Two New Kami

Thursday, November 10, 2011

We’re coming up on the release of Bestiary 3 in the near future, and as readers of the Jade Regent Adventure Path have noticed, we’re already using monsters from that book in the adventures! This is more or less a necessity, since when you travel to the far side of the world, you expect to see brand-new creatures and monsters, after all. We’ve been filling the Jade Regent bestiaries with all sorts of monsters inspired from Asian mythology and folklore, but we need more—and that’s where Bestiary 3 comes in.

One of the new types of monsters introduced in Bestiary 3 and the Jade Regent Adventure Path are the kami—usually (but not always) benevolent native outsiders who exist to protect that which cannot really protect itself from the advance of humanity and civilization. Pathfinder #52 and Bestiary 3 present several kami, ranging from CR 2 all the way up to CR 20.

Presented below are two of the kami who have roles to play in “Forest of Spirits.” We’re simply presenting their statistics here—what roles they play in the adventure must remain a secret until you play it or run it for your group!

Kami Subtype: Kami are a race of native outsiders who serve to protect what they refer to as “wards”—animals, plants, objects, and even locations—from being harmed or dishonored. All kami are outsiders with the native subtype. A kami possesses the following traits unless otherwise noted in a creature’s entry.

  • Immune to bleed, mind-affecting effects, petrification, and polymorph effects.
  • Resist acid 10, electricity 10, fire 10
  • Although they are native outsiders, kami do not eat, drink, or breathe.
  • Telepathy.
  • Fast Healing (Ex) As long as a kami is within 120 feet of its ward, it gains fast healing. The amount of fast healing it gains depends on the type of kami.
  • Merge with Ward (Su) As a standard action, a kami can merge its body and mind with its ward. When merged, the kami can observe the surrounding region with its senses as if it were using its own body, as well as via any senses its ward might have. It has no control over its ward, nor can it communicate or otherwise take any action other than to emerge from its ward as a standard action. A kami must be adjacent to its ward to merge with or emerge from it. If its ward is a creature, plant, or object, the kami can emerge mounted on the creature provided the kami’s body is at least one size category smaller than the creature. If its ward is a location, the kami may emerge at any point within that location.
  • Ward (Su) A kami has a specific ward—a creature with an Intelligence score of 2 or lower (usually an animal or vermin), a plant (not a plant creature), an object, or a location. The type of ward is listed in parentheses in the kami’s stat block. Several of a kami’s abilities function only when it is either merged with its ward or within 120 feet of it. If a kami’s ward is portable and travels with the kami to another plane, the kami does not gain the extraplanar subtype on that other plane as long as its ward remains within 120 feet. If a ward is destroyed while a kami is merged with it, the kami dies (no save). If a ward is destroyed while a kami is not merged with it, the kami loses its merge with ward ability and its fast healing, and becomes permanently sickened.

Illustration by Eric Belisle

Shikigami CR 2

XP 600
LN Tiny outsider (kami, native)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +11

Defense

AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+1 Dex, +2 natural, +2 size)
hp 19 (3d10+3); fast healing 2
Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +8
DR 5/cold iron; Immune bleed, mind-affecting effects, petrification, polymorph; Resist acid 10, electricity 10, fire 10

Offense

Speed 30 ft.
Melee improvised weapon +4 (1d4+2/x3)
Ranged improvised weapon +6 (1d3+2/x3)
Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +8)
  At will—invisibility (self only), statue (self only)
  3/day—hide from animals, purify food and drink
  1/week—commune with nature (CL 12th)

Statistics

Str 8, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 11, Wis 17, Cha 14
Base Atk +3; CMB +2; CMD 11
Feats Alertness, Catch Off-GuardB, Iron Will, Throw AnythingB
Skills Heal +9, Knowledge (nature) +6, Perception +11, Sense Motive +11, Stealth +15, Survival +9
Languages Common
SQ improvised weapon mastery, merge with ward, ward (minor works of civilization)

Ecology

Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or gang (3–8)
Treasure standard

Special Abilities

Improvised Weapon Mastery (Ex) A shikigami gains Catch Off-Guard and Throw Anything as bonus feats, and adds its Charisma modifier instead of its Strength modifier to damage done with any improvised weapon, as attacks it makes with such weapons seem supernaturally lucky in landing damaging blows. Although a shikigami is Tiny, it never provokes attacks of opportunity when it attacks an adjacent foe with a melee weapon. If a shikigami critically hits an opponent with an improvised weapon, it deals x3 damage.



