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Djinn_in_Tonic
2011-03-01, 09:04 AM
Once More, With Spirit
http://thejosevilson.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/phoenixcircle.jpg
"I know I am deathless. No doubt I have died myself ten thousand times before. I laugh at what you call dissolution, and I know the amplitude of time." - Walt Whitman


Death, the great leveler, destroyer of worlds. Such is he called, and he is, in time, called to all things. Yet some, the ever-burning phoenix chief amongst their number, resist his siren call again and again. Who knows what else walks the edge 'twixt mortality and unending life...



_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/


The contest begins with the posting of this thread and will continue until the 20th of March.

Soon after a poll will be opened for everyone to vote for their favorite that will last until midnight of the last day of the month.


Rules

1. You will be creating an original D&D creature. A creature who, in some way, lives beyond death. Such a "life" may be a form of reincarnation, sentient undeath, some spiritual energy, a transformation, or anything else you can dream up. All that is required is that the creature return, in some manner or form, once death has come to them. Let your imagination go wild.

2. The entry must include name, complete stat-block, physical description, basic background information, and detailed combat behavior if any. A plot hook or similar in addition is optional but encouraged. Incomplete entries will be disqualified upon the deadline.

3. Entries must be 3.5 edition, using the standard format listed below (not that new one seen in the Monster Manual IV-V, except for a lore section which is encouraged).

4. Post all entries on this thread. Do not post conversation here. Any and All Comments and discussions will take place on a separate thread here (this is a link) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10470789#post10470789).

5. One entry per participant. No double-teaming.

6. Entries copied from some other source (splatbook, alternate website, etc) will be disqualified. All entries must be a new creation, not one already posted. Adding class levels to an already published or posted creature does not count as a new monster. Nor does adding templates. There must be an original base creature devoid of any template added on as the actual entry. Samples of the original base creature with a template may be posted in 'addition' but will not be judged.

7. No reserving posts. Feel free to post a creature and tweak it, but you have to have the basic beast already done.

8. Please state if you do not want critiques, otherwise other participants will likely give a rundown of your build in the chat thread.

-=-=-=-=-=-


Banners forthcoming. I'm swamped with graphics work for my midterms already.

Djinn_in_Tonic
2011-03-01, 09:05 AM
Vorpal Tribble's Guide To Making Monsters (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43009)

As well, here is the standard 3.5 monster format. Only complete entries will be accepted. If there are any questions feel free to ask me or post queries in the GITP Contest Chat Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=8753819#post8753819).

-=-=-=-

No Parsed Stat Block Code
Name

<Size> <Type>
Hit Dice:
Initiative:
Speed: (# squares)
Armor Class: (), touch, flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple:
Attack:
Full Attack:
Space/Reach:
Special Attacks:
Special Qualities:
Saves: Fort +, Ref +, Will +
Abilities Str , Dex , Con , Int , Wis , Cha
Skills:
Feats:
Environment:
Organization:
Challenge Rating:
Treasure:
Alignment:
Advancement:
Level Adjustment:

Description/background/characteristics

Combat

Ability descriptions

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

- Optional -

Lore

Plot Hook/Story if any

Name

<Size> <Type>
Hit Dice:
Initiative:
Speed: (# squares)
Armor Class: (), touch, flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple:
Attack:
Full Attack:
Space/Reach:
Special Attacks:
Special Qualities:
Saves: Fort +, Ref +, Will +
Abilities Str , Dex , Con , Int , Wis , Cha
Skills:
Feats:
Environment:
Organization:
Challenge Rating:
Treasure:
Alignment:
Advancement:
Level Adjustment:

Description/background/characteristics

Combat

Ability descriptions

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

- Optional -

Lore

Plot Hook/Story if any

Cheesy74
2011-03-01, 04:07 PM
Creator commentary <NOT PART OF THE MONSTER>:
The Hatespawn is a pretty vague creature. A lot of its abilities are left up in the air and are made easy to branch out and customize. That's intentional. This creature is meant to follow a player from level 5 to 17, when they finally can wish it out of existence. DMs choose the time between encounters, the feats, maneuvers, and new abilities it gains, and overall guide the Hatespawn as a side plot or even an element of the main plot. The Hatespawn is not a once-and-done monster and should never be used as such. There should be a clear action that spurred its creation, a nemesis that created it (whether intentionally or by accident), and most certainly a reasonably skilled party to take down this ever-increasingly powerful monster. If you can't fit it into your campaign with those parameters, please, don't use it. It wouldn't do what it was designed for.


Hatespawn

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v280/Cheesy74/Hatespawn.png

Medium Outsider (Chaotic, Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 5d8+25 (47 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 50 ft (10 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (+2 Dex, +6 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+11
Attack: Claw +11 melee (1d6+6)
Full Attack: 2 claws +11 melee (1d6+6)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Maneuvers, Roar of Hatred, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Undying evolution, Object of Loathing, immune to mind-affecting effects, DR 5/lawful, Unceasing Pursuit
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +2
Abilities Str 22, Dex 14, Con 20, Int 4, Wis 7, Cha 8
Skills: Intimidate +7, Jump +14, Climb +14, Balance +10, Swim +14
Feats: Improved Initiative, Power Attack
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Chaotic Neutral
Advancement: 6-7 HD (Medium) 8-13 HD (Large) 14-21 HD (Huge) 22+ HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: -

A man-sized deep green creature with an elongated neck, immense muscles and long, sharp claws locks its eyes on you, its fanged jaw dripping with caustic spit. Its eyes stare directly into yours, glowing red with malice. It stops, rears back, and lets out a roar that pierces your very soul before lowering itself to the ground and charging.

Hatespawn are horrifying beings native to Limbo, brought into existence as the pure expression of a being's enmity for another. They can be spawned with the appearance of any creature, but usually take on the appearance of a massive reptilian beast. Only pure, unmitigated hatred on a grand scale is enough to spawn a being as vile as this. Fueled by this rage, they immediately burst from their home plane to the target's, pursuing them without tiring through oceans and over mountains, stopped only by death, and even then only temporarily.

Combat
The hatespawn exists for the sole purpose of the destruction of a single individual, and its combat reflects that. It is straightforward and brutish, responding to traps by charging through them and using nothing but its pure strength to kill and entirely destroy its target. Any tactics beyond escaping bonds and passing barricades are beyond its scope. It does, however, remember tactics or actions that killed it in previous battles and avoid them if it understood the tactics used. When pursuing a target, it will only use plane shift to reach its target's plane.

Maneuvers: The hatespawn knows, readies, initiates, and regains maneuvers and stances as a crusader of its HD. It has access to the Tiger Claw, Infernal Monster (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=176059), and Stone Dragon disciplines, but must know at least one Infernal Monster maneuver of its highest available level at all times.

Suggested Maneuvers Known:

5HD: All Consuming Rampage Release*, Claw at the Moon, Wolf Fang Strike, Stone Bones, Raging Behemoth Charge*, Fury is Freedom*, World-breaker Grip* [Stances: Blood in the Water, Retribution Will Follow*]

7HD: All Consuming Rampage Release*, Claw at the Moon, Wolf Fang Strike, Bonecrusher, Raging Behemoth Charge*, Fury is Freedom*, World-breaker Grip*, Screaming Meat-Shield* [Stances: Blood in the Water, Retribution Will Follow*]

9HD: All Consuming Rampage Release*, Claw at the Moon, Death From Above, Bonecrusher, Raging Behemoth Charge*, Fury is Freedom*, World-breaker Grip*, Screaming Meat-Shield*, Joyful Cessation of Restraint* [Stances: Blood in the Water, Retribution Will Follow*, Infernal Monster Form*]

11HD: All Consuming Rampage Release*, Claw at the Moon, Death From Above, Bonecrusher, Dancing Mongoose, Fury is Freedom*, World-breaker Grip*, Screaming Meat-Shield*, Joyful Cessation of Restraint*, Post-Traumatic Brutality Roar* [Stances: Blood in the Water, Retribution Will Follow*, Infernal Monster Form*]

13HD: All Consuming Rampage Release*, Irresistible Mountain Strike, Death From Above, Bonecrusher, Dancing Mongoose, Fury is Freedom*, World-breaker Grip*, Screaming Meat-Shield*, Joyful Cessation of Restraint*, Post-Traumatic Brutality Roar*, Hero-Sundering Hands* [Stances: Blood in the Water, Retribution Will Follow*, Infernal Monster Form*]

15HD: Swooping Dragon Strike, Irresistible Mountain Strike, Death From Above, Bonecrusher, Dancing Mongoose, Fury is Freedom*, World-breaker Grip*, Screaming Meat-Shield*, Joyful Cessation of Restraint*, Post-Traumatic Brutality Roar*, Hero-Sundering Hands*, Armageddon Nightmare Duel* [Stances: Blood in the Water, Retribution Will Follow*, Infernal Monster Form*, Prey on the Weak]

17HD: Swooping Dragon Strike, Irresistible Mountain Strike, Death From Above, Bonecrusher, Raging Mongoose, Fury is Freedom*, World-breaker Grip*, Screaming Meat-Shield*, Joyful Cessation of Restraint*, Post-Traumatic Brutality Roar*, Hero-Sundering Hands*, Armageddon Nightmare Duel*, Crack the Sky* [Stances: Blood in the Water, Retribution Will Follow*, Infernal Monster Form*, Prey on the Weak]

19HD: Swooping Dragon Strike, Irresistible Mountain Strike, Death From Above, Bonecrusher, Raging Mongoose, Fury is Freedom*, World-breaker Grip*, Screaming Meat-Shield*, Mountain Tombstone Strike, Post-Traumatic Brutality Roar*, Hero-Sundering Hands*, Armageddon Nightmare Duel*, Crack the Sky*, Feral Death Blow [Stances: Blood in the Water, Retribution Will Follow*, Infernal Monster Form*, Prey on the Weak]

*: Found in the Infernal Monster (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=176059) discipline


Object of Loathing (Su): The hatespawn comes into being from the coalesced hatred toward a single being, and this being becomes its target as long as the hatespawn exists. The target cannot be changed by any means. The hatespawn gains the following abilities:
- A Locate Creature effect permanently targeted upon the hatespawn's target. This effect, unlike the spell, cannot be blocked by any means besides nondetection or mind blank on the target.
- As long as the hatespawn and its target are on the same plane, it may see the target (and only the target) as viewed under the effect of a see invisibility spell.

Roar of Hatred (Su): As a standard action once per day, the hatespawn may loose a terrible roar, embodying all the hate that forms the creature. All creatures within 50 ft with HD less than that of the hatespawn must make a Will save (DC 10+1/2 Hatespawn HD+str modifier) or be Shaken for one minute. The hatespawn's Object of Loathing receives a -2 penalty to this save. Any creature with less than half the hatespawn's HD must make the same save or be Frightened for the same duration. This is a mind-affecting ability.

Unceasing Pursuit (Ex): Hatespawn are relentless in pursuing their quarry. They do not need to eat or drink, do not need to make constitution checks for a forced march, can take 10 on all swim, climb, and jump checks in all situations, and ignore difficult terrain.

Undying Evolution (Ex): On some level, the hatespawn isn't just hateful, it is hatred. Hatespawn are every bit as hard to kill as the concept they represent, and cannot truly be destroyed without the aid of powerful magic. Whenever the hatespawn is killed or in some way permanently disabled (such as being turned to stone, crystal, or some other material permanently, not being permanently imprisoned or the like), it collapses into ash, reforms 1d4 days later somewhere in Limbo and immediately begins to pursue its target once again. Even more frighteningly, each time it is killed or permanently disabled by its target or their allies, its enmity toward them grows, causing the hatespawn to reform with 2 additional HD, +2 strength and +2 con, +2 natural armor, and additional maneuvers as would be granted by the 2 additional HD. Finally, it gains one of the following abilities (DM's choice) based on the circumstances and method of its death, making it more resilient to that tactic for the next battle.

