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2011-01-08, 09:44 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2008
Community Based Monster Classes VI
Community Based Monster Classes VI
For the player that wants to play D&D and be a monster, there's often a bitter pill to swallow. Maybe you're expected to deal with a kludgy level adjustment? Or perhaps the monster class they've already put out there has less-than-full HD per level? Or maybe there's just no LA or monster class option for that obscure monster you're so keen on, and you're forced to throw something together and beg your DM for its acceptance. Whatever the case, you're inevitably imbalanced one way or another. The session ends and people will often find themselves thinking things would have worked more smoothly if that monster hadn't been there to muck up the works.
No more!
In this thread, you will be able to play as any monster you want by entering these monster classes as though they were regular classes. Huge stat bonuses and screwy HD have been done away with, monsters with abilities that would throw campaigns into disarray (24/7 petrifying gaze! Woo!) have been rebalanced and made suitable for play. Monsters have been tweaked for your playing enjoyment.
If you love these monster classes, like so many do, there are two ways you can help out. You can critique or you can submit new monster classes.
The nebulous goal of this thread is to create a playable monster class for every monster in official material. Is that doable? Maybe not, but it's a good boundary to work within. For people wanting to work on monsters that aren't from official WotC material, there is a spin-off project, our homebrew edition. This spin-off project's main purpose is to make monster classes for PEACH'd homebrew monsters. Make sure to check them out!
General FAQSpoiler
Q) What monsters am I allowed to make into a monster class?
A) We encourage Homebrewers to build any monster as a playable character class. We prefer that Homebrewers build Monster Classes for monsters from published material that have not already been submitted. Before starting a new monster class, check the 'called' list (where people have called dibs on a particular monster or indicated they have started such a monster already) and the finished monster list. New homebrewers are encouraged to pick low-CR monsters, and not to attempt to tackle epic tier (20+ level) classes from the outset. Monsters from homebrew monsters should go in our homebrew section.
Q) Help! I'm taking a 1 or 2 level monster class and can't tell if it's BAB 1/2 or 3/4! (For the purposes of fractional BAB).
A) Unless otherwise noted, an undead has 1/2 BAB, while all other classes/templates have 3/4 BAB.
Q) When I increase in size does my strength increase and my dexterity decrease? If so, by how much?
A) Size increases, or decreases, do not alter ability scores in this project.
Q) What's the Caster Level for the SLAs?
A) Unless otherwise specified, the Caster level for any SLAs is equal to your total HD.
Q) What’s the Save DC for this ability?
A) Unless otherwise specified the Save DC is (10+ 1/2 HD + Charisma Modifier).
Q) What is this list of monsters?
A) The list is a collection of monster-classes that have been thoroughly P.E.A.C.H.ed, and are believed to be Play-ready. We make no claim to the perfection of a monster that has been listed, and continue to encourage comments and thoughts, even on monster-classes that have been 'finished.' Monsters that have been submitted but not added to the list are not yet fully critiqued, and you play at your own risk, using them.
The rest of the rules are split into three parts. Use Guidelines will teach you all the general rules for using these Monster Classes in a game, with specifics on changing size or multiclassing several monster classes (unintended by the project, but people are liable to try it anyways). Critique Guidelines will explain how you can help the project by commenting on other people's monsters. The Homebrew Guidelines state how you can help us by making your own Monster Class.
Use Guidelines
You take these Monster Classes just like you would any other class, such as wizard or rogue. Each level of the class develops your abilities as that particular monster. Normally you should take the first level of a Monster Class at level 1, but in some cases you might wish for your character to transform into a monster, in which case you can take it at a later level. After that, you may multiclass freely; for example one might take 1 level of troll, then 3 of barbarian, then a second level of troll, then another level of barbarian.
Upon taking the first level of a monster class, you lose all other racial traits: what this means is that while you may select a race in character creation, you lose that race when you take your first level in a monster class. You do not gain any traits or bonuses from being a race, as the first level of a Monster Class replaces both class and race. That said, the monster classes are typically a step more powerful than a standard class to make up for the lack of racial bonuses.
Growth TableSpoiler
{table=head]Base Size|New Size| AC & Attack Bonuses*|Space*|Reach (Tall/Long)*|Ave. Size Incr.|Ave. Weight Incr.|Grapple Mod.|Hide Mod.
Fine|Diminutive|-4 (size)|+½’|+0’/+0’|+6”|+1/2 lb.|+4 (size)|-4 (size)
Diminutive|Tiny|-2 (size)|+1½’|+0’/+0’|+9”|+5 lbs.|+4 (size)|-4 (size)
Tiny|Small| -1 (size)|+2½’|+5’/+5’|+18”|+36 lbs.|+4 (size)|-4 (size)
Small|Medium| -1 (size)|+0’|+0’/+0’|+3’|+240 lbs.|+4 (size)|-4 (size)
Medium|Large|-1 (size)|+5’|+5’/+0’|+6’|+2000 lbs.|+4 (size)|-4 (size)
Large|Huge|-1 (size)|+5’|+5’/+5’|+12’|+8 tons|+4 (size)|-4 (size)
Huge|Gargantuan|-2 (size)|+5’|+5’/+5’|+24’|+80 tons|+4 (size)|-4 (size)
Gargantuan|Colossal|-4 (size)|+10’|+10’/+5’|+48’|+200 tons|+4 (size)|-4 (size)[/table]
Natural weapons damage increases one die size for each size increase.
Thanks to Zeta Kai for the Table.
Under normal circumstances you may not multiclass two Base Monster Classes. Below are some suggested rules should you decide to go against the grain and attempt such:
Multiple Natural Armor BonusesSpoiler
If a creature gains natural armor bonuses from multiple sources treat them according to the following chart.
{table=head]Base Natural Armor|Extra Natural Armor|Results
1/2 Con Mod|1/2 Con Mod|Full Con Mod as Natural armor Bonus
Anything higher than 1/2 Con Mod|1/2 Con Mod|+1 Nat. AC
Full Con Mod|Full Con Mod|1.5 Con Mod
Anything Higher than Full Con Mod|Full Con Mod|+2 Nat. AC
1.5 Con Mod|Anything higher than Full Con Mod|+3 Nat. AC[/table]
Creatures that gain Natural Armor from more than one monster class, that specify different Ability Scores as the base for their Natural Armor Class use whichever Ability Score is higher to derive both Natural Armor Classes, and uses the chart above.
Thanks to ChumpLump for the Table.
Multiclassing MonstersSpoiler
In some cases, your DM may disregard the above rule and allow you to multiclass two base monster classes. This will likely represent some sort of hybrid character, which could be interesting. In this case, how you should play this is: For the monster class which you do not take at level one, remove the “Body of X” class feature, and use the “Body of X” for your first monster class. If you somehow take them at the same time using a variant rule like gestalt, keep the “Body of X” from the class with more levels. If they both have the same number of levels, you may choose which “Body of X” you keep.
Critique Guidelines
For any monster to be put up, it must be critiqued. By you! Here's how it works.
Monster approval is governed by a group of experienced or thoughtful homebrewers, known as the council. The council currently consists of Gorgondantess, Hyudra, and Magicyop. For any monster to be put on the list, it needs only to be approved by any two council members. The council is not a closed entity, if you wish to be a part of the council, send them a private message.
Further, the council are not the only ones who may critique-- we strongly encourage you to help others round out their monster classes. Especially if you hope to one day be on the council, you will only be chosen for the council if you critique often and critique well. Even for those not wishing to be on the council, critiquing others' work can improve the quality of your own submissions and may lead to you getting more critiques & faster approval of your own work. Someone who posts a monster and then doesn't post for two weeks while they wait for responses is going to get a less enthusiastic response than someone who is active and participating in the thread.
If you intend to comment on monster classes in any way, you should read the rules below and follow them.
Critiquing Rules
Spoiler1. Respect
Respect is tantamount if you are working on this project. If you are disrespectful of a class or a homebrewer, you will face consequences within this thread. At all times we must all treat each other with respect. Ignore all other rules before you ignore this one. Never be disrespectful to another homebrewer.
Unless they're a twit. Then it's okay.
2. Contribution
Try to critique other Monster Classes whenever possible. It can be very frustrating if no one will critique your class, and if you skip over someone's class, they may feel left out. Just remember that if you help someone out by critiquing their class, they will likely help you out by critiquing your class.
