So I made this as a fun little quest excursion and am hoping to get some input, any and all is appreciated.
Every century or so, the deities of ancient Osirion would imbue a creature with increased might and protection to serve as a challenge for mortals. Those that succeed at slaying the beast not only receive the golden hide of the beast, but permanent blessings from the gods. Though the deities of ancient Osirion may have fallen out of main stream worship, they still uphold this tradition. This century Selket choose the beast, and now the Golden Scorpion wanders Osirion's deserts waiting for a challenger
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GIANT GOLDEN SCORPION CR 11
XP 12,800
N Large vermin, Advanced,
Init +2; Senses dark-vision 60 ft., tremor-sense 60 ft.;
Perception +14
DEFENSE
AC 24, touch 11, flat-footed 18 (+9 armor, –1 size, +5 sacred bonus)
hp 165 (15d8+70)
Regeneration 5 (acid)
Fort +20, Ref +12, Will +12
Immune mind-affecting effects; SR 27,
OFFENSE
Speed 50 ft. 30 Burrow.
Melee 2 claws +9 (1d6+3 plus grab), sting +12 (1d6+6 plus poison)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks constrict (1d6+6)
STATISTICS
Str 23, Dex 14, Con 20, Int -, Wis 14, Cha 2
Base Atk +8; CMB +14 (+18 grapple); CMD 26 (36 vs. trip)
Skills Climb +14, Perception +14, Stealth +14; Racial Modifiers +4
Climb, +4 Perception, +4 Stealth
ECOLOGY
Languages: Ancient Osirion
Environment warm or temperate deserts, forests, plains, or
underground
Organization solitary
Treasure Special: 7,000 gp in gold can be harvested from the beat's shell
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Poison (Ex) Sting—injury; save Fort DC 22; frequency 1/round for
6 rounds; effect 1d3 Strength damage; cure 2 save. The save DC
is Constitution-based and includes a +2 racial bonus.
Golden Armor
Blessed by the forgotten gods of Osirion, the Golden Scorpion is a vessel of their might.
The Golden Scorpion has SR of 11+HD.
The Golden Scorpion has a +5 sacred bonus to AC and Saves.
Divine Blessing
Those that can slay the Golden Scorpion receive two blessings from the forgotten gods of Osirion. One from the deity that choose the beast, and one from a deity that most favors the mindset and tactics of the character involved with its slaying. (GM should work with their players to determine which Osirion god of old best aligns with their character)
My creativity ran out on what kind of blessings to give.
Without doing a full audit, I do have a couple of quick questions.
Why are the claw attacks at reduced To Hit and only half STR damage? Should be same as sting, usually.
You have language: Ancient Osirion; does it actually speak or does it just understand? Perhaps it requires a formal challenge in Ancient Osirion before a proper combat begins with the blessings rewarded.
Giant scorpion (in Ancient Osirion): "Are you worthy, challenger?"
PC (with knowledge or understanding Osirion): "Yes, worthy of the Trial of the Gods"
*Giant scorpion takes on the golden armor and abilities of Selket's Chosen
PC (without knowledge of Osirion): "That scorpion sounds weird; let's kill it!"
*Fight is with a regular giant scorpion, no special rewards, and another scorpion becomes the Chosen elsewhere
For the blessings - I would suggest looking at either minor blessings from warpriest class (blessing must match deity domain/subdomain) and/or the 1st level power of a cleric domain (same restrictions as above), and character level equals cleric or warpriest level. Should provide enough variety that players can choose different options, and the power level should be rewarding without being overpowering. May have to consider fixed uses per day or 3 + best of INT, WIS, CHA; also, possibly make best mental stat for determining DC's.
Why are the claw attacks at reduced To Hit and only half STR damage? Should be same as sting, usually.
Bestiary 1 labels claw attack as secondary natural attacks and stinger as primary, so claw get a -5 to hit and half strength.
I grok do u wrote:
You have language: Ancient Osirion; does it actually speak or does it just understand? Perhaps it requires a formal challenge in Ancient Osirion before a proper combat begins with the blessings rewarded.
