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Post by Munroe on Mar 12, 2008 2:58:55 GMT -5
I may have introduced him before, but this is Rukalla the Quiet, statted out at CR 10 for my home campaign. I also have CR 6 and CR 4 versions of him to harry the party. Yes, I know there's a risk the party could destroy him faster than I anticipate. That's when his master makes use of Revive UndeadLM, basically Raise Dead for undead. He's a very useful minion. Luckily there are no clerics in the party to obliterate him outright with Turn Undead. There's an Archivist HoH, but he doesn't get Turn Undead as a class ability. The only problem I see with him is he doesn't have any damage reduction. Rukalla the Quiet Evolved Gravetouched Ghoul CR 10 HP 72 (8d12 HD); Fast Healing 3
EvolvedLM Gravetouched GhoulLM human rogue 5/lurking terrorLM 3 CE Medium undead (augmented humanoid) Init +7; Senses Improved Darkvision 90 ft., Uncanny Dodge; Listen +10, Spot +10 Languages Common, Alzhedo (R), Chondathan (B)
AC 21, touch 13, flat-footed 21; Dodge, Mobility, Uncanny Dodge HD 8 Immune mind-affecting, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability drain, energy drain, damage to physical ability scores, fatigue and exhaustion Resist +2 turn resistance, evasion Fort +2, Ref +8, Will +4
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares); Spring Attack Melee +1 corrosive short sword +9 (1d6+3/19-20 plus 1d6 acid) and bite +6 (1d6+1 plus disease plus paralysis) and 1 claw +6 (1d4+1 plus paralysis) or Melee bite +8 (1d6+3 plus disease plus paralysis) and 2 claws +6 each (1d4+1 plus paralysis) Ranged mwk shortbow +9 (1d6/x3) Base Atk +5; Grp +8 Atk Options Deathly power +3, disease, paralysis, Sneak Attack +3d6 Special Actions hide in plain sight Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th): 1/day—unholy blight (DC 17) (PHB 297)
Abilities Str 16, Dex 16, Con –, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 16 SQ Deathly Power +3, Hide in Plain Sight, Improved Darkvision 90 ft., trapfinding, trap sense +1, Uncanny Dodge, undead traits Feats Dodge, Improved Initiative, Multiattack (B), Mobility, Spring Attack Skills Balance +9, Climb +11, Disable Device +9, Escape Artist +6, Hide +14, Jump +9, Knowledge [Religion] (cc) +2, Listen +10, Move Silently +14, Search +9, Sleight of Hand +6, Spot +10, Survival (cc) +1, Tumble +11 Possessions +1 corrosive short sword, masterwork shortbow, +2 studded leather, 20 arrows, Fountainhead Arrow (M52), 300 gp, 2 potions of inflict serious wounds
Deathly Power (Ex) A lurking terror adds its class level to any save DCs for the extraordinary and supernatural special attacks possessed by an undead creature of its kind. This ability has no effect on the lurking terror’s spells or spell-like abilities, nor on any special abilities gained from its nonundead kind, feats, or class features. Disease (Su) Ghoul fever—bite, Fort DC 20, incubation period 1 day, damage 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex. An infected creature that dies from ghoul fever rises as a ghoul on the next midnight. A humanoid with 4 or more Hit Dice rises as a ghast instead. The save DC includes a +3 increase from Deathly Power. Hide in Plain Sight (Ex) At 3rd level, a lurking terror can use the Hide skill even while being observed, as long as it has cover or concealment. Paralysis (Ex) 1d4+1 rounds; Fort DC 20 negates. Elves are immune to this effect. The save DC includes a +3 increase from Deathly Power. Fast Healing (Ex) An evolved undead heals 3 points of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point.
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I like Libris Mortis. Edit: Corrected an error in the disease and paralysis DCs.
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Post by Aodhan the Unusual on Mar 12, 2008 7:53:30 GMT -5
Libris Mortis RULES!
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Panros
Old School
Sneak Attack - Reach out and touch someone.
Posts: 479
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Post by Panros on Mar 12, 2008 12:57:57 GMT -5
Son of a bitch that is one tough deader. If you give him damage reduction you better be prepared to have him off the party. On a side note, there's nothing like a recurring character that you constantly have to humiliate in battle to progress the story.
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Post by brian333 on Mar 12, 2008 13:18:18 GMT -5
The coolest thing about this recurring character is, once the party finally and permanently destroys it, it's creator, (a more powerful being, certainly,) is ready to step into it's role. Or create a more powerful version of it.
Anyway, may I steal this idea for my own nefarious purposes?
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Post by Munroe on Mar 13, 2008 7:24:33 GMT -5
Son of a bitch that is one tough deader. If you give him damage reduction you better be prepared to have him off the party. On a side note, there's nothing like a recurring character that you constantly have to humiliate in battle to progress the story. I don't plan to give him damage reduction unless I can find a template or undead class he can acquire that grants it. That would likely be at his next CR bump. The party already destroyed him once, in their first encounter with him. He's the most powerful minion his master currently has through, so he got brought back. In future encounters, I plan to have him be more careful, after all he's already indebted to his master. And, yes, Brian, you can use him as you see fit. I have a couple lower CR versions if you want them too. His master is currently an enigma, a vampire wizard who put a curse of forgetfulness over a small town in southern Amn. (One I made, not anything on a map.) The party is currently adventuring in Cormyr though, so it will be awhile before they get back to that mystery. They know a ghoul named Rukalla went through the portal ahead of them, but they don't know Rukalla is the ghoul they already defeated once. They know the vampire was also sending zombies through the portal but that he couldn't go through it. (They don't know why.) And in rereading the Gravetouched Ghoul's entry, I'm not sure whether I calculated the DCs for his Special attacks correctly. A Gravetouched ghoul retains all the special attacks of the base creature and gains those described below. Saves have a DC of 10+ 1/2 the gravetouched ghoul's HD + the gravetouched ghoul's CHA modifier unless otherwise noted. So the paralysis and disease should have DCs of 10+4 (half HD) + 3 (CHA mod) + 3 (Deathly power). That's a total DC of 20. I wasn't figuring half the HD before because the Gravetouched Ghoul template has no racial HD. I will modify the post above.
