[Monster] Illusid, Living Illusions

[Sucros]

Allrighty, I'm back again for another shot at the gold. I've got the Illusid, a groups of beings that seem to have evolved from illusions after a terrible cataclysm.1

These are low level encounters before adding class levels or extra hit dice, with CRs of 1/2, 3, and 4 respectively.

Illusid:

Illusid are a group of native outsiders that all appear to have been birthed by warped illusion spells in a powerful magical cataclysm.

Illusid Traits:
- Living magic: Illusid are still innately tied to magic, and suffer some of the weaknesses of magic. An illusid radiates a faint magic aura of the illusion school. Furthermore, any illusid that finds itself the target of or in the area of a dispel magic spell or similar effect that dispels magic takes 1d4 damage per level of caster. An illusid who finds itself within and antimagic field likewise takes this damage and is fatigued until it leaves the area of the antimagic field.
- +1 to the DC of all illusion spells or spell like abilities of the related racial subschool (Shadow for Shadowmists, Pattern for Ravenous Patterns, Figment for Lingering Figments) cast by Illusid

Shadowmist (Durtha)
Shadowmist, 1st-level Warrior
Medium Outsider (Native, Illusid)
Hit Dice: 1d8 (4 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (+4 Chain Shirt, +1 Light Shield), touch 10, flat-footed 15; 10% miss chance
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+2
Attack: Longsword +2 melee (1d8+1/19–20) or light crossbow +1 ranged (1d8/19–20)
Full Attack: Longsword +2 melee (1d8+1/19–20) or light crossbow +1 ranged (1d8/19–20)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: None
Special Qualities: Outsider(native) traits, Illusid Traits, indistinct outline,
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +0, Will -1
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 11, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 8
Skills: Hide +5*, Listen +3, Spot +3
Feats: Alertness
Environment: Temperate Hills
Organization: Solitary or Pair
Challenge Rating: 1/2
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Often chaotic good
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +0
Shadowmists are illusion spells given life. None, not even the Shadowmists, know the origins of the race, but most scholars suspect tampering with shadow magic by ambitious magi.
Shadowmists are naturally surrounded by a fuzzy aura that twists and bends light around them. In their natural state, the features of the Shadowmist are very difficult to make out. They appear as if someone had taken a painting of a human or perhaps a half-elf and smudged it. When a Shadowmist suppresses their outline, usually in order to better communicate with other races, it is difficult to mistake them for humans. An unhazed Shadowmist is as tall as a human and thin to the point of appearing emaciated. A Shadowmist can have skin of any shade of gray, running from sheet white to charcoal gray. Their hair is always black. What is most striking about a Shadowmist is her eyes; phosphorescent blue irises over a churning sea of blacks and grays.
COMBAT
Most Shadowmist fight only if threatened. Many members of the Shadowmist are spellcasters, and can be counted upon to utilize illusions.
Outsider (Native) traits: Shadowmists eat, sleep, and breathe, and can be raised or resurrected.
Indistinct outline (Su): Shadomists are surrounded by a shimmering haze which can make them difficult to hit. This functions as if a Shadowmist is always granted concealment except that the miss chance conferred is only 10%. This does not stack with other effects that grant concealment, such as blur, nor does it grant any of the other effects of concealment, such as protection from sneak attakcs. A Shadowmist may suppress this ability at will as a free action for one round.
Skills: A Shadowmist’s indistinct outline grants it a +2 racial bonus to hide checks.
SHADOWMISTS AS CHARACTERS:
-Outsider (native): Shadowmists are composed predominately of the shadowstuff of the plane of shadow. As native outsiders, Shadowmist are immune to effects that target humanoids such as charm person. Unlike extraplanar outsiders, Shadowmist eat, sleep, and breathe, and may be raised from the dead.
- Medium size
- -2 constitution: While they may be far more substantial than other creatures created by shadow illusions, Shadowmist are nevertheless less hardy than most inhabitants of the material plane.
-Darkvision 60ft
-Indistinct outline (Su): Shadowmist are surrounded by a shimmering haze which can make them difficult to hit. This functions as if a Shadowmist is always under the effect of the spell blur except that the miss chance conferred is only 10%. A Shadowmist may suppress this ability at will as a free action for one round.

