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We're still a few weeks away from the public release of Beta, and then it's another year more until the final Pathfinder RPG is released. I've only run a half dozen sessions so far. So you might think I'm being rash, but I'm just going to come out and say it: Pathfinder is better than Dungeons & Dragons. I actually knew it the day I read Alpha version 1. Possibly even before I read it, i at least intuited that it was the better than D&D.
Let me be clear about this: I don't mean "Pathfinder is better than Dungeons & Dragons Fourth Edition." I mean Pathfinder is better than Dungeons & Dragons in any iteration in any edition.
Why? Because of Fighter Weapon Training.
No, no, I'm totally joking. That's not why. The real reason it's better than any other edition of D&D -- and don't fool yourself, Pathfinder is a new edition of D&D, more so than 4E is, it's just an edition without legal permission to call itself what it is -- is this: Paizo doesn't own Pathfinder. They own the name, sure, but not the game itself. They don't own the mechanics. The crunch that drives Pathfinder material can be used by anyone who wants it.
The OGL made 3.5 fundamentally superior to previous editions, because it allowed other people to print adventures and supplements for D&D, which creates powerful creative competition. But WOTC's commitment to the OGL was, ultimately, weak. After releasing the psionic rules and unearthed arcana, WOTC stopped supporting the OGL. They began releasing the seemingly endless stream of splat books -- Complete This and Complete That, and they refused to share.
Two games began to emerge: There was WOTC Dungeons & Dragons, which used the WOTC core books + splats. Then there was OGL Dungeons & Dragons, which was WOTC + various OGL products. WOTC D&D experienced rapid power creep as the books stacked up, and OGL D&D did not, primarily because few particular OGL books became so common as to gain wide acceptance. So OGL material -- adventures and the like -- tended to hew close to core.
Watching characters from the Tome of Battle blast their way through a well-written and properly balanced -- by the core rules -- published adventures (such as the excellent Dungeon Crawl Classics) pointed to the problem of WOTC not supporting the OGL by allowing third party publishers to use Warlocks, Knights, Warmages, Beguilers and the like, or to use a wide range of monsters, or most importantly, to use the many new feats and spells that made post-core WOTC characters rather ungodly powerful compared to the rather pathetic core. It was impossible to keep balance between the two. Couple this with WOTC's general tendency to "fire and forget" and fail to support classes after publishing them, and one ended up with splatbooks composed of equal parts almost cool but unsupported elements and cool but unbalancing elements.
It was also a pain in the butt for anyone who wanted to write and publish the adventures they ran in their campaigns for others to run. I ran my players on a little Goonies-inspired "secret island pirate treasure hunt" adventure that they still talk about to this day. Unfortunately, the elements that made it so memorable weren't OGL.
So we get back to Pathfinder. I like the fluff Paizo produces, and I pick up the Pathfinder APs to read them, but they aren't the sort of thing I run. Too many NPCs that aren't meant to be killed for my tastes. I prefer stuff written in the old skool style, because I'm old skool, and so I've tended to run DCCs for the last few years. Since Goodman Games has decided to do DCCs as 4E, I think there is space for a new company to step in and start offering the same essential product as the DCCs.
And here's the really cool thing: In 2009, when Paizo starts releasing splatbooks of their own that introduce new classes -- and they will, trust me on this, its just part of business: they new to keep selling new things to old customers, and they'll follow a similar pattern to WOTC. This time it will be different though, because everything they release to build up Pathfinder -- everything crunchy at least -- will be OGL, and whoever it is that sells me my old skool adventures will be able to incorporate those new elements in the Pathfinder core.
It's the final realization of what Ryan Dancey started. It's community owned gaming. If Paizo releases a splat with a new "Curseblade" class and then decides they don't want to support it because it falls under their profit threshold, a third party publisher willing to publish in B&W and with lower quality art may find it meets their profit threshold. If someone wants to do an adventure with Sinspawn but set in some world other than Golarion, and used with a different origin, they can go ahead and do that.
That's what makes Pathfinder better than Dungeons & Dragons. It's D&D, with almost all of the tropes one expects from D&D, but it's finally, ultimately, ours and not theirs. And that is wicked cool.
Though seriously, I am really going to miss displacer beasts. And mind flayers. And beholders. Stupid %*&@$! WOTC not sharing all of TSR's toys.
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To be fair, WotC owns the rights to all those things. They don't have to share their toys with anyone they don't want to. That's the nature of intellectual property, and we need to respect their wishes.
On the other hand, they also will have to respect my wishes to not spend any money on their company's products. Ever again.
Paizo is a company and they're here to make money. I think it's improper to romanticize that, though there's nothing wrong with wanting to make money (I want to make money from my writing too). On the other hand, I think that the people that run Paizo are genuinely nicer, more in tune with their customers, and more open to the spirit of the OGL than WotC ever has been. And that is what has earned Paizo my loyalty as a customer. They've really made Pathfinder feel like it's our game, while the vibe of 4E has always been very much that it's the designers' game, and we should feel grateful that we're getting to play it.
And far be it for me to let anyone say anything nice about Ryan Dancey without a retort... but I think I'll let it slide this one time. XD (j/k, natch)
Jeremy Puckett
It's the final realization of what Ryan Dancey started. It's community owned gaming. If Paizo releases a splat with a new "Curseblade" class and then decides they don't want to support it because it falls under their profit threshold, a third party publisher willing to publish in B&W and with lower quality art may find it meets their profit threshold. If someone wants to do an adventure with Sinspawn but set in some world other than Golarion, and used with a different origin, they can go ahead and do that.
That's what makes Pathfinder better than Dungeons & Dragons. It's D&D, with almost all of the tropes one expects from D&D, but it's finally, ultimately, ours and not theirs. And that is wicked cool.
Though seriously, I am really going to miss displacer beasts. And mind flayers. And beholders. Stupid %*&@$! WOTC not sharing all of TSR's toys.
Honestly I don't think you'll miss those things in the long run. Because 1. you can still use them as they are from the Monster Manuals, and 2. I was thinking just earlier today, that if you think about it "Beholder" is really kind of a silly name for a creature like the Beholder. That cannot possibly be their racial name the same thing with the Displacer Beast. It is quite possible to model a creature (not copy mind you but model closely the way Reaper does with some of its minis) after these iconics and give them much cooler names. I mean how would a Beholder react to being called a Beholder? I would think their would be some other racial name that Beholder's go by among themselves. The names Beholder, Mind Flayer, and Displacer Beast are all names that people have given these creatures in the standard D&D worlds, wouldn't it be possible that their is another interpretation of these creatures, perhaps even a creature slightly different but still the same in spirit that exists in the standard Pathfinder world(s). Who knows it may even be something better.
