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View Full Version : Pathfinder "Aah, you were at my side, all along." [Monster]



Krimm_Blackleaf
2016-07-14, 10:49 PM
Ludwig the Accursed
The Holy Blade
https://i.imgur.com/MT2tmn7.jpg

This titanic beast is something awful to behold, a terrible and unnatural amalgam of beast and man. It is hunched over and it's body twisted, but it still moves with animalistic viciousness. It's head looks like a gruesome mashup of a human face and a horse's head. Coming from it's neck is a terrible circular maw, apparently filled with eyes and dripping with bile. It's upper body is a thin but muscular humanoid torso, draped in ancient tattered cloth and a rusted longsword embedded in the cloth and wirey hair. Each arm is ended with tremendous claws, well honed. It's lower body looks to be a mangled mess of horse limbs, somehow holding the monstrosity up and moving it with unexpected swiftness.
The monster draws the rusted sword from his back and whispers into it as one would a lover, and it glows to life as a terrific and gleaming moonlight greatsword.

It's said that Ludwig was once a mighty knight, and the founder of the Healing Church. He wielded a powerful magical sword known as the Moonlight blade, known for it's incredible eldritch light and holy power. In the ages between his founding of the Church and his current state, he took the blood upon himself and became a monster worse than the ones he once fought. Not only has the once powerful knight become a horrifying monster, but he's also gone completely mad, not even aware of his transformation.

Ludwig, the Accursed - CR 20
XP 307,200
CN Huge monstrous humanoid
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +13

DEFENSE
AC 33, touch 10, flat-footed 31 (+1 Dex, +23 Natural, +1 Dodge, -2 Size)
hp 462 (25d10+325); undying
Fort +29, Ref +24, Will +36
DR 15/magic and silver; Immune disease, mind-affecting, fear, confusion, Wis damage; Resist cold 15, acid 15
SQ thread of light

OFFENSE
Speed 50 ft.
Melee Moonlight blade +46/+41/+36/+31 (4d6+29, 19-20) or 2 claws +40 (1d8+17), bite +40 (2d6+17), 2 hooves +35 (1d8+8)
Ranged bile spit +24 touch (10d6+12 plus blood plague) or flying arc +29 touch (4d6+38, 19-20)
Space 15 ft., Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks breath weapon (15d6, blood plague), blood plague, guiding light, pounce, smite

STATISTICS
Str 45, Dex 13, Con 35, Int 12, Wis 6, Cha 28
Base Atk +25; CMB +44 (+46 Bull Rush, Overrun); CMD 55 (57 vs Bull Rush, Overrun, Trip)
Feats Ability Focus (guiding moonlight), Awesome Blow, Cleave, Dodge, Great Cleave, Greater Overrun, Greater Bull Rush, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Initiative, Improved Overrun, Power Attack, Toughness, Weapon Focus (Greatsword)
Skills Acrobatics +10, Climb +35, Heal +16, Intimidate +24, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +11, Knowledge (nobility) +14, Knowledge (religion) +17, Perception +13, Spellcraft +16, Swim +27
Languages Common, Aklo

SPECIAL ABILITIES
Bile Spit (Ex) Once per round as a standard action, Ludwig can vomit a jet of acidic bile at an opponent as a ranged touch attack. If the attack hits, the victim is subject to blood plague (see below). Ludwig cannot use this ability in the same round that he uses his breath weapon. Instead of adding Strength to damage, Ludwig adds Constitution.

Breath Weapon (Ex) Once per round as a full-round action, Ludwig can spray a vile bodily fluid in a 30 ft. cone. Anyone caught in the cone takes 15d6 points of acid damage (DC 34 Ref save for half) and must make a Fortitude save or contract blood plague. Ludwig cannot use this ability in the same round that he uses his ranged bile attack. Once used, Ludwig must wait 1d4 rounds before using it again. Save DC's for this ability are Con-based.

Disease (Ex) Anyone who is hit by Ludwig's bile spit or breath weapon is subject to the Blood Plague disease.
Cause Ludwig the Accursed
Type disease, contact; Save Fortitude DC 34 (based on Ludwig's Con modifier)
Onset 1/day; Frequency 1/day
Effect 1d6 Con damage and 1d6 Cha damage; subject grows more and more monstrous as they wither away. Once they reach 1 Con or 1 Cha, their ability scores are restored to normal, but they permanently become an afflicted hybrid werewolf under the GM's control that is aggressive to all creatures in sight except other creatures afflicted with lycanthropy from any source.

