Tindalorian (enhanced caterwaul)

[Devon]

I've been on a caterwaul kick for awhile, and I made some modified examples of the species.

Heightened and Quickened are from the "Book of Templates," and Corrupted is from the "Book of Vile Darkness."

- Devon

Tindalorian
(Heightened Quickened Corrupted Caterwaul)
Medium-Size Aberration (Heightened, Quickened)
Hit Dice: 4d12+24 (50 hp)
Initiative: +10 (Dex)
Speed: 75 ft (on two legs) or 120 ft (on four legs), climb 30 ft
AC: 30 (+10 Dex, +10 natural); touch 20, flat-footed 20
BAB/Grapple: +4/+9
Standard Attack: Claw +14 melee
Full Attack: 2 claws +14 melee, bite +7 melee
Damage: Claw 1d6+5 plus 2 vile damage, bite 1d8+2 plus 2 vile damage
Face/Reach: 5 ft /5 ft
Special Attacks: Screech, disruptive attack, enhanced power, pounce, improved grab, rake
Special Qualities: Haste, evasion, damage resistance 5/+1, increased speed, fast healing 2, immunities, sonic resistance 10, darkvision 60 ft, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +12, Will +2
Abilities: Str 20 (+5), Dex 30 (+10), Con 23 (+6), Int 9 (-1), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 6 (-2)
Skills: Balance +16, Climb +17, Hide +14*, Jump +12, Listen +8, Move Silently +17, Spot +8
Feats: Multiattack, Combat reflexes, Dodge, Mobility, Weapon finesse (claws)
Climate/Terrain: any land or underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 10
Treasure: No coins; double goods (gems only); no items
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 5-12 HD (Medium-size)

The tindalorian is a malevolent feline-like, bipedal creature. It has short mottled black and midnight blue fur, mismatched reddish eyes, and a long, crooked catlike tail. Its visage is particularly feral and twisted, with immense brows turning almost to points, and gnarled bone spurs under the skin of its elbows, back, and shoulders. Its teeth are snaggled and horrible, and its long claws are serrated. It seems to move in quick bursts.

COMBAT
The tindalorian begins combat by utilizing its screech attack. After that, it uses its claws and bite attacks each round. A tindalorian will fight to the death.

Screech (Su): 3/day, 60-foot spread, the tindalorian can emit a high-pitched screech that deals 1d8 points of damage to anyone hearing it. A successful Fortitude save (DC 22) negates the damage. Save based on Constitution.

Evasion (Ex): If exposed to any effect that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, the tindalorian takes no damage with a successful saving throw.

Haste (Ex): Once per day, the tindalorian can haste itself as the spell cast by a 4th-level sorceror.

Disruptive Attack (Su): The tindalorian deals additional vile damage (see BoVD, Chapter 2) when it touches uncorrupted, living, corporeal nonoutsiders. The amount of vile damage dealt is equal to half of the creature's Hit Dice.

Enhanced Power (Su): The save DCs of any and all of the tindalorian's special attacks increase by +4.

Pounce (Ex): If a tindalorian leaps upon a foe during the first round of combat, it can make a full attack even if it has already taken a move action.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the tindalorian must hit with its bite attack. If it gets a hold, it can rake with its claws.

Rake (Ex): A tindalorian that gets a hold can make two rake attacks (+14 melee) with its claws for 1d6+5 damage each.

Increased Speed (Ex): The tindalorian can increase its base rate of speed by dropping to all fours. It can maintain this increased speed for a number of rounds equal to its Constitution score (roughly 2 minutes). After that it must succeed at a Constitution check (DC 10) each round to maintain its pace. The DC increases by 1 for each check made. When the check fails, the tindalorian cannot use this ability for 10 rounds, and cannot move any faster than its base rate of speed (75 ft.).

It may run in either mode using the normal rules for running (see Run, page 127 in the Player’s Handbook).

Immunities: A tindalorian is immune to acid and poison.

Skills: The tindalorian receives a +4 racial bonus to Balance, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, and Spot checks. *In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, the Hide bonus improves to +12.

 

[Devon]

the psionic tindalorian

Psionic Tindalorian
(Heightened Psionic Quickened Corrupted Caterwaul)
Medium-Size Aberration (Heightened, Quickened)
Hit Dice: 4d12+24 (50 hp)
Initiative: +10 (Dex)
Speed: 75 ft (on two legs) or 120 ft (on four legs), climb 30 ft
AC: 30 (+10 Dex, +10 natural); touch 20, flat-footed 20
BAB/Grapple: +4/+9
Attack: Claw +14 melee
Full Attack: 2 claws +14 melee, bite +7 melee
Damage: Claw 1d6+5 plus 2 vile damage, bite 1d8+2 plus 2 vile damage
Face/Reach: 5 ft /5 ft
Special Attacks: Psionic powers, screech, disruptive attack, enhanced power, pounce, improved grab, rake
Special Qualities: Haste, evasion, damage resistance 5/+1, increased speed, fast healing 2, immunities, sonic resistance 10, darkvision 60 ft, low-light vision, telepathy, scent
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +12, Will +2
Abilities: Str 20 (+5), Dex 30 (+10), Con 23 (+6), Int 9 (-1), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 6 (-2)
Skills: Balance +16, Climb +17, Hide +14*, Jump +12, Listen +8, Move Silently +17, Spot +8
Feats: Multiattack, Combat reflexes, Dodge, Mobility, Weapon finesse (claws)
Climate/Terrain: any land or underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 12
Treasure: No coins; double goods (gems only); no items
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 5-12 HD (Medium-size)