How To Critique
Spoiler1. Take a good long look at the class. A skimming look will not do. Read the entire thing, and try to get the image in your mind of what type of flavor the creator was going for.
2. Comment on the class as a whole before picking it apart. Give your feelings in general.
3. Note how you feel about each separate feature of the class.
4. Make sure the class is in accordance with the homebrew rules below.
5. Remember to also say what you like about the class-- try to find one nice thing to say about every monster class you critique. Every crafter has their merits.
Homebrew Guidelines
Making a Monster Class is difficult, so don't think you can whip something up in ten seconds and get it posted. It may be long and hard to perfect it, but we'll help you through it. Follow these guidelines and you'll quickly be on your way. Remember to start out with Hyudra's class template so that all classes are in a standard format.
Submission Guidelines:
- Apply for a 'license' before submitting a monster. To get a license (essentially an a-ok to post monsters from one of the council members), simply PM a council member to ask for one, and let them know that you have read this post & the homebrew guide/FAQs linked immediately below this list. If you already have one or more monsters on the official list, added since the summer of 2010, you are assumed to be a license holder. This is just to avoid people making mistakes that are warned against elsewhere.
- Start small. If you are new to the project, don't submit a monster with a CR (and, as a consequence, a maximum level) greater than 5. Leeway can be granted (say, a CR6-8 monster), but ask if you're really keen on doing such. Long & involved monster classes coupled with inexperienced creators make for monsters that can take two or more months to wrap up, with constant revision and critique. Not fun for anyone. Learn the ropes first.
- Has it been done already? Check that the monster you want to submit is not on the finished list, the unfinished list, the abandoned list or the called monster list. There's no need to put in the work if someone else has already got the job done.
- Spellcheck, format check: Read over your finished work for errors. Ideally, you want to run it through a spellchecker (either built into your browser or copy/pasted into a word document), but if you've got a good eye for errors, that can be omitted. Similarly, check the design & format of your post against other recently finished monsters (Such as Saguaro Sentinel or Troll) to see if there's something you're doing too differently.
- Be prepared to revise: Monsters that are submitted have to go through a review process to ensure we're putting quality work out there. For this reason, the council members will go over monsters and suggest changes.
A Guide to Writing Monster Classes: Copy-Paste Post Template, Design Guidelines, Changelog FAQ & Image FAQLast edited by Hyudra; 2011-03-03 at 05:29 PM.
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2011-01-08, 09:45 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2008
Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
Base Monster Classes
Spoiler
A
Abishai - Gorgondantess
Aboleth - by Oslecamo
Achaierai - by Gorgondantess
Air elemental - by AustontheGreat1
Allip - by Temotei
Anaxim - by Draken
Androsphynx - by Oslecamo
Angel of Decay - by Draken
Ankheg - by Kajhera
Annis Hag - by Hyudra
Anthropomorphic Animal - by Oslecamo
Aranea - by Oslecamo
Arcadian Avenger - by Zemro Shivic
Arcanaloth - by Frog Dragon
Arrow Demon - by Cogidubnus
Astral Construct - by Sciencepanda
Astral Stalker - by Fyrebyrd/Oslecamo
Awakened Monstrous Crab - by Flabort
Awakened Skeleton - by Oslecamo
B
Balor - by Oslecamo
Basilisk - by Hyudra
Beguiler - by AustontheGreat1
Beholder - by AustontheGreat1
Bleakborn - by CraftyCultist
Blink Dog - by AustontheGreat1
Brain in a Jar - by Draken
Bralani - by BelGareth
Bugbear - by Crafty Cultist
C
Cat, Awakened - by Gorgondantess
Centaur - by Hyudra
Cheshire Cat[B] - by Geckoking
Cloaker - by Saidoro
Cloud Giantvby Hyudra
Coatlvby Kobold-Bard
Cornugon - by Gorgondantess
D
Daeva - by Gorgondantess
Death Drinker - by Oslecamo
Death Knight - by monkman
Djinni - by Oslecamo
Displacer Beast - by Hyudra
Doppelganger - by Oslecamo
Dracotaur - by monkman
Dragonne - by Oslecamo
Dream Larva - by Magicyop
Drider - by I_Am_An_Undead/Lix Lorn
Dryad - by Bodez/Oslecamo
Duergar - by Jallorn
E
Earth Elemental - by AustontheGreat1
Entomber - by Gorgondantess
Entropic Reaper - by Crafty_Cultist
Erinyes - by Oslecamo
Ettin - by Temotei
F
Firbolg - by Oslecamo
Fire Elemental - by AustontheGreat1
Flind Gnoll - by Gorgondantess
Force Golem - by Gorgondantess
Forest Troll - by Volt
Fire Giant - by Hyudra
Frost Giant - by Hyudra
G
Gelatinous Cube - by Kobold-Bard
Ghaele Eladrin - by Oslecamo
Ghost - by Oslecamo
Ghoul - by CraftY_Cultist/Oslecamo
Gibbering Mouther - by Betropper
Githzerai/Githyanki - by Chumplump
Glass Golem - by Cogidubnus
Gloom - by Oslecamo
Gnoll - by Oslecamo
Goristro - by Monkman
Gray Jester - by Oslecamo
Green Hag - by ChumpLump
Grimlock - by Oslecamo
Griffon - by AustontheGreat1
Gynosphynx - by Volt
H
Harpy - by Hyudra
Hell Hound - by Crafty Cultist
Hill Giant - by Hyudra
Hound Archon - by Oslecamo
Hook Horror - by Frog Dragon
Hydra - by Oslecamo
I
Imp - by Hyudra
Iron Golem - by Gorgodantess
J
Janni - by Kobold-Bard
K
Kaorti - by Crafty Cultist
Karsite - by Kobold Bard
Kuo-Toa - by Hyudra
Kython - by Crafty_Cultist
Kyton - by ChumpLump
L
Lammasu - by Kobold-Bard
Lantern Archon - by Volt
Leonal - by BelGareth
Lillend - by Oslecamo
Locathah - by Gorgondantess
Lodestone Marauder - by ScionoftheVoid
M
Manticore - by Hyudra
Marilith - by Oslecamo
Marrash - by Zemro Shivic
Marrutact - by Gorgodantess
Marraenoloth - by Gorgondantess
Medusa - by Hyudra
Mimic - by Sciencepanda
Mind Flayer - by Oslecamo
Mindflayer, Psionic - by Gorgondantess
Minotaur - by Hyudra
Mephit - by Hyudra
Mezzoloth - by Frog Dragon
Monstrous Spider - by Hyudra
Movanic Deva - by Oslecamo
Mummy - by Oslecamo
MurderJack - by FlickerDart/Oslecamo
N
Nashrou - by Makiru
Nerra - by Draken
Nimblewright - by Temotei
Nixie - by Oslecamo
Nycaloth - by Frog Dragon
Nymph - by Bodez
O
Ogre Mage - by Oslecamo
Ogre - by Hyudra
Owlbear - by Kobold-Bard
P
Pegasus - by FirebirdFlying
Phasm - by Oslecamo
Phoelarch - by AustontheGreat1
Phoenix - by Oslecamo/AustontheGreat1
Pit fiend - by Oslecamo
Pixie - by Aranii
Planetouched - by Gorgodantess
Pseudo-Dragon - by Kobold-Bard
Purple Worm - by Hyudra
Q
R
Rakshasa - by Oslecamo
Rakshasa, Naztharune - by Gorgondantess
Ravid - by Kobold-Bard
Red slaad - by Oslecamo
Redcap - by Draken
Reptilians - by Gorgondantess
Reth Dekala - by Gorgondantess
Roving Mauler - by Makiru
Rukanyr - by Makiru
Rust Monster - by Kobold-Bard
S
Saguaro Sentinel - by Gorgondantess
Sahuagin - by Crafty Cultist
Salamander - by Oslecamo
ScorpionFolk - by Frog Dragon
Sea Hag - by ChumpLump
Shadowperson - by AustontheGreat1
Shaedling - by Monkman/Gorgondantess
Silthilar - by AustonTheGreat1
Skeroloth - by Frog Dragon
Slaad - by Trenelus
Solamith - by Makiru
Son/Daughter of Silence - by Oslecamo
Soulspark - by Niezck
Succubus - by Oslecamo
Spell Weaver - by Winter King
Stone giant - by Hyudra