Guiding Moonlight (Su) When wielding the Moonlight blade, Ludwig is capable of making a handful of otherworldly attacks using the eldritch moonlight. Once per round as a standard action, he can either make a flying arc attack or a burst attack.
The flying arc attack counts as a ranged touch attack with a range of 100 ft. that does the blade's normal damage though the damage now is untyped, and Ludwig can add his Charisma modifier to the damage, in addition to Strength. As a full attack action, Ludwig can use a flying arc attack four times, so long as no two targets are more than 30 ft. apart.
The burst attack is one centered on Ludwig, either by holding the blade up or by slamming it into the ground at his feet. Anyone within 30 ft. takes 20d6 untyped damage, but can make a DC 33 Reflex save for half damage. Once any of these abilities have been used, Ludwig must wait 1d4 rounds before using them again. All save DC's associated with this ability are Cha-based, and are improved by the Ability Focus feat, already figured into Ludwig's stat block.

Pounce (Ex) Whenever Ludwig makes a charge attack, he can make a full attack action.

Smite (Su) Once per day as a swift action, if Ludwig is wielding his Moonlight blade, he may smite a target he percieves as being a heretical enemy. He adds his Charisma modifier (+9) to his attack rolls with the sword, and adds his HD to damage (+25). This effect persists until the target is dead or Ludwig rests.

True Mentor (Ex) When wielding his beloved sword, the Moonlight blade, it resizes to suit him as an appropriately sized greatsword. Normally, the moonlight blade is sized for a medium creature.

Thread of Light (Su) Ludwig is forsaken, a beast beyond redemption and stripped of almost all of his former self. Yet he clings to one sliver of light, a fleeting thing. He adds his Charisma modifier to his saving throws, and strong against his own madness, adds his Constitution modifier to his Will saving throws instead of Wisdom.

Undying (Ex) No matter how far into negative hitpoints Ludwig is brought, he will not die unless his head is destroyed by a holy or unholy weapon. Ludwig is also capable of comprehending his surroundings in negative hitpoints, as well as having thoughts and speaking. No matter how destroyed his body is, so long as his head is intact he is capable of comprehension and speaking. Ludwig is still immobilized while in negative hp, and will continue to bleed until stabilized.


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The Moonlight Blade [Minor Artifact]
This sword is the holy weapon of the founder of the Healing Church, Ludwig. Though in it's normal state, it appears as nothing more than a silvered longsword, when activated it becomes a glorious glowing greatsword. In it's normal state, it is a +3 longsword that overcomes DR as though it were both good aligned and silver. When activated, it becomes a glorious glowing +5 holy greatsword that overcomes DR as though it were silver, and once per round as a standard action the wielder can make a ranged attack using the sword, firing a small wave of eldritch moonlight. The weapon's special attack has a range of 30 ft. Additionally, though the blade is a holy weapon it also imposes the same extra damage on all aberrations and monstrous humanoids as though they were evil. If they are also evil, the damage doesn't stack.
CL 20th, strong evocation

Tanuki Tales
2016-07-14, 11:08 PM
Can Ludwig's body reassemble itself?

Will creatures that are transformed by the Blood Plague attack Ludwig? Do they transmit Lycanthropy or the Blood Plague? Will the creatures transformed by the Blood Plague also attack each other, or do they work as a roaming, unstoppable horde?

Krimm_Blackleaf
2016-07-14, 11:11 PM
Can Ludwig's body reassemble itself?

Will creatures that are transformed by the Blood Plague attack Ludwig? Do they transmit Lycanthropy or the Blood Plague? Will the creatures transformed by the Blood Plague also attack each other, or do they work as a roaming, unstoppable horde?

Nope. He would have to be healed up and possibly regenerated, but otherwise his head would remain alive and conscious. They would attack Ludwig, but if they're in his presence for the entire day they probably have other issues. Lycanthropy. Initially I imagined them attacking eachother, but as a mindless horde they are definitely scarier. I'll alter it to clarify.

Tanuki Tales
2016-07-14, 11:16 PM
They would attack Ludwig, but if they're in his presence for the entire day they probably have other issues. Lycanthropy. Initially I imagined them attacking eachother, but as a mindless horde they are definitely scarier. I'll alter it to clarify.

So those they attack, who survive, would become regular afflicted werewolves and be targets for the horde?

Krimm_Blackleaf
2016-07-14, 11:19 PM
So those they attack, who survive, would become regular afflicted werewolves and be targets for the horde?

Good point, they shouldn't be. I'll alter again.

The Tygre
2016-07-15, 12:01 AM
Krimm and Bloodborne.

This is just a match made in Heaven. :smallcool:

Krimm_Blackleaf
2016-07-15, 12:22 AM
Krimm and Bloodborne.

This is just a match made in Heaven. :smallcool:

And more on the way! Hopefully!

Xefas
2016-07-18, 05:22 AM
Krimm Blackleaf. Now that is a name I've not heard in a long time.

For this beastie, I'd say he's got the oomph in a straightforward brawl to merit CR20, but his defenses are lacking against anything that doesn't just come right up and try to melee him. His Perception is low enough that anyone with a decent stealth investment and a ranged weapon is going to give him trouble. He can't fly and his ranged options are fairly short. Perhaps most glaring of all is his abysmal +13 Will save. Non-mind-affecting Will-save spells are going to ruin his day, such as Plane Shift, Imprisonment, and Trap The Soul.

