Challenging my high-lvl group (NPCs and monsters; my players shouldn't read this!)
- Thread starter Piratecat
- Start date
What about a gargantuan undead that carries a shrine (read unhallowed) on its back. Maybe like an undead dragonturtle with a small temple as its shell, or an atlas like zombie that carries a large structure on its back. Perhaps a giant died and some unwitting cultists built a temple on top of it and it animated. heh far fetched i know! 
What about an undead pheonix or a gelantinous cube that was undead with ghouls inside that would strike at a captured foe. And for just strangeness, an awakened Dire Rat lich wizard!! hehe that would be the best.
jake
What about an undead pheonix or a gelantinous cube that was undead with ghouls inside that would strike at a captured foe. And for just strangeness, an awakened Dire Rat lich wizard!! hehe that would be the best.
jake
Piratecat
Sesquipedalian
Wanna know who they're fighting right now? Here's a preview! Remember, standard rules about no spoilers in the story hour applies... but feel free to kibitz here! From my notes....
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Arballine “The grinning death”
True ghoul/elf: ranger 5, rogue 2, deepwoods sniper 10. Alignment NE
HD: 20d12 (135 hp)
S 14 +2
D 26 +8
C -- --
I 14 +2
W 16 +3
CH 20 +5
AC: 38 (+5 natural, +8 dex, +6 armor, +5 deflection, +4 haste)
Belongings: +4 mighty bone longbow of hunting (14 str) (doubles bonuses vs chosen enemy, +4 to hit, +6 to dmg); 100 +3 bone arrows; +5 flayed skin armor (+6 to AC); ring of deflection +5, cloak of the bat, 10 potions of haste
Fort: +4+3 = +7 (not affected)
Ref: +4+7+3=+14+8 = +22
Will: +1+3=+4+3 = +7
BAB: +10/+5
Longbow/ +3 arrows vs humans: +29/+24 or +27/+27/+22 (rapid shot), 1d8+13 (17-20/x5) +1d6
Longbow/+3 arrows vs other races: +25/+20 or +23/+23/+18(rapid shot), 1d8+9 (18-20/x5)
265’ range; +4 to hit (aim), +1 hit/dmg if within 30’, + true strike?, +1d6 sneak attack dmg?
Bite +12, 1d8+2; claw +12, 1d6+2
Special class abilities:
2 favored enemies (humans +2, drow +1), keen arrows, +100’ range, concealment reduction 30%, magic weapon 1/day, safe poison use, take aim (+4), consistent aim 3/day (reroll miss), true strike 1/day; sneak attack +1d6; evasion
Feats:
Track, Weapon focus (longbow) (+1 to hit), point blank shot (+1 to hit and dmg within 30’), far shot (range x1.5), rapid shot (extra shot per round at -2 on all), precise shot (no penalty for melee fire), favored enemy strike (+1d6 dmg to favored enemies), favored critical (doubled crit range vs favored enemies), improved critical (doubled crit range)
Skills:
Balance +16, Climb +13 (Str), Craft (bowmaking) +6 (Int), Hide +37 (Dex), Intuit Direction +7 (Wis), Jump +10 (Str), Knowledge (nature) (Int) +6, Listen +25 (Wis), Move Silently +27 (Dex), Spot +27 (Wis), and Wilderness Lore +9 (Wis).
Undead special abilities:
Paralysis (Ex): Those hit by a true ghoul's bite or claw attack must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC equals 10 plus half the creature's HD plus its Charisma bonus) or be paralyzed for 2d6+6 minutes. Elves are not immune to a true ghoul's paralysis.
Grave-Rot (Su): The fangs, claws, and weapons of true ghouls are contaminated with the filth of the grave and may spread disease. At the end of combat, anyone who took damage from the true ghoul's claw, bite, or melee weapon attack must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 15) or contract grave-rot: Onset time 1 day, damage 1d6 hit points of damage each day until cured or the victim makes a successful Fortitude Save. Victims are allowed a new saving throw each day. Victims reduced to 0 hit points by grave-rot are transformed into true ghouls.
Strength Damage (Su): A true ghoul with 6 or more HD also deals 1 point of temporary Strength damage to a living foe. A creature reduced to Strength 0 by a true ghoul dies.
Create Spawn (Su): In most cases, true ghouls devour those they kill. From time to time, however, the bodies of their humanoid victims lie where they fell. Slain victims who fail a Fortitude Saving Throw (DC 15) become normal ghouls, while those who succeed arise as true ghouls. If a true ghoul cleric is present, the victim receives a +4 bonus to the saving throw. Casting protection from evil on a body before the end of that time averts the transformation.
Special Qualities: A true ghoul has all the special qualities of the base creature, plus darkvision with a range of 60 feet. They are resistant to physical blows and have the qualities of being undead. More powerful true ghouls also gain the ability to animate dead and summon shadows.
Resistant to Blows (Ex): Physical attacks deal only half damage to true ghouls. Apply this effect before damage reduction.
Undead: Immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and disease. Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, energy drain, or death from massive damage.
Turn Resistance: True ghouls of up to 6 HD possess +2 turn resistance. True ghouls of 6-9 HD possess +3 turn resistance. True ghouls with 10 or more HD possess +4 turn resistance.
Animate Dead (Su): A true ghoul with 8 or more HD can animate dead once per week. The total HD of skeletons or zombies created by a single use of this ability cannot exceed the true ghoul's HD. There is no limit to the amount of undead that the true ghoul can control through use of this ability.
Summon Shadows (Su): A true ghoul with 10 or more HD can summon 1d3 shadows once per day. The shadows arrive in 1 round and serve for 10 rounds or until released.
