Carnifax!
- Thread starter BOZ
- Start date
M3 Twilight Calling is the only place I have seen them. Should be easy to convert from what I see.
D and D info
Carnifex Guards, HD as Fighter 18
Carnifex Chaplins, HD as Clerics 18
Carnifex Tricksters, HD as Thief 18
Carnifex Magi, HD as MU 36
Remember this was a Dungeons and Dragons Master Game Adventure. But Having a dinosaur lizard archetype with class levels should work. Maybe use some of the Saurials stats from F. Realms.
D and D info
Carnifex Guards, HD as Fighter 18
Carnifex Chaplins, HD as Clerics 18
Carnifex Tricksters, HD as Thief 18
Carnifex Magi, HD as MU 36
Remember this was a Dungeons and Dragons Master Game Adventure. But Having a dinosaur lizard archetype with class levels should work. Maybe use some of the Saurials stats from F. Realms.
Mystaros
First Post
M3 is the only appearance of the carnifex. One thing you must remember when designing the carnifex: those from the module were the last of the most powerful of their race, not common members of that race. Thus they all possessed incredible spell powers and amazing armor classes.
Here's what I worked up myself:
CARNIFEX
Large Monstrous Humanoid (Reptilian)
Hit Dice: 6d8+18 (45 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +4 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +11/+15
Attack: Bite +11 melee (2d6+5) or greatsword +11 melee (3d6+7)
Full Attack: Bite +11 melee (2d6+5) and 2 claws +6 melee (1d8+2); or greatsword +11 melee (3d6+7) and bite +6 melee (2d6+2)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, divine sorcery
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent, spell resistance 20 (transferable to mounts)
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +7
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 15, Wis 15, Cha 15
Skills: Hide +8, Listen +8, Move Silently +8, Spot +8
Feats: Die Hard, Endurance, Improved Initiative
Environment: Any land and underground
Organization: Pack (2-5 led by a 1st level fighter or sorcerer), squad (6-11 1st level fighters or sorcerers, plus 2 3rd level fighters, 1 6th level fighter, 1 1st level ranger, 1 3rd level sorcerer, and 1 6th level sorcerer), or regiment (30-60 1st level fighters or sorcerers, plus 1 3rd level fighter per 5 members, 5 6th level sorcerers, 1 1st level ranger per 10 members, 1 3rd level ranger, 1 3rd level sorcerer per 10 members, 3 6th level sorcerers, 1 16th level fighter 8/sorcerer 8, all leaders mounted on megaraptors, 1 to 3 triceratops pack beasts, and 1 tyrannosaurus rex per 30 members)
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: Double standard
Alignment: Always evil (any)
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +8
The creature looks like a large cross between a lizard and a human. Its body is like that of a large, muscular human covered in gray-green scales. Its arms are long and muscular, the supple and strong hands ending in terrible rending claws. Its legs are lean though powerful, especially the upper thighs, and the feet end in terrible rending talons. The snout is long and broad, with a wide saurian jaw filled with inch-long fangs, while the wide, hide-rimmed reptilian eyes above the snout belie its terrible, inhuman intelligence.
The carnifex are an ancient, pre-human race, old when humans were but a twinkle in the eyes of elder gods. Once upon a time their forefathers built a great empire, reached great heights of magical power, and challenged the gods in a terrible war. They lost, but only just. Most of the carnifex were destroyed, while the greatest were condemned to an extra-dimensional prison for all eternity. A few, a very few, survived hidden in the deepest jungles and wastes of the shattered lands. Today they survive in their hidden redoubts, no longer great as they once were, but continually brooding over their lost empire and the rise of the “lesser races.”
Though the carnifex have fallen from their vaunted heights of magic and technology, they still possess great abilities by human standards, are steeped in magical knowledge the equal of any elf wizard, and possess skills in metallurgy equal to that of any dwarf smith. Magic comes innately to the carnifex, both arcane and divine, as they learned the ways of magic when the current generation of gods were yet unborn. Carnifex sorcerers are thus both wizards and clerics for their people.
