batsofchaos
2008-04-20, 03:36 PM
So these have been going on in the Gaming forum, but I figured this one properly belonged here in the Homebrew section since I fully created the template. Any critiques or issues with the stats are welcome, especially concerning challenge rating/level adjustment.
Monster's name and source:
Wight, MM1
Bad street rep:
The Wight has been a go-to source for making players shake in their boots over negative levels, but the Wight has been suffering from a problem that keeps it out of the big-time. It's not a template when in all fairness it should be.
I care for it because:
Wights are awesome and challenging to fight at lower levels, and having them not only ramp up in a better fashion, but also a more logical fashion would make their playability jump through the roof.
And now, presenting to you, the new and improved Wight:
http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n155/batsofchaos/minotaurfinal.jpg
Perception:
The perception shift is subtle but important. Standard Wights are somewhat limited in their use as the current guidelines place them in graveyards and the like. Additionally, it is a somewhat irksome mechanic that makes it so any humanoid felled by a Wight’s energy drain rises as a Wight, which is human-sized and human-shaped. A dwarf becomes a foot taller and a bit narrower. A Halfling doubles in size and height. A lizardfolk loses its scales and tail and has horrible deformations to its skull. What sense does that make? As a template, these problems lessen. They also open up a host of questions; questions that can form the heart of adventures. After all, would a Wight act the same way if it were five feet taller? How about five feet shorter? And for that matter, what if a Wight doesn’t even have to be necessarily humanoid?
Concept:
Changing the Wight into a template opens up a world of possibilities. The standard Wight has one Modus Operandi; smash the living with their fists while consuming the victim’s life force. In this regard, the Wight is perfect. However, it’s not very interesting or versatile. The PCs go into a dungeon, or a cavern, or a graveyard, or some sewers and a Wight shows up and starts smashing. It’s kind of a one-trick-pony, which is kind of a let-down since they’re intelligent undead. Opening up to a wider variety of creatures, as well as having them retain some vestiges of their living life, allows limitlessly more options for encounters. Wight Kobolds; devious little abominations looking to eat the living through trickery and stealth. Wight Minotaurs; powerful brutes hunting fierce and powerful creatures to get the biggest meal for their insatiable appetite. Wight Dragons; corrupted beasts that abandon their hordes and lay whole country sides to waste in their consumption.
Place In the World:
Making Wights an acquired template completely changes locations and reasons for encountering a Wight in the world. The more powerful Wights will attack chaotically and devastatingly, while the weaker ones will use stealth and caution. They become more diversified, wandering in a multitude of manners in an attempt to sate their hunger.
Interactions:
Wights do not usually associate with other Wights unless they are spawn under their control. Others are competition for the consumption of the living. They hold a grudging respect for others; they’re all on the same side, but they will only grudgingly make deals with other free Wights.
Those under a Wight’s control are treated as subordinates, to be commanded and destroyed protecting their master on a moments notice.
Game mechanics:
Wight
A Wight’s appearance is a weird and twisted reflection of the form it had in life. A Wight is about the height and weight of its base creature.
Wights speak whatever languages they could when alive.
Creating A Wight
"Wight" is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system (referred to hereafter as the base creature).
Size and Type
The creature’s type changes to undead. It retains any subtype except for alignment subtypes (such as good) and subtypes that indicate kind. It does not gain the augmented subtype. It uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Hit Dice
Increase all current and future Hit Dice to d12s.
Speed
Same as base creature
Armor Class
The base creature’s natural armor bonus improves by +4.
Attacks
A Wight retains all the attacks of the base creature and also gains a slam attack if it didn’t already have one. If the base creature can use weapons, the Wight retains this ability. A creature with natural weapons retains those natural weapons. A Wight fighting without weapons uses either its slam attack or its primary natural weapon (if it has any). A Wight armed with a weapon uses its slam or a weapon. However, Wights effectively eat through slam attacks, so they will never use weapons on creatures that are susceptible to their energy drain.
Slam Damage by Size Category
{table=head]Wight Size|Slam Damage
Fine|1
Diminutive|1
Tiny|1d2
Small|1d3
Medium|1d4
Large|1d6
Huge|1d8
Gargantuan|2d6
Colossal|2d8[/table]
Damage
Natural and manufactured weapons deal damage normally. A slam attack deals damage depending on the Wight’s size. (If the base creature already had slam attacks, use the Wight slam damage only if it’s better.)
