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View Full Version : Who's afraid of the big bad Nightmare?



Rowanomicon
2008-03-02, 06:18 AM
OK, I can't believe this is the first time I've noticed it, but how come the Nightmare (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/nightmare.htm) has no fear effect?
No Spell-Like (or Supernatural) Abilities of the multiple appropriate spells... no Fear Aura... What gives?
How is this not the perfect monster to give a fear effect to?

Cauchemar, the larger version of Nightmares, say that "the sight of one of these great horrors bearing down is enough to shake the heart of the boldest champion."
Where is the crunch to back this up?

From now I shall home brew in a Fear Aura or something.

Anyone else think it's weird and terribly wrong?

How did I not see this before...

Illiterate Scribe
2008-03-02, 06:27 AM
You're right, especially with stuff like this:


The sight of one of these great horrors bearing down is enough to shake the heart of the boldest champion.

Closet_Skeleton
2008-03-02, 06:58 AM
It has Intimidate as a skill.

If you jiggle around the stats to increase its Charisma you can swap out one of its feats (like alertness, who needs alertness?) for frightful presence.

Rowanomicon
2008-03-02, 03:39 PM
If one simply increased Cha to 20 and gave them a:

Fear Aura (Su):
This ability is usable as a fre action (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/actionsInCombat.htm#freeActions). When activated it acts as a Fear spell (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/fear.htm) cast by a 20th level caster, except that is in instead a 30 ft. radius around the Nightmare.

What would the CR increase be?
I know this is getting into the Homebrew aspect of discussion, but I don't think this really needs another thread in the Homebrew Forum.

With things like this do you use 10 + Spell Level + Cha mod for the DC or 10 + 1/2 HD + Cha mod?
If the former than how do you determine whether to count it a 3rd level bard spell or a 4th level Wiz/Sorc Spell?

I think the latter is probably right making the DC 18 (with the stat increase I gave to Cha).

I think it makes sense for a creature such as a Nightmare to have it's highest stat be Cha because it's main aspect is (read: should be) fear, not brute strength.