A Few Good Fiends (MMII conversions, updated 9/16: added chain golem!)

[demiurge1138]

I did increase the trample damage on the corpse gatherer a bit from the original, but in the MMII, it did the same damage on a slam as it did when trampling! That's not right. Although I'd hardly call myself an expert.

Demiurge out.

 

[Pants]

I haven't been getting much feedback on these. Are they liked? Despised? Unneeded? Tell me!

Might as well stop lurking in other threads.

The new famine spirit and corpse gatherer rock. Are you gonna take a stab at the Deathbringer? I've always thought it was a little weak and boring and might need some spicing up special ability-wise.

 

[demiurge1138]

Might as well stop lurking in other threads.

The new famine spirit and corpse gatherer rock. Are you gonna take a stab at the Deathbringer? I've always thought it was a little weak and boring and might need some spicing up special ability-wise.

The deathbringer's next on the list, followed by the effigy, gravecrawler, jahi (in need of a major overhaul) and ragewind. Then I plan to redo the feyr and linnorms (they really need it).

Demiurge out.

 

[demiurge1138]

Because Pants asked for it and I hadn't actually written up any for a while, I give to you, the deathbringer! These guys suffered from being both poorly designed and bland in the original, so I tried to give them some flavor and a few new abilities. Comments are always appreciated.

Deathbringer
Large Undead
Hit Dice: 21d12 plus 105 (241 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 40ft (8 squares), 60 ft unarmored
Armor Class: 34 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +16 natural, +8 masterwork plate mail), touch 10, flat-footed 33
Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+33
Attack: Masterwork large flail +30 melee (2d6+14 plus disease) or slam +28 melee (1d8+14)
Full Attack: 2 masterwork large flails +30/+25 melee (2d6+14 plus disease) or 2 slams +28 melee (1d8+14)
Space/Reach: 10ft/10ft
Special Attacks: Disease, negative burst, rebuke undead 8/day, spell-like abilities, trample 4d8+21
Special Qualities: Blindsight 200ft, DR 15/silver, SR 30, superior two-weapon fighting, unholy power, unholy toughness
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +14
Abilities: Str 38, Dex 13, Con -, Int 17, Wis 14, Cha 20
Skills: Climb +37 (+43 unarmored), Intimidate +29, Jump +41 (+45 unarmored), Knowledge (history) +27, Listen +26, Sense Motive +26, Swim +31 (+43 unarmored)
Feats: Cleave, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (flail)
Environment: Any land
Organization: Solitary or warband (1 plus 2-4 morghs, 4-12 wights, and 10-20 ghouls)
Challenge Rating: 17
Treasure: Standard, plus masterwork full plate and 2 masterwork large flails
Alignment: Usually neutral evil
Advancement: 22-42 HD (Large), 43-63 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: -

This figure resembles an armored human corpse, although it is far too tall to be a normal man. Its ears have been cut off and its eyes sewn shut, but it still seems to be able to see the armies of undead surrounding it. It bellows hoarsely as it rushes towards you, drawing two huge flails made of bone as it does so.

The monstrous creatures known as deathbringers are supposedly created from the corpses of particularly cruel generals. In life, these military commanders poisoned wells, spread plague and authorized assassinations, terror campaigns and butchered innocents, and for their punishment must walk the world until destroyed by their own lust for violence. The evil energies involved in their creation have warped them into phenomenally strong monsters, eyes forever closed so they can never truly face the suffering left in their wake.

Deathbringers are surrounded by a palpable aura of wickedness, and other sentient undead are drawn to them, even if not controlled by the deathbringer’s power. Deathbringers still consider themselves generals, and still bear grudges against the descendents and countries of their killers.

Combat
Deathbringers relish combat, crushing heads with their bone flails. They are smart enough to disarm and trip opponents before killing them. If injured, they use their negative pulse to simultaneously heal themselves and damage their foes.

Disease (Su): The bone flails of a deathbringer carry the hideous disease bonerot, which causes its victims to decompose from the inside out. Flail, save DC 25, incubation 1 minute, damage 1d6 Str, 1d6 Dex, 1d6 Con. The save DC is Charisma based.

Unlike normal diseases, bonerot continues until the victim reaches Constitution 0 (and dies) or is cured as described below. Bonerot is not a natural disease. A character attempting to cast any conjuration (healing) spell on a creature afflicted with bonerot must succeed on a DC 25 caster level check, or the spell has no effect on the afflicted character.

