Yogah of Yag
First Post
Hi! 1st post, so please be merciful.
This is my attempt at a TV-monster to d20 stats. Let me know what you think. BTW, I use the Conan RPG system from Mongoose Publ., which is an off-shoot of the 3.0/3.5 SRD.
Rhizan (Chthonios)
Medium Elemental (earth)
Hit Dice: 4d8+8 (26 hp)
Initiative: +8 (+1 Dex, +1 Reflex, +4 Improved Initiative, +2 Lightning Reflexes)
Speed: 30 ft.
Dodge Defence: 13 (+1 Dex, +2 natural)
Parry Defence: 15 (+5 Str)
DR: 5
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+8
Attack: slam +8 melee, or claw +8 melee
Full Attack: 2 slams +8 melee (AP 5), or 2 claws +8 melee (AP 5)
Damage: slam 1d8+5, or claw 1d6+5
Special Attacks: Earth incarnate, improved grab, crushing claws
Special Qualities: Elemental qualities, sunlight vulnerability, tremorsense 60 ft.
Space/Reach: 5 ft. (1)/10 ft. (2)
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +2
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 9
Skills: Hide +15*, Listen +7, Spot +7
Feats: Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Greater Fortitude, Toughness
Climate/Terrain: any land, or underground
Organization: solitary, group (2-12), horde (3-18)
Advancement: 5-8 HD (medium), 9-12 HD (large)
A Rhizan is a vaguely humanoid mass of dirt, clay and small stones interwoven with long roots
standing six feet tall and weighing around 300 lbs. It possesses a lumpy misshapen head (at times
lacking discernable eyes), a broad-chested torso with wide shoulders, two thick-set legs as well
as two long arms terminating in giant, crablike claws.
A Rhizan cannot speak and has no known language, although if summoned by a scholar will obey the
simplest of commands. It can, however, indicate affirmation or negation by nodding or shaking
of the head, respectively.
Some cultures believe that Rhizans are the spirits of the dead who were not accorded a proper,
respectful burial, or those who died violent deaths or even those poor souls devoured by the earth
during violent earthquakes. Other peoples opine that Rhizans are scions of the Great Earth Spirit,
guarding their mother's deepest secrets from prying eyes and greedy hands.
Combat
Rhizans are extremely territorial and will fight any creature that invades its perceived space,
unless commanded by a summoner to do otherwise. They tend to use their long, heavy arms to smash
anything within reach, or deploy their huge pincher-claws to crush whatever falls into their grasp.
Crushing Claws (Ex) : On a successful grapple check a Rhizan can deal 1d6+5 (AP 5) bludgeoning damage
with its claws per round until the grapple is ended. Each round the AP is increased by +1.
Earth Incarnate (Su) : A Rhizan can meld into the ground as a standard action completely blending
into the soil, especially ground which is partially laced with roots and humus. All that is needed for them
to dissolve back into the element whence they came is a cube 5 feet by 5 feet by 5 feet. A Rhizan can
reemerge as a standard action from the ground anywhere that soil is exposed.
Elemental qualities: Rhizans are immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, and stunning.
Rhizans are indeed subject to critical hits: a Player Character who makes a successful critical hit
against a Rhizan decapitates it, after which it slumps down no longer a threat or otherwise
dissolves back into an inanimate and harmless pile of soil, pebbles, clay and roots.
They have darkvision with a range of 60 feet. A slain Rhizan cannot be raised or
resurrected. Rhizans, however, can be flanked.
Improved Grab (Ex) : To use this ability the Rhizan must hit with its claw attack. It can then attempt to
start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check,
it establishes a hold and can use its crushing claws attack.
Sunlight Vulnerability (Su) : Rhizans are not used to existing in sunny places. They prefer instead to
inhabit shadowy or very dark regions, especially deep underground. A Rhizan in direct sunlight suffers a
-1 cumulative penalty per round to all attacks, initiative, saves and skill checks. If the Rhizan is exposed
to direct sunlight for more than ten minutes, it begins to dry out and crumble into a lifeless, immobile heap
of dirt, clay and brittle roots. A Rhizan in such a situation has a 50% chance to continue fighting or attempt
to flee to a sunless place whereupon it no longer suffers the penalty.
Tremorsense (Ex): A Rhizan automatically detects and pinpoints the location of anything that is in contact
with the ground and within a range of 60 feet. If no straight path exists through the ground from the Rhizan
to those that it�s sensing, then the range defines the maximum distance of the shortest indirect path. A Rhizan
must itself be in contact with the ground, and the creatures must be moving. As long as the other creatures
are taking physical actions, including casting spells with somatic components, they are considered moving;
they do not have to move from place to place for a Rhizan to detect them.
* Rhizans receive a +12 racial bonus to hide when underground, but only when the wall surfaces are pre-
dominantly earthen and roots of trees. If not, they still receive a +8 bonus whenever underground.
