GameMaster Kevin

Grace and dignity.

2012-01-27T00:31:00.001-05:00

So my item was SOUNDLY rejected for this year's RPG Superstar contest. Am I bitter? Heck no.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Y_3NqrYrP0&feature=youtu.be

Now Hitler...HE is bitter!

How to deal with argumentative players?

2011-12-10T11:59:00.001-05:00

It's a problem that's been around for just shy of 40 years now, and will probably be around for at least 40 more. Most commonly, the disputes that arise are due to:

Different ideas about what a certain rule or ability does
A mistake on the player's part that makes them want to strong-arm the GM into a "do-over"
An idea or plan that a player has fallen in love with, and cannot accept has failed to produce results

    My favorite means of dealing with this behavior is to nip it in the bud by laying out a set of ground rules at the start of a campaign. Lots of GMs like to prepare a campaign packet beforehand, letting the players know some back story for the game, listing important factions and NPCs, as well as specific materials and books they recommend. All of this information doesn't need to take up more than a page or two, and can serve as the spoonful of sugar for the medicine that is a final page of campaign policies

    The term policy has a very firm connotation. It is most likely that your players have all encountered policies in their work or school lives, and so they know that such things are taken seriously by whoever has set them. Subtle things like this can, over time, make all the difference.

    A way to set the tone with a new group of players is to (politely) insist that they roll their stats in front of you, explaining that it simply a matter of personal policy in how you like to run your games and no particular reflection on your trust in them. It sends the message that you have a handle on your game, and are not afraid to induce a little squirming to maintain that handle. If you have the luxury of a longtime gaming pal in your otherwise new group, make sure that the new players see her rolling stats in front of you as well, so they get the message that there will be no favoritism.

    One policy I've found to work very well is an edict against rules-lawyering. We're only human and we will make mistakes when it comes to a strict interpretation of the rules. These mistakes might, if left uncorrected, even have a seriously negative impact upon the player character(s) they are affecting.

    This changes nothing.

    Most of us only have a limited amount of time during any given week to come together and indulge in our little slice of escapism, and if that time is eaten up by one person rifling through books and heatedly debating their nuances, it is a disservice to everyone else at the table. Don't allow it, don't engage in it. Simply do your best to become familiar with the rules (so you make the fewest mistakes possible), and explain to your players that any concerns should be made a note of, and discussed with you at the end of the game, preferably in private.

    If and when you realize you've made a mistake (it happens to the best of us!), be sure to smilingly concede the point. This is not a competition, and even a hint of non-ironic pouting might instill an "us versus him" mentality that you really want to avoid. You shouldn't ever retcon something that has happened in game, but you can make it up to the player by offering a little extra XP, a hero point, or maybe even a new magical item that's just their size (this last should ideally be worked into the story as smoothly as possible).

    If the mistake resulted in the actual loss of a character, even that isn't an unfixable situation. Even the best fantasy stories of all time have their contrivances and miraculously improbable resurrections! Simply whip up an excuse to save them, and then give them a shot at coming back in dramatic fashion, maybe even somehow carrying new plot information and a nice chunk of free XP they didn't have before.

    What about generally cantankerous behavior? Some otherwise great people can turn into real passive-aggressive ogres around the game table, muttering about this and glaring after that, or getting all worked up over something else. Don't put up with it! It's important that you, as the GM, enjoy the game as much as anyone else. My remedy for this has two parts -

    First, consider the teachings of Pavlov. Conditioned behavior is a real thing, and can result in all sorts of positive changes. If a player is getting snarky and unpleasant, consider making their character's life subtly more difficult. The key word here is subtly. As tempting and hilarious as it may seem to drop a house on them, this will only exacerbate the bad behavior. However, if you do small things when they get out of line, it will eventually have an effect. Declare them to have failed a Will save that they actually just BARELY would have made, as though the DC had been a single point higher for them. Perhaps they get a slightly lower ratio of useful loot than the rest of the party, or perhaps they miss a trap they otherwise might have found. Skill checks and saves are the best way to go about this without them catching directly on.

    The other side of that is to reward them when they are being pleasant to game with. Maybe an NPC is a little nicer to them, they make a save they otherwise would have just BARELY failed, or the treasure the party finds is just a tiny bit (10% or so) richer than they would otherwise have expected. This works wonders if done properly.

    Secondly, a discrete one on one conversation. Don't stop the game to tell them to knock it off, because the satisfaction you'll feel will come at the cost of embarrassment and resentment on behalf of the offending party, and could possibly escalate into a shouting match that splinters the group. Simply take them aside at some point, ideally after calling a ten minute break (a good idea for any game), and let them know that this isn't okay. You're doing your best, and you get enough harassment from your boss/teacher/customers that you don't need it here, in a game you're trying to facilitate for their enjoyment. Be sure to remain relaxed during this conversation, and if they get defensive just let them get it out of their system. If they have a specific complaint, address it, sure. But let them know that this isn't the way to go about bringing it to your attention, or making their voice heard. Remind them of the policies outlined at the start of the campaign, and if they can't get a handle on it, it may be time to amicably part ways.

    Of course that isn't something anybody wants to happen.

    Remember - you aren't there to be a smug tyrant god that lords your power over your friends for four hours a week, but neither are you there to be a punching bag upon which they can take out frustrations that they simply can't vent on other, more serious authority figures. Do your best to keep the PCs the stars of the show, but don't be a doormat. Be even handed in the choices and calls you make, and stand by those rulings even if the player doesn't agree. Above all, don't let your group lose sight of the fact that it is just a game, and that anger over a game is behavior befitting of children.

Personae Malevolent 12 - Turducken

2011-11-24T23:49:00.000-05:00

Turducken

CR 3
XP 800
N Small magical beast (4d12 lbs)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +9

DEFENSE
AC 17, touch 15, flat-footed 13 (+3 Dex, +2 natural, +1 size)
hp 27 (3d10+12)
Fort +5; Ref +7; Will +6

OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft, Fly 40 ft, Swim 20 ft

Melee
Peck +5 (1d6)
2 Lesser Claws +3 (1d4)
2 Greater Claws +3 (1d6)

Special Attacks: Warble, Leap

STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 18, Con 18, Int 2, Wis 20, Cha 6
Base Atk +3; CMB +2; CMD 17 (21 vs. trip)
Feats Multiattack, Weapon Finesse
Skills Perception +9, Stealth +12, Survival +6

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Warble (Su)
Once every 1d4 rounds as a standard action, a turducken can generate a mind-affecting effect by warbling "Gobuakuk!". Every non-turducken in a 60 foot radius takes 2d6 points of nonlethal damage and is Fatigued as though they had not eaten for 3 days, and are therefore starving. (DC 16 Will save for half and no fatigue). The save DC is Constitution-based.

Nonlethal damage from thirst or starvation cannot be recovered until the character gets food or water, as needed—not even magic that restores hit points heals this damage.

Leap (Ex)
A turducken can perform a special kind of pounce attack by jumping into combat. When a turducken charges, it can jump into the air and land next to its enemies, then follow up with four claw attacks against foes in reach. When a turducken pounces, it cannot also peck.

ECOLOGY
Environment - Forests and low hills
Organization - Solitary, mated pair, or grand feast (3-9)
Treasure none (Unspoiled carcass is worth 400 gp)

The turducken is a chimeric beast along the same lines as an owlbear or hippogryph. They only appear near human settlements around harvest time each year, and it is rare to find more than one at a time.
A majestic comb crowns it's head like a juanty pompador, matching nicely with it's rather dapple waddle and aerodynamic beak. When swimming, the fore and rear legs fold in close to the body to allow the central webbed feet to kick.
Elusive beasts, turduckens trust in their natural camouflage to keep them out of sight when hungry humans are about. If it becomes evident that escape will be impossible the turducken will launch itself heedlessly into battle against it's pursuers, upon whom it will unleash the raw fury that has long slumbered within the hearts of turkeys, ducks, and chickens for generations.

POST MORTEM SPECIAL ABILITIES

FEAST
These beasts are much prized by the finest chefs in the land.A cook must prepare a turducken with a DC 20 Craft: Cooking check to unlock it's hidden potential.

Everyone that eats at least 1/4 lb of it's meat receives a +1 morale bonus to all saves for 2 hours. If more than two portions are consumed in the span of one day, the imbiber must succeed at a DC 20 Fort save or be Slowed for 10 rounds, then remain Fatigued until they take at least 30 minutes to nap.

DRUMSTICKS
Anyone who eats one of the turducken's legs receives the effects of a Cure Light Wounds as cast by a 1st level Cleric.

LEFTOVERS
Turducken meat will never ever spoil.

Beginner Box!

2011-11-07T17:23:00.003-05:00

We had the opportunity to get together with some people and try out the new Pathfinder Beginner Box over at Dungeon's End in West Duluth.

Pictured clockwise above, our group consisted of two people with very limited experience with the Pathfinder RPG (Miranda and Addam), one player with none whatsoever but a goodly amount of 3.5 experience (Max), and one that hasn't touched any sort of RPG in about ten years (Greg). I'm the yeti standing in the back by the dragon mural.

So nope, couldn't get any TOTAL newbies, but that will change when I use this bad boy to teach my in-laws how to play sometime this winter!

Once everyone was assembled, we decided it would be better to get going as quickly as possible, and so we used the pregenerated characters right out of the box. A cursory glance over the sheets was enough for most of the players, though Greg needed the occasional reminder of how skill checks worked. It took us about two and a half hours to play through the premade scenario, though that was due at least in part to us doing a fair amount of goofing off.

This mini-module managed to show off -
Three puzzles
Skill checks for swimming and climbing
The benefits of using Diplomacy instead of violence (or at least it would have if the players hadn't decided to launch an ambush...)
and the importance of strategy!

(Not pictured: strategy)

There was a lot of magical loot for a level 1 adventure, but there was also a lot of peril in the form of creative encounters that didn't have much patience for sloppy tactics. Sending the wizard into an unexplored area first triggered a chain reaction that brought the party within a single hit point of a TPK...but then the cleric got to test out the "channel energy" mechanic, and it made her a big damn hero!

All of this was a good time, but what I find most impressive about this box is that the premade adventure and characters are a tiny part of its worth. The (glossy and full color) books contained inside of it are actually all you'd need to run a campaign up to level 5.

They include several dozen premade monsters, random encounter tables for just about every kind of environment, and a skin and bones version of the town of Sandpoint. Add to that the concise and neat blank character sheets and the simple grid on the other side of the dry-erase flip map, and you're set for several months of quality games.

I expected this to be pretty good as a way to introduce people to the game, and it turned out to be a lot more. The hard cardboard "pawns" seem to be made of the same adamantine-infused paper as the Pathfinder GM screen, and they are a terrific midpoint between 2-D pogs and plastic miniatures. They also keep the cost down to a trim 35.00, and allow for a lot more critters to be stored away!

Our demonstration has Dungeon's End looking at getting a store copy of the boxed set for free use, so be sure to stop in and ask about it if you'd like to give it a whirl yourself. This is an absolutely terrific addition to our collection, and something we'll be bringing with us whenever we travel with friends!

Personae Malevolent 11 - Yellow Musk Sporebearer

2011-10-23T11:58:00.000-05:00

Yellow Musk Sporebearer

CRUNCH

Yellow Musk Spore Bearer
CR 2
XP 600
NE Medium plant
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0
DEFENSE
AC 13, touch 11, flat-footed 12 (+2 natural)
hp 2 (2HD)
Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +3
DR 5/slashing; Plant traits
OFFENSE
Spd 35 ft.
Melee slam +3 (1d6+3)
Special Attacks - Burst

STATISTICS
Str 14, Dex 13, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 10
Base Atk +1; CMB +3; CMD 13
Feats: Fleet
SQ plant traits, staggered
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Plant Traits (Ex)
This zombie's animation is provided not by necromancy but by the plant that grows throughout its body. Yellow musk zombies lack undead traits, but gain plant traits. They are treated as plants, not undead, for the resolution of magical effects and attacks. Channel energy cannot harm a yellow musk zombie, for example, nor does negative energy heal a yellow musk zombie.

Staggered (Ex) Zombies have poor reflexes and can only perform a single move action or standard action each round. A zombie can move up to its speed and attack in the same round as a charge action.

Burst (Ex)
As either a swift action, or an automatic response from being dealt damage, the Spore Bearer can cause it's body to explode into a cloud of dark yellow pollen.
Everyone standing within 40 feet of the Sporebearer needs to make a Fortitude save. DC 12 if out to 40 feet, 14 within 30, 16 within 20, 18 within 10, and DC 20 if directly adjacent. If the save is failed, the spores take root inside the nasal passages and begin to grow into a miniature version of the Yellow Musk Creeper that spawned it. The subject is Nauseated [unable to attack, cast spells, concentrate on spells, or do anything else requiring attention. The only action such a character can take is a single move actions per turn.] from the overwhelming pain, and suffers 1d4 points of int damage per round, during each of which the victim may attempt a new save.

FLUFF

When a Yellow Musk Creeper gets to a certain size and age, there is a 10% chance that one of the zombies it creates will continue to undergo physiological changes until it becomes little more than skin bursting with yellow pollen. This quasi-undead creature then lurches off in search of the living, and has just enough awareness to try and burst itself in the midst of as many animals (or people) as possible.

Let's Play the Tomb of Horrors; Episode 3

2011-10-13T20:39:00.005-05:00

Next part is up! Seems like not everyone is enjoying the gargoyle encounter...

Episode 3

Let's Play the Tomb of Horrors; Episode 2

2011-10-08T15:07:00.002-05:00

Part 1

Part 2

Tomb of Horrors Part 1

2011-09-23T09:56:00.001-05:00

Thought it might be fun to upload audio from a game I'm running for UWS' gamer's club. Sending some college buds through the Tomb of Horrors, and the death toll is mounting!

SAGA vs the Tomb of Horrors -Episode 1

Personae Malevolent 10 - King Obould Many-Arrows

2011-09-18T15:20:00.000-05:00

Wow, it's been awhile, huh? I've been distracted from doing PMs by the ongoing work with Mask of Death as well as my home campaigns. I'm coming back with a bang with a level 21 King Obould Many Arrows, and while I don't think I'll quite be back up to doing it on a weekly basis for quite some time (especially with college going again), I'm going to try and keep from waiting this long between updates again.

Also worthy of note - this is the last PM I'm going to do in the classic 3.5 style. All future entries will be designed with the Pathfinder system in mind! If you prefer your 3.5 un-updated though, fear not. It's a very simple matter to reverse engineer from one system to the other.

King Obould Many-Arrows

CRUNCH

Barbarian 11/Orc Warlord 5/Legendary Leader 5

Str 28 (22 + 6 enhancement) - +8
Dex 16 (12 + 4 enhancement) - +3
Con 24 (16 + 6 enhancement) - +7
Int 12 - +1
Wis 14 - +2
Cha 24 - (16 + 6 enhancement) -+7

Speed: 40 ft Initiative: +4

Size: Medium. Height: 6'9 Weight: 314

AC: 33 [10 + 3 (Dex) + 10 Armor Bonus. +5 Deflection +5 Natural Armor]
Flat footed AC: 30 Touch AC: 18

DR 5 (2/-, 3/adamantine)

HP 294

Fort:22 Ref: 11 Will:18

Base Attack Bonus: 19

Grapple: 27

Attacks:

Horde King's Blade: 32/27/22/17
2d6+17 +2d6 Fire Damage (3d6 on crit) 17-20x2

Horde King's Bow: 26/21/16/11
1d8+13 20x3

GREATER RAGE: 5/DAY
DURATION: 18 ROUNDS

Str 34 - +11
Con 30 - +9

HP: 357

AC 31

Will: 21

Grapple: 30

Horde King's Blade: 35/30/25/20
2d6+21+2d6 Fire Damage (3d6 on crit) 17-20x2

Feats:

Blood of the Warlord: You are seen as a king among kings and a natural leader of orcs. You gain a +2 bonus to Diplomacy and Intimidate checks made to influence orcs. Additionally, as long as you are visibly leading them, all your followers gain a +1 morale bonus on their attack rolls and Will saving throws.

Leadership: Leadership score of 33. (level 21 +7 cha +2 for Great Renown, +2 for Stronghold)

Iron Will: +2 to will saves

Power Attack: Trade attack bonus for damage, up to Base Attack Bonus. (19) If you attack with both hands on the weapon, instead add twice the number subtracted from the attack rolls. (max -+38 damage)

Cleave: If you deal a creature enough damage to make it drop you get an immediate extra melee attack against another creature within reach. The extra attack is with the same weapon and same bonus as the one you used to drop the initial creature.

Intimidating Rage: While you are raging, designate a single foe within 30 feet of you that you can attempt to demoralize as a free action (see page 76 of PHB) A foe that you successfully demoralize remains shaken for as long as you continue to rage. You may only use this feat against a single foe in any particular encounter.

Extra Rage: You can rage 2 additional times per day.

Extend Rage: Your rage lasts an additional 5 rounds.

Skills:

Intimidate: 30 (32 against orcs)

Diplomacy: 24 (26 against orcs) (29 if target is not unfriendly) (31 if target is orc and not unfriendly)

Jump: 24

Listen: 15

Spot: 15

Swim 14

Ride: 8

Knowledge, Religion: 4

Knowledge Nobility: 4

Survival: 15

Class Abilities:

Barbarian 11
Fast Movement, Rage, Uncanny Dodge, Improved Uncanny Dodge (cannot be flat footed, cannot be flanked, cannot be sneak attacked by a rogue of lower than 15th level. Damage

Reduction. Greater Rage.

Orc Warlord 5
Gather Horde 200%: Number of followers from the Leadership feat are doubled so long as they are all orcs.

Inspire Courage:
(as Bard) Allies get +2 morale bonus on saves vs charm and fear, +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage so long as they can hear the Orc Warlord speak and for five rounds thereafter.

This ability can be activated while in a rage or frenzy.

Final Rage:All allies within 10 feet of the Orc Warlord (and the Warlord himself) immediately enter a rage, even if they could not normally do so or have already used all their rages for the day. If the warlord or his allies are already in a rage at the time, they enter a Greater Rage. This rage lasts until the end of the Warlord's next turn, and all penalties for leaving a rage are applied.
Invoking the Final Rage is a free action.

Legendary Leader 5
Fearless: Immune to fear effects

Hero's Luck: +3 to all saving throws

Natural Commander: Commander rating equal to class level, unless rank would grant a better one.

Legendary Reputation: Add class level to Diplomacy checks made against any NPC who is not already Unfriendly.

Greater Command: 2/day as the spell, DC 23

Quick Rally: May perform a rally check as a free action once per round.

Bonus Feat: Improved Cohort. Cohort level is only one lower than Legendary Leader's character level.

Heroic Success: Once per day you may automatically succeed on a single saving throw instead of rolling the dice.

Additional Commander Aura: At 5th level you may select an additional Commander Aura for which you qualify. Your followers benefit from both Auras.

To Hell and Back: Any followers gained from the Leadership feat are immune to fear effects (including morale checks) so long as they have line of sight to you.

Obould as a commander:

Blood of the Warlord: As long as you are visibly leading them, all your followers gain a +1 morale bonus on their attack rolls and Will saving throws.

Auras:
Orc Commander - Orc allies within 30 feet of Obould deal an extra 1d6 damage on melee attacks. Considered a morale bonus.

Bloodthirsty Commander - All allies within 30 feet of Obould gain a +1 morale bonus on damage rolls against wounded creatures.

Inspire Courage:
as bard; allies get +2 morale bonus on saves vs charm and fear, +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage so long as they can hear the Orc Warlord speak and for five rounds thereafter. This ability can be activated while in a rage or frenzy.

Final Rage:All allies within 10 feet of the Orc Warlord (and the Warlord himself) immediately enter a rage, even if they could not normally do so or have already used all their rages for the day. If the warlord or his allies are already in a rage at the time, they enter a Greater Rage. This rage lasts until the end of the Warlord's next turn, and all penalties for leaving a rage are applied.
Invoking the Final Rage is a free action.

Quick Rally: May perform a rally check as a free action once per round.
To Hell and Back: Any followers gained from the Leadership feat are immune to fear effects (including morale checks) so long as they have line of sight to you.

Intimidating Rage: While you are raging, designate a single foe within 30 feet of you that you can attempt to demoralize as a free action (see page 76 of PHB) A foe that you successfully demoralize remains shaken for as long as you continue to rage. You may only use this feat against a single foe in any particular encounter

Gear:
+5 Adamantine Breastplate that adds +6 to the wearer's Dex. (DR 3/Adamantine)

Periapht of Health +6, (+6 Con)

Ring of Moderate Fortification +5. (50% to negate critical strike or sneak attack damage, +5 to

Deflection AC)
Ring of Arming (All weapons and armor stored within ring, can be automatically donned and armed when ring is activated, and removed in the same manner)

Bracers of Wind. (-2 penalty on ranged attacks fired against you, does not affect siege weapons.
+1 competence bonus on all ranged attack rolls. Wind constantly seems to blow wearer's hair or clothing about. Can be suppressed by saying "Calm" in Auren, and re-activated by saying "Zephyr" in the same language.)

True Strike Gauntlets (When you activate True Strike Gauntlets, you gain a +20 insight bonus on the next attack you make before the end of your next turn. This ability functions once per day)

Obould's Mantle (Cloak of Charisma +6, increases Natural Armor +5)

Girdle of Giant's Strength +6 (+6 to Str)

Greater Boots of the Mountain King.(Ignore increased movement cost and skill check DC increases for light and dense rubble. In addition, you can move up stairs and slopes at normal speed and run or charge downhill without making a Balance check. Finally, the boots can be activated to grant the wearer the benefit of the Stoneskin spell once per day)

Crown of Rage (While raging, you can negate the damage dealt by a single sneak attack or critical hit scored against you. You can activate this item after the damage from the attack has been determined. Crown of Rage functions once per day)

Potion of Heal (x2)

Weapons:
Horde King's Bow (+4 Mighty Composite Greatbow [+9]. Range increased to 200 ft. When the bow is drawn, a ghostly pale violet arrow appears nocked. These projectiles are treated as +4 for purposes of damage, though they deal Force damage rather than piercing. The arrows also have the Precise property, which means they can be shot into melee without the standard -4 penalty))

Horde King's Blade (+5 Keen/Brash/Flaming Burst/Adamantine Greatsword. If the wielder of the Horde King's Blade enters a Rage or Frenzy, the Rage or Frenzy lasts an additional 3 rounds. In addition, the wielder becomes immune to fear effects during the duration of the Rage or Frenzy)

FLUFF AND TACTICS
The greatest orc chieftain to ever live, Obould Many-Arrows commands a mighty horde from his seat of power in the northern reaches of Faerûn. A credit to his fecund and ambitious race, he's sired many sons over his life, and intends to carve an even larger empire out of the Forgotten Realms, to make certain that his progeny all have enough elbow room to not fall into civil war at his passing, thereby undoing all he's wrought.

