When Erik Mona says to keep 'em coming, I listen! These guys were also inspired by a name-drop in the Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting.
Twigjack
Springing from the bushes is a strange creature that looks like a bundle of sticks grown into a crude humanoid shape. It cackles and capers and tears a long jagged splinter from its body, holding it like a javelin.
Twigjack CR 3
Usually CE Small Fey Init +5; Senses Listen +7, low-light vision, Spot +7 Defense AC 19, touch 16, flat-footed 14
(+1 size, +5 Dex, +3 natural) hp 27 (6d6+6) Fort +3, Ref +10, Will +5 DR 5/cold iron and slashing Resist cold 10, electricity 10; Vulnerable fire Offense Spd 30ft (6 squares), climb 20ft, woodland stride Melee 2 claws +9 melee (1d4+2) Ranged splinterspear +9 ranged (1d4+2) Space 5ft; Reach 5ft Special Attacks sneak attack +1d6 Tactics Before Combat twigjacks stalk their prey for a few hours to better savor their terror, making sure to stay out of sight. If multiple twigjacks are present, they surround their chosen victims. During Combat twigjacks move constantly from combat, peeling splinterspears from their body to hurl at a victim, then moving to find new cover to hide in. If engaged in melee, they tumble constantly in order to keep opponents moving, and always flank when possible. They concentrate their attacks on unarmored opponents and anyone using fire. Morale twigjacks are reckless and violent, but know when they’re beaten. A twigjack will usually retreat once reduced to 10 or less hit points, finding some inaccessible location to hide in, nurse its wounds, and plot revenge. Statistics Str 14, Dex 21, Con 13, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 14 Feats Point Blank Shot, Quick Draw, Weapon Finesse Skills Balance +14, Climb +16, Hide +15*, Jump +11, Listen +7, Move Silently +12, Spot +7, Tumble +14 Base Attack+3; Grapple +1 Languages Sylvan Ecology Environment Temperate forests Organization Solitary, gang (2-5) or exploit (1-2 plus 1-3 assassin vines or 1 shambling mound) Treasure Standard Advancement By character class Level Adjustment +2 Special Abilities Sneak Attack (Ex) A twigjack does an extra 1d6 points of damage when striking a flat-footed or flanked foe. This works exactly as the rogue ability of the same name.
Splinterspear (Su) A twigjack can tear from its body long sharp splinters, which it throws at its foes. These are treated exactly as Small javelins, except that a creature struck by a splinterspear must make a DC 18 Reflex save or have the spear lodge in its flesh. Lodged splinterspears impose a -1 penalty on attacks, saves and checks per spear. The save DC is Dexterity based.
Lodged splinterspears can be safely removed with a DC 20 Heal check; otherwise, removing a splinterspear does an extra 1d6 points of damage.
A twigjack can use its Quick Draw feat to create splinterspears as a free action; twigjacks without this feat must spend a move action to create a splinterspear, just like drawing a thrown weapon.
Woodland Stride (Su) A twigjack can move without penalty or damage in any natural undergrowth. It still is impeded by magically-manipulated undergrowth, such as that created by an entangle or plant growth spell.
Skills *A twigjack receives a +8 racial bonus on all Hide checks made in forested areas.
A twigjack has a +8 racial bonus on all Climb checks, and can take 10 on Climb checks even when rushed or threatened.
Cruel fey that delight in ambush and torment, twigjacks are the bane of loggers and kindly druids alike. A twigjack stands about three feet tall and is quite light for its size, weighing little more than 20 pounds. Twigjacks float.
Ecology
Twigjacks are carnivorous, and they prefer the meat they consume to be seasoned liberally with fear. A twigjack’s territory can often be identified by the animal carcasses impaled on branches—twigjacks often kill for sheer sadism rather than hunger, but save these kills for a later snack. They are not above scavenging, and twigjacks are often found in conjunction with monstrous plants living in their forests, such as assassin vines and shambling mounds. These associations are sometimes no more than a twigjack stealing the kills of these plants, but can also blossom into seemingly paternal relationships, with the twigjack tending to its plants with great care, driving blundering mortals into their paths, helping them murder and maim, and leaving enough of their victims to compost the plants. Only the most evil of druids will tolerate twigjacks, and twigjacks respond in kind, harrying druids in their forests and sneaking into their campsites to murder sleeping animal companions.
Habitat and Society
Twigjacks are native to the temperate forests of Avistan, the darker and more remote the better. They delight in nothing more than murder, and will gladly associate with one another in order to kill larger targets and more efficiently. There is nothing twigjacks hate more than good-aligned sylvan creatures, and a twigjack’s forest will either be bare of elves, centaurs, unicorns and the like, or such creatures will find themselves severely embattled. Lumberjacks are also favorite targets of twigjack mayhem.
Twigjacks delight in treasures, keeping their favorite baubles on themselves at all times and storing the rest of them in animal dens, hollows in trees and the like. They have watched enough adventurers to know that some items contain magic, and delight in potions or wearable items that increase their stealth or defenses. Twigjacks are asexual, and do not mate; a twigjack that is very well-fed can tear off part of its body and plant it like a cutting. This twigjack seedling appears as a thorny bush for six months, during which time its parent occasionally waters it with blood. After this time, the new twigjack uproots itself and begins its own life of mayhem, either joining its parent or finding its own territory to terrorize.
Twigjacks with Class Levels
Unlike many fey, which tend towards mysticism and magic, twigjacks are brutal, visceral creatures that delight in combat. Most twigjacks with class levels are rangers or rogues, and both classes are considered favored classes. Twigjack rangers tend to favor the ranged combat style, as it allows them to throw more splinterspears more effectively. Twigjack rangers prefer favored enemies such as humans, animals, elves or magical beasts. They rarely, if ever, have an animal companion.
The Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting is copyright 2008 Paizo Publishing. Copyright 2008 Nicholas Herold.
I had a lot of free time at work today--can you tell?
This monster was inspired by the illustration in Pathfinder #3 of a wight--apparently, there wasn't enough room to have statistics for it as a unique monster, so it was just an ordinary wight with a badass illustration. I've decided to rectify that.
