Tzardok's Miscellaneous Homebrew Repository

[Tzardok]

The mephits look nice; good job with those breath weapons in particular! A few comments, though:



Adaptation (see also: Radiance, Smoke and Void).

Fixed.

What languages do these guys get? Well, Ignan presumably, but what else?

Common and Ignan. Fixed

I love this type of ability to bits!

Typical for Ash. If I ever get around to converting the negative quasielementals, you'll see this and similiar things for Ash and Salt.

Did you mean: sonic, mind-affecting effect?

Friggin' damnit. I always forget that it's called sonic in English, not sound.

Air subtype usually comes with perfect flight. Could these at least get good?

Sorry, but no. The point of lightning mephits is that they fly faster than any other mephit, but have amongst the worst maneuvaribility. Like lightning, which also moves for the most part in straight lines. Really, if earth mephits weren't meant to be the least maneuvarable mephits, I would have reduced the lightning mephit to clumsy.
Maybe I should take their wings away completely and make their flight wholey magical, like it used to be. Would've also made sense for the void mephit. On the other hand, earth mephits also used to have useless wings and magical flight... nah.

Shocking Grasp.

Fixed

What's the damage type? Slashing? Piercing? Both?

Didn't think about it, now it's both.

Dunno. Their natural attacks are already magical (they have DR/magic).

Still gives an enhancement bonus. I chose magic fang because I didn't find any 1st level spells associated with crystals and wanted to instead go with the sharpness of Mineral (I would've chosen sharpen if it didn't have such a high level). Any better idea for a 1st level spell-like ability?

MORE hypotheticals! Neat.

Well, I made those stats back when I didn't know that there aren't supposed to be any void mephits, and it would've been a waste not to at least use them once.

I'd recommend giving them Breathless (cf. air/dust genasi, air gnomes and the like) instead. Not breathing kind of fits their theme anyhow.

But then they wouldn't be able to drown.

This should be a thing. I approve!

I know, right? They really could've fleshed out that plane a lot more. Edit: Maybe I should change the language's name. Umbral is a pretty common term in shadowmagic; I wouldn't want to make it confusing. What do you think about... Tenebral?

Hm. For glass: a semi-friendly reminder that the recipient should be more subtle because an owlbear could see through their schemes without difficulty?

Hmm. A bit of overlap with the water mephit, but different enough (especially the semi-friendly part ) to work. Accepted!

For mirror: a show of force; the sender can afford to waste a mephit with above average power in this manner plus an implied "look at yourself, dude, you're out of league"?

Feels a bit like it steps on the toe of the ooze mephit, doesn't it?

For sulphur: the sender deems the recipient a clingy nuisance and wishes to be left alone?

A bit much overlap with the ash mephit, I think.

[Vomits rainbow.]

What? Don't like ponies?

[Metastachydium]

Typical for Ash. If I ever get around to converting the negative quasielementals, you'll see this and similiar things for Ash and Salt.

Gut. Sehr gut.

Sorry, but no. The point of lightning mephits is that they fly faster than any other mephit, but have amongst the worst maneuvaribility. Like lightning, which also moves for the most part in straight lines. Really, if earth mephits weren't meant to be the least maneuvarable mephits, I would have reduced the lightning mephit to clumsy.

Okay, that's just hilarious.

On the other hand, earth mephits also used to have useless wings and magical flight... nah.

I'd absolutely make earth's wings vestigial and useless for flight, personally. But alas! (Still, you could suggest dropping their flight to clumsy in the "recommended changes" section and then making lightning's poor.)

Still gives an enhancement bonus. I chose magic fang because I didn't find any 1st level spells associated with crystals and wanted to instead go with the sharpness of Mineral (I would've chosen sharpen if it didn't have such a high level). Any better idea for a 1st level spell-like ability?

Hrm. I'll look around.

But then they wouldn't be able to drown.

Ah, you want to keep the ability to drownheal!

I know, right? They really could've fleshed out that plane a lot more. Edit: Maybe I should change the language's name. Umbral is a pretty common term in shadowmagic; I wouldn't want to make it confusing. What do you think about... Tenebral?

Tenebric. It comes with the added benefit of the etymon having had an actual meaning applicable and applied to language ('vague, incomprehensible, confusing').

Feels a bit like it steps on the toe of the ooze mephit, doesn't it?

It does. Damn. New idea: the sender wishes to inform or remind the recipient that they are technically on the same side (and therefore the former finds some hostile action taken by the latter baffling)? (I.e. "why are you attacking me, you moron?!")

A bit much overlap with the ash mephit, I think.

Fair enough. How about this: the sender disapproves of the recipient's allies, alliances or associates and/or generally wants to express the opinion that the recipient's current company "stinks"?

What? Don't like ponies?

#Herbivory'sNotCute!

[Tzardok]

Tenebric. It comes with the added benefit of the etymon having had an actual meaning applicable and applied to language ('vague, incomprehensible, confusing').



It does. Damn. New idea: the sender wishes to inform or remind the recipient that they are technically on the same side (and therefore the former finds some hostile action taken by the latter baffling)? (I.e. "why are you attacking me, you moron?!")



Fair enough. How about this: the sender disapproves of the recipient's allies, alliances or associates and/or generally wants to express the opinion that the recipient's current company "stinks"?

Those are all good. I'll take them.

[Metastachydium]

Cool! Glad I could help.

[Tzardok]

New Creature: Just For Pun

This creature is dedicated to Metastachydium. I hope you'll like it.

Betting Hedge
Medium Plant (Chaos, Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 9d8 + 36 (76 hp)
Initiative: -1
Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares)
Armor Class: 19 (-1 dex, +3 luck, +7 natural), touch 12, flat footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+8
Attack: Tendril +8 melee (1d4+2 plus Draw of the Luck)
Full Attack: Three tendrils +8 melee (1d4+2 plus Draw of the Luck)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/10 ft
Special Attacks: Draw of the luck, spell-like abilities, spin the wheel
Special Qualities: Gambler's defence, immunity to fire and sound, local subsumption, low-light vision, plant traits, spell resistence 20
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +4, Will +5
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 8, Con 19, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 17
Skills: Bluff +15, Diplomacy +7, Disguise +3 (+5 when acting in character), Intimidate +5, Profession (Gambler) +14, Slight of Hand +13, Sense Motive +14
Feats: Dumb Luck^CS, Fortuitous Strike^CS, Lucky Fingers^B,CS, Lucky Start^CS, Power Attack, Unbelievable Luck^B,CS
Environment: Eternal Chaos of Limbo
Organisation: Solitary or copse (2-6)
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: Double standard
Alignment: Always Chaotic Neutral
Advancement: 10-27 HD (medium)
Level Adjustment: +2

The betting hedge is one of the strange growths that pass for flora in Limbo. This plant creature resembles a bush, roughly 9 ft. tall and with a diameter of 4 ft. On the top a head-like growth sprouts. On its front eight eyes, with the shape and colour of ripe cherries, surround a trumpet-like blossom from which the creature's voice sounds. Hidden in its foliage, the plant has three tendrils that are as deft and dexterous as hands. (Used as natural weapons these tendrils deal Piercing damage.) Betting hedges don't like moving, but can pull their roots from the ground and move around slowly. When they have rooted themselves into the ground, they subsume it, granting them a bit of stability in the swirling chaos, and also making them quite good at adapting to other planes.
Characterwise, the betting hedge is jovial and extroverted. Betting hedges love gambling of all kinds, be it Roulette, playing cards or rolling dice. They also relish a good fight, but generally don't start one themselves. In a fight, the betting hedge will act completely unconcerned about its own life. Instead it will excitedly comment on the battle like the announcer of a gambling tournament or pit fight. A betting hedge will usually fight riskily and use its Spin the Wheel ability at least every two rounds.
A betting hedge speaks Common, Slaad and Sylvan, plus another language native to area it is found.

Draw of the Luck (Ex): When the betting hedge hits a creature with a tendril attack, the creature gets moved in a straight line as close as possible to the hedge, unless it wins an opposed Str check. A creature with luck feats may spend a luck re-roll to get a +2 luck bonus to this check.
Gambler's defense (Ex): A betting hedge receives its Charisma bonus as a luck bonus to AC. Whenever the betting hedge roles a percentile dice as part of activating a magic item or because of wild magic, it roles twice and chooses the result it likes more.
Local subsumption (Su): When a betting hedge hasn't left its space for 1 round, it subsumes the surrounding terrain. Its space and all squares adjactent to it become completely flat and change color: in various patterns red, yellow, blue and green. All difficult terrain in those fields disappear, as do all traps or hindering or damaging effects. The subsumation ends 1 round after the betting hedge leaves its field.
In Limbo, terrain that is subsumed by a betting hedge can't be controlled by other beings.
Spell-like abilities: 3/day – confusion (DC 17); 1/day – prismatic ray^SC (DC 18); CL 9th
Spin the wheel (Su): Once per round as a move action, a betting hedge that has subsumed its surroundings may cause the colours of the ground to wildly spin before settling into a new pattern, causing random effects to happen to those who stand on those fields. For every creature adjacent to the betting hedge, roll 1d4 and consult the following table:
1. The creature takes 1d8 points of each fire, electricity, acid and sonic damage. (Fortitude, halves)
2. The creature is thrown prone (Reflex, no effect). If it is already prone, it is pushed back 10 ft. and takes 1d6 damage (Reflex, no effect).
3. The creature is entangled until the next time the hedge spins the wheel or the subsumption of the creature's space ends. (no save)
4. The creature heals 2d8+8 hit points.
No two creatures that are adjacent to each other can be hit by the same effect. Save-DCs are based on Cha.

[Metastachydium]

New Creature: Just For Pun

This creature is dedicated to Metastachydium. I hope you'll like it.

Betting Hedge

[Would visibly bounce up and down if a flower could to that.] I don't like it. I love it! The mental image of a shrub playing cards is a wonderful one in and of itself, but with those special abilities? It's amazing! Thank you so much! I can't find fault in these planties.

Challenge Rating: 6?

I ran this through Vorpal Tribble's CR Estimator; gave me a 9 despite my treating plant traits (and plant traits are among the best!) as a package instead of assigning values to each individual immunity. I think that figure needs adjusting for the low speed and DPR and stuff, but I could easily see an 8.

Treasure: Double standard

Looks like someone is good at Profession (gambling)!

Level Adjustment: ?

Sadly, I'm pretty sure WotC would go "ha-ha, no", but I'd probably entertain a number between 2 and 4.

