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DeathOfAMailman
2012-04-12, 12:09 PM
It's a friend's birthday coming up soon, and he, masochistic as he is, decided to run a session on this supposedly celebratory day. Not wanting to let him do all of this on his own, I decided to help him out, by making a couple of birthday-themed monsters.

The Cupcake Golem
http://images.wikia.com/adventuretimewithfinnandjake/images/0/00/MrCupcake.png


Cupcake Golem
Large Golem
Hit Dice: 18d10 +30 (129 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 31 (-1 Size, +2 Dex, +20 Natural) Touch 11, Flat-Footed 29
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+27
Attack: Slam +21 melee (2d10+10)
Full Attack: 2 Slams +21 melee (2d10+10)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Sprinkle Shot (18d4), Sparkler
Special Qualities: Construct traits, damage reduction 10/adamantine, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to magic, low-light vision, thick frosting, vulnerability to water
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +6
Abilities: Str 30, Dex 13, Con —, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 1
Skills: —
Feats: —
Environment: Any Land
Organization: Solitary or Baking Tray (4-6)
Challenge Rating: 13
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: 19-24 HD (Large), 25-48 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

This golem is a massive cupcake infused with magical energy, giving it locomotive capabilities. It can be made with frosting, sprinkles and batter of any flavor or color. Cupcake golem usually stand around 10 feet tall, weighing anywhere between 400 and 1000 lbs, depending on the density of its frosting and batter. It carries with it the smell of freshly baked cupcakes, and moves with a speed surprising for its size and shape.


Combat

A cupcake golem's sprinkles fire rapidly from its frosted top, peppering its foes with the hard candy. A cupcake golem's thick frosting provides enough protection to reduce the damage taken by all but the sharpest blades, and impedes warriors in their attempts to recover from their strikes. As a fireball strikes the lumbering beast, the candle atop the cupcake golem's head flares to life, emitting a shower of sparks that burn to the touch.

Immunity to Magic (Ex): A cupcake golem is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below.

A magical attack that deals acid damage slows an cupcake golem (as the slow spell) for 3 rounds, with no saving throw.

A magical attack that deals fire damage breaks any slow effect on the golem and heals 1 point of damage for each 3 points of damage the attack would otherwise deal. If the amount of healing would cause the golem to exceed its full normal hit points, it gains any excess as temporary hit points. For example, a cupcake golem hit by a fireball gains back 6 hit points if the damage total is 18 points. A cupcake golem gets no saving throw against fire effects.

Sprinkle Shot (Sp): As the hail of stone spell, except it does 1d4 points of damage for every hit die it has. This ability can be used once every five rounds.

Sparkler (Su): When a cupcake golem is dealt fire damage, or is the target of a control flames power or pyrotechnics spell, any creatures adjacent to it is dealt 2d6 points of fire damage per round. A successful Reflex save (DC 20) negates the damage. The save is Dexterity based.

Thick Frosting (Ex): When a cupcake golem is struck by a weapon's melee attack, the attacker must make a DC 23 Strength check to pull its weapon from the golem's thick frosting. If the attacker fail this check by 5 or less, it recovers its weapon, but takes a -4 Dex penalty until its next turn for being off balance. If the attacker fails this check by more than 5, its weapon is stuck in the cupcake golem's frosting.

Vulnerability to Water (Ex): A cupcake golem takes 2d4 points of damage per round whenever it is immersed in water, or any other liquid substance.

Construction

A cupcake golem's body is sculpted from pure cake batter, smelted with rare frosting and sprinkles costing at least 10,000 gp. Assembling the body requires a DC 20 Profession (Cook or Chef) check or a DC 20 Craft (Baking or Fondant) check.

CL 16th; Craft Construct, Flesh to Cake, geas/quest, limited wish, caster must be at least 16th level; Price 150,000 gp; Cost 80,000 gp + 5,600 XP.


