Tzardok's Miscellaneous Homebrew Repository

[Tzardok]

Are those even a th-

Yeah, I got confused apparantly. The mana potions I remembered were from the d20 WoW RPG. Still, they give some idea what to go for.

An alternate way to think about is that additional pp equal to your manifester level effectively means one extra use of a power of your highest level (plus a bit extra). A potion of Rary's Mnemonic Enhancer or a similiar spell (if such an object existed) could also serve as a guideline.

Yellow Peril

This is hilariously silly. I don't know what I would have made of this pun (maybe a disease or natural hazard), but probably not a plant. Still, funny stuff.

[Metastachydium]

Yeah, I got confused apparantly. The mana potions I remembered were from the d20 WoW RPG. Still, they give some idea what to go for.

An alternate way to think about is that additional pp equal to your manifester level effectively means one extra use of a power of your highest level (plus a bit extra). A potion of Rary's Mnemonic Enhancer or a similiar spell (if such an object existed) could also serve as a guideline.

That's not a bad idea, actually! Although, there's still the issue that Menmonic Enhancer doesn't scale. Is there a greater version of that somewhere?

This is hilariously silly. I don't know what I would have made of this pun (maybe a disease or natural hazard), but probably not a plant.

[/QUOTE]

Look, I needed a pun, preferably not on rape. This looked like a fit (I figured that the fact it couldn't be less dangerous is a feature, rather than a bug).

Still, funny stuff.

Glad you like it, though!

[Tzardok]

Yesterday, I saw a red kite circle above our garden. This has nothing to do with what I'm posting or why; I just thought I'd mention it.

The following is maybe the first piece of homebrew I ever did, and I finally finished it: the minions as D&D creatures. No, not those minions, the minions from Overlord. No, not that Overlord, the better Overlord. Let's just begin, shall we?

New Creatures: Minions

Minions are goblin-like creatures that were allegedly formed from evil. These beings are most often found in the service of card-carrying evil overlords, on whose orders they can enjoy their favourite activities: killing, smashing, looting, pillaging and burning. Minions are darkly funny, pretty stupid, utterly loyal and completely without fear of death, meaning that they will happily leap into battle even against suicidical odds or let themselves be sacrificed for spells and magic items and even thank their master for it.
Minions are always male and able to sire hybrid beings with humanoids or other fey, but rarely do so. The creatures reproduce by collecting the life force of beings they killed and feeding it to mysterious items called minion hives, which spit out fully grown new minions.
Minions are probably immortal, but they do age very slowly. Even though most minions have a life expectancy measured in months because of their propensity to violence and amusing accidents, some specimen grow very old, often evolving unique traits, a measure of intelligence and initiative on their own. An example of that is the ancient Gnarl, bent and weakened by age, but advisor to dozens of generations of overlords, or the legendary blue minion Mortis, who can resurrect any minion fallen in his master's service by sacrificing the essence of multiple other minions.
Minions speak Common.
Minions exist in four different varieties that are specialized for different purposes and are named after their color: Browns, Reds, Greens and Blues. All minions possess the following abilities:

Batter (Ex): Minions attacking unattended objects ignore half the objects' hardness.
Fearless (Ex): Minions, lacking a sense of self-preservation, fear only a few things (and practically nothing that can be smashed). Therefore a minion receives a racial bonus of +6 to saves against fear effects.
Hauler (Ex): Minions are very good at carrying stuff for their master. A minion's carrying capacity is calculated as if it was one size larger. A minion's movement is not reduced for wearing medium or heave armor or carrying a medium or heavy load.
Master Looter (Ex): Minions are masters in scavenging useful stuff from the remains of smashed stuff and killed enemies. Minions can improvise armors from practically anything. Many an enemy laughed at the troop of goblins wearing pumpkins and kettles as helmets before getting their skull split by rake. Minions are able to adjust armor for their own use. This requires just a (usually untrained) skill check for an appropriate Craft skill with a racial bonus of +6 (DC 10 + 1 per 1,000 gp market price of the armor). On a success the armor keeps all properties, but fits only the minion that adjustet it. Another minion can adjust it later for its own purposes. Making this skill check doesn't require any tools and takes 1 minute.
Minions that have access to a complete set of equipment (for example an army's uniform) can use this to disguise themselves. Under those circumstances the minions receive a racial bonus of +10 to Disguise and don't take any penalties for disguising themselves as a different size or race (you wouldn't believe what people can overlook).
Furthermore, minions can make (with the appropriate Craft skill) trophies from fallen enemies that work like magic items. From clothing, equipment and bodyparts of creatures with unusual abilities, a minion can make items that transfer part of those abilities on the wearer (and can only be used by minions). Unusual abilities for these purposes are for example: Exceptional ability scores (higher than 16 and at least 4 over the average for your race, or higher than 22), Damage Reduction, Spell Resistance, Energy Ressitance, Fast Healing. Creating the trophy requires a Craft skill check (with a racial bonus of +6) against a DC of 10 + ½ the enemy's HD. Making this skill check too doesn't require any tools and takes 1 minute.
Trophies made from unique, rare or especially powerful creatures or people often possess additional abilities.
Minions can only make trophies from creatures that have at least as many HD as they themselves. When a minion makes a trophy, adjusts a fallen enemy's armor or loots their equipment, it absorbs part of that creature's essence if it has at least as many HD as the minion. Whenever a minion kills and absorbs in this way a number of HD that equals its own times 3, it gains an addition HD. For every 2 HD gained the minion's natural armor, Strength, Dexterity and Constitution rise by +1. This is the only way for minions to gain HD, except for class levels.
Powerful Build (Ex): The physical stature of minions lets them function in many ways as if they were one size category larger. Whenever a minion is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts), the minion is treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to him. A minion is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature’s special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect him. A minion can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty. However, his space and reach remain those of a creature of his actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject’s size category.
CR: A minion's CR rises by 1 for every two racial hit dice.
Skills: Minions have a racial bonus +4 to Search (what do you need all those equipment abilities for if you can't find ressources to use them on?).

Brown Minion
Small Fey
HD: 2d6+6 (13 hp)
Initiative: +2
Movement: 30 ft.
AC: 14 (+1 size, +2 Dex, +1 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 12
BAB/Grapple: +1/+4
Attack: Medium club melee +5 (1d6+4) or Slam melee +5 (1d4+4)
Full Attack: Medium club melee +5 (1d6+4) or Slam melee +5 (1d4+4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Batter, powerful build, powerful charge
Special Qualities: Augmented master looter, Darkvision 60 ft., fearless, hauler, low-light vision, wolf affinity
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +4*
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 9
Skills: Craft (any) -2*, Disguise -1*, Handle Animal -1*, Intimidate +4, Listen +6, Ride +2*, Search +7, Spot +6
Feats: Mounted Combat, Power Attack^B
Environment: Temperate hills and underground
Organization: Troop (5-50 various minions) or barracks (15-200 browns)
CR: 4
Treasure: No coins, ½ goods, ½ items
Alignment: Always evil (any)
Advancement: Special or by character class (Favoured: fighter)
Level Adjustment: ?

The browns are the "base" minions and simultanously the main combatants of a minion army. Strong and tough as rock and twice as stupid, a typical brown minion looks like a very muscular goblin with muddy brown skin and, like all minions, glowing eyes. This skin often changes lightens to grey with age. Browns have a soft spot for wolves and like to ride the "good wolfies" into battle.
Browns usually wear names that are based on random sounds (Gloop, Conk, Scrunch) or on battle (Smasher, Rubble, Psycho, Howler). Sometimes words associated with earth, like Clay, are also taken as names. A few browns choose suprisingly normal names (like Gunther).

Augmented Master Looter (Ex): This ability is a bit stronger in browns than in other minions. A brown minion can improvise from practically anything a melee weapon. Browns are proficient with all melee weapons. They don't take non-proficiency penalties when using improvised weapons and automatically deal lethal damage with them. Many improvised weapons can be used for combat maneuvers in the hands of a brown.
A brown taking a fallen enemy's weapon absorbs essence from the enemy, just like when he takes the enemy's armor or makes a trophy.
Powerful Charge (Ex): Browns deal double damage on a charge. If a brown rides a wolf or similiar creatur and makes a charge, it can automatically try to overrun the target.
Wolf Affinity (Ex): Wolves and similiar creatures (dire wolves, worgs etc.) always have a friendly attitude to browns and won't attack them or their allies. Browns gain a +4 racial bonus to Handle Animal and Ride when using those skills on those creatures. Browns never use saddles and don't take penalties for that.

Red Minion
Small Fey (Fire)
HD: 2d6+2 (9 hp)
Initiative: +3
Movement: 30 ft.
AC: 15 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 12
BAB/Grapple: +1/+2
Attack: Slam melee +3 (1d3+1) or flame-throwing ranged touch +5 (1d6+1 fire plus ignite)
Full Attack: Slam melee +3 (1d3+1) or flame-throwing ranged touch +5 (1d6+1 fire plus ignite)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Batter, flame-throwing, ignite, powerful build
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., fearless, fire absorption, hauler, immunity to fire, low-light vision, master looter, reptile affinity, vulnerability to cold
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +6, Will +4*
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 8
Skills: Bluff +4, Craft (any) -1*, Disguise -1*, Handle Animal -1*, Intimidate +6, Listen +6, Ride +2*, Search +8, Spot +6
Feats: Ability Focus (Ignite), Point-Blank Shot^B
Environment: Warm hills and underground
Organization: Troop (5-50 various minions) or barracks (15-200 reds)
CR: 4
Treasure: No coins, ½ goods, ½ items
Alignment: Always evil (any)
Advancement: Special or by character class (Favoured: scout)
Level Adjustment: ?

The reds are the ranged attackers of a minion army. The relatively fragile creatures delight in throwing fire at anything that moves, and are also in other areas so obsessed with burning, that they sometimes forget to loot. Luckily they also have the ability to absorb fire, which is a blessing for their often less fireproof masters. In appearance they resemble devils. Reds lack the bat-like ears of browns or goblins, and instead have a pair of goat-like horns on top of their skull-like faces. A ridge goes down their spine and leads to a thin pointy-ended tail. Reds are of deep red in color, which darkens to burgund, nearly black, with age.
Reds practically always wear names associated with fire, like Char, Bomb, Pyre or Crispy. A few take normal names like Brutus or Fritz.

Ignite (Ex): Creatures and objects hit by a red's flame-throwing must make a reflex save aagainst DC 14 or catch on fire. The fires burn 1d4 rounds and can be extinguished with a move action. If a creature or object is hit by more than one flame in the same round, the DC and the duration rises by +1 per flame. If the fire burns 8 rounds or more, it requires a full-round action to be extinguished.
The DC is based on Con.
Fire Absorption (Su): A red can extinguish fire by touching it and concentrating. This heals lost hit points. How many hit points are restored and how much time it takes depends on the fire's size.