Characterwise, the betting hedge is jovial and extroverted. Betting hedges love gambling of all kinds, be it Roulette, playing cards or rolling dice. They also relish a good fight, but generally don't start one themselves. In a fight, the betting hedge will act completely unconcerned about its own life. Instead it will excitedly comment on the battle like the announcer of a gambling tournament or pit fight. A betting hedge will usually fight riskily and use its Spin the Wheel ability at least every two rounds.
A betting hedge speaks Common, Slaad and Sylvan, plus another language native to area it is found.

Deal with it, cruel world! That's delightfully crazy.

Spin the wheel (Su): Once per round as a move action, a betting hedge that has subsumed its surroundings may cause the colours of the ground to wildly spin before settling into a new pattern, causing random effects to happen to those who stand on those fields. For every creature adjactant to the betting hedge, roll 1d4 and consult the following table:
1. The creature takes 1d8 points of each fire, electricity, acid and sound damage. (Fortitude, halves)
2. The creature is thrown prone (Reflex, no effect). If it is already prone, it is pushed back 10 ft. and takes 1d6 damage (Reflex, no effect).
3. The creature is entangled until the next time the hedge spins the wheel or the subsumation of the creature's space ends. (no save)
4. The creature heals 2d8+8 hit points.
No two creatures that are adjactent to each other can be hit by the same effect. Save-DCs are based on Cha.

I see a couple of typos here (it's subsummation and adjacent), but do make sure to pretend it's intentional! It'd fit the theme. The whole
Random Opponent: "…"
Random Opponent: "Was that a CMW?"
Betting Hedge: "Yeah, it's supposed to do that; you do a face-plant [snicker] or you blow up or you heal some."
Random Opponent: "…"
Random Opponent: "But that doesn't make sense!"
Betting Hedge: (looks around) "Um, that's Limbo for you? Plus luck, the universe and everything? And where's the fun in making sense, anyway? Now, less talking, more fighting!"
is just gorgeous. Just… Thank you.

[Tzardok]

Challenge Rating and LA assigned. Spellings adjusted. Also changed one of the feats because I accidentally wrote the wrong feat name.

I'm glad that you like that little Wheel of Fortune plant. Took me quite some time to hammer out the way the ability worked. I also had an idea with shooting a random line into every direction, but I couldn't get the aiming to work right, and one where the effects of Spin the Wheel would always be in the same order (so the north field does damage, the next field pushes down and so on), but which field is the north field would be randomly determined, but that was too much work for not enough gain.

[Metastachydium]

Challenge Rating and LA assigned

It's PLAYABLE! [Mad scientist cackling.]

I'm glad that you like that little Wheel of Fortune plant. Took me quite some time to hammer out the way the ability worked.

I can imagine. But the end product looks real good!

and one where the effects of Spin the Wheel would always be in the same order (so the north field does damage, the next field pushes down and so on), but which field is the north field would be randomly determined, but that was too much work for not enough gain.

Agreed. That's a bit like the old facing stuff. And less thematic than the current "look, dude, you get lucky or you don't" style random resolution anyway.

[Beni-Kujaku]

Is it too late to start the "GitP regulars as monsters" thread anew? That's beautiful ^^ ! I feel like as of now, the betting hedge doesn't have much it can do in combat after it has exhausted its prismatic ray. People with reach weapons could just attack it from outside the subsumed zone and move away when the hedge moves. I think the tendrils should do something more, and the subsumed zone should grow more than 5ft. Either a static 10ft radius, or it grows 5ft every round the hedge isn't moving, up to a maximum of 50ft. The hedge can then move inside its subsumed zone and have it maintained while it doesn't leave it completely.
As for the tendrils, it's customary to give them extra reach, like 5ft/5ft (15ft with tendrils), and either Improved grab (to bring them back to the subsumed zone) or transmit a weird side effect, like Confusion, or suggestion ("the creature thinks they should water this weird plant, and tries to do it by any mean possible, eventually coming adjacent to it and salivating on the subsumed field if they do not have any other magical or mundane way. ") or Charm Person ("the creature understands that plants are people too and tries to help it survive to help biodiversity").

[Metastachydium]

I feel like as of now, the betting hedge doesn't have much it can do in combat after it has exhausted its prismatic ray. People with reach weapons could just attack it from outside the subsumed zone and move away when the hedge moves.

…
But… That's, like, cheating! But the concern is nonetheless valid, I'm afraid.

I think the tendrils should do something more, and the subsumed zone should grow more than 5ft. Either a static 10ft radius, or it grows 5ft every round the hedge isn't moving, up to a maximum of 50ft. The hedge can then move inside its subsumed zone and have it maintained while it doesn't leave it completely.

Hm. Or maybe an area with a randomly fluctuating diameter within certain constraints?

transmit a weird side effect, like Confusion, or suggestion ("the creature thinks they should water this weird plant, and tries to do it by any mean possible, eventually coming adjacent to it and salivating on the subsumed field if they do not have any other magical or mundane way. ") or Charm Person ("the creature understands that plants are people too and tries to help it survive to help biodiversity").

Plants are people too! Just [Joker voice] look at me. LOOk. AT. ME! (And those options both sound lovely, especially the rationales.)

[Tzardok]

Is it too late to start the "GitP regulars as monsters" thread anew? That's beautiful ^^ !

Oh? Got a link to that thread? Edit: As for why it is dedicated, Metastachydium both inspired the pun and was the only one to post here for two pages. That deserves a bit of recognition.

I feel like as of now, the betting hedge doesn't have much it can do in combat after it has exhausted its prismatic ray. People with reach weapons could just attack it from outside the subsumed zone and move away when the hedge moves. I think the tendrils should do something more, and the subsumed zone should grow more than 5ft. Either a static 10ft radius, or it grows 5ft every round the hedge isn't moving, up to a maximum of 50ft. The hedge can then move inside its subsumed zone and have it maintained while it doesn't leave it completely.

Part of the problem with a larger subsumed zone is, well... It's just a funfair wheel of fortune. Once per round the plant spins it, and the creatures surrounding it win some (healing) or lose some. If I added radius, I would need (if I want to keep the aesthetic, and I very much do ("Aaaaand it's time for another spin on the wheel! Who will be lucky winner this time!? Who will lose it all!?")) to somehow find a way to ensure that creatures in a straight line from the middle point receive the same effect. That falls again under "too much work for too litle gain". Unless you've got a simple solution?

As for the tendrils, it's customary to give them extra reach, like 5ft/5ft (15ft with tendrils), and either Improved grab (to bring them back to the subsumed zone) or transmit a weird side effect, like Confusion, or suggestion ("the creature thinks they should water this weird plant, and tries to do it by any mean possible, eventually coming adjacent to it and salivating on the subsumed field if they do not have any other magical or mundane way. ") or Charm Person ("the creature understands that plants are people too and tries to help it survive to help biodiversity").

Regarding the tendrils, I envisioned them more like, y'know, stick arms or vines that give it some hands. Ruleswise I simply took claws and named them tendrils.
I could of course give them a bit of extra reach and draw a bit on the Roper, like, Any creature hit by a tendril must make a save or Strength check or whatever, and if it fails it is dragged as close as possible to the hedge.

…
Plants are people too! Just [Joker voice] look at me. LOOk. AT. ME! (And those options both sound lovely, especially the rationales.)

The problem with that is that the Betting Hedge doesn't exactly care about other plants. Unless of course they are willing to play Blackjack with it.

[Metastachydium]

Oh? Got a link to that thread? Edit: As for why it is dedicated, Metastychidium both inspired the pun and was the only one to post here for two pages. That deserves a bit of recognition.

(In actual fact, I'm a very Lawful flower as well!)

Part of the problem with a larger subsumed zone is, well... It's just a funfair wheel of fortune. Once per round the plant spins it, and the creatures surrounding it win some (healing) or lose some. If I added radius, I would need (if I want to keep the aesthetic, and I very much do ("Aaaaand it's time for another spin on the wheel! Who will be lucky winner this time!? Who will lose it all!?")) to somehow find a way to ensure that creatures in a straight line from the middle point receive the same effect. That falls again under "too much work for too litle gain".

Oh, yes. Logistics 2: The Nightmare Continues!

Regarding the tendrils, I envisioned them more like, y'know, stick arms or vines that give it some hands. Ruleswise I simply took claws and named them tendrils.
I could of course give them a bit of extra reach and draw a bit on the Roper, like, Any creature hit by a tendril must make a save or Strength check or whatever, and if it fails it is dragged as close as possible to the hedge.

The problem with that is that the Betting Hedge doesn't exactly care about other plants. Unless of course they are willing to play Blackjack with it.

I still like the idea of the hedge poking people with its funny stick hands and asking "hey, do you want to play Blackjack with me?", forcing a Will save.

[Tzardok]

(In actual fact, I'm a very Lawful flower as well!)

Oh,yes? Prove it. Make a Mechanus plant creature based on a pun. Maybe a Symmetree?

I propably won't do it; I'm currently working through Dragon Mag. to Ravenloft-ify alternate class features, and when I'm finished I'll finally work over my Rilmani homebrew.

[Metastachydium]

Oh,yes? Prove it. Make a Mechanus plant creature based on a pun.

Oh, a trap! Very clever. But we both know a Lawful being wouldn't exploit semantic(/phonetic/wahtever) ambiguity like that!

and when I'm finished I'll finally work over my Rilmani homebrew.

An intriguing prospect most certainly.

[Metastachydium]

This occured to me, all of a sudden: you did quite the work with mephits; do you plan to also do some missing mephlings? There's only four types of those in 3.5 and they are kind of not that good.

[Tzardok]

Didn't think about it before, no. But it could be interesting; I would need to look them up again. If it's something quick and easy, they may come up soon, but I currently have other plans.

[Metastachydium]

Of course! I'm not placing orders or pressure or anything; I just remembered they kind of exist and sound like your thing.

[Tzardok]

Do I have posted already enough stuff to declare something "my thing"? I'm flattered.

[Metastachydium]

I mean, you have quite an output on Inner Planes stuff in particular and things extraplanar in general, both here and in Afro's threads. I work with what I have; sue me!

[Tzardok]

Just you wait until I've finished all my planned projects; that's going to be so unplanar.

That said: Rilmani!

