Alright, so I am building a LARGE dungeon for an upcoming PFRPG adventure... I have decided to populate the dungeon almost entirely with aberrations, and while I am finding a great deal of creatures to fill the lower depths of the dungeon, I am coming up short with lower level aberrations to use in the earliest part of the dungeon. As I am pretty new to PFRPG, I'd greatly like some help creating a few low-level aberrations to toss at my players...
What I am looking for here ideally is a diverse handful of smaller/weaker creatures analogous to the larger creatures which they will find later (the VAST majority of the monsters I am including later in the adventure are of the subset of aberration like chokers & otyughs (grapple and squeeze types))... I am not looking for beholder-like creatures, and I am not looking for insectoid aberrations, just the tentacled horrors...
Optimally speaking, what I am shooting for is a group of aberrations in the CR ¼ to CR ½ level range... And I truly hope that you can help me out, as I seem unable to create any smaller aberrations which actually work!
ANY help would be extremely appreciated! And I am sure my players will thank you as well, as any feasible/balanced monster will be included in their dungeon adventuring!
Thanks immensely!
In addendum, any advice on monster design for PFRPG is VASTLY useful to me!
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Pick a normal critter and aberrant it up.
For instance, some darkmantle like parasitic / symbiotic creature plonks itself down onto some other creature, driving tendrils into it's nervous system and paralyzing it, and then takes control, driving it around. It resembles a gruesomely sick and emaciated version of it's original species (since the parasite is feeding off of it, and not doing a great job of taking care of it's hosts needs), with a hump on the back that has a pair of spikey tentacles (like a tentamort, from the 1e Fiend Folio) growing out of it. (Any resemblance in the final creature to a Displacer Beast is strictly intentional.) The tentacles have spikey poisoned stingers that do Dex damage (to paralyze it's prey), and the host body still has whatever attacks it had (former wolf, riding dog, leopard / mountain lion, monitor lizard, constrictor snake or black bear, for instance).
If the host body is killed, the critter splorches off and attacks with all three tentacles now (since the one driven into the spinal cord of the host is now free) and tries to get a new host for itself, since it moves too slowly to feasibly get away, without a host body to carry it around. (Tentacles have 10 ft. reach, even if the creature's main body is small.)
Basically, all you have to do is take the wolf, cat, bear, snake, lizard, giant bug (centipede, spider, beetle, whatever), add two tentacle attacks with weak Dex damage venom, and after it dies, have the 1 HD aberration continue attacking, but now with three tentacle attacks, until (probably quickly) also dying.
It's creepy, aberrant-esque, and you can mix it up later by having the PCs encounter humans (orcs, whatever), possibly even some with class levels, ridden by these creatures.
Enhanced versions of the same effect could also have the symbiont able to 'supercharge' the host creature, causing it to rage like a barbarian for a number of rounds per day equal to 1 + Con mod, but leaving the host really fatigued afterwards, not just 'for the remainder of the combat' or causing some long-term health effects as it burns the body of it's host out through these exertions (no game effect, just explaining the craptacular mangy and emaciated appearance of the host creatures).
Higher level versions of the same critter could be intelligent, perhaps even magically active, with psionic-esque powers like daze, charm person, daze monster, detect thoughts, mental blindsight, telepathy with each other with a 100 ft range, a hive-mind, etc. While the host body attacks with limbs, it snaps with it's tentacles *and* unleashes a mental blast that inflicts 1d6 nonlethal damage and causes the victim to be sickened or shaken for a few rounds or something... Perhaps only sentient humanoid hosts can be used by these higher level beasties, as the brain of an animal (or vermin) is too primitive to tap for these mental assaults, explaining why the tentamort-bonded animals keep attacking the party, as the possessing critters want to 'trade up' to humanoid hosts, and be able to use up their brains for psychic effects as ruthlessly as they exploit the bodies of non-sentients for transportation and feeding.
The critter itself is pretty simple, 1 HDish, some weak tentacle attacks and minor Dex venom. Strap the sucker onto the back of whatever animal / vermin / humanoid you want to use as a 'chassis,' and it becomes kinda like a template, with many very different encounters from one basic creature.