The language was something left over from an earlier draft. I had thought the advanced template would increase Intelligence by +4 like the rest of the stats, but upon rereading realized that it would stay the same. I like your idea, and will consider it.
Interesting.
I would change it to once per generation (implying 20 years as 100 is too far apart given average human lifespans).
What happens if it is not defeated?
What are it's limitations and constraints? Does the beast choose a challenger or a challenger find it? Is there a ritual hunt & ceremony that only some of the faithful know?
There should be a few champions still about, maybe an old one finds new suitable challengers?
Okay - onto the mechanics.
The CR needs to scale to the challenger, say CR=APL+4 at CRs 7, 11, 15 as most heroes are on the low end.
AC usually it's Dex, natural, sacred, insight, & check out a robot's force field. Then DR (≈CR)/— to prevent mundane slaying.
SR is usually 5 to 11 + HD. I'd add that it's 5 lower versus divine magic <grin>.
I'd say it's intelligent & sentient via a divine Awaken. With Intelligence & sentience it won't be immune to [mind-afct]. So just give it a sacred +4 vs non Selket or Osirian pantheon worshipers magical/Su abilities. Int:- means it just charges in and attacks, no finesse or drama, just another martial speedbump.
The move Spd:50 is a bit fast, burrow should be Burrow 30(sand, loose gravel; dirt & earth at half speed)
To represent the holy, just give it some of the Paladin's abilities... I would look at the deity's obedience's.
Due to lethality, I'd make the claws primary, the bite(1d4){no reach} and sting secondary. Multiattack would pop in at 11th. I'd give it's tail +10ft non-theatening reach {like a whip, see Selket}.
I'd ditch the constrict and give it Imp Bull Rush, Imp Grab, & +10 Acro(jump){yes - a jumping scorpion!}.
I'd give it an alchemical breath weapon in place of a melee attack consisting of sticky flammable embalming fluid, 60ft line with 2 charges, generating 1/6 rounds. Say Rflx DC(10+CON) else entangled (goo DR:7/S Hrd:1 HP:10, [fire] does dmg-2{as per hardness}) doing (1d4+1)[acid]/r.
Poison... okay, look at Mummy's Curse. I'd make it Selket's Sting (poison & curse): Vector:injury/injection; Onset: immediate(poison), 1 day(curse); Cure: 2 consecutive saves(poison), none(curse); Frequency: 1 per rnd (poison) for 6 rnds(7 saves), 1/day (Selket's Wasting curse); Effect: 2d4[acid] dmg then save Fort 19(=10 +CON +4 scrd) else 1d4 Dex & 1 Str dmg (cursed with failed second save even if creature is immune to poison or takes no poison damage); Uses[2]{sting}, generates 1 use in 6 rnds, Cost: none Price: none.
Selket's Wasting (curse) Onset: 1 day; Cure: CL 6+ & DC (CR +15) for remove curse; Anubis, Osiris, Isis, Nephthys, Selket worshipers receive a +4 comp bonus to the check using $25 material components; Frequency: 1/day; Effect: blackening and rotting extremities save Will 19 else 1d4 Dex & 1 Wis dmg, when Dex or Wiz hit 1 then damage affects Con.
Language... tricky. I'd do it through Pfrm-dance like Bluff's convey secret message. It's flavorful and an osirian worshiper will think - I've seen that before as part of a ritual in a temple! What the heck! Interpretive dance is humorous AND fits an insect's instincts.
I am not the best at stat blocks, and once creatures get high HD or templates and special buffs, I can get a little hazy. But here's some things I might have noticed (and if I missed a +1 or something in there, sorry).
Space Saver:
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Quote:
Treasure Special: 7,000 gp in gold can be harvested from the beat's shell
Should probably be 'natural armor', unless the gold is considered a suit, but then a giant scorpion should still have some natural armor. Granted, this is another minor thing and will probably not become an issue unless someone casts heat metal or something.
(Base 10 + 9 natural + 2 Dex + 5 sacred – 1 size) would seem to be AC 25, touch 11, flat-footed 23
Quote:
Immune mind-affecting effects; SR 27, ...
