Special Conversion Thread: The Ghazneths

[Shade]

Yep. Two left.

Luthax the Fiery
Climate/Terrain: Cormyr and surrounding lands
Freq: Unique
Organization: Band
Activity Cycle: Any
Diet: Special (see below)
Intelligence: Genius (18)
Treasure: S,T,U,V
Alignment: Lawful evil
# App: 1
AC: -2
Move: 21 (5 if unable to spread wings), fly 33 (C)
HD: 10 (70 hp)
THAC0: 11 (9 in melee)
# Attacks 3 or 1 weapon
Dmg/Att: 1d4+3/1d4+3/1d6+3, or by weapon +3 (Strength bonus)
SA: Spells, heat (see below), -3 initiative bonus
SD: hit only by iron weapons, regeneration
Magic Resistance: Special, see below
Size: M (6' tall)
Morale: Steady (12)
XP: 20,000

As the Scourge of Smoke, Luthax the Fiery resembles an ashen gargoyle. His skin is powedery gray and prone to billowing off in acrid puffs, while his wings are made of living smoke and constantly trail long wisps. He is large and broad-shouldered, with a sizable paunch and underdeveloped legs that can barely hold his weight. (Even when running, he uses his wings to support and propel himself; if this is impossible, his ground movement is reduced to 5.) Luthax has a craggy face with bushy brows, scintillating scarlet eyes, and an over large crimson nose. He wears his beard long and his scalp shaved.

The High Castellan of Cormyr's War Wizards during the reign of King Draxus, Luthax was forced to leave the kingdom when a young mage exposed his plot to replace the royal goveernment with an oligarchy of magic. It is not known when he became a ghazneth, but records suggest he made the transformation before the great Battle of the Witch Lords (900 DR).

Combat: Luthax prefers to attack with spells and his ghazneth powers. He receives a -3 Initiative bonus during any round he is not surprised, and his uncanny Strength (18/65) gives him a +3 damage bonus. He suffers damage only from weapons made of cold-forged iron, regenerates up to 7 hp per round, and absorbs any magic used against him. (See introduction for details)

Luthax casts spells as an 18th-level wizard, provided he has at least 375 levels of magic stored. Casting spells does not expend stored magic, but if he has less than 375 levels, the spell is absorbed and fails. After centuries of study, Luthax can call upon nearly any wizard spell except: limited wish, wish, astral spell, gate, and spells that involve leaving the Prime Material Plane. Luthax's spell progression is 5/5/5/5/5/3/3/2/1. Typically, he has the following spells available: light, magic missile (x3), sleep; darness 15' radius, deafness, invisibility, knock, locate object; blink, haste, hold person, invisibility 10' radius, wind wall; charm monster, confusion, dimension door, solid fog, vacancy; passwall, stone shape, telekinesis, teleport, transmute rock to mud, enchant an item, part water, transmute water to dust; mass invisibility, phase door, vanish; binding, sink; time stop.

See Ecology for detains on Luthax's power of fire.

Habitat/Society: Luthax resents Lady Merendil's leadership role and can prove reluctant to cooperate with her.

Ecology: Because Luthax requires magic to cast spells, he is vigilant about finding magic to absorb. At approximately 741 years of age, he can hold up to 741 levels. He must maintain about half this amount, 375 levels, to cast his spells.

For each level Luthax expends, he can:

1. Detect magic up to 74 miles away for one day; or

2. For one turn, cause tiny fissures to open anywhere he steps that emit a steady flow of sulfurous gases that, over a period of 24 hours, kills all plantlife within 74 yards; or

3. Regenerate 7 hit points; or

4. Cause a 74 yard-long earthquake, toppling any tree or structure within 74 feet; or

5. Create a 70' flame barrier 7 yards long from any fissure within 70 feet that inflicts 7d8 points of fire damage to any creature touched. (A successful saving throw vs. spell reduces damage by half.) By expending more levels, he can increase the length, height, or damage of the barrier.

