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Hey all,
My players are on their way to recover the SW, but I have one minor problem. I ran Torrents of Dread last session and replaced the two generic koprus with Skeliphipka (sp) the kopru druid who was supposed to make an appearance at the SW. Unfortunately, good tactics and great rolls prevented the druid from escaping and I would rather not have another kopru infest their ship.
So, my question is: what do you suggest I put in there to replace the kopru encounter?
His companion may have had a mate, meaning there might still be Elasmosaurs (the mate and X number of offspring) lurking about the wreck.
If you want a caster, Fey are likely your best bet: a water nymph or something along that line may have started a grotto with plans to dismantle the ship for parts or because it's in the way.
Some hostile island natives might have come this far north and either want to claim the wreckage as their own or destroy the remains beyond recovery. Can slip a few clerics and sorcerers in this group for caster power as well.
If you didn't go with the straight population stats from the guide - where the Isle's only sentient inhabitants are the Olmans, the Phanatons, the Kopru, and the extinct Rakasta - you could use other sentient critters who might have a hidden tribe in the northwest portions of the island and give them a reason to make trouble.
Hope those get you started at least :)
His companion may have had a mate, meaning there might still be Elasmosaurs (the mate and X number of offspring) lurking about the wreck.
If you want a caster, Fey are likely your best bet: a water nymph or something along that line may have started a grotto with plans to dismantle the ship for parts or because it's in the way.
Some hostile island natives might have come this far north and either want to claim the wreckage as their own or destroy the remains beyond recovery. Can slip a few clerics and sorcerers in this group for caster power as well.
If you didn't go with the straight population stats from the guide - where the Isle's only sentient inhabitants are the Olmans, the Phanatons, the Kopru, and the extinct Rakasta - you could use other sentient critters who might have a hidden tribe in the northwest portions of the island and give them a reason to make trouble.
Hope those get you started at least :)
Those are excellent suggestions! I'd rather not spring another identical kopru on them, so I may go with the nymph idea. However, I was not aware that the Isle of Dread had a strong fey population.
Maybe a savage nymph druid with savage aquatic animal companions? What do you think??
I'd be an absolute wanker and make it a Rakshasa. In some ways the Isle of Dread has its own "mists of Ravenloft" that can transport demons to the Isle. While not a "demon" explicitly, a rakshasa makes a great "WHAT IS THAT DOING HERE?" encounter. Could also be used for delicious foreshadowing.
Here is a bit of fluff for doing just that, if you decide to use this. It could be found as a diary entry or such on the fiend.
"I, Vestero LaRanka, will one day have my revenge on whatever impudent whelp arranged for my abduction from Lemoria! Despite my unfamiliarity with this uncivilized and barbaric backwater bump of land (yet so oddly like Gaping Maw, beautiful Lemoria excepted of course) I have succeeded in evading the mindless brutes populating it, and have now stumbled upon a singular bit of luck!
A sailing vessel, badly damaged yet not unsalvegable! After I take stock of the neccessary repairs (and perhaps take inventory of any cargo) I shall head north to that tribe of lizardfolk I noted, dominate a few, and have them effect the repairs. Of course, such savages will not be able to repair everything, but then, that is what my mastery of sorcerous arts is for!
Then, with my crew of thralls, we shall set sail from this pathetic excuse for land, find some greater hub of civilization, and then I shall set myself to the task of returning to Lemoria and extracting a terrible vengeance!
Unless of course I find my new home to be more to my liking."
If you can use this, go for it!
Ha, nice!
Unfortunately, my gaming group is all rakshasha'd out from Crimson Throne -- those damn Arkonas!
Anyways, what would a savage nymph look like? The savage template does not confer any penalties to charisma...
In my current ST game, I redid the savage template to be more like Garth Ennis's Crossed. If you don't know that, basically a sort of fever that shuts off the superego, and basically kills most impulse control/shame/restraint/etc. The creature does whatever it feels like doing, whenever. If it gets an idea, it acts on it, even if that idea would have been horribly repellent to it before the fever. I threw in a higher tolerance for pain than normal as well.
Granted, this has made the nature of the Savage Tide a little different. Rather than a wave of mutated and vicious creatures clawing themselves and everything else into shreds, it creates an infectious throng of psychopaths, murderers, rapists, torturers, and every other wicked thing our subconcious mind considers and then sets aside in the light of civilized thought. Add that the Savage Fever is transferred by bodily fluids, and it makes fights with these FAR more terrifying. Even a splash of blood can carry the infection, and everyone knows that falling to these monsters means that death is what you get if you are lucky.
It's worked very well.
Anyhow, regarding your savage nymph, hmmm. Savage creatures generally have a very fishy/aquatic look to them. Yet at the same time, are horrifying, in that their mutations either just don't mesh well with the origional (crab eyestalks out of human sockets, for example) or they are uneven (large fish eye and fin where the ear was, but only on one side).
For a savage nymph, I'd go with the first. Make her look normal, with a sort of blank, vacant stare. When the PCs approach, describe how her face splits open, revealing five rubbery petals, each studded with hundreds of tiny waving tendrils. Her hands look stunted, like her fingers have been removed, but on closer inspection you can see each finger has been replaced by a large sucker with a bony hook protruding from it. As she moves in combat, describe how beautiful she is, in the moments where her starfish face closes. Creamy skin, supple curves, the perfection of nature in physical form.
Then describe to the one flanking her how tiny crayfish are crawling from oozing slits in her back, accompanied by a clear viscous liquid that carries a stink like a dead seagull as it dribbles down those supple curves.
In my current ST game, I redid the savage template to be more like Garth Ennis's Crossed. If you don't know that, basically a sort of fever that shuts off the superego, and basically kills most impulse control/shame/restraint/etc. The creature does whatever it feels like doing, whenever. If it gets an idea, it acts on it, even if that idea would have been horribly repellent to it before the fever. I threw in a higher tolerance for pain than normal as well.
