D&D 3E/3.5 Creature Catalog 3.5 Overhaul Project
- Thread starter BOZ
- Start date
BOZ
Creature Cataloguer
OK, here's another one. here is the current CC version:
Jor
Medium-size Humanoid (Orc)
Hit Dice: 2d8+4 (13 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 20 ft (scale mail); base 30 ft
AC: 15 (+4 scale mail, +1 small shield)
Attacks: Scimitar +4 melee; or crossbow +1 ranged
Damage: Scimitar 1d6+3 and sleep; or crossbow 1d8 and sleep
Face/Reach: 5 ft by 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Sleep, assassin abilities
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft, light sensitivity
Saves: Fort +5 Ref +0 Will +0
Abilities: Str 16 Dex 10 Con 14 Int 10 Wis 11 Cha 9
Skills: Hide +2, Listen +5, Spot +5
Feats: Alertness
Climate: Any marsh
Organization: Gang (3-12), squad (11-20 plus 2 3rd-level sergeants and 1 3rd-level leader), band (30-60 plus 1d4 3rd-level bodyguards plus 1 3rd-level subcheif plus 1 4th-level master jor), or tribe (20-200 plus 100% females and 150% noncombatant young plus 4d4 3rd-level bodyguards and 12-15 3rd-level leaders and 2 3rd-level subcheifs and 1d6 4th-level master jors and 1 4th-level chief)
Challenge Rating: 02
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
Advancement: By character class
The jors are a powerful and cunning breed of orcs that live in swamps. From childhood, they are trained for assassination, and share some of the abilities of assassins. Their mindset and society of these humanoids, also known as swamp orcs, is very similar to that of the more common type of orc. Jors look very similar to orcs, but have a greenish blue tinge to their skin. Rumors suggest that jors have formed their own assassins' guild, meant to destroy the more numerous humanoid races over time. Jors and lizardfolk are great rivals for the territory of the swamp, with a mutual hatred that often causes them to attack each other on sight.
COMBAT
Jors are capable of fighting as well as any orc, but use their assassin skills whenever possible. Their preferred weapons are the scimitar and crossbow coated in a special sleep poison, but they also commonly carry bastard swords, battleaxes, spears, and flails. Like orcs, jors have sunlight and only come out of their lairs after sunset.
Sleep: Jors coat their weapons in a poison that causes the victim to fall asleep for 2d6 rounds if they fail a Fortitude save (DC 14). This poison only works once per application, and must be applied to the weapon again to be reused.
Assassin Abilities (Ex): Jors are trained as assassins (see DMG), and have the abilities of sneak attack, death attack, poison use, and saving throw bonus vs. poison (though not uncanny dodge) as if they were 2nd-level assassins. Jor sergeants, leaders, and subcheifs have these abilities as if they were 4th-level assassins, and master jors and chiefs have these abilities as 6th-level assassins.
Light Sensitivity (Ex): Jors suffer a -1 penalty to attack rolls in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.
Skills: Jors receive a +2 racial bonus to Hide, Listen, and Spot checks. *In any marsh, a jor's Hide bonus increases to +6. Master jors and chiefs also receive an additional +4 to Hide in any natural terrain.
1989 Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
Originally found in Dragon Magazine #141 (1989, "The Dragon's Bestiary", Michael J. Szarmach).
here is the original text:
JOR
Created by: Michael J. Szarmach
FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-20 (20-200 in lair)
ARMOR CLASS: 5 or 6
MOVE: 12"
HIT DICE: 2 + 3
% IN LAIR: 35%
TREASURE TYPE: K, M on individuals; O, U in lair
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 weapon
DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Back-stabbing, poison, surprise on 1-3
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Hiding, surprised on 1 in 8
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Average (low)
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
SIZE: M (6' tall)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Jors, also known as swamp orcs, are the most powerful and cunning breed of orcs. They have developed limited assassin abilities which they use to the utmost advantage. When surprising any victim, jors have a 35% chance to kill by back-stabbing. In addition, jors make a special sleeping poison from swamp plants and waters. They use this poison to coat their weapons (saving throw vs. poison at +2 or sleep for 2-12 rounds; one use only). Jors are extremely hard to find in the swamp and are surprised only on a 1 in 8 as a result. In addition, they have a 50% chance to hide in natural terrain. Jors surprise on a 1-3 in 6, and are typically armed as follows:
Weapons Chance of having
Scimitar and crossbow 30%
Scimitar and shield 30%
Bastard sword and axe 10%
Bastard sword and spear 20%
Battle axe and flail 10%
Jors wear a form of scale mail armor (AC 6). Shield use betters this to AC 5. Jors, like their orcish cousins, hate sunlight and are therefore found outside their lairs only after sunset. For every group in excess of 15 jors, there is a leader and two assistants. Each leader and assistant has 18 hp, and because they are the strongest and most cunning creatures of their group, also have a 50% chance to kill when back-stabbing. If 30 or more jors are encountered, the group includes a subchief (AC 3, 3 +4 HD) and 1-4 bodyguards (AC 4, 3 + 1 HD). This large group also contains a master jor (AC 3,4 + 2 HD) who has a 75% chance to kill when back-stabbing. A master jor also has a 90% chance to hide in natural terrain and surprises on 1-5 in 6. Jors general travel through swamps in small hunting parties composed of young males.
