Immortals Handbook - Epic Bestiary (Epic Monster Discussion)

dante58701 · Dec 30, 2007

Neutronium Fun with Golems

Neutronium Laced [Epic]
By devouring neutronium you become “neutronium laced”.
Prerequisites: Awakened orichalcum golem.
Benefit: By devouring neutronium you become “neutronium laced”. This allows you to increase your racial Hit Dice, without increasing your size.
Normal: Without this feat, your size increases as your racial Hit Dice increase.
Special: Depending on the precise quantity of neutronium you devour, you can even decrease your size, while increasing your virtual size categories.
The rate of this exchange is 1.5 size categories for 1 virtual size category. At 100% neutronium you become a neutronium golem.
NB: An awakened orichalcum golem will likely become a Fine-size neutronium golem unless their racial Hit Dice are sufficiently increased.

paradox42 · Jan 20, 2008

Firmament Dragon Repost (part 1)

The first of the super-dragons that I was toying with as ideas, that I decided to actually turn into a concrete monster (so to speak), is the one I called a "Brane Dragon" in the last post I made that mentioned them (that was post 583 in this thread; post 563 is where I first mentioned the ideas).

I have worked out statistics for the beast, and after spending 4 hours or so typing them up, here they are! So, fellow Immortals Handbook aficionados, I give you the

Firmament Dragon
Brane Dragon, Cosmic Lamprey

Macro-Tiny Dragon (Extraplanar)
Environment: Any (usually deep space)
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: (all these are rough estimates) Wyrmling 745; Very Young 779; Young 824; Juvenile 859; Young Adult 913;
Adult 948; Mature Adult 1008; Old 1042; Very Old 1110; Ancient 1144; Wyrm 1228; Great Wyrm 1330
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: Wyrmling 609-631 HD (Macro-Tiny); Very Young 633-655 HD (Macro-Tiny); Young 657-679 HD (Macro-Tiny); Juvenile 681-703 HD (Macro-Tiny); Young Adult 705-727 HD (Macro-Tiny); Adult 729-751 HD (Macro-Tiny); Mature Adult 753-775 HD (Macro-Tiny); Old 777-799 HD (Macro-Tiny); Very Old 801-823 HD (Macro-Tiny); Ancient 825-847 HD (Macro-Tiny); Wyrm 849-871 HD (Macro-Tiny); Great Wyrm 873-895 HD (Macro-Tiny); Great-Great Wyrm 897-919 HD (Macro-Tiny)
Level Adjustment: Wyrmling +510; Very Young +537; Young +581; Juvenile +609; Young Adult +666; Adult +694; Mature Adult +760; Old +787; Very Old +865; Ancient +893; Wyrm +995; Great Wyrm +1123

The space before you fills with a presence, at once majestic and terrible. It is only barely visible, as a distortion of the space it occupies into a serpentine, even draconic shape- but you cannot be certain whether the space is distorting or whether there is a real creature there that is simply camouflaged so exactly like the vista behind it. Then it unfurls six vast wings, each revealing an impossible vista like a negative of the proper sky, brilliant white with specks of darkness spread within- and opens an enormous maw to reveal yet a third vista within some space that should not be there- and you realize abruptly in a mad moment that your space is the distortion, and this creature the reality.

Code:

<table border="1" style="font-size:small" title="Firmament Dragons By Age">
    <tr>
    	<th align="left" colspan="11">Firmament Dragons By Age</th>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <th align="left" valign="bottom">Age</th>
        <th valign="bottom">Size</th>
        <th align="left" valign="bottom">Hit Dice (hit points)</th>
        <th align="left" valign="bottom">AC</th>
        <th valign="bottom">Base Attack/Grapple</th>
        <th valign="bottom">Attack</th>
        <th valign="bottom">Fort Save</th>
        <th valign="bottom">Ref Save</th>
        <th valign="bottom">Will Save</th>
        <th align="left" valign="bottom">Breath Weapon</th>
        <th valign="bottom">Mind Warp DC</th>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Wyrmling</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">Ma-T</td>
        <td valign="top">608d1000+10,336 (618,336 hp)</td>
        <td valign="top">769 (-128 size, +152 deflection, +64 divine, +64 insight, +607 natural)</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+608/<br>+809</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+649</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+451</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+434</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+586</td>
        <td valign="top"><i>Gravity:</i>1d6% <i>Aging:</i>38 years <i>Karma:</i>152d1000 XP <i>Siphon:</i>152d100 QP</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">594</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Very Young</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">Ma-T</td>
        <td valign="top">632d1000+14,536 (646,536 hp)</td>
        <td valign="top">831 (-128 size, +158 deflection, +80 divine, +80 insight, +631 natural)</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+632/<br>+869</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+709</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+501</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+478</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+634</td>
        <td valign="top"><i>Gravity:</i>2d6% <i>Aging:</i>39.5 years <i>Karma:</i>158d1000 XP <i>Siphon:</i>158d100 QP</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">644</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Young</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">Ma-T</td>
        <td valign="top">656d1000+19,024 (675,024 hp)</td>
        <td valign="top">893 (-128 size, +164 deflection, +96 divine, +96 insight, +655 natural)</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+656/<br>+929</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+769</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+551</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+522</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+682</td>
        <td valign="top"><i>Gravity:</i>3d6% <i>Aging:</i>41 years <i>Karma:</i>164d1000 XP <i>Siphon:</i>164d100 QP</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">694</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Juvenile</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">Ma-T</td>
        <td valign="top">680d1000+23,800 (703,800 hp)</td>
        <td valign="top">955 (-128 size, +170 deflection, +112 divine, +112 insight, +679 natural)</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+680/<br>+989</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+829</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+601</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+566</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+730</td>
        <td valign="top"><i>Gravity:</i>4d6% <i>Aging:</i>42.5 years <i>Karma:</i>170d1000 XP <i>Siphon:</i>170d100 QP</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">744</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Young Adult</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">Ma-T</td>
        <td valign="top">704d1000+28,864 (732,864 hp)</td>
        <td valign="top">1017 (-128 size, +176 deflection, +128 divine, +128 insight, +703 natural)</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+704/<br>+1049</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+889</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+651</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+610</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+778</td>
        <td valign="top"><i>Gravity:</i>5d6% <i>Aging:</i>44 years <i>Karma:</i>176d1000 XP <i>Siphon:</i>176d100 QP</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">794</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Adult</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">Ma-T</td>
        <td valign="top">728d1000+34,216 (762,216 hp)</td>
        <td valign="top">1079 (-128 size, +182 deflection, +144 divine, +144 insight, +727 natural)</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+728/<br>+1109</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+949</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+701</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+654</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+826</td>
        <td valign="top"><i>Gravity:</i>6d6% <i>Aging:</i>45.5 years <i>Karma:</i>182d1000 XP <i>Siphon:</i>182d100 QP</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">844</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Mature Adult</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">Ma-T</td>
        <td valign="top">752d1000+39,856 (791,856 hp)</td>
        <td valign="top">1141 (-128 size, +188 deflection, +160 divine, +160 insight, +751 natural)</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+752/<br>+1169</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+1009</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+751</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+698</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+874</td>
        <td valign="top"><i>Gravity:</i>7d6% <i>Aging:</i>47 years <i>Karma:</i>188d1000 XP <i>Siphon:</i>188d100 QP</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">894</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Old</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">Ma-T</td>
        <td valign="top">776d1000+45,784 (821,784 hp)</td>
        <td valign="top">1203 (-128 size, +194 deflection, +176 divine, +176 insight, +775 natural)</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+776/<br>+1229</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+1069</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+801</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+742</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+922</td>
        <td valign="top"><i>Gravity:</i>8d6% <i>Aging:</i>48.5 years <i>Karma:</i>194d1000 XP <i>Siphon:</i>194d100 QP</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">944</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Very Old</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">Ma-T</td>
        <td valign="top">800d1000+52,000 (852,000 hp)</td>
        <td valign="top">1265 (-128 size, +200 deflection, +192 divine, +192 insight, +799 natural)</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+800/<br>+1289</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+1129</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+851</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+786</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+970</td>
        <td valign="top"><i>Gravity:</i>9d6% <i>Aging:</i>50 years <i>Karma:</i>200d1000 XP <i>Siphon:</i>200d100 QP</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">994</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Ancient</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">Ma-T</td>
        <td valign="top">824d1000+58,504 (882,504 hp)</td>
        <td valign="top">1327 (-128 size, +206 deflection, +208 divine, +208 insight, +823 natural)</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+824/<br>+1349</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+1189</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+901</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+830</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+1018</td>
        <td valign="top"><i>Gravity:</i>10d6% <i>Aging:</i>51.5 years <i>Karma:</i>206d1000 XP <i>Siphon:</i>206d100 QP</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">1044</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Wyrm</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">Ma-T</td>
        <td valign="top">848d1000+65,296 (913,296 hp)</td>
        <td valign="top">1389 (-128 size, +212 deflection, +224 divine, +224 insight, +847 natural)</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+848/<br>+1409</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+1249</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+951</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+874</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+1066</td>
        <td valign="top"><i>Gravity:</i>11d6% <i>Aging:</i>53 years <i>Karma:</i>212d1000 XP <i>Siphon:</i>212d100 QP</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">1094</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Great Wyrm</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">Ma-T</td>
        <td valign="top">872d1000+72,376 (944,376 hp)</td>
        <td valign="top">1451 (-128 size, +218 deflection, +240 divine, +240 insight, +871 natural)</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+872/<br>+1469</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+1309</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+1001</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+918</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">+1114</td>
        <td valign="top"><i>Gravity:</i>12d6% <i>Aging:</i>54.5 years <i>Karma:</i>218d1000 XP <i>Siphon:</i>218d100 QP</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">1144</td>
    </tr>
</table>