While it's generally accepted by civilized races that an orc horde will pour out of the mountains very few dozen races, the efforts of Obould have made the Many-Arrows clan a much more credible long-term threat to the Silver Marches, and perhaps to all of the Realms.

If Obould finds himself fighting alone, it must be a truly extraordinary circumstance. The few times he enters combat personally it is at the head of a horde for a a particularly important battle, his honor guard berserkers holding the line while he makes use of his famous bow. If a particularly worthy foe should challenge him to single combat however, he will oblige.

He rages at the first opportunity, and makes use of his gauntlets of true strike while power attacking for the full amount with the Horde King's Blade. If brought to below 1/4th his total HP he will quaff one of his potions and keep up the fight. He only flees if there is outside interference, or a more pressing tactical matter catches his attention.

A brief interview with Elaine Cunningham

2011-07-11T16:47:00.000-05:00

We recently had the exciting opportunity to pick the brain of one of fantasy literature's all-time greats; Elaine Cunningham!

GMK: Can you tell us a little about yourself?

ec: Someone once described me as having “eclectic curiosity.” That works. I’m interested in a lot of things, most of them wildly impractical. I’m a history geek--16^th century Scotland is a particular obsession. Once upon a time I was a classically trained soprano with a degree in music education. I still have the degree, I suppose, but my current musical preference is traditional folk music. My favorite instrument these days is the Celtic harp, though I also play around a bit with Irish fiddle and tin whistle. I’m fascinated by linguistics, folklore, mythology and more modern belief systems, the Scottish reign of James VI and I, the Matter of Britain, the mystery surrounding Tycho Brahe’s death, organic gardening, mead making, psychic phenomenon, and how recent advances in neuroscience are changing our understanding of how the brain works. I’m a voracious reader and I make a great apple pie. I’m married to my high school sweetheart. We have two sons, a garden that needs more attention than it gets, and an eccentric Siamese cat.

GMK: What was it like to make the transition from music teacher to author?

ec: It wasn’t a direct transition. I spent four years doing office work and taking classes, trying to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was working toward an MBA when my first son was born. The idea of putting Andrew in daycare was heartbreaking, so my husband said, “You’re always reading. Why don’t you try writing?” The idea had never occurred to me, but it felt right. I started reading stacks of books on the craft of writing. I also approached writing the way musicians learn composition: Analyze music to learn the rules and understand the structure. I took books I admired and outlined them in detail. After a few of these, I began to understand the bones of a story. I wrote several manuscripts and began to understand that theory and practice are, in writing as in art and music, two very different things. My first book sale didn’t come until Andrew was three years old and his brother, Sean, was an infant. Needless to say, I did most of my writing during naps, nights, and weekends.

GMK: So shortly after you were published, you started living the life of Richard Castle, right?

ec: Of course! Well, there are some minor differences. I write fantasy novels, not murder mysteries, so instead of following a homicide detective around, I stalk dwarf warriors. You would not believe what I spend on ale on any given work day.

GMK: Can you tell us about your process?

ec: I usually start with characters, then come up with a basic conflict and figure out their response, which in turn tells me more about the character, which suggests more plot complications. Story planning is a very circular process, tied together with considerable amount of patchwork. But it boils down to a few basic questions: What does this person want, what is he willing to do to get it, and who/what stands in his way? I go through this process with the antagonist as well the protagonist, because a hero is only as interesting as the villains he faces. Then I write a narrative outline to nail down the overall shape of the story. Then comes the working outline—chapter-by-chapter, scene-by-scene. Once I start writing, my inclination is to tinker endlessly, but that’s a terrible habit. I try to work straight through a rough draft, then revise. The revised first draft goes to the editor, who suggests revisions that might be substantial or might, as with one book, consist of two typos.

GMK: What is your ideal day off?

ec: Assuming this ideal day takes place in Scotland, I’d start with an early morning walk along the Tweed, past the 15^th century Needpath castle and up to the Roman ruins. Lunch would be “haggis, neeps, and tatties” and a pint of Guinness at a pub in Peebles. More exploring in the afternoon--visiting some historic sites, doing some research. Traditional Celtic music in the evening.

GMK: I've heard a rumor that you're going to be moving on from writing stories set in the Forgotten Realms. True or false?

ec: Not true. The Serpent’s Daughter, a novel focusing on Azariah Craulnober, will be out in 2012 or thereabouts.

GMK: Are you currently involved in any gaming?

ec: I’m not playing RPGs at present. It’s too difficult to find a group of geezer-gamers in the New England suburbs. We do a lot of family game nights, though, and we play Settlers of Catan several times a week.

GMK: Ever played any of the characters you've written about?

ec: Not yet!

GMK: Who is your favorite and why?

ec: Hmm. That’s like asking a parent to name their favorite child. I appreciate Elaith’s complexity, Azariah’s devious intelligence, Danilo’s sense of humor, Liriel’s combination of fun-loving nature and single-minded intensity, and Arilyn and Honor’s devotion to the elven people. But I’m just as fond of several other protagonists, a few villains, and many secondary characters.

GMK: What projects are on the horizon?

I’ve started a new and very different project: a series of “e-riginal” fantasy novels in a world of my own creation. The first, Honor Among Thieves, is available now at all the usual e-booksellers: Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble Nook Bookstore, iTunes, Smashwords, and so on. I wrote the outline for this story years ago. Since it was planned as a novella, that’s how I wrote it. It’s only 35,000 words, a little less than half the length of some of my Forgotten Realms books. Honor Among Thieves is the first story in the Starsinger trilogy. The next two, Honor Bound and Word of Honor, will be novel-length stories. In addition to the ebooks, I’m posting daily articles about the setting, Sevrin, on my author website, www.elainecunningham.com. The Prologue and first six chapters of Honor Among Thieves are also available on the website.

GMK: Thanks so much for taking the time to answer these questions, Elaine!

ec: My pleasure.

PM 9; Inexorable Apparatus

2011-07-06T21:42:00.000-05:00

Name: Inexorable Apparatus
Classes: Construct (16 HD)
Alignment: N
Size: Gargantuan
Appearance: This massive war machine thunders across the battlefield on two huge spike-covered metal cylinders, spitting fire and lightning from it's various weapons. Most ominously, a mighty throwing arm holds a single hunk of dark gray metal at the ready...an adamantine boulder, capable of blasting through stone as though it were stand.

[CRUNCH]

STR 24 [+7]
DEX 6
CON -
INT 4
WIS 1
CHA 1

Speed 50 feet
Initiative -2
BAB 12

AC 15
Flat Footed 15, Touch 4

HP 164
Hardness 10
SR 12

Saves
Fort 5
Ref 3
Will 0

Attacks
Scorching Crossbow (4), +10 to hit Touch AC, 4d6 fire damage, range 60
Rate of fire - once per round

Lightning Ballista (2), 5d6 electricity damage, DC 14 Reflex save for half, 60 foot line
Rate of fire - once every 5 rounds

Main Catapult [Maximum range 1,250 feet. minimum range 125 feet, range increment 250 feet]
Returning Large Adamantine Stone - +12 to hit, ignores DR less than 20 14d6 damage to targeted square and all adjacent squares, DC15 Reflex save for half
Rate of fire - once every other round, though acquiring a new target takes an additional round
Special: Once every 10 rounds, the stone can be charged with necrotic energy. The next time it is fired, it animates all corpses within 60 feet of the impact zone as up to 20 HD worth of uncontrolled zombies. These zombies remain active for the next 10 rounds, after which time they fall inanimate once more.

Slam, +15 melee 2d8+10
Special: Trample (Ex)
An Inexorable Apparatus can trample creatures two or more sizes smaller than itself, dealing damage equal to it’s slam damage + 1½ times its Strength bonus. Opponents who do not make attacks of opportunity against the Apparatus can attempt Reflex saves (DC 25) to halve the damage.

Class/Racial/Extraordinary/Supernatural Abilities
Construct traits are as follows;

Low-light vision.
Darkvision out to 60 feet.
Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).
Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and necromancy effects.
Cannot heal damage on their own, but often can be repaired by exposing them to a certain kind of effect (see the creature’s description for details) or through the use of the Craft Construct feat. A construct with the fast healing special quality still benefits from that quality.
Not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or energy drain.
Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless).
Not at risk of death from massive damage. Immediately destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points or less.
Since it was never alive, a construct cannot be raised or resurrected.
Constructs do not eat, sleep, or breathe.

Feats
Multiattack
Improved Toughness
Improved Natural Attack (Catapult)
Improved Natural Armor (x3)

Skills:
Sense Motive - 7

[FLUFF]

Goramas' forces make use of many conventional siege engines, but none of them compare to the might of the Inexorable Apparatus. Designed by the Iron Baron himself, these machines are nearly invincible on the battlefield, providing long range support, siege capability, and cover for archers. The scorching crossbows are located at each corner of the 20 foot long base, and can swivel 360 degrees about. The ballistae are forward-facing, and cannot turn more than 90 degrees, which is the same range of motion possessed by the main catapult. The Apparatus has two modes.

The first is the transportation mode, which is how it spends most of it's time. There is enough room for six riders, and it is the only way that it is able to perform it's ram and trample attacks.

The second form is the siege configuration. It's wheels dig into the ground as it seems to unfurl lengthwise from either side, forming itself into a massive "T" shape. This ensures that the crossbows have full forward coverage, and provides cover (+4 AC) for up to 8 archers (4 on each side) who climb up the struts into position.

The Apparatuses are just intelligent enough to know friend from foe, though a convincing disguise (DC 15) might be enough to get up close. If attacked however, it will retaliate.

While it is certainly possible to attack indiscriminately, clever adventurers will probably want to focus on the individual weapons.
The scorching crossbows have 15 HP and 10 hardness. If removed (DC 20 Disable Device check while active, DC 10 while inert), they deactivate instantly, though a DC 15 Spellcraft check can permanently "trick" it into reactivating.
The lightning ballistae have 30 HP and 10 hardness. If removed (DC 20 Disable Device check while active, DC 10 while inert), they deactivate instantly, though a DC 15 Spellcraft check can permanently "trick" it into reactivating. It should be noted, however, that these weigh 500 lbs each, and so would prove very difficult for most adventurers to make regular use of.
The catapult has 60 HP and 10 hardness. (No you can't remove it. Yes I know you've got 20 ranks in Disable Device. No, that doesn't mean you can "jury rig it" with a dagger.)

Venturing Virtuosos #1; The Einhander

2011-05-30T20:10:00.001-05:00

Einhander

Hit Die - d8

Requirements
To qualify for the Einhander prestige class, a character must fulfill the following criteria

Base Attack Bonus
+5

Skills
Bluff 8 ranks, Tumble 8 ranks

Feats
Exotic Weapon Proficiency; bastard sword
Improved Feint
Weapon Finesse
Graceful Edge (Dungeon 128; pick a one-handed slashing weapon. If you do not wield a shield or weapon in your off-hand, you treat your chosen weapon as a light
weapon.)

Class Skills
An Einhander's class skills are Balance, Bluff, Climb, Heal, Intimidate, Jump, Ride, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Swim, and Tumble.

Skill Points at Each Level
4+Int modifier

Level BAB     Fort     Ref     Will
1st    +1    +0    +2    +0    Adroit Offense
2nd    +2    +0    +3    +0    Sudden Strike +1d6
3rd    +3    +1    +3    +1    Sly Combatant
4th    +4    +1    +4    +1    Sudden Strike +2d6
5th    +5    +1    +4    +1    Evenflow

Class Features
All of the following are Class Features of the Einhander prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Einhanders are proficient with all one-handed bladed weapons, and with light armor.

Adroit Offense (Ex)
When wielding a bastard sword one-handed with the other empty while wearing light or no armor, an einhander adds 1 point of Dexterity bonus (if any) per einhander class level to his Strength bonus to modify weapon damage dealt.

Sudden Strike
An einhander deals 1d6 extra damage to any foe who is denied his Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any). This damage increases to 2d6 at level 4.

Sly Combatant
An einhander gains a +2 bonus on all Bluff and Tumble checks performed while engaged in melee combat.

Evenflow
On attaining 5th level in this prestige class, an einhander is so skilled with his blade that he is able to apply his Strength bonus to damage as though he were wielding the blade with two hands (x1.5 damage). The Dexterity bonus from Adroit Offense is factored in to this. Evenflow has no effect on Power Attack.

PM8; The Relentless

2011-05-22T18:54:00.000-05:00

Name: The Relentless
Race: Human
Classes: Fighter 2
Alignment: LE
Appearance: The grim visage of this heavily armored warrior is hidden behind a nondescript helm. He marches in perfect formation with this brothers and sisters in-arms, tower shield upraised and emblazoned with the heraldry of the dread Iron Baron.
Sect: Dispater

Stats
STR 15 (+2)
DEX 14 (+2)
CON 14 (+2)
INT 11
WIS 10
CHA 9 (-1)

Speed 30 feet
Initiative 2
BAB 2

AC 21 (10 + Dex 2 + armor 5 + shield 4)
[When adjacent to an ally AC = 25]
Flat Footed 19 [23] , Touch 12

HP 20

Saves
Fort 5
Ref 0 [1]
Will 0

Attacks
Masterwork Short Sword - +4 to hit, 1d6+2 damage (19-20 x2 crit)
Longspear - +4 to hit, 1d8+3 damage (x3 crit) [Range/10 feet. When they are used to attack through the space of an ally, the target gets a +4 soft cover bonus to AC, effectively making the attack bonus +0]
Shortbow - +4 to hit, 1d6 damage (x3 crit) [range/60 feet]

Feats
Phalanx Fighting (+2 AC and +1 Reflex when within 5 feet of an ally who has the Phalanx Fighting feat, so long as you are using a light weapon and a large or tower shield)
Shield Wall (When you and an adjacent ally are each using a shield, your shield bonus to AC increases by 2)
Weapon Focus: Short Sword (+1 to attack with short swords)
Quick Draw (You can draw a weapon as a free action)

Flaws/Traits
Warrior Of The Phalanx
Trained to fight in a group, you have difficulties when fighting alone.
Effect: You suffer a -4 penalty on attack rolls you make when not adjacent to an ally.

Skills
Climb - Ranks (5) + (str) - (armor check penalty 5 in armor, 15 with tower shield drawn) = 2 or -8
Intimidate - Ranks (5) + (cha)+ misc ()= 4

Gear
Masterwork shortsword
Longspear
Shortbow (20 arrows)
Chainmail

Tower shield
Potion of Cure Light Wounds (1d8+1)

FLUFF AND TACTICS

While the occasional expendable band of orcs, wild men, or desperate serfs will find their way to the front line, the real backbone of Goramas' army are the Relentless. Several hundred strong, this elite fighting force makes deadly use of the shield wall, advancing over the battlefield like some inexorable dull gray tide. After their foes close to melee amidst a hail of arrow, they will always attempt to fight at least two rows "deep", with the ranks behind those at point making attacks with the longspears over the shoulders of their fellows.

If someone in the front rank is badly hurt, he will blow on a whistle to signal the other Relentless to reorganize so he might move to the back to quaff a healing potion and take up a spear. The one who will move up stabs the head of his spear into the ground, then make use of quick draw to ready his sword and shield, making an attack as he moves into position. The others shift around until the injured warrior is in his own proper place, and the battle doesn't skip a beat.

The mortality rate among these warriors is remarkably low, due in large part to the fact that they are very cautious about closing with a mage. A good way to make sure you get shot full of arrows is to wear a billowing robe in sight of the Relentless.

2011-05-13T17:34:00.000-05:00

Name: Anmyl
Race: Fiendish Ogre Mage/Nymph
Classes: Giant 5/Rogue 2/Bard 2/Druid 3/Fochlucan Lyrist 6
Alignment: NE
Appearance: The sylvan being before you is a vision of alluring beauty, yet is somehow diminished in her perfection from some elusive "it". Wearing very little and smiling a great deal, she eyes you with a suggestive smile...though it is difficult to tell whether the suggestion is one of carnal interest, or more that of a cat eyeing a mouse.
Sect: Dispater

Stats

STR 16 +3
DEX 18 [22] +6
CON 17 +3
INT 20 +5
WIS 21 [25] +7
CHA 26 [30] +10

Speed 40 ft/Fly 80 ft. (good)
Initiative 6
BAB 13
Grapple 16
Space/Reach 5ft/5ft

AC 35 (10 + dex 6+ armor 6+natural 3+deflection 10)
Touch 26, Flat Footed 29
20% miss chance due to displacement

SR 22

HP 98

Saves
Fort 22
Ref 29
Will 29

Attacks
Lash of Agony
22/17/12, 1d3+6, DC 20 Fort save or stun for 1d4 rounds on hit. Deals lethal damage, and can affect armored foes.

+4 Composite Longbow (str +3)
Full attack 24/19/14
Rapid Shot 22/22/17/12

Masterwork arrows -1d8+7
Flaming arrows -1d8 +7+1d6 fire
Sonic arrows - 1d8+7+1d6 sonic
Slaying arrows - 1d8+7+DC 22 Fort save or death. 3d6 extra damage on successful save
Assassin Vine arrows - 1d8+7. On impact, the arrow explodes in a flash of green light, splitting and spilling out over the target as it changes into an assassin vine. The assassin vine gets an immediate grapple attempt, and remains until it's destroyed.

Class/Racial/Extraordinary/Supernatural Abilities
Darkvision 90 feet, low-light vision, regeneration 3, SR =6+HD (per Ogre Mage class in Savage Species) Natural Armor 3, DR 10/magic
Resistance Cold/Fire 10
Smite Good (Su) Once per day, Anmyl can make a normal melee attack to deal an extra 16 damage to a good foe.

Spell-Like Abilities:
At will: darkness, invisibility
1/day: charm person (DC 21), cone of cold (DC 25), gaseous form, polymorph, sleep (DC 21), and dimension door. Caster level 9th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Regeneration (Ex): Fire and acid deal normal damage to Anmyl.
If Anmyl loses a limb or body part she can reattach it by holding the severed member to the stump. Reattachment takes 1 minute. If the head or some other vital organ is severed, it must be reattached within 10 minutes or Anmyl dies. Anmyl cannot regrow lost body parts.

Stunning Glance (Su)
As a standard action, Anmyl can stun a creature within 30 feet with a look. The target creature must succeed on a DC 23 Fortitude save or be stunned for 2d4 rounds. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Unearthly Grace (Su)
Anmyl adds her Charisma modifier as a bonus on all her saving throws, and as a deflection bonus to her Armor Class.

Bardic music, bardic knowledge, countersong, fascinate, inspire courage +1
Animal companion, nature sense, wild empathy, woodland stride, trackless step
Sneak Attack +1d6, trapfinding, evasion
Unbound (can use non-druid weapons and armor)

Feats
Dodge
Mobility
Spring Attack
Point blank shot
Rapidshot
Shot on the run
Weapon Finesse
Weapon Focus: Longbow

Flaws/Traits

Forlorn
You lack the ability to summon a creature to do your bidding.
Prerequisite: Ability to call an animal companion.
Effect: You lose the ability to call an animal companion.

Skills

Bluff - Ranks (14) + (cha ) + misc ()= 24
Concentration - Ranks (10) + (con ) + misc ()= 13
Decipher Script - Ranks (7) + (int) + misc ()= 11
Diplomacy - Ranks (14) + (cha) + misc ()= 24
Gather Information - Ranks (15) + (cha) + misc ()= 25
Hide - Ranks(16) + (dex) + misc (20) = 44
Intimidate - Ranks (13) + (cha) + misc () = 23
Knowledge
[nature] - Ranks (7) + (int) + misc ()= 11
[the planes] - Ranks (5) + (int) + misc ()= 9
Listen - Ranks (8) + (wis) + misc ()= 13
Perform
(String instruments)- Ranks (17) + (cha) + misc ()= 27
(Sing) -                    Ranks (17) +(cha) + misc ()= 27
Sense Motive - Ranks (12) + (wis) + misc ()= 19
Sleight of Hand - Ranks (7) + (dex) + misc ()= 13
Spellcraft - Ranks (8) + (int) + misc ()= 12
Spot - Ranks (10) + (wis) + misc ()= 17
Survival - Ranks (10) + (wis) + misc (2)= 17
Use Magic Device - Ranks (9) + (cha) + misc () = 19

Languages: Common, Giant, Infernal, Druidic, Sylvan, Elven

Gear:
+4 Shadowed Leather Armor (+10 on Hide checks)
Gloves of Dexterity +4
Periapt of Wisdom +4
Cloak of Charisma +4
Ring of Displacement (20%)
Ring of Chameleon Power (+10 on hide as free action, disguise self as a standard action, unlimited)
Lash of Agony (+3 whip that deals lethal damage and can affect creatures with armor bonus +1, and/or natural armor of +3 or better. On a hit, target must make a DC 20 Fort save or be stunned with pain for 1d4 rounds)
+4 composite longbow [str bonus +3]
Quiver of Holding [As a free action, draw whatever arrow you want from within. Can hold up to 500 arrows)
Assassin Vine arrows (x16)
Slaying arrows (x2)
Flaming arrows (x50)
Sonic arrows (x25)
Masterwork Arrows (x200)

Spells:

Bard spells per day
0th - 3
1st - 6
2nd - 6
3rd - 3

Bard spells known
0th - 6

Dancing Lights
(Evocation [Light])
Components: V, S
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range:     Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect:     Up to four lights, all within a 10- ft.-radius area
Duration: 1 minute (D)
Saving Throw:     None
Spell Resistance: No
Depending on the version selected, you create up to four lights that resemble lanterns or torches (and cast that amount of light), or up to four glowing spheres of light (which look like will-o’-wisps), or one faintly glowing, vaguely humanoid shape. The dancing lights must stay within a 10-foot-radius area in relation to each other but otherwise move as you desire (no concentration required): forward or back, up or down, straight or turning corners, or the like. The lights can move up to 100 feet per round. A light winks out if the distance between you and it exceeds the spell’s range.

Detect Magic
(Divination)
Components: V, S
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range:     60 ft.
Area:     Cone-shaped emanation
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You detect magical auras. The amount of information revealed depends on how long you study a particular area or subject.
1st Round: Presence or absence of magical auras.
2nd Round: Number of different magical auras and the power of the most potent aura.
3rd Round: The strength and location of each aura. If the items or creatures bearing the auras are in line of sight, you can make Spellcraft skill checks to determine the school of magic involved in each. (Make one check per aura; DC 15 + spell level, or 15 + half caster level for a nonspell effect.)

