Tzardok's Miscellaneous Homebrew Repository

[Metastachydium]

And another False Friend. German for mechanism is Mechanik. German for mechanic is Mechaniker (or mechanisch, as an adjective).

Yeah, I'll do that. But afterwards I must go; my copy of Die Insel der Tausend Leuchttürme arrived today in the mail, and I'll be... distracted.

Cool! Have fun with that.

[Beni-Kujaku]

It's been a while since I've been here, and I like chocolate. I love the lore for the plane including fey-based Easter and I want to know how to say "Hello" in Cocoan.

The Chocolate Elementals are neat. They're clearly based on Water elementals in their liquid form, what with identical stats. The abilities are great and flavorful, but I'm a bit torn on the CR. They're definitely stronger than Water elementals in liquid form with their choice of feats, and stronger than Earth Elementals in solid form due to better Dex and speed. Plus, Sickeningly Sweet is an extremely good ability that can take people out of the combat every round. Even if it was nauseated for a single round, it would be a game-changer. For one minute and with no 24h immunity, it is actually broken. I'd say you should increase CR by 1 (like Storm Elementals) or even by 2 if SSweet has no 24h immunity and a minute duration. The SLAs are basically fluff, but we all know chocolate has sweet flavor.

Having a helpful mephit is nice. A bit weird to have the only mephit who does not deal damage with its breath attack, but it fits the creature. Do demons that try to eat it get poisoned like dogs eating chocolate?

About Unseelie Stooge, I like everything, but I will vehemently disagree with Metastachydium's "I'll allow it at LA+0, it has enough setbacks". Maybe I missed something, but the only setback it has is Cold Iron vulnerability, which is a material found exactly 0.7 times per campaign. For that (and no RHD), it has a total of +4 to stats (well distributed too), 30ft speed as a Small creature, DR 5, a heck of a lot of SLAs (very fairy-like), including Invisibility if it wants to be a rogue, reduces the saves of everyone around it (that's actually extremely strong for something like a warlock or a touch-attack-based caster), and Weapon Finesse. It's clearly +1 at the very least, and I'd even consider it at +2.

Seelie Lackey: of course there would be chicken and hare gnomes :D. I agree with the LA+2. Can they wield weapons on top of attacking with their foot? I'm a bit confused by their SLAs. Why do they have Alter Self and Command?

Plumage: Well, there's not much here, except the pun. I imagine it stands like the Pokémon Arboliva and dispenses mirabelle plums in the garden of people who gave it food. Also, creatures with less than 3 Int are normally not playable, so I think you should either remove the LA or increase its Int to 3 (in which case having it at LA+0 would be no problem in my book, low Int and no hands are a big problem).


The positive and negative version of the Wood Plane could be the Leaf Plane (with paper-like leaves everywhere absorbing the light from the Positive Plane) and the fungus plane (with lots of parasite mushroom feeding on and killing the big tree and each other).

Leydenculus: Having a little poison test subject is absolutely something a wizard would build. What do you think it would look like if a Beholder built one? Still, I feel like it would cost much more than 30gp, maybe 300. It's an actual creature after all, that can even serve as a weird scout/alarm system. If it's a Construct with an effective Con score, why not make it a Living Construct? If it's not a living Construct, why give it an effective Con score? I think I'd just make them Living Constructs, it would not change much.
Once again, a creature with less than 3 Int isn't normally playable. No amount of mercy shall overrule Ao's word!

Pain Candle: Everyday I find new things to put in my beholders lair. The necessity of melting a Leydenculus is just the perfect extra mile of cruelty! Cutting one's wick to snuff it out should make it experience pain like if its head was cut off, and it should have the same voice as the original Leydenculus..

Cooked Ghost: What is the Int score of a tree? It looks a bit like that ability was made to complement the previous two monsters (which it probably was in the original book), but adding a "if the object was made from a mindless living thing such as wood, the Cooked Ghost may imbue it with a single purpose that it tries to accomplish at the best of its capabilities until destroyed" clause would make the monster a bit more interesting in my opinion. But hey, I like it! Let's give it LA+2! After all, aren't you a merciful creator? (Is that the second incorporeal construct after the Prismatic Golem? I think it is.)

Copper Killer: They're made to kill, and kill they will! Damn, Medium with 14 RHD! I pictured them to be toy soldiers, of Tiny size, with maybe 3 RHD. They're much stronger than I envisioned. Also why doesn't this one have a LA when the freaking bird did?

Ticktock: War! Hey! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing!
I'm having flashbacks of the Hellsing Major with the war-obsessed cyborg. Why does he think they have been created to kill? Weren't they created as an attempt to bring back the soldiers? Also, Zoltep Zahn you colossal moron how did you not think this through!?

[Tzardok]

It's been a while since I've been here, and I like chocolate. I love the lore for the plane including fey-based Easter and I want to know how to say "Hello" in Cocoan.

I'm glad you liked it. For a stupid little joke it went quite nice, didn't it?
"Hello" in Cocoan is simply the Cocoan word for "good" repeated twice, which itself sounds like the soft "snap" of breaking off a piece from a chocolate bar. Written it would look like 'kn 'kn.

The Chocolate Elementals are neat. They're clearly based on Water elementals in their liquid form, what with identical stats. The abilities are great and flavorful, but I'm a bit torn on the CR. They're definitely stronger than Water elementals in liquid form with their choice of feats, and stronger than Earth Elementals in solid form due to better Dex and speed. Plus, Sickeningly Sweet is an extremely good ability that can take people out of the combat every round. Even if it was nauseated for a single round, it would be a game-changer. For one minute and with no 24h immunity, it is actually broken. I'd say you should increase CR by 1 (like Storm Elementals) or even by 2 if SSweet has no 24h immunity and a minute duration. The SLAs are basically fluff, but we all know chocolate has sweet flavor.

That is in fact an accident. I based them on afroakuma's version of the ooze paraelemental. He generally made elementals stronger. But restricting Sickeningly Sweet sounds like a good idea.

Having a helpful mephit is nice. A bit weird to have the only mephit who does not deal damage with its breath attack, but it fits the creature. Do demons that try to eat it get poisoned like dogs eating chocolate?

It's not the first mephit I made that doesn't deal any damage; the sun mephit shares this trait.
Also, chocolate is not on the list of poisons fiends are not immune to.

About Unseelie Stooge, I like everything, but I will vehemently disagree with Metastachydium's "I'll allow it at LA+0, it has enough setbacks". Maybe I missed something, but the only setback it has is Cold Iron vulnerability, which is a material found exactly 0.7 times per campaign. For that (and no RHD), it has a total of +4 to stats (well distributed too), 30ft speed as a Small creature, DR 5, a heck of a lot of SLAs (very fairy-like), including Invisibility if it wants to be a rogue, reduces the saves of everyone around it (that's actually extremely strong for something like a warlock or a touch-attack-based caster), and Weapon Finesse. It's clearly +1 at the very least, and I'd even consider it at +2.

Then I'll go with +2, for symmetry's sake.

Seelie Lackey: of course there would be chicken and hare gnomes :D. I agree with the LA+2. Can they wield weapons on top of attacking with their foot? I'm a bit confused by their SLAs. Why do they have Alter Self and Command?

They do have hands, yes. I imagine they don't use them that often in a fight; for one bunnies and chickens are more well known for kicking, for another they need them to hold their egg baskets.
Regarding the SLAs: I think I mentioned it before, but I'll say it again: the plane was a lazy joke made one morning, and the stuff to populate it didn't get a lot more attention than that. The elemsntals are reskined ooze paralementals, mephits I can churn out by the dozen, and the stooge and the lackey were made by piling on templates and then changing around a few things: the stooge is essentially unseelie fey on top of a gnome, and the lackey is anthropomorphic animal on top of a hare with seelie fey on top of that. That's where it got those SLAs.

