A new monster - the dice wyrm [Archive] - Wizards Community

A new monster - the dice wyrm [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Arhra
10-18-03, 08:23 AM This is a creature that I had the idea for after seeing the dice monsters that someone posted up. Admitted this creature is currently imcomplete and so I'd like some feedback, suggestions and constrctive criticism about it.

DICE WYRM
Colossal Dragon
Hit Dice: 42d12+462 (735 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 60 ft., swim 60ft, burrow 15 ft, fly 250 ft (clumsy).
AC: 43 (-8 size, +0 Dex, +41 natural)
Attacks: 6 Bites +52 melee, two claws +47 melee, two wing slaps +47 melee, tail slap +47 melee
Damage: D4 head bite 4d4+18, d6 head bite 4d6+18, d8 head bite 4d8+18, d10 head bite 4d10+18, d12 head bite 3d12+18, d20 head bite 3d20+18, claw 4d6+9, tail slap 4d8+27
Face/Reach: 50 ft. by 100 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Aberrant dice, Breath weapons, Frightful presence, Spell like abilities
Special Qualities: DR 20/magic; Fire, cold, acid, lightning and sonic resistance 30, fast healing 30
Saves: Fort +34, Ref +23, Will +34
Abilities: Str 47, Dex 10, Con 33, Int 32, Wis 33, Cha 32
Skills: Incomplete
Feats: (15)
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, pair or wrath (5 – 20)
Challenge Ratings: 27
Treasure: Triple standard
Alignment: Always lawful neutral
Advancement: 42+ HD (Colossal)

The mightiest avatar of the DM’s wrath, the dice wyrm is truly a force to be reckoned with. It appears as an immense 6 headed dragon with scales that constantly seem to shift in color. Each head has a dice-like crystal imbedded in its forehead.

Combat
The dice wyrm may only direct a maximum of two bite attacks at a Large sized creature or smaller, three at a Huge or Gargantuan creature and four at a creature of Colossal size. To kill the dice wyrm its d20 head must be severed. But the d20 head is effectively invulnerable until all other heads (excluding aberrant heads) have been severed. Only the body has fast healing and the dice wyrm can regenerate a head in ten rounds. All spell DC’s are 21 + spell level.

Heads: The dice wyrm has a total of six heads and gains a number of advantages from this. Each head may take a different action each round but the dice wyrm may only use one breathe weapon per turn. If the head is severed then it may not use that head’s spell like abilities or breath weapon. Whilst the body quickly regenerates any damage dealt to it the heads are more vulnerable and can be destroyed by dealing an amount of damage equal to or greater than the head’s hit points.

D4Head (49 hp): This head is the smallest of the dice wyrm’s heads. It prefers not to be in melee combat due to its comparatively weak bite and low hp. It instead prefers to use the other heads for cover (+2 AC for each other head intact) and cast spells. It has the d4 breath weapon and the following spell like abilities:
Spell like abilities: At will: bull’s strength, burning hands, cat’s grace, endurance, magic missile, spike growth (any terrain); 3/day enervation, circle of death.

D6 Head (73 hp): I'm not quite sure what to do with this head. Make it roguish perhaps? It has the d6 breath weapon.

D8 Head (98 hp): This head is the healer of the dice wyrm’s heads -well I was thinking of doing it like that...Anyone have suggestions? It has the d8 breath weapon and the following spell like abilities:

D10 Head (122 hp): I'm thinking of making this the most melee head. It has the d10 breath weapon

D12 Head (147 hp): As with the d12 dice monster I gave this an ability to cause rage. I'm thinking of possibly just giving it the abliity to rage It has the d12 breath weapon. i also considered possibly giving it an ability to control undead.

D20 Head (250 hp): The most powerful and dominant head the d20 head is usually content to watch the fight progress while throwing spells and its breath weapon into the fray because it can not be harmed while the other heads are intact. If it thinks the fight is going against it will take a more active role. The d20 head can cast spells as a 20th level sorcerer with access to cleric spells.

