Author Topic: Norse Bestiary  (Read 8413 times)

ksbsnowowl

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 105
    • View Profile
Re: Norse Bestiary
« Reply #60 on: June 21, 2017, 12:25:26 AM »
Originally posted August 20, 2013:

I'd been meaning to stat this guy up for a while now.  Here he is.  Note, the Skindancer was given a stat block in Elder Evils.  In this stat block, they clarified the Reactive Damage Reduction ability.  The chart that is included below comes straight from that stat block.

Half-Troll Skindancer
(click to show/hide)

Primordial Giant Half-Troll Skindancer
(click to show/hide)

Half-(Deep) Dragon Primordial Giant Half-Troll Skindancer
(click to show/hide)
I should probably have given him ranks in UMD, but whatever.

ksbsnowowl

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 105
    • View Profile
Re: Norse Bestiary
« Reply #61 on: June 21, 2017, 12:29:35 AM »
October 20, 2013, 02:17:43 PM »
This creature isn't Norse, really, but I made him for my Norse game, so here he is.  It's a shape-changing Niflheim hound (Vorr's are Abyssal hounds, so why not?

I'd never really paid much attention to the Canomorphs (FF) before, but this thing is ready made for heading into Telflammar Shadowlord.  So, he escaped through the Niflhenge, and has aligned with the Unseelie Court enough to have been taught the ways of the TSL's.

Two versions, both the same 36 point buy.

(NB - It appears there was some accidental cross-pollination as I updated him with duskblade and swashbucker for heading into Hellbreaker.  It appears the first one is Vultivor Outsider 3/Fighter 4/Ranger 1/Telflammar Shadowlord 6//Scout 14, despite what the build chart says.  The second one is a Vultivor Outsider 3/Fighter 2/Duskblade 1/Swashbuckler 1/Ranger 1/Telflammar Shadowlord 6/Hellbreaker 1//Scout 15, despite what the header at the top of the stat block says.)

Gestalt Vultivor
(click to show/hide)

Hellbreaker Gestalt Vultivor
(click to show/hide)
   
I haven't included any effects of his magic items into his stats, aside from his magic rapier.
He will be a great opponent for my PC's, as he can hunt them down, approach on the ethereal plane, pop back over, placing the Mindbender inside his Telepathic Static field, which will blind the Mindbender's Mindsight.

It will be fun...

ksbsnowowl

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 105
    • View Profile
Re: Norse Bestiary
« Reply #62 on: June 21, 2017, 12:39:32 AM »
Originally posted October 25, 2013:

The Wild Hunter that I linked in the first post actually has quite a few problems (his attack rolls are all too high by 3, his ride check is +3 too high, his AC is too high by 2, his listed mighty composite longbow has a stronger pull than his strength would allow).  So, I fixed those problems, as well as made him 36 point buy, and then advanced him with levels of sorcerer and then Abjurant Champion.  I used the nonassociated class rules to add 5 levels of Sorcerer for +2 CR, but then treated his Abjurant Champion levels as associated.

Wild Hunter (36 point buy)
(click to show/hide)

Wild Hunter Sorcerer 5
(click to show/hide)

Wild Hunter Sorcerer 5/Abjurant Champion 5
(click to show/hide)

Still debating what to give him as a mount.  Something that flies.  I'm thinking of giving him a Hound of the Hunt from the MM5 as a mount.  That would be a CR 19 encounter.  Make sure he has feather fall...
A Nightmare wouldn't be a bad choice, either, though it could only be advanced to 10 HD.
But, then he could attack via Astral Projection, which would give him a measure of protection versus these deadly foes... I like this idea.

In such a case, he would be more likely to put the GMW on his greataxe, so he and the Hound could both threaten the target and attack.

Here is an advanced Nightmare (10 HD) to which I also applied the Lolth-Touched template, merely as a means of upping its hit points.

Advanced Lolth-Touched Nightmare
(click to show/hide)

Wild Hunter Sorcerer 18
(click to show/hide)

I need to make an advanced Ecalypse (20 HD) for this guy, too.

