Encounter Creation Zone

[AmusingSN]

Hi, I'm DMing a D&D game that's been going for a year now -- the players are all 15th level now and the actual prep work for the game is starting to bog me down. Now, being a frequent lurker of these forums I know that there are a lot of nice folks out there who also like to advance monsters and/or make characters.

I'm hoping some of you might be interested in helping me!

The rules are simple. DMG, PHB, MM, and SRD only. No Psionics. The PCs are all 25 point buy, and they have not min/maxed the group, so I'm not really interested in "squeezing out" every last bit of dangerousness from the encounters. Oh and be sure to only give NPC gear not PC gear to the NPCs (there's a big difference in GP amounts).

So down to the nitty gritty.

I need the following set of monsters/NPCs so that I can mix and match to create appropriate encounters for the PCs for their next adventure, which involves an attack on a remote diabolic temple-fortress.

Evil High Priest -- Human Cleric 16 (CR 16). Lawful and Evil domains. Suitable for a final boss encounter.

Black Knight -- Human Any Basic Class(es)/Blackguard (CR 14). Mounted Combatant.

Dragon Mount -- Fiendish Juvenile Green Dragon Advanced to 16 HD, Elite Array (CR 12). Suitable to be ridden by the Black Knight.

Diabolic Cultists -- Human Cleric 8 (CR 8). Lawful and Evil domains.

Ogre Mercenaries -- Ogre Fighter 5 (CR 8). Make sure to only give gear appropriate for a 5th level NPC. (The Ogre Mercenaries have been made, thanks to Dreyden!)

Devil Overlord -- Ice Devil Advanced to 16 HD (CR 14).

Devil Courtesans -- Erinyes Advanced to 17 HD (CR 12).

Devil Soldiers -- Bearded Devils Advanced to 14 HD (and increased to Large size) (CR 10) (The Devil Soldiers have been made, thanks to Lord Silvanos!)

Hellcat Sentries -- Hellcats Advanced to 10 HD.


Thanks in advance to any of you who decide to lend me a hand!

[martyboy74]

You might want to look for the Monster Advancement thread, if it's still working. VT is awesome with these things.

[PinkysBrain]

What is the elite template?

[Dreyden]

Ogre Mercenaries -- Ogre Fighter 5 (CR 8). Make sure to only give gear appropriate for a 5th level NPC.

I call dibs. You'll have it tonight.
-Dreyden

[AmusingSN]

What is the elite template?

That was my bad. I meant Elite array, for ability scores.

[Dreyden]

Ogre Mercenaries: ogre fighter 5; CR 8; large giant; HD 4d8+5d10+36; hp 85; Init +0; Spd 30 ft (run x3).; AC 21, touch 9, flat-footed 21; BAB +8; Grp +20; Atk +17 melee (3d6+14/17-20, greatsword) or +7 ranged (1d8+8, javelin/rng 30’); Full Atk: +17/+12 melee (3d6+14/17-20, greatsword) or +7/+2 ranged (1d8+8, javelin/rng 30’); Space/Reach 10 ft./10 ft.; SA Awesome blow; SQ Darkvision 60’; AL CE?; SV Fort +13, Ref +3, Will +4; Str 27, Dex 11, Con 18, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 4.

Skills and Feats: Listen +10, Spot +1; Power Attack, Weapon Focus (Greatsword), Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Awesome Blow (MM), Weapon Specialization (Greatsword), Improved Critical (Greatsword)

Possessions (4300 gp worth): Cloak of Resistance +1 (1000), Large Masterwork Greatsword (400), Large Half-Plate (1200), 2 Large Javelins (4), Potion of Cure Serious Wounds (750), Potion of Shield of Faith +4 (600), Potion of Bull’s Strength (300), 46 gp

NOTES: Used the default array (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8) for ability scores before racial adjustments. This is standard procedure for creatures with levels in PC classes. Took average HP, with maxed on the first die (d8).
AC: -1 size, +7 armor, +5 natural
Attack (melee): +8 BAB, +8 STR, -1 size, +1 masterwork, +1 weapon focus
Attack (ranged): +8 BAB, -1 size
Damage (melee): +12 STR, +2 weapon spec.
Damage (ranged): +8 str
Potions are not included in the statblock. Having 2 rounds of preparation to drink them will change the statblock to the following:

Ogre Mercenaries: ogre fighter 5; CR 8; large giant; HD 4d8+5d10+36; hp 85; Init +0; Spd 30 ft (run x3).; AC 25, touch 13, flat-footed 25; BAB +8; Grp +22; Atk +19 melee (3d6+17/17-20, greatsword) or +7 ranged (1d8+10, javelin/rng 30’); Full Atk: +19/+14 melee (3d6+17/17-20, greatsword) or +7/+2 ranged (1d8+10, javelin/rng 30’); Space/Reach 10 ft./10 ft.; SA Awesome blow; SQ Darkvision 60’; AL CE?; SV Fort +13, Ref +3, Will +4; Str 31, Dex 11, Con 18, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 4.

