My next project (#4)!

[BOZ]

#53
this looks like yet another creature where the designer seriously underestimated the usefulness of the Cha score. And I have no idea what they were thinking with the physical attacks.

how are the abilities for this guy (needs a couple feats also):

Medium-sized Undead (Incorporeal)
Hit Dice: 12dl2 (78 hp)
Initiative: +4 (Dex)
Speed: 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
AC: 24 (+4 Dex, +10 natural)
Attacks: 2 claws+6/+1 melee
Damage: Claws ld6+3 each
Face/Reach: 5 ft, x 5 ft/5 ft.
Special Attacks: Fear Aura, Flaming Lantern
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft,, Immunities, Vulnerability to Fearlessness
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +8
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 18, Con ?, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 3
Skills: Hide +17, Intimidate +11, Listen +8, Search +8, Sense Motive +4, Spot +8
Feats: Alertness, Dodge, Mobility
Climate/Terrain: Any land or underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Ratings: 5
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 3-11 HD (Medium-size)
The UNDEAD is a ghastly figure in tattered robes. Clutched in his claw-like hand is a lantern glowing a most unnatural shade of green.
Combat
UNDEADs prefer to play with their prey, but when combat is inevitable or when their victim has been tortured to his limit, they will fight to kill.
Fear Aura (Ex): The UNDEAD's very presence inspires great fear. If the UNDEAD is unseen, those affected may not understand why they feel intensely frightened. When clearly visible, the sight of a UNDEAD with its eerie lantern is enough to freeze the bravest heart. Those within a 60-foot radius of the UNDEAD that see it must succeed at a Will save (DC 14) or be affected as though by fear as cast by a sorcerer of 7th level.
Flaming Lantern (Su): The UNDEAD relies upon the unnatural fire within its lantern to destroy and kill. Three times per day, the UNDEAD can summon a burst of hideous, roaring green fire from the front of the lantern. Composed not only of flame, but also the cruel shards of pain and shame that are cousins to fear, the lantern's blazing fire inflicts 5dl0 damage and will set flammable things within a 30-foot cone alight with dancing. A successful Reflex save (DC 18) means that targets take only half damage.
Vulnerability to Fearlessness: Those who are completely immune to fear, such as paladins, inflict double damage with hand-to-hand attacks against a UNDEAD. The power of confidence and purity of heart that the truly fearless possess is enough to severely unravel the UNDEAD's already tenuous physical existence. This vulnerability does not apply to creatures incapable of fear in the first place, such as constructs.

 

[demiurge1138]

If you're allowed to, raise the Charisma score quite a bit. They're supposed to be terrifying, after all. What's the Flaming Lantern DC based off of?

I'd say that Spring Attack is a good feat to complete the chain, and Ability Focus (fear) would help with the terrible save DC (especially if you're not allowed to fix the Cha).

Demiurge out.

 

[BOZ]

i've been allowed to fix the Cha score on previous critters - thank god. the fear aura appears to have an effect whether or not the victim can see the creature, and the save requires a line of sight.

the flaming lantern DC is not clearly based on anything as the numbers don't add up. would Dex based make sense? i'm going to go with the lantern not being a magic item, but a part of the creature's incorporeal emanation.

the designer made a ton of classic mistakes with this one. the physical attacks for one (where does it get a +3 to hit from?), and a natural AC bonus instead of deflection?

 

[demiurge1138]

The +3 damage, you mean? Yeah, there's a lot to fix. The claw attacks should certainly be replaced by an incorporeal touch, and of course the iterative attack pattern should be lost. In addition, if it's incorporeal, it should only have the fly speed.

Dex would work for the flaming lantern, but a case could also be made for Cha. And it should have a deflection bonus equal to Cha bonus, unless you decide to give it better, which should be noted as a special quality.

And, of course, you should actually add incorporeal traits to the SQs.

Demiurge out.