Advanced Ecalypse (20 HD)
(click to show/hide)

ksbsnowowl

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 105
    • View Profile
Re: Norse Bestiary
« Reply #63 on: June 21, 2017, 12:44:13 AM »
Originally posted October 27, 2013:

Fire Giant Wiz 9/Geometer 5
(click to show/hide)
This version still needs a 15th level feat.

Fire Giant Wizard 10/Geometer 5
(click to show/hide)
Still need to spend the 10th level bonus wizard feat, and the 30th HD feat.
Mysterious Magic or Echoing Spell (both from Secrests of Xen'drik) would be alright choices for the 30th HD feat.

Fire Giant Cleric 6/Fighter 2
(click to show/hide)
She needs a new feat at 18th (or later) HD.
I should make some where I remove the two fighter levels, then add four more levels of cleric for the same CR.

Fire Giant Cleric 10
(click to show/hide)

Fire Giant Fighter 3
(click to show/hide)

ksbsnowowl

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 105
    • View Profile
Re: Norse Bestiary
« Reply #64 on: June 21, 2017, 12:45:30 AM »
Originally posted November 07, 2013:

Advanced Magma Hurler
(click to show/hide)

ksbsnowowl

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 105
    • View Profile
Re: Norse Bestiary
« Reply #65 on: June 21, 2017, 12:47:44 AM »
Originally posted December 12, 2013:

Gestalt Hulking Hurler War Hulk Mountain Troll
(click to show/hide)

Gestalt Mountain Troll Hulking Hurler War Hulk GCR 16
(click to show/hide)

ksbsnowowl

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 105
    • View Profile
Re: Norse Bestiary
« Reply #66 on: June 21, 2017, 12:54:54 AM »
December 25, 2013, 02:14:44 AM »
The Linnorms in the MMII have CR issues.  An analysis by Runestar over at GitP pegs the Gray Linnorm at CR 16, instead of its listed CR of 20.  The gray linnorm has 13 HD and casts as a 17th level cleric, as well has having several CL 17 SLA's, including Shapechange 3/day.  I just took the initiative to rectify the disproportionate HD/casting/CR, and gave it four extra HD.  Casts as a 17th level cleric, CR 17, 17 HD.  Pretty straight-forward.

Comparing this to the Pathfinder Linnorms, it still has quite the glass jaw.  Pathfinder's CR 14 Crag Linnorm still has more hit points than this thing does, and it has regeneration.  But, the MM2 Linnorms get full casting built into the monsters; the Pathfinder ones do not.

Gray Linnorm
(click to show/hide)

I will probably also make one that is Gestalted with 17 levels of Sorcerer, with the Metamagic Specialist ACF from PHB2.  Such a specimen would get 30 point buy (my viking game uses 36 point buy for the PC's), to help up its Charisma and Wisdom scores a bit, and would get stat boosts at 4, 8, 12, and 16 (the altered stat block above did not get a stat boost at 16th level).

The gray linnorm should likely have already made use of every dirty trick it can to stay alive.  Miracle -> Contingency to Heal it when it gets severely damaged.  Death Pact from SpC.  It should use a Consumptive Field every morning to cast its long-duration buffs, so the PC's can't dispel them.  Things like that.  It might actually be worth it to give him Elder Giant Magic in place of Improved Snatch, as that could allow him to get the caster level on Consumptive Field up to 20, which would then grant +10 to his CL.  If he then used Elder Giant Magic again while Consumptive Field was active, the CL's of his buffs would be 30, and would be undispellable via Greater Dispel Magic.

Swamp Linnorm
This guy was almost lost to a WotC web purge.  Wayback Machine didn't archive it, but I found another site that did.

Swamp Linnorm
(click to show/hide)

Here are the spells mentioned from the other article (from here):
(click to show/hide)

ksbsnowowl

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 105
    • View Profile
Re: Norse Bestiary
« Reply #67 on: June 21, 2017, 12:56:09 AM »
January 03, 2014, 12:21:07 AM »
I'd been wanting to include Nightmares somehow for a while now.  The logical place would be for them to be from Muspelheim, and serve as mounts for Fire Giants.  Problem: Nightmares have no resistance or immunity to fire (despite their fiery hooves), and a plane with the Fire Dominant trait inflicts 3d10 fire damage per round...