From the SRD:
Awesome Blow [General, Fighter]
Prerequisites:
Str 25, Power Attack, Improved Bull Rush, size Large or larger.

Benefit:
As a standard action, the creature may choose to subtract 4 from its melee attack roll and deliver an awesome blow. If the creature hits a corporeal opponent smaller than itself with an awesome blow, its opponent must succeed on a Reflex save (DC = damage dealt) or be knocked flying 10 feet in a direction of the attacking creature’s choice and fall prone. The attacking creature can only push the opponent in a straight line, and the opponent can’t move closer to the attacking creature than the square it started in. If an obstacle prevents the completion of the opponent’s move, the opponent and the obstacle each take 1d6 points of damage, and the opponent stops in the space adjacent to the obstacle.

[Dreyden]

Also, just because I felt like figuring it out, a fight between two of those guys (against each other) would probably last 3 rounds, including the cure potion but neither of the others.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Is there a reason why your cleric has to be Human? Straight from the SRD, the Mummy Lord is a CR 15. Just give it another Cleric level to caster level 11, slap some loot on him, and you're pretty much good to go.

[AmusingSN]

Is there a reason why your cleric has to be Human? Straight from the SRD . . . ?

Mummy Lord won't work. The previous adventure involved undead infernalists and I don't want to repeat those themes. I like how you think though.

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

BEARDED DEVIL (BARBAZU) Advanced

Large Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful)
Hit Dice: 14d8+84 (147 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class : 21 (+1 Dex, +10 natural) touch 11, flat-footed 20
Base Attack/Grapple : +14/+25
Attack : Glaive +21 melee (2d8+10 plus infernal wound) or claw +20 melee (1d8+7)
Full Attack : Glaive +21/+16/+11 melee (2d8+10 plus infernal wound) or 2 claws +20 melee (1d8+7)
Space/Reach : 10 ft./10 ft. (20 ft. with glaive)
Special Attacks : Infernal wound, beard, battle frenzy, summon devil
Special Qualities : Damage reduction 5/silver or good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire and poison, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, see in darkness, spell resistance 17, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves : Fort +15, Ref +10, Will +9
Abilities : Str 24, Dex 13, Con 22, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 10
Skills : Climb +26, Diplomacy +10, Hide +16, Listen +19, Move Silently +16, Sense Motive +17, Spot +19
Feats : Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (glaive), Improved Natural Armor , Cleave
Environment : A lawful evil-aligned plane
Organization : Solitary, pair, team (3–5), or squad (6–10)
Challenge Rating : 10
Treasure : Standard
Alignment : Always lawful evil
Advancement : 7–9 HD (Medium); 10–18 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment : +6

Every bearded devil carries a sawtoothed glaive.
A large bearded devil stands 12 feet tall and weighs about 900 pounds.

Combat

Bearded devils are aggressive and love to fight. They revel in their battle frenzy, spreading mayhem among their foes.
A bearded devil’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as evil-aligned and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.


Spell-Like Abilities : Caster level 12th.
At will - greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only).


Infernal Wound (Su) : The damage a bearded devil deals with its glaive causes a persistent wound. An injured creature loses 2 additional hit points each round. The wound does not heal naturally and resists healing spells. The continuing hit point loss can be stopped by a DC 23 Heal check, a cure spell, or a heal spell. However, a character attempting to cast a cure spell or a heal spell on a creature damaged by a bearded devil’s glaive must succeed on a DC 23 caster level check, or the spell has no effect on the injured character. A successful Heal check automatically stops the continuing hit point loss as well as restoring hit points. The infernal wound is a supernatural ability of the bearded devil, not of the weapon. The check DC is Constitution-based.


Beard (Ex) : If a bearded devil hits a single opponent with both claw attacks, it automatically hits with its beard. The affected creature takes 2d6+7 points of damage and must succeed on a DC 23 Fortitude save or be infected with a vile disease known as devil chills (incubation period 1d4 days, damage 1d4 Str). Damage is dealt each day until the afflicted creature succeeds on three consecutive Fortitude saves, the disease is cured magically, or the creature dies. The save DC is Constitution-based.


Battle Frenzy (Ex) : Twice per day, a bearded devil can work itself into a battle frenzy similar to the barbarian’s rage (+4 Strength, +4 Constitution, +2 morale bonus on Will saves, –2 AC penalty). The frenzy lasts for 6 rounds, and the bearded devil suffers no ill effects afterward.


Summon Devil (Sp) : Once per day a bearded devil can attempt to summon 2d10 lemures with a 50% chance of success, or another bearded devil with a 35% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd-level spell.