Matrix Sorcica
Hero
(this is edited to the the final version I prefer, based on the comments below. Still, comments are very welcome.)
This originally started out as a Noble Succubus template. A reply to that suggested that I made it into a more general template, that can be added to a variety of high-charisma fiends. I’ve tried to do this (although I retain a little bit of favour for the succubus, as will be seen, since that was my original idea). Anyway, here goes:
In the dark pits of the Lower Planes, a special kind of Fiend is working behind the scenes to spread as much evil, death and destruction as possible. These creatures are advisers, consorts and right-hands of the Lords and Princes of these planes of Despair. By manipulating and scheming throughout the ages, they have risen to positions of power. They are the Dark Blooded. Only the smartest and most influential of Fiends can hope to access this stage of might. By doing their Dark Lords’ bidding, they are awarded with forbidden knowledge and mighty powers. They start to draw power from the Lower Planes themselves, and become champions of their respective plane.
Creating a Dark Blooded
"Dark Blooded" is a template that can be added to any fiend (including Yugoloths and evil Slaadi) of at least 7 HD and Charisma 23 that doesn’t have a base negative-modifier intelligence score, i.e. 9 or lower (hereafter referred to as 'the fiend'). It uses the fiend's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Hit Dice: Unchanged.
Armor Class: The fiend gets a deflection bonus to AC equal to its Charisma modifier.
Special Attacks: The fiend gains the spell casting ability of a sorcerer of a level equal to its HD, to a maximum of one lower than its CR. After 20 HD, the fiend gets bonus feats as a spellcaster of an equal epic spellcasting level. Being powered by the dark evil of the lower planes themselves, the fiend can cast spells from the cleric list as arcane spells.
A rare few Dark Blooded are wizards or clerics instead. An even rarer few are multi-classed, splitting its caster levels between two or more spellcasting classes. Only sorcerous Dark Blooded can cast divine spells as arcane spells, unless its spellcasting class is divine. Cleric Dark Blooded have access to the Chaos, Darkness, Evil and Trickery domains.
The fiend’s Spell-like abilities are all at its regular caster level or its sorcerer casting level, whichever is higher.
The fiend gains the ability to Detect Thoughts as a constant Supernatural Ability (save DC 10+½ fiend’s HD + cha modifier) as an sorcerer of 20th level or its own caster level, whichever is highest. The fiend can suppress or resume this ability as a free action.
The Dark Blooded use this ability to spy and manipulate in the Dark Courts of the Lower Planes.
The fiend's chance to summon fiends increases by 2% pr. HD. If this puts the chance above 100% or the fiend already automatically can summon fiends, it gains a second similar summon attempt at the remaining percentage chance.
Special Qualities: Spell Resistance (Su):The fiend gains Spell Resistance equal to its CR +12.
If the fiend has the power to change form (through Polymorph, for example), it gains the Supernatural Ability to assume any humanoid form, or revert to its own form, as a standard action. This ability is similar to the alter self spell cast by an 20th level sorcerer, but the fiend can remain in the new form indefinitely. When using an alternate form, the fiend gains a +10 circumstance bonus to Disguise checks. If using detect Thoughts, it gains a further +4 circumstance bonus to disguise and Bluff checks.
The Dark blooded are often sent as couriers, spies, negotiators, assassins and tempers of mortals on behalf of their Dark Lords. This powerful ability makes them masters of disguise while still allowing the use of their abilities.
The fiends Damage Reduction increases by /+1 if final CR is 17 or lower and by 10/+2 if final CR is 18 or higher.
Abilities: The fiend is superior to its common cousins. Increase Dex by +2, Con by +2, Int by +4, Wis by +2 and Cha by +4.
Skills: The fiend gets its spellcasting class' skills as its own class skills.
Challenge Rating: As base fiend +1 CR per 3 HD up to and including the first 21 HD. Thereafter unchanged.
This gives:
7-8 HD: +2 CR
9-11 HD: +3 CR
12-14 HD: +4 CR
15-17 HD: +5 CR
18-20 HD: +6 CR
21+ HD: +7 CR
Treasure: Double Standard for the fiend’s final CR.
