[3.5]Improved monster classes(2.0):adapting creatures for player use-taking requests!

[flabort]

I think I'll take a crack at the Hydra, since there doesn't seem to be one done.

We do have a werehydra, that you could use for references. I approve.

Actualy, about that, awakened undead and constructs still retain their immunities. The monstruous crab should too.

Think so? I'm actually with gorgandantess on this one... sort of.

He really doesn't need anything else. Excellent scores, full Bab, scaling growth, stupid grapple bonus, mind affecting immunity, hits damn hard.

If anything I would remove powerfull claws and give it some way of ignoring obstacles, since it's lack of flying and ranged attacks means he's really screwed if he faces anything that can slow it down.

That's what several hundred feet of rope and a party of rangers is for .
I'm not so keen on removing powerful claws, it was in the original monster, but it was pretty strong to begin with. Maybe I could make it into a +2 damage?

Anyway, shouldn't it be able to breath underwater and ignore underwater penalties and stuff like that?

Oh, S***! I forgot breathing underwater!

[Jallorn]

I was planning on making it one PRC, but with two levels. It would give one breath attack type, Cryo- or Pyro-.

You'll see when I make it.

Right now I'm struggling with the "one head becomes two" thing.

Also, since the Hydra is Huge, I'm not sure when I should hand out growth during the progression.

[AmberVael]

Right now I'm struggling with the "one head becomes two" thing.

When you cut off a hydra's head, it grows two more. This is like, the entire basis of what a hydra is.

If you advance as a hydra, growing an extra head just because you're good like that doesn't seem far fetched at all. You can already grow heads much more ridiculously. Think of it as like a tooth coming in, but not a tooth, a head. And you don't lose the other ones.

Edit: Though I suppose I probably misread what you were saying, didn't I? At a second glance, it seems disconnected from the discussion of having more than one class for different amounts of hydra heads. Serves me right for reading too far into context, I guess.

[Jallorn]

When you cut off a hydra's head, it grows two more. This is like, the entire basis of what a hydra is.

If you advance as a hydra, growing an extra head just because you're good like that doesn't seem far fetched at all. You can already grow heads much more ridiculously. Think of it as like a tooth coming in, but not a tooth, a head. And you don't lose the other ones.

I mean mechanically. How to do it in a way that keeps the flavor yet doesn't unbalance anything.

[AmberVael]

I mean mechanically. How to do it in a way that keeps the flavor yet doesn't unbalance anything.

Yeah, I misread what you were saying. I was connecting it to the discussion about more than one class, not the ability to gain multiple heads when one is cut off.

What you could do is change up the limits on how many extra heads you can grow- at first, make it so they only like, grow one extra head (gaining more as they level), and heads beyond that don't multiply, they just regenerate. Hydras already have a max built in, so this wouldn't be a huge stretch.

[flabort]

Again, I point you to the werehydra, Oslecamo was fine with those mechanics. and Since yours doesn't use alternate forms, you can make it simpler and stronger.

[Jallorn]

That would work if I could find a good point for it. The only problem here is that the power of this ability is mostly heavily dependent upon DM play style and whether he has his NPCs target the heads at all. And what happens when the DM permanently removes a head? I think I'll set something up that any head that is "permanently" removed regrows after 24 hours or something. There's also player abuse: "Quick, before we attack the outpost, cut off my heads so I'll have twice as many before we attack!"

[Stycotl]

Actually, what might be cool is just making it one prestige class, and letting them choose any 1 element to embody (except for sonic, probably, though it'd then only get immunity to sonic, so I suppose that's balanced.)

i agree with this, except that i think you should just make a decent list of abilities that the hydra gets to choose from occasionally, kinda like for the monster of legend. say at even levels, the hydra gets to pick an ability from a list.

that way, people that want to go cryo or pyro can, but they don't have to. maybe they take something else.

[Jallorn]

The Hydra

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Hit Dice: d10
{TABLE]Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Feature
1|+1|+2|+2|+0|Hydra Body, Hydra's Bite, Fast Healing, Regrowth, +1 Con
2|+2|+3|+3|+0| +1 Str
3|+3|+3|+3|+1| +1 Con
4|+4|+4|+4|+1|Growth, +1 Str
5|+5|+4|+4|+1|+1 Con
6|+6|+5|+5|+2|+1 Str
7|+7|+5|+5|+2|+1 Con
8|+8|+6|+6|+2|Growth, +1 Str
9|+9|+6|+6|+3|+1 Con
10|+10|+7|+7|+3|+1 Str
11|+11|+7|+7|+3|Powerful Bite, +1 Con[/TABLE]

Skill Points: 2+Int (x4 at level 1)
Skills: Intimidate (Cha), Listen (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str)

Proficiencies: Hydras are proficient with their natural attacks.

