Our third competitor, Scar the Lion King of the Serengeti!

Spoiler: Scar the Lion King of the Serengeti
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Quote Originally Posted by Scar the Lion King of the Serengeti
Scar the Lion King of the Serengeti

Huge Phrenic Dire Lion CR 13 / Phantom +2 / Ardent 1 / storm disciple 4



Spoiler: Build Table
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CR Class Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Skills Feats Class Features
2 Phrenic Dire Lion cub (tiny, cat model 1/4HD) +0 +2 +2 +2 hide 0-4 size+4 racial, listen 1, move silently 0+4 racial, spot 0 Alertness 3/day—defensive precognition; 1/day—force screen ; 2 claws 1d2 and bite 1d3; power resistance HD+10; low-light vision, scent
3 very young dire lion (medium, leopard model 3HD) +2 +3 +3 +3 hide 0-4 size+4 racial, listen 2, move silently 0+4 racial, spot 1 Run 3/day—empty mind, mind thrust ; 2 claws 1d3 and bite 1d6; improved grab, pounce, rake; +1 natural armor
4 phrenic young dire lion (large, lion model 5HD) +3 +4 +4 +4 hide 0-4 size+4 racial, listen 2, move silently 0+4 racial, spot 3 1/day—body adjustment, brain lock ; 2 claws 1d4 and bite 1d6; +3 natural armor
6 juvenile dire lion (lion 8HD) +6 +5 +5 +5 hide 0-4 size+4 racial, listen 4, move silently 0+4 racial, spot 4 Speed of Thought 1/day—aversion, psionic blast
7 young adult dire lion +6 +6 +6 +6 hide 0-4 size+4 racial, listen 4, move silently 0+4 racial, spot 4 2 claws 1d6 and bite 1d8; +4 natural armor
9 adult dire lion (11HD) +8 +7 +7 +7 hide 0-4 size+4 racial, listen 5, move silently 0+4 racial, spot 6 Multiattack 3/day—intellect fortress; 1/day—psionic dominate, psychic crush
10 mature adult dire lion (14HD) +10 +9 +9 +9 hide 0-4 size+4 racial, knowledge (religion) 3, listen 5, move silently 0+4 racial, spot 6 Improved multiattack 1/day—energy current, tower of iron will
12 old dire lion (huge, 17 HD) +12 +10 +10 +10 hide 0-8 size+4 racial, knowledge (religion) 6, listen 5, move silently 0+4 racial, spot 6 Improved initiative 3/day—psionic teleport; 1/day—fission ; 2 claws 1d8 and bite 2d6; +7 natural armor
13 very old dire lion (20HD) +15 +12 +12 +12 hide 0-8 size+4 racial, knowledge (religion) 8, listen 6, move silently 0+4 racial, spot 6 Psionic Charge 1/day—ultrablast
15 Phantom template AC deflection bonus, phantom defense, vulnerability to ghost touch, phantom strike, incorporeal jaunt
16 Ardent 1 +15 +12 +12 +14 concentration 1, hide 0-8 size+4 racial, knowledge (religion) 8, listen 6, move silently 0+4 racial, spot 6 Epic Speed Assume psionic mantles (Natural World, Physical Power), 2 PP/day, 2 powers known : chameleon, adrenaline boost
17 Storm Disciple 1 +16 +14 +12 +16 concentration 2, hide 0-8 size+4 racial, knowledge (religion) 8, listen 6, move silently 0+4 racial, spot 6 shocking aura 5 ft
18 Storm Disciple 2 +17 +15 +12 +17 concentration 3, hide 0-8 size+4 racial, knowledge (religion) 8, listen 6, move silently 0+4 racial, spot 6 resistance to electricity 5, 6 PP/day, metaphysical claw
19 Storm Disciple 3 +18 +15 +13 +17 concentration 4, hide 0-8 size+4 racial, knowledge (religion) 8, listen 6, move silently 0+4 racial, spot 6 Superior Initiative shocking aura 10 ft, stormwalker, 11 PP/day, animal affinity
20 Storm Disciple 4 +19 +16 +13 +18 concentration 5, hide 0-8 size+4 racial, knowledge (religion) 8, listen 6, move silently 0+4 racial, spot 6 resistance to electricity 15, 17 PP/day, vigor


Spoiler: Age categories
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Dire Lion Age model CR HD advancement CR for Phrenic Dire Lion
cub cat 1/2 1/4 - 1+1/2
very young leopard 2 3 4-5 HD (Medium) 2+1
young lion 3 5 6-8 HD (Large) 3+1
juvenile 4 8 4+2
young adult dire lion 5 8 9-16 HD (Large); 17-24 HD (Huge) 5+2
adult 6 11 6+3
mature adult 7 14 7+3
old 9 17 (+1 CR Huge) 9+3
very old 10 20 10+3
ancient 11 24 11+3


