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The Shadow in the Flame: A Workshop on Designing Dungeons, Monsters, and a Villain
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<blockquote data-quote="Quickleaf" data-source="post: 7028818" data-attributes="member: 20323"><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong><span style="color: #B22222">Step 5: Making Monsters (part 3 – Converted & New Monsters)</span></strong></span></p><p></p><p>A lot of times when I get an idea for an adventure or dungeon, there will at least be a one monster I have in mind that either isn't in 5th edition yet or is something I've imagined and haven't seen in D&D before. In these cases, I first double check to make sure that there isn't an existing monster I can easily re-skin or tweak to get what I want; if not, then I move into the monster design process.</p><p></p><p>The monster I'm going to convert here is the <strong>Dune Stalker</strong> from the AD&D Fiend Folio. I'm reading in DUNGEON #63's Blood and Fire adventure how they're used by the Brotherhood of True Flame, and they really fit the theme I'm going for, so let's do this!</p><p></p><p><img src="http://www.lomion.de/cmm/img/dunestal.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p><img src="http://i.imgur.com/kmAlBkA.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>Since it's a monster that's not recognizable to D&D fans, and frankly it's new to me too (a "desert" equivalent of an invisible stalker? who knew!), so I'm going to start with the prose...</p><p></p><p>[SECTION]<strong>Dune Stalker</strong></p><p>Hailing from the Fountains of Creation (also known as the Plane of Magma), a dune stalker is a hideous 7-foot tall creature that appears as a combination of devolved human and reptilian horror with long arms, an avoid skull, and large black eyes. Its rust-colored skin serves as a natural camouflage in deserts, dry hills, and similar terrain.</p><p> <strong><em>Directed Hunter. </em></strong>When summoned to the Material Plane, a dune stalker only obeys those summons involving hunting down and slaying a specific creature or recovering an object. Any other request frees it from the summons, allowing it to return to the Inner Planes, though it may decide to take the summoner along with it for a snack. Otherwise, it pursues the task until completion, then returns to its summoner for further commands. If its summoner dies, the dune stalker returns to the Inner Planes upon completing its task.</p><p> However, a dune stalker is an unwilling servant at best and resents any commands given to it. A task that involves a great deal of time might lead the frustrated dune stalker to pervent the intent unless the summoner worded it very carefully.</p><p> <strong><em>Maliciously Literal.</em></strong> Dune stalkers take their commands in the most literal manner possible, looking for loopholes that allow them to indulge their vile natures hunting the defenseless and avenging themselves on mages.</p><p> <strong><em>Tone Deaf. </em></strong>The structure of a dune stalker’s skull and ear canal prevent it from hearing sounds in the normal range of human hearing. On the other hand, it can hear high-pitched sounds (e.g. breaking glass, a baby crying, a mosquito, a dog whistle) as well as low-pitched sounds (e.g. the beating of a drum, sounds made by a crocodile or elephant, or the rumbling of a distant storm or volcano).</p><p> <strong><em>Waterless Anatomy.</em></strong> A dune stalker has no need of water. Its body is so devoid of water that it doesn’t sweat, its bones are made of incredibly dense tubes spiraling around one another to make a strong lattice, and its skin is like a blend of sun-dried leather and highly abrasive sandpaper. Any degree of humidity causes the dune stalker extreme discomfort, and exposure to water will repel it for a time being.