3.5 IH stuff from my old notes

[Khisanth the Ancient]

Eitrdrake
Colossal Dragon

Hit Dice: 50d12+750 (1,350 hp)

Initiative: +4

Speed: 100 ft., swim 100 ft.

AC: 52 (-8 size, +50 natural), touch 2, flat-footed 52

Base Attack/Grapple: +50/+86

Attack: Bite +70 melee (8d6+20/18-20)

Full Attack: Bite +70 melee (8d6+20/18-20), tail +70 melee (4d6+20)

Space/Reach: 40 ft./60 ft. (coiled)

Special Attacks: Breath weapon, constrict, corrosive scales, improved grab, ship-sinker, spell-like abilities

Special Qualities: Cold resistance 50, DR 50/epic, SR 46

Saves: Fort +42, Ref +27, Will +32

Abilities: Str 50, Dex 10, Con 40, Int 17, Wis 21, Cha 18

Skills: Listen +58, Knowledge (nature, religion) +56, Search +58, Sense Motive +58, Spot +58, Survival +58, Swim +81

Feats: Awesome Blow, Greater Weapon Focus (bite, tail), Improved Critical (bite), Improved Natural Attack (bite, tail), Weapon Focus (bite, tail)

Epic Feats: Epic Prowess (x4), Epic Weapon Focus (bite, tail), Greater Critical (bite), Perfect Toughness

Environment: Aquatic

Organization: Solitary

Challenge Rating: 35?

Treasure: Double standard

Alignment: Always chaotic evil

Advancement: 51-63 HD (Colossal); 64-127 HD (Titanic); 128-150 HD (Macro-fine)

A massive, coiling serpent form rises before you, its head as high as the treetops. Its open jaws reveal huge fangs dripping hideous venom. Turning its head to face you, its eyes shine with an ancient and evil intelligence.

An eitrdrake resembles a dragon but has no wings or limbs. It is about 150 feet long (100 feet excluding tail) and weighs about 180 tons.

These horrible creatures are the spawn of Jormungandr, the Midgard Serpent, or perhaps born from its blood spilled when Odin first bound it into the deepest seafloors.

Eitrdrakes live either in the ocean, in great rivers, or in swampy or marshy waters. In swamps or marshes, they often use their spell-like abilities to great effect.

COMBAT

At sea (against ships), an eitrdrake will use its breath weapon to simply annihilate the vessel and its crew. (Against a smaller ship, of Gargantuan size, it may constrict and slowly crush the ship instead - but only if the crew is unable to pose any threat to it.)

In rivers or shallower waters, the eitrdrake may call upon shambling mounds to distract weaker foes while it concentrates on any real threats.

Breath Weapon (Su): An eitrdrake's breath weapon is a cone of eitr (cosmic acid) vapors. This breath weapon deals 70d10 [avg. 385] damage, half divine damage and half acid damage (Reflex DC 60 half). It can use the breath weapon once every 1d4 rounds.

Constrict (Ex): An eitr dragon that makes a successful grapple check against a grabbed opponent inflicts 4d6+20 additional bludgeoning damage, as well as 8d10 acid damage from the eitrdrake's corrosive scales (see below).

Corrosive Scales (Ex): Every scale of an eitrdrake runs with acid. Creatures constricted by it take 8d10 additional acid damage. Creatures striking the eitrdrake with natural weapons or unarmed strikes take 4d10 acid damage, with a Reflex save (DC 60) allowed to avoid the damage.

Immunities (Ex): An eitrdrake is immune to acid in addition to the normal immunities for dragons.

Improved Grab (Ex): If the eitrdrake hits an opponent up to one size category smaller with its bite or tail attack, it can then attempt to start a grapple without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it gets a hold, it can constrict.

Ship-sinker (Ex): An eitrdrake deals double damage to ships, other vehicles, and objects.

Spell-like Abilities: At will – acid fog, greater dispel magic, horrid wilting (DC 22), plant growth, shambler. Caster level 50th. The save DC is Charisma-based.

 

[Khisanth the Ancient]

Supernova [Effect] (Transcendental Ability)

Your [Effect] ability strikes with the power of an exploding star.

Benefit: The effect deals 3d20 divine damage per hit die of the effect as the target is consumed in the ultimate energies of a dying sun. In addition, crushing gravity waves deal damage equal to a percentage of the target's maximum hit points:

Hand/Immolation Effects = 2d10% damage

Beam/Breath Effects = 2d6% damage

Blast/Wrath Effects = 1d6% damage

Blood/Storm/Strike Effects = 2% damage

e.g. A Stage I Demiurge (400 Hit Dice) taking Supernova Breath would gain a breath weapon dealing 300d20 divine damage and 2d6% of the target's maximum hit points.

