New Monster: Hemagoblin

[Phil Greeley/Rochandil Calenlad]

Looking for feedback and comments on this monster, whose name is a play on a word. Hope you enjoy. Thanks!

Hemagoblin
This hobgoblin has blood-red skin and is taller than usual for its kind.
HEMAGOBLIN CR 2
XP 600
Hemagoblin fighter 2
NE Medium humanoid (goblinoid)
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent 120 ft.; Perception +4
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+4 armor, +2 Dex, +1 dodge, +2 natural armor)
hp 24 (2d10+9)
Fort +6, Ref +2 , Will +0
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee greataxe +5 (1d12+2/x3) plus bite +4 (1d4+2)
Special Attacks spew blood
STATISTICS
Str 15, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 14
Base Atk +2; CMB +4; CMD 16
Feats Dodge, Improved Initiative, Toughness, Weapon Focus (greataxe)
Skills Climb+5, Heal +4, Intimidate +11, Perception +4, Stealth +4; Survival +9; Racial Modifiers Heal +4, Intimidate +4, Perception +4, Stealth +4, Survival +4
Languages Common, Goblin
SQ bravery +1
ECOLOGY
Environment temperate hills (as hobgoblin)
Organization as hobgoblin
Treasure NPC gear (chain shirt, greataxe, other treasure)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Boiling Blood (Su): When two or more hemagoblins get first blood in a combat, they get boiling blood. They must be within 30 feet of each other and have line of sight. Their base move increases by 10', they gain a +4 bonus on flanking attacks, and they do an extra 1d6 damage to creatures they flank. They also gain a bite attack (1d4 damage). This lasts as long as their first blood ability. They gain the flanking bonuses even if a flanking hemagoblin hasn't gotten first blood.
Burning Blood (Su): Hemagoblins of 5+ hit dice have burning blood. This can be activated as a move action that doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity. The hemagoblin gains fire resistance 10, and their bite does +2d6 fire damage. At 10+ hit dice they get fire resistance 20 and their bite does +4d6 fire damage. They can also use their first blood ability against more than one foe in a combat, as long as they hit each foe first. This lasts a number of rounds equal to the hemagoblin's hit dice + Con bonus. This duration supersedes that of first blood.
First Blood (Ex): If a hemagoblin hits his foe first in combat, he gains a +2 bonus to initiative, and +2 on attack and damage rolls against that foe. He also gains a +2 circumstance bonus to all saving throws for attacks made by that foe. These bonuses last a number of rounds equal to his hit dice + Cha bonus. Any time he is in combat with a new foe he gains these bonuses, as long as he connects first. This ability can be active against only one foe at a time.
Smells Blood (Ex): Hemagoblins have the scent ability, to a 120 ft. range.
Spew Blood (Ex): Once per day per 2 hit dice, a hemagoblin can vomit blood in a 10 ft. cone as a ranged area attack. The blood blinds and sickens targets; it blinds for 1d4 rounds and sickens for 2d4. A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + ½ hit dice + Con bonus) indicates foes are blinded for 1 round and not sickened.

Hemagoblins are a fierce, red-skinned version of hobgoblin. Taller and stronger-willed, they often assume positions of leadership in a hobgoblin tribe, which is where they are typically found. Although headstrong, they are less wise and slightly more chaotic in nature than other hobgoblins. As such, they're a little less predictable, and often rule through intimidation and bullying, moreso than is typical of hobgoblin leaders. They favor greataxes in battle, and seldom if ever use ranged weapons, preferring to close with their enemies to make best use of their blood abilities.

[Kobold Catgirl]

Nice! This is a very clever and cool idea for a monster. Two problems I see:
1. "First blood" needs to be clarified a little, just for ease of use.
2. A +2 bonus to initiative from a combat maneuver is literally useless, unless it's somehow retroactive (in which case it needs to be a higher bonus to make much of a difference).

[Phil Greeley/Rochandil Calenlad]

Thanks! How about this:

First Blood (Ex): A hemagoblin benefits if he draws blood first against a foe. If a hemagoblin hits his foe first in combat, he gains a +4 bonus to initiative, advancing him in the order; and +2 on attack and damage rolls against that foe. He also gains a +2 circumstance bonus to all saving throws for attacks made by that foe. These bonuses last a number of rounds equal to his hit dice + Cha bonus. Any time he is in combat with a new foe he gains these bonuses, as long as he connects first. This ability can be active against only one foe at a time.

