Baloths [Archive] - Wizards Community - Pages Merged by Solauren

Baloths [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
SirGog
07-05-03, 10:32 PM For the devious DM that wants a creature that is tougher than it looks!

Most medium-level PCs look at most beasts and say... It's only Large size - can't be a challenge to us any more... Here's your chance to surprise them.

Baloth (Magical Beast)

Juvenille Baloth
Medium-size Magical Beast
HD: 4d8+12 (avg. 30)
Init: +6
Spd: 50 ft
Face/Reach: 5x5/5
AC: 18 (10 +2 Dex +6 Nat)
Atk: Bite +9 melee (2d6+5)
Full Attack: Bite +9 melee (2d6+5), 2 claws +3 melee (d8+2)
SA: Augmented Critical (19/x2)
SQ: Consume body, Greater ferocity
SV: 7/6/1
Abil: 20/14/16/2/11/10
Feats: Improved Initiative (Bonus), Weapon Focus (Bite)
Skills: Jump (Bonus) +12, Climb +12
CR: 4

Typical Baloth
Large Magical Beast
HD: 8d8+56 (avg. 92)
Init: +7
Spd: 70 ft
Face/Reach: 5x10/5
AC: 24 (10 +3 Dex +12 Nat -1 Size)
Atk: Bite +16 melee (2d8+10)
Full Attack: Bite +16 melee (2d8+10), 2 claws +13 melee (2d6+5)
SA: Augmented Critical (18/x2)
SQ: Consume body, Greater ferocity, enhanced intelligence, DR 5/magic
SV: 13/8/3
Abil: 30/16/24/6/12/10
Feats: Improved Initiative (Bonus), Weapon Focus (Bite), Multiattack
Skills: Jump (Bonus) +21, Climb +21
CR: 7

Ravenous Baloth
Huge Magical Beast
HD: 16d8+176 (avg. 248)
Init: +8
Spd: 100 ft
Face/Reach: 10x20/10
AC: 30 (10 +4 Dex +18 Nat -2 Size)
Atk: Bite +26 melee (4d6+15)
Full Attack: Bite +26 melee (4d6+15), 2 claws +24 melee (2d8+7)
SA: Augmented Critical (18/x3), trample 4d8+22
SQ: Consume body, Greater ferocity, supernatural speed, enhanced intelligence, understand speech, 10/magic adamantine
SV: 21/14/6
Abil: 40/18/32/10/13/10
Feats: Improved Initiative (Bonus), Weapon Focus (Bite and Claw), Multiattack, Dodge
Skills: Jump (Bonus) +34, Climb +34
CR: 12

Enormous Baloth
Gargantuan Magical Beast
HD: 48d8+816 (avg. 1032)
Init: +13
Spd: 140 ft
Face/Reach: 20x40/20
AC: 41 (10 +5 Dex +30 Nat -4 Size)
Atk: Bite +57 melee (4d8+22)
Full Attack: Bite +57 melee (4d8+22), 2 claws +55 melee (4d6+11)
SA: Augmented Critical (17/x4), trample 8d6+33
SQ: Consume body, Greater ferocity, supernatural speed, enhanced intelligence, understand speech, tenacious lifeforce, DR 20/epic adamantine
SV: 43/31/20
Abil: 55/21/44/18/18/18
Feats: Improved Initiative (Bonus), Weapon Focus (Bite and Claw), Multiattack, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Expertise, Whirlwind Attack (claw only)
Epic Feats: Epic Initiative, Blinding Speed (x2), Epic Whirlwind Attack (claw only)
Skills: Jump (Bonus) +73, Climb +73
CR: 21

The baloth is a compact, powerful and deceptively agile beast. Ranging in size from 6 foot long (as a juvenille) to 50 feet long (in the largest known versions), all baloths share a legendary combat prowess unmatched by most beasts of their size. And all share a horrific love of eating the slain.

Baloth traits:

Greater Ferocity
One of the most deadly abilities gained by the baloth is also one of the first attained. Baloths can act normally when on 0 to -9 hit points, although they still lose 1hp per round until they stabilise. Furthermore, when a baloth has lost 3/4 or more of its hit points, it gets a +8 rage bonus to Strength and the benefits of haste. This effect lasts for as long as the baloth percieves danger.

