Neek
2007-05-18, 08:47 PM
I just got Pan's Labyrinth on DVD, and when watching it, there was this creature in there, the Pale Man, which seemed to be an awesomely designed creature. It was an interesting thing, having eyes in its hands, and moving as slow.
This is actually my first stab at homebrewing a monster, so bear with me if I've miscalculated its CR. If it's any good, let me know if I should submit into the MitP.
Pale Man
http://www.penguindeskjob.com/wiki/images/8/89/Pale_Man.jpg
Medium-sized Aberration [Extraplanar]
Hit Dice: 6d8+18 (Average 45)
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)
Initiative: -1 (-1 Dex)
Armor Class: 15 (-1 Dex, +6 natural); touch 9; flat-footed 15
Base Attack Bonus/Grapple: +4/+10 (+4 BAB, +1 Str, +4 Improved Grapple, +1 Weapon Focus (Grapple))
Attack: 2 claws +5 (1d6+1)
Full-Attack: 2 claws +5 (1d6+1), Bite +5 (1d4+1, 19-20)
Space/Reach: 5ft./5ft.
Special Attacks: Gluttonous Grapple, Rake
Special Qualities: Feast (Sp), Darkvision (Su), Frightful Presence (Su), Invitation (Sp)
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +5
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 8, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 15
Skills: Intimidate +5, Listen +4, Profession (Cook) +3, Search +2, Spot +6
Feats: Improved Grapple, Multi-Attack, Weapon Focus (Grapple)
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary (1), Convent (2-5)
Challenge Rating 6
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Advancement: HD 7-10 (Large)
Pale Men are vile creatures that inhabit large dungeon chambers which they have decorated. They are flesh-eating, always consuming and always hungry but bound to its lair at all times. A Pale Man's favorite food is children, but will enjoy any meal when it can. They are voracious eaters, able to consume a medium size creature in short time.
A Pale Man stands about five or six feet tall, and have faces that lack a nose or eyes. Rather, only a blood-stained toothy maw and two holes for nostrils feature its face, and its chin hangs with jowls. The creature wears no clothes, and has white, flabby skin. Its arms are long and thin, and tipped with sharp black claws. Its legs are gaunt and bony, and it moves with a slow gait. In the center of each hand is an eyeball with a deep red iris.
When first encountered, the Pale Man sits at the head of a long table that is covered in a grand buffet and drinks. Bowls overflow with seasoned, cooked meat, or hang with giant grapes and dates. Flagons of wine and steins of beers sit atop as well. Surrounding the room, there are paintings and murals, generally, however, of cannibalistic acts--the Pale Man cutting up children, cooking them, eating them. It is not sure whether the Pale Men themselves produces these works, or they are placed in here as a warning to others. None have ever witnessed and lived to tell about what the Pale Men do alone.
In the room, there stands a pile of 'treasure' of previous people who have entered the dungeon--generally just shoes and other small items. The Pale Man remains totally still, unaware and uncaring of its surroundings, that is, until someone either touches it or consumes even the smallest bite or smallest sip from the feat.
Pale Man can understand Common, but cannot speak it. They can only speak Abyssal.
Combat
The Pale Man will always go for the tastiest target first, but won't consume it immediately. The youngest of the party is always considered first, and it will make a straight path, attempting to bring down anything in its way. The creature relishes in agonizing its main course, so it will torture and kill those around it first.
As the creatures hands contain its eyes, it is considered blinded if it grapples a creature with both arms. It can independently see with both eyes, and so does not suffer any penalties if it has a creature grappled with one hand, and is looking with the other.
Gluttonous Grapple (Su) The Pale Man may make a bite attack as a free action if it succeeds either grappling a creature, or begins the round grappling another creature. A Tiny or smaller creature can be swallowed whole by a Gluttonous Grapple; when the Pale Man succeeds at grappling a Tiny or smaller creature, it automatically takes bite damage and is considered to be swallowed. Every round it is in the stomach, it takes 1d4+1 acid damage. The swallowed creature may attempt to cut its way out out. Doing so requires at least 10 points of Slash or Pierce damage against the stomach wall (AC 13).
