Challenging my high-lvl group (NPCs and monsters; my players shouldn't read this!)

[omedon]

Congratulations Piratecat!

This is the coolest new monster I have seen all year. I hope it shows up in OSM 3.

Which gives me an idea. Can you say psionic necropedes?

[Plane Sailing]

Another idea is a minimalised version of the necropede - One of the true ghoul humans which they fight could actually be composed of hundreds of ghoulish rats (or equivalent diminutive humanoids) - once that is "killed" it breaks into a swarm of tiny little paralysing b****rs.

BTW, I would have thought that the 80 true ghouls could have a more devastating effect than the necropede - with so many extra chances to roll a 1 on a save...

[Piratecat]

Originally posted by Plane Sailing
BTW, I would have thought that the 80 true ghouls could have a more devastating effect than the necropede - with so many extra chances to roll a 1 on a save...

True! But remember, it isn't combat optimized. It's tunnel burrowing and large-scale transport optimized. Big difference!

Mmmm, ghoulish rats. They pop when you turn 'em!

[Kid Charlemagne]

I'm going to offer a couple of nasty creatures that I've seen used from the player side of things (so no stat details). They're somewhat similar, but both cool.

In a horror game I played in, we faced off against a bunch of zombies who were actually just the shells of bodies animated by a colony of insects. Look in their eyes and all you see is bugs crawling around. This was a modern game, they weren't a major threat. Neat quirk; they recharged their batteries (so to speak) by listening to the sounds of radios and TV's turned to static.

In a 1st edition game, we dealt with a group of creatures called "Brain Ghouls". They were a collective of ghoulish creatures that expanded by virtue of little sluggish things that would leap out from them and try to burrow into your brain. They then could communicate telepathically with each other. They were vulnerable to being disrupted at the center of the "network," the "hive brain" if you will. They took over an entire city of over 20,000 people in that game.

[Fajitas]

Originally posted by maddman75
something with an exoskeleton should have skeletons in it

Actually, something with an exoskeleton should, by definition, have skeletons outside it.

In other news, I've decided I'm now inordinately fond of the word "exoskeleton". PC, next time I play Shara, can she have an exoskeleton? Except, like, not in an undead way.

[J'quan]

Spectral, or Wraith Stirges.

Nothing like the gift that keeps on giving.

2-L bottle with a hyperdermic needle, draining you every which way.

[Gideon]

So every one here is just mean. Someday in the future your DM is gonna hit you upside the head with some big undead thing and you should remember all of these ideas.

Like right now in a game i play in the undead are overrunning the world.
But since my DM doesn't read here I think you should at some point show the ghouls at play. Since they seem to be inteligent. Maybe they are "playing" with their meal or something.

I will let the big scary monsters to more experienced minds than mine. But i know that will piss of your goody goody charachters, and let the bold run straight into some devious trap.

[Shamat]

Here's a ghoulish idea:

A giant that has thousands of arms protruding from it. These arms aren't grafted onto the giant, rather, there are ghouls inside of it. After a bunch of damage has been dealt, the ghouls burst out of the skin of the giant.

Idea #2: Elite Ghoulish infantry:
This type of ghoul would be four armed and six legged. It would have ankheg skin grafted to its flesh for extra defense. Furthermore, it would be able to use its paralyzing ability as a breath attack.

Idea #3: Lord of the Flies:
A decaying ghoul that has flies crawling all over it. After it strikes, the flies travel onto the victim to lay its eggs, which could hatch into something appropriately nasty. It could also fly if all of the flies team up together to lift it off the ground.

I hope I've contributed something appropriate.

[Siridar]

Originally posted by Fajitas


Actually, something with an exoskeleton should, by definition, have skeletons outside it.

An exoskeleton comprised of bones on the outside (duh) with ghoulish musculature. Hmmm. What if the exoskeleton could grapple with player and 'bearhug' them against the sharp bony protrusions of the exoskeleton while the ghoulish arms reach out and touch someone?

