Cadaver Colossus [Archive] - Wizards Community

Cadaver Colossus [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
kinem
09-30-04, 09:11 PM It's basically a non-epic conversion of the Colossus from the classic module Castle Amber (and the flesh colossus from the epic SRD). I tried to make its "bark worse than its bite" for a PC party, but I may have gone too far. CR? BAB? Let me know what you think.

Note: Compared to the ELH version, I increased the number of corpses needed and the weight to bring them into the realm of possibility. If it's 10 times taller than a human, all else being equal, it would have to be 1000 times heavier than a human - that's basic math for anyone living in a 3d world, but maybe the ELH designers never heard of math. I increased the strength both so it can support such a weight and to give it a decent chance to hit given its special quality.

Cadaver Colossus
Colossal Construct
Hit Dice: 100d10+380 (930 hp)
Initiative: -2 (-2 Dex)
Move: 40 ft. (can't run)
AC: 20 (-8 size, -2 Dex, +20 natural), touch 0, flat-footed 20
BAB / Grapple: +0 / +48
Attack: Colossal club +24 melee (6d8+48) or slam +24 melee (4d6+32) or thrown object -10 ranged (4d6+32)
Full Attack: Colossal club +24 melee (6d8+48) or slam +24 melee (4d6+32) melee or thrown object -10 ranged (4d6+32)
Space/Reach: 40 ft. / 25 ft.
Special Attacks: Stench
Special Qualities: Single actions only, construct traits, magic immunity, damage reduction 15/magic and slashing, combat incompetence, fast healing 5
Saves: Fort +33, Ref +31, Will +33
Abilities: Str 75, Dex 6, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 1
Skills: None
Feats: Toughness[B] [100]
Climate/Terrain: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 16
Treasure: None
Alignment: Neutral
Advancement: None

A Cadaver Colossus is constructed by a necromancer from the bodies of numerous animated corpses, and looks much like a colossal 70’ tall zombie. Like a zombie, it obeys simple commands from its creator. It weighs about 100 tons.

Its preferred melee weapon is an uprooted tree or tower (treat as colossal club). Its preferred thrown weapon is a cow, horse, or wagon. It can throw an object weighing 10 tons or less and thrown objects have a range increment of 200’.

Combat Incompetence (Ex): Despite its Hit Dice, its BAB is 0.

Single Actions Only (Ex): It has poor reflexes and can perform only a single move action or attack action each round. It can move up to its speed and attack in the same round, but only if it attempts a charge.

Stench (Ex): All creatures with a sense of smell who come within 300 feet of the construct must make a Fortitude save (DC 60) or be sickened (–2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks) for the next 2d6 minutes. The DC is Constitution-based.

Magic Immunity (Ex): The cadaver colossus is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance, except as follows. Magic jar spells can affect it normally. (It is sensed as a negative life force.) It is healed by negative energy spells such as harm and inflict wounds spells.

Construction
Only a necromancer of 17+ level can create a cadaver colossus. The bodies of not less than three thousand previously animated Medium-size humanoid creatures must be stripped of their flesh and the bones, which are then rendered in two great vats. The resulting semi-liquid bone-paste is then cast into a new articulated skeleton of great size, to which the rendered flesh is applied like wet clay to shape the figure. The colossus costs 160,000 gp to create, not including the corpses. Assembling the body takes no great skill, and many cadaver colossi reveal that fact in their uncouth forms. Completing the ritual drains 6,000 XP from the creator and requires magic jar, limited wish, polymorph any object, and finger of death.
JabberWocky
09-30-04, 09:13 PM I believe Undead creatures have 1/2 HD BaB progression, thus giving this nasty a +50.
kinem
09-30-04, 09:22 PM You might want to check out the creature type and special qualities.
JabberWocky
09-30-04, 09:47 PM Oooh, right right. Sorry, I was thinking of something completely different at the time. I guess I browsed over that Combat Incompetence...

It's iffy. Really. I mean, by the looks of it, no nonepic character is going to resist its Stench effect, and it stands a decent chance of hitting most of the things it goes after (rolling a 10 on its attack gives it a 34 to hit). 6d8+48 hurts, and its 900+ hp is going it promise that it sticks around long enough to flatten most anyone dumb enough to fight while within charging range. Its DR damn near negates ranged weapons and it's not at risk of dying from magic...

What exactly is supposed to bring it down at 16th level?
kinem
10-01-04, 03:35 PM The CR may need adjustment, but it's definitely not epic. What do you think it should be?

It can't run or fly, and doesn't have much of a ranged attack, so it should be fairly easy to escape from when need be. It's also easy to see (and smell) it coming. It should be possible for the party to buff up and engage it on their own terms. Its utter lack of intelligence is a big weakness since it could be distracted by illusions, summoned monsters, or fleeing peasants. The stench is hard to avoid but sickening isn't that powerful (unlike the epic version which causes nausea) and could be staved off for a few rounds by holding your breath.

A fighter type with greater invisibility or the like would probably get hit less than a third of the time. There is some danger, but it might be possible to use hit and run tactics, with a cleric standing by to heal when needed. A wizard could probably be more useful distracting it with illusions or monsters than just pelting it with acid.