To eliminate bonerot, the curse must first be broken with break enchantment or remove curse (requiring a DC 25 caster level check for either spell), after which a caster level check is no longer necessary to cast healing spells on the victim, and the bonerot can be magically cured as any normal disease.

Negative Burst (Su): A deathbringer can release a burst of negative energy at a range of up to 100 feet. The burst has a 20ft radius and deals 10d8 points of negative energy damage (Will DC 25 half). Being negative energy, this burst heals undead creatures. The deathbringer can only use this ability once every 1d4 rounds. The save DC is Charisma based.

Rebuke Undead (Su): A deathbringer can rebuke, command or bolster undead as if it were a 21th level cleric.

Spell-like Abilities: At will - greater dispelling (1d20+20), ray of exhaustion (DC 18); 1/day – create undead, energy drain (DC 24). Caster level 20th. The save DC is Charisma based.

Trample (Ex): Reflex half DC 34. The save DC is Strength based.

Superior Two-Weapon Fighting (Ex): A deathbringer fights with a flail in each hand. The deathbringer does not take a penalty on attack or damage rolls for attacking with two weapons.

Unholy Power (Su): A deathbringer gains a profane bonus to attack rolls, grapple checks and Strength-based skill checks equal to its Charisma bonus. This bonus is already factored in above.

Unholy Toughness (Ex): A deathbringer gains bonus hit points equal to its Hit Dice x its Charisma modifier.

Demiurge out.

 

[demiurge1138]

Like the deathbringer, the effigy had the dual disadvantage of poorly designed and bland. It was so poorly designed, in fact, that Sean K. Reynolds devoted an entire column on his website ranting about how it was an example of the difficulties of adjucating high-level play. I think that's a bit harsh, but it didn't stop me from adding some abilities while removing Hit Dice. I also changed the name a bit, as "effigy" is a perfectly ordinary word without monstrous connotations. What do you think?

Burning Effigy
Medium Undead (Fire, Incorporeal)
Hit Dice: 18d12 plus 144 (261 hp)
Initiative: +12
Speed: Fly 60ft (perfect)
Armor Class: 26 (+8 Dex, +8 deflection), touch 26, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/-
Attack: Incorporeal touch +17 melee (2d6 plus 4d6 fire plus energy drain) or burning ray +17 ranged touch (18d6 fire)
Full Attack: Incorporeal touch +17 melee (2d6 plus 4d6 plus energy drain) or burning ray +17 ranged touch (18d6 fire)
Space/Reach: 5ft/5ft
Special Attacks: Burning ray, energy drain, inhabit
Special Qualities: Charnel aura, incorporeal, immune to fire, SR 28, turn resistance +2, unholy toughness, vulnerability to cold
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +16, Will +18
Abilities: Str -, Dex 27, Con -, Int 19, Wis 20, Cha 26
Skills: Hide +29, Intimidate +29, Knowledge (architecture and engineering) +25, Listen +26, Search +25, Sense Motive +26, Spot +26, Tumble +29
Feats: Ability Focus (inhabit), Combat Expertise, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot
Environment: Any land and underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 18
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 19-36 HD (Medium), 37-54 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: -

The stink of burning flesh and a cloud of smoke surround this creature, a human shaped sheet of flame with a gruesome leer and glowing white eyes.

The tortured spirits of arsonists, pyromaniacs, and other evil souls who used fire to kill, the undead known (with a gruesome sense of humor rare among sages) as the burning effigies exist only to spread the torment of flames, destroying buildings and people alike. Envious of the living, they inhabit their victims and ride around in their bodies until the fires of the effigy consume them.

Burning effigies are solitary creatures, despising their own kind as much as the rest of existence does. They do speak Common in voices of crackling flame, but speak only in insults and threats.

Combat
A burning effigy prefers to attempt to inhabit a creature as soon as it enters combat, but if it is thwarted, it uses its burning ray to incinerate spellcasters and other creatures it knows to have a strong will before trying to inhabit again.

Burning Ray (Su): Three times per day, a burning effigy can fire a ray of flame up to 100ft with no range increment. Creatures struck by this ray take 18d6 points of fire damage and must make a Reflex save (DC 27) or catch on fire (see pages 303-304 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide). The save DC is Charisma based.

Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by a burning effigy’s incorporeal touch attack gain 2 negative levels. The save DC to remove a negative level is 27. The save DC is Charisma based. For each such negative level bestowed, the burning effigy gains 5 temporary hit points.

Inhabit (Su): When a burning effigy hits a humanoid, giant or monstrous humanoid opponent no more than two size categories larger than it is with an incorporeal touch attack, the opponent must make a Will save (DC 29) or be inhabited by the burning effigy. The save DC is Charisma based.

The effects of inhabitation are similar to the magic jar spell, except as noted here. The burning effigy gains control of its victim’s body, using the body’s physical ability scores but its own mental ability scores. Any melee attack made by the victim when inhabited by the burning effigy deals 4d6 points of fire damage in addition to normal damage.

An inhabiting effigy automatically deals its host 4d6 fire damage and 2 negative levels every round. The subject dies upon reaching -10 hit points or having negative levels equal to its Hit Dice, becoming a flaming corpse and ejecting the burning effigy into an adjacent square.

Each round after inhabitation occurs, the host may try to force out the burning effigy by making a DC 29 Will save. If the host successfully saves, it cannot be inhabited by this effigy for the next 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma based. In addition, the burning effigy may be ejected through the use of dispel evil, banishment and similar effects, although it can make a Will save to avoid being ejected and the victim does not gain immunity to being inhabited. If the effigy is turned while inhabiting a host, it leaves the host’s body to flee.

Charnel Aura (Su): A burning effigy is perpetually surrounded by a haze of smoke and the smell of charred flesh. Any living creature within 5ft of the burning effigy must make a Fortitude save (DC 27) or be nauseated for 1d6 rounds. Creatures that save successfully are immune to the nauseating effect of this burning effigy’s charnel aura for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma based.

In addition, the charnel aura gives the burning effigy concealment. Although a strong wind can dispel the charnel aura, the burning effigy can create a new one as a free action on its turn.

Unholy Toughness (Ex): A burning effigy receives bonus hit points equal to its Charisma bonus x its Hit Dice.

Demiurge out.

 

[Justice Gundam]

Brilliant as always, my friend. I liked the flavour texts you added to the deathbringer's and burning effigy's descriptions - it gives more depth to the thing and gives me excellent ideas of how to build an adventure story around them... (*snickers ominously*). Also, your rewritten undead have a few great abilities - disease for the DB, for instance, or the burning ray for the BE - that make them actually worth their CR!

I'll patiently wait for other convertions and bid you good luck!

P.S.: Regarding the oozes in the MM2 (namely, the Flesh Jelly, Bone Ooze and Teratomorph), do you think they are worth their CR? They all look pretty nasty to me, but I could be wrong... MM2, while featuring lots of cool monsters, botched up so many things in statting them...

 

[demiurge1138]

I think the high-powered oozes in MMII are actually pretty good. I would, however, recommend boosting their Con, to adjust for the fact that oozes no longer get bonus hit points.

Demiurge out.

 

[Pants]

I think the high-powered oozes in MMII are actually pretty good. I would, however, recommend boosting their Con, to adjust for the fact that oozes no longer get bonus hit points.

Demiurge out.

I think that out of the three oozes, the flesh jelly is the most in need of an update. No DR, no SR, and fairly low hp.

The other two seem worth their CR's (especially the Teratomorph).

Oh, great job as always.

 

[demiurge1138]

I think that out of the three oozes, the flesh jelly is the most in need of an update. No DR, no SR, and fairly low hp.

Good point. So, here are quick notes on converting the flesh jelly to an appropriate challenge for an 18th level party.

Raise Con from 23 to 29. This gives it 18d10+162 (261 hp), raises its Fort save to +15, and increases all the DCs of its absorb, disease and horrid stench abilities to 28. Add DR 15/magic and slashing and SR 28.

Demiurge out.

 

[demiurge1138]

Next up is the gravecrawler, an undead I always wanted to use in a plot somehow but never quite figured out how to do it. I like them. I did (briefly) considered making them deathless, then decided it wasn't worth it. Not all undead are evil! Remember this!