Aberrant dice: When a head is severed roll a dice corresponding to the type of the head. If the result is a 5, 7, 9 or 11 then the dice wyrm grows a mutant head in the next round of a die type corresponding to the number rolled 9 (e.g. a roll of 5 creates a d5 head). These heads are extremely unstable however. Because there are no d5’s, d7’s, d9’s or d11’s roll a dice one higher for their damage (e.g. to represent a d7 roll a d8). If the any of the dice that the head rolls are the maximum (an impossible number e.g. for the d7 head if it rolls an 8) then the head instantly destabilizes, destroying it. Destroying aberrant heads does not trigger the aberrant dice special ability. The mutant heads have statistics as follows:

D5 Head: 50 hp, bite 4d5+9
D7 Head: 70 hp, bite 4d7+9
D9 Head: 90 hp, bite 3d9+9
D11 Head: 110 hp, bite 3d11+9

Breath Weapon (Su): A dice wyrm has six types of breath weapon. The save to negate or halve damage has a DC of 42.
D4 breath weapon: The dragon breathes out hundreds of razor sharp d4’s. This breath weapon deals 24d4 piercing damage in a 70 foot cone with a reflex save for half damage and the area that the breath weapon affects then is counted as being covered in an effect identical to a spike growth spell except that it can affect any solid terrain. The spike growth effect lasts for 5 rounds before the d4’s dissipate.

D6 breath weapon: This breath weapon is a 140 foot long line and deals 4d6 temporary ability damage to a randomly determined ability score.

D8 breath weapon: I'm not quite sure what to do with this breath weapon...

D10 breath weapon: With this breath weapon I might just make it do straight out damage or perhaps this head might not have a breath weapon as its the 'fighter' of the heads.

D12 breath weapon: This breath weapon deals 18d12 points of fire damage in a 70 foot cone with a reflex save for half damage and the target must additionally make a will save or be affected by all the penalties of a barbarian’s rage for the next 3 rounds. If the target makes the save for half damage then it gains a +10 bonus to this save and if they take no damage because of evasion or improved evasion then they gain a +20 bonus on the save. I also had the idea of instead of the raging effect any target that fails the save has the delusion that it is a dragon.

D20 breath weapon: I'm not certain what to do with this one...

Crush: A flying or jumping dice wyrm can land on opponents as a standard action, using its whole body to crush them. Crush attacks are effective only against opponents three or more sizes smaller than the dragon (though it can attempt normal overrun or grapple attacks against larger opponents).

A crush attack affects as many creatures as can fit under the dragon’s body. Creatures in the affected area must succeed at a Reflex save against a DC of 42 or be pinned, automatically taking bludgeoning damage during the next round unless the dragon moves off them. If the dragon chooses to maintain the pin, treat it as a normal grapple attack. Pinned opponents take crush damage each round if they don’t escape.

A crush attack deals the 4d8+27 damage.

Tail Sweep: The dice wyrm can sweep with its tail as a standard action. The sweep affects a half circle with a 40-foot radius.

Creatures within the swept area are affected if they are four or more sizes smaller than the dragon. The sweep automatically deals 2d8+27 damage. Affected creatures can attempt Reflex saves to take half damage, against a DC of 42.

I was also thinking of giving it an ability to control dice rolls and quite probably give it the ability to create a dimensional anchor effect within a large radius (ha hah! no fleeing from the DM's wrath)
Shifting Master
10-18-03, 06:53 PM Make the D20 breath weapon equivalent to meteor swarm.
Cool monster.
Vanigo
10-18-03, 10:15 PM Maybe the d8 breath weapon should be positive energy? That way, it can breathe on itself to heal, and use it as an attack against undead. The d10 should be a random energy type, and the d20 should be pure chaos. Have a table of 20 possible effects, mostly luck-related. Say, something like:
1: -6 luck penalty to all attacks, saves, skill checks, damage rolls, and armor class for 21 rounds. Will negates.
2: Random energies deal 4d6 points each of fire, cold, electricity, acid, sonic, and force damage. Reflex half.
3: The DM's wrath eradicates one randomly selected creature within the area of effect. No save is allowed, and creatures destroyed thusly cannot be returned from the dead by any means. Other creatures in the area are unharmed.
4: Positive energy suffuses the area, healing living creatures 5d8 points of damage. Undead, which are powered by negative energy, are damaged for this amount. Will half.
5: Negative energy suffuses the area, dealing 5d8 points of damage to all living creatures. Undead are healed by a like amount.

