Dimension Beast

[Perfect Skum]

Here's a creature I made up while writing. Correct me, if something is not right.

Dimension Beast
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Medium sized Outsider (Lawful, Evil)
Hit dice: 4d10+12 (34hp)
Initiative: +7 (+3 dex, +4 improved initiative)
Speed: 50 ft.
Armor Class: 16 (+3 dex, +3 natural)
Attacks: 2 claws +5 melee, bite +3 melee
Damage: Claw 1d4+1, bite 1d6
Face/reach: 10 ft.
Special Attacks: confusion
Special Qualities: immune to charm and confusion, SR 10, teleport, invisibility, plane shift
Saving Throws: fort +4, reflex +5, will +1
Abilities: STR 13, DEX 17, CON 16, INT 8, WIS 11, CHA 10
Feats: Improved Initiative, Multiattack
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Climate/Terrain: Any land or underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Lawful Evil
Advancement: 5HD-8HD medium, 9HD-12HD large

Dimension Beasts look very similar to Displacer beast. Dimension Beasts are, however, cunning and do not attack immidiately. They rarely leave their home plane, unless it's about food. More detailed description is further.

Combat:
As said, Dimension Beasts prefer to watch a fight, than to join one. If a beast is losing a fight, it retreats to its home plane.
Confusion (su): Everytime a Dimension Beast hits with its bite attack, the victim must save vs. will (DC 14) or become confused for 1d4+2 rounds.

 

[Devon]

This creature sounds like a great idea. Very creative. I'd love to hear more details about it in the creature description.

Here are some initial comments:

It's hp should be 34 ((5.5*4)+12).

It's Confusion bite attack should have a save DC of 10 + 1/2 hit dice + requisite ability modifier. In this case, since it seems like a spell-like effect, and has a Will save, you'd want to use Cha (+0) for a DC of 12. But if it was, perhaps, a poisonous effect (which could be an Extraordinary power, and would likely use a Fort save) then Con would be the better one to use, which would make the DC 15.

An outsider has 8+int modifier skill points per hit die, and so this would have (8-1)*4 = 28, with a max of 7 ranks for each skill.

Advancement: 5HD-7HD medium, 7HD-9HD large

Advancement traditionally allows up to 3x its initial hit dice, which would make its possible max more like 12.

Attacks: Bite +1 melee, 2 claws +2 melee
Damage: Bite 1d6+1, claw 1d4+1

Outsiders get attack bonuses as a fighter (+1/hit die) and so this creature would have a BAB of +4, with +1 for Strength. Assuming the claws are its primary attack (as you gave those a +2 melee and the bite a +1), it should read:

Attacks: 2 claws +5 melee, bite +3 melee

You get half Str bonus on secondary attacks so the damage should read:

Damage: claw 1d4+1, bite 1d6

For feats, it should get 1 feat +1/4 Extra Hit Dice... and I think a medium-sized creature usually starts with 1 HD, so it wouldn't get a second feat until 5 HD... if you want to still give it all those feats, they should probably be factored into its CR (+0.5 CR per feat, if I go with a precedent set in the Constructs book I have).

immune to charm and confusion, SR 10, teleport, invisibility, plane shift

I'd also like to see those powers explained in more detail, such as how often it can become invisible, how many times it can plane shift, more about its teleporting ability, etc.

I look forward to seeing more!

- Devon

 

[psychognome]

I'd also recommend having the Dragon article with monster creation rules at hand when creating creatures. It really comes in handy.
You might also wann try the monster generator at Kencyclopedia.com, as it's based around the same rules.
Hey Skum, in case you wanna get the article, I just happen to have a CD with the said article in PDF format, so I could lend it to you the next time I see ya. It doesn't take too much space, so that shouldn't be a problem.
All in all, a nice beastie! And the idea is very original too.

 

[Perfect Skum]

Yeah, well, that was just an improvisation.
Thanks for the tips and information, Devon.
Maybe Confusion DC is a bit too high...

 

[Devon]

Hi,

Have you been able to think about some more flavor text and details for this creature?

I'm such a nag.

- Devon

 

[Perfect Skum]

Well there's nothing much to say about the Dimension Beast, but I'll try to make up some details.

Dimension beasts were used to haunt abandoned houses and make a good scare on people. Dimension beasts are usually puppets of nearby devils, who would cause too much attention unlike the Dimension beast which looks like a large black wolf at the first look. Some adventurers able to kill a dimension beast are in danger for the devil, whose pet has been killed, gets often angry. Sometimes this does not happen for the Dimension Beast can be just an "outlaw", escaped to the material plane to hunt some food and scare people. Dimension beasts are also used by the devils in their own "Beast fights" (compare to cockfighting), where two dimension beasts fight against each other. This is an opportunity for the dimension beasts to escape the fight and retreat to the material plane to do the evil stuff.

Dimension beasts are sensitive to pain and clean themselves as cats do. Their teeth are about 5 cm long (~2 inches) and they contain poisonous venom, which affects the victim's nervous system by making the victim do random tasks. If a dimension beast confuses one enemy, and there aren't others around, it stays and watches the victim fooling around and then gives it a cold, brutal death.

I hope that's enough for now.

 

[Perfect Skum]

Plane shift (?): The Dimension Beast can plane shift three times per day.
Teleport (?): The dimension beast can teleport at the range of 50 meters (~164 feets) two times per day.
Invisibility (?): The Dimension beast can become invisible for three minutes four times per day. The invisibility goes out when the Dimension Beast attacks.

 

[psychognome]

Dimension beast fights?

I can clearly see the picture:
"Okay Azrael, it's time for a fight!"
"You're on Cypher! Dimension Beast, I choose you!"

 

[Perfect Skum]

No. That's not like that. There are just fights between Dimension Beast #1 and #2 and devils bet souls and/or money on #1 or #2.
There are, of course, favorite beasts, who win often. It is just plain and simple gambling.

 

[psychognome]

"500 gold says the little one wins."
"You're on, Azrael."