Special: This effect can be taken multiple times, and its effects stack. Each time it is taken it either applies to a different effect, or to the same effect as follows:

Taken twice = Greater Supernova [Effect], original effect doubled.

Taken three times = Superior Supernova [Effect], original effect tripled.

Taken four times = Perfect Supernova [Effect], original effect quadrupled.

Taken five times = Supernova Mastery, use any type of Supernova effect at the Perfect level.

Taken six times = Uncanny Supernova Mastery, use any type of Supernova effect at the Perfect level, and shape area effects to only affect those you wish to target.

[Basically, a Transcendental-level Atomic Effect.]

 

[Khisanth the Ancient]

I also found this list:
Huitzicoatl: Hero-Deity, 20 HD, 10 integrated Barbarian levels, no portfolios; Wind Breath.

Goel: Lesser Deity, 44 HD, 22 integrated Rogue levels, Madness and Winter Portfolios; Superior Icy Hand, Quintessential Shot

Adei [aspect of Hureila]: Demi-deity, 30 HD, 15 integrated Ranger levels, Moon Portfolio

Sonell: Quasi-deity, 20 Wizard/5 Loremaster levels, Magic and Secrets Portfolios

Obesol: Hero-deity, Love and Madness Portfolios

Gesor: Demi-deity, 32 HD, 16 integrated Barbarian levels, Strength and War Portfolios

Koe: Quasi-deity, 24 HD, 12 integrated Cleric levels, Knowledge and Skill Portfolios

Hureila: Elder One, 120 HD, 30 integrated Druid/30 integrated Ranger levels, Moon Portfolio; Time Dilation, Regenerating Storm

Cipactli: First One, 240 HD, 120 integrated Barbarian levels, Disease and Destruction Portfolios

Xochipactli: Stage I Demiurge, 340 HD, 170 integrated Barbarian levels, Disease and Nature Portfolios; Uncanny Rotting Mastery

Kadmon: Stage I Demiurge, 340 HD

[Goel and Huitzicoatl are on the old thread, Cipactli and attempted reconstructions of Adei, Hureila, and Kadmon are on the other thread Obly99 started. I have no recollection whatever of Sonell, Obesol, Gesor, or Koe, though it's conceivable that Obesol's Love and Madness Portfolios might have been a reference to Roze-Kattee, god of love and madness in Niven's "The Magic Goes Away", which I think I'd read not too long before then. Sonell might have been a Vecna-type perhaps?]

 

[Obly99]

Supernova [Effect] (Transcendental Ability)

Your [Effect] ability strikes with the power of an exploding star.

Benefit: The effect deals 3d20 divine damage per hit die of the effect as the target is consumed in the ultimate energies of a dying sun. In addition, crushing gravity waves deal damage equal to a percentage of the target's maximum hit points:

Hand/Immolation Effects = 2d10% damage

Beam/Breath Effects = 2d6% damage

Blast/Wrath Effects = 1d6% damage

Blood/Storm/Strike Effects = 2% damage

e.g. A Stage I Demiurge (400 Hit Dice) taking Supernova Breath would gain a breath weapon dealing 300d20 divine damage and 2d6% of the target's maximum hit points.

Special: This effect can be taken multiple times, and its effects stack. Each time it is taken it either applies to a different effect, or to the same effect as follows:

Taken twice = Greater Supernova [Effect], original effect doubled.

Taken three times = Superior Supernova [Effect], original effect tripled.

Taken four times = Perfect Supernova [Effect], original effect quadrupled.

Taken five times = Supernova Mastery, use any type of Supernova effect at the Perfect level.

Taken six times = Uncanny Supernova Mastery, use any type of Supernova effect at the Perfect level, and shape area effects to only affect those you wish to target.

[Basically, a Transcendental-level Atomic Effect.]

Imo the Divine damage should be upgraded to at least d100 (720d20, even with Quantum and Inner Eye is 57,600, nothing at that level)

 

[Khisanth the Ancient]

Imo the Divine damage should be upgraded to at least d100 (720d20, even with Quantum and Inner Eye is 57,600, nothing at that level)

I kinda agree with you, but it's meant to be balanced with the existing Effects - Transcendental is d100 and Cosmic is d20. If it was d100 + Gravitic effect, it'd be strictly better than Transcendental Effect.

Still, yeah, the high level damage dealing Effects are kind of pointless... the 320 HD Stage I Demiurge I just built could have Transcendental Beam for 80d100 at 13,200 ft range ... or he could have Transversal to use his normal melee attack +706/+706/+706/+706 melee touch (1,600d10+268 + 20d20 force / 15-20 / x5) at infinite range.

