Servitor of Wrath
First Post
Still needs CR and LA adjustments. Suggestions, please?
Dark Lord is a template that can be applied to any intelligent creature of evil alignment. Changes to the creature’s statistics are as follows:
Size and Type: The base creature’s type does not change, but it gains the Evil subtype. Size is unchanged.
Hit Dice: Increase to d20. Dark lords have maximum hit points per hit die.
Speed: Triple the base creature’s speed. The dark lord gains a fly speed equal to its land speed or the base creature’s fly speed, whichever is greater. All dark lords have perfect maneuverability.
Armor Class: Natural armor improves by +10. Dark lords gain a profane bonus to Armor Class equal to their Charisma bonus and an insight bonus to Armor Class equal to their Wisdom bonus.
Attacks: A dark lord's base attack bonus is increased to be equal to its total HD. All natural attacks the base creature possessed have their damage increased by three steps. A dark lord also gains a touch attack that deals 1d8 points of vile damage per HD of the dark lord. Dark lords may use manufactured or natural weapons in place of this touch attack; those that do so deal an additional 1d8 points of vile damage per HD on a successful attack.
Space/Reach: A dark lord’s reach doubles (see the shadow’s reach ability), but its space is unchanged.
Special Attacks: The dark lord retains all special attacks of the base creature and also gains the following special attacks:
Armaments of Doom (Sp): A dark lord’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are considered to be epic and evil weapons and have the invincible (1), soul stealing (1), and unholy power abilities.
Butcher the Weak (Ex): A dark lord gains a +20 morale bonus to all attack and damage rolls against creatures with fewer hit dice than it. Furthermore, all critical threats against such creatures are automatically confirmed and deal maximum damage.
Command (Ex): A dark lord may command the fealty of any creature of its base creature type within earshot. Creatures that fail a Will save are subject to the dark lord’s every demand, although suicidal or obviously harmful tasks elicit another Will save. Once a creature successfully saves, it is forever immune to the command of that dark lord. Save DCs are Charisma-based.
Death Throes (Ex): If killed, a dark lord explodes, dealing 1d20 points of permanent damage (2) per hit die (no save) to all creatures within 50 ft per HD of the dark lord.
Frightful Glare (Su): Gaze attack, range 10 ft per HD. Affected creatures must succeed on a Will save or be paralyzed with fear for 2d10 rounds. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.
Rebuke Undead (Su): A dark lord can rebuke undead as an evil cleric of a level equal to its HD.
Retributive Curse (Su): When a dark lord is killed, all creatures who had a hand in the dark lord’s demise are subject to a bestow curse effect (no save) and must succeed at a Will save or suffer a bestow greater curse effect. The being that actually killed the dark lord automatically receives both curses and must succeed at a Will save at a -4 penalty or suffer a bestow malediction (3) effect that can never be removed. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Shadow’s Reach (Su): When a dark lord engages in combat, a large, faint, shadow version of itself appears around it. This larger image strikes as the dark lord does, effectively doubling its reach.
Spell-like Abilities: Caster level equal to the dark lord's CR or existing caster level, whichever is higher. Save DCs are Charisma-based. Spell-like abilities usable at will—bestow curse, black blade of disaster, deeper darkness, detect good, dominate person, enervation, greater planar binding, plane shift, raise dead, summon monster IX (evil creatures only), telekinesis, true seeing, unhallow, unholy blight, wall of pain (4), wrack; 5/day—bestow greater curse, blasphemy, energy drain, dominate monster, gate, mindrape, pain circuit (5), resurrection, shades, soul bind, wish; 1/day—bestow malediction (3), eclipse, dragon strike, evil weather, rain of blood (6), true resurrection; 1/month—apocalypse from the sky.
Summon Fiends (Sp): Three times per day a dark lord may summon an evil outsider with equal or fewer hit dice than the dark lord or multiple evil outsiders with combined hit dice equal to or less than twice the dark lord’s hit dice, with no one fiend having more than half the dark lord’s hit dice. Unique beings can be summoned, but they are entitled to a Will save to resist the summons. This is the equivalent of an epic spell. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Special Qualities: A dark lord retains all special qualities of the base creature and also gains the following special qualities:
Blindsight 200 ft.