A tindalorian is a malevolent, bipedal feline creature. It has short mottled black and midnight blue fur, mismatched reddish eyes, and a long, crooked catlike tail. Its visage is particularly feral and twisted, with immense brows turning almost to points, and gnarled bone spurs under the skin of its elbows, back, and shoulders. Its teeth are snaggled and horrible, and its long claws are serrated. It seems to move in quick bursts, and its muscles are tight and knotted beneath its fur.

The psionic variety of tindalorian has two rows of glassy black growths along its back, resembling spider eyes.

COMBAT
A psionic tindalorian begins combat by utilizing its screech attack. After that, it uses its claws and bite attacks each round, using psionic abilities to maneuver into more advantageous flanking positions, occasionally dropping itself onto foes with a cunningly placed dimension door, and then flying out of range to use another screech attack. A psionic tindalorian will fight to the death.

Psionic Powers (Sp): At will – detect thoughts, dimension door, fly. These abilities are as powers manifested by a 4th-level psion.

Psionic Attack/Defense Modes (Sp): At will – ego whip, mind thrust / empty mind, mental barrier.

Screech (Su): 3/day, 60-foot spread, a psionic tindalorian can emit a high-pitched screech that deals 1d8 points of damage to anyone hearing it. A successful Fortitude save (DC 22) negates the damage. Save based on Constitution.

Evasion (Ex): If exposed to any effect that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a psionic tindalorian takes no damage with a successful saving throw.

Haste (Ex): Once per day, a psionic tindalorian can haste itself as the spell cast by a 4th-level sorceror.

Disruptive Attack (Su): A psionic tindalorian deals additional vile damage (see BoVD, Chapter 2) when it touches uncorrupted, living, corporeal nonoutsiders. The amount of vile damage dealt is equal to half of the creature's Hit Dice.

Enhanced Power (Su): The save DCs of any and all of a psionic tindalorian's special attacks increase by +4.

Fast Healing 2 (Ex): Each round, a psionic tindalorian heals damage equal to half of its Hit Dice (maximum of 10 points healed).

Pounce (Ex): If a psionic tindalorian leaps upon a foe during the first round of combat, it can make a full attack even if it has already taken a move action.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a psionic tindalorian must hit with its bite attack. If it gets a hold, it can rake with its claws.

Rake (Ex): A psionic tindalorian that gets a hold can make two rake attacks (+14 melee) with its claws for 1d6+5 damage each.

Increased Speed (Ex): A psionic tindalorian can increase its base rate of speed by dropping to all fours. It can maintain this increased speed for a number of rounds equal to its Constitution score (roughly 2 minutes). After that it must succeed at a Constitution check (DC 10) each round to maintain its pace. The DC increases by 1 for each check made. When the check fails, a psionic tindalorian cannot use this ability for 10 rounds, and cannot move any faster than its base rate of speed (75 ft.).

It may run in either mode using the normal rules for running (see Run, page 127 in the Player’s Handbook).

Immunities: A psionic tindalorian is immune to acid and poison.

Telepathy (Su): A psionic tindalarian can communicate telepathically with any creature within 100 feet that has a language.

Skills: A psionic tindalorian receives a +4 racial bonus to Balance, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, and Spot checks. *In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, the Hide bonus improves to +12.

 

[MissHappen]

Very pretty, Devon. Being a fellow Caterwaul fan, I applaud you. I'll have to see if I can dig up my old stats for a hybrid Caterwaul/Displacer Beast... imagine the fun if the Caterwaul half was one of your variants.

-MsM

ps Kudos for using the Corrupted template. I've got an irrational attraction to it.

 

[Devon]

Thank you!

I could add the Displacer template to the Tindalorian....

That would be FUN.

Last month I made a half-machine Caterwaul for a game... I had real fun with the template, but the party never encountered it in combat. They inadvertently summoned it when they got the master key to all the wizard's constructs -- they had a nice short conversation with it, when it explained that it really did enjoy killing, and decided it should probably be destroyed.

I could post it if you want to see.

But I'm still waiting for a chance to put a party against a corrupted creature and expose them to vile damage.

- Devon

 

[MissHappen]

Displaced Half-Machine Heightened Quickened Corrupted Psionic Caterwaul!

I'd like to see the Half-Machine variant too... it's my weakness for things clockwork showing again. Do you often use templates on critters in games, by the way, or is it more of a theoretical 'let's see what I can come up with' thing?

Regarding Vile damage.... well, it's nasty. Rather, it gets nasty very quickly. I tossed a homebrew critter at my resident adventurers (it was transmitting the Corrupted template to various local animals), and I will not soon forget the expression on their collective faces.
"What do you mean the Heal spell didn't work properly...?"

