Randel
2007-09-02, 12:53 AM
Okay, this is my first attempt at making a monster and I pretty much have no Idea on the mechanics involved in making one, this is basically just an Allips stats with less hit dice and loses the Lightning Reflexes feat.
The basic idea is that this creature absorbs the soul of a recently slain creature and the 'victim' becomes the monsters brain for the next few days after which it is permanently destroyed unless the monster is destroyed first (which would basically be asking the now spectral character to commit suicide or just get itself killed). This can be used to give a recently slain player a way to act while they wait for their body to be raised or let a monster get back in the action for a little. It also can add some mystery since ideally this isn't even recognized as a monster, they just know that there is a mysterious fog, people have trouble healing, and then somebody comes back as a ghost when slain.
Wondering if the transformation should instead give the player a ghost-like template instead of just controlling a really weak incorporeal monster or if that would be too much hassle for players if they basically only have a few days to live in this state.
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Ghostheart
Size/Type: Medium Undead
Hit Dice: 3d12 (18 hp)
Initiative: + 4
Speed: Fly 30 ft. (perfect) (6 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (+1 Dex, +4 deflection), touch 15, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/-
Attack: Incorporeal touch +3 melee (1d4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft. /5 ft.
Special Attacks: Mist Form, Deathwatch, Absorb Soul
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., incorporeal traits, +2 turn resistance, undead traits
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +4
Abilities: Str -, Dex 12, Con -, Int 1, Wis 10, Cha 1
Skills: Hide +8, Intimidate +7, Listen + 7, Search +4, Spot +7, Survival +0 (+2 following tracks)
Feats: Improved Initiative
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 2
Alignment: Neutral
Adjustment: -
A Ghostheart is a mindless foggy white mist of negative energy, normally manifesting as a light fog in a 10 foot cube. While mindless, it does have an instinctive desire for purpose... for control... for a soul to give it a semblance of existence. In its natural form it cannot attack since it has no concept of what attacking or violence is, all it can do is sense the presence of sentient minds and it instinctively travels towards them to try and claim them when they become freed (killed) by other means. It can however dampen healing affects made toward creatures occupying its space. Once it claims a soul it fashions its form into a spectral body for the soul and then lets the soul 'take charge' the Ghostheart gains enjoyment and a sense of fulfillment by feeling the emotions, thoughts, and senses that its occupying soul experiences in this form. However, in doing so it slowly consumes the soul it carries and completely destroys it after a few days. If a Ghostheart is destroyed before this happens the soul inside it is freed to pass to the afterlife or be resurrected with no ill effects. While it contains a soul, it gains some sentience and can speak any language that the captured soul can speak.
Combat
As a mindless fog, the Ghostheart can not attack and merely follows living creatures it sees favoring the one with the strongest soul (generally the highest level, highest intelligence or otherwise depending on taste) it tries to occupy the same space as them in order to capture their soul upon death and to hamper their ability to heal. Once it claims a soul, that creatures soul effectivly controlls the ghostheart as if through a magic jar effect unless it becomes clear that the ghostheart may be destroyed through the souls actions, at which point the ghostheart may supress the souls control and attempt to flee. Ghosthearts can only attack when they have a soul and usually only if the soul decides to do so.
Mindless Mist(su)
When not carrying a soul, the Ghostheart takes on an appearance of a white mist that occupies a 10 ft. square (or 4 squares). Living creatures occupying the same space as a Ghostheart mist feel a slight chill. Also, any magical healing directed to a creature in a Ghostheart filled square is only healed half as much as it would normally (rounded down). Healing not directed at the Ghostheart does not damage it. Creatures in a space occupied by a Ghostheart cannot regain hit points naturally and do not stabilize on their own if dying. In this state, it increases to a large size, it cannot take on a Mindless Mist form while it has a soul, and it can be attacked as normal by creatures occupying its space. Creatures occupying its space receive no damage from this but do suffer the aforementioned limits on healing.
