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Was listening to a song called Our Solemn Hour by Within Temptation and just had this image of celestials of all kinds striding forward singing and this horde of demons backing away...
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Heavenly Chorist
While many beings of the higher planes defend the weak or battle evil with sword or glorious power others take a different course. Filled to overflowing with love for their patron deity they cannot hold in their adoration, releasing it in a song that rises from their very soul. This love and selfless devotion given sound cannot be stood by things of evil. The beauty touches even their deity who smiles down upon them and blesses them...
Sample Heavenly Chorist
Spoiler
הַלֵל
Heavenly Chorist Astral Deva
Medium Outsider (Angel, Extraplanar, Good)
Hit Dice: 12d8+48 (102 hp)
Initiative: +8
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares), fly 100 ft. (good)
Armor Class: 29 (+4 Dex, +15 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 25
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+18
Attack: +3 heavy mace of disruption +21 melee (1d8+12 plus stun) or slam +18 melee (1d8+9)
Full Attack: +3 heavy mace of disruption +21/+16/+11 melee (1d8+12 plus stun) or slam +18 melee (1d8+9)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Bardic music, celestial choir, song of hope, soulsung, spell-like abilities, stun
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/evil, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to acid, cold, deafness, petrification, and sonic, known personal truename, low-light vision, protective aura, resistance to electricity 10 and fire 10, shabad, spell resistance 30, tongues, uncanny dodge
Saves: Fort +14 (+18 against poison), Ref +12, Will +12
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 18, Con 18, Int 18, Wis 18, Cha 26
Skills: Concentration +19, Craft or Knowledge (any three) +19, Diplomacy +25, Escape Artist +19, Hide +19, Intimidate +23, Listen +23, Move Silently +19, Perform (sing) +23, Sense Motive +19, Spot +23, Truespeak +12, Use Rope +4 (+6 with bindings)
Feats: Alertness, Cleave, Extra Music(B), Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Words of Creation(B)
Environment: Any good-aligned plane
Organization: Solitary, pair, or squad (3–5)
Challenge Rating: 18
Treasure: No coins; double goods; standard items
Alignment: Always good (any)
Advancement: 13–18 HD (Medium); 19–36 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: +14
An astral deva is about 7-1/2 feet tall and weighs about 250 pounds.
Combat
הַלֵל is not afraid to enter melee combat though prefers to begin battle with praise of her deity, deafening her enemies and bringing hope to her allies.
הַלֵל’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons she wields, are treated as good-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Bardic Music: Sixteen times per day הַלֵל can use her song to produce magical effects on those around her (usually including herself, if desired).
The music she can produce includes Countersong, Fascinate, Inspire Competence, Inspire Courage, Inspire Greatness, and Song of Freedom.
Celestial Choir (Su):
Spoiler
When multiple Heavenly Chorists come together even the mightiest fiendish lord quails.
One individual is chosen as the choir conductor by mutual consent of the other participants. This is usually the one with the highest Perform (sing) skill as it is the conductor's perform check that is used for all. Until the song ends, this conductor directs the efforts of the group which glows as if lit from above.
All the spells and powers of each participant are known to the choir (which is under the conductor’s command). Each participant contributing to the choir provides a cumulative +1 bonus to save DCs that apply when casting a spell or using a spell-like ability, or when making a perform check. Who provides the spell-slot or spell-like ability is decided amongst the choir. Likewise, bonuses granted by abilities acquired through this template increase by +1 per additional participant. Finally, each individual provides a cumulative +1 bonus when the choir makes its own saving throws in response to spells or spell-like abilities.
If the choir takes ability damage from a spell attack the total is divided among all the members as determined by the conductor.
If the choir casts a spell that has an XP cost, all the participants pay an equal share (the conductor pays the remainder if the cost can’t be divided evenly).
Once the choir begins singing, the participants must remain within a 100-foot-radius area, and as a group can move at a speed of 60 feet. If a participant moves outside the 100-foot-radius area occupied by the others (whether willingly or involuntarily), that individual drops out of the group, and the DC's and bonuses are instantly recalculated.
If the conductor drops out, the choir ends, though on the next round another can begin with a new conductor.
Change Shape (Su): An astral deva can assume the form of any Small or Medium humanoid.
Deafening Beauty (Su): This ability affects all evil-aligned creatures within 60 feet of the Heavenly Chorist. Those who hear הַלֵל singing must succeed on a Will save (DC equal to Perform (sing) check ) or be deafened permanently as though by the Deafness spell. The evil creature however can still hear the song, deep within themselves.