Hydra Body: The Hydra loses all other racial traits, and gains the Magical Beast type which grants low-light vision and a 60 foot Darkvision. The Hydra also gains a natural armor bonus of 1+the number of class levels, a 20 foot move speed and swim speed, and medium size.

Hydra's Bite: The Hydra gains two bite attacks at first level that do 1d6 damage each. This is a primary natural attack. Every level of Hydra after first adds another attack.

Fast Healing: A Hydra gains Fast Healing at first level. Each round, this ability heals a number of hit points equal to 1+the Hydra's class levels+the Hydra's Con ability modifier (min 1).

Regrowth: Whenever a Hydra's head is severed, he may make a fort save to attempt to grow back two heads in 1d4 rounds. The DC of this save is equal to 10+the number of heads he has beyond the number of heads he normally has. Additional heads provide an extra bite attack, but the Hydra can never have more than twice his usual number of heads from this ability. If he fails the save, he instead grows back one head in 1d4 rounds. If the Hydra receives 5 acid or fire damage, then he can not try to grow back two heads, and must make a Fort save DC 15+the number of heads he has beyond the number of heads he normally has. On a success, he regrows one head in 1d4 rounds, but on a failure, he regrows one head in 24 hours.

Growth: At 4th level, the Hydra grows to large size. His bite attacks also improve from 1d6 to 1d8 damage. At 8th level, the Hydra grows to Huge size and his bite attacks improve from 1d8 to 1d10 damage.

Powerful Bite: At 11th level, the Hydra's bite attacks improve to 2d6 damage.

Notes

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I'm not entirely sure I like this. I think it'd work, but it's a little boring, even though it continues to gain additional attacks at later levels.

[Draken]

So woefully empty.

My recomendations would be:

1. Give the fast healing later. It is quite a strong ability for level one.

2. Bring powerful bite to a lower level. That is the most underwhelming capstone since the Rogue.

3. You want a capstone for the Hydra? Hydras can make a full attack with all their heads as a standard action. There is your capstone.

4. Make it so that they get one extra AaO for every head they have at some point in the class.

5. And later on, the ability to sacrifice all those extra AaOs to make a full attack with all heads on an AaO.

6. Your saves... Good reflex? I don't see a huge swamp-dwelling quadruped like an Hydra having anything vaguely like decent reflexes. I would give it good Will instead.

7. While we are at it, give it the ability to make multiple d20 rolls for its will saves, one for each head. That would be quite an interesting (if really, really, strong) ability.

And last, but not least. I think you meant to remove the "Five Headed" part from the name.

[Jallorn]

Because it counts as one primary attack, the hydra can already attack with all it's mouths as a standard action.

I'd appreciate it if someone a little more experienced at homebrewing these could take my chassis and fix it up for me. I'd be much obliged.

[Draken]

Because it counts as one primary attack, the hydra can already attack with all it's mouths as a standard action.

I'd appreciate it if someone a little more experienced at homebrewing these could take my chassis and fix it up for me. I'd be much obliged.

... Not really.

Several monsters have claws as their primary natural weapons. Two or sometimes more.

Unless they full-attack, they can only make one claw attack no matter what.

The "all heads as a standard" is an Hydra only thing. And a very powerful one at that. It is not the default condition for multiple primary weapons.

[Gorgondantess]

I agree with Draken on all points but:

7. While we are at it, give it the ability to make multiple d20 rolls for its will saves, one for each head. That would be quite an interesting (if really, really, strong) ability.

Make it something like +1 to will saves per head. Less flavorful, more balanced.

[Draken]

Ok, so rolling 12d20 and picking the best one (which is what I meant, not rolling 12d20 and adding it all, that is nuts, and anyone who reads it that way is nuts, nuuuuts I say ) might be a bit too much. Maybe half that. Or just give it a pool of daily rerolls, as the heads pipe in on the failures of their brethren.

[sciencepanda]

Something just occurred to me, and now that I have thought of it, I am surprised it hadn't been brought up before.

