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

[Gidien]

"Spellstitched"

Hey PCat... you mentioned an alternate "spellstiched" monster that looked like an evil hunter of the dead... I was wondering about where you found it. It sounds like a monster I sent you a few months ago, but I called it the Soulstiched. Maybe you should post it, assuming it's up to snuff.

Oh and great thread. I looove the dragon's stats... mmm, a disarming dragon... truly evil.

 

[Grim]

Githyanki task force

I'm not much good with actual stats, but I think others can come up with the exact "crunchy bits."

My thoughts:

They would all be true ghoul Githyanki. The task force, not the others. In my mind, the force would be something like this:

Shaper:
int focused psion. Leader of the group. Astral constructs would come in the form of big endoplasmic spiders, bats, or other freaky things, and would have an added list entry (when choosing their augmentation thingies from the lists in the PsiH): they could be the undead subtype

Psychic warrior 9ish/rogue 3ish/monk 4ish:
focused almost entirely on mobility, sneak attacks. Feats would either be psionic ones improving mobility or (a must) improved critical, deep impact, etc. Basically, in a toe to toe, they would get worked, but when striking from the shadows and then bursting away, they would be massively effective with extra damage dice. No armor, but inertial armor and crazy amounts of dodge bonuses/nat armor/etc.

Psychic Warrior:
A pure psionic fighter, but heavily protected against magic, etc. He would wear endoplasmic armor, use a githyanki silver sword, but also have a silver lance, because he rides a Silver Spider.

A Silver Spider is basically a large or huge advanced phase spider or maybe monstrous spider, but has the following extra stuff:
Shifts not between the Material and the Etherial, but between the Material and the Astral.
Can attack the silver cord on the astral plane.
This particular one is a true ghoul (maybe).
My favorite part: It shoots a web that, besides having the effect of a regular monstrous spider web, drains a certain number of powerpoints from any psionic beings it attaches to, and gives them back to the silver spider, or its rider. This drain would proably be based on Hit Dice of the spider.

And the final member (my personal favorite):

A cleric:
Not just any cleric, this cleric is dedicated to the lich queen herself. The queen's domains are the same as vecna's, except for an extra one: mind. I have no idea what the domain would consist of, but the added power is that you can trade healing spells for "Heal Mind Spells", which add power points. Evil, huh.

They would have a fifth member, but that was the archer the party killed earlier.

Umm... thats about all I can think of...

I can post the mind domain later, if you like. And maybe a better writeup of the silver spider.

Thats all, folks,

Grim.

PS: The silver lance would have something instead of the vorpal charictersistic. Perhaps "improved wounding", or keen. Or you could just keep the vorpal charicteristic, to be typically rat bastardy.

PPS: and all the psychic warriors could have had grafted thier weapons onto thier bodys, so when they die, you cant get their weapons. HEHEHEH. Se evil!

 

[Sollir Furryfoot]

Ah, good old treasure vaults If you're looking for any alternatives, I have 2 suggestions you might find interesting.

Dark Tentacles, from MM2, this creature has 36 tentacles (12 attacks a round) and is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, can be advanced to 27 HD (or more if you want I guess), and has some nice immobilizing spell like abilities. Scatters treasure about as bait in its description.

Deepspawn, from Magic of Faerun, similar to the Dark Tentacles, it has several natural attacks as well as notes for having cover when covered in treasure.

I kindof like the first one, imagine, the weapons that could be used against the White Kingdom would first be used by the monster! Up to 12 magical swords, axes, maces, and other expertly crafted dwarven weapons for the creature's use . It's also decently intelligent (Int 14) and would make for a fun challenge, especially with Agar's fascination with tentacles


I also have a question for you PC:
At the time when Defenders were infultrating that temple of healing that was really a front for a cult of clerics worshipping a god of plague, what did you use for the stats (if any) of that slimy (divine?) creature that polymorphed into a halfling? I found it interesting how he had several different diseases at his disposal to weaken the Defenders so that they couldn't touch him. Darn Talisman of Good . Thanks ahead of time.

