Dark_Ansem
2023-04-21, 02:03 PM
So, I decided to give a go at Pathfinder and honestly, I am having fun. But I do miss some of my favourite D&D customised monsters.
So I decided to have a go at building them from the ground up. I'd love your input in fixing what I obviously got wrong.
Here is the villain of my 2nd campaign, the Ulitharid Vestige sorcerer, parachuted in the era directly from the heights of the Illithid empire via a botched time spell.
N’ghathrod
Mind Flayer, Ulitharid Lich (Advanced, Vestige Sorcerer 11, CR 25)
Large Undead (Augmented Aberration)
Alignment: Any evil
Initiative: +8 (+4 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Perception +38
Languages: understands Common, telepathy 200 ft.
AC: 33 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +12 natural, +4 mage armor, +4 deflection), touch 17, flat-footed 29
Hit Dice: 12d8+60 (114 hp) + 11d6+55 (93 hp) = 207 hp (undead, use Cha modifier for bonus hp)
Fort +13, Ref +12, Will +24
Defensive Abilities: Channel resistance +4, DR 15/bludgeoning and magic, rejuvenation; Immune: Cold, electricity, undead traits
Speed: 30 ft.
Space: 10 ft./5 ft. (10 ft. with 2 long tentacles)
Base Attack +16; CMB +23; CMD 37
Attack: Long tentacle +23 melee
Full Attack: 2 long tentacles +23 melee and 4 short tentacles +23 melee
Damage: Tentacles 1d8+9
Special Attacks/Actions: Extract, fear aura, improved grab, mind blast, paralyzing touch (DC 28), spell-like abilities, spells, vestige abilities
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 18, Con -, Int 27, Wis 23, Cha 31
Special Qualities: SR 29
Feats: Combat Casting; Improved Initiative; Improved Natural Attack; Iron Will; Spell Penetration; Toughness; Eschew Materials; Great Fortitude; Lightning Reflexes; Extend Spell; Quicken Spell; Persistent Spell
Skills: Bluff +31, Climb +15, Diplomacy +30, Disguise +19, Fly +10, Intimidate +33, Knowledge (arcana) +31, Knowledge (religion) +31, Perception +38, Sense Motive +30, Spellcraft +31, Stealth +20
Advancement: By character class
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary
Treasure/Possessions: Double standard
XP 1,638,400
Sorcerer Spells Known (caster level 11th):
5th (4/day) - dominate person (DC 24), teleport
4th (7/day) - confusion (DC 23), greater invisibility, phantasmal killer (DC 23)
3rd (7/day) - dispel magic, haste, lightning bolt (DC 22), slow (DC 22)
2nd (8/day) - alter self, invisibility, mirror image, scorching ray, web (DC 21)
1st (8/day) - charm person (DC 20), mage armor, magic missile, ray of enfeeblement (DC 20), shield
0 (at will) - acid splash, arcane mark, dancing lights, detect magic, ghost sound (DC 19), mage hand, prestidigitation, ray of frost, read magic
Bonded Object (Sp): At 1st level, you gain an arcane bond, per a wizard equal to your sorcerer level, with an object constructed by a long-lost civilization. Your sorcerer levels stack with any wizard levels you have when determining the powers of your bonded object. This ability does not allow you to have both a familiar and a bonded object. Once per day, your bonded object allows you to cast any one of your spells known and increase the save DC of that spell by 1.
Restored Glory (Su): At 3rd level, objects in your possession with the broken condition function as if they did not have the broken condition, though if they reach 0 hit points they are destroyed as normal. At 9th level, destroyed objects (objects with 0 hit points) in your possession function and appear as if they had only the broken condition, though if they reach a number of negative hit points equal to your level, they become fully destroyed and don’t function at all, even in your possession.
(Still in doubt whether Call Ancestor has any meaning, originally I said that it would call the ancestor of the creature the tadpole used for ceremorphosis, but someone told me it was too morbid).
Extract (Ex): An ulitharid lich that begins its turn with at least four tentacles attached and that makes a successful grapple check automatically extracts the opponent's brain, instantly killing that creature. This power is useless against constructs, elementals, oozes, plants, and undead. It is not instantly fatal to foes with multiple heads.
