, Ref +3, Will +9
Immune mind-affecting
OFFENSE
Spd 50 ft., Climbing (20 feet)
Melee Bite +7 (1d6+4) and Sting +7 (1d4+4)
Special Attacks Grab, Poison (Sting-injury (DC 17))
STATISTICS
Str 18, Dex 14, Con 21, Int -, Wis 27, Cha 25
Base Atk +3; CMB +7 (+11 Grappling); CMD 19 (27 vs. Trip)
Feats Toughness +4
Skills Climb +12, Perception +12, Survival +12
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Climbing (20 feet) You have a Climb speed.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Grab (Medium) (Ex) You can start a grapple as a free action if you hit with the designated weapon.
Immunity to Mind-Affecting attacks You are immune to Mind-Affecting attacks.
Poison (Sting-injury (DC 17)) (Ex) Poison deals 1d2 Str damage, 1/round for 4rounds, cure 1 save.
Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ feet by sense of smell.
GIANT ANT WORKER CR 1
Male Ant, Giant, Worker
N Medium Vermin
Init +0; Senses Darkvision (60 feet), Scent; Perception +5
DEFENSE
AC 15, touch 10, flat-footed 15 (+5 natural)
hp 18 (2d8+9)
Fort +6, Ref +0, Will +1
Immune mind-affecting
OFFENSE
Spd 50 ft., Climbing (20 feet)
Melee Bite +3 (1d6+3)
STATISTICS
Str 14, Dex 10, Con 17, Int -, Wis 13, Cha 11
Base Atk +1; CMB +3; CMD 13 (21 vs. Trip)
Feats Toughness +3
Skills Climb +10, Perception +5, Survival +5
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Climbing (20 feet) You have a Climb speed.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Immunity to Mind-Affecting attacks You are immune to Mind-Affecting attacks.
Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ feet by sense of smell.
GIANT ANT DRONE CR 4
Male Ant, Giant, Drone
N Medium Vermin
Init +2; Senses Darkvision (60 feet), Scent; Perception +12
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 17 (+2 Dex, +7 natural)
hp 22 (2d8+13)
Fort +8, Ref +2, Will +8
Immune mind-affecting
OFFENSE
Spd 50 ft., Climbing (20 feet), Flight (30 feet, Average)
Melee Bite +5 (1d6+4) and Sting +5 (1d4+4)
Special Attacks Grab, Poison (Sting-injury (DC 16))
STATISTICS
Str 18, Dex 14, Con 21, Int -, Wis 27, Cha 25
Base Atk +1; CMB +5 (+9 Grappling); CMD 17 (25 vs. Trip)
Feats Toughness +3
Skills Climb +12, Perception +12, Survival +12
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Climbing (20 feet) You have a Climb speed.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Flight (30 feet, Average) You can fly!
Grab (Medium) (Ex) You can start a grapple as a free action if you hit with the designated weapon.
Immunity to Mind-Affecting attacks You are immune to Mind-Affecting attacks.
Poison (Sting-injury (DC 16)) (Ex) Poison deals 1d2 Str damage, 1/round for 4rounds, cure 1 save.
Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ feet by sense of smell.
Here is another one... more of an encounter for hack n'slash, but hey every ruined city needs hordes of something to keep the PCs on edge....
Swarms of Boneneedles
In the middle of a warehouse area, is a ruined warehouse that is the home of a good sized boneneedle nest (ToH p.79) Notghing two fancy just a large nest of the vermin. Greater boneneedles are CR4 and lesser boneneedles are CR2, so i was going to start with 3 lesser boneneedles for each PC and a greater boneneedle for every two PCs. The idea was to throw lots of easily killable critters at them, wear them down, and if they managed to fight their way through find very little.
I wanted the players to discover that not everything that can be killed should be killed, especially if it wastes resources.
Its a goodly sized city and I am sure I am not the only one that has done this. In fact, I was surprised i didn't even see another thread already for this....
In any case, my players' PCs are exploring the city now and i have the fortunate/unfortunate (depending on how you look at it) habit of waxing rhapsodic and adding lots of stuff in game... here are a few.
