John Q. Mayhem
Explorer
I've used horse and wolf stats for freaky reptilian animals that live in the Bloodstone Marches of IK.
Alternative Monsters: Different Fluff, Same Crunch
- Thread starter Terwox
- Start date
wingsandsword
Legend
I used Ankhegs in a d20 Star Wars game, just called them Gehknas and used their HP as VP and gave them normal Con = WP. It was good for a "what the heck is that!" moment with the PC's as they were deep in a cavern scouting out a back entrance into an underground Imperial base and some strange oversized insectoids burrow through the ground around them.
)I recently got the new Masque of the Red Death and one of the creatures in it (sudden brute) can easily be altered to live in large trees or on cliffs. I can also see it used as a plains hunter that runs down its prey (just increase its speed to 50). For those without MotRD, just use an ogre with large bonuses to jump, climb and hide (like +15, +35 and +5).
Based on the earth elemental, the guardian lump is a construct that doesn't move. It has a single tentacle with a reach double that of the base elemental.
One reason I think that elementals are popular for alteration is the different size stat blocks. You don't have to work on advancing the stats as it is done for you.
Based on the earth elemental, the guardian lump is a construct that doesn't move. It has a single tentacle with a reach double that of the base elemental.
One reason I think that elementals are popular for alteration is the different size stat blocks. You don't have to work on advancing the stats as it is done for you.
VirgilCaine
First Post
You guys have really got to stop hiding this great thread at the top of the page--I looked and looked for it back to page three!
Beholder -- Servent of the Eye
A gaunt cloaked figure whose face is shrouded under the hoods of his fleshlike robe. Each of the creatures hands is covered in eyes that occasionally can be seen to blink. Tiny mouths on fleshy tendrils sometimes poke from under the hood
Its has various keening attacks that are the effect of a beholders ray attacks
backstory -- enforcer beasty of an insane god
A gaunt cloaked figure whose face is shrouded under the hoods of his fleshlike robe. Each of the creatures hands is covered in eyes that occasionally can be seen to blink. Tiny mouths on fleshy tendrils sometimes poke from under the hood
Its has various keening attacks that are the effect of a beholders ray attacks
backstory -- enforcer beasty of an insane god
Terwox
First Post
Just a few, to keep myself going, I was stuck on the Glabrezu for a couple days with nothing:
Demon-Glabrezu: A big blob of flesh with no apparent senses, but with four long clawed arms dragging it along and attacking. It's maw is misshapen, and it seems to eat anything, and it tends to gibber instead of speak. (Story: This is what happens when a hundred and one dretches are thrown into a pit, melted down, and delicately boiled for a year and a day.) It still has the wish ability, but it has trouble speaking intelligently, and must be captured and coerced into giving the wish somehow.
Demon-Hezrou: Appears as a humongous frog-headed beast, and is worshipped as a deity in the jungle by jungle gnomes and/or kobolds (see UA,) who must offer it yearly sacrifices of virgins, otherwise he will raid the village. (Story: It's still a demon, it's just a big frog demon. Give it +23 jump ranks, kill the 23 listen ranks -- the villagers will note that they sneak in the dark to leave the sacrifices, because it only seems to notice if it sees them... which it tends to if it's aware, w/ +23 spot.) Let it speak croaky common, and give it a good name.
Demon-Marilith: As the alternate lantern archon mentioned above, but darkness. A dark ball of energy with six dark swords hovering around, the primary sword appears partially made of the void. The swords simply whip through the air and start attacking, and the "tail slap" becomes the ball of darkness simply moves around someone -- dealing the "constrict" damage. Any polymorphed form will give itself away as its eyes will always be blackened, if examined.
Demon-Nalfeshnee: Simply a huge winged talking bear. These are the guardians of fairy circles during the day. (Heck, this explains the weird "rainbow demon ability" a lot better anyway, hrmph!) Let unholy aura work against non-rangers and non-druids instead of goods. They enjoy conversation, and if shown pure intentions and a gift (perhaps honey, or the famed sapphire honey of the north.) This can let the adventures get something the fairies wouldn't normally give that they need. (It only uses its summoning ability to summon another one of itself.)