Illustration by Mariusz Gandzel

Zuishin CR 10

XP 9,600
LG Medium outsider (kami, native)
Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft., detect evil, see invisibility; Perception +20

Defense

AC 23, touch 13, flat-footed 20 (+6 armor, +3 Dex, +4 natural)
hp 123 (13d10+52); fast healing 5
Fort +8, Ref +13, Will +14
DR 10/cold iron; Immune bleed, mind-affecting effects, petrification, polymorph; Resist acid 10, electricity 10, fire 10; SR 21

Offense

Speed fly 30 ft. (perfect, 40 ft. without armor)
Melee +1 holy halberd +18/+13/+8 (1d10+7/x3)
Ranged +1 holy composite longbow +20/+15/+10 (1d8+5/x3)
Special Attacks healing arrow, holy weapons
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 13th; concentration +18)
  Constant—detect evil, see invisibility
  At will—cure light wounds, dimension door
  3/day—alarm, breath of life, dispel magic, neutralize poison, remove curse, remove disease, restoration
  1/day—dispel evil (DC 20), heal, true seeing

Statistics

Str 18, Dex 21, Con 18, Int 11, Wis 18, Cha 21
Base Atk +13; CMB +17; CMD 34 (can’t be tripped)
Feats Improved Initiative, Improved Precise Shot, Iron Will, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Weapon Focus (longbow)
Skills Fly +10, Heal +20, Intimidate +18, Knowledge (nature) +16, Perception +20, Sense Motive +20, Stealth +18
Languages Common; telepathy 100 ft.
SQ merge with ward, ward (gate, doorway, or shrine)

Ecology

Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or warband (3–8)
Treasure double (+1 composite longbow [+4 Str], +1 halberd, masterwork breastplate, other treasure)

Special Abilities

Healing Arrow (Su) As a swift action, a zuishin can infuse an arrow it fires to carry any of the following effects: breath of life, cure light wounds, heal, neutralize poison, remove curse, remove disease, or restoration. Using one of these effects consumes a use of the same spell-like ability. The zuishin must make a touch attack to deliver the effect to the target—the target takes no damage from the arrow.
Holy Weapons (Su) Any weapon wielded by a zuishin is treated as if it had the holy special ability. A zuishin creates arrows out of nothing as part of its attacks with any bow it wields.

James Jacobs
Creative Director

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Tags: Eric Belisle Mariusz Gandzel Monsters Pathfinder Adventure Path Pathfinder Roleplaying Game
Sczarni RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

Really like the Shikigami. The kami ward abilities are very nice as well. Reminds me of dryads for some reason.

Dark Archive

Thomas LeBlanc wrote:
Really like the Shikigami.

In like the Shikigami too but I really like the Zuishin, especially the healing arrow effects, I really want to see what roles each of these kami play in the world.


Great!

The Exchange

Hey James - Have you guys come up with a proper way for us to cite these sorts of blog entries from a Section 15 perspective? So far we've been really informal about them but at some point I'd like to get some sort of reference format nailed down... ie, something like:

"Section 15: Copyright Information - Paizo Blog
Paizo blog (http://paizo.com/paizo/blog/v5748dyo5lcts) Copyright 2011: Paizo Publishing LLC."

(i.e. you know what I mean - that's just an example)

Sczarni

d20pfsrd.com wrote:

Hey James - Have you guys come up with a proper way for us to cite these sorts of blog entries from a Section 15 perspective? So far we've been really informal about them but at some point I'd like to get some sort of reference format nailed down... ie, something like:

"Section 15: Copyright Information - Paizo Blog
Paizo blog (http://paizo.com/paizo/blog/v5748dyo5lcts) Copyright 2011: Paizo Publishing LLC."

(i.e. you know what I mean - that's just an example)

I know that it's a different license, but the references in This article are all to the current webfiction (warning slight spoilers for said webfiction)


d20pfsrd.com wrote:

Hey James - Have you guys come up with a proper way for us to cite these sorts of blog entries from a Section 15 perspective? So far we've been really informal about them but at some point I'd like to get some sort of reference format nailed down... ie, something like:

"Section 15: Copyright Information - Paizo Blog
Paizo blog (http://paizo.com/paizo/blog/v5748dyo5lcts) Copyright 2011: Paizo Publishing LLC."

(i.e. you know what I mean - that's just an example)

This?

Of course, for these two the Bestiary 3 can be credited once it comes out.

The Exchange

Iziak wrote:

This?

Of course, for these two the Bestiary 3 can be credited once it comes out.

That is precisely what I was looking for. Thanks! That had not existed previously (the last time I added some special hazards from the blog to the site that is) and I believe the final statement was simply that we were fine referencing how we had been. Good to see this is in place now so I don't have to ask again. Thanks!

Paizo Employee Creative Director

d20pfsrd.com wrote:
Iziak wrote:

This?