Well, I just learned of a little template that rectifies that problem fairly easily... The Imix-Blooded Template (ie - God-Blooded) from the MM5.  It is a +1 CR and +1 LA template that grants the Fire Subtype (in the case of Imix) and a few other fire-related abilities.  Perfect for my purposes, the template even has a built-in way to remove the template (a DR ability that can be called upon to absorb a total of 40 points of damage; once it has been exhausted, you lose the template).  So, all Nightmares are born as Imix-Blooded, but they can become "quenched," losing the template.  They would never do this in Muspelheim, but if they had traveled to another of the Nine Worlds, one might allow itself to be quenched, so as to better serve a non-fiery master.

Brilliant!


I really like the Loumara demons introduced in FCI, and I've been able to hunt down two more species in Dragon #359 and #360.  It seems they left out a section of the stat block for the Caligrosto (Environment, Organization, Treasure, Advancement), but due to the wording in Infuse Weapon, they obviously can advance up to at least 20 HD, likely staying medium the whole time). Here they are:


Caligrosto
   A hazy, ghostly woman stands ready for battle. Her eyes glow red,batlike wings unfurl from her back, and a forked tail coils in the air behind her, but her flesh is hazy and indistinct, almost as if she didn’t quite exist. The cruel, jagged sword she wields, however, is danger-ously solid and real.