Magical Resilience (Su): The hatespawn reforms coated with a thin etching of runes. It gains spell and power resistance equal to its HD. Each time this ability is taken, its spell and power resistance increase by 5, until at 20+HD resistance it becomes immune to any spell or power that allows for resistance.

Skin of Steel (Ex): The hatespawn's skin grows sinews, barbs, and plates of armor. Its DR increases by 2 and it gains an additional +2 to its natural armor.

Inured to Elements (Ex): The hatespawn begins to evolve to protect itself from hazardous elements. It gains resistance 10 to any two elemental damage types. The resistance stacks with other gains of this ability. When the hatespawn reaches resistance 30 in any one element, it becomes immune to it outright.

Claws of Hatred (Ex): The hatespawn reforms better prepared to brutalize the enemy. Its strength is increased by an additional +4, its claws deal an additional 1d6 damage, and one of the following abilities:
-The hatespawn's claws' critical threat range increases by one (every two times this subability is taken, their threat multiplier increases by one)
-Its claws are considered chaotic aligned.
-It gains the Improved Grab ability (if Large or larger). A second choice of this subability gives the hatespawn a Constrict attack dealing damage equal to its claw attack.

Spurred by Anger (Su): The hatespawn reforms with the ability to hover. It gains a 20 foot fly speed with average maneuverability. Each further choice of this ability increases its fly speed by another 10 ft and its maneuverability by another step (to a max of perfect). Alternately, this ability may be chosen to increase the Hatespawn's land speed by 10 ft. This alternate option is an extraordinary ability.
Only a wish or miracle cast while the Hatespawn is reforming can kill it permanently.

Spell-like Abilities (Sp): 1/week - Plane Shift (self only, cannot shift to or from lawful-aligned planes)

Admiral Squish
2011-03-01, 05:01 PM
Visceral Horde

Tiny Aberration (Swarm)
Hit Dice:8d8+40 (76 HP)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 20 feet (4 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (+2 Natural, +2 dex, +2 Size), 14 touch, 14 flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/-4
Attack: Swarm (3d6)
Full Attack: Swarm (3d6)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Distraction, Blood Feast
Special Qualities: Half damage from slashing and piercing, Blindsight 60, Scent, Swarm Traits, Blind
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +6
Abilities: Str 6, Dex 14, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 10, Cha 2
Skills: Survival +13
Feats: Dodge, Track, Self-Sufficient
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, Rampage (2-8)
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -

In the darkness, you hear the sounds of something wet flopping onto the stone floor. Suddenly, at the edge of your torchlight, you see a single dark shape flop to the ground. It glistens wetly in the torchlight, and writhes awkwardly. It‘s only then that you realize the thing is not just any shape, but a blood-soaked organ of alien description. But it‘s too late. Dozens of similar shapes flop and slither out of the darkness, leaving a trail of blood behind them. The shapes propel themselves in strange ways, some walking on stilts made of bone fragments, other rolling along the ground, some slithering serpentine across the floor. Each is more strange and warped than the last, and they move towards you with surprising speed.

A visceral horde, despite it’s appearance, is not an undead creature. The visceral horde is one of the hazardous results of powerful mutative magic. When a creature is exposed to excessive quantities of transformative magic, via shaper artifacts, transformation rituals, or simply excessive spell use, his viscera take on a primitive life of their own. While the creature lives, this means nothing. The organs are generally satisfied to continue their tasks. However, when the creature dies, the organs refuse to ‘go down with the ship’ and abandon the vessel, bursting out in a shower of blood and gore. The resultant mutated organs are confused, in pain, and with only the most basic of instincts to guide them. They seek out other living things and fall upon them, consuming flesh and blood to sustain their abhorrent existence.

Combat:
Visceral hordes have only the most simplistic of tactics. They constantly hunt for new victims to sustain themselves, falling upon one target after another in a bloody quest to survive and feed.

Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with a visceral horde in its square must succeed on a DC 19 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Blood Feast (Ex): Whenever a living, corporeal creature takes damage from the visceral horde’s swarm attack, they take 1d4 points of con damage as the swarm consumes their flesh and blood. For each point of constitution damage dealt, the visceral horde heals 5 points of damage. Any creature slain by this damage has his remains absorbed into the swarm, and cannot be resurrected until the visceral horde is slain.

Blindsight (Ex): A visceral horde can use scent and vibration to ascertain all foes within 60 feet as a sighted creature would.

Blind (Ex): Visceral Hordes are blind, giving them immunity to gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions, and other attack forms that rely on sight.

unosarta
2011-03-01, 06:11 PM
Fireborn


http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs10/i/2006/115/5/b/Phoenix_tattoo_design_by_melukilan.gif

Medium Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 12d10+36 (102 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 20 feet (4 squares); Fly 50 feet (average)
Armor Class: 23, touch 20, flat-footed 19 (+4 Dex, +3 Nat, +6 Deflection)
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+19
Attack: Claw +19 melee (1d6+7+2d6 fire damage)
Full Attack: 2 Claws +19 melee (1d6+7+2d6 fire damage) and Bite +14 melee (1d4+3+2d6 fire damage)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Breath of Flame, Ancient Song
Special Qualities: Fiery Aegis, Born From the Ashes, Wreathed in Flame, Living Cycle, DR 10/Cold Iron, SR 24, Regeneration 2
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +12, Will +6
Abilities Str 24, Dex 19, Con 17, Int 7, Wis 15, Cha 23
Skills: Spot +10, Listen +9
Feats: Power Attack, Hover, Flyby Attack, Improved Bull Rush, Wingover
Environment: Volcanoes, Mountains, Tropical forests
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 10
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: True Neutral
Advancement: 13-17 Large, 18-24 Huge, 25+ Gargantuan
Level Adjustment: --

The Fireborn is a large, flaming bird. Its height is roughly 5 feet tall, standing, and it has a wingspan of 12 feet. The Fireborn is literally on fire, fire burning its wings and fire coming from the great, curved beak it sports as a mouth. The Fireborn’s feathers are red, orange and gold, if the flames that forever haunt it were to be put out. The Fireborn’s claws are long and sharp, and prized among richer folks as delicate daggers. The fire that burns on the Fireborn is a ghostly pale color, and they flicker with otherworldly light.

The Fireborn itself is a very strange creature. It is a phoenix that has been lit on fire and cursed forever. The reason for the curse might vary depending on the Fireborn, but the impact is clear; the Fireborn cannot die. Or, at least, not by itself. The Fireborn lives its life in four separate stages; it is born, or reborn, as the case may be, as a younger bird; it progresses to middle age blindingly fast, in situations of no danger taking little more than a few hours, in a time of danger much, much faster than that; and an old creature, taking little more than another hour to age again, and then becoming ancient. Finally, it “dies” so to speak, but really only progresses back to the first stage. Each time it progresses back to its first stage, it loses all memories it possessed of its lifespan. The fires on the bird burn continually, causing the Fireborn pain.

Each time they regenerate, they live a new lifetime of pain. Although it may not seem the same because we don't live that short lived, but their lives are incredibly more potent. The Fireborn's life is full of emotion, and far more deep and incredible in every aspect than a normal creature. Unlike many immortals, who bore easily, who find immortality more of a curse, with diluted emotions, the Fireborn lives forever, but each forever is so filled with emotion, with joy, with excitement, with love, with hate, with despair, with passion, with pain, that they feel like the lives of a thousand mortals. The Fireborn feel every emotion as if it were ten times as intense. They spend their lives living and breathing more than any human or elf will. But this multiplies all emotions. The Fireborn love unconditionally, fear unconditionally, hate unconditionally, trust unconditionally, and feel pain unconditionally. Their lives are intense. Without the fires that burn them, the Fireborn would live lives full of happiness, full of fear, but full. The one who curse them couldn't live with that. The Fireborn had to burn, burn eternally. They would burn for all time. The fires cause the Fireborn pain, but the Fireborn have innate magic such as the one who cursed them could not imagine. They molded and shaped the pain into something more manageable, just as the changed the flames themselves into something they could use for protection. But that pain always remained. The Fireborn's magic could shape it, and mold it, but never completely erase it.

Fireborn are treasured by many collectors for their famous life cycle, but they also are endangered, being thought of as twisted beings, practically demonic in their physiology, and hunted down by many wherever they go. Because they lose their memories, they also forget when this happens, and many Fireborn are killed when they walk right up to those hunting them, not thinking of any danger that may come from that person.

Fireborn live deeply emotional passionate lives. They live as truly, as openly, as strongly as they can, for that short time that they remember it. Living or travelling with a Fireborn can be frustrating, joyous and deeply poignant, at the same time.


Combat

Fireborn tend to be more precocious as combat starts, using their abilities haphazardly. They usually use Breath of Flame every time it is available, and use Ancient Song constantly. When they are not using Breath of Flame they are attacking with their natural weapons. When they hit middle age, they start slowing down, using their Ancient sparsely, and their Breath of Flame every time it is off cooldown. At old, they rarely use their ancient song, instead using mostly natural weapons

Breath of Flame (Su): As a standard action, the Fireborn may breathe a vast cone of fire, burning with the ageless strength of the bird. All creatures in a 40 foot cone take 8d6 + the Fireborn's Charisma modifier (6) Fire damage. They may make a reflex save (DC 24) for half damage. After using this ability, the Fireborn must wait 1d4 rounds before using it again. The save DC for this effect is Constitution based, and includes a +5 racial bonus.

Ancient Song (Su): The Fireborn may sing an ancient song, full of sorrow and emotion. As a standard action, all creatures in 30 feet of the Fireborn that hear the song take a -2 penalty on all rolls, saves, and checks. The Fireborn may as a swift action, extend the song an additional round. The song lasts until the Fireborn stops extending the song, and an additional 2 rounds after that. Every round that the Fireborn continues the song, he takes 2d4 non-lethal damage.

Fiery Aegis (Ex): The Fireborn’s feathers are covered with a constant fire that protects it from harm, at the same time giving it intense pain. The Fireborn gains a deflection bonus to their armor class equal to their Charisma modifier.

Born From Ashes (Su): The Fireborn is literally born from the ash of their burned feathers, their burned skin, their burned memories. The fires that surround their body hungrily consume any fires that touch them, and eagerly lap up the heat around the great bird. Any fire damage dealt to the Fireborn instead of damaging it, heals it for an equivalent number of damage.

Wreathed in Flame (Su): The Fireborn is constantly alight in pale, ghostly flames. The flames burn any who touch it, and can consume even fire. Any creature that makes a non-reach melee attack against the Fireborn takes 2d6 fire damage. All cold damage dealt to the Fireborn that has a variable roll uses the lowest roll possible (if 3d6 cold damage were being dealt to the Fireborn, it would deal only 3 damage). If cold damage is dealt to the Fireborn, the flames surrounding it are suppressed for one round. Additional cold damage dealt while the flames are suppressed does not continue to suppress the flames. The Fireborn loses the effects of this ability while the flames are suppressed. In addition, the Fireborn's natural attacks deal an extra 2d6 fire damage, and whenever the Fireborn is within 5 feet of an opponent, that opponent takes 2d6 fire damage.