[/SECTION]</p><p></p><p>Obviously these guys have the Faultless Tracker trait of the invisible stalker (and similar resistances & immunities). Another trait easily applied to them is Desert Camouflage (adv. to Stealth in desert). </p><p></p><p>That leaves two distinct things: its Sonic Ray & its "Kiss of Death." </p><p></p><p>The Sonic Ray is basically a breath weapon doing thunder damage and causing deafness. In 1e it was a single target attack, while in 2e it became a cone. Hmm. Kind of boring. It would fit for a dragon, but it feels weird for a magically conjured assassin. Our assassins impose...deafness! Wait, really? So I'm going to reimagine this ability as something both disorienting and enduring, that provides creative options for PCs to counter it...</p><p></p><p>[SECTION]<strong><em>Sonic Ray (recharge 5-6).</em></strong> The stalker emits a 60-foot line of sonic energy from its mouth. Each creature caught in the line must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or take 13 (2d12) thunder damage and be deafened until the end of their next turn. While deafened, if the target tries to move it must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or end up moving its speed in a random direction (determined using a d8). The stalker can concentrate to maintain this line of sonic energy to one creature that failed its Constitution saving throw; at the start of each of the dune stalker’s turns that creature automatically takes 13 (2d12) thunder damage and remains deafened. The sonic effect can be canceled by a bard’s countersong, the target gaining at least three-quarters cover, or an ally voluntarily stepping between the target and the stalker - immediately becoming the new target.[/SECTION]</p><p></p><p>So this allows the stalker to throw a group into a bit of chaos while singling out their target. And the vibe is a bit more like those specters from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that suck your soul – only this is like waves of sonic energy emanating from the dune stalker. Fun fun fun.</p><p></p><p>Now, "Kiss of Death" is a save or die effect in AD&D. So I'll look to something like the 5e banshee for inspiration (it can reduce a creature to 0 hp so they begin dying, but doesn't kill outright). Also, even though it's described as a close contact attack, if you look at the 5e succubus's Draining Kiss, that requires a willing or charmed target. The dune stalker is basically putting its face against the target's face, so I'm thinking there needs to be a limitation on who Kiss of Death will effect – incapacitated or deafened by the dune stalker (and thus disoriented) seem like good options.</p><p></p><p>[SECTION]<strong><em>Kiss of Death.</em></strong> If the stalker uses Sonic Ray against a creature within 5 feet that is incapacitated or deafened by the stalker, and the creature fails its Constitution saving throw, the creature is reduced to 0 hit points; if the creature is already at 0 hit points it instead suffers two death saving throws failures. Even if the creature succeeds its Constitution save, it is still affected by the Sonic Ray as normal.[/SECTION]</p><p></p><p>OK, I think I can put the Dune Stalker together now...</p><p></p><p><img src="http://i.imgur.com/1t1Sfao.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>[SBLOCK=Monster Maths: Dune Stalker]</p><p><strong>Defensive CR:</strong> HP 120, but with damage resistances (that means bludgeoning/piercing/slashing) for an expected CR 5-10, so I apply a *1.5 modifier, getting 180 effective HP. Which is CR 8, which the chart says should be AC 16. And hey, that's the Dune Stalker's AC exactly, so we're done here. In fact, if its AC had been 15 or 17 we'd still be done.</p><p></p><p><strong>Offensive CR:</strong> Because this monster has limited use abilities (i.e. it's not doing exactly the same thing <em>every</em> round), I need to plot out a 3-round course of actions. In this case, I'm leaving Kiss of Death out of it due to the conditions required to set it up, but that's totally in the back of my mind...for example if it's final calculated CR was 5.25 or something, I'd be inclined to round up due to Kiss of Death. And that's a good trick to know when you're doing the maths for your own monsters and have a trait/ability you don't know how to "value" in the CR system – just save it till the end and guesstimate. That's part of the art of monster design.