Fear aura effects

[Lynos]

Greetings

I would like to create a Fire Giant with the Terror template. Basically create an even more formidable version of the giant with a touch of the supernatural to strike fear and awe into the hearts of the PC's. I also need it for thematic reasons having to do with my campaign.

It says the the aura fear effect acts as a Fear spell. However, the Fear spell is limited in its duration. Since the giant in this case has the aura permanently "on", does that mean that a panicked creature stays panicked as long as they are around the giant?

Let's say there is a fight, and a PC fails their Will save roll, does that mean they are out of the battle for good? They just run somewhere and don't come back until the monster is down?

Also, if you have ideas for templates other than Terror that will give me the same effect I'm looking for, please let me know.

Thanks!

[Claxon]

It's weirdly written.

I think it's an constant 20ft aura of fear.

Which means once they get outside of 20ft, they're no longer affected.

It pretty much becomes a "make a will save to approach ability".

The other way is it its like casting the fear spell on anyone who approaches within 20ft, in which case they run away and it would last for a number of rounds.

Honestly I'm not sure which it is.

In any event, panicked is a very strong condition. If they run away with a duration then they're basically out of the combat.

[Lynos]

I like this interpretation, it gives me exactly what I want, the creature has a very strong aura that prevents them from getting closer (if they fail). I don't like the idea of them running to the hills once they fail the save and never coming back.

[That Crazy Alchemist]

Personally I'd rule it as the full spells effect which includes the spells duration. Frightful Presence works the same way.

I'd also rule that, like frightful Presence, they can't be affected by it more than once in a 24 hour period to keep it at least somewhat balanced. As is it is strictly better than FP in every way and is a granted by a +0 CR template. That is broken as all hell.

[Lynos]

That Crazy Alchemist wrote:

Personally I'd rule it as the full spells effect which includes the spells duration. Frightful Presence works the same way.

But what would the spell duration be? The spell's duration is based on the caster level, but a fire giant has no caster level, that's why I interpreted it as the aura being always "on".

[VoodistMonk]

Give him a CL = HD...?

[Fuzzy-Wuzzy]

Universal Monster Rules: Spell-Like Abilities wrote:

If no caster level is specified, the caster level is equal to the creature's Hit Dice.

It's not 100% clear to me that that would still hold if it's actually a supernatural ability, but it would at least be a reasonable thing to do.

[doomman47]

Nightmare creature template?

[willuwontu]

Terror Creature Template.

[Penthau]

It looks like he can activate it as a free action, which I assume is only during his turn. The save is based on his racial HD, which leads me to assume that the duration would be also. There is also no mention of immunity after making a save in the basic text.

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Fear Aura (Su) The use of this ability is a free action. The aura can freeze an opponent (as in the case of a mummy's despair) or function like the fear spell. Other effects are possible. A fear aura is an area effect. The descriptive text gives the size and kind of the area.

If a fear effect allows a saving throw, it is a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 fearsome creature's racial HD + creature's Cha modifier; the exact DC is given in the creature's descriptive text). All fear attacks are mind-affecting fear effects.

[doomman47]

willuwontu wrote:

Terror Creature Template.

No I was answering the last question of the post of if there where any other templates out there that could do what he is looking to do nightmare creatures does all he wants better and gives more than the terror template albeit at a +1cr cost but that +1cr cost is well worth it.

[Lynos]

Thanks, all. Some good suggestions. I'll check and see what works best. Again, I'm trying to avoid an "infinitely-panicked" scenario.

[doomman47]

Aren't most creatures immune to a creatures fear effect for 24 hours weather or not they passed the save or failed?

[Claxon]

doomman47 wrote:

Aren't most creatures immune to a creatures fear effect for 24 hours weather or not they passed the save or failed?

No. That's not an innate quality of fear effects.

However, many fear effects specify that you're immune for 24 hours afterwards.