Like a nymph. Only a psychotic killer... (Peach)

[Scorpina]

Morrigan
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/Scorpie/825795.jpg
Before you stands what would be a beautiful maiden – save that she seems to be bathed in fresh blood. She grips a spear tightly, matted hair – stained red – hanging down across her face where a crooked grin spreads across her lips. She approaches you, speaking in a voice just above a whisper. “Warriors, I have an offer for you…”

Size/Type: Medium Fey
Hit Dice: 8d6+16 (40 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armour Class: 17 (+4 Dex, +3 Deflection), touch 14, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+7
Attack: Spear +7 melee (1d8+4/x3)
Full Attack: Spear +7 melee (1d8+4/x3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Frenzy, Spell Like-Abilities
Special Qualities: Alternate Form, Fast Healing 3, Low-Light Vision
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +8, Will +5
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 19, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 17
Skills: Bluff +12, Diplomacy + 10, Intimidate +12, Listen +8, , Sense Motive +8, Spot +8, Survival +8
Feats: Persuasive, Endurance, Diehard
Environment: Any grassland
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always Chaotic Evil
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

Malign spirits that delight in the bloodshed and slaughter of battle, Morrigans often seek out battlefields before conflict begins and offer magical aid to one, or often, both sides. They appear as human or elven women of varying ages, typically having the appearance of anything between a teenage girl and an aged crone, except that they seem constantly to be bathed in fresh, dripping blood. A morrigan can wash this ‘blood’ off in a pool, but she will only stay clean for 1d6 hours.

Combat

Though they delight in battle, Morrigans prefer only to actually engage in combat themselves when they have a strong advantage over their foes. A common ploy with the evil fey use is to promise aid to both sides, then choose which side to favour later or, on occasion, actually father both sides – usually by granting one side Mage Armour, Magic Weapon and True Strike, then using Rage to bolster their opposition. In any case, once the battle is finished the Morrigan will often use any remaining spell-like abilties on herself, activate her Frenzy ability and move in to slaughter the survivors.

Alternate Form (Su): As a standard action usable at will, a morrigan may assume the form of a raven. She receives a +20 bonus on Disguse checks mae while in this form.

Fast Healing (Ex): A morrigan heals 3 points of damage each round so long as she has -9 hit points or more and is covered in blood.

Frenzy (Ex): As a free action, a Morrigan may enter a violent frenzy. While in the frenzy, she gains a +6 strength bonus and an extra attack per round, but suffers a -3 penalty to AC and takes 2 points of subdual damage each turn from exhaustion.

Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day – Mage Armour, Magic Weapon, True Strike. At will – Rage.

[BelkarsDagger]

Freaky... I like it. Where did you get the picture?!!

[Scorpina]

Google Image Search. Typed in 'Bloody Woman'...

[dragonseth]

What picture? I can't see it...

[Abd al-Azrad]

I liked the pic, but now it appears to be gone...

Anyways, feedback: First, spear damage would be 1d8+4, two-handed weapon. Also, with a Con of 14, she'd only have 4d6+11HD, or 25HP.
Second, the CR seems a bit high for a monster like this, with generally poor saves, low HP, and miserable combat capabilities. Typically, these poor combat stats would be offset by brutal magical capabilities, but with no SR and a few minor buffs, Morrigan's kinda lacking in that department, too.

Since I'm not really sure what you're looking for, I'll offer advice both to increase it to CR 5, and modify the existing CR... I think 2-3 would suffice the current monster.

Raising to 5: It has to be able to, for one thing, either survive a round of combat, or avoid said round entirely. Buffing itself for four rounds before combat, it has 29HP, AC 21, and +7 to hit for 1d8+7 (two-handed damage with the spear)- with +20 on its first attack. Not bad... but still CR ~3. Its spells are exclusively buffs- you don't want to hit a party with Rage, as it won't affect their decision-making ability, and the only thing they lose is, possibly, spellcasting (low DC of 15 Will to resist). A Scorching Ray or two, a few rounds against a party fighter (who will at 5th level have more HP and a better attack bonus), and Morrigan bites the dust.

So, let's fix these. If you want a CR 5, let's up her HD to eight. Fey are generally poor combatants, with low HD type and poor BA (1/2, as wizard)- we'll need a lot of combat ability to offset her racial weaknesses. Let's also give her the Frenzy ability- that'll spook the players. Free action to activate, +6 Str, -3 AC, extra attack/round, and she takes 2 points of nonlethal damage/round from exhaustion. Finally, let's give her some fast healing (3 should do) conditional on her being covered with blood... and that's a nasty combatant.

[dragonseth]

That would be nice adding Frenzy.

Yet another problem that one of these 3 things will solve:
1) Magic Missile
2) A Frenzied Berserker(More or less, the Frenzy ability)
3) A swift kick in the a**

[Runolfr]

She does seem a teensy bit fragile for a CR 5. I would recommend boosting her durability by giving her DR 5/cold iron and some spell resistance. You might also giving her some stronger spell-like abilities at a rate of 1/day: things like bull's strength and haste. Having them operate in small groups might also be helpful, or (to be really true to the name) allowing them to command flocks of ravens. In fact, being able to transform into a raven would be a good addition.

For more info, see Morrigan at Encyclopedia Mythica (http://www.pantheon.org/articles/m/morrigan.html).

[Scorpina]

I liked the pic, but now it appears to be gone...

Mmm, not sure what's with that. I'll see if I can fix it.



First, spear damage would be 1d8+4, two-handed weapon

Fixed.


Also, with a Con of 14, she'd only have 4d6+11HD, or 25HP.

She has the Toughness feat.