Granted, this has made the nature of the Savage Tide a little different. Rather than a wave of mutated and vicious creatures clawing themselves and everything else into shreds, it creates an infectious throng of psychopaths, murderers, rapists, torturers, and every other wicked thing our subconcious mind considers and then sets aside in the light of civilized thought. Add that the Savage Fever is transferred by bodily fluids, and it makes fights with these FAR more terrifying. Even a splash of blood can carry the infection, and everyone knows that falling to these monsters means that death is what you get if you are lucky.
It's worked very well.
Anyhow, regarding your savage nymph, hmmm. Savage creatures generally have a very fishy/aquatic look to them. Yet at the same time, are horrifying, in that their mutations either just don't mesh well with the origional (crab eyestalks out of human sockets, for example) or they are uneven (large fish eye and fin where the ear was, but only on one side).
For a savage nymph, I'd go with the first. Make her look normal, with a sort of blank, vacant stare. When the PCs approach, describe how her face splits open, revealing five rubbery petals, each studded with hundreds of tiny waving tendrils. Her hands look stunted, like her fingers have been removed, but on closer inspection you can see each finger has been replaced by a large sucker with a bony hook protruding from it. As she moves in combat, describe how beautiful she is, in the moments where her starfish face closes. Creamy skin, supple...
Amazing description! You do indeed fully deserve the moniker: the Black Bard!
One thing I am disappointed in is the lack of savage creatures on the Isle of Dread -- Thanaclan was wiped out by a massive savage tide after all. I intend to make liberal use of the Savage template in my run through of ToD. Hmm...a savage advanced, gargantuan T-rex in the tar pits... *rubs hands evilly*
One thing I am disappointed in is the lack of savage creatures on the Isle of Dread -- Thanaclan was wiped out by a massive savage tide after all.
Yeah, the basic story is that since savage creatures don't reproduce, they all eventually killed each other/died off. That said, I too plan on having some... stragglers...
However, I was not aware that the Isle of Dread had a strong fey population.
It seems very odd that it wouldn't, more or less perhaps because the authors didn't think of it, or because they wanted more of the natives/dinosaurs/lost civilizations as focus. I replaced the Rakasta with the Dusklings (Magic of Incarnum) and instead of extinct made them waning and endangered. Since Dusklings are Fey, this gives me a pretty good excuse to toss more Fey out. Any place as wild and untamed as the Isle of Dread it would seem quite out of the ordinary (to me) for there not to be any Fey at all.
Savage Creatures (the paizo versions at least) are tremendously self destructive. They have no regard for their own saftey, and are driven by their own hunger and desire to kill anything that isn't like them (and I imagine if they run out of non-savage creatures to attack, they would eventually turn on each other).
The "infection" of savage creatures burns itself out rather quickly, I imagine, as they either:
A Attack something weak and kill it.
B Attack something moderately strong and infect it, because the creature killed them or escaped.
C Attack something strong and die, possibly infecting it.
D Attack each other until one dies.
Of those 4 scenarios, only two spread the infection, and both aren't guarantees.
However, you can simply rule that the dreaded mists of the Isle sometimes carry a heavier mist within them, a savage mist, that sometimes reintroduces that ancient horror to the jungles of the isle.
Also, in my game, I made the big T-Rex at the tar pits Psionic. Was good times, describing it hitting a character with ego whip (3d4 Charisma damage + stun, save for half and no stun) as "The great beast looks at you, looking into your eyes despite the distance separating you. And while you know that the mind behind those eyes is not great in intellect, it is great in experience. This mind has lived for many, many years. It has survived in a realm known for death, and it has become the greatest of its kind. Who are you to raise a hand against such as it? Your very sense of self begins to crumble under the peering glare of that ancient eye."
Alas, no psionics for me (playing Pathfinder rules after all)
However, I really like your idea of having the Infamous Seven - greatest of their kind - having evolved supernatural abilities. I think I will give the T-rex an aura of dread (like the dragons have) and perhaps his roar will have some other special quality.
This thread has gotten the gears in my mind churning!
His roars could do sonic damage, like a breath weapon. Make it a modest amount of damage, say, a number of d6 equal to 2 less than the party level. Sonic damage is great against PCs because they are so often unprotected against it (same reason they use it against monsters). It has a higher fear factor, as a damage type.
You just have to put it in perspective. Sure, to a 10th level character with 100 hp, an attack that does 25 damage on average and 40 damage max isn't very scary.
But what about a human commoner, who has, counting the death threshold, maybe 16hp at best? 25 points will not only kill, but will likely destroy such a target.
"The shipwrecked sailor who had begged you for safe passage screams for a moment at the sight of the massive creature. But his own scream is dwarfed completely by the terrible roar that issues from it's throat, a roar proclaiming its dominance and dominion over this isle and everything in it. The sound thunders in your ears, your bones, even in your heart. Steeling yourself against the terrible sound, you clutch your chest in pain for a moment. To your side, the poor sailor is not so fortunate. His eyes bulge and he spasms as sound tears through him. Dlood pours from his orifices and, judging by the way he falls limply into the grass near the tar pits, every bone in his body must surely be broken."
For extra EvilDM (tm) points, you can make the bellows and roars it makes in combat give it an aura of 1d6 sonic damage, 30' radius. Players hate damage auras.
Also, just wanted to point out, if your the DM, just snip and stitch and you dont have to worry about psionics at all!
Such as this:
Roar of the Eternal King (Su): At the start of combat, this T-Rex can roar as a move action or as a free action during a charge. The roar is a fear effect (DC blah blah) which causes any creatures within 60' to become panicked if they have less than 4hd, frightened if less than 8, and shaken if more than 8. Additionally, any creature not immune to fear in the area must make a second will save or take 3d4 Cha damage from the crushing weight of the T-Rex's ego. A successful save reduces the damage to half.
Is it possibly psionic? Yeah, sure. But so are many aboleth/shoggoth abilities in Pathfinder. So its all good.
Also, just wanted to point out, if your the DM, just snip and stitch and you dont have to worry about psionics at all!
Such as this:
Roar of the Eternal King (Su): At the start of combat, this T-Rex can roar as a move action or as a free action during a charge. The roar is a fear effect (DC blah blah) which causes any creatures within 60' to become panicked if they have less than 4hd, frightened if less than 8, and shaken if more than 8. Additionally, any creature not immune to fear in the area must make a second will save or take 3d4 Cha damage from the crushing weight of the T-Rex's ego. A successful save reduces the damage to half.