-MsM

 

[Devon]

I use templates for both reasons, really. Most of the templated creatures have been solely for this messageboard, and a few have been to a purpose.

The half-machine caterwaul was created well after I started writing the adventure. I needed a challenge of a particular CR that fit in with the idiom of the adventure locale, and adding "half-machine" to a Caterwaul fit in nicely.

I may have to write a new version with the corrupted teplate (but who'd be bold enough to surgically alter such a vile thing?).

- Devon

Here's the half-machine caterwaul, then:

CYBER-CAT
(Half-Machine Caterwaul)
Medium-Size Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 4d12+16 (42 hp)
Initiative: +6 (Dex)
Speed: 50 ft (on two legs) or 80 ft (on four legs), climb 20 ft
AC: 20 (+6 Dex, +4 natural); touch 16, flat-footed 14
Attacks:
BAB/Grapple: +4/+8
Standard: 1 claw +8 melee
Full Attack: 2 claws +8 melee, bite +6 melee; or metal projectile +10 ranged
Damage: Claw 1d4+4, bite 1d6+2; metal projectile 1d4 (see below)
Face/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Screech, pounce, improved grab, rake, metal projectiles
Special Qualities: Scent, increased speed, darkvision 60 ft, partial construct, programmed, rust vulnerability, low-light vision, darkvision 60 ft.
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +10, Will +3
Abilities: Str 18 (+4), Dex 22 (+6), Con 19 (+4), Int 7 (-2), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 6 (-2)
Skills: Balance +12, Climb +18, Hide +10*, Intimidate +10, Jump +9, Listen +9, Move Silently +12, Spot +9
Feats: Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Lightning Reflexes, Multiattack
Climate/Terrain: Any land or underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: No coins; double goods (gems only); no items
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 5-12 HD (Medium-size)

The cyber-cat is a vicious feline-like, bipedal creature with multiple cybernetic enhancements and moderate armoring. Its organic body has short midnight blue fur, amber eyes, and a long catlike tail. One foreleg has been completed replaced with a mechanical version, and several rows of sharp metal blades can be seen recessed along its length. It can go about on two legs or four as it prefers.



COMBAT

The cyber-cat begins combat by softening up the opposition with ranged projectile attacks. Before entering melee, the cyber-cat will use its screech attack, after which it uses its claws and bite attacks each round. A cyber-cat will fight to the death.

Screech (Su): 3/day, 60-foot spread, the cyber-cat can emit a high-pitched screech that deals 1d8 points of sonic damage to anyone hearing it. A successful Fortitude save (DC 16) negates the damage. Standard action. Save based upon Constitution.

Metal Projectiles (Ex): As a standard action, the cyber-cat can fire its cybernetic foreclaw as a projectile (1d4 damage, x2 crit, range 30). The cyber-cat can fire eight projectiles before its supply of ammunition is depleted.

When a foreclaw is fired, another set of claws folds out of its upper leg and slides into place, reloading the weapon.

Pounce (Ex): If a cyber-cat leaps upon a foe during the first round of combat, it can make a full attack even if it has already taken a move action.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the cyber-cat must hit with its bite attack. If it gets a hold, it can rake with its claws.

Rake (Ex): A cyber-cat that gets a hold can make two rake attacks (+8 melee) with its claws for 1d4+4 damage each.

Increased Speed (Ex): The cyber-cat can increase its base rate of speed by dropping to all fours. It can maintain this increased speed for a number of rounds equal to its Constitution score. After that it must succeed at a Constitution check (DC 10) each round to maintain its pace. The DC increases by 1 for each check made. When the check fails, the cyber-cat cannot use this ability for 10 rounds, and cannot move any faster than its base rate of speed (60 ft.).

It may run in either mode using the normal rules for running (see Run, page 127 in the Player’s Handbook).

Partial Construct (Ex): A cyber-cat is immune to poison and disease and is considered one size larger when determining death from massive damage. A cyber-cat is subject to critical hits but takes only half damage from subdual attacks. It can be healed with a successful Craft (metalworking) check as with the standard Heal check. A slain cyber-cat that is resurrected returns to life as a caterwaul (without the half-machine template).

The cyber-cat get a +4 resistance bonus to mind-affecting attacks and effects.

Programmed (Su): The cyber-cat is programmed to completely obey its creator as if under the effects of a dominate monster spell cast by a 20th-level wizard. if the creator dies or is destroyed, the cyber-cat becomes free-willed, but the residual program gives the cyber-cat a -4 penalty to Will saves against Enchantment spells. The programming can be erased only with a wish or similar spell.

Rust Vulnerability (Ex): The cyber-cat is affected by rust attacks, such as that of the rust monster or a rusting grasp spell.

Darkvision (Ex): Mechanized implants give the cyber-cat darkvision at a range of 60 feet.

Skills: The cyber-cat receives a +4 racial bonus to Balance, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, and Spot checks. *In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, the Hide bonus improves to +12. Due to its implants and menacing structural modifications, the cyber-cat also receives a +8 competence bonus to Climb and Intimidate checks