If you're still creating monsters, I've one for you: Queen Medusa. Essentially, something akin to a Beholder; she is a unique, high CR monster with a stone gaze, multiple bite attacks (poisonous), some spellcasting, and an ability which allows her to spawn "Medusa Heads," aberrant floating heads with a similar stone gaze ability. She ought to be resilient, and capable of withstanding an onslaught.
@ALLENDM: You can get what you want by just tweaking the 3.5 shadow creature template. Replace cold resistance with a natural armor bonus and add shadow jump from the shadowdancer prestige class (effective level = HD) to the list of selectable special qualities.
@Azten: Here's a mogwai swarm:
Gremlin, Mogwai Swarm (CR 5):
A swarm of tiny, humanoid monsters scampers over everything, its members recking havoc with their sharp claws and teeth.
Mogwai Swarm (CR 5) XP 1,600
NE Tiny fey (swarm)
Init +7; Senses darkvision 120 ft., low-light vision; Perception +13
---
AC 18, touch 16, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +2 natural, +2 size)
hp 67 (9d8+27)
Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +7
Defensive Abilities half damage from weapons, split (immersed in fresh water for 1 full round, 6 hp) swarm traits; DR 5/cold iron; SR 16
---
Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
Melee swarm (3d6 plus distraction)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks distraction (DC 16)
---
Str 7, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 11
Base Atk +2; CMB —; CMD —
Feats Dodge, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Skill Focus (Disable Device), Step Up, Toughness (B), Weapon Finesse (B)
Skills Acrobatics +19, Climb +18, Disable Device +25, Perception +13; Racial Modifiers +4 Acrobatics, +8 Climb, +10 Disable Device
SQ coordinated swarm
---
Environment any underground or urban
Organization solitary, pair, mob (3–6 swarms), or infestation (7–12 swarms plus 1–4 other gremlins)
Treasure none
---
Coordinated Swarm (Ex) A mogwai swarm coordinates its attacks more than a typical swarm, and deals swarm damage one step higher than a swarm of its HD would normally cause.
Mogwai are a race of tiny gremlins that can multiply when immersed in fresh water. As a result, they are encountered almost exclusively in swarms. In theory, mogwai swarms can produce new members indefinitely, but the more members a mogwai swarm produces, the weaker each individual member becomes. Beyond a point, continued multiplication has no effect on the statistics of the swarm.
Mogwai swarms are aware of their limitations, and will not necessarily immerse themselves in water at the first opportunity, especially if they expect to encounter damage-dealing effects which would prove more dangerous to a split swarm. They spend most of their time tormenting and eating victims, though they occasionally indulge themselves in frivolous tinkering, to the detriment of whatever device has caught their attention.
@C. Nutcase: Your first request is just a half-dragon. Your second could easily be a lamia matriarch, but here's another alternative:
Serpentaur (CR 3):
This creature has the upper body of a beautiful elf and the lower body of a large snake.
Serpentaur (CR 3) XP 800
N Large monstrous humanoid
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +9
---
AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 16 (+4 armor, +2 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 natural, +2 shield, –1 size)
hp 30 (4d10+8)
Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +6
---
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
Melee longsword +5 (1d8+2/19–20), tail slap +0 (1d6+1 plus grab)
Ranged spear +5 (1d8+2/×3)
Space 10 ft., Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks constrict (1d6+2)
---
Str 15, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 11, Wis 14, Cha 12
Base Atk +4; CMB +7 (+11 grapple); CMD 19 (can't be tripped)
Feats Dodge, Improved Initiative
Skills Climb +10 (+6 in armor with shield), Diplomacy +5, Intimidate +8, Perception +9, Survival +9, Swim +10 (+6 in armor with shield)
Languages Common, Elven, Sylvan
SQ undersized weapons
---
Environment temperate or warm forests and swamps
Organization solitary, pair, or nest (3–10)
Treasure standard (chain shirt, heavy steel shield, longsword, spear, other treasure)
A variant on the centaur theme, serpentaurs are part elf and part snake. Found in remote wilderness areas, serpentaurs are widely varied in appearance, and need not resemble elves or other humanoids native to the same area in coloration. Their elven skin tone varies from light tan to dark brown, while the scales of the their serpentine lower bodies can have almost any pattern of colors. Hair and eye colors span the entire range of human coloration and then some. A given individual is likely to have eye and hair colors that match the colors of its scales.
Like centaurs, serpentaurs are an old race. Unlike centaurs, serpentaurs remain reclusive. Very rarely is an individual found in or around a humanoid city. Living off the land, nests of serpentaurs find little need to trade with outsiders, though they have been known to provide intelligence and advice to individuals interested in defending their wilderness homelands from unwanted incursions.
An average serpentaur stands 7 feet tall when perched upright on its tail, and can weight as much as 1,000 pounds. Its body is 16 feet long from head to tail, and proportionally thicker than that of a snake.
@Twin Dragons: Here's a Tiny golem appropriate for (menacing) children:
Golem, Porcelain Doll (CR 2):
Half the size of a human child, this porceline doll has delicate features, an elaborate dress, and a wicked straight razor in one of its hands.
Golem, Porcelain Doll (CR 2) XP 600
N Tiny construct
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +0
---
AC 15, touch 14, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +1 natural, +2 size)
hp 19 (3d10+3)
Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +1
DR 2/adamantine; Immune construct traits, magic
---
Speed 20 ft.
