New critter

Frilf

Explorer
What to you guys think of these creatures? Any input would be appreciated. :D BTW, I know some of the stats are wonky, that's why I'm looking for help!

Black Spawn of Fallen Evil
Fine Undead (Incorporeal, Swarm)
Hit Dice: 4d12 (26 hit points)
Initiative: +8
Speed: 0 ft. (0 squares), fly 60 ft. (perfect)
Armor Class: 20 (+8 size, +4 Dex, +2 deflection)
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/--
Attack: Swarm (see special attacks)
Full Attack: Swarm (see special attacks)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Strength drain
Special Qualities: Create spawn, detect living, healing spawn, incorporeal, turn resistance +2, undead traits
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +4
Abilities: Str --, Dex 17, Con --, Int 1, Wis 13, Cha 15
Skills: ??
Feats: ??
Environment: Any land and underground
Organization: Solitary, flight (2-4 swarms), horde (5-10 swarms)
CR: ??
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: --

Black spawn swarms are brought into being by the haphazard dispersal of necromantic or evil energies. Occasionally, the vile and wicked essence of evil coalesces into ebon clouds of thousands of silently screaming, tortured visages that roam the world searching for life to destroy.

Combat
Black spawn instinctively move toward any living creature and occupy an area until every living creature there has fallen to the swarm’s strength drain ability or the swarm itself is commanded, rebuked, turned or destroyed. Black spawn are largely unintelligent and have no sense of tactics other than to destroy life wherever it may be found.
Strength Drain (Su): Creature’s caught within the swarm’s space suffer 1d2 points of temporary Strength drain.
Create Spawn (Su): Creatures that are drained to 0 Strength by the black spawn rise as black spawn under the control of the original swarm. If the black spawn swarm is undamaged, the new spawn form a separate swarm. If the original swarm has suffered damage, the new spawn join the existing swarm.
Healing Spawn (Su): If the black spawn swarm has suffered damage during the course of an encounter, it can heal 1d6 points of damage to itself for every Hit Die of spawn it creates. A black swarm spawn cannot heal itself beyond its original starting hit points in this manner and any additional spawn created form a new swarm under the original’s control.
Turn Resistance (Ex): Black spawn have turn resistance +2.

Black spawn is Copyright 2004 Ian Johnston. All rights reserved. Yadda yadda.
 

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The stats aren't wonky, but the damage is. They should, as a 4HD swarm, deal 1d6 damage in addition to anything special. I'd make it negative energy damage, ala a wraith's touch.

I like these guys. Like little shadow clusters. I'd give the whole lot a CR of 3-4, probably.

Demiurge out.
 

demiurge1138 said:
The stats aren't wonky, but the damage is. They should, as a 4HD swarm, deal 1d6 damage in addition to anything special. I'd make it negative energy damage, ala a wraith's touch.

I like these guys. Like little shadow clusters. I'd give the whole lot a CR of 3-4, probably.

Demiurge out.

Thanks, Demiurge. So, make them deal 1d6 negative energy damage, plus the 1d2 Str drain? I just want to make sure I understand you ok :)
 
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I like this guy

it sounds like a plague or something but its cool. I'd think it'd come from Ravenloft or something but thats me. Demiurge has a point but im new too so i have little say i guess.
 

Turlin, being new has nothing with how much one has to say. :) Everyone was new at some time.

Frilf, I believe you understood Demiurge correctly.
Some finishing touches, if I may:
deleted false info on skills and feats. robjh has the correct info.
As a swarm, it should have the distraction ability. I'd base it off Charisma instead of Constitution for the Black Spawn, though, for a DC of 14.
 
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Frilf said:
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +4
Abilities: Str --, Dex 17, Con --, Int 1, Wis 13, Cha 15
Skills: ??
Feats: ??

For a 4 HD monster, base saves are either 4/3 = +1, or 4/2 + 2 = +4. I think undead have high Will saves, but I could be wrong. If so, however, that'd be: Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +5.

With a 1 Int, it should have 4+3 = 7 skill points. Perhaps Listen +4, Move Silently +4, and Spot +4. Also needs a couple of feats. Maybe Improved Initiative and Alertness?

Most swarms have the Distraction(?) ability (or whatever the ability to cause Nause is caused). I would think that would apply here as well.

No save on the Strength damage? Perhaps bump it up to 1d3 damage and allow a Ref save??? Or maybe not. *shrug*
 

Frilf said:
Initiative: +8
Armor Class: 20 (+8 size, +4 Dex, +2 deflection)
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/--
Abilities: Str --, Dex 17, Con --, Int 1, Wis 13, Cha 15
Initiative should be +3, +7 if you go with robjh's suggestion of Improved Initiative.
Armor class should be 19 - the bonus for Dex 17 is +3.
Undead have a Base Attack Bonus of 1/2 their Hit Dice, so it would be +2 (not that it is really important for swarms ;)).
 

Knight Otu said:
Initiative should be +3, +7 if you go with robjh's suggestion of Improved Initiative.
Armor class should be 19 - the bonus for Dex 17 is +3.
Undead have a Base Attack Bonus of 1/2 their Hit Dice, so it would be +2 (not that it is really important for swarms ;)).

Thanks for the tips, guys :) See if this version is better...

Black Spawn of Fallen Evil (Version 2.0)
Fine Undead (Incorporeal, Swarm)
Hit Dice: 4d12 (26 hit points)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 0 ft. (0 squares), fly 60 ft. (perfect)
Armor Class: 19 (+8 size, +3 Dex, +2 deflection)
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/--
Attack: Swarm (1d6 negative energy plus distraction and Strength drain)
Full Attack: Swarm (1d6 negative energy plus distraction and Strength drain)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Strength drain
Special Qualities: Create spawn, detect living, distraction, healing spawn, incorporeal, turn resistance +2, undead traits
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +5
Abilities: Str --, Dex 17, Con --, Int 1, Wis 13, Cha 15
Skills: Listen +4, Move Silently +4, Spot +4
Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative
Environment: Any land and underground
Organization: Solitary, flight (2-4 swarms), horde (5-10 swarms)
CR: 4
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: --

Black spawn swarms are brought into being by the haphazard dispersal of necromantic or evil energies. Occasionally, the vile and wicked essence of evil coalesces into ebon clouds of thousands of silently screaming, tortured visages that roam the world searching for life to destroy.

Combat
Black spawn instinctively move toward any living creature and occupy an area until every living creature there has fallen to the swarm’s strength drain ability or the swarm itself is commanded, rebuked, turned or destroyed. Black spawn are largely unintelligent and have no sense of tactics other than to destroy life wherever it may be found.
Strength Drain (Su): Creature’s caught within the swarm’s space suffer 1d2 points of temporary Strength drain. A Fortitude save (DC 14) negates this damage, but a new save must be made for each round a creature is inside the space of the swarm. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Create Spawn (Su): Creatures that are drained to 0 Strength by the black spawn rise as black spawn under the control of the original swarm. If the black spawn swarm is undamaged, the new spawn form a separate swarm. If the original swarm has suffered damage, the new spawn join the existing swarm.
Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with a swarm in its space must succeed on a DC 14 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Healing Spawn (Su): If the black spawn swarm has suffered damage during the course of an encounter, it can heal 1d6 points of damage to itself for every Hit Die of spawn it creates. A black swarm spawn cannot heal itself beyond its original starting hit points in this manner and any additional spawn created form a new swarm under the original’s control.
Turn Resistance (Ex): Black spawn have turn resistance +2.

Black spawn is Copyright 2004 Ian Johnston. All rights reserved. Yadda yadda.
 
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