Living Cycle (Su): The Fireborn is constantly being reborn from flame. Every hour, while not in combat, the Fireborn changes from young middle age, from middle age to old, from old to venerable, and from venerable to ancient, and then back to young. The statistics in the above stat block represent the Fireborn while it is young. When it gains an age category, it gains the ability score increases associated with the age category (-1 to Dexterity, Strength and Constitution, +1 to Wisdom, Charisma and Intelligence for going to middle aged, -2 to physical ability scores and +2 to mental for going to old, and -2 to physical ability scores and +2 to mental for going to ancient). It gains 1 additional hit dice for each age category, and the consummate base attack bonus, hit points, and saves. It does not gain any feats or skills. Its size increases by one when it becomes middle aged, and increases by one yet again when it is old. When it becomes venerable, it decreases by one (to large), and it decreases by one yet again when it becomes ancient (to medium). When the Fireborn becomes young again, they lose all acquired memories they gained or possessed in the past five hours.

In combat, the process becomes much, much faster. The Fireborn changes age categories every two rounds. The Fireborn does forget its memories when it changes back to young, but it naturally understands if the first thing to attack it to be an enemy, if it is in combat.

Whenever the Fireborn shifts back to young, it heals 4d6 hit points.

Regeneration (Ex): The Fireborn takes normal damage from Cold damage.


http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs29/f/2008/145/7/9/The_Fire_Lord_by_neondragon.jpg

MammonAzrael
2011-03-02, 02:52 AM
Primal Troll
http://epicduckstudios.com/wp-content/gallery/warmachine-and-hordes/diretrollmauler.jpg

Large Giant
Hit Dice: 12d8+84 (138 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 22 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +10 natural), 12 touch, 19 flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+21
Attack: Claw +17 melee (1d8+8)
Full Attack: 2 claws +17 melee (1d8+8) and a bite +12 melee (1d12+4/x3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Rend 2d8+12
Special Qualities: Awareness, darkvision 90 ft., inescapable craving, low-light vision, regeneration 10, scent, toughened hide, trollflesh, viscous saliva
Saves: Fort +15, Ref +7, Will +5
Abilities: Str 27, Dex 16, Con 25, Int 6, Wis 9, Cha 6
Skills: Listen +8, Spot +9
Feats: Alertness, Endurance, Iron Will, Run, Track
Environment: Cold mountains
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 11
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
Advancement: See trollflesh, or by class level
Level Adjustment: +7

This hulking humanoid figure looms above you, it’s shoulders hunched and it’s head lowered, but still towering over you. Muscles bulge on its torso and arms, unbelievably thick. Two huge tusks, worn and marked from years of use, jut from it’s lower lip. Thick, claw-like nails extend from each finger of massive hands, chipped and crusted with blood. Small green eyes look at you with a savage, ravenous intelligence. It pounds toward you on wide feet and powerful legs as a deep roar of hunger bellows from it’s gaping mouth.

At first glance, a primal troll doesn’t appear that much different from a standard troll. Even a casual eye, however, reveals them to be much more heavily muscled, and the huge lower teeth mark it as different. Primal trolls are typically extremely old, but new ones are very rarely born to standard trolls. As far as most creatures are concerned, primal trolls are simply another vicious, hungry troll to avoid.

Primal trolls are just as driven by carnivorous hunger as their more common cousins. Any moving creature can be considered food for a primal troll, regardless of size or ferocity. Their food of choice happens to be the one reason they aren’t more well known - each other. They have a unique connection and sense of other trolls, and will seek them out to challenge for dominance...and lunch. Given a choice, they will always choose to eat their fellow trolls, after chewing them to death. For this reason the mating of primal trolls is extremely dangerous, as only a male an female of equal power that happen to meet when both are extremely full and in good spirits have a chance.

The hunching posture of a primal troll is deceptive, often hiding it’s true height of nearly 12 feet tall. Weighing in at nearly 1,200 pounds, these monsters are covered in thick muscles, and leathery green skin with patches around their shoulders taking on nearly rock-like qualities.

Combat
Like standard trolls, primal trolls are typically very blunt in their approach to combat. They have even less fear of death, if that is possible, and are heedless of any dangers presented. They will often focus on the nearest and largest opponent with single-minded fury. However, if a troll is near by a primal troll will often only run past threats, ignoring them in favor of another meal. If a primal troll is killed, but not eaten, once it regenerates it will often bear a grudge and track down those responsible for a rematch (usually an ambush), but only if it isn’t too difficult and can easily sate it’s hunger. If it manages to slay another primal troll it will jealously guard it’s kill, eating as quickly as possible (uninterrupted it can consume the corpse in 4 days).

Awareness (Ex)
Primal trolls have an innate sense of other trolls, and use this sense to hunt and challenge others of their kind. A primal troll is aware of any troll within 1 mile per HD of the primal troll, and it is aware of any other primal troll within 10 miles per HD.

Inescapable Craving (Ex)
A primal troll has an inescapable craving (Libris Mortis page 8) for troll flesh, which must come from a fully dead troll. This craving has a satiation period of 1 week instead of 1 day.

Rend (Ex)
If a primal troll hits a creature with both claw attacks, it latches onto the opponent’s body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals an additional 2d8+12 points of damage.

Regeneration (Ex)
Fire and acid deal normal damage to a primal troll. If a primal troll loses a limb or body part, the lost portion regrows in 1d6 minutes. The creature can reattach the severed member instantly by holding it to the stump. If a primal troll fails its save against a spell or effect that would kill it instantly (such as a disintegrate spell or a death effect), the spell or effect instead deals nonlethal damage equal to the creature’s full normal hit points +10 (or 148 hp). A primal troll is immune to effects that produce incurable or bleeding wounds, such as mummy rot, a sword with the wounding special ability, or a clay golem’s cursed wound ability.

If a primal troll is reduced to -10 HP its corpse will slowly regenerate over the course of a week, regardless of the condition of the remains. At the end of the week a primal troll is fully reformed and healthy. The only method of preventing this regeneration is for a living creature to consume the entirety of the corpse before the end of the week; not even a wish or miracle can prevent a dead primal troll from regenerating.

Toughened Hide (Ex)
A primal troll naturally has incredibly tough skin, which makes it hard to injure, granting it resistance to acid and fire damage equal to it’s natural armor bonus.

Trollflesh (Ex)
Primal trolls are nearly impossible to kill, the only method is to consume its corpse. If a primal troll kills and fully consumes the corpse of another primal troll it permanently gains 1 HD and it’s strength, constitution, natural armor, and regeneration increase by 1. If any other type of troll fully consumes the corpse of a primal troll that troll will transform into a primal troll at the end of the week (It will lose all traits gained from its race, including attribute modifiers, and half its class levels if any. It will retain any HD it had over 12, but will not gain the Str, Con, NA, and regeneration bonuses a primal troll gains for those HD).

If any living non-troll fully consumes the corpse of a primal troll, it undergoes a number of startling changes. It becomes more trollish, gaining a +2 bonus to strength, enlarged teeth granting a bite attack (1d6+Str), and the viscous saliva ability. In addition it gains a insatiable craving (see Libris Mortis page 8) for troll flesh (it must kill and eat a troll; it cannot eat off one and allow it to regenerate each day). If the creature does not eat any troll flesh for one month, these effects end.

If that creature fully consumes another primal troll corpse while under the effects of the first it gains an additional +2 bonus to strength, a +2 bonus to constitution, gains regeneration 1 (overcome by acid and fire), and the DC to resist its insatiable craving increases by 5 (these effects still end at the end of a month).

If that creature fully consumes a third primal troll corpse while under the previous effects it undergoes its final, week long, metamorphosis. At the end of the week, it becomes a new primal troll, loosing half it’s class levels in the process as it’s mind and body are altered.

Viscous Saliva (Ex)
A primal trolls saliva has some of the same properties as trollbane. Any creature struck by a primal troll’s bite attack loses the benefit of it’s regeneration ability (if any) against that attack.The saliva functions as an injury poison.

Lore

In an age long past, near the beginnings of the world when gods still walked the fields and created their mighty works, the greedy Garnath, after much work, created his favored race or intelligent immortal creatures while most other gods were still exploring the world or creating animals or warring with one another. These creatures favored him heavily in body and mind. Feasting and fighting were the greatest joys of Garnath, and his children, the primal trolls, reveled in these activities as their god did.

As the other gods created their own favored races, the world gradually took shape, different races forming their own societies and personalities, largely mirrored from their gods. Most races, while taking after their deities, did not have the physical stature of the primal trolls, nor the simple-minded inclination for fighting and food. And nearly all were more particular about their diet. Garnath had imbued much of himself in his children, making them incredibly tough and difficult to kill, so much that they were wreaking havok across the world.

A coalition of gods, those who’s followers had born the brunt of the primal troll’s hunger, confronted Garnath, demanding that he reign in his children. They said their own children were suffering, and Garnath need to control his creations, and make them less resilient, as their virtual immortality was too close to the divine for comfort. Garnath could see that he had no hope of consuming all those confronting him, but neither did he take their concerns with any seriousness. He paid them lip service, acceding to their demands and creating the race of trolls that are still known today and promising to pull back his children from their feasting. And when they left he laughed at their foolishness and returned to consuming the great beast he had been enjoying when they arrived, with no intention of honoring their demands.

As the next several years passed it became clear that Garnath had not kept his promise to speak with his children, and worse, his new creations bred at a much faster rate, more than making up for their weaker constitution. Enraged, the group of gods banded together a second time, going to confront Garnath, killing him in vengeance and then exterminating his ravenous trolls.

The battle was long and fierce, as the primal trolls strength and resilience was a mere shadow of their god’s invulnerability. Ultimately, however, the combined might of many gods were able to overcome and defeat the great troll god’s defenses. As Garnath lay dying he cursed his enemies, and he swore he would return, that his children would be the vessel of his return, and they would feast upon all the races of the world, and there would be nothing the gods could do to stop them.

With the last of his divine power, he laid a great curse upon his own people, fading from existence, but imbuing the primal trolls all with a hint of his own godhood. Born in them was a hunger greater than they had ever before known, a hunger for each other, and the knowledge that they would grow more powerful the more they ate. Their natural resilience had been heightened to the point where even in death they would get back up. Their hunger drove them towards each other, and spared the lesser races, and in time the gods forgot about the primal trolls.

Once in a while normal trolls will give birth to an exceptional child, incredibly powerful and tough, as the divine spark breeds true and a primal troll is born. Dark myth and rumored legend states, however, that Garnath is not truly gone, as he resides in all of his children. The inhuman hunger that drives the primal trolls serves a greater purpose, one of rebirth and revenge. When there is only one primal troll left in all the world, one that has felled and consumed all other primal trolls, it will ascend, and Garnath will be reborn, greater, stronger, and hungrier than ever.

Character Lore: Characters with ranks in Knowledge (nature) or Knowledge (religion) can learn more about primal trolls. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.

Knowledge (nature)
{table=head]DC|Result
15|The great creature is obviously a hulking troll. Acid and fire should be effective weapons against it.
20|These creatures are resistant to small amounts of fire and acid damage, requiring great amounts to be felled.
25|The dripping saliva of these creatures can be used against them, preventing their natural ability to recover from wounds.
30|The only way to completely destroy these creatures is to consume their fallen bodies, flesh and bone, until nothing is left.
35|Easting these creatures grants some of their power, but can cause a dangerous hunger that can consumer you utterly.[/Table]

Knowledge (religion)
DC|Result
20|These creatures, called primal trolls, were once the scourge of the land, eating all in their path indiscriminately.
25|Primal trolls were created eons ago by the dead god of trolls, Garnath. it is said a band of gods gathered to bring him low for sending his children out to feed on the creations of others.
30|Garnath, who is thought by some scholars to have created such monstrosities as the tarrasque, is rumored to have sworn vengeance with his dying breath, though little threat is credited to it.
35|The most studied of the histories suspect that primal trolls are more than they appear, and somehow their current focus of warring and eating themselves is part of a grander plan to return Garnath to power so that he may exact his revenge.

