Wolf72 said:
I'd love to see a 3e hordling template ...
I want a demonic/devil type creature but don't want the pc's to really know what it is: roll on the big table of mucho badness.
a bit like that for the slaadi I guess.
Lets see...where did I put that Hordling thing......Oh yea!
Occasionally evil wizards or sorcerers summon hordlings to do their bidding. Normal summoning only produces a single hordling.
Hordlings are the uncounted hordes of the Grey Wastes. They form the majority of the population of that plane. They vary widely in size and appearance. Some are large, some small; some humanoid in appearance, some animal-like, some amorphous; some have wings or tentacles. No two look alike, and they have no standard means of communication.
There are an infinite number of hordlings on the infinite layers of the Abyss. They have no purpose or organization.
Hordlings devour whatever they destroy, usually other hordlings. That there is otherwise no readily available food supply on the Lower Planes makes the endless, relatively weak hordlings common prey for more powerful beings.
Represented below are the 4 basic sizes of Hordling. These are the basic hordling in stat only.
The hordlings range in color from black-brown russet-red, orange-yellow, olive-green, blue-purple to gray-white. The shape of their head may be wedge-shaped, conical, discoid, spherical, cubical or ovoid. They may be bald, be maned, frilled, have lumps on their head, have 2d4 spikes jutting from the head or even have 2d4 small horns. Necks may be thick, thin, long, thrust forward, snaky or even not apparent.
Their noses are often wide and protruding, slitted, hanging, long and pointed, large with many warts or beaked in some fashion. The ears can be large and pointed, small and pointed, drooping, large and fanlike, huge and humanoid in appearance or they may not even have any ears.
The sight of a hordling can make one quake in their boots. Their overall visage can vary from gibbering and drooling, glaring and menacing, twitching and crawling, wrinkled and seamed, hanging and flaccid to rotting and tattered.
There are many different physical attributes attributed with hordlings. The DM may choose from any of the following combinations.
Arms can be multi-jointed, telescoping (giving them double reach), short and thick, long and thin, trunk-like or tentacle in nature.
Legs can be long and thin, short and bowed, short and massive, springing (giving them a +2 to Jump skill), hopping (giving them a +1 to Jump skill), or telescoping (increasing height to the next size category thus lowering AC and attacks).
Hands may be large, thick-fingered, clawed, taloned, pincered, barber or knobbed. Feet may have long prehensile toes, full hooves, splayed hooves, clawed, suckered or full webbed (allowing for swim at 30 ft.)
Their backs may adorn any of the following: humped, hunched, knobbed mane, bristle-maned, fan-winged (fly 50 ft. average) or bat-winged (fly 30 ft. average).
The tail can be long and prehensile, short, long, long and clubbed, long and barbed, or no tail at all.
The features of the mouth can be protruding tusks, many small fangs, long canines, small tusks, crushing teeth, or saw-toothed.
*Hordlings with hands, tentacles, or prehensile toes or tail can wield weapons.
The following damage is associated with the various sizes of the hordling.
*Tusks: small 1d4; medium 1d6; large 2d4; huge 2d6
*Fangs: small 1d6; medium 1d8; large 1d10; huge 1d12
*Long canines: large 1d6; huge 1d8
*Crushing teeth: large 1d4; huge 1d6
*Saw-toothed maw: large 1d3 (1d4 per round thereafter); huge 1d4 (1d6 per round thereafter)
*Blow: 1 hit 1d4; 2 hits strangle for 2d4
*Claw: small 1d4; medium 1d6; large 1d8; huge 2d6
*Talon: 1d6
*Pincer: 1d4
*Barbs: 1 per round and stuck fast (Strength check escape artist check to break free)
*Knob or club tail: 1d3
*Full hoof: 1d2
*Splayed hoof: 1d3
There is a 10% chance that a hordling may have a special attack. There is a 20% chance that a hordling may have a special quality. Listed below are the possibilities for such abilities.
Special Attacks
Breath Weapon: as stinking cloud spell (Fortitude save DC 10 + ½ HD + Con bonus). Range 5 ft.
