useful/interesting SU abilities from creatures?

[Pinkie Pyro]

Recently in my campaign, my players came across a deck of many things, with all the effects coming from a custom table I made specifically for this one.

however, I was looking over it and noticed that i had left out a sub-table, one of the effects grants the drawer of the card a random SU ability.

so, what kind of SU abilities would be good for the table? all i can think of at the moment are swallow whole and breath weapon.

please keep them as SUs from monsters, and thank you for the help.

[DeltaEmil]

Well, the most useful supernatural ability would probably be a supernatural wish ability (so no xp costs when using that ability, and it cannot be dispelled), like the Zodar from the Fiend Folio has one.

[Aegis013]

Well, the most useful supernatural ability would probably be a supernatural wish ability (so no xp costs when using that ability, and it cannot be dispelled), like the Zodar from the Fiend Folio has one.

That would be extremely useful, though I suspect it is outside of the power level DeltaEmil is looking for.

Are breath weapon and swallow whole the types/level of usefulness of abilities you are looking for for this sub-table?

[ace rooster]

The pixie's natural invisability is a fun one, and while not supernatural, dragon senses (better low light vision, darkvision 120ft and blindsense 60ft) could be worth offering. The dryad's tree dependent 'ability' could be a fun boobie prize, forcing the player to somehow carry an enourmous oak tree with them at all times.

Is the ability newly created, or is it actually stolen from a creature. 'Wish' as a spell like ability could be amusing if the cost is a pissed of zodar that wants its wish back.

[cakellene]

Swallow Whole will have limited value unless the PCs are large or bigger and iirc it's (Ex) not (Su).

[Drachasor]

I think you should drop the requirement it must definitely come from a creature. Make a list of thing that are nice but won't unbalanced the game.

Change Shape for almost any form is good, since it doesn't alter stats.

Alternate Form can also be good depending on the form (Wild Shape is based on it).

Breath Weapons can be perfectly balanced (as you already noted).

At 9th+ various modes of Flight are rather expected and so giving a player Flight is fine.

Even a low level of Fast Healing should be fine.

Telepathy can be fun.

Spell Immunity for certain spells or low level spells (like 0th or 1st) could be nice.

I'd avoid Gaze attacks, since they tend to be pretty powerful. But if you picked a weak or mostly flavorful effect, it could be interesting.

But overall I'd mostly use something like this for fun abilities and avoid anything that adds raw power. Stuff that adds options (like a Breath Weapon that does 1d6/level or a status effect) can be very nice for non-casters though.

[Andezzar]

Why are you looking for balance? The cards in the deck of many things are not balanced against each other, nor is it balanced against other things in the book. It is an artifact.

So SU Wish could indeed be on the list, as well as something as "useless" as a wraith's Unnatural Aura.

HiPS from the dark creature template (the Cormyr Version) could be interesting.

How about SU flight?

Fast healing and/or regeneration could be another option.

For more just look over the list of Special Abilities (http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/specialAbilities.htm#) in the SRD.

[Eldariel]

Beholder's Eye Rays are a single Supernatural Ability. That's pretty nice versatility. Anti-Magic Ray is another one but naturally the Eye Rays are better; free actions and all. This goes for most of the Beholderkin in general, naturally.

Nightmare's Etherealness and Astral Projection are also Supernatural and absolutely awesome.

Fiend Folio of course has its Chronotyryn with Dual Actions, which would be winning the lottery so probably a bit too awesome.


There are lots of different simple attacks (Breath Weapons, Sonic Screech, Thunderclap, etc.); those are relatively uninspiring and I probably wouldn't have more than 1-2 there.

Any of Phane (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/monsters/abomination.htm#phane)'s abilities are pretty cool. Time Manipulation in general is awesome. Well, except for the 15d6 nuke, that's just whatever.

Oh, and if you want someone to be omniscient, you can of course include Elemental Weird's "Prescience".