Charles
It doesn't matter that Paizo is in business to make money, the fact is that Pathfinder is OGL means that it is ours. The mechanics are ours..the name is irrelevant. WoTC showed me how irrelevant a name is when they slapped the Dungeons and Dragons name on the mechanics they now call 4e. I'm a fantasy roleplaying gamer...not a D&D player/DM.
I'll play what suits my gaming style and cannot imagine changing that for the new flavor of the month. Some of the comments I read on messageboards call 4e an upgrade. 4e is not an upgrade it is a lateral move in game design and an improvement only if it serves the kind of game you want to run.
Even without Pathfinder, there is enough 3.5/OGL material available for a gamer to run campaigns for the rest of his/her life. However, I am very happy that Paizo is leading the vanguaard in keeping 3.5e a living system. Paizo and other companies doing the same deserve our gratitude....even if they want to make money. ;)
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Honestly I don't think you'll miss those things in the long run. Because 1. you can still use them as they are from the Monster Manuals,
Not if you're a third party publisher. They aren't in the SRD.
2. I was thinking just earlier today, that if you think about it "Beholder" is really kind of a silly name for a creature like the Beholder. That cannot possibly be their racial name the same thing with the Displacer Beast.
Yeah, probably not, but you want to go ask them what they want to be called? I can pretty much promise the answer will be some variant on "Master."
It is quite possible to model a creature (not copy mind you but model closely the way Reaper does with some of its minis) after these iconics and give them much cooler names. I mean how would a Beholder react to being called a Beholder? I would think their would be some other racial name that Beholder's go by among themselves. The names Beholder, Mind Flayer, and Displacer Beast are all names that people have given these creatures in the standard D&D worlds, wouldn't it be possible that their is another interpretation of these creatures, perhaps even a creature slightly different but still the same in spirit that exists in the standard Pathfinder world(s). Who knows it may even be something better.
Yeah, but...man, displacer beats have been my favorite monster in D&D since like 1988, when I first got the 1E Monster Manual. It's not a matter of better, its a matter of fond memories.
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I think the OP's argument is sound, but because of it, 3rd edition ought to be the best iteration of D&D, not Pathfinder, since the OGL was created specifically for this set of rules.
That said, there are many criteria that would enter in my decision if I was to decide which iteration of D&D I deem the best, and that's only one of them.
All good points, agree with you 100%, and being someone who only played 3rd and has none of the history that others hold with D'n'D I no longer even think about the games in terms of true d'n'd, just in terms I play OGL Pahthfinder.
The only issue if you can call it that Powercreep for Pathfinder Core seems to be, as one of its goals to be usable with WOTC splat books. This isn't a problem persay, but it leaves a lot of 3PP in the dust. My gut tells me we will not being sing a lot of somewhat rare or minior races and classes updated to Pathfinder.
Example R&R Exalibur had a Knight class and Hobgoblem race that were far better then anything I'd seen. Now the race is easy, in terms of game, just add a +2 here or there, but the Knight was very much like a fighter except he also got Knightly Feats and the ablity to ignore damage reduction (progessivly at certain levels) I thought he was still a little underpowed so I game him the Samuri accestrial weapon ablity form Rokugon/OA, but for the Long Sword of course. It worked out great. The class didn't become popular for the reason you gave so well above, but I have the book and am happy. But the way the Wizards is attacking PDF's with d20 logo the book may go away forever by the end of the year and I don't see S&S reissuing the book as 3.P
As to missing the iconic beast I really don't see why someone couldn't remake them for Pathfinder, I think there was a PDF called Icons of fantasy that effectively did this, and they are OGL. Moreover such icons as the Mindflyer is simply Cathulu scaled down. So I see this more of a just give it time problem.
2. I was thinking just earlier today, that if you think about it "Beholder" is really kind of a silly name for a creature like the Beholder. That cannot possibly be their racial name the same thing with the Displacer Beast.Yeah, probably not, but you want to go ask them what they want to be called? I can pretty much promise the answer will be some variant on "Master."
Thank you so very much for that, I haven't laughed that hard in a while. Now excuse me while I get some paper towels and clean the coffee I was drinking off my monitor.
The mind flayer is pretty much a Cthulhu knockoff. Since Cthulhu is now public domain, you could create a race of creatures identical to mind flayers, give them wings or change some other physical trait, call them Cthulhuborn, and again, you're legally in the clear.
Sweet.
Here it is... (drumroll)... Elderborn. Hah? Haaaaaaaaaaah?
Star Wars Saga Edition is the best version of D&D, even if it is not D&D :D
I like it so much that I am creating my own Starcraft RPG based on SWSE book (of course not for commercial use - but it will be free for download for anyone who will want it).
Here it is... (drumroll)... Elderborn. Hah? Haaaaaaaaaaah?Mikey likes it.
Mikey likes it a lot.
I concur completely. So completely, I think I'll just go ahead and whip a design out for Elderborn.
Elderborn
Size/Type: Medium Aberration (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 9d8+36 (76 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), swim 40 ft.
Armor Class: 18 (+2 Dex, +6 Natural), touch 12, flat-footed 16
Base Attack Bonus: +7
Combat Maneuver Bonus: +9
Attack: Tentacle +9 (1d6+3 and improved grab)
Full Attack: 4 Tentacles +9/+9/+9/+9 (1d6+3 and improved grab)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Glimpse of Madness, Improved Grab, Deadly Grip, Psionics
Special Qualities: Amphibious, Aquatic subtype, Atypical treasure, darkvision 60 ft., Telepathy (60 ft.)
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +11
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 15, Con 18, Int 26, Wis 21, Cha 19
Skills: Bluff +19, Diplomacy +16, Knowledge (Arcana) +20, Perception +20, Sense Motive +17, Spellcraft +20, Stealth +14, Swim +14, Use Magic Device +16
Feats: Ability Focus (Glimpse of Madness), Skill Focus (Bluff), Skill Focus (Perception), Improved Initiative
Environment: Cold Aquatic and Underground
Organization: Solitary, Pair, or Brood (2-4)
Challenge Rating: 10
Treasure: Double Standard
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Advancement: 10-16 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: -
A dark figure in heavy robes eyes you menacingly. It's cold grey skin glimmers with sea water, stretched too tight over emaciated flesh. It's eyes are deep inky pits rimmed in bone, flat squid-like eyes designed for the deeper places than this, and beneath them writhe four grasping tentacles with maddening intensity.
Elderborn are cold and implacable foes that haunt the deep places of the world. They worship a dark god of madness, Cthulhu, and prepare patiently for his return.