Recommended Improvements
Improving monsters to handle more seasoned players can be a chore for any DM. The following are some options that improve the primal troll without too much effort.


Replace Iron Will with Steadfast Determination from Player’s Handbook II. This will give a tremendous boost to the primal troll’s will save (+6), shoring up a major weakness.
Replace Alertness with Improved Natural Attack (claws). This will added a solid boost in damage, changing the claws from 1d8 to 2d6.
Run and Track can be replaced for more combat oriented feats if you do not want the primal troll to give chase. Feats like Inured to Energy and Detach (Savage Species) can be interesting, thematic choices.
Barbarian levels are a terrific complement to the primal troll’s combat style.

Land Outcast
2011-03-02, 11:48 AM
Shadow Imp (Enu Bezgalig)
http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs12/i/2006/284/3/e/Imp_Warrior_by_Beloved_Creature.jpg

Small Outsider (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 4d8+4 (22 hp)
Initiative: +8
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (+1 size, +4 Dex, +3 deflection), touch 18, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+1
Attack: lacuna +9 melee (1d6+4) or +1 simulacra scimitar +10 melee (1d4+2 plus 1d6+4/18-20) or +2 simulacra light crossbow +11 ranged (1d6+2/19-20)
Full Attack: lacuna +8 melee (1d6+4 negative energy) or +1 simulacra scimitar +10 melee (1d4+2 plus 1d6+4 negative energy/18-20) or +2 simulacra light crossbow +11 ranged (1d6+2/19-20)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Lacuna
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/magic, darkvision 60 ft., resistance to cold 10, shadowspawn, simulacra, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +4
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 19, Con 13, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 14
Skills: Bluff +9, Climb +8, Disguise +9, Gather Information +9, Hide +17, Jump +8, Knowledge (history) +16*, Knowledge (the planes) +12*, Move Silently +13
Feats: Improved Initiative, Stealthy, Weapon Finesse
[B]Environment: Transitive plane of shadow
Organization: Solitary, gang (2-4), or squad (6-10)
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 5-6 HD (Small); 7-8 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: —

Enu Bezgalig or shadow imps, as they are most commonly known, appear as small dark grey humanoids with no facial features; their shape is a simple one, with a sleek muscular tail, only two fingers in each foot and three (one of them opposable) in each hand. These dusky creatures appear featureless save for the tattoos on their skin in tribal style, which stir from time to time. While agitated or anxious their eyes glow a furious orange.
When not in the plane of shadow the shadow imps usually take to disguising so as to meld into crowds in the region they are currently dwelling in; while they favour loose clothes they might dress in any way so as result inconspicuous.

Shadow imps don't have the ability to speak, they use their telepathy to communicate.

Background Information
It is said the first shadow imp was spawned when existence got old enough to forget something about itself.
Of course, they could be that or creations of a god of loss... or simply a condensation of shadowstuff... whatever it was, it was forgotten.

While not an embodiment of forgetfulness themselves, the shadow imps are closely related to loss and death of memory, their bodies themselves are featureless and only change the slightest through time, their personality and memories are not in the body per se, but rather stored in the tattoos covering their skin.

These denizens of the shadow plane have small societies sprinkled though the flowing terrain of that transitive plane, usually tribal in nature. While many of them have found a powerful pragmatic leader or are subservient to fiends, many tribes conserve a sort of geas which drives them to find portals to the prime material plane and to gather the memories of its inhabitants: they seek to find that which has always eluded them.

They are not murderous maniacs: accustomed to be underdogs in the plane of shadow they seek to make pacts and agreements. While they might make hunts for wise sages, they usually sell their services for information, or for gold which in turn will be used to buy information.

They are seeked, themselves, as the deathless repositories of information they are, constantly seeking information and spawning, never losing an line of that which is written on their skin. No shadow imp shares information easily though, for any prized information piece becomes an integral part of him, one of the most intimate aspects of any individual. Though if the price is right...


Combat
Though underdogs in the plane of shadow, shadow imps are perilous opponents in the prime material. Their touch, ineffective against many denizens of shadow is effective against all but powerful arcanists or servants of deities, if faced with opponents who have immunity to negative energy, shadow imps will attempt to retire and make an information harvest on their enemy through mundane means. Else than that, shadow imps are fearless opponents, sometimes even killing themselves to generate spawn so they can better ambush their prey.
The shadow imps prefer to use guerrilla tactics, benefitting from their stealth to create ambushes and snipe the prey while other spawn are in combat.

A shadow imp’s weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Lacuna (Su)
A shadow imp can channel negative energy through its touch attack, which tears at its victim's memories. A touch by a shado wimp dealins 1d6 damage plus 1 damage per HD (1d6+4 for an shadow imp with 4 HD), melee weapon attacks also carry this damage.

Shadowspawn (Su)
When a shadow imp or shadowspawn loses conscience (such as by falling below 0 hit points), his shadow automatically becomes a shadow print; his shadow is affixed to the surface it occupies. A shadow imp can move his shadow print 15 ft. as a move action. If the space occupied by a shadow print is completely covered, the shadow print will move 5 ft. per round along surfaces until there is enough free space for shadowspawn to form. Should a shadow imp or shadowspawn fall below 0 hit points in an area of total darkness, where he doesn't cast any shadow, he won't be able to create a shadow print.

When the shadow imp or a shadowspawn dies, his shadow print immediately forms two shadowspawn, which are indentacle to the shadow imp that created the shadow print. The maximum number of shadowspawn that can come from a single shadow imp is equal to it's hit dice (4 shadowspawn from a 4 HD shadow imp). Shadowspawn cannot gain hit dice. The flesh of each shadowspawn grows steadily more smokey and translucent as more are created.

Six hours after the last shadowspawn was formed, all the shadowspawn dissolve and colaece, re-forming into the original shadow imp. Should the maximum number of shadowspawn be reached, and all of them are killed, the original shadow imp will re-form in the plane of shadow in 2d6 days. A limited wish or greater effect that is cast during the time the shadow imp is re-forming in the plane of shadow can stop this effect.

Simulacra (Su)
A shadow imp has simulacra points equal to its HD plus its charisma modifier; as a move action a shadow imp can distribute these points between weapons adequate for its size and deflection bonus to AC as following:
Conjure armor with deflection bonus to AC +X, up to his HD: X points
Conjure simple masterwork weapon: 1 point
Conjure martial masterwork weapon: 2 points
Conjure a simple or martial weapon with +X enhancement: base point cost +X
A shadow imp can always use the Weapon Finesse feat to apply its Dexterity modifier instead of its Strength modifier to attack rolls with a light or one-handed simulacra weapon.
Simulacra last for six hours; a shadow imp can dismiss any of his simulacra as a free action.
This shadow imp has six simulacra points which have been distributed in the following way:

Three points for +3 deflection bonus to AC.
Three points for a +1 scimitar (martial weapon -2 points-; +1 enhancement -1 point) or a +2 light crossbow (simple weapon -1 point-; +2 enhancement -2 points).



Telepathy (Su)
A shadow imp can communicate telepathically with any creature within 100 feet that has a language.


Skills
A shadow imp has a bonus to Knowledge (History) checks equal to twice his HD, and a bonus to all other Knowledge chacks equal to his HD. A shadow imp can use any knowledge skills untrained.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Plot Hooks
Even the greatest sages haven’t found the answer to why all the recently dead started refuse to stay in their graves across the land, and the situation is critical, apparently hopeless.
There is a chance though, there are certain creatures... shadow imps, immortal creatures said to have a furious hunger for knowledge, who have stored many pieces of information in their search for some mysterious answer.

One of these creatures must be sought after, and the answer might come, or at least information of someone who knows the answer. But that information won't come for free, they also want some information... there are other knowledgable creatures, selfish with their knowledge, over which shadow imp hold no sway: liches.
For the Portenhaus family splendour dwells only in the exhaustive diaries of all its members, but Anaya Portenhaus (Half-elf half-fey Aristocrat 4), last descendant of the accursed line, is now begging for help at the heroes about a “halfling ghost” which has destroyed her ancestors and her history.

“You shall be Cursed! Cursed! Cursed! May the sons of Lady Loss haunt you and your house!” were the last words of a witch burned at the stake by Sir Harald Portenhaus. From that day on, all the members of the Portenhaus family became forgetful and weak... The shadow imp bound to haunt the Portenhaus line since that fateful morning 120 years ago dreads his enslavement by the witch as much as Anaya fears the "halfling ghost"...

TheGeckoKing
2011-03-03, 05:03 PM
Nebula, the Starmetal Droid

http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu89/Gecko-King/Robot_____GO_by_Zatransis.jpg

Medium Construct (Living Construct)
Hit Dice: 5d10 (27hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30ft (6 squares)
Armor Class: 13 (+3 Dex), 13 touch, 10 flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+6
Attack: Slam +6 Melee (1d8+3)
Full Attack: Two Slams +6 Melee (1d8+3)
Space/Reach: 5ft/5ft
Special Attacks: Force of the Stars, Starcore Overdrive
Special Qualities: Living Construct Traits, Eternal Star, Death Throes, Fast Healing 1, Supernova Failsafe, Preset Programming.
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +0
Abilities Str 16, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 25, Wis 8, Cha 16
Skills: Bluff +11, Craft (Metalworks) +20*, Decipher Script +15, Diplomacy +11, Escape Artist +11, Knowledge (The Planes) +20*, Knowledge (Arcana) +15, Profession (Astronomer) 12*, Use Magical Device +11.
Feats: Craft Construct, Craft Wondrous Item(B), Combat Expertise.
Environment: Any plane
Organization: Unique
Challenge Rating: 10
Treasure: Standard, plus Nebula's Notebook (See below).
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Advancement: 6HD-20HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: -
*Reduce these bonuses by 5 if Nebula has not done his daily study of his notebook(See below).

A Warforged-like being walks towards you, it's concentration firmly on the notes it writes down into a small red notebook. It seems oddly proportioned, with thin arms, small animalistic feet, and a gravity-defying spine, bulky arms and lower torso, and an almost flat face with two bulbous glowing eyes. As you look closer, you notice the arrows that adorn his bulbous fists and face, pointing directly outwards. The ports and eyes on his body glow a pale green as the construct finally notices you, and introduces itself.

"Hello, my name is Nebula. Nice to meet you."

Living Construct Traits: Nebula possesses the following traits in the spoiler.
Unlike other constructs, a living construct has a Constitution score. A living construct does not gain bonus hit points by size but gains (or loses) bonus hit points through a Constitution bonus (or penalty) as with other living creatures.
Unlike other constructs, a living construct does not have low-light vision or darkvision.
Unlike other constructs, a living construct is not immune to mind-influencing effects. It skill keeps immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, disease, nausea, fatigue, exhaustion, and energy drain, however.
A living construct cannot heal damage naturally. Unlike other constructs, living constructs are subject to critical hits, effects requiring a Fort save, death from massive damage, nonlethal damage, stunning, ability damage, ability drain, and death effects or necromancy effects.
Unlike other constructs, a living construct can use the run action. Living constructs can be affected by spells that target living creatures as well as by those that target constructs. Damage dealt to a living construct can be healed by a cure light wounds spell or a repair light damage spell, for example, and a living construct is vulnerable to a harm spell. However, spells from the healing subschool provide only half effect to a living construct.
A living construct responds slightly differently from other living creatures when reduced to 0 hit points. A living construct with 0 hit points is disabled, just like a living creature. He can only take a single move action or standard action in each round, but strenuous activity does not risk further injury. When his hit points are less than 0 and greater than -10, a living construct is inert. He is unconscious and helpless, and he cannot perform any actions. However, an inert living construct does not lose additional hit points unless more damage is dealt to him, as with a living creature that is stable.
Can be raised or resurrected. Does not need to eat, sleep, or breathe, but can still benefit from the effects of consumable spells and magic items such as heroes' feast and potions. Does not need to sleep, but must rest for 8 hours before preparing spells.

