Stat a frost giant sorcerer? (and lokiskinder template)
I admit; this is a completely self-serving request. I'm compiling a (free) pdf of my d20 creations of the past 9 years, and trying to finish up sample monsters for the templates. Unfortunately, I no longer have the time or energy to tackle the more complex stat blocks...such as the frost giant sorcerer below. There are hints that she started off as a ranger, but I cannot untangle what came from the ranger and what came from the giant, or what should be added for a sorcerer. So...
Can anyone whip this giant into shape for me? The Lokiskinder template is copied below for reference.
Nari CR 15
Female Frost Giant Lokiskinder Sorcerer 5
CE Large Giant (Chaotic, Cold, Shapechanger) Init +3; Senses Low-light vision; Listen +, Spot + Languages Common, Draconic Str 31/+10, Dex 16/+3, Con 24/+7, Int 12/+1, Wis 12/+1, Cha 19/+4 AC 25, touch 12, flat-footed 21 (–1 size, +3 Dex, +9 natural, +4 chain shirt) hp 195 (14d8+5d4+119) Immune cold Fort +, Ref +, Will + Weaknesses vulnerable to fire Spd 40 ft (8 squares) Melee Huge greataxe +18/+13 (3d6+13/x3) or Melee 2 slams +18 (1d4+9) or Ranged rock +9 (2d6+9) Space 10 ft; Reach 10 ft Base Atk +13; Grp +25 Atk Options Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder, Power Attack Special Actions Pounce Spell-Like Abilities (CL 17):
3/day – baleful polymorph, disguise self, mislead, nondetection, polymorph, seeming, silent image.
1/day – mirage aracana, shapechange. Special QualitiesMixed blood Feats Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Endurance, Track Skills Bluff +4, Climb +, Craft (any one) +, Disguise +4, Intimidate +, Jump +, Spot Environment Warm hills Organization Solitary, pair, or flight (3–6) Treasure Standard Advancement 8–10 HD (Huge); 11–21 HD (Gargantuan) Rock Throwing (Ex): The range increment is 120 feet for a frost giant’s thrown rocks.
Giants are renowned for their strength and physical power, but less well known is their skill at deception and misdirection. This quality, the legacy of the earliest ages, has been spread throughout the giant races and further. Appearance Changes
Lokiskinder have a certain roguish air to them, but otherwise appear as normal members of their race. Creating a Lokiskinder
“Lokiskinder” is an inherited template that can be added to any giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher (referred to hereafter as the base creature).
A lokiskinder uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here. Size and Type: The creature’s type is unchanged. It gains the chaotic subtype, even if its alignment is not chaotic. It gains the shapechanger subtype. Size is unchanged. Special Attacks: A lokiskinder has all the special attacks of the base creature, plus the following special qualities. ·Spell-Like Abilities: A lokiskinder with an Intelligence or Wisdom score of 8 or higher has two or more spell-like abilities, depending on its Hit Dice, as indicated on the table below. The abilities are cumulative
Unless otherwise noted, an ability is usable three times per day. Caster level equals the creature’s HD, and the save DC is Charisma-based. HD Abilities 1–4
Disguise self, silent image 5–8
Nondetection, polymorph 9–12
Baleful polymorph, mirage arcana (1/day) 13–14
Mislead, seeming 17–20
Shapechange (1/day)
Special Qualities: A lokiskinder has all the special qualities of the base creature, plus the following special qualities. ·+3 bonus to Will saves versus Enchantment spells and abilities. Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Dex +4, Con +2, Int +2, Chr +4. Skills: Lokiskinder gain a +4 racial bonus to Bluff and Disguise checks. Challenge Rating: HD 8 or less, as base creature +2. HD 9 or more, as base creature +3. Alignment: Always non-lawful. Level Adjustment: HD 8 or less, as base creature +3; HD 9 or more, as base creature +3
Ummm, you're saying that you had a frost giant ranger, stripped off the ranger levels, and added sorc levels, but you think you missed taking out some of the ranger stuff?
If I have time (sigh, not too likely today, though), I can try to help, but it's probably going to be easier to start over with a frost giant and add the template and sorc levels from scratch.
Ummm, you're saying that you had a frost giant ranger, stripped off the ranger levels, and added sorc levels, but you think you missed taking out some of the ranger stuff?
I started it two or three years ago; I'm not sure anymore why the ranger stuff is in there. I suspect I may have yanked the basic stats from somewhere else, but darned if I can remember - and the lack of documentation makes that questionable, since I usually note whenever I do that.
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If I have time (sigh, not too likely today, though), I can try to help, but it's probably going to be easier to start over with a frost giant and add the template and sorc levels from scratch.
Probably; that's why I threw the template up. Frankly, I don't even remember why I had sorcerer levels tacked on, except because it was cool. Ah, and probably to take advantage of the CHR boost. If you have time, it'd be incredible and I'd be forever grateful - and you'd get a FREE copy of the pdf (which will be free). But yours would be extra free.