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Post by Munroe on Mar 13, 2008 7:42:28 GMT -5
Ah, looks like I was originally giving the DCs based on his lowest CR version. 10 + 1 (1/2 of 3 rogue) + 2 (cha mod) = 13.
Gravetouched Ghoul template works like vampire template for determining DCs, meaning it figures total HD rather than just racial HD since the template has no racial HD.
*goes and reprints his higher CR versions*
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Post by TermaForever on Mar 13, 2008 9:38:12 GMT -5
I was never any good with coming up with creatures like that in a game play sense...all my critters, beasts, and villains are designed for the realms of books and stories and less for tabletop (since a lot of them could wipe most parties...)
Still, nasty looking stinker.
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Post by Munroe on Apr 29, 2008 6:14:05 GMT -5
I'm working on converting an AD&D module to 3.5e right now. Night of the Walking Dead, available free from wizards.com. It's a Ravenloft adventure for characters of levels 1-3. I'm changing it so it's more suitable for characters 4-7. Most of the stuff is straight conversion but I changed all the ghouls to ghasts and I'm using some of the the enhanced undead from Expedition to Castle Ravenloft but for them I actually modified a disease they carry so it's less virulent. One of the creatures the party encounters is the giant frog (3 of them, actually) and I have 3rd Edition stats for them but only on a D&D miniatures card because they appeared in Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil adventure in 3e. I actually have 3 of them so that's how many the party is going to encounter. I think the adventure says 1d4. I'd like to get the Visejaw Crocodile miniature and use it too. I think it's Large but the Monster Manual has stats for Medium and Large crocodiles.
Since my players are about to enter the Vast Swamp in Cormyr: The Tearing of the Weave, and Night of the Walking Dead requires that the characters begin in a swamp, I'm setting it up as a side adventure should they deviate in the swamp. Basically, the mists of Ravenloft may descend on them either going to or coming back from the normal adventure site. If things don't work out that way, I may find a reason to send them back to the swamp later.
I don't think this ties directly into Rukalla in any way but I've been playing around with templates and such the last week or so and the boss for Night of the Walking Dead is a unique variation of an AD&D Ravenloft monster (Zombie Lord) that I don't have information for in 3.5e. The module just lists how he's different from the standard Zombie Lord, so I'm probably going to make him a Flesh Creature (Book of Vile Darkness, intelligent zombie template) with the unique abilities listed. I may soften the abilities a bit and make him more combat oriented.
I'm working on the Vistani right now. I just got Expanded Psionics Handbook so for a bit of unique twist I'm making the female Vistani Seers (one of the Psion types), the old man Vistani a Nomad (another Psion type), and the young man Vistani a Psychic Warrior. There are also three Vistani children but I figure they'll just get commoner. The Vistani aren't even a hostile encounter for players, I'm just making them psionic characters for my own amusement really. It seemed to fit thematically and I'm learning about Psionics as I go. So far I've got most of the Psychic Warrior finished. I'm working on a character sheet right now but I'll probably convert it to the new 3.5e NPC lay-out (like Rukalla above) when I'm finished. I find that format much easier to use.
I think the setting for Night of the Walking Dead is prettymuch based on pre-Revolution Louisiana Bayou-country. It takes place in the domain of Souragne, which is primarily swamp and forest with lots of French influences apparent as well as a reference to voodoo priests in the Ravenloft 3.5e book.
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Post by Munroe on Jun 3, 2008 21:27:57 GMT -5
So I got a couple crocodile miniatures recently. They're Visejaw Crocodile miniatures from the Desert of Desolation D&D Miniatures set.
I noticed something shortly after I got them. They're large miniatures. The crocodile stats in the Monster Manual are for 3 HD medium crocodiles. The giant crocodile stats in the Monster Manual are for 7 HD huge crocodiles. The medium crocodiles, by their entry advance to 4-5 HD medium. The huge crocs advance to 8-14 HD huge.
So what about large crocodiles? I looked at the Visejaw Crocodile stat card that came with the miniature. The stats on it are whack. The skills are distributed differently and I can't figure out how they got the listed AC. It also doesn't list any feats at all. (The ones in the Monster Manual both have Alertness and Skill Focus (Hide) and the giant croc has Endurance too.)
Since I had previously advanced a medium crocodile to 5 HD, I decided to take that 5 HD medium and make him a 6 HD large. So I made a 6 HD large croc by giving him another HD and increasing his size category to large (with associated benefits/penalties). I then compared this to the 6 HD Visejaw Crocodile stat card, which still doesn't seem to add up. (I think they either forgot to subtract the -1 AC for size increase or the -1 AC for DEX decrease but either way it still has more AC than the one I advanced.)
Since I had a 6 HD Large Crocodile, I went ahead and advanced him to 7 HD too. Comparing him to the Giant Crocodile, I see why they have two different entries for crocodile and giant crocodile. Advancing a normal medium crocodile to the same HD and size as the giant (taking it up to huge) would make it significantly more powerful than the listed 7 HD giant crocodile in the Monster Manual. As it stands, the 7HD Large Croc I came up with could probably compete toe-to-toe with the Giant Croc the MM stats out and it has the same CR.
