Planar Rulers

Heh. You refer to yourself as "Knight Otu," so I will usually great you as "My lord." I greet a poster named ruleslawyer as counselor.
Ok. I thought it could be something like that. :)
But it could have been an expression of shock, too. ;)

Some thoughts that occured to me after my last post:
Virtual Divine Rank should be limited the same way as other abilities, allowing no more than one use of the ability per 10 hit dice.

Quicken Ability could potentially be taken multiple times for the same ability.

I wonder if there should be a Increased Spell Resistance ability.

I'm toying with the idea of an ability that allows an increase of summoned/called monster CR.

Any comments?
 

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Knight Otu said:

Ok. I thought it could be something like that. :)
But it could have been an expression of shock, too. ;)

Some thoughts that occured to me after my last post:
Virtual Divine Rank should be limited the same way as other abilities, allowing no more than one use of the ability per 10 hit dice.

Quicken Ability could potentially be taken multiple times for the same ability.

I wonder if there should be a Increased Spell Resistance ability.

I'm toying with the idea of an ability that allows an increase of summoned/called monster CR.

Any comments?

I think these issues are only sensible. Afterall, I don't think high level planar lord would have the same SR as its lackies. I also think the higher level lords would have the ability to call quite a few lackies if necessary. That said, I think that some lords probably won't have a summon ability if the base creature doesn't. I don't think most Celestials, for example, can summon... they can send out that request aid thing, but not summon. I'm not sure if it makes much sense for the Planar Lords of the Upper Planes to suddenly start summoning willy-nilly...
 

Afterall, I don't think high level planar lord would have the same SR as its lackies.
It is partially covered in the initial planar ruler adjustments, but I think that a ruler who wants to have a great SR could take such an ability.
To throw out a random number, I am thinking +3 per ability used, and can be obtained multiple times.

I also think the higher level lords would have the ability to call quite a few lackies if necessary.
Certainly. the ability to call a single pit fiend is good, but even high-powered CR 55 rulers currently wouldn't be able to call more than two of them (total CR 32 for two, total CR 48 for three pit fiends). I think it would be appropriate to allow the increase of the total CR. I'm torn between +2 and +4 per ability, maybe I'll go with +3. A single instance of this ability would then allow said ruler to call three pit fiends.
Or maybe using a different system to determine the number of called creatures altogether?

That said, I think that some lords probably won't have a summon ability if the base
creature doesn't. I don't think most Celestials, for example, can summon... they can send out that request aid thing, but not summon. I'm not sure if it
makes much sense for the Planar Lords of the Upper Planes to suddenly start summoning willy-nilly...
None of he celestials I know possesses the ability to simply summon and force another celestial to do his bidding, but I think a few of them can use gate. A sensible ability for them to choose would propably some sort of improved gating.

Thanks for the comments! :)
 

This is the celestial ruler I mentioned earlier. If you are wondering about the CR differences, Ishmadiel had the planar ruler template applied three times, and Akhu only once.