Caligrosto      CR 6
hp 68 (8 HD); Reflective DR 15/bludgeoning and piercing
--------------------------------------------------------------------
CE Medium outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar, incorporeal, loumara)
Init: +9; Senses: darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +13, Spot +13
Languages: Abyssal, Common; telepathy 100 ft.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
AC: 21, touch 21, flat-footed 16
   (+5 Dex, +6 deflection)
Immune: acid, electricity, fire, incorporeal traits
Resist: cold 10; SR 17
Fort +10, Ref +11, Will +8
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), fly 60 ft. (perfect)
Melee: +1 keen greatsword +15/+10 (2d6+12/17–20) or
   touch +13 (1d6 Str damage)
Base Atk: +8; Grp +8
Atk Options: Combat Expertise, Improved Disarm
Special Actions: possess blade
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Abilities: Str —, Dex 20, Con 18, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 22
SQ: fiendish shade, infuse weapon, invisibility, martial prowess
Feats: Combat Expertise, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative,
   Weapon Focus (greatsword)B, Weapon Specialization (greatsword)B
Skills: Bluff +17, Intimidate +19, Knowledge (local) +12, Knowledge
   (the planes) +12, Listen +13, Search +12, Sense Motive +13,
   Spot +13, Tumble +16
Possessions: +1 keen greatsword
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiendish Shade (Su): As long as a caligrosto is wielding a weapon, it creates
   a phantom image of the last creature it damaged, although this
   incorporeal image is of a fiendish incarnation of the creature duplicated.
   A caligrosto can only duplicate the image of a creature capable of
   wielding a slashing weapon, and it remains Medium size no matter what
   size the original creature was. Once a caligrosto has taken on the shade
   of an enemy in this manner, it gains a +2 insight bonus on attack rolls
   and weapon damage rolls made against that target.
Infuse Weapon (Su): A caligrosto can infuse a magic weapon it has possessed
   with the keen weapon quality. More powerful caligrostos can infuse
   additional weapon qualities into their blades. A caligrosto with at least
   14 Hit Dice can infuse its weapon with keen and wounding special
   qualities. The most powerful caligrostos (those with 20 or more Hit Dice)
   can infuse a possessed weapon with keen, wounding, and vorpal
   qualities. Infused weapon qualities stack with any existing weapon
   qualities a weapon may have, but not with weapon qualities of the same
   name. Thus, a 20-HD caligrosto that possesses a +3 unholy speed
   longsword would be able to infuse it into a +3 unholy speed keen
   wounding vorpal longsword.
Invisibility (Su): A caligrosto is invisible in its natural (nonshade) form when it
   isn’t possessing a blade. This ability is constant, allowing the caligrosto
   to remain invisible even when attacking. This ability is inherent and not
   subject to the invisibility purge spell.
Martial Prowess (Ex): A caligrosto is uncannily adept at wielding bladed
   weapons. Once it has possessed a blade, it is treated as if proficient
   with that weapon, and as if it had Weapon Focus and Weapon
   Specialization with that weapon type. More powerful caligrostos gain
   additional bonus feats—a caligrosto with at least 12 Hit Dice also gains
   Greater Weapon Focus with its currently possessed weapon as a bonus
   feat. Finally, a caligrosto with at least 18 Hit Dice gains Greater Weapon
   Specialization with its currently possessed weapon as a bonus feat.
   Although caligrostos have no Strength score, they use their Dexterity
   modifier to modify their attack rolls with their possessed weapon, and
   modify damage with the weapon using their Charisma modifier (in the
   same manner that Strength adjusts damage with weapons).
Possess Blade (Su): Unlike most loumaras, caligrostos cannot possess living
   creatures. Their ability to possess is limited to slashing weapons. A
   caligrosto may attempt to possess any unattended slashing weapon by
   taking a full-round action (this provokes an attack of opportunity).
   Against nonmagic weapons, a caligrosto is automatically successful. A
   magic weapon can make a DC 20 Will save (this save DC is Charisma-
   based) to resist the possession—if the object succeeds, the caligrosto
   may never again attempt to possess that particular bladed weapon.
   Once a caligrosto possesses a weapon, it may come and go as it
   pleases, taking a move action to enter and leave the blade.
      While possessing a sword, the caligrosto is immobile and
   cannot take attack actions, nor can it be detected by most effects that
   detect creatures (such as see invisibility or locate creature).  Detect
   chaos and detect evil reveal that the possessed weapon has that
   alignment, but not that a demon lurks inside.  True seeing reveals the
   weapon to be seething with coils of what appears to be mist flecked with
   lightning. The caligrosto can still observe the world around it, but its
   ability to interact with the world is limited to telepathy.
      A creature can wield a caligrosto-possessed weapon as if it were
   a normal weapon. Often, the caligrosto infuses the weapon (see above)
   to make it more appealing and more likely that it will be used in combat.
   It may even use telepathy to try to convince a creature that it is an
   intelligent weapon—in this case, the caligrosto tries to encourage its
   new “owner” to attack creatures capable of wielding weapons.
      Once a caligrosto-possessed weapon strikes any creature that is
   capable of wielding it (regardless of the creature’s size), the caligrosto can
   attempt to wrench free from its wielders grasp and create a fiendish shade
   of that creature. A caligrosto often tries to convince its wielder telepathically
   that this is merely a short-lived but potent variant of the dancing quality,
   hoping to let its wielder allow the effect to occur without resisting. The
   wielder can attempt a DC 20 Will save to prevent a wielded caligrosto
   weapon from flying out of her hands to utilize its fiendish shade ability.
   This save DC is Charisma-based.
      Once a caligrosto gets free of its wielder and assumes a fiendish 
   shade, it can remain in that mode eternally. Typically, a caligrosto helps
   its previous owner defeat the creature before turning on her in hopes of
   creating a fiendish shade of her, but sometimes a caligrosto can’t wait
   for treachery and attacks its previous wielder as soon as it escapes. A
   caligrosto can be forced out of a weapon it is possessing by
   banishment, dismissal, dispel chaos, or dispel evil. When a caligrosto
   is driven out in this manner, the weapon it was possessing drops to the
   ground. The caligrosto can attempt to re-possess the weapon on its next 
   action (although if the weapon is magical, it gains a new Will save to
   resist this new possession attempt as if the demon had never before
   attempted to possess it). If a caligrosto-possessed weapon is destroyed,
   the caligrosto is forced out of the weapon and must make a DC 20
   Fortitude save to avoid being stunned for 1d3 rounds.
Reflective Damage Reduction (Su):  As long as a caligrosto’s fiendish shade
   ability is in effect, it gains DR 15/bludgeoning and piercing. Slashing
   damage negated by this damage reduction is applied to the creature
   whose shape is currently being mocked by the loumara’s fiendish shade
   ability. For example, if a caligrosto’s fiendish shade is imitating Lidda,
   and Krusk strikes the demon with his +3 greataxe and causes 25 points
   of damage, 15 points of that damage are negated and applied to Lidda
   instead, while the caligrosto takes the 10 points of damage not negated
   by the damage reduction. Nonmagic weapons cannot harm the caligrosto
   (due to its incorporeal traits) and thus are not affected by this unusual
   defensive ability.
Strength Drain (Su): A caligrosto deals 1d6 points of Strength damage with its
   touch attack. Whenever it deals Strength damage to a target, a caligrosto
   heals 5 points of damage; if the demon is healthy, it instead gains this
   healing as temporary hit points.