Immunity to Sonic (Ex): A Heavenly Chorist gains immunity to damage from sonics and cannot be deafened or affected by any type of silence spell.
Known Personal Truename (Ex): Upon gaining this template the chorist's deity addresses her by her true name and blesses her. הַלֵל may pronounce her own truename automatically.
Protective Aura (Su): Against attacks made or effects created by evil creatures, this ability provides a +4 deflection bonus to AC and a +4 resistance bonus on saving throws to anyone within 20 feet of הַלֵל. Otherwise, it functions as a magic circle against evil effect and a lesser globe of invulnerability, both with a radius of 20 feet (caster level 12th). This aura can be dispelled, but הַלֵל can create it again as a free action on her next turn. (The defensive benefits from the circle are not included in an angel’s statistics block.)
Shabad (Ex): A Heavenly Chorist can see by sound alone. They can hear light if blinded, thus removing all penalties associated with the condition. They also gain Blindsight out to 60 feet by their acute hearing.
Song of Hope (Su): הַלֵל can inspire powerful hope in their allies with her song. Good-aligned creatures within 60 feet of the chorist gain a +4 morale bonus on saving throws, attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls, as if affected by the Good Hope spell. In addition, affected characters gain a new saving throw against any fear effect, despair effect (such as the crushing despair spell), or similar mind-affecting condition, including charm person, dominate person, and similar spells, as well as psionic powers such as aversion, death urge, and similar. An affected creature may use הַלֵל's Perform check result in place of her saving throw if, after rolling the saving throw, the Perform check result proves to be better.
Soulsung (Ex): הַלֵל's song can be heard and affect even those that are deaf. It bypasses all Silencing spells and powers and can be heard even underwater or in airless environs. A heavenly chorist does not have to breathe to sing.
Spell-Like Abilities: Caster level 12th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Stun (Su): If an astral deva strikes an opponent twice in one round with its mace, that creature must succeed on a DC 22 Fortitude save or be stunned for 1d6 rounds. The save DC is Strength-based.
Tongues (Su): הַלֵל can speak with any creature that has a language, as though using a tongues spell (caster level 12th). This ability is always active.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): An astral deva retains its Dexterity bonus to AC when flat-footed, and it cannot be flanked except by a rogue of at least 16th level. It can flank characters with the uncanny dodge ability as if it were a 12th-level rogue.
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Creating a Heavenly Chorist
"Heavenly Chorist" is an acquired or inherited template that can be added to any outsider with the good subtype, hereafter referred to as the base creature. A heavenly chorist uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Size and Type: A heavenly chorist is unchanged.
Special Attacks: A heavenly chorist retains all special attacks of the base creature. They also gain the following special attacks.
Bardic Music: A heavenly chorist gains bardic music abilities and uses per day as a bard equal to the chorist's HD except for Suggestion and Mass Suggestion.
Celestial Choir (Su): When multiple Heavenly Chorists come together even the mightiest fiendish lord quails.
One individual is chosen as the choir conductor by mutual consent of the other participants. This is usually the one with the highest Perform (sing) skill as it is the conductor's perform check that is used for all. Until the song ends, this conductor directs the efforts of the group which glows as if lit from above.
All the spells and powers of each participant are known to the choir (which is under the conductor’s command). Each participant contributing to the choir provides a cumulative +1 bonus to save DCs that apply when casting a spell or using a spell-like ability, or when making a perform check. Who provides the spell-slot or spell-like ability is decided amongst the choir. Likewise, bonuses granted by abilities acquired through this template increase by +1 per additional participant. Finally, each individual provides a cumulative +1 bonus when the choir makes its own saving throws in response to spells or spell-like abilities.
If the choir takes ability damage from a spell attack the total is divided among all the members as determined by the conductor.
If the choir casts a spell that has an XP cost, all the participants pay an equal share (the conductor pays the remainder if the cost can’t be divided evenly).
Once the choir begins singing, the participants must remain within a 100-foot-radius area, and as a group can move at a speed of 60 feet. If a participant moves outside the 100-foot-radius area occupied by the others (whether willingly or involuntarily), that individual drops out of the group, and the DC's and bonuses are instantly recalculated.
If the conductor drops out, the choir ends, though on the next round another can begin with a new conductor.