Is it possibly psionic? Yeah, sure. But so are many aboleth/shoggoth abilities in Pathfinder. So its all good.
Awesome! Thanks for an elegant solution to our lack of psionics.
Anyways, what do you think about "savaging" the Infamous Seven? Or, do you think they were too powerful to have been infected over the centuries?
The Savage Fever spreads as a disease, operating off the standard formula of 10+1/2 HD + Con for the DC. Most of the Infamous Seven are very high fortitude save creatures, even before any game specific modifications to them.
The Scorpion on the little island to the west, for example (disregarding whether giant vermin would be vunerable due to no intel score to damage). As a Collosal Monstrous Scorpion, his fort save is roughly +25. That means, barring a 1, he makes any save DC of 26 or lower, all the time. A DC of 26 could be from a creature with 20 hit dice and a con mod of 6. Just seems unlikely for the big scorpion to fail. Doubly so for those of the seven that have higher intel scores, and thus more opportunities to shake the disease before it wears them down.
Now, if any of the infamous seven were around at the time of the origional savage tide, could be different. That was immensely powerful magic, and you could easily say that nothing was immune or resistant. But that would make some of these creatures incredibly ancient (the green dragon would be a great wyrm), which might be either impossible by their normal lifespans, or put them too far outside the "hard but possible" challenge range.
With that in mind, there could be some options. There is a "feral dragon" template, in Green Ronin's Advanced Bestiary, that removes most supernatural abilities except the breath weapon, and actually lowers the CR. Its great for portraying more biblical serpents, lacking in brains but still dangerous in brawn. Could work well to bring a great wyrm green dragon into the manageable range for a 14th level party or so.
Its your call, ultimately. Personally (and thats all, just my personal opinion) I find the likelyhood of one of the Infamous Seven getting infected is extremely remote, and if one were to be infected, what force could stop it from going on a devastating rampage through the rest of the isle? The scorpion is limited to its island, the dragon eel and turtle to the water, but what about the T-rex, or the Anklyosaur?
This does bring up an interesting counter-idea. What makes the Infamous Seven so infamous? Perhaps, part (not all, but part) of their reputation comes from the fact they aren't infected.
Perhaps it comes from the fact that there might have been more, an Infamous Dozen or such, and the other did become savage, and were killed by the current ones.
Knowing Temuani the T-Rex is a gnarly, badass rex with a roar that can crush your sense of self is one thing. Knowing he's all that, and he destroyed Macuahi, the Savage Triceratops, and was not infected, is another.
Ah, very good point!
Perhaps they are so legendary because they confronted and overcame the taint. I will not be savaging the Infamous Seven after all! Many thanks for your words of insight.
BB, I'm also really happy I saw this now - and that my players are focusing on character rebuilds first and foremost before jumping headlong into pursuing leads, though the Kordite Barbarian is REALLY wanting to tangle with the Infamous Seven - and can save my players from having Temauhti be a massive disappointment like the T-Rex in Chapter Four was. I will be borrowing liberally from this... I don't know if I'll go with full-on Psionic or just simply a slight reflavoring of "really awesome supernatural abilities because he's old and badass".
Since this has become the subject of discussion... my Temauhti-Tecuani, for your consideration :) Note that he's designed to go up against a party of level-8, decently optimized, Gestalt characters.
TEMAUHTI-TECUANI
N Gargantuan animal
Init +3; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +29
Aura Aura of Dread
AC 27, touch 9, flat-footed 24
HP 425 (25 HD)
SR 22
Fort +22, Ref +17, Will +11
Spd 40 ft.
Melee* bite +21 (6d6+37/19-20)
Space 20 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Base Atk +18; CMB +42
Atk Options Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Power Attack, improved grab (bite)
Special Actions swallow whole, roar of the eternal king, thundering bellow
SQ powerful bite
*Power Attack: -5 attack, +15 damage
Abilities Str 32, Dex 16, Con 26, Int 2, Wis 16, Cha 8
Feats Ability Focus (Aura of Dread), Bleeding Critical, Combat Reflexes, Cleave, Critical Focus, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Natural Armor (x4), lmproved Natural Attack (bite), Power Attack, Toughness
Skills Acrobatics +8, Perception +29, Survival +8
Aura of Dread (Su) Ancient and powerful, Temauhti-Tecuani radiates subconscious feelings of hunger and rage, from which the minds of most species generate an intense fear. Activating this ability is a free action that is usually part of an attack or charge. Opponents within range who witness the action may become shaken. The range is 60 feet, and the duration is 5d6 rounds. This ability affects only opponents with fewer Hit Dice or levels than the creature has. An affected opponent can resist the effects with a successful Will save (DC 23). An opponent that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to this effect for 24 hours. Aura of Dread is a mind-affecting fear effect.
Bleeding Critical (Ex) Whenever Temauhti-Tecuani scores a critical hit his opponent takes 2d6 points of bleed damage each round on his turn, in addition to the damage dealt by the critical hit. The effects of this feat stack.
Critical Focus (Ex) Temauhti-Tecuani receives a +4 circumstance bonus on attack rolls made to confirm critical hits.
Powerful Bite (Ex) A tyrannosaurus applies twice its Strength modifier to bite damage.
Roar of the Eternal King (Su) Temauhti-Tecuani can roar as a move action or as a free action during a charge. The roar is a fear effect (DC 21) which causes any creatures within 60' to become panicked if they have less than 4 HD, frightened if less than 8, and shaken if more than 8. If already shaken (by Temauhti-Tecuani's Aura of Dread or by other means) the victim becomes frightened if the Roar would make them shaken, and panicked if it would make them frightened. Additionally, any creature not immune to fear in the area must make a second Will save or take 3d4 CHA damage from the crushing weight of Temauhti-Tecuani's ego. A successful save reduces the damage to half.
