Okay, here you go. Sorry this took so long. Now, these creatures use abilities from the MM2, MM3, and Fiend Folio. If you are missing one or more of these, let me know and I'll elaborate on these aspects. For now, only the regular monster version is ready. I plan on releasing the leader of these nasty birds tomorrow.
Advanced 45 HD Spellwarped Hive Birds
Collassal Aberration (Augmented Magical Beast)
Hit Dice: 45d10 +450 (697 hp)
Initiative: +5 (+5 Dex)
Speed: 20 ft., fly 80 ft.
AC: 21 (-8 Size, +5 Dex, +14 Natural,) touch 7, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +45/+74
Attack: Claw +53 (3d6+15,) or Insect +43 (2d6+15)
Full Attack: 2 Claws +53 (3d6+15,) Bite +50 (2d6+7,) or Insects +43/38/33/28 (2d8+15)
Space/Reach: 30 ft./20 ft.
SA: Sting, Swarm
SQ: darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, SR 33, Spell Absorption
Saves: Fort +34, Ref +29, Will +22
Abilities: Str 40, Dex 20, Con 30
Int 6, Wis 13, Cha 11
Skills: Spot +19, Listen +19, Survival +17
Feats: Alertness, Flyby Attack, Iron Will, Multiattack, Snatch, Wingover, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (Claw,) Weapon Focus (Insect,) Hover, Blowhard, Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Precise Shot, Improved Precise Shot
Epic Feat: Epic Will
Climate/Terrain: Temperate and Warm Mountains
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 23
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually Chaotic Evil
Advancement: -
Hive Birds are a warped, twisted variant of the standard Roc. They are about as large, but are slightly weaker. However, their main difference can be found in their eyes. They are much larger than they should proportionally be, and serve as hives for huge swarms of flying insects. The insects have a symbiotic relationship with the birds, and serve as a system of weaponry for the birds in exchange for food and protection.
Since these creatures are already such twisted demonstrations of the warped results that occur when magic meets nature, it was inevitable that some fiend would infuse it with even more magic. In this case, the Unseelie fey are the responsible party, and these magic-saturated beasts are the result. Like ordinary Hive Birds, these spellwarped variants prefer to attack from afar using their insect weaponry. However, they often start a battle by snatching one or more enemies into their claws and then flying away to slowly crush them while continuing to pummel other enemies with its long-distance powers.
Combat:
Hive Birds usually start combat by releasing the Swarm and using its Sting power or firing insects as weapons. The Insects are fired using the overdeveloped muscles around the eyes and have a ranger increment of fifty. It rarely enters melee combat, except to snatch at an enemy or when greatly weakened. The insects it fires is a strange anomaly; it is purely based on natural components, yet is fired from the eye in a manner similar to manufactured weapons. As a result, the pair of eyes functions as only one weapon, yet it has iterative attacks like a manufactured weapon and can be affected by magic that operates on both natural and manufactured weapons.
Swarm (Ex): As a free action, the hive bird can release a large swarm of flying insects. They function as an insect plague spell, with a caster level of 23, but they are nonmagical, and will remain until the hive bird is killed. In addition, the powerful and evil spellwarped Hive Birds have found a more powerful variety of insect to infest their eyes, and the swarm is made of Bloodfiend Locust instead of the standard insects. For information on this Swarm, see page 170 of the Fiend Folio. The Hive Bird can only have one swarm out at a time, but if the swarm is killed, it can generate a new one 1d4 rounds after the death of the last one. However, if the bird is killed, the insects will swarm its body instead.
Sting (Su): As a standard action, the hive bird can magically charge insects, and then release them as homing weapons. This functions in all ways like a magic missile spell cast by a 23rd level sorcerer, but while the attack is magical, the bugs are not. If caught in an anti-magic field, the bugs will try to attack still, but will lose their magical attack abilities. Each one now uses an attack bonus of +12 (all size and dex-based,) do 1 hit point if they hit, and have ACs scores of 22 (+8 size, +4 dex) and one hit point. In addition, there is no maximum limit of missiles this power can fire. For example, these Spellwarped Hive Birds release 12 bugs per use of this ability, doing a total of 12d4+12 damage.
Spell Absoption (Su): Whenever a spell fails to penetrate a spellwarped Hive Bird’s spell resistance, the creature gains one of a number of benefits, as described on page 163 of the Monster Manual 3.
Edit: Okay, finished their leader. Anyone have comments, whether it be Wizardru or another observer/contributor of this thread? I thought I did a pretty good job with this one. I'll have to remember the Monster of Legend template; it's pretty nasty!
Taarak Viliral, Advanced 45 HD Spellwarped Hive Bird of Legend
Collassal Outsider (native, Augmented Magical Beast)
Hit Dice: 45d10 +675 (900 hp)
Initiative: +8 (+8 Dex)
Speed: 20 ft., fly 80 ft.