Size	Example	Time Required	Healed Hit Points
Fine	Tindertwig	1 Swift Action	1 hp
Diminuitive	Torch	1 Standard Action	2 hp
Tiny	Small campfire	1 round	3 hp
Small	Large campfire	2 rounds	6 hp
Medium	Forge	3 rounds	9 hp
Large	Bonfire	6 rounds	18 hp
Huge	Burning Shack	10 rounds	30 hp
Gargantuan	Burning tavern	15 rounds	45 hp
Colossal	Burning inn	20+ rounds	60+ hp

Multiple reds can absorb sufficiently large fires cooperatively. The time in rounds each minion needs to concentrate is divided by the number of minions (round up); just as the number of hp each minion gains.
Flame-Throwing (Su): A red minion's prefered attack is throwing fire at people. This ability resembles the spell produce flame useable at will, with the difference that the thrown flame deals 1d6+1 damage per 2 HD of the red. This ability can be activated as a Free Action. Reds don't take penalties to attack rolls with this ability while riding giant lizards or similiar creatures.
Reptile Affinity (Ex): Giant lizards and similiar magical beasts (for example the zezir^MM3) always have a friendly attitude to reds and won't attack them or their allies. Reds gain a +4 racial bonus to Handle Animal and Ride when using those skills on those creatures. Reds never use saddles and don't take penalties for that.

Green Minion
Small Fey
HD: 2d6+2 (9 hp)
Initiative: +7
Movement: 30 ft.
AC: 15 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 12
BAB/Grapple: +1/+3
Attack: Medium claw bracer melee +3 (1d4+2, 19-20/2x) or claw melee +3 (1d3+2)
Full Attack: Medium claw bracer melee +1 (1d4+2, 19-20/2x) and medium claw bracer melee +1 (1d4+1, 19-20/2x) or two claws melee +3 (1d3+2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Batter, powerful build, savage murdering, sneak attack +1d6
Special Qualities: Camouflage, darkvision 60 ft., fearless, hauler, immunity to poison, improved master looter, low-light vision, spider affinity
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +6, Will +5*
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 6, Wis 15, Cha 6
Skills: Craft (any) -2*, Disguise -2*, Handle Animal -2*, Hide +12, Listen +7, Ride +3*, Search +6, Spot +7
Feats: Improved Initiative, Two-Weapons Fighting^B
Environment: Warm forests and underground
Organization: Troop (5-50 various minions) or barracks (15-200 greens)
CR: 4
Treasure: No coins, ½ goods, ½ items
Alignment: Always evil (any)
Advancement: Special or by character class (Favoured: rogue)
Level Adjustment: ?

The disgusting greens serve as an overlord's assassins. In battle, they prefer to stay hidden while the other minions distract their opponents and then jump on their backs and stab until they don't move anymore. Greens can hide practically anywhere, but their stench tends to give them away; greens stink like a mixture of poison gas, rotting plants and farts. These minions like plants, especially stinking and poisonous ones, and are adapt at handling them. A typical green resembles a reptiliod goblin, with a lizard-like ridge and tail and no ears. Their jungle-green skin lightens with age.
Greens prefer names that reference murdering (Scythe, Ripper, Knives, Shredder) or filfth (Ooze, Stencher, Rancid, Fungus), with a smattering of random sounds thrown in (Hiss, Deedee, Si).

Camouflage (Ex): A green can use the Hide skill, even if it doesn't have cover or concealment. A minion riding a spider shares this ability with its mount.
Improved Master Looter (Ex): This ability is a bit stronger in greens than in other minions. Greens are proficient with all light bladed melee weapons, but they prefer claw bracers and similiar blades bound to their hands. A green minion can fashion such a weapon from any bladed weapon while keeping its properties intact, similiar to how minions can adjust armor.
A green taking or repurposing a fallen enemy's weapon absorbs essence from the enemy, just like when he takes the enemy's armor or makes a trophy.
Savage Murdering (Ex): When a green successfully charges a creature that is flat-footed and at least one size larger, it jumps on the creature's back, clings to it and starts mauling it with its blades. This round and every further round it succeeds at clinging to the victim, the green can make a full attack against it. The victim counts as flat-footed against those attacks. It can throw of the minion with a succesful grapple check.
The number of greens that can cling to a creature at once depends on the size difference; one green to a creature one size larger, four to a creature two sizes larger, sixteen to a creature three sizes larger etc.
A green riding a spider can also use this ability. In this case the spider clings to the victim together with its rider and adds its own attacks to the rider's full attack. The size of the spider will be used to determine what creatures this ability can be used on and how many can cling to it.
Sneak Attack (Ex): A green's sneak attack raises by +1d6 on each odd racial hit die.
Spider Affinity (Ex): Monstrous spiders and similiar creatures (for example phase spiders) always have a friendly attitude to greens and won't attack them or their allies. Greens can use Handle Animal on spiders as if they had an Int score of 1. Greens gain a +4 racial bonus to Handle Animal and Ride when using those skills on those creatures. Greens never use saddles and don't take penalties for that.

Blue Minion
Small Fey (Water)
HD: 2d6 (7 hp)
Initiative: +2
Movement: 30 ft., Swim 30 ft.
AC: 14 (+1 size, +2 Dex, +1 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 12
BAB/Grapple: +1/+1
Attack: Slam melee +2 (1d3 plus 1d3 force)
Full Attack: Slam melee +2 (1d3 plus 1d3 force)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Batter, powerful build
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., ethereal movement, ethereal sight, fearless, hauler, low-light vision, master looter, raise minion
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +5, Will +2*
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 14, Con 11, Int 11, Wis 8, Cha 16
Skills: Bluff +8, Concentrate +5, Craft (any) +0*, Disguise +3*, Intimidate +10, Listen +4, Search +9, Spot +4, Swim +8, Use Magic Device +8
Feats: Combat Casting^B, Dodge
Environment: Temperate marshes and underground
Organization: Troop (5-50 various minions) or barracks (15-200 blues)
CR: 4
Treasure: No coins, ½ goods, ½ items
Alignment: Always evil (any)
Advancement: Special or by character class (Favoured: sorcerer)
Level Adjustment: ?

The blues, most fragile of the minions, serve as the healers and spellcasters of minion armies. They also are the only minions that don't drown when falling into small puddles. Blues are smarter than other minions, but you wouldn't really notice it most of the time. Blue minions see too much, and so they tend to be lost in their ability to see other planes and their own thoughts, which are too big for their tiny brains. Blue minions stand erect compared to the slouching walk of goblins and other minions, and are of amphibious appearance, with fins instead of ears, webbed hands and feet and a newt-like tail. Their skin is light blue, but darkens to purple with age. Unlike other minions blues have no skill with or care for mounts.
Blues usually wear names associated with water (Fins, Dribble, Jetsam) or magic (Zap, Dirge). They tend to more sophisticated names than other minions; names like Aquarius, Mortis, Daniel, Sepp or Hieronymus are not rare.

Ethereal Movement (Su): A blue that doesn't do anything in its turn but move may become ethereal for as long it moves. It can't use this ability if it carries more than a light load, nnnor can it carry anything in its hands that needs both hands.
Ethereal Sight (Su): Blue minions can see coexistent planes unhindered.
Raise Minion (Sp): A blue can as a full-round action raise a touched dead minion. This ability resembles the spell True Resurrection with the following differences: the target can't have been dead for more than 1 minute, and the corpse must be mostly complete (head cut off is okay, but head missing not; some skin or flesh eaten away by acid is alright, but blown to smithereens or burned to ashes is a no). Minions whose essence was sacrificed, for example as part of a spell, can't be resurrected.
This ability is equivalent to a 6th level spell.
Special: Blue minions that take sorcerer class levels add the cure wounds spells and the spell heal to their spell list at one level higher than they'd be for clerics. They practically never learn spells that attack enemies, instead preferring buffs and healing spells.

Minion Explosion
Evocation [Evil]
Level: Blackguard 2, Hexblade 2, Sorcerer/Wizard 3
Components: S
Casting Time: 1 Standard action
Range: Touch
Target: A subservient minion
Duration: 1 round
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistence: See text

You grab one of your minions by the throat and super-charge its essence. After letting go, the minion charges into battle and explodes at the end of its action (or when killed), which destroys its body and consumes its essence, rendering it unable to be resurrected. The explosion will be a 20 ft. burst centered on the minion. It's effects depend on the minion's type:

• Brown: The minion explodes in a shockwave. All creatures except for other minions in the area take 1d4 damage per caster level (max. 10d4) and fall prone. A successful Reflex saves halves the damage and prevents the fall. Spell resistence applies.
• Red: The minion explodes in a wave of fire. This works like a fireball at this spell's caster level, except minions in the area remain untouched and any creature or object that fails its save ignites.
• Green: The minion explodes in a cloud of poisonous gas. This works similiar to stinking cloud at this spell's caster level, except minions in the area remain untouched and any creature that fails its save also takes 1d4 points of Con damage. Any protection against poison also works against this effect. Spell resistence applies.
• Blue: The minion explodes in a healing rain. All minions in the area heal 1d8 + 1/CL hit points and gain Fast Healing 3 for 1 round per caster level.

Notes: Finally. I've been planing on finishing those up since I did the Zamonia stuff. Why did it take so long? Simple; when I sat down to finally finish up the green minion, I had a random thought: "Minions are born from life force in interesting colors. Incarnum is life force in interesting colors. Can we make a connection there?" And, well, now I was paralyzed by the decision to either overhaul everything I did to to add to a subsystem, or complete what I had. As you can see, I finally managed to make the easy choice instead of the interesting one. Maybe I'll make an incarnum based adaption with stats for the minion hives and more spells and stuff later, but for now I'm just glad to be f***ing done with my old projects and able to fully concentrate on new things.

[Metastachydium]

Yesterday, I saw a red kite circle above our garden. This has nothing to do with what I'm posting or why; I just thought I'd mention it.

A BIRDY! (You did get my full attention!)

Master Looter (Ex): Minions are masters in scavenging useful stuff from the remains of smashed stuff and killed enemies. Minions can improvise armors from practically anything. Many an enemy laughed at the troop of goblins wearing pumpkins and kettles as helmets before getting their skull split by rake. Minions are able to adjust armor for their own use. This requires just a (usually untrained) skill check for an appropriate Craft skill with a racial bonus of +6 (DC 10 + 1 per 1,000 gp market price of the armor). On a success the armor keeps all properties, but fits only the minion that adjustet it. Another minion can adjust it later for its own purposes. Making this skill check doesn't require any tools and takes 1 minute.
Minions that have access to a complete set of equipment (for example an army's uniform) can use this to disguise themselves. Under those circumstances the minions receive a racial bonus of +10 to Disguise and don't take any penalties for disguising themselves as a different size or race (you wouldn't believe what people can overlook).
Furthermore, minions can make (with the appropriate Craft skill) trophies from fallen enemies that work like magic items. From clothing, equipment and bodyparts of creatures with unusual abilities, a minion can make items that transfer part of those abilities on the wearer (and can only be used by minions). Unusual abilities for these purposes are for example: Exceptional ability scores (higher than 16 and at least 4 over the average for your race, or higher than 22), Damage Reduction, Spell Resistance, Energy Ressitance, Fast Healing. Creating the trophy requires a Craft skill check (with a racial bonus of +6) against a DC of 10 + ½ the enemy's HD. Making this skill check too doesn't require any tools and takes 1 minute.
Trophies made from unique, rare or especially powerful creatures or people often possess additional abilities.
Minions can only make trophies from creatures that have at least as many HD as they themselves. When a minion makes a trophy, adjusts a fallen enemy's armor or loots their equipment, it absorbs part of that creature's essence if it has at least as many HD as the minion. Whenever a minion kills and absorbs in this way a number of HD that equals its own times 3, it gains an addition HD. For every 2 HD gained the minion's natural armor, Strength, Dexterity and Constitution rise by +1. This is the only way for minions to gain HD, except for class levels.