Damage reduction 50/epic and good.
Darkvision equal to the dark lord’s normal vision.
Fast healing 50.
Immunity to death effects, disease, mind-affecting effects, poison, starvation, and suffocation.
Resistance 50 to acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic damage.
Spell Resistance equal to the dark lord’s CR +20.
Immortal (Ex): Dark lords do not age.
Irredeemable (Ex): A dark lord’s alignment cannot be shifted away from evil by any means.
Limited Regeneration (Ex): A dark lord regrows severed limbs in 1d6+1 rounds. It does not immediately die if its head is severed.
Master of Corruption (Ex): A dark lord that can cast spells is immune to corruption damage.
Master of Dark Words (Ex): A dark lord has perfect command of the Dark Speech and never suffers ability damage from its use.
Omnicompetent (Ex): A dark lord knows all skills and has maximum ranks in all skills.
Remold (Ex): Any creature the dark lord kills and restores to life has its alignment shifted to evil and is under the command of the dark lord.
See in Darkness (Su): A dark lord can see perfectly in any darkness, even magical darkness.
Saves: A dark lord adds its Charisma bonus to all saving throws.
Abilities: Str +60, Dex +30, Con +40, Int +30, Wis +20, Cha +50.
Skills: See the omnicompetent ability.
Feats: A dark lord gains Cleave, Dark Speech, Epic Leadership, Leadership, Epic Reputation, Great Cleave, Polyglot, and Power Attack as bonus feats.
Alignment: Always evil.
Challenge Rating: As base creature plus []
Level Adjustment: As base creature plus []
(1) See the Advanced Gamemaster's Guide, or replace with vorpal/brutal, wounding, and adamantine.
(2) See the Epic Bestiary, or replace with vile damage.
(3) See Wrath and Rage, or replace with two bestow greater curses.
(4) See Plot & Poison, or replace with symbol of pain.
(5) See Wrath and Rage, or replace with destruction.
(6) See Testament, or replace with despoil.
Dark Lord is a template that can be applied to any intelligent creature of evil alignment. Changes to the creature’s statistics are as follows:
Size and Type: The base creature’s type does not change, but it gains the Evil subtype. Size is unchanged.
Hit Dice: Increase to d20. Dark lords have maximum hit points per hit die.
Speed: Triple the base creature’s speed. The dark lord gains a fly speed equal to its land speed or the base creature’s fly speed, whichever is greater. All dark lords have perfect maneuverability.
Armor Class: Natural armor improves by +10. Dark lords gain a profane bonus to Armor Class equal to their Charisma bonus and an insight bonus to Armor Class equal to their Wisdom bonus.
Attacks: A dark lord's base attack bonus is increased to be equal to its total HD. All natural attacks the base creature possessed have their damage increased by three steps. A dark lord also gains a touch attack that deals 1d8 points of vile damage per HD of the dark lord. Dark lords may use manufactured or natural weapons in place of this touch attack; those that do so deal an additional 1d8 points of vile damage per HD on a successful attack.
Space/Reach: A dark lord’s reach doubles (see the shadow’s reach ability), but its space is unchanged.
Special Attacks: The dark lord retains all special attacks of the base creature and also gains the following special attacks:
Armaments of Doom (Sp): A dark lord’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are considered to be epic and evil weapons and have the invincible (1), soul stealing (1), and unholy power abilities.
Butcher the Weak (Ex): A dark lord gains a +20 morale bonus to all attack and damage rolls against creatures with fewer hit dice than it. Furthermore, all critical threats against such creatures are automatically confirmed and deal maximum damage.
Command (Ex): A dark lord may command the fealty of any creature of its base creature type within earshot. Creatures that fail a Will save are subject to the dark lord’s every demand, although suicidal or obviously harmful tasks elicit another Will save. Once a creature successfully saves, it is forever immune to the command of that dark lord. Save DCs are Charisma-based.
