Monsters Made Effective (3.5)

[afroakuma]

Ever thought the Monster Manual's creatures just weren't doing their job? Think battles with fantastic creatures should be more dynamic and interesting? Well, I've got the tweaks for you!

First up, Elementals!

[Flickerdart]

If you're going to suggest people actually use your Sacred Flame, I will throttle you so hard. :smalltongue:

[LOTRfan]

This could be interesting.

What Sacred Flame?

[afroakuma]

Elementals
Elementals, by and large, don't really "element" the way they should. Abilities from the Tome of Battle make them far more dynamic in combat.

Frenetic Zephyr
Large Elemental (Air)
Level 2 Swordsage
HD 10d8+20 (65 hp)
Speed Fly 100 ft. (perfect) (20 squares)
Init: +15
AC 25; touch 21; flat-footed 15 (+10 Dex, +4 natural, +2 Wis, -1 size)
BAB +7; Grp +15
Attack Slam +17 melee (2d6+12)
Full-Attack 2 slams +17 melee (2d6+12)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks Air mastery, whirlwind, maneuvers
Special Qualities DR 5/-, darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, gaseous, stance, class features
Saves Fort +4 Ref +19 Will +7
Abilities Str 18, Dex 30, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 10
Skills Balance +15, Listen +8, Spot +7, Tumble +15
Feats Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Flyby Attack, Improved InitiativeB, Improved TripB, Shadow Blade, Weapon FinesseB
Environment Elemental Plane of Air
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 7
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement By level

Maneuvers (4/7, 2 stances, IL 6)
Readied
Clever Positioning - 2nd
• On a successful attack, exchange places with target. Ref DC 22 negates.
Creeping Moss Strike (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85614) - 3rd
• Attack deals +2d6 damage, gain +4 dodge bonus to AC against target's attacks for 1 round.
Devastating Throw - 3rd
• Grab and throw your foe 10 ft. away for 2d6 damage, foe is knocked prone.
Whirlwind Gyre - 2nd (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85614)
• Immediate action to disarm, feint, or trip a foe who attacks you in melee.

Unreadied
Autumn's Breath (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85614)
Mighty Throw - 1st
Shadow Garrote - 3rd

Stances
Child of Shadow - 1st
• If you have moved at least 10 ft. this round, gain concealment until your next turn.
Step of the Wind - 1st

Air Mastery (Ex) Airborne creatures take a -1 penalty on attack and damage rolls against an air elemental.

Gaseous (Ex) An air elemental is not truly solid, being only pure elemental air within the atmosphere. It can pass through small holes or narrow openings, even mere cracks, at its normal fly speed. Air elementals can’t enter water or other liquid, though they can move it via air motion or their whirlwind ability.

Whirlwind (Su) The elemental can transform itself into a whirlwind once every 10 minutes and remain in that form for up to 5 rounds. In this form, the elemental can move through the air or along a surface at its fly speed. The whirlwind is 5 feet wide at the base, up to 30 feet wide at the top, and up to 40 feet tall. The elemental controls the exact height, but it must be at least 10 feet.

Spoilered due to length
The elemental’s movement while in whirlwind form does not provoke attacks of opportunity, even if the elemental enters the space another creature occupies.

Medium or smaller creatures must succeed on a Reflex save (DC 19) when they come into contact with the whirlwind or take 2d6 damage. They must also succeed on a second Reflex save at the same DC or be picked up bodily and held suspended in the powerful winds, automatically taking 2d6 damage each round. A creature that can fly is allowed a Reflex save each round to escape the whirlwind. The creature still takes damage but can leave if the save is successful. Creatures trapped in the whirlwind cannot move except to go where the elemental carries them or to escape the whirlwind. They can otherwise act normally, but must succeed on a Concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) to cast a spell. Creatures caught in the whirlwind take a -4 penalty to Dexterity and a -2 penalty on attack rolls. The elemental can have only as many creatures trapped inside the whirlwind at one time as will fit inside the whirlwind’s volume.

The elemental can eject any carried creatures whenever it wishes, depositing them wherever the whirlwind happens to be. A summoned elemental always ejects trapped creatures before returning to its home plane.

If the whirlwind’s base touches the ground, it creates a swirling cloud of debris. This cloud is centered on the elemental and has a diameter equal to half the whirlwind’s height. The cloud obscures all vision, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. Creatures 5 feet away have concealment, while those farther away have total concealment.

Those caught in the cloud must succeed on a Concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) to cast a spell.

An elemental in whirlwind form cannot make slam attacks and does not threaten the area around it.

