Actually, I prefer the way you wrote it, too, for the same reason.
OK, about time to move on…
Need new names for these four:
#43
Medium-Size Outsider (Evil)
Hit Dice: 6d8+12(37hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 18 (+8 natural)
Attacks: 2 claws +10 melee, bite +8 melee
Damage: Claw 1d6+4, bite 2d4+2
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, drain magic
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/+1, SR 15, darkvision 60 ft., immunities, plane shift, skills
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +5
Abilities: Str19,Dex11,Con15,lnt13,Wis10,Cha 10
Skills: Concentration +18, Hide+6, Knowledge (arcane) +18, Listen +8, Move Silently +6, Spellcraft +18, Spot +7
Feats: Multiattack, Power Attack
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
Organization: Solitary, brood (2-5), band (6-14)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement Range: 7-9HD(Medium-size);10-18HD(Large)
MAGIC-EATERs are scaled humanoids with bulbous eyes and taloned claws. Colored in varying shades of blue, brown and green, MAGIC-EATERs are most easily identified by the crystalline cyst growing out of its hunched back.
Combat
MAGIC-EATERs will detect magic before combat, and focus on the foe bearing the most magic or on arcane spellcasters ifsuchcanbe identified.
They are intelligent creatures, and they will use their plane shift ability to retreatfromahopelessbattle, draining as much magic as they can before doing so.
The crystalline cyst on the back of an MAGIC-EATER can be used as material components for many magic items such as bun stones, and it is worth 500 gp. Sorcerers may also shatter the crystal of a dead devourer to try to absorb the magic contained therein. A shattered crystal will restore used spell slots to the sorcerer up to a total number of spell levels equal to half the MAGIC-EATER's HD. Lowest level spell slots are restored first; partial levels are ignored. For example, a sorceress shatters the crystal of a 6 HD MAGIC-EATER and absorbs its magic successfully. She restores 2 1st-level spell slots she had used, but the 3rd spell level (6 HD halved is 3 total spell levels regained) is ignored since she has no more available 1st-level spell slots and the one remaining spell level will not restore a 2nd-level spell. Upon shattering the crystal, the sorcerer must pass a Fortitude save (DC 10 + half the devourer's HD), otherwise the sorcerer is blinded and deafened by the released energy. Regardless of the saving throw, the sorcerer is stunned for 1d4 rounds.
Spell-like abilities: At will — detect magic, dispel magic, identify, see invisibility as cast by a 6th-level sorcerer (save DC 10 + spell level).
Drain Magic (Su): An MAGIC-EATER who makes two successful claw attacks in the same round on an opponent can drain magic as a free action. If the victim is a spellcaster, then he is drained of 1 d3 of his memorized spells (if a wizard) or Id3 of his unused spell slots (if a sorcerer), beginning with the highest level spells and moving down. Determine randomly which spells of a given level are drained. The spellcaster is unable to prepare or cast replacement spells for 1d4 days.
If the spellcaster has no memorized spells, or the victim is not a spellcaster, then all spells or magical effects upon the victim (e.g. stonesldn or commanding presence) are drained instead as if the MAGIC-EATER had succeeded at casting dispel magic on them.
If the victim has no spells to drain, nor spell effects to drain, then any magic items worn or held by the victim are effected next. See core rulebook I page 150 for the order in which magic items are affected by the drain attack. Such items are affected as though the MAGIC-EATER had cast Morel's disjunction on them (Will save DC 13).
Anytime a devourer drains arcane energies, the web-like veins on the surface of the devourer's skin glow and the crystalline cyst on its back flashes with light. Treat the effects of this light as the spell flash.
Plane Shift (Su): This ability affects only the MAGIC-EATER. It is otherwise similar to the spell of the same name.
Immunities (Ex): MAGIC-EATERs are immune to poison, cold, sleep and effects dealing with exhaustion, hunger, asphyxiation or drowning.
Skills: MAGIC-EATERs receive a +8 racial bonus to Concentration, Spellcraft and Knowledge (arcane) checks.