Ravenous Pattern
Medium Outsider (Native, Illusid)
Hit Dice: 3d8+3 (18 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), fly 40 ft (average)
Armor Class: 13 (+3 Dex), touch 13, flat-footed 10
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+10
Attack: Slam +6 (1d6+4)
Full Attack: Slam +6 (1d6+4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Constrict (1d6+3), Improved Grap, Spell like abilities.
Special Qualities: Outsider(native) traits, Illusid Traits, chameleon
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +4
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 5, Wis 12, Cha 14
Skills: Hide +19*, Move Silently +9, Sense Motive +7, Spot +7, Listen +7,
Feats: Improved Initiative, Toughness, Improved GrappleB
Environment: Temperate Hills
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually Neutral
Advancement: 4-6HD (Medium), 7-10HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: -

Ravenous Patterns are pattern spells given life. They appear as an flapping patterned sheet flying through the air, unless they are pressed up against a patterned material. In that case, the pattern on the Ravenous Pattern changes to match that of its background.
COMBAT
Ravenous Patterns uniformly use the same tactic to catch prey. They detect nearby thoughts, use this knowledge to lure their prey with ghost sound, they then try to fascinate anyone near enough and then choke the nearest to death. No one knows how a ravenous pattern then consumes its prey, but it is well documented that it does indeed manage the task.
Outsider (Native) traits: Ravenous patterns eat, sleep, and breathe, and can be raised or resurrected.
Constrict (Ex): A ravenous pattern deals 1d6+5 points of damage with a successful grapple check.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a ravenous pattern must hit with its slam attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.
Spell-Like Abilities: At will— Ghost Sound (DC 12), Detect Thoughts (DC 14); 3/day-- Hypnotic Pattern (DC 15) Caster level 5th. The save DC is Charisma-based and includes a +1 racial bonus to Illusion(Pattern).
Skills: A ravenous pattern receives a +10 racial bonus to hide checks made upon repeating patterns.

Lingering Figment
Medium Outsider (Native, Illusid, Shapechanger, Incorporeal)
Hit Dice: 5d8 (22 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 30ft, fly 40 ft (good)
Armor Class: 15 (+3 Dex, +2 Deflection), touch 15, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/--
Attack: Incorporeal touch +9 melee (1d6 Con)
Full Attack: Incorporeal touch +9 melee (1d6 Con)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Constitution Damage
Special Qualities: Outsider(native) traits, Illusid Traits, Incorporeal traits, ventriloquism, malleable illusion, spell-like abilities.
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +6
Abilities: Str --, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 14
Skills: Hide +11, Sense Motive +9, Spot +11, Listen +11, Disguise +20* (+22 acting), Bluff +12, Diplomacy +12, Intimidate +12
Feats: Improved Initiative, Alertness, Great Fortitude
Environment: Temperate Hills
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually Neutral
Advancement: 6-11HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: —

Figment spells given some semblance of life by the cataclysm, these sneaky beings drain the vitality from living beings to maintain their warped existence. They may take many forms, but typically employ those of humanoids.
Lingering Figments typically speak ten languages or more. These are usually the languages of nearby inhabitants of the Figments’ territories, to better trick their prey.
COMBAT
Lingering Figments enjoy employing trickery to get the drop on their enemies. If their enemy appears easy to fool but difficult to fight, they may employ hit-and-run tactics, using trickery multiple times after escaping to get the drop on their prey. They often use their ventriloquism to make decoys out of their minor images.
Ventriloquism (Sp): A lingering figment can throw its voice as per the ventriloquism spell. A DC 14 Will save allows the listener to realize that they are listening to ventriloquism.
Malleable illusion (Sp): A lingering figment is able to change its appearance at will. This functions similarly to the alter self spell except the figment may take the appearance of creatures regardless of type, and the figment does not physically change in any way.
Constitution Damage (Su): The touch of a lingering figment deals 1d6 points of Constitution damage to a living foe. A creature reduced to Constitution 0 by a lingering figment dies.
Spell-Like Abilities: At will— minor image (DC 14) 1/day—Mirror Image
Skills: A lingering figment using its malleable illusion ability to create a disguise gets a +10 racial bonus to disguise checks.

1:Bonus campaign-specific material: In EBERRON, it is widely believed that the Illusid were created by the Mourning warping illusion spells, much in the same manner that created the living spells. In DARK SUN, it is believed that the the Illusid were birthed by a defiler whom absorbed far too much from the land to cast an illusion spell and destroyed himself.