There are also some special attacks that have a small chance of finishing the threat instantly, such as a mace of smiting or magic jars.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
kinem 09-30-04, 09:11 PM	It's basically a non-epic conversion of the Colossus from the classic module Castle Amber (and the flesh colossus from the epic SRD). I tried to make its "bark worse than its bite" for a PC party, but I may have gone too far. CR? BAB? Let me know what you think. Note: Compared to the ELH version, I increased the number of corpses needed and the weight to bring them into the realm of possibility. If it's 10 times taller than a human, all else being equal, it would have to be 1000 times heavier than a human - that's basic math for anyone living in a 3d world, but maybe the ELH designers never heard of math. I increased the strength both so it can support such a weight and to give it a decent chance to hit given its special quality. Cadaver Colossus Colossal Construct Hit Dice: 100d10+380 (930 hp) Initiative: -2 (-2 Dex) Move: 40 ft. (can't run) AC: 20 (-8 size, -2 Dex, +20 natural), touch 0, flat-footed 20 BAB / Grapple: +0 / +48 Attack: Colossal club +24 melee (6d8+48) or slam +24 melee (4d6+32) or thrown object -10 ranged (4d6+32) Full Attack: Colossal club +24 melee (6d8+48) or slam +24 melee (4d6+32) melee or thrown object -10 ranged (4d6+32) Space/Reach: 40 ft. / 25 ft. Special Attacks: Stench Special Qualities: Single actions only, construct traits, magic immunity, damage reduction 15/magic and slashing, combat incompetence, fast healing 5 Saves: Fort +33, Ref +31, Will +33 Abilities: Str 75, Dex 6, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 1 Skills: None Feats: Toughness[B] [100] Climate/Terrain: Any Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 16 Treasure: None Alignment: Neutral Advancement: None A Cadaver Colossus is constructed by a necromancer from the bodies of numerous animated corpses, and looks much like a colossal 70’ tall zombie. Like a zombie, it obeys simple commands from its creator. It weighs about 100 tons. Its preferred melee weapon is an uprooted tree or tower (treat as colossal club). Its preferred thrown weapon is a cow, horse, or wagon. It can throw an object weighing 10 tons or less and thrown objects have a range increment of 200’. Combat Incompetence (Ex): Despite its Hit Dice, its BAB is 0. Single Actions Only (Ex): It has poor reflexes and can perform only a single move action or attack action each round. It can move up to its speed and attack in the same round, but only if it attempts a charge. Stench (Ex): All creatures with a sense of smell who come within 300 feet of the construct must make a Fortitude save (DC 60) or be sickened (–2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks) for the next 2d6 minutes. The DC is Constitution-based. Magic Immunity (Ex): The cadaver colossus is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance, except as follows. Magic jar spells can affect it normally. (It is sensed as a negative life force.) It is healed by negative energy spells such as harm and inflict wounds spells. Construction Only a necromancer of 17+ level can create a cadaver colossus. The bodies of not less than three thousand previously animated Medium-size humanoid creatures must be stripped of their flesh and the bones, which are then rendered in two great vats. The resulting semi-liquid bone-paste is then cast into a new articulated skeleton of great size, to which the rendered flesh is applied like wet clay to shape the figure. The colossus costs 160,000 gp to create, not including the corpses. Assembling the body takes no great skill, and many cadaver colossi reveal that fact in their uncouth forms. Completing the ritual drains 6,000 XP from the creator and requires magic jar, limited wish, polymorph any object, and finger of death.
JabberWocky 09-30-04, 09:13 PM	I believe Undead creatures have 1/2 HD BaB progression, thus giving this nasty a +50.
kinem 09-30-04, 09:22 PM	You might want to check out the creature type and special qualities.
JabberWocky 09-30-04, 09:47 PM	Oooh, right right. Sorry, I was thinking of something completely different at the time. I guess I browsed over that Combat Incompetence... It's iffy. Really. I mean, by the looks of it, no nonepic character is going to resist its Stench effect, and it stands a decent chance of hitting most of the things it goes after (rolling a 10 on its attack gives it a 34 to hit). 6d8+48 hurts, and its 900+ hp is going it promise that it sticks around long enough to flatten most anyone dumb enough to fight while within charging range. Its DR damn near negates ranged weapons and it's not at risk of dying from magic... What exactly is supposed to bring it down at 16th level?
kinem 10-01-04, 03:35 PM	The CR may need adjustment, but it's definitely not epic. What do you think it should be? It can't run or fly, and doesn't have much of a ranged attack, so it should be fairly easy to escape from when need be. It's also easy to see (and smell) it coming. It should be possible for the party to buff up and engage it on their own terms. Its utter lack of intelligence is a big weakness since it could be distracted by illusions, summoned monsters, or fleeing peasants. The stench is hard to avoid but sickening isn't that powerful (unlike the epic version which causes nausea) and could be staved off for a few rounds by holding your breath. A fighter type with greater invisibility or the like would probably get hit less than a third of the time. There is some danger, but it might be possible to use hit and run tactics, with a cleric standing by to heal when needed. A wizard could probably be more useful distracting it with illusions or monsters than just pelting it with acid. There are also some special attacks that have a small chance of finishing the threat instantly, such as a mace of smiting or magic jars.