The Water Treatment Tower
Mostly ruined and with lots of corridors that go no where. The only true path that the adventurers can take is through the sewers into the main treatment area. In the sewers are various oozes and slimes.
In the main area are several constructs whose only purpose is the assist those that are supposed to be there (signified by a red headband than can be found on a few skeletons and bodies also in the tower. I used Caryatid Columns (ToH p.93) as the base critter and added special attacks like the ability to cast Hydraulic Push once per minute (to clean the pipes).
The main opponent here was a alchemical golem (Bestiary 2, p.135) who was still attempting to keep the water purification going. I added a back story that long ago a group of serpentfolk tried to poison the city. the water purification was set up to keep that from happening again. Of course with the alchemical golem gone, who knows what will happen now?
This is the first time I'll be running a game so it might be just my lack of experience but I've got some questions about the maps in this book.
The map on page 41 (the Azlanti Temple) has two things I don't quite understand. In the corner of Z1 there's an f in a black circle, and in the Z8, there's a C in a black circle. What do these represent? I think the F is where the trap door is and the C is where the hole in the ceiling is, but I'm not certain what they actually stand for.
Hole in Ceiling and hole in Floor
Mibbfoodle wrote:
Also, the map of the Caves of the Mother on page 36 have arrows pointing everywhere. I thought maybe they were the direction Yarzoth took through the caves, but I'm not sure that's right. I'm not sure what the dotted white lines in V26 and V27 are for either.
Is there something I'm missing that explains these or are they standard map markings?
The direction that water flows was what I uses/interpreted them as. I can't check that as i don't have my notes in front of me, but that is what i recall.
Okay, so i finally got to use a modified version of dwtempest's ziggerat this last weekend and thought i might leave some comments....
1) The puzzle was well done, though my players complained that it was fairly obtuse and you had to think about things in a certain way. I have no problem with that, 'cause that is what puzzles are supposed to do.
2) The serpentfolk at the start, in the main room of the lowest level of the ziggerat, seem odd. The lieutenant was large for example, but no explanation as to how he got large. I left it along though, and the players thought he might have been a different caste of serpentfolk. Which is cool, as I can not make different serpentfolk with all sorts of oddness in the future. A lot like y***-t* way back when they were first introduced to DnD.
3) The enchanter turned out to be a bit tougher than I thought he would be. However, at the end of the battle is a struggle of attrition -- protection from arrows proved it worth, especially when the person protected is using spider climb to stay away from the group.
4) Watch out for failed knowledge checks. My players failed their geography checks when presented with the ancient map of the Mwangi. So I actually had to *tell* them what they were seeing so they could figure out how to get from Tazion to Saventh-Yhi.
5) The encounters, at least when i ran it, all happened at the start of the exploration of the ziggerant. If you wish to make it a bit more combat oriented, i would add a few things. perhaps a few of the giant wasps attack anyone on top of the ziggerat for any period of time, or a mimic in one of the side rooms. The leech swarms were annoying all around, I would change that to some sort of nasty fish, perhaps modelling on the stats of a viper or turtle. if you want to be absolutely nasty and really screw with things, make it a larval form of an aboleth. :) But that is probably too much.
6) Three gems are found before the PC even get to the ziggerat by Isseth (the serpent folk enchanter). When running you may want to detail with the serpentfolk found the gems and what was there. I put secret panels/hiding places in the hall of Stars, Hall of the Sun, and the Void room (where the water is).
7) What happens to the various pieces of the puzzle after it is solved? Do the gems lose their power (the faint aura of divination on them)? What are they worth? Can they be taken from the ziggerat? What about the gold plaques in the step puzzle room? What are they worth each (I assigned an arbitrary value of 100 go each)? What happens if the gems are left in the hands of the idols and the PC do not take them with them? (Here i suggest that the gems must be presented to the door of the step puzzle room to get the door to open.)
Hope these comments are of help to someone. I really enjoyed the redo that dwtempest did. Thanks for sharing this with us!