While I first visualized it as a tentamort, a small bumpy lump of flesh with two (or three) long tentacles, it could also have a serpentine form, with the tentacles serving as 'arms,' or something even stranger, like a shield-shaped tick-like carapace (perhaps with distinctive patterns) and two whip-scorpion like appendages that have stinging nematodes instead of stingers (damage as a scorpion whip, instead of piercing). Instead of tentacles, the host creature would have two limbs that resemble chitinous fishing poles hanging back off it's shoulders, and they would lash forward as it attacked, sending the rope-like strands of stinging cells whipping forward.
Whatever seems creepier and 'aberrant-y' to you. It probably would also have limited self-disguise potential, both for before it lands a host, when it has to crawl around, climb up a wall or tree, and wait for a passing animal to come close enough to lash out and try to bring down (color-changing skin would be handy here) or for later, when it's at full growth and has a humanoid host, and needs to be able to wrap it's tentacles around his waist under his shirt and appear as nothing more than an unhealthy looking vacuous-eyed fat man (until the shirt rips open and the tentacles start aflying!).
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I agree with Set.
Although as an easy alternative i would suggest you make a simple template you can add to creatures to make your life easy when stating things up.
Perhaps like
Creatures with the aberrant template have been infected by an alien parasite causing the creature to mutate horribly. An aberrant creature's CR increases by +1 or +2 if the base creature has 5 or more HD.
A aberrant creature's quick and rebuild rules are the same.
Rebuild Rules: Type changes to Aberrantion gaining the following
Senses gains darkvision 60 ft.;
Defensive Abilities gains damage reduction as shown below;
SR gains SR equal to new CR +5;
Special Attacks aberrant creatures gain 2 tenticle attacks as shown below.
(Based on medium sized)
1-4 Hit Dice no damage reductions 2 tenticles for 1d4
5-10 Hit Dice 5/magic DR 2 tenticles for 1d6 damage and gain Grab (Ex)and Improved natural attack tenticle(factored in above)
11+ Hit Dice 10/magic DR 2 tenticles now count as primary attacks and gain Constrict [Ex]
If I'm not mistaken there are some aberrations that like to enslave "lesser" races and convert them. You could use say like goblins. Start out with normal goblins, but as the group advances through the dungeon they start to come across mutated goblins that have been "assimilated". This is just the first that popped into my head. Essentially you could use any humanoid, and maybe monstrous humanoid, race.
*Edit* There is a book in D&D 3.5 that deals with aberrations. I think its called Book of Madness.
If I'm not mistaken there are some aberrations that like to enslave "lesser" races and convert them. You could use say like goblins. Start out with normal goblins, but as the group advances through the dungeon they start to come across mutated goblins that have been "assimilated". This is just the first that popped into my head. Essentially you could use any humanoid, and maybe monstrous humanoid, race.
*Edit* There is a book in D&D 3.5 that deals with aberrations. I think its called Book of Madness.
Lords of Madness; it's got two useful templates (Half-Farspawn, pseudonatural creature) that would be perfect for rg's needs.
@rg - Keep in mind that players won't see the templated creature the same as you. In their eyes the Aberration-typed-goblin-build-with-tentacle-attacks is a completely new beast. Just vary the physical descriptions and you should be fine.
@Necromancer: The flesh crafter class would make a good "villain".
I almost forgot about THIS; definitely worth the money and it has a nice aberration template that does exactly what you're looking for. I especially recommend this if you can't track down Lords of Madness.
@Necromancer: The flesh crafter class would make a good "villain".
Back when the book came out, I went nuts and tried to use as much of it as possible in a short mad scientist's dungeon/lab campaign; the fleshwarper PrC, stapled to an unstable Igor-apprentice NPC, gave the players a nice taste of what was to come. I always wanted to play a fleshwarper, but none of my alternates would allow grafts. They might now, but the dream has faded.
That is the one thing I miss most about D&D: grafts.
That is the one thing I miss most about D&D: grafts.