Thundering Bellow (Su) Temauhti-Tecuani's roar is so powerful that the mere sound of it can strip flesh and shatter bone. As a standard action he can choose a single target within 60 ft. as the focus of his roar; that creature takes 5d6 points of sonic damage, and can make a DC 21 Fortitude save to reduce the damage by half. Alternatively, Temauhti-Tecuani can choose instead to unleash his roar in a single direction as a 60-ft. line; targets caught in this line take 5d4 points of sonic damage and can make a DC 21 Reflex save to reduce the damage by half. Regardless of which version he uses, Temauhti-Tecuani must wait 1d4 rounds before he can use his Thundering Bellow again.
Since this has become the subject of discussion... my Temauhti-Tecuani, for your consideration :) Note that he's designed to go up against a party of level-8, decently optimized, Gestalt characters.
TEMAUHTI-TECUANI
** spoiler omitted **...
A work of art, Orthos.
A work of art, Orthos.Since this has become the subject of discussion... my Temauhti-Tecuani, for your consideration :) Note that he's designed to go up against a party of level-8, decently optimized, Gestalt characters.
TEMAUHTI-TECUANI
** spoiler omitted **...
Nice work, whats your proposed CR on this beastie?
A work of art, Orthos.Since this has become the subject of discussion... my Temauhti-Tecuani, for your consideration :) Note that he's designed to go up against a party of level-8, decently optimized, Gestalt characters.
TEMAUHTI-TECUANI
** spoiler omitted **...Nice work, whats your proposed CR on this beastie?
for his group, prolly an 11
for his group, prolly an 11Nice work, whats your proposed CR on this beastie?A work of art, Orthos.Since this has become the subject of discussion... my Temauhti-Tecuani, for your consideration :) Note that he's designed to go up against a party of level-8, decently optimized, Gestalt characters.
TEMAUHTI-TECUANI
** spoiler omitted **...
Yup.
Knock his HP back to standard (I run max HP on "boss" monsters and increased average on regular monsters during Gestalt) and up him to CR 12 or 13 for a non-Gestalt group.
There is something just so amazing about seeing a bit of statblock you made be presented in someone elses. Its like watching your kid kick his first soccer goal or such. I'm glad beyond words you liked what I presented!
Another great place to mine special abilities from is World of Warcraft. No, seriously. Go to WoWwiki.com or such, look up instance bosses and review some of their special moves.
Giving an elder air elemental Murmur's Shockwave (my god, I hated that move). "You can see the elemental start to swell, drawing in the air around it with a vortex that pulls at your clothes. As it balloons, you realize the air it is drawing in is far more in volume than what its body is displaying. It must be under tremendous pressure, especially since the elemental seems incapable of moving as it is holding all that air. Dangerously tremendous pressure. Perhaps staying near it it isn't a very good idea. Stats: 1 round action, 30' radius blast, elemental is flat footed during it (so no attacks of opp), damage is a LOT (say 3/4 the fighter's hp).
Or King Dred's Rending Bite. Pretty simple. "The jagged teeth tear your flesh horribly, to the point where every move pulls the wounds open further. Even the healing of your potion only seems to "zip up" the wounds a little before they start ripping open again. You will likely need to have the wound completely healed for it to no longer behave this way. Stats: Bite inflicts a bleed effect (2d6) that persists unless the target is healed to full, rather than simply receiving magical healing.
There is something just so amazing about seeing a bit of statblock you made be presented in someone elses. Its like watching your kid kick his first soccer goal or such. I'm glad beyond words you liked what I presented!
Thank you for coming up with it. I considered changing the name, but after some playing around with it decided I really couldn't improve on what was already there. Much obliged :D
Another great place to mine special abilities from is World of Warcraft. No, seriously. Go to WoWwiki.com or such, look up instance bosses and review some of their special moves.
I wonder if my players (three of which play or have played WoW) would kill me if the Anathema in Scuttlecove had Snake Wrap....
If I were your player, I would stand up from my chair and applaud you.
Then I might throw a d20 at you, if it was my character in the wrap.
Thats what usually happens at my table.
As we play over Vent I'm safe from flying dice ;) I'll expect verbal threats though :P
I come back after a week and I see such brilliance emblazoned over my initial thread ~ bravo everyone!
I will be sure to use this bad boy against my players when we next meet heheh...
Now as for the other Seven...
Players encountered him today. Absolutely devastating. Warforged Crusader failed both his fear saves and went fleeing off to the other side of the pits, the Barbarian got thoroughly munched (only barely survived two bites, and his SR kept shrugging off her Incarnum Flame Cloak that kept most other monsters from devouring her) and the Bard|Cleric actually got swallowed. The players were greatly entertained and thoroughly impressed by the drastic improvement over the last T-Rex they encountered.
Unfortunately he only got one crit out of the entire battle, when he bit the Crusader|Cavalier then attacked and crit his mount with Cleave. Otherwise, most excellent and very scary. Loved the shocked responses of the players to things like "SR?? Will saves?? Breath attack!??"
Here's hoping these guys don't outshine Vanthus....
So, who do we have left, and what can we give them?
1. A massive shambling mound.
2. A cranky and blazed anklyosaur.
3. An irritated dragon eel.
4. A domineering dragon turtle.
5. A reclusive green dragon.
6. A house sized scorpion.
Here are my "tame" suggestions for livening up the remaining "Infamous". I may submit some of my "not tame" ideas if people want them.
1. Engulf, an automatic CMB manuver prompted if it moves over another creature, like a gelatinous cube. Damage is done by debris, branches, bones, etc, within its body mass.
2. Make it so high that the moon looks up at it. Immunity to mind effects, or at least a horribly high bonus to saves. Or perhaps a sort of "alchemical SR" regarding mind effects. Also, have its tail slam do 1d2 con damage from pulverized bone. Or, a free sunder effect against a randomly determined item, as a natural 1 against an aoe.
3. Riptides, created when it swims, draws creatures towards it as if a bull-rush. Or, considering illustrations of them look suspiciously like dinycthus, a head/face so armor plated that it gains light fortification. I could also see massive bonuses to sundering/ship hull damage.
