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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Alzrius" data-source="post: 5699377" data-attributes="member: 8461">Umbran's note about worshiping such gods as a sort of protection racket isn't without it's place in this sort of setting. Worship can be given to ask for a "god" to withhold something awful, as well as asking for something good.Having said that, there is still a legitimate problem of - as per the stats - most low-level monsters not being able to engage in a "you do this for me, and I do this for you" relationship that's the foundation of the sort of worship the OP mentioned. Now, as was mentioned, you can just give them the necessary powers, but that can be problematic where CR is concerned, especially for a setting where a low CR goes a much longer way.I think the best way to go about it is to use a few third-party supplements that help to codify adding new powers, so that the process is simple and its impact on CR can be more easily measured.To add new powers to a creature, I recommend the Spellpowered template, from the <a href="http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=2765&it=1&filters=0_0_0_0_0&manufacturers_id=74" target="_blank">Book of Templates Deluxe Edition 3.5</a>. It lets you add new spell-like abilities to a creature, using an easy rubric to calculate their power and how often they can be used. It's a +1 CR template, with an additional +1 CR if the creature has 7 Hit Dice or more, and another +1 CR if it has 16 Hit Dice or more.Now, if you use particularly non-combat-oriented spells, I'd suggest lowering each of those guidelines by 1 (e.g. the template adds +0 CR, +1 if the base creature has 7 or more Hit Dice, etc.). But then what's a good source for non-combat spells? Well, here's a few:<a href="http://ruscumag.wordpress.com/2010/05/03/d20-hedge-magic-heroes/" target="_blank">Hedge Magic Heroes (Part I)</a>. A seven-part series of low-level (0, 1st, and 2nd) level spells dedicated to non-adventuring tasks.<a href="http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=24405&it=1" target="_blank">Octavirate Presents #3: Simple Tricks and Nonsense</a>. A book of cantrips and cantrip-related material.<a href="http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=3307&it=1" target="_blank">Minor Magicks</a>. A sourcebook with a lot of low-level non-combat spells and related magic items.Using the Spellpowered template to give a creature a series of spell-like abilities, and then utilizing these resources to make those spell-like abilities be of a practical utilitarian nature, will easily make it possible to have low-CR monsters fill the role the OP wants them to.About the only question left to answer is what the creature gets out of the deal, in exchange for doing what it does for people. That's also a question easily answered, usually with local concerns (e.g. small sacrifices, respecting some personal tradition, etc.).</blockquote>

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