In combat Elderborn will rarely face their foes directly until they are assured of victory. Instead, they will use their spell-like abilities and Glimpse into Madness special abilities to disable and weaken their foes, only taking the field when they must.
Elderborn are brilliant tacticians and endlessly patient, and may work for months or years towards seemingly minor goals. Though they are frighteningly effective liars, twisting the truth to fit their needs at will, they are utterly unconcerned with the fates of other mortal beings and will not typically deign to bother attempting subterfuge against them.
Combat
Elderborn attack by attempting to grab their foes using their tentacles, though they prefer to fight at a distance using special abilities.
Glimpse of Madness (Sp): Elderborn can use their innate telepathy to force images of their dark beliefs and alien thoughts into the minds of other mortals. The Elderborn may use this ability against any creature within it's telepathic range, those affected must make a Will Save (DC 22, 10 + 1/2 the Elderborn's HD + the Eldeborn's Int modifier) or be stunned for 2d6 rounds.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an Elderborn must hit with a tentacle attack.
Deadly Grip (Ex): An Elderborn that begins it's action grappling a foe with it's tentacles may attempt to kill it's foe as full round action. If it succeeds on a grapple check, it may deal full damage with each of it's tentacles (4d6+12), should the target survive the damage, they must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + the total damage dealt) or die, as the Elderborn begins extracting vital organs (typically, the brain).
Psionics (Sp): At will as spells cast by a 9th level sorcerer- Astral Projection, Charm Monster, Levitate, Plane Shift, Suggestion.
Amphibious (Ex): Although Elderborn are aquatic, they can survive indefinitely on land.
Atypical Treasure: Elderborn are unlikely to be entirely unprepared for the possibility of combat, and will equip themselves appropriately. In addition to their Double Standard treasure, it is suggested that they be given treasure as an NPC, with a level equal to their CR.
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I concur completely. So completely, I think I'll just go ahead and whip a design out for Elderborn.
... *CUT* ...
Beautiful. I can see this as a Pathfinder-style critter.
Now we need a tougher Elderspawn, a lesser Elderthrall, a disturbing Elderbrood, and a cunning Elderfiend.
And maybe a Elder-blooded template, just to stick to the Cthulhu-esque theme.
I concur completely. So completely, I think I'll just go ahead and whip a design out for Elderborn.
... *CUT* ...
Beautiful. I can see this as a Pathfinder-style critter.
Now we need a tougher Elderspawn, a lesser Elderthrall, a disturbing Elderbrood, and a cunning Elderfiend.
And maybe a Elder-blooded template, just to stick to the Cthulhu-esque theme.
I love that you guys whipped up a Mind Flay ....errr Elderborn on the spot. Might I suggest a scenario with a group of Elder-blooded villagers in a secluded sea hamlet who welcome strangers in, only to sacrifice them in their dread subterranian temple? Perhaps with some guardian beasts infused with elderborn blood, such as the Shadow Panther, a big black cat sporting two tentacles and the ability to fade out of reality and reappear elsewhere? Hmm?
Shouldn't a critter connected to Cthulhu have some sort of dream ability? Also, the star spawn of Cthulhu are called Cthulhi, perhaps a good name as well?
Furthermore I think that James Jacobs said in another thread that Cthulhu didn't exist in Golarion, since it's so firmly connected to Earth. I would however love a Golarion-based Cthulhu, perhaps under the center of the Eye of Abendego...
On the other hand, I think that the people that run Paizo are genuinely nicer, more in tune with their customers, and more open to the spirit of the OGL than WotC ever has been. And that is what has earned Paizo my loyalty as a customer. They've really made Pathfinder feel like it's our game, while the vibe of 4E has always been very much that it's the designers' game, and we should feel grateful that we're getting to play it.
Well spoken sir.
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I concur completely. So completely, I think I'll just go ahead and whip a design out for Elderborn.
*yoink* Great job!
Just for the record, this is so funny. The nice fellow who runs rpgattitude.com and makes the NPC Designer once let me make the code for that, and I reworked the stats into a "Brain Flogger" that served me quite well for a while. I never asked him why it was mysteriously taken off a month or so later... :-)
-DM Jeff
I concur completely. So completely, I think I'll just go ahead and whip a design out for Elderborn.
... *CUT* ...
Beautiful. I can see this as a Pathfinder-style critter.
Now we need a tougher Elderspawn, a lesser Elderthrall, a disturbing Elderbrood, and a cunning Elderfiend.
And maybe a Elder-blooded template, just to stick to the Cthulhu-esque theme.
Hehe, well, I'm at work right now, but later on I'll be happy to crank out a few associated creatures.
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Hehe, well, I'm at work right now, but later on I'll be happy to crank out a few associated creatures.
Nice. In the spirit of the community-driven OGC monster design, I'll provide some basic concept behind those names. :-D
Elderspawn: a larger, more alien version of the Elderborn. Some say that it is more akin to the true nature of the eldercreatures. Its mere presence can twist the mind and the body of the less able, and corrupt the world.
While it has a less humanoid figure, its features are at the same time more bestial and more refined, mirroring both its advanced inner abilities and its upgraded physical strenght. Quite often acts as a religious focus for the Elderborn (in a twisted, eldercreature way).
Elderthrall: this name includes a broad variety of humanoid creatures in an advanced state of mutation towards the eldercreature standard. Some are born out of wicked experiments, other are a product of selective breeding, others again are fanatics undergoing a magical trasformation. Many see them as a link between the lower Elder-blooded creature and the full Elderborn status.
Many of them sport basic Elderborn features, but in a larval, and often more savage twist. A few of them remain suspended in this transitionary condition, with advanced abilities but underdeveloped minds.
Elderbrood: this creature defies any mortal concept of living (and undead) being, as it is so much alien and strange that just looking at it too long can be dangerous for the health.
The closer idea that sages con formulate about it is a swarming mass of individuals in a constant mutating condition, each of them absolving the role of an organ or appendix, all the while being governed by an unconceivable hive mind.
Elderfiend: very few mortals have seen an elderfiend and survived to tell about it. Some say that it is an ancient, lich-like Elderborn. Others described something so big and monstruous that the largest Elderspawn cannot even compare. A few have hinted of a quasi-extraplanar nature that defies both weaponry and magic.
What is certain is that an Elderfiend stands at the core of an eldercreature enclave, all-powerful and carefully protected (and hidden).
Elder-blooded creature: these unfortunate beings are the by products of Elderborn experiments, both with alien science and twisted, horrendous magic. The template can be applied to almost any creature, even outsiders, with the notable exception of fey-related beings (their ties with the First World somehow protect them).
