Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Talisman 08-04-06, 03:09 PM	So I got to thinking: what happens when a troll, which is notoriously resistant to being killed, gets hit by negative energy (the virtual opposite of life)? Answer: in most cases, a dead troll. However, on rare occasions... Troll, Gray Large Giant Hit Dice 10d8+60 (105 hp) Initiative +0 Speed 30' AC 21 (-1 size, +12 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 21 Base Attack/Grapple +7/+19 Attack Claw +14 melee Full Attack 2 claws +14 melee, bite +9 melee Damage Claw 1d6+8, bite 1d8+4 Face/Reach 5'/10' Special Attacks Enervating touch, negative burst, rend 2d6+12 Special Qualities Darkvision 90', fortification +4, low-light vision, regeneration 5, scent, undead traits Saves Fort +13, Ref +3, Will +8 Abilities Str 26, Dex 10, Con 22, Int 11, Wis 17, Cha 13 Skills Spot +16, Listen +16 Feats Ability Focus (enervating touch), Iron Will, Power Attack, Track Environment Any land Organization Solitary or gang (1 plus 2-4 normal trolls) Challenge Rating 9 Treasure Standard Alignment Usually chaotic evil Advancement 11-24 HD (Large), 25-30 HD (Huge) Level Adjustment +8 The creature appears to be a troll, but instead of green its skin is an unhealthy-looking gray. Its posture is different as well--it stands erect, rather than hunched over. Its claws are long and jet-black, and its eyes are deep and dark. Gray trolls are an example of what happens when a troll's incredible regenerative capabilities are exposed to negative energy for an extended period of time. Many trolls in this situation die, overwhelmed by negative energy. Other survive as their powerful bodies fight off the influences of undeath. Gray trolls are caught somewhere between: they survive, but not unchanged. Gray trolls stand 9 feet tall and weight about 450 pounds--slightly lighter than normal trolls. They speak Giant, and some speak Common. Combat: Gray trolls wade into combat with the ferocity of their lesser cousins, but they are canny enough to use their special abilities. If it is being injured faster than it is healing, a gray troll will withdraw from combat or use its negative burst ability to heal itself, unless it seems to be killing its foes quickly enough. These creatures save their enervating touch attacks for particularly pesky foes, including those that deal out huge amounts of damage or that attack with fire or acid. Enervating Touch (Su): Up to three times per day a gray troll may make a touch attack to inflict 1d4 temporary negative levels on a victim. These negative levels never result in actual level loss, and go away after 1 hour. A successful Fortitude save (DC 18) may be made for each negative level inflicted to resist it; the save DC is Charisma-based. The troll may choose to combine its enervating touch with a normal claw attack, but in this case it must hit the target's normal AC (not merely touch AC) to use the enervating touch. A gray troll cannot "hold the charge" with an enervating touch. Fortification (Ex): Because of its semi-undead status, a gray troll is not always affected by crippling attacks that would kill lesser creatures. When struck by a critical hit or sneak attack, the troll's AC is +4 points higher for purposes of confirming the critical hit or inflicting the sneak attack damage. Negative Burst (Su): As a standard action a gray troll can release a powerful burst of negative energy from within its body; this negative energy fills a 20' radius burst centered on the troll. Living creatures in this area take 5d6+5 points of negative energy damage; undead are healed of a like amount of damage. The troll (and any other gray trolls caught in the area) are healed as if they were undead. A gray troll can release a negative burst no more than once every 1d4 rounds. A Will save (DC 16) is allowed for half damage. The save DC is Charisma-based. Undead Traits (Ex): Because of the negative energy suffusing its body, a gray troll can be affected by effects designed to affect undead (either positively or negatively). Whenever a gray troll is affected by an effect that would affect undead specifically (or that affects undead differently than most creatures, such as a searing light spell), there is a 50% chance that the troll counts as undead. The gray troll can voluntarily choose to be affected as an undead if it so desires (a free action).
Starmage21 08-04-06, 03:33 PM	oooo nice. I like.
Lord_Canius 08-04-06, 04:44 PM	Ditto. Wondrous creature Talisman, I gotta find a way to use those, its absolutly perfect! Just a quick note: its probably a CR 9, given that it can run off, heal itself a bit, and run back, or heal itself in the middle of combat and damage opponents at the same time. Thats a fairly powerful ability right there. So.. a 9 would be about correct. Or a very low, weak 10.
Laucian The Black Hearted 08-04-06, 05:34 PM	Bravo, this is a remarkably awesome variant of an already awesome creature.
Talisman 08-05-06, 12:39 PM	Thanks for the kind words! CR edited to 9.