Fear Aura (Su): Creatures of less than 5 HD in a 60-foot radius that look at the ulitharid lich must succeed on a DC 28 Will save or become frightened. Creatures with 5 HD or more must succeed at a Will save or be shaken for a number of rounds equal to the lich’s Hit Dice. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same lich’s aura for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an ulitharid lich must hit a Small, Medium, or Large creature with its tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and attaches the tentacle to the opponent's head. An ulitharid lich can grab a Huge or larger creature only if it can somehow reach the foe's head. If an ulitharid lich begins its turn with at least one tentacle attached, it can try to attach its remaining tentacles with a single grapple check. The opponent can escape with a single successful grapple check or an Escape Artist check, but the ulitharid lich gets a +2 circumstance bonus on the check for every tentacle that was attached at the beginning of the opponent's turn.
Mind Blast (Sp): An ulitharid lich can discharge a devastating psionic attack in the form of a cone 60 feet long. Anyone caught in this cone must succeed on a DC 28 Will save or be stunned for 3d4 rounds. The save DC is Charisma-based. This ability is the equivalent of a 4th-level spell.
Paralyzing Touch (Su): Any living creature the ulitharid lich hits with its touch attack must succeed on a DC 28 Fortitude save or be permanently paralyzed. Remove paralysis or any spell that can remove a curse can free the victim (see the bestow curse spell description, with a DC equal to the lich’s save DC). The effect cannot be dispelled. Anyone paralyzed by an ulitharid lich seems dead, though a DC 20 Perception check or a DC 15 Heal check reveals that the victim is still alive.
Rejuvenation (Su): When the ulitharid lich is destroyed, its phylactery (which is generally hidden by the lich in a safe place far from where it chooses to dwell) immediately begins to rebuild the undead spellcaster’s body nearby. This process takes 1d10 days—if the body is destroyed before that time passes, the phylactery merely starts the process anew. After this time passes, the ulitharid lich wakens fully healed (albeit without any gear it left behind on its old body), usually with a burning need for revenge against those who previously destroyed it.
Spell-Like Abilities: At will—detect thoughts (DC 21), levitate, plane shift (self only), suggestion (DC 22). The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Telepathy (Su): An ulitharid lich can communicate telepathically with any creature within 200 feet that has a language.
So I decided to have a go at building them from the ground up. I'd love your input in fixing what I obviously got wrong.
Here is the villain of my 2nd campaign, the Ulitharid Vestige sorcerer, parachuted in the era directly from the heights of the Illithid empire via a botched time spell.
N’ghathrod
Mind Flayer, Ulitharid Lich (Advanced, Vestige Sorcerer 11, CR 25)
Large Undead (Augmented Aberration)
Alignment: Any evil
Initiative: +8 (+4 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Perception +38
Languages: understands Common, telepathy 200 ft.
AC: 33 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +12 natural, +4 mage armor, +4 deflection), touch 17, flat-footed 29
Hit Dice: 12d8+60 (114 hp) + 11d6+55 (93 hp) = 207 hp (undead, use Cha modifier for bonus hp)
Fort +13, Ref +12, Will +24
Defensive Abilities: Channel resistance +4, DR 15/bludgeoning and magic, rejuvenation; Immune: Cold, electricity, undead traits
Speed: 30 ft.