(But then again the 6 HD version and the Visejaw Crocodile also have the same CR, it doesn't go up every HD.)
Of course the advancement rules mention that CRs tend not to represent the correct challenge after the creature has advanced to double its HD, but since it's still comparable to the Giant Croc at the same CR, I guess it will be alright. If I advanced it again to huge size (same HD), I think it could take a giant croc.
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Post by Munroe on Aug 31, 2008 2:36:37 GMT -5
I haven't been working for a number of months now (about 6) and my funds have been dwindling so I haven't been shopping as much as I'd like. I got a new job two weeks ago and I'm looking forward to my first pay day (which I won't get for another two weeks because it's state government and they pay two weeks behind). When I get paid, I plan to order the Pathfinder Campaign Setting and get a subscription to the Pathfinder Adventure Path, at least long enough to get one full adventure path. (Each adventure path is in 6 monthly volumes so they do two adventure paths a year.) The one they're just starting now is about drow. (For more about Pathfinder: paizo.com/store/games/roleplayingGames/p/pathfinder ) A Pathfinder Adventure Path subscription costs about $120 annually, but I'll probably only keep it six months. (I say that now.) I probably won't switch over to the Pathfinder RPG when it comes out in August 2009, but the current stuff they're putting out looks really good and it's still for 3.5e.
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Post by The Supreme Watcher on Aug 31, 2008 13:11:07 GMT -5
You know, even though 4e is out, you can still get all your 3.0/3.5 books at Amazon and eBay for a steal. That ghoul looks like an awesome baddie, by the way. You and I have the same conventions when it comes to bad guys it seems, however, I like to use Bodaks, those just happen to be my favorite undead. Never much digged the Vampires though, I typically use a necromancer (and yes, an actual necromancer, with the cleric and wizard levels). I'd like to see some more of your minions!
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Post by Munroe on Aug 31, 2008 14:55:31 GMT -5
You know, even though 4e is out, you can still get all your 3.0/3.5 books at Amazon and eBay for a steal. That ghoul looks like an awesome baddie, by the way. You and I have the same conventions when it comes to bad guys it seems, however, I like to use Bodaks, those just happen to be my favorite undead. Never much digged the Vampires though, I typically use a necromancer (and yes, an actual necromancer, with the cleric and wizard levels). I'd like to see some more of your minions! Really there aren't that many WotC 3.5e books I want. There are still quite a few that I don't have, but some of them just don't interest me that much. Ones I want to get that I don't have are: Deities and Demigods (3e, out-of-print) Call of Cthulu d20 (By Monte Cook, published by WotC, out-of-print.) Complete Champion Complete Divine Complete Arcane Complete Mage Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk Exemplars of Evil d20 Future (d20 Modern Supplement) d20 Menace Manual (d20 Modern version of the Monster Manual) Dark Matter (d20 Modern Campaign Setting) Shackled City Adventure Path (Published by Paizo under the D&D brand, originally in Dungeon Magazine.) Ones that I sort of want and may or may not be inclined to buy when I have money: Magic of Incarnum Expedition to the Demonweb Pits Drow of the Underdark Manual of the Planes Planar Handbook Weapons of Legacy Dragon Magic Eberron Campaign Setting (Mostly for the Psionics and Deathless) Player's Guide to Eberron (Mostly for the Psionics) Races of Eberron (Mostly for the Psionics) I think there's another weapon book too but I forget its name. Ones I don't know if I want or not and have passed up buying many times before: FrostburnStormwrackSandstormRaces of DestinyRaces of StoneRaces of the WildOnes that I don't want but feel I should get anyway: Player's Handbook II Dungeon Master's Guide IIOnes that I have looked at and decided I don't really want: Cityscape DungeonscapeIn addition to the ones listed, I don't have any Dragonlance supplements or plans to buy any. I'm sure there are some I forgot that go in the categories above. Ones I have already: Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, Monster Manual, Monster Manual II, Monster Manual III, Monster Manual IV, Monster Manual V, Fiend Folio, Expanded Psionics Handbook, Complete Psionic, Complete Adventurer, Complete Warrior, Complete Scoundrel, Rules Compendium, Magic Item Compendium, Spell Compendium, Dragon Compendium Volume I, Unearthed Arcana, Heroes of Battle, Heroes of Horror, Elder Evils, Libris Mortis: The Book of Undead, Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations, Draconomicon: The Book of Dragons, Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss, Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells, Book of Vile Darkness, Book of Exalted Deeds, Champions of Valor, Champions of Ruin, Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, Player's Guide to Faerun, Faiths and Pantheons, Ghostwalk Campaign Option, Expedition to Castle Ravenloft, Expedition to Undermountain, City of Splendors: Waterdeep, Cormyr: The Tearing of the Weave, Shadowdale: The Scouring of the Land, Anauroch: The Empire of Shade, Mysteries of the Moonsea, Power of Faerun, Races of Faerun, Lost Empires of Faerun, Shining South, Serpent Kingdoms, Dragons of Faerun, Underdark, Lords of Darkness (paperback) , Silver Marches (paperback) , Magic of Faerun (paperback) , d20 Modern Roleplaying Game, Urban Arcana Campaign Setting (for d20 Modern). Other books I have for 3.5e/d20: Dragon Compendium Volume I -- Published by Paizo but branded as an official D&D book, listed above with the D&D books too. I really like this book. Ravenloft Player's Handbook 3.5e -- Ravenloft Campaign Setting for 3.5e published by Sword and Sorcery under license from WotC. Monte Cook's World of Darkness -- Monte Cook's own version of the World of Darkness written for d20/3.5e rules and published by White Wolf. A cool variant d20 game, IMO.