Of course, for these two the Bestiary 3 can be credited once it comes out.

That is precisely what I was looking for. Thanks! That had not existed previously (the last time I added some special hazards from the blog to the site that is) and I believe the final statement was simply that we were fine referencing how we had been. Good to see this is in place now so I don't have to ask again. Thanks!

Although it's best if you wait until the Bestiary 3 is out so you can just cite it like normal. At the very least, I'd change the citation to cite that book once it's out.

The Exchange

James Jacobs wrote:
Although it's best if you wait until the Bestiary 3 is out so you can just cite it like normal. At the very least, I'd change the citation to cite that book once it's out.

Since we've seen wording change between blog posts and final versions that appear in books its very likely we'd just replace these pages with the new pages from B3 when they're out, and will be cited as normal for B3. However, if you'd simply prefer we not post these, that's fine too!


wonders if there will be any shinigamis....

or maybe a soul reaper prc....

I watch to much bleach....

Paizo Employee Creative Director

d20pfsrd.com wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Although it's best if you wait until the Bestiary 3 is out so you can just cite it like normal. At the very least, I'd change the citation to cite that book once it's out.
Since we've seen wording change between blog posts and final versions that appear in books its very likely we'd just replace these pages with the new pages from B3 when they're out, and will be cited as normal for B3. However, if you'd simply prefer we not post these, that's fine too!

Post away! Sounds like you've got it all under control! :-)


I really like the Kami and some interesting abilities as well.

Is the Shikigami suposed to have telepathy because it isn't listed in the lanuage section of it's stat block?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Dragon78 wrote:

I really like the Kami and some interesting abilities as well.

Is the Shikigami suposed to have telepathy because it isn't listed in the lanuage section of it's stat block?

The Shikigami does not have telepathy. Like an imp, it's a CR 2 outsider intended (among other things) to serve as a familiar, and thus it lacks a few of the typical abilities possessed by most of its kind.

Contributor

Steelfiredragon wrote:
wonders if there will be any shinigamis...

Would make sense with the theme you're seeing here, wouldn't it.

So maaaaybe.


I noticed that the Zuishin Kami has no land speed, so is it suposed to?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Dragon78 wrote:
I noticed that the Zuishin Kami has no land speed, so is it suposed to?

Nope. It flies all the time. Since it has no legs, and all.


How do kami get attached to a ward? Can they change wards at will?


Quote:
Although a shikigami is Tiny, it never provokes attacks of opportunity when it attacks an adjacent foe with a melee weapon.

I assume that this passage MEANT to say that it never provokes AoO`s when it enters the square of an enemy?

AFAIK, attacking an enemy in your same square (it has Reach 0) with a weapon doesn`t itself provoke,
it`s GETTING THERE to the point where you threaten them that is the part that provokes an AoO...???

...I don`t know why, there`s really no context to judge one way or another, but the picture for Skikigami doesn`t seem like Tiny sized to me...???

Is it me, or is the vast majority of content we`re seeing from Tian Xia Japanese themed/named?


Any chance we might see something like Kodama? They seem like they could be related to the Kami ...

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Treppa wrote:
How do kami get attached to a ward? Can they change wards at will?

Kami get attached to a ward when they're "born," just like a soul gets attached to a body when it's born. They can't normally change wards.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Sketchpad wrote:
Any chance we might see something like Kodama? They seem like they could be related to the Kami ...

I'd like to say that chance is high.

As in 100%.

As in, "Princess Mononoke" was one of the primary inspirations for Jade Regent's "Forest of Spirits."


Steelfiredragon wrote:

wonders if there will be any shinigamis....

or maybe a soul reaper prc....

I watch to much bleach....

Shinigamis are really Japanese interpretations of the Western "Grim Reaper" figure -- they're not mythologically native.


Quandary wrote:


Is it me, or is the vast majority of content we`re seeing from Tian Xia Japanese themed/named?

Well, the Tian Xia stuff we've mostly seen so far is for the Jade Regent AP, and it IS about the Japanese themed country in Golarion. It makes sense that most of the current teasers are from there.

I'm sure we'll probably get the other ethnicities more represented as we get closer to actually getting the Dragon Empires Gazetteer and Player's Companions (i.e. Decemberish)


Am I the only one who is expecting a "divine personification of the sun goddess in the form of a white wolf" player race and powers related to painting with the "celestial brush"?

Quandary wrote:


Is it me, or is the vast majority of content we`re seeing from Tian Xia Japanese themed/named?

The stuff from Minkai is, because that is basically Golarion's Japan.