Special Attacks
A Wight retains all the special attacks of the base creature and gains those described below. Saves have a DC of 10 + ½ Wight’s HD + Wight’s Cha modifier unless noted otherwise. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Create Spawn (Su)
Any creature slain by a Wight becomes a Wight in 1d4 rounds. Spawn are under the command of the Wight that created them and remain enslaved until its death. A Wight may voluntarily free an enslaved Wight, but once freed, a Wight cannot be enslaved again. Wights that have twice as many Hit Dice as their creator are automatically free of control.
Energy Drain (Su)
Living creatures hit by a Wight’s slam attack gain one negative level. For each such negative level bestowed, the Wight gains 5 temporary hit points.
Special Qualities
A Wight retains all the special qualities of the base creature and gains those described below.
Darkvision 60 ft.
A Wight has darkvision out to 60 ft.
Saves
A Wight's base saves are Fort 1/3 HD, Ref 1/3 HD, Will 2 + 1/2 HD
Abilities
Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +2, Dex +2, Wis +2, Cha +4. As an undead creature, a Wight has no Constitution score.
Skills
Wights have a +8 racial bonus on Move Silently checks. Otherwise same as the base creature.
Feats
Wights gain Alertness and Blind-Fight, assuming the base creature meets the prerequisites and doesn’t already have these feats.
Environment
Any, usually same as base creature.
Organization
Solitary, pair, gang (3-5), or pack (6-11)
Challenge Rating
Same as the base creature +2.
Treasure
None.
Alignment
Always lawful evil.
Advancement
As base creature, or by character class.
Level Adjustment
Same as the base creature +4.
Sample Wights:
Wight Kobold, 1st-Level Warrior
{table=head]Size/Type:|Small Undead
Hit Dice:|1d12 (6 hp)
Initiative:|+2
Speed:|30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class:|18 (+1 size, +2 Dex, +5 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple:|+1/-3
Attack:|Spear +1 melee (1d6-1/×3), sling +4 ranged (1d3-1) Slam +1 melee (1d3 plus energy drain)
Full Attack:|Spear +1 melee (1d6-1/×3) or slam +1 melee (1d3 plus energy drain)
Space/Reach:|5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:|Create Spawn, Energy Drain
Special Qualities:|Darkvision 60 ft., light sensitivity
Saves:|Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +3
Abilities:|Str 11, Dex 15, Con -, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 12
Skills:|Craft (trapmaking) +2, Hide +14, Listen +2, Move Silently +2, Profession (miner) +2, Search +2, Spot +2
Feats:|Alertness, Blind-Fight
Environment:|Any
Organization:|Solitary, pair, gang (3-5), or pack (6-11)
Challenge Rating:|2
Treasure:|None
Alignment:|Always lawful evil
Advancement:|By character class[/table]
Wight Human, 4th-Level Commoner (Standard Wight)
{table=head]Size/Type:|Medium Undead
Hit Dice:|4d12 (26 hp)
Initiative:|+1
Speed:|30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class:|15 (+1 Dex, +4 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple:|+2/+3
Attack:|Slam +3 melee (1d4+1 plus energy drain)
Full Attack:|Slam +3 melee (1d4+1 plus energy drain)
Space/Reach:|5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:|Create spawn, energy drain
Special Qualities:|Darkvision 60 ft., undead traits
Saves:|Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +5
Abilities:|Str 12, Dex 12, Con -, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 15
Skills:|Hide +8, Listen +10, Move Silently +16, Spot +10
Feats:|Alertness, Blind-Fight
Environment:|Any
Organization:|Solitary, pair, gang (3-5), or pack (6-11)
Challenge Rating:|3
Treasure:|None
Alignment:|Always lawful evil
Advancement:|By character class[/table]
Wight Minotaur
{table=head]Size/Type:|Large Undead
Hit Dice:|6d12 (36 hp)
Initiative:|+1
Speed:|30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class:|18 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +9 natural), touch 10, never flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple:|+6/+14
Attack:|Greataxe +10 melee (3d6+7/×3), gore +10 melee (1d8+5 plus energy drain), or Slam +10 melee (1d6+5 plus energy drain)
Full Attack:|gore +10 melee (1d8+5 plus energy drain) and slam +10 melee (1d6+5 plus energy drain)
Space/Reach:|10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks:|Create Spawn, Energy Drain, Powerful charge 4d6+6
Special Qualities:|Darkvision 60 ft., natural cunning, scent
Saves:|Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +6
Abilities:|Str 21, Dex 12, Con -, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 12
Skills:|Intimidate +2, Listen +7, Search +2, Spot +7, Move Silently +8
Feats:|Alertness, Blind-Fight, Great Fortitude, Power Attack, Track
Environment:|Any
Organization:|Solitary, pair, gang (3-5), or pack (6-11)
Challenge Rating:|6
Treasure:|None
Alignment:|Always lawful evil
Advancement:|By character class[/table]
Mysteries and the Unknown:
Why these Wights haven’t taken over everything is a mystery. They are powerful and attack to eat and transform. They are also fairly tactless (the big ones, anyway), so it is not through self-control that their numbers have not spiraled out of control. Is there perhaps a limit to the number of Wights that can be created at a time? Do the Wights have a life cycle, where given time they will expire? Are they fueled by a source that can only be spread so thin? Or perhaps there are secret organizations that are formed solely to keep the undead abominations in check…?