Melee dagger +3 (1d2–2/19–20 plus bleed)
Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks bleed (1d6)
---
Str 7, Dex 14, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 1
Base Atk +3; CMB +3; CMD 11
Feats Improved Initiative, Toughness
Skills Stealth +10
---
Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or party (3–12)
Treasure dagger
---
Immunity to Magic (Ex) A porcelain doll golem is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance, with the exception of spells and spell-like abilities that deal damage, each of which affect it normally.
As their name suggests, porcelain doll golems resemble ordinary dolls. Unlike inanimate dolls, these constructs are magically hardened, making them difficult to damage, despite their fragile appearance. Each is also imbued with an affinity for the dagger-like razor blade it carries hidden in the folds of its clothing, allowing it to inflict vicious, bleeding wounds.
Porcelain doll golems with the shield guardian template often serve children as ruthless protectors. Those without the shield guardian template are more often used as assassins or worse.
A porcelain doll golem is between 1 and 2 feet tall and rarely weighs more than 10 pounds.
Marionette Golem (CR 2) A marionette golem is made of wood and has the remnants of several severed strings attached to various points on its body. It has the same statistics as a porcelain doll golem.
Plush Doll Golem (CR 2) A plush doll golem is similar to a porcelain doll golem, but is made of softer materials. A plush doll golem is immune to bludgeoning damage. It does not carry a dagger. Its melee attack is melee touch +3 (grab). It has constrict (1d6) as a special attack and CMB +7 when grappling. It can use the grab ability against any Medium or smaller creature.
Construction
A porcelain doll golem is made from wood, cloth, and porcelain, and is equipped with a Tiny dagger as part of its creation process. A marionette golem lacks porcelain components, but is otherwise the same. A plush doll golem is constructed from cloth only, doesn't require a keen edge spell, and uses the Craft (sewing) skill. It otherwise has the same construction process.
Porcelain Doll Golem CL 7th; Price 4,000 gp
---
Requirements Craft Construct, false life, keen edge, lesser gaes, creator must be 7th level; Skill Craft (sculpture); Cost 2,000 gp
@Detect Magic: What you want is a medusa with the penanggalen template from Bestiary 3.
I don't want this thread going head-to-head with the monster design round of RPG Superstar 2012, so I'll be slowing down my monster design efforts in January, 2012, and taking a break from this thread altogether for the month of February, 2012.
I will, however, be starting a new project, one that involves game elements not appearing in this year's Superstar competition, and will attempt to update that new project regularly over the next few months for the benefit of anyone interested in following along.
Expect more information on my new project in the next few days.
Archon, Sword (CR 16) [Archons who wield a magical longsword in each hand, have spell–like abilities, and can summon magical longswords which attack on their own]
Azata, Leshay (CR 20) [Ancient and timeless fairy kings and queens of the Azata who can cast spells {both spell–like abilities and caster level spells} and can also summon/wield brilliant energy blades])
Agathion, Loxonal (CR 14) [Large armored elephant–like humanoid celestials who wield magical maces, have spell–like abilities, and can blast enemies with powerful sonic shouts from their noses]
Lycanthrope, Werecrow (Template) [Neutral good lycanthropes who can take the form of a crow or a humanoid crow]
Lycanthrope, Werecskunk (Template) [Chaotic evil lycanthropes who can take the form of a skunk or a humanoid skunk]
Golem, Doll (CR 2) [Tiny constructs with typical golem magical immunity and a bite attack that causes opponents to suffer from Hideous Laughter for a short period of time]
Zombie, Ooze [Zombies that seem to be constantly dripping and melting and are not only resistant to blunt weapons but can also spread a slimy doom disease]
Skeleton, Nova (Template) [Skeletons that crackle with electricity and can shoot bolts of lightning]
Skeleton, Slime (Template) [Skeletons that are covered with a caustic green slime and are resistant to blunt weapons]
Aeon, Caen (CR 4) (Aeons with power over love and hate)
Aeon, Sige (CR 8) (Aeons with the power over sound and silence)
Behemoth, Jangala (CL 16) [Colossal–sized gorillas and rulers of entire swaths of jungles or tropical islands, they are often worshiped as deities by tribes of savages and are known to be placated by sacrifices of beautiful female humanoids]
Krampus,
I'm going to use him on an adventure I'm designing for this Tuesday.
You have a talent for evocative crunch nd fluff, I'd love to see how you handle him. He should be CR 6-8
Okay, here are my last monsters in this thread until after RPG Superstar 2012. In the meantime, the Top 16 (and beyond) will have plenty of new monsters and encounters for everyone to read.
@Berselius: Most of the monsters you listed already exist in the game, but your aeon suggestions have inspired me to go back and review some real-world source material. Here are the results:
Aeon, Aletheia (CR 4):
Four stone-like arms with varying numbers of fingers emerge from a body that resembles a spherical, gray cloud.
