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The Vorpal Tribble
2007-01-16, 01:32 PM
Inspired by a freaky goat on some random episode of Xena.

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Xehoo

http://k47.pbase.com/u42/lou_smith/small/27632221.Rabidgoat.jpg

Small Magical Beast (extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 3d10+12 (28 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 20 (+1 dex, +8 natural, +1 size), touch 12, flat-footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+3
Attack: Slam +8 melee (1d6+6)
Full Attack: Slam +8 melee (1d6+6)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Bleat, fiendish portal, psychotic
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 2, immunity to confusion and sleep, low-light vision, resistance to cold, fire and sonic 5
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +2
Abilities: Str 19, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 9, Wis 13, Cha 19
Skills: Bluff +6, Intimidate +11, Search +7, Spot +7
Feats: Destructive Rage (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Destructive_Rage,CW)(B), Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack
Environment: Any land
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 4-6 HD (Small), 7-15 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: -

This appears as a common male goat of unusual strength with a pair of black horns sweeping backwards along its head. The eyes are wide and often appearing crazed while its long tongue hangs out incessantly.

Xehoo's often seem to show up out of nowhere, coming to bear witness to the birth of evil beings, most often demon bloodlines, half-fiends, tieflings and other fiendish creatures. They keep a watch over the being, going into an insane rage if any attempt to harm them. Sometimes the xehoo is specifically sent to the home and will begin to bleat during the birthing, rendering all insane while it forces its way within to collect the child and take it to be raised by its demonic parent.

Xehoos speak Abyssal and Common.

Combat
Xehoo's tend to drive their foes, which is nearly anything that movies, mad with the sound of their bleeting. They then charge them, cracking bones and battering in an attempt to cause as much pain as possible.

Bleat (Su): Those within twenty feet of a xehoo that hear its bleating must succeed on a DC 15 will save or be rendered insane for 1d4 minutes. Those that make the save become immune for 24 hours. This is a sonic, mind-affecting effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Fiendish Portal (Sp): Once per day a xehoo can cause a great burst of hellfire to spring up in an adjoining square for up to 4 rounds. Any that steps within it may use Planeshift as the spell, though can only transport to one of the Lower Planes or the Material, with perfect accuracy, the exact location determined by the Xehoo. If the Xehoo wishes, this transportation deals 4d6 fire damage to those it brings along. Good-aligned creatures also take an additional 1d6 unholy damage.

Psychotic (Ex): A xehoo that takes damage in combat flies into an insane rage on its next turn, dashing about madly with its horns until either it or its opponent is dead. It gains +4 to Strength, +4 to Constitution, and gains a +2 morale bonus to Armor Class. The xehoo cannot end its rage voluntarily. While in this rage the xehoo is in such a state of mental instability that it becomes immune to mind-affecting effects.

Skills: A xehoo gains a +4 racial bonus on intimidate, search and spot checks.

fangthane
2007-01-16, 02:27 PM
I'm beginning to realise why, chicks in leather notwithstanding, I stopped watching Xena... Campbell was the sole high point.

That said, the criticisms... :)

4d6 is an awful lot for a 3 HD critter to inflict on its passengers; I'd reduce that to 2d6, in keeping with the general "half its level in dice" philosophy (and rounded up to 2 rather than down to 1 because it's rated a 4 challenge)
Bleat has an A in it. You got it mostly right, except under Special Attacks and where it was bolded. :)

Psychotic, I don't like. Too powerful to grant a +2 to hit (and strength checks), +4 damage, +6 hp and +2 ac for free like that. Take out the AC bonus and it's OK but at low levels that's going to hurt badly.

Finally, the natural armor bonus. I'm not entirely certain but I seem to recall WotC's guideline as being that each +5 (or portion) added 1 or 2 to the CR, which obviously hasn't happened here. :)

My tendency, to eliminate (and blend) some of the wrongness I note, would be to raise its HD to 4 and its CR to 6. Alternatively, remove the AC bonus and consider raising the HD to 4 and CR to 5 instead. In any case I'd reduce the fire damage from the portal to 1/2 its HD, rounded up. (and rather than allow extra dice of damage for good-aligned creatures, I'd size it up to d8's like some spells do vs light-sensitives.)

Edit - I'm such the meanie, hacking on poor VT's fragile ego by criticising his design :smallbiggrin:

Tormsskull
2007-01-16, 02:50 PM
I used to watch that show with some regularity, but I don't recall thats specific episode. Looks cool though.

The Vorpal Tribble
2007-01-16, 02:53 PM
I'm beginning to realise why, chicks in leather notwithstanding, I stopped watching Xena... Campbell was the sole high point.
*snickers*

It was the episode where Gab gives birth to the demon child in a barn. The animals begin going insane, and one of the goats looks like it goes mad.

I watched the series through online over the course of a few months and still don't know if I liked it. Have a thread devoted to my stupification on the Media forums.


4d6 is an awful lot for a 3 HD critter to inflict on its passengers; I'd reduce that to 2d6, in keeping with the general "half its level in dice" philosophy (and rounded up to 2 rather than down to 1 because it's rated a 4 challenge)
Its no more powerful than letting it cast fireball once per day, and for its CR 4d6 is precisely right damage wise. However, keep in mind that these folks actually have to step into the portal. I suppose it could try to bullrush them into it, but otherwise it can't even hurt them. Was thinking more of it tricking them into going in with them and then getting blasted.


Bleat has an A in it. You got it mostly right, except under Special Attacks and where it was bolded. :)
D'oh...


Psychotic, I don't like. Too powerful to grant a +2 to hit (and strength checks), +4 damage, +6 hp and +2 ac for free like that. Take out the AC bonus and it's OK but at low levels that's going to hurt badly.
Except for the bonus to AC this is exactly the same as the CR 2 wolverine.


Finally, the natural armor bonus. I'm not entirely certain but I seem to recall WotC's guideline as being that each +5 (or portion) added 1 or 2 to the CR, which obviously hasn't happened here. :)
Actually, I think that was my CR estimation guide your quoting :smallamused:

Which I violate now and again when I don't think its tough enough for its estimated CR.


So...

#1. It has three possible attacks.
A) Bleat which if saved against cannot be used again, and is basically the Confusion spell which it can still attack just fine while under.
B) Fiendish Portal 1/day which you have to be forced into or gone into voluntarily and deals the damage of a standard wizard of its level.
C) Go psychotic as a Rage and deal bludgeoning damage.

I just don't know that this is so incredibly powerful for its CR. Its HP is the same as a 2nd level animal, though its AC is somewhat higher, so that works. I might increase it to a CR 5. Possibly.



Edit - I'm such the meanie, hacking on poor VT's fragile ego by criticising his design
*sniffles*

Everybody hates me...