This is an odd one. The first half is pretty strong; the second is interesting, if complicated, but hardly ever really worth it (Fey HD is, like, not really good, it basically eats up the effect of STR gained (half BAB) and makes one need that CON (low HD)).

Brown Minion
Small Fey
HD: 2d6+6 (11 hp)

13 hp.

Master Looter (Ex): This ability is a bit stronger in browns than in other minions. A brown minion can improvise from practically anything a melee weapon. Browns are proficient with all melee weapons. They don't take non-proficiency penalties when using improvised weapons and automatically deal lethal damage with them. Many improvised weapons can be used for combat maneuvers in the hands of a brown.
A brown taking a fallen enemy's weapon absorbs essence from the enemy, just like when he takes the enemy's armor or makes a trophy.

Master Looter is broad enough as is, without having three separate versions that share the same name. Maybe make this a separate, Improved version or a separate ability altogether?

Wolf Affinity (Ex): Wolves and similiar creatures (dire wolves, worgs etc.) always have a friendly attitude to browns and won't attack them or their allies. Browns gain a +4 racial bonus to Handle Animal and Ride when using those skills on those creatures. Browns never use saddles and don't take penalties for that.

Hm. Does that mean Handle Animal works on Magical Beasts and the like for them?

Red Minion
Small Fey (Fire)
HD: 2d6+2 (7 hp)

9 hp.

Environment: Hot hills and underground

Official stuff uses the term "warm".

Fire Absorption (Su): A red can extinguish fire by touching it and concentrating. This heals lost hit points. How many hit points are restored and how much time it takes depends on the fire's size.

Very nice! Does it require actual Concentration?

Reptile Affinity (Ex): Giant lizards and similiar magical beasts (for example the zezir^MM3) always have a friendly attitude to reds and won't attack them or their allies. Reds gain a +4 racial bonus to Handle Animal and Ride when using those skills on those creatures. Reds never use saddles and don't take penalties for that.

As above.

Green Minion
Small Fey
HD: 2d6+2 (7 hp)

9 hp.

Full Attack: Medium claw bracer melee +3 (1d4+2, 19-20/2x) and medium claw bracer melee -1 (1d4+1, 19-20/2x)

TWF gives two attacks at the same BAB, with a -2 penalty on both (so +1/+1 here).

Hide +12

How did it get that Hide so high?

Hot forests and underground

I'd recommend "warm" once more.

Master Looter (Ex): This ability is a bit stronger in greens than in other minions. Greens are proficient with all light bladed melee weapons, but they prefer claw bracers and similiar blades bound to their hands. A green minion can fashion such a weapon from any bladed weapon while keeping its properties intact, similiar to how minions can adjust armor.
A green taking or repurposing a fallen enemy's weapon absorbs essence from the enemy, just like when he takes the enemy's armor or makes a trophy.

As with the Browns, this should probably be explicitly an Improved version.

Savage Murdering (Ex):

I love that name. (The ability itself is cool as well, but the name? It's just spot on.)

Spider Affinity (Ex): Monstrous spiders and similiar creatures (for example phase spiders) always have a friendly attitude to browns and won't attack them or their allies. Greens can use Handle Animal on spiders as if they had an Int score of 1. Greens gain a +4 racial bonus to Handle Animal and Ride when using those skills on those creatures. Greens never use saddles and don't take penalties for that.

Same question as with the previous Affinities.

Blue Minion
Small Fey (Water)
HD: 2d6 (5 hp)

7 hp.

Saves: Fort +0, Ref +5, Will +3*

Will +2.

Raise Minion (Sp): A blue can as a full-round action raise a touched dead minion. This ability resembles the spell True Resurrection with the following differences: the target can't have been dead for more than 1 minute, and the corpse must be mostly complete (head cut off is okay, but head missing not; some skin or flesh eaten away by acid is alright, but blown to smithereens or burned to ashes is a no). Minions whose essence was sacrificed, for example as part of a spell, can't be resurrected.
This ability is equivalent to a 6th level spell.

Why True Resurrection? It sounds more like a simple Raise Dead, really.

♣

As for CRs: Brown's a borderline 3 or 4; Red a clear 4; Green 4 or higher; and Blue probably a 5, but at least a 4, by my calculations.
In terms of LA… I'm not sure I see these as playable material, and I'm pretty sure they couldn't get away without quite the prohibitive Level Adjustment (somebody's been spending too much time in the reassignment threads!).

[Tzardok]

This is an odd one. The first half is pretty strong; the second is interesting, if complicated, but hardly ever really worth it (Fey HD is, like, not really good, it basically eats up the effect of STR gained (half BAB) and makes one need that CON (low HD)).

Fun fact: that ability was cribed from the redcap in MM3 and distorted until it fit. Also, I originally went with fey because the minions felt to me like a "natural embodiment of evil" and because I had filed off a lot of the lore in the first drafts. It was only when I had my "but what if incarnum?" thought that I added it back. If I had started from the very beginning with the incarnum variant, they'd probably end up as Monstrous Humanoids. But I think I like them as fey.
Edit: Also, fey gives our diminuitive destructive dimwits some much needed skill points

13 hp.

Corrected for all of them.

Master Looter is broad enough as is, without having three separate versions that share the same name. Maybe make this a separate, Improved version or a separate ability altogether?

Changed a few names.

Hm. Does that mean Handle Animal works on Magical Beasts and the like for them?

I mean, it does work on Magical Beasts with animal intelligence in the first place. Should minions be able to use it on intelligent Magical Beasts? Dunno, but I don't really see the benefit.

Official stuff uses the term "warm".

Changed

Very nice! Does it require actual Concentration?

You'll need to roll if you are disturbed or attacked while doing it, I imagine.

TWF gives two attacks at the same BAB, with a -2 penalty on both (so +1/+1 here).

Corrected.

How did it get that Hide so high?

5 skill points +3 Dex +4 Size bonus.

I love that name. (The ability itself is cool as well, but the name? It's just spot on.)

I originally called it "Wilder Meuchelmord", but you can't really translate Meuchelmord as anything besides assassination, and that felt too clean to me. So I went this way. I was this close to calling it "Savage Murderization", but that felt a little bit too silly, even though silly is good with minions.

Why True Resurrection? It sounds more like a simple Raise Dead, really.

Because it resurrects them at full health with no lost levels/HD. I felt that starting with the powerful effect and then piling on restrictions was easier than starting with an effect more close in power level or effect, like revivify, and then mentioning the ways in which it is more powerful.

[Metastachydium]

Fun fact: that ability was cribed from the redcap in MM3 and distorted until it fit. Also, I originally went with fey because the minions felt to me like a "natural embodiment of evil" and because I had filed off a lot of the lore in the first drafts. It was only when I had my "but what if incarnum?" thought that I added it back. If I had started from the very beginning with the incarnum variant, they'd probably end up as Monstrous Humanoids. But I think I like them as fey.
Edit: Also, fey gives our diminuitive destructive dimwits some much needed skill points

I think I like them better this way as well. They do have that Fey vibe!

Changed a few names.

Looks lovely!

I mean, it does work on Magical Beasts with animal intelligence in the first place. Should minions be able to use it on intelligent Magical Beasts? Dunno, but I don't really see the benefit.

That's okay. I was merely asking because all the listed examples (if I don't misremember something about the Zezir) are sapient, but some of them don't have a language for easy communication (e.g. Phase Spiders).

5 skill points +3 Dex +4 Size bonus.

…
All the sizebending made me forget about that +4. My bad.

I originally called it "Wilder Meuchelmord", but you can't really translate Meuchelmord as anything besides assassination, and that felt too clean to me. So I went this way. I was this close to calling it "Savage Murderization", but that felt a little bit too silly, even though silly is good with minions.

Heh. You struck the perfect balance, I'd say, so worry not!

Because it resurrects them at full health with no lost levels/HD. I felt that starting with the powerful effect and then piling on restrictions was easier than starting with an effect more close in power level or effect, like revivify, and then mentioning the ways in which it is more powerful.

Still feels odd, but yeah, that's fair enough.

[Tzardok]

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

Gourmetica Insularis
"Accursed water plants. Remember one thing, my boy: In this world nothing is for free. Not even food."
– Deux X. Machina (pseudonym), reptilian rescuer

The Gourmetica Insularis is a carnivorous water plant with a perfidious method of luring in and fattening prey. This plant grows in warm seas, in places where the sea is neither too deep nor too shallow. While rooted to the sea ground, the plant's „head“ reaches the surface. This „head“ is large enough to be mistaken for an island (on average a diamater of half a mile to two miles), and that is what the Gourmetica Insularis pretends to be to its victims.
The Gourmetica uses an innate mixture of illusion, transmutation and conjuration magic to disguise itself as a tropical paradise full of wondrous and unusual plant life: singing flowers, color-changing orchids, trees that grow cakes, giant tomatoes, vines that can be eaten and taste like spaghetti, blue cauliflower that tastes like roasted meat, potatoes that deep-fry themselves, and so on. Some of these plants can be found elsewhere (blue cauliflower for example is raised at the Linnorm Fortress), but others only exist on a Gourmetica. To add to the illusion, the plant even creates facsimiles of animals to populate itself (which will always be either beautiful or cute, like kittens, bunnies, hummingbirds or butterflies). The food produced by the plants is tasty and nourishing, but it saps your will. Anybody eating from it must make a Will save (DC 25). Those who fail take a penalty of -2 to further Will saves for 24 hours. They also lose drive and desire to leave. By repeatedly eating from the Gourmetica, you are likely to lose interest in anything besides continuing to eat the delicacies. The effect is very subtle; even when succeeding the save a character needs to make a Wisdom check against DC 15 to notice the failed mental influencing.
The Gourmetica Insularis usually only strikes after weeks or months, when its victims have eaten themselves too fat to fight back adequately. The plant transforms into its true shape, which resembles a burned down plain covered in small mouths and blackened tendrils ending in hands. Those tendrils try to grapple the victims (Attack and grapple bonus +20). A tendril can be attacked and severed (it has AC 18 and 10 hp). After a few rounds, the whole „island“ splits open to reveal the plant's maw. Grappled victims are dropped into the maw, as is anyone who failed a Reflex save against DC 20.
The fall into the Gourmetica's digestive track is 70 ft. deep. Anybody surviving the fall takes 3d6 acid damage per round until he dies or manages to cut a way out (by dealing 75 hp damage to the stomach's walls), whereupon he'll find himself under water. The Gourmetica requires two rounds to close its maw again.
The Gourmetical Insularis is quite frugal, requiring only about 300 pound of food per year, but it is also very specialized. Only mamalian humanoids or monstrous humanoids can properly nourish it; everything else is at best fast food.
A Gourmetica is too large to be treated as a creature in most cases. Should something be able to affect the whole being, treat its saves as Fort +30, Ref +7, Will +12. Its mind has the attributes Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 13 (alignment Neutral Evil). Gourmeticae are not known to speak or otherwise communicate.

