What new species have you created via templates?

[DMH]

I was thinking of applying the arborial template to several creatures that don't make sense at first. Tell me how they turned out:

Treepede (Ankheg)- these large insects live in the dense canopy of jungles. Attacking without fear, they hunt monkey troops, forest goblins and tasloi. Like grasshoppers, they have a nymph stage (looks like the adult) that are hatched in soil to feed on the roots. Those who know of the treepedes fear the time when the soil at the base of trees is torn up.

Bloodysap (grey ooze)- These have have been altered slightly as they are transparent like tree sap. They normally feed on insects and other small animals found in the trees, but when they are nearing their time to reproduce (by fission), they attempt to drop down on a larger animal to provide the food and mass needed.

Tree haunts (cloaker)- This is what causes some people to consider forests haunted. They dwell far up in the largest trees and use their moan to drive away those that attempt to cut the trees down. If the lumberjacks are few in number, the tree haunts have no problem using them as food.

Orark (manticore)- Hunters from the trees, orarks prefer to hunt easy to kill animals like unarmored humans and deer. They stick to the sides of trees and attempt to make a kill with their spikes and then bring the bodies up into the branches to feed.

 

[Psion]

Where might that be?

Er, I mean rogues gallery forum.

Here's the post:
http://www.enworld.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1200157&postcount=5

 

[Andre]

I was thinking of applying the arborial template to several creatures that don't make sense at first. Tell me how they turned out:

Treepede (Ankheg)- these large insects live in the dense canopy of jungles. Attacking without fear, they hunt monkey troops, forest goblins and tasloi. Like grasshoppers, they have a nymph stage (looks like the adult) that are hatched in soil to feed on the roots. Those who know of the treepedes fear the time when the soil at the base of trees is torn up.

I like the imagery, but an ankheg weighs 800 pounds. Apply the miniature template (BoTDE) or just leave the stats the same and hand-wave it into a Small or Medium creature. I don't know about the arborial template, but if it doesn't give some kind of excellent climb skill, add that - these things crawling around branches and such would be creepy, especially in the moonlight.

Bloodysap (grey ooze)- These have have been altered slightly as they are transparent like tree sap. They normally feed on insects and other small animals found in the trees, but when they are nearing their time to reproduce (by fission), they attempt to drop down on a larger animal to provide the food and mass needed.

Great idea. Druids might even nurture colonies of these things to protect whole forests.

Tree haunts (cloaker)- This is what causes some people to consider forests haunted. They dwell far up in the largest trees and use their moan to drive away those that attempt to cut the trees down. If the lumberjacks are few in number, the tree haunts have no problem using them as food.

Another good idea. Same as above - one scenario idea is a group of druids transplanting a colony of these into a forest that is being over-logged by humans. Naturally, the humans want to get rid of the tree haunts, so they hire adventurers...

Orark (manticore)- Hunters from the trees, orarks prefer to hunt easy to kill animals like unarmored humans and deer. They stick to the sides of trees and attempt to make a kill with their spikes and then bring the bodies up into the branches to feed.

As with the ankheg, manticores as is are too big - typically 1,000 pounds - so you should definitely consider shrinking them. Also, I'm not sure how useful the spikes attack would be in thick forest. Just a thought, but these might be a good fit on lightly forested hills and mountains. Alternately, really old forests with truly massive trees might be a good home for them. Either way give them some sort of camouflage so prey don't notice them until it's too late...

Love these ideas!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Treepede (Ankheg)- these large insects live in the dense canopy of jungles. Attacking without fear, they hunt monkey troops, forest goblins and tasloi. Like grasshoppers, they have a nymph stage (looks like the adult) that are hatched in soil to feed on the roots. Those who know of the treepedes fear the time when the soil at the base of trees is torn up.

Bloodysap (grey ooze)- These have have been altered slightly as they are transparent like tree sap. They normally feed on insects and other small animals found in the trees, but when they are nearing their time to reproduce (by fission), they attempt to drop down on a larger animal to provide the food and mass needed.

Tree haunts (cloaker)- This is what causes some people to consider forests haunted. They dwell far up in the largest trees and use their moan to drive away those that attempt to cut the trees down. If the lumberjacks are few in number, the tree haunts have no problem using them as food.

I like these three. The manticore doesn't work well for me -- firing needles through branches and leaves seems like a very short evolutionary dead end.

 

[whydirt]

Ember Hulk - Umber Hulk plus Fire template. I think I also swapped out the Confusion effect out for Fascination or something else.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Even if you just did the Ember Hulk for the name, I LIKE it!

 

[DMH]

As with the ankheg, manticores as is are too big - typically 1,000 pounds - so you should definitely consider shrinking them.

When I opened the MM to that page, I thought of making them like leopards. So using the minature template (the BOT one) to reduce it to medium or small would be the way to go.

Love these ideas!

Thank you. Next up is the aquatic and I will use the MM II as the creature source. Instead of coming up with lame names, like I usually do, I am just going to give the base creature and the new species' description.

(megapede)- These massive creatures live in the muck at the bottom of very large lakes. They swim poorly due to their size and only do so to capture fleeing prey. Only when food runs out will they raid the surface for food and usually stay out of water for a few days before returning to rest.

(greenvise)- This is what gives seaweed a bad name. To the unknowing eye, these plants look like any other as they keep their maw on the bottom until needed. The acid fog is used for defense and to confuse persuers (they swim to deeper water).

(moonrat)- Pests of merfolk and locathah cities. They are furless and fearless in the water.

(corollax)- Instead of just applying the template, I think it is better to just make this creature a fish with the powers of the bird and template.

(spawn of Kyuss)- Replace the greenworms with tiny swimming crabs.

