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View Full Version : (3.5) Monster minion ideas for BBED



maniakmastah
2010-03-02, 03:18 AM
Hey y'all, i'm just about to the climax point of my campaign where i'm planning on dropping the true villain onto them, since they believe one person to be the main villain. Said BBED (Big Bad Evil DEMON!!!) is a tricked out Marilith with added abilities, enhanced stats, rearranged feats, and even using some of the ritual powers abilities from Ravenloft books.

At the moment, i could use some suggestions for what kind of monsters i could throw at my players to get them salivating and ready for action. Since the personal emblem of the person my PCs think is their main target is a black serpent, i was thinking of a serpent theme with some monsters as a big focus. Also monsters to fit the demon's theme of sadism and lust, since she's as fond of indulging in the pleasures of the flesh as she is of tearing it to pieces.

Current base of the villain is a mansion located on a large hill behind a large wall. The PCs have the orbs needed to pass through the gates and enter into main area of the villain. In Castlevania: Lament of Innocence tradition, i'm making it so the foyer area, where they will first enter, is relatively free of danger and can go to rest up if needed, but in order to advance, they will need to clear out 5 areas before they can even enter the Marilith's den. The areas are currently a work in progress but are roughly.

Nightscape Garden- this area will reflect a theme of nature and flora and fauna made horrifically bizarre and twisted, as well as a garden theme, reflecting the at times all consuming desire to make it grow by any means.

Forsaken Chapel- The Theme here is one of fallen faith and the growing sense of dread at the feeling of the deities abandoning you, while at the same time, those that live in the dark come to welcome you with false hope and honeyed words.

Underground Cavern- What lies beneath is the main theme i'm thinking about, about the fear that grows in not knowing what is in here, and sudden thoughts of twisted, misshapen horrors and things that shouldn't be natural being so here.

Dream Chambers- The theme here i envision is one of dangers not being immediately known, and of being lulled into a false sense of security and ease, even finding some bliss and happiness here, until this area makes it's nightmares apparent, and that it was like this the whole time hammering home the fear.

Ideas on the last area to be cleared out would be appreciated, along with an appropriate theme to go with it.

PCs are currently 11-12, one dwarf fighter who thanks to a necklace is turning into a werewolf, one paladin/rogue, one rogue assassin (both the assassin and the pally were once one and the same person, until a mad doctor spilt them into two separate beings), 1 former Wild Elf ranger who is now a Diclonius from Elfen Lied, 1 rogue/shadowdancer with a shadow companion and a love for castrating, and 1 VoP monk going into Kensai.

Sorry for the long post, but i eagerly await your collective input.

magic9mushroom
2010-03-02, 04:30 AM
Might a Marilith with a significant power boost AND minions be significant overkill for a level 12 party?

That aside, Phaerimms are fairly sadistic and look kinda serpentine. Just don't ever give them class levels. That way lies madness.

AslanCross
2010-03-02, 06:56 AM
Nightscape Garden- this area will reflect a theme of nature and flora and fauna made horrifically bizarre and twisted, as well as a garden theme, reflecting the at times all consuming desire to make it grow by any means.

Advance a boneleaf (Heroes of Horror). It's an aberration that looks a lot like a plant, but it preys on sentient creatures. Advance it to Huge size. Alternatively, the Night Twist (MM3). It's a powerful evil tree that eats people.


Forsaken Chapel- The Theme here is one of fallen faith and the growing sense of dread at the feeling of the deities abandoning you, while at the same time, those that live in the dark come to welcome you with false hope and honeyed words.
Might I suggest the Quell from Libris Mortis? Just give it a lot of class levels and theme it to look like a serpentine ghost. It has the ability to cut clerics off from their deities, so it fits right in.


Underground Cavern- What lies beneath is the main theme i'm thinking about, about the fear that grows in not knowing what is in here, and sudden thoughts of twisted, misshapen horrors and things that shouldn't be natural being so here.
The Balhannoth (MM4) is an aberration that specializes in stalking its prey. It's a stealth-oriented tentacle monster. Alternatively, the Darktentacles (MM2). Apply the spellwarped Template (MM3) for an unnatural boost.


Dream Chambers- The theme here i envision is one of dangers not being immediately known, and of being lulled into a false sense of security and ease, even finding some bliss and happiness here, until this area makes it's nightmares apparent, and that it was like this the whole time hammering home the fear.
This one I'm not so sure. The Dream Vestige (Libris Mortis) is rather appropriate. Just fluff its intelligence drain as the PCs being lulled into peace.

Volkov
2010-03-02, 07:22 AM
D20ify the minions from overlord. This is a must. :smalltongue:

maniakmastah
2010-03-02, 11:54 AM
Might a Marilith with a significant power boost AND minions be significant overkill for a level 12 party?

That aside, Phaerimms are fairly sadistic and look kinda serpentine. Just don't ever give them class levels. That way lies madness.

Of course i know that, that's why i'm throwing monsters at them along the way to get them leveled up a bit first before even thinking about throwing the Marilith at them. Hmmm, Phaerimms, what book do they come in?

maniakmastah
2010-03-02, 11:56 AM
D20ify the minions from overlord. This is a must. :smalltongue:

Duly noted and saved for future scheming, lol.

herrhauptmann
2010-03-02, 02:19 PM
D20ify the minions from overlord. This is a must. :smalltongue:

??
What's that mean?

