This will be the final series of encounters for the campaign. The characters are lvl8. I know there's existing stats for the wendigo, but I can't quite unleash a CR17 monster on three non-optimized lvl8 PC's. Besides, it's not quite what I'm looking for.
Below is a quick outline of the sort of thing I'm working towards. Just looking for input; if anyone's done anything similar recently, or if there's a monster out there with a similar ability, etc.
The characters have just acquired three relics they can use to help banish the evil spirit and are heading back to the tribe first afflicted with the wendigo's influence. Cue first encounter: a number of tribes people who have been corrupted by the wendigo (but have not entirely lost themselves to the madness), as well as those simply mislead by the tribe's shaman, who the players will learn is responsible for calling thy wendigo in the first place.
A fight/chase through the tribe's village, trying to thwart the shaman, not unnecessarily murder hapless villagers and flush the wendigo out of the people it has possessed.
Second encounter: when the shaman realizes he can't win and decides to allow/command the wendigo to physically manifest. It is a medium-sized monster, crazy fast and focused more on running around and eating villagers. With each person it kills and consumes, the more it's power and physical stature grows.
Third encounter: facing down an emaciated, starving spirit-giant. There have been a few story-seeds planted to suggest a way they could trap the spirit inside a body, etc. etc.
I'm sure I can get them to run initially, and the shaman won't be showing himself too often. So I'm confident I can get 1-4 rounds out of the first encounter, at least. The second one...I think it'll have to have some crazy-good defenses (high AC, saves, DR and fast healing) to survive a beating long enough to gorge itself. I'm thinking...maybe 4 victims to get Large, 8 to Huge, etc., but that's pretty much random numbers.
Any thoughts?
There's something else, but similar... like a Wendigo Jr, or Wendigo wannabe. I will try find it...
I'm thinking...AC26-ish, with DR, fast healing, a crazy movement speed and Spring Attack, the Medium incarnation should be able to duck and weave and eat some bystanders enough to grow. I'd be content if he made it to Huge.
Each growth will result in the usual changes plus a slower movement speed and a new max hp, plus a decent chunk of healing on top of fast healing.
To make it's giant forms feel giant, I might only give it a turn every 2 rounds; these characters won't have a way to shut it down completely or anything.
As a first pass:
Manifested wendigo
CE Medium spirit (cold)
Init +12; darkvision 60ft., scent, Perception +20
AC26, t19, ff19
118hp
Fort +12, Ref +14, Will +12
DR10/cold iron and good, fast healing 10, immune to cold, SR19
Speed 80ft, fly 240ft (poor)
Bite +9 (1d8+9 plus 1d6 cold)
Special Attacks: howl
Spell-Like Abilities (CL10th)
At-Will- gaseous form, gust of wind (DC14), invisibility, wind walk
3/day- etherealness, sleet storm
Str 16, Dex 26, Con 22, Int 15, Wis 19, Cha 17
CMB +12; CMD 30
Feats: Mobility, Spring Attack
Skills: acrobatics +20, athletics +17, diplomacy +15, intimidate +25, knowledge (nature) +14, perception +20, stealth +30, survival +20
SQ: spirit feast
Howl (Su): once per night, a manifested wendigo may give voice to it's hunger, it's madness and it's unending torment. Creatures within 1 mile must make a DC18 Will save or be shaken for an hour. Creatures within 120ft become frightened for 1 round and shaken for one hour. Creatures within 30ft take 1d4 points of Charisma and Wisdom drain, are panicked for 1 round and shaken for 1 hour.
Spirit Feast (Su): as a full-round action, a manifested wendigo may consume the remains of an intelligent creature it has killed, gaining one growth point. When it has 4 growth points, it becomes a large wendigo, regains 40hp and gains a new use of it's Howl.
Large Wendigo
Init +8
AC22, t14, ff18
118hp
Fort +13, Ref +10
Speed 50ft, fly 120ft (poor)
Bite +11 (2d6+12 plus 1d6 cold), 2 claws +6 melee 1d6+6 plus 1d6 cold)
Space: 10ft; Reach: 10ft
SA: howl
Str 22, Dex 18, Con 24
CMB +16; CMD 30
Skills: acrobatics +16, athletics +20, stealth +22
SQ: spirit feast
Spirit Feast (Su): standard action, 6 points to huge.
Huge Wendigo
Init +0
AC20, t8, ff20
118hp
Fort +14, Ref +6
Speed 30ft, fly 80ft (poor)
Bite +12 (3d6+15 plus 1d6 cold), 2 claws +7 melee 1d8+7 plus 1d6 cold)
Space: 15ft; Reach: 15ft
SA: howl
Str 28, Dex 10, Con 26
CMB +20; CMD 30
Feats: Cleave, Great Cleave
Skills: acrobatics +12, athletics +24, stealth +14
SQ: spirit feast
Spirit Feast (Su): as part of an attack action, 10 points to gargantuan
Gargantuan Wendigo
Init -2
AC20, t4, ff20
118hp
Fort +15, Ref +4
Speed 30ft, fly 80ft (poor)
Bite +14 (4d6+17 plus 1d6 cold), 2 claws +9 melee 2d6+8 plus 1d6 cold)
Space: 2pft; Reach: 20ft
SA: howl
Str 32, Dex 6, Con 28
CMB +24; CMD 32
Feats: Cleave, Great Cleave
Skills: acrobatics +10, athletics +26, stealth +8
SQ: spirit feast