Frank's Advanced monsters

neat idea. If you like advanced creatures, there's a creature in Frostburn, I think it's the Woolly Mammoth but I can't find the book, it can advance up to... I think it was around Fifty Hit Die, not positive. But it was really high. I had fun just calculating how many hit points it would have.

It might have been the Dire Polar Bear though, grrr.. wish I had the book around.

modred said:

neat idea. If you like advanced creatures, there's a creature in Frostburn, I think it's the Woolly Mammoth but I can't find the book, it can advance up to... I think it was around Fifty Hit Die, not positive. But it was really high. I had fun just calculating how many hit points it would have.

It might have been the Dire Polar Bear though, grrr.. wish I had the book around.

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It was the dire polar bear actually. It has a cap of 45 HD, winding up being a CR20. The wolly mammoth has a cap of 28 HD.

Be carefull with this one, High HD advancment does not always follow CR expectations. As always Playtest feedback is apreciated.

This thing preys on giants and whales and takes dolphins as easily as a grizzly takes salmon. A frost giant Jarl might even hire near epic PCs to deal with this menace.

Basic tactics;
Always take -20 when grappling to use only the grabbing natural weapon.
Use the snatch feat with spring attack to grab Prey with bite and Move away.
Can't grab??? Prey fighting back??? Power attack for 20. [sblock=Jäger der Riesen: 45 HD Dire polar bear] Dire polar bear, Jäger der Riesen
Gargantuan Animal
Hit Dice: 45d8 +450 +45 (697 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 50 ft. (8 squares), swim 20 ft.
Armor Class: 25 (–4 size,. +2 dex, +18 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 24
Base Attack/Grapple: +33/+68
Attack: Claw +48 (1d8+19 19-20x2 crit)
Full Attack: 2 claws +48 (3d6+19 19-20x2 crit)and bite +45 melee (4d8+9)
Power Attack: Claw +28 (1d8+39 19-20x2 crit)
Full Power Attack: 2 claws +28 (3d6+39 19-20x2 crit) and bite +25 melee (4d8+29)
Space/Reach: 20 ft./ 15 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +35, Ref +26, Will +25
Abilities: Str 48, Dex 14, Con 30, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills: Hide +15*, Listen +11, Spot +11, Swim +22
Feats: Track(b), Alertness, Improved natural armor x3, Endurance, Run, Improved Toughness, Multiattack, Combat Reflexes, improved critical claw, Snatch, Dodge, mobility, spring attack, power attack, Blind fight.
Environment: Cold plains, ice caves or glacial rifts.
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 20

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a dire polar bear must hit with a claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Skills: A dire polar bear has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line. *A polar bear’s white coat bestows a +12 racial bonus on Hide checks in snowy areas. [/sblock]

Would knocking off 9 HD on the Polar Bear to make it Colossal and putting the Monster of Legend Template be worth it?

Fishbone said:

Would knocking off 9 HD on the Polar Bear to make it Colossal and putting the Monster of Legend Template be worth it?

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Define "worth it"? If you want the maximum amount of monster while giving the least XP, just give less XP. Or use more feats from the splat books. "Hold the Line" on a big spring attacking monster is scary and the savage species feat that lets you grapple with just the one appendage at -10 rather than -20 is really brutal.

What does the template do? I recall firebreath and haste, anything else?

Fishbone said:

Would knocking off 9 HD on the Polar Bear to make it Colossal and putting the Monster of Legend Template be worth it?

Click to expand...

I'm not all that into monster advancing, but I don't remember anything about lowering hit dice making a monster bigger?

Where did that come from?

And thanks frankthedm for the monster, it's cool

modred said:

I'm not all that into monster advancing, but I don't remember anything about lowering hit dice making a monster bigger?

Where did that come from?

Click to expand...

