CCamfield
First Post
Months ago I asked here on the CC forums about monster abilities related to possession. Well, unfortunately I never saved those notes, but I decided to take a crack at actually creating the race I had in mind. Suggestions welcome.
Fans of Dr Who will probably figure out where I got the inspiration for this.
Meglan
Medium-Sized Monstrous Humanoid
Hit Dice: 2d8-2 (7 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft
AC: 17 (+6 natural, +1 small shield)
Attacks: Morningstar +2 melee; or Longbow +2 ranged
Damage: Morningstar 1d8; Longbow 1d8
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spines, Possession
Special Qualities: Poison Immunity, Fire Vulnerability
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +0, Will +4
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 10, Con 8, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 12
Skills: Bluff +5, Hide +3, Move Silently +3, Listen +6, Sense Motive +6, Spot +6, Wilderness Lore +6
Feats: Alertness, Iron Will
Climate/Terrain: Desert
Organization: Pod (5-10) or colony (30-80)
Challenge Rating: ?
Treasure: Normal
Alignment: Usually neutral evil
Advancement: By character class
Meglans are an intelligent bipedal race that developed from cacti deep in the desert. They are humanoid in form, but their narrow head has only a short neck, and no discernable nose or ears. Their skin is green and almost completely covered with sharp spines. Meglans are thin and stand 6' tall, typically weighing about 150 pounds. They are long-lived, maturing at an age of 30 and reaching old age at 200.
Meglans are driven by a strong instinctual desire for order and security. Left to themselves, they organize themselves in a tightly-knit hierarchical society in which every individual knows its place. Meglans are solicitous of each others? needs and live in general harmony.
However, meglans are also violently xenophobic. The presence of members of another intelligent species, or knowledge of a meglan colony in the hands of such a species, is perceived as a dangerous threat. Meglans will react to such a threat using every tactic at their disposal, which may range from simple (but well-planned) violence, to a long-term infiltration of another society with the objective of taking it over from within. While orderly amongst themselves, meglans feel absolutely no compunction about dishonourable action taken against members of other species.
When meglans gain control of a country or society, they may be content to secretly dominate the society, engineer its downfall into anarchy and chaos, or launch a series of aggressive wars in order to create an empire (once neighbouring countries are controlled, they will no longer be a threat), or to foment chaos in a wide area.
Not surprisingly, those who have clashed with meglans in the past generally react with violence, thus justifying meglans? actions to themselves.
Combat
In combat, meglans use a variety of weapons but favour morningstars - since they are spiked, like themselves - and bows. Due to their spines, they cannot wear armour.
Spines: Meglans are covered in hard, pointed spines that function much like armour spikes. A meglan does 1d6/x2 piercing damage in grapple attacks. Successfully grappling with a meglan or maintaining a grapple grants it a free attack of opportunity with its spines.
Possession: Meglans possess the ability to dominate a creature that is Large size or smaller. Possession requires a successful touch attack, and is negated if the target makes a successful Will save (DC 10 + Meglan Will save). Attempting possession requires a great deal of energy, and a Meglan can only attempt possession once per day.
If the target fails the Will save, then the meglan merges the target?s body and takes control of it. While the meglan is in control, its host appears perfectly normal to ordinary sight. (Magic detection?)
The effect of this is permanent, although the host receives a saving throw to cast out the Meglan once per week, with an additional save possible each day if the Meglan carries out actions violently against the host?s nature. As the host and Meglan?s wills battle, the host temporarily grows spines, and its skin takes on a greenish tinge.
Poison Immunity: Meglans are immune to all forms of poison.
Fire Vulnerability (Ex): A meglan takes double damage from fire attacks unless the attack allows a save, in which case it takes double damage on a failure and no damage on a success.
Meglan Characters
Meglans are sometimes druids, favouring plant companions over animals. Wizards, rogues, and rangers are also common.
Fans of Dr Who will probably figure out where I got the inspiration for this.
Meglan
Medium-Sized Monstrous Humanoid
Hit Dice: 2d8-2 (7 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft
AC: 17 (+6 natural, +1 small shield)
Attacks: Morningstar +2 melee; or Longbow +2 ranged
Damage: Morningstar 1d8; Longbow 1d8
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spines, Possession
Special Qualities: Poison Immunity, Fire Vulnerability
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +0, Will +4
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 10, Con 8, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 12
Skills: Bluff +5, Hide +3, Move Silently +3, Listen +6, Sense Motive +6, Spot +6, Wilderness Lore +6
Feats: Alertness, Iron Will
Climate/Terrain: Desert
Organization: Pod (5-10) or colony (30-80)
Challenge Rating: ?
Treasure: Normal
Alignment: Usually neutral evil
Advancement: By character class
Meglans are an intelligent bipedal race that developed from cacti deep in the desert. They are humanoid in form, but their narrow head has only a short neck, and no discernable nose or ears. Their skin is green and almost completely covered with sharp spines. Meglans are thin and stand 6' tall, typically weighing about 150 pounds. They are long-lived, maturing at an age of 30 and reaching old age at 200.
Meglans are driven by a strong instinctual desire for order and security. Left to themselves, they organize themselves in a tightly-knit hierarchical society in which every individual knows its place. Meglans are solicitous of each others? needs and live in general harmony.
However, meglans are also violently xenophobic. The presence of members of another intelligent species, or knowledge of a meglan colony in the hands of such a species, is perceived as a dangerous threat. Meglans will react to such a threat using every tactic at their disposal, which may range from simple (but well-planned) violence, to a long-term infiltration of another society with the objective of taking it over from within. While orderly amongst themselves, meglans feel absolutely no compunction about dishonourable action taken against members of other species.
When meglans gain control of a country or society, they may be content to secretly dominate the society, engineer its downfall into anarchy and chaos, or launch a series of aggressive wars in order to create an empire (once neighbouring countries are controlled, they will no longer be a threat), or to foment chaos in a wide area.
Not surprisingly, those who have clashed with meglans in the past generally react with violence, thus justifying meglans? actions to themselves.
Combat
In combat, meglans use a variety of weapons but favour morningstars - since they are spiked, like themselves - and bows. Due to their spines, they cannot wear armour.
Spines: Meglans are covered in hard, pointed spines that function much like armour spikes. A meglan does 1d6/x2 piercing damage in grapple attacks. Successfully grappling with a meglan or maintaining a grapple grants it a free attack of opportunity with its spines.
Possession: Meglans possess the ability to dominate a creature that is Large size or smaller. Possession requires a successful touch attack, and is negated if the target makes a successful Will save (DC 10 + Meglan Will save). Attempting possession requires a great deal of energy, and a Meglan can only attempt possession once per day.
If the target fails the Will save, then the meglan merges the target?s body and takes control of it. While the meglan is in control, its host appears perfectly normal to ordinary sight. (Magic detection?)
The effect of this is permanent, although the host receives a saving throw to cast out the Meglan once per week, with an additional save possible each day if the Meglan carries out actions violently against the host?s nature. As the host and Meglan?s wills battle, the host temporarily grows spines, and its skin takes on a greenish tinge.
Poison Immunity: Meglans are immune to all forms of poison.
Fire Vulnerability (Ex): A meglan takes double damage from fire attacks unless the attack allows a save, in which case it takes double damage on a failure and no damage on a success.
Meglan Characters
Meglans are sometimes druids, favouring plant companions over animals. Wizards, rogues, and rangers are also common.
Melikes. Not a Dr. Who fan, but melikes anyway. 