Awakened Tyrannosaurus.

Seriously now, I am recommending it. Yes.

[Gorgondantess]

Something just occurred to me, and now that I have thought of it, I am surprised it hadn't been brought up before.

Awakened Tyrannosaurus.

Seriously now, I am recommending it. Yes.

Take 5 levels in tarrasque and call it an awakened tyrannosaurus. It'll be a lot more interesting: a tyrannosaurus doesn't have... anything, really, aside from being big and strong and having big teeth.

[sciencepanda]

Take 5 levels in tarrasque and call it an awakened tyrannosaurus. It'll be a lot more interesting: a tyrannosaurus doesn't have... anything, really, aside from being big and strong and having big teeth.

Truly, my dreams are shattered.

[Aran Banks]

Hydra wants moar...

Fast Healing later (ridiculous at level 1), give combat reflexes at some point (and have it work the way it normally does for hydras.), hand it the pyro or cryo breath weapon, and at some point you need to specify that the hydra actually gains more heads... right now, the creature has one (RAW) and just attacks really fast.

I might be missing something, but that's what I see.

[Oslecamo]

Think so? I'm actually with gorgandantess on this one... sort of.

Yes I think vermin classes should retain immunity to mind affecting because it's one of their main traits.

Anyway I think you could put scaling base speed and ability to ignore on freedom of movement effects whitout removing anything, and it would properly flesh it out. It's fast, it's big, it hits hard and grapples better. Good enough for a 3 level class whitout hands or flight.

Again, I point you to the werehydra, Oslecamo was fine with those mechanics. and Since yours doesn't use alternate forms, you can make it simpler and stronger.

Actualy, I'm not that happy with how the werehydra turned out, because on one side most monsters won't exactly stop to cut the hydra's heads, on the other there's the "willingly cut my heads" aspect, wich I tried to counter with really short duration (extra heads on the werehydra last just one minute).

I think it would be best to flesh out my idea to tie the number of heads to your HP. The Hydra puts her heads on front when defending herself in combat, they get cut automatically whitout the oponent needing to sunder (seriously what was the last time you saw an oponent sunder?), and more heads grow out. You can willingly damage yourself to get more heads, but when you recover health the heads wither and die (re-absorbed to heal the wounds?), so if you want to keep the extra heads you need to stay hurt.

If Jallorn doesn't mind it I'll take care of it once I finish cleaning the dragons.

sciencepanda:Don't mind Gorgondantess love for generic classes too much, the Tarrasque was also pretty vanilla before he got converted into a class and there's no reason for the tyranossaurus to don't get some love.

So say, what kind of cool custom abilities would you like to see on your T-Rex? Really fast? Improve the swallow whole ability? Focus on improving his bite attack (like iterative bites on the same round)?

[Gorgondantess]

sciencepanda:Don't mind Gorgondantess love for generic classes too much

Hey, I'm a big supporter of class=/=profession. What's to stop me from taking 3-5 levels in tarrasque and calling myself an awakened tyrannosaurus rex?

Also, since good ol' T.R. is the most well known of the dinosaurs, I'd advise some cool intimidate abilities, maybe some kind of earthquake-ish effect when he's charging (think Jurassic Park and the T-Rex causing the ground to shake when it walks), stuff that emphasizes that it's more big and scary than actually a vicious predator (because it's not).
Just my suggestions, though, take it as you will.

[Oslecamo]

Hey, I'm a big supporter of class=/=profession. What's to stop me from taking 3-5 levels in tarrasque and calling myself an awakened tyrannosaurus rex?

You mean besides the horns, claws, regeneration, assimilation and energy resistances and other stuff that would look kinda off in a T-Rex?

[AmberVael]

You mean besides the horns, claws, regeneration, assimilation and energy resistances and other stuff that would look kinda off in a T-Rex?

Maybe he's an alien T-Rex. From space!


In other news, I've idly been trying to think of interesting monsters that haven't been done yet, but I haven't come up with anything, really. I should look around and make some suggestions.

[sciencepanda]

Myeah, it could fit, if you forced it, but there are several areas that don't really overlap.

Anyway, besides the improved swallow whole ability, which does sound appropriate, maybe some sort of additional wounding ability from its bite attacks?

Also, this bit is probably a stretch, but I am reminded of how komodo dragons carry certain bacteria in their mouths so that the animals they bite become infected. I'm not sure if that would fit or not, but it is just an idea.

