[MitP] Hextomb Bound

[Fax Celestis]

A hextomb bound creature is one that has gained longevity (and even nigh-immortality) through the profane forces at work in a hextomb.

Creating a Hextomb Bound
Hextomb bound is an acquired template that can be applied to any sentient, evil, living creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature).

Size and Type
The creature’s type does not change, although it does acquire the (Evil) and (Augmented) subtypes. It uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Hit Dice
The base creature's hit dice alter up two steps, so that d4s become d8s, d6s become d10s, and d8s become d12s. If the base creature's hit dice were d10s, the dice become d12s and the base creature receives an additional hit point per die. If the base creature's hit dice were d12s, the dice do not upgrade, but the base creature receives an additional 2 points per die.

Speed
The base creature's speed in all forms of movement available to them before application increases by 10'.

Armor Class
The base creature receives a profane bonus to their Armor Class equal to 1/2 their hit dice.

Attacks
The base creature retains all natural weapons and weapon proficiencies. The hextomb bound's base attack bonus changes to that of a cleric of the same hit dice, even if this would lower their base attack bonus.

Damage
Weapons carried and used by the base creature are considered evil for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.

Special Attacks
The base creature retains all special attacks. In addition, six times per day the base creature can use negative energy burst, as the spell cast by a cleric of equal hit dice.

Special Qualities
The base creature retains all previous special qualities and gains the following:

Immunity to Cold (Ex)
Hextomb bound creatures are not affected by cold.

Damage Reduction (Ex)
A hextomb bound creature has damage reduction 15/good.

Spell Resistance (Ex)
A hextomb bound creature has spell resistance equal to 10 plus their Hit Dice.

Fast Healing (Su)
A hextomb bound creature gains fast healing equal to 1 point per Hit Die and can reattach missing limbs by holding the severed limb to the wound.

Profane Immunity (Su)
A hextomb bound creature's profane bonuses apply under any and all conditions short of actual death. This includes in areas where profane bonuses are normally purged. Similarly, they cannot be dispelled by dispel magic or the like.

Disease and Poison Immunity (Ex)
The hextomb bound creature is immune to all forms of disease and poison.

Create Undead (Sp)
A hextomb bound creature can create undead through its spell-like abilities. Twelve times a day, a hextomb bound can cast animate dead, as the spell. Six times a day, a hextomb bound creature can cast create undead, as the spell. Three times a day, a hextomb bound can cast create greater undead, as the spell. All these spell-like abilities use the base creature's Hit Dice as Caster Level.

Command Undead (Su)
A hextomb bound creature can command undead as a cleric of equal hit dice. A hextomb bound always has command of undead it creates, though they can be turned as normal.

Profane Aura (Su)
A hextomb bound creature is the center of a constant desecrate effect, effective out to 20'.

Eternal Unlife (Su)
A hextomb bound creature cannot be killed and is effectively immortal for as long as the other five creatures who performed the hextomb ritual are also alive. Slaying a hextomb bound will cause it to act as if it were dead, but it will only remain that way for 2d4+2 hours before reviving. Slaying all six hextomb bound creatures at the same time will kill all six, though the power of the hextomb itself remains. See Destroying a Hextomb Bound below.

Negative Energy Absorption (Su)
A hextomb bound creature is healed by all negative energy effects instead of damaged by them. Similarly, a hextomb bound creature is damaged by positive energy effects instead of healed.

Aversions (Su)
A hextomb bound creature's mind becomes twisted in the process of its transformation. All hextomb bound cannot stand the scent of mint or vanilla, though it does not harm them.

Energy Weaknesses (Su)
A hextomb bound takes one and a half times the normal amount of damage from fire and positive energy and cannot use its fast healing ability to restore hit points lost to fire and positive energy damage.

