Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
Psion's Drow (and other) Villainy thread
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Psion" data-source="post: 1200157" data-attributes="member: 172"><p><strong>The lizard brute</strong></p><p></p><p>One of Hossuth's themes is that the drow are creating mutated lizard men to perform tasks for them involved in the excavation of their city. The Hossuth module has some guidelines for this, but they are pretty skimpy. So instead I intend to use the abberent template from silverthorne games' <em>Book of Templates</em> to fill this role.</p><p></p><p>The most extreme example is this creature, which I dub "the lizard brute" (real lizardy name pending.) I pictured the lizard brute as a huge two-headed lizardfolk. To make him I applied the reptilian template (from <em>Savage Species</em>) to the ettin, and then stacked on the abberant and dreadnaught templates from <em>Book of Templates</em> and tweaked to taste.</p><p></p><p>This leaves the creature lacking one major feature that lizardfolk have: swimming/aquatic. I decided to let this one ride. The creature has a drawback that made it not too useful for the original purpose of the mutation program: to excavate the flooded drow city. However, it was useful to the drow in general because the drow warriors were not trained in fighting creatures with unarmed attacks, something that the lizard brute excels at. Further, the immunity to mind affecting spells was something that the transmuters could use as a weapon against the priests of Demzer and their mind-affecting spells.</p><p></p><p>The slowly raised him and nutured his nature as a bully and enforcer. He thrives on violence and hatred, and makes the other lizardmen tremble. In truth, though, the drow transmuters barely have control of him, and shrewd players might be able to redirect his anger through roleplaying.</p><p></p><p>I am thinking about tacking a few levels of barbarian on this beastie, but I imagine the adhesive ability alone will give my players fits. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p><strong>Abberant Brute</strong></p><p>(Dreadnaught abberent reptilian ettin)</p><p></p><p><strong>Large Abberation</strong></p><p>Hit Dice: 10d8+60 (160 hp)</p><p>Initiative: +3</p><p>Speed: 30 ft. in hide armor (6 squares); base speed 40 ft.</p><p>Armor Class: 26 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +13 natural, +3 hide), touch 10, flat-footed 25</p><p>Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+20</p><p>Attack: Morningstar +15 melee (2d6+9) or claws +15 Melee (1d8+9) or javelin +7 ranged (1d8+9)</p><p>Full Attack: 2 morningstars +15/+10 melee (2d6+9) or 2 claws +15/+10 melee (1d8+9) or 2 javelins +7 ranged (1d8+9)</p><p>Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.</p><p>Special Attacks: Adhesive, Improved Grab, Felling Strike, Punishing Strike, Rapid Strike</p><p>Special Qualities: Low-light vision, superior two-weapon fighting, scent, darkvision, resistance to fire, electricity, and cold 10, DR 15/+3, SR 25</p><p>Saves: Fort +10, Ref +2, Will +6</p><p>Abilities: Str 29, Dex 12, Con 23, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 13</p><p>Skills: Balance +5*, Jump +13*, Listen +11, Search +1, Spot +11</p><p>Feats: Alertness, Endurance, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack</p><p>Environment: Hossuth</p><p>Organization: Unique</p><p>Challenge Rating: 14</p><p>Treasure: Standard</p><p>Alignment: Chaotic evil</p><p>Advancement: By character class</p><p></p><p>This twisted being bears only the faintest resemblance to its lizardmen parents. The thing is a towering lizardfolk like creature with two misshapen heads, twisted limbs, and covered with all manner of detritus sticking to some gooey paste oozing from between its scales.</p><p></p><p>The lizard-ettin is about 13 feet tall and weigh 5,200 pounds. They live about 75 years.</p><p>Th lizard-ettin speaks a pidgin Draconic/Lizardfolk and Drow. Creatures that can speak any of these languages must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence check to communicate with an ettin. Check once for each bit of information: If the other creature speaks both of these languages, the DC is 10. </p><p></p><p><strong>COMBAT</strong></p><p><strong>Superior Two-Weapon Fighting (Ex):</strong> An ettin fights with a morningstar or javelin in each hand. Because each of its two heads controls an arm, the ettin does not take a penalty on attack or damage rolls for attacking with two weapons.