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kinem
2014-07-31, 11:05 PM
Baernaloth (revised)

Medium Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Yugoloth)
Hit Dice: 12d8+24 (78 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 24 (+3 Dex, +4 natural, +7 insight), touch 20, flat-footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+13
Attack: Claw +13 melee (1d8+1)
Full Attack: 2 claws +13 melee (1d8+1) and bite +11 melee (2d6)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, dark fluency (swift Dark Speech), divine spark, heal wounds, reopen wounds
Special Qualities: AC bonus, damage reduction 10/epic and good, darkvision 60', immune to mind-affecting abilities, immunity to poison and acid, primal form, rejuvenation, resistance to cold 10, fire 10, and electricity 10, spell resistance 25, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +11, Will +13
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 20, Cha 19
Skills: Bluff +19, Concentration +17, Intimidate +21, Knowledge (arcana, history, the planes, religion) +18, Listen +20, Sense Motive +20, Spellcraft +18, Spot +20
Feats: Combat Casting, Dark Speech (ElE), Dark Whispers (ElE), Filthy Outburst (ElE), Improved Initiative, Multiattack [B], Spell Penetration [B]
Environment: Gray Waste of Hades
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 12
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +5

Long, gangly limbs covered by purulent gray flesh; an over-sized, horned head with an odd mouth comprising nothing but teeth and tongue; distant, glazed yellow eyes dripping fluid - all these things are a baernaloth, yet it is more. The essence of the creature is callous detatchment; an unending, insatiable need for misery and affliction; a monster that methodically hurts and hinders other creatures.

Baernaloths sometimes have nightmares or even night hags as companions. They like to lair in twisted, forbidding towers in areas desolate even by the standards of the Gray Waste.

They rarely associate with other yugoloths, and are always found on the Gray Waste, never on Gehenna, where so many of the others have migrated. It is said that the baernoloths were the first yugoloths, and created the other races. Certainly, they are afforded a great deal of respect from other yugoloths (on the rare occasions when they meet) – far more than their physical or magical power would seemingly warrant.

All baernaloths are quite ancient. Although the arcanaloths are the scholars and record-keepers of the yugoloth ranks, baernaloths are said to be in the possession of mysterious and varied (and dangerous) secrets. They certainly seem to know more about fiends of all types, and lower-planar creatures in general, than any other singular source. On the other hand, most baernaloths have forgotten much of the ancient knowledge they once knew. It is said that the baernaloths used to be much more powerful in ancient days, perhaps as powerful as gods, but sacrificed that power for reasons best left unknown. It is also generally believed that a few baernaloths remain extremely powerful as they were in ancient times, but are now well hidden; these are seldom spoken of, but when they are, they are referred to as the Darkest Baernaloths.

More than anything else, though, most baernaloths see their place in the scheme of things as bringers of misery and pain. They specialize in torture, not as a means of interrogation, but as agony for agony’s sake. Emotionlessly, coldly, they bring anguish upon others. Oftentimes they find means other than simple physical pain to accomplish this end. Baernaloths seem to relish foiling well-laid plans, spreading vicious lies, and revealing sinister secrets in order to cause dismay. All the while, these creatures of evil stare at their victims with a chillingly disturbing detachment. Baernaloths take no apparent pleasure in their work, yet certainly show no regret.

It is unusual, but not unknown, to see a baernaloth commanding a brigade of mixed fiends in a Blood War skirmish. Likewise, at least one baernaloth serves as advisor and confidant to the most prominent ultroloth masters. These non-hermitlike baernaloths are considered insane by others of their kind, but are the ones most often encounted by other creatures. These aberrant baernaloths are able to suppress their destructive urges well enough to work with and cooperate with others.

Baernaloths speak Abyssal, Draconic, and Infernal.

Combat:

In hand-to-hand combat, the baernaloth rakes with its savage claws and rears at its foes with its huge mouth. A baernoloth's natural attacks are considered epic and evil for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Baernaloths almost never use weapons or equipment of any kind, even magical items. They are not proficient with any weapons or armor.