Well I'm trying to incorporate grafts in my game, albeit they're prosthetic mechanical limbs (like automail from Full Metal Alchemist).
Lords of Madness; it's got two useful templates (Half-Farspawn, pseudonatural creature) that would be perfect for rg's needs.
Lords of Madness is a great book; the aberration feats in the book are still something that I update to pathfinder every chance I get. Look them up!
And the bestiary 2 has some nice low level aberrations in it, The Tentamort (CR 4), and the Grindylow (CR 1/2). And Lords of Madness is an amazing book used it extensively when it came out, specially for my Aboleths *evil cackle* my players have hated them ever since.
So, if I used say "assimilated" mites, would that throw the low CR I need out the window? Could I feasibly toss a small mob (1d6+2) of them at a three member party (EXPERIENCED players with no true casters in the mix), starting at Apprentice levels? Or even at Level 1? I am curious, because this is what I need the creatures for...
By the end of the dungeon they will be roughly level 7, assuming they survive (they BEGGED me for a meatgrinder, and I am trying to give them one)...
Also, I had two ideas, which I have no idea how to implement or make into a pair stated out monsters... Akin to mimics or A'peril (Penumbra Fantasy Bestiary), I was wondering what the CR and stats of a potion mimic or a wand/weapon mimic would look like... They will run into the occasional mimic, so something very small which gives them an idea they can't trust a damn thing in the dungeon, would be AMAZING!
So, I am so happy you guys are helping out here!
I don't know how to make Pathfinder monsters yet, and homebrew monsters/creatures were never my forte... Anyway, what do you think the most efficient use of tendril beast like this would be? Small mobs of gnolls/goblins/cats?
And a bit off topic, does anyone remember what resource goblin dogs were from?
Thanks so much guys...
...and the Grindylow (CR 1/2)...
Now that sounds interesting... What are it's properties?
Also, sorry I am looking for something frightening for my players in the same aberrant realm... I am planning on using a "steampunked" version of the Organ grinder from "the Book of Unremitting Horror", and I expect it to take them off guard... Any other frightening smaller Aberrations which you guys can think of?
Lastly, I am really looking for a good stated out homebrew little choker-esque creature or two... Anyone have one, or want to take a shot at making one?
Its like a mad Alchemist decided he wanted to throw together a goblin and an octopus, this makes the grindylow very, very cranky ;). its actually pretty neat and would allow you to add more to your dungeon i think.
The Book of Unremitting Horror has many goodies that can be transitioned into a fantasy setting with little work, although I'll admit that I've never considered using a steampunked organ grinder. Sounds fun.
Goblin dogs are in the first bestiary.
As for the small mimic, try something unexpected like starting with a hawk's stats (Bestiary as well), dropping the talon attack for the mimic's slam (keep the hawk's modifiers), add the Adhesive and Mimic object abilities, and change its type to aberration. Nothing like a potion that flies off the shelf and smacks players around.
The Eberron Campaign Setting has the Horrid template that would work pretty well.
I forgot about Eberron. They had some pretty neat aberrations. There is also a PC race called Half Daelkyr that are breed from aberrations. That might work also. The book they're in is called Faiths of Eberron.
Not to bad though some of its abilities are kind of unique to a watery situation. Though it could be used as a PC race, though its temperament and life style don't lend well to that situation.
They do seem fairly balanced though, i don't think they would be to overly powerful. They are also amphibious so most campaign settings would work... Though the mere thought of a grindylow wizard causes involuntary chuckling ;). Hey i say go for it, its a solid low level water baddie, with the potential for mid or even high level play.
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Also, I had two ideas, which I have no idea how to implement or make into a pair stated out monsters... Akin to mimics or A'peril (Penumbra Fantasy Bestiary), I was wondering what the CR and stats of a potion mimic or a wand/weapon mimic would look like... They will run into the occasional mimic, so something very small which gives them an idea they can't trust a damn thing in the dungeon, would be AMAZING!