Ice Wight
Shambling from the fog comes what must once have been a man. Its skin is drawn tightly over its bones, and its face is frozen into a rictus of agony. Ice crystals have formed on its armor and in its matted hair. Its cold blue eyes gaze at you appraisingly.
Ice Wight CR 5
Always NE Medium Undead (Cold) Init +1; Senses darkvision 60ft, Listen +11, Spot +11 Defenses AC 22, touch 11, flat-footed 21
(+1 Dex, +6 natural, +5 masterwork chainmail) hp 45 (7d12) Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +6 Immune cold, undead immunities; Resist turn resistance +2; Vulnerable fire, light sensitivity Offense Spd 40ft (8 squares), 30ft in chainmail Melee slam +8 (1d6+6 plus 1d6 cold plus rime) Space 5ft; Reach 5ft Spell-like Abilities CL 5th 3/day—chill metal (DC 15), fog cloud Tactics Before Combat ice wights prepare the battlefield by shrouding it in fog. They make use of their Move Silently skill to stalk foes through the haze. During Combat ice wights pummel foes with their ice-encrusted fists, focusing their attacks on one victim to freeze him to death. They delight in casting chill metal on a heavily armored target, retreating into the fog to let the damage accumulate. Morale ice wights may use hit and run tactics, but they never fully retreat from a battle. They continue to press the assault until either they or their foes are dead. Statistics Str 19, Dex 13, Con - , Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 16 Feats Ability Focus (rime), Blind-fight, Weapon Focus (slam) Skills Hide +7 (+11 unarmored), Listen +11, Move Silently +15 (+19 unarmored), Spot +11 Base Attack +3; Grapple +7 Languages Common, Infernal SQ create spawn Ecology Environment Cold land and underground Organization Solitary, pair, gang (3-5) or pack (6-11) Treasure Masterwork chainmail, plus standard items Advancement 1-3 HD (Tiny), 4-6 HD (Small), 8-12 HD (Medium), 13-18 HD (Large), 19-23 HD (Huge) Level Adjustment— Special Abilities Create Spawn (Su) Any creature killed by an ice wight rises as an ice wight in 1d4 rounds. Spawn are under the command of the ice wight that created them, and remain enslaved until death. They do not possess any of the abilities they had in life.
Light Sensitivity (Ex) Ice wights hate the sun’s rays, and are treated as being sickened in sunlight. A daylight spell will sicken an ice wight if it fails a Fortitude save against the spell.
Rime (Su) Living creatures hit by an ice wight’s slam attack must make a DC 18 Fortitude save or take 1d6 points of Dexterity damage; a successful save halves the damage. This is a cold effect, rather than a negative energy effect—death ward has no effect, but creatures immune to cold are immune. Resistance to cold grants a +1 bonus to the saving throw for every 5 points resisted. Creatures reduced to 0 Dexterity by an ice wight’s rime are killed. The save DC is Charisma based.
Skills An ice wight gains a +8 racial bonus on all Move Silently checks.
Horrible undead creatures forced to spread the cold curse that created them, ice wights roam the frozen reaches of Golarion. An ice wight stands as tall as it did when it was alive, but weighs an extra 25 pounds due to the weight of the ice atop and inside of it.
Ecology
Not being alive, ice wights have no real place in any ecology, but they bring frozen death wherever they go. Supreme sadists, an ice wight without humanoids to prey on may use its rime on animals native to its haunts, creating frozen undead hares, foxes, wolves and elk. Unless controlled by some evil spellcaster, ice wights will gladly depopulate huge stretches of land, rendering them nothing but a frozen wasteland populated only by the dead. For this reason, many creatures immune to cold, even evil ones such as frost giants and white dragons, kill ice wights whenever possible.
It is believed that the first ice wights were created by hags—hags and ice wights have an odd affinity for each other, and many a covey is guarded by one or more ice wights. The secrets of their creation were taught to the worthy, probably first cultists of Urgathoa, and so ice wights spread through the world. Unlike other undead such as ghouls and specters, ice wights do not appear to spontaneously form from the corpses of wicked people guilty of any specific sin.
Habitat and Society
Ice wights can be found wherever it is cold—frozen tundra, mountain peaks, conifer forests, even clinging to icebergs floating at sea. Their hatred of the sun sends them scurrying into the darkness during daylight hours, and in the Crown of the Word, where they are most common, they are forced to retreat to caves and crevasses for months at a time, when the sun never sets. But woe betides the traveler during the arctic winter, when the sun never rises over the Crown of the World…
Ice wights are quite common in Irrisen—the White Witches keep that land cold the year round and heavy cloud cover and thick forests keep ice wights from the hated rays of the sun. Some ice wights even serve in the armies of monsters that guard that country, and even the wicked cold riders are leery of the ice wights and their power to spawn.
Creating an Ice Wight
An ice wight can be created with a create undead spell by a 15th level caster or higher. The body used must be of a person who died from exposure to cold. A hag covey can create an ice wight using only an animate dead spell, although they must pay triple the cost in material components.
The Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting is copyright 2008 Paizo Publishing. Copyright 2008 Nicholas Herold.
Been some time since I last came here... and yes, once again, I'm afraid I left a few people in the dust. I will try to rectify this situation as soon as I can, and in the meantime, I apologize to anyone who thought I might have died or something... ;pAnyway, once again, I can't help but praise Demiurge's creativity and the way he manages to create balanced and interesting monsters. I was especially impressed by your abomination - it's pretty hard to design, balance and properly stat an epic-level monster, since both characters and enemies are very much broken by that point... but I do think your creation is right on the mark as a CR 30.(In fact, I wish I could've done the same thing with my convertion of the Repeater). DR 25/epic and good sounds much, but I guess, by that time, epic and good-aligned weapons are not THAT hard to come by... Furthermore, it has a somewhat low AC, so it all balances out. Its regeneration is speedy, but it's okay - if the PCs have the proper weapons, it gets negated.Oh, and of course the twigjacks - as you once said, evil few are always appreciated!So... well, I guess I'll take a page out of Erik's book and say: Keep 'em coming! I just hope I'll be able to post something soon...
