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

Deathchild [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Novacat
05-03-07, 11:47 PM So I just sat down and created a new monster for my campaign. I thought I'd post it here and see if I can't get some suggestions for a CR, or new abilities that add to the existing theme.

The Deathchild
In a time long past, there was a princcess of a very wealthy kingdom. Her mother and father spoiled her at all times. From the day she was born, nothing she desired was ever withheld from her. As she grew older, she began to abuse her servants, and started demanding more and more lavish and exotic riches be showered upon her. By the time she turned 12, her greed and selfishness had drained the kingdom of all its wealth and prosperity. Finally, her father told her that she could no longer live in the wealth to which she was accustom. When he told her this, the corruption, depravity, and absolute darkness that had grown in her soul was set loose, and she murdered and consumed her father. She was the first Deathchild.

Deathchilds have three forms; the victim, the depraved, and the spirit, each emerging after the previous form is defeated. All deathchilds begin as normal human children. An existing deathchild can transform any living human younger than 12 years old into a “deathchild victim” by spending 8 uninterrupted hours alone with the child. Most deathchilds are girls of 8 years or younger.

Victim Deathchild
Size/Type: Small Abberration
Hit Dice: 5d8+3 (27HP)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30 ft
Armor Class: 14 (+3 DEX, +1 Size), Touch 14, Flatfooted 11
BA/Grapple: +3/-1
Attack: Touch +4 melee (1d4 WIS damage)
Full Attack: Touch +4 melee (1d4 WIS damage)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft
Special Qualities: Mock Innocence, Deathchild Vessel, Undead-Possessed
Saves: Fort 1, Ref 4, Will 0
Abilities: STR 10, DEX 17, CON 11, INT 7, WIS 3, CHA 26
Feats: Weapon Focus (Touch), Toughness

Mock Innocence (Su): A deathchild is in the form of a sobbing human child. All creatures who view the deathchild percieve it as an innoccent, helpless, and unthreatening young human. How a creature reacts to this is determined by alignment and other factors. For example, a human paladin will seek to comfort and aid the deathchild, while an orc may attempt to kill the deathchild simply because it’s human.

Even when it’s attacking, a deathchild emanates an aura of innocence, and all creatures within 30 feet must make a DC 21 Will save or continue to perceive the deathchild as a non-threatening, distressed human child. Those who fail on the save CANNOT believe that the deathchild is any danger at all, nor that it is anything other than what it appears to be. Those who succeed on the save can see the deathchild for what it really is, and can act against it if they were otherwise prevented from doing so. However, the save must be remade each round until it fails, at which point a new save is only allowed when the deathchild attacks again. Paladins and good-aligned clerics take a -4 penalty on the save, but animals are unaffected. This is a mind-affecting effect. The save DC is Charisma based.

Deathchild Vessel (Su): A deathchild in its victim form is merely a container for the deathchild in the making. Once slain, the deathchild’s spirit form briefly exits the body before reentering it, becoming a “Depraved Deathchild.”

Undead-Possessed (Ex): A victim deathchild, while living, possesses many undead qualiities, due to its possession by an undead spirit. It does not eat or sleep, though it does breath. It is immune to mind-affecting effects, poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, damage to its ability scores, and to fatigue and exhaustion. Victim deathchilds are vulnerable to turning, but cannot be destroyed by turning.
Depraved Deathchild
Size/Type: Small Undead
Hit Dice: 10d12 (70HP)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30 ft
Armor Class: 20 (+4 DEX, +1 Size, +5 Natural), Touch 15, Flatfooted 16
BA/Grapple: +5/+3
Attack: Claws +7 melee (1d8+2, and 1d6 WIS damage)
Full Attack: 2 Claws +7 melee (1d8+2, and 1d6 WIS damage)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Children of Darkness
Special Qualities: Mock Innocence, Merely a Body
Saves: Fort 3, Ref 8, Will 7
Abilities: STR 14, DEX 19, CON -, INT 9, WIS 10, CHA 26
Feats: Weapon Focus (Claw), Improved Natural Armor, Improved Natural Attack

Mock Innocence (Su): A deathchild is in the form of a sobbing human child. All creatures who view the deathchild percieve it as an innoccent, helpless, and unthreatening young human. How a creature reacts to this is determined by alignment and other factors. For example, a human paladin will seek to comfort and aid the deathchild, while an orc may attempt to kill the deathchild simply because it’s human.