Use Octopus stats, or even slap on the Bestiary's 'Young Creature' Simple template and drop to 1 HD, for a potion or wand sized Tiny octopus, and say that it appears as a potion or wand (or longsword or shield or breastplate, for the 2 HD full-sized Small Octopus statted version), and even detects as magical (because it is, it's shapechanging power is magical, and gives it a +20 to it's Disguise check). Once the longsword is picked up, or, worse, the breastplate put on, it gets a free grapple and shapeshifts in a free action (magic!) into it's tentacle-monster form and begins attacking.
Ignore the swim speed, jet and amphibious traits, since they aren't relevant to this octo-mimic, and change the ink cloud to a 10 ft. inky reddish non-magical obscuring mist effect, that it can see through just fine. Perhaps it leads off with this massive cloud, so that nobody sees it transform. Poof, foul-smelling cloud of blackness, and the Fighter who just picked up that shiny new sword is now flailing around screaming about 'something's eating my hand!'
When dealing with nasty aberration-like creatures, don't forget to instill some paranoia. Just because you killed the thing, doesn't mean that the encounter is over. Describe an area where bitten or stung by some venomous critter as changing color, or altering in texture, or becoming translucent and showing the veins and tissues beneath the surface of the skin, veins and tissues that appear to be changing in some way. Until the ability damage is cured, this effect will slowly spread. It's totally harmless flavor text, but will leave the player(s) with the thought that they have been infected with something, or implanted with eggs, or that something is going to burst out of their chest and go squealing down the corridor.
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Another example of 'reskinning' a monster, from my Scarred Lands campaign (stats are 3.0 ish, but easy enough to convert, just add a CMB and CMD, for the most part and handwave the rest, add a crest of tentacles for show around the head, waving like independent sea anemone fronds, to 'aberrant it up' and good to go);
So I combined the Medium Constrictor and the Vargouille into a beastie I called the Blood Naga, which fit the mood I was looking for in a Hornsaw encounter better than any traditional Naga encounter.
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Blood Naga
Medium Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 3d10+3 (16 hp)
Initiative: +3 (Dex)
Speed: 20 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
AC: 15 (+2 natural, +3 Dex)
Attacks: Bite +7 melee
Damage: Bite 1d4+3 and poison
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft. (coiled)/5 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, constrict 1d3+3, dance, poison, kiss
Special Qualities: Scent, 60 ft. darkvision
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +4
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 5, Wis 12, Cha 8
Skills: Balance +11, Climb +14, Hide +11, Listen +9, Spot +9
Feats: Lightning Reflexes
Climate/Terrain: Temperate and warm land and underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
Advancement: 1-2 HD (Small), 3-5 HD (Medium), 6-10 HD (Large)
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These vile creatures have slithered the Hornsaw since the death of Mormo and are a threat to all humanoid life, for they can only reproduce by infecting a humanoid creature with their own tainted blood.
Blood naga have an initial affinity for each other, with the 'parent' being almost protective of its 'children' for a few days or weeks, but it inevitably ends with violent disagreement (they are immune to each others poison and dance) and the parent driving off the child, the child driving away the parent, or the death of one of the above.
So, other than for a few days after spawning, they are solitary, but they don't really like being alone, craving companionship, even if only of creatures as tormented as themselves, so soon after being alone again, a blood naga will feel the urge to make more 'children,' forgetting that it never ends well...
An 'adult' blood naga is dark in color, almost blackish-red, with recent ‘children’ being bright crimson with black patterns. Occasionally one will still bear signs of facial tattoos, jewelry or other distinctive features from before their transformation, but they have no memory of these times and will not recognize things from their previous lives.
The only part of a blood naga that remains essentially unchanged are their eyes. Instead of reptilian slits, they still have the same eyes they had in life, and those eyes roll crazily around in their head, as if trapped inside their twisted skulls and trying to get out.
Blood naga understand occasional words of Titan Speech, regardless of what languages they knew in life, but cannot be relied upon to act on any words that they do recognize. The pain and trauma of their initial transformation never seems to end for them, and they remain insane and malevolent as a result of this. Even the hags of Mormo find them untrainable and best avoided.
