Fun with Templates

[Athaniar]

Anyone ever had any fun experimenting with templates? Share it here, be it a simple concept progress or actual use in a game.

I recently got an idea on a(n über-powerful) creature, completely rules-legal, I think.

First, take a Red Dragon (just my example, take whatever you wish that agrees with the templates). Then apply the following templates, in order: Magma Creature (Dragon 347), Half-Celestial, Half-Dragon (Green), Ice Creature (Dragon 347), Half-Fiend, Phrenic (if you use psionics), and Lernaean Multi-Headed (Savage Species). If you feel like tormenting somebody extra much, use Pseudonatural, too. And/or use this with the Tarrasque as base creature.

[FlyMolo]

There's an elite opponents series of articles on the wizards site that does basically exactly this. Warforged with a pair of iron golem arms. The Tarrasque with 29 extra heads.

Dark darkmantles.

There's even a section on critters that could not be. anarchic axiomatic dark two-headed unicorns. The heads argue with one another.

[xPANCAKEx]

i suppose it would be considered wise-assery to point out that you can't have more than 2 halves?

[MorkaisChosen]

The way that works is like this:

A Magma Red Dragon and a Celestial mate, creating a Half-Celestial (Half-)Magma Red Dragon, which mates with a Green Dragon, creating a Half- Green Dragon (Half-)(Half-Celestial Half-Magma Red Dragon), AKA Half-Green Dragon Quarter-Celestial Quarter-Magma Red Dragon. That monstrosity somehow mutates in gestation to become an ice creature (a wizard did it), making an Ice Half-Green Dragon Quarter-Celestial Quarter-Magma Red Dragon. That mates with a fiend, creating a half-fiend ice quarter-green dragon eighth-celestial eighth-magma red dragon. That one mutates or is modified (this time, a psion did it) to become a Phrenic Multiheaded half-Fiend Ice quarter-Green Dragon eighth-Celestial eighth-Magma Red Dragon.

[Tsotha-lanti]

i suppose it would be considered wise-assery to point out that you can't have more than 2 halves?

Your first multi-template thread, huh?


My friend had some fun DMing a Titanic Monster of Legend raven lately. Deep crow from Penny Arcade, any?

[MorkaisChosen]

OK, what's that guy who rode it, then?

[sonofzeal]

i suppose it would be considered wise-assery to point out that you can't have more than 2 halves?
Actually, yes you can. Savage Species specifically describes rules for more than two "halves". A Half-Dragon Minotaur that mates with a Centaur could make either a Half-Dragon Half-Fey Minotaur, or a Half-Dragon Half-Minotaur Centaur, depending on PC/DM preference and rules one what templates can be applied to what creatures. But as long as Template 1 can be applied to Creature A to produce Creature B, and Template 2 can be applied to Creature B to produce Creature C, you're all good.

[chiasaur11]

OK, what's that guy who rode it, then?

Badass Normal/exterminator template?

[Chronicled]

Anyone ever had any fun experimenting with templates? Share it here, be it a simple concept progress or actual use in a game.

I see you haven't heard of what Fax Celestis did to That Damn Crab. Or the Kitten of DOOM that followed.

[monty]

Half-clay-golem multi-headed fire giant. I think it's just immune to just about everything.

[Zerzix]

lol i made up a Mage Bred, Awakened, Dire Ape, Monster of Leg, 1/2 Iron Golem, Paragon, Saint, Fighter, Monk

[Jack Mann]

Anyone remember Rei Jin's Ikea Tarrasque?

[Chronos]

Anyone remember Rei Jin's Ikea Tarrasque?I think that's the one monty mentioned.

[Jack Mann]

Nah, he left out the lernean template.

[FMArthur]

Now here's a Tarrasque I fear. (http://d20npcs.wikia.com/wiki/Brobdingnagian_Teratoid_Tarrasque)

[Dode]

Bah, what power doth the 37-headed Tarrasque have over the truly immortal...

...Ghost Will O Wisp

CR 8; Small Undead (Air, Incorporeal, Augmented); HD 9d12 (Aberration) ; hp 58; Init +9; Spd Fly, Perfect 50; AC:20 (Flatfooted:11 Touch:20); Atk +2 base melee, +16 base ranged; +16 (2d8-5, Shock); SA: Horrific Appearance (Su) , Corrupting Gaze (Su) ;

SQ: Natural Invisibility (Ex), Darkvision (Ex): 60 ft.,
Racial Traits: Undead

Immunities: Spells (ex), Mind-Affecting Attacks (Ex), Energy Drain (Ex), Ability Drain (Ex), Rejuvenation (Su), Nonlethal Damage (Ex), Poison (Ex), Fortitude Save-Based Attacks (Ex), Raise Dead (Ex), Disease (Ex), Ability Damage (Physical Scores), Death from Massive Damage (Ex), Sleep Effects (Ex), Reincarnate (Ex),

Resistance: Turn (Ex): +4, AL CE; SV Fort +3, Ref +12, Will +9; STR 1, DEX 29, CON --, INT 15, WIS 16, CHA 16.

