Using Class Templates

[shilsen]

I've been thinking of trying out some of the class templates (DMG 182-183) and was wondering what low-level monsters (say, levels 1-7) have the best synergies with them. Some of the classes (Fighter, Ranger and Rogue, for example) would do well with a wide variety of creatures, I think, whereas others would really shine with a few. The Warlord, esp. the Tactical variety, seems to have few things which would do really well with it, mainly due to the relative paucity of low level creatures which are decent in melee and also have a decent Int.

So, in short, what MM creatures between levels 1-7 do you think synergize well with the various class templates? And I'm especially interested in anyone's experiences with using class templates.

Thanks, in advance.

 

[Mokona]

Hellfire Bat - Level 2 Elite Skirmisher (Artillery)
Medium elemental beast (fire)
Initiative +8 - Senses Perception +8
HP 64; Bloodied 32
AC 17; Fortitude 12; Reflex 18; Will 11
Resist 10 fire
Speed 2 (clumsy), fly 8, see also fiery swoop and ethereal stride
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Warlock's Curse (minor; at-will)
+1d6 damage to cursed enemies once per turn on a hit. Gain 1 temporary hit point if a cursed enemy drops to zero hit points.
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Prime Shot - +1 to hit with ranged attacks if no allies are closer to the enemy.
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Melee basic attack - Fiery Touch (standard; at-will) * Fire
+3 vs. Reflex; 1d6 + 3 fire damage, and ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends).
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Melee attack - Fiery Swoop (standard; at-will) * Fire
The fire bat shifts up to 4 squares and can move through occupied squares as it moves. It makes a melee basic attack against any creature whose space it enters. The hellfire bat cannot attack a target more than once in this fashion, and it must end its movement in an unoccupied square.
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Ranged 10 attack - Hellish Rebuke (standard; at-will) * Arcane, Fire
+2 vs. Reflex; 1d6 + 2 fire damage. If the hellfire bat takes damage before the start of its next turn the target of this attack takes an additional 1d6 + 2 fire damage.
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Ranged 5 attack - Vampiric Embrace (standard; encounter) * Arcane, Fire
+2 vs. Will; 2d8 + 2 fire damage and the hellfire bat gains 5 temporary hit points.
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Armor of Agathys (standard; daily) * Arcane, Fire
The hellfire bat gain 10 temporary hit points. Until the end of the encounter any enemy that starts it turn adjacent to the hellfire bat takes 1d6 + 2 fire damage.
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Ethereal Stride (move; encounter) * Arcane, Teleportation
Teleport 3 squares and gain +2 to all defenses until the end of your next turn.
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Alignment Unaligned - Languages none
Str 6 (-1); Dex 19 (+5); Wis 12 (+2); Con 12 (+2); Int 2 (-3); Cha 7 (-1)

Note: By applying the template to a creature after I modified its level I noted some strange behavior with the "on the fly" level change rules. The creature becomes much worse at hitting than it should be. No rules are provided for dropping initiative, skills, or ability scores so they're out of whack for the new lower level.

I arbitrarily changed all the Warlock powers to Fire damage instead of Cold (armor of agathys) or Necrotic (vampiric embrace). I just wanted to show that adding character classes to monsters is just a mechanic that doesn't have to be attacked to intelligent life's career.

Armor of Agathys is pretty good on a striker like this. When the temporary hit points are gone from the armor it can get 5 more with Vampiric Embrace which targets Will.

 

[shilsen]

Hellfire Bat - Level 2 Elite Skirmisher (Artillery)

A bat with the warlock template? Looks quite flavorful and very thematically tight, actually. Nice work!

 

[garyh]

I like that bat. I might try something similar in next time I DM. Very inspiring!

 

[Mokona]

This angel could report to any number of masters such as Lolth, Tiamat, Zehir, Vecna, the Raven Queen, Sehanine (trickery), or even Tharizdun. At third level this angel can run away to harry the party again later if he succeeds with blinding barrage to cover his escape. I didn't choose Stealth training because I wanted some roleplay interaction between this angel and the party but Stealth works for other concepts. Imagine this angel with Stealth tracking the party and "joining in" on other encounters the party faces each time fleeing to return in another encounter the same or next day.

Angel of the Better Part of Valor - Level 3 Elite Soldier
Medium immortal humanoid (angel)
Initiative +10; Senses Perception +6
Angelic Presence Attacks against the angel of valor take a -2 penalty until the angel is bloodied.
HP 104; Bloodied 52
AC 19; Fortitude 17; Reflex 17; Will 14
Immune fear; Resist 10 fire, 10 radiant
Saving Throws +2
Speed 6, fly 9 (hover)
Actions Points 1
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First Strike: Has combat advantage against any creatures that have not yet acted in that encounter.
Rogue Tactics: Artful Dodger - gains a +3 bonus to AC against opportunity attacks.
Rogue Weapon Talent: +1 bonus to dagger attack rolls, shuriken weapon damage die increases by one size.
Sneak Attack: +2d6 damage once per round when the angel of valor has combat advantage and hits with a dagger attack.
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Ranged attack - Sly Flourish (standard; at-will) * Martial, Weapon
+9 vs. AC; 1d4 + 7 damage.
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Melee basic attack - Longsword (standard; at-will) * Weapon
+8 vs. AC; 1d8 + 4 damage.
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Melee attack - Dagger (standard; at-will) * Weapon
+9 vs. AC; 1d4 + 4 damage.
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Melee attack - Blade Flurry (standard; at-will) * Weapon
The angel of valor makes a longsword attack and a dagger attack.
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Close blast 3 - Blinding Barrage (standard; daily) * Martial, Weapon
Targets enemies the angel can see in the blast; +9 vs. AC; 2d4 + 4 damage and the targets are blinded until the end of the angels next turn.
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Melee attack - Bait and Switch (standard; encounter) * Martial, Weapon
+9 vs. Will; 2d4 + 4 damage and the angel switches places with the target and can then shift 3 squares.
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Close burst 1 - Lightning Strike (standard; encounter) * Lightning
Targets enemies; +6 vs. Fortitude; 1d8 + 2 lightning damage, and the target is dazed until the end of the angel of valor's next turn.
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Master of Deceit (free; encounter) * Martial
Reroll a Bluff check.
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Fiery Blades (minor, usable only when bloodied; at-will) * Fire
Until the start of the angel of valor's next turn, the angel of valor's weapons deal fire damage and attack the target's Reflex defense instead of AC.
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Alignment Any; Languages Supernal
Skills Bluff +9, Intimidate +12, Thievery +10
Str 23 (+7), Dex 18 (+5), Con 16 (+4), Int 11 (+1), Wis 14 (+3), Cha 16 (+4)
Equipement chainmail, longsword, daggers