#44
Medium-Size Aberration
Hit Dice: 5d8(22hp)
Initiative: -1 (Dex)
Speed: 10 ft. / 20 ft (liquid)
AC: 16 (-2 Dex, +8 Natural)
Attacks: 2 touch attacks +2 melee
Damage: Touch 1d4+1
Face/Reach: 5 Ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Steal blood
Special Qualities: Duplicate, liquid form, weapon immunities and vulnerability
Saves: Fort+1, Ref+O, Will+0
Abilities: Str 8, Dex 8, Con 10, lnt 3, Wis 3, Cha 3
Skills: Hide +2, Listen +2, Move Silently +7, Spot +2
Climate/Terrain: Any warm or temperate land
Organization: Colony 4-8
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
Advancement Range: 6-10 HD (Medium-size)
The THING is a viscous conglomerate of plasma, bone, and tissue whose bipedal forms is a macabre parody of humanoids. It also assumes a liquid form of crimson goo while waiting for prey to pass and sate their blood lust.
Combat
THINGs conceal themselves in liquid form to await the approach of a victim. When prey comes within 20 feet, the THINGs take on their humanoid form and attack with their steal blood power.
Duplicate (Su): A THING colony that collectively possesses 22 extra temporary hit points from stolen blood may sacrifice those hit points to create a new 5-HD THING, who rises from the colony's pool in 1d4 rounds.
Steal Blood (Su): THINGs's touch attacks ignore armor, shield and natural armor bonuses. A successful strike inflicts 1d4+1 points of bleeding damage that the blood man instantly absorbs. Stolen hit points first restore any of the THING's lost hit points and then accumulate as extra temporary hit points.
Weapon Immunities and Vulnerability (Su): A THING's liquid body is immune to non-magical slashing and piercing attacks, but it takes normal damage from bludgeoning weapons. THINGs take damage from magical slashing and piercing weapons equal to the weapon's magical bonus. A longsword +3, for example, would inflict only three points of damage on a THING.
THINGs suffer twice the normal damage each round from bleeding from any weapon or attack that has a wounding effect.
Liquid Form (Su): In liquid state, THINGs cannot attack, but they move at double movement rate and retain their normal AC and immunities. A colony's hit points are equal to the sum of all its members, and if attacked, damage is divided equally among all of the colony's individuals. If attacked in liquid state, the THINGs immediately take on humanoid form to defend themselves.
#45
Huge Plant
Hit Dice: 20d8+60 (150 hp)
Initiative: -3 (Dex)
Speed: 0 ft.
AC: 25 (-2 size, -3 Dex, +20 natural)
Attacks: —
Damage: —
Face/Reach: 10 ft. by 10 ft/0 ft.
Special Attacks: Crushing, acid
Special Qualities: Plant, fire vulnerability, resistant to piercing attacks
Saves: Fort +15, Ref—, Will +3
Abilities: Str 24, Dex 4, Con 16, lnt —, Wis 4, Cha —
Climate/Terrain: Any forest
Organization: Solitary or grove (5-12)
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement Range: 21-40HD(Gargantuan);41-60HD(Colossal)
TREEs are large old majestic trees who eat flesh. TREEs often appearing as normal oak, maple, walnut, or other deciduous tree, although their hollows are deadly for all living creatures that wander inside.
Combat
When a creature enters the hollow of a TREE trunk, which is usually at or near ground level, tiny changes in the water pressure of the wood and in surface roots cause the bole walls to expand rapidly until the opening has swollen so tight that it doesn't allow for the passage of water or air, trapping the creature inside. The wood inside the trunk continues to distend, crushing the occupant to a bloody paste, just as a thick acidic sap fills the chamber to digest the prey. It takes 30 points of damage inflicted to one spot on a tree to create a hole large enough to extract a Medium-size victim from the trunk.
Crushing (Ex): Once a TREE traps a creature within its trunk, it does 3d4 hit points every round, automatically. Trapped victims do not have the room to stage their own attacks to escape. Spells with semantic components cannot be cast. Nor can most that require material components or foci that cannot be reached. Even spells with only verbal components require successful Concentration checks, as if the caster were entangled (see core rulebook II, p. 84), to be cast.