paradox42 · Jan 20, 2008

Firmament Dragon Repost (part 2)

Code:

<table border="1" style="font-size:small" title="Firmament Dragon Abilities By Age">
    <tr>
    	<th align="left" colspan="10">Firmament Dragon Abilities By Age</th>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <th align="left" valign="bottom">Age</th>
        <th align="left" valign="bottom">Speed</th>
        <th valign="bottom">STR</th>
        <th valign="bottom">DEX</th>
        <th valign="bottom">CON</th>
        <th valign="bottom">INT</th>
        <th valign="bottom">WIS</th>
        <th valign="bottom">CHA</th>
        <th align="left" valign="bottom">Special Abilities</th>
        <th valign="bottom">Damage Reduction</th>
        <th valign="bottom">Caster Level</th>
        <th valign="bottom">SR</th>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Wyrmling</td>
        <td valign="top">Superluminal</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">92</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">10</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">44</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">314</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">315</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">314</td>
        <td valign="top">Alter Reality, Cosmic Inspiration, Divine Bonus, Extradimensional, Mind Warp, Thelemic Damage Reduction, Transmortality, Universal Insight</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">605/extrauniversal</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">432nd</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">746</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Very Young</td>
        <td valign="top">Superluminal</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">100</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">10</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">56</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">322</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">323</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">326</td>
        <td valign="top"> </td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">630/extrauniversal</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">476th</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">802</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Young</td>
        <td valign="top">Superluminal</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">108</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">10</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">68</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">330</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">331</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">338</td>
        <td valign="top">1 total Virtual Size Category</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">655/extrauniversal</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">520th</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">858</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Juvenile</td>
        <td valign="top">Superluminal</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">116</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">10</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">80</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">338</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">339</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">350</td>
        <td valign="top">1 total Virtual Size Category</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">680/extrauniversal</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">564th</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">914</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Young Adult</td>
        <td valign="top">Superluminal</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">124</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">10</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">92</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">346</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">347</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">362</td>
        <td valign="top">2 total Virtual Size Categories</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">700/extrauniversal</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">608th</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">970</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Adult</td>
        <td valign="top">Superluminal</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">132</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">10</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">104</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">354</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">355</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">374</td>
        <td valign="top">2 total Virtual Size Categories</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">725/extrauniversal</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">652nd</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">1026</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Mature Adult</td>
        <td valign="top">Superluminal</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">140</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">10</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">116</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">362</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">363</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">386</td>
        <td valign="top">3 total Virtual Size Categories</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">750/extrauniversal</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">696th</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">1082</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Old</td>
        <td valign="top">Superluminal</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">148</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">10</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">128</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">370</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">371</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">398</td>
        <td valign="top">3 total Virtual Size Categories</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">775/extrauniversal</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">740th</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">1138</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Very Old</td>
        <td valign="top">Superluminal</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">156</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">10</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">140</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">378</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">379</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">410</td>
        <td valign="top">4 total Virtual Size Categories</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">800/extrauniversal</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">788th</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">1194</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Ancient</td>
        <td valign="top">Superluminal</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">164</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">10</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">152</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">386</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">387</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">422</td>
        <td valign="top">4 total Virtual Size Categories</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">820/extrauniversal</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">832nd</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">1250</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Wyrm</td>
        <td valign="top">Superluminal</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">172</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">10</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">164</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">394</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">395</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">434</td>
        <td valign="top">5 total Virtual Size Categories</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">845/extrauniversal</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">876th</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">1306</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Great Wyrm</td>
        <td valign="top">Superluminal</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">180</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">10</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">176</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">402</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">403</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">446</td>
        <td valign="top">6 total Virtual Size Categories</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">870/extrauniversal</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">920th</td>
        <td align="center" valign="top">1362</td>
    </tr>
</table>