Inspired by The 13½ Lives of Captain Bluebear.

Quickgrass
"Don't worry about your sister. Maybe she's lucky and gets eaten by the grass moray. Then she won't die the long death of suffocation. Over and done with."
– A helpful talking orchid

Quickgrass is a treacherous natural hazard. At first glance, it appears to be a slightly blue tinted patch of grass, but if you set foot on it, you'll see that it's in fact many long sharp blades of grass growing from a deep depression in the ground. Then of course it is too late, for you'll glide into a mass of sharp blades of grass dense enough to press on your lungs and keep you from breathing.
A patch of quickgrass (typically called a pond) is usually 30 ft. deep, sometimes more, and has a diameter of 20 ft. To notice a pond of quickgrass, a character must succeed on a Survival check against DC 15 or a Search check against DC 20. Running or charging characters don't get a check. A character falling into quickgrass needs to hold his breath. A character may try to climb out of the pond by making a Climb check against DC 20. Attempting this check or other hasty movements deal 2d4 slashing damage to the character, unless he is completely covered or has a natural armor bonus of +4 or higher.
A character with woodland stride or similiar abilities doesn't take damage from quickgrass or is impeded by it, but must still hold their breath.
Most quickgrass ponds are home to a grass moray, larger ponds maybe even to a mated pair. A grass moray resembles a crocodile-sized moray with a coelacanth's fins and a smaller second maw growing from the nose. This nose-maw not only has a very keen sense of smell, it is also used to nibble bones clean. Grass morays are lazy ambush predators, prefering to wait for food to drop directly in front of them.
Use the stats of a crocodile for the grass moray, but replace the tail slap with a secondary bite attack (1d4+2). The grass moray can move around in the quickgrass as easily as a crocodile swims.

Inspired by Ensel und Krete.

Leaf Wolf
Your walk has become lazy
Your leaves have lost their hue
The gaze appears hazy
Still, I back away from you

No force lies in your grunt
Your limbs shake with age
Your teeth are dull and blunt
Still, they keep you caged

Because one feels the forest's power
And sees the hunger too
That hides inside your glower
So I back away from you
– To An Aging Leaf Wolf, by Optimus Yarnspinner

Large Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 15d10+75 (157 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 40 ft (8 squares), Climb 20 ft.
Amor Class: 24 (+3 Dex, -1 size, +12 natural), touch 12, Flat footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +15/+25
Attack: Claw melee +20 (1d8+6, 19-20/2x)
Full Attack: Two claw melee +20 (1d8+6, 19-20/2x) and bite +18 (2d6+3, 3x)
Space/Reach: 10 ft/10 ft
Special Attacks: Trip, rend 2d8+9
Special Qualities: Concealed rest, damage reduction 10/magic, damage reduction 2/-, darkvision 60 ft, low-light vision, partial plant traits, resistence 10 to cold and electricity, scent, spell resistence 20
Saves: Fort +14, Ref +12, Will +8
Abilities: Str 23, Dex 17, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 16, Cha 13
Skills: Climb +14, Hide -1*, Listen +12, Spot +12, Survival +3*
Feats: Daunting Presence^LM, Cleave, Improved Critical (Claw), Multiattack, Power Attack, Track
Environment: Temperate woods
Organisation: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 10
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 16-22 HD (Large), 23-45 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: +4

The leaf wolf is one of the many hybrids of plant and animal that dot the Zamonian nature. Considered one of Zamonia's apex predators by the populace, this fearsome beast resembles a giant werewolf with leaves instead of fur and wooden claws and teeth. Instead of blood, sap flows in its veins.
Leaf wolves have the ability to transform themselves into piles of leaves, and prefer to use this to ambush prey. On other occasions, leaf wolves attacked by jumping from a tree on unsuspecting wanderers. A leaf wolf's leaves change slightly with the seasons for better camouflage, but age plays a more serious role in their coloration. The beast hibernates over the winter and mates in spring.

Concealed Rest (Su): A leaf wolf has the ability to transform into a pile of leaves when at rest. It usually uses this ability when sleeping. In this shape it can't do anything besides transforming back, but it can still use its normal senses. To recognize a transformed leaf wolf, a character must make a Survival check against DC 25.
Partial Plant Traits (Ex): As liminary beings between plant and animal, leaf wolves enjoy some of the traits of the plant type. Leaf wolves are not subject to critical hits and immune to paralysis, polymorph, sleep effects and stunning, but not against poison and mind-affecting effects. Abilities that only affect plant creatures can affect a leaf wolf, but the wolf receives a +4 to saves against the effect.
Rend (Ex): A leaf wolf that hits with two claw attacks latches onto the opponent’s body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals an extra 2d8+9 points of damage.
Trip (Ex): A leaf wolf that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent (+6 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the leaf wolf.
Skills: A leaf wolf gains a racial bonus of +4 to Survival when tracking by scent.
A leaf wolf gains a racial bonus of +6 to Hide when in forested surroundings.
Leaf wolves have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.

Inspired by Ensel und Krete.

Note: Translating poems is frigging difficult.

Nurn
"This is what I assume where the nurns come from: dead leaves, blood and corpses. At least they weren't here before, but suddenly they started growing out of the ground and painting the forest red."
– Yggdra Sil, the Nurnwood Oak

Huge Aberration
Hit Dice: 24d8+96 (204 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares)
Amor Class: 24 (+5 Dex, -2 size, +11 natural), touch 13, Flat footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple: +18/+32
Attack: Skewer melee +23 (1d8+6) or tendril melee +22 (1d6+6)
Full Attack: Four skewers melee +23 (1d8+6) and four tendrils melee +22 (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 15 ft/15 ft (25 ft. with tendril)
Special Attacks: Bleeding, constrict 1d6+6, improved grab
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/adamantine, darkvision 60 ft, lesser plant traits, resistence 20 to fire and cold, spell resistence 29
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +13, Will +20
Abilities: Str 23, Dex 20, Con 17, Int 5, Wis 18, Cha 16
Skills: Hide +10*, Move Silently +19*
Feats: Cleave, Dodge, Great Cleave, Improved Multiattack, Improved Overrun, Improved Toughness, Multiattack, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (Skewer), Whirlwind Attack^B
Environment: Temperate woods or underground
Organisation: Solitary or copse (2-12)
Challenge Rating: 12
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: 25-48 HD (Huge), 49-72 (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: -

Practically every village in Zamonia has some tall tales about the leaf wolf, how this and that guy got eaten or nearly eaten by one. But of the nurn people only talk in whispers, for unlike the leaf wolf barely anyone knows how it kills or what it even looks like. Most who tried to get a glimpse are dead.
A nurn has a roughly ovoid body covered in crimson leaves with no recognizable sensory organs. Eight long wooden legs with sharp ends grow from this, which the nurn uses to skewer its prey. Hidden under the leaves twelve tendrils grow, used to snatch smaller prey. Its body hides disturbingly human looking innards, and through its limbs red blood flows. At rest, the nurn looks like a small copse of thin trees in autumn. When moving, the nurn walks slowly and swaying and produces a soft rustling, sounding and looking like a tree in the wind. Nurns smell exactly like a moist forest, making them practically invisible to scent in their prefered environment.
The first nurns arose in the Nurnwood, a forest with a bloody history including the highest-casualty battle of Zamonia. All that spilled blood trickled down into the local Underdark and formed never-drying puddles that periodically disgorge diminutive nurns, called leaflings, Both leaflings and fully-grown nurns found their way on unknown paths to the surface. Despite the fact that nurns don't reproduce the normal way they are protective of leaflings. The high-pitched scream of a hurt leafling is the surest way of attracting nurns.
Nurns don't talk or communicate otherwise with food.

A nurn's tendril has 10 hit points and can be sundered like a weapon. Doing so deals the same amount of damage to the nurn. No matter how many tendrils a nurn has left, it can only effectively attack with at most four of them at once. Cut-off tendrils regrow in 1d6 days.
Bleeding (Ex): When the nurn hits an enemy with a skewer attack, the wound continues to bleed. The target loses 2 hp per round until it receives a healing spell or a Heal check against DC 16. Multiple bleeding wounds stack.
Constrict (Ex): A nurn deals automatic tendril damage with a successful grapple check.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the nurn must hit a creature that is at least one size smaller with a tendril attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.
Lesser Plant Traits (Ex): Hybrid beings like the nurn enjoy most of the traits of plants. Nurns are immune to mind-affecting effects, poison, sleep effects, paralysis, polymorph and stunning. Unlike real plants they are subject to critical hits. Abilities that only affect plant creatures can affect a nurn, but it receives a +4 to saves against the effect.
Skills: Nurns receive a +4 racial bonus to Hide and Move Silently in woods. They receive an addition +4 racial bonus to Hide in temperate woods during autumn.

Inspired by Rumo and his Miraculous Adventures.

Fungus Witch
"Deep inside this wood, there is a place... a place, where the trees melt and the plants cry. That is not right. That is goddamn not right."
– An awakened leaf wolf

Gargantuan Plant (Evil, Shapeshifter)
Hit Dice: 27d8+270 (391 hp)
Initiative: -3
Speed: Burrow 30 ft.
Amor Class: 33 (-3 Dex, -4 Size, +30 natural), touch 3, Flat footed 33
Base Attack/Grapple: +20/+41
Attack: Slam melee +25 (2d6+13)
Full Attack: Slam melee +25 (2d6+13)
Space/Reach: 20 ft./20 ft.
Special Attacks: Digestion, spell-like abilities, soul-stealer song
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 15/silver, darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 15, innocuous little hut, low-light vision, plant traits, project avatar, soul stomach, spell resistence 33
Saves: Fort +25, Ref +6, Will +12
Abilities: Str 28, Dex 5, Con 31, Int 22, Wis 17, Cha 24
Skills: Bluff +37, Concentrate +43, Intimidate +39, Knowledge (Arcana) +36, Knowledge (Nature) +36, Listen +33, Perform (Song) +37, Spot +33
Feats: Ability Focus (Dirge), Ability Focus (Song of Festering Death), Dark Speech^EE, Dark Whispers^EE, Empower Spell-like Ability (Dirge), Empower Spell-like Ability (Storm of Vengeance), Combat Casting, Skill Focus (Concentrate), Quicken Spell-like Ability (Dirge), Quicken Spell-like Ability (Seething Eyebane)
Environment: Woods or underground
Organisation: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 20
Treasure: Half standard
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 28-54 HD (Gargantuan); 55-81 HD (Colossal)
Level Adjustment: -

