PDA

View Full Version : [Creature] Pustulith - Feedback wanted



reese99
2008-02-05, 01:25 PM
Hello everyone,

I drew up the following critter in hopes of making a demonic version of a Spawn of Kyuss (MM2) who was tough enough to threaten a party of six 5th level characters (all of whom are a bit tougher than the average 5th level character) for at least a few rounds. I'd love some feedback on anything you feel needs toning down or beefing up. I've estimated the CR at 7, but it's probably very close to 8.

My game starts on Sunday and I'm really looking forward to running this encounter. Any feedback you can give would be appreciated.

--
Pustulith (Abyssal Slaver)
CE Medium Outsider (Extraplanar, Chaotic, Evil)

HD 7d8+14 (46 HP's)
Speed 50 ft (10 squares), Climb 50 ft (10 squares)
Init: +1
AC 16 (10 base + 5 dex, +1 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 11
- DR 5/good, Fast Healing 5
- Immunities electricity, poison, fear
- Resists fire 10, cold 10
- SR 13
BAB +7; Grp +8
Attack claws +13 (1d4+1/x2) plus “Corruption”
Full-Attack 2x claws +13/+13 (1d4+1/x2) + bite +10 (1d8+1/x2)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks see below
Special Qualities Hide in Plain Sight, Telepathy 100ft., spider climb, sure-footed, blindsense 60ft, track
Saves Fort +7 Ref +10 Will +7
Abilities Str 13, Dex 20, Con 14, Int 15, Wis 15, Cha 14
Skills Bluff +14, Climb +16, Jump +16, Hide +14, Move Silently +14, Listen +11, Spot +11, Search +11, Survival +14, Tumble +14
Feats Multi-attack, Weapon Focus (claws), Weapon Finesse, Dark Speech
Environment A chaotic-evil aligned plane
Organization solitary, group (3-6), gang (10-13)
Challenge Rating 7
Treasure None
Alignment always Chaotic Evil
Advancement 8-12 HD (medium)
Level Adjustment +6

Dread Aura 15 ft. (Su) – Anyone within the radius of this aura must make a Will save (DC 15) vs. fear. On a failed save, the victim is Cowering (DMG 300) and can take no actions. They may make another save each round they remain in the aura. On any successful save, the victim is Shaken (DMG 301) and will remain so until they leave the aura’s radius. Anyone leaving the aura’s radius is immediately restored to their normal state. Anyone immune to fear is immune to this effect.

Corruption (Ex) – on any successful attack that does damage, the Pustulith can infect a wound with a Corruption Spore as a free action. The spore looks like a 1-inch blob of mucus or pus that moves of its own volition. While outside the wound, the spore has AC 10 and 1 HP. On the Pustulith’s next action, the spore burrows under the victim's skin, doing 1 point of damage each round. After 1d4+1 rounds, the spore will reach the victim's brain, causing 1d2 points of INT damage, and forcing a will save, DC 15, or become dominated by the will of the Pustulith. If the victim makes their save, the spore will keep trying, doing 1d2 more points of INT damage each round, until the victim either fails a save or is reduced to 0 INT, at which time they die. A person dominated by a corruption spore can make another save attempt every 24 hours to break free, but will trigger still more INT damage in doing so. Most victims accept their terrible fate rather than face the certain death that resistance will bring. The spore can be killed with a 'remove curse' or 'remove disease' spell. A 'neutralize poison' or 'dispel evil' spell will stun the spore for 5 minutes. The spore can also be removed before it reaches the victim’s brain with a Heal skill roll of 20, but doing so causes the victim 2d6 points of damage as the spore is dug out. While multiple spores can be placed on a single victim, the INT drain and dominate effects are not additive. Any spell which kills one spore will kill all spores on or in the victim.

Vile Utterance (Su) - Once per day as a standard action, the Pustulith can utter a power word in Vile Speech ("Uhlcor-Abbashic"), forcing all within 30' who can hear the words to make a Fort save (DC 15). A player who makes their save takes 2d6 damage, but suffers no other effects. Those who fail the save take 2d6 damage and are nauseated for 1d2 rounds and sickened for an additional 1d4 rounds after that.

Description: Pustuliths look like an athletic human whose skin has been removed and who has had the top half of their head cut off. These eyeless beings often appear to sense nearby prey via scent, though no one actually knows what sense they use for their impeccable tracking. The Pustulith is very fast, and their form seems to shimmer with an unreality, allowing them to shift some melee damage off of their material forms. Because Pustuliths are still partially in their home plane, they are more vulnerable to Dismissal and Banishment spells, getting no spell resistance against those spells. Their bodies are also riddled with angry, swollen pustules with shiny black heads.

Pustuliths will use their telepathy to confuse, intimidate or taunt their foes. Because they are demons, they take delight in causing terror, rage and grief in their opponents. Pustuliths rarely attempt to kill anyone (and, indeed, are poorly equipped to do so), preferring instead to dominate them using their corruption ability Pustuliths will often use corrupted humans as disposable shields in combat, and delight in doing so with the loved ones of people it fights, often mutilating them before the fight, to further sow horror in their victims.

Use of their Vile Utterance ability is usually reserved for when they feel their life is threatened, allowing them to make a hasty retreat, or infect more victims, as the situation merits. It should be noted that the use of a Vile Power Word has a rather dramatic effect on reality. Nearby debris and rocks rattle and shatter. The air feels palpably heavier, and sound seems muffled, as if from a sonic attack, for several rounds afterwards. As this is Dark Speech (BoVD 48), anyone who attempts to repeat the words spoken by the Pustulith will likely suffer immediate death (or a confluence of dramatically unlikely accidents which cause their death), unless they have the Dark Speech feat.

Pustuliths can be drawn to the Prime Material Plane via rituals, or called by other demons already in the Prime Material Plane. They are often used to prepare an area for invasion, or subversion by powers greater than themselves.

As an interesting aside, the portion of the Pustulith which always remains in the Abyssal plane is actually a Large-sized creature. The medium form they send to other planes hangs from their true form almost like a fishing lure. Anyone viewing them with True Sight will be able to see their whole form: a nexus of many bulbous, spidery legs and long, bony claws and a multi-jointed tail which arcs over the mass of legs and claws to dangle the mutilated humanoid lure in front. The only part of the Pustulith that might be called a head or body is on the lure.

(edited for formatting and typos)