New Creatures: Rilmani

The rilmani are, for those that don't know about them, the embodiments of true neutrality, just like tanar'ri embody chaotic evil. Three of their caste-species were published in the Fiend Folio (the ferrumach, the cuprilach and the aurumach), but otherwise 3.x ignored them.
I'll start with defining my version of the Rilmani traits into a subtype, to differentiate them more from other subtype-less outsiders and to follow the codification of archons, tanar'ri and so on into subtypes in 3.5:

Rilmani Subtype
Traits

• Immune to electricity and poison
• Resistence to acid 10 and sound 10
• Summon rilmani (Sp): Many rilmani share the ability to summon others of their kind (the success chance and type of rilmani summoned are noted in each monster description). Rilmani dislike disturbing their kind in this way, but don't hesitate to use this ability if they feel it necessary.
• Spell-like abilities: At will – Comprehend languages, detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, detect law, detect magic, feather fall, sanctuary

I follow with conversions of those caste-species that didn't managed the jump into 3.x:

Plumach
Medium Outsider (Rilmani)
Hit Dice: 2d8+6 (15 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 15 (+5 natural), 10 touch, 15 flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+5
Attack: Heavy mace, melee +5 (1d8+4)
Full Attack: Heavy mace, melee +5 (1d8+4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., DR 5/magic, immunity to electricity and poison, resistence to acid and sonic 10, SR 14
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +5
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 10, Con 17, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 10
Skills: Appraise +6 (+8 with objects fitting the chosen Craft), Concentration +8, Craft (any) +9, Diplomacy +5, Listen +7, Profession (any) +7, Search +6, Sense Motive +7, Spot +7
Feats: Skill Focus (Craft)
Environment: Outlands
Organisation: Solitary, pair or group (4-24)
CR: 2
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 3-6 HD (medium)
Level Adjustment: +3

Plumach are the lowest tier of rilmani. Their view on neutrality is the most simple and apathetic: Don't get involved. They are the ordinary craftsmen, merchants and citizens of the Outlands and especially of the Spire, are outspoken isolationists and prefer to stay out of the affairs of others. They equally detest people who interfere in their affairs. Plumach merchants and envoys can be found throughout the Outlands, but the farther you get from the Spire, the more apathetic they become.
Plumach are small, stocky humanoids with lead-gray, dull skin. They have heavy legs, broad hips and shoulders, and shovel-like hands. They are less strong and graceful than the higher rilmani, but are tough and stubborn fighters. They believe in hard work, respect for those to whom it is due, and the common courtesy of minding their own business. Plumach occasionally fight in the armies of the rilmani, but it takes the command of an aurumach to convince them that a cause is worth fighting for.
Plumach speak Rilmani, Common and Undercommon.

Combat
Plumach fight only as a last resort. Their general apathy is sometimes mistaken for incompetence, which is always a serious mistake. They prefer heavy, lead-reinforced weapons such as maces, clubs, and bludgeons.
Spell-like abilities: At will – Chill touch (DC 11, touch attack +5), comprehend languages, detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, detect law, detect magic, feather fall, hold person (DC 11), sanctuary (DC 11). Caster level 2nd.

Note: I chose to make the plumach a bit weaker than a few other conversions I've saw, as it is supposed to be equivalent to a dretch or lantern archon.

Abiorach
Medium Outsider (Rilmani)
HD: 14d8+56 (119 hp)
Initiative: +8
Speed: 40 ft., Burrow 20 ft., Fly 40 ft. (Good), Swim 40 ft.
AC: 28 (+8 dex, +4 natural, +6 deflection), 24 touch, 20 flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple: +14/+18
Attack: +2 trident, melee +20 (1d8+8)
Full Attack: +2 trident, melee +20/+15/+10 (1d8+8)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, summon elementals, summon rilmani
Special Qualities: Damage Reduction 10/chaotic or evil or good or lawful, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to electricity and poison, planar attunement, reflective aura, resistence to acid, cold, fire and sonic 20, SR 26
Saves: Fort +13, Ref +19, Will +13
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 27, Con 18, Int 18, Wis 18, Cha 23
Skills: Bluff +23, Concentration +21, Diplomacy +27, Disguise +23 (+25 acting), Gather Information +23, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (Nature) +6, Knowledge (The Planes) +21, Listen +21, Sense Motive +21, Spellcraft +21, Spot +21, Survival +21 (+23 on other planes), Swim +29
Feats: Combat Reflexes (B), Dodge, Fly-by Attack, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Spring Attack
Environment: Outlands
Organisation: Solitairy, Pair or squad (3-8)
CR: 14
Treasure: No coins, double goods, standard items
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 15-42 HD (medium)
Level Adjustment:

Like the Outer Planes and the Material Plane, the inner planes are a place where the extremes of Good, Evil, Law and Chaos fight for supremacy. The Elemental Princes of Evil and Good wage wars against each other, while creatures such as daos, ifriti, and salamanders plot their intrigues. Therefore, the rilmani also get involved with the Inner Planes, and the abiorach are their agents there.
Abiorach prefer to achieve their goals through manipulation and trickery. Since the elements tend to be neutral by themselves, there is rarely a reason for an abiorach to act, but there is always someone who wishes to change that.
Abiorach resemble adolescent humans or half-elves, with youthful, delicate features. Their skin has a silvery, almost liquid glow and their eyes appear crystalline, often shining with all the colors of the rainbow. Abiorach have a far more mercurial and capricious temperament than other rilmani, though they become more serious and thoughtful at the Spire, and are accustomed to seeing things from the elemental, not the mortal, point of view.
Abiorach speak Rilmani, Aquan, Auran, Common, Ignan and Terran.

Combat
Even for rilmani, abiorach are battle-shy, but an abiorach that has decided to fight is a breathtaking sight as it dances across the battlefield with fluid movements. The abiorach's varied movement abilities make them unpredictable opponents, allowing them to attack their enemies from all directions while separating them with their spell-like abilities. Abiorach prefer fighting with tridents, spears and similar weapons.
Planar Attunement (Ex): An abiorach on one of the Inner Planes automatically adapts completely to that plane. This makes it immune to harmful effects of the plane itself and elementals on that plane treat it as if it were one of their own. It can also move through the Inner Planes like an elemental guide.
Reflective Aura (Su): During a fight, an abiorach surrounds itself with a shimmering mirror-like aura that deflects attacks. While the aura is active, the abiorach receives its cha-bonus as a deflection bonus to AC.
Additionally the aura defends from gaze and ray attacks. Any spell or ability that works like a targetted gaze attack (Evil Eye, a vampire's dominating gaze, a medusa focussing her gaze on the abiorach, etc.) and any ray that hits the abiorach is reflected on the attacker, who now needs to make a save against its own effect. Passive gaze attacks are not reflected.
Summon elemental (Sp): Once per day an abiorach can attempt to summon 1d4 huge elementals with a 25% chance of success. An abiorach usually summons only elementals from whatever plane he's currently on. This ability is the equivalent of a 5th-level spell.
Summon rilmani (Sp): Once per day an abiorach can attempt to summon 1d2 another abiorach with a 35% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 4th-level spell.
Spell-like abilities: At will – Charm monster (DC 20), comprehend languages, daylight, deeper darkness, detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, detect law, detect magic, detect thoughts (DC 18), ethereal jaunt, invisibility, mirror image, planeshift, sanctuary (DC 17), tongues; 3/day – cone of cold (DC 21), control water, flaming sphere (DC 18), gust of wind (DC 18), move earth, polymorph (self only); 1/day – transmute mud to rock (DC 21), wall of fire, wall of force, wall of stone. Caster level 14th.

Note: Those of you who knew the 2e abiorach will propably wonder why I decided to make one of the weakest rilmani into a pretty powerful one. The answer is alchemy. Every cast-species of rilmani is based on one of the classical metals of alchemy (in the abiorach's case mercury), and it simply felt right to put the abiorach in the place mercury takes in the hierarchy of metals (above copper, but below silver).
By the way, I don't have a lot experience with large numbers of spell-like abilities and am not sure wether these ones actually fit the intended CR. Thoughts?

Argenach
Medium Outsider (Rilmani)
HD: 17d8+119 (195 hp)
Initiative: +10
Speed: 40 ft.
AC: 29 (+6 dex, +13 natural), 16 touch, 23 flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple: +17/+22
Attack: +3 scimitar, melee +25 (1d6+10/15-20) or antithetical ray, ranged touch attack +23
Full Attack: +3 scimitar, melee +25/+20/+15/+10 (1d6+10/15-20) or two antithetical rays, ranged touch attack +23
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Antithetical ray, spell-like abilities, summon rilmani
Special Qualities: Damage Reduction 15/chaotic or evil or good or lawful, darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 5, immunity to electricity and poison, resistence to acid and sonic 20, SR 28
Saves: Fort +17, Ref +16, Will +19
Abilities: Str 21, Dex 23, Con 24, Int 22, Wis 24, Cha 25
Skills: Concentration +27, Decipher Script +26, Diplomacy +33, Disguise +27, Gather Information +29, Knowledge (Local) +26, Knowledge (Nature) +8, Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) +26, Knowledge (The Planes) +26, Listen +27, Search +26, Sense Motive +29, Spellcraft +26, Spot +27, Survival +27 (+29 on other planes)
Feats: Improved Critical (Scimitar), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Negotiator, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot
Environment: Outlands
Organisation: Solitary, embassy (2-4) or platoon (2-4 argenach plus 10-20 ferrumach)
CR: 17
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 18-34 HD (medium); 35-51 HD (large)
Level Adjustment:

Whenever the balance is shaken, the argenach are there to set things right. They are advisors and agitators, working to ensure that no power holds the upper hand in the multiverse for long. They pay special attention to the Material Plane, which they consider the fulcrum of balance in the multiverse and the place where the forces of Good and Evil, Law and Chaos will battle and defeat each other.
Argenach work in a subtle but simple way: They provide advice and knowledge to the party currently under threat in order to even things out. Since no one likes to be manipulated, they often disguise themselves as benevolent sages who assist their charges in the fight against Evil and Chaos, or as cold-blooded advisors who teach ambitious students how to fight Good and Law.
Argenach in their true form resemble tall, slender humans with silvery skin. They prefer long, flowing white robes, but can disguise themselves in any way imaginable. Argenach are notorious for being solitary, even amongst other rilmani.
Argenach speak, in addition to Rilmani, Common and Undercommon, Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal, Draconic and Sylvan.

Combat
Argenach avoid combat when they can, but put a finger on the scales when they have to. Their weapon of choice are their antithetical rays, which they shoot from their hands. Argenach also possess an impressive arsenal of spell-like abilities that allow them to instantly end fights by immobilizing all opponents via Charm and Suggestion. When they enter melee combat, they prefer to use scimitars, but axes and broadswords are also popular.
Antithetical Ray (Su): Each round an argenach can shoot two rays of silvery light at its opponents. These rays deal damage depending on how removed the target's alignment is from Neutrality. Chaotic targets suffer 1d10 Lawful damage, Evil targets 1d10 holy damage, Good targets 1d10 unholy damage and Lawful targets 1d10 Chaotic damage. The rays' maximum range is 300 ft.
Summon rilmani (Sp): Once per day an argenach can attempt to summon 1d4 ferrumach with a 60% chance of success or another argenach with a 40%. This ability is the equivalent of a 6th-level spell.
Spell-like abilities: At will – comprehend language, daylight, deeper darkness, detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, detect law, detect magic, detect thoughts (DC 19), feather fall, fly, greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), invisibility, mass charm monster (DC 25), mirrage arcana, mirror image, planeshift, sanctuary (DC 18), see invisible, slow (DC 20), solid fog, suggestion (DC 20), tongues, wall of fire; 3/day – cone of cold (DC 22), polymorph (self only); 1/day – legend lore, prismatic spray (DC 24), word of balance^SC (DC 24); 1/week – geas/quest (DC 23). Caster level 17th.