Ghost Sound
(Illusion [Figment])
Components: V, S, M
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range:     Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect:     Illusory sounds
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw:     Will disbelief (if interacted with)
Spell Resistance: No
Ghost sound allows you to create a volume of sound that rises, recedes, approaches, or remains at a fixed place. You choose what type of sound ghost sound creates when casting it and cannot thereafter change the sound’s basic character.
The volume of sound created depends on your level. You can produce as much noise as four normal humans per caster level (maximum twenty humans). Thus, talking, singing, shouting, walking, marching, or running sounds can be created. The noise a ghost sound spell produces can be virtually any type of sound within the volume limit. A horde of rats running and squeaking is about the same volume as eight humans running and shouting. A roaring lion is equal to the noise from sixteen humans, while a roaring dire tiger is equal to the noise from twenty humans.
Ghost sound can enhance the effectiveness of a silent image spell.
Ghost sound can be made permanent with a permanency spell.
Material Component: A bit of wool or a small lump of wax.

Mage Hand
(Transmutation)
Components: V, S
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range:     Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target:     One nonmagical, unattended object weighing up to 5 lb.
Duration: Concentration
Saving Throw:     None
Spell Resistance: No
You point your finger at an object and can lift it and move it at will from a distance. As a move action, you can propel the object as far as 15 feet in any direction, though the spell ends if the distance between you and the object ever exceeds the spell’s range.

Message
(Transmutation [Language-Dependent])
Components: V, S, F
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range:     Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Targets: One creature/level
Duration: 10 min./level
Saving Throw:     None
Spell Resistance: No
You can whisper messages and receive whispered replies with little chance of being overheard. You point your finger at each creature you want to receive the message. When you whisper, the whispered message is audible to all targeted creatures within range. Magical silence, 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal (or a thin sheet of lead), or 3 feet of wood or dirt blocks the spell. The message does not have to travel in a straight line. It can circumvent a barrier if there is an open path between you and the subject, and the path’s entire length lies within the spell’s range. The creatures that receive the message can whisper a reply that you hear. The spell transmits sound, not meaning. It doesn’t transcend language barriers.
Note: To speak a message, you must mouth the words and whisper, possibly allowing observers the opportunity to read your lips.
Focus: A short piece of copper wire.

Prestidigitation
(Universal)
Components: V, S
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range:     10 ft.
Target, Effect, or Area: See text
Duration: 1 hour
Saving Throw:     See text
Spell Resistance: No
Prestidigitations are minor tricks that novice spellcasters use for practice. Once cast, a prestidigitation spell enables you to perform simple magical effects for 1 hour. The effects are minor and have severe limitations. A prestidigitation can slowly lift 1 pound of material. It can color, clean, or soil items in a 1-foot cube each round. It can chill, warm, or flavor 1 pound of nonliving material. It cannot deal damage or affect the concentration of spellcasters. Prestidigitation can create small objects, but they look crude and artificial. The materials created by a prestidigitation spell are extremely fragile, and they cannot be used as tools, weapons, or spell components. Finally, a prestidigitation lacks the power to duplicate any other spell effects. Any actual change to an object (beyond just moving, cleaning, or soiling it) persists only 1 hour.

1st - 4

Hideous Laughter
(Enchantment [Compulsion/Mind-Affecting])
Components: V, S, M
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range:     Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target:     One creature; see text
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw:     Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell afflicts the subject with uncontrollable laughter. It collapses into gales of manic laughter, falling prone. The subject can take no actions while laughing, but is not considered helpless. After the spell ends, it can act normally.
A creature with an Intelligence score of 2 or lower is not affected. A creature whose type is different from the caster’s receives a +4 bonus on its saving throw, because humor doesn’t “translate” well.
Material Component: Tiny tarts that are thrown at the target and a feather that is waved in the air.

Identify
(Divination)
Components: V, S, M/DF
Casting time: 1 hour
Range:     Touch
Targets: One touched object
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw:     None
Spell Resistance: No
The spell determines all magic properties of a single magic item, including how to activate those functions (if appropriate), and how many charges are left (if any).
Identify does not function when used on an artifact.
Arcane Material Component: A pearl of at least 100 gp value, crushed and stirred into wine with an owl feather; the infusion must be drunk prior to spellcasting.

Undetectable Alignment
(Abjuration)
Components:     V, S
Casting time:     1 standard action
Range:     Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target:     One creature or object
Duration:     24 hours
Saving Throw:     Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance:     Yes (object)
An undetectable alignment spell conceals the alignment of an object or a creature from all forms of divination.

Silent Image
(Illusion [Figment])
Components: V, S, F
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range:     Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Effect:     Visual figment that cannot extend beyond four 10-ft. cubes + one 10-ft. cube/level (S)
Duration: Concentration
Saving Throw: Will disbelief (if interacted with)
Spell Resistance: No
This spell creates the visual illusion of an object, creature, or force, as visualized by you. The illusion does not create sound, smell, texture, or temperature. You can move the image within the limits of the size of the effect.
Focus: A bit of fleece.

2nd - 4

Alter Self
(Transmutation)
Components: V, S
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range:     Personal
Target:     You
Duration: 10 min./level (D)
You assume the form of a creature of the same type as your normal form. The new form must be within one size category of your normal size. The maximum HD of an assumed form is equal to your caster level, to a maximum of 5 HD at 5th level. You can change into a member of your own kind or even into yourself.

Blindness/Deafness
(Necromancy)
Components: V
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range:     Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target:     One living creature
Duration: Permanent (D)
Saving Throw:     Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
You call upon the powers of unlife to render the subject blinded or deafened, as you choose.

Bone Fiddle
(Necromancy)
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One creature with a skeleton or exoskeleton
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
You rub your middle finger across your thumb like a bow against a fiddle while simultaneously humming a discordant tune under your breath. Nearby, you see a translucent bone-white fiddle bow appear and sink into the flesh of your target. It begins sawing, as if playing your target like a fiddle.
You call up a ghostly fiddle bow in the air above the targeted creature. This bow immediately descends into the target body and begins to saw back and forth against its skeleton. Although the music produced is eerily beautiful, it causes intense pain and anguish in the victim. Each round on its turn, the victim must make a Fortitude save or take 3d6 points of sonic damage and a –20 penalty on Move Silently checks.
A successful save negates the damage and ends the spell. The spell’s effects continue even if the subject moves so that you no longer have line of sight or line of effect to it.
Focus: A miniature silver fiddle worth at least 30 gp.

Suggestion
(Enchantment [Compulsion/Language-Dependant/Mind-Affecting])
Components: V, M
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range:     Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target:     One living creature
Duration: 1 hour/level or until completed
Saving Throw:     Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
You influence the actions of the target creature by suggesting a course of activity (limited to a sentence or two). The suggestion must be worded in such a manner as to make the activity sound reasonable. Asking the creature to do some obviously harmful act automatically negates the effect of the spell.
The suggested course of activity can continue for the entire duration. If the suggested activity can be completed in a shorter time, the spell ends when the subject finishes what it was asked to do. You can instead specify conditions that will trigger a special activity during the duration. If the condition is not met before the spell duration expires, the activity is not performed.
A very reasonable suggestion causes the save to be made with a penalty (such as –1 or –2).
Material Component: A snake’s tongue and either a bit of honeycomb or a drop of sweet oil.

3rd -3

Crushing Despair
(Enchantment [Compulsion/Mind-Affecting])
Components:     V, S, M
Casting time:     1 standard action
Range:     30 ft.
Area:     Cone-shaped burst
Duration:     1 min./level
Saving Throw:     Will negates
Spell Resistance:     Yes
An invisible cone of despair causes great sadness in the subjects. Each affected creature takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls.
Crushing despair counters and dispels good hope.
Material Component: A vial of tears.

Fear
(Necromancy [Fear/Mind-Affecting])
Components: V, S, M
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range:     30 ft.
Area:     Cone-shaped burst
Duration: 1 round/level or 1 round; see text
Saving Throw:     Will partial
Spell Resistance: Yes
An invisible cone of terror causes each living creature in the area to become panicked unless it succeeds on a Will save. If cornered, a panicked creature begins cowering. If the Will save succeeds, the creature is shaken for 1 round.
Material Component: Either the heart of a hen or a white feather.

Scrying
(Divination)
Components: V, S, M
Casting time: 1 hour
Range:     See text
Effect:     Magical sensor
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw:     Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
You can see and hear some creature, which may be at any distance. If the subject succeeds on a Will save, the scrying attempt simply fails. The difficulty of the save depends on how well you know the subject and what sort of physical connection (if any) you have to that creature. Furthermore, if the subject is on another plane, it gets a +5 bonus on its Will save.
Knowledge                                                    Will Save Modifier
None1                                                                         +10
Secondhand (you have heard of the subject)              +5
Firsthand (you have met the subject)                          +0
Familiar (you know the subject well)                          –5
1 You must have some sort of connection to a creature you have no knowledge of.
Connection                                                   Will Save Modifier
Likeness or picture                                                 –2
Possession or garment                                                 –4
Body part, lock of hair, bit of nail, etc.                        –10
If the save fails, you can see and hear the subject and the subject’s immediate surroundings (approximately 10 feet in all directions of the subject). If the subject moves, the sensor follows at a speed of up to 150 feet.
As with all divination (scrying) spells, the sensor has your full visual acuity, including any magical effects. In addition, the following spells have a 5% chance per caster level of operating through the sensor: detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, detect law, detect magic, and message.
If the save succeeds, you can’t attempt to scry on that subject again for at least 24 hours.
Arcane Material Component: The eye of a hawk, an eagle, or a roc, plus nitric acid, copper, and zinc.
Wizard, Sorcerer, or Bard Focus: A mirror of finely wrought and highly polished silver costing not less than 1,000 gp. The mirror must be at least 2 feet by 4 feet.

Druid spells per day
0 - 6

Create Water (2)
(Conjuration [Creation/Water])
Components: V, S
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range:     Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect:     Up to 2 gallons of water/level
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw:     None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell generates wholesome, drinkable water, just like clean rain water. Water can be created in an area as small as will actually contain the liquid, or in an area three times as large—possibly creating a downpour or filling many small receptacles.
Note: Conjuration spells can’t create substances or objects within a creature. Water weighs about 8 pounds per gallon. One cubic foot of water contains roughly 8 gallons and weighs about 60 pounds.

Know Direction
(Divination)
Components: V, S
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range:     Personal
Target:     You
Duration: Instantaneous
You instantly know the direction of north from your current position. The spell is effective in any environment in which “north” exists, but it may not work in extraplanar settings. Your knowledge of north is correct at the moment of casting, but you can get lost again within moments if you don’t find some external reference point to help you keep track of direction.

Resistance (3)
(Abjuration)
Components: V, S, M/DF
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range:     Touch
Target:     Creature touched
Duration: 1 minute
Saving Throw:     Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
You imbue the subject with magical energy that protects it from harm, granting it a +1 resistance bonus on saves.
Resistance can be made permanent with a permanency spell.

1st - 6

Obscuring Mist (3)
(Conjuration [Creation])
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range:     20 ft.
Effect:     Cloud spreads in 20-ft. radius from you, 20 ft. high
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw:     None
Spell Resistance: No
A misty vapor arises around you. It is stationary once created. The vapor obscures all sight, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. A creature 5 feet away has concealment (attacks have a 20% miss chance). Creatures farther away have total concealment (50% miss chance, and the attacker cannot use sight to locate the target).

A moderate wind (11+ mph), such as from a gust of wind spell, disperses the fog in 4 rounds. A strong wind (21+ mph) disperses the fog in 1 round. A fireball, flame strike, or similar spell burns away the fog in the explosive or fiery spell’s area. A wall of fire burns away the fog in the area into which it deals damage.

This spell does not function underwater.

Produce Flame
(Evocation [Fire])
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range:     0 ft.
Effect:     Flame in your palm
Duration: 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw:     None
Spell Resistance: Yes

Flames as bright as a torch appear in your open hand. The flames harm neither you nor your equipment.

In addition to providing illumination, the flames can be hurled or used to touch enemies. You can strike an opponent with a melee touch attack, dealing fire damage equal to 1d6 +1 point per caster level (maximum +5). Alternatively, you can hurl the flames up to 120 feet as a thrown weapon. When doing so, you attack with a ranged touch attack (with no range penalty) and deal the same damage as with the melee attack. No sooner do you hurl the flames than a new set appears in your hand. Each attack you make reduces the remaining duration by 1 minute. If an attack reduces the remaining duration to 0 minutes or less, the spell ends after the attack resolves.

This spell does not function underwater.

Entangle (2)
(Transmutation)
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range:     Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Area:     Plants in a 40-ft.-radius spread
Duration: 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw:     Reflex partial; see text
Spell Resistance: No

Grasses, weeds, bushes, and even trees wrap, twist, and entwine about creatures in the area or those that enter the area, holding them fast and causing them to become entangled. The creature can break free and move half its normal speed by using a full-round action to make a DC 20 Strength check or a DC 20 Escape Artist check. A creature that succeeds on a Reflex save is not entangled but can still move at only half speed through the area. Each round on your turn, the plants once again attempt to entangle all creatures that have avoided or escaped entanglement.

Note: The effects of the spell may be altered somewhat, based on the nature of the entangling plants.

2nd - 6

Soften Earth and Stone (2)
(Transmutation [Earth])
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range:     Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area:     10-ft. square/level; see text
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw:     None
Spell Resistance: No
When this spell is cast, all natural, undressed earth or stone in the spell’s area is softened. Wet earth becomes thick mud, dry earth becomes loose sand or dirt, and stone becomes soft clay that is easily molded or chopped. You affect a 10-footsquare area to a depth of 1 to 4 feet, depending on the toughness or resilience of the ground at that spot. Magical, enchanted, dressed, or worked stone cannot be affected. Earth or stone creatures are not affected.
A creature in mud must succeed on a Reflex save or be caught for 1d2 rounds and unable to move, attack, or cast spells. A creature that succeeds on its save can move through the mud at half speed, and it can’t run or charge.
Loose dirt is not as troublesome as mud, but all creatures in the area can move at only half their normal speed and can’t run or charge over the surface.
Stone softened into clay does not hinder movement, but it does allow characters to cut, shape, or excavate areas they may not have been able to affect before.
While soften earth and stone does not affect dressed or worked stone, cavern ceilings or vertical surfaces such as cliff faces can be affected. Usually, this causes a moderate collapse or landslide as the loosened material peels away from the face of the wall or roof and falls.
A moderate amount of structural damage can be dealt to a manufactured structure by softening the ground beneath it, causing it to settle. However, most well-built structures will only be damaged by this spell, not destroyed.

Heat Metal (3)
(Transmutation [Fire])
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range:     Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target:     Metal equipment of one creature per two levels, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart; or 25 lb. of metal/level, all of which must be within a 30-ft. circle
Duration: 7 rounds
Saving Throw: Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (object)
Heat metal makes metal extremely warm. Unattended, nonmagical metal gets no saving throw. Magical metal is allowed a saving throw against the spell. An item in a creature’s possession uses the creature’s saving throw bonus unless its own is higher.
A creature takes fire damage if its equipment is heated. It takes full damage if its armor is affected or if it is holding, touching, wearing, or carrying metal weighing one-fifth of its weight. The creature takes minimum damage (1 point or 2 points; see the table) if it’s not wearing metal armor and the metal that it’s carrying weighs less than one-fifth of its weight.

                          Metal
Round           Temperature     Damage
1                   Warm     None
2                       Hot     1d4 points
3-5                     Searing     2d4 points
6                       Hot     1d4 points
7                     Warm     None

On the first round of the spell, the metal becomes warm and uncomfortable to touch but deals no damage. The same effect also occurs on the last round of the spell’s duration. During the second (and also the next-to-last) round, intense heat causes pain and damage. In the third, fourth, and fifth rounds, the metal is searing hot, causing more damage, as shown on the table below.
Any cold intense enough to damage the creature negates fire damage from the spell (and vice versa) on a point-for-point basis. If cast underwater, heat metal deals half damage and boils the surrounding water.
Heat metal counters and dispels chill metal.

Tree Shape
(Transmutation)
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range:     Personal
Target:     You
Duration: 1 hour/level (D)
By means of this spell, you are able to assume the form of a Large living tree or shrub or a Large dead tree trunk with a small number of limbs. The closest inspection cannot reveal that the tree in question is actually a magically concealed creature. To all normal tests you are, in fact, a tree or shrub, although a detect magic spell reveals a faint transmutation on the tree. While in tree form, you can observe all that transpires around you just as if you were in your normal form, and your hit points and save bonuses remain unaffected. You gain a +10 natural armor bonus to AC but have an effective Dexterity score of 0 and a speed of 0 feet. You are immune to critical hits while in tree form. All clothing and gear carried or worn changes with you.

You can dismiss tree shape as a free action (instead of as a standard action).

3rd - 5

Protection from Energy (2)
(Abjuration)
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range:     Touch
Target:     Creature touched
Duration: 10 min./level or until discharged
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
Protection from energy grants temporary immunity to the type of energy you specify when you cast it (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic). When the spell absorbs 12 points per caster level of energy damage (to a maximum of 120 points at 10th level), it is discharged.
Note: Protection from energy overlaps (and does not stack with) resist energy. If a character is warded by protection from energy and resist energy, the protection spell absorbs damage until its power is exhausted.

Meld into Stone
(Transmutation [Earth])
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range:     Personal
Target:     You
Duration: 10 min./level
Meld into stone enables you to meld your body and possessions into a single block of stone. The stone must be large enough to accommodate your body in all three dimensions. When the casting is complete, you and not more than 100 pounds of nonliving gear merge with the stone. If either condition is violated, the spell fails and is wasted.
While in the stone, you remain in contact, however tenuous, with the face of the stone through which you melded. You remain aware of the passage of time and can cast spells on yourself while hiding in the stone. Nothing that goes on outside the stone can be seen, but you can still hear what happens around you. Minor physical damage to the stone does not harm you, but its partial destruction (to the extent that you no longer fit within it) expels you and deals you 5d6 points of damage. The stone’s complete destruction expels you and slays you instantly unless you make a DC 18 Fortitude save.
Any time before the duration expires, you can step out of the stone through the surface that you entered. If the spell’s duration expires or the effect is dispelled before you voluntarily exit the stone, you are violently expelled and take 5d6 points of damage.
The following spells harm you if cast upon the stone that you are occupying: Stone to flesh expels you and deals you 5d6 points of damage. Stone shape deals you 3d6 points of damage but does not expel you. Transmute rock to mud expels you and then slays you instantly unless you make a DC 18 Fortitude save, in which case you are merely expelled. Finally, passwall expels you without damage.

Snare
(Transmutation)
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 3 rounds
Range:     Touch
Target:     Touched nonmagical circle of vine, rope, or thong with a 2 ft. diameter + 2 ft./level
Duration: Until triggered or broken
Saving Throw:     None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell enables you to make a snare that functions as a magic trap. The snare can be made from any supple vine, a thong, or a rope. When you cast snare upon it, the cordlike object blends with its surroundings (Search DC 23 for a character with the trapfinding ability to locate). One end of the snare is tied in a loop that contracts around one or more of the limbs of any creature stepping inside the circle.
If a strong and supple tree is nearby, the snare can be fastened to it. The spell causes the tree to bend and then straighten when the loop is triggered, dealing 1d6 points of damage to the creature trapped and lifting it off the ground by the trapped limb or limbs. If no such tree is available, the cordlike object tightens around the creature, dealing no damage but causing it to be entangled.
The snare is magical. To escape, a trapped creature must make a DC 23 Escape Artist check or a DC 23 Strength check that is a full-round action. The snare has AC 7 and 5 hit points. A successful escape from the snare breaks the loop and ends the spell.

Sleet Storm
(Conjuration {Creation} [Cold])
Components: V, S, M/DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range:     Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Area:     Cylinder (40-ft. radius, 20 ft. high)
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw:     None
Spell Resistance: No
Driving sleet blocks all sight (even darkvision) within it and causes the ground in the area to be icy. A creature can walk within or through the area of sleet at half normal speed with a DC 10 Balance check. Failure means it can’t move in that round, while failure by 5 or more means it falls (see the Balance skill for details).
The sleet extinguishes torches and small fires.

4th - 3

Command Plants
(Transmutation)
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range:     Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets: Up to 2 HD/level of plant creatures, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart
Duration: One day/level
Saving Throw:     Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell allows you some degree of control over one or more plant creatures. Affected plant creatures can understand you, and they perceive your words and actions in the most favorable way (treat their attitude as friendly). They will not attack you while the spell lasts. You can try to give a subject orders, but you must win an opposed Charisma check to convince it to do anything it wouldn’t ordinarily do. (Retries are not allowed.) A commanded plant never obeys suicidal or obviously harmful orders, but it might be convinced that something very dangerous is worth doing.
You can affect a number of plant creatures whose combined level or HD do not exceed twice your level.

Flame Strike (2)
(Evocation [Fire])
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range:     Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Area:     Cylinder (10-ft. radius, 40 ft. high)
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw:     Reflex half
Spell Resistance: Yes
A flame strike produces a vertical column of divine fire roaring downward. The spell deals 1d6 points of damage per caster level (maximum 15d6). Half the damage is fire damage, but the other half results directly from divine power and is therefore not subject to being reduced by resistance to fire-based attacks.

5th - 2

Baleful Polymorph
(Transmutation)
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range:     Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target:     One creature
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw:     Fortitude negates, Will partial; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes
You change the subject into a Small or smaller animal of no more than 1 HD (such as a dog, lizard, monkey, or toad). The subject takes on all the statistics and special abilities of an average member of the new form in place of its own except as follows:
    The target retains its own alignment (and personality, within the limits of the new form’s ability scores).
    The target retains its own hit points.
    The target is treated as having its normal Hit Dice for purpose of adjudicating effects based on HD, such as the sleep spell, though it uses the new form’s base attack bonus, base save bonuses, and all other statistics derived from Hit Dice.
    The target also retains the ability to understand (but not to speak) the languages it understood in its original form. It can write in the languages it understands, but only the form is capable of writing in some manner (such as drawing in the dirt with a paw).
With those exceptions, the target’s normal game statistics are replaced by those of the new form. The target loses all the special abilities it has in its normal form, including its class features.
All items worn or carried by the subject fall to the ground at its feet, even if they could be worn or carried by the new form.
If the new form would prove fatal to the creature (for example, if you polymorphed a landbound target into a fish, or an airborne target into a toad), the subject gets a +4 bonus on the save.
If the subject remains in the new form for 24 consecutive hours, it must attempt a Will save. If this save fails, it loses its ability to understand language, as well as all other memories of its previous form, and its Hit Dice and hit points change to match an average creature of its new form. These abilities and statistics return to normal if the effect is later ended.
Incorporeal or gaseous creatures are immune to baleful polymorph, and a creature with the shapechanger subtype (such as a lycanthrope or a doppelganger) can revert to its natural form as a standard action (which ends the spell’s effect).