4. Have it prefer to fight underwater, retreating from surface assaults to return later to capsize the ship/drag down swimmers. Use a variant of the dragon "crush" attack to pin enemies in the silt at the sea floor; water breathing works fine in seawater, but silt should be somewhere between trying to breath normally through a pillow or a bowl of pudding.
5. Hard to do much with a dragon that isn't already kind of done, but an emphasis on stealth, to a horrifying degree (improved invisibility is great) could turn "reclusive" into "leaves no survivors to tell of it" in a hurry. If possible, transport via plants for added freak out, as either a spell or an alternate racial ability.
6. Poison so virulent that it leaks from your very pores. Round 1 is normal, round 2 anyone touching you must deal with a contact poison of the origional specs downgraded by maybe 2 on the DC and 1 point of damage per round (1d3 becomes 1d2, etc.) Round 3, the poison begins to evaporate, becoming an airborne contact poison in a 10' radius, aditional down step in virulence. Also, an impalement/grapple effect with the tail is fun.
Excellent suggestions!
I was thinking of changing the shambling mound into a giant ape (a.l.a. King Kong) to keep the Skull Island flavor that I have going on in my campaign. Seeing as how green dragons have been played to death in my campaign, I may need to replace it with a yrthak (as was suggested in one of the many posts about the Infamous Seven).
BTW, Orthos -- are you using the Pathfinder RPG? If so, could you briefly explain the mechanics of making an advanced, evolved creature?
Thanks!
Advanced is a term simply meaning the creature has been given extra HD beyond its basic stats in the bestiary. In Temauhti's case, moving up from the base 18 HD of the bestiary T-Rex to his 25 HD.
Evolved is not an actual game template - it's just a word I slapped onto him to "pseudo-explain" his new extra abilities. In laymen's terms (and the actual explanation I gave my players), he's "just that old". Apologies for the confusion.
I of course am interested in your "not tame" ideas, but here are a few of my own plans....
1. A massive shambling mound.
NICE! *yoink*
Someone on one of the other I7 threads made full stats for the entire Bullywug tribe worshiping it... likely I will steal those and make a mini-dungeon out of Blackfen Swamp.
2. A cranky and blazed anklyosaur.
They ran against this guy after beating Temauhti. I gave him Trample, which was hilarious when the entire party except the ninja lined up in a neat row (and the Crusader used his AoE earlier in the round and couldn't stop his charge with Thicket of Blades like he wanted), as well as SR, good Will saves (as high as he is, it's going to be HARD to do anything further to his psyche), immunity to poison, and a WIS-damage poison and Acid breath attack. Worked well, he was as annoying as Temauhti, if not quite as devastating. I'll post stats for him this afternoon.
3. An irritated dragon eel.
1d10 Aura of Electricity (no save) and Line of Lightning breath attack (damage equivalent to a Blue Dragon of equal challenge rating). If struck by an electrical attack, triggers a discharge - an electrical burst. One of my players is a psion who is relying on the Electric rays for the boost versus SR... I'm guaranteed at least one kaboom :)
I will be keeping the bonus to ship attacks though. My players are really gung-ho about hopping on a ship and going after him and Emraag, so I need to play up their advantages in their own territory.
4. A domineering dragon turtle.
5. A reclusive green dragon.
I can't beat your ideas, so I'm stealing them :)
6. A house sized scorpion.
Someone's stats for the scorpion here on the boards gave it a "Broodmother Swarm" Aura - not only are you fighting the giant beastie itself, but the hordes and hordes of young crawling all over and around it. I was suitably impressed and will be using it.
Seeing as how green dragons have been played to death in my campaign, I may need to replace it with a yrthak (as was suggested in one of the many posts about the Infamous Seven).
The He-Who-Hums section of the Ecology of the Yrthak article (Dragon #352) is definately an excellent choice. Sonic is getting a little overdone in my game - even if the players haven't run into all of them yet, such as V'sesslin the Yuan-Ti Sorcerer who I turned into a Wilder and have several other psionic characters running about, including one PC - and I haven't run many greens (Blues and Whites on the other hand...). Just be sure you either tone down the CR 20+ version of He-Who-Hums or drop plenty of appropriate hints as to the creature's strength (though being Colossal size should be a hint, that doesn't seem to be dissuading my players....)
I'll not be replacing Xiureksor with He-Who-Hums myself, but I will be looking for an appropriate place elsewhere in the story to stick a giant sleeping yrthak :)
Thanks for the clarification!
I've been piddling around on my Herolab and came up with an "Infamous" creature template (basically a mashup of the "Monster of Legend" template in MM2).
Looking forward to the stats of your Seven. I've pretty much yoinked the T-Rex wholesale, though I'll probably replace his breath weapon with DR (super hard scales) and fast healing (incredibly fast metabolism), so that sonic can be the purview of He-Who-Hums (I've toned him down into a CR 13 threat)
I remember seeing the souped up scorpion up here somewhere. I'm definitely going to yoink that broodmother aura. In my campaign, Scorpion Isle is rife with diamonds, which they desperately need to raise one of their comrades. They'll need to deal with the mother of course...
Orthos or BlackBard, you wouldn't happen to have campaign journals or websites do you? If so, that would be awesome.
Yup, the link to my journal is in my profile here. Just click on my portrait. :)
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By the way, Here is the Broodspawn Scorpion mentioned above. The only changes I'll probably make are giving it max HP (since it is a Gestalt boss) and changing the poison duration/cure to Pathfinder standard for monstrous scorpion (Frequency 1/round for 6 rounds, Cure 1 successful save) plus maybe what Black Bard suggested (not on the broodswarm's poison, though).
CHAKARANKA
N Gargantuan Animal
Init +3; Senses low light vision, scent; Perception +27
AC 30 (-1 Dex, +24 natural, -3 size), touch 6, flat-footed 24
HP 432 (26 HD) +32 Diehard
SR 21
Immune poison
Fort +28, Ref +14, Will +17
Speed 30 ft.
Melee Tail +31 (4d8+17/19-20/x3) or power attack tail +26 (4d8+32/19-20/x3)
Space 20 ft.; Reach 20 ft.