None know the origin of the horrors known as fungus witches. Some blame Cegilune the hag goddess, taking a more active role in corrupting nature. Others believe them to be the daughters of Zuggtmoy, Demon Queen of Fungi herself. And finally some claim that a simple champignon, growing unharmed in the most tainted place in the world, was the progenitor of these beings. But none of it matters, except that they are here, and that they spread.
A fungus witch in its natural shape resembles a Witch's Hat mushroom, but the size of a small hut. A yawning opening, like a door, resembles a mouth, and darker spots above those serve as eyes. The witch makes liberal use of its ability to take the shape of a harmless hut and to project an avatar to act as „the witch“ to mislead prey and enemies about its nature. Fungus witches appear to be solidly enrooted in their place, but they are able to withdraw into the ground and move by burrowing. They usually only do this to escape from mortal danger.
The witch's main purpose in life is devouring souls of living beings. It delights in the pain and suffering it spreads both directly and indirectly in its surroundings, and often slows its predations to draw the horror out longer. A fungus witch is usually pretty cautious, but there is one thing that can make it forget all care: innocence. If innocent souls enter the witch's domain, it will spare no effort in leading them to it so it can devour them personally. (If you need aa serviceable definition of innocence, use the one from the Ravenloft Player's Handbook.)
Fungus witches prefer forested areas. Even in the Underdark they mostly infest forest-like regions, like a „wood“ made of crystals or stone columns. Their presence causes Witch Hats to grow, but it is unknown why. The little fungi don't grant the witch any benefit, nor do they seem to be involved with the propagation of the witches. They are also not harmed by the witch's absence or death, even if they don't spread as fast without her. Maybe they are just another method for the witch to spread suffering.
Much more importantly, the surroundings of a fungus witch are twisted and corrupted. Native plant life mutates and festers, and closer to the center of the effect even the air and the ground take on otherworldly qualities. I suggest using the rules for cerebrotic blots (Dragon #330), mixed and matched at will with the rules for locations touched by evil (BoVD) and tainted locations (HoH) for places twisted by a fungus witch, but don't actually include a portal to the Far Realm. An interesting phenomenon of this is that the fungus witch isn't actually at the epicentre of the effect. The witch grows instead in the border areas, where the effect is barely noticable. The centre of the effect is instead a location called „the witch's garden“. In this place all souls that were digested by the witch are reborn as wretched hybrid beings of flower and whatever they were before. Fully aware, but unable to act, they continue to cry and suffer as long as they exist, and nourish the witch. The more specimens there are in the garden, the longer the witch has been around, the more power it managed to accumulate and the larger its corruption spreads. The only way to free those poor souls, to restore the corrupted woods and to keep the witch from returning if driven off is to burn the garden down. (I suggest that the garden's sight provokes a Horror save (Ravenloft Player's Guide) at base DC 20.)
Fungus witches usually speak through their avatars. A fungus witch knows Common, Undercommon, Sylvan and Abyssal.

Innocuous Little Hut (Su): The fungus witch possesses the ability to take the appearance of a hut of a kind that would fit into its surroundings. The hut's exterieur is harmless and doesn't invite further scrutinity. The interieur appears comfy and safe, with furniture, supplies, crockery and a hearth. The exact details differ, but the furnishing will always include a large light source like a chandelier or a glowing crystal hanging from the ceiling. This object hides the witch's soul stomach.
The witch can transform between its true shape and its hut shape as a Full-Round Action at-will.
Digestion (Ex): When the fungus witch has its natural shape, its interieur resembles a stomach. Any creature within it takes 5d6 acid damage per round (DC 33, Reflex halves. DC is based on Con). The witch is able to bar or open its „door“ at will, imprisoning creatures or allowing them to leave as it likes. The „door“ can be pried open with a Strength check against DC 25 or by dealing 50 damage to it. If broken, the door regrows in one round.
Any creature that dies in the witch has its soul trapped in the witch's soul stomach.
Project Avatar (Su): A fungus witch can project an avatar through which it can act on the world. This works similiar to the spell project image, but there are a lot of differences. The avatar resembles a hag and can appear either corporeal or incorporeal, but it is always incorporeal. It moves with a speed of 30 ft. and the witch can use its Soul-Stealer Song and its spell-like abilities through it. The avatar has a range of 3 miles and doesn't require line of effect. The avatar dissolves if it takes damage or is affected by an effect that overcomes its incorporeality. The witch can dismiss and recreate its avatar at will, but if it was dissipated by an attack, the witch can't recreate it for 13 hours.
Spell-like Abilities: At will – Acid Fog (DC 23), Bestow Greater Curse^SC (DC 25), Contagion (DC 20), Control Weather, Dirge^SC (DC 25), Mirage Arcana (DC 22), Poison (DC 20), Seething Eyebane^BoVD (DC 18), Song of Festering Death^BoVD (DC 21), 3/day – Antipathy (DC 26), Death by Thorns^BoVD (DC 24), Sympathy (DC 26);1/day – Storm of Vengeance (DC 26), Wail of the Banshee (DC 26). 20th Caster Level. DC is based on Cha.
All spell-like abilities with a range of Touch can be used at anyone within the witch or at anyone in a range of 30 ft.
Soul-Stealer Song (Su): The fungus witch's horrific song tears at the souls of listeners. The witch can sing as a Full-Round Action. It makes a Perform (Song) check. Any creature within 40 ft. that can hear the witch must make a Fortitude save against the result or receive 1d4 negative levels. The witch can continue to sing, necessating a new Perform check and a new save from the listeners. Any creature whose negative levels equal or exceed their HD dies and their soul gets sucked into the witch's soul stomach.
Soul Stomach (Ex): When the witch has its natural shape, its soul stomach looks like an organic bag glowing from many lights inside it hanging from the witch's „ceiling“. Whenever the fungus witch steals a soul, it is trapped and digested in the soul stomach. The souls give the witch power and protection; whenever the witch is targetted by a death effect or any soul-catching spell, it instead loses one of its souls. The typical witch will have killed and trapped many small wood animals to give itself a ready amount of souls. A soul remains trapped in the stomach until it is spent or it has been digested for thirteen days. Afterwards the soul finds itself reborn in the witch's garden.
The stomach has 75 hp. Destroying the soul stomach frees all the trapped souls and robs the fungus with of its spell-like abilities, its project avatar ability, its soul-stealer song, its damage reduction and its fast healing.

Inspired by Ensel und Krete.

Note: Here you have your fungal mastermind, @Metastachydium. I hope it lives up to the hype.

[Tzardok]

Soulmeld: Leafy Pelt
Descriptors: None
Classes: Totemist
Chakra: Heart or waist (Totem)
Saving Throw: None

There is power in nature and the woods. Many who walk the wilderness are chewed up by it, to never return. Some totemists revere the leaf wolf as the embodiment of this power and hunger, and draw on it to gain the abilities of natural hunters and of plants.
Your leafy pelt grants you a +4 competence bonus to Hide checks.
Essentia: Every point of essentia you invest in your leafy pelt increases the competence bonus on Hide checks by +2.

Chakra Bind (Heart)
You gain the Plant type and its traits:
Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).
Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, polymorph, and stunning.
Not subject to critical hits.
Any ability that affects plant creatures also affects you.

Chakra Bind (Waist)
You can use the Hide skill in any sort of natural terrain, even if the terrain doesn’t grant cover or concealment.

Chakra Bind (Totem)
All your natural weapons increase their critical multiplier by 1. For every three points of essentia invested in this soulmeld, increase their critical multiplier again by 1.

Martial Maneuvers
Nurn's Bloodstrike
Tiger Claw (Boost)
Level: 3
Initiation Action: Swift Action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One or more creatures
Duration: End of turn

You twist your weapons to tear open flesh and veins. Every attack you make with associated weapons in this round will cause bleeding wounds. The target loses 2 hp per round until it receives a healing spell or a Heal check against DC 16. Multiple bleeding wounds stack.

Nurn's Rage
Tiger Claw (Strike)
Level: 8
Prerequisite: Four Tiger Claw maneuvers
Initiation Action: Full-round Action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One or more creatures

You imitate the fury of an angered nurn to strike out at any enemy in range and some that aren't. Double the usual range of your melee weapons. You may make an attack at your full BAB against any opponent in this range (if you are wielding two weapons, you may make one attack with each of those weapons against any opponent). Afterwards, make a Jump check against DC 10 + 3 per attack you made this round. If you fail, you fall prone.

Swaying Forest
Tiger Claw (Stance)
Level: 5
Prerequisite: One Tiger Claw maneuver and one Setting Sun maneuver
Initiation Action: Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

In this stance you imitate the swaying movements of the nurn and its capacity to rapidly switch from seeming placidity to horrific violence and back. While this stance is active, melee attacks against you provoke attacks of opportunity from you.

So. Here's a bit of stuff I came up with while writing up all those plant beasties. Incidentally, does anybody have an idea for a reptilian rescuer soulmeld? I can't come up with anything interesting.

[Metastachydium]

And the Flower arriveth!

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

Gourmetica Insularis

unusual plant life: singing flowers, color-changing orchids,

Aw.

trees that grow cakes,

Cowplant alert! COWPLANT ALERT!

Anybody eating from it must make a Will save (DC 25). Those who fail take a penalty of -2 to further Will saves for 24 hours. They also lose drive and desire to leave. By repeatedly eating from the Gourmetica, you are likely to lose interest in anything besides continuing to eat the delicacies. The effect is very subtle; even when succeeding the save a character needs to make a Wisdom check against DC 15 to notice the failed mental influencing.
The Gourmetica Insularis usually only strikes after weeks or months, when its victims have eaten themselves too fat to fight back adequately. The plant transforms into its true shape, which resembles a burned down plain covered in small mouths and blackened tendrils ending in hands. Those tendrils try to grapple the victims (Attack and grapple bonus +20). A tendril can be attacked and severed (it has AC 18 and 10 hp). After a few rounds, the whole „island“ splits open to reveal the plant's maw. Grappled victims are dropped into the maw, as is anyone who failed a Reflex save against DC 20.
The fall into the Gourmetica's digestive track is 70 ft. deep.

(…)

The Gourmetical Insularis is quite frugal, requiring only about 300 pound of food per year, but it is also very specialized. Only mamalian humanoids or monstrous humanoids can properly nourish it; everything else is at best fast food.
A Gourmetica is too large to be treated as a creature in most cases. Should something be able to affect the whole being, treat its saves as Fort +30, Ref +7, Will +12. Its mind has the attributes Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 13 (alignment Neutral Evil). Gourmeticae are not known to speak or otherwise communicate.

And here's where the problems begin. I tend to agree that this planty is way too big to work as a normal creature (30' space? Yeah, no). But the numbers should, nevertheless, still mean something, and as of now, they don't add up:
–the DC of the Will save, assuming it's CHA-based implies an equivalent HD count of no more than 28;
–this could, in theory, be consistent with the to-hit giving us roughly a ~37 HD upper limit or less; but
–to-hit=grapple bonus is highly suspect, as one would ruleswise receive a penalty and the other a hefty bonus;
–meanwhile, we have saves; since there's no such thing as an innate save penalty (barring stuff like traits and flaws) so far as I know, and we know WIS, we get a 33 HD (or less) figure with a CON of 40 or less and a DEX score of 2 or less (Shivering Touch against a touch AC of -2, anyone?).