Carnifex live in “lost-world” regions, where human, demihuman, and even humanoid settlement is rare or non-existent. They operate from ancient cities built from the very bedrock itself, sometimes of such ancient antiquity that mountains and hills have reared up around the very walls. Carnifex, carnivores to a fault, are the top of the food chain wherever they live. They herd of herbivorous dinosaurs as cattle, keep megaraptors as pets and mounts, and tyrannosaurs are trained as guardians.
Carnifex appear to be a humanoid cousin of the tyrannosaurus rex. They stand between eight and 10 feet tall and weight 600 to 800 pounds.
Carnifex speak Carnifex; some may speak other tongues, but most do not see the point, much as a human would not bother to learn “pig” or “dog.”
COMBAT
Few carnifex fighters wear armor, unless girding for war or the hunt, in which case they wear plate or chain respectively. Greatswords are their favored weapon, as are longspears and greataxes (all large sized, of course). Common carnifex usually only fight with tooth and claw, potent weapons enough indeed. The fighters and commoners stand back while their sorcerous leaders cast their mass-combat spells, then enter the fray only at the signal of their masters. Carnifex rangers may scout ahead and harry opponents as opportunity permits.
Spell-Like Abilities: Each carnifex possesses a range of innate spell-like abilities, totaling a number of 0th, 1st, and 2nd spell levels of arcane and/or divine spells equal to its monstrous humanoid levels (counting 0-level spells as ½ level each). Each spell-like ability can be used once per day, though a carnifex may possess the same spell multiple times, resulting in multiple uses per day. A typical 6 HD carnifex possesses the following spell-like abilities: daze (DC 12), detect magic, mage hand, prestidigitation, hypnotism (DC 13), jump, invisibility. Caster level 6th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Divine Sorcery (SU): Carnifex sorcerers may learn and cast divine spells as though they were arcane spells. These spells are learned at the lowest level possible, whether cleric, druid, or otherwise. Arcane spell failure chance for wearing armor is checked when using such spells.
Shared Spell Resistance (SU): Carnifex may share their spell resistance with their mounts as a free action.
Skills: Carnifex have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks.
Here's what I worked up myself:
CARNIFEX
Large Monstrous Humanoid (Reptilian)
Hit Dice: 6d8+18 (45 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +4 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +11/+15
Attack: Bite +11 melee (2d6+5) or greatsword +11 melee (3d6+7)
Full Attack: Bite +11 melee (2d6+5) and 2 claws +6 melee (1d8+2); or greatsword +11 melee (3d6+7) and bite +6 melee (2d6+2)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, divine sorcery
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent, spell resistance 20 (transferable to mounts)
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +7
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 15, Wis 15, Cha 15
Skills: Hide +8, Listen +8, Move Silently +8, Spot +8
Feats: Die Hard, Endurance, Improved Initiative
Environment: Any land and underground
Organization: Pack (2-5 led by a 1st level fighter or sorcerer), squad (6-11 1st level fighters or sorcerers, plus 2 3rd level fighters, 1 6th level fighter, 1 1st level ranger, 1 3rd level sorcerer, and 1 6th level sorcerer), or regiment (30-60 1st level fighters or sorcerers, plus 1 3rd level fighter per 5 members, 5 6th level sorcerers, 1 1st level ranger per 10 members, 1 3rd level ranger, 1 3rd level sorcerer per 10 members, 3 6th level sorcerers, 1 16th level fighter 8/sorcerer 8, all leaders mounted on megaraptors, 1 to 3 triceratops pack beasts, and 1 tyrannosaurus rex per 30 members)
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: Double standard
Alignment: Always evil (any)
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +8
The creature looks like a large cross between a lizard and a human. Its body is like that of a large, muscular human covered in gray-green scales. Its arms are long and muscular, the supple and strong hands ending in terrible rending claws. Its legs are lean though powerful, especially the upper thighs, and the feet end in terrible rending talons. The snout is long and broad, with a wide saurian jaw filled with inch-long fangs, while the wide, hide-rimmed reptilian eyes above the snout belie its terrible, inhuman intelligence.
