Flavour Guidelines: Create That Monster! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Flavour Guidelines: Create That Monster! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Etiquette_Gnome
09-25-05, 01:49 PM I'm wanting to throw a particular creature at my party, but I'm having trouble finding anything similar to it and am hitting writer's block to make my own. Therefore, I come here for hopeful inpsiration.

I need it to be a servant & creation of Law and Order, be native to the ocean environs; yet able to cause grief to ships on their decks (so no golden fish, unless it has legs or something). If it's a mostly solitary creature, than the desired challenge rating is 4; CR 1 if it's intended to come in numbers.
RavenDrake
09-26-05, 12:23 AM Hmm... you didn't specifiy "good" or "evil" alignment... so one of each.... well, one mostly evil, one mostly neutral.

Juruwin, 1st Level Warrior
Medium Elemental (Water)
Hit Dice: 1d10+2+3(toughness)(11hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 20ft, Swim 40ft
AC: 14 (+2 Dex, +2 Leather Armour); Touch 12, Flatfooted 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +1 / +3
Attack: Ranseur +3 Melee (2d4+3; x3), or Dagger +3 Melee, or +3 Ranged (1d4+2; 19-20, x2)
Full Attack: Same
Face/Reach: 5ft/5ft
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Blend into water, Darkvision 60ft, Elemental Traits
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +2, Wil +3
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Climb 6, Ride 4,
Feats: Toughness
Environment: Any Aquatic
Organization: Company (2-4), patrol (11-20 plus 2 3rd-level lieutenants and 1 leader of 3rd-6th level), or band (30-60 plus 1 3rd-level sergeant per 20 adults, 5 5th-level lieutenants, 3 7th-level captains, and 10 porpoises)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: Standard plus gear
Alignment: Usually Lawful Evil
Advancement: By Character class

The water churned viciously around the small ship, but nothing was appearently wrong... at least not till the dagger arced from the water and struck the helmsman dead. Suddenly, as though birthed from the face of the waves themselves, a flurry of serpentine blue-white forms burst from the ocean's surface, quicly scaling the hull of the boat and slithering onto the deck, polearms and daggers at the ready.

Juruwin are vicious and aloof elementals who live in the deeper oceans. They belive that they are the sole inheretors of the ocean, and that all land-dwellers who intrude there violate the sanctity and order they impose. Juruwin are cruel dictators to seek to enslave other oceangoing races and use them

They appear to be blue-white creatures with a serpent's fluked hindquarter, like that of a sea snake. Thier upperbodies are humanoid in appearence, but entirely hairless and smooth, rather than scalled. Thier angular features and vicious smirks give them in imposing visage, and thier history of cruelty grants them a certain infamy amoung the seagoing tradesmen and aquatic races alike.

While in the water they nearly disappear from sight, giving them a huge advantage against creatuers both in and out of the sea.

Juruwin speak Common, Aquan, and thier own language, which they prefer to conduct business in.

Combat

In combat they like to swarm thier opponents from all sides, using thier Blend with Water ability to sneak up on opponents unnoticed. Even if it's uncalled for, they like to outnumber opponents, and they use as many of thier available number as possible on any given attack.

Blend with Water(Ex): A Juruwin's unique body adapts it's colouration to water, giving it nigh invisibility. Juruwin gain a +10 bonus to Hide checks while underwater. Even when spotted, however, they are difficult to distinguish form the surrounding water, giving them the benefit of the Blur spell.

Skills:
A Juruwin has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

The Juruwin warrior presented here had the following ability scores before racial adjustments: Str 14, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8. (Elite Array, due to thier focus on martial ability)

Juruwin Characters
Juruwin favour combat and dominating opponents, and as such have a strong afinity for combat oriented classes.

A Juruwin's Favoured class is Fighter.

Juruwin have the following racial modifiers: +2 Con, -2 Cha.

[notes: Easily adaptable to Cult of , and class level modifiable to provide a challange to multiple challange rating levels.]