Spoiler: Abilities
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CR class Str Dex Con Int Wis Cha
Elite array -2 +4 +2 0 +2 +4
Phrenic template +2 +4
Awakened (optional) (3d6)
2 Cat 3-2 15+4 10+2 2 12+4 7+8
3 Leopard 16-2 19+4 15+2 2 12+4 6+8
4 Lion 21-2 17+4 15+2 2 12+4 6+8
6 Lion 8HD 16+2
7 Dire Lion 25-2 15+4 17+2 2 12+4 10+8
9 Dire Lion 11HD
10 Dire Lion 14HD 20 (+1 12HD)
12 Dire Lion 17HD (Huge size) 23+8 21-2 (+1 15HD, -2 Huge size) 19+4
13 Dire Lion 20HD 20 (+1 18HD)
15 Phantom
16 Ardent 1 21 (+1 21HD)
17 Storm Disciple 1
18 Storm Disciple 2
19 Storm Disciple 3 3 (+1 24HD)
20 Storm Disciple 4


Spoiler: Design Notes
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Spoiler: CR 6, Kimba the White Lion
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In the Serengeti, during a big storm, lion cubs play near a big baobab... which is hit by lightning ! Only 2 cubs survive, one of them with strange powers... which will help him dominate the whole pride and devastate the environment.

My basis here is a Phrenic Dire Lion - but I use Lion, Leopard and Cat to simulate the younger versions and the progeny of our freak. Only changes are :
1) Good Will Save for Dire Lions,
2) Removal of racial bonuses/feats which are not possessed by Dire Lions.
Right now our phrenic lion is able to send dangerous mind thrusts 3/day for 8d10 damage - other psionics are used to defend itself or stun ennemies before pouncing on them.

His cubs can be captured to be used in a circus or menagerie, and then escape and wreak havoc in any environment - this would be a good lead for low level adventures.

(You can play this in D&D&D mode - Dungeons&Dragons&Disney - a prime material plane world where animals are awakened. Or you can place this in the Beastlands in the Outer Planes, which is much the same, or in your own world, in the south. Awaken is only an option there, as there's no guide to update CR with it.)


Spoiler: CR 10, Jungle Emperor Leo
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Once we are on Dire Lion basis, I only increase hit dices as Scar psionically dominates more and more lions and eat most herbivores - and expand his territory, where only the fitest survive - including humans which are soon hunted. But can adventurers even contain the freak lions from conquering all nearby countries, with Scar possessing psionics at 14th manifester level, which allow him to go Pikachu mode (with energy current)?


Spoiler: CR 15, The Lion Sleeps Tonight
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Scar was so strong that he became the biggest lion the Serengeti ever saw - humans were exterminated, only Dire Animals were able to survive, creating an hellish Dire Savannah populated by freak animals. Nearby human tribes rejoiced when he finally died, with a popular song and a hope to hunt his lesser progeny down to extinction. But as they tried to reclaim their ancestral home, they had to recoil in fear - the freak lions and dire animals would call upon Scar even after his death to protect his realm ! Can adventurers call upon other mighty totems against the Dire King ?

First I used Spirit Animal from Frostburn - but it is restricted to animals. Then I had the choice between the Ghost from Monster Manual 1, the same from Ghostwalk, and Phantom from Monster Manual 5... I think Phantom is best tailored here, as it does not add fancy powers. I would probably add extraplanar subtype on top to show that Scar came back from afterlife - but this is a house rule. Otherwise with 20th manifester level Scar is a fearsome foe, which should use and abuse of fission to come back again and again...


Spoiler: CR 20, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
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Gaining more sentience and powers after death, called by the dire wildlife of his realm, Scar hunts humans and subdues them - humans would raise big cattle and be no more than slaves under the tyrannical freak lions. As the lions find a small magic portal to another plane, they send young cubs the other way... soon the Serengeti Empire will conquer all the realities !

Monster Manual I on Improving Monsters chapter says that it's possible for a monster with a template (a half-dragon lammasu, for example) to be improved by both increasing its Hit Dice and adding character class levels. A phantom would not continue to grow in size, so Scar is stuck on his previous physical appearance. I consider he can develop its mental powers though - hence class levels. Storm Disciple prestige class matches a Natural World Leader quite well (even better for Scar which gained his powers through a lightning strike).


Spoiler: Sources
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Complete Psionic (Ardent, Storm Disciple)
Epic Level handbook (Epic Speed, Superior Initiative feats)
Monster Manual 5 (Phantom template)