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Message: <blockquote data-quote="dante58701" data-source="post: 3423500" data-attributes="member: 40336">Fiend Folio it is...Ethergaunts. Starting with the black. I figured I would far rather increase their hit dice then rob them of their most devastating abilities. Though Im thinking their much worsened AC by Krusty's rules would more than make up for the extra hit dice. Hit points dont mean much when you can get smacked left and right.Black EthergauntMedium-Size Aberration (Extraplanar)Hit Dice: 34d8+68 (204 hp)Initiative: +4 (+4 Dexterity)Speed: 30 ft.Armor Class: 22 (+4 Dex, +8 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 18Base Attack/Grapple: +25/+26Attack: Etherblade +26 melee (1d10+1) or etherblade +29 ranged touch (1d6)Full Attack: Etherblade +26 melee (1d10+1) or etherblade +29 ranged touch (1d6)Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.Special Attacks: Enslave, spells, stupefying gazeSpecial Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., material jaunt, immunity to spells, total vision, wizard abilitiesSaves: Fort +15, Ref +17, Will +22Abilities: Str 12, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 31, Wis 17, Cha 17Skills: Concentration +39, Diplomacy +40, Heal +40, Knowledge (arcana) +47, Knowledge (any three) +47, Listen +40, Move Silently +41, Sense Motive +40, Spellcraft +47, Spot +40Feats: Combat Casting, Dodge, Empower Spell, Eschew Materials, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (etherblade) (B), Extend Spell, Heighten Spell, Quicken Spell, Scribe Scroll, Silent Spell, Spell Penetration, Still SpellEpic Feats: Automatic Metamagic Capacity (x2), Expert Strike, Fire Baptism, Ignore Material ComponentsClimate/Terrain: Any land and underground (Ethereal Plane)Organization: Solitary or council (1 black, 5 whites, and 12 reds)Challenge Rating: 26Treasure: Double standardAlignment: Usually neutral evilAdvancement: By character classLevel Adjustment: +4Black ethergaunts stand at the pinnacle of khen-zai society. Honored as near-divine philosopher-scientists, the black caste is credited with advancing ethergaunt society to its present state of perfection. No lesser khen-zai questions the will of a black ethergaunt, for to do so is to question the progress of the entire race. By far the thinnest and most emaciated of the ethergaunts, blacks lack the physical power of their underlings—a deficiency balanced by a brain that allows them to outthink even the most intelligent opponent. Their black faceplates represent a complete void of emotion—the khen-zai believe that the blacks have rid themselves of all emotion, thus allowing them to command the race without being clouded by weaknesses such as regret, compassion, and mercy. Despite pretensions to the contrary, however, most black ethergaunts possess an abundance of selfish emotions such as greed, ambition, and hubris.A black ethergaunt speaks ethergaunt and thirteen additional languages.A black ethergaunt stands 8 feet tall and weighs 120 pounds.CombatBlack ethergaunts are rarely found without a handful of powerful slaves that serve as bodyguards. If necessary, they sacrifice their thralls to protect themselves. Though they are able to use etherblades, black ethergaunts consider engaging in physical combat to be a sign of failure, preferring to rely on spells or technological items such as doubt bombs (see Ethergaunt Items, later in this entry). They particularly hate clerics, viewing divine spellcasters as a threat to the khen-zai’s atheist philosophy. Rather than change that philosophy, the black ethergaunts have decided to simply eliminate the divine spellcasters.Enslave (Su): Three times per day, a black ethergaunt can attempt to enslave any one living creature within 30 feet. This ability functions similarly to a dominate monster spell (caster level 34th; Will save DC 30). An enslaved creature obeys the black ethergaunt’s telepathic commands to the letter. The subject can attempt a new Will save every day to break free. Otherwise, the black ethergaunt’s control is broken only by the death of either the black ethergaunt or the enslaved creature, or by a remove curse or dispel magic effect, or if the black ethergaunt travels more than 1 mile from the enslaved creature or travels to a different plane from the one its thrall is on.At any given time, a black ethergaunt may have one slave per point of Charisma bonus (normally two, although exceptional individuals may be able to command more slaves).Immunity to Spells (Su): Black ethergaunts may choose to ignore the effects of arcane spells, just as if the spellcaster had failed to overcome spell resistance. They have no power over divine spells, having