Aletheia (CR 4) XP 1,200
N Medium outsider (aeon, extraplanar)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +9
---
AC 19, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+3 Dex, +6 natural)
hp 42 (5d10+15)
Fort +9, Ref +4, Will +9
Immune cold, critical hits, poison; Resist electricity 10, fire 10; SR 15
---
Speed fly 40 ft. (good)
Melee 2 slams +8 (1d4+3)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd; concentration +6)
At will—see invisibility, ventriloquism (DC 14)
3/day—discern lies (DC 17), major image (DC 16), misdirection
1/day—glibness, invisibility, mirror image
---
Str 16, Dex 16, Con 17, Int 15, Wis 17, Cha 16
Base Atk +5; CMB +8; CMD 21 (can't be tripped)
Feats Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Skill Focus (Bluff)
Skills Bluff +14, Fly +15, Knowledge (arcana, history, planes) +12, Perception +11, Sense Motive +11, Stealth +11
Languages envisaging
SQ extension of all, void form
---
Environment any (Outer Planes)
Organization solitary, pair, or commune (3–12)
Treasure none
---
True Lies (Su) As a standard action every 1d4 rounds, an aletheia can use its envisaging to blur the line between between reality and mere vision. This functions as a lesser confusion spell targeting a creature within 30 feet (Will DC 15 negates), except the effect allows no spell resistance and creatures with no language are immune. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Aletheia aeons are living embodiments of the duality between truth and fiction. In environments ripe with falsehoods and deception, aletheias maintain the balance by attempting to reveal the truths behinds the lies. In situations where matters are less obfuscated, aletheias instead do their best to hide knowledge and obscure the truth.
An aletheia's cloud-like body is actually solid, stone-like flesh encased in a thin layer of vapor, while its stone-like arms are extremely soft and spongy. When making slam attacks in combat, an aletheia appears to be battering its foe with its arms, but this is an optical illusion; it is is actually ramming its opponent its hard body. An aletheia's body is 4 feet in diameter, not counting its 3-foot arms, and weighs roughly 120 pounds.
Aeon, Macaria (CR 7):
This crystalline creature has four arm-like limbs, each of which splits at the elbow into a pair of three-fingered forearms.
Macaria (CR 7) XP 3,200
N Medium outsider (aeon, extraplanar)
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +16
---
AC 20, touch 15, flat-footed 17 (+2 deflection, +2 Dex, +1 dodge, +5 natural)
hp 76 (9d10+27); fast healing 5
Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +12
Immune cold, critical hits, poison; Resist electricity 10, fire 10; SR 18
---
Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (poor)
Melee 2 slams +13 (1d6+4), 2 tentacles +8 (1d4+2 plus bleed)
Special Attacks bleed (1d6), false hope
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th; concentration +10)
At will—augury, quickened bleed (DC 11), doom (DC 12), sanctuary (DC 12)
3/day—bestow curse (DC 14), crushing despair (DC 15), good hope, remove curse
---
Str 18, Dex 14, Con 17, Int 11, Wis 19, Cha 12
Base Atk +9; CMB +13; CMD 28 (can't be tripped)
Feats Dodge, Hover, Improved Initiative, Improved Iron Will, Iron Will
Skills Fly –2, Intimidate +13, Knowledge (planes) +16, Perception +16, Sense Motive +16, Spellcraft +12, Stealth +14
Languages envisaging
SQ extension of all, void form
---
Environment any (Outer Planes)
Organization solitary, pair, or syzygy (1 macaria plus 1 theletos)
Treasure none
---
False Hope (Su) As a standard action every 1d4 rounds, a macaria can release a 60-foot cone of energy from its chest. Each living creature within the area gains 2 temporary hit points per Hit Die, but also takes 2 points of Constitution damage. The temporary hit points granted by this ability last up to 1 hour, at which point any remaining temporary hit points are lost. A successful DC 15 Fortitude save negates both the temporary hit points and the Constitution damage. The save DC is Charisma-based.
The aeons known as macarias are the guardians of both free will and predestined fate. In realms where large numbers of creatures are caught in the grips of hopelessness and despair, macarias strive to provide a path to a better future in defiance of all odds. But in areas where residents scoff at the power of fate, macarias are just as quick to enforce prophesies of doom and despair.
A macaria is outwardly indistinguishable from a theltos aeon, though the link between all aeons allows others of their kind to tell macaria and theletos aeons apart on sight. Marcaria aeons are 5 feet tall and weighs 100 pounds.
Aeon, Caen (CR 12):
Four gray arms project from a swirling mass resembling a giant eye, from which a tail-like appendage dangles.
XP 19,200
N Medium outsider (aeon, extraplanar)
Init +10; Senses darkvision 60 ft., deathwatch; Perception +19
---
AC 27, touch 18, flat-footed 21 (+2 deflection, +6 Dex, +9 natural)
hp 148 (11d10+88); fast healing 5
Fort +17, Ref +11, Will +14
Immune cold, critical hits, disease, negative energy, poison, positive energy; Resist electricity 10, fire 10; SR 23
---
Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft. (poor)
Melee 4 claws +16 (1d4+5 plus grab)
Special Attacks channel energy 8/day (DC 19, 6d6)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 11th; concentration +15)
Constant—deathwatch
At will—cure serious wounds, inflict serious wounds (DC 17)
3/day—animate dead, death ward, enervation
1/day—circle of death (DC 20), undeath to death (DC 20)
---
Str 21, Dex 23, Con 26, Int 16, Wis 21, Cha 18
Base Atk +11; CMB +16 (+20 grapple); CMD 34 (38 vs. trip)
Feats Combat Reflexes, Great Fortitude, Hover, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes
Skills Bluff +18, Fly +2, Heal +19, Intimidate +18, Knowledge (planes) +22, Knowledge (religion) +22, Perception +19, Sense Motive +19, Spellcraft +17, Stealth +20
Languages envisaging
SQ create spawn, extension of all, void form
---
Environment any (Outer Planes)
Organization solitary, pair, or syzygy (1 caen plus 1 akhana)
Treasure none
---
Channel Energy (Su) A caen channel energy as a 10th-level cleric, choosing each time it uses this ability to either channel positive energy as a good cleric or channel negative energy as an evil cleric. A caen does not require a holy or unholy symbol to channel energy, instead holding forth its tail.