And so on. Most, but not all, should be bad.
Gez
10-19-03, 04:53 AM The d20 breath weapon is a cone of dice betrayal.

Characters caught in the zone of dice betrayal are betrayed by their dice.

For 1d20 rounds, any natural 20 the players of these characters may roll is considered as if having rolled a natural 1 instead.
Any natural 1 is even worse -- the player must re-roll immediately, immediately. If the result of the new roll would be a success, it is instead a failure. If the result is a failure, it is instead a critical failure. A botch. A fumble. The exact effects are left to the DM's iniquity, but involves breaking one's weapon or stabbing oneself in the foot with it; hurting an ally, failing so bad at a saving throw the character dies or reacts exaggerately to the effect that made him roll a saving throw (like, becoming dominated by a charm person ability), etc.
Arhra
10-19-03, 07:50 AM These are all good idea, I especially love the idea of the cone of dice betrayal. I want this creature not just to be able to obliterate an entire party at a whim, I want it to be a creature that can be beaten but is just appaling hard to do so. Like the tarasque. I want huge extended epic battles with this monster.

I'd like some more feedback about the d12 head's abilities too please.
wdarkk
10-19-03, 12:10 PM D12 rage penalties seems cool.

I think the D8 head should have breath weapons of positive or negative energy.

Also, give the D20 head a serious ability so it can be used in a serious game. How about a cone of Mordenkainen's Disjunction with a will save equal to 1d20 plus con modifier plus 1/2 hit dice. MD is pretty much the meanest normal trick a DM can pull.

Oh, and the D10 can have a 24d10 fire cone like a Great Red Wyrm's.
Arhra
10-20-03, 06:42 AM I'm thinking of using this for the d10 breath: 70ft cone dealing 24d10 damage. To determine the energy type of the damage roll on this table using a d10.