Space: 10 ft./5 ft. (10 ft. with 2 long tentacles)
Base Attack +16; CMB +23; CMD 37
Attack: Long tentacle +23 melee
Full Attack: 2 long tentacles +23 melee and 4 short tentacles +23 melee
Damage: Tentacles 1d8+9
Special Attacks/Actions: Extract, fear aura, improved grab, mind blast, paralyzing touch (DC 28), spell-like abilities, spells, vestige abilities
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 18, Con -, Int 27, Wis 23, Cha 31
Special Qualities: SR 29
Feats: Combat Casting; Improved Initiative; Improved Natural Attack; Iron Will; Spell Penetration; Toughness; Eschew Materials; Great Fortitude; Lightning Reflexes; Extend Spell; Quicken Spell; Persistent Spell
Skills: Bluff +31, Climb +15, Diplomacy +30, Disguise +19, Fly +10, Intimidate +33, Knowledge (arcana) +31, Knowledge (religion) +31, Perception +38, Sense Motive +30, Spellcraft +31, Stealth +20
Advancement: By character class
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary
Treasure/Possessions: Double standard
XP 1,638,400
Sorcerer Spells Known (caster level 11th):
5th (4/day) - dominate person (DC 24), teleport
4th (7/day) - confusion (DC 23), greater invisibility, phantasmal killer (DC 23)
3rd (7/day) - dispel magic, haste, lightning bolt (DC 22), slow (DC 22)
2nd (8/day) - alter self, invisibility, mirror image, scorching ray, web (DC 21)
1st (8/day) - charm person (DC 20), mage armor, magic missile, ray of enfeeblement (DC 20), shield
0 (at will) - acid splash, arcane mark, dancing lights, detect magic, ghost sound (DC 19), mage hand, prestidigitation, ray of frost, read magic
Bonded Object (Sp): At 1st level, you gain an arcane bond, per a wizard equal to your sorcerer level, with an object constructed by a long-lost civilization. Your sorcerer levels stack with any wizard levels you have when determining the powers of your bonded object. This ability does not allow you to have both a familiar and a bonded object. Once per day, your bonded object allows you to cast any one of your spells known and increase the save DC of that spell by 1.
Restored Glory (Su): At 3rd level, objects in your possession with the broken condition function as if they did not have the broken condition, though if they reach 0 hit points they are destroyed as normal. At 9th level, destroyed objects (objects with 0 hit points) in your possession function and appear as if they had only the broken condition, though if they reach a number of negative hit points equal to your level, they become fully destroyed and don’t function at all, even in your possession.
(Still in doubt whether Call Ancestor has any meaning, originally I said that it would call the ancestor of the creature the tadpole used for ceremorphosis, but someone told me it was too morbid).
Extract (Ex): An ulitharid lich that begins its turn with at least four tentacles attached and that makes a successful grapple check automatically extracts the opponent's brain, instantly killing that creature. This power is useless against constructs, elementals, oozes, plants, and undead. It is not instantly fatal to foes with multiple heads.
Fear Aura (Su): Creatures of less than 5 HD in a 60-foot radius that look at the ulitharid lich must succeed on a DC 28 Will save or become frightened. Creatures with 5 HD or more must succeed at a Will save or be shaken for a number of rounds equal to the lich’s Hit Dice. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same lich’s aura for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an ulitharid lich must hit a Small, Medium, or Large creature with its tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and attaches the tentacle to the opponent's head. An ulitharid lich can grab a Huge or larger creature only if it can somehow reach the foe's head. If an ulitharid lich begins its turn with at least one tentacle attached, it can try to attach its remaining tentacles with a single grapple check. The opponent can escape with a single successful grapple check or an Escape Artist check, but the ulitharid lich gets a +2 circumstance bonus on the check for every tentacle that was attached at the beginning of the opponent's turn.
Mind Blast (Sp): An ulitharid lich can discharge a devastating psionic attack in the form of a cone 60 feet long. Anyone caught in this cone must succeed on a DC 28 Will save or be stunned for 3d4 rounds. The save DC is Charisma-based. This ability is the equivalent of a 4th-level spell.
Paralyzing Touch (Su): Any living creature the ulitharid lich hits with its touch attack must succeed on a DC 28 Fortitude save or be permanently paralyzed. Remove paralysis or any spell that can remove a curse can free the victim (see the bestow curse spell description, with a DC equal to the lich’s save DC). The effect cannot be dispelled. Anyone paralyzed by an ulitharid lich seems dead, though a DC 20 Perception check or a DC 15 Heal check reveals that the victim is still alive.
Rejuvenation (Su): When the ulitharid lich is destroyed, its phylactery (which is generally hidden by the lich in a safe place far from where it chooses to dwell) immediately begins to rebuild the undead spellcaster’s body nearby. This process takes 1d10 days—if the body is destroyed before that time passes, the phylactery merely starts the process anew. After this time passes, the ulitharid lich wakens fully healed (albeit without any gear it left behind on its old body), usually with a burning need for revenge against those who previously destroyed it.
Spell-Like Abilities: At will—detect thoughts (DC 21), levitate, plane shift (self only), suggestion (DC 22). The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Telepathy (Su): An ulitharid lich can communicate telepathically with any creature within 200 feet that has a language.