As mentioned, the rilmani are based on the metals of classical alchemy. But there are seven metals, and only six types of rilmani. So let me present:

Stanach
Medium Outsider (Rilmani)
HD: 6d8+24 (51 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 19 (+2 dex, +7 natural), 12 touch, 17 flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+8
Attack: Heavy pick, melee +8 (1d6+3, x4)
Full Attack: Heavy pick, melee +8 (1d6+3, x4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, summon rilmani
Special Qualities: Alignment attunement, Damage Reduction 5/chaotic or evil or good or lawful, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to electricity and poison, malleability, resistence to acid and sonic 10, SR 17
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +7, Will +10
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 15, Con 18, Int 16, Wis 17, Cha 22
Skills: Bluff +15, Concentration +13, Diplomacy +21, Disguise +15 (+17 for acting), Gather Information +15, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (Nature) +5, Knowledge (The Planes) +12, Listen +12, Search +12, Sense Motive +14, Spot +12, Survival +12 (+14 on other planes)
Feats: Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Negotiator
Environment: Outlands
Organisation: Solitary, pair or embassy (3-18)
CR: 6
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancment: 7-12 HD (medium); 13-18 HD (large)
Level Adjustment: +3

Stanach are a strange people: the envoys and diplomats of neutrality. They are sent out by the rilmani when subtlety and manipulation no longer serve them and (relatively) open negotiations are necessary. This happens most often on the Outer Planes, where the stanach generally prowl. They represent the rilmani's link to the other exemplar races. The choice of the relatively weak stanach for this role is relatively reasonable from the rilmani's point of view: their weakness ensures that they are underestimated by the other outsiders and not mistaken for threats, while keeping them inconspicuous in their second role: espionage. In doing so, stanach occasionally collaborate with the far more subtle cuprilach, serving as a distraction. Amongst themselves, they call such cooperation cynically a „bronze team-up“.
Stanach resemble portly humans or tall halflings. Many of them tend to look downright soft and puffy. Their skin has the silvery-white hue and glow of pewter. Stanach, contrary to most other Rilmani (and especially the Plumach), are downright genial and enjoy partying long into the evening with good food and drink, a tendency they partially suppress at the Spire, which makes them more unsuspicious on their missions. Interestingly, their character and behavior tend to match that of the Outer Plane they are on.
Stanach speak Rilmani, Common, Abyssal, Celestial, Demodand, Infernal, Modron, Slaad and Yugoloth.

Combat
Stanach are neither particularly good nor zealous fighters. Nevertheless, they are more dangerous than they appear, and they certainly know how to defend themselves on their diplomatic trips. Stanach prefer picks, sickles, and similar weapons.
Alignment Attunement (Ex): Stanach emulate subconciously the alignment of the plane they are on. Therefore they don't receive penalties for being on an aligned plane. Stanach also receive their cha-mod. as a bonus to saves against spells or effects that affect creatures of a certain alingment stronger. If the effect doesn't normally allow a save, the stanach may still make a will save.
Malleability (Su): A stanach's flesh is very soft and malable, sometimes appearing to move on its own. Once per day as an Immediate Action, a stanach may completely neutralize a single attack. The attack got stuck somewhere in the stanach's fat, rendering it ineffectual.
Summon rilmani (Sp): Once per day a stanach can attempt to summon another stanach with a 40% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 2nd-level spell.
Spell-like abilities: At will – Comprehend language, detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, detect law, detect magic, disguise self, planeshift, sanctuary(DC 17), Tasha's hideous laughter (DC 17); 3/day – charm monster (DC 19), scry (DC 19); 1/week – heroes' feast. Caster level 6th.

I also suggest the following changes to the officially published rilmani:

Ferrumach:
DR 10/chaotic or evil or good or lawful
Spell-like abilities: At will – blurr, command (DC 16), comprehend languages, daylight, detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, detect law, detect magic, feather fall, obscuring fog, planeshift, sanctuary (DC 16), see invisible, silence (DC 17); 3/day – cure medium wounds, disguise self, dispel magic, ice storm, phantom steed. Caster level 9th.

Cuprilach:
AC: 26 (+7 dex, +9 natural) Note: the official cuprilach's natural armor bonus is ridicoulously high for its CR.
DR 10/chaotic or evil or good or lawful
Spell-like abilities: At will – Comprehend languages, deeper darkness, detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, detect law, detect magic, detect thoughts (DC 18), feather fall, greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), knock, locate creature, Melf's acid arrow (ranged attack +18) misdirection (DC 18), planeshift, sanctuary (DC 17), see invisible, tongues; 3/day – Enervation (ranged touch attack +18), mislead, poison (melee touch attack +18, DC 20), polymorph (self only). Caster level 12th.

Aurumach:
As the aurumach is supposed to play in the same league as balors and throne archons, I felt the need to buff it up a bit, including giving it a few more HD and raising its abilities. The exact changes resulting from that are found in the spoiler:
Hit Dice: 19d8+152 (237 hp)
Attribute: Str 26, Dex 20, Con 27, Int 26, Wis 27, Cha 29

Spoiler

Show

AC: 39 (-1 size, +1 dex, +13 +5 full plate, +15 natural), 10 touch, 38 flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple: +19/+31
Attack: +4 halberd, melee +31 (2d8+16 plus Antithesis, x3)
Full attack: +4 halberd, melee +31/+26/+21/+16 (2d8+16 plus Antithesis, x3)
Saves: Fort +19, Ref +17, Will +19
Skills: Bluff +31, Concentration +30, Craft or Knowledge (any 7) +30, Diplomacy +35, Disguise +9 (+11, to acting), Intimidate +33, Listen +30, Search +30, Sense Motive +30, Spellcraft +30, Spot +30
Feats: Cleave, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Greater Cleave, Improved Trip, Power Attack, Weaponfocus (Halberd)

DR 15/any two of the following: chaotic, evil, good, lawful (Edit: As there was some confusion, here a clarification: To overcome an aurumach's DR a weapon needs to have two alignments at once. You could also write it as DR 15/(Chaotic and Evil) or (Chaotic and Good) or (Evil and Lawful) or (Good and Lawful))
Resistence to acid and sonic 30
SR 31
Summon Armor (Su): The summoned armor can be of any type the aurumuch is proficient with. Also, it has a +5 enchantment.
Summon rilmani (Sp): Once per day an aurumach can automatically summon 2d4 ferrumach or 1d3 argenach. This ability is the equivalent of a 8th-level spell.
Summon weapon (Su): The summoned weapon can be of any type the aurumach is proficient with. Also, it has a +4 enchantment.
Spell-like abilities: At will – Charm monster (DC 23), comprehend languages, daylight, deeper darkness, detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, detect law, detect magic, detect thoughts (DC 19), feather fall, fly, greater invisibility, greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), magic circle against chaos/evil/good/law, magic missile, mass suggestion (DC 25), planeshift, sanctuary (DC 19), see invisible, tongues; 3/day – dismissal (DC 24), forbiddance (DC 25), foresight, heal, mind blank, polymorph (self only), prismatic spray (DC 26), true seeing, word of balance^SC (DC 26). Caster level 19th.
Languages: Aurumach speak Rilmani, Common, Undercommon, Abyssal, Celestial, Draconic, Infernal, Modron, Slaad and Sylvan.

So. That's finally done. Only one ages-old homebrew project to finish, but that one can wait until I've got a few new ideas out.

[Metastachydium]

That said: Rilmani!

I've been looking forward to these, but didn't have enough time to give them a thorough enough look UNTIL NOW!

Plumach

(…)

Special Qualities: Darksight 60 ft.,

Did you mean: Darkvision?

Level Adjustment: +1

That's incredibly generous, especially with the dretch as a point of comparison. Dretches are slower, come with a heavy INT penalty and modest bonuses to STR/CON plus a grand total of two /day SLAs. WotC assigned a starting ECL of 4 to them.

Abiorach
Medium Outsider (Rilmani)
HD: 14d8+56 (119 hp)
Initiative: +5

Initiative is +8.

Speed: 40 ft., Burrow 20 ft., Fly 40 ft. (Good), Swim 40 ft.

And no climb speed? Disgraceful! (Don't look at me like that. CArcMotP^{pp. 207–208} does list an Elemental Plane of Wood! (I think.))

darksight 60 ft.

V. above.

Skills: Bluff +23, Concentration +21, Diplomacy +27, Disguise +23 (+25 acting), Gather Information +23, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (Nature) +6, Knowledge (The Planes) +20, Listen +21, Sense Motive +21, Spellcraft +20, Spot +21, Survival +21 (+23 on other planes), Swim +29
Feats: Combat Reflexes (B), Dodge, Fly-by Attack, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Spring Attack

Two skill points remain available.

Planar Attunement (Ex): An abiorach on one of the Inner Planes automatically adapts completely to that plane. This makes it immune to harmful effects of the plane itself and elementals on that plane treat it as if it were one of their own. It can also move through the Inner Planes like an elemental guide.

Hrm. That makes me wonder. Since these fellers spend most of their time away from their home plane, they should probably be listed with the Extraplanar subtype. But then, I'm not sure Planar Attunement doesn't cover that. Can you banish an abiorach from the Inner Planes?

Summon elemental (Sp): Once per day an abiorach can attempt to summon 1d4 huge elementals with a 25% chance of success. An abiorach usually summons only elementals from whatever plane he's currently on. This ability is the equivalent of a 5th-level spell.

(Huge elementals are SM7 material; the high chance of failure might bring that down to level 5 territory, though.)

Note: Those of you who knew the 2e abiorach will propably wonder why I decided to make one of the weakest rilmani into a pretty powerful one. The answer is alchemy. Every cast-species of rilmani is based on one of the classical metals of alchemy (in the abiorach's case mercury), and it simply felt right to put the abiorach in the place mercury takes in the hierarchy of metals (above copper, but below silver).

A move I couldn't approve of any more!

By the way, I don't have a lot experience with large numbers of spell-like abilities and am not sure wether these ones actually fit the intended CR. Thoughts?