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Arballine “The grinning death”
True ghoul/elf: ranger 5, rogue 2, deepwoods sniper 10. Alignment NE
HD: 20d12 (135 hp)
S 14 +2
D 26 +8
C -- --
I 14 +2
W 16 +3
CH 20 +5
AC: 38 (+5 natural, +8 dex, +6 armor, +5 deflection, +4 haste)
Belongings: +4 mighty bone longbow of hunting (14 str) (doubles bonuses vs chosen enemy, +4 to hit, +6 to dmg); 100 +3 bone arrows; +5 flayed skin armor (+6 to AC); ring of deflection +5, cloak of the bat, 10 potions of haste
Fort: +4+3 = +7 (not affected)
Ref: +4+7+3=+14+8 = +22
Will: +1+3=+4+3 = +7
BAB: +10/+5
Longbow/ +3 arrows vs humans: +29/+24 or +27/+27/+22 (rapid shot), 1d8+13 (17-20/x5) +1d6
Longbow/+3 arrows vs other races: +25/+20 or +23/+23/+18(rapid shot), 1d8+9 (18-20/x5)
265’ range; +4 to hit (aim), +1 hit/dmg if within 30’, + true strike?, +1d6 sneak attack dmg?
Bite +12, 1d8+2; claw +12, 1d6+2
Special class abilities:
2 favored enemies (humans +2, drow +1), keen arrows, +100’ range, concealment reduction 30%, magic weapon 1/day, safe poison use, take aim (+4), consistent aim 3/day (reroll miss), true strike 1/day; sneak attack +1d6; evasion
Feats:
Track, Weapon focus (longbow) (+1 to hit), point blank shot (+1 to hit and dmg within 30’), far shot (range x1.5), rapid shot (extra shot per round at -2 on all), precise shot (no penalty for melee fire), favored enemy strike (+1d6 dmg to favored enemies), favored critical (doubled crit range vs favored enemies), improved critical (doubled crit range)
Skills:
Balance +16, Climb +13 (Str), Craft (bowmaking) +6 (Int), Hide +37 (Dex), Intuit Direction +7 (Wis), Jump +10 (Str), Knowledge (nature) (Int) +6, Listen +25 (Wis), Move Silently +27 (Dex), Spot +27 (Wis), and Wilderness Lore +9 (Wis).
Undead special abilities:
Paralysis (Ex): Those hit by a true ghoul's bite or claw attack must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC equals 10 plus half the creature's HD plus its Charisma bonus) or be paralyzed for 2d6+6 minutes. Elves are not immune to a true ghoul's paralysis.
Grave-Rot (Su): The fangs, claws, and weapons of true ghouls are contaminated with the filth of the grave and may spread disease. At the end of combat, anyone who took damage from the true ghoul's claw, bite, or melee weapon attack must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 15) or contract grave-rot: Onset time 1 day, damage 1d6 hit points of damage each day until cured or the victim makes a successful Fortitude Save. Victims are allowed a new saving throw each day. Victims reduced to 0 hit points by grave-rot are transformed into true ghouls.
Strength Damage (Su): A true ghoul with 6 or more HD also deals 1 point of temporary Strength damage to a living foe. A creature reduced to Strength 0 by a true ghoul dies.
Create Spawn (Su): In most cases, true ghouls devour those they kill. From time to time, however, the bodies of their humanoid victims lie where they fell. Slain victims who fail a Fortitude Saving Throw (DC 15) become normal ghouls, while those who succeed arise as true ghouls. If a true ghoul cleric is present, the victim receives a +4 bonus to the saving throw. Casting protection from evil on a body before the end of that time averts the transformation.
Special Qualities: A true ghoul has all the special qualities of the base creature, plus darkvision with a range of 60 feet. They are resistant to physical blows and have the qualities of being undead. More powerful true ghouls also gain the ability to animate dead and summon shadows.
Resistant to Blows (Ex): Physical attacks deal only half damage to true ghouls. Apply this effect before damage reduction.
Undead: Immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and disease. Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, energy drain, or death from massive damage.
Turn Resistance: True ghouls of up to 6 HD possess +2 turn resistance. True ghouls of 6-9 HD possess +3 turn resistance. True ghouls with 10 or more HD possess +4 turn resistance.
Animate Dead (Su): A true ghoul with 8 or more HD can animate dead once per week. The total HD of skeletons or zombies created by a single use of this ability cannot exceed the true ghoul's HD. There is no limit to the amount of undead that the true ghoul can control through use of this ability.
Summon Shadows (Su): A true ghoul with 10 or more HD can summon 1d3 shadows once per day. The shadows arrive in 1 round and serve for 10 rounds or until released.
Last edited:
Twinswords
First Post
why not use ghoul walls. Imagine a whole castle turning against the party. You could disguise them with mud?
Twinswords
Two swords are better then one
Twinswords
Two swords are better then one
Sir Osis of Liver
Explorer
Hmm, i'm thinking i'll try a true ghoul, dire elephant. That aught to make an impact!
Icky things
It is probably a good thing for your PC's that the true ghoul template nerfs the base attack or else the archer would be even more horrorific. As for future beastie ideas try basing the creatures/conglomerations on other animals people are usually afraid of. Spiders, scorpions, bats, snakes, sharks (tough to do with no water), slimy things (jellyfish, slugs, snails) etc. Maybe something like the flail snail from fiend folio, but instead of flails it has ghoulish limbs or torsos for multiple attacks.
It is probably a good thing for your PC's that the true ghoul template nerfs the base attack or else the archer would be even more horrorific. As for future beastie ideas try basing the creatures/conglomerations on other animals people are usually afraid of. Spiders, scorpions, bats, snakes, sharks (tough to do with no water), slimy things (jellyfish, slugs, snails) etc. Maybe something like the flail snail from fiend folio, but instead of flails it has ghoulish limbs or torsos for multiple attacks.
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