You seem to have the 15-16HD SLAs missing from your table in the template.... Just a question, though, should the lokiskinder really have the shapechanger subtype if it's from an SLA and not alternate form/change shape?
You seem to have the 15-16HD SLAs missing from your table in the template.... Just a question, though, should the lokiskinder really have the shapechanger subtype if it's from an SLA and not alternate form/change shape?
So I do. And...probably not. I've got to run right now, but I'll post changes tonight. Thank you.
Well, upon reflection, I think the shapechanger subtype can go either way. I suppose if you want the rare spell or effect that only works on shapechangers to work on these, you should keep it.
I'll start working on a lokiskinder frost giant w/o the sorc levels first. This one will use the average array, and I'll rejigger to the elite array for the sorc, so you can use the one you prefer.
Lokiskinder Frost Giant Large Giant (Chaotic, Cold) Hit Dice: 14d8+84 (147 hp) Initiative: +1 Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares) Armor Class: 23 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +9 natural, +4 chain shirt) touch 9, flat-footed 22 Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+23 Attack: greataxe +18 melee (3d6+13/x3) or slam +18 melee (1d4+9) or rock +11 ranged (2d6+9) Full Attack: greataxe +18/+13 melee (3d6+13/x3) or 2 slams +18 melee (1d4+9) or rock +11 ranged (2d6+9) Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Rock throwing, Spell-like Abilities Special Qualities: Immunity to cold, low-light vision, rock catching, vulnerability to fire, enchantment resistance Saves: Fort +15, Ref +5, Will +6 (+9 vs enchantments) Abilities: Str 29, Dex 13, Con 23, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 15 Skills: Bluff +6, Climb +13, Craft (any one) +7, Disguise +6, Intimidate +8, Jump +17, Spot +12 Feats: Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder, Power Attack Environment: Cold mountains Organization: ... Challenge Rating: 12 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Often chaotic evil Advancement: By character class Level Adjustment: +7
Enchantment Resistance (Ex?): A lokiskinder frost giant has a +3 bonus to Will saves made against enchantment effects. Rock Throwing (Ex): The range increment is 120 feet for a frost giant’s thrown rocks. Spell-like Abilities (Sp):3/day - baleful polymorph (DC17), disguise self, mislead (DC 18), nondetection (DC 15), polymorph, seeming (DC 17), silent image (DC 13); 1/day - mirage arcana (DC 17)
Caster level 14th. The save DCs are Charisma-based. Skills: Lokiskinder frost giants receive a +4 racial bonus on Bluff and Disguise checks.
Well, upon reflection, I think the shapechanger subtype can go either way. I suppose if you want the rare spell or effect that only works on shapechangers to work on these, you should keep it.
I'll start working on a lokiskinder frost giant w/o the sorc levels first. This one will use the average array, and I'll rejigger to the elite array for the sorc, so you can use the one you prefer.
Lokiskinder Frost Giant Large Giant (Chaotic, Cold, Shapechanger) Hit Dice: 14d8+84 (147 hp) Initiative: +1 Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares) Armor Class: 23 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +9 natural, +4 chain shirt) touch 9, flat-footed 22 Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+23 Attack: Huge greataxe +18 melee (3d6+13/x3) or slam +18 melee (1d4+9) or rock +11 ranged (2d6+9) Full Attack: Huge greataxe +18/+13 melee (3d6+13/x3) or 2 slams +18 melee (1d4+9) or rock +9 ranged (2d6+9) Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
... Abilities: Str 29, Dex 13, Con 23, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 15
Will finish in a bit...
Awesome, thanks. I haven't figured out the missing powers yet, and I've got to pack & drive 7 hours, but I'll hopefully remember to take a look at it later tonight.
Ditch the shapechanger subtype; it doesn't add anything right now, and there are a number of other creatures (dragons, ogre magi) with similar shapechange abilities that don't have it. It just invokes unnecessary questions.
I believe the regular frost giant is done now. I gave the save bonus vs enchantments a name (though not a good one). I picked that as being Ex, but I'm not sure if that should be a racial or morale bonus.
Also, I left polymorph in, but perhaps you want to break that out and turn it into change shape or alter self. That would be more 3.5-ish, I think.
I believe the regular frost giant is done now. I gave the save bonus vs enchantments a name (though not a good one). I picked that as being Ex, but I'm not sure if that should be a racial or morale bonus.
Also, I left polymorph in, but perhaps you want to break that out and turn it into change shape or alter self. That would be more 3.5-ish, I think.
Still awesome. I'll think about the polymorph problem - I was thinking about it today, and wondering if there was a good way to slim down the powers list/eliminate redundant abilities. Unfortunately, I was driving, so it was hard to flip through my rulebooks and notes at the same time.
