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Mulletmanalive
2011-12-01, 03:04 PM
The Long Night
http://idesigniphone.net/wallpapers/02284.jpg
Image provided by http://idesigniphone.com from their Free wallpapers.

With the solstice, the veil thins and...things walk the earth...

The end of the year is a time of cold and darkness, of long, lonely nights. This month, on the Monster Competition, we shall explore some of those lonely spirits that dwell in the dark, the flipside of the holiday season.

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


The contest begins with the posting of this thread and will continue until the 31st of December.

Soon after a poll will be opened for everyone to vote for their favorite that will last until the 7th of January.

As it's part of what I do, I'm happy to offer artwork as a prize. This month's contest winner will be awarded a choice of one character portrait or an illustration of their winning monster. If another entry achieves sufficient awesome to warrant an honourable mention, I may give out additional paintings


Rules

1. You will be creating an original creature for D&D 3.5, which must be themed around darkness. Beyond this, imagine away; it could be a spirit that can only operate in the dark, a demon cloaked in magical darkness, a species of murderous doom bats or an entire dace violently allergic to the sun.

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.

2b. Contrary to previous rules, templates are explicitly allowed in this competition, with the following limitation: a template is judged on the example creature, which must be a pure SRD NPC character and a pretransformation version of the character must be included for comparison.

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 required for this competition only).

4. Post all entries on this thread. Do [I]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.

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Mulletmanalive
2011-12-01, 03:06 PM
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).

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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

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

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

TheGeckoKing
2011-12-02, 05:31 PM
Phantas
http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs11/i/2006/256/9/6/Shade_by_Ruskul.jpg

Phantas Rogue 1

Medium Humanoid (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 1d6+1 (4hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30ft (6 squares)
Armor Class: 11 (+1 Dex), touch 11, flat-footed 10
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+3
Attack: Quarterstaff +1 melee (1d6+1)
Full Attack: Quarterstaff +1 melee (1d6+1)
Space/Reach: 5ft/5ft
Special Attacks: Sneak Attack +1d6
Special Qualities: Light Sensitivity, See in Darkness, Shadow Jump, Trapfinding
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +5, Will -2
Abilities:* Str 17, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 7, Cha 14
Skills: Balance +7, Disable Device +4, Escape Artist +7, Hide +7, Move Silently +7, Sleight of Hand +7, Spot +2, Use Magic Device +6
Feats: Dodge
Environment: Plane of Shadow
Organization: Single, Pairs, or Group (3-10)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Often Chaotic Neutral
Advancement: By Character Class
Level Adjustment: +0
*Uses Elite Array, with racial modifiers (see below)

As with always, it seems you've gotten lost again, only now you've gotten lost in the Plane of Shadow. Yay. You approach a creepy looking cavern in the warped landscape looking for help, lantern in hand, and from behind you notice a glow of light and a cloaked figure. He murmurs "Put out that light. You don't want to know what dwells here".

The Phantas are the descendants of humans who have lived in the Plane of Shadow for generations, such as the city of Balefire (Dragon 322) and have been subtly warped by it. They now cannot feel the sunshine without it burning their eyes, but once in the cooling shade can flit from it from shadow to shadow. The Phantas are also intermittently born to families with a Shadowcaster or other shadow magic user, which is the cause of much horror or celebration, depending on who you ask. Even then, these "Worldly-Born" as they are called still feel the drag of the shadows and become native to the Plane of Shadows at the age of about 16.
Phantas look like humans, only with a few changes. They tend to be taller than the average human, with most exceeding 6 feet in height, and all Phantas have black markings all over their body, sometimes confused with tattoos. They range from a few lines to a veritable blur of black swirls, and all glow (along with the Phantas' eyes) for a second or two when the Phantas Shadow Jumps.
Phantas living in the Plane of Shadows tend to live in small closely-knit groups for protection, believing deeply in the connection between fellow Phantas. In fact, it takes a great deal of emotion for one Phantas to attack another, even ones that do not know each other.