MANITOU         CR 12
Always CE Huge Outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar, incorporeal, loumara)
Init: +10; Senses: darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +24, Spot +24
Aura: frightful presence (120 ft. range, Will DC 27)
Languages: Abyssal, Common; telepathy 100 ft.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
AC: 22, touch 22, flat-footed 16
   (-2 size, +6 dex, +8 deflection)
hp: 172 (15 HD); DR: 10/good
Immune: acid, electricity, fire, incorporeal traits
Resist: cold 10; SR 22
Fort +16, Ref +15, Will +17
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Spd: fly 50 ft. (perfect)(10 squares)
Melee: 6 bites +19 (2d8)
Space: 15 ft.; Reach: 15 ft.
Base Atk: +15; Grp: –
Atk Options: Combat Expertise
Special Actions: possession, rend nature
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15th)
   At will – diminish plants, dominate animal (DC 21), entangle (DC 19),
      greater magic fang, hallucinatory terrain (DC 22), plant growth,
      summon nature's ally V, transport via plants
   3/day – call lightning storm (DC 23), control winds, quickened
      entangle (DC 19), giant vermin
   1/day – shambler
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Abilities: Str –, Dex 23, Con 24, Int 20, Wis 22, Cha 27
Feats: Ability Focus (frightful presence), Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes,
   Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (entangle)
Skills: Concentration +25, Hide +16, Knowledge (arcana) +23, Knowledge
   (dungeoneering) +23, Knowledge (geography) +23, Knowledge (nature)
   +23, Knowledge (the planes) +23, Listen +24, Search +23, Sense Motive
   +24, Spellcraft +25, Spot +24, Tumble +24
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Environment: any wilderness
Organization: solitary
Treasure: standard
Advancement: 16-21 HD (Huge), 22-39 HD (Gargantuan), 40-45 HD (Colossal)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Frightful Presence (Su):  A manitou exudes an aura of supernatural fear to a
   radius of 120 feet.  Any creature in this area must make a DC 27 Will
   save to avoid becoming frightened as long as that creature remains
   in the area of effect.  A creature who makes this save is immune to the
   frightful presence of that particular manitou for 24 hours.  This is a mind-
   affecting fear effect.  The save DC is Charisma-based.
Possession (Su):  A manitou can possess any creature of the animal, fey, or
   plant type.  It must enter a square occupied by the creature it wishes to
   possess.  The victim is entitled to a DC 27 Will save to resist possession. 
   A single manitou may simultaneously possess multiple targets at once,
   up to a number equal to its Charisma modifier.  True seeing reveals a
   thin, ghostly vine extending from the backs of any creatures so possessed,
   coiling through the air and linking them together.  Manitou-possessed
   creatures must remain within a mile of each other–a possessed creature
   that is moved beyond this range is immediately freed of its possession. 
   The save DC is Charisma-based.
      A manitou can take on any of the following roles while possessing
   a creature:  ally, controller, or transformer.  See Fiendish Codex I, page 21,
   for more information.
Rend Nature (Su):  Once every 1d4 rounds, an incorporeal manitou can rend
   nature.  This affects all creatures and plants within the manitou's space. 
   All affected creatures take 10d6 points of damage, as their bodies are torn
   apart by invisible forces.  A successful DC 24 Fortitude save halves the
   damage.  Animals, elementals, fey, and plants in this area instead take
   10d10 points of damage and are stunned for 1 round (a successful save
   halves the damage and negates the stunning effect).  Constructs, outsiders,
   and undead are immune to this effect.