It's certainly not too much, if you ask me, and nor is the assembled lot too weak to fit these folks. That they can use big guns like planar travel stuff more often than measly Gust of Wind and Flaming Sphere is a bit odd, but it fits, thematically speaking. I can't help but notice that none of these rilmani have Calm Emotions. How can they NOT have Calm Emotions?

Argenach
Medium Outsider (Rilmani)
HD: 17W8+119 (195 hp)

[Maliciously.] What's a W8?

Attack: +3 scimitar, melee +25 (1d6+8/15-20) or antithetical ray, ranged touch attack +23
Full Attack: +3 scimitar, melee +25/+20/+15/+10 (1d6+8/15-20) or two antithetical rays, ranged touch attack +23

I wonder why don't they use those scimitars two-handed for MORE damage.

Darksight 60 ft.

V. above.

Saves: Fort +16, Ref +16, Will +19

Fort should be +17 .

Feats: Improved Critical Hit (Scimitar), (…) Precision Shot

(Technically, those are called Improved Critical (scimitar) and Precise Shot in the English terminology.)

batallion (2-4 argenach plus 10-20 ferrumach)

That's quite a boast, calling a unit of 12–24 a battalion like that!

Antithetical Ray (Su): Each round an argenach can shoot two rays of silvery light at its opponents. These rays deal damage depending on how removed the target's alignment is from Neutrality. Chaotic targets suffer 1d10 Lawful damage, Evil targets 1d10 holy damage, Good targets 1d10 unholy damage and Lawful targets 1d10 Chaotic damage. The rays' maximum range is 300 ft., and they don't have a base range.

Lovely! What's a "base range", though? Maximum range kind of tells us it doesn't use increments.

Stanach
Medium Outsider (Rilmani)
HD: 6d8+24 (53 hp)

51 hp.

Attack: Heavy pick, melee +8 (1W6+3, x4)
Full Attack: Heavy pick, melee +8 (1W6+3, x4)

[With MORE malice.] What's a W6?

Amongst themselves, they call such cooperation cynically a „bronze team-up“.

Heh.

Stanach speak Rilmani, Common, Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal, Modron, Slaad and Yugoloth.

(Another year, another list of languages that doesn't have Demodand! Poor Demodand.)

Combat

[B]Alignment Attunement (Ex):

Okay, now these guys and the silver ones should absolutely have Extraplanar.

Squashiness (Su): A stanach's flesh is very soft and malable, sometimes appearing to move on its own. Once per day as an Immediate Action, a stanach may completely neutralize a single attack. The attack got stuck somewhere in the stanach's fat, rendering it ineffectual.

This is pure delight. Alignment exemplars that are too fat to get hurt. I love it. Could it be called, like, anything else, nevertheless? Pliant, Ductile, Malleable?

So. That's finally done. Only one ages-old homebrew project to finish, but that one can wait until I've got a few new ideas out.

Nice stuff, all around and congratulations on getting it ALL done!

[Tzardok]

I've been looking forward to these, but didn't have enough time to give them a thorough enough look UNTIL NOW!



Did you mean: Darkvision?

Fixed. Incidentally, I made the same mistake with all the mephits, so that's fixed too.

That's incredibly generous, especially with the dretch as a point of comparison. Dretches are slower, come with a heavy INT penalty and modest bonuses to STR/CON plus a grand total of two /day SLAs. WotC assigned a starting ECL of 4 to them.

Alright, +3.

And no climb speed? Disgraceful! (Don't look at me like that. CArcMotP^{pp. 207–208} does list an Elemental Plane of Wood! (I think.))

That is true, but it's a) an optional plane, and b) can still be easily navigated with flight.

Two skill points remain available.

For some reason both of the Intelligence based skills were missing one.

Hrm. That makes me wonder. Since these fellers spend most of their time away from their home plane, they should probably be listed with the Extraplanar subtype. But then, I'm not sure Planar Attunement doesn't cover that. Can you banish an abiorach from the Inner Planes?

I would rule yes. This thread has been pretty inconsistent about assigning the Extraplanar subtype, hasn't it? Meh.

A move I couldn't approve of any more!

Thank you, thank you. I did in fact buy a lexicon on alchemy before starting those back in the day.

It's certainly not too much, if you ask me, and nor is the assembled lot too weak to fit these folks. That they can use big guns like planar travel stuff more often than measly Gust of Wind and Flaming Sphere is a bit odd, but it fits, thematically speaking. I can't help but notice that none of these rilmani have Calm Emotions. How can they NOT have Calm Emotions?

Planar travel is their whole point, after all.

[Maliciously.] What's a W8?

I'm not even annoyed anymore that these keep slipping through.

I wonder why don't they use those scimitars two-handed for MORE damage.

Good question. Fixed.

That's quite a boast, calling a unit of 12–24 a battalion like that!

That's what happens if you have no idea of military units.

Lovely! What's a "base range", though? Maximum range kind of tells us it doesn't use increments.

That's a convention in some of the translations, adding to description of stuff with a max range that they don't have increments. (Also, Range Increments are called in German "Grundreichweite", which translates as base range.)

(Another year, another list of languages that doesn't have Demodand! Poor Demodand.)

Right, gereleths are a thing and have a language on their own. Well, for those it makes sense to speak that.

This is pure delight. Alignment exemplars that are too fat to get hurt. I love it. Could it be called, like, anything else, nevertheless? Pliant, Ductile, Malleable?

The name is just me joking around. Originally I just called it "Weichheit", that means softness. Malleability would be nice, but I feel that it has different connotations?

In case you're interested, when I came up with them, I went at it from two directions: what unused niche could they fill, and what traits does tin have, physically and mystically? The niche was essentially "Outer Planes", and regarding tin I found out that it is pretty soft (IIRC pure tin can be cut with a knife). I also remember something about pure tin feeling kinda fatty or smeary to the touch, and that lead me to jolly fat sharpminded diplomats.

And that was story hour for today.

[Metastachydium]

Alright, +3.

Yeah, that's reasonable.

That is true, but it's a) an optional plane, and b) can still be easily navigated with flight.

But not burrow! (Also, yes, hence the blue text.)

Thank you, thank you. I did in fact buy a lexicon on alchemy before starting those back in the day.

Oh! Which one?

That's a convention in some of the translations, adding to description of stuff with a max range that they don't have increments. (Also, Range Increments are called in German "Grundreichweite", which translates as base range.)

I see! And here I was thinking it's a 5eism or something. Language barriers can be tricky.

Right, gereleths are a thing and have a language on their own. Well, for those it makes sense to speak that.

Hah! (Also, yes, gehreleths are kind of there But We Don't Talk About Them. I wonder if they too were more of a thing pre-3e.)

The name is just me joking around. Originally I just called it "Weichheit", that means softness. Malleability would be nice, but I feel that it has different connotations?

Etymologically, it really just means 'if you hit it with a hammer, its shape's going to change slightly (but it doesn't break)' (18th century minerology books often used malleable as the counterpart of friable, i.e. 'breakable'). I think it could work.

In case you're interested, when I came up with them, I went at it from two directions: what unused niche could they fill, and what traits does tin have, physically and mystically? The niche was essentially "Outer Planes", and regarding tin I found out that it is pretty soft (IIRC pure tin can be cut with a knife). I also remember something about pure tin feeling kinda fatty or smeary to the touch, and that lead me to jolly fat sharpminded diplomats.

And that was story hour for today.

Okay, that's just pure gold tin! Jolly fat rilmani are the best.

[Tzardok]

Oh! Which one?

"Alchemie: Lexikon einer hermetischen Wissenschaft", collated and edited by Claus Priesner and Karin Figala

I see! And here I was thinking it's a 5eism or something. Language barriers can be tricky.

Don't worry, you won't see 5e-isms in my work. I got raised on 3.5 and am too old and calcified (I'm 30 ) to learn 5e. Edit: By the way, the German translation of 5e is horrid. Idioms translated literally, words mistaken for similiarily spelled words, etc. All the signs of bumbling amateurs.

Hah! (Also, yes, gehreleths are kind of there But We Don't Talk About Them. I wonder if they too were more of a thing pre-3e.)

As, like the Rilmani, all 3.x has to offer on them are a few stats in the Fiend Folio, this is true by necessity.
What 2e had additionally on them was a bit about how much they hate the 'loth, about their society and who rules them, and where they (allegedly) come from. Also propably a bunch of adventures involving them.

Etymologically, it really just means 'if you hit it with a hammer, its shape's going to change slightly (but it doesn't break)' (18th century minerology books often used malleable as the counterpart of friable, i.e. 'breakable'). I think it could work.

As you wish.

[Metastachydium]

"Alchemie: Lexikon einer hermetischen Wissenschaft", collated and edited by Claus Priesner and Karin Figala

Nice. Those are quite the credentials.

Edit: By the way, the German translation of 5e is horrid. Idioms translated literally, words mistaken for similiarily spelled words, etc. All the signs of bumbling amateurs.

Hey, Blind Idiot translations can be huge fun (if you don't mean to use them as intended anyhow)!

As, like the Rilmani, all 3.x has to offer on them are a few stats in the Fiend Folio, this is true by necessity.
What 2e had additionally on them was a bit about how much they hate the 'loth, about their society and who rules them, and where they (allegedly) come from. Also propably a bunch of adventures involving them.

Well. That's something, I suppose. Thanks! (And yes, Fiend Folio is a big favourite of mine, but it's very good at providing stats for stuff that doesn't get mentioned anywhere else ever.)

As you wish.

Much appreciated!

[Tzardok]

Excerpts from the Encyclopedia of Marvels, Life Forms and other Phenomena of Zamonia and its Environs by Prof. Dr. Abdul Nightingale

The following creatures were taken from or inspired by the Zamonia novels by Walter Moers.