Combat

See In Darkness (Ex): Phantas can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even that created by a deeper darkness spell.

Light Sensitivity (Ex): Phantas are dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.

Shadow Jump (Su): A Phantas has the ability to travel between shadows as if by means of a dimension door spell. The limitation is that the magical transport must begin and end in an area with at least some shadow. A Phantas can jump up to a total of 20 feet each encounter (or once a minute outside of combat) in this way; this may be a single jump of 20 feet or two jumps of 10 feet each. For every 3 class levels, this distance increases by 10ft. When a Phantas uses this ability, their glowing markings and eyes (see below) give the Phantas a -5 penalty to all Hide checks for the rest of the round. This ability stacks with other sources of Shadow Jump (such as Shadowdancer)

Sneak Attack: As Rogue (See SRD)

Trapfinding: As Rogue (See SRD)

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

Lore
{table=head]DC|Lore

11|Phantas are an offshoot of humans changed by the Plane of Shadow.

16|A Phantas cannot stand the light, but treats the darkness like it wasn't there. Reveal the Dark Eyes and Light Sensitivity qualities.

21|A Phantas have the ability to skip from shadow to shadow with relative ease as if they were doors. Reveal the Shadow Jump ability.
[/table]

Phantas Racial Statistics

Humanoid type. A Phantas gains the (Extraplanar) subtype while not on the Plane of Shadow.
+2 Dex, -2 Wis. Phantas are nimble, but generally lack focus.
30ft Base Land Speed
See in Darkness (Ex): Phantas can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even that created by a deeper darkness spell.
Light Sensitivity (Ex): Phantas are dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.
Shadow Jump (Su): A Phantas has the ability to travel between shadows as if by means of a dimension door spell. The limitation is that the magical transport must begin and end in an area with at least some shadow. A Phantas can jump up to a total of 20 feet each encounter (or once a minute, whichever is sooner) in this way; this may be a single jump of 20 feet or two jumps of 10 feet each. For every 3 class levels, this distance increases by 20ft. When a Phantas uses this ability, their glowing markings and eyes (see below) give the Phantas a -5 penalty to all Hide checks for the rest of the round. This ability stacks with other sources of Shadow Jump (such as Shadowdancer)
Automatic Languages: Common, Phantas. Bonus Languages: Terran, Undercommon.
Favored Class: Rogue and Shadowcaster (ToM).

Chainsaw Hobbit
2011-12-05, 03:11 PM
Dark Young of Shub-Niggurath
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/Shub-Niggurath.jpg
Image from Wikipedia
Medium Aberration
Hit Dice: 4d8+15 (33)
Initiative: -1
Speed: 30 (6 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (-1 Dexterity, +6 Natural Armor), touch 9, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+5
Attack: Clawed Tentacle +5 (2d4+2)
Full Attack: Clawed Tentacle +5 (2d4+2)
Space/Reach: 5/10 (1 square/2 squares)
Special Attacks: Clawing Darkness
Special Qualities: Aberration Traits, Mutations, Sunlight Vulnerability
Saves: Fort +4 (+6 against poison), Ref +0, Will +4
Abilities Str 14, Dex 8, Con 16, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 6
Skills: +4 hide, +4 move silently, +5 intimidate
Feats: Toughness, Obese (Book of Vile Darkness)
Environment: Cold and temperate forests
Organization: Singular, Gang (1d2+2), Pack (3d4), or Brood (2d6+3)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: Half standard
Alignment: Usually Neutral Evil
Advancement: Medium (5-7), Large (8-10), or Huge (11-15)
Level Adjustment: -

Shub-Niggurath embodies the dark, repulsive, vile side of nature. She represents all that rots, crawls, befouls, and burrows through dead flesh. She is a demigoddess of nature twisted beyond recognition by the Far Realm.

Her cults gather in the thick of the woods, preforming dark rites and vile sex acts in her name. They shed their blood - and that of victims - on the damp black soil to please the Dark mother. They chant awful curses from ancient tomes of evil and summon her young.