Consume Body
Baloths can rapidly devour fallen foes, and gain sustenance from doing just that. A baloth can consume the body of a creature 2 or more size categories smaller than itself as a free action, 1 size smaller as a full-round action, the same size as itself in 1 minute, or 1 size larger in 1 hour. The baloth instantly metabolises the meal, healing an amount of damage determined by the size of the foe:

Fine or Diminuitive: Nothing (although it stabilises if at -9 to -1 hp)
Tiny 1hp
Small 3hp
Medium 10hp
Large 30hp
Huge 100hp
Gargantuan 300hp
Colossal 1000hp

Constructs, undead and some other creatures do not heal the baloth of any damage, although it will still eat them without harm. Creatures consumed in this way cannot be raised by raise dead or reincarnation, and resurrection has only a 60% chance per casting of working. True resurrection raises the character without problems. Items on characters are excreted after 1d6 hours, filthy but unharmed.

Augmented Critical
Baloths have an instinctive knowledge of how to hit where it hurts. Instead of threatening a critical hit on a roll of 20, baloths threaten a critical hit with a roll equal to or above the number listed in the statistics block. In addition, Ravenous baloths deal triple damage, and Enormous baloths deal quadruple.

Trample
This works as normal. Damage is as listed.

Enhanced Intelligence
Over time, baloths gain some amount of intelligence from their magical nature. By the time they reach Huge size, they are capable of formulating reasonably complex plans, attacking the biggest threat in a group first, and not revealing all of their abilities (for example, a Ravenous baloth may conceal its ability to jump, making a wizard waste several rounds on fly spells). At Gargantuan size, they possess brilliant minds, and will not hesititate to use a mix of brains and brawn if they feel threatened.

Understand Speech:
A baloth of Huge size or greater can understand Common speech, and may act with the knowledge of an opponent's shouted plans.

Tenacious Lifeforce:
An Enormous baloth is partially immune to death magic. Whenever the baloth has 200 or more hit points, any effect that would slay it outright or cause more than 200 damage instead causes 200 damage.
Tevish Szat
07-05-03, 11:22 PM I like the baloths....
King_Alex
07-05-03, 11:49 PM Might need to borrow some for my group. Thanks for all that free time you spent making that :)
SirGog
07-06-03, 12:00 AM Just thought that I'd better warn anyone using these that the CRs are not tested. I based the Juvenille baloth's CR upon comparison with an ogre (similar damage, baloth has multiple attacks, a lot more hp when ferocity is considered, and gains a significant boost from haste) - hence CR 2 above the ogre. The typical baloth I consider to be as tough as a hill giant (hence CR 7), whilst the ravenous and enormous baloths have entirely speculative CRs.
baneofkobolds
07-06-03, 12:08 AM i like it
:smirk:
SirGog
07-08-03, 12:11 PM Just wondering which of these people think is stronger? I suspect this guy, by a little, becuase of trample, better crit than tarrasque, and more, as well as being able to eat the dead for hp (which kinda balances regeneration).
Mordenkainen's Rubber Duck of DOOM
07-08-03, 10:14 PM the criticals should say x-20, not just x, otherwise a literalist will think that you only get a crit on X, not >=X.
Tevish Szat
07-08-03, 10:38 PM Originally posted by SirGog
Just wondering which of these people think is stronger? I suspect this guy, by a little, becuase of trample, better crit than tarrasque, and more, as well as being able to eat the dead for hp (which kinda balances regeneration).
Enormus Baloth has no DR. The Tarasque has DR. The Baloth would never deal enough damage to keep Mr. T form healing it all in one round. in a pure monster to monster dule, Mr. T would conquor.
SirGog
07-09-03, 12:39 AM Thanks for pointing that out, forgetting the DR was a mistake. Enormous Baloth should have DR 50/+5 under 3.0, then 20/epic adamantine under 3.5. Ravenous Baloth should have had 20/+3, and now 10/magic adamantine. Typical Baloth should have had 5/+1, now 5/magic.
I'll edit the original post to reflect this.
:behold: makes it a little tougher...
Tevish Szat
07-09-03, 01:17 AM Originally posted by SirGog
Thanks for pointing that out, forgetting the DR was a mistake. Enormous Baloth should have DR 50/+5 under 3.0, then 20/epic adamantine under 3.5. Ravenous Baloth should have had 20/+3, and now 10/magic adamantine. Typical Baloth should have had 5/+1, now 5/magic.
I'll edit the original post to reflect this.
:behold: makes it a little tougher... yah, that sounds more like it. the it's close now,but i have a feeling the tarrasque could pull off the win.... it's VERY close and seeing the Tarrasque in 3.5 might make the diffrence. No wish, no killing tarrasque, but the Baloth could still walk away the victor. it's REALLY close. The tarasque is larger and has unbeatable regeneration, but the baloth has more hit points and it's ferocity ability.
SirGog
07-21-03, 08:30 AM Well, having seen 3.5, I'd say the enourmous baloth will take out the tarrasque. The tarrasque will have trouble with the DR of the baloth :)
Brian.C
07-21-03, 08:25 PM One question, one comment:

Question: What is their alignment? Are they evil creatures, or simply predators on the top of the food chain?