 

[Kaodi]

Sympathy vs. Antipathy

While trying to think of another bright idea, it occured to me that we tend to think about maliscious and cruel things to do to the Defenders exculsively.

I am thinking that perhaps as a small aside, if the Defenders need a new ally, you could have them meet by chance a celestial traveller from either the Upper Planes or Positive Energy Plane delving deep into the heart of the Ghoulish Kingdom in order to try and find some powerful artifact of good that was kept under the protection of the first ghouls that came from the Negative Energy Plane.

Just a thought, based on the reverse idea from MotP of bad things being held prison in the Positive Energy Plane.

 

[Piratecat]

Re: "Spellstitched"

Hey PCat... you mentioned an alternate "spellstiched" monster that looked like an evil hunter of the dead... I was wondering about where you found it. It sounds like a monster I sent you a few months ago, but I called it the Soulstiched. Maybe you should post it, assuming it's up to snuff.

*bing bing bing!*

I'm embarrassed I mixed it up; I'd like to think that my faulty memory stems from incompetence, not early senility. It should say something that when I ran into it the other day in my gaming folder, I thought it came from WotC. The CR is probably a bit low, but the monster still rocks. Thank you again, and expect to see it in action before too long.

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Soul Stitched (By Gidien)
Large Undead
HD: 20d12 (132)
Initiative: +10 (+6 Dex, +4 I.I.)
Speed: 40’
AC: 27 (+6 Dex, +4 Haste, +7 Natural)
Attacks: 2 claws +19
Damage: Claw 2d6+8+Soul Drain
Face/Reach: 5’x5’/10’
Special Attacks: Negative Energy Burst, Soul Drain
Special Qualities: Alacrity, Negative Energy Shield, DR 30/+3, SR 24
Saves- F: +8 R: +12 W: +16
Abilities: Str 26, Dex 22, Con -, Int 16, Wis 18, Cha 18
Skills: Intimidate +32 Listen +32, Spot +32,
Feats: Dodge, Moblitity, Spring Attack, Weapon Focus (claw), Improved Initiative, Great Fortitude, Power Attack, Cleave
Clime: Any
Organization: Solitary, Pair, or Gang (2-5)
CR: 14
Treasure: Standard
Align: Always neutral evil
Adv. Range: 21 to 40 HD (large), 41-60 HD (huge)

The Soul Stitched are terrifying undead constructs, crafted and granted sentience by only the most skilled necromancers. They are the ultimate bane to undead hunters.

Soul Stitched appear at first glance to be bizarre flesh golems, for each limb is created from the matching limbs of medium and small sized humans. Thus, its thin, elongated arms are comprised of several arms cunningly molded together. The overall effect is that of a tall, emaciated corpse, with grotesquely long limbs and body, topped by a grinning head that seems small by comparison. The Soul Stitched are infused with the tormented souls of all the victims that comprise it, and infused with negative energy, leaving it enveloped in a field of shimmering black and floating slightly off the ground.

Combat: The Soul Stitched are cunning combatants, and almost always travel with packs of lesser undead at their beck and call. They use these undead to hinder foes, especially spell casters, while blasting away with negative energy bursts. When closing for combat, they prefer to strike down those with divine powers first, as they particularly despise such beings.

Negative Energy Burst (Su): Once every 1d4 rounds, four times per day, Soul Stitched can unleash a blast of pure negative energy, striking all within 100’. This attack does 10d6 damage, allowing a reflex save (DC: 24) for half damage. This attack heals all undead in the area, including the soul stitched.

Soul Drain (Su): A Soul Stitched attacks tear at the very souls of those struck. Anyone hit by a claw attack must succeed at a will save (DC: 24) or suffer 1 temporary negative level and 1 point of permanent Charisma drain. The Soul Stitched recovers 5 HP for every negative level it inflicts, excess becoming temporary HP. The Fortitude save to remove the negative level is DC: 24

Alacrity (Su): The Soul Stitched moves with supernatural speed. It acts as if always Hasted, providing an extra action each round and a +4 bonus to AC (included in the stats above).