Even when it’s attacking, a deathchild emanates an aura of innocence, and all creatures within 30 feet must make a DC 21 Will save or continue to perceive the deathchild as a non-threatening, distressed human child. Those who fail on the save CANNOT believe that the deathchild is any danger at all, nor that it is anything other than what it appears to be. Those who succeed on the save can see the deathchild for what it really is, and can act against it if they were otherwise prevented from doing so. However, the save must be remade each round until it fails, at which point a new save is only allowed when the deathchild attacks again. Paladins and good-aligned clerics take a -4 penalty on the save, but animals are unaffected. This is a mind-affecting effect. The save DC is Charisma based.

Merely a Body (Ex): When a depraved deathchild is slain, the spirit bursts from the body. It usually attempts to flee unless its enemies are nearly beaten.

Children of Darkness (Su): A depraved deathchild can call on the souls of dead children, causing them to appear in multitude in a 15 ft radius area. The deathchild gains full concealment while in this area, as it blends in with all the images of children, both vile and innocent in appearance. Additionally, all enemies of the deathchild in the area are considered flat-footed and flanked against any of the deathchild’s attacks. Using this ability is a Swift action that lasts for 5 rounds.
Spirit Deathchild
Size/Type: Medium Undead (Incorporeal)
Hit Dice: 12d12+12 (95HP)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 40 ft (fly, perfect maneuverability)
Armor Class: 22 (+4 DEX, +8 Deflection), Touch 22, Flatfooted 18
BA/Grapple: +6/+6
Attack: Touch +11 melee (1d6 WIS drain)
Full Attack: Touch +11 melee (1d6 WIS drain)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Ravaging Corruption
Special Qualities: Incorporeal qualities, Phasic Touch, Temptation
Saves: Fort 4, Ref 9, Will 8
Abilities: STR -, DEX 19, CON -, INT 16, WIS 10, CHA 26
Feats: Weapon Focus (Touch), Ability Focus (Ravaging Corruption), Improved Toughness,

Ravaging Corruption (Su): As a swift action each round, a spirit deathchild can maintain a visible “static field” of negative energy, sapping the strength and stamina of living creatures around it. Any such creature within 20 feet of the deathchild must make a DC 23 Fortitude save or take 1 point of Strength and Constitution damage. The field exists until the deathchild’s next turn, so any living creature who enters the area before that time is also affected. However, each time a save is succeeded, the deathchild takes 2 points of damage. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Phasic Touch (Ex): A spirit deathchild, unlike most incorporeal undead, can manipulate physical objects to a degree. It can take hold of and lift up to 100lbs of non-living, non-magical, unattended matter. While being held, the matter is considered incorporeal also, and so the deathchild can move freely while carrying it. Deathchilds usually use this ability to remove their old body from a battle so that they can inhabit it once again later.

Temptation (Ex): A spirit deathchild cannot resist the compulsion to corrupt the innocent. A deathchild will never completely flee from any creature it perceives as a paladin or good-aligned cleric, nor from any group accompanying a child. It may retreat momentarily if it is being beaten, but it will never abandon the quest for corruption.
FatMonkey13
05-06-07, 12:51 AM I can't offer much help but I like it.
TheGreatPook
05-09-07, 11:23 AM I really like this monster and would love to use this in an upcoming game of mine.
I would definitely like to see a CR (I'm bad with figuring that stuff out..)

Also, I have a question. Do the Victim and Spirit Deathchild attacks deal only wisdom damage? Kind of like an Allip? If so, what happens when your Wisdom reaches 0?
preacher of nothing
05-09-07, 12:56 PM what happens when your Wisdom reaches 0?