Create Spawn (Su) Any corporeal creature that dies while grappled by a caen rises immediately as a fast plague zombie. This zombie is not under the caen's control, but will not attack the caen unless somehow controlled by another creature and directed to do so. Each time a caen creates a plague zombie in this manner, the caen heals 1d6 points of damage per Hit Die of the creature that died and became a zombie.
Caen aeons are physical manifestations of raw positive and negative energy, and embody the balance between those two power sources. Where akhana aeons seek to balance life and death, caen aeons instead seek to balance life and undeath, encouraging rampant plagues of undead in areas where life is untroubled by its darker counterpart, but also working to prevent the undead from completely eradicating the living.
Caen aeons are physically identical to akhana aeons to any observer other that isn't an aeon, though aeons have no trouble telling caen and akhana aeons apart. A caen aeon's body appears gaseous, but feel slimy and gelatinous if touched. It stands 5 feet tall and weighs roughly 120 pounds.[/
Aeon, Sige (CR 16):
A shimmering, colorless mass congeals to form a four-armed humanoid shape with an eye-like pattern in its torso.
Sige (CR 16) XP 76,800
N Large outsider (aeon, extraplanar)
Init +8; Senses blindsense 60 ft., darkvision 90 ft., low-light vision; Perception +28
---
AC 31, touch 18, flat-footed 26 (+4 deflection, +4 Dex, +1 dodge, +13 natural, –1 size)
hp 207 (18d10+108); fast healing 10
Fort +18, Ref +12, Will +18
Immune cold, critical hits, poison, sonic; Resist electricity 10, fire 10; SR 27
---
Speed fly 40 ft. (good)
Melee 4 slams +23 (1d6+6 plus 1d6 cold and aging strike)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks bardic performance (45 rounds/day), song and silence
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 18th; concentration +25)
At will—ghost sound (DC 17), shout (DC 21), silence, sound burst (DC 19)
3/day—sculpt sound, shout (greater) (DC 25), zone of silence
1/day—power word stun, sympathetic vibration (DC 23)
---
Str 22, Dex 19, Con 21, Int 24, Wis 24, Cha 25
Base Atk +18; CMB +25; CMD 44 (can't be tripped)
Feats Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Great Fortitude, Hover, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Toughness
Skills Bluff +28, Fly +8, Intimidate +28, Knowledge (arcana, nature, religion) +33, Knowledge (history, planes) +36, Perception +28, Perform (sing) +25, Sense Motive +28, Spellcraft +28, Stealth +21, Use Magic Device +25
Languages envisaging
SQ extension of all, void form
---
Environment any (Outer Planes)
Organization solitary, pair, or syzygy (1 sige plus 1 bythos)
Treasure none
---
Bardic Performance (Ex) A sige has the bardic performance abilities of an 18th-level bard, granting it access to that ability's countersong, distraction, fascinate, inspire courage, inspire competence, suggestion, dirge of doom, inspire greatness, soothing performance, frightening tune, inspire heroics, and mass suggestion performances.
Song and Silence (Su) A sige's bardic performance and spell-like abilities ignore the effects of any silence spell or spell-like ability. They can be heard normally within the radius of any such silence effect, and affect creatures within that radius as if no silence spell or spell-like ability were in effect.
Born from the so-called music of the spheres, sige aeons embody the mathematical precision of time and space, as represented by the opposing extremes of sound and silence. Sige aeons alternately stir up commotion in quiet lands and silence noisy civilizations for breaking the peace, directing the ebb and flow of civilizations the way a composer would direct an orchestra. Sige aeons have no particular interest in the civilizations they manipulate, seeing them as mere means to an end. The tumultuous cries of the living and the silence of the grave are just instruments in a great cosmic symphony.
Sige aeons are physically identical to bythos aeons, though other aeons are able to distinguish sige and bythos aeons from one another through the link that binds all aeons together. A sige aeon's body appears smoky, but is solid to the touch, feeling a bit like dry stone. It stands 13 feet tall and weighs roughly 600 pounds.
@Archomedes: I'm afraid it's a bit too late for your game last Tuesday, but here's a krampus nonetheless:
Krampus (CR 8):
Wrapped in jangling chains, this hairy biped has cloven feet, ram-like horns, and a pair of wicked tusks.
Krampus (CR 8) XP 4,800
NE Medium fey
Init +8; Senses child-scent, low-light vision; Perception +12
---
AC 23, touch 13, flat-footed 20 (+4 armor, +3 Dex, +6 natural)
hp 95 (10d6+60)
Fort +9, Ref +10, Will +8
DR 10/cold iron; Resist cold 10; SR 19
---
Speed 40 ft.