Comment: The Beast creature-type no longer exists in 3.5; Juvenile ones should also be Magical Beasts.

- Brian
SirGog
07-22-03, 06:03 AM Point taken about beasts. All are now magical beasts.

As for alignment, the juvenille is an Int 2 creature - too stupid to differentiate between right and wrong, hence true neutral. As they get older, many baloths will stick to this true neutral, top of the food chain position (like lions on Earth), but some will become evil, killing and eating when they are not hungry just for the sake of it.

So that makes the alignment usually N, sometimes CE, occasionally anything else.
SirGog
11-17-03, 07:15 AM Re: Tarrasque v. Enormous Baloth: I'd love to see Baloth kill and then eat the Tarrasque, and the Tarrasque still living on inside the Baloth, refusing to die even though it is being excreted in pieces throughout the land....
SirGog
03-06-04, 07:19 AM Shameless :bump: !!
Raymond_Luxury_Yacht
03-06-04, 10:11 PM Magical Beasts have d10 hit dice. Only problem I could see.
gradea
03-08-04, 10:03 PM Originally posted by Tevish Szat
Enormus Baloth has no DR. The Tarasque has DR. The Baloth would never deal enough damage to keep Mr. T form healing it all in one round. in a pure monster to monster dule, Mr. T would conquor.

yeah, MR. T can kill anything, even the tarrasque :D
Raymond_Luxury_Yacht
03-09-04, 12:05 AM Originally posted by gradea
yeah, MR. T can kill anything, even the tarrasque :D

:rofl:
SirGog
07-07-04, 06:55 AM bump
SirGog
10-16-05, 11:25 AM These are fun to spring on players. Tested one out the other day, was a blast to DM
Ront Iron-Roar
10-16-05, 03:08 PM Always wanted to see some of the beasts from MTGs Onslaught and Scourge get put into DnD statistics.

Its funny what the Mirari can do to a simple lizard.

But, to help on the trample part the reason why it would be more powerful then the tarrasque I would say is because the Baloth is four-legged.

