Abbott
2008-12-13, 05:25 PM
This is a monster I've created for my campain world, a semi-post apocalyotic place where the gods sacrificed themselves to hedge out cosmic gribbliness and there are no casters but paladins, divine bards, warlocks, shadowcasters, truenamers and binders.
SHADOWSCYTHE GOLEM
Medium Construct
Hit Dice: 7d10+21 (60 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 30 ft.
Armor Class: 21 (+3 Dex, +8 Natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+9
Attack: Claw +10 (2d4+4/x4)
Full Attack: 2 Claws +10 (2d4+4/x4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Disengage
Special Qualities: Fell Wings, Supreme Darkvision, Uninteresting
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +2
Abilities: Str 18, Con -, Dex 17, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 13
Skills: Balance +13
Feats: Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus: Claw, Combat Reflexes
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, pair or squad (3-5)
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: 8-14 (Medium), 15-21 (Large)
Level Adjustment: -
Before you stands a humanoid figure, stooping. It is all but concealed in a heavy, dark cloak; only its malicious eyes are visible. Suddenly, the cloak opens, revealing a pair of bat-like wings and its hand sprout scythe-like claws. With a shrill roar, it leaps towards you.
The shadowscythe golems were first created by the mad warlord Halfrjotun Tymeon, a half-fiendish dwarf hell-bent on destroying every last dragon. They are made from the body of a dead humanoid, with wings and patches of tough skin sewn on. It is then animated by a shadow elemental, a psychopathic, murderous creature that longs to extinguish all life.
Now, more than hundred years after Tymeon sacrificed himself to unleash the draconic plague, killing the few surviving pure-blood dragons, lore on the shadowscythes is difficult to come by. However, they are not as rare as one might think. More than capable of remaining incognito and with no need to fear death from old age, the shadowscythes serve powerful shadowcasters as assassins or bodyguards. Very few go long without a master, while they’re not very bright, they know that without someone who patches them up occasionally, they’ll be destroyed sooner or later.
Most are considerably more powerful than the specimen presented here, but it took Tymeon a few tries to perfect the process and the only surviving notes are those from these first experiments.
Shadowscythes come in many shapes. Most are made to look like the ko’suhn, the half-dragons, that Tymeon wished to discredit, though some prefer theirs to look more fiendish and there are a few shadowcasters who find that a celestial-looking shadowscythe, replete with feathery wings and glowing scythes suit their purposes better. Regardless of their form, these golems are irrevocably evil.
The golems cannot speak per se, but they can be taught a few phrases, usually curses or threats, that they will repeat haphazardly every now and then (unless they want to be stealthy). They understand commands in all languages, however.
Combat:
Disengage: If a shadowscythe golem successfully hits an opponent, it may choose to forgo damaging him and instead cause him to lose his balance until the end of the golem’s turn unless he succeeds at a DC 22 Balance check. An unbalanced opponent may not make attacks of opportunity against the golem.
Fell Wings: As a swift action once every ten rounds, the shadowscythe golem may unfurl its wings and fly 50 ft. In addition, it may always subtract 50 ft. of fall damage. It may make this additional movement as part of a charge, in which case it will charge 110 ft., 50 of which is flying movement.
Supreme Darkvision: A shadowscythe golem has darkvision out to 120 ft and it can see perfectly in all kinds of magical darkness. In addition, in shadowy or worse concealment, no creature can benefit from the Hide skill against the golem.
Uninteresting: Due to its affinity with shadow, anyone who meets the gaze of a shadowscythe golem will have to succeed on a DC 16 Will save or simply ignore the golem, essentially rendering the golem immune to any senses. This ability is not usable in combat and as soon as the golem does anything threatening, it can be seen and heard as normal. A shadowscythe golem gets +1 to the save DC for every shadowscythe golem adjacent to it, to a maximum of +4 when accompanied by four of its kind. This is a mind-affecting ability.
SHADOWSCYTHE GOLEM
Medium Construct
Hit Dice: 7d10+21 (60 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 30 ft.
Armor Class: 21 (+3 Dex, +8 Natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+9
Attack: Claw +10 (2d4+4/x4)
Full Attack: 2 Claws +10 (2d4+4/x4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Disengage
Special Qualities: Fell Wings, Supreme Darkvision, Uninteresting
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +2
Abilities: Str 18, Con -, Dex 17, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 13
Skills: Balance +13
Feats: Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus: Claw, Combat Reflexes
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, pair or squad (3-5)
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: 8-14 (Medium), 15-21 (Large)
Level Adjustment: -
Before you stands a humanoid figure, stooping. It is all but concealed in a heavy, dark cloak; only its malicious eyes are visible. Suddenly, the cloak opens, revealing a pair of bat-like wings and its hand sprout scythe-like claws. With a shrill roar, it leaps towards you.
The shadowscythe golems were first created by the mad warlord Halfrjotun Tymeon, a half-fiendish dwarf hell-bent on destroying every last dragon. They are made from the body of a dead humanoid, with wings and patches of tough skin sewn on. It is then animated by a shadow elemental, a psychopathic, murderous creature that longs to extinguish all life.
Now, more than hundred years after Tymeon sacrificed himself to unleash the draconic plague, killing the few surviving pure-blood dragons, lore on the shadowscythes is difficult to come by. However, they are not as rare as one might think. More than capable of remaining incognito and with no need to fear death from old age, the shadowscythes serve powerful shadowcasters as assassins or bodyguards. Very few go long without a master, while they’re not very bright, they know that without someone who patches them up occasionally, they’ll be destroyed sooner or later.
Most are considerably more powerful than the specimen presented here, but it took Tymeon a few tries to perfect the process and the only surviving notes are those from these first experiments.
Shadowscythes come in many shapes. Most are made to look like the ko’suhn, the half-dragons, that Tymeon wished to discredit, though some prefer theirs to look more fiendish and there are a few shadowcasters who find that a celestial-looking shadowscythe, replete with feathery wings and glowing scythes suit their purposes better. Regardless of their form, these golems are irrevocably evil.
The golems cannot speak per se, but they can be taught a few phrases, usually curses or threats, that they will repeat haphazardly every now and then (unless they want to be stealthy). They understand commands in all languages, however.
Combat:
Disengage: If a shadowscythe golem successfully hits an opponent, it may choose to forgo damaging him and instead cause him to lose his balance until the end of the golem’s turn unless he succeeds at a DC 22 Balance check. An unbalanced opponent may not make attacks of opportunity against the golem.
Fell Wings: As a swift action once every ten rounds, the shadowscythe golem may unfurl its wings and fly 50 ft. In addition, it may always subtract 50 ft. of fall damage. It may make this additional movement as part of a charge, in which case it will charge 110 ft., 50 of which is flying movement.
Supreme Darkvision: A shadowscythe golem has darkvision out to 120 ft and it can see perfectly in all kinds of magical darkness. In addition, in shadowy or worse concealment, no creature can benefit from the Hide skill against the golem.
Uninteresting: Due to its affinity with shadow, anyone who meets the gaze of a shadowscythe golem will have to succeed on a DC 16 Will save or simply ignore the golem, essentially rendering the golem immune to any senses. This ability is not usable in combat and as soon as the golem does anything threatening, it can be seen and heard as normal. A shadowscythe golem gets +1 to the save DC for every shadowscythe golem adjacent to it, to a maximum of +4 when accompanied by four of its kind. This is a mind-affecting ability.