I think polymorph really depends on whether you think the polymorph spell is a problem, but it's not really a big deal in this context.
It doesn't really bother me, and there's a good chance it will just stay - I'm really just trying to exorcise my conscience of all my half-finished projects by putting the (more or less) finished parts together into a frankenstein's monster-like whole. If it references slightly older rules, tough for people - most of it was written in slightly older times. I decided to update the state blocks to the "current" format because I really like it, but that's about as much effort as I'm going to put in to it (and I got nothing done in the past few days, so I'm even behind on that). Still, templates are the hardest part, and I'm mostly done - just dump feats and magic items and mosnters in, and it'll be good. And free.
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Any customization thoughts on the sorc? Like spell lists, feats, etc? I'll start that today, I think.
Anything that synergizes well with existing abilities, or provides a strong new "schtick" or theme, so it's not just another frost giant.
Here's the start, copied from above. Things changed to final form have bolded headings.
Nari, Lokiskinder Frost Giant Sorcerer 5 Large Giant (Chaotic, Cold) Hit Dice: 14d8+5d4+95 (170 hp) Initiative: +3 Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares) Armor Class: 24 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +9 natural, +4 mage armor) touch 12, flat-footed 21 Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+25 Attack: greataxe +20 melee (3d6+13/x3) or slam +20 melee (1d4+9) or rock +15 ranged (2d6+9) Full Attack: greataxe +20/+13 melee (3d6+13/x3) or 2 slams +20 melee (1d4+9) or rock +15 ranged (2d6+9) Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Rock throwing, Spell-like Abilities, Spells Special Qualities: Immunity to cold, low-light vision, rock catching, vulnerability to fire, enchantment resistance, summon familiar Saves: Fort +15, Ref +8, Will +11 (+14 vs enchantments) Abilities: Str 29, Dex 17, Con 21, Int 15, Wis 16, Cha 20 Skills: Appraise +5 (+7 for woodcarvings), Bluff +14, Climb +22, Concentration +18 (+22 casting defensively), Craft (woodcarving) +20, Diplomacy +7, Disguise +9 (+11 acting in character), Intimidate +20, Listen +5, Sleight of Hand +5, Spellcraft +7, Spot +18, Use Magic Device +5 (+7 related to scrolls) Feats: AlertnessB, Cleave, Combat Casting, Craft Wand, Extend Spell, Great Cleave, Power Attack, Scribe Scroll, Skill Focus (Appraise)B Environment: Cold mountains Organization: ...
Challenge Rating: 12 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Chaotic evil Advancement: - Level Adjustment: -
Enchantment Resistance (Ex): A lokiskinder frost giant has a +3 bonus to Will saves made against enchantment effects. Summon Familiar (Su): Nari has a raven familiar. Rock Throwing (Ex): The range increment is 120 feet for a frost giant’s thrown rocks. Spells (Sp): Nari is a 5th level sorcerer. Spells Known (6,8,5; save DC 15 + spell level)
0th - ghost sounds, detect magic, light, mage hand, open/close, read magic
1st - mage armor, magic missile, shocking grasp, true strike
2nd - locate object, spider climb
Nari usually casts an extended mage armor any day she expects to be in danger. This has been included in her stat block. Spell-like Abilities (Sp): 3/day - baleful polymorph (DC17), disguise self, mislead (DC 18), nondetection (DC 15), polymorph, seeming (DC 17), silent image (DC 13); 1/day - mirage arcana (DC 17), shapechange
Caster level 19th. The save DCs are Charisma-based. Skills: Lokiskinder frost giants receive a +4 racial bonus on Bluff and Disguise checks. The raven familiar grants a +3 bonus on Appraise checks (listed as Skill Focus (Appraise) as a bonus feat) within one mile and Alertness as a bonus feat when within arm's reach. This benefit is included in the stat block above.
I chose spells to bolster melee, magic missile for close ranged attacks, and a few other spells to help with rogue-ish activities (I get that vibe from the template, and she seems like a buff thief/assassin type to me).
Skill ranks are Bluff 0+5, Climb 13+0, Concentration 8+5, Craft (woodcarving) 13+5, Intimidate 13+0, Spellcraft 0+5, Spot 13+0 giant+sorc ranks.
total ranks: 68 giant ranks, 20 sorc ranks
Synergies: Appraise from Craft; Diplomacy, Disguise, Intimidate, SoH from Bluff; Use Magic Device from Spellcraft.
I'm calling the Appraise bonus from the familiar Skill Focus (Appraise)B.
Nari figured she wanted to be a sorcerer sometime in her racial HD and picked up Combat Casting and Extend Spell early.
I noticed that Sovelior & Sage have an error in the frost giant statblock; it should just be a greataxe, not a Huge greataxe.
Or send me some XP. 
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