Last edited by Judou Ashita; 15th November 2008 at 07:36 PM..
The thing about submitting these to Paizo is that, unlike Dungeon and Dragon, Pathfinder doesn't have open submissions. The only submissions currently going are modules for the Pathfinder Society (and I still don't really get how the tier system works...).
Anyway! This creature is inspired by a name-drop in Pathfinder #1.
Glitterscale Gecko
You see a shiny black lizard about the size of a dog. With a start, a sail rises from its back, scattering blindingly brilliant light in all directions.
Glitterscale Gecko CR 1
Always N Small Animal Init +3; Senses Listen +2, low-light vision, scent, smell death, Spot +2 Defenses AC 15, touch 14, flat-footed 12
(+1 size, +3 Dex, +1 natural) hp 9 (2d8) Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +2, necrotic affinity Offense Spd 40ft (8 squares), climb 40ft, expert climber Melee bite +2 (1d6) Space 5ft; Reach 5ft Special Attacks glittering sail Morale Before Combat glitterscale geckos move with their sails down, so as to not attract attention. They prefer to strike from above. They will only attack humanoids if desperate for food. During Combat glitterscale geckos attack from higher ground whenever possible. They prefer to target the undead. When facing living opponents, they raise their sails to blind and dazzle. Morale like most giant geckos, glitterscale geckos know when they’re beaten. They flee if reduced to half hit points. Statistics Str 10, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6 Feats Ability Focus (glittering sail) Skills Balance +11, Climb +22 Base Attack +1; Grapple -3 Ecology Environment Warm desert and urban Organization Solitary, pair or flock (4-8) Treasure None Advancement 3-4 HD (Small), 5-6 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment— Special Abilities Expert Climber (Ex) The unique physiology of gecko feet allow glitterscale geckos to climb any surface, no matter how slick or sheer. In effect, they are treated as constantly being under a natural version of the spider climb spell. This ability also provides them with an additional +8 bonus on Climb check, which stacks with their racial bonus.
Glittering Sail (Ex) As a move action, a glitterscale gecko can raise its sail, exposing its highly reflective scales. If a glitterscale gecko is in sunlight or its magical equivalent, all creatures within 30 feet of the gecko must make a DC 13 Reflex save or be blind for one round. After that round has passed, the creature is still dazzled for ten rounds. A successful save renders the creature merely dazzled for one round. This is effectively a gaze attack—creatures battling the glitterscale gecko can avert their eyes or wear blindfolds to avoid it. Glitterscale geckos are immune to this effect. The save DC is Constitution based.
Necrotic Affinity (Ex) Due to their constant exposure to necromantic magics, glitterscale geckos have a small amount of resistance to it. A glitterscale gecko receives a +2 racial bonus on all saving throws against negative energy or death effects, and can digest undead flesh.
Skills Glitterscale geckos have a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Climb checks. They can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.
Small desert-dwelling cousins to the giant geckos of Varisia, glitterscale geckos are specially adapted to eating undead flesh. A glitterscale gecko is about five feet long, but about half of that is tail. They weigh 75 pounds on average.
Ecology
Hunters and scavengers, the first glitterscale geckos were probably ordinary desert-dwelling beasts. The war between Nex and Geb, however, changed that. As Geb transformed itself into a land where the undead are as common as the living, the glitterscales adapted. Now, these creatures are one of the few animals capable of living on a fully necrovorous diet. Although glitterscale geckos still hunt birds, smaller lizards and insects, they prefer to prey on zombies and skeletons—the mindless creatures don’t recognize the threat posed by a glitterscale gecko until the creature is already atop them.
Habitat and Society
Although glitterscale geckos can still be found in the deserts of Garund, most of them now live in the pyramids and spires of Geb’s cities. There, the undead they prey on are in great abundance. The brilliant sail of the glitterscale gecko is predominately a mating display—males flash open their sails in the desert daylight, creating reflective patches for wandering females to investigate (many a disappointed female glitterscale gecko has been drawn instead to a piece of metal armor or shield reflecting sunlight instead). The geckos have realized the strength of this display, however, and also use it to disorient prey and discourage attack.
The Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting is copyright 2008 Paizo Publishing. Copyright 2008 Nicholas Herold.
Giant Gecko, Frostleaper
In the blink of an eye, you are pounced upon by what appears to be a large lizard covered in a shaggy coat of white filaments. Its yellow eyes glare savagely at you as it lands in a flurry of claws and teeth.
Giant Gecko, Frostleaper CR 2
Always N Medium Animal Init +3; Senses Listen +3, low-light vision, Spot +3 Defenses AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 13
(+3 Dex, +3 natural) hp 19 (3d8+6) Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +3 Offense Spd 40ft (6 squares), climb 30ft, expert climber Melee Bite +5 (1d6+2) and 2 claws +3 (1d4+1) Space 5ft; Reach 5ft Special Attacks pounce Tactics Before Combat like most giant geckos, frostleapers prefer to start combat from the high ground, but unlike their cousins, frostleapers are stealthy. During Combat frostleapers begin combat with a leaping pounce, tearing at opponents below. They continue to use the terrain to keep above their prey. Morale if reduced to half hit points, a frostleaper will retreat to hide and lick its wounds. Statistics Str 14, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6 Feats Multiattack, Weapon Finesse Skills Balance +11, Climb +18, Hide +5*, Jump +14, Listen +3, Move Silently +5, Spot +3 Base Atk +2; Grapple +4 SQ great leaper Ecology Environment Cold hills and mountains Organization Solitary, pair or bask (10-40) Treasure None Advancement 4-6 HD (Medium), 5-9 HD (Large) Level Adjustment— Special Abilities Expert Climber (Ex) The unique physiology of gecko feet allow frostleaper geckos to climb any surface, no matter how slick or sheer. In effect, they are treated as constantly being under a natural version of the spider climb spell. This ability also provides them with an additional +8 bonus on Climb check, which stacks with their racial bonus.
Great Leaper (Ex) Frostleaper geckos can make long jumps without a running start without penalty. If the gecko does get a running start, it gains a +4 bonus on the Jump check.