Volkov
2010-03-02, 02:38 PM
??
What's that mean?

You'll only get it if you played any of the games in the overlord series.

hamishspence
2010-03-02, 02:47 PM
Hmmm, Phaerimms, what book do they come in?

Lost Empires of Faerun has the 3.5 ed version- rather different from the Monsters of Faerun version.

However, the web enhancement for Players Guide to Faerun has them- same stats as in Lost Empires- and is free.

magic9mushroom
2010-03-03, 06:37 AM
Lost Empires of Faerun has the 3.5 ed version- rather different from the Monsters of Faerun version.

However, the web enhancement for Players Guide to Faerun has them- same stats as in Lost Empires- and is free.

Not same stats. Notably, you can't get double advancement in Sorcerer with the PGtF one (IIRC).

hamishspence
2010-03-03, 06:45 AM
It looked identical at a quick glance- numbers seemed to match up.

Are you sure there isn't an error in the Lost Empires version? Double Sorcerer advancement sounds iffy.

maniakmastah
2010-03-03, 11:59 AM
I believe i have both books on my computer, so i'll compare the two and see which looks the better of the two. I appreciate all the help thus far.

hamishspence
2010-03-03, 01:00 PM
I've looked- both state that the cast as a sorcerer, they can take sorcerer levels in addition to Hit Dice, and they stack.

So a Revered Elder with no sorcerer levels casts spells as a 19th level sorcerer.

And a Revered Elder with 10 sorcerer levels casts spells as a 29th level sorcerer.

The only difference in wording is the web enhancement says "Casts spells as a sorcerer of its Hit Dice"

Whereas Lost Empires says "Caster level equals character level"

But the tables are the same- and both say that extra levels in sorcerer boots its racial sorcerer casting.

Thurbane
2010-03-03, 02:15 PM
There's an old post of mine that may be of use:

Half-farspawn Yuan-ti Abomination (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7071846&postcount=12)

...you may want to beef it up with class levels if you want to increase it's CR. Or you could use a group of them. Seems to fit thematically, anyway.

magic9mushroom
2010-03-03, 02:42 PM
I've looked- both state that the cast as a sorcerer, they can take sorcerer levels in addition to Hit Dice, and they stack.

So a Revered Elder with no sorcerer levels casts spells as a 19th level sorcerer.

And a Revered Elder with 10 sorcerer levels casts spells as a 29th level sorcerer.

The only difference in wording is the web enhancement says "Casts spells as a sorcerer of its Hit Dice"

Whereas Lost Empires says "Caster level equals character level"

But the tables are the same- and both say that extra levels in sorcerer boots its racial sorcerer casting.

The tables may be the same, but the PGtF Phaerimm casts as a sorcerer of RHD + Sorc levels. The LEoF Phaerimm casts as a sorcerer of character level + Sorc levels. Since Sorc levels increase your character level, you can take 9 levels of sorcerer and get an effective Sorc level of 18, giving you 9ths. Or you can take 18 levels of Warblade and still get 9ths.

The LEoF Phaerimm is stupendously overpowered with class levels.

But yes, they are otherwise identical as far as I can see.

faceroll
2010-03-03, 03:02 PM
You could go with the Banelar, from Serpent Kingdoms. It's CR8, a decent melee threat, and casts as both a 6th level cleric and a 6th level wizard. It casts one spell a round as a free action when attacking, which is nice.

hamishspence
2010-03-04, 03:45 AM
The tables may be the same, but the PGtF Phaerimm casts as a sorcerer of RHD + Sorc levels. The LEoF Phaerimm casts as a sorcerer of character level + Sorc levels. Since Sorc levels increase your character level, you can take 9 levels of sorcerer and get an effective Sorc level of 18, giving you 9ths. Or you can take 18 levels of Warblade and still get 9ths.

I think that was an error- by character level, they meant Racial Hit Dice level. Since they explicitly state that Sorcerer levels simply stack with existing sorcerer casting.

Otherwise it would be horribly overpowered- 5HD +5 Sorcerer Levels should never, ever, equal "Casts as a 15th level sorcerer"

magic9mushroom
2010-03-04, 05:19 AM
I think that was an error- by character level, they meant Racial Hit Dice level. Since they explicitly state that Sorcerer levels simply stack with existing sorcerer casting.

Otherwise it would be horribly overpowered- 5HD +5 Sorcerer Levels should never, ever, equal "Casts as a 15th level sorcerer"

Yes. It is horribly overpowered. I've been saying this.

hamishspence
2010-03-04, 05:31 AM
I think the point I was trying to make was- it probably isn't RAI- especially given how much they focus on sorcerer levels stacking with inate casting- they don't go out of their way to say that they stack twice.

Maybe whoever copied that from the web enhancement- changed the wording in a poor fashion.

Is there errata to correct this- or do most DMs simply ignore "Character level" and treat it exactly as a dragon- no double stacking?

faceroll
2010-03-05, 12:18 AM
horribly overpowered

Mmmmmm, yeah.