If you want a CR 5, let's up her HD to eight. Fey are generally poor combatants, with low HD type and poor BA (1/2, as wizard)- we'll need a lot of combat ability to offset her racial weaknesses. Let's also give her the Frenzy ability- that'll spook the players. Free action to activate, +6 Str, -3 AC, extra attack/round, and she takes 2 points of nonlethal damage/round from exhaustion. Finally, let's give her some fast healing (3 should do) conditional on her being covered with blood... and that's a nasty combatant.

Done.

[Scorpina]

In fact, being able to transform into a raven would be a good addition.

Oh! I was planning to put that in...

[Runolfr]

Further reading suggests that she should have some de-buffs as well as buffs.

[Abd al-Azrad]

Looks a bit nastier now. ;)

Just minor edits from my side: with 8HD and her current stats, she'd have 50HP (avg.) BA up to +4, grapple up to +7, spear up to +7 to hit... and although I know you like Toughness, it only gives 3HP each, or +6 total. Those two feats could be used better to give her Endurance and Diehard, for an extra 10HP from Diehard. And Diehard works in my mind with her, with her Fast Healing to bring her back out of negatives easily. Of course, you'd have to mention that Fast Healing works for her so long as she has -9 or more HP, rather than one.

EDIT: Yes, pic is back! Awesome.

[SlyJohnny]

Im confused. How is this monster substantally different from any normal human woman?

[Scorpina]

Im confused. How is this monster substantally different from any normal human woman?

When we wash the blood off it doesn't come back until we kill next. :P ;)

[Abd al-Azrad]

Im confused. How is this monster substantally different from any normal human woman?

Because she's an awesome killer fey. I love fey. I want to run a fey game. They're so weird.

[Scorpina]

Looks a bit nastier now. ;)

Just minor edits from my side: with 8HD and her current stats, she'd have 50HP (avg.) BA up to +4, grapple up to +7, spear up to +7 to hit... and although I know you like Toughness, it only gives 3HP each, or +6 total. Those two feats could be used better to give her Endurance and Diehard, for an extra 10HP from Diehard. And Diehard works in my mind with her, with her Fast Healing to bring her back out of negatives easily. Of course, you'd have to mention that Fast Healing works for her so long as she has -9 or more HP, rather than one.

EDIT: Yes, pic is back! Awesome.

Good advice once again, and once again taken on board.

[Forderz]

*evil Keee" I can imagine her yelling Keee! KEEEE! Not Caw! Keee!

[Runolfr]

I still vote for a little damage resistance and some de-buff abilities...

[Runolfr]

Out of curiosity, why would transforming into a raven grant a bonus on Disguise checks? Is she likely to try to impersonate some particular raven?

[Scorpina]

More sort of 'What's that over there? Oh, it's just a raven. Nothing to worry about...'.

[Abd al-Azrad]

Out of curiosity, why would transforming into a raven grant a bonus on Disguise checks? Is she likely to try to impersonate some particular raven?

She could be! Nothing says she can't!

I think it's just leftover from the fact that ALL shapeshifting spells grant that ability.

[Runolfr]

Here's a thought...

Why not keep her base HD low, so she makes a decent encounter for lower-level PCs, then include an "enhanced" version with some levels in Fighter.

This would be kind of like the MM3 "Glaistig" entry; she's a hostile fey with some charm-related abilities. The entry also includes an "advanced" Glaistig with levels of Sorcerer.

This would give you a pretty flexible monster...

[SpiderBrigade]

Out of curiosity, why would transforming into a raven grant a bonus on Disguise checks? Is she likely to try to impersonate some particular raven?

I think this is so that if you have True Seeing or similar, she STILL looks like a raven ;D

[SlyJohnny]

When we wash the blood off it doesn't come back until we kill next. :P ;)


Ahh, ok. Thanks for the clarification :D

[The Prince of Cats]

I think the Morrigan would be better considered as a deity, since that is what she was. (handy link (http://www.pantheon.org/articles/m/morrigan.html))

I am not sure she is really evil, just a perfect example of why Chaotic Neutral and virtual invulnerability are such a dangerous mix.

[Runolfr]

I think the Morrigan would be better considered as a deity, since that is what she was. (handy link (http://www.pantheon.org/articles/m/morrigan.html)).

While Morrigan is a Celtic deity in our world, there's no reason that has to be the case in any given D&D world. Scorpina is just using the name and concept for a monster. I rather like the concept, but I'd probably stick another name on it in my own campaign, as you could if you already have Morrigan defined as a deity there.

Cathubodva -- from the same article (http://www.pantheon.org/articles/m/morrigan.html) -- would be a good alternative name, for instance.

[geez3r]

Oh my god. Without even worrying about the mechanics, I love it. I must yoinkify this. By the way, you may or may not have a really disturning mind. I want someone to try and use that in an evil game. Personally, I might throw in DR 5/ cold iron just for ha's frankly because nearly no one will assume that its a fey, and it needs just a touch more combat oomph. But that's just my opinion.

[Ian]

Her Hit Dice are still off.

With a Con score of 14, she'd have 8d6+16. If she has Toughness (which should be listed in her Feats header), that'd take her up to 8d6+19. Her average HP would be 47.

[Scorpina]

Yes, I know the original Morrigan was a goddess (or three) but by the same token, in the original story the Minotaur was a unique creature, as was Pegasus and so on so forth...

Fixed the hit points. (I think...)

[Abd al-Azrad]

8d6+16... are you using perfect average HP (3.5 for d6) or rounded average (3 for d6)? I think that the perfect average is the correct one, which gives Morrigan (8x3.5)+16= 28+16=44.