And that guy splits his resources between magic and melee, since breadth feels appropriate for a Demiurge (multiple dimensions to an universe). If I were to give him Legendary Strength instead of Dominance, his virtual size categories would go totally insane (Strength 500 would give him 30 VSCs, which would be another 8 doublings of damage ... x1.5 on top of that, I think... or somewhere around 600,000d10
damage maybe?) I was specifically trying to keep him more or less close to the VSC table in the Epic Bestiary.

And then if I were to swap out that spell-boosting Artifact he has for, say, Ultimate Weapon Specialization...

 

[Obly99]

I kinda agree with you, but it's meant to be balanced with the existing Effects - Transcendental is d100 and Cosmic is d20. If it was d100 + Gravitic effect, it'd be strictly better than Transcendental Effect.

Still, yeah, the high level damage dealing Effects are kind of pointless... the 320 HD Sta

Divine, Cosmic, Transcendental, Omnific [Effect] Imo are pretty much a trap because they are designed as Effects that you take to do great damage without any particular extra effects but they fail miserably in their intentions because they cannot keep up with the hp growth.

Divine with d3 is too little damage, even for non-Divine Epic build (the only thing good is
that Divine damage penetrates any type of magical defence, destroying it in the process)

Cosmic as above too little damage. 120d20 for a base Elder One for 24 divine ability slots, even if maximized and multiplied with Quantum is only 9,600 damage, usually with a save for half (and the DC is usually pretty low compared to the saving throws possessed).

Transcendental is ABYSMAL for how little damage. 320d100 for a base Demiurge Stage I for 144 divine ability slots, even if maximized and multiplied with Quantum is only 128,000 damage, when the hp are usually 1,400,000 or more. At this point simply take Automatic Metamagic Capacity x300 and go to Nuke Town with a simple fireball disgustingly metamagized.

Omnific as above.

In summary, don't try to balance based on this abilities.

 

[Khisanth the Ancient]

I feel like Divine is mostly useful for breaking through protections, yeah. Goodbye wall of force, and so on.

I mean, you can get something out of Cosmic if you trade an item for more divine ability slots to get it as an Esoteric at lower-mid divine levels... I was messing around with what the standard D&D demon lords might look like with IH rules, and it's hard to come up with 4 artifacts for some of them. But even then, it's kind of marginal... a 7d20 Cosmic Beam might be a decent ranged option for a CR 41 Juiblex (ECL 62, 32 HD + effective Demi-deity template) but not far above that.

His melee attack (say two slams for 2d6+32/18-20/×3*) looks like comparable average damage (2d6+32 x 2 = avg. 78, vs. 7d20 = avg. 73.5), but when you add in criticals and Power Attack...

much above that level, yeah, no.

Maybe Omnific effect should be removed (or infinite damage?) and Transcendental should be either d1000, or something like 4d100 per HD of effect?

Then something like Supernova effect could be 2d100 + 2x Gravitic.

I wonder about Annihilating (d6 permanent) as a Cosmic, too. Even for my 32 HD Juiblex example above, 7d6 permanent sounds scary, but for the, what, maybe 30+ level characters (or perhaps level 20 Hero-deities or low-20s Prophets?) who are likely fighting him as a CR 41...

And a bit higher up - a 100HD Greater ( 180 ECL = CR 120) would spend 6 ability slots on Annihilating Breath/Beam and do 25d6 permanent... which isn't that scary to a party of say ECL 90 lesser deities (50th level) who would have 1000 hit points before Con bonuses (50d20 maxed) and
probably over 2000 in practice unless they have undead/construct traits, and who all have wish SLA to fix it afterwards...

*1d6 base, +1 step for oversized natural weapons, +1 for VSC, +1 for Improved Natural Attack
Strength base 45 (15 base and 3 from level advancements + 5 inherent + 10 size + 12 from effectively having the demideity template), Strength 76 with a belt of epic strength +31 (artifact at ECL 62/2)

 

[Khisanth the Ancient]

Hmm, now looking at those demon lords again, U_K on the old website has Demogorgon at CR 45 w/one artifact (not CR 60 with four) for 50 HD/Lesser Deity equivalent. So maybe they should just be missing those artifacts (and lower CR/ECL because of that), rather than trading them for more abilities.

So in that case Juiblex (32HD/Demi equivalent) with one artifact would be 3/4 of ECL 62 = ECL 47 (CR 31). That sounds reasonable for possibly the weakest real demon lord (as opposed to unique demons still fighting up the chain, above a MM/SRD-standard balor but not established lords of a realm yet).