I developed this little monster for an adventure in Geb and thought you guys might like it too.
Behind the main front lines, towering over the lesser undead leading the attack you see several giant humanoid creatures. In one hand they carry a shield large enough to crush a house and under the other arm they carry a sinister looking cannon.
Suddenly a light flashes and loud noise echo's over the battlefield. Only moments later a large hole is punched into the walls of the castle. What firepower!
Zombie Canoneer Team CR 9-10
Advanced huge cloud giant zombie (with tumor familiar)
NE Huge undead
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0
DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 10, flat-footed 16 (+4 shield, +4 natural, -2 size, +2 Dex)
HP 110 (20d8+20)
Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +12
DR 5/slashing; Immune undead traits
OFFENSE
Speed 50 ft.
Melee slam +30 (2d6+15)
(However can only be used after dropping the shield)
Ranged cannon +17 (8d6, 150ft range increment, misfire 1 (30ft)
STATISTICS
Str 41, Dex 15, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 10
Base Atk +15; CMB +32; CMD 44
Feats Toughness (Bonus)
Special Qualities staggered, oversized weapon
ECOLOGY
Environment Geb
Organization Geb Army
Treasure cannon (fiend's mouth), huge towershield
This creature was once a proud cloud giant, until the powerful necromancers of Geb turned him into a weapon of war. They are the backbone of most larger armies in Geb. Strong and powerful enough to withstand even the strongest attacks, they are fearsome to behold.
Should the enemy be stronger than expected, they can even seek cover behind their shields while the cannon is reloaded.
Tumor Zombie (Advanced medium human zombie)
NE medium undead
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +2
DEFENSE
AC 22, touch 14, flat-footed 20 (+4 shield, +4 natural, +2 Dex, +2 soft cover)
HP 22 (4d8+4)
Fort --, Ref --, Will +14
DR 5/slashing; Immune undead traits
OFFENSE
Does not attack directly. Only reloads cannon.
STATISTICS
Str 17, Dex 14, Con —, Int —, Wis 14, Cha 14
Base Atk +3; CMB +6; CMD 15
Feats Toughness (Bonus), Rapid Reload (Bonus)
Special Qualities staggered, fast healing 5
This creature is only an upper torso protruding from the giant's side. Its main purpose is to reload the cannon, which it does surprisingly well. It is also "brains" of the team. It takes the tumor 1 round to reload the cannon, meaning the giant zombie can fire every other turn.
For most purposes both zombies count as one creature, except for the following exceptions.
- All attacks that target AC (or touch AC) can be directed at the tumor. It will become inactive when its HP fall below 0, but as long as the tumor is attached to the giant zombie it can't be killed and its fast healing ability will heal it till it is above 0 again.
Due to being partly hidden by the large arm, the cannon and the big torso the tumor also has a +2 soft cover bonus against all attacks.
- Spells that require saves usually effect only the huge zombie, with the exception of will saves, which only effect the tumor.
Specific exceptions are up the GM (such was a web spell targeted at the tumor to prevent it from reloading, despite requiring a reflex save. Use the giant zombie's saves' in such a case).
Challenge Rating: 20 HD Zombie = 7, +1 advanced template, +1 or +2 because of familiar and equipment. It has retained the oversized weapon quality of the cloud giant.
The tumor is inspired by the tumor familiar of the alchemist class.
I split up the advanced template bonuses between the two zombies. All physical advanced bonuses went to the large zombie and all the mental advanced bonuses went to the tumor.
I have advanced the human zombie to large (giving +2 HD) but made it medium size again, since it is only the torso (meaning its half the usual size).
So this thing is unkillable unless you cut off the tumor? 90% of damaging effects will target the tumor, and the tumor can't drop below 0 as long as it is attached, so it effectively cannot be killed.
So this thing is unkillable unless you cut off the tumor? 90% of damaging effects will target the tumor, and the tumor can't drop below 0 as long as it is attached, so it effectively cannot be killed.
I think its that the tumor can not die while attached but even after the giant is killed the tumor is still there and healing off the giant but then you can kill it and I guess chop it off.
As far as I know Fast Healing stops working if you reduce the creature below its negative Con-Score, in contrast to regeneration.
As it is intended:
When the big guy dies, the small one does too. They share one body, one life force (or unlife force in this case).
However the tumor can mooch off energy from the much larger guy and this heal his wounds.
I will try to word it better (and correct a little flaw I noticed).
Advanced huge cloud giant zombie (with tumor familiar)
NE Huge undead
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0
DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 10, flat-footed 16 (+4 shield, +4 natural, -2 size, +2 Dex)
HP 110 (20d8+20)
Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +14
DR 5/slashing; Immune undead traits
OFFENSE
Speed 50 ft.
Melee slam +30 (2d6+15)
(However can only be used after dropping the shield)
Ranged cannon +17 (8d6, 150ft range increment, misfire 1 (30ft)
STATISTICS
Str 41, Dex 15, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 10
Base Atk +15; CMB +32; CMD 44
Feats Toughness (Bonus)
Special Qualities staggered, oversized weapon
Advanced medium human zombie
NE medium undead
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +2
DEFENSE
AC 22, touch 14, flat-footed 20 (+4 shield, +4 natural, +2 Dex, +2 soft cover)
HP 22 (4d8+4)
Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +14
DR 5/slashing; Immune undead traits
OFFENSE
Does not attack directly. Only reloads cannon.
If cut off or detached it has a speed of 10 (walks on its arms).
STATISTICS
Str 17, Dex 14, Con —, Int 4, Wis 14, Cha 14
Base Atk +3; CMB +6; CMD 15
Feats Toughness (Bonus), Rapid Reload (Bonus)
Special Qualities staggered, fast healing 5
While 2 separate creatures, for most purposes the two zombies count as a single creature. For spells and effects that means it makes only a single save against them and applies the results to the whole body. Even though one of them is mindless the whole zombie counts as intelligent undead.
The only time when the creatures are treated separately is for hit point damage.
Aimed attacks (meaning when a character rolls a d20 to see if he hit) that deal hit-point damage can be directed at either the big zombie or the tumor. Should they entail a save for secondary effects the whole zombie suffers the effect if the save fails.
Area attacks that deal hit point damage do not force the zombie to make 2 saves. The big zombie just makes 1 save and eats all the damage.
The tumor is also a valid target for the sunder maneuver. If you deal at least 11 slashing damage with a successful sunder attack the tumor is cut off and looses its fast healing ability. It can reattach itself and gain fast healing again though.
Examples:
Halt Undead - Since it counts as intelligent, it is allowed a save. If it fails the save both zombie and tumor are paralyzed.
Fireball - Save once, apply damage to big guy
Scorching Ray - Apply damage to the one you aimed at.
Rime Spelled Polar Ray - While immune to the drain, if it fails a save against the metamagic the whole zombie is entangled regardless which one you target.