Post/Author/DateTime	Post
The Vorpal Tribble 04-03-05, 04:48 AM	Contretemps A gust of air whips about you and a voice echoes in ethereal tones, bringing forth a dismal account of that which is to come... Type: Large Outsider (air, chaos, psionic) Hit Dice: 8d8+32 (68 hp) Initiative: +8 Speed: fly 180 ft. (perfect) AC: 25 (+8 dex, +7 natural) BAB/Grapple: +8/+14 Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft. Attack: Slam +9 melee (1d8+2 plus 1d6 chaos) Full attack: Slam +9 melee (1d8+2 plus 1d6 chaos) Special Attacks: Destiny Dissonance, Keening Cry Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., Immune to electricity and sonics, Psionics, Spell and Psionic resistance 8, Unreadable Saves: Fort +10, Ref +14, Will +12 Abilities: Str 14, Dex 26, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 22, Cha 21 Skills: Bluff +16, Concentration +15, Diplomacy +16, Escape Artist +19, Intimidate +16, Listen +17, Move Silently +19, Knowledge (History) +18 Feats: Dodge, Flyby Attack, Ghost Attack, Mobility(B) ________________________ Environment: Pandemonium Organization: Solitary CR: 13 Alignment: Chaotic Neutral Treasure: None Advancement: - Contretemps, also known as Ill Winds, or Bad Omens, are spreaders of tales of woe from the future. Continuously suffering unclear visions on the winds of chance and happenstance, their messages are often exagerated or partially added onto by the contretemp's imagination, though always holding at least a kernel of truth. They feel an overpowering responsiblity to spread these visions, and will roam far and wide to give their messages. A contretemp appears as a ghostly elderly but still beautiful woman with bits and pieces that seem to fade out and reappear all about her form. Her hair is many feet long and fades away into nothingness with the rest of her form at the end. She appears to be wearing a billowy robe with a whispy hood that is buffeted as if from a great wind. Her features are usually set into an expression of urgent concern. Combat: A contretemps rarely is forced into battle, having little time or patience for such foolishness in their rush to spread their warnings, but if sufficiently threatened or provoked will rush at their victims. Psionics At will/Know Direction and Location, Precognition, Tongues (psionic); 3/day Control Wind, Sensitivity to Psychic Impressions;1/day Greater Precognition. Manifester level 4. Destiny Dissonance (Ps): If wished, a contretemp's slam attack also inflicts upon its foe an imperfect, unfocused glimpse of the many possible futures in store for it, usually those of an unpleasant nature. Unaccustomed to and unable to process the information, the victim becomes Sickened for 8 rounds. Destiny dissonance from multiple blows do not stack, but the next successful attack after the 8 rounds are up may bring forth yet another set of visions. Keening Cry (Su): Once per day a contretemp can let out a cry to those who disbelieve her, causing those within 60 feet of her to see the most dire visions she has witnessed concerning them. A DC 18 will save must be made or the recipients of the visions become Frightened for 1d6 minutes, though do not become violent towards her. Unreadable (Ex): The unstable nature of the contretemp in the stream of time makes them immune to attempts at scrying, divination and clairsentient powers concerning them. Skills: A contretemp gains a +7 insight bonus to Knowledge (history) checks.
NexH 04-03-05, 02:42 PM	Interesting monster. A few things: Large Outsider (air, chaos, psionic) Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft. Shouldn't the space/reach be 10 ft/10 ft for being large? Immune to lightening What does this mean? Immunity to electricity, light? Also, I think the CR is too high.
The Vorpal Tribble 04-03-05, 02:53 PM	Dyslexia strikes again! Yup, should be 10 ft/10 ft and meant electricity. Adjusted. *murmers at himself* --- Also, I think the CR is too high. I actually was afraid it was too low :cool: #1. AC of 25 #2. Flight, and as far as I can tell, it is the fastest creature in any of the books that doesn't outright teleport. #3. Magical and psionic resistance. #4. Immunity to 2 types of energy #5. Unscryable and can't be seen by other future tellers. #6. Handful of psionic powers, four or so of them at will, etc etc. Along with its hit dice (which, yeah, doesn't give it a tremendous ammount of HP) seemed to be up in that range. If any evil char wants to kill her before she can spread news of their coming he's going to be hard put to kill her ;)
Realms of Chaos 04-03-05, 02:59 PM	Uh, one would think that a will save would be enough to prevent the effects of destiny dissonance. Also, as its goal over all else is to spread its visions, why would it make the destiny dissonance optional. I would actually find it more beleivable if that and its Keening cry were the prime ways that it spreads these visions. Also, this thing seems to orderly to be chaotic. It should have been driven mad or something from all of the visions it constantly has.
The Vorpal Tribble 04-03-05, 03:12 PM	Uh, one would think that a will save would be enough to prevent the effects of destiny dissonance. There is no save to destiny dissonance. Look at the XPH. Also, as its goal over all else is to spread its visions, why would it make the destiny dissonance optional. Because its not trying to HARM others with is visions, just let them be known. She tells them the most likely outcome, while destiny dissonance shows them the worst, though not neccessarily the most likely. Also, this thing seems to orderly to be chaotic. :uh-huh: A creature that spends its life going hither and thither spreading news at random that is partially made up and may or may not be correct sounds orderly? To quote Strong Bad, "You need some serious clown care, man."
NexH 04-03-05, 03:32 PM	Dyslexia strikes again! I actually was afraid it was too low :cool: #1. AC of 25 #2. Flight, and as far as I can tell, it is the fastest creature in any of the books that doesn't outright teleport. #3. Magical and psionic resistance. #4. Immunity to 2 types of energy #5. Unscryable and can't be seen by other future tellers. #6. Handful of psionic powers, four or so of them at will, etc etc. Along with its hit dice (which, yeah, doesn't give it a tremendous ammount of HP) seemed to be up in that range. If any evil char wants to kill her before she can spread news of their coming he's going to be hard put to kill her ;) 1#Not very high for a CR 13 2#Yes, it is fast, and it has flyby attack to make use of the speed, however a character may simply ready an attack to counter this tactic. 3#Magical and psionic resistance 8 is not significant 5#This is a valid point if you are in a mission to capture one. 6#Powers that aren't so powerful at manifester level 4. I think CR 6 is more appropiate for encountering a Contretemp as a random encounter, but the EL will certainly be higher if you have to capture one and you must find it first.
The Vorpal Tribble 04-03-05, 03:42 PM	Well, to quote Tempest Stormwind from the psionics forum: Except it flies. And I think that SR was meant to be more than simply HD: At least 5+HD (13), possibly as high as 10+HD (18). And CR doesn't always measure COMBAT difficulty, just a challenge. How will PCs deal with a monster that seems to do nothing but mislay, demoralize, leak information, and so on, without being able to magically track it or keep up with it in the sky? I'd peg it around CR 10, maybe a bit higher, with 13 being the highest I'd be willing to put it. It's a nuisance, not so much a threat, but it's very difficult to contain. But really, 68 average HP already pushes it up to 4th level or so, and its immunities push it up to 6th level at the very least. Now put in its psionic abilities and its flight and it goes up considerably. And with flyby, how do you ready for it? She could swoop, swat, and then be out of a good many spell's range before its even time for you to react ;)