Base Atk +19; CMB +38
Attack Options Breath weapon, Power attack, Stun, Trample
Abilities Str 36, Dex 8, Con 32, Int 2, Wis 10, Cha 13
SQ lunatic high
Feats Ability Focus (Breath Weapon, Stun, Trample), Die Hard, Endurance, Great Fortitude, Improved Critical (tail), Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (tail), Iron Will, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Perception), Toughness, Weapon Focus (tail)
Skills Perception +27, Survival +10
Breath Weapon (Su) Constant exposure to the narcotic plants of the Valley of Madness has affected much of Chakaranka's physiology. Once every 1d4 rounds, he can emit a noxious belch in a 60' cone that deals 5d4 acid damage and inflicts a narcotic poison on anyone who breathes the toxic cloud. A DC 29 Reflex save halves the acid damage, and a DC 29 Fortitude save negates the poison. The poison is inhaled, frequency 1/round for 10 rounds, cure 2 successful saves, damage 1d6 Wisdom damage.
Lunatic High (Ex) Due to the plants that make up most of his diet, Chakaranka is at all times caught in a haze of intoxication. He is treated as having good Will saves for his hit die and is immune to poison.
Stun (Ex) A creature struck by Chakaranka's tail must make a Fortitude save (DC 30) or be stunned for one round.
Trample (Ex) As a full-round action, Chakaranka can move up to twice its speed, literally running over any foes of no greater than Huge size. Those trampled can attempt an attack of opportunity at a -4 penalty on the attack roll OR they can attempt Reflex saving throws to take half damage (DC 30). Trampled characters take 4d8+17 bludgeoning damage.
The DCs on everything should be higher, I know; I miscalculated them. Still ended up being a fairly challenging run, again if not as difficult as Temauhti-Tecuani.
BAARAGRATH
NE Huge Dragon (Aquatic)
Init +4; Senses blindsense 30 ft., darkvision, keen scent; Perception +17
Languages Aklo, Aquan, Draconic, Olman, Sahuagin, Yuan-Ti
Aura ion cloud
AC 32 (+24 natural, -2 size), touch 8, flat-footed 32, combat 45 (+2 bull rush)
HP 475 (25d12 + 175); DR 5/adamantine
Fort +21 Ref +14 Will +18
Immune paralysis, sleep
Speed 20 ft., swim 80 ft.
Melee Bite +38 (8d8+12/19-20) or power attack bite +33 (8d8+27/19-20)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Base Atk +25; CMB +45; +2 bull rush
Attack Options Breath Weapon, Cleave, Improved Grab (bite), power attack, Swallow whole
Abilities Str 34, Dex 11, Con 25, Int 11, Wis 15, Cha 16
SQ discharge, ion cloud
Feats Ability Focus (Breath Weapon, Discharge), Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Weapon (bite), Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Power Attack, Swim-by Attack, Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills Bluff +31, Intimidate +31, Perception +30, Sense Motive +30, Stealth +20, Swim +48
Breath Weapon (Su) 80-foot Line, DC 36 Reflex half, 8d6 Electricity damage, 1/1d4 rounds. Cannot be used on the same round as a Discharge.
Discharge (Su) Electrical power builds up inside Baaragrath's body. When struck by an electric attack from without, the differing frequencies cause a powerful discharge effect. This is a burst centered on Baaragrath with a radius of 50 ft. that deals 8d6 electric damage; Reflex DC 36 halves the damage. Baaragrath can choose to refuse this effect if triggered; however if he does so the opportunity is lost and the energy is discharged harmlessly, it cannot be delayed or held until a later time. Can only be triggered 1/1d4 rounds and never on the same round as a breath weapon attack. (Breath weapon uses up spare discharge energy.)
Ion Cloud (Su) Electrical power builds up inside Baaragrath's body. This causes a field of energy that injures anyone within reach. All characters within 15 feet of Baaragrath take 1d10 points of electric damage every round at the beginning of Baaragrath's turn from the ion cloud. This aura is inactive for 1 round after a Discharge attack.
Keen Scent (Ex) Can detect creatures by scent within 180 feet, and smell blood in the water up to a mile away.
Swallow Whole (Ex) Swallowed creatures take 2d8+12 bludgeoning and 10 acid per round. Gizzard has AC 20, and 40 points of damage from the inside frees swallowed creature.
CHAKARANKA
** spoiler omitted **...
Thanks for posting these Orthos, nice work.
I am going to swap out a couple of feats and add Awesome Blow to Chakaranka's tail swipe, its just begging for it. :)
EDIT:: Oh, and I would also make his tail attack a Tail Sweep, attacking 3 squares at time or something like that (more with reach?). Similar to the Warhulks from the Mini's handbook.
I wish I'd thought of both of those. I kind of had to adapt him on the fly, and he ended up a hybrid of Turin's Chaka and another poster's. He probably would have been slightly different had I sat down and statted him out in advance.
Anywho, change of plans from my players requires that I set aside Baaragrath's stats for now and need to work on Burbalarg's... the players have decided to leave the three "intelligent" members of the I7 until after dealing with the attack on Farshore. (Mainly due to the fact that this is the last session for one of my players before he deploys to Afghanistan, and all of us wanted to have the epic pirate showdown - and the battle with Vanthus, though they don't know about that part ;) - before he leaves.)
Well, since people asked, here are my "slightly more crazy" Infamous Seven minus Temuani.
The Origional
1. A massive shambling mound.
2. A cranky and blazed anklyosaur.
3. An irritated dragon eel.
4. A domineering dragon turtle.
5. A reclusive green dragon.
6. A house sized scorpion.
The New
1. Advanced Greenvise with the poisonous template from Green Ronin's Advanced Bestiary.
2. Anklosaur, mind completely gone from loco weed, exudes powerful narcotics from skin and breath, causes 30' spread of confusion. Mind effects directed at him cause the caster to suffer 1d3 damage to all mental stats from shared halucinations.
3. Advanced dragon eel, can create vortexs as a water elemental, or any of the telekinesis manuvers through water currents. Super-sunder bite attack, damages armor as a Rampager/Leucrotta.