I think this could use a bit of a cleanup?

The plant transforms into its true shape, which resembles a burned down plain covered in small mouths and blackened tendrils ending in hands.

Hm. What's the reach of those graspy bits, I wonder?

Anybody surviving the fall takes 3d6 acid damage per round until he dies or manages to cut a way out (by dealing 75 hp damage to the stomach's walls), whereupon he'll find himself under water. The Gourmetica requires two rounds to close its maw again.

3d6 acid per round is… A tad measly for somethin this big.

Quickgrass
"Don't worry about your sister. Maybe she's lucky and gets eaten by the grass moray. Then she won't die the long death of suffocation. Over and done with."
– A helpful talking orchid

A helpful talking orchid

[#SunshineHappiness!]

Quickgrass

Also, I like this! Natural hazards are sadly under-homebrewed in general, so it's nice to see such a well-conceived one (that is also a bunch of plants!) surface (he-he) here.

Leaf Wolf
[I]Your walk has become lazy
Your leaves have lost their hue
The gaze appears hazy
Still, I back away from you

Translating poetry is the worst tough **** ever! But this stanza? You nailed it.

Speed: 40 ft, Climb 20 ft.

40 ft. (8 squares).

Special Qualities: Concealed rest, damage reduction 10/magic, damage reduction 2/-, darkvision 60 ft, low-light vision, partial plant traits, resistence 10 to cold and electricity, scent, spell resistence 20

Double DR? I understand why you did it, but I can't not find it clunky.

Advancement: 11-22 HD (Large), 23-45 HD (Huge)

I believe you meant 16–22 HD (Large).

Level Adjustment: +4

Bold! (Also, hells, yeah!)

Concealed Rest (Su): A leaf wolf has the ability to transform into a pile of leaves when at rest. It usually uses this ability when sleeping. In this shape it can't do anything besides transforming back, but it can still use its normal senses. To recognize a transformed leaf wolf, a character must make a Survival check against DC 25.

What action does it take to shift forms?

Partial Plant Traits (Ex): As liminary beings between plant and animal, leaf wolves enjoy some of the traits of the plant type. Leaf wolves are not subject to critical hits and immune to paralysis, polymorph, sleep effects and stunning, but not against poison and mind-affecting effects. Abilities that only affect plant creatures can affect a leaf wolf, but the wolf receives a +4 to saves against the effect.

Neat! (Being a PLANTY: what can't it solve?)

Skills: A leaf wolf gains a racial bonus of +4 to Survival when tracking by scent.
A leaf wolf gains a racial bonus of +6 to Hide when in forested surroundings.

Please insert +8 bonus to Climb here.

Nurn

Speed: 50 ft.

50 ft. (10 squares).

Attack: Skewer melee +25 (1d8+6) or tendril melee +24 (1d6+6)
Full Attack: Four skewers melee +25 (1d8+6) and four tendrils melee +22 (1d6+3)

+23 or +22 on single attacks; +23 and +20 on full-attacks (because size).

Skills: Hide +7*, Move Silently +19*

Hide +10 (-8 size, +5 DEX, +13 ranks).

Feats: Cleave, Dodge, Great Cleave, Improved Toughness, Improved Overrun, Mobility, Multiattack, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (Skewer), Whirlwind Attack (B)

I think I'd have given 'em Improved Multiattack instead of stuff like… Improved Overrun and Mobility.

Alignment: Always neutral evil

Hey! They seem nice.

A nurn has a roughly ovoid body covered in crimson leaves with no recognizable sensory organs. Eight long wooden legs with sharp ends grow from this, which the nurn uses to skewer its prey. Hidden under the leaves twelve tendrils grow, used to snatch smaller prey. Its body hides disturbingly human looking innards, and through its limbs red blood flows. At rest, the nurn looks like a small copse of thin trees in autumn. When moving, the nurn walks slowly and swaying and produces a soft rustling, sounding and looking like a tree in the wind. Nurns smell exactly like a moist forest, making them practically invisible to scent in their prefered environment.
The first nurns arose in the Nurnwood, a forest with a bloody history including the highest-casualty battle of Zamonia. All that spilled blood trickled down into the local Underdark and formed never-drying puddles that periodically disgorge diminutive nurns, called leaflings, Both leaflings and fully-grown nurns found their way on unknown paths to the surface. Despite the fact that nurns don't reproduce the normal way they are protective of leaflings. The high-pitched scream of a hurt leafling is the surest way of attracting nurns.

But really, is it wrong that I find these folks CUTE?

Nurns smell exactly like a moist forest, making them practically invisible to scent in their prefered environment.

I think this would merit some manner of SQ.

Fungus Witch

Feats: Ability Focus (Song of Festering Death), Dark Speech^EE, Dark Whispers^EE, Empower Spell-like Ability (Dirge), Empower Spell-like Ability (Storm of Vengeance), Combat Casting, Skill Focus (Concentrate), Quicken Spell-like Ability (Dirge), Quicken Spell-like Ability (Seething Eyebane)

Thing's missing a feat.

Digestion (Ex): When the fungus witch has its natural shape, its interieur resembles a stomach. Any creature within it takes 5d6 acid damage per round (DC 33, Reflex halves. DC is based on Con).

Ref? Why Ref? (Like, how much dodging can one manage while being digested?)

Spell-like Abilities: Acid Fog (DC 23), Bestow Greater Curse^SC (DC 25), Contagion (DC 20), Control Weather, Dirge^SC (DC 23), Mirage Arcana (DC 22), Poison (DC 20), Seething Eyebane^BoVD (DC 18), Song of Festering Death^BoVD (DC 21),

Are these at-will?

Note: Here you have your fungal mastermind, @Metastachydium. I hope it lives up to the hype.

It really is creepy and quite the wild stuff, too! The thing with crying sad flowers makes me a sad flower, though.

[Tzardok]

And here's where the problems begin. I tend to agree that this planty is way too big to work as a normal creature (30' space? Yeah, no). But the numbers should, nevertheless, still mean something, and as of now, they don't add up:
–the DC of the Will save, assuming it's CHA-based implies an equivalent HD count of no more than 28;
–this could, in theory, be consistent with the to-hit giving us roughly a ~37 HD upper limit or less; but
–to-hit=grapple bonus is highly suspect, as one would ruleswise receive a penalty and the other a hefty bonus;
–meanwhile, we have saves; since there's no such thing as an innate save penalty (barring stuff like traits and flaws) so far as I know, and we know WIS, we get a 33 HD (or less) figure with a CON of 40 or less and a DEX score of 2 or less (Shivering Touch against a touch AC of -2, anyone?).

I think this could use a bit of a cleanup?

Yeah. I technically designed this thing as an enviromental hazard (mostly because I really didn't want to calculate how many squares a mile are), and so chose the numbers mostly by feeling to fit the intended CR (around 12). Then I threw in the mental scores and saves because maybe some archmage wants to test a spell on that or a GM wants to see what happens when a god smites that thing or whatever, and so I again went by feeling. Maybe I'll think about it later.
One thing in advance, however: the gripping hands are sized and specialized to snatch things much smaller than the whole plant. It would be better to calculate them based on a medium or large opponent, not a colossal one. (Also propably have a lower Str than the whole island.)

Hm. What's the reach of those graspy bits, I wonder?

Forgot to think about it. Would go with 5 ft. or lower. There's on average one in every 10 ft. square, they don't need to grab far (especially against enemies that are too fat to do more than waddling).

3d6 acid per round is… A tad measly for somethin this big.

Again, CR 12 intended. I could instead go with cribing from the damage lava does, I guess...

Translating poetry is the worst tough **** ever! But this stanza? You nailed it.

Thank you.

40 ft. (8 squares).

Corrected in both cases.

I believe you meant 16–22 HD (Large).

How the heck did that happen?

What action does it take to shift forms?

It's a supernatural ability; Standard Action is the standard.

Neat! (Being a PLANTY: what can't it solve?)

Makes me wonder what you think of the soulmeld/maneuver post.

Please insert +8 bonus to Climb here.

Done.

I think I'd have given 'em Improved Multiattack instead of stuff like… Improved Overrun and Mobility.

Huh. I'd forgotten that exists.

I think this would merit some manner of SQ.

Does it? Smells, and when Scent is appliable and when not, have been mostly handled by fluff. For example, the otyugh's stench is purely in the description. Most would still agree that it is a strong stench, and therefore the thing in the description of Scent about very strong odors applies. I'd assume that for the opposite case that would work the same.

Thing's missing a feat.

Yet another? Frigging damn.

Ref? Why Ref? (Like, how much dodging can one manage while being digested?)

Ensel and Krete managed to jump between the slowly spreading acid puddles around enough to be mostly unharmed when they were saved. You are, after all, not restrained, your are just in a room whose walls are oozing stomach acids. Hmm, maybe I'd should instead go look at the "closed room fills with water" trap? Nah.

Are these at-will?

Yes. I thought I added that.

It really is creepy and quite the wild stuff, too! The thing with crying sad flowers makes me a sad flower, though.

Thank you, thank you. It's quite a shame that Ensel und Krete never was translated to English; it really dips the most of the novels into surreal horror.

By the way, I'm relistening to the audiobooks, and there's a character in The Alchemaster's Apprentice who I think you'd really like. At least, she has a similiar attitude to plants as you do.

[Metastachydium]

(mostly because I really didn't want to calculate how many squares a mile are)

1056. 1056 squares.

, and so chose the numbers mostly by feeling to fit the intended CR (around 12).

But that's fair, yeah.

Then I threw in the mental scores and saves because maybe some archmage wants to test a spell on that or a GM wants to see what happens when a god smites that thing or whatever, and so I again went by feeling.

Though it still leaves me wondering what would happen if someone tried to Shivering Touch it.

It's a supernatural ability; Standard Action is the standard.

In my defense, I keep forgetting there is a standard.

Makes me wonder what you think of the soulmeld/maneuver post.

I think I'm absolutely not qualified to comment on soulmelds (much as I love the heart-bound effect there (it's beautiful!)). As for maneuvers, I've been trying to figure out where and how I could slot in Yellow Bear Slap, Wellow Bear Death Slap, Beekeeper's Favour and the Yellow Bear's Stand stance into the system ever since I've seen Blood and Honey and so far… Well, I made little progress. I might not be the right person to comment on those either.

Huh. I'd forgotten that exists.

It's good stuff as long as one doesn't think too hard about whether it's strict sense Epic or not! (Take care though: it doesn't let the Weapon Focus bonus apply to the tendrils, so those should still have a +22 in the full attack.)

Does it? Smells, and when Scent is appliable and when not, have been mostly handled by fluff. For example, the otyugh's stench is purely in the description. Most would still agree that it is a strong stench, and therefore the thing in the description of Scent about very strong odors applies. I'd assume that for the opposite case that would work the same.

That's no excuse!! But I'll take it, I suppose.