Result Energy Type
1-2 Fire
3-4 Cold
5-6 Acid
7-8 Lightning
9-10 Sonic

Keep the suggestions coming
Arhra
10-24-03, 06:35 AM Shameless bump

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Arhra 10-18-03, 08:23 AM	This is a creature that I had the idea for after seeing the dice monsters that someone posted up. Admitted this creature is currently imcomplete and so I'd like some feedback, suggestions and constrctive criticism about it. DICE WYRM Colossal Dragon Hit Dice: 42d12+462 (735 hp) Initiative: +0 Speed: 60 ft., swim 60ft, burrow 15 ft, fly 250 ft (clumsy). AC: 43 (-8 size, +0 Dex, +41 natural) Attacks: 6 Bites +52 melee, two claws +47 melee, two wing slaps +47 melee, tail slap +47 melee Damage: D4 head bite 4d4+18, d6 head bite 4d6+18, d8 head bite 4d8+18, d10 head bite 4d10+18, d12 head bite 3d12+18, d20 head bite 3d20+18, claw 4d6+9, tail slap 4d8+27 Face/Reach: 50 ft. by 100 ft./15 ft. Special Attacks: Aberrant dice, Breath weapons, Frightful presence, Spell like abilities Special Qualities: DR 20/magic; Fire, cold, acid, lightning and sonic resistance 30, fast healing 30 Saves: Fort +34, Ref +23, Will +34 Abilities: Str 47, Dex 10, Con 33, Int 32, Wis 33, Cha 32 Skills: Incomplete Feats: (15) Environment: Any Organization: Solitary, pair or wrath (5 – 20) Challenge Ratings: 27 Treasure: Triple standard Alignment: Always lawful neutral Advancement: 42+ HD (Colossal) The mightiest avatar of the DM’s wrath, the dice wyrm is truly a force to be reckoned with. It appears as an immense 6 headed dragon with scales that constantly seem to shift in color. Each head has a dice-like crystal imbedded in its forehead. Combat The dice wyrm may only direct a maximum of two bite attacks at a Large sized creature or smaller, three at a Huge or Gargantuan creature and four at a creature of Colossal size. To kill the dice wyrm its d20 head must be severed. But the d20 head is effectively invulnerable until all other heads (excluding aberrant heads) have been severed. Only the body has fast healing and the dice wyrm can regenerate a head in ten rounds. All spell DC’s are 21 + spell level. Heads: The dice wyrm has a total of six heads and gains a number of advantages from this. Each head may take a different action each round but the dice wyrm may only use one breathe weapon per turn. If the head is severed then it may not use that head’s spell like abilities or breath weapon. Whilst the body quickly regenerates any damage dealt to it the heads are more vulnerable and can be destroyed by dealing an amount of damage equal to or greater than the head’s hit points. D4Head (49 hp): This head is the smallest of the dice wyrm’s heads. It prefers not to be in melee combat due to its comparatively weak bite and low hp. It instead prefers to use the other heads for cover (+2 AC for each other head intact) and cast spells. It has the d4 breath weapon and the following spell like abilities: Spell like abilities: At will: bull’s strength, burning hands, cat’s grace, endurance, magic missile, spike growth (any terrain); 3/day enervation, circle of death. D6 Head (73 hp): I'm not quite sure what to do with this head. Make it roguish perhaps? It has the d6 breath weapon. D8 Head (98 hp): This head is the healer of the dice wyrm’s heads -well I was thinking of doing it like that...Anyone have suggestions? It has the d8 breath weapon and the following spell like abilities: D10 Head (122 hp): I'm thinking of making this the most melee head. It has the d10 breath weapon D12 Head (147 hp): As with the d12 dice monster I gave this an ability to cause rage. I'm thinking of possibly just giving it the abliity to rage It has the d12 breath weapon. i also considered possibly giving it an ability to control undead. D20 Head (250 hp): The most powerful and dominant head the d20 head is usually content to watch the fight progress while throwing spells and its breath weapon into the fray because it can not be harmed while the other heads are intact. If it thinks the fight is going against it will take a more active role. The d20 head can cast spells as a 20th level sorcerer with access to cleric spells. Aberrant dice: When a head is severed roll a dice corresponding to the type of the head. If the result is a 5, 7, 9 or 11 then the dice wyrm grows a mutant head in the next round of a die type corresponding to the number rolled 9 (e.g. a roll of 5 creates a d5 head). These heads are extremely unstable however. Because there are no d5’s, d7’s, d9’s or d11’s roll a dice one higher for their damage (e.g. to represent a d7 roll a d8). If the any of the dice that the head rolls are the maximum (an impossible number e.g. for the d7 head if it rolls an 8) then the head instantly destabilizes, destroying it. Destroying aberrant heads does not trigger the aberrant dice special ability. The mutant heads have statistics as follows: D5 Head: 50 hp, bite 4d5+9 D7 Head: 70 hp, bite 4d7+9 D9 Head: 90 hp, bite 3d9+9 D11 Head: 110 hp, bite 3d11+9 Breath Weapon (Su): A dice wyrm has six types of breath weapon. The save to negate or halve damage has a DC of 42. D4 breath weapon: The dragon breathes out hundreds of razor sharp d4’s. This breath weapon deals 24d4 piercing damage in a 70 foot cone with a reflex save for half damage and the area that the breath weapon affects then is counted as being covered in an effect identical to a spike growth spell except that it can affect any solid terrain. The spike growth effect lasts for 5 rounds before the d4’s dissipate. D6 breath weapon: This breath