Plumage: Well, there's not much here, except the pun. I imagine it stands like the Pokémon Arboliva and dispenses mirabelle plums in the garden of people who gave it food. Also, creatures with less than 3 Int are normally not playable, so I think you should either remove the LA or increase its Int to 3 (in which case having it at LA+0 would be no problem in my book, low Int and no hands are a big problem).

It got an LA because the LA Assignment Thread gives LAs to creatures like that and I got used to it.

The positive and negative version of the Wood Plane could be the Leaf Plane (with paper-like leaves everywhere absorbing the light from the Positive Plane) and the fungus plane (with lots of parasite mushroom feeding on and killing the big tree and each other).

Another interesting view point.

Leydenculus: Having a little poison test subject is absolutely something a wizard would build. What do you think it would look like if a Beholder built one? Still, I feel like it would cost much more than 30gp, maybe 300. It's an actual creature after all, that can even serve as a weird scout/alarm system. If it's a Construct with an effective Con score, why not make it a Living Construct? If it's not a living Construct, why give it an effective Con score? I think I'd just make them Living Constructs, it would not change much.

The virtual Con score is only there to make it actually possible to poison them to death. It doesn't have any mechanical effects (reducing it won't affect Fort saves or hp), it just says "if it ever has 10 points of Con damage at once, it dies".
Edit: If you think so, I'll raise the price. I put it so low because, well, in the books they are really easy to make. I already increased their lifespan to make making them actually worthwhile in D&D's pradigm. This would of course increase the price of the candles too... Better increase the price of the ghost too, but then it'll be a pretty expensive prank...
Incidentally, I don't think a beholder would make a copy of its perfect form just to make it suffer experiments. They probably keep them humanoid.

Cooked Ghost: What is the Int score of a tree? It looks a bit like that ability was made to complement the previous two monsters (which it probably was in the original book), but adding a "if the object was made from a mindless living thing such as wood, the Cooked Ghost may imbue it with a single purpose that it tries to accomplish at the best of its capabilities until destroyed" clause would make the monster a bit more interesting in my opinion. But hey, I like it! Let's give it LA+2! After all, aren't you a merciful creator? (Is that the second incorporeal construct after the Prismatic Golem? I think it is.)

The ability is inspired by

Spoiler: Spoiler for The Alchemaster's Apprentice

Show

the scene during the near-finale when a dozen cooked ghosts animate all of the taxidermied monsters Ghoolion kept around. Unlike my version, they didn't die when doing so, and had apparantly no limit to how many, but they left the plane after they were finished. I felt some limits were needed.

Your clause is quite nice, I think I'll add it (and the LA too). Hmm, I've change it slightly to "The ghost can give it a single directive it will try to accomplish. If the animated object didn't have any instincts (like one made of common wood), it will have no drive beyond achieving that goal."

Copper Killer: They're made to kill, and kill they will! Damn, Medium with 14 RHD! I pictured them to be toy soldiers, of Tiny size, with maybe 3 RHD. They're much stronger than I envisioned. Also why doesn't this one have a LA when the freaking bird did?

Oh? You pictured them? From what? Just the quote, or did you hear about them before? I don't think I ever mentioned them...
They don't have an LA because they are bound to Ticktock. Without him they don't exist, and with him they are his eternally loyal soldiers. I mean, as a GM you could somehow grant one free will, or your PCs could try to build their own Copper Killer (with blackjack and hookers!), but that sounds like something that could backfire easily, y'know?

Ticktock: War! Hey! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing!
I'm having flashbacks of the Hellsing Major with the war-obsessed cyborg. Why does he think they have been created to kill? Weren't they created as an attempt to bring back the soldiers? Also, Zoltep Zahn you colossal moron how did you not think this through!?

Fun fact: Zoltep Zahn was amongst the few survivors of the slaughter. As for why? Well, if half of your people have weapons for hands, and every fleshy part of you comes from a battle-hardened mercenary... also, the name Copper Killers? Not his invention. That's what they called them before Zahn had the idea to make Ticktock. (Now, in the original they weren't that idiotic, because there they were called "die Kupfernen Kerle", the Copper Fellows, but still...)
Also, Ticktock's heart is made of zamonium, and everybody who read The 13½ Lives of Captain Bluebear knows how that will turn out...

[Metastachydium]

About Unseelie Stooge, I like everything, but I will vehemently disagree with Metastachydium's "I'll allow it at LA+0, it has enough setbacks". Maybe I missed something, but the only setback it has is Cold Iron vulnerability, which is a material found exactly 0.7 times per campaign. For that (and no RHD), it has a total of +4 to stats (well distributed too), 30ft speed as a Small creature, DR 5, a heck of a lot of SLAs (very fairy-like), including Invisibility if it wants to be a rogue, reduces the saves of everyone around it (that's actually extremely strong for something like a warlock or a touch-attack-based caster), and Weapon Finesse. It's clearly +1 at the very least, and I'd even consider it at +2.

I might have been a tad lenient there, yes. Probably because Seelie Lackey is so much better, mechanically. Infamy being party unfriendly certainly didn't help. I'd still probably argue for +1, but symmetry is pretty and I am bad at LA so…

Plumage: Well, there's not much here, except the pun. I imagine it stands like the Pokémon Arboliva and dispenses mirabelle plums in the garden of people who gave it food. Also, creatures with less than 3 Int are normally not playable, so I think you should either remove the LA or increase its Int to 3 (in which case having it at LA+0 would be no problem in my book, low Int and no hands are a big problem).

Technically, it's a Magical Beast, so what -8 to INT means is ultimately a matter of base stat distribution (not that monstrous races are commonly played using the standard array). Increasing its INT presents no issues either.

The positive and negative version of the Wood Plane could be the Leaf Plane (with paper-like leaves everywhere absorbing the light from the Positive Plane) and the fungus plane (with lots of parasite mushroom feeding on and killing the big tree and each other).

I see your point, but the confusion the game loves to make between plants and fungi is a big pet peeve of mine.

Cooked Ghost: What is the Int score of a tree? It looks a bit like that ability was made to complement the previous two monsters (which it probably was in the original book), but adding a "if the object was made from a mindless living thing such as wood, the Cooked Ghost may imbue it with a single purpose that it tries to accomplish at the best of its capabilities until destroyed" clause would make the monster a bit more interesting in my opinion. But hey, I like it! Let's give it LA+2! After all, aren't you a merciful creator? (Is that the second incorporeal construct after the Prismatic Golem? I think it is.)

I will continue to argue that at Incorporeal full Construct with at-will cowering effect for multiple rounds (that gives a debuff even on a succesful save) is very strong. I remain skeptical about it being a good PC material at a low ECL.

Also why doesn't this one have a LA when the freaking bird did?

No badmouthing the BIRDY!

I'm glad you liked it. For a stupid little joke it went quite nice, didn't it?
"Hello" in Cocoan is simply the Cocoan word for "good" repeated twice, which itself sounds like the soft "snap" of breaking of a piece from a chocolate bar. Written it would look like 'kn 'kn.

It's always good to see language stuff that makes actual sense! I like it.

They do have hands, yes. I imagine they don't use them that often in a fight; for one bunnies and chickens are more well known for kicking,

Chickens peck too!

Your clause is quite nice, I think I'll add it (and the LA too). Hmm, I've change it slightly to "The ghost can give it a single directive it will try to accomplish. If the animated object didn't have any instincts (like one made of common wood), it will have no drive beyond achieving that goal."