A disturbingly growing number of elder-blooded sentient creatures are willing subjects of the transformation.
The Aboleth fits your Elderspawn mold.
On the other hand Paizo has admitted they don't want to copy Beholders, Displacer Beasts, or Mind Flayers because such ripoff will be seen as cheap and filing the serial numbers off. For instance, Intellect Devourers and Aboleths are supposed to take the Illithid role in Golarion. Slaads and Yugoloths are getting completely new replacements. And so on.
Aw yeah!
The elderborn work-up and offshoots all looks amazing.
The Aboleth fits your Elderspawn mold.
On the other hand Paizo has admitted they don't want to copy Beholders, Displacer Beasts, or Mind Flayers because such ripoff will be seen as cheap and filing the serial numbers off. For instance, Intellect Devourers and Aboleths are supposed to take the Illithid role in Golarion. Slaads and Yugoloths are getting completely new replacements. And so on.
So perhaps we make the elderborn (and related offshoot monsters) the same enough that we don't miss their progenitors, but change their flavor and abilities enough that they stand on their own. I think Brodiggan captured the Cthulhu feel with the aquatic makeover, which is spookier and definitely different than a flayer. And Golem's descriptions of the offshoots have their own thing as well. Incredible!
As a general approach for refashioning lost D&D monsters:
What is the least enjoyable aspect(s) of the creature we're basing off of?
What could you replace that stripped aspect(s) with that would make them even more fun and interesting?
Hehe, well, I'm at work right now, but later on I'll be happy to crank out a few associated creatures.Nice. In the spirit of the community-driven OGC monster design, I'll provide some basic concept behind those names. :-D
Elderspawn: a larger, more alien version of the Elderborn. Some say that it is more akin to the true nature of the eldercreatures. Its mere presence can twist the mind and the body of the less able, and corrupt the world.
While it has a less humanoid figure, its features are at the same time more bestial and more refined, mirroring both its advanced inner abilities and its upgraded physical strenght. Quite often acts as a religious focus for the Elderborn (in a twisted, eldercreature way).Elderthrall: this name includes a broad variety of humanoid creatures in an advanced state of mutation towards the eldercreature standard. Some are born out of wicked experiments, other are a product of selective breeding, others again are fanatics undergoing a magical trasformation. Many see them as a link between the lower Elder-blooded creature and the full Elderborn status.
Many of them sport basic Elderborn features, but in a larval, and often more savage twist. A few of them remain suspended in this transitionary condition, with advanced abilities but underdeveloped minds.Elderbrood: this creature defies any mortal concept of living (and undead) being, as it is so much alien and strange that just looking at it too long can be dangerous for the health.
The closer idea that sages can formulate about it is a swarming mass of individuals in a constant mutating condition, each of them absolving the role of an organ or appendix, all the while being governed by an unconceivable hive mind.Elderfiend: very few mortals have seen an elderfiend and survived to tell about it. Some say that it is an ancient, lich-like Elderborn. Others described something so big and monstruous that the largest Elderspawn cannot even compare. A few have hinted of a quasi-extraplanar nature that defies both weaponry and magic. What is certain is that an Elderfiend stands at the core of an eldercreature enclave, all-powerful and carefully protected (and hidden).
Elder-blooded creature: these unfortunate beings are the by products of Elderborn experiments, both with alien science and twisted, horrendous magic. The template can be applied to almost any creature, even outsiders, with the notable exception of fey-related beings (their ties with the First World somehow protect them). A disturbingly growing number of elder-blooded sentient creatures are willing subjects of the transformation.
I like most of these a lot, especially the potential mix of creature types, all following a theme, and obviously related, but not all necessarily aberration.
I'll definitely be writing up a few of these. The only one I'm unsure of is Elder-Thrall/Elder-Blooded. These seem to occupy a lot of the same design space, I'd rather write them up as a single template, and include a descriptive note about the various conditions in which they might be found (servants, experiments, escaped and free willed, etc.)
Along with these I was going to write up an advanced version of the standard Elderborn, The Dreaming Ones, ancient Elderborn that have fallen into a dreaming madness, manifesting repeatedly via astral projection and plane shift, near impossible to permanently destroy as a result. Whispering dark secrets and terrible truths into the minds of the weak, they prey equally upon the races of man, and upon their own kin.
or something like that... ::grin::
Frankly, 'monsters from space' never did much for me when it came to flayers. The elderborn feel much more viscerally frightening.
I quite like the Dreaming Ones concept.
So perhaps we make the elderborn (and related offshoot monsters) the same enough that we don't miss their progenitors, but change their flavor and abilities enough that they stand on their own. I think Brodiggan captured the Cthulhu feel with the aquatic makeover, which is spookier and definitely different than a flayer. And Golem's descriptions of the offshoots have their own thing as well. Incredible!
As a general approach for refasioning lost D&D monsters:
What is the least enjoyable aspect(s) of the creature we're basing off of?
What could you replace that stripped aspect(s) with that would make them even more fun and interesting?
Hehe, thank you. I was trying, intentionally not to draw it too close to the Mind flayer, just similar enough to fill a role.
The least enjoyable part of flayers for me was seeing them used as sort of a super aggressive brain sucker, with no real long term plans or desire for survival. I wanted to try and encouraged a more nuanced portrayal of them as long term thinkers and plotters.
As for the other lost creatures.. hmmm.. Displacer beasts are never really mentioned as part of a larger society, there are occasional vague hints at the antipathy with Blink dogs, but it's sort of tongue in cheek.
They're intelligent, very intelligent, and intensely sadistic lawful evil predators. I'd like to see the lawful in lawful evil played up a bit more. Emphasize their desire to toy with the lives of their prey, and set up rigid rules and conditions on their prey. Always holding out the (false) hope that if the poor souls they've trapped somewhere just do what they say they may yet escape.
Makes them much more interesting as bad guys, and opens up a lot of room for plot hooks and time driven games.
Not sure how much I can do with a Beholder though, a beholder is so very specific to standard D&D, I have a hard time imagining it as a different creature. It would be like trying to redesign the Tarrasque, I mean, what do you do, it's the Tarrasque.
I agree completely... the brain sucking thing, though cool, was a one trick pony that ceased to be interesting to me after a couple of exposures. The long term sinister planning... ah, now that's the ticket.
Tarrasque isn't a D&D property, but their flavor text and ability assignment certainly are.
I've done some kaiju (Japanese: mysterious creature) design, and creating a new godzilla or mothra isn't hard at all. I think, if one meant to make the tarrasque even more fun and challenging... just use the same list I offered above. What is the least appealing aspect(s)?