Playing at a DnD Table Near You!:
“I thought for sure we were dealing with a vampire, what the heck am I gonna do with forty pounds of garlic?” --A Wight Kobold has snuck into a town and has been energy draining random people at night. He hides inside homes during the day and carefully sneaks around energy-draining at night. He takes care to not kill anyone, keeping away from children and the infirm. As such, it appears the village has been struck with a mysterious, debilitating illness that leaves sufferers weakened but alive. The party wanders through and is asked to check into the source of the illness…
“Wait, why are the MINOTAURS asking us for help?” --The local minotaurs have a family of Wights in their ancestral burial grounds, and they’ve proven too tough for the Minotaur’s usual methods…
“The flying terror.” --A dragon has been transformed into a Wight and is tearing through the countryside bringing death and destruction in its wake. Entire towns have been transformed into Wights and the problem is spreading quickly…
“The secret society.” --The adventurers cross paths with a mysterious group that’s hell-bent on the destruction of a couple Wights the party has randomly encountered. Finding out who they are leads to the discovery of a group dedicated to eradicating Wights of all types. Further exploring who these people are and their group shows the society is a lot more prevalent than initially suspected. Indeed, it might take years to uncover just how deep the rabbit hole goes…
In Conclusion:
Not too much different from the standard Wight which is a fairly useful monster, but a strong alteration that can lead to much greater intrigue and versatility.
Monster's name and source:
Wight, MM1
Bad street rep:
The Wight has been a go-to source for making players shake in their boots over negative levels, but the Wight has been suffering from a problem that keeps it out of the big-time. It's not a template when in all fairness it should be.
I care for it because:
Wights are awesome and challenging to fight at lower levels, and having them not only ramp up in a better fashion, but also a more logical fashion would make their playability jump through the roof.
And now, presenting to you, the new and improved Wight:
http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n155/batsofchaos/minotaurfinal.jpg
Perception:
The perception shift is subtle but important. Standard Wights are somewhat limited in their use as the current guidelines place them in graveyards and the like. Additionally, it is a somewhat irksome mechanic that makes it so any humanoid felled by a Wight’s energy drain rises as a Wight, which is human-sized and human-shaped. A dwarf becomes a foot taller and a bit narrower. A Halfling doubles in size and height. A lizardfolk loses its scales and tail and has horrible deformations to its skull. What sense does that make? As a template, these problems lessen. They also open up a host of questions; questions that can form the heart of adventures. After all, would a Wight act the same way if it were five feet taller? How about five feet shorter? And for that matter, what if a Wight doesn’t even have to be necessarily humanoid?
Concept:
Changing the Wight into a template opens up a world of possibilities. The standard Wight has one Modus Operandi; smash the living with their fists while consuming the victim’s life force. In this regard, the Wight is perfect. However, it’s not very interesting or versatile. The PCs go into a dungeon, or a cavern, or a graveyard, or some sewers and a Wight shows up and starts smashing. It’s kind of a one-trick-pony, which is kind of a let-down since they’re intelligent undead. Opening up to a wider variety of creatures, as well as having them retain some vestiges of their living life, allows limitlessly more options for encounters. Wight Kobolds; devious little abominations looking to eat the living through trickery and stealth. Wight Minotaurs; powerful brutes hunting fierce and powerful creatures to get the biggest meal for their insatiable appetite. Wight Dragons; corrupted beasts that abandon their hordes and lay whole country sides to waste in their consumption.