Gaze: as ray of enfeeblement spell (Fortitude save DC 10 + ½ HD + Cha bonus)
Trip: hordling may make a trip attack as a free action
Breath Weapon: Sonic attack: sound emanates from the hordling (Will save DC 10 + ½ HD + Con bonus). Opponent drops weapon and/or shield and cannot take any action during their next turn.
Haste: may make 1 additional attack per round once every 10 minutes.
Breath Weapon: Acid spittle missile once every 10 minutes (10 ft. range, 2d4 damage) (Reflex save DC 10 + ½ HD + Con bonus for half)
Special Qualities:
Damage Reduction: Need magical weapon to hit
Fire and acid immunity
Cold, gas and poison immunity
Electrical and magic missile immunity
Immune to charm and illusions
Fast heal 2
All hordlings have darkvision at 120 ft.
Hordling
Small Outsider (Evil)
HD: 6d8+12 (39 hp)
Initiative: +2 (+2 Dex)
Speed: 20 ft
AC: 17 (+1 Size, +2 Dex, +4 Natural Armor)
Attacks: 2 Claw +11 (melee); 1 Bite +5 (melee)
Damage: Claw 1d4+3; Bite 1d6+1
Face/Reach: 5 ft x 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Breath Weapon, Improved Grab, Strangle
Special Qualities: Superior Darkvision, Immunities
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +5
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 13
Skills: Intimidate +10, Jump +10, Listen +9, Search +8, Spot +8
Feats: Dodge, Weapon Focus (claw)
Climate/Terrain: Gray Waste
Organization: Solitary or Group (1-6)
CR: 7
Treasure: None
Alignment: Neutral Evil (Always)
Advancement Range: 7-12 HD (Small), 13-18 HD (Medium-size)
The hordlings are vicious creatures that emanate from the Abyss. They vary in appearance and attacks and no two look alike.
They have no known form of communication.
COMBAT
These hordlings attack with their claws and their vicious fangs.
Improved Grab (Ex): In order to use this ability, the hordling must hit with both its claw attacks. If it gets a hold, it can strangle its opponent.
Strangle (Ex): The hordling can strangle its opponent automatically every round for 1d4 damage unless a Strength check or an Escape Artist check is made.
Breath Weapon (Su): The hordling can breathe a gas that acts like a stinking cloud against one opponent within 5 feet. (DC 15)
Immunities (Ex): These hordlings are immune to cold, gas, and poison attacks.
Superior Darkvision (Ex): Hordlings have darkvision 120 feet.
Hordling
Medium-size Outsider (Evil)
HD: 7d8+21 (52 hp)
Initiative: +1 (+1 Dex)
Speed: 30 ft, fly 30 ft (average)
AC: 18 (+1 Dex, +7 Natural Armor)
Attacks: 2 Hoof +12 (melee); 1 Slam +6 (melee)
Damage: Hoof 1d3+4; Slam 1d6+2
Face/Reach: 5 ft x 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Trip, Acid Spit
Special Qualities: Superior Darkvision, SR 12, Immunities, Damage Reduction 10/+1
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +5
Abilities: Str 19, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 14
Skills: Intimidate +11, Intuit Direction +2, Jump +11, Listen +10, Search +9, Spot +10, Tumble +10
Feats: Blind-Fight, Flyby Attack
Climate/Terrain: Temperate Land
Organization: Solitary or Group (1-6)
CR: 9
Treasure: None
Alignment: Neutral Evil (Always)
Advancement Range: 8-14 HD (Medium-size), 15-21 HD (Large)
The hordlings are vicious creatures that emanate from the Abyss. They vary in appearance and attacks and no two look alike.
They have no known form of communication.
COMBAT
These hordlings attack with their splayed hooves and their slam.
Acid Spittle (Ex): The hordling can spit a stream of acid once every 10 minutes at one opponent. Range is 10 feet and damage is 2d4. A Reflex save is required (DC 16) to take half damage.
Trip (Ex): The hordling may make a trip attack as a free action.
Immunities (Ex): These hordlings are immune to fire and acid attacks.