I compiled all of the "Flora" and "Fauna" entries at the beginning and end of Serpent's Skull adventures, and printed these out. I then wrote a cover page and foreword (written by a kooky NPC Pathfinder explorer), and bound it all together into a little pocket-tome handout for the players. I intend to have them find this "Field Guide to the Flora and Fauna of the Mwangi Jungle" as an item in one of the shipwrecks, a minor magic book that resists water and the elements, and grants a +2 bonus on Knowledge (Nature) checks about Mwangi jungles.
Nice. I like this idea a lot. Any chance the pdf is available somewhere?
The SA Maned Wolf is an animal almost designed to be a witch's familiar. I suppose the fox's stat block with a bonus feat of Skill Focus (Stealth) and 10' fee to move would suffice for a maned wolf.
A sloth would be good one for a SA feel. I would suggest a wolverine's stat block minus the attacks and a maximum of 10' of ground movement. Give it a climb speed of 20' and this that would be fine.
The armadillo (fun fact: the armadillo is hunted as food in parts of SA) and anteater (this is not the giant anteater that most are familiar with (no pun intended) but a tiny anteater cousin of the bigger anteaters) would also make interesting, unique familiars. Add the chinchilla (this is the long-tailed chinchilla, the most known of the chinchilla family, but all the chinchillas work), and theCapybara and you have a a fairly good selection of animals.
Have any of the rest of you had players want odd, or unusual familiars?
So, I am preparing this encounter from "Racing to Ruin" and I just don't get it. Maybe it's cause i am working from wrong assumptions.
Spoiler:
So Nkechi takes the characters on a spirit quest where they are turned in to animals (as per beast shape II). I assumed that the character's stats get modified as the spell and then those stats are placed into the animal as a replacement for the default stats of the animal. The beast shape II gives them access to a number of abilities of that animal. I also assumed that the characters, for combat later against the dream snake, have to use the animal's attacks and abilities against the dream snake.
However, a hawk's CR is 1/3. Seems underpowered. Especially against a CR 6 snake. The other CRs of the possible forms are equally weak, with the exception of the elephant, which is a huge creature (and thus shouldn't be possible with [i]beast shape II[i].
Also, spellcasters... can they cast spells in the dream world? Or are they limited by the fact that their animal form doesn't have opposable thumbs or access to the spell component pouch? (actually I was planning on letting spellcaster cast spells as normal, hand-waving the need for somatic and material component.)
Any suggestions? Explanations? How did y'all run this encounter?
Pretty powerful 0-level spells, IMO. Drench for example. Auto putting out fires of large size of smaller? (or rather one could arugue one way or another -- looking back at it it can be interpreted different ways).
Excellent! My players are also working on getting the Pathfinders and the Saragavan Government to cooperate. I like what y'all have suggested and look forward to seeing more.
I would definitely use the rivalry/competition between the two "allied" factions as a way to add more role-play to the path, especially when the adventure starts feeling like "open one door, kill the monster, get the stuff, now the next door..."
Some conflicts off the top of my head would be....
1) SG (Saragavan Government) wants the treasure now, Pathfinders want to study it
2) Pathfinders want to go carefully study whats there; SG says go now, now, NOW!
3) Personality conflicts between individuals in either faction
4) SG wants everyone to know that they have claimed Saventh-Yhi. Pathfinders would p[refer to keep it hush-hush to avoid attracting treasure seekers.
5) Pathfinders see nothing wrong in using the SG as a cats paw -- send in the flunkies to find the traps. Needless to say, the SG doesn't appreciate this.
Here are a couple from my game.... Most of my PCs are 3rd now, so i had to ramp things up a bit
For your reference: Parts of a Ship, a Pictorial (http://www.shipmodeling.ca/aagv001.html)
D8. Scarred Maiden
This ship has been dragged up the beach so its bow is touching the undergrowth at the edge of the beach and forest. Vines and various plants have started to grow into the ship, covering and penetrating the fo'c'sle. The port side of the ship is rent with a large hole (approximated 15’ tall and 8-10’ wide) that reveals the bilges (now dry), the lower hold, and part of the upper hold.
A young tendriculos was part of the cargo (although the sailors of the Scarred Maiden were unaware of it) and it has made it’s lair within the lower hold. It is uncertain as to its environment and hasn’t ventured out into the wilderness of the island. It will not venture out of the hold, but will violently repel any intruders.