</p><p></p><p>Round 1 – Sonic Ray (acc. to DMG p. 249 it's safe to assume a 60-ft line hits 2 targets) = 2 * 13 = 26</p><p>Round 2 – concentrates to maintain Sonic Ray, 2 claw attacks = 13 + 2 * 7.5 = 28</p><p>Round 3 – 2 claw attacks = 2 * 7.5 = 15</p><p></p><p>DPR = (26 + 28 +15 ) / 3 = 69 / 3 = 23</p><p></p><p>That's CR 3, which the chart tells us should expect to have +4 attack, but since the Dune Stalker has +6, we bump that up to CR 4.</p><p></p><p>So, (8+4)/2 = CR 6. [/SBLOCK]</p><p></p><p>Next, I'm going to create a pretty much brand new monster for this adventure/dungeon: the <strong>Cinderhaunt</strong>. Mortal creatures who are destroyed by the Plane of Fire (or by flame mages channeling its power) may arise as cinderhaunts if their hearts burn with some unfulfilled yearning. The Cinder Wastes predominating the Plane of Fire are filled with such spirits wandering amidst the ruins of forgotten civilizations. Cinderhaunts look akin to their form in life, but their skin appears made of ash through which cracks of angry flame show. Plumes of smoke and ash trail behind a cinderhaunt when it walks.</p><p></p><p>This idea has been tackled before in various ways, and I'm sure that some Pathfinder book has a "burning undead" out there that might fit. I'll try to find a couple pictures to triangulate the idea for the Cinderhaunt...</p><p></p><p>Cinder Ghoul (Tome of Horrors Complete, Swords & Wizardry)</p><p><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t7eD7viuOIg/VWyaaWD2mLI/AAAAAAAAGGM/tR3OEz6zq4c/s1600/ashen_undead.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>Flaming Zombie (video game?)</p><p><img src="http://img04.deviantart.net/96d4/i/2011/168/7/7/flaming_zombie_by_islvl40oncod-d3j65pf.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>Soul of Cinder (Dark Souls 3)</p><p><img src="http://assets.vg247.com/current//2016/04/dark_souls_3_soul_of_cinder.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>The first question I'm going to ask is: Why do I need this monster for this adventure/dungeon?</p><ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">First, I'm imagining The Bonfire (BBEG) will have a legendary or lair action to create Cinderhaunts from adventurers he slays. And other folks too, it's just adventurers tend to have the unfulfilled yearnings thing.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Second, they speak to the semi-tragic backstory of the Brotherhood and exemplify its wickedness, driving home to the PCs just how dastardly the villains are.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Third, they present an elusive soldier-type enemy that serves as a unique challenge unlike other monsters in Krak al-Mazhar, especially unlike the other "burning dead" (e.g. flameskulls & blazing skeletons) who are more about artillery.</li> </ol><p></p><p>Next I tackle my prose write-up. This is a really important step in creating a monster, especially when creating a new monster.</p><p></p><p>[SECTION] Mortal creatures who are destroyed by the Plane of Fire (or by flame mages channeling its power) may arise as cinderhaunts if their hearts burn with some unfulfilled yearning. The Cinder Wastes predominating the Plane of Fire are filled with such spirits wandering amidst the ruins of forgotten civilizations. Cinderhaunts look akin to their form in life, but their skin appears made of ash through which cracks of angry flame show. Plumes of smoke and ash trail behind a cinderhaunt when it walks.</p><p> <strong><em>Fire Eaters.</em></strong> While a cinderhaunt usually only vaguely recalls its living purpose, it still burns with passion. Unless it feeds on heat regularly, a cinderhaunt will eventually consume itself with its inner fire. In particular, the heat of the living draws a cinderhaunt far more than a simple campfire, and thus they are drawn to battlefields where flaming oil or fire magic has been used as a devastating weapon, sites of impassioned arson, or places where witches or traitors were burned at the stake.</p><p> <strong><em>Supernatural Echoes.</em></strong> When a cinderhaunt occupies a place, the cinders and ash falling from its body cause eerie magical effects. An adventurer kicking up a small pile of dust hears a ghostly hissing sound or glimpse a fleeting skull appear in the dust. Sparks from a torch carry further into a tomb, kept alight far longer than expected, even as the torch burns down faster faster than it should. </p><p> <strong><em>Unfilled Yearning.