 

[freyar]

Let's start with abilities. Dex appears to be 16-17 frm the initiative bonus. Int is 18. Str also looks like 16-17 from the damage bonus. Wis 14, Cha 23 like Merendil, or drop Cha to 21 like most of the others? Con maybe 18 to make him a little less tough than the others?

 

[Shade]

This guy could prove problematic. Although weaker than the others, his wizard spellcasting makes him at least CR 17 (assuming 17th-level wizard spellcasting).

In order to cast 9th-level spells, he'll need Int 19 (if we keep him a wizard).

 

[freyar]

I think we should reduce the spellcasting, since it makes sense to continue our downward CR progression. Maybe cut him down to 10th or 11th level wizard but only restrict spells that involve his travel from the material plane. Otherwise, the whole group of ghazneths suddenly becomes somewhat top-heavy.

Incidentally, I'm reading the Advanced Bestiary and was really reminded of these when I hit the Four Horsemen templates last night.

 

[Shade]

Hmmm...his spell list is pretty well thought out, and he has had over 700 years to study. Plus, he was "The High Castellan of Cormyr's War Wizards", which to me screams "high level".
I suppose we could lower his spellcasting and give him higher-level spells available on scrolls, etc.

If we stick with the suggested spell list, he's not exactly an offensive powerhouse. Plus, he has to maintain half his absorbed spell levels in order to continue casting, so we might be able to stick with the high caster level and drop the CR a tad. Suzara is the current highest CR at 14, so I don't think we should go higher than that. I think we can rein him in at CR 14 if we keep his other powers in check.

Thoughts?

 

[freyar]

Hmm, that's true, but given that he knows all these other spells, he could get out of hand quite quickly. If we made him a sorcerer, could he know all the spells on his "typically prepared" list? We'd probably also have to reduce his other powers somewhat, as the earthquake and flame barrier look pretty good as is.

 

[Shade]

Good point. This is truly a tough one.

We could switch him to sorcerer, and instead of spells per day, make every spell cast drain a number of stored spell levels equal to the level of the spell. What do you think?

 

[freyar]

That sounds like a good idea. How do you want to come up with the spells known list? I'd still worry that putting high level spells on it could make him overpowered. Not sure. I still think we might need to tone down a couple of his expend magic abilities.

 

[Shade]

Let's stat him out assuming the full abilities, then re-evaluate.

Added to Homebrews.

 

[Shade]

2. For one turn, cause tiny fissures to open anywhere he steps that emit a steady flow of sulfurous gases that, over a period of 24 hours, kills all plantlife within 74 yards; or

Fissures (Su): Luthax continuously causes tiny fissures to open in his footsteps which emit a steady flow of sulfurous gases that causes all plants within 74 yards to die 24 hours later. Plant creatures are immune to this ability. This ability drains one stored magic level per hour.

4. Cause a 74 yard-long earthquake, toppling any tree or structure within 74 feet; or

Earthquake (Su): Luthax may expend one stored magic level to create an earthquake (as the spell) in a 74-foot-radius spread.

5. Create a 70' flame barrier 7 yards long from any fissure within 70 feet that inflicts 7d8 points of fire damage to any creature touched. (A successful saving throw vs. spell reduces damage by half.) By expending more levels, he can increase the length, height, or damage of the barrier.

If we model this after wall of fire, it will be weaker to help offset the other abilities:

Flame Barrier (Su): Luthax may expend one stored magic level to create a fiery barrier. This functions as the wall of fire spell, with the following exceptions. The flame barrier must originate in one of the fissures created by his footsteps, and extends 70 feet. The flame barrier lasts 7 rounds. Luthax may expend additional stored magic levels to increase the effects of the flame barrier. For each additional magic level spent, he may either increase the length by 10 ft., increase the damage by 1d4 (or 1d6 if passing directly through the barrier), or increase the duration by 1 round.