YOUNG TENDRICULOS CR 5
N Large Plant
Init +5; Senses Low-Light Vision; Perception +7
DEFENSE
AC 20, touch 10, flat-footed 19 (+1 Dex, -1 size, +10 natural)
hp 58 (9d8+18)
Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +4
Immune acid, mind-affecting, paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep, stunning, Plant Traits
OFFENSE
Spd 20 ft.
Melee Bite +10 (1d10+5/20/x2) and
Tentacle x2 +5 x2 (1d4+2/20/x2)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks Grab, Paralysis (3d6r) (DC 16), Swallow Whole (2d6 acid + paralysis, AC 15, 5 HP)
STATISTICS
Str 20, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 3, Wis 8, Cha 3
Base Atk +6; CMB +12 (+16 Grappling); CMD 23 (can't be Tripped)
Feats Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack -2/+4, Skill Focus: Stealth
Skills Fly -1, Perception +7, Stealth +7 Modifiers +8 Stealth in undergrowth
Languages Sylvan (can't speak)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
+8 Stealth in undergrowth (Ex) You gain a bonus to Stealth Checks under the listed conditions.
Grab (Medium) (Ex) You can start a grapple as a free action if you hit with the designated weapon.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in low light, distinguishing color and detail.
Paralysis (Ex) (3d6r) (DC 16) This special attack renders the victim immobile. Paralyzed creatures cannot move, speak, or take any physical actions. The creature is rooted to the spot, frozen and helpless. Paralysis works on the body, and a character can usually resist it with a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 the paralyzing creature’s racial HD + the paralyzing creature’s Con modifier; the DC is given in the creature’s description). Unlike hold person and similar effects, a paralysis effect does not allow a new save each round. A winged creature flying in the air at the time that it is paralyzed cannot flap its wings and falls. A swimmer can’t swim and may drown.
Plant Traits Plants are immune to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms), paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep, and stun.
Power Attack -2/+4 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Swallow Whole (Ex) (2d6 acid + paralysis, AC 15, 5 HP) You can swallow smaller targets whole.
Concealed in the nest that the tendriculos has made in the fo'c'sle are 700gp, a divine scroll containing command, bane, and bull's strength, and an arcane scroll containing see invisibility and blur.
D9. Crimson Angel
A round boat, the type mainly used for lugging bulky cargo around close to shore lies in the sand, canted to the port. The masts have been broken (there were two, a foremast and a mizzen mast). The stern castle has been crushed by something large and very hard. Entrance to the inside of the ship can be done by working a way through the crushed quarterdeck or through the hold hatches in the midship. Inside is one large room filled with rusted, broken torture equipment. Nailed to one side of the hold are 17 mummified hands (8 human, 2 dwarf, 3 elf, 1 halfling, and 3 orc hands). Carved into the blackened hold opposite the hands are the names “Kylarra,” “Neagu,” “Oxana,” “Earina,” “Adorata,” “Sebastian,” “Nikola,” and “Oleksander.”
A sea hag by the name of Kylarra once sailed the Crimson Angel as her mobile base of operations; at least until a storm drove the Angel on to the rocks of Smuggler’s Shiv. The ship is now abandoned and left empty.
D10. Volar’s Lash
Lying in a mudflat, the green vines that drape this wreck hint at how long it has lain here. A stout hemp rope is tied off on the bowsprit. The rope loops over one of the few remaining spars on the main mast. Handing from the rope is a mostly rotted; skeletal body of a human. The bottom decks of the ship are completely buried in mud as is most of the hold. However, a gelatinous mass called a ocean blanket has recently taken up residence here and it will attack any that enter the hold.
OCEAN BLANKET CR 5
XP 1,600
N Large ooze
Init –5; Senses blindsight 60 ft.; Perception –5
DEFENSE
AC 4, touch 4, flat-footed 4 (–5 Dex, –1 size)
hp 63 (6d8+36)
Fort +8, Ref –3, Will –3
Defensive Abilities Transparent
Immune electricity, mind-affecting effects, ooze traits, slashing and piercing damage
OFFENSE
Speed 10 ft., climb 10 ft.