</em></strong> A fire burns in the chest of every cinderhaunt far exceeding normal human passions. This need is twisted to becoming the single driving force animating a cinderhaunt’s corpse.</p><p></p><p><strong>Unfulfilled Yearning (d6)</strong></p><ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Completing a quest</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Leaving a legacy</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Prestige and praise</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Revenge</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Treasures untold</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Unrequited love</li> </ol><p>[/SECTION]</p><p></p><p>With their story/flavor developed, I start to brainstorm traits/actions for the Cinderhaunt...</p><p></p><p>These are hard creatures to kill permanently, so I'm giving them Regeneration similar to a troll...probably countered by cold instead of fire (i.e. freezing over their yearnings)... and since cold is a rarer damage type I'll add some condition to their Regen...maybe they need ashes/cinders nearby to draw upon to regenerate.</p><p></p><p>They drain heat, so some kind of a cold aura...maybe one that also denies bonus actions and/or reactions to reflect the sort of limb stiffness / mind slowness inflicted by numbing cold. That also makes them more suited to front-line fighting, which is something the Brotherhood needs.</p><p></p><p>They can assume a Smoke Form as an action, similar to gaseous form of a vampire, and is basically harmless / can't be harmed in this form. Except for cold. If it gets hit by cold damage, it is forced to revert to its true form.</p><p></p><p>Related, they can discorporate and reappear somewhere else in a burst of cinders. This is a little different from normal teleporting (e.g. from a yugoloth's Teleport action) in that it only works intermittently (i.e. recharge 5-6) and the Cinderhaunt has the option of reappearing at the start of its next turn or immediately teleporting. My inclination is to make this a move option. In the multi-leveled Krak al-Mazhar this means that just because you see a Cinderhaunt down a level below or above you doesn't mean you're safe. Sparks burst and suddenly it rises from the floor before you or steps out of a decaying tapestry.</p><p></p><p>Lastly, its attacks. Since I'm gauging this monster as being equal to or mightier than a Wraith in terms of Challenge Rating (CR 5+), I'm guessing it needs a Multiattack. I think two different attacks would be interesting: a Smoking Sword (which may blind) and a Desiccating Touch (which may reduce maximum hit points).</p><p></p><p>Next, I use my benchmark (the Wraith, 9d8+27) to guesstimate hit dice. This is mostly a corporeal undead so no need for extensive damage resistances. And definitely a frontline fighter, so probably a bit more hit dice. I'm going with 11 because I'm imagining Cinderhaunts as being the souls of adventuring sorts with strong passions/beliefs (i.e. in the 11th-16th level tier). So I'm thinking 82 (11d8+33) is a good starting point.</p><p></p><p>Now is a good time to figure out its ability scores. Generally I'm thinking they're pretty high...</p><p>Str 16 (+3) It's a fighter type</p><p>Dex 17 (+3) It knows how to use its Smoky Form in the midst of combat</p><p>Con 16 (+3) Life amidst the flames has hardened it</p><p>Int 12 (+1) Canny strategist who has existed a long time in undeath</p><p>Wis 14 (+2) Canny strategist who has existed a long time in undeath</p><p>Charisma 18 (+4) Very strong force of personality to hang onto its yearnings even in undeath</p><p></p><p>I think that's enough to put the Cinderhaunt together...</p><p></p><p><img src="http://i.imgur.com/Kcv5LJR.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>[SBLOCK=Monster Maths: Cinderhaunt]</p><p><strong>Defensive CR:</strong> I always start with calculating defensive CR because it's (usually) easier. Here we have 82 HP, but with Regeneration bumping its effective HP to 112. That's CR 3, and chart says its AC should be 13. Actual AC is 14. So I'm good....or am I? My sense is that Smoky Form and Discorporate contribute to the monster's defensive capacity enough to be worth +1 or +2 AC. So I'm valuing its Defensive CR at closer to 4.