Firmament Dragons are creatures existing in the Pleroma both as parasites of the Time Lords and heralds of universal growth. They attach themselves to Time Lords and similar entities to siphon off portions of the energy and mass contained within them, which is carefully nurtured, shaped, and used to form "eggs" (themselves entire baby universes) which eventually "hatch" as Wyrmling Firmament Dragons once the universal life cycle is complete.

Occasionally, a Firmament Dragon is known to enter the universe of a comatose Demiurge instead of an actual Time Lord to get this universe-building material, and those rare occasions are times of fearful import for unfortunate natives of the slumbering reality. Furthermore, some such slumbering universes contain, not Demiurges as normally occurs in the Pleroma, but rather unhatched, still-growing Firmament Dragon Wyrmlings- not yet ready to "break the eggshell" and begin their lives.

More powerful than the other three better-known Nehaschimic Dragon types, Firmament Dragons are born with power greater than many actual Demiurges, and do not normally exist within the lower dimensions (or even "Nth Space") as those Nehaschimic Dragon types do.

Combat
(I haven't figured out just what the tactics of one of these would be yet, but for now figure it'll be pretty close to the Nexus Dragon.)

Alter Reality (Su): Firmament Dragons tear at the fabric of any reality they touch. Once per round, as a free action, a Firmament Dragon can duplicate any spell of a level equal to 9 + its number of Automatic Metamagic Capacity feats. This ability even allows it to duplicate Epic spells with a DC equal to or less than the dragon's Spellcraft modifier + 20.

Breath Weapon (Su): A Firmament Dragon's breath weapon destroys part of a foe by causing that portion to revert to a period just after the birth of its universe, essentially turning the affected portion of the target into a miniature Big Bang. This annihilates a percentage of the target's hit points, 1d6% per age category of the dragon; furthermore, this hit point loss is permanent. Permanent damage can only be cured by means of a Limited Wish (which heals 1 point per casting), Miracle, or Wish (both of which heal one point per caster level, per casting). Furthermore, exposure to the explosively expanding time within the false Big Bang ages the target, by an amount shown in the table above. Finally, this breath weapon destroys part of the life energy of the target (essentially, using it to help fuel the false Big Bang), destroying a number of experience points and quintessence as shown in the table above.

Cosmic Inspiration: Firmament Dragons are intimately tied to the universes they create, even the sub-universes growing within their bellies which they eat to nourish. By interacting with these sub-realities, a Firmament Dragon can gain any one Cosmic ability it desires, and can even change this ability once per round as a free action. However, if the dragon has any lasting effects (i.e. effects with a duration other than Instantaneous) in play, then it cannot change the Cosmic ability unless and until it somehow removes those lasting effects. Note that abilities granting constant bonuses do not count as having a duration at all, and thus do not force the dragon to retain the chosen ability.

Divine Bonus (Su): Firmament Dragons are tied to the birth of universes, and therefore gain bonuses tied to the energy of the universes they have created. A Firmament Dragon gains a divine bonus to: armor class, attack rolls, checks (ability checks, caster level checks, skill checks, turning checks), difficulty class (for any special abilities, spell-like abilities, or spells), initiative, saving throws, and Spell Resistance. The value of this bonus is equal to 48 + 16/age category of the dragon.