[Zaydos]

Myeah, it could fit, if you forced it, but there are several areas that don't really overlap.

Anyway, besides the improved swallow whole ability, which does sound appropriate, maybe some sort of additional wounding ability from its bite attacks?

Also, this bit is probably a stretch, but I am reminded of how komodo dragons carry certain bacteria in their mouths so that the animals they bite become infected. I'm not sure if that would fit or not, but it is just an idea.

Many reptiles have bacteria in their saliva that will infect creatures they bite (in D&D terms this would probably be a disease though). Non-venomous snakes, and turtles are just examples. Komodo dragons just happen to have particularly deadly strains which is why it gets mentioned. So the idea that a T-Rex would have a virulent bite isn't too much of a stretch.

[Oslecamo]

White Dragon

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HD: D12
{TABLE]Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Feature
1| +1 | +2|+0 |+2 | White Dragon body, Arcane blood, +1 Con
2| +2| +3|+0 |+3 | Keen senses, Freezing Breath
3| +3| +3|+1| +3 | Ice Walk, Blindsense 60 ft,+1 Str
4| +4| +4| +1|+4 | Wings, +1 Con
5| +5| +4| +1| +4| Snow Magic, +1 Cha
6| +6| +5|+2 |+5 | Snow Stalker, +1 Str
7| +7| +5| +2| +5| Ice Wall, Chilling Arcana +1 Con
8| +8| +6| +2| +5| Growth, Tail slap , +1 Str
9| +9| +6|+3 |+6| Freezing Fog, +1 Cha
10| +10| +7|+3 |+7 | Ice Lord, +1 Str
11| +11| +7| +3|+7 | Arcane Skin, +1 Con
12| +12| +8| +4|+8 | Growth, Crush, Frightfull Presence
13| +13| +8| +4| +8| Iron Scales, +1 Str, +1 Cha
14| +14| +9| +4| +9| Lingering Cold
15| +15| +9| +5| +9| Blizzard, +1 Cha
16| +16| +10| +5| +10|Chilling Arcana, +1 Cha, +1 Con
17| +17| +10| +5|+10 | Wear Down, +1 Cha
18| +18| +11|+6 |+11 | Glaciar, +1 Str, +1 Con
19| +19| +11| +6| +11| Cold Oblivion, +1 Cha
20| +20| +12| +6| +12| Control Weather, Vendetta

[/TABLE]

2 Skill points+int per level, quadruple at 1st level. Class skills: Concentration, Climb, Hide, Spot, Listen, Move Silently, Swim, Intimidate, Knowledge(any), Spellcraft.

Proficiencies: a White Dragon isn't proficient with any armor or weapons, besides his own natural weapons.


Features:
White Dragon Body: The White Dragon loses all other racial bonuses, and gains Dragon traits, bite 1d8 damage, 2 claws attack for 1d6 damage each and 40 ft. base Land Speed that increases by 10 ft for every 5 HD the White Dragon has, and is medium sized. The White Dragon also has a Burrow Speed and Swim speed that are equal to 1/2 its Base Land Speed. The White Dragon has wings, but they're too weak to do anything for now. His claws are capable of fine manipulation and can be used for somatic components of spellcasting or anything else a human hand could do.

The White Dragon also gets a natural armor bonus equal to his Con modifier. Whenever the White Dragon grows one size category, his natural armor increases by a further 1.

The White Dragon is immune to Cold. It is vulnerable to Fire, making it take +50% damage from all effects with the keyword Fire.


Arcane Blood: A White Dragon receives spells known and spells per day as a bard of same level, but he casts as a sorcerer and takes his spells known from the sorcerer/wizard spell list.

If it multi-classes as a bard it's spell casting increases as a bard.
If it multi-classes as a sorcerer it counts as already having sorcerer casting depending on it's dragon level, as shown on the following table.

{table]Dragon Level | Virtual sorceror casting
1|-
2|1
3|2
4|3
5|4
6|5
7|6
8|6
9|7
10|8
11|8
12|9
13|10
14|10
15|11
16|12
17|12
18|13
19|13
20|13
[/table]

So for example a dragon 2 who takes a level of sorcerer would count as already having 1 level of sorcerer and gains the spell slots and spells known that a sorcerer gains when leveling from level 1 to 2, but not the spell slots and spells known from the 1st level of sorcerer. He would get the familiar ability, but dragon levels wouldn't count for it.