Deathwatch(su)
A ghostheart can always sense the conditions of those around it as it by the Deathwatch spell. It can also detect the souls of the recently departed before they leave the plane (usually souls stay about 3 rounds after death).
Absorb Soul (su)
As a standard action, a Ghostheart may absorb the soul of a creature slain recently provided that it can reach the square the creature was slain at within 3 rounds. Once it claims the soul, the Ghostheart replaces its current Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores with those of the slain creature and it can now speak any language the slain creature knew.
Once it gains a soul, it will slowly digest it over the course of 1d4+3 days. The soul inside it gets a general idea that its time is growing short but not that it is being digested. When that time is up the soul is permanently destroyed unless the Ghostheart is destroyed before then. If the Ghostheart is destroyed before the very end the soul is freed to pass on to the afterlife or be resurrected, the soul suffers no lasting damage provided it is freed before the very end.
Differ Control
As a free action a Ghostheart may deffer control of its body to the soul it has captured. The soul can speak and attack using the Ghosthearts statistics but cannot use any of its special abilities. It can also remove this control, where the soul remains conscious and can see and hear everything the Ghostheart can see or hear. The Ghostheart may also communicate with the soul by speaking, at which point the soul can hear the words coming from its mouth.
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Hooks
A PC dies and is appears to have come back as a ghost, however they are slowly fading away over a few days and its unsure if they will simply pass on to the afterlife or not. The Ghostheart seems to make absolutely no actions to make its existence known.
A PC dies but appears to have developed a split personality as a ghost, usually they talk normally but occasionally switch to another personality that finds sentient life fascinating and wants to ask lots of questions. The Ghostheart takes control intermittently and develops its own personality.
A PC dies and a ghostlike being appears above it, this being cackles and stares at its new spectral body which looks allot like that of the fallen PC. It screams out "I'm Alive... I'm ALIVE!" and begins flying around to look at this world through its new eyes and ears. The Ghostheart is in full control and generally suppresses any attempts the captures PC makes to take control, though it may allow some freedom to speak or do something amusing. The PCs must track down the Ghostheart and kill it before their comrade's soul is permanently destroyed. If confronted, the Ghostheart will clutch its chest and screech. "No! It's my soul now... my Precious!"
The basic idea is that this creature absorbs the soul of a recently slain creature and the 'victim' becomes the monsters brain for the next few days after which it is permanently destroyed unless the monster is destroyed first (which would basically be asking the now spectral character to commit suicide or just get itself killed). This can be used to give a recently slain player a way to act while they wait for their body to be raised or let a monster get back in the action for a little. It also can add some mystery since ideally this isn't even recognized as a monster, they just know that there is a mysterious fog, people have trouble healing, and then somebody comes back as a ghost when slain.
Wondering if the transformation should instead give the player a ghost-like template instead of just controlling a really weak incorporeal monster or if that would be too much hassle for players if they basically only have a few days to live in this state.
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Ghostheart
Size/Type: Medium Undead
Hit Dice: 3d12 (18 hp)
Initiative: + 4
Speed: Fly 30 ft. (perfect) (6 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (+1 Dex, +4 deflection), touch 15, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/-
Attack: Incorporeal touch +3 melee (1d4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft. /5 ft.
Special Attacks: Mist Form, Deathwatch, Absorb Soul
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., incorporeal traits, +2 turn resistance, undead traits
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +4
Abilities: Str -, Dex 12, Con -, Int 1, Wis 10, Cha 1
Skills: Hide +8, Intimidate +7, Listen + 7, Search +4, Spot +7, Survival +0 (+2 following tracks)
Feats: Improved Initiative
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 2
Alignment: Neutral
Adjustment: -
A Ghostheart is a mindless foggy white mist of negative energy, normally manifesting as a light fog in a 10 foot cube. While mindless, it does have an instinctive desire for purpose... for control... for a soul to give it a semblance of existence. In its natural form it cannot attack since it has no concept of what attacking or violence is, all it can do is sense the presence of sentient minds and it instinctively travels towards them to try and claim them when they become freed (killed) by other means. It can however dampen healing affects made toward creatures occupying its space. Once it claims a soul it fashions its form into a spectral body for the soul and then lets the soul 'take charge' the Ghostheart gains enjoyment and a sense of fulfillment by feeling the emotions, thoughts, and senses that its occupying soul experiences in this form. However, in doing so it slowly consumes the soul it carries and completely destroys it after a few days. If a Ghostheart is destroyed before this happens the soul inside it is freed to pass to the afterlife or be resurrected with no ill effects. While it contains a soul, it gains some sentience and can speak any language that the captured soul can speak.