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Post by Munroe on Aug 31, 2008 15:05:52 GMT -5
You know, even though 4e is out, you can still get all your 3.0/3.5 books at Amazon and eBay for a steal. That ghoul looks like an awesome baddie, by the way. You and I have the same conventions when it comes to bad guys it seems, however, I like to use Bodaks, those just happen to be my favorite undead. Never much digged the Vampires though, I typically use a necromancer (and yes, an actual necromancer, with the cleric and wizard levels). I'd like to see some more of your minions! Thanks for the comments on Rukalla. Most of the other monsters I've done have been conversions of ones I've seen in existing modules or just applying templates or adding HD. I haven't really made many with classes but I hope to do that more in the future. There's a cool template in Dragon Compendium for undead that I wanted to apply to a ghast. I can't remember if I made it or not. I know I haven't used it yet. I found a template online (at ENworld) for a 3.5e Zombie Lord but I haven't made it yet. It's for the boss of a side-trek I'm converting from a AD&D Ravenloft module called Night of the Walking Dead that I got from wizards.com as a free download. Actually, I'll be done with the conversion as soon as I get around to making that NPC. As for the Pathfinder stuff, it's REALLY HIGH QUALITY stuff. I'm not choosing it because I can't get more D&D books that I don't have (see list above) but because it's very good and Paizo Publishing (former publishers of Dragon and Dungeon magazines) are continuing to support 3.5e for at least another year until their own 3.5e derivative RPG (Pathfinder RPG) comes out. I'll probably pick-up some of those books above soon too, but I really want to get into Pathfinder. I doubt I'll even play half of what I already own, but I like reading the stuff. I've looked at some of Paizo's free mini-adventures that are published online and they're very nice, giving me high expectations for the actual print product.
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Post by Munroe on Sept 26, 2008 23:56:41 GMT -5
I finally got my first issue of my Pathfinder Adventure Path subscription (issue #13, part 1 of a 6 part Adventure Path called Second Darkness dealing with drow and their first introduction into that campaign setting). The story begins with a night of gambling in the Gold Goblin, a seedy establishment in the city of Riddleport. (The first issue is designed to take characters from level 1 to level 3.) The book has the main adventure path, a side adventure (if your characters need more XP or if the story hooks don't fall into place, it's there to help), background on the city and prominent NPCs, and a bestiary in the back of new creatures appearing in the adventure. (There are a handful of creatures but it can be summed up in two words for me: Giant Cockroach.)
Packed in with the book was a free copy of Pathfinder Companion #1, so I've gone ahead and subscribed to Pathfinder Companion as well now too. I think it's a little pricey for the low page count (32 full-color pages) but it only costs as much as I'd pay for a single dinner at Wendy's (or less than a single D&D minis booster pack) so I can live with that. #2 isn't due out until November as it is bi-monthly. #2 is going to address the elves of Golarion. (#1 dealt primarily with the Second Darkness Adventure Path and creating characters for it.)
Also packed with the book was a booster pack for Paizo's GameMastery Item Cards. (A booster for the Hero's Hoard set to be more precise.) I'm definitely thinking about getting some item cards now. I already put two 54 card nonrandom sets and one random booster from another set in my cart over at Paizo.com but I decided I needed to wait until payday to buy any more toys.
I'm such a consumer.
Oh, yeah, I'm also subscribed to Pathfinder Chronicles but my current book on that subscription (Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting) is set to ship at the end of the month with "the rest of my subscriptions." (I set all my subscriptions to ship together, but not until after the first subscription was already shipping.)
So the only subscription I haven't picked up at this point is the one that's just for the adventure modules. Really, I don't think I need stand-alone adventures. Hell, I rarely even play D&D.
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Post by The Supreme Watcher on Sept 29, 2008 15:27:44 GMT -5
What is the item card?
Does it involve ehpik lutez?
And be sure to give us a rating on it in comparison to the standard D&D source material.
I'm intrigued now.