Sverfineblin - by ChumpLump
T
Tarrasque - by Oslecamo
Tengu - by Oslecamo
Thorn - by Zemro Shivic
Thri-Kreen - by Oslecamo
Titan - by Kobold Bard
Treant - by Niezck
Troll - By Hyudra
Tsochar - by Oslecamo
U
Unicorn - by FirebirdFlying
V
Valkyrie - By Niezck
Vargouille - by Oslecamo
Vasuthant - by Oslecamo
Vrock - by Gorgondantess
W
Water Elemental - by AustontheGreat1
Wight - by Crafty Cultist
Wild Hunt - by Oslecamo
Will-O-Wisp - by Kobold-Bard
Winter Wolf - by Frog Dragon
Wyvern - by Hyudra
X
Xill - by ScionoftheVoid
Y
Yuan-ti - by Oslecamo
Z
Zelekhut(inevitable) - by Oslecamo
Zern - by AustontheGreat1
True Dragons:
SpoilerBlue Dragon - by Oslecamo
Bronze Dragon - by Gorgondantess/Oslecamo
Fang dragon - by unknown
Golden Dragon - by Oslecamo
Green Dragon - by un_known
Red Dragon - by Oslecamo
Purple Dragon - by Oslecamo
Pyroclastic dragon - by Kyuubi/Oslecamo
Silver Dragon - by Oslecamo
Styx Dragon - by Kyuubi/Oslecamo
White Dragon - by un_known
Wing Dragon - by Oslecamo
Prestige Monster Classes
Spoiler
C
Creature of Legend - by Hyudra
D
Death Knight - by Monkman
E
Evolved Undead - by Gorgondantess
F
Feral Creature - by Niezck
G
Golden Protector - by Kobold-Bard
Gravetouched Ghoul - by Hyudra
Half-
Half-Celestial - by Crafty Cultist
Half-Dragon - by Oslecamo
Half-Fey - by Kobold-Bard
Half-Fiend - by Crafty Cultist
Half-Golem - by Oslecamo
Half-Illithid - by Crafty Cultist
Half-Troll - by flabort
H
Horrid Monster - by Hyudra
K
Kython, Impaler and Slaymaster - by Crafty Cultist
Kython, Slaughterking - by Crafty Cultist
L
Lich - by Crafty Cultist
P
Phrenic Creature - by Niezck
S
Saint - by Magicyop
Spellwarped Creature - by Frog Dragon/Oslecamo
Swarmshifter - by TheGeckoKing
U
Ulitharid - by Oslecamo
Unholy Scion - by Monkman
V
Vampire - by Oslecamo
W
War Troll - by Monkman
Winged Template - by Niezck
Therianthropes:
Spoiler
Wereconstrictor - by ChumpLump
Werecheetah - by ChumpLump
Wereleopard - by ChumpLump
Werelion - by ChumpLump
Wereraptor - by Betropper
Wererat - by ChumpLump
Werespider Hunter - by ChumpLump
Werespider Weaver - by ChumpLump
Weretiger - by ChumpLump
Wereviper - by ChumpLump
Last edited by Hyudra; 2011-03-16 at 01:41 PM.
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2011-01-08, 09:46 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2008
Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
Unfinished Monster Classes
Spoiler{table=head]Monster|Council Approvals|Notes
Gray Jester ||Abandoned 2-12-2011, re-adopted by original creator 3-23-2011.
Pandorym||
Jovoc|Hyudra|
Gargoyle|Hyudra|
Remorhaz||
Vivisector|Hyudra|
Razor Boar|Hyudra|
Ettercap||
Aboleth||Replacing old Aboleth with one that meets current standards.
Ragewalker||
Phase Wasp|Hyudra|
Violet Fungus|Hyudra|
Chuul||
Hooded Pupil||
Psurlon||
Phantom||
Unbodied||
Greenbound Creature||Also Greenbound Paragon, Plant Symbionts.
Drow|Hyudra|
Justice Archon|Hyudra|
Coure Eladrin|Hyudra|
Half Dragon||NinethePuma's version.
Grick||
Assassin Vine||
Sharakim||
Frostwind Virago||List of powers to be found Here
Garngrath||
Brass Golem||
Half-Dragon||Gorgondantess' version.[/table]
Abandoned Monsters
Spoiler
The following table lists monsters deemed 'abandoned', either voluntarily ("I'm not going to finish this") or due to inactive posting/lack of responses to critiques. If you wish to reclaim a monster of yours that was abandoned, inform a mod. If you wish to adopt a monster abandoned by another, attempt contacting the original poster, then seek council permission. If deemed appropriate by the council, depending on the monster and how close it is to being done, you should then post in the main thread expressing your interest to adopt the monster and what your plans are for it (starting fresh, just finishing what's there, what kind of abilities you're thinking of & what sort of fixes you're pondering). If someone else wishes to adopt the monster too, you should work out an agreement or compromise, or seek the input of others as to who has the stronger ideas. Once that is done, you may pick up that monster and make any changes necessary to get it up to your & our standards.
{table=head]Monster|Abandoned On|Notes
Yellow Musk Creeper|12-13-10|Adopted by creator again 02-08-10, re-abandoned after no activity in 9 days.
Living Spell|12-14-10|Adopted by creator again 02-08-10, re-abandoned after no activity in 9 days.
Animated Object|12-16-10|Adopted by creator again 02-08-10, re-abandoned after no activity in 9 days.
Wendigo|12-21-10|Adopted by creator again 02-08-10, re-abandoned after no activity in 9 days.
Werescorpion|12-09-10|
Maug|12-10-10|
Death Knight|12-10-10|
Grell|12-12-10|
Demilich|12-17-10|
Half-Elemental|12-22-10|
Flesh Golem|1-08-11|
Dwarf Ancestor|1-12-11|
Storm Giant|1-23-11|
Corrupted Creature|2-08-11|
Hellfire Wyrm|2-17-11|
Briarvex|2-24-11|Abandoned 12-22-10, adopted by original creator 2-24-11.
Black Dragon|2-26-11|Presumably being reworked from the ground up.
Umber Hulk|-|Voluntarily Abandoned, Flavor/Fluff Mismatch
Nightwalker|-|Voluntarily Abandoned, Leaving GitP
Ragewalker|-|Voluntarily Abandoned, No time to finish
Lemure|-|Voluntarily Abandoned. Was a creative experiment that failed.
Quasi-God|-|Creator resigning from project.
Rast|-|Creator resigning from project.
Magmin|-|Creator resigning from project.
Half-Golem|-|Leaving as purview of the homebrew forum.
[/table]
Called Monsters
SpoilerHagumemnon(Protean): Magicyop
Elder Evil: Magicyop
Karrash: Zemro Shivic
Wild Hunt Revision: Gorgondantess
Ethergaunt: Gorgondantess
Ultroloth: Gorgondantess?/TheGeckoKing?
Varakhat: TheGeckoKing
Vistani: Chambers
Efreeti: Darthteej
Umber Hulk: Gorgondantess
Leucrotta: Hyudra
Homonculus: Mootoall
Frostwind Virago: HyudraLast edited by Hyudra; 2011-03-23 at 07:25 PM.
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2011-01-08, 09:47 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2008
Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
Reserved post for additional details, new rules, news & featured monsters.
Previous Threads:
Last edited by Hyudra; 2011-01-08 at 09:56 PM.
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2011-01-08, 10:19 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2008
Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
Request for a class to create unique outsiders.
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2011-01-08, 10:33 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2008
Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
That's not really in the scope of the project, EdroGrimshell. If you'll note in the first post:
"The nebulous goal of this thread is to create a playable monster class for every monster in official material. For people wanting to work on monsters that aren't from official WotC material, there is a spin-off project, our homebrew edition.
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2011-01-09, 12:06 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2008
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- Seattle
- Gender
Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
You already noted the new unfinished monsters, I didn't catch anything you missed, but maybe somehow fit in the monstrous feats KB did (as well as the ones Gorgon did) in? Unless they're not in the scope of the project?