Pounce (Ex) A frostleaper gecko can make a full attack on a charge.
Skills Frostleaper geckos have a +8 racial bonus on Balance, Climb and Jump checks. They can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.
A frostleaper gains a +4 racial bonus on all Hide checks made in snowy or icy terrain.
Mid-level predators of the icy north, frostleapers are one of many variant strains of giant gecko found throughout Golarion. Frostleaper geckos grow to about 7 feet long, about half of which is tail. They weigh up to 200 pounds.
Ecology
Obligate carnivores, frostleaper geckos prey on mostly on deer, mountain goats and other moderately sized herbivores in their territory. They generally shy away from humans, but halflings, gnomes, goblins or other small humanoids in their territory might not be so lucky. Unlike other giant geckos, frostleapers are warm-blooded, and so must eat more than other reptiles in order to power their bodies. As such, they often compete with other predators such as big cats or wolves for food.
Frostleapers are also preyed upon. Yeti, frost giants, frost drakes and white dragons all fancy the taste of frostleaper. Humanoids hunt the giant lizards more for their hides than for their meat—the skin of a frostleaper combines the toughness and durability of leather with the warmth of fur.
Habitat and Society
Frostleaper geckos are generally found in snowy mountains and hills—anywhere where the terrain is rough enough to support their ambush-from-above hunting techniques. They are most common in the perpetual winter of Irrisen, and some suspect that their furry hides and warm blood are magical mutations created so the lizards could survive there. From Irrisen, they have spread throughout northern Avistan, and are reasonably common wherever there is game to hunt, ranging as far south as the Storval Plateau and as far north as the Crown of the World.
Due to their requirements of fresh meat in high quantities, frostleapers are less likely to be found in aggregations than other giant gecko species. The exception to this can be found at volcanic hot springs. There, dozens of frostleapers can be found warming themselves in and near the hot water. These aggregations are common targets for those hunting for frostleaper pelts, but such large groups can prove dangerous to the hunters.
The Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting is copyright 2008 Paizo Publishing. Copyright 2008 Nicholas Herold.
Those are some amazing beasties Demiurge. I especially like the whole gecko menagerie, with a whole group of critters with the same theme and they are all really usable.
All the others are awesome as well, although I will probably never be able to use the Oliphaunt, but its awesome nonetheless.
My most favorite is by far the Dweller in Darkness and as I would like to make them into one of the main antagonists in my upcoming "Second Darkness" Campaign, I wanted to ask if you have some critters with the same theme/feel to them? Similar to the "Thoon" mindflayers in MM5 (not similar in abilities to those, but as a group of related creatures).
My most favorite is by far the Dweller in Darkness and as I would like to make them into one of the main antagonists in my upcoming "Second Darkness" Campaign, I wanted to ask if you have some critters with the same theme/feel to them? Similar to the "Thoon" mindflayers in MM5 (not similar in abilities to those, but as a group of related creatures).
Sorry, but the Dwellers in Darkness are stand-alone. If I had some other monsters related to them, they'd already be posted. Actually, the Thoon-creatures aren't too dissimilar--remove references to quintessence and have them be powered by brain canisters or something like that. Of course, if your players have already fought Thoon cults, that might not work.
The next monster I'm planning is sort of space-themed, though. Watch this space for the Numerian spine dragon.
Numerian Spine Dragon
Slinking low to the ground is some manner of immense draconic beast, its eyes rheumy with pain and rage. Its body has a metallic sheen, and the entire creature is covered from head to tail in spines, some short, others as long as a human leg. Despite its obvious strength, the dragon looks sick—its wings are withered to useless stumps and its body is dotted with open sores. Its neck is short and ends in a broad head crowned in a mane of spines. A dense clump of spines tips the dragon’s long lashing tail.
Numerian Spine Dragon CR 13
Usually NE Huge Dragon Init +5; Senses darkvision 60ft, Listen +16, low-light vision, scent, Spot +16 Defenses AC 27, touch 9, flat-footed 26
(-2 size, +1 Dex, +18 natural) hp 184 (16d12+80) Fort +15, Ref +11, Will +12 DR 10/adamantine; Defensive Qualities spiny defense; Vulnerability metal body Offense Spd 40ft (8 squares), climb 20ft Melee Bite +21 (2d8+7, 19-20x2) and 2 claws +19 melee (2d6+3) and tail +19 melee (4d8+10) Space 15ft; Reach 10ft (15ft with tail) Special Attacks adamantine strike, breath weapon, powerful tail, tear armor Tactics Before Combat Numerian spine dragons prefer to attack from ambush. During Combat A Numerian spine dragon opens with its breath weapon. It uses its Improved Sunder feat to tear apart weapons and shields before digging into defenseless prey. Morale Numerian spine dragons do not fear death—as such, they fight until slain. Statistics Str 24, Dex 13, Con 20, Int 4, Wis 15, Cha 7 Feats Improved Critical (bite), Improved Sunder, Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Power Attack, Stealthy Skills Climb +15, Hide +10, Listen +16, Move Silently +15, Spot +16 Base Attack +16; Grapple +31 Languages understands Draconic Ecology Environment Temperate hills and deserts Organization Solitary or pair Treasure See text Advancement 17-32 HD (Huge), 33-48 HD (Gargantuan) Level Adjustment— Special Abilities Adamantine Strike (Ex) Due to the veins of adamantine tainting its body, the natural attacks of a Numerian spine dragon are considered to be adamantine for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction and hardness.
Breath Weapon (Su) A Numerian spine dragon can breathe a 50 foot cone of metal shards. All creatures in the area must make a DC 23 Reflex save or take 10d6 points of slashing and piercing damage. A successful Reflex save halves the damage. This damage is considered to be adamantine for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction and hardness. A Numerian spine dragon can use its breath weapon three times a day, but no more than once every 1d4+1 rounds. The save DC is Charisma based.
Metal Body (Ex) Numerian spine dragons are considered to be metal for the purposes of spells that effect metal (such as repel metal or stone, rusting grasp or heat metal).
