Home-brew monster help


Advice

Dark Archive

So I've been running a game for a while for some friends, and recently they've been thrashing pretty much everything I've thrown at them. So I've been inclined to build a monster that will make their lives hard, but my aim is not a TPK. They're are lv9 and this thing is meant to be a rather difficult boss at CR12 but I have been known to make creatures too powerful so I'd like some input

The Beast

Spoiler:

Lesser Inquisitor
medium aberration CR12
Initiative +43
Perception
AC 28 (10, +9 dex, +9 deflection)
Touch 28
Flat-footed 19
HP 17d8 (135)
Fort +8
Reflex +44
Will +20 +10 against illusions

Speed 30ft
Base Atk bonus +12
CMB 21 +4 to steal and disarm
CMD 32 +4 to steal and disarm
Languages

Melee 2 claw +21 (1d4+1 +2 dex damage, touch attack)
Ranged 2 claw +21 (1d4+1 +2 dex damage, touch attack range 120ft)

STR 12 (+1)
DEX 29 (+9)
CON 17 (+3)
INT 21 (+5)
WIS 30 (+10)
CHA 26 (+8)

Skills 9,
acrobatics, 17+3+9= +29
escape artist, 17+3+9= +29
intimidate, 17+3+8= +28
knowledge (religion), 17+3+5= +25
knowledge (local) 17+3+5= +25
perception, 17+3+10= +30
spellcraft, 17+3+5= +25
stealth, 17+3+9= +29
survival 17+3+10= +30

Feats
weapon finesse
agile maneuvers
improved initiative
combat expatriates
improved steal
greater steal
quick steal
improved disarm
greater disarm

Abilities
Assassinate (Ex): whenever a lesser inquisitor hits a creature that is flat-footed and who hasn’t noticed him yet must pass a fort save DC15 or instantly die, if they do pass they still become staggered and nauseated, take 3d8 points of bleed damage and begin to drown, the drowning effect and the staggered and nauseated effect end when the bleed damage is stopped.
In the name of the Inquisition (Su) As a standard action a lesser Inquisitor can denounce a single target, that target must pass a will save DC21 or against the inquisitor they must re-roll all d20s and take the lower value and all spells that target the lesser Inquisitor have a miss chance of 50%
Unexpected (Su) as a move action a lesser Inquisitor can teleport as per dimension door, CL17. 3/day a Lesser Inquisitor can as a full round action teleport to a target, make a single attack and then teleport back to his original position.
Impossible Reactions (Ex) a lesser Inquisitor adds 30 to his initiative modifier, reflex modifier and gains the effects of improved uncanny dodge and improved evasion
Soul Shadow Barb Shroud (Su) first the Lesser Inquisitor gains an aura 60ft, at the start of its turn all creatures within the aura must pass a DC21 fort save or a body part explodes and take 5d6 points of damage. Roll a d6, 1 eyes (permanently blinds), 2 ears (permanently deafens), 3 mouth (permanently can’t speak), 4 feet (speed goes down to 5ft, can’t stand, always prone), 5 hands (can’t use hands, can’t hold items, can’t use somatic components), 6 chest (an additional 1d6 con damage). The disability can be cured with a heal spell or more powerful magic. Secondly the lesser Inquisitor has a 20% miss chance against all attacks and all spells that target him. Finally the attacks of the Lesser Inquisitor deal 2 dex damage, and are touch attacks, and can be used as a ranged attack with a range of 120ft no increments.
Mark the Sinners (Su) when an Inquisitor encounters a crime scene he can denounce the once responsible and gain them as a mark, an Inquisitor can only hold one such mark at a time. All people involved in the crime are instantly marked. The Inquisitor always know where the marked creatures are, they always see the marked creatures as per True Seeing, they know the class, the level, the hit points, alignment and equipment of all marked creatures.
Bend the Mind of the Sinnful (Su) Once per day an Inquisitor can as a swift action cause a creature it has marked with Mark the Sinners to follow its command, this works as Dominate Person CL17 DC21.
Perfect Eyes of the Law (Ex) The Inquisitor instantly knows if someone is lying to him, he will also know what the truth is. An inquisitor will instantly know the presence of any illusions to be that, but must still pass the will save to disbelieve them though gains a +10 against illusions


Just take a normal creature and add DR 10 adamantine and Fast Healing or Regeneration 10 (with something thematic that causes it to stop function).