Baernaloths do not summon other yugoloths. If seriously threatened, a baernaloth will teleport away.

Reopen wounds (Su): Three times per day as a swift action, the creature can cause wounds created by his claws and mouth to worsen, tearing open painfully. With this attack, the baernaloth can wreak the same amount of damage that he has previously inflicted upon a foe in one round with his natural attacks sometime during the last 24 hours. For example, if a baernaloth uses his claws and bite to inflict 13 points of damage upon a foe and then casts him into a dungeon, the baernaloth can return anytime within the next day and instantly inflict 13 additional points of damage upon that particular foe. There is no saving throw against this ability, but the target must be within 30', and within sight. This ability could be used to inflict the same damage based on the same wounds all 3 times in a day.

Heal wounds (Su): Conversely, a baernaloth can instantly heal any or all damage that it inflicted with its claws and bite. This can be done at will as a free action with a range of 30'. It uses this ability to keep captives – and even foes in battle – alive so that the fiend can continue to inflict pain. Obviously, the baernaloth is intelligent enough to keep from using this ability in a way which puts itself in jeopardy (by healing its opponents too much, for example).

AC Bonus (Ex): When unarmored and unencumbered, the baernaloth adds its Wisdom bonus +2 to its AC as an insight bonus. This bonus to AC applies even against touch attacks or when the it is flat-footed. It loses this bonus when immobilized or helpless, when it wears any armor, when it carries a shield, or when it carries a medium or heavy load. This bonus does not stack with the monk ability, but its racial HD stack with monk levels to determine the total bonus as per monk levels.

Primal Form (Ex): Attempts by other creatures to assume the form of a baernaloth (such as via a shapechange spell) fail. A baernaloth is immune to polymorphing and shapechanging, even if it is willing.

Divine Spark (Ex): A baernaloth's supernatural (but not spell-like) abilities function even in an antimagic field or dead magic zone. Also, it can be called with a gate or (greater) planar binding spell, but not controlled.

Spell-like abilities:
At will - blasphemy, charm monster (Will neg DC 18), contagion, deeper darkness, desecrate, displacement, discern lies, fear (Will partial DC 18), greater command (Will neg DC 19), insanity (Will neg DC 21), major image, mind blank (self only), suggestion (Will neg DC 17), greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), true seeing, unholy aura;
1/day - antimagic field, imprisonment (+12 touch, Will neg DC 23), miracle (it must pay any XP cost and/or provide the material component, if any).
Caster level 12 (as HD); saves are Charisma-based. Caster level increases to 13 (as HD+1) when using Dark Speech Power, which it typically does.

Rejuvenation (Su): If a baernaloth is slain, it will re-appear 2d10 days later somewhere on the plane of Hades. However, a baernaloth with class levels permanently loses one level each time it rejuvenates. It can be ressurected in the same way as any other outsider before that happens.

Dark Fluency (Ex): Baernaloths may be the originators of Dark Speech, and are certainly among the most proficient in its use. A baernaloth does not take ability damage when using Dark Speech or related feats (Filthy Outburst, Vile Whispers), is immune to all negative effects from such feats used by others, and can use Dark Speech or Dark Whispers as a swift action if it chooses to.

In addition to the normal uses of Dark Speech, as a free action it can use the Power component of Dark Speech to increase by 1 the caster level of a spell-like ability it casts.

As a swift action, it can use Filthy Outburst to insult living creatures within 60', causing them to make Will saves (DC 20, Cha-based) or be deafened for 12 rounds (as HD). Affected creatures take a -4 profane penalty on saves against evil spells or spell-like abilities.

Dark Whispers cause disturbing visions in the minds of living creatures within 30' who hear them. Such a creature must make a Will save (DC 20, Cha based) or, if it has fewer Hit Dice than the baernaloth, it is staggered for 1d10 rounds; if it has at least as many Hit Dice, it is confused for 1 round. This is a mind-affecting supernatural effect.