Combat
As a mindless fog, the Ghostheart can not attack and merely follows living creatures it sees favoring the one with the strongest soul (generally the highest level, highest intelligence or otherwise depending on taste) it tries to occupy the same space as them in order to capture their soul upon death and to hamper their ability to heal. Once it claims a soul, that creatures soul effectivly controlls the ghostheart as if through a magic jar effect unless it becomes clear that the ghostheart may be destroyed through the souls actions, at which point the ghostheart may supress the souls control and attempt to flee. Ghosthearts can only attack when they have a soul and usually only if the soul decides to do so.
Mindless Mist(su)
When not carrying a soul, the Ghostheart takes on an appearance of a white mist that occupies a 10 ft. square (or 4 squares). Living creatures occupying the same space as a Ghostheart mist feel a slight chill. Also, any magical healing directed to a creature in a Ghostheart filled square is only healed half as much as it would normally (rounded down). Healing not directed at the Ghostheart does not damage it. Creatures in a space occupied by a Ghostheart cannot regain hit points naturally and do not stabilize on their own if dying. In this state, it increases to a large size, it cannot take on a Mindless Mist form while it has a soul, and it can be attacked as normal by creatures occupying its space. Creatures occupying its space receive no damage from this but do suffer the aforementioned limits on healing.
Deathwatch(su)
A ghostheart can always sense the conditions of those around it as it by the Deathwatch spell. It can also detect the souls of the recently departed before they leave the plane (usually souls stay about 3 rounds after death).
Absorb Soul (su)
As a standard action, a Ghostheart may absorb the soul of a creature slain recently provided that it can reach the square the creature was slain at within 3 rounds. Once it claims the soul, the Ghostheart replaces its current Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores with those of the slain creature and it can now speak any language the slain creature knew.
Once it gains a soul, it will slowly digest it over the course of 1d4+3 days. The soul inside it gets a general idea that its time is growing short but not that it is being digested. When that time is up the soul is permanently destroyed unless the Ghostheart is destroyed before then. If the Ghostheart is destroyed before the very end the soul is freed to pass on to the afterlife or be resurrected, the soul suffers no lasting damage provided it is freed before the very end.
Differ Control
As a free action a Ghostheart may deffer control of its body to the soul it has captured. The soul can speak and attack using the Ghosthearts statistics but cannot use any of its special abilities. It can also remove this control, where the soul remains conscious and can see and hear everything the Ghostheart can see or hear. The Ghostheart may also communicate with the soul by speaking, at which point the soul can hear the words coming from its mouth.
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Hooks
A PC dies and is appears to have come back as a ghost, however they are slowly fading away over a few days and its unsure if they will simply pass on to the afterlife or not. The Ghostheart seems to make absolutely no actions to make its existence known.
A PC dies but appears to have developed a split personality as a ghost, usually they talk normally but occasionally switch to another personality that finds sentient life fascinating and wants to ask lots of questions. The Ghostheart takes control intermittently and develops its own personality.
A PC dies and a ghostlike being appears above it, this being cackles and stares at its new spectral body which looks allot like that of the fallen PC. It screams out "I'm Alive... I'm ALIVE!" and begins flying around to look at this world through its new eyes and ears. The Ghostheart is in full control and generally suppresses any attempts the captures PC makes to take control, though it may allow some freedom to speak or do something amusing. The PCs must track down the Ghostheart and kill it before their comrade's soul is permanently destroyed. If confronted, the Ghostheart will clutch its chest and screech. "No! It's my soul now... my Precious!"