</p><p></p><p><strong>Offensive CR:</strong> This one is easy because it does the same thing each round. Aura Damage (assuming to at least one PC, that's 9), Smoking Sword (8.5 + 13.5), Desiccating Touch (21), which is 52 damage. That's CR 8, which charts says should have attack +7, which is the Cinderhaunt's attack exactly. I'm good here.</p><p></p><p>(4+8)/2 = CR 6</p><p></p><p>So I actually misrecorded the Cinderhaunt's CR. It's actually a CR 6, not CR 5. Good thing I ran these numbers![/SBLOCK]</p><p></p><p>[SECTION]<strong>Resources: Monster Design</strong></p><p><a href="http://theangrygm.com/monster-building-201-the-dd-monster-dissection-lab/" target="_blank">AngryGM</a> has a good article covering 5th edition monster creation in detail, starting from the very basics[/SECTION]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Quickleaf, post: 7028818, member: 20323"] [size=4][b][COLOR="#B22222"]Step 5: Making Monsters (part 3 – Converted & New Monsters)[/COLOR][/b][/size] A lot of times when I get an idea for an adventure or dungeon, there will at least be a one monster I have in mind that either isn't in 5th edition yet or is something I've imagined and haven't seen in D&D before. In these cases, I first double check to make sure that there isn't an existing monster I can easily re-skin or tweak to get what I want; if not, then I move into the monster design process. The monster I'm going to convert here is the [B]Dune Stalker[/B] from the AD&D Fiend Folio. I'm reading in DUNGEON #63's Blood and Fire adventure how they're used by the Brotherhood of True Flame, and they really fit the theme I'm going for, so let's do this! [IMG]http://www.lomion.de/cmm/img/dunestal.gif[/IMG] [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/kmAlBkA.png[/IMG] Since it's a monster that's not recognizable to D&D fans, and frankly it's new to me too (a "desert" equivalent of an invisible stalker? who knew!), so I'm going to start with the prose... [SECTION][B]Dune Stalker[/B] Hailing from the Fountains of Creation (also known as the Plane of Magma), a dune stalker is a hideous 7-foot tall creature that appears as a combination of devolved human and reptilian horror with long arms, an avoid skull, and large black eyes. Its rust-colored skin serves as a natural camouflage in deserts, dry hills, and similar terrain. [B][I]Directed Hunter. [/I][/B]When summoned to the Material Plane, a dune stalker only obeys those summons involving hunting down and slaying a specific creature or recovering an object. Any other request frees it from the summons, allowing it to return to the Inner Planes, though it may decide to take the summoner along with it for a snack. Otherwise, it pursues the task until completion, then returns to its summoner for further commands. If its summoner dies, the dune stalker returns to the Inner Planes upon completing its task. However, a dune stalker is an unwilling servant at best and resents any commands given to it. A task that involves a great deal of time might lead the frustrated dune stalker to pervent the intent unless the summoner worded it very carefully. [B][I]Maliciously Literal.[/I][/B] Dune stalkers take their commands in the most literal manner possible, looking for loopholes that allow them to indulge their vile natures hunting the defenseless and avenging themselves on mages. [B][I]Tone Deaf. [/I][/B]The structure of a dune stalker’s skull and ear canal prevent it from hearing sounds in the normal range of human hearing. On the other hand, it can hear high-pitched sounds (e.g. breaking glass, a baby crying, a mosquito, a dog whistle) as well as low-pitched sounds (e.g. the beating of a drum, sounds made by a crocodile or elephant, or the rumbling of a distant storm or volcano). [B][I]Waterless Anatomy.[/I][/B] A dune stalker has no need of water. Its body is so devoid of water that it doesn’t sweat, its bones are made of incredibly dense tubes spiraling around one another to make a strong lattice, and its skin is like a blend of sun-dried leather and highly abrasive sandpaper. Any degree of humidity causes the dune stalker extreme discomfort, and exposure to water will repel it for a time being.