Left 4 Dead monsters

[GrimzagGorwazza]

Hi guys. So i had a bit of inspiration from reading Dire_stirges Minecraft thread on here for transferring Mincraft beasties into a dnd world and figured that some of the monsters from Left for dead could make great additions to a D&D campaign. Now this is my first attempt at a homebrew monster and i've borrowed quite heavily from the roper and zombie creatures to try and make it. I have no idea how to go about working out its CR . Any feedback is appreciated. Lemme know what you think.

Smoker
Size/Type: Medium Undead
Hit Dice: 4d12+3 (29hp)
Initiative: 1
Speed: 30 ft (can't run)
Armor Class: 13 (+1dex, +2natural,), touch 11, flat footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+3
Attack: Tongue +4 ranged touch (drag) or slam +3 melee (1d6+1)
Full Attack: Tongue +4 ranged touch (drag) or slam +3 melee (1d6+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. (100 ft. with Tongue)
Special Attacks: Drag, Constrict 1d6+1, Tongue
Special Qualities: Single actions only, damage reduction 5/slashing, darkvision 60 ft., undead traits
Saves: Fort +1, Ref -1, Will +4
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 12, Con Ø, Int 2, Wis 10, Cha 1
Skills: -
Feats: Toughness, Weapon Focus (tongue)
Environment: Any
Organization: Any
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral evil
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: —

Smokers are horrid mutations amongst the already rotting dead, something in the magic that has animated them or the disease that was already present within their bodies has removed them from the standard ranks of the shuffling hordes.

Combat
Smokers are usually preceded by their hacking cough and unlike other zombies are prone to hang back from their prey, waiting in ambush to snare an unwary adventurer with its tongue attack and drag them to their doom.

Drag (Ex)
If a Smoker hits with its Tongue attack, the tongue latches onto the opponent’s body. This deals no damage but drags the stuck opponent 20 feet closer each subsequent round (provoking no attack of opportunity) unless that creature breaks free, which requires a DC 19 Escape Artist check or a DC 15 Strength check. A Smoker can draw in a creature within 5 feet of itself and slam with a +3 attack bonus in the same round. The tongue has 10 hit points and can be attacked by making a successful sunder attempt. However, attacking a Smokers tongue does not provoke an attack of opportunity. If the tongue is currently attached to a target, the smoker takes a -4 penalty on its opposed attack roll to resist the sunder attempt. Severing the tongue deals no damage to a smoker.

Tongue (Ex)
Most encounters with a smoker begin when it fires its strong, sticky tongue. The creature can strike up to 100 feet away (no range increment). If a tongue is severed, the smoker can extrude a new one in two turns as a free action.

Constrict (Ex)
Whenever a target creature is caught in such a way that it cannot be dragged, the smoker's tongue will tighten around its victim, squeezing the life out of it instead. If a victim that is grabbed cannot be pulled towards the smoker because of intervening models or terrain, the smoker will instead use its Constrict ability, dealing 1d6+1 points of bludgeoning damage

Damage Reduction (Ex)
A Smoker has damage reduction 5/slashing. Smokers are lumbering masses of flesh.

Single Actions Only (Ex)
Smokers have poor reflexes and can perform only a single move action or attack action each round. A Smoker can move up to its speed and attack in the same round, but only if it attempts a charge.

[Debihuman]

Hi guys. So i had a bit of inspiration from reading Dire_stirges Minecraft thread on here for transferring Minecraft beasties into a D&D world and figured that some of the monsters from Left for Dead could make great additions to a D&D campaign. Now this is my first attempt at a homebrew monster and i've borrowed quite heavily from the roper and zombie creatures to try and make it. I have no idea how to go about working out its CR . Any feedback is appreciated. Lemme know what you think..

Interesting monster. You've done a good job with this just a few minor issues. Shuffling hoarding should be a shuffling horde. Hoards are treasure, hordes are people (even undead people :-) ).

You forgot to add the +1 to attack for Weapon Focus to the attack line for the tongue. Should be +4 not +3 (BAB + 2, +1 Dex +1 Weapon Focus)

How did you arrive at Drag's DC numbers? Normally DC is BAB + 1/2 Creature's HD and Relevant Ability Modifier DC. Strength check should be Strength based and DC 15 and 19 for Escape Artist (including a +4 racial modifier to Escape Artist).

Constrict Ability is missing the word "target" in the second sentence. Also, you could phrase some of that a bit better.

Constrict (EX): Whenever a target creature is caught in such a way that it cannot be dragged, the smoker's tongue will tighten around its victim, squeezing the life out of it instead. If a victim that is grabbed cannot be pulled towards the smoker because of intervening models or terrain, the smoker will instead use its Constrict ability, dealing 1d6+1 points of bludgeoning damage.

The Special Ability Single Actions Only is missing in text under Combat section. I based this off the Zombie text in the SRD.