Jor lairs contain females equal to the number of males. All females fight as well as the males but have a less-effective back-stabbing ability (15% chance to kill when employing this tactic). Jor lairs also contain jor young (AC 8, 1 HD, noncombatants) equal to 150% of the males. In addition, each lair contains the following: a chief (AC 2, 4 + 5 HD), two subchiefs, 4-16 bodyguards, 12-15 leaders, and 1-6 master jors. Jor chiefs always have the abilities of master jors.
The jors and lizard men are great rivals in the swamp, and they often attack each other on sight. Jors look much the same as orcs, except that their skin tends to be greenish blue in color. It is rumored that all jors belong to an assassin's guild whose goal is to destroy mankind bit by bit.
Jor
Medium-size Humanoid (Orc)
Hit Dice: 2d8+4 (13 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 20 ft (scale mail); base 30 ft
AC: 15 (+4 scale mail, +1 small shield)
Attacks: Scimitar +4 melee; or crossbow +1 ranged
Damage: Scimitar 1d6+3 and sleep; or crossbow 1d8 and sleep
Face/Reach: 5 ft by 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Sleep, assassin abilities
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft, light sensitivity
Saves: Fort +5 Ref +0 Will +0
Abilities: Str 16 Dex 10 Con 14 Int 10 Wis 11 Cha 9
Skills: Hide +2, Listen +5, Spot +5
Feats: Alertness
Climate: Any marsh
Organization: Gang (3-12), squad (11-20 plus 2 3rd-level sergeants and 1 3rd-level leader), band (30-60 plus 1d4 3rd-level bodyguards plus 1 3rd-level subcheif plus 1 4th-level master jor), or tribe (20-200 plus 100% females and 150% noncombatant young plus 4d4 3rd-level bodyguards and 12-15 3rd-level leaders and 2 3rd-level subcheifs and 1d6 4th-level master jors and 1 4th-level chief)
Challenge Rating: 02
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
Advancement: By character class
The jors are a powerful and cunning breed of orcs that live in swamps. From childhood, they are trained for assassination, and share some of the abilities of assassins. Their mindset and society of these humanoids, also known as swamp orcs, is very similar to that of the more common type of orc. Jors look very similar to orcs, but have a greenish blue tinge to their skin. Rumors suggest that jors have formed their own assassins' guild, meant to destroy the more numerous humanoid races over time. Jors and lizardfolk are great rivals for the territory of the swamp, with a mutual hatred that often causes them to attack each other on sight.
COMBAT
Jors are capable of fighting as well as any orc, but use their assassin skills whenever possible. Their preferred weapons are the scimitar and crossbow coated in a special sleep poison, but they also commonly carry bastard swords, battleaxes, spears, and flails. Like orcs, jors have sunlight and only come out of their lairs after sunset.
Sleep: Jors coat their weapons in a poison that causes the victim to fall asleep for 2d6 rounds if they fail a Fortitude save (DC 14). This poison only works once per application, and must be applied to the weapon again to be reused.
Assassin Abilities (Ex): Jors are trained as assassins (see DMG), and have the abilities of sneak attack, death attack, poison use, and saving throw bonus vs. poison (though not uncanny dodge) as if they were 2nd-level assassins. Jor sergeants, leaders, and subcheifs have these abilities as if they were 4th-level assassins, and master jors and chiefs have these abilities as 6th-level assassins.
Light Sensitivity (Ex): Jors suffer a -1 penalty to attack rolls in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.
Skills: Jors receive a +2 racial bonus to Hide, Listen, and Spot checks. *In any marsh, a jor's Hide bonus increases to +6. Master jors and chiefs also receive an additional +4 to Hide in any natural terrain.