Melee 2 claws +12 (1d4+6 plus grab), bite +12 (1d6+6)
Special Attacks burlap sack, rattling chains
---
Str 22, Dex 17, Con 22, Int 16, Wis 13, Cha 15
Base Atk +5; CMB +11 (+15 to grapple); CMD 24
Feats Cleave, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bite, claw)
Skills Acrobatics +15 (+19 to jump), Bluff +14, Climb +18, Escape Artist +15, Intimidate +15, Knowledge (nature) +15, Perception +13, Sense Motive +13, Stealth +15; Racial Modifiers +4 Intimidate
Languages Aklo, Common, Giant, Sylvan
SQ chain armor, cook people
---
Environment cold mountains and underground
Organization solitary, pair, or gang (3–12)
Treasure standard
---
Burlap Sack (Ex) A krampus normally carries a burlap sack into which it can stuff grappled opponents. This functions as a swallow whole attack (no damage, AC 13, 7 hp), except the sack is destroyed if its occupant escapes by cutting a hole in the sack. If, at any time, the krampus no longer carries a sack into which it has stuffed an opponent, the creature in the sack is no longer grappled, and can escape the sack as a move action.
Chain Armor (Ex) The chains that adorn a krampus grant it a +4 armor bonus, but are not treated as armor for the purpose of arcane spell failure, armor check penalties, maximum Dexterity, weight, or proficiency.
Child-Scent (Ex) A krampus gains the scent ability, but only with respect to humanoid children and immature animals, as per the child-scent witch's hex.
Cook People (Su) A krampus gains and can use the cook people witch's hex, even if it doesn't meet that hexes normal prerequisites.
Rattling Chains (Ex) As a standard action, a krampus can attempt to demoralize opponents by rattling the chains it wears as armor. This functions as the Dazzling Display feat, except it does not require the krampus to be wielding a weapon.
Monstrous mountain fey, krampuses are hairy, brutish creatures that spend much of the year skulking in shallow caves. Each year at the start of winter, they emerge to celebrate various krampus festivals, during which time they roam the alpine countryside, terrorizing the locals. A roaming krampus gang is likely to demand a tribute of alcohol under pain of death, or to seek out and abduct naughty children for later consumption.
An index of monsters and a declaration of Open Game Content for this thread can be found here.
Berselius: Most of the monsters you listed already exist in the game.
While I'm thankful you made the Aeons I asked for I'm gonna have to say I'm kind of doubtful what you said about the other monsters I suggested already being in Pathfinder RPG as accurate and true. If I'm wrong and that is indeed the case, please give me their names as well as what Pathfinder Roleplaying Game books they can be found in (as well as the page numbers).
That krampus rendition is pure awesome. I find the hex-like abilities particularly clever and evocative. Thank you, this is getting used right away. My game was delayed for various reasons, so this monster came right on time.
@Berselius: I already did one of the monsters you suggested two posts before you suggested it!
As for the others, Pathfinder is compatible with 3rd edition, so...
Sword archons are from The Book of Exalted Might;
Leshay are from the Epic Level Handbook;
All lycanthropes are covered in the Pathfinder Bestiary;
Wereravens (essentially werecrows) appear in Ravenloft: Denizens of Darkness;
Unless I'm mistaken, giant skunks (for use with wereskunks) appear in the Tome of Horrors, as do slime zombies.
You're welcome to check those books and find the page numbers yourself.
Plus, your loxonal is just adding "-nal" to the loxo and calling it an agathion, and your King-Kong-style behemoth can be done with the primaeval template appearing elsewhere in this thread.
Ergo, most of your monsters are already in the game.
As for your aeons, you are correct; I decided to forgo your specific instructions when I discovered that I could create caen and sige aeons that were even closer to the real-world descriptions of those creatures. (Also, there is already an aeon associated with emotions, including love and hate, in Bestiary 2.)
That krampus rendition is pure awesome. I find the hex-like abilities particularly clever and evocative. Thank you, this is getting used right away. My game was delayed for various reasons, so this monster came right on time.
Sweet! I'm glad you got your krampus in time to use it.
Epic Meepo: do you remember that dragon-like riding lizard on the cover of Dragon magazine many years ago? It was an arctic landscape, and here is this hero sitting on the back of a four limbed (wingless) critter, with the tail and neck and head of a dragon--but barely larger than a horse.
It will be several weeks before I'm free to post anything in this thread.
In the mean time, I would greatly appreciate your vote in Paizo's RPG Superstar 2012 competition. Thank you for your support, and please vote for Eric Morton's entry. Voting closes at 2 pm Pacific Time on Monday, February 6th, 2012.
Thank you very much for this thread. I have no requests as of now, but I REALLY appreciate all the hard work you are doing. I grab all of the monsters you make and store them on the ol' hard drive in my monsters folder. You have saved me a tremendous amount of time as a GM. I just wanted to say thanks.
"Hybrid" is a template that can be added to any living, corporeal creature, hereafter referred to as the base creature.
CR As base creature +1.
Other Statistics The base creature gains a number of evolution points equal to its (newly modified) Challenge Rating, up to a maximum of 8 evolution points. These points are spent on evolutions, as if the base creature were the eidolon of a summoner with a level equal to the base creature's racial Hit Dice.