[BBQ Man]

How about a gigantic ooze made from ghoul heads.

just imagine, a huge moving wave of magically 'liquid' decaying groaning heads. (like a ball pit with air being forced in to increase it's liquid properties)

heheh

Edit: oooh, this could be considered 'recycling' truly dead ghoul parts, so one made purely out of hands could make sense as well, and since the above creature has no 'stomach' it can't ever be even remotely satisfied, thousands of starving ghoul heads sliding like an avalanche towards a party... love it. oh, and if this isn't dangerous enough, give it a banshee wail attack, or some other sound based attack as well.

Edit2: and this got me thinking of bodies of water made out of ghoul heads, and from there.. get this... a 'water elemental' but made from ghoul heads. like the ooze in properties, but more sentient, and capable of rudimentary form of morphing, so it could walk, or slide, or seem as though its just a bunch of floating heads in a large pool of water.

need to make some stats....

BBQ Man

[Piratecat]

Originally posted by Fajitas
In other news, I've decided I'm now inordinately fond of the word "exoskeleton". PC, next time I play Shara, can she have an exoskeleton? Except, like, not in an undead way.

Let me quote KidCthulhu. "Oh, good. All Shara needs is a hard, bitter outer shell."

The rest of these posts are filled with good ideas. I'll need a good, fast, multi-legged attack beast.... and the ghoulhead slime is creepy!

[Moleculo]

What about a gargantuan undead that carries a shrine (read unhallowed) on its back. Maybe like an undead dragonturtle with a small temple as its shell, or an atlas like zombie that carries a large structure on its back. Perhaps a giant died and some unwitting cultists built a temple on top of it and it animated. heh far fetched i know!

What about an undead pheonix or a gelantinous cube that was undead with ghouls inside that would strike at a captured foe. And for just strangeness, an awakened Dire Rat lich wizard!! hehe that would be the best.

jake

[Piratecat]

Wanna know who they're fighting right now? Here's a preview! Remember, standard rules about no spoilers in the story hour applies... but feel free to kibitz here! From my notes....

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Arballine “The grinning death”

True ghoul/elf: ranger 5, rogue 2, deepwoods sniper 10. Alignment NE

HD: 20d12 (135 hp)

S 14 +2
D 26 +8
C -- --
I 14 +2
W 16 +3
CH 20 +5


AC: 38 (+5 natural, +8 dex, +6 armor, +5 deflection, +4 haste)

Belongings: +4 mighty bone longbow of hunting (14 str) (doubles bonuses vs chosen enemy, +4 to hit, +6 to dmg); 100 +3 bone arrows; +5 flayed skin armor (+6 to AC); ring of deflection +5, cloak of the bat, 10 potions of haste

Fort: +4+3 = +7 (not affected)
Ref: +4+7+3=+14+8 = +22
Will: +1+3=+4+3 = +7

BAB: +10/+5

Longbow/ +3 arrows vs humans: +29/+24 or +27/+27/+22 (rapid shot), 1d8+13 (17-20/x5) +1d6

Longbow/+3 arrows vs other races: +25/+20 or +23/+23/+18(rapid shot), 1d8+9 (18-20/x5)

265’ range; +4 to hit (aim), +1 hit/dmg if within 30’, + true strike?, +1d6 sneak attack dmg?

Bite +12, 1d8+2; claw +12, 1d6+2

Special class abilities:
2 favored enemies (humans +2, drow +1), keen arrows, +100’ range, concealment reduction 30%, magic weapon 1/day, safe poison use, take aim (+4), consistent aim 3/day (reroll miss), true strike 1/day; sneak attack +1d6; evasion

Feats:
Track, Weapon focus (longbow) (+1 to hit), point blank shot (+1 to hit and dmg within 30’), far shot (range x1.5), rapid shot (extra shot per round at -2 on all), precise shot (no penalty for melee fire), favored enemy strike (+1d6 dmg to favored enemies), favored critical (doubled crit range vs favored enemies), improved critical (doubled crit range)

Skills:
Balance +16, Climb +13 (Str), Craft (bowmaking) +6 (Int), Hide +37 (Dex), Intuit Direction +7 (Wis), Jump +10 (Str), Knowledge (nature) (Int) +6, Listen +25 (Wis), Move Silently +27 (Dex), Spot +27 (Wis), and Wilderness Lore +9 (Wis).