I don't know. I mean, what's an instinct? I generally find that definitions that exclude the basis plants have for their reactive behaviours are arbitrarily restrictive.

[Tzardok]

Technically, it's a Magical Beast, so what -8 to INT means is ultimately a matter of base stat distribution (not that monstrous races are commonly played using the standard array). Increasing its INT presents no issues either.

I think I disagree with that. The rules regarding player characters and how their Int can't go lower than 3, together with the definition for what an Int of 1 or 2 mean, imply to me pretty strongly that there is a hard line between creatures of animal intelligence and sapient creatures which can't be crossed without shenanigans, no matter the type.

It's always good to see language stuff that makes actual sense! I like it.

And to think, if somebody had said something about Grillo sign language, I would've told something about how the sign for "Grillo" is related to the signs for "I" and "we".

Chickens peck too!

Bunnies don't.

I don't know. I mean, what's an instinct? I generally find that definitions that exclude the basis plants have for their reactive behaviours are arbitrarily restrictive.

In the end it wouldn't change anything. Wether an animated wardrobe that finished its job does absolutely nothing or stands around and sometimes turns to the sun doesn't really make a difference from an outside perspective.

[Metastachydium]

I think I disagree with that. The rules regarding player characters and how their Int can't go lower than 3, together with the definition for what an Int of 1 or 2 mean, imply to me pretty strongly that there is a hard line between creatures of animal intelligence and sapient creatures which can't be crossed without shenanigans, no matter the type.

I don't think I've ever seen anything that suggests that, say, putting an INT item (or castin Fox's Cunning) on an INT 2 non-Aninal/non-Vermin should fail.

In the end it wouldn't change anything. Wether an animated wardrobe that finished its job does absolutely nothing or stands around and sometimes turns to the sun doesn't really make a difference from an outside perspective.

But what if it keeps trying to crawl towards sources of water and mineral deposits?

[Tzardok]

I don't think I've ever seen anything that suggests that, say, putting an INT item (or castin Fox's Cunning) on an INT 2 non-Aninal/non-Vermin should fail.

I should've said "can't be permanently crossed". On the other hand, I don't see anything that suggests that casting Fox's Cunning on an animal causes it to fail, so again non-animals and animals are in the same boat.

[Beni-Kujaku]

I'm glad you liked it. For a stupid little joke it went quite nice, didn't it?
"Hello" in Cocoan is simply the Cocoan word for "good" repeated twice, which itself sounds like the soft "snap" of breaking off a piece from a chocolate bar. Written it would look like 'kn 'kn.

And I guess it's also the word for "enjoy our meal!".

Oh? You pictured them? From what? Just the quote, or did you hear about them before? I don't think I ever mentioned them...

Yep, just from the quote. The Tick-Tock sound sounded to me like a wind-up toy.

Also, Ticktock's heart is made of zamonium, and everybody who read The 13½ Lives of Captain Bluebear knows how that will turn out...

As a person who hasn't read that book, I can only assume it gives him powers over flowers and makes him glow in the dark. As a person 10 minutes later who has read the relevant portion of the Wikipedia article on the series, I can now more accurately claim that I understand why the general is Chaotic Evil.

Technically, it's a Magical Beast, so what -8 to INT means is ultimately a matter of base stat distribution (not that monstrous races are commonly played using the standard array). Increasing its INT presents no issues either.

The table for monstrous abilities does not even mention the possibility of a base racial intelligence below 3, which means it's not just a -8 to Int, but an actual impediment affecting the whole race. You can increase its intelligence with items and spells, but it remains at a level of conscience such that it cannot take class levels without specifically being Awakened.

I see your point, but the confusion the game loves to make between plants and fungi is a big pet peeve of mine.

The shrieker Fungus cries in anguish at its own type uncertainty. Is it a Plant despite everyone telling it that it is only a fungus? Could it ever know what being a Plant means? Is it meant to? Are you born a Plant, or do you become it by your acts and will? On that day, the shrieker fungus cried to itself : it is a Plant, and no matter what anybody could tell it, no one can decide what it is but itself!

I will continue to argue that at Incorporeal full Construct with at-will cowering effect for multiple rounds (that gives a debuff even on a succesful save) is very strong. I remain skeptical about it being a good PC material at a low ECL.

Yeah, you're probably right. I was underrating the lack of racial actually offensive ability, but with Scare being party-friendly and with no 24h-immunity, the Construct bonus HP balancing any lack of Con up to mid-level, and the possibility to just go Warlock, it may even require +4... Aaah, I'm bad at rating incorporeality! But yeah, +4 seems initially fair, but +5 and +3 don't seem that weird either.

No badmouthing the BIRDY!

I'll badmouth any hipster dinosaure I want, thank you very much! I mean look at them! They're not even full birds, but magical plant-like things! (no offense, of course) They're no more birds than Owlbears. And would you sleep well knowing your definition of birdies forces you to respect the existence of owlbears?[/QUOTE]

[Metastachydium]

As a person who hasn't read that book, I can only assume it gives him powers over flowers and makes him glow in the dark

Well, that would be scary.

The table for monstrous abilities does not even mention the possibility of a base racial intelligence below 3, which means it's not just a -8 to Int, but an actual impediment affecting the whole race. You can increase its intelligence with items and spells, but it remains at a level of conscience such that it cannot take class levels without specifically being Awakened.

Hm. I still like my version better, but fair.

The shrieker Fungus cries in anguish at its own type uncertainty. Is it a Plant despite everyone telling it that it is only a fungus? Could it ever know what being a Plant means? Is it meant to? Are you born a Plant, or do you become it by your acts and will? On that day, the shrieker fungus cried to itself : it is a Plant, and no matter what anybody could tell it, no one can decide what it is but itself!

I'll badmouth any hipster dinosaure I want,

Birdies are the mainstream dinosaurs now, though.

They're not even full birds, but magical plant-like things! (no offense, of course)

[Glares.]

They're no more birds than Owlbears. And would you sleep well knowing your definition of birdies forces you to respect the existence of owlbears?

Plants don't sleep! Hah! (Also, the Owlbear has its uses! And there's, like, a reason why we talk about them while nobody even cares to make fun of the Sea Cat.)

[Tzardok]

This was inspired by a song I recently heard about playing for someone who is unaware of your existence. I hope people will like it.

New Creature: Unseen Refrain
Medium Deathless (Incorporeal)
Hit Dice: 10d12 + 40 (105 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: Flying 30 ft. (Perfect) (6 squares)
Armor Class: 17 (+3 dex, +4 deflection), touch 17, flat footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/-
Attack: Incorporeal touch melee +8 (1d8) or incorporeal touch melee (2d6 positive energy)
Full Attack: Incorporeal touch melee +8 (1d8) or incorporeal touch melee (2d6 positive energy)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Positive touch, subtle music
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., deathless traits, incorporeal trait, natural invisibility, sacred grace, sacred toughness
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +13
Abilities: Str -, Dex 16, Con -, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 19
Skills: Diplomacy +17, Listen +15, Perform (any) +20, Sense Motive +15, Spot +15
Feats: Extra Music^CA, Improved Initiative, Lingering Song^CA, Skill Focus (Perform)
Environment: Any
Organisation: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 8?
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Chaotic Good
Advancement: 11-30 HD (medium)
Level Adjustment: +4?

