Temotei
2010-01-19, 12:57 AM
Tainted Creatures
Tainted creatures are broken experiments, tortured by devils or demons in an attempt to create something worth having as fodder in their armies for the Blood War. Tainted creatures vary in appearance based on the experiments that tainted them, but all have one trait in common--their eyes. Their eyes reflect the soul-crushing experiments conducted upon them--those who don't go blind have clouded pupils with what looks like quickly-swirling blood inside. If the creature had irises, they disappeared with the experiments. The devils will occasionally release the tainted if the creature is deemed unable to serve properly in the Blood War, in which case it usually ends up dying shortly after from lack of motivation to live. However, a few maintain a powerful resolve despite the unspeakable horrors they have faced...or because of them. Those who do may even escape and return against all odds to their lives, though they will often be mistaken for fiendish creatures or even devils or demons.
Tainted creatures are named so for the permanent and irreversible marks on their souls. Corruption inevitably follows the creature, directly or indirectly. It may take the creature itself, making it a tool for evil just as the denizens of the lower planes would have had it, or it may attract devils and demons to the creature, only to have the evil monsters spread evil around them. Even if the corruption does not follow in life, a tainted creature is not cleansed in death. For this reason, almost every tainted creature will be turned away from the good planes in death, regardless of alignment.
Creating a Tainted Creature
"Tainted" is a an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, or monstrous humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the "base creature"). Animals with this template become magical beasts, but otherwise the creature type is unchanged. A tainted creature uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Special Attacks: A tainted creature retains all the special attacks of the base creature and also gains the supernatural ability to use dancing lights at will as the spell. Tainted creatures with a Wisdom or Charisma score of 8 or higher possess the following spell-like abilities, using their level as the caster level, as specified in the table below. Unless otherwise indicated, the ability is usable once per day.
Level
Abilities
1-6
Endure elements, flare 3/day
7-12
Resist energy (fire, electricity only), continual flame
13+
Eagle's splendor, darkness
Special Qualities: A tainted creature retains all the special qualities of the base creature and also gains the following ones:
Darkvision with a range of 60 feet.
Fire and electricity resistance (see the table below).
SR equal to 11 + creature's HD.
+4 racial bonus to Fortitude saves against poison.
Hit Dice
Fire, Electricity Resistance
1-3
5
4-7
10
8-11
15
12+
20
If the base creature already has one or more of these special qualities, use the better value.
Saves: Same as the base creature
Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +2, Dex +0, Con +2, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +4
Skills: Same as the base creature
Feats: Same as the base creature
Climate/Terrain: Same as the base creature
Organization: Same as the base creature
Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +1
Treasure: Same as the base creature
Alignment: Usually evil (any)
Advancement: Same as the base creature
Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +2
Tainted Characters
Tainted characters with a Charisma of 12 or higher are often sorcerers. Those with high Wisdom scores might become clerics.
Sample Tainted Creature
Tainted Goblin, 1st-Level Warrior
Small Humanoid (Goblinoid)
Hit Dice: 1d8+2 (6 hp)
Initiative: +1 (Dex)
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 15 (+1 size, +1 Dex, +2 leather armor, +1 light shield), touch 12, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-3
Attack: Morningstar +3 melee (1d6) or javelin +3 ranged (1d4)
Full Attack: Morningstar +2 melee (1d6) or javelin +3 ranged (1d4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Dancing lights, endure elements 1/day, flare 3/day, darkvision 60 ft., SR 12; fire and electricity resistance 5
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +0
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 11, Cha 10
Skills: Hide +5, Listen +5, Move Silently +5, Ride +4, Spot +5
Feats: Alertness
Environment: Temperate plains
Organization: Gang (4-9), band (10-100 plus 100% noncombatants plus 1 3rd-level sergeant per 20 adults and 1 leader of 4th-6th level), warband (10-24 with worg mounts), or tribe (40-400 plus 100% noncombatants plus 1 3rd-level sergeant per 20 adults, 1 or 2 lieutenants of 4th or 5th level, 1 leader of 6th-8th level, 10-24 worgs, and 2-4 dire wolves)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually neutral evil
Advancement: By character class
Combat
Tainted goblins are a different breed than their ordinary counterparts. Not only does each individual tainted goblin pose a threat, but their numbers stay fairly consistent with other goblins'. This, in addition to their capabilities granted by the experimental torture, makes tainted goblins dangerous foes even to experienced warriors.
Skills
Tainted goblins have a +4 racial bonus on Move Silently and Ride checks. Tainted goblin cavalry (mounted on worgs) usually select the Mounted Combat feat in place of the Alertness feat, which reduces their Spot and Listen check modifiers from +5 to +3.