[Cuddly]

Heh, nine HD. A cleric could easily turn that SOB.

[sonofzeal]

Now here's a Tarrasque I fear. (http://d20npcs.wikia.com/wiki/Brobdingnagian_Teratoid_Tarrasque)

"As a standard action, the tarrasque can make 1,228 melee attacks at a -4 penalty."

*SNORT*

[Cuddly]

Thank goodness it has an int score. Otherwise it would be undefeatable pre-epic.

[Illiterate Scribe]

lol i made up a Mage Bred, Awakened, Dire Ape, Monster of Leg, 1/2 Iron Golem, Paragon, Saint, Fighter, Monk

Roving Mauler?

[Te'Shen]

Well, this is an idea for a character I'm thinking about playing with reflavoring included... It's not awesome, but it seems fun. :)

Half shadow dragon (Dark Dragonborn Raptorian)

+2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity
Humanoid (Dragonblooded and extraplanar): Half shadow dragons are humanoids with the dragonborn subtype and any other subtype they had from their non dragon parent (or before undergoing the right of rebirth). For all effects related to race, a half shadow dragon is considered a dragon and a member of his original race. A half shadow dragon also has the extraplanar subtype when encountered on a plane other than the shadow plane.
A half shadow dragon's base land speed is 40'
Medium: As a medium creature, half shadow dragons have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Darkvision: A half shadow dragon can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and a half shadow draong can function just fine with no light at all.
Superior Low-Light Vision: A half shadow dragon can see four times as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of low illumination.
+2 dodge bonus to Armor Class against creatures of the dragon type. A half shadow dragon has an innate sense of how best to defend themselves against their kin.
Immunity to Frightful Presence: Half shadow dragons are immune to the frightful presence ability of dragons, just as if they were dragons.
Breath Weapon (Su): A half shadow dragon gains a breath weapon that appears as black light. The line's length is 5' per hit die the half shadow dragon has, up to a maximum of 100' at 20th hit die. The breath weapon also deals 1d8 points of damage, plus an extra 1d8 points for each 3 hit die the - possesses (2d8 at 3 hit die, 3d8 at 6 hit die, etc.). The damage can be acid, cold, electricity, or fire, changing on each use as the - chooses. A successful reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 the - hit die + constitution modifier) halves the damage. The half shadow dragon can use his breath weapon once every 1d4 rounds.
Gliding (Ex): A half shadow dragon can use his wings to glide, negating damage from a fall of any height and allowing 30' of forward travel for every 5' of descent. Half shadow dragons glide at a speed of 50' (average maneuverability). Even if a half shadow dragon's maneuverability improves, he cannot hover while gliding. A half shadow dragon cannot glide while carrying a medium or heavy load.
If a half shadow dragon becomes unconscious or helpless while in midair, his wings naturally unfurl and powerful ligaments stiffen the wings. The half shadow dragon decends in a tight corkscrew and takes only 1d6 points of falling damage, no matter what the actual distance of the fall.
Flight (Ex): When a half shadow dragon reaches 5 hit dice, he becomes able to fly at a speed of 50' (average maneuverablity). A - can't fly while carrying a medium or heavy load or while fatigued or exhausted.
A half shadow dragon can fly safely for a number of rounds equal to their constitution modifier (minimum 1 round). They can exert themselves to fly for up to twice as long, but then they are fatigued at the end of the flight. Half shadow dragons are likewise fatigued after spending a total of more than 10 minutes per day flying. Because a half shadow dragon can glide before, after, and between rounds of actual flight, they can remain aloft for extended periods (even if they can only use flight for one round at a time without becoming fatigued.)
When they reach 10 hit dice, a half shadow dragon has enough stamina and prowess to fly for longer periods. They can fly at a speed of 50' (average maneuverability), and flying requires no more exertion than walking or running.
A half shadow dragon with flight can make a dive attack. A dive attack works like a charge, but the half shadow dragon must move a minimum of 30' and decend at least 10'. A - can make a dive attack only when wielding a piercing weapon; if the attack hits, it deals double damage.
A half shadow dragon with flight can use the run action while flying, provied he flies in a straight line.
Hide in plain sight (Ex): Use the hide skill even while being observed (except in natural daylight, the area of a daylight spell, or similar effect).
Resistant to cold 10
+8 bonus to the hide skill and +6 bonus to the move silently skill.
Automatic Languages: Common, Draconic, and Tuilvilanuue (Raptorian).
Bonus Languages: Elven, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Sylvan.
Favored Classes: Cleric and Fighter. A -'s cleric and fighter classes do not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty.
Level adjustment: +1

[Athaniar]

I wonder how my creature actually would look with all those templates? I was thinking something along the lines of a dragon-like being with shimmering greyish-gold skin, cracked to show the magma beneath, and (never-melting) ice crystals on random places accross the body. About half of it's great many heads look fiendish, while the other half looks celestial, while still retaining the "red dragon look", with those characteristic horns. And the leathery dragon wings lined with white and black feathers.

Anyone care to draw it? I'll give you a cookie.