I've done some kaiju (Japanese: mysterious creature) design, and creating a new godzilla or mothra isn't hard at all. I think, if one meant to make the tarrasque even more fun and challenging... just use the same list I offered above. What is the least appealing aspect(s)?
The Tarrasque is damn near immune to everything. Its carapace is an old holdover from a previous edition where the sudden reflection might actually surprise players. The regeneration that NOTHING overcomes is lame as well.
Well, if we're sharing, here's a replacement creature from my Bestiary Malfearous. Should be obvious what the inspiration was.
Occulus
Large Aberration (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 8d8+48 (84 hp)
Initiative: +5 (+5 Dex)
Speed: fly 50 ft. (perfect) (10 squares)
Armor Class: 27 (-1 size, +5 Dex, +3 natural, +10 deflection), touch 24, flat-footed 22
BAB/Grapple: +6/+14
Attack: Slam +9 melee (1d6+4)
Full Attack: 3 Slam +9 melee (1d6+4)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Height: 12 ft. + 2d8 in. (12 ft. 7 in.)
Weight: 200 lbs + 2d10x15 lbs. (365 lbs.)
Special Att: Ability damage, improved grab, magic drain, eye rays
Special Qual: All-around vision, DR 10/magic +2, darkvision 60 ft., SR 19, superior vision
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +10
Abilities: S19 D21 C23 I23 W19 Ch19
Skills: Bluff +17, Diplomacy +14, Hide +1, Intimidate +15, Knowledge (Arcana) +17, Knowledge (history) +17, Listen +9, Search +27, Sense Motive +15, Spot +20, Use Magic Device +12
Feats: Ability Focus (Magic Drain), Persuasive, Point Blank Shot
Environment: Cold mountains, Hades
Organization: Solitary, or Covey (2-5)
CR: 11
Treasure: Double gems and magic, standard coins and goods
Alignment: Usually neutral evil
Advancement: 9-16 HD (Large); 17-24 HD (Huge)
Level Adj: -
Drifting before you is what appears to be a man-sized eye surrounded by numerous smaller eyes. From the massive eye dangles a slick, red mass of trailing ganglia that ends in finger-like appendages.
Occulus are dread creations of the god(s) of death, used to watch over the affairs of mortals and bring death and misery wherever they travel.
Occulus move by floating to their destination, usually allowing most of their ganglia to hang lazily about them, while those ganglia with eyes dart about, keeping the occulus apprised of its surroundings.
Occulus communicate by mentally imprinting their desires into the mind of those they are “speaking” to. This acts similar to a detect thoughts spell, as if cast by those the occulus is “speaking” to. The occulus has complete control of what thoughts pass to those it is speaking to.
Combat
Occulus are generally reluctant to enter into direct combat. They prefer to manipulate others into aiding or fighting for them, and then reaping the benefit. If forced to fight, occulus attempt to focus their magic drain power on the most dangerous spellcaster in a group, and use their remaining eye powers to hamper or slay companions. They use the trailing ganglia to slap anyone who attempts to melee with them. Most occulus are content to hover slightly out of range of melee weapons. Occulus generally will only attempt to ability drain individuals when it can do so leisurely, as it can make no other attacks while draining a victim.
Ability Damage (Su): An occulus who has successfully grappled an opponent can draw the victim to the central eye on the following round and begin draining the victim of his abilities as a full attack action. While performing this drain, the occulus cannot make additional grapple attacks or employ its eye rays. The drain deals 1d4+1 points of ability damage to the ability score of the occulus’s choice. The occulus gains ½ the amount drained to its own ability scores (max +5). Ability damage returns at the rate of 1 point per day for each affected ability. The occulus retains the bonus to its ability scores for 1 hour.
All-around Vision (Ex): An occulus can see in all directions at once. It cannot be flanked.
Eye Rays (Su): As part of a standard action or a full attack action, an occulus can use its eye rays in an attack. This form of special attack works like a ranged attack. The occulus has a +10 attack bonus with the ray attack, and a range of 90 feet. The occulus has nine different ray attacks available to it, all of which may be used in a single round. No more than three rays may target an individual creature. Each ray acts as if cast at 9th level ability and those that allow for save have a DC of 18. The DC is Charisma based.
1. Cause Serious Wounds/Cure Serious Wounds
2. Enervation
3. Charm Monster
4. Targeted Dispel Magic
5. Telekinetic Sphere
6. Deep Slumber
7. Hold Person
8. Any divination spell of up to 4th level
9. Raise Dead/Slay Living
Improved Grab (Ex): If the occulus hits with a slam attack, it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. No initial touch attack is required. The occulus can attempt to grapple opponents of up to medium size.
Magic Drain (Su): As a swift action each round, the occulus projects a cone of magic-draining power out to a range of 30 feet. Magic items or spells caught in the area of effect are affected as if struck by a Greater Dispel Magic, as an area dispel, at 9th level casting level. Spellcasters caught in the cone must make a Will save DC 20 or lose their highest level spell slot for the day. Only a single spell in effect or a spell slot can be affected per person per round, checking in the order stated. For every spell or spell slot the occulus successfully dispels, the occulus heals 5 hit points per level of the spell drained. An occulus cannot exceed its normal hit point total through magic drain. An occulus’s own abilities are immune to the magic drain power.
Superior Vision (Su): An occulus is treated as benefiting from a true seeing and improved arcane sight spell at all times.
Skills: An occulus gains a + 10 racial bonus to Spot and Search skill checks.
Occulus on Amberos
Following the rampage of the great dragon Guaradrell and death that followed his wake in the first few years of recorded history, the immortal elves came to fear Jhalah, the Devourer of the Dead. To appease Jhalah, and to keep the souls of slain elves from his ever-greedy maw, several elves consented to become priests of Jhalah. During the elvin golden age, Jhalah made a bargain with Ziga, Queen of Corruption, to betray the elves, in return for being allowed to devour the elvin souls that would be slaughtered as part of the betrayal. However, when the elvin priests of Jhalah discovered the treachery, they turned on Ziga and her minions, thwarting her plan to cast down the elves. Ziga became so outraged at this betrayal that she gathered up Jhalah’s elvin priests, plucked out their left eye, and then imprisoned their soul in the eye. She then sent the eyes to Jhalah in a box locked with a puzzle lock that would defy even a god’s intellect, and trapped the box as well.
Eventually, Jhalah opened the box – if to do nothing else than devour the imprisoned elvin souls – only to fall to the trap laid inside. Jhalah was transformed by the magical curse, becoming a foul creature, blinded by his own insatiable hunger. As part of the curse, he could only see through the eyes of his body-bereft elvin priests. Suffering under the curse, Jhalah managed to return mobility to his elvin priests, transforming them into occulus. Since that time, the priests have served as Jhalah’s eyes unto the world.