Hextomb Dependency (Su)
A hextomb bound must remain within six hundred and sixty six miles of the hextomb or immediately receive one negative level. This negative level cannot be dispelled and remains until the hextomb bound returns within that area. In addition, if the hextomb bound does not spend at least one night every thirty-six days in the hextomb, they again receive a negative level until they do spend a night in the hextomb. Once afflicted with one negative level for missing a night, they continue to receive negative levels at a rate of one level per night if they fail to sleep in the hextomb.

Should a hextomb bound die due to negative levels gained in this way, their soul is immediately consumed by the negative energy of the hextomb. All other hextomb bound must make a Fortitude save versus a DC equal to 10 + the slain hextomb bound's ECL or succumb to a similar fate. Should one of the other hextomb bound fail this save, the remaining must make a similar save or also be consumed.

Saves
A hextomb bound creature retains saves it had prior to template application, though it receives a +4 profane bonus to all saving throws.

Abilities
The base creature receives a +3 profane bonus to all its ability scores.

Skills
The base creature receives a +2 profane bonus to each skill it already has ranks in.

Feats and Spells
The base creature retains all feats and spellcasting ability.

Alignment
Always evil.

Advancement
As base creature.

CR
+5

LA
+8

Becoming a Hextomb Bound
In order to become a hextomb bound, the base creature and five other creatures (the ritualists) wishing to become hextomb bound must build a hexagonal mausoleum (a hextomb), ten feet per wall, with six deep graves radiating from the central point.

The ritualists must then gather up 6 innocents a piece, for a total of 36. After casting unhallow, blasphemy and desecrate on the hextomb, the ritualists must cast contagion, symbol of pain, and symbol of insanity in such a way as to affect all innocents. Each innocent must suffer the full effects of the contagion, symbol of pain, and symbol of insanity effects or the ritual will not work. After this, the ritualists must bury the innocents alive in the six graves. The ritualists must sleep on top of the graves--one per grave--and will acquire the hextomb bound template during the course of the night.

Destroying a Hextomb Bound
In order to fully destroy a hextomb bound creature, all six of the hextomb bound who performed the ritual must all be dead at the same time. Note that when slain a hextomb bound remains effectively "dead" for 2d4+2 hours before reviving itself. However, this only destroys their physical bodies. If the hextomb itself is not destroyed within 1d3-1 (0 meaning "immediately") days after the destruction of the ritualists, it raises each of the ritualists as ghosts. The ritualists acquire the effects of the ghost template as well as keep the hextomb bound template. Usually the first thing that the ritualists will do is seek revenge.

In order to destroy the hextomb itself, a consecrate and hallow spell must be cast within the hextomb, and raise dead must be cast on each of the graves inside. Finally, the mausoleum must be destroyed or otherwise taken apart. This can be accomplished while the ritualists are either dead or in ghost form, but is easier to accomplish while they are dead.

[Lord Iames Osari]

I was going to ask if Profane Immunity protects even against antimagic fields, but then I noticed that Profane Immunity is a Supernatural quality. So, therefore, it ceases to function in an antimagic field, which means that the creature's other magical profane bonuses lose the protection of Profane Immunity and are negated by the AMF, rendering the whole question moot, since the Profane Immunity quality, even if it is intended to protect against AMFs, does not grant a profane bonus itself, and so would not itself be subject to any such protection.

[Fax Celestis]

An AMF is pretty much the only thing that will turn off Profane Immunity, yes. Its more as a counteraction to positive energy effects that temporarily negate profane bonuses, for instance.

[Lord Iames Osari]

Ah, I see.

[Lord Iames Osari]

Bump. Keep voting, people!

[Matthew]

I think that this Template could do with some more fluff for those not fully acquainted with the origins of this sort of thing (like me!)

[DracoDei]

It is creepy, and has thematic depth... it gets my vote.

[ArmorArmadillo]

Amazing work as always...
I'm really seeing the virtue of this as a major part of a campaign, in which each of the Hextomb is a unique and flavorful baddie in his own right, and together they form an evil group.

You may want to make the regeneration time 2d4+2 days instead of hours, as 6 seperate Hextomb bound makes it really hard to kill significant numbers of them before they all regenerate.