long ago rationalized divinity out of their racial philosophy. Though powerful, this ability is somewhat limited. It applies only to arcane spells of 6th level or lower.Material Jaunt (Su): Ethergaunts dwell on the Ethereal Plane. While in their natural state of etherealness, they can perceive but not affect creatures and objects on the Material Plane. However, an ethergaunt can transport itself from the Ethereal Plane to the Material Plane as a standard action. It can remain on the Material Plane for up to 1 round per Hit Die it possesses. At the end of this time, or when the ethergaunt chooses, it becomes ethereal again. An ethergaunt must remain on the Ethereal Plane for at least 1 hour after a material jaunt before it can use the ability again. Ethergaunts who wish to remain on the Material Plane for a longer time must use plane shift or similar magic. Most white and black ethergaunts know the plane shift spell and use it for this purpose.Stupefying Gaze (Su): A black ethergaunt can open and close its vertically bisected mask as a free action, revealing a horrifically alien morass of facial organs and orifices. On its turn, the creature decides if it wants its mask open or closed. Anyone within 30 feet of a black ethergaunt with an open mask who meets the creature’s gaze must succeed on a Will saving throw (DC 30) or immediately take 1d4 points of Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma damage. A creature that successfully saves against this effect cannot be affected by the same black ethergaunt’s stupefying gaze for one day.Black ethergaunts are immune to their own gaze attacks and to those of other ethergaunts.Total Vision (Ex): A black ethergaunt’s superdeveloped brain and countless facial sensory organs allow it to discern all objects within 40 feet, even through the mask that hides its face. A black ethergaunt usually does not need to make Spot or Listen checks to notice creatures within range of its total vision. A silence spell has no bearing upon a black ethergaunt’s total vision.Wizard Abilities: A black ethergaunt is exceptionally gifted in the arcane arts, functioning as a Wizard of half it's Hit Dice (round down; Caster Level equals Character Level). Although more than capable of summoning one, it is only the rare black ethergaunt that has a familiar, seeing them as a liability.Spells: A black ethergaunt can cast arcane spells as a 17th-level wizard (Caster Level 34th; 4/7/7/6/6/6/6/3/3/2; save DC 20 + spell level). A typical spell list: 0—daze, disrupt undead, mage hand, resistance; 1st—endurance, expeditious retreat, hypnotism, mage armor, magic missile (2), shield; 2nd—detect thoughts, glitterdust, Melf ’s acid arrow, mirror image, Melf ’s acid arrow, protection from arrows, see invisibility; 3rd—dispel magic, displacement, fireball, haste, lightning bolt, vampiric touch; 4th—charm monster, ice storm, improved invisibility, Otiluke’s resilient sphere, phantasmal killer, rainbow pattern; 5th—cone of cold, dismissal, feeblemind, mind fog (2), wall of force; 6th—Bigby ’s forceful hand, disintegrate (2), greater dispelling, mass suggestion, project image; 7th—finger of death, plane shift, prismatic spray; 8th—Bigby ’s clenched fist, horrid wilting, sunburst; 9th—Bigby ’s crushing hand, energy drain. The save DCs are Intelligence-based.Ethergaunt ItemsEthergaunts have developed a number of technological marvels. Because the race shuns art or pleasure, most such devices facilitate one of two activities: genocide or the eradication of religious devotion. Though the features of these objects resemble those of magic items, the objects are in fact technological and are not affected by spells such as antimagic field. Only ethergaunts have the knowledge and skill to build or maintain these devices.Etherblade: Resembling a short glaive topped with a hollow barrel, this favored weapon of the ethergaunts can fire a ray of force as a ranged touch attack for 1d6 points of damage. The etherblade ray has a range increment of 40 feet. The weapon can fire 50 times before it is exhausted. It cannot be recharged.An etherblade can be used as a two-handed weapon in melee combat to deal 1d10 points of slashing damage. A fully charged etherblade has a market price of 800 gp.Doubt Bomb: This small ceramic sphere contains a chemical mixture intended to overstimulate the “doubt centers” in the brain. The bomb can be thrown as a grenadelike weapon. A thrown bomb shatters on impact, creating a cloud of poisonous gas in a 10-foot spread (initial and secondary damage 1d6 Wisdom, Fort DC 15 negates). Ethergaunts are immune to the effects of doubt bombs. A doubt bomb has a market price of 500 gp.</blockquote>

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