roguemetal
2012-11-30, 09:54 PM
So I've been scrounging around through Bestiaries 1-3 for some time now, feeling daunted by the sheer amount of Pathfinder monster material that I'm unfamiliar with being a classic 3.5 DM. (Though I've participated in my share Pathfinder campaigns.) In any case, I'm having trouble deciding what creatures work well together in regards to encounter make-up, especially for themed decisions on an in-game sociological/ecological level. Pathfinder does make this easier, but I was hoping to get some suggestions from a more experienced crowd. I'm going to list what I'm looking for and then what I've personally considered.
I'm looking for the following CR 5-9ish:
(Encounters of higher CR that are easily escapable are awesome.)
A Few varied encounters involving a sewer-based societies with companion creatures. (I've come up with Boggart + Slurk + Giant Toad and Gremlin Fauth + Water Nixies + Crocodiles look interesting too.)
The natural predators of the above. (I'm thinking Chuul + Cave Fisher, and Phantom Fungus + Fungal Leshy/Blindheim)
A bunch of wizard experiments gone wrong.
(I’ve considered Mephits + Mongrelmen + Carbuncle alongside Carrion Golem + Giant Amoeba/Amoeba Swarm, Chimera + Void Zombie, and maybe some Akata + Void Zombie. All together it’s a working environment.)
Reptilian/snake-like society in an arid environment, and then the creatures they command.(I can't find Yuan-Ti anymore, so I'm looking for a substitute and Naga seem too high CR to customize.)
Interesting plant-based encounters that work with undead.
(Zuvemba + Phycomid/Yellow Musk Creeper/Assassin Vine I know I'm using. Class advanced Leshy + Yellow Musk Creeper Zombies, and Allip + Garden Ooze.)
Undead and Chaotic Evil, Undead and Chaotic Neutral, Undead and Lawful Evil Outsiders separately grouped into some combinations in fair numbers without high CR. Really looking for the long dead outsider cult feel.
(Imps + Dullahan, Imps + Skeletons + Zombies, Crypt Thing + Cacodaemon + Zombies, Crawling Hands + Schir Demon, Bearded Devils + Goblin Ghosts, Attic Whisperer + anything... For the most part I feel I can't figure out any interesting combinations here without high CR. I must not be trying hard enough but it feels like undead and outsiders tend to overlap some, and when they don’t they don’t have a point of working together. It’s possible I need to simply focus on equipment for this part.)
Humanoid Clans that can survive with almost no living food save vermin and demons in a long dead necropolis.
(Dark Stalker + Dark Creeper + Darkslayer I assume work well together. Ratfolk with class levels + Giant Rats + Rust Monster since I assume they can figure out how to tame and feed them easily enough in the setting. Tiefling groups are easy option.)
Gremlin or Goblin Based Scavenger Clans.
(Goblin Dog + Goblins + ???, it feels like Goblins need some kin... and do Gremlins work when mixed? Are they just another word for Goblin but under Fey?)
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For higher CRs of the following I haven't even looked, but if you have suggestions for 10+ I will take them. For those I'm looking at:
Something of a mechanical horror with daemons in the mix somewhere.
Two separate groups of organized wizard-like (not actually wizards) beings.
(I actually have taken note of the Rhakshasa changes which I like.)
I'm looking for the following CR 5-9ish:
(Encounters of higher CR that are easily escapable are awesome.)
A Few varied encounters involving a sewer-based societies with companion creatures. (I've come up with Boggart + Slurk + Giant Toad and Gremlin Fauth + Water Nixies + Crocodiles look interesting too.)
The natural predators of the above. (I'm thinking Chuul + Cave Fisher, and Phantom Fungus + Fungal Leshy/Blindheim)
A bunch of wizard experiments gone wrong.
(I’ve considered Mephits + Mongrelmen + Carbuncle alongside Carrion Golem + Giant Amoeba/Amoeba Swarm, Chimera + Void Zombie, and maybe some Akata + Void Zombie. All together it’s a working environment.)
Reptilian/snake-like society in an arid environment, and then the creatures they command.(I can't find Yuan-Ti anymore, so I'm looking for a substitute and Naga seem too high CR to customize.)
Interesting plant-based encounters that work with undead.
(Zuvemba + Phycomid/Yellow Musk Creeper/Assassin Vine I know I'm using. Class advanced Leshy + Yellow Musk Creeper Zombies, and Allip + Garden Ooze.)
Undead and Chaotic Evil, Undead and Chaotic Neutral, Undead and Lawful Evil Outsiders separately grouped into some combinations in fair numbers without high CR. Really looking for the long dead outsider cult feel.
(Imps + Dullahan, Imps + Skeletons + Zombies, Crypt Thing + Cacodaemon + Zombies, Crawling Hands + Schir Demon, Bearded Devils + Goblin Ghosts, Attic Whisperer + anything... For the most part I feel I can't figure out any interesting combinations here without high CR. I must not be trying hard enough but it feels like undead and outsiders tend to overlap some, and when they don’t they don’t have a point of working together. It’s possible I need to simply focus on equipment for this part.)
Humanoid Clans that can survive with almost no living food save vermin and demons in a long dead necropolis.
(Dark Stalker + Dark Creeper + Darkslayer I assume work well together. Ratfolk with class levels + Giant Rats + Rust Monster since I assume they can figure out how to tame and feed them easily enough in the setting. Tiefling groups are easy option.)
Gremlin or Goblin Based Scavenger Clans.
(Goblin Dog + Goblins + ???, it feels like Goblins need some kin... and do Gremlins work when mixed? Are they just another word for Goblin but under Fey?)
__________________________________________________ ______________
For higher CRs of the following I haven't even looked, but if you have suggestions for 10+ I will take them. For those I'm looking at:
Something of a mechanical horror with daemons in the mix somewhere.
Two separate groups of organized wizard-like (not actually wizards) beings.
(I actually have taken note of the Rhakshasa changes which I like.)