Vodyanoi
Large Abberation (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 5d8+10(33hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 20ft, Swim 60ft
AC: 16 (+ 1 Dex, + 6 Natural, - 1 Size); Touch 11, Flatfooted 15
Base Attack/Grapple: + 3/ +7
Attack: Tongue +4 Melee (1d8+3; x2)
Full Attack: Same
Face/Reach: 10ft/15ft (Tongue)
Special Attacks: Improved Grab, Constrict(1d6+3 Nonlethal), Spell-like Abilities
Special Qualities: Amphibious
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +2, Wil +5
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 10
Skills: Intimidate +4, Spot +9*, Listen +7, Bluff +4, Jump +12*
Feats: Alertness, Combat Reflexes
Environment: Temperate Aquatic
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: Double Items
Alignment: Usually Lawful Netural
Advancement: 6-10HD Large, 11-15HD Huge

[i]A great bulbous head emerges from the water, like a bloated human's face superimposed on the head of an immense toad. Before the crew of the ship can even call warning, a long, purple tongue lashes out and grabs one of the crewmen, dragging them under the ocean.

Vodyanoi are menacing aquatic creatures who live in well kept undersea grottos. They resemble toads, or frogs, with purple and green blotched skin, and a disfigured, bloated human face that grows from between thier eyes, which gasps and stares wildly, licking it's lips often.

Vodyanoi crave lavish homes, but lack the capicity to do much of the work they want done. Most of the time they kidnap humans and humanoids off of ships to do thier work for them, using their spell-like ability to grant Waterbreathing to force them to help. If they human agrees, they're usually fed and taken care of, eventually let go after a few weeks or months of captivity(though often left to fend for themselves unless they encounter a lucky passing ship). If they refuse, or attempt to escape, the Vodyanoi simply ends the waterbreathing effect and lets them drown.

Vodyanoi speak common in a squeaky, croaking voice.

Combat

Vodyanoi prefer to fight while in the water. It gives them an advantage, especially against humanoids. They use surprise to thier advantage to grasp a likely looking worker from a group of humanoids and then drag them underwater to thier home. A bit of persuasion, and some intimidation in the form of letting them nearly drown, is often all they need to convice their captive to assist them.

Improved Grab(Ex): If a Vadyanoi hits an opponent at least one size catagory smaller than itself with it's tongue attack it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity(grapple bonus +7). If it gets a hold it can constrict. Alternatively the the Vadyanoi can attempt to handle the grapple normally, or to simply use it's tendrils to hold the opponent(-20 penalty on grapple check, but the Ochu is not considered grappled). Either way, each successive grapple check deals tongue damage.

Constrict(Ex): On a Successful Grapple Check a Vodyanoi deals 2d6+3 points of Nonlethal damage.

Spell-like Abilities(Sp): At Will: Waterbreathing, Caster level 5th

Amphibious(Ex): Vodyanoi can breath both water and air.

Skills: Vodyanoi gain a +10 racial bonus on Jump checks. They also gain a +2 racial bonus on spot checks due to thier two sets of eyes.

[notes: A fun creature, able to provide both raw combat AND incentive for party exploration. I would recomend not abducting a party member, but abducting an important NPC(captain or navigator of the ship, or someone the party is bodyguarding) could cause the party to have to hunt him down. Also, as Lawful creatues, it's also easily upgradeable to be a Cleric/Adept of a Lawful god, using conscripted help to build a temple to his new diety]
VampiricBloodlustNemesis
09-26-05, 04:23 PM SWEET! you should make something like that for EVERY elemental, including smoke,ooze,and all the other Para and Primal elementals, i would worship u if u did
The Vorpal Tribble
09-26-05, 04:29 PM The Vodyanoi is in Frostburn.
VampiricBloodlustNemesis
09-26-05, 04:33 PM SWEET! you should make something like that for EVERY elemental, including smoke,ooze,and all the other Para and Primal elementals, i would worship u if u did
RavenDrake
09-27-05, 12:44 AM The Vodyanoi is in Frostburn.

Woops. Didn't know the name was taken...

I went to Encyclopedia Mythica (http://www.pantheon.org/main/search.html) and typed in "Sea Monster" and "Ocenan Beings" to pick out names.

What is the Frostburn version like? I'll probably pick out a new name for mine and keep him, but I wondered how the two versions differed.

SWEET! you should make something like that for EVERY elemental, including smoke,ooze,and all the other Para and Primal elementals, i would worship u if u did

Hmm.... I might just do that. I'll probably start a running thread either here on in the Races Forum on them...