Single Actions Only (Ex): Smokers have poor reflexes and can perform only a single move action or attack action each round. A smoker can move up to its speed and attack in the same round, but only if it attempts a charge.

Since it has no Int score,it should not have feats except for Bonus feats so you need a bonus designator there. ^B or (B)

JUst eyeballing this, CR 3.

Debby

[GrimzagGorwazza]

Interesting monster. You've done a good job with this just a few minor issues. Shuffling hoarding should be a shuffling horde. Hoards are treasure, hordes are people (even undead people :-) ).

But what if the horde are being hoarded away by a Liche? Are they a horde or a hoard?

How did you arrive at Drag's DC numbers? Normally DC is BAB + 1/2 Creature's HD and Relevant Ability Modifier DC. Strength check should be Strength based and DC 15 and 19 for Escape Artist (including a +4 racial modifier to Escape Artist).

Constrict Ability is missing the word "target" in the second sentence. Also, you could phrase some of that a bit better.

Honestly i'm going to put both of these down to fatigue, i finshed typing this at 3am and i'm pretty sure my brain turned off about 2:30. Thanks for fixing it.

The Special Ability Single Actions Only is missing in text under Combat section. I based this off the Zombie text in the SRD.

Single Actions Only (Ex): Smokers have poor reflexes and can perform only a single move action or attack action each round. A smoker can move up to its speed and attack in the same round, but only if it attempts a charge.

Hmm i should probably put in the damage reduction text too.

Since it has no Int score,it should not have feats except for Bonus feats so you need a bonus designator there. ^B or (B)

Actually i'm going to get around this by giving it an intelligence score. I showed one of my collegues at work who pointed out that in the game, smokers are smart enough to stalk their prey, hide when their tongues are regenerating and pick off isolated members of the pack instead of just rushing in regardless of threat. The regular mindless zombies in the game will just rush into gunfire, through flames, whatever. Each of the special infected seem to be a bit more canny. With that in mind i'm going to give him an Intelligence of 2, the same as a predatory animal.

JUst eyeballing this, CR 3.

Debby

Interesting, my colleage said that he would set it at CR2 just because it doesn't do a lot of damage itself, all of its advantage comes from circumstantial bonuses. Even if it manages to pull the target to itself it's going to be inflicting the same amount of hurt as a regular zombie, and shares the same hit points/resistance as a CR1 Trogladite zombie.

I've just run it though the CR calculator and i'm either not using it correctly or the combination of undead traits and resistances are messing up the maths because i'm turning up a CR4.

Thanks very much for helping with this. I think i might have a crack at the Spitter or Hunter next as they're pretty similar in health and DPS in the game.

[GrimzagGorwazza]

So that's the second special infected done, i had to play with the acid a lot and i'm still not certain on the DC for dodging.


Spitter
Size/Type: Medium Undead
Hit Dice: 2d12+3 (16hp)
Initiative: 1
Speed: 30 ft (can't run)
Armor Class: 13 (+1dex, +2natural,), touch 11, flat footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+2
Attack: Acid spit +2 ranged touch, Slam +2 melee (1d6+1)
Full Attack: Acid spit +2 ranged touch, Slam +2 melee (1d6+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Acid Spit
Special Qualities: Single actions only, damage reduction 5/slashing, darkvision 60 ft., undead traits, Acid immunity
Saves: Fort +1, Ref -1, Will +4
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 12, Con Ø, Int 2, Wis 10, Cha 1
Skills: -
Feats: Toughness[b],
Environment: Any
Organization: Any
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral evil
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: —

Spitters are undead who's twisted metabolism at the time of death has resulted in a deviation from the normal zombie when raised. Their stomach acid has become all the more potent in death and a twist to the muscles in their torso allows them to project this highly caustic fluid at enemy, weakening opponents before the rest of the horde arrive.

Combat
Spitters will lurk quietly, waiting for the opportune moment to let loose with their Acid spit attack. They are scavengers at heart, spitting and hiding whilst the other, more mindless, undead close in to finish off the already weakened foe. Only then will the close in to claim their meal.

Damage Reduction (Ex)
A spitter has damage reduction 5/slashing. Spitters are lumbering masses of flesh.

Single Actions Only (Ex)
Spitters have poor reflexes and can perform only a single move action or attack action each round. A Spitter can move up to its speed and attack in the same round, but only if it attempts a charge.

Acid Spit (Ex)
A spitter can spit a ball of acid at an opponent which will burst on impact, coating everything nearby with caustic fluid. Treat acid spit as a thrown splash weapon.
Acid spit is a ranged touch attack (30ft. Range increment) that causes 2d6 acid damage to the initial target and 3 points of acid damage to all creatures within a 5ft radius. This acid will continue to burn creatures who remain or move into the acid splashed area for 1d6 turns. In either case, a DC 12 Reflex save halves the damage. A spitter may not spit acid again for 1d4 turns after it last spit.