Reptilian Rescuer
"Life is too precious to leave it to fate."
– Deux X. Machina (pseudonym), reptilian rescuer

Huge Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 7d10+35 (73 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 25 ft., Fly 120 ft. (average)
Amor Class: 20 (-2 Size, +2 Dex, +10 natural), touch 10, Flat footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+32
Attack: Claw melee +14 (1d8+9)
Full Attack: Two claws melee +14 (1d8+9) and beak melee +9 (2d6+4)
Space/Reach: 15 ft/ 15 ft
Special Attacks: Savior's snatch
Special Qualities: Darkvision 120 ft., evasion, low-light vision, scent, scent of danger
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +7, Will +6
Abilities: Str 28, Dex 14, Con 21, Int 16, Wis 18, Cha 9
Skills: Balance +4, Jump +11, Knowledge (Geography) +13, Knowledge (Nature) +15, Spot +18, Survival +14, Tumble +12
Feats: Dodge, Fly-by Attack, Mobility
Environment: Any above ground
Organisation: Solitary, patrol (2-3) or disaster relief (20-200)
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually lawful good
Advancement: 8-21 HD (huge)
Level Adjustment: +4 (cohort)

Rarely seen outside of their spectacular actions, the reptilian rescuers are a strange race of flyers who see it as their duty to save beings in mortal danger, and as a point of pride to make their rescue operations as dramatic as possible. A rescuer has an eye for how long exactly it can procrastinate saving its „client“ and will do its best to rescue them in the nick of time. Those who can consistently complete operations at the very last second earn considerable respect and bragging rights amongst their kind.
A reptilian rescuer resembles a pterosaur with slight wyvern-like traits, but reaches a wingspan of over 16 ft. Its thick leathery skin has different tones from brown to orange. They can be found all over the world, but avoid urban areas. Reptilian rescuers are herbivores and birth living youngs. Matings only happen rarely on account of the race's distinct antisocial tendencies. Rescuers claim to live more than 2,000 years, propably an exaggeration for bragging purposes.
Reptilian rescuers are solitary and grumpy. They only interact rarely with each other (unless they sense a large-scale disaster brewing) and use those opportunities to brag, to inform each other about new developments like migrations of dragons and other predators, and to organize the precincts they divide areas patroled by rescuers. Reptilian rescuers can't stand gratitude, nor do they desire rewards. Attempts to do so are just answered with a stern reminder to be more careful and live healthier in the future. Rarely, a rescuer will accept a humanoid as a protégé, mentoring them for up to two years. Such people usually end up with a keen understanding of natural and supernatural dangers, which shows itself as unusually high ranks in Survival, Knowledge (Nature) and Knowledge (Geography).
A reptilian rescuer speaks Common, Draconic and pretty much any language common to its precinct, unless it has newly arrived.

Combat
Reptilian rescuers fight only as a last resort. Most of the time they swoop into a battle to snatch up their „clients“, using their Tumble skills, Fly-By Attack feat and Savior's Snatch ability to carry them out of danger.
Most sapient beings don't attack rescuers, knowing that they may need them in the future. Only those more likely to be the danger than the rescued dare to do so.
Savior's Snatch (Ex): A reptilian rescuer does not provoke an attack of opportunity when it makes a touch attack to start a grapple.
Like with the Improved Grab ability, the rescuer has the option to conduct the grapple normally, or simply use its claws to hold the target. If it chooses to do the latter, it takes a -20 penalty on grapple checks, but is not considered grappled itself.
When the rescuer gets a hold after using Savior's Snatch, it pulls the target into its space. This act does not provoke attacks of opportunity. It can even move (possibly carrying away the target), provided it can still fly under the target's weight.
Reptilian rescuers receive a racial bonus of +8 to grapple checks.
Scent of Danger (Ex): A reptilian rescuer can smell danger in the air. This innate divinatory ability allows it to discern places where intelligent beings will be in danger, wether of monsters, hazards or disasters, in the near future. The strength of the smell is dependent on how far in the future the danger lies, how many beings are in danger and how bad the danger is. A rescuer can generally only detect events within 12 miles, necessating patroulling. Large scale catastrophes that require coordinated effort by multiple rescuers can be detected up to a week in advance, with smaller dangers generally not more than a day in advance (long brewing dangers are easier and earlier detectable).
Skills: A reptilian rescuer receives a racial bonus of +4 to Spot. It also receives a racial bonus of +4 to any Knowledge or Survival check made regarding natural or supernatural disasters (from volcanic eruptions to dragon rampages), as well as dangerous monsters and enviromental hazards. It can make Knowledge checks regarding those topics untrained.
Carrying capacity: A light load for a reptilian rescuer is up to 1,600 pounds; a medium load 1,601-3,200 pounds and a heavy load 3,201-4,800 pounds.

Reptilian Rescuers and Class Levels
Most rescuers advance by hit dice. Those who decide to take class levels are usually paladins and chose to take a more pro-active approach to saving people.

Spoiler: Feat: Scent of Adventure

Show

Feat: Scent of Adventure
After a long time watching your mentor and his reactions, you can sometimes practically smell excitement and danger in the wind.
Prerequisites: Wis 15, having been mentored by a Reptilian Rescuer for at least six months or someone with this feat for at least two years.
Benefit: Once per day, when presented with two or more directions, you can concentrate for a full round to discern which direction will be the most dangerous and which the least.
Also, you are never suprised in battle.

Note: This is the first time I've designed a feat. Is the effect worth anything?

Inspired by The 13½ Lives of Captain Bluebear.

Witch's Hat
Witches always stand between beeches.
– The Bloody Book

The ominous Witch's Hat is a mushroom that only grows in the deepest, darkest parts of the deep dark woods and certain areas of the Underdark. Witch's Hats are between fist sized and head sized, pitch black and as pointy as a stereotypical witch's hat. Their intense smell can sometimes cause vertigo. If scrutinized with magic, a Witch's Hat has a moderate aura of Evil. According to rumour, Witch's Hats only appear in locations that were infested by a mythical monstrosity called a Fungus Witch.
Witch's Hat is highly poisonous. It's toxin is a supernatural hallucinogen which pierces most defenses and torments the victim with nightmares and visions of evil things and acts happening elsewhere. (Ingested DC 20; Initial Damage 1d6 Wis plus confusion for 1 minute; Secondary Damage 2d6 Wis) Magical immunity to poison is only partially effective and grants a +4 to the save. Witch's Hat poison can't reduce Wisdom below 1. If that would happen, the victim instead become permanently insane. As long as the Wisdom damage hasn't healed, the victim suffers nightmares (similiar to the spell nightmare, but doesn't prevent natural healing) whenever it sleeps. Witch's Hat poison is mostly used by people who wish to see someone suffering, but not dead, but sometimes foolhardy artists consume it dilluted in the hopes of using the hallucinations for inspiration. Logically, Witch's Hat is a prohibited subtance in any decent society.
Witch's Hat poison is so potent that it can affect even beings normally immune to poison:
Fiends
A fiend eating a Witch's Hat suffers half damage and neither insanity nor nightmares. Instead, if it takes secondary damage, it will be confused for thirteen hours.
Oozes
Witch's Hats are deadly to all oozes: Ingested DC 30; Initial Damage death; Secondary Damage death. All oozes instinctually shy away from the mushroom and won't even touch it.
Plants
Witch's Hat have a mutagenous and cancerous effect on plants. A plant creature doesn't receive any damage from consuming Witch's Hat poison, only 1d6 corruption points which fade at a rate of 1 per month. Once its corruption points equal its HD, the mutation is complete and irreversible without using break enchantment, wish or miracle. The creature's alignment changes to Evil and it gains one of the following templates: corrupted^BoVD, spell-warped^MM3 or pseudonatural^CArc, except with no type change. The corrupted plant is usually covered in new Witch's Hats.
Most plant creatures despise Witch's Hats and avoid or destroy them if possible.
Undead and Deathless
If one of the restless dead consumes a Witch's Hat, it experiences intoxication similiar to the one caused by alcohol. Undead under the influence of Witch's Hat are merry and boisterous drunks, deathless on the other hand become maudlin and melancholic. This effect lasts for one day per consumed mushroom (deathless also suffer a hangover afterwards for one hour per mushroom).
Hags
Hags and certain similiar crone-like creatures, like night hags or some yokai, are immune to the Witch's Hat's deletrious effects. When such a creature eats the fungus, it receives a bonus of +1 to caster level to its racial spell-like abilities (if multiple hags in a coven enjoy this bonus, it stacks with itself regarding the coven spell-like abilities). This effect lasts for thirteen hours.
According to rumour, a group of Good hags discovered a method to purify Witch's Hat poison into a medicine of wonderous properties.

Inspired by Ensel und Krete.

Grillo
When the minutes call through the years
The eternal dreamer rises above her earthly burden
And travels into Night's Dark Heart.
– Anonymous

Large Outsider (Psionic, Shadow)
Hit Dice: 4d8+20 (38 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 40 ft.
Amor Class: 17 (-1 size, +5 dex, +3 natural), touch 14, Flat footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+12
Attack: Claw melee +7 (1d6+4)
Full Attack: Two claws melee +7 (1d6+4) and tail slap melee +2 (1d8+2)
Space/Reach: 10 ft/10 ft
Special Attacks: Disturbing clicking, mysteries, psi-like abilities
Special Qualities: Darkvision 120 ft (magical and non-magical darkness), immunity to cold, mind-affecting and electricity, mindsensing, wall walker
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +9, Will +5
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 21, Con 17, Int 16, Wis 13, Cha 16
Skills: Autohypnosis +10, Balance +14, Concentration +10, Escape Artist +12, Intimidate +10, Knowledge (The Planes) +10, Lucid Dreaming +8, Psicraft +10, Slight of Hand +12, Spellcraft +10, Survival +1 (+3 on other planes), Tumble +12, Use Rope +5 (+7 to bind someone)
Feats: Extend Mystery^ToM, Psionic Fist
Environment: Plane of Shadow
Organisation: Solitary, mania (2-4) or psychosis (7-23)
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: Half standard
Alignment: Often neutral evil
Advancement: 5-8 HD (large); 9-16 HD (huge); 17-24 HD (gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: +4

None know the origin of the bizzare grillos, a race of psionic inhabitants of the Shadow. Some claim they are born when a psion loses his mind to nightmares while being too close to Shadow, others think that the race arrose in a place where the deepest darkest reaches of the Region of Dreams touched on the Plane of Shadow and spread outwards. The grillos themselves don't care to explain themselves or their mystery to others.
A grillo has a humanoid build. Its limbs are long and spindly, resembling spider legs. Its hands are clawed, each foot resembles an enlarged octopus' sucker. The head is angular, with a long beak-like protusion. A grillo doesn't appear to have ears, a mouth or nose, only two empty red eyes. A lashing lizard's tail and pitch black reptile skin that seems to drink in light complete the picture. Grillos move jerkily, contorting and twitching, making them look at a distance like silhouettes cast by shadow puppets on the canvas of reality. Each movement is accompanied by an electrical clicking and cracking. Besides that grillos don't make any sound at all.
Nobody knows how grillos reproduce (if they do at all), but sages have discovered that grillos age and die. Their life span is estimated to reach around 700 years.
Grillos generally don't care to interact with others. They wish to explore dreams and nightmares, which means that many of them spend a lot of their time asleep. If encountered while awake, a grillo is likely to ignore you, unless something draws its attention. Most grillos are interested in madness and terror, but some show a more general curiosity.
Grillos are completely mute. They communicate with each other through a full-body sign language that involves their typical jerks, contortions and twitches. In a certain way one can say that grillos are always talking to themselves. Other beings can learn this language, but to actually „speak“ it one needs a humanoid body shape and at minimum Dex 15. For their part, most grillos understand Common and Tenebric. (Incidentally, the term „grillo“ is believed to derive from an Ancient Gnome word for „weirdness“. The Grillo sign for „grillo“ involves laying your left foot on your right shoulder while making a jerky sweeping arc with your left arm.)