Powerful Tail (Ex) A Numerian spine dragon’s tail, despite being a secondary weapon, deals 1.5 times the dragon’s Strength bonus in damage, and is treated as a two-handed weapon for the purposes of Power Attack.
Spiny Defense (Ex) Any creature striking a Numerian spine dragon with handheld weapons or natural weapons takes 1d8+7 points of damage from its spines. Weapons with exceptional reach do not endanger their wielders.
Tear Armor (Ex) When a Numerian spine dragon makes a successful critical hit against a foe, it deals its bite damage to the target’s armor (if any).
Skills A Numerian spine dragon gains a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks, and can take 10 on Climb checks even when rushed or threatened.
Strange draconic mutants simultaneously empowered and tortured by the starmetal in their veins, Numerian spine dragons are at once terrifying and tragic. A Numerian spine dragon reaches 40 feet long, with much of that length being tail. They are very heavy creatures, weighing nearly ten tons.
Ecology
Numerian spine dragons are carnivorous up to a point, preying mostly on large animals such as aurochs and elephants. The top predators in whatever territory they claim, they tend to kill or drive off other large predators. They do not fear humans, and indeed relish attacking them. Fortunately, they are quite rare.
Numerian spine dragons require metal to survive. Their teeth cut through metal as easily as they do flesh, and they can use their scent ability to detect veins of metal below the Earth’s surface. Only a little metal will sustain a Numerian spine dragon, but they will gorge themselves if able, consuming vast deposits of ore or the armor of entire units of soldiers at once. As such, they are despised by the Technic League, the golems and gearsmen of which are preyed upon by spine dragons. True dragons also hate them, and kill them whenever possible.
Habitat and Society
The first Numerian spine dragons were originally grey dragons, those pathetic offshoots of the draconic lineage obsessed with purifying a degenerate bloodline. These grey dragons were in Numeria at the time of the Rain of Stars, and their eggs were oddly tainted by the starmetal that then impregnated the land. These new grey dragons were ravenous and feral, with little of their parents’ intelligence, but with great size and physical strength. It is rumored that grey dragons will still mate with Numerian spine dragons in an attempt to recreate their lost intellect, but it is unlikely that such experiments have succeeded.
Although native to Numeria, Numerian spine dragons have spread outward to wherever the hunting is good and there is plenty of space to claim as their territory. Solitary creatures, they have little patience for others of their kind, although they don’t seem to mind the intrusions of grey dragons. Especially brave or foolhardy miners are known to follow Numerian spine dragons on their wanderings, hoping to exploit the veins of ore the spine dragons scent out and feed upon.
Numerian Spine Dragon Treasure
Although Numerian spine dragons carry no treasure of their own, their bodies themselves can yield great riches. The corpse of a Numerian spine dragon, if properly treated with chemicals (DC 25 Craft: alchemy check) or stripped by a fine smith (DC 30 Craft: weaponsmithing, armorsmithing or blacksmithing) generates 2d6 x 1000 gp worth of adamantine ore.
Variant Numerian Spine Dragons
Although most Numerian spine dragons are impregnated with adamantine, other spine dragons exist that contain other starmetals. Variant Numerian spine dragons lost the adamantine strike and tear armor special abilities, and gain the appropriate ability or abilities listed below.
Abysium Spine Dragon—Poison (Ex) All of an Abysium spine dragon’s natural attacks are mildly toxic (Fort DC 10 + ½ HD + Con bonus, 1d3 Str/1d3 Con). CR +0
Djezet Spine Dragon—Narrow Berth (Ex) A djezet spine dragon’s semi-liquid body allows it to move as if it were a Large creature for the purposes of squeezing. Spell Enhancement (Su) All spells cast within a 60 foot radius of a djezet spine dragon are cast at CL +2. CR -1.
Horacalcum Spine Dragon—Temporal Manipulation (Su) A horacalcum spine dragon rolls initiative twice every encounter. It gets to make a standard or move action on the lower of its two initiative counts. CR +1
Inubrix Spine Dragon—Earth Glide (Su) An inubrix spine dragon gets a burrow speed of 40 feet and can move through earth and stone as easily as a fish moves through water. This ability is the same as the earth glide ability of a xorn. Phasing Weapons (Su) An inubrix spine dragon can, three times per day as a swift action, allow its natural attacks to ignore armor and shield bonuses, as per the brilliant energy weapon quality. CR +1
Noqual Spine Dragon—Spell Resistance (Su) A noqual spine dragon gains SR equal to its Challenge Rating +12. CR +0
Siccatite Spine Dragon—Burning/Freezing Body (Su) A siccatite spine dragon is either blisteringly hot or freezing cold. A hot siccatite spine dragon deals an extra 1d6 points of fire damage with all of its natural attacks and has resistance to cold 20. A cold siccatite spine dragon deals an extra 1d6 points of cold damage with all its natural attacks and has resistance to fire 20. CR +0
The Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting is copyright 2008 Paizo Publishing. Copyright 2008 Nicholas Herold.
Okay, yeah, this is awesome. Most of these beasties totally just come out of me having to flesh out entries into the Pathfinder Bestiary to fill out the page (that's why so many appear in the last section or last few paragraphs) so it's AWESOME to see folks taking to them and giving them some love. Keep up the awesome work (and we'll keep name dropping in PF to keep ya busy!)
__________________ F. Wesley Schneider
Managing Editor, Pathfinder
Paizo Publishing
This is easily the ickiest monster I've created for this thread so far. The CR is in a bit of an interesting area--it can do a lot of damage and has a lot of hit points, but its saving throws are terrible. If anyone uses this guy in game, let me know how it goes!
Inverted Giant
This awful creature towers like a figment from a twisted children’s tale. A humanoid the size of a house, it appears to have been turned inside out—a coating of bones like an insect’s carapace cannot quite hide the pulsing, slimy muscles and organs of this thing. From its abdomen, four ropy lengths of intestine thrash like tentacles, orienting towards you seemingly by instinct. Red lidless eyes stare from a skull-like head, bits of brain seeping between the cracks and out its ear holes. It carries no weapon, but its arms end in oversized fists dripping with pale liquid.
