Need a monster...anybody know of one?

[SoD]

As per the title; here are the requirements;

Size must be either large, or huge.
A party of 6 2nd-3rd level characters would have their first reaction as 'run' when one of them can one-shot an ogre (the others are normal or slightly below standard power).
It can be found in either the plains or the desert (temperate-hot).
Base land speed of less than 30 feet.
Animal intelligence prefurable.

But apart from that; go nuts!

I just need something to chase the party for a bit, into a ravine, at which point they will get stuck fighting orcs, with kobold archers on the side of the ravine (with another adventuring party in there; also the kobolds and orcs aren't allied).

[afroakuma]

Send something vicious - a behir or a blue dragon, perhaps. Maybe a purple worm if you want to really scare them.

Huge monstrous scorpion, dragonne, dire lion...

Thing is, I don't know where you'll find Large+ and slow. Maybe a stone golem?

[SoD]

Send something vicious - a behir or a blue dragon, perhaps. Maybe a purple worm if you want to really scare them.

Huge monstrous scorpion, dragonne, dire lion...

Thing is, I don't know where you'll find Large+ and slow. Maybe a stone golem?

Hence my problem. Large, but slow. Because, as it chases the party, it shouldn't catch them.

[Adumbration]

I think you're best bet is an animal: check Elephant, Giant Crocodile, Rhinoceros or a Giant Constrictor snake.

[SoD]

I think you're best bet is an animal: check Elephant, Giant Crocodile, Rhinoceros or a Giant Constrictor snake.

Constrictors wouldn't live in the desert/plains, same for crocodiles. And elephants and rhino's aren't really "Ach, Hans! Run!" material. I'm fussy, aren't I? Although I could try adding a template or five... *thinks of a certain snail*

[arguskos]

If you're willing to take it easy on them, get a crawling apocalypse! It's Gargantuan, Undead, has a move of 20 ft (reach 25 ft though, so give them some warning).

The only sticker is... it's CR 11. If they try fighting it, one shot will kill them all probably. But, it's basically perfect! You can find it in Sandstorm, page 143.

Oh, and a Sand Golem (same book, page 182) would work well. CR 12, but Huge w/ a move of 20 ft.

Those are the best two I can think of, with the crawling apocalypse being best, assuming your characters are smart enough to RUN FOR THE HILLS!

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Check out the Dire Tortoise and Giant Banded Lizard in Sandstorm, either would be perfect. If you don't have that book, maybe throw an Obsidian Ooze in there.

[Kol Korran]

first of all i think you can pull the "horrifying beast is chasing us" even without it being big/ huge, or have with a low land speed. but first i'll give a few suggestions that do fit your bill. (i'm assuming the monster's role is to attack AFTER the party breach the ravine's opening):

- huge vermin: the giant scorpion was mentioned, but i'd suggest to use a spider, and have it descend from it's web after the party passed the entrance. it then fights' chases the party a bit, until it's too far from it's webs, when it get back. if you want it to look even scarier, add the "fiendish creature" template. (this is true to many of the suggestions- a low cost template for dramtic effect)

- animated statue/s: easy replacement to the golem suggestions. they are slow, they can be as massive as you like, and they fit with ancient civilizations that ogt lost in the desert. if there is any clue to such a civilization in the ravine, it fits even more (it could have been the guardian at the city gates or something)

- Otyugh: use it like this- again this is a lurking monster, buried mostly under the sand. it chose this sport as the perfect ambushing point. before it bursts of the sand you can have the characters notice it's sensory tentacle that peeks out of the sand. i'd suggest you upgrade it to huge just to make sure the players get the message- run!

- hydra: make a desert variant, shouldn't be too hard (mainly just change it's coloring) it resides in a cave at the side of the ravine's entrance, when the party eneters it smells fresh food and comes out. another possibility is more sinister, and your party might not get the danger soon enough- the hydra is buried just beneath the surface, the heads jut peeking out (spot check), when the party are at range the "sand snakes" suddenly appear (it won't be obvious at first this is a hydra, and the threat implied) after several rounds have the full body emerge to let the players know how problematic this thing is. they will run (hopefully)

- zombie freaking huge anything: the undead are alow, but they can take a beating (you could add damage resistances from the base creature perhaps?) the zombie of a wyvern, a giant desert serpent, sphinks or whatever would have them thinking. if worried, just make it a mummy undead thingy instead of a zombie.

- oozes: from multiple holes in the wall ooze out a disgusting fluid, pudding's gellys and more might be very frightening monsters and are slow enough. they usually also take a lot of space so they feel your criteria.

- basilisk: as with former proposals, this creature descend from a cave by the side of the entrance, and start pondering towards them. have one of the characters recognize what it is. i'll put my money on them running away.

and now for some other ideas, that do not necesserily fit your criteria, but which i think would fit the bill:

- allips (i suggest 2 to make sure): demented remains of two people who got stuck here, or perhaps remants of old civilizations (again)- insubstantial undead usally realy firghten players, and you could justify them not following by being rooted to the place they died. not everything creepy must be overwhelimg...