Negative Energy Shield (Su): The field of negative energy surrounding the Soul Stitched provides it with special protections form positive energy. All undead within 30’ (including the Soul Stitched) gain turn resistance +4. Additionally, the Soul Stitched reduces all positive energy, holy, and undead specific damage by 20 each round. This ability is similar to energy resistance, and works on attacks such attacks as Flame Strike, Positive Energy Burst, and Searing Light.

 

[Vargo]

Re: "Spellstitched"

Soul Stitched(By Gidien)
*Snippage*
Speed: 40’
*Snippage*
DR 30/+3, SR 24
*Snippage*
CR: 14
*Snippage*
Negative Energy Burst (Su): Once every 1d4 rounds, four times per day, Soul Stitched can unleash a blast of pure negative energy, striking all within 100’. This attack does 10d6 damage, allowing a reflex save (DC: 24) for half damage. This attack heals all undead in the area, including the soul stitched.
*Snippage*
Negative Energy Shield (Su): The field of negative energy surrounding the Soul Stitched provides it with special protections form positive energy. All undead within 30’ (including the Soul Stitched) gain turn resistance +4. Additionally, the Soul Stitched reduces all positive energy, holy, and undead specific damage by 20 each round. This ability is similar to energy resistance, and works on attacks such attacks as Flame Strike, Positive Energy Burst, and Searing Light.

Um, CR *14*? With 10d6 damage on a DC 24 REFLEX save every 1d4 rounds? Not to mention almost no defences against the damage type are availible...

Yeah, I'd say the DC is a little low.

 

[JacktheRabbit]

Re: Re: "Spellstitched"

I agree, at best this ability should be limited to number of times equal to Charisma modifer. Also this power is much more powerful than Positive Energy Burst which I believe does not heal at all anyone living that is caught in the blast radius.

Um, CR *14*? With 10d6 damage on a DC 24 REFLEX save every 1d4 rounds? Not to mention almost no defences against the damage type are availible...

Yeah, I'd say the DC is a little low.

 

[Kugar]

Re: Re: "Spellstitched"

Yeah, I'd say the DC is a little low.

DC should = 10 + 1/2 HD + Cha mod = 24 for the above. The DC looks good. The CR looks a little low, not because of the special abilities but for the ability scores, HD, and attacks. I'd say its CR should be at least 15 because of the DR. (My general rule is DR = x/+ (1/3 CR) so the party could hit it with weapons when used as a normal encouter, but the DR is a pain if you use the monster as a encounter with an EL 4 or 5 higher than the party's level.

The negative engery burst could really ruin a party's day, but at 15th level you may have picked up a ring of evasion. In addition, the N.E.B would affecting Undead would almost never come in to play if the soul stitched are used as written. The lesser undead will usually be destroyed easily by a higer level party. This ability should be taken into account in the encounter's EL if it becomes stategically important. The amount of times it can NEB should also be a non-issue. How many rounds do you think this guy is sticking around for if the good guys are within 100'

The shield is all goodness though and a nasty effect

All around good monster - consider this a *yoink* Thank you Gidien / PC.

 

[Vargo]

s/the DC is/the CR is

Actually, I'd use these guys in tandem. You're right about them never getting to use it for the "lesser" undead, but imagine 2-3 of these guys just firing off their bursts as quickly as they can...

 

[Gidien]

Thanks to all for the feedback. Much appreciated.

Don't forget that the negative energy burst it limited to 4/day. As for the CR, I figured it was low when I made it, but all I had to work with was the WotC CR estimator, which I have never really trusted... The thing needs playtesting, but right now my party is only 8th level.

[Evil Grin] Anyone willing to help? [/Evil Grin]