Inverted Giant CR 12
Usually CE Huge Giant (extraplanar) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60ft, Listen +8, low light vision, Spot +9 Aura horrific appearance (60ft, Fort DC 22) Defenses AC 27, touch 7, flat-footed 27
(-2 size, -1 Dex, +20 natural) hp 207 (18d8+126) Fort +18, Ref +5, Will +4 Immune acid; Vulnerability impeded fortification Offense Spd 30ft (6 squares) Melee 2 fists +24 (3d6+12 plus 1d6 acid) and 4 intestine lashes +18 (2d4+6 plus 1d6 acid) Ranged rock +11/+6/+1 (2d6+12) Special Attacks acid spew, rock throwing Space 15ft; Reach 15ft Tactics Before Combat inverted giants have little concept of stealth, and are likely to take no more preparation before battle than loading their sacks with good throwing rocks During Combat inverted giants begin combat with spews of acid from their intestines, and then focus their attacks on whoever hurts them the most that round. If that target is out of melee range, they pelt it with rocks. Unless directed by rune giants or other intelligent leaders, they are unlikely to focus their attacks on a single individual or to work cooperatively with each other or allies Morale savage and bloodthirsty, inverted giants have no concept of retreat. They fight until slain. Statistics Str 35, Dex 8, Con 24, Int 6, Wis 7, Cha 13 Feats Ability Focus (horrific appearance), Awesome Blow, Improved Bull’s Rush, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Quick Draw, Weapon Focus (slam) Skills Listen +8, Spot +9 Base Attack +13; Grapple +33 Languages Giant SQ rock catching Ecology Environment The Plateau of Leng Organization Solitary, pair, family (3-8) or unit (2-8 plus 1-2 rune giants) Treasure Standard Advancement 19-36 HD (Huge), 37-54 HD (Gargantuan) or by character class Level Adjustment +4 Special Attacks Acid Spew (Su) An inverted giant’s four intestine lashes can each spew acid in a 50 foot line once every 1d4 rounds. An inverted giant can use any number of its acid spews as a standard action, and can aim each line in a different direction, or in the same direction. Each acid spew deals 4d6 acid damage, with a successful DC 25 Reflex save for half damage. An intestine lash that uses its acid spew no longer does acid damage until it can spew again. The save DC is Constitution based.
Horrific Appearance (Su) An inverted giant is so revolting in appearance that any creature within 60 feet of an inverted giant that can see that inverted giant must succeed a DC 21 Fortitude save or take 2d6 points of Strength damage. Any creature reduced to 0 Strength is helpless. A creature that successfully saves is immune to the horrific appearance of that inverted giant for the next 24 hours. Inverted giants are immune to the horrific appearance of other inverted giants. The save DC is Charisma based.
Impeded Fortification (Ex) An inverted giant’s bony covering protects its vulnerable organs from most damage, but the vulnerability of those organs enhances the danger of critical hits. An inverted giant has a 75% chance to ignore all extra damage from critical hits and sneak attacks, but any successful critical hit is treated as if the weapon had a +1 to its critical multiplier (so a longsword would deal x3 damage and a scythe would deal x5). Any successful sneak attack deals an extra 1.5x damage (as if the sneak attack were effected by the Empower Spell feat).
Rock Catching (Ex) An inverted giant with a free hand can catch rocks thrown or launched at it with a successful Reflex save. The DC is 10 for a Tiny rock, 15 for a Small rock and 20 for a Large rock.
Rock Throwing (Ex) Inverted giants gain a +1 racial bonus on all attack rolls made with thrown rocks. The range increment of their thrown rocks is 140 feet.
Abominations from a plane of nightmares, inverted giants are thankfully rarely seen today in the mortal world. Inverted giants stand on average sixteen feet high, and weigh upwards of six tons. They are effectively immortal unless slain, and especially old inverted giants can reach truly gargantuan proportions, rivaling even the titans in size.
Ecology
Inverted giants feed on anything they can. Lacking the concentration or the wits to engage in agriculture, their food comes from hunting and gathering. Nuts, berries, fruits and animal matter all compose major parts of an inverted giant’s diet. Their jaws are very weak, so much processing of food occurs outside the body—prey is pounded with the inverted giant’s fists and dowsed with acidic spew until nothing remains but a thick paste of meat and dissolved bones which the giant then drinks.
In Leng, inverted giants are only one of a host of unimaginable horrors, and are nowhere near the top of the heap. The eerie, genius spiders of Leng weave plans around inverted giants and occasionally take an unsuspecting one as prey. Shantak-birds often rival inverted giants for both prey and territory, and the two species often battle. Inverted giants will kill and eat the subtle denizens of Leng, but those inscrutable humanoids just as often take control of inverted giants, either by magic or with bribery.
Habitat and Society
On their home plane of Leng, inverted giants behave much like the cruder giant-types native to Golarion. They tend to band together in familial groups, hunting and mating, living in caves or cyclopean ruins, and working together to make life miserable for all around them. Their minds are crude and violent, and they like nothing more to make their own entertainment by brutally torturing anything they can catch.
The first record of inverted giants comes from the histories of Thassilon, and it remains unclear if the inverted giants are true natives to Leng or merely exiles, the far-flung last survivors of Thassilonian fleshwarping magic. What is clear is that Karzoug the Claimer used inverted giants extensively in his armies—their weak minds made them perfect subjects for rune giant control. Whether Karzoug imported inverted giants from Leng or created them from normal giant stock and hid them there, few inverted giants live today in Golarion. Where they do, they are usually loners, wandering the remotest of wildernesses and subsisting on whatever they can find. Occasionally, an inverted giant will come across a whole tribe of its more mundane kin, and these loathsome monsters are often accepted—cannier giants use inverted giants as a monstrous weapon, whereas ogres and hill giants are more likely to worship one as a god.
Inverted Giant Treasure
Inverted giants are too dim to make any but the crudest of crafts—the great bags they sew out of shantak-bird hide being the most sophisticated technology they can muster. Still, inverted giants love shiny gems and coins and blatantly magical objects, and so have standard treasure in their bags. An inverted giant usually carries with it a repository of 3d4 rocks.