1989 Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
Originally found in Dragon Magazine #141 (1989, "The Dragon's Bestiary", Michael J. Szarmach).
here is the original text:
JOR
Created by: Michael J. Szarmach
FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-20 (20-200 in lair)
ARMOR CLASS: 5 or 6
MOVE: 12"
HIT DICE: 2 + 3
% IN LAIR: 35%
TREASURE TYPE: K, M on individuals; O, U in lair
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 weapon
DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Back-stabbing, poison, surprise on 1-3
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Hiding, surprised on 1 in 8
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Average (low)
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
SIZE: M (6' tall)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Jors, also known as swamp orcs, are the most powerful and cunning breed of orcs. They have developed limited assassin abilities which they use to the utmost advantage. When surprising any victim, jors have a 35% chance to kill by back-stabbing. In addition, jors make a special sleeping poison from swamp plants and waters. They use this poison to coat their weapons (saving throw vs. poison at +2 or sleep for 2-12 rounds; one use only). Jors are extremely hard to find in the swamp and are surprised only on a 1 in 8 as a result. In addition, they have a 50% chance to hide in natural terrain. Jors surprise on a 1-3 in 6, and are typically armed as follows:
Weapons Chance of having
Scimitar and crossbow 30%
Scimitar and shield 30%
Bastard sword and axe 10%
Bastard sword and spear 20%
Battle axe and flail 10%
Jors wear a form of scale mail armor (AC 6). Shield use betters this to AC 5. Jors, like their orcish cousins, hate sunlight and are therefore found outside their lairs only after sunset. For every group in excess of 15 jors, there is a leader and two assistants. Each leader and assistant has 18 hp, and because they are the strongest and most cunning creatures of their group, also have a 50% chance to kill when back-stabbing. If 30 or more jors are encountered, the group includes a subchief (AC 3, 3 +4 HD) and 1-4 bodyguards (AC 4, 3 + 1 HD). This large group also contains a master jor (AC 3,4 + 2 HD) who has a 75% chance to kill when back-stabbing. A master jor also has a 90% chance to hide in natural terrain and surprises on 1-5 in 6. Jors general travel through swamps in small hunting parties composed of young males.
Jor lairs contain females equal to the number of males. All females fight as well as the males but have a less-effective back-stabbing ability (15% chance to kill when employing this tactic). Jor lairs also contain jor young (AC 8, 1 HD, noncombatants) equal to 150% of the males. In addition, each lair contains the following: a chief (AC 2, 4 + 5 HD), two subchiefs, 4-16 bodyguards, 12-15 leaders, and 1-6 master jors. Jor chiefs always have the abilities of master jors.
The jors and lizard men are great rivals in the swamp, and they often attack each other on sight. Jors look much the same as orcs, except that their skin tends to be greenish blue in color. It is rumored that all jors belong to an assassin's guild whose goal is to destroy mankind bit by bit.
Attachments
demiurge1138
Inventor of Super-Toast
You should split up "assassin abilities" into death attack, sneak attack +1d6, poison use, and a note in a saves footnote how they gain a +1 to all saves against poison. Include truncated descriptions of sneak attack and death attack, and change the "sleep" to poison, describing it as having a sleep effect (probably similar to, if not the same as, drow sleep poison). Improved Initiative might be a better feat for them than Alertness, as it's more rogue-y. I'd also raise the CR to 3, as sneak attack +1d6 (especially when attacking in groups) and a death effect, even only a DC 11 one, is vicious for a CR 2.
Demiurge out.
Edit:I just looked at the picture, and got a wave of nostalgia. I didn't remember the monster's name, but I have this old issue of Dragon. Ahh... nostalgia for a time when I wasn't even alive...
Demiurge out.
Edit:I just looked at the picture, and got a wave of nostalgia. I didn't remember the monster's name, but I have this old issue of Dragon. Ahh... nostalgia for a time when I wasn't even alive...
Shade
Monster Junkie
I'm in total agreement on splitting up the assassin abilities.
I'd recommend, however, ditching the death attack altogether. Instead, I'd just focus on the basic jor, and then make the leaders xth-level assassins. If we make their class skills Disguise, Hide, and Move Silently, they'll quickly be on their way to meeting the prereqs anyway.
I'd recommend, however, ditching the death attack altogether. Instead, I'd just focus on the basic jor, and then make the leaders xth-level assassins. If we make their class skills Disguise, Hide, and Move Silently, they'll quickly be on their way to meeting the prereqs anyway.
BOZ
Creature Cataloguer
I’m agreeing with you both about splitting up the assassin abilities – when I first converted this guy, it was some time ago, and let’s just say I was much less experienced on conversions. 
Poison Use (Ex): Jor are trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a blade.
Sneak Attack (Ex): Any time a jor’s opponent is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC, or if a jor flanks its opponent, it deals an extra 1d6 points of damage. This ability is just like the rogue’s sneak attack and subject to the same limitations. If a jor gets a sneak attack bonus from another source (such as rogue or assassin levels), the bonuses on damage stack.
see note to Shade, below about death attack. As for the save bonus, should we make a note of that somewhere besides the stat block?