Melee slam +5 (2d4+3 plus 1d4 acid)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks engulf (2d4+3 plus 1d4 acid), paralysis, filament, pull
STATISTICS
Str 14, Dex 1, Con 22, Int —, Wis 1, Cha 1
Base Atk +4; CMB +7 (+11 grapple and pull); CMD 12 (can’t be tripped)
Skills Climb +10
ECOLOGY
Environment temperate underground or marshes
Organization solitary
Treasure none
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Acid (Ex) An ocean blanket secretes a digestive acid that dissolves only flesh (not bone) when it strikes a foe—creatures not made of flesh (including most constructs and oozes, skeletal undead, plants, and incorporeal creatures) are immune to the ocean blanket’s acid damage.
Engulf (Ex) Although it moves slowly, a ocean blanket can simply engulf Large or smaller creatures in its path as a standard action. It cannot make a slam attack during a round in which it engulfs. The ocean blanket merely has to move over the opponents, affecting as many as it can cover. Opponents can make attacks of opportunity against the cube, but if they do so they are not entitled to a saving throw. Those who do not attempt attacks of opportunity can attempt a DC 12 Reflex save to avoid being engulfed—on a success, they are pushed back or aside (opponent’s choice) as the cube moves forward. Engulfed creatures are subject to the cube’s paralysis and acid, gain the pinned condition, are in danger of suffocating, and are trapped within its body until they are no longer pinned. The save DC is Strength-based.
Paralysis (Ex) A ocean blanket secretes an anesthetizing slime. A target hit by a cube’s melee or engulf attack must succeed on a DC 20 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 3d6 rounds. The cube can automatically engulf a paralyzed opponent. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Transparent (Ex) Due to its lack of coloration, a ocean blanket is difficult to discern. A DC 15 Perception check is required to notice a motionless ocean blanket. Any creature that fails to notice a ocean blanket and walks into it is automatically engulfed.
Filament (Ex) A ocean blanket can fire a thin filament of sticky silk as a standard action. This touch attack has a range of 60 feet and no range increment. A creature struck by a ocean blanket’s filament becomes attached to the sticky thread. As a standard action, a creature can rip the filament free with a DC 20 Strength check. A caught creature can also attempt to escape a filament by making a DC 25 Escape Artist check. A filament is AC 14 (touch 12), has 5 hit points, and has DR 15/slashing. An application of liquid with high alcohol content (or a dose of universal solvent) dissolves the adhesive and releases the creature caught by the filament. A ocean blanket can have only one filament active at a time.
Pull (Ex) A ocean blanket has a +4 racial bonus on CMB checks made using its pull special attack.
D11. Wavereaper
This ship looks as if the main deck suffered through a fire. It masts are charred and all rope or sails have been burned off. Most of the ship’s structure remains relatively intact, if charred. Any exploration of the charred ship has a 1 in 6 chance of causing structure damage that will cause the ship to fall apart into cinders and charred boards. Any caught within the ship at this time will take 2d6 points of damage from the collapsing ship.
D14. Alma’s Ruin
The wreck of a harem boat/ocean going whore house lies against a large rock; its keel and hull torn up by moving across the sharp fang-like rocks that lie between it and the ocean. The ship is haunted by zombie harlots and zombie bouncers.
UNHOLY HARLOT (ZOMBIE VARIANT) (4) CR 1
XP 600 each
NE Medium undead
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0
DEFENSE
AC 12, touch 10, flat-footed 12 (+2 natural)
hp 12 (2d8+3)
Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +3
DR 5/slashing
Immune undead traits
OFFENSE
Spd 30 ft.
Melee slam +3 (1d6+4)
STATISTICS
Str 15, Dex 12, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 14
Base Atk +1; CMB +4; CMD 14
Feats ToughnessB
Special Qualities staggered
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Unholy Perfume (Ex) As a standard action, an unholy harlot can her attention on a single creature within 30 feet. It must make a +2 ranged touch attack to strike the target, who must then succeed on a DC 13 Will save or be entranced for 1d6 rounds. An entranced creature can take no action other than to move at its normal speed into a space within the unholy harlot's reach, at which point an entranced creature remains motionless and allows the harlot to attack it. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Undead Traits Undead are immune to death effects, disease, mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, phantasms, and patterns), paralysis, poison, sleep, stun, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects)
Damage Reduction (5/slashing) You have Damage Reduction against all except Slashing attacks.
