Giant Sea Monsters

[drack]

Well I know they're out there, and that there are ways of making them, but somehow I'm drawing a blank for really big nasty sea monsters that aren't just bigger versions of normal sea life... :smallconfused:

Anywho was hopping you could toss some ideas around. :smallbiggrin:

[Novawurmson]

One word (http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/400x/24854069.jpg).

[Andorax]

How big (size category) are you looking for? How nasty (CR)? How optimized? What books do you have at your disposal?


A very brief perusing of the (Aquatic) subtype of the Monster Manual (page 4) suggests the following big, higher CR creatures that exist nowhere in nature:

Aboleth (Huge CR 8, advancable to Gargantuan)
Chull (Large CR 7, advancable to Huge)
Dragon Turtle (Huge CR 9, advancable to Gargantuan)
Sea Cat (Large CR 4, advancable to Huge)
Water Naga (Large CR 7, advancable up to Huge)

Add in Elemental (Water) and you get Water Elementals (up to Huge)

There's more, but that's just the regular Monster Manual. I need a better idea of what you're after to give you more to work with. Ship-eaters? Ocean Channel haunters? Terror-of-the-seas?

[Steward]

Ocean striders are giant fairies that lurk underwater and guard the seas.

[drack]

One word (http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/400x/24854069.jpg).

How did I forget about those... :smallconfused:

How big (size category) are you looking for? How nasty (CR)? How optimized? What books do you have at your disposal?

There's more, but that's just the regular Monster Manual. I need a better idea of what you're after to give you more to work with. Ship-eaters? Ocean Channel haunters? Terror-of-the-seas?

And how did I forget this part too? :smallconfused: Guess I'm off my game :smalltongue:

Running an epic game, I'm thinking nasty enough to sink ships, they don't necessarily nee to be able to face off head to head against epic players, but at least give the leadership followers and some higher level summons a run for their money.

[lord pringle]

If you have Elder Evils check out the Leviathan. Some of it's associates might also work.

[drack]

OK, regathered my wits and have a few thoughts forming. thanks guys. :smallbiggrin:

[Manly Man]

The Prince of the Depths. (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/Monster2_gallery/51.jpg)

[jackattack]

RW "waterspouts" are invisible tornados at sea that touch down and draw a swirling mass of water into the air.

So gigantic air elementals wouldn't be out of the question on the open sea.

And a waterborne variant of a shambling mound might be (found in) a huge raft of seaweed in the middle of the ocean (as the Sargasso Sea was sometimes described).

[Agent 451]

There's the Scyllan from Stormwrack. Huge aquatic outsider, but it's only CR 13.

On a side note: despite being a splat dedicated to oceanic adventure, there sure is a dearth of enormous, powerful, ubermean underwater terrors :smallconfused:

Edit: This link may interest you. (http://monsterfinder.dndrunde.de/results.php?id=2552086998&skip=0)

[Serpentine]

Dragon Turtles are pretty cool. There's also the Kraken, and I think there's more mundane giant squid and giant octopuses, too. There were also a whole bunch of sea serpents in a Dragon magazine, all set out like dragons. I think there's a whale-like leviathan somewhere, too (I should check out the Elder Evils one, though, cuz I've never been such a fan of whale-leviathan).
That's off the top of my head. Let's see what I can find in an index...

Enormous Flotsam Ooze, Huge, Dungeon 141
Reekmurk, Huge, Fiend Folio
Sea Tiger, Huge, MM3
Malasynep, Huge, Frostburn
Mother Of All, Huge, Dungeon 141
Caller From The Deeps, Huge, Stormwrack
Zeuglodon, Gargantuan, Frostburn
Greater Seryulin, Huge, MM3
Megalodon, Gargantuan, MM2
Scyllan, Huge, Stormwrack
Guardian Ship, Gargantuan, Dragon 333
Liopleurodon, Colossal, Dragon 318
Sea Drake, Gargantuan, Fiend Folio
Eye of the Deep, Huge, Dungeon 146
Teratomorph, Gargantuan, MM2
Lucent Worm, Gargantuan, Fiend Folio
Mind Worm, Huge, Dragon 337
Living Shipwreck, Colossal, Dungeon 141
Ocean Strider, Huge, MM2
Ocean Giant, Huge, MM2
Sea Linnorm, Gargantuan, Dragon 346
Giant Gar, Huge, Dragon 321
Sea Serpents, various, Dragon 345
Ormyrr, Huge, MM2
Sisiutl, Huge, Stormwrack
Bilge Eel, Huge, Dungeon 138
Octopus Tree, Huge, Fiend Folio
Kuo-Toa Leviathan, Huge, Underdark
Masher, Huge, Dungeon 141
Elasmosaurus, Huge, MM
Carcass Crab, Huge, Eberron
Archelon, Huge, Stormwrack
Coral Golem, Huge, Stormwrack
Mosasaur, Huge, Stormwrack
Plesiosaur, Gargantuan, Stormwrack
Siege Crab, Gargantuan, MM3

[Novawurmson]

Whale-leviathan is MMII (http://monsterfinder.dndrunde.de/details.php?id=585&backlink=%2Fallmonsters.php), and severely over-CR'ed.

