Darth Stabber
2012-11-18, 11:40 PM
I've been working on a homebrew monster for my bi-weekly game, and I am unsure of exactly where I am for balance. I have most of the creatures capabilities where I want them, I am more looking for an approximate CR, skill and feat tinkering, and numeric tweaking. The monster uses disparate power sources (psionics, incarnum, ToB), mostly because it follows my internal logic of how the ritual, described in the first spoiler, works, and to keep players guessing about what this monster is doing.
If you are in my D&D game, I would recommend you leave this thread immediately, though reading the first spoiler is not reccommended, it is okay, reading the second spoiler is absolutely NOT OKAY!
Heartened by the success of ashalardon's replacement of his heart with a demon, and the continued efficacy of the rites of the acolytes of the skin, a group of demonologists found a new and profoundly powerful way of corrupting the mortal form. Demons are created from souls of the dead and damned transformed into manes, then promoted into higher forms from there. But what happens if a soul is promoted while still tied to it's mortal coil?
That was the question of Gorlen, dark priest of orcus. He found that while the soul is within it's body, it impossible for even the most debased and wicked to be transformed, indeed the crude flesh of the mortal body offers a very powerful protection against this particular corruption. But what about that those that utilize their very soul and mind as a weapon? Indeed he almost reached success when he began the ritual with a willing soulknife, but the ritual snapped the link between the soul and the body, leaving him with a very intelligent dretch (in full possession of his mortal memories), but nothing more. Obviously a greater measure of spiritual fortification was in order. A soul knife who is also practiced in the ways of incarnum would be better tied together, using those wicked souls of past demonologists, and other worshippers of the foul to hold the pieces together for the duration of the rite.
The favor of a balor or higher ranking demon was needed to enact the rite, how this favor is achieved it a thought best not dwelled upon. The subject presents his mindblade, incarnum folded in, to the ritemaster. Profane prayers and dark invocations ply the demonic patron with tales of the subjects wickedness and dedication to the corruption and destruction of all mortal life. Upon the patron's foul blessing, the subject transforms, his soul now thoroughly debased and truely demonic. Each creature created in this way is unique in many ways. Instead of becoming one of the regular breeds of demons (which happens in the case of a failed rite), they retain their mortality, though their form is twisted by the corruption now inherent in their souls. Their powers are derived from their skills in life, and since they all have at least started out with some skill in psionics and incarnum, often these are enhanced.
Carnath is one such corrupted warrior who has undergone this dread rite. He served as Gorlen's bodyguard and marshal of his living warriors. He was known for his favoritism for sonic attacks and his skill with blades, and these only became more fearsome after the dread transformation. After Gorlen's defeat at the hands of the demilich Keled, Carnath wandered the zombie infested swamps of Mortosia until he was contacted by the cult of the stillborn terror, and swore his blade to the undead infant's crusade against all mortal life.
Carnath the screaming blade
medium outsider(native, chaotic, evil, tanar'i, psionic, incarnum)
HP: 200(15hd)
reach: 5ft (10ft for tentacles)
intiative: +6
base attack/grapple: +13/+18
AC: 28(10base,+6armor,+3naturalarmor,+3deflection,+3de x,+3dodge)(ff:21,touch:20)
Attack: +21 greatsword 2d6 + 11 slashing + 1d4 sonic OR +18 tentacle 1d6 + 5 bludgeoning or +19 thrown greatsword 2d6 +11 slashing +1d4 sonic OR +17 splitting longbow 1d8+1
Full Attack: +21/+16/+11 greatsword 2d6 + 11 slashing +1d4 sonic and 2* +18 tentacles 1d6 +5
Special attacks: martial manuevers, throw mind blade, psionic powers, scream of the abyss, slas.
Other special:dr 10/cold iron or good, +3 to confirm crits, 25% fortification, uncanny dodge, stances, incarnum
Saves: fort+14, ref+12, will+12
Abilities str 20, dex 16, con 20, int 16, wis16, cha20
skills: spot:+10, listen+12, balance+8, tumble+10, martial lore +10, know:arcana! +5, know: planes +5, know:psionics+5, know: religion +5, spellcraft+8, concentration+23, jump+20
Feats:Power Attack, combat expertise, combat reflexes, improved trip, shape soulmeld(thunderstep boots), open least chakra (feet), martial study(crusader's strike), martial stance(thicket of blades), mental resistance, cleave, mageslayer, knockdown
psionics:pp25, ml: 7, powers known: Expansion, call weaponry, prowess, hustle, vampiric blade
incarnum as totemist2
essentia pool:2
melds shaped:displacer cloak (totem bound), thunderstep boots (bound to feet), yrthak mask (throat)
martial manuevers as warblade
initiator level:10
stances: punishing stances, thicket of blades, pearl of black doubt
maneuvers readied: wolf fang strike, sudden leap, iron heart surge, mithril tornado, moment of perfect mind, action before thought, mind over body
SLAs effective caster level 10, saves based on charisma.
1/day: truestrike, trueseeing, scrying, unholy blight(dc19), summon tanar'i (1 vrock 50%)
@will: detect good, detect magic, comprehend languages
Scream of the Abyss: standard action, 30ft cone, shaken(cha based dc22 will negates), 8d4 sonic + 1d6 fire(con based dc22 reflex halves), 1d4 round cooldown
summon mindblade creates a +3 collision greatsword.
throw mindblade thrown mindblade has a range increment of 10'.
free draw may draw mindblade as a free action.
Stuff:+2 light fortification chainshirt, 3 potions of cure serious wounds, 1 signet ring of the stillborn terror (commune with stillborn terror 1/day, as per commune spell), abyssal gate key (create a gate to the abyss as per the spell gate 1/week), ring of deflection +3, +1 splitting longbow, 10 arrows, 5 cold iron arrows, 5 silver arrows, 5 adamantine arrows, 5 +2 human bane arrows.