Akhu-Mestnusen-Uaynu
Akhu-Mestnusen-Uaynu uses a female celestial human paladin 20 as the base creature
Medium-Size Outsider (Good, Lawful)
Hit Dice:
20d10+100 (300 hp)
Initiative: +8 (+4 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 45 (+4 Dex, +4 natural, +7 shield [+5 mithral large shield], +10 armor [+5 mithral heavy fortification breastplate], +5 deflection, +5 insight)
Attacks: +3 Scimitar +30/+25/+20/+15; or Holy Scimitar +33/+27/+23/+17.
Damage: +3 Scimitar 1d6+3 (16-20/x2); or Holy Scimitar 1d6+5 (16-20/x2), double against evil.
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, smite evil, spells, turn undead and outsiders
Special Qualities: Detect evil, divine grace, lay on hands (up to 220 hp), divine health, aura of courage, remove disease 6/day, special mount, acid, cold, electricity, fire and sonic resistance 20, darkvision 60 ft., damage reduction 20/+5, SR 37, template infusion
Saves: Fort +28, Ref +27, Will +34
Abilities: Str 23, Dex 18, Con 20, Int 16, Wis 32, Cha 32
Skills: Concentration +32, Diplomacy +38, Handle Animal +38, Knowledge (Religion) +30, Ride +33
Feats: Improved Critical (Scimitar), Improved Initiative, Leadership, Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Ride-by Attack, Spirited Charge, Weapon Focus (Scimitar)
CR: 27
Alignment: Lawful good
Born under the name Akhu, the paladin, when still a mortal, was the heavenly protector of a Prime Material plane city called Heliopolis, the City of the Sun. She was a devout servant of Ra, the Sun, until Heliopolis was razed by battling armies of devils and demons. She then began a private war against the lower planes, along with several other paladins and clerics. When she finally was killed by the hands of Ishmdiel, the Lord of the Ashen Pit, she faced Anubis, who judged her actions as unneccessary brutal and chaotic. She was punished, in an abstract way. She now rules a city at the foot of a heavenly mountain, a nearly perfect duplicate of Heliopolis, and has been imbued with new powers. She knows that, if she fails, she will not get a second chance, and does her best to protect her city from the odd fiends that foolishly attack the city. She also visited the former site of the true Heliopolis, only to find a place overrun with devils and undead. She created several tomb guardians to reclaim at least a few portions of the city, and reputedly is looking for heroes to finish the job.
Smite Evil (Su): Twice per day, Akhu-Mestnusen-Uaynu may attempt to smite evil with a normal melee attack. On one of this attack, she may add her Charisma bonus (+11) to her attack rolls. She deals 20 points of extra damage in addition to any boni for strength, weapon enhancements and other effects that normally apply. If she accidently smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect, but is still used up for that day.
Spell-like Abilities: At will - Divine favor, holy sword. These abilities are as the spells cast by a 20th level sorcerer.
Spells: Akhu-Mestnusen-Uaynu has a caster level of 10 for paladin spells. Spells per day: 6/6/5/5: 1st - Bless *2, detect poison, detect undead, read magic, resistance; 2nd - Remove paralysis, resist elements, shield other *3, undetectable alignment; 3rd - Discern lies, dispel magic, heal mount, prayer, remove blindness/deafness; 4th - Death ward *2, freedom of movement, neutralize poison *2. Save DC, where applicable, is 20 plus spell level.
Turn Undead and Outsiders (Su): Akhu-Mestnusen-Uaynu may use this ability 14 times per day. She turns undead as a cleric of 18th level would, except that the turning damage is always the maximum possible (41 hit dice of turned creatures), and she can extend her turning ability to evil and/or chaotic outsiders as well. Note that any turned creature with 10 or less hit dice is destroyed instead.
Special Mount: Akhu-Mestnusen-Uaynu rides a celestial light warhorse.
Template Infusion (Su): Akhu-Mestnusen-Uaynu may apply any template that is linked to good, law or guardianship to any creature that could qualify for it, requiring a day (8 hours of work) for each +1 increase in the creature?s CR. She may not apply such a template if that would increase the creature?s CR by more than 2, nor may she apply multiple templates if that would increase the creature?s CR by more than 2.
Planar ruler abilities: Maximized Hit Points, Outsider Saves (Ref, Will) (2 abilities), Outsider Type, Template Infusion +2 (3 abilities), Maximize Turn Undead, Turn Evil Outsiders, Turn Chaotic Outsiders, Improved Wisdom *4, Improved Charisma *4, Fire Resistance 20 (1 abilities), Sonic Resistance 20 (1 abilities)
 

These two NPCs look really nice, Sir Knight! I'm most impressed. Why don't you put in something really nasty? Like Belial or some high level Celestial? I'm curious to see how big you can make this (incidently, if you make something like Belial -- which I may do this weekend -- I would go with a fallen celestial... a Planetar or a Deva).
 

The Serge said:
These two NPCs look really nice, Sir Knight! I'm most impressed. Why don't you put in something really nasty? Like Belial or some high level Celestial? I'm curious to see how big you can make this (incidently, if you make something like Belial -- which I may do this weekend -- I would go with a fallen celestial... a Planetar or a Deva).
Thanks! :)
I think I might complete my writeup for the third ruler, a 45 HD death slaad lord - Xi'Parnturil, the Chaosbringer, He who sheds tears and destroys worlds. ;) He would propably the most nasty one as he has the ability to draw certain planes closer to limbo, though in a tainted way. I didn't yet have the chance to do any of the more traditional rulers, and I'll propably won't get to do much today.
 

Well, can't wait to see it.

As for me, I will probably write up two more Lords (Belial and Baalzebub, two fallen Celestials) and maybe two more Dukes of Hell (Titivilus comes to mind first, then maybe I'll make one up). After that, I'll design templates for Demon Lords and Demon Princes. Then, I'll work on some Celestial templates.
 