The deathless entities that are known as unseen refrains are most commonly born from selflessness and self-sacrifice. Many bards, probably more than of any other class, are driven to adventuring out of a desire for personal glory and fame. Yet sometimes, a bard is willing to sacrifice their chance at immortal glory out of altruism. When that happens, and the bard dies in the process or soon after, they are practically guaranteed to rise as an unseen refrain.
Unseen refrains are, as the name says, naturally invisible. They prefer to pretend not be there, working in indirect and subtle ways. A refrain will usually take on a good being or group of beings as a charge, invisibly protecting them like a guardian angel. If a charge doesn't need them anymore, they move on to the next, in most cases never having been noticed nor recognized or thanked.
Characters under the effect of see invisibility will see an unseen refrain as a translucent humanoid silhouette. Through true sight, it appears to be a shining humanoid with a non-descript face wielding an idealized version of their favoured instrument.
An unseen refrain speaks all languages it knew in life.

Natural Invisibility (Su): This ability is constant, allowing a refrain to remain invisible even when attacking. This ability is inherent and not subject to the invisibility purge spell.
Positive Touch (Su): An unseen refrain can with its incorporeal touch (instead of dealing normal damage) deal 2d6 positive energy to the touched creature. Undead will take damage from this touch, living creatures and other deathless will be healed by it. A living creature that is healed this way above its maximum health points gains the reminder as temporary hp that last up to an hour. This overcharges the creature with positive energy, making it jittery and have difficulty concentrating. As long as these temporary hp last, the creature receives a penalty of -2 to attack roles and skill checks.
Sacred Grace (Ex): The unseen refrain gains a bonus equal to his Charisma bonus on all saving throws.
Sacred Toughness (Ex): The unseen refrain gains a bonus to its hit points equal to its Charisma modifier x its Hit Dice.
Subtle Music: An unseen refrain has access to a specific variant of bardic music. Like a bard, it can use its bardic music 1/day per HD, and if it has class levels as bard, they stack with the racial HD to determine what songs the refrain has access to, how many daily uses it has and what effect the songs have.
The unseen refrain has access to different songs than a usual bard. These subtle songs have a special property: creatures that aren't aware of the refrain's presence don't notice them, not even when they benefit from them. A creature that benefits from subtle music must make a Wisdom check against DC 18 to recognize it as an external effect; if it fails, it believes that it got lucky, or a second wind, or the gods smiled upon it, or whatever rationalization fits best. The music is similiarily rationalized away as something internal, a feeling of euphoria or a distant positive memory. Creatures in the area that don't benefit from the song won't even hear the song unless they make the same Wis check.

• Song of Courage (Su): This works like a bard's Song of Courage, except for the aforementioned effects of Subtle Music. It also doesn't affect the refrain itself.
• Song of Succor (Sp): The refrain can use music or poetics to create an effect equivalent to the panacea^SC spell (caster level equals the refrain's effective bard level). Using this ability requires 1 minute of uninterrupted concentration and music, and it functions on a single target within 30 feet. A refrain can't use song of succor on itself. This ability is relatively unsubtle; the DC of the Wis check to notice it is 15.
• Song of Serendipity (Su): This song allows the refrain to bless creatures with good luck. It affects up to one creature within 30 ft per 3 HD. To be affected, a target must be able to hear the refrain sing. The effect lasts for as long as the target hears the refrain sing and for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected creature receives a +2 luck bonus on saving throws and AC. The refrain can't affect itself.
• Oh Fortuna (Su): While playing the song of serendipity, as an immediate action, the refrain can have one or more of the song's targets re-roll a failed save. This costs one daily use of bardic music per target that re-rolls. Any target that isn't aware of the refrain may make immediately a new Wis check to become aware.

Also, I am not content with the create deathless and create greater deathless spells in the Campaign Setting Eberron. For one, there really aren't enough deathless to split the spell up like that, for another I feel that it's very important to make the spell good with capital G to get the consent of the soul to be recalled into its decayed corpse. Therefore I present my version of the spell. As this spell replaces both create deathless and create greater deathless, I suggest to fill the 8th level spot in the Deathless domain with spark of life^LM, applyable to both undead and deathless.

Petition Deathless
Necromancy [Good]
Level: Cleric 6, Deathless 6, Wizard/Sorcerer 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 Hour
Range: Touch
Target: A corpse
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistence: No

The caster contacts the soul of the touched corpse and asks it to return as a deathless. Similiar to a resurrection spell, the soul must be willing and able to return for the spell to work. The soul receives information about the caster's alignment and the type of deathless it is supposed to become. Not all souls that are willing to be raised are willing to become deathless, nor do souls that are willing to become deathless necessarily want to be raised.
The type or types of deathless the caster can create is based on his caster level, as shown on the table below.

Deathless	Minimum Caster Level	Other requirements	Source
Undying Soldier	11th	-	Campaign Setting Eberron
Undying Wizard	11th	Corpse of a spellcaster	Explorer's Handbook
Prior	12th	Requires additionally an item or location that was precious to the petitioned soul; the soul's corpse is not necessary if it can be addressed unmistakenly otherwise (for example with its name)	Metastachydium
Crypt Warden	14th	-	Book of Exalted Deeds
Unseen Refrain	15th	Corpse of a bard	here
Undying Councilor	18th	-	Campaign Setting Eberron
Ascendant Councilor	23th	-	Campaign Setting Eberron

Additional deathless may be added at the GM's discretion.

Material Component: A clay pot filled with a mixture of fertile soil and gravedirt and another filled with pure water. A diamond worth at least 50 gp per HD of the deathless to be created must be placed on the corpse's heart. This spell can only be cast at day.

Necroheroon/Luminous Animation
Psychometabolism [Good]
Level: Death 6, Egoist 7
Display: Material, Visual, Olfactory
Power points: 11 (Death), 13 (Egoist), XP

This power works like the spell petition deathless, except that it can only create undying soldiers and undying psions (an undying psion is identical to an undying wizard, but instead of casting spells it manifests powers like a 3rd level psion. Undying psions must be made from the corpses of manifesters).
This power is usually called Necroheroon by psions and Luminous Animation by mantle wearers.
XP Cost: 10 XP per HD of the created deathless.
Augment: By spending more power points, more powerful types of deathless can be created:

Deathless	Additional power points	Other requirements	Source
Prior	1	Requires additionally an item or location that was precious to the petitioned soul; the soul's corpse is not necessary if it can be addressed unmistakenly otherwise (for example with its name)	Metastachydium
Crypt Warden	3	-	Book of Exalted Deeds
Unseen Refrain	4	Corpse of a bard	here
Undying Councilor	7	-	Campaign Setting Eberron
Ascendant Councilor	12	-	Campaign Setting Eberron

Additional deathless may be added at the GM's discretion.

[Beni-Kujaku]

This was inspired by a song I recently heard about playing for someone who is unaware of your existence. I hope people will like it.

Can I know the name of the song?

New Creature: Unseen Refrain

Wow! I love this guy. Really, we don't have enough support monsters, nor do we have enough monsters that could actually be helpful to the party and could remain with them for several sessions, and you did it while adding an element of mystery that can serve as a plot hook for later adventures. Great design, congratulations!

I like how subtle songs can explain something like having a song stuck in one's head, and the two incorporeal touches are definitely unique. Maybe you could explicitate that the positive energy touch does heal living and Deathless creatures and damage undead creatures (and maybe that it can't use it on itself, depending on how you want it to go). Maybe even add a major positive-dominant trait to it, such that healing too much gives temporary HP, but forces Fortitude saves to avoid dying from overhealing (which would make it not much more dangerous, since it can be avoided by simply taking damage during your turn, but would highlight its link with the Positive Plane).