A character with Dexterity 0 is paralyzed. A character with Constitution 0 is dead. A character with Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma 0 is unconscious.

That should do it :)
LivingShadow
05-09-07, 04:20 PM I think he meant other than that. I'll give the example of the shadow which kills its victim at 0 Str.
Novacat
05-10-07, 01:13 AM To be honest, I hadn't thought about it. Presumably, a suitable candidate would become a Deathchild itself, and an adult (or non-human) victim would simply remain unconscious for the Deathchild to consume it.
Baloth King
05-10-07, 04:35 PM Are Deathchilds capable of love/lust? The reason I ask is because you said 'nothing was ever witheld from her', and it'd make a good plot twist if a Deathchild wanted one of the player characters or something.
Novacat
05-10-07, 09:59 PM Are Deathchilds capable of love/lust? The reason I ask is because you said 'nothing was ever witheld from her', and it'd make a good plot twist if a Deathchild wanted one of the player characters or something.
What I intended for the Deathchild: They are beings of pure vileness under the skin of innocence. They know they are depraved, inhuman creatures, and their only real desire is to drag others down to their level. They cannot feel any positive emotion, and never act on anyone else's interests. The original Deathchild's particular circumstances only served to bring about an end that could have been met in many ways. The important aspect is the wanton, unadulterated indulgence of wickedness. Later victims of the original Deathchild were stripped of their childhood innocence, and the human potential for absolute corruption is brought to the front, creating another Deathchild spirit within the victim's soul.

HOWEVER: Feel free to morph this basic idea into whatever you please. If it makes a good plot element for the Deathchild to be more coherent and possibly capable of love, then make it so.

Perhaps one of the PCs strongly resembles the Deathchild's parents, and so what mote of humanity is left in the creature clings to that character, and only the PCs action will determine whether the Deathchild comes fully into its vile and malformed self, or if the little remaining purity can fight back the evil and expel the Deathchild spirit from itself.