Warding Loam
Large Elemental (Earth)
Level 2 Warblade
HD 8d8+2d12+50 (99 hp)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares)
Init: +1
AC 20; touch 10; flat-footed 19 (+10 natural, +1 Dex, -1 size)
BAB +8; Grp +21
Attack Slam +16 melee (3d8+9)
Full-Attack 2 slams +16 melee (3d8+9)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks Earth mastery, push, maneuvers
Special Qualities DR 5/-, darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, tremorsense 60 ft., earth glide, stance, class features
Saves Fort +14 Ref +4 Will +1
Abilities Str 28, Dex 12, Con 20, Int 12, Wis 8, Cha 10
Skills Balance +9, Climb +14, Listen +9, Martial Lore +6, Spot +9, Tumble +6
Feats Improved Natural Attack, Power Attack, Stand Still, Stone Power
Environment Elemental Plane of Earth
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 7
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement By level

Maneuvers (3/4, 1 stances, IL 6)
Readied
Bonecrusher - 3rd
• Attack deals +4d6 damage, +10 bonus on critical confirm rolls.
Steely Strike - 1st
• +4 bonus on attack roll, other foes get +4 to attacks against you for 1 round.
Stone Vise - 2nd
• Attack deals +1d6 damage, immobilizes target for 1 round. Fort DC 21 negates immobilize.

Unreadied
Charging Minotaur - 1st

Stances
Punishing Stance - 1st
• +1d6 damage on all attacks, -2 penalty to AC.

Earth Mastery (Ex) An earth elemental gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls if both it and its foe are touching the ground. If an opponent is airborne or waterborne, the elemental takes a -4 penalty on attack and damage rolls. (These modifiers are not included in the statistics block.)

Push (Ex) An earth elemental can start a bull rush maneuver without provoking an attack of opportunity. The combat modifiers given in Earth Mastery, above, also apply to the elemental’s opposed Strength checks.

Earth Glide (Ex) An earth elemental can glide through stone, dirt, or almost any other sort of earth except metal as easily as a fish swims through water. Its burrowing leaves behind no tunnel or hole, nor does it create any ripple or other signs of its presence. A move earth spell cast on an area containing a burrowing earth elemental flings the elemental back 30 feet, stunning the creature for 1 round unless it succeeds on a DC 15 Fortitude save.

Sacred Flame
Large Elemental (Fire)
Level 2 Swordsage
HD 10d8+40 (85 hp)
Speed 50 ft. (10 squares)
Init: +13
AC 23; touch 19; flat-footed 15 (+8 Dex, +4 natural, +2 Wis, -1 size)
BAB +7; Grp +13
Attack Slam +15 melee (3d6+2 plus 2d6 fire)
Full-Attack 2 slams +15 melee (3d6+2 plus 2d6 fire)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks Burn, maneuvers
Special Qualities DR 5/-, darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, fire immunity, cold vulnerability, stance, class features
Saves Fort +6 Ref +17 Will +7
Abilities Str 14, Dex 26, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8
Skills Balance +13, Climb +7, Jump +7, Listen +7, Martial Lore +4, Spot +7, Tumble +13
Feats Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Desert Wind Dodge, Improved InitiativeB, Improved Natural Attack, Weapon FinesseB
Environment Elemental Plane of Fire
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 7
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement By level

Maneuvers (4/7, 2 stances, IL 6)
Readied
Burning Blade - 1st
• Swift action gives 1d6+6 fire damage on attacks for 1 round.
Distracting Ember - 1st
• Swift action creates flanker for the rest of your turn.
Flashing Sun - 2nd
• Extra attack at highest BAB on full attack, all attacks this round made at -2.
Fan the Flames - 3rd
• Ranged touch deals 6d6 fire damage.

Unreadied
Blistering Flourish - 1st
Clinging Shadow Strike - 1st
Zephyr Dance - 3rd

Stances
Holocaust Cloak - 3rd
• Adjacent enemies who attack you take 5 fire damage.
Island of Blades - 1st

Burn (Ex) A fire elemental’s slam attack deals bludgeoning damage plus fire damage from the elemental’s flaming body. Those hit by a fire elemental’s slam attack also must succeed on a Reflex save (DC 19) or catch on fire. The flame burns for 1d4 rounds. A burning creature can take a move action to put out the flame. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Creatures hitting a fire elemental with natural weapons or unarmed attacks take fire damage as though hit by the elemental’s attack, and also catch on fire unless they succeed on a Reflex save.

[Eldan]

Eh. I mean, I like that they are more dynamic now, but I still think they should feel far more like living elements than they do. The air element is still essentially a solid block of air. It should be able to move through tiny spaces. Knock over things just by being near them. The water elemental should be able to trickle through sandy floors, or wear away stone walls as a wave. They just seem to much like normal creatures with some elemental mastery, rater than living elements.

[afroakuma]

Well, I've added the Gaseous ability to the Air Elemental, so hopefully that helps a bit in that department.

[Mulletmanalive]

As with most similar things [tob, spell-likes] the need to look stuff up all the time makes these critters something i'm unlikely to consider using them.