[/SECTION] Obviously these guys have the Faultless Tracker trait of the invisible stalker (and similar resistances & immunities). Another trait easily applied to them is Desert Camouflage (adv. to Stealth in desert). That leaves two distinct things: its Sonic Ray & its "Kiss of Death." The Sonic Ray is basically a breath weapon doing thunder damage and causing deafness. In 1e it was a single target attack, while in 2e it became a cone. Hmm. Kind of boring. It would fit for a dragon, but it feels weird for a magically conjured assassin. Our assassins impose...deafness! Wait, really? So I'm going to reimagine this ability as something both disorienting and enduring, that provides creative options for PCs to counter it... [SECTION][B][I]Sonic Ray (recharge 5-6).[/I][/B] The stalker emits a 60-foot line of sonic energy from its mouth. Each creature caught in the line must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or take 13 (2d12) thunder damage and be deafened until the end of their next turn. While deafened, if the target tries to move it must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or end up moving its speed in a random direction (determined using a d8). The stalker can concentrate to maintain this line of sonic energy to one creature that failed its Constitution saving throw; at the start of each of the dune stalker’s turns that creature automatically takes 13 (2d12) thunder damage and remains deafened. The sonic effect can be canceled by a bard’s countersong, the target gaining at least three-quarters cover, or an ally voluntarily stepping between the target and the stalker - immediately becoming the new target.[/SECTION] So this allows the stalker to throw a group into a bit of chaos while singling out their target. And the vibe is a bit more like those specters from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that suck your soul – only this is like waves of sonic energy emanating from the dune stalker. Fun fun fun. Now, "Kiss of Death" is a save or die effect in AD&D. So I'll look to something like the 5e banshee for inspiration (it can reduce a creature to 0 hp so they begin dying, but doesn't kill outright). Also, even though it's described as a close contact attack, if you look at the 5e succubus's Draining Kiss, that requires a willing or charmed target. The dune stalker is basically putting its face against the target's face, so I'm thinking there needs to be a limitation on who Kiss of Death will effect – incapacitated or deafened by the dune stalker (and thus disoriented) seem like good options. [SECTION][B][I]Kiss of Death.[/I][/B] If the stalker uses Sonic Ray against a creature within 5 feet that is incapacitated or deafened by the stalker, and the creature fails its Constitution saving throw, the creature is reduced to 0 hit points; if the creature is already at 0 hit points it instead suffers two death saving throws failures. Even if the creature succeeds its Constitution save, it is still affected by the Sonic Ray as normal.[/SECTION] OK, I think I can put the Dune Stalker together now... [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/1t1Sfao.png[/IMG] [SBLOCK=Monster Maths: Dune Stalker] [B]Defensive CR:[/B] HP 120, but with damage resistances (that means bludgeoning/piercing/slashing) for an expected CR 5-10, so I apply a *1.5 modifier, getting 180 effective HP. Which is CR 8, which the chart says should be AC 16. And hey, that's the Dune Stalker's AC exactly, so we're done here. In fact, if its AC had been 15 or 17 we'd still be done. [B]Offensive CR:[/B] Because this monster has limited use abilities (i.e. it's not doing exactly the same thing [I]every[/I] round), I need to plot out a 3-round course of actions. In this case, I'm leaving Kiss of Death out of it due to the conditions required to set it up, but that's totally in the back of my mind...for example if it's final calculated CR was 5.25 or something, I'd be inclined to round up due to Kiss of Death. And that's a good trick to know when you're doing the maths for your own monsters and have a trait/ability you don't know how to "value" in the CR system – just save it till the end and guesstimate. That's part of the art of monster design. Round 1 – Sonic Ray (acc. to DMG p. 249 it's safe to assume a 60-ft line hits 2 targets) = 2 * 13 = 26 Round 2 – concentrates to maintain Sonic Ray, 2 claw attacks = 13 + 2 * 7.5 = 28 Round 3 – 2 claw attacks = 2 * 7.5 = 15 DPR = (26 + 28 +15 ) / 3 = 69 / 3 = 23 That's CR 3, which the chart tells us should expect to have +4 attack, but since the Dune Stalker has +6, we bump that up to CR 4. So, (8+4)/2 = CR 6. [/SBLOCK] Next, I'm going to create a pretty much brand new monster for this adventure/dungeon: the [B]Cinderhaunt[/B]. Mortal creatures who are destroyed by the Plane of Fire (or by flame mages channeling its power) may arise as cinderhaunts if their hearts burn with some unfulfilled yearning. The Cinder Wastes predominating the Plane of Fire are filled with such spirits wandering amidst the ruins of forgotten civilizations. Cinderhaunts look akin to their form in life, but their skin appears made of ash through which cracks of angry flame show. Plumes of smoke and ash trail behind a cinderhaunt when it walks. This idea has been tackled before in various ways, and I'm sure that some Pathfinder book has a "burning undead" out there that might fit. I'll try to find a couple pictures to triangulate the idea for the Cinderhaunt... Cinder Ghoul (Tome of Horrors Complete, Swords & Wizardry) [IMG]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t7eD7viuOIg/VWyaaWD2mLI/AAAAAAAAGGM/tR3OEz6zq4c/s1600/ashen_undead.jpg[/IMG] Flaming Zombie (video game?) [IMG]http://img04.deviantart.net/96d4/i/2011/168/7/7/flaming_zombie_by_islvl40oncod-d3j65pf.png[/IMG] Soul of Cinder (Dark Souls 3) [IMG]http://assets.vg247.com/current//2016/04/dark_souls_3_soul_of_cinder.jpg[/IMG] The first question I'm going to ask is: Why do I need this monster for this adventure/dungeon? [list=1][*]First, I'm imagining The Bonfire (BBEG) will have a legendary or lair action to create Cinderhaunts from adventurers he slays. And other folks too, it's just adventurers tend to have the unfulfilled yearnings thing. [*]Second, they speak to the semi-tragic backstory of the Brotherhood and exemplify its wickedness, driving home to the PCs just how dastardly the villains are. [*]Third, they present an elusive soldier-type enemy that serves as a unique challenge unlike other monsters in Krak al-Mazhar, especially unlike the other "burning dead" (e.g. flameskulls & blazing skeletons) who are more about artillery.[/list] Next I tackle my prose write-up. This is a really important step in creating a monster, especially when creating a new monster. [SECTION] Mortal creatures who are destroyed by the Plane of Fire (or by flame mages channeling its power) may arise as cinderhaunts if their hearts burn with some unfulfilled yearning. The Cinder Wastes predominating the Plane of Fire are filled with such spirits wandering amidst the ruins of forgotten civilizations. Cinderhaunts look akin to their form in life, but their skin appears made of ash through which cracks of angry flame show. Plumes of smoke and ash trail behind a cinderhaunt when it walks. [B][I]Fire Eaters.[/I][/B] While a cinderhaunt usually only vaguely recalls its living purpose, it still burns with passion. Unless it feeds on heat regularly, a cinderhaunt will eventually consume itself with its inner fire. In particular, the heat of the living draws a cinderhaunt far more than a simple campfire, and thus they are drawn to battlefields where flaming oil or fire magic has been used as a devastating weapon, sites of impassioned arson, or places where witches or traitors were burned at the stake. [B][I]Supernatural Echoes.[/I][/B] When a cinderhaunt occupies a place, the cinders and ash falling from its body cause eerie magical effects. An adventurer kicking up a small pile of dust hears a ghostly hissing sound or glimpse a fleeting skull appear in the dust. Sparks from a torch carry further into a tomb, kept alight far longer than expected, even as the torch burns down faster faster than it should. [B][I]Unfilled Yearning.