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Skills: Blood naga receive a +4 racial bonus to Hide, Listen and Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus to Balance checks. They can use either their Strength or Dexterity modifier for Climb checks.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the naga must hit with its bite attack. If it gets a hold, it gains an automatic grapple and can constrict any creature of Medium-size or smaller on the following round without requiring an attack roll. [A Small blood naga can only constrict a Small or smaller opponent, a Large blood naga can constrict any foe of Large or smaller size.]
Constriction (Ex): A blood naga inflicts 1d3+3 damage each round to any Medium-sized or smaller creature it constricts.
Dance (Su): A blood naga can spend an action weaving in a hypnotic dance that affects all who can see it within 60 ft., requiring a Will save (DC 14) to avoid being paralyzed with fear (effectively stunned) until the creature attacks them, moves out of sight or leaves range. A creature that is frozen in horror can be affected by the naga’s kiss attack (which breaks the entrancement for the victim, but not any entranced companions). If the save is made (or the affect is broken by an attack or successful kiss), the opponent cannot be affected by that naga's dance again for one day.
Poison (Ex): Fortitude save (DC 14) or be unable to heal the bite damage, naturally or magically. A neutralize poison or heal spell removes the effect and restores damage, while a delay poison allows magical healing. [per MM p 6 add +2 to the poison DC when increasing a creature to size Medium, apply this modifier to a blood nagas entrancing dance as well. A size Small blood naga would have DC 12 to resist poison and dance, a size Large blood naga would have DC 16.] The area around the bite grows inflamed and reddish, eventually with black streaks traveling up and down the affected area, in line with the victims veins. Nearby body hair falls out and the skin grows hot and dry, feeling bumpy and almost scaly to the touch, but this change in appearance is cosmetic until the damage is cured.
Kiss (Su): A blood naga can ‘kiss’ an entranced or helpless target with a successful melee touch attack, opening its disjointed maw wide and locking over the mouth of its victim, vomiting forth a quantity of its own vile blood and beginning a terrible transformation. The affected target must make a Fortitude save (DC 19) or begin changing into a blood naga, losing his hair and turning red, as if feverish, over the next 1d6 hours. After another 1d6 hours, the skin on his face will grow scaly, and most of his teeth fall out. He will also be treated as fatigued during this point, and feel flush and sore all over, with a numbness in his arms and legs. Over the next 1d6 hours, he will be treated as exhausted and suffer 1d6 points of permanent Intelligence and Charisma drain. 1d6 hours later, the transformation will be complete, and with a wet ripping sound, his head and spinal cord will tear from his shoulders, leaving his arms, legs and eviscerated torso lying in a discarded heap as the new blood naga slithers away in a trail of blood and gore. This transformation is interrupted by sunlight, and even a daylight spell can delay death, but to reverse the transformation before it is complete requires a remove disease. (After it is complete, only a wish or miracle can restore a blood naga to the original subject.) A blood naga created in this fashion retains no features from it’s original creature type (save cosmetic details), although a size Small humanoid will form a Small blood naga and a size Large humanoid will form a Large blood naga. Blood naga do not otherwise grow in size, or reproduce naturally. No blood naga of smaller or larger sizes have been reported, and a blood naga can only use its kiss attack on a humanoid within one size class of its own size. A blood naga can only use its kiss attack a number of times per day equal to its Constitution modifier (at least once). [The average size Medium blood naga can therefore use this attack once per day.]
Scent: MM p 10.
Darkvision: As a magical beast, blood naga have 60 ft. darkvision.
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Size Medium Stat block
Blood Naga: SZ Medium Monstrous Beast; HD 3d10+3; hp 16, Init +3 (Dex); Spd 20 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.; AC 15 (+2 natural, +3 Dex); Atk +7 melee (1d4+3 bite plus poison); SA constrict (1d3+3), poison (DC 14), dance (DC 14), kiss (DC 19), improved grab; SQ scent; AL CE; SV Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +4; Str 17, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 5, Wis 12, Cha 8.
Skills: Balance +11, Climb +14, Hide +11, Listen +9, Spot +9.
Feats: Lightning Reflexes.