Inverted Giants as Characters
Inverted giants with levels in character classes favor the brutality of the barbarian, although fighters and even rogues are also represented. Any class with a full base attack bonus is considered a favored class. Inverted giants have no concept of gods, excepting the rare inverted giant that considers itself a god among ogres or hill giants, and spellcasting is practically unknown among them.
The Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting is copyright 2008 Paizo Publishing. Copyright 2008 Nicholas Herold.
Okay, yeah, this is awesome. Most of these beasties totally just come out of me having to flesh out entries into the Pathfinder Bestiary to fill out the page (that's why so many appear in the last section or last few paragraphs) so it's AWESOME to see folks taking to them and giving them some love. Keep up the awesome work (and we'll keep name dropping in PF to keep ya busy!)
Sure thing! I'm especially interested in tackling some of those fleshwarps from Endless Night... although I might want to wait until Second Darkness is actually over, to avoid potential duplication.
It's been a while since I've posted; haven't been able to muster the energy, I guess. But my energy is mustered, and I'm posting again! Another creature based on a name-drop in the Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting.
Horrorwisp
A large glowing sphere of light floats through the fog. Four long equidistant tendrils emerge from its equator, lashing in anticipation.
Horrorwisp CR 12
Usually CE Large Aberration Init +7; Senses Darkvision 60ft, Listen +24, Spot +24 Defenses AC 34, touch 30, flat-footed 27
(-1 size, +7 Dex, +4 natural, +14 deflection) hp 135 (18d8+54) Fort +9, Ref +13, Will +14 Immune magic; Defensive Abilities natural invisibility Offense Spd Fly 50ft (perfect) (10 squares) Melee 4 lightning lashes +18 touch (3d6 electricity) Special Attacks drone Space 10ft; Reach 5ft (20ft with lightning lash) Morale Before Combat Like its smaller cousins, horrorwisps prefer to lure travelers into hazardous terrain, such as thick undergrowth, quicksand, deep water or off cliffs, before engaging in combat During Combat A horrorwisp begins combat by using its drone, sending organized resistance scattering. Canny opponents, they usually fight using Combat Expertise to its fullest. Horrorwisps love to use trip and disarm attacks on victims, especially mages, as they can then use the stolen wands, staves or scrolls. Morale Horrorwisps are inherently cowardly. If reduced to 50 or less hit points, a horrorwisp goes invisible and tries to flee. Statistics Str 13, Dex 25, Con 16, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 22 Feats Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Disarm, Improved Trip, Mobility, Spring Attack, Weapon Finesse (B) Skills Bluff +27, Diplomacy +8, Disguise +6 (+8 acting), Intimidate +8, Listen +24, Search +24, Spot +24, Survival +3 (+5 following tracks), Use Magic Device +27 Base Attack +12; Grapple +17 Languages Common, Auran, Sylvan Ecology Environment Any marshes and forests or underground Organization Solitary or party (1 plus 3-6 will-o’-wisps or 4-24 evil fey) Treasure 1/10th coins, 50% goods, standard items Advancement 19-36 HD (Large) Level Adjustment— Special Abilities Drone (Su) By buzzing in multiple keys simultaneously, horrorwisps can induce fear as a standard action. Any creature within 120 feet of a droning horrorwisp that can hear the drone must succeed a DC 25 Will save or be panicked for 1 minute. On a successful save, the target is still shaken for 1 round. Creatures that succeed the save are immune to the drone of that horrorwisp for 24 hours. Other horrorwisps, will-o’-wisps and fey creatures are immune to the drone. This is a sonic, mind-influencing fear effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Immunity to Magic (Ex) A horrorwisp is immune to any spell that allows for spell resistance, except for magic missile and maze.
Lightning Lash (Ex) The tendrils of a horrorwisp allow the creature to make trip attempts, and a horrorwisp gains a +2 bonus when using its lightning lashes to disarm an opponent. Any object successfully disarmed is then held in a lightning lash—the horrorwisp can drop it as a free action.
Natural Invisibility (Ex) A horrorwisp can extinguish its glow, usually when frightened or startled. This functions as per the invisibility spell with an indefinite duration.
The final stage of a will-o’-wisp’s life cycle, horrorwisps lurk in the most remote of jungles and swamps. Like a will-o’-wisp, a horrorwisp is a cluster of fleshy, luminescent pods, capable of changing color as it sees fit and extinguishing its glow to become invisible. The average horrorwisp is six feet in diameter. Buoyed by lighter-than-air gasses, the creature weighs a mere twenty pounds.
Ecology
Very few will-o’-wisps live long enough to become horrorwisps. Although will-o’-wisps do not age as other creatures do, they are overconfident, and often find themselves the victims of adventurers they were trying to murder, or the target of purges by druids, dragons or other powerful magical enemies. But if a will-o’-wisp lives for more than a millennium, it may secrete a cocoon woven of gossamer threads and solidified fear. After a pupation period of three months, the cocoon splits and a new horrorwisp emerges.
Like their smaller kin, horrorwisps do not feed on material substances—only terror, despair and pain will appease their palate. And horrorwisps are connoisseurs of agony. They decry animals as too simple-minded for the complex fears they prefer, and a horrorwisp will “season” a potential victim for hours or days, tasting its fear before reaching a lethal crescendo.
Habitat and Society
Horrorwisps prefer remote locations in which to lair. The darkest forests, the thickest bogs and the deepest caves are all favored haunts. Being so rare, they do not seek the company of others of their kind; if a horrorwisp ever deigns to reproduce, it does so by budding, shedding off a new will-o’-wisp. Will-o’-wisps often seek out horrorwisps, however, in order to be tutored in its agony-inducing ways. Horrorwisps also enjoy the company of evil fey such as twigjacks, wicked satyrs and even the dark ice courtiers of the Witch Queen of Irrisen; the cruel children of the First World also know the depths of pleasure the torment of mortals can bring. Unlike other will-o’-wisps, horrorwisps enjoy collecting treasure, especially rods, wands, staves and scrolls, which they wield in their electrified tendrils.