weapon is a 140 foot long line and deals 4d6 temporary ability damage to a randomly determined ability score. D8 breath weapon: I'm not quite sure what to do with this breath weapon... D10 breath weapon: With this breath weapon I might just make it do straight out damage or perhaps this head might not have a breath weapon as its the 'fighter' of the heads. D12 breath weapon: This breath weapon deals 18d12 points of fire damage in a 70 foot cone with a reflex save for half damage and the target must additionally make a will save or be affected by all the penalties of a barbarian’s rage for the next 3 rounds. If the target makes the save for half damage then it gains a +10 bonus to this save and if they take no damage because of evasion or improved evasion then they gain a +20 bonus on the save. I also had the idea of instead of the raging effect any target that fails the save has the delusion that it is a dragon. D20 breath weapon: I'm not certain what to do with this one... Crush: A flying or jumping dice wyrm can land on opponents as a standard action, using its whole body to crush them. Crush attacks are effective only against opponents three or more sizes smaller than the dragon (though it can attempt normal overrun or grapple attacks against larger opponents). A crush attack affects as many creatures as can fit under the dragon’s body. Creatures in the affected area must succeed at a Reflex save against a DC of 42 or be pinned, automatically taking bludgeoning damage during the next round unless the dragon moves off them. If the dragon chooses to maintain the pin, treat it as a normal grapple attack. Pinned opponents take crush damage each round if they don’t escape. A crush attack deals the 4d8+27 damage. Tail Sweep: The dice wyrm can sweep with its tail as a standard action. The sweep affects a half circle with a 40-foot radius. Creatures within the swept area are affected if they are four or more sizes smaller than the dragon. The sweep automatically deals 2d8+27 damage. Affected creatures can attempt Reflex saves to take half damage, against a DC of 42. I was also thinking of giving it an ability to control dice rolls and quite probably give it the ability to create a dimensional anchor effect within a large radius (ha hah! no fleeing from the DM's wrath)
Shifting Master 10-18-03, 06:53 PM	Make the D20 breath weapon equivalent to meteor swarm. Cool monster.
Vanigo 10-18-03, 10:15 PM	Maybe the d8 breath weapon should be positive energy? That way, it can breathe on itself to heal, and use it as an attack against undead. The d10 should be a random energy type, and the d20 should be pure chaos. Have a table of 20 possible effects, mostly luck-related. Say, something like: 1: -6 luck penalty to all attacks, saves, skill checks, damage rolls, and armor class for 21 rounds. Will negates. 2: Random energies deal 4d6 points each of fire, cold, electricity, acid, sonic, and force damage. Reflex half. 3: The DM's wrath eradicates one randomly selected creature within the area of effect. No save is allowed, and creatures destroyed thusly cannot be returned from the dead by any means. Other creatures in the area are unharmed. 4: Positive energy suffuses the area, healing living creatures 5d8 points of damage. Undead, which are powered by negative energy, are damaged for this amount. Will half. 5: Negative energy suffuses the area, dealing 5d8 points of damage to all living creatures. Undead are healed by a like amount. And so on. Most, but not all, should be bad.
Gez 10-19-03, 04:53 AM	The d20 breath weapon is a cone of dice betrayal. Characters caught in the zone of dice betrayal are betrayed by their dice. For 1d20 rounds, any natural 20 the players of these characters may roll is considered as if having rolled a natural 1 instead. Any natural 1 is even worse -- the player must re-roll immediately, immediately. If the result of the new roll would be a success, it is instead a failure. If the result is a failure, it is instead a critical failure. A botch. A fumble. The exact effects are left to the DM's iniquity, but involves breaking one's weapon or stabbing oneself in the foot with it; hurting an ally, failing so bad at a saving throw the character dies or reacts exaggerately to the effect that made him roll a saving throw (like, becoming dominated by a charm person ability), etc.
Arhra 10-19-03, 07:50 AM	These are all good idea, I especially love the idea of the cone of dice betrayal. I want this creature not just to be able to obliterate an entire party at a whim, I want it to be a creature that can be beaten but is just appaling hard to do so. Like the tarasque. I want huge extended epic battles with this monster. I'd like some more feedback about the d12 head's abilities too please.
wdarkk 10-19-03, 12:10 PM	D12 rage penalties seems cool. I think the D8 head should have breath weapons of positive or negative energy. Also, give the D20 head a serious ability so it can be used in a serious game. How about a cone of Mordenkainen's Disjunction with a will save equal to 1d20 plus con modifier plus 1/2 hit dice. MD is pretty much the meanest normal trick a DM can pull. Oh, and the D10 can have a 24d10 fire cone like a Great Red Wyrm's.
Arhra 10-20-03, 06:42 AM	I'm thinking of using this for the d10 breath: 70ft cone dealing 24d10 damage. To determine the energy type of the damage roll on this table using a d10. Result Energy Type 1-2 Fire 3-4 Cold 5-6 Acid 7-8 Lightning 9-10 Sonic Keep the suggestions coming
Arhra 10-24-03, 06:35 AM	Shameless bump