Blessed by the forgotten gods of Osirion, the Golden Scorpion is a vessel of their might.
The Golden Scorpion has SR of 11+HD.
It has 15 HD, so should be SR 26 if this is correct.
Quote:
Fort +20, Ref +12, Will +12
I am getting Fort: 19. (+9 Base, +5 Con, +5 sacred).
Quote:
STATISTICS
Str 23, Dex 14, Con 20, Int -, Wis 14, Cha 2
Is there a reason Charisma was not increased by +4 with Advanced template?
Also, wouldn't it have two ability increases for 8 HD and 12 HD? (It would get another at 16.) Obviously if you raise something, need to adjust other stuff, like damage (Str) or initiative, AC, and Reflex (Dex), or Fort and hit points (Con).
Quote:
Base Atk +8; CMB +14 (+18 grapple); CMD 26 (36 vs. trip)
Wouldn't Vermin (medium BAB) be BAB +11. I didn't check the CMB and CMD numbers. Obviously this might affect Attack bonuses in the attack section.
Quote:
Poison (Ex) Sting—injury; save Fort DC 22; frequency 1/round for
6 rounds; effect 1d3 Strength damage; cure 2 save. The save DC
is Constitution-based and includes a +2 racial bonus.
I am getting Fort DC 24. 10 + 7 (1/2 HD) + 5 Con + 2 racial bonus)
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Again, I could be wrong, I don't usually parse stat blocks.
Admittedly I have not put much thought into the lore. This encounter started as a my attempt at spicing up a "hunt the beast quest." I used 100 years because it sounded good. I was thinking it would not die of old age, it most be slain. I figured you found and challenged it. There probably would have been some form of ritual back when the old faith was strong, but I am not yet sure if it would be needed, or something the faith cooked up, because religion.
I could do a scaling CR, the base creature was CR3 so making it higher or lower is just a matter of math and charts.
Robot's force field is healing temporary HP, I am not sure how to port that over. DR is a good idea.
I like your Idea about the SR
Intelligent & sentient is something to think on.
Speed is from base creature, but I like the burrow idea.
Paladin/Holly class abilities is something to look at.
Looking at base creature claws and sting were stated as primary attacks, for some reason.
Constrict is in the base stats, it grabs you in its claws, and squeezes. I like the jumping idea though.
Breath weapon is an interesting idea.
I like the poison idea. Extra danger, and could also be used as an extra reward for canny PCs.
Language, up in the air. Would be entirely reliant on making it intelligent & sentient.
You are correct about the AC.
You are correct about the SR
Your math for Fortitude is correct.
I forgot about Charisma.
I forgot about ability increases from HD.
You are correct about the BAB.
I forgot about the racial bonus to poison DC.
Admittedly I put the above draft together somewhere around 3AM, so I am not surprised at my slip ups. Thank you.
my point is are you creating a martial challenge (just another critter to fight) or something with a theme and connection to the setting that has some dramatic meaning. Both are useful and used in PF1.
This first is pretty straight forward and doesn't really need a lot of help as it'll be slain and that scene ends to never repeat. So death will cover any minor mistakes. To soften it you can always pull back/not use abilities when you play it and the PCs will never know. Your first draft is nearly there with some touch ups.
The second is more complicated. You have to consider the theme and style of the deity, how & why the challenge is engaged, what will be learned from it and the emotional impact.
IME constrict is problematic. It represents continuing damage when grappled. Tactical GMs have figured out that it's best for the creature to let go of targets at the end of their round, if targets move they provoke (another free attack). Next round the monster gets to attack with ALL its attacks, then get a free grab, then constrict all over again whereas if it maintained the grapple it'd just be constrict and maybe one natural attack. Making the sting secondary gives the creature a reason to maintain the grapple. If the creature has Int:- then IMO it's not smart enough to use good tactics or assess situations with any finesse (targets are food, not food(ignored), or threats(hard for Int:- to determine that other than "it attacked me")), it just does its instinctual attack on targets it views as food.
my point is are you creating a martial challenge (just another critter to fight) or something with a theme and connection to the setting that has some dramatic meaning. Both are useful and used in PF1.