I'd like to see the Towering Baloth, I think maybe a Collosal or Collasal + would be fitting?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
SirGog 07-05-03, 10:32 PM	For the devious DM that wants a creature that is tougher than it looks! Most medium-level PCs look at most beasts and say... It's only Large size - can't be a challenge to us any more... Here's your chance to surprise them. Baloth (Magical Beast) Juvenille Baloth Medium-size Magical Beast HD: 4d8+12 (avg. 30) Init: +6 Spd: 50 ft Face/Reach: 5x5/5 AC: 18 (10 +2 Dex +6 Nat) Atk: Bite +9 melee (2d6+5) Full Attack: Bite +9 melee (2d6+5), 2 claws +3 melee (d8+2) SA: Augmented Critical (19/x2) SQ: Consume body, Greater ferocity SV: 7/6/1 Abil: 20/14/16/2/11/10 Feats: Improved Initiative (Bonus), Weapon Focus (Bite) Skills: Jump (Bonus) +12, Climb +12 CR: 4 Typical Baloth Large Magical Beast HD: 8d8+56 (avg. 92) Init: +7 Spd: 70 ft Face/Reach: 5x10/5 AC: 24 (10 +3 Dex +12 Nat -1 Size) Atk: Bite +16 melee (2d8+10) Full Attack: Bite +16 melee (2d8+10), 2 claws +13 melee (2d6+5) SA: Augmented Critical (18/x2) SQ: Consume body, Greater ferocity, enhanced intelligence, DR 5/magic SV: 13/8/3 Abil: 30/16/24/6/12/10 Feats: Improved Initiative (Bonus), Weapon Focus (Bite), Multiattack Skills: Jump (Bonus) +21, Climb +21 CR: 7 Ravenous Baloth Huge Magical Beast HD: 16d8+176 (avg. 248) Init: +8 Spd: 100 ft Face/Reach: 10x20/10 AC: 30 (10 +4 Dex +18 Nat -2 Size) Atk: Bite +26 melee (4d6+15) Full Attack: Bite +26 melee (4d6+15), 2 claws +24 melee (2d8+7) SA: Augmented Critical (18/x3), trample 4d8+22 SQ: Consume body, Greater ferocity, supernatural speed, enhanced intelligence, understand speech, 10/magic adamantine SV: 21/14/6 Abil: 40/18/32/10/13/10 Feats: Improved Initiative (Bonus), Weapon Focus (Bite and Claw), Multiattack, Dodge Skills: Jump (Bonus) +34, Climb +34 CR: 12 Enormous Baloth Gargantuan Magical Beast HD: 48d8+816 (avg. 1032) Init: +13 Spd: 140 ft Face/Reach: 20x40/20 AC: 41 (10 +5 Dex +30 Nat -4 Size) Atk: Bite +57 melee (4d8+22) Full Attack: Bite +57 melee (4d8+22), 2 claws +55 melee (4d6+11) SA: Augmented Critical (17/x4), trample 8d6+33 SQ: Consume body, Greater ferocity, supernatural speed, enhanced intelligence, understand speech, tenacious lifeforce, DR 20/epic adamantine SV: 43/31/20 Abil: 55/21/44/18/18/18 Feats: Improved Initiative (Bonus), Weapon Focus (Bite and Claw), Multiattack, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Expertise, Whirlwind Attack (claw only) Epic Feats: Epic Initiative, Blinding Speed (x2), Epic Whirlwind Attack (claw only) Skills: Jump (Bonus) +73, Climb +73 CR: 21 The baloth is a compact, powerful and deceptively agile beast. Ranging in size from 6 foot long (as a juvenille) to 50 feet long (in the largest known versions), all baloths share a legendary combat prowess unmatched by most beasts of their size. And all share a horrific love of eating the slain. Baloth traits: Greater Ferocity One of the most deadly abilities gained by the baloth is also one of the first attained. Baloths can act normally when on 0 to -9 hit points, although they still lose 1hp per round until they stabilise. Furthermore, when a baloth has lost 3/4 or more of its hit points, it gets a +8 rage bonus to Strength and the benefits of haste. This effect lasts for as long as the baloth percieves danger. Consume Body Baloths can rapidly devour fallen foes, and gain sustenance from doing just that. A baloth can consume the body of a creature 2 or more size categories smaller than itself as a free action, 1 size smaller as a full-round action, the same size as itself in 1 minute, or 1 size larger in 1 hour. The baloth instantly metabolises the meal, healing an amount of damage determined by the size of the foe: Fine or Diminuitive: Nothing (although it stabilises if at -9 to -1 hp) Tiny 1hp Small 3hp Medium 10hp Large 30hp Huge 100hp Gargantuan 300hp Colossal 1000hp Constructs, undead and some other creatures do not heal the baloth of any damage, although it will still eat them without harm. Creatures consumed in this way cannot be raised by raise dead or reincarnation, and resurrection has only a 60% chance per casting of working. True resurrection raises the character without problems. Items on characters are excreted after 1d6 hours, filthy but unharmed. Augmented Critical Baloths have an instinctive knowledge of how to hit where it hurts. Instead of threatening a critical hit on a roll of 20, baloths threaten a critical hit with a roll equal to or above the number listed in the statistics block. In addition, Ravenous baloths deal triple damage, and Enormous baloths deal quadruple. Trample This works as normal. Damage is as listed. Enhanced Intelligence Over time, baloths gain some amount of intelligence from their magical nature. By the time they reach Huge size, they are capable of formulating reasonably complex plans, attacking the biggest threat in a group first, and not revealing all of their abilities (for example, a Ravenous baloth may conceal its ability to jump, making a wizard waste several rounds on fly spells). At Gargantuan size, they possess brilliant minds, and will not hesititate to use a mix of brains and brawn if they feel threatened. Understand Speech: A baloth of Huge size or greater can understand Common speech, and may act with the knowledge of an opponent's shouted plans. Tenacious Lifeforce: An Enormous baloth is partially immune to death magic. Whenever the baloth has 200 or more hit points, any effect that would slay it outright or cause more than 200 damage instead causes 200 damage.