Thoughts, advice, mockery?
If you are in my D&D game, I would recommend you leave this thread immediately, though reading the first spoiler is not reccommended, it is okay, reading the second spoiler is absolutely NOT OKAY!
Heartened by the success of ashalardon's replacement of his heart with a demon, and the continued efficacy of the rites of the acolytes of the skin, a group of demonologists found a new and profoundly powerful way of corrupting the mortal form. Demons are created from souls of the dead and damned transformed into manes, then promoted into higher forms from there. But what happens if a soul is promoted while still tied to it's mortal coil?
That was the question of Gorlen, dark priest of orcus. He found that while the soul is within it's body, it impossible for even the most debased and wicked to be transformed, indeed the crude flesh of the mortal body offers a very powerful protection against this particular corruption. But what about that those that utilize their very soul and mind as a weapon? Indeed he almost reached success when he began the ritual with a willing soulknife, but the ritual snapped the link between the soul and the body, leaving him with a very intelligent dretch (in full possession of his mortal memories), but nothing more. Obviously a greater measure of spiritual fortification was in order. A soul knife who is also practiced in the ways of incarnum would be better tied together, using those wicked souls of past demonologists, and other worshippers of the foul to hold the pieces together for the duration of the rite.
The favor of a balor or higher ranking demon was needed to enact the rite, how this favor is achieved it a thought best not dwelled upon. The subject presents his mindblade, incarnum folded in, to the ritemaster. Profane prayers and dark invocations ply the demonic patron with tales of the subjects wickedness and dedication to the corruption and destruction of all mortal life. Upon the patron's foul blessing, the subject transforms, his soul now thoroughly debased and truely demonic. Each creature created in this way is unique in many ways. Instead of becoming one of the regular breeds of demons (which happens in the case of a failed rite), they retain their mortality, though their form is twisted by the corruption now inherent in their souls. Their powers are derived from their skills in life, and since they all have at least started out with some skill in psionics and incarnum, often these are enhanced.
Carnath is one such corrupted warrior who has undergone this dread rite. He served as Gorlen's bodyguard and marshal of his living warriors. He was known for his favoritism for sonic attacks and his skill with blades, and these only became more fearsome after the dread transformation. After Gorlen's defeat at the hands of the demilich Keled, Carnath wandered the zombie infested swamps of Mortosia until he was contacted by the cult of the stillborn terror, and swore his blade to the undead infant's crusade against all mortal life.
Carnath the screaming blade
medium outsider(native, chaotic, evil, tanar'i, psionic, incarnum)
HP: 200(15hd)
reach: 5ft (10ft for tentacles)
intiative: +6
base attack/grapple: +13/+18
AC: 28(10base,+6armor,+3naturalarmor,+3deflection,+3de x,+3dodge)(ff:21,touch:20)
Attack: +21 greatsword 2d6 + 11 slashing + 1d4 sonic OR +18 tentacle 1d6 + 5 bludgeoning or +19 thrown greatsword 2d6 +11 slashing +1d4 sonic OR +17 splitting longbow 1d8+1
Full Attack: +21/+16/+11 greatsword 2d6 + 11 slashing +1d4 sonic and 2* +18 tentacles 1d6 +5
Special attacks: martial manuevers, throw mind blade, psionic powers, scream of the abyss, slas.
Other special:dr 10/cold iron or good, +3 to confirm crits, 25% fortification, uncanny dodge, stances, incarnum
Saves: fort+14, ref+12, will+12
Abilities str 20, dex 16, con 20, int 16, wis16, cha20
skills: spot:+10, listen+12, balance+8, tumble+10, martial lore +10, know:arcana! +5, know: planes +5, know:psionics+5, know: religion +5, spellcraft+8, concentration+23, jump+20
Feats:Power Attack, combat expertise, combat reflexes, improved trip, shape soulmeld(thunderstep boots), open least chakra (feet), martial study(crusader's strike), martial stance(thicket of blades), mental resistance, cleave, mageslayer, knockdown
psionics:pp25, ml: 7, powers known: Expansion, call weaponry, prowess, hustle, vampiric blade
incarnum as totemist2
essentia pool:2
melds shaped:displacer cloak (totem bound), thunderstep boots (bound to feet), yrthak mask (throat)
martial manuevers as warblade
initiator level:10
stances: punishing stances, thicket of blades, pearl of black doubt
maneuvers readied: wolf fang strike, sudden leap, iron heart surge, mithril tornado, moment of perfect mind, action before thought, mind over body
SLAs effective caster level 10, saves based on charisma.
1/day: truestrike, trueseeing, scrying, unholy blight(dc19), summon tanar'i (1 vrock 50%)
@will: detect good, detect magic, comprehend languages
Scream of the Abyss: standard action, 30ft cone, shaken(cha based dc22 will negates), 8d4 sonic + 1d6 fire(con based dc22 reflex halves), 1d4 round cooldown
summon mindblade creates a +3 collision greatsword.
throw mindblade thrown mindblade has a range increment of 10'.
free draw may draw mindblade as a free action.
Stuff:+2 light fortification chainshirt, 3 potions of cure serious wounds, 1 signet ring of the stillborn terror (commune with stillborn terror 1/day, as per commune spell), abyssal gate key (create a gate to the abyss as per the spell gate 1/week), ring of deflection +3, +1 splitting longbow, 10 arrows, 5 cold iron arrows, 5 silver arrows, 5 adamantine arrows, 5 +2 human bane arrows.
Thoughts, advice, mockery?