I am not really sure. Initially I was just looking at a way to spice up a basic beast hunt quest, but I would like there to be something for the players to really dig into if they want.
well if you need a plot hook -
> Pizza suggested a random list. I'd read it and pick what you think works.
> A MacGuffin is a plot device in fiction, often an object, event, or goal, that is crucial for driving the story forward and motivating the characters, but is ultimately of little to no importance to the central themes or meaning of the story (the Maltese Falcon is a good example). It's specifics and power are not important. Essentially, it's the thing everyone wants and provides a believable reason for the characters to seek it out and fight over it.
> Hero's Journey (aka your guide to Star Wars)
> you can use the Eternal Order of Premier (the guys who defeated past challenges) as an info source or ongoing guide. OR a sacrifice where he passes on crucial info before dying (tailored to their desires) that the PCs need to follow up on, usually best when there is an established relationship with the NPC.
> I think the GM Guide has plot hooks...
> Grimm's Fairy Tales is a classic source...
> Shakespeare's Plays are a classic dramatic source. Many people use the plot summaries(Cliff Notes).
Maybe when it dies, an obelisk rises, with a map to another location, where another golden beast exists. And when three obelisks are risen, the hidden pyramid appears.
But it's really a Cheops Tortoise.
Or maybe the area turns into an oasis for a year. Or a lost city is uncovered.
A pyramid on the back of a giant tortoise sounds epic.
Most recent draft, mostly math and spelling fixes.
GIANT GOLDEN SCORPION CR 11
XP 12,800
N Large vermin, Advanced,
Init +2; Senses dark-vision 60 ft., tremor-sense 60 ft.;
Perception +14
DEFENSE
AC 26, touch 12, flat-footed 18 (+9 Natural armor, –1 size, Dex +3, +5 sacred bonus)
hp 165 (15d8+70)
Regeneration 5 (acid)
Fort +19, Ref +12, Will +12
Immune mind-affecting effects; SR 26,
OFFENSE
Speed 50 ft. 30 Burrow.
Melee 2 claws +17 (1d6+7 plus grab), sting +17 (1d6+7 plus poison)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks constrict (1d6+6)
STATISTICS
Str 24, Dex 16, Con 20, Int -, Wis 14, Cha 6
Base Atk +11; CMB +15 (+19 grapple); CMD 27 (37 vs. trip)
Skills Climb +15, Perception +14, Stealth +15; Racial Modifiers +4
Climb, +4 Perception, +4 Stealth
ECOLOGY
Languages: Ancient Osirion
Environment warm or temperate deserts, forests, plains, or
underground
Organization solitary
Treasure Special: 7,000 gp in gold can be harvested from the beast's shell
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Poison (Ex) Sting—injury; save Fort DC 24; frequency 1/round for
6 rounds; effect 1d3 Strength damage; cure 2 save. The save DC
is Constitution-based and includes a +2 racial bonus.
Golden Armor
Blessed by the forgotten gods of Osirion, the Golden Scorpion is a vessel of their might.
The Golden Scorpion has SR of 11+HD. Worshipers of the old Osirion gods get a +4 on checks to overcome
The Golden Scorpion has a +5 sacred bonus to AC and Saves.
Just noticed that my stats have "Regeneration 5 (acid)," I do not have any idea why. It is not from the base creature, and I do not remember any reason to add it.
So I have few ideas one what Selket's blessing could be
1. Protection from venom/poison
2. Protection of the soul (bonus vs effect to trap or harm the soul such as Level drain, soul trap, magic jar, ect).
3. A venomous/poison attack.
4. A bonus to natural armor.
5. Blind-sense
you have to consider that most simple tactical combats last only 3-5 rounds. So much for fast heal, regen, and DR 5 or less...
Now an aura that inflicts -2 or more to hit, forcing foes to roll d20 twice and take worse, displacement, and fogs/mists with miss chances really can affect damage per round.
If you need past champions I have posted several detailed character builds at 5 & 11 Lvl (CR 6 & 12) in the Advice forum.