Tree Stride
(Conjuration [Teleportation])
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range:     Personal
Target:     You
Duration: 1 hour/level or until expended; see text
Type of Tree     Transport Range
Oak, ash, yew     3,000 feet
Elm, linden     2,000 feet
Other deciduous 1,500 feet
Any coniferous     1,000 feet
All other trees     500 feet
You gain the ability to enter trees and move from inside one tree to inside another tree. The first tree you enter and all others you enter must be of the same kind, must be living, and must have girth at least equal to yours. By moving into an oak tree (for example), you instantly know the location of all other oak trees within transport range (see below) and may choose whether you want to pass into one or simply step back out of the tree you moved into. You may choose to pass to any tree of the appropriate kind within the transport range as shown on the following table.
You may move into a tree up to one time per caster level (passing from one tree to another counts only as moving into one tree). The spell lasts until the duration expires or you exit a tree. Each transport is a full-round action.
You can, at your option, remain within a tree without transporting yourself, but you are forced out when the spell ends. If the tree in which you are concealed is chopped down or burned, you are slain if you do not exit before the process is complete.

Assassin Vine
Size/Type: Large Plant
Hit Dice: 4d8+12 (30 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed:     5 ft. (1 square)
Armor Class: 15 (-1 size, +6 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple:     +3/+12
Attack: Slam +7 melee (1d6+7)
Full Attack: Slam +7 melee (1d6+7)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft. (20 ft. with vine)
Special Attacks: Constrict 1d6+7, entangle, improved grab
Special Qualities: Blindsight 30 ft., camouflage, immunity to electricity,
plant traits, resistance to cold 10 and fire 10
Saves:     Fort +7, Ref +1, Will +2
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 10, Con 16, Int Ø, Wis 13, Cha 9
Constrict (Ex)
An assassin vine deals 1d6+7 points of damage with a successful grapple check.
Entangle (Su)
An assassin vine can animate plants within 30 feet of itself as a free action (Ref DC 13 partial).
The effect lasts until the vine dies or decides to end it (also a free action). The save DC is Wisdom-based. The ability is otherwise similar to entangle (caster level 4th).
Improved Grab (Ex)
To use this ability, an assassin vine must hit with its slam attack.
It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.
If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.
Blindsight (Ex)
Assassin vines have no visual organs but can ascertain all foes within 30 feet using sound, scent, and vibration.
Camouflage (Ex)
Since an assassin vine looks like a normal plant when at rest, it takes a DC 20 Spot check to notice it before it attacks.
Anyone with ranks in Survival or Knowledge (nature) can use one of those skills instead of Spot to notice the plant.

FLUFF AND TACTICS
Anmyl is a being of contradictions. The daughter of Goramas and a now-dead nymph, she's known only the teachings of the Iron Baron during her short childhood. The erinyes in her blood mingled with the fey, and has left her with a pair of downy moth-like wings, the dust that accumulates on them smelling of saffron and lavender.

She acts as a sort of morale officer for Goramas, as well as making certain that the forests around his territory remain secure. Despite the inauspicious nature of her conception, Goramas dotes on his daughter and values her as one of the few beings for whom he feels genuine affection.

Her first tactic is always to try and engage those who might be worthy foes in dialogue, to try to sway them to the side of her father, or at least persuade them that they would be better off being heroic elsewhere.

In combat, she always attempts to engage foes in a heavily wooded glen. Aside from her spells, she will remain hidden in a tree and snipe away (happily taking the -20 to her hide score, and making use of her racial ability to turn invisible at will). If she takes significant damage, she will not hesitate to flee the combat with her Tree Stride spell, hastily returning to tell Goramas of the powerful adventurers who were able to defeat her.

Personae Malevolent 6; The Iron Furies

2011-05-06T11:18:00.000-05:00

Name: Iron Fury
Race: Human
Classes: Hexblade 9
Alignment: LE
Appearance: This statuesque woman stands proudly, her comely features subtly tinted with hints of some Infernal taint. She holds a fine greatsword in her hands, and the metal wings across her shoulders appear to have razor-sharp edges. A slavering Hellhound lurks near at her heels, the beast's glowing crimson eyes promising violence.
Sect: Dispater

Stats

STR 16 [18] +4
DEX 16 [18] +4
CON 15 +2
INT 14 +2
WIS 12 +1
CHA 18 [20] +5

Speed 30 feet
Initiative 4
BAB 9/4

AC 24 [Dex 4/Armor 6/Natural 2/Deflection 2/Misc 0]
Flat Footed 20, Touch 16

HP 78

Saves    [extra +5 vs spells and spell-like effects, +6 vs good casters]
Fort 5    [9 vs poison]
Ref 7
Will 7

Attacks
+2 Greatsword
15/10, 2d6+8, crit 19-20x2
Power Attack
12/7, 2d6+14, crit 19-20x2

Class/Racial Abilities
Greater Hexblade's Curse (Su) 3/day [Will DC19 negates]:
As a free action, a hexblade can unlease a curse upon a foe. The target must be visible and within 60 feet. The target takes a -4 penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls for 1 hour thereafter.
Any effect that removes or dispels a curse eliminates the effect of a hexblade's curse.
Arcane Resistance (Su):
A hexblade gains a bonus equal to his Charisma bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects.
Mettle (Ex):
If he makes a successful Will or Fortitude save against an attack that normally would have a lesser effect on a successful save (such as any spell with a saving throw entry of Will half or Fortitude partial), he instead completely negates the effect. An unconscious or sleeping hexblade does not benefit from mettle.
Spells
Familiar

Feats:
Familiar Alertness-You get a +2 bonus on all Listen checks and Spot checks. whenever the familiar is within arm’s reach.
Combat Casting
Power Attack
Cleave
Improved Familiar
Bonded Familiar - As long as your familiar is within 30 feet of you, the two of you can share the damage from a single deadly attack. Once per day, if an attack would drop y our familiar to 0 or fewer HP, you can instead choose to accept that damage. In addition, once per day, your familiar can choose to take the damage from a single attack or effect that would reduce you to 0 or fewer HP. This ability applies only to attacks or effects that deal hit point damage. You or your familiar could not absorb the effect of a spell such as "flesh to stone".

Skill Tricks:
Swift Concentration: You can maintain concentration on a spell or similar effect as a swift action

Flaws/Traits

Pride Of Arms
You take great pride in knowing how to use weapons specifically designed for war. You consider all other weapons beneath your station and have allowed your training in them to atrophy.
Prerequisite: Proficiency in all martial weapons.
Effect: You suffer a -4 penalty on all attack rolls made with exotic weapons, simple weapons, unarmed attacks, and touch attacks.

Haunted
You are unable to prevent the occurrence of strange noises in your immediate vicinity.
Prerequisite: Ability to cast spells.
Effect: Spontaneous noises sometimes arise in your immediate vicinity. These noises are completely out of your control and cannot be used to communicate or distract other creatures. These sounds cease when you are unconscious, petrified, asleep, or dead. You suffer a -4 penalty on all Listen and Move Silently skill checks.

Skills

Bluff - Ranks (10) + (cha ) + misc ()= 15
Concentration - Ranks (12) + (con ) + misc (4 when threatened)= 14 (18)
Diplomacy - Ranks (8) + (cha) + misc ()= 13
Intimidate - Ranks (10) + (cha)+ misc ()= 15
Knowledge
[arcana]- Ranks (8) + (int) + misc (10)=
Spellcraft - Ranks (10) + (int) + misc (12)=

Gear
Cloak of Charisma +2
Gauntlets of Ogre Power +2
Bracers of Dexterity +2
Amulet of Natural Armor +2
Ring of Protection +2
+2 Adamantine Bladewings
+2 Greatsword
+2 Chain Shirt

Spells:

Level 1 DC 16

Death's Call
Components: V
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range: 10 ft
Area: 10-ft radius burst, centered on you.
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial
Spell Resistance: Yes

You release a scream that chills the air with deathly energy.
All living creatures within the area (other than you) take 1 point of damage per caster level (maximum 5) and become fatigued. A successful Fortitude save negates the fatigue. A fatigued character can neither run nor charge and takes a -2 penalty to Strength and Dexterity. Doing anything that would normally cause fatigue causes the fatigued character to become exhausted. After 8 hours of complete rest, fatigued characters are no longer fatigued.

Any swarm in the area of death's call instead takes 1d4 points of damage per caster level (maximum 5d4) and becomes fatigued. (Fort save negates fatigue). This supersedes the normal +50% damage dealt to a swarm by an area spell.

Hideous Laughter
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range:     Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target:     One creature; see text
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw:     Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell afflicts the subject with uncontrollable laughter. It collapses into gales of manic laughter, falling prone. The subject can take no actions while laughing, but is not considered helpless. After the spell ends, it can act normally.

A creature with an Intelligence score of 2 or lower is not affected. A creature whose type is different from the caster’s receives a +4 bonus on its saving throw, because humor doesn’t “translate” well.

Material Component
Tiny tarts that are thrown at the target and a feather that is waved in the air.

Expeditious Retreat
Transmutation
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range:     Personal
Target:     You
Duration: 1 min./level (D)

This spell increases your base land speed by 30 feet. (This adjustment is treated as an enhancement bonus.) There is no effect on other modes of movement, such as burrow, climb, fly, or swim. As with any effect that increases your speed, this spell affects your jumping distance (see the Jump skill).

Augment Familiar
Transmutation
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft +5 ft. /2 levels)
Area: 10-ft radius emanation, centered on you.
Duration: Concentration + 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Fort negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

This spell grants your familiar a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, damage reduction 5/magic, and a +2 resistance bonus on saving throws.

Level 2, DC 17

Animate Weapon
Transmutation
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Weapon touched
Duration: Concentration + 1 round
Saving Throw: Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: Yes

Your weapon leaps from your hands, suddenly capable of fighting on it's own.
A weapon affected by this spell gains the ability to move and attack on its own and functions in most ways like an animated object of it's size. Treat a light weapon as an object two size categories smaller than its wielder, a one-handed weapon as one size category smaller than its wielder, and a two-handed weapon as an object of the same size as its wielder.
However, the weapon deals its normal damage, not the damage noted for an animated object of its size, and it gains a bonus on attack rolls equal to the ability modifier used to set your spell save DCs. Diminutive or smaller objects are unaffected by the spell.
An animated weapon attacks the nearest enemy to the best of its ability. You may use a move action to direct it to a different target, but if at the end of your turn you are more than 30 feet from the weapon, the spell ends. A weapon held or carried by another creature can't be affected by this spell.
The weapon doesn't gain the benefit of any of your class features, feats, or other special abilities that would improve its combat ability. If the weapon has an enhancement bonus or other special properties, these apply as normal. For example, an animated +1 flaming longsword gains a +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls and deals an extra 1d6 points of fire damage.

Blindness/Deafness
Necromancy
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range:     Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target:     One living creature
Duration: Permanent (D)
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

You call upon the powers of unlife to render the subject blinded or deafened, as you choose.
A blind character cannot see. He takes a -2 penalty to Armor Class, loses his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any), moves at half speed, and takes a -4 penalty on Search checks and on most Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks. All checks and activities that rely on vision (such as reading and Spot checks) automatically fail. All opponents are considered to have total concealment (50% miss chance) to the blinded character. Characters who remain blinded for a long time grow accustomed to these drawbacks and can overcome some of them.
A deafened character cannot hear. She takes a -4 penalty on initiative checks, automatically fails Listen checks, and has a 20% chance of spell failure when casting spells with verbal components. Characters who remain deafened for a long time grow accustomed to these drawbacks and can overcome some of them.

Spell-like abilities

1/Day, caster level = character level
Unholy Blight
Range:     Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Area: 20-ft.-radius spread
Duration: Instantaneous (1d4 rounds); see text
Saving Throw:     Will partial
Spell Resistance: Yes

You call up unholy power to smite your enemies. The power takes the form of a cold, cloying miasma of greasy darkness.

Only good and neutral (not evil) creatures are harmed by the spell.

The spell deals 1d8 points of damage per two caster levels (maximum 5d8) to a good creature (or 1d6 per caster level, maximum 10d6, to a good outsider) and causes it to be sickened for 1d4 rounds. A successful Will save reduces damage to half and negates the sickened effect. The effects cannot be negated by remove disease or heal, but remove curse is effective.

The spell deals only half damage to creatures who are neither evil nor good, and they are not sickened. Such a creature can reduce the damage in half again (down to one-quarter) with a successful Will save.

Teleport (Self +50 pounds of objects, not including familiar)

Summon Monster V
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One summoned creature
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw:     None
Spell Resistance: No

Either an Achaierai (for large scale war) or a Bearded Devil (for duels)

Achaierai
Size/Type: Large Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful)
Hit Dice: 6d8+12 (39 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed:     50 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class:     20 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +10 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple:     +6/+14
Attack: Claw +9 melee (2d6+4)
Full Attack: 2 claws +9 melee (2d6+4) and bite +4 melee (4d6+2)
Space/Reach:     10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Black cloud
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., spell resistance 19
Saves:     Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +7
Abilities: Str 19, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 14, Cha 16
Skills:     Balance +10, Climb +13, Diplomacy +5, Hide +6, Jump +21, Listen +11, Move Silently +10, Sense Motive +11, Spot +11
Feats:     Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack
Challenge Rating: 5

Black Cloud (Ex)
Up to three times per day an achaierai can release a choking, toxic black cloud.
Those other than achaierai within 10 feet instantly take 2d6 points of damage. They must also succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or be affected for 3 hours as though by an insanity spell (caster level 16th). The save DC is Constitution-based.

Bearded Devil (Barbazu)
Size/Type: Medium Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful)
Hit Dice: 6d8+18 (45 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed:     40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 19 (+2 Dex, +7 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple:     +6/+8
Attack: Glaive +9 melee (1d10+3 plus infernal wound) or claw +8 melee (1d6+2)
Full Attack: Glaive +9/+4 melee (1d10+3 plus infernal wound) or 2 claws +8 melee (1d6+2)
Space/Reach:     5 ft./5 ft. (10 ft. with glaive)
Special Attacks: Infernal wound, beard, battle frenzy, summon devil
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/silver or good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire and poison, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, see in darkness, spell resistance 17, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves:     Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +5
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 10
Skills: Climb +11, Diplomacy +2, Hide +11, Listen +9, Move Silently +9, Sense Motive +9, Spot +9
Feats:     Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (glaive)

Infernal Wound (Su)
The damage a bearded devil deals with its glaive causes a persistent wound. An injured creature loses 2 additional hit points each round. The wound does not heal naturally and resists healing spells. The continuing hit point loss can be stopped by a DC 16 Heal check, a cure spell, or a heal spell. However, a character attempting to cast a cure spell or a heal spell on a creature damaged by a bearded devil’s glaive must succeed on a DC 16 caster level check, or the spell has no effect on the injured character.

A successful Heal check automatically stops the continuing hit point loss as well as restoring hit points. The infernal wound is a supernatural ability of the bearded devil, not of the weapon. The check DC is Constitution-based.
Beard (Ex)

If a bearded devil hits a single opponent with both claw attacks, it automatically hits with its beard. The affected creature takes 1d8+2 points of damage and must succeed on a DC 16 Fortitude save or be infected with a vile disease known as devil chills (incubation period 1d4 days, damage 1d4 Str). Damage is dealt each day until the afflicted creature succeeds on three consecutive Fortitude saves, the disease is cured magically, or the creature dies. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Battle Frenzy (Ex)
Twice per day, a bearded devil can work itself into a battle frenzy similar to the barbarian’s rage (+4 Strength, +4 Constitution, +2 morale bonus on Will saves, -2 AC penalty). The frenzy lasts for 6 rounds, and the bearded devil suffers no ill effects afterward.

Familiar

Hellhound     [Brackets are for stats with Augmented Familiar cast]
Size/Type: Medium Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Fire, Lawful)
Hit Dice: 6 (39 hp) [51, DR 5/magic]]
Initiative: +5
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 21 (+1 [3] Dex, +5 natural, +5 chain barding), touch 11, flat-footed 20    [23]
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+8
Attack: Bite +8 melee (2d6+1 plus 1d6 fire) [+10 melee, 2d6+2 plus 1d6 fire]
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Breath weapon, fiery bite
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire, scent, vulnerability to cold
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +5     [Fort 8, Ref 8, Will 7]
Abilities: Str 14 [18], Dex 13 [17], Con 13 [17], Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 6
Skills:     Hide +14, Jump +12, Listen +9, Move Silently +14, Spot +9, Survival +17*
Feats:     Improved Initiative, Run, Track, Improved Natural Attack (bite)
improved evasion, share spells, empathic link, deliver touch spells, speak with master

A hellhound’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as evil-aligned and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Breath Weapon (Su)
10-foot cone, once every 2d4 rounds, damage 2d6 fire, Reflex DC 13 [15] half. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Fiery Bite (Su)
A hell hound deals an extra 1d6 points of fire damage every time it bites an opponent, as if its bite were a flaming weapon.
Hell hounds have a +5 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks.
*They also receive a +8 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent, due to their keen sense of smell.

Animated +2 Adamantine Bladewings
Size/Type: Medium Construct
Hit Dice: 2d10+20[+40 adamantine] (60 hp)
Initiative: 0
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares);
Armor Class: 14 (+4 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 14
Hardness: 20
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+2
Attack: Slash +9/+9 melee (1d10+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5ft.
Special Qualities: Construct traits, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision
Saves:     Fort 0, Ref 0, Will -5
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 10, Con 0, Int 0, Wis 1, Cha 1

FLUFF AND TACTICS;

The Iron Furies are an elite group of hexblades in the service of Goramas. Selected for their erinyes-like qualities (comely females with a merciless nature and martial potential, as well as a fanatical devotion to the cause), they underwent an unspeakable ritual to infuse them with an Infernal spark. The presence of an Iron Fury anyplace but a crowded battlefield suggests a particular importance to whatever they are guarding, or whoever they have been sent to personally execute.

It is on the field of battle that an Iron Fury shines brightest, making use of her Animate Weapon spell to send her Bladewings to cut down screaming warriors. Her Hellhound familiar makes frequent use of it's breath weapon, and her summoned achaierai sows panic and discord with it's black cloud. Between all of that, her Unholy Blight, and her lethal greatsword, an Iron Fury has more long-term potential for battlefield slaughter than all but the most powerful masters of evocation. Capable diplomats, it is often an Iron Fury that will eventually parlay with the enemy commander when it comes time to discuss the terms of their surrender...her familiar lurking nearby at all times.

If harried by more powerful foes, she augments her familiar and (if still able) summons a bearded devil to aid in the fight. Her Hexblade's Curse will be used on any melee fighters, which the bearded devil will attempt to distract. The hellhound will make for the party's mage, and the Iron Fury will engage anyone who appears to be a healer of some sort after blinding the rogue through the use of Blindness/Deafness. Naturally not all parties will follow this exact composition, but the tactics are adaptable enough to work with just about any group of adventurers.

PM5; Goramas the Iron Baron

2011-04-29T22:43:00.000-05:00

Name: Goramas, the Iron Baron
Race: Ogre Mage/Native Outsider
Classes: Giant 5, Fighter 4, Disciple of Dispater 10, Exotic Weapon Master 2
Alignment: LE
Sect: Dispater
Appearance:
Goramas stands 14 feet tall, and weighs roughly 1,400 lbs. Thick bands of muscle cling to his frame, and when he moves it is with a deceptively lazy grace. His massive wings are covered in black feathers, and his beard ends in a decidedly devilish point. His bearing is decidedly regal, and it is seldom indeed that he reveals any hint of emotion. Lesser devils who served him for a long time learned to make themselves scarce whenever there was a subtle thinning of his lips.

CR: 26

STR 34 [40] +15
DEX 20 +5
CON 22 [28] +9
INT 22 +6
WIS 16 +3
CHA 23 +6

Speed 70 ft/Fly 70 ft. (good)
Initiative 5
BAB 18 (-1 for size taken into effect)
Grapple 37 (+4 for size taken into effect)
Space/Reach 10 ft/10 ft

AC 41 (-1 size, +5 Dex, +7 natural, +10 magic chain shirt, +6 magic buckler, +4 ring of heavy fortification)
Touch 19, Flat Footed 36

SR 32

HP 337

Saves
Fort 20
Ref 14 [15]
Will 12

Attacks
[-1 to hit due to buckler, +1 to attack due to haste]
Eisengorge [+5 Wounding/Marrowcrushing bastard sword]
41/41/36/31/26, 2d8+39 and 2 points of Constitution damage, 13-20x2 (Con damage is not multiplied on a crit)

Claw/claw/claw/bite
33/33/33/28
Claw(x3) 1d6+15, Bite 1d8+7

Buckler of the Lost
As a swift action, the wearer of this buckler can turn it on a foe within melee range in a manner similar to a gaze attack. If the target sees and comprehends the intricate maze drawn within the central circle, they must make a DC 24 Will save or be banished to an extradimensional facsimile of Dis. The winding streets seem to turn back on themselves on and on, with no doors visible on any of the buildings. All the while, fiendish figures leer from the corner of the target's eye, but always vanish if faced directly. Each round on its turn, the target may attempt a DC 22 Intelligence check to escape the labyrinth as a full-round action. If the subject doesn't escape after 10 minutes, they appear where they had been when the Buckler of the Lost took effect. If that area is filled with a solid object, the subject appears in the nearest open space. Spells and Spells and abilities that move a creature within a plane, such as teleport and dimension door, do not help a creature escape the Buckler of the Lost, although a plane shift spell allows it to exit to whatever plane is designated in that spell. Minotaurs are not affected by this ability.

Ring of Epic Rulership -
The wearer can command the obedience and fealty of creatures within 360 feet when he or she activates the device (a standard action). Creatures totaling 900 Hit Dice can be ruled, but creatures with Intelligence scores of 17 or higher are entitled to a Will saving throw (DC 29) to negate the effect. Ruled creatures obey the ring wearer as if he or she were their absolute sovereign. Still, if the ring wearer gives a command that is contrary to the nature of the creatures commanded, the magic is broken. The ring can be used for 1,500 total minutes (941 minutes left) before crumbling to dust. This duration need not be continuous.

Class/Racial/Extraordinary/Supernatural abilities

DR 10/Magic

Smite Good - Once per day, Goramas may make a normal melee attack to deal 21 extra points of damage to a good foe. If the attack misses, the smite attempt is wasted.

Bite 1d8 (Natural weapons treated as magic for overcoming DR)
Claw 1d6 (Natural weapons treated as magic for overcoming DR)

Regeneration 5 (fire and acid do normal damage)

Resistance 10 to acid, cold, electricity, and fire

SR = 10+level

Immunity to poison

Low-light vision,

Darkvision 90 feet

Change Shape (Su)
An ogre mage can assume the form of any Small, Medium, or Large humanoid or giant.

Device Lore (Ex)- A disciple of Dispater can find traps made mostly of metal just as a rogue can. Furthermore he gains a +2 competency bonus on Disable Device checks against devices made mostly of metal.

Iron Hews (Su) Once per day per point of Constitution bonus, a 2nd level disciple of Dispater may add a +3 divine bonus on attacks made that round.

