CyberThread
2014-10-25, 02:53 PM
Good Evening folks, this is a bit of a long winded project of mine. That instead of running some sort of long winded top 10 list, I will do a weekly segment on one monster. These monsters will avoid the daily known archtypes of wolfs,orcs,liches, and dragons. Instead try to introduce players and dungeon masters to monsters that a bit more niche or overlooked.
As the MMI just got released and we don't know when the next batch will come from, I may mix it up sometimes with some homebrew creations that are well crafted and deserve attention
As this is our first installment, please feel free to suggest formatting or topics you would like to focus on in the future, that make it easier to read .
SCARECROW!
http://i.imgur.com/HxvgUpz.jpg
This is a hidden classic, a horror that comes from many standards of fiction but one that is underused for table games. You have the perfect mixture of golemn and surprise without the cliche bad things happen to good folks.
This monster comes with a recommended challenge level of 1, granting it a unique challenge for a level one player it has immunites that constructs deeply benefit from. Making it a challenge for the small list of abilties that players have, but they may well thing the creature is some sort of demonic or spirit creature letting them waste spells before learning it is an object not a living creature.
While following the usual evil vs good tropes, you can do what any good player would enjoy. Kill it with fire, providing a traditional bane for unnatural evil things that you will find in fantasy fare.
Now, this creature comes with several resist types for all the non-magical weapons, and having a rather high HP well, this creature should be treated as a boss creature at such a low level. Even if you point out the creature having straw sticking out, and several key flammable things, some players may be to thick to remember such things. Another doozy , is the creatures terrifying gaze.
It can paralyze one person with fear while, providing a bad position for players who do not use the wisdom save. Another doozy is this is not a one time thing, the creature can reuse this constantly without taking any penalty in the turn economy. Letting it freeze someone in a surprise round with a still an attack. It has both a very high hit chance, and a very strong damage ratio that it could very easily kill a character in one hit even if fully healed having access to greatweapon damage, with multiattack functions.
With such a powerful single target freeze, high hp ,resistance to so many damage types wit abilities, and strong melee attacks . This creature makes a great low level boss, or monster of the week for any party that is around level 1 or 2.
At higher levels, if you group them up with other monsters, even with the relatively low scare DC check, you can keep these monsters fresh and a challenge.
Great Solo Boss Monster for level 1 and 2 players.
Big HP, Very Strong Melee attacks, constant single target paralyze abiltiy.
Immunities to most forms of damage and status effects but extra damage from fire.
Good traditional monster of the week type, that provides good abilties later at higher levels due to the strong attack, various immunities and large hit points.
You can throw some :Stronger Evil Spirit inhabiting this creation then normal: Logic behind this.
I have two suggestions that should not take up much of a DM's time.
Throw in a half dragon template on the creature. Tinge the hay red, get rid of the fire does extra damage, force them to keep within the prospect of facing a creature they normally would just fireball. This template providing a breath weapon, giving the creature some range.
For every 3 levels your players are, increase the freeze DC by 1.5 rounded down. Level 3 players should have a +1 variant, while level 6 players should have a +3 variant on the DC check, keeping you ahead of the curve. Eventually you will also want to make the monsters claws do magical damage and increase the HP to better suit what level of a challenge you wish it to provide. For every 3 levels add another 30 HP, and add an extra scarecrow if you wish for the encounter to be serious and deadly.
The final suggestion for players that are level 8 or more. Slap the Mage template onto the scarecrow, it provides the widest range of increases, providing a foe with many basic immunites and a wide spread magical concept. Allowing the potential for some sort of immerisive rp potentials if you wish for it to talk with others, and interact rather then just be a throw away monster to kill.
Well this is my first shot, I hope you enjoyed reading it and exploring some potentials the creature has. Please again, feel free to suggest editing for future efforts.
As the MMI just got released and we don't know when the next batch will come from, I may mix it up sometimes with some homebrew creations that are well crafted and deserve attention
As this is our first installment, please feel free to suggest formatting or topics you would like to focus on in the future, that make it easier to read .
SCARECROW!
http://i.imgur.com/HxvgUpz.jpg
This is a hidden classic, a horror that comes from many standards of fiction but one that is underused for table games. You have the perfect mixture of golemn and surprise without the cliche bad things happen to good folks.
This monster comes with a recommended challenge level of 1, granting it a unique challenge for a level one player it has immunites that constructs deeply benefit from. Making it a challenge for the small list of abilties that players have, but they may well thing the creature is some sort of demonic or spirit creature letting them waste spells before learning it is an object not a living creature.
While following the usual evil vs good tropes, you can do what any good player would enjoy. Kill it with fire, providing a traditional bane for unnatural evil things that you will find in fantasy fare.
Now, this creature comes with several resist types for all the non-magical weapons, and having a rather high HP well, this creature should be treated as a boss creature at such a low level. Even if you point out the creature having straw sticking out, and several key flammable things, some players may be to thick to remember such things. Another doozy , is the creatures terrifying gaze.
It can paralyze one person with fear while, providing a bad position for players who do not use the wisdom save. Another doozy is this is not a one time thing, the creature can reuse this constantly without taking any penalty in the turn economy. Letting it freeze someone in a surprise round with a still an attack. It has both a very high hit chance, and a very strong damage ratio that it could very easily kill a character in one hit even if fully healed having access to greatweapon damage, with multiattack functions.
With such a powerful single target freeze, high hp ,resistance to so many damage types wit abilities, and strong melee attacks . This creature makes a great low level boss, or monster of the week for any party that is around level 1 or 2.
At higher levels, if you group them up with other monsters, even with the relatively low scare DC check, you can keep these monsters fresh and a challenge.
Great Solo Boss Monster for level 1 and 2 players.
Big HP, Very Strong Melee attacks, constant single target paralyze abiltiy.
Immunities to most forms of damage and status effects but extra damage from fire.
Good traditional monster of the week type, that provides good abilties later at higher levels due to the strong attack, various immunities and large hit points.
You can throw some :Stronger Evil Spirit inhabiting this creation then normal: Logic behind this.
I have two suggestions that should not take up much of a DM's time.
Throw in a half dragon template on the creature. Tinge the hay red, get rid of the fire does extra damage, force them to keep within the prospect of facing a creature they normally would just fireball. This template providing a breath weapon, giving the creature some range.
For every 3 levels your players are, increase the freeze DC by 1.5 rounded down. Level 3 players should have a +1 variant, while level 6 players should have a +3 variant on the DC check, keeping you ahead of the curve. Eventually you will also want to make the monsters claws do magical damage and increase the HP to better suit what level of a challenge you wish it to provide. For every 3 levels add another 30 HP, and add an extra scarecrow if you wish for the encounter to be serious and deadly.
The final suggestion for players that are level 8 or more. Slap the Mage template onto the scarecrow, it provides the widest range of increases, providing a foe with many basic immunites and a wide spread magical concept. Allowing the potential for some sort of immerisive rp potentials if you wish for it to talk with others, and interact rather then just be a throw away monster to kill.
Well this is my first shot, I hope you enjoyed reading it and exploring some potentials the creature has. Please again, feel free to suggest editing for future efforts.