Ensel and Krete managed to jump between the slowly spreading acid puddles around enough to be mostly unharmed when they were saved. You are, after all, not restrained, your are just in a room whose walls are oozing stomach acids. Hmm, maybe I'd should instead go look at the "closed room fills with water" trap? Nah.

Ah, I see. It's okay, then.

Thank you, thank you. It's quite a shame that Ensel und Krete never was translated to English; it really dips the most of the novels into surreal horror.

By the way, I'm relistening to the audiobooks, and there's a character in The Alchemaster's Apprentice who I think you'd really like. At least, she has a similiar attitude to plants as you do.

Man. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned before that I'd read the hell out of these, but I'll go ahead and reaffirm it.

[Tzardok]

Though it still leaves me wondering what would happen if someone tried to Shivering Touch it.

Freeze all grasping arms in a radius of 30 ft. and give it a really itchy frostburn somewhere it can't scratch.

I think I'm absolutely not qualified to comment on soulmelds (much as I love the heart-bound effect there (it's beautiful!)). As for maneuvers, I've been trying to figure out where and how I could slot in Yellow Bear Slap, Wellow Bear Death Slap, Beekeeper's Favour and the Yellow Bear's Stand stance into the system ever since I've seen Blood and Honey and so far… Well, I made little progress. I might not be the right person to comment on those either.

I was thinking about making the heart-bound affect a soul-bound one, but plant traits aren't really an epic effect.

I don't feel like watching the movie to know what kind of effect you're talking about, but if you describe what you want those maneuvers to roughly do, I can try to take a stab at it.

[Metastachydium]

I don't feel like watching the movie to know what kind of effect you're talking about, but if you describe what you want those maneuvers to roughly do, I can try to take a stab at it.

Thanks! My main issue is assigning a level and a discipline, really. I feel like they should belong together, but some are very clearly Tiger Claw stuff, while the stance is more Stone Dragon or Iron Heart. The idea's something like this:
–Yellow Bear Slap: unarmed strike dealing +xd6 non-lethal damage, forcing a save against falling unconscious with each instance;
–Yellow Bear Death Slap: unarmed strike dealing +xd6 damage plus CHA damage (by way of REMOVING THE FACE), forcing a save against DEATH with each instance;
–Yellow Bear Death Stomp: unarmed attack against prone opponent resolves as a coup-de-grace;
–Yellow Bear's Vengeful Wall Mounting Strike: attack with piercing weapon against an opponent standing beside a wooden structure at least 10' tall pins (as the condition) the opponent to the structure until the weapon is removed with a STR check;
–Beekeeper's Favour: sic bees present in the area on opponents to do swarm attacks (does this even sound like a maneuver?);
–Yellow Bear's Stand: stance; as long as the initiator does not move or attack, attacks from opponents are negated or significantly reduced.

[Biggus]

Ooh, just seen your Rilmani conversions, nice one. I'd been thinking of doing them myself but you've saved me the trouble.

I'd also thought the Aurumach were pretty underwhelming compared to the other top-level exemplar creatures so the upgrade is good to see. A couple of questions:

1) what do you estimate it's CR to be with your upgrades? Looks like about 19 to me but I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.

2) does "DR 15/any two of the following: chaotic, evil, good, lawful" mean it requires any two, or can be overcome by any two separatley (eg 15/chaotic and evil, or 15/chaotic or evil)?

[enderlord99]

"It doesn't matter which two, but it can't be just one" seems to be the intended meaning.

[Tzardok]

I think I aimed for CR 20, but I don't remember for sure.

Just like the DR of lower rilmani can be overcome by any aligned weapon (DR X/Chaotic or Evil or Good or Lawful), the DR of the aurumach can be overcome by any weapon that has two alignments (DR 15/(Good and Lawful) or (Evil and Lawful) or (Chaotic and Good) or (Chaotic and Evil)). Theoretically a weapon that is both good and evil or both lawful and chaotic would also work by RAW, but for one I'm not sure what kind of weapon that would be and for another that feels like it shouldn't work against the aurumach. You need extremes to defeat them, as far from neutrality as possible, not contradictions that add up to neutrality in the end. Edit: Enderlord got it correct, yes.

Incidentally, I'm playing with the thought of inventing additional rilmani that are kinda outside the normal progression. Specialized castes for niche purposes. I'm thinking of basing them on salt and sulfur (which in the later alchemical works were thought (together with mercury) to be the building blocks of dead matter), so I'd make them roughly on par with the abiorach, but I'm blanking on what kind of niche the sulfurach and the salinach would fill. Any ideas?

[enderlord99]

I'm not sure what kind of weapon that would be

I know exactly what kind of weapon that would be. It's unlikely, horribly impractical, and involves temporary negative levels.

[Tzardok]

Thanks! My main issue is assigning a level and a discipline, really. I feel like they should belong together, but some are very clearly Tiger Claw stuff, while the stance is more Stone Dragon or Iron Heart. The idea's something like this:
–Yellow Bear Slap: unarmed strike dealing +xd6 non-lethal damage, forcing a save against falling unconscious with each instance;
–Yellow Bear Death Slap: unarmed strike dealing +xd6 damage plus CHA damage (by way of REMOVING THE FACE), forcing a save against DEATH with each instance;
–Yellow Bear Death Stomp: unarmed attack against prone opponent resolves as a coup-de-grace;
–Yellow Bear's Vengeful Wall Mounting Strike: attack with piercing weapon against an opponent standing beside a wooden structure at least 10' tall pins (as the condition) the opponent to the structure until the weapon is removed with a STR check;
–Beekeeper's Favour: sic bees present in the area on opponents to do swarm attacks (does this even sound like a maneuver?);
–Yellow Bear's Stand: stance; as long as the initiator does not move or attack, attacks from opponents are negated or significantly reduced.

After some rereading of Tome of Battle, I've come to the following conclusions:

1. No existing maneuvers have a focus on non-lethal damage, but Yellow Bear Slap feels to me like Shadow Hand (suprise subduing) or Stone Dragon (precise usage of brutal force), but depending on flavour it could also be Setting Sun. But really, flavor generally counts more than effect for disciplines; with just a little tweak I could make it Devoted Spirit or Diamond Mind. Case in point:

Glare Into Submission
Devoted Spirit (Strike)
Level: 4
Initiation Action: Standard Action
Range: 30 ft.
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 Minute

You focus the weight of your determination against an offender to snuff out their will with your own.
When using this strike you target a creature within 30 ft. that threatens you or one of your allies. Make an Intimidation check. If the target fails on a Will save against the result of your check, it falls unconscious for 1 minute, overwhelmed by your presence. If it succeeds, it takes 4d6 non-lethal damage.

2. Yellow Bear Death Slap feels to me practically quintessentially Shadow Hand, maybe Tiger Claw (a bit too brutal for Stone Dragon). Maybe it could be a hybrid of both, similiar to how I made Swaying Forest requiring both Tiger Claw and Setting Sun (I wonder, should I make it part of both disciplines? Setting Sun/Tiger Claw, like a dual class spell?).

3. I can see Yellow Bear Death Stomp again as a Shadow Hand ability, but also as Stone Dragon. Setting Sun synergizes well with it (I think it's the one that's best at throwing people prone), but I'm not sure it fits flavourfully.

4. Overly specific much? I think there's a fan-made discipline that works with throwing weapons. I'd add it there in a heartbeat. The way it is now... Stone Dragon could immobilize someone, but it would require a lot of reflavouring. Iron Heart or Shadow Hand... maybe. The rest also all kinda fit, but nothing really does.

5. If there was a discipline based on Handle Animal, this would already bee in there. As there isn't, I can imagine it in White Raven as some kind of pseudo-mindcontrol effect that makes animals nearby harrass people, or maybe Tiger Claw if it taps more into druidic-animalist stuff. Alternatively, we can go Desert Wind and make a swarm of fire bees.

6. This stance fits really well into Diamond Mind or Devoted Spirit, but Stone Dragon is a good third option.

In conclusion, Shadow Hand seems to be the most common here (abilities used by a serial killer fit into the assasination category? Say it isn't so!), but not perfectly. The way I see it, we could probably make it work halfway this way:

Quell the Lifestream (Yellow Bear Slap)
Shadow Hand (Strike)
Level: 2
Initiation Action: Standard Action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 Minute

You strike at a ki node to suppress its flow and rob the foe of strength and consciousness. To use this maneuver, you make an unarmed attack (dealing non-lethal damage) against an enemy that is subject to critical hits. On a succesful hit, you deal additionally +3d6 nonlethal damage and the target must make a fortitude save (DC 12 + Wis-Mod.). If it fails, it falls unconscious for 1 Minute.

Scar the Lifewell (Yellow Bear Death Slap)
Shadow Hand (Strike) [Evil]
Level: 7
Prerequisites: One Shadow Hand maneuver and one Tiger Claw maneuver
Initiation Action: Standard Action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: End of turn

The shadows called up by your fury form a claw over your hand, ripping at your victim's ego and body. To use this maneuver, you make an unarmed attack (dealing lethal damage) against an enemy. On a succesful hit, you deal additionally +5d6 lethal damage and the target must make a fortitude save (DC 17 + Wis.-Mod.). If it fails, you ripp off its face as a representation of its self, killing it. If it succeeds, you leave scars on self and body, dealing 2d4 Cha damage.
This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

Early Burial (Yellow Bear Death Stomp)
Stone Dragon (Counter)
Prerequisites: Three Stone Dragon maneuvers
Level: 8
Initiation Action: Immediate action
Range: 10 ft.
Target: One creature

Like all warriors you know the benefit of striking when an enemy is vulnerable, and one who lies on the ground is doubly vulnerable to one who draws strength from the earth. When there is a prone enemy within 10 ft., you may initiate this maneuver to move to it (without provoking attacks of opportunity) and immediately make an attack against it. If you are unarmed or wielding a bludgeoning weapon, the attack counts as a coup de grace (except that you don't hit automatically) as you smash the opponent into and under the ground.

Earth's Binding Thorn (Yellow Bear's Vengeful Wall Mounting Strike)
Stone Dragon (Strike)
Level: 6
Prerequisites: Two Stone Dragon maneuvers
Initiation Action: Full-round Action
Range: 30 ft.
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 Minute

Sometimes, a foe fights you from a position where you can't use your full strength. In such cases it's better to force them onto your ground. Originally designed to deal with pesky fliers, this maneuver has also proven useful when fighting more mobile opponents.
When you initiate this maneuver, you stomp on the ground to create a javelin from stone and then throw it at a creature within 30 ft. Despite it being a throw, you make an attack roll as if it was a melee attack. On a hit, the javelin deals 5d6 + Str.-Mod. piercing damage and nails the creature to the ground (dealing additional fall damage if it flew) or to a nearby free-standing solid surface. The creature can be freed with a Strength check (DC 16 + your Str.-Mod.) that requires a Full-round Action. Succesfully freeing the creature deals additional 2d6 damage to it. The javelin crumbles to dust after 1 Minute.
This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

Leader of Beasts (Beekeeper's Favour, White Raven version)
White Raven (Boost)
Level: 4
Initiation Action: Swift Action
Range: 30 ft.
Target: One or more creatures
Duration: 2 rounds

Your leadership qualities and commanding presence are so great that even wild animals serve your call. Make a Diplomacy check. For every 5 points you check is higher than 10, designate a creature within 30 ft. Birds, bees, bats, rats and other critters will harass those creatures, granting them a penalty of -2 to AC and Concentration checks and making them unable to make attacks of opportunity. After 2 rounds the animals will flee again (the duration may last longer if the targets have enraged the animals, and shorter if the animals were killed, severly hurt or scared).
This maneuver doesn't work anywhere there are no critters available.