Demon-Glabrezu: A big blob of flesh with no apparent senses, but with four long clawed arms dragging it along and attacking. It's maw is misshapen, and it seems to eat anything, and it tends to gibber instead of speak. (Story: This is what happens when a hundred and one dretches are thrown into a pit, melted down, and delicately boiled for a year and a day.) It still has the wish ability, but it has trouble speaking intelligently, and must be captured and coerced into giving the wish somehow.
Demon-Hezrou: Appears as a humongous frog-headed beast, and is worshipped as a deity in the jungle by jungle gnomes and/or kobolds (see UA,) who must offer it yearly sacrifices of virgins, otherwise he will raid the village. (Story: It's still a demon, it's just a big frog demon. Give it +23 jump ranks, kill the 23 listen ranks -- the villagers will note that they sneak in the dark to leave the sacrifices, because it only seems to notice if it sees them... which it tends to if it's aware, w/ +23 spot.) Let it speak croaky common, and give it a good name.
Demon-Marilith: As the alternate lantern archon mentioned above, but darkness. A dark ball of energy with six dark swords hovering around, the primary sword appears partially made of the void. The swords simply whip through the air and start attacking, and the "tail slap" becomes the ball of darkness simply moves around someone -- dealing the "constrict" damage. Any polymorphed form will give itself away as its eyes will always be blackened, if examined.
Demon-Nalfeshnee: Simply a huge winged talking bear. These are the guardians of fairy circles during the day. (Heck, this explains the weird "rainbow demon ability" a lot better anyway, hrmph!) Let unholy aura work against non-rangers and non-druids instead of goods. They enjoy conversation, and if shown pure intentions and a gift (perhaps honey, or the famed sapphire honey of the north.) This can let the adventures get something the fairies wouldn't normally give that they need. (It only uses its summoning ability to summon another one of itself.)
The muddweller is a large newt that ambushes those that come to the water's edge (crocodile stats; reduce bite by one die size and give paralytic slime).
Trogs are boreal forest dwelling humanoids that use the trees to hide and ambush opponents and prey. They are large and hairy with small facial features. (use troll stats)
Trogs are boreal forest dwelling humanoids that use the trees to hide and ambush opponents and prey. They are large and hairy with small facial features. (use troll stats)
A few more:
Aboleth: Looks like a giant jellyfish. Floats in air (not water), with tendrils hanging down.
Allip: “Tortured Flame” – created from tortured fire elementals and salamanders.
Archon – Lantern: "Storm Cloud" – same stats, throws lightning bolts, loud thunder in battle.
Azer: “Burning Orcs”. Same stats, but use orcs as base creature.
Basilisk: "Loch Dweller" – same stats, long serpentine body, lives in water. Swim speed and hold breath. Tactics include popping up out of the water, stoning its victims, then diving back under the water to avoid attacks. Rinse and repeat. CR should probably increase by 1 or 2.
Beholder: A floating ball of multicolored light. Eye rays are beams of light it emits. Instead of bite substitute energy drain (it draws the life force from its victims, leaving a desiccated husk behind). Alternately, use prismatic spray for eye beams.
Centaur: A race of half-man, half-beetle that dwell underground. Darkvision and spider climb as Ex abilities.
Choker: Centipede with two tentacles. Spider climb as Ex ability.
Cockatrice: "Stone Crawler" – looks like long, multi-legged vermin. Can spider climb on walls and ceilings. Consumes “living stone”, which is created by stoning a living creature.
Destrachan: "Bane Bat" – same stats, flight.
Displacer Beast: "Bridge Troll" – same stats, tentacles become arms which can stretch out (rubbery). If add regeneration, up CR by 1.
Duergar: "Changeling" – same stats, human stolen as baby and raised as elf.
Gargoyle: “Stone Hound”, same stats, very large canine with wings.
Girallon: Ogre with four arms.
Girallon, Fiendish: "Battle Demon". Fiendish adds DR 5/magic, SR 12, cold and fire resistance 5. CR +1.
Girallon: "Green Martian" (loosely inspired by John Carter of Mars series). Tall, thin, four arms, green-skinned humanoid. Jagged bones which jut from the wrist and back of the hand tear flesh. Increase average Int to 10. Desert dweller.
Girallon: Giant centipede. In combat, part of its body rears up, allowing it to attack with four feat/claws.
Gorgon: Put in minotaur body, with gorgon head.