Advancement: Increase SR by 1 for each class level.

Eldan
2014-07-31, 11:32 PM
Challenge Rating 12? Are you joking? The Baern should be the equivalent of the highest tiers of Infernal and Abyssal nobility. They are more ancient than Asmodeus and Demogorgon. Their powers are vast and incredible. You can't just have them be mid-level threats.

Debihuman
2014-08-01, 12:13 AM
Unfortunately, I have to agree that these are woefully underpowered, especially when I compare it to this: http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?132922-Revised-Demons-Daemons-Devils-Part-Deux!&p=2265423&viewfull=1#post2265423.

However, if you are trying to be faithful to the original source material from Planescape, it's fairly accurate.

Debby

Network
2014-08-01, 12:35 AM
Challenge Rating 12? Are you joking? The Baern should be the equivalent of the highest tiers of Infernal and Abyssal nobility. They are more ancient than Asmodeus and Demogorgon. Their powers are vast and incredible. You can't just have them be mid-level threats.
This is actually in line with 2e canon : the baernaloths are the weakest of the "greater yugoloths", for some obscure reasons. The strongest yugoloth in 2e was the ultroloth (worth 26 000 XP), closely followed by the arcanaloth (20 000 XP), with the baernaloth coming third (19 000 XP). Of course 3rd edition came around and WotC decided the ultroloths weren't cool enough and reduced them to a mere CR 13 (which is a serious nerf), while arcanaloths got what they deserved with a CR of 17.

The only two real options would be to make the baernaloths weaker than the ultraloths (the 3.5 ultroloth), or to bump them up and stat a CR 20 yugoloth (a true porting of 2e ultroloth) and make the baernaloth CR 16.

Debihuman
2014-08-01, 06:30 AM
Technically, there are 2 kinds of baernaloths. There are the weaker 12 HD kind as you've statted up, based on the original Planescape material; and then there are the so-called "Darkest Baernaloths" mentioned in the text but not statted up.


It is said that the baernaloths used to be much more powerful in ancient days, perhaps as powerful as gods were, but sacrificed that power for reasons best left unknown. It is also generally believed that a few baernaloths remain extremely powerful as they were in ancient times, but are now well hidden; these are seldom spoken of, but when they are, they are referred to as the Darkest Baernaloths.

Debby

PS. I see you copied the text as the online AD&D MM as you have the same spelling and grammar mistakes. Indict should be inflict and unsatiable should be insatiable. The text in each ability should stand on its own so that needs revision as well.

kinem
2014-08-01, 09:38 AM
Thanks for the comments, though I would like to see actual comments on what's there and not just reactions to the relative weakness of the ancient race, which does match Planescape canon.

Debi, I was aware of the version you linked to. I saw no need to duplicate it. Lower CR monsters are more likely to see play.

Of course I knew that some would prefer an Epic version, and that's why I put in the "Darkest Baernaloths". I could certainly stat up a CR 25 version if there is demand for it, or you could use Pants' version.

Thanks for pointing out the problems with the text; I'll fix that.

The real question is, is it CR 12? Being able to cast in an AM field is rather powerful, and some of the abilities have quite decent DCs. It's DR can't be bypassed by level 12 PCs. Miracle is an impressive ability as well; it represents a bit of that ancient power, as do the other "elite" abilities like Epic DR and Divine Spark.

Debihuman
2014-08-01, 08:06 PM
This one is hard to judge. Did you put it through VT's estimator? Miracle once a day...whew. That's really adding to it. The question then is, who is answering the requests...

Debby

kinem
2014-08-02, 10:19 AM
I made the following changes:

Divine Spark: Its supernatural abilities work in an antimagic field, but spell-like abilities no longer do.

I also made Reopen Wounds a supernatural ability, and let it use Dark Speech & Dark Whispers as swift actions.