Also, I feel it is slightly too... Unnoticeable. It's like a nice trilloch. Something that I think would make the PCs at least seek it out would be to add a Suggestion ability like that of a bard (Righteous suggestion (Su) : an Unseen Refrain can push its allies beyond their limits in the pursuit of Good or temporarily sway the actions of fiends through its music. This bardic music works like the Suggestion spell (DC equal to a Perform check), except that it only lasts while the unseen refrain concentrates on its music and the recipient gains +10ft morale to speed and immunity to fear while acting towards the suggestion). It makes for a clearer indication that something is clearly going on, and can also point the party towards the next adventures (the Unseen Refrain sees that a nearby town requires help and uses suggestion to make a PC go towards it), or actually make the Refrain relevant in single combat if, for some reason, it decides to side with the PC's foes or the PCs try to attack it.

LA+4 seems a bit low for WotC for an invisible incorporeal Deathless, and a bit high for this website's standards. I think +5 (or +6 if you add the Suggestion... suggestion) is more realistic. The CR is super hard to determine, because either the PCs have something to beat it or they don't, but CR 8 should be good.

Petition Deathless

Good point on the soul necessarily being willing.

[Tzardok]

Sorry for not answering earlier. My mother decided to make this weekend the Christmas bakery weekend, and Christmas bakery is always fun* for the whole family.

*Translator's note: 'fun' means 'work'.

Can I know the name of the song?

It's Unsichtbar, by famous German medieval-metal band In Extremo.

Wow! I love this guy. Really, we don't have enough support monsters, nor do we have enough monsters that could actually be helpful to the party and could remain with them for several sessions, and you did it while adding an element of mystery that can serve as a plot hook for later adventures. Great design, congratulations!

Thank you for the praises. I was pretty unsure about this; I feared that people would find the fluff derivative and that the whole Subtle Music would make sense to me, but nobody else. I'm glad that I seem to have nailed it instead.

I like how subtle songs can explain something like having a song stuck in one's head, and the two incorporeal touches are definitely unique. Maybe you could explicitate that the positive energy touch does heal living and Deathless creatures and damage undead creatures (and maybe that it can't use it on itself, depending on how you want it to go). Maybe even add a major positive-dominant trait to it, such that healing too much gives temporary HP, but forces Fortitude saves to avoid dying from overhealing (which would make it not much more dangerous, since it can be avoided by simply taking damage during your turn, but would highlight its link with the Positive Plane).

That sounds like something I should add when I have a bit more free time. Thank you.

Also, I feel it is slightly too... Unnoticeable.

That means I did my job right.

It's like a nice trilloch. Something that I think would make the PCs at least seek it out would be to add a Suggestion ability like that of a bard (Righteous suggestion (Su) : an Unseen Refrain can push its allies beyond their limits in the pursuit of Good or temporarily sway the actions of fiends through its music. This bardic music works like the Suggestion spell (DC equal to a Perform check), except that it only lasts while the unseen refrain concentrates on its music and the recipient gains +10ft morale to speed and immunity to fear while acting towards the suggestion). It makes for a clearer indication that something is clearly going on, and can also point the party towards the next adventures (the Unseen Refrain sees that a nearby town requires help and uses suggestion to make a PC go towards it), or actually make the Refrain relevant in single combat if, for some reason, it decides to side with the PC's foes or the PCs try to attack it.

I'll think about it.

Good point on the soul necessarily being willing.

I know, right? They just mirrored create undead without thinking about implications. Also, why the heck did they decide to use moonstone as a material component? Any other spell that utilizes large amounts of positive energy, like Undeath to Death, uses diamonds.

[Metastachydium]

New Creature: Unseen Refrain

Your math is impeccable, as usual. Nice to see a Deathless that feels like one, too.

Oh, and it gets bonus point for providing me with a golden opportunity to shill myself in a "strange minds" kind of way! My second ever Deathless ever (after the Homeric shade thing template), the Prior had a very similar concept.

Attack: Incorporeal touch melee +8 (1d8) or incorporeal touch melee (2d6 positive energy)

One question: the positive energy. Is it at-will healing or more like the Ravid's really bad positive energy and it will hurt you?

Challenge Rating: 8?

Level Adjustment: +4?

LA+4 seems a bit low for WotC for an invisible incorporeal Deathless, and a bit high for this website's standards. I think +5 (or +6 if you add the Suggestion... suggestion) is more realistic. The CR is super hard to determine, because either the PCs have something to beat it or they don't, but CR 8 should be good.

I concur. It's pretty darn good for what WotC would let a player have, but there's no point in overselling type-based stuff in the CR.

I know, right? They just mirrored create undead without thinking about implications. Also, why the heck did they decide to use moonstone as a material component? Any other spell that utilizes large amounts of positive energy, like Undeath to Death, uses diamonds.

Maybe that's the point. Varietas delectat (why should it always have to be snakes diamonds?) and moonstone's kinda white so fits the colour scheme?

[Tzardok]

Your math is impeccable, as usual. Nice to see a Deathless that feels like one, too.

Oh, and it gets bonus point for providing me with a golden opportunity to shill myself in a "strange minds" kind of way! My second ever Deathless ever (after the Homeric shade thing template), the Prior had a very similar concept.

Would you make the prior available for being created through either Petition or Necroheroon (or both), and if yes, what conditions should it have?

One question: the positive energy. Is it at-will healing or more like the Ravid's really bad positive energy and it will hurt you?

I'll clarify later.

aybe that's the point. Varietas delectat (why should it always have to be snakes diamonds?) and moonstone's kinda white so fits the colour scheme?

I'm pretty sure I've seen moonstone as a component before, but in completely unrelated effects. I like a certain amount of consistency in the relation of component/effect.

[Metastachydium]

Would you make the prior available for being created through either Petition or Necroheroon (or both),

It would be an ABSOLUTE honour!

and if yes, what conditions should it have?

I kind of like the idea that they are farther removed from any previous corporeal, mortal existence than most. Would not requiring an actual body be too much of a stretch?

I'll clarify later.

Roger roger!

I'm pretty sure I've seen moonstone as a component before, but in completely unrelated effects. I like a certain amount of consistency in the relation of component/effect.

A cursory search gives me Moonbow^SpC, Presper's Moonbow^PGtF (totally not the same spell!) and Rend Shadow Weave^CoV. So… Yeah. The last one needs a lot of hard squinting and the other two are just moon-fluffed electricity-based blasting. Consistency it is, then. No objections.

[Tzardok]

I kind of like the idea that they are farther removed from any previous corporeal, mortal existence than most. Would not requiring an actual body be too much of a stretch?

Depends. At least assuming that the prior still is some mortal soul, we would need to find at least a way to address it. Like with resurrection or true resurrection, a body piece or a name or something. If, as you imply, it could just be a positive animus formed around some... let's call it emotional echo of an event, I'm not sure how the spell would work or cause that. Creating an animus is probably easy (animate dead does it all the time), but it still requires thinking about. A focus point could be necessary to replace the corpse...

Also, when I asked the question I meant more at what caster level/bonus pp you'd put it.

A cursory search gives me Moonbow^SpC, Presper's Moonbow^PGtF (totally not the same spell!) and Rend Shadow Weave^CoV. So… Yeah. The last one needs a lot of hard squinting and the other two are just moon-fluffed electricity-based blasting. Consistency it is, then. No objections.

Rend Shadow Weave probably uses the moonstone to address Selûne the moon goddess and utilizes her power/symbolism to counteract the work of her opposite. Still a moon connection instead of the life/light/positive connection of diamonds.