Director of Brand Strategy
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Star Wars Saga Edition is the best version of D&D, even if it is not D&D :D
I like it so much that I am creating my own Starcraft RPG based on SWSE book (of course not for commercial use - but it will be free for download for anyone who will want it).
I'm doing something similar with Star Trek, though I'm not following STSE precisely. It's going to be a variation on D20 though.
Well, if we're sharing, here's a replacement creature from my Bestiary Malfearous. Should be obvious what the inspiration was.
Nice. I'm gonna use this at some point now. Thanks!
The Tarrasque is damn near immune to everything. Its carapace is an old holdover from a previous edition where the sudden reflection might actually surprise players. The regeneration that NOTHING overcomes is lame as well.I've done some kaiju (Japanese: mysterious creature) design, and creating a new godzilla or mothra isn't hard at all. I think, if one meant to make the tarrasque even more fun and challenging... just use the same list I offered above. What is the least appealing aspect(s)?
Agreed. Astute read.
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I like most of these a lot, especially the potential mix of creature types, all following a theme, and obviously related, but not all necessarily aberration.
Thanks!
I'll definitely be writing up a few of these. The only one I'm unsure of is Elder-Thrall/Elder-Blooded. These seem to occupy a lot of the same design space, I'd rather write them up as a single template, and include a descriptive note about the various conditions in which they might be found (servants, experiments, escaped and free willed, etc.)
Well, my own basic idea was that the Elderthrall was an "almost-Elderborn" with feral traits, whose true origin - human, orc, drow, etc - was so twisted by the change to be unrecognisable, while the Elder-blooded template was intended for just "tainted" creatures, with original stats altered accordingly.
However, the differential template could work even better, so go for it!Along with these I was going to write up an advanced version of the standard Elderborn, The Dreaming Ones, ancient Elderborn that have fallen into a dreaming madness, manifesting repeatedly via astral projection and plane shift, near impossible to permanently destroy as a result. Whispering dark secrets and terrible truths into the minds of the weak, they prey equally upon the races of man, and upon their own kin.
or something like that... ::grin::
I like it. I like it a lot. *evil grin*
The least enjoyable part of flayers for me was seeing them used as sort of a super aggressive brain sucker, with no real long term plans or desire for survival. I wanted to try and encouraged a more nuanced portrayal of them as long term thinkers and plotters.
Couldn't agree more.
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Star Wars Saga Edition is the best version of D&D, even if it is not D&D :D
Saga did do many things right, but also many things wrong. A lot of social stuff is missing. It's a shame 4e isn't more like Saga then it is a completely different game.
But then again, the reason 4e is so different is so that it's not directly compatible with 3e... Saga can use the older edition stuff pretty easily still.
And here's the really cool thing: In 2009, when Paizo starts releasing splatbooks of their own that introduce new classes -- and they will, trust me on this, its just part of business: they new to keep selling new things to old customers, and they'll follow a similar pattern to WOTC. This time it will be different though, because everything they release to build up Pathfinder -- everything crunchy at least -- will be OGL, and whoever it is that sells me my old skool adventures will be able to incorporate those new elements in the Pathfinder core.
I'm not sure what you mean by this. There will certainly be follow up books, the Pathfinder Big Ass Book 'O Monsters for starts. Likely there will be a follow up release of some additional classes. However from what I've seen Paizo has historically focused on it's adventures and Pathfinder subscriptions. Paizo's strength is in their storytelling and providing a good set of adventures and game rules that support that storytelling.
I see the bulk of supplements in places like Pathfinder Companion and Pathfinder Chronicles, new PrCs will be made to fill specific roles in Golarian, for example there is certain to be a PrC for the Hellknights at some point.
I'm certain there will be a few supplemental books, but I feel Paizo will continue to focus on Pathfinder and storytelling rather than random supplemental books spread across the spectrum of gaming.
All definitely very nice. Still, I tend to prefer corrupt humans, secret cults, and other groups that can operate in hiding, rather than being obvious monstrosities to be attacked on sight.
In that vein, and just for amusement, here's a character who includes a sort of flayeresque template.
http://ruscumag.wordpress.com/atheria-d20/federation-campaign/ithulsin-the- outcast/
Sadly, I don't see any way to provide direct offsite links. Doubtless there is one?
All definitely very nice. Still, I tend to prefer corrupt humans, secret cults, and other groups that can operate in hiding, rather than being obvious monstrosities to be attacked on sight.
An anagram of your name is royal plume. How would I know that unless I was an elderborn? Let's see your corrupt humans do that. Yeah. No. I didn't think so. I rest my tentacle-faced case. ;)
Along with these I was going to write up an advanced version of the standard Elderborn, The Dreaming Ones, ancient Elderborn that have fallen into a dreaming madness, manifesting repeatedly via astral projection and plane shift, near impossible to permanently destroy as a result. Whispering dark secrets and terrible truths into the minds of the weak, they prey equally upon the races of man, and upon their own kin.
And here we go...
The Dreaming Ones
Size/Type: Medium Aberration (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 16d8+48 (120 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: Fly 30 ft. (Perfect)
Armor Class: 19 (+3 Dex, +6 Natural), touch 13, flat-footed 16
Base Attack Bonus: +12
Combat Maneuver Bonus: +15
Attack: Tentacle +12 (1d6+3 and improved grab)
Full Attack: 4 Tentacles +12/+12/+12/+12 (1d6+3 and improved grab)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Anguish, Mad Revelations, Improved Grab, Consume
Special Qualities: Adaption, Blind, Levitate, Reconstitute, Telepathy (60 ft.)
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +8, Will -
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 30, Wis -, Cha -
Skills: None
Feats: None
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 17
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 17-20 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: -
A twisted and gaunt figure with sickly grey tentacles writhing from it's mouth glides past you slowly, it's cold black eyes filled with insanity and horror in turns. Grey flesh, reeking of brine, wraps it's withered bones, and a keening song of madness seems to ring from the air in it's wake.
The Dreaming Ones are among the most ancient of Elderkin. They have seen the true heart of their deity, touching the dreams of dread Cthulhu, and it has left them remade. Looking upon the end of all that is, they know the futility of all plots and plans, the subtle machinations of their kin. Trapped in their own minds, they seek endlessly to impart some hint of warning as to the worlds fate should the dreamer wake. Frustrated at their own failure, and no longer able to comprehend the reasons why, they frequently lash out, torturing cruelly and killing out of spite.