Hey, this is my hundredth post! Maybe that's good luck!

[Sucros]

Ok, my entry is completed, unless I somehow come up with an original glamer or phantasm creature idea. May come back and add some fluff. I'd love any feedback as these are my first from scratch monsters.

Questions I'd like your views on:

Even with its weaknesses (living magic and -2 con), was giving a creature with indistinct outline an LA of +0 too ambitious?
Were my CRs on target for the Ravenous Pattern and the Lingering Figment?
Did I screw anything up?

[The Vorpal Tribble]

I'll take a crack at it 8)

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Shadowmist (Durtha)


Shadowmist (Durtha)
Shadowmist, 1st-level Warrior
Medium Outsider (Native, Illusid)
Hit Dice: d8 (4 hp)
This meant as a 1/2d8?
Once we get its HD cleared up I'll be able to critique the rest of the numberage ;)



This functions as if a Shadowmist is always granted concealment except that the miss chance conferred is only 10%
This would be listed along with its AC after the flat-footed.

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Ravenous Pattern


Hit Dice: 3d8+3 (19 hp)
Average hit dice would be 1.5x8+3 for 15 average HP (though don't ask me why its done that way).


Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+9
Grapple would be +10 (+3 BAB, +3 strength, +4 improved grapple)


Attack: Slam +6 (d6+4)
Full Attack: Slam +6 (d6+4)
Generally it'd be listed as 1d6, but thats just a nitpick.



Spell-Like Abilities: At will— Ghost Sound (DC 12), Detect Thoughts (DC 14); 3/day-- Hypnotic Pattern (DC 15)
What caster level is it casting these at and are the DC's based on its charisma, intelligence or wisdom?

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Lingering Figment


Special Attacks: Constitution Damage
Attack says con damage but don't see a listing for it.

I'd say its CR is a little high though. Closer to 4 than 5.

-=-=-=-=-

All in all you did a pretty derned good job for your first try. I've made scores and it took me dozens of critters before I got the hang of it. Most of what I mentioned is just nitpick stuff.

Slow as I am I kept expecting to see these things with tentacles before I realized you had written illusid and not illisid ::)

[Sucros]

Thanks a ton for the advice. Good eye spotting all that.


I'll take a crack at it 8)

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Shadowmist (Durtha)

This meant as a 1/2d8?
Once we get its HD cleared up I'll be able to critique the rest of the numberage ;)


I meant it as a first level warrior, ie 1d8. I have a bad habit of leaving out the number before the dice if it's a one. IIRC, NPC classes don't get max hit points at first level. Correct me if I'm wrong.


This would be listed along with its AC after the flat-footed.

What should that look like? I'd look at the displacer beast, but I use the SRD because I'm cheap.


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Ravenous Pattern

Average hit dice would be 1.5x8+3 for 15 average HP (though don't ask me why its done that way).

I gave it toughness in the feats, which still doesn't explain the nineteenth HP. Math should not be done at 1AM.



Grapple would be +10 (+3 BAB, +3 strength, +4 improved grapple)

The scary thing is, I'm a physics major. Good eye.



What caster level is it casting these at and are the DC's based on its charisma, intelligence or wisdom?

I'll fix that.



Lingering Figment

I'd say its CR is a little high though. Closer to 4 than 5.

I think you may be right. I aimed for CR 4, but worried I gave it too many abilities



Attack says con damage but don't see a listing for it.

I'll fix that too.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

IIRC, NPC classes don't get max hit points at first level. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Probably depends on what the DM wants, but not sure.


What should that look like? I'd look at the displacer beast, but I use the SRD because I'm cheap.
Hrmmm, the DB doesn't mention it in the AC... though I know other critters that do, so I guess it isn't hard rule. I think its useful to put there however.

This is how it looks for those that do mention it:
Armor Class: 15 (+4 Chain Shirt, +1 Light Shield), touch 10, flat-footed 15; 10% miss-chance

[Hydro]

A living phantasm would, naturally, be a subjective being. In otherwords, it exists to some people but doesn't to others. In terms of objective reality, it doesn't exist. If there were no intelligent beings on the face of the earth, it wouldn't exist. But to individuals it does. It can appear to multiple people at once (if it wants to), can talk to them, and can even kill them.

It is a mind-boggling concept, and likely difficult to handle with rules, but very cool if you pull it off. Or if you just use that for inspiration and do something similar.

