Kraken-lich

[dave2008]

I also got to say: the 5e kraken is one of me favorite monster redesigns of 5e so far!

 

[Coroc]

I also got to say: the 5e kraken is one of me favorite monster redesigns of 5e so far!
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That is supercool, octopus with some modifications, although the normal octopus is scary enough for me. When I was a kid I always feared encountering one when swimming in the sea (of course the chances of it were zilch )

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The reason for spellcasting was because of the "lich" part. Traditionally liches, even dracoliches, have been spellcasters. It is not that the stat block needs it, but it fits the flavor of a lich. Same thing for the paralyzing touch, but I personally would prefer adding some necrotic damage like demogorgon or a vampire

You pretty much have to be a spell caster in order to cast the spells you need in order to become a lich (unless you have another spellcaster do it for you).

P.S. I hate the 5e kraken design.

 

[Coroc]

You pretty much have to be a spell caster in order to cast the spells you need in order to become a lich (unless you have another spellcaster do it for you).

P.S. I hate the 5e kraken design.

Yea that was my initial idea, I did not write it though. Also with the intelligence, Octopus are very intelligent in RL but I would not rate them so genius as to understand speech or even cast spells. Maybe a psionic Lich, or a divine?

But better to keep it as a hitter monster with some extra quirks but created by a powerful spellcaster imho.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Yea that was my initial idea, I did not write it though. Also with the intelligence, Octopus are very intelligent in RL but I would not rate them so genius as to understand speech or even cast spells. Maybe a psionic Lich, or a divine?

But better to keep it as a hitter monster with some extra quirks but created by a powerful spellcaster imho.

D&D's krakens are Lovecraft-influenced abominations rather than oversized cephalopods, and they can grant spells to their followers. I think giving it spells from the UA psionic spell list would work well.

My main objection to the 5e illustration is it looks far too cute.

 

[Coroc]

D&D's krakens are Lovecraft-influenced abominations rather than oversized cephalopods, and they can grant spells to their followers. I think giving it spells from the UA psionic spell list would work well.

My main objection to the 5e illustration is it looks far too cute.

Like for the reference to Lovecraft,

but your definitions of cuteness and mine seem to be very different. Ack no matter, diversity is so Zeitgeist

 

[dave2008]

P.S. I hate the 5e kraken design.

Sorry to hear that, but I would be interested how you find it more "cute" than the 1e illustration I posted up thread. To me, the 5e version is much more a lovecraftian horror than the smooth skinned giant squid 1e version.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Sorry to hear that, but I would be interested how you find it more "cute" than the 1e illustration I posted up thread. To me, the 5e version is much more a lovecraftian horror than the smooth skinned giant squid 1e version.

It has two cat like eyes and a smiley Cheshire cat mouth.
I mean, the actual Cheshire cat is scarier:

Real world cephalopods look far more more alien.

 

[dave2008]

It has two cat like eyes and a smiley Cheshire cat mouth.
I mean, the actual Cheshire cat is scarier:

Real world cephalopods look far more more alien.

agree to disagree i guess, but I do agree that picture of the C. cat is creepy!

I also don't find cephalopods generally that alien (one reason I prefer representations of Cthulhu stray as much as possible from the cephalopod look). I think they are quite beautiful. Now watching them squeeze into something that is way to small/narrow is pretty freaky!

EDIT: I personally would call the eyes cat like (but they could be more alien) or the mouth smiley, but to each their own!

 

[Paul Farquhar]

No reason something can't be alien and beautiful.

But two eyes (with pupils), a mouth (with teeth), a beard, two arms attached at shoulders, two flippers attached at hips isn't very alien, no matter how many tails it has.