Advancement: As base creature. Succubi with this template can advance to 14 HD.
Furthermore, any fiend with this template that max out below 20 HD, can advance to 20 HD on a 1HD/+1 CR basis.
Sample Dark Blooded
This example uses Yilya, a 10 HD Succubus.
Noble Succubus
Medium-size Outsider
Hit Dice: 10d8+20 (65 hp)
Initiative: +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 30', Fly 50´(average)
AC: 34 (+2 dex, +3 bracers, +10 deflection, +9 Natural)
Attacks: 2 claws +8 melee
Damage: Claw 1d3+1
Face/Reach: 5ft. by 5ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like Abilities, Spells, Energy Drain, Detect Thoughts, Summon Tanar'ri
Special Qualities: Damage Reduction 20/+3, SR 25, Tanar'ri Qualities, Alternate Form, Tongues
Saves: Fort: +9, Ref +9, Will +10
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 20, Wis 16, Cha 27 (31 with cloak)
Skills: Bluff +20, Concentration +12, Disguise +20, Escape Artist +9, Hide +12, Knowledge (Arcana) +15, Listen +22, Move Silently +12, Scry +13, Search +15, Spellcraft +13, Spot +22
Feats: Dodge, Improved Initiative, Mobility
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 13
Treasure: Double Standard
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Advancement: Up to 14 HD
Yilya the Dark Lady is a terrible agent of evil. Her current plans are the corruption and destruction of the noble and brave King-Priest of Tyr. Rumors say she is working on behalf of the legendary Zaenobia, the Queen of Succubi, who supposedly is a very advanced Dark Blooded succubus. Scolars scuff at such a creature existing, calling it the the ravings of madmen. But then who is Yilya working for...
Combat:
Spell-like Abilities: At will - charm monster, clairaudience/clairvoyance, darkness, detect good, detect thoughts, doom, ethereal jaunt (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), suggestion, and teleport without error (self plus 50 pounds of objects only); 1/day - unholy blight. These abilities are as the spells cast by a 12th-level sorcerer (save DC 20 + spell level).
Energy Drain (Su): The Wisdom check to notice the negative level is DC 20 and to remove it is DC 23.
Summon Tanar'ri (Sp): Once per day, Yilya can attempt to summon a Balor with a 30% chance of success.
Detect Thoughts (Su): Yilya can constantly detect thoughts as a 20th level sorcerer (Save DC 25). She can suppress or resume this ability as a free action.
Tongues (Su): Yilya has a permanent tongues ability as the spell cast by a 12th level sorcerer. She usually use verbal communication with mortals and save telepathic communication for other fiends.
Tanar'ri Qualities: Poison and Electricity immunity; cold, fire and acid resistance 20; telepathy
Alternate Form (Su): Yilya can assume any humanoid form as an alter self spell.
Spells: Yilya can cast spells as a 10th level sorcerer, and can cast spells from the cleric list as arcane spells.
Spells Known: (6/9/9/8/7/5): 0th - Detect Magic, Read Magic, Mage Hand, Resistance, Ray of Frost, Flare, Arcane Mark, Dancing Lights, Ghost Sound; 1st - Mage Armor, Magic Missile, Shield, True Strike, Entropic Shield; 2nd - Endurance, Silence, Mirror Image, Summon Swarm; 3rd - Haste, Dispel Magic, Displacement; 4th - Fire Shield, Stone Skin; 5th - Slay Living
Save DC 20 + Spell Level
Possessions: Cloak of Charisma +4, 2 Potions of Cat's Grace, Ring of Mind Shielding, Bracers of Armor +3, Potion of Love, Scroll of Shield of Faith & Cure Light Wounds, Scroll of Hold Person.
Some people apparently thinks that the various Arch-Fiends in the BoVD are underpowered. Maybe this template also can be used to spice them up?