Dracolich, Shade Template, the original true dragons, shadow dragon, Yith Hound, Shadow Mastiff , and Vol were all requested.
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2011-01-09, 12:13 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Mar 2009
Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
I can't recall the advice for Illurien, I didn't see it in the unfinished monsters list, and I'm not sure where the advice is so I'm reposting her.
Illurien
Spoiler
HD:d8
{table]Level|Bab|Fort|Ref|Will|Feature
1|+ 0|+ 0|+0 | +2 | Body of knowledge, Tempest lash, +1 Intelligence
2|+1 |+ 0|+0 | +3 | Improved Body of Knowledge, SLAs
3|+ 2|+ 1|+ 1| +3 | fast healing, Spell resistance, +1 intelligence
4|+ 3|+ 1|+1 | +4 | Storm of visions, Home plane, Infinite knowledge, SLAs, +1 strength
5|+ 3|+ 1|+ 1| +4 | fly speed, combat expertise +1 intelligence
6|+ 4|+ 2|+2 | +5 | Damage reduction, SLAs, +1 strength,
7|+ 5|+ 2|+2 | + 5| Improved infinite knowledge, Greater body of knowledge, +1 intelligence
8|+ 6|+ 2|+2 | +6 | Improved Storm of visions, cloud of Foresight, SLAs +1 strength
9|+ 6|+ 3|+ 3| +6 | Knowledge devotion, Growth, +1 intelligence
10|+7 |+ 3|+3 | +7 | greater infinite knowledge, improved tempest lash, +1 intelligence
11|+ 8| + 3|+ 3| +7 | Blindsight, Perfected body of knowledge, +1 intelligence
12|+ 9|+ 4|+4 | +8 | Rejuvenation, SLAs, +1 Strength
13|+ 9|+ 4|+4 | +8 | Perfect Infinite Knowledge, Perfected tempest lash, +1 intelligence
14|+ 10|+ 4|+4 | +9 |SLAs, Perfected storm of visions,
15|+ 11|+5 |+ 5| +9 | Additional SLAs+1 Strength, +1 intelligence
[/table]
Skills: 8+ int mod per level. All skills are class skills
Proficiencies: Illurien isn't proficient with any weapons except her tempest lash and isn't proficient with any armor.
Features:
Body of Knowledge: Illurien loses all other racial traits and gains outsider traits, (Basically darkvision 60 feet), Base move speed of 40 feet, and she gains the tempest lash ability. She is incapable of speaking but has telepathy out to 10 feet per HD.
Tempest lash: Illurien can use tempest lash as a standard action. The damage is equal to 1d8+strength modifier and she gets iterative attacks with the ability based on her BAB. At 10th level The lash deals 1d4 intelligence damage on a hit and she gains 5 temporary hit points for each point of intelligence she drains. These temporary hit points can not exceed her total hit points and go away at the end of the encounter.
If Illurien multiclasses for an arcane class she can count her levels in the Illurien class as levels of that class for purposes of CL and for the purposes of learning new spells and getting new spell slots. So for example, if Illurien takes 3 levels of her class and takes 1 level of sorcerer, she could choose to have CL 4, get 3 2nd level spell slots, 1 1st level spell slot, 1 2nd level spell known and 1 0th level spell known. She wouldn't get the spells known and spell slots of a sorcerer 3 however. She would get the familiar ability, but Illurien levels wouldn't count for it.
Strength of body and mind: Illurien gains a +1 bonus to her intelligence score at levels 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 15 for a total of +8 to her intelligence score at 15th level and a +1 bonus to strength at 4, 8, 12 and 15, for a total of +4 at level 15
SLAs: At 2nd level Illurien gains the spells detect magic, read magic and identify as SLAs, at 4th level she gains locate object and detect thoughts, at 6th level she gains arcane sight and tongues, at 8th level, she gains Scrying and locate creature, at 10th level she gains contact other plane, At 12th level she gains legend lore and Analyze Dweomer, and at 14th she gains plane shift and greater Teleport 1/day per 5 HD. Plane shift upgrades to greater plane shift at 20 HD. The other mentioned SLAs are usable 1/day per spell level HD.
Improved Body of Knowledge: At second level Illurien gains a resistance to electricity, and a bonus on saves against poison, paralysis, and disease equal to her HD. In addition, she gains the evil subtype which applies to all Natural/wielded weapons for the purpose of overcoming DR and she simply needs to trance instead of sleep.
Fast healing: At 3rd level Illurien gains fast healing 1. This amount increases by 1 every 3 HD.
Spell resistance: At 3rd level Illurien gains spell resistance equal to her HD+11
Storm of visions SU:The watery droplets that surround Illurien are the collected fragments of the knowledge she has accumulated. At 4th level, at the end of Each of Illurien's turns each enemy within 30 feet of her must succeed on a will save equal to 10+Half HD+ intelligence modifier or be dazzled for one round. A successful save negates the effect but each enemy in the area must make a new saving throw at the end of each of Illurien's turns. This is a mind affecting ability.
Home Plane: At 4th level, Illurien gains her own “Ivory tower”, known as the Aethenaum Nefarious. The Aethenaum Nefarious is a library filled to the brim with forgotten knowledge and dark secrets. This library is located in the Outlands but can be reached by plane shift. the library can be expanded with extra rooms to help Illurien in her search for knowledge and she gains an extra room every 4 HD In addition, the library grants a +1 bonus to knowledge checks per 2 HD and at 15th level, those within the library and their equipment become immune to all forms of divination, as if they did not exist. Illurien is also able to transport to her library as a full round action twice a day and bring her allies along with her. This place cannot be entered by anyone Illurien does not allow within but it can be destroyed. (Need help in determining how to be destroyed.)
choosable rooms (Need more)
Spoiler
Divination room: This room contains the normal material for a scrying spell and extra materials to make sure divination spells succeed. The room grants a +1 bonus to checks related to divination spells for each 4 HD Illurien has. In addition, at 10th level, Illurien can make a caster level check against the caster level of an effect preventing divination working. This does not work against foes who's divination immunity has no caster level behind it. Her caster level is equal to her hit dice.
Item creation room: This room grants 1 item creation feat for every time this option is taken. At 10th level, Illurien doesn't need to know the spells required for an item, as long as she meets the required caster level. Her caster level is equal to her hit dice.
Rest/Sustenance room:This room acts almost as a ring of sustenance for anyone within. The room expands to fit the size of her allies as needed and provides sustenance for any party member. In addition, party members need sleep or trance for only 2 hours while within the room.
Infinite Knowledge: Illurien can now use all that knowledge she stole to good use. A number of times per day equal to her intelligence modifier (minimum of 1), she may expend a move action to make a knowledge check against whatever she may be facing: local for monstrous humanoids, arcane for magical beasts and dragons, Architecture/Engineering for constructs, dungeoneering for aberrations & oozes, the planes for outsiders & elementals, nature for animals & fey, nobility & royalty for humanoids, and geography for giants. The DC of this knowledge check is 15. If she succeeds, all allies within 30 feet gain a +1 bonus to attacks against the creature (or creatures, if there are multiple creatures of the same race). This bonus increases by an additional 1 for every 10 points Illurien succeeds by.
Starting at 7th level, Illurien may instead grant a +1 bonus to saves against the creature's abilities, plus an additional one for every 10 points Illurien succeeds by.
Starting at 10th level, Illurien may instead grant +1d6 damage to attacks against the creature, plus an additional 1d6 for every 10 points Illurien succeeds by.
Starting at 13th level, Illurien may instead grant a +1 bonus to AC against the creature's attacks, plus an additional one for every 10 points she succeeds by.
Starting at 16th level, Illurien may instead grant a +1 bonus to DCS of any ability used against the creature, plus an additional 1 for every 10 points she succeeds by.
Flight: at 5th level Illurien gains a fly speed of 40 feet and good maneuverability. The speed increases by 20 for every 5 HD afterward.
Combat expertise: At 5th level, Illurien gains combat expertise as a bonus feat. At 10th level the dodge bonus also applies to the miss chance of cloud of foresight. If Illurien already has Combat advantage at this point, she can instead choose any feat from the fighter's list of bonus feats. The bonus to the miss chance at 10th level applies either way.
Damage reduction (EX): At 6th level Illurien gains damage reduction good equal to half her hit dice.