Horrorwisps in Golarion
For reasons unknown, the forests of Molthune have a frighteningly high concentration of horrorwisps; four are known to live within that war-torn land’s boundaries. These four aberrations seem to be the masterminds of the armies of wicked fey that dwell in the Backar Forest, and rumor has it that every new moon they meet with powerful fey in a “Council of Light” to plan attacks on Molthuni forces. The armies of Cheliax would pay dearly for the location of the Council of Light, and the deaths of one or more of the horrorwisps.
The Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting is copyright 2008 Paizo Publishing. Copyright 2008 Nicholas Herold.
This thread's not dead! It's just... pining for the fjords. To prove its totally-not-dead nature, I've got a new creature for you all. It's inspired by a line in Into the Darklands about their White Kingdom-esque ghouls, which I found delightfully creepy. Enjoy!
Ghollo (Filth-Eater)
A pale, bloated, vaguely humanoid mass lurches towards you, its useless legs dragging behind it. Its maw is distended and filled with dozens of cracked, rotten teeth. Its dull eyes show no emotion or thought, only hunger.
Ghollo CR 4
Usually NE Medium aberration Init -1 Senses darkvision 120 ft, Listen -3, keen scent, Spot -3 Aura crippling stench (30 ft, DC 18) Defenses AC 15, touch 9, flat-footed 15
(-1 Dex, +6 natural) hp 57 (6d8+30) Fort +7, Ref +1, Will +3 Defensive Abilities blubbery, tomb-tainted; Immune disease, poison Vulnerability tomb-tainted Offenses Spd 20ft (4 squares) Melee bite +7 melee (1d6+3 plus disease) and 2 claws +5 melee (1d4+1) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Morale Before Combat although ghollos are almost mindless, they still are capable of arranging for crude ambushes, hiding near watering holes, fungal gardens and other sites of activity. During Combat a ghollo will prefer to target foes overcome with its crippling stench with its melee attacks. Beyond this, they have little to no concept of strategy. If a ghollo slays an opponent, it will stop for at least a round to feed, even if other opponents are still present. Morale ghollos have no fear of death and will attempt to gorge themselves regardless of danger. They fight until slain. Statistics Str 17, Dex 8, Con 20, Int 3, Wis 5, Cha 3 Feats Iron Will, Multiattack, Stealthy Skills Hide +7, Move Silently +6 Base Attack +4; Grapple +7 Ecology Environment Underground (Sekmina) Organization Solitary Treasure Half standard Advancement 7-12 HD (Medium), 13-18 HD (Large), 19-24 HD (Huge) Special Abilities Blubbery (Ex) The corpulent bulk of a ghollo gives it some protection against blunt weapons. All bludgeoning damage dealt to a ghollo is considered to be nonlethal.
Crippling Stench (Ex) Any creature within 30 feet of a ghollo must succeed a DC 18 Fortitude save or be dazed for 1d4 rounds from the overwhelming carrion stink. This is a poison effect—any bonus to Fortitude saves against poison applies to this save, and creatures immune to poison are likewise immune. A creature that successfully saves is immune to the crippling stench of that individual ghollo for the next 24 hours. The save DC is Constitution based.
Disease (Ex) Grave rot. Injury—bite. Fortitude DC 18 negates, incubation 1d3 days, damage 1d4 Constitution. Unlike most diseases, a victim of grave rot must succeed three Fortitude save to overcome the infection. The save DC is Constitution based.
Keen Scent (Ex) A ghollo can detect creatures through scent at a range of 180 feet and pinpoint the square of creatures within 30 feet.
Tomb-Tainted (Su) Ghollos are imbued with negative energy, much like an undead creature. A ghollo is healed by inflict spells and harmed by cure spells as if it were undead, and can be turned or rebuked as if it were an undead creature.
The most horrible thing about ghollos is not their stench, or the disease they carry, or their unceasing hunger for the flesh of both the living and the dead. The most horrible thing about ghollos is that they used to be humanoids.
The average ghollo stands only four feet tall and is as wide. They weigh at least two hundred and fifty pounds, but rumors among the ghouls of Nemret Noktoria suggest that they may grow to the size of giants.
Ecology
The ghouls of Nemret Noktoria raise in their chattel pits captive humanoids as livestock—goblinoids and grimlocks, dwarves and deep gnomes and humans—feeding them the castoffs of their own fellow victims and keeping them in a dull-minded, bloated tranquility. Occasionally, a member of one of these humanoid herds will grow violent, attacking other chattel and even their keepers in order to assuage their perpetual hunger for flesh. The ghouls are capable of putting down most of these freaks, but some have escaped into the wilds of the Darklands, which they forever scour for flesh.
Ghollos (a corruption of the noble name of “ghoul”, which the ghouls themselves despise) are stupid, yet effective predators. Their overwhelming stink incapacitates potential meals, while their numerous immunities allow them to make meals of even ghouls themselves (although most ghouls are fast and clever enough to escape predation by these eaters of filth). If no fresh meat is available for the taking, ghollos will resort to carrion, even venturing close to the surface in search of fresh graves.
Habitat and Society
Filth-eaters have no society—they are far too stupid to consider other ghollos anything but food. But still, they are somehow capable of reproducing themselves, because there are far more ghollos lumbering through Sekmina to be explainable by outbreaks of cannibal frenzy among ghoul captive stock. The drow sages of Zirnakaynin, in their studies of captive ghollo, have discovered that they reproduce by budding, growing first faces and then entire bodies out of their bulk before the parent passes into a coma and splits in half. Some filial instinct prevents the newly budded ghollo from turning on and eating their parent, although such instinct eventually fades, at least in captivity.
The drow of House Parastric are the ones with the most interest in ghollo as a resource and not as a threat, and several types of fleshcrafting poisons have been brewed using ghollo flesh and ichor as components. Other Darklands races find filth-eaters to be despicable menaces, but none devote as much resource to their destruction as do the civilized ghouls of Nemret Noktoria.
The Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting is copyright 2008 Paizo Publishing. Copyright 2008 Nicholas Herold.
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