Undead special abilities:

Paralysis (Ex): Those hit by a true ghoul's bite or claw attack must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC equals 10 plus half the creature's HD plus its Charisma bonus) or be paralyzed for 2d6+6 minutes. Elves are not immune to a true ghoul's paralysis.

Grave-Rot (Su): The fangs, claws, and weapons of true ghouls are contaminated with the filth of the grave and may spread disease. At the end of combat, anyone who took damage from the true ghoul's claw, bite, or melee weapon attack must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 15) or contract grave-rot: Onset time 1 day, damage 1d6 hit points of damage each day until cured or the victim makes a successful Fortitude Save. Victims are allowed a new saving throw each day. Victims reduced to 0 hit points by grave-rot are transformed into true ghouls.

Strength Damage (Su): A true ghoul with 6 or more HD also deals 1 point of temporary Strength damage to a living foe. A creature reduced to Strength 0 by a true ghoul dies.

Create Spawn (Su): In most cases, true ghouls devour those they kill. From time to time, however, the bodies of their humanoid victims lie where they fell. Slain victims who fail a Fortitude Saving Throw (DC 15) become normal ghouls, while those who succeed arise as true ghouls. If a true ghoul cleric is present, the victim receives a +4 bonus to the saving throw. Casting protection from evil on a body before the end of that time averts the transformation.

Special Qualities: A true ghoul has all the special qualities of the base creature, plus darkvision with a range of 60 feet. They are resistant to physical blows and have the qualities of being undead. More powerful true ghouls also gain the ability to animate dead and summon shadows.

Resistant to Blows (Ex): Physical attacks deal only half damage to true ghouls. Apply this effect before damage reduction.

Undead: Immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and disease. Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, energy drain, or death from massive damage.

Turn Resistance: True ghouls of up to 6 HD possess +2 turn resistance. True ghouls of 6-9 HD possess +3 turn resistance. True ghouls with 10 or more HD possess +4 turn resistance.

Animate Dead (Su): A true ghoul with 8 or more HD can animate dead once per week. The total HD of skeletons or zombies created by a single use of this ability cannot exceed the true ghoul's HD. There is no limit to the amount of undead that the true ghoul can control through use of this ability.

Summon Shadows (Su): A true ghoul with 10 or more HD can summon 1d3 shadows once per day. The shadows arrive in 1 round and serve for 10 rounds or until released.

[Victim]

What happened to the archer's base attack? As far as I know, becoming undead wouldn't affect it, and from the classes it should be +16. Also, as is, even hasted it couldn't launch the 5 arrows at Malachite.

[Piratecat]

Whoops! That should be 4 arrows. I'll change the story hour.

According to the template, the BAB gets nerfed down to that of undead: 1/2 hit dice. A shame, eh? But that's life.

[DoctorB]

Great stuff!
I like the idea of creatures that are group intelligences.
What advantages would it give to have 100 ghouls who thought as one? Imagine them moving in perfect unison.

[Twinswords]

why not use ghoul walls. Imagine a whole castle turning against the party. You could disguise them with mud?

Twinswords
Two swords are better then one

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Hmm, i'm thinking i'll try a true ghoul, dire elephant. That aught to make an impact!

[Urbanmech]

It is probably a good thing for your PC's that the true ghoul template nerfs the base attack or else the archer would be even more horrorific. As for future beastie ideas try basing the creatures/conglomerations on other animals people are usually afraid of. Spiders, scorpions, bats, snakes, sharks (tough to do with no water), slimy things (jellyfish, slugs, snails) etc. Maybe something like the flail snail from fiend folio, but instead of flails it has ghoulish limbs or torsos for multiple attacks.

[Crothian]

A ghoulish giant flying jelly fish could be really cool, me thinks.