A dragon 18 who takes a level of sorcerer would count as having 14 levels of sorcerer(13+1) and gain the spell slots and spells known that a sorcerer gains when leveling from level 13 to 14, but not the spell slots and spells known that a sorcerer gets from level 1 to 13. He would get the familiar ability, but dragon levels wouldn't count for it.

His Caster level remains equal to his full HD when multiclassing to sorcerer.

If a dragon takes a casting Prestige Class, it may choose to advance his casting as that of a sorcerer. So a Dragon 10/Loremaster 10 would cast as a 18th level sorcerer (he would still receive spell slots and spells known from a bard 10 from the first 10 dragon levels and then the spell slots and spells known from a sorcerer 11-18 for the loremaster levels)


Ability score increase: The White Dragon ability scores increase by the shown amount.

{TABLE]Level | Total Bonus Gained
1 | +1 Con
3 | +1 Str, +1 Con
6 | +2 Str, +2 Con, +1 Cha
7 | +2 Str, +3 Con, +1 Cha
8 | +3 Str, +3 Con, +1 Cha
9 | +3 Str, +3 Con, +2 Cha
10 | +4 Str, +3 Con, +2 Cha
11 | +4 Str, +4 Con, +2Cha
13 | +5 Str, +5 Con, +2 Cha
15 | +5 Str, +5 Con, +3 Cha
16 | +5 Str, +6 Con, +4 Cha
17 | +5 Str, +6 Con, +4 Cha
18 | +6 Str, +7 Con, +4 Cha
19 | +6 Str, +7 Con, +4 Cha
20 | +6 Str, +7 Con, +5 Cha

[/TABLE]


NOTE: This table presents the TOTAL bonus gained for ease of keeping count! Don't add the values from different levels!

Keen senses: The White Dragon sees four times as well as a human in shadowy illumination and twice as well in normal light. It also has darkvision out to 120 feet.

Freezing Breath: Line 60 ft dealing 1d6 Cold damage/HD with DC ref of 10+1/2 HD+Con modifier for half every 1d4 turns. Line increases by 10 ft. with each extra HD the player takes from here.

Icewalking:At 3rd level this ability works like the spider climb spell, but the surfaces the dragon climbs must be icy. It is always in effect. Areas hit by by the dragon's breath weapon count as icy for 1 minute for purposes of this ability.

Blindsense: Gained at 3rd level, as the normal ability, range 60 ft.

Wings: At 4th level the White Dragon becomes able to fly at the speed of 10 ft. per HD, with poor maneuverability. The maneuverability doesn't increase naturally, but players can take the Savage Species feat that increases it by two steps (stackable). Each wing can also be now used to deliver a natural attack dealing 1d4 damage.

Snow Magic: At 5th level, Fog Cloud and Gust of Wind as SLAs 1/day per HD as indicated in the table. Saves=10+1/2HD+Cha mod.

Snow Stalker: At 6th level the white dragon gains a bonus on Hide and Move Silently Checks equal to 1/2 it's HD. In adition, if it's standing near a snow or ice surface (or in the middle of a snowstorm/ blizzard), it can hide whitout actualy having anything to hide behind.

Ice Wall: At 7th level the White Dragon can use Ice Wall as a SLA 1/day for every 2 HD it has.

Chilling Arcana: At 7th and 16th level the White Dragon can add any spell with the cold descriptor of a level he can cast to his list of spells known.

Growth: At 8th level the White Dragon grows to large size.
At 12th level the White Dragon grows to huge size.

His AC, bonus to hit, base damage, grapple and skills change accordingly, but he does not get any ability score bonus or penalties.

Tail slap: At 8th level the White dragon can now make a tail slap attack dealing 1d8 damage(already taking in account large size).

Freezing Fog: A White Dragon of 9th level can use this ability 1/day for every 3 hd it has. It is similar to a solid fog spell but also causes a rime of slippery ice to form on any surface the fog touches, creating the effect of a grease spell. The dragon is immune to the grease effect because of its Ice Walk ability. This ability is the equivalent of a 5th-level spell.

Ice Lord:At 10th level a White Dragon casts spells and SLAs with the [Cold] descriptor at +2 caster level and ignores any limit on caster level on such spells and SLAs.

Arcane skin: At 11th level the White Dragon gains SR equal to his
HD+11.