Gravecrawler
Small Undead (Earth)
Hit Dice: 18d12 plus 108 (225 hp)
Initiative: +9
Speed: 20ft (6 squares), burrow 30ft
Armor Class: 30 (+1 size, +5 Dex, +8 natural, +6 deflection), touch 22, flat-footed 25
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+6
Attack: Bite +15 melee (1d6+1 plus 1d8 Constitution drain)
Full Attack: Bite +15 melee (1d6+1 plus draining bite)
Space/Reach: 5ft/5ft
Special Attacks: Calcifying aura, draining bite
Special Qualities: Blindsight 60ft, burrow, DR 10/bludgeoning, speak with dead, spiritual grace, spiritual toughness, SR 30, tremorsense 200ft, turn resistance +2, undead
Saves: Fort +12, Ref +17, Will +21
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 20, Con - , Int 26, Wis 19, Cha 22
Skills: Balance +7, Bluff +27, Diplomacy +31, Escape Artist +26, Gather Information +8, Hide +30, Intimidate +29, Knowledge (geography, history, local, religion) +29, Move Silently +26, Sense Motive +25, Tumble +26
Feats: Combat Expertise, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Spring Attack, Weapon Finesse
Environment: Any land or underground
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 16
Treasure: Double standard
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: 19-54 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: -

A fat white worm sits in front of you, about as long as a halfling is tall. Its face is eerily like that of a human except its teeth are needle sharp and it has no eyes in its face, only two indentations where they should be.

Also called ancestor worms, gravecrawlers are the spirits of the venerated dead, animated as a clot of earth to ward over sacred tombs and grave sites. Unlike most undead, they are not evil, merely concerned with protecting their graveyards. In their communion with the dead they protect, they collect untold amounts of knowledge, which they are willing to share for the proper sacrifices and blessings. Because of this, they are usually treated with great respect, although at a distance, for their very presence turns flesh into stone.

The demesne of a gravecrawler is easily recognized for the pristine condition of the graves or tombs there, as well as the occasional statue formed from an unfortunate grave robber. Necromancers and flesh-eating undead despise them and try to drive away or destroy them, as the bones and corpses interred in their domains turn to stone as well, unfit for either animation or consumption.

Gravecrawlers speak all languages. Although they are blind, they can sense creatures by vibrations in the air and ground. The average gravecrawler is three feet long and weighs 70 pounds.

Combat
Gravecrawlers are not skilled at fighting, and try to avoid battle whenever possible. They would rather talk than fight, but if hostilities ensue, will retreat underground, to allow their calcifying aura to work while putting itself out of harm’s way. If cornered, they will bite with their sharp teeth, but this is generally a last resort.

Calcifying Aura (Su): The presence of a gravecrawler quickly ossifies bone and flesh. This effect is an aura with a 30ft radius centered on the gravecrawler. Any living thing within this area must make a Fortitude save (DC 25) or take 1d4 points of Constitution damage as parts of its body turn to stone. Undead within this area must make a Will save (DC 25) or take 1d4 points of Charisma damage as they slowly turn to stone. Any creature reduced to 0 Constitution or Charisma is turned into an inert stone statue, and a stone to flesh spell must be cast on the remains before they can be brought back to life or animated as undead. The save DC is Charisma based.

A gravecrawler can raise or lower its calcifying aura as a standard action, but rarely do so, preferring to maintain their distance from those seeking out their aid.

Draining Bite (Su): The bite of a gravecrawler has similar effects as its aura, only far more rapid and deadly. Any living creature bitten by a gravecrawler must make a Fortitude save (DC 25) or take 1d8 points of permanent Constitution drain. An undead creature must make a Will save (DC 25) or take 1d8 points of permanent Charisma drain. A creature brought to 0 Constitution or Charisma, as noted above, becomes a stone statue. The save DC is Charisma based.

Burrow (Ex): A gravecrawler can glide through stone, dirt, or almost any other sort of earth except metal as easily as a fish swims through water. Its burrowing leaves behind no tunnel or hole, nor does it create any ripple or other signs of its presence. A move earth spell cast on an area containing a burrowing gravecrawler flings it back 30 feet, stunning the creature for 1 round unless it succeeds on a DC 15 Fortitude save.

Speak with Dead (Sp): A gravecrawler can use speak with dead, as the spell (caster level 18th), at will, except that it can speak with the remains of creatures calcified by its aura and the corpse can be of any age.

Spiritual Grace (Su): A gravecrawler receives a bonus to all saving throws and a deflection bonus to Armor Class equal to its Charisma modifier (already factored into the statistics shown above).

Spiritual Toughness (Ex): A gravecrawler receives bonus hit points equal to its Charisma bonus x its Hit Dice.

Demiurge out.