OK, here is Xi'Parnturil. I don't think he looks as good as he could, though. This concerns especially his Chaos Seed ability.
Oh, and don't take too much offense at the munchkin weapon he uses. ;)

Xi’Parnturil, the Chaosbringer, He who sheds tears and destroys worlds
Xi’Parnturil uses a death slaad advanced to 45 HD as the base creature. He has the Thin (-2 Str, +2 Int) and Blotches of Different Color Variations.
Large Outsider (Chaotic, Evil)
Hit Dice:
45d8+405 (765 hp)
Initiative: +11 (+7 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 60 ft.
AC: 65 (-1 size, +7 Dex, +39 natural, +5 deflection, +5 insight)
Attacks: 2 claws +57, bite +55; or huge +1 bloodwhip +53/+48/+43/+38
Damage: Claw 3d8+12 and stun, bite 4d6+6; huge +1 bloodwhip 1 plus 1d6 temporary Con plus wounding.
Face/Reach: 5 ft by 5 ft./10 ft. (35 ft. with bloodwhip)
Special Attacks: Stun, spell-like abilities, call slaad, chaotic scream, chaos seed.
Special Qualities: Fast healing 15, damage reduction 40/+7, acid, cold, electricity, fire, sonic resistance 5, telepathy, alternate form, SR 43, turn resistance +4, planar ruler abilities, not limited by height when jumping
Saves: Fort +35, Ref +33, Will +34
Abilities: Str 34, Dex 24, Con 29, Int 28, Wis 26, Cha 26
Skills: Alchemy +35, Balance +35, Climb +61, Escape Artist +56, Hide +52, Intimidate +35, Jump +63, Knowledge (Arcane) +35, Knowledge (the planes) +58, Knowledge (religion) +58, Listen +59, Move Silently +56, Search +58, Spellcraft +35, Spot +59, Tumble +41
Feats: Alertness, Bloodwhip Proficiency, Cleave, Great Cleave, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Multiattack, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bite), Weapon Focus (claws), Weapon Focus (bloodwhip)
CR: 33
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Xi’Parnturil might be one of the oldest entities of chaos in existance, although he has long ago been tainted by dark influences. Towering 14 feet high, he has a rather slim body with a skin that, while basically greyish, always flickers in prismatic, but pale colors, and his eyes seem to constantly shed tears that shimmer in several colors. However, whenever such a tear drops to the ground, it vanishes without a trace. Only approximately once per year, such a tear does remain stable and usable to draw a plane closer to Limbo, the swirling chaos that Xi’Parnturil calls home. He carries a dreadful whip with nonmagical capacities beyond any weaponmaker presently alive could ever hope to duplicate. In the legends told about him, he has always carried this Bloodwhip, but he actually only gained and mastered it recently - whatever recently might mean for an undying creature.
Stun (Ex): Xi’Parnturil can use Stunning Fist as the feat, eleven times per day. The save DC is 40.
Spell-like Abilities: At will - animate objects, circle of death, chaos hammer, cloak of chaos, deeper darkness, detect magic, dimensional anchor, dispel law, fear, finger of death, fireball, fly, identify, invisibility, magic circle against law, power word blind, see invisibility, shatter, word of chaos; 1/day - fog cloud, implosion, miracle. These abilities are as the spells cast by an 45th level sorcerer (save DC 18 + spell level).
Alternate Form (Su): Xi’Parnturil can shift between his natural and any humanoid form at will as a standard action. He will use any magical item he owns in his humanoid form. Xi’Parnturiel can remain in humanoid form indefinitely. The ability is otherwise similar to alter self cast by a 45th level sorcerer.
Natural Extension (Su): Xi’Parnturil’s bloodwhip is practically an extension of himself. He can use it to penetrate damage reduction up to +7, like he could with his claws and bite.
Call Slaad (Sp): Twice per day, Xi’Parnturil can automatically call up to four red slaadi, three blue slaadi, three green slaadi, three gray slaadi, or two death slaadi, or any other combination of slaadi that adds up to a total of CR 31, as long as no slaad called has a CR higher than CR 23. He can also, with a 80% chance of success, call slaadi up to a total of CR 32.
Chaotic Scream (Su): Breath weapon, 160 ft. long cone of chaotic sound, every 1d4 rounds. Functions as a word of chaos spell. Reflex negates DC 41.