ZOMBIE BOUNCER LORDS (2) CR 4
xp 1200 each
Male Half-Orc Fighter 1/Rogue 1
NE Medium Undead
Init +4; Senses Darkvision (60 feet); Perception +7
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 14, flat-footed 15 (+3 armor, +4 Dex, +2 natural)
hp 32 (1d10+3d8+8)
Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +3
Defensive Abilities Channel Resistance +4;
DR 5/slashing;
Immune Undead Traits
OFFENSE
Spd 30 ft.
Melee Dagger +6 (1d4+4/19-20/x2) or
Melee Quarterstaff +6 (1d6+6/20/x2) or
Melee Quarterstaff +4/+4 (1d6+4/1d6+2/20/x2) or
Melee Sap +6 (1d6+4/20/x2) or
Melee Slam (Zombie Lord) +6 (1d6+6/20/x2)
STATISTICS
Str 18, Dex 18, Con -, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 12
Base Atk +2; CMB +6; CMD 20
Feats Rogue Weapon Proficiencies, Skill Focus: Intimidate, Step Up, Toughness +4, Two-weapon Fighting
Skills Acrobatics +3, Climb +10, Escape Artist +3, Fly +3, Intimidate +6, Knowledge: Local +4, Perception +7, Ride +3, Stealth +10, Swim +3
Languages Common, Orc
SQ Orc Ferocity (1/day), Trapfinding +1
Combat Gear Studded Leather, Dagger, Quarterstaff, Sap;
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Channel Resistance +4 +4 bonus to save vs. Channel Energy.
Damage Reduction (5/slashing) You have Damage Reduction against all except Slashing attacks.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Orc Ferocity (1/day) 1/day, when brought below 0 HP but not killed, you can fight on for 1 more round as if disabled. The next round, unless brought to at least 0 HP, you immediately fall unconscious and begin dying.
Step Up You may make a 5' step closer when your opponent makes a 5' step away from you.
Trapfinding +1 +1 to find or disable traps.
Undead Traits Undead are immune to death effects, disease, mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, phantasms, and patterns), paralysis, poison, sleep, stun, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects
SHALISA, UNDEAD MADAME CR 6
xp 2400
Female Human (Chelaxian) Expert 1/Sorcerer 4/Zombie Lord
NE Medium Undead
Init +8; Senses Darkvision (60 feet); Perception +9
DEFENSE
AC 17, touch 15, flat-footed 12 (+4 Dex, +2 natural, +1 dodge)
hp 74 (3d8+4d6+42)
Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +11
Defensive Abilities Channel Resistance +4
DR 5/lethal, 5/slashing
Immune Undead Traits
Resist cold 5
OFFENSE
Spd 30 ft.
Melee Slam (Zombie Lord) +5 (1d6+3/20/x2)
Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 4, +5 melee touch, +7 ranged touch):
2 (4/day) Spontaneous Immolation (DC 17)
1 (8/day) Chill Touch (DC 16), Mage Armor, Disguise Self, Ray of Enfeeblement (DC 16), Burning Disarm (DC 16)
0 (at will) Ray of Frost, Daze (DC 15), Light, Ghost Sound (DC 15), Touch of Fatigue (DC 15), Prestidigitation (DC 15)
Undead Bloodline
STATISTICS
Str 14, Dex 18, Con -, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 21
Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 20
Feats Combat Casting, Dilettante, Dodge, Eschew Materials, Expanded Arcana: Sorcerer, Improved Initiative, Toughness +7
Skills Acrobatics +6, Climb +6, Concentration: Sorcerer +9, Diplomacy +6, Knowledge: Arcana +8, Knowledge: Nobility +2, Perception +9, Perform: Act +8, Profession: Prostitute +9, Profession: Seaman +9, Spellcraft +9
Languages Chelaxian, Common, Polyglot
SQ Undead
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Channel Resistance +4 +4 bonus to save vs. Channel Energy.