Rusting Grasp (Sp) Once per day, a 3rd level disciple of Dispater can produce an effect identical to that of the Rusting Grasp spell cast by a 15th level caster.
Range: Touch
Target:     One nonmagical ferrous object (or the volume of the object within 3 ft. of the touched point) or one ferrous creature
Duration: See text
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Any iron or iron alloy item you touch becomes instantaneously rusted, pitted, and worthless, effectively destroyed. If the item is so large that it cannot fit within a 3-foot radius a 3-foot-radius volume of the metal is rusted and destroyed. Magic items made of metal are immune to this spell.
You may employ rusting grasp in combat with a successful melee touch attack. Rusting grasp used in this way instantaneously destroys 1d6 points of Armor Class gained from metal armor (to the maximum amount of protection the armor offered) through corrosion.
Weapons in use by an opponent targeted by the spell are more difficult to grasp. You must succeed on a melee touch attack against the weapon. A metal weapon that is hit is destroyed.
Note: Striking at an opponent’s weapon provokes an attack of opportunity. Also, you must touch the weapon and not the other way around.
Against a ferrous creature, rusting grasp instantaneously deals 3d6 points of damage +1 per caster level (maximum +15) per successful attack. The spell lasts for 1 round per level, and you can make one melee touch attack per round.

Iron Power (Ex) When using iron or steel weapons, add a +2 insight bonus to attack and damage rolls, as well as tripling the threat range of any iron or steel weapon. This stacks with the improved critical feat, but not the keen weapon ability.

Summon Erinyes (Sp) A Disciple of Dispater can summon 1d4 erinyes once per day

Greater Iron Hews (Su) Once per day per point of Constitution bonus, Goramas may add a +6 divine bonus on damage from attacks made that round. While this bonus does not stack with the iron hews ability, the abilities are separate.

Ironskin (Sp) Once per day, Goramas can produce an effect identical to that of the stoneskin spell cast by a 15th level caster upon himself only.
Range: Touch
Target:     Creature touched
Duration: 10 min./level or until discharged
Saving Throw:     Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
The warded creature gains resistance to blows, cuts, stabs, and slashes. The subject gains damage reduction 10/adamantine. (It ignores the first 10 points of damage each time it takes damage from a weapon, though an adamantine weapon bypasses the reduction.) Once the spell has prevented a total of 10 points of damage per caster level (maximum 150 points), it is discharged.

Iron Body (Sp) Once per day, Goramas can produce an effect identical to that of an iron body spell cast by an 18th level caster.
Range: Personal
Target:     You
Duration: 1 min./level (D)
This spell transforms your body into living iron, which grants you several powerful resistances and abilities.
You gain damage reduction 15/adamantine. You are immune to blindness, critical hits, ability score damage, deafness, disease, drowning, electricity, poison, stunning, and all spells or attacks that affect your physiology or respiration, because you have no physiology or respiration while this spell is in effect. You take only half damage from acid and fire of all kinds. However, you also become vulnerable to all special attacks that affect iron golems.
You gain a +6 enhancement bonus to your Strength score, but you take a -6 penalty to Dexterity as well (to a minimum Dexterity score of 1), and your speed is reduced to half normal. You have an arcane spell failure chance of 50% and a -8 armor check penalty, just as if you were clad in full plate armor. You cannot drink (and thus can’t use potions) or play wind instruments.
Your unarmed attacks deal damage equal to a club sized for you (1d4 for Small characters or 1d6 for Medium characters. 1d8 for Large), and you are considered armed when making unarmed attacks.
Your weight increases by a factor of ten, causing you to sink in water like a stone. However, you could survive the crushing pressure and lack of air at the bottom of the ocean—at least until the spell duration expires.

Flight (Su): An ogre mage can cease or resume flight as a free action. While using gaseous form it can fly at its normal speed and has perfect maneuverability.

Regeneration (Ex): Fire and acid deal normal damage to an ogre mage.
An ogre mage that loses a limb or body part can reattach it by holding the severed member to the stump. Reattachment takes 1 minute. If the head or some other vital organ is severed, it must be reattached within 10 minutes or the creature dies. An ogre mage cannot regrow lost body parts.

Exotic Weapon Stunts
Uncanny Blow - When wielding a one-handed exotic weapon in both hands, add x2 your str modifier instead of x1.5
Exotic Sunder - When wielding a one-handed or two-handed exotic weapon, deal an extra 1d6 points of damage.

Feats:
Power Attack
Cleave
Combat Expertise
Exotic Weapon Proficiency: bastard sword
Weapon Focus: bastard sword
Weapon Specialization: bastard sword
Improved Sunder
Brand of the Nine Hells - Dispater (In keeping with your lord's paranoia, gain a pair of eyes in the back of your head. You cannot be flanked, nor can you be caught flat footed)
Mark of Dis (When you move [and only when you move], the square in which you start your movement is not considered threatened. In addition, once per round, as an immediate action, you can choose to gain a +4 bonus to AC or on a single save.)
Devil Touched Feats -2
Devil's Favor (+2 bonus on attack, save, or check 1/day per devil-touched feat you have)
Devil's Flesh (Gain bonus to natural armor/Intimidate equal to 1/2 the number of Devil Touched feats you have. Diplomacy with good creatures suffers by an amount equal to the amount of natural armor gained by this feat)

Skills

Bluff - Ranks (20) + (cha ) + misc ()= 26
Concentration - Ranks (10) + (con ) + misc ()= 16
Craft - Ranks (15) + (int) + misc ()= 21
Diplomacy - Ranks (10) + (cha) + misc ()= 16 (15 to good characters)
Disable Device - Ranks (14) + (int) + misc ()= 20
Hide - Ranks (20) + (dex) + misc (-6)= 19
Intimidate - Ranks (20) + (cha)+ misc (1)= 27
Knowledge
[religion] - Ranks (11) + (int) + misc ()= 17
Listen - Ranks (20) + (wis) + misc ()= 23
Search - Ranks (20) + (int) + misc ()= 18
Sense Motive - Ranks (11) + (wis) + misc ()= 14
Spellcraft - Ranks (11) + (int) + misc ()= 17
Spot - Ranks (20) + (wis) + misc ()= 23

Languages: Common, Giant, Dwarven, Goblin, Infernal, Orc.

Gear
Eisengorge
Buckler of the Lost
+6 Chain Shirt
Girdle of Giant's Strength +6
Torq of Constitution +6
Bracers of Haste (Permanent Haste)
Cloak of Perfect Displacement (Permanent 50% miss chance)
Boots of Greater Teleportation (3/day, Greater Teleportation)
Monocle of True Sight (Permanent True Seeing)
+4 Ring of Greater Fortification (Immune to critical hits and sneak attacks)
Ring of Epic Rulership -
Gauntlets of Gate (Once a day, open a Gate as a full round action)
Farseer Orb - A magical crystal that allows the holder to scry on anyone they've ever heard the name of as though they had a lock of that person's hair. Activation is a full-round action with limitless duration, Will DC 28 negates scrying attempt. The holder of the Farseer Orb can freely communicate with the subject of the scrying via telepathy, as well being able to produce the effects of detect good/evil/law/chaos.

Spell-like abilities: Caster level 21. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

At will:-

Darkness
Range: Touch
Target:     Object touched
Duration: 10 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell causes an object to radiate shadowy illumination out to a 20-foot radius. All creatures in the area gain concealment (20% miss chance). Even creatures that can normally see in such conditions (such as with darkvision or low-light vision) have the miss chance in an area shrouded in magical darkness.
Normal lights (torches, candles, lanterns, and so forth) are incapable of brightening the area, as are light spells of lower level. Higher level light spells are not affected by darkness.
If darkness is cast on a small object that is then placed inside or under a lightproof covering, the spell’s effect is blocked until the covering is removed.
Darkness counters or dispels any light spell of equal or lower spell level.

Invisibility
Range:     Personal or touch
Target:     You or a creature or object weighing no more than 100 lb./level
Duration: 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless) or Will negates (harmless, object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) or Yes (harmless, object)
The creature or object touched becomes invisible, vanishing from sight, even from darkvision. If the recipient is a creature carrying gear, that vanishes, too. If you cast the spell on someone else, neither you nor your allies can see the subject, unless you can normally see invisible things or you employ magic to do so.
Items dropped or put down by an invisible creature become visible; items picked up disappear if tucked into the clothing or pouches worn by the creature. Light, however, never becomes invisible, although a source of light can become so (thus, the effect is that of a light with no visible source). Any part of an item that the subject carries but that extends more than 10 feet from it becomes visible.
Of course, the subject is not magically silenced, and certain other conditions can render the recipient detectable (such as stepping in a puddle). The spell ends if the subject attacks any creature. For purposes of this spell, an attack includes any spell targeting a foe or whose area or effect includes a foe. (Exactly who is a foe depends on the invisible character’s perceptions.) Actions directed at unattended objects do not break the spell. Causing harm indirectly is not an attack. Thus, an invisible being can open doors, talk, eat, climb stairs, summon monsters and have them attack, cut the ropes holding a rope bridge while enemies are on the bridge, remotely trigger traps, open a portcullis to release attack dogs, and so forth. If the subject attacks directly, however, it immediately becomes visible along with all its gear. Spells such as bless that specifically affect allies but not foes are not attacks for this purpose, even when they include foes in their area.

3/day
Darkness (redundant)

Poison (DC 20)
Range:     Touch
Target:     Living creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous; see text
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes
Calling upon the venomous powers of natural predators, you infect the subject with a horrible poison by making a successful melee touch attack. The poison deals 1d10 points of temporary Constitution damage immediately and another 1d10 points of temporary Constitution damage 1 minute later. Each instance of damage can be negated by a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ your HD + your Wis modifier). [23]

Unholy Aura (DC 24)
Range: 20 ft.
Targets: One creature/level in a 20-ft.-radius burst centered on you
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
A malevolent darkness surrounds the subjects, protecting them from attacks, granting them resistance to spells cast by good creatures, and weakening good creatures when they strike the subjects. This abjuration has four effects.
First, each warded creature gains a +4 deflection bonus to AC and a +4 resistance bonus on saves. Unlike the effect of protection from good, this benefit applies against all attacks, not just against attacks by good creatures.
Second, a warded creature gains spell resistance 25 against good spells and spells cast by good creatures.
Third, the abjuration blocks possession and mental influence, just as protection from good does.
Finally, if a good creature succeeds on a melee attack against a warded creature, the offending attacker takes 1d6 points of temporary Strength damage (Fortitude negates).

1/day

Charm Person (DC 17)
Range:     Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target:     One humanoid creature
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw:     Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
This charm makes a humanoid creature regard you as its trusted friend and ally (treat the target’s attitude as friendly). If the creature is currently being threatened or attacked by you or your allies, however, it receives a +5 bonus on its saving throw.
The spell does not enable you to control the charmed person as if it were an automaton, but it perceives your words and actions in the most favorable way. You can try to give the subject orders, but you must win an opposed Charisma check to convince it to do anything it wouldn’t ordinarily do. (Retries are not allowed.) An affected creature never obeys suicidal or obviously harmful orders, but it might be convinced that something very dangerous is worth doing. Any act by you or your apparent allies that threatens the charmed person breaks the spell. You must speak the person’s language to communicate your commands, or else be good at pantomiming.

Desecrate (DC 18)
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area:     20-ft.-radius emanation
Duration: 2 hours/level
Saving Throw:     None
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell imbues an area with negative energy. Each Charisma check made to turn undead within this area takes a -3 profane penalty, and every undead creature entering a desecrated area gains a +1 profane bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws. An undead creature created within or summoned into such an area gains +1 hit points per HD.
If the desecrated area contains an altar, shrine, or other permanent fixture dedicated to your deity or aligned higher power, the modifiers given above are doubled (-6 profane penalty on turning checks, +2 profane bonus and +2 hit points per HD for undead in the area).
Furthermore, anyone who casts animate dead within this area may create as many as double the normal amount of undead (that is, 4 HD per caster level rather than 2 HD per caster level).
If the area contains an altar, shrine, or other permanent fixture of a deity, pantheon, or higher power other than your patron, the desecrate spell instead curses the area, cutting off its connection with the associated deity or power. This secondary function, if used, does not also grant the bonuses and penalties relating to undead, as given above.
Desecrate counters and dispels consecrate.

Sleep (DC 18)
Range:     Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Area: One or more living creatures within a 10-ft.-radius burst
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
A sleep spell causes a magical slumber to come upon 4 Hit Dice of creatures. Creatures with the fewest HD are affected first.
Among creatures with equal HD, those who are closest to the spell’s point of origin are affected first. Hit Dice that are not sufficient to affect a creature are wasted.
Sleeping creatures are helpless. Slapping or wounding awakens an affected creature, but normal noise does not. Awakening a creature is a standard action (an application of the aid another action).
Sleep does not target unconscious creatures, constructs, or undead creatures.

Contagion (DC 19)
Range:     Touch
Target:     Living creature touched
Duration:     Instantaneous
Saving Throw:     Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance:     Yes
The subject contracts a disease (selected from the table below) which strikes immediately (no incubation period). The DC noted is for the subsequent saves (use contagion’s normal save DC for the initial saving throw).
Disease               DC    Damage
Blinding sickness 16     1d4 Str1
Cackle fever        16     1d6 Wis
Filth fever        12     1d3 Dex and 1d3 Con
Mindfire        12     1d4 Int
Red ache        15     1d6 Str
Shakes        13     1d8 Dex
Slimy doom        14     1d4 Con

Unholy Blight (DC 20)
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Area:     20-ft.-radius spread
Duration: Instantaneous (1d4 rounds); see text
Saving Throw:     Will partial
Spell Resistance: Yes
You call up unholy power to smite your enemies. The power takes the form of a cold, cloying miasma of greasy darkness.
Only good and neutral (not evil) creatures are harmed by the spell.
The spell deals 1d8 points of damage per two caster levels (maximum 5d8) to a good creature (or 1d6 per caster level, maximum 10d6, to a good outsider) and causes it to be sickened for 1d4 rounds. A successful Will save reduces damage to half and negates the sickened effect. The effects cannot be negated by remove disease or heal, but remove curse is effective.
The spell deals only half damage to creatures who are neither evil nor good, and they are not sickened. Such a creature can reduce the damage in half again (down to one-quarter) with a successful Will save.

Cone of Cold (DC 20), 15d6
Range:     60 ft.
Area: Cone-shaped burst
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: Yes
Cone of cold creates an area of extreme cold, originating at your hand and extending outward in a cone. It drains heat, dealing 1d6 points of cold damage per caster level.

Unhallow (DC 21)
Range: Touch
Area: 40-ft. radius emanating from the touched point
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw:     See text
Spell Resistance: See text
Unhallow makes a particular site, building, or structure an unholy site. This has three major effects.
First, the site or structure is guarded by a magic circle against good effect.
Second, all turning checks made to turn undead take a -4 penalty, and turning checks to rebuke undead gain a +4 profane bonus. Spell resistance does not apply to this effect. (This provision does not apply to the druid version of the spell.)
Finally, you may choose to fix a single spell effect to the unhallowed site. The spell effect lasts for one year and functions throughout the entire site, regardless of its normal duration and area or effect. You may designate whether the effect applies to all creatures, creatures that share your faith or alignment, or creatures that adhere to another faith or alignment. At the end of the year, the chosen effect lapses, but it can be renewed or replaced simply by casting unhallow again.
Spell effects that may be tied to an unhallowed site include aid, bane, bless, cause fear, darkness, daylight, death ward, deeper darkness, detect magic, detect good, dimensional anchor, discern lies, dispel magic, endure elements, freedom of movement, invisibility purge, protection from energy, remove fear, resist energy, silence, tongues, and zone of truth.
Saving throws and spell resistance might apply to these spells’ effects. (See the individual spell descriptions for details.)
An area can receive only one unhallow spell (and its associated spell effect) at a time.
Unhallow counters but does not dispel hallow.

Blasphemy (DC 23)
Range: 40 ft.
Area: Nonevil creatures in a 40-ft.-radius spread centered on you
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw:     None or Will negates; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes
Any nonevil creature within the area of a blasphemy spell suffers the following ill effects.
HD                             Effect
Equal to caster level     Dazed
Up to caster level -1     Weakened, dazed
Up to caster level -5     Paralyzed, weakened, dazed
Up to caster level -10     Killed, paralyzed, weakened, dazed
The effects are cumulative and concurrent.
No saving throw is allowed against these effects.
Dazed
The creature can take no actions for 1 round, though it defends itself normally.
Weakened
The creature’s Strength score decreases by 2d6 points for 2d4 rounds.
Paralyzed
The creature is paralyzed and helpless for 1d10 minutes.
Killed
Living creatures die. Undead creatures are destroyed.
Furthermore, if you are on your home plane when you cast this spell, nonevil extraplanar creatures within the area are instantly banished back to their home planes. Creatures so banished cannot return for at least 24 hours. This effect takes place regardless of whether the creatures hear the blasphemy. The banishment effect allows a Will save (at a -4 penalty) to negate.
Creatures whose Hit Dice exceed your caster level are unaffected by blasphemy.

Destruction (DC 23)
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target:     One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw:     Fortitude partial
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell instantly slays the subject and consumes its remains (but not its equipment and possessions) utterly. If the target’s Fortitude saving throw succeeds, it instead takes 10d6 points of damage. The only way to restore life to a character who has failed to save against this spell is to use true resurrection, a carefully worded wish spell followed by resurrection, or miracle.

Horrid Wilting (DC 24) 20d8
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Targets: Living creatures, no two of which can be more than 60 ft. apart
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw:     Fortitude half
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell evaporates moisture from the body of each subject living creature, dealing 1d6 points of damage per caster level (maximum 20d6). This spell is especially devastating to water elementals and plant creatures, which instead take 1d8 points of damage per caster level (maximum 20d8).

Gaseous Form
Range:     Touch
Target:     Willing corporeal creature touched
Duration: 2 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
The subject and all its gear become insubstantial, misty, and translucent. Its material armor (including natural armor) becomes worthless, though its size, Dexterity, deflection bonuses, and armor bonuses from force effects still apply. The subject gains damage reduction 10/magic and becomes immune to poison and critical hits. It can’t attack or cast spells with verbal, somatic, material, or focus components while in gaseous form. (This does not rule out the use of certain spells that the subject may have prepared using the feats Silent Spell, Still Spell, and Eschew Materials.) The subject also loses supernatural abilities while in gaseous form. If it has a touch spell ready to use, that spell is discharged harmlessly when the gaseous form spell takes effect.
A gaseous creature can’t run, but it can fly at a speed of 10 feet (maneuverability perfect). It can pass through small holes or narrow openings, even mere cracks, with all it was wearing or holding in its hands, as long as the spell persists. The creature is subject to the effects of wind, and it can’t enter water or other liquid. It also can’t manipulate objects or activate items, even those carried along with its gaseous form. Continuously active items remain active, though in some cases their effects may be moot.

Polymorph
Range:     Touch
Target:     Willing living creature touched
Duration: 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell functions like alter self, except that you change the willing subject into another form of living creature. The new form may be of the same type as the subject or any of the following types: aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, ooze, plant, or vermin. The assumed form can’t have more Hit Dice than your caster level (or the subject’s HD, whichever is lower), to a maximum of 15 HD at 15th level. You can’t cause a subject to assume a form smaller than Fine, nor can you cause a subject to assume an incorporeal or gaseous form. The subject’s creature type and subtype (if any) change to match the new form.
Upon changing, the subject regains lost hit points as if it had rested for a night (though this healing does not restore temporary ability damage and provide other benefits of resting; and changing back does not heal the subject further). If slain, the subject reverts to its original form, though it remains dead.
The subject gains the Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores of the new form but retains its own Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. It also gains all extraordinary special attacks possessed by the form but does not gain the extraordinary special qualities possessed by the new form or any supernatural or spell-like abilities.
Incorporeal or gaseous creatures are immune to being polymorphed, and a creature with the shapechanger subtype can revert to its natural form as a standard action.

Summon Monster IX
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One summoned creature
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell summons an extraplanar creature (typically an outsider, elemental, or magical beast native to another plane). It appears where you designate and acts immediately, on your turn. It attacks your opponents to the best of its ability. If you can communicate with the creature, you can direct it not to attack, to attack particular enemies, or to perform other actions.

Barbed Devil (Hamatula) click to see monster
Size/Type:     Medium Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful)
Hit Dice:     12d8+72 (126 hp)
Initiative:     +6
Speed:     30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class:     29 (+6 Dex, +13 natural), touch 16, flat-footed 23
Base Attack/Grapple:     +12/+22
Attack:     Claw +18 melee (2d8+6 plus fear)
Full Attack:     2 claws +18 melee (2d8+6 plus fear)
Space/Reach:     5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:     Fear, improved grab, impale 3d8+9, summon devil
Special Qualities:     Barbed defense, damage reduction 10/good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire and poison, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, see in darkness, spell resistance 23, spell-like abilities, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves:     Fort +14, Ref +14, Will +12
Abilities:     Str 23, Dex 23, Con 23, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 18
Skills:     Concentration +21, Diplomacy +6, Hide +21, Intimidate +19, Knowledge (any one) +16, Listen +19, Move Silently +21, Search +16, Sense Motive +17, Spot +19, Survival +2 (+4 following tracks)
Feats:     Alertness, Cleave, Improved Grapple, Iron Will, Power Attack
Environment:     A lawful evil-aligned plane
Organization:     Solitary, pair, team (3-5), or squad (6-10)
Challenge Rating:     11
Treasure:     Standard
Alignment:     Always lawful evil
Advancement:     13-24 (Medium); 25-36 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment:     —

A barbed devil is about 7 feet tall and weighs about 300 pounds.
Combat

Barbed devils eagerly fight with their claws, trying to impale their opponents. They use hold person to immobilize those who avoid their hug attacks.

A barbed devil’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as evil-aligned and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Fear (Su)

A creature hit by a barbed devil must succeed on a DC 20 Will save or be affected as though by fear (caster level 9th).