Acid (Ex): The acidic sap exuded into the trap chamber does an additional 2d4 hit points of damage to a creature every round, in addition to the crushing damage. After four rounds, the chamber is full (trapped victims who have not been crushed and/or digested at this point may drown/ suffocate — see core rulebookll, p.85), Non-magical possessions may also be destroyed at the Game Master's discretion; paper, cloth and leather dissolve within a round. Metal corrodes and melts away within six. Anything that breaches the trunk (inflicts 10 points of damage in a single spot) releases a spray of acid that does 2d4 points of damage to anyone outside of the tree who's standing within 10 feet.
Plant: TREEs are impervious to critical hits, subdual damage and death from massive-damage trauma. They are immune to poison, sleep, mind-influencing effects, paralysis, stunning and polymorphing.
Fire Vulnerability (Ex): TREEs take double damage from fire attacks unless the attack allows a save, in which case they take double damage on a failure and normal damage otherwise.
Resistant to Piercing Attacks (Ex): TREEs take only half damage from piercing attacks.
#46
Medium-Size Fey
Hit Dice: 6d6 (21 hp)
Initiative: +5 (Dex)
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 1? (+5 Dex, +4 natural)
Attacks: Claw +8 melee
Damage: Claw 1d4+1
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft/5 ft.
Special Attacks: Wounding touch
Special Qualities: Spell-like abilities, monster empathy
Saves: Fort+2, Ref+10, Will+3
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 20, Con 11, lnt 14, Wis 6, Cha 15
Skills: Climb +8, Hide + 13, Listen +6, Monster Empathy +10, Move Silently +13, Spot +6, Wilderness Lore +6
Feats: Dodge, Weapon Finesse (claw)
Climate/Terrain: Any forest
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always Chaotic Neutral
Advancement Range: 7-12 HD (Medium-size)
The FEY looks like a typical dryad, and only closer inspection shows the deep scars and cracks in the FEY’s flesh. Wandering through the forest, the FEY is searching endless for her companion tree to no avail. Long driven mad by this pursuit, the FEY is a volatile and fearsome foe when pressed or when interrupted in her search for home.
Combat
FEY tend to avoid direct combat or even ignore the presence of others — until the search for their home is interfered with, when they can lash out. Others seek to lure intruders into traps to find out if these foreigners were the ones who destroyed the local forest. No matter what, each FEY behaves in accordance with her own particular form of insanity.
Wounding Touch (Su): The claw attack of a FEY is particularly vicious. Such wounds bleed longer than normal, inflicting an extra point of damage on the following round before clotting. Damage taken from a FEY's claws is also resistant to magical healing, so cure spells are only half as effective as usual, and such damage is always healed last if a subject of the spell has suffered other wounds as well. The same properties apply to damaged suffered from a FEY's inflict minor wounds ability.
For example, a character has taken 10 points of damage from an ogre's club and eight points of damage from a FEY's claws and spells. The first cure light wounds spell cast on him heals six points, which goes toward the damage done by the ogre. The second spell heals eight points: four of these heal the rest of the damage from the ogre, and the remaining four points heal only two points of the damage inflicted by the FEY. The character has six points of damage remaining, and requires 12 points of magical healing or six points of natural healing to recover fully.
Spell-Like Abilities: Like dryads, FEY can communicate with plants at will (as speak with plants) and use charm person three times per day as if cast by a 6th-level sorcerer. FEY also have access to the following spell-like abilities: change self (3/day), inflict minor wounds (3/day), shatter (3/day), invisibility (2/day) and poison (I/day).
Monster Empathy (Ex): FEY have access to this unusual variation of the Animal Empathy skill. Normal animals have a pronounced aversion to their presence, so the estranged fey find comfort with twisted creatures like themselves. This skill operates just as the Animal Empathy skill, but works best on aberrations. The skill can also be used on beasts or magical beasts of a chaotic or evil alignment with a -4 penalty to the roll.
first thing’s first, though. And I need to remove all reference to the campaign setting.