 

[diaglo]

Half-Dragon WereLemming.

they get an urge to leap off tall cliffs onto unsuspecting passersby. and then they continue on their merry way. heedless of the PCs they have just crushed.

 

[DMH]

Shredstorm (MM III) with several templates:

Plantform- rather easy to create a druid weapon.

Aquatic- hardened starfish used by sahuagen spellcasters to sink ships.

Ethereal- an attack from the ethereal plane.

Metallivore- metal using humanoids' worst nightmare. Using this and ethereal to create a planar monster that feeds normally on iron veins deep in the earth.

Necrovore- a WMD versus undead. Created by good clerics and liches wanting to kill off opponents.

 

[Rystil Arden]

Some of mine:

Jabberwock (Hypermitotic 12-headed Lernean Pyrohydra [with the fire switched out for Disintegration damage])

Gorgotaur (Half-Gorgon Minotaur with the ability to animate and command stone statues)

Umbral Eye (Psionic Beholder [antimagic eye still worked against magic though] with Energy Drain attacks)


And with stats:
Dragon Worm (Half-Blue Dragon Hypermitotic Advanced Purple Worm)

Colossal Dragon (Earth)

Hit Dice: 34d12+442 (714 hp)

Initiative: -1

Speed: 20 ft, burrow 40 ft, swim 10 ft, fly 40 ft (clumsy)

Armour Class: 25 (-8 size, -1 Dex, +24 natural), touch 1, ff 25

Base Attack/Grapple: +34/+74

Attack: Bite +52 melee (4d8+24)

Full Attack: Bite +52 melee (4d8+24) and sting +45 melee (4d6+12 plus poison)

Space/Reach: 30 ft/25 ft

Special Attacks: Improved Grab, Swallow Whole, Poison, Breath Weapon,

Special Qualities: Tremorsense 120 ft, Darkvision 60 ft, Immunities

Saves: Fort +32, Ref +18, Will +11

Abilities: Str 59, Dex 8, Con 37, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 8

Skills:

Feats: Awesome Blow, Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Natural Attack [Bite], Improved Weapon Focus [Bite], Power Attack, Weapon Focus [Bite], 5 Feats

Challenge Rating: 21



And if everyone in the campaign setting needs to die:
The Eldritch Beast (Relentless Apocalyptic Three-Headed Great Wyrm Conglomerate Dragon)

Colossal+ Dragon

Hit Dice: 410d12+14350 (19270 hp)

Initiative: +24

Speed: 90 ft, fly 280 ft (clumsy), swim 90 ft

Armour Class: 137 (-8 size +50 natural +41 divine +20 deflection +24 Dex) touch 87, f-f 113

Base Attack/Grapple: +410/+468

Attack: 3 Bites +452 melee (12d6+42)

Full Attack: 3 Bites +452 melee (12d6+42), 2 Claws +450 melee (6d8+21), 2 Wings +450 melee (6d6+21), Tail Slap +450 melee (6d8+63)

Space/Reach: 50 ft./30 ft. (50 ft. with bites)

Special Attacks: Breath Weapons, Ultima Blast, Frightful Presence, Spells, Spell-like Abilities

Special Qualities: DR 136/Legendary, SR 146, Arcane Rejuvenation, Blindsense, Keen Senses, Regeneration, Immunities

Saves: Fort +262, Ref +251, Will +262

Abilities: Str 95, Dex 59, Con 81, Int 81, Wis 81, Cha 81

Challenge Rating: 85




Breath Weapons (Su):

Head 1: 350 foot long cone 120d10 fire or 60 Strength damage

Head 2: 350 foot long cone 120d8 cold or Paralysis for 5d6+60 rounds

Head 3: 700 foot line 120d6 lightning or 350 foot long cone Repulsion for 5d6+60 rounds

3 Heads: 700 foot long cone 120d12 pure magical energy

Ultima Blast (Su): Once per day, the Eldritch Beast unleashes a concentrated wave of pure arcane energy. The burst slays all living creatures within a 164,400 ft. (about 31.6 miles) radius as it infuses them with arcane energy until their overwhelmed bodies are transformed into energy themselves by the massive overflow. A successful Will Save (DC 250) resists the death effect, but targets within range still suffer 41d8 points of damage. Any creature that survives this attack has a 41% chance to gain the Enchanted Template.

Frightful Presence (Ex): All creatures within 1080 ft. who see the Eldritch Beast attacking, charging, or flying overhead must succeed on a Will Save (DC 250) or become panicked for 12d6 rounds if they have 12 HD or less, or shaken for 12d6 rounds if they have 13-409 HD. Those with 410 or more HD are immune to this effect.

Spells (Sp): The Eldritch Beast casts spells as a 29th level sorcerer, plus it can choose any spell from the Magic or Spell domain or the druid spell list

Spell-like Abilities (Sp): At will- All chromatic and metallic dragon spell-like abilities

Arcane Rejuvenation (Su): Three times per day, the mana beast can absorb energy from the Weave to regain all lost hit points as a standard action.

Blindsense (Ex): The Eldritch Beast can pinpoint creatures up to 720 feet away. Opponents the Eldritch Beast can't actually see still have total concealment against the Eldritch Beast.

Keen Senses (Ex): The Eldritch Beast sees 12x as well as a human, and has darkvision out to 1440 ft.

Regeneration (Ex): The Eldritch Beast regenerates 410 hp per round and takes normal damage from legendary (enhancement bonus +11 or greater) weapons.

Immunities (Ex): The Eldritch Beast is immune to mind-affecting spells, sleep, stunning, paralysis, disease, death effects, ability drain, acid, cold, electricity, sonic, and fire damage.