Whether or not the save is successful, that creature cannot be affected by that same barbed devil’s fear ability for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Impale (Ex)

A barbed devil deals 3d8+9 points of piercing damage to a grabbed opponent with a successful grapple check.
Improved Grab (Ex)

To use this ability, a barbed devil must hit with a claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can impale the opponent on its barbed body.
Summon Devil (Sp)

Once per day a barbed devil can attempt to summon 1d6 bearded devils or another barbed devil with a 35% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 4th-level spell.
Barbed Defense (Su)

Any creature striking a barbed devil with handheld weapons or natural weapons takes 1d8+6 points of piercing and slashing damage from the devil’s barbs. Note that weapons with exceptional reach, such as longspears, do not endanger their users in this way.
Spell-Like Abilities

At will—greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), hold person (DC 16), major image (DC 17), scorching ray (2 rays only). 1/day—order’s wrath (DC 18), unholy blight (DC 18). Caster level 12th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Disciple of Dispater - Summon 1d4 Erinyes 1/day
Erinyes click to see monster
Size/Type:     Medium Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful)
Hit Dice:     9d8+45 (85 hp)
Initiative:     +5
Speed:     30 ft. (6 squares), fly 50 ft. (good)
Armor Class:     23 (+5 Dex, +8 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple:     +9/+14
Attack:     Longsword +14 melee (1d8+5/19-20) or +1 flaming composite longbow (+5 Str bonus) +15 ranged (1d8+6/×3 plus 1d6 fire) or rope +14 ranged (entangle)
Full Attack:     Longsword +14/+9 melee (1d8+5/19-20) or +1 flaming composite longbow (+5 Str bonus) +15/+10 ranged (1d8+6/×3 plus 1d6 fire) or rope +14 ranged (entangle)
Space/Reach:     5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:     Entangle, spell-like abilities, summon devil
Special Qualities:     Damage reduction 5/good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire and poison, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, see in darkness, spell resistance 20, telepathy 100 ft., true seeing
Saves:     Fort +11, Ref +11, Will +10
Abilities:     Str 21, Dex 21, Con 21, Int 14, Wis 18, Cha 20
Skills:     Concentration +17, Diplomacy +7, Escape Artist +17, Hide +17, Knowledge (any two) +14, Listen +16, Move Silently +17, Search +14, Sense Motive +16, Spot +16, Survival +4 (+6 following tracks), Use Rope +5 (+7 with bindings)
Feats:     DodgeB, MobilityB, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Shot on the Run
Environment:     A lawful evil-aligned plane
Organization:     Solitary
Challenge Rating:     8
Treasure:     Standard, plus rope and +1 flaming composite longbow (+5 Str bonus)
Alignment:     Always lawful evil
Advancement:     10-18 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment:     +7

Unlike other devils, erinyes appear attractive to humans, resembling very comely women or men. An erinyes stands about 6 feet tall and weighs about 150 pounds.

Erinyes speak Infernal, Celestial, and Draconic.
Combat

Erinyes prefer to engage in combat from a distance. They use charm monster to distract or disorganize their opponents, then rain down fiery arrows from above.

An erinyes’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as evil-aligned and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Entangle (Ex)

Each erinyes carries a stout rope some 50 feet long that entangles opponents of any size as an animate rope spell (caster level 16th). An erinyes can hurl its rope 30 feet with no range penalty. Typically, an erinyes entangles a foe, lifts it into the air, and drops it from a great height.
Spell-Like Abilities

At will—greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), charm monster (DC 19), minor image (DC 17), unholy blight (DC 19). Caster level 12th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Summon Devil (Sp)

Once per day an erinyes can attempt to summon 2d10 lemures or 1d4 bearded devils with a 50% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd-level spell.
True Seeing (Su)

Erinyes continuously use true seeing, as the spell (caster level 14th).

Fluff/Tactics
The product of a coupling between his ogre mage father and erinyes mother, Goramas was raised on the second layer of Baator, in the labyrinthine city of Dis. His young life was spent learning the politics of Hell, as well as being taught all there was to know about warfare and strategy. As is usually the case with a baatezu parent, his conception was all part of a premeditated plan. A powerful devil can take millennia to rise up from the lowly state of a lemure, and as the hordes of the Abyss are both relentless and theoretically infinite, that is a very long time to wait. Yet in only forty short years, mighty Goramas was outpacing his mother and her fellows on the field of battle.

It was shortly after he was seen strangling a Balor with it's own whip that Dispater realized that he might have created Goramas a bit too well.

Renowned throughout the planes for his paranoia, the Iron Duke decided that having a servant near at hand that came so close to rivaling his own power might put his position in jeopardy. Not so long ago, another layer of Hell had been ruled by a powerful hag instead of a true devil; it did not stretch the imagination too far to think that Goramas may well command enough respect to claim the Iron Throne.

Suddenly faced with the problem of having a servant that was too dangerous to keep close, yet too valuable to discard, Dispater decided it was time to expand his holdings to the Prime Material. Goramas was cast from Hell with the instructions to raise a mighty army and conquer a continent in the name of Dis, that the resources and people of that place might be turned to his master's ends.

Goramas is never caught unawares, having learned the art of paranoia beneath none other than mighty Dispater himself. In the incredibly unlikely event that he's forced into combat (which he now views as beneath him, as he is no longer doing the work of a soldier, but a general), he will do all he can to keep distance between himself and his assailants until he's had the chance to summon a hamatula and his eryinyes vanguard. He'll then continue making liberal use of his spell-like abilities, leading with a Destruction cast on whoever seems most likely to be the party's mage, and then following up with a Horrid Wilting. After that, he prefers to teleport in to the midst of the group to take the fight directly to their spellcasters, bringing them down as quickly and efficiently as possible (likely making use of power attack, though his cautious nature usually keeps him from taking more than a -7 penalty on attack), while flashing the Buckler of the Lost at the melee fighters of the party.

Against other warriors, he prefers to sunder their weapons until they are forced to draw their backup blades, at which point he'll press the advantage. If he takes more than 100 points of damage, he teleports away at the first opportunity, unless the PCs have slain his daughter, in which case he will continue to fight until taking 200 points of damage. If forced to retreat, he will use the Farseer Orb to stalk those who defeated him, then teleport to their location when they are at their most vulnerable. Otherwise, he's quite prepared to wait for his foes to die of old age while he methodically forges a stronghold elsewhere on the Prime Material.

[Note! If you are playing in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, it is suggested that you consider moving Goramas and his forces in to Hellgate keep. The misleading name of the place would offend him to the point of expunging all of the demons and establishing it as his first stronghold, from which he would methodically extend his iron grip across Faerun. It has become a point of honor for him to teach the mortals that the undirected and senselessly violent spawn of the Abyss are nothing compared to the legions of Hell.]

Eisengorge [+5 Wounding/Marrowcrushing bastard sword]
Int 18, Wis 19, Cha 19, Ego 35

Eisengorge is a weapon forged in the Hells. It is possessed by a Pit Fiend by the same name, a servant of Dis who, many years ago had failed in his duty. In light of his otherwise flawless record, the Pit Fiend was spared the indignation of demotion, instead locked within the magical blade which allows him to continue serving Dispater's interests on a higher level than he otherwise might.

The wielder of Eisengorge is encouraged by the blade to attempt to parlay before combat, so it might have the opportunity to read the thoughts of those it may soon be battling, in the hopes of uncovering some weakness, and also makes frequent use of it's Clairvoyance ability to ensure that it and it's wielder can be properly prepared.

While Eisengorge considers itself a superior mind to whoever it has been bestowed upon, it is loathe to rebel against it's wielder because each time it does so results in another year added to it's 1000 year sentence (which is still a bargain compared to clawing his way back up through the Infernal ranks from a lemure). This, of course, only applies to agents of Dispater. Should someone else come into possession of the sword, it is encouraged to turn them into thralls of evil. It is Eisengorge's dearest hope that through the ineptitude of a wielder, it may one day fall into the hands of some muscle-bound dimwit of a warrior, that it may use such a person to further it's own interests.

Eisengorge speaks and reads common, abyssal, celestial, infernal, and draconic.
Eisengorge can communicate telepathically with it's wielder, and Read Magic at will.

At-will
Detect Thoughts (Will DC 17, Range: 60 ft cone)
You detect surface thoughts. The amount of information revealed depends on how long you study a particular area or subject.
1st Round
Presence or absence of thoughts (from conscious creatures with Intelligence scores of 1 or higher).
2nd Round
Number of thinking minds and the Intelligence score of each. If the highest Intelligence is 26 or higher (and at least 10 points higher than your own Intelligence score), you are stunned for 1 round and the spell ends. This spell does not let you determine the location of the thinking minds if you can’t see the creatures whose thoughts you are detecting.
3rd Round
Surface thoughts of any mind in the area. A target’s Will save prevents you from reading its thoughts, and you must cast detect thoughts again to have another chance. Creatures of animal intelligence (Int 1 or 2) have simple, instinctual thoughts that you can pick up.
Each round, you can turn to detect thoughts in a new area. The spell can penetrate barriers, but 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt blocks it

3/Day
Cure Moderate Wounds on wielder (2d8+3)

Locate Object
You sense the direction of a well-known or clearly visualized object. You can search for general items, in which case you locate the nearest one of its kind if more than one is within range. Attempting to find a certain item requires a specific and accurate mental image; if the image is not close enough to the actual object, the spell fails. You cannot specify a unique item unless you have observed that particular item firsthand (not through divination).
The spell is blocked by even a thin sheet of lead. Creatures cannot be found by this spell. Polymorph any object fools it.

Zone of Truth (DC 17, Range: 30 ft, Area: 20-ft radius emanation)
Creatures within the emanation area (or those who enter it) can’t speak any deliberate and intentional lies. Each potentially affected creature is allowed a save to avoid the effects when the spell is cast or when the creature first enters the emanation area. Affected creatures are aware of this enchantment. Therefore, they may avoid answering questions to which they would normally respond with a lie, or they may be evasive as long as they remain within the boundaries of the truth. Creatures who leave the area are free to speak as they choose.

2/Day
Clairvoyance
Clairvoyance creates an invisible magical sensor at a specific location that enables you to hear or see (your choice) almost as if you were there. You don’t need line of sight or line of effect, but the locale must be known—a place familiar to you or an obvious one. Once you have selected the locale, the sensor doesn’t move, but you can rotate it in all directions to view the area as desired. Unlike other scrying spells, this spell does not allow magically or supernaturally enhanced senses to work through it. If the chosen locale is magically dark, you see nothing. If it is naturally pitch black, you can see in a 10-foot radius around the center of the spell’s effect. Clairvoyance functions only on the plane of existence you are currently occupying.

As a magical blade, Eisengorge's special purpose is to defend the servants and interests of Dispater, and to that end can cast Waves of Exhaustion at will as a Standard action.
Range:     60 ft.
Area: Cone-shaped burst
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw:     No
Spell Resistance: Yes (Caster level 15)
Waves of negative energy cause all living creatures in the spell’s area to become exhausted. An exhausted character moves at half speed and takes a -6 penalty to Strength and Dexterity. After 1 hour of complete rest, an exhausted character becomes fatigued. A fatigued character becomes exhausted by doing something else that would normally cause fatigue. This spell has no effect on a creature that is already exhausted.

Pottymouthed Adventurers!

2011-04-22T14:47:00.000-05:00

Sometimes things get tense in a game, and this tension can lead to some really colorful commentary. While that's all well and good if it's your style, there are some instances where using modern day slang might break the ambiance, raise the tension to an out of game level (if for example, one PC is lambasting another), or be unwelcome, as when gaming at a local gaming shop.

To do away with these situations, we make use of the following list. Not only is it relatively mild and fit for public ears, but it actually adds another layer of fun to the gaming sessions, and makes sure that any in-game tensions are expressed in a manner that remains lighthearted for the players.

This isn't my list; in fact, I'm not really sure who made it first as I've seen it posted all over the web. If you guys think of any other cool curses or innuendos, post them in the comments for the consideration of others!

Thanks to whatever enterprising gamer took the time to generate this list first for our amusement.
(I've taken the liberty of slipping a few gems from JourneyQuest in and amongst the originals.)

General exclamations/curses
--------------------
“By the hells!”
“Hellfire!”
“By the fiery gates of Gehenna!”
"Gods and heroes!"
“Gods above 'n' fiends below!”
“Shyte!” [Generally seen as a better variant of “S***”]
"Rut!" [Generally seen as a better variant of "F***". "Rut the rutting rutters."]
"Sod!" [A term of derision. "Sod the quest!"]
“Damn / Damnation!”
"Dark" or "Dark and empty" [roughly equivalent to "crap"; prevalent in Sembia]
“Dented shields and broken swords!” [curse, esp. used by warriors and military folk]

Personal abuse - men
--------------------
“Whoreson” [questions someone's parentage, but a general term of abuse]
“Knave”
“Orcwit” [fool, idiot]
“Orcsnack” [a green recruit]
“Badblood” [a troublemaker]
“Troll dung” [abusive, esp. used by dwarves]

Personal abuse - women
----------------------
“She-goat”
“Harpy”
“Harlot”

Divine oaths
------------
“(by) Auril's kiss!” [A sudden realization of something terrible; a cold slap in the face.]
“(by) Bane's Black Blood.”
“(by) Beshaba's (bad) breath!” [normally used to indicate bad luck, or to curse an unfortunate event]
“By the combined crotches of all Beshaba's chosen!”
“(by) Clangeddin's stones!”
“Cyric's Sword!” [Curse and double entendre. It is generally frowned upon and considered bad luck to mention the Dark Sun's name.]
“Gond's Gears!” [A curse, something unnecessarily complicated and unlikely to work.]
“(by) Hanali’s Golden Heart!” [polite exclamation, used esp. by elven nobles]
“Helm's Haemorrhoids!” [Irreverent, to deride a necessary but unappealling task.]
“Ilmater's patience!” [When someone is timewasting, also “You'd try the patience of Ilmater himself!”]
“By the (Crying) God's Tears!” [Polite exclamation; Ilmateri normally omit “Crying”]
“By the light of Lathander.” [Normally a blessing, but also an exclamation.]
“By the last sunrise!” [Oath used by priests of Lathander, the Morninglord.]
“Leira's Lamentation(s).” [Something that is not what it seems, particularly feigned grief. A double entendre when spoken because Lliira (Our Lady of Joy) is pronounced the same way as Leira (Lady of the Mists).]
“Loviatar's Caress.” [Something that hurts, also “Loviatar's Lash”, for those less given to subtlety.]
“(by) Moradin's hairy pair!”
“Mystra's Miracles!” [An exclamation of surprise, as when something happens by unexpected magic.]
“May the Wandering God's heel tread lightly on you.”
“(by the) clanging stones of the Wanderer!” [i.e. Shaundakul]
“By the Six rods of Shakazakh”
“Great Stinking Balls of Tempus!” [A battle cry]
“Talos' teeth!”

Regional oaths (alphabetically)
-------------------------------
[Cormyr] “Keep your Peace Knot tied.” [i.e. calm down]
[Cormyr] “A hero must move.”
[Cormyr] “(you've) the reach of Gondegal!” [said to someone attempting something they cannot hope to achieve. Derived from the saying “Gondegal's reach was longer than his blade”, of the Lost King's brief rule over Arabel.]
[the Dales, Western Heartlands] “In the East, perhaps!” [untrue, absurd, as of a fanciful story or unlikely tale.]
[the Dales] “Mind the barn when it’s full, not empty. “ [i.e. don’t waste time on something that doesn’t need done.]
[the Dales] “Zhent deal” [a double-cross.]
[Mulmaster] “Fear and loyalty are the same word.”
[Thay] “Tamm's cold hands!”
[The North] “Klauth”, [“vicious”, as in “Don't go near him early of mornings; he's apt to be a right Klauth until he's had a mug or two.” or: “Blood and bodies everywhere...it looked as though old Klauth himself had come calling!” or the shorter variant: “Regular Klauth work!”, used to describe butchery. These all derive from the nasty brutality of the great red wyrm Klauth.]
[Zhentil Keep] “Rewarded like Zhentar.” [“Betrayed.”]
[Zhentil Keep] “For god, keep and master.” [Traditional salute of the Zhentarim. The keep refers to Zhentil Keep, ‘master’ to whoever is its leader, be it Fzoul or Manshoon, and 'god’ to Bane or Cyric.]

Planar oaths
------------
[I haven't included these, as you'd need your character to have a pretty improbable reason for knowing them. However, there's an *excellent* list at: http://www.mimir.net/cant/cant2.html ]

RACIAL SPEECH[/u]
Orcish
------
“Ashdautas Vrasubatlat.” [“Someday I will kill you”, a standard Orcish greeting]
“Nar Udautas.” [“Not today”, the standard reply]

“Amal shufar, at rrug.” [“Where there's a whip, there's a way.”]
“Mirdautas vras.” [“It is a good day to kill”]
“Zanbaur.” [“Elfson”]

Dwarven
-------
“Axe high, friend, I go” [Dwarven farewell]
“May your axe be ever bright” [Dwarven farewell]
“I go” {Dwarven farewell – not impolite, often used by merchants]

“sargh” [orc, or orc-filth. Abusive term.]
“By my beard!” [The speaker is being VERY serious.]
“His beard is long.” or “...longer than his years.” [indicates wisdom]
“no-beard” or “shorthair” [meant as an insult to any race; particularly grave to another dwarf]
“You stand tall among us.” [complimentary; the actual height of the person in question is irrelevant - it's impossible for a dwarf to use this ironically.]
“His axe is sharp.” [said of a good strategic thinker.]
“Under the Mountain.” [Safe, well protected.]
“Open to the sky.” [Unsafe, unprotected. Also an insult, i.e. someone is a liability.]
“Gordul!” [“Gods look on!”]
“Calass.” [a thief]
“dur Authalar” [“the people”, only really used by wild dwarves]
“Fair as the Holy Hammer!” [Effectively means “Unfair”, “Unjust”; when addressed directly to a person (“Soft with the Holy Hammer!”) it means “Calm down”, or “Ease off”. The Holy Hammer are a dwarven group dedicated to the survival and improvement of the dwarven race and the lot of the dwarves. The dubious means (including murder and intimidation) by which they go about this noble-sounding end results in an expression which means the reverse of what one might expect.]
“Sandstone!” [Serious exclamation; literally stone too soft and crumbling to be workable.]
"As wild as a night in Wildstar." [Bawdy: Wildstar is an underground town of gold dwarves]
"For the arduke." [A battle-cry. The arduke is a title of the clan's chieftain used among the gold dwarves]

Elven
-----
“Shardae” [“Winds blow.” A neutral elven greeting indicating that chance has brought you together.]
“Sweet water and light laughter until next” [elven farewell, becoming adopted by nobles across the Heartlands]
“Vedui” [greeting; see “Vendui” below]
“Vendui” [Drow *only* - greeting. Surface elves will *not* be impressed if you use this to them]
“Aluve” [Drow *only* - “I/we leave you”.]

“Est eionivan ei tie Myotha.” [“Until the stones forget.” A green elven curse, pronounced in all seriousness on those who have done some great harm to the People. Based on the idea that all things have an anima or spirit which the People can speak with and that the stones have the longest memories.]
“Nadorhuan(rim)” [“Cowardly dog(s)”]
“Mereth en draugrim” [“Feast of wolves”, i.e. a slain enemy]
“Andodulin” [“Gate bird”, i.e. a slain enemy]
“Auta miqula orqu” [“Go kiss an orc”]
“Lasta lalaithamin” [“Listen to my laughter”, dismissive]
“Antolle ulua sulrim” [“Much wind pours from your mouth”]
“Utinu en lokirim” [“Son of snakes”, i.e. a dishonest person]
“Lle naa haran e' nausalle” [“You are king in your imagination”, to a pompous person]
“Amin feuya ten' lle” [“You disgust me”]
“Lle holma ve' edan” [“You smell like a human”]
“Dolle naa lost” [“Your head is empty”]

Gnomish
-------
“Forges warm, friend” [Gnomish farewell]

“(to) set the gears in motion.” [Getting things started, often with the mechanistic gnomish mentality that all things work like machines.]
“(he) always casts a shadow.” [Mild or medium insult. Suggestive of the inability to hide *in* the shadows or use illusions to avoid detection.]

Halfling
--------
“Good morning, and good day after that! Don't let anything curl your hair!” [Halfling greeting, to which is sometimes added, “'Ware the Big Folk, and mind the goblins too!”]
“Gods smile (upon you)!” [Halfling greeting to the impatient other races.]
“Brandobaris watch over your shadows.” [Hin farewell]

GREETINGS and SAYINGS[/u]
Hello and goodbye
-----------------
“Well met” [Most often used greeting, especially between races or to those about whom you are unsure.]
“Well again” [Used between business associates or acquaintances]
“Again.” [Hostile greeting. Abbreviated from “Well again.”]
“Olore” [Equivalent to 'well met', used by travelers in the Inner Sea lands, especially around the Sea of Fallen Stars.]
“Until swords part” [Warriors' farewell throughout the Realms.]
“Until next, may your sword be ever wet, and your arse dry” [the Pirates of the Inner Sea]
“Alavairthae!” [A Thayan farewell, particularly among the Red Wizards. Means “May your skill prevail!”.]
“Amarast!” [“Fare well until next we meet!”, used by the sailors of the South.]
“Braeunk vhos trolkh!” [Hobgoblin: “If you die while I'm gone, do it quietly.” Also implies the unspoken addendum: “because I wouldn't want to miss the fun.”]
“Tantam.” [Greeting used by merchants of all sorts in the North.]
“Oakfather keep the earth firm beneath your feet and the sun warm on your face ‘till next we meet.” [Also: “Rillifane...”, “Eldath…”, etc., and abbreviated to “Firm earth, warm sun ‘till next.” Farewell common amongst followers of most nature deities]

Sayings
-------
“That hound won't hunt.” [Indicates a poorly thought-out idea or ill-judged plan. Mildly insulting.]
"Watch thy step, or your gold will soon be gilding Gondegal's throne!" [Warning expression. "Gondegal's throne" refers to anything likely to be a money-sink.]
“(you'd) sell slaves in Silverymoon.” [to do something that violates local law/custom in a particularly outrageous and obvious way and then say: “I didn't know any better.”]
“(caught) between the Dragon and the Desert.” [between a rock and a hard place - to face two equally unattractive possibilities.]
“No more Firewine for the Barbarian.” [said of someone going too far with a jest or a plan. “firewine” can be replaced by “jhuild”, and “the Barbarian” by whoever it applies to.]
“Fool's Gold”, or “To take Fool's Gold.” [An adventurer's watchword meaning to take on an adventure so dangerous that only the god Torm (The True, the Foolish) would attempt it.]

Bawdiness and Innuendo
---------------------
"Huff, to" [To have sex]
“Satyr’s pleasure” [The act of love]
“saece” (E: “SAY-sss”) [cross-dresser (either gender)]
“wild one / thaethiira” (E: “thAY-th-EAR-ah”) [male or female who enjoys being forcibly enspelled (including shapechanging) as part of sexual play
“coin-lass, coin-lad” [prostitute]
“praed” [male homosexual]
“liyan” (E: “LEE-awwn”) [male homosexual]
“dathna” [effeminate male homosexual]
“tasmar” [bisexual man]
“winker” [lecher]
“cod-loose winker” [Casanova, tireless woman-chaser]
“dusk” [masochistic man; refers to a male who enjoys self-bondage and/or being bound, being whipped or pierced or otherwise hurt]
“Thruss” [lesbian]
“Battlebud” [dyke]
“Harnor” [a butch or manly woman]
“Rose” [a submissive female, commonly used sexually]
“Dusk rose” [a masochistic female]
“Shaeda” (E: “SHAY-dah”) [bisexual female]

Rank and Title
--------------
Position........... ............Male........... ..........Female
Commoner.......... ............Goodman.......... ....Goodwife or Maid
Knight, Officer.......... ........Sir.............. .........Lady, or Lady Sir
Mayor, Warden,....... .........Lord....... ......Lady, or Lady Lord Commander, Seneschal
Baron, Count......... ...........Milord........ .........Milady
Duke, Viscount, Marquis.. ...High Lord..... .......High Lady
Grand Duke, Prince....... ....Highness........ .....Highness
King, Queen, Archduke.. ....Majesty.......... .....Majesty

General titles for male/female nobility of uncertain rank:
[Mulmaster] “Zor/Zora”
[Calimshan] “Syl”
[Everywhere else] "Saer" [Also applies to children of nobility too young or low-ranking to have been awarded titles of their own.]