The carnifex are an ancient, pre-human race, old when humans were but a twinkle in the eyes of elder gods. Once upon a time their forefathers built a great empire, reached great heights of magical power, and challenged the gods in a terrible war. They lost, but only just. Most of the carnifex were destroyed, while the greatest were condemned to an extra-dimensional prison for all eternity. A few, a very few, survived hidden in the deepest jungles and wastes of the shattered lands. Today they survive in their hidden redoubts, no longer great as they once were, but continually brooding over their lost empire and the rise of the “lesser races.”
Though the carnifex have fallen from their vaunted heights of magic and technology, they still possess great abilities by human standards, are steeped in magical knowledge the equal of any elf wizard, and possess skills in metallurgy equal to that of any dwarf smith. Magic comes innately to the carnifex, both arcane and divine, as they learned the ways of magic when the current generation of gods were yet unborn. Carnifex sorcerers are thus both wizards and clerics for their people.
Carnifex live in “lost-world” regions, where human, demihuman, and even humanoid settlement is rare or non-existent. They operate from ancient cities built from the very bedrock itself, sometimes of such ancient antiquity that mountains and hills have reared up around the very walls. Carnifex, carnivores to a fault, are the top of the food chain wherever they live. They herd of herbivorous dinosaurs as cattle, keep megaraptors as pets and mounts, and tyrannosaurs are trained as guardians.
Carnifex appear to be a humanoid cousin of the tyrannosaurus rex. They stand between eight and 10 feet tall and weight 600 to 800 pounds.
Carnifex speak Carnifex; some may speak other tongues, but most do not see the point, much as a human would not bother to learn “pig” or “dog.”
COMBAT
Few carnifex fighters wear armor, unless girding for war or the hunt, in which case they wear plate or chain respectively. Greatswords are their favored weapon, as are longspears and greataxes (all large sized, of course). Common carnifex usually only fight with tooth and claw, potent weapons enough indeed. The fighters and commoners stand back while their sorcerous leaders cast their mass-combat spells, then enter the fray only at the signal of their masters. Carnifex rangers may scout ahead and harry opponents as opportunity permits.
Spell-Like Abilities: Each carnifex possesses a range of innate spell-like abilities, totaling a number of 0th, 1st, and 2nd spell levels of arcane and/or divine spells equal to its monstrous humanoid levels (counting 0-level spells as ½ level each). Each spell-like ability can be used once per day, though a carnifex may possess the same spell multiple times, resulting in multiple uses per day. A typical 6 HD carnifex possesses the following spell-like abilities: daze (DC 12), detect magic, mage hand, prestidigitation, hypnotism (DC 13), jump, invisibility. Caster level 6th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Divine Sorcery (SU): Carnifex sorcerers may learn and cast divine spells as though they were arcane spells. These spells are learned at the lowest level possible, whether cleric, druid, or otherwise. Arcane spell failure chance for wearing armor is checked when using such spells.
Shared Spell Resistance (SU): Carnifex may share their spell resistance with their mounts as a free action.
Skills: Carnifex have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks.
Last edited:
Carnifex said:Well, seeing as Carnifex means executioner in latin, there's no reason why there shouldn't be a D&D creature called suchNever heard of one though.
But I didn't know of a creature called a carnifax either...
Huh... learn something every day. And here I thought the GW people just threw together a couple of neat sounding syllables. Guess I should have known better.
So what are Carnifexs... (-fexes?) in D&D? From the other posts, they're something like lizardmen?
Ylis
First Post
Wow...I really need to brush up on my Latin! When the title of the post read "Carnifax", I immediately thought that there was an issue involving a rabid, meat-eating piece of office equipment. <sigh>
I have never heard of the Carnifex or Carnifax, so I'm learning something. They seem pretty cool...I might use one
I have never heard of the Carnifex or Carnifax, so I'm learning something. They seem pretty cool...I might use one
frankthedm
First Post
The sound like another variety of lizard men. Mind you an intresting variety.
BTW CR 9 seems a bit high for the critter. The SR is strong, and the spells can be a pain, but a competant 9tt level party will make short work of one.
BTW CR 9 seems a bit high for the critter. The SR is strong, and the spells can be a pain, but a competant 9tt level party will make short work of one.
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