PF - Skull & Shackles - Jumping Shark CRs

[unseenmage]

Jumping Shark CRs
Random % rolls to jump up shark CR for Skull & Shackles AP aka the Aquatic Lethal Encounter Generator.
The lists below were made with the idea in mind that the players can always escape on their ship rather than fight to the death so beware and use with caution.
Please be aware that the lists below also contain a hefty amount of PFSRD 3rd party content.

EDIT
To better explain, the Skull&Shackles AP has ship to ship battles during which the waters beneath are assumed to have sharks attracted by all the bloodshed. That seemed really boring to me to have just sharks so I made this.
Tried to avoid adding things like Kraken or Lusca which, to me, are less creatures attracted by blood in the water and more creatures resposible for putting blood in the water.
I might add an aquatic Bulette as a base 'shark' at some point since one of my players requested it.



To generate aquatic predators randomly, first roll 1d8 for how many templated sharks or other aquatic predators there are, and then roll a 1d100 minus the number of sharks already rolled for a given group on the Sharks & Aquatic Predators list. For example for a roll of seven sharks the subsequent d% rolls would be 1d100-0, 1d100-1, 1d100-2, 1d100-3, 1d100-4, 1d100-5, and 1d100-6. This process is repeated for each d% roll made for each shark of a given group when rolling on the Templates and Subtypes list as well.
Use the Templates and Subtypes list to modify the creature generated. Repeat for each of the sharks generated by the initial 1d8 roll.

Sharks & Aquatic Predators
01 remove the highest CR shark
02-11 Jigsaw Shark (http://archivesofnethys.com/MonsterDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Jigsaw%20Shark) CR1, 2HD, med
12-22 Bull Shark (http://archivesofnethys.com/MonsterDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Bull%20Shark) CR2, 2HD, med
23-33 Shark (http://archivesofnethys.com/MonsterDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Shark) CR2, 4HD, lrg
34-44 Hammerhead Shark (http://archivesofnethys.com/MonsterDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Hammerhead%20Shark) CR3, 4HD, lrg
45-55 Landwalker Shark (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/magical-beasts/landwalker-shark-tohc/) CR3, 4HD, lrg
56-65 Helicoprion (http://archivesofnethys.com/MonsterDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Helicoprion) CR6, 8HD, lrg
66-69 Great White Shark (http://archivesofnethys.com/MonsterDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Great%20White%20Shark ) CR4, 5HD, huge
70-73 Orca (http://archivesofnethys.com/MonsterDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Orca) CR5, 9HD, huge
74-77 Turtle-Shark (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/magical-beasts/turtle-shark/) CR6, 6HD, huge
78-81 Aqueous (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/simple-template-aqueous-creature-cr-0-or-1/) Bulette (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary/bulette.html) CR8, 8HD, huge
82-85 Oil Shark (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/magical-beasts/oil-shark/) CR7, 10HD, huge
86-87 Angustiden (http://archivesofnethys.com/MonsterDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Angustiden) CR7, 10HD, gargant
88-89 Crimson Whale (http://archivesofnethys.com/MonsterDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Crimson%20Whale) CR 8, 10HD, gargant
90-91 Zeuglodon (http://archivesofnethys.com/MonsterDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Zeuglodon) CR9, 11HD, gargant
92-93 Dire Shark (http://archivesofnethys.com/MonsterDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Dire%20Shark%20(Megal odon)) CR9, 15HD, gargant
94-95 Sea Serpent (http://archivesofnethys.com/MonsterDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Sea%20Serpent) CR12, 15HD, gargant
96-97 Basilosaurus (http://archivesofnethys.com/MonsterDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Basilosaurus) CR12, 17HD, gargant
98 Deep Sea Serpent (http://archivesofnethys.com/MonsterDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Deep%20Sea%20Serpent) CR19, 23HD, gargant
99 Aspidochelone (http://archivesofnethys.com/MonsterDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Aspidochelone) CR17, 22HD, colossal
100 roll twice again (this will add a creature to the encounter)