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Post by Munroe on Sept 29, 2008 18:34:03 GMT -5
What is the item card? Does it involve ehpik lutez? And be sure to give us a rating on it in comparison to the standard D&D source material. I'm intrigued now. Item cards are cards that have pictures of items with names (such as "longsword" and "fullplate"). On the back they have a physical description of the item and a small white space to write a description or code for the DM to reference. The cards can then be handed out to players as the actual loot they find. So instead of saying "You find a ring, a sword, and three potions" you can actually hand them a card with a picture of the items they find. The cards are sold in pre-fab 54 card decks (multiple sets), 110 card prefab "starter" sets, and 11 card semi-random boosters. (The boosters always contain the exact same number of armors, weapons, potions, rings, etc, but the exact cards (whether it's leather armor or full plate, longsword or battle axe, etc, is random). Regarding the quality of the Paizo material, with the cards you can see the quality prettymuch. They're basically like a collectible card game except without the game aspect. (D&D is the game.) As far as the written stuff goes, my experience so far it is that it is very high. It's very similar to D&D material because it's written by a lot of the same authors as D&D material. Erik Mona (one of the co-authors of Faiths and Pantheons) is one of the head guys of Paizo right now (editor-in-chief, I think?), and Sean K. Reynolds is the author of their deities book for the Pathfinder setting (Gods and Magic) that comes out next month. Most of the books are softback and have lower page counts than 3.x WotC stuff, but this also keeps the prices lower. Unlike a lot of third-party stuff, these books are in full-color. Some of the setting things are different from Greyhawk/FR but that's because it's a different campaign world from Greyhawk or FR, and differences are expected between worlds. (Also because WotC owns certain trademarks.) Drow come from the Darklands in Pathfinder setting rather than the Underdark, for instance. (Essentially the same thing, different name.) The drow origin story is completely different but their execution is similar. (Matriarchal evil society.) They worship demons in Pathfinder setting (I think Lolth is probably WotC property) but a DM could always have Lolth as a spider demon. (She was originally a demon in D&D anyway, I think.) WotC owns the yuan-ti race too, so Pathfinder won't have yuan-ti per se, but they have already mentioned 'serpentfolk' on their website. With an Adventure Path subscription, I get the adventure path books for $14 plus shipping and handling. (The regular cover price for them is $20.) Of course including shipping, I still average out to about $20. Having an Adventure Path subscription also gives me 15% off everything else on their website (except non-Paizo PDFs). So that means I get 15% off the prices of the other subscriptions as well. (Amazon prices are still probably cheaper but subscribing is convenient.) I already have the Critical Hits Deck and Critical Fumbles Deck. I haven't had a chance to use them yet (I ordered them at the same time) but I'm looking forward to trying them out. This picture is from the Critical Fumbles Deck. Critical Fumble Deck: paizo.com/store/byCompany/p/paizoPublishingLLC/gameMastery/accessories/v5748btpy7zdm
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Post by brian333 on Oct 1, 2008 6:51:02 GMT -5
Here's one I made for my low-level 1st ed. campaign, and it's been revised and re-revised since.
Brown Dragon (Camoflaged Dragon) (Proto-dragon) Dragon Climate/Terrain: Temperate to tropical saltwater marshes Organization: Wyrmling (1-10), Very Young (1-4), or Solitary Challenge Ratings: Wyrmling 1/3, Very Young 1/2, Young 1, Juvenile 2, Young Adult 3, Adult 4, Mature Adult 5, Old 6, Very Old 8, Ancient 10, Wyrm 11, Great Wyrm 12 Treasure: Nonstandard, (non-perishables only) Alignment: Chaotic Neutral (True Neutral) Advancement: Wyrmling 1HD (Tiny), Very Young 2HD (Tiny), Young 3HD (Small), Juvenile 4HD (Small), Young Adult 5HD (Small), Adult 6HD (Medium), Mature Adult 7HD (Medium), Old 8HD (Medium), Very Old 9HD (Large), Ancient (Large), Wyrm 10HD (Large), Great Wyrm 11HD (Huge)
Brown dragons are ambush predators which use their naturally camoflaged hides and draconic patience to await suitable prey. They are similar in appearance to crocodiles or alligators, having long slender bodies and stumpy legs, but with vestigial wings and a single row of short, thick spikes along the spine from forehead to tailtip.
A feature unique to this species is it's chamelion-like skin composed of many tiny color-cells which it can either reflexively or consciously alter to suit it's environment. These color-cells may also be used in mating displays, but as the brown dragon ages a coating of olive-colored algae begins to grow in the crevices on the upper part of it's body, eventually covering most of the hide exposed to sunlight.
They are able to hold their breath for extended periods of time: at least an hour for the very young, while the oldest can spend several hours between breaths. Because of this ability they tend to await their prey on the bottoms of flowing channels or within mud-pools where their camoflage most effectively conceals them from even the most alert prey.
The lairs of brown dragons are typically scrapes in mud-banks near tidal channels, but if soil conditions permit they will excavate entire chambers. They will usually create mud-wallows and sunning beaches near their lairs as well.
Females also build mounds of rotting vegetation into which they lay their eggs. They will fiercely attack anything which disturbs these mounds, but other than dragging a corpse or two to the mound to feed her young when they are ready to hatch, she will take no further notice of them. These young quickly begin to leave the area, as within a year at best the mother will have forgotten they are her young and begin to eat them. Both sexes will create mud-wallows and sunning beaches near their lairs.
Brown dragons are carnivorous and territorial, but seldom do any but the most ancient and intelligent gather treasure, and with their limited intelligence they are far more attracted to shiny objects than to valuable ones. The nature of their lairs quickly renders perishable items such as clothing and scrolls useless, but other treasures may survive.
While brown dragons prefer habitats similar to that preferred by crocodilian reptiles, they do not tolerate these creatures in their territory, either driving them off or being driven off themselves. Thus more brown dragons inhabit temperate regions where cold-blooded reptiles have a harder time surviving cold winters.
Combat Brown dragons are ambush predators, either lunging from the water or leaping from a tree or other high place to attack prey with their powerful jaws. They almost never use their front claws in a fight unless executing a leap/fall attack. When overmatched the brown dragon will flee underwater (or by flying if possible,) to hide itself in silt and mud to wait for it's foe to leave. They will typically attack creatures similar in size to themselves then drag the creature back to their lairs to devour at their leisure.
Breath Weapon (Su): Adult and older female brown dragons develop a breath weapon which may cause incedental damage, but which primarily lays an obscuring cloud of steam that offers 90% concealment, (above the water only!) This steam-cloud only does damage when first breathed, but the cloud itself persists for 3D6 rounds in calm conditions, being dissipated in one round when blown by a breeze.
Flying: The vestigial wings of the brown dragon begin to develop and fill out on adult and older males. This allows them to fly, but they are always classed as clumsy fliers for purposes of maneuverability. A brown dragon capable of flying can remain airbourne for as long as one turn per point of constitution, and thereafter must rest a number of turns equal to it's flying time.