Eternal Star (Ex): Nebula is powered by what is known as a Starcore, a contained galaxy worth of stars contained in his power core in a colossal multi-dimensional space, and his body is made from 90.76% star metal or converted star matter. This means that Nebula has enough power to fuel his eternal trip around the multiverse and can survive in inhospitable places without taking environmental damage. Nebula is immune to all environmental hazards, as well as all alignment traits (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/planes.htm#alignmentTraits) and any positive-dominant (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/planes.htm#positiveDominant) or negative-dominant (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/planes.htm#negativeDominant) traits of any planes. For example, he takes no damage from falling in lava, but would still be burned by a burning sphere.

Death Throes (Ex): If taken to -10 hp or less, Nebula explodes in a conflagration of fire, as if he had used his Starcore Overdrive ability (see below), only with a range of 30 feet. Instantly, the Starcore inside Nebula is affected by a Plane Shift spell (CL 25) with The Solaris Archmage as the target, and in one week, Nebula is revived in a special retrofitted Creation Forge in Mechanus.
Nothing, bar casting a limited wish, wish or miracle in advance requesting this not to happen can stop this, with Nebula's Starcore energy overpowering anything else.
If Dimensional Lock, Dimensional Anchor, or similar impeding spells are cast on Nebula before/when he reaches -10hp, the Starcore will still make it back to the Solaris Archmage, but will need to overload the spell to break the Abjuration(s). As such, the Starcore Overdrive ability that activates upon Nebula's death would have it's range increased to the full 1000ft would such a spell be cast in these circumstances.

Force of the Stars (Ex): Nebula harnesses the background wasted energies of the Starcore to manipulate gravity in slight ways. Nebula can use telekinesis and levitate as technological manipulation of energies with the same effect as a 5th-level caster using his Intelligence.

Fast Healing (Ex): Nebula heals 1 point of damage per round. As this is powered by the unimaginable power that is a Starcore, this Fast Healing cannot be negated or turned off by any means, unless Nebula has activated his Starcore Overdrive function (see below).

Starcore Overdrive (Ex): Once per month, as a full round action, Nebula may invoke the full wrath a Starcore powered droid can bring. Everyone and everything within 1,000 feet must make a DC 15 Fortitude Save or be incinerated on the spot and reduced to a pile of fine ash, as per the Disintegrate spell. The DC is Str based.

When Nebula uses this ability, his Fast Healing does not function for 36 hours and he is instantly reduced to -9 hit points.

Supernova Failsafe (Ex): If Nebula is killed outright (such as by using limited wish, wish or miracle to override his Eternal Star quality), his Starcore is immediately set to self-destruct. The casing contains most of the explosion, but it still tears a 50-foot planar rift that leads to a random plane upon Nebula's death.

Preset Programming (Ex): When Nebula was built, he was built with pre-set knowledge that was reinforced with centuries of teaching, in order to make his travels easier. Thus, Nebula automatically gains the Craft Construct feat as bonus feat, although Nebula only ever uses the feat to repair himself. He ignores the cost of repairing himself with the Craft Construct feat, using intuition, his programming, and the Starcore's energies to repair himself rather than costly reagents. Last of all, Nebula can speak, understand, and write in all non-secret languages.

Combat

Nebula almost never, ever enters combat, being made in peaceful intentions by his father. However, if he must or decides to, he will enter battle with his slam attacks bolstered by his Force of the Stars, with his Combat Expertise feat to trade accuracy for protection, and using his Starcore Overdrive as a last resort.
Nebula is entirely ignorant of his near-immortality, regarding his many survivals in outright silly situations as just "Being lucky and having a cool dad to pick him up".

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Background Information

Once upon a time, in a plane of existence far, far away, called the Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus, there lives a mighty arcanist called the Solaris Archmage (LN Warforged Wizard10/Incanatrix10/Archmage5), his true name lost to the endless scribing of notes. He was once a professor of celestial bodies, using magic to better study them, but he later traveled to Mechanus to find a more regimented, controlled way of studying the endless solar bodies, and to fine a more lawful way of thinking. Alas, the Archmage suffered a common mental malady - so used to the controlled ways of Mechanus, he simply could not re-adjust to the other planes of existence, not even the accepting planar metropolises like Sigil or Union. Thus, he set out to create a being that could track the stars in other planes of existence, mostly alternate Material Planes.

In a scandalous act of theft, the Solaris Archmage had it arranged for Devils to hijack a Warforged Creation Forge in return for magical scrolls, and bring it to his sheltered abode, so he could use it's creative properties. The Solaris Archmage wanted to create an unchanging being of metal, like himself, but one that was living enough to adapt, and something that could act on it's own accord and adapt like himself. The only catch was that he deemed his other Warforged brethren too risky and boredom-prone, and so made his own chronicler from the matter of the stars themselves.

No-one really knows why the Solaris Archmage made Nebula from specially treated Starmetal (removing most of that annoying green glow), but since he was a star obsessed science fanatic, it shouldn't of been hard to see. After centuries of toiling, he finally finished his new creation - his "child" - and named "him" Nebula, as like a pre-born star with time he could be so much more. The starmetal turned out to be incredibly resilient, and by re-wiring the creation forge, he could lock onto Nebula's mind upon his destruction and download it into a new body, fresh from the forge.

The greatest achievement, however, was the Starcore. Made of a self-contained galaxy trapped within a retrofitted dimensional prison. The solar and heat energies of these stars can power Nebula pretty much for millions of years. It's also incredibly resilient, so upon Nebula's destruction (and it has happened many a time), the Starcore is set to teleport to the Solaris Archmage. However, if Nebula's mind would fail to reach the creation forge, the Starcore is set to self-destruct, with the reasoning being a simple "You killed Nebula, so screw you!".

It should be noted that The Solaris Archmage does not do subtle.

With many centuries, the Solaris Archmage painstakingly taught Nebula about all the things he needed to survive his travels, including nearly all the languages in creation, and ways to repair himself. He used the teaching method akin to that of father to son, after reading of the benefits and the almost beneficial relationship one can have with their child. He even preferred Nebula to call him "father". It seemed like the correct thing to do.

However, it seemed like the archmage had put in an overwhelming urge to travel in Nebula. He would commonly be away for weeks as he traveled each and every cog of Mechanus. He would note down every little thing he was on whatever he could. Most would be silly things like how Cog Spirits looked funny and how the Mechanus petitioners had "an expression like having a wrench trapped in your bottom plating constantly", but even the Solaris Archmage was surprised with how a creature so childish could be so inquisitive. The archmage was forced to make up increasingly difficult tasks, such as counting all the grains of sand in a glass. Still Nebula would do it, concentrating with great effort with each task. The Solaris Archmage was sure Nebula would chronicle all the cosmic info he could, or burn out his mind trying.

After about 1400 years, Nebula was ready, by his fathers standards at least, and was briefed his task - Collect enough in-depth information to fill a special notebook, made to supply thousands upon thousands of pages. Nebula accepted his task with glee, and with a casting of Gate and an annoyed called creature, Nebula was on his way.

Nebula has been travelling for about 200 years now, and has collected a vast amount of knowledge in his Notebook, which copies the same info into a book in his father's abode. He travels with an outlook laced with light-hearted sarcasm, with one of his idols being a famous warforged known as Marvin the Paranoid Android. As parents do, the Solaris Archmage does not really approve of this rolemodel, but each to their own. Although he might be sarcastic, it is always in good will, and he always tries to make friends rather than enemies.

A defining factor of Nebula is his determination. Once he says he will do something, he will do it, end of. He has never to this day ever specified a time for any of his tasks, but he always does them eventually (and to a reasonable time), and to a decent standard. This may include crafting gifts for people he has met, or more commonly, delivering things on his travel for money. He stays in contact with the Solaris Archmage via his notebook (See below), of which his father has a copy, although the sheer volume of the notebook means that requests easily get lost within pages of how to fry a Bytopian apple to get that crunchy taste.

Nebula is always given 7500gp when he leaves his father's abode (By Gate), to spend on Psionic Tattoos of Astral Caravan, and the Solaris Archmage will normally expect him to use nearly all of the money before he ends up back home in tatters. However, he commonly survives longer than his father expects, and so Nebula makes the money he needs to travel the planes (He needs about 750gp for a Psionic Tattoo of Astral Caravan) by working for local observatories, or making deliveries to more remote places.

An addition to Nebula's original form is the arrows that adorn his arms and head. Nebula will tell anyone who inquires that he was awarded these arrows by a tribe of Feral Orcs on the Outlands for delivering supplies while making his way to an observatory. Apparently they are a sign of good luck to the tribe, and whenever he reforms in his retrofitted Creation Forge, Nebula will go to great lengths to re-apply these arrows to his body.

A grim possibility is that Nebula might annoy a malicious creature with the capacity to prevent his mind making it to his Creation Forge. If this were to happen, the Solaris Archmage would most likely go to great lengths that the killer suffered a combination of Mindrape, Eternity of Torture (Both in BoVD) and Nailed to the Sky (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/spells/nailedToTheSky.htm). Again, the Solaris Archmage does not do subtle.

Nebula fully intends to finish his colossal task, and so the only question is when, and whether he'll come back without learning swear words in a long-lost planar dialect the next time he needs a new body.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Wondrous Item - Nebula's Notebook
http://cn1.kaboodle.com/hi/img/b/0/0/11d/f/AAAAC8M_lzMAAAAAAR315A.jpg?v=1294610843000

Nebula's Notebook is a unique type of notebook, in that contains a wide variety of information on varying subjects that is being constantly updated. It is a small red, leatherbound notebook with metal clasping, and pages that seem to go on and on and on. Inside Nebula's version of the notebook, the front cover has a rune that when tapped, produces a quill which never runs out of ink. Within this notebook contains 200 years worth of study, mainly on celestial objects but also on planar information and how to repair constructs. Many copies of this book exist, all connected to the main notebook that is being added to by the aforementioned Nebula. Every word Nebula writes in is copied into the many copies that circulate around the Great Wheel, including the many copies in nearly any great library in the Great Wheel.

Nebula's Notebook is a tome that must be studied each day for 10 consecutive minutes to gain the effects. Even Nebula himself must refresh his memory by re-reading his notes, but he only has to study them for one minute. A person that studies the notebook for the required time gains a +5 bonus to the following skills for 24 hours;

Knowledge (The Planes)
Profession (Astronomer)
Craft (Metalworks)

Moderate Conjuration; CL 5; Craft Wondrous Item, Scholar's Touch.
Price: 5000gp


Artifacts - The Starcore and the Starcore Schemata

Minor Artifact - Starcore Schemata
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPJacA9iYe8/SaKhADCg7kI/AAAAAAAAADo/P04iTbdO8M8/s320/antique_book_brown.jpg

The Starcore Schemata is a large unassuming leather-bound book, although it's pages seem to pulse a green glow now and again, most probably stardust from the fingers of the Solaris Archmage. In order to gain the benefits of the Starcore Schemata, one must study it for 4 hours without interruption every day for a month. The reader may split up the 4 hours over the day, but they must read it four hours every day for the month without fail. Failure to do this means the reader must restart their studies all over again.
Once the reader has completed their studies, they gain a few benefits. Firstly, they gain a +5 untyped bonus to all Knowledge (Arcana) checks, and an inherent +2 bonus to their Int scores. Lastly and more obviously, the reader gains the ability to create a Starcore, although they still need to meet other prerequisites to do that.
The only known copies of the Starcore Schemata are found in the Solaris Archmage's library, requiring anyone wishing to read the book to make their way to Mechanus and find the cog that the Solaris Archmage resides on. Then, they must prove they are worthy enough to make Starcores, or trade a reading for a powerful artifact or spell.