Deafening Beauty (Su): This ability affects all evil-aligned creatures within 60 feet of the Heavenly Chorist. Those who hear a heavenly chorist singing must succeed on a Will save (DC equal to Perform (sing) check ) or be deafened permanently as though by the Deafness spell. The evil creature however can still hear the song, deep within themselves.
Song of Hope (Su): A heavenly chorist can inspire powerful hope in their allies with their song. Good-aligned creatures within 60 feet of the chorist gain a +4 morale bonus on saving throws, attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls, as if affected by the Good Hope spell. In addition, affected characters gain a new saving throw against any fear effect, despair effect (such as the crushing despair spell), or similar mind-affecting condition, including charm person, dominate person, and similar spells, as well as psionic powers such as aversion, death urge, and similar. An affected creature may use the chorist's Perform check result in place of her saving throw if, after rolling the saving throw, the Perform check result proves to be better.
Soulsung (Ex): A Heavenly Chorist's song can be heard and affect even those that are deaf. It bypasses all Silencing spells and powers and can be heard even underwater or in airless environs. A heavenly chorist does not have to breathe to sing.
Special Qualities: A heavenly chorist retains all qualities of the base creature. They also gain the following special qualities.
Immunity to Sonic (Ex): A Heavenly Chorist gains immunity to damage from sonics and cannot be deafened or affected by any type of silence spell.
Known Personal Truename (Ex): Upon gaining this template the chorist's deity addresses them by their true name and blesses them. A chorist may pronounce their own truename automatically.
Shabad (Ex): A Heavenly Chorist can see by sound alone. They can hear light if blinded, thus removing all penalties associated with the condition. They also gain Blindsight out to 60 feet by their acute hearing.
Tongues (Su): All heavenly chorists can speak with any creature that has a language, as though using a tongues spell (caster level equal to their HD or the base creature's if they already have the tongues ability, whichever is higher). This ability is always active.
Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Cha +6. Skills: A heavenly chorist may apply ranks to Perform (sing) as if they had acquired a boost in intelligence. For example a 10 HD chorist would apply 13 ranks to Perform, with the appropriate Charisma-modifiers. If they already have ranks in Perform (sing) they gain a +4 bonus. A heavenly chorist also gains a +8 bonus to Truename. Feats: A heavenly chorist gains Extra Music and Words of Creation as bonus feats. Challenge Rating: +4 Level Adjustment: +6
Last edited by The Vorpal Tribble : 04-10-2010 at 12:40 PM.
Ya know, Strife, I'm really happy for you and I'mma let you finish, but streakster made one of the the best analogies of all time. Of all time.
The perfect fighter fix.
Hey, the magnificent Shades of gray made me the cool paladin! Give him a hand!
From time to time, I vanish from the boards. Like Frosty, though, I'll be back again some day!
LA is kinda weird, but it's hard to put a value on bardic music and rare immunities. Biggest power of course is the chours, which depends on how many you can get together.
Also, anyone have a read on a translation for theominous latin chanting in the aforementioned song? I'm to lazy to try it myself.
Makes me want to see a fiendish version. Utilizing the power of rock, of course.
As Tenacious D has put it: "I'm the Devil, I'm the metal!"
__________________ People seemed to like this better, but only marginally so - the way one might prefer to be stabbed than shot. Optimally, one isn't stabbed or shot. Optimally, one eats some cake! But there are times when cake is not available, and instead we are destroyed. This is the deep poetry of the universe. -- Tycho Brahe
I've always thought D&D should do more with the idea of powerful voices, with all the precedent in folklore, mythology, and religion. It's also another way to emphasize the nature of Outsiders from an outer plane.
I had a species of flying, singing type Outsiders each of which would act as the voice of an important person, and I liked the effect it had on the campaign. Choirs are no exception to the rule of awesome though.
I've always thought D&D should do more with the idea of powerful voices, with all the precedent in folklore, mythology, and religion. It's also another way to emphasize the nature of Outsiders from an outer plane.
I agree. Maybe some kind of prophet-like class. Or a rock demon.
What this needs is a chaotic evil counterpart that acts like some Lovecraftian "gibbering flutes at the edge of hearing in the eldritch abyss of darkness singing paeans to darks ASDASDCXVGSUDJFKD or whatever his name is" thing.
That being said, the very idea of a celestial chorus thing has the capacity for both drama and awesome. Verah noice.
What this needs is a chaotic evil counterpart that acts like some Lovecraftian "gibbering flutes at the edge of hearing in the eldritch abyss of darkness singing paeans to darks ASDASDCXVGSUDJFKD or whatever his name is" thing.
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