Leap/Fall All brown dragons of any age may leap from ambush to attack. The dragon may leap a distance equal to twice it's listed ground speed, and it may also fall in a controlled fashion from a height of this distance without taking damage. Falls from greater heights are calculated by subtracting the allowed falling distance from the actual distance fallen to determine the distance to which falling damage applies. Flying dragons may fall from any height without taking damage. The dragon which lands after a leap/fall adjacent to or on top of it's target may execute a full attack, though that is all it may do in that round. (Leap/Fall may provoke an attack of opportunity if the foe is not caught flat-footed.)
Fear (Sp): Mature adult brown dragons begin to use an effect similar to a 'Fear' spell cast as a sorcerer of the same level as the dragon's hit dice which it may cast as a readied spell.
Other Draconic Abilities: The Frightful Presence, Immunities, and Spell Resistance common to other dragons are never found in the Brown Dragon, but they have exhibited Blindsight and Keen Senses. Although their spell-like Fear ability is cast as a sorcerer, they never learn other spells of any kind.
Brown Dragons by Age Age Size Hit Dice (hp) AC Wyrmling T 1d8+1 (5) 15 (+2 Size, +3 Natural) Very Young T 2d8+2 (11) 16 (+2 Size, +4 Natural) Young S 3d8+3 (16) 16 (+1 Size, +5 Natural) Juvenile S 4d8+4 (22) 17 (+1 Size, +6 Natural) Young Adult S 5d8+10 (32) 18 (+1 Size, +7 Natural) Adult M 6d8+12 (39) 18 (+8 Natural) Mature Adult M 7d8+14 (45) 19 (+9 Natural) Old M 8d8+16 (52) 20 (+10 Natural) Very Old L 9d8+27 (67) 20 (-1 Size, +11 Natural) Ancient L 10d8+30 (75) 21 (-1 Size, +12 Natural) Wyrm L 11d8+33 (82) 22 (-1 Size, +13 Natural) Great Wyrm H 12d8+36 (90) 22 (-2 Size, +14 Natural)
Brown Dragons by Age Age Attack Bonus Fort Ref Wil Breath Weapon (DC) Wyrmling +2 +3 +0 +1 - Very Young +4 +4 +0 +2 - Young +4 +5 +1 +2 - Juvenile +6 +6 +1 +3 - Young Adult +7 +6 +1 +3 - Adult +8/+3 +7 +2 +5 1d2 -15ft cone- (15) Mature Adult +9/+4 +8 +2 +5 1d3 -15ft cone- (16) Old +11/+6 +9 +2 +6 1d4 -15ft cone- (17) Very Old +11/+6 +9 +3 +6 1d6 -20ft cone- (19) Ancient +13/+8 +10 +3 +7 1d8 -20ft cone- (21) Wyrm +14/+9/+4 +11 +3 +7 1d10 -20ft cone-(23) Great Wyrm +15/+10/+5 +12 +4 +9 1d12 -25ft cone-(25)
Brown Dragons by Age Age Speed Wyrmling 5 ft, climb 5 ft, swim 15 ft Very Young 5 ft, climb 5 ft, swim 15 ft Young 10 ft, climb 10 ft, swim 20 ft Juvenile 10 ft, climb 10 ft, swim 20 ft Young Adult 15 ft, climb 10 ft, swim 25 ft Adult 15 ft, climb 5 ft, fly 50 ft (clumsy), swim 25 ft Mature Adult 20 ft, climb 5 ft, fly 50 ft (clumsy), swim 30 ft Old 20 ft, climb 5 ft, fly 50 ft (clumsy), swim 30 ft Very Old 25 ft, climb 5 ft, fly 100 ft (clumsy), swim 35 ft Ancient 25 ft, climb 0 ft, fly 100 ft (clumsy), swim 35 ft Wyrm 30 ft, climb 0 ft, fly 150 ft (clumsy), swim 40 ft Great Wyrm 30 ft, fly 150 ft (clumsy), swim 40 ft
Brown Dragons by Age Age Str Dex Con Int Wis Cha Special Abilities Wyrmling 9 10 13 1 8 10 Camoflage (+10 Hide) Very Young 10 10 13 2 8 10 Young 11 10 14 2 9 10 Juvenile 12 10 14 3 9 10 Young Adult 13 10 15 3 9 11 Adult 14 10 15 3 10 11 Breath Weapon or Flight Mature Adult 15 10 16 4 10 11 Fear (sp) Old 16 10 16 4 10 11 Very Old 17 10 17 4 11 12 Ancient 18 10 17 4 11 12 Damage Reduction 5/+1 Wyrm 19 10 18 5 11 12 Great Wyrm 20 10 18 5 12 12 Damage Reduction 10/+1
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Post by Munroe on Oct 2, 2008 21:18:31 GMT -5
Plan to take a look at this soon, Brian. I haven't really looked it through yet but I skimmed it and do plan to read the full thing soon.
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Post by Munroe on Oct 2, 2008 22:59:12 GMT -5
Alright. Took a look at it. Looks pretty cool.
Sure, it's not a "True Dragon" (referring to the Proto-dragon aspect), but I still wouldn't want to run into one.
With INT that low, if it can be trained it could be a good mount.
Honestly, I don't know enough about dragons to understand why it isn't a True Dragon. It has age categories like a True Dragon.