Extra-Dimensional (Ex): Starting after the first round it is encountered, a Firmament Dragon begins to expand to fill its opponents' perception of their universe. This bestows an additional Virtual Size Category each round on the dragon.

Energy Absorption (Ex): Firmament Dragons are healed by Fire-based attacks.

Energy Immunity (Ex): Firmament Dragons are immune to Sonic effects.

Energy Reflection (Ex): Firmament Dragons reflect Cold-based attacks.

Mind Warp (Ex): The Firmament Dragon's extrauniversal presence extends to 2560 feet per age category of the dragon. Creatures within this radius failing their Will saves against the listed DC go permanently insane, as their minds no longer understand which reality they're in.

Thelemic Damage Reduction (Su): A Firmament Dragon is, by its very nature, able to enter and leave universes at will. By using this ability carefully, it may thus avoid all attacks directed at it in a round by simply not being there when the attack arrives; however, it may only use this ability a certain number of rounds in a row before it tires and must remain within a single universe for a round. A Firmament Dragon may use this ability up to 1 round/age category before it must spend one round recharging the ability; thus, a Wyrmling Firmament Dragon can avoid all attacks in every other round, whereas a Mature Adult can avoid all attacks except in every 8th round.

Transmortality (Su): A Firmament Dragon exists beyond universes, and therefore cannot be permanently destroyed, even by beings of higher divine rank than its divine bonus. A Firmament Dragon which is apparently killed is instead merely forced out of the universe it was just in, or (if attacked in the Pleroma itself) sent into a comatose slumber while it recovers (it regains 1 hit die per day and wakes up when it once again reaches its original total).

Universal Insight (Ex): Firmament Dragons, as custodians of multiple realities and sub-realities, have an incredibly rich and deep understanding of universal laws. A Firmament Dragon gains an insight bonus to: armor class, attack rolls, checks (ability checks, caster level checks, skill checks, turning checks), difficulty class (for any special abilities, spell-like abilities, or spells), initiative, saving throws, and Spell Resistance. The value of this bonus is equal to 48 + 16/age category of the dragon.

paradox42 · Jan 20, 2008

Firmament Dragon Repost (commentary)

There it is, my first stab at making a proper Immortals Handbook super-dragon. I left the CR calculations for later in the original post; up above in this series I put in the rough estimates I worked out on my own (it's a tough nut to crack and I'm still not sure I got it right due to the unusual nature of the breath weapon and not knowing how the Mind Warp should affect the CR exactly).

It's worth noting that although I left VSC adjustments out of the tables above for clarity, I added them in when calculating CRs- and oh boy do VSCs at these sizes give absurdly huge boosts! The Great Wyrm gained over +600 to its EL from its VSCs alone, though the last one (the sixth) was by far the largest adjustment over the others (the number works out to +200 exactly). The lion's share of these huge VSC boosts is in the damage increases to the beast's Full Attack, of course- a Great Wyrm's Bite deals a whopping 40d10 more damage in base dice than the Wyrm's Bite does.

It's also worth noting that these CR calculations assumed both a shape allowing the dragon 1 Bite, 2 Claws, 6 Wings, and 1 Tail Slap in its Full Attack, and also that the Rapidstrike feats from Draconomicon are being used (which lets the dragon get iterative attacks with its Claws and Wings). Given how many feats even the Wyrmling has, any dragon able to take these feats would likely do so.

Finally, my calculations were made using version 5 of the CR calculation document; I don't have Grim Tales (which was apparently a slightly newer version than the version 5 PDF circulated on the Net) and AFAIK only Krust has version 6.

Comments? Questions? Rotten vegetables?

Ltheb Silverfrond · Jan 20, 2008

Looks good.

As for it's CR:
Mind warp shouldn't add much; I just adds a prerequisite of high will save boosting/immunity to the fight; Its an all or nothing affair. I'd say its worth only about a 6 CR adjustment, assuming there are not any easy pre-epic defenses (like mindblank) that work against it.
The breath weapon doesn't seem as deadly as the Nexus Dragons' (but that depends on the rules of the cosmology; Could a foe shunted into an alternate universe via the Nexus' breath Plane Shift back? If so, the Brane dragon is stronger. If not, it is probably weaker)
It's Thelemic damage reduction means that no matter how many attacks you can spam, only the ones on Round X matter. In that sense, the opposite tactic for fighting a Nexus dragon should be used: Instead of spamming many attacks, just defend yourself, and on round X, go all out.