Hope one of the two I posted was useful for your request.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Etiquette_Gnome 09-25-05, 01:49 PM	I'm wanting to throw a particular creature at my party, but I'm having trouble finding anything similar to it and am hitting writer's block to make my own. Therefore, I come here for hopeful inpsiration. I need it to be a servant & creation of Law and Order, be native to the ocean environs; yet able to cause grief to ships on their decks (so no golden fish, unless it has legs or something). If it's a mostly solitary creature, than the desired challenge rating is 4; CR 1 if it's intended to come in numbers.
RavenDrake 09-26-05, 12:23 AM	Hmm... you didn't specifiy "good" or "evil" alignment... so one of each.... well, one mostly evil, one mostly neutral. Juruwin, 1st Level Warrior Medium Elemental (Water) Hit Dice: 1d10+2+3(toughness)(11hp) Initiative: +2 Speed: 20ft, Swim 40ft AC: 14 (+2 Dex, +2 Leather Armour); Touch 12, Flatfooted 12 Base Attack/Grapple: +1 / +3 Attack: Ranseur +3 Melee (2d4+3; x3), or Dagger +3 Melee, or +3 Ranged (1d4+2; 19-20, x2) Full Attack: Same Face/Reach: 5ft/5ft Special Attacks: - Special Qualities: Blend into water, Darkvision 60ft, Elemental Traits Saves: Fort +4, Ref +2, Wil +3 Abilities: Str 14, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 6 Skills: Climb 6, Ride 4, Feats: Toughness Environment: Any Aquatic Organization: Company (2-4), patrol (11-20 plus 2 3rd-level lieutenants and 1 leader of 3rd-6th level), or band (30-60 plus 1 3rd-level sergeant per 20 adults, 5 5th-level lieutenants, 3 7th-level captains, and 10 porpoises) Challenge Rating: 1 Treasure: Standard plus gear Alignment: Usually Lawful Evil Advancement: By Character class The water churned viciously around the small ship, but nothing was appearently wrong... at least not till the dagger arced from the water and struck the helmsman dead. Suddenly, as though birthed from the face of the waves themselves, a flurry of serpentine blue-white forms burst from the ocean's surface, quicly scaling the hull of the boat and slithering onto the deck, polearms and daggers at the ready. Juruwin are vicious and aloof elementals who live in the deeper oceans. They belive that they are the sole inheretors of the ocean, and that all land-dwellers who intrude there violate the sanctity and order they impose. Juruwin are cruel dictators to seek to enslave other oceangoing races and use them They appear to be blue-white creatures with a serpent's fluked hindquarter, like that of a sea snake. Thier upperbodies are humanoid in appearence, but entirely hairless and smooth, rather than scalled. Thier angular features and vicious smirks give them in imposing visage, and thier history of cruelty grants them a certain infamy amoung the seagoing tradesmen and aquatic races alike. While in the water they nearly disappear from sight, giving them a huge advantage against creatuers both in and out of the sea. Juruwin speak Common, Aquan, and thier own language, which they prefer to conduct business in. Combat In combat they like to swarm thier opponents from all sides, using thier Blend with Water ability to sneak up on opponents unnoticed. Even if it's uncalled for, they like to outnumber opponents, and they use as many of thier available number as possible on any given attack. Blend with Water(Ex): A Juruwin's unique body adapts it's colouration to water, giving it nigh invisibility. Juruwin gain a +10 bonus to Hide checks while underwater. Even when spotted, however, they are difficult to distinguish form the surrounding water, giving them the benefit of the Blur spell. Skills: A Juruwin has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line. The Juruwin warrior presented here had the following ability scores before racial adjustments: Str 14, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8. (Elite Array, due to thier focus on martial ability) Juruwin Characters Juruwin favour combat and dominating opponents, and as such have a strong afinity for combat oriented classes. A Juruwin's Favoured class is Fighter. Juruwin have the following racial modifiers: +2 Con, -2 Cha. [notes: Easily adaptable to Cult of , and class level modifiable to provide a challange to multiple challange rating levels.] Vodyanoi Large Abberation (Aquatic) Hit Dice: 5d8+10(33hp) Initiative: +1 Speed: 20ft, Swim 60ft AC: 16 (+ 1 Dex, + 6 Natural, - 1 Size); Touch 11, Flatfooted 15 Base Attack/Grapple: + 3/ +7 Attack: Tongue +4 Melee (1d8+3; x2) Full Attack: Same Face/Reach: 