Comments:
Based mostly on the Iron Golem, because that was the CR I was looking at, I wanted to add in a few, cupcake-specific abilities to make it more interesting. Any comments or critiques are appreciated!

Many thanks to Debihuman for the thorough critique and edited formatting!

monkman
2012-04-12, 12:45 PM
For the sprinkle shot, I think you should put a limit on it,It should have to wait a number of rounds before using it again

Personally, I dont get why this golem has spell immunity, doesn't seem right.I think you should remove it. It would seem strange if you send some magic missiles at it that nothing would happen.

The acid damage for the iron cupcake golem should be removed.

For the thick frosting, What would happen if a character lost his weapon last and wanted to get it this round? Would there be any penalty for someone who has a locked gauntlet?

DeathOfAMailman
2012-04-12, 12:58 PM
For the sprinkle shot, I think you should put a limit on it,It should have to wait a number of rounds before using it again

Personally, I dont get why this golem has spell immunity, doesn't seem right.I think you should remove it. It would seem strange if you send some magic missiles at it that nothing would happen.

The acid damage for the iron cupcake golem should be removed.

For the thick frosting, What would happen if a character lost his weapon last and wanted to get it this round? Would there be any penalty for someone who has a locked gauntlet?

Alright, I'll give it a Binder-esque 5 round recharge.

All golems have magic immunity. Not gonna change.

That's one of the few things I changed from the Iron Golem, in that the Iron Golem was vulnerable to Electricity. All golems have one energy type vulnerability that is the exception to their magic immunity, and I figured that Acid is about as close to a solvent as you can get.

I'm not sure how a character would go about retrieving his weapon while the golem is still alive. Suggestions? I didn't consider Locked Gauntlets, but I figure that's a niche enough case as to leave it up to individual DMs.

Debihuman
2012-04-12, 07:19 PM
Okay, I love food monsters and yours is no exception. It's pretty good. Just a few things need a little tweaking.

Just a piece of advice, move the fluff in the special abilities to combat to keep it as clean as possible.

Con 0 is a dead creature. Constructs have Con —. Intelligence 0 means that the character cannot think and is unconscious in a coma-like stupor, helpless. Int should be — not 0. Having a score of 0 in an ability is different from having no ability score whatsoever.

Large constructs get bonus hit points based on their size. Large ones get 30 bonus hit points. 18x5.5+30=129. You got the hp right but the math was wrong.

Attack is BAB + Size modifier + Str modifier so it should be 12+10 -1, 21 not 22. AC is 10 +20+2 -1 = 31 not 30.

Sprinkle shot should be a Sp ability since it has a spell as its basis.

The reason hail of stones (see Spell Compendium pg. 108) is capped as 5d4 is because it is a 1st level spell. When you removed the cap, you still didn't say how much damage it did. I've fixed it for you. Damage is reflected in the stat block too. You also forgot to mention how many sprinkles a cupcake golem has (6d6, 10d4? 2d20?) and how long it takes to grow them back ( 24 hours?). Also, there should be a save for half damage. Since it has such a low charisma score, base the ability on Str and not Cha. 10 + spell level (1) + Str modifier = DC 21.

There should be a Reflex save for Sparkler too. I recommend a Reflex save (DC = 10 +1/2 creature's HD + Dex modifier) DC 20 to negate the damage.

"A Cupcake golem take 2d4 points of damage per round whenever it is immersed in water, or any other liquid substance." This line doesn't belong under magic immunity.

This is really a separate ability: Vulnerability to Water (Ex).

Creatures normally advance in size when they double their hit dice so it it has a max of 24 for a Large it should increase to 48 max at Huge.

See my changes to construction. Profession Chef or Cooking should be allowed as well.

Edit: is flesh to cake similar to a flesh to stone spell?