[Andorax]

And...still no book list. Ok, let me give you some thoughts for a fleet-eater.



It's not sexy, but a straight-up Water Monolith (CAr, 159, CR 17) is certainly a threat to ships. To make it more eviler, throw in the Necromental template from Libris Mortis (+1 CR, makes it undead) and include an assortment of smaller Water Necromentals swarming about it in the water.



While we're on the topic of undead, let's not forget about the Psionic Handbook's Caller in Darkness. HD advanced to Huge and 33HD, it's a CR 14, so you might want to also tack on the Evolved template (Libris Mortis again) a time or three...I'd suggest at least once in a custom variation that grants Control Weather so that an unending storm and fog can cover for its sunlight vulnerability.

Since it's incorporeal, and leaves bodies completely untouched and intact when it slays them, tales can be told of a horrific storm that "eats men's souls" and leaves an intact ship full of corpses with horrific expressions but no sign of physical damage on them floating out the other side.



If Dragon Magazine's on the table, then a natural choice would be issue 345 with the literal Dragon-type Sea Serpents. Full 12-age category true dragon sea serpents, you can choose the personality/ability type you prefer (Crested, Spiked or Lantern) and whichever age category hits the CR sweet spot you're looking for...up to the CR 25 Great Wyrm Lantern Sea Serpent.




And while we're on the subject of Dragon Magazine, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention a personal favorite template (even though it's 3.0 material), the Kaiju Template from Dragon 289. A colossal-sized CR 18 Amphibious (Stormwrack template) Kaiju Grick might bend the rules of a couple of different templates, but the imagery is worth it...especially when it uses its Improved Trample [Kaiju] feat to crush a ship like a little wooden egg.



Stormwrack, of course, has plenty of other options...from a Colossal-sized HD advanced plesiosaur to a gargantuan HD-advanced Scyllan or Sisiutl.



Lords of Madness has the Eye of the Deep (p138). At maximum HD advancement (36) it's a gargantuan-sized, flying/swimming clawed orb of terror that still weighs in at a mere CR 14, so there's room for multiples or other template-based enhancements (...of Legend?).

Also in the "beholderkin" section is a horrific creature that sure looks like it would be at home in the water, and might be unrecognizable to most players...the Overseer. It, too, can advance to Gargantuan and nets a CR of 22 from the process at max HD. An Overseer with the aquatic subtype and command over a couple of advanced Eyes of the Deep....well, yeah.

[Novawurmson]

While we're on the topic of undead, let's not forget about the Psionic Handbook's Caller in Darkness. HD advanced to Huge and 33HD, it's a CR 14, so you might want to also tack on the Evolved template (Libris Mortis again) a time or three...I'd suggest at least once in a custom variation that grants Control Weather so that an unending storm and fog can cover for its sunlight vulnerability.

Since it's incorporeal, and leaves bodies completely untouched and intact when it slays them, tales can be told of a horrific storm that "eats men's souls" and leaves an intact ship full of corpses with horrific expressions but no sign of physical damage on them floating out the other side.

::mouth agape::

::bows::

[ShadowFireLance]

If Dragon Magazine's on the table, then a natural choice would be issue 345 with the literal Dragon-type Sea Serpents. Full 12-age category true dragon sea serpents, you can choose the personality/ability type you prefer (Crested, Spiked or Lantern) and whichever age category hits the CR sweet spot you're looking for...up to the CR 25 Great Wyrm Lantern Sea Serpent.
Yeah, on that, Im one of his allies, and Im the "Dragon Overlord" And Can Command Dragon without a range on that ability.
So yeah... xD

[drack]

Yeah, on that, Im one of his allies, and Im the "Dragon Overlord" And Can Command Dragon without a range on that ability.
So yeah... xD
Hope you are remembering that in my game dragon mag is submitted as homebrew. :smallwink:

[ShadowFireLance]

so? if you use it, its fair game mister DM....:smallamused:

[Serpentine]

And...still no book list.What do you mean? :smallconfused: My list included heaps of books, including the sea serpent edition of Dragon you mentioned.

[drack]

so? if you use it, its fair game mister DM....:smallamused:

No, little player, it is not, and I'm not gonna be using it anyways. :smalltongue: Already settled on something.

[Andorax]

What do you mean? :smallconfused: My list included heaps of books, including the sea serpent edition of Dragon you mentioned.

I meant the OP didn't list which books were available/accessible/eligible to draw from.

[drack]

Ah, all of them, I just needed a few suggestions to start my thoughts turning again. :smallbiggrin:

[Doorhandle]

While we're on the topic of undead, let's not forget about the Psionic Handbook's Caller in Darkness. HD advanced to Huge and 33HD, it's a CR 14, so you might want to also tack on the Evolved template (Libris Mortis again) a time or three...I'd suggest at least once in a custom variation that grants Control Weather so that an unending storm and fog can cover for its sunlight vulnerability.

Since it's incorporeal, and leaves bodies completely untouched and intact when it slays them, tales can be told of a horrific storm that "eats men's souls" and leaves an intact ship full of corpses with horrific expressions but no sign of physical damage on them floating out the other side.


....*STOLEN.*

[Andorax]

....*STOLEN.*

Glad you liked it, guys.