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

[omedon]

Piratecat,

Could you please tell us what issue of Dungeon "The Kingdom of the Ghouls" and the True Ghoul Template appears in.

 

[Number47]

This is a good thought. A man-sized ghoul conglomeration of diminutive or fine creatures. It looks like an ordinary ghoul until up close, when it attacks and splits, covering the victim in tiny little ghouls. They would be easy to kill, sure, but it might take some time to kill 100 of them! Meanwhile, they are working away trying to get those natural 20s to hit you and inflict 1 point of damage but forcing a save versus paralysis.

The only problem with this creature is justifying how they created ghouls so small. In the monster manual, there are no creatures of Diminutive or Fine size, I believe. Tiny creatures like sprites could work, but wouldn't be found in the Underdark.

 

[Henry]

Don't laugh, anyone! After all, for all we know there could be a ghoul monster appearing made up of six ghoulish ogres that morph into one stone-giant-sized ghoul.

"Ghoul-formers! Merge to form Devastator!"

Of course, you also have the option of a permanently berserked troop of Ghoul dwarves, kept chained up until live flesh appears, and the Ghoul-dwarf berserkers are released to go nuts on the party.

 

[Piratecat]

Aaaah. Now Henry, you've hit the target. That's the kind of idea that scares the bejeezus out of PCs. You can't use wacky monsters all the time; if you do, they stop being scary and they start being silly. But using normal creatures in new and frightening ways... that's fun!

 

[CRGreathouse]

In the monster manual, there are no creatures of Diminutive or Fine size, I believe.

Bat and Toad come to mind.

The only mechanical problem is the save DCs - since they're HD based, in part, the itty-bitty critters would have DCs around 11, making auto-saves all too easy. Does PC use the variant rule "saves fail on natural 1s"?

 

[J'quan]

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.

Well, not exactly life... But definately a cool character. I can just see the angst builtin to her Elven nature, experiencing slow advancement through her professions; everyone knows Elves are best as wizards

 

[kaboom]

How about the troop carrier, a dire elephant ghoul that shoots bird ghouls out of it trunk?

 

[Darklone]

Hmm

If you guys look for a ghoul template, Kenzer published one for Kalamar in the Harvest of Darkness modules... Like it. Or was it a WIGHT template?

Huhuhuhu... Pkitty, now you did it with ghouls, what about wights next?

 

[Bronz Dragon]

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

Naw... just pull a cheap Power Rangers takeoff..

"Look, it's the ganGreen Ranger!"

"Form the Ghoulzhord" *squish* *splorge* *guck*

*clumsy fighting in cheap plastic suits ensues*

P.S. Sorry Henry, I hadn't read as far along as your post when I wrote this!

 

[Kamard]

How about the troop carrier, a dire elephant ghoul that shoots bird ghouls out of it trunk?

I.....must.....resist.....urge.....to....kill.....

must resist.... so hard....

*twitch twitch*