 

[BOZ]

fixed the incorporeal issues.

yes indeed, a case could be made for Cha-based. Dex is mostly for aiming stuff (which this does), though Con (Cha for undead) is used for effects that generate from the creature's body. it's a tough call sometimes.

how does the rest of that ability look, does it make sense as-is?

Flaming Lantern (Su): The UNDEAD relies upon the unnatural fire within its lantern to destroy and kill. Three times per day, the UNDEAD can summon a burst of hideous, roaring green fire from the front of the lantern. Composed not only of flame, but also the cruel shards of pain and shame that are cousins to fear, the lantern's blazing fire inflicts 5dl0 damage and will set flammable things within a 30-foot cone alight with dancing. A successful Reflex save (DC 18) means that targets take only half damage.

 

[demiurge1138]

Well, the phrase "alight with dancing" means nothing. And I'd drop the mention of shards of shame and fear (unless you want to make the damage half fire and half divine). And, of course, you should mention specifically the 5d10 fire damage.

Demiurge out.

 

[BOZ]

I set the Cha to 17.

Maybe the "shame and fear" part indicates that it could be at least partially a mind-affecting effect?

How's this:

Flavor text: A UNDEAD relies upon the unnatural fire within its lantern to destroy and kill. The burst of hideous, roaring green fire that explodes from the front of the lantern is composed not only of flame, but also the cruel shards of pain and shame that are cousins to fear, and sets victims alight with dancing.

Flaming Lantern (Su): Three times per day, a UNDEAD can summon a 30-foot cone on fire from its lantern that deals 5dl0 points of fire damage (Reflex DC 19 half) and will set flammable things on fire. The save DC is Charisma-based.

 

[demiurge1138]

Looks good, except the phrase "alight with dancing" means nothing. Either drop it entirely or add the word "flames" to the end.

Demiurge out.

 

[BOZ]

Good point, heh.

Do you think the "shame and fear" part indicates that it could be at least partially a mind-affecting effect?

Flavor text: A UNDEAD relies upon the unnatural fire within its lantern to destroy and kill. The burst of hideous, roaring green fire that explodes from the front of the lantern is composed not only of flame, but also the cruel shards of pain and shame that are cousins to fear, and sets victims alight with dancing flames.

Flaming Lantern (Su): Three times per day, a UNDEAD can summon a 30-foot cone of fire from its lantern that deals 5dl0 points of fire damage (Reflex DC 19 half) and will set flammable things on fire. The save DC is Charisma-based.


What about these two parts? Do they make sense as-is, or should I change them up? Do they work with the rules as written?

Fear Aura (Ex): The UNDEAD's very presence inspires great fear. If the UNDEAD is unseen, those affected may not understand why they feel intensely frightened. When clearly visible, the sight of a UNDEAD with its eerie lantern is enough to freeze the bravest heart. Those within a 60-foot radius of the UNDEAD that see it must succeed at a Will save (DC 14) or be affected as though by fear as cast by a sorcerer of 7th level.

Vulnerability to Fearlessness: Those who are completely immune to fear, such as paladins, inflict double damage with hand-to-hand attacks against a UNDEAD. The power of confidence and purity of heart that the truly fearless possess is enough to severely unravel the UNDEAD's already tenuous physical existence. This vulnerability does not apply to creatures incapable of fear in the first place, such as constructs.

 

[demiurge1138]

I personally think the "shame and fear" should mean the lantern does half non-energy damage, ala a flame strike. I don't see how it could be mind-affecting if you kept it as straight damage. If you added a crushing despair-like effect, though...

And I think that the fear aura as written is more like frightful presence that a real fear aura (as it requires the UNDEAD to be seen). I might drop the seen requirement, especially since the flavor text implies that it can still inflict fear in those that can't see it.

And I really dislike the vulnerability to fearlessness... except that I have no idea how to keep the same flavor otherwise. Maybe giving it a morale penalty to attack and damage against creatures immune to fear?

Demiurge out.