Combat Casting +4 to Concentration checks to cast while on the defensive.
Damage Reduction (5/lethal) You have Damage Reduction against non-lethal damage
Damage Reduction (5/slashing) You have Damage Reduction against all except Slashing attacks.
Damage Resistance, Cold (5) You have the specified Damage Resistance against Cold attacks.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Dilettante You have a wide range of interests and knowledge which offers insights in many situations.
Eschew Materials Cast without materials, if material cost is <= 1gp.
Grave Touch (2r) (8/day) (Sp) Melee touch attack leaves target shaken for 2 rounds or frightened for 1 round.
Undead Some undead are susceptible to your mind-affecting spells. Corporeal undead that were once humanoids are treated as humanoids for the purposes of determining which spells affect them.
Undead Traits Undead are immune to death effects, disease, mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, phantasms, and patterns), paralysis, poison, sleep, stun, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects)
I was just doodling as i was waiting for an application to compile and run and I came up with the following critters...
RHAMPHORHYNCHUS SWARM CR 3
XP 800
N Fine animal (swarm)
Init +5; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +6
DEFENSE
AC 23, touch 23, flat-footed 18 (+5 Dex, +8 size)
hp 4 (1d8)
Fort +2, Ref +7, Will +2
Immune weapon damage
Defensive Abilities evasion
OFFENSE
Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. (good)
Melee swarm (1d6+2)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks sudden swoop, distraction
STATISTICS
Str 4, Dex 21, Con 11, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 11
Base Atk +0; CMB -; CMD -
Feats Lightning Reflexes
Skills Fly +11, Perception +6, Stealth +11
ECOLOGY
Environment warm coastline or forest
Organization solitary, pair, or flock (3–16)
Treasure none
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Sudden Swoop (Ex) If a rhamphorhynchus makes a charge attack while flying, it does not provoke attacks of opportunity when it enters an opponent’s space to make a melee attack. It also gains a +2 bonus on damage rolls with its bite attack when it makes a sudden swoop.
Distraction (Ex): Any living creature vulnerable to the creature swarm’s damage that begins its turn with a creature swarm in its square is nauseated for 1 round. A Fortitude saving throw (DC 10) negates the effect. Even with a successful save, spellcasting or concentrating on spells within the area of a creature swarm requires a Concentration check (DC 20 + spell level). Using skills requiring patience and concentration requires a Will save (DC 20).
NOTE: The rhamphorhynchus swarm's cr may be off considering its AC.
MOSQUITO, GOBLIN (MOSQUITO, GIANT WITH YOUNG TEMPLATE)
A bloated, red belly dangles beneath the furiously beating wings of this massive mosquito.
GOBLIN MOSQUITO CR 5
XP 1,600
N Small vermin
Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +9
DEFENSE
AC 22, touch 20, flat-footed 13 (+1 Size, +9 Dex, +2 natural)
hp 26 (8d8+8)
Fort +7, Ref +11, Will +3
Immune mind-affecting effects
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
Melee bite +9 (1d6+3 plus bleed, disease, and grab)
Special Attacks bleed (2d3), blood drain (1 Constitution)
STATISTICS
Str 14, Dex 29, Con 13, Int —, Wis 13, Cha 6
Base Atk +6; CMB +9 (+13 grapple); CMD 26 (34 vs. trip)
Skills Fly +11, Perception +9, Stealth +13; Racial Modifiers Perception +8
ECOLOGY
Environment temperate or tropical swamps
Organization solitary, pair, or swarm (3–12)
Treasure none
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Disease (Ex) Malaria: Bite—injury; save Fortitude DC 14; onset 1d3 days; frequency 1 day; effect 1d3 Con damage and 1d3 Wis Damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Lexovisaurus CR 2
XP 600
Medium animal
Init +0; Senses Low-light vision, scent; perception +6
Defense
AC 14, touch 10, flat 14, (+4 natural)
hp 18 (2d8+9)
Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +1
Defensive Abilities Ferocity
Offense
Speed 40 ft.