Death Throes (Ex): If killed, a dark lord explodes, dealing 1d20 points of permanent damage (2) per hit die (no save) to all creatures within 50 ft per HD of the dark lord.
Frightful Glare (Su): Gaze attack, range 10 ft per HD. Affected creatures must succeed on a Will save or be paralyzed with fear for 2d10 rounds. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.
Rebuke Undead (Su): A dark lord can rebuke undead as an evil cleric of a level equal to its HD.
Retributive Curse (Su): When a dark lord is killed, all creatures who had a hand in the dark lord’s demise are subject to a bestow curse effect (no save) and must succeed at a Will save or suffer a bestow greater curse effect. The being that actually killed the dark lord automatically receives both curses and must succeed at a Will save at a -4 penalty or suffer a bestow malediction (3) effect that can never be removed. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Shadow’s Reach (Su): When a dark lord engages in combat, a large, faint, shadow version of itself appears around it. This larger image strikes as the dark lord does, effectively doubling its reach.
Spell-like Abilities: Caster level equal to the dark lord's CR or existing caster level, whichever is higher. Save DCs are Charisma-based. Spell-like abilities usable at will—bestow curse, black blade of disaster, deeper darkness, detect good, dominate person, enervation, greater planar binding, plane shift, raise dead, summon monster IX (evil creatures only), telekinesis, true seeing, unhallow, unholy blight, wall of pain (4), wrack; 5/day—bestow greater curse, blasphemy, energy drain, dominate monster, gate, mindrape, pain circuit (5), resurrection, shades, soul bind, wish; 1/day—bestow malediction (3), eclipse, dragon strike, evil weather, rain of blood (6), true resurrection; 1/month—apocalypse from the sky.
Summon Fiends (Sp): Three times per day a dark lord may summon an evil outsider with equal or fewer hit dice than the dark lord or multiple evil outsiders with combined hit dice equal to or less than twice the dark lord’s hit dice, with no one fiend having more than half the dark lord’s hit dice. Unique beings can be summoned, but they are entitled to a Will save to resist the summons. This is the equivalent of an epic spell. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Special Qualities: A dark lord retains all special qualities of the base creature and also gains the following special qualities:
Blindsight 200 ft.
Damage reduction 50/epic and good.
Darkvision equal to the dark lord’s normal vision.
Fast healing 50.
Immunity to death effects, disease, mind-affecting effects, poison, starvation, and suffocation.
Resistance 50 to acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic damage.
Spell Resistance equal to the dark lord’s CR +20.
Immortal (Ex): Dark lords do not age.
Irredeemable (Ex): A dark lord’s alignment cannot be shifted away from evil by any means.
Limited Regeneration (Ex): A dark lord regrows severed limbs in 1d6+1 rounds. It does not immediately die if its head is severed.
Master of Corruption (Ex): A dark lord that can cast spells is immune to corruption damage.
Master of Dark Words (Ex): A dark lord has perfect command of the Dark Speech and never suffers ability damage from its use.
Omnicompetent (Ex): A dark lord knows all skills and has maximum ranks in all skills.
Remold (Ex): Any creature the dark lord kills and restores to life has its alignment shifted to evil and is under the command of the dark lord.
See in Darkness (Su): A dark lord can see perfectly in any darkness, even magical darkness.
Saves: A dark lord adds its Charisma bonus to all saving throws.
Abilities: Str +60, Dex +30, Con +40, Int +30, Wis +20, Cha +50.
Skills: See the omnicompetent ability.
Feats: A dark lord gains Cleave, Dark Speech, Epic Leadership, Leadership, Epic Reputation, Great Cleave, Polyglot, and Power Attack as bonus feats.
Alignment: Always evil.
Challenge Rating: As base creature plus []
Level Adjustment: As base creature plus []
(1) See the Advanced Gamemaster's Guide, or replace with vorpal/brutal, wounding, and adamantine.
(2) See the Epic Bestiary, or replace with vile damage.
(3) See Wrath and Rage, or replace with two bestow greater curses.
(4) See Plot & Poison, or replace with symbol of pain.
(5) See Wrath and Rage, or replace with destruction.
(6) See Testament, or replace with despoil.
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