Since my players find it boring when they have to face same monsters over and over again (namely, there's been too much Bar-Lguras, Retrievers and Hezrous) and it's somewhat disappointing that Demogorgon's top assassin is another one, leading a band of ape warriors I decided I wanted to change him into something more imposing. But the question is... what exactly? It seems I've run out of inspiration, so if you have any suggestions, or if someone changed that encounter in his campaign, I'd be glad to hear them.
Actually, I need something in CR 21 range. :D
I will ponder on Half-fiend ettin with class levels, as well as Buleazu, the rest of the monsters you suggested have already been in the campaign.
Keep 'em coming. :)
Have you considered making them two-headed bar-lguras with tentacles?
Have you considered making them two-headed bar-lguras with tentacles?
Considering they've already fought Khala, Ziovayne, 2 Demogorgon Constructs and will most likely fight Bagromar, Gorgant and Tetradarian, I'd say they've had more than enough Demogorgon rip-offs.
# A molydeus (FC1), possibly with a bit of a template or some levels.
# There's a CR 16 Thrall of Demogorgon already statted in BOVD
# A kelvezu demon (MM2) is pretty much ready-made as a high-level demonic assassin. Or a deathdrinker demon (MM4).
# Death giants (MM3) are stylish and hard core nasty, and have a number of assassin-appropriate abilities as long as you don't mind 15-foot-tall assassins.
# An advanced necrothane (MM3) is stylish, nasty, and has animating victims as zombies then taking the zombified corpse away as an assassination strategy.
Hm yes, Molydeus seems nice... The rest of them have already been in the campaign (aside from Necrothane whom I don't like and Deathdrinker who isn't really challenging for a CR 18, even if I advance it further).
Also, how many War Ape Brutes are there with Ulu-Thurg? There's nothing about their number in the adventure, it just says 'group'.
Well, for something totally different and unexpected...I present the following weirdness: a unholy scion (Heroes of Horror template) kobold marshal(Minatures Handbook)7/invisible blade 5/dread commando 5 (Heroes of Battle)/shadowdancer 1.
Assuming you decided to go at least with the motivate dexterity aura for the marshall, and let's assume that the kobold has a charisma of 20, its allies (and itself) in the ambush group have at least +10 bonus to initiative checks. With the ability to hide in plain sight and assuming that the kobold has maxed out Hide and Move Silently and also has equipment specifically for Hide and Move Silently, there is a good chance he's sneak attacking at least once every round. Just do hit and run tactics. Set up traps in advance. Coat his weapons with poison (check out Book of Vile Darkness for some really nasty ones).
Sooner or later, the party will have to stop and try to capture or kill the little bugger so they can continue without further harassment by a little lizard.
No one expects a kobold to burst forth from the earth to slash the tendons of the party members and then to hide like a vermin. ;)
If you want to give him a touch that is totally Demogorgon-themed, give the kobold two personalities, one controlling the right side and the other the left side. Or you could make half of him kobold and the other half gnome (both are the same size).
CB Out.
An evil slaad.
You rang?
Or perhaps you can make a variant of the Concordant Killer, an experiment of Demogorgon's trying to create his own version. A trist between himself and an angel? He could be a two-headed version with twin blades. Perhaps Demogorgon has manipulated his son into killing different foes over the years for the cause of keeping the balance, and now these PC's must be exterminated too! But having Celestial blood he may also be convinced by some that his Father should be the one to parish and preserve the balance...just an idea.
If you are tired of Bar-lguras, I would suggest that you make him a molydeus with ape heads instead of wolf and snake.
The other option is to make him not a new bar-lgura and instead have him a returning villain, like Olangru.
To be honest though, I only recall two unique Bar-lguras, Olangru and Ulu thurg. What are all the other bar-lguras that you've fought?
We actually finished Savage Tide a few months ago. :P I uses a Molydeus demon.
To be honest though, I only recall two unique Bar-lguras, Olangru and Ulu thurg. What are all the other bar-lguras that you've fought?
They're the only ones unique, but there have been many of the regular ones. And they're boring. In Tides of Dread, in Serpents of Scuttlecove, in Wells of Darkness... So many different types of demons yet they stick to those most boring ones.
We actually finished Savage Tide a few months ago. :P I uses a Molydeus demon.
To be honest though, I only recall two unique Bar-lguras, Olangru and Ulu thurg. What are all the other bar-lguras that you've fought?They're the only ones unique, but there have been many of the regular ones. And they're boring. In Tides of Dread, in Serpents of Scuttlecove, in Wells of Darkness... So many different types of demons yet they stick to those most boring ones.
My players found Olangru anything but boring :P But Ulu-thurg steps on Nurn's shoes so I'd be replacing him anyway.
Out of curiosity, what do you define as "not boring"?
Something unique. Bar-lguras are far from that. I mean, even their look isn't that specific, they're just gorillas with dark red fur. How ingenious. And their special abilities aren't that special anyway. Pounce and abduction. Initially, I admit it was cool when Olangru abducted people, but after 15 levels, it wears off.
Gromsfed isn't boring, Redfang, Orgosh off the top of my head...
Something unique. Bar-lguras are far from that. I mean, even their look isn't that specific, they're just gorillas with dark red fur. How ingenious. And their special abilities aren't that special anyway. Pounce and abduction. Initially, I admit it was cool when Olangru abducted people, but after 15 levels, it wears off.
Gromsfed isn't boring, Redfang, Orgosh off the top of my head...
Bar-lguras are as unique as any other monster, aren't they? Besides pounce and abduction, they also have interesting illusion powers like disguise self, invisibility, and major image.
And of course when you add class levels on you get tons of variety. I particularly like psychic warrior bar-lguras.