Comments and constructive critique is very welcome; flames are not
Later,
Sorcica
Edit: Made final changes to CR and caster level. This IS the final version
This originally started out as a Noble Succubus template. A reply to that suggested that I made it into a more general template, that can be added to a variety of high-charisma fiends. I’ve tried to do this (although I retain a little bit of favour for the succubus, as will be seen, since that was my original idea). Anyway, here goes:
In the dark pits of the Lower Planes, a special kind of Fiend is working behind the scenes to spread as much evil, death and destruction as possible. These creatures are advisers, consorts and right-hands of the Lords and Princes of these planes of Despair. By manipulating and scheming throughout the ages, they have risen to positions of power. They are the Dark Blooded. Only the smartest and most influential of Fiends can hope to access this stage of might. By doing their Dark Lords’ bidding, they are awarded with forbidden knowledge and mighty powers. They start to draw power from the Lower Planes themselves, and become champions of their respective plane.
Creating a Dark Blooded
"Dark Blooded" is a template that can be added to any fiend (including Yugoloths and evil Slaadi) of at least 7 HD and Charisma 23 that doesn’t have a base negative-modifier intelligence score, i.e. 9 or lower (hereafter referred to as 'the fiend'). It uses the fiend's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Hit Dice: Unchanged.
Armor Class: The fiend gets a deflection bonus to AC equal to its Charisma modifier.
Special Attacks: The fiend gains the spell casting ability of a sorcerer of a level equal to its HD, to a maximum of one lower than its CR. After 20 HD, the fiend gets bonus feats as a spellcaster of an equal epic spellcasting level. Being powered by the dark evil of the lower planes themselves, the fiend can cast spells from the cleric list as arcane spells.
A rare few Dark Blooded are wizards or clerics instead. An even rarer few are multi-classed, splitting its caster levels between two or more spellcasting classes. Only sorcerous Dark Blooded can cast divine spells as arcane spells, unless its spellcasting class is divine. Cleric Dark Blooded have access to the Chaos, Darkness, Evil and Trickery domains.
The fiend’s Spell-like abilities are all at its regular caster level or its sorcerer casting level, whichever is higher.
The fiend gains the ability to Detect Thoughts as a constant Supernatural Ability (save DC 10+½ fiend’s HD + cha modifier) as an sorcerer of 20th level or its own caster level, whichever is highest. The fiend can suppress or resume this ability as a free action.
The Dark Blooded use this ability to spy and manipulate in the Dark Courts of the Lower Planes.
The fiend's chance to summon fiends increases by 2% pr. HD. If this puts the chance above 100% or the fiend already automatically can summon fiends, it gains a second similar summon attempt at the remaining percentage chance.
Special Qualities: Spell Resistance (Su):The fiend gains Spell Resistance equal to its CR +12.
If the fiend has the power to change form (through Polymorph, for example), it gains the Supernatural Ability to assume any humanoid form, or revert to its own form, as a standard action. This ability is similar to the alter self spell cast by an 20th level sorcerer, but the fiend can remain in the new form indefinitely. When using an alternate form, the fiend gains a +10 circumstance bonus to Disguise checks. If using detect Thoughts, it gains a further +4 circumstance bonus to disguise and Bluff checks.
The Dark blooded are often sent as couriers, spies, negotiators, assassins and tempers of mortals on behalf of their Dark Lords. This powerful ability makes them masters of disguise while still allowing the use of their abilities.
The fiends Damage Reduction increases by /+1 if final CR is 17 or lower and by 10/+2 if final CR is 18 or higher.
Abilities: The fiend is superior to its common cousins. Increase Dex by +2, Con by +2, Int by +4, Wis by +2 and Cha by +4.
Skills: The fiend gets its spellcasting class' skills as its own class skills.
Challenge Rating: As base fiend +1 CR per 3 HD up to and including the first 21 HD. Thereafter unchanged.
This gives:
7-8 HD: +2 CR
9-11 HD: +3 CR
12-14 HD: +4 CR
15-17 HD: +5 CR
18-20 HD: +6 CR
21+ HD: +7 CR
Treasure: Double Standard for the fiend’s final CR.