------------------------
Inspired by the "dirt monsters" seen in episode 6.22 "Grave" of television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
This is my attempt at a TV-monster to d20 stats. Let me know what you think. BTW, I use the Conan RPG system from Mongoose Publ., which is an off-shoot of the 3.0/3.5 SRD.
Rhizan (Chthonios)
Medium Elemental (earth)
Hit Dice: 4d8+8 (26 hp)
Initiative: +8 (+1 Dex, +1 Reflex, +4 Improved Initiative, +2 Lightning Reflexes)
Speed: 30 ft.
Dodge Defence: 13 (+1 Dex, +2 natural)
Parry Defence: 15 (+5 Str)
DR: 5
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+8
Attack: slam +8 melee, or claw +8 melee
Full Attack: 2 slams +8 melee (AP 5), or 2 claws +8 melee (AP 5)
Damage: slam 1d8+5, or claw 1d6+5
Special Attacks: Earth incarnate, improved grab, crushing claws
Special Qualities: Elemental qualities, sunlight vulnerability, tremorsense 60 ft.
Space/Reach: 5 ft. (1)/10 ft. (2)
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +2
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 9
Skills: Hide +15*, Listen +7, Spot +7
Feats: Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Greater Fortitude, Toughness
Climate/Terrain: any land, or underground
Organization: solitary, group (2-12), horde (3-18)
Advancement: 5-8 HD (medium), 9-12 HD (large)
A Rhizan is a vaguely humanoid mass of dirt, clay and small stones interwoven with long roots
standing six feet tall and weighing around 300 lbs. It possesses a lumpy misshapen head (at times
lacking discernable eyes), a broad-chested torso with wide shoulders, two thick-set legs as well
as two long arms terminating in giant, crablike claws.
A Rhizan cannot speak and has no known language, although if summoned by a scholar will obey the
simplest of commands. It can, however, indicate affirmation or negation by nodding or shaking
of the head, respectively.
Some cultures believe that Rhizans are the spirits of the dead who were not accorded a proper,
respectful burial, or those who died violent deaths or even those poor souls devoured by the earth
during violent earthquakes. Other peoples opine that Rhizans are scions of the Great Earth Spirit,
guarding their mother's deepest secrets from prying eyes and greedy hands.
Combat
Rhizans are extremely territorial and will fight any creature that invades its perceived space,
unless commanded by a summoner to do otherwise. They tend to use their long, heavy arms to smash
anything within reach, or deploy their huge pincher-claws to crush whatever falls into their grasp.
Crushing Claws (Ex) : On a successful grapple check a Rhizan can deal 1d6+5 (AP 5) bludgeoning damage
with its claws per round until the grapple is ended. Each round the AP is increased by +1.
Earth Incarnate (Su) : A Rhizan can meld into the ground as a standard action completely blending
into the soil, especially ground which is partially laced with roots and humus. All that is needed for them
to dissolve back into the element whence they came is a cube 5 feet by 5 feet by 5 feet. A Rhizan can
reemerge as a standard action from the ground anywhere that soil is exposed.
Elemental qualities: Rhizans are immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, and stunning.
Rhizans are indeed subject to critical hits: a Player Character who makes a successful critical hit
against a Rhizan decapitates it, after which it slumps down no longer a threat or otherwise
dissolves back into an inanimate and harmless pile of soil, pebbles, clay and roots.
They have darkvision with a range of 60 feet. A slain Rhizan cannot be raised or
resurrected. Rhizans, however, can be flanked.
Improved Grab (Ex) : To use this ability the Rhizan must hit with its claw attack. It can then attempt to
start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check,
it establishes a hold and can use its crushing claws attack.
Sunlight Vulnerability (Su) : Rhizans are not used to existing in sunny places. They prefer instead to
inhabit shadowy or very dark regions, especially deep underground. A Rhizan in direct sunlight suffers a
-1 cumulative penalty per round to all attacks, initiative, saves and skill checks. If the Rhizan is exposed
to direct sunlight for more than ten minutes, it begins to dry out and crumble into a lifeless, immobile heap
of dirt, clay and brittle roots. A Rhizan in such a situation has a 50% chance to continue fighting or attempt
to flee to a sunless place whereupon it no longer suffers the penalty.
Tremorsense (Ex): A Rhizan automatically detects and pinpoints the location of anything that is in contact
with the ground and within a range of 60 feet. If no straight path exists through the ground from the Rhizan
to those that it�s sensing, then the range defines the maximum distance of the shortest indirect path. A Rhizan
must itself be in contact with the ground, and the creatures must be moving. As long as the other creatures
are taking physical actions, including casting spells with somatic components, they are considered moving;
they do not have to move from place to place for a Rhizan to detect them.
* Rhizans receive a +12 racial bonus to hide when underground, but only when the wall surfaces are pre-
dominantly earthen and roots of trees. If not, they still receive a +8 bonus whenever underground.
------------------------
Inspired by the "dirt monsters" seen in episode 6.22 "Grave" of television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