Jors usually coat their arrows with a potent toxin made from swamp plants and waters.
Poison (Ex): An opponent hit by a jor’s poisoned weapon must succeed on a DC X Fortitude save or fall unconscious. After 1 minute, the subject must succeed on another DC X Fortitude save or remain unconscious for 2d6 rounds. A typical jor carries X doses of this poison. Jors typically coat both crossbow bolts and melee weapons with this poison. This poison only works once per application, and must be applied to the weapon again to be reused.
you weren’t yet alive in 1989? But you write so well!
agreed. A nice “Jor as Characters” section should take care of a lot of this too. Although, the original text did have them using something like a death attack, probably the 1E version of said ability.
Judging from this, I may want to make the Int 8, and I wonder if some of the other ability scores aren’t a bit high:
“INTELLIGENCE: Average (low)”
Poison Use (Ex): Jor are trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a blade.
Sneak Attack (Ex): Any time a jor’s opponent is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC, or if a jor flanks its opponent, it deals an extra 1d6 points of damage. This ability is just like the rogue’s sneak attack and subject to the same limitations. If a jor gets a sneak attack bonus from another source (such as rogue or assassin levels), the bonuses on damage stack.
demiurge1138 said:
see note to Shade, below about death attack. As for the save bonus, should we make a note of that somewhere besides the stat block?
Jors usually coat their arrows with a potent toxin made from swamp plants and waters.
Poison (Ex): An opponent hit by a jor’s poisoned weapon must succeed on a DC X Fortitude save or fall unconscious. After 1 minute, the subject must succeed on another DC X Fortitude save or remain unconscious for 2d6 rounds. A typical jor carries X doses of this poison. Jors typically coat both crossbow bolts and melee weapons with this poison. This poison only works once per application, and must be applied to the weapon again to be reused.
demiurge1138 said:
you weren’t yet alive in 1989? But you write so well!
Shade said:
agreed. A nice “Jor as Characters” section should take care of a lot of this too. Although, the original text did have them using something like a death attack, probably the 1E version of said ability.
Judging from this, I may want to make the Int 8, and I wonder if some of the other ability scores aren’t a bit high:
“INTELLIGENCE: Average (low)”
demiurge1138
Inventor of Super-Toast
For the average (low) Intelligence, 8 does sound about right. And getting rid of the death attack does sound like a good idea. And DC 12-14 sounds good for the sleep poison. What's the DC of drow poison?
Oh, and I didn't see that the issue was written in 1989. "Barely alive" would be more accurate. Definitely not playing D&D.
Demiurge out.
Oh, and I didn't see that the issue was written in 1989. "Barely alive" would be more accurate. Definitely not playing D&D.
Demiurge out.
BOZ
Creature Cataloguer
Does this look good now, sort of like the “elite array” setup?
Abilities: Str 16 Dex 10 Con 14 Int 8 Wis 11 Cha 9
OK, they have 5 skill ranks now that I lowered Int, so how about Disguise 2, Hide 1, Move Silently 2.
“Jors are extremely hard to find in the swamp and are surprised only on a 1 in 8 as a result. In addition, they have a 50% chance to hide in natural terrain. Jors surprise on a 1-3 in 6”
thus, I’d say, they get a racial bonus to Hide, Listen, Move Silently, and Spot in marsh terrain. If I remove Alertness as suggested by demiurge, then the Listen and Spot bonuses should be higher to make up for it.
Abilities: Str 16 Dex 10 Con 14 Int 8 Wis 11 Cha 9
OK, they have 5 skill ranks now that I lowered Int, so how about Disguise 2, Hide 1, Move Silently 2.
“Jors are extremely hard to find in the swamp and are surprised only on a 1 in 8 as a result. In addition, they have a 50% chance to hide in natural terrain. Jors surprise on a 1-3 in 6”
thus, I’d say, they get a racial bonus to Hide, Listen, Move Silently, and Spot in marsh terrain. If I remove Alertness as suggested by demiurge, then the Listen and Spot bonuses should be higher to make up for it.
Shade
Monster Junkie
BOZ said:
Abilities: Str 16 Dex 10 Con 14 Int 8 Wis 11 Cha 9[/QUOTE]
It depends upon the end modifiers you want. The previous abilities yielded +6 Str, +4 Con, -2 Int, -2 Cha.
Using the elite array (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8), the scores would look different than what you have, as both Str and Con couldn't be 10. Also, I think the elite array is reserved for monsters with class levels already added.
BOZ said:
Sounds good...all prereqs for the assassin PrC.
BOZ said:
Yeah, probably at least a +4 to all these.