4. Dragon turtle, uses breath weapon under the silt at the ocean floor to create "delayed" steam vents. Uses a variant of hover/windstorm to churn up hundreds of rusted and broken weapons from the sailors he has slain into a swirling cloud of blades around him.
5. Feral Great Wyrm Green Dragon, template from Advanced Bestiary (not the Savage Species version.) Template removes most intel and all supernatural abilities, lowers CR. Local lizardmen tribe descended from the dragon feed it sacrifices to keep it sleepy and satiated. In my game, this is the only one of the seven to contract Savage Fever. Its current feral state is the end of my modified Savage Fever's progression.
6. Collosal scorpion, impalement tail sting (constant damage to target, uses target as cover against attacks). Trample. Covered in swarms of baby scorpions, which it can throw with its tail as a ranged attack (nasty surprise). Dislikes water, but fully amphibious, which is how it gets enough food when hungry.
Orthos, how would you go about converting the colossal scorpion that was posted above to Pathfinder RPG rules?
I know the poison and CMB/CMD changes, but am not sure where to start. Also, I was checking out your campaign log and noticed that a lot of your players are using classes from splatbooks. Have you converted any of them to PF rules or are you just using them as is?
Sorry for derailing the thread, but I anticipate my players will face off against the skeleton soon. (I am using your stats for the T-rex and the anklyosaur)
Blackbard: I like the feral dragon idea...a lot. Also, the special abilities you described for all the I7 will make combat with them much more memorable.
Have you done anything with Vanthus? (Give him some unique special abilities, etc?)
Orthos, how would you go about converting the colossal scorpion that was posted above to Pathfinder RPG rules?
I know the poison and CMB/CMD changes, but am not sure where to start.
Those are really the only ones. Its HP, BAB, and abilities for the most part remain the same:
Also, I was checking out your campaign log and noticed that a lot of your players are using classes from splatbooks. Have you converted any of them to PF rules or are you just using them as is?
We've actually converted them all, or at least tried to. Some classes (such as Healer) we completely revamped to try to bring them up to Pathfinder standard, or give them more options; others we simply tweaked their skill list to suit Pathfinder (Example: if a class got Spot before it gets Perception now, if it got Hide it now gets Stealth, if it got Tumble it now gets Acrobatics, etc. etc. etc.). I can tell you how I tweaked specific classes if you're curious. But yes, my game is a PF/3.5 hybrid that is run for the most part on PF rules.
Sorry for derailing the thread, but I anticipate my players will face off against the skeleton soon. (I am using your stats for the T-rex and the anklyosaur)
Not a problem, it's your thread after all :) And good to hear you liked them, let us know how the players fare :D I'll be posting my version of the shambler sometime tomorrow I think. Emraag and the green dragon I actually haven't done yet.
Have you done anything with Vanthus? (Give him some unique special abilities, etc?)
As I'm running Gestalt, I have most major NPCs Gestalt as well; Vanthus I completely revamped as a Crusader (Tome of Battle)|Bones Oracle (Pathfinder Playtest). He showed up fully buffed and hit like a freight train, wearing armor I described as "looking like he was wearing the rib cage of some demonic beast" and thanking players for injuring him (Crusader's Delay Damage/Furious Counterstrike).
The fact that he's a solo fight hurts, as the players still gang up on him and could kill him quickly and easily unless you use evasive flying techniques so only the ranged can attack - so I made a point of having Delay Death (Spell Compendium) on his list and part of his pre-battle buffing routine, and he survived 1000+ points of damage before it finally gave out (rounds/level duration) and he literally disintegrated in front of the players, leaving nothing but bone dust and loot.
I plan on giving him some unique abilities - and replacing his nightmare mount with a buffed-out, also-has-unique-abilities Retriever demon - when they tangle with him as a Death Knight.
Since my players, due to backstory from the previous APs (Shackled City, Age of Worms) are wards of the Vanderboren Orphanage.
Events in SC caused Todd Vanderboren of the Stormlades and Nidrama the angel to replace Verik and Larissa Vanderboren, although Todd his his true capabilities and Nidrama assumed a human identity. The secret was kept from everyone, including their children, until they were "old enough", which replaced the minor subplot of the Vanderborens being members of the Seekers. Unbeknownst to Vanthus, he is adopted, and Lavina is the only "true" child (her celestial heritage is muted due to the fact Nidrama willingly fell from grace to assist the mortal heroes in the events of Shackled City). This then assists with the main subplot of why a powerful demon would be in any way interested in Vanthus; to wit, they are not. They are interested in Lavina, and are using Vanthus to get her.
Anyhow, as a result, since the PCs as Vanderborn (their pet nickname for themselves, due to a decently strong presence of Dragonborn and Ironborn (warforged from Cauldron) in the city) have seen Vanthus and Lavina while growing up, they know a little more about the siblings than a "normal" group of outsiders.
I played up Vanthus being always a little too physically close to Lavina, hugs lasting a little too long, kisses on the cheek being a little too close to lips. And dances. Vanthus always loved dancing with Lavina, since it was encouraged before she came of age. Who better to dance with a vunerable and not yet of age young noblewoman than her own brother? Surely that would keep her safe from those scoundrels with less than honorable intentions.
As a result, I made Vanthus into a Fighter/Tempest/Dervish, to play up the creepy dancer vibe. While the PCs aren't to him yet, I did some rough calculations based on where they should be at and he is technically capable of killing two of the PCs in one round, assuming average damage rolls and average attack rolls of 12.
But my group works well together and is very battlefield savvy, so I expect him to be a good challenge. Besides, he hates them too much to kill them quickly, like he should. The summoner caught him in the face with an Acid Splash on their first encounter, as he was taunting them before locking them in with the zombies under Parrot Island. He's holding a grudge.
Careful with the SC/AoW spoilers there BB... some of us are still playing those. (My group seems to be doing the thing backwards - I've been running STAP for almost a year now, and we just started Age of Worms last week with my Bard's player as DM.)
Last session, my players brought down your T-Rex and the Broodmother Scorpion. Both battles were epic fights, with the players having to retreat for the first time in the campaign when they got slammed with fear effects from the T-Rex.