Greater body of knowledge(EX): At 7th level, Illurien only needs to trance for 4 hours, is immune to poison and disease and gains a bonus on saves against the fatigue and exhausted conditions equal to her HD. In addition, she can take 10 on knowledge checks even in a threatening situation.
Cloud of Foresight SU: At 8th level, drawing on her boundless lore, Illurien uses her opponent's tendencies and desires against them. This causes her opponents to have a 10% miss chance against her. The miss chance increases by 10% every time she takes another 2 levels in the class for a total of 40% at 14th level.
Improved storm of visions: At 9th level, the effect changes from dazzled to dazed and the effect lasts an additional round.
Knowledge devotion: At 9th level Illurien can gain the benefits of Infinite knowledge as well.
Growth: At 9th level Illurien grows to large size.
Mind sight: At 11th level, Illurien gains the ability known as mind sight with a range equal to her telepathy range. This ability allows Illurien to determine which square any being with an intelligence score of 1 or higher is located in. Illurien can also determine the being's type and intelligence score. This takes no extra action. If a creature has concealment, or total concealment, they still retain them.
Perfected body of knowledge: At 11th level, Illurien no longer needs to sleep, is immune to effects that would make her fall asleep, and to the fatigued and exhausted conditions..
Rejuvenation: When Illurien would “die” she instead regenerates within the Aethenaum Nefarious in 2 days. However, she loses one level each time this happens. This ability comes in at level 12.
Perfected tempest Lash: At 13th level, Illurien can drain XP from her enemies. This XP is equal to the enemy's hit dice and she gains this with each hit of her tempest lash. This XP goes to a separate pool from her leveling XP and cannot be shifted over. This XP can be used for crafting items, casting spells, or some other such purpose. This XP can not exceed Illurien's current hit dice multiplied by 100
Perfected storm of visions At 14th level, The DC of storm of visions increases by 2, Dazed upgrades to stunned, and the ability loses the mind affecting tag.
Improved SLAs: At 15th level, Illurien can add 2 spells of levels 1-6 from the wizard/sorcerer list to her list of SLAs. The amount of times she can cast these per day are equal to 1/spell level HD.
Last edited by Mystic Muse; 2011-01-09 at 12:13 AM.
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2011-01-09, 12:39 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
Hey, if you guys wouldn't mind throwing some ideas out for the Remorhaz, that would be cool too. I've kinda hit a mental block with it. Also, I'll try and have a review or two up by tomorrow. I've been slacking on that.
"The more I talk, the stupider I sound." ~Me
"Life is what you make of it." ~Deadpool
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2011-01-09, 01:19 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
Added the feats as 'other unfinished/uncritiqued content'.
Added more of the requested monsters.
Illurien- Needs an image.
- Bleh, 15 level class.
- Source? Without it, can't look at the original monster for flavor & details. I had to look it up.
- Telepathy out to 10' per HD is kind of crippling. That means not being able to talk to other people in the same room as you.
- All skills should not be class skills. That gives you access to iajitsu focus, hypnotism, craft dreamweave item, and so on... skills with concrete in-game benefits that can really power you up. Also, it's the factotum's schtick that you're messing with.
- The numbers in the table (particularly BAB) are screwy. Some are like +1 and others are like + 3 (with a space). It needs tidying.
- Needs more flavor text in ability descriptions, so we've got a better idea of what's going on and why. You mention a tempest lash, but I frankly don't have a clue what that is, especially because there's no source listed.
- I get the impression I already reviewed this, which is strange because some of the stuff I'm seeing looks like stuff I would've caught, before.
- Tempest Lash:
- The healing is perhaps a bit much. Consider that you're potentially delivering two 1d8+Str attacks, dealing 2d4 str mod damage and gaining 10-20 hp on each attack.
- SLAs:
- State, as you describe each level of SLAs, how many times they can be used a day. It's very unclear, as it's currently stated.
- "The other mentioned SLAs are usable 1/day per spell level HD." is awkwardly worded.
- Improved Body of Knowledge:
- "purpose of overcoming DR and she simply needs to trance instead of sleep. " is weirdly worded. The trance thing is a thought of its own. End the sentence after detailing DR and then bring up trances after that, in a sentence of its own.
- Storm of visions SU:
- Ability needs a proper name, with capitalization (and if you're detailing (su), (ex), etc, do it consistently and use the standard formatting).
- You mention watery droplets. I'm confused. Describe the abilities in a way that people who haven't seen the monster have an idea of what they're about.
- "At 4th level, at the end of Each of Illurien's turns..." each should not be capitalized.
- I don't like abilities that add a lot of rolling & bog down combat. Figure that you're 4th level. You've got 15 levels to gain to reach 20th level. To gain a level, assuming 4 standard, fair encounters a day, one must pass through 13.3 encounters. Right?
So you're talking ~200 encounters to reach through level 20. Over those 200 encounters, in every single round, pretty much every enemy is going to have to make a will save or be dazed. Pass or fail, you're going to have to make the save again at the end of her next turn... that's a crapton of rolling. Depending on the number of rounds in the average combat, the frequency of combat based encounters and the number of enemies, you're talking 500-1000 will saves being thrown out there.
- Home Plane:
- I don't like that you named it for the player. Let the players name their own dark library.
- Being able to transport to the library is fine. Not having a way to transport back is... inconvenient.
- This strikes me as an ability fitting for a much higher level than 4th.
- Infinite Knowledge:
- Seems like a kind of overpowered version of Knowledge Devotion. The problem with skill-based abilities is that they either don't work at all (truenaming) or they're too easy to pump, granting ridiculous bonuses.
- The 13th level bonus sucks. A bonus to AC granted around the time that AC really has started to decline in usefulness. I can't see smart players using it.
- The 16th level bonus is weird and ill-fitting. I can't think of a better way to say it. "DCS" is confusing (Save DCs would be better, but still awkward), and there's really no precedent for an ability like it. Replace it?
- Combat Expertise:
- The thing about combat expertise is that, as a feat that's a prerequisite for so many other feats, it's one you take early or you just don't take it at all. As such, it is out of place at 5th level.
- "If Illurien already has Combat advantage at this point, she can" ...
What's combat advantage? - You reference cloud of foresight before the ability is granted, which is confusing. Consider moving the dodge bonus details to the cloud of foresight entry instead.
- Damage Reduction:
- "At 6th level Illurien gains damage reduction good equal to half her hit dice." -- I'd reword, as it's just clunky in the underlined part there. Look at other monsters for how they worded the DR entries.
- Cloud of Foresight SU:
- Ability name needs fixing.
- "The miss chance increases by 10% every time she takes another 2 levels in the class for a total of 40% at 14th level. " - wording is awkward in the underlined part there.
- So... I have 40% chance to dodge any attack at 14th level. I've also got the dodge bonus from combat expertise, so that's... 5%? 45% chance to avoid any attack. I'm also getting +5 to AC in addition to my existing bonus, so my AC is maybe going to prevent what? One in five attacks on its own? Seems a little much, numberwise. It strikes me that with some other abilities and/or concealment benefits, you're nigh untouchable (Say, warlock's entropic shield, as a start).
- Improved Storm of Visions
- Capitalize every letter of an ability name. So instead of "Improved storm of visions" it would be "Improved Storm of Visions".
- I've stated why I don't like Storm of Visions, Dazed is actually a pretty crippling condition tacked onto the insane number of rolls being performed.
- Knowledge Devotion:
- Capitalize ability names.
- What would happen if I, as an Illurien with skills stacked to maximize knowledge, huge int, int bonuses from levels in the class, item familiars granting +20 or more to the knowledge skill of my choice, picked up the Knowledge Devotion feat in addition to the bonuses granted here? Stacking! Too easy/intuitive to abuse.
- Mind Sight:
- Capitalize ability names.
- Perfected Body of Knowledge:
- Capitalize ability names.
- "and to the fatigued and exhausted conditions.. " -- isn't a complete thought. Two periods at the end there.
- Rejuvenation:
- Kind of crippling if you don't necessarily get a choice in the matter. If I'm the BBEG trying to defeat the party, I'm going to kill the Illurien over and over, and run away after each time.