AC: 37 (-8 Size, +8 Dex, +19 Natural, +8 Armor) touch 10, flat-footed 29
Base Attack/Grapple: +45/+81
Attack: Claw +64 (3d6+25,) or Insect +52 (2d6+25)
Full Attack: 2 Claws +64 (3d6+25,) Bite +61 (4d6+15,) or Insects +5 2/47/42/37 (2d8+25)
Space/Reach: 30 ft./20 ft.
SA: Sting, Swarm, Frightful Presence
SQ: darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, SR 35, Spell Absorption, Haste, Immunity to Mind Effecting and Polymorph Effects
Saves: Fort +43, Ref +36, Will +27
Abilities: Str 50, Dex 26, Con 40
Int 8, Wis 15, Cha 15
Skills: Spot +21, Listen +21, Survival +19
Feats: Alertness, Flyby Attack, Iron Will, Multiattack, Snatch, Wingover, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (Claw,) Weapon Focus (Insect,) Hover, Blowhard, Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Precise Shot, Improved Precise Shot
Epic Feat: Epic Will
Climate/Terrain: Temperate and Warm Mountains
Organization: Solitary or with Flock (Taarak plus 1d4 Advanced Spellwarped Hive Birds)
Challenge Rating: 25
Treasure: Standard plus Equipment (Amulet of Might Fists +5, Bracers of Armor +8, Helm of Telepathy, Pearly White Ioun Stone, Pale Green Ioun Stone)
Alignment: Usually Chaotic Evil
Advancement: -
From far above, a scream echoes. A bird of prey the size of a building swoops into view. Around it, a cloud of dust and vermin emanates, and where it looks, death follows.
Of all the Hive Birds that the Unseelie experimented on, Taarak was the fiercest and most powerful. It also shares the cruelty and sadism that are characteristics of its dark fey masters. It was rewarded with a greater infusion of magic, transforming it into a greater being that transcended the realms of physical reality and tied it directly to the chaotic realms the faerie folk originally came from. Taarak leads its fellow warped Hive Birds into battle and often serves as a mount or bodyguard for powerful fey masters or their outsider allies.
Combat:
Hive Birds usually start combat by releasing the Swarm, and using its Sting power or firing insects as weapons. The Insects are fired using the overdeveloped muscles around the eyes and have a ranger increment of fifty. It rarely enters melee combat, except to snatch at an enemy or when greatly weakened.
Swarm (Ex): As a free action, Taarak can release a large swarm of flying insects. They function as an insect plague spell with a caster level of 25, but they are nonmagical, and will remain until the hive bird is killed. In addition, Taarak has found a more powerful variety of insect to infest their eyes, and the swarm is made of Bloodfiend Locust instead of the standard insects. For information on this Swarm, see page 170 of the Fiend Folio. Taarak can only have one swarm out at a time, but if the swarm is killed, he can generate a new one 1d4 rounds after the death of the last one. However, if Taarak is killed, the insects will swarm its body instead.
Sting (Su): As a standard action, Taarak can magically charge insects, and then release them as homing weapons. This functions in all ways like a magic missile spell cast by a 25th level sorcerer, but while the attack is magical, the bugs are not. If caught in an anti-magic field, the bugs will try to attack still, but will lose their magical attack abilities. Each one now uses an attack bonus of +12 (all size and dex-based,) do 1 hit point if they hit, and have ACs scores of 22 (+8 size, +4 dex) and one hit point. In addition, there is no maximum limit of missiles this power can fire. For example, Taarak releases 13 bugs per use of this ability, doing a total of 13d4+13 damage.
Frightful Presence (Ex): When Taarak screams its battle cry, it inspires terror in all creatures withing 20 feet with less than 45 Hit Dice. They must make a Will save (DC 34) or be shaken until Taarak is out of range. A successful save makes the opponent immune to Taakak’s presence for 23 hours.
Spell Absoption (Su): Whenever a spell fails to penetrate a Taarak’s spell resistance, the creature gains one of a number of benefits, as described on page 163 of the Monster Manual 3.
Haste (Su): Taarak is supernaturally fast. When making a full attack, it gets an extra attack action each round at its highest attack bonus.
They're highly modified yugoloths, in point of fact...but the distinction of devil, demon and other is sometimes lost on all but Dravot.
Unfortunately, the outsiders and undead I gave you are some of my best ideas. I do have one fun idea that I'm just now revisiting in my own story hour. It's a bird magical beast, like a roc, but with strange insect-like effects. I can advance it, slap a template on it, and easily have a CR 22-25 creature for you. Are there any favorite templates? If we're going the fey route, there's that half-fey or feytouched template one of the recent monster books has. Or we can go wtih an old favorite like half-fiend or half-dragon. I can even dredge up the half-machine from that old Dungeon adventure if you want to take things in a weird direction. That template was always a favorite of mine.
I'm all busy conceptualizing a mean advanced disenchanter, but now I don't know whether you'll need it... well, I'll still post it for ya once done, it's going to be too high level for my group for a while yet (especially as we're playing our low-level group for a while).
~