</p><p><strong>Adhesive (Ex):</strong> The aberrant exudes a thick slime that acts as a powerful adhesive, holding fast any creatures or items touching it. An adhesive-covered aberrant automatically grapples any creature it hits with its natural attack(s). The creature then adds its HD + its Constitution modifier (+16) to subsequent grapple checks. The aberrant may automatically deal damage with natural attacks each round against any creature stuck to it, up to its maximum number of attacks. A weapon that strikes an adhesive-coated aberrant is also stuck fast unless the wielder succeeds at a Reflex save (DC 21). A successful Strength check (DC 21) is needed to pry it off. Strong alcohol dissolves the adhesive. A pint of wine or a similar liquid weakens it, but the aberrant still has half its normal bonus to grapple checks. The aberrant can dissolve its adhesive at will, but the substance does not break down after the creature dies.</p><p><strong>Improved Grab (Ex):</strong> To use this ability, the aberrant must hit an opponent of up to two size categories smaller than itself with a natural attack.</p><p><strong>Felling Strike (Ex):</strong> Twice per day, when a dreadnaught scores a successful critical hit, it can elect to make a felling strike by rolling again. If the result of this third roll would hit the target, the target takes the full damage from the critical hit as normal, but must also make a saving throw (DC 10 + damage dealt) or die.</p><p><strong>Punishing Strike (Ex):</strong> Twice per day plus an additional time per 10 HD, a dreadnaught may make a mighty attack against any one opponent, adding its Charisma bonus (+1) to the attack roll and its HD and character level total (+10) to the damage. Use of this ability must be declared prior to making the attack. If the attack misses, that punishing strike attempt is used for the day. This ability cannot be used more often than once every 1d4+1 rounds.</p><p><strong>Rapid Strike (Su):</strong> Three times per day, a dreadnaught may grant itself the effects of a haste spell (self only) as if cast by a sorcerer with a level equal to the dreadnaught’s HD (10).</p><p><strong>Immunities (Ex):</strong> Dreadnaughts are immune to disease, poison, paralysis, stunning, and all mind-influencing spells and effects.</p><p><strong>Resistance to Energy (Ex):</strong>Fire, Cold, Electricity 10 each.</p><p>*Skills: An ettin’s two heads give it a +2 racial bonus on Listen, Spot, and Search checks. The reptilian template provides +4 racial bonus to jump and balance checks.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Psion, post: 1200157, member: 172"] [b]The lizard brute[/b] One of Hossuth's themes is that the drow are creating mutated lizard men to perform tasks for them involved in the excavation of their city. The Hossuth module has some guidelines for this, but they are pretty skimpy. So instead I intend to use the abberent template from silverthorne games' [i]Book of Templates[/i] to fill this role. The most extreme example is this creature, which I dub "the lizard brute" (real lizardy name pending.) I pictured the lizard brute as a huge two-headed lizardfolk. To make him I applied the reptilian template (from [i]Savage Species[/i]) to the ettin, and then stacked on the abberant and dreadnaught templates from [i]Book of Templates[/i] and tweaked to taste. This leaves the creature lacking one major feature that lizardfolk have: swimming/aquatic. I decided to let this one ride. The creature has a drawback that made it not too useful for the original purpose of the mutation program: to excavate the flooded drow city. However, it was useful to the drow in general because the drow warriors were not trained in fighting creatures with unarmed attacks, something that the lizard brute excels at. Further, the immunity to mind affecting spells was something that the transmuters could use as a weapon against the priests of Demzer and their mind-affecting spells. The slowly raised him and nutured his nature as a bully and enforcer. He thrives on violence and hatred, and makes the other lizardmen tremble. In truth, though, the drow transmuters barely have control of him, and shrewd players might be able to redirect his anger through roleplaying. I am thinking about tacking a few levels of barbarian on this beastie, but I imagine the adhesive ability alone will give my players fits. :) [b]Abberant Brute[/b] (Dreadnaught abberent reptilian ettin) [b]Large Abberation[/b] Hit Dice: 10d8+60 (160 hp) Initiative: +3 Speed: 30 ft. in hide armor (6 squares); base speed 40 