Perhaps he could do with a splash of Diamond Mind maneuvers? Hearing The Air and Moment of Perfect Mind would go a ways to shoring up his defenses. Of course, the more straightforward thing would just be to give him passively improved animal senses (he's sort of animaly, so its not unjustified) and a Will bonus. But martial disciplines are fancier.

Amechra
2016-07-18, 01:44 PM
Heh, excellent. I think you captured Ludwig quite well. I do think he could do with improved Will saves, though.

Now I want to see Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower. That was one of the more... visually interesting fights, after all.

Tanuki Tales
2016-07-18, 04:43 PM
Krimm Blackleaf. Now that is a name I've not heard in a long time.

For this beastie, I'd say he's got the oomph in a straightforward brawl to merit CR20, but his defenses are lacking against anything that doesn't just come right up and try to melee him. His Perception is low enough that anyone with a decent stealth investment and a ranged weapon is going to give him trouble. He can't fly and his ranged options are fairly short. Perhaps most glaring of all is his abysmal +13 Will save. Non-mind-affecting Will-save spells are going to ruin his day, such as Plane Shift, Imprisonment, and Trap The Soul.

Perhaps he could do with a splash of Diamond Mind maneuvers? Hearing The Air and Moment of Perfect Mind would go a ways to shoring up his defenses. Of course, the more straightforward thing would just be to give him passively improved animal senses (he's sort of animaly, so its not unjustified) and a Will bonus. But martial disciplines are fancier.

Going to agree with Xefas on the defenses being lacking; I just wanted to clear up muddy subjects I saw was in what you had written up and didn't feel it was my place to mention he was kind of fragile.

Unfortunately, I don't know Path of War to know if there are similar Diamond Mind maneuvers. Regardless, I'd suggest against cluttering Ludwig up by requiring subsystem knowledge and just give him these kinds of abilities baked in.

Krimm_Blackleaf
2016-07-20, 12:14 AM
Krimm Blackleaf. Now that is a name I've not heard in a long time.

For this beastie, I'd say he's got the oomph in a straightforward brawl to merit CR20, but his defenses are lacking against anything that doesn't just come right up and try to melee him. His Perception is low enough that anyone with a decent stealth investment and a ranged weapon is going to give him trouble. He can't fly and his ranged options are fairly short. Perhaps most glaring of all is his abysmal +13 Will save. Non-mind-affecting Will-save spells are going to ruin his day, such as Plane Shift, Imprisonment, and Trap The Soul.

Perhaps he could do with a splash of Diamond Mind maneuvers? Hearing The Air and Moment of Perfect Mind would go a ways to shoring up his defenses. Of course, the more straightforward thing would just be to give him passively improved animal senses (he's sort of animaly, so its not unjustified) and a Will bonus. But martial disciplines are fancier.


Going to agree with Xefas on the defenses being lacking; I just wanted to clear up muddy subjects I saw was in what you had written up and didn't feel it was my place to mention he was kind of fragile.

Unfortunately, I don't know Path of War to know if there are similar Diamond Mind maneuvers. Regardless, I'd suggest against cluttering Ludwig up by requiring subsystem knowledge and just give him these kinds of abilities baked in.

I couldn't agree more. I could definitely strengthen his defenses in an all-round sort of way, instead of just against your average Hunter. I'll work on it now and post again when I've modified him. I can think of a few things that relate directly to his strength as a melee combatant with a holy sword(Note: Ludwig's class skills are all Paladin class skills, not that of a monstrous humanoid). That being said, I have been trying to avoid Path of War ever since I got into Pathfinder. That may sound blasphemous, but sometimes I wonder if ToB was always just a crutch for me...


Heh, excellent. I think you captured Ludwig quite well. I do think he could do with improved Will saves, though.

Now I want to see Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower. That was one of the more... visually interesting fights, after all.

I was actually thinking of trying to compose a series of human characters from Bloodborne, using base classes and adding their own unique flairs. Lady Maria is the first on my list.

Krimm_Blackleaf
2016-07-20, 12:27 AM
Already done. Added a save-boosting ability, one that puts him far and above his former self. He also now has scent, and I increased his ranged blade attack to 100 ft. instead of 50 ft.

Xefas
2016-07-20, 12:32 AM
That may sound blasphemous, but sometimes I wonder if ToB was always just a crutch for me...

It's definitely a crutch in general.


Already done. Added a save-boosting ability, one that puts him far and above his former self.

Divine Grace + Steadfast Determination. I can dig it. If you were going for Paladin allusions, I'd say it was a good choice.

Krimm_Blackleaf
2016-07-20, 04:19 PM
I made another adjustment to undying for clarity.