Crush: At 12th level the dragon can make a crush attack dealing 2d8 damage base, already taking in account huge size

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This special attack allows a flying or jumping dragon of at least Huge size to land on opponents as a standard action, using its whole body to crush them. Crush attacks are effective only against opponents three or more size categories smaller than the dragon (though it can attempt normal overrun or grapple attacks against larger opponents).

A crush attack affects as many creatures as can fit under the dragon’s body. Creatures in the affected area must succeed on a Reflex save (DC equal to that of the dragon’s breath weapon) or be pinned, automatically taking bludgeoning damage during the next round unless the dragon moves off them. If the dragon chooses to maintain the pin, treat it as a normal grapple attack. Pinned opponents take damage from the crush each round if they don’t escape.

A crush attack deals the indicated damage plus 1½ times the dragon’s Strength bonus (round down).

Frightful Presence: The ability takes effect automatically whenever the dragon attacks, charges, or flies overhead. Enemies within a radius of 30 feet × half the dragon's level are subject to the effect if they have fewer HD than the dragon. A potentially affected enemy that succeeds on a Will save (DC 10 + ½ dragon’s HD + dragon’s Cha modifier) remains immune to that dragon’s frightful presence for 24 hours. On a failure, enemies with 4 or less HD become panicked for 4d6 rounds and those with 5 or more HD become shaken for 4d6 rounds. Dragons ignore the frightful presence of other dragons.

Iron Scales: At 13th level the White dragon gains DR/magic equal to half his HD.

Lingering Cold: At 14th level, a number of times per day equal to his Cha modifier as a free action, the White Dragon May boost his breath weapon in such a way that creatures and objects taking damage from it lose their hardness, DR, fast healing and regeneration untill the end of the White Dragon's next turn.

Blizzard: At 15th level, creatures failing their reflexes against the White Dragon's breath weapon have all their speeds reduced by half for 1 round per 2 HD, even if they're immune to cold, as ice and snow form over their bodies. Multiple failed reflex saves stack (to a minimum speed of 5 foot), but the target may remove this penalty alltogheter by taking a fullround action to shake off the snow and ice covering it.

Wear Down: As weakest of the dragons, White ones learn how to outlast their oponents. At 17th level, every round a creature is somehow damaged by the White Dragon, it takes a cumulative -1 penalty on AC, Saves, Skills and Ability checks (maximum one decrease per turn). If by any reason the White dragon fails to damage the oponent for 1 turn the penalty disapears.

Glaciar: At 18th level, a number of times per day equal to it's Cha modifier as a free action, the White Dragon can boost his breath weapon to leave behind a Wall of Cold (as the spell) filling the area of the breath, except that the wall doesn't need to be anchored anywhere. Creatures doing their reflex saves can choose an adjacent empty square to escape to, but those who fail their saves are trapped in the ice and can't take actions besides trying to break free (Str check with DC equal to HD) from the ice as a fullround action. Either way, the Ice lasts for 1 round per Dragon HD.

Cold Oblivion:1/day, as a fullround action, when using Glaciar, the White Dragon may further boost the effect to entomb his oponents in an ice prison.

Works as Glaciar, but creatures who make their saves are trapped as if they failed the save against the normal ability, and creatures who fail their saves are completely frozen, unable to take actions at all.

In adition, the ice created this way is permanent (even in hot climates), has ten times more hitpoints than normal, and creatures who failed their saves are left on a state of suspended animation (time doesn't pass at all for them, they don't suffocate, starve, grow older, diseases don't advance, ect).

Change Weather: The White dragon can now use Control Weather as a SLA 1/day for every 5 HD it has, except it has a casting time of just one Standard Action.

Vendeta:White Dragons never forgive, never forget. At 20th level, they gain a +2 Sacred bonus to AC, Saves, Skills and Ability Checks, Attack rolls, Damage Rolls and DCs from their spells, SLAs and breath weapon against oponents who they already faced in the past and injured the White Dragon somehow. This bonus is cumulative for multiple ecounters (with at least 24 hours interval) and has no limit.

Comments:

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The White Dragon is the weakest of the dragons, but that doesn't mean he should be understimated. He has little problems playing dirty, and specializes in wearing down his oponent before going in for the kill.

The White Dragon receives several cold-related abilities, including some battlefield control, plus some stealth to aproach unnoticed. It doesn't have much on the way of messing up his oponent's minds but eventually it can lock them in ice and do with them as he wills.