[Metastachydium]

Depends. At least assuming that the prior still is some mortal soul, we would need to find at least a way to address it. Like with resurrection or true resurrection, a body piece or a name or something. If, as you imply, it could just be a positive animus formed around some... let's call it emotional echo of an event, I'm not sure how the spell would work or cause that. Creating an animus is probably easy (animate dead does it all the time), but it still requires thinking about. A focus point could be necessary to replace the corpse...

As Priors are generally understood to either be formal mortals or result from the will and attachments of such, I think knowing a name or having an effigy (such as a picture) at hand and/or being at the right place and/or around the right person should be enough to reach out to a specific willing soul to either step in directly or intercede in some intangible way on the petitioner's behalf. So, if that still fits the spell as you envision it, there is no insurmountable issue here.

Also, when I asked the question I meant more at what caster level/bonus pp you'd put it.

Man. You know I'm not good at that! I'd probably peg it somewhere well above Undying Soldier, but also well below Crypt Warden. That means… CL 12, 2 PP to augment?

Rend Shadow Weave probably uses the moonstone to address Selûne the moon goddess and utilizes her power/symbolism to counteract the work of her opposite. Still a moon connection instead of the life/light/positive connection of diamonds.

I did say it's very not a tight case! So… Yeah, fair. Diamonds are forever anyway.

[Tzardok]

Update: Finally got around to updating the index. Also added the Prior to the table (Note: 2 additional pp equals a CL 13, not 12, so I went with 1 additional pp).

For the refrain's touch, I've been thinking about making it work like this:
Positive Touch (Su): An unseen refrain can with its incorporeal touch (instead of dealing damage) deal 2d6 positive energy to the touched creature. Undead will take damage from this touch, living creatures and other deathless will be healed by it. A living creature that is healed this way above its maximum health points gains the reminder as temporary hp that last up to an hour. This overcharges the creature with positive energy, making it jittery and have difficulty concentrating. As long as these temporary hp last, the creature receives a penalty of -2 to attack roles and skill checks.

Alternativly, I could instead use the Energy Charge ability mentioned in MM3, maybe with an unsafe feature or drawback like the afformentioned one. Thoughts?

Finally, I've been thinking about Beni's other criticism, and I have difficulty coming up with anything. If nothing else happens I may use his Righteous Suggestion ability, but I'm not quite happy with it. Any other ideas?

[Metastachydium]

Update: Finally got around to updating the index. Also added the Prior to the table (Note: 2 additional pp equals a CL 13, not 12, so I went with 1 additional pp).

Look, I did tell you I'm not good at this! (Also, sorry for doing that to your pretty table.)

For the refrain's touch, I've been thinking about making it work like this:
Positive Touch (Su): An unseen refrain can with its incorporeal touch (instead of dealing damage) deal 2d6 positive energy to the touched creature. Undead will take damage from this touch, living creatures and other deathless will be healed by it. A living creature that is healed this way above its maximum health points gains the reminder as temporary hp that last up to an hour. This overcharges the creature with positive energy, making it jittery and have difficulty concentrating. As long as these temporary hp last, the creature receives a penalty of -2 to attack roles and skill checks.

Alternativly, I could instead use the Energy Charge ability mentioned in MM3, maybe with an unsafe feature or drawback like the afformentioned one. Thoughts?

"You might mistake it for a simple, harmless tool of healing; but the positive is not a toy, not any more than fire, and perhaps even less so. Once let loose, it cares little for Good and Evil; and it is not of this world. It's not without reason that we need higher powers to ration it for us."

Some Jaded Old Cleric, probably

I like it. It represents what positive energy is quite well.

Finally, I've been thinking about Beni's other criticism, and I have difficulty coming up with anything. If nothing else happens I may use his Righteous Suggestion ability, but I'm not quite happy with it. Any other ideas?

Pulling a blank here, I'm afraid.

[Tzardok]

Look, I did tell you I'm not good at this! (Also, sorry for doing that to your pretty table.)

It has become a bit annoying on mobile, yes. But that's the price we pay.


Incidentally, I'm thinking about making prestige classes next, but I don't have experience. You may have noticed my thread in the 3.x forum where I asked for advice. You made a few before, Meta; do you have any advice you could give me?

[Metastachydium]

Incidentally, I'm thinking about making prestige classes next, but I don't have experience. You may have noticed my thread in the 3.x forum where I asked for advice. You made a few before, Meta; do you have any advice you could give me?

Beyond the obvious, such as
–don't make it too niche (why would you want to PrC a Commoner into anything but Survivor?!);
–Diplomacy's fixed DC resolution is stupid, don't emulate it (cf. my Provocator);
–if it should be a freaking feat, don't make it a PrC (cf. my Aspistes);
–PrCs should advance class features; if it doesn't, maybe don't do it (cf. most everything I ever did, especially Vigent);
and, most importantly,
–don't take advice from me on this subject, because my PrCs are mostly really bad (and I'm also a weirdo who thinks dead levels are not the Lower Planes' work)?

Not really, I'm afraid. But I'm happy to help with less to far less broad questions anytime.

[Tzardok]

Just found this one that I made in afroakuma's thread on Draconic Hybrids and decided to keep it for posteriority (and so that I have the table available if I make a true dragon in the future).


Mould Dragon

Mould dragons, as the children of the rare tome dragons (the physically weakest and smallest race) and the even rarer time dragons (the biggest and most powerful dragon race of all), may be the most uncommon of all hybrids. There are only six examplars of these ungainly and misshapen mongrels documented.

Mould dragons hatch with whitish, mildew-like color, unnaturally big limbs and a fin-like horn on the forehead. Over time they grow into their limbs, but they never look as sleek or elegant as their parents. Their scales darken to a dusty grey, until from the age category old on mildew-green fuzzy hairs spread over their body. Mould dragons grow astonishingly fast.

The time dragon's connection to, well, time and the knowledge and book loving nature of the tome dragon fuse in the mould dragon to an intense focus on the past and decay. Mould dragons are melancholic and introspective creatures that lair in places, wether artificial or natural, that weren't touched by sapient hands for millenia. There they immerse themselves in the study of past and transience. Mould dragons despise undead and deathless and destroy them whenever they catch sight of them. As their breath weapon harms unattended items, mould dragons don't keep their hoard in their lair, but build instead lots of small stashes which they patrol regularily. Mould dragons spurn art objects and coins made of materials more perishable than gold and platinum.

Mould dragons are generally Lawful Neutral.

Spoiler: Tables

Show

Age	Size	HD	Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha	BAB/Grapple	Attack	Fort	Ref	Will	Breath Weapon (DC)	Frightful Presence	CR
Wyrmling	M	17d12+68 (178 hp)	47	10	19	30	14	13	+17/+35	+35	+14	+10	+12	3d8 (22)	—	13
Very young	L	21d12+126 (262 hp)	51	10	22	34	16	15	+21/+45	+40	+18	+12	+16	6d8 (26)	—	17
Young	H	25d12+175 (337 hp)	55	10	25	38	16	15	+25/+54	+44	+21	+14	+17	9d8 (29)	26	20
Juvenile	H	29d12+232 (420 hp)	59	10	27	42	18	17	+29/+61	+51	+24	+16	+20	12d8 (32)	29	23
Young adult	G	33d12+330 (544 hp)	63	10	30	46	18	17	+33/+71	+55	+28	+18	+22	15d8 (36)	31	26
Adult	G	37d12+401 (641 hp)	67	10	34	50	20	19	+37/+77	+61	+31	+20	+25	18d8 (40)	34	30
Mature adult	G	41d12+533 (799 hp)	71	10	36	54	22	21	+41/+83	+70	+35	+22	+28	21d8 (43)	37	33
Old	G	45d12+630 (922 hp)	75	10	38	58	24	23	+45/+89	+73	+38	+24	+31	24d8 (46)	40	36
Very old	C	49d12+735 (1053 hp)	79	10	41	62	26	25	+49/+100	+76	+41	+26	+34	27d8 (49)	43	40
Ancient	C	53d12+848 (1192 hp)	83	10	43	66	28	27	+53/+105	+81	+44	+28	+37	30d8 (52)	46	43
Wyrm	C	57d12+1026 (1396 hp)	87	10	46	70	30	29	+57/+111	+87	+48	+30	+40	33d8 (56)	49	47
Great wyrm	C	61d12+1159 (1555 hp)	91	10	49	74	32	31	+61/+117	+93	+51	+32	+43	36d8 (59)	52	50