I'm wondering about the LA, as it seems somewhat innapropriate for use as a PC, but I suppose there's no real harm in it.

[DracoDei]

You may want to make the regeneration time 2d4+2 days instead of hours, as 6 seperate Hextomb bound makes it really hard to kill significant numbers of them before they all regenerate.
The operative term MAY be "recurring villains".

[ArmorArmadillo]

The operative term MAY be "recurring villains".While, recurring villains don't recur every 3 hours.

[Zherog]

Comments, suggestions, opinions, and other stuff. Unlike my usual feedback, this time I did read the stuff others have posted...


Creating a Hextomb Bound
Hextomb bound is an acquired template that can be applied to any sentient, evil, living creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature).

What do you mean be "sentient?" Is it any creature with an Int score? Is it any creature with an Int score higher than 3? Some other definition?


Size and Type
The creature’s type does not change, although it does acquire the (Evil) and (Augmented) subtypes. It uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Because your type didn't change, you don't qualify for the Augmented subtype.


Augmented Subtype: A creature receives this subtype whenever something happens to change its original type. Some creatures (those with an inherited template) are born with this subtype; others acquire it when they take on an acquired template. The augmented subtype is always paired with the creature’s original type. A creature with the augmented subtype usually has the traits of its current type, but the features of its original type.

That said, is there a reason you didn't just change their type to undead?


Hit Dice
The base creature's hit dice alter up two steps, so that d4s become d8s, d6s become d10s, and d8s become d12s. If the base creature's hit dice were d10s, the dice become d12s and the base creature receives an additional hit point per die. If the base creature's hit dice were d12s, the dice do not upgrade, but the base creature receives an additional 2 points per die.

One of the wonderful things about the d20 system (in my opinion) is its consistency. I know constructs always have a d10 hit die; I know dragons always have a d12 hit die; I know plants always have a d8 hit die. I have a strong aversion to things that destroy that consistency - like, for example, this.

My advice: Don't do it. First, it flies in the face of the basic rules of the system (creatures of a certain type have a certain hit die, a certain BAB, etc). Second, it can only serve to confuse some people, and creating confusion is never good. Third, you're really looking at a chance to create more errors, because there's things that aren't consstent with the system.

My advice, part 2: Change type to undead, and have that recalculate hit points, BAB, and saves based on the new hit die. Grant a bonus to hit points of +2 per hit die; call it a profane bonus, because it fits the flavor. If you really want to toughen them up, grant them bonus hit dice of the undead type.

The downside to this method, of course, is you pooch the BAB of melee classes even more - your method drops their BAB to 3/4 hit dice; my method drops it to 1/2. So maybe we don't recalculate BAB and saves - just hit dice. OK - I've just talked myself into that. :)


Armor Class
The base creature receives a profane bonus to their Armor Class equal to 1/2 their hit dice.

I'll talk about this more when I get to the CR; just remember that this bonus is going to fluctuate wildly based on the hit dice of the creatures involved.


Attacks
The base creature retains all natural weapons and weapon proficiencies. The hextomb bound's base attack bonus changes to that of a cleric of the same hit dice, even if this would lower their base attack bonus.

I would avoid changing BAB, for all the reasons I would avoid changing hit dice. What you can do, of course, is grant a profane bonus on attack rolls.


Damage Reduction (Ex)
A hextomb bound creature has damage reduction 15/good.

I think I'd prefer to see it scale by the original creature's hit dice. Just as a ridiculous example: applying the template to a 1st level warrior goblin results in a CR 5 creature. Fifth level PCs can't afford holy weapons for bypassing DR. If there's a paladin in the group, you have a chance to get through the DR - if she prepped the right spell that day.


Spell Resistance (Ex)
A hextomb bound creature has spell resistance equal to 10 plus their Hit Dice.

On first glance, I thought this was too good. However, I'm going to need to ponder.

