Aliens vs...PC's?

[sparkyinbozo]

Heya all,

I have been wanting to run a quick PF campaign (maybe a one-shot) for a few level 12 players that runs similarly to the movie Alien and give it that horror/survival/being separated feeling. Any suggestions as far as monsters, scenarios, etc.? I've gotten it confirmed to be on an isolated ship so far, possibly with some extradimensional rooms for flavor.

[sonofzeal]

Kythons, from Book of Vile Darkness, would make an ideal chassis from which to experiment. Do be aware that they tend to be tough fights for their CR.

[DaragosKitsune]

Remember that the PC's will be up against creatures that are smart enough to plan and to adapt to their environment. To quote an unlucky marine, "How'd they cut the power? They're ANIMALS, man?!?".

[Funkyodor]

Our DM ran a fun Alien-esque adventure based on an obsidian pyramid that plane shifts. He handed out some 3X5 cards with prepared NPC's and we did a one off adventure playing the NPC archeologists, explorers, & guards. We later met the lone surviving Archeologist who urged our PC's to stay away, but went on and on about the marvels and horrors he saw there. Some memorable alien encounters and DM-fiat Alien abilites were:

Acid Blood - Any damaging attack from a non-acid resistant weapon lost a +1 bonus on a failed item save, no pluses means destroied. Learned quick to pull out the back up weapons first and keep up the Acid Resistance spells. Critical hits or Alien death caused acid burst effect for constitution damage and/or armor saves.

Immune to acid damge and take 1/2 damage from electricity. Double damage from fire and cold, but they have evasion (not improved evasion).

Improved uncanny dodge.

Improved Feint+tail jab+sneak attack hurt.

Some kind of improved pounce. One of our characters saw the bugger at the end of the hall and prepared an attack when it got close, but some kind of tumble like effect and the Alien still got to attack first. The character got his attack afterward though.

Any player that falls during the battle isn't dead... but can be carried off by an Alien to be re-encountered later...

Can't forget Face Huggers with a grappling leap and immense strength. Poor move silently, but great hide bonus.

Remember that you can think of Alien as a subtype. When our PC's got prepared and ready we ventured in (was a higher lvl group ~15th), we realized we weren't as prepared as we thought. Found the alien birthing chamber with dead chest bursty creatures that scared us. Imagine an Alien Ogre, Alien Dire Bear, and Young Alien Bronze Dragon. That breath weapon sucked.

[Tokuhara]

Our DM ran a fun Alien-esque adventure based on an obsidian pyramid that plane shifts. He handed out some 3X5 cards with prepared NPC's and we did a one off adventure playing the NPC archeologists, explorers, & guards. We later met the lone surviving Archeologist who urged our PC's to stay away, but went on and on about the marvels and horrors he saw there. Some memorable alien encounters and DM-fiat Alien abilites were:

Acid Blood - Any damaging attack from a non-acid resistant weapon lost a +1 bonus on a failed item save, no pluses means destroied. Learned quick to pull out the back up weapons first and keep up the Acid Resistance spells. Critical hits or Alien death caused acid burst effect for constitution damage and/or armor saves.

Immune to acid damge and take 1/2 damage from electricity. Double damage from fire and cold, but they have evasion (not improved evasion).

Improved uncanny dodge.

Improved Feint+tail jab+sneak attack hurt.

Some kind of improved pounce. One of our characters saw the bugger at the end of the hall and prepared an attack when it got close, but some kind of tumble like effect and the Alien still got to attack first. The character got his attack afterward though.

Any player that falls during the battle isn't dead... but can be carried off by an Alien to be re-encountered later...

Can't forget Face Huggers with a grappling leap and immense strength. Poor move silently, but great hide bonus.

Remember that you can think of Alien as a subtype. When our PC's got prepared and ready we ventured in (was a higher lvl group ~15th), we realized we weren't as prepared as we thought. Found the alien birthing chamber with dead chest bursty creatures that scared us. Imagine an Alien Ogre, Alien Dire Bear, and Young Alien Bronze Dragon. That breath weapon sucked.

I'm going to say this: Your DM is a sick puppy...

For my 2c, IIRC: Aberrations are Alien-ish, and thus could make scary xenomorphs. Even Pseudonatural could make terrifying Alien-spawn

[Grendus]

Try Lords of Madness. Both the Grell and the Tsochar are downright freaky, depending on what kind of alien you want. I'd go with the Grell though, 10 attacks per round and a save vs paralysis, blindsight, perfect flight, and a lightning attack. Play up the hit and run aspect, as the Grell use their better senses, maneuverability, and reach to full attack out of hiding, try to paralyze and grapple a target, then drag it off. Advance a few Grell with levels of Barbarian or Fighter for more direct combat. For a CR3 monster, they're very scary (and arguably under CR'd... 10 attacks per round and reach makes for a very dangerous enemy in an ambush).

[sparkyinbozo]

I kind of like what Funkyodor's DM did, actually. I really plan on homebrewing the main Alien, but probably going to try to base it off of an actual monster, or possibly an Eidolin.

[PirateLizard]

The Aliens in the movie always have the upper hand by some twist of fate or unforeseen consequence of action or just raw know-how. Make sure to give them telepathy/tremorsense/blindsense and make the PCs feel like they're always being watched. Because they are.

[GungHo]

Kythons, Grell, Malaugrym, Mind Flayers, Phaerimm, Sharn, Beholders, and the like make pretty good and very dangerous templates/concepts from which to build an alien. You can also adopt some outsiders that are relatively horrific, like Amnizu, Chasme, or Gelugon. Bodaks also work very well for the "touched madness/the shadow realms" theme.

[Darthteej]

Another monster I can think of as a chasis is a Hook Horror. Climb speed, improved grab, decent stealth, and pretty freaky in and of itself.