Melee Gore + 4 (1d8+4)
Statistics
Str 17, Dex 10, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 4
Base Atk +1; CMB +4, CMD 14 (18 vs trip)
Feats Toughness
Skills Perception +6
Ecology Temporate or tropical forests
Organization solitary, pair, or group (1d6+2)
Treasure None
The lexovisaurus is a small ill-tempered, plant-eating dinosaur closely related to the stegosaurus. Instead of plates down its back, it has spikes that project out from its back. Its head is also spiked and it is the head spikes that the lexovisaurus uses to attack, slashing and ripping with their wicked edges and points.
A full grown lexovisaurus weighs 200 lbs and is about 4-5 feet long. Some savage tribes have tamed lexoviasaurus and used them as guard beasts.
NOTE: This is my version of the lexovisarus. On our earth, in reality, the lexovisaurus lived in the woodlands of western Europe in the late Jurassic (160 million years ago). They averaged about 15 feet long and weighed in at about a half-ton. They were one of the first of the stegosauri to walk the earth.
Cynosaurus CR 1/2
N small animal
Init +4; Senses low-light vision, scent, Perception +5
Defense
AC 16, touch 15, Flat-footed 12 (+4 Dex, +1 natural, +1 size)
hp 6 (1d5+1)
Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +1
Offense
Spd 40 ft.
Melee Bite +5 (1d4)
Statistics
Str 11, Dex 19, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 4
Base Atk +0; CMB +0, CMD 14
Feats Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +4 (+12 jumping), Perception +5, Survival +1 (+5 scent tracking); Racial Modifiers +4 Acrobatics when jumping, +4 Survival when tracking by scent, +4 Stealth when in a rocky region
Description
Small incredibly fast raptors, cynosaurus (dog lizard) is a insectivore, though pacts of cynosaurs have hunted together much like a dog pack would. They tend to dart in, relying on their speed to attack.
When alone, a cynosaur typically avoids contact with anything bigger than it unless it is rapid (see below). Only cynosaurs encounter in the wild are ever rabid.
The red cynosaurs hunts in rocky regions using their reddish-brown color to blend into the rock when possible. Other cynosaurs, like the green cynosaur (encountered in forest realms, the white cynosaur (in the tundra), and the black cynosaur (underground) do the same thing in their environments.
Althena, female elf bard
Nak-Nak, male goblin druid, and his companion Bitez!, a small velicorapter!
Ryuuzaki, male Tien human samurai
Velicus, male tiefling witch hunter (from Supra-genius Games)
Mazzy, male halfling paladin
Belladonna, female Cheliaxian human sorcerer (Abyssal)
Isbeth, female human rogue
One of the things I required from the players was two secrets. One that the characters could share with one another. And the second, one that they would go to almost any lengths to preserve. So far it has generated more role-playing than usual.
Just to muddy the waters, from the wikipedia article on Honor Harrington
Honor practices a fictional martial art known as coup de vitesse (French for blow of speed). This is a fusion of several western and Oriental martial arts, where emphasis is placed on offense at the expense of defense, resulting in a very brutal and effective style. As of War of Honor, Honor has earned an eighth level black belt. There is only one higher rank. Her proficiency has saved her and others several times.
Honor has become proficient with the Grayson style of swordplay, involving a blade very similar to the katana, which by a quirk of history is used ceremonially by Steadholders and is the center of a martial art on Grayson. The sword style of the Graysons is derived from the film "The Seven Samurai" - presumably the Kurosawa version - the only recording of swordplay that existed on Grayson once their culture had devolved to the point where swords were desired.
Seriously, some sort of fusion of swords and martial arts -- Kenjutsu (the Japanese form) or staves and martial arts.
So, you have to have a hand free to cast the spell, and only with one handed weapons? I can't use a two handed weapon and either cast the spell first with one hand free and the other hand holding the weapon, then grasp the two handed weapon with the free hand after casting (Or vice versa)? In game, is my character casting the spell while making the attacks?
Sounds to me (or rather, it reads to me) that The magnus is a strict free-hand fighter (like the archetype in the APG.
No polearms, greatswords, or great axes for the magnus. Though a dwarf with a one-handed dwarven waraxe would be interesting.
Robert Nichols
RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32
aka catdragon
