Converting Epic Level Beings

[freyar]

All looks good.

I'm not quite sure about insanity aura and form of madness together. I guess I was thinking of twisting the insanity aura a little to go with current lore. But if we want to be nasty... What do you think?

You need to shift the "h" to after the "c" in psyche.

 

[Shade]

Pshaw!

I was looking over the yuan-ti anathema, and it has this ability:

Mass Aversion (Sp): An anathema can psionically create a compulsion effect targeting all enemies within 30 feet. The targets must succeed on a Will save (DC 27) or gain an aversion to snakes for 10 minutes. Affected subjects must stay at least 20 feet from any snake, yuan-ti, or ti-khana creature, whether alive or dead; if already within 20 feet, they move away. A subject can overcome the compulsion by succeeding on another Will save (DC 27), but still suffers from deep anxiety. This causes a -4 reduction to Dexterity until the effect wears off or the subject is no longer within 20 feet of a snake, yuan-ti, or ti-khana creature. This ability is otherwise similar to antipathy as cast by a 16th-level sorcerer.

This actually seems more powerful than the form of madness you indicated above. Maybe we can combine the two, and drop the insanity aura?

Other yuan-ti abilities to consider:

Alternate form (Sp): All yuan-ti can assume the form of a Tiny to Large viper (see the Snake entry, page 280) as a psionic ability. The yuan-ti loses its natural weapons (if any) and gains the natural weapon of the viper form it assumes. If the yuan-ti has a poisonous bite of its own, it uses its own or the viper's poison, whichever is more potent.

Chameleon Power (Sp): An abomination or anathema can psionically change the coloration of itself and its equipment to match its surroundings, gaining a +10 circumstance bonus on Hide checks.

Detect Poison (Sp): All yuan-ti have the psionic ability to detect poison as the spell (caster level varies).

Produce Acid (Sp): An abomination has the psionic ability to exude acid from its body, dealing 3d6 points of acid damage to the next creature it touches, including a creature hit by its bite attack. If the yuan-ti is grappling or pinning a foe when it uses this power, its grasp deals 5d6 points of acid damage. The acid becomes inert when it leaves the yuan-ti's body, and the yuan-ti is immune to its effects.

or

Dissolving Touch (Sp): An anathema can psionically exude acid from its body, dealing 7d6 points of acid damage to anything it touches. If it uses this power when grappling or constricting an opponent, the acid deals 10d6 points of damage instead. The acid is effective only on the round when this power is used, and it becomes inert when it leaves the anathema's body.

Per the demon lord template:

Spell-Like Abilities: All demon lords have the following spell-like abilities in addition to any the base creature possesses:

Spell-Like Abilities:
At will—astral projection, blasphemy (or word of chaos for obyriths), desecrate, detect good, detect law, greater dispel magic, greater teleport, plane shift, shapechange, telekinesis, unhallow, unholy aura (or cloak of chaos for obyriths), unholy blight (or chaos hammer for obyriths);
3/day—any one symbol.

Each demon lord also possess two additional at-will spell-like abilities, two additional 3/day abilities, and two additional 1/day abilities. These additional spell-like abilities should be chosen to match the demon lord's "theme".

A demon lord's base caster level for spell-like abilities ranges from CL 20th to 25th, based on the demon lord's overall CR (starting at CL 20th and adding +1 to its CL for every 3 points its CR exceeds 18, to a maximum of CL 25th at CR 33).


Anathema Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day -- animal trance (DC 18), baleful polymorph (DC 21), cause fear (DC 17), deeper darkness, entangle (DC 17), haste, neutralize poison, suggestion (DC 19), unholy blight (DC 20); 1/day -- blasphemy (DC 23), unholy aura (DC 24). Caster level 20th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Abomination Anathema Spell-Like Abilities: At will--animal trance (DC 16), entangle (DC 15); 3/day--deeper darkness, neutralize poison (DC 18), suggestion (DC 17); 1/day--baleful polymorph (DC 19; into snake form only), fear (DC 18). Caster level 10th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

 

[freyar]

Yeah, I knew I wouldn't get Form of Madness right. One thing about it, though, is that it's permanent. Here's what Elder Evils says for the yuan-ti themed Sertrous, which we could meld with the anathema's ability, perhaps, to get something new. (Unless we just want to go a more unique route.)

Form of Madness (Su): Any creature within 60 feet who observes Sertrous must make a DC 30 Will save. Failure indicates that the victim develops an overwhelming fear of snakes and serpentine creatures (including hydras, golothomas, yuan-ti, and Sertrous himself).

As long as a serpentine creature is in sight, the victim is distracted and takes a -4 penalty on Will saving throws. It also takes a -4 penalty on attack rolls against these types of creatures. In the first round of combat against a serpentine creature, the victim must also make a DC 28 Will save or be paralyzed with fear for 1d6 rounds.

Heal or greater restoration can cure the effect if the caster succeeds on a DC 30 caster level check. Miracle or wish automatically cures this condition. A creature that succeeds on its save is immune to Sertrous's Form of Madness for 24 hours. Blindness is no protection against Sertrous's Form of Madness -- his presence is an affront to all five senses. This is a mind-affecting fear ability that does not affect chaotic evil outsiders or yuan-ti.