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Post by brian333 on Oct 3, 2008 12:41:36 GMT -5
...I still wouldn't want to run into one... My brother and his crew were saying it's , and after almost a year of play they hadn't met a single dragon, so I made these. They wiped out a nest of hatchlings, (Only eight age categories back then!) and their mother at around level 3-4. It was a big party, but they were in boats! Well, at the start they were... (remembers a particular fighter emoting his drowning death until he learned the water was only three feet deep.) A good mount if you're a lizardman. Otherwise you'd have to learn to hold your breath a lot and get used to being wet. They mostly don't fly, and those which do don't fly very well. Certainly not well enough to fly while mounted. They are excellent swimmers, though... (Dang! Thanks, Munroe, you just gave me a viscious idea! Lizardman Cavalry! Or a lizardman leader and his semi-aquatic mount...) While dragonslayers and such will work on them, I had conceived of the brown dragon as either a throwback to or an offshoot of the ancestral dragon. It lacks either the elemental affinity or the spell resistance of true dragons, and it's at best a stupid country cousin to the suave and intellectual true dragon. It combines traits of all the chromatic dragons, and while young can actually become any color. Let's take it's breath weapon as an example: Hardly a weapon at all, it uses a heat source such as red dragons have to generate the energy, it creates a gas cloud similar to that of the green dragon, and it utilizes water as the primary component of it's weapon as does the black dragon. For purposes of the draconic deities, they are seen in the way we view chimps. I could see one of the more lawful dragons keeping one or two in his territory as pets or guards, but I doubt any dragon would treat them as anything more.
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Post by Munroe on Oct 3, 2008 15:04:16 GMT -5
A good mount if you're a lizardman. Otherwise you'd have to learn to hold your breath a lot and get used to being wet. They mostly don't fly, and those which do don't fly very well. Certainly not well enough to fly while mounted. They are excellent swimmers, though... (Dang! Thanks, Munroe, you just gave me a viscious idea! Lizardman Cavalry! Or a lizardman leader and his semi-aquatic mount...) Just because something can hold its breath that long doesn't mean its rider has to use it as an aquatic mount. It could work for lizardfolk, yeah. I still don't see why it couldn't work for others if it can be tamed/broken. I don't know enough about dragons to know how things that are of the dragon Type differ from True Dragons except by age category and appearance. I don't really use dragons much myself. I don't really play , I tend to play Undergrounds and Undead. ;-) (Or maybe Corridors and Corpses?)
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Post by The Supreme Watcher on Oct 3, 2008 18:15:04 GMT -5
My games usually end up being more like Cities and Thieves, or Wonderlands and Wizards.
I'll be putting up a couple of my NPCs in the future for Munroe to look them over.
For the most part, they're pretty good.
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Post by brian333 on Oct 4, 2008 0:53:52 GMT -5
... I still don't see why it couldn't work for others if it can be tamed/broken. Neither do I. I was only thinking they are much more like an alligator in their habits, so they are capable of great bursts of energy followed by long periods of torpor. However, if the DM decides he wants a more energetic creature, it's overland movement speed certainly makes it suitable for mounting, (assuming you're a size category smaller than the dragon.) Since only the adult males fly, and they are discribed as poor fliers, I'd rule they had to have two size-categories difference for the dragon to fly mounted, but that's just my ruling. The only limit I'd place on riding one in the water would be the rider's ability to hang on and to hold his breath. Well, the difference is esoteric, really. Like the difference between a true vampire and a vampire spawn to put it in your frame of reference. To the guy who's being eaten the difference is not really important, but from a rules-perspective it's as simple as SR and spell use, which true dragons have and brown dragons don't. Treat them like a wyvern: they're dragons, but... not.
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Post by Munroe on Oct 4, 2008 18:56:35 GMT -5
I was actually going to mention a wyvern in one of my earlier posts as a point of comparison but I forget what the context was and I decided not to do it. (Or did I? I might have and forgotten I did it.)
Anyway....
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Post by Munroe on Oct 4, 2008 18:58:05 GMT -5
My games usually end up being more like Cities and Thieves, or Wonderlands and Wizards. I'll be putting up a couple of my NPCs in the future for Munroe to look them over. For the most part, they're pretty good. Any player-race NPCs you post may just find their names changed and serving in some other capacity in a different campaign. I'm lazy about making non-monster NPCs.
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Post by The Supreme Watcher on Oct 5, 2008 1:13:05 GMT -5
Go for it. I have this issue where I focus a lot on my NPCs and not a lot on my town and cityscapes.
I will honestly sit around all day and make NPCs for levels my players will, at the rate we play, never conceivably reach.
But 'ey, better to be prepared, aye?
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Post by Munroe on Oct 21, 2008 0:36:54 GMT -5
My Pathfinder books so far:
On order with Amazon: Pathfinder Adventure Path #1, #2, #3 (Rise of the Runelords books 1-3 of 6.) (They're supposed to be shipping between the 22nd and 27th. I ordered on the 10th but I think they've having trouble filling my order. Amazon currently lists book #2 with 1 to 2 months to fill the order. Was only 7-11 days when I placed my order.)
In the mail from Amazon right now: Pathfinder Chronicles: Classic Monsters Revisited
Received from Amazon today: Pathfinder Adventure Path #4, #5, #6 (Rise of the Runelords books 4-6 of 6.)
Received in September as part of my new subscription to Pathfinder Adventure Path: Pathfinder Adventure Path #13. (Second Darkness book 1 of 6.) Pathfinder Companion: Second Darkness (The first issue of Pathfinder Companion was given to subscribers of Pathfinder Adventure Path. It worked, I subscribed to Pathfinder Companion as well. It's bi-monthly.)