Advancement: As base creature. Succubi with this template can advance to 14 HD.
Furthermore, any fiend with this template that max out below 20 HD, can advance to 20 HD on a 1HD/+1 CR basis.
Sample Dark Blooded
This example uses Yilya, a 10 HD Succubus.
Noble Succubus
Medium-size Outsider
Hit Dice: 10d8+20 (65 hp)
Initiative: +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 30', Fly 50´(average)
AC: 34 (+2 dex, +3 bracers, +10 deflection, +9 Natural)
Attacks: 2 claws +8 melee
Damage: Claw 1d3+1
Face/Reach: 5ft. by 5ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like Abilities, Spells, Energy Drain, Detect Thoughts, Summon Tanar'ri
Special Qualities: Damage Reduction 20/+3, SR 25, Tanar'ri Qualities, Alternate Form, Tongues
Saves: Fort: +9, Ref +9, Will +10
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 20, Wis 16, Cha 27 (31 with cloak)
Skills: Bluff +20, Concentration +12, Disguise +20, Escape Artist +9, Hide +12, Knowledge (Arcana) +15, Listen +22, Move Silently +12, Scry +13, Search +15, Spellcraft +13, Spot +22
Feats: Dodge, Improved Initiative, Mobility
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 13
Treasure: Double Standard
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Advancement: Up to 14 HD
Yilya the Dark Lady is a terrible agent of evil. Her current plans are the corruption and destruction of the noble and brave King-Priest of Tyr. Rumors say she is working on behalf of the legendary Zaenobia, the Queen of Succubi, who supposedly is a very advanced Dark Blooded succubus. Scolars scuff at such a creature existing, calling it the the ravings of madmen. But then who is Yilya working for...
Combat:
Spell-like Abilities: At will - charm monster, clairaudience/clairvoyance, darkness, detect good, detect thoughts, doom, ethereal jaunt (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), suggestion, and teleport without error (self plus 50 pounds of objects only); 1/day - unholy blight. These abilities are as the spells cast by a 12th-level sorcerer (save DC 20 + spell level).
Energy Drain (Su): The Wisdom check to notice the negative level is DC 20 and to remove it is DC 23.
Summon Tanar'ri (Sp): Once per day, Yilya can attempt to summon a Balor with a 30% chance of success.
Detect Thoughts (Su): Yilya can constantly detect thoughts as a 20th level sorcerer (Save DC 25). She can suppress or resume this ability as a free action.
Tongues (Su): Yilya has a permanent tongues ability as the spell cast by a 12th level sorcerer. She usually use verbal communication with mortals and save telepathic communication for other fiends.
Tanar'ri Qualities: Poison and Electricity immunity; cold, fire and acid resistance 20; telepathy
Alternate Form (Su): Yilya can assume any humanoid form as an alter self spell.
Spells: Yilya can cast spells as a 10th level sorcerer, and can cast spells from the cleric list as arcane spells.
Spells Known: (6/9/9/8/7/5): 0th - Detect Magic, Read Magic, Mage Hand, Resistance, Ray of Frost, Flare, Arcane Mark, Dancing Lights, Ghost Sound; 1st - Mage Armor, Magic Missile, Shield, True Strike, Entropic Shield; 2nd - Endurance, Silence, Mirror Image, Summon Swarm; 3rd - Haste, Dispel Magic, Displacement; 4th - Fire Shield, Stone Skin; 5th - Slay Living
Save DC 20 + Spell Level
Possessions: Cloak of Charisma +4, 2 Potions of Cat's Grace, Ring of Mind Shielding, Bracers of Armor +3, Potion of Love, Scroll of Shield of Faith & Cure Light Wounds, Scroll of Hold Person.
Some people apparently thinks that the various Arch-Fiends in the BoVD are underpowered. Maybe this template also can be used to spice them up?
Comments and constructive critique is very welcome; flames are not
Later,
Sorcica
Edit: Made final changes to CR and caster level. This IS the final version
Last edited:
