Making a creature.

[xigbar]

I'm trying to design a creature based a boss from a video game I played a few years back. It looked like this.

Anyway, the parts weren't connected, except by some kind of magic, and the thing could shoot his fists like rockets. Obviously, it's some kind of golem, but it should also be at least semi-intelligent. It should be higher in CR (I'm thinking low to mid teens) and have some SLAs, namely Wall of Stone, Levitate, and Slow, based on things it could do in game. Help?

 

[kitcik]

Improved unarmed strike
Improved natural attack
Permanent mighty wallop (greater) on his fists
Returning property on his fists
Improved bull rush (which applies to his fists since they are part of him)
Large and In Charge

 

[xigbar]

Improved unarmed strike
Improved natural attack
Permanent mighty wallop (greater) on his fists
Returning property on his fists
Improved bull rush (which applies to his fists since they are part of him)
Large and In Charge

Is there a Su: that translates to the throwing/returning property? I could just make one if there isn't. Everything you listed is fine, since it's going to have enough hit dice for those. I'm think a CR 15 creature, since it's SLAs are pretty useful, with about 20ish HD. High Strength, of course. Love how you completely used iamtheend's thread for that list.

Also, huge size, and I'm thinking of using it after the castle part of my Castlevania part of my campaign design thread.

 

[nijineko]

There is a monstrous feat which allows regenerating creatures to detach limbs and use them as weapons. That looks fairly construct-like, so i guess that is not really necessary. You could simply make a (SU) of "detachable fists" or some other actually cool name.

There is also the possibility of reflavoring something. For example, the Astral Construct psionic power, combined with the feat from Comp Psi that allows you to create specific construct types with special abilities. One of the specials was an explosive self immolation ability construct. Reflavor the power and feat to be a flying/self-immolating/construct aka: fist, and you have something fun and unique and still based on existing rules with only mild tweaks.

I would also put a knockback effect on it, either via the metamagic explosive effect, or the knockback feat.

Never having played that game before, what exactly are the in-game effects and abilities?

 

[xigbar]

There is a monstrous feat which allows regenerating creatures to detach limbs and use them as weapons. That looks fairly construct-like, so i guess that is not really necessary. You could simply make a (SU) of "detachable fists" or some other actually cool name.

There is also the possibility of reflavoring something. For example, the Astral Construct psionic power, combined with the feat from Comp Psi that allows you to create specific construct types with special abilities. One of the specials was an explosive self immolation ability construct. Reflavor the power and feat to be a flying/self-immolating/construct aka: fist, and you have something fun and unique and still based on existing rules with only mild tweaks.

I would also put a knockback effect on it, either via the metamagic explosive effect, or the knockback feat.

Never having played that game before, what exactly are the in-game effects and abilities?

It's from Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles. I love making things from video games I play into D&D format. When you reach the area where the golem is located, it appears just to be some oddly constructed pieces of rubble, but the rubble lifts and comes together to form the thing in the picture. It shoots it's fists like rockets (I'll just make a Su that treats his fists as having the throwing and returning property) he would also be able to rotate his body 360, not held by connected limbic structure, and would do so rapidly, with his arms out. He could affect you with slow, although I'll just reflavor the method to an SLA, and I'm adding Wall of Stone, because it seems like something it might have, and it's body parts are already levitating, hence that as an SLA as well. Since it will have an intelligence, I'm also thinking of making in to a playable race, if I set it up right.

 

[xigbar]

Here's a rough draft of the creature;





Magestone Golem

(Living Construct Type, or whatever the Warforged are called)

Str:39
Dex:12
Con:26
Int:? (I can't remember if you need the intelligence to cast an SLA as it's equivalent spell level)
Wis:10
Cha:10

20HD:290HP (D10, average rolls, +Con)
AC:29 (10+Dex-Size+21 Natural, as a Greater Stone Golem.)
BAB:+15, Grapple+38(!)
DR:10/Adamantine, Magic.
Attack Options:Slam, Not sure how much damage with everything kitcik mentioned, +21 either way. 2 Slams in a full attack.

Rocket Knuckle(Su): Magestone Golems slam attacks are treated as having the Throwing and Returning Weapon properties.

Perpetual Movement: Although a Magestone Golem is normally subject to critical hits as a Living Construct, it's body is not interconnected,​ and is constantly free floating, and IS immune to critical hits.

Groundbreaker: When a Magestone Golem uses it's Levitate SLA, it can end the spell at will, causing a shockwave that spreads from it's landing point with a radius equal to half it's falling distance. The shockwave does does 1d6 damage for every 2d6 falling damage the Magestone Golem takes from ending Levitate, Reflex half. All targets of the ability who fail the reflex save are knocked prone.

SLAs: Stone Wall, 3/Day CL 20th, Levitate at will, CL 20, Slow, 3/Day, CL 20, Earthquake 1/Day, CL 20.

Help Tweak/CR?

 

[nijineko]

you will want to include the bonus hp from con if you have not already. also, you will want to specify a range increment on the rocket knuckle. the hp seem a bit low for a creature that is otherwise fairly powerful.

with that bab, that is the equiv of a 15th level fighter, plus the str mod, so that is more like a 17th or 18th level fighter with gear equivalent. the 20th level sla's are fairly powerful, if limited in number, so you need to figure out what level of characters can reasonably make the saves, which will give you another data point for calc'ing cr.

the idea for cr is that it makes 4 characters of the level of the cr spend about 10% (if average encounter) to 25% (if tough encounter) of their non-renewable resources. this includes things like spells and powers, since by standard rules those don't reset till the next day, as well as scrolls, potions, and other one-shot or limited use items or abilities. It does not include infinite resource effects such as melee combat ability. the number or rounds the creature will last versus the amount of damage output the party can put out per round is another data point to determine cr.

looks like an interesting encounter. i'm suddenly reminded of a creature that was released web-only as a result of the development articles having a polling-contest to determine a new monster based on the how-to-create-a-new-monster series of artiles on the wiz website. the resulting monster was a multi-dimensional creature that had non-connected body parts. might be a useful ability to borrow the wording and effects from.

 

[kitcik]

Groundbreaker: When a Magestone Golem uses it's Levitate SLA, it can end the spell at will, causing a shockwave that spreads from it's landing point with a radius equal to half it's falling distance. The shockwave does does 1d6 damage for every 2d6 falling damage the Magestone Golem takes from ending Levitate, Reflex half. All targets of the ability who fail the reflex save are knocked prone.[/QUOTE]

I would make it:

Whenever a Magestone Golem lands on the ground from a fall or jump of at least 10', it causes a shockwave that spreads from it's landing point with a radius equal to half it's falling / jumping down distance. The shockwave does does 1d6 damage plus 1d6 damage for every 20' of the Magestone Golem's falling / jumping down distance; Reflex save for half damage. All creatures within the radius who fail their reflex save are knocked prone. This ability is not triggered if the Magestone Golem is under the influence of a Featherfall or similar effect.

The dude can use his high strength and presumably decent speed to Jump around the battlefield and literally shake things up.

 

[xigbar]

you will want to include the bonus hp from con if you have not already. also, you will want to specify a range increment on the rocket knuckle. the hp seem a bit low for a creature that is otherwise fairly powerful.

with that bab, that is the equiv of a 15th level fighter, plus the str mod, so that is more like a 17th or 18th level fighter with gear equivalent. the 20th level sla's are fairly powerful, if limited in number, so you need to figure out what level of characters can reasonably make the saves, which will give you another data point for calc'ing cr.

the idea for cr is that it makes 4 characters of the level of the cr spend about 10% (if average encounter) to 25% (if tough encounter) of their non-renewable resources. this includes things like spells and powers, since by standard rules those don't reset till the next day, as well as scrolls, potions, and other one-shot or limited use items or abilities. It does not include infinite resource effects such as melee combat ability. the number or rounds the creature will last versus the amount of damage output the party can put out per round is another data point to determine cr.

looks like an interesting encounter. i'm suddenly reminded of a creature that was released web-only as a result of the development articles having a polling-contest to determine a new monster based on the how-to-create-a-new-monster series of artiles on the wiz website. the resulting monster was a multi-dimensional creature that had non-connected body parts. might be a useful ability to borrow the wording and effects from.

Very interesting to borronw from, actually. Would you happen to know what that was in, or what it was called?

 

[nijineko]

it was the design & development series of articles. it can be found on the 3.5 archive still on the wizards site. they were having a contest accompanied by a forum poll on creating a new monster. the final result was posted in one of the articles. from work wotc site is blocked, so i cannot search very effectively. i have a saved copy at home somewhere.