Bigger?, no, He meant "instead of adding 9HD {+3 CR] to this animal, would applying the monster of legend template {also +3 CR] make a stronger monster." This critter normaly has 18 HD. I heard someone mention they wanted to see a moster with 50 HD from frostburn. This and a water dwelling dino were the only ones with 45HD advancement totals.

And thanks frankthedm for the monster, it's cool

Click to expand...

But just warm enough not to take double damage from fire.

To make the monster a real pain, the space creature template gives Energy resists of 20 fire and 20 cold to survive the chill of the void and the re-entry burn.

frankthedm said:

To make the monster a real pain, the space creature template gives Energy resists of 20 fire and 20 cold to survive the chill of the void and the re-entry burn.

Click to expand...

Major Idea

Use Space Creature and Axiomatic in concert

Now the alien polar bears are all parts of the Hive mind! (well within 50km anyway)

Dragon magazine may be going away soon, But lets give thanks for this delicious giant slug![Sblock=20HD Advanced Giant Slug] Advanced Giant slug Huge Vermin
Hit Dice: 20d8+45 ( 135 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft., 20’ burrow
Armor Class: 16( -2 size, +8 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +15/+31
Attack: Bite +21 melee (1d8+12 plus 1d6 acid) or Acid +14 ranged touch, 20’ range, 6d6 Acid.
Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Acid bite, Acid Spit
Special Qualities: Vermin traits, Immune Acid, Rubbery form, Saltwater Aversion
Saves: Fort +17, Ref +6, Will +6
Abilities: Str 26, Dex 10, Con 21, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 7
Skills: Move Silently +7*
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: None

COMBAT

Acid Spit (Ex): Ranged touch, 20’ range, damage 6d6 Acid. The target’s armor and clothing is also dissolved unless it makes a Reflex DC 25 save. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Acid Bite (Ex): A giant slug deals an extra 1d6 points of acid damage every time it bites an opponent.
Rubbery form (Ex): Can move through a space 10’ wide without squeezing. It may move trough an are 5 feet wide taking the standard penalties for squeezing.
Saltwater Aversion (Ex): One bucket of saltwater can scare away a giant slug. Complete immersion in saltwater is lethal to them.
Skills: *They receive a +8 racial bonus on Move silently checks.[/sblock]

Frank, that hydra is awesome! Thanks! I also went and read the link you provided, very eye-opening.

I do have a question on the giant slug posted above. It is listed as Huge, but has a facing/reach of 5'x5'? Am I missing something, or is that just a typo?

An huge zombie bear. The CR needs evaluation. The critter was spotted in a game I was playing in recently. No clue how strong it is in that game since we assumed the BBEG type guy riding it was out of our league. This is what I would guess as the "bear minimum" of what it would be.
[sblock=Undead Uberbear]
Huge Undead
Hit Dice: 34d12+3 (224 HP) {292HP if made near an evil god's desecrated altar]
Initiative: -1
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 21 (-2 size, -1 Dex, +14 natural), touch 7, flat-footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +17 / +41
Attack: Claw +31 melee (2d6+16) or Slam +31 Melee (2d6+24) or bite +13 melee (3d8+8)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft.
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +19
Abilities: Str 42, Dex 9, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 1
Feats: Toughness

Single Actions Only (Ex): Zombies have poor reflexes and can perform only a single move action or attack action each round. A zombie can move up to its speed and attack in the same round, but only if it attempts a charge.
-Darkvision out to 60 feet.
-Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).
-Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, and death effects.
-Not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability drain, or energy drain. Immune to damage to its physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution), as well as to fatigue and exhaustion effects.
-Cannot heal damage on its own if it has no Intelligence score, although it can be healed. Negative energy (such as an inflict spell) can heal undead creatures. 292 if madecccc
-Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless).
-Uses its Charisma modifier for Concentration checks.
-Not at risk of death from massive damage, but when reduced to 0 hit points or less, it is immediately destroyed..
-Undead do not breathe, eat, or sleep.[/sblock]