Tainted creatures are broken experiments, tortured by devils or demons in an attempt to create something worth having as fodder in their armies for the Blood War. Tainted creatures vary in appearance based on the experiments that tainted them, but all have one trait in common--their eyes. Their eyes reflect the soul-crushing experiments conducted upon them--those who don't go blind have clouded pupils with what looks like quickly-swirling blood inside. If the creature had irises, they disappeared with the experiments. The devils will occasionally release the tainted if the creature is deemed unable to serve properly in the Blood War, in which case it usually ends up dying shortly after from lack of motivation to live. However, a few maintain a powerful resolve despite the unspeakable horrors they have faced...or because of them. Those who do may even escape and return against all odds to their lives, though they will often be mistaken for fiendish creatures or even devils or demons.
Tainted creatures are named so for the permanent and irreversible marks on their souls. Corruption inevitably follows the creature, directly or indirectly. It may take the creature itself, making it a tool for evil just as the denizens of the lower planes would have had it, or it may attract devils and demons to the creature, only to have the evil monsters spread evil around them. Even if the corruption does not follow in life, a tainted creature is not cleansed in death. For this reason, almost every tainted creature will be turned away from the good planes in death, regardless of alignment.
Creating a Tainted Creature
"Tainted" is a an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, or monstrous humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the "base creature"). Animals with this template become magical beasts, but otherwise the creature type is unchanged. A tainted creature uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Special Attacks: A tainted creature retains all the special attacks of the base creature and also gains the supernatural ability to use dancing lights at will as the spell. Tainted creatures with a Wisdom or Charisma score of 8 or higher possess the following spell-like abilities, using their level as the caster level, as specified in the table below. Unless otherwise indicated, the ability is usable once per day.
Level
Abilities
1-6
Endure elements, flare 3/day
7-12
Resist energy (fire, electricity only), continual flame
13+
Eagle's splendor, darkness
Special Qualities: A tainted creature retains all the special qualities of the base creature and also gains the following ones:
Darkvision with a range of 60 feet.
Fire and electricity resistance (see the table below).
SR equal to 11 + creature's HD.
+4 racial bonus to Fortitude saves against poison.
Hit Dice
Fire, Electricity Resistance
1-3
5
4-7
10
8-11
15
12+
20
If the base creature already has one or more of these special qualities, use the better value.
Saves: Same as the base creature
Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +2, Dex +0, Con +2, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +4
Skills: Same as the base creature
Feats: Same as the base creature
Climate/Terrain: Same as the base creature
Organization: Same as the base creature
Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +1
Treasure: Same as the base creature
Alignment: Usually evil (any)
Advancement: Same as the base creature
Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +2
Tainted Characters
Tainted characters with a Charisma of 12 or higher are often sorcerers. Those with high Wisdom scores might become clerics.
Sample Tainted Creature
Tainted Goblin, 1st-Level Warrior
Small Humanoid (Goblinoid)
Hit Dice: 1d8+2 (6 hp)
Initiative: +1 (Dex)
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 15 (+1 size, +1 Dex, +2 leather armor, +1 light shield), touch 12, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-3
Attack: Morningstar +3 melee (1d6) or javelin +3 ranged (1d4)
Full Attack: Morningstar +2 melee (1d6) or javelin +3 ranged (1d4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Dancing lights, endure elements 1/day, flare 3/day, darkvision 60 ft., SR 12; fire and electricity resistance 5
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +0
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 11, Cha 10
Skills: Hide +5, Listen +5, Move Silently +5, Ride +4, Spot +5
Feats: Alertness
Environment: Temperate plains
Organization: Gang (4-9), band (10-100 plus 100% noncombatants plus 1 3rd-level sergeant per 20 adults and 1 leader of 4th-6th level), warband (10-24 with worg mounts), or tribe (40-400 plus 100% noncombatants plus 1 3rd-level sergeant per 20 adults, 1 or 2 lieutenants of 4th or 5th level, 1 leader of 6th-8th level, 10-24 worgs, and 2-4 dire wolves)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually neutral evil
Advancement: By character class
Combat
Tainted goblins are a different breed than their ordinary counterparts. Not only does each individual tainted goblin pose a threat, but their numbers stay fairly consistent with other goblins'. This, in addition to their capabilities granted by the experimental torture, makes tainted goblins dangerous foes even to experienced warriors.
Skills
Tainted goblins have a +4 racial bonus on Move Silently and Ride checks. Tainted goblin cavalry (mounted on worgs) usually select the Mounted Combat feat in place of the Alertness feat, which reduces their Spot and Listen check modifiers from +5 to +3.