D&D 3.x BoVD 3.5e: Hellbound!

[Nifft]

Got it. See above.

-- N

 

[Cheiromancer]

A very elegant solution.

Would you be willing to do classes for non-core Archfiends? Right now I'm thinking of Sep's version of Astaroth:

Formerly of the highest choir, and one of those closest to the source of corruption, Prince Astaroth is numbered amongst the greatest of Devils in the Hells. As the lord of Caina and one of the chief lieutenants of the Adversary, Astaroth – together with Asmodeus, Baalzebul and Belial – forms one leg of the de facto quatriumvirate which governs at the behest of the Nameless Fiend. He directly commands eighty legions of Devils – primarily gelugons – and orders nearly a hundred more through the Dukes and Marquises who swear fealty to him. Astaroth also acts in the capacity of one of Hell’s treasurers.

The Prince appears as a celestial of exalted station, although in his natural form the aeons of malice and deceit are etched irrevocably into his face, and his aspect is grim and terrible. In his hand he always bears his viper rod – an artifact of singular power – which serves as both a badge of office and a tool to punish and torment recalcitrant Devils and damned souls alike. Across the frozen wastes of Caina to its steaming fringe, Astaroth rides a hellfire wyrm of great size. Within his citadel and beyond, he is often accompanied by a squad of pit fiends who act as bodyguards and enforcers.

Astaroth counts Dukes Hutijin and Vepar amongst his vassals, and is served by such notable Devils as the malebranche Rigios the Terrible, and the erinyes Gromenis, who makes frequent transits to the Prime to mark out suitable candidates for seduction.

Astaroth is a master of the arcane, and concerns himself with the temptation and seduction of arcanists above all others. He has been known to bribe potential converts to the infernal cause with the most powerful of magics – going to extraordinary lengths in his attempts to win them over. His rhetoric and logic are faultless, and the easy manner which he can choose to assume has seen many swayed to take their first steps down the dark road. As one who recognizes potential above all else, Astaroth directs his attention to middle-ranking Wizards of high promise above those who have already excelled in their field.

Astaroth is noted for his stinking breath (like a stinking cloud) and his viper rod. When he is home, he is considered a deity with the domains of magic, evil and knowledge. This is what his rod does:

This +5 unholy power quarterstaff, fashioned in the likeness of a serpent, writhes of its own accord. Those struck by it also suffer from its poison effect (DC 40; primary damage 2d6 Con, secondary damage death).

In addition to its weapon abilities, Astaroth’s viper rod also allows the wielder to cast wrack at will (Fort Save DC 24), symbol of pain three times per day (Fort Save DC 29) and eternity of torture once per week (Fort Save DC 30). Only Astaroth may use these functions of the viper rod.

The full write up is in the Rogue's Gallery if you're interested, but these are the flavorful bits.

 

[Nifft]

I'm probably spending too much time on Arcanists, but let's face it: they make some of the best possible BBEGs.

Okay, here goes. First, a spell that is frequently found in the spellbooks of Astaroth's followers:

Mephitic Spray
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Drd 2, Sor/Wiz 2, Poison Domain 1
Components: V, S, M/DF
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 20 ft.
Area: Cone-shaped burst
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: No

A spray of choking smoke blasts from the caster's outstretched hand. Any creatures caught within must make a Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1d4 rounds, unless it is immune to poison.

Arcane Material Component: A bit of lead.


Here's a critter or two (can be summoned in place of Hell Hounds):


Caina Hound
Size/Type: Medium Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Cold, Lawful)
Hit Dice: 4d8+4 (22 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (+1 Dex, +5 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+5
Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d8+1 plus 1d6 cold)
Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d8+1 plus 1d6 cold)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Breath weapon, frosty bite
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to cold, scent, vulnerability to fire
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +4
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 6
Skills: Hide +13, Jump +12, Listen +7, Move Silently +13, Spot +7, Survival +7*
Feats: Improved Initiative, Run, Track(B)
Environment: Caina
Organization: Solitary, pair, or pack (5-12)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Advancement: 5-8 HD (Medium); 9-12 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: +3 (cohort)

A typical cania hound stands 4-1/2 feet high at the shoulder and weighs 120 pounds.
Caina hounds do not speak but understand Infernal.


Combat

Cania hounds are efficient hunters. A favorite pack tactic is to surround prey quietly, then attack with one or two hounds, driving it toward the rest with their frosty breath. If the prey doesn’t run, the pack closes in. Caina hounds track fleeing prey relentlessly.

A caina hound’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as evil-aligned and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.