If you want to play a cold blooded animalistic dragon, then the White one is for you.

Done by un_known, some tweaks by me.

[Oslecamo]

Purple, Silver, Styx and White Dragon cleaned up and this should be the last ones. Also minor update to the Pyroclastic, giving it scaling fire damage on his natural attacks. If I missed any of the dragons already done let me know. As usual critique is apreciated.

[Oslecamo]

The Hydra

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Hit Dice: d10
{TABLE]Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Feature
1|+0|+2|+2|+0|Hydra Body, Hydra's Bite, Regrowth, +1 Str, +1 Con
2|+1|+3|+3|+0| Fast Healing, +1 Str, +1 Con
3|+1|+3|+3|+1| Growth, +1 Str, +1 Con
4|+2|+4|+4|+1|Growth, Scent, +1 Str, +1 Con
5|+2|+4|+4|+1|Hydra Skills, +1 Str, +1 Con
6|+3|+5|+5|+2|Hydra Hunger, +1 Str, +1 Con
7|+3|+5|+5|+2|Hydra Ferocity, +1 Str, +1 Con
8|+4|+6|+6|+2|Hydra Reflexes, +1 Str, +1 Con
9|+4|+6|+6|+3|Hydra Healing, +1 Str, +1 Con
10|+5|+7|+7|+3|Lasting Heads, +1 Str, +1 Con
11|+5|+7|+7|+3|Magic Fangs, +1 Str, +1 Con
[/TABLE]

Skill Points: 2+Int (x4 at level 1)
Skills: Intimidate (Cha), Listen (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str)

Proficiencies: Hydras are proficient with their natural attacks.

Features:
Hydra Body: The Hydra loses all other racial traits, and gains the Magical Beast type which grants low-light vision and a 60 foot Darkvision. The Hydra also gains a natural armor equal to it's Con modifier, a 20 foot move speed and swim speed, and is medium sized.

A hydra has no limbs capable of fine manipulation, and has only two legs for moving around.

Hydra's Bite: The Hydra gains two bite attacks (from having two heads) at first level that do 1d6+Str damage. Every new level of the Hydra class gives it another head that can make a new bite attack.

Regrowth: Whenever the hydra takes damage it instinctevely "parries" it with their long necks. If it takes enough damage, the head is severed and two new sprout from the stomp 1d4 rounds later. An Hydra cannot have more heads total than 2*(Hydra level+1).

The damage needed to sprout each extra heads depends on the Hydra level:
{table]Hydra Level| Percentage of max HP lost to grow an extra head.
1|50%
2|33%
3|25%
4|20%
5|17%
6|14%
7|13%
8|12%
9|11%
10|10%
11|9%
12|8%
[/table]
The hydra may grow several extra heads in one turn if it takes enough damage in a single turn.

So for example a 2nd level Hydra with 18 HP that takes 13 damage from a single blow would grow two extra heads

A 10th level Hydra with 100 HP who loses 50 HP would grow five extra heads.

If the Hydra recovers HP, her extra heads wither and fall off at the same ratio it gains when hurt. So if the 10th level Hydra of the last example recovered 30 HP it would lose three heads.

Ability Increase: The Hydra gains +1 Str and +1 Con at every level of this class.

Fast Healing: A Hydra gains Fast Healing at 2nd level, equal to 1/2 it's HD. The Hydra may choose to not heal itself in order to keep extra heads.

Growth: At 3rd level, the Hydra grows to large size. Her bite attacks also improve from 1d6 to 1d8 damage. At 4th level, the Hydra grows to Huge size and her bite attacks improve from 1d8 to 1d10 damage in a non-standard damage progression.

Notice the Hydra is a long animal and thus her reach is only 5 foot at large size and 10 foot at huge size.

Scent: As the standard SRD ability.

Hydra Skills: An hydra gets +1 to spot and listen checks for each head the have.

Hydra Hunger:The hydra may attack with all her heads as a standard action or in the end of a charge.

Hydra Ferocity:The hydra can act normally when disabled or dying.
If an hydra drops below -10 HP, it doesn't die untill her true head is striken. The heads are identical, thus the percentile chance to hit the true head is 100/number of heads. If the percentile chance is reached and the Hydra is left at -10 HP or less she dies.