Superior Darkvision (Ex): Hordlings have darkvision 120 feet.
Hordling
Large Outsider (Evil)
HD: 8d8+19 (55 hp)
Initiative: +3 (+3 Dex)
Speed: 30 ft, fly 50 ft (average)
AC: 19 (-1 Size, +3 Dex, +7 Natural armor)
Attacks: 2 Tentacle +13 (melee)
Damage: Tentacle 1d4+5 and +1 per spike
Face/Reach: 5 ft x 5 ft/10 ft
Special Attacks: Improved Grab, Constrict, Haste
Special Qualities: Superior Darkvision, SR 14, Fast Heal 2, Damage Reduction 20/+1
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +9, Will +5
Abilities: Str 21, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 9, Cha 13
Skills: Climb +13, Intimidate +10, Intuit Direction +1, Jump +12, Listen +9, Search +9, Spot +9, Tumble +12
Feats: Improved Critical (tentacle), Toughness, Weapon Focus (tentacle)
Climate/Terrain: Gray Waste
Organization: Solitary or Group (1-6)
CR: 11
Treasure: None
Alignment: Neutral Evil (Always)
Advancement Range: 9-16 HD (Large), 17-24 HD (Huge)
The hordlings are vicious creatures that emanate from the Abyss. They vary in appearance and attacks and no two look alike.
They have no known form of communication.
COMBAT
These hordlings attack with their spiked tentacles. When they score a successful hit, 1d6 spikes also hit the opponent.
Improved Grab (Ex): In order to use this ability, the hordling must hit with its tentacle attack. If it gets a hold, it can constrict its opponent.
Constrict (Ex): A hordling deals automatic tentacle damage with a successful grapple check against Medium or smaller creatures.
Haste (Sp): Once every 10 minutes, the hordling can make an extra melee attack.
Superior Darkvision (Ex): Hordlings have darkvision 120 feet.
Hordling
Huge Outsider (Evil)
HD: 9d8+36 (76 hp)
Initiative: +5 (+1 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 40 ft
AC: 20 (-2 Size, +1 Dex, +11 Natural Armor)
Attacks: 1 Bite +14 (melee); 2 Talon +11 (melee)
Damage: Bite 1d4+6; Talon 1d6+3
Face/Reach: 10 ft x 10 ft/15 ft
Special Attacks: Breath Weapon, Gaze
Special Qualities: Superior Darkvision, SR 17, Damage Reduction 20/+2, Immunities
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +7, Will +6
Abilities: Str 23, Dex 13, Con 19, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 17
Skills: Climb +14, Intimidate +12, Jump +16, Listen +12, Search +12, Spot +12, Tumble +10
Feats: Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Multiattack
Climate/Terrain: Gray Waste
Organization: Solitary or Group (1-6)
CR: 14
Treasure: None
Alignment: Neutral Evil (Always)
Advancement Range: 10-18 HD (Huge), 19-27 HD (Gargantuan)
The hordlings are vicious creatures that emanate from the Abyss. They vary in appearance and attacks and no two look alike.
They have no known form of communication.
COMBAT
These hordlings attack with their bite and powerful talons.
Breath Weapon (Su): These hordling can breathe a stinking cloud that can affect an area of 15 feet. (Save DC 18)
Gaze (Su): The hordling can use their gaze as a ray of enfeeblement against one opponent. (Save DC 17) see spell description
Immunities (Ex): Hordlings are immune to cold, gas, poison, electrical and magic missile attacks.
Superior Darkvision (Ex): Hordlings have darkvision 120 feet.
The Bringer of Doom: This small box has a strange, circular red gem set within the lid. When the gem is touched and released, the box explodes in a blinding flash. The force of the blast is so great that everything within 100 feet (including the user and the box) is utterly destroyed.
The explosion opens a small temporary one-way rift from the Gray Waste to the location where the box was destroyed. From this rift will explode 100-1000 hordlings, destroying everything in their path. Rarely (10% chance) some other greater demon will come through the rift as well. The Bringer of Doom always reforms, to be discovered in another location at a later time.
Caster Level: 20th; Weight 5 lb.