10ft/15ft (Tongue) Special Attacks: Improved Grab, Constrict(1d6+3 Nonlethal), Spell-like Abilities Special Qualities: Amphibious Saves: Fort +3, Ref +2, Wil +5 Abilities: Str 15, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 10 Skills: Intimidate +4, Spot +9, Listen +7, Bluff +4, Jump +12 Feats: Alertness, Combat Reflexes Environment: Temperate Aquatic Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 4 Treasure: Double Items Alignment: Usually Lawful Netural Advancement: 6-10HD Large, 11-15HD Huge [i]A great bulbous head emerges from the water, like a bloated human's face superimposed on the head of an immense toad. Before the crew of the ship can even call warning, a long, purple tongue lashes out and grabs one of the crewmen, dragging them under the ocean. Vodyanoi are menacing aquatic creatures who live in well kept undersea grottos. They resemble toads, or frogs, with purple and green blotched skin, and a disfigured, bloated human face that grows from between thier eyes, which gasps and stares wildly, licking it's lips often. Vodyanoi crave lavish homes, but lack the capicity to do much of the work they want done. Most of the time they kidnap humans and humanoids off of ships to do thier work for them, using their spell-like ability to grant Waterbreathing to force them to help. If they human agrees, they're usually fed and taken care of, eventually let go after a few weeks or months of captivity(though often left to fend for themselves unless they encounter a lucky passing ship). If they refuse, or attempt to escape, the Vodyanoi simply ends the waterbreathing effect and lets them drown. Vodyanoi speak common in a squeaky, croaking voice. Combat Vodyanoi prefer to fight while in the water. It gives them an advantage, especially against humanoids. They use surprise to thier advantage to grasp a likely looking worker from a group of humanoids and then drag them underwater to thier home. A bit of persuasion, and some intimidation in the form of letting them nearly drown, is often all they need to convice their captive to assist them. Improved Grab(Ex): If a Vadyanoi hits an opponent at least one size catagory smaller than itself with it's tongue attack it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity(grapple bonus +7). If it gets a hold it can constrict. Alternatively the the Vadyanoi can attempt to handle the grapple normally, or to simply use it's tendrils to hold the opponent(-20 penalty on grapple check, but the Ochu is not considered grappled). Either way, each successive grapple check deals tongue damage. Constrict(Ex): On a Successful Grapple Check a Vodyanoi deals 2d6+3 points of Nonlethal damage. Spell-like Abilities(Sp): At Will: Waterbreathing, Caster level 5th Amphibious(Ex): Vodyanoi can breath both water and air. Skills: Vodyanoi gain a +10 racial bonus on Jump checks. They also gain a +2 racial bonus on spot checks due to thier two sets of eyes. [notes: A fun creature, able to provide both raw combat AND incentive for party exploration. I would recomend not abducting a party member, but abducting an important NPC(captain or navigator of the ship, or someone the party is bodyguarding) could cause the party to have to hunt him down. Also, as Lawful creatues, it's also easily upgradeable to be a Cleric/Adept of a Lawful god, using conscripted help to build a temple to his new diety]
VampiricBloodlustNemesis 09-26-05, 04:23 PM	SWEET! you should make something like that for EVERY elemental, including smoke,ooze,and all the other Para and Primal elementals, i would worship u if u did
The Vorpal Tribble 09-26-05, 04:29 PM	The Vodyanoi is in Frostburn.
VampiricBloodlustNemesis 09-26-05, 04:33 PM	SWEET! you should make something like that for EVERY elemental, including smoke,ooze,and all the other Para and Primal elementals, i would worship u if u did
RavenDrake 09-27-05, 12:44 AM	The Vodyanoi is in Frostburn. Woops. Didn't know the name was taken... I went to Encyclopedia Mythica (http://www.pantheon.org/main/search.html) and typed in "Sea Monster" and "Ocenan Beings" to pick out names. What is the Frostburn version like? I'll probably pick out a new name for mine and keep him, but I wondered how the two versions differed. SWEET! you should make something like that for EVERY elemental, including smoke,ooze,and all the other Para and Primal elementals, i would worship u if u did Hmm.... I might just do that. I'll probably start a running thread either here on in the Races Forum on them... Hope one of the two I posted was useful for your request.