You probably don't need to make the monster more offensive, but make it defensively much strong.

Also, that assassinate ability is terrible. Definitely don't use that. While it's neat for a player to have something like that, Save or Die effects suck when used on a player. Most players wont fail that save, but if you get unlucky and roll a 1 you're simply screwed. It's not a problem for NPCs to die, they're supposed to. But it really sucks and is unfun as a player when there was literally nothing you could.

Your "in the name of the Inquisition" is also completely overpowered as well. It's like using the misfortune hex, but doesn't have a distance limit and doesn't have a duration limit. Again, no.

Soul Shadow Barb...no.

Basically, don't do anything that your doing with the offensive stuff. Add defensive bonuses. Max hp per HD (maybe even double HP). Increase AC. Add DR, regeneration, energy resistance, etc.

But with the offensive powers you put on this, you will have several party members die. I just can't see it going any other way.

Challenges should be difficult, the party should struggle at times. But characters probably should not be regularly dying.


Also, just for reference a CR 14 creature would represent a challenge that the party only has a 50% chance of succeeding against.

The monster creation guidelines recommend the following for a CR 14:
HP 200
AC 29
High Attack 23, Low Attack 17
Average Damage 48-65 (achieved through multiple attacks typically).
Primary Ability DC 22
Secondary Ability DC 16
Good Save 17
Poor Save 12

Remember this is for something that should have the time cause a TPK.

Lets look at what your creature is doing:
Initiative is crazy high, your creature will always go first. By itself, is good but with the assassinate ability pretty much guarantees you kill someone the first round of combat (assuming you get a surprise round with the effectively +39 stealth that your players are super unlikely to be able to reach).

AC 28, just 1 point lower than a CR 14 creature.
HP is 135 (this is probably okay).
Saves- The fort save is too low, but the will and reflex saves are ridiculous. The creature might die to a fortitude effect, if the party survives long enough to throw one at it.

CMB - +21, effectively +25 to steal or disarm. Your party is almost guaranteed to basically only have around a 25 CMD. So your creature basically can't fail this action. Disarming weapons or stealing spell component pouches can effectively remove a character from the combat.

Attacks - Pitiful damage but an almost guaranteed hit at this level. Most of your players can't have more than 25 or so AC. Dealing 4 dex damage a round will basically render any character who isn't specializing in dex unconscious in 3 rounds. Of course, why would the creature even bother when it's other abilities are so much better.


So how does this play out?

Your creature is hiding, spots the party. Uses one of it's teleport attacks to teleport in, targeting the wizard (or other arcane caster). Caster must make a DC 15 fort save or die. Let say the wizard has a +5/6 to his fort save. He basically has a 50% chance to die right there. He's also just taken dex damage. The creature returns to his hiding spot, probably in a place the party can't see him.

Alternatively, target the party healer who cannot heal themselves as they are now drowning, staggered, and nauseated. They slowly die, even if they made the save.

Oh wait, did the creature let the party get within 60ft first? Then several of them just have a chance to be pretty much completely disabled before the creature actually does anything. Blinded means the party can target the creature. Melee and ranged weapon attacks will have a 50% chance to hit assuming the can find the right square. Targeted magic spells simply can't be used. If it's the mouth, spell casters can't cast spells 9for the most part). Many spells contain verbal components. If it's the hands, can't provide somatic or material components. Spells again disabled. Martial characters can't use weapons.

So, if that aura ability doesn't leave all the party members basically completely disabled in the first place, choose the one that can actually still do anything. Then mop up the rest.

This is a horribly designed monster, unless your players are out right cheating there is no level of system mastery that could possibly allow them to survive this at level 9.