Major Artifact - Starcore
http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu89/Gecko-King/Starmetal_by_Clone_Artist.jpg

The Starcore is a Small sized crystal that glows with the brilliance of a galaxy worth of stars. It seems to be made of a glass-like material, and if shaken, the small motes of light inside slowly move around as if they were in a sea of black ink. Although it seems improbable and childish, the Starcore actually DOES contain a galaxy inside it, and IS made of glass (Specially treated glass, but still).
The Starcore is only usable by non-sentient Constructs or Objects, and in order to use it, the Starcore must be kept in contact with the Construct/Object for 24 hours. Once this time has passed, the magic happens.
If the Starcore was in contact with an object, it becomes an Animated Object, and regardless of Construct or Animated Object, the benefited Construct gains an Int score of 25 and the Living Construct subtype, and thus true sentience and life. Lastly, the construct also gains all the abilities Nebula has bar Preset Programming (Living Construct Traits, Eternal Star, Death Throes, Fast Healing 1, Supernova Failsafe), and apon the Construct's destruction they are not reborn in a Creation Forge.
There is no way to extract a Starcore once it has been integrated with a Construct without direct intervention from the Solaris Archmage himself, as upon the Construct's death the Starcore is either Plane Shifted to the Solaris Archmage (something buried into the algorithms of its creation by the Archmage), or set to self-destruct when it cannot get to the Archmage.

There are only 3 recorded Starcores in the Great Wheel, with Nebula containing one, and the other two in the possession of the Solaris Archmage himself. One of these were a spare made by the Solaris Archmage, while the second one has signs of integrating with a Construct, and further signs of someone trying to hide the first set of signs.

The Archmage refuses to talk about this.

Creating a Starcore.
In order to make a Starcore, firstly the would-be crafter must of read the Starcore Schemata, so they do not go about the process blind and, well, kill themselves. Next, the crafter must make the first part - a Basic Starcore Shell. Over the course of 100 years the creator must supply reagents costing 2.5 Million GP, requiring at least 8 hours every day, to create the special glass casing. This casing is treated as an object all of its own, and can be then left as it is indefinitely, although it is useless until charged. To turn a Basic Starcore Shell into a Complex Starcore Shell (that can contain the galaxy), the crafter must cast Polymorph Any Object on the Starcore Shell, to enlarge its proportions. Lastly, to "charge" the Complex Starcore Shell into a true Starcore, the crafter must cast Genesis into the casing four times consecutively, to create a big enough galaxy to provide power. After all this is done, the Starcore is complete, and ready for use.

The Dark Fiddler
2011-03-05, 02:42 PM
http://images.wikia.com/megamitensei/images/b/b4/AraMitamaDS.jpg

Rage Emote

Medium Outsider
Hit Dice: 9d8+32 (72 HP)
Initiative: +3
Speed: Fly 40 ft. (perfect) (8 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (+3 Dexterity, +3 deflection, +2 natural, -2 rage), 14 touch, 13 flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+16
Attack: Slam +16 (1d8+10)
Full Attack: Slam +16 (1d8+10)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Rage
Special Qualities: Aura of Rage, Being of Emotion, Darkvision 60 ft., Eternal Rage, Possession, DR 5/-
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +9, Will +6
Abilities Str 24, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 3, Wis 6, Cha 16
Skills: Escape Artist +15, Intimidate +15, Listen +10, Spot +10
Feats: Power Attack, Flyby Attack, Improved Bull Rush
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Chaotic Evil
Advancement: 10-12 HD (Medium), 13-16 (Large), 17-20 (Huge)
Level Adjustment: -

Rage emotes are beings made of pure anger, born when a person who is prone to excessive and consuming anger dies. The lost rage disperses into the environment and coalesces with other similar examples, forming into a being of pure anger. The rage emote has no specific shape, being a shifting blob of red, though its face will often have a vague resemblance to those whose anger formed it.

Rage emotes have next to no personality, and what little personality one may have is overshadowed by its constant anger.

Rage emotes do not fight unless provoked, but because they are constantly angry, nearly anything can be considered a provocation.

When a rage emote is slain in battle, the pure anger it is made of merely dissipates into the world, ready to combine with any new source of anger and be reborn.

Combat

Aura of Rage (Ex)
A rage emote is constantly letting off its anger in an aura that affects all around it. All creatures within 30 feet must make a will save (DC 19, the save is Charisma based with a +2 racial bonus) or be angry for the next hour. When the rage emote is raging himself, the aura becomes even more potent. All creatures that fail or have previously failed their save against this aura (creatures who have already succeeded do not need to make a second save) are affected by the rage spell for one minute. If there are no obvious outlets for the subjects to release their rage on (such as a foe in battle), they must make another will save every round or attack an ally or object in the vicinity, with success ending the effect.

Being of Emotion (Ex)
A rage emote is a being composed solely of anger, making effects that cancel potent emotions dangerous to it. If a rage emote fails the save against any such spell or effect, such as a calm emotions spell, it disappears until the duration ends, though it gets a +4 on all such saves.

Eternal Rage (Su)
Although a rage emote may be slain, it can never be truly vanquished. Whenever a creature that has killed a rage emote falls into an extreme rage of their own, the rage emote is reborn, usually within 1d6 miles of the creature. This includes, but is not limited to, being subject to a rage spell or using the rage class feature. The rage emote will remember the person who had slain it previously, and will enter its own rage and attack on sight.

Possession (Su)
A rage emote has the ability to posses an adjacent creature as a full-round action. This ability gives it no direct control over the creature it is possessing, but allows it to live vicariously through the subject. The target of this ability must make a will save (DC 17, charisma based), and failure means it is possessed by the rage emote. Until the possession is broken, the creature is quick to anger and acts rashly. If the creature ever loses more than 25% of its HP, it must make another will save or enter a rage as though he were a first level barbarian. Failing the save on a calm emotions spell will end the possession, as will a successful casting of break enchantment (the caster level of the effect is equal to the rage emote’s HD). The rage emote may end the possession at any time, though it rarely does this. If the creature the rage emote is possessing is killed, then the rage emote is as well.

Rage (Ex)
When sufficiently provoked, a rage emote will enter a state of extreme rage similar to that of a barbarian, with the following exceptions. Firstly, the rage emote can sustain its rage indefinitely, is not limited in how often it can enter this state, is not fatigued when the rage ends, and will only end it when all perceived threats are disposed of. Secondly, the rage emote gains a deflection bonus to its armor class equal to its charisma modifier. Lastly, the rage emote becomes immune to all attempts to dispel its anger. The above stats incorporate these changes, with the assumption that the rage emote will only be fought while raging.

xelliea
2011-03-06, 05:32 AM
http://images2.layoutsparks.com/1/58055/egyptian-dancers-eye-design.jpg
Time Guardian.

Large Outsider
Hit Dice: 20d8+80 (160 HP)
Initiative: +7
Speed: Fly 50ft (Perfect) (10 Squares)
Armor Class: (31) (-1 Size, +19 Natural, +3 Dexterity), 12 touch, 28 flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple: +20/+20
Attack: Claw +48 (1d6+15)
Full Attack: Two Claws +48 (1d6+30 each)
Space/Reach: 10ft./10ft.
Special Attacks: Time Leap, Time Freeze, Alter, Glare.
Special Qualities: Immunities, Being of Time, Immortal Rest, Damage Reduction 30/-, Spell Resistance 25, Regeneration 10, Time Strike.
Saves: Fort +16, Ref +15, Will +21
Abilities Str 20, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 21, Wis 24, Cha 12
Skills: Spot +23 Search +23 Sense Motive +23,
Feats: Flyby attack, Endurance, Diehard, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Iron Will, Improved Grapple.
Environment: Any Plane
Organization: Solitary, Patrol (2-3)
Challenge Rating: 20
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always True Neutral
Advancement: 22-25HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: -

Time Guardians are the immortal keepers of the Plane of Time, ruled by their queen, Matiris, they opperate much like any hive animal, with over 100 soldiers that will either protect the Time Guardian hive or be sent to other planes where they hunt down and remove of any who try to tamper with or endanger the flow of time.

Time Guardians cannot speak and use high pichted sounds to communicate, they apear as a huge winged eye with two arms ending in three clawed fingers.

Combat
A Time Guardian will only attack those who travel to the plane of time or who somehow preform an action which endangers the flow of time, they also have a 20% chance of attacking those who use the spell Time stop, excluding other Time Guardians, they can instantly travel to any other plane using Time Leap.

Time Leap (SU)
Once per three rounds, a Time Guardian can instantly leap through time, this ability has the same effect as the spell teleport, however it is not bound to the same plane, the ability is a free action and if it reapears within 5ft of an enemy it can make a suprise attack against that enemy.

Time Freeze (SU)
Twice a day, a Time Guardian can freeze time, this ability has the same effect as the spell Time Stop, however it lasts for 1d10 rounds (Caster level 20).

Alter (SU)
Once per week, a Time Guardian can try to alter a target, the target must make a will save (DC 19) or be injected with a fragment of a Time Guardian, the host is instantly rendered unconscious and is slowly altered by the Time Gaurdian fragment within, in one week the host becomes a Time Guardian thrall, Thrall are mindless and are linked telepathicly with the Time Guardian Queen, they obey any order given to the best of their ability, including orders that would kill them, a thrall can only be returned by the use of Limated Wish or Wish.

Glare (SU)
Once per round, as a free action, a Time Guardian my use it's glare on a single target, the target instantly takes 3d20+50 points of damage and must make a will save (DC 28) or be stunned for 3 rounds, also any creature within 20ft of the target also takes 2d20 points of damage and must make a will save (DC 28) or be stunned for 1 round, anyone killed by this ability are turned to dust, simular to the effect of the spell disintegrate.

Time Strike (EX)
The claws of a Time Guardian bare the power of pure time, therefore Time Guardians have double the chance to hit an enermy with their claws and do greatly more damage than they would otherwise do, also a Time Guardian can rip through stoped time and can therefore attack while Time Stop is active.

Being of Time (EX)
A Time Guardian is unaffected by Time Stop or any other spells that alter time, like Slow.

Immunities
Time Guardians are immune to negative energy, ability drain, energy drain, death effects, disease, paralysis, stunning, sleep, mind affecting attacks, exhaustion, polymorph, blindness and nausea

Immortal Rest (EX)
Time Guardians are immortal, if a Time Guardian reaches -10HP or is otherwise killed it is instantly returned to the hive, there it sleeps for 4 years and then reawakens and regains all of it's Hit Points, the only way to destroy the Time Guardian is to destroy Matiris and the Hive.