Fury of the Fire Flies (Beekeeper's Favour, Desert Wind version)
Desert Wind (Boost)
Level: 3
Initiation Action: Swift Action
Range: 20 ft.
Effect: A swarm of fiery motes in insect shape
Duration: 2 rounds

Your weapon's swing unleashes sparks that shape themselves into a insect swarm made of fire. The swarm appears somewhere in range and attacks your enemies. WIth a Swift Action you can redirect it. After 2 rounds, the swarm extinguishes.
The swarm uses the statistics of a locust swarm, except it counts it has the Elemental (Fire) type and deals fire damage with its attacks.
This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

Mountain's Patience (Yellow Bear's Stand, Stone Dragon version)
Stone Dragon (Stance)
Level: 3
Prerequisite: One Stone Dragon maneuvers
Initiation Action: Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

A variant of the Roots of the Mountain stance, this stance exchanges the solid grounding for absolute defense. While you are in this stance, you gain DR 10/-. If you attack in this stance, the DR sinks to 5/- until your next turn.
If you move or are moved more than 5 ft., this stance ends.

Defense of the Sublime Mind (Yellow Bear's Stand, Diamond Mind version)
Diamond Mind (Stance)
Level: 7
Prerequisite: Two Diamond Mind maneuvers
Initiation Action: Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

In the serenity of your mind, you can see the path of all attacks. Whenever you are attacked, you may make a Concentration check. If the checks result is higher than the attack roll, the attack is rendered ineffective. As a Full-Round Action, you may forgo all attacks to draw your enemies to yourself. Any creature that threatens you and fails a Will save (DC 17 + Int.-Mod.) must attack you this round.
If you move or are moved more than 5 ft., this stance ends.

Well, this looks quite nice, doesn't it? I confess, I'm not sure if I always hit the correct level. And I don't think the two stances are actually fun to play, but whatever.
Edit: In retrospect, this isn't as Shadow Hand focused as I thought it would be. Stone Dragon inspired me more and snatched up both the skewer and the stomp. Happens.

[Metastachydium]

Glare Into Submission
Devoted Spirit (Strike)
Level: 4
Initiation Action: Standard Action
Range: 30 ft.
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 Minute

You focus the weight of your determination against an offender to snuff out their will with your own.
When using this strike you target a creature within 30 ft. that threatens you or one of your allies. Make an Intimidation check. If the target fails on a Will save against the result of your check, it falls unconscious for 1 minute, overwhelmed by your presence. If it succeeds, it takes 4d6 non-lethal damage.

I doubt BaH!Pooh could use that, given the CHA-penalty that likely results from having a face like he has, but that's good. Making people faint by looking angry? Yes, please!

4. Overly specific much?

Look, I didn't write the stupid script, I just like the stupid movie!

The rest also all kinda fit, but nothing really does.

[S-n-o-r-t-s.]

(abilities used by a serial killer fit into the assasination category? Say it isn't so!)

Hey, he's not a serial killer, just hungry and struggling with loss! (Okay, he is a serial killer, but also those other things.)

Quell the Lifestream (Yellow Bear Slap)
Shadow Hand (Strike)
Level: 2
Initiation Action: Standard Action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 Minute

You strike at a ki node to suppress its flow and rob the foe of strength and consciousness. To use this maneuver, you make an unarmed attack (dealing non-lethal damage) against an enemy that is subject to critical hits. On a succesful hit, you deal additionally +3d6 nonlethal damage and the target must make a fortitude save (DC 12 + Wis-Mod.). If it fails, it falls unconscious for 1 Minute.

Nnice.

Scar the Lifewell (Yellow Bear Death Slap)
Shadow Hand (Strike) [Evil]
Level: 7
Prerequisites: One Shadow Hand maneuver and one Tiger Claw maneuver
Initiation Action: Standard Action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: End of turn

The shadows called up by your fury form a claw over your hand, ripping at your victim's ego and body. To use this maneuver, you make an unarmed attack (dealing lethal damage) against an enemy. On a succesful hit, you deal additionally +5d6 lethal damage and the target must make a fortitude save (DC 17 + Wis.-Mod.). If it fails, you ripp off its face as a representation of its self, killing it. If it succeeds, you leave scars on self and body, dealing 2d4 Cha damage.
This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

Dark. I love it!

Early Burial (Yellow Bear Death Stomp)
Stone Dragon (Counter)
Prerequisites: Three Stone Dragon maneuvers
Level: 8
Initiation Action: Immediate action
Range: 10 ft.
Target: One creature

Like all warriors you know the benefit of striking when an enemy is vulnerable, and one who lies on the ground is doubly vulnerable to one who draws strength from the earth. When there is a prone enemy within 10 ft., you may initiate this maneuver to move to it (without provoking attacks of opportunity) and immediately make an attack against it. If you are unarmed or wielding a bludgeoning weapon, the attack counts as a coup de grace (except that you don't hit automatically) as you smash the opponent into and under the ground.

And not half bad! Although… Is it 8th level because it's an Immediate, right?

Earth's Binding Thorn (Yellow Bear's Vengeful Wall Mounting Strike)
Stone Dragon (Strike)
Level: 6
Prerequisites: Two Stone Dragon maneuvers
Initiation Action: Full-round Action
Range: 30 ft.
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 Minute

Sometimes, a foe fights you from a position where you can't use your full strength. In such cases it's better to force them onto your ground. Originally designed to deal with pesky fliers, this maneuver has also proven useful when fighting more mobile opponents.
When you initiate this maneuver, you stomp on the ground to create a javelin from stone and then throw it at a creature within 30 ft. Despite it being a throw, you make an attack roll as if it was a melee attack. On a hit, the javelin deals 5d6 + Str.-Mod. piercing damage and nails the creature to the ground (dealing additional fall damage if it flew) or to a nearby free-standing solid surface. The creature can be freed with a Strength check (DC 16 + your Str.-Mod.) that requires a Full-round Action. Succesfully freeing the creature deals additional 2d6 damage to it. The javelin crumbles to dust after 1 Minute.
This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

This is a lot more bizarre than what I expected to see, so… Bonus points for that.

Defense of the Sublime Mind (Yellow Bear's Stand, Diamond Mind version)
Diamond Mind (Stance)
Level: 7
Prerequisite: Two Diamond Mind maneuvers
Initiation Action: Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

In the serenity of your mind, you can see the path of all attacks. Whenever you are attacked, you may make a Concentration check. If the checks result is higher than the attack roll, the attack is rendered ineffective. As a Full-Round Action, you may forgo all attacks to draw your enemies to yourself. Any creature that threatens you and fails a Will save (DC 17 + Int.-Mod.) must attack you this round.
If you move or are moved more than 5 ft., this stance ends.

ACTUAL TANKING! HELLS, YEAH!

Well, this looks quite nice, doesn't it?

They all are! Thank you so much for doing them!

[Tzardok]

No, thank you for your kind words in Biggus's thread.

I doubt BaH!Pooh could use that, given the CHA-penalty that likely results from having a face like he has, but that's good. Making people faint by looking angry? Yes, please!

[Obligatory reminder that low Cha != ugly]. Also, by renaming the power to Killing Intent (like in the anime stuff) and doing just a tiny bit of reflavouring, you can transfer it to Diamond Mind instead.

And not half bad! Although… Is it 8th level because it's an Immediate, right?

That's my thought, yes. An Immediate attack that is essentially a death effect? Sounds pretty high level to me. I'd gladly let myself be convinced of lower levels, but I'd need some kind of reasoning.

(I made it a counter because people don't fall prone that often, and if you have to wait for your own turn to actually abuse that, they'll likely stand up again. Also, I wanted to make a counter.)

[Metastachydium]

No, thank you for your kind words in Biggus's thread.

Any time! I very much did mean them.

[Obligatory reminder that low Cha != ugly].

It's not just the looks, though. You should see his manners!

Also, by renaming the power to Killing Intent (like in the anime stuff) and doing just a tiny bit of reflavouring, you can transfer it to Diamond Mind instead.

And that's the reason why DMs ban ToB!

That's my thought, yes. An Immediate attack that is essentially a death effect? Sounds pretty high level to me. I'd gladly let myself be convinced of lower levels, but I'd need some kind of reasoning.

(I made it a counter because people don't fall prone that often, and if you have to wait for your own turn to actually abuse that, they'll likely stand up again. Also, I wanted to make a counter.)

Fair and entirely fair. Counters are way cool and the game needs more of them (perhaps similar effects too, in fact).

[Tzardok]

Anyway, I'll start a new project soon that is currently like a lich: ambitious, but bare-bones.

Wish me luck!

[Beni-Kujaku]

Anyway, I'll start a new project soon that is currently like a lich: ambitious, but bare-bones.

Wish me luck!

If the project is that ambitious, you may want to craft a phylactery (that is, another person invested in the project that could "resurrect" it if you find yourself distracted enough for it to "die").

Also, I don't have 5000 XP, so I'll just prestidigitate you luck.

[enderlord99]

I know exactly what kind of weapon that would be. It's unlikely, horribly impractical, and involves temporary negative levels.

Did my implication come across here?

[Tzardok]

They did, but I couldn't make a good joke about giving a Holy Avenger to the ultroloth, so I left them to stand on their own.

[enderlord99]

Okay, just making sure.

[Metastachydium]

Anyway, I'll start a new project soon that is currently like a lich: ambitious, but bare-bones.

I mean, I'll never refuse a good bone meal!

Wish me luck!

Luck! (Not that you, like, need it!)

[Tzardok]

Careful. If you keep inflating my head like that, it's gonna pop. And who'll design Constructs of Zamonia if that happens? Or the next batch of mephits?

[Metastachydium]

Shutting up right now, Sir! Please don't hurt your future creations!

[Metastachydium]

Incidentally, I'm playing with the thought of inventing additional rilmani that are kinda outside the normal progression. Specialized castes for niche purposes. I'm thinking of basing them on salt and sulfur (which in the later alchemical works were thought (together with mercury) to be the building blocks of dead matter), so I'd make them roughly on par with the abiorach, but I'm blanking on what kind of niche the sulfurach and the salinach would fill. Any ideas?

Before I'd forget again (I'd been meaning to toss it in here for a while now, but I kept going away from the internet for days and stuff): since salt is solid but discreet and soluble whereas sulphur is flashy but volatile, some arrangement where the one reacts to certain effects and the like as if it were Lawful and the other as if it were Chaotic would mayhap be interesting.