A character with cleave can re-roll this chance whenever it hits the Hydra. A character with greater cleave or whirlwind attack can cut all heads at once and auto-kill the Hydra if it's below -9 HP.
An area-damaging spell also automatically kills the Hydra if it leaves her below -9 HP.


Hydra Reflexes:The Hydra gains the combat reflexes feat even if it doesn't meet the pre-requisites, and whenever she's allowed an Aoo she can use all her bite attacks instead of just one.

Hydra Healing:The Hydra's fast healing doubles. The Hydra can choose to fast heal less life than normal in order to keep her total number of heads.

Lasting Heads:Extra heads last 1 minute now when the Hydra recovers HP.

Magic Fangs:All of the Hydra's heads gain +1 Enachment bonus to attack and damage rolls. As a move action the Hydra can re-distribute her total enanchment bonus among her heads, as longas the total bonus is equal to the number of heads.

No single head may be left with a bonus bigger than half the Hydra's HD, and no head may have an actual bonus to attack and damage bigger than 1/4 the Hydra's HD, altough the enanchment bonus can be used to replicate special effects like flaming and holy.

Comments:

Spoiler

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So yeah the Hydra was one of those monsters that needed serious re-designing. It's rare for characters to have flaming weapons and improved sunder, but it's even more rare for monsters to have them to cut the PC's heads willingly.

On the other hand, I had to put something that discouraged the player from choping his own heads to grow extras.

So I made it tied directly to HP. You put your heads in the way of incoming, they fall, extras grows. The closer you are to death the stronger you get. Heal and you lose heads.

And speaking of close to death, Hydra ferocity means you can keep going far on the negative HPs, but then each blow has a chance of finishing you off. Area effects finish you instantly.

Removed the whole cauterizing wounds because the class is complicated as it is.

It grows to huge size at lv4 yes, but between weak Bab, being a long, slow creature and having no hands it can't really do much with it. The Hydra is specially vulnerable to ranged oponents, altough the next prc may help on that.

Pyro/Cryo Hydra(prc)

Spoiler

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Pre-Requisites:
-At least 4 levels in the Hydra class.

Hit Dice: d10
{TABLE]Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Feature
1|+0|+2|+2|+0|Elemental blood, Hydra Breath.
2|+1|+3|+3|+0| Improved Hydra Breath.
[/TABLE]
Skill Points: 2+Int
Skills: Intimidate (Cha), Listen (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str)

Features:
Elemental blood:Choose Acid, Fire, Electrecity or Cold. The Hydra gains that subtype and immunity to that element.

Hydra Breath: Can breathe jets of the chosen element 5 feet long per HD and 10 foot high/wide as a standard action. All heads must breathe at the same time in the same direction, and must wait 1d4 rounds. Their combined breath deals 1d6 points of the chosen element per head. A successful Reflex save halves the damage. The save DC is 10 + ½ HD + hydra’s Con modifier.

Improved Hydra Breath: The Hydra Breath is now 10 foot long per HD and deals 1d8 damage per head, plus it gets a special effect based on the element chosen.

Acid-Failed reflex save leaves damaged targets blinded for 1 round per HD.

Fire-Failed reflex save leaves damaged creatures dazed for 1 round.

Electrecity-Failed reflex save moves the damaged creature 5 foot per HD on a direction of the Hydra's choice. This movement causes no attacks of oportunity.

Cold-Failed reflex makes creature move at half speed for 1 round per HD. Multiple failed reflex saves stack.

Contributed by Jallorn

[un_known]

I'm back... sort of. Lost my will to really make more dragons after I kept hitting dead ends with problems. I'm still around though; I really like what you did with the classes I made Oslecamo.

If you want any help with things or people are requesting a monster I'll probably make it for them. Just mention it here and PM me.

[un_known]

Sorry for the Double post.

Oslecamo is it okay if I go through the Hydra and merge it with the PrC; as that might make it more flavourful and well suited. I'm also delving into Mythology for some of the stuff to use with it.

[Jallorn]

Sorry for the Double post.

Oslecamo is it okay if I go through the Hydra and merge it with the PrC; as that might make it more flavourful and well suited. I'm also delving into Mythology for some of the stuff to use with it.

Personally, I'm opposed to merging because that precludes the option of when to take it, and even if you should. What if someone doesn't want to play a cryohydra, and just wants to play a normal hydra? Or what if they don't really want to wait to gain access?