ft. Armor Class: 26 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +13 natural, +3 hide), touch 10, flat-footed 25 Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+20 Attack: Morningstar +15 melee (2d6+9) or claws +15 Melee (1d8+9) or javelin +7 ranged (1d8+9) Full Attack: 2 morningstars +15/+10 melee (2d6+9) or 2 claws +15/+10 melee (1d8+9) or 2 javelins +7 ranged (1d8+9) Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Adhesive, Improved Grab, Felling Strike, Punishing Strike, Rapid Strike Special Qualities: Low-light vision, superior two-weapon fighting, scent, darkvision, resistance to fire, electricity, and cold 10, DR 15/+3, SR 25 Saves: Fort +10, Ref +2, Will +6 Abilities: Str 29, Dex 12, Con 23, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 13 Skills: Balance +5*, Jump +13*, Listen +11, Search +1, Spot +11 Feats: Alertness, Endurance, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack Environment: Hossuth Organization: Unique Challenge Rating: 14 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Chaotic evil Advancement: By character class This twisted being bears only the faintest resemblance to its lizardmen parents. The thing is a towering lizardfolk like creature with two misshapen heads, twisted limbs, and covered with all manner of detritus sticking to some gooey paste oozing from between its scales. The lizard-ettin is about 13 feet tall and weigh 5,200 pounds. They live about 75 years. Th lizard-ettin speaks a pidgin Draconic/Lizardfolk and Drow. Creatures that can speak any of these languages must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence check to communicate with an ettin. Check once for each bit of information: If the other creature speaks both of these languages, the DC is 10. [b]COMBAT[/b] [b]Superior Two-Weapon Fighting (Ex):[/b] An ettin fights with a morningstar or javelin in each hand. Because each of its two heads controls an arm, the ettin does not take a penalty on attack or damage rolls for attacking with two weapons. [b]Adhesive (Ex):[/b] The aberrant exudes a thick slime that acts as a powerful adhesive, holding fast any creatures or items touching it. An adhesive-covered aberrant automatically grapples any creature it hits with its natural attack(s). The creature then adds its HD + its Constitution modifier (+16) to subsequent grapple checks. The aberrant may automatically deal damage with natural attacks each round against any creature stuck to it, up to its maximum number of attacks. A weapon that strikes an adhesive-coated aberrant is also stuck fast unless the wielder succeeds at a Reflex save (DC 21). A successful Strength check (DC 21) is needed to pry it off. Strong alcohol dissolves the adhesive. A pint of wine or a similar liquid weakens it, but the aberrant still has half its normal bonus to grapple checks. The aberrant can dissolve its adhesive at will, but the substance does not break down after the creature dies. [b]Improved Grab (Ex):[/b] To use this ability, the aberrant must hit an opponent of up to two size categories smaller than itself with a natural attack. [b]Felling Strike (Ex):[/b] Twice per day, when a dreadnaught scores a successful critical hit, it can elect to make a felling strike by rolling again. If the result of this third roll would hit the target, the target takes the full damage from the critical hit as normal, but must also make a saving throw (DC 10 + damage dealt) or die. [b]Punishing Strike (Ex):[/b] Twice per day plus an additional time per 10 HD, a dreadnaught may make a mighty attack against any one opponent, adding its Charisma bonus (+1) to the attack roll and its HD and character level total (+10) to the damage. Use of this ability must be declared prior to making the attack. If the attack misses, that punishing strike attempt is used for the day. This ability cannot be used more often than once every 1d4+1 rounds. [b]Rapid Strike (Su):[/b] Three times per day, a dreadnaught may grant itself the effects of a haste spell (self only) as if cast by a sorcerer with a level equal to the dreadnaught’s HD (10). [b]Immunities (Ex):[/b] Dreadnaughts are immune to disease, poison, paralysis, stunning, and all mind-influencing spells and effects. [b]Resistance to Energy (Ex):[/b]Fire, Cold, Electricity 10 each. *Skills: An ettin’s two heads give it a +2 racial bonus on Listen, Spot, and Search checks. The reptilian template provides +4 racial bonus to jump and balance checks. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
Psion's Drow (and other) Villainy thread
Top