[/I][/B] A fire burns in the chest of every cinderhaunt far exceeding normal human passions. This need is twisted to becoming the single driving force animating a cinderhaunt’s corpse. [B]Unfulfilled Yearning (d6)[/B] [list=1][*]Completing a quest [*]Leaving a legacy [*]Prestige and praise [*]Revenge [*]Treasures untold [*]Unrequited love[/list][/SECTION] With their story/flavor developed, I start to brainstorm traits/actions for the Cinderhaunt... These are hard creatures to kill permanently, so I'm giving them Regeneration similar to a troll...probably countered by cold instead of fire (i.e. freezing over their yearnings)... and since cold is a rarer damage type I'll add some condition to their Regen...maybe they need ashes/cinders nearby to draw upon to regenerate. They drain heat, so some kind of a cold aura...maybe one that also denies bonus actions and/or reactions to reflect the sort of limb stiffness / mind slowness inflicted by numbing cold. That also makes them more suited to front-line fighting, which is something the Brotherhood needs. They can assume a Smoke Form as an action, similar to gaseous form of a vampire, and is basically harmless / can't be harmed in this form. Except for cold. If it gets hit by cold damage, it is forced to revert to its true form. Related, they can discorporate and reappear somewhere else in a burst of cinders. This is a little different from normal teleporting (e.g. from a yugoloth's Teleport action) in that it only works intermittently (i.e. recharge 5-6) and the Cinderhaunt has the option of reappearing at the start of its next turn or immediately teleporting. My inclination is to make this a move option. In the multi-leveled Krak al-Mazhar this means that just because you see a Cinderhaunt down a level below or above you doesn't mean you're safe. Sparks burst and suddenly it rises from the floor before you or steps out of a decaying tapestry. Lastly, its attacks. Since I'm gauging this monster as being equal to or mightier than a Wraith in terms of Challenge Rating (CR 5+), I'm guessing it needs a Multiattack. I think two different attacks would be interesting: a Smoking Sword (which may blind) and a Desiccating Touch (which may reduce maximum hit points). Next, I use my benchmark (the Wraith, 9d8+27) to guesstimate hit dice. This is mostly a corporeal undead so no need for extensive damage resistances. And definitely a frontline fighter, so probably a bit more hit dice. I'm going with 11 because I'm imagining Cinderhaunts as being the souls of adventuring sorts with strong passions/beliefs (i.e. in the 11th-16th level tier). So I'm thinking 82 (11d8+33) is a good starting point. Now is a good time to figure out its ability scores. Generally I'm thinking they're pretty high... Str 16 (+3) It's a fighter type Dex 17 (+3) It knows how to use its Smoky Form in the midst of combat Con 16 (+3) Life amidst the flames has hardened it Int 12 (+1) Canny strategist who has existed a long time in undeath Wis 14 (+2) Canny strategist who has existed a long time in undeath Charisma 18 (+4) Very strong force of personality to hang onto its yearnings even in undeath I think that's enough to put the Cinderhaunt together... [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/Kcv5LJR.png[/IMG] [SBLOCK=Monster Maths: Cinderhaunt] [B]Defensive CR:[/B] I always start with calculating defensive CR because it's (usually) easier. Here we have 82 HP, but with Regeneration bumping its effective HP to 112. That's CR 3, and chart says its AC should be 13. Actual AC is 14. So I'm good....or am I? My sense is that Smoky Form and Discorporate contribute to the monster's defensive capacity enough to be worth +1 or +2 AC. So I'm valuing its Defensive CR at closer to 4. [B]Offensive CR:[/B] This one is easy because it does the same thing each round. Aura Damage (assuming to at least one PC, that's 9), Smoking Sword (8.5 + 13.5), Desiccating Touch (21), which is 52 damage. That's CR 8, which charts says should have attack +7, which is the Cinderhaunt's attack exactly. I'm good here. (4+8)/2 = CR 6 So I actually misrecorded the Cinderhaunt's CR. It's actually a CR 6, not CR 5. Good thing I ran these numbers![/SBLOCK] [SECTION][B]Resources: Monster Design[/B] [url=http://theangrygm.com/monster-building-201-the-dd-monster-dissection-lab/]AngryGM[/url] has a good article covering 5th edition monster creation in detail, starting from the very basics[/SECTION] [/QUOTE]
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