Combat
A grillo prefers to watch other beings before a fight. If it decides to attack, it will soften up the enemy with mental and energy attacks before strengthening itself and attacking from unexpected angles.
Disturbing Clicking (Su): The perturbing clicking and cracking that accompanies a grillo's every movement combines with a passive aura of unsettledness to strike fear into any heart. Any creature within 60 ft. that can hear the grillo must make a Will save (DC 15) or be shaken for as long as it can hear the grillo. A successful check renders the creature immune to this grillo's disturbing clicking for 24 hours. The grillo may activate and deactivate its clicking as a Free Action. This is a mind-affecting fear effect. Save DC is based on Charisma.
This ability counts as psionics for any effect that differentiates between different types of magic.
Mindsensing (Su): A grillo can hear the presence of thoughts within a range of 60 ft. This ability works similiar to blindsense, with the following differences: it can only detect creatures that aren't immune to mind-affecting, and the grillo can only pin-point the location of a creature that is thinking of it. A creature may avoid thinking about the grillo by making an Autohypnosis or Concentration check opposed by the grillo's Intimidation check. Creatures that are shaken or worse receive an additional penalty of -4 to their skill check.
This ability counts as psionic for any effect that differentiates between different types of magic.
Mysteries: A grillo can cast mysteries and fundamentals like a shadowcaster whose level equals its hit dice. Grillos prefer mysteries that affect themselves over those that attack their opponents. A typical grillo knows the fundamentals Caul of Shadow, Mystic Reflections, Sight Obscured and Umbral Hand, also the mysteries Dusk and Dawn, Mesmerizing Shade, Shadow Skin and Steel Shadows.
A grillo's psychic abilities are inextricably interwoven with its command of shadows. A grillo treats mysteries and psionics always as transparent, even if the setting doesn't have general magic-psionic transparency.
Wall Walker (Su): A grillo's suckerlike feet allow it in combination with an innate gravity manipulation to move with full speed and without any penalties on any vertical surface that can support its weight.
This ability counts as shadowmagic for any effect that differentiates between different types of magic.
Psi-Like Abilities: 3/day – deja vu (DC 15*), demoralize (DC 15, radius 35 ft.*); 1/day – aversion (DC 15), crushing despair (DC 16), energy stun (cold and electricity only, 2d6 damage, DC 16*), id insinuation (DC 15), mental disruption (DC 15); 1/week – dream walk^HoH (self only). Manifester level 4th (equals HD).

Vaguely inspired by Prinzessin Insomnia und der Albtraumfarbene Nachtmahr.

Bookling
"Sometimes I think we booklings are the only ones who really gain anything from literature. It's just work for everyone else: they have to write it, edit it, print it, market it, and sell it. We just have to read it. Enjoy it, explore it, devour it."
– Gofid Letterkerl, bookling

Bookling, 1st-level expert
Small aberration
Hit Dice: 1d6 (3 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 20 ft., Swim 20 ft.
Amor Class: 12 (+1 size, +1 natural), touch 11, Flat footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-5
Attack: Dagger melee +0 (1d3-1)
Full Attack: Dagger melee +0 (1d3-1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Cooperative hypnosis
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, memorization, water-breathing
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +3
Abilities: Str 8, Dex 11, Con 10, Int 17, Wis 13, Cha 12
Skills: Craft (Bookbinder) +7 or Profession (Miner) +5, Decipher Script +7, Hide +10, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +7, Knowledge (History) +7, Knowledge (any two others) +7, Move Silently +6, Perform (Oratory) +5, Swim +7
Feats: Stealthy
Environment: Underground
Organisation: Expedition (3-12), workshop (20-100) or university (150-500 plus 5% adolescents)
Challenge Rating: ½
Treasure: No coins, standard goods, standard items
Alignment: Often neutral good
Advancement: By character class (Favoured Class: Wizard)
Level Adjustment: +2

Timid and secretive, the booklings are rare and mysterious inhabitants of the Underdark. Booklings only dwell in subterranean libraries and other places that grant access both to literature and the surface.
Booklings have small, bag-like bodies with two thin arms and legs, each of which with three fingers or toes. The body's front bears the creature's mouth, it's sides two earholes that also serve as gills. A single eye stalk with a faintly glowing eye grows from the body's top, dominating the creature's whole appearance. A bookling measures between 2 and 4 feet, of which a third is taken by its eyestalk. Coloration is monocolored or mottled, but exists in all colors. Booklings are adapted to stifling and oxygen-poor locations and have trouble breathing in the fresh air of the surface or in perfectly clean water.
Each bookling dedicates itself to memorizing the complete work of a single author or poet (prefering those from the surface). The bookling takes this writer's name and does its best to gather as much of their works and legacy for their community. Over the course of this, the bookling adopts the writer's personality traits and gender (biologically, booklings are sexless). Amongst each other, the race likes to debate and share the merits of their respective writers and the philosophies expressed by their works. They don't use money, but bater with other races using mined and worked gems to buy what they desire. Booklings deeply care for their books and other memorabilia and are experts at repairing, restaurating and reprinting damaged works. Booklings worship a force they call the 'Orm' (also known to certain artists of other races), which they believe emanates from the stars (the main reason why they prefer writers from the surface and why they never create written art on their own) and streams into the minds of artists, writers and scientists of all kind to inspire them to the kind of works and inventions that will become eternal. When a community of booklings invites an outsider into their midst, he has to undergo a ritual called Orming, where each member in the community recites an especially Orm-inspired part of its writer's work, and the newling needs to guess the bookling's name from it.
Booklings don't eat; reading sates them. To keep itself from starving, a bookling needs to read at least three pages per day (amount varies depending on quality, type and genre of the text). A text can't be read again for nourishment until it has been „digested“ completely (takes usually two days).
How booklings multiply is a riddle to all, even to booklings. Ever so often a bookling community will find a fist-sized child bookling. They'll take it in, give it reading for food and start educating it. Hypotheses about their origin abound. A common theory amongst booklings is that new booklings hatch from ancient unreadable books in magical environments. Some sages think they are born from abandoned alchemical experiments fermenting in forgotten laboratoriums. Others look at the bookling's body shape and magical eyes and suggest them to be beholderkind. No theory was ever convincing. Fact is that booklings, once fully grown, don't age or die of natural causes.
A typical bookling will know Common, Undercommon, all local commonly spoken languages, and at least five dead or exotic languages.

Combat
Booklings avoid to fight whenever they can. They prefer to ambush enemies with their hypnotic abilities, implant them with memories of having fought and escaped cyclopean predatory monsters and send them on their way to spread the stories about the „horrible booklings“.
Cooperative hypnosis (Su): A group of three or more booklings can collectively work together to entrance other beings. By producing a monotonous humming and capturing their gaze with their glowing eyes, they can fascinate the targets in a way similiar to the hypnotism spell, with several differences: the effect can target a single creature (no matter the amount of HD) plus another creature per bookling beyond the initial three in a range of 30 ft. (plus 5 ft. per bookling beyond three) with a duration of Concentration. The booklings involved gain a telepathic connection to their targets, allowing them to give them hypnotic commands even if the target doesn't understand their language. These commands can replicate the effects of command, dominate monster, modify memory and suggestion. A replicated dominate monster ends when the hypnosis ends, the effects of the other commands continue. A target of a replicated dominate monster will obey self-destructive commands if it fails its save. Replicated spell effects work at a caster level equal to the number of booklings involved.
To keep from being hypnotized, a creature must make a will save against 13 + 1 per bookling beyond three. The booklings may continue to try, but for each successful save the creature receives +2 to further saves within the next 24 hours against this ability. A creature that failed its save is fascinated, but receives a new save whenever the booklings try use one of the replicated spell effects on it. Saving against these effects doesn't end the hypnotic trance, nor do they raise the chance to succeed at further saves.
Memorization (Ex): Booklings are excellent at memorizing text. This works similiar to memorizing a page of text via the Autohypnosis skill, with the following differences: The bookling can't memorize a text it doesn't understand, and the bookling doesn't need to make a check, either to memorzie or to recover the memorized literature. Booklings can memorize an indefinite amount of literature.
The example bookling used the following stat distribution: Str 8, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 11, Cha 10

Inspired by The City of Dreaming Books.

[Metastachydium]

Excerpts from the Encyclopedia of Marvels, Life Forms and other Phenomena of Zamonia and its Environs by Prof. Dr. Abdul Nightingale

The following creatures were taken from or inspired by the Zamonia novels by Walter Moers.

Reptilian Rescuer
"Life is too precious to leave it to fate."
– Deux X. Machina (pseudonym), reptilian rescuer

That's one flying lizard with an attitude! Regardless though, I love pretty much everything about these ultimately well-meaning showpterosaurs.

Huge Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 7d10+35 (74 hp)

73, I think.

Skills: Balance +6, Jump +11, Knowledge (Geography) +13, Knowledge (Nature) +15, Spot +18, Survival +14, Tumble +12

Tumble seems off; unless I've made a math error here, it can't go that high without synergy from Jump, but Jump is not trained. (Or Tumble is alright, but there's two skill points too many somewhere else.)

Scent of Danger (Ex): A reptilian rescuer can smell danger in the air. This innate divinatory ability allows it to discern places where intelligent beings will be in danger, wether of monsters, hazards or disasters, in the near future. The strength of the smell is dependent on how far in the future the danger lies, how many beings are in danger and how bad the danger is.

Can we get more precise numbers?

[SPOILER=Feat: Scent of Adventure]
Feat: Scent of Adventure
After a long time watching your mentor and his reactions, you can sometimes practically smell excitement and danger in the wind.
Prerequisites: Wis 15, having been mentored by a Reptilian Rescuer for at least six months or someone with this feat for at least two years.
Benefit: Once per day, when presented with two or more directions, you can concentrate for a full round to discern which direction will be the most dangerous and which the least.
Also, you are never suprised in battle.

Note: This is the first time I've designed a feat. Is the effect worth anything?[SPOILER]

Yes, and I like it. Basically, it's Omen of Peril at-will, except Ex, and it's relatively easy to qualify for. I call that good utility.

Undead and Deathless
If one of the restless dead consumes a Witch's Hat, it experiences intoxication similiar to the one caused by alcohol. Undead under the influence of Witch's Hat are merry and boisterous drunks, deathless on the other hand become maudlin and melancholic. This effect lasts for one day per consumed mushroom (deathless also suffer a hangover afterwards for one hour per mushroom).