Krenshar: Hooded humanoid undead. If hood is pulled back, reveals a maggot-ridden skull. Keening substitutes for krenshar’s screech.
Halfling: "Hel-ling". Fiendish halflings with small bat wings.
Howler: "Spine lizards". Shoots quills from its tail. Wisdom drain caused by a deep-throated thrumming.
Lillend: “Foamfollower” – same stats, swim speed instead of flight (no wings). Relative of merfolk?
Roper: Living web.
Satyr: "Sea Singer" – same stats, add swim speed. Merfolk-like creature.
Shadow: Energy being from another plane. Travels to prime material to spawn. Substitute chameleon ability (+4 to all Hide checks) for shadow's bonus to Hide in dark areas. Outsider, not undead.
Sprite: Intelligent insect, wasp-like. Instead of arrows, it stings its victims, injecting its choice of poison (memory loss, sleep). Casts spells by changing the drone of its wings.
Stirge: Vampire bat.
Winter Wolf: Cerberus, same stats, 3-headed hell hound. Still gets only one bite attack. Substitute fire damage for cold damage.
Aboleth: Looks like a giant jellyfish. Floats in air (not water), with tendrils hanging down.
Allip: “Tortured Flame” – created from tortured fire elementals and salamanders.
Archon – Lantern: "Storm Cloud" – same stats, throws lightning bolts, loud thunder in battle.
Azer: “Burning Orcs”. Same stats, but use orcs as base creature.
Basilisk: "Loch Dweller" – same stats, long serpentine body, lives in water. Swim speed and hold breath. Tactics include popping up out of the water, stoning its victims, then diving back under the water to avoid attacks. Rinse and repeat. CR should probably increase by 1 or 2.
Beholder: A floating ball of multicolored light. Eye rays are beams of light it emits. Instead of bite substitute energy drain (it draws the life force from its victims, leaving a desiccated husk behind). Alternately, use prismatic spray for eye beams.
Centaur: A race of half-man, half-beetle that dwell underground. Darkvision and spider climb as Ex abilities.
Choker: Centipede with two tentacles. Spider climb as Ex ability.
Cockatrice: "Stone Crawler" – looks like long, multi-legged vermin. Can spider climb on walls and ceilings. Consumes “living stone”, which is created by stoning a living creature.
Destrachan: "Bane Bat" – same stats, flight.
Displacer Beast: "Bridge Troll" – same stats, tentacles become arms which can stretch out (rubbery). If add regeneration, up CR by 1.
Duergar: "Changeling" – same stats, human stolen as baby and raised as elf.
Gargoyle: “Stone Hound”, same stats, very large canine with wings.
Girallon: Ogre with four arms.
Girallon, Fiendish: "Battle Demon". Fiendish adds DR 5/magic, SR 12, cold and fire resistance 5. CR +1.
Girallon: "Green Martian" (loosely inspired by John Carter of Mars series). Tall, thin, four arms, green-skinned humanoid. Jagged bones which jut from the wrist and back of the hand tear flesh. Increase average Int to 10. Desert dweller.
Girallon: Giant centipede. In combat, part of its body rears up, allowing it to attack with four feat/claws.
Gorgon: Put in minotaur body, with gorgon head.
Krenshar: Hooded humanoid undead. If hood is pulled back, reveals a maggot-ridden skull. Keening substitutes for krenshar’s screech.
Halfling: "Hel-ling". Fiendish halflings with small bat wings.
Howler: "Spine lizards". Shoots quills from its tail. Wisdom drain caused by a deep-throated thrumming.
Lillend: “Foamfollower” – same stats, swim speed instead of flight (no wings). Relative of merfolk?
Roper: Living web.
Satyr: "Sea Singer" – same stats, add swim speed. Merfolk-like creature.
Shadow: Energy being from another plane. Travels to prime material to spawn. Substitute chameleon ability (+4 to all Hide checks) for shadow's bonus to Hide in dark areas. Outsider, not undead.
Sprite: Intelligent insect, wasp-like. Instead of arrows, it stings its victims, injecting its choice of poison (memory loss, sleep). Casts spells by changing the drone of its wings.
Stirge: Vampire bat.
Winter Wolf: Cerberus, same stats, 3-headed hell hound. Still gets only one bite attack. Substitute fire damage for cold damage.
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