I really love this template. However, it needs an upgrade. How about that spending 9 points and every 4 points afterward (9 to 12 / 13 to 16 / 17 to 20) increases the CR by 1 ?
Have you read eragon? What about those "scree-scra" worms that eragon runs into and nasuada is tortured with? If not, the worm/beetle things are small monsters that move very quickly for their size and cause enormous physical and mental pain if it touches your flesh. Probably a cr 2-3 im guessing.
Amazing job on the Spell-Turning Creatures! As a new request, I'd like to revisit the Hivespawn (I found the idea amazing and made my own variant for my upcoming post-apocalyptic, steampunk adventure) and design a template that would be applied to creatures if ever they were controlled or became hosts of said Hivespawn/alien type creatures?
With the last of my 100 archetypes nearly finished, it's time for me to do some thread necromancy.
Moving forward with this thread, it's unlikely that I'll have time to work on every monster suggestion posted. Accordingly, priority will be given to those suggestions that I find most intriguing. Given the overall quality of monster suggestions thus far, I suspect that a fair percentage of all suggestions will qualify as intriguing, but I make no promises.
Looking back over the last few months, here are the monster requests that I haven't yet addressed:
-sidhe from the Dresden files
-a dragon-like riding lizard
-an upgrade to the hybrid template
-a half-contract devil
-scree-scra worms
-an hivespawn host template
-a Phantom Train
I will be addressing the requests listed above in the near future.
@Doomlounge: I didn't miss your suggestion for an alien a la the Alien franchise; I've just already done it! Search this thread for "feral xill" and you'll find what you're looking for.
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@darth_borehd: The sidhe from the Dresden Files are a collection of various monsters, not one species of monster. Most of them would be fey with class levels and/or divine ranks.
@JiCi: I'm going to leave an upgrade to the hivespawn hybrid template up to the GM's discretion; I'm not comfortable designing a template that can increase a base creature's CR by an arbitrarily-large amount.
@C. Nutcase: Technically, a half-contract-devil would just be a half-fiend. I'm not currently interested in working on expanding the half-fiend template to incorporate powers specific to one's fiendish ancestor (and a newly-released product from Paizo may or may not already do that), so I'm going to pass on that one for now.
@Matt: A creature turned into a host for the hivespawn would just be transformed into an identical creature with a new personality and the hybrid template.
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So, coming soon:
-A dragon-like riding lizard;
-A monster inspired by scree-scra worms;
-And a Phantom Train.
@JiCi: I'm going to leave an upgrade to the hivespawn hybrid template up to the GM's discretion; I'm not comfortable designing a template that can increase a base creature's CR by an arbitrarily-large amount.
It looks like you've read the Dresden Files books. I'd like a statblock for the Naagloshii/Skinwalker/"Shagnasty", somewhere in the high-teens CR range please.
Maybe someone with more creature-crafting knowledge can make my idea into something usable. (Neat, that was the first Google link when searching for Xiought.)
@master arminas: Even better than a dragon-like riding lizard, here's an actual dragon:
Drake, Riding (CR 2):
Slender and graceful, this wingless dragon is the size of a horse.
Riding Drake (CR 2) XP 600
N Large dragon
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision; Perception +6
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AC 14, touch 13, flat-footed 11 (+4 Dex, +2 natural, –1 size)
hp 19 (2d12+6)
Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +4
Immune paralysis, sleep effects
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Speed 50 ft.
Melee bite +4 (1d8+2), 2 claws +4 (1d6+2)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
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Str 18, Dex 18, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 11
Base Atk +1; CMB +6; CMD 20 (24 vs. trip)
Feats Endurance, Run(B)
Skills Acrobatics +9, Perception +6
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Environment temperate plains
Organization solitary, pair, or herd (3–12)
Treasure none
Riding drakes are a species of lesser dragon that exist almost exclusively in domesticated herds. Little smarter than animals, riding drakes are used by some humanoids as mounts. In areas where riding drakes are found, they can be purchased for the listed market price of a warhorse, though a riding drake requires an exotic saddle instead of a standard saddle.
Riding drakes stand 5 to 6 feet tall at the shoulder and weigh between 1,000 and 1,500 pounds.
@dbass: Here's a monster inspired by scree-scra worms:
Wither Worm (CR 1/2):
This creature resembles an over-sized millipede with a pair of feathered antennae.
Wither Worm (CR 1/2) XP 200
N Small magical beast
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +4
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AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 11 (+4 Dex, +1 size)
hp 6 (1d10+1)
Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +0
Immune mind-affecting effects
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Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft.
Melee antennae +6 touch (wither); or bite +6 (1d4–3)
Special Attacks wither
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Str 5, Dex 19, Con 12, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2
Base Atk +1; CMB –3; CMD 9 (can't be tripped)
Feats Weapon Finesse(B)
Skills Climb +12, Perception +4, Stealth +16; Racial Modifiers uses Dex instead of Str for Climb, +4 Perception, +8 Stealth
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Environment temperate or warm forest or underground
Organization solitary, pair, or colony (3–6)
Treasure none
SQ compression, quickness
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Quickness (Su) A wither worm can take an extra move action during its turn each round.