Place In the World:
Making Wights an acquired template completely changes locations and reasons for encountering a Wight in the world. The more powerful Wights will attack chaotically and devastatingly, while the weaker ones will use stealth and caution. They become more diversified, wandering in a multitude of manners in an attempt to sate their hunger.
Interactions:
Wights do not usually associate with other Wights unless they are spawn under their control. Others are competition for the consumption of the living. They hold a grudging respect for others; they’re all on the same side, but they will only grudgingly make deals with other free Wights.
Those under a Wight’s control are treated as subordinates, to be commanded and destroyed protecting their master on a moments notice.
Game mechanics:
Wight
A Wight’s appearance is a weird and twisted reflection of the form it had in life. A Wight is about the height and weight of its base creature.
Wights speak whatever languages they could when alive.
Creating A Wight
"Wight" is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system (referred to hereafter as the base creature).
Size and Type
The creature’s type changes to undead. It retains any subtype except for alignment subtypes (such as good) and subtypes that indicate kind. It does not gain the augmented subtype. It uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Hit Dice
Increase all current and future Hit Dice to d12s.
Speed
Same as base creature
Armor Class
The base creature’s natural armor bonus improves by +4.
Attacks
A Wight retains all the attacks of the base creature and also gains a slam attack if it didn’t already have one. If the base creature can use weapons, the Wight retains this ability. A creature with natural weapons retains those natural weapons. A Wight fighting without weapons uses either its slam attack or its primary natural weapon (if it has any). A Wight armed with a weapon uses its slam or a weapon. However, Wights effectively eat through slam attacks, so they will never use weapons on creatures that are susceptible to their energy drain.
Slam Damage by Size Category
{table=head]Wight Size|Slam Damage
Fine|1
Diminutive|1
Tiny|1d2
Small|1d3
Medium|1d4
Large|1d6
Huge|1d8
Gargantuan|2d6
Colossal|2d8[/table]
Damage
Natural and manufactured weapons deal damage normally. A slam attack deals damage depending on the Wight’s size. (If the base creature already had slam attacks, use the Wight slam damage only if it’s better.)
Special Attacks
A Wight retains all the special attacks of the base creature and gains those described below. Saves have a DC of 10 + ½ Wight’s HD + Wight’s Cha modifier unless noted otherwise. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Create Spawn (Su)
Any creature slain by a Wight becomes a Wight in 1d4 rounds. Spawn are under the command of the Wight that created them and remain enslaved until its death. A Wight may voluntarily free an enslaved Wight, but once freed, a Wight cannot be enslaved again. Wights that have twice as many Hit Dice as their creator are automatically free of control.
Energy Drain (Su)
Living creatures hit by a Wight’s slam attack gain one negative level. For each such negative level bestowed, the Wight gains 5 temporary hit points.
Special Qualities
A Wight retains all the special qualities of the base creature and gains those described below.
Darkvision 60 ft.
A Wight has darkvision out to 60 ft.
Saves
A Wight's base saves are Fort 1/3 HD, Ref 1/3 HD, Will 2 + 1/2 HD
Abilities
Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +2, Dex +2, Wis +2, Cha +4. As an undead creature, a Wight has no Constitution score.
Skills
Wights have a +8 racial bonus on Move Silently checks. Otherwise same as the base creature.
Feats
Wights gain Alertness and Blind-Fight, assuming the base creature meets the prerequisites and doesn’t already have these feats.
Environment
Any, usually same as base creature.
Organization
Solitary, pair, gang (3-5), or pack (6-11)
Challenge Rating
Same as the base creature +2.
Treasure
None.
Alignment
Always lawful evil.
Advancement
As base creature, or by character class.
Level Adjustment
Same as the base creature +4.