The dark young of Shub-Niggurath are bloated, disturbing things with four stumpy legs on the bottoms of the lumps of diseased flesh that are their bodies. On top are four tentacles ending in toothy maws or jagged claws, between them a gaping mouth. They use these deformed tendrils to tear into the flesh of their prey, clawing it into submission before feasting on their still-squirming bodies.

No two dark young are alike. Each carries a set of bizarre and disturbing deformities that make them deadly in their own unique way. Some have glands that produce acid which squirts out of their wounds. Some have a layer of congealed mucus which acts like armor. Some are semi-undead, and are surrounded by the stink of decaying flesh.

Thankfully, the dark young are not without their weaknesses. Although they can move as fast as men, they are clumsy and somewhat slow to react. They will also flee from sunlight, which burns their horribly moist flesh.

One can attempt to summon and control a dark young, but doing so is dangerous on many levels. The ritual requires at least six people (three men and three women), who must all shed a pint of blood. In their weakened state, they must use their minds to bind the abomination, it it will turn on the unlucky cultists and tear them apart.

Combat
During combat, dark young make good use of their allies, attacking distracted foes and flanking whenever possible. A pack will take down one target at a time whenever possible, waiting until they are no longer able to fight before moving on to the next foe.

Dark young will usually fight to the death. If a pack chooses to flee, they will leave the least wounded member behind to keep their foes busy while the rest escape.

Clawing Darkness (SP): As a standard action, a dark young can choose to summon solid shadows that claw a chosen foe within 30 feet apart, deaden their flesh, and wound their soul. They rise from the ground and attack the enemy, inflicting 1d8 points of vile damage (Book of Vile Darkness). This damaged can be reduced to 1d4 with a successful DC 13 Fortitude save. The save DC is Constitution based.

After preforming this action, the dark young loses 5 hit points.

Aberration Traits (SU):

Darkvision out to 60 feet.
Proficient with its natural weapons. If generally humanoid in form, proficient with all simple weapons and any weapon it is described as using.
Proficient with whatever type of armor (light, medium, or heavy) it is described as wearing, as well as all lighter types. Aberrations not indicated as wearing armor are not proficient with armor. Aberrations are proficient with shields if they are proficient with any form of armor.
Aberrations eat, sleep, and breathe.

Sunlight Vulnerability (SU): When the dark young starts it turn in direct sunlight, it loses 5 hit points.

Mutations (SU): Roll 1d10 twice and then consult the following chart. If both results are the same, re-roll one of them until they are different. the dark young gains the special abilities that correspond with the numbers rolled.


Acid Blood: When the dark young his hit by a melee attack, the attacker must make a DC 13 reflex save. If they fail, they suffer 1d8 acid damage. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Rotting Flesh: The dark young is cloaked in an offensive stench. All non-aberrations with 10 feet take a -2 penalty to saving throws, and regain only half the standard number of hits points from healing effects.
Mucus Armor: The dark young gains damage reduction 5/magic.
Decaying Darkness: The dark young is surrounded by dark energy that suffocates the soul. Whenever a non-aberration within 10 feet starts their turn, they must make a DC 13 Fortitude save. If they fail, they suffer 1d6 points of vile damage (Book of Vile Darkness). The save DC is Constitution-based.
Blood Frenzy: Whenever the dark young scores a critical it, it can immediately make two clawed tentacle attacks with a +2 bonus to the attack rolls and a +5 bonus to the damage rolls.
Thorns: The dark young is covered in black barbed spikes. Whenever it is hit by a melee attack with an attack roll result equal to the dark young's armor class, the attacker takes 1d10 damage and another 1d6 damage the next round.
Poison Spitting: The dark young can ejaculate blasts of green fluid that deaden the senses and torture the nerves. As a standard action, they can make a ranged touch attack against a creature within 25 feet. If the attack hits, the target suffers 1d4-1 negative levels. The dark young loses 5 hit points after using this power.
Turn of Speed: The dark young's base land speed is increased by 10 feet.
Hard Shell: The dark young gains damage reduction 5/piercing.
Regeneration: Whenever the dark young hits with an attack, they regain 1d4 hit points. This ability does not function for 5 minutes if the dark young is damaged by sunlight.


