Cave Dweller mini-template [Archive] - Wizards Community

Cave Dweller mini-template [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
R.M.G.C.L.F.
02-04-06, 12:06 AM Caveborne Template

Caveborne creatures are pallid, hairless, moist cousins to their surface-dwelling kin. These creatures are adapted to a life in the moist and sunless bowels of the earth, seeing in the dark with great reach and compensating with internal sonar. The light of day causes them great pain.

This template can be applied to any living animal, beast, magical beast, humanoid, giant, or monstrous humanoid.

Special Qualities: a caveborne creature gains darkvision 90ft, light blindness, light intolerance, blindsight 30ft, and amphibious.

Light Blindness(ex): a caveborne creature is blinded for one round by sudden exposure to bright light (such as a daylight spell). While in such a radius of light it suffers a -1 penalty to all saves, skill checks, and attack rolls.

Daylight intolerance(ex): each hour a caveborne spends in normal or brighter illumination it must make a fortitude save dc:15+number of hours spent or take 1d8 subdual damage. As soon as it takes subdual damage from this it gets sunstroke, visible by skin peeling and blistering, (treat as fatigued and dazzled). This effect does not go away until the damage is healed. When the zeerth is rendered unconscious by it, it starts receiving lethal damage instead of subdual damage until removed from full light.

Blindsight(ex): a caveborne can sense creatures by means of echolocation within 30ft. This effect is negated within the area of a silence spell or if the caveborne is deafened.

Abilities: Con+2

Skills: Caveborne recieve a +3 racial bonus to swim and climb checks

Most sentient Caveborne creatures speak undercommon, in additon to any languages they may know.
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Environment: underground
CR: No change
LA: +0

Sample Caveborne Creature
Cave Gnoll
Medium-Size Humanoid (Gnoll)
Hit Dice: 2d8+4 (13 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 20 ft. (scale mail), base 30 ft.
AC: 17 (+1 natural, +4 scale, +2 large shield)
Attacks: Battleaxe +3 melee; or shortbow +1 ranged
Damage: Battleaxe 1d8+2; or shortbow 1d6
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Qualities: Darkvision 90 ft., light blindness, light intolerance, blindsight 30ft
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +0
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 8
Skills: Listen +3, Spot +3 (+3 racial to swim and climb)
Feats: Power Attack
Climate/Terrain: Underground
Organization: Solitary, pair, gang (2-5), band (10-100 plus 50% noncombatants plus 1 3rd-level sergeant per 20 adults and 1 leader of 4th-6th level), or tribe (20-200 plus 1 3rd-level sergeant per 20 adults, 1 or 2 lieutenants of 4th or 5th level, 1 leader of 6th-8th level, and 6-10 dire lions; underground lairs also have 1-3 trolls)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
Advancement: By character class

Cave gnolls have a slimey grey skinless hide, with shining black eyes and translucent teeth.

Cave Gnolls speak Gnoll and undercommon.

Combat:

Cave Gnolls prefer to attack when there is no light source stronger than a flickering torch or campfire. They usually have the benefit of concealment due to their preferred environs and ability to see in the dark.
Darth Sephiroth
02-04-06, 09:21 AM I would say you ought to ditch the amphibious ability, it is something that just doesn't fit. Sure most caves are somewhat damp but not all of them are and not all creatures in the caves really have to do with the water.
R.M.G.C.L.F.
02-04-06, 09:34 AM Most caves have undeground streams and such, and many large portions of a cave network are acessable only through water. Furthermore, most of the food available in a cave is concentrated in bodies of water.
Darth Sephiroth
02-04-06, 06:32 PM While it may be a reason for them to like damp places, it doesn't mean that they are amphibious, and there are a lot of dry caves as well as not all of them are formed by water, there are several dry ones as well. (One example would be caves like the ones the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in)
R.M.G.C.L.F.
02-04-06, 08:22 PM I guess this template is geared more towards wet caves, proliferated by silent and unguessable deep pools, bubbling hotsprings, and the like.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
R.M.G.C.L.F. 02-04-06, 12:06 AM	Caveborne Template Caveborne creatures are pallid, hairless, moist cousins to their surface-dwelling kin. These creatures are adapted to a life in the moist and sunless bowels of the earth, seeing in the dark with great reach and compensating with internal sonar. The light of day causes them great pain. This template can be applied to any living animal, beast, magical beast, humanoid, giant, or monstrous humanoid. Special Qualities: a caveborne creature gains darkvision 90ft, light blindness, light intolerance, blindsight 30ft, and amphibious. Light Blindness(ex): a caveborne creature is blinded for one round by sudden exposure to bright light (such as a daylight spell). While in such a radius of light it suffers a -1 penalty to all saves, skill checks, and attack rolls. Daylight intolerance(ex): each hour a caveborne spends in normal or brighter illumination it must make a fortitude save dc:15+number of hours spent or take 1d8 subdual damage. As soon as it takes subdual damage from this it gets sunstroke, visible by skin peeling and blistering, (treat as fatigued and dazzled). This effect does not go away until the damage is healed. When the zeerth is rendered unconscious by it, it starts receiving lethal damage instead of subdual damage until removed from full light. Blindsight(ex): a caveborne can sense creatures by means of echolocation within 30ft. This effect is negated within the area of a silence spell or if the caveborne is deafened. Abilities: Con+2 Skills: Caveborne recieve a +3 racial bonus to swim and climb checks Most sentient Caveborne creatures speak undercommon, in additon to any languages they may know. ________________________________ Environment: underground CR: No change LA: +0 Sample Caveborne Creature Cave Gnoll Medium-Size Humanoid (Gnoll) Hit Dice: 2d8+4 (13 hp) Initiative: +0 Speed: 20 ft. (scale mail), base 30 ft. AC: 17 (+1 natural, +4 scale, +2 large shield) Attacks: Battleaxe +3 melee; or shortbow +1 ranged Damage: Battleaxe 1d8+2; or shortbow 1d6 Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. Special Qualities: Darkvision 90 ft., light blindness, light intolerance, blindsight 30ft Saves: Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +0 Abilities: Str 15, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 8 Skills: Listen +3, Spot +3 (+3 racial to swim and climb) Feats: Power Attack Climate/Terrain: Underground Organization: Solitary, pair, gang (2-5), band (10-100 plus 50% noncombatants plus 1 3rd-level sergeant per 20 adults and 1 leader of 4th-6th level), or tribe (20-200 plus 1 3rd-level sergeant per 20 adults, 1 or 2 lieutenants of 4th or 5th level, 1 leader of 6th-8th level, and 6-10 dire lions; underground lairs also have 1-3 trolls) Challenge Rating: 1 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Usually chaotic evil Advancement: By character class Cave gnolls have a slimey grey skinless hide, with shining black eyes and translucent teeth. Cave Gnolls speak Gnoll and undercommon. Combat: Cave Gnolls prefer to attack when there is no light source stronger than a flickering torch or campfire. They usually have the benefit of concealment due to their preferred environs and ability to see in the dark.
Darth Sephiroth 02-04-06, 09:21 AM	I would say you ought to ditch the amphibious ability, it is something that just doesn't fit. Sure most caves are somewhat damp but not all of them are and not all creatures in the caves really have to do with the water.
R.M.G.C.L.F. 02-04-06, 09:34 AM	Most caves have undeground streams and such, and many large portions of a cave network are acessable only through water. Furthermore, most of the food available in a cave is concentrated in bodies of water.
Darth Sephiroth 02-04-06, 06:32 PM	While it may be a reason for them to like damp places, it doesn't mean that they are amphibious, and there are a lot of dry caves as well as not all of them are formed by water, there are several dry ones as well. (One example would be caves like the ones the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in)
R.M.G.C.L.F. 02-04-06, 08:22 PM	I guess this template is geared more towards wet caves, proliferated by silent and unguessable deep pools, bubbling hotsprings, and the like.