Combat
Dreaming Ones are intensely intelligent, but incapable of planning. They seek first to subdue any creature threatening them, and then to take one or more victims as thralls via the Mad Revelations ability. Those that remain, or that resist the Dreaming One's domination are frequently left alive, seemingly forgotten. The Dreaming Ones need not eat, and will only move to consume a creature's soul if it has become particularly troublesome or defiant.
Anguish (Su): Dreaming Ones periodically lose control over their own madness, unleashing terrible visions of a hellish dreamscape upon the minds of all those around them. Anyone within range of their Telepathy (60 ft.) when the Dreaming One acts must make a Will save (DC 28, 10 + 1/2 the Dreaming One's HD + the Dreaming One's Int modifier) or take 1d4 wisdom damage and be rendered unconscious for 1 round. Should this ability reduce a creature's wisdom to 0, it is locked in a series of tortured nightmares until it's Wisdom recovers. Once a creature has successfully saved versus Anguish, they may not be affected by it again for 24 hours.
Mad Revelations (Sp): A Dreaming One can enter the dreams of the unconscious, bringing with it terrible secrets that know no mortal tongue. To use Mad Revelations the Dreaming One must be able to touch it's target, who must be unconscious. The target must make a will save (DC 28, 10 + 1/2 the Dreaming One's HD + the Dreaming One's Int modifier) or become Dominated by the Dreaming One for one week (as the spell Dominate Person). The Dreaming One is no longer capable of forming a comprehensible language, even telepathically, so only basic commands may be issued.
The Dreaming Ones are typically unwilling to simply kill these thralls, trying again and again to force some terrible knowledge upon them. Those that eventually escape the Dreaming Ones are forever haunted by revelatory dreams and visions.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, Dreaming One must hit with a tentacle attack.
Consume (Ex): A Dreaming One that begins it's action grappling a foe with it's tentacles may attempt to kill it's foe as full round action. The target must make a Fortitude save (DC 28, 10 + 1/2 the Dreaming One's HD + the Dreaming One's Int modifier) or have it's soul torn from it's body and secreted away in an extra-planar dimension, to be destroyed slowly at the Dreaming One's leisure. Once a Dreaming One has consumed a creature's soul, an empty staring husk is all that remains. This husk may live for days before hunger or thirst finally kill it, longer if it is cared for, but it will inevitably die over the course of time. Creature's killed in this manner can only be returned to life by a Miracle or Wish.
Adaptation (Su): Dreaming Ones seem half real, untouched by the world around them. They need neither eat, nor breathe, and are never subject to environmental hazards. They may move at full speed through any environment, and are unaffected by winds and other conditions that would impair movement.
Blind: Dreaming Ones are incapable of distinguishing the creations of their own mind from the real world around them, and as such are effectively blind and deaf. Only when within range of their telepathy are living creatures truly real to the Dreaming Ones. Within their telepathic range they function as normal when dealing with living creatures, but as blind otherwise.
Levitate (Su): Dreaming Ones constantly levitate, giving them a flight speed of 30, with perfect maneuverability.
Reconstitute (Su): A Dreaming Ones true body is locked in the grips of madness, never to awaken. The Dreaming Ones presented here are in fact merely Astral Projections of the Dreaming Ones nightmare, taking material form in brief moments of near awareness.
As such, a Dreaming One may never truly be slain unless it's mortal form is located. A Dreaming One reconstitutes itself 1d10 days after it's death, once again taking form on the prime material plane.
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And here's the really cool thing: In 2009, when Paizo starts releasing splatbooks of their own that introduce new classes -- and they will, trust me on this, its just part of business:I'm not sure what you mean by this.
I mean things like Pathfinder Companion and Pathfinder Chronicle, exactly what you thought I meant. Books that extend the game and add new features. Paizo is a business, and clearly not a poorly run business, so I think we can assume that they will do the smart, necessary and easily predicted things game companies do to maintain sales.
For example, in October Paizo is releasing Pathfinder Companion: Elves of Golarion. According to the press for the product, it contains "new player character options." That means new feats, new sill uses, new prestige classes. The Companions for less significant organizations and regions will have to be loaded with goodies to entice people who aren't into pure fluff.
These things, the Companions and Chronicles, are going to be like Dragon magazine. i mean, that should be clear from the fact that they're written by the people who did Dragon magazine. I think we have a pretty good idea of what to expect: Strong, in-depth articles containing a lot of well-written fluff supported by flavorful crunch. I expect (and hope) every Companion and chronicle is going to have chapters that look suspiciously similar to the popular articles that kept Dragon going strong: Bazaar of the Bizarre, Core Beliefs, Ecology of ..., Class Acts, Demonomicons, etc.
That would give me a good reason to buy them, even though I don't and won't be running my campaigns in Golarion (unless I run a Pathfinder Society game). And, the point I was making in my OP, is that Pathfinder is ultimately superior to D&D because -- unlike Dragon and the WOTC Splatbooks -- all of the game material that appears in the Companions and Chronicles will be OGL. Which means that if Elves of Golarion introduces some bad ass crunch that is a total must-have for elven NPCs, then third party publishers will be able to include it in their adventures and materials.
Like, to give a dumb example: Let's say that Elves of Golarion includes a feat "Improved Elven Familiar" that allows an elf to pick from an expanded list of familiar options. Amongst these options is an "Elven Hound." It turns out that this is popular option, and by 2010 we're all seeing a lot of Elven Wizards with Elven Hound familiars.
Then later, Hypothetical Press (a 3PP) decides to produce a deck of "Familiar Cards" to help players keep familiars organized. Because Elves of Golarion is OGL, they can include the Elven Hound. And when Example Games publishes an adventure for use with Pathfinder, they can include an Elven Wizard pregen with an elven hound familiar.
I mean things like Pathfinder Companion and Pathfinder Chronicle, exactly what you thought I meant. Books that extend the game and add new features. Paizo is a business, and clearly not a poorly run business, so I think we can assume that they will do the smart, necessary and easily predicted things game companies do to maintain sales.And here's the really cool thing: In 2009, when Paizo starts releasing splatbooks of their own that introduce new classes -- and they will, trust me on this, its just part of business:I'm not sure what you mean by this.
Well when you use the word splatbooks to me I think of books like Complete Champion, Complete Arcane, and Complete Warrior which are nothing like the Companion or Chronicle releases.
For example, in October Paizo is releasing Pathfinder Companion: Elves of Golarion. According to the press for the product, it contains "new player character options." That means new feats, new sill uses, new prestige classes. The Companions for less significant organizations and regions will have to be loaded with goodies to entice people who aren't into pure fluff.
See this is where I differ from you POV. I think any 'goodies' are going to be there to supplement the fluff not the other way around.