- Perfected Tempest Lash:
- I complained about the number of rolls with storm of knowledge, and I complained about the number of things that tempest lash got, goodie wise. I fear the experience tracking makes a full attack routine by the Illurien into a bit of a headache (You're rolling vs. ac, doing damage, recording damage to the monster on the sheet, rolling int damage, recording changes to the monster on the sheet, adjusting stats where needed, calculating hp gain, adding to your temporary hp pool, calculating XP damage, adding to your special XP pool... and you're doing all this potentially twice a round, several rounds in a row.
- Perfected Storm of Visions:
- Capitalize ability names.
- Needs a bracket between the ability name and ability description.
- Text is a little rushed.
- Improved SLAs:
- Too vague, a little rushed.
- I can add, what? Two spells, period? Or two spells for each level?
- The number of times it's usable per day is awkwardly worded.
- Overall, needs polish:
- Ability names should be bolded, capitalized, there should be consistency with use of (Su) and (Ex) throughout all abilities or none, there should be a degree of flavor text, the text is a little rushed and feels like shorthand more than proper descriptions made for readability.
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2011-01-09, 01:29 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Mar 2009
Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
I'm going to bed soon, so I'll address your points tomorrow. Thanks for the feedback though.
Last edited by Mystic Muse; 2011-01-11 at 07:37 PM.
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2011-01-09, 04:16 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
Manticore:
Might want to reread the stuff under the spoiler in spike volley, clean it up. There's a couple discrepancies from the editing.
Also, I was looking at some other monsters while reading this, and I was thinking... how would this stuff affect an iron golem? The spikes, I mean. Just think about it.
Skewer salvo: whuh! Again, the iron golem example: at 7 HD, you could just immobilize an enemy with one successful set of attacks if you took hooked spikes, so long as they had a move speed of 20' or less. The only thing that kept these spike abilities balanced is that it took so long to lay down more than a couple on an enemy. It would probably be better if rather than doing something like "max spikes/2", you did a subtraction. So, by 15th level, yeah, you're going to be launching a lot of spikes. This is a good thing. But 4 a round at level 7 is brutal- let the increased spikes start late and then increase at a good clip. Simply saying "2 spikes or max number of spikes minus 5, whichever is greater" should suffice.
Murderous impaler contradicts itself: there's a HUGE difference between ability score penalty and ability score damage.
I like launch impaler's new ability. At first I thought it might be a little too powerful, but then I realized it could only get abusable at level 15 or so, but by that time fighters become abusable. So, no problem. If someone wants to optimize their damage output, they can go right ahead.
Otherwise, looking OK.
Basilisk:
First thoughts... why does it get full BAB? And d12 HD?
Stone Eye:
Sedimentary gaze: it emulates a cantrip. A CANTRIP. Not worth a standard action when you can just be doling out 1d8+6. I mean, yeah, reflex save... but that only becomes an important thing at high levels. Actually, at low levels, lots of creatures have good reflex saves and poor fort saves.
Heavy glare: ...now I'm a little iffy that it may be too powerful, emulating not a cantrip, but a 3rd level spell.
Anyways, otherwise it's a bit iffy. Lots of rolling involved, lots of effects, lots of bookkeeping. I'd streamline it if I were you. Beyond that, at 1st level craggy look is honestly worse than sedimentary sight or heavy glare, and then at later levels it's far better than either! Pretty much everything in it is off, from the actual petrification (which keeps to the craggy look vs. sedimentary sight or heavy glare discrepancy), to the abilities. Good idea, though, just poorly implemented.
Eight clawed: Cool.
Tail Smash: ...Might want to be a little more deliberate about it. Maybe just "ignores hardness".
Slow Metabolism: good.
Geomorphic Gaze: I'd never use it. Battlefield control, yes, but pitifully low range, and small effects. A swift action would be better. Also, this obstacle mechanic is... odd. By RAW, you don't actually have to be behind the object for it to give you cover.
Deliberate advance: cool.
Subspecies: no abyssal?
Petrifying gaze: all really good, but... even more rolling...
Consider this: you take sedimentary sight, craggy look, and crushing glower. The rolls: attack roll, 2 different saves, some dexterity damage dependent on the attack roll, and then rolling for both strength, constitution and dexterity damage dependent on the fort save. Then all the bookkeeping for 3 reduced ability scores, part of it damage, part of it penalty, and the DR and hardness, and multiple different durations, and checking for petrification. STREAMLINE!Marceline Abadeer by Gnomish Wanderer
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2011-01-09, 06:26 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
OK, I've added a few more abilities to choose from besides just a Divine Companion. Not sure how balanced they are so let me know, thanks.
For reference:
Lammasu
G. Protector
Quasi-God
Monstrous FeatsPiratebold-Bard by Elder Tsofu | Backer #121 of the Giantitp Kickstarter | My homebrew
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2011-01-09, 08:09 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
You forgot to add my entry on contracting lycantropy in the other thread. It's on page 26.
Last edited by Betropper; 2011-01-09 at 08:11 AM.
Celestia Moon avatar by Dirtytabs. He is now the most awesome thing.
THIS Wins
My website: Free Raptor Games
Note: mostly abandoned due to lack of time.
Spoiler
Spoiler
Weretrex avatar by Bradakhan
Bec Noir avatar by Derjuin, thanks! Yes, that sword in his chest is a part of him.
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2011-01-09, 10:34 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
I'd like to try my hand at the cloaker.
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2011-01-09, 12:33 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
I would like to request the Kythons (BoVD).
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2011-01-09, 12:41 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
Last edited by Kobold-Bard; 2011-01-09 at 12:42 PM.
Piratebold-Bard by Elder Tsofu | Backer #121 of the Giantitp Kickstarter | My homebrew
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2011-01-09, 12:42 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
Wow. I feel like a huge idiot. Sorry for wasting time.
Last edited by radmelon; 2011-01-09 at 12:43 PM.
Homebrew:
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2011-01-09, 12:44 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
Piratebold-Bard by Elder Tsofu | Backer #121 of the Giantitp Kickstarter | My homebrew
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2011-01-09, 12:48 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2008
Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
I read it and reread it, and only saw one minor paragraph format that could be tidied up. One of the reasons we ask for critiques is because, after a considerable amount of time spent working on a monster, we're intimate enough with the entry that we'll overlook stuff. Can you be clearer?
Also, I was looking at some other monsters while reading this, and I was thinking... how would this stuff affect an iron golem? The spikes, I mean. Just think about it.
Skewer salvo: whuh! Again, the iron golem example: at 7 HD, you could just immobilize an enemy with one successful set of attacks if you took hooked spikes, so long as they had a move speed of 20' or less. The only thing that kept these spike abilities balanced is that it took so long to lay down more than a couple on an enemy. It would probably be better if rather than doing something like "max spikes/2", you did a subtraction. So, by 15th level, yeah, you're going to be launching a lot of spikes. This is a good thing. But 4 a round at level 7 is brutal- let the increased spikes start late and then increase at a good clip. Simply saying "2 spikes or max number of spikes minus 5, whichever is greater" should suffice.
Murderous impaler contradicts itself: there's a HUGE difference between ability score penalty and ability score damage.
I like launch impaler's new ability. At first I thought it might be a little too powerful, but then I realized it could only get abusable at level 15 or so, but by that time fighters become abusable. So, no problem. If someone wants to optimize their damage output, they can go right ahead.
Basilisk:
First thoughts... why does it get full BAB? And d12 HD?
That would normally point to getting some fair Str & Con bonuses, for a creature with no fine manipulation or speech, but the hazard with con bonuses is that it's a creature with a con based special ability. If I give it 6 con over 5 levels, that's a +3 to all the DCs.
With Str and a substandard BAB, its last resort weapon (the bite) should at the very least be somewhat reliable, I figured.
I'll tweak it, though. BAB changed, strength bonuses increased in number. May lower HD size and give it more natural armor.
Stone Eye:
Sedimentary gaze: it emulates a cantrip. A CANTRIP. Not worth a standard action when you can just be doling out 1d8+6. I mean, yeah, reflex save... but that only becomes an important thing at high levels. Actually, at low levels, lots of creatures have good reflex saves and poor fort saves.
Heavy glare: ...now I'm a little iffy that it may be too powerful, emulating not a cantrip, but a 3rd level spell.
Hrmm.