Lore
Once time was created and all beings bound to it's laws, there where many who wished to escape from these laws and act as they pleased, so Matiris, the Vanguard of time, was formed from crystals of time, for years she protected her domain and time was safe, until the day a group of great demons, who saw themselves as lords of time, finally destroyed her, her creator, in an attempt to revive her, wraped her in a cacoon made of the same crystals that she was formed from. After many years, Matiris was revived and returned stronger, however her creator knew that the threats to time where to great for one being to handle, so he decided to make the cacoon larger and create many small time crystals inside it, Matiris tended to these crystals until they had grown into Time Guardians, a race of immortal protectors of the flow of time, Matiris then sent Time Guardians into the other planes to dispose of threats to time as was their purpose, while she remained in her cacoon, soon fashioning it into a great hive, the home of the Time Guardians, and so now they watch and wait for the next threat.

Plot Hook/Story: The Immortal Hive
"There is a legend, the legend of the Hive, it is said that it is home to an immortal swarm and a god-like queen, that some of the most powerful archmages have gone missing and that one glare of these creatures can instantly turn you to dust, sound immpossible, I tell you it's true and that these Time Guardians are a threat to everyone who wishes to experiment beyond the bonds of time, so... can you help, can you destroy the Hive?"

Bardic
2011-03-07, 08:31 PM
Kzetar

http://www.deviantart.com/download/134821697/From_The_Darkness_by_GlacierDragon.jpg
Image by GlacierDragon of Deviantart

Large Outsider (Chaotic)
Hit Dice: 14d8+56 (119)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares), fly 90 ft. (good)
Armor Class: (21) (-1 size, +7 natural, +5 dexterity), 14 touch, 16 flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple: +14/+21
Attack: Claw +16 (2d8+3)
Full Attack: Two claws +16 (2d8+3) and bite +11 (2d6+1)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Smite Law 3/day, Spell-like Abilities
Special Qualities: Aura of Inversion, DR 10/Law, Endless Cycle, Resist 5 Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning
Saves: Fort +13, Ref +14, Will +9
Abilities Str 17, Dex 20, Con 18, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 18
Skills: Bluff +21, Concentration +21, Intimidate +21, Knowledge (arcana) +19, Knowledge (planar) +19, Listen +17, Search +17, Sense Motive +17, Spellcraft +19, Spot +17
Feats: Empower Spell-Like Ability [chaos hammer], Flyby Attack, Hover, Quicken Spell-Like Ability [shatter] Wingover
Environment: Any plane
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 14
Treasure: None
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Advancement: 15-21 HD (Large), 22-35 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: -

The planes hold many beings of extremes- creatures of pure law, or endless fire, or even utter darkness, each representing a single viewpoint or force. Some personify chaos.
The Kzetar are a race devoted to change and tumult. They exist solely to prevent stagnation of any kind, anywhere; to encourage new ideals and hopes and creations, and to bring down the old and unchanging. It is said by those who have seen them that the very fabric of reality changes around them- that existing structures and materials dissolve into space, and shapes and forms are suddenly created from nothingness. Even the creatures themselves, it is told, constantly destroy themselves, new ones being reborn as the old slowly fade away. In extremely rare cases, they have even been said to remake other creatures into strange new forms.
Kzetar appear most commonly as large, serpentine beings with two arms, tipped with razor-like claws, and scales woven from light. As they grow, the streaks of radiance that compromise their form first grow in strength, then gradually fade into blackness as they decay. Their ultimate goal, always, is to ensure that the planes do not stop changing. Some radical Kzetar extend this goal to the elimination of all structure, whether that be nations, worlds or even other beings, to return the world to its origin: a writhing, endlessly spontaneous chaos.

Combat
In combat a Kzetar never uses the same stratagem twice. They move and attack within planning or forethought, but somehow seem to anticipate an enemy's every move. Though they may charge wildly and strike without reason, they move fluidly and dazzlingly quickly, evading reprisal by an inch each time.

Spell-Like Abilities (Su)
At-will - Protection from Law, Major Creation, Minor Creation, Shatter; 5/day - Chaos Hammer;3/day - Empowered Chaos Hammer, Quickened Shatter; 1/day - Polymorph Any Object. Caster level 14th. The save DCs are Charisma based.

Aura of Inversion (Su)
Kzetar produce an aura that destroys existing structure and composition while creating entirely new materials from nothingness. All unattended inorganic, nonmagical objects and materials within twenty-five feet of a Kzetar take 2d8 points of damage per round. This damage bypasses the first 10 points of hardness. For every cubic foot of material destroyed by a Kzetar’s aura, it immediately casts minor creation or major creation, based on the material destroyed (i.e. if 1 cubic foot of iron is destroyed, it would cast major creation, whereas minor creation would result from the destruction of vegetable matter) in an empty spot within the aura, even if it is not its turn. The Kzetar cannot create weapons with this ability.

Smite Law (Su)
Three times per day, a Kzetar can make a melee attack against a lawful foe and gain a +4 bonus to attack as well as a +14 bonus to the damage roll.

Endless Cycle (Ex)
A kzetar’s body continuously wears away, destroyed by the inherent chaos of its origin. Every week, a kzetar loses 1 HD. When the first HD is lost, a new kzetar is formed with all the memories of the original kzetar and 1 HD in a random location on a different plane. The new kzetar does not have this ability. For each additional HD lost by the original kzetar, the new one gains an additional HD. The new kzetar gains the Endless Cycle ability the instant the original dies. If a kzetar is killed by anything other than Endless Cycle, the new kzetar gains 1 HD a day until it has the same number of HD as the original kzetar. If the new kzetar is killed before to original loses all it's HD, then the next HD it loses will create another new kzetar and the cycle will continue.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Lore
The Kzetar are rumored to have first been created in the raw fires of creation, existing merely as presences with no form in the swirling chaos of the dawn of existence. When the gods began to impose order upon the world, they were forced to take semi-physical forms and gain structure and composition, both of which they despised. They saw the gods' new world as a corruption of the beauty the primordial world had held for them, and decided to use their inherent chaos to ensure that change and renewal never came to an end. Pledging themselves to this, they drastically shortened their lives by unleashing the tumult within themselves on their own forms. Although they live quickly before dissolving into nothingness, their aura ensures that, as they vanish, an identical Kzetar comes into being elsewhere with their memories intact.

Plot Hook/Story:
A small, sleepy town amidst the forests has been drastically reconstructed by a creature that came from nowhere. Whole swathes of city have been destroyed without a trace of their existence, and strange, alien structures have appeared in their place. Unfortunately for the townsfolk, their village has become the site of a Kzetar's appearance. Recently reconstituted, the chaotic outsider has set to doing what it's always done: create change, by any means necessary. The terrified townspeople have sent out for help- will a party of adventurers come to their aid?

The Glyphstone
2011-03-08, 09:47 PM
Hochmyt

"He who fights monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Fredrich Nietzsche

Medium Outsider (Chaotic, Extraplanar, Evil)
Hit Dice: 12d8+60 (114 HP)
Initiative: +8 (+4 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 30ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 28 (+3 Dex, +7 natural, +7 armor), touch 13, flat-footed 24
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+22
Attack: +22 melee (1d8+12/19-20/x2, Blade of Suffering or +22 melee w/ 15ft. reach (1d3+12, Lash of Torment
Full Attack: +22/+17/+12 melee (1d8+12/19-20/x2, Blade of Suffering and +22/+17/+12 melee (1d6+12/x2, Lash of Torment
Space/Reach: 5ft./5ft.
Special Attacks: Blade of Suffering, Dueling Ground, Lash of Torment, Spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Damage Reduction 15/cold iron or good, darkvision 60ft., immunity to electricity and poison, Glory Seeker, resistance to acid 10, cold 10, and fire 10, spell resistance 24, telepathy 100ft., Victory Beyond Death
Saves: Fort +13, Ref +12, Will +10
Abilities: Str 30, Dex 19, Con 20, Int 17, Wis 15, Cha 18
Skills: Climb +18, Jump +18, Hide +12, Intimidate +16, Knowledge (The Planes) +15, Listen +14, Move Silently +12, Spot +14, Survival +14, Tumble +14
Feats: Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Track (B), Two-Weapon Fighting
Environment:The Abyss
Organization: Always Solitary
Challenge Rating: 12
Treasure: +2 adamantine breastplate, Blade of Suffering, Lash of Torment, plus standard (coins only)
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: By class levels, see Victory Beyond Death
LA: -

Blocking the road ahead of you stands an armored figure. It looks like a man, but one hideously scarred, every inch of his exposed flesh criss-crossed with healed and half-healed lines of scar tissue. In one hand, he holds a pitted black sword that he waves in a challenging, beckoning manner, and in the other he clutches a barbed whip that seems to lash around of its own accord.

Hochmyts, sometimes known as ‘Pride Demons’ or ‘Duelist Demons’ are a very rare sight for most travelers, and one best avoided at all costs. As befits their name, hochmyts are obsessed with finding worthy opponents with which they can cross blades, and when they think they have found one, will pursue the unfortunate subject of their twisted respect with singleminded dedication. This means they are most commonly encountered on the Prime Material, it being the most fruitful hunting grounds for warriors of sufficient talent. Oddly for a entity of chaos, duelist demons adhere rigidly to their own twisted code of honor – they do not strike from ambush, and always attempt to offer the target of their pursuit the chance to engage in single combat, using their Dueling Ground ability to enforce the combat once accepted. Should the terms of the duel be broken, they will freely divide their attention to fend off other opponents, singling out warriors over casters, but their original target remains the primary focus for attacks. They never retreat unless threatened with destruction by a nonhumanoid creature – in such a case, they will teleport to safety and return when rested and healed.

Meeting a hochmyt in battle can be as difficult as evading it, though, and far more deadly, for the challenging spirit of these warrior fiends is potent enough to transcend death. Many an unlucky swordsman has triumphed over a hochmyt, only to soon find their minds drifting irresistibly towards seeking skilled opponents to challenge, even as raised lines of scar tissue begin to push free of their flesh. Within days or weeks, the warrior has transformed entirely, and the hochmyt that they defeated lives to walk the world once more. Holy magics can suppress or slow the transformation, but once it takes root, only the greatest of powers can remove it entirely.

Combat:
If engaged in a duel, a hochmyt will close to melee on foot, battering away at its opponent with its sword and whip. In a ‘free fight’, it behaves much the same, but with the addition of its Greater Teleport spell-like ability to close the distance against enemies attempting to stay out of range. It enjoys using its Lash of Torment to disarm or trip enemies, particularly those it has concluded to be weak opponents or otherwise unworthy of its respect, hoping to goad the enemy or any nearby allies of the enemy into violating the dueling circle so that it can battle them all at once.

Blade of Suffering (Su): This pitted sword constantly drips with a black, foul-smelling ichor that burns to the touch. It counts as a +2 unholy longsword that automatically bypasses any material-based form of damage reduction. If borne by the victim of Victory Beyond Death, it applies a -1 penalty on the Will save. If this weapon ever leaves the possession of the hochmyt while it is still alive, the demon can cause it to vanish and reappear in hand as a free action, though it considers being disarmed ‘fair’ and will not use this ability while within a dueling circle.

Dueling Ground (Su): If a hochmyt issues a challenge to single combat, and its target accepts, the hochmyt can create a supernaturally enforced area in which to do battle. This takes the form of a circle 40ft. in diameter, with the two duelists initially positioned on opposite sides of the circle. While the circle remains intact, it blocks line of effect for any spells, attacks, or abilities in both directions, regardless of the height of the origin point. Any creature attempting to cross the circle, direct an attack, or cast a spell past it must succeed on a DC22 Will save, else it automatically fails. If they succeed, the attack functions as normal, but the dueling circle is immediately broken and vanishes. The save DC is Charisma-based and includes a +2 racial modifier.