The above scenario doesn't fit with my original vision for the Deathchild, but if it works for you, more power to ya.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Novacat 05-03-07, 11:47 PM	So I just sat down and created a new monster for my campaign. I thought I'd post it here and see if I can't get some suggestions for a CR, or new abilities that add to the existing theme. The Deathchild In a time long past, there was a princcess of a very wealthy kingdom. Her mother and father spoiled her at all times. From the day she was born, nothing she desired was ever withheld from her. As she grew older, she began to abuse her servants, and started demanding more and more lavish and exotic riches be showered upon her. By the time she turned 12, her greed and selfishness had drained the kingdom of all its wealth and prosperity. Finally, her father told her that she could no longer live in the wealth to which she was accustom. When he told her this, the corruption, depravity, and absolute darkness that had grown in her soul was set loose, and she murdered and consumed her father. She was the first Deathchild. Deathchilds have three forms; the victim, the depraved, and the spirit, each emerging after the previous form is defeated. All deathchilds begin as normal human children. An existing deathchild can transform any living human younger than 12 years old into a “deathchild victim” by spending 8 uninterrupted hours alone with the child. Most deathchilds are girls of 8 years or younger. Victim Deathchild Size/Type: Small Abberration Hit Dice: 5d8+3 (27HP) Initiative: +3 Speed: 30 ft Armor Class: 14 (+3 DEX, +1 Size), Touch 14, Flatfooted 11 BA/Grapple: +3/-1 Attack: Touch +4 melee (1d4 WIS damage) Full Attack: Touch +4 melee (1d4 WIS damage) Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft Special Qualities: Mock Innocence, Deathchild Vessel, Undead-Possessed Saves: Fort 1, Ref 4, Will 0 Abilities: STR 10, DEX 17, CON 11, INT 7, WIS 3, CHA 26 Feats: Weapon Focus (Touch), Toughness Mock Innocence (Su): A deathchild is in the form of a sobbing human child. All creatures who view the deathchild percieve it as an innoccent, helpless, and unthreatening young human. How a creature reacts to this is determined by alignment and other factors. For example, a human paladin will seek to comfort and aid the deathchild, while an orc may attempt to kill the deathchild simply because it’s human. Even when it’s attacking, a deathchild emanates an aura of innocence, and all creatures within 30 feet must make a DC 21 Will save or continue to perceive the deathchild as a non-threatening, distressed human child. Those who fail on the save CANNOT believe that the deathchild is any danger at all, nor that it is anything other than what it appears to be. Those who succeed on the save can see the deathchild for what it really is, and can act against it if they were otherwise prevented from doing so. However, the save must be remade each round until it fails, at which point a new save is only allowed when the deathchild attacks again. Paladins and good-aligned clerics take a -4 penalty on the save, but animals are unaffected. This is a mind-affecting effect. The save DC is Charisma based. Deathchild Vessel (Su): A deathchild in its victim form is merely a container for the deathchild in the making. Once slain, the deathchild’s spirit form briefly exits the body before reentering it, becoming a “Depraved Deathchild.” Undead-Possessed (Ex): A victim deathchild, while living, possesses many undead qualiities, due to its possession by an undead spirit. It does not eat or sleep, though it does breath. It is immune to mind-affecting effects, poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, damage to its ability scores, and to fatigue and exhaustion. Victim deathchilds are vulnerable to turning, but cannot be destroyed by turning. Depraved Deathchild Size/Type: Small Undead Hit Dice: 10d12 (70HP) Initiative: +4 Speed: 30 ft Armor Class: 20 (+4 DEX, +1 Size, +5 Natural), Touch 15, Flatfooted 16 BA/Grapple: +5/+3 Attack: Claws +7 melee (1d8+2, and 1d6 WIS damage) Full Attack: 2 Claws +7 melee (1d8+2, and 1d6 WIS damage) Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft Special Attacks: Children of Darkness Special Qualities: Mock Innocence, Merely a Body Saves: Fort 3, Ref 8, Will 7 Abilities: STR 14, DEX 19, CON -, INT 9, WIS 10, CHA 26 Feats: Weapon Focus (Claw), Improved Natural Armor, Improved Natural Attack Mock Innocence (Su): A deathchild is in the form of a sobbing human child. All creatures who view the deathchild percieve it as an innoccent, helpless, and unthreatening young human. How a creature reacts to this is determined by alignment and other factors. For example, a human paladin will seek to comfort and aid the deathchild, while an orc may attempt to kill the deathchild simply because it’s human. Even when it’s attacking, a deathchild emanates an aura of innocence, and all creatures within 30 feet must make a DC 21 Will save or continue to perceive the deathchild as a non-threatening, distressed human child. Those who fail on the save CANNOT believe that the deathchild is any danger at all, nor that it is anything other than what it appears to be. Those who succeed on the save can see the deathchild for what it really is, and can act against it if they were otherwise prevented from doing so. However, the save must be remade each round until it fails, at which point a new save is only allowed when the deathchild attacks again. Paladins and good-aligned clerics take a -4 penalty on the save, but animals are unaffected. This is a