Wither (Su) The flesh of any living creature hit by a wither worm's antennae attack withers painfully. The creature suffers 1d4 points of temporary Strength damage, and must make a DC 13 Fortitude save or be stunned for 1 round by the resulting pain. Temporary Strength damage functions as normal Strength damage, except a character heals temporary Strength damage at a rate of 1 point per hour. The save DC of this ability is Constitution-based, and includes a +2 racial bonus.
Wither worms, which actually resemble millipedes instead of worms, are a dangerous species of magical, vermin-like creatures. Wither worms get their name from their feathered antennae, which vibrate at a mystical frequency that withers living flesh upon exposure. Wither worms are also noted for their supernatural speed, which results from a different but related vibrational anomaly.
A wither worm is roughly 3 feet long and can weigh as much as 15 pounds.
Made from the hollowed-out exoskeleton of an enormous centipede, this construct is reinforced with bands of steel and animated by steam-powered clockworks.
Tunnel Runner (CR 9) XP 6,400
N Colossal construct
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +4
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AC 21, touch 2, flat-footed 21 (+19 natural, –8 size)
hp 125 (10d8+80)
Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +3
Immune construct traits
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Speed 60 ft., tunnel run
Melee slam +18 (4d6+24)
Space 30 ft.; Reach 30 ft.
Special Attacks breath weapon, trample (6d6+24, DC 31)
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Str 43, Dex 11, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2
Base Atk +10; CMB +34; CMD 44 (can't be tripped)
Skills Perception +4; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception
SQ compression, transport
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Environment any land or underground
Organization solitary
Treasure none
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Breath Weapon (Su) Cloud of steam 20 feet high, 25 feet wide, and 50 feet long, once every 1d4 rounds, damage 12d6 fire, Reflex DC 19 half; can be used at full effectiveness underwater. The save DC is Constitution-based, and includes a +4 racial bonus.
Transport (Ex) The segments of a tunnel runner's body are hollowed-out spaces, each resembling the interior of a large cart. Gear can be carried by a tunnel runner as if it were wearing saddle bags, and creatures carried by a tunnel runner gain cover as if they were riding in chariots. Creature carried by a tunnel runner treat its body as a platform on which they can move around; they don't share the tunnel runner's space, even if they are using the tunnel runner as a mount.
Tunnel Run (Ex) Whenever a tunnel runner begins its turn with at least part of its space inside an archway or tunnel whose interior is no more than 10 feet wide, the tunnel runner's base speed increases to 120 feet until the beginning of its next turn.
Designed to serve as a means of mass transit in high-magic societies, tunnel runners are titanic, clockwork centipedes. Able to match the speed of a horse on open ground, a tunnel runner is even faster when moving through confined spaces.
A tunnel runner can also prove devastating in combat, trampling its foes and belching forth clouds of scalding steam, but its lack of intelligence limits its usefulness as a war machine; a typical tunnel runner is programmed to move along a single, fixed route. When taken even a small distance from this route, the tunnel runner becomes torpid and unresponsive, even when actively directed by an intelligent rider.
A tunnel runner can double-move through a 10-foot tunnel or along a path of 10-foot archways set no more than 240 feet apart indefinitely, giving it an effective overland speed of 240 feet (24 miles per hour) while doing so. If the tunnel or path follows a straight line, the tunnel runner can instead run indefinitely, giving it an effective overland speed of 480 feet (48 miles per hour).
However, I'm having troubles with a few mecanics here:
- How high is that thing ? As a Colossal creature, is it actually below 10 feet high ?
- Compression is missing from the explanation.
- How many segments does a typical runner has ? One per HD ?
Aside from that, pretty sweet creature there, thanks !
- How many segments does a typical runner has ? One per HD ?
A tunnel runner's carrying capacity is determined by its Strength and size; its number of body segments is pure fluff, and is generally equal to whatever number the artist currently illustrating the tunnel runner deems appropriate. :P
@MagiMaster: I'm more interested in creating monsters from scratch than doing development work on ones whose stats are already provided, so I'm going to pass on the Xiought.
@toastwolf: I'm not currently interested in taking existing hybrid monsters and expanding them by adding specific bloodlines, so I'm going to pass on variant half-giants.
@Azten: You'll be seeing a sound-related monster of mine in an upcoming product from a well-known publisher; I'll be free to provide more details once the product in question has been released.
@Mystic Snowfang and blahpers: Here's a luck dragon:
Imperial Dragon, Luck:
This slender, wingless dragon has white fur and canine facial features.
Luck Dragon
A luck dragon is a variant sky dragon. It uses the statistics of a sky dragon except as noted below.
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Age Category Never advances beyond the adult age category.
Breath Weapon 2d8 fire instead of 2d8 electricity.
Special Abilities A young or older luck dragon gains the granted powers of the Luck domain, as if it had cleric levels equal to its number of Hit Dice, instead of gaining the change shape ability.
A luck dragon is an albino variant of a standard imperial sky dragon. Though luck dragons are indeed possessed of general good fortune, their physical might and magical prowess are limited; a luck dragon stops growing in size and power upon reaching the adult age category.
@Orthos: Here's the shagnastiest skinwalker your PC's will ever meet:
Skinwalker (CR 17):
This bestial humanoid has wicked claws and a wolf-like face.