Breath Weapon (Su): 10-foot cone, once every 2d4 rounds, damage 2d6 cold, Reflex DC 13 half. The save DC is Constitution-based.


Fiery Bite (Su): A caina hound deals an extra 1d6 points of cold damage every time it bites an opponent, as if its bite were a frost weapon.


Skills

Caina hounds have a +5 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks.

*They also receive a +8 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent, due to their keen sense of smell.




Aroth Hound
Size/Type: Medium Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Cold, Lawful)
Hit Dice: 4d8+4 (22 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (+1 Dex, +5 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+5
Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d8+1 plus poison)
Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d8+1 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Breath weapon, poison
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to cold, scent, vulnerability to fire
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +4
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 6
Skills: Hide +13, Jump +12, Listen +7, Move Silently +13, Spot +7, Survival +7*
Feats: Improved Initiative, Run, Track(B)
Environment: Caina
Organization: Solitary, pair, or pack (5-12)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Advancement: 5-8 HD (Medium); 9-12 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: +3 (cohort)

A typical aroth hound stands 4-1/2 feet high at the shoulder and weighs 120 pounds.
Aroth hounds do not speak but understand Infernal.


Combat

Aroth hounds are efficient hunters. A favorite pack tactic is to surround prey quietly, then attack with one or two hounds, driving it toward the rest with their frosty breath. If the prey doesn’t run, the pack closes in. Aroth hounds track fleeing prey relentlessly.

An aroth hound’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as evil-aligned and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.


Breath Weapon (Su): 10-foot cone, once every 1d4 rounds, causes Nausea for 1d6 rounds, Fort DC 13 negates. The save DC is Constitution-based.


Poison Bite (Ex): 1d4/1d4 Con, DC 13 negates. The save DC is Constitution-based.


Skills

Aroth hounds have a +5 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks.

*They also receive a +8 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent, due to their keen sense of smell.





... and here's the PrC:

Disciple of Astaroth

Role: Specialist Arcanist (Poisoner)

Prerequisites:
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Skill Ranks: Craft (Alchemy) 8+, Spellcraft 8+
Feats: Infernal Disciple, Corrupt Spell, Malign Spell Focus
Spellcasting: Ability to cast Arcane spells


Benefits:
HD: d6
BAB: 3/4 (as Cleric)
Good Save: Fort
Skill Points: 2 + Int bonus
Class Skills: Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (any) (Int), and Spellcraft (Int).

[u]
Lev  BAB Fo/Re/Wi  Spellcasting	Special Abilities[/u]
1    +0  +2/+0/+0  --		Poison Use, Poison Focus +1
2    +1  +3/+0/+0  +1 Level	Cold Resistance 5
3    +2  +3/+1/+1  +1 Level	Hellfrost +1
4    +3  +4/+1/+1  +1 Level	Cainan Familiar
5    +3  +4/+1/+1  --		Poison Focus +2
6    +4  +5/+2/+2  +1 Level	Cold Resistance 10
7    +5  +5/+2/+2  +1 Level	Hellfrost +2
8    +6  +6/+2/+2  +1 Level	Arcane Venom
9    +6  +6/+3/+3  --		Poison Focus +3, Hellfrost +3
10   +7  +7/+3/+3  +1 Level	Cold Resistance 20, Caina's Breath

Special Abilities:

• Poison Use (Ex): You never risk poisoning yourself when applying poison to a weapon.
• Poison Focus (Su): When casting a spell that creates poison, you gain the indicated bonus to DC and caster level. Example spells are cloudkill, stinking cloud and psychic poison.
• Cold Resistance (Ex): You resist cold damage as indicated.
• Hellfrost (Su): Whenever you cast a Corrupt spell with the [cold] descriptor, you gain the indicated bonus to DC and caster level.
• Cainan Familiar: You gain a new Infernal familiar, or your old Infernal familiar gains power. Choose one of the following:
  - If you have the Improved Familiar feat and your familiar is an evil outsider, you gain a +2 bonus to Fort saves while your familiar is within 5 ft. of you.
  - If you do not have a familiar -- or if you do not like your current familiar -- you may choose to immediately acquire a new one from the following list: Imp, Ice Mephit, Caina Hound, Aroth Hound.
  - If you have a standard (non-Improved) familiar, you may grant it either the Fiendish template, or the Cold Elemental Creature template.
• Arcane Venom (Su): When you cast a Corrupted spell, you may substitute poison for the Unholy damage that would normally apply. This means that the spell deals only half the damage it would normally, but that anyone caught within the area must make a Fort save vs. the spell's DC or suffer the effects of the venom, which you choose from the table below. (Initial and secondary damage are identical unless indicated.)
  
