Cinder Ghouls (True 20 )

[Urizen]

Here's a Cinder ghoul created for the True20 game system. Questions and comments are welcome.

Enjoy!

Cinder Ghoul
Type: 4th Level Undead
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft.
Abilities: Str +1, Dex +2, Con—, Int +1, Wis +2, Cha +2
Skills: Acrobatics 7 (+9), Climb 7 (+8), Jump 7 (+8), Notice 7 (+9), Stealth 7 (+9)
Feats: Double Strike, ToughB, Tough
Traits: Darkvision 60 ft., Cinder Fever, Heat Aura, Stench, Undead Traits
Combat: Attack +5 (+3 base, +2 Dex), Damage +4 (bite) or +3 (claws), Defense Dodge/Parry +5/— (+3 base, +2 Dex), Initiative +2
Saving Throws: Toughness +5 (+2 undead, +1 natural, +2 Tough), Fortitude +1 (+1 base), Reflex +3 (+1 base, +2 Dex), Will +6 (+4 base, +2 Wis)

Cinder Fever: Supernatural Disease—bite; Fortitude Difficulty 14; incubation period 1 day; damage 2 Con. Cinder Fever is identical to "Ghoul Fever" in all ways save the victim rises as a cinder ghoul on the next midnight. When a victim perishes from Cinder Fever they erupt in a column of flames, this is a +1 damage (fire) attack to all within 5 feet.

Heat Aura: A cinder ghoul radiates an aura of extreme heat such that those who come enter into melee with it receive a +1 damage (fire) hit every round. The damage of a cinder ghoul's bite and claw are increased by one (included above) to accommodate for this extra heat, those immune to fire reduce the damage by one. The Difficulty of the cinder ghoul's heat aura is calculated the same as that of their cinder fever save Difficulty.

Stench: The cinder ghoul's stench ability functions just like that of the standard ghast except that a cinder ghoul smells of burnt flesh and soot.

Occasionally when a person has died in a horrible fire, their spirits do not rest, for whatever reason their anger allows them to live on beyond the grave. These beings are known as cinder ghouls, they exist now only to spread the hatred that burns at their souls from within. Once living breathing humanoids they become twisted undead, their skin blackened, covered with blisters, and pulled tight across their hands and faces, their eyes burn with a terrible hatred for the living and a hunger for flesh.

The air around them seems to waiver from the extreme heat that emanates from their bodies. The stink of death and soot that follow them can over-take even the strongest of constitutions. Like normal ghouls, cinder ghouls are intelligent undead and may advance by role. Cinder ghouls speak the languages they spoke in life (usually Common). However they rarely speak, but when they do speak it sounds like a voice yelling over the roar of a bonfire. The statistics present here are for that of a fourth level cinder ghoul.

 

[Roger]

Not quite familiar enough with True20 to say anything really useful, but I like the concept.

If they're a bit too tough (not that I can tell either way) I might recommend some sort of Cold Vulnerability.



Cheers,
Roger

 

[Urizen]

Good idea Roger, Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Very cool!

One thing, though: the damage from Heat Aura seems high. I would drop it down to -2 or -3 damage per round.

 

[Urizen]

Thanks for the feedback Ulorian,

Though, if I'm understanding right (haven't had my coffee yet), you want (negative) 1 or (negative) 2 damage from the aura?

Wouldn't that effectively give it no damage?

 

[ValhallaGH]

Thanks for the feedback Ulorian,

Though, if I'm understanding right (haven't had my coffee yet), you want (negative) 1 or (negative) 2 damage from the aura?

Wouldn't that effectively give it no damage?

Nope. Remember, -4 damage is still a Difficulty 11 Toughness save. I do enjoy True20.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Nope. Remember, -4 damage is still a Difficulty 11 Toughness save. I do enjoy True20.

Exactly. The damage rating of an attack is just a modifier to the Toughness save DC. So my suggestion was -2 or -3 instead of +1. Heat Aura is essentially a second attack per round, which is very deadly in True 20. A +1 damage attack is a Toughness save with DC 16, which has a more than reasonable chance of causing at least a Hurt condition to any melee attackers. I think the effect you were going for was for the Heat Aura to be a minor threat to attackers, which is why I was suggesting an attack with a fairly low Toughness DC.

 

[Urizen]

Thanks for the clarification guys.

I sometimes fall back into a D20 frame of mind. ugh..

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Here's an alternative form of Heat Aura. Instead of a damaging attack, Heat Aura has a chance of inducing heat exhaustion in anyone in close proximity. Anyone within 5' of a cinder ghoul must make a Fortitude save once per round against DC 10 (to pull a number out of a hat) or suffer a level of Fatigue. If you felt like being a rat bastard, you could even combine the damage with the heat exhaustion.

 

[Urizen]

Here's an alternative form of Heat Aura. Instead of a damaging attack, Heat Aura has a chance of inducing heat exhaustion in anyone in close proximity. Anyone within 5' of a cinder ghoul must make a Fortitude save once per round against DC 10 (to pull a number out of a hat) or suffer a level of Fatigue. If you felt like being a rat bastard, you could even combine the damage with the heat exhaustion.

That's a pretty neat idea.

Thanks for the input!