My thinking was that there's a lot of critters that have way more hit dice than their CR - especially undead. And so with those beasties, you'll be creating SR beyond the abilities of the characters. But doing some quick math, I'm second guessing that opinion. So, for now, I think it's probably OK overall; and it might actually be a bit weak on some creatures.


Fast Healing (Su)
A hextomb bound creature gains fast healing equal to 1 point per Hit Die and can reattach missing limbs by holding the severed limb to the wound.

This is another ability that on first glance looks too good for the CR. That'll be especially true on low CR, high hit die monsters.


Create Undead (Sp)
A hextomb bound creature can create undead through its spell-like abilities. Twelve times a day, a hextomb bound can cast animate dead, as the spell. Six times a day, a hextomb bound creature can cast create undead, as the spell. Three times a day, a hextomb bound can cast create greater undead, as the spell. All these spell-like abilities use the base creature's Hit Dice as Caster Level.

Wow - a necromancer's wet dream!




Aversions (Su)
A hextomb bound creature's mind becomes twisted in the process of its transformation. All hextomb bound cannot stand the scent of mint or vanilla, though it does not harm them.

Does this actually serve any purpose, or is it to create a Monty Python-esque, "Your mother smelled of mint and vanilla! Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!" type moment? ;)


Hextomb Dependency (Su)
A hextomb bound must remain within six hundred and sixty six miles of the hextomb or immediately receive one negative level. This negative level cannot be dispelled and remains until the hextomb bound returns within that area. In addition, if the hextomb bound does not spend at least one night every thirty-six days in the hextomb, they again receive a negative level until they do spend a night in the hextomb. Once afflicted with one negative level for missing a night, they continue to receive negative levels at a rate of one level per night if they fail to sleep in the hextomb.

Should a hextomb bound die due to negative levels gained in this way, their soul is immediately consumed by the negative energy of the hextomb. All other hextomb bound must make a Fortitude save versus a DC equal to 10 + the slain hextomb bound's ECL or succumb to a similar fate. Should one of the other hextomb bound fail this save, the remaining must make a similar save or also be consumed.

Creatures with negative levels are entitled to a Fort save to avoid having the negative level become permanent. What's the DC for that with this weakness?


Abilities
The base creature receives a +3 profane bonus to all its ability scores.

You should always make ability bonuses even numbers.


Skills
The base creature receives a +2 profane bonus to each skill it already has ranks in.

I've learned more about grammar and writing style in the past three years or so than I did in my 12 years of "regular" school (including supposedly advanced level English classes) and 4 years of college.

However, one rule I did know prior to attempting to work as a freelancer was, "never end a sentence in a preposition." Now, there's a lot of times that "rule" can be ignored, because the new sentence is clunky and difficult to understand. But this ability could be rewritten to follow the rule and make sense.


The base creature receives a +2 profane bonus to all skills in which it already possessed at least one rank.


Alignment
Always evil.

Ya don't say... :smalltongue:


CR
+5

LA
+8

I'm really bad at guestimating LA - especially because I think a lot of the ones from WotC are horribly over-priced.

I'm a bit better at CR, though. And I think in this case, you've missed the mark - sort of. I really think the CR on this should be tied directly to the amount of hit dice the base creature has. That's especially true if you decide I'm right ( :smallwink: ) and rework some of the abilities above to based more directly on the base creature's hit dice.

The way to figure it out, of course, is to apply the template to all sorts of base characters and then try to judge the CR of each of those. If you see a pattern developing where it's more (or less) beneficial to a creature in a certain CR band, then you know you need a scaling CR. If it seems to affect all your sample creatures about the same, you certainly can go with the "flat" CR increase (though you may have to adjust up or down).


Becoming a Hextomb Bound
>>snip<<

The ritualists must then gather up 6 innocents a piece, for a total of 36. After casting unhallow, blasphemy and desecrate on the hextomb, the ritualists must cast contagion, symbol of pain, and symbol of insanity in such a way as to affect all innocents. Each innocent must suffer the full effects of the contagion, symbol of pain, and symbol of insanity effects or the ritual will not work. After this, the ritualists must bury the innocents alive in the six graves. The ritualists must sleep on top of the graves--one per grave--and will acquire the hextomb bound template during the course of the night.