Age	Speed	Initiative	AC	Special abilities	CL*	SR
Wyrmling	40 ft., fly 90 ft. (poor)	+0	33 (+0 size, +23 natural, +0 Dex)	Air subtype, DR 10/Epic, Immunity to Acid and Disease, Contagion 3/day	3rd	24
Very young	50 ft., fly 90 ft. (clumsy)	+0	36 (-1 size, +27 natural, +0 Dex)		6th	28
Young	50 ft., fly 120 ft. (clumsy)	+0	39 (-2 size, +31 natural, +0 Dex)		8th	32
Juvenile	50 ft., fly 120 ft. (clumsy)	+0	43 (-2 size, +35 natural, +0 Dex)	Greater Dispell Magic 3/day	11th	36
Young adult	60 ft., fly 120 ft. (clumsy)	+0	45 (-4 size, +39 natural, +0 Dex)	DR 20/Epic, DR 10/-	13th	40
Adult	60 ft., fly 120 ft. (clumsy)	+0	49 (-4 size, +43 natural, +0 Dex)	Legend Lore 3/day	16th	44
Mature adult	60 ft., fly 150 ft. (clumsy)	+0	53 (-4 size, +47 natural, +0 Dex)	DR 20/Epic, DR 15/-	19th	48
Old	60 ft., fly 150 ft. (clumsy)	+0	57 (-4 size, +51 natural, +0 Dex)	HindsightSC 1/day	21th	52
Very old	70 ft., fly 150 ft. (clumsy)	+0	57 (-8 size, +55 natural, +0 Dex)	DR 20/-	24th	56
Ancient	70 ft., fly 150 ft. (clumsy)	+0	62 (-8 size, +59 natural, +0 Dex)	Aura of Transience	27th	60
Wyrm	70 ft., fly 180 ft. (clumsy)	+0	65 (-8 size, +63 natural, +0 Dex)		29th	64
Great wyrm	70 ft., fly 180 ft. (clumsy)	+0	69 (-8 size, +67 natural, +0 Dex)	Mordenkainen's Disjunction 1/day	31th	68

*Can cast spells from the Knowledge domain as arcane spells, but no other cleric spells.

Breath Weapon (Su): A mould dragon has one breath weapon, a cone of spores, rot and decay that deals acid damage. The breath weapon ignores the hardness of unattended objects. Creatures in the area are nauseated for 1 round and take 1d4 Int damage per age category, unless they are immune to disease. A successful Fortitude save halves the acid damage and negates the ability damage and the nauseated condition.

Aura of Transience (Su): An ancient or older mould dragon is able to exude decay for up to 50 rounds per day. This takes the shape of an emanation with a radius of 10 ft per age category. The spell resistance, energy resistances and damage reductions of all other creatures in the area are reduced by 5 points. Mould wyrms reduce those qualities by 10 points, great wyrms by 15. The duration need not be consecutive rounds. Activating and deactivating the aura is a free action.

[Metastachydium]

This one's an odd duck. On the one hand, it's on the interesting side flavourwise and nausea is a nice debuff. Also, a Breath Weapon with no cooldown is a mighty fine weapon. On the other hand… These literally hatch with 23 HD. +23 natural armour and DR 10/Epic are really not much with that in mind, and a 1d6 acid breath, CL 3 and SR 11 are not even ribbons that far into epic. Aura of Transience is likewise a fun little thing until one realizes it's 10 rounds/day on a 59+ HD thing and it doesn't scale at all. If that fancy Air subtype it has would at least improve the dragon's maenueverability a little, even if the usual (perfect) seems to much for you (it wouldn't at this HD range for me, to be honest, even as I admit it would probably mesh poorly with the fluff), that would be… Something.

All in all, this big lizard needs either a powerup or lower HD counts. What CR did you put them at?

[Tzardok]

Yeah, that's what happens when you put weird edge cases into templates for fun: half-bakedness.

I never thought about CR for this thing. I should mention that the breath weapon is not intended to have no recharge. All breath weapons of true dragons have 1d4 rounds recharge, so I didn't think it needed to be mentioned.

[Metastachydium]

Yeah, that's what happens when you put weird edge cases into templates for fun: half-bakedness.

I'd argue it'd bake just fine on account of not having any sort of resistence to fire like to reiterate that I like the core concept; it just needs an overhaul on the numbers side. A big overhaul, but still.

[Tzardok]

So, the mould dragon got a first round of revisions. I decided to orient myself a bit at the force dragon as an upper boundary; it should not be continously more powerful than the weakest epic dragon.

I reduced all HD by 6 (with all dependend stats appropriately changed), increased SR by 11, increased the damage dice and the Int damage of the breath weapon, fixed the Frightful Presence DCs and made Aura of Transience both longer lasting and growing in power with age. I have decided against increasing the caster level. I am unsure wether increases to AC are still necessary.

Are any other revisions needed? Does anybody have an idea regarding assigning CR?

[Beni-Kujaku]

So, the mould dragon got a first round of revisions. I decided to orient myself a bit at the force dragon as an upper boundary; it should not be continously more powerful than the weakest epic dragon.

I reduced all HD by 6 (with all dependend stats appropriately changed), increased SR by 11, increased the damage dice and the Int damage of the breath weapon, fixed the Frightful Presence DCs and made Aura of Transience both longer lasting and growing in power with age. I have decided against increasing the caster level. I am unsure wether increases to AC are still necessary.

Are any other revisions needed? Does anybody have an idea regarding assigning CR?

In general, SR is assigned according to CR. You find the CR, then you choose how difficult the monster is supposed to be to affect (in general CR+6 to CR+10 for true dragons. Even then it's not that consistent, and epic dragons chose to have SR increase linearly, which makes the wyrmling prismatic have SR=CR+10 and its GWyrm have SR=CR+20, but I think it's the best way of assigning SR). Now, I could write an entire book on why CR assignment for true dragon makes not even a lick of sense, but I've found that HD/4+(Ability bonus+NA)/12+CL/3 gives something resembling their CR for MM1 true dragons. This would give 13/17/20/23/26/30/33/36/40/43/47/50 for challenge ratings, which does not seem completely far-fetched, but requires an increase of SR across the board to keep it relevant.

Miscellaneous numerical weirdnesses:
- Very Old should have 49 RHD, 48 breaks the "4 RHD per category" rule. Likewise, Young should have 55 Str.
- It makes no sense that its Int is so much higher than its Cha if it casts as a sorcerer. Neither the tome nor the time dragon have such a discrepancy. You should either flatten it, or say that it casts as a wizard (maybe with a version of the Spellhoarding Dragon Psychoses from Dragon #313).
- The Time Dragon's increase to speed with age categories is due to its progressive attunement to the time stream, and the jump from 60 to 90ft speed is due to Time Mastery giving it a permanent Haste effect. Since the mould dragon does not have this ability, it should not increase in speed at Adult age and, depending on your interpretation, maybe not elsewhere either.
- It's a bit weird that a creature with nonepic abilities and ability scores (the Wyrmling and up to Young versions) have DR/Epic. Maybe switching it to /Chaos would be better (though I'm not convinced myself).
- The save DC for Adult and Mature Adult breath weapons should be 40 and 43 respectively.