Size Small Stat block
Blood Naga: SZ Small Monstrous Beast; HD 1d10; hp 6, Init +4 (Dex); Spd 20 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.; AC 17 (+1 size, +2 natural, +4 Dex); Atk +6 melee (1d3+1 bite plus poison); SA constrict 1d2+1, poison (DC 12), dance (DC 12), kiss (DC 19), improved grab; SQ scent; AL CE; SV Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +3; Str 13, Dex 19, Con 11, Int 5, Wis 12, Cha 8.
Skills: Balance +11, Climb +15, Hide +15, Listen +9, Spot +9.
Feats: Weapon Finesse (bite).
Size Large Stat block
Blood Naga: SZ Large Monstrous Beast; HD 6d10+18; hp 54, Init +2 (Dex); Spd 20 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.; AC 15 (-1 size, +4 natural, +2 Dex); Atk +12 melee (1d6+7 bite plus poison); SA constrict (1d4+7), poison (DC 16), dance (DC 16), kiss (DC 19), improved grab; SQ scent; AL CE; SV Fort +8, Ref +9, Will +6; Str 25, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 5, Wis 12, Cha 8.
Skills: Balance +11, Climb +18, Hide +7, Listen +11, Spot +11.
Feats: Alertness, Lightning Reflexes.
For out-of-the-box solutions (or stuff that is nearly so), here are some options from Bestiary 2:
Beyond that, what the others have said, using stats from other critters (maybe replacing natural attacks with tentacles) but giving them a new appearance and just calling them something else can work as well. Normally, aberrations aren't really the weak type with really low CRs (but, to be honest, critters with a CR below 1/2 are generally pretty rare. That's basically where familiar-type critters and humanoid races without any racial HD hang out)
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One of the fun parts of using aberrations is that you can steal from movies. Aliens chestbursters, Predator spine-ripping, Cloverfield bite-infect-people-and-makes-them-explode, John Carpenter's Thing making a body out of a dead person's body parts, etc.
You don't need to show any of this, but can have the bodies of people who have suffered previously, like the crewmen found strung up on the walls of the ship/colony in Alien/Aliens, or the hanging despinned / de-skulled victims of the Predator. Leaving these corpses around can suggest what could happen to anyone quite effectively. Leaving it mysterious as to what exactly caused that death / dismemberment can also be cool, like the slime-coated headless bodies discovered in Lovecraft's Mountains of Madness.
The Blood Naga, above, is a critter that lends itself to such scenery, as decapitated and despined bodies are found, as if ripped open from behind, with a trail of blood and gore leading off, as if a snake had slithered away, after devouring the head and spinal cord of the victim. When they later encounter the blood naga, they'll discover that nothing ate the spinal cord and head, but that they just up and tore themselves free of the body and left of their own accord.
Having a creature actually infect someone with something during an attack, implanting an egg or juvenile spawn or whatever, can also be appropriately horror-movie. Since your group won't start with ready access to cure disease or heal, allow for the thing to be removed via surgery. Make a Heal check. If you succeed at the DC, the subject takes 1 hp of damage and you extract the wriggling larvae. If you fail, he takes 1d3 damage and you have to try again. Even on a success, a mobile larvae might move out of the way, being allowed a 'saving throw' vs. extraction at the DC of the Heal check made to extract it, turning it into a tense dice-off between the GM and players, as the larvae wriggles around, tunneling under the skin in an attempt to evade the probing blades of the 'surgeon.' The implanted subject must make Fort saves each round of such motion or be nauseated by pain (and sickened by pain even if he does), as well as taking some damage, encouraging them to get the surgery done as fast as possible, or to 'let it lie, for now,' to give him a chance to recover before attempting another surgery (since it doesn't move around when it's not being chased by sharp knives).
The dog with a mass of maggots where it's head should be is a bit obvious. How about some normal looking dogs. When they open their mouths, long tentacles covered with teeth snake out at the PCs.
Aliens chestbursters
The dog with a mass of maggots where it's head should be is a bit obvious. How about some normal looking dogs. When they open their mouths, long tentacles covered with teeth snake out at the PCs.
Why do the lickers from RE come to mind?