Cupcake Golem
Large Golem
Hit Dice: 18d10 +30 (129 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 31 (-1 Size, +2 Dex, +20 Natural) Touch 11, Flat-Footed 29
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+27
Attack: Slam +21 melee (2d10+10)
Full Attack: 2 Slams +21 melee (2d10+10)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Sprinkle Shot (18d4), Sparkler
Special Qualities: Construct traits, damage reduction 10/adamantine, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to magic, low-light vision, thick frosting, vulnerability to water
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +6
Abilities: Str 30, Dex 13, Con —, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 1
Skills: —
Feats: —
Environment: Any Land
Organization: Solitary or Baking Tray (4-6)
Challenge Rating: 13
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: 19-24 HD (Large), 25-48 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

This golem is a massive cupcake infused with magical energy, giving it locomotive capabilities. It can be made with frosting, sprinkles and batter of any flavor or color. Cupcake golems usually stand around 10 feet tall, weighing anywhere between 400 and 1000 lbs, depending on the density of its frosting and batter. It carries with it the smell of freshly baked cupcakes, and moves with a speed surprising for its size and shape.

Combat

A cupcake golem's sprinkles fire rapidly from its frosted top, peppering its foes with the hard candy. A cupcake golem's thick frosting provides enough protection to reduce the damage taken by all but the sharpest blades, and impedes warriors in their attempts to recover from their strikes. As a fireball strikes the lumbering beast, the candle atop the cupcake golem's head flares to life, emitting a shower of sparks that burn to the touch.

Immunity to Magic (Ex): A cupcake golem is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below.

A magical attack that deals acid damage slows an cupcake golem (as the slow spell) for 3 rounds, with no saving throw.

A magical attack that deals fire damage breaks any slow effect on the golem and heals 1 point of damage for each 3 points of damage the attack would otherwise deal. If the amount of healing would cause the golem to exceed its full normal hit points, it gains any excess as temporary hit points. For example, a cupcake golem hit by a fireball gains back 6 hit points if the damage total is 18 points. A cupcake golem gets no saving throw against fire effects.

Sprinkle Shot (Sp): As the hail of stone spell, except it does 1d4 points of damage for every hit die the cupcake golem has. This ability can be used once every five rounds. A successful Reflex save (DC 21) halves the damage. The save is Strength based.

Sparkler (Su): When a cupcake golem is dealt fire damage, or is the target of a control flames power or pyrotechnics spell, any creatures adjacent to it is dealt 2d6 points of fire damage per round. A successful Reflex save (DC 20) negates the damage. The save is Dexterity based.

Thick Frosting (Ex): When a cupcake golem is struck by a weapon's melee attack, the attacker must make a DC 23 Strength check to pull its weapon from the golem's thick frosting. If the attacker fail this check by 5 or less, it recovers its weapon, but takes a -4 Dex penalty until its next turn for being off balance. If the attacker fails this check by more than 5, its weapon is stuck in the cupcake golem's frosting.

Vulnerability to Water (Ex): A cupcake golem takes 2d4 points of damage per round whenever it is immersed in water, or any other liquid substance.

Construction

A cupcake golem's body is sculpted from pure cake batter, smelted with rare frosting and sprinkles costing at least 10,000 gp. Assembling the body requires a DC 20 Profession (Cook or Chef) check or a DC 20 Craft (Baking or Fondant) check.

CL 16th; Craft Construct, Flesh to Cake, geas/quest, limited wish, caster must be at least 16th level; Price 150,000 gp; Cost 80,000 gp + 5,600 XP.

Debby

DeathOfAMailman
2012-04-12, 07:35 PM
Okay, I love food monsters and yours is no exception. It's pretty good. Just a few things need a little tweaking.

Just a piece of advice, move the fluff in the special abilities to combat to keep it as clean as possible.

Con 0 is a dead creature. Constructs have Con —. Intelligence 0 means that the character cannot think and is unconscious in a coma-like stupor, helpless. Int should be — not 0. Having a score of 0 in an ability is different from having no ability score whatsoever.

Large constructs get bonus hit points based on their size. Large ones get 30 bonus hit points. 18x5.5+30=129. You got the hp right but the math was wrong.