Dark Archive

Alright Changes

Spoiler:

Lesser Inquisitor
medium aberration CR12
Initiative +23
Perception
AC 28 (10, +9 dex, +9 deflection)
Touch 28
Flat-footed 19
HP 17d8 (135)
Fort +8
Reflex +24
Will +20 +10 against illusions
Speed 30ft
Base Atk bonus +12
CMB 21 +4 to steal and disarm
CMD 32 +4 to steal and disarm
Languages

Melee 2 claw +21 (1d4+1 +2 dex damage, touch attack)
Ranged 2 claw +21 (1d4+1 +2 dex damage, touch attack range 120ft)

STR 12 (+1)
DEX 29 (+9)
CON 17 (+3)
INT 21 (+5)
WIS 30 (+10)
CHA 26 (+8)

Skills 9,
acrobatics, 17+3+9= +29
escape artist, 17+3+9= +29
intimidate, 17+3+8= +28
knowledge (religion), 17+3+5= +25
knowledge (local) 17+3+5= +25
perception, 17+3+10= +30
spellcraft, 17+3+5= +25
stealth, 17+3+9= +29
survival 17+3+10= +30

Feats
weapon finesse
agile maneuvers
improved initiative
combat expatriates
improved steal
greater steal
quick steal
improved disarm
greater disarm

Abilities
Assassinate (Ex): whenever a lesser inquisitor hits a creature that is flat-footed and who hasn’t noticed him yet must pass a fort save DC15 or become staggered and nauseated, take 3d8 points of bleed damage and begin to drown, the drowning effect and the staggered and nauseated effect end when the bleed damage is stopped. If they pass they become sickened and take 1d8 points of bleed.
In the name of the Inquisition (Su) As a standard action a lesser Inquisitor can denounce a single target, that target must pass a will save DC21 or against the inquisitor they must re-roll all d20s and take the lower value and all spells that target the lesser Inquisitor have a miss chance of 50%. The subject must be able to see and hear the Inquisitor and the effect last 24 hours. If they pass the subject can't be effected again for the rest of the day
Unexpected (Su) as a move action a lesser Inquisitor can teleport as per dimension door, CL17. 3/day a Lesser Inquisitor can as a full round action teleport to a target, make a single attack and then teleport back to his original position.
Impossible Reactions (Ex) a lesser Inquisitor adds wisdom modifier to his initiative modifier, reflex modifier and gains the effects of improved uncanny dodge and improved evasion
Soul Shadow Barb Shroud (Su) first the Lesser Inquisitor gains an aura 60ft, at the start of its turn all creatures within the aura must pass a DC21 fort save or a body part explodes and take 5d6 points of damage. Roll a d6, 1 eyes (first gives a -2 to all raged attacks and perception checks, second permanently blinds), 2 ears (first gives -2 to all perception checks, second permanently deafens), 3 mouth (first gives a 50% of not being able to speak every time the subject tries to speak, second permanently can’t speak), 4 feet (first halves the speed and target gets a -4 penalty to trip attempts, second speed goes down to 5ft, can’t stand, always prone), 5 hands (first stops the ability to use one hand, second can’t use hands, can’t hold items, can’t use somatic components), 6 chest (an additional 1d6 con damage). The disability can be cured with a heal spell or more powerful magic. Secondly the lesser Inquisitor has a 20% miss chance against all attacks and all spells that target him. Finally the attacks of the Lesser Inquisitor deal 2 dex damage, and are touch attacks, and can be used as a ranged attack with a range of 120ft no increments.
Mark the Sinners (Su) when an Inquisitor encounters a crime scene he can denounce the once responsible and gain them as a mark, an Inquisitor can only hold one such mark at a time. All people involved in the crime are instantly marked. The Inquisitor always know where the marked creatures are, they always see the marked creatures as per True Seeing, they know the class, the level, the hit points, alignment and equipment of all marked creatures.
Bend the Mind of the Sinnful (Su) Once per day an Inquisitor can as a swift action cause a creature it has marked with Mark the Sinners to follow its command, this works as Dominate Person CL17 DC21.
Perfect Eyes of the Law (Ex) The Inquisitor instantly knows if someone is lying to him, he will also know what the truth is. An inquisitor will instantly know the presence of any illusions to be that, but must still pass the will save to disbelieve them though gains a +10 against illusions

Dark Archive

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