Rake (Su) The Pale Man attacks with both it claws at no penalty if it begins the round grappling a creature. The Pale Man must already be grabbling, it cannot grapple and rake a creature in the same round.
Special Qualities
Feast (Sp) Once per day, as a spell-like ability, the Pale Man can summon forth an entire feast of food, containing various foods and drinks. The effective caster level of this ability is equal to the Pale Man's HD, and uses its Charisma bonus as a Sorcerer. When a creature approaches less than 10 feet from the table, he must make a Will save (DC 20) or become enamored by the feast before him and will consume as much as he desires. He ignores any attempts to be dissuaded, and will ignore even the Pale Man itself, and is momentarily considered immune to its Frightful Presence. This is a mind-affecting Enchantment (Compulsion).
Darkvision (Su) A Pale Man has Darkvision of 60 feet. In order to use it, it must hold its hands up to where its eyes should be; this is considered to be a move-equivalent action.
Frightful Presence (Su) When the creature begins to animate and moves, its general appearance is enough to strike a shaking fear into the people in its lair. Any creature within 30 feet, the HD of which is lesser than or equal to the HD of the Pale Man must succeed at a Will save (DC 15), or be shaken for 5d6 rounds. If the roll is failed by greater than 10, the creature is frightened.
Invitation (Sp) The Pale Man, once per month as a spell-like ability, may attempt to send out an invitation to its lair to a random child that lives within a 20 mile radius from the lair. The effective caster level of this ability is equal to one half the Pale Man's HD, rounded down, and uses its Charisma bonus as a Sorcerer. The child must succeed at a Will save, DC 15, or be compelled to travel to the lair.
Advancement The Pale Man can grow in size to a Large creature. When it becomes Large, it can swallow whole up to Medium sized creatures using its gluttonous grapple; the minimum damage to cut a way out is increased to 20.
Criticisms? Clarifications?
This is actually my first stab at homebrewing a monster, so bear with me if I've miscalculated its CR. If it's any good, let me know if I should submit into the MitP.
Pale Man
http://www.penguindeskjob.com/wiki/images/8/89/Pale_Man.jpg
Medium-sized Aberration [Extraplanar]
Hit Dice: 6d8+18 (Average 45)
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)
Initiative: -1 (-1 Dex)
Armor Class: 15 (-1 Dex, +6 natural); touch 9; flat-footed 15
Base Attack Bonus/Grapple: +4/+10 (+4 BAB, +1 Str, +4 Improved Grapple, +1 Weapon Focus (Grapple))
Attack: 2 claws +5 (1d6+1)
Full-Attack: 2 claws +5 (1d6+1), Bite +5 (1d4+1, 19-20)
Space/Reach: 5ft./5ft.
Special Attacks: Gluttonous Grapple, Rake
Special Qualities: Feast (Sp), Darkvision (Su), Frightful Presence (Su), Invitation (Sp)
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +5
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 8, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 15
Skills: Intimidate +5, Listen +4, Profession (Cook) +3, Search +2, Spot +6
Feats: Improved Grapple, Multi-Attack, Weapon Focus (Grapple)
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary (1), Convent (2-5)
Challenge Rating 6
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Advancement: HD 7-10 (Large)
Pale Men are vile creatures that inhabit large dungeon chambers which they have decorated. They are flesh-eating, always consuming and always hungry but bound to its lair at all times. A Pale Man's favorite food is children, but will enjoy any meal when it can. They are voracious eaters, able to consume a medium size creature in short time.
A Pale Man stands about five or six feet tall, and have faces that lack a nose or eyes. Rather, only a blood-stained toothy maw and two holes for nostrils feature its face, and its chin hangs with jowls. The creature wears no clothes, and has white, flabby skin. Its arms are long and thin, and tipped with sharp black claws. Its legs are gaunt and bony, and it moves with a slow gait. In the center of each hand is an eyeball with a deep red iris.