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

Lore
Religion DC 15 or Nature DC 10: This creature is the spawn of Shub-Niggurath, dark goddess of nature and decay.
Religion DC 20 or Nature DC 15: Dark young of Shub-Niggurath are vulnerable to sunlight, which burns their flesh and dulls their senses.

Mangles
2011-12-14, 08:19 PM
Shade of Christmas Terror

Medium Outsider (Incorporeal)
Hit Dice: 8d8+8 (44)
Initiative: -2
Speed: Fly 40 ft. (Perfect)
Armor Class: 11 (-2 Dexterity +3 Deflection), touch 11, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+10
Attack: Ghost Touch Mace of Terror +12 (1d8+4 bludgeoning)
Full Attack: Ghost Touch Mace of Terror +12/-1 (1d8+4 bludgeoning)
Space/Reach: 5ft/5ft
Special Attacks: Invoke Nightmare, Sap Energy, Spell-like Abilities
Special Qualities: Bound by Night, Endless Night, Search Subconscious,
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +6
Abilities Str 14, Dex 6, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 16
Skills: Bluff +14 , Gather Information +14 , Hide +9 , Intimidate +14 , Knowledge History +13, Knowledge Local +13 , Listen +11 , Search +13 , Sense Motive +11 , Spot +11
Feats: Ability Focus (Invoke Nightmare), Ability Focus (Sap Energy), Flyby Attack
Environment: Christmas Celebrations
Organization: Solitary (Unique) or The Shade's of Christmas
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: Ghost Touch Mace of Terror
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Advancement: 9-12 HD
Level Adjustment: +5

Born on the plane of Christmas from the shadows left behind from anexiaty and fear that the season instills in some. The Shade of Christmas Terror was the first Shade of Christmas and the father of those that followed. He is less well known than his children as his stories are much more grim.

He is responsible for all the haunted dreams of Christmas gone wrong. Unfortunately due to the natural cheer of the season it is sometimes hard for him to manifest his powers, so he tends to stick to those without as much cheer, like orphans and scrooges. When dealing with a particularly humbug foe, he created three lesser shade's to help him out. Unfortunately for the Shade of Christmas Terror, their goals did not match his own, and his children now try to redeem scrooges instead of feeding on their fear.

The Shade of Christmas Terror manifests himself as the form most likely to inspire fear into those he hunts. Not having a true form himself he often starts appearing as a typical ghost until he gets a feel for his victims fears.

Combat

The Shade of Christmas Terror doesn't seek to down an opponent, instead they try to give them a night of torment and terror, where the waking world and the sleeping one are equally disturbing. If confronted directly the Shade of Christmas Terror will use its spell-like abilities and the fear effect of its Mace of Terror against an opponent before engaging in combat. If it comes down to a fight of blows, the Shade will deal only non-lethal damage to an opponent on the material plane. Rather it would prefer to send its enemies into fear induced commas as it saps the body and mind of its opponents.

Invoke Nightmare (Su)
The Shade of Christmas Terror is able to make an enemy recall their greatest fears. As a swift action The Shade of Christmas Terror may force an enemy to make a will save DC (DC 19) or cause them to become shaken for 5 rounds. This may stack with other fear effects to cause the enemy to become frightened or panicked, but may not stack with itself. Should this ability cause an enemy to become panicked, when the duration ends they are shaken until they next get 8 hours continuous rest.

Sap Energy (Su)
The Shade of Christmas Terror is able to wear down the body so that it requires rest. To sap a targets energy the Shade of Christmas Terror must successfully make a touch attack against an enemy. The target of the attack then becomes fatigued. If a target is already fatigued from another source it instead becomes exhasted. Should the target already be exhausted it must make a fort save (DC 19) or become unconcious for 1 min per point they failed the save.