So, there's 36 innocents involved. And there's six really nasty dudes (or dudettes ;) ), sitting around in a circle trying to ruin the day of those 36 innocents.

Question 1: Contagion is a touch spell; if I'm a Really Bad Dude(tm) looking to acquire this template, do I need to touch all 36 innocents, or just the 6 I rounded up?

Question 2: Law of Averages says at least one Innocent will make his/her Fort save against contagion at some point during the ritual. I assume it can be recast over and over until the innocent fails?

Question 3: Well, really, more of a comment. You should define "innocent." Is that somebody of a good alignment? Can it be a 1st level commoner, or do they have to have a certain minimum number of hit dice?


Destroying a Hextomb Bound
In order to fully destroy a hextomb bound creature, all six of the hextomb bound who performed the ritual must all be dead at the same time. Note that when slain a hextomb bound remains effectively "dead" for 2d4+2 hours before reviving itself. However, this only destroys their physical bodies. If the hextomb itself is not destroyed within 1d3-1 (0 meaning "immediately") days after the destruction of the ritualists, it raises each of the ritualists as ghosts. The ritualists acquire the effects of the ghost template as well as keep the hextomb bound template. Usually the first thing that the ritualists will do is seek revenge.

In order to destroy the hextomb itself, a consecrate and hallow spell must be cast within the hextomb, and raise dead must be cast on each of the graves inside. Finally, the mausoleum must be destroyed or otherwise taken apart. This can be accomplished while the ritualists are either dead or in ghost form, but is easier to accomplish while they are dead.

So, a cleric needs to be able to cast 7 5th level spells in order to destroy a hextomb (6 raise dead and one hallow). Which means my cleric is either buying a bunch of scrolls, or he's pretty high level already and can afford to use all his 5th level slots for these spells.

How does a cleric learn about what is needed to do the deed? Sounds like a Knowledge (religion) check, but what's the DC?

***

Overall impression: This template is really complicated, in my opinion. No, 'complicated' isn't the right word. It's really involved, though. A GM isn't going to slap this template on a random critter and have a fight with the PCs. Instead, he's going to choose to use this from the very beginning of the campaign, with the fight in the hextomb the likely campaign finale. He's going to have the PCs face off against a lot of undead, because that's what the Really Bad Dudes are good at doing - especially after getting the template.

[Fax Celestis]

...I'll...have to get back to you on those, Zherog. Some good points, some I don't have answers for...Yeah. I'll get back to you.

[DracoDei]

A change of type is a big deal... something that 'self-resurrects' and ISN'T vulnerable to all the things an undead is vulnerable to is an extra-challenge. Thus I have to say DON'T change the type.

Dragon Disciple does funky things to your HD... I wouldn't be afraid to bend the rules from time to time, and this looks like one of those times.

Also note that because of the ritual required to become a Hex-Tomb Bound this is NEVER going to apply to low CR/HD creatures. This solves a lot of the scaling problems, ('DR 15/good' for instance),

[Zherog]

Also note that because of the ritual required to become a Hex-Tomb Bound this is NEVER going to apply to low CR/HD creatures. This solves a lot of the scaling problems, ('DR 15/good' for instance),

So give that goblin a level in expert instead, and make UMD one of his class skills. His level priest buddy - who's forcing him to do this, actually - gives him a cloak of Charisma +6 and an item that boosts UMD.

There's ways for low-CR critters to perform the ritual. They might be ridiculous, but they're there.



Dragon Disciple does funky things to your HD... I wouldn't be afraid to bend the rules from time to time, and this looks like one of those times.

No, it doesn't. But the half-dragon template does. That changes your type to dragon and increases your hit die one size. It doesn't recompute BAB or saves, though.