Challenging my high-lvl group (NPCs and monsters; my players shouldn't read this!)

[Piratecat]

Knight Otu, you're smarter than you think.

I'm happy to discuss this, but there's major freakin' spoilers. I can SPOILER them, but is this something that folks want to read? If my logic would prove useful to anyone, I'm happy to discuss the rationale.

 

[Lela]

Eh, I'm always looking to take a peak at DM logic and I'm not too worried about spoilers. Just SPOILER them out for those who don't want to know and we should be good.

 

[Ashy]

You know me, PC, if it involves your game AND PS? You can betcha that I want to be privy to ALL the details!

 

[Naathez]

As befits my name (Naathez was my bard in Planescape.... I miss those days...) this is a tale I formally ask you to spin, Piratecat...

After all, knowing about the Modrons.... is info that could sell well on the Sigilian Market....

Rattle your bone-box, blood!

 

[Sandain]

Hi Pirate-Cat,

I was wondering if you have the Stats for the High level Githyanki party the PC's fought ages ago?

I refer to;

Br'Kalth (F6/Bg8)
Ali'Gith, (psychic warrior 12)
Cul'Nath (F13)
WeaponMaster Daitha'Sang, (F6 / WeaponMaster 9)
Fel'Brisa, Warlock (lvl 14)
Em'Broth ,Psion (lvl 13)

I would like to use them if you don't mind please.

 

[Dinkeldog]

For some reason levels 12-15 no longer seem "high" when compared to the Defenders.

 

[Ciaran]

Thanks for the info on the parai! I never much paid attention to them before. I don't have a lot of love for them; I think with all the modrons dead, other creatures might be clamoring to claim part of MEchanus for themselves. Devils, formians, angels, slaadi, planar factions. . .

You know, it seems to me that there are a number of Planescape factions in Sigil that would just love the opportunity to take over such a prime chunk of Pure Lawful real estate. Especially one that was the former seat of a minor Power...

- Eric

 

[Kaodi]

Mechanus

Axiomatic Gnomes!
Yes!
Muahahahahaha!

Who else would have such a wonderful appreciation for the mechanical complexities of Mechanus? Perhaps they are even attempting to build a new Primus, or alternatively repairing and upgrading the old one. And think, it would give you an excuse to use the little guys.

There could even be a search for an artifact that contains the instructions for such an endeavour, and that is the first component needed for a new body. The First Cog.

Err... looking back at previous posts most of that gnome stuff can probably be scratched, but The First Cog idea might still be useable...

 

[Knightfall]

Hey, on a related note - anyone know of any dream/nightmare-related monsters? There a darn cool three-headed night hag in the rules forum that I might use, adding a nightmare-themed cabal. If so, I want her to have some interesting lackies.

Any ideas?

Here's something. It's a nightmare manifested construct. However, its CR is likely to low to challenge the Defenders. However, you could always throw it into an encounter or ramp up its Advancement Range.

Let me know what you think.

Cheers!

KF72
---------------------------------

Nightmare Construct
Huge Construct
Hit Dice: 10d10+40 (95 hp)
Initiative: +1 (Dex)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
AC: 18 (-2 size, +1 Dex, +9 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+13
Attack: Slam +13 melee (2d6+12)
Full Attack: 2 slams +13 melee (2d6+8) and bite +11 melee (1d6+4) and gore +11 melee (2d6+4)
Face/Reach: 10ft. / 10ft.
Special Attacks: Frightful presence, psionics
Special Qualities: Construct, damage reduction 15/magic, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, telepathy
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +3
Abilities: Str 26 (+8), Dex 12 (+1), Con —, Int —, Wis 11 (+0), Cha 1 (-5)
Skills: See text
Feats: Cleave, Multiattack, Psionic Talent, Power Attack

Environment: Any land and underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 15
Treasure: None
Alignment: Chaotic evil (neutral evil 5%)
Advancement: 11-16 HD (Huge); 17-30 HD (Gargantuan)

This creature is the stuff of nightmares—literally. A nightmare construct, also known as a nightwere, is the manifestation of years of abuse and neglect inflicted on a good individual with psionic potential, but who has never had any formal training. Those with this psionic curse tend to burn out physically before their true condition is discovered.

The “victim” isn’t trapped in a sleep-induced state and functions, somewhat, normally during the hours he or she is awake. However, the victim is always tired and wide-eyed. He or he doesn’t remember anything about his or her dreams. The victim doesn’t realize that he or she is connected to the nightmare construct. The truth has been known to send the victim into a state of shock, which quickly leads to coma.