Anyways, otherwise it's a bit iffy. Lots of rolling involved, lots of effects, lots of bookkeeping. I'd streamline it if I were you. Beyond that, at 1st level craggy look is honestly worse than sedimentary sight or heavy glare, and then at later levels it's far better than either! Pretty much everything in it is off, from the actual petrification (which keeps to the craggy look vs. sedimentary sight or heavy glare discrepancy), to the abilities. Good idea, though, just poorly implemented.
Tail Smash: ...Might want to be a little more deliberate about it. Maybe just "ignores hardness".
Geomorphic Gaze: I'd never use it. Battlefield control, yes, but pitifully low range, and small effects. A swift action would be better. Also, this obstacle mechanic is... odd. By RAW, you don't actually have to be behind the object for it to give you cover.
Subspecies: no abyssal?
Petrifying gaze: all really good, but... even more rolling...
Consider this: you take sedimentary sight, craggy look, and crushing glower. The rolls: attack roll, 2 different saves, some dexterity damage dependent on the attack roll, and then rolling for both strength, constitution and dexterity damage dependent on the fort save. Then all the bookkeeping for 3 reduced ability scores, part of it damage, part of it penalty, and the DR and hardness, and multiple different durations, and checking for petrification. STREAMLINE!
I'm gonna sit back & brainstorm a new approach to the stone/petrifying eye abilities, though. I don't want to go the medusa route, because it's just so "doing the same thing every combat", and I want some flexibility in there. I'll see what I can come up with.
Preliminary changes made to both Basilisk and Manticore. Other comments welcome.
You're right. Added.
Might I suggest doing as is standard for monster entries, and putting an image down for any meaningful non-monster content? Just so it's more eye catching and comes across as a more serious entry?
So like, an image before the collection of monstrous feats, and one before the contracting lycanthropy entry.
Go for it. Added you to the called monster list.Last edited by Hyudra; 2011-01-09 at 01:00 PM.
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2011-01-09, 02:33 PM (ISO 8601)
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Avatar by zimmerwald1915
Characters:
Spoiler
Current characters: None, looking for a game.
Homebrew!
Wow, it's been a while. Sorry for the unexplained absence!
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2011-01-09, 03:08 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
Cloaker
Spoiler
Hit Dice: d8
Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Class Features 1st +0+0+0+2Cloaker Body, Engulf, Engulfing Leap, Cloak, +1 Str 2nd +1+0+0+3Shadow Shift, Obscure Features, +1 Con 3rd +2+1+1+3Improved Engulf, Mutual Defenses, +1 Str +1 Cha 4th +3+1+1+4Flight, +1 Con 5th +3+1+1+4Moan, Growth, +1 Str +1 Cha
Skills Points at first Level: (2+Intelligence Modifier) x 4
Skills Points at Each Level: (2+Intelligence Modifier)
Class Skills: The Cloaker’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Disguise (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Spot (Wis)
Proficiencies: The Cloaker is proficient only with its natural weapons.
Cloaker Class Features: The following are the Class Features of the cloaker.
Cloaker Body: The Cloaker loses all other racial traits and acquires aberration traits, giving it darkvision 60 ft. Cloakers begin as medium creatures with base land speed of 10 ft, a climb speed of 10 ft, a primary tail slap that deals 1d4+str damage and a secondary bite attack that deals 1d3+str damage. Cloakers get a natural armor bonus equal to their constitution modifier. Cloakers are treated as though they had a base land speed of 30 ft for the purposes of using the jump skill. Cloakers speak undercommon, and can perform fine manipulation with their tails, although not well enough to wield a weapon.
Cloakers lack the body parts to appropriately use magic items of the boot or cloak item slots, but a cloaker can consume up to two magic items of the cloak item slot and confer their benefits to itself and any character wearing the cloaker. The cloaker can regurgitate a cloak so consumed as a full-round action.
Engulf: A cloaker can try to wrap a creature at least one size category smaller than it in its body as a standard action. The cloaker attempts a grapple that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and bites the engulfed victim. The cloaker does not take the normal -4 penalty to attack rolls with its bite against creatures it has engulfed. It can still use its whiplike tail to strike at other targets.
Attacks that hit an engulfing cloaker deal half their damage to the monster and half to the trapped victim.
Engulfing Leap: As a full round action a cloaker can fly up to 40' in a straight line to a square adjacent to a target it could engulf and attempts to engulf them. Feats or abilities that enhance a charge attack can also enhance this action. This action must end in an engulf attempt.
At 3 HD this ability can be used to fly up to 60'.
At 6 HD it can be used to fly up to twice the cloaker's fastest movement speed or 80', whichever is greater.
Cloak: Cloakers bear an incredible resemblance to their namesake, and can use this resemblance to remain hidden. The cloaker may choose to be worn by a willing creature of its own size or one size category smaller or larger. While using this ability the cloaker enters the other creature's space and occupies space as though it where a creature of that size, it also gains a +10 bonus to disguise checks to appear as a normal cloak and has it's disguise checks opposed by knowledge(Arcana or dungeoneering) instead of spot. The cloaker uses up the other creature's cloak magic item slot and only counts as half its weight for the purposes of determining that creature's encumbrance. The cloaker can use it's tail whip as normal and can use spells or spell-like abilities with somatic components unhindered, but loses access to its bite attack. A cloaker with a fly speed can fly at half its normal speed and with its maneuverability reduced by one step, carrying the other creature with it. Carrying a medium or heavy load reduces this fly speed appropriately and the cloaker cannot fly if its companion would put it over a heavy load. Using it's abilities does not necessarily reveal it as a cloaker, most people will just assume that it is a magic cloak. Entering this state is a move action and leaving it is a swift action. Any ability referring to creatures wearing the cloaker refers to this ability.
Shadow Shift: Beginning at 2nd level the cloaker can manipulate shadows. While in shadowy areas the cloaker can use the following abilities:- Silent Image: The cloaker can use Silent image as a spell-like ability once per day per HD. Save DC 10 + 1/2HD+cha mod. At 5 HD this becomes at will.
- Obscure Vision: A cloaker may use a swift action to grant concealment (20% miss chance) to itself and any creatures wearing it for 1d4 rounds once per day per 2 HD. At 10 HD this becomes at will.
- Mirror Image: Beginning at 3 HD the cloaker can use mirror image as a spell-like ability once per day per 3 HD. The benefits of this spell also apply to any creature wearing the cloaker. At 12 HD this becomes at will.
Obscure Features: The cloaker can deepen or remove shadows near it's own body seeming to change the features of those who wear it. Any creature wearing the cloaker gets a bonus to disguise checks to appear as someone different equal to the cloaker's HD.
Improved Engulf: At third level the Cloaker becomes better at containing its foes. Engulf can now be used on creatures of the cloaker's size or smaller. Additionally, creatures the cloaker has engulfed are treated as flat-footed against the cloaker's bite attack, and its bite's damage increases to 1d6+str against creatures it has engulfed.
Mutual Defenses: When a creature wearing the cloaker is attacked the cloaker may choose to take up to a quarter of the damage dealt in the place of the other creature. Likewise, when the cloaker is attacked while being worn it may assign up to a quarter of the damage it is dealt to the other creature instead of itself.
Flight: Starting at fourth level the cloaker can fly at a speed of 40' with average maneuverability.
Moan: From fifth level cloakers gain the ability to emit a dangerous subsonic moan as a standard action. The cloaker can use these abilities a total number of times per day equal to its HD. Cloakers are immune to these sonic, mind affecting attacks as are creatures wearing a cloaker. Unless otherwise specified, a creature that successfully saves against one of these effects cannot be affected by the same moan from the same cloaker for 24 hours. All save DCs are 10+1/2HD+cha mod. The cloaker can cause four different effects:- Unnerve: Anyone within a 60-foot spread automatically takes a -2 penalty on attack and damage rolls. Those forced to hear the moan for more than 6 consecutive rounds must succeed on a Will save or enter a trance, unable to attack or defend themselves until the moaning stops. A cloaker who uses this moan may continue using it as a move action each round without expending additional daily uses. At 10 HD and every 5 HD thereafter the penalty increases by 1.
- Fear: Anyone within a 30-foot spread must succeed on a Will save or become frightened for 2 rounds. At 8 HD they become panicked instead, and at 10 HD and every 5 HD thereafter the duration increases by 1 round.