Pending monthly shipment from Paizo: Pathfinder Chronicles: Campaign Setting Pathfinder Chronicles: Gods & Magic Pathfinder Adventure Path #14 (part 2 of 6) Pathfinder Adventure Path #15 (part 3 of 6) Pathfinder Companion: Elves of Golarion Pathfinder Module D4: Hungry are the Dead. (This is actually two months of my subscription for Pathfinder Chronicles and Pathfinder Adventure Path. They had a shipping delay and Pathfinder 14 was supposed to be out at the end of September. Presently subscribed to Pathfinder Adventure Path, Pathfinder Chronicles, Pathfinder Companion, and Pathfinder Modules. I probably won't keep the subscription to Pathfinder Modules though, I just wanted Hungry are the Dead and the subscription gets a PDF of the book with the hardcopy. Being obsessive like that, I wanted the PDF as well. D4 takes place in Falcon's Hollow though so I'll probably try to get the other modules that take place there too.)
I also have a shipment of Item Cards coming from Paizo: GameMastery Item Cards: Adventure Gear GameMastery Item Cards: Adventure Gear 2 GameMastery Pathfinder Item Cards: Rise of the Runelords GameMastery Pathfinder Item Cards: Curse of the Crimson Throne (I don't have Curse of the Crimson Throne Adventure Path (AP) yet but I wanted the item cards because that set contains a kukri.)
I really need to play D&D more if I'm ever going to use 1/32 of the stuff I buy.
Paizo is putting out so much stuff right now, I can't afford to buy D&D miniatures I don't really need. Paizo Publishing: A gold sink for real life.
Looking through my new Pathfinder AP 4-6, I see they are using a few third party sources (because most WotC books aren't under the OGL) such as Advanced Bestiary and Tome of Horrors. Now that I've seen that stuff used in Pathfinder, I want those books too. Doubt I'll be able to find them.
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Post by Munroe on Oct 24, 2008 21:52:52 GMT -5
On order with Amazon: Pathfinder Adventure Path #1, #2, #3 (Rise of the Runelords books 1-3 of 6.) (They're supposed to be shipping between the 22nd and 27th. I ordered on the 10th but I think they've having trouble filling my order. Amazon currently lists book #2 with 1 to 2 months to fill the order. Was only 7-11 days when I placed my order.)
In the mail from Amazon right now: Pathfinder Chronicles: Classic Monsters Revisited Received from Amazon today: Pathfinder Adventure Path #4, #5, #6 (Rise of the Runelords books 4-6 of 6.) [SNIP] Looking through my new Pathfinder AP 4-6, I see they are using a few third party sources (because most WotC books aren't under the OGL) such as Advanced Bestiary and Tome of Horrors. Now that I've seen that stuff used in Pathfinder, I want those books too. Doubt I'll be able to find them. Well, I ordered Advanced Bestiary from Amazon.com. Got it today. It seems pretty good. It's from Green Ronin Publishing. Production values aren't as high as the Paizo stuff but the templates look cool. It's ALL templates. I think there are about a hundred templates. There's a vampire template in it that makes the regular vampire template look like a vampire spawn. Amazon.com split up my order of Pathfinder 1-3 into two shipments. One includes Pathfinder #1 and #3. They have shipped it already but I don't have it yet. The other shipment will include Pathfinder #2 if they EVER send it. To be on the safe side, I also ordered it from Paizo.com. The one I ordered from Amazon.com cost me about $14 because I got free shipping for ordering over $25 of stuff. The one I ordered from Paizo.com cost about $26 after shipping. I'll be happy with paying either price (or even getting it twice) if I just get the book. Once I have it, and pending receiving my shipment of #1 and #3, I'll have the complete Rise of the Runelords adventure path. Yes, yes, an adventure path I will probably never actually play. But I'll have it anyway, and book two is supposed to involve ghouls. Did I mention that I like undead?
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Post by Munroe on Oct 27, 2008 23:46:15 GMT -5
Did I mention that I like undead? I'm almost done converting an AD&D Ravenloft adventure to 3.5e. I've been almost done for months but I put off finishing the last boss. Well, I still don't have him finished. I would like some suggestions on his feats. I will probably give him at least one taint related feat from Heroes of Horror, but I'd like some suggestions for his feats anyway. He's a Zombie Lord (augmented human) aristocrat 3/fighter 6. His feats breakdown like this: Feats: Level 1: , Cleave (1 General, 1 Human bonus) Level 3 (1 general) Level 4 (1 fighter) Level 5 (1 fighter) Level 6 (1 general) Level 7 (1 fighter) Level 9 (1 general) Abilities: Str 16, Dex 16, Con –, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 15 I'm uncertain how many feats I should waste on aristocrat flavor. I expect at least one of the feats will be one related to Taint from Heroes of Horror. It will probably be the level 9 feat to signify having been acquired after becoming a zombie lord. The Zombie Lord template I'm using is one I got from ENworld and modified to fit the unique qualities of the zombie lord from the adventure and the disease that my zombies carry. So... Feat suggestions for an undead melee aristocrat/fighter?
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Post by The Supreme Watcher on Oct 28, 2008 0:46:03 GMT -5
If it maintains its intelligence in undeath, and assuming from and cleave that it's a strength fighter... 3. Alertness 4. Improved Overrun (great to take down those back-line clerics and mages) 5. Combat Expertise 6. Necromantic Presence (Libris Mortis, p. 28) 7. Improved Disarm/Improved Trip (either one would be just as upsetting to the players) 9. Lifesense (Libris Mortis, p. 28) If it has lower mental stats than are required, Lifesense could be replaced with Improved Critical with its weapon.
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