Templates and Subtypes
01 no template
02-10 Miniature (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/miniature-creature-cr-varies/) CR-1/2, -1/4 HD, -4 sizes
11-18 Young (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary/monsterAdvancement.html#young-creature) CR-1, -1 size
19-26 Degenerate (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary/monsterAdvancement.html#degenerate-creature) CR-1
27-30 Advanced (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary/monsterAdvancement.html#advanced-creature) CR+1
31-34 Airborne (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/airborne-creature-cr-1/) CR+1
35-38 Fungal (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary4/fungalCreature.html#fungal-creature) CR+1
39-42 Giant (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary/monsterAdvancement.html#giant-creature) CR+1, +1 size
43-46 Plagued Beast (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary5/plaguedBeast.html#creating-plagued-beast) CR+1
47-50 Primordial Creature (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/simple-template-primordial-creature-cr-0-or-1/) +1
51-54 Swarm (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/rules-for-monsters/Creature-types/#TOC-Swarm-Sbutype) or Troop (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/humanoids/troop/) Subtype CR +1 (Roll 1d10 to choose variant Troop type: 01-05 no variant, 06 Elite CR+2, 07 Phalanx CR+2, 08 Rabble CR-2, 09 Savage CR+1, 10 Skirmishers CR+1)(EDIT Creating Troops (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?542024-PF-What-s-the-CR-modifier-for-simply-adding-the-Swarm-or-Troop-subtype))
55-58 Alchemically Invisible (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/alchemically-invisible-cr-2/) CR+2
59-62 Half-Dragon (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary/halfDragon.html#half-dragon) CR+2 (Roll 1d6 to choose breath weapon element: 01 acid, 02 fire, 03 electric, 04 fire, 05 acid, 06 cold)
63-66 Two-Headed (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/two-headed-cr-1-or-2/) CR+2
67-70 Ooze Creature (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/ooze-creature-cr-3/) CR+3
71-75 Skeleton (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary/skeleton.html#skeleton) CR1 2HD, CR2 4HD to 5HD, CR3 6HD, CR4 8HD to 9HD, CR5 10HD to 11HD, CR7 15HD, CR9 22HD to 23HD
76-80 Zombie (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary/zombie.html#zombie) CR1/2 2HD, CR1 4HD, CR2 5HD to 6HD, CR4 8HD, CR5 9HD to 10HD, CR5 11HD, CR6 15HD, CR8 22HD to 23HD
81-86 Awakened (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/coreRulebook/spells/awaken.html) CR+1, +2HD
87-91 Lycanthrope (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary/lycanthrope.html#lycanthrope) (Ranger lvl 1, CR 1) CR highest+1
92 Animal Lord (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary3/animalLord.html#animal-lord) (Ranger lvl 10) CR highest+2, +10 ranger HD
93-95 Monstrous Lycanthrope (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/monstrous-lycanthrope-cr-special/) CR highest+1 (roll another templated predator)
96-98 Amalgam (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/amalgam-creature-cr-special/) CR highest+3, highest HD (roll another templated predator)
99 Gigantean (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/gigantean-creature-cr-varies/) CR+1 per 4 added HD, med x6HD, lrg&huge x4 HD, gargant x2HD, +4 sizes
100 roll twice again

[noob]

To generate magic weapons randomly, first roll 1d6 for how many templated sharks there are, and then roll on the Sharks & Aquatic Predators list. Use the Templates and Subtypes list to modify the creature generated. Repeat for each of the sharks generated by the initial 1d6 roll.

So it means that for generating magic weapons you make lots of sharks?
I guess that you are supposed to club people with sharks.

[unseenmage]

So it means that for generating magic weapons you make lots of sharks?
I guess that you are supposed to club people with sharks.

Thanks, was super late when I edited that copypasta.

Apologies.

[noob]

Thanks, was super late when I edited that copypasta.

Apologies.

You do not have to apologize.
It did put in my head the cool image of someone beating people with a shark.

[legomaster00156]

This feels like it's jumping the shark a bit. :smallbiggrin:

[unseenmage]

Have rejiggered the lists so that the higher you roll the more monstrous the size and CR you can hit.
Also restricted the biggest and baddest creatures and templates to only a single percentage chance to be rolled.

Added Aqueous Bulette by player request. Am still debating adding Vampiric template.

Also added a bit about reducing each d% roll by the number of sharks generated. This should draw back the overall CRs of larger groups of sharks some. This change will also make rolling the highest most powerful sharks and templates that much more difficult when rolling a group of sharks.

Took all of my resolve not to populate these lists with Construct shenaniganery. (I do so love me some Construct shenaniganery... :smalltongue:)

Some weirdnesses...
When you roll Monstrous Lycanthrope it currently generates a SharkA were-SharkB that infects victims with SharkB lycanthropy.
Animal Lord adds 10 levels of Ranger. It just kinda does.
Lycanthrope assumes at least 1 level of Ranger for simplicities sake.
The Swarm and Troop subtypes aren't templates but I'm using them as such.

An intentional weirdness is that one could theoretically roll quite the template stacked monstrous monster. During testing my wife managed to roll an Amalgam of a SharkA with a Monstrous Lycanthrope SharkB that inflicted SharkC lycanthropy which in turn was also Amalgamed to SharkD... It was complicated. Delightful, but veeeery very complicated.
These lists were modeled after the old 3.0 random magic weapon enhancements charts where a low level party could obtain nigh epic loot if treasure was rolled randomly and somebody got lucky more than a few times.

For the record, I do definitely intend to use these lists in an IRL game (starting next week actually!) but it is with two caveats, 1) it's mostly tongue in cheek and 2) with the understanding that, barring extreme circumstances, the PCs can always just sail away from the encounter. (Though now I think about it a couple of these creatures/templates generate something big enough to see even an entire pirate ship as food... oh well; Should be !FUN!)

[Florian]

How about adding flying scavengers to the list, from the humble sea gull to the tribe of vulture-riding goblin alchemists?

[unseenmage]

So have been using these charts for the S&S AP game I'm running. We've seen one island turtle and roughly one sentient critter per encounter, strangely.

As an added bonus the wife and 2 yr old daughter of the guy who hosts our games love rolling on the shark chart and watching us squirm because they roll high more often than not. :smallsmile:



How about adding flying scavengers to the list, from the humble sea gull to the tribe of vulture-riding goblin alchemists?

Well crud, I thought I'd responded to this. The game this is for was on a 2 week hiatus so I guess my brain just turned all related info off too. My bad.


No super interested in adding the aerial threats at present. Might later though, all depends on how bored my players get seeing sharks.