I'm surprised there even are 6 of those documented, considering how elusive the Time Dragon is and its weird reproduction habits (meeting with a few of them every few millenia, mating, then not seeing each other ever again).
I'm thinking it would have been nice to see something unique at Wyrm age categories beyond the Aura of Transience (which is already very nice). Since it has a focus on decay, an ability to make any spell affecting it decay over time, and for example reducing their duration by half, or changing any permanent spell to lasting only an hour...

[Tzardok]

In general, SR is assigned according to CR. You find the CR, then you choose how difficult the monster is supposed to be to affect (in general CR+6 to CR+10 for true dragons. Even then it's not that consistent, and epic dragons chose to have SR increase linearly, which makes the wyrmling prismatic have SR=CR+10 and its GWyrm have SR=CR+20, but I think it's the best way of assigning SR). Now, I could write an entire book on why CR assignment for true dragon makes not even a lick of sense, but I've found that HD/4+(Ability bonus+NA)/12+CL/3 gives something resembling their CR for MM1 true dragons. This would give 13/17/20/23/26/30/33/36/40/43/47/50 for challenge ratings, which does not seem completely far-fetched, but requires an increase of SR across the board to keep it relevant.

I've increased SR at Wyrmling to 24 and have it now increase by 4 per age category instead by 2.

Miscellaneous numerical weirdnesses:
- Very Old should have 49 RHD, 48 breaks the "4 RHD per category" rule. Likewise, Young should have 55 Str.

Corrected. Those must have been typos that were in the first draft and simply got dragged along.

- It makes no sense that its Int is so much higher than its Cha if it casts as a sorcerer. Neither the tome nor the time dragon have such a discrepancy. You should either flatten it, or say that it casts as a wizard (maybe with a version of the Spellhoarding Dragon Psychoses from Dragon #313).

A) The tome dragon does have a higher Int than Cha, even if it is not that high. B) The reason for this discrepancy is that afro's hybrid template causes you to inherit the better Int score (so it has the time dragon's Int), but the worse Cha (the tome dragon's in this case).

- The Time Dragon's increase to speed with age categories is due to its progressive attunement to the time stream, and the jump from 60 to 90ft speed is due to Time Mastery giving it a permanent Haste effect. Since the mould dragon does not have this ability, it should not increase in speed at Adult age and, depending on your interpretation, maybe not elsewhere either.

Corrected.

- It's a bit weird that a creature with nonepic abilities and ability scores (the Wyrmling and up to Young versions) have DR/Epic. Maybe switching it to /Chaos would be better (though I'm not convinced myself).

The connection to Law is not strong enough. I'm thinking of making it DR/Magic and upgrading to DR/Epic on Young.

- The save DC for Adult and Mature Adult breath weapons should be 40 and 43 respectively.

Corrected.

I'm surprised there even are 6 of those documented, considering how elusive the Time Dragon is and its weird reproduction habits (meeting with a few of them every few millenia, mating, then not seeing each other ever again).

They aren't documented to exist at the same time and on the same world, of course.

I'm thinking it would have been nice to see something unique at Wyrm age categories beyond the Aura of Transience (which is already very nice). Since it has a focus on decay, an ability to make any spell affecting it decay over time, and for example reducing their duration by half, or changing any permanent spell to lasting only an hour...

Not a bad idea, but I was already thinking of something in that direction for something else I'm brewing. I'm not sure wether that could get samey...

[Metastachydium]

All's looking much better already! The boost to the breath and especially the one to the aura are much appreciated and very much approved of!

The connection to Law is not strong enough. I'm thinking of making it DR/Magic and upgrading to DR/Epic on Young.

I can see the thrust of Beni's contention, but DR/magic would just be… Sad.

[Tzardok]

Here a little thing inspired by folklore from the alps.

New Creature: Tatzelwurm
Small dragon
Hit Dice: 4d12+8 (34 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), Swim 30 ft.
Amor Class: 16 (+3 Dex, +1 size, +2 natural), touch 14, Flat footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+1
Attack: Bite melee +6 (1d6+1)
Full Attack: Bite melee +6 (1d6+1) and two claws melee +4 (1d4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Breath weapon, pounce, shrill scare
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/magic, darkvision 60 ft., dragon traits, low-light vision
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +6
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 7, Wis 14, Cha 16
Skills: Hide +14, Intimidate +14, Jump +12, Move Silently +10, Swim +9
Feats: Ability Focus (Breath Weapon), Multi-Attack, Spring Attack (B)
Environment: Any mountains
Organisation: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: Half standard
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 5 hd (small), 6-8 hd (medium), 9-12 hd (large)
Level Adjustment: +2

The tatzelwurm (plural: tatzelwürmer), also known as beißwurm, bergstutz, jumping wyrm or serpentegatto, is a rare dragon get that dwells in mountain ranges, often lairing in or near lakes or streams. A bizarre being, the tatzelwurm is dog sized and has a head resembling a draconic cat. It has only two front limbs resembling cat's claws and a snake-like body with a stumpy tail. Stripes of furred skin alternate with scaly patches, and bristles on the head form a kind of mane or crown. Tatzelwürmer can have any color from nearly black over brown and grey to scarlet.
The tatzelwurm's bodyshape, which it shares with the linnorm, has lead scholars to hypothize a connection between those draconic being. Some believe tatzelwürmer to be a degenerate and minitiaturized off-shot of the vile monsters. Others believe them to be a larval version, “tadpole” linnorms so to speak, that metamorphize into the normal versions upon reaching a certain size. This would also explain why one never sights young linnorms. Tatzelwürmer don't know their origin, nor do they care about them if asked. In fact, tatzelwürmer are in general grumpy, aggressive and taciturn, with a confident, nearly overwhelming ego and not a lot interest in anything besides themselves.
Tatzelwürmer prefer to ambush their prey, launching themselves with their strong tails at their targets before breathing their toxic gas. When a tatzelwurm attacks or wants to intimidate a creature, it produces a shrill whistling. Tatzelwürmer have a strange liking for milk, especially cow milk, and often attack herds of cattle to drain their udders.
Tatzelwürmer speak Draconic with a whistling accent and may know a few words in Common or Gnome.

Breath weapon (Su): A tatzelwurm can breath a 20 ft. long cone of nearly invisible poisonous gas. Any creature in the area must make a Fortitude save or be poisoned (DC 16, contact poison, primary damage: 1d3 Dex and 1 Con, secondary damage: none). After breathing, the tatzelwurm must wait 1d6 rounds until it can breath again.
Pounce (Ex): When charging, the tatzelwurm can make a full-attack.
Shrill Scare (Su): A tatzelwurm's shrill whistling is disproportinally horrifying. As a Swift Action, the tatzelwurm can let loose a piercing whistle that causes all creatures except for other dragons within 30 ft that can hear the tatzelwurm to be shaken for 2d6 rounds, unless they manage a Will save (DC 15). A creature that suceeds on its save is immune to that tatzelwurm's Shrill Scare for 24 hours.
This is a sonic mind-affecting fear effect.
Skills: A tatzelwurm has +4 racial bonus to Intimidate and Jump checks.
A tatzelwurm has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.