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seedjar
2007-12-01, 03:29 PM
I'm looking for a monster that doesn't show up often in campaigns, one that has, or could be said to have, a penchant for stealing magic items, and is fairly devious. Here's a list of things I'd like - I'll try to put the most important things first:

- Steals things (not just tries to steal things, but actually does a good job of it)
- Your average powergamer hasn't memorized the stats for it
- The less class levels the better
- Intelligent and, perhaps charismatic - could verbally antagonize my PCs
- Lives in the mountains, or has a distinctly mountain/cold/rock flavor
- Medium size/has a reason for wanting my PCs' medium-sized gear
- Evasive, good at handling multiple melee attackers alone
- Around EL 10-13
- Has recovery abilities - ice mephit?

I'm trying to include a few hooks in my next game session for all my PCs. I have one PC who is very attached to his main weapon and seems to enjoy causing trouble and picking fights with individual NPCs. We're currently trekking through some very remote, exotic mountains, and so I thought it would be fun and flavorful to have some strange, clever local monster make off with some of said PCs gear. Temporarily, if all goes as planned, but this guy does fine without weapons anyways so I'm not really worried if the thief ends up getting away with it.
I've got lots of books available; if I don't have it I probably know someone who does. I'd prefer no third-party stuff though, if only to avoid complaints from players. Thoughts?
~Joe

dyslexicfaser
2007-12-01, 04:06 PM
I can't think of anything specifically, but there are a number of Fey that might be what you're looking for.

Pixies, for example: they're not particularly rare and only 4-6 cr, but they have dexterity out the wazoo, greater invisiblity, dr 10 and sr 15, they can cast illusions, put people to sleep, erase memories... and some pixies can use irresistable dance. And they like to mess with people.

Darkantra
2007-12-01, 04:44 PM
How about an improved Ethereal Filcher (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/etherealFilcher.htm) with some class levels? They're Underground monsters but I could easily see one ranging far afield in order to grab some especially good looking magic items.

With it's detect magic ability it could locate their most treasured items pretty easily and the ehtereal jaut ability would let it get away and confuse the party a hell of a lot. It has high racial sleight of hand, spot and listen checks to begin with so some levels of rogue would beef it to be a formidable opponent.

I know that you're leery about giving a monster lots of class levels but sneak attack would work perfectly with ethereal jaunt, letting it slip into a shadow behind a PC, then the next round walk out and sneak bite them.

On second though I just might use this idea in a campaign of mine...:smallamused:.

seedjar
2007-12-01, 09:18 PM
Functionally, I'd say the Ethereal Flitcher is a good fit. But it doesn't really work with the flavor of the encounter. I need a creature that can speak; preferably one that's quite talkative. The point is to get under this character's skin a little.
Pixies are a possibility... one advanced to 3 HD with maybe a few character levels could do, but that's more monster design than I want to put into a tertiary encounter. I'd prefer to just take something straight from a book. Plus, I know that many of my players are already familiar with what pixies do. I'll keep it in mind though.
~Joe

brian c
2007-12-01, 09:21 PM
Uhhh... Gollum?

Belteshazzar
2007-12-01, 09:36 PM
Stone or Dust Mephit with rogue levels?

Doresain
2007-12-01, 10:51 PM
a pair of awakened ferrets with rogue levels

MrNexx
2007-12-02, 12:57 AM
Young Adult Copper Dragon (Silver Dragon also works).

They live in Warm Hills, are talkative, but they have the sorcerous abilities which would allow them to become sneaky. The Medium sized gear would be a little small for them, but it would be treasure.

Feralgeist
2007-12-02, 05:39 AM
you could try using asherati, from sandstorm. Just give them more of a mountainy feel fluffwise. They can swim through sand, and that also applies to dirt, ash and stuff like that. I use them in my campaign to annoy the PC's to no end. nowhere is safe, unless they're surrounded by solid bedrock or in a building

Triaxx
2007-12-02, 07:34 AM
A high powered Yuan-Ti is a good one. Invisibility, Snake-dexterity, and intelligent enough to antagonize. Depending on where you're adventuring it might come completely out of the blue, or be totally expected.

UserClone
2007-12-02, 08:14 AM
a pair of awakened ferrets with rogue levels

Yay for the Beastmaster Codo/Podo reference!:smallbiggrin:

seedjar
2007-12-02, 05:01 PM
Yuan-ti have invisibility? That doesn't sound right.
I think that Asherati might be the winner, maybe with the sandswim ability changed to include snow and loose rock and ice. May tweak the base type as well. What's a good build for a really single-minded thief? I'd like this critter to be able to take the weapons right out of my PCs' hands.
~Joe

Triaxx
2007-12-02, 06:42 PM
Sorry, got my versions crossed. I was thinking of the Yuan-ti mage from Baldur's Gate 2. Still, given either wizard, or rogue levels, a Yuan-ti is medium size, and so might work well enough.

pinkbunny
2007-12-02, 06:47 PM
Functionally, I'd say the Ethereal Flitcher is a good fit. But it doesn't really work with the flavor of the encounter. I need a creature that can speak; preferably one that's quite talkative. The point is to get under this character's skin a little.
Pixies are a possibility... one advanced to 3 HD with maybe a few character levels could do, but that's more monster design than I want to put into a tertiary encounter. I'd prefer to just take something straight from a book. Plus, I know that many of my players are already familiar with what pixies do. I'll keep it in mind though.
~Joe


Use the stats for the filcher and play it as a fey thing that can jump between trees. The great thing is your powergamers won't be able to know it's stats at all, cause you're not using it standardly.