Tevish Szat 07-05-03, 11:22 PM	I like the baloths....
King_Alex 07-05-03, 11:49 PM	Might need to borrow some for my group. Thanks for all that free time you spent making that :)
SirGog 07-06-03, 12:00 AM	Just thought that I'd better warn anyone using these that the CRs are not tested. I based the Juvenille baloth's CR upon comparison with an ogre (similar damage, baloth has multiple attacks, a lot more hp when ferocity is considered, and gains a significant boost from haste) - hence CR 2 above the ogre. The typical baloth I consider to be as tough as a hill giant (hence CR 7), whilst the ravenous and enormous baloths have entirely speculative CRs.
baneofkobolds 07-06-03, 12:08 AM	i like it :smirk:
SirGog 07-08-03, 12:11 PM	Just wondering which of these people think is stronger? I suspect this guy, by a little, becuase of trample, better crit than tarrasque, and more, as well as being able to eat the dead for hp (which kinda balances regeneration).
Mordenkainen's Rubber Duck of DOOM 07-08-03, 10:14 PM	the criticals should say x-20, not just x, otherwise a literalist will think that you only get a crit on X, not >=X.
Tevish Szat 07-08-03, 10:38 PM	Originally posted by SirGog Just wondering which of these people think is stronger? I suspect this guy, by a little, becuase of trample, better crit than tarrasque, and more, as well as being able to eat the dead for hp (which kinda balances regeneration). Enormus Baloth has no DR. The Tarasque has DR. The Baloth would never deal enough damage to keep Mr. T form healing it all in one round. in a pure monster to monster dule, Mr. T would conquor.
SirGog 07-09-03, 12:39 AM	Thanks for pointing that out, forgetting the DR was a mistake. Enormous Baloth should have DR 50/+5 under 3.0, then 20/epic adamantine under 3.5. Ravenous Baloth should have had 20/+3, and now 10/magic adamantine. Typical Baloth should have had 5/+1, now 5/magic. I'll edit the original post to reflect this. :behold: makes it a little tougher...
Tevish Szat 07-09-03, 01:17 AM	Originally posted by SirGog Thanks for pointing that out, forgetting the DR was a mistake. Enormous Baloth should have DR 50/+5 under 3.0, then 20/epic adamantine under 3.5. Ravenous Baloth should have had 20/+3, and now 10/magic adamantine. Typical Baloth should have had 5/+1, now 5/magic. I'll edit the original post to reflect this. :behold: makes it a little tougher... yah, that sounds more like it. the it's close now,but i have a feeling the tarrasque could pull off the win.... it's VERY close and seeing the Tarrasque in 3.5 might make the diffrence. No wish, no killing tarrasque, but the Baloth could still walk away the victor. it's REALLY close. The tarasque is larger and has unbeatable regeneration, but the baloth has more hit points and it's ferocity ability.
SirGog 07-21-03, 08:30 AM	Well, having seen 3.5, I'd say the enourmous baloth will take out the tarrasque. The tarrasque will have trouble with the DR of the baloth :)
Brian.C 07-21-03, 08:25 PM	One question, one comment: Question: What is their alignment? Are they evil creatures, or simply predators on the top of the food chain? Comment: The Beast creature-type no longer exists in 3.5; Juvenile ones should also be Magical Beasts. - Brian
SirGog 07-22-03, 06:03 AM	Point taken about beasts. All are now magical beasts. As for alignment, the juvenille is an Int 2 creature - too stupid to differentiate between right and wrong, hence true neutral. As they get older, many baloths will stick to this true neutral, top of the food chain position (like lions on Earth), but some will become evil, killing and eating when they are not hungry just for the sake of it. So that makes the alignment usually N, sometimes CE, occasionally anything else.
SirGog 11-17-03, 07:15 AM	Re: Tarrasque v. Enormous Baloth: I'd love to see Baloth kill and then eat the Tarrasque, and the Tarrasque still living on inside the Baloth, refusing to die even though it is being excreted in pieces throughout the land....
SirGog 03-06-04, 07:19 AM	Shameless :bump: !!
Raymond_Luxury_Yacht 03-06-04, 10:11 PM	Magical Beasts have d10 hit dice. Only problem I could see.
gradea 03-08-04, 10:03 PM	Originally posted by Tevish Szat Enormus Baloth has no DR. The Tarasque has DR. The Baloth would never deal enough damage to keep Mr. T form healing it all in one round. in a pure monster to monster dule, Mr. T would conquor. yeah, MR. T can kill anything, even the tarrasque :D
Raymond_Luxury_Yacht 03-09-04, 12:05 AM	Originally posted by gradea yeah, MR. T can kill anything, even the tarrasque :D :rofl:
SirGog 07-07-04, 06:55 AM	bump
SirGog 10-16-05, 11:25 AM	These are fun to spring on players. Tested one out the other day, was a blast to DM
Ront Iron-Roar 10-16-05, 03:08 PM	Always wanted to see some of the beasts from MTGs Onslaught and Scourge get put into DnD statistics. Its funny what the Mirari can do to a simple lizard. But, to help on the trample part the reason why it would be more powerful then the tarrasque I would say is because the Baloth is four-legged. I'd like to see the Towering Baloth, I think maybe a Collosal or Collasal + would be fitting?