The basic gist of phantasms, though, is that they aren't real. Shadowstuff (and creatures made out of it) is sort of real, it's kind of like wannabe matter. But a phantasmic being simply isn't actually there. He is just in the heads of those around him. Feel free to take that fact and run with it.

Now, a glamer is an interesting case, because it isn't a self-contained illusion. It is a modification of something that is already there. Thus, my first instinct is to make "glamered creature" a template of some sort, representing a being that has been permanently altered by quasi-real illusions. In what ways I'll leave up to you; there are a number of ways to do it, and it could be a blessing a curse or both.

A "living glamer", on the other hand, would just be a ghost-like apparition that would glide around glammering things. It could "possess" people and objects to change their sensory qualities: one minute it makes your keys invisible and just ruins your day, the next it takes over an elven warrior to make him all sparkly and brilliant and difficult to look at (perhaps bestowing a "glamered creature" template?), and the next it visits it's wrath on an important politician to make him smell exactly like old shoes and tunafish. Which sounds fun, but I don't know what on earth its monster stats would be.


I'm just trying to speak in general terms here, to get the wheels turning. If I filled in all the details for you it would be my creature rather than yours. ;)

Anyway, nice job so far, and good luck if you decide to try to tackle those last two!

[EvilDave]

I can think of a couple ways to do a concious phantasmal illusion (or at least a way to explain the existence of one), though I do not see a ready way to incorporate that with the Illusid idea....

Say you have a wild mage or a powerful illusionist (or, more likely, a sorcerer with an illusion savvy bent) in a situation where there subjected to extreme psychological stress, are left in isolation for an extended period, or acquire a derangement of some sort. There could be a chance (small thought it may be) that they, without conscious decision, create a mental image representing there fear or duress and project that onto those around them (to include themselves) in a phantasmal manner. Assuming the state of mind that caused it's creation endures (and is of sufficient degree to pervade their dreams/subconcious mind) it could come to occupy a part of it's host/creator's mind in a similar manner as a simultaneously manifesting split personality. The host would not have conscious controll over what the phantasm 'chooses' to do and the phantasm could act with all the power of their host and would probably, over time, degrade the mind of the mage into a(n even more) paranoid, ineffectual wreck - merely a withered shadow of any former glory. Now, the phantasm will probably bring its host to do its bidding out of fear and the host will likely not deduce the true manner of the phantasms existence, but if the mage were to die the illusion would be without a mind to hold it, so it would defend the mage with the mages powers (which have necessarily become it's own and have probably changed somewhat in there nature). If something managed to kill the host, the phantasm would still exist in the minds of anyone who it was manifested in and would have a chance, at least, of transferring it's essence to anyone who would fail yet another will save (although this process would definitely be chancey and its nature would again be influenced by the fears and nature of its new host). This would probably be something of an extended check to first catch further hold of the targets mind and then attempt to subjugate it.

As far as an adventuring party might encounter it, they might (idea) encounter a deeply agitated neurotic person wandering the wilderness in tattered robes. He might be intelligible enough to convey that he is being chased or haunted by some hideous presence (feel free to use the most potent abjectives at your disposal as this person would be describing what, to him, is about the most horrible thing he could imagine).

Any clerical ability to exorcise spirits/remove curses would fail, though spells that might restore sanity would have some effect.

The phantasm, being quite malicious, would try to cause whatever harm it can to the party if it thought it had a good chance to be successful, though if it thought itself outgunned it would force its host to flee (a lot of parties would then follow after it...). Whenever it makes a spell (or equivalent) casting action, the host will probably make erratic twitches, convulsions, or just strange and wild motions (high DC spellcraft check to see what's going on).

The phantasms tactics would rely heavily on enchantments & illusions inflicting confusion/suggestion and casting something akin to an 'Alter Other' on the party (and possibly the host) along with an array of ghost sounds and other phantasms to make the party believe that there is indeed something ELSE out there. The thing exists as a phantasm that would try to conceil it's presence, so noticing it might involve making a will save against the 'illusion' perpetrating that it's not their, followed by making another will save to disbelieve its reality. Believing in it's reality would be the open door to a following possession.

....

Okay, that was definitely way too damned wordy, but what how does that possibility strike you?

Disclaimer: I have never even attempted to create a creature of any sort, much less a balanced one, and have no plans of creating actual traits for this one.