[Creature] Things that go bump in the Stairwell.

[Penguinizer]

A creature of the purest evil. Stealing the souls of the living to feed itself. Rarely seen, or those who see it never tell the tale.

Soul Stealer
Aberration/Outsider
Hit dice:10d8+10(55hp)

Number in a group: This creature rarely travels with another one. Due to getting less souls this way. Although if commanded by an outside for (more to that later) it may travel in packs of 2-6.

Size:Medium

AC: 20 give or take.

Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Bab:+10 for grapples.

Saves: +15 will and reflex/ +10 Fortitude.

Stats:
Strength:20
Dexterity:16
Wisdom:12
Intelligence:15
Constitution:13
Charisma:6

Feats: Improved grapple. Improved iniative.

Skills: Spot:16, Move silently and Hide:20

Special Abilities: Stealer of Souls. Shadow Walker. In-Human Grip. Paralyzing gaze. Shifting Grapple.

This creature is Dazzled in sunlight and avoids it.

Paralyzing gaze: A gaze attack, the target must succeed with a will save of 25 or be paralyzed. The target cannot make a grapple check against being grappled for this round but can make a grapple check on the rounds after this. The Soul Stealer always grapples the paralyzed creature, usually being the largest threat. Creatures with no eyes are immune to this ability.

In-Human Grip: The grapple of the Soul Stealer may only be broken with a successful grapple check with a DC of 25-30 give or take. Or a strength check of 25-30 give or take.

Stealer of Souls: If the Soul Stealer grapples a character for more than 2 rounds. The character must succeed a Will save, if this is failed, the target must make a Fortitude save (DC's to come later) or lose it's soul. Storing it in a crystal worn around it's neck. The person/creature who's soul is stolen remains alive, but will not do anything. If the crystal is broken, the soul is released. The crystal must be broken withing 2 weeks, after this the process can only be reversed with Wish or Limited Wish. This ability may be used on outsiders as a full round action. On an un-dead creature as a standard action.

Shadow Walker: As a Standard Action the Soul Stealer may dis-appear. Similar to the Dimension Door spell, Healing 1d6 damage and appearing from a puddle of water or a shadow. The re-appearance may be only within a 100 foot area. Creatures with Blind-sense or true seeing can see a shadowy figure moving to where it will appear when this ability is used.

Shifting grapple. When grappling an opponent, any nearby creatures can make attacks against the soul stealer. If the soul stealer passes a reflex check equal to the attackers attack roll. The grappled creature is hit instead.
Appearance:A pale blue skinned humanoid wearing a blue crystal around it's neck. It walks on four legs. Has long black hair draped over its face.

Combat: It appears from a shadow or puddle of water attempting to grapple an enemy, in-order to steal it's soul. After this, it attempts to escape using the Shadow Walker ability. If it considers the challenge too great it escapes.

I know some things are missing. I could use some reviews and suggestions for the missing things. My first creature and third homebrew.

[Captain van der Decken]

Skills- perhaps hide and move silently? Spot?

And attacks. You might want to have no attacks, and just grapple, of course.

What CR are you aiming for?

[DracoDei]

Try this thread for a template to fill out and a few other helpful things: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10313

VERY sketchy. Needs AC, Size, average hp, alignment, number appearing and a bunch of other stuff. Type should probably be Aberration with Outsider as a subtype. You misplaced Constition in the stat line-up and called it "Fortitude" I think. You also left out Charisma entirely. HD should be 10d8 +10 since outsiders use d8's if I remember correctly. This would give it a hp entry of "(55 hp)"

Are you sure you don't mean "Dimension Door" rather than "Blink" (prehaps give it a very short range though?

[Penguinizer]

Basically. I have no idea on what the CR should be. I would want something that is basically a big "Just run away" for lower levels. And a challenge for the 13-16 levels. Seeing as this is somewhat more of the "Powerful malignant force" type of thing.

[Penguinizer]

Quick question. If there is a good time to include this, should I include this in the MitP when appropriate.

[DracoDei]

I would have to see more, particularly a physical description. I would say "go for it", but ONLY if and when you have it really polished up (and right now it is a mostly collection of scattered parts laying on the floor).

Attempting to start a grapple technically IS a physical attack BTW.

[Baron Corm]

creature ability DCs are not just arbitrarily assigned, they are generally (DC 10 + 1/2 creature HD + Charisma modifier). so your paralyzing gaze ability would have a DC of 10 + 5 - 2 = 13. ways of increasing this would be changing the ability score it is based on (constitution is another common one) or increasing its hit dice or the ability score it is based on. there is also an "ability focus" feat which gives +2 to the DC.

your "inhuman grip" ability should just give the creature a +4 or so (this number you can decide, but pick a number, don't just say "give or take") bonus to grappling checks.

if you want it to have AC 20, you have to say why. it has 10 base (every creature does), +3 from Dexterity. that means you'd want to give it +7 natural armor. if it's the dodgey type, instead of giving it natural armor, you could increase its Dexterity.

[DracoDei]

(this number you can decide, but pick a number, don't just say "give or take")

(Excuse me if I am rambling... everyone take this for what it is worth)
It is stuff like this that lead me to say "parts scattered on the floor". This is a sketch of an idea for a monster, not a monster itself. A lot of things up in the air. Yes, they need to be pinned down, but I am not sure that just saying 'pin it down' is the way to go... and for the most part you didn't Flying Poo 22, but maybe a just little. Explaining how you get their mathmatically is good though...