In general Heartlands usage, the head of a noble house is "Lord Grayhill", his children are all "Saer [name] Grayhill." His widowed or aged parents, or older uncles and aunts living but bypassed in precedence are "Old Lord (or Lady) Grayhill."

Personae Malevolent 4; Ape Slaad

2011-04-22T07:49:00.000-05:00

Name: Ape Slaad
Race: Magical Beast
Classes: Magical Beast 6
Alignment N
Appearance
This hulking monstrosity lurches about on it's over sized fists, unnaturally long tongue dangling from it's mouth from betwix unsettlingly large canines. It's beady black eyes are somehow suffused with beastial intelligence, nostrils flaring as it sniffs the air, all while muttering noises that sound not unlike some awkwardly-spoken eldritch language. An ape slaad is always hunched forward on it's knuckles, but if it were to stand straight it would easily reach 9 feet in height, weighing around 600 lbs.
Organization
Single, Mated Pair (2), Pack (3-6), Knot (7-20)
ECL - 5

Stats

STR 24 (7)
DEX 16 (3)
CON 16 (3)
INT 5 (-3)
WIS 13 (1)
CHA 8 (-1)

Speed: 30
Initiative: 3
BAB: 6
Grapple: 17

AC 16 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +5 Natural)
Flat Footed 13, Touch 12

HP 59

Saves
Fort 8
Ref 8
Will 3

Attacks
Claw, +13 melee (1d8+7)
Bite, +13 melee (1d8+3 save DC 16 vs poison,)
Tongue, +9 melee (1d4+7, save DC 16 vs poison,)

Full Attack
Claw/Claw +13 melee, and Bite +11 melee
OR
Tongue, +9 melee and Bite +11 melee

Space/Reach 10 ft/10 ft. (tongue up to 20 ft)

Class/Racial/Extraordinary Abilities:
Darkvision 60 ft
Low-Light Vision
Scent
Amphibious
An ape slaad's coloration gives it a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks.
An ape slaad has had the toad aspect of it's composition enhanced to make great leaps, giving it a +10 racial bonus on Jump checks.

Fantastic Leap (Ex)
An ape slaad is able to make all jumps as though it had a running start.

Rend (Ex)
An ape slaad that hits with both claw attacks latches onto the opponent’s body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals an extra 2d8+10 points of damage.

Improved Grab (Ex)
To use this ability, an ape slaad must hit with it's tongue attack. It can then grapple as a swift action and pull a grabbed opponent of medium or smaller size into it's mouth in the same round, then making a bite attack. The ape slaad can then maintain the grapple with just it's mouth while leaving it's hands free, but must do so at a -10 penalty.

Poison
An ape slaad keeps a thick coating of powerful hallucinogenic saliva along the inside of it's mouth and over it's tongue. Failing a DC 16 Fort save renders the target Stunned for 1d4+1 rounds, whereafter he is Dazed for 1 additional round.

A Stunned creature drops everything held, can’t take actions, takes a –2 penalty to AC, and loses his Dexterity bonus to AC.
A Dazed creature can take no actions, but has no penalty to AC.

Feats
Improved Natural Armor
Improved Natural Attack (claws)
Multiattack

Skills

Hide - Ranks (6) + (dex) + misc (3)= 12

Jump - Ranks (6) + (str) + misc (10)= 23

Move Silently - Ranks (6) + (dex) + misc ()= 9

Fluff and tactics:
The ape slaad is not a true slaad at all, but rather a magical beast created by crossing a toad with a dire ape (though another way to look at the name might be a "mimic slaad", as ape is also a word for mimic). This creature was created by a clever mage who wanted to be able to scare people off by fooling them into thinking he had bound several red slaadi to his service. The fruit of his labor resulted in a reasonable facsimile, likely good enough to fool anyone who hasn't seen a slaad before, and in fact, produced a being who was superior in some ways (though slightly inferior when taken on the whole).

An ape slaad is just smart enough to be taught to parrot a few words in the slaadi tongue, though they are nonsense sounds as far as the beast is concerned. Though they understand a few words of Common, these are usually limited to simple commands at best. A combination of breeding and magical enhancement have resulted in ape slaadi being very obidient to one particular master, as well as having enhanced strength and jumping capabilities and the hallucinogenic poison the toad half would naturally secrete through the skin being weaponized into a sort of venom.

After the eventual death of the arch mage who first engineered their race, ape slaad began breeding in the wild, and have started to establish a foothold in the wilderness around their old tower. Their protective instincts drive them to be violently territorial to a degree that might surprise even their dire-ape ancestors, and as their numbers increase they start to "protect" a wider and wider area. When a Knot begins to exceed about 20 members, a portion of the group will break off and range far afield in search of more plentiful hunting grounds.

True slaadi tend to have violent reactions to ape slaadi, and do their best to kill them whenever they have an encounter, though such an event is rare.

In combat, an ape slaad hurls itself into the fray with wild abandon, howling and croaking in a bizarre amalgamation of sounds from each side of it's lineage, while slashing away with it's oversized claws and fangs. Against multiple opponents, most ape slaad have been trained to look for the person wearing the least armor to target with their tongue attack, which often results in the legs of an unfortunate spellcaster dangling from the ape slaad's mouth. It can hold prey in it's mouth and throat with relative ease, making a bite attack against the unfortunate (possibly stunned) person in it's jaws while still slashing away with it's arms. They have learned that humanoids are a serious threat when they are encountered, and are cunning enough to leave a single wounded humanoid as bait when others are nearby, knowing that they tend to hurry to their own kind.

SCENARIO -ECL 8
The party is moving along a well known caravan route that snakes through the woods, on their guard against a band of highwaymen known to harass the area. Perhaps they're escorting a caravan to make some extra coin, or alternately it may just be part of their journey. Suddenly, a horrible cacophony erupts from the woods a few hundred feet ahead, and a man clad in leather armor bursts from the tree line. He makes it a few feet into the road before a thin line shoots out and snags him, dragging him back toward a hulking shape just barely out of sight.

This was the last of the highwaymen, the gang having run afoul of a pack of 5 ape slaadi. Two of the slaadi are at injured, one being at 41 HP and the other at 37. All of them are lingering near the road, and have spotted the party. After some far off babbling croaks, the dying highway man is spat back out on to the road at -7 HP, the slaadi hunkering down to make use of their natural coloration to hide from the new threats, waiting to set an ambush as the man moans in agony.

I got to interview Christian Doyle, JourneyQuest's Perf!

2011-04-20T14:21:00.000-05:00

GMK
Thanks Christian. Just got our signed JourneyQuest DVD in the mail yesterday! My wife and I are huge fans of all of you guys.

Christian Doyle
Thanks for being fans. And keep watching, season two is gonna be awesome!

GMK
Oh man, we can't wait.

Christian Doyle
We have a new cast member next season who is a bonafide Whedon alum.

GMK
Um...sorry, I thought you were alluding to Scott just then.
Who is the Whedon alum?

Christian Doyle
Fran Kranz (Topher from Dollhouse) I don't count Scott because he's always around. He's my best friend after all.

GMK
You guys might have the best job in the world.

Christian Doyle
Might? I get to be a wizard! I get to sword fight and kiss pretty girls and that's my job. Pay or no pay that IS the best job in the world.

GMK
You know...it just dawned on me that in Dorkness Rising AND JourneyQuest, you played an arcane caster. Any in-game preferences to do with that?

Christian Doyle
Nope. I don't play characters that use magic. Ever. Fighters and rogues for me.

GMK
Oh yeah? That's actually sort of funny in a way I can't exactly put my finger on.

Christian Doyle
It goes back to my obsession with swords.

GMK
How are we defining "obsession" here?

Christian Doyle
When i was a kid (3years old) I got cut by a very sharp knife. So I became afraid of sharp things. When I was 8 My step dad gave me a pocket knife and told me it was time to get over it. So I did in a very big way. I have gone out of my way to learn everything that i can about very sharp things. how they're made, how to use them properly. fencing, escrima, Chinese sword, broadsword, and lots of stage combat. That's how I get over my fears. I think of my Dad telling me to suck it up and stop being a Nance, Then I jump in head first no matter how shallow the water is.
and thta was the short answer

GMK
That's awesome! I was going to ask if you'd had the chance to train with the Seattle Knights at all, but it sounds like you might be able to show them a thing or two. Have your parents seen all of the stuff you've acted in?

Christian Doyle
The seattle knights are a HUGE part of JourneyQuest and I look forward very much to working with them more in the future. They have a really defined style and system of stage combat that I'm very eager to learn.
My Mom and late Stepfather watch everything they can. But I'm in so many shows every year that they can't keep up.
also my stepfather hasn't seen anything I've done since he died. But I'll forgive him
I mean, it's not like he's just being lazy...

GMK
That's very decent of you! You've been in a lot of stuff, and in the JourneyQuest extras, you and Brian mention doing some Shakespeare, showing that you have a broad range of acting interests. Two questions come to mind from that;
1) If you could have any role ever, even something that you could create from the ground up, what would it be?
and 2) William Shakespeare or R.L.McSterlingthong?

Christian Doyle
1.) hands down: Sherlock Holmes...oh...and Hamlet.
2.) Shakespeare (but it's fair to say that it's only because R.L. gave him his inspiration....according to him)

GMK
And so once again the student surpasses the master. Both of the aforementioned bards are world-renowned for their ability to craft tales of woe, casting a stark light on matters of the heart, good and evil, and the way the line in between can sometimes blur. I was hoping you could help straighten me out on something to do with that topic.
Glorian; Pure evil, or innocent by virtue of crushing stupidity?

Christian Doyle
I really shouldn't say... But he's absolutely psychotic either way.

GMK
Fair enough. Changing the topic back to RPGs really quick; have you got a favorite system? 4e, Pathfinder, or any of the lesser-known?

Christian Doyle
I truly do not have a preference. I've been playing a lot of Pathfinder lately, but I'm always down to play any system. I've been in the mood for a good Superhero game...

GMK
Got a favorite story?

Christian Doyle
Lots of them. I read a lot.

GMK
Sorry, I actually meant a gaming story. Some awesome crowning moment of a campaign in which you took part.

Christian Doyle
So many... defeating Undermountain without dying. Fighting Orcus on his home plane. Finishing the "Harlequin Module" for Shadowrun and escaping the Tomb of Horrors intact to name just a few.

GMK
Tomb of Horrors! Oh man, that place was awesome...! For me, I mean. I made my players run through it. The Argent Pride had a relatively low mortality rate, how did the rest of your party fare? (And what edition?)

Christian Doyle
3.5. we lost two of 5

GMK
Not bad. How'd they go?

Christian Doyle
Both killed by the Dookie Monster.

GMK
Ooooooh. Yep, I know which one you mean.

Christian Doyle
That thing was ridiculous.
Nearly killed us all.

GMK
I'd better be careful or I'm gonna get into spoilers here.
Dead Gentleman has been working with Paizo in a way that an outsider may assume to be similar to the way Dorkness worked with W.O.T.C. Is there a similar Pathfinder/JourneyQuest tie in there? I've been looking for a spell to blast somebody with milk, and haven't had any luck...

Christian Doyle
That would be something to ask Ben Dobyns or Matt Vancil about. I just act.
But from what I understand, Conjure Milk is just a create water spell that Perf has managed to weaponize.

GMK
And pasteurize. I figure it's about time I let you off the hook (for the interview anyway. I'm probably gonna chew your ear off about ToH off the record). Thanks for being so generous and offering us these insights. Anything you'd like to say to wrap up?

Christian Doyle
Yes.
We have the best fans in the world. Thanks for letting us tell you stories

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Go watch him and the others for free on Youtube in both Dorkness Rising and JourneyQuest, and if (lets be honest; when) you love what you see, remember to support their efforts either by donating, buying the DVDs, or even just spreading the word around to people you know who would be interested.

Personae Malevolent 3; Gory Rory

2011-04-19T09:20:00.000-05:00

Name: Rory
Race: Halfing (Grave-Touched Ghoul)
Classes: Rogue (3)
Alignment: CE
Religion: Doresain, King of the Ghouls
[CR 4]
Appearance
This unfortunate hin has been transformed into a vile parody of his former self. His (relatively) tall frame is hunched forward slightly, flesh appearing drawn and gaunt. A feral red light burns in his once cheerful eyes, brown hair matted with grease, and a thin layer of gore caked around his lips. At the end of his right arm, his hand has been replaced with a viscous looking blade, the hilt of which has been driven up into his wrist and affixed with several lengths of leather twine. When he speaks his voice is raspy and twisted, a note of madness evident behind every syllable.

Stats

STR 15
DEX 22
CON -
INT 18
WIS 19
CHA 18

Speed 30
Initiative +10
BAB 2/Grapple 7

AC 22 (23 vs target of Dodge)
Flat Footed 16, touch 18

Masterwork leather armor [+2 ac, max dex +7, -0 armor check penalty]
Natural armor 2
Deflection +1
Size bonus +1

HP 29

Saves
Fort 1
Ref 8
Will 5

Attacks:
+2 (small) corrosive stump sword
[+10 to hit, 1d4+4+1d6 acid, 19-20 x2]

Natural weapons
Bite
[+8 to hit, 1d4+1+Ghoul Fever {Fort save DC 15, incubation period 1 day, damage 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex}, + Paralysis {Fort save DC 19, paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds}, x2]
Claw
[+8 to hit, 1d3+2+Paralysis {Fort save DC 19, paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds}, x2]

FULL ATTACK
Sword/Claw/Bite
8/8/6

Sword
+8 to hit, 1d4+4+1d6 acid, 19-20 x2
Claw
+8 to hit, 1d3+2+Paralysis {Fort save DC 19, paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds}, x2
Bite
+6 to hit, 1d4+1+Ghoul Fever {Fort save DC 15, incubation period 1 day, damage 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex}, + Paralysis {Fort save DC 19, paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds}, x2

Class/Racial Abilities
Dark Vision 70 feet.
Sneak attack 2d6
Evasion
Trap Sense +1
Trap Finding
Turn resistance +2
Diet dependant on flesh
[If he cannot feed on living or dead flesh at least once every 3 days, Rory must make a DC 15 Will save or suffer 2d4 Wisdom damage. As his Wisdom gets lower, it becomes harder for him to fight off his need to feed, and when he eventually reaches 0 Wisdom he will fly into an uncontrollable, bestial fury, disregarding his own safety until he's satisfied his hunger. However, as dead flesh will do, (and is in fact preferred) it's relatively simple to plunder a graveyard, thereby avoiding great personal risk.]
Undead traits

Feats:
Dodge
Improved Initiative
Weapon Finesse
Improved Paralysis [+4 DC to Paralysis ability]
Multiattack [secondary natural attacks take -2 penalty instead of -5]

Flaws/Traits
Hydrophobia
You find water, particularly deep water, frightening.
Drawback: If a Hydrophobic character is ever in water that is one foot or greater than their height in depth, they will need to make a Will save with a DC equal to 10 + 1/2 character level. If they succeed, they can continue swimming. If they fail, they will become shaken and attempt to leave the water, as fast as possible, using the shortest route.
If an Hydrophobic character is ever asked to enter water that is one foot or greater than their height in depth, they must make the same Will save they would if they were immersed. If they succeed, they can enter the water. If they fail, they will refuse. The character gains +4 bonus on the will save if not going into the water would be dangerous or suicidal for them.
Hydrophobic characters are not usually afraid of shallow water, like puddles or baths, nor are they usually afraid of glasses of water.
Spells involving large quantities of water may also cause an Hydrophobic character to panic for a round. Make the same will save if an Hydrophobic character is within sight of a spell, power, or technique that they can see that produces at least as much water as their own body in volume. Failing the throw will cause the character to become shaken for as many rounds as the level of the viewed spell. A shaken character who fails the save becomes frightened and a frightened character becomes panicked.
Also, water elementals can bring a level of terror to an Hydrophobic character as well. It's pretty disturbing to have moving, sentient water approaching an Hydrophobic character and thus the character must make the will save at a DC increased by 1/2 the HD of the water elemental seen or become shaken until five rounds after seeing the elemental. A shaken character who fails the save becomes frightened and a frightened character becomes panicked.
Rain and other effects that can soak an Hydrophobic character give that character the feeling of being hopelessly immersed in water and thus cause the character to be shaken only while it's raining. Continuous rain will not increase the level of fear a character has beyond shaken but if another of the above happenings occur they are already shaken and thus proceed up in level of fear until going back down to shaken while it's raining.

Misanthrope
You hate your own race.
Prerequisite: Non-Good
Effect: You have a severe hatred for your own people. When you interact with members of your own race, all interactions begin at hostile, as anyone close enough to see your face can sense your seething hatred. You also take a -4 penalty on all Charisma-based skills dealing with social interaction except Intimidate.

Quick
You are fast, but less sturdy than average members of your race.
Benefit
Your base land speed increases by 10 feet (if you don't have a land speed, apply the benefit to whichever of your speeds is highest).
Drawback
Subtract 1 from your hit points gained at each level, including 1st (a result of 0 is possible).

Nightsighted
Your eyes are particularly well suited to using darkvision, but they are less well adapted to what others consider normal light.
Benefit
Add 10 feet to the range of your darkvision.
Drawback
You take a -1 penalty on Spot checks when in areas of bright light.

Skills
Appraise - Ranks (4) + (int ) + misc ()= 8
Balance - Ranks (2) + (dex) misc +()= 8
Bluff - Ranks (2) + (cha ) + misc ()= 6
Climb - Ranks (3) + (str ) + misc (2)= 7
Diplomacy - Ranks (3) + (cha) + misc ()= 8
Disable Device - Ranks (5) + (int) + misc ()= 9
Disguise - Ranks (5) + (cha) + misc ()= 9
Escape Artist - Ranks (2) + (dex) + misc ()= 8
Forgery - Ranks (2) + (int) + misc ()= 6
Hide - Ranks (6) + (dex) + misc (4)= 16
Jump - Ranks (1) + (str) + misc (2)= 5
Listen - Ranks (1) + (wis) + misc (2)= 7
Move Silently - Ranks (6) + (dex) + misc (2)= 14
Open Lock - Ranks (3) + (dex) + misc ()= 9
Search - Ranks (6) + (int) + misc ()= 10
Sense Motive - Ranks (3) + (wis) + misc ()= 7
Sleight of Hand - Ranks (3) + (dex) + misc ()= 9
Spot - Ranks (2) + (wis) + misc ()= 7
Swim - Ranks (1) + (str) + misc ()= 3
Tumble - Ranks (6) + (dex) + misc ()= 12
Use Rope - Ranks (2) + (dex) + misc ()= 8

Gear
+2 corrosive dagger/small-sized shortsword
Ring of protection +1
Masterwork leather armor
6d10 copper
6d10 silver
5d10 gold
5d10 platinum
50 feet of rope

Fluff and tactics:

Rory has had a rough time lately. Originally part of a ragtag adventuring band, it was his ill fortune to fall into an enchanted pool of stagnant water, near a certain Temple of a certain kind of Evil (you've probably heard of it).
He emerged from the water a changed halfling, now a ravenous ghoul. He and his former friends did battle, and in the fight he lost a hand. Deciding that he'd rather fight another day, the newly created monster fled into the night.

Since then, he's managed to steal his way in to the camps of adventurers and acquire quite a lot of nice things, from gear to money which he used to discretely purchase more gear from unobservant or unscrupulous shopkeepers. Finding a certain pleasure in his new existence, he took to the profession of grave robbing in the interest of lining his pockets with the treasures of the departed, as well as filling his belly with their rotten flesh.

He is willing to slay anyone for even the smallest trinket he comes to covet, though he's cunning enough to lay traps and ambushes for more powerful foes, and usually has enough self-control to avoid biting off more than he can chew.

So to speak.

If he's ever inclined to try and tackle a full group of adventurers, he'd probably stalk them for awhile and observe them from hiding. Ideally, he'll strike while they're abed while out somewhere in the wilderness, waiting for the most frail-looking party member to stand watch before creeping up on the sentry and making use of his ghoulish paralysis.
Once that chore is complete, he'll tiptoe from tent to tent and silently dispatch all the others.

Failing that, he will try to use terrain to his advantage, making good use of his heightened darkvision, as well as his small size. He may engineer rock slides or falling trees. During the day he'll do his best to simply bury himself in the ground and wait for evening, and is likely to violently attack any single individual who discovers him, or flee from a group. His favorite bed is one he makes several feet beneath a coffin he's recently raided, as that's the last place somebody would look for the culprit. He absolutely loathes water, and will break off the pursuit of any prey if they escape into a large body of it. (Unless he's gone mad from flesh depravation, in which case even his new phobia won't stay his hand).

The sight of other halflings often leaves him overcome with uncomfortable feelings of loss and sorry, thereby driving him to a fury. He will attack them first if possible.

PROTIP:

When a creature is paralyzed, it is helpless, and is treated as having both Strength and Dex values of 0. (-5 modifier, so factor that into the AC)
They are flat-footed, and so sneak attack damage would apply. Furthermore, you can perform a coup de grace against a helpless target. A coup de grace attack is a full round action, and an automatic critical. The target must then make a Fortitude save of DC 10+1/2 damage dealt or die instantly.

For example, if Rory attacked a helpless character with a coup de grace while using his sword hand, it would deal 2d4+8+1d6 acid +2d6 sneak attack. DC 10+ 1/2 possible damage (21) equals DC 31 Fort save or death.

A coup de grace provokes attacks of opportunity, and cannot be performed on creatures immune to critical hits.

Scenario!

Spring has come after a particularly snowy winter, and it has brought copious amounts of rain along with it. A small town lies atop a wooded hill at the bottom of a large and fertile valley and the weather and geography combine with the nearby river to result in flooding all around the village. To leave town, people need to fjord their way for a few miles before climbing from the morass, though as it's only about waist height it is little more than a nuisance to most of the residents.

Unfortunately for them, however, the rain has trapped an unwelcome visitor.