Attack is BAB + Size modifier + Str modifier so it should be 12+10 -1, 21 not 22. AC is 10 +20+2 -1 = 31 not 30.

Sprinkle shot should be a Sp ability since it has a spell as its basis.

The reason hail of stones (see Spell Compendium pg. 108) is capped as 5d4 is because it is a 1st level spell. When you removed the cap, you still didn't say how much damage it did. I've fixed it for you. Damage is reflected in the stat block too. You also forgot to mention how many sprinkles a cupcake golem has (6d6, 10d4? 2d20?) and how long it takes to grow them back ( 24 hours?). Also, there should be a save for half damage. Since it has such a low charisma score, base the ability on Str and not Cha. 10 + spell level (1) + Str modifier = DC 21.

There should be a Reflex save for Sparkler too. I recommend a Reflex save (DC = 10 +1/2 creature's HD + Dex modifier) DC 20 to negate the damage.

"A Cupcake golem take 2d4 points of damage per round whenever it is immersed in water, or any other liquid substance." This line doesn't belong under magic immunity.

This is really a separate ability: Vulnerability to Water (Ex).

Creatures normally advance in size when they double their hit dice so it it has a max of 24 for a Large it should increase to 48 max at Huge.

See my changes to construction. Profession Chef or Cooking should be allowed as well.

Cupcake Golem
Large Golem
Hit Dice: 18d10 +30 (129 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 31 (-1 Size, +2 Dex, +20 Natural) Touch 11, Flat-Footed 29
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+27
Attack: Slam +21 melee (2d10+10)
Full Attack: 2 Slams +21 melee (2d10+10)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Sprinkle Shot (18d4), Sparkler
Special Qualities: Construct traits, damage reduction 10/adamantine, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to magic, low-light vision, thick frosting, vulnerability to water
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +6
Abilities: Str 30, Dex 13, Con —, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 1
Skills: —
Feats: —
Environment: Any Land
Organization: Solitary or Baking Tray (4-6)
Challenge Rating: 13
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: 19-24 HD (Large), 25-48 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

This golem is a massive cupcake infused with magical energy, giving it locomotive capabilities. It can be made with frosting, sprinkles and batter of any flavor or color. Cupcake golem usually stand around 10 feet tall, weighing anywhere between 400 and 1000 lbs, depending on the density of its frosting and batter. It carries with it the smell of freshly baked cupcakes, and moves with a speed surprising for its size and shape.


Combat

A cupcake golem's sprinkles fire rapidly from its frosted top, peppering its foes with the hard candy. A cupcake golem's thick frosting provides enough protection to reduce the damage taken by all but the sharpest blades, and impedes warriors in their attempts to recover from their strikes. As a fireball strikes the lumbering beast, the candle atop the cupcake golem's head flares to life, emitting a shower of sparks that burn to the touch.

Immunity to Magic (Ex): A cupcake golem is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below.

A magical attack that deals acid damage slows an cupcake golem (as the slow spell) for 3 rounds, with no saving throw.

A magical attack that deals fire damage breaks any slow effect on the golem and heals 1 point of damage for each 3 points of damage the attack would otherwise deal. If the amount of healing would cause the golem to exceed its full normal hit points, it gains any excess as temporary hit points. For example, a cupcake golem hit by a fireball gains back 6 hit points if the damage total is 18 points. A cupcake golem gets no saving throw against fire effects.

Sprinkle Shot (Sp): As the hail of stone spell, except it does 1d4 points of damage for every hit die it has. This ability can be used once every five rounds. A successful Reflex save (DC 21) halves the damage. The save is Strength based.

Sparkler (Su): When a cupcake golem is dealt fire damage, or is the target of a control flames power or pyrotechnics spell, any creatures adjacent to it is dealt 2d6 points of fire damage per round. A successful Reflex save (DC 20) negates the damage. The save is Dexterity based.