Chaos Seed (Su): Approximately once per year, Xi’Parnturil sheds a tear that is unusually persistent and large, appearing as a sphere of dark, swirling colors. When Xi’Parnturil plants this tear into the earth, it quickly grows into a slaad-like shape from which a chaotic storm spreads. After one hour, this storm covers a 15 mile radius around the shape, which then becomes a true, average death slaad, the Seed Guardian. The storm grows by one mile per week, and for every two miles, the Seed Guardian’s CR is increased by 1, either by additional hit dice, templates, or most unlikely, class levels.
The area of the storm is effectively part of both the original plane and of Limbo, and every day draws it closer to the plane of chaos. Only the death of the Seed Guardian can undo this, and only if it happens withing 1d6 months (roll once for each seed). Any area that was part of the storm longer than that is permanently lost to Limbo. The area that remains behind is a barren wasteland, and a wild magic zone. The original landscape is drawn to Limbo.
Any creature and any attended object in the area must make a Fortitude save (DC 18) or suffer a chaotic change, devised by the DM. The Fortitude save gets harder each time it is made, increasing in it’s DC by +1 for every day that it is made. If it is failed, it resets to 18.
Planar ruler abilities: Increased Speed, Maximum Hit Points, Improved Summoning, Call Slaad, Increase Damage Reduction by 10/+3 (2 abilities), Natural Extension (Bloodwhip), bonus feats (Weapon Focus (Bloodwhip); Iron Will) (2 abilities), Chaos Seed (24 abilities), Extra Spell-like abilities, Improved Fast Healing +10 (2 abilities), Not limited by height during jump, Enlarge Cone*3, Improved Natural Armor +20 (5 abilities)
Possessions: Xi’Parnturil’s Bloodwhip(a huge +1 bloodwhip).
Bloodwhip: A bloodwhip is an ancient, powerful ranged weapon that resembles a normal whip with several wicked barbs. Despite it’s powers, it is not magical, but crafted with an expertise not repeated in eons.
Normally, bloodwhips are Medium-Size and deal 1d4 points of temporary Con damage on a successful hit as well as functioning as a wounding weapon, by ripping large wounds into the opponents’ flesh. Both effects are doubled on a critical hit. Xi’Parnturil’s Bloodwhip is special in being Large (dealing 1d6 points of temporary Con damage) and enchanted with a +1 enhancement. This enhancement adds to the to-hit chance and the normal damage, which is 0 for a bloodwhip, so Xi’Parnturil’s Bloodwhip deals 1 point of normal damage in addition to the Con damage and the wounding.
If characters not proficient with a bloodwhip try to use one, they are in for a shock: instead of the normal -4 penalty, they suffer a -30 penalty, and they are in danger of hurting themselves. Whenever a non-proficient character rolls a 1 on his attack roll, he must make a second attack roll. If he would miss his target on the second roll, he has hit himself with the bloodwhip, dealing the usual damage to himself.
Note that bloodwhips, like normal whips, are ranged weapons, although the bloodwhip has a range increment and maximum of 30 ft. The character can use the bloodwhip like a normal whip to trip and disarm his foe. Note that armor only grants it normal protection against a bloodwhip. That means that, unlike a whip, it can penetrate armor and natural armor values above +1 and +3, respectively.
Proficiency with a bloodwhip is not gained easily. It requires a base attack bonus of +25 along with four exotic weapon proficiencies, or, if the character does not have enough exotic proficiencies, he can increase the BAB requirement by +4 for every exotic proficiency not possessed (Xi’Parnturil used this option, gaining the bloodwhip proficiency as the last regular feat of his advancement. His Focus in the bloodwhip is a bonus feat that he gained as a planar ruler.).
A bloodwhip has an estimated market price of 250,000 gp, but it cannot be bought in any shop. Bloodwhips are either granted by beings that know of these weapons, or found in long lost cities of forgotten civilizations. The market price is only given for purposes of determining the fair treasure share and for crafting the weapon. Crafting a bloodwhip requires Craft checks with a DC of 90, but for the progress of the crafting, the DC is considered to be 15. Thus, for a Weaponsmith who constantly rolls a 90 on his Craft check, it takes about 35,5 years to complete a single bloodwhip, as opposed to nearly 6 years it would take under normal rules.
 
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