Rory had been passing through town on his travels, helping himself to the graveyard on his way through when the weather hit. He did all he could to hide from the rain, and after a few days of waiting for it to let up, he was horrified to see that he was virtually trapped. The soft soil of the cemetery did little to keep the water out, and before long he couldn't properly dig into the graves any longer without finding himself at risk of submersion.

He hid away amongst the trees for as long as he was able, but the rising water left him nervous, and being nervous always made him hungry. He killed the hermit grounds keeper (who was just feeling cheerful about the recent end of the grave robbings), who he left intact enough to rise as a ghoul (as in MM) a few days later. In the meanwhile, Rory has kidnapped a child or two, knowing that the lesser undead will take the blame when it is eventually caught, and not caring a button for the chance that the town may be in serious risk of infection.

It is to this desperate place that the adventurers come, either to escape the weather for a few days, or perhaps in response to a summons to help solve the matter of the missing persons. Rory will, of course, do his best never to tip his hand about his hydrophobia, and if he finds out that the PCs are in town about his activities, he may try to break into their inn rooms and do them in.

If it starts to look like he'll have to fight in the long term, he'll try to lure the PCs to a fake hideaway, then go off to try and create more lesser ghouls. The longer he's unable to feed, the more desperate he becomes. If the PCs are bright enough to keep everyone in town on lock down and provide regular patrols with the local constabulary, Rory may make a fatal mistake. A ranger or druid will have the chance to shine while tracking him through the woods.

This is all obviously very bare bones stuff, but it's meant to set up the premise and allow the DM to customize the scenario to their campaign's world. This could be a great first or second level adventure if arranged properly, with lesser ghouls and intrigue eventually leading up to a final encounter with Rory. Maybe this is the PC's hometown, perhaps one of their relatives has gone missing. Milk the atmosphere of a constant dreary downpour, as well as mysterious disappearances in the middle of the night. Remember to award extra XP if Rory manages to prepare an ambush, or has planned an attack on the PCs individually, as this has the potential to drastically raise the CR of the encounter.

Personae Malevolent 2; Looksee (a belated April Fool's entry)

2011-04-19T09:17:00.000-05:00

Name: Looksee {/b/holder}
Race: Beholder
Classes: Aberration 11
Alignment: CN
Appearance: Looksee is an unusually oblong example of beholderkind. A strange black stubble grows across his underside, his mouth is usually caked with a strong smelling orange grime.

Stats
STR 10
DEX 16
CON 16
INT 14
WIS 11
CHA 16

Speed 5 ft/Fly 20 ft (good maneuverability)
Initiative 6
BAB 8
Grapple 12
Space/Reach 10 ft/5 ft
AC 27 [Dex 3, Natural 15, Size -1]
Touch 11, Flat Footed 24

HP 88

Saves
Fort 9
Ref 6
Will 9

Attacks
Eye rays +10 ranged touch, Bite melee, +2, 2d4

Class/Racial Abilities
All-around vision (+4 on Spot and Search. Cannot be flanked.)
Antimagic cone (Central eye continually produces a 150 foot cone of antimagic. Functions exactly as an anti-magic field (caster level 13th). All magical and supernatural powers and effects within the cone are suppressed - including Rupert's
Darkvison 60 feet
Flight

Eye rays (Su): Each of Looksee's smaller eyes can produce a ray once per round as a free action. During a single round, he can focus only three of these rays in any single 90 degree arc (up, forward, backward, left, right, or down). The remaining eyes must aim at targets in other arcs, if at all. He can tilt and rotate his body each round to change which rays may be brought to bear in any given arc.
10 eye rays

>Confusion {omgwtf}
Duration: 11 rounds. Will DC 18 negates
This spell causes the targets to become confused, making them unable to independently determine what they will do.

Roll on the following table at the beginning of each subject’s turn each round to see what the subject does in that round.
d%    Behavior
01–10    Attack caster with melee or ranged weapons (or close with caster if attack is not possible).
11–20    Act normally.
21–50    Do nothing but babble incoherently.
51–70    Flee away from caster at top possible speed.
71–100 Attack nearest creature (for this purpose, a familiar counts as part of the subject’s self).

A confused character who can’t carry out the indicated action does nothing but babble incoherently. Attackers are not at any special advantage when attacking a confused character. Any confused character who is attacked automatically attacks its attackers on its next turn, as long as it is still confused when its turn comes. Note that a confused character will not make attacks of opportunity against any creature that it is not already devoted to attacking (either because of its most recent action or because it has just been attacked).

>Suggestion {Put shoe on head!}
Will DC 18 negates
You influence the actions of the target creature by suggesting a course of activity (limited to a sentence or two). The suggestion must be worded in such a manner as to make the activity sound reasonable. Asking the creature to do some obviously harmful act automatically negates the effect of the spell.

The suggested course of activity can continue for the entire duration. If the suggested activity can be completed in a shorter time, the spell ends when the subject finishes what it was asked to do. You can instead specify conditions that will trigger a special activity during the duration. If the condition is not met before the spell duration expires, the activity is not performed.

A very reasonable suggestion causes the save to be made with a penalty (such as –1 or –2).

>Irresistible Dance {When it's time to party we will party hard.}
Duration 1d4+1 rounds, Fort DC 18 negates
The subject feels an undeniable urge to dance and begins doing so, complete with foot shuffling and tapping. The spell effect makes it impossible for the subject to do anything other than caper and prance in place. The effect imposes a -4 penalty to Armor Class and a -10 penalty on Reflex saves, and it negates any AC bonus granted by a shield the target holds. The dancing subject provokes attacks of opportunity each round on its turn.

>Tasha's Hideous Laughter {Epic lulz}
Duration: 11 rounds. Will DC 18 negates
This spell afflicts the subject with uncontrollable laughter. It collapses into gales of manic laughter, falling prone. The subject can take no actions while laughing, but is not considered helpless. After the spell ends, it can act normally.

A creature with an Intelligence score of 2 or lower is not affected. A creature whose type is different from the caster’s receives a +4 bonus on its saving throw, because humor doesn’t “translate” well.

>Crushing Despair {Forever alone}
Duration: 11 min. Will DC 18 negates
An sense of despair causes great sadness in the subject. The affected creature takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls.

Crushing Despair counters and dispels Good Hope.

>Prismatic Ray {lolrandom}
Saves are DC 18
A brilliant multihued beam streaks toward the target.
1 Red    20 points fire damage (Reflex half)
2 Orange    40 points acid damage (Reflex half)
3 Yellow    80 points electricity damage (Reflex half)
4 Green    Poison (Kills; Fortitude partial, take 1d6 points of Con damage instead)
5 Blue    Turned to stone (Fortitude negates)
6 Indigo    Insane, as insanity spell (Will negates)

>Transfix {wat do?}
Duration: 11 hours. Will DC 18 negates
Any small or smaller humanoid becomes paralyzed. When shooting the ray, Retinal Reject must specify a condition that will end it ("Don't move until I say so!"), even if that condition can never feasibly be met ("Stay put until the sun sets in the east!"). Subjects become immediatly aware of the condition, though they cannot communicate it due to their paralyzed state (although someone could use a spell such as Detect Thoughts to ascertain the condition). For each hour they are transfixed, they are allowed a new will saving throw to break free of the spell's effect.

A paralyzed character is frozen in place and unable to move or act. A paralyzed character has effective Dexterity and Strength scores of 0 and is helpless, but can take purely mental actions. A winged creature flying in the air at the time that it becomes paralyzed cannot flap its wings and falls. A paralyzed swimmer can’t swim and may drown. A creature can move through a space occupied by a paralyzed creature—ally or not. Each square occupied by a paralyzed creature, however, counts as 2 squares.

>Fear {Look out for Candleja-}
Duration: 11 rounds. Will DC 18 to reduce effect.
A deep sense of terror causes a living target to become panicked unless it succeeds on a Will save. If cornered, a panicked creature begins cowering. If the Will save succeeds, the creature is shaken for 1 round.

A panicked creature must drop anything it holds and flee at top speed from the source of its fear, as well as any other dangers it encounters, along a random path. It can’t take any other actions. In addition, the creature takes a –2 penalty on all saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. If cornered, a panicked creature cowers and does not attack, typically using the total defense action in combat. A panicked creature can use special abilities, including spells, to flee; indeed, the creature must use such means if they are the only way to escape.

A shaken character takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.

>Berserk Frenzy {u mad?}
Duration: 3 rounds+ the target's Constitution modifier.Will DC 18 negates
The target enters a berserking frenzy during combat, which also forces activation of her Rage ability, if applicable. While berserking in this frenzied manner, she must attack the nearest living thing, be it friend, foe, or otherwise. She gains a +6 bonus to Strength and, if she makes a full attack action, gains a single extra attack each round at her highest bonus. (This latter effect is not cumulative with haste or other effects that grant additional attacks.) However, she also takes a –4 penalty to Armor Class and takes 2 points of nonlethal damage per round.
To end the frenzy before its duration expires, the target may attempt a DC 20 Will save once per round as a free action. Success ends the frenzy immediately; failure means it continues.

When a berserk frenzy ends, the target is fatigued (–2 penalty to Strength and Dexterity, unable to charge or run) for the duration of the encounter.

If the same target is struck by this ray a second time, they enter the berserk frenzy yet again, and at it's conclusion they are instead exhausted (move at half speed and cannot run or charge, take a –6 penalty to Strength and Dexterity).

A third application results in the target falling unconscious after their rampage. (The target is unable to defend him or herself, is considered helpless and typically falls prone) until a party member expends a full round action to revive them, in which case they awake still exhausted.

>Reverse Gravity {GTFO}
Duration: 11 rounds. Will DC 18 negates.
This beam reverses gravity, causing the target to fall upward and reach the top of the area in 1 round. If some solid object (such as a ceiling) is encountered in this fall, falling objects and creatures strike it in the same manner as they would during a normal downward fall. If an object or creature reaches the top of the area without striking anything, it remains there, oscillating slightly, until the spell ends. At the end of the spell duration, affected objects and creatures fall downward.

Provided it has something to hold onto, a creature caught in the area can attempt a Reflex save to secure itself when the spell strikes. Creatures who can fly or levitate can keep themselves from falling

Feats
Alertness [+2 bonus on all Listen checks and Spot checks. ]
Flyby Attack [When flying, the creature can take a move action (including a dive) and another standard action at any point during the move. The creature cannot take a second move action during a round when it makes a flyby attack.]
Great Fortitude [+2 bonus on all Fortitude saving throws.]
Improved Initiative [+4 on initiative rolls]
Iron Will [+2 bonus on all Will saving throws.]

Skills

Bluff - 13
Craft: Cooking - 6
Knowledge
[the planes]- 15
Listen - 15
Search - 15
Spot - 16

Fluff and tactics:
Looksee was always a little bit peculiar. Since the day he emerged from beneath his mother's tongue, he'd had to keep his eyes peeled for the stronger, smarter, more shapely beholders. They'd always do mean things to him, like call him misshapen, or stupid, or make fun of his unusual eye rays, and then fire rays of disintegration at him to prove why they were better. It didn't take long for Looksee to decide that other beholders were pretty much jerks, and he'd had quite enough of their guff. He took the first opportunity to flee the hive.

He was immediately kidnapped.

The crew of the Spelljamming Shrikeship Glorian was all too happy to have shanghaied a beholder, even if it's arrival brought more hysterical screaming and begging for mercy than they'd ever imagined. Once Looksee finally calmed down, they found out that they didn't have quite the weapon of ultimate destruction they thought. However, as a sub-par beholder is still quite a lot better than no beholder at all, they decided to let him stay aboard, especially when he told them what an incredible chef he was.

Looksee was a very good liar.

Despite his eventual improvement in the area of culinary expertise (he even developed a new kind of crunchy, orange [the color, not the fruit] flavored ration made from the insides of carrion crawlers!), the sad day came when Captain Kernal had to decide between keeping Looksee aboard or turning his quarters into a pottery studio.

It was a very nice studio.

Looksee is back on the prime material once again, and now spends most of his time eating the rations he invented and blaming the multiverse for his problems. He tried to cut it as a wizard for awhile, but the academy was way too conformist for him. His new hobby is picking on villagers and even some of the weaker monsters when he can get away with it. He'd probably move back in with mom if he could.

His tactics always lead with him targeting the biggest and strongest looking foes with this Transfix ray, then setting the condition to something that he thinks would make them uncomfortable. ("Don't move until the elf kisses the dwarf like he MEANS it!"), and then just doing all he can to keep the party unbalanced. If reduced to less than half hit points and unable to retreat, there is at least a 50% chance per round that Looksee will break down into pitiful whimpering sobs, begging for mercy and swearing up and down that he'll never (do whatever it was that brought on the conflict) again.

Though not exactly evil per se, Looksee hasn't had the opportunity to master the finer points of morality. With the right stimuli, he could either join the party and learn to be goodly or go on bullying weaker creatures as he was bullied until he falls to evil.

If your players have fought beholders before and think they've seen it all, throw Looksee at them. Maybe Looksee isn't even an individual; maybe there are dozens or hundreds of Looksees, a new sub-species of beholderkind!

By all means, feel welcome (even encouraged) to drop all of the lame meme tie-ins from the description of the rays. However, if your group isn't very immersive, or you're just having a silly night, try having him phonetically scream out the mememisms as they're activated. Make sure to tailor the terms of his Transfix demands to your own group, and have fun with it.

Personae Malevolent 1; Doomrider

2011-04-19T09:07:00.000-05:00

Name - Doomrider
Race- Drow
Classes- Fighter 2/ Rogue 1
Alignment: NE
Appearance: A powerful looking drow warrior sits astride a nightmarish mount, sitting confidently in a saddle that affords him space between the deadly looking spines that protrude from the beast's back. An otherwise handsome face is twisted in sadistic glee as he charges you, the tip of his lance leveled your way with bad intent.
Religion: Lolth (or whatever would be campaign appropriate)

Stats

STR 16 +3 (20) +5
DEX 16 +3
CON 16 +3
INT 15 +2
WIS 14 +2
CHA 16 +3

Speed 30
Initiative 7
BAB 2

AC 19
Flat Footed 16, Touch 14

HP 30

Saves
Fort 6
Ref 5
Will -1 (1 vs spells and spell like abilities)

Attacks

Mwk Lance -
+8 to hit - 1d8+7 piercing damage. (Crit x3)
(Spirited Charge w/ lance + power attack {2} - +8 to hit, 3d8+33 [21 {str} +12 {power attack}])
((The x3 crit of a lance means that if you hit while doing a spirited charge while using power attack for 2, that's 9d8+99, total))

Mwk Greatsword
+8 to hit - 2d6+7 slashing damage (Crit 19-20 x2)
(Power attack - +6 to hit, 2d6 +11 slashing)

Mwk Mighty Composite [2] Longbow
+6 to hit - 1d8+ 2 piercing damage (Crit x3)

Mwk Mighty Composite [2] Longbow w/ Acid Splash arrows
+6 to hit - 2d4 acid damage and 1 acid damage for 1d4 rounds. 1 acid damage to each creature in a square adjacent to target.

Wand of Burning Hands
(5d4 fire damage, 15 foot cone, reflex save DC 15 for 1/2 damage)

Class Abilities
Sneak Attack +1d6

Feats:
Mounted Combat -
Once per round when your mount is hit in combat, you may attempt a Ride check (as a reaction) to negate the hit. The hit is negated if your Ride check result is greater than the opponent’s attack roll. (Essentially, the Ride check result becomes the mount’s Armor Class if it’s higher than the mount’s regular AC.)

Ride-by Attack -
When you are mounted and use the charge action, you may move and attack as if with a standard charge and then move again (continuing the straight line of the charge). Your total movement for the round can’t exceed double your mounted speed. You and your mount do not provoke an attack of opportunity from the opponent that you attack.

Spirited Charge - When mounted and using the charge action, you deal double damage with a melee weapon (or triple damage with a lance).

Power attack -
On your action, before making attack rolls for a round, you may choose to subtract a number from all melee attack rolls and add the same number to all melee damage rolls. This number may not exceed your base attack bonus. The penalty on attacks and bonus on damage apply until your next turn.
Special

If you attack with a two-handed weapon, or with a one-handed weapon wielded in two hands, instead add twice the number subtracted from your attack rolls. You can’t add the bonus from Power Attack to the damage dealt with a light weapon (except with unarmed strikes or natural weapon attacks), even though the penalty on attack rolls still applies. (Normally, you treat a double weapon as a one-handed weapon and a light weapon. If you choose to use a double weapon like a two-handed weapon, attacking with only one end of it in a round, you treat it as a two-handed weapon.)

Skill Focus: Ride -
You gain a +3 bonus on Ride checks

Special Qualities
* SR 15
* Immunity to sleep spells and effects, and a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells or effects. (Not factored in to saves as written)
* Darkvision out to 120 feet.
* Spell-Like Abilities: Drow can use the following spell-like abilities once per day:

Dancing Lights,

Casting time:     1 standard action
Range:     Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect:     Up to four lights, all within a 10- ft.-radius area
Duration:     1 minute (D)
Saving Throw:     None
Spell Resistance:     No

Depending on the version selected, you create up to four lights that resemble lanterns or torches (and cast that amount of light), or up to four glowing spheres of light (which look like will-o’-wisps), or one faintly glowing, vaguely humanoid shape. The dancing lights must stay within a 10-foot-radius area in relation to each other but otherwise move as you desire (no concentration required): forward or back, up or down, straight or turning corners, or the like. The lights can move up to 100 feet per round. A light winks out if the distance between you and it exceeds the spell’s range.


Darkness,

Casting time:     1 standard action
Range:     Touch
Target:     Object touched
Duration:     10 min./level (D)
Saving Throw:     None
Spell Resistance:     No

This spell causes an object to radiate shadowy illumination out to a 20-foot radius. All creatures in the area gain concealment (20% miss chance). Even creatures that can normally see in such conditions (such as with darkvision or low-light vision) have the miss chance in an area shrouded in magical darkness.

Normal lights (torches, candles, lanterns, and so forth) are incapable of brightening the area, as are light spells of lower level. Higher level light spells are not affected by darkness.

If darkness is cast on a small object that is then placed inside or under a lightproof covering, the spell’s effect is blocked until the covering is removed.

Darkness counters or dispels any light spell of equal or lower spell level.

Faerie Fire.

Casting time:     1 standard action
Range:     Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Area:     Creatures and objects within a 5-ft.-radius burst
Duration:     1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw:     None
Spell Resistance:     Yes

A pale glow surrounds and outlines the subjects. Outlined subjects shed light as candles. Outlined creatures do not benefit from the concealment normally provided by darkness (though a 2nd-level or higher magical darkness effect functions normally), blur, displacement, invisibility, or similar effects. The light is too dim to have any special effect on undead or dark-dwelling creatures vulnerable to light. The faerie fire can be blue, green, or violet, according to your choice at the time of casting. The faerie fire does not cause any harm to the objects or creatures thus outlined.

Caster Level 3

Flaws/Traits

Weak Willed -
You are highly suggestible and easily duped.

Effect: You take a -3 penalty on Will saves.

Skills

Handle Animal - Ranks (5) + (cha 3) + misc ()= 8

Heal - Ranks (2) + (wis 2) + misc ()= 4

Hide - Ranks (5) + (dex 3) + misc ()= 8

Intimidate - Ranks (6) + (cha 3)+ misc ()= 9

Ride - Ranks (5) + (dex 3) + misc (3)= 11

Use Magic Device - Ranks (4) + (cha 3) + misc ()= 7

Gear/Equipment:

Mwk Lance
Mwk Greatsword
Mwk Breastplate
Mwk Mighty {2} Composite Longbow
20 Arrows
5 Acid Splash arrows
Ring of Protection +1,
Potion of Bull's Strength (3)
Potion of Cure Light Wounds (2)

Unique items-
Doomrider's Amulet: This thick platinum chain is set with an egg-sized onyx, and enchanted to give the wearer immunity to the madness caused by the shrieks of his Howler mount

Fiendish Howler

Type: Large Outsider
Classes: Outsider, 6 HD
Alignment: NE
Appearence: A blood-red beast that bristles with ebon spines rears up from the darkness, some sort of muzzle clamped over it's mouth and thick leather armor studded with iron encasing it's muscular frame. Crimson eyes leer at you with a hungry malevolence, drool leaking copiously from behind the restraint.

Stats

STR 21
DEX 17
CON 15
INT 6
WIS 14
CHA 8

Speed 60 feet
Initiative 7
BAB 6

AC 20
Flat Footed 17, touch 12

HP 39

Saves
Fort 7
Ref 8
Will 7

Attacks

Bite +10 to hit, (2d8+5) and 1d4 quills +5 to hit (1d6+2)

Special attacks: quills, howl

Quills (Ex): A howler’s neck bristles with long quills. While biting, the creature thrashes about, striking with 1d4 of them. An opponent hit by a howler’s quill attack must succeed on a DC 16 Reflex save or have the quill break off in his or her flesh. Lodged quills impose a –1 penalty on attacks, saves, and checks per quill. The save DC is Dexterity-based.

A quill can be removed safely with a DC 20 Heal check; otherwise, removing a quill deals an extra 1d6 points of damage.

Howl (Ex): All beings other than outsiders that hear the creature’s howling for an hour or longer are subject to its effect, though it does not help the howler in combat. Anyone within hearing range of a howler for a full hour must succeed on a DC 12 Will save or take 1 point of Wisdom damage. The save DC is Charisma-based. The save must be repeated for each hour of exposure. This is a sonic mind-affecting effect.

Feats

Alertness-
You get a +2 bonus on all Listen checks and Spot checks.

Combat Reflexes-
You may make a number of additional attacks of opportunity equal to your Dexterity bonus.

With this feat, you may also make attacks of opportunity while flat-footed.

Improved Initiative-
You gain a +4 bonus on initiative rolls

Special Qualities

Darkvision -60 feet
Damage Reduction - 5/magic
Resistance to cold and fire - 5
SR 11

Skills

Climb 14
Hide 8
Listen 13
Move Silently 12
Search 7
Spot 13
Survival 2 (4 following tracks)

Gear/Equipment-
Mwk studded leather armor, sized for a Howler
Saddlebags full of a month's worth of rations, 1 pair of manacles (DC 15 open lock, DC 20 escape artist check) 100 arrows, and 20 acid splash arrows.

Unique Items-
Magical muzzle, fitted to a howler. Has the effect of a Silence spell on whatever creature wears it. This is worn as both a courtesy to any non-Doomrider companions they might travel with, and as a means of maintaining stealth when preparing for an ambush. It is usually removed (a swift action for the rider) when combat is about to be joined, or while harrying foes.

Welcome, players.

2011-04-19T09:00:00.000-05:00

This blog was started because I want to expand my presence over these, the vast interwebs.

Having never done this before, I expect to do a fair bit of bumbling around before finding my legs. Have patience, won't you?