Spell-like Abilities
The Shade of Christmas Terror has the following spells as spell like abilities.
3/day Lulliby, Sleep, Darkness. 1/Day Deep Slumber, Hallucinatory Terrain, Nightmare.

Bound by Night (Su)
The Shade of Christmas Terror dwells on the Ethereal Plane and, as an ethereal creature, it cannot affect or be affected by anything in the material world. When the Shade manifests, it partly enters the Material Plane and becomes visible but incorporeal on the Material Plane. The Shade can be harmed only by other incorporeal creatures, magic weapons, or spells, with a 50% chance to ignore any damage from a corporeal source. It can pass through solid objects at will, and its own attacks pass through armour. The Shade always moves silently. It can strike with its touch attack or with its ghost touch weapon. If manifested, the Shade remains partially on the Ethereal Plane, where is it not incorporeal and it can be attacked by opponents on either the Material Plane or the Ethereal Plane. The Shade’s incorporeality helps protect it from foes on the Material Plane, but not from foes on the Ethereal Plane.

While on the Ethereal Plane, its spell-like abilities cannot affect targets on the Material Plane, but they work normally against ethereal targets. While manifested, its spell-like abilities continue to affect ethereal targets and can affect targets on the Material Plane.

The Shade of Christmas Terror has two home planes, the Christmas Plane and the Ethereal Plane. It is not considered extraplanar when on either of these planes. Places that have decorated their land to look like the Christmas Plane allow The Shade of Christmas Terror to be considered Native outsider when beneficial.

The Shade of Christmas Terror is banished to the Ethereal Plane when the sun rises, and may only return to the Material Plane after the sun is set. Should the Shade of Christmas Terror be reduced to 0 hit points or bellow in combat on the material plane, it is immediately banished to the Ethereal plane with a single hit point and may not return to the material plane for a year. The Shade of Christmas Terror can only be killed on the Ethereal plane short of a Miracle or Wish.

Endless Night (Su)
The Shade of Christmas Terror can extend the night into one of endless torment. As a full round action they can project a time dilation field around an individual, causing him and anyone within 100 feet to feel time pass at half the normal rate. The people within this field are unaware of its effects, to them time seems to pass normally. This is mostly used to give the Shade of Christmas Terror extra time with his victim before the sun rises.

Search Subconscious (Su)
As a full round action the Shade of Christmas Terror can search a persons subconcious. They must be within 5 feet of the target and the target must either be willing or helpless. The person examined now takes a -2 Circumstance modifier to saves against all of The Shade of Christmas Terror's SLA's and special attacks. This effect lasts till the target is next able to get 8 hours continuos sleep. In addition The Shade of Christmas Terror can mimic the Disguise Self spell to become that which the person most fears.

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

Ghost Touch Mace of Terror
On command, this +2 heavy mace causes the wielder’s clothes and appearance to transform into an illusion of darkest horror such that living creatures in a 30-foot cone become panicked as if by a fear spell (Will DC 16 partial). They take a -2 morale penalty on saving throws, and they flee from the wielder. The wielder may use this ability up to three times per day. In addition this weapon deals damage normally against incorporeal creatures, regardless of its bonus. (An incorporeal creature’s 50% chance to avoid damage does not apply to attacks with ghost touch weapons.) The weapon can be picked up and moved by an incorporeal creature at any time. A manifesting incorporeal creature can wield the weapon against corporeal foes. Essentially the weapon counts as either corporeal or incorporeal at any given time, whichever is more beneficial to the wielder.
Price: 48,552gp

Plot Hook
The villages had heard rumour that their Mayor, a particularly morose fellow, was plagued by the Shades of Christmas. Thinking it would improve his disposition they didn't intervene. He recently turned up at the bottom of the stairs at his manor, his face contorted in horror and his body twisted in pain.

Mulletmanalive
2011-12-31, 10:29 PM
Competition is closed. Voting thread imminent