 

[Shade]

On second thought, since Sertrous seems to have the fear of snake thing covered with its form of madness, how about we go back to the insanity aspect which seems to be S's main mojo.

We could just go with rendering victims permanently insane, or borrow this from the uzollru obyriths:

Form of Madness (Su): Any creature within 120 feet that observes an uzollru must attempt a DC 27 Will save. Failure indicates that the creature is struck dumb by the sheer size of this obyrith demon. The victim's Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores are reduced to 1. This is a mind-affecting ability that does not affect chaotic evil outsiders. The save DC is Charisma-based.

What did you think about all the rest of the stuff?

 

[freyar]

Hmmm. Almost like feeblemind. Should we say that this is permanent until removed by heal, limited wish, miracle, or wish, like feeblemind? (I'd make it a little easier to remove than usual given how severe it is.) How long does this last for an uzollru? Also, should we make yuan-ti immune?

I'm not so sure about giving him alternate form, since he's not exactly a yuan-ti, but a souped up version of the produce acid or dissolving touch would be good.

SLAs: add deeper darkness and cause fear at will, baleful polymorph and suggestion 3/day, unholy aura and blasphemy 1/day (I'm assuming he already gets cloak of chaos instead of unholy aura). How about insanity for the symbol?

 

[Shade]

Hmmm. Almost like feeblemind. Should we say that this is permanent until removed by heal, limited wish, miracle, or wish, like feeblemind? (I'd make it a little easier to remove than usual given how severe it is.) How long does this last for an uzollru? Also, should we make yuan-ti immune?

Yes, permanent, yes.

I'm not so sure about giving him alternate form, since he's not exactly a yuan-ti, but a souped up version of the produce acid or dissolving touch would be good.

Fair enough. How's this?

Corrosive Touch (Sp): Sch'theraqpasstt has the psionic ability to exude acid from his body, dealing 10d6 points of acid damage to the next creature he touches, including a creature hit by his natural attacks. If Sch'theraqpasstt is grappling or pinning a foe when he uses this power, his grasp deals 15d6 points of acid damage. The acid becomes inert when it leaves Sch'theraqpasstt's body. Yuan-ti are immune to its effects.

SLAs: add deeper darkness and cause fear at will, baleful polymorph and suggestion 3/day, unholy aura and blasphemy 1/day (I'm assuming he already gets cloak of chaos instead of unholy aura). How about insanity for the symbol?

]

All sounds good, except lets upgrade cause fear to fear.

Spell-Like Abilities:
At will—astral projection, chaos hammer, cloak of chaos, deeper darkness, desecrate, detect good, detect law, fear, greater dispel magic, greater teleport, plane shift, shapechange, telekinesis, unhallow, unholy blight, word of chaos;
3/day—baleful polymorph, suggestion, symbol of insanity;
1/day—blasphemy, unholy aura.

And we're keeping these?

Chameleon Power (Sp): Sch'theraqpasstt can psionically change the coloration of himself and his equipment to match his surroundings, gaining a +10 circumstance bonus on Hide checks.

Detect Poison (Sp): Sch'theraqpasstt has the psionic ability to detect poison as the spell (caster level x).

 

[freyar]

Sounds good. I think chameleon power and detect poison are good, but I'm still not sure about alternate form. It just seems weird to have this obyrith lord change into a little tiny snake.

 

[Shade]

Sounds good. I think chameleon power and detect poison are good, but I'm still not sure about alternate form. It just seems weird to have this obyrith lord change into a little tiny snake.

Consider it dropped. Besides, he was forced into his current form and seeks restoration to his old form. If he could simply switch back, that would be lessened.

Updated.

Skills: 18 at 28 ranks
Bluff 28, Climb 28, Concentration 28, Hide 28, Intimidate 28, Knowledge (history) 28, Knowledge (nature) 28, Knowledge (religion) 28, Knowledge (the planes) 28, Listen 28, Move Silently 28, Search 28, Sense Motive 28, Spellcraft 28, Spot 28, Swim 28, Tumble 28, Use Magic Device 28?

Feats: 9
Anathema has: Blind-Fight, Cleave, Combat Expertise, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Multiattack, Power Attack
Abomination has: Alertness (B), Blind-Fight (B), Combat Expertise, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Mobility
Halfblood has: Alertness (B), Blind-Fight (B), Combat Expertise, Dodge, Improved Initiative
Halfblood has: Alertness (B), Blind-Fight (B), Dodge, Improved Initiative

How about:
Alertness (B), Blind-Fight (B), Cleave*, Combat Expertise, Dodge, Epic Reflexes, Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Multiattack, Power Attack
*If you are using Fiendish Codex I, replace with Dark Speech.

 

[freyar]

Feats & skills look good.

Bite and tail slaps should be +33, I think.

We should now set the CR to get the AC; I think you're going to have to do that, since he's a bit complicated. Something like 23-24?

 

[Shade]

Compared to other demon lords, I'd beg him at 24.

Updated.

We still need weight and constrict damage.

A purple worm is 5 feet in diameter and 80 feet long, weighing about 40,000 pounds.

S is 60 foot long, but is probably heavier than a similarly-sized worm due to scales and wings, so maybe 30,000 pounds?

I just realized his tail slap deals less damage than a marilith's. I've now corrected that flaw.

Marilith constrict equals tail slap + Str and a half. Sound good here too?