  

  [u]Spell
  Level	Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha	Special[/u]
  1	1d4	1d4	1	--	--	--	Sickened 1 minute / Sickened 2d6 minutes
  2	1d6	1d6	1d4	1	1	1	Slow 1 minute / Slow 3d6 rounds
  3	1d8	1d6	1d6	1d4	1d4	1d4	Sleep 1 minute / Sleep 1d6 minutes
  4	1d8	1d8	1d6	1d6	1d6	1d6	Nauseated 1 minute / Paralyzed 1d6 minutes
  5	1d10	1d8	1d8	1d6	1d6	1d6	Paralyzed 1 minute / Paralyzed 3d6 minutes
  6	2d6	1d10	1d8	1d8	1d8	1d8	1 point Dex drain / 1d8 points Dex drain
  7	2d8	2d6	1d10	1d8	1d8	1d8	2 points Wis drain / Insanity
  8	3d6	2d8	2d6	1d10	1d10	1d10	1d4 points Con drain / Death
  9	4d6	3d6	2d8	2d6	2d6	2d6	2d4 Vile Con damage / Death

  
  Note that any spell thus modified becomes a poison spell, and thus gains the benefits of Poison Focus. (A spell may benefit from both Hellfrost and Poison Focus, for example, a corrupted cone of cold cast with Arcane Venom by a 8th-level Disciple of Astaroth would gain +4 to its save DCs and caster level.)
• Caina's Breath (Su): Whenever you cast a cloud, fog or mist spell, it may at your option deal 1d6 cold damage / round to those within it (supernatural, no SR), in addition to whatever other effects it produces. This ability only works with spells that do not have the [fire] descriptor. Using this ability grants the spell in question the [cold] descriptor (and thus the Hellfrost bonus applies).

-- N

 

[Cheiromancer]

Wow! That was fast!

Cold and poison. Hounds and mists. Forbidden magic.

Nice work!

 

[Nifft]

I really wish there were a [Poison] descriptor. It would make this stuff easier.

House Rule
The following spells gain the [Poison] descriptor:
- Cloudkill
- Ghoul Touch
- Poison
- Stinking Cloud
(BoVD)
- Psychic Poison
(XPH)
- Prevenom Weapon
- Truevenom Weapon

Are there more?

-- N

 

[Sertimon]

There's plenty of good stuff in here to throw at the PCs! Good work!

Yes, there's some more spells that might fit the [Poison] descriptor:

BoVD:
- Befoul
- Serpents of Theggeron
- Spider Hand
- Tongue Serpents

Spider Hand and Tongue Serpents doesn't actually produce poisonous effects, but rather transmutes part of the caster's body into a venomous creature. Don't know if that counts.

 

[Evilhalfling]

Asteroth should be the elder god that sits at the center of the universe and gibbers.
in my option he fits better into the gods of LoM than in the hells.

With a name change it works fine for me. A Devil Lord of Posion, Hounds and Ice? luverly.

 

[Cheiromancer]

@Evil Halfling: you're thinking of Azathoth.

His titles are "Grand Duke, Prince, and Archdevil."

Poison, Hounds and Ice... sounds like a Nobilis game!

 

[Dog Moon]

Oy. I was looking at the Thrall of Demogorgon and looking everywhere for the feat Abyssal Thrall. I then looked AGAIN at the feats at the beginning and saw Demonic Thrall, which I assume is supposed to be the same thing.

Btw, these classes look cool, as if you need another person telling you that.

Edit: Question: Why is the DC for the Thrall of Demogorgon's SLAs 10 + 1/2 Total HD + Cha mod instead of spell level + Cha mod? Also, you mean Total Class HD, right, or TOTAL total HD?

 

[Nifft]

Oy. I was looking at the Thrall of Demogorgon and looking everywhere for the feat Abyssal Thrall. I then looked AGAIN at the feats at the beginning and saw Demonic Thrall, which I assume is supposed to be the same thing.

Btw, these classes look cool, as if you need another person telling you that.

Edit: Question: Why is the DC for the Thrall of Demogorgon's SLAs 10 + 1/2 Total HD + Cha mod instead of spell level + Cha mod? Also, you mean Total Class HD, right, or TOTAL total HD?

D'oh! Sorry about the Feat name... I confuse myself sometimes!

It's intended for non-PC monsters, so it's total HD -- base class, monster and PrC. It's wonky, but there are reasons, having to do with keeping a critter in line at high HD or low HD, whenever it chooses to start this PrC.

-- N