The dog with a mass of maggots where it's head should be is a bit obvious. How about some normal looking dogs. When they open their mouths, long tentacles covered with teeth snake out at the PCs.Why do the lickers from RE come to mind?
Yeah, when I read about dogs with monster tongues or something like that, I immediately thought about Resident Evil.
What were the roach monsters called in D&D 3.5 that infected humans and then after a certain time period they would start to mutate? Well they could infect anyone really.
Alright, so I am building a LARGE dungeon for an upcoming PFRPG adventure... I have decided to populate the dungeon almost entirely with aberrations, and while I am finding a great deal of creatures to fill the lower depths of the dungeon, I am coming up short with lower level aberrations to use in the earliest part of the dungeon. As I am pretty new to PFRPG, I'd greatly like some help creating a few low-level aberrations to toss at my players...
What I am looking for here ideally is a diverse handful of smaller/weaker creatures analogous to the larger creatures which they will find later (the VAST majority of the monsters I am including later in the adventure are of the subset of aberration like chokers & otyughs (grapple and squeeze types))... I am not looking for beholder-like creatures, and I am not looking for insectoid aberrations, just the tentacled horrors...
Optimally speaking, what I am shooting for is a group of aberrations in the CR ¼ to CR ½ level range... And I truly hope that you can help me out, as I seem unable to create any smaller aberrations which actually work!
ANY help would be extremely appreciated! And I am sure my players will thank you as well, as any feasible/balanced monster will be included in their dungeon adventuring!
Thanks immensely!
In addendum, any advice on monster design for PFRPG is VASTLY useful to me!
I don't remember what it was called but there was a creature in AD&D that was a cross between a gold coin and a scorpion. I would call that an aberration and use it as the basis for the inspiration.
Coin Bug CR 1/2
Diminuitive N Aberration
Init +4; Tremorsense 20ft (sightless); Perception +2;
AC 24, touch 22, flat-footed 20 (+2 Natural Armor, +8 Size, +4 Dex)
hp 4 (1d8 -2)
fort -2, ref +4, will +3
Speed 10ft, Climb 10ft
Melee Stinger +12 (1d2 -5 plus poison)
Space/Reach: whatever that is for a diminuitive creature
Str 1, Dex 18, Con 6, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2
Base Atk +0, CMB -13, CMD[b] -3
[b]Skills Climb +10, Perception +2, Stealth +32; Racial Modifiers Climb +10
Environment Dungeon treasure
Organization Solitary or Nest(2-8)
Sightless: can't see. is unaffected by visual things like illusions or bright light. it only knows where creatures and objects are through tremorsense.
Poison (Ex): Sting--injury;save Fort DC 11; frequency 1/round for 2 rounds; effect 1d2 Dex damage; cure 1 save; secondary sleep; cure 1 save
The Coin Bug (for lack of name inspiration) has a body that looks like a gold coin. It has 6 insect-like legs and a tail with a stinger that it can curl under its body. Coin Bugs hide in piles of treasure (preferably gold coins) in wait of unwary creatures to come by and try to carry them away. They usually feed on insects and rats but unwary adventurers and greedy thieves often fall victim to their venom.
What were the roach monsters called in D&D 3.5 that infected humans and then after a certain time period they would start to mutate? Well they could infect anyone really.
Roach thrall was in Sharn: City of Towers. It reminds me of a creature in Cityscape called ripper (CR 6 aberration) that had really unimpressive stats, but enjoyed incredible artwork. Shown here.
Daelkyr Half-bloods were in Magic of Eberron along with a dozen symbionts to help them get started.
Well I'm trying to incorporate grafts in my game, albeit they're prosthetic mechanical limbs (like automail from Full Metal Alchemist).
That is the one thing I miss most about D&D: grafts.
DrDew i know the monster your thinking of it was in 2nd edition for the forgotten realms. I don't remember if it was in the monstrous compendium for FR or in the (R) Grey Box set. But it was an interesting little creature, and it would hide its tail in another plane of existence until it was ready to strike. I believe its poison was paralytic in nature.