Glory Seeker (Ex): Hochmyts thirst for a worthy challenge, and almost unconsciously restrain themselves from going all-out when faced with an opponent even marginally less capable than themselves in melee combat. If attacking an enemy with a lower total attack bonus than the hochmyt (not counting any voluntary penalties such as Power Attack or fighting defensively), the hochmyt takes a penalty to damage on all its attacks equal to the difference in their attack bonuses. This penalty still applies even when the hochmyt is not inside a dueling circle.

Lash of Torment (Su): this long whip appears to be made of raw red muscle, thrashing and flailing with a will of its own, and is lined with jagged barbs of black iron all along its length. It counts as a +2 wounding whip in all respects save that it always deals lethal damage, even to targets with armor or natural armor. If the wielder is stunned or otherwise unable to take a standard action, the Lash of Torment will attack the nearest enemy within reach on its own, though it suffers a -5 penalty to attacks while doing so. It applies a -1 penalty on the Will save for any bearer suffering from Victory Beyond Death. If this weapon ever leaves the possession of the hochmyt while it is still alive, the demon can cause it to vanish and reappear in hand as a free action, though it considers being disarmed ‘fair’ and will not use this ability while within a dueling circle.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will – greater teleport (self only); 1/day - locate creature; 1/year – planeshift (self only)

Victory Beyond Death (Ex): By far the most horrifying ability of the hochmyt is its power to infect anyone who slays it with a portion of its demonic spirit, and slowly overpower their own soul to replace it with the demon’s own essence. Any humanoid or outsider who kills a hochmyt by means of any direct attack is immediately effected with this condition – if the demon dies to another cause, it instead reappears on a random layer of the Abyss after 1 year. A victim so corrupted can be purified by a Remove Curse spell within 24 hours of slaying the demon, but after that time expires, only a Wish or Miracle can remove the taint. Victory Beyond Death functions similar to a disease, requiring a DC22 Will save once every 24 hours to resist 1d6 points of Charisma drain. Additionally, after a save is failed, any time a character meets an opponent they judge sufficiently worthy to be an equal match one-on-one (any single creature with a CR equal to the character's level) during the next 24 hours, they must succeed on another DC22 Will save or attempt to challenge them in single combat to the death, mocking and verbally abusing them if they refuse.

As the character’s Charisma approaches 0, their appearance gradually transforms to resemble a hochmyt, and they begin to take on its mindset as well. If their Charisma ever drops to 0, the full transformation immediately takes effect – the character dies, and transforms into the hochmyt with all of its memories and skills as detailed above. A character slain in this fashion can only be brought back to life by a True Resurrection spell. The save DC is Charisma-based and includes a +2 racial modifier.

Melayl
2011-03-08, 11:12 PM
Cheshire

Small Magical Beast (Chaotic, Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 5d10+10 (37 HP)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 50 ft (10 squares)
Armor Class: 20 (+1 size, +6 Dex, +3 natural); 16 Touch; 14 Flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple: +5 / +2
Attack: +13 2 Claws melee (1d4)
Full Attack: + 13 2 Claws +1 melee (1d4) and + 8 Bite melee (1d6)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/ 5 ft
Special Attacks: Dimension Slide, DR 5/Cold Iron or Law, Invisibility, Nine Lives, Pounce, Shapechange
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft, Low-light Vision, Scent
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +10, Will +4
Abilities Str 10, Dex 22, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 22
Skills: Balance +12, Climb +14, Hide 16, Intimidate +8, Jump +8, Listen +10, Move Silently +14, Spellcraft +5, Spot +4, Survival +5, Use Magical Device +7
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Weapon Finesse
Environment: Cold or Temperate Forests and Hills
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: Standard (lair)
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Advancement: 6 (Small), 7-10 (Medium), 11-16 (Large), 17+ (Huge), or by class levels
Level Adjustment: +3

Cheshire appear as well-muscled, oversized cats with large ears and overly wide mouths. They are dusky purple in color, with lighter purple tiger-like stripes. Their fur is soft and smooth, but as tough as wire, and their teeth and claws are as strong as steel.

Cheshire are quite cat-like in habit. Incredibly vain creatures, they consider themselves to be the most important things in existence, and believe the rest of the world exists for their enjoyment. Every creature in a cheshire's territory will be considered either entertainment or food. Anything that they feel they can kill is on their diet, including humanoids, unless it proves to be more fun alive. Many a traveler through a cheshire's territory has kept himself off the menu by being clever or entertaining. Cheshire particularly enjoy good music, and will generally join in with their melodic, velvety voices.

The exception to the menu is children. A cheshire will not attack a child (anyone under the typical age of maturity for their society) under any circumstances. Cheshire have even been known to protect children in their territory and bring them gifts. This protection does not extend to adult halflings or other Small races. There is much speculation as to why, but cheshire say it is because children are inclined to give a good belly rub when given the opportunity. They often infiltrate humanoid settlements in their cat form for the purpose of playing with the children.

A cheshire enjoys a challenge, and will willingly engage in combat (physical or philosophical) with any creature they encounter. They will rarely flee combat since they know they will return to life via their Nine Lives ability. They become more cautious as they begin to run out of lives.

Since a cheshire hates to be bored, he will sometimes play games with those in his territory. They may steal items, make threats, release livestock, stalk the streets in daylight, or perform other actions to stir up those in their territory. They have even been known to put out a call for adventurers to deal with the "terrible feline menace" stalking the local woods...

Noone knows where cheshire came from. Due to their familiarity with magic, and their chaotic nature, it is speculated that they were created by a fey sorcerer. One rumor suggests that the sorcerer lamented the loss of her childhood kitten, and tried to find a way to bring it back. Cheshire scoff at such notions, stating that "No mere mortal meal could create something as wonderful as a cheshire."

Cheshire generally stand 1 1/2 – 2 ft tall and 3 ft in length and average 75 pounds in weight.

A cheshire will patrol an area of over 50 square miles per HD, often incorporating several humanoid settlements in this area. Their territories occasionally overlap, but cheshire avoid contact with each other outside of mating season. Cheshire will often allow other feline predators to live in their territory to ensure swift return via Nine Lives.

Cheshire speak Common, Sylvan, and any one other language used in the region they lair in.

Combat:

A cheshire generally prefers to begin combat using their invisibility power and then pouncing via dimension slide. They will typically use invisibility at the start of each round, and will dimension slide as soon as they are able. If they feel they have a strong advantage over their opponents, they will continue to fight while visible, occasionally using their dimension slide for mobility.

Cheshire who have managed to aquire magical treasure will often attempt to use it via their skill in Use Magic Device.

Dimension Slide (Su): As a move action, cheshire may Dimension Slide as per the power (although it is a magical, rather than psionic, supernatural ability). A cheshire with 10 or more HD may bring one living creature of up to Small size with them when they Slide. Cheshire may use this power every 4 rounds. Caster level for this ability is equal to his HD.

DR/Cold Iron or Law (Ex): A chesire is resistant to normal damage. A Cold Iron weapon or a Lawful one will harm them normally. Their DR starts at 5, and increases by 5 per size category beyond Small.

Invisibility (Su): As a move action, cheshire may use Invisibility as per the spell, with the following additions: he may choose to leave any portion or portions of their body visible (teeth and eyes being the most common); he may affect only themselves plus 5 pounds of material per HD. cheshire may use this ability at-will. Caster level for this ability is equal to his HD.

Nine Lives (Ex): When a cheshire is reduced to -10 HP or below, it “dies,” and the body dissolves into mist that quickly dissipates. The cheshire is not truly dead, though. His essence lingers, and he remains fully aware but unable to affect, or be affected by, the world around him. He remains in this state until a feline comes within 100 yards of the spot of his demise. At that time, the cheshire attempts to use his Nine Lives ability to return in the feline’s body. The feline must make a DC (10 + cheshire’s HD + Cha modifier) Will save or be overwhelmed by the cheshire. The cheshire permanently gains ½ of the HD (rounded down) of the feline body he returns in and is physically intact once more, and is fully healed. The cheshire looks exactly as it did before, although it may be larger in size due to HD gained. It takes a cheshire 3 rounds to return via his Nine Lives ability. If a year and a day pass without a feline coming within range, the cheshire may still return, if it has 8 or more HD. By sacrificing half of his HD, the Cheshire creates a new body and returns in it. As the name suggests, a cheshire may only live 9 times. He may only use his Nine Lives ability 8 times.

Pounce (Ex): Cheshire may make a full attack after a charge. Their Dimension Slide ability counts as a charge for the purposes of Pounce.

Shapechange (Su): A cheshire may assume the shape and appearance of a common cat. He always looks the same each time he uses this ability. His physical stats change to that of a common cat. He retains all of his other abilities, including speech while in this form. He may switch back and forth between his normal and cat shapes at-will, as a swift action.

Skills: Cheshire have a +4 Racial bonus to Balance, Climb, Hide, Listen, and Move Silently checks. Cheshire may use their Dexterity score in place of their Strength score for Climb checks.

Djinn_in_Tonic
2011-03-13, 01:22 PM
One week left, folks. The current turn-out is great, but we'd always love more. Get those entries in! :smallbiggrin:

Djinn_in_Tonic
2011-03-21, 01:17 AM
The contest is now closed. Voting will open as soon as I can get Glyphstone to put up a poll.

The Glyphstone
2011-03-21, 08:07 PM
Poll is live.

Djinn_in_Tonic
2011-03-25, 08:53 AM
Only five more days to get those votes in, ladies and gentlemen!

Melayl
2011-03-28, 10:34 PM
Only 18 votes so far?? Really? :smallconfused: C'mon folks! Everyone put a good bit of effort into their works. I don't care who you vote for, but I think the contestants' work deserves more than 18 votes. :smallbiggrin:

Djinn_in_Tonic
2011-03-29, 10:33 AM
Only 18 votes so far?? Really? :smallconfused: C'mon folks! Everyone put a good bit of effort into their works. I don't care who you vote for, but I think the contestants' work deserves more than 18 votes. :smallbiggrin:

Agreed. I think we may get more results by switching back to the old "separate voting thread" method. We'll see what I decide on next month.

That said, tomorrow is the last day, folks. Get those votes in!

Djinn_in_Tonic
2011-03-30, 09:17 PM
Apparently I lied...March has 31 days. TOMORROW is the last day. :smallredface:

Djinn_in_Tonic
2011-04-01, 09:07 AM
Voting is Closed.

And we had a tie between two incredible monsters: the Hatespawn and the Primal Troll. Which means that I have to decide. Damn it all.

Anyway, after much deliberation, I've arrived at my decision. The winner of this month's GitP Monster Competition is...

* MammonAzrael's Primal Troll *

It was a really tough choice though...the Hatespawn is an amazing monster with a lot of potential as a recurring villain, but something about the flavor of the Primal Troll tickled my fancy, and I have to go with my instincts when deciding between two beautifully done creations.

Congratulations to everyone for a really strong turnout! Monsters across the board were excellent and creative.

And an unofficial Djinn's Choice "award" (no, you don't get an award...just some recognition) goes out to the Fireborn by unosarta. I simply adored the flavor of that entry...it would make for a superb short story topic.

Anyway, well done all. Expect the next contest sometime today. :smallbiggrin:

unosarta
2011-04-01, 04:46 PM
And an unofficial Djinn's Choice "award" (no, you don't get an award...just some recognition) goes out to the Fireborn by unasorta. I simply adored the flavor of that entry...it would make for a superb short story topic.

Oh my gosh, thank you so much. You have no idea how much that means to me, coming from you. :smallbiggrin:

Also...UNOS-ARTA. Dammit. ;_;