Thick Frosting (Ex): When a cupcake golem is struck by a weapon's melee attack, the attacker must make a DC 23 Strength check to pull its weapon from the golem's thick frosting. If the attacker fail this check by 5 or less, it recovers its weapon, but takes a -4 Dex penalty until its next turn for being off balance. If the attacker fails this check by more than 5, its weapon is stuck in the cupcake golem's frosting.

Vulnerability to Water (Ex): A cupcake golem takes 2d4 points of damage per round whenever it is immersed in water, or any other liquid substance.

Construction

A cupcake golem's body is sculpted from pure cake batter, smelted with rare frosting and sprinkles costing at least 10,000 gp. Assembling the body requires a DC 20 Profession (Cook or Chef) check or a DC 20 Craft (Baking or Fondant) check.

CL 16th; Craft Construct, Flesh to Cake, geas/quest, limited wish, caster must be at least 16th level; Price 150,000 gp; Cost 80,000 gp + 5,600 XP.

Debby

Thanks for the maths and format corrections!

The save for Sparkler is probably a good idea, but there is no save for Sprinkle Shot because it models Hail of Stone, which has no save. Additionally, I maintain that it should be an Ex ability because, though it mechanically functions using the spell's description, it is, fluff-wise, a purely non-magical attack.

Debihuman
2012-04-12, 08:56 PM
Thanks for the maths and format corrections!

The save for Sparkler is probably a good idea, but there is no save for Sprinkle Shot because it models Hail of Stone, which has no save. Additionally, I maintain that it should be an Ex ability because, though it mechanically functions using the spell's description, it is, fluff-wise, a purely non-magical attack.

Spell-like abilities usually have a save. The saving throw against a spell-like ability is: 10 + the level of the spell the ability resembles or duplicates + the creature’s Cha modifier. If there is no save, you expressly need to state it. In this case, because it does so much damage, there should be a save to halve the damage. Having a saving throw or not isn't necessarily dependent on what the spell does. In this case, throwing 18d4 damage to PCs of level 13 is too excessive without it. Since the creature's Charisma modifier is -5 and would just be too low to challenge such PCs, it should be based on the creature's Dex. This is part of how you learn to design a creature.

It has to be a challenge to the party but not be too hard to defeat. It has the potential to do 72 points of damage and on average will do 45 points of damage to everything in range.

Speaking of range, you also need to define the range. If it exactly like the spell, you are looking at 280 foot range (100 feet + 10 feet per HD). Whoa! Think about that. That's a lot more than most level 13 PCs can handle. I think that range is too far.

Let's say the PCs are 280 feet away. In the 1st round, they each take 45 points of damage. Let's say they all move at 30 feet. In 5 rounds, they are 150 closer but are still 130 feet away. They take another 45 points of damage.

They've taken 90 points of damage and still have 130 feet to close.

Let's look at 13th party with 18 Con. A 13th level wizard or sorcerer with Con 18 has at 1d4+4 hit points per level for a total of 84 average hit points. Without a save, he's quite dead.

The rogue with Con 18 has 1d6+4 too. He has 97 hit points but he's down to 7 but he's still 130 feet away so his longbow takes a -2 range penalty.

A Cleric with 18 Con has 1d8 +4 has on average 110 hit points. He's got 20 left. But he's still 130 feet away.

The fighter of course has 1d8+4 (123 hit points). So losing 90 points of damage puts him at 33 hit points.

In 4 rounds they can get within 10 feet. But in the next round they all take 45 points of damage and guess what? They all die! TPK!

This is why no save for 18d4 at CR 13 ranged attack is such a bad idea. It's just too much damage. Compared to other CR 13 creatures, yours is overpowered.

Saving for half damage at least gives the party a fighting chance. I'd also recommend shortening the range some.

Granted, I haven't included any healing the cleric might have. Even if the the cleric casts cure serious wounds (it takes him standard action to do). In 5 rounds, the creature attacks again doing more damage than the healing can cover. Each round the cleric heals 1d+13 but in 5 rounds, the creature attacks for 45 to each PC.

Debby