Ah, but doesnt the DMG suggest swapping stuff out as the simplest and most effective way to homebrew? There are a lot of perfectly good stat blocks out there just waiting to be stripped of their abilities and re-arranged. I turned a Chimera into a Nue for an ancient japanese setting game I ran not to long ago. Player's never even guessed it wasnt completely original when I got through with it. (It was an epic battle, like 5 rounds. not bad for 6 players.)

Nue, for those who are interested. (Not finalized, just cobbled together. Not going to bother with formatting, I'm going to bed.)
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Nue
Large Outsider
Hit Dice: 9d10+27 (85 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), fly 50 ft. (Good)
Armor Class: 22 (–1 size, +3 Dex, +10 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+19
Attack: Bite +14 melee (2d6+6)
Full Attack: Bite +14 melee (2d6+6) and bite +12 melee (1d8+6, Poison) and 2 claws +12 melee (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Miasma
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent, Immunity to Poison, Resistance to Acid, Cold, Electricity, and Fire 10, DR 5/Magic, SR 19
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +9, Will +7
Abilities: Str 23, Dex 19, Con 17, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 16
Skills: Hide +11, Listen +17, Spot +17, Bluff +15, Sense Motive +13, Knowledge (Nature) +14, Move silently +16, Intimidate +15, Move silently +16, Swim +18
Feats: Alertness, Hover, Ability focus (Miasma), Multiattack
Environment: Temperate hills
Organization: Solitary, pride (3–5), or flight (6–13)
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
Advancement: 10–13 HD (Large); 14–27 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: +2 (cohort)


This mysterious creature is usually described as having the head of a monkey, the body of a tanuki, the limbs of a tiger, and a snake tail. A Youma of illness, they bring disease wherever they travel.
A Nue is about 5 feet tall at the shoulder, nearly 10 feet long, and weighs about 4,000 pounds. Nue can speak Yomi, Spirit tongue, and Common, but seldom bother to do so.

COMBAT
Spell-like abilities: 3/day: Contagion (Fort DC17) 1/day: Desecrate, Poison (Fort DC17), Nightmare (Will DC 18), Unholy blight (Will DC17),

Miasma: Nue are known to descend upon their victims wreathed in a cloak of black cloud. At its option, the Nue is constantly surrounded by a stinking cloud effect, as the spell, that Nauseates creatures within 10ft of the Nue unless they succeed at a DC 18 fortitude save. The save DC is constitution-based and includes a +2 bonus from the Ability Focus feat. Activating or deactivating the miasma is a standard action.

Change shape (Su): A nue can assume any humanoid form, or revert to its own form, as a standard action. In humanoid form, a nue loses its claw and bite attacks (although it often equips itself with weapons and armor instead). A nue remains in one form until it chooses to assume a new one. A change in form cannot be dispelled, but the nue reverts to its natural form when killed. A true seeing spell reveals its natural form.

Skills: A Nue’s two heads give it a +2 racial bonus on Spot and Listen checks.


A lot of people seem to have this perception that they have to create something entirely new to accomplish what they're after, but really its just a matter of reconceiving something that is already close. Is it easier to do it that way than making something from scratch? Almost surely. Is it any less creative? I dont really think so. You still came up with a cool idea and made a stat block represent that. How you get there isnt really important in the long run. [/ rant]