Sample Wights:
Wight Kobold, 1st-Level Warrior
{table=head]Size/Type:|Small Undead
Hit Dice:|1d12 (6 hp)
Initiative:|+2
Speed:|30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class:|18 (+1 size, +2 Dex, +5 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple:|+1/-3
Attack:|Spear +1 melee (1d6-1/×3), sling +4 ranged (1d3-1) Slam +1 melee (1d3 plus energy drain)
Full Attack:|Spear +1 melee (1d6-1/×3) or slam +1 melee (1d3 plus energy drain)
Space/Reach:|5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:|Create Spawn, Energy Drain
Special Qualities:|Darkvision 60 ft., light sensitivity
Saves:|Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +3
Abilities:|Str 11, Dex 15, Con -, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 12
Skills:|Craft (trapmaking) +2, Hide +14, Listen +2, Move Silently +2, Profession (miner) +2, Search +2, Spot +2
Feats:|Alertness, Blind-Fight
Environment:|Any
Organization:|Solitary, pair, gang (3-5), or pack (6-11)
Challenge Rating:|2
Treasure:|None
Alignment:|Always lawful evil
Advancement:|By character class[/table]
Wight Human, 4th-Level Commoner (Standard Wight)
{table=head]Size/Type:|Medium Undead
Hit Dice:|4d12 (26 hp)
Initiative:|+1
Speed:|30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class:|15 (+1 Dex, +4 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple:|+2/+3
Attack:|Slam +3 melee (1d4+1 plus energy drain)
Full Attack:|Slam +3 melee (1d4+1 plus energy drain)
Space/Reach:|5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:|Create spawn, energy drain
Special Qualities:|Darkvision 60 ft., undead traits
Saves:|Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +5
Abilities:|Str 12, Dex 12, Con -, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 15
Skills:|Hide +8, Listen +10, Move Silently +16, Spot +10
Feats:|Alertness, Blind-Fight
Environment:|Any
Organization:|Solitary, pair, gang (3-5), or pack (6-11)
Challenge Rating:|3
Treasure:|None
Alignment:|Always lawful evil
Advancement:|By character class[/table]
Wight Minotaur
{table=head]Size/Type:|Large Undead
Hit Dice:|6d12 (36 hp)
Initiative:|+1
Speed:|30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class:|18 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +9 natural), touch 10, never flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple:|+6/+14
Attack:|Greataxe +10 melee (3d6+7/×3), gore +10 melee (1d8+5 plus energy drain), or Slam +10 melee (1d6+5 plus energy drain)
Full Attack:|gore +10 melee (1d8+5 plus energy drain) and slam +10 melee (1d6+5 plus energy drain)
Space/Reach:|10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks:|Create Spawn, Energy Drain, Powerful charge 4d6+6
Special Qualities:|Darkvision 60 ft., natural cunning, scent
Saves:|Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +6
Abilities:|Str 21, Dex 12, Con -, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 12
Skills:|Intimidate +2, Listen +7, Search +2, Spot +7, Move Silently +8
Feats:|Alertness, Blind-Fight, Great Fortitude, Power Attack, Track
Environment:|Any
Organization:|Solitary, pair, gang (3-5), or pack (6-11)
Challenge Rating:|6
Treasure:|None
Alignment:|Always lawful evil
Advancement:|By character class[/table]
Mysteries and the Unknown:
Why these Wights haven’t taken over everything is a mystery. They are powerful and attack to eat and transform. They are also fairly tactless (the big ones, anyway), so it is not through self-control that their numbers have not spiraled out of control. Is there perhaps a limit to the number of Wights that can be created at a time? Do the Wights have a life cycle, where given time they will expire? Are they fueled by a source that can only be spread so thin? Or perhaps there are secret organizations that are formed solely to keep the undead abominations in check…?
Playing at a DnD Table Near You!:
“I thought for sure we were dealing with a vampire, what the heck am I gonna do with forty pounds of garlic?” --A Wight Kobold has snuck into a town and has been energy draining random people at night. He hides inside homes during the day and carefully sneaks around energy-draining at night. He takes care to not kill anyone, keeping away from children and the infirm. As such, it appears the village has been struck with a mysterious, debilitating illness that leaves sufferers weakened but alive. The party wanders through and is asked to check into the source of the illness…
“Wait, why are the MINOTAURS asking us for help?” --The local minotaurs have a family of Wights in their ancestral burial grounds, and they’ve proven too tough for the Minotaur’s usual methods…
“The flying terror.” --A dragon has been transformed into a Wight and is tearing through the countryside bringing death and destruction in its wake. Entire towns have been transformed into Wights and the problem is spreading quickly…
“The secret society.” --The adventurers cross paths with a mysterious group that’s hell-bent on the destruction of a couple Wights the party has randomly encountered. Finding out who they are leads to the discovery of a group dedicated to eradicating Wights of all types. Further exploring who these people are and their group shows the society is a lot more prevalent than initially suspected. Indeed, it might take years to uncover just how deep the rabbit hole goes…
In Conclusion:
Not too much different from the standard Wight which is a fairly useful monster, but a strong alteration that can lead to much greater intrigue and versatility.