Ancestral Skinwalker (Yee Naaldlooshii) (CR 17) XP 102,400
CE Large outsider (native, shapechanger)
Init +13; Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +26
Aura frightful presence (300 feet, DC 26)
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AC 32, touch 18, flat-footed 23 (+9 Dex, +14 natural, –1 size)
hp 279 (18d10+180); regeneration 15 (fire)
Fort +21, Ref +22, Will +11
DR 15/cold iron and magic; Immune fear; SR 28
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Speed 40 ft.
Melee bite +26 (2d8+9/19–20), 2 claws +26 (2d6+9/19–20)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks bestial awakening, haunting gaze, rend (2 claws, 2d6+13 plus 1d6 Cha damage)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 18th; concentration +25)
Constant—tongues
1/day—control weather (as druid), nightmare (DC 22)
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Str 29, Dex 29, Con 31, Int 26, Wis 20, Cha 24
Base Atk +18; CMB +28; CMD 47
Feats Critical Focus, Deceitful, Flyby Attack, Improved Critical (bite, claws), Improved Initiative, Persuasive, Power Attack, Staggering Critical (DC 28)
Skills Acrobatics +27, Bluff +36, Diplomacy +9, Disguise +36, Fly +28, Intimidate +32, Knowledge (arcana, nature, religion) +26, Knowledge (planes) +29, Perception +26, Sense Motive +26, Stealth +26, Spellcraft +26, Survival +23; Racial Modifiers +4 Bluff, +4 Disguise
Languages Common, Druidic; tongues SQ change shape (any animal or humanoid, shapechange), mimicry, perfect copy
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Environment any land
Organization solitary
Treasure none
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Bestial Awakening (Su) Curse—Nightmare targeting a creature that has seen the skinwalker's eyes; save Will DC 26; onset 1 minute; frequency 1/day; effect 1d4 Wis drain (minimum Wis 1); cure 3 consecutive saves. When a victim's Wisdom reaches 1, his alignment becomes chaotic evil and, if he is a Small, Medium, or Large humanoid without the lycanthrope template, he gains the lycanthope template (with wolf as the base animal). Miracle or wish can remove a template gained in this manner and restore the victim's alignment. The save is Charisma-based.
Haunting Gaze (Su) When a skinwalker uses its nightmare spell-like ability, the victim is also exposed to bestial awakening (see above) if the victim has ever seen the skinwalker's eyes.
Mimicry (Ex) A skinwalker is proficient in all weapons, armor, and shields. In addition, a skinwalker can use any spell trigger or spell completion item as if the spells were on its spell list. Its caster level is equal to its racial Hit Dice.
Perfect Copy (Su) When a skinwalker uses change shape, it can assume the appearance of specific individuals.
Skinwalker, or yee naaldlooshii, is a term for an evil witch able to assume the form of an animal, often as a result of lycanthropy. Ancestral skinwalkers are the primordial beings that are the source of the skinwalker tradition. Among the first beings of humanoid form to populate the Material Plane, ancestral skinwalkers aquired their powers by commiting heinous crimes against nature, the gods, and their own kinfolk. They now exist as horrid, shapechanging monsters that want nothing more than to corrupt everyone and everything around them.
Skinwalking Warlock (CR +2) The magical abilities of most ancestral skinwalkers are subsumed in their spell-like and supernatural racial abilities, but some acquire access more traditional forms of witchcraft (often by consuming the flesh of powerful spellcasters). Each of these so-called skinwalking warlocks has the spellcasting ability of a 17th-level witch and counts as its own witch's familiar; a skinwalking warlock does not gain any other witch class features.
Sorry, I meant the idea, not the partial creature I started. To rephrase, I'd like to see an ooze mastermind that can control mindless oozes. :) I don't know what CR is typically appropriate for mastermind-type creatures.
I've had this idea for a monster template. I'm not sure if you want to do a template, but I had the idea anyway. I wanted to try to write it but in doing so I realized I needed to be more comfortable with creating new monster abilities before I could take this on.
Anyway here is a sketch of what I had in mind.
Tapestry Creature - a template that can be added to any creature other than a fey or outsider. Tapestry creatures are tainted by the powers that live in the blackness between the stars, the Dark Tapestry. Perhaps some Tapestry creatures are even progeny of these outer gods.
These are the main characteristics of the template that I wanted to use.
(1) All Tapestry Creatures have an aura of fear or perhaps frightful presence. This would be a supernatural effect. Save DC is Charisma based.
(2) Simply being in the prolonged presence (within 30 ft* for more than a few rounds) of a Tapestry Creature wears on the sanity of the victim exposed to it, and repeated saves are necessary to resist this (with cumulative penalties). Effect can be similar to Confusion, and the insanity will slowly wear off over the next 24 hours after exposure has ended.
* could be 60 ft or even 90 ft depending on the base HD of the creature.
(3) The Tapestry Creature exudes a magic-warping aura that creates a severely hostile environment to magic use. Any creature who casts a spell within the range of this aura takes damage to one ability score depending on the school and level of the spell.
I'd like a baby Peri familiar (maybe called Banou, meaning also "fairy" in Arabian).
I see it as an unusual familiar, assisting repented ex-evil spellcasters or even evil spellcaster that she hopes to redeem, without regard to alignment... maybe taking the form of other Tiny outsiders to work her redemption mission in disguise.
Also, sorry if it's already been asked, but did you make a monster document like you did with archetypes? I'd like to download it.
Matt, Garnished Game Designer
Orthos
