Something Wicked This Way Comes

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

I have stared into the Abyss, and found it blinking back at me (it was a qlippoth). It is time to share the results of our design challenge contest, in which I tasked you, our fans, to take our iconics to the darker side of the alignment chart!

First of all, I would like to thank everybody for participating. There was a lot of really excellent entries, encompassing 29 different iconics, and all of them different enough from each other that I had a hard time choosing our finalists! Kyra the Cleric was the top favorite, with six different variations, followed by Jirelle the Swashbuckler, and all of the entries avoided the moustache-twirling evil that we try and avoid in our own antagonists. Well done, everyone! Let's get our runners-up out of the way, who will each earn $10 in store credit for their entries!

• Shardra, urban informant for hire, by MechaPoet
• Kyra Clone #666, by Duncan7291
• Vengeful Valeros, by WalterGM
• Ex-Gray Gardener Quinn, eyes of the House of Thrune, by NoMagicForYou
• Jirelle, first mate and monster, by TimD

But, as one of my cult favorite shows (and movie) says, there can be only one, and the winner is meloriel with a version of Lini the Druid. With a pretty universal reaction of " D: " among the staff that read the entry, this Lini embraces the darker, crueler aspects of nature.

Lini the Cruel—CR 3

After being viciously mauled by a snow leopard and left for dead by her Enclave, Lini managed to escape the beast with her life—barely. Horribly scarred and angry at both her kin and the beast, Lini treated her wounds as well as she could and bided her time, stalking the snow leopard over the course of days and learning its habits while using stealth and her magic to hide from its senses. Eventually Lini struck, sneaking into the snow leopard’s lair while it was out, killing all of its cubs and then beating the beast into submission (with heavy use of poisons). She turned the cubs pelts into a cloak, their teeth and claws into jewelry and spent the next two years breaking the snow leopard, viciously training it into her loyal defender. Now, she and Droogami stalk the lands as bandits and mercenaries, inflicting violence for coin and the sheer joy of it.

Stat Block:

XP 1,200

Female gnome druid (nature fang^ACG) 4

NE Small humanoid (gnome)

Init +3; Senses low-light vision; Perception +8

Defense

AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +2 Dex, +1 size)

hp 33 (4d8+12)

Fort +7 (+5 circumstance bonus vs. cold weather), Ref +3, Will +6; +2 vs. illusions

Defensive Abilities defensive training; Resist cold 4

Offense

Speed 20 ft.

Melee +1 sickle +7 (1d4+1) or dagger +6 (1d3/19-20)

Ranged dart +6 (1d3)

Special Attacks hatred, sneak attack +1d6, studied target +1 (1st, move action)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th; concentration +5)
1/day—dancing lights, ghost sound (DC 12), prestidigitation, speak with animals

Druid Spells Prepared (CL 4th; concentration +6)
2nd—barkskin, bull's strength, stone discus^ACG
1st—call animal^APG, charm animal (DC 13), cure light wounds, produce flame
0 (at will)—detect magic, detect poison, light, stabilize

Tactics

Before Combat Lini applies poison to her weapons daily or before engaging enemies (using blue whinnis only when she intends to take someone alive). If she knows she will be fighting in a building or facing multiple enemies she casts call animal and handles or charms the animal as necessary at least an hour before approaching. Once prepared, Lini stalks her prey from afar studying them (with studied target) and her surroundings before approaching. She uses stealth and the terrain to her advantage, hiding behind or atop of buildings, trees and other obstacles. Before fighting she casts barkskin and bull’s strength on herself.

During Combat If Lini has called an animal to her side she directs the animal first, typically pushing it to enter the building and attack everyone inside or to attack a large group of enemies. She does not expect the animal to survive such tactics and does not make any effort to save or assist it. After the animal is unleashed or, if there is no called animal, Lini and Droogami stalk as near to their targets as they can without being spotted, from opposite directions. Lini studies her target and attacks from hiding with one of her poisoned weapons or stone discus while Droogami fights in melee combat. Once enemies are aware of her presence Lini prefers to fight in close ranged combat with her darts or produce flame using Acrobatics to remain mobile. If the terrain provides potential cover she utilizes skirmishing tactics, breaking line of sight with her enemies, stealthing to a different location and attacking again from hiding to gain her sneak attack damage. Once personally engaged in melee combat Lini fights with her sickle, flanking with Droogami at all times. If wounded, Lini temporarily retreats from combat leaving Droogami to continue the fight, heals herself with her wand of cure light wounds and then returns to combat (preferably unnoticed). Lini takes the time to cure Droogami if he is below half of his hit points, but only if doing so won’t cause her any harm. She will not put herself in danger for Droogami.

Morale Lini values her life above all others and will happily sacrifice anyone, including Droogami, to protect herself. Unless Lini orders otherwise, Droogami fights to the death to protect her. If Lini is reduced to half of her hit points she retreats to heal herself while Droogami continues fighting. Once she is healed, if Droogami still lives, Lini reenters combat, otherwise she flees using acrobatics and stealth to her advantage and hiding if necessary.

Statistics

Str 10, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 13

Base Atk +3; CMB +2; CMD 14

Feats Skill Focus (Handle Animal), Weapon Finesse

Traits ambush training, local tough

Skills Acrobatics +4 (+0 to jump), Craft (alchemy) +7, Handle Animal +11, Heal +2 (+5 to treat poison), Intimidate +9, Knowledge (nature) +6, Perception +8, Ride +7, Spellcraft +5, Stealth +8, Survival +6; Racial Modifiers +2 Craft (alchemy), +2 Perception

Languages Common, Druidic, Gnome, Goblin, Sylvan

SQ gnome magic, nature bond (leopard named droogami), slayer talent (poison use^ACG), trackless step

Combat Gear wand of cure light wounds (25 charges), acid (4), alchemist's fire (2), black adder venom, blue whinnis, giant wasp poison, medium spider venom (2); Other Gear +1 wooden armor^APG, +1 sickle, dagger, dart (6), muleback cords^APG, antidote kit^UE, bedroll, belt pouch, belt pouch, cold weather outfit with cloak made from snow leopard cub fur, explorer's outfit, flint and steel, masterwork backpack^APG, mess kit^UE, snow leopard teeth and claw necklace, silent whistle^APG, silk rope (50 ft.), spell component pouch, training harness^ARG, training whip, waterskin, whet bone, wild dog (currently being trained as an attack dog; tricks: heel, stay), 5 pp, 64 gp, 16 sp, 10 cp

Droogami, snow leopard

N Medium animal

Init +5; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +5

Defense

AC 18, touch 15, flat-footed 13 (+5 Dex, +3 natural)

hp 26 (4d8+8)

Fort +6, Ref +9, Will +2

Defensive Abilities evasion

Offense

Speed 50 ft.; sprint

Melee bite +8 (1d6+3), 2 claws +8 (1d3+3)

Statistics

Str 17, Dex 21, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6

Base Atk +3; CMB +6; CMD 21 (25 vs. trip)

Feats Skill Focus (Stealth), Weapon Finesse

Tricks Attack, Come, Defend, Down, Flank, Heel, Stay, Track

Skills Acrobatics +9 (+17 to jump), Climb +7, Perception +5, Stealth +12 (+16 in Undergrowth); Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth in Undergrowth

SQ attack, come, defend, down, flank, heel, stay, track

Once again, thank you to everybody who participated, and congratulations to meloriel for their winning entry—not only did they win $25 in store credit, they also win a custom Paizo.com avatar!

In search of a restoration spell,

Liz Courts
Community Manager