DrDew i know the monster your thinking of it was in 2nd edition for the forgotten realms. I don't remember if it was in the monstrous compendium for FR or in the (R) Grey Box set. But it was an interesting little creature, and it would hide its tail in another plane of existence until it was ready to strike. I believe its poison was paralytic in nature.
Yeah I don't remember any of the details about it other than it looked like a gold coin and had a scorpion tail and legs.
Seemed like the right concept for the OP though. :)
If its poison was paralytic then I guess I went the right direction with Dex damage and sleep. :D
** spoiler omitted **Well I'm trying to incorporate grafts in my game, albeit they're prosthetic mechanical limbs (like automail from Full Metal Alchemist).
That is the one thing I miss most about D&D: grafts.
** spoiler omitted **** spoiler omitted **Well I'm trying to incorporate grafts in my game, albeit they're prosthetic mechanical limbs (like automail from Full Metal Alchemist).
That is the one thing I miss most about D&D: grafts.
** spoiler omitted **** spoiler omitted **** spoiler omitted **Well I'm trying to incorporate grafts in my game, albeit they're prosthetic mechanical limbs (like automail from Full Metal Alchemist).
That is the one thing I miss most about D&D: grafts.
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As to the spoilered bit, meh. The half-golem was, IMO, a messed-up template.
Graft a mechanical arm onto an orc, and it gains +4 natural armor, since, apparently, having a metal arm makes your *head* (and torso, and legs, etc.) tougher, and if it fails the right saving throw it gains all construct immunities? Yeah.
Someone forgot to pass the dutchie on that one.
As to the spoilered bit, meh. The half-golem was, IMO, a messed-up template.
Graft a mechanical arm onto an orc, and it gains +4 natural armor, since, apparently, having a metal arm makes your *head* (and torso, and legs, etc.) tougher, and if it fails the right saving throw it gains all construct immunities? Yeah.
Someone forgot to pass the dutchie on that one.
Yeah, the mechanics were strange, I've only used the template maybe twice. The concept behind half-golem is what I had in mind; would've liked to see a Paizo version with reasonable stats.
Alright, I've been wicked busy, but here's and initial attempt at a low-level aberration... tell me what you guys think...
Bothrii – CR 1/4
XP 75
N Diminutive Aberration
Init +2; Senses blindsense 30 ft., low-light vision
Defense
AC 16, touch 16, flat-footed 14 (+2 Dex, +4 size)
hp 2 (1d8–2)
Fort +0, Ref +4, Will +2
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee 2 Tentacles +6 (1d2-5)
Space 1 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks constrict (1d2-5), strangle
Statistics
Str 1, Dex 15, Con 6, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 5
Base Atk +0; CMB –2; CMD 3
Feats Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +20, Climb -1; Racial Modifiers +4 Acrobatics, +4 Climb
Ecology
Environment any underground
Organization colony (10–500)
Treasure none
Special Abilities
Strangle (Ex) Bothrii have an unerring talent for seizing their victims by the neck. A creature that is grappled by a bothrii cannot speak or cast spells with verbal components.
Bothrii are an eyeless, earless node of black flesh with an exceedingly small lamprey-like mouth. A bothrii spends the majority of its life searching for rotting meats, folded upon itself rolling through wet underground passages. When threatened, a bothrii extends two long thin tentacles and wraps itself around whatever it can find to suffocate and devour over the weeks to come.
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A diminutive melee monster, neat!
For Strangle, it might be better to have the effect be less 'all or nothing,' and just impose a massive DC penalty to Perception rolls to hear the strangled cries of the grappled victim, and require a high DC 'concentration check' to cast a spell with verbal components, rather than just outright forbid them. It's an awefully low CR critter to have such an unbeatable impact on a mid to high level wizard, IMO.
The Lump
This lump of flesh has tentacles with weapons or implements grown into the ends. It’s skin is covered with tiny suction cups that let it crawl on walls and ceilings. It has 1 tentacle per body hit dice. They have 1-4 eyes, but need no visible ears to hear. It’s very loosely based on some monsters in Pulp Dungeons, more than the song