Hrm. If you refuse a friendly hug from the jovially drunken wight/ghast/you-name-it, can it become upset enough to spontaneously turn into a drunken Deathless?

(Also, thank you for remembering planties get mind-affecting immunity and stuff. For some reason, people keep forgetting that.)

Grillo

Skills: Autohypnosis +10, Balance +14, Concentration +10, Escape Artist +12, Intimidate +10, Knowledge (The Planes) +10, Knowledge (Psionics) +5, Lucid Dreaming +8, Psicraft +10, Slight of Hand +12, Spellcraft +10, Survival +1 (+3 on other planes), Tumble +12, Use Rope +5 (+7 to bind someone)

Knowledge (psionics) is untrained as is!

Challenge Rating: 4?

The formula I use for these things gives me a ~7/8.

Level Adjustment: +2

While I'm admittedly bad at assigning LAs, I just plain don't see that.4 RHD/+2 LA is a common enough pattern – on Large beatsticks. Type and those racial modifiers alone push this ahead of equiceph or blackscales with ease, let alone something unfairly maligned by its creators, such as the ogre. But it's not just the stats and type; it has mysteries, PLAs, passive offense (with a friendly mode for PCs), immunities, extra senses… Language issues hardly compensate for those.

The grillos themselves don't care to explain themselves or their mystery to others.
A grillo has a humanoid build. Its limbs are long and spindly, resembling spider legs. Its hands are clawed, each foot resembles an enlarged octopus' sucker. The head is angular, with a long beak-like protusion. A grillo doesn't appear to have ears, a mouth or nose, only two empty red eyes. A lashing lizard's tail and pitch black reptile skin that seems to drink in light complete the picture. Grillos move jerkily, contorting and twitching, making them look at a distance like silhouettes cast by shadow puppets on the canvas of reality. Each movement is accompanied by an electrical clicking and cracking. Besides that grillos don't make any sound at all.

Wonderfully creepy!

Mindsensing (Su): A grillo can hear the presence of thoughts within a range of 60 ft. This ability works similiar to blindsense, with the following differences: it can only detect creatures that aren't immune to mind-affecting, and the grillo can only pin-point the location of a creature that is thinking of it. A creature may avoid thinking about the grillo by making an Autohypnosis or Concentration check opposed by the grillo's Intimidation check. Creatures that are shaken or worse receive an additional penalty of -4 to their skill check.
This ability counts as psionic for any effect that differentiates between different types of magic.

If you think about it it can see you? This is beautiful and quite elegantly executed mechanically.

Mysteries: A grillo can cast mysteries and fundamentals like a shadowcaster whose level equals its hit dice. Grillos prefer mysteries that affect themselves over those that attack their opponents. A typical grillo knows the fundamentals Caul of Shadow, Mystic Reflections, Sight Obscured and Umbral Hand, also the mysteries Dusk and Dawn, Mesmerizing Shade, Shadow Skin and Steel Shadows.
A grillo's psychic abilities are inextricably interwoven with its command of shadows. A grillo treats mysteries and psionics always as transparent, even if the setting doesn't have general magic-psionic transparency.

You are right. Subsystems'd deserve more love. Good fit.

Vaguely inspired by Prinzessin Insomnia und der Albtraumfarbene Nachtmahr.

Does that come in languages other than German?

Bookling
"Sometimes I think we booklings are the only ones who really gain anything from literature. It's just work for everyone else: they have to write it, edit it, print it, market it, and sell it. We just have to read it. Enjoy it, explore it, devour it."
– Gofid Letterkerl, bookling

Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-6

Grapple's more like a -5 (-1 STR, -4 size)?

Attack: Dagger melee +1 (1d3-1)
Full Attack: Dagger melee +1 (1d3-1)

+0 to hit (+1 size, -1 STR).

Special Qualities: Low-light vision, memorization, water-breathing

Water Breathing is usually the spell as an SLA; did you mean Amphibious?

Skills: Craft (Bookbinder) +7, Decipher Script +7, Hide +10, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +7, Knowledge (History) +7, Knowledge (any two others) +7, Move Silently +6, Perform (Oratory) +5, Profession (Miner) +5, Swim +7

I'm counting 4 more skill point spent than available.

Level Adjustment: ?

Dunno what to tell you. A +2 wouldn't be too far off, I suppose, but Cooperative Hypnosis… It's strong, if not easy to produce as a PC.

At any rate, they are cute and that's quite the survival strategy.

[Tzardok]

Tumble seems off; unless I've made a math error here, it can't go that high without synergy from Jump, but Jump is not trained. (Or Tumble is alright, but there's two skill points too many somewhere else.)

Balance was 2 too high; it wasn't meant to be anything but synergy and Dex.

Can we get more precise numbers?

I will try, but I find it difficult. Divination and future sight are pretty vague. I added the following sentence: "A rescuer can generally only detect events within 12 miles, necessating patroulling. Large scale catastrophes that require coordinated effort by multiple rescuers can be detected up to a week in advance, with smaller dangers generally not more than a day in advance (long brewing dangers are easier and earlier detectable)."

Yes, and I like it. Basically, it's Omen of Peril at-will, except Ex, and it's relatively easy to qualify for. I call that good utility.

I' am glad.

Hrm. If you refuse a friendly hug from the jovially drunken wight/ghast/you-name-it, can it become upset enough to spontaneously turn into a drunken Deathless?

It's still evil; I don't think it cares about consent.

(Also, thank you for remembering planties get mind-affecting immunity and stuff. For some reason, people keep forgetting that.)

This is more a reflection of how the forrest infected by the Fungus Witch in Ensel und Krete got mutated until it looks like something from the ocean of an alien planet.

Knowledge (psionics) is untrained as is!

Right. Well, let's remove it.

The formula I use for these things gives me a ~7/8.



While I'm admittedly bad at assigning LAs, I just plain don't see that.4 RHD/+2 LA is a common enough pattern – on Large beatsticks. Type and those racial modifiers alone push this ahead of equiceph or blackscales with ease, let alone something unfairly maligned by its creators, such as the ogre. But it's not just the stats and type; it has mysteries, PLAs, passive offense (with a friendly mode for PCs), immunities, extra senses… Language issues hardly compensate for those.

Adjusted.

Does that come in languages other than German?

Sadly no. Of the nine Zamonia novels only five got translated into English. Prinzessin Insomnia isn't one, so...

In case you were wondering, the novels are, in order of publishing:

1. Die 13½ Leben des Käpt'n Blaubär (English title: The 13½ Lives of Captain Bluebear)
2. Ensel und Krete
3. Rumo und die Wunder im Dunkeln (English title: Rumo and his Miraculous Adventures)
4. Die Stadt der Träumenden Bücher (English title: The City of Dreaming Books)
5. Der Schrecksenmeister (English title: The Alchemaster's Apprentice)
6. Das Labyrinth der Träumenden Bücher (English title: The Labyrinth of Dreaming Books)
7. Prinzessin Insomnia und der Albtraumfarbene Nachtmahr
8. Weihnachten auf der Lindwurmfeste
9. Der Bücherdrache

Edit: Plus two that haven't been published yet, only announced: Die Insel der Tausend Leuchttürme and Das Schloss der Träumenden Bücher.

Grapple's more like a -5 (-1 STR, -4 size)?

+0 to hit (+1 size, -1 STR).

That's what happens if you are tinkering with the Str rating until you've forgot where you've started.

Water Breathing is usually the spell as an SLA; did you mean Amphibious?

I thought Amphibious is restricted to the Aquatic subtype?

I'm counting 4 more skill point spent than available.

I don't see them. Did the racial bonus of +8 to Swim for having a Swim movement confuse you, or is it something else?

Dunno what to tell you. A +2 wouldn't be too far off, I suppose, but Cooperative Hypnosis… It's strong, if not easy to produce as a PC.

I'll go with +2, thanks.

[Metastachydium]

I will try, but I find it difficult. Divination and future sight are pretty vague. I added the following sentence: "A rescuer can generally only detect events within 12 miles, necessating patroulling. Large scale catastrophes that require coordinated effort by multiple rescuers can be detected up to a week in advance, with smaller dangers generally not more than a day in advance (long brewing dangers are easier and earlier detectable)."

You've been to RAW-threads before; it's best no to feed those flames! But this works just fine.

It's still evil; I don't think it cares about consent.

Bad, bad undead abomination!

This is more a reflection of how the forrest infected by the Fungus Witch in Ensel und Krete got mutated until it looks like something from the ocean of an alien planet.

Well, you accounted for their immunities at least; that's enough for me. (Also, any plans to do the Witch itself, or that's some epic horror better left untouched and too much a pain to attach stats to?)

Sadly no. Of the nine Zamonia novels only five got translated into English. Prinzessin Insomnia isn't one, so...

Too bad. The Grillo's… Evocative, to say the least.

I thought Amphibious is restricted to the Aquatic subtype?

They are linked, insofar as Aquatic creatures are explicitly described as unable to survive on land without it, but so far as I know, it's never called out that this goes both ways? Still, my bad: it is usually seen on Aquatics, and the water breathing dragons do get Water Breathing (Ex) instead, so you were right regardless.

I don't see them. Did the racial bonus of +8 to Swim for having a Swim movement confuse you, or is it something else?

There's 11 skills, 10 trained, each with 4 ranks. Expert 1 with INT 17 gets 36 skill points. Maybe it's the bit with any two other Knowledge skills?

I'll go with +2, thanks.

Any time!

[Tzardok]

Well, you accounted for their immunities at least; that's enough for me. (Also, any plans to do the Witch itself, or that's some epic horror better left untouched and too much a pain to attach stats to?)

Will be made. Propably. I originally planned to create the Fungus Witch and add the Witch's Hat as an extra, like with the Smell of Adventure feat, but I could feel my motivation drain before I even started writing, so I shelved it. (I also wanted to have an extra for each creature, but as you can see that didn't happen. )

Anyway, I'm planing to take a small break from homebrewing and then finish the last of my old projects before starting new things. Maybe the next afterwards? (oh wait, I've got an unfinished 3.5 battle devourer lying around here. Maybe the second thing affterwards?)

Too bad. The Grillo's… Evocative, to say the least.

If it's a consolation, the grillo is the one that differs the most from its depiction in the book. Sure, the basic feeling is the same, but some details differ (for example, the original is blind and deaf and can literally only "think" you. Nor does it have shadow powers.)

There's 11 skills, 10 trained, each with 4 ranks. Expert 1 with INT 17 gets 36 skill points. Maybe it's the bit with any two other Knowledge skills?

Doh! I can't believe that I a) thought that Experts get 8 skill points per level, and b) miscounted it the whole time as 11 trained skills. Fixed.