[Phil Greeley/Rochandil Calenlad]

Just bumping this up in the que. Would love to have more feedback/criticism. Thanks!

[Scott_UAT]

-I feel like first blood should be listed first. (though I know it's alphabetical).

-What use is a bonus to initiative if the hemagoblin has already attacked? (meaning it has already rolled it’s initiative)

-With boiling blood, what happens when they go outside 30 feet after activating it. Do all the bonuses stop right away?

-You have some phrasing issues on burning blood. I’d say something like,
“Hemagoblins who have 5 or more hit dice can take a move action to set their blood ablaze. This grants them fire resistance 10 and if they have a bite attack (via the boiling blood ability) the damage it deals improves to 2d6 fire damage (rather than 1d4).

-“as long as he connects first.” is not a term used in the system. Something like “as long as he successfully hits a creature with a melee attack” or “as long as he successfully causes at least 1 point of damage to a creature before he is dealt any damage by them.”

-Is there no Fortitude save against being sickened (it’s normally Fort rather than Ref)? Why are they still blinded if they make a Reflex save?

Edit: Seeing as some of this was brought up- I don't think retrospective Initiative swapping is a good thing to introduce.

[Phil Greeley/Rochandil Calenlad]

Thanks for the feedback, Scott.

-I feel like first blood should be listed first. (though I know it's alphabetical).

I agree, but yes, it should be alphabetical.

-What use is a bonus to initiative if the hemagoblin has already attacked? (meaning it has already rolled it’s initiative)
Edit: Seeing as some of this was brought up- I don't think retrospective Initiative swapping is a good thing to introduce.

Not that I disagree, but I'd like to hear why you don't think changing the Initiative order is a good thing. What problems do you foresee with it? What I'm trying to get across in game terms is that the hemagoblin gets more aggressive when he draws first blood. My next attempt at a fix would be that he gets an extra attack against that foe; but would that be too much?

-With boiling blood, what happens when they go outside 30 feet after activating it. Do all the bonuses stop right away?

No, the bonuses don't stop; the 30 foot range is only necessary to initiate the boiling blood. Given the bonuses they do get, it seems likely that they'd stick close to each other, to flank any targets they come across.

-You have some phrasing issues on burning blood. I’d say something like,
“Hemagoblins who have 5 or more hit dice can take a move action to set their blood ablaze. This grants them fire resistance 10 and if they have a bite attack (via the boiling blood ability) the damage it deals improves to 2d6 fire damage (rather than 1d4).

Sounds reasonable, but I would keep the 1d4 damage from the bite, and improve it as if it were a flaming weapon. Revised:

Burning Blood (Su): Hemagoblins with 5 or more hit dice have burning blood. By taking a move action that doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity, they set their blood ablaze. The hemagoblin gains fire resistance 10, and their bite does an additional 2d6 fire damage. At 10 or more hit dice they get fire resistance 20 and their bite does an additional 4d6 fire damage. They can also use their first blood ability against more than one foe in a combat, as long as they hit each foe first. This lasts a number of rounds equal to the hemagoblin's hit dice + Con bonus. This duration supersedes that of first blood.

-“as long as he connects first.” is not a term used in the system. Something like “as long as he successfully hits a creature with a melee attack” or “as long as he successfully causes at least 1 point of damage to a creature before he is dealt any damage by them.”

Revising, getting rid of the initiative bonus and pitching the idea of a new attack:

First Blood (Ex): If a hemagoblin hits his foe first in combat, he gains a +2 dodge bonus to AC, and +2 on attack and damage rolls, against that foe. He also gains a +2 circumstance bonus to all saving throws for attacks made by that foe. These bonuses last a number of rounds equal to his hit dice + Cha bonus. Any time he is in combat with a new foe he gains these bonuses, as long as he hits and does at least one point of damage first. This ability can be active against only one foe at a time.

-Is there no Fortitude save against being sickened (it’s normally Fort rather than Ref)? Why are they still blinded if they make a Reflex save?

No Fortitude save because I didn't want too many different saves against the one attack, and I thought that Reflex would be better suited to defending against a spray of blood. He's still blinded for a round as he must recover from getting sprayed, wiping his face off, etc. The spray was enough to do that much, but not enough to make the blindness last or to sicken.