The T-Rex brought down three of four players (luckily the party cleric had three breath of life spells prepared -- one instance the players were literally cheering on the cleric as she successfully cast breath of life the monk who was at -51 hp). The fight lasted for a good two and a half hours as the lone T-Rex held his own against four lvl 10 fully buffed characters for 8 full rounds. (The party's Olman monk now carries the dinosaur's massive teeth as elbow blades which I ruled as counting as adamantine for DR purposes)
The battle with the scorpion was also epic. Not only did they have to contend with its broodswarm, but the scorpion impaled the party cleric and used her as cover (thanks Black Bard), before the monk player succeeded in a last ditch effort to bring him down with a star-studded flurry of blows (multiple rolls above 16). Prior to this point, the scorpion constricted the duelist to death and trampled the Alkenstar gunslinger to unconsciousness.
The I7 have really made a big impression on my players. Thus, when they traverse the Rakasta temple, I'm thinking of replacing the big snake with something else. I don't want them to get sick of fighting big monsters. Any suggestions?
(The party's Olman monk now carries the dinosaur's massive teeth as elbow blades which I ruled as counting as adamantine for DR purposes)
The I7 have really made a big impression on my players. Thus, when they traverse the Rakasta temple, I'm thinking of replacing the big snake with something else. I don't want them to get sick of fighting big monsters. Any suggestions?
The I7 are truly a great concept and fun for a DM to play around with.
As for replacing the big snake...
How about a Swarm or three, maybe poisonous viper Swarms or some kind of disease riddled vermin swarms.
If your players aren't sick to death of fighting off plants (post Sargasso), some sort of plant creature(s).
Probably nothing too evil with the Couatl nearby.
(The party's Olman monk now carries the dinosaur's massive teeth as elbow blades which I ruled as counting as adamantine for DR purposes)
The I7 have really made a big impression on my players. Thus, when they traverse the Rakasta temple, I'm thinking of replacing the big snake with something else. I don't want them to get sick of fighting big monsters. Any suggestions?
The I7 are truly a great concept and fun for a DM to play around with.
As for replacing the big snake...
How about a Swarm or three, maybe poisonous viper Swarms or some kind of disease riddled vermin swarms.If your players aren't sick to death of fighting off plants (post Sargasso), some sort of plant creature(s).
Probably nothing too evil with the Couatl nearby.
True...they haven't fought plant creatures in a while. However, I was thinking about foreshadowing the skinwalkers somehow. When they razed the rakasta temple, they could have driven the couatl into hiding.
Alternately, I can bring in some more demons. I just want my players to get a feeling that things are not as they should be in the Isle of Dread.
Nice. Glad the players enjoyed it :D
Don't forget to add the deaths (even the temporary ones) to the Obituaries thread :)
For skinwalker forshadowing, you could do some AWESOME CREEPY and change where the skinwalkers accquired their skins.
Thats right. The couatl stays in the temple in a state of great depression, as the proof of his failure to defend the Rakasta continues to guard the outer walls.
Skinned catlike humanoids, crouched upon the ziggurat, perfectly motionless despite how they yowl as if in horrible pain. Their claws and teeth have been replaced with jagged shards of obsidian (expanded crit). Their eyesockets are empty, but they seem to follow movement by the painful caress of the slightest wind (blindsight). They seem to lash out at intruders not out of anger, but of fear and pain, as even the slightest breeze caused by a living creature's movement brings them even greater agony.
Make them undead or whatever you please. Ppersonally I would leave them as a terrible sort of monstrous humanoid, for the pain and metagame creep factor. Players seem to go "oh, undead, sucks to be it, kill it with fire", but if its a normal creature like a humanoid or such, it becomes "oh god, thats horrible, put it out of its misery!".
Easiest way to make them would be to stat up catfolk with levels of ranger (favored enemy humans, due to hatred for the skinwalkers prior to demonic transformation). Should work fine. Adjust the CR a tad for no gear, but then maybe give them something to represent their state and the curse, like the previously mentioned expanded crit, blindsight, and maybe regen to answer the question of why they haven't killed themselves yet. Regen over holy could make a great acid test for party power, and create a conflict for the Coautl (I can kill them, but I swore to defend them, what should I do?)
Then make sure your skinwalkers later have very noticably humanoid catskins on them...
For skinwalker forshadowing, you could do some AWESOME CREEPY and change where the skinwalkers accquired their skins.
Thats right. The couatl stays in the temple in a state of great depression, as the proof of his failure to defend the Rakasta continues to guard the outer walls.
Skinned catlike humanoids, crouched upon the ziggurat, perfectly motionless despite how they yowl as if in horrible pain. Their claws and teeth have been replaced with jagged shards of obsidian (expanded crit). Their eyesockets are empty, but they seem to follow movement by the painful caress of the slightest wind (blindsight). They seem to lash out at intruders not out of anger, but of fear and pain, as even the slightest breeze caused by a living creature's movement brings them even greater agony.
Make them undead or whatever you please. Ppersonally I would leave them as a terrible sort of monstrous humanoid, for the pain and metagame creep factor. Players seem to go "oh, undead, sucks to be it, kill it with fire", but if its a normal creature like a humanoid or such, it becomes "oh god, thats horrible, put it out of its misery!".
Easiest way to make them would be to stat up catfolk with levels of ranger (favored enemy humans, due to hatred for the skinwalkers prior to demonic transformation). Should work fine. Adjust the CR a tad for no gear, but then maybe give them something to represent their state and the curse, like the previously mentioned expanded crit, blindsight, and maybe regen to answer the question of why they haven't killed themselves yet. Regen over holy could make a great acid test for party power, and create a conflict for the Coautl (I can kill them, but I swore to defend them, what should I do?)
Then make sure your skinwalkers later have very noticably humanoid catskins on them...
Absolutely brilliant! Definitely taking this. Thanks!
The Eberron campaign setting has an aberration that fits thematically. I believe they were called dolgaunts...
BTW What book is catfolk from?
I share your sentiments regarding the Savage Tide. Great adventure, great mix of all things that make for great adventure. Combat, Diplomacy, Mystery, Romance, Damsel(s) in distress, Despicable villains and the ultimate BBEG.