Other parts of Tian Xia are more tied to other parts of Asia. If you read Master of Devils, you'll get a decidedly non-Japanese vibe.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Quandary wrote:
Quote:
Although a shikigami is Tiny, it never provokes attacks of opportunity when it attacks an adjacent foe with a melee weapon.

I assume that this passage MEANT to say that it never provokes AoO`s when it enters the square of an enemy?

AFAIK, attacking an enemy in your same square (it has Reach 0) with a weapon doesn`t itself provoke,
it`s GETTING THERE to the point where you threaten them that is the part that provokes an AoO...???

...I don`t know why, there`s really no context to judge one way or another, but the picture for Skikigami doesn`t seem like Tiny sized to me...???

Is it me, or is the vast majority of content we`re seeing from Tian Xia Japanese themed/named?

It means that when a the monster attacks an adjacent foe with a weapon, it doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity. Tiny creatures normally do. This one does not.

The picture itself is a bit strange—there's really not a lot of context to it, so it could be an illustration of something that's an inch tall or a mile tall. But rest assured, it's Tiny.

A lot of what we've shown about Tian Xia so far has had stuff to do with the Jade Regent Adventure Path, which IS Japan-themed. So yeah, there's a skew there. But the Dragon Empires themselves include areas inspired by ALL of Eastern Asia, from Japan to Nepal, from China to Indonesia, from Korea to Vietnam, from Cambodia to Tibet.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Evil Midnight Lurker wrote:
Steelfiredragon wrote:

wonders if there will be any shinigamis....

or maybe a soul reaper prc....

I watch to much bleach....

Shinigamis are really Japanese interpretations of the Western "Grim Reaper" figure -- they're not mythologically native.

Which would really suggest that they're not kami in the first place. There are more Japanese-inspired monsters in Bestiary 3 than the kami.


James Jacobs wrote:
Quandary wrote:
Quote:
Although a shikigami is Tiny, it never provokes attacks of opportunity when it attacks an adjacent foe with a melee weapon.
I assume that this passage MEANT to say that it never provokes AoO`s when it enters the square of an enemy?
It means that when a the monster attacks an adjacent foe with a weapon, it doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity. Tiny creatures normally do. This one does not.

I`m honestly not aware of that rule...

The rules say this:
Creatures that take up less than 1 square of space typically have a natural reach of 0 feet, meaning they can't reach into adjacent squares.
They must enter an opponent's square to attack in melee. This provokes an attack of opportunity from the opponent.

If there is some other rule about Tiny creature`s attacks provoking AoO`s, that would mean they provoke TWICE first for moving into Reach (0), then for attacking...? That kind of sucks...

----------------------------------------------

Yeah, it makes sense there is a Japan focus since even if the AP isn`t all set in the Japan-analogue, the main enemy is centered there and all...

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Quandary wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Quandary wrote:
Quote:
Although a shikigami is Tiny, it never provokes attacks of opportunity when it attacks an adjacent foe with a melee weapon.
I assume that this passage MEANT to say that it never provokes AoO`s when it enters the square of an enemy?
It means that when a the monster attacks an adjacent foe with a weapon, it doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity. Tiny creatures normally do. This one does not.

I`m honestly not aware of that rule...

The rules say this:
Creatures that take up less than 1 square of space typically have a natural reach of 0 feet, meaning they can't reach into adjacent squares.
They must enter an opponent's square to attack in melee. This provokes an attack of opportunity from the opponent.

If there is some other rule about Tiny creature`s attacks provoking AoO`s, that would mean they provoke TWICE first for moving into Reach (0), then for attacking...? That kind of sucks...

----------------------------------------------

Yeah, it makes sense there is a Japan focus since even if the AP isn`t all set in the Japan-analogue, the main enemy is centered there and all...

Correct—as a Tiny creature that takes up less than a square and has a reach of 0 feet, attacking a foe provokes an Attack of Opportunity since you have to enter that foe's square, basically, to attack them. That provokes an attack of opportunity... but not for this kami.


I've gotta say having a quiver of arrows in the art for a monster that creates the arrows it uses from thin air is a little bit awkward.


Nice creatures, I expecially like the Zuishin.

Said that of course japanese culture is more popular in the west than any other, and said that japanese and chinese share many similarities, will we be seeing also more China/India-inspired stuff? Their cultures are so ancient and owerflowing with mythologies and legends that it would be a sin to not creatively "plunder" them with full hands.


Steelfiredragon wrote:

wonders if there will be any shinigamis....

or maybe a soul reaper prc....

I watch to much bleach....

Bladebound Magus + Inquisitor (Repose domain) = Bleach shinigami^^

Now I want a Kami-bound character archetype!


What happens if a rude druid casts Awaken on a kami's ward who happens to be an animal?

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