As for the construct itself, its physical form depends greatly on the innermost fears of the victim. Most often it manifests as a monstrous quadruped creature, with tusks, thick fur, and glowing red eyes. When first encountered, the creature is often mistaken for a werebeast. However, the creature’s form can be anything and arachnid, insect, bird, humanoid, and reptile-like forms have all been encountered.

Combat
No matter what its form, the nightmare construct has these four main characteristics: It can only appear at night. It appears to be made up of a solid shadow-like matter, which normal weapons pass right through without effect. The creature projects an aura of fear in those that come near it. Finally, the creature cannot be permanently destroyed by physical damage and will reappear again and again until the victim’s mind can be healed or the victim dies.

A nightmare construct doesn’t attack with any form of true intelligence, however, it can sense opponents with psionic potential and will often attack them first (25% chance). Otherwise, it will attack opponents at random.
The victim of the nightmare construct suffers greatly each time the creature manifests. The victim must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1 for each failed save) for each “appearance” or permanently lose 1 point of Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (roll 1d3 to determine randomly). If any of these ability scores reach 0 before the victim can be helped then the victim dies and the nightmare construct will not reappear.

The victim wakes when the nightmare construct is physically destroyed but if her or she goes to sleep again then the nightmare construct will reform. A victim will rarely be able to go back to sleep after this, suffering horrible bouts of insomnia (15% chance of being able to sleep again that night).
The only way to save the victim and permanently destroy the nightmare construct is by helping the victim through “successful” telepathic communication (role-playing solution, see below) or by psionic healing (i.e. Psychic Chirurgery power). Waking the victim temporarily disjoins the construct. Killing the victim permanently destroys the construct but only the most immoral characters will harm such a troubled soul. For while the nightmare construct is evil, the victim never is.

If the victim is comatose then the nightmare construct will appear at the onset of dusk and will appear over and over again—if destroyed over and over again—until dawn comes. In a region where there is little or no sunlight, the nightmare construct will appear more often. The characters should only receive XP once for each night the nightmare construct is active. Characters also receive full XP for permanently destroying the creature without killing the victim, in addition to previous combat victories over the construct.

Note: Characters that are able to talk the victim through his or her nightmare through telepathic communication should receive an Ad Hoc experience bonus, in addition to the standard XP award for defeating the creature, based on good role-playing. The DM will determine the trigger events or locations that will free the victim from his or her ordeal.

Construct: Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects). Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and necromancy effects. A nightmare construct cannot heal damage on its own, but can be repaired by being exposing it to the light of the full moon or by the use of its psionic powers. Not subject to critical hits, non-lethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or energy drain. Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless). Not at risk of death from massive damage. Immediately dissolves away when reduced to 0 hit points or less. Since it was never alive, a nightmare construct cannot be raised or resurrected (although it reforms the next time its victim sleeps during nighttime). Nightmare constructs do not eat, sleep, or breathe.

Frightful Presence (Ex): A nightmare construct can cause a panicked or shaken state in creatures, within a 30-foot range. On a failure, creatures with 4 or less HD become panicked for 3d6 rounds and those with 5 or more HD become shaken for 3d6 rounds. Creatures with 10 or more HD are immune to a nightmare construct’s frightful presence. A successful Will Save (DC 15) negates the effect for 24 hours. The save DC is Wisdom-based, not Charisma-based.

Psionics: Power points/day 130; Powers known (21)—animal affinity, baleful teleport (DC 23), burst, concussion blast, deceleration (DC 19), detect psionics, dispel psionics, empathic feedback, energy adaptation, energy burst (DC 21), eradicate invisibility (DC 21), feat leech (DC 20), id insinuation (DC 20), inflict pain (DC 20), matter agitation, mind thrust, power leech (DC 22), psionic blast (DC 21), psionic dismissal (DC 22), telekinetic force (DC 21), time hop (DC 21); Max. power level known 5th.

A nightmare construct is considered a 10th-level nomad but uses its Strength score for determining power points, save DCs, and any other psionic rule that would use a nomad’s Intelligence score.

Telepathy (Su): The victim of the nightmare construct can communicate telepathically with any creature within 100 feet of the nightmare construct that has a language. The victim is always terrified and will often communicate in an irrational manner. The victim can’t communicate telepathically when awake.

Skills: While a nightmare construct doesn’t have any skills. Its victim does and can apply those skills to the creature in certain circumstances. Specifically, the victim makes all Concentration checks when it manifests powers.

The victim’s Concentration skill total is equal to 5 + ½ the creatures HD + the victim’s Constitution modifier. You can either roll the victim’s Constitution score normally, or simply say his or her Constitution modifier is equal to 1d4+1.

 

[Ashy]

Kewl-ell, Knighty!