That would give me a good reason to buy them, even though I don't and won't be running my campaigns in Golarion (unless I run a Pathfinder Society game). And, the point I was making in my OP, is that Pathfinder is ultimately superior to D&D because -- unlike Dragon and the WOTC Splatbooks -- all of the game material that appears in the Companions and Chronicles will be OGL. Which means that if Elves of Golarion introduces some bad...
Indeed, having tons of OGL stuff will be nice.
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Along with these I was going to write up an advanced version of the standard Elderborn, The Dreaming Ones, ancient Elderborn that have fallen into a dreaming madness, manifesting repeatedly via astral projection and plane shift, near impossible to permanently destroy as a result. Whispering dark secrets and terrible truths into the minds of the weak, they prey equally upon the races of man, and upon their own kin.And here we go...
The Dreaming Ones
... *CUT* ...
Creepy. And disturbingly good.
The Mad Revelations and Reconstitute abilities are up for a very nasty critter.
Like, to give a dumb example: Let's say that Elves of Golarion includes a feat "Improved Elven Familiar" that allows an elf to pick from an expanded list of familiar options. Amongst these options is an "Elven Hound." It turns out that this is popular option, and by 2010 we're all seeing a lot of Elven Wizards with Elven Hound familiars.
Sort of like all the Drizzt clones? Paizo has better imagination (and taste) than to flood their products with stale reincarnations of the same character(s) ad nauseam. Other than the iconics as pre-generated PCs, I doubt you'll even see too many characters that are similar to ones in previous products (except by design where it's tied to the backstory).
Anyway, "Elven Hounds" have been so overdone since 1st Ed AD&D. What Paizo should do is go back to the Germanic folk-tales of dog-like path spirits or the Celtic Wild Hunt and develop something closer to the original fey roots. My take on this (add flavor text as appropriate):
Faerie Dog
Medium Magical Beast (Fey)
Hit Dice: 4d10+8 (30 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 50 ft
Armor Class: 16 (+3 Dex, +3 natural), touch or flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+6
Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d6+3)
Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Gaze, Trip
Special Qualities: DR 5/cold iron, Darkvision 60 ft, Low Light Vision, Scent
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +3
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 14
Skills: Hide +4, Listen +4, Move Silently +4, Spot +4, Survival +3*
Feats: Improved Initiative, Run, Track (bonus)
Environment: Temperate Forests
Organization: Solitary, pair, or pack (4-10)
Challenge Rating: 5 (maybe 4)
Treasure: 1/10 coins; 50% goods; 50% items
Alignment: Often neutral
Advancement: 5-6 HD (medium); 7-12 HD (large)
Level Adjustment: +3 (cohort)
These dogs are relatively large with a lean build. They have dark green, almost black, fur and eyes that glow green in darkness.
Faerie dogs often live and hunt in packs. They are mostly nocturnal. They are intelligent enough to speak Sylvan.
Combat
Mated pairs or packs work together to bring down prey, while lone faerie dogs usually rely on their Gaze attack and superior speed to chase and harry a single target until the victim is exhausted.
Gaze (Su): Any creature meeting a faerie dog's gaze within 60 ft must succeed on a DC 14 Will save or become frightened for 2d4 rounds. This is a Charisma-based mind-affecting fear effect.
Trip (Ex): A faerie dog that hits with its bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent as a free action (+2 check modifier) without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the faerie dog.
Skills: * A faerie dog has a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.
Along with these I was going to write up an advanced version of the standard Elderborn, The Dreaming Ones, ancient Elderborn that have fallen into a dreaming madness, manifesting repeatedly via astral projection and plane shift, near impossible to permanently destroy as a result. Whispering dark secrets and terrible truths into the minds of the weak, they prey equally upon the races of man, and upon their own kin.And here we go...
The Dreaming Ones
... *CUT* ...
Creepy. And disturbingly good.
The Mad Revelations and Reconstitute abilities are up for a very nasty critter.
Thank you. ::grin::
I'll put the others up when I get time, the week is kind of packed for me, but I should have some time tomorrow night if not tonight.
Full Attack: 4 Tentacles +9/+9/+9/+9 (1d6+3 and improved grab)
Wait... each tentacle gets four attacks? And they're all at +9 (Not +9/+4/-1/-6, for being iterative attacks)? Or should it just read "4 tentacles +9 melee"? Or would that imply that all 4 tentacles only get one attack between them? What IS the standard nomenclature? Am I thinking too hard? Or have I fallen under its dark dreaming ability? Aaaargh! (Brain eaten by monster)
Why Pathfinder Is Better Than Dungeons & Dragons?
It fixes what little problems I had with 3.5 and pretty much upgrades my existing collection of books without making them obsolete. I don't mind changes and I usually love the introduction of NEW stuff (splat books), its my DM who dreads that. :D Pathfinder(Alpha3) is currently an upgrade and has some new stuff without completely changing the game I have been playing for almost 20 years now.
I am also quite impressed with the fact that Paizo/Pathfinder has taken the time to ask the fan base what we would like. Whether it makes it into the final or not, thats another story, but they asked!
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A few things I like about Pathfinder(Alpha3) Rules to date...
1. Clerics still have DOMAINS. (This made most clerics each unique even if they have the same god and was worth keeping... so why did 4th revert clerics back to 2E? Good question.)
2. Sorcerers have Bloodlines. (This is going to do for Sorcerers, what Domains have done for Clerics. Yay!)
3. [u]I still have a sizable spell list for my casters[/u] that doesn't concentrate solely on combat and blowing things up that only have 1 Hitpoint to try and steal glory cheese from my melee oriented friends. I like my utility spells, and prefer they not take 10 minutes to an hour to cast!!
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4E RANT:
I am not a big fan of D&D Miniatures (the game), Heroquest (as an RPG), or an MMO without the super duper 3-D graphics(I own DDO, WoW, EQ, CoH if I wanted to play that I would go do it!)... That is how 4th Edition feels to me. To quote whomever that was... "This is not MY D&D"(4E D&D).
- END OF LINE -
Full Attack: 4 Tentacles +9/+9/+9/+9 (1d6+3 and improved grab)Wait... each tentacle gets four attacks? And they're all at +9 (Not +9/+4/-1/-6, for being iterative attacks)? Or should it just read "4 tentacles +9 melee"? Or would that imply that all 4 tentacles only get one attack between them? What IS the standard nomenclature? Am I thinking too hard? Or have I fallen under its dark dreaming ability? Aaaargh! (Brain eaten by monster)
You would be correct sir. Should be 4 tentacles +9 melee (1d6+3 and Improved Grab)
In my defense, I had not had coffee at the time.