- Nausea: Anyone in a 30-foot cone must succeed on a Fortitude save or be overcome by nausea and weakness.
Affected characters become nauseated for 1d4+1 rounds, those who fail their saves by 5 or more also fall prone. At 10 HD and every 10 HD thereafter this moan's duration and saving throw DC increase by 1. At 15 HD, the cloaker may choose to use this moan (and only this moan) as though it was not a mind-affecting ability, but when it does so this moan is not affective against creatures that are immune to critical hits. - Stupor: Starting at 9 HD the cloaker can use its final moan. A single creature within 30 feet of the cloaker must succeed on a Fortitude save or be affected as though by a hold monster spell for 5 rounds. Even after a successful save, the creature must repeat the save if the cloaker uses this effect again. At 12 HD and every 3 HD thereafter the duration of this ability increases by 2 rounds.
Growth: A fifth level cloaker grows to large size. Its reach, grapple modifiers, natural attack damage and skills change accordingly, but it doesn't gain any ability score bonuses or penalties.
Comments/Changelog:
SpoilerComments
A classic monster with 5 levels and 4 major abilities, not terribly difficult. Still, it's my first homebrew, so there's probably something wrong with it.
Areas of concern:- Do engulfing leap and the ability to be carried give it enough maneuverability until it starts flying? should I up it's move speed?
Should the shadow shift abilities be at will right from the beginning? Should they never be at will? Is my current scheme the right idea but given at the wrong levels?Should shadow shift become usable in any light? When?Should Engulfing leap scale? When?The nausea and stupor moans seem like they shouldn't be gained until a few HD later, but I have no idea when.The cloaker has a lot of abilities keyed to Charisma, should I be giving boosts to that instead of/in addition to boosts to con and dex?
SpoilerChangelog
January 10
- Fixed typos
- Added jump to skills
- Assigned primary/secondary weapons
- Added Climb speed and removed jump penalties
- Modified Unnerve Moan
January 12- Reworded jump-penalty-remover
- Renamed dancing images to mirror image
- Weakened Nausea Moan
- Delayed Stupor Moan to 9th level
January 30- Added thing about magic items.
- Added Cloak
- Made shadow shift abilities apply to creatures wearing the cloaker
- Removed shadow shift "can use in any light" thing
- Added obscure features
- Added Mutual Defenses
- Made it so moans don't affect creatures wearing the cloaker
January 31- Added languages.
- Clarified Engulfing Leap and Cloak
February 12- Reworded Engulf
- Added line to cloak and removed all "wearing cloaker through cloak silliness"
- Made engulfing leap work in a straight line
- Cloak's flight no longer works regardless of weight
- Cloak can now be used on creatures a single size category larger
February 13- Made Moans Scaly.
- Changed Improved Engulf bity-thingy
Last edited by Saidoro; 2015-01-06 at 12:07 PM.
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2011-01-09, 03:19 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2008
Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
- Don't make the creature name blue.
- Class Skills: The Gargoyle
’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Disguise (Cha), Hide (Dex), Listen (Wis), Spot (Wis).
- There's an accidental line break there, between Gargoyle and 's.
- Proficiencies:
- You from the UK? Funny spelling of armor.
- Gargoyle Body:
- You state, in two separate areas of the text, that the claws do 1d4 damage, and that they get +1.5 x Str mod to damage. I'd just say they do 1d4 + 1.5 x Str mod damage.
- You state "their secondary natural weapons (if any) add (0.5 X Str mod)." -- This may cause conflicts in the text of any natural attacks you pick up (say, from Horrid Monster or Creature of Legend) which might have different values.
- Why is their natural armor so low?
- Chiseled Armaments:
- "A Gargoyle's form is constantly chipped and repaired, each time becoming more powerful." -- This is confusing and weird. Who or what's repairing it? Why is it becoming more powerful?
- Butchery:
- I'm being nitpicky here, but there's concrete advantages to be gained through this, beyond the natural attack. Consider that I could take 'hoof', gain two legs, and get a bonus to avoid being tripped.
- The name Butchery doesn't quite fit the granted ability.
- Oversized Weapons:
- You need to state what happens to the claw damage die/str bonus/attack roll if another natural attack takes over.
- I don't like all the OR in the list. It's visually distracting and annoying. Look at how the Basilisk lists the options, by contrast?
- Ability Boost:
- We're striving to standardize monster entries in format. I encourage you to look at other recent monster entries and see how they handled/described stat boosts.
- Stone Skin Fortifications:
- The effects on natural weapons seems out of place, given what the abilities purport to do.
- Zealous Carvings is perhaps too good. That's a big bonus to saves.
- Runecarved Body: Perhaps a little unwieldy. The bonus to damage is so small as to barely matter.
- Reflective Scales: Weak at early levels (You can pick it up at 2nd level, at which point it's just a hide bonus), offers a very small window of passable benefit (Mid levels) and is then useless as you approach higher level (Where half of the enemies you fight are going to be able to see through your invisibility without a sweat.).
- Metabolic Redundancy: Weaksauce. Consider that the anti-critical chance is so small as to not matter for a long time, (4% at 2nd level? 40% at level 20?) and criticals don't happen ~that~ often, so it's only going to help you out once a level? Twice a level? Then figure it's really only going to save your life or swing a combat in your favor what, one in five times? It just won't come up often enough to matter, compared to stuff like DR or a good resistance.
- Freeze:
- Most intelligent foes, I imagine, are just going to coup de grace the 'dead' gargoyle.
- Improved Chiseled Armaments:
- Not sure I like growth giving you free growth by HD. Also, the flavor of a gargantuan gargoyle is... weird. It kind of runs against the flavor of the monster & several abilities (ie. Freeze).
- Visage: "If they fail the save they are immune to the gaze's passive form unless they leave the area and re-enter." What's this? Passive form?
- Overwhelming Stench:
- I wouldn't make suppressing it a free action, or you get some weird stuff happening. Make it swift.
- You contradict yourself, stating:
"Any two of the Gargoyle's natural weapons may also inflict sickening..."
and
"This effect is not added to natural weapons..."
-- Be clearer in your sentence structure.
- Petrifaction, I don't like - it's a whole lot of extra book-keeping and stat tracking/changes over the course of a combat. More when you're rolling the stat damage each round.
- Carved Mobility:
- I'd honestly just give it flight. Swim speed is so situational, and not many people are going to take burrow. The latter two don't really fit the gargoyle, either.
- Stone Cold Metabolism:
- It shouldn't be anything lower than a move action, actionwise.
- Going from a free action to an immediate action is a downgrade, pretty much.
- As is, you can turn to stone in response to an incoming attack, at high levels.
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2011-01-09, 03:23 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2008
- Location
- England
- Gender
Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
Piratebold-Bard by Elder Tsofu | Backer #121 of the Giantitp Kickstarter | My homebrew
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2011-01-09, 03:35 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2010
- Location
- Usaki City, Syona
- Gender
Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
Recent Homebrew: The Socialite | The Crystalline: Memory Altering Construct Race | Sanguine Hand, a ToB Discipline of blood and cruelty
Homebrew Signature | NEW Homebrew Collection
Thanks to all my avatar artists, especially to Paisley for my avatar of Vivian, cowardly cryophoenix.
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2011-01-09, 03:38 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2010
Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
Originally Posted by Kobold-Bard
Originally Posted by Kobold-Bard
Originally Posted by Kobold-Bard
Originally Posted by Kobold-Bard
I'll probably wait until I've gotten a few more comments then change things all at once, Anyone else?
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2011-01-09, 04:55 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Dec 2008
- Location
- Seattle
- Gender
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2011-01-09, 05:17 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2010
Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
For the Remorhaz, I'd make Ambush work, rather than as an ill-defined Fort save (what kind of bonus would "stable" creatures get?) you make it work as part of a bull rush maneuver.
Avatar by zimmerwald1915
Characters:
Spoiler
Current characters: None, looking for a game.
Homebrew!
Wow, it's been a while. Sorry for the unexplained absence!
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2011-01-09, 05:20 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2008
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2011-01-09, 05:26 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2008
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- England
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Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
Piratebold-Bard by Elder Tsofu | Backer #121 of the Giantitp Kickstarter | My homebrew