- ghost: same effect as above, but with a twist. the ghost won't leave this place until a wrong is made right. this is a mini quest for the players descending into the ravine (seek the mcguffin that belonged to the ghost, or avenge against it's killes), in order to put the ghost to rest and be let out of this place. you can have the ghost posses some unlikely creature and speak through it to the playes (such as a swarm of centipades) that would truly add to this encoutner

- flyers that can't follow: have the party be attacked by a huge/ large flyer, that can't fly well in the ravine (below average manevurability). once they get inside the creautre lands on land and screeches/ curses them and might follow them a bit but then return back, uncomfortable on land. examples from the top of my head: wyvern (perhaps too overpowered, but surely frightening), manticore, Yrthrak.

- small and frightening: cockatrices... a small family of them. they will frighten the players all right (provided they recognize them). the same deal as with the basilisk. these might be a bit faster, but just have them not too hungry, just territorial. once the players leave their space (in the desired direction) the roosters stop giving chase. another creature out of nightmare is the gibbering mouther, you can upgrade it to be bigger but it's fine as it is- a combination between a swarm, an ooze, and a complete horror. (plus, most GMs don't use it so to players it is usually a surprise).

- tiny, and frightening in masses: swarms of course. have them pouring from nooks and cranies in the ravines wall, and most players will get the message. i suggest either scarabs, scorpions, or other desert critters. if you feeling they aren't frightening enough, just add the fiendish template or something else.

- another burrowing monster: the simple yet elegent ankheg- have either 2 of the creatures, or just one enhanced critter. the same with the otyugh, but with more plausability to be burrowing. it has a speed of 30, but you can always say it's harder for it to move on sand (if sand is appropriate) than underground for it. oooorrrr, again- the territoriality thing. works everytime for this intelligence level creature.

- a bit more magic please: this also works if there's an excuse in the form of ancient civilizations- the opening of the ravine has a magic effect triggered to it, one of summoning. it summons a devil/ demon or several, that attacks whomever is around. the summoned can only exist in a certain area, so the characters can easely evade them down into the ravine. you could use this similarily as wit hthe ghost- the characters now have to find a way to undo this charm, or get protection from it (the koblods or orcs might have these?) you could even use the devil/s demons as focus of worship for the two tribes.

hope this all helped, there are many suggestions, but you can allways just trust spidey... my only request is that you inform us what you have chosen to use.

Kol.

[KazilDarkeye]

How about a Basilisk? They're underused in my opinion, but they can fullfill your requirements:

1) Base Land Speed 20f.t.
2) Warm desert is listed as the environment.
3) By swapping out a few of their stats they can easily one-shot an ogre (specifically giving it Ability Focus(Petrifying Gaze) and/or boosting its Charisma could be deadly).

4) Also, learned/exprienced characters or players should be able to recognise it, and run for the hills dunes.

[SoD]

Kol-you are amazing. I'll take the hidden hydra any day! I'll post here how it all goes.

[Theodoriph]

You do realize you could pretty much take any monster and just have it not catch the PCs

Unless they know the Monster Manual off by heart or you put them up against a Gargantuan Emu, they probably won't know

[Kol Korran]

glad you liked it SoD! happy to help... just make sure it doesn't end in a TPK (many hydra battles do).

if you might be interested in upgrading "the hydra experience", check the thread on my sig. it basically deals with improving monsters (mainly their fluff, but also a few mechanical issues), and the last entry is of the hydra.

looking forward to hear how it all went down,
Kol.

[krossbow]

Either a large rust monster (use the progression given underneath it) or a delver.


One round or two after seeing their precious items crumble before them and they'll run screaming like little babies.

[Evil the Cat]

A (greater) stone golem could work very well. It is big, has a movement of 20, nothing it can do at range, and so many immunities that any low level pcs are going to realize they're severely outmatched. As an added bonus, it won't chase them too far because it's orders keep it in a relatively small area. The golem could even be a later plot hook, "why is it guarding a seemingly empty area of land?"

[Triaxx]

I built this off a Terry Brooks monster but if you slow it down it would work just fine.

Spoiler

Show

Creeper
Huge/Magical Beast
HD 6d10+5 (120+30)
Speed 60 ft. (12 squares)
Init: -1
AC 20; touch 20; flat-footed 19
(12 AC, 8 NA)
BAB +7; Grp +16
Attack Claw (Bludgeoning) +7 [Melee]
(2d4, 19-20/x2)
Full-Attack Full attack +7/+2 (2d4, 19-20/x2)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Slam
Special Qualities Thick skin
Saves Fort +33 Ref +29 Will -1
Abilities Str 25, Dex 8, Con 16, Int 5, Wis 6, Cha 3
Skills Tumble
Feats Power Attack, Cleave
Environment Ruins
Organization Solitary, Pair 2, Troupe 6-10
Challenge Rating 9
Treasure 1200 gold
Alignment Always N
Advancement by HD
Level Adjustment +4

Slam (Ex): As part of a full attack a Creeper may throw itself against a target for 2d6 damage. A creeper may use it's Slam attack to initiate a Grapple.

Thick Skin (Su): The outer hide of a creeper is sufficiently thick so as to prevent arrows from doing damage, except with critical hits, and completely negates slings.