Were the TOB abilities included as summaried abilities, maybe, but these, as they are require more effort to use than i'm willing to give a monster i"ve not designed myself...

[afroakuma]

Lesser Giantkin
Ettins have two-weapon attacks, trolls have regeneration, ogres have... trumpet-shaped ears and donkey sidekicks, I dunno. They're all folklore thugs, and so I dipped into folklore to crank their power up a notch. Except trolls; there I just cheated. I also gave them a cheat-feat... it's at the bottom for those interested.

Hulking Ogre
Large Giant
Level 1 Fighter
HD 4d8+1d10+20+5 (48 hp)
Speed 30 ft. in hide armor (6 squares); base speed 40 ft.
Init: +0
AC 18; touch 9; flat-footed 18 (+5 natural, +3 armor, -1 size)
BAB +4; Grp +14
Attack Greatclub +9 melee (2d8+6)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks None
Special Qualities Bully, low-light vision, menacing, darkvision 60 ft.
Saves Fort +11 Ref +2 Will +4
Abilities Str 22, Dex 11, Con 18, Int 4, Wis 16, Cha 6
Skills Climb +6, Intimidate +10*, Jump +7, Listen +2, Spot +2
Feats Awesome Blow, HeartyB, Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack
Environment Temperate hills
Organization Solitary, pair, gang (3-4), or band (5-8)
Challenge Rating 4
Treasure Standard
Alignment Usually chaotic evil
Advancement By level

Bully (Ex) Ogres spend most of their lives picking on creatures smaller than themselves, and as such have overcome the disadvantages of their larger size. An ogre attacking a creature at least one size category smaller than itself gets a +1 attack bonus per size category it is above its target (+1 for Medium, +2 for Small etc.)

Menacing (Ex) Ogres use the better of their Strength or Constitution modifier in place of their Charisma modifier on Intimidate checks. An ogre may make an Intimidate check as an immediate action if it so chooses.

Skills Ogres have a +4 racial bonus on Intimidate checks.

Marshblood Troll
Large Giant
Level 2 Fighter
HD 6d8+2d10+40+8 (86 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: +4
AC 21; touch 13; flat-footed 17 (+6 natural, +4 Dex, +2 armor, -1 size)
BAB +6; Grp +18
Attack Claw +13 melee (1d8+8)
Full Attack 2 claws +13 melee (1d8+8) and bite +8 melee (1d6+4)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks Rend 2d8+12
Special Qualities Darkvision 90 ft., low-light vision, regeneration 5, scent, fogstalker, horrid vigor, squamous skin
Saves Fort +14 Ref +7 Will +7
Abilities Str 26, Dex 18, Con 20, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 6
Skills Climb +9, Jump +9, Listen +8, Spot +9, Survival +10
Feats Alertness, HeartyB, Improved Natural Armor, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Iron Will, Track
Environment Cold mountains and cold marshes
Organization Solitary or gang (2-4)
Challenge Rating 7
Treasure Standard
Alignment Usually chaotic evil
Advancement By level

Fogstalker (Ex) Trolls are used to the fog and mist of marshes and mountains and can operate just fine within it. A troll can see normally in both mundane and magical fog, and move through solid fog as though it were not present.

Horrid Vigor (Ex) Trolls are renowned for their foul, perverse vitality. They are immune to all spells of the necromancy school, as well as abilities that replicate the effect of such spells.

Rend (Ex) If a troll hits with both claw attacks, it latches onto the opponent’s body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals an additional 2d6+9 points of damage.

Regeneration (Ex) Fire and acid deal normal damage to a troll (but see below). If a troll loses a limb or body part, the lost portion regrows in 3d6 minutes. The creature can reattach the severed member instantly by holding it to the stump.

Squamous Skin (Ex) Though trolls are vulnerable to flames and acid, their cornified outer flesh acts as a protective shell even against those forms of attack. A troll cannot take lethal damage in excess of its current nonlethal damage (though it does not heal lethal damage when it heals nonlethal damage).

Skills Trolls have a +8 racial bonus on Survival checks.

[afroakuma]

As with most similar things [tob, spell-likes] the need to look stuff up all the time makes these critters something i'm unlikely to consider using them

Were the TOB abilities included as summaried abilities, maybe, but these, as they are require more effort to use than i'm willing to give a monster i"ve not designed myself...

I'd hate to see you having to run human enemies, then. :smalltongue:

That said, the suggestion has merit, so for the default readied maneuvers and stances, I've added summary lines. At least until that triggers some sort of legal issue. :smalltongue:

[Mulletmanalive]

I'd hate to see you having to run human enemies, then. :smalltongue:

That would come under the heading of "creatures i designed myself" and even then, I make them with summaries so i can use them without looking stuff up.

There's a lot to be said for simply reusing simplified versions of spells and stuff as written out abilities on the blocks of creatures, in my opinion anyway.