What monster do I use?

[Surzt and Gurzt]

We've all felt that weird feeling. When you write down your devious DM traps, your monsters, and all the loot. Except for one. When after leafing through monster manual after monster manual you still cant find, or even find something resembling the monster you need.



I'm stuck there now. I wont share all the details because a few of my players frequent here, but here's the scoop. I've introduced Psionics after a lot of resistance to my campaign, and I managed to create a giant Elder-Evil thing that is sending its psionic offspring to wreak havoc on the world. So far its sent psionic dragon-alien things and many tentacled nightmare beasts, but its about time the monsters became a bit more... subtle.

I need a medium sized, preferably agile, humanoid-shaped monster with a CR of about 6 or so, and obviously some psionic abilities or something that resembles them. I experimented with Xills, but their abilities are a bit too...disconnected to work. Any source is fine, even 3rd party.

[Madara]

Kalashar from Eberron? Do they need to be weird looking? Just add Psudonatural template and some other templates to make something interesting.
My Template Suggestions:
Mineral Warrior (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20031003e) +1LA
Half-Farspawn (LoM 151) LA +4

Total: +5LA attached to another race...let's twist something like a Psionic Duergar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/monsters/duergarPsionic.htm), you fluff the template abilities to be psionic. Bam, you are done

and you have a total of +6LA. Throw in a class level of anything, and you have about a CR6 Monster

I just imagine these things coming out of the ground and attacking cities for their masters. :smallbiggrin:

[Surzt and Gurzt]

Kalashar from Eberron? Do they need to be weird looking? Just add Psudonatural template and some other templates to make something interesting.
My Template Suggestions:
Mineral Warrior +1LA
Half-Farspawn (LoM 151) LA +4



Thats all well and good but a few problems with that.
1. no RHD. I don't really want a base race to modify, that would take to much time. I'm looking for something I can churn out many of and/or many small variations of without much work. Building classes for all of them would take to long.

2. LA does not equal CR, what you posted has a CR of 5ish, and I personally dont like running monsters whose CR is way out of wack with their HD. All kinds of weird things show up, like a monster being vulnerable to low-level spells like sleep. Thanks for the input though

[Urpriest]

Does it need to be Medium-sized, or just medium-sized? Saltors from Lords of Madness are Small and fit your other criteria. CR 3, so you'll want to add a little something to bring them up to par, but a few class levels should do it, or a template or so.

Monster Manual V has the Mind Flayers of Thoon, including the Thoon Infiltrator, which looks human but has a mind control parasite thingy. It's CR 5.

It also has the Ushemoi, which are kinda weird and have a decent CR spread around what you're looking for.

[Ancient Mage]

You can take a babau demon, it's sneaky, agile and medium sized. Then remove any abilities that don't fit, weaken it slightly, and then add whatever psionic powers you see fit. You can probably make this new monster in less than 5 minutes.

-Ancient Mage

[Flickerdart]

Take any old monster, slap Phrenic on it, done.

[Surzt and Gurzt]

Phrenic Babu is starting to look pretty good.

[Piggy Knowles]

I often take existing monsters, swap some things around, and re-flavor them as something entirely new. Here's one I tossed together just now. I used the green hag as my base creature, changed the flavor, got rid of her SLAs for some psi-like abilities, dropped mimicry entirely in favor of adding Control Sound, and changed her weakening touch to take effect when she strikes with a claw. Here's what I ended up with.


SHLOSHOI

The shloshoi are a dark reflection of humans, created and later abandoned by the Elder Evils on a whim. Their warped minds and powerful bodies allowed them to thrive in the Far Planes. Some powerful beings still use them to infiltrate the material plane, for they can pass for human if heavily cloaked.

Though they have human-like features, on close inspection they are hideously ugly, with warped features and oddly placed, ropy muscles. Their nails appear filthy and overgrown, and their scratches can drain the life out of their victims.

Stat Block:
Medium Monstrous Humanoid (Extraplanar)
HD: 9d8+9 (48 hp)
Init: +1
Speed: 30'
AC: 22 (+1 Dex, +11 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 21
BAB/Grapple: +9/+13
Attack: Claw +13 melee (1d4+4 plus weakness)
Full Attack: 2 claws +13 melee (1d4+4 plus weakness)
Space/Reach: 5'/5'
Special Attacks: Psi-like abilities, weakness (su)
Special Qualities: Darkvision 90', psionic resistance 18
Saves: Fort +6/Ref +7/Will +7
Abilities: Str 19, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 15
Skills: Autohypnosis +9, Concentration +7, Knowledge (psionics) +9, Hide +9, Listen +11, Spot +11
Feats: Alertness, Blind-Fight, Chaotic Mind, Great Fortitude
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, pair or gang (3-4)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually Chaotic Evil
Advancement: By character class

Psi-Like Abilities:
At will - body equilibrium; concealing amorpha; control light; control sound; chameleon; cloud mind (DC 14); tongues, psionic. Manifester level 9th. The save DC is Charisma based.

Weakness (Su):
The shloshoi's claws sap the strength out of those that they hit. Anyone struck by the shloshoi's claw attack must succeed on a DC 16 Fortitude save or take 2d4 points of Strength damage. The save DC is Charisma-based.

COMBAT
The shloshoi are opportunists, and prefer to confuse and distract their opponents with their psi-like abilities and use the environment to their advantage. They are excellent at hiding, and will use Control Light and Chameleon to remain hidden, while still fully able to see thanks to their darkvision. If necessary, the shloshoi will retreat rather than fight to the death, although they never go far - they are known to stalk their enemies for days, and will ambush them again when possible.

The shloshoi have their own language, a shrill and unnerving speech. However, they can communicate with any creature thanks to their psionic tongues ability.

[Surzt and Gurzt]

Thanks a lot Piggy Knowles! That will help a bunch.