mind-affecting effect. The save DC is Charisma based. Merely a Body (Ex): When a depraved deathchild is slain, the spirit bursts from the body. It usually attempts to flee unless its enemies are nearly beaten. Children of Darkness (Su): A depraved deathchild can call on the souls of dead children, causing them to appear in multitude in a 15 ft radius area. The deathchild gains full concealment while in this area, as it blends in with all the images of children, both vile and innocent in appearance. Additionally, all enemies of the deathchild in the area are considered flat-footed and flanked against any of the deathchild’s attacks. Using this ability is a Swift action that lasts for 5 rounds. Spirit Deathchild Size/Type: Medium Undead (Incorporeal) Hit Dice: 12d12+12 (95HP) Initiative: +4 Speed: 40 ft (fly, perfect maneuverability) Armor Class: 22 (+4 DEX, +8 Deflection), Touch 22, Flatfooted 18 BA/Grapple: +6/+6 Attack: Touch +11 melee (1d6 WIS drain) Full Attack: Touch +11 melee (1d6 WIS drain) Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft Special Attacks: Ravaging Corruption Special Qualities: Incorporeal qualities, Phasic Touch, Temptation Saves: Fort 4, Ref 9, Will 8 Abilities: STR -, DEX 19, CON -, INT 16, WIS 10, CHA 26 Feats: Weapon Focus (Touch), Ability Focus (Ravaging Corruption), Improved Toughness, Ravaging Corruption (Su): As a swift action each round, a spirit deathchild can maintain a visible “static field” of negative energy, sapping the strength and stamina of living creatures around it. Any such creature within 20 feet of the deathchild must make a DC 23 Fortitude save or take 1 point of Strength and Constitution damage. The field exists until the deathchild’s next turn, so any living creature who enters the area before that time is also affected. However, each time a save is succeeded, the deathchild takes 2 points of damage. The save DC is Charisma-based. Phasic Touch (Ex): A spirit deathchild, unlike most incorporeal undead, can manipulate physical objects to a degree. It can take hold of and lift up to 100lbs of non-living, non-magical, unattended matter. While being held, the matter is considered incorporeal also, and so the deathchild can move freely while carrying it. Deathchilds usually use this ability to remove their old body from a battle so that they can inhabit it once again later. Temptation (Ex): A spirit deathchild cannot resist the compulsion to corrupt the innocent. A deathchild will never completely flee from any creature it perceives as a paladin or good-aligned cleric, nor from any group accompanying a child. It may retreat momentarily if it is being beaten, but it will never abandon the quest for corruption.
FatMonkey13 05-06-07, 12:51 AM	I can't offer much help but I like it.
TheGreatPook 05-09-07, 11:23 AM	I really like this monster and would love to use this in an upcoming game of mine. I would definitely like to see a CR (I'm bad with figuring that stuff out..) Also, I have a question. Do the Victim and Spirit Deathchild attacks deal only wisdom damage? Kind of like an Allip? If so, what happens when your Wisdom reaches 0?
preacher of nothing 05-09-07, 12:56 PM	what happens when your Wisdom reaches 0? A character with Dexterity 0 is paralyzed. A character with Constitution 0 is dead. A character with Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma 0 is unconscious. That should do it :)
LivingShadow 05-09-07, 04:20 PM	I think he meant other than that. I'll give the example of the shadow which kills its victim at 0 Str.
Novacat 05-10-07, 01:13 AM	To be honest, I hadn't thought about it. Presumably, a suitable candidate would become a Deathchild itself, and an adult (or non-human) victim would simply remain unconscious for the Deathchild to consume it.
Baloth King 05-10-07, 04:35 PM	Are Deathchilds capable of love/lust? The reason I ask is because you said 'nothing was ever witheld from her', and it'd make a good plot twist if a Deathchild wanted one of the player characters or something.
Novacat 05-10-07, 09:59 PM	Are Deathchilds capable of love/lust? The reason I ask is because you said 'nothing was ever witheld from her', and it'd make a good plot twist if a Deathchild wanted one of the player characters or something. What I intended for the Deathchild: They are beings of pure vileness under the skin of innocence. They know they are depraved, inhuman creatures, and their only real desire is to drag others down to their level. They cannot feel any positive emotion, and never act on anyone else's interests. The original Deathchild's particular circumstances only served to bring about an end that could have been met in many ways. The important aspect is the wanton, unadulterated indulgence of wickedness. Later victims of the original Deathchild were stripped of their childhood innocence, and the human potential for absolute corruption is brought to the front, creating another Deathchild spirit within the victim's soul. HOWEVER: Feel free to morph this basic idea into whatever you please. If it makes a good plot element for the Deathchild to be more coherent and possibly capable of love, then make it so. Perhaps one of the PCs strongly resembles the Deathchild's parents, and so what mote of humanity is left in the creature clings to that character, and only the PCs action will determine whether the Deathchild comes fully into its vile and malformed self, or if the little remaining purity can fight back the evil and expel the Deathchild spirit from itself. The above scenario doesn't fit with my original vision for the Deathchild, but if it works for you, more power to ya.