When first encountered, the Pale Man sits at the head of a long table that is covered in a grand buffet and drinks. Bowls overflow with seasoned, cooked meat, or hang with giant grapes and dates. Flagons of wine and steins of beers sit atop as well. Surrounding the room, there are paintings and murals, generally, however, of cannibalistic acts--the Pale Man cutting up children, cooking them, eating them. It is not sure whether the Pale Men themselves produces these works, or they are placed in here as a warning to others. None have ever witnessed and lived to tell about what the Pale Men do alone.
In the room, there stands a pile of 'treasure' of previous people who have entered the dungeon--generally just shoes and other small items. The Pale Man remains totally still, unaware and uncaring of its surroundings, that is, until someone either touches it or consumes even the smallest bite or smallest sip from the feat.
Pale Man can understand Common, but cannot speak it. They can only speak Abyssal.
Combat
The Pale Man will always go for the tastiest target first, but won't consume it immediately. The youngest of the party is always considered first, and it will make a straight path, attempting to bring down anything in its way. The creature relishes in agonizing its main course, so it will torture and kill those around it first.
As the creatures hands contain its eyes, it is considered blinded if it grapples a creature with both arms. It can independently see with both eyes, and so does not suffer any penalties if it has a creature grappled with one hand, and is looking with the other.
Gluttonous Grapple (Su) The Pale Man may make a bite attack as a free action if it succeeds either grappling a creature, or begins the round grappling another creature. A Tiny or smaller creature can be swallowed whole by a Gluttonous Grapple; when the Pale Man succeeds at grappling a Tiny or smaller creature, it automatically takes bite damage and is considered to be swallowed. Every round it is in the stomach, it takes 1d4+1 acid damage. The swallowed creature may attempt to cut its way out out. Doing so requires at least 10 points of Slash or Pierce damage against the stomach wall (AC 13).
Rake (Su) The Pale Man attacks with both it claws at no penalty if it begins the round grappling a creature. The Pale Man must already be grabbling, it cannot grapple and rake a creature in the same round.
Special Qualities
Feast (Sp) Once per day, as a spell-like ability, the Pale Man can summon forth an entire feast of food, containing various foods and drinks. The effective caster level of this ability is equal to the Pale Man's HD, and uses its Charisma bonus as a Sorcerer. When a creature approaches less than 10 feet from the table, he must make a Will save (DC 20) or become enamored by the feast before him and will consume as much as he desires. He ignores any attempts to be dissuaded, and will ignore even the Pale Man itself, and is momentarily considered immune to its Frightful Presence. This is a mind-affecting Enchantment (Compulsion).
Darkvision (Su) A Pale Man has Darkvision of 60 feet. In order to use it, it must hold its hands up to where its eyes should be; this is considered to be a move-equivalent action.
Frightful Presence (Su) When the creature begins to animate and moves, its general appearance is enough to strike a shaking fear into the people in its lair. Any creature within 30 feet, the HD of which is lesser than or equal to the HD of the Pale Man must succeed at a Will save (DC 15), or be shaken for 5d6 rounds. If the roll is failed by greater than 10, the creature is frightened.
Invitation (Sp) The Pale Man, once per month as a spell-like ability, may attempt to send out an invitation to its lair to a random child that lives within a 20 mile radius from the lair. The effective caster level of this ability is equal to one half the Pale Man's HD, rounded down, and uses its Charisma bonus as a Sorcerer. The child must succeed at a Will save, DC 15, or be compelled to travel to the lair.
Advancement The Pale Man can grow in size to a Large creature. When it becomes Large, it can swallow whole up to Medium sized creatures using its gluttonous grapple; the minimum damage to cut a way out is increased to 20.
Criticisms? Clarifications?