In all, aside from it's superior ability scores, it seems about the same approximate CR as the Nexus dragon. (This being relative; both have very cheesy ability synergies)

As far as the description; I don't think it should have 6 wings; the Nexus dragon does that. But definitely an alien body of some sort. Perhaps 4 Claws, 1 bite, and a tail slam but no wings? Or Something. Something crazy and only Semi-draconic.

Upper_Krust · Jan 22, 2008

Hey there!

Looks great!

As for CR I think the simplest method is to use 1 CR per HD of the Dragon. I basically set up my Dragon design parameters to give me results as close to this as possible so that I wouldn't have to precisely micro-manage every darn age category - which is what I did with the v5 Monster Manual CR revisions and its pretty soul destroying work.

paradox42 · Jan 22, 2008

Upper_Krust said:
As for CR I think the simplest method is to use 1 CR per HD of the Dragon. I basically set up my Dragon design parameters to give me results as close to this as possible so that I wouldn't have to precisely micro-manage every darn age category - which is what I did with the v5 Monster Manual CR revisions and its pretty soul destroying work.

I hadn't noticed that before you pointed it out, but indeed the CRs and LA's in the print version of the Bestiary exactly match the hit dice of the dragons in question. Well, the Level Adjustments are half the HD, but given that CR is supposed to be just 2/3 the total ECL that makes the numbers match up.

That won't work for my idea of using a "partial Wyrmling" Firmament Dragon at some point, though, in the sense that a baby Brane Dragon that's "still in the egg" won't even be at full Wyrmling status yet and thus won't have the full set of HD and abilities of even age category 1. I figured on the beast starting as a Small-sized 1-HD version of itself and growing from there as years go by and it eats stuff to get bigger. A 1-HD Firmament Dragon is clearly much, much higher than CR 1, with its 1002 hit points and AC of 36.

But then again, I'm sort of breaking rules by just introducing such a creature in the first place, so we're already in "what the Hells" land anyway.

Ltheb Silverfrond · Jan 22, 2008

paradox42 said:
I hadn't noticed that before you pointed it out, but indeed the CRs and LA's in the print version of the Bestiary exactly match the hit dice of the dragons in question. Well, the Level Adjustments are half the HD, but given that CR is supposed to be just 2/3 the total ECL that makes the numbers match up.

That won't work for my idea of using a "partial Wyrmling" Firmament Dragon at some point, though, in the sense that a baby Brane Dragon that's "still in the egg" won't even be at full Wyrmling status yet and thus won't have the full set of HD and abilities of even age category 1. I figured on the beast starting as a Small-sized 1-HD version of itself and growing from there as years go by and it eats stuff to get bigger. A 1-HD Firmament Dragon is clearly much, much higher than CR 1, with its 1002 hit points and AC of 36. But then again, I'm sort of breaking rules by just introducing such a creature in the first place, so we're already in "what the Hells" land anyway.

Well, the gold/silver rules apply there: Powerful abilities; weak bodies. I would find the CR adjustment of just it's abilities alone, then apply that to 1 HD and reduce via Acid testing until the CR looks right. (Halving the modifier of the abilities to CR repeatedly until the threat level match the numbers.)

Or you could just Eyeball it.

S'mon · Mar 23, 2008

Upper_Krust will be in London visiting me week of 5th-13th April; I was wondering if there would be interest in arranging a meet-up? One idea I had was maybe arranging a book signing/discussion/similar at Leisure Games in north London.

Upper_Krust · Mar 23, 2008

Howdy S'mon!

S'mon said:
Upper_Krust will be in London visiting me week of 5th-13th April; I was wondering if there would be interest in arranging a meet-up? One idea I had was maybe arranging a book signing/discussion/similar at Leisure Games in north London.

I think I am a bit too small potatoes for that type of caper*...though I'd be happy to meet up with people and go for a drink or something. A signing all seems a bit too Stephen King...don't want to be getting ahead of myself.

*I mean even that Monte Cook fellow can keep Ascension off the top spot at RPGNow.

Immortals Handbook - Epic Bestiary (Epic Monster Discussion)

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